The Sharingan's Voice

by ystv

Forcefully separated, Sasuke finds himself wishing back the time when he thought he'd hated Itachi, if it just meant to know if his brother was still alive. Being faced with slavery and having to interact with people all while keeping his identity secret, slipping up is all too easy. That he could possibly gain a friend or two out of this hasn't even crossed his mind.

6. Delving Deeper

This is a work of FAN-Fiction, go figure;)

Chapter 6: Delving Deeper

Shikamaru was sorting through a few scrolls in the Hokage library. He didn't really need all of his brain power, so he let his thoughts wander back to the briefing he'd had with Tsunade before he'd gone to Sakura's to set his plan in motion a few days ago.

"I have reason to believe that Sakura's slave is an Uchiha. I'd like permission to try to confirm this and maybe work out a deal to keep him out of the interrogation department for now."

That's what Shikamaru had told Tsunade, then further delved into specific aspects of the deal and the benefits of giving Tatakai a chance to prove himself.

The Hokage had been reasonably sceptical, but also curious. No one had heard of or seen any Uchiha after the massacre. Their Kekkei Genkai was valuable, to have it in their ranks once more would be beneficial, no question there. Though it would only be worth it if the pledge came from his own free will. Which was currently impossible, especially since the slave apparently was part of a greater scheme of Tsunade to get Sakura back.

Tsunade hadn't explained much on that, only that Sakura wasn't allowed to free him until his presence had achieved its purpose. Shikamaru suspected that it had to do with Sakura's personal changes after her parents had died. He admitted, she hadn't gotten better even though it had been years... Well, there were pro's and con's in being Tsunade's apprentice, he supposed.

The Hokage's personal interest in Sakura's well-being let her meddle with Sakura's social life far more than with the average Shinobi, regardless if the gesture was appreciated or not. Though Shikamaru thought that might be part of the problem, Sakura was apathetic to any of it. He suspected that work had been her refuge, but it had led her to overwork herself on a regular basis. The repeated collapsing from exhaustion had not helped her case and he could imagine the rest: Tsunade had pulled the brakes and given her a task that she couldn't achieve through simply training and exhausting her chakra. And binding Tatakai to her through slavery made him her responsibility. She could not get around the confrontation…

All in all Shikamaru had to admit that the strategy had a chance to work out. Only that Tsunade probably hadn't counted on the slave being a ninja, too… especially not of some ex-prestigious clan from Konoha itself. That part made things more complicated.

But the Hokage and Shikamaru would have to work with what they had. He was a ninja, whether they wanted or not, and so Tsunade had agreed to give this a try to see how Tatakai would handle himself. Them being teammates might even help her case, as the experiences usually forged closer relationships. The danger of losing someone close in battle might cause Sakura to distance herself further, though. Especially since Sakura experienced that before. It was a difficult position.

He still remembered Tsunade's words as she approved his plan.

„...You will have to report about the progress regularly. I'll allow you to judge the situation and act accordingly. No one will interfere as long as he does not compromise any of the official rules. I will inform Kakashi to have everyone report to you first on anything relating back to Tatakai. That way we will make sure that all information flows back to you. You have my blessings to carry out your plan. This is an unranked mission for now. Dismissed."

He hadn't yet been back to report the outcome of him being an Uchiha yet, he however had spoken to Kakashi about the status quo after their unplanned meeting at Sakura's. It had led him to wait for Kakashi as he spoke to the mission clerk about possible D-Ranks. And apparently a small scroll with instructions had already made it down and had been handed to the Jounin before negotiating about anything else. Kakashi had requested to report his discoveries up to that point after having arranged an assignment for the next day and had done so in the privacy of Shikamaru's living room.

Right now the Uchiha was on said D-Rank with Kakashi's team. They had worked out the details of the mission together and Kakashi was more than capable of handling the supervision of a potential threat. Gentle info-gathering was part of their job and while it wasn't Kakashi's mission, Shikamaru knew the Jounin would wage just as much as he knew he would be careful. He knew he could trust Kakashi for discretion in handling the matter. The report would be on his desk tomorrow, though possibly he'd even join them at the feast and gain a view on how it was going, then, already. It would start in a few hours after all. They'd decide about how to go from there.

Right now, he was busy mulling over Kakashi's last report. The man's sweep through Tatakai's files had certainly been enlightening in several aspects. There had been a chakra restraint in the form of a collar for one. One, that Sakura had 'conveniently' taken off without realizing its purpose. The Slave seal appeared to have a punishment function which they definitely would need to look into further, as the risk of activating it accidentally throughout a mission and compromise their safety was real and would have to be minimized.

No doubt that Tatakai knew its workings. Asking him directly about it would probably not lead anywhere though, he mused. After all, if they knew how it worked, they possibly could control him much more easily than if they were merely guessing. And Tatakai, being the lone warrior he was, would probably not give that up in favour of the group's or even his own safety. No promises would make him trust them.

