Hmmm. After Raising a Raven, should I start another fic about kid Itachi? Or should I finish My Brother's Keeper first?

Kakashi pressed his hands along the walls of the building, feeling for a keyhole or seal. Itachi's scent had ended here, yet the jonin could find no entryway. Stumped, Kakshi found himself absently squishing the silly putty between his palms once more. He grimaced as he saw the mess the gooey substance made of his gloves. Hastily he wadded it up and replaced it in his pocket. Still baffled by the stonework before him, Kakashi stepped back and studied the wall once more.

"Something made that explosion, and I for one am not going to find out what it was."

"Gorou's got it covered. Concentrate on the patrol."

"I thought that wall was supposed to be invincible."

"Yeah, well so's the shadow assassin. Guess who tripped over his own rotweiler and banged his forehead the other day?"

"You're kidding me, right? Seriously? Sheesh, and I thought the maniac was bad enough."

Kakashi stepped back into the shadows, pulling a handful of shuriken from his pocket. It was time to ask a few more questions. Within moments two shinobi came into view. Their concentration was poorly centered, and Kakashi had no difficulty leaping out and placing the edge of his sharp blades against one shinobi's neck.

"Hotaka, you idiot!" the other ninja berated. "You should've known to keep an eye out for patrols! Now the shadow's gonna be mad at us for not paying attention!"

"Okay, I get the picture," the shabbily dressed shinobi replied as he tried to ease the shuriken away from his neck. "You did a great job, um... guy with the swirly design on his forehead guard. Akusai will likely reward you. Can we get back on patrol now?"

A suspicion formed, and Kakashi realized he might have the advantage. The shinobi seemed to consider him a part of their patrol. Considering their ill kept uniforms and mismatching forehead guards, he wasn't surprised.

"I should put you on report for your lack of attentiveness," he drawled, "But I have my own problem. You see, ah, I'm new here and I forgot how to get into the building." Kakashi rubbed his neck as though embarrassed. "I certainly don't want Akusai to know about that. How about we make a deal. You show me where the entrance is again, and I won't report you."

Hotaka gave his companion a cheeky smirk. "Told you it wasn't unusual to get lost twelve times in a row."

"You were the one to get lost. I had to keep coming back just to let you in." Placing his open palm against the wall, the dark haired shinobi created a series of signatures with his free hand.

Nothing happened.

"Um, wrong section."

"Shut up." Grimacing a warning, the dark haired shinobi moved his hand and repeated the hand movements. A ribbon of limegreen chakra shot up the stonework, forming a rectangular shape. With a final hissing sound, the outline of a door appeared.

"There you go," the dark haired shinobi nodded as he stepped away. "Just stick your hand on it. It responds to chakra. Doesn't need much to open."

"Remember, no reports to Akusai," Hotaka added.

"I'll remember," Kakashi promised as he placed his hand against the door. He smirked as it opened under his touch. They're right. This place does have lousy security.

The corridors inside were dimly lit, the white walls in sore need of repainting. Red lights blinked softly near the ceiling. Kakashi had little need to wonder what the purpose of these was for, as the warning cry of an infiltration soon rang through the corridors.

Looks like Sakura and Naruto already got inside.

There was no time to lose.

. .. .. . .. . .. . .

"What are you doing here, Daiki?"

Itachi strained to look behind him as the newcomer entered. A middle aged shinobi with a shock of red hair approached the table, sneering cruelly at his captive.

"Nice to see you up and awake, kid. Can't say I've had a chance to work with a ninja before. This'll be fun."

"Akusai made it clear that he would be the one to carry out the tests," Rokudo reminded darkly.

Daiki's head shot up, his features twisted in rebellion. "Akusai also gave me some orders to tell you, Shadow. There's been a break in. Two chunin from Konoha. Top floor. Deal with them."

Rokudo's face were unreadable, but his eyes flitted to Itachi a moment before he turned away. "Remember, he is not to be touched."

Daiki rolled his eyes. "I know the rules, Shadow. The question is, do you? If I were you I'd get up there and deal with those shinobi before they completely demolish the operation."

