(August 18th - Two Years Before the Kyuubi Attack)

"I said no, Fugaku!" Mikoto said calmly, if not a bit irritated, at her husband.

The man in question - Uchiha Fugaku - furrowed his brow at his wife. "I don't understand, Mikoto. Why? If I do this, it will not only be better for the Clan, but also -"

"Better for the Clan! This is our son, we're talking about!"

"I know that Mikoto," Fugaku said firmly. "I know that and I understand why you're doing this; however, we can't leave him in the dark forever."

"What dark! Seeing dead bodies is the life of a shinobi, I know that! Remember Fugaku, I was a shinobi once. However, our boy is four years old, I won't let him go onto a battlefield!"

Fugaku frowned before raising his voice slightly, "You think I want this, Mikoto!? Itachi is a prodigy, it'll be best for him if he sees the truth of the world quicker. Besides, you didn't anything to say to me about this last week, what made it come up now!?"

"I talked with my teammates and honestly after what they told me, I decided that it's just not right!"

"Your teammates!? What do Minato - san and Hyuga have to do anything with this conversation!? This is a Clan matter-"

"This is a personal matter as well and why do you get so upset when I mention my teammates. With Minato you are fine with, however, with Hiashi, you clam up!" Mikoto said, her eyes flaring in anger.

Fugaku growled slightly. "The Hyuga has nothing to do with this, don't bring him in it! Bringing and Hyuga into an Uchiha Clan matter, ridiculous!"

"The only ridiculous things here your idea."

"It is not!"

...

"Shisui?" A four year old Itachi asked, as he listened to the arguing downstairs.

"Yes, Ita - chan?" The seven year old Uchiha, asked the little boy.

Itachi frowned at the nickname, but continued. "How come Kaa - san and Tou - sama are arguing?"

Shisui paused at this, his grin faltering slightly, before it grew back on, at full force. Honestly, he had no idea what to tell his little cousin. How could you a kid (a smart one) nevertheless, a kid that their parents were fighting because of him or her?

Not to mention, Shisui had no idea of why Fugaku - sama and Mikoto - sama were fighting. All he knew was that Mikoto - sama had talked with her teammates Hyuga - san and Minato - san, about a matter that was bothering her. The duo had told her to do whatever she wanted to do.

How did he know this? Well, lets say that he had many, many, resources.

"Well, parents always argue about one thing or another."

"Not Kaa - san, or Tou - sama. Usually, Tou - sama says something and Kaa - san agrees with him."

Shisui attempted to cringe. Damn prodigys'! Always seeing through him.

"Shisui, you can't damn the prodigys, seeing you are one yourself," Itachi said, knowingly.

Shisui sighed, before patting the young boy on the head, "Don't swear Ita - chan, it's not good for you, but whatever you say my dear. Do you want to get some Mochi? I'm pretty hungry myself-"

"Don't change the topic." Itachi said, deadpanning at his cousin

Shisui paused, before pouting, "Maa, maa Ita - chan, you're mean."

"Don't call me Ita - chan."

"Alright, Ita - chan."

"I hate you."

"Aww, I love you too!

...

"Do you know why Mikoto called us here?" Namikaze Minato asked, as he paced back and forth.

"No, however, you should calm yourself down; or else, you'll end up in the hospital; sissy." Hiashi said, leaning against the wall.

"Don't call me that, Stoneface."

"Then you don't call me sissy."

"I'll stop that when Kushina becomes Hokage."

"Same here."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Both men stared at each other, before letting out a smile and a small laugh. Minato opened his mouth to talk. "You did that on purpose, so I could calm down, didn't you?"

The Hyuga smirked. "For someone who was at the top of our class, it took you long enough to figure it out, Yondaime - dobe."

"Hey! I-"

The two men stilled as a familiar Chakra sense perked up near them.

Minato looked at Hiashi. "Mikoto is coming."

Hiashi rose an eyebrow, "I knew that. Save the obvious stuff for Kushina."

"Hey!" Minato cleared his throat, "I - I-"

"Kon'nichiwa Minato, Hiashi!" The third member of their team said, as she appeared. The leaves, that were untouched a moment ago, whirled up at her sudden stop.

"Kon'nichiwa, Mikoto - chan." Minato said, smiling brightly.

"Kon'nichiwa, Mikoto," Hiashi said, his face blank, but smiling. "Ogenkidesuka?"

