Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kaen wasn't surprised at the cold welcome. Fugaku Uchiha, as the clan leader, sat on the highest seat. Even if it wasn't any higher than any other seat, it felt like it was. There were other clan members around him, with clan elders in front of everyone. All looked at Kaen with their cold black eyes, and Kaen looked back at them with his own cold black eyes.

"Kaen Uchiha," Fugaku Uchiha greeted Kaen.

"Fukagu-sama," Kaen bowed slightly to him. "To what I owe the pleasure?"

"Don't play ignorant," One of the elders said.

Kaen didn't know with what nonsense they would accuse him now, and neither did he care. Kaen only showed respect to the clan leader, who was the only important person. The clan elders might act as they wish, but with one word from Fugaku, they have no choice but to stop whatever they planned.

"Oh, are am I to be promoted," Kaen smiled. "I did work quite hard as a police officer, but I didn't expect to be promoted so soon."

"I had enough of your foolishness," Another clan member said. "Fukagu-sama, I implore you to punish his insolent boy."

"Punish me? For what?" Kaen asked, turning his head to Fukagu.

"You are a disgrace to the clan, learning a sealing jutsu and archery. You conduct yourself as a coward. I won't tolerate you shaming the clan's name anymore," The same clan member replied with a rightful voice.

"Heh," Kaen laughed. "Don't try to fool me. It is all about Itachi, isn't it?"

"Itachi has nothing to do with this," Fugaku said, but Kaen didn't believe it.

"But it is. You can't control him anymore now that he joined the ANBU," Kaen replied. "You show how desperate you are. You want to control me, use me as a tool because Itachi can't be used anymore. But there is no point in doing so anymore. I am not a prodigy anymore, just your regular shinobi."

"It is not too late. We can give you the power you never even imagined," An elder said.

"Are you not ashamed?" Kaen asked. "Your tactics didn't work six years ago. Why do you think they would work now?"

"You little bastard."

One of the elders was enraged by Kaen's words, so much so that he rushed at Kaen and punched him. Kaen reflexively put up his guard and defended against the punch, but the elder was a retired veteran. The elder's punch sent Kaen flying and crashing into the wall. Kaen slid off the wall and fell to the ground.

"Heh," Even though Kaen felt pain, he still laughed. "You right, elder. I should act more like Uchiha, just like you. From now on, I will go around the village and beat the children up. I will tell them that I am just upholding Uchiha's dignity."

"You ungrateful brat, I will teach you how to talk to me," The elder stepped forward to Kaen, who still laughed.

"Enough," Fugaku yelled. "Leave, everyone. I will talk with Kaen-kun alone."

"Fugaku-sama, I implore you…" Before the elder could finish his words, his head was buried into the ground by Fugaku's hand.

"I said leave us alone. I will not tolerate your actions anymore, elder," Even Fugaku found the elder's actions deplorable.

"As you wish, Fugaku-sama," the elder got up and left with everyone else.

Kaen was left alone with Fugaku. The clan head sat down on his seat and looked at Kaen as he stood up. Both of them looked at each other without a word. Kaen felt uncomfortable under Fugaku's stare. Yet Kaen didn't break his eye contact and stubbornly stood still without saying a word.

"Does it have come to this, Kaen-kun?"

"I refuse to be punished just because someone doesn't like me," Kaen replied.

"You could at least listen to your elders."

"I would if they had something useful to say."

"Your blatant disrespect puts every clan member in an uncomfortable position. The elders are proud veterans of the shinobi world wars. Your disrespect undermines their achievements."

"I only want to be left alone. I don't want to be used as a tool for your or the elders' plans."

"What do you know of our plans? And how do you know of them?" Fugaku asked, revealing his sharingan.

"I am not a fool. Many know of the secret meetings between clan members with sharingan in the Naka shrine. You can't hide something like that. I also know our situation, so it isn't hard to deduce your plans."

"What do you know of our situation?"

"We are held like prisoners, forbidden to live elsewhere but in the Uchiha compound, on constant surveillance. ANBU is taking over the Konoha Military Police Force duties. Soon the clan will be stripped away from their only purpose."

"It is only the surface, but you are correct," Fugaku agreed. "That's why we need to be united more than ever before. We need to trust each other."

"Trust must be earned," Kaen said.

"If you can't trust us, how can we trust you, Kaen-kun," Fugaku said. "Tell me, Kaen-kun, do you know the last stage of the sharingan?"

"Three tomoe," Kaen replied.

"No, it is mangekyou sharingan," Fugaku said as his sharingan started to spin. His three tomoe turned into something resembling shuriken. "This is the last stage of sharingan."

Kaen made a grave mistake by looking into his eyes. Everything around him started to change. The floor started to burn. Kaen began to have problems breathing. He felt the heat from the fire that was surrounding him. Kaen knew that he had fallen into genjutsu, so he quickly stopped his chakra flow.

"Kai!" Kaen yelled and exploded with strong chakra to disturb Fugaku's flow.

It didn't work, Kaen was still trapped in genjutsu, and he felt his skin burning as the fire started to get bigger and hotter. Not seeing any other choice, he activated his sharingan to look for any weakness in the genjutsu. Kaen felt even more despaired as he found it was the perfect genjutsu, and he couldn't escape it.

