Clouds surrounded the moon. The sound of falling water filled Shisui's ears. He let the water drag away his sadness after spending the whole day at the hospital in Hikari's room. She woke up only briefly, but fell asleep too quickly. He had never seen her so sick. Not even the doctors knew what was wrong with her.
You should stop coming, I will not get any better.
Those words had managed to destroy him a little. It was like she knew exactly what was wrong with her, but chose to remain silent. Still, everyday he would find himself walking down the path straight to the hospital, and she would always see him sitting beside her bed. Any chance he got, he would question her motives and whatever she knew about her condition. If it was an illness, if it was contagious, if it were related to any of their discoveries. She would remain quiet and then drift back to sleep.
That afternoon, Hanako visited her too. She also wanted to know what was going on with her sister, but she didn't wake up while Hanako was there. They discovered she couldn't check the memories of someone who was asleep. Hanako's ability required eye contact, but during sleep the brain ignores impulses from the optical nerves—meaning the connection to her memories would not be viable.
Having the feeling of someone watching him behind his back, Shisui turned slightly to see Itachi from over his shoulder. "Oh? Look who showed up?" His lips morphed into a taunting smirk. "Wanna explain what exactly happened last night?"
Itachi sighed, already knowing that Shisui wouldn't let him get away with it. "I'm sorry, I left you alone."
Shisui scoffed. "You're not sorry." He chuckled. "Come on, I wouldn't be sorry either. We do that kind of stuff whenever we like someone." Itachi noticed the small smile on his face.
"You and Hikari-san?"
Shisui didn't answer right away. He was staring at the ground, sadness clear in his eyes. "She's been in the hospital ever since they left the last meeting. I knew something was wrong with her since we woke up in the woods. She knows what's wrong, she just won't tell anyone about it and sleep all day."
"Shisui..." Itachi pitied.
"I haven't told her how I feel about her. Seeing you kind of motivated me," he laughed sadly. "I just haven't had the chance. I get scared whenever she wakes up, but by the time I gather the courage, she's already unconscious once again."
"Tell her even if she's asleep. Maybe she will hear you in her dreams." Itachi offered a bit of advice, but he wasn't sure if that was going to help his friend. Maybe it sounded dumb.
But Shisui smiled. "Thanks, Itachi." He dragged his eyes up at the moon. "So, you and Hanako, huh?"
"Well, technically we're not official yet, but I plan to make it official once the uprising cools down..." His words died down, feeling a sudden tension coming from his friend.
"What if it doesn't cool down?" Shisui asked.
As if he hadn't considered the possibility, Itachi felt like a ton of bricks had been dropped over him. He couldn't find the words to speak, and Shisui's gaze on him didn't make it any better. Suddenly, his friend chuckled.
"You didn't even consider the possibility of failure, Itachi?"
"I..." Itachi closed his eyes, not able to look at him. He had been too optimistic, the last clan meetings were indeed pinpointing to the coup, and yet he still blindly hoped they would all retract. "I did not think it through... I guess it really will be difficult to find those who think like us."
"No one does."
"Huh?" Itachi looked up at Shisui. His friend was already staring once again at the moon.
"No one thinks like us. Our chances are close to zero now after the latest meeting. It seems everyone is pretty pissed off about the surveillance." He sighed. "Yesterday, I went to the Police Force. Hanako's friends were caught trespassing, so I had to file a warning. Tekka was busy with some other matters so, I did his job. Did Hanako tell you that?"
Itachi frowned. The brunette did not mention anything about her friends being held captive by the Police.
"I guess not." Shisui turned back to him upon his silence. "You see, after they left, the three seniors asked for a meeting. They had a petition to make."
"What petition?"
"They wanted me to keep tabs on you, and, I quote, 'keep you under control'." He smiled sadly. "I don't think they trust you anymore. I assume they already think you sided with the village. From now on, anything that comes out of your mouth, for them, is the village speaking, not you."
Itachi widened his eyes slightly. "My Father thinks so too?"
"I'm not sure about what Fugaku thinks, but I dare to say he has his suspicions as well. I mean, they already hate Hanako, and you being with her only jeopardizes your position. If you want our plan to work, Itachi, I'm afraid you ought to cut ties with Hanako."
