INTERLUDE_4.1: Changing Fate

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Shisui couldn't remove his eyes from the funeral wake arrangement. The photograph they used of his father was taken before the Third Shinobi World War. His father looked young, in his prime as a shinobi; his smile was brimming with vitality, and even the simple photograph could convey the confidence the man exuded— so much different from the image Shisui had of his father in the recent year. The injuries suffered in the war had drastically changed his father— the man wasn't the same, physically or mentally.

The iryo-nin attached to Shisui's father's unit had been killed by the enemy in the same encounter that he had been grievously injured. Even though they had managed to prevail and wipe out the enemy squad, Shisui's father wasn't able to get proper treatment fast enough, and they had to amputate his leg to stop the infection from spreading. Shisui's father's shinobi career was all but over; people who continued on after losing a limb were rarer than a hen's teeth. If it was just that, it wouldn't have been fine, but Shisui's father had taken the abrupt change as bad as one could— soon after, his health deteriorated, and his mind took it the hardest— dementia overtook the once bright mind.

The clan had helped and subsidized the treatment. Shisui's father had been a chunin for several years; as such, money wasn't a sore spot even when Shisui's mother was a housewife.

But Shisui remembered the earlier days when he had just graduated. Because his father had never activated his Sharingan, he wasn't treated the same as other chunin who had activated their bloodline limit. Even though they had money, and the clan was helping, that help was only monetary— they didn't have the connections to get the best iryo-nin to look at his father.

Only after Shisui had become a jonin was he able to get the best treatment for his father. But perhaps it was too late by then… or else, Shisui's father would've been alive today.

Shisui bowed his head, gripping the prayer beads in his hands tight enough to nearly crush them. Death was part of a shinobi's life, but that familiarity didn't make it any easier to face and accept. Especially when the person was the reason why Shisui was a shinobi in the first place. It was clear from the day Shisui was born that he was going to be a shinobi, and Shisui didn't have any other aspiration— he had only known being told that he would be a shinobi since before he could remember, and he was fine with it.

Ever since when he was in the academy and performed well, his father's face would light up. Shisui had chased the feeling he had on seeing his father's pride for his ever since.

He had trained harder and longer every day, and had not let go of the number one position in the academy until he was the Rookie of the Year. He had activated his Sharingan before most could pass the Uchiha's rite of passage by mastering the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu; he had mastered his clan's eyes when most were still awestruck at what a one-tomoe Sharingan could do. He had achieved the pinnacle of the Sharingan most Uchiha could only dream upon, knowing that it would only ever be that— a dream.

'Pinnacle,' a bitter arc tugged on his lips.

He had achieved the pinnacle most of his clan didn't even know about. The memory of the day he had achieved the historical milestone was in many ways worse than what he was feeling now. He at least knew his father would never be the same as the man he admired and would even pass before his time— but what he had done on that day his eyes had changed was not something he ever thought he would.

Shisui closed his eyes to calm down his heart which plunged deeper into an ocean of sorrow. He wished to drown but could not let him do so. Shisui glanced beside him at his mother, who looked devastated— he had to be strong for her.

She was putting on strong front for him just like he was for her, and if she saw her son crumble, she wouldn't be able to hold it together. The years after the war had been far tougher for her than it had been for him. While he could take his mind off using work, his mother had remained at home, caring for her husband every day, watching the man she loved slip away.

He loosened his grip on the prayer beads and began moving beads so that if his mother looked, she would think he was holding up fine.

The wake had ended, and the guests left, Shisui had his mother sent to their only relative's home to rest. He was going to stay the day and keep vigil overnight. Just when Shisui thought everyone had left, he felt a presence behind him. He didn't need to turn to know that it was Itachi.

A lot of important people from both inside and outside of the clan had come to visit the wake. Not because they knew Shisui's father but because they knew Jonin Uchiha Shisui and wanted to pay respects. Shisui hadn't spoken to a single person; if the Hokage had visited, he would've not spoken to him. Itachi and his family had taken care of the guests for him and his mother— and for that, he was deeply grateful.

"It hurts," said Shisui, not looking back at Itachi. "I could tell that father would never return to his former self, but there was this little thing in the bottom of my heart that refused to let go, the little spark that burned— that father would recover back one day, any day now— and I held on to it tight."

He stared at the picture of his smiling father.

Losing someone you loved was terrible.

War that took them away was terrible.

The people who fought in the war were terrible.

Shinobi were terrible.

He was terrible.

Shisui stood up and faced Itachi. He stared into Itachi's eyes; they were so young, and yet they knew so much. He knew the story of when Fugaku had taken Itachi into an active battle to show him the reality of war to get rid of the romantic stories that children dreamt of. The motivation was right, but Shisui knew it had been too early.

And yet that was partly the reason why Itachi was the person and shinobi he was today.

"… There's no use waiting for the Lord Hokage and the clan to broker a peaceful agreement," Shisui said to Itachi. "With Danzo poisoning the ears of the council and other clan heads, the road to peace has become even harder."

They didn't know how, but Danzo had somehow figured out that the Uchiha Clan was planning a rebellion— he had used all but accused the Uchiha clan at a council meeting he had called— but he had no definite proof, so he could only point to the recent moves the clan had been making.

Of course, without any proof, neither the council nor the clan heads would move; it helped that the Hokage had reprimanded Danzo for what he was trying to do and hadn't hidden it, meaning it had reached the ears it intended. But that didn't mean the various clan and other powers wouldn't safeguard themselves and pay closer attention to the Uchiha. Once again, after the Nine-Tails invasion, the Uchiha had eyes on them.

