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Uchiha Sasuke, or what used to be classified as Uchiha Sasuke and is now… Whatever I count as - stood lost, staring blankly ahead at the house in front of me. The compound is silent as a grave, fitting indeed, as everyone is indeed very dead.
The blood stains might have been cleaned up, the bodies removed. I could still see it all if I bothered to look around, like ghostly after images. Itachi's parting gift ensured I forever remembered every stroke of his blade, every clan member's death, the place of their murder, every stain…
My young cousin who was barely able to walk, stabbed through without mercy as I saw life bleed out of his eyes… The old couple that would sneak me food, beheaded without care while begging for their grandchildren's lives - dying with the horrible knowledge their kids would join them.
The beauty and horror around me in the sprays of blood that were painting the walls and ceilings of my clan's living space - it was like a simple painting almost - after the 200th or so repetition, the stroke of a master artist, the spray hitting just so, painting an image for me.
What am I even thinking, no wonder Sasuke was so incredibly fucked up. Fuck Itachi! I think angrily, although it's a distant anger, emotions are hard right now…
I had barely been able to function after awakening from the nightmare, the feelings and terror so fresh, even though I hadn't technically gone through it myself, thankfully.
I don't know how I got here, but I am extremely thankful I got here after Sasuke was mindraped. I was still confused and terrified and reeling from the emotional overload waking up…
I had refused to answer the probing questions of nurses and doctors and eventually, as my intransigence became worse - questions from what I recognized as members of torture and interrogation.
My tiny fists clenched and my breathing picked up as I remembered being forced to suffer through another violation, this time as me, a Yamanaka peering through my head, trying to find out what I knew. Itachi and his crimes were vastly more important than my mental wellbeing, despite the fact he'd been officially sanctioned.
The Hokage still had no issue making me suffer, it seemed.
Somehow, to my no doubt perceptible relief - none of my previous life was discovered, or so was my assumption as there was no trip to T&I for me on my first day, that is always good, right? Not being tortured on day one, if one discounts the mind invasion…
The Hokage had come by soon after and tried to smooth things over, acting genial and saddened, or perhaps he even was - but I still knew he'd pluck my eyes out himself if he thought at any point it would serve Konoha better.
It's hard to forget just how many people he killed in his lifetime, how many villages he wiped out - or gave orders to have them wiped out down to the last child… It doesn't exactly bring comfort to think of.
They might claim to be the nice village but it's mostly a position they can take because they've annihilated enough other villages to show the strength to call themselves anything they wanted.
Konoha comes first in everything. I am nothing in comparison - same with everyone else in Konoha.
Unless I was his darling Orochimaru, apparently what's best for Konoha doesn't cover his favorite student…
Orochimaru didn't exactly hide his peculiarities very hard, he didn't have to, Sarutobi didn't even notice he was in Root, or if he did, he somehow didn't care, or blame Danzo when Orochimaru went nuts - but of course Danzo got a free pass always too.
At that point I couldn't have cared any less what he was saying. I was busy dealing with the most annoying thing about these memories, these feelings…
I wasn't really Sasuke after all. Somehow Uchiha Sasuke had died inside the Tsukiyomi and I had taken residence in his head, not even remembering how I died or got here - but with a life and memories from another reality. Which was jarring with the memories and feelings from what used to be the Uchiha Sasuke.
A character from an anime… How is this even my life right now? And of all the people I'm slotted into… It had to be the head of snake bait Sasuke, mind rape my mind again nii-san, pretty please, Sasuke.
Someone who's basically going to be buttfucked by S rank ninja for years. Lovely, just… Lovely. So yes, Sarutobi Hiruzen's fake or real sympathy wasn't really high on my list of priorities right now. Luckily, complete disregard for polite conversation was seen as a natural consequence of being mind raped, so I was left to be soon after.
Or it could be it was seen as quintessential Uchiha behavior, either way it worked, and it was all I cared about.
As soon as all the tests and poking and prodding of nurses and med nins were completed, I requested to be allowed to leave the hospital and go home. I needed to think, to freak out, and preferably not be near any more Yamanaka.
An ANBU dropped me off soon after, and that's where I stood now. Not at my own home, Sasuke's home. The incompetent ANBU had dropped me off at Sasuke's/my cousin Shisui's home… I suppose I'd have to really just start thinking of myself as Sasuke, I didn't need a split personality developing by trying to be a separate person, for all I know with chakra that would actually happen. Just look at Sakura and whatever the hell Inner was.
Did I want another me inside my head? One based on the original Sasuke…? Yeah... Hell no to that!
Eventually tired of just standing there I let a tired breath out and moved forward. At least I had no memories of my family being cut apart in this house. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
My hand tensed as I opened the door, Shisui had died right before the massacre… I leaned my head against the door frame, would picking this home have consequences?
Surely Danzo and the Sandaime wouldn't be looking into every little detail of what I chose to do? Would picking Shisui's house show a difference from deciding to brave the main house? I personally did not have any problems with the main house - Sasuke would have gone through hell if that's where he chose to stay though.
Even with his memories and feelings resonating strongly in me, I felt I could handle it… Eventually. The memories would stop right? Of blood flashing across my face, of the thousands of sounds made upon a thousand deaths... As the last Uchiha I probably should be in the clan head's home if I was staying in the compound…
It was probably expected anyway.
I turned and trekked away, memory leading my feet on the familiar path. I might be a bit paranoid, but I knew what a bastard Danzo was, I knew Orochimaru would probably be getting reports on me soon enough, and the Sandaime wasn't much better.
His treatment of Naruto really seemed a lot like a plot to train him to be loyal to the Hokage and the leaf no matter what, through isolation and idolization of the Sandaime.
