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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, just those of my own design.

Chapter 1

A mere two years later, Kikyuu panted heavily as she ran down the stairs of the Academy with her tan shorts and red short sleeved shirt rustling with her movements. She had just gotten out of her first day of class and she was hoping that she wouldn't be late to the graduation ceremony. She still couldn't believe that Itachi had graduated after only a year. The word around the village was that Itachi was a genius for his age: a prodigy even amongst the Uchiha clan. All that, though, didn't matter to her for she was just excited to see her friend.

When she reached the small courtyard in front of the Academy, she frowned as she realized that she had missed the ceremony after all. Kikyuu scanned the crowd and was surprised when she saw a fair amount of Uchiha standing around Itachi and congratulating him. When he saw her, however, he excused himself and jogged over to her. He took her hand and they ran off towards a training ground near the river.

Itachi and Kikyuu smiled at one another when they reached the training grounds before Kikyuu hugged him tightly.

"I can't believe you, Itachi! They're saying you're a genius!"

He hugged her back gently before they released and he laughed softly, "No, I'm not."

She pouted a bit, "You're too smart for your own good! But just watch, I'll be just as good of a ninja as you one day!"

The new genin laughed softly and adjusted his headband on his forehead slightly, "And I'll help you get there. Now, how was your first day?"

"It was all I ever dreamed of, Itachi!" She exclaimed before continuing, "My teachers say my taijutsu is better than the others, but I have you to thank for that."

The boy smiled, "Good. What about ninjutsu class?"

She smiled, "We learned our nature affinity and one jutsu to practice. I wanna show you!"

Kikyuu quickly backed up several yards before stating, "Perform a fire jutsu!"

Itachi just laughed softly before quickly flashing through hand signs and performing a medium sized fireball jutsu.

The girl quickly flashed through hand signs as well before thrusting both of her palms forward and shouting:

"Wind Release: Gusting Wind!"

Two large streams of air erupted from her palms and flew towards the fireball. She gasped when it only enlarged the flames, however. Itachi's eyes widened and he moved rapidly around the jutsus, barely reaching Kikyuu in time to scoop her up and leap out of the way. They both hit the ground hard with Itachi panting. He looked at his friend to see if she was okay and his eyes widened as she clutched her left arm close to her chest.

"Kikyuu, let me see," he stated calmly.

She whimpered as she extended her arm for her friend to inspect. The young boy sighed as he noticed that the flesh was beginning to redden slightly. He scooped her up before standing and beginning to carry her away.

"I-Itachi, w-where are we g-going?" She sniffled as she looked up at her friend.

The boy smiled down at her, "My mom can bandage you up."

"B-But…outsiders aren't supposed to go into the Uchiha compound," she replied as her eyelids began to droop from the sudden exertion of the jutsu.

The boy chuckled softly, "You're my friend. I say you can."

Mikoto smiled to herself as she finished washing the last of the dishes. As she left them in the rack to dry, she dried her own hands before going about straightening the kitchen. She heard the door to her house slowly slide open then shut and when she turned to look at who entered, she was surprised to see Itachi carrying a young girl.

"Itachi? What's this?" She asked, facing her son in the process.

The boy moved to the kitchen table and set the girl in a chair before looking at his mother and replying, "This is my friend, Kikyuu. She got hurt and I thought you could bandage her."

Mikoto smiled and retrieved the medical kit from the cabinets before sitting next to the girl. She gingerly took Kikyuu's arm and began inspecting it. She picked up a burn salve from the kit and, as she began applying it, looked at her son:

"This looks like a fire burn."

Kikyuu blushed, "It's my fault, Uchiha-san. I made Itachi perform a fireball jutsu thinking my wind jutsu could dispel it… I was wrong. We haven't learned too much about nature chakra at the academy yet."

The woman laughed, "Please, call me Mikoto-san, and accidents happened," she looked at her son, "so, is this the one you're always off helping? And is she also the one you made me plant tulips for in the garden?"

