Announcement:
Presenting Academy Days part 9, sub-arc 3: Uchiha arc! "The Curse of an Uchiha"
It won't be as long as the previous sub-arc, but it's deeper, if I'm going to be honest.
Happy Reading!
Thinking
"Bijuu speaking"
Something Else
*Japanese (non-usual)
Kurushimi [苦しみ]
English Meaning(s) for 苦しみ
Suffering; Agony
苦("Ku") bitter
しみ("Shimi") smear; mark; taint
《Arc 2: Academy days: The Curse of an Uchiha》
–Part 1–
Chapter 15: We all suffer
Dear Shika,
Can't you say anything longer than the 'I'm good, right. Take care, and don't get into trouble'?! Sheesh, Shikaku-jii writes longer than you! Hmph!
I miss you though, not sure if you miss me, but I miss all of you! Although I'm having fun with our travels, Ero-Jiraiya won't allow me to tell you where I'm going, something about danger yada yada yada, BUT, I'll be going fishing in the next village! I'll try to send the fish to you if it's big enough!
Didya know Ero-jiraiya is a big pervert?! One of the nee-chan I met told me that he's a pervert, although I couldn't ask her what does a pervert mean. Also! I'm getting really good with my taijutsu, I'm sure I can kick your butt now! So ya better be pripared when I come back!
Oh yeh, cheer up Hina-hime for me, will ya? I heard about Hikari-bachan, and I'm sad. I'm sure Hina-hime is sadder than me, maybe also baby Hanabi too!
Speaking of friends, can you er, check on the teme too? He won't send me a letter back, that stubborn bastard. I think he's still mad I had to go.
Anyways, I have to sleep cuz the perv said we'll leave at dawn, whatever that means.
-Naru
Shikamaru snorted, a smile on his lips as he reread through the letter one more time. Shuffling of clothes made the Nara heir briefly look up before landing back to the letter.
"That Naru?" the quiet question was asked
Shikamaru smiled at his childhood friend, the other boy's smile made the swirled birthmark on his cheeks rise up a bit, "sure is, Cho," the time traveler hummed, "misspelled prepared too. I should also tell kaa-chan that Naru cussed, but that's too troublesome"
The Akimichi heir chuckled before bringing out a pack of candies, offering Shikamaru one.
"How long has Naru been gone?" the chubby boy asked as the Nara heir picked up a green apple flavored sweet
"A month," he replied before popping the candy into his mouth, "I have a rough guess that the old pervert is bringing Naru near the land of waves or something similar. She mentioned something about fishing"
Chōji hummed, "and Hinata-san?"
Shikamaru paused his thoughts, looking at his friend, "she'll hold up," he answered vaguely, "she has a sister to take care off"
"Shouldn't you visit her?" the boy asked with a worried frown, "she might not be okay"
Shikamaru's lips twitched at his friends' caring attitude, "alright, but not yet. Hinata's strong, I'm sure she'll be okay"
Chōji shrugged, "your mom told me that Uchiha-san dropped by a while ago, said that they'll be training at the usual spot later in the afternoon"
The Nara heir nodded, "right," standing up reluctantly, he tucked the latest letter inside the drawer filled with the other weekly letters from the blonde, "catch ya later, Cho"
The silence of the training field instantly made Shikamaru wary, he knew he was late for the designated time. The rustling of leaves caught the heir's attention, easily evading the weapons aimed for his head. He jumped back, immediately cursing as the ever familiar sound of wires sprang into action.
He dropped into a cartwheel, flipping away from the numerous wires that glinted under the sun. A small gasp escaped his lips, the tell-tale sign of a kunai nicking his thigh from a jump too late. Spinning in his position, he kicked the incomming shuriken away using the enhanced soles of his sandals.
Shikamaru jumped to the sky, a smirk on his lips as he drew out kunai. A flicker of shadow caught his attention, and with two flicks, kunai raced for the estimated position of the shinobi. Two shadows jumped into the open just as the explosion came from the kunai he threw.
