Had fun with Halloween last night. :D Red wine, eating some candy and then giving out to the trick or treaters - unfortunately, for some reason this year, there weren't many of them coming, but it was also a school night for them. Anyway, I also enjoyed the great slasher classics as well as certain black and white pictures. Hope you all had equal fun as I. :)

Originally was "Ocean Shore", but I had been using "ocean" in titles a couple times lately I chose to switch, if to mean the same thing.

Chapter Ten

Sea Shore

Nothing better than waking up in his wife's arms, no worries about the daughter coming in unexpected like she would have in childhood. Naru was old enough to knock before coming in, but last night, Itachi had been of all people to come and see him and Kushina after their intimate time. Was it strange that Itachi had to coincidentally show up and ask him about today? Kushina and Naru - he said he accidentally heard, but was he purposefully snooping on us? I still don't know him, but he can't be a bad person for anything like this. He must have a good reason...

The Aburame family were strategic environmental spies, even studying the behaviors of the living forms of nature. Their son, Shino, was a friend of his daughter's, and an insect lover. They also had means of using trained animals with attached devices to monitor any activities in the woods, on the shore and elsewhere outside the town in effort to catch devious ploys to threaten the wild which also would have severe consequences on Konoha as a whole. If anyone could hold that morale as part of their way of life, it was his wife and daughter.

Shibi Aburame had been the one to pick up the particle readings in the water of the bay, and samples were taken to be identified, and even though it wasn't set in stone, it was possible someone was going to poison the water as well as the life beneath it. If this went unattended, it could spread beyond Japanese sea borders; perhaps it could slip into smaller water canals and reach their rivers and springs. Not all bodies of water were connected to each other, but either way, it had to be stopped, so his wife's group would slip where the proof was found and stay there until the authorities arrived.

If a more cynical man heard the way his wife's activist group functioned as a partner with the police and spy forces, they would say this was a joke of a good story only children and adolescents would enjoy and become hopeful as well as foolish. But Konoha was one of the few towns in the world where there was little real conflict. It had begun as strained and difficult between Kushina and Konoha PD, and she had been "blackmailed", but she was fiercely passionate and proudly protected everything she loved, if she wasn't a real member of the law. In a sense, it was real life heroism without breaking laws.

When he had this information he needed, Itachi bade them good night and turned to find Naru's room, but he didn't seem aware that Minato and Kushina were still watching him, and his wife looked more puzzled and suspicious than he knew he was. "He seems...more interested in this than I noticed," she said. "Just like when Naru came to me, if you remember..."

Indeed, he did remember. Their girl had been fourteen at the time when it involved a rare white rabbit which was usually found in Kiri and was endangered. At the time had been simply because she loved animals that "something innocent and precious as that does NOT deserve to be butchered like that." But that was her utter determination that ran in both sides of the family, forging a strong bloodline. "Well, perhaps it was just innocent asking," Minato suggested. Yeah, that had to be it. After all, Itachi didn't seem to give off that same vibe. He was just curious; he was a newcomer in these parts, but there was still a lot of mystery about him.

How wrong he was. At dawn when Kushina was making a light breakfast for all of them, it was then that when Naru padded in with Kurama coming in after her. The bud had been sleeping on the couch the entire night. Minato finally saw that his daughter was alone when she asked where Itachi was. "You mean...he's not with you?" he managed, dropping the paper down at the same time his wife lost her wits.

"I thought he'd be here," Naru said, going to sit at the table and pulling forward the milk glass poured for her. "Where could he have gone? He doesn't even know the entire town yet, and what if he's lost -?" Minato interrupted her gently. He was willing to be positive and certain Itachi couldn't have gone far. However, in his mind, he wondered why on earth the guy would leave them all at the crack of dawn...

He stood quickly on instinct.

"Well, we don't have time to look for him now. We're going to leave in less than an hour, and this is important," Kushina said, shaking her head. "Minato-koi, maybe you can take care of that?"

He nodded, his mind elsewhere. Today he would find out where Itachi's relatives were, and if still nothing, it meant putting the case to an end since it was a vast ocean and so much to cover. He hated to do that, but if nothing was there, then Itachi was in for heartbreak and would have nowhere to go now - except with them. He really liked the boy - correction, young man. He had...questionable interests, and whatever his old life was based on the little, troublesome details he gave, Minato saw him living a better life here in Konoha.

"Didn't Mom always say that you should always help someone even if you don't know them?" Naru had reminded him, and that sealed it.

