A month had passed since that fateful encounter in the forest. Arashi's training with Shisui had intensified, focusing on refining his chakra control and honing his combat skills. The constant practice yielded results; Arashi's stamina improved, and his reliance on his Rinnegan diminished. He even seemed happier, a spark returning to his eyes. Things were finally looking up.
"Thanks for the food!" Arashi and Shisui finished their breakfast, discussing recent events. Before they left for the day, Shisui pulled Arashi aside.
"I have a gift for you at the end of the day," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Arashi's eyes widened. "A gift?"
"Meet me at Naka River at sundown. Itachi will be there too."
Arashi nodded, excitement bubbling within him. He left the house and hurried towards Sasuke's.
"Hey, let's go already!" he called out, eager to start the day.
"Hold on, I'm on my way." Sasuke bid farewell to his family and joined Arashi.
As they made their way to the academy, they passed by Kakashi's house, where Naruto had been staying for the past few weeks.
Knock! Knock!
Naruto burst through the door, a whirlwind of energy. "Wahaha!" he laughed, sprinting past them.
"Huh?!" Arashi and Sasuke exchanged surprised glances, then took off after their exuberant friend.
Meanwhile, Iruka-sensei prepared the class for Arashi's return. "Now listen up everyone," he addressed the students, "he hasn't been with us for a while, but that's because he had an illness. So I'd like you all to give a warm welcome to him. Welcome back, Arashi."
Arashi stepped into the classroom, his new, shorter hairstyle framing his face. A hush fell over the room as the students stared at him, then recognition dawned. A wave of excitement erupted, and several classmates rushed to greet him.
"Congratulations!"
"Welcome back, Arashi!"
Arashi felt a bit overwhelmed by the attention. "Hold on, I... I don't even know some of you..." he mumbled, his voice still a bit hoarse from his illness. But his words were lost in the cacophony of greetings.
On the plus side, he didn't have to correct anyone about his name. The rumors of his Uchiha heritage had spread like wildfire, solidifying his reputation as a prodigy.
Shisui had tried to shield him from the pressure, but the whispers and stares still affected Arashi. However, being an Uchiha and a prodigy had its advantages.
Arashi's popularity soared among the girls in his class, not that he wasn't already admired. His reputation as a top student preceded him, and today, everyone would see if he still held that title.
"Welcome back, Arashi!" His classmates greeted him with enthusiasm.
"Thanks," Arashi replied, a shy smile gracing his lips. He navigated through the throng of well-wishers and took his seat, a sense of calm settling over him despite the attention.
As usual, Arashi wasn't one to be easily swayed by popularity or praise. His true joy came from training with Shisui-Nii-san and spending time with Naruto.
After a few moments, Iruka-sensei began the class. "I'm sure you've been reading and revising to catch up with the rest, so I don't think we should hold back anything." He glanced at his notebook, checking the schedule. "Let's see... that's right, today we're studying shinobi history."
-----------------
While Iruka-sensei delved into the annals of shinobi history, Shisui and Kakashi met atop the Hokage Monument, overlooking the village.
-----------------
Shisui perched atop the Fourth Hokage's statue, his gaze fixed on the bustling streets below. Kakashi arrived a few minutes later, his nose buried in his ever-present book.
"What took you so long?" Shisui inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Sorry, I was helping an old lady cross the street," Kakashi replied, tucking his book away. "But I'm here now. What's up?"
Shisui's expression turned serious. "I'm meeting with the Third Hokage today. I want to discuss matters of the clan. It's not getting better, Kakashi. I have to do something about it, after all, Arashi is someone I have to consider now, isn't he?"
Kakashi nodded in agreement. "So, do you have a plan?"
Shisui's hand moved towards his eye, a determined glint in his gaze. "I do."
"Kakashi, no one else apart from Itachi and Arashi knows this, but... I have the Mangekyou Sharingan."
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. "Mangekyou Sharingan?"
