Author's Notes: Another swap. XD I do a lot of these over on Y-gallery. I like writing new and different pairings. Most of the time anyways. Once again I got a friend of mine and I really love the prompt this is based off of.

Read, review, and please enjoy!

Dark eyes full of terror watched the scene unfold in front of him. He'd always known there were people who hated his family, who wanted the power of calling themselves the ruling family for themselves. But he'd never imagined something like this would happen. A tall, slender woman stood in the middle of the ball room, a group of her people close to her back. His parents stood before her, heads held high as they listened to the woman's speech. Guards laid scattered around the room, either knocked out or dead. There was no sign of his baby brother. A little voice told Itachi he should go look for Sasuke, but fear kept him rooted to the spot.

His little fingers curled tightly around the medallion embellished with his family crest that hung around his neck. He could hear them talking, but he wasn't sure about what. He caught the word "power" and "kingdom" but he couldn't make out the rest. he strained his ears and dearly wished he could read lips as he watched them closely. His father replied to something the woman said and it only seemed to anger her more. Before Itachi knew what was happening, his parents were dead on the floor, the woman's shriek of anger echoing in the large room as blood started to pool around his parent's bodies.

Itachi scrambled away from the ballroom, eyes wide in panic and surprise He didn't dare look back over his shoulder as he pushed himself to his feet. He dashed down the hallway as fast as his little legs could carry him. The sound of footsteps following him reached his ears, pushing him to run faster. His heart hammered in his chest as he skidded around a corner and nearly falling over in his haste.

His breathing was ragged as he rounded the next corner, mentally searching for a way out. He'd lived in the palace his whole life, played in the hidden nooks and crannies of the large place as a child but for the life of him he couldn't remember any of the hiding spots or ways out of the castle.

He turned corners blindly, pushing his legs to carry him faster. The sound of footfalls behind him only grew with each desperate stride. The walls blurred as he past, doors, windows and other halls leading to gods only knows where whooshed past him. He rounded another corner, slick bottom shoes making him slide along the tile floor and he came to a stop. In his panic, he'd lead himself to a dead end.

He searched the room frantically for a way out besides how he had entered but he found none. He could hear his pursuers footsteps growing ever closer but he was out of places to run. Finally, he turned and faced the doorway. He took deep breaths until his breathing evened out and his heart stopped pounding in his chest. He straightened his back, head held high. If he was going to die, he was going to die with his pride still intact.

He wasn't very surprised when his parents murderer stepped gracefully in the room. Her dress was a deep purple color and swayed around her as she walked towards him. His heart jumped in his chest in fear but Itachi shoved the emotion down. He had no need for fear now. It would do nothing for him.

The woman smirked at him when he locked gazes with her. She gave him a once over, before her dark gaze settled on his once again. She didn't speak to him like he had expected her to. She only moved forward, the same smirk on her face and an evil gleam in her eyes. She came to a stop in front of him. She towered over him, forcing Itachi to look upwards.

"You look just like your parents," she told him suddenly. Her voice was loud in the silence of the castle. He said nothing, resisting the urge to flinch as she reached up to trace a finger along the curve of his chin.

"So young," she mused. "It would be a shame to kill someone as young as you." Itachi's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. He swallowed hard in an attempt to force down his fear. He couldn't let her see that he was actually terrified of her now that she was right in front of him.

She looked at him thoughtfully for a long time. All he could hear was the loud pounding of his heart in his ears. He worked to keep his breathing steady, not wanting to seem weak in front of such a person. She had cut his parents, the rulers of their kingdom, down without any hesitation. He held no doubts that she wouldn't hesitate to do the same to him despite her words.

"I came here planning to kill your whole family tonight," she informed him as he fingers traced the line of his chin. He grit his teeth in anger. "But I think I'll let you live. You'll remember this night for the rest of your life knowing there was nothing you could have done nor will there be anything you can do." Itachi didn't know how to respond to that but she didn't give him a chance to.

"You're family was greedy. Hoarding their powers when they could have shared them with their betters," she hissed, venom dripping from every word. "You Uchihas are a greedy bunch and now you are the last one. You'll remember your family's destruction until the day you die."

She grinned at him, moving closer and forcing him back until he was pressed against the coldness of the castle wall. The sound of his ragged breathing filled his ears as he stared up at the woman with wide eyes. The air in the room started to snap and crackle as magic energy slowly filled the air. The woman's skin started to glow with a pale erry light. She reached out a hand, long fingers like claws. Itachi shied away from her but there was no where left for him to go.

He fingers slid into his hair, fingers sliding against his scalp. His skin tingled with her magic, filling his body until he felt like he was on fire. His body started to curl in on itself as magic torn at his bones and muscles. Pain seared through him and his back bowed with it. He stared up at the woman with wide eyes, mouth opening in a silent scream. He could feel his body changing, reforming into something else. His mouth and jaw elongated, warmth creeped across his skin as his bones shrunk and grew according to the witch's spell.

