NaruSan-EraNi-AniIchi

Written by: Wydra

and Beta by: MashumelloKage

Legend:

My thoughts,

^Other peoples thoughts^

~Mindspeaking to my dragon~

^my dragon speaking to me^

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Inheritance or Animorphs or anything related or concerning them, I do own Tori and Istalri

Chapter Shi (4)

"Konoha Military Police Force, Uchiha District."

...

I look around with new understanding, The Uchiha clan was massacred by Itachi over five years ago... I guess no one wanted to live in the shadow of such a atrocious act... Further down the street one of the doors creak open and I jump and immediately dart into the shadows between two buildings. I guess someone does still live here... Sasuke Uchiha, the only surviving member of his clan, passes by my hiding place without so much as a glance in my direction. This is probably the best area to hide in, but I definitely don't want that creep of a kid to be the one to find me lurking around his clans compound. Waiting until Sasuke's retreating footsteps are long gone I wander back out into the sunlight.

The sun is now completely clear of the horizon though the reddish purple tinges of early dawn still cling to it. I figure by now my escape has been made known, hopefully no one saw me on the way down but I suppose it is better to be safe than sorry. I scan the nearby run-down structures and walk over to inspect one. The bottom level of the building in question is completely sealed by boards of wood covering the lower windows and both of the doors. The second and third stories however, seem to be intact but for a few broken panes in the windows, one of which is just the right size for a bird to fly through.

Looking around to make sure there is no one in sight, I demorph then morph into an Osprey. Springing off of the hard-packed dirt I soar upwards, aiming for one of the holes in the window on the second story. I zip through tucking my wings tightly against my sides, and land in a wood-paneled room. After demorphing I look through the window, from my vantage point I can see a good ways down both sides of the street. Not that there is anyone, or anything to see.

I draw my attention back to the room, apart from a layer of dust everything seems so placid and normal. The single sleeping mat in the corner is made with a corner turned back and a small dresser hosts a brush and mirror.

Walking through an open doorway on the other side of the room, I find myself in a long hallway, a few more doorways lead off to more rooms, each one looks untouched after years of being shut away. As I walk these lonely rooms and look at the happy faces in the photographs no one cares to remember, I feel a deep and stirring sympathy for these families who all lie dead and forgotten in the tragedy of this place.

I finish exploring the second story before the exertion from all my morphing and all the running around escaping begins to catch up with me.

Shaking the dust out of a thick wool blanket, I curl up on one of the sleeping mats and dream of black haired little kids running through the echoing hallways of the house.

-Next Evening-

When I wake night has fallen again and the moon shines down on me, already almost through with it's nightly journey. Finally feeling refreshed and back to normal I yawn with a smile, glad to feel so free and safe... more or less.

I sit cross legged on the floor meditating on my predicament. My only problem in this new dimension, is a girl, who looks very similar to me... Or is another me from another dimension, I shudder inadvertently at the thought and immediately dismiss that possibility, that has been working with these "rouge ninja" to steal important scrolls from Konoha... So. Find the girl and let the Konoha I&T mind-search her for the truth. No way in heck are they going to check me.

With a course of action in mind I now need a plan Hmmm... I've got... nothing ... Well why don't I start with renaissance and check out the area. Knowing I can't use the nurse's body as there is no doubt in my mind that my ruse has been discovered, I consider collecting the DNA of a native bird, but that wouldn't allow me to ask questions without raising extreme suspicion. I'm going to need to find another person to morph...

An hour or two later and I return to my headquarters with a couple strands of hair from an unsuspecting shopkeeper downtown. The women was just sweeping dust out of her store when I swooped down to grab a claw-full of hair. I was careful to let most of her hair slip through, I only needed a few strands to get DNA from and didn't exactly want to leave the lady with large bald spot on her head.

Acquiring the form of the middle aged, black-haired lady, I borrow a plain tan and brown kimmono and a wine-coloured obi from a closet in the house. Although my clothes morphing has improved, the loose fitting dress style of a kimono is definitely out of my ability.

Realizing I can't fit through the hole in the window as a human, I toss the clothes out the window and morph bird. I fly out the window and then demorph when I reach the ground. Once again I have to morph, this time to the shopkeeper. I morph a tight fitting black outfit to go underneath the kimono and, after shaking the tan fabric of dust, put it on tying the dark red obi snugly around my middle.

