Chapter 4

This is my first attempt at fighting in this story, so please, give it some time.

12.2k words.


AO

A thick line of trees stood between the larger Leaf and Mist squads, greenery so dense that Ao had to resort to his implanted Kekkei Genkai to assess his opposition and what he saw set him on edge. At the same time, his name commanded international fear, especially amongst the squad that stood before him. Another shinobi whose name was spoken, even more often than his when discussing threats, stood across the thick tree line.

"It seems that the parameters of our mission have changed." His voice carrying out from behind the cold, porcelain mask. "Shisui the teleporter lies beyond these trees, and while we have a considerable advantage in our numbers, I doubt that we would survive the encounter. So now, we ensure the death of the deserter and retreat; some will remain to delay the Leaf ninja." Wordlessly, the Mist Anbu agreed, moving into their positions while Kiriru sluggishly continued onwards.

"Three-hundred feet." A woman wearing a mask with a yellow side separating the left ear to the right cheek, her hands firmly grasped in the ram symbol. "His Chakra's unusual, most likely under a Genjutsu." Coming to a similar assessment, Ao extended his range and looked towards the squad in front of him. The world read black and white but not too long after seeing the waves of a glowing blue flowing off each Leaf ninja, and he zeroed in on the squad leader. And what he saw only confirmed his hypothesis; he could see the raw Chakra flowing into the Jonin's eyes.

But it wasn't that same blue, not like all other's standing ready; no, it was a startling and piercing emerald, yet more proof of the sheer gap in skill between them. Standing on the forest floor, with his eyes trained on Shisui, it truly felt as if this boy was stood atop a mountain just ahead of him, one he could never climb. 'But I am not required to defeat him; we must only ensure the death of the deserter.' His decision changed once more, returning his vision to those close, signalling to another man. He watched as the other masked operative ran through a set of hand signs.

"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu", he muttered, as instantly, the air began to thicken with his subordinate's Chakra. Even in the dark of night, the dark grey of the invading mist stole what remained of everyone's vision.

"Thicker," Ao commanded, while detrimental to him, the same could be said of those opposing him with any visual prowess. His shinobi did as commanded and forced the mist to become even more intense. Ao could now only see one of his squad, the ninja currently holding the concealing technique with the ram sign. Hearing the shifting of the ninja's mask, he glanced over to meet the patient gaze of the Anbu.

"Not yet, remain ready."

SHISUI

Seeing the fog roll into the soon to be battleground, with a look, Shisui alerted his squad to be alert. Looking to Hoeru, who he was quickly losing sight of, he requested locations. He would have asked Yanoko through their telepathic link, but she was currently focused on maintaining contact between the three groups. So while he couldn't see anything with this mist, he looked towards a man who had a point-point control of a separate sense. A trait of the Inuzuka clan gained after spending generations with their canine partners, and after so long, both parties acquired new abilities.

The dogs learned how to communicate with the rowdy clan whilst those who now donned the red Inuzuka marks took on many improvements in their five senses. The most prominent was not sight but smell. Both Hoeru and Mitokuchi raised their snouts, closed their eyes and focused on locating the Mist ninja. A soft bark from the partner agreed with what he told Shisui.

"They're sticking to one group, but there are similar scents near, Yanoko, Tantō and Mitsuki, and Shinobu. Fukushū and Yanoko are further away from the approaching ninja, Mitsuki and Shinobu are almost on top of their opposition." While the Uchiha marvelled at the precision of his teammate's nose, he continued with his plan.

"It's likely that we have the upper hand in skill and power, but they outmatch us seven to four. Hoeru, use your nose, you and Mitokuchi when you feel we're in position, move. The terrain is our's, but this mist is difficult. There'll be no more communication from now on as they will use the sound against us." It no longer mattered if his squad could hear him or not, so without taking his trained vision off of the direction of the Mist ninja. Raising his hand to his chest, he formed a half ram sign and disappeared in a blur of speed.

LAND OF FIRE, FOREST

Shisui's Sharingan flared to life as he raced behind the Undertakers. He quickly noted that while he could see his Chakra, anything beyond ten metres was lost in the fog. Then, hearing his squadmates move around the collection of trees, he began to act. Flashing through a set of hand seals, he finished with the tiger sign.

"Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu", he took a deep breath, inhaling large amounts of oxygen as he filtered the Chakra into his lungs. Just before releasing it, he sparked the Chakra before breathing out. What followed was an immense comet-like fire that spewed from Shisui's mouth. The searing heat singed tree's as it made its way towards the Mist ninja's approximate location. As expected, the masked operatives had dispersed, Shisui noted through the clearer mist.

But as he heard the other two squadmate's tunnelling disappear, his world became eerily quiet. Dropping into a readied stance, Shisui closed his eyes to focus on his other senses. Moments passed as he felt for other presences, and as fast he could react, a hand, gripping a senbon with the precision of a trained elite, attempted to strike his neck directly. Half un-sheathing the Tantō strapped to his back, Shisui managed to deflect the surgeon's needle. The momentum of the ninja's attack allowed for the operative to roll forward and shoot past. Shisui's mind now was racing, and now that he'd seen one of them, he wouldn't let them escape.

Quickly finding that he was quicker than the masked ninja, Shisui was behind what appeared to be a girl within seconds. Then, flashing in front of his combatant, Shisui forced the green-clad Anbu to hold in her tracks.

"We only want to execute the deserter. Let us do that, and we would be on our way." Then, with a deep calming breath, Shisui formed another set of hand signs.

"That might be the case, but you have entered our borders. Our mission is to eliminate any threats to our nation. Currently, you are that threat." Appearing as if they came into focus, six clones of Shisui began to encompass the masked ninja. It wasn't until Shisui bolted towards her that she reacted. Shisui aimed a kick at the masked ninja's chest, which she blocked with crossed arms. The Anbu operative winced behind her mask. Time stood still for a moment as the okay slits of the cold, porcelain mask met the blazing red of Shisui's Sharingan, the three tomoe spinning hypnotically.

Before she could react, a scorching heat made itself known, glancing backward another Shisui had just spewed a second fireball. Managing to roll out of the way, the masked ninja avoided both fireball and attack from another of Shisui's clones. Losing track of which Shisui was real, the masked ninja's eyes carefully assessed the body language of each clone. That lasted only a second when she counted only six of them, and with the opening, Shisui made a darting attempt from behind.

Flame coated his Tantō as Shisui dove for the exposed back of the Anbu operative. Helplessly, the victim glanced backwards to see what appeared to be impending death. Before Shisui could reach his target, a volley of needles punctured his forearm. Slowing himself down, Shisui came to a stop before his now opponent.

"Byakugan Killer, Ao. Your skill with these needles is as good as they say." The sharp pain in Shisui's had rapidly reduced, and the limb was now numb. "Not only did you intercept my attack, but you also managed to strike nerves that inhibit movement." Careful not to do any more damage, Shisui plucked the senbon from his forearm.

"As I have trained for decades, I expect my skill to meet the standards I have placed upon myself. Though I am lucky, had this mist been any thinner, I'm sure your eyes would have spotted them." It appeared as if both sides knew of their opposition, meaning they also had plans in place to counter their strengths. "Now, as my subordinate just informed you, please allow my team to rid us all of our deserter. We wouldn't want any of our secrets in the hands of our enemies, the other nations."

Shisui had respect for ninja of other nations, and he admired all who served their village. However, Shisui also held little space in his heart for those who abandoned their responsibilities and people. So knowing that their team was protecting some who had defected from his village admittedly didn't sit very well with him.

