One Thousand Cranes

Chapter One: Narita Prodigy

Muffled footsteps sped down a deserted side street of Konoha. Twisting in complete silence, a shrouded figure darted around a corner and shifted into the darkness of the shadows. It was a full moon tonight, but though the light so obviously bore down upon the sleeping village, there could be no sign of any telltale mischief that the oncoming ninja might bring. There was no sign of anything, in fact, for the movements of this particular person was characterized by speed and grace. A face could not be seen, hidden deep within the comfort of a dark hood. With a near silent flap of cloth, the unnamed figure scurried up the steps that led to the Hokage building.

Pale hands came from beneath the heavy black cloak, and in a graceful whirl of movement, they formed a familiar sign. In a flash, the figure disappeared, without so much as an anxious glance to it's surroundings.

Tsunade was tired. It was Wednesday evening, and that meant one thing; she had piles upon piles of paperwork that she vowed to get done. It was the only night of the week that she actually took her job seriously. Or well, at least a little seriously. She gulped down another shot of Saki.

There was another reason why Wednesday night was so special, and that reason would be making itself known in approximately thirty seconds.

A sigh was drawn out of the tired Hokage as she slumped in her seat. She saw no reason to look presentable to such a familiar ninja. After all, she had known the woman for years, even before she had attained the seat of Hokage. There was something trusting about the presence that the ninja brought forth, as though she laid all her cards upon the table and did not miss a single fact that Tsunade wished to know, even if she jeopardized her position. This was probably why Tsunade allowed her to meet during such late hours and in such an informal way.

Thirty seconds came and went, and just as Tsunade predicted, a voice drawled a soft, "Good evening, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade didn't even twitch at the sudden presence. Eyes now locking onto a black cloaked figure, she watched in apprehension as pale hands lifted the hood and let it drop. She was immediately met by golden eyes, intimidating and luxurious as they observed her. Tsunade inclined her head and gestured to the seat on the opposite side of her desk.

"Please sit down, Narita-san," she said, voice drab with exhaustion.

A polite but obviously strained smile forced it's way upon the Narita's lips, and with a slight nod of her head, she quickly crossed the room and seated herself in the desired place.

Tsunade allowed herself a moment to pour another shot of Saki, offering it to the woman before redoing her actions for herself. She watched as the woman sipped it deliberately before sliding the glass back down on the table, half-empty.

The woman's stark white hair framed her face evenly, falling down into the confines of the cloak so as not to get in her way. It appeared to be clasped at the nape of her neck, though Tsunade couldn't be sure since there were messy strands eliciting here and there and blocking her view. The pale skin blended abnormally with the whiteness of her hair. The brilliant pupils reminded Tsunade of who this woman actually was. With a swift movement, the Hokage crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to speak about tonight?" she asked, watching as the Narita looked around, seemingly indifferent to her surroundings.

"How's Sasuke?" she suddenly questioned, and Tsunade thought she could detect an ounce on concern laced with her carefree voice. The Hokage wasn't exactly sure how the unlikely two became friends, but she did remember the stories that this woman had told her a while ago. Setsuko Narita had been well acquainted with the Uchiha family before they were murdered. There were even rumors that a friendship had grown between her and the killer himself.

"Sasuke is fine, as of right now," Tsunade answered honestly, "As we spoke of before, you should not concern yourself too much with him. You have other things to think about."

No emotion showed in the strange golden eyes, nor in the impassioned face. In fact, the words didn't seem to bother her at all, but Tsunade knew that they in fact did. She had spent every Wednesday of the past 6 years with this mysterious ninja, and though there was still a shroud over her personal life, she knew this Narita wasn't quite as heartless as she let on.

"I have been informed," she murmured, strong voice faded slightly with what the Hokage thought was anxiousness, "that Sasuke recently recovered from a fight with his teammate, Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto and Sasuke are polar opposites, aren't they...?"

She didn't seem to have any remorse at the idea of the Uchiha's trepidation, and seemed to speak with nothing more than curiosity, as though she wondered if Sasuke had inflicted any pain upon the blonde haired ninja. In fact, she almost sounded like she expected Sasuke to have won. Tsunade wondered if she really knew as much about this girl as she wanted to believe.

