Danzo: Hand Sasuke over to me

Hiruzen Sarutobi gently set the pipe that had accompanied him for so many years onto the polished desk. It made a soft "tap," especially clear in the office that had suddenly fallen silent.

"Kakashi," the Third Hokage said, his voice lower than usual and carrying a rare hint of request.

"I hope... you can go and talk to Sasuke."

Morning light slanted in through the window, throwing the deep wrinkles on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face into sharper relief.

Kakashi's lone visible right eye shifted slightly. In truth, the request did not come as a surprise. He had already guessed as much before he came.

Ever since Uchiha Shisui had led a diplomatic delegation on a high-profile visit to Konoha as an envoy of the Land of Stars and met Sasuke, Sasuke's condition had clearly been off.

And in all of Konoha, at least among those who openly possessed the Sharingan, he was the only one. He also shared a certain teacher-student bond with Sasuke.

Even though the origin of that eye was a scar that would never heal.

Kakashi lifted a hand and habitually scratched his silver hair, his posture still looking somewhat lazy.

"Lord Third," Kakashi asked, "I remember the report on the Chunin Exams mentioning that Sasuke... awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan during the second exam?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and picked up the pipe from the desk again, but did not light it right away.

"Yes, three tomoe," he said gravely, the words leaving him along with a sigh.

"You know as well that the evolution of the Sharingan requires extreme emotional stimulation... anger, grief, despair."

"Whether Uchiha Shisui's appearance this time was intentional or not, and whether or not he said anything during his brief contact with Sasuke today," Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze sharpened as he looked straight at Kakashi.