A/N:

.

This is Interlude I

(Interlude's are inspired by Catch Your Breath and several other fanfictions from AO3)

Interlude's will have time skips. This one starts small. The time skip in here is almost a month. Interludes will blur in segments/slice of life of Asuya's training/character development mostly. Time skips in Interludes will be from a month to maybe a year between Arcs.

.

Next Arc: Chunin Exams Arc I

.

I'm glad many enjoyed Okito's Farm Arc. Also, thanks for the abundance of reviews. It's crazy to me to think that we're at 200 reviews. I think that's cause for celebration, so here's an 11,000 word chapter.

Anyways, enjoy.

The Sacrificed Disciple

-Chapter Twenty-

"Crying does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive."

-Charlotte Bronte

When I woke up again, it was at the Konohagakure hospital.

A chakra signature lingered at my bedside, and when I opened my eyes, it was to mom snoozing on the chair near my bed. I felt the lump grow in my throat. "Kasan," I mumbled out.

Her eyes snapped open, attune to my voice. They was red rimmed with dark circles lingering underneath her eyes. "Oh," she whispered and got off the chair to sit by me. "Asu-chan." She kissed my forehead and pulled me close until she was laying on the bed and I was snuggled beside her. I didn't know how long I stayed like that with mom's hand running through my hair, and me snoozing to the beat of her heart, but in that moment, everything felt fine.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked when I came to. Mom was standing up and putting my folded clothes on the bed. I sat up, feeling the scratchy hospital gown scraping against my cuts. I was glad I didn't have a ridiculous amount of bandages on me, I'd prefer to let my wounds breathe.

"An entire two day," mom answered immediately. "It's seven in the morning now."

"How long do I have to stay here?" I wondered.

"The medic came by thirty minutes ago. You've been discharged. No training or the use of chakra whatsoever," mother warned. "You have a severe case of chakra exhaustion, and at your age, your chakra will be producing more slower then the average Genin. It'll take weeks to even a month."

I blinked. Well, damn. "No training?" I echoed.

"None," her voice left no room to argue.

I was too tired to even argue, so I just nodded. "Did you just arrive?"

"I barely came to wake you," she confirmed.

"Do I have to. . . sign anything?" I wondered. I knew I was a Genin, and that technically made me an adult, but also, I was still only five-years-old.

Mom sent me a weird look. "I signed everything for you. I'm still your legal guardian since you're a dependent within the Uchiha Clan. Now get up. I'll help you get changed."

I blinked sluggishly. "Hai," I agreed and lifted my arms up as she began to undress me. "Kasan, where's nisan?"

"He was here yesterday, but you were out cold," she mentioned solemnly. "He's been sent on an important mission." She pulled my clean shirt over my head, and I snuggled my cold chin into my oversized collar. I got onto my feet atop the bed and stepped into my shorts. "To escort the Daimyo to Konohagakure for the upcoming Chunin exams. I'm sorry, Asu-chan." She sent me a worried gaze. "He'll be gone for more then a month. The Daimyo is far from war and wishes to stop to multiple locations for sightseeing." She looked as if I'd throw a temper tantrum for not being able to see Itachi.

A Genin team escorting the Daimyo? Of course, the Daimyo had plenty of guards and shinobi within his entourage that would protect him. Which meant the Daimyo probably requested a Genin team to represent Konohagakure or the Hokage was showing off one of Konohagakure's exceptional Genin team who would be participating in the Chunin exams.

All the same, I gave a nod as I buttoned up my shorts. I then looked to mom. She was staring at me. Her gaze was full of worry as she pushed back several strands of my hair. "Your tousan told me about what happened." Her thumb rubbed gently underneath my eye. My gaze fluttered to the hospital floor. "I wish I could take all your pain away from you," she whispered. "But. . . that would also be disrespectful to the love you have for your teammate, wouldn't it?"

I swallowed. The sound audible between us. When she put it like that, I couldn't help but to think that maybe it would. These feelings threatening to swallow me whole were proof of how much I cared about Tenma. Tenma who always shouted curses at me, who was annoying, who was mean. Tenma. Who was also nice and compassionate and my friend. . .

"Hai. . . I guess it would."

Mom kissed my forehead and lifted me off the hospital bed. I closed my eyes. Mom filled in the silence, as I remained quiet, but I listened as she spoke about Kushina, Minato and Team 7 visiting me. Team 8 came by as well, and Itachi stayed until late night before mom had to force him to leave since he had his mission in the morning. Shinko had stopped by after her check up at the hospital, and Yuki-sensei had as well. Not only that, several Genin from back in the academy days came by to check on me as well.

When we arrived back home, there were so many flowers in decorative vases all around the kitchen. I blinked at the colorful variety and looked to mom. "Itachi helped me bring them home last night." She set me down and patted my cheek affectionately. She then moved with lithe grace towards the kitchen. "Are you hungry, I can fix you something up real quick?"

I moved towards a vase filled with purple lilacs. It had a yellow ribbon tied to it. I lifted the card tied to the ribbon, eyes glazing over the name, Uchiha Izumi. I didn't know who that was. . . I shifted uncomfortably at mom's words, at the flowers around the house. It felt hard to breathe. I always assumed the dead get more flowers then the living from before, but. . . that probably wasn't the case here. "I still feel really tired," I mumbled out.

Mom blinked at me in worry. "Oh. Well. You can go ahead and take a nap then."

I nodded and went to the bedroom I shared with Itachi. I looked around before I stepped inside. My room felt foreign for some reason despite the faint familiarity it gave me. I sighed and jumped on the bed face down. My eyes closed on their own accord.

I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the sliding door. "Mph," I mumbled out. The sun was high up now judging from how the light streamed into my bedroom. My nap turned into a five hour nap, but mom didn't disturb me at all. It looked like she found the perfect one who would.

"I'm coming in," Shinko's voice sounded muffled from behind the door before she barged in. The shoji snapped to the side and her chakra signature wandered across the room. "Aw. You still share a room with your brother. How sweet," she jeered.

I rolled over to stare at the ceiling. "Yeah," I mumbled out before sending her a frown. "Why'd you come?"

"To get your butt out of bed."

I narrowed my eyes further. "I'm perfectly fine here."

