Chapter 12: Of Toads and Uchiha

The door slid shut and Sarutobi stiffened at the activation of the room's top privacy fūinjutsu. He had not turned it on. Indeed, dark eyes narrowed at the back of his chair, they could only be activated at his desk. The old man watched, body relaxed but prepared, as the chair turned.

"When were you going to tell me?"

Hiruzen sighed, relieved for a second before realizing why his student must be here. "Up, up." He ordered, waving his hands in emphasis as he moved forward to claim his seat. He was going to be comfortable for this conversation. The white haired man scowled but obediently moved. He was a tall man with long, spiky white hair tied in a ponytail and further held back from his face by a large, spiked forehead protector. The kanji for oil was painted on it. Two red lines traveled from the bottom of his eyes to the edge of his chin in a mockery of tears.

"Do I need to ask again?" Grumbled the man as he moved around the desk.

Hiruzen leaned forward in his chair and folded his hands before his face. Sarutobi contemplated his visitor, there was so much to say and yet at the same time his student would want it up front. Finally he spoke, there was no point in trying to avoid the topic. "Naruto is dead, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya's hands fisted his sleeves as he folded his arms. "How?"

"You know how, why else would you be here?"

The man glared. "I want to hear it from you. I want to hear how you could not protect my godson. I want to hear why you didn't try harder to keep Minato's son safe!"

The elderly man lowered his hands and began to frown. "Jiraiya y-"

"Don't." Jiraiya stood tall. "You're the Hokage! Don't say it's because of Minato's enemies â€" you have your own goddamn set of enemies to deal with and you had sons! Everyone knew them, they knew about them before they were even born!" Jiraiya leaned forward, "Tell. Me. What. Happened."

"This conversation is old. You know my reasons" The white haired man simply glared at the Hokage. Sarutobi sighed. "He was the jinchūriki. I couldn't tell the world on top of that information. He already had too many interested parties as is. It was best that nothing more was known about him. It was to protect him from those enemies that would act if they knew our jinchūriki was his son."

A snort of disgust escaped Jiraiya. "You didn't think there was a god damn good reason why Mito-sama and Kushina were both kept secret? What made you think that it was safer for Naruto to be known as a jinchūriki than Minato's son?! Look what you're decision led to."

"Jiraiya!" The Third glared at the man.

Jiraiya snapped back, "I knew. I told you that it would lead to this! You killed him."

The elder of the two slammed his hands down onto the table and rose to his feet. "Don't you talk to me like that! What exactly could I say to the population that watched Minato and Kushina fight the Kyuubi with a babe in their arms? It wasn't like I could keep the shinobi from telling their family that they had been able to see the demon chakra get pulled into the baby. You weren't there. You don't know how we couldn't evacuate the majority of the village before the attack. All we could do was try and keep the damage to a minimum." The Third's shoulders slumped. "We lost so many that day. People were angry, are angry."

"They seem pretty bent out of shape knowing who Naruto really was." Argued Jiraiya before taking a deep breath. He had gotten everything out now. He needed to focus and push his feelings on the matter away. Jiraiya looked over at his teacher.

The Hokage had lost friends, family, subordinates. He had lost his wife. The chaos of the entire situation had truly made it impossible to keep the truth secret. Too many had seen what had happened and there was too much Sarutobi had to deal with during the time. There hadn't been any real way for his teacher to keep it secret but still... It didn't matter now. What mattered was that someone had killed his godson. "Sensei, tell me what happened."

Hiruzen slumped into his chair. "He was attacked. I and my ANBU got there too late. The alleyway was covered in dead bodies and blood. There was only one survivor."

"That's it. That's all you got to tell me?"

Dark eyes looked up and met Jiraiya's own black ones. "The ANBU charged with protecting Naruto was among the dead. His body was partly over Naruto's. He died protecting the boy." The Hokage paused for a moment before adding, "There was a sharp spike of chakra which had led us to the alleyway but besides that there is no information. A dead ANBU cannot hand in a report anymore than a dead genin."

Jiraiya nodded in grudged understanding before prompting, "Chakra?", as he sank defeated into one of two chairs on his side of the desk.

"The Kyuubi's."

"You think it was the Kyuubi that killed all the people?"

"Hai."

