Hierarchical Complexity

by IceHaze

Understanding and predicting the behaviors of humans requires extensive analysis. Understanding and predicting the behaviors of Uchiha Itachi requires a miracle.

2. I SensoryMotor

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, so don't sue me. I'm broke.
Timeline: Alternate, doesn't fit in to any one timeline. Several key events have been altered to fit this story's needs.
Author's Notes: Been awhile, here's a new one for you. Plenty of Itachi.

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Sensory-Motor

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It was not a premonition that occurred overnight after turning carelessly around in a futile attempt to sleep. It was not a logical connection drawn from a series of deduction through unsorted clues. It was simply an instinct. And though Itachi felt uneasy relying solely on those feelings throughout life, he trusted his instincts enough to know not to dismiss it—the dreadful feeling that somehow the day would be anything but uneventful.

It started out like every other morning—with the same old routine of which he was accustomed. Wake up before sunrise. Eat a simple breakfast alone at the table. Take a quick jog around the estate and either head over to the tower to report for official Anbu duty or head over to Uchiha Police Headquarters and check in for work needing to be done. But when he entered the kitchen, he realized that would not be the case today. And he raised his guard instantly.

"Itachi." Fugaku gave his son one glance and then continued to sip his tea quietly. It was meant as an invitation to join him and Itachi accepted cautiously.

Neither spoke. And the fact that the sun had yet to fully rise made the scene that much more eerie. The ambiance was dark and desolate. Minimal amounts of light illuminated from the window, casting off small shadows from the two figures sitting in mutual silence. Tiny drops of water escaped from the faucet and fell in a steady pattern. Occasional vibrations escaped into the air as the sound of metallic silverware clanked on the surface of the porcelain dishes. Fugaku noted the faint sounds of a clock's hands turning, signifying that more time had passed since his son joined the table.

Itachi sipped his hot, miso soup carefully while pouring in very small amounts of soy sauce, the taste obviously too bland for him. It was very displeasing. But even more displeasing was his father eyeing his every movement carefully from the corner of his eyes. Oh, he tried to hide it alright. If there was something he really wanted to say then why not out with it? The suspense was pointless. It was obvious his father wanted to ask something of him and that feeling from before returned three-fold. This was going to be much more taxing than a simple "pass the soy sauce."

After several more minutes of silence, Fugaku set his cup down and added a tiny bit of mint to his drink. "Itachi, today we are attending a very important and crucial meeting. As the future head of our clan it is important that you oversee…"

He fought the urge to sigh. His father was incessant when it came to politics, and Itachi found it really hard to be attentive whenever they had this talk. Instead he glanced subtly around the kitchen, trying to focus on anything but his father. His gaze finally settled on a little plate settled carefully on the counter. They were manjuu. He vaguely recalled having gone to the market the other day for his mother and buying some sweets for himself, but they were just dango. Did I go to the market twice that day? No, and he didn't recall buying any even if he did. And then an image of their owner appeared in his head as well as the reason they were currently in his possession. He figured that he already took the last batch of them back to her, but apparently a few stray snacks evaded him. Honestly, when was that girl going to get her act together and at least remember to take her food home with her? Since the time they spent together, he was constantly looking out for her. Apparently that meant cleaning up after her mess and having to use his refrigerator as her own personal storage unit for the sweets she never remembered to take back home. Usagi was a suitable name for her; after all, it felt like having to look after a pet.

It was then that a curious thought entered his mind. A ninja rabbit; he'd never heard of one. And the idea of a ninja-suited rabbit was rather silly. Then again, they had ninja dogs, cats, birds, snakes, monkeys, toads and who knows what else? Who was to say a rabbit couldn't be useful? And why was he even thinking about this anyway? Then his gaze met that of the manjuu and he instantly recalled. Yes, it was that vexing little rabbit as a ninja. His eyes narrowed as his mind began to ponder over the thought, and he stared at his teacup vacantly as he let such peculiar ideas circulate through his brain. It was just too amusing in his mind. He couldn't even begin to understand how the Kuchiyose no Jutsu would work in that case, or a fusion for that matter. A rabbit suited up as a ninja wasn't exactly one of the most threatening creatures to appear on the battlefield. And Usagi with bunny ears suited up as a ninja, even less of a threat. But it still would be a priceless moment, nonetheless. One he would gladly relish in all its taunting glory. And after thinking about that last thought, he really did have to bite back a smile.

