When the group coming from Konoha arrived at the Land of Waves, I was dozing on a branch hidden from the nearby pathway, lulled by the sounds of the wind and the sea, hunched up to protect myself from their cold bite.

Kakashi appeared on the closest branch with barely a sound. Only the movement of the wood taking his weight clued me in.

I opened my eyes, yawned and shook myself, checking the group of Konoha shinobi first. Kakashi was still there, among his students and client. I glanced to the side and met his shrewd gaze.

"Is the clone here or on the ground?" I asked curiously.

"I wouldn't leave my team alone on hostile territory."

"So, on the ground," I concluded, stretching my wings.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I always doing? Spying a little broody boy and making sure he won't become a tragic emo teenager," I sighed put-upon. "Secondarily, making sure my boyfriend doesn't mess up and go back to his own tragic phase."

"Maa, so kind of you. Why would I mess up?"

"Your mission isn't C-level."

"I know. We have been attacked by chuunin. It's B-level—"

"I'm afraid not, darling," I interrupted before he could tell me he could handle it.

His attention sharpened, eye focused on me and hands clenching the branch. "... What do you know?"

"Gato hired Momochi Zabuza. You brought the kids on an A-level."

"Shit," he breathed, glancing at the group moving away from the beach they had berthed on and toward the bridge-builder's village further inside the island. Kakashi adjusted his mask nervously before squaring his shoulders. "I can take him."

"While protecting a team of genin and a client?" I sighed. "Yes, you can, but don't get cocky, that's how you get yourself killed while you're at it."

"Duly noted."

"Oh, by the way, Momochi has a little apprentice. Tokubetsu jounin level. Fast and quiet, likes senbon, and has one of those fancy tricks which allows him to use ice."

"The Hyōton Kekkei Genkai?"

"Yeah, that," I agreed dismissively. All those fancy words weren't worth the effort to memorize. "Still feeling cocky?"

"No, I'm good, thanks," he replied drily before rubbing his nose where his mask ended. "Intelligence screwed up."

"Yep."

"We can't turn back now."

"Nope."

He threw a displeased glance my way. "Tsukiyo…"

"Yeah, yeah, I have your back," I sighed. "It's not like there is anything else to do around here anyway. And it's so cold I have to keep you alive to get warmed up. Give me a hug." I flew from my branch to his knee, where I pressed myself against his chest.

He patted my head distractedly, angling himself to protect me from the wind. "Do you have any more info?"

"Sure," I mumbled, a bit distracted as I rubbed my head against his palm. "He's going to attack you before you reach your client's house. Alone, because every jounin is a damn cocky idiot and he wants to keep his apprentice a secret, like a trump card. If you win, the boy will show up and pretend to be a Kiri Hunter-nin. That's their MO. Gato won't intervene directly unless they lose, but he has a lot of thugs in his service. He'll try to cheat Momochi if he can, because he's cocky and an useless idiot."

Kakashi hummed in thought and scratched me under the beak in reward. "Thanks."

The clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving me to fall to the ground. I squawked loudly and spread my wings to negotiate a clumsy landing instead of a crash. I squawked again, louder, in Kakashi's direction. The nerve of that man! Can you believe it?!

Further on the path, Sasuke turned around, frowning. "What was that?"

"Oh, just a magpie," Kakashi replied cheerfully, like the asshole he was. His book was nowhere to be seen. At least, he was taking this seriously.

oOo

"Hello."

A rain of senbon was thrown my way, but I had planned for it and just dropped on a lower branch.

Haku, having identified the newcomer to be a little bird, froze with another bunch of senbon in hands, but he didn't speak. On the lake nearby, the fight between Momochi and Kakashi was in full swing.

"Like I was saying, hello," I repeated, unbothered. "I would like to inform you, free of charge and just from the kindness of my heart — you're welcome —, that Gato doesn't plan on paying you, and that you're likely to die for nothing on this sad little piece of land."

