22

Oh, did she find him.

She regretted this. She regretted everything that had happened. And a question racked and nestled in the back of her head.

Why had this happened? Why?

Shisui had left with so many questions. She pictured his happy grin, his cocky attitude. It wasn't like him. There were no warning signs. No pattern. Nothing. It was almost as if he had spontaneously combusted into nothingness.

Dawn was breaking above Ryou and the Uchiha compound. She found it hard to breath when the most horrifying scream reach the ears. The blood curling scream of a mother loosing her child. She could hear the wailing screams of Shisui's mother at the given news of her son's passing.

She sat still. Absolutely mortified. The police had given her a warm blanket which she wore over her shoulder. Her cold eyes were wide in disbelief. Part of her refused to believe her new reality.

"You have m one more try to tell us how you knew this had happened," Fugaku Uchiha angrily threatened. "If you lie, there will be grave consequences."

"For the last time," she spoke dully not removing her blank stare from Shisui's mourning home. "He terminated our relationship and that's the last time I saw him. I wanted to talk to him to so I came looking for him. I couldn't find him so I decided I would, and that's the story."

He looked at her with suspiciously narrowed eyes.

"Sir," one of the police officers fearfully approached him. "There is evidence that the last person that was with him was your son Itachi."

"Itachi?" Fugaku said and looked at the fellow officer. There was something in his eyes that made Ryou realized there was some common understanding between them. Something in Fugaku's expression lead her to believe that the investigation would not continued…

She had been numbed by her emotions. She walked around the village aimlessly. Dark bags had formed under her tired eyes. Shisui has become just another ominous death in her murder pinboard.

Her mother, her sister's, Obito's and now Shisui's… Did everything she touch die?

She approached the Hokage building and without a warning approached his door and tossed it open. He was in the middle of an important meeting with some Chunin. He barked furious at her rude, unannounced entrance. The Hokage had never seen such a determined look on her face. Her composure was incredible considering what she had just witnessed.

She wanted to pick up on Shisui's investigation as well. To her dismay the Hokage had denied it to her and claimed that her accusations were bold and biased. His condolences weren't part of the conversation…

Every so often runaway tears would spill down face. It go to the point that she wouldn't even realize. Shisui's funeral was held some days later. She didn't attend the funeral. She couldn't bear facing him and his lies. His death had been ruled as a suicide despite the obvious evidence that Itachi Uchiha had also been present in Shisui's last moments.

Ryou knew that Fugaku wouldn't compromise his son and proceed with the investigation.

"Watch it," she grumbled to an individual she bumped shoulders with. She blinked twice surprise to realize that it was Kurenai and she looked just as miserable as her.

"Kurenai," she breathed surprised.

The other woman wore a clear face and just like Ryou they both shared the same dark eyebags.

"Ryou," the other said just as surprised.

Surprisingly, they decided to catch up and headed to the local teahouse.

"I'm so sorry about Shisui," Kurenai said as she sipped her tea. Her hand reached and held her friends for a moment.

"He loved this place. It was our place, we came here often.." Ryou trailed off when she felt the tears swelling up again. She sipped on her tea hoping to swallowed the sobb she was about to choke on.

"I'm sorry about Asuma. Do you know when he'll be back?"

Kurenai explained that Asuma had left the village after having a disagreement with his father. Apparently he had become one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and had accumulated an outstanding bounty of 35 million in the black market. He sure had a massive target on his back.

That afternoon the two women simply caught up. Through the years of up and downs, it was nice to be able to go back to square one and just converse. They were both conscious enough to avoid certain topics: Rin being one.

"How's Gai?" Ryou asked as she stroked the side of her porcelain tea cup.

"He's great," Kurenai said with a smile. "'Konoha's Handsome Green Devil'" She laughed at his self given nickname. "Never faltering, always pushing forward. He's going to be strong one day. Stronger than all of us probably."

Ryou agreed. Well she wasn't wrong. No one trained harder than he did.

"And…" she began. "Him?" She avoided her red eyes.

Kurenai was silent for a moment.

"He's cold- He's not well in the head Ryou." Was all she said.

This just added to her growing guilt.

"I think he should stop being an ANBU. He can't handle it. I think a more sedentary lifestyle might suit him best." Kurenai added softly.

"Perhaps you're right," Ryou agreed shrugging.

Ryou vented to Kurenai. She told her about Shisui's death and the on going investigation and how he had last been seen suspiciously skulking around with Itachi.

"I see," she said in an observant tone. "So do you think Itachi killed him?"

She was caught off guard by her question. "Shisui was like a brother to Itachi, they were best friends." She breathed, it was impossible. How would that scenario even render?

