Three Weeks Later
Kakashi knew something was wrong the instant he stepped out of his apartment before the sun rose. It was in the air, the slightly mournful tone that the birds seemed to adopt, a gloominess that blanketed the village. Instincts honed by a decade of war screamed trouble at him. A quick double back to check up on his sleeping son did little to assuage the inexplicable sense of foreboding that lingered at the back of his mind. Chalking it up to his paranoia, Kakashi went about his morning exercise routine, clearing five rounds about the village. Try as he might, he simply could not shake off the feeling of wrongness, that something terrible was about to erupt.
It was a restless and jumpy Jōnin that returned to his apartment, just as the sun was poking above the Hokage monument. Naruto was already awake, quickly throwing together breakfast for the two of them. On any other day Kakashi would have marveled at his son's discipline and responsibility, but today, he just could not put himself at ease.
"Morning, Naru-kun. Something on today? You seem excited." Kakashi ruffled his hair affectionately. His son broke out into an eye smile, cerulean eyes glittering.
"Ohaiyo, Otou-chan! Sasuke invited me over to play ninja with him and Itachi-nii yesterday!! I wanted to ask last night, but you came home too late.."
Naruto's bubbly persona was infectious, but couldn't help the pang of guilt that Kakashi felt. He had been working late, writing a report for Shikaku about a previous, week long mission he had undertaken in Sound, and had only returned home long after Naruto's bedtime.
"Of course you can. Itachi-san will pick the both of you up?"
"Hai! Itachi-nii took an off day from whatever it is he does, he said he wants to play ninja with us too!" Kakashi choked down the cynical snort that threatened to spill out. Uchiha Itachi, the insanely prodigious ninja that had beaten his record by a full year, becoming ANBU Captain at age 13, had no business "playing Ninja." Still, it was heartwarming, though a little odd, to hear how close Naruto had become to the Uchiha siblings. Kakashi never had close friends when he was Naruto's age, a fact that contributed majorly to his anti-social nature growing up.
"Well that's good to hear. Remember your manners, thank Uchiha-dono and Mikoto-san. They're being very kind to allow you into the clan compound. I'll pick you up just after sunset" Kakashi reminded his cheerful boy. The blonde gave him a thumbs up, before heading back to his room to dress for the day.
The sun broke over the Hokage Monument, signaling the start of a new day in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Naruto hollered his goodbye even as he bolted through the door, already breaking into a run. He combined his travel to school with his morning exercise to save time, a fact that amused Kakashi to no end. The Jōnin savored his tea, mulling over the ominous feeling in his gut. It had never been wrong before.
The school bell rang, a shrill, piercing note that shattered Naruto's intense focus on the single blunted shuriken he was spinning on the tip of his pointer finger. Beside him, Sasuke jolted awake, his dozing interrupted by the end of school. Iruka-sensei eyes the two boys suspiciously, before announcing the end of classes for the day. There was an uncontrollable rampage as dozens of eight year olds scrambled for the single door, proclaiming the end of the school week in high pitched voices and animated movements.
The two friends moved far more sedately, taking their time to pack their belongings neatly, before bowing politely to their Sensei. Iruka allowed them a kind smile, before chasing them out. Three weeks into the start of the school term, and Iruka had already come to the conclusion that the two boys were far too advanced to be in his class. The Hatake boy had his father's talent in spades, and Sasuke looked every bit as precocious as his renowned elder brother. Both were on track to graduate within the year, and nothing Iruka could teach really interested or challenged the two prodigies. It was why he afforded them so much leniency, tolerating their barely concealed inattention and boredom. It helped that they were always polite and respectful, unlike the loud mouthed Inuzuka, or the shrill, childish Haruno and Yamanaka girls. Konoha couldn't help but produce freakishly talented kids every few years or so, it seemed.
"Sooo what are we going to do Sasuke? Tou-chan said I could stay till sunset, so we have plenty of time to play! You think Itachi-san will show us some cool jutsu?" Naruto couldn't contain his glee, the two boys waiting impatiently in the academy quadrangle.
