Chapter 25

Things were relatively calm as I ran through the streets. The battles faded further and further into the distance as I neared the outskirts where the compound resided. The Uchiha must have all pushed further into the village. Even then, progress was slow. I was moving cautiously, trying to move between relative areas of cover.

All this helped to clear my head, by focusing on keeping my head down I could keep the more dangerous thoughts at bay. At least to some extent. Although the closer I got to the compound, the more my anxiety began to grow. Getting to the compound itself was the easy part. Getting in was an entirely different story. It was guaranteed to be heavily guarded and judging from that one Uchiha I encountered earlier, very trigger happy. Yet I pressed on.

I was beginning to recognize the area now. Misaki and I had often come through here during training sessions. Running along both the streets and later the rooftops once I had achieved a bit of mastery with the body flicker technique. Passing by a shop, I recalled stopping there after a long run, Misaki treating me to a little snack while saying it was our little secret. At another building, Misaki would always greet the old lady who lived there with a beautiful smile. I could feel the tears returning again.

Shaking them off, I rounded a corner, taking note of a few nearby trees of decent height. "I could use those." I said as an idea popped into my mind. Darting to the trunk of the nearest one, chakra coated my feet as I didn't stop. Running vertically up the trunk several paces before I could feel my chakra wavering. Before it could launch me away, I kicked off and upward. Managing to just reach the lowest branch and pull myself up.

The tree would give me some cover while giving me the lay of the land. Peering between the leaves, I could see over the rooftops of most buildings in the area. In the distance, I could just see the outline of the Uchiha compound. To my surprise, the place looked absolutely peaceful. One would be forgiven for not thinking there was a coup going on were they to just see this. It was almost eerie.

There wasn't any movement I could discern, no patrols or guards. At least, not this far out. Biting into my lip, I tried to come up with a way to sneak in. From what I remembered, the entire compound was surrounded by a high wall with only one real entrance. And it wasn't like I could just waltz in the front door. "Maybe if there was some kind of distraction?" I mumbled. If something happened to pull the guards towards one side of the compound I could scale the wall elsewhere and get in that way. "Not like I would be that lucky, huh?"

I couldn't think of a way to start a distraction either. I would need something on the level of an explosion to do that and I certainly lacked such capabilities. The voice of reason still whispered in my ear to turn back. There was nothing I could do and my family must be worried to no end. The thought caused me pain, but not trying to find Misaki pained me more.

After a few more minutes of fruitless planning, I sighed. "Well, nothing for it. Maybe I'll find something if I get closer?" Musing to myself, I descended the tree and darted off again. There was another cluster of trees closer to the compound. I planned to make my way there first and get another survey.

The closer I got to the compound, the more uneasy I began to feel. How was there no one around? "Maybe all of them moved out for the attack?" I thought but that made no sense. There were non-combatants in the compound like Sasuke and the old couple running the senbei shop. If the village counterattacked, there would be no one to defend them.

"Were they that confident of their victory? Or do they just not care?" The unbridled hatred I had seen in that Uchiha's eyes had me leaning towards the latter. If this was the case, then getting in might be easier than I had initially thought. Regardless, I should be able to figure that out once I reach the next perch.

Rounding the next corner, moonlight began to gently illuminate the village again. A hard wind blowing through the streets enabled it to peek through the smokey veil once more. And it was lucky for me too, for the light revealed something speeding directly at me. It was only a momentary flash, but it was enough for me to register it and stop just in time as something dug itself into the ground at my feet.

A kunai.

My heart skipped a couple beats as my eyes tracked its flight path back to its origin. The top of a nearby street post. Atop it stood a shinobi, his features hidden by night, save for two piercing red eyes glaring down at me. I could feel the same burning hatred from them as I had the other Uchiha. No, perhaps even stronger. Even with the distance between us, that look alone had my blood running cold and hair standing on end. A primal instinct told me to run but I could barely breathe at the moment. It felt like if I were to twitch but a finger, this man would strike me down.

