Hiruzen blew smoke from his pipe. It burned his lungs, but he could do with the reminder that his body had other aches and pains besides those of old age. He peered into his looking glass, the crystal orb allowing him to peek into the lives of those within his gates.

He watched over a spunky blonde-headed ninja, and his eyes crinkled as he gave some pointers to his grandson, Konohamaru. That boy of his, he definitely needed a role model. Although, he wondered if Naruto really was the right one. Either way, he managed to get his grandson excited and eager to grow as a shinobi. That's all Hiruzen could hope for.

"Hokage-sama, the participants from the other villages are arriving on schedule," Genma announced.

Hiruzen's heavy, tired eyes loomed over to Genma. The boy always had something sticking in his mouth. Hiruzen wished he'd just admit he'd like a smoke. He'd even share his pipe with him.

"Very well. Are our guests from the Uchiha clan in attendance?"

"Yes, sir," Genma said. He shifted uncomfortably as he retrieved documents. "I also have a report on the incident involving the accusation of a spy among their ranks."

"Bring it here."

Genma handed Hiruzen the document. Written in fine penmanship befitting of Uchiha Fugaku, the leader of the Uchiha expressed his utmost displeasure at the mistrust Konoha had in the Uchiha. The details pertaining to Uchiha Kagen would not bode well in their next diplomacy summit with the Fire Daimyo.

Hiruzen sighed. "I will investigate these hefty accusations and will report to the Uchiha the results."

"Very well, my lord." Genma headed to the door. "Are we sure it is wise to allow them to participate when the newly established Team 7 is also entering the exams?"

Hiruzen sat his pipe down with a clink against the table. "I am taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of our citizens and the fairness of the Uchiha to participate in accordance with our agreement."

"Right. My apologies, Hokage-sama." Genma closed the door, allowing Hiruzen the opportunity for solitude.

He rifled through the papers from the Uchiha clan. Identical twins masquerading as an Uchiha, their features altered to be identical to a man long determined to be dead. This was only the work of his shadow.

Hiruzen waved his hand. An anbu appeared from the shadows.

"Summon Danzo. I would like to have a word with him on an urgent matter."

. . .

Shouts and agonizing screams filled Itachi's ears. They were not the cries of his baby brother who was tucked into his oversized cloak, mewling from the noise, but not bold enough to join in the cries. No, they belonged to his kin. They were all Uchiha clan members who were fleeing under the guise of a full moon. Foolish, if they had thought stealth would work against the lunar light.

It was dark and cold. Earlier that day, his mother had reflected on the stray snowflakes that fell, marking the oncoming winter. They were in the process of rebuilding their land since the Ninetails attacked the village, and right when they were about to move in, they were here, fleeing in droves and being picked off by Konoha shinobi.

Shinobi who were supposed to protect them, and yet the Uchiha were fleeing, actively attacking back, spewing fire and various jutsu.

His mother placed him on the carriage with other children as she went to fend off the attackers. "Look after your brother, okay?"

He had never seen his mother look so frightened when she left him. His heart lurched in his chest. His body stiffened. Itachi held a kunai close, ready to attack should the opportunity arise. No one was going to harm Sasuke.

Then, shinobi with masks landed on the carriage. "Take the children out!"

In an instant the carriage smacked into a tree. The driver, an elderly Uchiha man, was crushed between the carriage's contents and the exposed bark. Blood gushed everywhere, splatters covering Itachi in droplets of red.

He had been at the back of the carriage, and so he had tumbled out before the gruesome sight. The children cried and screamed as the anbu picked them off. A ninja came after Itachi, brandishing his long sword.

Before Itachi had a moment to fight with his kunai, another clash began. Fugaku stood in front of Itachi and held his own sword against the anbu.

"Run, Itachi!"

Itachi hastily stood on his feet. He checked Sasuke,noting in relief he was unscathed and darted off in the direction where the others were fleeing. He kept running, Sasuke crying wildly in his arms at being jostled too roughly. The people around him were being slammed into the earth, sliced to bits, permanently immobilized by the shinobi.

These were ninja who only obeyed orders that served the greater good of the village. Why were they killing them? What did they do wrong?

