The warm morning gave way to a humid blue sky afternoon. Our kitchen would've been uncomfortable had I not been so accustomed to the heat while preparing a hiyashi chuka cold ramen dish for lunch. Thankfully my family enjoyed the meals I cooked every day. They would be home any minute now.
I left my apron and slippers on as I walked out to the engawa or veranda connecting our home to the outside. My husband and youngest son were coming down the street, walking past the Uchiha fan crests painted on the walls.
Fugaku with his furrowed brows and stern face kept a hand tucked in his robe. My bubbly seven-year-old mini-me Sasuke, gleefully strutted alongside him, proud to be in tow with his father. I sat on my knees in our entryway.
"Welcome home, my loves. Lunch is ready," I greeted them.
"Thank you, Mikoto," said Fugaku, giving me a small nod as he removed the flak jacket from his shoulders. His gaze then shifted into the distance of the room.
"Hi, Mom," responded Sasuke cheerfully. He stared up at Fugaku while ripping his shoes off, just itching to ask him something.
"Hey, Dad? D'you… um," he hesitated, "wanna come to see my shuriken jutsu later today?"
"I can't right now, Sasuke, I'm busy. I've got to head back to the Police Station soon," he replied simply.
"Oh right…"
Sasuke's head sank into his chest, so I affectionately pinched his chin and lifted his head again.
"Sweetheart, I can supervise your shuriken jutsu practice if you want." I chimed.
"It's not practice, it's actual training."
"Well, for now, how about you get clean before eating? You're all dusty from being on the training grounds. I'll come join you for a bath soon, then we can eat together. Is that okay?"
"Okay," he pouted. I mimicked him while poking his puffed cheeks and sides of his chest until he burst into a fit of giggles that I joined in. Sasuke's laughter kept my heart beating every day. He marched himself to his room.
When I returned to the kitchen, Fugaku sat in silence at the low-floor table slurping his noodles absent-minded, and drummed his fingers against a cup without taking a sip from it.
"Honey, is there something bothering you?"
He put down his cup and folded his arms across his chest.
"Fugaku?"
"We're being surveilled," he said quietly.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I've had my suspicions for a while now, but it's hard to ignore the signs. Specifically, the tall buildings surrounding our clan compound. I suspect they're being used as security towers and we're being spied on. This is why I insist Sasuke not go to school and back alone."
"How do you know this for sure? It could just be another part of security for the whole village." Even then, I knew the excuse was to convince myself. Being an Uchiha came with keen instincts of knowing when you were being watched.
"It's no coincidence that those structures are only positioned around us. They have the perfect vantage point to monitor all activity in this area. And if I'm right, the ANBU could be peeping into our home at all times, watching our family, looking in your dressing room? I can't have that!" he affirmed.
"Well, Itachi's one of them. Maybe if you ask him—
"He won't tell me anything. The ANBU are bound by the strictest code of silence, even from family. That's what bothers me the most. If he knows about this, why not protest it?" he trailed off lost in his thoughts.
I wasn't too fond of the ANBU Black Ops myself. Or rather, I didn't like that Itachi was a member of the highly discreet organisation. No one else seemed bothered by the open secret that he was too young to join because it served the interests of those who approved of it. That included Fugaku.
"Why not try and arrange a meeting with Lord Third again?" I suggested.
Fugaku sighed. "Every attempt I've made this year to request an audience with the Hokage has been denied by officials after previous negotiations came to a stalemate. Itachi and Shisui are now our only connections to the Leaf Village government."
"Then, what are you going to do?"
"I'll file a complaint then sit with my top three officers to draft another proposal for the boys to deliver to Village officials. Maybe then, we can open up another round of talks. Also," he crooned while running his hand down the length of my black hair, "I wish you would join us in meetings more often, Miko. I value your input, you may have a perspective that we haven't considered."
A soothing warmth enveloped my senses at his voice and touch. I leaned closer to him and lay my hand on his lower back. He had a good point. I'd always downplayed my role in our clan's governance and negotiations with the Leaf Village despite being a former Jounin myself. Not to mention I was married to our clan leader and captain of the Konoha Military Police Force and the mother of an ANBU operative.
