Chapter Text
Narumi Pov
‘I can’t believe that they would do this to me’ I thought as I paced my apartment angrily. Actually I'm not even that surprised that those old bastards tried to do this in the first place.You would think that after everything i did for them that they would be satisfied but no the people of this damn village would always want more and more. The so called meeting with the council just proved that.
Flashback
I was summoned by Granny Tsunade to the council meeting room for some reason and not wanting to keep her waiting I quickly made my way to the Hokage building. It was confusing for me because she only woke up from her coma just three days ago and already the council is calling a meeting.
‘She should just fire them all and be done with it’ I angrily thought as I quickened my pace.
‘Not likely to happen brat’ said Kurama from my mindscape ‘you and I both know that as long as Danzo is still alive to whisper his manipulations in their ears they will stay on the council to carry it out thinking it’s for the village’s well being.’
I hated that he was right about that. The other two old bastards are only still sitting there because they follow that old war hawk blindly never once thinking for themselves.
‘It hard to believe they learned anything from the second Hokage but then again they did learn his prejudice for the Uchiha so I guess he didn’t fail as a teacher in that regard.’
I put those thoughts out of my mind as I arrived at the Hokage building. Walking into the meeting room I see that I am one of the last to arrive with only the Konoha council and granny Tsunade being missing.
It seemed that every clan was in attendance: the Aburame, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Nara, and the Hyuga, among others, along with the civilian council. Still in the dark about the proceedings of this meeting, I went to stand next to Shikamaru and his father Shikaku, having spotted them as I walked in the room. I knew that they would have at the very least an idea of what this meeting would be about. He was next to his team members Choji and Ino who were whispering to each other, my guess also questioning what this could be about.
“If you're asking me what this is about I don’t know,” said Shikamaru as soon as I stood next to him. “ All I know is that dad said was that it was something important that the clans and the civilian council needed to hear as the decisions made today would affect us as well.”
“Well if that isn’t foreshadowing as hell” I mumbled back to him as I leaned on the wall next to him.
I have no idea what the elders want but whatever it is my instincts are telling me it’s not gonna end well for me this I'm sure of with no doubt. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it for long as granny and the council, Koharu and Homura, took that exact time to walk in. I couldn’t tell what they were thinking as they all had that face of superiority on their faces twenty-four seven. But I guess I should have been grateful for that silence because as soon as they opened their mouths the shit started flying.
“I won’t even beat around the bush,” said granny as she laced her hands together under her head as she fixed everyone present with a hard stare. “ The reason that I called this meeting is because Sasuke Uchiha is returning to the village.”
After that announcement, chaos erupted, dividing the room into two factions: the shinobi and the civilian council, each holding opposing views. The clans were far from happy about this. The parents of the children who had nearly perished during the first attempt to rescue Sasuke were the most vocal in their discontent.
On the other hand, the civilian council was overjoyed. Naturally, they would be; this presented them with another opportunity to marry off their daughters to the illustrious Uchiha clan. They conveniently ignored the fact that Sasuke had not only betrayed the village by aligning himself with the rogue ninja and murderer of our third Hokage, Orochimaru, but he had also nearly led to the demise of the Sasuke Retrieval team members, who, I must emphasize, also belong to well-respected clans.
Me on the other hand the voices were starting to blend together and become white noise to my ears. All I could focus on was ‘Sasuke Uchiha is returning to the village’ on repeat in my head. My breathing started to pick up and my chest felt compressed like someone was sitting on it. But I didn't care. All I could think about was that bastard coming back.
I'm panicking not from excitement like many would think, no, it was from fear. I didn’t want to be anywhere near that jerk. A chidori to the chest was more than enough for me to understand that while I may have and still somewhat do consider him to be a brother like figure and friend, Sasuke never considered me as such and even if he did he deemed my friendship and me by extension expandable.
Following the battle with him in the valley of the end, I realized that each time I witnessed the flash or heard the crack of lightning, a wave of panic would wash over me. I even consulted a doctor and Granny Tsunade to confirm my fears. Unfortunately, my suspicions were correct. I, Narumi Uzumaki, at the tender age of twelve, had developed PTSD. (season your personality hun)
It was soul crushing because the slightest weakness could get you killed on the field and if you are someone inexperienced, like me, it was a one way ticket to shinigami-sama’s office. And I was not ready to see him anytime soon. Thank you very much.
