Little Sister AU

ix

Summary: In which Danzo unknowingly bites off more than he can chew. (If he knew, he would have thrown the hot potato that was Shikari as far as he could get her.)

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9.

Nara Shikari was an odd child.

Maybe it wasn't that surprising because geniuses that hold the village's fort always did have their own idiosyncrasies. It was encouraged - indulged even since their prodigiousness excused them enough from the backlash of being fundamentally different from the rest of the rabble and-

Based on his subordinates' observations-

The Nara child was prodigious enough to merit this kind of treatment - coddled as she was by the clan who apparently bend over backwards to satisfy her whims.

It wasn't as if Danzo didn't hear about her before.

He knew Konoha like the back of his hand and he naturally heard rumors about her supposed genius.

He would have chalked it out to the Naras finding the toddler special because her mother was the only one who was spared it seems, from the sterility that besieged the Nara clan's women after the Kyuubi rampaged years before.

After all, it was hard for the Nara clan to not exaggerate and look upon the child with hope since it meant that if Nara Shikari lived if the clan head's own wife managed to birth another child, it'll mean they'll have a chance.

That was what he concluded at first if not for the reports made by his spies that noticed the young child skulking around the village.

She hid it well, surprisingly, with only a few of his jounin-level agents taking note of her actions. The fact that she flew under the radar well enough to deceive people chuunin and below - people trained by him personally - at such a young age was astounding.

That wasn't even mentioning what was discovered recently by the one she was tailing earlier this morning.

The agent she was following was particularly chakra-sensitive so his subordinate noticed how the child was consciously using her unusually developed chakra coils to hide her presence.

The technique was unconventional, the subordinate shared. It was probably pioneered by the child herself - her body instinctively following her demands and would have granted her a few more days free from his scrutiny if not for her tailing that particular ANBU by chance.

That sheer amount of talent-

It could rival Hatake Kakashi's genius or even-

Uchiha Itachi's and Uchiha Shisui's own.

And she didn't have the baggage those other geniuses have.

Having her as his apprentice would be a boon.

Nurturing a Nara child under his care, especially with her being particularly malleable at this age, would be an advantage too tempting for him to pass up.

(Danzo didn't mind the fact that she was digging around the village for information.)

(Probably curious about the massacre, he gathered.)

(He was sure he could squash the stubbornness out of her and make her focus her attention on things that matter. Not to mention the fact that she wouldn't know anything he didn't allow her to know anyway.)

Her natural talent in intelligence gathering and creating techniques - let alone how having her in his care would finally break the Nara clan's steadfastly neutral claim was enough reason for him to personally go to Nara Shikaku instead of going to Hiruzen to make the request.

(Danzo was sure he could get through Hiruzen if he wished.)

(After all, he had his old teammate by the neck after the Uchiha massacre.)

(But he wasn't taking a no this time, you see. So he'll come himself to show his sincerity to the Nara clan head.)

"You should consider my proposal, Shikaku," Danzo said gravely. "Your child has talent and personally helping her hone her genius would be advantageous to the village. I'm willing to acknowledge her as my apprentice." He paused, sipping the tea Yoshino prepared earlier when he came in. "She wouldn't be wronged."

The Nara clan head pursed his lips. "She's too young."

"Not as young as the Hatake boy when he was first trained."

Shikaku stayed silent, his face unreadable.

For a minute, the sound of cups as they were moved by the room's occupants were heard as silence pervaded the room.

"What do you think about treason against the village?" Danzo started, studying the other man carefully.

Shikaku raised his brows in surprise. "Maa, what brought this on Danzo-sama?"

"Indulge me," Danzo replied, hiding a smile behind his cup.

"Treason against the village is punishable by death."

"If a whole clan commits treason?" Danzo asked.

"A whole clan couldn't commit treason."

"Of course," Danzo agreed. "But a clan can be branded as traitors based on the decisions of the one who leads them."

Shikaku hummed, taking a piece of the cake on the table.

"If perchance another clan tries to help out the innocent people of a clan branded as traitors," Danzo continued. "Will that also brand the other clan as traitors themselves?"

"Oh," Shikaku didn't pause as he took another piece. "Maybe." He chewed. "In certain circumstances, they could be."

Danzo put down his cup. "In certain circumstances," He echoed. "Of course. However, in my perspective, I believe it will depend on how public opinion was handled."

"Oh?" Shikaku asked, curious.

"Public opinion. What a finicky, spiteful thing," He said mildly. "Even you must have heard how the public spoke about Uchihas before they were gone."

Shikaku poured his own cup more tea in response.

"They were fondly remembered now of course, but one would wonder how it took for them to perish before they could all be washed clean."

"How ominous, Danzo-sama." Shikaku rebuked mildly. "I ask again. What brought this on?"

"Nothing," Danzo waved a hand. "Just musings of an old man. As I've said, indulge me, Shikaku."

Shikaku laughed tonelessly. "Of course, of course."

"You would do well to consider my offer." Danzo articulated. Draining his cup empty, he stood up. "I'll be heading back."

Shikaku nodded, gaze inscrutable. "Very well. I'll send you."

Danzo stood up and let Shikaku lead the way, taking note of the precocious child they passed, who stared at him straight in the eye before she went inside and greeted her father.

He smiled.

After a moment-

Nara Shikari tilted her head and smiled back - dimples deepening as her cheeks puffed up innocently.

Really.

What a precocious little brat.

Danzo's smile became wider, amused.