Konoha's Weasel Prince
Summary: Itachi never got to use his Susanoo in his fight with Sasuke. As soon as the Kirin hit, he was sent back through time to the founder's era and it was up to him to ensure a safer and surer future for Konoha and the world at large. KisaIta TobiMada HashiMito others mentioned
''So, how does it feel to be free again?'' Toka asked her cousin just two days later, none in the Senju Compound any wiser as to where their guest had gone off to that fateful day. All they knew was that Toka had apparently somehow talked Itachi into prolonging his stay with them some more and none were happier about these news than the kids and, of course, Hashirama, Tobirama, Mito and Toka, the quartet closest to Itachi. Said quartet were currently watching said man saying his farewell to the kids that had insisted on throwing a little show for their favorite ever adult for deciding to stay, much to Itachi's amusement and pleasure. They had practiced for a whole day and had then presented Itachi with a variety of skills and little performances. The young man had never lost his supportive smile and the interest in their show, no matter how silly or how many mistakes they made. Now that their mothers were calling them home for lunch, he had been stuck for fifteen minutes telling them how he had never seen anything as marvelous, only to end up getting small handmade gifts s thank for staying.
The humbled expression he wore as he received such attention finally solidified Tobirama's opinion that Dare no Ichozoku no Itachi was actually not spy and and all around genuinely good man. Too bad Butsuma still believed otherwise and posed a threat to Itachi.
Tobirama looked away from the man that was now making their way towards them and instead looked to his cousin. ''Wonderful. Even with Itachi's constant games and challenges, I have never felt more trapped and tortured in my whole life. I am just relieved I can walk around and work again.''
''Well, that's what you get for getting injured.'' Hashirama humphed from where he had been eating some of Mito's homemade food made for the picnic they had prepared for this very day, when the ground had finally dried up and the weather had become warm enough for them to sit around and enjoy it to their fullest. ''Older brothers are supposed to be overbearing of their younger brothers when they do something stupid. Right, Itachi?''
The younger man arched an eyebrow in amusement as he sat down in between the two brothers. ''I'm afraid I must agree, Tobirama-san. It is an older brother's duty to be as annoying as they can be when their otouto gets injured. It usually serves as a reason for the younger not to get injured again.''
''Traitor.'' The albino muttered, earning himself a few giggles from the kunoichi, gaffing from Hashirama and a chuckle from Itachi himself. Seeing how relaxed everyone was, Tobirama couldn't hold up his scowl and just shook his head. He could never win against his family when they were this cheerful, something he was sad to realize had really happened only a rare few times before Itachi had ended up stuck with them all. But he was really just grateful that he had brought the boy back to their encampment and that they had managed to save his life.
Had they not done it, they would have never known this content feeling that had spread through the entire Senju Clan. For bringing that feeling with him, Itachi was truly precious.
''So, what did you used to do with your life before you ended up here with us?'' Hashirama asked of the youngest in their group with a smile on his face and his full attention on Itachi. The others quieted down and turned to look expectantly at the foreigner. Tobirma was silently wondering why he had never thought to ask Itachi that question. He had had ample opportunity, maybe even more than the rest what with spending each and every day in his company for the past week, for at the very least twelve hours continuously. Even if the first two weeks he barely spoke to Itachi himself, he should have at least silently wondered about it. Instead, his guff-ball of a brother had been the first to ask.
''Well, at first I trained until I gained a certain amount of skill. I started doing missions around seven and continued to get harder and harder missions for both the clan and the settlement we lived in until I turned thirteen.'' Everyone did a quick calculation and winced as they realized that was the time Itachi's family must have been killed. Tobirama sort of regretted this question ever being asked as he suddenly felt Itachi's chakra turning somewhat cold, a worrying sign for anyone who so obviously had a fire affinity. It meant that they were trying to close themselves off so no one would find out about their weakness. It also meant rage and sadness were warring for dominance in their heart. It had taken him a long time to understand how different feelings were expressed in shinobi with different natured chakra affinity.
It was fascinating. It was one of his favorite tings that he had learned. He also felt regret that he had learned to discern emotion like this, as they were a very private thing and one shouldn't invade another's privacy like that. But it was beyond him to stop, no matter how much he wanted to. He'd have to suppress his own chakra fully if he wanted to ignore others' emotions and Tobirama wasn't going to do that. It put his life and the lives of his family in danger as he wouldn't have been able to sense any enemy coming near the encampment.