"You're a summon," Haku realized.

"Yes, I'm glad you noticed. Hello again… for the third time."

"Are you Hatake's? I thought his summons were dogs."

"I'm not his. I belong to someone stronger, someone you don't want to fight when he's angry, and angry he'll be if you succeed… which you won't, by the way. Staying alive, that, however, is still possible—"

"Zabuza-san will win," Haku interrupted confidently.

"Will he? Well, let's watch, shall we? You'll change your mind soon enough," I replied, settling to watch the show. It was going on more or less as I remembered it. Despite my warning giving him the advantage, Kakashi was unused to fighting without backup while protecting a team of genin. He made most of the same mistakes. I had no doubt he would learn from them, like he did in the books. This was necessary in a way, for him just like for the kids.

Now the two jounin were preparing for the same water dragon jutsu, and I know this would be the end.

"Oh, by the way, I told Hatake about you," I said to Haku distractedly. "You might want to scram without putting on a show, and by scram I mean spy on Gato a little to hear what he has to say about you two and then get the hell out of this island. Again, advice free of charge. You're welcome."

Haku stared at me, wide-eyed. I looked back and gave a tilt of my head when Zabuza took the full brunt of tons of water in the face and got swiped against a tree.

"This is your cue… or you both die. Your choice."

Haku disappeared, grabbed Zabuza in the next second and ran for their lives. Good boy.

Kakashi glanced my way, and I waved at him discreetly.

Naruto ran for him. His sensei fainted.

Such glorious mayhem.

"Well… good job, me. I did amazing, like always." I preened and smoothed my feathers with the satisfaction of a job well done.

oOo

"Hi."

Kakashi groaned and buried his face a little more under the blanket to hide from the sunlight. Feeling generous — although it was mostly pity —, I raised a wing to block the sun getting on his face. He blinked his good eye open.

"You let them leave."

"Good afternoon to you too, sweetcheeks. I'm flattered you think I could stop those two jounin from leaving."

"I could have killed them both when the apprentice came and pretended to be Kiri Hunter-nin, but you talked to him, didn't you? You clued him in. Why?"

"I'm the brain, not the brawn, darling. I convinced him it would be better for them to leave and give up their mission of their own volition."

"Momochi wouldn't give up."

"Unless his client plans to swindle him. Oh, he was pissed when he heard Gato talking shit about him. You should have seen it, he made a real mess of Gato's mansion — there were things exploding everywhere —, and then he stole one of their boats. It was far more entertaining than seeing your kids try to get by without you. Not that they did a bad job, mind you—"

"You don't let an enemy run away!" Kakashi exclaimed sharply.

I shut up and put down my wing, forcing him to look away with a grunt. "Well, someone is in 'perfect soldier' mode I see. Chakra exhaustion doesn't do you any good. I'm going to check that your genin are still alive on that damn bridge. Get your head out of your ass in the meantime."

I jumped out of the window and looked for the right winds to bring me to destination. In my annoyance against Kakashi, I didn't notice the broody boy watching me fly away.

oOo

A few nights later, the sky was mostly clear and the moon was full, lighting the sea in silver hues. It was a lovely sight.

I had taken human form to appreciate the sea licking at my feet and the wind playing with my long hair left undone. Sitting on sharp rocks, barely protected from the humidity by a yukata, I was surprising myself at how much I appreciated this moment. As a crow, I didn't go anywhere near the sea on a regular basis, and I had learned to view expanses of water with wariness (swimming? what is that funny business?). Yet, somehow this sight was fascinating me, reminding me of long forgotten days spent playing in such waves… once upon a time.

A chakra presence brought me out of my thoughts. I glanced over my shoulder at Kakashi. He was standing with his hands in his pockets, staring at the horizon with his body tilted toward me and his face away. Guarded, but trying to open to me without admitting it. So typical.

"I'm sorry."

