Chapter 7: Monsters in Our Head
Fog rolled over the area. Itachi glanced over the silent Uchiha district. It was late and he just wanted to sleep. The ten year old's shoulders slumped as the weight of the world fell off them for but a moment. A warm bed, a hot shower, and maybe some good hot tea: That's what he needed. Itachi slowly walked down towards the main house. The silence reminded him too much of the night where everyone died. He quickened his pace.
Crunch, crunch, crunch. Itachi stopped and the sound stopped. Dark gray eyes glanced slowly over the area. He couldn't feel anyone nor see anything out of place. Itachi took a few more steps. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Itachi paused again. Rubbing his fingers together, trying to ignore the sweat sliding down his neck, the ten year old slowly looked down into a pair of blank, dead, black eyes. A little girl's face stared back up at him. Her throat was cut. Itachi's mouth went dry.
He was walking on the bodies of dead children, children he killed. Itachi's breath became short. No. The ten year old quickly jumped onto the rooftops of the Uchiha District. He won't be walking on the dead up here.
"You killed me." Itachi jerked around. The little girl stood at the edge of the roof. She had a pure white, miniature wedding kimono on. "Murderer."
Itachi shook his head as he slowly backed up. "I had to."
Another child and another jumped onto the roof. They all had that same kimono on. Each of their dead eyes stared into Itachi's. "Murderer."
"I had to. I had to." Choked the boy as he turned and ran. "I had to."
Itachi could hear their small feet slapping onto the roof tiles. They were following him. He could hear their mantra of "murderer" as he continued to run. Itachi could see the roof of his home but it just wouldn't get closer. Why wouldn't it get closer?
"Itachi." The boy looked to his right and stumbled as suddenly the district wasn't the same. Itachi stared out at the silent district now littered with bodies and blood. His breath came in short gasps. "Itachi, you killed me." Dark gray eyes blinked as tears blurred the image. "You killed us." Uchiha Mikoto stood in front of him, white as a ghost with only red, bloody streaks sliding down each side of her lips and the wound in her chest. Clinging to her hand was a little three year old Sasuke, as dead as her.
"Onii-san, why?"
Itachi jerked up gasping softly, "I had to." Hands gripped his bed sheets tightly. Taking a few breaths, Itachi slowly released the sheets. The difficulty of being a child again and having to re-due actions already done were that they came back to haunt him. Again. Itachi clenched his jaw. It had been so long since he accepted his fate. He shouldn't be having these nightmares again. Not this vividly, at least.
The ten year old shook his head and got ready for the day. Soft morning light streamed through his open window. It was early but, dark gray eyes glanced at his door, the sooner he left the better. Itachi had gotten back the night before, late. He knew his parents were aware of his return but Sasuke wasn't. The ten year old moved towards the window, hopping on one foot and then the other as he pulled his sandals on.
A knock on the door stopped him from jumping out. "Itachi! Breakfast!"
Itachi slowly moved away from the window, "Hai Okasan." Pulling off his shoes, he moved sedately downstairs. There, seated around the table, was his family.
"Onii-san!" Itachi flinched lightly. "Train me!"
"Musuko eat." Order Mikoto as she frowned at Sasuke. "You can bother your brother later."
Itachi sighed as he accepted a cup of green tea. "Arigato Okasan." The room fell silent besides the sounds of chopsticks and the clatter of tea cups. Itachi stared blandly down at his untouched bowl of rice and fish. The tea was good but the food made him sick just thinking about eating it.
"Itachi don't make me feed you." Mikoto stared at her son, her eyes soft with concern.
"Mikoto leave the boy alone, if he doesn't want to eat, he doesn't have to." Fugaku stated over the stake of papers he had been reading over. Itachi glanced over them, they looked like council meeting transcripts. Why would he-? His father's eyes met his own, "I keep being informed of council meeting after the fact." Fugaku's face darkened lightly, "I have to read the transcripts to know what is going on." The older man looked to Mikoto, "Dear, remind me to speak with Sarutobi later. Someone is messing up on making sure I'm properly informed in time."
She smiled softly, "Of course. Will you be around for dinner Itachi? It feels like we haven't had you here in ages."
Itachi frowned, "I don't know. I'm going to be called to the Hokage at some point today for test evaluations. I can't promise on being here."
