Tonight saw the young heir in a busy street amidst a lot of other people, young and old, tall and short. It was not a street one would expect in actuality, rather more of a dream. Everything was of a different color, yet at the same time of one and there was a definite hum in the air, as if the wind itself held a soft lullaby, coaxing the world into a further slumber.

Wincing against the cold October air that slithered past, the Uchiha ducked his head lower in his warm overcoat, so much so that only his bangs were visible around two oddly shimmering red speckled orbs. The cold was being merciless this time, not that it hadn't snowed before, but it was going to make things rough for Shisui.

Perhaps they should move to another place, he thought, one gloved hand reaching in his coat pocket and ducking in an alley while doing so, narrowly avoiding a tall shadow. They didn't need an audience for this, a stubborn voice spoke in his head as he withdrew his hand, a small emerald flame wrapped around his fingers.

Now to an onlooker, the sight would have caused puzzlement, but in such a realm, he doubted many were bothered. Bringing his other hand to hover over his enclosed one, he stroked the wilted flame with his fingers "Shisui, awaken. Don't die on me yet" he said, watching with slight bemusement as the fire changed color, from dark blue to a warm red, an identical pair of red speckled orbs forming in between, slowly coming to focus before turning into what one might call a glare.

"Took you long enough! Why'd you call me out here anyway? Its freezing!" and as if on cue, it curled inwards, closer to his fingers as if to hide. His cousin, though cursed to remain in this form, would probably never change on the inside.

"And quit making fun of me!" and apparently he was psychic too. Wearing a somewhat sheepish smile, he covered the warm flame with his other hand to protect it from the haunting wind. It was always an ill omen.

"Gomen na, Shisui. Though really, you're hardly as menacing when so tiny" he couldn't help but tease, moving further into the alley "Forgive me, I was looking for my brother..sadly he isn't here either" he said, eyes shimmering oddly again. He had been looking for his younger brother for the last few days now, from realm to realm. It was starting to get tiring.

Though he wasn't known as a talented Ryakudatsu-sha for nothing. As an heir to the infamous Uchiha clan, his scope was more than extraordinary. Though many would argue that his skill wasn't nearly as impressive as his brother's, who was famous for his elemental prowess; power of the hinote.

And he was missing. Just before the gathering with Lady Ameterasu, one of the most important events honored by the clan. If he didn't find him soon, his mother would have both their heads.

Whispers. He looked up as the lights flickered in the sky, a medley of green, blue and red now shifting to a darker glaze, the stars peeking from between the spray to commemorate the dancing of the moon. Shifting a glance at Shisui, both shared a momentary look of contemplation before a decision was made.

What was a twelve year old supposed to do? With a sigh, he raised his free hand in a diagonal arc, the other acting as a platform for his cousin before time itself stopped. The wind froze as life moved on, without a beginning, an end, just an eternal loop.

A flicker of sakura petals in the urban landscape, and the Uchiha was no more. He had disappeared without a trace of having been there in the first place.

Shifter between space and lore,

Find a place, for heavens abhore,

Where winds shift the sands of time,

With the cosmos at ease, let us dine.

A bunch of small, blinking fireflies awaited their arrival as the cicadas and the crickets all stopped to stare; the space between two old trees inverted, as if it had been smudged before a twelve year old with a speckled gaze stepped from between, holding what one would call a fleeting spirit - they were quite common. Instead that this one still had its eyes rolling, confused.

"Watch it will you?"

"Gomen na, Shisui"

Brushing non existent dust off his front, the boy looked around before letting out a slight chuckle "This isn't what I was aiming for..but its nice to visit family, once in a while no?" his question was directed more at himself than the man stoking a fire a few feet away. He didn't look that old, rather, less than middle aged though their features had an air of familiarity, his more rugged and with hair as wild and flowing as a gale personified.

"Hello, uncle" the man in question looked up from where his eyes had been reflecting the fire turning his colored gaze towards his nephew with an easygoing smile, familiarly serene yet cocky at the same time. Looks could be deceiving though never more than in his case. One could tell from his eyes; they had the wisdom of a thousand souls.

The wind blew, making the fire flicker, though to him it seemed like part of the evening had moved with it "Itachi. Its been a while, come. I'm waiting for Izuna" he said, gesturing with a pale finger before the same finger went to tuck a stray strand of hair behind one ear. For an all-powerful Mahotsukai, he rarely looked the part. Though he knew better, Madara could make the earth keel if he wanted to.

