Chapter One: Itachi's Early years

The Uchiha clan was not blessed with many offspring. It was probably due to their limited gene pool. For generations, Uchihas were not allowed to marry outside the clan. Those that left were hunted down and had their eyes gauged out as per clan orders. Which was why for several generations now, there had been little to no defections. Consequently there had also been only a small number of children born. Compounding the issue was the fact that the majority of the children born were boys. At the current rate, the clan would die out and with it their precious kekkai genkai. Luckily every generation had produced some girls.

The clan was indeed dwindling but was able to hold on to their proud lineage. Their lineage dated back before the creation of the Konoha village. They had been instrumental in the birth of the village and was charged with its protection. The Uchiha clan made up the renown police force of the village. While the Leaf Village was home to hundreds of shinobi who were responsible for the protection of the Land of Fire and the Hokage, the Uchiha clan protected the people within the village gates. They were responsible for breaking up the petty fights of those too drunk to know what they were doing and also to keep a tight lid on any petty thievery. Their job seemed mundane at times but was essential to keeping the village running smoothly and the villagers feeling secure.

With the clan dwindling in numbers, it was finally decided by the clan elders that the law restricting fraternization outside the clan to be revoked for male Uchiha clan members only. The hope was to replenish the clan population and Sharingan users to regain the strength in numbes that they once held in the village. Several clan members married and though they bore children, none inherited the Sharingan. It appeared that the kekkai genkai was maternally linked and therefore could only be passed on through the girls in the clan.

As the years moved on, there were less and less girls born to the clan until alas there were only 3, Uruchi, Amiko, and Mikoto. Uruchi, as the oldest, married Teyaki, the Uchiha clan leader at the time. Even though it was an arranged marriage, they quickly fell in love with each other. So after several years of trying to get pregnant, it was with a sad heart that Teyaki announced that Uruchi was barren. The elders were in an uproar.

At the time, Amiko was seventeen years old, and making quite the name for herself as an ANBU black ops member and deadly shinobi. She was very much a free spirit and enjoyed the challenge of each mission. Truth be told, at seventeen, she was stronger than most of the Uchiha men twice her age, and her Sharingan was by far the most advanced.

The elders urged Teyaki to put Uruchi aside and marry Amiko. However Teyaki laughed at this prospect. He was already well advanced in years, close to 50, and the idea of being tied to a wild young girl was not a pleasant one. He decided that the best course of action would be to retire his position to someone younger. So despite the protest of many in the village, he handed over the reins to a young upstart named Fugaku, and opened a bakery with the love of his life, Uruchi.

::

Fugaku was a driven individual and had made quite a name for himself in the police force. When he was younger, he had longed to be a Konoha shinobi. He had even been one of the chosen Uchiha to enter the academy. The Uchiha only sent one or two candidates to the Academy a year and only the best. They had a reputation to uphold after all. They were Uchiha and Uchiha was synonymous with greatness or at least that was the perception that the elder Uchiha council wanted Konoha to believe. Fugaku had only been at the academy for a few months when he accompanied his father on patrol. That particular night, there was a large bar fight involving some Konoha shinobi. Fugaku's father and several other Uchiha were brought in to break it up. Two very inebriated shinobi whirled around to fight his father. Even with his Sharingan his father was not able to defend against two Konoha shinobi using chakra infused weapons. As his father lay bleeding, the shinobi were apprehended but not before spatting out obscenities and calling his father a "reject". On that day, Fugaku's eyes were opened to a new light. He always thought that Uchihas were revered by the village since they were its protectors. However now he realized that they were actuality ridiculed by the very people they tried to help. To further emphasize this realization was that neither shinobi was reprimanded. It was ruled that Shinobi were under the protection of the Hokage and village counsellors. Therefore they could not be detained or jailed by the village police force, in other words, the Uchiha.

This enraged Fugaku and he made a promise to himself then and there that he would do all in his power to raise the name of the Uchiha clan. He would not allow the village to overlook them again. He was going to make a difference. He left the academy the next day and joined the police force. He was by far the most talented on the force and he strove to make everyone around him stronger too. It was no wonder that he quickly rose up the ranks and became head of the Konoha police department by the time he was 25. That same year, he was asked to become the Head of the Clan. It was everything he had dreamed about.

Preparations for Amiko to marry Fugaku were in full swing. At this time there had been no knew Sharingan holders born in quite some years. In fact, Mikoto, Amiko's sister, at sixteen was the youngest Sharingan user in the clan. Mikoto was the exact opposite of her older sister. Amiko could not stay in one place for any length of time. She liked to move. Sitting around inside all day was just simply boring.

"Mikoto, how do you do it?" Amiko asked as she looked out the window. "It's a beautiful day outside yet here you sit."

