Don't know what to write -.- Let's just get this party started, ne?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Masashi Kishimoto, if so I would own Itachi!

Yay for Minato! Hell yeah for Itachi! No for the damn Mangas!

Otouto – Sasuke's comments

Otouto – Mainly Naruto's and Itachi's thoughts

Chapter 8 – Memories: It's my chance! Part four

Previous chapter:

"Idiot." Was the first word that left his mouth after he regained his normal working mind again. "What an idiot." Laughing a bit at his choice of words which first fled from his tongue without thinking over he put his hand on the side of his head and shook it in disbelief. Today was REALLY a strange day and the young Uchiha wondered if it will end strange too. However, after a few more moments with thinking about this bad day he walked a few steps forward and disappeared into the trees, trying to find Itachi, finish this stupid test and FINALLY fall into his soft and warm bed at the end of this screwed up day.

End previous chapter.

So it goes on, this useless test. I ran and ran, jumping through the trees, looking everywhere only to find Itachi and win this battle. But as expected I didn't find him anywhere so I went on in this cat and mouse game of him.

- With Naruto –

The blonde Genin walked through the place, searching and looking, but no one was in sight. Then he stopped in his tracks and thought about it.

"Damn. Where is Itachi-Sensei? How can I show him that I'm worth it when he isn't there?!" He went on ranting a bit more and then it dawned on him.

What if he IS already here? Then I would directly fall into one of his other traps.

"Sensei! I'm not that stupid! Not again!" He exclaimed loudly. The sound wave met the surrounding, many birds suddenly filled the air and flew above the Genin. He watched them for a while, looking into the sky. A few white and fluffy clouds were mixed with the soft ocean blue of it, floating away slowly to another spot of this endless place. The carefree life of the sky filled the blonde with joy and he smiled.

"What a nice day, makes me wanna lay down and just stare at the sky above me while eating a cup of ramen."

"Well, you can do that when we are done with today."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, breath caught for one moment in his throat. He turned around slowly, facing the owner of this voice and his eyes widened even more.

"Itachi-Sensei." He voiced out, sweat rolled down his back.

Damn, not now. I already have four points. When he gets me now then I will get my fifth point and this is all over. No, I can't allow him to do so! I must win! I must become an offical Genin and become the next Hokage!

"Uzumaki Naruto."

No, dattebayo! I have to escape, now!

"I wanted you to know that you are at three death points not four." Monotone as usual but enough to make a hidden grin appear on the blonde's face.

Thank god. I thought I was done for it. But why three not four?

"You're sure wondering why three not four, don't you?" Naruto cringed at this, the word 'surprise' clearly apparent on his face.

Damn, how did he know? Am I that easily to read?

"Well, it's simple. We both fought against each other, you were caught by me and got your 'three' and then you fell into my trap and got your 'four'. Isn't it strange that you can die twice a fight? That's what I noticed when I fought Sasuke earlier. You can't be more dead than dead. That's why you are at 'three' again. Does that answer your question?" At first Naruto gritted his teeth at the arrogance in this way of speaking. He absolutely hate it when others speak like that and most of all when it's an Uchiha! But then he calmed down and smirked at this.

"Yeah, it answers my question. But since when shows an 'all mighty Uchiha' mercy? You could have kept this as a secret and gave me my 'five' and everything would be over and you wouldn't have us longer around and could live your normal life again."

Uchiha… you all don't know what that means, no one does. Uchiha means 'all mighty' to the people alive in this world, for the dead livings it means something that makes their blood run cold by only hearing this name and to me it means something you'll never understand. Our name is all mighty and feared but the true fate behind it is something nobody knows. A name with an unique story.

Itachi had to admit that he was right. He just could have end this but he didn't want to. Smirking as well he gazed into the Genin's eyes.

"You are right. I could have done this and end the test and with that your life as a Genin. But I have my reasons why I don't wanna do that. First of all: I am an Uchiha, that's right. But that doesn't mean I'm not fair or else. You only associate this name with something cool, heartless, arrogant and with someone who has no guts. Only because our Uchiha Clan is feared and powerful you think that we are all cold beings. But still I don't wanna proof you the opposite, that isn't necessary. I want to make one thing clear, the true reason: It's because I'm your Sensei."

For a moment the blonde Genin's eyes refelected surprise in their ocean blue depth and he lowered his head in shame for what he thought of his Sensei and what he said to him about Uchihas.

