For those that didn't realize, I fixed the previous chapter that was an accidental repost of chapter 12. I'd heavily recommend you read it before this, or you will be extremely lost
Like always, this chapter was made available a week ahead on my Discord server. Feel free to join.
This is the link, just remove the space and replace the 1 with an i: d1scord /2XN2rzuFpM
(LINE BREAK)
"Nii-san, can you show me how to do that?" He asked excitedly, his eyes gleaming with interest at the Jutsu his brother just did.
'Maybe later, Sasuke. Shisui and I need to do something.'
"Come on, Itachi," Shisui said, darting forward and ruffling Sasuke's hair, much to the younger's annoyance, "How can you say no to such an adorable kid?"
"I'm not adorable!"
"Sounds exactly like something an adorable kid would say."
Itachi just stared at Shisui with an unamused look.
"Fine, but we must give the Sandaime a debriefing right after, Shisui. You were supposed to this morning."
"Yeah yeah." Shisui waved his hand at Itachi dismissively. "I'll do that now and you can babysit the little one."
"Hey!" Sasuke exclaimed.
Shisui just shrugged and said a quick goodbye before flickering away in a blur.
///////////////////
I slowly came to and the first thing that went through my head was that my entire right side was itching and burning horribly.
"Fuck." I groaned weakly, showing that the disciplining my mom gave me when I used profanity years back didn't stick. I genuinely thought I was going to die, that's how much the sensation was driving me insane as I tried to remember what was going on.
Then, like a switch being flipped, I remembered the last thing that happened before I passed out.
Naruko.
My eyes shot open and I sat up, looking around frantically to find her. The abrupt movement made my vision spin, and I whimpered weakly at the pounding in my head increasing by a notch.
And my eye itched horribly.
I wasn't in her apartment, as it turned out. It looked like a hospital, with the same design as the room I woke up in two years ago.
After I looked around and didn't see anybody, I looked down at myself and realized something was wrong.
My right arm was braced and locked to the guardrail, and my depth perception was messed up…
I couldn't see out of my right eye.
Like an out of control freight train, everything that happened before everything faded to black struck me without any cushioning. The screaming, the blood; there was something that struck my head as the explosion happened, specifically my ment by Raging Smurf: Here.
The right one.
No! Nonononono! I frantically tried to grab at my face to get the bandage off, but both my arms were strapped to the bed.
I couldn't see out of my eye. I couldn't see. I couldn't see!
"Nurse!" I snarled, my breath coming in labored gasps. I was starting to hyperventilate because I couldn't pull the fucking bandage off my face, and everything was out of focus as my vision started to spin. "Nurse, get the fuck in here! God fucking damnit, Nurse!"
I tried to enhance my hand to break the side rail, but my chakra abruptly stopped in the middle of my left arm. It simply wouldn't go further, and I wasn't going to trust my bandaged right arm.
It was too much. I couldn't handle it. I felt my throat tighten and my vision blurred as I started panicking.
I couldn't be blinded. I can't, they're all I have left of my family.
"Help." I cried out weakly, still straining to get free, but I felt like I was teetering on a proverbial edge and I was trying to gasp for air as my terror made it almost impossible to think.
The door thankfully opened, and I saw a pair of bright blue eyes and a round face with whisker marks peak around the doorway.
She was alright.
"Sasuke!" Naruko exclaimed, breaking into a run and practically leaping into the bed. "You're awake!"
The relief was only short lived, and I snapped at her.
"I can't see out of my eye, take the bandage off!" I said angrily, still trying to break the restraint on my unbandaged left arm.
It was wrong of me to do that, but I was a hair's breadth away from having an emotional breakdown because the last thing I remembered seeing out of my right eye was just before I felt something smash into my face on that side.
Naruko instantly paled, her eyes looking away from me as a shadow of dread passed over her face.
"Um, I heard the doctors talk and…" She trailed off, tucking her arms to her chest and her lip quivered.
I refused to believe what she was alluding to. She was a fucking liar who wanted to hurt me and I couldn't stand it! Liar. Deceiver. Manipulator. Thief. Fucking thief!
A spike of pain went through my head and I cried out, my obscured eye burning even worse than before.
"Take the bandage off." I moaned, barely able to speak from how painful it was.
"Wha-" She started to say, but I couldn't wait.
"BANDAGE! OFF!"
Naruko hurriedly unwound the bandage and I forced my eye lid open.
Relief threatened to overwhelm me when I realized I could see her now with perfect clarity, down to the smallest details of her face. I could even spot the extremely faint specks of blood still in her hair after the attack.
That was when I realized my Sharingan was active in my right eye, but not my left.
I also saw Naruko's eyes were watery, and shame filled me at the sight.
I screamed at her.
"Naruko," I said quietly, suddenly terrified that I had damaged everything forever beyond repair, "I'm sorry I yelled."
A halfhearted and silent prayer to a god I didn't even believe in was all I could muster, before I fell back into fear that I had just damaged our friendship.
She needed no prompting and she latched onto me, already shaking as she cried.
"I was so scared you wouldn't wake up." She said shakily, her tears staining my hospital gown as she held onto me like I would disappear. "They said your eye wouldn't work ever again."
I shivered at what she said, even as I digested that I hadn't destroyed our friendship, and I was seized by a terror that I hadn't felt since the night Itachi had called me weak and tortured me.
My eyes were irreplaceable. My eyes were my life, and I would die without them.
But I could still see, and everything was alright with Naruko. At least I hoped it was.
With as much gentleness as I could manage, I pulled away from her enough so I could look into her eyes.
"Are you okay though?" I asked, trying to reach for her but my hands were still restrained.
And my eye was still itching like it never had before.
"I'm…" Naruko began to reply, but a nurse turned up and walked into the room. Her arrival had both of us looking at her silently, with Naruko in particular being curious.
"Oh, Sasuke-san, you're awake." She said, looking pleasantly surprised. "I wondered what the commotion was. How are you feeling?"
She was lying. It sounded rehearsed, like a certain guard that was out of sight had told her to calm me down.
If I were to be honest though, I felt horrible. Pins and needles were making a mess of my right arm, my eye felt like something was constantly crawling inside of it, and my chest was sore.
"I need to know the extent of my injuries." I neglected to answer her question and requested that instead. "Could you please fetch the doctor?" The word 'please' may have been used, but I was fooling nobody into thinking I was being polite. I was stressing out over my right arm and everything else, so I wasn't exactly sounding the most diplomatic.
And I also wanted to be alone with Naruko.
The nurse nodded stiffly at my request. "I can do that." She then turned on her heel and left.
Once she disappeared from sight, I turned to look back at Naruko and I gave her all my attention.
