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Leader	By : mannahpierce Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 2163 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This story has some of Masashi Kishimoto's characters from Naruto in a universe of my own devising. I do not own Naruto. I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 72
- 73
- 74
Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to KatSaama, LEMMA, Mazy3261, rosemoon, Bree, reader, SunaoTsuji, Phoenixwolf, Tammy, satterb, toosweet05, esquisitpet, sadie237, eilidhdawn, DEATHinPINK, Lixx, melissen, redtatsu, Moonmoore, Anon, Silent Reader, R.e.k.less, Sessha Batto, Destiny, pawtasu, LovelyBirdCherry, Anon, Kanazerosukenaru and disembodiedvoiceofthedying for reviewing or sending emails after chapter 72 was posted. Readers’ feedback, support and comments mean a great deal to me. Feedback keeps me writing.

THANK YOU to everyone who replied to my plea for feedack. The response was tremendously encouraging, so much so that I managed to write over two chapters this week.

Leader
Part 8: Clan
73: Signals

Madara rarely ate with them these days. Not since Konan had returned to Tarrasade. He tried not to think about her being sworn to Sasuke. When he did, the rage within him would surge and twist, making it difficult for him to maintain control.
He had invited her to swear to him before she had left for Skyburrow and she had declined.
However, he had given his word that he would be there this evening; Haku worn away his resolve, using words like ‘senior Uchiha’ and ‘clan commitment’.

The vendetta was all but over. Pein was dead. Based on scraps of information he had gleaned, Madara was almost sure that they had Kabuto. Doubtless Orochimaru had escaped into stasis, leaving some mind-addled clone to fill his place in the Killing Square.
When would Sasuke Uchiha return to Tarrasade? Every day the media put him under more pressure to do so. Izuna had given countless interviews, each one casting more doubt on Sasuke Uchiha’s suitability to lead the clan. In the latest one he had all but called him a coward.
They appeared to have no effect; Madara wondered if Sasuke even watched them.

He divided his time between his offices in Uchiha headquarters, his apartment in the household and various venues spread throughout Prime. For a certain part of each morning and each afternoon he tried to be here, in his office.
He checked the chronometer. It was time.

He moved to the glass wall, to the specific point where the meticulously designed interior lighting allowed a carefully placed observer to detect a silhouette through the one-way glass.
He positioned his body to give the routine signals: ‘all is well’; ‘no unscheduled contact required’.

That done, he looked across the square to the park beyond. All this would be his. It was only a matter of time. He had to be patient.
The huge tree in centre of the plaza reminded him of Shikamaru. He frowned. Would Centre ever act? Did they not believe that Shikamaru was a typed-seven? Or maybe they, like him, were waiting for Sasuke Uchiha and his advisors to return to Tarrasade.
“Will you be needing anything else, Izuna-sama?”
It was Ino. He did not turn around. “No, that will be all.” He almost asked if Sakura was still there before remembering that it was her early afternoon.
He wondered what she did during her time off. She was probably in some beauty parlour; certainly she was always well turned out. Or shopping; she had a much larger wardrobe than Ino’s.
Madara sighed; if he had started thinking about what the women around him wore, it was time to arrange another visit to the brothel.

He began reviewing his plans for the next few days only to be distracted by a creeping discomfort between his shoulder blades. He turned and, sure enough, Sumaru was waiting patiently in the doorway.
“Sumaru-kun,” he acknowledged.
“I did not mean to disturb you, Izuna-sama. I was wondering if you had decided when you would be returning to your apartment.”
It was not like Sumaru to ask. Izuna imagined him wishing to spend time with Moegi before the event Haku-san had planned. “I will be going directly from here to the gathering,” he replied. He was doing Sumaru a favour in keeping him from the unsuitable female’s company. “I hope that is not inconvenient for you.”
Sumaru bowed. “Not at all, Izuna-sama. Is there a specific task you wish me to do?”
“No, Sumaru-kun. I am sure you can occupy yourself in a suitable fashion. Do you know what Haku-san has planned for this evening?”
“Not precisely, Izuna-san, but I know that he is very keen that we all should be there.”
He tried again. “Your best guess, Sumaru-kun.”
“I believe there will be a video from Skyburrow, Izuna-sama. Perhaps Sasuke-sama has also sent an announcement.”
Madara was on the edge of reversing his decision to attend. However, the prospect of a development was too tempting. “Thank you, Sumaru-kun.”