Uchiha Mikoto sighed, "I see. Well good luck." Itachi nodded as he rose to leave. Mikoto got up and started clearing the table.
"Itachi got in. There isn't any luck about it." Muttered Fugaku as he narrowed his eyes over a council contract, "Raising the academy schedule to war time...Student being allowed entry from ages three and up?" Looking up Fugaku glanced at Sasuke before turning to Mikoto, "I believe Sasuke will be-"
"No." Mikoto stated as she took the half eaten meal in front of her husband. "He won't be."
Itachi watched for a moment, as his father looked helplessly at his plate. Sometimes he wondered what led them to betraying Konoha. It just seemed so odd. They had never appeared to harbor hatred toward Konoha until after he had reached ANBU or maybe he had just never noticed before that. Itachi left his home. It didn't matter in the end, they were going to die.
Breathing in the stark, cool morning air relaxed him a little. He didn't know how long he was going to be able to handle living in the district. Itachi glanced over the area, memories faintly overlaying the place with blood. Could he do this? Would he be sane enough in three years time to do it? Itachi leaned back against the wall of his home. The domestic scene he had just left, where Okasan had shown her concern for him and for Sasuke. Itachi closed his eyes. Why had they betrayed Konoha?
"Yo Itachi." Dark gray eyes opened to find a tall dark haired Uchiha. With sharp eyes gleaming with some interest at him, Uchiha Shisui was standing causally before him. His best friend and mentor and teacher and rival. The first Uchiha he killed. The kill that gave him the MangekyÅ . The older Uchiha gave a faint, almost non-existent grin at Itachi. "It's been a while. I've heard you got into ANBU."
Itachi frowned at his once friend. He couldn't be one now...he wasn't going to be able to kill another friend like that. "I'm not ANBU."
"Yet." Finished Shisui. "Everyone is talking about it. You'd be the youngest ANBU in a long time, maybe ever." The black haired man grinned wider. "Come on, lets go to Auntie Uruchi's!"
Itachi rolled his eyes, "You just want to steal some of Teyaki-san's senbei."
"hmm, they are rather delicious but!" Shisui smirked over at the ten year old, "As I have a fine new ANBU with me I think I won't be stealing anything today. Of course that means you'll get some of their amazing tea for free too."
The world wary young man sighed, fighting a slight smile as he followed his past friend to the local Uchiha Senbei bakery. They did make the best senbei around after all. This didn't mean he was going to forget anytime soon about what he had to do but for now he'll ignore it.
It didn't take long for the two to find themselves relaxing with senbei and green tea. Both quietly enjoying the others company, Itachi finally getting a moment to forget the future and act like everything was fine. Shisui had always been able to get the Uchiha heir to relax.
"Both of you are acting like old men, you even took over my table." Itachi stilled, his head slightly bowed. He hadn't heard that voice in so long.
Shisui grinned faintly, a soft blush fluttering almost teasingly over the s-rank shinobi's cheeks. "Gomennasai, Kagami-sama."
"That's quiet alright, I'll simply join you." Itachi finally looked up and regarded the proud older man. Peppered hair was cut in short wavy spikes. Crow feet and laugh lines around the man's eyes and mouth told a tale the neutral expression of his face denied. Uchiha Kagami, his great uncle. He was the brother of Itachi's deceased Grandfather and uncle to Fugaku. He had been the genin teammate of Danzo and had been present for the final battle the Nidaime entered into. Unlike the others that had been present that day he had chosen to stay out of politics and instead focused on training the next generation of Uchiha.
Now he was retired and a semi-reoccurring advisor for the ANBU Commander, though Itachi only new that from his past-future memories and it was a accident that he had even found out about it the first time around. He couldn't know for certain but his great uncle had most likely been the ANBU Commander at one point. A powerful position that Itachi had always figured had been the reason Danzo had demanded that Kagami be the first killed in the massacre. Looking at the man now Itachi couldn't help but wonder about that just like he wondered deep inside at the reasons for the massacre, at the actions of his kin. Like the rest of his thoughts, it left him with the overly complicated question of why.
"Itachi-kun I've heard that there's some congratulations in order." The soft rumble of Kagami's voice reminded Itachi of all the random nights his great uncle had slipped into his room at night to read him to bed. A routine that his own father had insisted would make him act too childish as he had already made genin. Kagami had stopped after he had turned eight and had been forced to never even begin with Sasuke.
