Otsutsuki (Book 2 of the Aftermath Series)

Part 11: Clan Head's

I found that I quite liked the other clans from Konoha. The Inuzuki were an interesting lot, almost more animal than human and I loved it. They were genuine and loud. The Akimichi are large people with personalities and beliefs to match their size. I respect their drive towards what they think is right. The Inuzuka Clan and the Nara Clan I already knew very well, we had worked together several times during the war. They were by far some of the more trust worthy groups here. They saw me as a leaf shinobi and a comrade and made that known. The Abarame Clan are very down to earth. I liked that about them. There were those who feared me. 

The Amigirii clan did not like me at all. They are strange people with red markings and samurai style clothing from Yumegakure. Their Clan Head spent much of the meetings expressing his distrust of the decision to allow me to have such great power. This was argued by a surprising ally.  The Hozuki Clan of Kirigakure. They argued that I had been a ninja with a perfect record and have done nothing but prove my loyalty to peace and the protection of innocents. When I asked the Clan Head why he said that I had impressed every Kage I had met and who was he not to stand by me if they will. 

Overall the clan meetings were boring. I seemed to be the only topic anyone wanted to talk about and there was nothing I could do about that. The interesting part of the clan meetings was Kakashi and I spending so much time with Fugaku. He helped explain customs and traditions as well as other Clan Heads personalities and leadership styles. This was the first real time I had spent observing the tensions rising in Konoha. The Uchiha had been accused of being behind the Nine Tails attack by Danzo, a creepy old man with way too much power. Danzo however is suspected to be the one who ordered the Uchiha to not engage with the Nine Tails and instead focus their priority. Now he is saying it is suspicious that none of the Uchiha had been seen fighting with the Nine Tails. 

It was all starting to add up with the rumors and unrest around the ANBU headquarters. When the council meeting came I was ready to speak on the topic, now understanding the importance of keeping Itachi out of the line of fire by keeping him from holding loyalty for both sides. The Hokage must have known that I would learn more about the situation before the meeting or else I doubt he would've let me speak in front of the council without knowing the importance.  When I arrived at the Hokage's building I was met with an ANBU escort. I snickered a little when I recognized them. 

"Hey, Kashi, Zo." I greeted and I heard Tenzo grunt and Kakashi snicker. "I asked you not to call me that." Tenzo said and I only shrugged. "Whatever you want...Zo." He huffed again as we walked up the stairs to the meeting room. "Don't bother. I don't like my nickname either she just won't stop." Kakashi warned and gave me a glance to which I gave them my most innocent angelic face. They both rolled their eyes and led me to the door. Tenzo knocked once and another ANBU opened it. "

"Otsutsuki Koharu, Here on Invitation of Hokage with second by Uchiha Fugaku." The ANBU announced and I bowed to the Hokage who was at the head of the table before taking a seat beside Shimura Danzo, one of my least favorite people. "First we will speak on the topic concerning Koharu-san before coming to a vote and her exit." The Hokage laid out the plan for all of us. "The first topic is the promotion of Uchiha Itachi to the leaf ANBU. Koharu-san you will speak first." He said and I nodded, taking my stand. 

"Uchiha Itachi is only a child. He is no doubt a protege but that is no excuse to take his childhood away from him. The life of a shinobi is dangerous and hard. No matter how skilled or mature he is, he is not ready for the ANBU. He is too young to have his hands stained with such blood and he is not emotionally mature enough to do what is required of him with a sound mind." I finished my part of the debate and sat down. Danzo stood this time. "Is it not a bit hypocritical for you to judge him based on age? You were a jonin leading solo back up missions in the middle of a war at his age. You had more blood on your hands than the average ANBU operative long before you joined at only thirteen years old." He words caused some murmurs of agreement among the group. I waited until he sat before I rebutted. 

"That is true. I was forced to kill at a young age and that was because of the war. I watched my friends and team mates, most younger than me, die before they even became a teenager. I've seen children scarred for life and losing limbs. My statement earlier is true. No matter how mature he is, he is still a child and children cannot process that kind of loss." I said and before I even sat down Danzo shot an angry comment my way. "Well you seem to be doing just fine Otsutsuki Koharu. Your getting married, Co-Captaining an ANBU team and just recently discovered that you hold an unknown power over all. This all of course coincidentally after a previously missing nin, your own Sensei, comes back to the village to defeat you. He said himself that he didn't trust with that much power." I felt white-hot rage fill my blood. 

"I know he can't handle this because I couldn't. I have only recently felt that the war has finally ended for me. Right after that moment of finally starting my life I find that there is a bounty placed on my head by the person who raised me until I came to the village. He was my master and my guardian. He was a power hungry individual who stole me from my mother's summons who was trying to help me and concealed my real identity. Then he left me until I was old enough to be of use to him and started me on a path of strength so that I could become his weapon. He grew to fear me and his mistake was in thinking I would ever do anything to disrupt the peace so soon after a war." I looked him dead in the eye as I said one last sentence. "I would not lie to cover your back Danzo, I'm not easily manipulated and my loyalty is not to you but this village and everyone who lives in it." I could tell my thinly veiled threat had gotten to him because he stiffened. 

"Let's back up. What do you mean when you said that you couldn't handle the position you were put into by becoming a shinobi so young?" Danzo prodded and I stiffened a bit. "My now fiance talked me down from ending my life on top of the Hokage monument at only fourteen years old." I responded stiffly. I heard shocked chatter start up around the table. They silenced when Danzo asked me another question. "And we are supposed to trust someone so unstable to hold an unknown amount of power and live in our village?" He asked and I thought my very blood boil. I was ready to say something that would not have been appropriate for the council when Fugaku suddenly stood and argued on my behalf. 

"I believe that is exactly why we should trust her. She has proven her loyalty to the village in that through this she continued to be an elite ninja. She has given testament to how much she cares about the village and those that inhabit it by letting being a shinobi as more than a job or an obligation of talent but rather a blessing she has been given. This is not a job for her and never was. Being a shinobi is her life. She is a true shinobi and I can say that I rest easy knowing that her soon to be inherited power is going to give Konoha the opportunity to truly be at peace." I couldn't help the warm feeling surging in my chest for the man who had mentored me for the past several weeks. I knew that some of this was for his reputation as my ally but I also knew that he had gone far beyond the help that the rest of my 'allies'. 

I've learned a lot about the Clan Head's and what it means to represent more than yourself. What it means to be in power, and what it means to be responsible for protecting others. I do not consider myself a Clan Head. But if I am about to become one of the most powerful shinobi to walk the earth then I need to learn to become a leader. I need to learn how to live with the fact that there are thousands of people relying on me. I need to find a way to cope with the blood that will be on my hands. For whatever part he may play in my education towards being a better leader, I will be eternally grateful to Uchiha Fugaku.