"Guess what!" Kakashi's cheerful voice exclaimed.
"Ichiraku is giving free ramen?!" Naruto guessed excitedly.
"You're going to stop teaching us boring exercises?" Sasuke said flatly.
"You're going to treat us to the hot springs?" Sakura said hopefully.
Kakashi sweatdropped, looking slightly defeated. "…That's… not exactly what I had in mind…" Ignoring his students' various expressions of disappointment, he continued on. "Actually, I registered you three for the upcoming Chūnin exams in two weeks. Here are the forms."
He handed each of the genin a piece of paper. Naruto and Sasuke looked anticipated in their own way while Sakura appeared to be hesitant.
"It's your choice if you want to participate or not," Kakashi said, "but you must be able to register by 8:00 in the morning in two weeks, Monday. If one of you doesn't participate…" He glanced at Sakura, who seemed to only be half-listening. Naruto and Sasuke did not miss it. "…then either one or two of you will have to find someone to complete your team."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances.
"All right, you're all dismissed for the day," Kakashi waved at them goodbye before disappearing in a poof.
Naruto blinked, then extracted a forced laugh from his lips. "Well, I'm gonna participate!" he exclaimed. "You in, right, Sasuke?"
"Yeah," Sasuke hummed in agreement.
Naruto turned to Sakura, who was still staring at her form. "What about you, Sakura-chan?" he asked, trying not too sound too eager.
His question seemed to snap Sakura out of her stupor. She whipped her head towards Naruto, surprised. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Did you say something, Naruto?"
Naruto's eyebrows knitted together in concern. Had Sakura been this bothered about the Chūnin Exams in the past? He sneaked a quick glance at Sasuke, who didn't seem to be all that surprised. Had Sasuke already known?
'Wait…' A memory sprang inside his mind, fuzzy due to the great lapse of time, but distinct somewhat. Although it was a little puzzling that he remembered it since he hadn't been paying much attention long ago, but it could count as one of the effects of time travel. All memories came in easy, even fuzzy, age-old ones.
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"Sakura, how about you? You should've noticed it first." A rare, gentle smile appeared on Sasuke's face as he turned his head towards his female teammate.
Sakura looked startled. "What?"
Sasuke elaborated on. "Your skills in analysis and genjutsu know-how are the best in our squad."
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'Of course,' Naruto realized. That was why Sakura perked up at that time, no longer quiet by his side. It was as if a small fire inside her had been rekindled. He had only been playing along then, internally a bit confused by the conversation.
"Uh… I said, you'll participate, too, right?" Naruto urged a little, his blue eyes imploring. "Sakura-chan?"
Sakura looked taken aback by his hopeful expression. Her green eyes averted their stare, seemingly interested on something unspecific to her right. Her entire countenance gave off an unsure vibe.
"I'll… think about it, Naruto," she assured, giving him a fake smile. "There's still two weeks, right? I'll… prepare."
She walked off, still clutching the form in her hand. Naruto and Sasuke watched her go.
"…Sasuke," Naruto said, turning to him with narrowed eyes. "We gotta help motivate Sakura-chan!"
There was silence. Naruto swivelled his head towards Sasuke, who did not seem to bother replying.
"Sasuke?" Naruto inquired, confused.
"…You're probably the best candidate for that," Sasuke finally answered, his gaze still seeming distant. "I have no words that can reassure her, nor am I capable of any encouragement."
"But you lifted her spirits back at the Chūnin Exams in our timeline!" Naruto protested. "When you praised her for her ability to detect genjutsu! I didn't even notice that she was doubting herself, but you did!"
Sasuke was silent for a moment. "That was a long time ago," he said. "I am no longer that person."
"You're still that kind of person!" Naruto insisted hotly. "You always hide in that aloof exterior of yours, pretending you don't care when you actually do! Sakura-chan needs us right now. She thinks she's incompetent when she actually isn't!"
Sasuke turned his back on Naruto, intent on walking away.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, confused. "Where are you going?"