"The Leaf has little interest in the secrets Kiriru might know. Our mission is to remove you from our nation, so it would also be easy for you to leave and avoid any conflict. And I doubt so many of you would be here without the intent of conflict." Knowing the importance of secrets, the Mist squad could not allow Kiriru to continue to live while refusing to return to their village.

"Then it appears that we must fight, and I'll admit, I'm quite thrilled to do battle against a skilled Sharingan. I've bored myself of white-eyes; now I'd like to test those that are red." Shisui decided to humour him, and he activated his Kekkei Genkai. Tracking the way Ao raised his right hand into a half-ram seal, the way he filtered Chakra into the grey eyepatch and the way Ao's veins bulged around his right eye. It fascinated Shisui just how masterful Ao's control of his implant was, and it far outshone many Hyuga he'd come across.

"With our villages' relationship in mind, I pray that you retreat before this situation worsens." Scoffing from behind his mask, Ao couldn't believe the gall of this boy threatening him. 'Such a child.'

"Only fools pray, and if you are to survive our battle, I sincerely hope that you learn from this. Infant's who've been gifted power should learn just how cold this world can be." With his Tantō now firmly gripped in his left hand, Shisui's eyes noticed the female Anbu's figure waver into nothing. 'Genjutsu,' Shisui mentally screamed in frustration. While not focused, he'd let someone let slip out of his sight. Shisui scanned his surroundings as quickly as possible, and while he couldn't see anyone's Chakra, he did catch a glint from an in-coming senbon.

Glancing at Ao one more time, Shisui flipped backwards. Moulding Chakra in the soles of his feet, he clung to the trunk of the tree. Lobbing the Tantō up in front of him, he fought through a set of signs. After, his chest swelled with searing hot Chakra as he sucked in a deep breath.

"Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu."

SHISUI'S HOUSEHOLD

"Izumi," he sounded out, "Izumi." He repeated once more, focusing on the name of the girl in front of him. Naruto was doing his best not to look her in the eyes as he pondered on what Shisui was doing on his mission. Returning to the here and now, he reevaluated his circumstances. He was currently in Shisui's home. Recently he'd been returning to his apartment less and less. Seisui was currently preparing dinner for him. Itachi had told her that he would be staying the night. Itachi had invited a girl—with Seisui's permission—as he wanted to introduce her.

Then Itachi had to leave, and he did, saying he needed to talk to Seisui quickly. Now, the pair were sitting awkwardly at the dining table while Izumi passionately introduced herself. "Uh, hi? I'm Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki!" Slowly he remembered what Seisui had told him when talking to new people. 'You are a little blond boy, a child and, more importantly, one that my Shisui chose to be important to him. So when you talk to someone, know that he and I think you are someone amazing. So whenever you meet someone you don't know, treat them the way you've treated all of us so far. You're Naruto Uzumaki, so let everyone know about it.'

With his sudden outburst, Izumi unexpectedly squirmed in happiness, clasping her hands in front of her chest, a stupid grin plastered all over her face.

"You're so much more adorable than Sasuke. He doesn't even give me the time of day, always saying that I'm stealing Itachi from him. It's not my fault he's so perfectly helpless; I mean, he's always so clueless." A firm sisterly grip around his shoulders kept Naruto in place as Izumi spun around with blond ragdoll in her arms. A very confused Naruto wasn't focused on anything as he just couldn't wrap his head around what Izumi had just said.

"Itachi... helpless?" It was unfathomable. Itachi was as close as you could come to perfection, only behind Shisui, that is.

"Yeah, I mean, he never knows what's going on, and he gets defensive over the strangest of things." Still tightly pressed to her chest, Naruto didn't even think of breaking out of her grip. "He's nice though, always thinking of others, sometimes to the point of hurting himself or them." So Itachi's actions hurt others, Even though he was just being nice? This was just too much for Naruto right now.

"How do you know Itachi so well?" The tiny blond questioned from her chest, and she spoke of the raven-haired boy as if they were family. Then, changing her grip, Izumi held him at arm's length and pinned him with a curious graze.

"He really didn't tell you?" Naruto could only shake his head, guiltily as when her expression saddened.

"Sometimes, it's really hard to believe he even thinks about me. I've known him for years, and he couldn't even introduce me to you." He hadn't ever seen Shisui mess up, and Naruto couldn't imagine what that would feel like. So, knowing Sasuke, he wanted to make sure he could always see Itachi the way he sees Shisui.

"You gotta tell him!" Naruto vehemently insisted, his large blue eyes conveying just how young he is. But, giving his idea the respect it deserved, Izumi treated it seriously.

"I wouldn't want him to change because I'm selfish. It's unfair to make him look at me when he's always looking at Sasuke." Then, putting himself in Sasuke's position, he admitted he wouldn't ever want Shisui to stop looking at him. But Naruto could never live with himself if Shisui lost his chance for a better life because he was focused on him.

"Be selfish," Naruto protested. "I don't really know much about Itachi. He's super smart and really cool, but that's about it." With his shoulders hunched from being held and his face scrunched in thought, his whiskers made Izumi briefly think she was holding an adorable little fox. "Itachi's hard to talk to, and it takes me forever to figure out what he says. Shishi says it makes heaps of people not want to spend time with him." His sapphire, blue eyes lit up, and his golden hair seemed to stand on end as if having a world-shattering epiphany.

"So if you wanna talk to him, tell him." Izumi almost laughed at her situation, being taught how to live by a child half her age. 'It can't hurt,' she accepted, putting him down. Letting out a chuckle, Izumi's dark brown eyes squinted in warmth.

"Itachi and I were in the same class in the academy," she informed him, tucking a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. "But he graduated early, so until recently, he and I haven't had much time to see each other." Naruto could see that fact affected her, the way her eyes burned with passion. "That doesn't mean anything, though!" Her preachings were emphasised with a clenched fist. "I'll be graduating this year, so I'll be one step closer to him." Naruto seemed to resonate with her feelings, a desire to be acknowledged.

"Then I'll graduate too, and I'll get better than both of you. Shishi too!" Patting his head, annoyingly similar to the way Shisui did.

"You're so cute, thinking you can be as strong as us." Nostrils flaring in righteous anger, Naruto refused to take this from her.

"Don't underestimate me, gimme some time, and you won't stand a chance."

"Of course, of course." She drew him into a one-armed hug, this one much warmer than the glomp before. Naruto ducked underneath her arm and quickly noted that she didn't wear the Uchiha crest, feeling his resolve slip away into the contact.

"Just you wait. When I'm stronger than you, I'll never let you forget about it." The young Uzumaki also noted that her eyes had a light brown tinge—nothing like the bottomless inky-black of Shisui, Seisui, and Itachi.

"I'm looking forward to it." But in some ways, she was the exact same.

"Naruto," came a third voice, drawing the attention of both academy students. "We have yet to perfect your technique, and we're losing daylight." Both boys glanced over to Izumi, giving her questioning glances. She responded to Itachi with a short nod then looked to Naruto.

"What are you waiting for? If you really want to surpass us, you're time's running out."

LAND OF FIRE, FOREST

Hoeru was lying still in the dirt, breathing imperceptibly lightly. His body was covered in needles protruding from all of his bloodied limbs. He cursed the fact that he was currently useless, barely able to move his head. He glimpsed at Mitokuchi still fighting on and only felt more pathetic.