"Not yet..." Itachi looked away from the questioning look, a raised brow telling him to continue. "I have test evaluations sometime today."
"Ah." Breathed the old man before sipping his steaming cup of tea. "Well do you believe you passed?"
Itachi looked down into his own tea cup. The mission had gone just as before or as close to before that Itachi had little doubts involving the fact. He was certain that he had passed. "Yes."
The three fell into a companionable silence. The early morning air slowly warmed with the rise of the sun and the group of three quietly turned to idle conversation. As the last of the tea was drank Uchiha Kagami rose and with a slight stretch of his legs spoke up to Itachi. "Well come along." As he turned to leave he added, "Shisui be good and pay for that food." Itachi's eyes connected with Shisui's as he hesitantly followed his uncle. He couldn't remember spending time with his great uncle after making Chūnin. This had never happened before; he had been too busy trying his best to met his father's expectations to even consider relaxing one morning like he had been.
AUAU
A yawn stretched across the little girl's face, tears filled her blue eye. Why were teachers so boring? A ruler whacked her desk as Funeno-sensei continued his lecture on the practical uses of the henge, a lecture he had given twice before over the last week. She had proven her ability to use the henge just yesterday so the lecture was even more worthless than it had been the last two times. The fact that the majority of the class hadn't mastered the jutsu didn't mean hearing the lecture again was going to help any. As she was about to fall asleep, the instructor finally finished the lecture.
"Now class we're going to start on learning the next jutsu genin should know about and then we're going to head outside for taijutsu training." Called Funeno. "The jutsu is called the Bunshin no Jutsu. It creates a illusionary copy of yourself..."
Naoko closed her eyes and slumped back into her seat. They were supposed to be on a war time schedule and yet it was sooo boring! It wasn't long before Naoko was sound asleep. Funeno's eyebrow twitched at the sight of the sleeping three year old. Maybe she was too young to be in his class but her test proved that she would be even more bored in the lower classes and she had done a perfect henge the other day, after only a week. She could only be a genius and she belonged in a class this advanced but even then she acted like she didn't need to listen and learn from him.
A flash of a certain silver, gravity defying haired shinobi went through his mind as he lectured. She couldn't possibly be related to the lazy genius, could she? Horror flickered across his face for a split second. No one noticed since no one was paying much attention to their sensei but that didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that Naoko could possibly end up just like him.
Funeno suddenly stopped lecturing and shouted sharply, "OUTSIDE NOW! Up you lot!"
Naoko jumped up in shock, her hand flying up towards Funeno with a nice, pointy kunai about to fly out of her hand. Instincts were screaming at her to kill the person that woke her up. The kunai flew and slammed into the black board after flying right past Funeno's ear.
The instructor blinked at the little three year old, he could feel a small amount of blood sliding down his ear. His jaw clenched, who the hell gave her real weapons? Hissing out sharply orders for everyone to go outside and stretch for taijutsu their sensei stalked over to the three year old. No one dared stay behind to find out what would happen and Naoko gulped, her eyes wide.
AUAU
The black commas of the sharingan lazily spun in the ten year olds, red eyes. Across from him stood Kagami, his hands slowly going through a set of seals: Bird, Snake, Rabbit, Bird, Snake, and so forth. He was getting a new technique, one he had never gotten to learn last time. His great uncle had taught him a number of things the least of which being the raiton bunshin. This was the first jutsu that was classified as A rank, though.
Kagami sharply turned from his great nephew and finished the seals calling out, "Raika Hörai no Jutsu." He then spat out small, blue fire balls which sparked as they shot through the air too quickly for most to dodge. A couple landed in the near by pond, sending waves of electricity over the surface and steam from where the fire had originally landed. The fireballs that hit the ground melted the plants and earth, small sparks flew out over the area setting small fires in the mostly dirt covered area.
The old man turned back, "Do you need to see it again?"
Itachi frowned over at the pond. "No."
Kagami nodded before ordering, "Tell me what you have figured out about the jutsu."
Itachi's eyes faded to their usual dark gray as he focused back to his sensei and uncle. "The jutsu uses both fire and lightening elemental chakra. It is similar to the Katon: Hõsenka no Jutsu with sending out multiple small fireballs from the mouth and being able to control each fireball individually with a form of chakra thread. There is lightening chakra embedded into each of the fireballs."