Sasuke did not reply, turning a corner and disappearing in sight. Naruto, completely perplexed by his behaviour, sat down on the ground in thought.
'What's with him…? It almost seems like…'
• • •
Sasuke dug his hands inside his pockets, feeling conflicted. It wasn't as if he didn't care about Sakura; he worried for her back in the Suna escort mission and even took great care in re-dressing her wound after defeating all those bandits. He cared for her as a teammate, and…
His thoughts trailed off from there.
Sasuke raised his head, gazing at the exterior of his house. It was well-furnished and very traditional of the Uchiha ways, with clean, smooth shades of beige, brown, and white. Whenever he looked at it, he was reminded of his family, the family he lost to his brother years ago. That same family was here, alive and well, and seemingly content with their lifestyle here in Konoha.
Thinking of Konoha made him realize the blatant mistakes he made back when the Curse of Hatred of his clan consumed him, enveloped him in darkness. He had been a little lost along the way back then, even ready to voluntarily plunge into the darkness, but Naruto would not let him. Naruto always had unshakable faith in him, something that he himself could not understand. Even Sakura, who never gave up on him, as well as Kakashi, to an extent.
Perhaps that was why he didn't want to be the one who would cheer Sakura up. He wanted — no, needed — to apologize to her properly, to start repenting for his sins and to gain the forgiveness of those he cared the most about. But how could he do that when she was not the same Sakura that he knew? It felt alien somehow, even though there was a glaring possibility that Sakura would never come back like he and Naruto did. He felt that he was not worth it. He wasn't even capable of saving her; all he did was hurt her, and it pained him, because he didn't know how to begin showing her how grateful he was.
"Sasuke?" Itachi's voice sounded from behind.
Sasuke swivelled around, eyes wide. He hadn't detected his brother's presence; had he really been that deep in thought?
"Nii-san," Sasuke greeted politely.
"What are you doing out here? Come on, let's go inside," Itachi said, gently gripping him by the wrist and leading him to their front door. "Mother was planning on making tomato onigiri, your favourite."
Sasuke's features softened, easing into a tender smile.
It was times like this that he wished Itachi came back as well. His brother always knew what to do and what to say to make him feel better.
"But, we only have each other as siblings. Even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome…" Itachi turned to him, the warm glow of the setting sun illuminating the shadows on his serene face as he smiled.
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"I'm always going to be there for you. Even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for."
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Sakura did not go home. Instead, she went to the training grounds, staring at a rather large tree in front of her. The trunk seemed to consist of a strong, hardwood bark, a perfect training dummy for her taste.
Slowly, Sakura clenched her hands into fists, then drew them back in preparation. She was both nervous and calm at the same time, like there was a weak, apprehensive fire flaring inside her, yet there was something light placed on her shoulders. A somewhat contradictory emotion, but did not feel out of place at all.
Sakura took a deep breath, then punched.
"Ow!" she cried out, cradling her right hand. It had just recovered from fracture, and now she felt like it was relapsing. She had unconsciously used it instead of her left hand. She looked at the tree bark. It didn't even have the slightest dent on it.
Why had she even picked such a thick tree, anyway? Since when had she been so confident in her taijutsu? Sakura sighed, leaning her forehead against the bark. It was useless. She was always going to be the one left behind, the one who was bringing everyone down.
Sakura sat on the grass in defeat, taking out one of the scrolls from the hidden pockets of her clothing. Opening it, she stared at Tsunade of the Sannin's name written on the contents.
"Tsunade-sama… Chakra-enhanced strength…" Sakura murmured, almost dazedly. "There's nothing here that tells how to do it. It only mentions her abilities." Sighing, Sakura closed it, lifting her eyes towards the sky. Twilight was starting to coalesce with the laggardly dimming sky, and she could see faint stars already in sight. "I thought I'd be able to figure out how so I can improve myself… but I don't even know where to start."
"You could start with what you have."