Shisui, unlike his teammate, was relatively unharmed, as it appeared to him they seemed to be trying to increase the gap in numbers between the squads. Shisui and Mitokuchi stood side-by-side as they faced down the eight Anbu operatives.

"Mitokuchi, go see if the others are still alive. If they are, protect them. Leave them to me." The Uchiha could see that the ninja hound was worried about his partner, and he needed any teammates out of the way. The large black dog bowed its head, silently thanking him. Shisui reached down to rustle the short hair of his squad mate's canine partner. "Go look after your partner, make sure my squad's alright for me." Mitokuchi bowed further before turning away from the Mist ninja and leaving. Standing slowly, Shisui noted how many more of them there were.

"This might be tough, but you have hurt—potentially killed some of my squad." His cold, jet-black eyes stared mercilessly at the Mist ninja. "You did this, even when you could have turned back." Shisui's eyes turned a sickening vermillion, his trained eyes studying his opponents. "So now, decide which of you will explain to your families why the others haven't returned." The black tomoe spun hypnotically, and for a moment, Ao swore all he could see were a murderous set of Sharingan shrouded in an endless abyss. "If you don't decide, I will choose for you."

KAKASHI

The one-eyed Jonin and Itachi's clone were meeting while Itachi instructed the four Naruto's on more effective Taijutsu styles when using clones.

"You'll meet him after Shisui returns from his mission," Itachi insisted. Ever since the first meeting with his silver-haired superior, he'd become increasingly tired of the older Hatake.

"You can promise that?" Kakashi pressed his bored eye meeting Itachi's pair.

"While Shisui would prefer to wait until he's perfectly confident in Naruto's skills, I believe that time will never come." Although Kakashi studied the movements of both ravens, the clone's face held an impressed smile when two golden-haired boys threw a third into the air.

"Why's that? As a boy who learned a technique as dangerous as shadow clones at the same age as you. Do you believe his growth will fall short?" Itachi's eyes raised away from his blond student to Kakashi. Masking the insult, he felt at the accusation.

"My faith in the new generation will never waver, for it is their fate to surpass those of the past. A never-ending cycle that will ensure the strength of our village." Kakashi pleasantly found himself agreeing with his subordinate's statement, though he expected little else who had drawn as much praise as he did from his Hokage.

"So then, why is it that you think that we should meet sooner than Shisui." Shrugging non-committedly, Itachi answered honestly.

"Best to rip the plaster off earlier." Itachi reasoned carelessly, "if you are to meet Naruto, for his benefit, I think you can have more impact on his learnings if you are to meet him now." Setting an impressed gaze of his own on the small Uzumaki, he rounded on his blank-faced junior. Draping his arm languidly over the raven's shoulder, his right eye closed happily.

"I knew I could count on you, my adorable little junior." Sliding off the black-clad boy, he raised a two-finger salute. "I patiently wait for Shisui's arrival." While Kakashi vanished into the wind, Itachi let out a deep sigh before dispersing in a cloud of smoke. The silver-haired Jonin didn't enjoy the feeling he was currently experiencing. It wasn't painful, but the chill that had settled in his gut stilled him momentarily. Calming himself, he recited his father, Sakumo's words, "Life as a shinobi is short, so while you harvest the yield of your dedication, sow the seeds for the life of those to come."

He couldn't help but feel that he was betraying the words his father had once told him.

LAND OF FIRE, FOREST

Shisui danced, his eyes alight with a fury readily becoming known to the Mist ninja. Ducking beneath one of Ao's slashes with a kunai, Shisui disappeared once more in a flicker of speed, and before any Anbu could react, he and two clones of him had struck three masked shinobi from behind. They slammed into the ground, bouncing up as if made of rubber, their masks splitting from the impact. The other Anbu gathered themselves, sending handfuls of senbon needles at Shisui at a tremendous pace.

The middle Shisui vanished in yet another show of breakneck speed, whereas the others were dispelled into smoke as soon as the needles impacted them. Seeing the burst of pace and rush of Chakra, Ao's Byakugan searched for where Shisui would stop. Keeping his focus outwards, he noticed a flicker behind him, a diving Shisui stretched out, Tantō ready to drive through his vertebrae. Leaping upwards to avoid the Uchiha's strike, Ao's right eye registered the attack. Unfortunately, his squadmate hadn't moved and instead was sending a confused look towards him.

To Ao's horror the accusatory look in the man's eyes didn't waver even as his opponent's short blade pierced through his chest. The sound of his sternum splitting as steel broke cartilage. The Tantō vanished with Shisui's clone before Ao could hurl an attack in its direction. Still in the air, Ao's Byakugan studied Shisui's movements from above the tree's canopy, poised just like the clone. Ao quickly realised his Byakugan could see straight through Shisui, stilling himself as he waited for the Uchiha to close in.

As Shisui passed, Ao drew a kunai from his long sleeve and swiped through the Uchiha's mid-section. With no surprise to Ao, the Sharingan user didn't react, at least not until Ao watched pitch-black feathers peel off Shisui. Crows began to fly away from his form no later as Shisui, who stood atop a high branch, narrowed his deadly scarlet eyes.

"That spoil of yours is well trained, and I have no recollection of a main house member not returning from a mission." Ao formed the familiar ram sign before expending a rush of Chakra through his body, calming the irregular flow of energy. Shisui's body vanished like ripples in water, the illusion losing its hold on Ao.

"This eye saw little love, little for those who sealed him and even less for us of another nation." Ao's rough voice told of no emotion as his hands lowered to the pouch at his hip. "I felt no happiness when I removed his eye but knowing that I could use this power against his very own village always brings a smile to my face." He remembered just how vile he felt when he carefully severed the eye from the valiant Hyuga's skull. Looking to his squadmate, he gave a short nod once again as they moulded their Chakra, mist formed in the forests of the Land of Fire.

"You," Shisui's adolescent voice decided and spoke to Ao amongst his two remaining subordinates. "I want you to explain to the families that because of your baseless confidence, I was forced to end their lives."

"Don't think that we of the Hidden Mist fall so easily. Your will of fire may burn brightly, but no matter how large your flames, they can always be doused. The calm running of water has never feared the fire's destruction." Sharingan meeting a concealed Byakugan, his eye of insight peering into the recesses of the older man's mind.

"It does not surprise me that a man of your time resorts to age-old sayings in an attempt to instil fear. Is it to hide your weaknesses, your doubt's perhaps?" The mist continued to thicken as both with visual prowess noted the growing amount of Chakra.

"Hidden Jutsu: Kirisame" The mist became so dense that it began to precipitate, an artificial rain began tapping at the forest floor. The technique's user flapped his kimono open, revealing the weapons stores in his possession and covering the other two. Ao and the other ducked beneath the clothing of the technique's user to avoid the falling drops. Shisui, from his perch, stared at water pooling in his palm and the Chakra that was being siphoned into the thickening liquid.

It wasn't fast enough to be considered deadly, but this fight would become exponentially harder if he wasted any more time. His Sharingan went from his limb to the last known location of his enemy. He found it amusing that he'd be using a technique he'd stolen from a shinobi of the Hidden Mist. This time he flooded his Tantō with lightning natured Chakra. He stabbed the short-blade into the large branch of the tree.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Gate" Lightning surged towards the sky, standing out against the deep black of midnight. The charge being held quickly became too much for the clouds to grasp before a bolt shot down with an ear-piercing crack, not too far away from Ao's team. Then another like a whip made purely of static electricity, both leaving scorching craters, though, as Shisui drew his Tantō From the tree, he and his enemy knew what was yet to come.

