"Your task is simple. Reach out your mind, in the way that I have taught you, and seek that of a nearby animal." The Head Mage gestured minutely, looking at the pupil who sat at his feet by the hearth. The fire in it was a fresh light green. "This animal need only be within the confines of the city walls, as you are able to extend your reach that far. No more is needed. Once you have gently connected your mind to the animal, you should be able to hear it's thoughts."

"And once that is done, we will be bonded to one another?" The Apprentice queried, looking away from the fire, and up into the face of his Master, "Eternally?"

"Yes. As is the way of those who enter the Mages' Guild. The animal that your mind will drift toward will be the most suited to your personality and your being." Upon saying this, a small field mouse appeared on the mans shoulder, poking it's tiny head past the fall of dark hair and sniffing the air curiously, "Fie here is a timid little thing. He likes not the hustle and bustle of a crowd. Nor is he fond of dogs or large felines. Such as I am. It will be the same for you and your bond beast once you have found it."

Sasuke looked thoughtful. In truth, he had never truly been sure of his own personality, and was not very sure that any one animal would fit it completely. But his Master was seldom incorrect, and knew Sasuke as intimately as a father would a favourite son. He would know best. If he believed that Sasuke was ready, then Sasuke was undoubtedly ready. He was just having a little trouble believing that himself.

"So I must reach out and hook my mind partially into whichever animal my mind discovers for me?"

"Yes."

"Well, here I go then."

Reaching out required an immense amount of concentration. Closing his eyes, Sasuke centred his mind. To do so, he must empty his mind of all thought. Months had been spent in preparation for this moment, months in which he had worked tirelessly in order to perfect this talent. This task could only be performed once. And he was absolutely not going to ruin it with an idle thought or any other distraction.

His mind free of thought, Sasuke found his mind hook easily, as though it had merely been hanging on a wall close by. In some way, it had been. But now he was going to hold it with his mind, with his being, and travel with it in search of an animal companion.

Over the rooftops he soared, swift as a lightening flash, and silent as a hunting wolf. Over the Noble's Guild and that of the Carpenters'. Rapidly he passed over the dreary Miscreant Workers' Guild. Many more sections of the city were travelled over, but Sasuke wouldn't remember any of this. He would only recall the moment upon reaching his bond beast and merging with it. The way there was inconsequential to a mind that had freed itself of all thought.

The destination was quickly reached, and in a breath of fresh air, soft and refreshing, he had reached the future companion of his life and magic.

A small, black cat, huddled in front of an orange glowing hearth, it's small white front paws rested under it's chin while it slept. The back paws were white to match. Dozing, dreaming, peaceful and waking up. After stretching gracefully, he lifted a small white paw daintily to his mouth, and in an action that seemed to the hovering Sasuke-mind to be rather languorous, lifted his eyes to stare directly at him as he licked his paw to free a small piece of grass that had stuck there from earlier frolicking during the day.

If Sasuke could have grinned in his body-less form, he absolutely would have. He was perfect, this small being. Small but strong and lithe. Dark in features but also light. Intelligent and resourceful. All such as Sasuke was, and could see himself as now, reflected in this tiny animals' eyes.

He reached his hook gently out, and prepared to join minds with the cat. A silken brush, gentle and unhurried. Finnean. He had named himself Finnean, while his owner had named him-

But something was happening, abruptly and noisily. A shout, from the next room. Something crashing to the floor. Doors flinging open and the sounds of somebody fleeing and another in pursuit. It was headed directly for Sasuke. And towards Finnean.

The small animal reacted on instinct. Leaping up onto the mantle, he hid behind a small vase perched there, unwilling to leave the presence that had made his mind feel warm and fuzzy, like an afternoon nap after a large and satisfying meal. Sasuke. He did not want to leave him.

Sasuke himself was frantic, losing control on his mind hold, the hook he had been carrying swinging around crazily, threatening to drop. A figure burst into the room, tall and dark, and whirled to face the intruder.

Blond. Sasuke had only time enough to register this small fact before his world turned upside down.

Needles were flying toward the tall man, Finnean's owner. The man moved as if to dive out of the way. Something smashed.

Sasuke knew no more.

When he came to, it was to a startling realisation and a blinding pain.

He was jumping from rooftop to rooftop, with absolutely no idea as to how he had been doing it while unconscious. And with no inkling as to where he was. And something in his mind was hurting, a sharp, encompassing pain such that he had never felt before.