"Are you okay?" I asked gently, staring directly into her eyes as our faces were just inches apart.
Naruko's face darkened, but she returned my gaze with her own.
"I'm fine." She promised, reaching up with her left hand and gently brushing her fingers across the side of my head and ran her fingers through my hair. "I promise that I'm fine, Sasuke."
It disturbed me that I couldn't detect an ounce of anything but truth in her voice, mannerism, or expression. She was totally truthful that she was fine.
"You can be honest with me, Naruko." I said, knowing we were alone and not being spied on. "But if you say you're okay, then I believe you."
She'd come clean this evening probably when we'd have more privacy, or within a few days. I wouldn't doubt if she compartmentalized what happened and was holding it in surprisingly well. It wasn't far off from what happened with me, but the difference was that I would be here for her in a way that nobody had been for me.
Naruko looked relieved that I didn't press, and she laid down next to me as we both waited for the nurse to return with the doctor.
Sure enough, the nurse returned a minute or so later with a man in his fifties that I assumed was the doctor, but she also had with her what was obviously a Hyuga with dark hair… and Sarutobi.
Naruko made a weird noise that sounded like a mix between a gasp and growl, which I had no idea what the hell meant. But that wasn't important right now.
"Hi, Jiji." The blonde next to me said almost casually, but something about her just didn't seem right. There was an unknown variable afoot.
"Naruko-chan." The old man's voice was like worn paper, everything about him screaming exhaustion. This was the lowest I'd seen him, even more so than after I had woken up after Itachi tortured me 2 years ago. "Sasuke." His eyes flicked towards mine.
I didn't speak immediately, partially because I was resisting the urge to once again try and rip my arm free to grab at my eye.
"I wouldn't expect the Hokage to check in on a patient," I eventually said, not offering a pleasantry right now because I was also antsy at the sight of three adults, with two of them being trained Shinobi, while I was tied to a bed, "But I'm the only one left." I trailed off as the itching in my eye intensified.
There was an awkward span of a few seconds where nothing was said, and the four adults looked at me specifically.
Sarutobi ended up being the one to break the silence.
"You must be wanting those restraints off." He said, gesturing towards the Hyuga to follow. "The doctors informed me that they didn't want you thrashing in your sleep and reaching for your face."
That was reasonable, especially since one of my first reactions was to grab at my eye.
"Naruko," I turned to the girl, who was still situated right up against me, "Can you get up so they can get me free?"
She looked ready to protest, but I was just a tad desperate to get the sense of entrapment over with.
"Please." I almost begged.
That did the trick. I heard a mumbled 'Okay' and she hopped out of the bed and then promptly plopped down on the chair just two or three feet away.
The faintest trace of a smile graced Sarutobi's features at the sight, but it quickly disappeared and he approached the side of the bed with the Hyuga.
The old man wrapped his hands around the strap on my left arm and slowly removed it, before moving to my right arm.
"It would be prudent to not use your right arm for anything until approved." He said gently, his right hand reaching out and tapping my left arm a few inches below my shoulder. "A Hyuga was needed to block a tenketsu point to prevent you breaking the restraints, hence the presence of Hikaru-san here."
So that's why I couldn't channel chakra properly . It made sense, and it was extremely unnerving that a Hyuga could completely nullify that ability.
Worst comes to worst, I'm using a very pointy sword so none of them can touch me.
"Be prepared, it will feel strange." Sarutobi warned, before nodding at the Hyuga to my immediate left.
With me looking straight at the Hyuga, said man tapped my arm with his glowing blue fingers and I felt pins and needles go up my entire arm, and then it was gone.
I couldn't help but shiver, but my arm felt perfectly fine now. I clenched my hand to test how it felt, and it was thankfully normal.
"Thank you." I said to the man, before reaching towards my face.
"You shouldn't touch your face, Sasuke." Sarutobi said hurriedly, reaching his hand out as if to gesture for me to stop.
"My eye is almost hurting because it itches." I mumbled, finally losing the battle with concealing my discomfort and I blinked as hard as I could and clenched my teeth. "What's wrong with my eye?"
Given that I asked for it, I shouldn't really complain about a straight answer. But the Sandaime could have been less heavy handed than what he was about to be.
"The man's head you were punching exploded and a shard of skull was embedded into your face." He replied neutrally, turning his back to me and walking towards the sink in the corner, where he picked up a hand mirror and returned to me. He then dropped the mirror in my lap. "You're fortunate that the damage was repaired quickly, or you would have remained blind in that eye. The initial prognosis was that you were completely irreparably blinded in your eye."
I dropped the mirror just as I picked it up.
Remained?!
My hands were shaking as I picked up the mirror, having to use my bandaged right hand to brace it to keep the mirror somewhat steady, and I slowly lifted it to eye level and I looked at my face for the first time since I had woken up.
There were scabbed over marks all across my face that looked to have been healed most of the way, and there was discoloration from a nasty bruise on my jawline where I remembered getting punched.
But it was my eye that was the most distressing.
An angry red, fresh scar went from about a half inch above my eyebrow, cut through it, and all the way down passed my eyelid and stopped about an inch or two below the bottom of the right orbital socket.
"You will feel discomfort for the next few days, but it will pass." The doctor spoke, a dull somberness lacing his voice. "There shouldn't be any scarring on your face other than the one across your eye, but I'm afraid your right arm will have more extensive visible damage."
Trying to swallow down the lump in my throat, I couldn't bring myself to care about that. All that mattered was my arm and hand still maintaining full functionality.
"Is there any permanent structural damage to my fingers or arm?" I asked with a forced calm, still looking at the permanent scar on my face. "Or was I lucky that way too?"
"Nothing permanent," The doctor replied, much to my relief, "But it will be at least 3 weeks before the bones heal fully, and around 8 weeks before you can safely channel chakra through your fingers in that hand, so please take your training sessions easy for a time."
That was bad news for me, and I looked down at my lap as I remained silent.
The doctor finished explaining a few more things before he left with the Hyuga, while Sarutobi explained everything he and his subordinate had discovered about the man I killed.
Evidently, his death was inevitable. He had an explosive tag strapped to his head, and it was either triggered by him or triggered when I killed him and his heart stopped. The last part wasn't said out loud, but I knew enough about tags that I knew a switch could be built into it to trigger when the maker of the seal died.
But I didn't care. I'd kill him a million times over to protect Naruko. Nobody can have her.
But that raised questions about the motive for the attack… and why I was alerted in particular over somebody like, say, an actual ANBU.
"Does Naruko have a place to stay for now?" I asked quietly, after Sarutobi had finished with what felt almost like a debriefing of all the little details he was willing to share with me about the attack.