The kimono was drawn to the side, still protecting the two from the rain. The grey mist stopped the stench of singed wood reaching them as the smoke melded with the Chakra-laced moisture. Seconds passed by as the three looked skywards, and time almost stood still. The rain seemed to hold in the air as Ao watched in stark fear as the mist above glowed white. Then a fork of lightning, ten times the size of the previous, shot through into vision before impacting the ground. His world turned white, quite like his eye, as the sheer force of the lightning bolt blew him hundreds of feet away.

The shockwave and arcs of energy chased the singed, flying Ao, the circular crater expanding with every second that passed. His ragdoll body bounced off the ground, unable to steady himself before his back slammed into a tree. Ao coughed up blood and bile as the wood splintered radially with his head hanging as he slid down till he found himself involuntarily seated. Red ran down his's face and dripped from his brow onto his tattered uniform, his face and torso covered in cuts.

He coughed once more, blood sprayed onto his lap. Then, regaining consciousness after the devastating attack, his tired navy eye looked upon his broken body. He fought to raise his right arm, and more pain surged through every cell of his body. Ao knew that it wouldn't be longer than a few minutes before Shisui found him, so he needed to be ready.

SHISUI

That technique always left him incredibly drained; his Tantō didn't have the same properties as the blades that created that technique. Because of this, he was required to pump a significant amount of his Chakra to make the Jutsu work. So, as Shisui set his eyes on the crater in front of him, he failed to spot Ao and his squad amongst the carnage. Instead, he yanked his Tantō from the branch and set out to find what remained of his enemy.

As Shisui ran, he noticed the forest's air clearing once more, the sky reddening as the sun rose into sight. Shisui leapt off one tree branch to another, pushing himself along with every Chakra-enhanced step. His rhythmic movements continued until he felt a familiar and relieving connection, halting him in his search.

'Captain-Shisui,' Yanoko's strained voice echoed; he couldn't stop the slight grin that formed at her still calm communication. 'The Mist squads that separated have been neutralised. Shinobu and Dango are resting from their encounter. I'm on my way to treat them; Fukushū knows your and the enemies location and is making his way to them now.' Nodding to himself, he accepted the information. Shisui knew he made the right choice when selecting his squad; with no fatalities and mission success in sight, Shisui began moving again.

He quickly noted a trail of shattered wood torn-up soil, only a shinobi who'd trained from as long as Ao had could survive his attack. It took Shisui no longer than a few minutes to reach Ao, and what he saw made his blood run cold. Ao lay there, still, his eye trained on the scene that occurred in front of him. Fukushū stood there, his eyes wide and unfocused. Kiriru stood behind him, and as he backed away, Shisui saw two kunai firmly wedged in his back. One in the lower back and one just below the nape of the neck, the C2 and L3 vertebrae precisely.

KIRIRU

He always went unnoticed, still being a Genin at his age didn't help. The Mist was supposed to be recovering from the third ninja war, and with them having to rid their country of those bloodline users, they had an even more significant need for more powerful ninja. Not some kid who'd happily progress as he ages, but someone who was chasing power, no matter the means. But even now, he knew he was the bait, but he was quickly forgotten just so these two groups of ninja could prove who was stronger.

The forest had been littered with ninja tools, a tale of just how filthy and careless ninja were. Kiriru couldn't believe how immature they were; both talked of peace and how the other should act to ensure it remained, but they still fought. He'd seen how powerful his Leaf captor was, every time Kiriru blinked, the Uchiha was in a different part of the forest, dismantling another Mist Anbu. His Fire style, the way he burnt through the mist. And he'd heard tell of a swordsman with a pair of legendary blades that could channel lightning. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember her name.

But Kiriru couldn't believe that any ninja had a technique like that Lightning style he'd just seen. The size and devastation rocked him, especially when he'd seen the younger boy up close. He'd seen Ao flung backwards as he rocketed through the forest floor, and he knew that the Uchiha would follow. Finally, he'd reached Ao, presumably before Shisui and found the Hyuga from before, stood in front of the mangled Ao, his white-eyes alight with fury.

"Ao, Byakugan Killer," Ao's smile showed bloodied teeth, a wound above his right eye drained down his face.

"Yes, boy, you've got me. Happy?" He questioned mockingly. As a once shinobi of the Hidden Mist, he knew never to show fear in front of the enemy. "Do you wish to take my eye? Or maybe both? Whatever helps you take revenge, whatever helps you feel strongest." From the tight cheeks and bared teeth, Kiriru couldn't imagine the rage the Hyuga currently felt. Instead, he could see how tired the long-brown haired boy was, covered in dirt, cuts and bruises and breathing heavily. The two seemed so worn that neither of their Byakugan's was active; at least, that was all he could tell from the lack of bulging veins. 'That boy; the Uchiha thinks favourably of him.' He'd seen the way the Leaf squad leader studied his subordinates and the way that liar had looked at the Hyuga. Kiriru had thought that he'd finally received his answer, and with the way the Uchiha acted, Kiriru was surprised to have never gotten a response.

"An eye for an eye?" Fukushū ground out, his eyes narrowing. "To torture you would stain the nations longer than necessary. But, be sure that I will tear it from your still warm, dead body." Silently, Kiriru stalked around behind the Hyuga and looked around the forest. The Mist teen had decided that this time he'd be seen, and not just by one nation, but two. And not just that, he could punish that Uchiha for not giving him an answer. It took him no time to find some weapons, two kunai and could either leave long-lasting damage or kill quickly if used correctly.

He watched as another second passed, as the Hyuga's resolve strengthened with every step. Then, having no doubts, Kiriru shot forward, intending on making this boy into a living reminder to that lying Uchiha that he failed. Ao had seen him the second he came from behind the trunk of the tree, perfect. Kiriru needed only a few steps before stabbing the two blades into the Hyuga's back with only a few feet to cover. Both aimed at the top and bottom of the spine, he revelled in the fact that this kid, probably the same age as him, could never move again—a fitting punishment for being a ninja.

LAND OF FIRE, FOREST

The now crippled Fukushū fell to the ground with a sickening thud that made Shisui's insides churn. His subordinate looked lifeless, unable to move but wanting to writhe in pain.

"It makes you think, doesn't it?" Kiriru's juvenile voiced told him. "To see those you're supposed to protect, like this." His mind, shrouded in shock, couldn't think as Shisui watched Kiriru let the two kunai fall to the ground. "I didn't have to do this, but you drove me to it." Kiriru turned his back to Ao to look at the Uchiha, the dark blue eyes covered by his hair. "It's your fault!" He accused, his fists tightly scrunched by his sides before he seemed to take a deep breath.

"All I wanted was a response, a response to a simple question." Then confusing Shisui and Ao, he chose to sit down. "But, even without talking, you gave me your answer. A ninja fights for themselves; what kind of person is that?" Despite his current situation, Ao fought to respond. "Don't speak like you have any legs to stand on, you who has no loyalty." Shisui's trained shinobi mind struggled to not slip into anger, spotting that neither Ao nor Kiriru were in any position to stop him, so as fast as he could, he stood in front of his downed teammate.

"Why?" Shisui questioned as he slowly and carefully laid him in a comfortable position. "No one could be this spiteful over one question." Kiriru neglectfully blinked at the Uchiha, not threatened by knowing that he would not be alive to see the sunrise. Then, crossing his legs into the lotus position as if prepared for a lesson, he raised his eyes, the presence of life falling into place once more.

