The Heirs

Big of, cause I totally thought I'd be able to update more over break. Shit did not pan out like that, lmao. I won't go on hiatus, but… expect some slow updates until May. Real sorry about this homies, but I'll do my best. Anyway, thx so much for your for reading and let me know your thoughts in the comments. Also, what do we want to do about Orochimaru? Should we kill or reform? Im torn, so let me know, Kay?

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"Kashi!" I bounce over to my friend, arms wide for a hug.

"Riri! You look pretty!" I beam at my friend. Baby Kakashi was a rather open person. He easily let me cling to him, just as happy in my presence as I was in his. It made me sad to think how closed off he would have become when he was older, and I was relieved to have diverted that future for him, at least partially, by saving his dad.

"Thank you. You, too!" He was dressed in the greys and whites of the Hatake clan. The fabric felt soft as hell against my cheek. I chose to ignore my mother and Sakumo cooing at us. "Ready for the mission?"

He nods seriously and I nod back before attaching myself to Sakumo's legs for a hug. He barks his usual booming laugh before crouching down so I can squeeze him properly. The Uchiha weren't an overly affectionate bunch. Mama and Papa indulged me, but it was very clearly not something they were used to. But the Hatake? They, like the Inuzuka, tended to share similarities with their canine companions. That means they gave amazing cuddles. I jump on every opportunity to take advantage of this. I also strongly suspect that they're pack creatures, from what I've overheard and observed, and that they need people to consider "pack" for their health and well being. I think, considering the Hatake are only 2 strong at the moment, that this could have contributed to both Kakashi and Sakumo's issues with mental health. Sakumo always seems a little more relaxed and happy after a good hug, and mini Kakashi was actually borderline clingy. As a cuddly soul myself, I encouraged it wholeheartedly. The Hatake deserved all the love I could give them and more.

Sakumo boops my nose playfully before standing and engage in my father as we walk through the streets to the Yamasaka Compound. The Uchiha and Hateke Clans are actually located relatively close to one another in the village outskirts so we were walking to the party, (cough, cough, political battlefield, cough, cough), together. I'm sure it had nothing to do with our new clan alliance, I think sarcastically.

I drop back to Kakashi and he takes my hand, carefully leading me around any obstacles he thinks might hinder me. The genius had asked me plenty about my eyes and what things I needed help with, and, since questions like that never bothered me, I explained as best I could. Few people with disabilities ever mind talking about it so long as the asker is respectful. In fact, it's a good way to figure out what help is needed without becoming overbearing or awkward. Kakashi had taken all I'd said and quickly integrated into our dynamic, and most days found us holding hands or at least in arms length of each other. I appreciated it because while I could use sensing and be fine on my own, having Kakashi guide me let me split my focus. It was admittedly easier on my brain considering I wasn't used to sensing so much at once, nor am I yet comfortable with ow busy the streets of Konoha are when compared to the Uchiha Compound, which I've basically been restrained to my whole life.

I had spent a lot of the last week preparing for this based on the visions I'd seen. The interesting thing about the sharingan was that it could show you years worth of things in the span of seconds, or even less, and you wouldn't forget anything. This was good and bad. On the one hand, it means that only triggering it once would let me gain an incredible amount of information to work with. On the other hand, too much information, too many possible futures, made it difficult for me to decide a course of action. Essentially, I end up far less decisive than I'm happy with. It also throws me off gaurd when something unexpected happens. Even me doing something half a second early can lead to a completely unexpected future.

Thankfully, I had the next few weeks more or less sorted, but this party was far more important than anyone really realized, at least for my clan. It's why I had enlisted Kakashi's help. I haven't told him everything that would happen, but there are a few signals we worked out that he would respond to with a specific action. My new partner would be crucial to everything going as I needed it to, and I couldn't be more grateful. The five-year-old had officially become one of my precious people, and I have decided I was going to do my best to give him a better life than the futures I had seen for him. He deserved it.

I feel a hand squeeze mine. "Don't be nervous," my friend murmurs. "I'm here with you." I hadn't realized I had been nervous, but the way my shoulders drooped was proof of it. I smile, squeezing his hand back.

It was good to have a friend to rely on again.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Yamanaka Compound smells fucking great. It felt pretty great, too. All the flowers meant that the nature chakra was riding high in this place, and I had to work to keep from bouncing giddily. Even with all the new chakra signatures making my head throb and my incoming mission, I felt good.