In all of Itachi's heart, he believed it was the Uchiha who had done something wrong. A shinobi had honor; they had a reason to protect and fight. The Uchiha were fleeing, running away from something. That meant guilt, didn't it?

"That's the last one," came Tekka's voice. "They're retreating!"

"Damn it! How many did we lose?" Yashiro shouted.

Inabi began the seal for the grand fireball technique. "We'll have to burn the forest down. We can't feasibly carry them all."

When Mikoto found Itachi, she picked him up and held him so closely. "Thank goodness you're all right."

Itachi may have survived, but he was most certainly not all right.

He watched the flames lick the forest, coating the bodies of family members he never had the chance to meet. His clan was guilty. He was guilty, and now Sasuke was guilty by association.

Fugaku gathered what remained of the clan together. "This is a horrible call to make. If you can walk, walk. Walk as far as you can to our rendezvous point. If you cannot, or you're too injured, stay here and we will tend to your wounds."

Mikoto grabbed Itachi's hand and they walked on. After a short distance, Itachi heard the screams of agony, even worse than before. They were the screams of a soul who had lost all hope.

"Lord Fugaku, please! I don't want to die! I can walk!"

Itachi shuddered when the voice broke mid-sentence. All that remained was the roar of the flames.

. . .

Sasuke awoke to a gentle shake. He opened his eyes, wincing at the bright light, only to then notice someone stepping in front of the sun to block it. Sasuke yawned. "Big brother…"

"It's time to wake up Sasuke. We have a lot of ground to cover."

In Itachi's hand was a list. All the items the Uchiha requested for them to procure were etched into a simple script. From medicine and spices to hardware, the clan hoped to make use of the opportunity to gather coveted items at affordable rates that had not received additional markups from traveling traders.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Nine."

"That late? Then why does it feel like it's earlier."

"Because you slept too soundly."

Sasuke stumbled into the bathroom to brush his teeth and to change into his clothes. Itachi pulled out his wallet, counting the ryo they procured from the currency exchange. The Uchiha's currency was worth way less than Konoha's, he noted.

He maybe had enough for a quarter of the list. He hoped Shisui's wasn't nearly as long as his.

"I'm ready," Sasuke said. He waltzed into the room with one of his newest outfits. Blue, dyed from an expensive pigment, and white shorts that would only become dirty and caked with blood from battle. Itachi supposed Sasuke's outfit had more to do with showing off prosperity.

Sasuke's designed uniform was different from Itachi's and Shisui's. It was almost as if it were painting Sasuke up to be a target. Itachi and Shisui wore midnight jet, dark pants, and neutral tones more in line with the clan's aesthetic.

"Let's grab breakfast."

"Stop right there, big brother," Sasuke said. He held out his wallet, a wide grin on his face. "Mother let me have just enough to buy you dango."

Itachi knew this was a lie. "What did you have to trade?"

Sasuke turned his head away. "I didn't have to trade anything. I swear."

" Sasuke…"

"Fine," he sighed. "I traded a kunai set and some ninja twine."

"Irresponsible," Itachi said under his breath. "Those could have served you well here."

"But I have the kusanagi now, and plenty of weapons. Besides, I haven't been able to go on missions yet to earn my own money, and mother only offered a few coins here and there, and I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything."

"You're really hard to please. You've been talking about this Dango shop forever. So let me treat you."

Itachi blinked. It was unbelievably thoughtful of Sasuke, but Itachi supposed he was being a bit overkill in prioritizing essentials versus his enjoyment. Besides, he had saved enough money to buy their treats from his missions. Although, Sasuke's chokuto had taken a considerable amount of his savings, enough so that Itachi's savings prior to buying it could have procured everything on the clan's list. That, in itself, he would never admit to his father or clansmen.

"Sorry…"

"You should be!" Sasuke headed to the door. "Now let's go get these stupid Dango."

. . .

They sat inside the tea house. Konoha's gentle breeze rustled the noren. Itachi sat across from Sasuke, his hands wrapped around the yunomi where warmth emanated. Green tea was said to be beneficial in energizing the body.

