Yum! *looks down at bowl of cheerios*. None of you guessed the trend yet? Well, it's only been two chapters, and so far it's been on accident. Wow, I guess I'm doing pretty good. Here is the stat list so far:

(chapter 2 only and anyone I missed last time)

Reviewers:SaphireWhiteWolf (of course. and the icecream is in a bowl btw. I know you are reading this), kutoki (maybe..maybe not..what's your definition of 'ok'), littlesnowfarie2005 (yay! a loyal reviewer! and no problem I didask about 449 afterall), dragaman, and I think everyone else was mentioned last time. Thanks for the support y'all!!!!!

Alerts:SaphireWhiteWolf, nightevilblack, dragonfire04, dragaman, beta657, Angel-Mogamishi, Day of mourning, Kutoki, JSinuYasha, marsmonkey

Faves:SaphireWhiteWolf, ItachiUchiha2009, LiquidFire2009, smartguy876, naruto and kyubi rock, Angel-Mogamishi, dragonfire04, kutoki

Oh and I meant to put the dates at the bottom of each chapter. Chapter 1 posted May 31,2009, obviously. Chapter 2, June 1, 2009.

Thanks to everyone! Heads up, I'm trying to do as many different Pov's as possible, one each chapter. If you want to play a guessing game or make a suggestion, just put 'pein' 'gamatatsu' 'kiba' or whatever in your review, if you do.

Chapter 3 Nothing Clever Comes to Mind

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Such crazy creatures, mortals. Ungraceful oddities scrambling on the far side of the planet, clueless and forever hurting the mother of all. any misgivings they held of man did not matter though as the Lady had them in her favor, forever protecting her ungrateful unwanted children. But perhaps just this once..

No, one like he was never wrong. Just a stray thought. Time to settle down and rest, spend the day in contemplation.

(iamalinereallyiamalineiamalinedammit)

Daybreak. The sun slowly rose, rippling across the sky. Reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks painted the horizon, unvealing the ground so far below. Mist from the heavens had descended and covered the lower realm where he resided, casting an eerie glow as the light hit it. White faced clouds, like stretched hose, streaked across the sky at random.

This is what he observed as he awoke. Itachi did not remain in such a vulnerable position, near soundlessly rising, fully prepared, having slept in his cloak. It was unofficial protocol on missions such as these.

And he followed it down to the letter.

In reality it made things simple, though it was far from it. Rules eventually contradicted themselves, and left no room to breath. They eventually rebounded hitting the solid brick wall that was the boundary, and crossed back, creating a web of inter-tangled lies. Words that strangled the soul in a deathgrip the reaper was envious of.

Refusal to accept the world as it was kept him silent. For in the quiet he could think, and try to see truth. As things were without silly human connotations laid down upon them. Questions were his bane. Why? How? They rang in his head every night. Thoughts that had scale and slithered the halls of his conscious, fangs way-laid with poison ready to strike.

His self-destruction would be a beautiful thing.

Unseen, a barest hint of what could have been the start of a smile emerged onto his blank face. Itachi. He was a weasel. Weasels hunt snakes. He also fanned the flames of madness. Such atrocities that ran in his blood..

But he could not hide in his own dimension forever. Kisame had stopped his sleep rather abruptly, and woke Naruto-kun up shortly with a bucket of water. His spluttering was somewhat amusing. "I woke up nezumi." The kiri nuke-nin indicated needlessly.

"I see." He didn't think his partner would catch his subtle nod.

Falling into his near constant state of half here, half there, he let his thoughts roam. The sensation was familiar. Itachi had truly mastered zoning out while reflexively being aware of threats and his surroundings to a degree even Kakashi couldn't claim. Immediately the dragon came to mind.

Even to a being as cold and detached as he, the creature was majestic and mind-boggling. Truly something Itachi could say puzzled him even if he studied for decades, he mused. the appearance of the dragon wasn't what was so amazing. For lack of a better word, it's aura. The presence it held. Pure life, power, and the most..indescribable of chakra emanated from it.

Itachi respected few things. The late Sandaime, long deceased Yondaime, and the dragon. His father wasn't worthy of even an errant thought from him, and his mother who he found was kind, focused more on Sasuke..she ..just didn't..imprint on him the way the previous Hokage did. Perhaps if he were capable of appreciating loyal work and difficulties of raising a normal child, much less a genius..If he contemplated it, perhaps a sliver of faint admiration could be found for her.

"What do you want with me?" Broken from his reverie, the Uchiha slid his black eyes to his assigned target. Naruto's blue eyes were full of suspicion, but the light was still there, flickering. Just one more small push, and the stubborn false hope would go out. His lips were turned down and his eyebrows were trying to stitch themselves together. His eyes were slightly squinted.

What was the point of a lie. "Not you, the demon inside you."

Naruto's chakra involuntarily spiked and his eyes widened a fraction from the unexpected answer. So easy to read, like a scroll left carelessly open. He was bound to Kisame at the moment, a manacle enclosed his wrist. A metal chain infused with chakra and blood seals connected to it, linking to a silver wristband the two took turns wearing.

The genin falling silent, and Kisame preoccupied with the task of Naruto and sharpening a dull kunai, Itachi let his mind drift, staving off boredom.