But that wasn’t going to stop me from reaching my goals. I worked with Kakashi sensei and granny Tsunade for months before leaving with pervy sage to continue training. I needed to be able to at the most not flinch at the sound of a lightning jutsu. Storms are fair game since they came and went.
I must have been lost in my for a while because when I came to it was to Shikamaru and his dad shaking me back to reality. Their faces said it all. My panic attack, while not noticed by many, was noticed by the people who cared, meaning my friends with the exception of Sakura, some teammate and medic nin you are, and my past teachers meaning Kakashi and Iruka sensei. Not good as soon as this meeting was over I should expect to be coddled within an inch of my life from their mother henning.
‘At least granny Tsunade didn’t notice." I breathe a sigh of relief that she would without a doubt force me to go to therapy with Shizune if she caught that little episode. I did not want to do that again. The times I had to go when I was first diagnosed was so torturous I recommend that Ibbki use it in the T&I department. No need for all the blood and mind raping just revisit the trauma. (season your personality hun: from your godmother)
It was the sound of wood being destroyed that made me look up once more to face the front. Granny Tsunade had once again punched a hole through her desk for the umpteen time this year. We all must have really gotten on her nerves. And by we I mean the screaming banshees that are supposed to be grown men and women.
"Enough!" she exclaimed. "I don't remember calling the academy children to this meeting; where have your respect and manners gone?" The attendees at least had the decency to appear embarrassed by the reprimand. I, on the other hand, was quietly chuckling at their predicament.
“While I understand that many of you aren’t pleased about this,however, the fact of the matter is that Sasuke is the only living Uchiha left and the Sharingan cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of the other villages” said elder Homura(Liar). I don’t fully believe that for even a second there has to be more to it than that. When we were kids and not having our rivalry Sasuke and I would sit by the docks and just talk about anything. On one occasion the massacre was brought up.
10 years ago
School had just let out and not wanting to go back to an empty and cold apartment I made my way to the docks by the lake. On the way there I could feel the hate filled glares of the villagers along with the hurtful words they sprouted as when they thought I couldn't hear them.
“Demon”
“Monster”
“Troublemaker”
“Threat”
It was the same thing day in and day out. I don’t understand how they can judge me and not know me at all. Last I checked I did nothing to them to deserve this level of treatment. At least they aren’t being violent with me at the moment. The last time they did they had fractured one of my ribs and because the hospital wouldn’t treat me I had to go to Shikamaru’s house so his mother could treat it. While it didn’t take long to heal it was still painful due to the training. I begged Iruka sensei not to exclude me when he found out from old man Shikaku.
“The old snitch” I mumbled softly as I reached my destination. There was no one present which was perfect, no adults meant I wouldn't get shouted at and no kids meant no one to push me into the lake again.
I walked to the end of the dock and sat down. I didn't worry about my shoes getting wet because I was too short to reach the water. I was the shortest in my class, maybe my generation due to malnutrition but I wasn't going to cry over it. Short stature meant I was harder to catch when I pulled my pranks.
Grandpa Hiruzen thinks I pull these pranks to get attention and he isn’t wrong to an extent. I like the attention I get from my ANBU guards. They all silently praise my creativity, especially dog and formerly weasel. No, I do it to somewhat get back at the villagers for their treatment of me. It's not like it was anything harmful.
Like the time I put cow manure in the supermarket when they charged me three times the amount for rotting vegetables. Don’t ask me where I got it from or how I got it there. Hair remover in old lady Mei’s, the self proclaimed most beautiful woman in Konoha, shampoo and body wash for the stones she threw at me when I was just walking past her house to get to the training fields. She looked like a rabid naked rat with how angry she got.Graffiting the hospital director’s office for when he refused to have anyone treat me the time I almost caught pneumonia. And so on and so on.
I quickly snapped out of my day dreaming when I heard footsteps approaching me. They didn’t sound heavy or stealthy like an adult or shinobi; they sounded like that of someone my age. Looking behind me I saw my rival and somewhat friend Sasuke Uchiha. I say somewhat because there were days he was really cool one moment and then an ass the next. Duckbutt had more mood swings than some of the pregnant women I've seen.
Right now though he looks to be in a good mood and by that I mean he's too good for the world mood. He didn’t even ask, he just sat next to me on the docks and stared at the sunset. Shrugging my shoulders I deemed it not a bother and just did the same. We sat like that for about fifteen minutes when he decided to break the silence.
“Why don’t you fawn over me like the other girls in our class?” he asked.
That was shocking. I was not expecting him to ask that.