The aged Hokage shook his head, before turning to look at her. "Naruko, would you mind heading to the front of the hospital and telling the Shinobi near the front desk that he can leave?"
Naruko nodded quickly, looking a little eager to help her surrogate grandfather. She hopped off the chair and ran to the doorway, only slowing down when a bark-like command from Sarutobi to slow down was called out.
Once she was out of earshot, he turned back to look at me and his expression was the most serious I'd ever been the recipient of.
"Naruko was too relieved that you weren't blinded in one eye to protect her to notice, but she will undoubtedly ask questions later. A very simple question, Sasuke, and I want you to be honest with me. How did you know to go to her apartment?"
I froze in the bed as I realized I hadn't brought that up. I was so self-absorbed with planning around my injuries for the foreseeable future and protecting Naruko that I didn't mention the unknown Shinobi who warned me of what happened.
There was no reason to lie, so I didn't.
"A Shadow Clone of a man in an ANBU mask and armour knocked on my door, and he said she was being attacked…" I replied, thinking over the details once again. "The timing couldn't have been more perfect. I got there when he wa-" My throat tightened as I heard an echo of Naruko's scream in my mind, then the crack sound of the attacker's foot striking her head repeatedly.
There was so much blood.
I'll maintain my calm. I'd been through worse and gotten mostly through it, so I can do it again.
I was met with a cold, calculating look from the old man. He stared at me for several moments without saying a word, and I was made all too aware that my heart was beating faster than normal.
"A plan to kill both of you, perhaps. But there are easier methods to do that." He murmured, loud enough for me to hear. "Explosives could have been planted, and no reason to personally attack her…"
As Sarutobi was speaking, he paused and straightened his posture. Moments later, Naruko came from down the hallway and back to the room, looking a little vexed.
"I couldn't find him, Jiji." She said to the man, looking up at him from how short she still was. Annoyance was clear and apparent in her tone and posture, and she practically stomped to the chair and sat down roughly with her arms crossed.
She still wasn't showing any apprehension or jumpiness following the attack, even after she just got back to the room and was free to drop whatever mask she'd been wearing. No faint cracks or anything at all and it was starting to worry me at this point.
"That's alright, Naruko." Sarutobi assured her, smiling kindly. "He must have been sent home earlier than."
Naruko didn't notice the lie and she just nodded her understanding while she focused more on me.
"How long will it take for those bruises and cuts to heal?" She abruptly asked, staring at my face with her eyes squinted.
Even now, she still didn't seem to understand that most people don't heal quickly like she does.
Before I could tell her, Sarutobi cleared his throat.
"I must attend to matters pertaining to village security. I will see the two of you later."
"Take care, Sandaime-sama."
"Later, Jiji!"
With our farewells said, the old man turned on his heel and left the room without making a noise.
There was a moment of silence where Naruko and I didn't speak, but she was the one to start.
"So, um… do you need any food to eat?" She asked awkwardly, gesturing at my mangled and patched up right arm. "I can help."
It made me frown, and I was reminded of the obvious issue that I couldn't feed myself properly, and I'd rather nearly starve myself than rely on a paid nurse who probably didn't enjoy caring for a savage like me.
Naruko though, I could tolerate her helping me.
She actually cared.
"Yeah, I would like that very much, Naruko."
(LINE BREAK)
"We were unable to piece together any traces of memory from the remaining brain tissue, sir." Inoichi said neutrally, wearing the trench coat for the T branch of the Shinobi corps as he stood in front of the semicircular table that had multiple high ranking Shinobi present. "There wasn't enough for even a sort of taste."
Hiruzen lowered his head grimly, his chin resting on his hands that were braced in front of him.
Shikaku was present as Jonin commander, Danzo was present, as were Koharu and Homura. Kakashi was present as one of the highest ranking active ANBU, and Hiashi had been requested as well for a later portion of conversation needed.
"So there is still nothing to point to the specific motive for attacking the girl." Hiruzen stated, frowning deeply. "Shikaku, any theories?" The room's attention was drawn to the scarred Nara clan head, who was displaying a rare sharpness that bled into his posture and overall body language.
"Sir, that was not all." Inoichi cut in, his face suddenly darkening. "We also have information about the four ANBU that were on overwatch at Uchiha Sasuke and the Uzumaki girl's homes."
Hiruzen did not look forward to what was discovered, but it was necessary.
"And?"
"Traces of foreign Yin chakra were found in the minds of all four. The only two situations where such traces are left over are ocular Genjutsu from an Uchiha, and trained possessions by my clansmen. Either an Uchiha helped with this, and we know which one, or one of my clansmen is a traitor."
More than one pair of eyes glanced at Kakashi, who stood silently and ramrod straight.
Hiruzen knew it couldn't have been an Uchiha. The mysterious ANBU might have been Itachi, but the Sandaime would bet his life that Itachi would never put Sasuke at such a risk. He would have murdered the attacker himself without fanfare before letting his brother do it. And even the thought of Kakashi being even tertiarily connected to this was laughable.
So it left a Yamanaka as the culprit, or an accomplice.
"Shikaku, do you have anything to add?"
"It's almost certain either Uchiha Sasuke was the actual target, or both of them were." He said, dark eyes glinting in the light in the room contrasting with the pitch black sky from it being nighttime. "The bunshin being sent into the Uchiha district wouldn't have been unless it was to draw the kid out… And it doesn't bode well that whoever the hell is behind this knew the two were friends."
"Child's play, really, to discover that." Danzo cut in from the other end of the table. "Any of the children in their year could have said something to a disguised infiltrator about the boy displaying more affection to the Jinchuriki than anyone else, as your daughter and son have mentioned to you two." The weathered Shinobi reminded both Inoichi and Shikaku of that last part.
"That also doesn't even mention the two training in the open for anyone to see, and as a pair against Maito Gai."
The last part annoyed Hiruzen when he heard Danzo say that. He knew the leader of ROOT had agents working in Konoha to paper over the cracks in security that hadn't disappeared, only grown smaller, and had opened up following the unleashing of the Kyubi. If Danzo hadn't been able to find the connection, it concerned him that it wouldn't be found now that security was being stretched even further because of the absence of the Uchiha police force.
"A positive identification will hopefully reveal a connection that we haven't found yet." Hiruzen mused. "Then the net can be tightened."
"Yes, about that."
Now Hiruzen was openly frowning.
"What, Danzo? Speak."
And speak, Danzo did.
"A subordinate of mine compared a blood sample and it matched with a medically discharged Shinobi that served in the ANBU."
…
"And you waited on telling me until now?" Hiruzen asked coldly, his annoyance stoked enough to now make him angry.