"To prove to myself how fragile your concept of peace is. When one heartbeat stops, everybody descends into chaos. You want to know why don't you?" Closing his eyes, seemingly tired of the subject. "Because in this world, most can do something about it, and when you can't, you bring others who can. Those people fight under the pitifully thin banner of friendship; they build bonds and continue to fight for this peace. They kill and kill and kill, ignorant of those they fight against. Some desire the same ending for our nations, and others want nothing more than to be left alone. This belief is what fuels the flame for every war, do you-"

"That's why you did this? To Fukushū? so you could give some long-winded lecture on how you know what's best. So you think that because you have experienced loss, that you know what you're talking about?" Shisui's pained outburst surprised the eerily calm Kiriru. "Have you ever weighed your loss against those of your village? Of others?" Still firm in his belief, the deserter saw no need to respond and kept listening.

"Then here's your answer: As a ninja, I will eliminate any threat to my village and clan and die to protect those precious to me." Brandishing his bloodstained Tantō, Shisui refused to activate his Sharingan as he saw with perfect clarity how he dashed and sliced along Kiriru's neck. Blood sprayed from the wound, adding to the grime that coated his clothing. Shisui watched his body rock backwards as the lifeless form crushed the dirt and grass beneath him.

"All those words of avoiding conflict only for you to kill him like that." Ao mocked before spitting out more blood. "You blame us and the Mist for this, but it was you who decided to draw this out, it was you who forced this conflict. So regardless of my thanks for ending that deserter's life, I will forever hold you responsible for this. Even If my men and I die today, that white-eye will blame you too."

Shisui rounded on Ao, Sharingan flared to life, his right eye spun as it changed its form, shaping into a four-pointed pinwheel. Ao being too tired to activate his Byakugan broke eye contact. Not needing to see Ao's eyes, Shisui's Sharingan began flooding his mind with memories of his subordinate as the clone drove his blade through their chest. The way the eye's blamed him, the way his men saw him as a failure. He relived every moment and watched as Shisui hacked his squadmates down, one at a time.

He watched as every time he dodged the Uchiha, one of his team wasn't quick enough and was efficiently slaughtered. He couldn't breathe as he continued to experience his horrors. So why didn't he fight back? Why couldn't he do anything about it? He was supposed to be an experienced leader, one who should never fail like this. So why did he have to see this? Shisui. Shisui had put him under a Genjutsu, and these were nothing but illusions. Suddenly the focus returned to his eye and his airways unclogged, the effects of the Genjutsu dissipating.

"I wished that you could have seen more, for you to know that we are both at fault for your team. And if you do survive, tell your Mizukage that if you any of your ninja stand on our land unannounced, the same fate awaits them." Giving the dishevelled Ao one more pitying look, Shisui slowly walked over to still Fukushū. "I've seen that seal, the one on your eye and earings. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or patience to deal with it now, so consider this mercy from the Hidden Leaf."

Kneeling, he placed a soft hand against the boy's back and raised the other into a ram sign. "Pray I never see you again." Then, Shisui and his teammate disappeared into the wind, leaving Ao to the forest's silence.

ITACHI

The prodigious member Uchiha clan stood atop a roof's peak, the raven hair billowing in the wind. He smiled as he watched Sasuke sitting under a tree in the academy ground. He knew that his younger brother wasn't very social, being that Itachi himself was the only other child who had ever been around him before he entered the academy. He saw Shisui's surrogate brother exhibiting similar behaviour, the only difference being the broad smile plastered over his face as he unpacked his lunch.

He remembered the green cloth that wrapped itself around the bento from the countless days of training with Shisui when he should have been attending this academy. It was undoubtedly made by Seisui, a lovely lady, almost a decade older than his mother and someone who had decided that Naruto was deserving of care. The slight grin on his own brother's features meant just as much, even if he was less expressive. Itachi enjoyed watching over the pair in the academy, safe knowing that they would have more use for the system that failed him. Tracing his line of sight back to the blond, Itachi recalled that Shisui had yet to return from his mission.

Still, Kakashi informed him that Lord Hokage had received word from Shisui that they were returning after a complete assignment. What worried Itachi more was that one squad member was severely injured, and he knew that it would be affecting Shisui. Whatever affected Shisui would affect Naruto, though it worked the other way too. He hoped that he would return soon; as a ninja who had lost teammates on a mission, the time spent returning to the village is torture. You are rarely surrounded by those dear to you, and added to the fact that you are miles from home, you isolate yourself and sink into dangerous thoughts. A shadow flickered across Itachi's face and ran down the wooden roof, looking skywards, he saw the hawk circling above him.

NARUTO

Naruto had been walked from his apartment to Shisui's home; Izumi had collected him and told him that Itachi thought he should be with Shisui at this time. First, Izumi carefully explained that Shisui would likely be prone to erratic behaviour, confusing the boy with her words. Then, wording it differently, she told him that he needed to be careful because no one could know how he'd react. Finally, when Naruto asked what happened, she said what Itachi had told her.

"Shisui's mission didn't end well, and someone under his command is in hospital-" Seeing the Uzumaki prepare to ask, Izumi, answered him. "Shisui's physically fine, but as I've told you, he's not very happy now." Wrapping his young mind around what had supposedly happened was a tiring exercise for Naruto, so he just focused on thoughts of his training. What stuck out in his mind was how slow he still was; whenever Itachi sparred with him, he was no longer surprised by his pace and outdid Naruto effortlessly. Eventually, Naruto stood in front of the gate, waved Izumi goodbye and followed the path to the front door. The paper and wooden latticework glowed gold from the lights indoors, but before he could knock, the door was opened by Seisui. Confused that she knew he was there, Naruto tilted his head. The corners of her eyes crinkled as a sad smile was written on her face.

"For a little boy, you sure have heavy footsteps." Naruto tested his balance by rocking side to side only to notice the floorboards groaned and creaked under his weight. Giving her the biggest smile he could muster, he jested.

"I'll be quieter next time." Shisui's features saddened, worrying Naruto as he'd only ever seen this household smiling. He'd never met Shisui's father, but that never stopped the happy feeling the others had while at home. Keeping her thoughts to herself, the mother moved to the side, allowing Naruto in.

"Thank you for coming to see him, and I'll set your futon out for tonight. He's in his room." Naruto noticed that she didn't let him say anything before retreating into the home. Suddenly more conscious of the noise he made, the tiny blond counted every step up the stairs. Finally, he snuck along the floor until he reached the ajar door of Shisui's room. Peeking in, he saw that same mop of unruly black hair, without the headband, was almost long enough to cover Shisui's eyes.

Naruto knew that Shisui had sensed him. The Uchiha always seems to know where he was. He knocked lightly this time, getting no response; he announced himself as he slid the door open.

"Shishi, I'm coming in."

SHISUI

Shisui felt ill, a dull, throbbing pain in his stomach had settled there ever since he'd left Ao to die. He'd lashed out and inflicted him with the worst images he could imagine. At the time, his seething rage had justified that the threat was necessary, a threat strong enough to stop another village from thinking they could make a move on them. Shisui replayed the image of Fukushū falling to the ground, in too much pain to scream.

He recounted the blood that sprayed from Kiriru's neck as he saw his blade cut through the teen's neck. What he did to Ao, the anger he felt was not directed at the man who lay sprawled before him. He had devised an ineffective plan that led to a member of his squad fighting for his life, the anger he felt was directed at himself. He lay here searching for answers for why he hadn't planned further ahead, why Fukushū was in hospital right now, fighting for his life as a shinobi.