There's just no way not a single family in all of the leaf, nor a single Shinobi in all of Konoha, couldn't have taken him in. That mass refusal could only happen if people were ordered not to.
It wouldn't even have to be a clan Shinobi - if the whole Jinchuuriki under the power of a clan thing - was the excuse why none of the clans could help him. Keeping the jinchuuriki loyal to the Sandaime and Konoha above all else worked out perfectly in canon with an almost completely isolated Naruto. I refuse to believe someone called the god of Shinobi and the professor - just happened to achieve that accidentally.
Besides he already counted as an asshole for fucking up the whole Uchiha clan thing so badly. And yes, for me, personally, being left alone was a blessing in disguise as shitty as it all was - it didn't make it any better handled.
I needed to figure out what the hell I was supposed to do now and deal with the fact I am now Uchiha Sasuke. Privacy was really welcome at the moment as wrong as it was. Letting a traumatized, mindraped seven year old - go live in the home his brother murdered his parents in - without any therapy, assistance or caretaker, was just unconscionable.
I guess in the fucked up thinking of the Shinobi world, I was considered a big boy now that I've gone through my first massacre, so just living on my own is cool. Fucking old ass monsters with no empathy or care. Again, I prefer it due to my situation, but boy is it ever fucked up.
I entered my home and my body almost on autopilot went into a quick prayer. Ameratsu guide their souls in heavenly fire. Susanoo give me strength to carry on and make my clan proud, Tsukiyomi bless my eyes so that I can avenge us… I prayed as I entered the main hallway.
The three gods all Uchiha believed in, that they had always followed since their inception. The gods that had blessed them in fire, gave them the Sharingan. I would have to ask where the bodies were stored… There were rituals involved in the death of an Uchiha, ones I had been taught since I was old enough to walk. To give their bodies and souls back to our gods.
I shook my head, snapping myself out of that little episode, feeling like some loose cobwebs were being shaken out of my brain. I definitely needed time to settle into my new body and life - if that kind of thing could happen in places that resonated strongly with my memories.
And I don't remember anything about gods in the setting from my old point of view, although I suppose it wasn't very important possibly for the canon mess, and Sasuke wasn't exactly deeply conversational with anyone ever. Unless it was a rant about power. Yet here and now I remember Sasuke being taught by Mikoto and taken to the shrines by Itachi.
Well the bodies were probably missing some eyes… But I should get those rituals done, if nothing else in honor of the real Sasuke who's body I somehow stole, even if he was an asshole. In my new/old memories, the rituals of the clan and the worship - were all pretty important and intrinsic to the whole clan culture. The least I could do was to continue them.
My lips curled, I'd have to ask for a meeting with the Hokage after all. This was going to go well…
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I had expected to be stonewalled for a while in seeing the military dictator of the village, after all they did just have an emergency, even if only a rare few knew it wasn't Itachi going insane - but a kind of official order.
The Sandaime let Danzo get away with anything, so as far as I was concerned, it was official and with Kage approval, since he did jack to actually get rid of Danzo for 'treason' - then it wasn't treason was it?
I probably should have waited to feel more in sync with my emotions and memories before I went to see someone I heavily disliked, and someone responsible for things that were anathema to the memories and feelings of Sasuke.
What can I say? Being transferred into another body with the memories of a massacre, did not make for a settled mind in the end.
…
"What do you mean it was already taken care of!?" I bite out between clenched teeth, staring at the old man sitting behind his desk, staring at me over steepled fingers. I was gripping the chair I was sitting in so hard I could feel wood cracking. To say my tone wasn't polite - was an understatement.
"I am truly sorry Sasuke-kun, but no one was sure if you were ever going to wake up again, your clan was all cremated, there was a village wide mourning period with the funeral." Sarutobi Hiruzen explained sadly.
I didn't trust a word out of his mouth or the projected sadness. No doubt Danzo told him he'd take care of it and old buttbuddy Sandaime happily let the problem out of his hands - like all the other fucking problems he ever saw.
"It's written in the agreement between the Senju and the Uchiha that only Uchiha are allowed to perform the burial rites for the clan." I shouted, eyes wild as I stood up suddenly, knocking my chair down, my emotions going wild, my dislike of the Hokage not helping me rein myself in as I was flooded.
I should have waited, I wasn't ready, the influx of emotions and memories were too much!
I screamed at the Hokage. "It's done for every Uchiha! They are laid on a pyre at the shrine for Ametaratsu. The Uchiha send them off in fire, as is our right from birth, given to us by the gods as we return to them in death! You had no right!" As I finish, my breathing is heavy and blood is trickling from my hands from how hard my fists were held, nails cutting into me.
I could feel myself start to calm down slightly as I desperately tried to hijack myself emotionally and stop before I did something even dumber than shouting at the Hokage. I wasn't Naruto, I wouldn't get a chuckle and a ramen feast. I needed to stop this!
And figure out if this flood of emotions and memories state - was temporary, or a continuous situation…
The Hokage calmly listened until the end before narrowing his eyes slightly, a feeling of imminent death pulling me completely out of my emotional state. I knew killing intent, Itachi had taught Sasuke very well in his torture in Tsukiyomi and I remembered it all.
I still scowled at the Hokage, unwilling to bend completely even with control back, but definitely regretting not waiting a few days, my shaking limbs and sudden silence the only sign of my weakness.
The only thing worse than pissing off a military dictator, was being a wuss when faced with the consequences, so I stood as tall as a seven year old boy could, suddenly very thankful it was the Sandaime and not Danzo in the chair. As much as I thought he was a shit Hokage, he wouldn't execute a kid for yelling.