His quiet words were swept away by the wind, and I didn't react. He came closer and crouched by my side. In an unusual display of earnestness, he said:

"You're not a shinobi of Konoha nor my summon. You have a free will, which I like. It was wrong of me to shout at you for the way you chose to help… I apologize."

I grunted in acknowledgement. "I'm cold."

He huffed, chuckled and moved to sit down beside me. He opened his jacket's zip so I could recline against his chest without his pockets digging into my back. I sighed contently at the comfy position and the warmth sipping from him.

"You're forgiven," I said as I patted his knee.

His arms went around my waist, and he leaned down to press his face against my neck. I continued to play in the waves with just the tip of my foot, enjoying the touch of water on skin without worrying it would drown me.

After a long moment of quiet and simple companionship, Kakashi pulled on his mask, freeing his nose and lips so they could caress my skin. I tilted my head to give him more space, staring at the moon and her blanket of clouds slipping lazily over her.

"Are you going to fall asleep on me?" I asked when his caresses stayed a mere brush of skin.

"Not impossible," he admitted in a murmur.

I chuckled and raised a hand to scratch his nest of a hair. "Are you going to talk to me about what's eating you up, or are you going to play the impassive perfect soldier?"

He kissed my shoulder and raised his head to stare at the waves. "Pass?"

I looked back. "You don't want to talk about it?"

"No."

"OK, but I can't stand brooding. It's the bad vibes. They kill my mood. No brooding is allowed around me, so I have to distract you. I suggest kissing. I know, I know, it's cliché with this setting, but listen—"

Sooo, kissing it was. Humming against his lips, I raised my feet from the water and turned in his arms to cling to him like a barnacle. The kiss became a chuckle from him and a squeal from me when I caused us to overbalance to the side, forcing him to manhandle me back on his lap. Before he could take this as an excuse to stop, I squished his cheeks between my hands and brought us back to our previous very important occupation. Kissing might be an human invention, but it was a damn good one (the lips and the tongue helped, you know, because with a beak it wasn't exactly practical).

Unfortunately, breathing still took precedence over kissing. I had to pull back, leaning my forehead against his while caressing his cheekbones with my thumbs in marvel. He was so handsome and most of the time I couldn't admire him properly. Such a shame.

"Could I get reincarnated into a dog?" he asked suddenly after a few seconds of enjoying the quiet.

I leaned back, blinking like an owl. "What?"

"You have been reincarnated into a crow. That's what you said. But why a crow? Why not a cat? You have the passive-aggressiveness of one."

"Fuck you." Yeah, I would make a great cat. I would leave fur all over Tobi's cloak and Danzou's robe, and cuddle everyone else into submission.

"So could I get reincarnated into a dog? or is that only for good people who are rewarded with a dog life because obviously being a dog is a blessing, and—"

"Oh, I see where this is going."

"Onto me being reincarnated into a dog? I don't think that would be possible, I'm obviously not—"

"Hatake Kakashi, you're a great man," I said solemnly, attempting to stare him down although he was looking at the stars. "I mean it's obvious: do you think I would settle for anyone who wouldn't be kind, handsome, strong, intelligent and competent? I wouldn't. I deserve the best, and I've got it, obviously, because I'm the best and I get everything I want — at least in my dreams." I patted his chest. "You made a few mistakes. It happens — even to me, which is saying a lot. Just… chill, okay. Learn from it. Do better. Don't brood." After a few seconds of silence, I added: "Dogs are overrated anyway."

Tickles at my ankles immediately got me squirming and squealing, but Kakashi was holding me tight. "Take that back," he demanded calmly.

"Ok, they're great to cuddle with!" I relented, getting a slight lessening of my punishment. "But they can't fly, they can barely swim, they are dependent on humans… I mean, being reincarnated as one would suck!"

He nibbled my ear. "Blasphemer."

"You know I'm right!"

