Sorry This chapter took so long. I... don't really have a reason why. I haven't even edited this besides a quick read through and with spellcheck.
Anyways, enjoy some time with the Uchiha family.
Chapter 3: The wider Picture
"Chiyo-chan, next time you want to go somewhere, ask me first." Ka-chan scowled at me.
Honestly, I was surprised I was getting off so easily. Ka-chan and Otou-san both treat me like an able thinking person, so I thought that Ka-chan would ground me for knowing better.
Itachi has been frowning the whole time, but I think he was more worried then Ka-chan.
I suppose one of the benefits in living in a militaristic government is that the streets are safer. When you don't have weirdo stealing orphans off the street to do experiments or raise them into emotionless soldiers that is.
"Sorry. Can I visit Shikamaru and Choji tomorrow? Please?"
"We'll see. Why don't you clean up and help me make dinner?" Ka-chan asked and I was about to agree before I saw Itachi walk outside.
"Can I train with Nii-chan? I promise to do the dishes tonight!" I asked even as I run after my brother.
"Alright." Ka-chan said with a chuckle.
Itachi didn't look back when I arrived, but I knew that he knew I was there. Itachi didn't often practice in our training field, preferring to go to the clan one in the forest or whatever one his team uses. Even watching him warm up, it was easy to see why he was a prodigy. Not even eight yet and he is already mastered the advance set of uchiha fighting moves.
Otou-san just started my own training a few month ago, after a long argument with Ka-chan. So while Itachi started going through his Katas, I jumped off the porch and began my own. And if I looked over a few time to Itachi and started mimicking his stance, well they looked so much cooler than the beginning ones I had to perform.
"You need to bend your left elbow more." Itachi commented and I saw a small smile.
Good to know he thinks my training is funny.
"Right."
I corrected my stance, glancing over to see Itachi full out grinning now. I might have rolled my eyes at that sight, but it was soon out out of my mind when someone entered our backyard.
I didn't even notice before Itachi was responding.
"When did you come back?" My brother asked calmly like there wasn't some shaggy haired boy hanging off him like a sloth.
"Not too long ago. How's the missions going? Have you meet the cat from hell yet?"
I turned my full attention on the boy. He looked to be only few years older then my brother, and the fan on his back marked him as a fellow Uchiha. Yet, Itachi had the social capability of a bug and didn't have any friends. Sure he was friendly and polite, but he also prefers silent to small talk and graduating so early made it all that much harder.
Which makes we wonder who the hell this person was to be talking with my brother so friendly like.
"Who are you?"
The two boys turned towage me - or Itachi turned and the other boy went along with it. Then the boy gave a wide grin that had me frowning even more.
"You haven't told her about your best friend? I. Am. A-ppalled." The boy said, poking Itachi's headband in time with his words.
My mouth opened as I stared at this random boy performing my brother signatory method of showing his affection.
"It was you!" I realized as I pointed at the boy whose name I still don't know.
"You are the one who introduced him into the poking thing!"
Because of course Itachi didn't come up with it himself. This boy must have done it once or twice as a joke and since he might be Itachi's only friend, my poor social stunted brother compared the poke to a show of affection. Ka-chan gives hugs only rarely, and Otou-San is even more emotionally constipated then Itachi.
"Poking thing?" The boy repeated before smiling like a fool. "Itachi! I didn't know you wanted to emulate me that much!"
Itachi sighed, but didn't move to remove the other boy from the hug. This was turning out to be the oddest training section I have ever witness.
"Imouto. This is Shisui, our cousin. Shisui, this is Chiyome-chan." Itachi briefly introduced and I naively thought that would be it.
"Nice to meet you Shisui-San." I said with a shallow bow, looking down to show that I trust him.
Honestly there was so many different ways to bow that I still have trouble understanding. Don't bow deeply to Those in a lower standing, but do always bow at the hip if it's a unknown ninja. Never take your eyes off strangers, but doing the same to family or Teammate is a great offence. And so on.
It was one of the few times I truly felt my physical age.
However as I looked back up, Shisui was no longer hanging over Itachi. I only had a moment where I hoped the boy had just left before I was attacked.
"Guh! Let go of me!"
"No wonder you always talk about her! She is the cutest thing I have ever seen!"
"Shisui-San, if you don't stop trying to hug the air out of me i'll end up the cutest dead thing you have ever seen." I said in a deadpan voice, and for a moment I truly thought I seceded before the pre-teen picked me up.
"I'll let you go if you start calling me Nii-san." the boy said with a grin.
He was enjoying this way too much.
"Sure thing. But you have to let me down first." I argued, tilting my head slightly.
As soon as my feet hit the ground I pulled out of Shisui's grasp and ran.
"NII-CHAN!" I yelled running full toddler speed to an annoyed looking Itachi.
Hopefully not at me.
"Protect me Ita-nii!" I called out as I hid behind him, sticking my tongue out at Shisui who was looking quite shocked.
"You promised." The boy said, sounding like he was going to cry.
Honestly, he was acting more like what I would expect from a Uzumaki then a Uchiha.
"Shisui, please stop harassing my sister." Itachi said and I let out a short laugh at Shisui fallen expression.
"Oh alright. I just dropped by to see if you wanted to spare." The boy said, his smile back in place.