Rokudo gave the shinobi one last withering glare before snapping his fingers twice. Two of his dogs were instantly at his heels. The last remained behind, baring its fangs at Daiki as the door slammed shut.

"Easy, doggy," Daiki warned. Moving to the table, he examined the straps holding Itachi to the table. "Rokudo was always soft," he muttered as he pulled the bonds tighter. Itachi matched him glare for glare, his cool demeanor earning him another vehement look.

"Wise kid. Think you know everything? They're gonna break you. And I'm gonna watch. Might just get started now, in fact. Don't think Akusai would mind too much, so long as I leave you in one piece."

The rotweiler growled at the words.

"Aw, knock it off, mutt!" Daiki shouted. Grabbing the dog by its collar, he attempted to drag it from the room. All he received for his efforts was a bloody gash and a torn sleeve. Cursing at his luck, Daiki pressed his fingers against the wound and backed away.

"Tousan? Tousan, are you in there?" A tentative knock on the door announced yet another presence.

Itachi cocked his head at the familiar voice, trying to place it. He could have sworn he'd heard the speaker recently.

"Aki? Get in here, boy, and call off this dog while you're at it!"

The door creaked open as a fiery haired teenager stepped inside. "Here, boy!" he called energetically to the rotweiler. "Come here!"

The dog whined slightly, torn between duty and fun. Another whistle from the teenager was all it took for the dog to race off. Itachi stiffened against the table, instantly recognizing his former tormentor. Aki... But what's he doing here? Things were looking worse by the minute.

Aki quickly ushered the large dog out, sliding the door shut behind it. "Hey, Tousan, the guys upstairs said we had a breach in security. What's going on?"

"Some crazy shinobi team decided it was their duty to meddle in our affairs," Daiki responded. "We'll teach them to mind their own business. Already have one of their squad. I hope I get to see their leader's face when he find out what we did to him."

"Yep," Aki smiled brightly, flipping his orange hair out of his eyes. "That'll show 'em, all right." His eyes widened as he laid eyes on Itachi. The shock registered on his face, morphing to sadistic glee.

"Hey, Tousan. You realize who this kid is?"

Daiki began setting out a variety of instruments. "Nope. Some genin from Konoha, I'll wager."

Aki grinned wider, leaning against the table as he examined a scalpel. "Tousan, you're not going to believe me when I tell you this, but that kid is Uchiha Itachi, former Akatsuki and genius of Konoha."

. . .. . .. . . .. .

Kakashi sped through the maze of corridors, seething at the delay. Akusai's ninjas were in a full blown panic as news of the infiltrators spread. Apparently twenty elite shinobi of the ANBU force had blown apart all but the lowest floor in one explosion, taken down five hundred thugs without earning a scratch, and were now moving at the speed of light to face down the Leader himself. Rumors tended to warp as they were passed on. Kakashi's job was now twice as tedious as he shoved his way through the mob of fleeing ninjas. Just as he cleared the tumolt, a hand snaked around his arm and yanked him aside.

"Soldier! You know the tenth level is forbidden! Only Akusai and his most trusted men are allowed down there!"

"Uh, right! I was just heading down on a very important errand myself!" Kakashi saluted smartly for good measure.

"Uh-huh," the guard raised an eyebrow. "What kind of errand?"

Kakashi's eyes darted as he thought fast. Slipping the silly putty from his pocket, he revealed his sharingan long enough to toss it onto a heating unit.

"I need to report - Oh, no! Look there, sir! It's reproducing already! Oh, the horrors! It escaped from the lab this morning, and already it's taken over two levels! I must inform the Leader at once!"

The guard took one look at the rapidly spreading mass and made a dash for the exit. "Report this immediately," he called over his shoulder. "I'll alert the others!"

"Liar," Kakashi muttered as he scooped up the melted goo. Remorsefully he realized its elasticity was probably gone forever. Nonetheless he poured the green liquid into its plastic container and pocketted it once more. His path clear, Kakashi pulled his forehead guard from his sharingan and ran like he never had before.