Kagami nodded again before adding, "The lightening embedded in the fireballs are just enough to numb and possibly paralyze the person or animal it hits on impact. This jutsu can kill but is actually most commonly used to capture or distract the target. It is a A rank jutsu simply because of the large amount of chakra used." Kagami looked over to the tree line before waving Itachi away, "Practice it and come to me if you have any questions or issues. Now go with the ANBU."
Itachi started slightly but visibly. He hadn't felt the presence of the ANBU in the trees. It was a sharp reminder that he was ten and not the fifteen year old he remembered being. It was a strange feeling, knowing that you're forgetting things â€" important things, skills, jutsu, intelligence that could save them a lot of pain later on â€" but not being able to do anything about it. He could remember talking to Naoko about the crow, could remember it entering him and having this weird rushing, headache inducing feeling as he just suddenly knew things he hadn't the second before. Yet he couldn't actually remember giving the crow to Naruto. He only knew he had because he had purposely written it down to remember and had spoken of it to Naruto.
His jaw clenched as he watched the ANBU, a monkey masked one, jump into the clearing. He would have to figure out a way to get some of the information he had safely stored and available for when they needed it. Naoko wouldn't help too much, she was still getting used to being a girl and she was three. The lose of memory wasn't affecting her as badly as himself since she wasn't going off on missions she had done before nor was she in a physical position to be able to even think about relearning skills she was slowly forgetting.
The last part was a good thing from his memories of Naruto's lack of ninja related skills. She would still have a head start on relearning the rasengan since she nearly completed it during her random outburst. Naoko had the kage bunshin down and was well on her way to retaining her skills with flying projectiles. Everything else would fade to nothing, hopefully.
The Monkey ANBU interrupted his thoughts, "Ano, the Hokage would like to speak with you Itachi-san."
"Arigato ANBU-san." Muttered Itachi, his brow creased as his mind continued the circular thoughts he was having about Naoko and his situation. They needed to train but Naoko was too young to physically be able to do much training. They needed to remember important details and information but there wasn't really a safe way to store that information and Naoko had most likely forgotten any important information she had once known by now. It was up to him to set up things up to help them later on. He needed to figure this out and not just wallow around his kin.
"Itachi-san, I'm to make sure you go in a prompt manner." Interrupted the ANBU again.
"Itachi stop thinking and go get promoted." Ordered Kagami who had been standing there watching him and the ANBU with the infamous aloof mannerism of the Uchiha which was ruined by his wrinkles telling of many warm, laugh filled moments. The ten year old sighed with the heaviness of a elderly man before following Saru out of the Uchiha training grounds and towards his predetermined future.
AUAU
Naoko slowly followed the rest of the class through the simple taijutsu stances. Funeno-sensei had been outraged. He had ordered her to given him all her weapons. He had taken all of them, even the ones she had hidden on her person. Sensei had demanded to know who had given them to her, which she had lied about. Then he had complimented her on her form. Teachers were strange people.
The group of children rose onto one foot, and slowly pushed the other up in the air, a act of balance more so than any really useful taijutsu move in her opinion. She jerked slightly as something hard hit the back of her knee. It forced her to either break the stance or fall over. She quickly dropped her foot for balance.
"Naoko! Get back into the proper stance!"
Blue eyes looked down sharply as she got back into form. A large pebble lay besides her foot. The area was always cleaned between taijutsu training so that there wasn't any little objects like that laying around and possibly leading to injuries among the younger years. The throbbing on the back of her knee told her that it had been thrown: hard. She gritted her teeth as another sharp sting slammed into the back of her head. When the third pebble â€" which was more a small rock â€" slammed into her back, Naoko had just moved into a new stance. Hitting right into her spin, Naoko couldn't stop from falling over. Could they just stop bothering her? Taijutsu was already hard enough with her mind insisting that she was a number of inches taller than she really was.
"Naoko, five laps now!"
Naoko sighed before obeying. She purposely turned around to run the opposite direction than the class was facing. Her eyes settled on the group of boys in the back. Grins, quiet chuckles, and a satisfied smirk greet her. She should have known it was them. Most of the boys didn't actually do much to her. Some spit wads every once in a while, but a couple of them seemed really determined to get her out of class.