And then, there was a most interesting fact that Kakashi had gleaned from the documents: Tatakai had not been alone upon capture. The records mentioned a brother.

It was interesting to see what Kakashi had come up with, as far as theories went, even though he had ended up on a false trail. Kakashi was reasonably suspicious and Shikamaru hadn't said anything to dissuade him. He hadn't shared his own theories, he hadn't shared the truth, he felt content with waiting and seeing how the situation developed. Shikamaru was also reasonably curious about the ANBU signs. The key to that probably lay in the identity of Tatakai's brother, and the Nara already had a couple of ideas how to obtain that information without involving the slave.

He also didn't want to wait too long to start working with the Uchiha: To find out what exactly he had been trying to research and how much help to provide. Furthermore he needed to decide on which missions to take him or have him accompany Kakashi.

Tatakai not being sworn to the village had to be taken into further consideration. They would do better to include him on missions that did not primarily feed off that oath. Tatakai was a lone fighter and didn't seem to have formed any attachment up till now. He would work alright, Shikamaru had seen the excitement and dare-say joy the other had when using chakra. Considering that Tatakai had been without it for a while, it was understandable. Still, they needed to figure out his skills and evaluate them as well as his loyalties. Good thing that as long as Sakura was alive and Tatakai's mistress, the slave could not just turn his back on them or run away either. He was bound.

But he really needed to figure out how the subjugation of the slave seal worked. For one, so they could use it to their advantage, but more importantly, so it would not interfere unexpectedly. Such things could be devastating when accidentally activated during a mission. He put asking Sai on his to-do-list in his mind, once he was back... The Nara doubted that they had an identical slave seal, considering Sai had been intended to become a ninja… but Sai was also very competent in Fujin-Jutsu, the Sealing-techniques, so he could probably figure it out if he had a good look at it.

In any case though, he should meet up with Tatakai soon, maybe over a game of Shogi. Right now he should probably finish up here and get down to the festival site if he wanted to be on time.

00000

Sasuke was in a sour mood, standing aside from their little group, he was still sulking. Why did she have to buy these clothes for him? Why couldn't he just refuse the gift? It only complicated matters for him. He didn't want to be here. Period.

"Hey Teme, let's check this out!"

Naruto's shout took him out of the dark clouds of his thoughts. This had to be the seventh attempt of him to include him by now.

"Dobe, I'm not interested."

"Come on, it will be fun and I'm hungry."

"No!" Sasuke freed his arm from Naruto's clutches. He was so not up for this. What was it with this guy?

They ended up going to a Dango stand, which dropped his mood even further.

"Tatakai, how much Dango would you like?"

Sasuke pierced her with his gaze, replying sourly: "None, I hate sweets."

That wasn't true. Things such as sweets weren't really worth being hated. But things like unwelcome and inconvenient memories were, like big brothers taking you out to eat Dango, even though they know you don't like them. That's what Sasuke really hated about it.

Instead of leaving him without any snack, as he said, Sakura started pestering him about getting something else. She ended up buying Okaka rice balls which he quietly ate.

After that, Naruto took him to check the parcour for the first time. Everything was still in place and they watched some kids who traveled through it. It really was safe and friendly… Naruto had told him that it didn't need around-the-clock supervision, as it wasn't supposed to be too dangerous. The kids were doing alright and Naruto seemed to know many of them on a personal basis.

00000

A red void everywhere, the colour reminded Sai of fresh blood and he didn't know what to think of that. The real world had faded as soon as those red swirling eyes had connected to his. The other had disappeared within.

"We are alone."

Sai froze. The voice could not be located and he noticed that he couldn't move anymore. Then, the brother suddenly appeared, right in front of him.

"Tsukuyomi is my world. I control it. We are here so we may talk freely. It's just you and me. Not even my companion can hear us in here."

Sai could do nothing but listen, he couldn't even move his eyelids.

"Beware though, if you lie, I will know. Therefore, if your mind is anything worth to you, don't try me." The man took a step forward, finally meeting Sai's eyes with his own red ones. "It won't end well for you."

Sai couldn't help but feel uneasy. He tried nodding and his body obeyed him again.

"I happen to know that the Hokage monitors your team and its members very closely. That includes Haruno Sakura, and it's the only reason I'm giving you a chance. How did you find me?"

"It wasn't by searching, if that's what you mean. You may not believe me, but it was a chance meeting. The only reason I turned in at this inn is because it's rainy and I'm returning from a mission, that was all the intention I had."

"Why did you talk to me? If Danzo wasn't the reason, which I still have a hard time to believe, then what was your motivation?"

"I didn't expect you to know about Danzo and suspect me acting on his order. Had I known, I might have approached you differently, but that doesn't matter. I did it because I thought you should know where your brother is. He misses you and he, in his position, can't go to search for you. But you can."

