Let's Fix This

Uchiha Itachi - Miracle Worker

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared incredulously at the man he had chosen to be his successor.

"You wish them to become Konoha shinobi? The missing nin from Kiri?" he asked, hoping he had misheard.

"I'll need five days Hokage-sama. I am confident I can change their loyalties. Ibiki-san can interrogate them after that. They'll be an asset to Konoha. Zabuza is a S class swordsman and Haku has a nearly extinct bloodline. It'll be better than to execute them." Itachi replied.

Hiruzen continued to stare at at him, he looked back unflinchingly. He sighed." You have five days. As far as I am concerned, the execution is only delayed. While you are an excellent shinobi, I doubt even you could shift Kiri nins' loyalty to Konoha, strong enough for Ibiki to pass. Dismissed."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Five days later, Hiruzen was surprised to find Ibiki with reports declaring all four missing nin cleared for duty as Konoha shinobi and a request for Itachi to be transferred to T and I.

" If I didn't know better, I'd swear he could read minds. He completely broke Zabuza in a day, just by talking to him. Somehow he knew his life story and his ideals. He played him like a string, telling him how Konoha is different form Kiri and all that he hated about it. Same with Yuki Haku. He didn't do much with the Demon Brothers but they are loyal to Zabuza. Now all four of them are loyal to Konoha or more importantly, to Itachi." Ibiki said, grudgingly.

Hiruzen signed the forms enlisting the four as Konoha shinobi and rejected Itachi's transfer request.

It was nice to have his faith in his successor reaffirmed