"I'm your Sensei. I have to make sure that you all will become stronger, more experienced and ready for this life in this world. I have to make sure that one day you can fight alone and be a Sensei or even a leader of a squad. There will you have the responsibility for other's lives like I have for more than four years now. And as long as you all don't have the most important ability you need to survive in this world and to protect the ones you love and you can't live without I can't let you pass and make you an offical Genin of Team 7. You HAVE to find out what you need even if I have to play with you and give you more time."

Does he even believe what he's saying? I don't think so. Ready for this life, responsibility for other's lives, most important ability to survive in this world, protect the ones you LOVE and can't live WITHOUT – for me it would have sounded like complete crap. But if I think about it now I can understand it somehow. But what does that mean to me? It was something I've followed a while, until the day I realized that all I did and all what happened was in vain.

Naruto bit down on his lip, feeling so stupid. He judged Itachi by his name and not by his intentions, his real reasons.

"I understand." He said hesitated and looked up into the raven eyes of his Sensei, smiling as he went on. "Okay! Let's go on and finish it with the required skill!"

Sorry for condemning you by your Clan, Sensei.

"As you wish." With that said the Uchiha charged with great speed up to Naruto, drawing a kunai out and holding it against his throat. "Rule number one. You always forget it, Naruto." He stated without any emotion. "Yeah, maybe, Itachi-Sensei." Contered the blonde with an comparable indifferent tone, not moving one bit, not fighting back or trying to escape.

What's going on? My body, it won't move, won't try to start a fight. It feels like iron, so heavy to move and my strength feels like fading away.

"Naruto…" Itachi started, the blonde stayed calm.

"…four…"

Sighing out and taking a deep breath Naruto gave a barely audible "I knew it."

"Naruto you still have a long way to go as well as your team mates. But someday you will understand. You will understand everything of this and what life is like." He said and then everything went on quickly. One second Naruto tried to do something and the next second he felt very heavy and drained. He lost his strength and his body went limb like under poison, his eyes closing slowly.

What's happening? Why I'm feeling like this? I don't understand it. No, I understand now. Itachi-Sensei, it was a fake, a clone. I should have known. I should have known since I'm the one who knows this technique all too well and now he is using a Genjutsu on me and I fell for it. I let myself distract and let my guard down that easily. He faced me with an clone, gave me my next point of death and is now knocking me out. The moment I saw that he used a techique to dodge my attacks and to escape I should have known that this was another trap of him. He was right. I have a long way to go until I can become Hokage.

Naruto fell back. But before he hit the ground he was catched by his Sensei. "You let your guard down but it was too early for you. Think about it and then try it again and learn from this. Learn and use your new knowledge and hopefully the new required ability." He said to the unconscious Genin and laid him against a tree. "Again. Again someone I used my Genjutsu against, like Sakura. Sakura. I wonder if she has woken up yet or if she's still under my spell? I must test them all, so let's see." Sure with his plan he disappeared out of this place.

- With Sakura -

Somewhere in another place, the young kunoichi slept still under the spell of Itachi's Genjutsu. She was leaning against the trunk of the tree, sleeping peacefully and dreaming a wonderful dream. The sun shone down, casting shadows around the place where it met an obstacle and a large shadow appeared on Sakura, hiding her face from the sun. The shadow turned out to be a person standing right before her.

"She hasn't woken up yet." Itachi mumbled and watched the pink haired Genin a bit longer, waiting either for her to wake up or go on with sleeping. But after thirty seconds he decided that she was still in too deep in her slumber. So he drew his look away and turned it to his wrist watch.

What? Already three minutes past seven? Guess time is over. I can't believe how short an hour can be. I must admit I killed the time by searching them too slowly. I know that this isn't what a shinobi is, wasting that much time, but it was my plan. Everything went just as planned. Let's see if they will survive their last test.I'm looking forward to it, everyone. This is your last test.

A smirk played on his face, followed by a quiet chuckle.

Time is good.

He took a step forward and bowed slightly down, his hand reached out and he placed it on the kunoichi's shoulder. She murmured unintelligible words in her sleep, looking so innocent. The hand patted gently her shoulder and as she opened her eyes slowly at the owner it was already withdrawn and someone was waiting for her soon coming reaction. The sudden light blinded her and only slowly her eyes adjusted to the bright surrounding. Then when her eyes finally saw clearly she noticed someone standing before her.

Sasuke-kun? No, that's not Sasuke-kun, but who-?

"Sensei?" She muttered out a bit sleepy and then the full recognition hit her.