“What do you mean?” I'm confused. was he hoping i would be falling all over him like Sakura, Ino and the other girls.
“You don’t fall all over yourself trying to impress me nor do you fight for my attention” he said as he looked me in the eye “You don’t look at me with the hope i’ll fall in love with you in fact the only time you pay me the most attention is during sparring”
oh he means like that I never realised he observed me so much. But he’s right, unlike the other girls I didn’t join the academy to gain his affection I did it to gain the respect I deserve no one would disrespect me if I gained even half the respect of those such as the Copy ninja, Asuma Sarutobi and even his now rogue elder brother. Some think I want to be Hokage and I don’t see the point in correcting them but I just want to become a great kunoichi and live a life of no regrets.
“I'm not sure if you noticed but i'm not the only girl who has not fallen for your charms” I said as I rolled my eyes “Hinata doesn’t act like them either”
“Yeah but she likes that annoying Inuzuka,” he said, waving his hand dismissively as if the whole thing was obvious which I guess it was. Anyone could see that the young heiress was smitten for Kiba except maybe the boy himself which I found ridiculous as he's always trying to get her attention. “You’re not answering the question”
“I guess it’s because unlike them I know how cruel the world can be when no one is in your corner to support and care for you. It's the same thing out on the field. The enemy won’t care that we’re kids the minute we turn twelve and get our headbands, we are adults in the shinobi world” I began after I gathered my thoughts “I don’t have time for romance and boys because my goal is more important.”
My answer seemed to have stumped him into silence. He, like all the others, is used to the mask I wear everyday. They never know what to do when the real me comes to the front, the Narumi that is smart and calculative. But that just makes it easier for me rather than them. Deception is a skill best learnt early and unlike my classmates I was a master at it by now. I decided to take his ego down a notch. All the praise from the village has made it as large as the hokage mountain.
“Do I think you are good looking a little bit but if i was like the other girls meaning boy obsessed it wouldn’t be over you.” Now that got his attention again. The look of disbelief was funny. Hinata he could understand not liking him, clan rivalry and all that, but we are rivals in class only which was not the same thing he was used to being the ideal type for every girl.
“I’ll be completely honest with you, if I had to pick a boy it would be Hina's older cousin Neji” that made him screw up his face as if he had eaten something sour.
“Why him?” he asked as he looked at me with some unknown emotion in his eyes. If i didn’t know any better I would think that he sounds like he hopes I was joking.
“For all his faults Neji has come a long way with his emotions and growth.” I listed out “despite that large ego Neji has the skills to back it up he is close to mastering the Hyuga clan's byakugan which is not only impressive but shows his determination.” In short I was rubbing it in his face that Neji was improving despite having a large ego while he has barely made any dent in unlocking much less mastering his own. It was blunt but necessary, you know the saying if you can't handle the heat. In his case if you lack the skill and can't handle criticism then don't be an ass. Neji at least was able to put his money where his mouth is.
And with all the time I spend over at the compound with Hina and her family I’ve seen first hand how hard he works to get those skills it is truly inspiring to watch. After that we just sat there for the remainder of the evening. The next time I went to the docks he joined me again and it became our hangout for when we just needed to get away from everything. I really started to see him as my best male friend, second only to Shikamaru of course.
It was six months after our first talk that he finally opened up about the massacre of his clan. The pain he felt and the trauma behind his eyes was heartbreaking as he retold the events of that night. The sorrow of finding his entire family dead by his brother’s hand. He couldn’t understand how it all fell apart. One moment his big brother was his hero, his protector, and the next he was a cold blooded murder.
I don’t know about Sasuke but to me the whole thing didn’t make any sense at all. From what I remember of Itachi both from observing him and spending time with him as weasel, my sense of smell is very good and I've made it my business to memorise the scents of all my guards just to be safe incase someone tried to impersonate them which they have many a time, he seemed like someone who while stressed was very loyal to the village and very intelligent. He never did anything without every consequence being factored in or if it was a direct order from the Hokage and I told him as such.
At first he was shocked by what I said, then he was angry. But before he could start his rants I told him to really think about it. If he really wanted to test his strength he could have gone against the many powerful shinobi in the village, not just his clan. Which from what he told me only had a small amount of shinobi who could wield the sharingan and even less who achieve the next level of it. So it wasn’t that much of a challenge. Why not the other clans who had shinobi who were on his level, hell even grandpa Hiruzen who was the kage for kami’s sake that would be a challenge instead of babies, children, civilians and elders.