Hõsei was twice her age and was from a civilian family. From what little she had heard he was used to getting his way with being the youngest child of a wealth merchant family. His dark brown hair was spiked almost horizontally from his head. It reminded her of Sasuke's hair except shorter. Him and Sukima seemed to hate her. Whether it was because she was a three year old, she was a girl, or considered a genius who has apparently proven that position, Naoko wasn't sure. She did know that the dislike was mutual.
Naoko shook her head softly as she focused onto other things. Her feet automatically moved her around the academy courtyard from countless past experiences, which she had many even though it had only been a week. After all, she still could remember most of Naruto's academy days and he was always in trouble.
Blue eyes wondered up to the sky. She wanted to prove herself to the others, to the teachers, and to the Hokage. She wanted to prove that she had the skill to be the daughter of two Hokages and she wanted to prove to Inari-sama that she deserved this second chance. She wanted to show Itachi that she was capable of helping save their future, of saving him from the massacre. She wanted to prove to Sasuke that she could help him and be his friend even though she couldn't remember why she needed to prove anything to a boy she hadn't even met this time around.
The only thing she remembered about the boy was he was popular where Naruto was scorned. He had all the girls squealing over him and Naruto had none â€" Naruto wanted that for himself simply because it would prove to everyone that he was equal to the Uchiha. That he was worthy of note, of praise. Part of her knew that she didn't want that. Part of her knew she could care less about the little Uchiha. She had to deal with Uchiha Yorimi's interest in her, though admittedly she couldn't complain much about that. It was rather fun. But she didn't need another Uchiha taking an interest in her. She had had more than enough Uchiha interaction with working with Itachi, thank you very much.
A flutter of light caught her eyes and the little girl slowed to a near walk. Fluttering over head was a yellow and black butterfly. A deep masculine voice almost sang in her mind as it spoke in rhyme.
I float..like a butterfly. And sting like a bee! 'Cause I'm-
"NAOKO DON'T STOP NOW!" Shouted Funeno-sensei from the other side of the courtyard, "KEEP GOING OR THERE WILL BE MORE LAPS!"
Naoko shook her head and started running again. She whispered out with a wondering expression spreading across her little chibi face, "I float like a butterfly." The little butterflies her hair dissolves into filled her thoughts. That was something she really needed to try harder at figuring out. It was just that as Naruto and as any little girl, she was not too sure about bugs. She would have been perfectly happy to ignore it a while longer, or even forever, but Naoko also wasn't the type of person that avoided conflict.
"Naruto would have already figured it out with his hardheaded ways." Breathed the three year old before memories, nearly crystal clear, surfaced of the idiot and foolhardy child Naruto had been at three. Perhaps she was more mature at three then Naruto. Yet her maturity could only have existed because she was Naruto and even though she couldn't remember past the age of eight with Naruto's memories, she had originally been the eighteen year old Naruto. That mental maturity could not have gone away without some evidence left behind. Anyway, Naruto grew up ignorant of the dangers of his life. While he had a chance to be a attention hungry child, she needed to grow up and prepare for the worst. Naoko knew that she needed to train to save everyone from Madara.
Naoko stopped sharply. Who was Madara? She searched her mind for the knowledge and all she got was memories of her conversations with Itachi. Madara was the enemy and she needed to train to fight them. Madara wanted the Kyuubi. But who or what was Madara?
"NAOKO YOU HAVE ANOTHER LAP NOW!"
The little girl jumped slightly at the yell across the courtyard. She got back to jogging. Butterflies and evil guys filtered through her mind.
AUAU
Itachi lend forward onto his arms, his eyes closed as he firmly ignored the Hokage's secretary who had been trying to offer him multiple cups of water since he had entered. That and she had something in her eye with the way she was blinking so much. Well, at least that was what Itachi was firmly telling himself since the woman was twice his age.
Sitting near him were the other ANBU hopefuls. Each one was being called into the office one at a time. It wasn't long till Itachi was called in. Itachi flashed a glare at the quietly chuckling monkey ANBU guarding the door. He should try having a bunch of older woman do ridiculous things to get his attention. Itachi paused at the memory of giggling girls and women who all were watching the passing ANBU. It was a memory that hadn't happened yet since he had been one of those ANBU.