Sasuke sipped his without sugar. Itachi found himself adding a few cubes into his cup. He had a notorious sweet tooth as a kid—enough so to earn the surprising looks of Izumi and Shisui when the dango shop first opened up in Uchihagakure. Izumi had even remarked that Itachi didn't look like the type to enjoy sweets. He still had no idea what she meant.

The dango made by the clan were not as sweet as he remembered, perhaps because of the sheer expense sugar was, but they had a sweetness to them he savored with each bite.

"How is it?" Itachi asked. He sipped from his cup, allowing the thickness of the green tea to coat his mouth. The drink warmed his body.

"It's different."

"So not necessarily good."

"That's not what I mean," Sasuke grumbled. "I don't know how to feel about it. I'm not big on tea anyway."

"Aa," Itachi said.

The server sat a plate of three dango and a plate of tokoroten.

Sasuke eyed the jelly-like noodles with suspicion. "You're sure it's not sweet?"

Itachi grabbed a skewer with dango. The pink and green dumplings were brighter than the ones the clan made. They were also more uniform in shape. "Tokoroten is commonly eaten with soy sauce." Itachi pointed to the small saucer with dark liquid. "It's a savory dessert."

Sasuke readied his chopsticks. He gripped the gelatin noodle and brought it to his mouth before hesitantly taking a bite.

Itachi took to devouring the first dumpling. Its subtle sweetness and chewiness made his mouth water further. His heart ached with nostalgia. It was exactly how he remembered.

"Not bad," Sasuke said. He sipped his tea and ate another bite.

By the time Sasuke had looked up, Itachi had finished all three skewers. He stared at the empty sticks with such a regretful longing. They had been too delicious, too perfect. Nothing could ever compare.

It was then that another plate arrived, sparking surprise from Itachi. He felt a blush come across his cheeks at the sight of Sasuke's bright smile and soft snickering.

. . .

After their dessert for breakfast, Itachi and Sasuke visited shops to purchase essentials for the clan. Itachi did his best to negotiate rates to be even lower, and they managed to acquire half the list. That was a task in itself especially when they received glares and judgment from the elderly merchants.

"Uchiha, hm? Think you're too good to pay full price?" The old lady closed her stall immediately, deciding a day's profit was worth the statement to the Uchiha brothers.

Sasuke crossed his arms and scowled. Now, this was the part of the village he had heard about from father. Villagers had shunned and persecuted the Uchiha until they felt they had no choice but to leave.

Itachi carried on as though his spirit hadn't been crushed by the cruelty of a few vendors. All the same, Sasuke then wondered what in the world Itachi must find so worthwhile in continuing to negotiate.

The truth, Sasuke surmised, rested somewhere in the middle of Itachi's perspective and the clan's. Somehow Konoha could be both a nightmare and paradise.

Itachi wiped the sweat from his brow. "Next is to deliver this to the envoy that should be arriving soon."

"Why couldn't they just buy the supplies?"

"We're permitted visitors, so we have permission to be here. Any other Uchiha is to be arrested on the spot and taken in for interrogation on the basis of trespassing."

"Really, for walking in?"

"That's the policy for all shinobi entering a village without explicit and reasonable intent."

If a Konoha shinobi were to enter Uchihagakure regardless of reason, they would be met with immediate death. Compared to that, Konoha's detainment policy was childsplay.

They rounded a corner where they met back up with Yashiro and Shisui. Yashiro immediately took to inspecting the goods, chastising Itachi for the small volume they had procured.

Itachi made the effort to catch Shisui's worried gaze. He mouthed concern, only for Shisui to shake his head and resume ruffling Sasuke's hair with a big, goofy grin.

"It's my turn with Itachi next," Shisui said. "Why don't you go explore, see if you can find any of our competition. Y'know, size them up?"

Sasuke nodded in eagerness.

"That might actually be a good use of your time," Yashiro said. "I will be waiting for the envoy. Go on, see what else you lot can scrounge up."

"Yes sir," Shisui said, waving his hand. "Itachi, I think there was a weapon shop in the North that might just have a special on explosive tags."

With his arm wrapped around Itachi's shoulder, Shisui walked off into the crowd, disappearing among the chattering people.

Sasuke now had Konoha to himself.

. . .

Shisui remained seated before Yashiro.