Fukushū was his age, slightly older if he could recall his ninja ID correctly, and still, Shisui had been given a higher rank and led that mission. A near fourteen-year-old was leading a squad of adults and another boy, and he wondered who got it wrong. He would need to check on Fukushū for both his sake and Shisui's own. But that would need to wait. With the injuries he sustained, he wouldn't be out today. Maybe tomorrow.

Whether justified or not, his inability to answer a question had left his subordinate in his current state. Shisui berated himself for his shortsightedness, Kiriru was unstable, and as soon as he was left alone, he'd struck. Why had he overlooked that possibility? He still searched for an answer. Shisui felt the fourth Chakra, guided by a fifth, make its way through the gate as silent as he was. It was so bright, so warm, and there was only one person like that. Shisui was happy. That boy reminded him of what he was fighting for, the future of the village. His immense potential aside, Naruto was someone who could save this village from its own darkness because his light will run amok. No matter where he stands in the Hidden Leaf village, those around him will be better and brighter because of it. Naruto moved past his mother, and as soon as he pushed through the door, Shisui's father's Chakra ebbed, searching for something to latch on to. Caring little about anything else, Shisui focused solely on the small bundle that was Naruto Uzumaki. He listened acutely as the light footsteps made their way to his bedroom and knocked three times.

"Shishi, I'm coming in." Holding his breath, Shisui counted the moments before turning his head and pushing himself up.

"Hello Naruto, it's good to be back in the village and see you again." He truly felt joy now that he'd lain eyes on the small blond, a comforting sight. But at this moment, even the happiness he felt was drowned out by the thoughts of his mission. All this couldn't allow him to smile as usual. "Thank you for coming to see me; I've been a little off." He watched as Naruto's brows drew together, obviously worried about him. Shisui cursed himself, knowing that he needed to be that pillar of strength, the Uchiha straightened himself.

"You're gonna be okay, right?" He pushed his conflicted thoughts of the last few days out of his mind before answering Naruto.

"Without a doubt, but look at it this way, now that I'm back in the village, we can focus on your training." Shisui watched as Naruto sparked into life. He knew the boy was just happy that he was back, and they were both glad to spend some time together. Naruto dampened once more before informing him.

"Itachi taught me a new jutsu." Thankful for the change of topic, Shisui leaned in eagerly.

"Oh, he has, has he? What has that boy taught you now?" He had complete faith that Itachi would do him and, more importantly, Naruto no wrong. So whatever technique it was, he was sure Itachi could justify his decision.

"The Shadow Clone Jutsu. I'm not good at it yet, the most I can make is three, but just you wait, soon you and Itachi won't stand a chance." The passionate answer and unwavering belief only ever endeared him more to the Uchiha, a boy who was glad that Naruto hadn't changed.

"Shadow clone..." He could already see where Itachi was going, teaching Naruto a technique like this was a message to multiple across the village. Naruto was growing, it was expected, but it told Shisui that maybe dipping his toes in would no longer be enough. Naruto needed direction, and Shisui could not do it himself.

"This weekend, mark it in your calendar. You need to meet someone." He was sure that Itachi would tell him the same thing. Half an hour of silence passed where Shisui focused solely on the little blond in front of him. Eventually, his mother brought in the tussled futon, duvet and pillow, they thanked her, and she told them dinner time was nearing. When they got the call, Naruto leapt up only for Shisui to send him off before him.

NARUTO

A few seconds after he closed the door behind him, he looked towards the bedroom at the end of the hall.

"Uzumaki, please come see me for a moment." The voice came from the bedroom, Shisui's father's bedroom. Naruto felt quite nervous because he'd finally be meeting the man after spending almost half a year living in and out of the same home. Feeling stiff, Naruto reached the door and remained outside only to hear a loud scoff.

"Come in." The voice ordered and Naruto, not wanting to be rude, did so. "Show some spine, boy, don't disrespect those who believe in you by acting like that." Immediately, Naruto straightened on command as if receiving an order from a superior. The small Uzumaki flicked his eyes over, too sacred to turn his body or head, and studied the man. His skin was pale, and he lacked the healthy head of hair that most Uchiha had. In addition, his right leg ended before the knee with a bandaged end. This man, who had to be in his mid-thirties, looked more frail than most men twice his age.

"So this is what you look like. I expected more." Naruto couldn't stop the pang of righteous anger at the man's dismissal of him or the surprise considering his family. "You look up to Shisui, don't you? So, watch him; he's not the pillar of strength that the village portrays him to be. What you've seen today is much more true to his being." Naruto couldn't understand why he was saying this, why was he being told this. And he listened on for a little while longer, long enough for Shisui to walk in. "Well, Uzumaki, I seem to have spoken long enough. If we talk again, my name is Tanmei Uchiha." Shisui strode in and placed his hand on Naruto's golden locks, eying his father suspiciously.

"We're having dinner. Do you wish to join us?" Tanmei tapped the hilt of his leg as if Shisui had never seen it before.

"While it is an enticing offer, I'll wait for your mother to bring my meal." Shisui didn't react before glancing down at Naruto.

"It's just us three again. Come on, you need to eat, and it's getting cold." He looked at his father once more, seeing that the man was no longer interested. He tapped Naruto's shoulder hard enough to turn him slightly, giving a clear message that they were leaving. When the door was closed behind them, Tanmei's jet black eyes peered from behind his discolouring hair, boring into the closed door.

SHISUI

The night had come and gone, and not being in the mood to talk about his father, he hadn't quizzed Naruto on their conversation. Regardless, the boy hadn't been remarkably eager to talk about it either. 'I told him not to scare Naruto off, then he goes and does this.' Did his father live to make his life difficult? He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind scolding himself for even considering that. His father was once a proud Leaf shinobi and member of the Uchiha clan and police force.

The man was always harsh, demanding the most from others with little patience, but ever since the last Great Ninja War, the harshness turned to bitterness and contempt. There were no alliances in this war; every nation sought domination over the other. It was a time when no one was spared, even those of civilian lives lost someone close to them. It was defending an outpost of their border with the Land of Hot Water from the invading Hidden Cloud shinobi. The Leaf squads were holding secure, and the Hidden Cloud wasn't making any progress.

Tanmei, in a moment of lunacy, decided to relax into his trench only for a Lightning style technique to cave in his area of the channel, crushing his leg. He severed his leg, getting it treated by one of the few medical ninja. They deemed him no longer fit to fight in his state, and he was sent back to the village. Once he returned, he refused any more medical service and retreated to his family home. He continued to hear tales of heroics and how one man, who was predicted to take on the role of Fourth Hokage, forced the other nations by demolishing an entire platoon of Hidden Stone shinobi into a peace treaty. Only ever speaking to his wife or giving cynical remarks to Shisui.

Realising he'd lost himself in his memories, Shisui found he and Naruto, who still wore his old black ninja wear, in one of the many training grounds connected to the Uchiha compound. The Uchiha left as Naruto was instructed to begin his warm-up. Shisui was glad to find Kakashi not too far away, as he walked to greet him, Kakashi seemed to know already what he wanted.

"So Naruto's ready? That's good, I was beginning to question some things." Not interested in the silver-haired man's thoughts, Shisui ignored his statement and declared.

"If you are not there by the time he is ready, you will never meet him." Kakashi looked towards the direction Shisui had come from and closed his eye.