I am so damn distracted trying to soak the atmosphere up that I don't even noticewe've arrived until Kashi stops. Two man appear in a shushin, making me twitch at the sudden flare of chakra. "Welcome to my home, Hatake-sama, Uchiha-sama. It's been a while since we've gathered outside of council meetings. While you are well acquainted with Inoichi, I believe this is the first time your heirs are being presented among the clans. How wonderful!"

The man, the Yamanaka Clan Head, Inosuke's, demeanor is cheerful and amicable, and while those are genuine emotions echoed in his aura, but I could feel the sharp penetrating feeling of his attention, intrigue loud and clear, like water soaking cloth as he tries to penetrate our minds without actually using the jutsu to do it. His heir, Inoichi, is much the same, if a bit less calculating and worse at hiding his interest. I hold back a wince, not having considered how fucking dangerous this clan is, especially to me. Ah, damn, time to pit lifetimes of excellent lying against literal mind readers. This will be a troublesome minefield to navigate.

"Hn," My father states, beckoning me over as Sakumo does the same with Kakashi, who refuses to drop my hand. Inosuke and Inoichi immediately analyze that, and it kind of makes me want to throw a kunai. I love picking people apart, but I absolutely loathe when that trick is turned back on me. Sue me, I'm a hypocrite, but I give no fucks. "This is my heir, Akari."

"And this is mine, Kakashi," Sakumo adds cheerfully, setting a hand on each of our heads. It startles the Yamanaka, I can tell. It's not common for clan heads to be so friendly with other clan's heirs, especially the isolationist Uchiha, and the simple act spoke volumes of the alliance now between our two clans. The head pet seemed like such a small thing, but in reality, it signifies a giant political change in the village. My lip twitches as I try not to laugh. Fucking politics. Sakumo is better at playing this game than I expected.

"If you would like, Uchiha-sama, I could take them to meet the other heirs," Inoichi offers, and I watch the sharp shift of atmosphere. Kakashi and I were young, compared to the others. It was unusual for us to even be here, and in other circumstances, we wouldn't be. But this was a show of strength that required our presence. Inoichi had offered to smooth the way for us as a way to show a bit of support to the future fourth Hokage, Sakumo.

Sakumo-Ojii and Father share a silent look, before turning back to the Yamanaka. Father spoke, accompanied by Sakumo's fangiest grin. "Hn, we'll leave them to you, Inoichi-sama." Which really means, "you better be fucking careful with them, it's your head on the line."

I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing at the abrupt alarm and bewilderment spiking from the mind walking clan. Father had essentially placed Inoichi as our guardian for the event. It was a surprisingly good opportunity for the Yamanaka, a sign of trust and respect, albeit slight, but it is also a warning. If anything happened to us, Inoichi could be held accountable. Even though the Yamanaka had set themselves up for it, they were clearly not expecting the Uchiha or Hatake to actually go for it, both clans known for their isolationist ways and protectiveness of their children. Their reactions, and those of the hidden ninjas easdropping from everywhere, was pretty fucking funny tot me. Fucking politics, I think one again, highly entertained.

"A-ah, yes, Uchiha- sama," Inoichi sputters out, his game face not quite as solid as his father's yet. A hand settles on my head, and I turn to smirk up at my Father, nodding once to tell him I'm fine, before Kakashi tugs me along, leading us to trail after the future head of the Yamanaka. I carefully tune my ears to the whispers that follow us even as Inoichi leads us to a food table. Kakashi, actually being tall enough to reach over the edge of the table, made us a plate to share, occasionally asking me if I wanted something. I took the opurtunity ti analyze as much of the full room as possible.

"The heirs…"

"…sharing food…?"

"…Uchiha and Hatake here?"

"…covering her eyes…blind?"

I bump Kakashi with my shoulder gently, stopping the quiet growl that had started to build in his throat. Poor Kakashi was probally hearing more than I was, with how sharp his hearing is, and was very displeased. "Mah, you'd think shinobi would be more subtle than this, but maybe their jsut bad ninja. We're young, not deaf." The room abruptly goes pin drop silent, dumbfounded by the sharp and articulate venom of a child not even five years old yet. Kakashi shoots a particularly nasty look at some clan elders in a corner of the packed room, much to my inner amusement.