''After that, I joined an organization of shinobi who had no clan or who ran away from their clans and family and did missions for them.'' Itachi continuing his story drew the younger Senju brother's attention back to the present and he listened carefully. Itachi very rarely shared any details of his life before arriving to the feet of the Senju patrol party and they never pressed him. From what he had told them on the few occasions that he had talked about his past, they had realized that his life had been a very hard one and they didn't want to make him relive any unpleasant memories. ''We sort of became each other's family, even if we were never that close to each other. It's kind of hard to explain. Some of those people, I have known since I joined at thirteen. We were from all over the Five Elemental Countries and had very few shared interests, yet we worked well together, all things considered. We, of course, saw very little of each other as we all worked in pairs and one team might not return to our hideout for years at a time. Still, there had been a sense of camaraderie there that I have not even sensed in my own family, but that's another story.''
''What were they like?'' Mito asked gently and Itachi's mouth quirked upwards.
''Insane, every last one of them.'' That got him a startled laugh out of his audience and Tobirama tried to imagine Itachi in what was essentially a nut house. No wonder he so easily got along with them all. He probably had met all sorts of people and they were all a piece of cake to deal with in comparison to those people. ''We were all so odd and didn't fit together at all, yet we did.''
''Who were they and where are they from?'' Toka asked excitedly, apparently enjoying the story and how open Itachi was in this moment. It would seem this organization he had worked for was a safe topic.
Unfortunately, they all noticed it immediately when Itachi's eyes dimmed. But ... He had been so free just a moment ago! This couldn't be another sad memory, right?
''Like I said, they came from all around. Let's see, there was one from Wind Country and his first partner was the only other shinobi besides myself from Fire Country. But that one defected and he got a new partner from Earth County. They were artists, always arguing whether art was eternal or fleeting. Drove us all crazy, their arguments, but they were at least fun to watch. They both died, one just a few days before I lost consciousness and one six months ago.''
Mito and Toka exchanged uneasy looks and Hashirama looked ready to stop Itachi but Tobirama shook his head at his brother. Itachi obviously never talked about this with anyone before, so it might be for the best to just let him get it all out. Itachi should be the one to decide if he wanted to say more or if it was too much. They needed to let him relax enough around them to feel free to share his past with them, even if he never revealed names or locations or anything. It was obviously hard enough to talk about it without them adding to it with misplaced good intentions.
''Then there was this pair from the smaller countries. They were a strange pair, one a miser and the other a zealot to a faith that I would rather not start on in how insane you have to be to worship carnage.'' The Senju and Mito grimaced at the same time Itachi did at the thought. ''They, too, died, a month or so after the first one ... And then there was my first partner. He was possibly one of the first people who acted somewhat kind to me after the death of my cousin before my family was killed. He, too, died. I couldn't help him.''
''Everyone is allowed a moment of weakness.'' Tobirama quoted, bringing Itachi's eyes towards him. He did his best not to drown in those endless pools of ink. They were still as dangerous as the first time he'd seen them. Never before had a pair of eyes that weren't that of a Sharingan red fascinated and unnerved him to the same extent. ''Making a mistake doesn't make you weak. You're not a machine. You are not a god. You are human and humans are not meant to be perfect, no matter what people like to think. Everyone is allowed a moment of weakness. That does not mean you are weak.''
''I am sensing that we are missing something important here.'' Hashirama said in the silence that followed and it garnered him a startled laugh out of the younger genius present, which immediately dispelled the tension that had risen. Tobirama just shook his head in amusement while Hashirama asked what was so funny.
''My current partner was from the same country as my first partner, from Water Country. Strange, those people are. You need to be a certain sort of person to correctly deal with them.'' Itachi continued with his story. ''Then, there was this guy who is a fly-trap plant and no, I am not kidding.'' The raven answered even before the others could interrupt him. ''He was a honest to god plant with a personality disorder.''
''You really weren't kidding when you said they were all crazy, were you?'' Tobirama deadpanned and Itachi sent him an equally deadpan look that perfectly answered that question without a single word being said. ''Lovely.''
''Anyone else?'' Mito asked, drawing the attention away from that oddity and prompting Itachi to continue his story.
''Well, thee was Leader-sama and his partner. They were from a smaller country bordering with Fire Country. He and his partner, the only kunoichi in our organization, kind of took to me as though I were their kid despite being barely fourteen years older than me. At times, I could swear they were more my parents than my actual mother and father.''
