Shikaku reviewed the day's events in his head. He would prefer to pace around the room and maybe springboard ideas with his wife or at least discuss things with Inoichi and Chōza, but even doing so wouldn't change the outcome much. At the end of the day, he will do his best to be honest with Hiruzen.
Shikaku stopped himself from looking at the Hyuga clan head sitting just a few feet from him on the couch in the Sarutobi clan's private office. The Crystal ball in the corner of the room twinkled a reflection of the lamps outside. Even though it was dark, Shikaku could still make out the fourth Hokage’s chin in the distance from where he was seated.
The door opened, and both stood up to show respect to the Third Hokage. They had to wait a second as even though Shikaku could not sense them, he still knew the Anbu would sweep the room and give the others the all-clear. After a brief pause, Hiruzen entered his private office.
“Lord Third, this is an outrage. The Hyuga clan will not sit idle while the criminal remains at large. Our clan demands justice and reparations for Amon’s actions.” Hiashi said, skipping past all pleasantries. Shikaku had to comment in his head that until just a moment ago, Hiashi was, in fact, sitting down waiting to be seen, undercutting his words a little. Hiashi spoke the words, but they were most certainly written up prior to this meeting.
When did the lines get written down? Did the Hyuga clan have this plan out weeks ago, or was this designed earlier today? If Shikaku had to guess, Hiashi worked on this statement while on his way here with his aids still waiting outside. It was a bold move, using the family name in the hopes of throwing some political weight around.
The strategy would usually work for Hiruzen. Justice, family, and political power are all big and intimidating words to the third Hokage. If Shikaku hadn’t seen what had happened with his own eyes, he could have believed Amon lost his temper in a dispute and attacked Hizashi out of rage.
However, Shikaku did see what had happened, at least a little, and had already given a brief description to the Hokage. Everyone always talks about the Uchiha's arrogance, and it is true that many Uchiha suffer from that character flaw. Still, anyone who had spent a long period in the Leaf village would discover that the Hyuga clan was just as bad but hid it with rigorous social etiquette.
Hiashi is only working with a partial picture and is trying to follow a plan designed in advance. Because of the Byakugon, the Hyuga clan is spoiled when it comes to gathering intel, making them sloppy when collecting information in traditional ways. Not once did an aid come in to deliver information while Hiashi waited for Hiruzen.
Lack of intel and working off an outdated plan while not even attempting to gather additional information. Hiashi has the rank of Jonin in the village, but it is mainly ceremonial; the man himself hadn’t gone on as many missions as one would expect of his rank and the lack of experience shows. Special Jonin, who specialized in taijutsu, was the more accurate rank of Hiashi's abilities in Shikaku’s opinion.
“Hiashi, could you please wait outside for a moment? I wish to go over things with clan head Nara. We will discuss things after.” Hiruzen said while not even looking at Hiashi.
Shikaku nearly blanched at his words. Hiashi paused, not expecting that response, but after a moment, he finally wised up. Bowing, he said his goodbyes and left the room.
Looking at his face, Shikaku could recognize Hiruzen’s expression, and after today, Shikaku expected Hiashi would learn it too. Hiruzen had that look when he was furious about something but needed to hide it.
Whenever Shikaku saw that look, he knew Hiruzen would not attend any more meetings that day. For the next few days, Biwako would make some unflattering comments about certain people and places. Now that she was gone, Hiruzen would have to bottle up his emotions or find someone else to vent them to.
“Shikaku, I would like you to please go over what you saw again for me,” Hiruzen said in a measured tone.
Shikaku sighed, knowing he was about to not help with the lousy mood Hiruzen was already in. “There is not too much else I can add. Did you have the chance to go over things with Amon while assigning teams?”
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“Yes, it went better than expected, but Amon was still unhappy with the outcome. But the incident at the Hatka home first. We’ll talk about the teams second.” Shikaku stopped himself from barking out a laugh while pretending to clear his throat. The Hyuga clan head would be waiting outside for longer than expected.
“As I said before, One punch,” Shikaku said, pausing after he told it to ensure he wasn’t misheard. “Amon defeated Hizashi Hyuga with one punch. Amon came back from lunch, Hizashi followed him inside Hatka estate, Amon made a few jokes,” Hiruzen rolled his eyes at that. “Hizashi made his intentions clear, saying, “You can not be allowed to become the Hokage.” Amon taunted the man, Hizashi moved to strike while at the same time Amon did that dust cloud trick of his that partially obscured my vision. I could tell Hizashi moved to strike Amon’s heart, but before the move landed, Amon hit Hizashi with an uppercut while at the same time wrapping Hizashi's head in bandages. The impression I got from watching Hizashi flying through the air was that he was unconscious and that Amon was treating him with the mystic palm technique before the man's body had even hit the ground. I moved in after that. Amon wasn’t surprised to see me and claimed he was having a quick sparring match with a fellow Leaf ninja. Hizashi managed to wake up a few seconds after that, looking dazed and unable to walk alone. You know the rest.”