I turn to Inoichi, who is also carefully not laughing and say, "Hn."

"Oh, your done? This way, then," he replies respectfully. Hmm, as expected of a clan deeply versed in psychology and reading people. Excellent Uchiha speak.

I walk next to my best friend, head held high and shoulder to shoulder, forcing people out of my way, not because I don't know they're there, but because I refuse to move for them. Kakashi mimics me instantly, leaking something damn close to killing intent that has people full blown making a path for us.

"Love you, Kashi," I mutter, snickering as an older teen does a double take, actually tripping, and earning a gentle head pat in return. Inoichi's spikes of shock and curiosity were tinged slightly with… something that gave me the impresssion he thought we were cute. That was fine with me. In the grand scheme of things, I was only here for two things: to make friends and allies, and show off the strength of the Uchiha and Hatake clans, mainly the heirs. We were off to a fantastic start in my opinion.

Father, Mother, and Sakumo were gathered in a room farther into the compound, in an isolated area away from the main party, where there are several strong individuals that were probably the other clan heads. Old man Hokage appeared abruptly with an old lady, (His old lady?), and were escorted to the same room. It appears that they set up a private area for the clan heads, which means….

My hunch is proven right when the Yamanaka heir guides us into a similarity secluded room filled with decently strong, but young, chakra signatures, all with varying flavors of what I'm starting to realize is the different clans. The conversation trails off awkwardly into silence before a voice speaks up.

"Inoichi, just because they're cute doesn't mean you can just snatch up random children-"

"Asuka, you crazy bastard, don't say misleading things like that. I'm not trying to get killed by the Hatake and Uchiha clan heads because of your idiocy," Inoichi snaps, all traces of the earlier poise and dignity momentarily vanishing in his irritation. Guess he's just a teen after all. The energy abruptly shifts in the room, laser focus falling upon us as the shinobi realize who we are. "Ahem, anyway, this is Kakashi-sama and Akari-sama, the Hatake and Uchiha heirs who are joining us this evening."

Kakashi and I, in perfect sync, raise our left hands in a two fingered salute and deadpan. "Yo." The resulting bewildered silence is delicious.

"Are you sure they aren't twins?" A confused voice pipes up from the corner. Something like warm soup and roasting meat on a quiet night. Akimichi, adaptable, gentle, slightly introverted. "Akari-Chan has the whole silver streak thing going on."

Inoichi twitches, but it's the figure slumped against a wall in the corner that speaks up. "Careful, last time someone questioned that kid's parentage, Fugaku-sama sent them to the ICU. Rightfully so, if you ask me. I'm surprised Mikoto-sempai and him didn't just start torching shit earlier when those rumors first started." Shadows that flicker and weave. Lazy days in the shade of tall trees. Ah, the Nara, clever, curious, bored. How the hell can you be bored and intrigued at the same time?

Several people cringe at the idea of Uchiha wrath, much to my pride, as I scan the room, cataloging the auras around me. One that felt almost like a Hatake with its fur and claws was the female Inuzuka. The one that felt like thousands of chakra signatures condensed and buzzing on a bigger one had to be the Aburame heir. There was a pair of twins in the corner with smooth, flowing chakra, like a constant stream that seemed to concentrate in their eyes and hands. One of the twins had a seal on their forehead that made my skin crawl and I pegged them as the Hyuuga twin heirs. Lastly, one that felt only like hard, cold ground. It was the only negative one in the room, and I took note of the leaking malice, making sure to keep my senses on it. There were a few others, but they were weaker, and frankly, less interesting, so I turn to the familiar aura of "Asuka," the first to speak and felt like the oldest of the heirs, tilting my head when I place what his smokey bonfire with hot, cutting wind reminds me of.

"Asuka-sama? Kage-jiji?" The man, around fathers age, sputters a laughs.

"Yeah, that's right, kid. Sandaime is my old man. Please tell me you call him that to his face?" I shoot him a grin. "Cheeky brat. You know, your father is a good friend of mine since we were the only heirs of the same age. I even saw you after you were born, but I've been on too many missions recently, so I haven't seen him in a while. He's here I take it? With those grumpy old fossils?" I giggle, waving behind me in said congregation of grumpy clan heads.