The man seemed to be listening closely, but he didn't respond to what Sai said. Instead he asked more questions.

"How did you meet my brother?"

Sai wasn't surprised. He had expected more questions about said brother and was glad that there was nothing confidential about that topic. He didn't want to know how his opposite would react the moment he was forced to refuse an answer.

"He was drawing you."

"Tell me about him. How is he now?" The question came without missing a beat, face unreadable.

"When I first met him, he looked like he was recovering from slight starvation. He was very determined to get his strength back. And he doesn't talk much."

Sai wished that the other would show some reaction. He couldn't get a read on the man. Did this man truly care for his brother? He had no time to come up with a plan to get him to show more than this cold expression. And somehow Sai knew that off-topic comments, the strategy he usually used, wouldn't be taken kindly.

"How did he end up in Konoha?"

"Ugly bought him. He is taken care of and even allowed to train." It ran through Sai's head briefly, that he didn't know of the other's intentions towards his brother, but the conversation's quick pace did not let him dwell on it...

"Why the nickname now?"

"I read a book about friendship, that mentioned the use of nicknames as an act of companionship. I decided to try it out."

"How do you call my brother?"

"Wannabe. He goes by Tatakai, though."

"Your nickname choices are questionable, but that aside. What did your friend buy him for?"

"Honestly, I don't know." And it was the truth. Sai didn't know. He wasn't sure if he would have dislodged this information, had he had it, though. It bordered on personal information, and surely the other didn't expect Sai to be willing to spill Sakura's every secret. He was already worried that he was endangering Sakura by giving out her name, though it would be simple enough to trail Tatakai to see where he lived and find this out from there… Then again, he knew that if he blatantly refused to share something he knew about, the other might get overly interested in it and try to find out by other means.

„What does he do now? What are his duties?"

It seemed he needn't have worried, the other changed topics himself.

"Uhm, as far as I know? He trains a lot in his freetime, but I think Ugly mainly has him do housework, which is kind of silly if I think about it."

"How so?" the man asked.

"Oh, it's just, the apartment is small and not a lot to take care of, and Ugly always managed to keep it at a tidy level before."

"I see. And she lets him train... Are you sure it's not on orders?"

"Pretty sure, I can see no reasons as to why Ugly would order something like that, plus I got the impression that she didn't know he was a ninja at first."

"Hmm." The other said thoughtfully, saying no more for the moment.

Sai still wasn't sure where to place this brother. He seemed interested enough in his brother's life, but Sai still couldn't get a read on him. Sai contemplated if he should ask some things himself before the other continued his interrogation. He really should use the chance of this moment to get some answers himself, smiling was said to help with everything, couldn't hurt to try.

"Hey Aniki?"

The man's eyes narrowed. "I'm not your brother, and not your boss either… Quit that fake smiling of yours."

"You haven't given me a name to call you by, not that it matters. You're Wannabe's brother, so 'Aniki' it is until I get another name." Sai dropped the smile, and was regarding the man with calculating eyes, waiting for any reaction to go by. But really, dealing with people, especially when emotions were involved, still wasn't one of his strong points. The other barely reacted, apparently deciding to let the name-calling slide.

"Your question?" The red-eyed man's voice was cold, but it seemed that he'd at least hear him out.

"Do you miss your brother? Did you search for him?"

"Yes I do, and yes I did search when I could. How about you? You mentioned a brother, too..."

Sai stared at the other. This man was quick to divert the subject away from him. He wondered about the reasons for that. Was it to distract? Or was this some underhanded strategy to see if he could be trusted? He wasn't going to lie, nor was he going to tell a sob story, just the plain truth.

"My brother is dead."

"Did Danzo make you kill him?" The red eyes were staring at him, calculating, as he uncaringly prodded for personal matters.

"He tried, but Shin died before that."

"The effect was the same though, wasn't it?..."

00000

Team Seven had met up with some others of their academy generation and their respective Sensei, so the group was considerably larger when Naruto returned with Sasuke in tow. They had been spotted and Ino was coming over.

"Hey Naruto, Tatakai! It's been a while. Sorry about last time, I'll keep myself in check now."

Sasuke stood there, hands crossed inside his wide sleeves, staring at her impassively.

"So have you settled in?"

He didn't answer.

"Oh come on Ino, he's obviously not interested in talking to you, just leave him be." Naruto butted in. Ino sent him a dirty glare.

"Hey Naruto!" Kakashi called out just then and Naruto went over, leaving Sasuke alone with her.

"So how do you like Konoha so far?"

Sasuke walked past Ino, joining his team standing in front of yet another food stand.

"... how about this: you Kakashi go and try it." Sakura's voice was mocking. Naruto agreed laughing. Sasuke may have joined them, but he really didn't care what they were talking about, just using them as a shield.

His luck ran out again just a few short minutes later when Shikamaru tapped him on the shoulder.

