Kin's POV

I was once again sunning myself while Itachi trained with Shisui. They really were close. The only time Itachi ever joked at all was with Shisui. And Shisui always welcomed Itachi with open arms into whatever activity they were doing, including training. But if the clan wanted something from Shisui, the clan came first. Always the clan.

Or in this case, the mission. Shisui was being called away to see the hokage to patrol the borders of Fire country. Itachi watched him go until he turned the corner, then resumed his training, alone.

I stretched and scampered over to Itachi, weaving my way through a multitude of fallen kunai and shuriken to reach him. He stopped long enough for me to thread my way through his legs. I jumped and clawed my way up his shirt to his shoulder.

I remained there as he practiced his jutsu, feeling the way his chakra flowed for each attack, or even a particular handsign. I could replicate the flow if I had hands. If I had hands. He paused after about thirty minutes later and looked up at the sun to check the time. I leapt down and raced to the entrance to the compound, only turning back to mew impatiently at him.

He gave a small smile and kept his sedate pace. I waited for him to reach the gate then shot forward in the direction of the academy. It was time to pick up Sasuke, he really was a sweet kid. I began to go through my handsigns mentally as I waited irately for Itachi.

When I finished that I began to focus on my chakra, the flow through my paws especially. Despite being a cat, the chakra pathways in my paws were almost exactly the same as Itachi's.

A lightbulb in my brain started flashing. I couldn't, could I?

'Hey, Kohaku? Has anyone ever tried molding their chakra flow to match the handsigns without actually making the handsigns?'

'Not that I'm aware of kitten. Why do you ask?'

' I have a theory. Handsigns work because of the differences in chakra flow. If I can replicate that flow, I won't need to make the handsigns. Plus it should be faster. If I can do that, you can start teaching me jutsu.'

"Nii-san! Chibi-chan!" cried Sasuke as he once again hauled me into the air, my back legs dangling limply.

"Now, Sasuke, what did Okaa-san tell you about holding Chibi-chan that way?"

Sasuke pouted and placed me back on the ground. I wanted to smile. I jumped up on Sasuke's shoulder, the right shoulder. The left one was Itachi's. I stayed there until we got home.

…..

I slid out the window and towards the forest. Everyone was asleep by now and the full moon dappled the ground with patterns through the trees.

'Now ,kitten, you know the handsigns for the clone jutsu. I'll give you chakra if you start to get low.'

'Thanks, 's get started.'

I began to mold the chakra in my paws, twisting it until I got the right flow then sending a burst of chakra through the channals. There was a puffing noise. I looked in front of me. It was a clone of myself that closely resembled one of Naruto's half-dead clones from before his graduation. Success.

' Now try and make one that actually looks like you.'

'Way to burst my bubble.'

'You're welcome. Now practice.'

I sighed and did it again. And again, until Kohaku was satisfied. I made my way back to the compound as the sky began to turn a light salmon color. One jutsu down, several thousand to go.

I collapsed in the corner of the kitchen and curled my tail around my paws. So much to do, and no idea how to do it.

'Stop complaining and rest.'

Kohaku's POV

She was trying too hard. The Uchiha clan had barely begun to plan the rebellion against the hokage. Itachi wasn't even an ANBU yet. And she was barely genin level.

I began to repair her chakra channels. She had strained them severely in order to get a clone that remotely resembled her. It wasn't even a shadow clone. Why would she try so hard? She was only twelve.

I dove into her mind, looking for her reasons.

….

"Mom! I'm leaving now!"

There was no reply. Not that she was expecting it. Her "Mom" was passed out on the couch covered in glitter and wearing skimpy clothing, and she expected her "Mother" would have a nasty hangover when she actually woke up.

She had certainly been drunk last night. The bruises were thankfully easily hidden. She had been that way since Dad had been killed overseas. Either drunk or unconscious.

Locking the door behind her, Kin made her way to school, where she would put on the icy mask that she hid everything behind. She was unapproachable.

…..

Top of the class again. Well, it's not like she had anything but homework to do. Unless she wanted to get hit again she would hide with her backpack in her room. At least it gave her something to do.

…..

Naruto? What was that? Some girls were chatting hysterically about it at lunch. She would have to google it.

….

He was just like her. Uchiha Itachi that is. He was expected to be the best, and he always did everything for someone else, whether it was Sasuke or Konoha. For her it was her mother. Her hands shook as she read the explanation that Madara gave Sasuke over again.

She wished that Itachi had been given a chance to make his own choices.

….

Her mother had committed suicide. She wore her mask all the time now. Only she knew who she was anymore.

….

The school counselors had begun to worry. She had been brought in several times to see them. She needed a different mask, a happier one. But she had to morph into the new mask slowly. To make the counselors think there had been progress..

…

I retracted my mind from hers. So that was why. She wanted Itachi to have his own life.

I wanted her to have her life. She had become my child in that moment. Truly my kitten. I would help her reach her goals. She deserved it just as much as Itachi did.

…..

Thank You to Squalgasm, who reviewed last time. I love reviews, even if the story is still only being set up for the main plotline.

If you've read Death Note, please read my other story! If you just came from reading Cake, thank you.

Thanks for reading,

Sety