"A child?" The figure spoke aloud, his question not one that required a response. "No matter. Leave. Now. Least my next kunai find its mark." A shiver ran up my spine as I could tell that was no mere threat. This person was fully intent on cutting me down. And yet, I did not run. Instead I swallowed down my fears. This threat was intense and I was indeed terrified, but I had faced worse. This hatred was still nothing when compared to Itachi's rage. Plus, I recognized this voice.

"Mr. Gento? I-Is that you?" I asked, voice cracking involuntarily. Once more, as though it was looking out for me this night, did the moon's light break through and illuminate the shinobi. It was indeed Old Man Gento, Misaki's commanding officer and mentor. I had always had this image of him as a kind but strict grandfather figure. That image was shattered now. His face was steel, hardened and sculpted by age and battle. The man who stood before me was no longer the same who saved me all those years ago.

The man huffed, his brow furrowing harder than it already had been. Further emphasizing the many age lines on his face. "So it's you. The brat Misaki had taken such a shine to." He said, his voice cold and controlled, but I could sense something behind that. Something personal. "Why have you come?"

My fists tightened as I bit hard the inside of my lip. "I'm looking for Misaki!" I called back, giving him the simple, honest truth. Gento, of all people, should know where she was. Plus, I knew him to some extent. He wasn't like this. He was someone Misaki truly respected and took his work on the force seriously. If I could just get through to him I might be able to get some answers.

"Do you take me for a fool, girl!?" Gento shouted, his calm demeanor shattered in an instant as a wave of repressed fury washed over me like a burning flame. Far more intense was his hatred than the Uchiha I had encountered previously. I could only wonder how someone could hide such anger. Then, just as suddenly as he had unleashed it, Gento's fury waned and came back under control with but a simple breath.

"You come here under these circumstances, stained with blood that is not your own, and expect me to believe you are only looking for Misaki?" Once more, Gento's voice was cold and analytical. Although even he couldn't quite hide that touch of venom that managed to leak out. Looking down at myself, indeed my clothing and hands were stained a dark red. I hadn't realized just how much there had been.

"N-No..." I stuttered, shaking my head violently to both deny his accusation and the memory of that poor man's fate. Yet I could once more feel the warmth of the man's blood despite it having long cooled. "I just came to find Misaki." I added, voice still shaking as I stared at my palms, "There's no way she would be out there, attacking the village..." Clasping my hands together into fists, I thrust away the fear, stomping forward and shouting back at Gento, "She promised me everything was going to be okay! Itachi was supposed to have been the next Hokage! This shouldn't be happening!"

Once more, a wave of rage hit me. All it took was a quiver of his brow for Gento to unleash it, albeit brief and restrained, it was enough to send a cold chill down my spine. As suddenly as it happened, it was gone with a frustrated sigh. A hand placed over his face as the old man cursed under his breath. "That damn woman, always so careless. How could you let yourself be let astray by such a brat?"

A single blood red eye then peered through his fingers. "Fine." He said, that single word was enough to cause the air around him to rumble. "You've dug your nose into our affairs enough, I suppose I could enlighten you." Gento said as his hand slowly slid down his face, "Misaki has been confined for betraying the clan."

"W-What?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Confined for betrayal? "Why!? How could she betray anyone!?" Misaki was trying her best to save them, to call that betrayal... My own rage began to burn at that. How dare they accuse her of betrayal! "Take it back!" I lashed out, swinging my arm in a wide arc.

"Such a child." Gento remarked with a condescending tone. "What could you understand? You who have not suffered as we have? As she has! And yet, to conspire behind our backs?" Gento's words simmered with barely restrained rage, and yet, there was a touch of sorrow to them. He almost sounded hurt. "Once things have settled down, Misaki and her conspirators shall be judged accordingly."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Why...?" I muttered under my breath, teeth grinding hard as my own anger was coming to a boil. "Misaki was trying to help you!" While I had been kept in the dark on the details, I was absolutely certain that everything Misaki did was for the betterment of her clan and the village. For this to be how they repaid her was beyond infuriating! "How could you do this!?"