. .. . . .. . .. .. . .. .

"You've been reading way too many time travel novels, Aki."

"That's what I thought at first, Tousan. I'd like to see you contradict Danzo and the Hokage when they prove it to you." Aki tossed an apple in his hand before taking a large crunch. Nonchallantly, he grabbed the scalpel and began peeling his snack. "Of course, if it means nothin' to ya, you could just wait for Akusai to have all the fun."

Daiki's eyes narrowed. "Hold on, didn't you say Itachi was the one that got you kicked out of Konoha? You're saying this is him?"

"The very same," Aki nodded. "I was even the one that put that dent in his leg, if you noticed he had a crutch earlier."

Daiki paid no attention to his son's boasting. "Aki, do you know what this could mean for us? An Uchiha within our very grasp. Imagine what powers we could obtain from him."

Itachi drew back in disgust, chaffing against his bonds. If he only had his chakra he would never even be in this mess in the first place! Hearing the two plot their rise to power by means of his body was going far beyond morbid. The concept was hardly unexpected, but Itachi couldn't help his rising alarm at their words.

"You could have the sharingan."

The words seemed to freeze in midair. Aki ran his finger lightly over his apple in wonder, silently repeating his father's statement. Abruptly he shook his head.

"I thought everyone died from obtaining the sharingan. The Copy Nin was the only guy who could control it. Besides, the kid doesn't have any chakra. How're we supposed to get his eyes to work?"

"There are ways," Daiki replied softly, fingering a sharp instrument.

Itachi swallowed hard, fighting down his rising terror. Every shinobi faced this threat if captured, but those with specific bloodlines power were especially targetted. He knew what would come next. After removing his eyes, they would likely see to his survival, preserving him for their own morbid version of the rivival of the Uchiha clan. It was a fate worse than death, one that caused many shinobi to take their own lives before the repulsive deed could be accomplished.

Closing his eyes, Itachi reminded himself that Kakashi and the others would not abandon him. He would be rescued, yes, but the seconds were ticking away. He didn't know if they would be in time to prevent him from being blinded.

"Akusai will be mad if you take his eyes..." Aki's voice trailed off nervously.

"If just to give you the power of the Uchiha, Aki, I'd face down Rokudo's dogs." Daiki's smile widened as he picked up the scalpel once more. "I don't think we need morphine for this, Uchiha. Let's see how loud you can scream."

Itachi forced himself to remain still, clenching his jaw as he let the familiar mask slip over and hide his fear. Whatever he was feeling, he would not show it to this monster. He vowed he would not scream.

"That won't be neccessary, Daiki."

The scalpel dropped with a clatter as the red haired man spun around. "Akusai-Sama!" he stuttered. "I was just - "

"Ruining a perfectly good test subject? Oh, I heard the whole conversation, Daiki. Your son is quite smart, actually. Even more than you, I must say. You should have listened to his advice."

Daiki stammered in apprehension. "I, uh, I wasn't going to, I just, I..."

Akusai held up a hand, stepping into the room. "Relax, Daiki. I will not do anything in front of the children." He turned to Itachi, seemingly bemused by the situation. His wild hair was streaked with sooty grey, though he seemed only in his early thirties. It was easy to detect the gleam of madness in his eyes.

"Imagine, the very last remnants of the Uchiha clan within my grasp, and none other than the great Itachi himself." Akusai leered at the helpless Uchiha, stretching his gloves and releasing them with a sharp snap.

Itachi made no sound, his features stoic. Miffed at the lack of response, Akusai continued circling his prey.

"How delightful, that one of the last surviving members of the Uchiha clan should find his way into my very own lab." Akusai let out a high pitched giggle at the thought. "Oh, the very deliciousness of the thought. Imagine what I could do with this. Why, I could turn you into a cat, or perhaps a charming labrador. Yes, a dog would suit me just fine. Imagine, a proud race such as the Uchiha brought down to the disgrace of fetching me my slippers after a hard day's work. Oh, it's too good to be true!"