"I should already be there." His infuriating senior disappeared in a cloud of smoke, making Shisui bite his lip to force the irritation down before he vanished too. The teen found that Kakashi was, in fact, already there leant against a tree, studying Naruto, his masked face unreadable as ever.

"You've done well. If he had grown up with us, he'd be out there fighting right now." Regretfully, Shisui found himself agreeing with Kakashi.

"The village is fortunate that, that is no longer the case. We lost so much back then, though I need not tell you that." Then, humming his agreement, Kakashi informed Shisui.

"I saw just how far along he's come, Itachi had him practising with some Shadow clones." He was right, Itachi had taught that technique for a reason, he needed to hear what his fellow clansmen honestly thought.

"Let's go." Wordlessly, Kakashi followed. The pair appeared before a slightly winded Naruto, Shisui holding his same smile and Kakashi becoming more focused on the little boy.

"Shishi," Naruto exclaimed, the fatigue leaving him instantly. He took a few steps before finally noticing the taller man to the Uchiha's right. Then, looking slightly anxious in the presence of the taller, silver-haired man, he halted himself between the two.

"No hello for me, how hurtful," Kakashi's visible eye closed and wrinkled in good humour, scaring Naruto into almost bowing for forgiveness.

"Kakashi," Shisui sighed, knowing he should have expected this from the man. "If you introduce yourself first, maybe Naruto will greet you." Then, visibly disappointed that Shisui needed to stand up for him, Naruto forced himself to look at the masked man.

"Perhaps you're right."

"You are his senior, act like it." The Hatake's feature's dulled as he looked at his peer.

"Just because I don't care about my reputation doesn't mean I don't want at least some respect from others." Shisui hummed knowingly without responding to the miffed Hatake. The black-clad Uzumaki seemed amused by their bickering and couldn't help but smile, alleviating the two in the tense exchange situation. The tall, silver-haired man squatted to see Naruto eye to eye, the younger pulled away slightly, which didn't go unnoticed.

"I'll let him off this time. So, Naruto, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Kakashi Hatake, and I'm a Jonin, just like Shisui but a little older." Naruto had introduced himself to Izumi, but this was entirely different. Izumi was his upperclassmen, someone who Shisui and Itachi had voiced their complete belief in; Seisui only ever spoke well of her. The Uchiha had never told of this Kakashi until now, and Shisui recognised how shorthanded he had left Naruto.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, remember it!" Kakashi eye's curved upwards into a bow-like arc, he pushed himself up by pressing on his knee.

"I do hope you give me a reason to," the outburst from Naruto fell on deaf ears as Shisui watched his superior. The man challenged him, just like Itachi had. Itachi rarely spoke of the Hatake, but he had yet to say a bad word of the man.

"Naruto," the raven-haired Jonin began, turning his head to look at the Uzumaki. "Kakashi will spar with you today, use everything you must to win, hold nothing back." Kakashi was regarded as amongst the strongest in the village, regularly compared to even their Hokage. As a man who had already spent near to seven years in the Hokage's private ranks, the Anbu, he'd personally seen the darknesses of their village. Shisui wasn't blind to why the man had forced his way in, and the village officials did little to hide their movements, shifting the Hatake like this.

"Should I worry?" Kakashi wondered sarcastically, holding little back from the humour he felt.

"Only if you don't pay attention." Shisui voiced blandly, leaving the intrigued Hatake to interpret. Kakashi turned his back to the pair as he put some distance between them.

"I'll keep that in mind." Shisui vanished, deciding to watch from a distance. Naruto quickly noted that Shisui had left, seeing that the match had begun, he rounded on Kakashi.

"Attacking first, how bold of you." He was surprised to see that he couldn't reach for his pouch in time. Naruto was fast.

"Don't think you got me, you might be a Jonin, but I'll still mop the floor with you!" Naruto lunged, flicking his wrist, he drew three kunai in between his fingers. Then, with a swipe of his arm, he launched two before moving the last into a reverse grip in his palm. Naruto fought the urge to stop when the silver-haired man yelled in pain as the kunai struck his shoulderblade. Slashing in the opposite direction, Naruto finally recoiled when his opponent swapped places with a wooden log, now cut cleanly in half.

"Substitution?" Naruto wondered in surprise. He'd thought for sure he connected, even in if that was only a ploy from Kakashi. Now he had his next problem. Where was his opponent? Turning around, Naruto spotted the relaxed man strolling out from behind the tree line.

"Barrelling in head first, knowing nothing of your opponent, while I know everything about you. Training or not, that is a flawed decision. Do not make that mistake again." Who was this guy? They had only spoken for a few minutes, and he was already lecturing him.

"If I had done nothing and waited, I'd never react in time."

"So, you came into this drill knowing you would lose. That's a disappointing mentality for a shinobi." Naruto drew a sharp breath in as his eyes widened. Had he really given up that early? Even after promising himself and Shisui that he would do his best? "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors got to war first and then seek to win. Remember this whenever you're worried, you must first win the fight in your mind before you take on any enemy." As if spellbound, the words Kakashi muttered then imprinted themselves on Naruto's mind. Shisui continued to watch, his opinion of the nonchalant Jonin rising by the moment. But it seemed that Kakashi had seen enough, waving the pair in.

"The fact that you were thinking like this before tells me everything I need to know."

"But you said I was wrong, that I made a mistake." Naruto pointed out, steel reeling slightly from Kakashi's wisdom.

"I did, and you did make a mistake. But what you did showed you made a decision, which is more than can be said of a lot of shinobi." The blond was more than happy to take the praise, only offering a smile in return.

"He's right, on both accounts." Shisui prompted, wandering to stand by the pair. "Have you ever sparred Itachi and seen him attack first?" Naruto hadn't and shook his head inquisitively. "Neither have I. That is because he waits, analyses, then he acts." Shisui emphasised, stressing the importance of patience. Then, remembering his promise to himself, Shisui stood up and created a shadow clone. "I have somewhere to be. It will not be too long, so he is here for the meantime." Naruto had had enough experiences with clones to accept Shisui's decision, and Kakashi wouldn't argue considering what was likely on his junior's mind.

"I suppose you know what I'll be teaching him." His statement intrigued the eager Naruto, though Shisui nodded sharply.

"That is why I am only leaving you with a clone." Acceptable. Kakashi could understand that, trusting others was a complex exercise, and it took time.

"Then, my little student, let us begin." Naruto watched as yet another person decided that they wanted to train him. He couldn't wrap his head around it, but that didn't matter because he was meeting people. He was meeting people who saw him. So, with renewed vigour, Naruto bounced up, fighting to know.

"With what? With what?" Kakashi's smile showed through the mask, his cheeks rising as he led his pointer finger.

"Chakra control." Naruto failed to keep his balance, the ridiculous answer almost making his eyes pop out of their sockets.

"I've done that, genius! Tell'm Shishi!" Shisui met his expectant look with one of apology and a shrug. Naruto saw his hopes dashed away as Shisui vanished.

KAKASHI

Naruto turned to the clone, dramatic tears brimming in his eyes. This Shisui only sighed before agreeing.

"He's right, and you may have learned basic Chakra control techniques, but for you to properly understand what he can teach you, your control must be much better than what it is now." The rise and fall of his emotions played over Naruto's face as he deflated accordingly.

"Shisui told me that you have learnt how to climb trees with just your Chakra. Impressive considering your age."

"Of course I can. I told you didn't I, that you'd better remember me."

