I was worried that this might make the AN too long (since there isn't a commenting system for replies), but I decided to bite the bullet since I wanted to reply to the reviews left last chapter! I'm sorry that I haven't replied to the reviews posted beforehand, but know I loved every single one! I'll be replying to reviews moving forward!

Review Corner

Tzapporah: It does seem like that. no? Well, maybe Prongs will save the day sooner than we expect!

Silvermane1: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed

APridefulSin: Ngl, if you didn't leave this review, I probably would have forgotten the disclaimer lol. It used to be so engrained in me, but now I forget about it haha. Thank you for being so understanding! It means the world to me, since I felt really bad haha. Thank you so much for your support!

Aria93: Thank you so much! This means a lot to me!

Raidou was standing in the middle of a forest. There was little light as the thick canopy swallowed it all up. The thick trunks of the trees thrummed with chakra and loomed over him menacingly.

He wasn't supposed to be here. Training Ground Forty-Four was only meant to be open during the chuunin exams. He was breaking the rules for being here.

Despite knowing how he was breaking the rules (the ingrained loyalty to Konoha flinched at the idea), he couldn't help but travel deeper into the forest.

There were many rumors about how this training ground came to be. Many people thought Hashirama (or Tobirama) created it to better train shinobis, some thought it was gardening-gone-wrong, while others thought Hashirama was just practicing with his Mokuton.

Either way, the thick, strong energy of the chakra grown from the Shodaime's bloodline created a deadly environment that attracted equally deadly creatures.

It couldn't kill a jounin, but it wasn't unheard of for some foolhardy chuunin-level shinobi to get themselves killed.

The last time Raidou was here was many, many years ago. The heaviness of war weighed heavily on his mind, but… he still had his family at the time. They were all still alive and supported him.

As Raidou wandered deeper into the training grounds, the quiet hum of the chakra became louder and louder.

The thickness of the chakra felt like it was slowly choking him and Raidou froze. He kneeled on the ground and gasped for air.

His magic hummed underneath uncomfortably in reaction to the chakra. It was so painful and Raidou gritted his teeth.

Raidou gasped painfully and in a blinding pain-

Everything flashed and he shakily stood up. The thick canopy was traded for long, tall trees. The low mist on the ground made the hair on his back prickle. Mist was never a good sign. With the high tensions between the nations, the mist just reminded Raidou of blood and war.

Raidou looked around at the familiar forest. It was the Forbidden Forest, but that was not what caught his attention. His mouth felt dry as he stared into the dark, misty shadows in front of him.

"Prongs?" he whispered in disbelief as a glowing, silver illusion approached him, but never came too close. The Patronus watched him with knowing eyes. They stared at each other.

It was silent with the only sounds being the rustling of the leaves.

And then, Raidou smelled smoke. He smelled the suffocating scent of ashes. He didn't understand since his eyes were frozen on the Patronus, but he could see it in the distance. He could only watch in silent horror at the dark night turned into a terrifying dance of flames. Around him, everything burned as the entire forest caught on fire.

Raidou should've done something. He should have used a water jutsu or should have at least run away. Yet, his body wouldn't move. His eyes were frozen on Prongs.

The silver stag watched Raidou as the entire forest burned around him. He tried to scream, tried to twitch, but he was paralzyed. Raidou could only watch in terror as he felt so helpless and weak.

The flames engulfing the Patronus and the forest was the last thing Raidou saw, before everything began to fade into black.

"You have lived three times, Master. Do you understand what that means? In the past, you carried a heavy burden, yet managed to walk to your death with your head held high. If you shoulder more burdens, will you collapse under the weight? I wonder, Master. I wonder."

~OoOo~

Raidou woke up in a cold sweat. His entire body was trembling and he dropped his head into his hands.

The fire inside his dream just made him feel so helpless. It reminded him of Kyuubi and how useless he felt as the man, the one he swore to follow, died among many other innocents and comrades.

He was paralyzed in his dream as he watched the Forbidden Forest burn. It was an image that hit too close to home. Even with their best efforts, only because of Minato's quick thinking that the casualties were not catastrophic, yet it cost his life and Kushina's.

Raidou remembered the angry looks casted towards Naruto, whether from shinobi or citizens alike.

Some scars would always be fresh, no matter how much time has passed.

Raidou knew he should be checking his hands to see if it was glowing, but he wanted to flinch at the thought.