He pulled on my yukata to press our bodies together. The fabric got a little loose, letting the wind caress my skin and allowing his thumb to brush my collarbone. I shivered slightly, but I was more focused on the lips sealing mine. I was content to lean into his touches and let him distract me from his bout of moping.

oOo

Their mission went on without much more trouble. Gato and his thugs showed up, of course, but civilians were hardly a challenge, even for genin.

I left to report back to Itachi, proud to inform him that his kin was still alive and brooding. Later, I would remember that the kid was supposed to activate his Sharingan during this mission. Whatever. Not a great loss. This Kekkei Genkai business was more trouble than it was worth in my opinion. The later, the better.

As I arrived to Akatsuki's base, I had to wait for one of them to show up and open the entrance for me. I dozed for a while only to be woken up by Deidara's chattering. He was leaving the hideout with his partner. I yawned and stretched my wings.

"Hold the door, please."

Sasori's long tail came out of his cloak to keep the entrance open for me. He was such a gentleman.

"Thanks, Sasori-san. You're looking positively murderous today. Deidara-kun, how do you do?"

"Hn," Deidara only grunted.

"Pissed again with Itachi, I see. Have fun blowing up things then. See you!"

I jumped from the rock I was perched on and flew inside the corridor. I hated flying indoors, but it was either that or slowly walking on the ground where any lout could step on you (stupid Hidan). After a few turns I didn't have a choice however. I walked around, looking for Itachi.

I caught sight of Pain, but he took a glance at me and immediately disappeared. Still pissed about the droppings then. Whatever, the cave was too damp and cold anyway, it was for the best for their health, he should thank me! And a few droppings were easily washed away from their cloaks, so no need to hold a grudge.

After a mine, I recognized a pair of feet at the other end of the hallway. I bounced toward them. "Blue!"

Kisame looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Bird-brain."

I reached his foot and politely pecked his sandal in greeting. "Carry me to Itachi," I demanded.

He moved his foot back. "No."

I went for the other foot and pecked at his nails this time.

He grunted and sighed in defeat as he bent down to carefully grab me. What a good servant.

"You're such a pain."

"I love you too."

Kisame made a face. It was funny to see those big boys unused to talking about feelings getting flustered when I said such nice things flippantly. They didn't know how to take it. It was even more fun than insulting them.

In a few steps, he brought me to the library, where Itachi was reading a scroll in a comfy chair.

"Itachi-san, the shrew is back," Kisame said as he threw me in the air.

I had to deploy my wings in a hurry to negotiate a landing which didn't end up with me plastered to Itachi's face. Of course, he wouldn't have allowed it: he helpfully raised a wrist at the perfect height for me to land on without difficulty. Perfect summoner… What a show-off!

"Thank you, Kisame-san," Itachi replied.

"Yeah, thanks for nothing, Shark Man!" I shouted at his retreating and chuckling back.

A long finger came to caress my neck, and I immediately settled down to enjoy the touch. Nothing was better than Itachi's petting… well, almost nothing, there were Kakashi's kisses… and almonds.

Eyes closed, lulled by scratches and strokes, I related the fascinating life of Uchiha Sasuke to his worried elder brother. We went through the usual: how was he? did he become stronger? how is his relationship with his team? any new jutsu? the Sharingan (yeah, that's when I realized, but nevermind)?

And then: "Kakashi-san took on Momochi?"

"Yeah."

"Is he well?"

I opened an eye suspiciously. "Since when do you care about him?"

He put me down on his knee. "I always cared."

I gave him a judging side-eye.

"He matters to you," he finally admitted.

"Aww. That's cute." I rubbed my head against his fingers. "I'm proud of you!"

Itachi sighed. "Tsukiyo-chan."

"Am I making this weird?"

"Yes. It's good of you to recognize it. I'm proud of you," he said, deadpan.