"Good evening Tatakai... Sakura, I'd like to meet up with Tatakai tomorrow. When can you spare him?" Shikamaru addressed Sakura.

"Oh, we have clean up duty here tomorrow morning, and our team will train in the afternoon, so maybe somewhere around noon sometimes, or in the evening? Really, it doesn't matter to me… Why don't you discuss it with Tatakai himself? I don't know what he had planned."

"Alright, so Tatakai, how about 11am at my house over a play of Shogi?"

"Whatever."

Shikamaru regarded him with a weary smile: "Great then, see you tomorrow."

Shikamaru and Sasuke turned towards the others again. Kakashi was currently talking with Shikamaru's Sensei, Asuma, and for once, the matter of conversation turned out to be interesting.

"Ugh, shit, time flies." He was startled out of listening by Naruto's exclamation. "Tatakai, we gotta go… The fireworks are supposed to start in a few minutes."

00000

"The effect was the same though, wasn't it?..."

Itachi knew that it had been cruel to state this, but he did want to see if the other showed reactions to a subject he'd presented as 'dear' to him. Sai didn't seem fazed, just as Itachi would expect from a Root member. When one was looking for it, though, one could see more: It was minimal, but the eyes did cloud over in sadness for a moment. Then Sai's lips hesitantly twitched into a gentle smile.

„Shin allowed me the easy way out. He admitted that he was going to die either way, he was chronically ill, but I didn't have to make the killing blow." He fell quiet.

Itachi held his gaze steadily trailed on the Root member before him. Kisame couldn't hear them within the Tsukiyomi, despite being in the same room physically, and Itachi did want to know more. Sai was tipping his head ever so slightly within the illusion. Were Sai's intentions as pure as they seemed, or was there an underhanded reason as to why he'd reached out after all?

„I still wonder about your genuinity. It's risky to approach an unknown, especially someone likely to be a ninja. It's especially unwise to seek out an unknown ninja alone. Even if my brother is your friend, how can it be worth the risk for you to tell me, and personally, too? Your appearance seems more like a warning of Danzo wanting to control me through my brother."

Sai was quiet for a moment, contemplating on how he could explain this before he spoke. He'd hardly ever put personal intentions into words, it was kind of hard to make sense of, but eventually he boiled it down to this:

"Aniki, your brother misses you! You two still have a chance to be together. I don't. My brother is gone."

The boy smiled again. It seemed his way to cope when he was unsure of how to react. Itachi could not detect any signs that the other was acting, it was too weird an expression to support an act to hide something, and the other didn't seem to be aware of it either.

"So you don't want to see that happen again if you can help it."

Sai only nodded.

"What if I don't want to meet my little brother?"

And there it was, the thing Sai had worried about. Essentially, there were only two kinds of people in this world: friends and foes. Of course, Sai would have hoped to meet someone caring, but it had been a gamble. Was this man a friend to Sai because of his connection to Tatakai, or was he an enemy despite? Was he even well-meaning towards his own brother? Aniki hadn't truly dislodged any info about his own loyalties. The red eyes seemed to see right through him.

"Then I at least tried."

Itachi took in the answer with mild satisfaction. The other had seemed honest up till now and the pieces of information all fit together pretty well. Another sign that he had spoken the truth. It was kind of moving, the boy seemed to try to give him a chance to do something he no longer could. He was trying to give him a chance to reconnect... Itachi wished he could. Too sad things were as they were.

Itachi decided to be honest:

"The relationship between my brother and I is very strained. I've done some things to protect him and he hates me for what I've done. It's understandable that he would, too. He didn't know there was a threat in the first place, and I have my reasons for never telling him, so please don't mention this to him. Furthermore, I have failed him the past three years and I'm not sure where we stand today. Do you really think he wants me back in his life?" The voice was factual, not desperate. He wanted to know how this boy thought he could go make a difference, and it was a question he honestly wondered about.

"Yes, I truly think he does. He was trying to draw you. He asked me if I had seen you, once I tried to show him how to improve his drawing. He even asked to keep the portrait."

„And if my presence in his life brings him more turmoil than peace? Do you still think I should put myself back into his life?"

„Why don't you give him a chance to decide this by himself?"

Itachi's lips twitched… if only it was so simple… But it was interesting to see the nearly emotionless Root member show a glimpse of honest passion. Itachi knew that he had forced the boy to reveal more than he'd been comfortable with to make his story believable. Itachi still wasn't sure if he could believe it in its entirety, but he'd definitely verify his brother's owner. If it really was Haruno Sakura, the Hokage's apprentice, then it was likely that Danzo didn't have a hand in it. And it would be harder for Danzo to get to Sasuke if the Hokage had an eye on him.

Itachi had avoided a straight out interrogation, he'd focused on how the boy would respond to suggestions, he did ask questions, sometimes moral questions, but he had tried not to corner the boy. It had already proven to be fruitful.

"What's the name you go by?"