"Ah, Itachi do close the door." Dark gray eyes met the black of the Hokage's. Obeying, Itachi glanced over the other people present. Pigeon and Pig were standing at attention on the left of the Hokage while another ANBU with a wolverine mask stood at his right. The ANBU commander, Itachi had always wondered who stood behind that mask. "Itachi the exam indicated that you did well. As with all participants the examiners will discuss things you could have done differently and skills you should develop. As Hato was your primary examiner he will be speaking for both of them."
Itachi turned his head slightly towards Pigeon as the ANBU captain stepped forward. His arms set comfortably behind his back, Hatake Kakashi spoke up, "You did well over all. But no one was able to find out the age or appearance of the target. None of you even thought to do so. Gaining this information would have allowed the team to quickly finished the mission as everyone would have been mentally prepared to assassinate at least one child. This would have made the mission shorter and the comrade, Pussycat, would have survived."
Kakashi paused for a moment. Itachi gritted his teeth. Pussycat had to die, right? He had to, otherwise what would have happened to the future? With this so closely linked to the massacre, Itachi could not chance it.
"Your dedication and loyalty to Konohagakure no sato and Hi no Kuni was seen in the near nonexistent hesitation you showed in aiding in the assassination of twenty girls ranging from five to eight. You showed clear ability to think quickly when you joined in fighting the enemy samurai with the stolen weapon that emphasized inner city unrest instead of pointing towards us."
After another short pause the Pigeon ANBU captain turned towards the Hokage and spoke, "With full consideration of his actions and displayed skills during the assassination mission in claw country, along with the success of the mission bare the lose of a comrade, I give my full support in the initiation of Uchiha Itachi into the ranks of Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai."
Buta also turned to the Hokage, "I second the initiation of Uchiha Itachi."
The ANBU Commander turned towards the Hokage and spoke quietly, "In review of the mission report of both ANBU members and ANBU potentials, I also give my full support in this initiation Hokage-sama."
The Third Hokage leaned back and stared at Itachi. His brow was slightly creased as if in conflict with himself. Itachi knew that he was debating letting him enter because of his age. The Hokage had told him that much the night of the massacre. The elderly man finally spoke up. "Pending routine mental and skill evaluations, and skill development during the required initiation training month, Uchiha Itachi I initiate you to the ANBU." Sarutobi held up a scroll. "Welcome trainee."
Itachi took the scroll and bowed before leaving. Returning to his house, the ten year old slowly, almost relevantly opened the scroll and read its contents.
Welcome trainee. Your Sensei will pick you up at 0500 tomorrow.
Be prepared for a month in the wild.
Below the few lines of writing was a unusual storage seal. Though not uncommon, the seal required blood and not just chakra for it to release its contents. He knew that inside the scroll was his trainee uniform. Itachi rolled the scroll back up and stared down at it. Last time he had gone to his father to proudly present the proof of his position in the ANBU. This time Itachi wasn't naive enough to think his father would actually show pride, he already had the memory of what happened and had no desire to experience the lack of anything from his father again. Itachi knew that his father was a prideful man who held his emotions in a firm grip. Yet, if the man had actually shown his pleasure at seeing his son succeed so well then maybe thing would have happened differently.
No, Itachi had a little white haired child to inform of his absence for the next month and of course it wasn't a excuse.
AUAU
Gray-black eyes scanned the orphanage playground. His senses stretched out in search of a specific chakra signature. Nothing. Where was that girl? Itachi turned away and, after a moment of consideration, headed out to make a circulate around the village. She was bound to be somewhere training.
Itachi finally felt the specific chakra signature and frowned. It was coming from the academy. The ten year old stared at the building that he had only been in for a year. What was she doing there? Eyes narrowed before he settled into a tree to wait for the end of school. A glance at the sky indicated that it wouldn't be long.
Indeed, not even a hour after he showed up did the final bell ring and children exploded out the academy's doors. Dark eyes slid over the flocks of children searching out for the specific child. There. Itachi didn't move though, it wasn't the best idea to greet her in front of people. At least not so many people. His mouth thinned as he took in her appearance though. She was going to the academy and by the look of the simple weapons pouch on her waist, she was in one of the upper classes. The ten year old silently followed the little girl who soon was playing tag with a slightly older girl, one Itachi vaguely recognized. She was around the senbei bakery at times. Teyaki's and Uruchi's granddaughter or niece or something like that.