Sumaru withdrew, leaving him to think about Uchiha once he taken control. He would put the fox hybrids in stasis for Orochimaru; even the one with the tail might be useful for experiments. After disposing of the other hybrids, he would give the purebred members of Uchiha the opportunity of swearing personal loyalty to him.
Those who refused would be killed. The only exceptions would be the full blood Uchihas; they would receive at least a stay of execution

Perhaps the older three were not beyond hope; they were still young enough to be impressionable. On balance, he expected to have to dispose of Hikaru, who was the biggest potential danger to him. Then he would have to find a way of making the clever one, Haru, cooperate. That should not be too difficult; he was very fond of the empath and of his younger siblings.
Madara intended to marry the older girl. Given that she would turn fourteen soon, it was possible he would have his first full blood Uchiha son or daughter within a standard.

His greatest challenge would be dealing with the gap between killing Sasuke Uchiha and tightening his grip as clan leader. Too many of the current crew were sworn to Sasuke personally. If he did not move quickly and decisively they would get away, along with their detailed knowledge of Uchiha’s strengths and weaknesses.
It was essential that he was fully prepared. All those who had agreed to fight for him, to be allies or members of his Uchiha, had to be in the Killing Square when he defeated Sasuke Uchiha.
He began reviewing his plans for that day, item by item; nothing must be left to chance.

A movement in the outer office; Sumaru. He was surprised to realise that it was time to leave.
As soon as they entered the household, Sumaru bowed and was gone. Doubtless he was off to apologise to the worthless female for his absence. Madara made a quick stop at his apartment to freshen up and then made his way to the crew room.

They were in the kitchen, as usual. It still rankled; kitchens were where food was prepared, preferably by cooks who did not expect to sit in the dining room with their betters to eat it.
At least he was at the head of the table.
His heart sank as he realised that the children were eating with them; either children were old enough to behave like miniature adults or they should be kept in the nursery. Of these three, only Mai, the small, female version of Haku, qualified; the boys were too boisterous.

The meal was simple; Madara’s palate missed Choza’s cooking but his digestion did not. At the end, Kisame cleared the table while Moegi made coffee and Kamatari tea.
“Would you prefer sake or whisky, Izuna-sama?” Gai asked.
He chose sake and Sumaru left the table to prepare it so that it would be exactly how he liked it. Once Sumaru had placed the small tray bearing the tokkuri and ochoko on the table, Haku served the sake perfectly.
He regretted that Haku was unlikely to survive; perhaps he would be able to keep Mai.
“We have a video from Skyburrow, Izuna-sama. It shows highlights of the big litter’s birth anniversary celebrations and it will be followed by an announcement from Sasuke-sama.”
Madara supposed that he would have to sit through the first to see the second.

He was distracted by grandeur of the hall so it was a moment before he realised that it was a ceremony rather than merely a celebration.
Then he sneered; Sasuke Uchiha would prefer to hold the most important ceremony in his children’s lives in the back of beyond rather than face him.

All ten of them entered the hall together. They had grown. The four bigger fox hybrids were as tall as most adult males and the wolf hybrid was a good handbreadth taller. The full blood Uchiha boys were small, but that was to be expected; Uchiha males grew late.
He was pleased to see that the girl had grown into a young woman; once she was dressed appropriately she would be beautiful.

Then Haru and the fox hybrid with the tail stepped forward and swore to Sasuke Uchiha personally.
It was unexpected; Madara mind started working overtime. It put the boy out of his reach. He would be released from his commitments to the clan once Sasuke Uchiha was dead. On the other hand, it meant that his father was acknowledging that Haru would never challenge for the leadership.
It was the act of someone who had decided that defeat was inevitable.

He almost missed the girl swearing to Uchiha. That was odd. Why arrange for a son to be safe but not do so for a daughter?
However his pleasure outweighed his puzzlement; as she was sworn to Uchiha she would not be able to refuse him.

The boy, Hikaru, swore to Uchiha. So he was the one seen as the heir. Madara studied him. Maybe he could be useful but it was more likely he would meet his end on Izuna Uchiha’s knife.

Madara went to take a sip of sake only for the ochoko to freeze between the table and his lips.
“I Sasuke Uchiha, clan leader, declare and acknowledge that Kuuya Uchiha, my legally recognised son, is heir to the clan leadership.”
He watched as Sasuke Uchiha slid the heir’s ring onto the fox hybrid’s duty finger.
There was applause from the speakers and everyone around the table, save him, joined in.