Ibiki's torture chamber was beginning to look better and better all the time.

"Daiki, fetch me the neccessary implants for a lab hybrid. I think the ears and tail should do just fine, but don't forget the skin implants to allow for the fur. Of course, I might need to do a few brain modifications in order to make him more docile. No, wait. Hold that thought. Lab's no good. Floppy ears just don't seem to fit with this one. Better make it a boarder collie. Black fur only, mind you."

"I'm not going to be your pet!" Itachi snarled. True, it was a more preferred fate than the one Aki's father had planned, but fetching slippers for this crazed maniac was at the very bottom of Itachi's agenda.

"Now, now, don't make a fuss," Akusai patted his head. "It won't be so bad. You'll see. In fact, once I'm finished adjusting your personality you might actually love being a dog. The children will adore you, and you might even get used to playing fetch. Imagine, an Uchiha playing fetch!" He burst into hysterical giggles once more. "It kills me!"

Itachi wanted to be sick.

"Don't worry, it's not so bad," Akusai continued as he began gleefully sharpening his instruments. "It won't hurt a bit, and Rokudo takes very good care of the animals. I have a wolf hybrid and a other wild breeds that would love to meet you, and they're all quite intelligent. I do leave the human brain cells intact, so you needn't worry about losing your identity. Oh, I can't wait to get started! My very own pet dog, and he's even one of the only Uchihas left alive. You don't know how happy I am about this!"

"Just kill me now," Itachi muttered.

"No, because then I'd have a dead boarder collie. They're not as much fun, you know, unless you stuff them and put them on display. Of course, then you can't show them off as well because they don't talk to anyone." Akusai selected a large syringe from the table, squirting a drop of liquid into the air to test it. "Now, I'm going to put you to sleep temporarily, and when you wake up you'll feel much better... albeit a bit furrier, perhaps. If this hurts just let me know, and I'll add a little more morphine to the mixture."

Kakashi, where are you?Itachi fought the urge to cringe as the needle came closer. The commotion outside was growing louder, but unless help arrived soon Kakashi would be leading him back to Konoha on a leash.

Abruptly the door slammed open, breaking off its hinges as it hit the opposite wall. Akusai swung around, only to see Rokudo leaning against the wall, his eyes blazing and his breathing harsh. Five rotweillers grouped around him, teeth bared and ears laid back.

"Go get him."

Akusai let out a shriek of terror as the serene order was given. His cries were cut short as the five dogs rushed forward. There was the sound of ripping cloth followed by one last blood curdling scream.

With a sweep of his katana Rokudo sliced through Itachi's bonds. He grabbed the Uchiha's arm and shoved him towards the door.

"Run."

Itachi didn't wait for a second invitation. His last view of Rokudo was of the shadow assassin drawing his swords to finish Akusai's demise. Turning down the hall, Itachi was at a loss for which way to go. The blank white corridors created a form of maze with endless twists and passageways. Pandemonium had broken out. A number of doors had been smashed inwards, and Akusai's thugs stumbled over the wreckage as they tried to escape the terror being set loose within. It appeared that someone had taken opportunity of the chaos to free Akusai's prisoners. Itachi suspected it was Rokudo.

A large russet creature resembling a wolf leapt past Itachi, burying its fangs in the seat of one fleeing shinobi. The ninja howled and began running in circles in his attempts to dislodge his tormentor. Another furry being brushed past Itachi, tapping his shoulder as it passed. Itachi scooped up a chunk of broken concrete and swung to face whatever he, she, or it was. A ginger feline with humanoid features giggled slightly and raised a finger to her lips, winking slyly before launching herself onto the nearest shinobi. Itachi grimaced in sympathy for the soldier. Semi human or not, the girl had some wicked claws.

The entire building seemed to be caught up in the mayhem. Animalistic yowls accompanied the soldiers' terrified screams as the victims of Akusai's experiments turned on their captors. Itachi would have aided the coup under other circumstances, but the bloodlust in the hybrids' eyes showed that this was their personal battle. Slipping through the throng, he searched for the exit.