The Nara heir smugly smirked as he landed on a tree branch, carefully observing the tight frowns on the two geniuses. The smirk on the eldest instantly made Shikamaru's eyes narrow as the rustling of a branch below him made him jump away-straight to kunai heading straight for him. He instantly threw his arms up to protect his face, but three powerful clangs of metal made him drop his arms, only to scowl at the smirking Uchiha that now carried him bridal style.
"Maybe a little more awareness training?"
Shikamaru's eye twitched at the nonchalant suggestion of the Uchiha heir that stood nearby with his own little smirk on his face
"That was unfair," Shikamaru weakly grumbled as he jumped out of Shisui's arms, glaring up at the two physically older shinobi, "that was two versus one"
"A Shinobi's life is unfair," Itachi shrugged with a soft smile, "but you are getting better, Shikamaru-kun"
"I'll be upset if he wasn't," Shisui interjected with a loud laugh, "with training for almost an entire year now, you've improved the most since the last month"
"We can't blame him," Shikamaru huffed as Itachi suddenly appeared beside him, ruffling his hair, "he was too distracted with Naruto-kun"
"I could say the same for you," Shikamaru shot back as he dodged another hair ruffling from the eldest Uchiha, "a little kitten is spying right now"
Itachi hummed, "you are right," glancing at Shisui, Itachi gave a short wave, "I shall see to my little brother, you two can continue on with training. If it is nothing, I shall return in a little bit"
Shikamaru watched Itachi walk away, easily noticing the tension on the eleven year old's shoulders, "he's joining ANBU, isn't he?"
Shisui sighed as he dropped to lie down on the grass, making Shikamaru snort but the Nara heir joined the teen in watching the looming clouds, "he doesn't have a choice," Shisui spoke quietly, the sadness obvious in his tone, "Shikamaru, promise me one thing"
Shikamaru was surprised to see the seriousness in the teen's eyes as he looked up to meet the time traveler's brown eyes, "what is it?"
"Live out your childhood," Shisui spoke softly, but the tension was strong, "and protect your precious people"
Shikamaru didn't smile, didn't nod, he just looked up to the sky with a soft sigh, "I already failed them," he admitted softly, ignoring the confused look from the teen, "I already got to live out my childhood, but if you're scared I might get drafted early into the curriculum, you have no worries, I have to take care of a little blonde anyways"
Shisui's laugh made Shikamaru blinked, and the younger boy curiously looked at the fourteen year old who was smiling brightly at the sky, "sometimes you remind me of nii-chan"
"You have a brother?" Shikamaru curiously asked
"Had," Shisui corrected, "he died in the war, we weren't really siblings, he was the kid of my tou-chan's younger sister, but he practically raised me with both his parents gone and my dad being active in the war. We only had our grandma, but she died sometime after his death"
"I'm glad I remind you of a dead person," Shikamaru responded dryly
Shisui snorted, "it's just your convictions," the Uchiha spoke with a grin, "he was always weird, casted out by the clan for being too happy," there was a snort, "like being an Uchiha meant constantly having a stick up your ass"
Shikamaru couldn't help but think of the last loyal Uchiha in his own timeline, 'stick up your ass is correct,' he commented with a drawl in his mind
"The day he got his sharingan," the older boy continued with a frown, "was the day he died, saving his friends, I heard," he sighed as he ran a hand through his curly hair, "not that it went well, last I heard, only one person was left in that team"
'Only one person left? Then that means-' Luckily, Shisui was too busy reminiscing to notice Shikamaru's eyes widening, 'what luck, to be close with the man that's a very close direct relative of the person who killed my father and my future'
"What was he like?" Shikamaru asked, curious on how different the madman was before he became...that
"Cheerful," Shisui hummed, "always helping out the elderly and the kids. He hated the authority with a passion except for the few that had gained his respect," there was a nostalgic grin on his face, "he was my hero, even the way he died made me look up to him"
Shikamaru tried hard not to flinch
Thankfully, a bird flew overhead, making both teens (although one was stuck in the body of a kid), look up with a frown. Shisui sat up, smiling sadly at Shikamaru and, not for the first time, the time traveler wondered if he could save the Uchiha from dying at the hands of the Uchiha heir, "sorry to cut training short, Shika-chan," the older teen ignored the glare, "looks like I have another mission"
Shikamaru watched as Shisui stood up to leave, "wait"
Shisui looked back with a surprise face, and even Shikamaru was shocked. The heir turned his eyes away, cheeks flushing in embarrassment, "stay safe"
The silence the followed made Shikamaru fidget, but as he looked up, he was surprised to see the warm smile on his face, "See ya when I return, kiddo"
Then he just left.
