Chapter One:

Little Itachi's Field-trip Gone Wrong

Six-year-old Itachi walked through the forest carrying his pack. He knew he shouldn't leave the village, but the overwhelming pressure he was feeling from his father got to him sometimes and he needed time to himself. Both his parents where in a long meeting with the clan leaders, so he thought this would be a good time to get away. Packing up his rug sack he'd snuck out of the village and decided he would keep walking until he calmed down. He kept his weapons easily accessible. Shisui would get mad at me if he knew I was doing this, I should bring him back something, so he won't tell on me.

The sun's light lit up the forest and created vibrant colors in all shades of green, Itachi stopped to admire the different colored fauna. I bet you don't have to think too hard about things do you? Life must be pretty quiet. He walked farther into the forest amazed at all the plants growing that he hadn't seen in the village. I wonder what you're called? He bent down next to a shockingly blue flower. Is it poisonous? Would it make Shisui happy? He backed up from the flower as he contemplated how to preserve it and get it back home. The ground cracked beneath his feet and before he could react; the earth opened up pulling him into its depths. Scrambling he pulled out his kunai and dug them into the wall slowing his descent. He hit the bottom of the pit hard, his knee buckled and he collapsed to the ground as pain shot through his leg.

Tearing up he turned over and squinted at his leg in the semidarkness, his ankle was turning purple and swelling up. When he tried to stand and put pressure on it he cried out in pain. His heart pound in his ears as he looked around at where he was, the walls of the pit were smooth and looked man made. Is this a trap? The pit was too high up for him to climb out and with his ankle the way it was he didn't think he could scale it. Oh, no… What do I do now? No one knows I'm out here. He quickly wiped away the tears that tried to pour out of his eyes.

"There's no way you caught something!"

"You don't know that."

"I bet it was a rabbit."

"Well, then we can have it for dinner tonight."

Itachi looked up at the voices coming from the hole; two little faces peaked over the top down at him.

"Hey look—" The little girl pointed at Itachi. "—I caught a boy."

The little boy frowned at her. "Great, what now?"

"Can I keep him? He's cute?"

Itachi gaped up at them confused.

The little boy sighed. "I fear for your future husband."

She punched him in the arm. "I've decided. I'm keeping him." She grinned down at Itachi.

Itachi felt his stomach drop. He was regretting leaving the village; Shisui would never let him hear the end of this.