A Lethal Observer (Naruto) [ALW Series Book Two]

Chapter 12

It had been two days since Itachi had officially enrolled into the Anbu. The Uchiha were already waiting for him to report in their next meeting. Shisui knew he shouldn't leave Itachi alone and take some matters into his own hands, but first, he needed to lessen the pressure the village was exerting over their clan. Therefore, he asked for a meeting with the Hokage.

Hiruzen was surprised to hear such an unusual request. Of course, he would agree to listen to Shisui because he trusted he only wanted what's best for both sides. Shisui Uchiha wasn't a man who put his own interests first, and neither was he a man who let others step over him. He wanted peace and justice above all else.

"What did you want to talk about?" The Hokage asked the young Uchiha while observing the village. They stood at the highest floor of the Hokage Mansion, streets and houses lay small beneath them.

"I need a favor to ask from you, Lord Third." The tone in his voice was deeply serious but filled with respect and pride.

The Hokage looked at him from over his shoulder. "What kind of favor do you need from me, Shisui?"

"I need the proper authority to investigate my own clan, and find a way to stop their plans." Shisui was kneeling behind the Hokage, and bowing his head. The Hokage analyzed him intently before looking back at the village in front of him.

"I've learned from Danzo that the Uchiha have been quite unhappy since while back. But, —in your honest opinion, Shisui—how far do you think they will proceed?"

Shisui pressed his lips. "Very far. They consider the village elders are overstepping their boundaries when it comes to them, they are convinced Konoha are mistreating them in purpose to keep them under control."

"And what do you think?"

"I think," the words were out before they could stop them, "we deserve to be listened. It's not too late to start a negotiation, but I need your help, Lord Hokage."

"All right, this will be our secret then."

Shisui looked up at the elder with wide eyes. The Hokage was smiling while looking at the village. "I trust you, Shisui. I know you only want what's best for all of us, so I will let you handle your own people by whatever means you consider necessary. Use my name if you must. I will take full responsibility on your actions.

"In that matter, I will be taking you away from missions until you resolve, what you must resolve. Until then, you will be working under my direct orders and report only to me. Danzo must not know of this allegiance."

"Understood. Thank you, Lord Third."

"Moreover, about Hanako Uchiha." His eyes narrowed as he looked at Shisui. "That girl has been working under Ibiki for six months now, but I'm thinking that Danzo might transfer her into the Root. We must not let that happen."

Shisui clenched his fists. "If Hanako begins to work for Danzo..."

"That's right, you will not see her again. Danzo likes to keep his pawns to himself."

"Why does he want her?"

The Hokage grinned sadly. "Because of the power hidden deep inside her. You know about her condition, right? She's a daughter of both the Senju and the Uchiha—two of the Six Noble Ancient Clans. But, she's also connected to Amane Uchiha. There's a big difference between the two, though." The Hokage turned to meet Shisui face to face. "You might think that somehow Amane had reincarnated into Hanako, but that's not the case. They are entirely two different people."

Shisui gasped. "That's what chief Fugaku believes, that somehow Hanako has Amane's power."

"She does, but Amane was a full Uchiha. Hanako, however, is both an Uchiha and a Senju. That's why her power might transcend that of Amane's and that is what Danzo fears."

Shisui narrowed his eyes. "You're saying there's a limit to being just an Uchiha?"

"The Six Noble Ancient Clans were once the most powerful clans in the Shinobi World. I was a kid when Konoha was first founded, so I never got to experience the war between clans. The Uchiha and the Senju were the most powerful and controlled a half of the Fire Country each. When these two clans joined and formed Konoha, slowly the other clans started to join among themselves and founded the other hidden villages. They found themselves completely powerless in front of the new Uchiha-Senju alliance.

"Still, the Uchiha and the Senju were feared in the whole world. Especially three well-known human beings. Hashirama Senju, who became the First Hokage. Madara Uchiha, the right hand of Hashirama. And, Amane Uchiha, a woman who controlled the Space-Time at will and had influence over the Tailed Beasts."

Shisui remembered all of that from the documents Fugaku gave him and the scroll he found in the Uchiha Library. It wasn't strange the Hokage knew all of this, but why was he giving him a history lesson all of a sudden?

"Now, imagine the three of them merged together into a single person. That's the kind of power hidden inside Hanako." The Hokage sighed. "What I'm concerned about is her naivety. Hanako is still a kid who doesn't understand what truly lies beyond that wall, who hasn't experienced betrayal and doesn't know who to trust. She is growing up within a tense atmosphere filled with hatred and distrust. At this rate, she will become ambitious, yearn for power, and become a problem for the safety of not only the village but the Shinobi World.

"Danzo is taking advantage of the fact that she is still a blank page he can write anything on. He wants to manipulate her, but if done wrong Hanako might get the wrong message and turn against the village."

"Then..."

"That's why I accepted his recommendation of adding Itachi into the Anbu."

"Huh?" Shisui lifted his head.

"Itachi is the opposite of Hanako. He wasn't born with any hidden powers, everything he has achieved he's done with pure determination and his own efforts. The will of fire is abundant in him."

Shisui's lips curled into a smile. "Itachi won't be tricked by Danzo's manipulation."

"Exactly. Hanako might be monstrous in terms of power but her mind is still weak. That's why, I'm sorry to say, Itachi is the only fit for this job. If Danzo asks for Hanako's transfer, we will have to offer Itachi instead, but Hanako must always remain on the bright side or things might take a nasty turn.

