Haunted

by KitoraSohma

Before the formation of the ninja Villages, there was war. The Amaya Clan had all but vanished until the birth of Tsukiko Amaya. After being abandoned by the one she loved more than anyone else, Tsukiko is left alone to take care of what remains of her broken family. Will she discover what it truly means to protect? A canonical retelling of Naruto with a few important additions.

22. Chapter 20

A.N. The main stuff was in the last chapter, but to clarify: Please listen to Haunted! It will really set the tone for this! I'll tell you, the first verse is the past, the second is now, and the third, ?

---

NOW:

"Faster, Sasuke!" Tsukiko shouted, slamming her foot into the young male's chest with enough force to knock the wind out of him.

He staggered back, red eyes narrowing with anger as electricity crackled in his fist.

They were in Tsukiko's training grove, near their house. The two had been sparring since early that morning, when the sun had been just a suggestion behind the treetops. True to her word, Tsukiko had not taken it easy on Sasuke, but he hadn't complained once, getting back up every time she flung him across the clearing.

He was covered in bruises, and had a small cut on his arm from when he'd hit a tree earlier instead of Tsukiko. But he was determined, and felt that old thrill he used to have when Tsukiko would show him a new trick when he was little.

And now he still had enough chakra in him to use his chidori a fourth time. Already he was improving.

Still, it was nearing time for her to order a break. Using the Sharingan and chidori together for so long was taking its toll. He was slowing down.

Or so she thought, black eyes focused on his feet as he suddenly shot toward her, chidori screaming. She had been reading the movements of his body, as she was not going to use her Gensogan against him. Not yet.

Tsukiko just barely dodged, backflipping up into the air, the lightning close enough to make her hair stand up as the smell of ozone filled her nose. She twisted midair to kick at the boy's unguarded back.

Sasuke spun around, expecting the movement, and blocked her foot with his arm before throwing her back.

Tsukiko landed lightly, her breathing a little heavier than when they first began. Looking at the mid-morning sky, she guessed that they'd been training for about four hours now, with the young woman slowing herself down considerably and forbidding herself from using her Gensogan. The excuse she gave Sasuke was that this exercise was about building his speed and stamina, and using her Gensogan was a waste of time. So, he knew she was going easy on him, but he had no idea by how much. Still, he had impressed her with that final attack, and she cracked her neck, prepared to step it up a notch.

Suddenly, she heard a noise above her. A messenger bird was flying in a distinct pattern, waiting for permission to land and deliver its message.

"Kakashi?" Sasuke landed next to her, his Sharingan fading away as he glared at the circling creature. "What does he want?"

Tsukiko shrugged. "I guess this is as good a place to stop as any. I promised to meet Masuko at that cute little tea shop soon, and I'd better change clothes." She gestured to her outfit, covered in dirt and even some of her blood.

The boy turned his glare on her. "We aren't finished yet!"

Tsukiko put her hands up in surrender, laughing. "Hey, you were doing great! Look, you definitely landed a couple hits," she gestured to the cuts across her arms, and a nasty bruise on her back, where he'd been able to predict her movements well enough to slam his elbow into her. "You're getting faster."

"And you're still not fighting seriously," he countered, somewhat appeased, but still irritated. Sasuke wasn't stupid. He knew that she was holding back far more than she was letting on. At the same time though, this had been one of the toughest training sessions he'd gone through. And that made him hopeful. Tsukiko was taking him seriously, and he was going to get stronger with her help.

She bumped his shoulder playfully, smiling knowingly. "Ah, but the thing to take away is this: I've been slowly increasing my speed this whole time, and you've kept up, and even surpassed my expectations with that last charge." Her eyes shone with pride. "The gap is getting smaller and smaller all the time, Sasuke. And, you're starting to be able to read my movements. That's no easy feat, considering I have five fighting styles now."

Sasuke's lips quirked upwards, recognizing the truth of her words, but he wasn't distracted. "Do you promise to train later?" He pressed. "I want to fight your Gensogan."

"Want to lose that badly, huh?" Tsukiko grinned, stretching out her sore muscles. Technically, she should still be in bed, as it was only the morning after Lord Third's funeral, but wanted to show Sasuke that she was serious about her offer. She paused to think a moment, watching his expectant face fall. His expressions were so minute now that it was hard to read them, as compared to the happy kid he'd been.

"Alright," she agreed, unable to think of a concrete reason why she shouldn't give him an ego check. Getting his ass kicked would have the double effect of showing how much power she could offer him, so long as she paced herself.

The Uchiha boy's eyes widened slightly, and he actually smiled at her, the edges of his mouth just barely curling upward. "Really?"

She shrugged, trying not to show the absurd happiness rising in her chest at that small smile. "Well, you are getting stronger, a lot quicker than I'd expected. I think you can handle it." Pushing her luck, she moved before he could dodge and wrapped her arm around his shoulders to pull him into a hug. "In fact, I know you can handle it."

'I'll just have to keep myself in control.'

Sasuke pulled away quickly, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. "Whatever," he muttered, but Tsukiko could tell he was secretly pleased.

"Alright, let's go get cleaned up." The older woman turned away, trusting Sasuke to follow. "It wouldn't be polite to keep your sensei waiting."

"Please, he's going to show up at least an hour late."

Tsukiko laughed, her hair bouncing as her shoulders shook. She hadn't had a morning this pleasant in quite awhile, and she was determined that nothing would ruin it.

'Today's going to be a great day.'

---

Itachi's features were carefully blank as he and the shark-like man he'd been partnered with sat down at the little table, not letting the nostalgia he felt show.

This small tea shop had been a favorite of his, in the center of the village and far from the compound. He and Tsukiko had spent many pleasant afternoons here quietly drinking tea and eating dango, enjoying the small freedom. A former teammate had been the waitress there, and Tsukiko enjoyed talking to her. Itachi less so, but the memories made here were still precious to him.

Telling himself that he'd naturally gravitated here because of its central position, Itachi carefully placed himself so that his back was to the entrance. From this spot, he was still able to see the front of the shop, reflected in a small decorative mirror hanging on the wall. It had been there ever since the shop first opened, and had actually been the reason he and Tsukiko had always chosen this table. Even then, they'd wanted to be prepared for anything. Over the years, the mirror had been moved up to match their height, and Itachi was sure it had been their friend, though she never mentioned it.

"What can I get for you?" The nervous voice of the waiter pierced his thoughts, instinctively making him lower his head slightly, trusting in the wide brim of his hat to shadow his face. It was someone he had never met, he noted with a faint relief.

"I'll have a three-colored dango and a jasmine tea," he said coldly, his tone cutting down any chance of further conversation.

"Ah, r-right! And you, sir?"

Kisame's wide grin caught the light despite the shadow of his hat. "Just green tea for me."

Somehow, the easygoing manner with which he addressed the waiter made the shaking man more uneasy. "C-Coming right up," he managed, glancing at the massive weapon strapped to Kisame's back.

Even after the man left, the former Mist ninja's grin didn't fade. "So, what's the plan? You know this village better than I do."

Itachi stared at him, face unreadable. What Kisame didn't know was that there wasn't a plan. At least, as far as capturing Naruto went. He was here only to remind Danzo of his promise to protect Sasuke and Tsukiko. Orochimaru's attack had put him on-edge, for several reasons. The first being that a target of his was likely Sasuke.

After having partnered with the serpent-like Sannin member for a short time, Itachi was well-aware of his interest in the Sharingan. After having failed to take his, it was logical to assume that Orochimaru would target Sasuke, like a snake looking for weaker prey.

And that would put him in direct conflict with Tsukiko, whose eyes held further interest. She'd been terrified of Orochimaru as a child, and had never really shaken off her fear of snakes due to his influence. His coming back would bring little joy to her life. Itachi wanted to learn what he could and make sure they were both fine.

But the real reason he needed to come back, had to personally remind Danzo of his promise, was because Itachi had evidence that the old man had actually helped Orochimaru.

Just the thought brought a burning fury to his chest, an anger he hadn't felt in a long time, especially after killing off his emotions. But his source was reliable, and Itachi had already taken steps to ensure that that the Anbu commander was well-aware of his knowledge. That was why, instead of using his Sharingan to erase their presence from the mind of the man guarding the gate, Itachi had simply put him to sleep. He was sure to be discovered quickly, and it would become obvious that someone knew the signs to open the invisible barrier cloaking the village, a jutsu that alerted the higher-ups of suspicious visitors if not properly dispelled.

The signs were changed often, and Itachi only knew them through the efforts of an informant in the village. Orochimaru would only have known them if he'd been able to access Anbu records or had his own spy within the organization. And Danzo was well aware of Kabuto, having investigated the boy thoroughly when he arrived at the village. So that left only one option…

"Here you go." Carefully, their waiter set their order down, flinching slightly as Kisame reached out and lifted his cup, taking an appreciative sip.

"Thanks."

"O-Of course." Clearly eager to get away, the man scurried off to the next table.

Kisame grinned and continued to slowly drink the scalding liquid, patiently waiting for Itachi to answer his question. He was used to his companion's silence by now, and knew no urging (or threatening) on his part would break it.

"We will need to find out whether Naruto Uzumaki is still in the village," Itachi answered finally. They had scouted around the day before, having learned of Lord Third's funeral. "Everyone was recalled from their missions, but he might have been sent out. It is unlikely though. Village officials will want to keep him close and well guarded after an attack like that."

His partner nodded, feeling his blood stir at the prospect of a fight. "Sounds fun."