Not having an answer to her subordinate's vague questioning, Tsunade busied herself with pouring another shot of saki. She refilled the half empty glass while she was at it, not bothering to ask whether it was wanted or not. Wednesday nights always called for such measures, regardless of the company involved.

"I suppose you want to know about my latest mission?" came the unrepentant voice of the Narita, and as she waited for a reply, she lifted the shot glass to her lips and swallowed a gulp of the burning liquid.

Tsunade inclined her head, gesturing for her to continue, and without a moment's hesitation Setsuko Narita began to tell her detailed account of the past weeks' happenings with her team.

It was a rather boring story. The only interesting parts were the two battles that she encountered. For an ANBU ranked mission, it was fairly low key and out of the way. Tsunade found herself listening more to the sound of the voice rather than the words themselves. Strangely enough, there was something natural about this Narita. Unlike the rest of her clan, Setsuko Narita carried a sense of wit about her that relayed itself into her everyday voice. Perhaps that was one of the reasons she valued this ninja so highly.

"Hokage-sama," she suddenly said, and with a jolt Tsunade lurched forward in shock. The Hokage hadn't realized that the voice was easily putting her to sleep.

A rich laugh floated past Setsuko's parted lips, and her eyes, for once, writhed in amusement, "I apologize for my uneventful dredge. I shall try not to bore you in the future, Lady, though I daresay you could use some sleep. You look terrible."

In broader hours, Tsunade would have snapped at the rash words coming from such an arrogant mouth, but as it were, she was exhausted. She felt no desire to scold the ninja now, but made a mental note to do so when feeling more rested. Though she doubted it would do any good. The majority of the Narita Clan was tactful and illicit. This one was no different.

Tsunade was going to say something, but the Narita beat her to it, "I suppose it would be better if I return in the morning to do a proper debriefing with my team. You might be a little more assertive then," she said, barely trying to hide the mirth that so obviously sounded in her voice, "Permission to be dismissed?"

Tsunade glared at her and scowled, fingers wrapping snugly around the base of her shot glass as she lifted it to her lips. Once it was emptied, it was pounded back onto the hard wooden surface.

"Get out of here," the Hokage spat, and Setsuko Narita smirked, raising two fingers in a mock salute before sweeping elegantly into a standing position.

Before she left the room completely, however, she grabbed her sake and gulped the rest down, finding peace by the searing way it slid down her throat. After all, it was a Wednesday night, and Setsuko Narita decided that even ninja such as herself needed some kind of pick-me-up.

| The Next Morning |

Setsuko Narita was late, and everybody in the Hokage tower knew it. It wasn't as though it was an uncommon happening, because it was simply one of her trademarks. Tsunade had a feeling it was because she hung around Kakashi too much. When she finally showed up, a whole two hours late, she wasn't even dressed in her proper ANBU gear. Tsunade wasn't sure what upset her more, and decided to get her top ninja back for the harsh jokes offered last night.

"Reporting for duty, Hokage-sama," Setsuko claimed, standing a little straighter so that she matched the stances of her teammates. There were only two; one girl, one boy. Setsuko hadn't a clue what their true names were, save the honored surname that was a locality in and of itself. She merely referred to her teammates by their alias', and visa versa.

"You're terribly late, Narita-san," growled the Hokage as she narrowed her eyes, "We've been waiting two hours for your arrival."

The Narita's stance did not change as she stared straight ahead, save only to bow lowly, "I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade."

There was absolutely no trace of apology in her voice, but that didn't bother Tsunade. There wasn't supposed to be anything in her voice – the mere fact that they were so close meant little to nothing on missions, and this might as well be considered as such, formal as it was. Tsunade rather liked that Setsuko didn't dish out any excuses. She was a no-nonsense type of person.

"I take it you have the scroll you were sent to retrieve?" the Hokage asked the leader, annoyance typical in her voice, "Since you were so tardy, Hotaru-san and Arata-san explained the outcome of your mission."

There was a tiny, ghost of a smirk that flashed across Setsuko's face, and Tsunade didn't miss it. The Hokage didn't doubt that her subordinate was looking back at the conversation last night, which would explain the poorly cloaked mirth in her eyes.

