Songs For The Heartbroken: That's What You Get

Chapter 16

"So this is what you meant back at the hospital," I said, not looking at my friend. "Did Nii-san know about it?"

Itachi nodded silently and continued to stare at the elder giving out the monthly report at the front of the chamber.

Out of all the things Fugaku could have had me do as punishment, joining the black opps had never crossed my mind. There were so many other shinobi who showed much more talent and promise than myself, and even so, the request had been officially made for me to join. There must have been a reason behind it and a person sane enough to make that request. The question was: what had they seen in me, and who had the authority to ask such thing and get it granted considering the circumstances? Who had such authority?

"- as for the growing hostilities towards the clan, I do believe it is time to remind the council, and the Hokage himself who exactly it is they are disrespecting."

My ears perked up at this, and I instantly looked up to the elder who had just finished her report and was now kneeling back down and bowing respectfully to our head. I was sure I hadn't heard wrong, had there been hostilities against the Uchiha that I wasn't aware of? I mean yes, I had been a proverbial victim to the scrutiny the Uchiha were put under where expectations were concerned, but I had never noticed anything wrong politically. But if what the elder said held any truth to it, how had Konoha's council allowed that? Or rather why had they allowed it?

I didn't have much time to contemplate the matter, as the meeting was adjourned soon after that. But the fact that Fugaku hadn't addressed the elder's comment had me even more worried that the comment itself. People left the premises of the shrine in little groups of three and four people, and not one of them seemed disturbed by our current situation. Did they not realize what this could mean should the situation escalate? They all seemed so cheerfully oblivious of the fact of what the consequences could be, all except Fugaku. But I couldn't really tell if his somber expression was any different from the one he wore every day. Now that man was (and still is) a big mystery to me. Was he proud? Sickeningly so. Was he stoic? Like no other you'd ever meet. But he never acted without the wellbeing of the clan weighting on his mind, and as any good shinobi, always planned ahead for any possible scenario. But if he was ever forced to choose between his pride and his responsibility, I wasn't sure what his choice would be. He was an Uchiha after all.

"ready to go home, Akane-chan?" said Shisui behind me as he put a hand on my shoulder. "We can get some Tempura on our way back."

I turned to face him with a smile I hoped wasn't too strained.

Whichever Fugaku chose, he'd better choose well. My brother's and my best friend's life depended on it.

"Sounds good to me, Nii-san."

....

ANBU Head Quarters were not something I had imagined often, but should someone ask me to do so, what little of it I could see now would never have been my first guess. Yes, the place was built underground and yes the concrete walls, floor and ceiling and fluorescent lights gave it a very cold feeling; but by no means was the place unkempt. There was no humidity in the air and the scent of mold and decay was nowhere to be found, in fact there was a noticeable lack of it all. The place wasn't warm, but neither was it cold, and although it felt quite unlived in and was incredibly empty, it only reflected what exemplary shinobi had walked its hallways before me.

All of this I noticed as I followed my new mentor through the building and into the female locker room, carrying what would be my new gear and mask. The concept behind the mask, I found rather interesting. Aside from concealing one's identity, the mask was a physical representation of our devotion and loyalty to the hat. A person might have had a name, family, friends, past and future, a reason, personal or otherwise to defy orders. But not a mask.