"You've gone through a great deal, I understand your emotions are high right now, it cannot change things. What is done, is done. I signed the order myself." The finality of that statement hit hard, showing no care, no regret.
I almost shook in rage, but this time I was prepared and managed to hold on to my emotions, the fear helped, as I knew what he was capable of. I stood in silence as the venerable old Hokage slowly cleaned out his pipe, before adding some leaves to it and clicking his fingers to create a spark of flame.
He puffed away in the silence as I just stood there, shaking. The utter irrelevance of my existence compared to Naruto - or hell, any of the clans, of my clan's power laid bare in front of him. This old man could do whatever he wanted. I had no power in this world whatsoever…. Yet.
"Can I have the ashes at least." I finally managed to press out, somewhat politely, between thinned lips, a scowl still in place. I knew the eyes were stolen, but I could at least have honored the bodies… Now… Maybe the ashes would be enough, it would have to be enough. Sasuke believed in this culture… This lifestyle his clan had existed in for hundreds of years, long before there even were villages. I owed him at least this respect.
The Hokage shook his head slowly, "I am afraid everything has been disposed of already. Their ashes are buried under a new memorial stone commemorating the Uchiha." He didn't even look apologetic now, just watching me under bushy eyebrows, calculating. Reading my reactions, plotting out my whole future no doubt.
I bit my lip so hard blood ended up running down my chin in a thin trickle. I wanted to shout. I wanted to rail against the old bastard who had desecrated my clan's rights to their proper rites. Ruined my chance of in some way honoring Sasuke and his family. Somehow I hadn't just replaced Sasuke I knew now, there was still a part of him there, we were one.
I wondered in the dark recesses of my mind if the quick cremation and dumping of the clan's ashes was just a slight against the clan - or a part of the cover for robbing their bodies…
Me keeping the ashes wouldn't have revealed the eye theft, they could even have fake ashes and I wouldn't have known. Making a monument for a clan that had planned a coup stunk like mockery more than anything, and just what, dumping their ashes in a pile under a stone plinth in some far off training ground?
That's all the Uchiha deserved? Either way I couldn't say so, I'd already pushed too far by losing it in the first place, even if it was likely in character - especially if this bullshit happened in canon. I simply bowed my head stiffly at the frowning Hokage and walked out.
My clan, adopted or not, however you wanted to call this situation, had helped create Konoha. And all they got was their legacy and rights stomped on… With a memorial stone with their ashes dumped like garbage beneath it, a final insult.
I had been lamenting about how it was a wonder Sasuke wasn't more fucked up with how shittily things were dealt with. Now I was wondering how the fuck he made it to graduation without wanting to burn the village down.
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A few days later,
The good news was that after a few more days I finally felt seamlessly in control of my own body, both sets of memories and my emotions and chakra. Allowing me to fully be Sasuke without any more unplanned temper tantrums.
It also allowed me to finally, as the overtaking personality, dull the memories of the massacre. As horrific as it was to remember, it took some of the horror and emotional impact out of it to no longer feel the emotional connection to the people dying. I'd still honor them by being the best Uchiha I could be… Mostly to survive the shitshow that would come for me, but also because they honestly deserved better than what they got.
Other things only spiraled worse over the next few weeks. When I tried to hire teams for the maintenance of the Uchiha district I was informed the clan assets were frozen - I was given a regular orphans stipend instead.
The first time the check was given to me I stared at the shinobi who delivered the news in disbelief. The Uchiha clan was a wealthy clan after all. Centuries of being the highest paid, most sought after fighters meant they had much in both liquid and material wealth. The amount of riches in art, artifacts, cloth and jewelry we had was staggering.
That hadn't disappeared just because we joined in Konoha's creation. The audacity to after everything else, also withhold my clan's assets from me, just pissed me off further. Not even do the minimum to appoint a steward to manage it, just completely freezing it, leaving me with nothing but an empty district I couldn't take care of.
I totally understand not giving a seven year old a blank cheque, but to not have anyone oversee any of it at all, just let the district be, to rot and fail. That's just more pettiness - more of the same idea to put down the Uchiha because they could, the kind of thing that had led them to plot a coup in the first place, this disregard of their wish that they mattered or belonged.
I was told that although I technically was the clan head as the only survivor, I wouldn't be able to touch the assets until chuunin at minimum, or as a 16 year old, whichever came first.
When I pushed for an answer I got the expected, by order of the Hokage parroted back at me. I wondered if they hoped I'd get myself killed when I became a ninja, automatically reverting the fortune and the district to Konoha with the clan's extinction.
Eventually I had grudgingly admitted to myself there was such a thing as too much paranoia. After all, they could easily sneak in at night and dispose of me and just claim Itachi returned to finish the job if that's what they were after.
It was probably Konoha bureaucracy behind it all, now used to fucking the Uchiha after a couple years of it - and simply continuing it without an order to stop, now that the clan was practically gone. Or it was Danzo fucking with me to make me desperate. If I was really Sasuke from canon, this would have all definitely turned me into the angsty angry little fuck he was.
Whatever part of him that resided in me now, that I had subsumed, I felt sorry for.
The orphan stipend was enough for me to eat and clothe myself, although not generously in either case. I had a whole district to worry about however. I ended up being forced to beg my academy sensei to teach me how to make sealing scrolls.
With the tragedy of the massacre and my top student credentials luckily working for me in convincing the man, even if I was still off from the academy for the rest of the month.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
My Sharingan, awakened in the massacre, was used for the first time, not to copy jutsu but to copy seals, to perfect calligraphy to the point I could safely create storage scrolls. The first few weeks of my solace spent going around the compound, sealing art pieces, family heirlooms and weapons, banners and weaves detailing Uchiha fights of old, anything worth keeping really. Since I couldn't afford the money to keep the district in shape, nor the time to do it myself. I saved everything important in the scrolls.
