Chapter 22
Right, I'm updating so please don't murder me! Just three quick announcements PLEASE READ!:
1) One of the reasons I haven't updated in quite a bit is because I've been letting my imagination loose and created new stories! Yay! However I haven't published them (well, only three of them). Instead, I wrote the summaries for ALL of my stories, written and not, on my profile. So check `em out!
2) Tied to the announcement above, I have also set up a poll where you can vote for which upcoming story you're looking forward to the most. So VOTE!
3) Lastly, this story is almost over. I'm not exactly sure how many chapters it has left, but I'd say about four. Sigh. This was my first fanfic, and now I'm feeling all nostalgic…
ANYWAY, PLEASE READ, REVIEW AND ENJOY!
Itachi silently regarded the group of younger shinobi, who regarded him with the same quiet intensity as he did them. Questions swirled in his mind as he took in their expressions, so serious it was a sharp contrast with the goofing off they were doing only minutes ago. One of the questions in his mind was what they could possibly have prepared for him. Now, he was a genius and prodigy in his own right, and his mind started breaking everything down to try to figure out what was to happen.
First, it was obvious that this moment was deliberately planned. Why and how else would Choji, Kiba and Shikamaru gather together to confront him? Second, it was likely that whatever trial they had prepared was more of a mental one. Perhaps knowledge? Or deduction skills? As far as he knew, so far only his ninja skills, save for his taijutsu, have been tested. More likely than not this was a more civilian-type test; otherwise it made no sense to confront him inside a little restaurant in the middle of the village.
Whatever the case was, Itachi found himself using his training to try to figure out the three youths before him. He was mildly impressed that he couldn't read them very well, and that was saying something since he was not only an Uchiha prodigy but also an ANBU captain, where he had been part of the prestigious ANBU since he was thirteen, and that's not mentioning that he was a master at genjutsu and all mind tactics, including reading people and their behaviour.
After a couple tense seconds silence passed, Shikamaru deemed it a good time to begin the test, initiating it by breaking the silence.
"Itachi-san, we have a few questions for you."
Itachi turned his impassive gaze towards the shadow master, and nodded once.
"This test is designed not only to learn how much knowledge you know on the chosen topic, but it is also designed to test you on how fast and for how long you can keep answering," added Kiba in the same business voice as Shikamaru, which was a bigger surprise considering his laid-back, loud voice was the norm. Once again, Itachi nodded.
Next it was Choji who spoke up. "Added to that, it is also to see how resistant and deductive you are, as some questions are meant to trick you and confuse you."
"So please answer to the best of your abilities," concluded Shikamaru.
Itachi once more regarded the young males before him. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious, or even slightly impressed. They truly will have outdone themselves if the test he was given was what he expected from what they'd said. A test that assessed how fast he could think, how deductive he was, how quickly he could change his train of thought, how to avoid traps and assess how much knowledge he possessed was impressive, but Itachi also knew the test went deeper. It would also test his resistance, self-control, and eventually his mental strength.
He passed his gaze over them one last time, seeing how utterly serious and professional they were about this, and nodded one last time, clasping his hands together on the table formally, giving them his full attention.
"Very well," he said. "Begin when you may."
The three gave him quick, small nods as they took a deep breath and started; beginning with Shikamaru.
"When is Sakura's birthday?"
"March twenty-eight."
"How old is she now?" asked Kiba.
"Sixteen."
"What's her team?" asked Choji.
"Team Seven."
"Who are her teammates?" Shikamaru's turn.
"Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha."
"Who is her sensei?"
"Hatake Kakashi is her team's sensei; Lady Tsunade Hokage is her shishou."
"When did Sakura graduate the Academy?"
"When she was twelve."
"What is her greatest ninja skill?"
"She has perfect chakra control which is on par with her formidable mind."
"When did she develop these skills?"
"She has always had them; she was born with them."
"How did she do in the Academy?"
"She was the brightest student, second top in the whole Academy, only falling behind Sasuke due to her weaker taijutsu and ninjutsu."
"What was her first official non-D-ranked mission?"
"To escort the bridge builder, Tazuna, safely to the Land of The Waves."
"What problems did they encounter?"