"I'm not sitting, Amiko! I'm making a nice meal for the clan leader. It's such an honor that he's coming to the house. Just to think that you will be married to him in just a few months!" Mikoto raved.

"Please don't remind me!" Amiko sneered. "What am I a prized cow? Why did I have to be born to this clan?" She lamented to no one in particular. "I just want to see the world! Not be shut away in this tiny part of the village caring for snotty nosed brats."

Mikoto shushed her as a knock on the door sounded.

"Be nice" Mikoto whispered as she rushed to answer the door.

"Uchiha-sama" Mikoto bowed deferentially as she moved to the side to let in Fugaku.

"Mikoto you don't need to be so formal. Please call me Fugaku. After all soon you will be my sister. "

Fugaku moved further into the room and spied Amiko. Amiko had her arms crossed in front of her chest and her foot was tapping on the ground. She came over to him and gave a small bow. When she looked up her eyes were cold.

"So did you come to check out the cow before buying?" She said staring coldly into his eyes.

Mikoto gasped, "Amiko! He's the clan leader! Show respect!"

"If you like him so much why don't you marry him? I'm out of here!" With that said Amiko grabbed her jacket and left, slamming the door as she went through.

Mikoto turned back to Fugaku after watching her sister flee.

"Lunch?" She offered and started bustling around the table.

Fugaku sighed. He had heard that Amiko was so strong minded but he really didn't think that she would be this opposed much less so volatile. As clan leader, he could make her accept him as her husband, but he really didn't want to do that.

Fugaku turned to leave, "No I can't stay under these circumstances."

Mikoto laughed, "If you mean to leave because of Amiko, then please don't. She is always like this. The idea is still new to her. Let her get used to the idea. She will come around. In the meantime stay and eat lunch with your soon to be sister. After all I would feel bad if all this food went to waste."

Fugaku considered what she said. He was hungry and the food did smell delicious. Maybe he would get to know more about Amiko through talking to her sister.

"The food does smell delicious. Why not?" With that the two sat down and began to eat.

::

Amiko ran off to the ANBU training area. She often found solace in throwing weapons and going through intricate taijutsu moves. She was surprised to see one of her fellow ops also on the training grounds.

"Hey Konaru! What are you doing out here? I thought you were still out on a mission."

Konaru was a strong youth about her age. They often competed against each other. Konaru was fast but Amiko was one of the few that could block his moves with her Sharingan. She enjoyed the challenge he presented but mostly the look of frustration when she bested him.

"Are you here to practice your taijutsu? You know it needs a lot of work if you plan to come anywhere close to beating me." She teased as she walked up to him.

He grinned and shrugged, "Laugh it up, Sharingan! One day I'm going to beat you. Just wait and see and then I expect you to announce to the whole village that I'm your master!"

"Wake up, dreamer! That's never going to happen! I'm known as Amiko the Freebird cause I have no master!" She snapped her fingers in front of his face. Even her mask was a bird. It demonstrated her need to fly.

Konaru looked at her slyly, "This dreamer heard that the Freebird had a date today. I also heard that the Uchiha want to cage this pretty little bird." Konaru raised his hand and gently grazed the side of her cheek with the back of his hand.

Amiko grabbed his hand and twisted it around his back in a blink of an eye, "No one is going to cage me! Got that!"

Konaru chuckled.

"Hey you're an Uchiha remember? Can't the clan leader make you marry whoever he chooses? I mean he is like your Hokage."

She let him up with a growl, "He wouldn't dare!" Her Sharingan took on a menacing glow.

Then her face crumbled and she sat down suddenly on the ground. Konaru sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"You are so lucky to not have a clan that thinks that they can dictate your life!"

Konaru chuckled again but this time sadly, " Actually I was thinking how lucky you were to be part of the noble Uchiha clan. Yeah I guess it's a pain to have people plan your life for you but hey it beats being all alone." Amiko pulled back a bit from Konaru and looked into his eyes.

"Haven't you ever wished for something so bad yet you know you can never obtain it?" She said through her tears.

Konaru pulled her hair from her face and looked down at Amiko. Normally his brown eyes were filled with mirth but this time they were serious as they stared down into hers.

"Yes, yes I have, actually" he said softly then he leaned into her and they kissed.

"What do you mean, she's gone?" Fugaku said as Mikoto poured him some tea a few months later. He had taken to the habit of coming to their house at least once a week for lunch. Normally it was just Mikoto who greeted him but that was okay. He had hoped that with time Amiko would come to accept him. He was willing to wait. However the council members were not. They kept pressuring him to set a date for the wedding.

Mikoto calmly put down the teapot and sat down.

"She has gone to live in Konoha village. She has left the Uchiha compound." Mikoto said softly.

