WIND BEFORE FIRE

TAKOBU AND TATARA CHOOSE TO NOT TALK IT OUT. Their tongues are tied and their throats cough on the words they want to say but can never say out loud. This is not pride, Takobu knows as he sees himself in Tatara's childish form, this is simply incapability. Call them the descendants of gods all they want but an Uchiha's weakness will always be their inability to speak. They cannot express their love in words, in poems, or in scriptures and love stories. The Uchiha act and do—sometimes, it is not enough; like how Kagutsuchi wanted to thank Izanami for giving birth to him with the only thing he loved, and that was fire. Izanami had burned to death and his father killed him in response. An Uchiha cannot speak in the days everyone begs them too, and speaks when nobody asks for it.

Which is why Takobu and Tatara throw their fists to one another, blow fire ninjutsu to each other's faces—which is why Takobu beats Tatara to the ground to show her what he wants to happen. I am harsh on you because I do not want you to die, he conveys as he presses the edges of his fingers against Tatara's neck and the concentrated chakra (a control he refined for the decades he never wanted to live in), and when Tatara gives in, she tells him that she understands. She tells him that she is in the wrong.

And when Takobu offers his hand to pick her up, he tells her that he too, understands that he had done something wrong.

They form the seal of reconciliation and they both understand.

Which is why as Tatara arrives to Fugaku's home, an hour late for their meeting, Fugaku does not tell her off. Words spread fast in the compound—the famous granddaughter-grandfather duo had a 'miscommunication' and it was so much of a big argument that Tatara had to leave their home barefeet. Kawabe-san who lives just a few houses from Fugaku's compound said that Yuemi-chan who lives right next to Takobu heard shouting and "it must be so bad for them to have shouted!". While the Uchiha are nothing to the Yamanaka's gossip network, they still have their fair share of nosy clansmen.

Koichi, however, is as unfiltered as ever. "Your grandfather made you eat dirty a while ago?" He asks.

"Shall I demonstrate what he did to me?"

"Tatara still can't take a joke," Koichi comments nervously before he grins at Fugaku, "so what mission are we taking today, sensei?"

Fugaku glances at Tatara's swollen face and bruised arms. "None," he answers and before the only girl in their team can oppose, he continues, "we will be having a much intense training. I presume that you have heard of what's happening in the borders, yes?"

"Yes. I never knew it was that bad." Tekka scowls.

"Koichi, the Kirigakure Report," Fugaku nods to the only blond.

Koichi goes out of character as he is consumed by instinct. His back is straight and Fugaku lets himself be pleased at how Koichi becomes serious for once. "Two days ago, at roughly 22:45, reports of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist inching to the border of the Land of Wind were exchanged with a spy from said Land. The Seven Swordsmen were seen travelling with the Demon of the Mist, Momoichi Zabuza—" Tekka raises his head at the familiar name. "—a Hozuki of at least high-Genin to mid-Chuunin in rank, and an unidentified chuunin. They are rumored to be apprentinces of the current Seven Swordsmen. This report was spread among shinobi from Chuunin to Jounin."

"And how did you get that information?"

"The Yamanaka Clan's gossip network are easily accessible with the right appearance and there are many—" Koichi's nose crunches for a moment. "—illegitimate children of the Yamanaka Clan in the red light district who are willing to share what they learn. Not many shinobi of Konoha are aware of the abundance of said illegitimate children and the untrained shinobi are easily bribed for information. Alcohol and Yamanaka Clan children's affinity in mental manipulations assist keeping the shinobi tight-lipped."

Tekka and Tatara exchange looks at this. "What you reported to me about those illegitimate children is equivalent to you reporting about their criminal activities, Koichi. You are aware of this, yes?" Fugaku confirms.

"Yes, sensei."

"And as the current Chief of the Konoha Military Police Force, you are aware of what I will do with that information, yes?"

"Yes, sensei."

"You are aware that we will find those illegitimate children and interrogate them of everything they have been doing, yes?"

"Yes, sensei." Koichi pauses. "May I also request for the Yamanaka Clan to be partly responsible for this?"

Fugaku raises his eyebrows. "Speak freely, shinobi."

"The illegitimate children of the Yamanaka Clan acted in such ways because of their fear as civilians in the red light district. Their jobs will be severely affected depending on what happens outside of the village. If the Yamanaka Clan only claimed those illegitimate children, they would not have resorted to getting information from the shinobi," Koichi explains.

