Alright. This story comes as a replacement for Leadership, that canon has screwed up for meà Well, not really, but the introduction of all the Kages and more details about the Jinchuuriki, Yagura in particular, made my story too different from Canon for me. So, since I had a huge AU setup in mind, I decided that I could use it to replace Leadership. The Jinchuuriki, all of them, will be in this, but not in the æMuppet BabiesÆ setup anymore. Also because that kind of setup would have taken much time to bring the story to the real fun. So, well, enjoy this new story. I hope you like this AU. I sure do.
Prologue
ôAlright, class. Settle downàö His words went over their heads like they had never been pronounced. The man sighed, since this was a common occurrence, with every single first year class he taught. He cleared his throat and raised his voice a little. ôClass, donÆt make me give you detention on the first day.ö That made the trick. The man smiled and rubbed the scar on the top of his nose before taking the last few steps to his desk.
ôSo, itÆs your first day of school. ItÆs tradition that I narrate a story. A story that can answer many of the questions that you have about our village.ö The man said, settling down on the desk the classroomÆs register, and fixating his eyes on the rows of children in front of him. ôWhy everyone but a few adults are forbidden of going out of the village. Why there are many parts of the village that are crumbling, about to fall apart. Why thereÆs that big hole in the mountain that destroyed three of the four faces carved there.ö
Saying this, the man rotated his had so that the gaze was shifted to what they could see out of the window. Indeed, there was a mountain were once four great faces had been carved of four great men, but now the first two and part of the third one had been wiped out by an enormous explosion, if the size and shape of the æholeÆ was any indication. It was like an angry ogre had decided to eat part of the mountain. He then returned his gaze to the young children. ôWell, open your scrolls and we will begin reading.ö
All the children obeyed, some whispering to each other as they opened their identical scrolls, all with the same title: æHistory of KonohaÆ.
--
The Hidden Village in the leaves originates 64 years ago, from a time where ninjas still lived mostly in clans, waging war with each other over power and territory. In the fire country, two clans were the most prominent and powerful: the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan.
These two clans, led by their leaders, Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju, had been in conflict for long time, but in the end they reached a peaceful agreement: unite their clans and many of the other ones in the fire country in a single military organization: Konohagakure, the first hidden village in the story of the Elemental Countries. This truce found its only enemy in Madara, and this was proven even more when he decided to challenge Hashirama for the leadership of Konoha, for the title of the first Hokage. He challenged him alone, since no Uchiha would back him up, accusing him of wanting to reignite the flames of war.
Madara was defeated and believed killed, only to reappear many years later. The second Hokage, the younger brother of Hashirama, offered the Uchiha clan the position of the Konoha Police Force, as a symbol of trust on the surface, but the real reason was so to control the Uchiha clan and keep them out of KonohaÆs governing. Many of the clan members realized this, but too late. The Senju had become the predominant clan in the village even if their bloodline was disappearing, and the Uchiha, so easy to follow in their leaderÆs footsteps, were discriminated and secluded. [à]
The ultimate demise of the once proud Konohagakure came eight years after the attack of the Kyuubi and the death of the Yondaime, under the second reign of the Sandaime. The Uchiha clan had never forgotten the grudge and the offence of years before, and the fact that many began to suspect that behind the demonÆs attack there was the Uchiha clan didnÆt help, their bloodline being the only one left apart the extinct Senju one able to control the Bijuu.
The current leader of the Uchiha, Uchiha Fugaku, became the ring-leader of the planned coup dÆÚtat that would shake the village foundation. He used his talented son, Uchiha Itachi, as a spy, using his position in the ANBU and the high spheres of the village at the young age of 13 to gather information. Uchiha Itachi though was a pacifist, and unknown to his clan he became a double agent for the village. The Sandaime, Sarutobi Hizuren, tried to negotiate with the clan, but time was running short, and his advisors overrun him. Uchiha Itachi, the most talented and powerful of the Uchiha, was ordered to wipe out his entire clan. His reaction and consequent course of action is comprehensibleà
--
ôà Whyàö They say that men as in males are allowed to cry just in few occasion. In most peopleÆs opinion, itÆs just a joke, bull. Everyone has different feelings and reasons for crying. This was one of them for Uchiha Itachi. A lot of pressure have been applied on the thirteen years old. First his clanÆs plan for a coup dÆÚtat, then the village asking him to be a double-agent to which he had agreed because he loved peace. Now they had given him the order to kill his whole clan because the Hokage couldnÆt start a negotiate with the elders. The event that had just transpired was the proverbial last drop.