"There it is! It's alive! Nooo!"

There was only one shinobi to whom that frenzied voice could belong. Turning down another chaotic hallway, Itachi was soon thronged by five others as the thugs ran for their lives. A green, dripping mess hung from the ceiling, egging them on. In the background a brunette ninja with purple streaks in his hair cried out in exagerated horror as he dealt out punches to other fleeing thugs.

"Oh, it's terrible! It will kill us all! We will - wait, Itachi! Where are you going?"

Itachi snorted, not slowing his pace. Kakashi could deal with the remains of thisasylum. Itachi had almost been blinded, tortured, and turned into a collie, all in the matter of twenty four hours. He was not about to stick around any longer than neccessary.

Darting in behind the last shinobi standing between him and the exit, Itachi felt a wave of thrill as he burst into the sunlight. Abruptly he ground to a halt.

Akusai's captives were not the only ones going on the warpath. Armed with everything from rolling pins to kunais, the outraged parents joined the battle. Ducking to avoid a misdirected hammer swing, Itachi deduced it would be in his best interest to flee the area. Judging from the orange and red glow of Naruto's chakra inside, the revolt was in excellent hands.

Just as he thought he had escaped the tummolt, a hand lashed out and snagged Itachi's ponytail.

"Uchiha." Aki's voice was strained, his breathing ragged. A trickled of blood dripped down his face from a cut on his forehead. He was covered in dust and granite.

"You ruined everything!" The teenager's eyes were unfocused, a crazed look glinting in them. "I lost everything! You kicked me out of Konoha, and now you're trying to do the same here! I'm sick of you and your pestering interference!"

Itachi reached up and calmly took hold of Aki's wrist, adding pressure until the fiery haired teenager winced. "Let go of the ponytail." He couldn't count the number of times his hair had been used against him. It was becomming rather tiresome.

"I'm gonna kill you for this, Uchiha," Aki panted. "I'm gonna do just what my Tousan wanted. I'm gonna take your eyes, and then I'm gonna go back and get Konoha for what they've done."

"You're not going anywhere," Itachi replied calmly.

Even if the Uchiha was berefit of his chakra and sharingan, Aki was in no state to defend himself. A simple jab between the eyes was all it took to floor the teenager. Swiping away Aki's kunai, Itachi turned away.

"I'm not finished with you yet, Uchiha! You! Cloud ninja! Stop that kid!"

Itachi whirled to face the new threat. He raised an eyebrow in skeptism. A hapless teal haired shinobi stared blankly in Aki's direction, a crumpled map slipping from his fingers. "I... beg your pardon?"

"You heard me! Kill him, before he gets away!"

The cloud ninja blinked like an owl, scratching his head in confusion. "Um... he's just a kid. What exactly is going on around here?"

Studying the shinobi's pristine - albeit rumpled - outfit, a suspicion dawned. "You're not from here, are you?" Itachi pointed out.

The cloud ninja gave a sheepish laugh and ran a hand through his long green hair. "Um, actually not. I was on my way to Konoha to barter for some special medical herbs, but I got lost along the way." He stared in bewilderment at the tummolt carrying on in the background. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

Itachi glanced over his shoulder at the smoking ruins of the fortress. "No," he shrugged. "Nothing in particular." Ignoring the cloud ninja's preturbed look, he picked up the fallen map and used a piece of charcoal to trace a route from the village to Konoha.

"Just stay on this path and you should reach the village by nightfall. I hope you have a pass."

"Right here." The cloud shinobi fumbled for a card, muttering something under his breath as it landed in the mud. "Can't seem to stop dropping things to save my life... Say, thanks, uh..."

"Nezumi," Itachi filled in. As harmless as the shinobi appeared, he didn't need any other villages knowing who he was.

"Right," the cloud ninja smiled, offering a smart salute. "Thanks for the help. My name's Haru, by the way."

Itachi shook his head as the shinobi strode away, wondering why the Cloud Village would send such a bumbling idiot to Konoha. Probably hoping he'll get killed by someone else's ANBU along the way.