She rolled her eyes and cocked her hip out before placing her hand on it. "I've been at home doing the exact same thing you are, and it's just not happening. Kay?" She sat on my bed with a sigh when I didn't move. "Yuki-sensei is waiting for us at the memorial stone," she said after a while. Her gaze was staring straight ahead. Her eyes shinned.

She turned her eyes to me, and we stared at each other for a moment before I sat up. "And the funeral?" I wondered aloud as I began to put on my clothes.

"That's the thing. . . We haven't been invited," Shinko trailed off. My eyes snapped to her, and she was frowning at the wall. Her gaze looked murderous. "Yuki-sensei told me when he came by to my house. Said that Tenma's mom is a civilian and she lost both her husband and Tenma to the war. She said she wanted nothing to do with ninja anymore and respectfully asked us not to be present in order to allow space for Tenma's civilian family." Her gaze narrowed. "Or that's what sensei said. He looked angry and said he'd see us at the memorial near Training Ground Three. I went to Tenma's mom to see if it was true, and she screamed at me to go away." Her shoulder jolted into a half shrug. "I guess sensei was the one who added the 'respectfully' part."

I looked down at my hands before I strapped on my utility belt. I pulled my shirt over it to hide it. Shinko raised a brow. "Not going anywhere without it, huh?"

I looked away. "I don't feel safe without it. Not yet anyways."

She gave a nod. "I get it."

When we walked out of my room, I moved my way towards where mom's chakra signature was out in the garden. "Kasan I'm-"

Mom waved a dismissive hand. Her smile warm as she came towards me. "I know, sweetie." She kissed my forehead. "Go on." She then looked to Shinko, who gave a slight, awkward bow to mom. Mom was matriarch of the Uchiha clan after all. "No need to bow. I hope you stop by often and meet the rest of the family."

Shinko scratched the back of her head. "Yeah. . ."

"Come on." I pulled Shinko's hand and led her out of the house. Shinko seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for that." She sent me a side eye. "How come you never told me your family is rich?" She wondered out loud.

I gave a shrug. "We're not rich. We're just ancient."

"Eh. Remind me to hang out here more."

"By all means," I responded, uncaring.

She sent me that look again. "So. . . is this just temporary or?" She dragged out.

I looked to her, realizing what she meant. I wasn't my usual self. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin again. Unsure of who I was, but also better because of it. I was a far cry from the boy I was before, and it was showing. "I don't know," I admitted. "Just give me some time."

Shinko nodded. "Yeah. We've got time." She patted my shoulder. "Because we're still a team, aren't we? No matter what happens?"

I nodded and felt my throat clog up. I couldn't speak. She looked away then, but I felt her hand grab mine. I looked down at our joined hands. Her hand was bigger then Itachi's. It didn't do anything to comfort me, but I figured it was more for her then for me, so I let it slide. We walked straight to Training Ground Three, and I felt the chakra signatures first before I saw them. There were several Genin teams surrounding the memorial stone. They all looked familiar in a way. Distant faces from back in the academy. Tenma did have his fair share of friends. There was also several older looking people who I didn't know at all, but must have known Tenma.

When we neared them, there were several nods and words of condolences. Shinko paused to speak to several of those people, and I let go of her hand. I heard her say something to me, but I couldn't make out her words. My eyes were on Team 7. They were nearing me. I felt words behind me, but they were just that. Words. I couldn't make sense of them.

Obito was the first to pull me into a tight hug. Since Obito was on his knees, I was slightly eye level with him. I patted his head. "There, there Obito-nii," I consoled.

Obito looked up at me through glossy eyes. "I-I'm not crying," he grumbled out. "There's something in my eye."

"You're wearing goggles," Kakashi deadpanned.

Rin neared me and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. I rubbed at my cheek and gazed at her with wide eyes. "I can't imagine," she began before shaking her head. I tensed at her words, and she must have noticed because she merely said, "I'm so sorry, Asu-chan."

"It's okay." It wasn't okay at all. I wasn't offended by her words, but more so, I couldn't help but to darkly think that she didn't have to imagine at all. The Chunin Exams were near, and so was their mission to end the war once and for all. Obito-nii was going to be taken into the clutches of Madara, and I couldn't do anything to stop it, could I?

Kakashi crossed his arms. "It's okay if it's not okay," Kakashi muttered. He looked away, avoiding my gaze. I smiled a bit and walked passed the three of them to join Shinko again.

We stood next to Yuki-sensei, and as he looked to us, he stated, "The rest of Team 2 is here now. I'd like to give a few words to begin with, and it starts with the understanding that Team 2 didn't start off as close as we are now. We've only been a team for less then a month, but in that time there was a lot of fighting and tension between us all. It changed when Asuya and Tenma were no longer rivals, but friends. Through that, a camaraderie grew between all of us. I don't know what Tenma's last words were." Yuki-sensei placed a hand on my head, and I felt my eyes throb on their own accord until my vision shifted. I didn't know Tenma's last words either. He didn't have the chance to say anything. "But I'd like to think they were what he told us before we stood side by side and faced death in the face. He asked us if we'd always stay as Team 2, no matter what happened, and how did we respond Team 2?"

"Always," Shinko and I said in unison.

"Always," Yuki-sensei echoed before he stepped forward. He used a kunai to carve Inari Tenma on the memorial stone. He carved it with precision, and as he did so, I felt Shinko trembling beside me. I didn't look to her as she cried.

If anything it felt like the entire vigil went by fast. Several other people departed their words of farewell before we gave a moment of silence. One by one people left. Minato whispered something to me, but I didn't comprehend it, and I felt Kakashi's hand brush against my head, trailing behind Team 7, so no one could see.

It brought me slightly out of whatever trance I put myself in. Long enough to see Yuki-sensei and Shinko conversing to the side. Everyone was gone except for the remainder of Team 2. My gaze scanned Tenma's name again before I moved towards them. Shinko looked at my eyes, and Yuki-sensei gave me a warm smile. "Asu-chan. Your sharingan is active again."

My gaze widened in surprise. "Oh." I closed my eyes, struggling for a moment on how to turn it off. The chakra feeding into it was strange from behind my eyeballs, but I was able to cut off the chakra point feeding through there. I looked back up. "Better?" I reached up to touch the bottom of my lid. I felt sluggish again. "I'm sorry. I don't really know how to control it yet."

