A Different Course of Action

A Naruto fic by zero0000

Prologue: The Die is Cast

Disclaimer

I don’t own Naruto and neither do you. But plagiarize this fic and I will disembowel you and everyone ten feet from you.

A/N: Hi, it’s me again. The idea for this fic hit me while on the commute from the dorm back to my house. It’s a little glimpse on what might have been if Konoha’s diplomatic processes had been a bit different. Anyway, enough of this crap. Let’s get this fic on the road.

xxxxx

This was the day that started it all.

A peace treaty had been declared between Hidden Cloud and the Leaf. The former village had sent delegates to Konoha, emissaries of peace of the new alliance between the two villages. New bonds were formed that would later strengthen the military might of both nations, to the benefit of all the people.

It was a day of celebration; parades dotted the Leaf’s streets, and the people sent their adoration to the Cloud’s emissaries. The festivities lasted for days, and no one had expected what had happened next.

An attempted kidnapping was attempted on the heir of the Hyuuga clan’s Main House. Three year old Hyuuga Hinata was taken from her bed by a masked shinobi, whose intentions at the time were still unknown. The attempt was foiled by the head of the Main House himself. Hyuuga Hiashi slew the unknown shinobi with a single blow to the heart, all of the ninja’s tenketsu coiled around the organ triggering a cardiac arrest, killing him before he even hit the ground.

The masked shinobi was later revealed to be the head of the Cloud delegation, and in no uncertain terms the Hyuuga was ordered to surrender the corpse of the clan head or declare war with the other village.

In another world this triggered the death of a loved one and the birth of an undying hatred against a strangling system of oppression. In this world we see something different, something that might have been had one thing been changed.

Hyuuga Compound, Main Residence Hall

9 years before the canon

“That is preposterous Hokage-sama! We cannot be made to perform such an outrageous request!”

The Hyuuga clan elder punctuated his statement with a fist to the floor, a gesture so unlike the usually prim and proper façade they show to the world that the Sandaime visibly flinched. In the two opposite corners of the group sat the two clan heads. Hyuuga Hiashi, leader of the Main House, and to his left sat his twin brother Hizashi. To Their credit, neither betrayed their true feelings outwardly, only placing a schooled mask of neutrality on their aristocratic features. “The Hyuuga clan head will not be used as a bargaining chip, Hokage-sama,” another wizened elder said. “The council does not agree with this course of action at all.”

“I have considered your advice, elders, but I have made my decision.”

Sarutobi turned to see Hyuuga Hiashi with an expression of fierce concentration. The man’s fists clenched and unclenched involuntarily as he forced his mind to focus. “I have decided to take my own life to divert this potential conflict. The village will not see another war if I can help it.”

Hizashi frowned. This he did not expect. What are you thinking onii-sama? His twin shot him a look, and the head of the Branch House held his tongue. “You can’t be serious Hiashi!” an elder raged. “Your life cannot be held forfeit for something you have absolutely no control over! You acted in defense of your clan and nothing you did could be blamed to you.”

“Still we are left with a quandary in our hands,” the Hokage said, pursing his lips in thought. “On the one hand we surrender Hiashi and prevent war, despite an obvious act of aggression from Hidden Cloud. What do you think Hizashi?”

The man was startled at the attention given him. Hizashi cleared his throat once before he spoke. “If I may, Hiashi-sama,” he said, and his brother nodded his assent. “I realize that the clan will not sacrifice its head willingly and I offer a solution.” The elders and the Hokage leaned forward to hear.

“I suggest that I be given to the delegates in Hiashi-sama’s stead.”

That got the elders’ attention.

“Do you know what you are suggesting!”

“The Cloud will surely realize they have been deceived!”

Hiashi’s eyes had widened for a split second before he schooled his appearance into neutrality again. It was a struggle to keep his face impassive, but now was not the time to lose one’s composure. “Hizashi,” he said after the uproar died down. “I cannot ask you to do this.”

A dark laugh erupted from the Branch Head’s lips. “Who said you had an opinion in the matter, onii-sama?” he spat. “In my life I have been denied many things by many people,” as he said this he glanced at each elder present before he continued. “Allow me this one freedom to decide how the rest of my life will be spent.”

“The clan cannot force you to do this, otouto.”

“It is my decision Hiashi. You cannot dissuade me from it.”

The twins stares locked into each other, each one unwilling to lose the other. Hiashi was clan head, Hizashi was not. The logical answer was that the latter man was expendable while the former man was not. The curse seal on Hizashi’s head would ensure that none of the Hyuuga clan’s secrets would fall to the enemy as it would more assuredly had the clan head been allowed to die to prevent this war from happening.

The elders looked at each other and nodded. “The clan council hereby accepts the sacrifice of the head of the Branch House, Hyuuga Hizashi. His sacrifice will be remembered in our histories and will forever be to his honor. Kami-sama have mercy on his soul.”

“I won’t let you.”

Hyuuga Hiashi had risen silently from his sitting position and was now standing tall in front of the gathered group. The others had assumed their own ready stances, excluding the Hokage who had somehow managed to look interested at the conflict about to unfold in front of him. “I will not let you throw your life for me Hizashi,” the clan head seethed. “This never needed to happen had I not been too hasty in killing.”

Quick as lightning Hizashi flared into motion, slamming an open palm in Hiashi’s diaphragm and forcing the air out. The younger twin bent his head and whispered in his brother’s ear.