"Two tomoe," Kaen heard Fugaku's voice. "As I expected, you were hiding your strength."

With Fugaku's words, the genjutsu ended. Kaen finally could breathe easily as the fire surrounding him started to disappear. The pain from the burns left him too. Kaen looked at Fugaku with his sharingan still activated. Yet, Kaen didn't dare to look into Fugaku's eyes anymore. He had learned his lesson.

"It isn't a crime to hide your strength," Kaen said.

"As you don't trust us, I can't trust you, Kaen-kun."

"Are you going to kill me?" Kaen asked and prepared his plan to escape. It was a plan he had designed to flee from Itachi, but if needed, he would use it now.

"I can't let you do as you wish, now that I know you have sharingan."

"I will not fight your war, Fugaku-sama."

"Even knowing in what situation we are in? What would you do in my position?"

"I would endure, as that is what all shinobi must do."

"It is already too late."

"Even so, I still refuse to be used as a tool."

"Then I have no other choice," Fugaku said, and Kaen quickly bit his thumb but stopped his action as Fugaku finished his words. "From now on, you will guard my son Sasuke. You won't leave his sight."

"And yours?" Kaen asked.

"Think as you wish. You will start tomorrow," Fugaku replied. "You are stripped of your duties as a police officer from this point onwards."

Kaen felt relieved as Fugaku left him alive. He thought he was at the end of his fate. He was not prepared for this in any way. Now he knew why Fugaku was called the wicked eye. And now Kaen would be directly under that eye. Still, even in this situation, Kaen refused to let go of his stubbornness.

…

When Kaen returned home, he felt exhausted. He dropped to his bed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the sunlight started to invade his room. Kaen didn't feel like getting up, but Ash's cries for food forced him to do so. He wondered if he should just run away now. Far away from the village.

Maybe it would be better to become missing-nin than a babysitter for the clan head's brat. Kaen already could predict how Sasuke would complain about Kaen guarding him. He knew it would be such a pain that Kaen considered taking his stuff and running away. If Danzo didn't exist, he might do it, but he knew that once he left the safety of the village, Danzo would come for him. Someone like Danzo wouldn't let an Uchiha defect to other villages.

Washing up and eating his breakfast, Kaen dressed and left to report for his duty. Maybe it will be all right. Kaen could at least hope. And he was starting to enjoy his job as a police officer. If only he knew what would happen today, he would have abused his power as a police officer more. Well, now he could only regret it.

Kaen arrived at Fugaku's residence before the academy started. Mikoto Uchiha welcomed him warmly and let Kaen to Fugaku's solar, where Fugaku and Itachi awaited him, and Sasuke looked displeased at him. The three pairs of black eyes looked at him with different emotions. Kaen was starting to dislike the black color.

"Itachi, Sasuke leave us for a moment," Fugaku said.

"But father, I don't…." Sasuke already started to complain.

"My decision is final," Fugaku's voice was cold.

"Come, Sasuke, you need to prepare for the academy," Itachi led his little brother outside.

"Let's not beat around the bush, tell me how I should protect your son, Fugaku-sama," Kaen was still cranky as he felt like he didn't sleep enough.

"Very well, you will lead him to the academy and back. You only can rest while he is in the academy or at home. Otherwise, I want your eyes on him at all times, no matter what."

"As you wish," Kaen bowed his head and prepared to leave.

"I didn't tell anyone about your eyes," Fugaku stopped Kaen before he could leave. "This job is your punishment. At least, that is what everyone else will see it as."

"Thank you?" Kaen didn't know if it mattered if everyone else knew about his eyes, but he still was grateful.

"I will leave my son's safety to yours. As for now, you are underestimated by the whole village. Don't let me down," If Kaen let something happen to Sasuke, he would be most likely disposed of.

Kaen waited for Sasuke outside the house. As he waited, Kaen agreed with Fugaku's reason for putting him to guard Sasuke. Only three men knew of his sharingan, so nobody would take him seriously as a bodyguard. Most people would think Kaen is just a babysitter. As the time came closer to revolt, Fugaku probably suspected that Hokage or Danzo would try to use Sasuke as a hostage.

Kaen was in a perfect situation to guard Sasuke, as it was his punishment for not respecting the Uchiha clan. Still, now Kaen felt the stress on his shoulders getting bigger. Not even a year was left until the revolt. Kaen still didn't feel prepared to face Itachi. He would need to train harder. As he started to schedule his training, Kaen spotted Sasuke leaving.

"Let me be clear I don't need a guard," Sasuke said to Kaen.

"Good for you," Kaen replied. "Let's go before you are late."

"Hn," Sasuke turned his head away from Kaen.

"Kaen, please take care of Sasuke," Itachi said from behind Sasuke. "If something happens to him, I will…."

"Yeah, yeah," He didn't need to hear Itachi finish his words. "I will ensure the brat comes back home alive and well."

Kaen could already feel a headache coming. Well, as long as Sasuke stayed at the academy and home, Kaen could train himself at his leisure. At least he had something going for him; otherwise, Kaen might have lost his mind. Why everything had to be so complicated?