Finally, he fell to the floor in a heap. His whole body felt as if someone had poured molten lava on him. He groaned, the sound weird in his ears. He blinked open blurry eyes to stare up at the witch. She smirked down at him, a triumphant expression on her face.

"You'll be sore and groggy for a while, but you'll live. Maybe," she told him with a chuckle. Anger surged through him and he opened his mouth to say something but all that came out was a loud roar. He blinked in surprise, mouth snapping shut for a moment before he tried to speak again. A deep grunt echoed around them. He tried to frown but the muscles of his face felt different. He finally looked down at his hands and his world spun around him at what he saw. In the place of his hands were paws, large black furry paws. He recognized the shape and size, having seen plenty of tracks the few times he'd been out riding with his father. They were bear paws. She had turned him into a bear.

He tried to struggle to his feet but fell back to the cold stone floor. He groaned in pain, pushing himself up into a sitting position. The woman laughed loudly at him, the cruel sound echoing in his ears.

"I'll have my guards take you out, leave you somewhere far from here. You have a lot to learn, little Uchiha. I wonder if you'll actually live in this new body of yours." That was the last thing he heard before she touched him again and his world went black.

Sai grunted under the weight of the bags of corn he had thrown over his shoulder. He hefted the bags higher so the settled better and started walking again. His bare feet sunk a little into the muddy ground as he walked, making the way slower than it normally would have. He had to watch his step and make sure he didn't slip and fall. It had happened once already today and he'd sent the bucket of water he'd been carrying flying. Mud was still caked to his front up to his bottom lip. He'd been forced to retrace his steps back to the well to draw water again. He didn't want to have to go back for more feed nor did he want to have to clean up the mess it would make if he dropped the bags.

It had rained hard the last two days, leaving the ground a muddy mess and riddled with puddles. At least the herb garden had been well watered. Some of them hadn't needed so much water, though. But it seemed like the would survive. Neji thought so as well and had told him not to worry too much on it. He couldn't help but glance at the small plot with a worried look as he passed it by though. The green plants stuck up out of the dark earth, a startling burst of color against all black of the ground. Some of the plants had been bent to the side due to the pounding rain but they seemed to still be healthy. He could only hope they were. Many of the herbs that grew were too hard come by in their region and Sai didn't want to have to go searching for seeds or plants again.

He was out of breath when he finally made it back to the barn. He'd taken one more bag than he usually did in an attempt to not have to travel all the way back to the other barn but it seemed like the idea might have backfired somewhat. Sai rested his hands on his knees for a moment as he caught his breath. His shoulder ached from so much weight but the pain was fading so he put it out of his mind.

He finally stood after a moment. He went about the usual chores of feeding and watering the animals while Neji manned the shop. It normally didn't take him long. Most of what they kept were free range chickens who could feed themselves well enough, but the horses, cows, goats and sheep all needed to be fed.

He finished up quickly, wanting to have a quick swim to clean all the mud off his person before heading back to help Neji with the store. He knew the Hyuuga wouldn't appreciate him coming in so dirty. It would be bad for service or so Neji though. Frankly, Sai didn't honestly care much, but he wasn't the one who normally dealt with customers directly.

He prefers it that way. He'd always lacked social skills and he'd only grown more introverted as the years passed. He was good with his hands, easily mixing up a potion or poultice. The villagers even said he made some of the most beautiful paints with the flowers and herbs they grew. But if someone wanted to speak with him directly, he was often times found lacking. He was too frank with people it seemed. But what did they want from him? He wasn't going to lie to them or use pretty words. Sai saw no need in such things, preferring to be as honest and frank as he pleased. And so Neji manned the front of the shop while Sai created the spells and items they sold.

He pushed his hands down into his pockets, dark eyes watching the forest as he slowly made his way down to the small pool on their property. It was quite warm for mid spring but humidity hung heavy in the air, cling to his skin and only serving to make him feel dirtier.

Once he reached the pool, he quickly stripped down and sunk down into the cold water. He shivered but submerged himself up to his ears. Sai took a deep breath and ducked under the water. He floated there for a moment, using his arms to keep him under. The water was clear and he could see straight to the bottom. Fish swam by and water plants swayed slightly in the still waters.

He came up with a gasp, startling a bird from it's new found perch on an overhanging branch. It screeched its displeasure as it soared off. Other birds followed suit and Sai watched as they passed overhead. Their colors were mesmerizing and he made a note to bring his sketch book out with him when he had time one day.

He started scrubbing at the mud caked to his chest, turning the clear water a murky brown. He let his mind wandered as he did, thinking on the dream he'd had the night before.