"Am I understood, Itachi?"

"Ah…" A trained response, naturally. He hadn't heard a word his father said but deduced it had something to do with one of two things: Anbu or Uchiha Police. That's the way it always was. So it didn't really matter. His focus was on more important issues…or something like that.

"Good, then make sure you're on your best behavior and that you stay completely focused in this meeting. The chuunin exams are of utmost significance especially for the future of our family. It is important that we oversee the success of our clan in this exam as it is crucial in the next stage of development for this generation of participants."

He blinked and tried to assess that last comment. Chuunin exams? Since when did he participate in those kinds of meetings? Perhaps he should have been listening. Well, it wasn't such a troublesome thing. Sooner or later he was bound to find out the reasons. His brain tried to piece together some loose ideas: exams, meeting, men, development, politics. Then the idea hit him. They were using him, once again, because of his position in Anbu—one in which he would assume the role of ambassador to the Hokage. His father always was predictable. But that suited Itachi just fine. It made not listening to him that much easier.

Fugaku regarded his son carefully. Since he began talking, he noted what he assumed to be nervous glances. Itachi's eyes were focusing on everything but him. The darting gaze was the first sign. Then there was a brief moment when he talked about how important it was for his son not to lose focus on the clan's success by straying too far on personal goals and that's when he saw it. It was just for a brief moment, but most certainly there. The narrowing of eyes—a sign of suspicion. The casual tapping of fingers—a sign of anxiety. And the direction of his focus was a left upwards gaze, a visually constructed image. Most likely one related to a darker secret, after all, his eye darted in that direction as soon as he mentioned personal goals. It was the look of having been caught doing something disreputable. So maybe his suspicions were correct. He would have to discuss it with his wife later as well. But for now, he was really counting on a second opinion and that was where this meeting came in.

Ah, yes…the meeting. He only told his son half the truth about today's events. True, that he could be helpful considering his position; however, the Hokage made it clear long ago that Itachi was to remain impartial and offer as little help as possible to these events. He had the duty of a bodyguard during that point and the old man Sarutobi didn't want Itachi's direct influence on the Uchiha combatants resulting in an outcry from other clans who didn't share the same advantages. It was a detail he never discussed with his son. But his purpose today was far from that. The meeting was nothing more than a diversion. Fugaku knew that pinning down Itachi's strange behavior would need some outside sources and so he enlisted the help of other members of the clan. His son was rather precocious and excellent at concealing his emotions; merely reasoning with him would lead him nowhere and his analysis on Itachi's behavior would not be enough. And it always helped to have an outside perspective.

Fugaku quickly finished his breakfast. His plan was simple. Escort his son to headquarters, lead him to a private quarter, and begin the 'meeting.' All the details in between had already been calculated as well. From the timing, to the members present, even a specific seating pattern and mock schedule of affairs to manage. It was not as if they were fake duties, but they weren't necessarily planned with Itachi taking a pivotal role in their execution. Either way, his son wasn't aware of that, and it was a perfect camouflage to the real matters at hand.

After finally deciding it was time to leave, Fugaku abruptly stood, never taking his eye off his son, the courtesy being returned. "I'm going to gather a few items for today's meeting. Meet me outside in exactly ten minutes, Itachi." He gathered his dishes and set them in the sink as he briskly walked out of the kitchen.

Itachi watched him leave with narrowed eyes. The man was obviously up to something, something beyond the realm of his everyday police work. He was sure of it. But knowing there was nothing quite yet he could do about it, he abandoned the breakfast table and begrudgingly walked outside, ready to meet his father. He looked up at the sky, it was still dark. Good, maybe they could get the work done by noon or so. He had plans later that day and didn't want police work to interfere. Any plans made with Sasuke were always cherished. He thought about his little brother and smiled. Sasuke always wanted to be a policeman just like his father. Itachi bet his life savings that the minute Sasuke got a taste of what being a policeman truly meant, (paperwork and boring guard duty) he would gladly stick with being on a three-man cell team.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father emerge from the house and he quickly bore his standard stoic mask. His father was watching him carefully and he didn't want to lead him in any strange direction.