"Hey! There's another escapee! Get him!"

Time to go, Itachi realized as he saw five thugs heading his way. He wasn't particularely concerned, considering what cowards Akusai's guards were, but better safe than sorry.

Slipping into a crevice in the village wall, Itachi hid a chortle as the thugs ran out and began questioning the poor disconcerted Haru. The cloud ninja was still standing there with a lost expression on his face. Belatedly, Itachi wondered if Haru even knew how to read a map.

"Hey, what're you doing in my hiding place?"

Itachi whirled at the high pitched voice. Two huge eyes stared back at him. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Itachi could make out the outline of a young child not much older than himself. Burnished auburn hair shimmered in the light, a stark contrast to the muddied yukuta.

"Who're you?"

"Nezumi," Itachi answered vaguely, observing the thugs stalking away and leaving the frazzled Haru in peace.

"Oh. I don't remember you. Course, I don't know many people here anyway. Do you live here?"

"Thankfully, no," Itachi smirked.

"Oh. Me neither." The boy wasn't very comfortable silence, it appeared. "Are you hiding, too?"

"Yes." Itachi rolled his eyes slightly, straining to listen for any approaching shinobi.

"Me too! I'm Ryota!" The boy offered a gap toothed grin, pleased at meeting his 'new friend.'

Itachi swung around at his words. "Iwate Ryota?"

The boy nodded. "Uh-huh. What's your name?"

Itachi closed his eyes in agitation. "How long have you been hiding here?"

"Dunno." Ryota cocked his head. "I've been hiding a lot, cause I'm not done explorin' yet. Kaasan doesn't like it, so I have to keep them from finding me."

Itachi stared at the child in disbelief. All this time they had been searching for a kidnapped child, only to learn that he had been right in the vicinity the whole time!

"Do you know how long your parents have been looking for you?" Itachi ground out.

"Um, not really," Ryota shrugged. "I'll go back, just after I finish catching more tadpoles. You wanna help?"

Itachi was in no mood to discuss the point. He'd been punched around, locked in an underground dungeon, and almost wound up resembling his favorite puppy, and this kid thought it was all a joke.

"Come on," Itachi ordered, grabbing Ryota's wrist and dragging him out of the crevice.

"Hey, what are you doing? I'm not goin' back yet!"

"Oh, yes you are!" Itachi retorted, marching the struggling boy behind him. He was relieved to see a young woman wandering the littered compound. Perhaps she could help him find Ryota's mother. The sunlight sprinkled down on waves of auburn hair, and Itachi realized his quest would be easier than he thought.

The woman turned to meet them, a sharp cry escaping her. "Ryota!"

"Kaasan!" Ryota tore from Itachi's grip and ran forward, throwing himself into his mother's arms. "Kaasan, you found me! You found me!"

Itachi leaned back against the wall and folded his arms, shaking his head at the irony. One would never imagine that Ryota had been fighting to evade this moment.

"You found my little boy," the auburn haired woman choked out, her eyes shimmering with unspent tears. "You're the lost ninja, aren't you? The one they said was kidnapped." She let out a broken sob. "How can we ever repay you?"

"Just keep him out of trouble," Itachi replied, ruefully examining his filthy hair.

"Iwate Ryota!" the mother scolded. "You are grounded for a month! You just... you almost made me... you..." Her face burning scarlet, she looked to Itachi.

"All this time, they didn't have him," she breathed. "We could have made a terrible mistake." Her eyes haunted, she turned aside. "Please accept my most sincere apologies," she said in a harsh, broken tone. "We were wrong in our actions."

Itachi was at a loss for what to say. Bowing in respect, the woman fled the square before he could make a response.

"I'm glad to see they learned something from this."

Itachi turned to see Kakashi watching from the sidelines. "You're late."

"Quite the contrary," Kakashi smirked. "Didn't you hear the news? Thanks to Sakura and Naruto distracting the guards, I was able to sneak in from the front and scare away the shinobi guarding you. After that it was only a matter of Rokudo to freeing the prisoners and finishing off Akusai. So you see, I was not idle during your captivity."