Itachi picked up his dango, but paused at the sight of familiar spiky silver hair coming into view. Casually, he set the stick down and picked up his tea, taking a sip as he scrutinized his old comrade.

Kakashi leaned against one of the shop pillars, seemingly reading his book. He was waiting for Sasuke, and thought he'd take the boy to lunch before some late-day training. Of course, he wanted to stop by Obito's grave and pay his respects, but he figured the impatient boy wouldn't mind. Tsukiko had been with him all morning, so he probably wouldn't complain. Much.

The jounin had been distracted, however, by two men sitting in the dango shop behind him. They sat facing each other, both wearing black cloaks with red clouds and straw hats to hide their faces, and the one facing him had a large weapon of some kind wrapped in bandages. Definitely suspicious, especially as there had been some trouble at one of the village gates earlier. His intuition said these two were the culprits.

His attention shifted somewhat to the two ninja walking toward him. Kurenai and Asuma.

'Well, now. That's interesting.'

"Hey guys," he greeted, closing his book and stepping away from the pillar. "You two seem to be getting along."

Kurenai's cheeks darkened, and she looked away with a derisive snort. "Idiot. Anko just asked me to pick up some dango for her." She held up the package as proof.

"What are you doing here?" Asuma asked curiously, his hands stuck in his pockets. "Aside from catching up on your reading, that is."

"I need to buy something to put on a grave," Kakashi explained, his gaze sliding over to check on the two figures. "Plus I'm meeting somebody here. I'm just waiting on Sasuke."

Unseen by Kakashi, Itachi started slightly, one of his fingers, adorned with a silver and red ring, tapping forward in surprise. He'd known that Kakashi was Sasuke's sensei, but he had hoped to avoid seeing his younger brother, and all the memories that would evoke. The only one he wanted to avoid more was—

"Hey, Kakashi. Asuma, Kurenai. Are we having a party or something?"

Her voice, as clear and unmistakable as he remembered, wiped all other thoughts from the young man's mind. Almost before he could stop himself, he had naturally started to turn to it.

Kisame's head cocked ever so slightly at his partner's reaction, and he unobtrusively shifted his glance to the pretty white-haired girl coming into view. His grin widened.

'Oh? Interesting…'

He wasn't the only one who noticed. Kakashi couldn't miss the sudden tension and stiffness in the man's shoulders, and his visible eye narrowed. Jiraiya had warned him about a group of criminals known as the Akatsuki, and these two fit the description. They hadn't seemed familiar, but his intuition was telling him differently, at least with regards to the shorter man. And Jiraiya had mentioned that a certain someone had joined the Akatsuki...

Casually turning to greet Tsukiko, Kakashi felt himself smile in spite of his suspicions. It was nice to see her so carefree, after all the tension she'd been under in the last few weeks. She'd only just begun to recover. Nodding to himself, Kakashi decided that she didn't have to get involved in this matter.

"It would seem everyone felt like dango today," the silver-haired man answered pleasantly, watching Tsukiko and her friend approach.

"Well, I promised Masuko I'd show her my favorite restaurant."

Itachi's eyes were locked on the reflection of the white-haired woman, struggling to make out the details with his slightly blurred vision. He didn't have his Sharingan activated at the moment, knowing that the distinctive red pattern would give him away, disguise or not, so he had to make do with his worsening eyesight.

She was taller, and her hair was longer than he remembered. Even from here, he could see the dark circles under her bright onyx eyes, and felt a growing sense of concern. His emotions, so carefully kept in check these last few years, threatened to break free and overwhelm him when she smiled. As much as he'd tried to wish differently, time had done little to dilute his feelings. Seeing her now only confirmed this.

The purple-haired jounin at her side huffed slightly, unimpressed. "A tea shop is your favorite restaurant? Dango are not a meal."

In his peripheral vision, Itachi saw Kisame stiffen suddenly, a blue hand automatically reaching for the hilt of his weapon as his eyes widened with disbelief. He obviously knew the second woman, which was perhaps something to be concerned about, but at the moment, Itachi couldn't bring himself to care, or look away.

Tsukiko smiled ruefully. "Well, they do have other things," she protested. "They just also happen to have the best dango, aside from my homemade ones of course."

"Of course," Masuko agreed sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I keep forgetting you're basically still a kid. Honestly, sweets for lunch..."

"But Kakashi, are you waiting for Sasuke here?" Tsukiko asked, pointedly ignoring the older woman. "He was a little annoyed that your hawk interrupted our sparing."

Kakashi sighed. "So he and I are going to be training all afternoon, right?"

She patted his arm sympathetically, smiling with amusement. "He was right behind me, so prepare yourself while you can."

He nodded, resigned.

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly, watching their interaction carefully. He felt an uncharacteristic stab of irritation, a remnant of years ago, when a younger Tsukiko had admired the silver-haired man.

'What is their relationship now?'

"Heh," Asuma smirked. "It's not like you to be waiting on somebody." Then his voice became more serious. "Are you going to visit Obito?"

"Obito?" Kurenai repeated, confused.

"Yeah, kind of," Kakashi said distractedly, moving so that he hid the figures from view. The last thing he wanted was for Tsukiko to take notice.

The girl in question tilted her head at his odd movement, as Kakashi was now blocking the way, but turned at the sound of a new voice.

"Kakashi," Sasuke's tone held mild surprise as he approached, hands in his pockets. "It's not like you to show up early. What gives?"

"Well, sometimes I do," he corrected, his tone dry. He glanced around, unamused with the faces clearly hiding grins.

Tsukiko snorted, trying not to laugh. "Sure you do. Come on, Masuko. Let's get something to eat."

Kakashi stepped out of the way, revealing an empty table with two cups of tea and a plate of uneaten dango.

"Huh, that's weird," Masuko noted, looking around. "Somebody just left their food here."

Kakashi and the other two jounin exchanged glances, the silver-haired man silently communicating with them.

"You mean rude," Tsukiko said indignantly. "These are perfectly good dango." She picked the plate up and sighed. "But also lucky for us, since this is my favorite table. Come on, let's clear these away, and then we can steal it." She looked up at Sasuke. "Do you and Kakashi want to join us?"

The boy frowned, shaking his head. "I'd rather eat somewhere else." His expression darkened slightly. "I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"Hm." Kakashi cocked his head slightly. "Is that so? It must be hard, living with Tsukiko, then."

She glared at him, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Watch yourself, Kakashi."

Completely unperturbed, Kakashi gave one final look to Kurenai and Asuma, who both nodded, then vanished.

"Is something wrong?" Masuko's quick eyes picked up on the exchange, immediately ready for trouble.

The male waved away her concern. "Just a small errand they agreed to do." He turned his head to Sasuke. "Alright then. You pick where we eat. It's my treat."

The young Uchiha nodded, and began walking down the road, his sensei trailing behind.

Tsukiko watched them go fondly, then turned back to the table. "Alright, let's take the dishes to the front, and we can order." She picked up the dango and the nearly full cup of tea, the enticing smell hitting her nose.

"Mmm," she sighed appreciatively. "Jasmine tea and dango. Whoever was here has good taste."

"Jasmine?" Masuko wrinkled her nose. "Isn't dango usually served with green tea?" She picked up the other cup. "See, green."

The younger woman shrugged. "It's a good combination. I always get it." Lady Mikoto hadn't cared for green tea all that much, so Tsukiko was just used to having jasmine instead. And the smell of jasmine tea and dango brought back fond memories of her younger self, memories that weren't as painful to remember as others.

After taking the dishes to the counter, Masuko sat down with a sigh. "So, how's Sasuke's training coming along?"

"Good," Tsukiko followed Masuko's lead, settling herself with her back to the entrance, eyes glancing up to watch the front through a conveniently placed mirror. She passed a menu to the older woman, already knowing her own order. "He's getting faster and faster. Soon I'll be able to go all out with him."

"Scary thought," Masuko grinned.

After a long pause, and the turn of a menu page, the older woman sighed and leaned forward, closing the small book. "Alright, let's have it. What did you want to talk about?"

Tsukiko hesitated. She was planning to bring this up later, but Masuko wasn't one to beat around the bush. Zero subtlety, that one.

"I was thinking about leaving the village for a short time," she admitted, waiting for the older woman's reaction.

Masuko nodded slowly. "I see. Is this about your family's shrine?"

The white-haired woman glanced around swiftly, making sure that no one was listening to them. "Yes, but there's something else. I've had Anbu tailing me since the funeral."

To her credit, the older woman gave no reaction, humming boredly and flicking through her menu with one hand. "Are they watching now?"

Tsukiko shook her head. "No. I felt them leave when we got here. But they might be waiting outside."

"And is there a reason the Leaf Anbu are watching you?"

The younger woman snorted. "Try every reason. I've been a thorn in their side for awhile. But I received some intel that the head of the Anbu, Danzo Shimura, is going to try and convince the Council to rescind Lord Third's permission for me to leave."

Masuko's forehead wrinkled with confusion. "Why would this Danzo guy care about that?"

"Can I get you ladies anything?" A timid waiter approached, looking vaguely annoyed and relieved at the same time.

"We're still looking, thanks," Masuko said briskly, gesturing to the menu. "Lots of choices, and it's my first time here. We'll let you know when we're ready."

The man nodded, turning away.

Tsukiko's fake smile fell, and she regarded Masuko seriously. "What I'm about to tell you can't leave this tea shop. If anyone finds out, our lives will both be on the line." She spread her hands out on the table. "You and Kakashi are the only ones I trust with this, but I haven't told him yet. I have steps in place for him to receive a letter should anything happen to me. I understand if you want to leave now."