"Tazuna lied about the level of difficulty, saying he needed protection from bandits which is considered a C-ranked mission when in fact, he needed protection from a large corrupt businessman who hired professional assassins, including Zabuza Momochi and Haku, to kill him, thus making the mission in reality an A-ranked mission."
There was a brief pause, the trio questioners clearly impressed with the amount of detail given before they continued.
"What is Sakura's current job?"
"She is a doctor at the hospital, though she is still in training under Lady Tsunade."
"Who is her best friend?"
"Sakura has more than one best friend; those being Naruto, Sasuke, and Yamanaka."
"Where does her family come from?"
"Her family has been in the village since its founding, though they have always remained civilians. Sakura is the first ninja in her family."
"Who are her relatives?"
"Lori is her mother and her occupation is a housewife, Junte is a merchant. She is an only child."
"Why did Sakura choose to become a medic-nin?"
"She's always enjoyed helping people and learning information to figure out puzzles, plus she wanted to put her excellent chakra control to use. A medic-nin requires all that and more, which Sakura already possesses."
"Who was her teacher at the Academy?"
"Iruka."
"What is her secret fear?"
"If you do not know it, it is not my place to tell you." Itachi inwardly smirked smugly at himself as he saw the corners of the three questioners' mouths twitch, holding back congratulatory grins. He had evaded a trick question.
"What is another reason Sakura chose to become a medic-nin?"
"She wanted to be stronger, since she knew her ninjutsu and taijutsu were lacking."
"How old was Sakura when she got her first pet?"
"Six."
"What animal was it?"
"A squirrel."
"What was his name?"
"Mr. Chatter," Itachi said, allowing himself to smirk.
"Do you consider yourself a pedophile?" Kiba asked with a mischievous grin.
Itachi paused. What the heck? "No, I do not."
"Are you sure?" Kiba pressed. "Technically you are above the legal age while Sakura is underage."
"Hn. Three years difference is not really illegal. And as far as I know, neither of our families have a problem with it, and neither does anyone else for that matter. So, yes, I am sure I do not consider myself a pedophile."
And so it went; Itachi was bombarded with question after question after question with barely enough time in between them to answer before he was thrown another, his mind racing to keep up and pluck the pieces of information from the depths of his mind and deciding whether or not the information should be shared before he gave his answer. Most questions were straightforward and centered around Sakura, but occasionally, when the younger shinobi thought that Itachi was getting worn down, they would throw in a question to trick him only to have Itachi answer it perfectly.
After about ten minutes of non-stop questioning and trick questions, the boys were getting exhausted from the constant bombardment they were throwing Itachi's way without stopping, and they could only truly appreciate the true genius power that made Itachi famous for he seemed at complete ease, and he was not the one being tested. Add to that, the two chunnins and one jounin youths were alternating questions while Itachi didn't have anyone to alternate with.
"Alright, Itachi, we're just about done," Shikamaru sighed as he rubbed his neck. "How troublesome. We've yet to catch you in a mistake."
The Uchiha smirked. "It's hard to catch a mistake when it doesn't exist."
"Touché," agreed Choji.
"Right; so, when did Sakura pass the Chunnin Exams?"
"When she was fourteen."
"What is her dream for the future?"
"She hasn't a specific one like Naruto's is to become Hokage, but she would like to become the best medic-nin in all five countries so she can help and support as many people as possible."
"Any plans?"
"She enjoys the idea of a family of her own."
"And you?"
"I am not oppoesd to the idea."
"Not opposed? Does that mean that you don't care either way?"
"It means I haven't really given it any thought, though I highly doubt I would be against it."
"If your future was tied to Sakura's, would you give her what she wants?"
"Anything she wants, if it's within my power, will be hers."
"And if it's beyond your power?"
"Little is beyond me, but should the case arise, I will do my outmost to make it up for her."
"What if what she wants is a family? Will you give her that?"
"Of course."
"What if the family is not –"
Choji was cut off when a loud bang and the tinkling chime of bells sounded along with a louder still, whining voice that was all too familiar with all four shinobi, who turned their attention to the newcomer.