"I just…never felt comfortable at those meetings. The rhetoric thrown around there scares me sometimes. But you're right, it's important that I stay in the loop and contribute, especially during these times."
"All that talk is merely a reflection of our clan's growing dissatisfaction with that Village."
"That Village?" I scoffed gently, "You're starting to sound like how the older generation talk. We are the Leaf Village, honey. As co-founders, Konoha is us as much as we are them."
A low sigh escaped from deep within his chest. "I wish I could believe that sometimes," he murmured before lightly kissing my forehead and handing me his empty bowl. "I'll be home again later."
xxx
Within the next few days, Fugaku had arranged an afternoon meeting at our home with three of the Military Police Force's highest-ranking officers to liaise with Itachi and Shisui.
I rummaged through storage boxes tucked into my wardrobe to find my old navy blue and indigo-toned shinobi uniform. The high collar shirt dotted with Uchiha fan emblems and matching pants had a bandage wrap above the knee. It felt tighter since I'd last worn it over a decade ago. I left the silver-plated Leaf Village headband gleaming at the bottom of my dresser drawer and tied my hair up in a high ponytail instead.
When the time came, Yashiro Uchiha was the first to arrive. As Fugaku's first commissioned officer, the older man had been to our home many times. I gave him an almost 90-degree bow and he returned only a slight nod in my direction, his upright white hair barely moving an inch.
Next came the second and third-ranking officers respectively. Tekka Uchiha and the signature dot on his forehead gave a quick, shallow bow while Inabi with his long black hair walked straight past without acknowledging me. I chuckled to myself, he'd been resentful towards me since I'd rejected his romantic advances when we were teenagers. Times like this made me miss my laughing buddy Kushina the most.
Finally, Shisui appeared up the street in a flash, taking aback the few people who laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. He cheerfully chuckled with them in a charming head scratch. Despite being one of the most gifted shinobi I'd ever known, Shisui remained a very genuine and well-rounded sixteen-year-old boy. He gave me a low bow, folding an arm over his chest as he arrived outside our home.
"Lady Mikoto, as lovely as ever," he complimented me with an easygoing grin.
"Aww thanks, Shisui," I smiled, ruffling his unkempt hair, "how's your father?"
He blinked his long-winged lashes at me. A flash of hidden sorrow appeared in his large onyx eyes. "His condition is worsening. I don't think he recognises me much anymore."
"I'm so sorry for what your family has been through and the enormous responsibility placed on you. If you ever need someone to step in and help, let me know. I would like to visit him and your mother soon."
"Thank you my lady, I appreciate that. My parents would cherish some company in what could be my father's last days," he said somberly.
Just then, Itachi appeared a few metres outside our home. My heart gave a little jolt of relief and heaviness at seeing my firstborn. My gentle and solitary boy was far too innocent for the world that I birthed him in. The guilt of enabling him into a dark and premature shinobi-hood weighed on me. But he was so determined to change things. To be the first Uchiha Hokage, a feat not even his father could accomplish.
"Oh, there you are bro, what took you so long?" asked Shisui casually, jabbing his ribs.
"I got held up in the Hokage's office." He gazed up at me wearing my uniform in surprise. "Mother, are you joining this meeting too?"
"Yes, I am. It's high time I got more involved in this…kind of stuff." I replied.
"Oh…cool!"
"Welcome home beloved," I chimed, tightly curling my arms around his shoulders and kissing the top of his head while I could still reach it.
"Mother, not now," he hissed embarrassed as Shisui chuckled.
"C'mon Ita, you know how much I miss you when you're on these long ANBU missions. It's such a relief to see you come home safe and unscathed, every time."
"Okay, I get it. Let's go," he uttered with a blush brushing his cheeks.
As I ushered them in, we were stopped by the tiny voice behind me.
"Mom? What's going on? Why are all these people at our house?"
Sasuke was rubbing his eyes after waking up from an afternoon nap. In a loud whoop, his face burst with excitement seeing his adored brother and his most impressive friend.
"Ha! Big brother, big brother Shisui! You're here too?!" he squealed in elation.
"Sasuke!" exclaimed Itachi with a smile.
"Hey kiddo," came Shisui giving a playful salute.
