Madara sat outside Bawks coop studying the creature. He could use a fire-breathing chicken. Well, technically he didn't need one, but he could incorporate it into his plans somewhere. It seemed somewhat intelligent. Maybe he could induct it into the Akatsuki. The bird seemed a great deal smarter than some of Pein's recruits.

He couldn't steal the bird, as that would cause a commotion he didn't need at this rather delicate juncture in his plans. Perhaps he could get the child to give the bird to him. How would he get the child to talk to him though?

Maybe he could offer the boy some candy. Kids liked candy, right? He remembered his brother getting excited when father brought some home with them back when they were little.

If the boy didn't deal with him, well, he didn't have to fulfill his part of the bargain until Itachi had done his...

&!&!&!&

Naruto cautiously approached the Nakano shrine. Some weird old guy with a mask had offered him a five pound bag of candy if he met him behind the Nakano shrine. He knew going was stupid, but, candy...He'd just run off if the old dude tried anything.

He was about ten minutes early, but the old guy was already there, and he was talking to Sasuke's older brother Itachi.

"...know what'll happen to Sasuke if you don't fulfill your part of the bargain and kill the rest of your pathetic clan." the old man was saying.

"You need have no worries about me not keeping my side of the deal." Itachi said. With that he left.

"Do you have my candy?" he asked the old man when he finally reached the shrine.

"Yes." the masked old dude said. "But first, there is something I'd like to discuss with you."

The old man moved towards the bushes and indicated that he should follow.

That's it. Candy or no candy, he was gone.

!

Three days later, Naruto found himself attending a funeral. Shisui-nii had died. He'd drowned in the river. Even though he didn't seem all that welcome, Fugaku Police Chief-san had let him come. Everyone else was carefully watching him as if they thought that he'd be disrespectful enough to pull some sort of prank.

"Why are you here?" one of the people asked Sasuke's older brother after the service was over. "I didn't think that Shisui's murderer would actually have the gall to show up at his funeral."

That wasn't right, Itachi would never murder anyone. That creepy old guy from three days ago however...

"Itachi didn't kill Shisui-nii!" he yelled. "It was that creepy old guy in a mask who said that he'd molest Sasuke if Itachi didn't kill everyone!"

"Is this true Itachi?" Fugaku Police Chief-san asked.

Itachi looked cornered for some strange reason.

"It wasn't so much molest as "Eviscerate and leave out for the crows to feast upon"." Itachi finally answered.

"What was your answer Itachi?" Fugaku Police Chief-san asked.

"You were all going to die next week." Itachi replied.