"I myself only received this information when we were dismissed to get food that you ordered us to eat to 'keep our wits about us'." Danzo reminded him, his single eye narrowed as a faint scowl was on his face at the insinuation made. "And the reason no records turned up when DNA tests were done initially was because the records were evidently destroyed along with the cache of others 10 years ago after the Kyubi destroyed the building."
Now Hiruzen felt annoyed with himself. That was the reason they hadn't found a match, and he never thought to order Danzo to look through the contingency records the man kept in the event of an infiltration mission to destroy or steal medical documents that warranted destruction lest they fall into enemy hands.
"And who was he precisely, aside from a retired ANBU?" Shikaku asked, cutting through the tense conversation.
"Kagawa Shirou." Danzo replied simply. "A Tokubetsu-Jonin that served in the ANBU for 2 years, and was discharged 6 months prior to the Kyuubi attack due to nerve damage in his leg. Aside from the deaths of his mother and sister during the attack, nothing points to any motive. It is odd that he would wait ten years." The man paused as he seemed to think that over. "And even more to target Uchiha Sasuke as well. I suspect something is amiss."
That presented a just as daunting challenge to tackle as before, minus the identity of the attacker.
Slipping the thinned out ANBU guard made sense now; he knew most of the preferred patrol patterns and could plan for most modifications that occurred over the years.
And it meant an accomplice was possibly embedded in the ANBU itself right now. Friendships made in the crucible of warfare seldom faded, and a refusal to carry out executions on rogue Konoha nin had occurred in the past.
But none of them were Yamanaka.
"Inoichi." Hiruzen's voice broke the brief silence, causing the blond man to straighten his posture. "You will personally investigate, with Shikaku's assistance, any connection a Yamanaka had with Kagawa and discover who did this."
"Sandaime-sama, if I may…" Shikaku said, drawing Hiruzen's gaze to him.
"You may."
"Are we not overlooking the most obvious culprit? A dangerous former ANBU with a sadistic streak when it comes to Uchiha Sasuke, and the skill to slip in and out of Konoha."
"You think it was Itachi?"
"Yes, I do."
"It is not." Hiruzen replied, preparing for an easy lie. "Jiraiya gave me a report less than a week ago that said Itachi was spotted in Kiri, having killed a hunter nin team foolhardy enough to try and get the bounty on his eyes."
Shikaku just shrugged and sat back in his chair, accepting what his superior said.
The Hokage would not accept time wasting on trying to find Itachi when he obviously wasn't behind it. Better to spare his subordinates sleepless nights away from home where possible and keep them rested and sharp for the definite fact that cracks were worsening into outright gaping holes in village security.
"Every ANBU as well, both active and retired, are to be questioned and submitted to a mind read by you personally; active personal first." Hiruzen's eyes flicked to a still silent Kakashi before they settled back on Inoichi as he gave the order. "We will find out what really happened, no matter how long it may take. We will meet at the end of the week after you have finished your interrogations, Inoichi. Hiashi, any clansmen you can spare to shore up the gaps during Inoichi's interrogations will be appreciated. Dismissed." The Hokage commanded, everyone present following his orders and standing up to leave.
Before Danzo could leave though, Hiruzen stopped him just by saying his name.
The head of ROOT paused and turned back to Hiruzen while everyone else left, raising a brow in question.
A solid minute of silence was kept until Hiruzen was certain that none were within earshot, then he spoke.
"Your request to recruit from civilian villages and bandit prisoners in Hi no Kuni is granted." He stated emotionlessly, his mind as cold and vicious as an arctic glacier. "If you are discovered, you will be turned over to the Daimyo's custody upon request and undoubtedly executed, as you were told before. This conversation never happened."
The content of what Hiruzen said had Danzo pausing his breath as he digested what he was told.
"And the means to equip and train them?" He inquired.
Hiruzen would never forgive himself for many choices. A preemptive strike to kill most of the dangerous Uchiha was tragic, but necessary. The thousands of lives lost in the Shinobi wars were unavoidable.
But stealing from a traumatized child, who was just now traumatized again at nearly losing an eye and being scarred for life, was something he couldn't stomach well.
It couldn't even be the skimming off the top kind that Danzo had been granted months ago, which had been eventually replaced within a few months once money had been made available after the completion of two S-rank missions.
But security and finding the source of the gap was necessary, for the sake of the entire village.
Yet, he couldn't. He couldn't betray himself and everything he had been taught by the Nidaime and Shodai.
"Denied." He replied, his canine repeatedly pressing against his tongue as he refused to look away from Danzo.
"And the training of the Jinchuriki?"
Hiruzen's face didn't change, but the steel behind his gaze was shimmering like the blade of the Shinigami, poised to reap its target.
"Must I make contingencies to have you assassinated in the event of my own untimely death, should it be a suspicious expiration of course." Hiruzen raised a brow, gesturing for Danzo to sit back down.
The head of ROOT reluctantly complied, stretching his crippled leg as he sat down to prevent his weight from being put on it.
"It's too decisive for you, and far too much like me for you to actually go through with it." Danzo pointed out, scowling as he massaged his leg. "You detest backstabbing tacit allies, let alone friends, as much as I detest showing weakness in front of anyone aside from you or Kagami."
Hiruzen didn't deny that. As a Kage that took to the field in every single Shinobi War Konoha had participated in, he was a warrior; a killing machine that none other than Onoki had been able to contend with in single combat. Even Hanzo the Salamander had avoided engaging him.
But the cutthroat shadow war that happened in the back alleys, the gutters, from bombed ruins to shattered cities full of war orphans; that realm was Danzo's natural environment, and it was a soul crushing chaos in which he thrived. Tobirama-sensei knew precisely what he was doing when he forged his three greatest students, Danzo, Kagami, and him into what was to be a proper triumvirate to lead Konoha for decades.
Yet it didn't work out as hoped, and there was no point in wasting time on the what ifs.
"You are incapable of training a Jinchuriki, Danzo, let alone Naruko. I wouldn't even trust you with Sasuke, even after you crafted Itachi into the success that he was and is."
It was supposed to be a compliment on Danzo finding a perfect successor in Itachi to act as the dark shadow of a Hokage, but it wasn't received that way judging by the tightening of his brow.
"If he were to be judged by what recently transpired, I would call what I accomplished a complete failure." He muttered, his tone as bitter as his general outlook.
Hiruzen raised a brow, nearly sighing in exasperation. "You don't honestly think it was Itachi that did this?"
"I am certain of nothing when it comes to Uchiha Itachi." Danzo said, sounding completely honest as he rubbed the handle of his cane absentmindedly. "If he was monitoring Sasuke, he would have noticed his much more positive outlook and behavior ever since he struck up a friendship with the Uzumaki girl."
