Chương 53: Standoff

Sasuke lay in bed, staring at the wooden ceiling. Light was creeping in through the edges of the window. Another morning. Another day of school. School was boring. And Shin wasn't even there. The thought came unbidden, and with it a sharp twist of jealousy. Shin was out of the village — actually out there, seeing things, doing things. Sasuke had never left Konoha in his life. Not once. And here he was, stuck in a classroom learning stuff he already knew. Shin was probably having the time of his life.

Why do I have to rot in school while he gets to— He grabbed the pillow and punched it. Once. Twice. Three times. Then he hugged it and rolled across the tatami like a child half his age.

"Sasuke, you'll be late if you don't get up." His mother's voice came through the door.

"Coming!" He scrambled to his feet and started throwing on clothes. …… When Sasuke stepped out of his room, only his mother was in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mom."

"Good morning, Sasuke." Mikoto glanced over from the stove and smiled.

"Go wash up. Your lunch is on the table." He looked. A neatly wrapped bento box sat on the low table in the living room.

"Where are Dad and Nii-san?"

"Still sleeping." Sasuke blinked.

"Still sleeping?" In his entire memory, neither his father nor his brother had ever slept in.

"They were... talking late last night. Probably tired." Mikoto's voice was light, but something in the cadence didn't quite land.

"Go wash up."

"Oh..." Sasuke murmured, half-convinced. He sat on the edge of the engawa, pulling on his sandals. His father and brother still hadn't come out of their rooms.

"Mom, I'm heading out!"

"Your bento." Mikoto appeared in the hallway, holding the box out to him with an exasperated look.

"I just told you about it and you already forgot." Sasuke took it with a sheepish grin.

"Mom — when Nii-san wakes up, remind him about our promise."

"What promise?"

"Shuriken training. He said he'd do it with me yesterday."

"Your brother's very busy, you know." Mikoto reached out and ruffled his hair gently.

"I can practice with you too."

"It's not practice. It's training." Sasuke corrected her firmly.

"Don't forget, okay? Bye!"

"Be careful." Mikoto watched his small figure disappear through the front gate. The smile on her face faded. Slowly, then all at once. She let out a quiet breath and turned back inside. The house was very still. On the kitchen stove, a pot still simmered.

"The soup—!" She snapped back and hurried into the kitchen. …… A few minutes later, she emerged carrying a tray — rice, a few side dishes, and a bowl of miso soup still trailing steam. She walked to Itachi's door and set the tray on the floor. Knocked gently.

"Itachi? Are you awake?" Nothing.

"Itachi?" She called several more times. No answer. After a moment's hesitation, she slid the door open. The room was empty. The futon was already folded, the bedding stacked neatly. A small pile of clothes — the ones he'd worn yesterday — sat beside it.

"Itachi..." she murmured to the empty room. She stood there a while. Then she closed the door, picked up the tray, and carried it to her own bedroom. Fugaku was still lying down.

"Do you want to eat something?" she asked softly, setting the tray beside the futon. Fugaku opened his eyes. The face that looked up at her was drawn, visibly drained. The light in his gaze had dimmed.

"Itachi already left," she said.

"I see..." A faint ripple crossed his expression. Then his eyes closed again, and he was silent — as if he'd fallen back asleep. Shin knocked on Tsume's door and waited. No answer.

"Tsume-san?" He knocked again. After a moment, the door swung open — but it wasn't Tsume. Kuromaru had pushed it with his paw.

"Come in. She's still out cold." Kuromaru turned and padded back inside. Shin followed the ninken into the room. Tsume was sprawled across the tatami in her sleeping clothes, limbs at angles that defied any concept of grace. Shin stared. Kuromaru walked up and batted her head with his paw.

"Tsume. Shin's here." A snore. Kuromaru smacked her head — harder this time. That got a reaction.

"Wha...?" Tsume cracked one eye open, rubbing her face. She looked around blearily. Kuromaru was already curled up nearby, the picture of innocence. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Oh. Shin." She sat up, yawned wide enough to crack her jaw. Shin hesitated. Whatever he'd come to say, it clearly wasn't easy.

"Tsume-san… I think I might've caused some trouble."

"... Hah?"...... The three of them stood on the rear veranda of the inn — Shin, Tsume, and Tomotoshi Ueno — surveying what remained of the courtyard. It was not a pretty sight. Tsume cleared her throat. Tomotoshi glanced at her.

"So... how much is this going to cost?" she asked, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Please don't worry. The innkeeper is an old friend of mine — he won't make trouble for you, Tsume-sama." Tomotoshi smiled pleasantly.

"Oh, is that so? Thanks for handling that." Tsume's face broke into a grin. She reached over and slapped Shin on the back of the head. Shin winced, but bowed to Tomotoshi anyway.