Again, as Shikamaru decided to walk back to his house, he thought of a way to save the two Uchihas from their fates. But as he watched as a leaf dropped, already turning red from the autumn weather, Shikamaru frowned.
Could he save Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi?
"Dear Shika, Jiraiya-jijii is a big pervert," the white haired man announced with a scowl, casting a glare to the blonde who was turned away with a pout on her lips, "Do you really have to say this? What if Yoshino-san reads it?"
"Suck it, you big perv!" the blonde shouted back with a huff
JIraiya rolled his eyes, "kiddo, you don't even know what does pervert mean, you just liked saying it cuz Tsunade told ya"
Naruto stuck her tongue out as she blew a raspberry, "Tsunade-neechan is kind," the blonde brought out a thin frog wallet, "unlike you, she doesn't hurt gama-chan!"
Jiraiya's eye twitched, "just once," he grumbled before standing up from his perch on the bed, easily catching the blonde's wide eyed gazed from the action
"You're leaving me?!" the blonde cried out
Was it bad that Jiraiya's heart clenched at the pain and fear laced within the kid's voice?
"Of course not," the white haired man immediately defended, the offence clear in his voice, "I'll be meeting an informant in the market, maybe even grab some grub for us too"
The blonde's eyes immediately lit up, and it made the man's heart clench one more time as he remembered his own blonde student that he practically raised, "can I come? I promise to be good!"
Jiraiya sighed, knowing that saying no would be helpless. So, with quick movements and a puff of smoke, a small red frog croaked confusedly at a grinning Jiraiya and amazed Naruto.
"WOAH! CAN YOU TEACH ME HOW TO DO THAT?!" the blonde immediately cried out, launching and, somehow easily latching on the frog that was usually good at escaping.
"Not until a few years kiddo," he spoke, curiously eyeing the frog that was turning purple under the kid's embrace, "that's Gamachiko, he'll keep you out of trouble while you walk around," ignoring the cheering of the blonde, the sannin easily took the toad away from the blonde's tight grasp and plopped the amphibian on the blonde's head who looked up, "Naruto, stay inside the town, don't walk off on your own without Gamachiko. Use your own money, and most importantly, run if someone tries to hurt you. Gamachiko should easily find me"
Jiraiya sighed as the blonde all too readily nodded, casting an apologetic smile to the toad who only shrugged, the man led them both out of the Inn and into the busy market streets, "You have an hour, Naru, if you don't come back by that time, I won't let you go out any more, okay?"
"OKAY!"
Jiraiya's eye twitched as the blonde immediately ran off, and as he walked to his own destination, he tried to ignore the fear crawling up his throat for leaving his goddaughter unprotected in an uncharted area, despite the fact there shouldn't be shinobi around.
He had learned pretty early on that his godchild had the worst and yet the best of luck of getting into and out of trouble, respectively.
He just hoped Gamachiko could keep the child safe for an hour.
Neji frowned as he walked down the quiet halls of the main branch's home. His small fingers immediately found its way to the bandages covering his forehead and, despite himself, he scratched at the branches as his eyes darted around, looking for a certain bluenette that had made herself scarce since breakfast.
A soft sniffling sound made him pause, before he followed the sound to the inner garden of the late lady Hikari. There he found his target, curled up in front of a bush of white roses, little hands wiping away the flowing tears as quick as they came, lips trembling as bad as her whole body.