I hid the scrolls away in each of the shrines to Ameratsu, Susanoo and Tsukiyomi. In spaces that were only visible to those with the Sharingan. Denying access to outsiders with sealwork way above my understanding - In the end, only the shrines, my house and the nearest training ground, would be maintained.
All of it was done by myself, Konoha entirely uncaring and distant. I wondered whether they had discussions on taking the whole district from me too, if people like Danzo had argued for it, who had argued for me? I wondered. The clans perhaps? As a just in case, if they ever ended up in the same situation, no doubt. Doubtfully such a decision was done for my benefit.
I made sure to pay my respects to the gods every night before bed, I'd need all the help I could get, and why not? The Uchiha have believed in them for hundreds of years, and until now it had worked pretty well for them. And I was alone... I carried the entire Uchiha legacy on my shoulders. And I knew how fucked the world was going to be shortly. I'd need to be stronger then Sasuke had managed in canon. And considering how fucked that all had ended up being - that meant insanely strong.
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I quickly ran into some problems in trying to get stronger - the Academy for one was pretty much useless. It was moving at the pace of what the civilian born could handle - no more early graduations available after the massacre.
Just in time to deny me the chance of course. I just took yet another hit with bitter acceptance and continued to work myself to death every evening - after having wasted my time all day on history and taijutsu practice. Fighting against twig civilians, who wouldn't have given a four year old Uchiha a workout. Working on lessons I was already so far ahead in, compared to most of my classmates, that it made the lessons themselves pointless.
Thanks to the Sharingan, I could enter the Uchiha clan archives, which had their repository of scrolls on everything from history and journals of Shinobi from the warring clan era - to scrolls on Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu and other Shinobi arts.
For one brilliant moment I had thought I had everything I needed handed to me. It quickly became clear why Sasuke had never been able to use most of this in canon.
I could use barely anything from it. The information stored was of skills so above my level that I could barely even understand it, most assuming a level of capability in its reader that made understanding the scrolls impossible without first obtaining the skills necessary to understand it.
I didn't have the advanced chakra theory, affinity theory and chakra system knowledge to even begin to try some of the jutsu, definitely didn't have the chakra capacity. I concluded that lower level jutsu and knowledge was meant to be taught in person, only higher skills were saved in the archive.
Why save Genin level skills for posterity after all, everyone gets taught that anyway by their family. All of this would be helpful once I was a Jounin, but was hardly helpful now. I found a couple scrolls on chakra control exercises and meditation, as well as scrolls for the Uchiha Taijutsu style - the interceptors fist.
That however, was it for immediately useful knowledge. I'd have to dig deeper into the chakra theory scrolls when I could understand enough to get anywhere with it. I of course knew about tree walking and water walking and in these first few weeks I conquered both.
And of course I kept training at it everyday to continue to hone my chakra control as well as to grow my capacity, by constantly using my chakra. It still felt stifling, I knew I could do more then continued chakra control and physical exertion - yet I was being hindered and pushed down.
I had the Sharingan of course, which opened up another avenue of getting stronger, but I doubted the Hokage would take kindly to me going around copying jutsu and Taijutsu styles.
Considering the insults that had been thrown at the clans feet already - I did not hold hope for a good response if caught out. The limitations were binding me, forcing the district to eventually rot - forcing me to stagnate.
It was like they were testing me to see how much I could take before I would lash out completely. It would really piss me off if this was all some convoluted loyalty test, to see if I'd settle down into a good little orphan Uchiha. Or if I was going to lose it and strike back. I guess canon me just become an antisocial asshole instead of fighting back or figuring a way around all these insults.
The Sharingan was too valuable of a tool to discard, I needed to use it. Spying on genin teams training would be too risky however. I knew there was no chance of me evading a Jounin yet. Not to mention any potential ANBU spies keeping an eye on me outside of the compound.
In the district I was safe, I had activated the boundary seals that told the Uchiha when someone else entered their district. So I'd know if someone spied on me at home. It was based on chakra of course, which wasn't always a perfect system. That said, surely a Jounin or ANBU level shinobi wouldn't have gotten that far on Genin level or below - chakra. So I'd still be warned if someone strong entered the compound. They'd hardly send civilians to spy, they'd stand out in this dead district too easily.
It had taken me an embarrassingly long time to come up with a somewhat acceptable solution. The Academy had finally been good for something… They had all received a short lecture on the Genin corps - the backbone of the village system. The soldiers that performed all the drudge work, courier duty and many desk bound duties of the village.
It had been an offhand comment from my sensei, about the Genin corps not being able to train as easily as the rest of the forces - due to having the last pick of training grounds. A subtle hint to his student to push them to be better than a future Genin corps member. A meaningless push, since it was practically pre ordained which clan kids would get a Jounin - with the rest of the chaff never getting that far and wouldn't be seen again. So most likely ending up as dropouts or transfers to the Genin corps.
It gave me an idea. So the next day after the academy was finished and I had dodged a Naruto paint bomb without even trying - ignored several requests to walk me home by creepy girls… And yes, no matter how I look at it, 7-8 year olds should not be as creepy about "love" as these kunoichi - to be - girls are.
I made my way to the Chuunin administration office, not to be confused with the Hokage tower administration office. That's where the mission desk and all the important stuff was. This is where the low level bureaucracy started long before you could even get to the Hokage tower with a request. Manner by the career desk Chuunin who got a promotion based on their paperwork skills more then anything else. If anywhere dealt with the Genin corps on a leadership basis - it probably started somewhere here, or the paperwork for it did at least.