"Let's go."

He followed without word or recognition of having heard anything at all. Instead, just simply following in mutual silence. And after a fairly lengthy walk, they arrived at headquarters. It was only after a few seconds upon entering did he remember why he dreaded coming to work on an early Wednesday morning.

Papers flying everywhere. Reports being tossed carelessly on the table. People running amok and bumping into each other along with several choice words being exchanged for the unwanted contact. Feathers drifting carelessly through the air from several peregrine species delivering messages and many of which seemed to be exchanging their own choice of screeches from the chaos. Angry curses coming from several officers towards the rookies for such careless display of unprofessionalism on the job…

He sighed internally. And they wondered why he hated coming here. Nevertheless, he ignored the circus and followed his father around the back corridors and into a more remote part of the building. And he couldn't help but think how much more dangerous and unsettling that was compared to all the noise. The room they were entering was far too secluded and suspicious.

Fugaku opened the doors and motioned for Itachi to enter. It was a large conference room where only he and a few others met to discuss important issues. This time, however, he was more curious to gain insight about his son. They would start off the meeting normally as to not arouse his son's suspicions and then eventually lead into the interrogation. All of it would be casual of course. Itachi would recoil into his shell if he felt it was anything otherwise. His comrades still couldn't believe the claims, especially when it consisted around a simple eating disorder but they as well noted Itachi's other strange behaviors—mostly regarding his isolation. And so, they agreed to diagnose. Fugaku never liked to lose control over a situation, nor did he care for anyone else to. He refused to let Itachi lose control.

"Have a seat."

His father pointed to a specific seat for him and Itachi noted that perhaps the seating arrangements were planned as well. The table itself was round and the top was entirely of glass. He vaguely recalled having used a similar table by his own squad during interrogations. The glass was used to ensure the culprit wasn't hiding anything or trying anything too suspicious under the table. It was also used as a way to read his or her body gestures in order to try to analyze strange behavior patterns. Then his eyes fell back to the seating pattern and he noted his father was actually nowhere near him. In fact the others were seated a few inches away from him. No one was in his peripheral vision; he had a clear view of all the members of their little meeting. So the question was 'Why would they bring him to a room like this unless they had the intention of interrogating him?' He subtly checked the room for any glass mirrors. Noting that there were no other possible ways for people to listen in, he deduced that whatever was going to be discussed would remain confidential. Which brought him to the next question: 'What was so important about him that had to remain confidential?' He would lay low for awhile and for once, actually pay attention. He remembered about the uneasy feeling he harbored and thought perhaps this was it. If that was the case, he would have to actually retain information from this meeting. And the idea of sitting in a room, conducting a meeting and engaging in politics was unbearable. He wasn't quite sure which was more torturous, a painfully induced Tsukuyomi or a long and strenuous meeting.

"All right, everyone. Let's begin. Our first order of business is the next chuunin exams. As you all know, we have only a few children born from this generation. From that batch, we have even less capable and ready to take the exams. Our focus should be on those ready to advance. I've taken the liberty of preparing a report of our greatest shinobi and their statistics—one for each of you. Sit tight everyone, we might be here awhile. I'll order us lunch if we don't finish by noon."

He would gladly take the former. And he glanced casually at the clock, reading the time it read—five a.m. With an internal sigh, he redirected his attention back to the group. "Seventy-two hours of torture begin now," he thought with half amusement and half frustration.

As the meeting progressed, Itachi listened carefully to the others debate about the clan's issues. But he was far more concerned with an ulterior motive because he was still adamant in his original presumptions; which, according to the conversation, were correct. They did plan on using his position to their advantage. But then why discuss this in such a remote place in the building and in what was obvious to be an interrogation room? He couldn't let go of the feeling; he wouldn't. This was all some clever ruse into lowering his suspicions and catching him off guard before they began interrogating him. But he still couldn't figure out what exactly they wanted to find out about him. It was agonizing, even more so was the time as it progressed excruciatingly slow and Itachi figured that staring at the clock from time to time may not have been the best of ideas. It somehow made things slower. Did they use a genjutsu? No, he was overreacting.