Itachi took a deep breath. "I thought they were planning to use Hanako to control all important shinobi for the coup."
"When Hanako went missing, they disposed of that plan. They don't need Hanako anymore, and I'm afraid they're planning to vote for her exile in tomorrow's meeting."
Itachi felt his heart sink. His mouth was dry. "What?"
Shisui continued over him. "Moreover, they told me they would define the date of the coup. They said their preparations were ready."
"Shisui..." Itachi felt like there was no air for him to breathe. "Please, don't."
Shisui sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's too much to take in. I'm sorry, but that's how things are. That's why I also switched our plan." There was sorrow in Shisui's eyes, which suddenly morphed into the Sharingan. "I'm going to attack your Father before he gets to the Nakano Shrine."
Itachi's heart felt like it was about to explode. Shisui forcefully grabbed his shoulders and made him look at his eyes. "If I manage to pull this off, I can control your Father and make him believe from the bottom of his heart that calling off the coup is the best option for everyone." Shisui pressed his lips into a thin line. "I do not intend to kill Fugaku, but if we take down the motivation from the head, everyone will soon lose interest as well. This is our only option."
Itachi nodded half-heartedly, "Do you need my help?" Going against his father was the last thing Itachi had in mind.
Shisui let go of him. "I just need you to step aside. Don't come to the meeting tomorrow."
Itachi's eyes widened, "What about the intention to exile Hanako?"
"If my plan works, she won't be exiled, worry not." Shisui shook his head. "Please, just don't come. The seniors already suspect you. If Fugaku changes his mindset so abruptly, they will point fingers at you. I don't want to know what they'll do if they see you there."
"You think they will attack me?"
"I didn't intend to doubt your abilities. I know you can easily beat the three of them, but that might also affect everyone's conviction." Shisui smiled slightly. "I intend to tell Hanako, as well. She needs to know what will happen tomorrow."
Itachi was about to say he wanted to be there, but Shisui's eyes forced him to shut up.
"Remember, you can't be seen together. Cut ties, Itachi. At least until the meeting ends." Itachi felt something cold in his heart, he hated being the spectator, but if it was Shisui asking him to do it for him, he would trust him.
* * *
Seeing who were the buyers of the illegal weaponry made something ignite within Hanako. It was crystal clear for her, the coup was happening and there was no stopping them now.
"It seems like the Uchiha really are serious about their uprising," Tanaka commented with a frown. Their steps echoed as they walked along the long corridor within the Intelligence Division building. That comment only made the Uchiha glare daggers at him. She was still mad about earlier.
Hanako intended to stop the transaction. She was going to put the seniors in their place and question Obito right there about what he was doing. Tanaka stopped her before she could even hop from the tree.
"Are you nuts? If they see us, we are going to have a freaking target on our backs!" he had said. "It's better if we simply observe and report later to Ibiki."
And now, after allowing them to roam freely after their clandestine meeting, Hanako agreed to report them to Ibiki, but even as they walked to his office she was still visually fuming. The door cringed as Tanaka pushed it open, Hanako slammed it all the way and walked to his desk. Ibiki had been fast asleep over his desk, and the sudden noise woke him.
"I can't believe you sent me to such a petty mission. I expected a little bit more, Ibiki-sensei." Her loud voice resonated across the room.
Ibiki grunted. "I thought it would be fun for you, I assume it wasn't?"
"Of course not." A sudden spark of chakra behind the door alerted Hanako.
Ibiki cleared his voice, trying not to sound like he had been sleeping moments earlier. "So, what was the transaction?" He glanced at Tanaka, but before he could speak, Hanako interrupted him.
"Drugs," she said. Tanaka glanced at her. He did not make any facial grimace that would give away her obvious lie. Ibiki carefully inspected both of their features and finally allowed Hanako to continue. "Apparently there's this new soldier pill that enhances chakra." She went to grab something from her pouch, "I took the liberty of seizing a sample for you to analyze." Hanako put a small brown pill over Ibiki's desk. He frowned, it looked like a normal soldier pill.
"This is it?" he raised an eyebrow.