Entering the building reminded me of the first time I ever entered the DMV. It was bland and boring, purposefully generic looking with a multitude of desks, lines and people who looked like they'd do anything not to be here.
Mostly civilians were lined up, as this is where you went to request those ridiculous D-rank missions. These paper pushers would write up the mission, outline the parameters and take payment, and then send the scrolls off to the Hokage tower for the mission desk to look over, approve and then use to torture Genin. Or I suppose to give Genin corps members something to do for some money.
I made sure to line up in a queue for administrative purposes, and then waited a soul crushing hour and a half before I finally made my way to the front, a pale kunoichi with washed out blond hair and dark bags under her eyes giving me a skeptical look. I couldn't exactly blame her. Not many seven year olds had business with administrative issues.
"Can I help you?" She said somewhat condescendingly with a raspy voice of someone that either smoked a lot, or fucked up a fire jutsu in the buildup process.
"I need a meeting with whoever oversees the Genin corps." I said firmly, but politely, making sure to maintain eye contact.
She looked at me skeptically, tapping a nail on her clipboard. She pursed her lips, "Need is a big word Uchiha-san. The Genin corps does not deal with academy students."
"I have a proposal for them, and I will need to speak with whoever is in charge." I reply back, trying to remain polite even in facing her obvious condescending attitude.
She rolls her eyes and sighs, "Whatever, it's not my problem in the end." She mutters, she leans her head on her hand as she puts her elbow down on the desk, looking tired and stressed, "Look kid, you'll need to see Haruka for anything to do with the Genin corps alright, it's not my department." She waves a hand lazily in the other direction down the desks, towards a spindly Chuunin with glasses with another long line ahead of him.
I grit my teeth and bow my head slightly, "Thank you for your assistance." I mumble out. Leaving before she can answer me or before I can ask her why she can't be a little more helpful.
This turns out to be the nicest interaction I have over the next four hours as I get shuffled from desk to desk, sent to a Genin corps member who in no way runs the division - who then sends me to a Chuunin who sends me back to the first Chuunin I spoke with. Who then tried to send me to frigging Nara Shikaku who as the Jounin commander does technically count as the boss of all the Shinobi… But I seriously doubt he runs the Genin corps personally. And I also severely doubt any chances of me getting in to see him, Uchiha name or not, especially with a request that so obviously has nothing to do with him!
I'm ready to start sending out some fireballs when a cute red haired kunoichi in her late teens and wearing a Chuunin vest, stops me and tells me that the councilor in charge of the Genin corps will see me now.
I follow the kunoichi into the Hokage tower, making me twitch slightly as apparently I had underestimated the importance of the Genin corps commander. Maybe I would have gotten further sooner if I had just bugged the mission desk about it. I'm led to a door on the second floor and the kunoichi stops me with one hand and gives me a serious look.
"Now I don't know what you want or why he is humoring you, but you'll treat Homura-Sama with respect, understood?" She says sharply, giving me a smile at my quick nod. She opens the door as I realize I've gone into deeper waters then I had imagined. When I had heard the word councilor I hadn't imagined it would be one of the 'three'. Those always vilified in fanfiction council members and the Hokage's closest advisors. Why was Mitokado Homura in charge of the Genin corps? And was this good or bad for me?
…
The meeting lasted all of three minutes, I was given permission to negotiate with Genin corps teams for use of the training grounds in my compound, so I got what I wanted..
It just felt weirdly easy in the end, and it didn't sit right with me…
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Two days after the meeting I had offered the Genin corps four of the more distant training grounds in the Uchiha compound, the ones at the edge. Allowing them to enter the compound only for travel back and forth from the training grounds - and only the Genin corps. This gave me people to spy on with my Sharingan that I could hide from, no Chuunin or Jounin to catch me.
Besides, even if they did… They'd see it as unofficial payment for the free use of training grounds anyway.
Granted they weren't exactly the cream of the crop. But every Genjutsu or Ninjutsu I could grab ahold of was precious. And while lacking in massive ninjutsu reserves, the Genin corps had by necessity of less personalized teaching - gone the extra length in weaponry and Taijutsu. I learned every trick of how to throw weaponry perfectly, how to maneuver wire with chakra, my Sharingan taking everything in perfectly. The brutality of the trauma of the massacre plus my dimensional transplant having awoken the full, three tomoe Sharingan.
It was not something I could use for long, but long enough was good enough for now.
The Genin corps might not be Itachi's level. Yet for the most part, those that actually utilized the training grounds were more like bargain bin Chuunin than Genin. Just lacking the opportunity for promotion given to those clan born or Jounin taught. I learnt a lot just listening as the Genin chattered - some in their twenties, full of tricks and cheats they shared with their younger corps members. They handled most of the actual work in Konoha proper and the outlying communities. They learned many ways and small jutsus that simplified things, whether for travel, hiding, working or training.
Maintenance… That was the Genin corps. Sewer system, courier runs, archives, guard duty, and desk jobs in all the departments of Konoha. Even including hospital work minus the nurses and doctors, all Genin corps. At times I was too exhausted to use my Sharingan, my young body unable to keep it operational for very long, then I'd just listen. I'd take in the tips and tricks of veterans that had to scrape for every jutsu, for every mission or advantage. I learnt more from a few days in the training grounds than I had for the entire academy year.
I didn't have the chakra to really do much with any jutsu learnt anyway, so for now, I was happy with the ability to gain any knowledge that made me better than I was the day before.
