May It Be

Author’s Note: Wow, I can’t thank everyone enough for their kind reviews for chapter seven. It seems I was missed and didn’t even know it. I really appreciate the sweet words and hope to keep on making everyone happy. I know you’re all wondering about the Uchiha mystery, so I won’t make you wait for long!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor make any profit from this story.

Chapter Eight - Explanations and More

Kakashi had managed to get a few hours of sleep before there was a knock at the front door. Given who his son was and who he was harboring beneath his roof, the silver haired Jonin was very much on guard when he answered the door.

“Hokage-sama,” he murmured, taken aback at having the elderly Hokage at his door this early in the morning.

“Good morning, Kakashi. I’m sorry to visit at such an early hour, my boy, but I need to speak with you before the day begins for Konoha and the word spreads.”

“Of course, please come in and give me a moment to dress,” he answered, opening the door wider for the village’s leader.

As the Hokage made himself comfortable in the living room, Kakashi hurriedly threw on some comfortable pants and shirt, not wanting to keep the esteemed leader waiting for long. He knew how valuable the other’s time was.

He soon reentered the living room, taking a seat on the couch to get comfortable as he had a feeling that what the Hokage had come to tell him would take a while to do.

“I have to thank you for allowing the two boys to remain here, Kakashi. I know you have your hands full with Naru-chan.”

“I couldn’t leave two boys on the street, Hokage-sama. Iruka made the right choice, and I happen to agree with him on it. Though I am curious as to why they would need to take shelter here.”

The elderly man heaved a sigh, looking tired as he began to answer the question from one of his most trusted Jonin.

“I received a visit from Uchiha Mikoto the day before yesterday. Apparently, her husband has been in league with Orochimaru in regards to their positions in the village. Fugaku was always a power hungry man, and it seems that hunger knew no bounds.”

Kakashi nodded, having his own run ins with the man when doing his duty with the Council. It went without saying that he didn’t like the Uchiha clan head at all. He said nothing, allowing the older man to continue speaking.

“It seems that Fugaku promised Orochimaru the children of the clan, outside of his two heirs, for the traitor to experiment on in exchange for assistance in taking over the village. According to Mikoto, the adults were being fed lies about how the Uchiha could do this easily and take the place that they should have had when the village was first formed.”

A dark eye widened at that piece of news. Kakashi frowned, shaking his head.

“It seems strange that Fugaku wouldn’t allow Orochimaru near his heirs. I know he’s very proud of Itachi, despite the set backs in allowing him to graduate early.”

“Well, it seems they both had plans for the boys and it was those plans that pushed Lady Uchiha into coming to me. The boys were to be brainwashed and used for a specialized breeding program in order to provide Orochimaru with the perfect body to use for eternity,” the old shinobi said with a look of distaste.

“I don’t understand, sir.”

The Hokage nodded, looking a bit ill at the news he was going to share.

“Apparently, all of the children were tested for potential and only Itachi and Sasuke passed. So they would be allowed to breed while the other children would be used for experiments. As for the perfect body, we all know of Orochimaru’s desire to know every jutsu out there and his fear of death. I believe he’s completed or nearly completed a jutsu that will enable him to move his soul from one body to the next.”

“Oh dear kami,” the Jonin whispered. “He’d breed Sharingan users to take over once his current host was too old for him. That’s disgusting.”

“I agree, Kakashi, I agree. So, in light of the information, I set a trap last night and had Mikoto give an excuse for the two boys to be out of the main house to keep them protected from upcoming events. I had hoped to keep bloodshed down to a minimum in this attempt to stop the coup before it started as well as capture or kill Orochimaru. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.”

“What happened, sir?”

The Hokage looked almost ancient when he told Kakashi the next piece of news.

“Apparently, outside of Fugaku and the two boys, all of the Uchiha clan had been fed some sort of poison that could be activated to control or kill the people who had imbibed it. When Anbu arrived, Orochimaru was there and in an attempt to escape, he and Fugaku activated the poison to make their escape. No one survived.”

“And Fugaku?”

“According to the head of the Anbu, he escaped with Orochimaru, vowing that he’d come back to take Konoha for his own,” Sarutobi said softly. “My intelligence specialists have been reading through the materials Fugaku left behind. If it came down to activating the poison, he had plans to breed a new, more loyal Uchiha to take over Konoha and possibly other hidden villages.”

Kakashi looked ill as he thought about what he’d been told this morning.

“I’m glad the coup was caught before it could happen but saddened for the loss of a clan. It’ll take years before the Uchiha clan is restored.”

“There is a chance it will not be restored, Kakashi.”

He blinked, staring at his superior officer. This comment had caught him by surprise.