"Next, I'd like to bring up possible combatants from other branches. Our focus now should be on the statistics of the shinobi you see right in front of you."

Itachi's fingers found the divider's tab, and he easily turned to the next section. His eyes glanced over all the ninja information gathered and he scowled at how horrible these men were. Here they were, police that were supposed to protect the public but instead, using the information they had against the people they were supposed to protect. Life was one great paradox. But he hid the scowl quickly as he noticed a man on his right glancing at him, catching his eyes momentarily before glancing back at the pages of the material. He followed suit and leisurely read through all of them as they were being read aloud for the entire group.

"Hyuuga Neji will be our top priority. Despite Hyuuga Hinata entering, our data shows that his chances of proceeding to the final rounds are an astounding ninety-three percent, exceeding Hinata's mere fifty-eight percent. Now, he carries the doujutsu, byakugan, and excels in the art of Juuken. Despite the sharingan's copying and analytical abilities, if the boy lands contact, it's over. The entire chakra flow will suffer and the sharingan will not be able to remain activated for more than a few seconds longer, giving him full advantage to retaliate. Furthermore, because of the degree in which the doujutsu's sight allows, it further deters—"

The voice faded in his mind as he thought about the chuunin exams. He remembered his exam, or rather, exams. He sighed mentally. Failing his first chuunin exam was planned; he wanted no part in advancing further or being caught in his father's ambitions. But alas, the plan backfired and he received the physical backlash for throwing in the towel so to speak. And so he had no choice in the next exam but to pass. It was obvious to him then that they weren't going to let him go that easily, just as they wouldn't leave him in peace now. He really did hate politics.

"So what do you think, Itachi?"

His eyes met with that of the officer and made no reply other than a simple 'ah.' He caught the last part about Sasuke most likely having to fight him but ignored the rest. Every time his little brother's name was mentioned, it really did spark an interest. And yes, he did agree. Neji and Sasuke would most likely clash on the battlefield.

"Sasuke's strong points are his ninjutsu casting and intellect. He's quick on his toes, but unfortunately so is Neji-san. Furthermore, Neji-san is more sophisticated in his style and execution and is less prone to rash decisions. It wouldn't be long into the match until he gains the advantage. Those are just the strategic points. His endurance is greater than Sasuke's as well as his control of chakra; therefore, our main focus should rely on increasing Sasuke's speed and stamina in order to diminish Neji-san's chakra reserves."

The man nodded firmly. "Yes, exactly."

He actually wanted to kick himself for letting his mind wander, but luckily he was also quick on his toes. Coming up with information like that came easy to him. It was the art of inventive design, improvisation. Or as Usagi once put it, pure bull. He shook the thought out and reprimanded himself for spacing out again. Didn't he say he would retain information in the meeting? Yes, he had to forgo spacing out—a trait he picked up after hanging around an aforementioned person. It was a horrible attribute to accumulate; couldn't he have her speed instead? He really did envy it.

Itachi shot his eyes slowly to the left. Another man was watching him carefully but quickly went on to looking at his notes. That was the second time it happened, and as he looked carefully around without being noticed, he realized how little attention was given to the facilitator. They all appeared as if they were reading along, but he noticed one important detail. None of their eyes darted in any direction; they were all fixated at one point for a few minutes before turning the page. No one could read like that, not even when he scanned information. It was physically impossible.

"So which ninjas should we should focus on?"

"From all the rookies this year, our focus should be on the groups being led by Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuuhi Kurenai, and Might Guy. They all feature ninjas who are from prominent clans. Aburame, Inuzuka, Hyuuga, Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka. As strong as some of the other combatants are, our focus should be on those from the clans I just mentioned."

The facilitator nodded. He too had a similar conclusion. "Ah, my thoughts exactly. Itachi, do you concur?"

"No." His reply was stern and the man actually held his breath from it. But he hadn't meant for it to come out that harsh. He was just upset from the arrogance.

"Then what is it?" It was his father this time, with his arms folded on his chest. He seemed to be a little too defensive at the moment and for what, he didn't know yet.