Masuko raised an eyebrow, then made a show of getting comfy, leaning her cheek against her fist. "Do tell. I'm all ears." Inwardly, she was struck with concern for her friend, but a warmth that Tsukiko trusted her enough to share whatever she'd learned. And before Kakashi!

The white-haired woman felt her lips curve upwards, and she shook her head. "As I expected." She looked at her older friend gratefully. "Well, there's a lot you don't know, so I'll start there. First, I used to be an Anbu member."

Masuko's eyes widened slightly, but she made no move to stop the story.

"I left three years ago, after almost the entire Uchiha clan was massacred by Itachi Uchiha, and was made a jounin. But Danzo wanted me to stay as his insurance against Itachi." She tapped her temple. "My eyes render most Genjutsu useless, and he wanted that ability. Lord Third overruled him, as the Anbu were technically supposed to report to him. He knew I wanted to leave, wanted nothing more to do with that awful group."

Tsukiko swallowed, twisting her hands. "I was out on a mission for them that night. By the time I returned, the compound was…" she closed her eyes, pausing briefly. "Well, you get the picture. I blamed them for sending me away, for trying to separate me from Itachi. If he and I had remained together on assignments, maybe I would've seen the darkness in him." She shrugged helplessly. "Regardless, I needed to be around for Sasuke, and I didn't want that man anywhere near him. The village wasn't always so kind or admiring of Uchihas, and it would've been all too easy to finish what Itachi started. But ever since then, Danzo's been watching me. I don't think he knows how much intel I've gathered against him, but he suspects something. I've been expecting a kunai between my shoulder blades at any moment."

Masuko's eyes darkened, and she opened her mouth to say something, but the younger girl interrupted, her face transforming into a gentle sort of relaxed.

"Excuse me, but we're ready to order."

Out of the corner of her eye, Tsukiko had noticed their waiter watching them with interest and some confusion. They had been there for a bit without ordering anything, and it would soon be suspicious.

"What can I get you?" the man asked gratefully, spared from the awkward situation of potentially having to tell the two women to leave.

"I'll have a plate of three-colored dango, and a jasmine tea," Tsukiko said, smiling.

"I'll have the onigiri and a green tea," Masuko said, glancing one last time at the menu. Her features were also carefully schooled into a relaxed countenance.

The man taking their order looked at Tsukiko suspiciously. "You're not just gonna leave it lying around, right? The last guy here ordered the same thing, then didn't even eat it. He and his friend skipped out on paying, too."

Tsukiko placed a hand over her heart. "I don't waste good food," she said seriously, ignoring the implication that she wasn't going to pay. She knew that this little place was proud of their dango, and rightly so.

After a moment, he nodded, his expression brightening. "Yeah, you come here a lot, right? Sorry I didn't remember, but I'm pretty new here."

The white-haired woman waved away his apology. "No problem. Thank you!"

The dark-haired man nodded, smiling slightly as he walked away.

She turned back to Masuko, keeping her tone light and her smile in place. "Anyway, I couldn't figure out for the longest time what he was waiting for. Then yesterday, I found out." Tsukiko tapped her vest pocket. "My friend, Eri, used to be an agent tasked with guarding and protecting Lord Third. Her brother, Akio, was one of my comrades in the Anbu. I know I can trust them, especially since Eri cut her ties to the Anbu about a year and a half before I did, and now works as a spy for Jiraiya-Sensei."

It had been a shock to see her at the funeral, but not an unwelcome one. The last time she'd seen the dark-haired woman, she'd been in a lot of pain. Her green eyes had been filled with hatred and anger behind her simple glasses, and Akio had been a worried mess. That was three years ago, when she'd visited Tsukiko in her hospital room and convinced her to cut away from the Anbu, just as she had. Since then, Tsukiko had received the occasional letter, but Jiraiya-Sensei had kept Eri busy. Based on her much calmer appearance, it had done the older woman some good, and for that, Tsukiko was grateful.

Masuko nodded, her false smile widening as she pretended to laugh at a joke. "I noticed that he wasn't at the funeral."

"Jiraiya-Sensei prefers to grieve in his own way, and I respect that. He had Eri steal the scroll with Lord Hokage's approval for my leaving, and gave it to me yesterday. She also hinted that she was onto something about Danzo, but she didn't have enough details to confirm."

"This guy is looking more and more suspicious each day," Masuko said lightly. "But why are you telling me all this?"

Tsukiko hesitated, unsure how her friend would react. "Because I think Danzo is working with Orochimaru."

The purple-haired woman's eyes widened, dropping her act for the moment. "Seriously?"

"There weren't enough Anbu agents around when he attacked, and no sign of any Foundation members. Plus, Orochimaru got in undetected, which is all but impossible without Danzo knowing. He killed a team of Grass ninja within the borders and took their faces, then somehow passed security. Even with Kabuto, it just doesn't add up." Her hand clenched into a fist.

"And, from what Eri has discovered, it looks like he's after the Amaya family secrets. She told me that he wasn't going to stop my leaving, but insist that I take Anbu protection with me." The younger woman snorted. "Which, despite their best efforts, would fail and I'd be dead the moment I gained access to Akihiro's library of information. It would be turned over to the Leaf, where Danzo would have already secreted away anything important. That's why I need to leave sooner rather than later. If there is anything in there about curse marks, I can't risk the possibility of Orochimaru getting his hands on it through Danzo."

She raised her head and looked Masuko. "I know this is asking a lot, but could you keep an eye on Sasuke while I'm gone? Kakashi will take care of him if something happens, but I'll feel better knowing that you're also looking out for him."

Masuko swallowed hard, touched by the trust placed in her. She'd known the young woman for less than a year, but had already been accepted by her. That sort of naivety was foolish, but...after years of not being able to trust anyone, and being betrayed by people she cared about…

'I want to protect that feeling.'

"Of course," she managed, trying not to let her younger companion see her emotions. "Anything you need."

Tsukiko smiled, visibly relaxing with relief. "Thank you, Masuko."

They sat in an amiable silence for the next minute or two, broken only when their waiter returned.

"Sorry, ladies. It'll be a few more minutes. We're understaffed today, and a lot of people have come in." He grinned nervously. "Some more savory than others."

"Do you need us to throw someone out?" Masuko asked, looking around at the friendly faces. "I don't mind a quick brawl before I eat."

The younger jounin also glanced around. "Right. I don't want my favorite tea shop to get a bad reputation."

The waiter shook his head, his short brown hair flopping wildly. "No, no! We're okay now. It's just earlier we had some weird guys, and well…" he rubbed his neck. "They creeped me out."

"What guys?" Masuko placed her cheek on her fist, mildly interested and still half-hoping for a fight.

"The ones who were sitting here," he explained. "I couldn't see their faces, but they wore dark clothes and had a scary aura. And one of them had a weird sword."

"Oh?" Now the guy had Masuko's full attention. She was in the market for a new weapon, and felt no guilt over beating up an enemy to get it. "Weird how?"

"Well, it was a huge weapon, all wrapped in bandages," the waiter explained, his annoyance returning. "Obviously we allow people to bring ninja tools in, but this thing was almost as big as me! And the guy wielding it was really scary," he laughed awkwardly. "I mean, I'm used to seeing all sorts of ninja, and I couldn't see anything but his hands, but I swear the guy had blue skin. "

The purple-haired woman shot up from her seat, her eyes wide. "Are you sure? Absolutely sure?"

"Um, yeah, I-I think so," the man stammered, frightened by the sudden intensity. "I wasn't—I wasn't trying to stare, but the sword caught my eye, and when I served their drinks, I saw his hand. It was like a grey-blue color."

"Masuko, what's wrong?" Tsukiko also stood, reaching out to grab her friend's arm. "Do you know that guy?" Her friend was almost vibrating with intensity, and she was glaring down the timid waiter as if daring him to lie to her.

Her mouth stretched into a deadly grin, eyes alight with excitement and anger. "I have a pretty good idea." She looked back at Tsukiko. "Could you do that chakra-dome thing of yours? You'd be looking for a massive chakra, bigger than anything you've ever seen. If it's who I think it is, then chances are, he'll pick a fight sooner or later, and I'd like to be that fight." She clenched and unclenched her fists, shifting from foot to foot.

Mystified, Tsukiko nodded, closing her eyes and pushing out her chakra. Without help, a mile in any direction was her limit, but the two men hadn't left that long ago, and likely hadn't gotten too far, unless they were in a big hurry to leave. If so, Masuko could help widen her search by providing chakra.

But almost instantly, she felt five chakras to the north, about three-quarters of a mile away. Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma, plus two other chakras.

'Did Kakashi leave Sasuke?' Tsukiko wondered, reaching out for the larger of the two foreign chakras. It was strong, but not the huge power Masuko had predicted. That didn't mean much, as he was likely hiding the majority of it. As for the other...

'Sasuke?' Startled, Tsukiko briefly lost her grip on the dome. When she'd reached for it, it had felt similar to the young Uchiha, filled with Fire and power. But, that was impossible. Sasuke wasn't that strong, and Kakashi wouldn't have exposed the boy to a fight that evidently needed three jounin. Reaching out to the familiar chakra, Tsukiko brushed against it cautiously.

It was warm, and very familiar, again reminding her of Sasuke. But there was definitely something different, something she recognized, despite never having felt his chakra on this intimate sort of level.

