Chapter 20
Itachi's entrance into clan politics shook things within the hierarchy. He would speak much clearer now, which Mikoto knew that Hisako had drilled into him, and he recognized the power he held in his hands. It was as though a flip had been switched in him.
He had quit the ANBU, gotten a Jonin promotion and split his time to fulfil his duties to the Uchiha and to the village.
She was glad in a way that her child had grown and was becoming someone that anyone could be proud of. She knew that Fugaku took pride in these changes as well. She saw it in the way he would brag about his children, in the way he would look at him with a small poorly hidden smile when he would step up and not be afraid to take charge like he did before, and in the way he would pat his shoulder whenever he would pass by him.
She was happier nowadays.
There were still a lot of things to be fixed. So many things to demand from the Hokage. So much more to do. But, she loved the smiles and happiness in her family right now.
She would die for this to remain as it was now.
'If only', she thought with a sigh, 'it was possible to help us all with death and murder.'
Life was much simpler on a battlefield. She supposed that the 3 shinobi wars had been the reason for why the situation before them had not happened till now. The whole village was focused on something. Their unity in a goal was enough to over look the other small issues until they became as big as they were now.
She loathed Senju Tobirama. For giving the Uchiha the damned police force. For making most of them stay in the village and making them seen as incompetent warriors. For not selecting Uchiha Kagami as Hokage instead. For giving rise to that detestable Danzo Shimura. For making Sarutobi Hiruzen the Hokage.
She also hated Uchiha Kagami. For dying. For leaving the clan as it was. For being the beacon for hope that he was.
Most of all, she hated herself. For her weakness. For depending on children to pull them out of the situation they were stuck in. For using an orphan child to maintain relations with the whole village. For her son to bear the burden of something even they cannot bear with. She hated herself for a lot of things. For her failure to not being able help and protect, and for her failure as a human. Uchiha Mikoto was simply a being leaching off of the love of her family to survive.
"Mikoto, lets go."
She nodded numbly. Fully knowing that Fugaku had simply said so get her out of her own head instead of simply leaving.
She needed to pull herself together. For her children. For her family. For her clan. For her village. She would have to step up her game, as Shisui would say.
The meeting began as it did usually. With the added presence of a few other people from their clan.
"I did not think that children would find themselves interested in the world of us adults. Perhaps we ought to find some other place for you to play. Perhaps somewhere you belong."
Mikoto watched silently as Hisako took a sip of her cup of tea. Today's meeting was different for them. After the first few meetings with Itachi managing to stay in power, the other elders had likely decided that they had to silence him soon. She supposed that, that was the reason for Hisako's presence in the meeting.
"You need not worry about us, elder. This is the place where we can help our elders overcome their incompetency, so I believe that this is where we belong. After all, children are supposed to be helping the elders, are we not?"
Hisako was angry. She would usually be subtle than she was now.
Mikoto frowned slightly before she relaxed her expression, fully prepared to take charge of this meeting. She would have to take care of things for today it would seem.
"Perhaps we all ought to calm down-"
"No. I believe that we are all calm, clan matriarch."
She did not need to look around to see the shock throughout the room. Aside from Shisui and Itachi, both of whom only raised a brow at her actions. She would have to observe Itachi carefully from now. She thought that she could trust Hisako, but she had forgotten that she was still a child. She had much to learn.
"Then let us begin the discussion for today."
Itachi was taking Hisako's side then.
"We need to demand for the Hokage to treat the Uchiha with the proper respect we deserve."
"I believe that a proper discussion needs to be held concerning with the small scope of region that the Uchiha police force is able to properly operate in. The goods which I have brought in from Suna and from around fire country are not protected well in areas where the influence of the police is low, but those areas are also densely populated by civilians which are the targeted customers for us-"
A cup broke in the hands of the elder who had spoken first. Mikoto frowned upon Hisako. This was not becoming of a woman like her.
"You have to let the elders-"
"Mother. Please let her continue. It is only right we listen to the woes of everyone here."
She did not know whether she should be proud or horrified. For Itachi to speak up even in front of his own parents was unprecedented. The elders and clan members were one thing, but the amount of respect and subservience he carried for her and Fugaku was another thing.
She needed to talk to Hisako after the meeting.
"As I was saying, if we can have the council agree on expanding the scope of the police force then that would be a great thing. For protecting Konoha as well."
Hisako was using her words in a way which made the elders listen to her and also be enraged at her. She knew that the Uchiha wished for the village's prosperity even when they were ostracized by it and she was using that for her.
But, the idea which she had proposed was not the worse either. It needed its details to be smoothed out but, she could understand that the girl had the best wishes in her heart.