"Sai" The boy's voice was calm, he was just stating a fact.

"So Sai, you're the one assigned by Danzo, to guard Naruto, the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails, right? Knowing Danzo, I assume there is a standing order to eliminate him, should he ever become a threat to the village?!" Itachi carefully regarded the other's reactions, knowing the other would not answer verbally. The signs that he had hit the mark, they were minimal, but there. It was sad to have it confirmed. He dug deeper:

"Would you do it? Would you turn against Naruto if he turned into a threat? Would you turn against a friend?" Itachi cocked his head ever so slightly, still piercing the other with his Sharingan.

"I don't know if I could." Sai sounded genuine. Itachi was testing the boy's intentions further, how he'd deal with loyalty in different situations, with different people. Once he had enough answers, he'd decide if he'd go through with the plan he'd been formulating in his mind.

"Are you loyal to Konoha?"

"Yes."

"Are you loyal to Danzo?"

"He is my master, I have to be."

"Are you loyal to your friends?"

"Hai."

"Will you be loyal to my brother?"

"I will be, as long as he doesn't turn against us."

"How far would you go to ensure he wouldn't turn against you?"

Sai squinted his eyes a bit at that, trying to figure out what Itachi meant and how to answer most appropriately. Itachi clarified:

"Would you kill him? Would you manipulate him? Would you turn him in?"

"It would depend on what I think as necessary."

"Good" Itachi could live with that for now. He moved on: "What do you know of the Uchiha Massacre?"

Sai seemed unfazed by the sudden change of subject. He took a moment to answer: "Cause unknown, it is assumed to have been an internal quarrel. There were no survivors."

Sai stared at him, searching for clues Itachi knew he wouldn't find. But he wouldn't need them anyway, Itachi would share what he wanted him to know verbally, he'd make himself clear well enough and it was time to do so now.

"There is something my little brother should never find out... His family was killed on orders. Do you know what I mean?..."

He quizzically watched Sai before continuing.

"Yes, we are Uchiha... I killed everyone but my little brother..."

Sai hid it well, but Itachi was sure he was clicking puzzle pieces together now… good.

"I used to work for Danzo and that meant working together with Root. The order concerning the massacre was not sanctioned by the Hokage and came from Danzo himself. I, therefore, acted as a Root-member that day. The mission was top secret and I won't dislodge the reasons behind it as they don't concern you, but I told you what I did for a reason."

Sai didn't betray any emotion, he had dropped his smile indefinitely a while ago, and had been listening closely. Itachi approved.

"As you well know, Root is an organisation that carries out missions that are morally questionable. More often than not, they are kept secret or covered up for the public eye. If the truth of the Uchiha Massacre came out to the public, it would not look good on Konoha's records. My brother will start digging if given the chance. And if word got out that there were survivors, others might, too." Sai's eyes had widened a tiny bit, just enough to show that he indeed realized what that meant.

"My brother knows that I killed the clan and he hates me for it. I let him believe that I simply snapped that day and that there was nothing more to it. I'm afraid he's suspicious of me though."

"You want me to keep him from finding out the truth..." Sai said, voice hoarse.

"Yes, I told you so you know what to watch out for… I destroyed a lot of evidence, but if someone knows what to look for, they still might piece some of it together. I'd appreciate it if you could lead my little brother astray should he come too close to the truth." Sai quietly nodded in agreement.

"I'd also like you to deliver a message to my little brother. Think of this as a wa0y to keep him busy from digging. Tell him I said this: He should make it his mission to protect Naruto. Tell him to protect Naruto from me!"

Sai had obviously not expected this, his reply was reluctant, unsure. "... yes."

"There is one more message I'd like you to deliver. This one for Danzo: code-name Weasel, ANBU. If you as much as touch my brother, I will pass on classified Village intel to every enemy nation." Itachi held Sai's gaze captured, making sure he'd remember. He said nothing more.

"I'll do what you asked me to." Sai finally said and Itachi nodded.

"Good… I'll knock you out and return you to your room, it will keep Kisame's suspicions at bay. You won't see us again tomorrow… Alright then, is there any trap that I should be aware of, while bringing you back to your quarters?"

Sai shook his head and in a moment's notice, the world ceased to exist and Sai lost all senses.

00000

Sasuke stared after the last of the Hanabi, the firework which Naruto had just released. It had been the fanciest. No doubt that was the reason Naruto had saved it for last. Suppressing a sigh, he sat down, enjoying the cool nights breeze. For once the blonde was quiet and Sasuke was glad for it. When Naruto later suggested they patrol the parcours once more before meeting up with the others, he wordlessly got up and followed.

Their group stayed at the festival until most activity had died down at one in the morning. There were no children around to take the obstacle course anymore, therefore Naruto took Sasuke for a patrol one last time and they parted ways after that. But not before deciding to meet up at 7 a.m. the next morning to disable and dismantle the obstacle course then.