His cousin who he loved like an older brother, Uchiha Shisui, had discovered something about him. Maybe just a small detail of his life as a double-agent, but enough to meet him in an isolated place and start to question him. He knew that he had influence on the elders. He was his last hope. He told him everything, and he had attacked him. He had seen the killing intent in his eyes, his fury. He was forced to kill him and because of that he was crying, filled to the brim with guilt. ôWhy did it have to come to this?!ö
He slammed his fists on the ground, shouting at the lifeless body of his cousin. He hiccupped and then saw his hands, dirty with the older manÆs blood. He had seen blood on his hands, but never the blood of a loved one, of family, of someone so close. He shivered and went to the nearby stream to clean himself. He splashed his hands and face with water and then he noticed something. ôWhatàö He had seen something different in him, in his eyes. His Sharingan was different. It was like the three tomoes had enlarged and taken a triangular shape. ôThisàö
ôCongratulations, young one. You have awakened the final stage of the Sharingan.ö ItachiÆs head snapped up and he turned around in a flash, a kunai ready. A stranger had just appeared, dressed in large black and red robes, with a few pieces of armor, the shoulder pieces were the most prominent. His face was covered with an orange swirling mask. ôIt is something that few in our clan have achieved.ö
ôà Our clan?ö Itachi wasnÆt an ANBU captain for nothing. He had analyzed the strangerÆs words as they came out of its mouth. ôYouÆre anà Uchiha?ö
ôA most prominent one, even if my own kin has betrayed and shunned me decades ago. The only thing that now associates me with you and the others are the eyes we share.ö The masked strange replied, a gust of wind moving his long black hair. Itachi immediately connected the dots, as unbelievable as what he had just guessed sounded.
ôà Uchiha Madaraàö He whispered, but loud enough for the man to hear his words. The elder Uchiha nodded in approval.
ôYou really are the prodigy of your generation. I find pride in finding my blood so strong in one so young.ö Madara continued, but Itachi didnÆt relax at all. The elder man observed his surroundings. ôYouÆre shakenà I take it you didnÆt wish for his death?ö
ôà I donÆt wish for anyoneÆs death.ö Itachi said, his hand squeezing around his kunai.
ôAnd yet your clan plans to stage a coup that will tear Konoha in half, and the council asked you to wipe out your entire clan to avoid that. Either the blood of an entire clan, or the blood of part of the village. A though choice, child.ö Madara said, earning more squeezing from ItachiÆs part.
ôà I already have the blood of an Uchiha on my hands. A loved one. What will one more matter? My soul is damned.ö Itachi said, his teeth gritting.
ôDo not be foolish, young one. What has happened to your eyes should be enlightening enough.ö That was the first thing that surprised Itachi of all the words the Uchiha elder had said. ôThe Magenkyou Sharingan. It is not something that can be obtained by training of with time. You have to meet a certain condition.ö Itachi for maybe the first time in his life was drawing a blank. ôWhat emotion is wrecking your being right now, young one?ö
ôWhat emotionà The activation of this Magenkyou Sharingan requires an emotion?ö Madara emitted a muffled laugh.
ôIÆll give you a hintà I obtained mine when my brother offered me his life and his eyes.ö Itachi didnÆt understand what the man said with æoffered his eyesÆ, but he had enough hints to understand the rest.
ôItÆsà ItÆs guilt.ö Itachi stated, lowering his kunai. ôThe emotion that triggers the Magenkyou is guilt.ö
ôExactlyà Heh. You know, ninjas barely feel guilty about killing someone. Guilty as this. Otherwise, they would be unable to do their job. I wonderàö Madara paused for a few instants, weighting his thoughts. ôWhat would happen to you if you slaughtered your whole clan? How much guilt would you bear?ö
ôàö Itachi began to tremble, as images upon images began to fill his mind.