"Uh-huh." Itachi's voice was heavy with sarcasm. "You couldn't have sped things up while you were at it? I almost was abandoned at the nearest pound."

"Your nickname does translate as rodent..."

. . .. . . .. . .. . .

The following days passed in a blur. Finally assured of their children's safety, the furious parents were on the warpath. The false shinobi who survived were left with a reputation as cowards, which some were never able to shake. Most of the children who had been victims of Akusai's experiments were reunited with their families. Some of the transformations were permanent, but the village was willing to deal with the handicaps. Rokudo might have been hailed as a hero, but he slipped away with his brother as soon as the last child was safely out of the fortress. Team Kakashi was thereby doted upon by the gratuitous villagers, and Naruto and Sakura's total conquest of five leveled floors, fifteen walls, and one hundred unconscious soldiers swiftly multiplied into monstrous proportions. Aki was never found, but his father's body was discovered under one of the walls Naruto had collapsed. Itachi felt it was justly deserved. The nightmare was over for this village, and Akusai's attrocities were ended. For once he could relax.

"Kakashi, get that thing away from me!"

"But it lived! It survived its brush with death and has come back to haunt you!"

"If you don't watch it I'll give you an injury that will haunt you for life!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. They were at it again. "Kakashi, stop threatening Itachi with the silly putty."

"This silly putty has been honored as a hero," Kakashi replied matter of factly as he placed it in its plastic capsule. "Every child in the village wants some now."

"I thought that was a lab report running rampart," Itachi shot back.

"Shhh! No need to spread rumors," Kakashi hushed.

Naruto picked at his ramen, sobered by the recent events. "I can't believe Akusai was able to get away with this. At least we found most of the kids in time."

"It still doesn't atone for the actions of the representatives," Sakura shook her head. "Innocent people could have died because of them."

"It may have been a selfish action, Sakura," Kakashi reprimended gently, "But try to understand the situation they were facing. No price is ever considered too high to protect the ones you love."

Itachi stared into the distance, ignoring his tea as it grew cold. Kakashi could guess the thoughts running through his mind.

Sakura let out a long sigh, her features troubled. "Not every mission ends well," she admitted, "But I wish things had worked out better." Her face brightened slightly. "At least we can go home now."

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed, punching his fist in the air. "You know the first thing I'm gonna do? Stop by Ichiraku's and use my free coupon!"

"You're always thinking about ramen," Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Actually, that sounds like a wonderful idea," Kakashi agreed. "In fact, I'll treat you all as soon as we get back."

"All right!" Naruto shouted. "Kakashi, you're the best!"

"Oh, and by the way, Itachi..." Kakashi waved a blaring orange object over his head and raised his voice, attracting the attention of all present in the square. "You left your stuffed toad in the lab!"

. . . .. . . . .. .

"And that, my friend, is how this little wad of silly putty saved the most powerful member of the Akatsuki forces." Kakashi beamed, proffering the green gop as evidence.

"Fascinating story," Chinatsu commented softly, her attention rivetted as she leaned against her spear.

"It was one of our more random adventures," Kakashi allowed. "I wouldn't doubt that Itachi avoided the pet store for weeks afterwards."

Chinatsu straightened and folded her arms, giving the jonin a hard look. "I still find it hard to believe that a wad of silly putty could have accomplished so much."

Kakashi's eyes darted.

Chinatsu narrowed her gaze. "Exactly how much of that story was true?"

"Quite a bit of it." Kakashi's grin was a little too forced.

Chinatsu raised an eyebrow, and the jonin renewed his effort to avoid eye contact.

"Ahhhh..."

Chinatsu smirked knowingly. "Uh-huh."

"We-ell, I did threaten to stick it in Itachi's hair..."

. .. . .. . . .. . ..

No breath of sound, no flash of movement betrayed Itachi's position as he sped through the forest. The trees to his right blurred a moment before his vision cleared, but Itachi ignored this. His left eye was still in excellent condition, and that was all he needed.