"I'm not very familiar with sharingan, but in my lifetime I've seen several Uchiha activate it for the first time. They usually activate it at one tomoe, but yours is two. Almost fully developed. I'm guessing this is putting more strain on you?" Yuki-sensei asked.

I gave a half shrug. "The Uchiha elders will know what to do."

"Come on. Get on my shoulders." I accepted his invitation and put my hands up. He picked me up and placed me on his shoulders. "How about some tea?"

Shinko gave a small smile. "Like a dango shop?" She looked slightly eager.

"Yeah," Yuki-sensei stated warmly. "It'll be on me."

Yuki-sensei filled us in on what happened with the farmlands Okito's farm resided in. They were a little shaken from all the explosions, but a team from the outpost had arrived in due time to help with transporting the goods to Konohagakure and surrounding cities. They were paid and our mission was considered successful. It was also bumped up into a B-Rank mission. Our first mission. . . and it was B-Rank. I hoped it wouldn't become a trend like Team 7. Yuki-sensei stated that Hokage-sama would pay us accordingly and we were to report to the financial records office to receive our payment. Sensei also stated that Hokage-sama would want a written report about what happened during the events where Yuki-sensei didn't have his eye on us.

"I'm sure you two have been trained on writing reports?" Yuki-sensei asked.

Shinko shook her head. "I may need help with that," she answered nervously.

Yuki-sensei looked to me, and when I didn't say anything, he gave a nod. "How about we make it into another hang out session? Right here. I'll help you write it tomorrow." The seal along the shoji doors were silence suppressing seals. Whoever owned this shop must have been a ninja or still are. My guess was that it was secure enough if Yuki-sensei suggested writing our reports here.

"And. . . What about the rest of the outpost team, sensei?" Shinko asked after a moment of silence. "What happened to them?"

Yuki-sensei looked up from his dango plate. "Sada, Saburo and Jiro survived, but they're in critical condition. Maru and Teru are dead."

Shinko gave a small nod, and I looked away. "You lost two students, sensei," I pointed out. My voice sounded so far away. It must have felt horrible to lose one's students.

Whatever I said, Yuki-sensei didn't seem offended. He sent me a saddened smile. "That I did, Asu-chan."

"What will happen with us?" I wondered. My voice sounded distant. Even to my own ears.

Yuki-sensei's smile slowly disappeared. "I've been called back into the ranks. When I do, I won't be able to keep you safe anymore." I looked to him. His gaze was directly meeting my own. Deliberately. Shinko looked from Yuki-sensei and I, seeming confused. I understood what he meant. If he was being called back to the ranks. That meant that Team 2 was temporarily being disbanded. If Team 2 was being disbanded, he no longer had privileges as our sensei.

The rest of the days passed by in a blur.

I mostly ate, slept and recovered from chakra exhaustion. As a five year old kid, chakra exhaustion was more severe, apparently. It took a while for my body to recover and the muscle cramps and pain of chakra accumulating in my system put me into a fever among those days of recovery. Throughout those days I usually hung out at the Uchiha Military Police Headquarters, or I watched Team 7 train. Yuki-sensei dropped off the face of the earth. Just like he warned. Shinko and I didn't get to see him at all. When one was an Anbu, and your Genin team was temporarily indisposed, the war needed you elsewhere.

Tenma's death was like a weight on my shoulders. It made me move more slowly. It made me get lost in my head too much. I didn't like to dwell on it. I didn't like to do nothing at all. I was itching to train, but I was on strict medical leave. Any use of my chakra would put me back into day one of recovery again. It was around that time of feeling stagnant that Shinko approached me.

I was on the veranda overlooking mom's garden. It used to be an empty space of just grass used in the early years to train Itachi and I. Mom converted it into a garden that still somehow stayed beautiful and filled with life of color despite how absent we all were. I'm guessing whoever was here watered the plants when most of us were gone, and if we were all gone, well, the neighbors had to do. We were the head household of the Uchiha clan after all.

I felt Shinko's chakra the moment she entered the Uchiha clan district, and I lazily focused on her chakra nearing closer and closer until she entered our house. This was unexpected. I haven't spoken to Shinko since the funeral, or more so since I saw the formal forms of resignation as a ninja in her home when I went to go hang out with her. I left quickly after her mom went to go fetch her from her room and avoided her ever since.

So much for always being Team 2. Today would be her first time approaching me since then. I was curious by what she wanted to say, so I stayed put this time.

"Hey," I drawled out as soon as she parted a shoji door to the side.

"I need your help," was the first thing she said.

I raised a brow but didn't take my eyes off the garden. "Oh?" I answered. "I thought you wanted to quit being a ninja." I didn't know what on earth I could help her with that wasn't ninja related. She didn't outwardly say it, but Shinko was having some sort of crisis. Tenma's death affected all of us in different ways. For her, it scared the shit out of her. It was why she had formal papers to resign her status as a ninja back then.

They must have been denied since we were at war and all.

"You're just going to have to wait until the war is over," I flippantly added. She must have come here for advice, or maybe in the hopes for me to pull some strings with Hokage-sama since we seemed so chummy to where he addressed me personally before giving our first mission.

"No, dammit." She flicked the side of my head, or tried to at least. I simply moved my head away to avoid her flicking finger. One thing I stopped allowing was getting purposely hit by anyone. Even if it was teasing or a simple reprimand. It definitely gave father a shocker since he liked to flick my forehead whenever I was blunt. That used to be Tenma's thing, or I'd like to think that at least. Tenma wasn't here anymore, so. . . that was that.

"Are you listening?"

I looked to her, broken out of my thoughts. "Huh?"

"Wow," Shinko deadpanned, but she didn't look all too offended. "I said that I want you to train me."

That sparked my interest. "What made you change your mind?" She knew what I was referring to. I found out she didn't want to be a ninja, and I stopped talking to her. I didn't want to associate with civilians. I was a shinobi. We lived different worlds. The path I was paving didn't have room to socialize with Shinko in her happy home where all we'd talk about was the weather or how well her future business or intership was going. Any questions she would ask me I would deflect. It would just be a one-sided friendship. It was one I didn't want to subject myself to. Plain and simple.

She sighed. "You," she admitted.