And each night, no matter how exhausted I was, I'd light some candles for my family's souls, my gods, and for the promise that one day… Itachi… and the Hokage… Would pay. This I swore as my nails dug into his palms so hard that my blood dripped, another offering for Ameratsu, Tsukiyomi and Susanoo.
It might not have been my family in reality, not my gods.
But they were now.
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With my immediate need for training and improving myself, temporarily sated with the Genin corps solution - and whatever paltry information the academy slowly dished out piecemeal…
It was time to turn my attention elsewhere. The Hokage, out of pure spite for talking back to him or as some absurd loyalty test, had ensured I couldn't afford to maintain the compound.
The artifacts and other Uchiha heirlooms might be safe, but the buildings and the beautiful gardens that made this compound, Uchiha. It would be destroyed by neglect if I had to wait a possible 9-10 years to gain access to the clan finances.
I usually took to thinking on the problem as I practiced my Taijutsu, allowing myself to think as my body flowed through katas. I couldn't fight the Hokage on his decree... No one had stood up or defended the Uchiha, or even noticed their death until it was over. Which I found very suspicious, like impossible to explain suspicious - even the Hyuuga never saw a thing? Everyone wasn't in on the conspiracy surely...
No one had come in to defend me from losing control of the rites or the clan assets, for all I knew, the other clans were in on it and hoping for a nice big payout if I had any 'accidents' in training, or when I became a Genin.
So asking for help was out. The idea of going hands out, begging, to another clan… It repulsed me, it would show just how far the Uchiha name had fallen. I refused to allow that, someone needed to watch out for my family or the only thing still existing of theirs, the reputation.
I might be an imposter, but this was all I literally had…
I absolutely refused to demean my adopted ancestors more than they had already suffered. So I can't fight the Hokage, I can't get help from the clans… I grimaced as my muscles protested the limits I was pushing my body through. How I wished I could just relax and have some Mochi. But I couldn't… Because… Kami's sake Itachi, did you have to kill even the granny with the best sweets in Konoha!? Great, and now I was completely distracted.
Sweets on my mind taking over everything else. I guess I am still young…
I blew my bangs out of my face and distastefully realized I'd have to cut my hair soon. I started on my cool down routine, the orphan stipend wasn't plentiful - Yet, now that I had it on my mind, I really wanted something sweet.
"Just this one day." I muttered to myself as I went to have a quick wash - dressing myself afterwards, making sure the Uchiwa fan was proudly displayed. Konoha wasn't allowed to forget about my clan, even if I had to shove it down their throats everyday.
As always, walking around the compound just darkened my mood. The eerie silence... The spots where I clearly remembered relatives and civilians, Kami Itachi, why the civilians? How were they part of the coup? Killed by my lovely idiot of a brother... The blood had been cleared off but I could still see it in my mind, even as it didn't feel as real now.
I still hurried my steps, feeling as if the weight of his dead clan was pressing down on me. Their souls stuck until revenge could send them on. I soon arrived at one of the only non-Uchiha bakeries I'd ever visited. (Sasuke had anyway) It was just a small shop front at the bottom of an apartment building. Shisui had bought me some sweets from here once.
I sighed as I heard a commotion inside, hesitating at the door. I wanted something sweet, something to offset the taste of blood that always seemed to linger in the back of my throat in the compound. Yet… People, I thought uncharitably. I sighed and entered anyway, a little bell jingling as I did.
I tried to ignore the arguing as I picked out some cheap sweets I felt I could get away with this month - sending a few frowning glances at the commotion. An older white haired man with a weathered face, and with a gradually reddening face at that, was swearing and shaking his fist at a plump middle aged man.
He was just smugly standing there, as two girls tried in vain to calm their father? Employer? Realizing everything could be training I looked more closely, taking in the body language and actions. The one girl looked to be early twenties, plain by Uchiha standards, brown hair tied into a bun haphazardly, well worn apron, sensible clothes, rough fabric, patches. Meant to be worked in. Muscle definition in arms suggested baker, the light touch of one of her hands to the arm of the old man suggested familial relation rather than employee. I scrunched my nose up, or it indicated a really inappropriate relationship, I couldn't discount it as of yet.
The other girl seemed at most a few years younger than the first. Similar eye color and hair, although better taken care of, less worn - there were some similarities in facial structure that led me to believe she was a younger sister to the first woman. Just a touch of makeup, well taken care of nails, soft hands, style of dress more stylish and put together, more approachable. Likely runs the storefront.
As I practiced analyzing the civilians I walked closer to the counter to deposit my small hoard of sweets, and I twitched in annoyance as absolutely no one paid any attention to me.
This body's dead father could enter any room and immediately draw the attention of its occupants. I however couldn't even catch the attention of civilians when attempting to buy something in their own store. Was it a tallness thing? Or was I just not Uchiha enough? I moved to clear my throat when the old shop owner exploded on the other man.
"You can't do this Kentaro! Your father and I had a contract, we were practically family!" He spat out, looking absolutely incensed.
The other man, Kentaro obviously. Did not drop his condescending look as he simply raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "My father put too much stock into a dying culture." He looked around the shop, sneering at the bright colors and whirlpools across the walls. "Your problem, Hisuke, just like my father's, was this farcical adherence to Uzushio, which no longer exists!"
"Uzushio will never die as long as we keep it in our hearts, your parents understood this. Kentaro you were raised in the Uzushio quarters for Kami's sake!"
I had a brief flashback to memories of listening to some of the Uchiha elders' bitter complaints about the Hokage - when a swarm of refugees had descended on Konoha from Uzushio in the past ages ago, and as one elder had put it.. The poor, half mad masses of an inferior village got dumped into the district just outside the Uchiha clan compound.