Kurenai's lips drew into a serious thin line. "It was him then." She concluded.

"That's ridiculous." Ryou rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"There's this legend in the Uchiha clan. It is said that in order for an Uchiha to obtain ultimate power- they need to kill their best friend."

Ryou almost spat out her tea.

"That's how Madara Uchiha obtained his power and others like him. Itachi killed Shisui to obtain this sacred power."

Madara Uchiha... that name sounded oddly familiar. Was he-
He had been the founder of the Uchiha clan, right?

Ryou couldnt believe it. It couldn't be. She could feel her hands begin to tremble at the thought. Her head felt woozy. "I-I have to go." She quickly stood up feeling nauseated. "Ryou! Wait!" Kurenai called. The thick curled haired woman ran a hand through her head frustrated. She took a sharp turn at the exit. Her mind racing. She thought about Itachi and his relationship with Shisui. He wouldn't. He couldn't. He had allowed her to see them together at the park. Itachi wasn't careless like that. If he had done it, it would've taken planning. It would've been clean and precise just like everything else he did. If she knew something she wasn't supposed to know, she would've been dead already.

She could feel people whispering about her on the streets. By this time everybody knew about Shisui's tragic death. She tried not to mind them, but couldn't choose what was worse: was it the slandering of the villagers? Or the idea that Itachi could have possibly killed his almost brother?

"That was his girlfriend." Someone in the crowd whispered. Their scowling eyes tracing her every move.

Of course, they didn't know she could hear them clearly.

"They say that she broke up with him and killed himself the next day." They would utter to each other. "How can someone be so cruel?"

"She should be ashamed!" A large man commented. "Why isn't she at the funeral?"

She could feel the tension building in her shoulders. She brought a hand to her forehead in order to hide the streaming tears that had once again began to spill down her face. Her feet quicker as she began making her way home. She could see her manor from a distance. Her safe haven. It was then that she saw an approaching tall figure.

With her patience wearing thin, just the sight of him made her snap. She had greater things to worry about.

"You!" She almost growled out.

She furiously wiped the remaining tears from her face not daring to show him her tears.

"Why is it that every single time a tragedy occurs I bump into you?! Are you stalking me? Do you not have anything else to do?" She snapped angrily. It had been years since they had had an interaction like his one. She approached him. He stood outside of her home wearing his black funeral garments.

"I-ah…" His hands were shoved deep into his pockets. His silver hair stuck up like it usually did. He looked at her swollen, red face. Her eyes had stuck to remain permanently narrowed in suspicion, her large hair was tossed and unkept.

"Save it." She said. "Save it, save it, save it. I don't want to hear it!" She walked around him avoiding him and into her garden. "Ryou," he exhaled frustrated.

"You-" She turned on her heel and marched towards him. Each step an angry stomp. "Shisui is dead!" She shouted.

It took her a moment to sink in. This was the first time she had said it out loud. She could feel her knees becoming weak. Here they were again, the hot tears involuntary spilling down her face.

"Shisui is dead. And you can't wait for after the funeral to come and harrass me? What is your problem?!" She asked rhetorically as she pulled in close to him. She glared at him her chest rising up and down rapidly.

"I just-" He was interiores once again.

She wondered what the hell he wanted to say. What he had come to torment her with this time. It wasn't the right time or moment.

"Stay away from me," she cried her voice cracking. "If you know what's good for you. Stay away." She warned through cries. He was taken back.

"Why?" He managed. He looked at her apprehensively.

"Everyone that gets too close to me dies," she wiped her hot tears. To her surprise he emitted a small laugh. "What a coincidence." She couldn't help but crack a small smile at the irony of the situation. "Yet we're still here kicking," she added with faux enthusiasm. "The trick to it is to meet once or twice every couple of years." he said with a close eyed smile addressing their odd encounters.

There was a moment of quiet between them.

"Aren't you glad he's gone?" She said taking in a deep breath. He sighed and suddenly stood very stiff.

"Shisui was a good man." He said respectfully. "And I'm sorry for your loss."

And with hat he was gone. For some reason something told Ryou she would be seeing him again. Perhaps even sooner.

It had now been a couple of weeks since Shisui had taken his own life. She had stopped crying at this time. Life went on. She couldn't do much simply by sulking. Presently she sat in the dimly lit underground that had been created by her ancestors. Hiroko Noa's perpetually fixed eyes made her feel uneasy. She had decided to transform this hidden lair into a private study. Images, books, newspaper articles amongst other tools decorated the walls and new desks of the lair.