"I'm very sorry for the trouble I've caused."

"Not at all. We should be thanking Tsume-sama for her company on the road." Tsume and Tomotoshi fell into a round of pleasantries. Shin stood beside them, smiling politely and waiting for it to end. Then a group appeared around the corner of the veranda. The Sand jonin from yesterday — the one they'd encountered at the border checkpoint — was in front. Behind him: Temari, Daimaru, and Nora. Temari's hands were empty. The Three-Star Fan was nowhere in sight. The Sand jonin stopped before Tsume and dipped his head.

"Good morning. I'm Maki, jonin of the Hidden Sand."

"Tsume Inuzuka. Leaf jonin."

"The head of the Inuzuka clan — what an honor." Maki's tone was warm, almost deferential.

"Mm." Tsume didn't return the warmth. Whatever charm Maki was projecting, she wasn't buying. Shin glanced past Maki at the three genin. Temari had turned her head away. Daimaru was glaring at him with open hatred.

"I only just heard about the incident between our students." Maki shifted his tone smoothly, still smiling.

"It seems there was a misunderstanding. And the fault started on our side." His gaze cut briefly to Daimaru. The warmth vanished.

"Daimaru." Daimaru dragged himself forward and bowed stiffly to Tsume and Shin.

"Sorry." Tsume looked at Shin. He got the message and returned the bow.

"I was at fault too," Shin said. He turned to Temari and extended his right hand.

"I'm sorry about your weapon." Temari turned just enough to give him a cold look. A short, dismissive sound through her nose. Nothing else. Maki didn't push her the way he'd pushed Daimaru. He just laughed it off.

"We were simply outmatched — let's call it a friendly spar between allies. I have to say, I didn't expect this level of skill from the Leaf's next generation. And he hasn't even graduated yet." Maki's voice was all admiration. From the moment he'd appeared, his manner had been so gracious it was hard to dislike him.

"You're too kind. Your Sand genin are impressive too." Tsume kept it short.

"This boy hasn't graduated yet, has he? Are you on a mission?" Maki turned to Tsume as if speaking to an old friend.

"No. Just taking him sightseeing."

"Is that so? We're on a C-rank mission ourselves — destination's in the Land of Fire, actually. But your border was suddenly sealed, and we can't get through. Even as allies." Maki let the last word hang.

"Would you happen to know what that's about? Sealing the border against the Sand without notice doesn't seem consistent with our treaty."

"No idea. That's not my department." Tsume's voice was flat.

"If our Kazekage were to hear about this..."

"Then your Kazekage can take it up with our Hokage." Tsume cut him off.

"We need to get going. If there's nothing else—" She turned.

"Let's go, Shin."

"Right!" Tsume led Shin and Tomotoshi toward the exit. After two steps, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

"Oh — one more thing." Maki waited.

"The courtyard. Don't worry about paying for the damage." Maki's eyebrow twitched. His expression didn't change until Tsume's back had disappeared from view. Then the warmth drained from his face entirely.......

"Sensei, you're just going to let them walk away?" Daimaru couldn't hold it in any longer, staring at the empty hallway where the Leaf group had vanished. Maki turned and fixed him with a look that could cut glass.

"I'll deal with you later." Daimaru's mouth snapped shut. Maki shifted his attention to Temari. His expression softened.

"The Three-Star Fan — Lady Chiyo can repair it once we're back in the village." Temari gave a quiet "Mm." Her face betrayed nothing.

"How strong would you say that Shin Takami is?" Maki asked.

"Stronger than me." Temari met his eyes. Three words. No elaboration.

"... And he hasn't even graduated." Maki rubbed his chin.

"The Leaf's new generation is something else."

"I'll beat him." Temari's gaze shifted. Something moved behind her eyes.

"Based on what you described, he's likely a wind-nature swordsman — same type as you, actually. He's two years younger, but he'll be stuck at the Academy for another two years. You'll grow faster than him." Temari frowned.

"What?" Maki noticed.

"Wind nature?" she said, brow furrowed.

"He cut through the Three-Star Fan. The fan's ribs are reinforced metal — it's nearly impossible to sever them without wind-nature chakra. The cutting power has to come from somewhere." Maki paused.

"For someone who isn't even a genin to pull that off is remarkable on its own." Temari said nothing. Her mind returned to that final instant — the moment Shin had drawn his blade. She was almost certain there had been no chakra on the edge at all....... In Tsume's room.

"How'd you beat that Sand girl?" Tsume sat cross-legged on the floor, studying Shin with undisguised interest. She didn't seem angry — if anything, she looked entertained. Shin was quiet for a moment, as if sorting through the memory.

