"Aneki, Shisui, why are you laughing?"

Meika took a few gasping breaths to stop her snickering and turned around to face her little brother. Shisui, who was still helplessly guffawing hard enough he had to lean on her shoulder to stay upright, overbalanced and stumbled, almost falling on the ground in his mirth. He managed to steady himself with a firmer grip on her shoulder, but he was still snorting, dark eyes shining.

Meika rolled her eyes at him and proceeded to ignore him in favour of Itachi. "Have you seen the Elders lately, Ita-chan?" she asked and pretended not to hear Shisui stifling yet another laugh at the reminder.

Itachi, who was far too smart for his own good, narrowed his eyes at her in suspicion. Coupled with his baby-faced features and messy dark hair, he looked completely adorable. Meika was not a person prone to sentimental displays, but even she almost cooed at the sight.

"They're all bald now, Aneki. And very angry," he said, as dry as a three-going-on-four years old could manage. "That was you?"

Shisui finally stopped with his sniggering, only to ruffle Itachi's hair and make it even messier. Meika, who clearly remembered Harriet's troubles with the infamous Potter mane, winced as Itachi tried to pat it back with a glower.

"We neither confirm nor deny," Shisui said cheerfully, basically confirming their guilt for anyone with half a brain to hear. Considering that Itachi was a genius in making, there was no way that he missed the not-so-subtle implication. He frowned harder.

"You'll get in trouble if they find out, Aneki," Itachi said, all serious dark eyes and worried looks, but there was something sly on his face that made the inner Slytherin in Meika sit up and take notice.

Shisui, on the other hand, remained oblivious. "They won't know anything if we all keep our mouths shut, right, Ita-chan?" he said, certain that Itachi would never betray two of his favourite clansmen for something so trivial.

But Itachi glowered at him darkly. "Don't call me that!" he snapped, childishly, and Meika stifled at giggle. Her little brother tried very hard to act more mature than he really was – even though he was far more advanced than any of his peers, thanks to his intelligence and the harsh realities of the war – so Meika was always delighted to see him act like the child he was. When she had been Harriet, children had often grown up too quickly – herself included – and Konoha in war was little better in that aspect. It was nice to see that he would still act like a kid when he felt safe enough to do so.

Shisui pouted, ridiculously exaggerated. "But you let Meika call you that! Why can't I? Don't you love me anymore?" He sidled closer to the younger boy and nearly draped himself over his shoulder. Meika noticed, with some amusement, that he was very careful not to let his full weight rest on the scrawny body.

Shisui could be surprisingly considerate beneath all his mischievousness and troublemaking.

Itachi tried to shrug him off, but Shisui was older and Academy-trained so he clung on easily. The younger boy gave up as soon as he realised it was hopeless to fight his older cousin in strength department and huffed. Shisui had just enough time to grin at Meika triumphantly before he yelped and jumped off, tentatively rubbing his side, where Itachi just pinched him. "Meika is my sister," Itachi said, pointedly.

"You didn't have to pinch me," Shisui said, though he did not seem greatly discouraged. In fact, there was a delighted gleam in his eye as he turned toward Meika, grinning ear to ear. "He is your brother, Hime. Getting smarter and meaner every day."

Meika smiled proudly as Itachi preened, mollified by the compliment.

"Was there something you needed, Ita-chan?" Meika asked, turning toward her brother again.

Itachi nodded. "Yes. I would like to ask you to help me with shurikenjutsu," he said, all formal-like, likely utilizing Mikoto and Fugaku's teachings on what was the proper behaviour for an heir.

Meika frowned. "Now? Don't you have lessons?" she asked. Their parents had started Itachi on his shinobi training even earlier than her, bolstered by her success and the fact that Itachi was a boy and heir. Meika… was not exactly delighted, but the lessons were not strenuous and her brother seemed to enjoy learning, so she let it be. For now, at least.

Itachi shrugged and there was the sly gleam in his eyes again. "They're done for today," he said, and smiled impishly. Even Shisui clued in by now, shifting nervously. "I could always go and talk with the Elders if you don't have the time."