Sakura jolted at the unexpected voice, gaping at the masked face of her teacher who was leaning forward, seemingly smiling at her shock.
"Kakashi-sensei?!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I was passing by and I overheard your mutterings," Kakashi explained, straightening his posture and placing his hands inside his pockets. "So, you want to learn Tsunade-sama's signature move?"
Sakura nodded, pulling up her knees against her chest. She folded her hands and placed them there, resting her chin. "Yes," she admitted. "I want to improve myself, to improve my taijutsu. But I don't know how. I'm really bad at it… Ino can surely do much better than I can. I'm really… envious of her."
Kakashi said nothing as she talked, reading his usual Icha Icha Paradise book. Sakura buried her face inside the hole made by her arms, knees, and chest.
"You can do it, Sakura," Kakashi spoke up, his eyes still on his book. "You can start with what you have."
Sakura's head sprang up, her eyes wide in surprise and confusion. "With… what I have?"
"Yes. With what you have." Kakashi tore his eyes away from his book to look at her, his lone eye crinkling from a smile. "I know for a fact that you're proficient in chakra control. You can start from there first."
"Chakra… control?" Sakura's mind spun. The ability to assess the correct amount of chakra for a certain technique. When a person had great chakra control, they could perform multiple techniques without wasting any excess chakra used.
But what did that have to do with Tsunade's technique?
Kakashi took that moment to stand up. "You have many options, Sakura," he said. "You can do a lot of things with your skill in chakra control, not to mention that you have hidden potential in genjutsu. Chakra control is important in genjutsu as well. You can also, like you planned, improve on your taijutsu, or you can even delve into ninjutsu."
"Genjutsu… Ninjutsu…" Sakura murmured, her thought process whirring into all sorts of potential ideas and uncertain feelings. "But I don't even know my nature transformation…" Her voice hung in the air as she ran out of words to say.
Kakashi looked surprised, though it was oddly hard for Sakura to tell if it was feigned or genuine. "You don't? Then here," he said, handing out a simple piece of paper towards her. "Good thing I kept a few of this. Channel your chakra into it, and you will know your nature transformation."
Sakura blinked, then did what she was told. Chakra was directed towards the material, and the paper consequently became soaked.
"Oh, a Water Type," Kakashi said approvingly. "Compatible with genjutsu and medical ninjutsu."
Sakura's eyes widened, and he could practically see that they were shining with hesitant hope.
"If you want, I can teach you some basic techniques," Kakashi said. "You already know about my Sharingan, right? I have a lot of Water Jutsu at my disposal."
"Um… I—I…" Sakura stammered, overwhelmed. "I don't know what to say, Kakashi-sensei… There are so many prospects to choose… Th—Thank you so much!"
"No problem. It's my job to take care of all of my students, after all," Kakashi said almost tenderly, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I'll leave you to your thoughts. You can give me your answer anytime. I'll be here to teach you."
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said gratefully, bowing before her teacher as the latter disappeared in a whirl of leaves after giving her a wave of farewell.
Sakura raised her right hand. It was red from her effort at punching the tree bark. She ignored the pain and clenched it into a tight fist.
"Chakra control…" she murmured.
'I think I know what to do now.'
• • •
Sunlight streamed through the windows, causing Minato to feel the brightness hitting his eyelids. Letting out a small yawn, he got out of bed, stretching his arms and feeling the bones pop into place.
He turned his head to see Kushina, still sleeping peacefully. Minato knew that Naruto was asleep as well; he was just so much like his mother. They even slept all sprawled out on the bed, hogging all the space.
Minato chuckled at this, then went towards the kitchen, wondering what kind of breakfast he should prepare. 'Naruto and Kushina seem to always like my pancakes, so I guess I'll cook that for them,' he mused to himself, already getting the necessary ingredients from the cabinets. 'I can only come home often at late nights, after all.'
Minato frowned at the thought. Being the Hokage was busy work, but it wasn't anything so very time-consuming that he couldn't have enough time for his family. It was just after the Kyūbi attack that things got a little hectic, what with the Council breathing down his neck.