I crouched down to look at him directly. "Little bug, the grownups are about to have a meeting with Itachi and Shisui right now. Is there anything you need?"
"Not really. Just something I wanted to tell Father...I've been practicing my Fire Release Jutsu and I hoped he would revise it with me today."
His eyes drifted back to the two older shinobi kids he admired more than anyone, and no doubt wanted to hang out with now that they were right there in his company.
"Tell you what Sasuke," I said, "after this, how's about I train you on Fire Release by the lake today?"
"Then, Shisui and I will take you to our secret place by the cliff tomorrow," added Itachi to which Shishu nodded.
"Hmmph…fine. But this better not be some trick to leave me out of the group again. Promise me!" Sasuke demanded in a squeal.
"Promise. I'll come to fetch you myself. Later Sasuke," Itachi said, bending lower to jab his brother's forehead with two fingers which made him yelp.
I held out my pinky for him to lock his own into. "I promise, baby."
With Sasuke taken care of, the three of us walked in and shut the sliding door behind us. Fugaku sat on a cushion at the far front and centre of the tatami-floored room while his three subordinates sat on either side of him. Shisui and Itachi knelt on one knee before them while I grabbed a cushion to sit on the sideline next to them.
"Oh Mrs Fugaku, I'll have a green tea, if you would" Yashiro announced loftily.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, especially since this man knew me by my name. It was just a poorly disguised reminder to get me to leave the room.
"Actually, I'm sitting in this meeting too. Not…serving tea." I retorted as politely as I could.
Yashiro looked questioningly at Fugaku who nodded his head. "Yes, Mikoto will be joining us from now on. So…if you want anything to drink, then have it before you arrive," he added sarcastically.
The other two men shrugged, while Yashiro's scowl only deepened. He adjusted his sitting position so more of his back was turned towards me. Itachi narrowed his eyes at the man.
"Now then, we have convened here today to discuss the finalised proposal that will be issued to the Hokage," said Fugaku, "It states how we suspect the surrounding buildings target our compound for surveillance and how we seek to resolve the issue."
Tekka tossed the scroll to Shisui who unfurled it and began reading through it in his mind.
"Our clan was relocated to this area seven years ago. Why make this an issue now?" asked Itachi.
"Those buildings were constructed into family units for Leaf Village residents who lost their homes during the Nine-Tails Attack. But the town planner has since told us those apartments remain empty and families resettled elsewhere in the Village. The Military Police Force have never been permitted to investigate further either," said Tekka.
"And for your information," added Inabi irritably, "We've been filing disputes about this relocation area since we got here. You were less than a genin at the time. Lord Fugaku initially challenged the decision but was made to accept it by Village officials."
Shisui read the final section aloud. "Here it is…we request the properties be consolidated to the Uchiha clan district. Our treasury will finance them using revenue from our land royalties in the Nakano area. They will house families who want to move back into the Village but remain close to us. In return, we'll share more knowledge about Uchiha style Fire Jutsu with The Academy to benefit students with Fire chakra nature. We will also enroll more Uchiha children into the shinobi system to strengthen the Village's military might with our visual prowess."
It pained me to hear that some Uchiha families wanted to live within the Village again. Our clan previously lived in a suburban area just outside the Village centre before the Nine-Tails Attack. Despite us now being closer to Nakano Shrine built by our ancestors, living on the outskirts of Konoha further entrenched our isolation. I dearly missed our old neighbourhood.
"Captain if I may," called Yashiro, "I still believe this proposal is too generous, meek and placid. At this stage, we should be making demands, not requesting or negotiating a give-and-take. Women and children feel the uneasiness of being watched. They are counting on us to show force and make their discomfort known." he voiced hotly.
"Listen, I fully understand your sentiments," Fugaku stated. "But this is a sensitive situation that needs a delicate approach. We're essentially making an accusation without hard evidence. So, we have to stick to the negotiating tactics we discussed for Lord Third to consider."
"We would have actual proof if they would tell us something…anything. Well?" demanded Tekka in a rough voice turning to Shisui and Itachi, "Have you gathered any intel that the Leaf Village is spying on the Uchiha?"
Shisui and Itachi exchanged glances at each other. "We can't actually divulge any information about our duties, assignments, and missions in the ANBU nor can we tell you what they do," replied Shisui.
