Naruto x Digimon

Alive - Team Minato's Digidestined

Chapter 007

Inspiration: Exist Strategy & Kori - Dreamgate

Originally Written: Monday, November 7, 2022 909AM to 1025AM

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Masumi Uchiha stepped off clan grounds for the first time in a week. When she needed something, she usually sent her grandson, Obito, out to complete the task. When he was old enough to travel on his own, he jumped at the chance. He was always willing to do it. Along with helping every other old woman and man within Konoha. Even if they had him do things that she had to explain to dear Obito were shady things he shouldn't be doing. He insisted on helping everyone and anyone he could.

She tucked bone straight strands of neck length gray hair behind her ear as she walked down the path. He jumped even more at the chance to help more people with missions. And those he helped over the years jumped at the chance to return Obito's kindness, helping him whenever they could. Yet her dear grandson seemed to think his accomplishments were nothing. Too downtrodden and burdened by the weights that burned the great Uchiha clan's shoulders daily. Too intimidated by those who achieved more than him in lesser time.

If only he could see.

She fell into a small conversation with one of her friends. Another old woman, Rikku, whom she met through Obito. If only he could see how many asked of him. How many people sent her gifts, for both her and for Obito. Once again, she had no answer. They understood. It was how the Uchiha clan ran. Politics and clan protection first, friends second. She adjusted the knit bag on her shoulder.

She wasn't sure where she was headed. Konoha was such a large place. The Uchiha grounds took up a significant portion of Konoha, yet at the moment, the land felt so restricting.

She stopped walking, and took in a deep breath of the cool breeze. She knew of the war that Konoha was slowly being dragged into. She heard the talk and the fear and the concerns of Konoha's citizens and civilians alike. Her dear Obito had dragged her out the house, and introduced her to many new friends. Friends who cared she was an Uchiha, but did not try to use her for their own gain. It had been decades since she had friends like that. People she could sit down and chat with. Many were civilians, and so she learned of their concerns. She could comfortably share her own as well, so long as she didn't delve too deeply into clan issues.

Fugaku was inexperienced as a clan head, but he was less strict and rigid than previous ones. Still, despite her frustration, she could not air to her friends her dear Obito's condition. Nor could she speak of the many hours Fugaku, the Uchiha council and she herself debated what to do about Kakashi Hatake. She could not contact Obito's sensei at the moment, but she was able to contact Rin. She got written, signed confirmation that Obito had willfully requested the removal and transfer of his own eye and that it was not stolen. Still, they fretted.

Her grandson lost most of both his legs, was in a coma he might never wake up from, and her clan members were most concerned with his eyes and Kakashi Hatake. She'd spit on the ground if it wasn't unseemly for an Uchiha to do so. Instead, she calmly got up from this latest meeting and walked out. Obito always complained that their family was "too much" sometimes. In this instance, she had to agree. She needed a break.

Did the grand Uchiha really not care for one of their own? Did they really push him aside as they did Madara Uchiha? Just as quickly and easily to boot? Her grandson was currently being discussed as though he were a commodity to be traded. The very thing the Uchiha were concerned with, because so many others had treated them this way. Politics, their pride and status prevented them from using seals as the Hyuuga did. Even if they tried, she'd never accept the method, and she wouldn't let dear Obito accept it either, even if she had to denounce her clan and move away.

The Uchiha were close to caging themselves away. Unsure how to react or recover from the wounds Madara Uchiha and the Senju left on their great clan years ago. Dear Obito wasn't exactly an Uchiha in their eyes. He didn't act like the other Uchiha. He had no problem integrating with the other villagers and helping them out. His first thought when he left the clan grounds was never 'I could potentially be ambushed by an infiltrator and have my eyes stolen'. That thought never crossed his mind either as he regaled her stories of his spruced up heroic endeavors with him, princess Rin Nohara and his unsaid rival Bakakashi Hatake. If anyone was intimidated by him because he was an Uchiha, he downplayed himself and his status, despite his own pride, just to make them more comfortable.

Fugaku had a head on his shoulders, but she wasn't sure that he alone would be able to steer the clan away from the flames they marched to. Fugaku visited her every week personally. Checking up on her, asking how she was doing and if she needed anything. He visited Obito with her, and by himself, sometimes taking his wife, the beautiful Mikoto with him. Fugaku did his best to check in personally with every member of the clan. Even the ones the rest of the clan weren't too fond of for various reasons. She was old enough to remember her own mother and grandmother telling her stories of how Madara Uchiha himself would visit. Checking in on everyone. Making sure everyone was as whole as he could make them.