Danzō's speculation of an Uchiha involved in the 'would-have-been' destruction of Konoha apparently spurned both Koharu and Homura to start pressuring him. However, Minato remained absolutely adamant that there was no Sharingan involved, and that the masked man he encountered was surely a rogue ninja who had unimaginable power at his disposal.
Disregarding the fact that the Kyūbi itself asked him not to reveal it, Minato was not stupid. He knew of the consequences that would happen. The possibility of a civil war was not something that Konoha could afford right now. The Uchihas were not only a benefit to their village, but they also had important connections to the people. Kushina's close friend Mikoto, Naruto's best friend Sasuke, Uchiha Shisui's devotion to the village…
Minato's eyes narrowed. There was no helping it. He had to keep an eye on Danzō. There was no telling what the man was capable of doing; Danzō was power-hungry, but he, in a way, did care about the village. However, his decisions often seemed to benefit both the village and his own self-interest. Minato also suspected that Danzō was hiding something, though he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He would have to need more evidence than his own circumstantial suspicions.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Naruto come inside the kitchen. His son was rubbing sleep from his eyes, his unruly blond hair spiking in all directions. Minato hid a smile at how remarkably identical he was with Kushina. His son may have inherited his looks, but his personality was definitely more like his wife's.
"Morning, Dad," Naruto greeted groggily, walking towards his father in a leisurely pace. "You're up late… What're ya makin'?"
"Pancakes," Minato answered with a warm smile as he placed said food on a platter. "I had Sandaime-sama fill in for me for a bit while I go travel to Suna in preparation for the Chūnin Exams that will be held here."
"Suna? Say hi to Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Uncle Rasa for me!" Naruto said with a grin.
Minato almost dropped the plate of pancakes in shock. "Uncle… Rasa…? The Kazekage…?" he echoed in disbelief.
Naruto nodded, still beaming. "Uncle Rasa was a bit intimidating at first, but he's not a bad guy at all! He even smiled once when I told him one of my famous jokes!"
Minato thought of the strict, imposing, always-frowning fourth Kazekage and blinked rapidly in confusion. Was this really the same person Naruto was talking about?
"Anyway, Dad, just send him my regards!" Naruto said as he gleefully took the pancakes from his father's hands and began digging into them.
"Uh… sure… Naruto," Minato said uncertainly.
• • •
"Sasuke?"
Itachi's voice resounded in the forest where Sasuke was polishing up on his shurikenjutsu. Sasuke ceased in his training, staring wide-eyed at the unexpected appearance of his brother and a man who looked slightly familiar.
"Nii-san," Sasuke acknowledged, walking over to Itachi. He glanced at the man beside the latter who gave him a friendly smile.
"Hey there, Sasuke," the man greeted. "We haven't really met properly, have we? I'm Shisui. Your brother's boss."
Itachi closed his eyes. "Stop messing around, Shisui."
"Man, you can't even take a joke." Shisui laughed, reminding Sasuke of a familiar blond-haired knucklehead. "Anyway, I'm best friends with your brother, and I heard you're taking the Chūnin Exams. Congratulations! Only seven months of being a genin and you're already qualified by your teacher?"
Sasuke smiled politely. "Yes. My team and I are going to register next week." He didn't know if Sakura would come, but he had a feeling that she would. After all, she did come back then, even though she was a little unsure. She had a strong will; she could do it.
"Huh. Looks like somebody takes after their prodigious, similar to a statue brother!" Shisui laughed again, eliciting an annoyed expression from Itachi.
The latter frowned. "I never should have brought you here…" he muttered, though there was an underlying softness evident on his features.
Sasuke was mesmerized. He hadn't seen this expression on his brother before. Uchiha Shisui must have been very close to him to be able to bring out the human side in his brother.