I gave him the side-eye, again. "And people think there isn't an ounce of humor in you." I was the only one to see this side of him, and since it was often at my expense, I had conflicted opinions about it.

He awarded me with one of his rare smiles.

Okay. I could handle a few jibes... for him.

oOo

A few weeks later, I was sent back to Konoha to learn about the plans of Team 7 regarding the slowly approaching chuunin exam.

I waited for them in a tree at their usual training ground, napping until the lazy humans got their asses where they were supposed to. I was all comfy and dozy. The weather was nice enough, not too cold. I was protected from the wind. Everything was fine. I might have fallen asleep.

And then, all of a sudden, I was grabbed and pushed in a cage.

I screamed bloody murder and immediately went for the offending hands which had dared touch my sacred body, but the cage's door had already closed. I only managed to scratch skin instead of ripping it all off.

My attacker swore at the wound but didn't let go of the cage. A cage so small that I couldn't even stretch my wings or do anything really. I was outraged, livid, and two minutes away from a panic attack. Birds were made for open space!

Letting out a torrent of curses and swear words which Hidan would have applauded, I screeched when I finally got a view of my attacker.

"You little duck butt! Let me out immediately !" I screamed at Sasuke as he stared at me coldly.

"I knew I recognized you," he whispered. "You're Itachi's."

"I'm the end of your pretty little face, asshole, if I'm not out of there in the next five seconds!"

"He sent you to spy on me, didn't he? What does he want?!"

"What am I, his conscience? I'll tell you what I want you, little shit," I hissed.

He jostled me as he jumped down from the tree I was resting on. I knocked roughly into the bars.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Stopped in the middle of an hissing feat by a feminine voice, I glanced at the two kids walking toward us. Sasuke looked annoyed.

"What are you doing with a bird?" Naruto asked curiously, leaning forward to glance at me.

I hissed at him too. I was not an ornament to be gawked at!

"Nothing," Sasuke replied. "I have to go."

"What? Where are you going?!" Naruto protested.

"Sensei will be here soon!" Sakura said.

"Tch. He's always late."

Sasuke hadn't taken two steps that his late and lazy sensei appeared in front of him and tapped his wrist on a pressure point which cause him to drop the cage. Kakashi caught it and opened the door in the next seconds. Immediately, I was out of it and screaming bloody murder as I rushed at the stupid little brat.

Kakashi dropped the cage and caught me before I could do more than slash a light cut on Sasuke's cheek.

"Let me go!"

"Ahaha, easy," Kakashi chided. He was holding me against his chest to stop me from using either wings or claws, and I was too far away from anything sensitive to peck at him in retaliation.

"He trapped me into a cage smaller than the circumference of his stupid head! I would peck his stupid eyeballs out of his damn orbits if he was anybody else!"

"But he isn't. Easy. Take a few breaths," Kakashi ordered. He had this serious tone that said it wasn't a suggestion. Unfortunately, it was a tone I respected, so I inhaled deeply and glared at Sasuke silently but seethingly . There was a lot of seething, believe me. "Naruto, Sakura, you're training on your own this morning. Taijutsu only."

"What?!" Naruto protested.

"Sensei, what's going on?"

"Family issues, Sakura-chan. I'll be dealing with Sasuke. Be good." Kakashi tapped the back of the head of Sasuke to stop him from glaring and get him to move away from his noisy teammates.

"Do you know who she is?" Sasuke hissed as they left toward the memorial stone.

"Not here."

"You do! How can you let her—"

" Not here ."

This time, Sasuke listened and quieted down, which left two of us seething with Kakashi to mediate. He brought us to an apartment which I recognized belatedly as Sasuke's. The goal was probably to make him feel comfortable. I also knew that Kakashi had placed a few seals against eavesdroppers, which he activated discretely as he closed the windows.

He put me down on a table, and I immediately went to the furthest corner from the little beast.

"When did you notice her?" Kakashi asked Sasuke.