He was silent for a long time after I pointed this out like he never bothered to think past the pain of his clan dying. I mean come on your brother suddenly goes on a murder spree and you don’t think it’s a bit sketchy?
“If that’s the case then why keep me alive?” he whispered voice thick with pain “He said he only did because i was too weak to even waste time killing”
“I don’t know, maybe he wants you to kill him as a form of repentance,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “If you ever encounter him again at your strongest make sure you get the truth out of him.”
End of childhood flashback
That was the last time he came to the docks. After that his attitude got worse like he didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that there could be another reason for his brother’s actions. He wanted to avenge his clan no matter what and if it meant shattering every bond he had he would do so without a shred of regret. But then on the other hand there was that time during a mission I had been able to ask him what made him come to that conclusion he said didn’t know what I was talking about all he told me is he remembers talking to me about training before going home it was as if the memory had been wiped from his mind to prevent him from not accomplishing his vendetta.
And now it looks like he achieved that dream. If what the elders say is to be believed which I don’t. That bastard would not come back to Konoha of his own regard unless they presented him with an irresistible offer. So what was it? What did the elders and that damn old war hawk Danzo in particular offer to him behind granny Tsunade’s back? And why do I have this nagging feeling that I won’t be pleased with the answer?
“Sharingan be damned you can’t honestly expect us to trust the brat” shouted the Inuzuka clan head. Tsume Inuzuka had a temper to rival that of Tsunade when angered and the return of the reason for her son’s almost murder was enough to get her growling like the dogs her clan were known for.
“She’s right you can’t possibly expect us to work with the boy given his pass” Shibi Aburame said behind the high collar of his jacket.
“Not to mention that the boy’s still classified as a genin” added Shikaku which is correct because of his defection Sasuke never officially passed being a genin. He was the only one from our generation who had not passed. I would also be in the same boat as him if not for the petition of the feudal Lord. It was rather funny how it happened. See during a mission I had saved both him and his third son who then begged me to be his wife as a reward. Still send shivers down my back just thinking of the overgrown mama’s boy who was older than me by eight years.
Anyway after politely declining multiple times during the course of my stay there as an honorable guest which included a week of pampering, gifts and praises from admirers and the court. The subject of my rank had come into question when it was discovered that not only was I still a genin but that the elders of my village were trying everything short of removing my rank entirely to keep me from being a chunin the Daimyo flipped.
Why you may ask it mainly has to do with reputation. The first blow was that he was saved by not only a woman but a woman who was a genin to boot. It was a tough pill to swallow even though he knew konoichi are built differently to civilian women who were screaming damsels to our strike first and intimidate later mentality. What would the other lord say if they found out that a mare genin had saved him. He had hundreds of bodyguards both civilian and shinobi of jonin rank who were useless against the enemy that only could be defeated by a genin. Not good strike one.
The other was the cause for my stagnant rant. I had explained to him that I had tried twice to take the exam in the year since I had returned home from my training. Each time I had tried I was either sent on missions that would take days which bled into weeks to complete at which by then the exams would be over or I was ordered to remain in the village due to supposed sights of the akatsuki which always turned out to be false. I should know I checked when I had one of my clones seek into the tower for the debriefings. Again not good, strike two.
And the third and final was his own son. The spoiled bastard who didn’t like being told no and would run to mom crying and sucking on his thumb which got me glared at by his fiance. Absolutely disgusting if you ask me because other than being wealthy the guy had nothing going for him at all. His looks were mediocre at least, he was spoiled so much he refused to be fed by himself she had to do it and his tendency to run to his mother for comfort was slightly alarming on both ends with the way she handled him.
But yes he was the third nail in the methopical coffin. If word got out that the Fire Daimyo’s twenty five wanted to marry a genin the political backlash would be catastrophic. Why you may ask is because people will hear genin and instantly think pervert. It doesn’t matter if they argue that by receiving our headbands that we are viewed as adults it’s the age they will look at.
Genin are known to be the ages of between twelve and thirteen sometime younger if the child showed extraordinary skills. Take Itachi Uchiha for example. He graduated and became a genin at age seven. For all the populace is concerned the Daimyo’s son was being a predator and would prey on the young girls of the land. This would destroy their reputation especially if that got around to other lords without it being explained.
And even if it was explained the damage would have already been done. You know how humans are with gossip before the end of the day. That information would transform from a young engaged heir trying to propose to a supposed child to straight up assault at the rejection. Basically a bad game of messenger bird. Where everyone scrambled for a moment of five minutes of fame at the Daimyo’s expense. Strike number three.