At this, Mikoto smiled a rather large smile and hurried to tell her teammates the good news. "I won."

A distilled silence settled over the three as Minato let out an encouraging smile. "That's amazing Mikoto - chan."

"It is." The female said, before turning to the silent Hyuga; Minato following in suit.

Hiashi was frozen, the shock of the sentence surrendering him into a dazeful look. Slowly a small smile spread across his face, his voice even smaller. "I'm glad."

And he was glad.

No four year old, should be scarred like that.

Not like he had been.

...

(June 18th - Three years after the Kyuubi Attack)

He didn't mean to destroy the building.

Honest.

Seriously, it all started as one little prank.

How did this get that far...? He wondered as he thought back to the building that had crumbled, due to the little...mishap.

But still, He mused, while sniggering; his blue eyes watering from tears that were caused by laughing too much. It was really funny!

As his sandal adorned feet swung back and forth, the blonde smirked triumphantly.

Take that, stupid Sasuke - Teme!

Frowning, the young boy sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. He really didn't see why so many people had to yell at him; it was just a harmless prank.

Although, they didn't really need the prank to yell at.

They did nothing to hide it, the hatred and resentment in their eyes.

What did I ever do to them!?

It that was the single question that ran through the young boys mind most of the time, one that caused his heart to clench from an indescribable emotion. It wasn't from betrayal or anger, he didn't even know these people!...Except that was the part that stung the most.

What inexcusable crime could he have done to these strangers!? One which caused them to sneer in his direction, to look at him in disdain, like he was just scum?

Like he didn't belong?

Sniffing back the tears that burned behind his eyes, the young boy allowed a small smile to grow across his face. Well, it's their problem, He thought to himself, to cheer up. They won't get to know how awesome I am. This last thought was completed with a smile on his face.

Besides, He chuckled gleefully, Uzumaki Uchiha Naruto doesn't need recognition from strangers! As long as I have Kaa - san, Tou - san, Shisui - nii, Sasuke - teme and Itachi - ni-

"Naruto? Are you ready to go?"

Almost catapulting over himself, in fear, the young boy pointed at the intruder and pouted.

"Itachi - nii, don't scare me like that!"

There was something odd about his Aniki, Naruto realized. It wasn't the way he looked at him, no; it wasn't even the way he was dressed. However it could've been the way that the elder boys hands trembled, or the way that his eyes were glazed over, almost like he couldn't see. It also could've been way that the elder boys figure was hunched over and how hair framed his normally clean, face.

"Hn." The nine year old Genin, said. "It's not my fault if you decide that it's time to drift off and day dream."

"I - I wasn't day dreaming!" The blond Uzumaki protested, deciding to ignore it, after all, his Anki was amazing; nothing was too difficult for him to deal with. His shouts grew louder when Itachi flicked him on the head."Of course you weren't and that is why you had the expression of a constipated pig."

Naruto scrunched up his eyebrows in anger and was about to rebuke, when suddenly a thought struck him. "Itachi - nii, how do you know what a consta - constapat-"

"Constipated?" The elder Uchiha offered.

"Right, right." Naruto waved away, "How do you know what a y'know, constappated pig looks like?"

Itachi sighed and shook his head. "Out of all things in that sentence, you ask me about the pig."

"Hey! What's wrong with asking about the pig? Besides you didn't answer my question!"

"The answer is simple. I know what a constipated pig looks like, because I saw your face."

"That makes no sense," The toddler murmured, before frowning, "Itachi - nii is weird!"

A smirk pulled at the older Uchiha(s), as he proceeded to do the next thing.
"Itai! Itai! That hurts, stop it, Itai! Itachi - nii!"

"Hn. Are you ready to go now?"

"Alright, but what did Jiji say?" The blonder said, as he rubbed the painful spot on the back of his head.

"Naruto, you shouldn't disrespect Hokage - sama, like that..."

"Pooh!" Naruto puffed, "Jiji is Jiji, that's just a fact, not an insult."

Itachi sighed. "Alright then, whatever you say. Hokage - sama, just asked that you don't play anymore pranks outside, for the next three months."

"What!? Three months without pranks!" Naruto whined, "but what else am I supposed to do with my time..."

"Well," Itachi said helpfully, "You could do more training or read a few books?"

Naruto shot him a betrayed glare, "I meant something fun, geez Itachi - nii, catch up with the time."

Itachi sighed, before muttering under his breath, "Both Sasuke and you are spending way too much time with Shisui."