The boy took this as a sign he could rant. "I have seen her leaving your room in the Land of Waves, and I have seen her around. No normal crow has grey eyes. And you always knew, didn't you? When you talked about magpies, it was her!"

I glared at Kakashi for that one. This was his fault. Me, a magpie?! So transparent!

Kakashi ignored me. Leaning back against the wall with his arms and ankles crossed, he didn't seem perturbed by the accusation.

"What does this mean? Are you working with Itachi?" Sasuke was continuing with his hands so clenched he was going to hurt himself. "Is that how you got the Sharingan? You stole it?!"

"WOW!" I interrupted. Rude and offensive at the same time? That was a new record. "Slow down, midget, and spare us the harebrained speculations, ok? You want the truth? Fine, I'll tell you. Whatever. Just shut up for a while."

Kakashi caught my eye and tilted his head in silent concern.

I shrugged, stretching my wings while I was at it, just to remind me I could. "Hiding things will only bite us in the ass on the long term. If he's old enough to kill, then he's old enough to deal with the truth."

Sasuke's eyes were going from me to Kakashi with a wary expression, but he stayed blissfully quiet, apparently holding me to my words.

"So," I started after a long breathe in, "this mess started… eons ago, with the mistakes of your ancestors. Long story short, everyone is an idiot, and you and your brother paid the price of their stupidity."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. I knew he was thinking that the whole Uchiha clan had paid the price, but the dead weren't the worst off in my opinion, so they didn't count.

"You were little, so you obviously memorized half of what happened at the time, and understood half of that. What you have to understand is that before it was wiped out, the Uchiha clan was treated somewhat differently from the rest — for reasons I won't develop now or we'll still be there by midnight. There was exclusion and distrust. You were isolated. Memories of your childhood probably include 90% of Uchiha and little else." Which made the disparition of his clan all the more chilling now that I thought about it. They were his whole world.

He didn't answer, but his expression wasn't as impassive as he would like to think. The way he hunched told me I was right.

"Many people among the Uchiha were tired of it. It opened old wounds badly scared, and they resented the government inherited from the Senju. They planned a coup. As clan head, your father was leading it."

"No," Sasuke breathed. His eyes had widened and his hands loosened to grip the table. "No. I don't believe you." He looked at Kakashi, seeking denial. His sensei nodded solemnly to confirm my explanations. "That's… Is that why…? Is that why Itachi…"

I sighed and stretched my neck. My anger against him had simmered down in favor of the deep tiredness that always filled me when I remembered this mess. "Itachi and Shisui knew all of this and were supposed to be the Uchiha's spies close to the Hokage, but they didn't approve of the plan. For them, this would lead to a civil war and possibly escalate into a world war. This was their worst nightmare. Torn between their clan and their village, they made their choice."

I stared into space as I remembered those wretched days.

o

The second I was summoned, I knew I was too late. I had meant to warn Shisui of Danzou's plan, but here he was, with a bleeding empty eye socket.

"Tsukiyo-chan, I need you to find Itachi and bring him back here, quickly."

"Shisui…"

He chuckled in between panting breaths. "I must really look awful for you to call me by my name… But we don't have time. Please, bring him."

With a lump in my throat, I did as he asked and went to find Itachi. My unusually solemn and hoarse voice told him something was wrong, but I wouldn't have been surprised if he had guessed beforehand. I had no doubt that things had gone sideways for weeks, and during all this time I had dithered and tried to keep my distance. What an idiot I was. Sage, what an idiot!

I watched as Shisui explained what had happened to his best friend.

"Please, protect the village," Shisui said as he handed over his left eye.

Birds couldn't cry, but I would weep if I could. I was past the disgust of seeing someone remove his own eye. I just felt like shattering in billion pieces. This was what heartbreak must feel like.

There was nothing I could do now to protect them. I had failed.

"Tsukiyo-chan, please… take care of Itachi for me.

