Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, I probably wouldn't be doing this.

AN: Heheheh. Surprise, surprise! Two chapters this time. Of course, this is just a little interlude, but hey, it's something.

"Talking"

Thoughts

Demon/Inner Conversation

Time Passage

Three weeks after the previous entry…

Shisui of the Body Flicker had taken to watching over his best friend's younger brother. Not that the kid was in danger, or getting into trouble. It was just his obligation as Itachi's best friend. Plus, Sasuke had a lot of potential. A lot of potential…

It was amusing, really. Sasuke seemed to be completely unaware of the fact that he was being watched. He was sneaky enough for a kid, but there was no way he'd manage to outmaneuver the Sharingan. Though he didn't know for certain, he was pretty confident that Sasuke's new training regime, which basically consisted of him practicing everything he knew until he either got too tired or actually passed out, was inspired by Itachi.

"The little Uchiha is getting pretty good for his age." Shisui recognized Kakashi's voice easily. Still watching Sasuke, he responded.

"Still not the prodigy that Itachi was though."

"I'm not sure I'd say that. He may not be showing it now, but I think he's got a lot of potential."

"Possibly." It's also possible that a man who can transfer his consciousness into six bodies is now controlling an incredibly powerful assortment of missing-nin, and believing he's a god, is intent on gathering all of the great demons to use as a massive weapon that will make the world tremble, allowing him to bring peace through force. Just being possible doesn't make it probable…He is getting better though. Who knows? Perhaps someday he will surpass Itachi. "So what are you here for, Captain Hatake?"

"…We've found Motomo's team."

"Dead?"

"Yes."

I had the feeling that was the case. "Why are you telling me? I would think you'd like to keep this a secret for now."

"I thought you should know. You were friends, right?" If so, you deserve to know.

"We were." After that, they were quiet for a few minutes, just watching as Sasuke made yet another successful attempt at the Great Fireball. As the attack came to an end, Shisui spoke up, not completely sure he wanted to know the answer.

"How did it happen?"

"…We're not completely sure." It was a bizarre.

What? "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that there were no signs of enemy combatants."

Interesting. What else? "What do you think happened?"

"No way to be sure. I'll get back to you when we have a better idea." Turning, Kakashi began to leave, before pausing.

"…We think someone may be targeting people with the Sharingan. Watch your back." And with that, Kakashi was gone.

Targeting those with the Sharingan? What about those who could have it? That is interesting. He sped over to Sasuke with the Body Flicker, appearing a couple yards behind the boy.

"Hey there, little guy."

The young Uchiha spun around, eyes wide with surprise.

"Shisui! What are you doing here!?"

"Just passing through. Saw you training, decided to say hi."

"Please don't tell Father! He said that he didn't want me to be like Big Brother." He wasn't supposed to be training at his age. Not at the level he was working for, anyway.

I doubt those were his exact words, but hey, he's a kid. "Hey, calm down. I'm not going to tell anyone."

"You're not?"

Laughing silently to himself for a moment, he continued. "Nope. In fact, I wanna lend a hand."

"I told Shisui about Motomo." Kakashi doubted the Hokage would mind. They were both well aware of how it felt to lose a friend.

"Does he know any of the details?"

"Not as far as I can tell. Lord Hokage, have they found out what did this?"

"…Not Yet." Though I have a few ideas.

Kakashi seemed almost hesitant as he asked his next question. "Lord Hokage…Could it be, well, him?" They both knew who he was talking about. Still, the Hokage didn't want to acknowledge the possibility.

"Who? Our wayward Uchiha?"

"No disrespect, Lord Hokage, but you know perfectly well who I'm talking about. Him. Orochimaru."

As his old friend closed his eyes, Kakashi noted that the Hokage was looking tired again. In fact, in the last several weeks, the elderly man had been gradually getting worse. It had happened once before, when Kakashi was younger, shortly after the Kyuubi's attack. He supposed that it was simply the curse of being a Kage. So many things fell on their shoulders, and Sarutobi had retired for some time before reassuming his title.

"I'd hate to be the one to suggest it. I know he was a student of yours. But their wounds…All of them looked like something from a snake. There's no snake besides a summon that size, though." He didn't want to put more pressure on the Hokage, but if Orochimaru really was making some kind of move against the Uchiha, they could have serious trouble on their hands.