"Those of which come from well-known clans all have techniques such as kekkei genkai that are readily known. Meaning that even though their methods' secrets are kept well hidden, their style of fighting is anything but secret. This makes it easier to find strategies to fight against them. True that they will also be prepared against us, but at least it gives us a starting point to prepare. Ninjas who don't come from prominent clans tend to be a bit more difficult to prepare against. The only thing you can do is train normally because they usually have unconventional methods of fighting, many of which are impossible to predict. That was all I meant."

He heard murmurs of what he assumed to be agreement, until another man spoke out.

"I can understand all that, but what about the female competitors? Women shouldn't pose a problem for us."

He frowned at that comment, and apparently, quite visibly judging from their hesitant reactions.

"Gender is no issue when it comes to the battlefield. All ninja—kunoichi or shinobi—must be regarded as an equal threat. It would be reckless not to and an embarrassment to be caught off guard for such a trivial matter. Not to mention deadly. Kunoichi are more than capable of handling their counterparts. Did you all forget of one Mitarashi Anko?"

They all cowered at that thought. Anko had a way of doing that to men; even the great Ibiki faltered just a tad under her gaze. After all, the woman had trained with the traitor, Orochimaru. And if he deemed her worthy enough to train, then her skills were worthy of recognition in everyone's minds. Then another fact crossed his mind.

"Or if that's not enough to convince you, need I remind you of the last chuunin exams? I believe it was a female who defeated our very own Uchiha Michio. And one who was without a high pedigree."

It was adding insult to injury; he knew that very well and savored every moment of it. They all bore scowls at the memory. It was a tough and close battle but in the end, it was because of that kunoichi that no Uchiha members were promoted to chuunin. Michio was their last ditch effort, and he failed during the final rounds. But at least he did make it to the end. And at the memory of that final battle, he wanted to smile. It was one of the proudest moments he ever had of his former pupil.

"Itachi has a point. We need to look at all ninjas equally. We can't afford to make any stupid mistakes this go around."

They murmured in agreement yet again and continued on with business. The rest of the meeting progressed like that and this time, they decided they would also focus on all aspects of the exams. And after what really did feel like seventy-two hours of torture, they were able to get a break.

Noon finally arrived, and a recess was immediately issued. They actually managed to analyze all of the contenders in the next chuunin exams and laid out a specific guideline of training regimens as well as a set of strategies based on every combination of possible opponents. It took a lot of work but the final report was several pages thick, too big to fit in any scroll they had. So they settled on a bound hard copy. And as every person was taking the time to stretch unused muscles, one of the officers went off to retrieve their lunches. With break officially announced, light conversation filled the room and Fugaku realized that now was the best opportunity. Giving a quick glance to another man, he sat back down in his seat and pretended to read over the information handed out earlier.

"Quite a meeting we have here. Didn't think it would ever end. Then again this could just be intermission." He finished off with a deep chuckle.

Itachi politely regarded the person who began a conversation with him. It was Yashiro. He was a bit on the elderly side, and bore pale spiked hair with matching hazel gray eyes that barely showed. His age was obviously making it hard for them to remain entirely open at all times. But he didn't look even mildly intriguing, and Itachi was reluctant on sharing his feelings on the meeting. Still, he was a man instilled with manners by his beloved mother. Well, 'crazy mother' was more like it, and it felt more of a 'beaten into it' than an 'instill.'

He smiled at his comment, though this was purely a façade. "Well we do have quite a bit of problems to sort through."

"I'm glad you could take the time off your busy schedule to support our cause. I understand that with you being in Anbu, there's just not much room for personal time. I myself would find much better ways to spend a sunny afternoon. What about you Itachi? Any plans for the afternoon prepared?"

Segue…and a fairly smooth one. He gave the man that much credit. "None whatsoever, my duties come first after all." He said this mostly to gauge a reaction from his father, and it did. His father was now curiously reading his report at a fairly slow pace. Surely he hadn't developed dyslexia or illiteracy quite suddenly. He reprimanded him mentally for having insulted his intelligence but kept his attention on just the old man. The room seemed to have gotten a little quieter for some strange reason, too. Well, it wasn't strange at all. He knew they were listening in on his private conversation and that's when he confirmed it. The interrogation began. Because he didn't know what they had planned for him, he figured he would just play along until he caught on. Then he would maneuver his way out of whatever situation was presented.