"You must know," his voice became dark, "she doesn't hesitate to kill those she redeems as enemies. And if she were to consider Danzo an enemy of her clan, she will kill him and everyone who stands in her way. She already did a year ago when her father was murdered, and a whole civilian town was sacrificed."

Shisui remembered the mission she spoke to him about. Hanako had said that there was this feeling inside her she couldn't control, was that her power? A killer instinct?

"I will make sure Hanako doesn't know." Shisui had taken a decision. Hanako was against the coup because she only saw things from the clan's point of view. They only heard what Fugaku said and what the senior police men claimed, but there wasn't any concrete evidence of their speculations. For her, it was just a greedy dream of the higher-ups wanting to reign over everyone. If Hanako knew about Danzo and what he has done, she would instantly turn in favor of the uprising. She would do anything in her means to bring down that man. And if Hanako supports the uprising, then he and Itachi can't do anything to stop them.

However, I can't agree with you entirely, Lord Hokage. That man needs to be stopped, and whatever comes his way, he deserves it.

* * *

After the meeting with the Hokage, Shisui went to meet Hikari and Hanako. When he arrived at their house, Hanako was still in the shower. Hikari guided him to the living room and sat with him in the couch.

"So, are we going to discuss that?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes, do you have the scroll?"

Hikari was holding it in her hands, the scroll Shisui had stolen from the Uchiha Library. Since the moment she read, she realized it was Amane's personal journal. She wrote most of her life in it, the story of her existence, how she met Madara and how she suspected she was going to die.

Hikari had understood that Amane had definitely the same abilities as Hanako, from the dreams to the omens. She wasn't certain about the rest, but she was sure Amane's journal might help them understand new aspects about Hanako.

"Yes." Hikari smirked and closed her eyes, allowing them to burn under her eyelids. "I think it's time to tell Hanako about it."

* * *

Hanako closed her eyes, so she could feel the hot water fall against her skin and relax her muscles. She still had in her mind Obito saying: "If you even think for a moment to tell even a soul about it, I will kill you."

Hanako turned off the water and rested her head against the wall. There was still steam around her, warming her up as if she were in a sauna. Her mind then went back to the black thing laughing silently at them. Hanako closed her eyes tightly and covered her face with her hands. Why was that thing so familiar but at the same time it wasn't? Had she seen it anywhere before? Did it hold any relation to Madara's plan?

Hanako pulled away her hands and stared at the water flowing beneath her feet into the drain. Madara wanted to gather all nine Bijuu and use them to revive the Juubi. Then he would become its Jinchuuriki and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi. With it, as the Uchiha Stone says, he would convince people to stop fighting. He would immerse everyone into the world they imagine being perfect for them, and that's how he would bring peace.

No matter how many times Hanako thought about it, there was something inside her that told her it was a bad idea, and she had to stop him before it was too late. Even though she didn't see anything too bad with it, he would be practically giving everyone what they wanted. It was a win-win situation.

Something hurt in Hanako's stomach, and she gasped, kneeling because of the pain.

No, it wasn't. There was definitely something wrong with it, but what?

Another image of the black thing haunted her mind. What was that thing, why was it laughing at her? Was it mocking her? Was he an enemy or a spectator?

Shaking her head, she grabbed her towel.

When Hanako stepped into the living room, she saw Hikari and Shisui sitting next to each other in the couch. Her sister had her eyes closed, but the grin she was making made Hanako's stomach turn.

"I know, all of it," Hikari said.

"All of what?"

Hikari was definitely acting strange. Shisui also listened carefully, moving towards both sisters. "Remember when we talked about Izanagi and Izanami blessed eyes?" she asked. She hadn't moved from her position, or opened her eyes. "We were both blessed by Izanami. I knew it from the moment I saw you in the ruins, and I confirmed it when you teleported Kakashi's ninken into the sky." Hikari opened her eyes, her Sharingan was activated.

However, it didn't have the normal three tomoes. Instead, the design consisted of a spiral starting at the pupil and ending at the border between the red iris and the sclera.

Hanako gasped. Shisui narrowed his eyes. When did she...?

"Mangekyou Sharingan..." Hanako blurted out.

Hikari smiled. "I can see through dimensional borders, and I can open portals in those borders." Hanako frowned. "It's called Kamui." She stood and walked towards her sister. "Your ability to see memories is called Ryuujin. That thing you did with Pakkun, teleporting things through space, it's Ouyamatsumi. With it your right eye you control time and with your left eye you control space. Both eyes help you control the time-space."

The tone in her voice was that of an excited child. "Such a rare pair of eyes, you sure won the genetic lottery." She pulled away. "Both my eyes have the Kamui, both control the time-space."

Hanako looked away, her eyes focused on the ground as she spoke to her sister. "You can teleport. You can open portals to other places and dimensions. That's more than what I can do. At most, I can see things in other timelines, or places; and switch places with things."

Hikari bit her lip. "Imagine an eye that can do both. It would be able to travel anywhere. Literally anywhere, even the past or the future."

Hanako glared at her. "Hikari stop, you're ahead of yourself. Such eye doesn't exist."

"Oh but it does." She shrugged. "What does Madara think about it? Does he know about your Mangekyou?"

Hanako froze and her jaw dropped. "How...?"

Hikari smiled. "I told you, I know all of it." She turned back around to where Shisui sat. "Everything about your Mangekyou is in this scroll right here." She waved Amane's journal in the air. "Just as I expected, it's not the first one that exists. But its last user lived a long time ago." She smirked. "Guess who?"

Hanako frowned. "Amane Uchiha?"

"Yes, this is her personal journal."