"Not Jinchuriki?" Hiruzen asked curiously, maintaining an innocent expression.
The grizzled old veteran did not appreciate the jab.
"I'm in no mood to be the recipient of your wit, Hiruzen." Danzo said seriously. "Entertain the children with your spiritedness. I prefer my friend over the Sandaime during this conversation."
They are one in the same, no matter how much you wish otherwise.
"Then please, enlighten me further why you think Itachi caused an incident that resulted in Sasuke nearly losing an eye and will be scarred for life."
"Unintentional obviously, at least the injuries." Danzo stated. "Itachi tortured Sasuke right before his flight from Konoha, and the only motive I can think is that he desired a motivating factor for him to reach the same heights Shisui and Itachi were to, and foolishly went too far. And now, a sign of recovery after 2 years needed to be rectified by targeting the source of the recovery - Uzumaki Naruko."
"Or perhaps I too am overthinking it as Shikaku did and it is a Yamanaka that is part of the conspiracy, not Itachi." Danzo added, shrugging as he leaned forward slightly into his cane. "Not to mention that it was convenient that our most decorated and competent ANBU were in the field. Coincidence or a leak."
It wouldn't be the first time either simple or insane explanations were the truth, and the prospect of a leak had been discussed in great detail.
"An interesting theory." Hiruzen admitted, reigniting his pipe after having put it out for the sake of politeness when the others had been in the fortified room in one of Konoha's underground fortresses. "But I can't see where your desire to train Naruko is legitimized."
Danzo chuckled darkly, lowering his head for a moment.
"You misunderstand, Hiruzen." He then looked back up, his single remaining eye fixed on Hiruzen's. "The two will do better together than separate. I would sooner give up any prospect of training one than have only one."
Hiruzen's eyebrows nearly disappeared into the brim of his hat, his breath pausing as he kept the inhaled smoke in for a second longer than typical.
Danzo… seeing reason.
"I must say," He cleared his throat, exhaling to let out a billowing cloud of smoke that obscured Danzo for a moment, "I did not expect that."
"Neither did I for that matter." Danzo conceded that it was indeed surprising. "But that was before a gaping wound in our security was made apparent and our only Uchiha remaining likely witnessed the only friend he has getting her head stomped in by a man dressed as those meant to protect the two, and then nearly lost his eye. Both are irreplaceable, and my pride is but ash compared to the bigger picture." The last part was said with a seriousness that was uncharacteristic even for the humorless man, and it was a testament to his desire to make it apparent.
Hiruzen was relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with curbing Danzo's ambitions for training Naruko on top of trying to piece things back together in an orderly fashion the village's defensive shell.
"You still have not told me what you are wanting since you have given up the prospect of moulding Naruko to your liking." Hiruzen diverted back to the very beginning, to which Danzo nodded.
"Either streamline their graduation from the academy by the end of this year, or push them ahead a year. Pull Hatake from the ANBU and assign them to him to train."
That… was surprisingly shortsighted of the man.
"The last thing either needs is further instability at the moment, Danzo." Hiruzen said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He can't possibly have thought that through.
"It is one less wasted year for them to understand things not 100% vital to those two specifically. Uchiha Sasuke is closer to a Jonin than a typical academy student, and he successfully killed a retired ANBU. He could graduate with top marks, and the girl already leans on him as is. He can carry her across the passing line if properly motivated."
Hiruzen didn't respond. He simply gazed silently as he mulled it over.
"I will say nothing further." Danzo stood up, his jaw set tightly as he put his weight on his bad leg. "You will make a decision either way, and I must see to the expansion of ROOT and root out any more threats to Konoha and Hi no Kuni."
He must have been in an uncommonly sympathetic mood if he actually made a small joke to add a faint ray of brightness to an extremely sensitive and touchy subject.
Danzo, whether he meant it or not, sighed in resignation before he turned and walked away. "I wish it didn't come to this, Hiruzen. This wasn't supposed to happen, none of this should have happened."
What Danzo alluded to was unsaid, but it was something he had said more than once over the last 40 years of war and catastrophe..
Tobirama-sensei's death. Kagami's. The destruction of Uzu. The Kyuubi attack. Everything that had deprived the two of them, and the village they swore to protect, of a restful sleep.
At the rate Hiruzen was going, he knew there'd be nothing left of the man Biwako fell in love with, or the driven and idealistic warrior that caught the eye of the Shodai. Soon, his spirit would resemble the weathered and broken down body it inhabited and it was far sooner than he had ever feared.
"... Me too."
(LINE BREAK)
The time following the meeting with the inner circle of Konoha's high command changed very little from what it was, much to the chagrin of most.
Inoichi had done his investigations and came up short on any suspects. There were vague connections with some of his clan members and the deceased Kagawa, but nothing any different from connections with other Shinobi.
And with the gap unplugged, it left the trustworthy ANBU to guard important members of the village rather slim. It had gotten so bad that the Hokage debated reducing his own security detail, complaints by the clan heads be damned.
And yet, the current situation was made worse by the aggravation of what was going on at this very moment.
"Station me to guard them primarily, please." Kakashi implored from a kneeling position in front of the Hokage's desk, feeling a chill run up his spine as the man shook his head once again.
The first week was him guarding them, along with his ANBU team. They should have been recovering from the miraculous mission they pulled off with none getting killed, but he refused to rest when they came back to mass interrogations of all the ANBU, with them being the first to clear.
And like the comrades, no, brothers - or sister in the case of Neko, in arms they were, his team also forwent any sort of leave or rest to personally take the guard shift for Naruko and Sasuke.
But the Hokage was giving new orders.
"You are needed to lead missions along the border with Kiri right now, Kakashi." His superior said flatly. "I know you feel guil-"
"Guilty, is that what you think I feel?" Kakashi demanded, showing a rare display of agitation at the insinuation. "No, I'm angry at the seeming incompetence of village security and now I trust only myself and my team to protect her and Sasuke."
There were three members of his team he explicitly trusted, and two more he was almost certain he could trust. Bear, Yamato, and Neko were as close as blood to him, Sage knows how much blood they had shed together between the three. While the other two had served with him for the last four years and had been more than adequate comrades.
"Interrupt me when I am speaking again and you will not be Naruko's sensei under any circumstance." Sarutobi warned, his eyes narrowed. "A tantrum is unbecoming of you, Kakashi, so you will remain silent when receiving your orders."
Kakashi wisely shut up, realizing he overstepped.
"Now, you will continue to follow your orders as an ANBU commander… unless you feel that it is time you retire and dedicate yourself to training some students."
He said that on purpose. It was an enticing offer. He could train Naruko and Sasuke both, with another to tag along.