"Tell me your thoughts, Shisui," Yashiro said. He appeared forlorn. "When push comes to shove, do you think you can do it?"

"Yes, sir," Shisui said, his eyes firm and resolute. "Our clan has suffered enough. This is our only opportunity to reclaim what is ours."

"You appear close to Itachi. Do you think he will follow through? His father has suspicions that he may thwart our plans."

"I can assure you, he will have no choice but to act carefully with his brother who is oblivious. Lord Fugaku was right in assigning him to this mission if not only for Itachi's compliance."

"I am not questioning Lord Fugaku's judgment, but I am questioning otherwise. If Sasuke is here with him, what is to stop him from dragging Sasuke along?"

"I have worked hard to get to know Itachi over the years. If there's one thing that's certain, he will not put Sasuke's life at stake. He'll follow through because it's the only way that ensures Sasuke's life."

Yashiro clicked his tongue. "I don't understand that boy. He makes things difficult for himself. Do what's best for the clan. Instead, he does what's best for himself. His brother this, his brother that. What about the rest of us?"

Shisui glanced out at the parted curtains. Villagers, ordinary citizens, roamed about. A child giggled as her father lifted her into the air. It was a peaceful reprieve. It should have been the same for the Uchiha, and yet it was not so.

"Listen up, Shisui. This is for your ears only, and it comes directly from Uchiha Madara himself."

Shisui, eyes widening ever so slightly, returned his attention to Yashiro.

"There is a third objective to our mission and it must go without complication. This is the retrieval of the ninetails jinchuuriki."

At this, Shisui furrowed his brows. "Wouldn't the capture of the ninetails only increase conflict and make our first initiative pointless?"

"Uchiha Madara has expressed his grief at the state of the Uchiha. He has said that we have been robbed of what made us feared in the land. That is the ninetails. With it, and with our newly forged alliance with Otogakure, we are to lay siege on Konoha in retribution for all the carnage and cruelty their people have wrongly doled out to our clan for generations."

After a moment, Yashiro retrieved a scroll. He unfurled it before Shisui. "Here is what Uchiha Madara needs you to do."

Shisui listened to Yashiro's decree and abhorrent fascination with Uchiha Madara, a man who lived in the darkness and only ever seemed to appear in decisions causing great discord.

His blood ran cold. This objective, this horrifying plan—it was no longer a mission of espionage and claiming independence as their own shinobi village in the Land of Fire. Chunin or not, the Uchiha were determined to capture the world's recognition.

. . .

A small boy dressed in a pitiful disguise marched in front of a taller orange-clad shinobi from Konoha. "C'mon Naruto! Teach me a new jutsu!"

This shinobi, Naruto, continued walking away. He rested his hands behind his head."No way, Konohamaru, I'm busy today!"

Somehow, this Konohamaru knew he was lying. The young boy removed his disguise and chased after Naruto, bombarding him with request after request. Somewhere along the bickering between the two, two children about the age of Konohamaru joined in.

The sight below irritated and amused Sasuke. He watched from the tree above as they continued to bother the orange-jacket shinobi.

How tacky, Sasuke thought. If stealth was a ninja's element of surprise, then this ninja was of no fit. He almost wondered if the headband adorning his forehead was a prop. This Naruto seemed to be more of a joke than a threat to take seriously. Clearly he was not a chunin candidate, not by a longshot.

"You can't be that busy, big boss!"

"What'cha say? I've got to train. I'm a ninja now, so y'know…"

"But you promised to play ninja with us today!"

Then a girl with pink hair joined in. "A ninja playing ninja, I've seen it all."

She had a forehead protector, but she used it as a headband. How impractical. Once again, Sasuke was rather bewildered at how colorful and childish Konoha shinobi appeared. Then again, he took note of his own attire but rationalized that the blue and white may benefit him in some way. After all, his clan were very reasonable and had a purpose for ever decision.

At some point, two other people appeared; this time much taller and in darker clothes. He had purple pain across his face. The woman, blonde and in a lighter outfit boasted a large wind fan. A Sunagakure headband revealed itself as Sasuke studied closer.

These looked like Chunin candidates. He was certain of it.

The male Suna shinobi held the annoying kid Konohamaru by the scruff of his shirt. A ruckus erupted, the pink and orange Konoha ninja demanded Konohamaru's release.