Shisui gasped sharply, but Meika only smiled indulgently. "You wouldn't," she said with complete confidence. Itachi was as loyal as any Hufflepuff and there was no chance in hell that he would go to the hated old twats and tattle on his sister and favourite cousin.

Besides, Meika was almost completely sure that Itachi enjoyed the aftermath of their pranks as much as Shisui and her did.

Itachi's smile was sheepish. "I wouldn't," he confirmed. Shisui sagged in relief and Meika patted his arm. He did not know her little brother as well as she did, seeing as he spent most of his time with her and not Itachi, but she was sure that would change. They were both far too clever not to like each other as opposed to other children, and Itachi really needed more friends. "But you always tell me to use everything I can when I want something, Aneki, and I listened. I deserve a reward."

Meika laughed at his logic and shook her head. "I also told you that if you threaten someone, you better be ready to go through with it," she said, but continued talking before his expression could fall. "But I suppose that family can be an exception." She turned around and started walking toward the training grounds. "Come on. I hope you remembered to bring the blunt shuriken, because there's no way you're ready for the sharpened ones, Ita-chan."

Itachi's smile was blinding as he trotted after her.


"Uchiha-sama, I'm glad that you agreed to meet with me."

Mikoto nodded politely at her daughter's sensei as she came to a stop before her. Fujita Kotone was a slight woman, with curvy build and soft face, but her eyes were steel-hard, and Mikoto was willing to bet that the only reason this woman was not at the warfront right now was because she was on the medical leave. She seemed too… battle-hardened, too ready for a fight, for there to be any other reason.

Mikoto was also aware that Meika respected the woman to a certain extent, which was rare for her daughter. Meika liked people, and she was polite when she had to be, but she was rarely genuinely respectful. Oh, she was subtle about it, she never let it show, but Mikoto was her mother and she knew the signs. So she knew that Meika respected only a few people in her life.

She also knew that her own mother was not one of them ever since a year ago.

It hurt, of course, but Mikoto was strong. She would endure.

She shrugged off the urge to shake her head and focused her dark gaze on the teacher. Fujita-san met her eyes unflinchingly. "Of course. It was no problem, especially as it concerns my daughter," Mikoto said politely, but truthfully. She tilted her head. "May I ask though, Fujita-sensei, why are we not in your office?"

Usually, when there was a need to talk about some student, the teacher and parent would retire to the relative privacy of the office. But today they were standing in the shadows of the walled Academy training ground, just in time to see the taijutsu lesson.

"I wanted you to see something," Fujita said and nodded toward the ring. Mikoto turned just in time to see her daughter entering it and placing herself opposite of some Hyuuga boy few years her senior. "I believe you should observe."

"Very well," Mikoto agreed, willing to indulge the woman for now. She seemed like she had some kind of point to prove here.

Mikoto glanced once again toward the ring as the boy sprang forward, his movements fast for a student, but fluid in the way of his Clan, smooth and efficient. He aimed toward Meika's chest and Mikoto supressed a wince, because if her daughter was hit, the spar would be over, and if she blocked, she would be left with a hand less. But Meika, suprising her, stood her ground, until the boy was almost close enough to touch. Then, she ducked under his reach, fast – faster than she should be able to, using genin speed – and twirled on her heel, leg extended. The boy had to jump back to avoid being brought to ground. Meika followed with a swipe at him, which was blocked. Mikoto watched as her daughter frowned lightly, but continued on, raining kicks and punches and swipes at the kid until she was moving too fast for him to follow. Finally she managed to drop him on the ground, bracketing him between her knees, her hands gripping his arms tightly.

Meika won.

No one seemed surprised.

Mikoto glanced at the teacher once again and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Fujita smiled slightly and nodded towards the ring. "That was Hyuuga Haru. He is one of their best in this generation. He has never won a spar against your daughter," her look was strangely pointed. "Meika is exceptional in every field. Her academic scores are above average, she managed to master all three required jutsu in less than a month and just last week I've seen her use a genjustu that is not taught in Academy curriculum. We do not have anything to teach her anymore, Uchiha-sama."