"The Three Basic Jutsu. And shuriken."

"That's it?"

"... And a sword." There was no point hiding it. He remembered Norikata Gotō watching from the veranda.

"You use a sword too?" Tsume's eyes lit up.

"Who taught you?" Silence.

"Fugaku Uchiha?" She raised an eyebrow.

"He doesn't use a sword." Nothing.

"Shisui Uchiha?" At the name, something in Shin's eyes went dark — just for a second. Tsume had been watching his face closely. She caught it, and a flicker of understanding crossed her own expression. Shin didn't correct her.

"Well." Tsume leaned back and let out a derisive snort.

"Seems like Sand's new generation isn't much to write home about. You're not even out of the Academy and you handled them just fine. They've really gone downhill." Shin didn't reply. What was he supposed to say? Maybe I'm just that good?

"Pack your things. We'll eat and head out — if we make good time, we might get a proper tour of the Land of Rivers before heading back."

"Okay." Mikoto was sweeping the walkway when a knock came at the gate. She opened it to find a middle-aged man in Uchiha clan attire.

"Makoto?"

"I'm here to see the captain." Makoto Uchiha bowed slightly. Mikoto looked him over. Something flickered behind her eyes — a brief hesitation — but she stepped aside.

"Come in." Makoto followed her through the courtyard and into the house. At the bedroom door, Mikoto knocked.

"Fugaku. Makoto is here." Silence stretched. Then, from inside, a voice — tired, rougher than usual:"Come in." Makoto frowned at the sound. Something was off. He slid the door open and stepped inside. Mikoto stayed in the living room. Fugaku was sitting cross-legged on the tatami. But his face was haggard — pale, drawn, as if something had hollowed him out overnight.

"Captain?" Makoto moved closer, his frown deepening.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing." Fugaku's tone was flat.

"What is it?" Makoto studied him. As a fellow Uchiha, he knew what this looked like.

"Did you overuse your ocular power?" Fugaku didn't answer.

"What happened, Captain?"

"... Why are you here?" Fugaku waved him off, repeating the question. Makoto held back for a moment. Then:"ANBU were spotted near the Naka Shrine this morning. Multiple operatives."

"ANBU..." Fugaku murmured.

"Yesterday they were hovering outside the compound. Today they're inside. This isn't just the authority being revoked — they're boxing us in. The moment we make a move, those operatives will act."

"Captain, we need to quietly bolster our defenses. Arm up. If we don't prepare now, we'll be caught completely flat-footed."

"Captain?" Fugaku sat in silence, his gaze somewhere far away.

"What's wrong?"

"... Makoto." Fugaku finally spoke.

"Tell the clan to stand down. No one does anything rash."

"... Captain, what are you saying?" Makoto's voice dropped, edged with disbelief.

"The Third Hokage has already pushed this far. Are we supposed to sit here and wait to be crushed?"

"The plan has changed. We can't move tonight." Makoto's expression darkened further.

"Why? Fugaku — the entire Uchiha clan's fate rests on your shoulders." The honorific was gone.

"What are you doing?" Fugaku didn't look at him. His head was bowed, his thoughts unreadable.

"We can't win. Not as things stand."

"What do you mean?" Makoto's brow creased.

"You said it yourself — once we move, we seize the jinchuriki quickly, and with the full strength of the Uchiha behind us, there's no way we lose."

"Just relay the order. Tonight, we don't move. And no one acts on their own." Makoto's fist clenched. He clicked his tongue, turned, and walked out. In the living room, Mikoto was standing in the center of the room, watching him.

"Makoto," she said. His gaze shifted. The tension bled out of his face, replaced by something more measured. He started toward the door, then paused.

"Take care of the captain for us." Mikoto's eyes stayed on him.

"I will," she said.

"Recovering ocular power takes time, after all."

"... Ocular power?" Mikoto tilted her head, her expression open and puzzled.

"... Never mind. I'll be going." Makoto looked at her a moment longer. Her confusion seemed genuine. He turned and left. Mikoto watched him go. Then she went into the bedroom. Outside the gate, two men had been waiting.

"What did the captain say?" They closed in the moment Makoto appeared. He didn't answer right away.

"Makoto?"

"What are our orders?"

"The captain..." Makoto began, then stopped. In his mind, Fugaku's face — drained, diminished — hung like an afterimage. His gaze hardened.

"Tell all combat-ready clansmen to prepare. Arm up quietly."

"Yes sir!" The two exchanged a glance, their faces alight.

"And — if ANBU are spotted inside the compound again, don't engage. Report to me."

"Understood!"

"Gen." Makoto paused.

"I need you to look into something. Find out what Itachi Uchiha has been doing."