In all his years, he'd never made it past the slightly larger village that was located about fifty miles from them. But he dreamed of grander places. His sketch books were slowly starting to be completely made up of large sprawling city scapes like the one's he'd only ever heard of through tales. Large buildings sprawling into the sky, the sun sparkling off their gilded walls. Markets so large any item imaginable could be found there. Food so rich and delicious that you engorge yourself on one dish. Potion and spell shops filled with anything one could need. People dressed in bright fabrics, wearing enough jewels to buy a years worth of food.

He'd always dreamed of going to such a place. Ever since he was a child taken in by the Hyuuga's when his parents had been killed by raiders. Hiashi had spoken often of such places, filling Sai's head with grand places unlike anything the boy had ever imagined. Hiashi had promised to take Sai one day but he never got the chance. He was taken by the same illness that had taken his twin. Sai had been too young at the time to know he could have saved the man with the powers he had felt stirring inside him at the time and he still deeply regretted not knowing. So to make up for it, he worked even harder to ensure no one else ever had to go through such a thing when he knew he could save them.

Now, Sai didn't hate his life. In fact, he found it quite fulfilling. But he dreamed of bigger this. He wished he could go to one of the cities in Hiashi's tales and open up a small shop there. There were so many things he could learn in a place like that, things he never had a hope of learning while he lived in his small village.

At the thought of new things to learn, he remember he still had a small back order of potions to fill. He cursed, snatching his pants off the embankment and quickly scrubbing what mud he could from them. Once the linen was as clean as he could get it, he wadded out of the pool. He tugged the soaking went trousers on, ignoring the fact that they were very nearly see through, and quickly made his way back home.

He detoured through the back door to their house, leaving a trail of water in his wake as he headed for his bed room. The house was fairly large, having once housed two families. It was old, built by Neji's great grand father, but it still held its own charms. Sai rather liked the house with its creaky floors and open lay out. He doubted Neji would ever get rid of the place and he expected the Hyuuga to live out the rest of his life in the place.

He quickly changed out of his wet pants, drying off and pulling on a dry pair. He pulled a shirt over his head, ignoring the mess his hair currently was from his dip in the spring. His body was sufficiently covered and that was all that mattered.

The shop was located in a little building connected to the main house by a hallway. In the back of the back of the shop and behind closed doors was Sai's shop. The only person besides Sai that had full access to the place was Neji. Sometimes Naruto or Kiba liked to barge their way in but most of his friends were more polite about his work space. Every now and then he needed to talk to a customer in private, but besides that the little windowless room with his space and his space alone.

Neji gave him a seething look as he entered the store. Sai only raised an eyebrow at the other man. There didn't seem to be that many customers currently, so he didn't know why Neji was so annoyed. He honestly thought his friend just needed a good lay and he'd told Neji so, on many an occasion. Each time the Hyuuga's reaction had ranged from offended to outraged and embarrassed. This only reaffirmed the fact to Sai. He knew one of the villager's had been after Neji for awhile now and Sai didn't understand why Neji just didn't take the man up on his offer. It would do them all some good and hopefully help the Hyuuga loosen up, in more ways than one. At least that's what Sai hoped.

As far as he knew, Neji had never given Gaara an answer. Maybe next time they wanted to have a gathering of friends at the house, Sai would contact the Sabaku and invite him. He was willing to bet a little ale would be enough for Neji to be open to the idea of sleeping with the man, if not more.

The door to the workshop closed behind him with a small click, throwing him into darkness. With a flick of his wrists, all the candles in the room came to life. His eyes easily adjusted to the dimness of the room. He'd been working in such an environment for years now. He probably wouldn't know what to do in a well lit room with windows.

He padded across the wooden floor on bare feet, reaching over to flick a little switch on the wall that connected to a mechanism that opened a vent in the ceiling. While he could have easily lit the fire under his cauldron with his magic, he preferred to do it by hand. That had been how he was taught and he stuck to it in memory of the elder who had taught him to channel and use his abilities.

Sai made his way over to his desk to look over the orders he'd yet to fill. None of them were particularly hard to make or finish, but he hadn't had the time the day before. An elderly lady in the village had been in dire need of medical attention and he'd been unable to come back to the shop that evening. His bedside manner might not be the best in existence, but he got the job done quick and he always made sure he did everything he could for them.

He slid the first slip of paper forward, eyes quickly scanning over Neji's scrolling print of what the customer wanted. He turned to his bookshelf, dark eyes flickering over the titles until he found what he wanted. He sat the large tome on the table by his cauldron and opened it to the page he wanted. Sai quickly read off the items he needed before crossing the room to the shelving that held his herbs. He hummed to himself as he scanned the shelves, pulling out the items for the potion that he needed. He arranged them on the table as he need. he did a quick scan of the potion, making sure he knew it before he started.