Itachi watched as his relative won every single time. Naoko couldn't find her no matter how hard she tried. It show another skill that Naruto had been lacking in, or at least a skill Naoko no longer remembered how to do. It also showed that his young relative would be a skilled sensory shinobi when she grew older. Naoko needed to learn how to sense chakra and be able to differentiate it from each person or at least from friend and foe. Most shinobi could only sense within thirty meters of themselves but some had a further reach.
When he was fifteen he could sense a little over thirty meters around. He hadn't even thought about his ability to do so now. He was unconsciously thinking of himself as older than he really was and so he had assumed at having that ability now. A quick test revealed the reason he hadn't sensed the Monkey ANBU earlier. His senses had dulled, or, more accurately, he hadn't trained them up to the standards they would be by the time he actually turned fifteen. Itachi's jaw clenched. It was dangerous not realizing the deferences in his abilities he actually had and the abilities his memory claims he had.
Shaking his head and silently vowing that he would start focusing more on training, either on getting his body and skills up to par or in keeping the skills and jutsu he was bound to forget because of the loss of memory. The ten year old focused back on to the two girls. They had decided to end their game of tag with Yorimi â€" if he overheard Naoko's word correctly from his position above them â€" winning each game. Watching the girl leave, Itachi tossed one of his kunai down in front of the white haired child. Blue eyes shot up to meet his.
The wide, thousand watt grin that was spreading across the little girl's face faded as she took note of the cold glare Itachi was sending her way. Itachi silently turned around and led the way back to his training grounds. Naoko followed quickly after.
"Itachi?" Hesitantly asked the three year old as they stood in the training grounds, the true question left unsaid.
Itachi turned sharply towards her. "You're in the academy." Naoko shifted in unease but didn't say anything. "What idiocy led you to believe that it was a good idea to enter the academy at your age and with your parentage? Did you think about what you were doing? Do you want to be found and spoiled and hidden away in some overly protected house? Had you thought of how this might affect your ability to work towards a better future? Did you think at all?"
Naoko flinched as the Uchiha's voice lowered with each question. It would have been strange but better if Itachi's voice had risen during his rant instead of growing steadily colder and quieter. It was like a razor slicing through her foolish thoughts and her desires to prove herself. The little girl shrank back from the glare directed at her before she seemed to get a hold of herself.
Righting herself, Naoko almost appeared to grow in height. Blue eyes flashed with fury. "I know." Naoko took a breath, "I know what I did was stupid but you said yourself that things weren't going to be the same! Why shouldn't I enter the academy and learn everything I can sooner rather than waiting around in an orphanage slowly learning things on the off times I get in trouble enough to be able to sneak away! Why should I wait until the danger of the future becomes the present? I took the chance because I wanted to prove myself! I wanted to prove that what I still remember isn't true this time! I failed at everything! EVERYTHING!"
Blue eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I can't remember much now but I know both because I indicated it and because of the fact that I'm here! If I had been able to stop this Madara, been able to save everyone I came to care about, I would not be back in the past in some little girl's body becoming some stupid little girl! I would be me still! I would be Naruto! I'm here because I failed! I always failed."
Blue eyes flashed into a shocking glare. Itachi took a involuntary step back. When she spoke again it was quiet, dangerously so. "I will not fail this time." The little girl's glare dared him to counter her words. "I won't fail you. Or Ojii. Nor my Tou-chan and Otou-san. Neither will I fail Yorimi." She stood tall, hands in fists and eyes sharp sapphires. "I. Will. Not. Fail. Konoha."
Silence stretched before them, her words echoing through both their minds. Itachi finally found his voice. "Alright." Dark gray eyes turned from the little girl's face and the determination for change. Something he had preached but hadn't followed. What would have happened if he had tried to do things differently?
"Just be careful, don't make them wonder about you. I assume they think you're a genius." His eyes turned back to her. "Don't make them wonder that its something more. It took me a year to graduate. I was five. It took Hatake to graduate a little below a year. He was four. You're three and you're a girl. Nothing against woman but people will wonder if you graduate younger than us. Its a common misconception that women are weaker then men, play on that fact and expect it."
Naoko frowned at him but nodded. "I already showed a perfect henge but we're starting on bunshin and I've haven't gotten that figured out as far as I remember. I'll take my time with it."
"Good. I'm going to be gone for a month. Try and stay out of trouble."