Silences stretch between the two men. Both lost in deep thoughts: Jiraiya coming to terms with rumors being true and Hiruzen wallowing in past mistakes and losses.

"You should have let me take him when I came." Muttered Jiraiya after a while.

The Third shook his head. "You know why I didn't. You have been doing everything possible to protect him from all outside threats. He would have only gotten in the way of his own protection."

Eyes met again but this time the words were left unsaid. Yet Hiruzen didn't need to hear them spoken out loud to know what his student was thinking. He was supposed to protect Naruto from the inside threats.

He had. Kami, he had thought he had been protecting Naruto but clearly the true threat had not been Danzo. Besides the dead ANBU, all the others in the alleyway had been civilians. Who would have thought that he had to protect Naruto from civilians?

Jiraiya's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What of the survivor?"

"What of her?"

The man stared at his sensei. "Sensei, just answer the question. She was there."

Sarutobi shook his head as he spoke, "Why don't you just tell me what you know about her."

Jiraiya leaned forward, eyes narrowed, "The daughter of the Nidaime and Minato. Seriously, you believe that? You don't question it at all?"

"Of course I do but she is only three and the blood test is convincing," the Hokage said.

"She is an impossibility in so many ways. Yet you just let her into the village without a second thought." Jiraiya frowned at his teacher. "She could be here by Orochimaru's design."

"I'm aware of the possibility. She is being watched, there really is little concern on the matter Jiraiya. As I said, she's only three."

The younger man shook his head as he stood. "Yeah, right. I want to see her. Someone without the helpless need for redemption needs to look at her."

Hiruzen glared at him. "I am not blinded by Orochimaru."

"You were."

The Hokage sighed. His hand moved to message his brow. "Fine."

"I'll bring in the toads for their thoughts on her. Can't be too careful with this." Said Jiraiya as he pulled something from his pockets.

The elder looked up at that. That could be of some use for more than checking if she had any snake taint (or whatever it was they detected on Orochimaru's ilk). "There's one more thing."

Jiraiya held out a little orange book. "What?"

The book vanished and the old man spoke nonchalantly, "It involves something rather strange about her. The toads might be able to help with the matter, particularly Fukasaku."

Jiraiya frowned at his sensei. "Right and that's supposed to keep me from thinking she's Orochimaru's?" The tall man sighed at the look directed at him. "Fine, lets go see."

"She's with Uchiha Itachi right now." Stated the elderly man as he rose.

"Seriously? You placed her under the protection of a Uchiha even with Biwako-sama's last warning?!"

The Third stilled, keeping the fūinjutsu active. "Enough."

"You know wha-"

"I'm very well aware what Danzo says my wife's last words were." The Third straightened, the room had grown cold. "The fact of the matter is simple, Jiraiya. The person who attacked Minato and Kushina may have had the Sharingan but the Uchiha Clan were fighting alongside us the entire time."

"You don't believe him."

He sighed. "There is only so much you can believe from a man like him. I didn't think you trusted him anymore than myself." Sarutobi Hiruzen looked hard at his student, "Or do you believe him because this gives you someone to blame for Minato's death?"

Jiraiya didn't move as his sensei passed him after deactivating the seal work. His head dropped for a second before he hurried out of the room.

AUAU

Itachi awoke with a start. Sweat trickled down his face. Sharingan eyes moved sharply over to the blinking numbers on the bedside clock. 15:30 was too early for someone stuck on the night shift. Itachi dragged himself into the other room; tea sounded amazing. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Itachi firmly ignored the remnants of the nightmare. Its scheme was a familiar one. He didn't need to try to remember to know that it was about killing his family.

Itachi stared down at the kettle as it heated. The memories were fading but with how often he had thought about his past actions, the burst of horrid, truly unforgettable scenes when first moving through his clan's compound again, talking about it to Naoko and, to an even further extent, to the Hokage (though with claims that it all were terrible nightmares and fears) â€" Itachi would not forget as fully as he wished. He would be haunted by killing his entire clan for the rest of his life. The only thing he took solace in was the fact that he wouldn't have solid memories of doing it.

Breathing in the scent of good green tea, Itachi turned to take a seat at the new kotatsu to only stop and stare for a moment. It wasn't particularly cold out yet but it was time to setup the kotatsu futon in preparations for winter. That didn't mean he should expect to find Naoko dozing at one side, her head just peaking out of the shockingly orange futon. Shaking his head, and making a mental note to remind Naoko not to talk about this to his mother, Itachi settled onto another side of the table.