"But now, I want you to walk on water." His statement left Naruto bewildered, the boy clearly in disbelief. His whisker marks bent as his face scrunched up in suspicion with his eye's scrutinising the infamous Jonin.

"You're a little thick, aren't you?" Kakashi tutted the sceptical boy, wagging the finger still held up.

"Now, now. That's not very nice, and if you don't believe me, I can show you." Nodding to his peer, Kakashi held Naruto's shoulder and pointed him to the nearby river. Walking to the edge of the flowing water, Naruto watched as the man slowed his breathing formed the ram sign and slowly stepped onto the water's surface. The amazement on Naruto's face was visible, so when he rounded on Shisui, his features were full of wonderment.

"Not only is this technique an excellent exercise for learning control over one's Chakra, but it also gives a ninja the ability to fight on all surfaces." Shisui's words were shuffled to the back of his mind for the moment as he watched the Uchiha meet Kakashi upon the river.

"Me too! Me too! I'll be there in a second." Naruto called out, sprinting over to the edge of the water. He formed the same sign and went to step onto the river, falling through immediately.

"You're too eager, Naruto," Kakashi spoke evenly, his tone relaxed. "You may not have learnt this when climbing trees, but if you rush things and are not calm, you'll never understand it." The red-faced Naruto glared up at the cool Jonin, bursting in a fury.

"That's easy to say when you can already do it," he accused while dragging himself out of the cold water. Kakashi sighed impatiently, he held firm in his belief that people should only become a ninja when they graduate from the academy at the age of 11 or older. But that does not mean they should be grossly underprepared for what that life will hold. As a boy who was a Genin at Naruto's age, he questioned the teaching of the current academy.

"We can say this because we've been doing this for longer than you have been alive. We can say this because we've done the training. We've fought to remain calm. You are well beyond your classmates but don't think that means you compare to real shinobi just yet. You are moving at a pace many couldn't manage; if you maintain this, walking on water will quickly become part of your arsenal." Begrudgingly, the small blond admitted defeat.

"What do I need to do?"

ITACHI

The clan heir stood in front of his village's elders, he had changed into his mission gear when he was summoned. A shinobi of the Hidden Leaf village must always be presentable.

"The distrust of the village and the Uchiha is continuing to drive a wedge between the two. But, you already know, you are at the heart of both, an exemplary member of my forces and your father's son." Itachi's head did not raise when Hiruzen spoke to him. The Hokage was right; both parties had distanced themselves, and in that space, suspicion and distaste was festering.

"Ultimately," Danzo offered. "You are in the best and worst position. to be placed between the two, when both are asking you to go against yourself." Empty words. That was all that came out of Danzo's twisted mouth.

"Thank you for your sympathy, but I will do whatever I must, as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf." If Itachi had to work behind such a man to ensure peace in the village remained, he would do it.

"Then I propose Itachi's promotion to Jonin." All the other eyes looked towards Danzo, intrigued.

"Why? He only earned the rank of Chunin not too long ago." Itachi would admit that he too was interested in Danzo's plan, what would he being a Jonin, achieve? Without turning to his village's leader, he answered the question.

"Do you not believe he is ready? Even when we offered him a role in the Anbu." The one-eyed elder continued to probe, his bandages creasing. "A member of the Black Ops must have the maturity and ability to lead a squad, team leader or not. Correct? So, if not one, why not the other? I personally would be more comfortable if someone like Itachi were fulfilling those duties." Itachi knew how little Danzo cared for what he did outside of the village. No, he was much more invested in his goings-on within these walls.

"Speaking of, you seemed to have abandoned the idea of him amongst the Anbu," Hiruzen recalled, questioning the thinking behind Danzo's movements.

"He will be in the village for less than two years before he leaves for the Captial. It will reflect well upon us if he arrives with a strong reputation. But we did not come to Itachi to speak to him of this." The Hokage chewed on his cheek, he'd bitten Danzo's bait and had been dragged down. Itachi watched on as the two stared at each other before relenting. If this was how the village's higher-ups acted, it was doomed to end in failure.

"You're right, and I apologise, Itachi," Hiruzen genuinely accepted. "I despise the fact that I must ask this of you but, are the Uchiha against the village." Whether or not Hiruzen would act on it, he honestly cared for all of those in the Leaf.

"No, the clan are not against the village. They are angered by decisions made, but they will not act as of now." Hiruzen was relieved to hear that, he had time to fix this.

"If that is the case, continue as you were. Do not overextend yourself for me or the village." Standing up to leave, Itachi was halted by Hiruzen's subsequent request. "Do not tell Fugaku of your promotion. Rest assured, this will be dealt with before you leave with Shisui." Nodding, the Uchiha left; he was needed at home. 'To have patience is to hope. To hope is to give up.'

HOSPITAL ROOM

Shisui ground his teeth as he counted the bandage's on Fukushū's body. Not only had he been crippled, but the wounds from his previous encounter still marred his tattered body. He lay deathly still, and Shisui cursed himself once again.

"Captain Shisui." Fukushū tiredly addressed him, his eyes with dark bags underneath them looked for his superior. The boy was fighting to stay awake.

"While we're in the village, it's just Shisui." The Uchiha amended, and his concern grew as the eyes of his subordinate fell from sight. "How are you?"

"Tired, very tired." His pride as a member of the Hyuga clan held firm as he forced the words out. Fukushū's eyes closed, and his brow tightened. "The doctor says movement in my upper body and arms will return back to normal if I'm lucky. It'll be some months, but the doctors are already planning my rehabilitation." Shisui released a breath he didn't know he was holding, one that had been there since that awful moment in the forest.

"Your legs?"

"I disgraced the clan and village by putting my hatred above the mission. This is my punishment." Shisui felt stuck, he'd condemned someone to a life spent in a wheelchair because he took on something he wasn't ready for. Opening his mouth to speak, he found no words. So instead, Fukushū broke the silence. "Do not apologise. I decided to come to you and in turn, risked mission failure. Do not dwell on this, for I will not either. You're looking after the Jinchuuriki, are you not?"

"Yes, but-"

"Nothing escapes our eyes, the Uchiha might patrol our streets, but us Hyuga are also protecting the village. That boy amongst others will need you, and as a ninja, I expect you to be there for them." Shisui's breathing was the only noise that filled the room for some moments.

"I will come to check in on you again. Please keep me up to date with your condition."

"Make sure to return to routine, Shisui. As a Jonin, you must lead from the front, six a.m., wake up then and begin training unless you have a mission. Be disciplined, be regulated, as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, it is the least you can do." It wasn't an order from a superior but a request of a friend.


All done.

*Spoilers*

Now, a lot of you who know of Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan know that it was described as a once every ten years technique. Though I had got an idea from a video I had seen a while before that. I went back and found it. The Naruto Audiobook that is, Swagkage.

watch?v=RN1W55NCzLo

If you want to know as soon as possible the changes to his Sharingan, his theory of it is described here. If not, continue reading on because it will become known.

I also recently read an incredible study: The Achilles effect and preventing armies from becoming mobs, By Christopher R. Smith

If you want to read. do the https, the /: and www then . (defence) . (gov) . (au)

/ADC/publications/AJDSS/documents/

volume1-issue1/4-The-Achilles-effect-

and-preventing-armies-from

Then(-becoming) (-mobs). (pdf)

Don't do brackets, everything bold is part of it.

sorry for the atrocious hyperlink work but FFN was being painful.

Even if you're not interested in the military, it gives some great pieces of history and might even give you some advice on how to avoid severe mental damage in and after dangerous situations.

later.