I know I’m kinda late to the party, but I have to hope this comment finds you. I LOVED this fic! I’ll admit that I’m usually a shameless shipper and read romance but I am so glad I checked this out. Stunningly well-written, developed and dynamic characters, novel and gripping plot. I could wax poetic about this story for ages. You took a sorely under written character and turned her into someone I now love. There is not a single thing I would change about your story, and I thank you for putting it out into the world.

LOVE. IT.
3

Your writing is amazing, Mikoto's strength is amazing, I love all of it I've read for 2 hours past my bedtime now and I Am Vibing

OMG I didn't realize the Mangekyo would also appear for her OMG!

This Mikoto canon Mikoto

No assbabies...guaranteed.
- thank you. I am Happy.

Also I love this story so much

Dear author, thank you so much for another explosive chapter. I loved reading Daishiro's confession, immediately followed by what happened with Fugaku. The thing I love most about the treatment of Mikoto's marriage and this story within the story about her and Daishiro is - it is so painfully, gut wrenchingly honest. Fugaku was a terrible husband and father - demeaning, disrespectful and quick to anger. But reading this, I understand what Mikoto meant when she said he was a lot of things... but not someone she could hate. This chapter is always a great reminder of how complicated love can be, and how it can manifest itself in many forms... I love how she kisses two men on the same day - and while they each have wildly different consequences: I believe Mikoto truly felt each kiss. Reading this, I don't think her kiss with Fugaku was less geniuine than her kiss with Daishiro. I also love that she used her "womanly wiles" to overpower fugaku in the end; that she used something Fugaku never fully appreciated, and probably saw as a weakness to make her kill was sensational to read.

Dear author, what always strikes me most about this chapter is the dichotomy that we see in Fugaku. I love the passage where Mikoto describes that childhood incident when the ice under the pond gave way under her, and how it was Fugaku who saved her. It was also explosive to get confirmation that Fugaku knew what Itachi had chosen for a while now... but defended him anyway. I am no fan of Fugaku, but as a reader I always greatly appreciated the complexity of his portrayal in this story. I also love the backstory and context provided behind Shisui's death in this AU. So much about the circumstances behind Shisuis' death and the Uchiha police's suspicions of Itachi were glossed over in canon, so I'm so thankful for the way it was fleshed out in this AU. I love this story so much - thank you for writing and sharing it with us!

Ninja Jesus! :DDDDDDD! Ok all joking aside though author-san, this chapter was electrifying. I love ch 11 because I just knew there was no turning back from this. And I loved this intro we get into Mikoto's genin team love, Daishiro!

Dear author, this is (one of) the most cathartic chapters for me in the story. This is why I read fanfiction. Itachi's agony, Mikoto's frustration, mother and son going head to head is so much fun to read!

Dear author, chapters 8 and 9 are always the most extraordinary one-two punch. It's everything I always hoped and wished canon would have been. Mikoto's sharp analytical thinking in piecing together what Itachi had been forced to undertake, what Fugaku was planning on doing with Naruto, and her dialogue here with Kakashi blows my mind no matter how many times I read this story. And Kakashi... KAKASHIIII! Kakashi's dynamic with Itachi in canon, how he was a prodigy, and especially skillful at looking "underneath the underneath" always seemed completely at odds with his supposed ignorance when it came to the Massacre. I just never understood it. How could the infamous Hound and Itachi's captain not have known what was going on? This chapter, this story - reconciles all of these discrepencies for me in the best way possible. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this with us!

Dear author, I thought what Mikoto did to Kakashi was definitely possible. Especially given her kekkei genkai, long history as a genjutsu specialist, and the way she'd been re-training herself and refining her chakra control since she started teaching her former student's genin team. I loved Kakashi's last line here, and the idea that Itachi got his genjutsu prowess from his mother! I also love and appreciate the further insight we get into Mikoto and Fugaku's arranged marriage, and their dynamic. As always, thank you for this update!

Dear author, (another) aspect I love about this story is getting to learn about pre-massacre Sasuke. I love reading him as this bright, sweet boy who is loyal to his friend, loves his family and yearns for his father's approval. There is so much I adore about this chapter, but the ending scene where Mikoto tells Naruto about his parents and offers him a first real look at his mother always makes my eyes water. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this wonderful installment with us!

Dear author, this chapter is (one of) my favorites in the story. It was instrumental in helping me understand the sociopolitical undercurrents of the village at this time - the divide between the civilians and the shinobi, what drove people's irrational fear of Naruto, and who Mikoto could and could not rely on as allies. It was especially interesting to learn of Shikaku's close friendship with Minato... and Mikoto's views on Inuzuka Tsume. As always, thank you so much for writing and sharing this chapter with us!

Dear author, I really love the OCs in this story! I love how this exercise was used to teach us how Mikoto thinks and why, and I found this line to be especially telling: "... but you'll still have the respect of... all the Konoha shinobi whose lives you'll be able to save. They're more important than the elder's pride. Much more." I love how this chapter gave us a glimpse into Mikoto's strategic mind, Sakumo's influence on her, and how she perceives herself and what she wants to prove. Thank you for writing and sharing this awesome chapter with us!

Dear author... this was sensational. I'm not nearly finished with my re-reads, but dkfjlfjdshjgbsdfkj thank you so much for giving us this BAMF Mikoto! I loved this so much! She personified everything I wished she was in cano in your story!