I shook my head briefly, annoyed with myself. I'd wandered into the Uzushio district and hadn't noticed, despite the bright colors, murals and banners depicting the sea and the whirlpools everywhere. The homes and apartments and shops were all painted in reds and blues and other vivid colors. I needed to always be vigilant. I promised myself I would not zone out so pathetically again.
Kentaro scoffed, "Yes, the Uzushio quarters." He mocked. "The one…In Konoha, in case you haven't noticed."
"Father, no!" The older of the girls pulled back on Hisuke's arm, before the man could respond physically and no doubt worsen his situation.
Kentaro just shook his head, "Get with the times, we're Konoha now. No more swirls, water dancing or day of the dead. Those of us with sense have abandoned those old traditions. Assimilated into Konoha… And we can't be dragged down by you and your kind any longer. Your contract is terminated. And that's final!"
Hisuke, now held onto by one arm each by both girls, was shaking, he was that angry. I watched on dispassionately, annoyed that this was taking so long. I could feel the spark of an idea taking root. Would it work? My mind immediately started thinking of all the ways it could fail. And all the ways it was the solution to my problem.
This all worked its way through my brain quickly and before anyone else could continue the argument I piped in, "So you're getting evicted? That's great!"
Four pairs of eyes stared at me, mostly in surprise, they really hadn't noticed my presence at all.
"Do not make fun of my father!" The younger girl snapped out, cheeks flushed with anger.
I blinked and tilted my head slightly in confusion. "Ah, that might have been taken the wrong way. I just mean your eviction could potentially be beneficial for me."
Damn that didn't come out any better, talking to people is hard!
"Boy, out of respect for your recent loss I'm not tanning your hide, but you better have a point to this!" Hisuke growled.
I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling a bit flustered. Everything I was saying was coming out wrong. "I have an empty compound, including several bakeries or shops. One that will be a ruin in a decade, unless I find willing tenants to take care of the buildings in return for using them for cheap - until the Uchiha clan is repopulated." There, that was better I thought..
"Uchiha-Sama, my family has lately become one of the largest owners and developers of real estate in Konoha, we'd be honored to deal with this issue for you." Kentaro said quickly, a greasy smile pasted on his face.
"Kentaro…" Hisuke rumbled, a disgusted look on his face.
I scoffed loudly with derision, "I have been here for the last ten minutes. Not an inch of Uchiha land will go to a betrayer who'd turn his back on his family for money, I was talking to them, not you." I turned away from the disloyal man, turning to the small family of three. "Well?"
Hisuke grunted, "We don't have the money to start over new, young Uchiha." He admitted sourly. "Someone's been bleeding all the old country folk dry…" He sent Kentaro a piercing glare.
I couldn't care less about money, my stipend would ensure I was fed and clothed. I'd get the clan's assets when I became a Chuunin anyway. "What if your yearly rent is 1 Ryo? All I'd need from you is to keep the building you're living in, and the shop you're using, in good condition, and to keep it as is, preserving Uchiha land."
"Ah… Sorry Uchiha-kun…" The younger girl said hesitantly. "I don't mean to sound cruel. How are we to make a living?" I could hear the unsaid, when there's no one living there, that the girl hadn't dared to say.
I gave Kentaro a considering look, making the man perk up. "It sounded to me that this disloyalty spread to more than your shop, I would be willing to take in anyone else you know that have had similar issues. This would populate the shops and buildings again, same requirements. I want… I need the compound to stay in good condition." Kentaro's face grew darker and looked more sick than condescending, the longer I spoke.
"Child, you realize this would open up your clan compound? Yes, I believe any of us would find it agreeable to keep the aesthetic and repair of your land in good condition, but it would no longer act as a clan compound, for at least two decades. People would wander in and out, to shop or to visit. Can you handle that?" Hisuke said, in a much kinder voice, the redness having faded from his wrinkled and weathered face.
I inwardly shuddered at the idea of any civilian or Shinobi just wandering in, to shop, or to spy. I'd keep my house and Shisui's and the best training grounds, that would have to be enough. I couldn't fail the clan by letting their compound fall to ruin, or risk Konoha waiting for exactly that and then have the Hokage declare it all to be torn down for new development based on its dilapidated condition. "Yes, " I answered firmly, staring up into Hisuke's steely blue eyes. "For my clan, I can handle anything."
"I accept then, and I know dozens of people that would take the opportunity as well, no doubt more soon enough." Hisuke said, then with a measured look at me, he bowed his head slightly, "Uchiha-Sama." His daughter's following his lead.
Kentaro, who'd watched this entire interaction while looking increasingly more sweaty, spoke up again. "Hisuke, you can't go spreading this to everyone in the district! I can't compete with 1 Ryo in rent!" He argued with a wheedling tone to his voice.
Hisuke looked at him with a sad look in his eyes, "Your father would not have lost anyone no matter what rent someone else was offering. You've made your bed, now begone from my shop, it's still mine until the end of the month and you are not welcome here any longer."
Kentaro looked like he wanted to say more, but swallowed the words, likely understanding there was nothing he could do here. And rushed out of the store.
Hisuke looked after him and sighed deeply. "Sakura, go spread the news before that eel manages to lock them into a new contract by offering them a ten percent discount on their rent."
The younger daughter nodded her head firmly, "Right, I'll have word out in no time!" She declared, giving her father a kiss to the cheek, a hug to her older sister and a mumbled Uchiha-Sama to me, before she rushed out the door.
I put a hand on the sweets I had laid out on the counter, "I did actually come here to buy these, if it's still possible." I asked politely. Not sure now how to act with, where they vassals? Was I just a landlord?
Hisuke gave me a half smile and a kind look, "I think all things considered they're on the house."