"Well we'll just have to ask him when he comes to pick us. I don't think he'll let us, though. Nii-san is really careful around me. All of his jutsu are really dangerous." Sasuke did a better job of hiding his excitement. He really did like Hatake Naruto. The boy was talented enough to keep up with him, well-mannered and polite, knew his brother, and was a marvelously fun guy to be around.
Itachi's arrival was dignified, the prodigy entering the Academy grounds at a measured walk. He had changed into the standard Konohan Jōnin uniform, after all there was no need to stand out so starkly in his ANBU fatigues.
"Naruto-kun, Otouto, ready to go?" Itachi's soft-spoken, deliberate mannerisms always impressed Naruto. It was so ninja-like!
"Yatta! I can't wait! Let's get going Sasuke, we're burning daylight!"
"Mizuki-san, thank you for watching over my brother." Itachi bowed respectfully to the Chūnin who was minding the waiting kids. The silver haired Chūnin quickly bowed back, stammering his response. The rambunctious boys were off before he finished, tearing down the street at speeds that surprised even the experienced Chūnin. Truly, freakishly talented.
The motley trio arrived at the entrance to the clan compound within minutes, their mad rush through the village drawing some attention. It was not everyday you saw the Uchiha clan heir, for the lack of a better description, babysitting, but the contentedness on his face was clear to see. He didn't have to exert much effort to keep up with the energetic boys, anyway.
The guard at the gate, one of Itachi's third cousins that he could barely recall the name of, offered only token resistance before letting the two boys through. Naruto drew some suspicious looks, but no one would whisper a word against the younger Hatake. Not with Itachi's specter hovering right behind him.
It was an odd pair that the two made. Itachi, freshly promoted to Chūnin, had been one of the first to respond to Naruto's kidnapping, and had gotten injured delaying one of his kidnappers, a particularly bothersome Iwa Jōnin, before Kakashi had descended on the rest of the Iwa kill-team like the Shinigami himself. Since then, the blonde child had admired Itachi as a badass ninja that was only five years his senior, and often tried to copy the elder Uchiha's mannerisms. Itachi didn't mind, the boy was fun to be around, and made a superb friend for Sasuke.
They made a beeline for the Main Branch household located in the center of the Uchiha District. Naruto was quickly taking in the sights and sounds of his best friend's home, and was amazed.
"Wow! Sasuke your home is so cool! You have a supermarket, and a ninja weapons store, and a ramen place, and even a library! Are they all run by Uchihas?"
"Baka, there aren't hundreds of Uchiha running around. Otou-sama calls them retainers, or something like that. They live on our land!"
"Like servants?" Naruto's eyes grew wide.
Itachi cut in, noting the haughty look Sasuke was giving.
"More like tenants. They provide the Uchiha family with goods and services, and in return we protect them, sponsor their children, and give them a more powerful voice in the Village Council." Itachi's explanation was helpful, but Sasuke deflated slightly. Naruto was still amazed.
"That's pretty awesome! You guys are like a small village in the village!" Itachi smiled
'If only the elders thought so.. oh the innocence of childhood..' his thoughts were far darker than his countenance showed. There was a palpable tension around the compound, and many of the Uchiha moved about cautiously, quietly. There was little commotion or buzz out in the streets, not that the two boys noticed. Itachi's last meeting with his father had spelled ill, and the entire compound felt like a powder keg ready to blow.
They arrived at the gate to the Main Family household. Here, the Clan Head, Uchiha Fugaku, and the his family resided. The boys stopped, taking time to compose themselves. Naruto knew his dad would be disappointed if he embarrassed himself, and Sasuke would rather die than lessen his own Father's face.
A familiar face stood guard, one that Itachi knew very well. Shunshin no Shisui, Itachi's best friend and distant cousin grinned affectionately at the sight of his cousins and their friend.
"Your father is expecting you, Itachi, Sasuke-outoto. I'm surprised he allowed Hatake's son into the compound."
"Careful, Shisui. Naruto-san is right here you know. And it was my mother who insisted." Itachi gave him a reproachful look.
Naruto only beamed, "My apologies on behalf of my father, Uchiha-san! He too finds it strange that Fugaku-dono would allow me to come, but Sasuke and I are such good friends…" his smile trailed off.
