The Leaf's Princess

18

MICHIKO'S POV
I was on a surveillance mission on Itachi, when all of a sudden, I was knocked unconscious. When I came to, I realized that I was being carried over someone's shoulder and saw the red clouds that the Akatsuki wear on their cloaks.

'Damn, they got me.' I thought.

I began struggling a bit, then the person stopped walking.

"Stop struggling, Michiko." Itachi said.

I couldn't speak since my mouth was covered, plus, I couldn't move since my arms and legs were bound. I tried mumbling, so he took the cloth gag off and looked at me.

"Why'd you capture me?" I asked.

"I need you to help me get Sasuke to fight me."

"W-What?" I asked, full of terror.

"I'm ready to die now and Sasuke is guaranteed to come if he knows that I have you."

"Itachi, no."

"This has to be done. Don't worry, you'll be safe."

Before I could object again, he covered my mouth and continued on his way. As I looked around, I noticed that we were in the Uchiha hideout. After waiting for a while, Sasuke appeared and seemed scared to see me.

"Let her go." Sasuke demanded.

"I needed her."

"For what?"

"To make sure that you came. Even though I know you wanted to fight me, I knew that you'd definitely come to save her."

Before I knew it, they became quiet, then I realized that they were using genjutsu. After a while, I'm assuming that Sasuke broke the jutsu, I so escaped to try to stop the fight from progressing, but Itachi made a few clones to restrain me.

"Let her go! She's not part of this, Itachi!" Sasuke yelled.

"It was usually the three of us. I want her to be here for the end."

I felt my blood turn cold as he said that and even when Itachi told Sasuke that he wanted to rip his eyes out. I watched in horror as the fight went on and after Sasuke's back was against the wall, Itachi's clones disappeared and I ran over to them.

"Stop!" I yelled.

Itachi turned his attention to me and poked my forehead, then I passed out.

***

"What happened?" I groaned.

I sat up and held my aching head as I looked around, then realized that I was in the hospital.

"What happened to you?" Tsunade asked.

"I-I don't know." I realized.

"What do you mean?"

"I was trying to track down Itachi Uchiha, I was close, then... I woke up here..."

"You don't remember what happened after that?"

"No." I sadly admitted.

"You were found among the devastation."

"What devastation?"

"In the Uchiha hideout. You were unconscious."

"Why was I there?"

"Itachi Uchiha is dead. I'm assuming that he took you, then called Sasuke out. I think that sometime during the fight, you were knocked unconscious."

"I don't remember anything."

"That's fine. I'm just glad you weren't hurt." She softly smiled.

"Tsunade... I have to talk to you in private." I said as I looked down.

"What is it?"

"It's confidential."

"Alright."

"Just... Promise not to get mad or do anything."

"I promise."

***

I walked into her office and found two ANBU there.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"This doesn't concern you." One harshly said.

"My name is Michiko Senju. Anything involving this village concerns me." I countered.

"This is ANBU business."

"Then it's my business too." I glared as I rolled up my sleeve to show my ANBU tattoo.

"My apologies, Lady Michiko." The other said.

"They were reporting Itachi Uchiha's death." Tsunade said.

"That reminds me. Any information relating to Sasuke Uchiha is to be reported to me as well and that's an order." I said.

My family has always been seen as "Co-Hokage" since we've handled Hokage business. Now that it's been revealed that we're Senju, we have higher standing than before and take the place of the Hokage for certain things.

"Yes, Lady Michiko." They said.

"You're dismissed." Tsunade said.

After they left, I activated my Sharyakugan to make sure that nobody was around to listen to our conversation and once I knew that we truly were in private, I sat down.

"Are you ready to talk?"

"Yes." I sighed.

"So, what happened?"

"I've been in contact with Sasuke."

"What?" She asked in shock.

"He somehow finds me, so at first, I resented him, but now, we're on good terms and I saw him a while before his fight with Itachi."

I told her about every occasion, about Itachi's visit, then even showed her the pictures and was relieved when she didn't get upset.

"I see." She said.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It makes sense that they'd contact you considering the past and your relationship with them. This is good because it makes Sasuke less of a threat to the Leaf. He'll do anything to protect you and knowing that you're part of the village may make him want to come back."

"I hope so."

"Cheer up, it shows that he still cares about you since he's risking capture to see you."

"I told him that I wouldn't tell anyone, but I just felt like I needed to tell you. I don't know if I can bring him back..." I admitted.

"I'm not asking you to. I'm not even asking you to be a spy. I know how close you two were. Now... I believe the Council has a story to tell you about the Uchiha Massacre."

I immediately headed over to them and demanded the truth and was shocked when they told me that the massacre was an order from the elders. She told me that Itachi was a double agent and was actually entirely loyal to the village and that the Uchiha clan was planning a coup d'etat.

"I-I never knew this..."

"It pained him, but he saw his village as more important than his clan." Homura said.

"He also wanted you and Sasuke to be safe." Koharu added.

"So why did you paint him as a criminal?!" I yelled.

"It was his wish."

"He's dead-"

"He saved this village and choice that life in order for us all to be where we are today."

They explained a bit further and I was sure that Itachi was a hero.