Fugaku spoke before he could protest back. "We already knew this Tekka, which is why we've changed strategies. The boys now act as our conduits to send messages to the Hokage and his council then report back to us. We can't ask any more from them or afford to put them in a compromising position."
Tekka let out a sharp exhale while the other two officers looked to the floor. They were clearly deeply frustrated by Fugaku's soft handling but had no authority to defy him.
"There's still one big obstacle we need to overcome," said Shisui, pausing. "Lord Danzo."
I bit my bottom lip. There was an uncomfortable stir in the room. Danzo Shimura being a darkly ambitious and hardline Leaf Village nationalist controlling access to Hiruzen was problematic. I'd only met him a handful of times during my tenure as a shinobi. He'd shown a rather careless disregard for human lives if it meant protecting the Village. After the Nine-Tails Attack, his attitude towards our clan turned to extreme prejudice and mistrust that many people in the Village had no problem absorbing. All it did was normalise the discrimination against us. It was definitely a predicament.
"All internal paperwork addressed to the Hokage needs security clearance from him first. Lord Fugaku, he's the one who's been denying your request to directly meet with Lord Third. We need to get around him somehow. How can we do this?" Shisui asked.
We all sat in silence. Until an idea popped into my mind.
"The other clan leaders," I replied. "They might dismiss the proposal seeing the Uchiha name, but if another clan leader made the same request and mediated on our behalf, we could have a better chance at this."
Fugaku grinned at me and I returned it.
"Tch, the fact that we have to appeal to the other weaker clans… pitiful." Yashiro spat.
"Try the Nara clan first," I said, ignoring him. "They've shown to be a great ally and Shikaku is a great friend of mine. But if we can get as many clan leaders onboard as possible, that would be great too."
"Hmmm…that's a good idea, actually," said Shisui, handing the scroll to Itachi for a quick read-through.
"Truthfully, I still don't see them agreeing to this even if it makes it to the Hokage's desk," sighed Itachi. "We've been going at this back and forth countless times without resolution. This isn't enough."
"It's more than a reasonable bargain in exchange for more of our power. Our sublime abilities are highly coveted by The Leaf. Every shinobi unit seeks to have a Sharingan user on their teams for combat missions. Let's not forget why we're stuffed into a cubicle at the edge of the Village here. They fear us more than the other way around." stated Inabi proudly folding his arms over his chest.
"Should I pass that on…as a threat?" whispered Itachi.
"Call it a cautionary tale," he sneered while exchanging smug looks with the other two officers.
"Agreed," came Yashiro addressing the room again, "We've been patient for too long. It's time to make moves - albeit small this time- but a step towards bigger positions and getting closer to the Village centre. Unless you're okay with your kid brother taking twenty minutes to come home from The Academy while it only takes other kids five?"
"Keep Sasuke out of this."
The temperature of the room might've gone up a few degrees. I stared at Itachi. His face remained neutral and unreadable but there was no mistaking the bite in his voice. Yashiro glared unblinkingly at him. Although their eyes remained a cool black, there was a threatening urge to go further.
Yashiro shook his head in disapproval, "Sometimes I wonder how the fate of our clan's future was entrusted to the hands of children who can't control their emotions."
"Stop this," chided Fugaku. "We're all on the same side here and want what's best for our families. Let's keep things civil."
"Bro relax," whispered Shisui. Itachi blinked and dropped his shoulders. Yashiro turned his head away without another word.
"Alright then, it's decided. If we get this approved, we'll have an answer from Lord Third within a week," said Itachi.
"Good work, Shisui, Itachi. We're counting on you," said Fugaku.
"Yeah, thank you boys for doing this," I smiled at them.
When Fugaku ended the meeting and dismissed the room, Itachi marched for the sliding door, making sure to shoulder bump Yashiro as he passed him. Yashiro made a 'hmph' sound and his eyes flashed crimson for a second. Shisui had to give him a low bow in apology before leaving.
"Your son's entitled behaviour gets worse by the day. He needs to be kept in check," he retorted in a grimace.
"I'll deal with Itachi…however Yashiro," whispered Fugaku in a low hiss, "Don't ever be a fool as to disrespect Mikoto ever again. I'm not of the same mindset as how your generation handles their wives. Do you understand me?"