The genius Hyūga pursed his lips before he slowly approached the heiress, his worried frown openly placed in his face, "Hinata-sama, why are you alone?" he softly asked
The heiress jumped, wiping her eyes once more before she looked up, mumbling a soft, "N-ne-neji-niisan…"
Neji fidgeted before crouching beside his cousin, eyes focused on the white roses in front of his nose. "It's beautiful," he announced, face flushing in embarrassment as he could see his cousin's surprised face, "you and lady Hikari did a beautiful job, Hinata-sama"
The sniffles that came after that made him panic.
More so as his future leader tackled him to a hug, making them both fall on the floor. Neji froze as Hinata bawled, face hidden on his chest. Neji looked around in fear of being scolded before he shook the thoughts away as he looked down at his crying cousin.
With a determined frown, the older Hyūga hesitantly patted the bluenette's hair, trying to imitate his father's actions whenever a nightmare hits him. Neji used his other arm to wrap around the crying girl as he tried to speak out soothing words, but they only came out in whispers.
"I-I-I'm scared," the heiress sobbed, "K-k-k-kaa-kaa-sama, a-a-a-n-and H-h-hanabi-ch-chan"
Neji frowned, "You are afraid of failing lady Hikari and Hanabi-sama?" he guessed
The bluenette nodded, and Neji sighed, "My otou-san," he mumbled, and he blushed when the heiress looked up, her sob easing to sniffles and hiccups, "h-he told me th-that my k-kaa-san still looks after m-me up there," he pointed at the sky, as he focused his eyes away from the unwavering gaze of his cousin, ignoring how he stuttered much like the girl before him, "your kaa-chan's there now too, she's not gone"
The sniffles made Neji panic before Hinata-sama started crying again, embracing him once more. Neji shakily patted the girl's head, counting up until 243 seconds before the heiress sat away with a shy grin, "g-g-g-omen, n-n-neji-n-niisan"
Neji weakly smiled back, "it's alright, Hinata-sama, as your cousin and family, I must do my best to take care of you and aid you in anything and everything"
Hinata shook her head, a frown on her lips, "i-i-if," she started, pale-lavender eyes determinedly focused on Neji's own pale eyes, "H-h-hanabi-chan has me, th-then I-I," she gulped, "I have you," Neji blinked, "n-nii-niisan"
Neji stubbornly ignored the fluttering feeling of warmth in his stomach. That was a feeling he associated with his father, he does not think it was proper to associate such a caliber of emotions to someone that would one day lead their clan.
"I don't think-" his voice was caught off as he was suddenly in his father's arms, Hinata in his other arm. Neji looked up to the man who was smiling softly at them both, and it wasn't the first time he was amazed how his father looked like Hiashi-sama
"Neji is and will always be your brother, Hinata-sama," his father softly spoke, and Neji's pride rose at his cousin's amazed look directed to his father, "just like I am your father's brother"
Neji and Hinata were gently placed back on their feet, but both children curiously looked at the man as he crouched down in front of them, a hand gently placed on the top of their heads, "Neji will always be there, Hinata-chan, as you are there for him," he grinned a little brighter, "and much as of how I'll make sure your father is alright too"
That seemed to make Hinata blink in surprise before both children looked up to the Engawa(1) that led back to the inner hallways of the main family's home. Hiashi-sama stood there, eyes turned away-Neji was more amazed with the red tint on the man's cheek. Shikaku-sama stood beside his Uncle, a lazy grin on his lips as he carried a small bundle that he could guess to be Hanabi-sama.
"You've been taking care of Hanabi-chan on your own a month too long, Hinata-chan," his father spoke softly as he gently nudged the girl towards her father's direction, "this time, your father should be the one taking care of you both"
Hinata-sama's lips started trembling as her eyes turned foggy with tears. She shyly walked towards her father, head tilted down. Neji watched as Hiashi-sama looked down in shock, face turned to Shikaku-who only responded with the glare by an arched brow-before he hesitantly knelt down.