The man chuckled whole heartedly. "Now, now. There's no need to jest. I'm sure a young man such as yourself has a more interesting way of spending an afternoon than in a stuffy room with boring old officers. Don't be modest. It's just a simple question. Perhaps you have something already planned?"

"I spend most of my personal time training." Though not always myself, ironically.

"Speaking of which, Itachi, how do you prepare yourself for missions? Surely there must be some secret to your success?" This was said by another elderly man who bore charcoal grey hair, which at one point must have been a rich black color, age obviously beginning to catch up with him. He remembered working with him during the construction of the library of records. A wing added into headquarters during its renovation a few years back.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I just follow a simple training routine. It hasn't changed since my days at the academy." Which was true, there was nothing extraordinary about his training. He deduced that most of his abilities were raw talent. The only thing he really trained was his physique, which included basic muscle toning and cardiovascular activities—that and his accuracy training. Nothing out of the ordinary at all. But he didn't let this sway him. They were up to something. What was their angle?

"A lot must have changed since you've left the academy. You have a lot on your shoulders now, do you not?"

He noted this was coming from Inabi, someone more close to him in age. His hair was medium length and a deep chestnut hue, while his eyes were a dark penetrating brown. "No more than any of you do." Why didn't they just get straight to the point? He wasn't quite sure where they were going with this interrogation. They should just be direct and get it over with.

Fugaku realized his son was putting up quite a fight. Either he had all ready deduced what was going and was purposely avoiding an answer they desired…or he was truly clueless. This was Itachi, however, so the latter could not be the case, thus he decided to speed things along.

"It must be overwhelming, your shinobi responsibilities...as well as your personal ones."

Itachi's finger twitched momentarily. Whether anyone noticed or not was unsure. His face remained emotionless, though. So his father was interrogating him about his personal life. Well what exactly did he hope to gain from this? He thought back to all the activities he performed on his own. Would any of these jeopardize the clan or his position? Because surely that was all his father was worried about. But wasn't bringing all these men a little drastic? Unless his father was using them as a cover up or trying to gain a second opinion. But for what? He still couldn't fathom what they were so hyped up about. He trained on his own true, but why was this of any worry for them? Shouldn't they be ecstatic that he would continue his training? And on top of that, it was dangerous for a ninja to become lax. He trained with his brother on occasion. Shouldn't that also be important for the clan? Heck, he was surprised they didn't just make him an instructor. Life certainly would have been a lot less stressful. Handling kids was hard but at least instructors had guaranteed and paid vacations.

Okay, think what else have I done besides training? Well he hung out with Shisui from time to time. They'd usually catch a movie, grab a quick bite to eat or…ah yes, train. And when he really thought about it, he realized how dull his personal life really was. So technically there was no need for them to worry. But that couldn't be all there was to his life.

He had…

From time to time he would…

Then there was…

And occasionally…

That was when it hit him. His life was truly pathetic. At least, for someone who supposedly had everything going for him. Even with the very few friends he had all he really did was further his training. Shisui and even Usagi…

Usagi!

Was this all about her? Had his father figured out about what he did in his personal time? Was he trying to force him to admit it? That had to be the case, meaning he didn't know the full story—that he secretly trained with Usagi during some of his "intermissions." He admitted that being with her was a way to escape from the chaos of his life; however there were other reasons for training her. He saw the potential she had as a kunoichi and knew that power would come in handy for the village some day. On top of that, it furthered his own capabilities because Usagi was about the only other ninja that had the flexibility, speed and maneuverability to keep up with him. Every time they sparred, his body was filled with a surge of adrenaline that excited him endlessly. He deduced it was from deprivation of a worthy opponent in so long. And yes, there was also that incident back on his roof and his bathroom. But that was a story for another time. He shifted uncomfortably in having recalled it. He had been trying to forget the latter since, if only for the sake of their friendship. So the question was, did his clan find out about Usagi and was now trying to forbid him from continuing his exercises with her? He still needed to wait before drawing his final conclusion, and possibly finding a way to continue hiding her.