Reaching into her silver fighting kimono, the Narita retrieved the scroll that had cost them their share of annoyances. She tossed it to Tsunade, who caught it flexibly and peeked into it. She was pleased with the contents, and proceeded to hold the scroll for the remainder of the meeting.

"You will have a two day reprieve before your new mission takes affect. You'll need it," the Hokage claimed, leaning back in her chair as she studied the partly covered faces of the three ninja before her. Their ANBU masks latched securely over their faces, with the exception of Setsuko, whose own porcelain mask dangled haphazardly between her fingers. She wore only a black cloth over her mouth that went up to the bridge of her nose, as was customary to wear beneath the ANBU mask. The only thing discernable was the slight dent of her lips and the shockingly golden eyes that stared unwaveringly at Tsunade.

"Your next mission has to do with an overly arrogant feudal lord and his two bratty children," she finished, drawing a deep breath and casting her gaze upon the ceiling.

Setsuko's lips rose into a grin. Her face took on the maliciousness of a hunter, though her eyes seemed quite at peace in contrast, "An assassination...?"

There was a simple nod from the Hokage, and the leader of the team chuckled softly to herself, "My favorite..."

But Tsunade knew better. She watched with guarded eyes as the white haired woman turned on her heel and left, not bothering to ask permission. Her two teammates glanced at each other before bowing lowly to the Lady and following her. Tsunade could not be fooled. Those golden orbs told her everything.

| Flashback |

It was not uncommon to see two Narita's walking through the village. They could simply not be mistaken upon sight of their unruly white hair. The formal clothing that draped around their thin frames was a sight to see, but also, not very different from their usual attire. People stared at them as they passed, taking in their graceful movements and nodding to them when their golden eyes met their own.

Mysterious, that's what they were; especially the younger Narita that ambled beside her father. Her eyes kept changing, spinning from a vivid green to a darker blue and then snapping back to their original golden color. It didn't seem as though she was trying to control her strange chakra, but that it was merely moving by itself. A hand came down upon the child's shoulder, and for an instant, gold met gold.

"Setsuko, we are in a public place," the man gently chided her. His voice was soft and fatherly, and yet still holding an air of sternness that could not be reproved.

The young Narita took the reminder with solemnity. She did not respond, nor did she move away. The older man caught his smile before it could make itself known to her, and they continued on their way. This time, with a look of concentration, the child's eyes stayed one solitary color.

It did not take long for the two to reach their destination. Gazing up at the red half circle, Setsuko's dulled eyes questioned her father. She had only been here once before, and that was a very long time ago. Her father patted her head, though didn't look at her. Instead, he fixed his gaze ahead as they started walking into the estate complex.

We stood out like a soar thumb. Every single person we passed, save the withered old men and women with graying hair, had obsidian hair and matching eyes. It was uncanny, though not very different from our own clan. The layout of the buildings were slightly strange, as well as they people themselves. The Uchiha stared at us, some not too kindly, and didn't take their eyes from our figures until we had turned the corner.

I didn't bother asking my father why we were here, and why he'd even bring me along at all. I knew I wouldn't get an answer out of him anyway. More Uchiha stared.

We were only free from those sharp eyes when we were submitted into a home. It wasn't any different than the last, I noted as I slid out of my shoes and into traditional house slippers.

"Narita-san, come in. I was beginning to think you weren't coming after all," said the man who had let them inside. He was a typical Uchiha, with the same dark hair and mysterious eyes. There were bags under those eyes, as though he had spent most of his nights awake. He wore a yukata, pale green in color, and looked around my father's age.

The different between the two men startled me, though I didn't show such emotion on my face. My father also wore a yukata, though it was a grayish blue and a little more intricate. On my own slim figure, I wore a matching kimono, as was tradition to every Narita member.

"Nonsense," my father responded, kind smile making it's way upon his face, "Setsuko here was merely stalling back at the estate."

I was sure his words were meant to embarrass me, but it didn't work. Instead of my cheeks turning pink, they merely stayed their normal pale tone. I gazed up at my father with a raised eyebrow, but other than that, no emotion jostled my eyes nor mouth.