It was just when Itachi finally finished straightening up the pile of half finished academy homework and about to properly enjoy his tea that a knock came from the door. His hand twitched towards one of his hidden kunai. Who was bothering him at this kami forsaken hour?

The black haired boy nearly slammed the door open in his aggravation. He just wanted some tea. Was that too much to ask for? A pair of women stood on the other side of the door. He didn't know them. They appeared and even felt like civilians so they were no threat but that left the question as to why they were here.

The elderly woman smiled up at Itachi, she was that short, "Now sonny won't you let a little lady like me a place to sit? I hear you got some butterflies for my niece."

Itachi's eyes bleed red as he stiffened. Neither were overly beautiful or unusual but they both were different enough for anyone searching for intruders would not question them. Too beautiful and perfect or too plain and dull were two extremes shinobi found themselves doing when using henge. Few of the shinobi force were going out on espionage mission now. It had become a specialty which should never had happened.

The fact that these women were just the right amount of interesting to keep suspicions at bay meant they were dangerous. But even if they were dangerous, no one should know anything about the butterflies outside the Hokage, Inoichi, and a group of Aburame. And, Itachi quickly concluded, if someone else had gotten that information they wouldn't be at his front door. Naoko would have simply disappeared.

Itachi stared a second longer, his mind going blank trying to connect the two women to any of the group of men that knew about Naoko. Coming up with nothing specific, it was a little difficult thinking of any of the men taking on women appearances even with Inoichi's long hair, Itachi could only step aside to let them both in. Itachi closed the door as he kept his back from facing the two women. The young woman winked at Itachi as she pulled a scroll out from between her breasts.

"If you don't mind, Itachi-kun, I'll be taking some of your tea." Itachi jerked away from staring at the young woman. The old woman was gone and in her place stood the Hokage.

Itachi slowly relaxed, "Of course Hokage-sama."

"I'll have some tea too." Itachi felt himself ping pong as he looked back at the younger woman to find a tall white haired man in her place. Jiraiya of the Sennin, the Toad Sage, grinned down at Itachi.

"Naoko is sleeping right now," said Itachi as he moved around the kitchen preparing more tea.

"I can see that." responded the Hokage from his seat at the table, amusement coloring his voice. Right, he would have noticed Naoko by now. Somehow Naoko continued to sleep, though he supposed that Naruto had been a heavy sleeper when he was a genin so being a heavy sleeper at three shouldn't be that surprising. The Hokage spoke up after a moment of silence. "Jiraiya is here to look over Naoko. If you would be so good as to leave us, Itachi. You will have your home returned to you in a few hours."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and muttered "right" before unrolling the scroll. An intricate seal was written across it.

Itachi turned back to the Hokage and, handing over the tea, nodded in understanding before finding himself being pushed out the door by Jiraiya. Itachi stared at his closed door. He still couldn't feel either shinobi, though they were skilled enough to hide their presence when needed, it wasn't exactly something people did in their home. Yet, after a moment of concentration Itachi frowned. He could just make out the Hokage's chakra signature down in the market place a block or so away. A kage bunshin to keep Danzo and any other interested parties away no doubt.

Itachi rubbed the bridge of his nose with a grown. God, it was an ungodly hour and he hadn't gotten his tea yet. Itachi turn away from his door and moved to head out for some tea at a nice cafe when he stilled.

The eleven year old slowly looked down at himself. He was still in his pjs and had no shoes. Looking back up at the door Itachi heaved a sigh. There was no way he could get dressed now. Itachi sighed again.

He needed tea.

AUAU

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes down at the sleeping child even as the newly activated seal settled on the perimeter of the room. No one would be able to enter or leave till he deactivated it. No one would be able to feel any of their chakra signatures. Jiraiya frowned as he cut his thumb on his tooth. He wasn't going to deactivate it until he knew the truth. Not even sensei was going to be able to do anything about it.

A slap of his blood stained hand onto the floor brought a burst of smoke. A sneezing cough informed the two adults that the three year old had finally awoken. "Eh, Jiraiya, why'd you summon us?" Standing at the epicenter of the dispersing smoke were two child sized, elderly, talking toads.