Well it wasn't exactly like he really wanted to hide Usagi from the clan; it was purely out of necessity. In reality, he knew that his father would immediately disapprove friendships outside the clan, at least when they deterred his personal goals of parading his son around like a trophy. And being sucked into his world was daunting; being under the constant scrutiny of the clan, family and worse, his father. He couldn't subject her to that or unnecessary pressure. She had her own life to worry about

And for once, he had something the clan couldn't touch. Something outside the hellhole that he could hold onto. It was a brilliant escape and one he enjoyed indulging in frequently. The thought of doing something completely unrelated to his family was enough to put him at ease when he was around her. With Usagi, he didn't have to worry about politics, power, corruption or rivalry. With Usagi he didn't have to fulfill any duties, write any reports or partake in annoying meetings. He didn't even have to maintain his stoic attitude. As time went on, he found he could relax around her. There was no need to carry on the shinobi persona. With her, he didn't have to act the proud captain he was. He didn't have to carry out the duties expected of the heir to the Uchiha clan. He needn't carry on the face of a genius or prodigy. No, around her, he was simply Itachi. And the more he thought about having to relinquish that feeling, the more hesitant he became of exposing their friendship. Which was why he commanded her to keep it all a secret, since the very beginning.

"We understand that as a young man you have your personal life to attend; however, please don't forget the duties you have for your clan and that they take priority. We don't mean to lay anymore pressure on you, but the unity of this branch is very important, especially to the foundations of this village." This was said by Yashiro. He didn't want Fugaku to start spouting accusations about Itachi forsaking the clan, which to this point could not be proven true. Instead, he kept the conversation direct but light.

Itachi threw out all his thoughts about Usagi. It wasn't her at all. What did the unity of the clan have to do with her? This was something completely irrelevant to the girl. And so they hadn't figured out exactly what he did, but they were still holding their own suspicions just the same. The words, unity, priority and personal life stood out and he let the ideas swirl in his head. The man's frown was of genuine worry but an accusative tone was underneath it all just the same. It's true he often disappeared without word or warning and didn't come back for several days at a time but that was to be expected of an Anbu official. And when he did separate from his team, he made sure his family knew he was safe and that his whereabouts did not breach any regulations, such as straying too far from the village by illegal means and for ill purposes. Ill purposes, his mind whispered. Perhaps, they were suspicious of just that. He didn't think he gave them the impression of doing illegal acts. He narrowed his eyes at his father who was looking at him accusingly. Nothing made sense to him anymore, but deciding that a fight was not worth it, he simply nodded silently.

All the while, Fugaku studied his son carefully who remained expressionless as always. He couldn't decide what was more difficult: getting information out of his son or the time he had to take his chuunin exam with one slightly broken arm and a fractured femur.

"All right everyone. Food's here. I brought Makunouchi-ben from the convenience store. And oh, Itachi-san, I got you some ayu sushi in your obento. You like sweet things don't you?"

He would gladly relive the latter. And with a defeated sigh, Fugaku regarded his colleague's obvious dense head. Apparently he didn't understand the concept of discreet.

"Ah…" was all Itachi said as he grabbed a water bottle and began to drink it slowly. There was something about the way he asked that question that seemed rather suspicious. He grabbed his bento and began to eat his food in silence.

"So Itachi, doing anything special this weekend?"

Apparently the clan had other plans. And why did it seem as if they were watching him eat? He grabbed another piece of his fish and noted that a few eyes were actually following the path his chopsticks took. He tested this again by going to grab another piece and had the same eyes following his movements subtly. What was so interesting about his eating utensils all of a sudden? "None… at all…."

The man cleared his throat. "Well I myself am headed to Kirigakure. On a mission there actually, with my squad. But you know…at times…" He huddled closer to Itachi as if he were whispering the secrets of a forbidden scroll. "…I wish I could just go there alone. Now, just between you and me, don't you ever get the urge to just…you know…?"

No he didn't know, and he really didn't want to know. The conclusions he drew earlier resurfaced in his mind and for some reason it made him sick to think that anyone would think ill of his intentions. While in the academy, kids used to point fingers at him and call him weird things like freak and psycho. It hurt more than he would admit to anyone. As he grew older, other members of the clan began to show their distaste for him openly. They called him a brat and assured he cheated his way into any position he achieved. And while he worked hard to earn respect, it appeared his hard work was spat back in his face. After all these years, he still wasn't trusted. On top of that, the man's talk was beginning to ruin his appetite.