ôMaybe you could even unlock a new, more powerful Sharingan, who knows. Its evolution is a mystery to me as well.ö Madara continued, his affirmation more a joke than anything, but it had its effect on Itachi.
ôà Never again.ö Itachi let his kunai clatter to the floor as images of taking his motherÆs and brotherÆs lives fluttered in his mind. He didnÆt want to do that. He didnÆt want them to look at him with hate in their eyes and try to kill him. ôI will never soil my hands with Uchiha blood again.ö
ôOhhà So, youÆre going to go with your clanÆs plans?ö Itachi just walked past the elder Uchiha, stopping a couple meters behind him.
ôNo. I love my village, and I will never act in a harmful way against its people, but I will neither submit to the eldersÆ wishes and soil my hands with the blood of my own relatives.ö He spared one last glance at ShisuiÆs body before turning around again. Madara laughed.
ôUchiha Itachi chooses exile, then? A selfish choice or maybe the most normal one.ö Madara found this highly entertaining. ôYou said that you would never spill Uchiha blood againà Does that include me?ö
ôà Do you intend to do harm to the clan or the village?ö Itachi said, slowly turning around. He had no idea why the supposed dead patriarch of the Uchiha clan was in Konoha again, after all.
ôWell, I kind of wanted to offer you my help in wiping out the Uchiha clan, but your decision has made me thinkàö Madara stroked his chin right under his mask, which hid his vicious smile. ôYes, I think that the Uchiha will be more useful to my reasons alive, at the moment.ö
ôà What are your goals?ö Itachi asked, to which Madara replied with a round of laughter.
ôItÆs not like I can tell you, Itachi-kun. At the moment, the most pressing matter to you should be run away. When they find ShisuiÆs body, there will be quite the uproar, right?ö Itachi tensed and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke, knowing that Madara was right. There was going to be quite the uproar, and the Uchiha patriarch just couldnÆt wait to witness it.
--
He fled, he escaped, he chose voluntary exile. The choices were fighting against his village or erasing his whole clan. The proverbial rock and hard place. What possessed the HokageÆs counsellors to ask this of a thirteen year old pacifist, we will never know, but we do know what happened right after.
When the Uchiha heard of ShisuiÆs demise and ItachiÆs exile, everyone was quick to connect the two events together. The coup dÆÚtat failed, though, having already been exposed. What started a few days later was an all out war, with its battlefield being the village. The village was torn apart in every sense of the word: the ninja population split in two factions, those who still supported the Hokage and those who chose to help the Uchiha; the village itself was ravaged and destroyed, the most evident damage being the destruction of vast part of æMount HokageÆ. The fights lasted ten days. After that, both factions understood that a battle of attrition was useless, since there wasnÆt a Konoha to reign over anymore.
The Uchiha left for the east part of the Fire Country, the Hokage faction for the west part, leaving a torn apart Konoha with hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties to the survivors and the few ninjas who chose to protect instead of fighting, remaining true to KonohaÆs true spirit. Leaving them to savage and rebuild.
ôOutside of the village, the Uchiha and the Senju are still fighting, only their battlefield has extended to the whole Fire Country. Do you understand, now? And do you understand why now ninja training is obligatory for every child?ö The man said, looking around, finding the usual cluster of reactions: some scared children, some surprised ones, some angry ones, and of course the ones with questions. ôYes?ö
ôIruka-senseiàö A brow-haired girl said, raising her hand timidly. ôI wanted to askà I saw someone, an older boyà With lots of twins. Is that a ninja technique? Will we learn it?ö
ôAh.ö Iruka was a bit taken aback from the question, but a smile immediately came to his lips as he understood just who the girl was referring to and to what technique. The event that led to the meeting of the two factors was a dear one to him.
ôNaruto, you canÆt just go and learn one of the techniques written in that scroll! TheyÆre forbidden of a reason!ö
ôThen whatÆs the use in having this scroll?! ItÆs one of the few things that those damn village-breaking bastards have left us that can be used in some way!ö Iruka was stunned from the blond childÆs sudden outburst, but more so by the fire, the determination he saw in his eyes. ôThe village needs as many strong ninjas as possible, right?! I will be the strongest of the strong! I will do everything and take any risk! I will never let another tragedy like that of four years ago happen again! Ever again!ö
ôYes, that is a ninja technique that sadly only the person who you saw multiplied all over the place can use to its full potential, and no, you will not be learning that at the academy.ö The girl pouted and sat down. He shook his head and stifled a laugh. You amuse me even when youÆre not around, hn, Naruto?