The Hokage choose this moment to interrupt. "I asked him to call you both to give your expertise on a new, unusual ability that one of my citizens has revealed."

"Like hell I summoned them for that." Grumbled Jiraiya before pointing at the wide eyed three year old. "Is she one of Orochimaru's?"

The toads looked back and forth between the two old men before looking as one over at the little girl. Blue eyes met the toads' own. Jiraiya watched with narrowed eyes as the two toads moved closer to the little girl. what would they find?

Minutes past and no words of explanation came. Then Fukasaku, the male toad, hopped up onto the table in front of the little girl and slapped his webbed hand onto her forehead. The edge of a seal flared around the webbed hand, gleaming across the girl's head.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock as the little girl started to fall apart. She was still there but the edge, for the lack of a better description, was crumbling into blue butterflies. The female toad's tongue snaped out and caught one of the butterflies. Naoko screamed. The seal was pulled off her and the toads were sudden a good distance from the little girl.

"That's what I wanted an opinion on." Stated the Hokage before hesitantly asking the little girl, "Are you alright Naoko?"

Blue eyes refocused on the hokage and she stuttered a few seconds before saying, "S-She ate me!"

"Kid you're here. You haven't been eaten." Jiraiya said annoyed at the lack of explanation. That was what sensei wanted an opinion on! She turned into a bunch of butterflies! When was he planning on explaining this?

"Technically I did eat her." Said Shima.

Jiraiya jerked his head over to his summons, "Care to explain what the hell is going on? Shima, Fukasaku, Sensei, anyone?"

Shima nodded to Naoko, "I apologize, no one had forewarned us on your butterfly form. I had simply reacted."

"Yes, it's dinner time you see." Added Fukasaku as if that excused Shima's actions. Naoko simply continued to stare at them with wide eyes.

"Explanation." Grumbled Jiraiya.

"Oh, hold your horses Jiraiya." Scolded Fukasaku. "She a bakemono. It's only polite to apologize about eating her."

"Bakemono?" Asked the Hokage.

The two toads stared at the Hokage with expressions of exasperation. Jiraiya simply sat back and scowled at his summons.

Naoko finally spoke up, "I'm a shapeshifter?"

Shima turned back to the little girl and nodded, "I'm glad you understand. You're quite young to be experiencing this already. Most bakemono do not learn their trade until they are twice your age."

"It seems to be an uncontrolled, subconscious transformation." Added Fukasaku. "Most have difficulty controlling themselves when they transform from one thing to more than one. Do you experience headaches?"

"Wait." Jiraiya leaned forward. "You're telling me that she's all of the butterflies? As in what the butterflies experience she experiences?"

"Yes." Shima answered, "They are not separate things. The girl and the butterflies are one in the same."
"So you did eat her," Confirmed the Hokage. "but no physical harm occurred."

The toads looked at each other and then back at the little girl. "Well..." Fukasaku said, "If enough butterflies are destroyed physical harm should occur. As it is, some of her hair is shorter than it was before the butterfly was eaten."

Jiraiya poured himself some more tea before speaking up, "Before we continue this, she a snake?"

Fukasaku shook his head, "She is not one of Orochimaru's."

"Alright then." Jiraiya paused for some tea. "What was with the seal?"

"She appears to be partly open to natural chakra. It flows through her with ease but does not react to or interact with her actual chakra. I simply placed a seal to force that interaction." Fukasaku frowned at Naoko. "You saw the result of a medium amount of her chakra and natural chakra mixing."

"It forces her transformation." Said the Hokage.

"No that is simply a byproduct of the affect natural chakra has on her." Countered Shima. "Her senses go haywire. She becomes part of nature, possibly a byproduct of her possessing a different multi-form."

Jiraiya frowned in thought, "My senses become extremely heightened, specifically in sensing chakra. It affects her senses differently though?"

"Yes, I believe so." Fukasaku sighed as he rubbed one of his facial warts, "We cannot say for certain as natural chakra affects people differently and as she is not a summoner we do not have the needed connection to be able to gain some solid conclusions but..."

Shima continued where Fukasaku left off, "Because she possess a mind capable of processing multiple places at once, experiencing multiple different things at once, and responding to said things - I believe she has a greater connection to natural chakra and her senses expand further then what should be possible."

