THEN:

"Team Ro, hm?" Danzo muttered, gaze trained on the paper before him as Tsukiko and Itachi stood at attention and watched.

They were in Danzo's room of the house given to the Foundation. Sitting in front of the ebony desk, Danzo rested the elbow of his left arm on the armrest, and held the papers in his right hand, not even glancing at the two children.

"The team leader is Hatake Kakashi, hm?"

"Yes," Itachi replied, briefly. He had been curious this whole time about the man standing beside Danzo.

A Foundation member in a white tiger mask. It wasn't anything particular about the man or the mask. He was just curious. The eyes on the other side of the round holes in the white mask had been staring at Itachi, almost glaring at him. For some reason, the treacherous gaze unsettled him.

"He is an excellent ninja," Danzo said, almost a declaration.

'Hatake Kakashi…'

Itachi and Tsukiko had been saved by him not long after they became genin. On a mission to guard the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, they were attacked by an unknown man, and their teammate Tenma had been killed. His Sharingan not yet awakened, Itachi had been prepared for death, faced with the overwhelming difference in power between himself and the man.

However, the man had suddenly muttered Kakashi's name, and vanished. Even now, Itachi didn't really understand why the man had disappeared. Just that he had definitely murmured Kakashi's name before disappearing. But Itachi had no way of knowing now if it was because the man was afraid of Kakashi, or if it was for some other reason. He and Tsukiko had spent the last few evenings discussing the masked man and his relationship with Kakashi, both deciding that the best way to find answers was to enter even deeper into the Anbu.

Tsukiko kept her face blank, slightly regretting that decision. It was fairly obvious that Danzo was pleased, much as he tried to hide it. Kakashi was a Foundation member, and getting closer to him meant moving from the supposed direct control of the Hokage to Danzo's. And that was what the bandaged man wanted.

"He has a darkness inside," Danzo continued. "This is the most important element for the Anbu."

'Darkness... Do I have that too?' Itachi questioned himself, the sentiment echoed by the white-haired girl.

"Rest assured. You also have plenty of darkness," Danzo said, almost as though he had seen right through Itachi. Having come into contact with Danzo any number of times now, Itachi wasn't particularly surprised. The man excelled at discerning other people's mental states; it was a simple thing to jump ahead with suppositions to a certain extent, and reply to unspoken thoughts. That was all Danzo was doing.

Though, in this case, he had to disagree. Perhaps he himself had darkness inside him, but Tsukiko was too kind, too pure for something like this. The urge to shield her from the gaze and reach of the man before them was almost overwhelming.

Perhaps it was due to his recent realization.

The conclusion that he'd come to, that he was in love with Tsukiko, had only been strengthened over the last few days. He'd loved her since they were small, but to be in love was something different, as it turned out. Different from the adoration and affection he felt for Sasuke, or the respect he felt for his parents. It was even different from the admiration he felt for Shisui. It felt like...a mixture of all those things, but more, somehow.

This was not something his young mind could fully grasp, but it was like his senses around Tsukiko were heightened. He had been a lot more aware of her lately, and found himself getting flustered when talking to her. It was a somewhat uncomfortable and humiliating feeling, but that warmth he felt whenever Tsukiko smiled at him more than made up for it.

"Prepare a transfer celebration," Danzo said, dropping the paper and standing up. He tucked his ebony chair under the desk of the same material, stood next to Tiger Mask, and looked at the young chunin. And then he placed a hand on the man's shoulder, and a rare sunny smile spread across his face. "This man is going to be on loan to Team Ro," he explained, gesturing towards the Tiger Mask.

Although Danzo's Foundation was also a part of the Anbu, it had a different chain of command and leadership from the Anbu, which was technically under the direct control of the third Hokage; the two organizations were completely separate. Itachi had heard that because of this, they didn't regularly exchange information or personnel.

"Don't worry. I naturally obtained Hiruzen's permission," Danzo offered, as if reading his mind once more. No matter how many times that Itachi heard that arrogant way of speaking, he could never grow to like it.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Sugaru," the man in the tiger mask abruptly said. His voice was mixed with a dry rustling sound, as if something was stuck in his throat, making it hard to hear what he was saying.

"Sugaru had a serious illness in his throat when he was young, and he hasn't been able to speak that well since."

"Missions which require talking are difficult, but other than that, I will do anything." There was a strange quality to his voice, but his tone was light. He seemed to have a friendly nature.

"You both can use this man as your hands and feet."

"Hands and feet?" Tsukiko's head cocked slightly, a look of concern briefly flashing across her features. How like her to worry about the feelings of others...

"Yes," Sugaru replied to her question. "I am a member of the Foundation. Master Danzo's orders are absolute. So, if I am ordered to be the hands and feet of Itachi and Tsukiko, I am prepared to give my life for you, even if you are younger than me," he noted, with a deadpan look that implied sarcasm.

Itachi didn't even smile as he stared at Danzo. "We can make it in the Anbu by ourselves." He bristled at the idea of someone watching their movements, and at the idea that they needed protection.