"Hinata," the man spoke, hands gently grasping Neji's cousins' shoulders, "I'm," he paused, and Neji's eyes widened as he saw tears on the man's eyes, "I'm here now"
And like a dam, Hinata-sama started to bawl, not even the surprise of Hiashi-sama pulling her into a hug made her stop. Neji grinned, blinking away his own tears as his father stepped beside him.
"They'll be okay," Neji curiously looked up to his father who was smiling with cloudy eyes, "my brother may be stubborn but," Hizashi winked down at Neji who only grinned back, "so are we"
Uchiha Itachi sighed, shoulders slumping as he briefly allowed himself to be himself. He kicked his feet in the air as he stared out at the glistening lake before him. It was just him, the other Uchiha clan members that were training by the porch had all trickled away back to their own homes by now.
"ANBU," he whispered, somewhat in disbelief, "I'm just eleven"
But he was not a normal eleven year old, was he?
He remembered the battle field, all those years ago. He remembered his brother's birth. The attack of the Kyuubi, his godfather's death, and his mother's wails of grief at night, when they thought he was asleep.
He hates fighting.
His eyes clenched shut as he recalled Tenma.
Kami, Tenma.
"Itachi-kun?" the soft voice made him jump, but the only physical indication were his shoulders tensing. His dark eyes flashed upwards to a brunette who was grinning happily, hands cradling a small brown paper bag
"You're.." he mumbled, dazedly, as if trapped in a genjutsu, before he shrugged it away, "Izumi?"
A part of him scolded for addressing the girl informally, but from the happy hum of his clanmate made him suspect she did not mind. Izumi was one of the few clanmates that were in his generation, although she was more linked in Shisui's side of the family, daughter of his father's wife's brother or something like that.
"I'm glad I could catch the genius here once again," she spoke teasingly as she sat beside him, and his eyes were immediately drawn to the plate of sweets she pulled out of the bag. She grinned as she swayed the stick teasingly, "your favorite?"
Itachi did not pout.
Izumi laughed as she handed him a stick, and he gave her a small apologetic smile before nibbling into the first ball of heaven's goodness—Naruto was wrong about one thing, Dango was heaven's gift, not ramen.
"Something troubling the Uchiha's little ball of genius?" she casually asked
Itachi arched a brow, "have you been spending time with Shisui?"
She only grinned in return
"Just Chichi-ue," Itachi shrugged, "the pressure is sometimes overwhelming"
She hummed, and Itachi was glad as they just sat in silence, each eating their own sweet stick as they gazed out into the waters. Itachi glanced at the girl as she started to hum a little song that sounded sad.
"Kaa-chan taught it," she supplied, meeting his gaze with a sad smile, "she said tou-chan made it in tribute for all the clan members that fell during the third shinobi war"
The war. The thought only made him frown darkly, "I dislike wars," he mumbled, unsure of his reasoning to open up
Izumi giggled, and Itachi wondered what was funny, "only megalomaniacs like wars, silly," she spoke with a kind smile that made Itachi think of his mother, "you really are gentle, aren't you?"
Itachi blinked in surprise as Izumi warmly smiled towards him. He turned his gaze away with brightened cheeks, inducing another laughing fit from the girl that sat beside him. Despite his embarrassment, he could not help but smile as she laughed, her smile making his stomach flutter weirdly.
"Remember the first time we shared dango?" she finally asked as she settled in her laughter, he turned his gaze away, a small scowl on his lips
"You laughed at me back then, too," he softly accused (2)
"Hey," she defended, hand playfully slapping his shoulder, "I apologised, did I not?"
"You did," he agreed with a chuckle
"I never got to congratulate you for receiving your sharingan," she added, making him blink once more in surprise. She cheekily smiled at him, "how about I take you out for all you can eat dango on saturday?"
"This saturday?" he asked, the excitement of dango minutely heard in his voice, and based on Izumi's laugh, it did not go unnoticed
"If you're free," she suggested
Itachi paused, thinking back to his schedule, he knew he was free this weekend. He could skip out on training with Shisui for a day, kami knows he needs the break from the hyper Uchiha, "alright, where can I pick you up?"