Running my hands through my now-long and black hair to untangle it a little, I exit the Uchiha compound just as dawn touches the horizon. I'm careful to make sure neither Sasuke or anyone else sees me leave the compound.

-Time Skip-

By noon I'm exhausted, I've had to morph twice, been chased by three dogs that thought I "smelt" funny, Despite telling them in mind-speak TO GO AWAY! and had a close call with a guy who apparently knew "Mieku", the women I morphed, very well. After he sauntered up to me and tried to give me a slobbery kiss I had to lead him on a wild goose chase and then wipe all memories of me from his head.

All of that and I'm still no closer to finding my pretender. *sigh*

Deciding to try one last place before taking a break and finding some well-deserved food, I go over to a ramen bar and sit down. Why don't we kill two birds with one stone. Pulling out the coin purse I stole from the "kisser dude", I order a bowl of hot salty noodles with vegetables. Once again I am very thankful for the in-morph translator. Reaching to take the change from the ramen lady, I feel a small tug at my side.

Looking down a young child, no more than 5 or 6, looks up at me with adorably cute, teary blue eyes. "Please Okusama, do you have any extra change?" the kid asks in a quivering voice, her bottom lip trembling slightly for effect. Pretty sure the girl is scamming me but not willing to spurn a little kid, I turn to take my change from the ramen lady and when I turn back the girl is gone.

With sudden unease I reach behind me to find my pack and Tess' Elunduri, gone. "FUDGE!" I yell, my voice filled with rising panic... and anger. Blodugr skulblaka! I think as I sprint after the kid, If it weren't for Ista's stupid heart-of-stone the gaki could have my pack! But nooo I had to take my most prized possessions with me. What, did I think some bird was going to steal my stuff in that dusty old house! Rushing into a bustling square, I frantically search for the kid, There.

I spot the girl's oversized grey-blue coat through the bodies and I push and shove my way toward her as quickly as I can. Of course I'm not paying very much attention to who I'm pushing and suddenly I've been l flipped onto the ground and pinned by my arm, "Watch where your going kasu." a man sneers at me. I guess I should be more careful in a village filled with ninja. I think to myself getting to my feet and mumbling my apologies. The rude dude with spiky green hair melts back into the crowd and I scan for the kid.

Great! Now what the fish am I going to do... Looking up to the rooftops I quickly surmise that being above the congested streets is probably a better idea than rashly chases shadows. Weaving my way to a side alleyway I hide myself in the shadows, de-morphing to myself than re-morphing to bird before flying up above the buildings. I flap as fast as I can, scanning the crowds below me for the kid. My binocular-like vision spots the grey hooded shortie just before she ducks into an alleyway. I dive and rocket through the alleyway after her.

By the time I catch up to her around the corner she has already emptied my pack on the ground and is quickly sifting through my stuff looking for valuables. I brake sharply, de-morphing as fast as I can and really not caring as she stares at me with shock and disbelief. I only slow down slightly at the end of the morph to concentrate on a basic outfit so I don't end up morphing myself naked.

~You have one second to drop that pack before I flip.~ I mind speak to her. Her lip quivers slightly as she considers crying to get my sympathy again, but she rethinks and decides to bolt figuring the large white stone has got to be worth something.

"Arrrgh!" I yell in frustration as she takes off sprinting with me close behind her. I gain on her quickly but she's as slippery as an eel, ducking to the side she rolls under a hedge and I have to crawl under after her.

On the other side is a park with a few people strolling, most of them stop to stare as I wriggle out from under the bush. I scan the area looking up into the trees and brushing all the nearby minds for the mischievous little rat. More than a few people flinch as a piercing migraine, me, rushes through their heads. I do a second take when I sense the girls mind emanating from a person my height calmly leaving the park.

I sprint after the girl, grabbing her by the back of the shirt and dragging her into the shade of a nearby building. Pushing against the wall I use my free hand to yank Istalri's Elunduri from her grip. ~"Your flippin DEAD!"~ I yell at her in mind-speak and out loud for extra impact. She stares at me for a minute before her eyes fill up with tears, suddenly I notice the resemblance between the two of us. "You." I say, realizing this is the culprit I've been looking for all day.

I almost drop her when she disappears in a poof of smoke only to be replaced by the young girl from earlier. She looks up at me with watery eyes seemingly searching my face for something, I frown and something in her seems to break. She crumples and uncontrollable sobs rack her pitifully slight frame.

