Chapter 2 - Family

Konohagakure - 31st Year of Founding, Late Summer

Uchiha Clan Grounds

Izuna had awoken to a blinding light, but instead of getting out of bed, he found himself submerged in his thoughts as he laid in bed staring at the wooden ceiling as he was forced to recall yesterday's events.

It had been an important lesson, as he had forgotten one simple fact: everything was meaningless in front of overwhelming strength. He may be talented, but in front of a Jōnin he is nothing more than a fly to swat.

This feeling of powerlessness… he hated it.

Izuna was well aware that his parents had been trying to have a child for almost a decade and had been unsuccessful up until now. His mother had suffered numerous still births or failed miscarriages all until… he was born.

Expectations were also a dreadful thing, thanks to the intelligence and maturity he had shown due to his unique 'circumstance' his father was convinced he was a genius, the likes of which have not seen since his namesake and his brother.

It was always daunting trying to live up to great ancestors, even more so when one falls short. One only needs to look at the downfall of the Senju to see the perils of such thinking.

Perhaps unknowingly, his father had begun to push the expectations that once plagued him on his own son. His father was an Elite Jōnin, one of the strongest members in their clan, but even then, his ability falls short when compared to his own father or uncle.

Izuna was interrupted from his contemplations when his mother entered the room and appeared in front of him in a flash, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"How are you? Looking forward to your big day?"

"Yes mother, I am fine." he replied with a pout, as she continued to squeeze his cheek.

"No matter what happens, you'll make me proud."

"Yes, mother, I know, it's only the hundredth time you've said it this week." he said, rolling his eyes.

"Aww, look at you acting so mature, isn't my little Izuna such a cutie? I'll have to beat away all the girls with a big stick."

"Mother…. You're going to crush me." he said weakly.

"Aww, a few more minutes." Tsukihi with a pout, as she rubbed her cheek against his.

"Fine." Izuna replied in an exhausted tone that failed to hide his smile.

His mother would continue doting on him until he managed to shoo her out of his room, so he could get properly dressed.

Izuna put on a black short-sleeved shirt with a high collar and a pair of black shorts and bandaged one thigh before attaching a kunai holster, alongside sliding on a pair of black calf-length sandal boots.

He looked in the mirror and admired the lustrous inky black locks that fell down past his shoulders, and eyes that were dark and deep like a bottomless abyss, his lips possessed a rosy and healthy glow, and his face still possessed the baby fat befitting of his age, making him look more cute than handsome.

It was always a view which startled him. His parents were both beautiful people, but it was as if he had inherited their best features. He had never been particularly handsome or ugly in his previous life, so it was always surreal when he beheld his new appearance.

He took one last glance in the mirror as he ran a finger over his check. The cut was gone courtesy of his mother's medical Ninjutsu; he had played it off as an accidental scrape, as he hadn't wanted to worry his parents. They had enough to deal with as it was, and he didn't want to cause trouble for them. Sighing deeply, he forced a smile and left his room to join his parents.

When he entered the living room, he spotted his father Setsuna and noted he wore the standard Uchiha outfit which was a blue high-collared, long sleeve mantle that split down the lower half with the Uchiha crest on his upper back and a pair of blue pants which were wrapped in bandages at the ends alongside a pair of sandals.

When his father saw him enter the room, a smile appeared on his face, and he walked over to Izuna and ruffled his hair proudly. "Are you looking forward to finally becoming a true Uchiha?"

"Yes, father, I won't disappoint you."

"Of course you won't. You're my son."

He turned to his mother, who wore a similar outfit to his father, and embraced her in another hug as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"My brother Kasai will be at the ceremony." His mother told him.

"Who?" he enquired. He had heard the name, but he didn't recall the connection.

"He's your uncle. You would have met Kasai when you were too young to remember. He has a daughter around your age named Naori. She won't be partaking in the ceremony, but he mentioned he would bring her along, last we spoke."

"Ah, okay, how come I haven't seen him recently?"

"He is a very busy man. His wife Sayuri died in childbirth, so he had to raise his daughter on his own. Your father and I offered to help, of course, but he stated he wanted to spend as much time as possible with her before he returns to doing missions. Although on the few occasions I have encountered him, he did ask after you."

"Hmmm alright."

"Well, are we ready to go?" his father said, wrapping an arm around his mother's waist, while his other hand ruffled his hair.

∞​

The family left the house and made their way towards the Nakano shrine, where a large crowd of Uchiha clansmen congregated, to observe the coming of age ceremony.

As they made their way up the stone steps towards the shrine, Izuna saw many unfamiliar faces, and observed his mother and father briefly interacting with a few of them. He was introduced to them, some of them being old friends or distant relations.

When they reached the top of the stairs, he noticed that a large crowd had formed outside the shrine, consisting of the families whose children were taking part in the ritual.