Izumi blinked, cheeks dusting, making Itachi wonder what he said that made her blush, "I-I can go myself," she defended, waving her arms in denial
"Surely not," Itachi shook his head stubbornly, "as you'll be treating me, I must at least pick you up"
She froze with an awkward smile,her face turning bright red, "m-my house?" she stammered, looking away
Itachi warmly smiled, "I'll be there," looking up to the darkening skies, he sighed as he figured he ran out of time hiding away from his father, "I shall see you then, Izumi," with a final smile, he began the walk back to his house, missing how his fellow dango-lover faint back at the porch, face bright red with a giant grin on her face.
Arriving home, he was met with his father's stern gaze, but Itachi could see the anxiety and worry behind the stoic mask. A fact that actually warmed his heart.
"You're late," were the simple words
Itachi bowed, "gomen, Chichi-ue," he softly spoke, "a friend and I conversed"
Fugaku stayed silent but he nodded, "any news?"
Itachi inwardly sighed, "it begins next week, Chichi-ue" Itachi felt his father's palm on his shoulder before the man walked away.
It was just before his father turned towards the hall that led to his office that he heard the man's reply, "do your best, as expected of my son"
Itachi stayed silent, wondering, if in another world, where he was a normal child… would the man pressure him as well? His eyes caught on Sasuke's excited face as the child ran towards him, 'if it means keeping Sasuke safe,' he thought as he greeted the boy with the customary flick on the forehead, 'I would suffer anything and everything'
His mind drifted to another genius heir who's eyes were focused on a blonde hair blue-eyed child, 'much like you, I supposed'
Naruto's grin was bright and excited and… and excited. She was vibrating with giddiness as she took in the numerous brightly colored things that surrounded her. Many were shouting for the attention of people to their stalls, and the best thing?
No one glared at her.
Sure there were curious looks towards her and Gamachiko that sat on her head, but none had thrown the looks and scowls that people at her home had customarily given her. And for that fact alone, she thrived in the market, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at everything that caught her eyes.
One little tidbit that caught her gaze was a brunette her age that stared at a certain mask store with shimmering eyes. Naruto curiously skipped her way towards the kid, and immediately caught the kid's attention who stepped back, fear in her gaze.
Naruto grinned as she stuck a hand out, "hiya, I'm-" she winced as she remembered Shika and Ero-jii reminding her not to give her full name, "Naru, wanna be friends?"
The brunette stared curiously for a while, expecting Naruto to drop her hand, but the blonde didn't waver. The kid finally reached out shyly and shook her hand, "Haku," the kid whispered softly, a shy smile on the kid's face
"Nice to meet 'cha, Haku," she jabbed a thumb to the mask store behind her back, "Imma buy a mask, and as a token of my friendship, why don't I buy you one too?"
Haku gasped, eyes widening with barely hidden glee. Naruto took it as a yes and dragged her friend to the store, readily pointing towards a fox mask for herself before turning to Haku. Haku gulped before pointing at another mask with shaky hands.
Both kids eagerly grabbed their masks as Naruto paid the amount to the amused man before Naruto dragged her new friend to a nearby sweets store. The lady immediately took the blonde's orders for each of them-Gamachiko, Haku, and herself.
"Why'd you like that mask, Haku?" Naruto curiously asked as she nibbled on her popsicle
The brunette blushed as the kid took another piece of mochi, "it has my home's design," pointing at the four wavy lines on the mask's forehead, Naruto hummed
"My mask is better," she proclaimed as she wore the very big fox mask, roaring childishly. The action made her new friend giggle, "so," the blonde popped as she placed her mask down, "are you a girl or guy? I can't tell"
Haku blinked before bursting in giggles, "I-I'm" the brunette stammered in-between laughter, "a girl, Naruto-san"
"Woah!" the blonde gasped, "you're a girl too?!"
That made Haku blink curiously before replying with a smile, "y-yeah, I am!"