"That's 'cause Shisui - nii is funny and he helps me on my..." Naruto trailed off, when an idea struck him.

"Naruto...?" Itachi asked, slightly wary, that expression meant nothing good.

"Oh nothing," The young boy said cheerily. "I just remembered, Jiji said that I cant't pull pranks outside of the compound...he never said anything about the inside." He cackled slightly.

Itachi sighed, before a resigned smile pulled at his lips.

He loved his brothers -

"Let us see, hmm. Oh! I can probably paint on Sadeko - sama(s),clothes and plant a few dungbombs in his room, he was being a meanie to me. Or!-"

With his smiling turning into a frown, he flicked the other boy on the head, before turning around and walking away; The blonde(s) shouts echoed after him, as he smirked.

- although they where still brats.

...

"Kaa - san, i'm back!" Naruto yelled, as he entered the large door of the Uchiha Compound.

"Naruto - kun, I see you've come back." Uchiha Mikoto smiled at her adoptive son; her gaze then flickered to her eldest and she suddenly beamed. "Itachi - kun? I thought you had a mission?"

"Ahh," The young boy smiled softly. "It ended early; so I decided to pick up Naruto. Kon'nichiwa, Kaa - san."

The woman smiled back at him, warmly, before moving to hug the both of them. "Kon'nichiwa, Itachi."

The elder woman pulled back to stare at her eldest son. Suspicion appeared in her eyes, as she scanned him from head to toe. Concern soon appeared in her face, and her hand came to grasp his shoulders. She then, opened her mouth to talk. "Itachi, is everything alrig-"

"Hey! Kaa - san, guess what I did today!"

"Oh? One moment Naruto, let me talk to your broth-" Mikoto blinked as she was cut off by Itachi's soft, "Tell her Naruto."

Realizing that he didn't want to talk about it just then, she turned around, before staring at her middle child. "And what mischief did you cause today?"

"I-" The young boy started, before being cut off; by a voice at the door leading into the hallways.

"The dumb dobe, got a building knocked down."

Standing in the doorway was a toddler version of Uchiha Sasuke. His black hair stuck straight up, as he crossed his arms over the black polo shirt he was wearing.

"Shut up teme! I didn't destroy a building, the building destroyed itself."

"What?" Sasuke said, staring at the young Jinchūriki. "That makes no sense, whatsoever Dobe."

"Does too!" Naruto said, butting the younger boy in the head.

"Does not!" Sasuke said, just as commanding.

"Sasuke - kun, Naruto - kun, please behave."

"Kaa - san, tell Sasuke - teme that I didn't destroy the building," Naruto whined.

"No, Kaa - san," Sasuke insisted, "Tell the dobe that i'm right, after all, he was the one that caused the building to fall."

A hand fell on both of their shoulders, causing them to jump in fear. "Well," Itachi began, smiling down at them, "How about we say this: Naruto was the catalyst for the the buildings destruction, however, the buildings fell from the rotten logs it held."

Both the boys wrinkled their noses at this, at the same time, they began to speak.

"Itachi - nii, what does catalys-"

"Well!" Mikoto exclaimed suddenly, "It's bathttime, Naruto - kun, Sasuke - kun, let's go upstairs."

"But -!"

"No buts." Mikoto said sternly, "Up, up, lets go - you too Itachi, I don't want you smelling like sweat and dirt."

"Alright Kaa - san, I'll take it after Naruto and Sasuke." Itachi said quickly, he knew what would happen if his mother got angry.

Mikoto nodded at him, before making her way upstairs, her fists clenched around both Naruto and Sasuke(s) shirts. Itachi could hear both of the boys protests as they made their way upstairs.

Sighing softly, the black eyed boy slumped against the, now, closed door, his eyes shining with fear and sadness. Seconds past, as the Uchiha tilted his head backwards and a lone tear ran down his face.

"Itachi? Can you come help me?" His mothers voice called from her room.

Straightening himself up, the boy wiped the tears and rid himself of any negative emotion.

"Coming Kaa - san!"

...

Later that night, when the youngest Uchiha kids were asleep, Mikoto made her way, silently through the halls. Her hands where crossed behind her back and the silver nightgown she wore shifted through the air.

Finally, she stopped in front of a door.

She raised her hand up to the knob, before pausing and hesitating.

Something was wrong with Itachi, that she was sure off.