Not that Itachi was purely emotionless; he smiled often whenever he was with him, he made small talk with his friends, he was gentle, he was a pacifist… but that was it. He only showed a part of him to those around him. Coupled with the pressure coming from their father, Itachi was always working. However, he always found the time to spend with his family, especially Sasuke.
Sasuke was nearing eight years old now in just a few months, the same age when the Uchiha Massacre occurred. He knew that it was Uchiha Shisui whom the Uchihas were saying was murdered, that he was the pride and the strongest of the Uchiha.
But what Sasuke had not known back then was that he was Itachi's best friend because it was either Sasuke was too invested in getting Itachi to spend time with him or Shisui only made brief appearances before disappearing with Itachi. Sasuke did not know why Shisui was still alive, but it was a good thing. Perhaps he might even be able to persuade the Uchihas to stop their plan of a coup, if it were on their minds.
But maybe… it was also because it might be by this time that Shisui was going to be killed.
• • •
When Naruto got outside the house, he spotted Sasuke who was already waiting for him, his arms folded across his chest and an unreadable expression plastered on his face.
"Yo, Sasuke," Naruto greeted. "Why're you here today?"
Sasuke looked straight into his eyes. "You remember what I said to you back then after we talked in your Inner World? About the one thing I want to do in order to start living my life peacefully?"
Naruto's eyebrows knitted together in deep thought.
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"I have already long let go of my hatred," Sasuke said quietly. "I… can slowly and clearly see the light that you say you always see. I understand why you have always been so adamant on saving me. I will not… let those efforts go to waste. However," he added bitterly, "I cannot live my life peacefully if that man is still alive."
"That man…?" inquired Naruto in confusion. He couldn't possibly mean Itachi. Sasuke loved his brother.
"I have already killed him once… I will not hesitate to do it again." Sasuke's eyes dyed red as the Sharingan inadvertently formed, its tomoes swirling among the abyss of carmine. "He may think that he has done good for the village, but all the decisions he made, ruthless as they were, were simply counter-productive. Shimura Danzō will die, one way or another, be it by my hand or by others'."
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"So, you're going to kill Danzō?" Naruto spoke in a grave manner, his eyes dimming.
Sasuke frowned slightly, standing his ground. "Then… you want him to live?"
Naruto frowned back. "I don't know… It just isn't right. We can't just take somebody's life like that… especially while we're still… kids."
"He has killed a lot of people, Naruto," Sasuke said stonily. "Either literally or figuratively, and sometimes even both. Danzō ruined Itachi's life. He was also the one who manipulated Hanzō the Salamander into killing the original Akatsuki, resulting in the death of Nagato's closest friend and therefore ruined Nagato's life as well. He even had a hand in manipulating Kabuto into joining his Root organization."
Naruto's eyes widened at the enumeration of events, most of it he never even heard of before. "I—Is that… true?! How do you know all that? Danzō… that bastard…! He was also the one who formed the organization that killed Sai's brother and destroyed whatever was left of his emotions!"
Sasuke turned away. "I have my sources." In truth, he unintentionally obtained all these information from Orochimaru himself, back when he was training under the legendary Snake Sannin. Orochimaru had a lot of information under his disposal, and sometimes he tended to talk about it, but most of the time he just dismissed them, thinking of them as unnecessary in comparison to his experimental researches.
Naruto looked positively enraged, but Sasuke could see that he was trying his best to reign it in. "So he's responsible for all that… it makes sense why you want to kill him." Then that rage slowly dissipated, and Naruto seemed a little solemn as he thought about it deeply.
Sasuke knew it wasn't in Naruto's nature. Danzō had to be put down, or else he'd do more harm than good because of his ridiculous beliefs. However, Naruto could never do the deed. Even though the idiot was probably the strongest amongst all the shinobi in the world, he was definitely too soft for his own good.
"Sometimes, violence and physical pain is necessary to protect others," Sasuke said slowly, letting his words sink inside Naruto's mind. "I'm doing it for Konoha… and for us."