There was a flash of light as something sped past my face, my hair flaring as it passed through. I stood frozen, mouth half open as my cheek began to sting. Something warm trickling down the side. "Eh?" Was all I could muster as a reaction while I gingerly touched my cheek. A single drop of warm blood stained my fingertip. "That was a kunai..." I thought, the shock hitting me like an ice bath.

"You truly understand nothing." Gento said, "You have your answer. Now leave."

Still in shock at my brush with death, I had to take a moment to regain control of my body. I had gotten my answer. I could at least take solace in the knowledge that Misaki wasn't out there attacking the village. But for this to happen was something unimaginable. Still staring at the small blot of bright red that was slowly blending in with the dark brown that already stained my hand, my anger began to rise once more. I wanted to scream at Gento some more, to demand he release Misaki but I knew that would be useless and only try his patience further.

I couldn't help Misaki right now. But at the very least, I still had some more questions. I had to know how things had gotten this bad. My fingers curled into a fist before I tapped the knuckle against my forehead. Taking in another deep breath, I threw back my hand and raised my head once more in defiance.

"No!" I cried back out, expecting to see another flash of light or some other method of attack which, thankfully, did not come. "You didn't answer all of my questions! What happened to Itachi!? He was going to become the Fourth Hokage, right? So why are you doing this!?"

The air suddenly felt unnaturally still while a thousand needles prickled at my skin. While he had not moved a muscle, Gento's entire demeanour had changed drastically. "Do not speak the name of that traitor!" The old man's shout was like a shock wave blasting through the narrow street. Instinctively, I raised my arms to brace myself against the impact. The difference in his response was jarring to say the least.

"We should have known after the death of Shisui. No, we did. We just refused to believe it." Gento continued, talking more to himself now, "He was led astray by the Senju, just as we all were." Gento turned his gaze northward, to the Hokage Monument as it watched over the burning village. Turning his gaze back to me, red eyes shooting daggers, Gento grimaced. "You want to know why this is happening? Why we dared to rebel? The answer is simple. This. Is. Revenge."

"Revenge against the Senju and the village for their countless offences against us! Coexistence? Peace? Shared rule? ALL OF IT LIES!" Gento was practically foaming at the mouth now, gesturing wildly with each word. Years of pent up frustrations were finally breaking through the dam. Taking a step forward, he allowed himself to fall from the post to the ground below. Landing without a sound and barely bending from the impact. Instead marching closer towards me as he continued his screed. "We have toiled and sacrificed for this village! Over and over and over! And how have we been repaid? With suspicion, persecution and isolation!"

Gento came to a stop directly before me, forcing me to crane my neck back so I could still see his face. The man's face was contorted into an expression of such rage he barely looked human anymore. I was looking into the face of an oni.

"And yet, they weren't satisfied with that? No." Gento continued, no longer shouting but his rage just as palpable. "They had to keep taking from us. They stole our pride, they stole our hopes and they even stole our heir!" His nostrils flared as he loudly inhaled, "Indeed, Itachi was supposed to be the Fourth Hokage. And for a time, we had hoped things would finally turn around. That we Uchiha would finally get the respect we deserved."

Squinting, Gento looked to be in pain before the rage returned. "But that too was a lie. The Senju and their puppets wormed their way into his head. Twisted him against us. The promise of the mantle of Hokage would have come with a price. That price being our blood."

Before I could respond, a rough hand shot forth, grabbing my chin and pulling me closer to his face. "He was to lure us into a false sense of security before wiping us all out! That is why this is happening! That is why we are rising up! We will no longer be ignored! We will no longer be denied! And we certainly! Will not! Go quietly into the night! Blood for blood! We shall strike first and cast down the Senju! We will take our rightful place as the rulers of this village! We will take back EVERYTHING!"

"And the world shall know the Uchiha have returned!"

