Namikaze Naruto- The Unpredictable Shinobi

Chapter 9: Uchiha Coup d'etat: Clan Meeting

Naruto woke up at 7 a.m., 2 hours later than usual. She had stayed up the previous night, preparing for the impending meeting. She had to make plans and, somehow, her alarm had been switched off. [Courtesy of the Kyuubi; Bring in a tap-dancing Kurama bowing and walking away]

After the usual routine of warm up, shower and breakfast, she created 200 shadow clones. Most went to work on seals, especially the chakra altering seal and the seal that disallowed anyone to sense Kurama and his chakra in her, since Kurama had pointed out that the seals were slightly off. She could only complete the seals properly and pretend nothing was wrong before Fugaku, if he had suspicions due to the slip up of chakra the previous day. However, Fugaku didn't seem to notice it. If he did, he didn't say anything and it was better to keep up the act. Significant numbers went to arts like Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu. Smaller numbers went to work on art (don't ask why), cooking, and some went to Training Ground 44, otherwise known as Forest of Death to continue work on a simple wooden cottage she began almost a year ago. She would sleep in the apartment provided by the Hokage, that is constantly trashed by vengeful citizens, planned to shift in the cottage once it was completed, and would train most of the time in the training ground in the Namikaze compound, since,

1. Her father had a lot of good equipment. (Don't forget your mother dattebane!)

2. She can refer to her parents' scrolls easier.

3. Sarutobi can spy over the citizens with a crystal ball that uses Nature Energy, and the Yondaime created a seal to prevent the activities in the compound be seen, for the sake of privacy and to simply rile up the old man.

4. Naruto likes to be discreet like her inspirations (except her brash mother). After all, deception is a shinobi's greatest tool.

The rest of the clones, quite few in number gathered around her to prepare her confrontation with the Uchiha clan. As evening set in, she set out for the Uchiha compound. As she met up with Fugaku who noticed her nerves, she waited for the clan memers to file in and settle down. He asked Naruto/Mina, "Nervous?" "Yes" she admitted.

"You manage to convince me, what's the problem?"

"You are a kind man, Fugaku-sama, I can't assume the same with the others, especially the clan elders." Fugaku was an Uchiha, and an Uchiha doesn't burst into laughter. So, he gave a wide smirk. He did something which he hadn't done for a long time since Itachi's first training- he reassured her, "You'll do good. After all, you convinced the clan leader himself." Naruto wanted to smirk but opted for a worried expression, "Are you sure you are not an imposter, Fugaku-sama?" she asked. "Oh I am. Now hush up." He returned to his stoic self.

Mina kept the same proposition before the rest of the clan as she did with Fugaku. As expected, there were a few outbursts, but she pacified them with the help of Fugaku. She wondered if she had to reveal the last proposition.

Meanwhile, Mina, who was glancing at the crowd, spotted Itachi. He caught her staring at him, but thought it was his imagination, when she glanced up at the elders behind him. The clan elders looked at one another and nodded. They, and in turn the rest of the clan agreed to her conditions with strict promise of fulfilment and supervision from her. All this drama till midnight... Phew! it's over now...

The clan members filed away, but Naruto didn't miss the barely visible smile Itachi had for himself, a relieved expression before it became stoic again. Shisui was openly smiling, but that's how he was, un-Uchiha like outside the missions.

"Fugaku-sama, I'll be taking your leave now. If you want to contact me, please inform Hokage-sama."

"Thank you, Mina. I believe you've done us all a great favour.

"I'm honoured, Fugaku-sama. Truth be told, I wanted to repay a clan member who had once saved me from a great threat. I still believe that I'm indebted to him."

"Who is this person and what was the potential threat?"

"Well, I'd rather not disclose the information yet, as the threat still looms. It is an S-rank secret I'm sure even he does not know. I can tell you that, till a while ago, he was torn between his duties to the clan and to the village. To him, the village is as much of a family as his clan is. He can't bring himself to harm either of them." Fugaku could tell she had the same feelings in his eyes.

"Speaking of this person, there are a couple of members in your clan that, I know, can be potential candidates for Hokage when they are of the right age and with the right push. I know two, there might be others in the clan too. I had heard of Uchiha Kagami, who was highly praised by the Nidaime himself, who thinks Kagami-san was a great shinobi with the potential to be the Hokage, but Kagami-san hadn't shown interest in them, not to mention the unpredictable circumstance in which Sandaime-sama was chosen. Anyway, by potential of Hokage, I mean not only physical strength and power, but also mental and spiritual strength of the candidate, the capability of handling problems and love towards one's village, something Shodai-sama calls the Will of Fire.

Anyway, I'll be leaving now, Fugaku-sama." She bowed and Shunshined away.

Unknown (or known) to her, a certain Uchiha with a low ponytail was hearing this conversation. But, hey! It's not like any secret information was being discussed, right? That's what he thought. He stored away the conversation in the back of his mind for future reference and went back to his house.