The walk home with Sakura was quiet for the most part. Sasuke didn't initiate conversation, and Sakura didn't either. At least not until they had reached the doorstep of her apartment.

"Thank you for coming along today, I know you didn't want to, so thank you for going anyway."

Sakura saw him smirk, it wasn't a happy thing, more like a bitter amusement, which just cemented her impression of his unwillingness.

"Well then, Oyasumi, sleep well."

"Hn" She had opened the door and let herself in, disappearing in her room just a moment later. They briefly crossed ways again in the bathroom, just as Sasuke was finishing up there. She had already changed out of the traditional robes and was in her pajamas, he went to his rooms to change as well. Carefully folding the pieces of clothing, he put them away, laying down in bed afterwards.

The festival indeed had brought up many memories. Especially of the times he'd gone with Itachi. He turned to the nightstand to grab his sketchbook, flipping it open to reveal Sai's drawing.

He might finally have a chance to start looking for his brother. Finally a chance to research what might have set his brother off that day. He wasn't sure what to think of Shikamaru yet. The guy was intelligent, very much so, he must also have more resources and seemed willing to keep quiet about his identity. At least for now. However Sasuke felt forced with sharing and it wasn't like he'd ever asked for help either, it had been thrust upon him. He had the strong suspicion that the other wanted to find out about him that way and he didn't like that thought at all.

It crossed his mind that he should probably start thinking of what information to give the other, and which to hold back, if he should reveal anything at all... Did he need to mention that there was only one murderer? That would tell Shikamaru to beware of Itachi's strength. Would that keep them off Itachi's back or would it strengthen their focus on possibly eliminating the threat? Should he tell him it was his brother whom he was looking for? Or should he present him as merely the killer of his clan without any relations to him?

How much of his past would he need to share to get results? He honestly hated these thoughts. He'd never talked about all this with anyone… Did he even want to dig all that up? He wasn't sure...

00000

The morning came swiftly and Sasuke was running late making breakfast. They ate in silence, hurrying the eating, then quickly exited the apartment.

Naruto was already waiting, Kakashi was nowhere in sight. Sasuke was still tired and quite grumpy, he therefore was quick to rise to the bait when Naruto challenged him to a Taijutsu battle. Kakashi ended up standing next to Sakura, who was watching the two, some time later.

"They seem to understand each other well enough." He quietly commented. Sakura agreed in an equally quiet manner and they watched them a little while longer. It was really astonishing how much Naruto had improved since getting under the tutelage of both Kakashi and Jiraiya. It had been a good thing that Naruto had never been easy to kill, even when they had started out. The Academy had not taught him well. They had to break up a lot of bad habits. Kakashi cut off his thought process and called out to them.

"Alright you two, let's go."

00000

Naruto assigned everyone little jobs and soon they were taking the obstacle course apart. They were working in teams of two again, but as he and Sasuke both knew the key points since having been the ones to build the obstacle course in the first place, he split up differently. It was how Sasuke and Sakura ended up working together and she couldn't help but notice the difference of atmosphere with him. While he still acted the same for the most part, he seemed to be in a slightly better mood today. She wondered why but was holding back the questioning not to dampen his mood. She knew him well enough by now to know that he wouldn't appreciate digging around. That should make him feel more comfortable and then again, she hadn't wanted to get too involved with him.

Yes, she'd bought him, but she'd done so on orders. Orders she still didn't understand, and she didn't want to take things out on him. He should be allowed some freedom, and she, as his "mistress", wasn't suitable for a friendship anyway. Of course she was curious, but it was better if she kept him at a distance now, only occasionally trying conversation and leaving it be when he didn't participate. They had fallen into a comfortable routine and she felt compelled to change it up, especially if just to satisfy her own curiosity.

She must have spaced off, because Tatakai was regarding her with a critical gaze. She smiled apologetically before resuming her activity. He hardly spoke, and if he did, it was only instructions. He had adapted to being in charge surprisingly easy. Especially considering she was officially his master. She kept her thoughts to herself though and when they were finally done, it was already ten o'clock.

And so Sasuke found himself in front of the mission desk just a few minutes later. Sakura and the other two were standing beside him as Kakashi reported their mission as finished to the mission clerk. Sasuke just waited for a sign for him to be dismissed, already thinking about the upcoming appointment with Shikamaru.

"Tatakai?... Here!" He looked up to stare at Sakura's hand, which was holding out money to him. Sasuke looked up bewildered to witness the other two pocketing their share, too. Right, the mission fee. He had not expected to get a share. Counting it with his eyes, he took it hesitatingly.

"I know it's not a whole lot, but this was just a D-Rank, those don't have that great of a paycheck."

He just nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Alright let's go. And Tatakai, don't forget your meeting with Shikamaru."

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Itachi stared down at the crumbled person in front of him just for a moment before the pain in his eyes grew so overwhelming that he gave in to the urge to close them. He felt slightly dizzy.