At the end of his dream… Death was talking to him. They did not appear before him, but they spoke to him. Death with their games and riddles, Raidou thought bitterly.

Death enjoyed playing with people if their ire turned to them. Death drove two brothers to their deaths just to claim their souls quite gleefully.

They were an entity that Raidou did not understand, nor could he really try.

Fuck his life. Ignorance was truly bliss. Raidou barely had one foot in the water, and he was already in way too deep.

Raidou's hand twitched and he really wished that Genma wasn't out on a mission. The other could crack jokes and ease him into relaxation. The comforting, steady presence of Asuma would also be really useful at the moment. Even if Raidou didn't smoke, a quiet moment together went a longer way than with words.

He could bother Kurenai, but it felt wrong to bother the woman in the middle of the night, especially since she was still studying for the upcoming jonin exams.

Raidou shut his eyes and took deep breaths.

Everything was fine. He could deal with this. He already dealt with a crazy, soul splitting snake bastard bent on world domination in a murderous rampage. At the very least, he wouldn't have to deal with another Voldermort with an entire society breathing down his neck.

Hopefully.

Raidou quietly prays to some greater being out there that, for Sage's sake, Ororochimaru isn't Voldermort's reincarnation because he is already at his breaking point right now.

Raidou opened his eyes. He really needs a drink at the moment.

Raidou reached towards the glass of water next to him, but there was a loud crack.

By instinct, Raidou flung himself off the bed as the glass shattered into pieces.

Raidou peaked over his bed to see a mess of water dripping all over his bedside table and pieces of shattered glass scattered around his apartment room.

Oh yeah. That.

Fate really likes to remind him of stuff he likes to shove into the back of his mind, don't they? Raidou sighed as he carefully picked up the shards.

His magic was much too volatile. He needs to be more careful.

Magic was about willpower. As a kid, he didn't really realize how easy it was to want something and it would happen. Much of his accidental magic happened by complete accident. It could either be really useful for when he needed it the most, but it was also very troublesome since it could fail when he needed it the most. Most often, it made his life more difficult as a kid.

Accidental magic was also greatly influenced by his emotions. It seems, currently, his problem was not desiring something.

It was his emotions. When he felt his frustration boiling over, it seems that things were very prone to be exploding around him.

At the very least, this was something he was more familiar with. He had to slip into the shinobi mindset and don the mask of a faceless ANBU. He needed to meditate more. That might also help clear his mind.

He needed to take this all one step at a time, when he clearly did not have all the pieces at play in this game.

~OoOo~

Bear was putting on his uniform and mask, when his well-trained shinobi instincts told him to get out of there.

He quickly moved out of the room to the hallway, as did the other ANBU members. It was good that no one was caught off guard, unlike last time.

There was a loud bang, followed by silence.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Bear heard Koi curse loudly after a glitter bomb erupted in the ANBU barracks. There was bright orange glitter covering the entire room. This usually wouldn't be much of a problem because with a well-controlled wind jutsu, all the glitter can be swept away. However...

"What is this? The third prank this month?" Panther asked coyly. Bear knew she was laughing behind her mask and Bear withheld a snort. He was also finding it hilarious to see Koi's meltdown. "Quite well for an Academy student, especially since we have tightened security both here and the tower, don't you think?"

Koi spun around at Panther and threw his hands up in the air. Despite being a faceless ANBU, Bear thought that Koi's eyes were glowing with rage for a moment, but the other exploded.

"He's an absolute fucking menace is what I fucking think! He messed with our fucking COFFEE last time! That is a sacred drink that should never be touched! He swapped out all the sugar with salt and the fresh milk with diluted milk! I felt like I was going to die!" Koi yelled loudly, before he sobbed dramatically as he fell onto the floor.

Rather emotional, but Bear will just chalk that up to the ANBU being in high need of a break. He made a mental note to talk with the ANBU Commander to give Koi a weekend off. The stress was obviously getting to him.

Panther leaned conspiratorially close to Bear. If it was anyone else, Bear would have stepped away, but Bear trusted the other. She might be a bit young, but was still a talented, trustworthy ally. Running missions together can build bonds fast, especially with one of the most talented sensors in Konoha.

"He's more worried about his coffee than an Academy student being able to slip through our security multiple times. Hound-taichou would put him through the wringer if he saw this," Panther murmured and Bear swore he saw a wink behind the mask, even if he couldn't see her eyes.