The next thing I know, at the end of my stay I received a message from the Hokage demanding I return immediately so she could update my rank. I figured that a miracle must have occurred for that to happen. And I was right a miracle did happen or rather a very irate lord happened. According to Lady Tsunade, The Daimyo wrote to her demanding that I be promoted to at least Chunin or he would recede his funds to Konoha effective immediately. And just like that I went from being a genin to a chunin.
It was also what caused me to gain my inheritance. My father had left strict instructions before my birth that if anything were to happen to him and my mother I would receive my inheritance the moment I reached Chunin rank as well as the truth of their identities. The shock of learning that they were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. The Fourth Hokage and the Red Whirlwind. It was heartbreaking because I now had a reason for why my father chose me and why the village hated me. In a way I did destroy the village my birth caused the seal on my mother to weaken and the ninetails was able to escape. No wonder my life was shitty.
But the real shocker was when I realised that the council was withholding this information because they were using my inheritance behind my back for their pockets or in Danzo’s case to fund his illegal dealings. You know damn well that didn’t slide the minute I found out I demanded that they return every cent they took with interest even threatening to go back to the Daimyo if I had to and they did not want a reminder that they were already on thin ice. Can you imagine sixteen and a half years of payment plus interest and that not all they had also not been giving the right amount of money for the missions I had been doing since I gained my headband.
I bet you're wondering Narumi what inheritance are you talking about. It turns out both my parents left me something. From my mother she actually left me her own inheritance which was mainly scrolls containing sealing arts of the Uzumaki, which could only be opened by the blood and chakra of next to kin meaning me, along with a sizable amount of money that was left from Hashirama’s wife Mito to her before she passed. My dad on the other hand was a smart bastard. I’m not joking, the man really put thought into my future way before he married my mom.
In his younger years while on a whim in the land or iron my dad helped the previous general, the current general Mifune’s late uncle, out of a tight bind. The mine which they get their materials from was running dry far too quickly for it to be natural and my dad offered to help not only to catch the creep but to help them find a new mine vein. Well never let it be said my dad did things by halves not only did he find the one behind it but found two other mines. One of those being a gold mine of all things. Which was a huge thing for the previous general as there hadn’t been a gold mine in nearly two hundred and fifty years. Let it be known that while the land of iron may not like shinobi all that much they had developed a certain respect for my dad mainly because he had done all that without asking for any favors or payment. It had gotten him a ten percent share in the mine which he said would go into the inheritance for his future children. Which is what those greedy bastards were using behind my back.
For five years I was ignorant of their treatment if not for Neru one day pointing out that my budgeting was not matching hers and we should be making the same amount. The anger that unleashed that day was legendary. It took me and eight shadow clones just to stop her from landing herself on the chopping block for treason. And if you think she was bad when big brother Iruka and Kakashi found out, because of course Neru told them you snitch, I just gave up and hid at Hina’s house for the week it took to calm them down.
But it was sweet, I'll admit plus did you think that I wouldn’t get them back for that? Ha the council endured months worth of vicious pranks enough to make even the most brave shinobi cry. Ibiki once again requested I join T&I but instead I recommend Neru. Now he is wondering if he has to do a DNA test cuz if not for the looks she acts just like him and Anko. But yes the council plus their family and clans will be paying me even from the grave for the rest of my and however great grandchildren’s lives. See what greed gets you.
But anyway the clan heads were right on every point made Sasuke has proven time and again that he couldn’t be trusted and that he would always put his own needs over others. How they managed to get him to agree to come back was a mystery that spelled trouble.
“Sasuke Uchiha’s return is not without precaution” said Tsunade to the annoyance of the elders. And I wanted to laugh at that so badly because it looked like they were against whatever punishments and restrictions she had in place for him. “ For the next ten years Sasuke will not be allowed to leave the village under any circumstances. He will also be removed as an active shinobi for that period as well as being confined to the Uchiha compound, which by his request was rebuilt, for the year after which he will be permanently monitored I will not have a repeat of last time” The glare she fixed on the elders dared anyone to argue with her verdict. It was obvious that they were not happy about the punishments but what did you expect from them.
“And what did he ask for in regards to this agreement?” asked Hiashi Hyuga from his seat next to old man Shikaku. It was old witch Koharu that answered that question.
“Sasuke has agreed to return under the agreement that he be given four wives to start the rebuilding of the Uchiha clan” Now that was not what I was expecting.