Not too far ahead, Itachi could make out the scattered battalion guarding Inoichi's squadron. He considered them to be of little concern, and calculated the most convenient route to avoid being sighted. He didn't need to be delayed by a fear driven shinobi's interrogation.

A flash of moonlight on steel caused Itachi to twist midstride, the sharp kunai barely missing the ends of his ponytail as he leapt out of the way. A dark figure jerked back and fell with a gurgle, his features sloughing away as a white Zetsu took his place. Itachi clenched a kunai in his fist and drew back against a tree, all but invisible in the moonlit shadows. Harsh breathing sounded to his right before another shinobi ran into view.

Ino let out a shaky breath as she scanned the woods for further danger before darting forward. The Sound jonin she had struck down had vanished, leaving a grotesque, pale form on the forest floor. Ino brushed her fingers along the thin red line on her neck, realizing how close she had come to having her throat slit by what she had supposed to be an allied soldier. Kneeling next to the corpse, Ino let her gaze sweep the area again, wary of further enemies.

A flicker of movement to the left caused Ino to leap to her feet, her kunai already launched towards her intended target. The weapon was knocked aside without effort as a shadow stepped out from the treeline. Ino stepped back and drew a double handful of shuriken, straining to see who the other shinobi was. His back to the moonlight, the formidable figure was indescernable in the white glare.

"Whose side are you on?" Ino demanded. She drew her hand back, preparing for the worst.

"I should think you would recognize anyone that you bought a fluffy pink and white dog for."

Ino let her hand drop to her side, grinning sheepishly in relief. "Itachi! I didn't realize you were there." The last part of his statement sunk in and Ino flushed beet red. "The dog was actually yellow, you know, and if you hadn't looked so innocent I'd never have dreamed of - "

"I know," Itachi smiled, shifting so that the light illuminated his features. "I was just testing you. That isn't the first decoy Madara has sent to attack our troops."

"Decoy?" Ino paled. "I thought it was another one of Kabuto's tricks, though it seemed impossible since he was reported dead."

Itachi nudged the corspe with his foot, making sure it was dead. "This was one of the Akatsuki, a plantlike creature known as 'Zetsu.' He can mimick the appearance and chakra signatures of other ninja, allowing him to pass through enemy lines undetected. We've already met up with a few."

"How do you know who is fake?" Ino fingered the cut on her neck. "I didn't notice anything until that one tried to kill me."

"For now we have no solution," Itachi shook his head. "The only thing we know is that they cannot mimic a shinobi's memories. Question anyone you meet about any minor or crucial fact that only they would remember. You cannot trust anyone."

"What if they answer it wrong?" Ino argued. "What if it's something they had known about once, but couldn't recall?"

"If they are Zetsu, you won't get a chance for a second test," Itachi shook his head gravely. "You may not even have time for one question. Make it count."

Ino rubbed her forehead, conflicted at this turn of events. Allies had become strangers in a matter of seconds, and even the most trusted acquaintances could be the enemy. She had never wanted to take part in this war, and now she dreaded the following morning.

"Ino, I need you to take this information to your commanding officer," Itachi ordered. "Inform everyone you meet who proves to be who they say they are. It's vital that the generals be told of this as soon as possible."

"Understood," Ino nodded sharply, her face set.

A smile twitched at the corner of Itachi's mouth before he vanished from sight. Ino didn't even bother looking for the Uchiha. He would be long gone by now.

Halting momentarily to check his position, Itachi found himself staring at the full moon once more. It seemed to leer at him, counting down the hours until it joined Madara in full domination of the human race. Itachi stared back defiantly, renewing his vow that he would never allow Madara's plan to come to pass. The Akatsuki had plagued the world long enough. It was time to bring an end to their rule.

. . . . .. . . . .. . ..

Yay! End of flashbacks! As much fun as it is to torture kid Itachi, I want to finish this story.

Please let me know if this flashback has any blank spaces that I forgot to explain at the end.