With but a flick of his wrist, Gento threw me back. Even as I tumbled to the ground I couldn't look away. Sitting there, I could only tremble silently. Gento glaring back, heaving as another explosion echoed. This one the most distant yet the loudest. Catching his attention, Gento looked back in the direction of the monument as a twisted grin spread over his face.

"Ah, and it finally begins." He said, his voice cracking with grotesque glee. "Look."

Hesitantly, I turned my gaze northward. Far, far in the distance I could just see the roof of the administration building. Atop it, a ball of fresh smoke sat and from which six serpentine creatures emerged. Three made of brilliant flame while the other three a deep, dark brown. Almost invisible in the dark if not from the light from the flame dragons. The creatures twisted through the air before colliding head on. Each destroying the other in further explosions.

"Sarutobi is strong, there is no denying that. But he is old, his skills dulled with the passage of time." Gento had taken on a slightly more sombre tone, his anger was still there as well as that stomach churning giddiness, but there was a part of him that felt like he sympathized with his apparent enemy. "He is no match for Lord Fugaku. Once he falls, the village will quickly bend the knee."

"No, they won't" The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Oh?" Gento sounded almost amused as he tilted his head back to me, "And why do you say that? Without their head, the village shinobi will have no direction nor hope. They will easily crumble. Not even the prominent clans will be able to resist us. And we have insurance plans in case they try."

What those insurance plans were, I had no idea and I was not going to get a chance to ask. As Gento spoke first. "You have your answers now, it is time you leave." Making it very clear that the time for talk was over. "Find shelter and prepare yourself. For come the dawn we shall issue our judgment on all in the village."

"W-What?" I stammered, the implication of his words terrifying me to my core.

"The Senju are our main target, yes." Gento said coldly, "But they were not the only ones to wrong us." Turning his gaze upward, Gento slowly scanned the horizon. Taking in the devastation his clan had wrought on the village. "Unlike the Senju, we shall be fair in our rule."

I bit into my lip. The small amount of pain kept me from just breaking down on the spot. Everything was so much worse than I could have imagined. Misaki, the village, everyone was suffering because of me. If I had just kept my nose in my own business, if I hadn't tried to change anything, none of this would be happening.

"I'm sorry..." I whimpered, choking back tears.

"Don't try to beg for mercy, girl." Gento replied with a voice of icy hate, "If you have time to cry, you have time to run. Now leave. My patience is at its end."

I bit my lip again to keep myself from choking out more tears. I didn't deserve any mercy, and yet I was being granted such. By all rights I should just throw myself at Gento, let him judge me right there on the spot. The only thing that kept me from doing so was the thought of my family. I had to at least be there for them through what was to come.

How much more selfish could I be?

Trembling, I forced myself to my feet and turned. Slowly walking away while barely keeping the tears in check. I could feel Gento's eyes on my back, burning holes into them. Watching for even the slightest movement out of line.

"CAPTAIN!" A desperate call echoed off the trees. The voice was familiar so, despite myself, I ended up turning to see what was happening. A man materialized by Gento's side, Touma. Misaki's partner on the force and fellow subordinate of Gento. Despite all I had heard, I still found it difficult to believe he was a part of this. Touma was a goofball to say the least. Always joking around and never seemed to take anything seriously.

Wheezing, Touma stood straight and professional. "Captain, we're under attack!"

"Oh?" Gento replied, almost amused rather than surprised or horrified. "That was quick."

"Sir?" Touma questioned, taken aback by his superior's flippant remark.

"It was expected a few rats would try to counter attack." Gento answered, waving a hand as though he was swatting away an annoying fly, "Just a last, desperate attempt to stop the inevitable. Our defences are solid, but send a few reinforcements to whichever sector they're striking. Crush them without mercy."

"No, sir..." Touma began, his voice shaking. Not from exhaustion, but fear. "They're inside the compound!" As if on cue, an explosion burst forth from within the compound.