"I'm pretty sure they're trafficking that." Hanako's tone was matter-of-fact.
"I'll send it to the lab, you may take your leave." Hanako huffed and nodded, muttering under her breath and quickly hurrying towards the door. "Told you it was a waste of time..." Tanaka watched her, unmoving.
Ibiki leaned against his chair, observing his stance. "Is there anything you would like to add, Tanaka?" Hanako stopped and glanced over at her partner.
He simply shook his head. "No, sir. I'll take my leave as well."
"Very well."
Hanako let out her breath and opened the door. She had sensed someone's chakra right outside the office, and as soon as she checked the corridor, she caught a figure disappearing around the corner. Her lips curved up into a smirk.
"What's the matter with you?" Tanaka lowered his voice so that their superior wouldn't hear them. "You lied straight to Ibiki's face!"
"Careful," Hanako turned to him, pointing to the side of her face. "Walls have ears." She closed Ibiki's door and walked in the direction the figure disappeared.
Tanaka followed her. "Still, you didn't report the Uchiha were buying weapons. Are you protecting them?"
Hanako's glare hardened. "No. I'm protecting myself." Her steps quickened. "I have the slight intuition that if I had said a word earlier, the senior radicals would know about it and used it against me."
Tanako huffed. "So, all that small talk about those pills, was that not premeditated?"
Hanako smiled. "Totally improvised, someone was definitely listening in, he couldn't know what we know."
"So, that soldier pill you gave Ibiki—"
"It was a regular soldier pill," Hanako grinned. "He will be beyond infuriated when the lab results come out."
"They will deduct those tests from your salary," he frowned. "They're not cheap, you know."
"Our salary, you're my accomplice now, Tanaka-san." Hanako smiled at him.
Tanaka stopped in his tracks when realization hit him. He had indeed covered up Hanako's lie. There was no way he could back away now, meaning they would cut his salary as well. "You have got to be kidding me..." He glared at the Uchiha. "You totally dragged me into your business on purpose."
Hanako stopped and watched him over her shoulder. "You just happened to be there. If you want me to help you clean your reputation, you better help me." She smiled. "Otherwise, good luck trying to explain to Ibiki why you confused a normal soldier pill with an enhancing drug, Captain." She turned back around, a low chuckle following. "You can look for me tomorrow if you change your mind!"
Tanaka groaned and leaned against the wall. "You, cunning little b—!" Before he could finish the sentence, he hit the wall with all of his might. "I don't see why the Uchiha would say you're an outsider, you're just like them... even worse, I might say..."
* * *
The member of the Foundation known as Gozu had a mask with the shape of a monkey with red lines hiding his face. He quickly hurried down several corridors, looking for an exit to the building he was currently in. As soon as he turned around the corner, he almost bumped into a girl. To his misfortune, it was the one he was trying to avoid. Hanako Uchiha smiled, and stood right in front of him, obstructing his path. "Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?" She quirked her brows. "I wanted to ask you some questions, you don't mind if we talk right now?"
Gozu remained quiet, taking small steps back. Hanako followed his steps forward.
"Cat's got your tongue?" She asked upon receiving no answer. "You were listening to my conversation with Ibiki, weren't you? I'm certain your chakra was right outside the office, and I caught you rushing off as soon as it ended." Again, Gozu did not speak. "I heard you go by the name Gozu, and that you work for Danzou in the Foundation. You were here to investigate the matter about the damaged cameras in the Uchiha Compound." Hanako narrowed her eyes. "I wonder, what do those cameras have to do with the Foundation, hm?"
Again, he did not utter a sound.
Hanako was beginning to lose her patience. "Are you mute or something? What are you still doing here?" She glared. "Are you spying on me?"
Behind Hanako was the exit of the building, Gozu only needed to walk out that door, and then he could easily merge into the darkness of the night. It was four in the morning, they still had enough time before dawn. The doors soon opened. Hanako recognized Shisui's chakra and she turned her eyes away from the member of the Foundation.
He took the chance to slip from her grasp and make a run for the door. It was too late for Hanako to stop him, so she simply groaned and turned away from him and looked at Shisui. The look on his face made Hanako frown. "I assume you're not here to give me good news."
"I'm afraid not."