"Don't take this too seriously," Danzo waved away, an uncharacteristic good mood still showing. "At best, Sugaru is on loan to Team Ro. Your team leader Kakashi doesn't know about this. And you needn't even be aware of Sugaru. But he will always be keeping you both safe."

That got both of their attention. Tsukiko's eyes narrowed slightly, the only sign either gave that the words had affected them.

"Keeping us safe?" She asked, tone carefully even. "Are you saying that someone is targeting us?"

"The first Uchiha Anbu, a mere eleven years old, and an Amaya, the first the Village has seen since I was a child, at only ten. Those positions are plenty to inspire prejudice and jealousy."

Itachi was silent. So even outside the compound, the dark cloud of his clan would continue to overshadow him. Danzo was perhaps being kind, lying just now. Tsukiko would face some problems, but they would likely all stem from her age, not her family. From what he could tell, the young girl was going to be accepted by the Village rather easily, her name stained only by association with him. No, it was Itachi who would face the brunt of the jealousy.

'So be it.'

"I value you. I won't have you dying young because of the jealousy of your teammates, or some such."

"No matter who attacks me—"

"Do not underestimate the ninjas of the Anbu." Danzo cut Itachi off. "The closer you get to the center of the village, the more people you will encounter who do not have a favorable impression of the Uchiha. It's entirely plausible that some of them might try to kill you, and make it look like you died during a mission. And if you died, what would your clan think?"

"Impossible..." Tsukiko's eyes were wide now, her guard dropped. Horror etched itself on her features, her small fists clenching.

"I'm saying that that impossible situation is entirely possible." Danzo nodded deeply, as if to affirm Tsukiko's thinking. He seemed to enjoy frightening her, triggering a response that told him far more than she knew. Already, he was laying the tracks to separate the two shinobi and make Tsukiko entirely loyal to him.

The first step was to gain her trust; He'd stress the danger for Itachi and offer support. That would naturally make the soft-hearted girl indebted to him.

Meanwhile, the boy's mind was racing ahead, the sudden idea of his own death forced upon him in gruesome detail.

Itachi dies on a mission. His father and the others suspect a plot on the part of the villagers, confirmed by a distraught Tsukiko. His death would be the perfect trigger for an explosion, for those dissatisfied with the position of the clan within the village. When Itachi thought about the fact that his own death could become the trigger for a coup d'etat, he felt a shiver run up his spine.

"You're both already in a position of serious responsibility with both the Uchiha clan and in the village." Danzo moved away from Sugaru, and came around the desk to stand before the young chunin, before placing a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. "You must be a bridge connecting the village and the clan for me. Live a long time, Itachi Uchiha, Tsukiko Amaya."

Danzo said the same sort of things his father had said.

'Konohagakure and the Uchiha clan…'

Was this a relationship of equals?

The Uchiha clan were also people living in the village of Konohagakure. In which case, wasn't the antagonistic nature of their relationship unnatural right from the start? Why didn't Konoha have complete rule over the Uchiha clan? Why did the clan harbor such dissatisfaction toward the village, despite the fact that the brethren of the clan had even been given the right to self-governance?

A presence to connect the two. As his father put it, a pipeline. In Danzo's words, a bridge. They were the same thing.

"I will protect you. You will both fulfill your duties in the Anbu without worry," Danzo told him smugly.

Itachi bowed slightly, his body moving simultaneously with Tsukiko's as she watched the old man with something dangerously like the beginnings of respect. Whatever his motivations, she felt confident that they were worth far more alive, and that was enough to expend all the extra effort.

"You are dismissed. Your masks will have been selected and will be sent to you. Report to your team leader tomorrow at dawn."

"It's been a while, huh?" Izumi said, her head hanging.

Tsukiko was in a small park in the clan compound that evening. Itachi had been called away by Lord Fugaku, and she'd found herself wandering, the small package in her hands feeling like a hundred pounds.

Her Anbu mask. She hadn't had a proper chance to study it, and had instinctively headed to a secluded area away from everyone else. It was just her luck to find Izumi seated on a swing. Without a word, Tsukiko had taken the spot next to her, the mask still wrapped up in her lap.

The two girls swung silently for a long moment before Izumi giggled. "Well, I suppose I was silly to think you were gonna talk first. So, how have you been, Tsukiko? You and Itachi seem pretty busy lately."

The white-haired chunin was unsure of what to say. Itachi had been...weird lately. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but definitely strange. Ever since they went to the café, he'd been even less talkative than normal, but also happier. He was smiling more often, and seemed to always be nearby. The attention made her feel fidgety and nervous, a warmth in her chest that seemed to be growing.

Instead of trying to explain the complexity of the feelings she herself couldn't fully describe, Tsukiko just smiled. "We're both working hard, and I've really enjoyed it."

Izumi peeked over at her friend, noting the pink in her cheeks. She smiled wistfully. "Is Itachi doing good? I haven't really seen him since we went to that café."