"Brat! Come back here!" the gruff command made Naruto curiously look up and Haku fearfully shot up to stand
A man loomed over them, eyes dark and blazing with curiosity, his face was covered with bandages, sleeveless black shirt, and a giant freaking sword glinted on his back, easily catching the blonde's excitement.
"Z-Zabuza-sama!" her new friend stammered out nervously with a bow, "I-I-I'm sorry!"
Naruto met the man's gaze who arched a brow as their gazes met. The man waved off Haku's apology and made Naruto frown at the dismissal, "hey!" she huffed, ignoring her frog's frantic croaks and taps, "you can't treat my friend like that!"
"Oh yeah?" the man asked, and Naruto stubbornly ignored both the toad's and Haku's frantic calls for her to stop, "says who?"
"Says me, you jerk!" she defiantly roared with a scowl, "Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!"
"Uzumaki?" the man asked, surprise lacing his tone
"Yeah!" she huffed, "you jerk! Now apologies to Haku-chan!"
The man blinked, before he bursted into loud laughter, "I like you, gaki," he commented after the laughing fit, and Naruto blinked to see her new friend's jaw-slacked face, and her toad who had turned white
"What happened to you two?" she asked them
"Why are you all alone, Mr. Future Hokage Uzumaki?" the unknown man asked, still chuckling
"Can't tell a stranger," Naruto shrugged, "Don't know ya"
"And yet you told me your name," the man replied dryly
Naruto blinked, "oh yeah," she suddenly shrugged, "Ero-Jiraiya's gonna scold me, but meh"
"Jiraiya, you say?" the man asked, surprised once more
"What about the perv?" Naruto asked
She wondered what she said that made the mad burst into laughter once more. By this time, the other customers had all scooted away, and both Haku and Gamachiko were unresponsive to Naruto.
Did the milk she drank made her have a mustache again?
She shrugged as she ignored the laughing man, noticing her companions' ignorance, she decided to eat Haku's mochi before plopping in Gamachiko's daifuku. Hey, if they weren't gonna eat it, Naruto would, she'd rather not waste good food.
As she stared at the still laughing man, she wondered if someone could die of laughter, and if he did, she wondered if she could have the sword. She grinned as she imagined Shika's face as she came back home with a giant sword, ready to kick ass.
Maybe Jijii would make her Hokage if she did that.
Shisui tiredly sighed as he rose from his bed. He had arrived home only an hour ago from a couple of weeks long mission. He knew he should seek out his younger cousin, ask if he had integrated into ANBU properly, but his body just longed for the rest.
The knocking on his front door was met by a sharingan-enhanced glare as he used a shunshin to quickly open the door. The Chunin ranked Uchiha yelped as he was met by a sharingan glower of an irate Shisui. He was usually friendly, but having been tired and on constant guard had drained him of his usual energy.
"What?" he snapped at the kid
"F-f-f-f-f-f-f-fu," the kid stammered, eyes wide
"Spit it out," Shisui hissed
"FUGAKU-SAMAMEETYOU!" the Uchiha yelped before dashing away. Shisui figured he should apologise later, but he was too much in a foul mood to think of something as nice as apologising
The ANBU groaned as he locked his home behind him, not bothering to get out of his dirty ANBU wear that he had when he tried sleeping as soon as he arrived. The walk to the compound was filled with clan members dashing out of his way, all except for Izumi who cheerfully waved. His entrance to the main household was silent- the chakra of Fugaku-sama being the only available presence he could feel.
He quickly knelt before the man in his office as he felt the curious gaze on him, judging Shisui as if he could have done better. It was most probably because of the dirty uniform as well as the twigs in his hair while his chakra coiled as if readying itself to strike.
Not that he cared.
"I assume it was a successful mission?" the man cordially asked
Shisui only nodded, not in the mood for pleasantries. The man must have probably felt it as he sighed. Shisui arched a brow when the man stood up.