Fukasaku nodded, "If she was able to gain control over her butterfly form she should be able to become a powerful sage." The toad stared hard at each human, stopping last and keeping his stare at Naoko, "Without a higher summons it will be dangerous to try and mold sage chakra. But understand, sage chakra is the perfect mixture of your chakra and natural chakra. You have the unusual ability to use natural chakra on its own... potentially at least."

Naoko slowly nodded before asking, "What should I do?"

"Learn to control your other form. Once you have mastered that you may begin to explore what natural chakra will do for you. Most people must pull natural chakra into them. It flows naturally threw you. All you need to figure out is how to interact with it without involving your own chakra."

"But how does she master her butterfly form?" Asked Sarutobi as he leaned forward intently. Naoko nodded slowly in agreement, a deep concentrated look crossed her face - one that made Jiraiya wonder if she was constipated.

"It comes naturally to most bakemono... once they're older but she should be able to gain some control if she focuses on what she's experiencing." said Fukasaku thoughtfully.

Sarutobi sighed before explaining, "We've been trying that. She can tell us what we tell her butterflies but nothing else, nor does she seem to understand how to make the butterflies."

Fukasaku shrugged, "I don't have much experience helping bakemono learn their trade, Hokage-sama."

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Shima spoke up, "Perhaps you need to take the butterflies to areas that vary largely from where her human self is at."

Jiraiya hummed, "Like taking it to a dark room when she's in a bright one or cold room when she's in a hot one?"

Shima nodded, "The differing, simultaneous experience should be obvious to her at some point."

"Interesting." Muttered the Hokage before he smiled warmly at the summoned toads, "Thank you."

The two elderly toads nodded, "Anytime Hokage-sama." With that the two toads unsummoned themselves, leaving behind only smoke.

AUAU

Itachi sat back and breathed in the scent of cooking senbei and steeping tea. He was back at the senbei shop in the Uchiha district. Dark eyes wandered lazily around the small shop, content to observe. Scattered around the shop's various tables were a set of nearly identical twins leaning over some scroll, quietly discussing its contents and the young brunette girl he had seen Naoko playing with some time ago, Yorimi, sitting on her knees concentrating hard on academic work. It was peaceful and no one at the Uchiha senbei shop would throw him out for his attire.

A plate full of fresh senbei was set down at Itachi's table. Dark eyes wander up to meet Uchiha Uruchi's smiling, wrinkled face. Her smile grew at his attention and she set a pot of tea besides the plate. A small cup immediately joined it as her eyes took Itachi in. It was but a second later when she laughed warmly at the eleven year old, "Itachi-kun what are you wearing?"

The black haired boy shrugged, "Pjs."

"Lazy day then, hmm?" Itachi simply leaned back into his chair and lazily reached out for one of the senbei. The old woman laughed heartily as she walked away. A soft swish of the door and ringing of the bells above it redirected the old lady towards the new customer. As she turned she shouting out, "Yorimi-chan tell your grandfather to cook some more wasabi flavored ones."

Itachi turned to his long awaited tea as the studying brunette hopped out of her chair and ran to the back of the cafe. Today should be a lazy day, Itachi decided as he sipped his tea. There was nothing to worry about right now. Everything coming could be dealt with later. Dark eyes slid shut and the eleven year old breathed in the faint woody aroma of his green tea.

The soft creak of one of the chairs at his table forced Itachi's eyes back open. Shisui sat on the other side of his table silently eating a senbei. The two stared at each other for a moment before Shisui simply leaned back like Itachi and silently accepted another cup from Uruchi. The rest of the afternoon floated by in peaceful quiet, each shinobi watching their clan members go about their business in the street outside.

At some point Itachi's eyes slid shut and he began to lightly doze. A nudge from Shisui woke him up in time to see his mother walking briskly towards the shop and him. The two boys shared a look of exasperation before Mikoto was at their table, scowling down at her pj wearing son.

"Itachi what are you thinking? Go put some proper clothing on this instance."

Itachi looked up at his mother and sighed. "I'll go get dressed in a few minut-"

"In a few minutes?! You will go change no-"

Itachi interrupted with a change of subject. "Kaa-san I was going to bring Naoko over for dinner later this week.. If that's alright with you?" Itachi noted the sudden attention from Yorimi. Before he had brought up Naoko she had been ignoring the argument like any proper Uchiha would.

