Crossroads (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Stark Difference

Itachi's presence was now an odd thing to see at the morning breakfast table. He left for the academy before I was awake and wouldn't come home for the rest of the day. When he did, his time was hogged by the vast amount of homework he did to advance more quickly throughout the school year. I wondered if he noticed the growing distance between us. I wasn't capable of making it known. Even if I was, I wouldn't have said anything in respect to how much he worked hard... Hard work he was doing for me.

"Change the destiny of this world."

The distorted voice of whatever had confronted me in my mindscape filtered into my thoughts and I stared at Itachi's small frame. Child as he was, he never gave me the notion that he should be protected, even with my knowledge that he needed protection more than anything - from the expectations and the perverted gaze of those who sought to manipulate the genius that was him.

"And this destiny you live in means the success of the evil,"

Father barged in through the front door roughly. It startled the three of us getting ready for breakfast and I turned to try and gouge what had happened. Father's Sharingan bore into me like the point of a knife. The three comas turned scrupulously against the red backdrop. My hands trembled as he approached me, only to be stopped by Mother as she stepped in front of him.

"Deactivate your eyes, dear." She said gently, yet firm. Her hands were tense at her side, ready to be physical if he were to not pay heed to her words.

"Move aside." Father's tone made me tremble in terse fear. He was angry.

Mother took a step closer to him. "What happened?" She asked.

"Your questions could wait."

I turned to Itachi who seemed just as confused of what could have made Father so angry. He took ahold of my hand and held it to reassure me, but having seen the red of my Father's eyes and his seething voice, my heart wouldn't stop its frantic beating. It reminded me of what Father could do when it truly mattered.

Mother took in a deep breath and from the minute twitch of Father's shoulder, I was aware Mother had activated her own Sharingan. Father lowered his gaze and deactivated his eyes, reluctant to start a confrontation with her. He took Mother's moment of relief to step past her and grabbed my arm, dragging me off the chair to my feet. The way he gripped me made me expect to feel pain, but it didn't hurt, only the hard pressure to show that I wasn't allowed to resist.

My mind spun when we were suddenly outside, bright and blinding enough to make me shrink into myself as nausea made me gag, but I only had enough time to realize that we stood before the Hokage's tower. The Hokage's tower was as tall as a five-story building, and my father dragged me up the dozens of steps to reach the top. I was out of breath by the time we made it and I wanted to stop father to take a break, but his grip wouldn't loosen. He refused to turn to face me and see that I was almost at my limits. My eyes teared at the thought of not knowing about what I could have done to make him so mad.

I wished I was back in my mindscape, where I had been able to speak so freely and ask It for advice.

Father knocked once and opened it before we got permission to enter. He let me go when he stood to bow towards the Hokage who sat regally in his chair behind his desk. I couldn't see myself to the same formalities as I was left tumbling to my knees to catch my breath. I felt a hand rest on my back and the familiar calming of medical chakra wafted into my nerved and gave my lungs their much-needed relief.

"Fugaku, there was no need to punish your child." I heard the Hokage say. Father didn't respond and straightened his back as he waited for the older man to begin... What was to begin?