Prologue
ôAlright, class. Settle downàö His words went over their heads like they had never been pronounced. The man sighed, since this was a common occurrence, with every single first year class he taught. He cleared his throat and raised his voice a little. ôClass, donÆt make me give you detention on the first day.ö That made the trick. The man smiled and rubbed the scar on the top of his nose before taking the last few steps to his desk.
ôSo, itÆs your first day of school. ItÆs tradition that I narrate a story. A story that can answer many of the questions that you have about our village.ö The man said, settling down on the desk the classroomÆs register, and fixating his eyes on the rows of children in front of him. ôWhy everyone but a few adults are forbidden of going out of the village. Why there are many parts of the village that are crumbling, about to fall apart. Why thereÆs that big hole in the mountain that destroyed three of the four faces carved there.ö
Saying this, the man rotated his had so that the gaze was shifted to what they could see out of the window. Indeed, there was a mountain were once four great faces had been carved of four great men, but now the first two and part of the third one had been wiped out by an enormous explosion, if the size and shape of the æholeÆ was any indication. It was like an angry ogre had decided to eat part of the mountain. He then returned his gaze to the young children. ôWell, open your scrolls and we will begin reading.ö
All the children obeyed, some whispering to each other as they opened their identical scrolls, all with the same title: æHistory of KonohaÆ.
--
The Hidden Village in the leaves originates 64 years ago, from a time where ninjas still lived mostly in clans, waging war with each other over power and territory. In the fire country, two clans were the most prominent and powerful: the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan.
These two clans, led by their leaders, Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju, had been in conflict for long time, but in the end they reached a peaceful agreement: unite their clans and many of the other ones in the fire country in a single military organization: Konohagakure, the first hidden village in the story of the Elemental Countries. This truce found its only enemy in Madara, and this was proven even more when he decided to challenge Hashirama for the leadership of Konoha, for the title of the first Hokage. He challenged him alone, since no Uchiha would back him up, accusing him of wanting to reignite the flames of war.
Madara was defeated and believed killed, only to reappear many years later. The second Hokage, the younger brother of Hashirama, offered the Uchiha clan the position of the Konoha Police Force, as a symbol of trust on the surface, but the real reason was so to control the Uchiha clan and keep them out of KonohaÆs governing. Many of the clan members realized this, but too late. The Senju had become the predominant clan in the village even if their bloodline was disappearing, and the Uchiha, so easy to follow in their leaderÆs footsteps, were discriminated and secluded. [à]
The ultimate demise of the once proud Konohagakure came eight years after the attack of the Kyuubi and the death of the Yondaime, under the second reign of the Sandaime. The Uchiha clan had never forgotten the grudge and the offence of years before, and the fact that many began to suspect that behind the demonÆs attack there was the Uchiha clan didnÆt help, their bloodline being the only one left apart the extinct Senju one able to control the Bijuu.
The current leader of the Uchiha, Uchiha Fugaku, became the ring-leader of the planned coup dÆÚtat that would shake the village foundation. He used his talented son, Uchiha Itachi, as a spy, using his position in the ANBU and the high spheres of the village at the young age of 13 to gather information. Uchiha Itachi though was a pacifist, and unknown to his clan he became a double agent for the village. The Sandaime, Sarutobi Hizuren, tried to negotiate with the clan, but time was running short, and his advisors overrun him. Uchiha Itachi, the most talented and powerful of the Uchiha, was ordered to wipe out his entire clan. His reaction and consequent course of action is comprehensibleà
--
ôà Whyàö They say that men as in males are allowed to cry just in few occasion. In most peopleÆs opinion, itÆs just a joke, bull. Everyone has different feelings and reasons for crying. This was one of them for Uchiha Itachi. A lot of pressure have been applied on the thirteen years old. First his clanÆs plan for a coup dÆÚtat, then the village asking him to be a double-agent to which he had agreed because he loved peace. Now they had given him the order to kill his whole clan because the Hokage couldnÆt start a negotiate with the elders. The event that had just transpired was the proverbial last drop.