The conversation Tsukiko had with Shisui reared up in her memories. 'That's right...Izumi likes Itachi...romantically.' She still hadn't really worked out her own feelings on the subject, a sense of awkward unease making her shoulders tense.

Still, her tone was light. "He's doing great! Thank you for showing him that place. We went there a little while ago. It was so nice to see our teammate there, and the dango was almost as good as Lady Mikoto's."

"So he did end up taking you there?" Izumi questioned, kicking out more intensely, her swing flying up higher and higher. "Well, I guess that's it. I never really ever had a chance, huh?"

Tsukiko cocked her head, her own swing slowing down. "What do you mean? A chance with what?" Was Izumi mad about something?

The dark-haired girl glanced back at the dumbfounded expression on her friend's face, laughter suddenly echoing through the otherwise empty park. She kicked at the swing to fly up into the air, did a somersault, and landed beautifully. Spreading out her slender arms, Izumi turned around, her mirth still evident. "That's so like you, Tsuki. I admit defeat. Going up against you was a mistake from the beginning, but I had to give it a shot, right?"

"Were we...competing in some way?" Tsukiko tried to reason it out, racking her brain as to when that could have happened.

"I thought we were, but no. I was never even on his radar." Turning, she clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at the sky. "Itachi is all yours, Tsukiko. I'm not going to try and catch his interest in a romantic way anymore. Even while we were out together, all he was thinking of was you."

The white-haired girl opened her mouth, ready to tell Izumi that she didn't mind her being interested in Itachi. But the words stuck in her throat, memories of his recent attentiveness bringing heat to her face. Maybe...maybe she did mind after all.

"Anyway, I've been talking to someone else lately, one of the other boys in the compound. He's two years older than me, but we get along really well! I got a lot of advice for my last mission from him"

Not wanting to take her off this cheerful track, Tsukiko tried to change the subject, wary of the conflicting emotions in her chest. "How was your mission?"

"No big deal compared with you," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "They just use me however I'm handy, like taking care of the Daimyo's wife's pets, or helping move the Land of Fire admin to a new office, and stuff."

"That's it, huh?" Tsukiko felt her lips form a smile. She was relieved that Izumi hadn't been on any dangerous missions, as the girl seemed far too kind-hearted to take any satisfaction from violence. That was the difference between them; Tsukiko enjoyed the thrill of training, of getting stronger, of surpassing challenges. And even unlike Itachi, she did enjoy fighting to a certain extent. Killing and hurting, no, but beating an opponent and proving her worth...

Izumi sat back down on the swing set, pointing to the bundle in her lap. "I heard you joined the Anbu."

The chunin's grip tightened. "You did?"

"Everyone in the compound knows."

The Anbu was a deeply secretive division. The Village also wished that the ninjas who belonged to it would not make themselves known, to the extent that that was possible. And yet, Itachi's and Tsukiko's posting to the Anbu was already spreading throughout the compound. The idea that this showed the strength of the solidarity of the clan was a nice one, but was it really all right for so much information to be leaked? An uneasy feeling began forming in the back of her mind.

"How did they figure that out? I thought the info was classified." Did they know that Tsukiko had been accepted easily while Itachi was still being scrutinized? Was her chance at proving herself dead before it had been truly born?

A brief startled look crossed the dark-haired girl's features. "Oh, I don't know! I just heard some of the adults talking." Tsukiko wasn't allowed to know the contents of the Uchiha meetings, after all. Pointing to the package again, she wriggled impatiently. "So? Is that your mask? What does it look like?"

Seeing no point in hiding it now that Izumi revealed that she already knew about the Anbu, Tsukiko unwrapped the layers of cloth.

It was an Owl mask, the shape a normal oval one. An upside-down triangle and two dots formed the suggestion of a beak, while two slanted diamonds made the eye holes. It was a bit more decorative than the traditional mask, as explained to her by Eri, Shisui's friend and the one who'd helped design them. A swirling line around the small eye holes was meant to draw attention away from her Gensogan. An experienced fighter would quickly pick up on the flickering colors, so that coupled with the small moons on the forehead would distract for a few extra seconds.

"It's pretty!" Izumi exclaimed, leaning in to get a closer look. "And it has moons for Tsuki!"

The white-haired girl blinked, suddenly realizing something. "Shisui and Eri were laughing when Itachi got his. Is it because it was a weasel mask?"

Two sets of black eyes widened before their giggles erupted.

"So his mask is a pun?" Izumi gasped, holding her sides. "I need to come over and see. Is it fancy?"

"No." Tsukiko shook her head. "But it's practical. Circular eyes and a big red arrow in the middle of the forehead, meant to draw the enemy into looking at his eyes and hopefully getting caught in his Sharingan. It's the opposite of my mask's concept."

Laughter subsiding, Izumi looked over at her seriously. "Are you happy about the transfer?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure." Tsukiko leaned back, kicking her feet to start swinging again. "It's a new world for me, and I'm worried about the future."

"Me too." The memory of that awful room with smoke, hatred, and Sharingan filled Izumi's mind. "Me too."