"Just leave it all to me," he told his girls, leaning up to kiss his wife's cheek when she brought over the eggs, rice and vegetables dishes. "I'm sure everything will be fine. I doubt Itachi is stupid to get himself into trouble."

Little did he know how wrong he was.

~o~

The morning colors were one of the most beautiful things he ever saw. All the colors beginning with orange to pale pink, purple tones, blue and black, all of which darkened and grew light at the same time. His senses were assaulted at the sights. The air was ripe with saltwater and other things. Itachi walked the streets of Konoha that morning in sandals, his white collared shirt and shorts as well as his hair tied back, when he spotted all the stores being opened; they closed at night for the humans overseeing them to sleep, like Naru and her parents. All humans slept at night as well as those under the sea.

It was then that he found his way to one of them - the one with Arashi who sold him his clothes yesterday. The young man looked surprised and jovial to see him at this hour. "Oh, Itachi, right?"

"Yes," the Uchiha answered kindly.

"I didn't think you'd come back again after yesterday, or even at this time. What can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the bay from here," Itachi answered. "I'm still new to this town, but I heard that it's very calm and peaceful." He put his hands in the pockets on either side of the front of his shorts. And these things were used to put a certain number of different things within, even your hands. He was pleased with this information because his hands needed a rest.

Arashi's eyes widened a bit before returning to normal, chuckling a tad awkwardly. "Well, that's good to know, but a little odd, though I suppose it's because of the time, and I never expected to see you again anytime soon. It's not very far away from here..."

Itachi was given a map that the young man had on himself and was quick to detect every spot in less than a moment. He found himself outside the town limits and at the spot in under half an hour, which was the very place he first met Naru. There was a boat tied to the dock now, and it appeared to be a fisherman's craft but riddled with worn, resembling the ones that sunk to the bottom of the ocean. He spotted a handful of people on board - two that he could count. He was behind the very same rock where Kurama the fox chased him atop. It's hard to believe it is day three already.

He could see the people in sight, together arranging the metal barrels that made him think would be used to toss into the ocean. Oh, he remembered them all too well, now that his memory was triggered. Those barrels carried whatever would poison the water and kill the life in it. He gritted his teeth with utter loathing. There was no way he would let them get away with this...but the question was how he could carry it out.

Wait.

The most brilliant idea came to his mind as he moved to unbutton his shirt until it reached the bottom, revealing his bared, rippling front, all the while watching the older man with bandages over the bottom half of his face and the younger with longer dark hair, almost feminine. Itachi guessed the younger was male because of the obvious lack of breasts.

Naked, Itachi left his clothes on the rock, folded neatly, placing his sandals atop them to keep any wind that would pick up from knocking them away. He made his way over to the water, exhaling with pleasure at the familiar feeling covering his body, and began to swim forward, drawing his legs together as a substitute for his old tail. He reached the ladder that was attached to the hull and began to climb up.

~o~

"Oh, that's where he is," Kushina said with disbelief, peering through her own set of binoculars. They were all on the small cliff above the fisherman's boat that came in yesterday; they were all sure this was the one, and the barrels loaded on deck were immediately identified as toxic waste. Everything they needed was right there. Behind them, Naru could hear the authorities being alerted. They would be here in five minutes. But in the meantime...

Itachi is down there - and he was just as he had been when she first met him: stark naked as the day he was born. Her skin flared up at the same time her heart burst in her chest. Itachi had slipped out of the house, stripped down, and thought to get on board their target, for WHAT? What the hell was he thinking doing this?!

"Mom, what the hell is he...?" she trailed off, too embarrassed as she listened to their teammates groaning and exchanging dismayed as well as hilarious remarks that blurred into one at the sight of the sexy nude man with long raven black hair that ended above his firm, sweetly shaped ass - oh, gods, a girl would kill for a man with that kind of ass - and his muscles rippling with each move he took as well as halted when the man with the bandaged face pulled a gun out and aimed it at him while shouting at the younger person - a girl? - to get going with what they were here for. Now she wondered if Itachi was really an idiot for coming here, on his own without telling anyone, without a good plan, getting naked, and standing in front of a crazy guy with a gun.

Kushina cleared her throat and shook her head. "I never would have thought of that. I don't know why he thought to do...that..." She giggled like an insipid schoolgirl again before turning and barking at the others behind her to get onto getting their asses down there to secure the gallons of toxins, leaving her and her girl to knock out the perps before Pervy Sage and his men showed up.