“What do you mean, sir? We all know how much the village values the Sharingan.”

The Hokage sighed, nodding when he heard that last part from Kakashi. The village valued that bloodline gift a great deal, and that had never sat well with him at all.

“A little too much, I’m afraid. The announcement will go out in a few hours about the destruction of the clan, and I fully expect the council chambers to erupt into full blown chaos.”

Well, it was always chaotic in the council chambers, Kakashi mused, thinking on what the village’s leader had said.

“True, they won’t like not having the Uchiha around.”

Sarutobi shook his head, bringing up a point that Kakashi’s tired brain hadn’t thought of.

“No, every clan without a bloodline gift will be scrambling to adopt the two boys, hoping to breed the Sharingan into their family lines.”

“Oh shit, that’s going to be one huge mess,” he muttered, wincing as he imagined that going on inside the meeting.

“Exactly and that is why I sent them here, Kakashi.”

Startled, he looked at his guest, trying to put together why Sarutobi had said such a thing. Seeing the tired and confused look on his face, the Hokage continued.

“You and Iruka have done an excellent job with Naruto so far. You’ve given him a home, education, acceptance, and most important, you’ve given him love and a family. Itachi and Sasuke need that. I’ve spoken a bit to Itachi and know that their home life was not happy by any stretch of the word. We all know how Fugaku was in regards to Itachi, wanting the perfect shinobi and I’m told he was just as cruel to Sasuke as well.”

His voice trailed off before he began again, speaking to the thoughtful young man seated across from him. What he had to ask was another burden on the other’s shoulders, but he trusted Kakashi and Iruka deeply.

“Kakashi, I know perfectly well that you and Iruka can give them a home and all the love they need to grow into well rounded young men.”

The Hatake clan head frowned, thinking on the Hokage’s words.

“You want me to adopt them?”

The aged male nodded, grateful Kakashi had grasped the situation so quickly. He had a feeling the answer would be favorable but would take a bit of time in coming.

“I do, Kakashi. I want you to adopt them both on paper and through the ways of your clan.”

He frowned at that piece of news.

“So they’d be mine by blood as well, which keeps them from falling into another clan’s hands, am I right?”

“That and given the scrolls we’ve been reading, the Uchiha clan is marked with madness through their eyes and the inbreeding hasn’t helped. I want your blood mingled with theirs, Kakashi. There will be no more Uchiha after today.”

Kakashi ran hands over his face, trying hard to get his mind to settle around the news that Sarutobi had given him.

“This could change their potential with the Sharingan, you know that right? I know Itachi’s managed to activate his but if I do this, his eyes may change and Sasuke may never be able to activate his.”

“Good. I want that bloodline gift gone. The things I’ve read tonight has given me a new look on the Sharingan. The clan hid too much from Konoha from the first day they joined the village. Each Uchiha recorded has shown signs of mental instability and those who have activated the Sharingan went insane. I never knew how many there were until I started reviewing the records.”

That piece of news startled Kakashi, fingers going to his covered eye.

“Am I at risk for madness?”

“No because you don’t have the blood. Whatever demon the clan allied itself with to gain their gift left a curse in the blood.”

He sighed in relief when he was given the answer he‘d hoped to hear. The last thing he wanted was to go insane and leave his family alone.

“And you’re hoping my blood will eliminate this curse.”

Sarutobi nodded, outlining his plan.

“Yes and by the time the boys are grown and have a family of their own, it should be bred out within a generation or two.”

Kakashi gave a slow nod, thinking on what he’d been told. There were a lot of positive and negative points to consider.

“I’ll need to talk to Itachi when he wakes. He’s intelligent enough to understand what is being asked of myself and them. As it is, the ritual will be painful for both of them given how old they are.”

The Hokage agreed, rising to his feet.

“I understand, Kakashi, but consider that time is limited. I can only keep this from the council for a short amount of time.”

“I’ll have an answer for you in a few hours, Hokage-sama. I’m willing to do this to give them what they need to succeed in life but only if the boys are in agreement to this.”

Sarutobi knew there was a great deal of wisdom in that idea. Itachi was old enough to make his choice, especially with the evidence shown to him.

“I’ll send the scroll with the statistics written on them to you,” he promised. “That should help Itachi with his decision.”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama,” he said, rising to his feet to walk the old man out.

Once the village’s leader was gone, Kakashi stared at the picture of him, Iruka, and Naruto together. He had a great deal to think over.


Author’s End Note - I think this chapter practically wrote itself. Well, there’s the answer and yet another cliffhanger in a way. What will Itachi say to this? Will the ritual be done? And if so, what changes can we expect in both Itachi and Sasuke? Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter! See everyone again soon!