NOW:

Tsukiko knelt on the ground, shoulders gently shaking as tears streamed down her cheeks. The soft earth around the stone structure did nothing to harm her, though she almost wished she could feel rocks tearing through her knees, a physical pain to counteract the loss she was feeling. And yet, she was in control. No fire bursting from every pore of her body, eating her alive as she howled her grief. This was a pain that she had already accepted, just another part of her life as a shinobi. How she hated it.

"Thank you," she whispered to the headstone, a solid piece of rock that she had inscribed words onto. "Thank you for everything, Akihiro-Sensei. Thank you, grandfather."

The forest was silent, allowing her a moment to grieve over the resting spot of her last remaining family. From the minute she had found his body that morning to the current moment, she had been in a sort of dreamlike reality. Creating a coffin of pure stone, burying the old man, making the headstone, it had all been a blur. Only now did her mind finally catch up.

Once again, she was the last Amaya. Once again, she had lost her family. Indeed, the last time she had cried at a grave was many years ago, when she was overlooking a mass burial and had Sasuke clinging to her, face pressed against her side as he sobbed. That had been a dark day, a heavy contrast to the gentle sunlight warming her and the breeze hugging her comfortably. Unlike Lord Third's funeral, where she'd displayed the proper decorum of a shinobi, here she was free to let her emotions take their course. Akihiro would've been proud of her progress, proud that she gave herself time to process her loss and grieve, rather than bottling everything up inside.

One of her crows landed on the headstone, its gentle cry consoling her as it leaned down to study the words carved there.

'Akihiro Amaya

He faced many defeats in life

Yet was never defeated.'

After several more minutes, Tsukiko gathered herself. She had known this was coming, that the man who continuously pushed himself and her was not long for this world. Bowing her head one final time in gratitude, the woman stood, her eyes dry and her resolve settling. A smile crept past her wearied features, and she turned to the bags she'd already packed. The shrine was now as it once was, an archive that she was sworn to protect. Home was no longer here.

'It's time to go back to the Leaf.'

Her departure, around two and a half years ago, had not been a pleasant one, to say the least. Even so, she could feel the village calling her home, her instincts telling her that now was the time to return. She had around half a year left. Half a year before Sasuke would be killed by Orochimaru, his body taken by that monster.

The young woman had somewhat changed since she'd returned to the Shrine, an angry and hurt child in comparison to now. Akihiro had been gentle, but firm, pushing the young woman to gain mastery over the one ninja skill she had always been somewhat lacking in: controlling her emotions. Or rather, accepting them.

Tsukiko still wasn't fully able to mask her pain and the constant aching in her chest and skull, a roar that seemed to be ever-present, if somewhat dulled over time. But she had learned much during her training, including about the path she had so nearly set herself on. The Avenger, a role Sasuke had thrown away everything to fill, had also pulled her over the edge. The irony had not been lost on her, the fact that she was not immune from the same weaknesses as her family.

Itachi had left the village to seek power.

Sasuke followed in his footsteps, revenge his motivation.

And Tsukiko had left, both power and revenge fueling her ambition.

But the difference was in the now. She was going home, having already sent a crow ahead to let both her team and Lady Tsunade know. All she could hope was that the road ahead would be smoother than that of the past. Even if it meant carving it out herself.

2 ½ YEARS AGO:

After her breakdown, it had taken a week for her to regain consciousness, and another before she was fit to travel. Her chakra had almost been completely extinguished, her Kigen Gensogan shutting down only when her body, using its base survival instincts, had refused to part with the last of her energy. And a good thing too. Chakra still in motion before death sometimes lingered, meaning that her Gensogan might've continued to burn and destroy up to the point where her own body was charred black.

Tsukiko was slowly pulled from inky blackness, where she had been at relative peace. With the light and awareness came the pain, first in her body, particularly her throat, then in her heart.

Eyes opening slowly, the young woman lay still, the events that had set her off coming back quickly.

Sasuke was gone. Orochimaru has stolen him away.

"Tsukiko-Sensei?"

Black eyes met bright green, and Midori leapt up from her chair. "You're awake! Hang on, I'll go get the others!" The blond girl leaned down to give her a quick hug before racing away.

In spite of it all, seeing that the girl was okay lightened the burden in her heart. Masuko had mentioned something about her being wounded. A faint smile crossed her features even as she felt like weeping in shame and loss. What would Lord Fugaku and Lady Mikoto day if they saw the state of their family now?

'Sasuke…' Tsukiko closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to roam freely, making connections and realizations as to how everything had gone so horribly wrong. It didn't take long for her sharp mind to piece together what must've happened.

A short time later, the small room was crowded with people. Masuko, Midori, and Chiyo, of course, but Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, Jiraiya and even Tsunade stood at her bedside.

For a second, her appearance startled the young woman. While she looked older than when they had first met, the woman was still very youthful. Suspiciously so. A mild alarm that perhaps Tsunade was more aligned in thought with Orochimaru than expected swept through her mind, but quickly dispelled. Tsukiko trusted Jiraiya-Sensei, the only one of the Sannin true to his own age and character, with her life. If he approved of Tsunade-Sensei, then she would do the same.