For a second, the older man appeared to want to sting back at being reprimanded by someone younger than him, but Fugaku was still a superior. Fear of his 'wicked eyes' was firmly ingrained in his mind.
"Yes, Captain." he bowed, walking out without so much as a glance or apology to me.
It was my turn to give Fugaku an appreciative smile. He shook his head at the situation.
As early evening set in, Sasuke skipped and hopped around me in excitement as I freshened up to take him to the large lake behind the woods, as promised. He climbed onto my back so I playfully spun and bounced him around as we walked. His little giggles tickled my ear and made my heart full. We arrived and stood at the farthest point on the dock.
"Okay, let's do it together first," I called, lowering him down. "Call it out baby."
Sasuke brought his hands together and I followed. "Horse, Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger" he said in order whilst we weaved the handsigns.
"Correct. Then gather up your breath and—
Sasuke's Fire Jutsu blasted out and he immediately pinched his eyes closed and bowed to squeeze the air from his tiny body. It didn't last very long. I blew out a stream of fire that curled into a gigantic ball near the other side of the lake. It held it for about twenty seconds.
"Woah mom, yours was huuge!" he exclaimed.
"Thank you, sweetie. Yours was a good try, but this time, try taking one step in front of you and leaning forward when you exhale instead of bending your torso. Also, sweetheart, remember Fire Jutsu is very powerful. Always keep your eyes open to control it and not hurt anyone accidentally. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay..." he trailed off looking away from me.
"What's wrong?" I asked, crouching down to his level.
He furrowed his brows. "Father said 'that's my boy' to Itachi when he saw him do the jutsu…d'you think he'll say the same to me?"
"Of course he would, you're his boy too, aren't you? I believe you can do this."
He didn't look convinced. I always worried Fugaku's constant comparisons and overpraising Itachi would lead to Sasuke feeling inadequate to his brother. He was giving into the false need to win his father's affection.
"Listen Sasuke, your father and I love you so much. We're both proud of the amazing things you do just by being yourself, so don't try to be like anyone else. In fact, when we're alone, he talks about you the most."
"Really?" he asked, looking back at me in surprise. "Then why does he only pay attention to Itachi?"
"He's a little preoccupied because there's a lot going on in our clan right now and Ita has plenty of big brother responsibilities to do. But he'll come around when things calm down."
"Then...I'll keep practising the jutsu until I get it right," he said in a small voice.
"That's what I like to hear. So, stand up straight. Shoulders and chest up, legs a few centimetres apart. Do the hand signs. Take in your breath," I said, placing my hand on his belly to feel his breath filling up and his chest puffing out.
A determined look beyond his years gathered onto his face. The hairs around his face began to float up.
"Lean back slightly and pull your air into the top of your throat. Hold it for a second then. Push it out!"
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
The jutsu came shooting out and mushroomed into a cascading explosion of fires. A brilliant white light emitted from the centre of the blast.
"Woah, Sasuke..." I whispered more to myself wide-eyed.
Sasuke's jaw dropped in shock seeing his powerful jutsu that he lost focus for a second. The last licks of fire danced around his lips.
"Ouch, ow, ow, ow!" he howled as I quickly patted his mouth to put the rest of the flames out. The corners of his lips and cheeks were slightly singed.
"It's okay, it's out. Ooh this is going to need some ointment and a bandaid."
"So…how did I do this time?" he asked, unsure of himself after getting burned.
"That was amazing Sasuke, You may just be one of the best fire users in our clan in just a few more practices!"
"Really?" his eyes lit up.
"Yess, you're amazing!" I chuckled tickling his sides. "Just remember to stay focused. Since the chakra in your mouth has been converted into fire, you must breathe all the collected air out to finish the jutsu otherwise it'll burn you."
"Okay!" he yelled in a little jump while throwing a triumphant fist in the air. I was happy to see his confidence boosted.
"Mom, what's the biggest fireball jutsu you've ever made?" he asked.