Her eldest son was an excellent liar, he could swindle himself out of any situation, effortlessly. In fact, he was so good at it, she wouldn't have even knew something was wrong if it hadn't been for his eyes .

They were haunted, a heavy lined gaze was stuck in them; alongside with guilt and pain.

Mikoto had seen that gaze before, she had seen it on her own face and the ones around her, one too many times.

The look of death.

Fugaku had told her to leave it be. he had said that their son was a grown up now, if he had something to tell them, he would have to speak up. He then, had ordered Mikoto to go to sleep.

She had refused.

It's an odd feeling, she mused to herself, Going against anata. Mikoto wasn't used to going against her husband and if she hadn't gain a bit of backbone after the...war, she wouldn't have.

But this was her son, her darling baby boy.

She had to know what was wrong.

It took roughly ten seconds for her to filter her thoughts, before she pushed the door open and ducked in...only for a Kunai to fly towards her. Easily avoiding it, the female Uchiha stared at the figure in front of her, her heart thudding against her chest.

"Itachi?"

His clothing hung off his small frame, almost as a towel; the onyx hair that adorned the top of his head was messed up, and frame was a quivering mess. The moonlight reflected off of his figure, casting show onto the wall, which covered half off his face. His shoulders were bent over and his hand clutched his face, which was pale white.

It was his eyes however, that concerned Mikoto.

A pair of red circles, with three black tomoe stared back at her.

"Itachi, what...?"

Why did her son find the need to have his Sharingan on, in the middle of the night?

Second, when did her son even activate his Sharingan?

Then she saw it.

The tears marks.

"K - Kaa - san?" Itachi asked, blinking out of his stupor.

His eyes moved from her to the Kunai that was embedded into the wall, before widening in terror.

"I -" He began, but couldn't finish as he fell forwards.

Mikoto(s) eyes widened as she caught his smaller body; she heaved herself onto the bed, with her son in her lap. As his arms came to circle her stomach and chocked, loud sobs began to escape his mouth, the female Uchiha sighed and ran her hands through his hair. Peering at his shuddering body, Mikoto sent a wave of calming Chakra into him, in hopes that it would somehow calm the panicked boy. It seemed to work, as his sobs evened out and soon the noises stopped completely. In fact, the only way that Mikoto would've know that he was crying, was by the fact that her nightgown was getting even wetter than before.

The crying eventually stopped and considering the way that Itachi's breath had a steady beat, it seemed that he was asleep. Sighing, the woman shifted herself and her son, so that he was lying down on the bed, tucked underneath the blankets.

Smoothing back his hair from his head, the older Uchiha exhaled, a look of pain contorting across her face. Gracefully moving, she slipped underneath the covers and pulled her son towards herself.

Fugaku could sleep without her for one day.

...

When you think of the word pain, you would usually think of something physical or something that you could see.

But in reality, their are two types of pain.

Tangible and Intangible.

Tangible pain is the one that we are most used to. This includes falling and breaking a bone, getting a scratch or even getting a concussion etc.

Intangible, on the other hand, is very different.

It is the most long lasting and painful.

A side effect of Intangible pain, was guilt.

Like a parasite, it grasps onto you and refuses to let go. Gnawing and gnawing, until there is nothing left; but misery.

It keeps you up at night, tossing and turning for a sign of peace, or something that you could use to lie to yourself.

It never works.

The life of a Shinobi was filled with guilt.

Your hands were always filled with blood and lost dreams.

Your innocence, gone.

All it left in it's path, was pain.

So it was a cycle, blood, which led to guilt, which led to pain.

One which never ended.

...

At the age of nine Itachi Uchiha was forced to kill someone.

Through the years that would soon come, his hands would often grow heavy, feeling, remembering, the effects of his first kill. Even though the process and thought, of killing was a second habit to him.

He remembered it, because that was the day that his hopes and dreams left his body.

It's what made him, who he was today.

...

Alright, so I rewrote this chapter three, no four fucking times; but I must say, I think did good...so it was worth it. Honestly, people underestimate how long it takes to get your shittogether and finally write something.

As for Fugaku, don't be pissed at him; he'll actually be a great character throughout the first half of the book (Even if he does have the emotions of a pea...).

Recently, I just learned that most writers on, do something called shoutouts? From the next chapter onwards, I shall see what it is and plan on doing it.

Well, that was the chapter folks, hope you all enjoy it.

- Titania of Fairies