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I had underestimated how desirable not only an offer of low rent was, but to live inside the compound was - even if it was clear from the beginning they'd all have to move out at some point decades ahead.
Although the Uchiha clan by the time they died had numbered just a few hundred, they had been more plentiful in the past, especially before the construction of Konoha, the clan compound reflected that size. And there was room for almost 2500 souls within the compound.
Once word got out, I was flooded with requests. Having only set out to take in those prior refugees that understood family and loyalty, I was chagrined to find out that I'd still have half the compound left to fill after I, with the help of Hisuke and a lawyer friend of his, set up the contracts and interviewed the Uzushio remnants.
It was a simple contract as I didn't need much from the residents. Keep the Uchiha property pristine and in the condition it is in, and do not do any major renovation without my permission. And they were all aware that once Uchiha were being born again, their contracts would be voided to make room on a case by case basis, with no avenue to protest or remain housed on Uchiha land without my approval.
Considering how long it would actually take to repopulate… Most people probably figured they'd be dead by the time they'd need to relocate…
Unfortunately, now every civilian with an eye on marrying their daughter to me, or every bum looking for a cheap place to live - was sending in applications. I hadn't been able to do more than his mornings warmup Katas for a week!
Currently I was sitting in the garden behind Shisui's house, dark bags under my eyes, sipping on tea as I went through applications with Hisuke and his daughters Sakura and Honoka.
"I recognize this one." I said, soaking in the warmth of the tea, the aroma refreshing me from this hell I had consigned myself to. "Uzumaki Naruto. It's that idiot from my academy class."
Hisuke stiffened slightly and I, who had been endlessly watching body language and micro expressions over the last week caught it immediately. "Don't tell me the idiot pranked your shop or something." I sighed, putting the application in the maybe pile casually.
I knew they likely knew about the Kyuubi, but I couldn't let them know that I knew.
Hisuke slowly reached over and moved it to the reject pile. I glowered at him through the steam from my tea. "I might not like the idiot, but I'm pretty sure he's an orphan, it wouldn't be the worst idea to have him spend his free time keeping things clean around here."
I don't particularly want him here, but it's interesting to see despite your heritage how you're denying him…
Hisuke looked severely conflicted as he chewed on his lip. I took it all in with interest. Raising an eyebrow in a silent question.
Hisuke hesitated, before slowly speaking. "If you place Uzumaki… In the same area as the Uzushio survivor's… You might see some heavy push back from the Konoha government." He said finally.
I hned thoughtfully. "Uzumaki was a Uzushio clan wasn't it?" I asked mock-curiously.
Hisuke winced, "Yeah… Yeah that's why!" He started slow and then rushed through the words like he'd been thrown a lifeline.
I let it go for now but took a mental note to pay more attention to Naruto to see if I could do something there, probably not as much as invite him over to live… The Hokage would definitely get involved in that.
"You have a lot of applications from the Genin corps." Honoka said sorting a pile, presumably entirely made of Genin corps applications.
I made an annoyed face, "They're already using the training grounds." I complained.
"Genin is probably more preferable then most civilian applications you have received, Sasuke-Sama." Sakura piped in. Her pile consisted almost solely of rejections.
"They'll also put more holes in the wall." I said, so done with this entire thing. Why had I thought opening up the compound was a good idea again?
"You know you don't have to fill to capacity. If you allow some of the Genin in, you could have their contract stipulate that they are responsible for maintaining the leftover empty buildings." Hisuke suggested. "With a hundred or two hundred Genin to fill out with what we have already you'd only have a couple hundred spots left empty. You could then fill them at your leisure while we and the Genin share the burden of keeping everything maintained."
I grimaced, not wanting to deal with it. "Fine, just, you do the interview and pick the Genin, or do a lottery for all I care. If they mess up they're out. I haven't trained properly for a week! And I have the Academy again in another week. I can't keep spending time on this." I finished somewhat mulishly.
Hisuke sent me an understanding look. I didn't like it very much, it was the kind of yes, you're seven years old and I expected this tantrum eventually - kind of look. I glowered at him.
"Before you go, a letter from the Hokage arrived this morning." Sakura cheerfully piped in with, blushing slightly as both myself and Hisuke glare at her. "I forgot!" She protested, she quickly slid it over to me who sniffed in annoyance and opened it, expecting protests and threats over opening up the compound.
I read it once. Twice. Thrice. And I still can't make any sense of it. I squinted at it as if to decipher any hidden meaning.
"Bad news?" Hisuke asked with forced casualness. I can see that he's somewhat tense. I can appreciate that someone other than me can see that the third Hokage is an absolute monster.
I frown at the letter, "No… I don't understand. It's congratulating me on helping those who have less, and for letting go of ghosts and opening the compound for the people of Konoha." It doesn't make any sense to me. The Hokage was the one who gave me no other choice if I wanted to keep the compound from deteriorating, what is the meaning of this… Praise? Where's the hidden insult? The trap? "I don't understand this." I finally admit.
"Isn't that nice?" Honoka asked, looking between the two of them confusedly.
"If the Hokage says you're doing good, then you're all set, Sasuke-Sama!" Sakura cheered.
Hisuke and I both gritted our teeth at the same time, Honoka rolled her eyes at us, "Honestly father, how have you infected Sasuke-Sama with your irrational dislike of the third already!?"
"It's not irrational." Hisuke grumbled, at the same time as I bit out, "There's a trick somewhere in this letter, I just have to figure it out. Maybe if I use the Sharingan…"
Hisuke joined me in another read through of the letter as Honoka and Sakura locked eyes and managed to roll them at the same time, with amused little smiles on their lips. Boys!
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