“And this was not your choice. Let me do this for you, otou-sama. Allow me the freedom to protect my precious people.”

Hiashi slumped into unconsciousness in his younger brother’s arms. The Hokage stood, motioning for Hizashi to follow him. “Come with me,” he said. “There’s something for you to see before we begin.”

Without another word the Sandaime left, Hizashi following after a fashion. They left the Hyuuga compound and traversed the length of the property to the village itself. There was no conversation, as no words were necessary for what needed to be done. As for the Hyuuga, only one thought crossed his mind.

He was going to die tonight.

They had been walking for thirty minutes before they came to the temporary holding grounds for the ninja prison. The structure was short, squat and generally unpleasant to look at. A set of seals were carved into the walls, making it impregnable from escape from the inside. As this was within the village limits, this was the best security measure to be afforded to the Leaf, before prisoners could be transferred to the main compound in the dormant volcano.

Hizashi still hadn’t figured out why he was brought here.

Shiranui Genma met them at the door, his ever-present senbon needle in his mouth. “Hokage-sama,” he said “Come to show Hizashi-san the big surprise?” The Hyuuga’s brow furrowed. Surprise? What?

Genma laughed. “I guess you haven’t told him yet. Anyway, let’s get this show on the road shall we?” The Hokage’s eyes shone with mirth as he shot a glance at Hizashi.

“Yes Genma. Some explanations are in order, but I feel that this would clarify things far more than I ever will.”

The trio made their way through the maze-like hallways and down into the lower levels built into the bedrock. The lower levels were dark and dank, lit only by torches. A constant drip dripping sound echoed throughout the stairwell, providing some cover against the deafening silence.

“Hokage-sama?”

“Yes Hizashi-kun?”

“What the hell is going on?”

“If my memory serves me well, you’ll find out in about…ah, here we are.”

They stopped in front of a steel reinforced door, its borders decorated with chakra-suppressing seals. Genma took out a key from his utility pouch and opened the complicated locks adorning the door. “Chakra-based security system,” the jounin explained. “Only three of us counting the Hokage even has access to this room.” Hizashi momentarily activated his Byakugan, only to find the Sandaime’s hand blocking his sight. Sarutobi had a smile on his face as the Hyuuga deactivated his bloodline.

“That would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it, Hizashi-kun?”

“I understand, Hokage-sama.” Fuck. No I don’t.

The door opened with a pop, as if the seals to the door had been airtight. What Hizashi saw next would unnerve him for decades to come. A coat of blood decorated the floors of the prison, the stench almost overpowering even to seasoned shinobi forged in the fields of battle. There were three prisoners hanging from chains attached to the wall, from the looks of their bloodied forehead protectors they were the remaining delegates from hidden Cloud. The Hyuuga did a double take. Hidden Cloud? In front of them was one Morino Ibiki.

The torture specialist was wiping down an arcane tool with an already bloody rag. It took a few moments for him to acknowledge the others’ presence. “Hokage-sama,” he said, without even a perfunctory greeting. “I’ve managed to put the prisoners in a more, ah, cooperative mood. I believe they’re willing to speak with you now.”

Genma took out the senbon from his lips and examined the condition of the three Cloud shinobi hanging on the walls. “I think you’re enjoying your job a little too much, Ibiki-kun. But even I must admire your professionalism sometimes.”

“I hope you don’t think you’re being funny Shiranui,” came the reply “because I think these guys can’t handle any more torture like your pathetic excuse for humor.” The Sandaime swept past them and stared straight into the eyes of the prisoner in the center.

“Kamishiro-san, I presume?” A gurgled reply. The Hokage ignored his prisoner’s current state and continued speaking normally. “With your prime delegate’s attempt to kidnap a member of a Konoha clan, your village has willingly and knowingly committed an act of aggression. Do you not realize this?”

Blood began dripping from the prisoner’s lips. His eyes were glazed, perhaps from the pain, perhaps from a last ditch attempt to conceal information. The Hokage remained unfazed. “Konoha has decided. The three of you will be executed and your corpses be sent with a declaration of war to Hidden Cloud.”

The Cloud nin’s eyes focused again. “Fuck you, Hokage-teme,” he spat.

Sarutobi smiled. “Ibiki,” he said offhandedly. “I believe our prisoner will be needing more convincing. I apologize for making you work on such a tight deadline, but we will need the information by the end of three days.” The torture specialist nodded.

“Figures,” Ibiki moaned, turning to his tools. “I hope I get paid overtime for this.”

Genma escorted the Hokage and Hizashi out of the compound. Once out in the night sky, the Hyuuga turned to the Sandaime with one question on his lips. “Why Hokage-sama?” Sarutobi’s face was solemn.

“Konoha will not be caught in a weak moment. Cloud made a mistake underestimating our reaction. With the attempt on Hinata-san’s life they have made their intentions clear. They do not trust us and neither do they want to. If it’s war they want, it’s war they will get.”

The Hokage excused himself and left for the tower. Hizashi watched his liege lord walk away, a certain heaviness in his gait as if the old man was carrying an unfathomable burden on his shoulders. “I hope you know what you’re doing Hokage-sama,” he said out loud. “This will signal worse times for us all.”

With that, Hyuuga Hizashi walked back to the confines of the Hyuuga compound. The Leaves were going to war, and fate would be decided for all of them this night.