Gento's attitude took a complete turn, "How!?" He shouted aloud before turning back to Touma, "Report! How did they get in? How many are there!? Ten? Twenty?"

"No sir," Touma responded, trying to keep it professional but unable to keep his voice steady. "There's only one man, we have no idea how he got in. He just... Appeared out of thin air!"

For the umpteenth time this day, I found myself unable to breathe and my blood run cold. A vital memory finally came to the surface about the Uchiha massacre. A single important fact that I had somehow utterly forgotten.

Itachi had not acted alone.

"A single man!? How is that possible!?" Gento shouted, getting into Touma's face. "If it's just one man it shouldn't be a problem!"

Touma shook his head, "No, he was cutting through us like butter! We need everyone we can get!" Another explosion punctuated Touma's frantic warning, closer this time than the last.

"Tch!" Gento clicked his tongue hard as he watched the smoke rise from within the compound. The shouts of his comrades could faintly be heard on the wind. "One man doing all this? You lot have gotten soft in peacetime." The old man mumbled before immediately shifting to a commanding and professional tone. "Alright, I will return and engage the assailant. Touma, ensure the defensive lines are secure and warn them to watch carefully for more infiltrators!"

"But sir!" Touma protested, worried his superior was not taking this threat seriously. And for good reason too. If my suspicions were correct, Gento had no chance. But at the same time things had taken such a dramatic swing I didn't want to just make any blind guesses anymore. "This guy is crazy strong! You need backup!"

"You have your orders!" Gento shouted Touma down, the younger man backing off instinctively. "We've wasted enough time! Move!" And with that, Gento vanished from my sight. My presence apparently forgotten in the sudden chaos for he did not even spare me so much as a glance.

"Dammit!" Touma cursed, "Captain, what's wrong with you. You're never this hot headed. That guy is bad news, if we don't hit him with everything we got..."

I should have just left. My meddling had already resulted in this situation in the first place. And yet, my stupid self couldn't stop from speaking up again. "Touma?" I asked, stepping forward. Touma swung around on the spot so fast I thought he might suffer from whiplash.

"...Meiko?" He asked, utterly confused and surprised by my presence. "What the hell are you doing here!?"

Before he could tell me to leave or have me explain myself, I cut him off with a question of my own, "That man," I started, wondering if I would even be able to ask this question, "Was he wearing a mask with a single eye hole?" The words came freely, much to my own surprise. "Did Itachi's seal wear off?" I pondered momentarily.

"How do you know that?" Touma's reply was both awestruck and loaded with suspicion. But there was no time to explain.

"Gento said Misaki was locked up! You need to get her out of there! Please!" It seemed I just couldn't give up. I just kept gripping onto whatever slivers of hope I could find. That, and this was my absolute last chance to help Misaki. "You said it yourself, you need all the help you can get right!? If you leave her there she'll just be slaughtered! Please Touma! Isn't Misaki your friend!?"

My desperate pleas struck a chord in Touma. The man physically flinched as a veil of guilt fell over his eyes. "Misaki..." He said, the words filled with pain. "She... She turned against us. Sided with the Senju... We had no choice..." Clearly, it sounded to me as though Touma was trying to convince himself more than anything else with that.

"Do you really believe that?" I countered, striking while the iron was hot, "Do you really think Misaki would betray you? Is that something she could do!?" Once more Touma flinched, harder this time. As though he had just been struck by a bat.

"There's nothing I can do." He finally said, "This is the will of the clan. I have to follow my orders..."

"To hell with your orders!" I shouted, moving in even closer, "If they were so important you would have run off with Gento! Is this what you really want!?" Gesturing back towards the village in flames behind me, "I thought you were better than that!"

"And what would you have me do!?" Touma finally snapped back, "It's too late to stop anything! All I can do is follow my orders! My feelings don't matter!"

"Then why are you still here?" My question came softly, yet seemed to pierce him like an arrow. Touma freezing up before letting his gaze fall to the ground. Trembling slightly, the two of us stood there in silence for a long moment before another explosion burst forth from the compound.