"Are you feeling better?" Tsunade asked, tapping her throat meaningfully. "You caused a lot of damage to yourself, Tsukiko."

The young jounin nodded, her throat scratchy and hoarse as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Tsunade-Sensei." She bowed her head a moment, then winced, correcting herself. "Or, I should say, Lady Fifth."

"You should," the woman agreed, a strict frown on her features. She was unable to hold the expression, however, and a slight smile broke through. "But I do appreciate the fact that you still call me 'sensei.' I'll allow it."

Tsukiko nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, ma'am." Turning to Masuko, she attempted a smile. "You brought me back, right? Did I hurt you?"

The older woman waved the concerns away, her expression solemn. "A few burns. Nothing the med squads couldn't fix up. I was more concerned that you'd killed yourself." A beat of silence, then… "Tsukiko, I—"

"It's not your fault," the woman interrupted, raising a hand to stave off the apologies from the purple-haired jounin. "You were ordered to leave and you had to do as instructed. I can't hold that against you." Tsukiko's gaze landed on the genin watching her with sad, guilty expressions.

"As for you all, I don't blame you either. Sasuke is a smart boy and he made his decision. I know better than anyone that the Uchiha are impossibly stubborn once they set their mind to it. I should've taken Sasuke with me from the beginning. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."

She smiled humorlessly up at the roof of the hospital room. "It's no coincidence that he left after I found a way to remove the Curse Mark. My crow reported that he got the message. That must have driven him to make a decision, while he still had the option to leave."

From her peripheral vision, she saw Kakashi and the two Sannin members relax and trade glances. It wasn't hard to imagine why. They had likely found the note and dreaded telling her about it.

"There's still hope," Kakashi offered, his voice unusually grim. "Orochimaru didn't get him in time. He has to wait three years before he can switch bodies again."

Tsukiko let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her body sagging back against her pillows with relief. She'd been mentally preparing herself for the worst news and now...life seemed to flow back into her limbs.

"And I suppose I have you genin to thank for that?" Her eyes closed as she willed her tears back, a huge weight lifted off her chest. There was time. And time meant an improvement. Time meant success.

"It wasn't enough," Naruto growled, his fists clenching in shame. To see one of the people he'd come to admire, someone who hadn't treated him like an idiot and cared about Sasuke as much as he and Sakura, so broken and helpless in the small bed had really pushed his own failures home. He was the one who had lost Sasuke. "I should've fought harder! I should've forced him back!"

"To do what?" Tsukiko asked mildly. "Were we going to watch over him like a prisoner? Or chain him like a dog? Even if I had stripped him of the Mark, he could've still left and received another. No, Sasuke was gone from the minute he decided to leave. And there is no changing that."

Silence filled the room, Sakura covering her face as her shoulders shook, the only sign of her sobs.

Midori and Chiyo traded guilty glances. It couldn't be said that they particularly liked Sasuke, but seeing their sensei brushing off the issue so easily was...concerning.

Jiraiya saw through it. Tsukiko was a mess of fury and anger, but was holding it together, probably for the sake of the genin. "Tsunade and I need to speak to Tsukiko alone…" he started.

"No."

The old man blinked as Tsukiko met his gaze with hard eyes. "They aren't children, Jiraiya-Sensei. I'm not protecting their feelings. I'm the only one to blame out of this group. How can I be angry at any one of the shinobi here who gave their all to bring him back? They bought me time, time to find him and get stronger myself. And if you think Sasuke is just going to roll over and allow himself to be taken, you are wrong. His need for revenge is far stronger than we all gave him credit for and I will not underestimate it again."

Midori felt her throat tighten, and she bowed her head. 'Thank goodness…' If she had let down Tsukiko-Sensei, if the woman had been disappointed in her...just the thought was too painful to bear. The woman she admired more than anyone else was still so strong, even when she was so broken.

"So what's the next move?" Kakashi asked, leaning against the window. "What will you do now, Tsukiko? You mentioned a way to get rid of the Mark?"

"Yes," the woman answered softly. "It's a one-time use, so I have to be careful. I'll need a lot of time to master the technique, and intense training." She gripped the sheets tightly and looked up at Tsunade with a determined gaze. "I need to leave the village, Lady Hokage."

A tense silence filled the room, broken only by the sigh from the blond woman.

"Tsukiko, that's just not poss—"

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-Sensei, but that wasn't a request."

The Hokage's eyebrows rose, her shoulders setting with outrage and anger. The air around the bed seemed thick enough to cut with a knife. "Excuse me?"

The white-haired woman didn't break her gaze. "If I stay in the village, I will kill Danzo Shimura the next time I see him. That isn't a threat. It's something I know, something I won't be able to or even attempt to control. And I don't want to destroy anyone or anything that gets in my way."

Lady Fifth relaxed slightly, but she crossed her arms and said nothing.

Jiraiya tried to break the tension. "Tsukiko, you can't know for sure that Danzo was involved in this."