Will Dad, if he finds out Itachi is here with us? She had a feeling he would get a serious talking to when this was over. This was his third day with them, but it wasn't like he really did anything wrong and incriminating. Right?

Just as they were all getting out from their hiding places, she froze for a second at the sound of a gunshot. Looking up, she saw Itachi engaged in a fist and striking match with the man with the gun, having knocked the weapon out of the other's hand without trying too hard. She started in shock. Her mother and the rest seemed to be thinking the same thing: how the hell did he do that?!

~o~

Somehow it seemed easier to climb up the ladder with legs and feet than it had been that night he rescued Naru from the Red Dawn. He paused at the railing to see the two up close. He wondered if they were the only ones on board, or if there were any more below waiting to be called up, but here he was, and this was the only weapon he had, and that was appearing in his bared skin, dripping wet and his hair about his shoulders.

His feet hitting the wooden deck got all attention on him.

"Hey, who the hell are you?" the man with spiky dark hair growled. His arms and legs were covered with a cloth of animal print, and the rest of his powerful physique was draped with muscled garments, giving off how intimidating he would be to a lesser being, but was it compared to a merman in human form, with nothing at all? But I have no weapon, damn it. He spotted how the other man reached behind him, and he heard a faint click. "Are you going to answer me? This boat of mine isn't a male brothel or whatever perverted business you have here, so get lost if you know what is good for you."

Itachi leaned back, his behind hitting the metal rail in a half-sitting position, placing both hands on either side of himself. "What business do you have in this beautiful, untouched, quaint spot in one of the greatest towns I have been in?" he returned with a charming smile, tilting his head and bringing one hand to run through his long hair innocently - rather, pretending to be. The wicked looking guy seemed to suspect just that, for he pulled out what had clicked. It was a weapon, but what was it exactly? Itachi had a feeling...wait, he remembered now. It was one of those things that had fired off into the night, held by the evil fishermen themselves. Now this one had it.

"Haku, this one is a spy, and I know it," the man growled to the pretty-looking young man. "Go ahead and get to dumping that stuff in while I take care of him."

"Yes, Zabuza," the young male answered without trouble, but when he looked at Itachi, the merman-human recognized sympathy, but there was nothing he could do but obey orders. The Uchiha pitied the lad.

He realized that he needed to get to the boy before he let the barrels into the water, which he read toxic on the sides. If that was what caused the "strange readings", then he would go for that. He didn't understand why the bandaged man, Zabuza, didn't react to his naked body, but the younger clearly flushed. He supposed it had to do with age. But he couldn't turn and go back to get dressed; by then, it would be too late. Get the weapon first. The best first action is to dodge the weapon on you. Another brilliant idea entered his mind. "I would take care first, if I were either of you." This got the boy to stop as he reached to touch the ropes that held the stack of barrels in place. "Suppose that my superiors are watching at this very moment...and one of them right behind you now, Zabuza," Itachi said coyly, and the reaction was just as he wanted. The man whirled around, prompting him to lunge forward and throw his open palm forward, striking the hand-held steel downwards and setting it off, a loud explosion heard between them.

He fired into the deck when I hit him. He lost his concentration.

Itachi never thought getting the opponent off-guard as a human could feel so good. "What the hell? My gun!" Zabuza roared, trying to pick it up, but Itachi was on him again, throwing himself atop the other man and knocking him onto the deck, tussling with him by wrapping his arms and legs around the other from behind, refusing to let go. Haku stood by and watched with disbelief and also impression. It made him wonder if the boy was here against his will, or if he chose to be in the beginning but grew to realize it wasn't what he'd thought it would be.

"What are you hoping to accomplish with this?" he hissed in Zabuza's ear. "I won't let you go until you tell me where the toxins came from, and why you are doing this."

"None of your business," Zabuza ground out, reaching into the front right pocket of his jacket and pulling something out - a knife. In a flash, a slash of pain erupted in his right lower arm. Itachi hissed but didn't let go, even as his long, thin wound began to bleed. "You really are a fool. If you keep on me like this, I'll gut you until your arms are nothing but strips of flesh and red meat."

The hand holding the knife was just coming his way again, but Itachi caught it in a heartbeat and tightened his grip, happy his strength wasn't lost in human form. It seemed being human still meant hardened match. "I won't release you until you answer me. Either you tell me, or we can stay here all day until my friends and the authorities get here. Wouldn't want to be caught with a naked man -" he breathed hotly against that ear. "- against your body, would we?" The man stilled with stunned shock, at the same time they heard Haku's cry as something apparently struck out at him and sent him over the railing, splashing into the water. Itachi could not look over to see who or what had done it, for if he did, Zabuza would regain the upper hand.