"That was just dirty, dattebayo! I say, just dirty!" Naruto's voice rang out with something akin to something between annoyance and grudging respect, like a boy who'd lost a game he wanted to have lost due to cheating but knew that wasn't the case.
"Hn," another voice said. Ah, so Sasuke was with him.
"Hey, don't you dare smirk at me you Sasuke-teme! You knew something was up, didn't you?' Naruto scowled as he accused his teammate, who was indeed smirking at the blonde as they both appeared around the corner.
"What now?" Shikamaru grumbled as he rolled his eyes to the sky before placing his elbow on the table and using his hand to rest his cheek on as he stared, bored, at the male members of Team Seven.
"What's got you so worked up, Naruto? And weren't you two supposed to be in a mission that would take a couple of days?" asked Choji.
"Yeah," piped in Kiba. "You guys just left a few hours ago!"
Naruto shook his head in disbelief, recalling the previous events as he pulled a chair by the group's table and sat down moodily. "Girls are scary," he said bitterly by way of explanation.
"Newsflash, Naruto," Kiba shot the blonde a crooked grin as Sasuke copied Naruto and also sat by the table. "That's nothing new. Give us details."
"Hn. Yes, Naruto," Sasuke shot a very smug, very self-satisfied smirk at his friend. "Do share the details."
"I swear you are a sadist, somewhere in your deep, twisted tyrannical soul…" Naruto grumbled as he shot the youngest Uchiha a glare, who continued to smirk at him unfazed. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him childishly before turning back to the rest of the group. He sighed, running his hand through his wild locks. "Long story short, there was no mission. It was a trap set up for me by the girls," he explained.
Itachi smirked at himself. Sakura had mentioned that her girlfriends were not very appreciative of Naruto when he barged in on the couple during his birthday party.
"What did they do to you?" Choji asked.
"I'd rather not say."
"Hn."
"Stop it with that damnable 'hn' thing of yours! You smug teme! You knew all along and instead of warning me like a true friend, you led me like a sheep to the slaughter!"
"It was entertaining."
"I'll get my revenge yet, Sasuke. You better watch your back from now on."
"From what? You? Please," Sasuke scoffed, making Naruto flush with anger.
"Oh yeah? Well I can kick your butt any day, you teme! Dattebayo!"
"Unlikely, dead-last."
"Why, you –!"
"Alright, that's enough," Shikamaru cut them off. "Can you two drop your rivalry for a moment? We're just finishing Itachi's test here."
Both boys from Team Seven immediately swivelled their heads towards Itachi before looking at the lazy shadow master genius. "How's he doing?" they asked simultaneously.
"So far, perfect," Kiba answered. "We just have one more question and then we're done."
"Really? That was fast," said Naruto.
Itachi nodded at the group, urging them to proceed and to wrap it up. "You were saying…?"
"Right. What if Sakura wants a family…" Kiba asked, hesitating slightly before finishing, "but not with you?"
Itachi was silent for a moment. Sakura? Having a family without him? It was unfathomable. "If…" he answered slowly, choosing his words with care. "If that is what she wants, then it shall be hers. If her partner of choice…makes her happy, then I will not complain, step down, and be happy for her."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, but said nothing, and neither did anyone else in the group as they all took in Itachi's words.
A moment of contemplating silence passed before Choji spoke up. "Very well, Itachi. You passed our test with flying colors; we congratulate you. We are impressed, to say the least."
Itachi nodded at him. "Thank you."
"Now hold a second," Naruto put in. "I just have one quick question of my own for you, Itachi. No test here, just genuine curiosity." Itachi nodded once more, accepting Naruto's request. The blonde looked at the elder Uchiha dead in the eye, and said, "How much do you love Sakura-chan?"
The other shinobi looked at each other. That was the trickiest of all questions, since no material thing could never be enough to describe the magnitude of a feeling, least of all love, and no one could really truly understand another's abstract ideas.
Itachi regarded the would-be Hokage intently, all signs of his light humour earlier gone as the two communicated with their eyes. Finally, Itachi looked away and, without a word, reached into one his jacket's inside pockets and pulled out a small navy box which fit neatly in the palm of his hand, silently handing it to Naruto to open.