Her eyes snapped open with a strangled gasp, her hand grasping her left shoulder tightly as phantom pain spiked through her. "We need to leave, now."

Masuko nodded without a word, unnerved by the look in her friend's eye, and the two disappeared, leaving the poor waiter with a confused and frightened expression.

---

Tsukiko hopped from roof to roof, irritated that she'd been held-up by one of Danzo's cronies, demanding she write up her mission report as soon as she'd returned. It was long and ultimately boring, and she was exhausted from having to track an enemy ninja, who turned out to be a spy for the Leaf. Utterly pointless. All she wanted now was to eat a quick dinner and go to bed. Of course, Sasuke would likely question her for another hour or so and Itachi…

She blushed, unable to keep the grin off her face at the thought of the handsome Uchiha. Her boyfriend was probably waiting for her, that same grumpy look on his face from the last time work had made her late. They rarely got time together as it is, between missions and the clan watching her and Itachi with thinly-veiled disgust.

'As soon as we can, we're leaving the compound,' she thought, going over their plans again. 'No one trusts or wants us around since Itachi quit going to the meetings. And hopefully Lady Mikoto will let us take Sasuke, too. She can't want him mixed up in all this growing tension.'

Her smile faded slightly. Things were getting worse and worse in the compound, but she was hopeful. Akio and Eri had been working with Lord Third to create a plan of inclusion to repair relations with the Uchiha clan, starting with the abolishment of a mandatory compound. Once that happened, things would be better.

Landing lightly at the compound gate, she was struck by the silence. It was a sudden and full thing, a complete absence of noise, like the whole world was holding its breath. Her instincts flared, and she looked around, uneasy. Even at night, the compound should be filled with the noise of animals, families settling down to sleep, a sentry or two making their rounds, but…nothing.

Behind her, she heard approaching footsteps, the only noise in the stillness. Turning, she saw Sasuke running toward her, his school bag bouncing against his side.

"Tsukiko!" He called happily. "You're home!"

Relieved to see him, the older girl opened her arms and caught him in a hug, grinning. "Hey, Sasuke! You're late too, huh?"

He took a step back, puffing up his chest proudly. "My sensei wanted to show me some advanced shuriken techniques. He said the normal ones were too easy for me."

"Of course they are," she agreed, ruffling his hair. "I have some time tomorrow, so we should head to the training grove and you can show me." It had been a while since they'd been able to go, and she was looking forward to it. As far as she knew, Itachi was free as well, and the three of them could have a fun day of training.

The younger boy's eyes lit up, and he nodded excitedly. "Yes!"

Smiling, Tsukiko took his hand and turned back to the silent compound, trying to ignore her screaming instincts. It only got worse as she started walking, like icy fingers gripping her spine, trying to pull her back as the oppressive silence weighed her down. Even Sasuke seemed to feel it, slowly trailing off into silence.

Tsukiko's eyes turned red, a warning to anyone who knew her, and she pulled Sasuke closer, her gaze sweeping the road ahead.

"Something's wrong," she murmured, her head turning to look down alleyway. Her voice sounded loud in the quiet compound, and she was struck with the memory of her childhood home, running through an empty village while she screamed for help as her parents were brutally murdered.

"Tsukiko?" Sasuke had seen the older girl abruptly stiffen, her eyes continuously darting around as if expecting an attack.

"Come on," she ordered, whispering now. She picked him up, tossing his school bag behind a decorative statue. Racing through the darkened streets, she quickly found her way home, straining her eyes to see any light or movement.

She was awarded with a slight flicker in her peripheral vision, a distortion in the air that she couldn't explain, but was gone in an instant. It was somehow familiar, but her mind came up blank. Her body however, remembered what her mind hadn't, and she was struck with an all-consuming need to run, to take Sasuke and raise the alarm.

Her shinobi and Anbu training reasserted itself almost instantly, and she knew she needed to know more information before running around like a child afraid of the dark. She needed to go into one of the houses, and see that everything was alright.

"Sasuke, I want you to stay here," Tsukiko ordered, setting him down near the bushes outside the front porch. "If I don't come out in five minutes, go get help."

The boy's eyes widened, and he nodded mutely, understanding the need for absolute silence.

"Good," she nodded. "Hide here and wait for me."

Leaving him there, despite her urge to take him and escape, Tsukiko stepped lightly onto the porch and silently opened the sliding door.

Creeping inside, she didn't see anything immediately amiss. But she couldn't relax until she'd seen Lord Fugaku and Lady Mikoto.

Turning to their room, she paused. The whole house seemed to be holding its breath, and her intuition flared once more. She braced herself, and opened the door.

The smell hit her first, the scent of freshly spilled blood hanging in the air, a familiar experience for those who walked the dimly lit path of the Shinobi. But it wasn't supposed to be here, not in her home.

From the moonlight streaming through the windows, she could see a figure, his back to her as he looked down at the two corpses that used to be Lady Mikoto and Lord Fugaku.

Their bodies lay stretched out, blood flowing still from the horrendous wounds through their hearts where they had been stabbed through. It soaked into the floor, seeking a new host as its previous ones began to stiffen with death.

Tsukiko barely managed to contain her gasp, but must have made some noise as the figure turned to her.

Her tense body sagged with relief at the sight of familiar red eyes and dark hair. "Itachi," she called softly, her eyes filling with the tears she was desperately trying to hold back. "What happened? Who did this?"

He gave no reply and Tsukiko, thinking that he must be in shock, took a step forward.

Something glinted in the moonlight, drawing her eyes to the sword he carried. She recognized it as Itachi's usual weapon, a standard short, hiltless sword used by many Uchiha shinobi. Blood dripped down the weapon, mocking her incredulous gaze.

Tsukiko met his eyes, and there was a coldness there, a blankness that made her flinch. She might have been looking at a perfect stranger. 'That's not Itachi,' she thought, realizing that the person before her must be an enemy. Itachi would never look at her that way, would never have—

Something flashed, and the young woman dodged without thinking, the kunai flying past her to hit the wall.

"Tsukiko." He spoke in Itachi's voice, but there was nothing to tie to her name. No emotion, no memory, nothing but the icy flatness of his eyes. "You shouldn't have come here." His gaze looked past her. "Where's Sasuke?"

Hearing this person say Sasuke's name, as blank and cold as her own, snapped Tsukiko from the fog surrounding her. Her protective instinct surged, and she took another step forward. "I don't know," she said, glaring. "But it doesn't matter, because you won't take another step. Where's Itachi?"

The man's eyes drifted back to her, studying her face. "That's right. You've never seen this side of me, so I really can't blame you for thinking I'm an imposter. However…"

Tsukiko felt the air shift as a Genjutsu was cast. Her eyes widened as the man's Sharingan seemed to spin, weaving a web of chakra around her.

That is, until she switched to Earth, and the connection was broken. The point, however, had been made. This man possessed an actual Sharingan, not simply an imitation. And that meant he had to be an Uchiha.

"What?" The young kunoichi's voice trembled slightly in disbelief. "What—What did you do?"

It was impossible, completely incomprehensible that the man before her was Itachi. That's what her heart said. Her brain however, was doubtful. She had always been able to see through a person disguised as Itachi. Shisui had tried it, various enemies had tried it, but Tsukiko hadn't been fooled. She could always tell the difference.

But right now, she could sense no deception. This person was Itachi.

"I was simply testing the limits of my power," Itachi said, gesturing carelessly to the corpses of his parents.

"That doesn't make sense!" Tsukiko's voice was a shout now, desperation and anger evident as she tried to understand, to figure a way out of this nightmare. "You already knew you were stronger than them! Why did you have to—"

"I had to test a new ability," he interrupted smoothly. "One that I had only recently perfected. I hadn't planned on you being here, Tsukiko, but now that you are, you will provide further proof of my strength."

The young woman was frozen, unable to move as his eyes changed, the black tomoe marks in his Sharingan connecting and growing into a shuriken-like shape.

Almost instantly, she felt the Genjutsu, an all-consuming force that made no attempt at subtlety, but overwhelmed her senses.

Tsukiko was suddenly standing in a red world, no sign of Itachi or the house she had grown up in. Looking down at her hands, she saw that she was black and white, all the color leached from her skin and clothing. It was as if she had been transported inside the Sharingan itself, into Itachi's world.

Angrily wiping black tears away, Tsukiko's Gensogan switched back to Fire, her own red eyes destroying this world.

Or so she thought.

Her kekkei genkai, which had never failed to break a Genjutsu, was completely ineffective in this place.

Looking around with rising panic, Tsukiko felt her eyes flickering rapidly, trying to break Itachi's hold on her mind. She was tempted to start setting this reality on fire, but had no idea if she'd affect the real world. Mindlessly burning herself to death was not what she had in mind.

"As I expected." Itachi's voice seemed to echo in the red space. "Even the Gensogan is no match for my Tsukuyomi."

She spun trying to see him. "Tsukuyomi?"

"An ability of the Mangekyo Sharingan," he supplied, always sounding as if he was right behind her, no matter which way she turned. "I control all of your senses in this world of mine. For example…"

The red landscape changed, and various scenes began to play out. Itachi, ruthlessly killing his clan mates, his sword quickly and effectively ending their lives.

Tsukiko stared blankly, unable to process what she was seeing. Then Izumi's scared face appeared.

"NO!" She jerked her head away, closing her eyes, but the scene was still playing under her eyelids, completely inescapable.