I am very confused at this point as to whether this is the real person or only an illusion. Gently I put her down, she draws her knees up to her face. After a few moments her sobbing turns to quiet sniffles and she looks up at me tears running down her face. "Your not my Onii-chan, are you?" she asks her voice mingled with fear and hope.

"No, but I'm guessing that I look a lot like her."

"I.. I thought you were a ghost at first." she stutters slightly raising a hand to wipe her face, "My onii-chan died a couple of weeks ago. I..I didn't want her to steal the secret scrolls. The.. the men said they would kill me, and the police wouldn't believe a pathetic thief like me. Onii-chan only helped them so she could pay to take care of us..." her voice rises a little, "She.. she didn't mean to hurt anyone. Then..then they..they killed her. And now.. now no-one knows she's dead.. and nobody cares." At that she starts crying again. I put a hand on her shoulder and she uncoils like a spring to wrap shaking arms around my neck for comfort. I automatically tense but after a moment of not getting attacked I relax and hold her tight until her crying stops.

An hour later and I am re-morphed into my guise as a shopkeeper and walking hand in hand with the young girl. After recovering from her bout of sadness she rebounded and tried to make a break for it, even after I explained (almost) everything to her, she still wouldn't agree to helping me. Finely after much protest on her part, I grabbed her hand, morphed and marched off with her in tow. Ahe immediately started screaming bloody murder... or should I say bloody kidnapper and I had to clout her over the head to get her to shut up. Of course, although she stopped yelling after awhile she thought the best way to get rid of me was to try and annoy me to death.

"Cat over there, dog too! Can we go pet the dog? Come on please please please plea... OH! Look! An onigiri stall! Can we get some? Please? Please, please, please, pleas... Hey, that dude has a funny hat, can I have it? Please? Please, please, pleas... Look! ..."and other ramble of nonsense before I finely found the I&T building where, according to the not-so-adorably-annoying Diji, was where criminals, petty thieves to heinous murderers, were taken to be questioned and penalized.

As we approached the building Diji's thoughts became more and more insistently weird, "Why don't we go for a walk, you like walks. We could find somewhere to eat, I'm hungry, I know you are too, wanna go eat... Sushi? Ramen? Pickles, ummmm I LOVE pickles, so does Mai, he' my cat, he eats pickles for breakfast, lunch, dinner, in chocolate, and with cake..."

When we finally reached the door I was about ready to tell them to lock her away and throw away the key... Actually I was a bit worried about the little girl, Helping the enemy is a very serious act, I think you get executed here for that. But they won't execute a kid will they? I hesitate my hand on the door, "Whats the matter? Oh yeah, they do execute traitors don't they... It won't be so bad, they'll make it painless I'm sure... after the interrogation at least. Don't worry too much about it though, I'll just get to see my sister sooner."I stare at her in surprise, Did she just guess what I was thinking?

Going down to her eye level I search her eyes for any trace of a lie... none. I sigh and straighten up, turning around I begin to walk back down the stairs and away from the building. *snicker* "Sucker..." I hear her whisper under her breath.I spin on her wrenching and twisting her hand painfully and glaring into her eyes.

I can't believe it! I think, my surprise showing on my face. She's totally bluffing! She figured out my weakness... and exploited it! "Your the one who feel for it baka" she scows, irritated her ruse was detected.

"You know she says." bragging, "I know this place inside and out, I've even stolen a Konoha 'Rules and their Repercussions' book to find loopholes in the law from the Konoha Library. So you know what they're going to make me do? Community service! No fine, no excuses actual manual labor!" With that I turn around rolling my eyes and sighing as I head back toward the I&T building.

"Library's are free anyway so it's not actually stealing." I tell her as we walk back up the steps. Diji gives me an evil grin, "It is when you don't bring the book back! Muh ha ha ha ha ha hahahahaha..." I blink at her slowly, She is definitely a nutcase. I think as we climb back up the steps and go into the I&T building. Abruptly she stops and gives me a smug, happy smile, "Aren't I great?"

A.N: Yay chap four is up! D I wrote the slightly creep beginning(K it gave me shivers when I wrote it but cut me some slack! I live in a old sometimes creepy old house to start off with! :o) because four, sometime written as 'Shi' in Japanese, can also mean death. p I am actually ahead in writing my story... just behind in editing and posting(editing an already written story is sooooo boring D). I am already at chap 6 and I think the chapters are slowly getting better...*shrug* Anyway I hope you enjoy! :) Pls Review.