"Fine. I was hired to do this. The man is paying big money for this, and I don't know anything else. This is what I do to earn a living. Haku is orphaned and works as my right hand."

Itachi smiled. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? Who hired you?" he pressed, and it was then and there he heard HER voice, but not Naru's.

"I think I can get that out of him myself, Itachi. You can just let him go and put your clothes back on." He released Zabuza and rolled away in the opposite direction at the same time Kushina yelled like a wild animal and came flying Zabuza's way, eyes white and round like balls, red hair a halo of hellish fire around her head; she was scarier than any shark. She kicked out the knife from Zabuza's hand before delivering another to his stomach, and finally a punch to his abdomen, which sent him over the railing and into the water. It was a good thing the deed had not been done before help arrived.

Itachi found himself looking over to see black cars blaring loudly with red and blue lights on their roofs, and a boat with them coming towards this one. The authorities were here. On the deck of the boat was the same man with white hair, the one called Jiraiya - or "Pervy Sage" - with his arms folded across his chest and mouth in a tight line. Itachi turned behind him to see Naru coming towards him, with the stack of his clothes in hand, and she looked happy to see him as well as trying not to laugh. "Hello to you, lovely," he had to say and could not help himself. Giggling, she offered him the garments he left on the beach, and he took them to redress whilst listening to her mother bark at her people to secure the line, and for the others to bring the two in the water to the police vessel.

"Kushina is impressive," he noted. "She took him out when I never would have thought of that." She looked a little surprised at that.

"My mom has monstrous strength." She sighed wistfully. "Sometimes I wish I got as strong as she did." But then her expression hardened instantly as she did the one thing Itachi never expected. Her palm had raised, and it happened so fast. White flashed before his vision as a painful, stinging impact came to land on his left cheek, turning his face in the other direction. You wish you had monstrous strength? Feels like you already do!

Naru practically shrieked in his ear. "That's for sneaking off without leaving a note or even telling us where you were going, asshole!"

~o~

If Fugaku was locked away with his wife, this was Sasuke's opportunity to sneak away during day, to hell with it all. He could outrun any guards who came his way and got back on his own perfect timing he mastered in the last couple days. No one need know how he did it but himself - and of course Shisui. His cousin wasn't with him at the present, but he needed no one.

He could imagine being told he was rash again, but he was growing the hell up. He was going to prove it. It was day three, as well, and he needed to check on Itachi. It seemed that coincidentally, he got to see his aniki at dawn when the delicate colors turned into crystal blue. At the same time, a strange, old boat that couldn't be from around here had to board the docks where he and Shisui left Itachi two days ago. There was no way he could be here all the time, and today happened to be a blessing when he saw his beloved older brother there - and getting naked before getting into the water to swim for the ladder on the side of the craft, climbing up. He didn't know what was going to happen until he heard the loud BANG, some time later, telling him that Itachi had gotten into trouble.

Shaking his head, Sasuke decided to leap up and help his brother.

There was a human who might have been his age, and he was toying with rope that held barrels over the edge of the railing. These guys were bad news for the water life. Sasuke made enough commotion to get the boy's attention while Itachi wrestled with the armed man who looked like a ghost. He glimpsed more humans coming, and he had a damned good feeling they were here to stop these people. Shisui told him there were humans who were also dedicated to preserving their world as well as the one on land. But that also meant he still had to stay hidden.

He scraped himself against the wood below the railing, but the noise got the attention of the boy at the roped barrels. As soon as he came to lean over, Sasuke threw himself into the air and lashed his tail out, his fins striking the other across the face. The human yelped and fell face forward, flailing and landing into the water.

He had to get away now, disappearing to not be seen by the other humans coming as well as this one, but he would be back to try and find Itachi again. But before he left, he poked his head out of the water and spotted his brother and his woman, who was helping him get dressed like she was - and then her hand laid on Itachi's cheek, which made the younger Uchiha snicker as this amused him...but it also troubled him because he did not know what his nii-san had done to deserve the lash to his face.

By the looks of it, he might not have gotten the girl Naru to love him as he wanted. I always knew it wouldn't be easy. Shaking his head, Sasuke dipped his head beneath the waters again and chose to go hunt for a few fish to snack.

Ouch, Naru hit Itachi for what he did. (winces) Well, he kind of does get it, but he's so not gonna stop there.