He noticed a few of the clan elders staring at his father and, by extension, him, as they talked in inaudible whispers. He realised that his family had become the centre of attention, as the clansmen, be they children or elders, their gaze was directed towards them.

The thing that stuck out to him was some of his clansmen gazes were mixed. Izuna may not posses the sharingan, but he was an observant boy, and had learned how to gauge people's stances by their facial expression's long ago, even those of the haughty and stoic faced Uchiha clan.

Izuna observed his father's brief glance over at a cluster of elder clansmen, whose aura and status set them apart. He assumed they were clan elders or held some other position of significant importance.

It was rather peculiar because he noticed that some of them had an almost reminiscent look upon their faces, when he caught them gazing in his direction, while he even saw that a few had a complicated expression, one of possibly loathing or hostility? Honestly, it was hard to tell when it came to these old geezers.

But when it came to the children, they were pitiful by comparison. They may as well have written it on their face in permanent marker.

Izuna was surprised by the amount of attention he received from the children. He hadn't interacted with most of them, or their parents, but it appears that news travels fast within the Uchiha clan.

It was truly a bizarre experience, to behold such an array of emotions from children gazing at him with expressions ranging from curiosity to burning anger or jealousy, disgust or simply sizing him up as a competitor.

He had always known that children were the competitive sort, but when he saw looks that bore into his skull, from children almost twice his height, he couldn't help but hope that given children mature faster in this world, they would be more reasonable… Right?

His father Setsuna had caught him gauging their reactions, and placed a hand upon his shoulder in a consoling manner, as he leaned down and whispered into his ear. "Ignore them. This is your day."

He replied with a silent nod, as he silently listened as his father explained the ceremony to him, pointing to the path that led to the training grounds near the shrine, explaining the various events and rituals that would take place, and some other miscellaneous tidbits.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll try not to burn down the shrine," Izuna said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Now, what's this I hear about burning down a shrine." His mother asked curiously.

He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by another speaker.

"Tsukihi, Setsuna, it is good to see you. This must be Izuna. I must say he's grown a lot since last I saw him." the speaker said in a jovial tone.

Izuna turned around to look at the speaker and saw a man in his late twenties, with shoulder-length black hair and onyx eyes, he wore the traditional mantle of the Uchiha clan, much like his parents and the other adults attending the ceremony, and by his side was a girl his age with waist length wavy purple hair.

"Izuna isn't the only one who's grown. Just look at little Naori-chan. She'll be as beautiful as her mother was in no time." Tsukihi replied, in a teasing manner.

"Hahaha indeed my little princess, luckily takes after her mother, in looks and temperament." the man said, pulling his daughter into a little side hug, embarrassing her.

"Dad! Not here!" Naori muttered under her breath, tugging at his sleeve.

"Haha, haha, don't worry, she's still a little shy."

"I know what you mean. I've already given up on Izuna going out and making friends." Setsuna said in a defeated tone.

"I have friends!" Izuna interjected.

"Name one friend." his father said with a tired expression plastered on his face.

"Mother."

But instead of proving his father wrong, this just caused him to facepalm.

"One friend that isn't your mother." he replied in an exasperated voice.

Izuna opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out, instead he just replied with the signature Uchiha: "Hmph!"

Izuna felt aggrieved. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried making friends with the other kids, it's just that he found them intolerable. The mental difference is simply too large to form a proper friendship, and he had better things to do than sit around babying some snot eating morons. He would much rather do something productive, like training or spending time with his mother.

"Don't listen to your father, Izuna, I'm your friend." Tsukihi reassured him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

Izuna smirked, before giving his mother a cheeky wink and a thumbs up, causing his father to roll his eyes.

"I'll be your friend if you like Izuna-kun." Naori said in a low, shy voice, while twiddling her fingers.

"I see, well in that case I'll be in your care, Naori-chan." Izuna replied, shooting a smug look at his father.

"Say Naori-chan, will you also be starting the academy in a few months?" he asked in a curious tone.

"Yes."

"Would you like to train together sometime?"

Naori eyes widened in excitement, before her gaze darted towards her father, looking for his assent, to which he gave a small smile and a nod of approval.

"So, what are your hobbies?"

"Uhh, I like flower arrangements and spending time with my father." Naori replied, which made her father begin ruffling her hair, causing her to pout.

"Really? I like reading, training and spending time with my mother."

"Hey, what about me, you brat?" his father said in an almost childlike manner.

"Nu huh, mother's better." he replied smugly, as he shamelessly hugged his mother's thigh.

"Why you little…"

"Now, now dear, you heard Izuna, there's no reason to get all worked up." his mother replied, with a knowing smile plastered across her face.

"See who teaches you a new jutsu, ungrateful brat." Setsuna muttered under his breath, before continuing. "You should go join the group of children participating in the ceremony. It won't be long before it starts."