He recalled a rare experience as a child. Not unusual in a time of war, as he was born in and spent the youngest of his years in, but odd in the fact that he had witnessed it before becoming a ninja. Itachi let himself sink into the memory of a time when being four meant relaxing at the koi fish pond, and wondering about the new brother that would soon be coming home.

Until the savage blood of war stained it.

Itachi had witnessed a battle. Completely enthralled as only a child could be, he watched it with wide eyes. The Konoha-nin was vested, but he had been too young to recognize the subtle differences between chuunin and jounin. A male with a whipcord body, but not narrow, and hair that was caught between light and dark.

He was in a field just a dozen meters beyond the tree line and the bodies of his fallen squad were around him. The spot was drenched with blood, dried to a dark maroon. It coated everything. A man lay, mouth open like he was screaming, arm half ripped from his body. It was hanging by a thread at the shoulder, skin ripped off. A kunai was sunk into his forehead. Dried blood was on his back. Was it his own, or simply splatter from another?

The enemy's vest was similar, but a light faded brown rather than green. A woman panted, the grin of battle on her face, chocolate eyes lit with the thrill of battle that came from the rush of adrenaline. Her white-blond hair had come undone and was splayed around her face, like some wild warrior maiden of the gods.

Konoha held a a straight short blade, Iwa a kunai and kusari-gama.

Both stood, exhausted, but ready to avenge the fallen. Their eyes met, and an electric energy seemed to grow between them. The force of it grew, until Itachi thought something must happen. Who would snap first?

The woman swung her kusari-gama slowly, almost languidly, chain whipping in the air. Her eyes were sharp. Suddenly, she struck, chain flying forward like a snake. With a clang it bounced off the flat of the blade. Not letting that deter her she threw the weighted end aiming to shatter her foe's head.

He slunk to the right and called out an inaudible jutsu, blade briefly glowing blue for a moment, and cut the chain. Released from it's bounds the weight kept going, slamming into a tree. He tossed two shuriken and three kunai. she blocked the first two, and they fell harmlessly to the ground. Her sickle couldn't deflect all the knives though, and she couldn't completely dodge. One lodged painfully in her gut.

The leaf-nin watched as she pulled out the weapon grimly, sweat causing a slight sheen on her body in the heat of the son. Blood sprayed from the room. Breathing deeply she spat in contempt. He closed the gap while she was removing the weapon.

A grin of victory was on his face. Sword held high, ready to stab her through the chest..His eyes widened and his face was a mask of shock and pain. A burning sensation was in his stomach. Too late though, his sword deeply rammed into her ribcage.

Itachi never heard the last words, or who blinked first. The Yondaime himself had found him just then on the bloody fields, full of moaning ghosts and trapped souls. Damned to personal hellish torture for the rest of eternity. Bright yellow hair, falling in spikes, laughing blue eyes..but not now. They were father's eyes, only the wrong color. Strong arms held him. A rushing sensation. Wind tearing at him. He couldn't hear anything but the sound of motion.

When the seventeen year old returned to the realm of man again, the day star was shining brightly in the sky. Noon then, as it was directly overhead. The sky still remained the unnerving grey covered with clouds, light filtering through only because of the intensity of it. Everything was strange because of that. Bright, yet overcast.

Not once since retrieving Naruto had they ventured onto the roads. Even game trails had been avoided. Although I doubt they exist here.

If all went well, they should be at the base by nightfall. That would be..he searched for the appropriate word..nice..no..it was too generic..more specific..and badass..satisfying. Yes, it would be satisfying to return to his room. A grin of amusement flitted on and off his face. Never linger.

Never linger.

Such as the guidelines Itachi followed to the t, he also had self-imposed rules of survival. Shinobi. Never linger was one. He, as his captain had once said "was a minimalist, to the third degree." As was necessary given he had relatively low reserves. But that meant he could exert that much more fine control, make his chakra contort and do things others hadn't dreamed of.

"Heh, Itachi-san, what will we do after this?" The Uchiha knew it was only an opener. Something to start a (not) lengthy conversation. Kisame knew what they would be doing a few days from now; what the pair would be doing a few years from now.

"Report to leader-sama."

Just a hint of a smirk. Just a hint, really.

Naruto watched the exchange carefully. Yes, he really should be information gathering, but walking, jogging, and then lightly running all day got boring. He hated doing stuff like that; the same things with no change. Who could stand that?

Itachi could practically feel the eye roll. "Ever come out into the real world?"

And something not quite human appeared on his face. Dangerous. The look of a predator. Murder. "No, not really."

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Dun, dun dun! It's 2:58 pm and I've finished the chapter! Sorry, I meant to get it up yesterday, but ran out of time. I was only half way through the chapter. But I had a half day today and will tomorrow so I might do double or triple updates even. Only one more day of school!!!

Ok, so I kind of broke the trend. In chapter 1 and 2 I both ended them with a thought. Gah, I meant to reach the part where they arrive at the base!!! But it was such a good place to stop...

Words:2,055

Date: June 3, 2009

Did switching to Naruto briefly at the end mess it up? Like..break the scene or something..can't think of the phrase.. Oh and Saph (saphirewhitewolf for the slower of us out there) I have some water and hershey bars for your humans! Comments are appreciated. Also I was thinking of doing another story to do when I'm stumped for idea's here, a Harry Potter crossover. Any suggestions, requests? Open to anything.