When Izumi fell, Tsukiko felt her heart crack in a way that she was sure would never mend. But then Lady Mikoto and Lord Fugaku appeared, his angry voice warning Itachi to stay back.

With no hesitation, Itachi speared his father through and turned on his mother. Lady Mikoto was trembling, but made no move to stop her son from ruthlessly stabbing her with his sword. Tsukiko could see the betrayal and pain on her face as the light faded from her eyes.

'Someone is screaming,' she thought, her mind feeling disconnected. Then she realized that the strangled sobs and pleads for Itachi to stop were coming from her own mouth.

With great difficulty, she wrapped her arms around herself to stop from breaking down further. Tsukiko panted with strain and fear, the screams of her clan mingling in her ears. "How?" She whispered. "How could you do this?"

The visions flickered and faded, revealing Itachi standing in front of her, cold eyes searing her as she took a step back.

Never in her life had she been afraid of Itachi, never afraid that he would physically hurt her. He was her partner, her friend, the person she loved the most. And he had somehow become this warped and evil being without her ever noticing. When had this begun?

"The Mangekyo Sharingan is an evolution of powers, and can only be obtained after killing your best friend." He was expressionless, devoid of any emotion, despite the implications of his words. "After that, it became easy to kill."

Tsukiko's eyes widened in realization as a new scene appeared. Shisui, laughing as he sat at their cliff, the place where Itachi had confessed to her, not long before his death. His grin faded as he looked at Itachi questioningly, face going blank as he too was stabbed through. Shisui looked down at the sword protruding from his stomach, then back up to a young Itachi, confusion and pain made all the more heartbreaking as he silently toppled backwards over the cliff and into oblivion.

This time, she made no attempt to stop the scream, grasping her head as she tried to purge what she had just witnessed. He really had done it. Itachi had been the one to kill Shisui. And all for some stupid power. And now, everyone Tsukiko had loved was dead.

The red world faded, and Tsukiko fell to her knees, sobbing bitterly. Her heart had been shattered by the man she'd entrusted with it, and there was nothing left for her, of her.

Itachi took a step toward her, moonlight reflecting in his sword as he raised it.

The young woman made no attempt to move, accepting death. It was preferable to living with this hole in her chest, to living without anyone to care about.

But Itachi made no move to stab her, watching with cold and empty eyes. Or more accurately, looking past her.

"Tsukiko? Big brother?"

Her body moved before her mind could catch up, sheer terror and adrenaline fueling her reflexes. One hand shot up to catch the kunai Itachi threw, the blade cutting into her hand. Even more blood dripped onto the wooden floor, but Tsukiko didn't feel the pain as she leapt backwards out of the room.

Stomping hard and raising her other hand, a stone wall appeared between her and Itachi, sealing him inside, at least temporarily.

Spinning, she crouched down and grasped the frightened boy's shoulders. "Sasuke? Are you alright?"

The young Uchiha was trembling, his black eyes wide with tears. "What—What happened? Mother and father were—Did Itachi—"

"You need to run," she said firmly, squeezing his shoulders. "Get out of the compound as fast as you can, and go get help. I'll hold him off as long as I can."

'Which, considering I can't beat his Mangekyo Sharingan, won't be very long at all,' she thought.

Sasuke's eyes widened with fright. "Tsukiko! Behind you!"

The young woman turned just in time to see Itachi coming out of another room, having broken through the flimsier wooden wall instead of the stone.

Pain exploded in her shoulder, and she stared dumbly at the kunai sticking out of her chest. He must have thrown it the moment he saw her, and she had turned into it, giving him a better target than her back.

Blood poured out of the wound, so close to her heart that Tsukiko couldn't be sure that it hadn't been speared through.

Instantly, Itachi was in front of her, and for the briefest of moments, he could've been the man she'd fallen in love with. Horror flashed across his features, but had been swallowed so fast, she couldn't be sure.

Desperately trying to stop him, Tsukiko's hands grabbed hold of his shirt, refusing to move. "Go Sasuke!" She shouted, rewarded with the panicked sobs of her younger brother as he ran away.

She swayed, unsure if she was holding Itachi back or holding herself up. Her vision blurred, and darkness threatened.

'I'm dying.'

Itachi's arms wrapped around her, steadying her weakened form. She blinked, and thought, through her fuzzy vision, that he was crying.

Then her eyes were filled with red as the Mangekyo Sharingan activated once more. She instantly closed her eyes, but it was already too late. Darkness filled her vision as he forced sleep upon her.

Dimly, through the last seconds of consciousness granted to her, she could have sworn she felt a pressure against her lips and heard a whispered. "I'm sorry."

---

Tsukiko's jaw locked angrily as they raced to the location, memories of that night swirling in her mind. She only hoped she wasn't too late.

Masuko jumped alongside her, her own gaze far away. They said nothing, the tension in their bodies steadily mounting as they drew nearer and nearer.

The white-haired woman's mind was racing, trying to figure out why Itachi would return now, of all times. Just when she and Sasuke had reached an agreement, just when it looked like they were going to be okay. Tree branches scratched her cheeks as she raced by, but she didn't care, fueled only by the thought of getting to her destination.

'There, near the water.'

Tsukiko and Masuko landed on the path next to a waterway, just behind Asuma. There were two Kakashis, one in front of them, facing a tall man with blue-grey skin and facial features resembling a shark, and the other holding a kunai to the throat of a man with black hair and swirling red eyes.

Itachi Uchiha.

Asuma glanced back at them, shaking his head. "Damn. So much for being subtle."

Tsukiko didn't answer.

Itachi was standing on the water, Kurenai at his feet. At her arrival, Tsukiko felt his attention switch to her, but she determinedly kept her gaze on Kakashi, knowing full well the power of his eyes. He hadn't activated his trump card, so it was safe for her to look at his neck or lower.

Beside her, Masuko stepped forward slightly, a wicked smile spreading. "How rude of you, Asuma, to not invite me to this fight." She turned to the other man. "So. It is you."

"Well, well, what a surprise." The shark-like man hefted his sword, and Tsukiko glanced at him quickly, marking him as Kisame Hoshigaki, an S-Class rogue ninja very high up in the Bingo Books.

"I never thought I'd run into you, Masuko, here of all places." His eyes paused on her arm. "A Leaf ninja now? How'd that happen?" He sounded honestly curious, but there was a mischief to his tone that didn't fool Masuko. She knew he was liable to attack at any second.

She widened her stance, smiling dangerously as her fang glinted. "I'd love to tell you over a drink. How 'bout it Kisame? I'm sure you've got a few stories." Her eyes narrowed. "How about we start with how you stole Samehada?"

The rogue ninja grinned, revealing his own sharpened teeth. "Still on about the sword, huh?" He shook his head. "What a weird day. First I find someone besides Itachi with those crazy eyes, then you show up. Speaking of which—"

Kisame's eyes sharpened as he met the gaze of the Kakashi in front of him. "That's how you copied my jutsu, isn't it? You're Kakashi, the Copy Ninja."

"You can imagine my surprise," Kakashi returned coolly. "I go to check out a couple of lowlife vagabonds in a tea house, and I find none other than Itachi Uchiha, and Kisame Hoshigaki, the scourge of the Hidden Mist Village."

"How about that?" Kisame seemed delighted. "You know my name. I'm honored."

'He must be the guy Masuko was talking about.' Tsukiko narrowed her eyes, watching Itachi's body language for the slightest movement to signal an attack. Her eyes turned gold. 'What are the odds?'

"I assume that bizarre excuse for a sword is one of the Seven Ninja Swords of the Mist?" Kakashi inquired.

Masuko stepped past Asuma. "That," she glared. "Is Samehada, and it is one of the most deadly weapons you'll ever see, Kakashi."

He didn't move. "Is it now?"

Kisame chuckled darkly, tightening his grip. "I heard that you and Zabuza had it out a while back."

"Yes." Kakashi's hand grabbed a kunai hidden at his back. "We did."

With an angry growl, Kisame raised his sword, revealing that the wrappings has come undone at the uppermost part. The sword itself resembled a long black bush, but instead of leaves, there were hundreds of blades organized like scales. It's purpose wasn't to slice so much as it was to tear and rip apart.

"Go ahead," he urged, leveling Samehada at Kakashi. "I'd love to cut you to ribbons."

"Kisame. Stop it."

Three words. The first Tsukiko had heard from Itachi in three years. His voice was deeper than she remembered, but had that same calm cadence she'd recognize anywhere. Her fists tightened, and everyone turned their eyes to the Uchiha.

Feeling that he wasn't focused on her, Tsukiko felt it safe to look at his face.

Three years hadn't changed him much. His black hair seemed a little lighter in color, and he'd allowed his bangs to grow out, but that was it. He could've been the same man she'd fallen in love with.

Her heart gave a painful tug as she studied Itachi further. He was wearing a mesh shirt under his red and black cloak, and still wore the necklace Sasuke had gotten for him after they had been accepted to the Anbu, the three tomoe marks mocking her. And his eyes held that same coldness, a distance born on that night. He almost didn't seem real, like a nightmare coming to haunt her with what could of been and how twisted the world was.

"If you take this man on," Itachi continued, his eyes on his partner. "It won't be without cost. Furthermore, it will take time, and the commotion is liable to bring more shinobi running. As it is, there are already several nuisances."

Tsukiko dodged his gaze again, examination over. She watched his body instead, slowly sliding into a defensive crouch.

'He's just another enemy now. Don't think about who he is. Think about the danger to Sasuke he represents.'