She wasn't sure what made Madara Uchiha fall, but she knew Konoha had something to do with it. At the very least, the Senju did. She was missing pieces, but she didn't know which ones. She could only hope that Konoha didn't take more people this way, whichever way that was. And certainly not her dear Obito.

She stepped into the shopping district. She merged into the crowds as she had many times before with Obito by her side. She imagined him pointing and asking and bumping into people because he wasn't looking where he was going. And helping them pick up their items when they dropped them.

'I'll make his favorite soup.' She decided, as she shopped for groceries. She'd make a small amount, so it wouldn't go to waste.

She was so caught up in her daydreaming, she didn't notice when someone wearing a lot of green crashed into her. She stumbled, and the only thing that saved her from crashing to her ground was her own instincts back from her chuunin days, and the grip wrapped around her stomach. She was righted up within moments.

"My apologies!" A loud voice boomed in her ears.

She blinked. Overwhelmed by green and a strained smile of wide white teeth.

"I have been scattered-brained lately!"

She looked at the boy, dressed in an orange handkerchief around his neck and a green jumpsuit. Shiny black hair too long for the style he was going for and full of all the awkwardness that encompassed one's early teenage years. "You're fine, child." Reminded of dear Obito, she held out her own shopping bag. "But your bag has been torn. You may borrow mine."

She expected the child to thank her. She did not expect him to start bawling. Eventually she was able to learn that he wasn't bawling from her kindness, but rather he had brought items to help his friend, Kakashi Hatake. One of those items, he had stepped on and broke while keeping her from falling.

Masumi Uchiha smiled, placed the items in the bag, and asked Gai Might to help her make soup to ease his woes. Gai agreed on the condition that some had to be saved for his friend.

A glint of mischievous light filled her eyes, "I'll do you even better: we will make it at his house."

Kakashi's Hatake's house was small, overrun with dogs and blood-stained memories. It was a dark, depressing place. The darkness didn't let up even though the lights were turned on. She recognized the Hatake clan medic, Takashi. He let her in. She knew the reason why he did had nothing to do with her being an Uchiha, from the many rumors of arguments the man had with Kushina Uzumaki.

A little, talking pug prowled the house like he owned it. Kakashi Hatake was there, but not. Dressed in a loose outfit of a t-shirt and sweats, he sat in a chair in the living room, staring at the wall in front of him. His right eye was uncovered, stuck in a blank gaze. His left eye and much of his head was covered in thick bandages. A rug was placed awkwardly in the middle of the living room, layed out more with the intention of covering up something, than for decorative purposes. Takashi slowly worked on moving and massaging Kakashi's legs. Kakashi didn't help, nor fight against him. A heavily detailed blue plush that looked like a ball of dog's fur with cat's ears and a bushy tail sat in Kakashi's lap. Kakashi's fingers slowly carded through the fur. Neither Gai or her presence alerted Kakashi. He didn't react to either of them. She realized Kakashi was just choosing to not move more than the absolute bare minimum he wanted to.

"Does he have any dietary restrictions?" She dragged Gai to the kitchen.

Gai answered, as though reading from cue cards, speaking in the quietest voice she heard since meeting him. She smacked him on the arm and in a scolding voice told him to cut it out. "You're Duy Might's son, one of the loudest people known to shinobi. How is Kakashi-kun supposed to recognize you if you're all whispery?"

"Y-you know my father…?" Gai responded by raising his voice ever so slightly.

Better than nothing, she supposed. Slowly she got used to the placement of dishes and cookware Gai pointed out to her. Slowly but surely, the smell of soup bubbling away on the stove wafted through the apartment. She had to make the vegetables mushier than she would have normally. She also had to omit some spices and herbs due to availability and Kakashi's own diet. She and Gai told Kakashi and Takashi what was in the soup as they made it.

Kakashi took the bowl of food when she handed it to him. He looked at her with a hidden desperation in his eye, as though he were searching for the answers to life. She didn't have the answers to life, but she did have an answer she could give him, despite him never asking the question.

"Your knees are gonna hate you an hour from now, Masumi." Takashi warned her.

She waved him off, and knelt on the wooden floor in front of him, her back raised tall. "My name is Masumi Uchiha. I, Masumi Uchiha, formally support my grandson's gift to you. I also formally declare myself an ally of the Hatake Clan."

In the background, Takashi swallowed thickly as he took out a pad of paper and started writing, "...Formal Uchiha Clan Member declaration recognized."

Holding Pakkun, Gai looked between the trio with confusion. A stream of tears ran down Kakashi's cheek.