"Dammit." Touma muttered before taking a deep breath. "You're right." He finally said, shoulders slumping as though a massive weight had finally been relieved from them. Turning his attention back to his home, now joining the rest of the village in burning, "Gento is the strongest person left here, but I don't think even he can stop that man."

After another short moment of contemplation, Touma turned back to me. His face resolute, "I'll release Misaki and the others we've detained, then release the emergency flares. We need all the reinforcements we can get."

Relief hit me like a pleasant wind, a sigh escaping me as I had to tense my muscles to keep from staggering. "Thank you." I gratefully said, while it wasn't optimal, the fact that Misaki had a chance now was enough. At least, I tried to tell myself that. Anxiety quickly returned as I knew she would fight back. Her ultimate fate unchanged.

"I can't believe I'm going to ask," Touma added, causing me to jolt with surprise that he was still here. "I need your help."

"Eh?" Was all I could respond with. What could I even do at this point?

Touma scratched at his head, a light groan indicating that the very thought of this was difficult for him. "Listen Meiko, I can't be in two places at once. We need everyone we can get to fight this monster off and besides, no one would really listen to me." Turning once again to face the compound, he continued; "Misaki said you and Sasuke were friends, right? I need you to go to the mansion where he lives and get him out of here."

"...What?" Again, I was left all but speechless at this crazy request. Too many questions were racing through my head now.

"I don't like it but I don't have a choice!" Touma replied, sounding desperate as yet another explosion rocked the compound. "That man, I have a bad feeling. Even if we gathered everyone who could fight, I don't know if we can win." He was certainly right about that. The masked attacker was far more dangerous than anyone I could think of in the village.

"Then, maybe you should run?" I questioned.

"I can't. None of us will." Touma replied strongly, "We have nowhere to run to. But Sasuke, he's still a kid. If we can't stop this guy, then at the very least we need to make sure the Young Master escapes. You're the only one I can ask for this. Misaki will bite my head off for asking this, but the fact you're here means you already knew the risks, or are just too stupid to understand them."

It was my turn to flinch, considering my actions the latter was definitely the more accurate assessment.

"I'm out of time. I won't blame you if you run but, please." With those as his final words, Touma flickered out of sight. Alone on the street now, I found myself with quite the dilemma. The smartest thing I could do was turn around and leave. Find shelter like I should have and hunker down. I had been pushing my luck so much this night it would be a miracle if I had any left for the rest of my life.

"But no one has ever said I'm smart." I said aloud, already knowing what my decision would be. I was already in this deep, I may as well keep going. Besides, Sasuke was a friend too. Just as I had justified with Misaki, I had to at least try. "That, and I can't be sure he won't be spared..." The future was screwed up enough because of me. If something happened to Sasuke on top of that, I didn't want to finish that thought.

With a deep breath, I charged my chakra, activated the body flicker and darted forth into the compound.

Author's Notes: Holy crap! Today is the one year anniversary that I started this fic! Sheesh that came up fast. I wish I had something special prepared but, well... Yeah. Almost got that 1 chapter a week average but fell a little short. Anyway, I think this will be a good time to give an idea of where this is all heading since I know people are probably getting impatient to get to actual ninja things. After this arc there will be a time skip to the last year of the academy wherein I have a few things left to cover and finally graduate.

That said, I do have a question I would like to pose now. A lot of stuff happened behind the scenes in this arc that Meiko was not privy to so I was thinking I would write a side story arc from the perspective of three characters, Gento, Misaki and Itachi. Essentially telling the Uchiha's side of the conflict and how things got to this point. My question is, would you guys prefer to see that after this arc wraps up, save it for later where it can essentially be a flashback arc, or just write it as its own side story separate from this fic? Send me a PM with your opinion or leave a review because I don't really know how else to communicate on this site.

Anyways! Thank you so, so much for reading and sticking with me this long! I hope you look forward to Meiko's future adventures and see you next time!