I looked to the garden. I didn't find that answer good enough, but it was an answer, I guess. An unsatisfying one. I didn't feel motivated to train her. Why should I? Why did I have any reason to? We weren't a team anymore. She broke that bond. "Well," I drawled out. "If that's all you have to say-"

She must have realized my blatant dismissal because she elaborated, "If I chose the path of being a civilian again, I can never walk the life of a shinobi. Even if I begged. Hokage-sama told me so." I quirked a brow. Hokage-sama gave her a pep talk? He must have given a harsh one. He was a shinobi. The Hokage. He cared about his soldiers in his own way, and he had no time to comfort a kunoichi with potential who wanted to be a civilian again. That was the civilian council's problems. He must have directed her there after his pep talk. It must have been a rude awakening. Shinko looked to be near tears, as if remembering what the Hokage had said to her.

Shinko continued despite her tears, "I also realized something. Even if this war ends, there's just going to be more fighting, more battles, more wars and you." She looked at me. Her gaze was hard. It was the old Shinko. The one I respected. "You're just going to keep growing stronger, aren't you? You. . . You have the potential to be a Namikaze Minato. Someone respected by everyone. Someone whose revered. Kami. . . You saved the southern border from a possible invasion with your crow summons. . . You helped them prepare for an ambush. You had Namikaze freaking Minato come save us all because of you. He came because of you. They're already saying your name in the streets." She shook her head. "You know what I heard? That you were being molded to the Will of Fire. Like Nidaime-sama did to Sandaime-sama, like Sandaime-sama did to Jiraiya the Sannin, like Jiraiya the Sannin has taken on the Yellow Flash, and how. . . he to you-"

"He's not my shishou!" I countered with vehemence. Her words sent my heart to the pit of my stomach. What was she implying? Just the thought. . . What the fucking hell- "My shishou is Kushina-san! And you. . . You don't know what the hell you're saying." I had stood up, feeling fire in my belly. Anger coursed through me. I would never be Hokage. That kind of responsibility alone would be too much. Fuck that. It wasn't my place-

"Don't I?" She countered. She stepped up and looked down at me in defiance. I felt my eyes shift to the sharingan. "If I take the path of civilian, I'd be the one gossiping. I wouldn't even be in the crowd that would live to see your accomplishments. You wouldn't even remember my face. You already stopped talking to me when you saw. . ." She took a frustrated breath. "You'd just forget about me, wouldn't you? Like your classmates at the academy, who tried to speak to you at the vigil and all you said in return was, 'Who are you again?' before heading to Team 7. Namikaze-san's freaking students." She scoffed, looking displeased by my rudeness. "You didn't even remember Izumi-chan, who has like the biggest crush on you!"

I blinked. I couldn't recall the name. Nothing computed. Had I been rude like that? I tried to remember. I really did try, but those days were a blur. Nothing mattered except Tenma's name on the memorial stone. Shinko dragging me out of bed mattered. Obito-nii's hug mattered. Rin trying to give words of encouragement mattered. Minato's presence mattered. Yuki-sensei's speech mattered. . . Kakashi-nii's own way of condolence mattered. Nothing else did at that time. "I didn't realize," I admitted.

"I know," she whispered. "When I. . . I complained to Hokage-sama, he told me, 'there are two types of shinobi in the world. The ones who endure and the ones who don't.' He told me that I was neither. He told me to get out of the office because he had a war to end and had no time to deal with civilian affairs." She scoffed. "I shouldn't have even complained to him in the first place. What was I thinking?" She muttered, mostly to herself. Those were cruel words, but I agreed with the Hokage's dismissal.

"You have to understand that Hokage-sama is our leader in a time of war. He may seem like a kind old man, but the truth is: he is a man who makes harsh decisions, and men who make harsh decisions usually become harsh as well." I didn't. . . I didn't want to be like that, however. I wasn't. . . I wasn't that type of person. I can understand how Shinko was not only offended by what the Hokage did, but also by my actions. She needed help. Someone to comfort her. Yuki-sensei wasn't here, I wasn't emotionally available, so the next best thing in her child logic was the Hokage.

"I don't want to be forgotten," she stated with conviction. "Not by you and not by anyone else. I'm not going to be dismissed so easily! Not after what we've been through!" She shouted.

I felt my eyes widen by her rising tone.

"Do you understand?"

I gave a silent nod.

"Then train me," she growled out.

"Okay," I conceded after a moment of silence. I was reeling from the shock of it all, from the entire turn of events that transfolded before me. It helped me find my feet. It helped me get out of whatever stagnant trance I put myself in.

I was finally moving. . .

"Again," I repeated. I was tossing a kunai up in the air, flipping the pointy end deftly between my fingers before I caught it. Being able to throw with acute precision instilled on me by father since the moment I could walk added confidence in knife play.

Shinko groaned from underneath me. She was in the clearing with multiple target practices around the trees. She had to hit all of them on the bullseye at the same time. Itachi and I practiced this in the few, peaceful days where we were able to train with father without the Uchiha Elders supervision. The training lead to four in front of you and it slowly built up until there were target practices at a full 360 angle. It was before even Itachi joined the Uchiha elders by his own will. Those days. . . seem so far away now.

"You didn't even look," Shinko stressed out. The annoyance was seeping into her tone. I passed her a dismissive glance before I looked back to my kunai. Sunbeams broke through the thicket of leaves from the formed canopy above me. I was on a tree branch high up in the sky and below her target practices. It was unsafe in a way, but I honestly had the confidence in dodging any of her misfiring weapons. I had a sneaking suspicion that some that were thrown my way were on purpose, but whatever. She had to get better, and this was my way of helping.

"I don't have to," I admitted. "You missed three. You've gotten better," I relented because I couldn't always be strict. Even that would have sent me into a nervous panic if I was in her position, or if I was in her position even a couple months ago. . . I wasn't an asshole, and I didn't think myself better then her as a person. Based on facts, I was just currently stronger. It didn't give me any reason to be mean about it because we were both survivors. Although it took a bit, Shinko has come to lear to appreciate that. "You'll get it," I encouraged.

Shinko huffed. "It just seems so impossible. I mean. . . you have the sharingan."