"So, what was that supposed to be?" Kisame scrutinized Itachi, then returned his attention to the ninja on the ground. "I thought you were only going to use these eyes in an emergency. Was erasing his memory really necessary?!" He prodded Sai with his foot, then looked up again to check up on Itachi.

"You overdid it again."

Itachi didn't reply, only held onto the wall in an attempt to keep more steady. The worst would pass soon and there was no enemy to keep up appearances for, even though he could if needed.

"Why don't you sit down. Just tell me what you've planned for this guy here."

Itachi complied, heading over to the bed. "Just bring him to his room, he'll be asleep for a while. It's the one on the left. Also, we will leave early tomorrow."

Kisame sighed, then picked up the figure on the ground and left the room.

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Sasuke was waiting for Shikamaru to open the gates to the Nara residence. He'd contemplated options and possible ways to go about the pending discussion on the whole way there, but he hadn't gotten any farther than when he had started out. He of course knew what he wanted. He wanted to find his brother first and foremost. Plus he wanted to find out what had driven his otherwise gentle brother to do what he'd done. If there had been a cause to his madness…. and while Sasuke hated to admit, he'd been stuck in his research. Looking at it now, it might not be so bad to have a second set of eyes working with him. And Shikamaru was intelligent. As long as there was no reason for him to believe that he'd go against Konoha, Sasuke knew his secret would be 'safe'. Still, he did not like the way he was forced to accept help.

The door had opened and a tired looking Shikamaru was inviting him inside. Sasuke already knew the way and just a short while later they both sat at the Shogi table. Honestly, Sasuke had no idea what to say. But the Nara hadn't expected him to start anyway.

"So, how was the mission yesterday?" The question earned Shikamaru a sharp gaze, the unwillingness to unreel that story rightnow was obvious. It was a good thing that the Nara was lazy and therefore didn't particularly care that Sasuke didn't answer. He simply set up the game, letting his guest make the first move.

"I thought of starting up my part of the deal." Shikamaru found Tatakai locking eyes with him, the stare as burning as ever. "Have you thought about how I could help you?" The Uchiha's eyes flashed. Now that Shikamaru knew about the danger of it, he reflexively tried to turn away at the first hint of red.

"Face me!" Tatakai's voice was calm, but had a dark tint to it, a testing quality. Shikamaru's thoughts turned high speed, as he went through different scenarios this could end in. Tatakai had nothing to gain by using the Sharingan right now. Everyone knew about this meeting, a move against his person would be too risky for Tatakai to try. He raised his gaze, meeting the Sharingan unflinchingly. The other smirked.

'Good'

Tatakai's gaze flickered back to the board, taking a while before carrying out his next move. Shikamaru countered with a practiced laziness, moving his attention back to Tatakai, who was meeting his gaze. The eyes were back to their inky black, though Shikamaru saw them swirl again right then, the red colour vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared.

'I don't want to involve anyone.' The words had been carefully chosen and weren't followed by another statement. Shikamaru wondered how exactly this mind-invading thought transfer worked, he had a hunch that the other used the Sharingan for it.

"If you're not giving me information, how are you expecting me to help, would you like to discuss mission handling instead?"

Tatakai was clearly unwilling on both subjects. Probably unsure, though not directly scared.

"Look, I won't just do something without your consent, I'll leave it up to you how to handle what is your business, as long as it doesn't breach village security. If you want my help then you have to give me something to work with, though."

"I never asked for your help." Tatakai's spoken words were sharp.

"No, but you simply don't have the resources I have." He needn't point out more, Sasuke was quite aware of that fact himself.

"And how are you going to define if something is a village security matter? Officially, I'm considered dead. You already judge me as a possible threat to keep an eye on. If I tell you anything suspicious at all, especially if it is out of your immediate sight, what will you do?"

"I will do nothing. You have been a slave for three years now, right? Kakashi told me a bit about your files. Yes, he looked through them. You have been cut off and out of the loop for long enough that, while your information may be interesting, it is most likely outdated and not relevant any longer. And I already know about you and your brother's existence." Sasuke's gaze narrowed sharply.

"It was mentioned in your files." In no hurry, the lazy ninja leaned back. Tatakai's face showed a mixture of surprise and displeasure at the repeated mention of the slave files, though he tried to hide it.

"Fine…" Tatakai paused. When he met his gaze again, there was icy determination in his eyes. "If you really want to help me, then get me the Uchiha Clan files."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. All ninja files are classified. Deceased or not."

"Too bad. Then you're no use to me..."

Shikamaru knew that the other's brash words were both, to either challenge him to do so anyway, or to get him to leave the matter alone if he didn't bring what he asked for. It was unlikely to get any decent answers out of him right now. That didn't keep Shikamaru from trying though, and he already knew how.

"Why do you want to read them? They won't bring your family back."