But it was a year and a half too early, and he hadn't finished figuring out who his preferred successor would be in leading ANBU missions.
"What are your orders, Hokage-sama?"
(LINE BREAK)
"Sasuke, you can't spar until that cast comes off." Iruka-sensei said, staring Sasuke down as her friend glared at him. "Please, step out of the ring."
Naruko sent him a pleading look, not wanting him to get into trouble or worse, get hurt.
"I can spar with one hand just fine." He muttered, his hand repeatedly tapping against his side as he took a few deep breaths. But thankfully, he wasn't as angry as he appeared and stepped out of the ring and Choji was slotted in to spar against Hinata.
It didn't stop the frozen expression from settling on her friend's face, which the scar running down his face made even more unsettling.
Naruko didn't pay attention to the spar. She paid attention to Sasuke, and it made her feel depressed thinking about the whole situation.
She had been able to brush off being attacked this time fairly well, unlike the other times where she'd jump at shadows or act defensive for a while. Sasuke might be smarter than her, but even she could tell it was weird how well she adapted and was able to easily get back into a proper pattern while staying at his house in the guest room for the last week.
The only part that had her freaking out was Sasuke being injured, nothing to do with her. It wasn't the blood all over herself and being severely beaten that had her waking up in a cold sweat, it was the image of Sasuke bleeding out in her arms and being powerless to save him.
And Sasuke didn't seem to understand when she told him that he should stop worrying about her, and he would get irrationally mad when she'd point that out; his attempts to hide his thoughts didn't work at all though. And it wasn't like it was her fault though!
"Naruko, you're next." Iruka called out, gesturing for her to enter the ring. "Kiba will be your opponent."
Naruko would have smiled in anticipation at actually having a fun matchup, given that Kiba was really good at taijutsu. But Sasuke's completely flat expression, the cast and bandages on his arm, and the still reddish-pink scar running down his eye haunted her thoughts as she prepared to fight Kiba and help their classmates during lunch without Sasuke's help ever since he got discharged from the hospital.
(LINE BREAK)
"God strike whoever made pre-packaged sandwiches dead." I gritted out under my breath, trying to fruitlessly open the stupid sandwich I bought from the store with my one good hand.
Naruko was currently demonstrating how to make a storage scroll to Shikamaru underneath the tree out in the academy yard, and I wasn't going to interrupt what she was doing and ask for help with something.
My fingers pinched the top of the bag and I twisted it, but it still wasn't opening.
A loud groan was all I let out as I heard my stomach rumble and I felt my homicidal desire to murder the stupid bag become louder in my head, and I swear the stupid thing was laughing at me.
I was losing a battle with an inanimate fucking object!
Reincarnated eldest son of the Sage, defeated by a plastic bag.
"Sasuke." A voice interrupted my battle against the stupid sandwich bag and I looked up to see what the source was. It was Ino, and she looked concerned.
"Gimme a second." I muttered, putting the bag up to my mouth and proceeding to try and bite a chunk out of the plastic.
"I can open it for you." She offered, but I ignored the blonde in favour of keeping my dignity for the moment and biting at it again.
Just like when I was trying to tear it with my hand, it didn't work and I finally lost my patience.
"Useless, stupid bag." I scowled, clenching it and stretching my arm out with the bag to Ino, who I didn't make eye contact with. "Can you please open it?"
If Ino was shocked or unimpressed by my juvenile outburst, she didn't say anything as she calmly took the bag and opened it with some difficulty. So it wasn't just me, the bag was shit.
"There you go." She handed it back to me, which I took and looked at her now. I couldn't decipher her thoughts, but she didn't look at me with the same level of blushing embarrassment as she usually did.
"Thank you." I replied, setting the sandwich bag on my lap as an impromptu plate as I ate the sandwich while sitting on the ground. And just like that, I ignored everything around me and let my thoughts focus on what to do for the next several weeks of little training.
"So, been up to anything lately?" Ino asked me, smiling sweetly to assure me, or at least I guessed that was her motive. "You've been more closed off lately and I'm curio-"
I interrupted her by snorting, before taking a moment from my meal and looking up at her from the slightly chilly ground.
"Ino, I'm sure you're really nice and would be a fantastic friend." I said, being legitimate in the pleasantry I gave her. "But now isn't a good time to try and strike up a friendship. The last time I was this 'closed off' was two years ago, and every village idiot knows what happened then."
Ino paled noticeably, shrinking under my gaze. I wasn't even being mean or threatening, I was just talking in the same tone I did when talking with Kakashi or Neko.
"I'm not interested in sharing too many details, because I don't like thinking about it, but it wasn't me tripping down the stairs that nearly destroyed my arm and gave me this neat little mark," I pointed at the scarred side of my face for emphasis, "to match Copycat Kakashi. So I'd appreciate some peace for a few more days, and I'd appreciate it more if you would mind game Sakura into understanding that I don't want to be bothered. Then the civilian girls will probably mimic you because you obviously know something they don't." With that, I looked back away from her and said nothing more, prioritizing my partially eaten sandwich.
It took a moment, but Ino responded with a weak little sentence. "Sorry."
My silence and taking another bite was my answer.
Ino got the message that I was done talking and gave a polite goodbye, then walked over to Shikamaru and Choji while Naruko continued her demonstration of the novice Fuinjutsu knowledge she had, but was substantial for a ten year old.
Looking at her smile and loudly explain how you could seal something as innocuous as glitter, or an explosion, in a scroll, with the sun peaking through the overcast on this surprisingly warm February day, made me come to a realization that I hadn't straight up thought of, but had subconsciously accepted ever since I stopped manipulating her for selfish gain and had actually made her my friend.
She was never going to be killed so long as I was alive, and that meant I would never get the Mangekyo Sharingan. And I didn't care.
In a way, that was freeing to think. I wasn't a slave to Itachi's wants for me to have power, and I was my own person.
I was still angry at her for not seeming to take how close she was to getting killed seriously, but I wasn't going to let that detract from the pleasant sight at the moment.
With that, I smiled and continued to eat my sandwich, still eying the infernal bag like it was the devil himself.
(LINE BREAK)
Out of all things Uzumaki Naruko expected to see when she arrived at the training ground she and Sasuke always went to when meeting up with Gai, seeing the spandex wearing Jonin spar with someone else wasn't on the list.
"Uh, hi, Gai-sensei." Naruko said awkwardly, having just left Sasuke's house after trying to cheer him up; which didn't exactly work as he kept trying to train with his left arm, mainly Kenjutsu since he already used one hand on his sword.