He worked mostly in silence. He could barely hear people going and coming through the shop but he easily tuned them out. He was so engrossed in his work, he didn't notice someone else had entered the room until Neji was tapping him on the shoulder. Sai jumped slightly and turned to blink at the Hyuuga.

"What?" he asked, a little annoyed at being interrupted. He had just started pulling out what he needed for his last potion.

"Someone wants to speak with you personally," Neji told him as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"They can't just tell you?" Sai sighed, turning back to his table to rearrange his ingredients.

"I've tried to get him to but he says he must speak with you and no one else." The Hyuuga sounded as if he'd already reached the end of his rope with that particular customer. No wonder he'd interrupted Sai while he was working. The raven sighed, sitting down a bottle of bay leaves he'd just pulled from the shelf.

"Okay, I'm coming." Neji didn't respond. He left through the door, not bothering to shut it. Sai followed soon after, wondering exactly what could be so important that it was worth pulling him out of his work.

By now it was close to nightfall. The potions he'd been working on took a decent amount of time to brew and he usually lost track of time while he was working. Not that he could really tell how much time had passed in his little workshop, but he prefers it that way.

Despite the time, the shop was still busy, people mulling about the room as they looked over their stock and checked out. He glanced at Neji who nodded towards a man leaning against the wall by the door. He was a little on the short side and very slim even under his large coat. Most of his face was obscured by the dark cowl of his cloak, which brushed the floor as he shifted when he saw Sai coming towards him. He gestured to the door and Sai followed him as he exited the shop.

Sai wondered to himself why they needed to be so far away from the people lingering outside while he followed the man. He didn't particularly care for such things but a customer was a customer. If it came down to a fight, Sai wasn't worried. He could take care of himself thanks to Hiashi's teaching. He'd spared with Neji many times and had even learned how fence and throw knives. He also had his magic, which came in handy in a pinch.

The man stopped right inside the tree line, looking around them as if he expected someone to be following them. He stayed in the shadows so Sai couldn't get a really good look at him.

"Yes?" Sai asked, watching the other man closely. All Sai could see of the hooded man was the pale jut of his chin.

"I have a request for you." The man's voice was deep and low. Sai didn't recognize it and his accent was very different than anything he had heard before.

"That is obvious," Sai replied bluntly.

"This isn't just a request for a spell or potion. They say you're the best mage in the region and even beyond. I was surprised to find you in such a small village. I expected an grander place to be your home," the hooded man mused, eyeing Sia thoughtfully. Sai snorted but didn't reply.

"I need you to travel to my home kingdom. It's a long way from here, quite far in fact. Once there you will find the ruins of a palace in what used to be the capital city. In those ruins, you'll find a very powerful magic artifact hidden away," the man explained to him. "The only way to find it is with one of these." The man pulled a chain out of his pocket and held it up in the late afternoon light. From the chain hung a large ring with a dark stone embedded in it. It didn't look like any gem Sai had ever seen before but he wasn't too surprised since he assumed it had come from the man's home land.

"And you want me to retrieve this item?" Sai asked as he studied the still dangling ring.

"Yes. I've tried myself many times, but there is something magical that blocks me from the place. And every other mage I have sent either never returned or was also barred from the place," the man replied.

"And what makes you think I will be able to get in?" Sai asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're the strongest mage I have met and my mentor knows of you. He says there is more to you than there appears to be." Sai didn't know how much truth there was to that sentence. He'd never met another mage besides his own mentor and the few that had come through the village had been of a lower level than him.

"I'll pay you handsomely," the man told him when Sai didn't reply. He pulled out a large bag of coins from his pocket and showed it to the mage. Sai eyed the bag of money before reaching out to weigh it in his hand. After a moment, he nodded.

"I'll do it." He had been longing to get out of the village for years. he'd never thought he'd get a chance like this. He would be working and traveling at the same time. That was something he would enjoy.

"I'll pay you half now and the rest when you return the item to me. I'll find you in the kingdom once you have the item. Don't worry about contacting me. I'll find you." They finished the exchange and Sai returned to the shop map, money and ring in hand.

Neji was closing up when he stepped inside. The Hyuuga looked up from his work and eyed the items Sai sat out on the table.

"What kind of job did he have for you?" Neji asked as he smoothed out the map. It was large and showed a route all the way from Sai's village to the palace the man wanted him to go to.

"I'm going on a trip," Sai told his friend brightly. He grinned at the other man. Neji chuckled and turned back to his work. Sai moved into the house, more than ready to pack for his journey.

Author's Notes: That's it for chapter one! Hopefully I'll have the second part done soon. I'm about a thousand words in already. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it! And please remember to vote on my poll and find me on AO3 or LJ. My user names and 'links' are in my profile.