"I didn't have the sharingan before," My voice dimmed, but I quickly shook myself out of my thoughts. "You just have to take into account the distance between you and all your targets. Practice drawing out your weapons first. Hook your fingers on the end of your kunai," I explained for what felt like the hundredth time, regarding the kunai hole loops made for better throwing. "Start there, and it'll build muscle memory." I knew Shinko would succeed eventually, and with it, the knowledge of distance and how to estimate it to its decimal value. It was why I was so good at predicting how far away my opponents or friends were. Father and Kushina's training helped in the little things. Little things that meant life or death. "You'll get it."

"Right," Shinko huffed. By the end of the day, Shinko managed to cut down two targets out of four. Three more days, and Shinko managed to do what Itachi and I had accomplished in one. Hitting four targets at the same time felt easy to Itachi and I, and I could see the stark difference in what Shinko accomplished. It went to show that the academy didn't really put a lot of time in teaching students more then the basics.

Shinko collapsed on the floor and gave a breathy laugh. I joined her a moment later. My own smile was in place. "Good job."

"I can't believe it," She mentioned. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked to me. "What's next?"

"There will be two more. On either side of you."

Her gaze widened. "That's crazy."

I gave a half shrug.

"And after that?" She wondered.

"Four more behind you," I added.

She shook her head and gave a low whistle. "How long did it take you to do all three?"

I did a quick estimate and answered, "About a month. Give or take."

"And. . . Your twin?"

I gave a dry chuckle. "Less then that."

She looked to the canopy of leaves above us. "You guys are really strong, huh?"

"I guess," I admitted. "But Itachi is leagues stronger and smarter. One day, he's going to surpass all the Hokage's." My voice held nothing but the truth. I believed it because it was something I knew in the past, something from before. I also believed it because Itachi was more advanced then me in training. He had more of a head start, and I was just barely catching up.

She gave a small smile, and I stiffened at her warm gaze, as if she didn't believe me at all. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Asuya."

The following week, I was formally asked to come back from leave. My recovery time was over, and the medic in charge of me signed off that I was ready to get back to using chakra. I had taken off my shoes and donned my training attire at the dojo. Shisui sat beside me in a formal sitting position as Uchiha Emino stood before us in his casual kimono. He looked regal looking— ominous. His gaze was settled on the both of us, then to me. "I've heard you've awakened your sharingan, Asuya. Show me."

I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I gazed at Emino. My senses focused on his chakra: Contained but powerful. I didn't see it before, but I saw it now. Uchiha Emino was worthy of respect. He was a battle hardened warrior, who saw no favoritism. He judged based on who was weak or strong, as if he had grown up in the Warring States Period. I didn't know why I didn't see it before. Maye it was my own biased opinion. Maybe I was looking at it from one perspective, and that perspective being from a boy of another world. One who refused this system. One who just couldn't accept. I held myself back as much as my parents, who thought I couldn't handle this world.

Who thought I was too softhearted.

"Two tomoe," Emino observed. His voice held no emotion. "A strange phenomenon, but not unlikely. Uchiha Kagami sat before me where you are with eyes like yours, and I have sat before Uchiha Madara-sama with eyes like yours." I felt Shisui's chakra tense beside me at the mention of his father: Uchiha Kagami: the former clan patriarch. "I can see the pain and loss within them. It changes a person. The amount of grief experienced is what fuels the sharingan to grow stronger as it develops. It hones one's bodies and minds sharper then swords." Emino's gaze flickered over me as he continued, "What will you do now that you have become a weapon? Will you wield yourself or let others do it for you?"

When he said nothing, I met his gaze. I wondered if he expected an answer, and when the silence continued I spoke, "I will be Itachi's weapon," I stated with confidence. "But I will act upon my own will, so that no fate worse then death befalls my brother. He will be the patriarch of this clan, and I will help him bring the Uchiha clan to glory." A new one. In the interest of Konohagakure. In all of our interests so that we do not befall the same fate as we have in a life of before.

Uchiha Emino smiled. His eyes gleamed, and he looked pleased with my answer. Perhaps, for different reasons. "You, Young Asuya, are far more wiser then you let yourself be perceived as," Emino observed. "And those words are as sharp as a weapon to be able to be said so carelessly by a boy who considers himself weak of the heart."

My gaze narrowed. I hated myself more for who I used to be. For thinking I had the upper-hand in a situation I found so foreign. Just because I had knowledge of before didn't mean I had all the cards. This was my life, however, and I was playing it with the old knowledge that didn't apply into now. I so boldly insulted Emino-sama before. Walking into a dojo I wasn't invited to and getting my ass kicked when I was. The respect of elders mattered here in the Uchiha clan, and although my parents taught me etiquette, I didn't apply them. I insulted someone who has lived through three wars. Someone who was probably alive when Konohagakure formed. Someone who trained before Uchiha Madara. . . I vowed to never treat anyone with disrespect, and if they deserved it, I wouldn't do it so blatantly without tact.

"Do you consider yourself weak of the heart now, Young Asuya?"

"No, Emino-sama," I stated with clarity.

"Then fight and show me that you are not the weak boy everyone thinks you are." Something about his words made me believe that he meant to say, show me what I already know.

I stood to attention. "Hai, Emino-sama."

Shisui and I faced each other on either side of the dojo.

My eyes bled red, and I could see the way Shisui's Adam's apple moved as he gulped. His own eyes went to his fully developed sharingan.

I formed the seal of confrontation, and he did as well. "Whatever happens," I pronounced. His gaze held mine. "I hope you do not take this personally." I bowed, and he did as well.

When we stood straight again, Shisui gave a warm smile. "You've changed, Asuya-chan."

I tilted my head in confusion. "You don't know me well enough to-"

Shisui lowered his hand. His sad smile disappeared. "You've changed for the better," he conceded. "I didn't like the person you were before. I don't even think you knew who you were before."

I didn't outwardly react except for sliding into a casual stance. "I didn't."

Shisui smirked, and I was beginning to wonder if this solemn version of Shisui was really the Shisui he projected at all. The smirk vanished when Shisui did, but I felt his chakra appear behind me within the moment. In fact, I almost felt as if I could predict where he would be. It was the only reason why I slid down into a crouch. My leg slid to the side in a half split and my right hand landed in front of me to hold my weight as I felt the wind shift above me from where Shisui's leg was. It would've hit me straight on the side of my stomach, but something about obtaining my sharingan also helped me be able to focus my sensing more. I could feel everything around me, and it didn't overwhelm me.