My stoic expression seemed to be comical, because both men had grins on their faces as they looked down at me.

"Setsuko seems to be quite the actress," the Uchiha elder claimed, brushing his eyes over my pale cheeks as though trying to find the pink that should have been there.

My father erupted into soft laughter, "I only wish it is an act. She is truly as docile as a stone."

A flurry of anger pushed through my barriers, but still did not show itself, save for the glimmer of my eyes as my concentration faltered. The golden orbs switched to a soft reddish color before I forced them back. It did not go unnoticed by the elder men.

My father patted my head again, as though silently telling me that he didn't mean the harshness of his words. The Uchiha smiled at me and turned his back to us, gesturing that we should follow.

Upon deeper entrance to his home, I noticed many things that would not have been found back in my own estate. There were vases set on the ground for decoration, and the same strange red symbol hung from lanterns and placed in the most unlikely areas. Decoration was not something the Narita's specialized in. My own mother hadn't the time to fill our home with such delicacies, nor did I see such tributes anywhere else at the estate.

When we reached a room, my father turned to me, "Go play, Setsuko. I will come get you when I'm finished."

I was not at all surprised at his words. With bored features, I nodded, and turned away from them and disappearing back to the front of the house. I hadn't a clue what I should do to occupy the time. It was surely rude to wander through their house, so I merely sat down in what seemed to be the living room and began to stare aimlessly at the wall. My composer was impeccable. I sat straight, as though I could feel someone's eyes boring into my skull, albeit there was none. Hands clasped loosely in my lap, I bused myself by counting the tiles of paper on the walls.

"Oh!"

I turned my head to see the source of the noise, and noticed a woman had walked into the room, presumably the wife of the other Uchiha. She was carrying a bag of groceries, balancing it between her arms as she stared at me with large eyes.

I wordlessly got up, walked over to her, and held out my hands to assist her in whatever I could. She laughed at me, voice alight with amusement, and I stared at her questionably before dropping my hands back to my sides and shrugging. If she didn't want my help...

"You must be a Narita. Your hair gives you away," she confided, winking at me before turning away and walking towards another room, "Come here, child, and help me put away these groceries."

I gazed at her back for a moment before following her. Anything could be better than doing nothing, I suppose, though the strange woman was rather intimidating.

"You are here with your father, I presume?" she asked, hefting the heavy bag onto the counter and beginning to empty it's contents. I didn't answer her, and she took my silence as confirmation.

"Are you mute or something?" came the next words out of her mouth, and I snapped my eyes to her. When our gazes locked, a thrill of fear billowed through me. I told myself not to be frightened by her eyes, and tilted my head. A mischievous smile grazed over my lips, alighting my face in a supernatural air. She seemed more startled by that than anything else.

My silence seemed to be getting to her, so I decided not to frighten her any more.

"Narita children are supposed to keep absolutely silent, especially in the presence of an elder," I recited, voice barely more than a whisper.

The Uchiha woman studied my face with what seemed like a strange new respect, "...Then our clans differ more greatly than I assumed. What is your name?"

I was surprised by her unyielding curiosity, and a little flattered. No one had asked such a thing before, "My name is Setsuko Narita."

I wasn't sure why I added my last name; she obviously already knew which clan I was from. I think it was more for honor than insight.

Her eyes warmed immediately. Her pale hands lifted a few ingredients from the counter and she placed them in an open cupboard, "Well, Setsuko-chan, do you know how to cook?"

My emotionless face couldn't hide the surprise I now felt. These Uchiha certainly asked the most strange questions...

"Not very much," I admitted, curiously watching as the woman put a few more things away.

She slid open another cabinet and scanned the shelves, finally contenting herself by taking two of the bottles inside. Spices were in them, and the look on her face was motherly when she gazed at me, "You will help me make dinner for my family, and perhaps stay long enough to eat with us."

Her statement gave me little choice, but I hardly felt sour towards her. A soft smile found it's way onto my face and I nodded, "Yes, Uchiha-san."

It was her turn to be surprised, probably by my rare smile, and she grinned in spite of herself as she took out a few pans and the meat that we were undoubtedly going to cook.