His cousin who he loved like an older brother, Uchiha Shisui, had discovered something about him. Maybe just a small detail of his life as a double-agent, but enough to meet him in an isolated place and start to question him. He knew that he had influence on the elders. He was his last hope. He told him everything, and he had attacked him. He had seen the killing intent in his eyes, his fury. He was forced to kill him and because of that he was crying, filled to the brim with guilt. ôWhy did it have to come to this?!ö
He slammed his fists on the ground, shouting at the lifeless body of his cousin. He hiccupped and then saw his hands, dirty with the older manÆs blood. He had seen blood on his hands, but never the blood of a loved one, of family, of someone so close. He shivered and went to the nearby stream to clean himself. He splashed his hands and face with water and then he noticed something. ôWhatàö He had seen something different in him, in his eyes. His Sharingan was different. It was like the three tomoes had enlarged and taken a triangular shape. ôThisàö
ôCongratulations, young one. You have awakened the final stage of the Sharingan.ö ItachiÆs head snapped up and he turned around in a flash, a kunai ready. A stranger had just appeared, dressed in large black and red robes, with a few pieces of armor, the shoulder pieces were the most prominent. His face was covered with an orange swirling mask. ôIt is something that few in our clan have achieved.ö
ôà Our clan?ö Itachi wasnÆt an ANBU captain for nothing. He had analyzed the strangerÆs words as they came out of its mouth. ôYouÆre anà Uchiha?ö
ôA most prominent one, even if my own kin has betrayed and shunned me decades ago. The only thing that now associates me with you and the others are the eyes we share.ö The masked strange replied, a gust of wind moving his long black hair. Itachi immediately connected the dots, as unbelievable as what he had just guessed sounded.
ôà Uchiha Madaraàö He whispered, but loud enough for the man to hear his words. The elder Uchiha nodded in approval.
ôYou really are the prodigy of your generation. I find pride in finding my blood so strong in one so young.ö Madara continued, but Itachi didnÆt relax at all. The elder man observed his surroundings. ôYouÆre shakenà I take it you didnÆt wish for his death?ö
ôà I donÆt wish for anyoneÆs death.ö Itachi said, his hand squeezing around his kunai.
ôAnd yet your clan plans to stage a coup that will tear Konoha in half, and the council asked you to wipe out your entire clan to avoid that. Either the blood of an entire clan, or the blood of part of the village. A though choice, child.ö Madara said, earning more squeezing from ItachiÆs part.
ôà I already have the blood of an Uchiha on my hands. A loved one. What will one more matter? My soul is damned.ö Itachi said, his teeth gritting.
ôDo not be foolish, young one. What has happened to your eyes should be enlightening enough.ö That was the first thing that surprised Itachi of all the words the Uchiha elder had said. ôThe Magenkyou Sharingan. It is not something that can be obtained by training of with time. You have to meet a certain condition.ö Itachi for maybe the first time in his life was drawing a blank. ôWhat emotion is wrecking your being right now, young one?ö
ôWhat emotionà The activation of this Magenkyou Sharingan requires an emotion?ö Madara emitted a muffled laugh.
ôIÆll give you a hintà I obtained mine when my brother offered me his life and his eyes.ö Itachi didnÆt understand what the man said with æoffered his eyesÆ, but he had enough hints to understand the rest.
ôItÆsà ItÆs guilt.ö Itachi stated, lowering his kunai. ôThe emotion that triggers the Magenkyou is guilt.ö
ôExactlyà Heh. You know, ninjas barely feel guilty about killing someone. Guilty as this. Otherwise, they would be unable to do their job. I wonderàö Madara paused for a few instants, weighting his thoughts. ôWhat would happen to you if you slaughtered your whole clan? How much guilt would you bear?ö
ôàö Itachi began to tremble, as images upon images began to fill his mind.
ôMaybe you could even unlock a new, more powerful Sharingan, who knows. Its evolution is a mystery to me as well.ö Madara continued, his affirmation more a joke than anything, but it had its effect on Itachi.