Naruto's eyes were wide as he watched Sasuke's retreating back, then a small, warm smile graced his features. He was still uncertain if it was the right thing for Sasuke to do, but he'd be damned if he let his best friend do it alone. He had him, he had Team 7, and he had his family. He now had some things he feared to lose, but he had everything he had ever wanted.
'…and for us', Sasuke had said. He didn't elaborate and kept it simple, matter-of-fact, but Naruto knew whom he was pertaining to.
Sasuke… was already letting them in.
• • •
"The Uchiha are assembling tonight," Danzō said from his position before Minato, his expression giving nothing away as usual.
Minato's eyes narrowed. "How do you know about that?"
"One of my ANBU overheard them talking," Danzō replied nonchalantly. "This is our opportunity to see if they are actually planning something sinister to the village."
Minato took a deep breath. "Danzō-sama, I understand your intentions," he said calmly. "However, we cannot interfere with their clan rituals."
"With the village's safety at stake, their 'rituals' have to be investigated in order for peace to be maintained," Danzō insisted. "I am being reasonable here, Minato. I know all about Uchiha Madara's legacy and his fight against Senju Hashirama, the Shōdai Hokage. If the Uchiha clan is truly innocent, then I will rest my case. But if they aren't…" His lone eye narrowed. "They must be eliminated for the sake of the village."
Minato pinched his lips together, forming a slight frown. The Kyūbi hadn't exactly elaborated as to why he asked them a favour not to reveal that the masked man had a Sharingan. There was probably a reasonable explanation why; Minato certainly knew the repercussions. If civil war — which Minato truly thought was unlikely to happen — broke out in the Leaf Village, other nations were sure to attack, which meant a full-scale war. However, if he did not appease the Council…
"All right." Minato sat straighter as he assessed Danzō. "Shisui!"
The doors opened almost promptly, revealing the young prodigy.
"Uchiha Shisui?" Danzō exclaimed.
"Shisui will attend the assembly," Minato said, "and if Uchiha Fugaku is planning to incite a rebellion…"
Shisui, in the middle of the Fourth's speech, was startled, but then he immediately interjected in understanding, "I will use my Kotoamatsukami."
Danzō cast him a sidelong glance. "Your dōjutsu…"
Minato closed his eyes. "He will have no clue that Shisui is controlling his actions. He will believe that his words are his own. Though I hardly believe that Shisui will have the chance to use it, for I still trust my own judgment that Uchiha Fugaku is not planning anything, given that no one in the village is accusing the Uchiha of anything other than the Council's mere assumptions. If anything, I would like to increase our relations with the Uchiha rather than ostracizing them for an attempted crime which they are not the perpetrators of."
A hint of unbridled indignation crossed Danzō's features, but the man reigned it in expertly. "I will respect your wishes, Yondaime," he drawled intently. "However, you must respect mine as well, at the very least."
Minato nodded. "Of course. Shisui." He gave the latter what seemed to be a semblance of an encouraging smile. "I'm counting on you."
"Hai!" Shisui said dutifully.
• • •
Itachi walked towards the Tower, intending to report to the Hokage about his completed mission before going on to join the assembly. His stroll was uneventful until he caught sight of his brother having a hint of purpose on his face as he ran towards an unknown direction.
"Sasuke?" he called out. "What are you doing here? Finished training with your team?"
Sasuke skidded to a halt at the sound of his brother's voice. "Nii-san," he uttered in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be at the assembly?"
"I will go after I report to the Hokage," Itachi replied.
Sasuke seemed to be conflicted about something when he suddenly shook his head, apparently waving thoughts of hesitation away. "Nii-san, do you know where Shisui-san is?"
"Shisui?" Itachi drawled out, confused. "…He's supposed to be in the Tower, but I felt his chakra walk out and go towards the direction of the assembly location. Why do you ask?"
Sasuke's eyes widened in what seemed to be realization. "Oh, I… I just wanted to ask him more questions about the Shunshin, but I guess he's busy." He began to run once more, waving at Itachi briefly. "See you later, nii-san!"
