Forgotten Uchiha

十二

R E I N S T A T E D   S H I N O B I

            When I opened my eyes, morning light seeped through the door.  I sat upright and the Hannya mask fell from my face as I snorted. I wiped my jaw with the palm of my hand and stood.

      I slid the door of my room open to see Kuma pacing in front of it with his Fu Dog mask halfway across his face. He looked startled by my intrusion on his thoughts. Kuma cleared his throat and messed up his dark brown curls, his blue eyes avoiding mine.

      "Uh," he mumbled. "Lady Hokage wants to see you in her office, it's concerning your status in the Bingo Book."

      "Let me guess," I folded my arms over the night shirt to obscure my breasts. "She wants to send me out of the village or go underground while her little ANBU clean up Madara's mess."

      "No," Kuma's eyes flicked up to meet mine. "She wants you to swear into her service as a Shinobi. Lady Hokage wants to make you a ninja of Konohagakure, hence why she sent Naruto over yesterday with the hitai-ate. There's a condition though."

      "And what would that be?" I pouted.

      "You must obey orders and answer to a codename to avoid suspicion by rival Nin," Kuma also folded his arms and tapped at the Fu Dog mask.

      "Fine," I clipped. "Call me Uzu, and I'll call you Kohaku."

      "Uzu?" Kuma frowned.

      "Blame Naruto," I rolled my eyes.

       In the streets, women eyed me cautiously. My proximity to Kuma seemed to upset his admirers. I adjusted my pace and walked behind him. He was approached several times and kept a flower tucked behind his ear.       

      He caught me glaring at one point and chuckled, "What?"

      "What do you do in your spare time, run a brothel?" I put my hands in my pockets when his face steamed.

      "TAKE THAT BACK!" he whined like a child.

      "If you need me to leave tonight so you can get your happy ending, I'm more than happy to oblige," I waved him off, skipping ahead. 

      Once inside the Hokage Tower, Shizune guided us into Tsunade's office. Tsunade stood behind her desk which had been mended with roles of thick black tape; her vision fixated out the open windows, well―I should say the frame since the panel which I kicked out hadn't yet been replaced. 

     Tsunade's voice drifted along in the breeze, "You were my Grandfather's ally, he put the future of Konohagakure in your hands―I want you to help my village's Shinobi, I want you to become one again."

      "Hashirama has nothing to do with this," it startled her that I didn't even give a moment to digest her offer. "You want me as a weapon, for my Susanoo and Shinigami."

      Tsunade let out a long breath and looked over her shoulder, "Think what you will of me as Hokage, but it's your Will of Fire that draws me to you."

      Liar. 

      "Regarding your status in the Bingo Book, thankfully not much is published about you, but whoever is the leak consequently becomes an enemy," Tsunade explained. "An ANBU operative came back from Amegakure after you both finished your mission to say the masked man knew exactly who you were and was the snake in our grass."

      Obito.

      I didn't catch on to the rest of what she was saying because the throbbing in my head started. I felt my eyes widen as I was pulled into Madara's mind, both Tsunade and Kuma noticed this because they advanced towards me as I collapsed.