Fugaku felt a sudden stab of betrayal. "She is an Uchiha. She just can't get up and leave the sector without notifying the council!"

"Yes I told her that myself." Mikoto continued calmly, "However she said that as a member of the ANBU her allegiance is to Konaha and she sought out their protection in this matter. They have agreed to sponsor her and she gave me this document signed by the councilman, Danzo. She asked me to give it to you." Mikoto handed him a document that contained the Konaha seal. He quickly opened it and reviewed the contents.

He slammed his fist on the table making the tea cups rattle.

"Konoha!" He muttered angrily. The council will not like this. He didn't like this. Konaha was messing with clan issues that were none of their business. However, the document was in order. Unless they wanted to start a civil war the issue was moot.

"The council will have no choice but to ban her from our sector. She will not be able to visit here. Also no Uchiha will be allowed to be seen in her company." His eyes bore into Mikoto so that she understood the significance of her sister's decision."

Suddenly he sighed and looked down at his hands feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. Then he saw two small hands cover his.

"It will be okay, Fugaku. It will be okay." Mikoto smiled supportively.

Suddenly the thought of Amiko defecting to Konaha wasn't so bad after all. He even found the strength to smile back.

::

One year later, Fugaku and Mikoto got married. It was a grand celebration and all the Uchiha clan were out in full support. After several years of trying, Mikoto finally gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who they named Itachi. Again the clan rejoiced. Finally a Sharingan user was born.

The baby was showered with attention by all the adults of the clan. Itachi had a sweet loving nature that couldn't help but captivate those around him. As soon as he could walk and talk his father drilled into him the importance of the clan and his place in it. Even at a young age, Itachi was thoughtful and responsible. Those these characteristics made him a favorite among the older clan members, they also made him a target of bullying among his peers. The older boys, especially those who lacked Sharingan were very jealous of the "favored" boy.

One day when Itachi was about 4 years old he was walking through the Uchiha woods when he spied a crow's nest not more than 2 meters up a tree. The nest seemed unoccupied so Itachi thought he could climb up and see if there were any eggs. Even at such a young age, he had mastered enough chakra control to aid in the climb. Once he was adjacent to the nest, he peered inside and saw 6 small eggs. He smiled at the thought of the baby birds that would be chirping away in a month or so. He was very careful to not touch the nest in any way and he started to climb down when he heard some voices calling up to him. He had been so immersed at spying on the nest that he didn't hear several of his clan's boys approach. He was about to call out a greeting when all of a sudden one of the larger boys started to purposely sway the tree roughly.

"Hey, what do you think you are doing?" Itachi called down as he tried to hang on.

"Aren't you the wonder boy of the clan? I'm sure you can fly down from there if you wanted to. Aren't you the hope of the clan?" The older boy laughed nastily and kept pushing and pulling the tree to and fro.

"That's enough, Basuru. Our folks will kill us if they find out that we were pranking the golden boy" cried one of the other boys.

"Oh come on! He thinks he's so much better than us, the little snot! I just want to give him something to remember us by." He gave one last toss of the tree, laughingly, when the nest lost its anchor and began to slip from the branch.

"Stop, please stop!" Itachi sobbed but Basuru started laughing even more.

"Ah hear that? The baby is crying!" Basuru yelled up with malicious glee and then he started shaking the tree with more vigor. "See if you can hold on now!"

Even at such a young age, Itachi had great chakra control and could of hung on. However as the nest of eggs slid off the limb and started to plummet, Itachi reached out to save it. As he did so, he lost his footing and fell out of the tree. His sole purpose was to save the nest and he gave no concern for his body. He landed hard on his side and his left shoulder crumpled under him. He had managed to catch the nest but the force of the fall cracked the eggs.

The boys scattered leaving Itachi broken and bruised. Once the boys were gone, Itachi sat up and surveyed the nest. Many of the eggs were cracked and he felt such sorrow. He didn't even realize the state of his own body until he tried to get up. He knew that it was hopeless but he felt duty bound to put the nest back up in the tree so he made his battered body climb back up the tree where he carefully put the nest back onto the fork in the limb.

"Sorry little birds. It's all my fault! Please forgive me!" With that small prayer he shimmied back down the tree and limbed home cradling his shoulder. Unbeknownst to him, there was a crow at the top of the neighboring tree that witnessed the whole scene. It followed the boy to his home and once the boy was safely inside it flew off eager to share his tale.

::

Due to what had conspired with Amiko, the Uchiha clan had countered the only way they could. They had basically closed their gates and restricted their clan association with Konoha as much as they could. They maintained the police force of course but outside of work hours they returned to their secured part of the village. They had also countered by not sending any candidates to the Academy in the past six years. During that time, Konoha had lost many shinobi during the Third Great Ninja War and were in desperate need of ninja. One of those shinobi killed in action was Amiko. The Third Hokage himself made sure to bring her body back to the clan. Mikoto could not contain her shock at seeing her sister brought back in a body bag.