Danzo, being the snake he was, had been going around the village, whispering in any ears he found.

There was already tension building inside the village.

The problem lay with the Hokage. Their greatest supporter had promised to do everything to maintain the peace between the village and the Uchiha Clan— but it was understood by both parties that once the situation crossed a line where that promise couldn't be fulfilled, the Hokage would side with the village and protect it… even if it meant turning the entire village against the Uchiha and those who supported them.

War was a shinobi's livelihood— but it was terrible, so it couldn't be allowed to burn in one's home.

If nothing changed, the Hidden Leaf village would be in a war with itself.

That couldn't be allowed to happen.

"It's time for me to do that," Shisui glanced down at Itachi. "Danzo would keep spreading his poison until he gets the entire village, and the more he does, the more pressure the Lord Hokage will face. We need him to be at our side for the sake of the clan and the village."

"…Are you sure?" asked Itachi.

"I need to give the Lord Hokage the comfort of knowing that the clan won't rebel…. Once he knows that, he will be the shield and spear we need. Once I convince him, he will make sure that Danzo can't wrongfully accuse the clan… and once we ensure the clan won't rebel, I can eventually take care of Danzo…"

Itachi's eyes widened as Shisui's eyes changed to a pattern unique to him.

"… if he doesn't stop, I'll make him silent… forever."

Shisui had held onto the hope that one day his father would recover.

So, he knew the truth that it hurt.

Hope hurts.

If he wanted something, he needed to take it on his own.

———

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Fugaku sat in a seiza in a secret clan basement of the Uchiha Clan. Around him sat other leaders and elders of the Uchiha Clan. He could sense their confusion as he was the one to call them but hadn't given them the reason why they had been called to such a hastily scheduled meeting.

"Fugaku, why have you called us all here today?" asked one of the clan elders.

Ever since Danzo had begun spouting his mouth off, the clan meetings, which were mandatorily attended by everyone who was free now, were done in shifts not to attack attraction in case someone was watching. It was risky for them to give clues that they were planning something. But today, Fugaku had called all of the "leaders", breaking the protocol he himself had established.

"Shisui has some important information," Fugaku addressed the people gathered. "He has some important information regarding a recent meeting between the Lord Hokage and Danzo… He wanted everyone to be here before he shared the information."

Fugaku himself didn't know what Shisui wanted to talk about, but if Shisui, an ANBU member, had considered the information to be sensitive enough that it could only be discussed in the deepest underground basement, then he wasn't going to argue.

Everyone turned their head towards the dark staircase, the only entrance, to the basement. Shisui appeared after a few seconds. He was dressed in a casual blue samue and was slightly drenched. It seemed the rain had begun pouring since they were underground.

"… Is everything alright, Shisui?" asked Fugaku.

Shisui gazed at the people in the group before facing Fugaku and nodding.

Fugaku observed Shisui. It had been a month since Shisui's father had passed, and he could still see that the death still weighed on Shisui's mind.

"What did you want to tell us, boy?" asked the same elder as before.

Shisui looked at the elder for a moment before stepping forward and sitting down, facing everyone in the room.

"… The Lord Hokage knows about our plans," said Shisui.

Fugaku's eyes narrowed, and the sound of sharp intake filled the room as everyone sat straight at Shisui's words, who gazed at everyone for a moment,

"He has known since last year. The reason he has been trying to reach out to us is in an attempt to stop the clan and fix the relationship."

Fugaku's mind started to race. There were a hundred questions that suddenly became a matter of utmost concern. If the Hokage knew about their plans to overthrow the government, then every single clan member was in grave danger. He needed to change—

"I thought perhaps if the village extended their hand, perhaps the clan would let go of their plan," said Shisui. Fugaku gazed up at Shisui. The way Shisui had said that had some very specific connotations. Before he could speak up, Shisui continued, "But I now believe that it's too late for our clan…. We can't go back…. Everyone in this room has made up their mind, and everyone else will follow whether they like it or not.

But, if I can change the minds of everyone here, I can change the direction of the clan…"

A bad feeling settled deep in Fugaku's stomach. Shisui's words were ominous. It was clear that he had revealed the clan's plan to the Hokage and had put the entire clan's safety and future in jeopardy.

"Shisui—"

Fugaku's words died in his throat when Shisui looked up, and the Sharingan glowed in the dim room lit by oil lamps. But then the familiar three-tomoe design changed into something Fugaku had never seen before.

"Itachi hates the mandatory meetings…. But I'm glad that when I said it was mandatory, everyone showed up."

"S-Shisui, what is that…"

Shisui's Sharingan had turned into a four-sided pinwheel. Everyone in the room dumbly stared at Shisui, but they looked like every nerve in their body was tense as if ready to move at a moment's notice, but they didn't and simply stared into the different eyes.

"Our clan's cursed," said Shisui; his laugh was deeply hollow. "These eyes demand a terrible sacrifice for its power…. Do not worry, elders; I made the sacrifice once, and I can make it again. For the clan's sake, for the village's future, I will make this sacrifice, I will carry the burden."

Before Fugaku, or the others, could do or say anything, pressure descended on their head. As they stared into Shisui's eyes which slowly rotated, they felt as though their bodies had been detached from their control, and all they could do was gaze.

"It's okay. You will not remember this. When you open your eyes next time, you'll have a different worldview," said Shisui. "Do not worry; I will not cripple the clan. I agree that Uchiha needs strength, but we don't need to ruin the village to get it. The Uchiha will be strong, and the Hidden Leaf will appreciate the clan for it."

The last thing Fugaku saw before his vision turned black was a tear slip down Shisui's cheek.

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