Any multi-chapter story posted before 9/21/16 that is not Eve Black is officially dead.

This story is officially DEAD. I can no longer delude myself into thinking I'll manage to finish it and hope that by making it official I'll stop feeling guilty about not writing in it. I have decided to post what I have of the next chapter just for the hell of it. Continue reading with that in mind and at your own risk.

Thank you for your interest and my sincere apologies,

Rai

Chapter Three: Dinner Party

(*)MegumiKai(*)

Megumi was trying very hard not to laugh. She knew that if even a small giggle passed her lips she would burst into full blown mad Ishtvar laughter. The look on the Hokage's face just made it so hard! This alone was almost worth using the name of her thrice cursed former clan. The surprise radiating off the ANBU, especially the short one, was almost as grand. Luckily, Megumi had lots of practice keeping a straight face.

The urge to laugh faded as the Hokage got over the shock and composed himself. He sat down at his desk and made a teepee with his fingers. "Well… there are… many people by that name in this village."

"Really?" Megumi let her tone and expression lift. Now, time to look hopeful and like you don't have a clue that the Uchiha are a ninja clan.

"Yes, now, Hound? Could you tell Fugaku that I'd like to see him as soon as he's free?"

"Of course, Lord Hokage." Hound bowed and vanished; off to find this 'Fugaku' person.

Kai: -Likely the head of the Uchiha clan.-

Megumi: -I figured that out one my own, thanks.-

She fought to keep the mischief out of her smile. That was going to be an interesting meeting.

Megumi: -Alright, Naruto. Time for phase three.-

Naruto: -Okay, Ayah!-

Megumi: -Let 'em have it, Seit.-

Naruto leaned forward, gripping Megumi's hair to keep her balance. Megumi winced, though more from the shouting in her ear than the tugging at her hair. "Hey! Hey! Megumi can stay with me, right? Can't she? Can't she?"

"Well, Naruto, I'm not sure your apartment has enough room for the both of you."

Megumi again fought the urge to laugh. She would need to carefully control her expressions during this phase and Ishtvar laughter didn't go well with any of the ones she would need… or the word 'control' for that matter.

(*)Itachi(*)

There were few things that left Itachi Uchiha truly at a loss. Unfortunately, this situation seemed to be one of them.

Things had started getting strange when he and Kakashi had found their target less than fifty feet from the village's main gate atop the shoulders of a teenage girl and had gone downhill from there. The first red flag had been the kunai. It had appeared in the girl's hand seemingly from nowhere when he and Kakashi landed on the path beside her. Itachi was certain that it hadn't been there before but he had seen no movement to suggest she had grabbed it from anywhere. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the kunai was gone. The now empty hand reached up to grab Naruto's leg and stabilize him as he enthusiastically greeted 'Crow' and 'Hound' and told 'Megumi' how awesome they both were. A quick glance from Kakashi told Itachi that he had seen it as well.

The second flag had been her eyes. It was rather unsettling to see your own eyes looking back at you from the face of some girl you'd never seen before. Itachi was certain Kakashi didn't catch that one, but neither of them could miss the distinctive red and white fan embroidered on the back of her shirt as Naruto led them into the village from his perch.

"My name is Megumi Uchiha."

Five words had never had such potentially earth shattering effect on the Uchiha clan. If she was truly an Uchiha, every male member of the clan how had gone on a mission outside the village between fourteen and sixteen years ago would be suspect of being her father. It could cause a good deal of discord within families.

The girl in question was obviously oblivious to this fact as she gaped at the Hokage with a six-year-old on her shoulders. "What? You mean to tell me that a six-year-old is living by himself?"

"Well… It's a complicated situation." The Hokage told her and then immediately changed the subject. "Perhaps you could tell us about yourself and your mother, Miss Megumi. It may help us find your father."

"What do you want to know?" Megumi easily slid Naruto from her shoulder down to her side where he stood clinging to her hand with both of his.

"Well, let's start with your mother. What did she do? What—"

"She was a whore." Megumi shrugged and brushed off the question. "What else?"

The Hokage was taken aback by the quick, blunt answer. Itachi was surprised as well. He hadn't ruled out the possibility but he hadn't thought Megumi would be so willing to divulge the fact. Most would have felt some amount of shame but this girl was completely unruffled. Then again, she had introduced herself as Uchiha, the possible name of a possible father who might not want anything to do with her. She must have been quite distanced from her mother.

"Let's focus on you then." The Hokage told her. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

The Hokage nodded. "That's awfully young to be out on your own, isn't it?"

"Excuse me!" Megumi snapped. "I found a six-year-old out by himself in the middle of a forest and brought him home to find out that he lives alone! I'm not entirely sure that you're the best judge for 'being out on your own'."

"Be that as it may, Miss Megumi," The Hokage sighed, "you've also just proved my point. Children shouldn't be out on their own."

"In that case," Megumi jerked her thumb over her shoulder at Itachi, "isn't he a little short to be an ANBU?"

"I can assure you that Crow is a highly trained shinobi."

"Yeah and he's, what, twelve."

It was a disturbingly accurate guess. The Hokage sighed again. "This isn't getting us anywhere. Let's drop the matter for now." Megumi shrugged and nodded. It was obvious to Itachi that the Hokage was going to have to tread carefully if he was going to get any more information out of the girl. "Perhaps you could tell us why you left your hometown."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell you that already? My mother died so, I decided to try and find my father."

"But surely you had friends and a way to make a living there. Why give that up to find someone who, I'm sorry if this is a bit blunt, might not even want you?"