Bear tried to keep a straight face, but his lips tugged into an amused smile.

"It's always good to have a laugh around here. Plus, I think it would be good enough punishment to make him drink the abomination drink," Bear whispered back as Koi curled into himself on the floor.

If it was anyone else who insulted Naruto, certain ANBU members (*cough cough* Hound and Sparrow *cough cough*) would rip into them just as bad as T&I. Bear was more inclined to make them suffer instead. However, in Koi's case, Bear was willing to let it slide since Koi was just frustrated by the lack of coffee. He knew that Koi was quite apathetic about Naruto and would actually find some pranks quite hilarious.

However, that couldn't be said for everyone else…

"That demon brat should be burned alive is what I think," Mouse grumbled underneath their breath. "Thank goodness he's going to be taken off of the need for ANBU surveillance soon. About time."

Bear narrowed his eyes at Mouse, but Panther gently tugged his hand in warning. She tapped, "Remember your orders."

She was referring to the orders given to the entire Hokage's Guard following Minato's death. They were not to approach Naruto in case anyone else would make any connection to Naruto's true parentage, especially when they are guarding him.

It was quite painful to be forced to watch from afar. The thought felt especially bitter when he watched Kakashi lose himself in the darkness. Sometimes, his old classmates would whisper that perhaps Naruto would have been able to help with Kakashi's spiraling, but that solution was far out of reach.

Bear also knew that Sparrow didn't quite follow the Hokage's orders. That isn't to say that the other disobeyed them, but Bear knew that Sparrow was the one passing on little treats on Naruto's birthday from the Uchiha Clanhead's wife.

(Harry told him to rebel against such stupid orders since Naruto didn't deserve such scorn and hatred for something out of his control. Harry experienced such hatred and was in a similar situation to Naruto due to his horcrux. Neither ever asked for such a fate. Raido -with loyalty ingrained into his soul screaming since loyalty to Konoha was everything to him- hesitated. He could simply make things worst and could be sent far away from Naruto when he was caught)

Bear shoved all thoughts aside. He put on his ANBU mask and buried such distracting thoughts.

He had a duty to Konoha and he would do it.

Panther had an amused look on her face as she cleaned up Naruto's mess. Wind may not be her affinity, but she had a few tricks up her sleeves, as expected of an ANBU.

She dusted off her uniform as she cleaned up the entire mess in a blink, while the rest of the ANBU members were still floundering about. She definitely was a force to reckon with.

Bear glanced around since the others were still distracted, before whispering quietly, "How's Hound-taichou?"

Panther raised an eyebrow in surprise, before laughing. Others might not notice it, but he could hear a slight tremble of nervousness. "How would I know?"

Bear gave her a flat look. It wasn't a secret that Panther wanted to be permanently placed under Hound's command, ever since she served under him years ago. She had stars in her eyes whenever he came up in conversations. She also probably knew the biggest gossip and news surrounding the unflappable ANBU captain.

Some might assume Panther had a crush on the captain. And in all honesty, Bear wasn't quite sure. When he mentioned it to Genma, the other just laughed at him.

Panther's shoulders sagged in defeat and she gave a small sigh. "He never went to the hospital or went to the ANBU medics, as usual."

Hound was very much stubborn to torture himself. As brilliant of a shinobi as he was, he was also blind to the concern that others had about him or how some greatly admired him. He held everyone at an arm's distance and there were few who could ever glimpse the other side.

Bear flinched when he felt a sharp stab of killing's intent from Panther, before she said sharply, "Why do you care only now? You have never reached out before."

Bear could read in-between the lines. The rest of his classmates and yourself should have helped him more.

Bear didn't know what to tell her. How to explain the cold, upstuck child who pushed everyone away and ran far ahead of everyone else. How that child grew into a teenager who broke after Minato's death, before vanishing without a trace into the shadows. How that teenager did not want to talk to anyone else and, frankly, they felt like they had no right to either.

(Excuses, excuses, excuses)

In the end, Bear had nothing to say. He could feel her sharp gaze as if it was slicing through him, before the killing intent vanished. She was unhappy still, but was satisfied to see him squirm.

"Even though they just came back from a mission, Crow was immediately sent out afterwards. The rest of Team Ro went home," Panther said casually.

Bear's eyebrows shot up in surprise. If Crow was sent away, it must be an urgent, time-restricted mission.