It must have been unusual, having guests over to dinner, especially ones as different as us. When it came time to eat, my father sat at the head of the table, where honored guests would normally sit, and I sat beside him. I didn't know this family had more than one child until I met them; they were sitting across from me. The woman, whose name I learned was Mikoto Uchiha, was beside me.

The dinner I helped to make was sitting in the center of the table, surrounded by fresh vegetables and rice balls. We were in the middle of our meal, and it was getting late out. I had a feeling my mother wouldn't be happy when we returned; we had told her we'd only be gone for a few hours, and it had already been half a day.

I had opened up quite a lot to the Uchiha woman, but now that my father was here, I once again put up a barrier to everyone on the outside. My face was nothing short from diplomatic by the time I had finished my last bite.

"Setsuko-chan is very honorable," the Mikoto Uchiha told my father, and at the sound of my name I glanced at her. She was smiling at me, but I didn't respond and kept my all too familiar poker face.

"She is indeed," my father spoke for me, nodding at me before meeting the gaze of the woman, "She is a prodigy in our clan."

The man, who was called Fugaku Uchiha, perked up at this, snatching a glance at his oldest son before gazing at me, "A prodigy, you say? I suppose you mean her excelled talent with your bloodline trait?"

I didn't very much enjoy being spoken about when I was in their presence, but I kept my eyes trained on my food as I listened to my father's response.

"Yes. It is quite difficult to master our Clan's talent. Setsuko is already well ahead of her classmates."

Compared to this powerful clan I felt very small, but Mikoto didn't hesitate to force her curiosity into play once more, "I would very much like a demonstration. It has been a long time since I was graced by the Narita Clan's impeccable genjutsu."

I did not blush – embarrassment was an alien emotion to me – but instead allowed a quiet smile to sit upon my lips. My father remained silent, and I knew he had given me permission to use my strength. Casting my gaze over the table, I studied the smaller Uchiha lightly. It didn't take long to master his appearance – his face was still young, like mine, and that made it all the more easier. In an instant, I twisted my hands under the table, forming a familiar one-handed sign and closing my eyes. There was no plausible reaction, though I knew I had completely copied the younger Uchiha to the finest detail. When I opened my eyes, a strange dark gray masked my normal gold, and the faces of my onlookers had expressions of surprise, especially the one in which the identity was stolen.

I didn't hold up the facade for long. Dispelling my jutsu, I returned to my normal self, picking up my chopsticks and reaching for another rice ball silently. After biting into it with indifference, the woman began laughing, and after a while Fugaku joined in. I glanced at them, and at the faces of the two young Uchiha before me. On each face was an expression of slight amusement, though for my act of talent or of apathy I wasn't sure.

"Setsuko," my father said, reprimand in his voice, but he was interrupted by Fugaku.

"Do not scold her, Narita-san," he said, "She has amused us all. Is the girl always this unconcerned around others?"

I glanced at him, eyebrow perked, and then back at my father. Said man sighed and nodded to me, giving me permission to speak. Another rare smile curled my lips upward, and in a challenging, uncompromising voice, I answered, "Are all Uchiha so unfamiliar with the Narita Clan's ways?"

My father must not have suspected I answer with such informal words, because he set his widened eyes upon me and said, "Setsuko, that was-"

"She must eat with us more often. I find myself craving her company." Mikoto Uchiha cut in, grinning down at me.

Father looked at her in surprise, and I dropped my smirk so that I could finish my rice ball. After swallowing, I gazed at my father with eyes that wondered at his tamed attitude. Usually, it was he who would speak out of turn. I found myself slightly amused by the fact that the tables had changed.

I glanced at the others, and chuckles erupted from the Uchiha's mouths. Eyes locking onto the two that sat across from me, I allowed another brief smile to spread across my face. The youngest Uchiha – the one I had copied – was staring at me with what looked like awe. The older one was smiling, and when our eyes connected, I felt mystery cloud this boy. This family certainly was different than my own...

It's going to take a few chapters before Itachi even enters the story, though I hardly think that should surprise any of you. In the mean time, I'll just keep explaining Itachi and Setsuko's relationship through flashbacks until I feel comfortable enough to up the action.

Review please! :3