Powerful sorcery with an even more powerful level of expertise, Madara had seen his share..and probably a lot of other's. He was but one elder that stayed away from it all, more engrossed in a job he told no one about. He was the only one allowed to sit next to Lady Ameterasu, an honor indeed. His brother was similar, though more Ryakudatsu-sha than Mahotsukai, he probably enjoyed his travels more.

A call, and his hair seemed to blend in with the dark. Itachi avoided looking in his eyes, letting Shisui devour a bunch of dry twigs next to the fire he was stoking before sitting across the elder "Arigato. I'm looking for Sasuke. The gathering comes near" his tone was a reflection of his weariness, and he felt that it was easily legible, for Madara let out a light chuckle.

"Seems our brothers are more wayward than us, no?" he said a quirky grin on his face "Why, I remember how Izuna got lost before the meeting of the clans under Susanoo. He had accidental bursts of power that time" his face was a contortion of ease as the cicadas began singing their song, a soft melody filling the air as the crickets chimed in "Hashirama told me of how he found him near the border of their lands. He was lucky the forest bearer found him before the onii did" maybe recollecting such facts had become easier after lifetimes of war.

Listen, listen, hold on to us,

Where there not last, love more for us,

Sing for us, pray for us,

Worship else but your dream

He frowned as the darkness crept from the trees. Everyone was rather talkative tonight, or maybe he was being rather quiet. Shifting speckled orbs to stare at his uncle's fire, he noticed something brewing between the flames, as did Shisui since he stared as well.

They reminded him of Sasuke, he thought as the nightingale swooped over the sky, stealing a ray of starlight in between just as a shadow chased after it. Such was the realm of forgotten memories, they clung on to whatever gave them hope. In fact, the only reason they hadn't been hounded by the dark abyss was because of his uncle's powerful aura.

Maybe they should shift to another place, a voice chimed inside his head as he shared a look with Shisui, one of careful trepidation only to be interrupted by another loose chuckle "Why move when you've already moved?" came a voice. Itachi looked up to see that he was no longer there, having melted into the night. He could feel the tug on his conscious already.

Just like him, that troll, he deadpanned as Shisui let out a sigh which sounded more like a groan. The man never gave warnings before disappearing and now they were stuck here. Space could only handle so much manipulation before being torn to shreds..and after his uncle's disappearing act, he was not going to take the risk of turning it further. They would have to wait a while.

"Hopefully not a decade" Shisui piqued his mental thought before hopping on to his shoulder just as the fire took its dying breaths. Giving a short nod in acquiescence, Itachi sighed, grabbing a broken branch to act as a cane in case he had to chase a thought away and turned towards the eternally green speckled blue trees. They shifted aside for him, as if on a whim to reveal a path that led kami knew where.

Better than to stay as prey though, he thought before taking a step in that direction, the fireflies blinking in a song before fading near a nest of dandelions, the wind continuing to whisper like a guide while somewhere red speckled orbs framed with wild, bleeding midnight tresses watched with slight bemusement.

There was something weird about the place, he could feel it in his core. Magic, be it old or new, affected the elements much more than human beings or animals..or maybe it was the curse acting up again.

You see, Shisui had been a powerful mahotsukai in his own right, considered a genius like Itachi but had fallen in with a gang of onni that had tricked him into meeting with their head Kage no Inn, Danzo Shimura. If it weren't for his skill and speed, and Itachi showing up in the last minute to help him get away, he wouldn't have been able to come out of that encounter alive.

Though with all his strength and all his magic, he still couldn't undo the curse Danzo had cast on him. He still had his magic, and most of his personality intact though the only thing different now was his form, that of a flame.

Not only was he entirely dependent on his cousin now, but he couldn't cast any spells without using him as a medium..and Itachi was more ryakudatsu-sha than mahotsukai.

Releasing a sigh that went largely unheard, he focused ahead instead. The forest seemed eerie, with shadows dancing around them left and right. The music in the air had stilled to hushed whispers, cold enough to turn the tips of his flames blue.

Blasted Madara. Narrowing his colored eyes, he scooted closer to the warmth of his cousin's neck, startled when a drop of water struck his forehead. It had begun to drizzle lightly, but for him it was honestly as bad as a full blown storm.

Plus it was getting windy too.

"Its raining and freezing and I swear to kami if I get extinguished I'm burning Uncle Madara's hair when I get the chance!" he whined, dodging another drop of water, tempted to burn Itachi's bangs when he heard him laugh.