"Hn…"

"Don't you want to find your brother?" Shikamaru paused for effect, before adding: "Or is he dead?"

And for the first time, Tatakai looked away. His eyes instead darted over the Shogi board, as if distracting himself by the game.

"I don't know." The honesty was followed by a short silence that filled the room between them.

"You don't know if you want to find him? Or you don't know if he's dead?"

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Back in her apartment, Sakura was flipping through her journals. The quietness of her home was somewhat pressing, but also finally allowing her thoughts to wander. She was having too much time at hand, and still had no idea as to why Tatakai would be her key in being allowed to work in the hospital again. Was he supposed to make sure she ate and slept on a regular basis? Admitted, his presence helped to not forget, nor ignore those necessary parts of life. And it was kind of nice to return and have a home cooked meal ready. Then again, it reminded her too much…

He was healthy now, at least from a medical point of view. And he'd opened up quite a bit after that talk with Shikamaru. Well, at least to the point of responding verbally.

It was weird, her home felt empty right now, more empty than it had before he'd arrived. There were no indicators around that told of him living here. He didn't leave anything laying around, not that she minded his orderliness. Was she already starting to miss his presence?

He was only over at Shikamaru's, he wasn't gone. She shouldn't be feeling this way, this was no good. And she had been so careful to not get closer to him. Him being a slave, was binding enough already. She didn't want to become the one binding him. This couldn't be what Tsunade had intended, was it? It was dangerous to have one person become your safe haven. And anyway, it had turned out that he was a ninja, and would now be working together with them. He would be out in the field with her team, out in danger. He seemed capable, but she still knew next to nothing about him.

And Tsunade had already decided to include him. She couldn't keep him from the field. How did this even work? There was no oath, no agreement from him to risk his life for them or their cause.

She looked down at the journal page, not really reading it. He had seemed to enjoy the exercise, the use of chakra. Would he turn out to be one of those ninja who enjoyed killing? He seemed to like battle well enough.

What would she do if he got injured, killed? He was her charge, as stupid as it sounded. Weren't masters supposed to also protect their slaves? Shouldn't that be payment for their work?

She was a medic-nin. While it wasn't unavoidable to be in battle, she was supposed to be in the back, to heal her teammates, should they need it. She wasn't supposed to jump in mindlessly to shield him. Should she try to teach him medical Ninjutsu, so he could possibly heal himself? Would he have the discipline and control to learn it? Would he even want to?

Sai's master wasn't really the prime example in how to act as an owner. He had provided Sai with a good education to survive, but the price had been high. Too high. Mentally, Sai was scarred for life. Then again, so was she… Their profession was not a forgiving one. Only had she chosen this once upon a time. Sai had been raised into it as well. But Tatakai? Who knew about his background, except he himself?

How had they ended up here? Would she have to steel herself once more, to not be caught unprepared?

She really needed to know if he could take care of himself! And she needed to know more about him, not for her own curiosity anymore, but for his safety.

This was not what she'd wanted. Right now she'd rather not know anything about him at all. This could only become harder and she wasn't feeling up to it anymore.

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The first thing coming to his mind upon drifting into consciousness was that there shouldn't be light seeping through his eyelids. Sai slowly lifted his head, registering that he was back in his room at the inn. It seemed to be somewhen later in the morning, for the sun was already far high up in the sky. Later than he had planned to leave originally. This made him quickly roll out of bed to start packing.

Thinking of his encounter with Wannabe's brother, he had certainly not expected this outcome; The fact that they were Uchiha; That there were still some left that had managed to stay hidden, in exile. He hadn't expected to hear the right-out truth about the massacre. The other would not have lied, he was too familiar with Danzo's schemes. The drastic measures he described fit entirely too well.

After leaving his room, everything neatly in place, he had felt for chakra and sound in the chamber next door. The invisible barrier was down, 'they' were gone.

He checked out quickly, getting back on track towards Konoha. He had no motivation to linger anywhere to draw anymore. There were more pressing matters to attend to, now. Traveling at a higher speed than before, he quietly mulled over the conversation he'd had with code-name: Weasel, ANBU. Time seemed to pass more quickly, but brought no new insights. He'd deliver the messages, there was no reason not to.

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A/N: This chapter was getting so long (I pushed hard to get it out) that I decided to split it. Even though now it is quite a bit shorter than the last, I hope the added complexity of the story will make up for it.

Reviews would motivate me greatly to keep pushing to get chapters out, even if life gets busier. So maybe? Please?

Thanks for all those who reviewed! I really do appreciate it.

Also, this chapter was very daring for me to write, since it is so obviously swaying from Canon now… I often felt a bit insecure but at the same time, it led to me planning out a lot before writing… which ultimately helped me put the act together. I hope you like the outcome, even though it probably was rather unexpected.
Edit: I extended The Sai-Itachi parts after talking it over with a friend as to how to do it.