Itachi blushed faintly and looked away from his mother's teasing eyes. Mikoto chuckled softly at her eldest son before beginning to bandage the burns. When she finished, she stood to put away the medical kit while asking:

"Would you two like some dango?"

"Yes, please," Itachi immediately responded, his eyes big.

Kikyuu giggled at his response before touching her arm gingerly and wincing. Itachi noticed this before looking at his mother and questioning:

"Mother, what is it you always say that makes an injury better?"

Mikoto, busy in her work, replied, "A kiss, son."

Itachi nodded and walked over to Kikyuu and gently kissed the top of her bandages. They both blushed faintly before Itachi took her hand and led her into the living room.

"Itachi, where are we-" Kikyuu asked before stopping as her friend pointed to a little boy playing in the middle of the floor with blocks and ninja-like toys.

"This is my brother, Sasuke," Itachi stated.

Upon hearing his name, the youngest Uchiha gazed upward and blinked in curiosity as he looked at Kikyuu. He dropped the block he was playing with and slowly stood and carefully tottered over to her. Kikyuu smiled down at the boy and stated:

"Nice to meet you; I'm Kikyuu."

"Kiki!" Sasuke exclaimed and smiled.

The girl giggled softly at the boy's reaction before petting him on the head. This sent him on his way as he returned to his toys.

"Well, he seems to like you, Kikyuu," Mikoto stated from the doorway holding two small trays with dango on them.

Itachi took the trays from his mother and both of the children thanked her. The Uchiha motioned with his head at a door before walking towards it causing Kikyuu to follow him and open it for him. When they stepped outside, they were on the back porch of the gardens. They sat down and began eating their sweet treat while Kikyuu admired the white tulips growing around the koi pond.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Yes, very beautiful," Itachi replied, his eyes not on the tulips.

For several hours, they sat on the porch talking about various aspects of ninjutsu and the way of the shinobi. Suddenly, though, their time was interrupted when the door behind them flew open. Both Itachi and Kikyuu jumped up before the latter bowed deeply as Fugaku glared down at the children.

"Itachi, you know the rules," the man stated harshly.

"She is my friend, father. I believed it would be fine," the boy replied, unfazed by his father's gaze.

Fugaku glanced at the still bowing Kikyuu before looking back at his son, "Escort her to the door. If you brought her here, she can remember the way back out."

Itachi took Kikyuu's hand and led her out, the girl never taking her eyes off of the floor. When they reached the door, Itachi opened it for her and Kikyuu looked back at her friend with tear-filled eyes:

"Are we still going to be friends?"

The Uchiha smiled softly at her, "Of course, and I'll still help you. I promised after all. This doesn't change anything."

Kikyuu hugged him goodbye before quickly leaving the Uchiha compound.

Once she was out of sight, Itachi sighed and shut the door. When he turned, he was slightly surprised to find his father standing behind him.

"Come," his father demanded.

The boy sighed and followed his father to the large indoor training room where they knelt before one another, separated by a few yards of space.

"Itachi. You must end your friendship with this girl," Fugaku stated after a few moments of silence.

The boy looked at his father, "She is merely my friend."

"She is a distraction!" Fugaku exclaimed before continuing, "You are to do great things for this clan. I will not let anything get in the way of that."

Itachi sighed, "She is not getting in the way. By helping her train, I am reinforcing my teachings and improving myself."

"That girl is holding you back!" Fugaku shouted.

Mikoto stepped into the room silently upon hearing the raised voices, growing evermore concerned.

The eldest Uchiha son sighed, "Father, I know I am to do great things for this clan, but while I am still young: let me have friends. Aside from her, Shisui is my only friend."

Fugaku began to speak before Mikoto laid a hand on his shoulder and spoke softly:

"Come now. End this fighting. Let him have friends."

Fugaku looked up at his wife before sighing. He looked back at his son and stated:

"As long as she does not become a distraction, I will allow it."

Itachi bowed deeply to his father in thanks.