ôà Never again.ö Itachi let his kunai clatter to the floor as images of taking his motherÆs and brotherÆs lives fluttered in his mind. He didnÆt want to do that. He didnÆt want them to look at him with hate in their eyes and try to kill him. ôI will never soil my hands with Uchiha blood again.ö
ôOhhà So, youÆre going to go with your clanÆs plans?ö Itachi just walked past the elder Uchiha, stopping a couple meters behind him.
ôNo. I love my village, and I will never act in a harmful way against its people, but I will neither submit to the eldersÆ wishes and soil my hands with the blood of my own relatives.ö He spared one last glance at ShisuiÆs body before turning around again. Madara laughed.
ôUchiha Itachi chooses exile, then? A selfish choice or maybe the most normal one.ö Madara found this highly entertaining. ôYou said that you would never spill Uchiha blood againà Does that include me?ö
ôà Do you intend to do harm to the clan or the village?ö Itachi said, slowly turning around. He had no idea why the supposed dead patriarch of the Uchiha clan was in Konoha again, after all.
ôWell, I kind of wanted to offer you my help in wiping out the Uchiha clan, but your decision has made me thinkàö Madara stroked his chin right under his mask, which hid his vicious smile. ôYes, I think that the Uchiha will be more useful to my reasons alive, at the moment.ö
ôà What are your goals?ö Itachi asked, to which Madara replied with a round of laughter.
ôItÆs not like I can tell you, Itachi-kun. At the moment, the most pressing matter to you should be run away. When they find ShisuiÆs body, there will be quite the uproar, right?ö Itachi tensed and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke, knowing that Madara was right. There was going to be quite the uproar, and the Uchiha patriarch just couldnÆt wait to witness it.
--
He fled, he escaped, he chose voluntary exile. The choices were fighting against his village or erasing his whole clan. The proverbial rock and hard place. What possessed the HokageÆs counsellors to ask this of a thirteen year old pacifist, we will never know, but we do know what happened right after.
When the Uchiha heard of ShisuiÆs demise and ItachiÆs exile, everyone was quick to connect the two events together. The coup dÆÚtat failed, though, having already been exposed. What started a few days later was an all out war, with its battlefield being the village. The village was torn apart in every sense of the word: the ninja population split in two factions, those who still supported the Hokage and those who chose to help the Uchiha; the village itself was ravaged and destroyed, the most evident damage being the destruction of vast part of æMount HokageÆ. The fights lasted ten days. After that, both factions understood that a battle of attrition was useless, since there wasnÆt a Konoha to reign over anymore.
The Uchiha left for the east part of the Fire Country, the Hokage faction for the west part, leaving a torn apart Konoha with hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties to the survivors and the few ninjas who chose to protect instead of fighting, remaining true to KonohaÆs true spirit. Leaving them to savage and rebuild.
ôOutside of the village, the Uchiha and the Senju are still fighting, only their battlefield has extended to the whole Fire Country. Do you understand, now? And do you understand why now ninja training is obligatory for every child?ö The man said, looking around, finding the usual cluster of reactions: some scared children, some surprised ones, some angry ones, and of course the ones with questions. ôYes?ö
ôIruka-senseiàö A brow-haired girl said, raising her hand timidly. ôI wanted to askà I saw someone, an older boyà With lots of twins. Is that a ninja technique? Will we learn it?ö
ôAh.ö Iruka was a bit taken aback from the question, but a smile immediately came to his lips as he understood just who the girl was referring to and to what technique. The event that led to the meeting of the two factors was a dear one to him.
ôNaruto, you canÆt just go and learn one of the techniques written in that scroll! TheyÆre forbidden of a reason!ö
ôThen whatÆs the use in having this scroll?! ItÆs one of the few things that those damn village-breaking bastards have left us that can be used in some way!ö Iruka was stunned from the blond childÆs sudden outburst, but more so by the fire, the determination he saw in his eyes. ôThe village needs as many strong ninjas as possible, right?! I will be the strongest of the strong! I will do everything and take any risk! I will never let another tragedy like that of four years ago happen again! Ever again!ö
ôYes, that is a ninja technique that sadly only the person who you saw multiplied all over the place can use to its full potential, and no, you will not be learning that at the academy.ö The girl pouted and sat down. He shook his head and stifled a laugh. You amuse me even when youÆre not around, hn, Naruto?