I used my own movement to push myself off the ground and grab onto his ankle in a catlike twirl. I landed on my leg opposite and used his own momentum against him: throwing him onto the ground. He rolled, we exchanged blows. I was able to avoid every single one. He wasn't holding back like he did before when he beat about five years off my life span.

This time, I was able to keep up.

Shisui swung his left leg high up to my face. I dodged backwards, feeling several of my hair strands push to the side from being hit. He landed and swung his right leg low to hit my ankle, but I stepped back only a second behind and swung my right leg to hit the side of his stomach. He dodged and tried to kick high again, but I sprung up in my momentum, like a cat, and dodged the high kick. I kicked back with my left leg, using the momentum to twirl so that I was facing upwards and managed to clock him on the side of his head. Hard. He was flung to the side of the dojo with a groan.

I used my speed to appear before as soon as he was half sitting up. I kicked high up with my left leg, and he used his forearm to block the blow to his leg, but with chakra enforced strength, I did a backwards coin flip. Ducking low with my leg stretched high behind me from where I felt my leg hit his forearm, using my hands to twirl my legs downwards and doing a sweep with my right leg underneath Shisui. I heard his intake of breath, felt his body crumble to the floor. I used a handstand to flip myself back up. He punched forward to block me from coming closer. Two fingers hit against his wrist, the chakra in my own breaking his bone. He grit his teeth to stop from crying out. I grabbed his broken wrist, flipped him on his stomach and pulled.

The sound of muscle tearing and his bone coming out of his socket resonated in the dojo. Shisui cried out. My eyes burned above Shisui. He turned his head slightly, so that our sharingan met, and he grinned. I dodged to the right, feeling the chakra behind me. I grabbed the fist aimed at me and pushed up. The sound of bone breaking this time was real. Shisui's cry was real. I whirled my weight, so that my elbow landed straight against the real Shisui's temple.

Shisui landed on the floor with my elbow jammed against his neck.

We met gazes. He smiled. I pressed harder. His breathing slowed. Ten more seconds and he'd pass out. Twenty and he'd be dead.

"That is enough," Uchiha Emino's voice echoed in the dojo.

I got off of Shisui and went back to my position from before. I was seated in front of Emino. Shisui slowly pushed himself to his feet. Guilt flooded me as my sharingan observed the real Shisui, who was panting. His gaze was shining as he looked to me. He almost looked excited.

We both sat before Emino, who watched us without expression. Then-

Uchiha Emino smirked. "Well done."

Once Uchiha Emino dismissed himself with a flippant comment for Shisui to take himself to the hospital. I immediately rushed to Shisui. My gaze shinned, as I hovered near him. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that. It just. . . It was the only option I saw to take you down."

Shisui chuckled as he pushed himself to a standing position. "It's the sharingan," he mentioned casually. He cradled his arm, supporting his oddly positioned wrist with it. "You're at two tomoe and you're on your way to mastering it at three. Sharingan adapts to one's taijutsu and its able to predict movements based on how you incorporate your taijutsu in taking someone down. That's why we train on taijutsu, so that it'll be an easier transition once we awaken it." He gave me a side glance. "Do you even realize what you just did back there?" He inquired.

"I," I paused. "Yeah?"

"Do you?" Shisui grinned as we walked out of the dojo, as he did so, I could see the faint smear of blood on his teeth and bottom lip. He must have bitten his lip when I elbowed him. "Because I don't really think you do," he stated wistfully.

I wrinkled my nose at him.

"Do you, Asu-chan? Do yooooou-"

"Okay! No. I don't," I grumbled admittedly.

"Heh." He looked smug as he patted my head. I gazed at him as if he was a completely different person because to me, it looked like there was no such thing as serious Shisui after all. "Emino-sama was pleased. Beyond pleased," he stated vaguely.

I stopped walking. "Can you just be straight with me?" My voice was serious.

He gave a dramatic shudder. "Jeez, you're even worse then Itachi." He smirked, looking as if he was happy about that fact. In any case, I think I just became his new target to annoy. "Your sharingan adapted to your fighting style, and your fighting style is to end the fight as soon as possible. You don't like to drag things out, you chose the most effective method and use it. You may not know this, but a lot of shinobi don't have the strategical mindset in being able to have this sort of style. Even Itachi used more evasive taijutsu against me, the one with the sharingan. He would do anything to avoid really hurting someone," He snorted. That must have been some fight. Shisui continued, "Working with Emino-sama helped me understand how he thinks. He thinks you're capable of learning what no one has been able to learn. Not even Itachi or I. He's going to help you perfect this style with what's called the one hit technique."

"Eh?"

Shisui smirked. "You have a fighting style similar to Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Emino, and my tousan: Uchiha Kagami. They killed or disarmed people using just one move. Their sharingans were developed enough to predict weaknesses with just one look and using that against their opponents. It gave them a strong defense."

"That's. . ." I began, eyes wide.

"Crazy? Impossible?" Shisui snorted.

"I'm not. . . strong enough to do that," my voice was faint and it carried no weight to it.

But wasn't I? I killed three Chunin and a Jonin. Although I didn't come out unscathed, I survived. Didn't that count for something?

Shisui's eyes glowed, as he looked at me with amusement in his gaze. "Is that what you want for yourself?"

I looked at him, eyes wide. "Huh?"

"To stay weak forever?"

I looked away. Not being able to answer. Was that really what I wanted? To stay hidden and safe? To let others protect me? To have father and mother shield me from the Uchiha elders? To never test my true potential?

"Say the words you mean," Shisui encouraged. His voice warm and low, as if he knew that my own wall I built for myself was crumbling.

"I guess," I drolled out. I couldn't help but smile at Shisui's odd way of encouragement. "I am capable."

Shisui snorted. "'Capable,' he says." He then looked to me again, realizing I was following him out of the Uchiha district. "I'm not an invalid. I can take myself to the hospital, Asu-chan," he dragged out my name with a lilt to it. It looked like he was back to being playful.

"I feel responsible," I admitted. "What if you trip and die on your way to the hospital?" I couldn't help but to tease back.

Shisui's gaze widened in slight surprise before he all of a sudden placed his arm around my shoulders. "I think I'm starting to like you more and more, Asu-chan!" He jeered. I didn't say it out loud, but I was starting to like myself too, and him as well. . .