"Sensei!" She repeated this time with her full voice.

Wait, Sensei? Itachi-Sensei? He is standing before me? And we are still in our testing time? Not good! He will get me and then give me my four and then he will… scold me! Definitely not good. I have to escape but how?

Sakura thought of a way to escape and when nothing came to her mind she wondered about Itachi's indifference, he hasn't uttered a word, moved or started an attack.

"Sensei, what's wrong? I mean we are still having this test, aren't we? Why don't you do anything?" She asked confused not knowing if the answer will either good or bad for her. After a short moment Itachi spoke up. "Because time is already over. You were lucky. I wanted to give you your four but you were still asleep and the time was at the second exact over. Now the only thing I can say is: Let's go back, calling back the other two and evaluate this test." He stated and turned around, waiting for her to come with him.

Time is over? Shanaroo! I did it! I survived this test!

Sakura understood and got up, walking up next to her Sensei and searching with him for the others.

The useless test was over and he is searching for us to tell us how stupid we acted while it. I knew it. What can I say? I didn't take the bells and I didn't beat him. Well not completely, I got a good punch at him. But still I failed. The mission was not successful, no, he was the winner – again.

- With Sasuke –

Hidden in the trees was a young Genin, searching for his Sensei to complete his mission. But he couldn't find anyone. Growling in frustration at this he jumped out of the tree and continued his searching on the ground.

Kuso! I can't find him anywhere! Kuso! Why? Why can't I beat him? Is he that much better? You will see Itachi, you will all see! I am better than HIM!

Walking further he still found nothing. Only when he heard a bush rustle he immediately threw a shuriken at the center of this sound. He could hear the hitting sound and ran up to see who it was. But what he saw he didn't expect, not in the slightest way. He brushed an bird which was searching on the ground for some food, an brown mouse escaped after the shuriken hit his aim. The throwing star missed the animal by almost an inch and hit the tree behind it. The brushing caused the poor thing to bleed and into panic as it hoped around in utter shock. The trickling blood drops were scattered in a five feet radius, painting the gras beneath it. The Uchiha watched it with an emotionless stare seeming not to care. The bird tried to fly away and could only hop in a failed way but Sasuke only gave him a blank look at this. He intented to reach out for it to take a better look at the hurt bird but then he heard another rustle and turned around.

"Sasuke-kun! Are you here?"

A voice called but he couldn't hear it. Then it called again and this time it hit his ears.

"Sasuke-kun!"

God no. Not the annoying girl. What does she always want from me? Can't she annoy the hell out of someone else? Why always me?

"Sasuke." Another voice, an deeper one, not the same as before. As an reflex he took a few steps backward as if to disappear in the shadows of the trees.

Itachi. It was his voice. The usual deep and slightly dark emotionless tone, the same fall of the undertone. The same always the same. I will always recognize it even in a crowd of thousand people fighting each other. I can hear it out so clearly. We are truly bothers. I know him and he knows me. At least we thought so.

"Sasuke, come out. Time is over. The test is for the moment finished. You can come out and put your shuriken back into their place." He called out to the bushes and trees in front of him. Sasuke let out a surprised gasp not believing this. His hand went back to his pocket behind him and he put his three shuriken back into their place.

Not bad, wasn't it? But that was too easy. When you know that there is someone you fight against you always have a weapon in your hand, most of all when you wait hidden in a tree or something like that. So it's no surprise that he actually knew that I had a few shuriken in my hand, waiting for their time. We are ninjas after all. We are aways ready to fight and with our instinct that tells us again and again to be prepared – with a weapon. Sixth ninja sense. So it was no use to hide any longer and I showed myself, coming out of the shadow into the bright daylight.

"Time is over. I already told Sakura. Now we only have to find Naruto and then I will evaluate this test together with all of you." A command, hidden in the usual way of speaking. But Sasuke did what was told and walked up to them, glancing for a second at Sakura, who waved her hand in greeting and with an usual blush on her face. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and immediately turned away and faced the surrounding. Then he remembered something: Itachi walked away after their little 'fight' and must have met the other two of his team. So his eyes travelled slowly to Itachi, carefully going further in way to his aim: the belt. His eyes filled with disbelief and with a 'no surprise' look at the same time. The two golden little bells still hung in their place, jangling a bell sound when Itachi turned around and made the loose bells bounce.