"Your way is inefficient, and unnecessarily risky. Don't lose sight of our goal."

"Let's hear it," Kakashi ordered. "What is your goal, exactly?" The Shadow Clone next to Asuma vanished.

Slowly, Itachi turned his back to her, facing Kakashi. "We're looking for something, and we know it's here."

"And what would that be?"

Itachi didn't answer, and Kakashi raised a kunai threateningly. "What is this thing you're looking for?"

"My way is more...efficient than Kisame's." Shuriken appeared in his hand, a distraction from the real threat.

Tsukiko's eyes turned blue, and she leapt forward.

"Ninja Art: Water Wall!" Kakashi, having seen through the attack, quickly activated his hand signs.

"Haaah!" As soon as Tsukiko landed, she raised her arms and pulled the water, which had erupted into deadly spinning columns directed at Kakashi, to the side.

"You're good." Itachi still didn't look back, likely having expected her to jump forward. Instead, he focused on Kakashi. "You almost anticipated my moves."

A Shadow Clone appeared behind Kakashi, stabbing him in the back. "Almost."

Tsukiko didn't move, having realized that Kakashi had already substituted with a Water Clone. She could feel the water taking his shape. Her eyes watched Itachi with a hawklike perception.

'No. That's not a Clone.'

Kakashi's Clone turned back to water, and Masuko growled. "There sure are a lot of my Water jutsus being thrown around today!" The few times she and Kakashi has sparred, the older woman had been irritated to see the silver-haired man wielding several of the Mist's signature Water attacks. And Kakashi being...Kakashi, had made it a point to copy several more of her techniques.

She kept her eye on Kisame, who seemed content to watch his partner fight. Masuko raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you the 'wait and see' type?"

The easy grin he shot her made her heart flutter as he rolled his shoulders. "Itachi's the plan guy. I'm just following orders."

It was hard not to return the smile, and Masuko realized that it would be all too easy to fall back into old patterns and get caught up in fighting. She would have to be careful; the village was already half-destroyed. An all or nothing battle was not ideal, no matter how much she really wanted it.

Back on the water, Kurenai grabbed a kunai and charged at the closest Itachi. "Nice job, Kakashi!"

Tsukiko jumped back, aiming a blast of fire at the Itachi further away.

"Get back, Kurenai!" Kakashi leapt out of the water, slamming into her. "That one's the Shadow Clone!"

Tsukiko's fire hit a wall of water as an explosion propelled Kakashi and Kurenai forward, Asuma jumping to catch them while Masuko played defense, making sure Kisame didn't move.

All four landed lightly on the water, droplets cascading down like rain. Kurenai and Asuma faced Kakashi, who had his back to Itachi. Tsukiko landed next to the silver-haired jounin, her eyes never leaving the Uchiha male. In turn, she felt his attention refocus on her. She'd also changed. She wasn't the helpless little girl she'd been that night. This time, she was going to stand her ground.

"Stay on your toes," Kakashi ordered gruffly, sounding slightly strained. "This guy was made a chief of Anbu Black Ops when he was only thirteen."

"Alright, he's tough," Asuma snapped. "We get it."

"Tough?" Kakashi repeated incredulously. "You haven't seen half of what he can do." He faced his foe.

"For someone who is not of the Uchiha clan, you have mastered the Sharingan well." Again, Tsukiko felt Itachi's gaze leave her. "However, not being one of us, you lack our physical strength. And that's something you can't copy."

Kakashi said nothing, but Tsukiko knew the truth. The jounin was nearing his limit, and quickly.

"Why is it that the Uchiha clan is known by all, and feared by all?" Itachi's simple question held a powerful threat. "I'll show you what the Sharingan can do when its wielded by a true heir of the bloodline."

A shiver of fear snaked down her spine, and her shoulder ached at the memory.

"Close your eyes, now!" Tsukiko took a step forward, her own eyes snapping shut. "Don't look at him at all!" A normal Sharingan could be dodged by avoiding eye contact. This wasn't the same. The Mangekyo Sharingan could catch an opponent in one one-thousandth of a second, making dodging it at high speeds nearly impossible.

"Tsukiko!" She felt Kakashi's hand on her shoulder. "You can't fight him! If you open your eyes, you're as good as dead. I have a Sharingan. I can match him."

The young woman said nothing, allowing Kakashi to step in front of her. "Listen, all of you." The older ninja sounded slightly panicked. "Whatever happens, don't look. I'll have to do this alone. My Sharingan against his."

She was barely listening, gathering her chakra. This was something she'd trained for, a strategy she'd developed for three years now. The time had come to test her own abilities against Itachi.

'This time, I'll use you to measure my capacity.'

"Indeed, your abilities are impressive," Itachi said. "They might even be enough to resist the Mangekyo Sharingan. However, there is something they can't defend against. This special Sharingan jutsu—Tsukuyomi."

Just the name was enough to send Tsukiko's mind splintering back to that night, when Itachi had used that same power on her. This was no idle threat.

"Only someone with the Sharingan and kekkei genkai can defeat me."

Over on the land, Masuko's eyes never diverted from Kisame, who was watching Itachi. She remained crouched, looking for an opportunity to attack. But, despite Kisame's distraction, he had no openings. Without a strong sword to keep Samehada at a distance, and to counter-attack, it would be a very difficult fight. Not impossible, but difficult. With backup, she could probably win, but…

'Yeah, like I'm going to let someone interrupt this fight?' She smirked, and her hand drifted to the crappy Sound sword strapped to her waist. The damn thing would probably snap after a single clash with Samehada, but it would get her close enough.

Tsukiko concentrated, her eyes turning gold and blue behind her eyelids. She hadn't counted on them standing on the water, so her technique was going to have to change. But, water conducted vibrations far easier than earth, so it should only take her a moment to adjust. Same theory, different practice.

Experimentally, she tapped the water with her foot, following the ripples. Tsukiko's mind was suddenly filled with a rough outline of her friends, the wind currents adding more details. Between that and her ability to sense chakras, she had a clear picture of both her allies and enemies. With this technique, she could fight blind. She was ready.

As she'd suspected, Kakashi couldn't hold on for long. A moment later, his breathing grew heavy, and he fell to his knees.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai reached for him. "What is it? Can we open our eyes now?"

"No," he gasped, his voice pained. "Not yet."

"What just happened?!" Asuma demanded. "One second the guy's talking, and the next second you hit the ground!"

Kakashi moved to stand, but Tsukiko moved in front of him. "My turn."

"Tsukiko, you can't! If you look for even a second—"

"Kakashi." Tsukiko's voice was cold, letting him know that she was furious with him. "Who do you think you're talking to?" She readied her stance, reading the wind currents and water vibrations at the same time. "I don't need to see in order to fight him."

"Tsukiko." Itachi was careful to control his tone, to keep the cold politeness he'd cultivated the last three years. "I hadn't planned on fighting you today."

It was the very thing he'd dreaded the most, seeing her hatred of him. His heart clenched painfully.

"No, I'll bet you didn't," she said, smiling bitterly. "After all, this wound," she tapped her shoulder. "Should have killed me, right?

Itachi very nearly flinched at that.

"What a nuisance it must be," she continued. "To run into someone who knows your fighting style, through and through!"

She leapt forward, and Itachi's eyes instinctively tracked her movements, seeing the shuriken that appeared in her hand.

He jumped up to avoid the projectiles, but she was waiting for that, a shadow clone appearing above him. The clone's eyes were closed as well, but evidently knew where to aim. Electricity danced in her palm and arched toward him.

The Itachi it hit vanished in a puff of smoke. Another clone.

But Tsukiko was already moving, having realized that. She spun around behind her to kick the real Itachi, who was desperately trying to think of a way to end this fight without hurting her.

Kisame was watching him closely, already too curious about his past. And the man could sense deception with frightening accuracy. That's why he had to subdue Kakashi in such a ruthless manner. He'd held back, though, knowing the man's will was strong.

Kakashi's mind wasn't broken, and he could blame it on his having a Sharingan. Tsukiko, however, presented a very real problem. She knew his fighting style just as he knew hers, and whatever technique she was using now was working. Tsukiko was somehow able to see him without the use of her eyes, meaning he couldn't catch her in a Genjutsu and knock her out.

He caught her foot and tossed her backwards, but she flipped and landed lightly, her clone next to her.

"So you can control lighting now. Impressive." His eyes tried to pierce through her closed lids, silently praying that she'd make a mistake. It was a fool's hope, he knew, based on how many times she'd fought against the Sharingan.

"Though, you are only using a clone to wield it," Itachi continued, seeking some insight into this new ability. When had her eyes evolved? He had a sickening feeling that it was his fault, due to the pain he'd caused her that she was granted these powers. "What then, are you doing that allows you to see me so clearly?"

Tsukiko didn't answer, charging forward again.

Itachi's eyes saw another movement, anger sparking through his wall of dulled emotions as Kisame swung that monstrous sword at her unprotected back. Her clone took the blow and vanished with a puff of smoke, but his partner was already swinging again.

"Oh, no you don't!" The purple-haired woman he'd seen earlier blocked Samehada with a small sword, an impressive feat. Even more interesting was her blue armor, made entirely out of physical chakra. It looked startlingly like his Susanoo, and Itachi made a mental note to ask Kisame about it later.

"Kisame." Itachi's voice showed a slight irritation, and not the anger coursing through his system. "What are you doing?"