The next day in the late afternoon, I decided to tell my parents the truth about the crows. Mom and father had refused to let me summon them again or to help make sense of them since they realized how much chakra it took to even dismiss them back to their realm. I had to speak up.

It was at dinner when I first spoke up, "Itachi and I first saw the crow summons at Uzushiogakure." Mom and father looked up from their food. Once I had their attention, I continued, "At first, I was terrified of them. They lead us to a mass grave left behind by Kiri-nin. All those innocent people. . . they were slaughtered. We saw the dead bodies, but we realized it was a genjutsu cast by the crows because when tousan found us, they were buried. I thought they were trying to scare us, to intimidate us and prove a point that we were vulnerable without the sharingan. Now I think I know better, they were trying to help us find the bodies. I think maybe they overheard that our team was looking for them."

"Asuya," mom began

"They've been lost out there. Without their master, I don't think they had a sense of what home was anymore. I think they're a different kinds of summons. . . They couldn't go back to their realm. . . They had to have a master to help them. I think, after that, they followed us to Konohagakure, and when I went to Okito's farm, the first night I had a dream that Itachi died in front of me." I felt tears fall openly from my gaze, and my vision shifted. The tell tale sign that my sharingan had activated due to my emotional distress. Mom's eyes widened and she moved from her seat to sit in Itachi's. She ran her hand against my hair and passed a fierce look to father.

Father placed his chin on his folded hands and observed me. "It wasn't just a dream. Was it?"

I shook my head, trying to find my voice again as my subdued emotions hit me full force. "I. . . I th-think." I took a deep breath, and in a more controlled voice, I said, "My eyes hurt so much. I think my sharingan wanted to awaken, but the chakra going to my eyes was blocked by something. All they did was ache. . . The dream felt so real, and. . during my watch, the crow. It put me under a genjutsu. The crow summons, the one I think is their leader, spoke to me."

Mom and father's gaze were piercing. It was mom who asked first, "What did it say?" She demanded.

"It said that Itachi and I were worthy of them," I echoed. My mind raced as I thought back to what happened. "It said the genjutsu was strong with the sharingan. It said to give them my sharingan."

father's gaze narrowed. Mom instantly spoke up, "You should have never let him sign the contract!"

"Uchiha Izuna and Uchiha Kagami have signed the contract before our son," father's voice was calm in the wake of the raging storm before him. "They did not get their sharingan taken from the crow. The only thing I was concerned about at that time was Asuya's sanity. The crows are otherworldly, like all summons, and they are exceptionally skilled in genjutsu. On the few missions I went on with Kagami, I have questioned his sanity, and he simply put the blame on the crows. The man was strong. He was even stronger then I am, and he was exceptionally skilled in Genjutsu. He would have fifty enemy-nin surrounding us crumbling to the ground in seconds. I assumed it was because Kagami was Uchiha Izuna's son, and he was trained by Madara-sama before Tobirama-sama took him under his wing, but now," father looked to me. "I know better."

"I refuse to have Asuya summon them," mom's voice held conviction.

"There's something else I need to tell you," I mentioned. "if it wasn't for the crows, I would be dead right now." I looked away from mom's pained expression. Just the thought of losing me had her near tears.

I looked to father, and his own sharingan activated as he stared at me. Just that simple act alone was enough to show me the love my parents had for me. "Why is that, Asuya?"

"When Yuki-sensei told Team 2 that our goal was to get back up from the outposts at the frontier to wipe out the enemy recon team and to also inform them of a possible seige, I. . . I." I shook my head and stared hard at father. "I utilized whatever resources were at my disposal. The crow summons lingered around our campsite after that night. For some reason I deduced that the crow had weakened from using genjutsu on me. I asked its servants or whatever to inform their master of a favor. I said I'd give it my sharingan if it meant it informed the outposts at the frontier of our situation. Before Teru-san, Yuki-sensei's former student, died, she told us we had ten minutes before the outpost team would reach us. We had to survive for ten minutes against three Jonin from Iwa. We didn't even last four. Shinko and I would have died by the time they reached us, or by the time Yuki-sensei reached us. I would have died from chakra exhaustion, and Shinko would have bled out, but the crows informed the outposts, and they reached us just under five minutes. Just five minutes from those ten, but it made all the difference in the world."

"The crow could have just pecked at your sharingan if that was its goal then," father deduced. "There were plenty of chances."

I nodded vehemently. "It saved my life, treated me with affection, and had me sign its contract. It chose me to be its home. I'm his master now," I was fumbling with my words, trying my best to explain the bond I felt between the crow and I when I signed the contract. I felt it and sensed that it meant no harm to me or my own. "I misunderstood it all along. It wanted me to activate my sharingan because it knew of the danger ahead. I would've," I said more quietly. "If I didn't convince myself it was just a dream."

"It is why you have two tomoe," mom realized.

"Yes." I looked to mom. "It didn't want to take a sharingan for its own. What it meant was that its genjutsu could be strong with a sharingan. It wanted me to activate it, give it the sharingan, so that I may be worthy and it may bring out the summoning contract, so that we could work together and fight," I explained. "It wanted to fight with me, but instead, I gave it another alternative to help me."

"How do you know for sure?" Mom asked. Her gaze strict.

"A bond formed right after I signed the contract," I admitted. "I felt its intentions. It's not really good at speaking our language. I'd actually prefer if it didn't. . . Instead, I could understand it. Its caws." It's voice was just too ominous for me. It was why I initially thought it was an evil crow. "It didn't want to leave me, but I dismissed it anyway," I said, sadly. "They preferred to stay with me. . ."

Mom and father looked to each other. It looked to be a battle of wills. Mom sighed. "Fine," she agreed, although she wanted to do anything but. "But I'm going to be there when you summon them."

I grinned. It looked like I won this round. "Okay!" I agreed vehemently.

The next day, it seemed she wasn't the only one with the same idea.

Kushina and Minato stood on either side of me. Mom and dad were farther back with crossed arms. They didn't look to pleased about it, but if I got chakra exhaustion again, Minato would be able to transport us to the hospital for an emergency chakra transfusion. Kushina was next to me, her hand against my back to tell me how much chakra I was wasting. I flooded chakra into my hand and slammed it against the ground.

"Was that good?" I asked.