"What was it what caught your attention earlier? You were distracted and then you disappeared a few feet behind." The strange question really wondered the young Uchiha and he retorted in an harsher tone, almost snapping. "Does that matter?"

"Yes. You could have hit by me and could have be dead again. I could have captured you or else. So it does matter." He said, drawing out the word 'does'.

A hiss came in response instead of an answer, so the elder wasted no time and searched for his answer by himself. He walked a few steps to the bushes and looked around. The pink haired kunoichi spoke no word. She felt left out as if she doesn't belong there. She lowered her head in a sad way, strays veiling her emerald-green eyes. But when she heard her Sensei coming back with something in his hands she rose her head to see what Itachi found in the bushes.

"This was the source why you let your guard down, am I right Sasuke?" He asked but didn't expect an answer. Sasuke gave no words in reply instead peered at the bird, which had his eyes closed and trembled in Itachi's hands but showing no intention of an wanted escape. Sakura now laid her eyes on the animal: It was a young hawk with brown and black feathers on the back and at the head, a white front, a rosy beak and amazing silver eyes. Her own eyes lit up and she began to squeel at it, amazed by the sweetness of the animal.

"Aww, how cute." She said, clapping her hands together and ran up to her Sensei intending to touch it. But she stopped her actions when she saw the frown on Itachi's face and her eyes travelled to the animal, wondering why her Sensei stared this way. Then she saw it and her eyes widened in shock. The poor animal was lightly painted in blood red on the left side and even the hands of her Sensei, a few droplets of the blood leaked between the grip and hit the ground. The hawk was bleeding but to her relief it was not too much and only a cut.

"Sixth ninja sense. When you are in a fight and hear something you immediately throw something at the source of the sound without thinking. But I don't want to scold anyone for it. It's a reflex and out of reflexes we may hurt people precious to us one day." Itachi told them and a wave of guilt overcame the pink haired girl, while Sasuke fixed his look on the ground.

The elder Uchiha saw their expressions and felt bad for it. He was too harsh with them. "Don't worry, it's okay." He soothed them and sat down carefully on the ground with the bird in his hands. The prodigy took off one of his bandages around his ankle and wrapped it around the hawk. Sakura couldn't do anything but watch as her Sensei tried to gentle bandage the hurt animal around his left wing and his body. But he had his trouble with it. Because when he put the bandage around its body the bird chirped out in pain and he stopped the wrapping. Sasuke stared with empty eyes at the failed attempt and kneeled down next to Itachi without uttering a single word. He took the bandage out of his brother's grip and wrapped it himself around the bird.

"You are really fascinating Sasuke-kun." Sakura admired as the Uchiha finished the bandaging without hurting the hawk. Sasuke gave no response and stood up after putting on a little clip to support the whole construction.

"Sensei, what will we do? We can't let it here. It wouldn't have any chance to survive. It would die." The pink kunoichi added and looked at the bird with pity.

"We'll keep it. I will take it home and take care of it as long as it can survive on its own again." Itachi stated and took the bird in his hands again. The hawk showed no protest and stopped trembling.

Keeping it? Taking care? How does he intend to take care of it when he is never there? He should have first thought about that and then decided. Well, let's see how this will turn out.

To be honest: I was a little jealous. I was jealous of the hawk because he would get the lovely caring I never got. I never got the attention I wanted and now the bird will get it. Life is a bitch, isn't it? But the feeling of jealousy was deep in my heart, where I didn't find it. I only know it now. Never once back then I realized any of my emotions, never, not one single time. The one who it's about never realizes anything, ne? But why is that so?

Sensei is really nice. He is keeping the hawk and caring for it - somewhow lovely of him. Still there is one question…

Smiling, the kunoichi's eyes went off the bird and back to Itachi, smiling more as she went on.

"How do you wanna name it?"

Silence followed, wind brushed, bushes and trees rushled, but Itachi stayed still, froozen in thoughts and thinking about it. Then after a long pause with coming up with the best name he looked at the two Genin and opened his mouth to speak.

AN: Done!Perfect timing! Don't even know a name by myself. Little help, pretty please? *puppy eyes look* Tell me if you have an idea. Sasuke is cold and Itachi is 'lovely' - wow, I'm so awesome ;) To be honest, I didn't have any better ideas for this chapter. If you're wondering 'how long will this stupid test take?' (like Sasuke) then I can only answer: don't know. Just kidding, two chapters I think. You have to deal with it. P.S: The line 'time is good' was a famous saying of an english teacher from my old school. See ya next chapta ;)