His mind ran through the obvious questions: why was he moving, how was he moving, why did it hurt so much and generally what the hell was going on.

Briefly and quickly deciding that he had somehow gone considerably insane, Sasuke stopped jumping.

Sasuke tried to stop jumping.

His body would not heed his minds' commands. He bounded on.

Greatly alarmed, Sasuke came to the conclusion that somebody must be controlling his body with evil magic. Or something. How it was happening was not the issue: stopping it from happening was.

He shouted at his body, the magical word that ceased any and all spells that may have been in effect at the time and place of saying it. The word has no comparison in his every day tongue, and cannot be written down.

Instead, shocking him to the core, his shout was articulated within his mind as a deafening roar. And out of his mouth emerged a scream that was definitely not expressed in his voice. Sasuke had a moment to think wryly, well at least my body has stopped.

In fact, his body was doing a little more than simply stopping. Somehow, it had crouched on the edge of the roof that it had been about to spring from. A strong, tan hand reached down to grip the small stone wall that acted as a balustrade, steadying his body.

A strong, tan hand.

Slowly, Sasuke forced the panic down. He couldn't stop his frantic thoughts, however: This hand is not mine, mine are long and pale. My arm is not as strong as this that I am seeing. And I am certain that my nails are far better looked after.

There had to be another arm on his body. Somebody else's. Some twisted magic, interfering with his own, had caused this. There was no other explanation.

"…Maybe there is."

Another, stronger wave of panic was rushing swiftly towards the young mage, and almost consumed him before he could push it back. The foreign voice had spoken again, and out of his mouth.

"No, not your mouth. This is my mouth."

But there had to be a mistake, this was his body, his-

"No. My body."

Then where in the name of Merlin is mine?!

Somewhere off to his left, he sensed a pang of confusion that matched his own. It was not quite familiar or close enough to be considered being a feeling that he had felt. He assumed that it was this…person's…feeling.

"Damn right it is! Aren't you confused? What the fuck are you doing in my mind?!"

He didn't know, he just did not know. The last thing that he recalled had been a crashing sound, right after the intruder had leapt at the owner of-

Finnean.

A deep and heady wave of pain and grief assailed his senses, and Sasuke could think no more beyond it. Finnean. The cat was gone. The small, beautiful creature had died. His bond beast. After a long, long moment, he was able to think, What was he to do now? He was useless as a Mage, now. Only one chance did a Mage receive to bond to their chosen animal. And now his magic would flow erratically and unreliably, without his beast to steady it.

"A cat?"

Sasuke did not answer. He didn't need to anyway. He had a suspicion that whoever this was would be able to sense his emotions as clearly as Sasuke had sensed the others' confusion.

Who was this person? Strong and tanned, was all he knew. Deep, charismatic voice. Cramping leg.

How am I able to feel that too? Sasuke thought at the person, mind voice tinged with annoyance, Move your leg before you pull something!

"Oh, so-rry, mister stick up his arse. I'd unfairly presumed that I was permitted to move my own body in whichever way I damn well pleased. Excuse my insolence."

Sasuke paused, and realised that he was being unco-operative, unfair and unproductive.

"Un, un, un. You remind me of a friend of mine. Won't stop saying that damn thing."

…I'm sorry.

"Oh, I know you are, I can feel it." The voice said kindly, "No need for that. Listen, I'm sorry about the cat. I didn't realise that it was your bond beast, or anybody's bond beast. Hell, I didn't even know it was there. God damn thing just jumped in the way and-"

YOU KILLED FINNEAN?!

"It just jumped in the way! It didn't even jump in front of anything, it just did it. Must have been frightened, poor thing." The voice was defensive and remorseful. Sasuke sensed deep regret somewhere off to his left.

"Fucking Uchiha, it's all his fault."

Sasuke started. Did this guy know who he was?

Confusion. "Who you are? What? No. What are you talking about?"

I am Uchiha Sasuke.

A long, weighty pause.

"Fuck."

What? What was this man's problem? Sasuke was the one stuck in his damn body! For all he knew, his own could be going cold back in Mage's Guild, and his Master would be, for lack of a better phrase, completely freaking out. And why did this guy swear so much?

"Listen. Sasuke, right?" The voice was cautious, tentative, "The Uchiha I'm talking about is a man by the name of Itachi."

My brother?

"Sasuke, I'm so sorry…"

What? What are you saying? What's so important about my brother?

A sharp feeling of shame, twined with apprehension.

"He is the man that I was sent to kill."