"Itachi is a gentle child," he spoke quietly, and Shisui was surprised to hear the warmth in the man's voice, "I am proud of him as much as I am proud of Sasuke, they are my children after all"
Shisui frowned, 'why is he telling me all these?'
"Shisui, tell me," the teen blinked when the man sat in front of him once more, face grave, eyes tired, "would you rather put the village first or the clan?"
"Fugaku-sama?" Shisui asked, surprised. He knew this type of talk was reaching towards treason. He had suspected, of course, with the talks his crows had overheard from the elders, but not like this
"I am a chained man, Shisui," Fugaku shook his head, the lines in his face seemed deeper by his frown, "I can only do so much for the clan and for the village"
Shisui frowned, he didn't know what to say. Here was the man that had pushed his younger cousin to grow up before he had a chance to have a proper childhood. The man he had suspected was eager to go on with the looming threat.
'And yet', he wondered, 'were we wrong? Too quick to assume?'
The man sighed, face turning stoic once more. But this time, Shisui could see the emotion in the man's eyes, "I have a mission, Shisui," and as the seconds tick, the fear and the pain within the man's eyes grew, "I need you to spy on my son"
"...Hai, Fugaku-sama"
For what else could Shisui say?
The man was pushed to his limits, his eyes spoked. He could no longer hold back the clan, and if nothing was to be done, blood would be spilt. The Uchiha are angry.
The Uchiha demand blood.
Uchiha Shisui wondered if the unlikely trio would be enough to stop it. He shook his head at that thought, he could not risk dragging Itachi, much more Shikamaru, into this bloody mess.
The teen returned home, this time, anger gone as despair clawed in his heart. His eyes shifted to an old portrait of a teen with orange goggles happily lifting Shisui into the air, the laughter frozen in the memory.
"I'm older than you now, Nii-san," Shisui whispered into the empty room, eyes tracing the happy smile of the boy, remembering the pain and loneliness hidden behind that grin, "what would you have done if you were me?"
He closed his eyes, falling into a nightmare of an empty compound, pavements caked with spilt blood, the smell of death lingering in the air.
And a shadow that crouched at the highest pole that viewed the entire land that housed the Uchiha.
Japanese:
Engawa: a floor extensionat one side of a Japanese-style house, usually facinga yardor gardenand serving as passagewayand sittingspace
Naruto Stuff
"You laughed at me back then, too," he softly accused
-Itachi was talking about the first time he and Izumi shared dumplings (Seen in his story of the Uchiha Massacre, if you haven't watched, I suggest you do)
A/N:
AND FINALLY we have arrived at the most common arc, the UCHIHA ARC, MWAHAHA ehem. I must say I am quite excited about this arc, only because of the subtle and yet dramatic changes I aim on applying. I hope my dear readers would enjoy as much as I do *bows*
Thoughts:
Not much thoughts to share. This chapter is, I would say, very emotional, in a sense. I would also admit I aimed for Haku to appear earlier, but I admit, kid Haku is adorable, and yes, a girl. Why? Because one, time travel is funny and one must expect the random changes of chance. Secondly, because Haku is too damn pretty to be a guy, it's just unfair in the world of Naruto where guys are just unfairly and unjustly pretty.
RR if you wish!
Reply/s:
Namikaze18 Itachi is a male, through and through. Although female Itachi seems interesting, I honestly prefer Itachi as male. Naruto's emphasis on Itachi's looks is much more simple, she has a crush on her rival's brother. Yes, there will be a timeskip, soon.
Laurajustin thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy it :)
Leonachoi sadly sacrifices is part of a shinobi's resume.
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"Don't you think teaching a kid how to wield a giant sword is stupid?"
"Don't you think teaching a kid what is porn is stupid?"
"This is just luck, I refuse for it to be anything else"
"I caught you, idiot Uchiha, now spill"
"What spiel? On how proud I am that you've come so far?"
"Is Ruto angry at me, Nii-san?"
"Why would you say that, Sasuke?"
"Because, he didn't write me"
"You don't have to do this"
"Hokage-sama, I apologies, but I rather it be me than Itachi"