Mikoto stared down at her son in confusion. "Who is this Naoko?" Eyes suddenly narrowed, "You're not seeing someone outside the cla-"

Itachi's eyes widened and he quickly interrupted again, "She's one of the orphans I'm taking care of outside of my other duties. She's the one I'm living with."

The matriarch slowly nodded, "Right, her. She also the little genius girl that everyone at the academy has been worrying about?"

"She's been having some issues focusing since a major cold but we've been getting her back on track. It's just been taking a while." Itachi said. At the frown growing on his mother's face, Itachi added, "She's around Sasuke's age."

Mikoto nodded thoughtfully, "Well tomorrow would be perfect. I'll make enough for you both to join us. Be over, and properly dressed, at 6."

Itachi quickly nodded in agreement and with that Mikoto left. The eleven year old ANBU met Shisui's amused stare with a helplessly relieved look of his own before rising. It was time to see if he had his apartment back.

AUAU

Naoko rushed to follow Itachi as close as she could while still taking in the Uchiha district. She couldn't remember ever being in the district before. The little girl had a strange feeling that, even if she had been here before, it had never looked so lively. There were Uchiha everywhere. No one was running across the roofs but there were plenty going about their business.

"Naoko be courteous, be polite." Itachi paused and stared down at Naoko. "Just.. Just say hello, answer the questions in as few words as need, and then don't talk at all."

The silvery white haired child scowled up at the older boy before nodding her head in understanding. She wasn't going to ruin this for Itachi... Was that a raccoon? Naoko slowed to a stop and stared down the alleyway, head tilted to try and get another look. Raccoons were interesting. Well she had never thought about them before but now that she had seen one, they were very interesting. What would it be like to be-

"Naoko come on." Itachi grabbed the three year old and carried her under his arm when she continued to stare off into space. He did not need Naoko to space out now. She could do that later. He needed her to focus and not screw things up. "We're here."

Blue eyes finally focused at those words. The building before them wasn't any larger than the others around but it was maintained more often. The Uchiha clan symbol gleamed in the setting sun as Itachi slid the door open.

She was going to meet Sasuke. The three year old stared at Itachi's back. She was going to meet the boy she had rushed off to find when she had run into Itachi. Nerves fluttered in her gut. She didn't know what to expect. Naoko felt a mess of emotions. Sasuke was the center of it and she wasn't sure if she liked what his name brought up.

Itachi led Naoko through, pointing out the restroom before pausing outside one of the many traditional paper doors in the house. He tapped Naoko on the forehead before sliding the door open. "Tou-san, Okaa-san." Greeted Itachi as he stepped in. "This is the orphan I've been charged with, Tano Naoko."

Naoko gave a respectful bow, "konbanwa Uchiha-san."

The grave looking man, Uchiha Fugaku, nodded in greeting before going back to a pile of papers in front of him. Itachi's mother smiled warmly at them both before remarking to Naoko, "My son, Sasuke, is in the back. He's around your age. Why don't you go find him." She paused for a moment, "Dinner will be a few more minutes."

Naoko nodded in understanding, and after seeing Itachi's nod, ran out back without a word. It took a moment to find the boy. Then the world imploded with memories all rushing together at once.

Searing pain in her chest. Words of hate vibrated through her mind. A small six year old boy lost without a family. Blood red eyes gleaming with malicious determination. A pale, yellow eyed man with a wide grin stood behind a older Sasuke. Snakes and hawks and promises for revenge on a brother and for a brother.

Combined, it all left Naoko ill. This wasn't a person she wanted to know. There was something terribly wrong with him. Blue eyes met black.

I'm going to go befriend Sasuke so that this time he won't leave Konoha.

This wasn't the same, insane boy from her past's future. This was a innocent three year old. Nothing was for certain, Naoko straightened, she could push this Sasuke away from the terrible mistakes he had made.

Sasuke scowling face spoke otherwise. "You."

"What?"

The black haired boy simply, deliberately turned his back on Naoko and walked away with his toy kunai. Naoko was left standing by the door. What had she done?