"Tonight, the Uchiha clan is having their last meeting before the coup d'état. I called you here to tell you that I plan to use my ability, Kotoamatsukami, to control Fugaku's mind."
Kakashi listened intently, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on him. "I see..."
They sat in silence for a while, the wind whistling through the trees, carrying whispers of the village's turmoil below.
Kakashi moved closer to Shisui, his expression grave. "Do you really think that's the only way?"
Shisui's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "I do," he said, his voice heavy with resignation. "But... I don't want to. I still believe in them. I want to believe in them, but I'm running out of options and time. That's why I came to you. Maybe you can offer some advice. I'm desperate, so anything will do."
"You're that desperate, huh?" Kakashi studied Shisui's face, searching for any sign of hesitation.
"I just don't want them to fight," Shisui confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't want Arashi to live in such a hateful world where his village and clan must fight. As we speak, Arashi is being used by nearly everyone, and even he doesn't know it."
Kakashi nodded solemnly. "I know. The Uchiha are using him to justify their actions, the village and the Hokage are using him to bargain for peace and as a weapon too. All behind his back..."
A heavy silence descended upon them once again, the weight of their shared burden pressing down on their shoulders.
After a long moment, Kakashi broke the silence. "Shisui, I know this is personal, and I don't want to put you in a difficult situation here, but you seem desperate, so I'll ask anyway."
He met Shisui's gaze, his expression unwavering. "I want your honest answer on this."
Shisui nodded, steeling himself for the question he knew was coming.
"I know this is unfair to ask, and there's no way to put this into kind words, but..."
A gust of wind swept past them, and Shisui's eyes widened as he heard the question. 'Arashi...' He looked away, a pang of sadness piercing his heart.
---------------- ( Back at the academy )
'It's finally break time.' Arashi sighed inwardly. 'It's so weird being an Uchiha. All the girls do is swoon whenever I do something as simple as breathing. I don't like it. I wish things went back to how they used to be, when it was just us three.' He reminisced about the carefree days spent with Naruto and Sasuke, a bittersweet longing filling his chest.
Arashi joined Naruto and Sasuke, taking a seat beside them as they enjoyed their snacks.
Naruto was excitedly recounting his recent training session with Kakashi, his words tumbling out in a rush. "...and then, Kakashi-sensei showed me this awesome jutsu, he called it the..." He trailed off, his attention caught by someone approaching their table.
"What's the name of the jutsu?" Sasuke and Arashi asked in unison, eager to hear the rest of the story.
"Hold on." Naruto's gaze followed the newcomer.
Arashi turned his head and saw Ino walking towards them, a shy smile on her face.
"There you are, I've been looking for you," she said, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"For me...?" Arashi's heart skipped a beat. 'Why is she looking for me?'
"I didn't get the chance to talk to you earlier," Ino explained, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You now have a new fan base now that you and Sasuke are from the same clan."
"Right... sorry for that, Ino," Arashi replied, scratching his head sheepishly.
"I just wanted to give you this as a thank you." Ino held out a beautifully wrapped bento box.
"Oh, um... thank you, Ino," Arashi accepted the gift, his cheeks warming.
"Huh? Arashi, you talk to girls?" Naruto's voice was filled with mock surprise.
Arashi looked back at his friend, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Ino's my friend."
"Your... friend?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
Arashi simply nodded.
From the corner of the room, a girl with vibrant pink hair observed the exchange, her eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Huh? Ino-pig has a boyfriend or something? And isn't that the other Uchiha from class? Arashi..."
Ring!
The bell signaled the end of break time.
"I'll eat this later," Arashi said, carefully placing the bento box in his bag. He hopped off the bench. "Come on, you guys, let's go."
"Hey, hold up a minute," Naruto protested, still trying to process the scene he'd just witnessed. "Since when were you and Ino friends?"
"Why does that matter?" Arashi questioned, a clueless look in his eyes. "Let's go."
He led his friends back to class, leaving a trail of whispers and curious glances in their wake.