"Shouldn't you be there, too, you slacker?" The Inuzuka says from where she's draped across some cushions, unbothered and snacking away, a fanged grin on full display. "Still making poor Sandaime act as Sarutobi Clan Head?"

"Eh, come on, Tsume-Chan. I'd take over, but he won't let me. You know how old people are with power." That felt oddly pointed, tension in the room rising for a second. The younger man next to Asuka, the only one showing malice, doesn't physically react, but I felt the spike of disgust and irritation in his aura. Odd. Who the hell is that and why is he offended?

Shikaku Nara sighs, but remains silent. I turn my head like I'm glancing around even though my eyes are covered, and make my first important decision of the night. Nonchalantly, I make my way over to Shikaku and plop myself down next to him where he's idly moving wooden pieces across a board. "Shogi?"

He stiffens for the barest second, and it would have been damn near imperceptible to anyone that couldn't feel chakra, feel every twitch and breath through the air, every shift of muscle underneath skin like I could. "Yeah, kid. You wanna play?" I tilt my head consideringly, but at the excitement from my friend I shake my head, and gesture at Kakashi.

"Hmm, you want to play then?" Shikaku asks and Kakashi nods, doing his best to act disinterested and failing miserably. I take the plate from Kakashi, and watch the game, but I'm actually more focused on everything else happening in the room. Inoichi destroying Tsume Inuzuka and Choza Akimichi in poker, but getting blind sided by Shibi Aburame. The Hyuga twins were conversing blandly with the daughter of Koharu Utatane, a Konoha elder. The girl, Hina, seemed rather solemn, but not unkind. Most interesting were the thinly veiled barbs shot between Asuka Sarutobi and, to my shock, Danuja Shimura, because of course that's what Danzo would name his pretentious spawn. So the sons of those old friends actually loathe each other. Wonder how that happened…

I feed Kakashi some eggplant off our plate before tossing back some delicious barbecue chicken. If the Akimichi Clan is going to cater for every party, I'm going to damn well be there, because this shit is yum. Kakashi, for his part, was gleefully exercising his little genius brain, doing his best to counter a half assed plan from Shikaku, who was nonetheless impressed by the nearly five year old. Kakashi had made an effort to verbally speak the moves aloud so that I could follow along, much to my fondness, and Shikaku almost immediately started to do the same, reassuring me of my decision to reach out to the Nara first.

Shikaku was clever, but also oddly kind despite his flat demeanor. He wasn't so much indulging the two miniature humans in his space as taking a moment to teach us. He had stopped a few of Kakashi's moves and gently directed him to rethink them, and even freely answered questions before praising Kakashi on his cleverness, albeit in a roundabout offhand way. I decided I liked him and his shady aura, promptly crawling into his lap in order to initiate the next part of my plan.

" What the –since when are you good with kids?" Inoichi pipes up, speaking for the rest of the room.

"I'm not," Shikaku replies, just as bewildered by my actions as the rest. It might seem like nothing too important for a child to climb into someone's lap, but I was an Uchiha, and we weren't known for being touchy-feely, not even the children and their parents, let alone a stranger from a different clan. "You cold or something, Kid"

I shake my head, waving my hand vaguely on either side of my body. "Hn." Man, I love speaking Uchiha. I don't have to put effort into actual words and no one can say shit.

"Ah, she likes your chakra signature. She thinks you're a good person," Kakashi translates easily. He was the only one who is in on my plan and had perfectly adapted to the role of co-conspirator. I found myself constantly grateful for the opportunity to be his friend.

"Wait, hold up. His chakra? Are you saying she's a sensor? One that can judge personality?"

"No, emotions mostly. But she uses that to figure out what kind of a person you are," Kakashi slides another piece across the board, not looking up from his game, and I can feel the rapid turn of gears as Shikaku starts trying to process all the implications of that.

It might seem fucking stupid to reveal my abilities in a room full of gossipy ninja, especially clan heirs, and one with malicious intent towards me. But the truth was I had very heavily thought about the issue. The fact that I am blind is going to come out at some point. That is, unfortunately, something that people are either going to try to take advantage of or use against my clan, as weak clan heirs could not be abided by in the shinobi world. The best way to remove that weakness is by proving it won't actually be detrimental to my skill as a ninja. There's also the fact that this will help to discourage our enemies from trying to use me as a weakness and give me the hold I need to start reforming my clan from the inside, because as much as I loved my family, some serious shit needed to change with the overall clan.