"Seemed like your way was taking too long," the shark-like man grinned. He nodded to Kakashi. "After all that, the fool's spirit is still intact. Meanwhile, you've risked overusing those eyes of yours. You know that's dangerous. And to top it off, that girl is matching your movements beat for beat." Kisame frowned at him.

Tsukiko ignored the way her heart pounded with excitement, stupidly happy got be so close to the man she loved. And she shot down the concern that arose when the Mist rogue mentioned his eyes.

'This isn't my Itachi,' she reminded herself biting her lip hard enough to draw blood. She needed to focus. If she won here, Sasuke would finally be free….But wait...

"This thing you've come for...is it Sasuke?" The venom in her voice was practically tangible. 'No one is laying a finger on him!' When it came to Sasuke, all bets were off.

"No." Itachi's voice was final.

Her brow furrowed as she read the vibrations around him.

There was something...off. An almost imperceptible trembling in his body, so faint that it wasn't even making ripples.

'Is...Is he hurt? Or is he nearing his limit?' Kisame has said something about overusing his eyes. How much chakra was Itachi giving up every time he used the Mangekyo Sharingan?

Her traitorous limbs wanted her to move, to see if he was okay, and her eyes began to burn, tears of frustration with her feelings and anger at the man in front of her trying to fall past her closed lids.

"So what is it you came back for?" There was a strain to her voice, the only sign of her inner conflict.

'Certainly not for you,' her brain tried to convince her heart. 'He'd hoped I was dead, remember?'

"The legacy of the Fourth Hokage." He offered, knowing that she'd understand and take precautions. Naruto would have to be carefully protected from the other Akatsuki members if their plans were to be thwarted.

'Legacy?' There were numerous things Lord Fourth had left behind in the wake of his death, and his legacy could be anything from the jutsus he'd created to the laws he'd passed. But...there was only one thing she could think of as being useful to Itachi.

'Naruto…'

Gaara's recent destruction had shown the power of the one-tailed beast. Naruto had the Nine-Tails, a creature that could be controlled by the Sharingan, especially one as powerful as Itachi's.

"I see." Her voice grew colder, if possible. 'So, he's going to do exactly the thing that first tainted the Uchiha name and bred all the distrust and violence?' That admission felt like a slap to the face, and was enough to force her feelings down for now.

"The Nine-Tailed spirit inside Naruto? That's what you're after?" Kakashi's breathing was still shaky, and he was clearly in a lot of pain, though it wasn't technically physical. "You're not the only ones, are you? There are seven more of you out there, searching. Hunting. I know all about you."

Tsukiko tried to dispel a mounting anger and hurt that were growing with each word Kakashi said. So, he'd known something this whole time about Itachi and his whereabouts, and never saw fit to share? Even though she'd been specifically training Sasuke to fight him? Even though any day, Sasuke could give into his need for revenge and disappear?

'Why is it,' she thought, trying to clear the red-tinged fog in her mind. 'That I am never confided in until it's too late?' Suddenly her decision to leave Kakashi in the dark about Danzo seemed more fitting.

The older jounin continued, much to her displeasure. "You call yourselves the Akatsuki, right?"

Itachi's body gave a small twitch, and Kisame looked up from the staring match he'd been having with Masuko, whose armor now showed several worn places, despite them not actually trading very many blows.

"Akatsuki?" Asuma repeated.

"Kisame, we'll take Kakashi with us." Itachi's tone was glacial. "But we don't need the others. Get rid of them." Inwardly, he cursed the silver-haired man for forcing his hand. The Itachi of the Akatsuki, the evil shinobi who slaughtered his own clan for power, would never let someone who knew vital information escape.

A small part of him, however, was angry at Kakashi for a different reason. Seeing him step forward to protect Tsukiko earlier, trying to make himself the most immediate target, had brought back memories of when that was his job, when he and Tsukiko had been a team.

Jealousy for the older man exploded in his chest, a completely illogical, negative emotion that he had no control over. Kakashi, one of the only shinobi Itachi respected and truly admired, had taken his place. He was Sasuke's mentor, Tsukiko's friend, and he was now the only skilled Sharingan user the Leaf possessed. Kakashi was living a life that could've been his, and Itachi was torn between feeling grateful that someone he trusted was taking care of his family, and feeling like he'd gone too easy on the silver-haired man earlier.

At Itachi's order, the shark-like man was instantly racing toward Kakashi, but found himself interrupted as Masuko's armored foot slammed into his side, knocking him away.

"Yeah, about that…" Masuko cracked her knuckles, glowering. "See, I've been dying to give Kisame a piece of my mind, so your plan doesn't really work for me."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, and Tsukiko jumped between him and Masuko, pulling up a massive wall of water behind her. "You handle Kisame, Masuko," she ordered. "Don't even think about looking at Itachi."

"Roger," she heard Masuko growl. "Don't worry about me. I only have eyes for this guy."

Kisame chuckled, rising to his feet. While also knowing that Itachi was right about not getting into a full-on battle so close to the Leaf, the sight of Masuko grinning at him, daring him to strike, got his blood racing. "You're actually going to fight me without a proper sword? Where's Tatsumaki?"

"It broke," she said shortly, rolling her shoulders and replenishing her armor. "When the Mist Anbu tried to assassinate me after Zabuza left."

"What?" Kisame's voice lowered, his grin fading. "The Mist tried to kill you?"

"Yup." Masuko popped her "p," and shook her head. Then, without warning, she charged, her sword glowing with energy.

Kisame blocked, pushing her back, and they clashed again and again, completely blind to the other three jounin.

On the other side of the wall, Tsukiko's breath was slightly uneven, the strain of her Gensogan growing stronger as time went on. But there was no choice; without her kekkei genkai, she'd lose against him in an instant. With the Mangekyo Sharingan activated, Itachi didn't need direct eye contact to catch an opponent off-guard. Just looking in his direction was enough to get trapped.

"So you're using Water," Itachi observed, his voice calculating. Secretly, he was relieved Tsukiko had managed to separate them. It was getting harder and harder to hold his persona in place. "But you read my movements in the air as well. Are you switching elements mid-battle?"

"Attack me and find out," Tsukiko challenged, throwing shuriken.

He dodged easily, then blocked her punch with his arm, finding himself face to face with her.

Tsukiko was so close to him now, her senses choosing that moment to remind her of how attracted she was to him. Too close, her body almost touching his. And, with the water blocking them from view, they were effectively alone.

"Why did you leave?" The words slipped out before she could stop them, harsh and demanding, soft and pleading. "Why did you kill everyone, destroying everything we'd been working for? What about peace, Itachi? What about becoming Hokage?"

Her words took him completely by surprise. She tossed his dreams at him like daggers, each of them hitting home. But she left one unsaid, the one thing he would give anything to accomplish.

'What about the life we wanted together?'

He should have been the head of his clan, should have married her. Being the Hokage didn't matter now, wasn't the secret wish he held in his heart every time he saw the full moon. She was.

Tsukiko wished she could open her eyes. The trembling had returned. He forced her back quickly, likely feeling the cost of his own visual jutsu. When he spoke, however, there was no hint of him being in anything less than perfect control. Of course.

"I simply realized that the only way to attain peace was to eliminate all ninja." A pause. "Including you. It was unfortunate that you survived, Tsukiko. It would've been better for you to die peacefully."

Her breath caught as if she'd been punched in the gut. Desperately, she tried again.

"The Itachi I knew would never have done this. You wouldn't have done this. There were so many secrets, Itachi, so many things I knew you were keeping from me." It had taken her months to realize, to remember the things that didn't add up. He should have killed her that night, but he'd only knocked her unconscious, leaving her on her back where the blood couldn't flow out of her as easily. And he never hurt Sasuke, didn't even try to kill him. Maybe he had changed, maybe there was darkness in his heart. But now, seeing him again, Tsukiko allowed herself a tiny sliver of hope. She took a step forward, wishing she could see his expression. "Even after everything, I still lo—"

"The man you loved was an illusion," he interrupted, almost bored. "I didn't need you anymore, so I dropped the charade. You should be smart enough to realize that."

'Stop, Tsukiko,' he pleaded, very nearly breaking at the heartbreak on her features. 'Don't make me say any more.'

She swallowed hard, a tear escaping her closed eyelids and trailing silently down her cheek. "I know."

The water underneath Itachi exploded, shards of icy daggers aiming for his exposed back. They slammed into him, ripping through his body.

Countless crows flew out of the fake Itachi, and Tsukiko had to leap back, unable to keep track of that many creatures. She couldn't "see" that well.

The sharp point of a kunai gently touched her spine, and Tsukiko straightened, aware that this could be the moment of her demise unless she acted with extreme care.

"You should give up on me, Tsukiko." Itachi's voice was low in her ear, not quite as cold as before. "I'm not someone that can be saved."

Her confession had snapped his resolve, and he cursed himself, Danzo, and this entire twisted world for giving him someone who loved him as Tsukiko did, but placed him in a situation where he was continually forced to hurt her. Itachi kept the kunai steady as he whispered to her, trying to convince her that he wasn't worth this pain. She deserved to be happy.

'Love turns us all into fools.' He thought, not realizing that Tsukiko was thinking almost the exact same thing.

"The only way you'll get me to give up on you is if you kill me," she said quietly, a gentle sigh leaving her body. This truth had been haunting her for three years, a shadow over her mind and loyalty to the Leaf. "I know I'm a stupid girl, and a horrible ninja for allowing my emotions to rule me, but when it comes to you, Itachi, my logic seems to disappear."