Itachi watched him go with a small smile on his face. His brother was growing to be an excellent ninja, even though Itachi was still hesitant about the idea of Sasuke eventually becoming one of the soldiers of war. More shinobi meant more killings. However, deep inside his heart, Itachi had faith that his brother would find his own solution to attain peace.
And he would always be there for him to guide him all the way.
• • •
Sasuke had been inconspicuously tracking Danzō's location and was alarmed when the latter began trekking towards the assembly location, and his suspicions were confirmed when Itachi told him that Shisui was heading there as well.
If Danzō was with Shisui, then there was no mistake. Danzō had stolen Shisui's eye and implanted it as his own, an information he heard but had no confirmation about. This was probably the event wherein Shisui's death was drawing near. He didn't know how Shisui died, after all, and it was only reasonable to assume that Danzō was the cause of why he killed himself.
Well, not if he could help it. Sasuke had never really liked Danzō after all, and Shisui was apparently one of those rare Uchiha who never succumbed to the Curse of Hatred. He'd be damned if he let that meager population diminish because of the loss of one significant death.
He knew that saving Shisui would change the timeline even more and create unpredictable ripples, but this was not his head speaking to him now. He was following what he felt was right. Besides, the addition of Danzō's death might even calm those certain ripples somewhat. Sasuke would make it a somewhat win-win situation.
However, if he were to save Shisui, he had to be careful not to reveal any of his unbelievable abilities. He was still a genin, after all.
• • •
"What is it, Danzō-sama?" Shisui asked. "The assembly is about to start."
"Even if you were to persuade Uchiha Fugaku with your dōjutsu's ability, what if it is not enough?" Danzō said monotonously. "If the Uchiha clan is adamant on creating dissension, then the leader would surely be outvoted."
"However, my clan is not planning a rebellion of any sort," Shisui said calmly and genuinely. "None of us even have the ability to control a Bijū, let alone the Kyūbi itself. My beliefs are synchronized with the Yondaime's."
Danzō eyed him. "How do I know you are telling the truth? For all I know, you might be in on their plans, as well."
Shisui raised his hands slightly in an open, honest form. "I assure you, Danzō-sama, that I have absolutely no intentions of deceiving you nor the village itself."
"Besides," Danzō continued on as if he hadn't spoken, "someone who's always suspicious like me will never change. What will you do then?"
Shisui was taken aback. "But, Danzō-sama…"
"When the time comes…" Danzō glared at him, his aura changing into something bordering on intent purpose. "…will you use your Kotoamatsukami on me, too?"
"I'm…"
Shisui's voice trailed off as Danzō suddenly moved from his position, his hand speeding towards Shisui's eye. "Your Sharingan… shall be in my safekeeping!"
Shisui's eyes narrowed, his Sharingan gleaming a vibrant red. "Forgive me," he uttered firmly, his hand securing Danzō's wrist and watching as the older man slumped forward, his back hunched as his eyes closed. "It's only a genjutsu… You'll snap out of it shortly."
Shisui turned and walked away.
Danzō's hands twitched.
Suddenly, Shisui felt as if he were being forcefully pulled backwards, and then the air escaped his lungs as Danzō's fist pummeled him in the gut. He struck Shisui three times at the face before grabbing his hair and speeding his hand towards his eye.
Suddenly, Danzō let out a strangled cry.
Shisui felt his body dropping to the ground, and he gritted his teeth as he focused his vision.
When he saw Danzō, his eyes widened.
The older man was obviously enraged, and it was evidenced by two kunais that were lodged in both his hands.
"Who's there?!" he growled. "Show your face immediately!"
Shisui turned his head towards a movement by the trees, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the familiar figure approaching them.
"You're…" he breathed out.
The figure stepped out of the shadows. "I am Uchiha Sasuke." Blood-red Sharingan eyes glared malevolently at Danzō. "And you will now lose your life."
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tbc