"And you are saying that under what evidence?"

"Observation and belief, sensei."

Tekka and Tatara both twitch at this. He failed, Tatara signs to her teammate.

He did, Tekka signs back.

"You failed," Fugaku grunts.

Ah, as expected.

Koichi jumps but sighs. "I still have no idea what to say in the last part," he grumbles, "but Fugaku-sensei, please consider—"

Tekka shakes his head. "Koichi, you have talked to this with Fugaku-sensei for the past week," he says, "unless you manage to pass the test then you can't just convince the Police Force to make the Yamanaka Clan take responsibility for that. And besides, you technically don't have proof they're Yamanaka children."

"What?! Everybody knows they're Yamanaka children. Have you seen them?" Koichi shouts.

"Koichi, lower your voice," Tekka scolds, "but appearance is not enough proof. If you look at Fugaku-sensei and I, we can certainly pass off as siblings or at least, first cousins. And yet, I am much closer to Mikoto-san in relation and Fugaku-sensei and I are far in the tree."

Koichi looks at Tekka and Fugaku in surprise. "Re—really? I thought you were—what the hell?! You two look crazy alike though! And Mikoto-san? Are you sure? Like really, really sure?"

"Tekka's grandmother was the younger sister of Mikoto-san's grandfather," Tatara explains, "and it is to be expected though. Someone far from the main line wouldn't be a student of the Clan Head unless they really are talented."

"So Tatara's also closely related to Mikoto-san?"

Tekka answers for Tatara and when Tatara has begun to look impatient. "The most they share is far down in the Sengoku Jidai. Tatara's grandfather is an Elder of The Clan."

Fugaku clears his throat before Koichi can ask more questions. "You are skilled in words, Koichi, and can easily persuade someone who doesn't know you or at most, someone from another village. But in Konoha, they know everything about you," he says, "the higher-ups know of your weakness, your background, and what your strengths are, and they you will be rejected more times than you will be acknowledged. I am talking to you as the Chief of the Police Force and not as your sensei. I will listen to you when you are ready to convince me. For now, I will have some of my men restrict those so-called 'illegitimate children'—"

"But they are!"

"You don't have proof, Koichi," Tekka emphasizes.

"Do not interrupt me again," Fugaku reminds Koichi of his most frequent mistake, "As I was saying, under your report that those people bribed for information, I will be imprisoning them until further notice—"

"But sensei—"

"What did I say, Koichi?"

The boy looks down. "Not to interrupt you."

"And what did you just do?"

"I interrupted you."

"So you are aware. I cannot be tolerant to your complaints since I have my own responsibilities, Koichi. If you want the Yamanaka Clan to be involved, come to the office with evidence." Fugaku turns to Tekka and Tatara. "And you two are not as discreet with your exchange of signs. Do better."

"Yes, sensei!"

"Going back to our original discussion, Tekka, what of the other incidents in the border?"

Tekka nods once. "Reports concerning Kumogakure remain scarce," he replies hesitantly, "however, Killer Bee was spotted scouting the area along with the Sandaime's apprentice."

"We still do not know his name?"

"No, sensei."

"Pass," Fugaku tells him and Tekka gives him a smile, "Tatara, report."

"The apprentice of the late Sandaime Kazekage was recently upped to A-Rank after he massacred Iwa-nin near their borders. He earned the moniker 'Akasuna no Sasori'. Iwa retreated before it could get any worse and is currently securing their borders shut but words have it that Iwa is waiting for Akasuna no Sasori to leave Suna as there are also rumors about his soon defection. That, however, is unconfirmed," Tatara says in one breath.

Fugaku nods. "You reported those three incidents to me because you believed it was most important, why?"

Tekka raises his hand and Fugaku allows him to speak. "Kiri's forces, although small in comparison to Kumo, is still very much more powerful than most villages'. Their location also gives them more defense than most villages and yet they can easily travel to our location. Kirigakure is currently our most dangerous enemy. Kumo, however, is the closest to us and we have been fighting over land with them for the past years. Their hold on their Jinchuuriki also outranks all the other villages, and Killer Bee and Ay also have a teamwork to be feared. Kumogakure is second to Kirigakure in threat. Iwagakure and Sunagakure remain toe-to-toe with one another. However, Iwa never forgets Konoha," he explains.