Shisui returned his smile, before waving them along.
"I understand, Naruto-san. I too wish that the Uchiha would have better relations with the Village at large."
The trio swept by him, but Itach stopped briefly, fingers flickering in rapid code. Shisui replied instantly. It had only taken a moment, but Shisui straightened, and in the glow of the magnificent late afternoon Konohan sun, his eyes flickered crimson, almost unnoticeable.
It was the last time the two Uchiha would speak.
"Itakadimasu!!" Naruto and Sasuke crowed in unison, echoed warmly by Itachi and Uchiha Mikoto. Uchiha Fugaku merely inclined his head, before breaking his chopsticks and picking up a piece of fish to go with his fragrant rice.
"Snakehead?" Fugaku raised an immaculate eyebrow. The fish was rare in Fire Country, found mainly in the freshwater rivers and lagoons that dotted the mountains of Lightning Country.
Mikoto smiled. "Kokoro-chan found some on sale in the Village Market district this morning, and brought some back to the compound. I thought it would be nice to let Naruto-chan try some. It's not everyday we have snakehead in this part of the Elemental Nations!"
Naruto had the good grace to blush, partly out of embarrassment and partly at the beauty of Sasuke's mother.
"Ah.. Arigato gozaiumasu, Mikoto-obasan!" His voice adopted an almost singsong quality, manners drilled into him by his father taking over.
Mikoto tilted her head back, even in laughter remaining dignified and keeping her poise.
"Oh, Naruto-chan, you are such a well-mannered little gentleman, aren't you! But please, call me Mikoto-san. I'm not that old!"
Naruto's blush intensified, and for the briefest moment he thought he had given the Uchiha matriarch offense, but the laughter and amusement all around him made it clear he was being teased. He scratched the back of his head abashedly, trying to maintain his composure.
"Ah, I'm so rude, disturbing our little Naruto-chan like this. Please, everyone enjoy the meal!" Mikoto again spoke, and with that, the ruling family of the largest clan in Konoha and their unlikely guest began eating dinner in earnest.
"I'm curious, Naruto-chan. How do you manage to fit the food into your mouth with the mask on?" Mikoto's voice was full of amazement at how the boy had already dispensed of half his bowl of rice without ever showing his face.
"Ahahaha.. Otou-san taught me how, but it's a clan secret." Naruto nervously chuckled, fingering unconsciously at the corner of his face mask. Mikoto smiled warmly at him, before urging him to continue eating.
They had eaten their fill, and Fugaku had retired to his study to continue his work when Naruto and Sasuke had headed out to the Sakura Gardens to play. Itachi accompanied them, indulging his little brother and his best friend. There was little he could do to take his mind off of the looming calamity, but if anything could, it was spending time with his precious people. The Hatake boy was refreshing to be around as well. His bubbly nature was contagious, and could bring smiles to even the strained atmosphere around the clan compound.
The shadows had grown long, and the sun near setting when the boys finally lay down on the soft earth, exhausted. They had been busy doing things that only boys would enjoy, roughhousing in the soil, playing at being elite Jōnin rescuing a princess, before pretending to be estranged rivals fighting for the future of the Shinobi world. The spar had been brief, for the boys were already growing tired by then. Itachi watched over them, occasionally pointing out the ludicrous nature of some of the made up Ninjutsu they used, and other times correcting their Taijutsu forms.
"That was awesome!! You think otou-sama will let us do this again?" Sasuke grinned. Itachi could not help but pat his little brother on the head, drawing an undignified squawk of protest.
"I'm sure he will, otouto. Little Naruto is such a fun guy to be around, isn't he?"
"Yea.. you're my best friend, Naruto! We're going to grow up together, and we're going to kick ass together! I'm going to be Hokage, and you can be my Jōnin Commander!"
Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but the words never got out.
An absolutely crushing pressure crashed down all around them, forcing the two boys onto the ground. Itachi moved, faster than the two boys could comprehend, pushing them flat on the ground, just as a blade, speeding faster than the eye could see slashed through where he had been standing.