But he did reply back to her in his 'normal' flat tone instead of the detached kind he'd had for the last two weeks. He still said no to watching her train, but if he wanted to keep training like a recluse instead of watching her train with Gai after that one time, then it's his problem.
But why she felt awkward at the moment was that there was a black haired boy that looked a little older than Sasuke that had been sparring with Gai, and he was looking at her with excitement.
Black hair tied up in a braid. Dark eyes. Thick brows. And wraps around his hands and forearms.
"Hello, Naruko-san!" The unnamed boy greeted her brightly. "Gai-sensei has told me all about you!"
"Um, hello to you too?" Naruko offered, glancing at Gai standing next to him.
"Oh, I'm Rock Lee." The now named boy said sheepishly, having forgotten to introduce himself. "Gai-sensei is helping me with taijutsu, like you too."
Naruko didn't know what to think of that, to be honest.
"Lee is a year ahead of you and Sasuke, Naruko." Gai clarified. "I watched him struggle in taijutsu at all hours when he wasn't in the academy, and his Youth burns hot! I had to guide him as I have guided you!"
But why haven't we been introduced?
At the unspoken question that was probably visible on her face, Gai smiled warmly, his jacket flexing tightly as he swung his arms to probably keep his blood pumping. "Lee was not as far along in taijutsu as you or Sasuke, so I helped him separately. But with Sasuke unfortunately injured, I have decided it would be good for all my youthful students to meet!"
Okay, I've decided. This doesn't seem so bad.
"So, another friend to make and spar with." She said aloud, looking at Lee with a piercing look.
Much to her delight, he started to squirm at the intensity of her gaze. And she didn't need to scowl like Sasuke.
"Well, pleased to meet you, Rock Lee!" She exclaimed, reaching forward to shake his hand. "I'm Uzumaki Naruko, and I'm going to be the Godaime Hokage!"
She didn't care what Sasuke said, she was going to get that hat.
The discomfort from Lee disappeared instantly, replaced by a near blinding smile as he took her hand and shook it.
"Yosh!"
That was the first time she ever heard it with that much fire in it from someone other than Gai.
Naruko let go of Lee's hand and looked up at the Jonin in green spandex. "Gai-sensei, can I spar with Lee so I know how good he is?" She asked politely, practically vibrating with energy at potentially sparring with someone as good as her, or maybe even Sasuke.
Gai just smiled. "You should ask Lee, but his Youth is yearning to be free. I know his answer as I know the sun will always rise across the horizon!"
Yep, there's the Gai I remember.
"Uh, Lee," Naruko said her prospective new friend's name questioningly, "You wanna spar?"
She just wanted a round or two, nothing too exerting. The blonde hadn't done a full warm-up today, but she was a little impatient.
Lee nodded quickly, his excitement matching hers going by him hopping on his toes already. And he looked the part for training, already warmed up too by Naruko's observation of his sweaty face and energetic posture that was like Gai's.
"Yes! Come on, Naruko-san." He took several steps back and raised his hands up in preparation.
Naruko adjusted her footing and lifted her own hands up to chin height, her eyes flicking towards Gai to await his signal as usual.
Her taijutsu teacher did not disappoint, and the radiant smile on the spandex wearing Jonin's face was contagious.
"Begin."
Lee darted towards her first and a bandage wrapped fist came flying towards her face at an impressive speed. Naruko shifted her right palm, sidestepped the punch, and successfully pushed it aside and stepped into Lee's guard in one motion.
But the older boy didn't get swept aside like Shikamaru, Sakura, or even probably Ino. He blocked her punch aimed at his gut and kicked out at her leg as it came up to strike his knee.
Naruko backed away for a moment, ducking under a sweeping kick aimed at her face and turtled up when Lee started raining several reckless attacks on her.
A punch slipped through her guard unexpectedly and Lee's fist struck her chin, making her groan more from it actually happening over it hurting.
Lee also seemed to be slightly taken aback that he landed a hit, and he was punished for it. Naruko almost immediately switched from defense to attack, tearing through a chaotic flurry of strikes and kicks that were intentionally unpredictable to counter Sasuke specifically.
The unpredictability paid off against her non-Uchiha opponent and Lee was left dazed and on the ground in less than ten seconds, the beginning of a bruise already beginning to appear on his cheek.
"Naruko-san, I'm sorry for hitting you!" Lee said loudly, looking upset with himself that he… landed a hit?
Did Lee not like hitting girls? If that was why he was upset, then that was silly. Maybe he was shocked that he actually hit her.
"Uh, that's what you're supposed to do, Lee." Naruko said, awkwardly looking at Gai then back to Lee because she didn't know how to explain that it was fine. "I can't get better without someone sparring with me, and I'm telling you as your new friend that you will not hold back when we spar!" The last part came out as more of an order or command than friendly, but Naruko couldn't help it.
Lee straightened up and his eyes widened. "Yes, ma'am!" He squeaked, jumping to his feet and readying himself again.
"Yay." Naruko smiled, realizing that issuing a command and being listened to felt awesome. Maybe she could order Sasuke to stop being so pig-headed and actually show up to watch her train.
Her and Lee continued sparring in earnest under Gai's guidance for the next hour, an hour that cemented another friendship for the blonde orphan that hoped it was but another on the long road to her becoming Hokage.
(LINE BREAK)
"Twenty-eight…" I gasped, desperately trying to keep my arm from shaking as I did one armed push ups to try and keep myself from regressing. " Twenty-nine."
Try as I might, I couldn't get to thirty for the third day in a row and I fell forward as my arm gave out. I could do 40 no problem at all before that bastard went postal.
Growling audibly, I forced myself up and walked over to the steps leading to my back door and sat down heavily, trying to ignore the burning in my arm.
Barely two weeks had passed since I was almost killed and it was up there with some of the worst days of my life.
My right arm was still in a cast and I was warned explicitly once again, like I wasn't trusted to listen to professional medical advice, to not channel chakra through my arm or flex my fingers too much. And that wasn't even all of it; Kakashi and Neko were gone, Hayate said he wouldn't be able to train me for the next week or two, and Naruko…
Naruko. She was the absolute worst of all the things that came about from that total shit show. She still acted like nothing happened at all when we both went back to the academy, only acting annoyed when Ino, Sakura, and Hinata to a lesser extent were showing open sympathy towards me and were willing to help me with whatever I needed.
Getting her head stomped in, and she acts like it wasn't a big deal. I get nightmares of not getting there on time, or being permanently blinded trying to save her, but she isn't fucking fazed! And then she has the audacity to tell me to calm down.
I killed for you, you ungrateful brat!
I didn't deserve any of this! All the fucking time, I had to be the one that did things right and had to pay for it.
I sat up abruptly and jerked the door open, storming my way through the house and towards the bathroom.