Fugaku looks at each of them. "Koichi gives the best reports. Tatara has too many unreliable sources. Tekka must work on his words," he observes, "but what you all said was true. Now that Kumo is inching to our borders, even our team will be sent in the frontlines and work under a commanding officer, most likely a former Anbu Captain. You will be told to report everything you see and one wrong word will take the lives of your teammates. In the battlefield, while you are indeed of the lowest rank, your words will still be listened to which is why I asked you to give reports. In a few weeks, I am confident that the Hokage will send us to the frontlines.

"Until then, you must train."

While Koichi flees to the red light district after Fugaku whipped them to shape, Tatara is surprised to hear that Tekka is seeking to train under her grandfather under the reasoning that 'he really looks up to Takobu and had looked up to him ever since his father told stories about Gouka no Takobu as a child' and Tatara really cannot do anything about that. And when Tekka asks about what she is going to do afterhours, he also gives her a surprised look. "Who are you and what have you done to my cousin?" He demands.

"Tekka," Tatara grumbles impatiently.

"It is just the last thing I expected from you knowing..." Tekka trails off. "However, it makes more sense than Koichi running off to the red light district. Is it to go to those Yamanaka children?"

Tatara also thinks so. "Perhaps." She hesitates. "You don't think there are people there who know the Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques, do you? Because right now..."

Tekka places a hand on Tatara's shoulder comfortingly. "Koichi will tell us when he thinks it is right. He was patient with us and in exchange, we must be patient with him," he tells her. He looks at the skies. "Well, I must talk to Takobu-san now. Do you have advice on how I can convince your grandfather?"

Tatara smirks in amusement. "He likes nikuman."

"Truly?" Tekka rolls his eyes.

"Yes."

Tekka runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "Are you sure about your choice, Tatara? I would not want you to be uncomfortable when there are many other Genjutsu masters and mistresses to approach. Matsuma-dono will love to have you."

Tatara waves a hand. "Matsuma-dono wishes to marry me with his youngest," she rejects the offer and sees Tekka wince, "but you should not worry so much, Tekka. I—I came into an understanding with my grandfather and I realized how too caught up I am with the past."

"Tatara," Tekka repeats, "tell me that you will be okay."

"I will be okay with Mikoto-san, Tekka. Really."

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UCHIHA MIKOTO IS THE SECOND CHILD OF UCHIHA WASHIZA, the deceased Clan Head. Mikado was supposed to be the one to succeed him but misfortune landed on him and he died. Mikado was loved by everyone. He was the apple of their father's eyes, the pride of The Clan, and the older brother Mikoto loved so much. And so when he died, The Clan was devestated. But that word—'devestated'—Mikoto thinks it is an understatement for The Clan mourned and mourned and mourned, wept and wept when The Clan had never done so. They do not mourn. They never do and yet, Mikado was different.

Mikoto does not mind being the object of hatred of Tatara, the grandchild of an Elder. If Mikoto was Tatara, she would have had hated her too. Mikoto who looks like Mikado. Mikoto who let another man sit upon Mikado's throne. Oh, Mikoto would hate herself too because Mikoto loved Mikado too, perhaps even more than Tatara had. They were siblings, bound by something more than blood, bound by soul, bound by nature, bound by the same parents that gave life to them. There was no one she loved more than her brother. Tatara is free to hate her.

And yet, she lets the child who hates her hold her son.

"It is terrifying to see how much he looks like sensei," Tatara said when she first held Itachi against her chest, near the heart that mourns for Mikado, "but he has your eyes, Mikoto-san."

Mikoto likes to think that Tatara is warming up to her, especially after she retold the stories of The Clan's fairy tales. Tatara, along with her team, also often sleeps in their home. But she never knew that Tatara had warmed up to her so much.

"Mikoto-san, please teach me of the ways of a Genjutsu Mistress."

As a Jounin, Mikoto is, at the very least in the Bingo Book, a B-Rank kunoichi and in other villages like Kumogakure and Iwagakure that is not as well-protected to Genjutsu as Kirigakure and Sunagakure, label her as someone ranging from A-Rank to, if they really are pushing it that far, S-Rank. Mikoto may not have the Mangekyou Sharingan that the Elders speak about scarcely (and when an Uchiha becomes Chuunin, they are allowed to go through the clan records but there are little details about the Mangekyou; is a secret known by many even a secret) but she has the Sharingan unlike most women of The Clan. This, of course, does not make her better than Uemiya-san who rose through the Jounin Ranks in lightning speed, almost beating Namikaze Minato in record, and yet does not have the Sharingan. Mikoto has their prized kekkei genkai but she does not mean she is superior to others.