"Stay down!" Itachi hissed at the boys, but he didn't need to. The Killing Intent that saturated the air had completely paralyzed the children. Itachi snarled in rage. To be attacked in his own home, in the sacred grounds of the Uchiha Compound itself? Even the Senju had not dared!
His Sharingan came to life, the world slowing to a crawl. All was known to him as he blurred forward, kunai in hand. His eyes had never failed him, and he struck true, but his weapon found itself halted by the disgustingly familiar straight blade of the Kusanagi no Tsurugi.
Orochimaru. Itachi's mind raced, what was he doing? Acting on the Hokage's orders? Taking advantage of the conflict between the Uchiha and the Village? There was no doubt that Orochimaru had meant to cut him down with that stroke. Beyond the walls of the garden, a series of explosions erupted, dull thumps that shook the earth. Distant, muffled screaming mixed with the sounds of combat reached Itachi's ears, and a terrible sense of dread filled his heart.
His crimson Sharingan met the Snake Sannin's own slitted malevolent yellow eyes. They stood, for a moment locked in that place that only the most elite of ninja ever reached, testing one another.
"Orochimaru.. you damned traitor." Itachi spat, voice bereft of any kindness or affection.
The dreaded Snake Sannin only smiled, face distorting beyond natural expression, a sick, twisted mockery of humanity.
"Kukuku… My my, so much venom, little Weasel. I've had my eyes, pardon my pun, on yours for a long time now, and this will be most... enjoyable.. kuku.." His perverted giggle sent involuntary shivers down Itachi's spine, and a small voice at the back of his head screamed. Itachi was good, very, very good. A genius that had obliterated all records before him, blitzing up the ranks at a speed that stunned all. But this was Orochimaru, the White Snake, the undisputed prodigy of his day. Itachi had no delusions that he could defeat Orochimaru easily. The man had earned his S-rank, flee on sight bounty in every villages' bingo book for a reason.
A whimper from behind him instantly banished any doubt. He had to protect Sasuke, no matter the cost. A slight narrowing of his eyes was all the warning Orochimaru got before Itachi burst into action. He exploded into motion, striking with his kunai at dizzying speed, but Orochimaru was unfazed, ducking, weaving, and parrying with contemptuous ease. Itachi, sensing the futility of a close quarter confrontation, lept backwards in an attempt to create space. He tossed his kunai into the air before blurring through handsigns at a breakneck pace.
"Katon: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" Itachi spat a truly hellish inferno at his enemy, taking the shape of a raging dragon. His mother would lament the loss of her blossoms, but Itachi could not afford to pull any punches. Orochimaru's grin only grew wider at the display of the Uchiha heir's strength.
"Amazing! What a terrifying Jutsu, and at such speed! Kukuku.. you really are a genius!" The Snake Sannin taunted.
Itachi didn't let up, he knew Orochimaru was far too slippery to fall to a simple head on attack. Again blurring into motion, he unleashed a brace of shuriken, before making a single handsign, hissing out his next jutsu;
"Katon: Phoenix Sage Flower!" The barrage of head-sized fireballs erupted from his mouth, enveloping the shuriken even as they sped unerringly towards their target. The kunai fell, landing in Itachi's hand right as he took off, charging behind his deluge of fiery ninjutsu.
Orochimaru stood his ground, too arrogant to bother moving his feet. His sick grin never faltered even in the face of the devastating attack. As Itachi drew closer, he swung his blade once, neatly dividing the flaming dragon projectile with ease. His body contorted unnaturally, weaving through the hail of flaming shuriken, Kusanagi batting away any that were too close. Itachi was upon him, taking advantage of the single moment his attack had bought him to close within Kusanagi's guard, kunai going for the throat.
With vicious speed, Orochimaru struck, leaning back beyond what was humanly possible, more than perpendicular to the ground, Kusanagi just touching the ground. His right hand buried itself into Itachi's gut, smashing him away with frightening power.
Itachi sprang his trap, left hand yanking hard. The ninja wire he had attached to his shuriken, scattered all about Orochimaru in a careful pattern, pulled taut, looping about and trapping the slippery Sannin.