The biggest con to this plan was that it insured Danzo's attention on me. However, it also put me at the front and center of every gossip circle in Konoha. People were going to talk, constantly, so I was going to make it damn hard for him to vanish me into the shadows. Additionally, Danzo has never dared to take heirs into ROOT for a reason. It would draw way too much attention from the respective clans, especially if their heir came back acting like a doll or was suddenly declared dead. He'd have a lot of explaining to do. It's why he couldn't just ROOT-anize Itachi directly, and instead, had to manipulate everything to get Itatchi and Shisui to do what he wanted. Coupled with how close I am with the future Hokage, and even the Sandaime having some affection for me, I was turning myself, and hopefully Kakashi, into untouchable targets. My magic eight balls had confirmed I'd be better off like this then trying to hide my ability and ultimately failing, anyway. I'd spent days pouring chakra into my Mangekyō just for that purpose, and Kakashi had taken our preplanned signal to spill the news perfectly.

"Damn, that's…" Tsume trails off, an aura of incredulous awe coming from several heirs, but it didn't hide the disdain and envy from Danuja Shimura, and it was pretty obvious he took after his sadistic asshole clan head. "I didn't know that was possible.'

"It's usually not, but there have been a few exceptions like the Nidaime, Tobirama-sama and the clansmen of Shodaime's wife, Mito Uzumaki-sama. Apparently the Uzumaki were known for their sensing abilities," Inoichi explains, coming over to sit next to Shikaku and I, fascinated. "Yamanaka are predisposed to be strong sensors as well, myself included, but outside of spikes in chakra and killing intent, I can't usually pick up much from a chakra signature."

I shrug, "Inoichi-sama has very pretty hair." It's true, too. I could feel it swinging around him every time he moves in a long sleeve curtai. It made me miss my traditional long hair and ache for it to grow quickly. Shikaku straightened around me, the first to pick up the implications of that as well.

"Oh! Why thank you, I- now wait a damn minute. You…no way…" The room goes quiet again as the rest realize I haven't once taken off the opaque, thick silk tied around my eyes and that I couldn't have possibly seen anything that's been going on but have been easily following along, further showing off my sensing abilities. It was one thing to be able to recognize chalra signatures, and another thing entirely to be able to perfectly navigate a room without eyesight at all. I gear up, twitching my fingers as I prepare myself for what's coming next.

"Tch, why are you all so impressed? She's blind. Even with sensing abilities, she's a useless cripple, both as a ninja and an heir. She probably won't even be good for adding to the clan's numbers, lest her weak genes get passed along,"Danuja, the slimy bastard, plays perfectly into my hands, and inside I cackle at the opportunity he just laid at my feet. The disgusting roach had actually just pissed of everyone. What kind of a demented bastard thinks, let alone talks, like that about a toddler?

"You go too far. Why? She is still a member of one of the founding clans and a child. Mind yourself." It's the first time that the mass of tiny chakra signatures buzzing in the corner has spoken up, and I appreciate the anger on Shibi Aburame's part. Kakashi, meanwhile, has let out a vocal snarl, and summoned his Ninken, a pug named Pakkun, to the incredulity of the room, at my second signal, sending it off to complete the task. I fight off the grin trying to take over my lips, pleased with the fact that we've been keeping so many people off balance all night, and that the display of power from my young friend will help to secure his safety in the long run. The killing intent that starts to seep from him is definitely a nice touch.

Shikaku sighs again loudly, but the arm he curls around me is a pretty loud statement in itself. I huff, patting it, but climbing to my feet, ready to make my statement loud and clear. Silently, I twist my wrist in a circle and clench it into a fist. Then, letting my chakra spike and fill my body, enhancing it from my blood to my bones to my muscles. In one fluid move, I yank.

Danuja Shimura gets his leg pulled out from under him, sending him ass first into the floor, my chakra string coiled innocently around his sandal. I ignore the alarmed exclamations and Shikaku's hand resting warningly on my shoulder, unsure if it's to tell me to stop or to be careful in case of retaliation. Only Shibi and Inoichi seem to have noticed what I was doing, much to my pride.

It was time for me to establish myself.