''What was your family like? Despite your collages being better at parenting, your parents must have done something right. You mist have loved them.'' Hashirama asked, leaning closer to the younger man.
''Hihiue and Chichiue have forgotten to look at me as their child before I turned eight, so I can't really talk about them in an overly personal manner.'' The raven admitted, looking off into the distance. ''Chichiue was stern and prideful but protective of our family and clan, befitting a Clan Head.'' He didn't seem to notice the others choking around him as they realized Itachi was actually the Heir of some clan, small and unknown as it may be. It would seem both Tobirama's theories had been true: Itachi was both a nobleman of sort and a great shinobi to never receive a mark on his body until the day they had found him and he had been deathly ill at the time. ''Hihiue tried to be supportive but with the rest of the clan viewing me as nothing but a tool and a prodigy, she, too, forgot I was a child fairly quickly. Well, I always was too mature for my age. She was caring and wonderful, really. But she definitely paid more attention to my otouto, Sasuke, than to me. Sasuke needed her more, since Chichiue didn't show just how much he loved Sasuke and it left him with self-esteem issues. Now, my cousin Shisui ... He was a whole different story. He was the first one who saw both the prodigy and the person behind it, behind that title, who still could feel and hurt and make mistakes and who still needed to learn. He was my best friend and my only confidant. The story is he committed suicide ... To this day, I do not know if it was the truth and if it is, why he had done it.''
Tobirama almost didn't notice it at first, that strange spike in chakra coming from Itachi. Something in the part about his cousin's suicide wasn't being revealed fully and Tobirama wondered if it was because Itachi was ling or if he did not want to talk about it. For the first time, emotions were far too complicated for the sensor to understand.
''Your childhood sounds tougher than mine was but still not as tough as the Senjus have it.'' Mito observed, fingering some of the flowers they were sitting next to. ''I was pretty much sheltered in Uzushiogakure. Not much happens there. We were actually almost isolated there.''
''Better than having your best friend try to deny you've ever been friends because of a stupid war you don't even want to fight.'' Hashirama pouted but lit up when he saw the flowers and looked over to Toka and at Mito. ''Hey, guys, turn around! I'm going to braid your hair with flowers!''
''I call dibs on Itachi's hair!'' Mito uncharacteristically called out, causing said young man to look at her in amusement.
''I can do Mito's and Hashirama can do mine.'' Toka replied, already seating herself behind the redheaded Uzumaki and picking flowers of her choosing. Hahsirama made no protest as he sat behind his cousin, pulling down her bun and separating her hair, combing it with his fingers gently. By the time he was finished with that, Toka had picked the flowers she thought she will need and had turned to do the same as Hashirama had for her to Mito's hair. It was a lot longer than her buns would suggest and was quite silky. ''Itachi, do you know how to make flower crowns?''
Said man nodded, careful not to disturb Mito's combing fingers as she already started working on his hair, eager to finally be allowed to play with it. Tobirama knew that Mito had felt how soft the foreigner's hair was because she had been the one to heal Itachi's head injuries and his eyes. The woman had commented that it was as soft as silk and had rambled on about all the styles she'd like to place it in after they got to know Itachi a little.
''My Hihiue taught me and I have had all in all four female friends in my life and each and every one of them had wanted to braid my hair with flowers at least once. Not to mention my cousin learned to braid hair just so he could tease me. And even my otouto loved flower crowns so I used to make them for him.''
''Good!'' Hashirama boomed happily, peeking over Toka and Mito to look at Itachi. ''Then we can sit in a circle and you can make a flower crown for Tobirama and Tobirama can braid my hair like you used to when we were kids!''
''Anija!'' The albino protested, not liking how the women chuckled and how even Itachi seemed amused and completely unresisting as he gathered flowers and started on the flower crown. ''You really are a traitor today.'' He told his Shogi opponent and Itachi snorted.
''A little relaxation and play never hurt anyone, Tobirama-san.''
''You say that now,'' Tobirama grumbled but complied and sat behind his brother and waited for the shifting to stop so they made one close circle, everyone playing with the person in front of them's hair. With practiced fingers, Tobirama started combing through Hashirama's hair, separating it in a few ropes so he can make one of those complicated braids their own mother had loved. It was a lot easier now than when he was a kid. Not only was he more of a height with Hashirama and his brother's hair was longer, but his won fingers were longer and more skilled. He had been able to make dozens of small braids when he was a kid out of his brother's short hair but he was now able to make a full, long braid out of Hashirama's long, chocolate brown hair and it looked beautiful whenever he did.