Her sister was invincible. There was no way this could be her, she thought. There must be some mistake. She requested to be alone with the body. The elders of the clan respected her wishes. She slowly unzipped the bag revealing the battered and bruised body who though more mature was definitely in no doubt her sister. The most startling was the evidence that her eyes had been gauged out. The Third had warned them that in battle it was common for victors to take the kekkai genkai of the loser in this case, Amiko's eyes. It finally hit Mikoto, the reality of war. Inside their tiny little compound they mostly had forgotten that the war was even being waged outside their village. Her only concern was the furthering of the Uchiha clan. She had been pregnant once since bearing Itachi. Sadly the baby had died during delivery, a tiny baby girl. She had secluded herself and had barely noticed the world around her.

Death of her sister was not the only surprise. The Third also brought a young boy barely three years older than Itachi. Apparently her sister had had a son, Shisui. Shisui had been orphaned when both his parents had been killed in battle. His father, Konaru, had no family to speak of. The Third thought that the boy would be better suited with the Uchiha clan. Mikoto instantly wanted to take the boy into their family but Fugaku would not have it.

"She was a traitor to this clan. I will not adopt the boy! I cannot!" Fugaku ranted.

"He's just a child and he's my flesh and blood. Yes my sister was a traitor but she was an Uchiha and the boy is an Uchiha" she countered.

"No I cannot accept him into the clan. The Third specifically stated that he could come only on the condition that he could remain attending the Konaha academy. You know perfectly well that the clan will not support such a thing. "

"It was my sister's dream to be a shinobi. Is it so strange that she would want the same for her son? We have a chance with Shisui to show him what being part of a clan can be like. He's not my sister. " she pleaded with Fugaku. When she still saw the stubborn tilt of his jaw she used her trump card,"he will have the Sharingan."

Fugaku sighed. "Okay you win but he will not stay here. I will see if who in the clan would be willing to take him in and raise him in accordance to the Uchiha values and customs."

Mikoto sighed with a great sense of relief. She hated to stand up to Fugaku. However in this case she could never forgive herself if she abandoned her sister's child. It was decided by the village that Shisui would go to live with Teyaki and Uruchi. They welcomed the child gladly into their home. Shisui called them Grandfather and Grandmother due to their age and much older appearance. This delighted the childless couple greatly.

::

Mikoto would visit the older couple often to check to see how the boy was adjusting. On one such occasion she brought Itachi along with her . Uruchi asked Shisui to take Itachi outside to play while she and Mikoto rested inside. At the time Mikoto was greatly pregnant and very tired. It was hard keeping up with a four year old active little boy. Itachi had grown shy in the past year around the village kids. He said that he just preferred to be alone but Mikoto had suspected that something had happened to form the rift. She really hoped that Shisui could be the friend that Itachi needed.

"You really don't have to play with me if you'd prefer to do something else. I'm quite fine being alone." Even at the age of four, Itachi's speech was very formal probably due to the fact that he was always around adults.

"That's a silly thing to say!" Said Shisui,"Don't you want to play with me? There's a barn in the back filled with flour bags. I thought that we could see who could climb to the top the fastest. I'm learning chakra control at the academy." The eight year puffed out his chest proudly.

"What's the academy?" Itachi inquired."Are you in the police force already?"

Shisui laughed. "No, no, the Konoha academy for shinobi. I'm going to be a great Konaha shinobi like my parents." Announced Shisui. "Race you to the barn!"

Shisui started to run and Itachi couldn't help but run after him. They played for several hours that afternoon. When his mom came outside to announce that it was almost time to leave, Itachi felt really sad.

"I don't know when I'll see you again. " Itachi said sadly as he looked as his new friend. Shisui also looked sad. Itachi, even though he was much younger, was the first friend that he had made in a while too.

Suddenly Shisui had an idea. "Why don't you come to the academy with me? Your chakra control is already much better than mine. We could walk to the school and back together. It would be fun! Just ask your parents. "

That evening when they were all gathered at the table, Itachi brought up the subject of the academy. His father was vehemently opposed. However Itachi was persistent and kept asking daily until finally his father relented with the backing of his mom. She wanted the boys to become closer. She convinced Fugaku by saying that Itachi would be a good influence on Shisui. Fugaku was worried that it would be the other way around. However she said that with a father like Fugaku, Itachi would always put the clan first. Fugaku could not counter that and as usual Mikoto got her way. So it was that Itachi at the age of five started at the Konoha academy and with Shisui's guidance became the youngest to graduate at the age of 7.