The hand holding the kunai to her back pulled away slightly, shaking. He couldn't listen to her anymore. He needed to leave, now, before he destroyed everything. Any longer, and he would throw everything away to hold her close and comfort her.

"No!" Somehow, she knew, as she always seemed to, that this was a critical moment for the both of them. Turning to face him, Tsukiko made a split-second decision, knowing that she would either die, or be given something to cling to.

She switched her Gensogan to just water, and she opened her eyes.

Itachi wasn't using the Mangekyo Sharingan, but he still had the normal version activated, and should have used the moment their eyes met to attack with some creeping Genjutsu. Instead, he did nothing, his face impassive. But the faint tremble in his limbs gave him away. So minute that most wouldn't notice, but Tsukiko had spent almost her whole life with him. In a way, her eyes were just as perceptive as his.

She caught his hand in both of hers, and placed the tip of the kunai against her chest. Though she had not intentions of dying here, she wasn't really thinking things through. All she wanted were answers.

"Why can't I be free of you?" She asked, her eyes filling with emotion. "And how is it you were able to cut your ties to me completely? You say that everything was a lie, but I know that's not true. Those moments we spent together on the cliff weren't fake, Itachi." Her grip on his hands tightened, and she looked directly at him, blue meeting red. "So please, tell me the truth. Or give me a reason to hate you. Give me a reason to believe that you would have killed everyone we loved simply for your own gain, that you truly meant to kill me that night."

He said nothing, but his jaw tightened, and there was a flicker of misery in those red orbs of his.

"Itachi." His name was a whisper, a prayer for answers. Hesitantly, she moved one of her trembling hands, and gently brushed his hair back from his face, something she'd done a thousand times before. Her hand lingered against his cheek, forcing his eyes to stay focused on her.

A quiet sigh left him, and he lowered the kunai, a weariness seemingly taking hold. Itachi was utterly broken, defeated by this woman. His eyes closed briefly at her touch, and when they opened, there was an anguish there, an agony she'd never hoped to see on anyone's face.

"Tsukiko." Her name on his lips finally sounded right, filled with all their memories, experiences, and emotions.

Itachi studied her face, his Sharingan allowing him to see her fairly clearly. Those eyes he loved were still filled with stars, and she was smiling at him, like no time had passed. Hatred for what he was doing threatened to overwhelm him, but he selfishly leaned into her hand, the first affection he'd had in three years. His eyes drifted to her mouth, and he almost couldn't stop himself from leaning closer, even as he knew he would hate himself later.

Heart pounding, Tsukiko watched him move closer, seeing that, no matter how pained, the man she loved had resurfaced. "Please," she managed to say, tears trailing down her face. "Tell me the truth."

"Tsukiko, I—"

"Severe Leaf Hurricane!"

At the sudden shout, the two jumped away from each other, Itachi's walls slamming back into place so forcefully that Tsukiko felt like she'd been struck.

Guy, having somehow found out about their predicament, had hurried to the scene as fast as he could. Upon arrival, the first thing he saw was the massive wall of water in the middle of the battlefield. And right in front of it was Kakashi, obviously hurt. Kurenai and Asuma were supporting him, backing away from the shark-like man swinging a massive sword over their heads. The only thing keeping him back was Masuko, one hand bulging with the dense chakra of her armor. She caught the sword with her hand, wincing as a few of the scales shallowly sliced her. With the other hand, she wielded a broken short sword, trying to be fast enough to slice Kisame open.

But he was faster, and yanked his sword back, Masuko's chakra looking severely diminished.

Bravely, she grinned and crouched to jump back into the fight. That was when Guy made his move. Clearly she was exhausted and needed his help.

"Severe Leaf Hurricane!"

His knee slammed into the man's side sending him flying into the flowing wall of water.

Tsukiko landed lightly as Kisame came flying through her barrier, letting the water fall as the Mist Rogue landed next to a bored-looking Itachi.

She couldn't breathe, her chest tight. He'd been about to tell her, been about to answer every lingering doubt she'd had from that night. And even if he had shoved that kunai through her heart and killed her, she would have at least known that Itachi was truly gone. Now, she was just left with uncertainty. Her heart wanted to believe that there was more to the story, but her brain was already analyzing how easy it would have been for him to kill her just now, finishing what he'd started three years ago.

She glared at Guy as he landed with a huge splash next to an enraged Masuko. 'I'm going to kill him.'

"Well who do we have here?" Kisame growled irritably, baring his teeth.

"The Leaf Village's fiercest beast of battle," the black-haired jounin said confidently. "I'm Might Guy!" He smiled, his teeth sparkling in that way they always seemed to when he introduced himself.

"What are you doing?!" Masuko's eyes were narrowed with rage, and her fists were clenched. "How dare you interrupt my fight?!"

"You're Might Guy, huh?" Kisame straightened, just as annoyed that his first sparring session with Masuko in years had been ended prematurely. "Mighty stupid-looking Guy."

"Don't underestimate him," Itachi said coolly, his guard fully restored after the near-disaster Tsukiko had caused. He needed to leave now, before Kisame realized something was wrong or before Tsukiko got the idea to resume her interrogation.

The white-haired woman appeared next to Guy, cursing his awful timing, but also thinking of his use. He had experience fighting the Sharingan. With him around, maybe they could capture Itachi.

"Is Kakashi alright?" She asked. Asuma and Kurenai had shut their eyes again after the water wall had fallen, but they were still holding up their now-unconscious friend.

Guy frowned, taking in the state of his old rival. "What they must have put him through," he growled.

Asuma shifted his weight, mindful of Kakashi. "Close your eyes, don't look at Itachi," he warned. "You'll get caught in his jutsu. Tsukiko's the only one who had been able to engage."

"Relax," Guy replied confidently. "I know what I'm doing. After spending this much time training to fight Kakashi, I know all about the Sharingan." He looked at Tsukiko over his shoulder. "No surprise you can hold him off. That's good. You're the best person we could've hoped to have in this situation."

Turning his head, he glanced at the infuriated Masuko. "And you have that Mist Rogue figured out, so between all five of us, we should be able to capture them."

Tsukiko nodded, falling into the chain of command. Guy was older and more experienced than her, sizing up the situation nicely in a matter of moments.

"Alright, Kurenai, Asuma, open your eyes, now."

Kurenai furrowed her brow. "But, if we—"

"Don't worry, just don't look in his eyes," Guy explained. "That's the key to fighting an opponent who's using Sharingan. Focus on his feet. You can read what he's gonna do from them."

"Alright, but that trick sounds a lot easier said than done." Kurenai opened her eyes slowly, keeping her head down.

"We haven't had all your training," Asuma added. "We're not you, Guy." But he too, opened his eyes.

"True," the dark-haired jounin cracked his neck. "It takes skill to anticipate an opponent's moves merely from watching his feet, but I don't have time to teach you now. You'll just have to do your best."

"Itachi's Sharingan is incredibly fast," Tsukiko added. "Guy and I should engage, while you two call for reinforcements."

"A sound plan," Guy nodded. "But I'll make a small change. Kurenai, get Kakashi to the Medical Corps. Asuma, you'll be Masuko's backup against that Mist Rogue."

"Got it," the other man replied, sizing up his opponent.

Masuko nodded reluctantly, forcing her own desires aside. This was more important than her feelings and issues.

"Tsukiko, I'll be your backup," Guy continued, glancing back at her. "You keep him busy and I'll find an opening. I already sent word for the Anbu Black Ops, but until they get here, we hold them off." He raised his hands in preparation to attack.

"Interesting," Kisame growled, his smile menacing. "I'll give you credit for guts." He gripped the jolt of his sword tightly.

"No, Kisame," Itachi ordered, his voice bored again. "We're pulling out."

At the incredulous look from his partner, Itachi pushed forward, avoiding looking at Tsukiko. "We're not here to fight a full-scale battle. Tempting as it may be, it's not the way to do this. Let's go."

Kisame paused for a long moment, but let it go. Seeing Masuko again had been a shock, and a blow to his own resolve. For the first time in a while, he found himself questioning what he was doing.

"That's too bad," he finally said. "It was just getting fun." He shot one last look at the silver-haired man who'd killed Zabuza, his smile fading into a growl. "They don't know how lucky they are."

Tsukiko saw the familiar flicker of chakra at their feet and leapt forward.

"Itachi, stop!"

She was too late. Using Body Flicker, the two had vanished without a trace.

Tsukiko looked around helplessly, all of her fears and insecurities rushing forward.

"Damn it!" She shouted, punching the air with her fist.

A massive wave of water followed the movement, slamming into the bank with a satisfying impact, but it did little to ease the pain and tension in her heart. Itachi had shown up to threaten her new life, confuse her heart, and worst of all, he'd planted a seed of hope within her. A hope that there was more than what she had been told.

One thing was for sure. He wasn't getting away that easily.

"Naruto." Her whisper was filled with deadly promise. "He won't get near you, or the Nine-Tails. I'm coming to help you."

---

A.N. There we go! That was the result of several rewrites and clashing ideas. In the end, I like it, and I hope you guys do too. This confrontation isn't over, not by a long shot. I'll have the next chapter up in two weeks or so, so look forward to that!

Side note: I had to close a plot-hole here that has always driven me nuts. We learn about the village barrier with the Pein attack, and he makes some comment about how Itachi knew the signs blah, blah. But WHY WOULD THEY KEEP THE SIGNS THE SAME IF AT LEAST ONE MAJOR THREAT KNEW THEM?! Idiots! Anyway, I fixed it. *smiles*

Please let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!