She awakens it when she is fourteen, a little late for an Uchiha but surprising for an Uchiha woman. The Sharingan, of course, is almost a recessive gene—well, that is if one insists on looking at it in a scientific point of view because at the end, all pure-blooded Uchiha can awaken the Sharingan and it all relies on how they react to certain traumatic experiences. (And in Mikoto's case, a glimpse of the Kyuubi. She adores Kushina, really, but the monster inside her is a different story.) Half-blooded Uchiha are a different story but only the Elders know the very specifics of it and Mikoto never found the interest to learn about their bodies. There are little to no medic-nin among The Uchiha—that had been their weakness during the Sengoku Jidai but they are in Konoha now. Who needs an Uchiha medic when one can run to the hospital?

The medics in the Uchiha are mostly midwives. Mikoto, herself, was tended to by an Uchiha. If Mikoto were to die because of childbirth, it would be better if it was in the hands of an Uchiha. And besides Uchiha children are precious and they can never surrender their children to people who are not The Clan. Itachi was first held by Mawame-obaasan, eyes as old as the First Shinobi War but hands as gentle as a mother of seven. Mikoto was honored to have her deliver the Clan Head's firstborn.

Tatara was born when Mikoto was seventeen, recently promoted to Jounin and she was there when the midwives of The Clan scolded Uchiha Tatsume for giving birth in the battlefield. "Children are precious, Tatsume-chan, why do you not understand that?" Mikoto never liked her, that woman. She was selfish, too full of herself and was everything a stereotypical Uchiha had been. And Mikoto remembers how much scorn she had towards Tatsume when she stared at her child with no sign of affection, just acceptance even when the midwives insisted that she had to become a mother as quickly as possible.

Mikoto knows that Tatara takes after her mother more than her father. Tadoku was a kind man; cold, always glaring, temperamental and undoubtedly loyal to The Clan but he was still a kind man. But at the end, despite everything, Tatara still takes after her mother. And she is here, Mikoto thinks, asking me to teach her Genjutsu.

(Uchiha Tatsume—genjutsu mistress, child of the great Tsukuyomi more than Kagutsuchi, born of nightmares more than daydreams, walking in clouds more than the ground, shudder in fear for a monster has come—)

In another world, perhaps Tatara would have approached her mother who learned to love her and take care of her. But in this, Mikoto smiles at Uchiha Tatara, motherly and welcoming, understanding and forgiving.

"Of course," she says soothingly, "let me prepare some tea beforehand."

Tatara's eyes shine in a way Tatsume's would never have done. Mikoto feels comforted at this.

"Yes, Mikoto-san."

Children are precious, Tatsume-san, and you never had the privilege to see that.

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━━  i was really stressed with the rather messy timeline of this fanfic but i recently managed to fix it and now, i have a proper and working timeline. i'm still staying away from kirigakure's timeline though. that shit is complicated especially with yagura in the mix. anyway, shisui was again, supposed to show up in this chapter but it got long because of koichi. but this time, he's going to show up in the next chapter. not much is happening right now. the plot hasn't truly sunken in. probably because tatara still isn't in the road to become the clan head she is supposed to be. we're like far from that. and i mean, really far. my child is still a genin, after all. but anyway, more yamanaka foreshadowing and bastards running around in the red light district. i really love dissing the other clans. AND tatara is growing up! she approaches mikoto for genjutsu lessons and tekka approaches takobu for ninjutsu lessons. what the hell is koichi doing? we don't know. anyway, in a few chapters, team fugaku will be beating some enemy-nin ass, meet canon characters, and suffer a little. kidding. they're going to suffer a lot.

━━ also takobu's favorite food is nikuman. in the philippines, we call it siopao and in china, they call it cha siu bao or baozi. but really, it's just steamed buns.

━━ i like to think that most uchiha have a sweet tooth and of course, tatara is one of them. she shares her favorite dessert with tekka and matsuma, anmitsu.

━━ so far, out of six elders, four have been introduced: hotaru (the nosy one), matsuma (the one takobu called out in thr first chapter and wants his youngest to marry tatara), kuboshike (the one with five kids and wanted the clan head seat; partially dislikes fugaku), and of course, takobu (the granddad with a stick up his ass). the elders will be showing up more often after team fugaku gets promoted. its time to get their hands on the uchiha spawns.