My reflection was what greeted me when I got to the bathroom and I snarled at it, which was returned to me in the most obvious way.
The scar would never go away. Even Iryo-ninjutsu could only thin the scar out and make it a little less discoloured. I would be marked for protecting Naruko for the rest of my life, and I was repaid with annoyance from her.
An eye nearly lost. The only inheritance that mattered to me and was granted by my father was almost taken because she couldn't fucking defend herself! She gets everything else!
Just as soon as I started to reignite my anger at my terrible circumstance in life and get it going, I got reminded of just how vicious my face would look as it shifted with my mood, and my reflection wasn't something I liked.
I looked away from the painfully familiar features in the glass and shame filled me again.
Naruko didn't cause me to be horribly scarred and unable to train properly for weeks, it was her attacker. I wasn't angry at her, I was angry that I couldn't mentally handle watching her train from the sidelines while she was able to adjust.
I was being irrational from that inferiority complex that I hated even humouring the existence of, but what else would you call me being angry about Naruko handling a traumatic experience better than me when hers was worse this time around?
'This time around.' If that wasn't depressing to hear.
I just morosely walked out of the bathroom and went back outside to my backyard, before sitting heavily onto a chair set up in my backyard. It was beyond resignation what I felt as I accepted my actions over the last several days.
And to make it worse, I was coping in a very unhealthy way by being angry at Naruko.
"What am I supposed to do, mom?" I asked aloud, setting my head onto my good hand and sighing tiredly. I needed her so much, but she was beyond an impenetrable veil. She was gone, and with her, everything I loved about her.
'Naruko is your friend, Sasuke.' I could almost fool myself into thinking I was hearing her next to me, rubbing my back in reassurance. ' You should be proud that you protected her, but you are driving her away when she needs you more than ever, and you her. Kushina would never forgive me if I let her little girl lose a friend.'
That was almost exactly what my mother would say, and it made my heart ache that I would never feel her hug me ever again or hear her voice. My always steadfast father, and the security and safety I felt being near him was also forever gone, and I'd never see his look of pride at me succeeding ever again.
It would be painful, but I needed to go out of my way and let Naruko know that I was still her best friend and something as small as almost dying wouldn't drive me away from her.
I was still angry that she didn't take the incident seriously still, but she was quite literally my only true friend and I could live with being annoyed better than I could live without a friend.
Thanks, mom. I needed that.
"I love you." I mumbled, sniffling slightly and sitting up to walk to where I knew Naruko would be today. It was high noon and on an off day from the academy, so a certain exercise obsessed Jonin was entertaining her at a reserved training ground.
Without wasting time, I left my home and walked through the streets, maintaining my destination in my mind's eye as I set out to be as selfless as a friend as I could try to be right now.
The main street that had most of the merchants and peddlers was a little crowded today, but I still walked through, albeit carefully to avoid getting my arm jarred by an errant limb from a distracted adult. It took just a few minutes, and I was in the clear and walked down the alleyway 20 yards to the left of the intersection and promptly climbed up the wall by sticking my feet to the wall with chakra. A quick jump from one rooftop to the next and I jumped down to another street to avoid more traffic.
Two minutes later, I was within sight of the slightly wooded outskirts of the main forest where Naruko and I sparred most of the time, and I felt a little anxious about apologizing to her. For one, I didn't like the idea of being wrong about isolating myself until I got my head on straight. But to be honest, I don't think my head is even capable of being on straight. Psychology doesn't account for a centuries old demigod reincarnating into his descendants and a recipient of that getting memories of a dead guy from another reality on top of that.
Just stop thinking and just be there for her, you stupid bastard. I cursed myself for overthinking this and I made my way to where I could hear the faint sound of Gai's voice carry on the wind.
I reached the training ground and I started to shout Naruko's name to get her attention, but then I saw that there was a third person there that was currently sparring with her at a spirited pace.
Um, what?
Who the hell was that, and why was he sparring with Naruko?
Gai evidently heard me arrive and he called for Naruko and her partner to stop, and I found out what the name of the familiar boy was when Gai shouted his name to end the spar.
Rock Lee.
Fancy that.
"Sasuke, it is wonderful to see you!" Gai called out, walking towards me briskly to close the distance. "I hope your injuries haven't dampened your Youth."
Naruko straight up ran towards me and came to a skidding halt just a few feet away from me that kicked up some dirt, while Lee cautiously approached me out of politeness since he didn't know me.
I was tempted to lie to alleviate some of Gai's worries, but he would probably be able to tell. So, honesty it was.
"I can't train properly and I'm miserable." I mumbled, feeling the skin around my eye tighten when I scowled. "And that's why I didn't want to come over and watch you spar, Naruko, because it's a reminder." I turned to look at her as I said that, and I saw her visibly sag in relief.
She really was reliant on my approval.
I couldn't bring myself to apologize when what was basically a stranger stood right next to us. I'd do it when we got home, where I can't talk myself out of letting her know I wouldn't pull away.
"Um, this is Lee, Sasuke." Naruko turned to point at Lee, who was still standing behind a pleased looking Gai and her. "Lee, this is my best friend Uchiha Sasuke. And don't let that stupid cast on his arm fool you, he's the best at taijutsu you'll ever see. Even Gai-sensei says he's awesome!"
I wasn't so sure about that, but I won't say anything contrary to being the best. Of course I was the best.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lee." I said, bowing my head respectfully. "You must be dedicated if you caught Konoha's taijutsu master's attention. But I don't recognize your name. Since you don't act like an active genin, I'm guessing a civilian background a year ahead of Naruko and me?"
Lee blinked at my abrupt shift from politeness to curiosity, but he recovered quickly. "Yes, you are correct, Sasuke-san. It is an honour to meet someone Naruko-chan has spoken so kindly of."
Okay, I really don't like him calling her that.
"In that case, I hope this will be the start of a long and great acquaintance."
Gai was practically shaking with joy, his eyes glistening with unshed tears at what he probably saw as a breathtaking display of the beginning of a youthful camaraderie.
"So," I looked at the green monstrosity questioningly. "Do I just sit and watch them spar?"
(END CHAPTER)
The plot thickens with Sasuke and Naruko meeting Lee, and things continue to move in the background with Sasuke none the wiser that things are indeed, very different.
The Hiruzen and Danzo conversation was a little difficult to balance, but I think I did a decent enough job to convey the two as old friends who are above all else, tired. Over half a century of service, and everyone meant to be their peers or successors dying or being unsuitable. It would make even the most steadfast of warriors begin to waver.
I've also hinted at a few things that will be coming up in the next chapter that will change things even further, so there's that.
Anyway, that's it for this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it. Peace!
Raging.