"Masuko, can you grab my bag and dump it out?" The question was soft, deadly.

Without a word, the woman did as she was told. Eight Anbu masks bounced off the sheets of the hospital bed, landing with a clutter of noise.

"Anbu masks?!" Chiyo exclaimed, picking one up.

Sakura grabbed one as well. "Where did you get them, Tsukiko-Sensei?"

"From the Anbu Danzo sent to assassinate me."

A crease appeared between Tsunade's eyebrows. "Explain."

Over the next few minutes, Tsukiko did just that, going into great detail about the ninja she had faced. "If you ask, Danzo will likely say they were tracking the Sound ninja and I attacked them. In fact, I'm surprised he hasn't tried to kill me while I was sleeping here."

Tsunade exchanged glances with Jiraiya and Kakashi. "Jiraiya and Kakashi watched over you, as well as my personal guard." She examined the masks with something like disappointment. "Unbelievable. And you're sure it was Danzo?"

"Not at all," Tsukiko replied, leaning back. "Any attempt at interrogating the Anbu would likely kill them, so I didn't ask. But Danzo has far more power than you think, Tsunade-Sensei. He is still the head of the Foundation, and of the Anbu, despite what Lord Third or you say. The Foundation in particular is loyal to him above all." Her gaze slid over. "Right, Kakashi?"

The former Foundation member nodded thoughtfully. "True enough. The Foundation was supposed to be disbanded, but..." He trailed off meaningfully.

"All of this is circumstantial evidence," Tsukiko admitted, counting off incidents on her hand. "But former Foundation members were absent during the Orochimaru attack, the Anbu present were lacking in number, and somehow that snake knew the code to get into the village, as did the team that took Sasuke, despite it being recently changed. Then two teams of Anbu are sent to kill me. At the very least, it's suspicious, and suggests that Orochimaru has a spy in the upper ranks of the Leaf."

"So let's go get that guy!" Naruto shouted, holding up a closed fist. "If he's working with Orochimaru, let's make him talk."

"Not a good idea," Masuko interrupted, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. "As someone...familiar with treachery within the upper ranks of a village, I can't support a reckless attack with someone who holds so much sway." She shook her head, already seeing where Tsukiko's logic ended.

"Exactly," the young woman agreed. "On the way back here, I kept thinking, 'Why only two teams on Anbu?' Danzo knows what I can do, yet he sent the bare minimum to be a challenge. He couldn't have really thought I'd be defeated by so few."

Midori's eyes widened. 'Eight Anbu is barely a challenge?' Her mouth dropped in awe of her teacher. Similar expressions appeared on the faces of the other genin.

"I think he wanted me to come back and stir things up," Tsukiko continued, her intuition telling her she was right. "If we arrested him with your approval, that could cause a major internal power struggle. Danzo had been building power as far back as anyone can remember, and he has credibility as a student of Lords First and Second and as a teammate of Lord Third. He could use that to turn people against Lady Tsunade and cause major unrest when we're already so weakened. No offense, Tsunade-Sensei, but you don't have near the sort of political power or trust from the people to take Danzo on yet.

"And if I just attack him, you'll have no choice but to punish me, and Danzo will be free to kill me off, providing I don't get to him first. It's a gamble he's taking, but the odds are in his favor. I'm not exactly well-liked in the village, though you might not remember." Tsukiko looked the blond woman straight in the eye. "Despite the last few years, I remember very clearly how the Uchiha Clan was treated."

To her credit, Tsunade didn't flinch. She took the barb with a nod of acknowledgement, being the direct descendant of Lord First and a Senju. "I see…"

"I don't!" Naruto scratched his head. "I don't understand. What do you mean, how the Uchiha Clan was treated? Everybody thinks Sasuke is a prodigy! He's amazing!"

Chiyo nodded. "Even if we don't like him, we all respect his abilities."

"And I'm glad you all feel that way, but the Leaf has a habit of sweeping away the things it's not proud of." Tsukiko's voice was bitter as it washed over the occupants of the room. "Yes, the Uchiha Clan is seen as great and tragic now that it's down to just Sasuke, but I was there when we were blamed for the Nine-Tails Attack, I was there when my family fought to protect the innocent during the attack and were killed in the line of duty, and I was there when we were forced to move to a compound on the edge of the village, separate from everyone else. The Village Hidden in the Leaves has never been kind to the Uchiha, or the Amaya, for that matter. So no, I'm not the one who can stand up to Danzo and walk away from it, and no one else here is either. Even citing Sasuke, I'm sure there are plenty in the village who have reverted to old prejudices and have labeled him a traitor. There's no way I can take the case of the Uchiha boy who ran away against the man who has 'protected' the Leaf with the Anbu for years!"

Her throat was burning by the time she was done, and she swallowed hard. Those words had been long overdue, the injustices of her past finally too much to keep inside.

Chiyo, Midori, and Sakura looked horrified, while Naruto seethed with frustration and anger. Masuko sighed with resignation, a tiredness in her bones.