The Hokage finished the thought for him. "And the only one we know of who has a contract with the snakes besides Ms. Mitarashi, is Orochimaru." Sighing, he opened his eyes, seeming to look beyond Kakashi, at something that wasn't there. "I know." And he did.

"I know. He was troubled, cruel. I just don't want to believe he could openly attack our home, his old home. I practically raised those three. I had such high hopes for him, he had so much potential. I just…" Shaking his head, he was looking at the ANBU captain again. "I'm sorry. You don't want or need to hear the ramblings of an old man. Pass on the word. We may be dealing with one of the Sannin."

"Yes sir."

"You know what to do?" It was hardly a necessary question.

"Of course." He was the captain of ANBU. "All active ANBU are to be informed, and tracking teams dispatched. No one attempts to engage the target, especially not alone." And we do not let Anko go after him. That wouldn't end well no matter what the results.

"Good. I'll inform Ms. Mitarashi." He was my student, she was his. It's my fault things went to the extremes they did.

"Probably for the best." She actually respects him, for one. "If I may, Lord Hokage?"

"Dismissed." Bowing slightly, Kakashi left the room.

I can only hope Orochimaru wasn't truly behind this.

"I'm sorry, Mikoto." The captain of the Konoha Police Force apologized to his wife. He knew he shouldn't have snapped at her, but the situation with their clan was deteriorating, and the Konoha Police Force was just short of going on full alert. His nerves were reaching their limit. He couldn't even imagine what the Hokage must have been going through.

"It's alright." Standing behind him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he sat. "You're too stressed. You need to let the others take on a little of the burden."

"I can't. With Motomo's disappearance, and Itachi's betrayal, I can't allow anyone to believe I'm suffering. If I appear weak, then the entire clan will appear weak." It wasn't an arrogant statement, just the simple truth. It was why the Hokage always wore a strong face in public, why none of the clan leaders ever seemed tired or weak. They had to appear strong when dealing with other countries, and it was a matter of pride among their fellow Konohagakure clans.

He was quiet for a moment, simply taking comfort in his wife's embrace. "And…I'm worried. About Sasuke, I mean." She was worried about him as well. "You know how he idolized Itachi. What if he follows in his path? I…" He didn't continue.

"I know." She felt the same. They'd already lost one son, if not to death, then to desertion. Neither of them could lose another. It would destroy both her and Fugaku.

"But I think he'll be okay. Shisui stopped by, and said that he was going to spend some time with him. Maybe even help him learn a few techniques."

Fugaku smiled at this. "Good. I think he may have taken it wrong when I asked him not to follow in Itachi's path. With Itachi gone, Sasuke is the future of our clan. The Uchiha are counting on him."

As Fugaku and Mikoto shifted to a more pleasant subject, Sasuke slipped away from the wall he'd been listening from, and snuck off to bed. He was lucky to have Shisui as a sort of surrogate uncle. He doubted he could have been as silent without the tips he'd gotten from his brother's friend earlier that afternoon.

"Anko!" The Hokage's voice was stern, powerful. When the Hokage sounded angry, his voice could stop even Anko without trouble. I knew she would take this badly.

"We don't even know for certain that it's him." And we can't have you chasing after him. You can't defeat him. After all this time, with his obsession over discovering jutsu, he's undoubtedly learned much more than he knew when he taught you. "This is a direct order. Do not attempt to find or engage Orochimaru. Is that clear?"

Her hands clenched further, the pain in her hands intensifying. Her fingernails had already broken the surface of the skin. She spoke to the Hokage through clenched teeth, barely restrained anger in her voice. "Yes sir, Lord Hokage." Damn it! I need to find him. I need to make him pay.

"You're dismissed, Ms. Mitarashi." She stepped away, storming towards the door, but stopped at the Hokage's voice, as it turned soft yet again.

"I know what you think of him. I know you hate him. But please, for my sake if nothing else, don't seek revenge on him." He viewed all of the villagers as his children, even those who had gone astray.

AN: Love to hear any reviews. Oh, and I'd still appreciate any opinions on the poll, whether you respond in reviews, the forum, or the poll itself. By the way, is anyone else having problems with the formatting (And getting really freaking annoyed with it)?