"It was only a duo too. They want Crow to be more comfortable in different teams," Panther added with a tint of disappointment. Bear was confused. If they want Crow to be more comfortable, that likely means the rumors were true and Crow was getting promoted. It would leave a spot open on Team Ro, which would thrill Panther, unless…

Bear hissed. "He's 11! He's only a chunin!"

Panther shrugged. "He's a genius. Who better to guide a child genius than another genius."

Bear could only shake his head. Even Kakashi only joined ANBU when he was 13. Itachi was the age that others would graduate in. ANBU was no place for someone so young (but that never stopped them before, a whisper reminded him).

However... Konoha needs its geniuses, Bear thought with a grimace. Not to mention, having the Uchiha heir in ANBU, it was a statement about his potential and his power. If he was successful on missions, it would remind other countries the reason why they came on top of many wars. While many missions were covert, they also made powerful statements. Not to mention the politics behind everything since the Hokage had to be involved to approve Itachi's admission into ANBU.

(Bear was not blind to the whispers and glares following the Uchiha Clan. There have been more frequent clashes between the Police Force and the Shinobi Regular Force. It was a headache that he did not envy the Hokage for)

Bear thought Shisui was young enough, even if he was a teenager. Itachi was even younger than that. But power was power, and Konoha was keen to use it after being crippled by the Kyuubi.

Bear didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. The idea felt sour on his tongue. The last time he saw Itachi, the young child looked like he had the burden of the world on his shoulders. The only time he looked more carefree was around his little brother or Shisui. No child deserved such a heavy burden.

(Harry carried a heavy burden and the whispers would always follow him, either praising him or condemning him. It was maddening and lonely)

Then a thought occurred to him. If the Hokage was the one that approved Itachi's enlistment…

"Is Hound-taichou even allowed to teach Itachi? Considering his relationship with the Uchiha Clan…" Bear trailed off. When Kakashi returned with Obito's eye, the clan was furious and demanded it back. Spitting harsh words attacking Kakashi's own history with his father and his failure as the team leader to bring Obito back, the Uchiha Clan was, by no means, kind.

However, they did not account for an overprotective, grieving teacher. Minato was out for blood to protect his student after Obito's death. Not to mention he had a loving, terrifying girlfriend by his side.

Kushina wouldn't hesitate to rip someone apart, while Minato had the calculative, calm anger. Their tag-team fury was the only reason why the Uchiha Clan backed down, but to say they despised Kakashi was an understatement.

"Crow is on Hound-taichou's team," Panther pointed out.

"Crow has a sense of humor and smiles at strangers," Bear countered. If he didn't know Obito, Bear might assume that Shisui was the result of an affair. Fugaku-sama had frown lines that only deepened everyday whenever he saw Shisui. Shisui was one of the most un-Uchiha people possible and it did drive the Uchiha Elders a bit mad. If Itachi wasn't born, the clan might be bemoaning their luck to have such a person inherit their genius.

Panther shrugged. "It's just rumors, either way. We don't know for certain."

Bear withheld a snort. If it was anything relating to Panther's beloved idol, she would know, especially if it concerns a possible empty position. However, Bear also knew that there was a very good reason that Panther was accepted into ANBU. Besides being a talented medic and sensor, her ninjutsu prowess was both beautiful and terrifying. She was also already quite talented with kenjutsu, but has been getting even more lessons.

There was no fury like a woman's wrath, so Bear made the wise decision to not comment.

Panther patted Bear in farewell, before leaving with her team on a classified mission.

Bear glanced at his team. Mouse was stewing in the corner, while Koi looked dead inside.

Why did he want to return to duty again?

~OoOo~

"Nee-san!" Bear could see a little blond boy race and jump into the arms of a girl.

"Hey, Naruto! How was school?" Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, said cheerfully. The girl then peered over the corner to see a little girl with pink hair and a red ribbon.

Bear looked towards Koi and signed a message. Girl. Association with target? New?

Koi signed back. New unknown. Not in reports. Recognized as a classmate. Civilian.

Bear turned towards Mouse hidden on the roof of the ramen stand. He pulsed his signature to get Mouse's attention. You were on the last shift. Report about the new target of interest.

No dangers approached the target. Girl is unknown. Mouse signed back.

Bear gritted his teeth. He did not trust Mouse. In the past, Mouse has let Naruto get beaten up for a few moments and waited until the last second to intervene. They made up excuses, such as not wanting to blow Naruto's cover or such. The Hokage gave Mouse a stern reprimand and punishment, but allowed Mouse to return to his duties. And sadly, Bear understood why.