Naruto looked sharply at the box, then at Itachi's serious, impassive face before returning his eyes to the box and hesitantly, gently taking the box from the Uchiha's hand and cradling it delicately with both of his hands. No one said a word as he gulped, took a deep breath, and opened it.
Inside was a ring, made of three thin intertwining bands of glinting gold which met at the center to hold five tiny little purple stones which were arranged in the shape of a flower. Two tiny diamonds flanked either side of the flower, their superb, masterful cut making them gleam and shine with every movement, adding splendour to the ring.
Naruto wanted to take the ring out to examine the exquisite masterpiece more closely, but he was afraid to touch it, so he studied it as best as he could from its place on the little box's altar that it was partly embedded in. Now Naruto knew absolutely nothing about jewellery and fine things like that, but even he could tell the quality of the ring was the best. He could look at it all day and still feel unsatisfied of looking at its simple beauty. But after a few more seconds, he reluctantly passed it to Sasuke who took it with the same respectful reverence as Naruto had, and studied it before passing it to Shikamaru, who did the same before passing it on to Choji, who passed it to Kiba who returned it to Itachi after they had all intently studied the fine little gift.
"I've never seen a ring like that before, Itachi. Where did you find it?" Choji asked, still slightly awestruck.
"I had it custom-made."
"Hm. I can understand the meaning of the flower and diamonds, but why did you choose a purple stone?" asked Shikamaru.
"I chose the amethyst stone for one reason only: it's color. It represents what I hope is our future. Red represents the Haruno family. Blue represents the Uchiha clan. When blue and red are mixed, the result is purple."
Sasuke cleared his throat. "Itachi-nii, is that…?"
"A promise ring? Yes, I hope that is what it will become," Itachi answered, his low voice resounding. He turned to Naruto, who had yet to say anything. "Does that answer your question, Naruto?"
Naruto stood frozen for a split second, speechless, before he broke out I into his famous wide foxy grin. "Heck yes, Itachi!" he said. "I'm happy for you! When are you giving it to her?"
Itachi chuckled quietly at the blonde boy's eagerness before replying. "I was hoping soon. Perhaps as soon as tonight, since Sakura and I are staying together the whole day."
"I say go for it, dattebayo!"
"Thank you, Naruto."
"But!" the blonde said, still grinning, and Itachi raised an eyebrow. Now what? "You have to pass one last test! Mine!"
Itachi mentally sighed, though he did not complain. Of course Naruto would have his own test. But the young ANBU captain brightened up with the knowledge that it was the last test standing in his way.
"What would your test be?" he inquired politely, gently closing the small box with the ring and carefully putting it back in his jacket's pocket.
Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but a loud blast cut off any words he might have said as the windows of the restaurant smashed, sending the young ninjas into action and taking cover immediately as the floor shook with tremors, debris, dust and smoke falling everywhere as cries of alarm and panic rang throughout the village.
"What the hell was that?" cried out Naruto as he raised his head and lowered his hands from his neck and face, jumping to his feet as he stared at the chaos in bewilderment.
He got his answer as an onslaught of shinobi from the village appeared, most of which headed to the main source of the chaos while a few remained behind to help and lead the panicking civilians to safety.
The group of youths jumped out the giant hole where the windows once were, looking around their precious village, taking everything in and trying to figure out what to do – should they help the villagers or follow the other ninja towards the source of the disaster?
A chunnin man appeared before them, a katana strapped securely to his back while his hands held several kunais and shuriken. "The village is under attack!" he bellowed. "All capable ninjas must head to the North Gates and prepare to engage in battle!" and with that, he dashed off.
The group didn't hesitate, and dashed off in the direction of the North Gate. "Who do you think it is?" Choji asked his teammate as they jumped from roof to roof, revealing that the whole village was under attack as various fires and traces of smoke could be found everywhere along with cries of panic, pain and raw fear. Both Uchihas activated their Sharingan, their eyes narrowing dangerously in deadly fury at what they witnessed while Naruto let out an animalistic snarl as he also witnessed the pain of his people; and Kiba flexed his hands, preparing them for the upcoming battle where they were all preparing to avenge their village.
"I don't know," Shikamaru frowned as he sped up, the others following close behind. "But whoever it is, they'll pay dearly for this."