'So even in the Leaf, that sort of stuff is still going on in the shadows…'

Kakashi remained expressionless, but he felt his own frustrations threatening to take hold. Every word was true. They were trapped by the complex political web surrounding the village, carefully woven by a fat bandaged spider in the center of it all.

Tsunade's expression retained its anger, but no longer directed at the white-haired jounin. "I see…" she said heavily, the weight of her words showing that she did indeed understand.

"You have to leave," she said finally, the other jounin in the room nodding. "Until we can get this situation under control, we have to play the long game here."

"I agree," Jiraiya nodded. "There's a forced sort of balance while the Leaf rebuilds, which is why Danzo needs someone else to bring it down. And you think you'll end up in his hands?"

Tsukiko tried to smile. "I don't think I can control myself if I see him. There are...other things, past events that still don't make sense to me. I'd like to learn them from Danzo before I do anything reckless. Besides, I have to learn this technique and how to control this evolution of my Gensogan. That sort of experimentation is better away from flammable buildings and people." She said nothing of Akihiro. That was her secret to keep, and though she trusted the people in this room, who knew who else could be listening in?

"Very well." Tsunade nodded her head. "You may leave, but only after I clear you for travel. Not an instant before, understand?"

"Yes, Tsunade-Sensei."

The blond woman turned away, a frown gracing her features. "There's much to be done to get Konoha back to its former glory. Jiraiya, Kakashi, come with me. Naruto, Sakura, you too. Leave Tsukiko with her team for a moment."

For once, the blond boy didn't say anything, curiosity and outrage evident. He still didn't totally understand what Tsukiko-Sensei had meant, but it sounded like the village had a lot of darkness in its recent past. Something he would change once he was the Hokage!

As soon as the door closed, Tsukiko patted the bed, knocking all the Anbu masks to the floor in one smooth motion. "I owe you two an apology."

Chiyo and Midori both sat on the edge of the bed, expressions mixed. Tsukiko could read shame, sadness, anger, and hurt. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she spoke.

"I'm a terrible sensei, abandoning my students when they need me." She looked up at Masuko. "And an even worse friend."

"No!" Chiyo protested immediately. She knew the pain of disappointing family, the terror and heartache of losing someone important. "I understand."

Tsukiko shook her head. "Understanding doesn't mean it's right." She placed her hand on Midori's shoulder making the genin meet her gaze. "But I need you two to know…" Her other hand landed on Chiyo's shoulder. "How proud I am of you two."

Green and turquoise eyes lit up with surprise.

"You both fought hard, on a mission that most chunin would have difficulty with. I only feel comfortable leaving you two because I know how strong and capable you are. I have to leave, and I don't expect you both to forgive me for that, but you both have my respect and trust, as well as my gratitude for allowing me to rest easy knowing you both will be splendid shinobi."

Chiyo beamed, and Midori's eyes welled up with tears. She felt conflicted. On one hand, she didn't want Tsukiko-Sensei to leave, but on the other, she was overjoyed to hear that this incredible kunoichi respected her.

"Oh, and I guess you'll have Masuko, so that's something."

Startled laughter escaped both genin, who immediately covered their mouths and glanced back.

The purple-haired jounin raised an eyebrow. "Oh, go on and laugh, you two," she said, her canine glinting. "I'll be laughing during training tomorrow." But then she grinned, and the four kunoichi enjoyed a rare moment of levity in the midst of all the hardship and daunting tasks ahead.

Her team stayed for a while longer, telling her about their fights with the Sound. There was something darkly satisfying knowing that five of Orochimaru's best ninja had been killed by Leaf genin, though Tsukiko was still surprised that the Sand had helped. Of course, they also had a bone to pick with Orochimaru, the news of the Kazekage's death only recently announced.

When everyone was gone, Tsukiko was too exhausted to dwell on her thoughts, falling into a mercifully peaceful sleep.

A week later, however, after having been cleared by Tsunade, the energy was anything but pleasant. The village elders, including Danzo, were insisting that not only should she stay in the Leaf, but that the Amaya Shrine was technically a Leaf asset and should be collected. Tsukiko had been summoned before Tsunade, Councilman Homura and Councilwoman Koharu to discuss the matter. Danzo had wisely stayed away, perhaps unwilling to risk his life with a fully-rested Amaya.

"I'd rather die than let my family's shrine be pillaged," she had responded, citing the fact that no other family was forced to give up their secrets. "As the head of my clan, you have no right to demand this of me." Even the Uchiha shrine, carefully sealed away with a powerful Jutsu that only recognized her and Sasuke, hadn't been touched.

To say that the Council had not taken it well was an understatement, but Lady Tsunade was the one who made the final call. Still, it seemed more and more likely that Tsukiko was going to be "taken out" of the picture. Which led to this.

'If it worked once…'

Tsukiko and her team had been assigned a mission not too far away. It was a simple thing, only a cover for Tsukiko to break away. Only her team and Lady Fifth knew about this, and the Amaya had been given permission to use lethal force on anyone who followed. Only Lady Tsunade should have the ability to send out Anbu, so any that disobeyed her direct orders were to be considered traitors.