"Curb your jealousy and hate, I have no desire to catch your idiocy, Fool," I sneer, chin tilted up in perfect defiant Uchiha posture. Then, reeling in my string to rest around my wrist, I plop back into Shikaku's lap, who, hillariously, hadn't actually bothered to get up in the first place, but I felt the way his shadow had grown thick with chakra and know he had been ready to intervene. It made me feel a bit warm and fuzzy.

The tense atmosphere is promptly broken by Asuka collapsing into raucous laughter, gripping his sides and near howling, a few people joining him, albeit some more subtle than others. "Yup, that's Fugaku's kid alright. Damn, two prodigies in the same age group. That'll be interesting."

Enraged, Danaju clambers up, taking a dangerous step towards me and halts, several people having flared their chakra in warning, all mirth vanishing from the air and leaving the thrill of incoming conflict. Asuka's hand in particular is clamped tightly around the other male's shoulder, and I can feel some of Shibi's insects sneak onto him. Danuja turns on heel, yanking free of the Sarutobi heir's grasp and stomping out, humiliated and leaking weak killing intent that I easily ignore.

"Bastard. Going after a toddler and then getting mad when he gets his ass handed to him. Pathetic," Tsume growls, flopping back down lazily. "Nice job, Brats. Chakra strings and summoning. Not bad at all for a bunch of fetuses."

I laugh openly at that, shooting her a dimpled grin. Alright, phase one is complete. I hadn't actually realized that Daruja was Danzo's kid when I had initially foreseen this and decided to use him as a demonstration, but that honestly worked out better for me. It seems no one really likes him, and most aren't all that fond of his war hawk dad either, from what I've gathered. The more animosity aimed at the Shimura the better. The clans will be more willing to take an opportunity to make problems for them, and will be more likely to side with the Uchiha against them if need be.

I glance up, walking towards the door as I sense the approaching auras. Pakkun returns, a curious but not worried Sakumo on his heels. "Everything all right pups?" I nod, reaching up, and Sakumo scoops me up, letting me rest my head on his shoulder.

"Ah, Daruja was a bit… unwelcoming," Inoichi offers, cringing at the sudden sharp focus of the legendary White Fang now directed at him. "They handled it pretty well, though."

Tsume barked out a laugh. "Oi, Sakumo-ojiisama, what have you been teaching those pups? They more than handled it. It was amazing!" Ojii-sama? I frown, trying to push away the irrational jealousy at someone taking my uncle away. Stupid baby brain. Wait, I know the Hatake are sister clans with the Inuzuka, but is that all, or was Kakashi's mother…hmm, I'll ask later.

"Oh, gods. Do I even want to know?" Sakumo asks, his hand gently rubbing my back even as he sighs, exasperated.

I shrug at the same time as Kakashi pipes up. "Probably not. Plausible deniability and all that." Asuka falls into another fit of booming laughter, the room following him. Even the Hyuuga let out smirks, not quite so stiff as in the future.

It's then when I sense it, the real reason I had Kakashi get his father. I grit my teeth, head whipping around as I start to shake. Dangerous poison, hatred and rage, deep sorrow all swirling like a tsunami. Drowning, drowning, drowningdrowningDROWNI- It wasn't the powerful killing intent that was making me struggle for breath, no, killing intent doesn't really affect as a result of my relationship withI Lord Death. It was the almost incomprehensible amount of concentrated chakra, and the vast tumultuous emotion that came with it, practically screaming at me. I search for something else to focus on, desperately trying not to get swept away, as my brain feels like it's on fire.

"D-danger," I grunt out, and Sakumo doesn't hesitate. In a blur of motion and a temporarily blinding pulse of chakra, I find myself slumped against Kakashi on the ground underneath the chest of a really big ass wolf, Sakumo in front of us. Nearly every ninja has followed his lead, all dropping into defensive stances of varying degrees.

I flinch, placing my hand under my face as my nose starts to bleed, Kakashi's hands tight on my shoulders. The growl resonating in my ears from the horse sized beast above me should terrify me, but the steady chakra and emotions bring me a hint of comfort, as the door slides open.

"Um, hello?"

Kushina Uzunaki and Kurama the Kyuubi no Kistsune have arrived.

And the games begin again, I think blandly, spitting up some blood onto the floor.

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