He felt Itachi settle behind him and it was perhaps the first time he was still able to remain relaxed despite knowing he had what was essentially still a stranger at his back. Itachi had had more than ample opportunity to try and kill him and he had never even indicated that he was thinking about it. The boy hated violence and would never resort to it first and he seemed to be the loyal type. Besides, Tobirama dared to consider Itachi his first real friend and especially his first friend outside his own clan.
He felt ... comfortable with him. He didn't even flinch when, two hours later - spent in talking, joking, story telling, secret sharing, comfortable silences and their silent and vigilant work on each other's flower accessories - pale fingers touched his head to place the colorful crown of flowers in his hair as he was finishing up Hashirama's own braid. By this time, everyone else was finished, too, and they all turned around to regard each other with silly expressions on their faces that had started out as tentative smiles.
''Well, aren't we all just dashing.'' Toka was the first to tease, bringing her braid forth to look over Hashirama's work. It wasn't nearly as complicated as the braid Tobirama had made of Hashirama's braid, but her hair was the second shortest in their group. Still, it was like four interlocking chains and it looked beautiful in her light brown hair with flowers sticking out from every second interlink like a perfectly tended to garden.
Mito chuckled, trailing her fingers over Toka's own work that nearly rivaled Tobirama's in complexity. It set her whole hair to the side of her head and interlocked strands of hair over and over again. It was thick and rich with carefully arranged orange and yellow flowers, making Mito's hair look like fire. She looked even more regal than usual. ''We should definitely go to one of the clan meetings like this and watch Butsuma-sama's reaction.''
''Dear Kami-sama, that would be priceless!'' Toka agreed, looking over Mito's form to look at Itachi's braid. Mito had actually made him the Fishtail Flower Braid, manging to make a rose at the back of his head and sticking red flowers around to make it look like a crown. The red flowers were all lined with quite a bit smaller white flowers, making it look like a liner around the red and the contrast of the two colors against Itachi's black hair looked beautiful. Around the flower of the braid, Mito had even stuck a single blue leaf on each side to make it look like an actual black rose. Toka approved. ''It would definitely be worth the punishment we'd get.''
''Don't be so sure.'' Tobirama warned where he finally placed the last flower in Hashirama's hair, finishing his work. It was a giant braid underneath one smaller one and two even smaller ones. The largest was thick and wide, the second one was thinner and slimmer and the last two were barely three strands of hair linked and interlinked. Those two smallest braids even made a small flower down the middle of Hashirama's back, a personal touch Tobirama had added. The braids were decorated with the least flowers out of everyone, since it was already so complicated and pretty on its own that it only needed a few yellow and purple flowers to make it simply outstanding. Hashirama definitely seemed pleased with what he got. But Tobirama was no longer looking at their flowery heads and was instead looking in the direction of a Senju man making his way towards them at a brisk pace, his chakra suggesting something serious was going on. ''Because we're about to find out just how sever Otou-sama's reaction is.''
No sooner than he said that, the messenger came to a stop in front of them and stared at them all, especially at the usually stoic Tobirama's colorfully flowered head with a thick, complicated and finely made Cult Gaia flower crown in his pale hair. The red flowers Itachi had picked made his ruby eyes stand out more than usual and the darker blue and purple flowers he found to go along with them complimented his pale complexion. The smaller flowers were of various colors, such as pink, yellow, white, orange and light blue and the messenger was dumbfounded to see butterflies already flying all around the five flowered heads. It took him a moment to pick up his jaw from the floor before he could finally speak.
''Butsuma-sama has called for an emergency meeting.'' The man said, eying Itachi as he did so. He was one of the few Senju that still agreed with Butsuma that Itachi was a danger to their clan and an Uchiha in disguise. ''The Sarutobi Clan Head, Sarutobi Sasuke, has asked for our help, as it would seem the Uchiha have kidnapped one of his sons.''
The three Senju instantly grew tense and the aura around them turned cold and serious. They didn't even bid the raven and the redhead farewell before they, and the startled messenger, were transported away with Tobirama's Hiraishin, flowers and all.
The second storm has come.