It was all he could do to place the ochoko back on the table rather than launching it at the projector.
“Isn’t that excellent news, Izuna-sama?” Haku was saying.
“It is... ...unexpected,” he managed. He cast about for words that he could utter in front of the sharkman. “I did not think that an adopted son was eligible.”
“Kuuya is not adopted,” Itachi assured him. “He was recognised at birth. All the kits were. Only Ryuu is adopted.”
“There is no requirement to be genetically an Uchiha?” he queried, stunned.
Haku smiled at him. “No. The part of the clan charter that deals with who is eligible for clan leadership is exactly as you wrote it, Izuna-sama.”
How could Izuna have been so stupid and short-sighted?
“The concept of being genetically an Uchiha, or as we refer to them, full-blood Uchihas, only came in a century after you were lost, Izuna-sama,” Itachi added with a concerned and helpful expression.
“Genetic testing was not available,” Madara admitted. “A child being recognised at birth was a statement by the father that he believed the baby was genetically his son or daughter.”
Itachi frowned slightly. “I can assure you that there is no requirement for a genetic relationship in the original charter or in any of the amendments.”
He would check but he knew it was pointless. Making one of the fox hybrids the heir stank of something Shikamaru would come up with and he would have analysed every document in forensic detail.

He watched as the hybrids were given their knives. It reinforced that five of them had sworn to Uchiha. Even if he disposed of the red-haired one who had been declared heir, there were another four.
The truth was that even the small, feminine one would be inhumanly fast and superhumanly strong; he would not have a hope against any of them.
It was the end of his plan to challenge Sasuke Uchiha to hand-to-hand combat; it would be the equivalent of suicide.

The video ended. He pushed his chair back and prepared to stand. The sooner he returned to his apartment and began adjusting his plans, the better.
“You said that you wished to hear Sasuke-sama’s announcement, Izuna-sama,” Haku reminded him.
Madara settled back into his seat. “Was that not it, Haku-san?” he queried.
“I do not believe so, Izuna-sama,” Haku replied.
It was only then that he realised that everyone’s eyes had gone to the doorway behind his chair.

It was sinking in how thoroughly he had been played. The fox hybrids’ fourteenth birth anniversary must have been days ago. Sasuke Uchiha was no longer hiding in Skyburrow, he was behind him.
Madara had no choice but to stand with the others and turn to face him.

The young man who had welcomed him into his family had gone. The dark eyes reminded him of the last time he and Izuna had met, after his brother had realised how thoroughly he had been betrayed.
He was waiting, flanked by the elder fox hybrid and the red-blond version that wore the heir’s ring. Behind him were Shikamaru and Neji.
Madara had no choice other than to bow slightly. “Sasuke-sama.”
Sasuke somehow managed an even shallower nod. “Izuna-sama.”

Madara moved away from the table and gestured him to sit.
“Please take my place, Sasuke-sama; I was on my way to my rooms.”
“If you could delay a moment, Izuna-sama,” Sasuke replied. He moved his hands, giving the signal that indicated that he was speaking as clan leader. “Your presence will be required in the Killing Square at noon tomorrow...”
Madara held his breath; for a split second he thought that his true identity had been revealed.
“...to witness the end of the vendetta.”
He breathed out slowly. The order was directed at everyone, not him alone.

He excused himself and began making his way back to his rooms. He was only halfway down the first corridor when Sumaru caught up with him.
He stopped.
Sumaru bowed, “Izuna-sama.”
“What is it?” Madara asked. He needed to be alone.
“Sasuke-sama wishes you to know that the household is on high security alert but it will be acceptable for you to go to your office tomorrow morning provided I am with you.”
That reduced his options; there would be no sneaking away from the household to avoid being in the Killing Square tomorrow.
Not that he would; Izuna Uchiha did not sneak.
“I understand, Sumaru-kun. You are dismissed.”

As he walked to his rooms, he reminded himself that whilst resolving the situation with a knife-to-knife challenge had been appealing, it was not the only way forward.
There were many who would agree with him that idea of a hybrid as heir to the Uchiha clan was ridiculous. It was more evidence that Sasuke Uchiha was an unsuitable and inadequate leader.
It was the perfect reason for him to withdraw his tacit support and declare himself Uchiha-sama.