At this, Sasuke grimaced. While that Suna shinobi looked like a chunin candidate, and likely was since they were from a faraway land, he was rather immature for bullying a child.

Sasuke threw a rock. He was feeling a bit smug today.

"Oi, you're all quite annoying," Sasuke said, perched from the tree. "What business do you have terrorizing a kid anyway?"

Naruto, Sakura, and the other kids looked up to see him. He paid them no attention. He wasn't here to defend them, but merely it was a coincidence.

Kankuro and Temari scowled. "You got something to say, brat? Why don't you come down here?"

"Kankuro," an eerie voice from behind Sasuke said. He stood, turning around to see a redhead perched upside down from the tree, his chakra control perfect for the task. "You're an embarrassment."

Sasuke's blood ran cold at the sheer calmness emanating from him. He had snuck behind him, without making a sound. His killing intent sent waves of terror. Beads of sweat collected on Sasuke's forehead.

Immediately, Kankuro let Konohamaru down, who ran to Naruto's side. Temari and Kankuro were both equally terrified. He must be their teammate.

"G-Gaara, Kankuro said, "We were just introducing our—"

"I don't care. We have somewhere to be."

Temari swallowed. "Right. Well, let's go then."

In an instant, Gaara appeared alongside them. They began to walk away, down the planked road.

Sasuke jumped down from the tree. He stood in front of Naruto and Sakura, staring at the back of the redhead known as Gaara.

"Your name," Sasuke said. "What is it?"

Gaara turned his head, his piercing ice-blue eyes filled with malice. "Gaara of the sand. I am curious about you too."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Gaara resumed walking. Temari and Kankuro followed suit, careful to not disrupt their teammate further.

"Wait! You're shinobi from Sunagakure! Explain yourselves!"

"Do we even have to? It's the chunin exams. Do you even pay attention to how much it has been advertised in your own village?" Temari hollered. She flashed them her passport for entry. At this, Sakura hesitantly curled inward, her green eyes downcast. "Chunin huh…So that's our competition."

"Oi, you! In the blue! What do you think you're doing? I had them!" Naruto hollered. He pumped his fist in the air, ready to pounce on Sasuke if given the slightest inclination.

So this was a genin entering the chunin exams? Sasuke could only smirk. He had nothing to worry about if that was the case. Whether Yashiro thought him weak or not, it appeared the caliber in Konoha was much lower.

Sakura approached him. She was a frightful girl, but had a rather bold mouth. "You're from the Uchiha clan, is that right?."

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Any shinobi from the Uchiha clan without exemption status is to be detained immediately. It would be the same if we walked into your village," Sakura said. "Either explain yourself or—"

Sasuke shot a glare that cut her down to size. "I'm entering the chunin exams. Like that girl with fan said, do your research."

She held her hand to her chest. "But that's—"

"Oi! Bastard! Don't you dare talk to Sakura like that!"

Naruto charged after Sasuke, gripping his blue-collar.

"Naruto, wait! He'd have a Sharingan just like Kakashi-sensei! You shouldn't provoke him!"

Someone else had the Sharingan? Sasuke cataloged that note for further reference.

Sasuke wore a bored expression. "You're not worth the Sharingan."

"You wanna bet?" Naruto growled. "If you're entering these chunin exams, I'm gonna kick your ass."

In an instant, Sasuke pulled Naruto's arms off him and used a kick to trip him to the ground. Sasuke's foot then rested on top of his stomach.

"Go ahead and try."

Naruto wanted to glare, but he felt a chill throughout his body. Beads a sweat trailed from his face. He couldn't stand this jerk, but at the same time, he realized the distance in skill between them.

Uchiha Sasuke was not to be taken lightly. But even so—

"You better remember my name when I wipe that stupid smirk off your face! It's Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm not going down to the likes of you!"

Sasuke resumed walking away and tucked his hands into his pockets. That Naruto continued to scream and shout, while Sakura, a blush across her cheeks, giggled incessantly.

Becoming Chunin would be easy if they were his opponents, and Sasuke found himself excited—excited to take down that loud-mouthed, obnoxious ninja: Uzumaki Naruto.