Though the regular forces took a bad blow that day, a vast majority were ANBU. They were tasked with the security of the village and, as a result, many experienced ANBU died that day on the frontlines. Any skilled ANBU was a necessary resource, no matter the age or other… issues.

It didn't make the slackness around Naruto excusable, but Bear would just have to deal with it. He couldn't do anything at the moment, but he settled for observing the scene.

"-Sakura-chan! She's really, really smart! She helped me when I was struggling with schoolwork, even though I'm ahead of her!" Naruto said excitedly as he waved his arms towards the girl. The pink haired girl blushed shyly and fiddled with her fingers.

"Oh, is that true?" Ayame said with a coy smile and winked at Sakura. She flushed an even deeper shade of red. "Well, I'm glad you guys are friends now!"

The girl mutely nodded, before pulling out a book about the History of Konoha. "Yeah, um. Ah, sorry. I'm just a bit nervous… I, um, heard that you were really smart from Naruto. Would you mind reading with me?" Sakura fidgeted as she lied really badly. Bear withheld a snort. She was a cute kid.

Ayame cheerfully agreed since there were no other customers and Sakura slid over the heavy book to the older girl. Seeing the history book, Bear couldn't help but smile. Seeing Naruto make friends with this smart girl, it brought back fond memories of Hermione.

He approved. With someone as mischievous and impulsive as Naruto, having someone to ground him would be smart.

There was a warm, pleasant feeling in his chest. It was a mixture of relief (Finally, Naruto had a friend) and content. Moments like this made him remember what he was fighting for, and why he needed to get stronger.

Maybe if Bear was paying more attention, he would have noticed his hand tingling, but he did not. Instead, he watched the scene fondly while he stretched his senses far in alert for other dangers.

~OoOo~

"It's not good to be soft with children," Fugaku said sternly to a black-faced Shisui. He was a bit tempted to stick his tongue out at the grumpy man, but also knew pissing off his Clan Head was too big of a headache.

"Fugaku-sama, it was a part of my mission to escort both the mother and son discreetly to Konoha, but the details of the mission are classified by the Hokage," Shisui said calmly and knew that if he rolled his eyes, Itachi would give him that look of disappointment.

"You need to harden your heart, Shisui. You may thrive in the shadows, but you falter before a child, especially during the war," Fugaku continued with a pinched look on his face, before settling for a frown. "You never know when you would be expected to kill a child."

Shisui clenched his fists. The moment Shisui walked into Konoha carrying a child, the Uchihas went into a frenzy for no good reason. Maybe if they tried improving relations with the village, maybe Fugaku wouldn't have to be subtly coaching Shisui to become more comfortable with killing children.

Shisui never had a high opinion of the Uchiha Head, mainly because he's seen how hard he has pushed Itachi and the lack of attention he has given Sasuke. He sent Itachi, only a few years old, to witness a war. It changed him.

He was also not blind to the disgruntlement by many other Uchihas. It was building up and getting worse. Fugaku knew it too, even if he mainly waved the Elders off. Maybe Shisui was a bit hard on the man. Maybe Fugaku was simply trying to prepare Shisui for the worst, but Shisui also saw the bigger picture.

Only the pride as a Uchiha was preventing the clan from reaching out, and that only painted a grim outlook for the future.

Shisui couldn't help but picture the young boy he carried all day being little Sasuke. He almost thought the kid was dead several times, if it wasn't for the fact that he was still breathing. He could picture the little kid in a bed, pale, and couldn't help but wonder if Fugaku was worrying about his own kids.

This chapter was... slow to get out. I'm really sorry. I was aiming for monthly releases during the school year, but then life kicks your butt. This is also the middle of the night by the time I finished this, so there might be mistakes that I'll fix later. I don't know how I feel about this chapter since I wanted to write more, but my creative juices were like nope. Writing 5 fics at once isn't the best idea haha. I have another Naruto/HP Crossover in the works, which would just be a one-shot, so my creative juices were a lot more dedicated to that.

I am sorry if this chapter wasn't what you all exactly wanted,,, I'm trying and I'll try to get the next chapter out faster. Thanks so much for all your support with all your kind comments and such! It means the world to me

Question: Are people actually enjoying this fic? I haven't been feeling very confident lately haha,,,