He was up early the next morning. By the time Sumaru arrived to escort him to Uchiha headquarters, he was ready.
It was a moment before he realised that the garments Sumaru was carrying were not any of those he had sent to the laundry. He looked at the uniform with undisguised distaste.
“Sasuke-sama has specified the version of uniform to be worn,” Sumaru explained.
“I shall change into it later this morning,” Madara replied. The net top would reduce further what he could carry with him. “Is there any other information about which I should be aware?”
“As there is a full security alert, it will be impossible for there to be any visitors to headquarters. Couriers will not be allowed access and electronic communications should be kept to a minimum.”

Madara did not miss the scarcity of ‘Izuna-samas’ amongst Sumaru’s words. There had been a time when he had hoped that the young man would see sense and transfer his loyalty but he had given up on that possibility many divs ago.
In that way, too, Sasuke Uchiha reminded him of his brother; he inspired irrational devotion in those around him.
“A sensible precaution,” he acknowledged, keen to allay any suspicions Sumaru might be harbouring. “I am sure there still much useful work to be done.”

Ino and Sakura were already there. They were watching the feeds from three of the local media channels; one showing news, one respected commentators and the third gossip.
As soon as they saw him, Sakura moved to deactivate the projectors.
“No,” Madara insisted. “In fact, please activate the projectors in my office and link them to the same feeds.”
Ino nodded and left to do so while Sakura made coffee.

It was clear that Tarrasade was abuzz with news and gossip about Uchiha. No one had missed that the Dart was moored at the Uchiha compound or that Elm and the Maple were headed for the docks. The more observant had noted that Tarrasade was suddenly rich with crews allied to Uchiha. Everyone was anticipating a showdown in the Killing Square; the traders and other non-spacers had already moved out.
Most of the commentators were expecting Izuna to challenge for the leadership; one channel had spliced together every snide or disparaging comment he had made about Sasuke Uchiha and kept playing it again and again.

A familiar name caught his attention. Shimon Hijiri; the journalist who had dared call him a fossil.
“The talk of a challenge may be misguided. I do not believe that Sasuke Uchiha would risk all he has built on a knife fight and I cling to the hope that Izuna Uchiha will fulfil his reputation as a man of reason. I believe that today is more likely to be about the vendetta that Uchiha has been pursuing against the Akatsuki.”
He was still working out if he had been insulted when Yukie Fujikaze appeared on one of the other channels. He turned the volume up.
“Today I have the privilege of being the guest of Sasuke Uchiha and the delight of being able to interview him and his son Kuuya Uchiha, who has been recognised as heir to the leadership of the Uchiha clan.”
They switched camera and showed the two of them sitting in two chairs.
“Uchiha-sama, Kuuya-san.”
Sasuke nodded and Kuuya murmured, “Yukie-san,”

Madara wondered if the interview was live. He doubted it. It must have been recorded yesterday or possibly this morning. Neji and Shikamaru had been busy.
After various trivial questions, the woman asked the only question that mattered.
“How do you see your role as heir, Kuuya-san?”
“I shall do everything in my power to support my father’s leadership. The truth is, I hope that I will never be clan leader. I want my father to continue building the new Uchiha for the next eighty standards, perhaps longer.”
It was a fiendishly clever answer; a reminder that not all heirs became leaders, particularly ones with such a short lifespan.
“We understand that, Kuuya-san, but being heir means you have to be willing to step up,” the woman pushed.
“I understand that. If it happened, I would do everything in my power to continue my father’s work and hand on a strong and vibrant new Uchiha to my successor.”
“And who do you imagine that would be, Kuuya-san?”
Based on Sasuke Uchiha’s expression, that was not an approved question. The camera zoomed in on the hybrid.
“The most suitable person out of those who qualify,” he replied. “The clan leadership is not a prize to be coveted. It is both a responsibility and a privilege. A leader is responsible for the clan’s present and its future. He or she is privileged to serve the other members of the clan.”
Madara’s irritation swelled; mealy-mouthed codswallop. He almost missed the next exchange.
“He or she, Kuuya-san?” the woman queried.
The fox hybrid smiled. “Of course, Yukie-san. Why not?”

He almost threw his cup at the wall but managed to stop himself; the silk carpet was irreplaceable. The spilt coffee ran off his desk and onto his lap.
Sakura was there within a moment with a towel; she must have been watching him. She did a lot of that; Madara suspected that she was in love with him.
“Do you want me to ask Sumaru-san to fetch clean clothes for you, Izuna-sama?” she asked.
He checked the chronometer. “No, Sakura-chan. These will do for now.”

The interruption was timely; he had been so obsessed with the media coverage that he had been unaware that it was almost time for his trip to the window.
This time the signal was anything but routine.
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Leader