I fluttered my wings. I wanted to hold him so much, keep him safe and away from the world… but I hadn't mastered the transformation technique yet.

"I will," I managed to say with a croaky voice. "I'm sorry, Shisui."

He chuckled.

Sage, I would miss his humor… his laughs… his voice... Him.

"What for? You were right. Humans are so much trouble. I will be one less you have to worry about."

"But that's the thing. You were mine to worry about." And Danzou would pay for taking him from me. One day, he would pay.

A heavy silence settled between me and Itachi after Shisui disappeared. He was staring at the eye in his hand. The organ would decay if not taken proper care of or implemented in a new body. Knowing that Itachi wanted to keep it, I heard myself say something I would never have thought possible before:

"Akagarasu has lost an eye recently. He's big enough to get an human implant." It had seemed disgusting to me before. Now, I just felt detached from it all.

Itachi nodded in understanding. He closed his hand around his precious burden and looked up at the setting sun. "This is the end."

I could try to dissuade him, but the truth was that without Shisui's mangekyou, the likeliness of stopping the coup and the massacre was dropping.

Feeling my summoning come to an end due to the death of Shisui and the low chakra he had given me, I replied hastily: "You can still decide how this ends, Itachi. Don't do anything rash. Summon me before — "

I appeared back on Ichouki.

o

The next time Itachi summoned me, there was more blood.

I had prepared for this. The crows Itachi had summoned for recon at the start of the massacre had warned all the Sacred Tree with whispers shared from karasu to karasu. "It started," they said, and we all knew. We all knew that the point of no return had been reached, but truly we had known from the moment the ink of Shisui's name had turned from red to black on the contract scroll.

I had actually been hoping he would summon me. To guide him, to support him.

Still, I was not prepared to be met with the severed heads of his parents and the heavy silence of a necropolis falling onto the clan compound. I needed a few seconds to gather my wits and face the stony face of Itachi. He was kneeling on the ground, in arm reach of his mother, as pale as the dead. Tears were running down his face, but he was beyond grief.

We stared at each other for a few long seconds. No words could express the turmoil in both our hearts.

He started in a strangled voice: "Sasuke... I killed them. Sasuke needs to—"

"Sasuke needs his brother to get his head out of his ass."

He blinked at me, which was more than he had given me until now.

I sighed. "I get that you're feeling massive guilt right now and the wish to be punished for what you did, but —newsflash— if your way to deal with it is to force your eight-years-old brother to shoulder as much of the trauma as you then it's hogwash, ok? You're doing this to protect him from the horrors of war, not traumatize him! Do you remember that?!"

"H-he's Uchiha's last chance—"

"He's a kid!" I shouted as I hopped forward and pecked his hands pressed flat to the ground like in supplication. "Do you listen to yourself?!"

"He needs to become stronger."

"And he will." I looked him in the eyes. "But not like this. Not like you. Not like what your father, your clan or Danzou would have wished. If you're truly doing this for him , then free him of the hate and the distrust which caused all of this. If you're looking for atonement, then find another way and showed it to him."

Tears gathered in his eyes. "How? I don't… I don't see it... the way. The way to peace, I can't see it anymore, Tsukiyo. It's gone."

Heartbroken by his distress, I closed my eyes for a second of thought, but the decision was spontaneous. "I'll show it to you."

Genjutsu wasn't my specialty, but if Itachi didn't resist, then I could lead him without too much difficulty. I showed him a world of peace and prosperity, where his brother rebuilt the Uchiha clan and helped Konoha flourish. It was a world inspired by the story I recalled with some liberties. It was a world of hope and love.

When we both opened our eyes next, he nodded. "I understand."

Sasuke was running toward the house. We both felt him.

Slowly, Itachi gathered his bloody katana and stood up to face his brother in the lobby, where the kid wouldn't be able to see the bodies of his parents, just the puddles of blood. I watched from the shadows as Sasuke walked in, caught sight of his bloody brother and stammered in distress.