Mikoto was expecting something like this, but the thought still made her slightly uncomfortable. Fugaku would not have hesitated to give his permission, but Meika was Mikoto's first child, her daughter, and she had to be sure. "She's only six, Fujita-sensei," Mikoto pointed out, calmly, reasonably. "And there is war out there."

Fujita snorted under her breath. Mikoto politely pretended not to hear it. "She'll not be fighting the war, Uchiha-sama. She's not that skilled. And besides, you're allowing a boy of eight to graduate early," she said, something too close to a smirk stretching her lips. She inclined her head toward the students once again, and Mikoto's gaze followed the movement only to rest on Uchiha Shisui, who was standing at Meika's shoulder with his hands crossed over his chest as he observed the fight with sharp eyes. "He is Meika's best friend. It would do them both good if they graduated together. I suspect that they would even be placed on the same team if that should happen."

Mikoto could not deny that the possibility of Shisui-kun sharing a team with Meika made it easier to think about her daughter as a genin. The boy was skilled, and had enough talent to only improve. He was also immensely loyal to Meika and would no doubt do everything in his power to keep her safe. And if what Fujita-sensei said was true…

Well, there would be no point in keeping Meika in the Academy.

Mikoto inclined her head slightly. "You have a point, Fujita-sensei," she said, not taking her eyes off her daughter and her best friend. She was young yes, and Mikoto could not help but feel terrified for her… But, she was – hopefully – ready. "I will talk with my husband."

"And your daughter, I hope," the teacher chimed in. Mikoto glanced at her only to notice something laughing at her from that steely-gaze. "I think that she would like to be consulted."

Mikoto nodded her acknowledgement. "Of course, sensei. Thank you for your consideration."

She left soon enough. She had much to think about.


"Okaa-san asked me if I would like to graduate early."

Shisui grinned widely at the words, delight running through his body. He resisted the urge to throw himself at her and hug her to death, if only because she was still holding her kunai from when they had been practising. He didn't want to get impaled on accident.

Or on purpose.

Meika could be mean.

"That's great!" he chirped, scooting closer. "You said yes, didn't you? You had to! We're going to graduate together! And maybe we'll be on the same team! Imagine that, Hime!"

Meika smiled at him, not as wide as his, but undeniably happy. "Of course I agreed," she said, and Shisui whooped, laughing, but settled down when something changed in the girl's expression. "It's just… I'm glad she asked me."

"Yeah," Shisui agreed even if he did not really understand. Meika had been really upset when she had been sent to the Academy without her agreement, but she had tried not to show it. Still, Shisui had seen it, and didn't quite get it. She'd wanted to become a ninja, hadn't she, so was had she been so upset?

In the end, he'd chalked it off in that weird category of 'girls' and let it be.

And now it was here again.

Meika shook her head as if to clear it from something and grinned again. "Hey, Shisui-kun," she started, and sounded almost as happy as he felt. There was a bright smile on her face and her pretty eyes were shining as she glanced at him. "I think that we really could be on the same team."

Shisui tilted his head in thought. "Well, I'm the Rookie of the Year and you're better than all the other girls put together," here he made a face at the thought of some of his fangirls. "So I think we could."

That thought would make him smile all day.

.

.

.

"Team Five will consist of Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Meika and Mitarashi Anko. Your sensei will be Nara Shikaku."


Ok, first of all, I know that Anko was on Orochimaru's team when she was a genin, but I needed a canon third member because I didn't want to introduce new OCs. Anko is the right age, properly characterised in canon and I like her. So I chose her.

Secondly, thanks for all of the reviews, especially DeiStarr, who gave me so many ideas. I also considered some of your suggestions for the third teammate, and I liked Inuzuka Hana (a few people put the name forward), until I realised she was Itachi's age. There goes that idea.

Thirdly, do you know how hard it was to write Uchiha Itachi as a small, naïve kid? Let me tell you, it was hard. I hope you like it anyway.

Read and review!