Kushina hummed. "Yeah. That's about enough for the average summons. Now what are the seals again? And don't use chakra," she warned.

I went through the seal. It was only one, and an odd one at that. Where my thumb and forefinger were touching with my forefingers pointing to the ground. It was what the crow explained to me before I dismissed them. Everything happened all at once that I didn't really get it until now. Father came over. "That looks about right," father stated. "That's what Kagami use to do to summon them or cast genjutsu."

Minato sighed. "Well, it looks like we can't prolong this. I've got a war meeting to head to soon," Minato explained.

Kushina nodded. "All right." She paused and looked up to the sky with a scowl. "Looks like the old man is spying on us again."

"He already knows everything that's going on from the classified mission reports. Plus, he's the one that explained to us in detail about the crow summons. Kagami-san was his teammate, after all, and one of his best friends," Minato defended. I looked to the sky, but saw nothing. I didn't know how Hokage-sama was spying on us, but I guess it was his right to. Minato turned to me. "Ready, Asu-chan?"

"Ready," I agreed with ease. I formed the seal and slammed my hand against the ground using the right amount of chakra to summon them. A seal formed underneath my hand and black feathers rained upwards in black shadows. I almost landed back on my butt if it wasn't for Kushina's hand. My gaze widened as the shadows contorted into what looked to be dozen of birds around the trees.

Kushina gave a low whistle. "That's alotta summons."

"They're servants. The master is-" I paused as a large bird flew up to me. I lifted my arm up and felt its familiar weight on it. The crow tucked its wings against its body and it looked at me with an eerie but wise gaze. I stared at it for a moment and smiled as it caught a strand of my hair and nibbled at it with affection. "I'm sorry it took this long," I explained. "I had to get my parent's permission."

It turned its beady eyes on me and cawed. I frowned. "What do you mean I shouldn't answer to anyone? I'm only five," I explained not at all perturbed that I could understand the language of crows now. "Not to mention that I'm a shinobi and answer to Konoha."

The crow turned its beak up, and my gaze widened as its haughty behavior which I understood was an insult in crow language. "If you keep that up, I'm sending you back to your scary home."

Its gaze shifted to me and it cawed again. I reached up to pet its head. "Sorry. I didn't mean that," my voice was sincere and rose in panic, which didn't justify my high pitched tone.

"Aw, how cute," Kushina whispered.

I looked up to find her smirking at Minato. The baby fever was real, judging from the looks they were giving each other. My nose wrinkled. They stared at each other for a bit before I heard mom clear her throat.

"Save it for when you get home please," mom casually mentioned, almost teasingly as she neared us. Father was in tow, raising an eyebrow at the two of them, but he too was smirking.

Minato gave out a dry cough, and I could almost see pink dusting his cheeks. "I have to get to the war meeting now," he excused himself before transporting away. Kushina cackled in his wake. Her violet eyes turned to me. "How about you introduce me to the big boy, yeah?"

I gave a grin. "Yeah!" I turned to the crow. "This is my shishou! She's really pretty, isn't she? And she's super strong."

The crow cawed, seeming to agree with me. It knew she harbored the kyubi. I chose not to divulge that.

"And my kachan! She's the best mother in the world."

The crow agreed with another caw. After all, she raised me. I couldn't help but to smile at its compliment. I continued by introducing father and telling the crow how strong he was. The crow agreed. It watched father fight the Iwa-nin. The crow mentioned it wanted to meet the rest of my precious people, and I promised I would introduce it later. I told it about my training schedule and how someone had to be around to supervise because apparently, its genjutsu was too advanced for my age and might lead to chakra exhaustion. The crow, although reluctantly, agreed. I was the crow's youngest master it chose to serve.

"I know you don't want to go back to your realm. That's okay, but you have to stay in the forest." I pet it again, and the crow nuzzled my hand. "I'm sorry. I don't have any treats."

The crow cawed.

I conversed with the crow more, deep in what looked to be a one sided conversation. The crow was definitely a conversationalist. I was pleased. Father and mom looked to each other warmly, and I distantly heard them whispering to Kushina that they had to leave too. I didn't know why they chose to leave. They didn't have anything to do today.

"There's one thing you didn't tell me," I mentioned casually. "How could I have forgotten?" The crow chittered. Kushina was sitting cross legged in front of me. Her long, crimson hair fanned out behind her, and her elbows were on her knees with her head cradled between her hands. Her smile was warm, almost serene, and her eyes sparkled, as she watched me converse with the crow. She didn't say anything throughout. It was probably the first time I've ever seen her this quiet. "What's your name?" I asked, feeling ashamed for not asking first.

The crow cawed and gave a chittering sound. Its other form of communicating.

"Oh," I said sadly.

"What's its name?" Kushina asked softly.

I looked to her, feeling sadness for the loss of the crow. "The crow has many names," I explained. "But if it must be addressed it wishes to be addressed by the name of its former master: Kagami. In respect to the one who taught him what must be truly valued and who added to its arsenal of knowledge." I contemplated this and added, "The crow is very wise. It chooses its masters carefully. It likes to see events unfold and learn life lessons through its master's eyes. "

"Is that what it wants?" kushina wondered. "Knowledge?"

I took my time to answer. "From me. . . Yes. The genjutsu becomes stronger depending on the master."

She smiled, amused. "What knowledge do you wish to divulge to the crow?"

My gaze brightened, and almost teasingly, I answered, "Its a secret."

The day passed by quickly, and I laid in bed, almost wishing for the company of the crows again. I wanted to hear the stories of Izuna and Kagami. Kagami, the crow, said that it was capable of showing me their memories once I was able to project my sharingan onto him and look deep inside. I was itching to go to the forest, but I stayed put. I knew from the analytical look I received from father after I came home that he was beginning to think the crow was having too much influence on me, like Kagami, who father perceived as being 'not all there.' I had to be careful in talking so much about the crow, so as not to arose suspicion. I was still a kid, after all. Father was capable of forbidding me from summoning the crows again. I would have to comply-

Or do I?, I thought with amusement. What did Shisui say again?

'Is that what you want for yourself?'

'To stay weak forever?'

I couldn't help but to smile in the dark. The answer was simple. "No," I stated with conviction. No one was around me, but I needed to hear the words aloud. Just this once. I needed to say it, and this time, I believed it.