Hiruzen reached for and lit his pipe, “It doesn’t make sense.” Shikaku said nothing to his comment, and the two just sat there in silence for a few moments, both thinking about the events that transpired. “I don’t want to speak negatively about Amon's skills, but not even my students can perform such a feat, and I’m unsure if I could either. If it were a normal Jonin, then I would say perhaps, but the Hyuga clan prides itself in their taijutsu. The sheer number of ninjas in history I think that are capable of such a feat is low.”
“You did decide to back him as your successor as Hokage; could lord fourth perform such an act?”
“Hmm, defeating a Hyuga Jonin with one strike. Perhaps, but he would hav-” Hiruzen stopped talking as realization flashed across his face. “Amon, you wouldn't.” This was a new look on Hiruzen’s face that Shikaku didn’t recognize. Trying to figure out this new expression, Shikaku was caught off guard by the Third Hokage's order. “All ANBU, leave my office and patrol my estate, take Hiashi aids with you, and send the man in.”
After a second of hesitation, the ANBU revealed themselves, and four men wearing animal masks left the room. Once they left the room, Shikaku heard some discussion outside shortly before Hiashi reentered the room. “Lord third, As a clan leader and as a father, I-”
“You sent Hizashi to kill Amon.”
Hiashi was taken aback by the blunt statement and looked at Shikaku, whose expression remained stiff, not to show anything. “I-I don’t know what the Nara clan head has told you, but-”
“HE told me the truth. What are YOU going to tell me?”
Hiashi remained silent. Shikaku could not read the Hyuga's face, but he was more concerned about Hiruzen’s words and actions. Hiruzen legitimately asked the man a question, not setting a verbal trap but trying to discover the truth.
Finally, Hiashi swallowed his resolve and said, “Appointing Amon as the next Hokage is a mistake.”
“Did you order Hizashi to kill Amon?” Hiruzen asked like he was looking for something.
With a pause, Hiashi answered, “…yes.”
“Would he have followed through with the order?”
Hiashi was once again taken aback by the question, from what Shikaku would have guessed, for multiple reasons. Hiashi just admitted to plotting the death of not only a fellow Leaf ninja but the candidate for the next head of the village.“Of course, my brother is loyal to the clan.”
“He would follow your command to kill Amon, and he offered no resistance to your order.”
Hiashi scoffed. “My brother doesn’t love our clan's branch system but understands its importance. He dislikes Amon more than I, being told by an outsider that his sacrifice for his clan is wrong by a classless upstart. The only thing he was reluctant about was the possibility that the clan would get in trouble.”
“Your brother was right, but more than the both of you would think.”
Hiashi puffed up his chest. “Now, Hiruzen, this village needs my clan.”
Both Shikaku and Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at Hiashi’s not-so-veiled threat. In all his years, Shikaku had never heard the Hyuga clan give anything but their full backing behind the leaf village. There was the occasional argument here and there, but nothing like this.
“Hmm, Shikaku, please tell the Hyuga clan head what you saw earlier today.”
Once again, Shikaku retold what he witnessed; Hiashi did well at hiding his reactions until he heard about his brother's swift, one-sided defeat. “That is impossible. My brother would never lose in such a manner.”
Hiruzen spoke up. “Could you defeat your brother with such ease?”
Hiashi paused for a moment. The strength between the two brothers was a taboo topic in the village, and many believed that Hizashi was secretly the stronger of the two. A believe Shikaku shared himself before today, but now he was uncertain.
“My victory under normal circumstances would not be as one-sided.”
Hiruzen let out a sigh as he leaned back on his chair. “Normal circumstances?”
“Well, yes, my brother is strong, but at the end of the day, I am a member of the main branch.”
“If you were in Amon's position, How would you defeat your brother?”
“If my brother ever raised his hand against me, I would activate the Caged Bird seal and-”
“You would activate the seal and then strike to incapacitate.” Hiruzen finished.
“Yes,” Hiashi said, looking at Hiruzen, who said nothing. All three men stayed silent, and both Shikaku and Hiashi realized Hiruzen's accusation at the same time. “No.” Hiashi protested not against anyone in particular but the situation itself.
“I’m afraid so. Amon's able to activate the Cage Bird seal.”