"Can I watch?" I asked since I haven't yet seen Itachi spare since graduating.
He use to spare against Otou-san but that was a few years ago and I doubt either one was going full out. It would be interesting to see where he was already.
"I do not want you getting hurt on accident." Itachi said, and while I felt touched it wasn't like I was planing on running around while they had a spare.
"I'll stay on the porch." I compromised, tuning my cuteness to the max.
"One foot off and you are going inside." Itachi said and I nodded in agreement.
I sat legs crossed on the porch, giving the boys a thumbs up. Shisui laughed and Itachi smiled softly at me.
"How do you want to do it? Just Taijtusu?" Shisui asked as he jumped up looking like he was trying to stretch in mid air.
"No ninjutsu above c-rank sounds better. Wouldn't want this to end too early." Itachi said with a straight face that made both Shisui and I laugh.
"I see being on a team really helped your modesty." Shisui joked and he stepped into a basic Uchiha stance.
The same one i've been learning in fact.
"I suppose?" Itachi responded looking the most uncertain I have ever seen him.
I looked to my brother in disbelief. Because of course he was just being honest. Sometime I wonder if he was the reincarnated soul and not me for how wise he acts. I'm having a lot of fun acting my physical age, thank you very much.
Shisui just keep smiling and soon some signal passed between the two and their spare began.
It started out tame enough. The two threaded blows, dancing around and over each other in a fluency that can only be obtained from familiarity. Then Shisui seemed to fade in and out of the battle and Kunai started being thrown as they moved from close range to mid.
"Whoa." I couldn't help but let out as I leaned in closer.
It was one thing to see a ninja use body flicker to move from point a to b, but another thing to see it being used so freely during battle. It looked more like Shisui was teleporting rather than just using his chakra to improve his speed momentarily.
They both increased their base speed until I could no longer keep up. With their individual blows. The fireball made it pretty obvious what was happening now.
"What do you think you are doing?"
I saw the two boys freeze before I turned around to see Ka-chan standing behind me with a hand on her hip.
"Ohhh, someone is in trou~ble." I said in the way all the kids in school would when someone got called to the principal.
Funny how I can recall that, but not what my name use to be.
"Uchiha-San, how are you today?" Shisui said with a bow so low I wondered if he was going to hit his head on the ground.
It looked pretty funny when both him and Itachi were covered in scorch marks and dirt.
"I apology Okaa-San. I did not mean to break your rule."
"Rule?" I asked looked up to Ka-chan.
"No fire Jutsu in the backyard. And I know I've told you that as well Shisui-kun."
"Yes Oba-San. Sorry about that, I got a little too excited seeing Itachi." Shisui said, smile still on his face.
At least Itachi looked fazed.
"Come on. Dinner's ready and you might as well eat with us since you're here." Ka-chan said before leaving.
I got up without using my hands and ran in after her.
"You didn't tell me Ni-chan had friends."
"You mean Shisui-kun? He's also your cousin."
"Cousin? Are we talking about an actual cousin, or a third cousin twice removed cousin." I asked, taking a look back at the boys.
"Well, his grandmother was your grandfather sister." Ka-chan said with a thoughtful look before turning around to Shisui. "Shisui. Why don't you go home and see if Misaki-San would also like to eat with us. There should be enough for you two."
"Yes ma'am!" Shisui said with a loose salute before disappearing.
"And you two can help me set the table."
"Yes Ka-chan." We both said before I rushed into the kitchen to get the serving spoon and chopsticks.
Utensils are much easier to hold then plates and bowls.
Misaki watched as the youngest child rambled on and on about her little adventure today. It was assuming to be sure, Especially when the child would only talk about it when her mother was busy. Not that that stopped Mikoto from looking up at the ceiling every time her daughter talked about her plans to see the deer.
It was nice to see that some of the children in this generation were able to laugh so freely. It reminded her a little too much of her first grandchild, but Misaki didn't dwell on that too long.
"Sounds like you had quite the day Chiyome-chan."
"I sure did Misaki-Baachan!" The child said and Misaki smiled at the sight.
"And you are a smart girl, so I bet you wouldn't be going alone next time?" Misaki said as they cleared the table.
"No. I worried Ka-chan and Nii-chan too much. I think I'll trying convincing Nii-chan to come with me next time. His day off should be coming up soon."
"You know, I'm sure Shisui would also love to take you to your friends. He just came back from a long c-rank so he will be home for a few days."
"Really?" Chiyome said, thinking it over.
Misaki will never get tired of little children. Their thought process was very interesting to listen to.
"Maybe I'll go ask him."
"You do that. It might keep him out of trouble." Misaki said, not missing the way Chiyome's eyes light up.
Like she knew what Misaki was hinting at.
It wasn't until Shisui left with his grandma that I realized why the name was so familiar.
Shisui's death was what allowed Itachi to awakening his mangekyō Sharingan and what ultimately was the last straw before the Uchiha Massacre.
Thank you Tsuki, lizyeh200, KassiesJean, SandSasori, RememberMe-soon, and Warlord of Chaos for leaving a review! Also many thanks to everyone who is following/favorited this story. This is going to be a long ride from what i've briefly outlined.
I will try to update the next chapter sooner, which is called 'Ino-shika-cho' so I think it will be apparent who Chiyome's next target is.