"I only gave him a piece of my mind! What's wrong with that?" the civilian protested, struggling. "He bumped into me first! How can you arrest me?"
"Why can't I arrest you?" Kanehi sneered. "You should feel honored to be arrested by the Uchiha Clan!"
"You!" The civilian's face flushed with anger.
The people around them couldn't hold back anymore, either.
"So what if you're an Uchiha?"
"Exactly! You arrested the wrong person, and you still think you're in the right?"
"Does being in the Military Police Force mean you can arrest anyone you want?"
Kanehi swept his gaze over them.
"What, got a problem?" He released the civilian and rested a hand on his ninja tool pouch. "Anyone with a problem, step forward! I'll arrest you all!"
The crowd instantly fell silent. No one dared say a word.
Obito couldn't stand watching anymore. He took a step forward.
"Kanehi, you..."
Before he could finish, Uchiha Makoto grabbed him.
"Makoto?" Obito turned back.
"Stay out of it," Uchiha Makoto said quietly.
"But..."
"I said, stay out of it."
Obito looked into Uchiha Makoto's eyes.
There was no anger in those eyes, no agitation.
Only calm-a calm that sent a chill through him.
Obito gritted his teeth and stepped back.
Kanehi glanced at them, scoffed, and dragged the civilian away.
The crowd dispersed, grumbling among themselves.
"The Uchiha are getting more and more outrageous."
"Exactly. Arresting people over every little thing."
"Do they think the Military Police Force belongs to their family?"
"It does belong to their family."
Obito lowered his head, his fists clenched tight. "Makoto, why didn't we stop him?"
Uchiha Makoto didn't answer.
He pulled Obito and Guy along toward home.
After they had walked a while, Obito asked again, "Makoto, why wouldn't you let me stop him?"
Uchiha Makoto stopped and looked at Obito.
"What did you want to stop?" he asked.
"Stop... stop him from arresting people for no reason," Obito said. "The Military Police Force is supposed to keep the peace, not bully people."
"That's right." Uchiha Makoto nodded. "But do you know why the Military Police Force was handed to the Uchiha?"
Obito froze for a moment.
"Because... because the Uchiha are strong?"
"Because Konoha wants the Uchiha dead," Uchiha Makoto said.
Obito's eyes widened.
Guy froze, too.
"Konoha gave the Uchiha the greatest authority not out of trust, but to set them up for a fall," Uchiha Makoto continued. "The Uchiha use that authority and offend everyone. The civilians hate you, the other clans hate you, and the higher-ups are happy to watch it happen."
"Once the Uchiha have offended enough people, Konoha can openly declare that they're abusing their authority, oppressing civilians, and unfit to run the Military Police Force."
"Then they'll take away that authority, suppress them, push them out, and finally..."
He didn't finish, but Obito understood.
"But... but we can change," Obito said. "We can use that authority properly and stop bullying people."
"What good will it do if you change all by yourself?" Uchiha Makoto asked. "Will Kanehi change? Will the other Uchiha change? They'll just think you're an idiot who betrayed the clan."
Obito fell silent.
He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
"Obito." Uchiha Makoto patted his shoulder. "If you want to change things, get stronger first."
"Strong enough that people listen when you speak."
"Strong enough that people pay attention to what you do."
"Strong enough... to protect the people you want to protect."
Obito raised his head, his eyes a little red.
"Then... how strong do I have to be?"
"Strong enough..." Uchiha Makoto thought for a moment. "Strong enough that Konoha wouldn't dare touch you."
"Strong enough that the Uchiha wouldn't dare curse you."
"Strong enough... to do whatever you want."
Obito went quiet.
Guy went quiet, too.
The three of them continued walking.
"Makoto," Obito suddenly said. "I'll get stronger."
"Really, really strong."
"Strong enough... to change all of this."
Uchiha Makoto glanced at him.
"Yeah! I believe in you."
Lately, life had settled back into its old routine.
"Makoto, what's wrong with your eyes?"
At the training ground, Obito stared at Uchiha Makoto's face, looking deeply worried.
Uchiha Makoto blinked, then rubbed his eyes.
"I don't know. They've been a little itchy lately, and there's this pressure, too," he said, putting on an act. "It feels like something's about to grow in them."
Obito froze.
Itchy eyes?
Pressure in his eyes?
What could possibly grow in an Uchiha's eyes besides the Sharingan?
"Makoto!" Obito suddenly grabbed Uchiha Makoto's shoulders, his voice trembling. "A-are you about to awaken your eyes?"
"Awaken my eyes?" Uchiha Makoto wore an expression that said, What are you talking about? I don't understand. "What do you mean?"
"The Sharingan!" Obito's face flushed with excitement. "Our Uchiha Clan's Sharingan! If your eyes feel uncomfortable, that should be a sign they're about to awaken!"
Uchiha Makoto was inwardly delighted.
He took the bait.
But his face still wore a look that said, You've got to be kidding me.
"Surely not? I'm only six. Besides, doesn't the Sharingan only awaken after some intense emotional shock? I've been eating and sleeping well these past few days. Where would the shock come from?"
"Not necessarily!" Obito shook his head emphatically. "You're a genius, Makoto! Why would a genius awaken his eyes the same way an ordinary person does? Maybe you're the kind who... who awakens naturally when the time is right!"
Awakens naturally when the time is right.
Uchiha Makoto almost failed to hold back his laughter.
That was actually a pretty fitting way to put it.
"All right, all right." He waved a hand. "Stop guessing. Maybe I've just been training too hard lately and my eyes are tired."
"No! It has to be!" Obito insisted. "Makoto, we have to tell the clan head and the elders! Awakening your eyes at six is a huge deal!"
Uchiha Makoto's heart tightened.
Tell the clan head?
Tell the elders?
That would be a disaster.
He hurriedly held Obito back. "No! Absolutely not!"
"Why?" Obito asked, puzzled. "Awakening your eyes at six is such an honor! The clan head would definitely be happy. He might even reward you!"
"Reward, my ass." Uchiha Makoto rolled his eyes. "My eyes just feel uncomfortable right now. I haven't actually awakened anything. What if you go around telling everyone I'm about to awaken my eyes, and a few days later it turns out they're just inflamed? Wouldn't that make me a laughingstock?"
Obito opened his mouth but said nothing.
"Think about it," Uchiha Makoto continued, stringing him along. "The whole clan hears that Uchiha Makoto is about to awaken his eyes. The elders come rushing over all excited, only to find out it's just an eye problem. I'd never be able to hold my head up in the clan again."
Obito thought it over. That... did seem to make sense.
"But..." He still didn't quite want to give up. "What if you really do awaken them?"
"We'll talk about it when I actually do." Uchiha Makoto patted his shoulder. "Nothing's happened yet, so don't go shouting it everywhere. Keep a low profile, understand? Keeping a low profile is the way to go."
Obito wrestled with it for a long time before finally nodding.
"All right," he said. "I won't tell anyone."
"Right, don't tell anyone." Uchiha Makoto breathed a sigh of relief. "Not even Rin."
"I can't even tell Rin?"
Before you continue