She shuffled over the papers and fingered the many documents that had been recorded in regards of Shisui's autopsy. Having been able to pull this from the Uchiha she had also requested second autopsy done in her mother's corpse.
Shisui's files were gruesome. However, she had become numbed by them. His eyeless face didn't even make her bat an eyelash anymore.

She took the cigarette she had been smoking away from her lips and exhaled a cloud of smoke. The smoke in her lungs burned nicely and eased her jumping nerves.

'Shisui Uchiha's body was found at the premises of the Konoha river. There was some bruising on his body which is assumed to be inflicted on him by training or by an opponent. Uchiha was missing both of his eyes and the cause of death has been ruled as cranial impact to the Cerebellum and Occipital Lobe…'

Ryou continued skimming the reports.

'…Shisui left a suicide note which is assumed to have been written by himself the day before the suicide…'

The note was attached on another paper file.

'I'm too tired of the duties…

there is no future for Uchiha…

and for me…

I cannot walk out the "path" any further'

"Bullshit…" a growl escape the woman's raspy throat. Just what was Shisui thinking? The note was too dull- too nonspecific…

'The note has been considered and the idea of being fraudulent and there are doubts of suicide..'

"I guess they're not completely clueless after all…" She took another drag.

'… The main suspect or culprit in this investigation is esteemed clan member Itachi Uchiha.'

'Wait. What?'

'…It is speculated that Itachi Uchiha murdered his own witnesses claim 'best friend' in order to obtain the power of the cursed eyes-'

This was what Kurenai had been explaining to her the other day. She scratched her head. This made no sense.

Turning the note around there appeared to be some strange scribbling?

'#7 5 - 1
#2 10 - 2 - 7
#9 3 - 1
#1 5 - 3
#13 7 - 4 - 5 - 3'

What did this mean? Where these dates? Some sort score keeping? She analyzed the note for a moment. Was this some sort of code? A hidden message! Focusing her acute sentences on the note she did not notice anything odd about the writing. However there appeared to be some staining in the edges of the paper. Bringing it to her nose the scent was familiar. Tea? She pondered. It couldn't be a coincidence. If Shisui had indeed left a coded message everything was carefully calculated. She rapidly copied the numbers on a separate note and rushed out of the lair.

Upon rushing out she realize that her home had been overrun by other Shinobi. She could see them walking around the home and sitting in the kitchen with her father. "What's going on?" She stormed into her home breathlessly.
Her father was resting his head on his arm bored as he nested a cup of tea. There were two ANBU doing the same.

"There you are," her father said tiredly. It wasn't even that late.

"Noa-san," one began ominously jumping to his feet to greet her. "We have a situation." she said in a dusk tone.

Something about the way she spoke… It couldn't be good news.

The group rushed through the streets of the Leaf Village and Ryou came to a halt when they reached the outside of the Uchiha compound where many other ANBU guarded the perimeter. The dark night sky and harvest moon only gave the night an even more eerie feeling. The moon had never been as large as it was tonight its glow reflected many lifeless bodies spread out in the floor. Their spilt blood gleamed a shade of silver in the night.

Our protagonist eyes went wide. She held her breath her head felt light for a moment before the adrenaline began pumping.

"Search the premises for survivors." She ordered with a stoic face. On order the ANBU spread out in the territory seeking for any chance of live. Ryou began walking through the compound. Her ninja sandals were soaked in blood and left a trail of crimson footprints after her steps.

She carefully eyed the corpses in the premises. There were no signs of struggle. All of the dead appeared to be dazed almost as if they had been hypnotized.

'Genjutsu…' she deduced. It was clear they had all been a victim to a very powerful illusion. Focusing her senses she attempted to note if anything stood out. There was a powerful stench in the air. The air reeked with something she couldn't place her finger on. It almost smelled like rott. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Noa-san! We found a survivor!" one of the squad members reported.

In a hustle Ryou and the member rushed to were the survivor was. "Get a medical in here! What's the status on the survivor?"

They ran inside of a house that Ryou was familiar with, Itachi's house. Her heart began hammering fastering. She flickered inside and her eyes scanned the room for the survivor. Then she saw them, the collapsed bodies of Fugaku Uchiha and his wife Mikoto. Both lifeless, both laying in a pool of their own blood. Before them was a child laying facedown on the floor an ANBU knelt next to his body.

"His breathing is stable. Appears to be in shock." the ANBU explained.

The orphan boy lay on the floor with his eyes shot open wide, tears poured out. A river of saliva drooled out of his unconscious mouth. He remained unresponsive. She knelt in the opposite side of his small body. She placed a hand on his forehead brushing the dark hair out of his face. The other on his chest. The blank look remained on the child's face.

It appeared that the child had been the only one spared. The question now was, where was Itachi?