"I'll send messenger ravens once a week, and you can send any questions you have back with them, okay?" She said, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere of her team.

Chiyo and Midori nodded, both trying to look confident. But there was a trembling that gave it away.

Tsukiko understood. To learn that someone who was supposed to protect the Leaf was plotting the death of their sensei was not a comforting concept. Chiyo had been furious when they left, and Midori had been clearly shaken. The last thing Tsukiko wanted was for their trust in the village to fade.

"Look," she sighed, dropping all pretenses. "I believe in Tsunade-Sensei. She's a good person, and I know she can gain control and bring peace back to the Leaf. Danzo and the Council are from an older, far more violent time where this sort of thing was commonplace."

"Still is in some places," Masuko muttered. She too was unhappy with the situation, and if she was honest, a little frustrated that even a place as nice as the Leaf carried such dark secrets.

"But it's up to all of us, and to the newer generations like you, to bring peace." Tsukiko gestured to her headband. "Those feelings of betrayal and unease are because you know what the Leaf should look like, how Konohagakure should be run. We should seek peace, not war. Well, it's up to us to make that dream a reality, and for you both should do your part. My dream of the ninja world is an end to all the fighting, to all the pain and bloodshed. I want to pass that on to you two."

Such lofty goals hadn't passed her lips in a very, very long time. But what else did she have? Her old dreams of love and family were splintered, so all that remained were her intense love for the Leaf and an end to pain in her chest. The pain of war. She owed that to her younger self, to the pure and innocent Tsukiko, and to the old Itachi. She couldn't be sure when he'd changed, but that dream had once meant everything to him.

And he had once meant everything to her.

Both girls nodded, unable to speak as the weight of their sensei's words passed over them and hit home. The dream that had ignited two young innocents of the past now settled firmly in the minds of the girls, to be threaded through all of their actions and goals over the course of the next few years.

'We should start by forging better alliances with other villages,' Chiyo thought, her heart lifting at the thought of meeting the red-headed Sand ninja again.

'We need to tear down the harmful traditions that destroy the shinobi families. They are our strength.' Midori's mind immediately went to the Curse Mark on Neji's forehead. Resolve coiled in her chest. 'Never again. Never again will I allow Curse Marks to hurt those I care about…'

Masuko saw the fire in her students' eyes and gazed with wonder at Tsukiko. "What did you do to them?"

The younger woman looked up at her friend. "I showed them my nindo." She smiled. "This is your home too, Masuko. You also have a responsibility to protect what you want the future to be. This isn't and never will be the Mist Village."

Blinking, Masuko looked away. "'Course it's not," she muttered, trying to hide her own smile as her fears and doubts lessened. "Now get out of here."

Tsukiko nodded, turning away without another word. She didn't look back as she took off, the carefully collected and strong mask breaking with each step.

NOW:

The young woman washed her face in the river, pausing a moment to study her reflection. In a few months time, she'd be twenty-one, still fairly young by normal standards. For a shinobi, however, that was almost middle-aged, considering the average life span. Still, there was a marked difference in her appearance from two years ago.

Her hair was shorter, for one. It used to fall nearly to her knees, a source of pride for her. Until she'd accidentally set it on fire when training with Akihiro. After that, she'd chopped it to a more manageable length, to the small of her back. She'd also pulled it back into a ponytail, leaving out sections of shorter hair to frame her face.

The reflection looking back at Tsukiko had a leaner face, the final traces of childhood leaving her features. Her eyes seemed darker, more knowledgeable, but also full of experience and pain.

Tsukiko smiled sadly, closing her eyes and tilting her head back as a breeze swept through the forest. She'd kept it together long enough to leave the Village, but as soon as she was alone, she'd been a ball of misery. How Akihiro managed to pull her through it was a miracle.

Everyone had been so focused on who she'd blame for Sasuke's loss, and no one truly understood the heart of the problem.

Sasuke had abandoned her.

Just like everyone else in her life.

Just like Itachi.

The boy had literally chosen an evil snake who wanted to steal his body to be his sensei over her. She had found a way to remove the Curse Mark, and instead of proving to him that she was capable of that sort of feat, the boy had been motivated to walk into the snake pit.

No, Tsukiko didn't blame anyone but Sasuke for his choice, but she held herself responsible for not being good enough. Not good enough to be trusted, to be confided in. Not by Itachi, or even a boy who'd barely become a genin. Once again, her emotions and own goals had been cast aside by an Uchiha. It was getting old, fast.

To say her self-worth had been called into question was an understatement, something she wasn't entirely sure she'd worked through.

'But that was what all that training was for…'

To prove to herself and to those Uchihas that Tsukiko Amaya was not to be underestimated. If she had to fight Sasuke and introduce his face to the ground a hundred times to get that damned thing off his neck, she would. If she had to die to take Itachi down and free the younger boy, then she'd do it in a heartbeat. It was her turn to decide her own future, not theirs.

'And it all begins now.'

A.N. I hope you all liked it! Next chapter: Return to the Leaf!