Dinner began soon after. Naoko found herself silently sitting by Itachi, across from a glaring Sasuke. Mikoto continuously tried to discreetly stop Sasuke from glaring. Fugaku asked somewhat personal questions on her training and why everyone was worried. Itachi interrupted her whenever she started talking way over a three year olds ability or about something in more detail than Fugaku should know.

Sasuke finally bursted at the end, when Mikoto left to collect desert.

"Perhaps Naoko can come over after the academy to train with Sasuke." Remarked Fugaku, a calculating gleam in his eyes.

Sasuke ruined any plans by jumping up in outrage, "No! I hate her!" then he stormed out of the room.

Mikoto hesitantly set the bowl of fresh fruits down. "I should-"

"No Okaa-san," Sighed Itachi, "I should go speak with him." Fugaku nodded in agreement and Itachi moved quietly from the room.

Once the door slid shut the two Uchiha turned, almost as one, towards Naoko. Mikoto smiled kindly as she knelt down, "So Naoko-chan, fruit?"

AUAU

Itachi found his little brother pouting on the back porch. He stared at the slumped shoulders for a few minutes before silently sitting down besides the boy. Sasuke refused to look at his brother as he finally spoke up. "I hate her."

"Why?"

A deep scowl spread across Sasuke's face, "She took you away."

Itachi's eyes widened. "What?" Her breathed out. How could Naoko possibly have done that?

"You're never here." Frustration and loneliness glowed in tear filled eyes as Sasuke turned to Itachi. "She took you away."

"Sasuke..." Itachi stared helplessly at his brother. This Sasuke was the little boy that Itachi had done everything he could to save. This was the little, annoying brother determined to surpass him to get Tou-san's attention. This was the spare that no one paid any attention to.

Except he had once paid Sasuke all the attention he could while keeping him away from the politics and the horror of life. He had been Sasuke's world. Now he was never present.

"We can train tomorrow." Itachi finally said. Itachi's brother would not have the future he had had last time. Naoko and Itachi would do everything to stop it from happening.

Sasuke's face didn't brighten at the offer of training. He was staring dully back towards the house. "Tou-san likes her more too." The little boy's dark eyes stared up at Itachi. "She's a genius. She's in the academy already. Tou-san thinks she's better than me. He wants her to train me!" A tear filled glare fixed itself across the boy's face, "You all chose her over me."

"I didn't." Itachi said. "I am on a long term mission Sasuke. The Hokage asked me to live with her and watch over her."

Sasuke jumped up and, with clenched fists, bit out, "But Kaa-san says you could have declined! Tou-san says you're training her and she'll be Uchiha loyal! You chose her over me!" With that Sasuke ran off, leaving Itachi to stare after his back.

"He'll come around."

Itachi turned to the end of the porch and looked helplessly up at his great uncle. A pit of worry and fear had filled Itachi's gut. "I hope your right." Muttered Itachi, everything screamed otherwise.

Kagami nodded in understanding, his expression kind as he spoke, "It will be. Now go save your charge from Fugaku and meet me at Teyaki's shop. I want to met this genius child."

Naoko was found playing Go with Itachi's father. Surprisingly, Fugaku was openingly instructing her on some of the finer points while noting intelligent moves she had made. Itachi couldn't help but watch as the two played. The ANBU had never seen his father act so kind to anyone. Perhaps if Sasuke had been a girl, Fugaku would have paid more obvious attention to him. Or was this just another show of Naruto's skill, pulling the best out of the most difficult people?

In the end, if Sasuke heard or saw this there would be no hope in getting him to like Naoko. So Itachi finally interrupted the game and pulled Naoko out of the house. It took only a few minutes to reach the senbei shop. Kagami and Shisui were already there.

Naoko was distracted by a different Uchiha, though. The brown haired girl Itachi had seen Naoko playing with once months ago was frowning at Naoko. Itachi, Kagami, Shisui and Uruchi all watched as the two girls stared each other down. Then Naoko was babbling nonsense about apologies and that she hadn't been meaning to avoid Yorimi and how she didn't know where the girl classes were being held. Yorimi's glare broke and the little Uchiha interrupted Naoko with a hug and a hard smack to the head.

Kagami's soft chuckles at the sight brought Itachi's own smile to the forefront. Things would work out in the end. Naoko was on the mend. Sasuke would work through his anger. The Uchiha clan would survive. He would make sure that happened. Right now though, Itachi was going to have some well deserved tea.