Itachi needed a moment to strengthen his resolve. "I had to kill them… I'm sorry, little brother. Find another way." He held out a finger and poked Sasuke's forehead for the last time. The next moment, the kid dropped unconscious, trapped in a genjutsu which would hopefully teach him the merits of love, friendship, communication and loyalty.

I stepped forward and gently adjusted the position of the kid's limbs before meeting Itachi's eye. "You better have told him you love him in that genjutsu."

He blinked in puzzlement.

I sighed. "Boys. You have to tell them everything. Well, go on then, change it!"

Itachi's sharingan swirled as he adjusted the genjutsu he had casted.

I felt shimmers of chakra at the limit of my senses. The ANBU, finally catching on. "You better leave." As he hesitated by his brother side, I nudged his ankle. "I'll look after him. Go."

He took a step toward the exit and then paused to meet my eyes. His fingers spread in an ANBU signal. Debt.

He disappeared.

I looked down at Sasuke and adjusted his hair to see his expression. He looked peaceful. "Well… Maybe I managed one thing right," I whispered to the spirits of the dead haunting the compound.

Chakra appeared at the house's entrance, and then I heard the sniffing of a ninken. I met Pakkun's eyes as he froze in the doorway. Kakashi appeared a moment later, his expression hidden by his ANBU mask. It was for the best. I would rather not meet his eyes.

"He's yours now," I told him. "Watch over him."

I unsummoned myself.

o

I met Kakashi's eye, knowing that like I did he was remembering that day and the deep feeling of failure and emptiness at such a waste.

Sasuke had sat down as I narrated the events, and he was staring at his hands, hunched forward.

"Who told him? Who told Itachi to kill all the clan? Was it the Hokage?" he asked in a whisper.

"No."

"Who?"

I ignored Kakashi trying to meet my eyes. I knew I couldn't tell the kid the answer. I wasn't an idiot. He was too young. Nearly the age Itachi had when he dealt with Danzou… and we all knew how that went. Ignorance was for the best, for now.

"I'll tell you..."

Kakashi stepped forward. Sasuke looked up.

"... once you have found the way."

Contrary to his sensei, Sasuke understood my meaning. He pressed his palms and lips together. "That's just an inane dream Itachi gave me because he treated me like a kid who couldn't understand what was going on."

"Oh, darling, if you knew the faith your brother has placed in you," I sighed. I shook my wings. "But I see it was misplaced. Never mind then." I turned to leave by the window.

He stood up immediately. "Wait! How? How do I know I'm on the right way?"

I looked back. "The rookie nine. The three teams which graduated this year. Once you have all reached the status of chuunin… Then I'll tell you."

"That could take years!"

At least three if I wasn't mistaken. Hopefully, this would be sufficient for him to learn loyalty, subtlety and patience.

"Then, I guess you better get to work."

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "You're the genius of your year, are you not? If anyone can get them to improve faster, it would be you."

I could see the cogs turning in his head. "I don't know the other teams."

I cackled. "Looks like you're going to need some help."

He made a face. "Who?"

"Contrary to what you may think, kiddo, you're not all alone in the world. Maybe, start by opening your eyes."

He naturally looked at the only other person present. Kakashi — so laid-back that Gai would have wept at his cool attitude — raised two fingers in a V sign and said "Yo".

Ignoring my fondness for the dork, I flew to the windowsill and looked over my shoulder. "Oh, and by the way. Cage me ever again, and I'll rearrange your pretty face."

Itachi wouldn't need to know.

Chapter dedicated to BooksandBrownies for their suggestion about Kakashi thinking about being reincarnated as a dog. ;)

This is now also available on AO3, edited and cut in two stories for easier management ("Guardian Angel of Trouble Twins" and "Guardian Angel of a Troubled Man").

I wish you all a good end to 2018 and a good start to 2019!