Naturally, a part of him was grateful that the twelve year old wasn't as spooked as he was was beginning to feel. They needed to shift. And soon.

Little did both of them know, they were being watched from not afar, where two mismatched eyes were looking at them with amusement laced just beneath the surface. It wasn't everyday that he witnessed Madara Uchiha troll one of his own, but the elder had a notorious reputation for that dangerous playfulness of his, so it wasn't entirely surprising.

Well, almost. He himself had had an encounter once, and had barely gotten out of it alive since his trick had almost swiped off his head. The elder had told him he had been interested in his services back then..which was obviously a lie since he could do it better himself. Kakashi wondered why he fell for it the first time.

Though it was obvious right now - leaving, or rather, tricking a twelve year old and his cursed cousin in a realm of forgotten memories either meant he was trying to be rid of them or he was giving them a twisted test. People avoided this realm for it was highly dangerous..one could forget who they were in an instant of lost focus, and then be doomed to haunt it like a shadow, chasing after anything that gave the slightest hope of what they had lost.

He was curious, though that might spell bad for them. Kakashi, though not entirely that high on the power scale, was not one to be trifled with; as a Mahotsukai that specialized in the art of Himeru, he had quite the reputation, just as infamous as the once powerful Shisui. They had been good friends at one point..he liked to think of them as still being so.

Sighing, he got up from the moss covered rock he had been sitting on, just as a nightingale came to sit on his shoulder, tossing the ray of starlight in his open palm "Good" pocketing it, he smirked lightly, withdrawing one of his knives and adjusting his mask on his face before blending in with the surroundings, disappearing from the naked eye.

"Lets pay them a visit, I'm sure they could use the company"

Slightly unaware of his cousin's voice, red speckled orbs wandered past the dark, constantly changing trees, gaze flitting across the spidery branches, dodging the depth of shadows and shades before a flicker of an aura was felt. This one was different from the countless amiss ones so prevalent in the realm, but as soon as his gaze looked towards that direction, it was met with the sheer brightness of a ray of starlight, raw and pulsating, banishing all the shadows that had been around the area.

It pulled at his soul, a velvet touch if only momentary before unleashing a wave of power which slipped beneath the air, jolting the threads of time and space that were placed delicately just beneath the surface. As a ryakudatsu-sha, he felt it like a tidal wave.

Sadly, his gaze was hardly enough to absorb the impact and had been sent reeling back to his person, almost with the force of a grand collision as the world around him came into slight focus just as the first drop of drizzle fell, earning a round of grumbling from his flame of a cousin.

"Its raining and freezing and I swear to kami if I get extinguished I'm burning Uncle Madara's hair when I get the chance!" despite the growing dread he could feel in his bones, Itachi chuckled, immediately adopting a sheepish expression soon after. Really, it was ironic; though it wasn't his fault, poor Shisui was cursed.

Come to think of it, Madara could probably do something about, as powerful of a Mahotsukai he was. Maybe it could be mentioned at the gathering, Lady Ameterasu was gracious depending on the gesture.

Speaking of, Sasuke was still missing and now they were lost in a forest notorious for being lost in the thousands of realms that encircled reality around a constant loop. His uncle had the worst timings.

Wanderer bear not, time's scrutiny,

For when the stars unleash their mighty spear,

Throw them down, erupt in tears,

Manifest, rage in destiny,

Forever around, forever lost,

incumbent, dreaded lullaby.

Raising a hand to his face, he pressed the pads of his fingers against his closed, sore eyes. Maybe using his sight at this moment had not been the smartest idea. Though it hadn't been entirely useless, it was evident now - they were not alone. The realm was alive, something unheard of in all the books he had studied before, this had been defined as a tundra.

It was beginning to get almost as cold as one too, he thought, resisting the shiver that danced down his spine. Reaching a hand to shelter the flame and meeting nothing but air, he blinked before noticing his cousin had pressed himself next to his neck, using the collar of his overcoat as shelter. Itachi was grateful, Shisui was comfortingly warm.

"Don't worry, Shisui. It'll be over soon" he said in a reassuring tone, though stealing a glance at the sky had him think otherwise. The stars had been obscured by a swirling mass of smoke and ghastly faces.

Did he mention his uncle had the worst timings?

Ryakudatsu-sha: Wanderer/Marauder. One who can travel between realms.

Mahotsukai: Mage/Sorcerer/One who can wield magic

Hinote: Tips of flames

Kage no Inn: Shadow of Yin

Himeru:Concealing