"Katon: Great Dragon Flame!" Itachi didn't hold back, roaring as he pushed all the chakra he could into the overpowered, superheated blaze that consumed everything in its path. Guided by the ninja wires, the flames traveled in a direct line towards the trapped traitor. It engulfed him, burning away everything. At least, it should have. As the fire burned down, Orochimaru began to clap. He stepped forward, out of the dying embers, charred skin and melted hair still smoking from the inferno.
"Now that was beautiful. Almost as good as Jiraiya, you know, and he's quite proud of the pitifully few Katon Ninjutsu he's managed to scrape together." Itachi's skin crawled. The Snake was seemingly unstoppable, that jutsu combination should have put down anybody, S-ranked Sannin or not.
"The key word, however, is almost." Orochimaru's smirk grew positively malicious, before he was gone, dust kicked up the only hint that he even moved.
Itachi looked down blankly, Sharingan unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Kusanagi was buried up to its hilt in his chest. He looked back up at Orochimaru, shock finally registering on his expression.
"You see.. little boy, you are perhaps the most talented genius since that Namikaze fool went about trying to fix the world. But you are still ten years away from touching me. And now, your eyes are mine." The wayward student of the Third Hokage twisted his cursed chōkuto, causing blood to erupt from Itachi's mouth. He reached forth to claim his prize, mouth distending into a gaping maw to swallow Itachi whole.
"Raiton: Piercing Light."
A narrow, incandescent beam of light tore through Orochimaru's mouth. A disgusting smell filled the air, cauterized flesh mixing with the smell of ozone. Orochimaru stumbled to his knees, fury mixing with shock filling his snake-like features. The Itachi impaled on his blade burst into a flock of crows, swarming and blinding his vision. When they cleared, Itachi stood before him, unmoved.
"Gen...jutsu..? H-h-how?" Orochimaru spluttered, air whistling through his now annihilated throat and mouth.
"Never look an Uchiha in the eye, traitor." Itachi's voice was cold, fury tightly controlled.
'Tch, he really is a terrifyingly strong young man. Hitting me with genjutsu before the fight even began? Marvelous, truly outstanding.' Orochimaru thought.
"I'll keep.. that in mind.. Itachi-kun.. kukukuku.." Orochimaru wheezed. Itachi's eyes widened just a fraction, and he spun to face the house. Behind him, Orochimaru dissolved into a mass of writhing white snakes that fell to the ground, hissing and snapping.
'Hebi Bunshin? But that means… oh Kami-sama No!' For the first time since he had left the Academy, Itachi's vaunted composure shattered. The Uchiha Heir exploded into motion, streaking towards his home at a dead sprint.
He burst into the living room, and his worst fears were given life. Uchiha Shisui lay staring, slumped unmoving against the far wall, his Sharingan still turning sightlessly. The stab wound through his chest was unmistakably the work of the cursed Grass-Cutter, the flesh around the wound already turning purple and necrotic. Around, there was evidence of a short but brutal fight, scattered kunai and shuriken and destroyed furniture. Shisui was a jōnin, a fine one, but had been in over his head. His strength was amplified in open areas, where he could utilize his mastery of the Shunshin no Jutsu to blitz his enemies. Here, in the tight confines of the Uchiha home, and against arguably the most lethal Shinobi in Konoha? Shisui had done well to even fight back.
Itachi squashed the awful grief at the death of his best friend that gripped his chest, moving forward carefully. The silence was oppressive, clinging to the edges of his mind, threatening to steal his sanity. His Sharingan spun at a dizzying speed, amplified by his agitation and adrenaline. He reached his father's study, and there his heart sank. The blood splatters that were visible through the shōji chilled his very soul, and tears came to his eyes. The divider was already ajar, he opened it tentatively.
"Otou-san, Okaa-chan…?" His voice was timid, like he was a little boy again, fearing to disturb his parent's rest.
There, before him, his parents lay in each other's arms, blood pooling about them in a terrible parody of their crimson wedding sheets, and Itachi knew despair.
A/N
Aaaand that's a cliffhanger.
This was a challenge to write, and I think I can definitely improve on the pacing of the story. Hope that I did just how terrifying Orochimaru is supposed to be justice.
Read and review!