The Fateful Rehearsal
The early morning before the bloody Uchiha massacre. The birds are leisurely bathing in the warm rays of the sun, while eying hungrily the carefree butterflies that are fluttering from one nectar jar to another, some lonely hawk is hovering high above the land, looking out for his own breakfast among predator's weaker smaller kin. Ah! What a perfect image of the food chain. And young Itachi Uchiha is standing tragically in the centre of his gloomy chamber, gripping a shiny brainpan of a nameless victim (or belonging to an ancestor, who knows) in his extended right hand.
"To kill or not to kill. That is the question…" he exclaims uncertainly, absorbed in the complicated dilemma. Unfortunately, the poor silent "Yorick" won't bestow a piece of advice upon the elder son of Fugaku.
"Brother, I…" all of a sudden the door is swung open by the clan leader's youngest child.
Itachi blinks and sighs at the lack of manners and the absurdity of his disclosure. Sasuke blinks and gulps at the surprising and quite grotesque sight. The elder sibling swiftly tries to erase the awkward situation and hides the talking-buddy behind his back. But, apparently, it's too late…
"Brother, what have you been doing with that?" the seven-year-old curiously asks. Itachi curses the natural cognitive need of this delicate age.
"That?" he pretends no to hear clearly in order to verify Sasuke's guess. "And what have I told you about invading my privacy?"
"The skull", his brother specifies, frowning, catching the nervous tone in Itachi's voice. He dejectedly mumbles "Knock first, wait for the authorization, then proceed to enter".
"Oh, that shaaaam skull", Itachi fakes an easy laugh (because the Uchiha never lose their wits even in the most embarrassing circumstances, like concealing their tears furiously rubbing their eyes, explaining their actions as a classical method to awake sharingan, for example). "I'm actually rehearsing a part of a play for the ANBU annual fest."
"But, brother, why haven't you told me about such an amazing tradition? Can I watch your performance too?" Sasuke sounds too much enthusiastic for Itachi's expectations.
"Sorry, it's not allowed. Obviously, because it's a top-secret. So you can't leak this important information to others, including our mother and father. Do you understand, Sasuke? " Itachi says, while contemplating the consequences of the unplanned usage of Tsukiyomi .
"Of course", Sasuke sharply nods, wearing an expression of disappointment. "And the brainpan?"
"Well, every respectable Uchiha keeps at least one skeleton in his closet", Itachi coughs, wincing at the suggestive excuse.
"I want my skeleton too!" Sasuke demands in a spoiled manner.
"You'll get yours when you turn sixteen, little brother" the elder sibling promises and kindly smiles at Sasuke's naivety. "Now leave or you'll be late for your first lesson".
"I can't murder my little brother. So the only reasonable option is to eliminate all targets before Sasuke returns from the academy. Well, the fate of Uchiha clan has been sealed, hasn't it?" the young agent whispers, putting the skull away.
The crimson curtain falls.
The second and the third miniatures are "The Supreme Law" (Sakura, Yamato, Naruto) and "Kakashi's Dream" (Kakashi, his three inquisitive subordinates).