My mind flashed back to the final days of the Third Great Shinobi War. A shortage of ninja meant Fugaku and I were drafted as retired jounin last minute without much notice. I was stationed in a town in our allied nation - The Grass Village - to fend off invaders from The Hidden Stone. Our troops had dwindled to a handful trapped inside a dilapidated building. Hidden Stone shinobi were bearing down on us from all sides. I had a husband, a four-year-old son and the early stages of morning sickness. All I remembered was creating a fire that circled us with a circumference that grew until the entire town was burning and forced Stone shinobi to retreat so we could finally make our escape.
"Let's just say it was big enough to save both our lives and other Leaf ninjas before you were born."
Suddenly, a massive pulling sensation tugged at the base of my stomach. My feet anchored to the floor to stop me from doubling over. I turned around to face the cavity of the woods. The wind rose the hairs from my arms and sent chills rippling over my skin. Heat gathered at the back of my eyes. There was a crushing aura bearing down on the area from an undetectable location.
"Keep practising baby, I'll be right back. Don't move from here, okay."
"'M'kay," he said, focused on his breath control.
I snuck deeper into the forest near a grove of cedar trees where Itachi liked to practice his shuriken jutsu. A glowing crimson curtain automatically bled into my eyesight and the world exploded into detail. An eternity-sized canvas of reality was at my disposal. I could manipulate time, movement and minds. The multiple dimensions of supersymmetric particles and objects of matter were now available to my perception. An orchestra of visible sounds were constantly bending, warping, vibrating, and interacting with each other at varying speeds. I could detect the slightest muscle contraction inside a woodland rabbit about to leap into a microcosmic space thirty seconds from now, to the cerebral neurotransmitters in the nervous systems of living beings distances away - easy targets to cast an illusionary world or feed suggestions onto.
The multiverse of energy frequencies was in perfect harmony until a flash of the immensely heavy chakra disturbed the back corner of my eyes. The pressure it exerted felt like a mountain-sized boulder was moving across the forest canopy. But within a millisecond, before I could even shift, the chakra had pinched a section of space together and disappeared into a swirling black vortex. If it was simply invisible, I would be able to detect it. But this one had vanished beyond my perception as if it never existed.
Just as the chakra disappeared, two more appeared incoming fast in a few seconds. I barely made it in time to hide behind the thick trunk of a nearby tree before they arrived. In all my years of having a Sharingan, I could only sense chakra in closer proximity.
It was Yashiro and Shisui standing several metres away. Luckily neither of them had activated eyes or I would've been caught. I zoned in and read their lips moments before they began speaking.
"I want you to keep an eye on Itachi," whispered Yashiro.
"What for?"
"There's a lot of ideas floating around that Village. He's treading the line between two sides, and vulnerable to being swayed. I expect you to remind him that he's our agent. Ensure he remains loyal and partial to the Uchiha cause alone. Crack the whip if you must. I don't trust that freaky kid."
"And what are you trying to propagate? I know you and your Military Police cronies are stirring people up in the clan with your own dissentful ideas. What's your endgame here?"
Yashiro grabbed him by the collar and jerked him forward. "You watch your tone with me, boy," he growled in a low grumble, "I'm not one of your little friends nor am I your equal."
Shisui looked at him with exhausted eyes and wormed his way free of Yashiro's grip. "I overstepped and I apologise. But, if you're asking me to look out for my best friend, I'm already doing that. Anything more - no promises."
Yashiro grunted. They both sped away swiftly.
I stood behind the trunk of the tree staring in their wake and ran my fingers through my hair. In sixty seconds, Sasuke was going to clutch onto my arm. In an instant, the multiverse of worlds folded in the quickness of a hand clap and shrunk back into the regular dimensional and colourful world. I made sure my Sharingan eyes had faded back to black before turning around
"Mom?" he came just as I'd predicted and peered up to me holding onto my arm.
"You were gone too long. I got worried."
"Sorry about that beloved, I was just checking something. Let's get back home, I need to start dinner."
As we headed home, my mind buzzed with what I'd heard. Yashiro was a foul man, I wanted to throw him to the ground for how he handled Shisui and insulted Itachi. But he was a pragmatist who only dealt with facts, not his personal feelings. There must be something going on in the shinobi world that he knew and wasn't telling anyone. I had to call in a favour from another source within the ANBU.
Kakashi Hatake.