"Well, leave. I mean doesn't the thought of just leaving this place and going out on your own sound exciting? Like an adventure, a new chapter of your life."

"Not particularly…" Itachi replied as he stuffed another clump of sushi in his mouth. At least if he kept eating, he had a legitimate excuse not to engage in the conversation.

"Come on, not even a tiny bit curious what it would be like without the pressures of the village? Away from the clan, away from the work. Think about it, you wouldn't have a single care in the world."

Away from the clan…oh he thought about that every now and then. He just had to look at his father and he was reminded of all the hardships he put up with just to please him. But to leave the village? His home since birth? He loved it here and to abandon his brother and comrades for selfish desires? The idea was unfathomable. Even if they did have their distrust of him, he had to put the safety of the village and its inhabitants first. Many people relied on him whether they cared to admit it or not. "Not at all."

Fugaku was watching this whole scene transpire before him. He glanced over at Itachi, wanting him to admit to swaying away from the clan. The man he was talking to was rather bold in his direct approach. But he had to admit, he had gotten more information from his son in five minutes than any of his other colleagues had all morning. At first he figured his angle was too obvious but reluctantly allowed it and was glad he did. Itachi's expressions were more earnest. He shifted nervously once and his eyebrows even managed to scrunch. He must have realized they were onto him. The way he ate his food slowly and watched the other people warily were obvious signs of a guilty conscious, especially when his voice sounded unsure at one point. On top of that, his defensive state earlier in regards to other clans, his immediate dismissal to focus on the shadier characters in the next chuunin exams. It was all beginning to connect now. And this recent conversation confirmed it. Itachi was in cahoots with another group or worse, clan. Now that he knew what the problem was, he would have to regroup with the others and come up with a plan to tackle this issue. No sense in trying to do it all at once. And then hopefully it would put things in perspective for Itachi so he could continue to serve his clan loyally.

Itachi finished chewing the sushi slowly as more of his colleagues continued to pick up conversations with others. Paying no mind to them, he glanced back at his father who was, once again, staring at him. He gave the piece one final chew before he swallowed it down painfully slow, even hearing the internal gulping noise as it traveled down his throat. And he frowned in distaste, his father having effectively killed the wonderful flavor of his fish. A fraction of a minute ensued in which the two glared at one another in a heated contest of intimidation. And it ended as soon as Fugaku opened up his bottled water and swallowed the contents down.

"Oi, Itachi. You alright?"

He glanced back over at Akinori, the man from before. "Sour."

"Eh?"

"This piece is sour."

"Strange, ayu is supposed to be sweet, right?"

"Mmm."

"All right everyone, break's over. Let's wrap this up now. We still have just a bit more work to do."

Good. He was glad break was over, ironic as it sounded. He was tired of being harassed by the other participants of this meeting and if going back to business was the only escape from it, so be it. And the rest of the meeting went on without more interrogation or suspicious observations. And Itachi, while grateful, was now concerned as well. If the interrogation stopped, it meant that they already gathered the information they felt necessary. But in a way, he did give them what they probably wanted when he surrendered the argument without so much as any type of defense on his part. But now what? Was he to expect some type of repercussion? It was always like that, getting punished for something he didn't do. And what was worse was that he always accepted punishment as if he was guilty. It was a vicious cycle. But it was his fault; he never put up a fight against it.

He sat quietly as the meeting progressed and just as he suspected, there were no more questions directed at him.

And after just forty-five minutes, the meeting finally came to an end. They wrapped up some other private matters regarding security in the Uchiha compound and a rotation of watch guards. But other than that, nothing else was of extraordinary significance, nor did it pertain to him. So Itachi listened carefully for an official order for the meeting to be adjourned. And just like a child at the academy, he counted the seconds until he was finally released from his prison. He had just a couple hours before Sasuke was done playing with his friend and he, for once, actually had the leisure time to help his brother. With business done for the day, he was very much looking forward to forgetting all the tension in the meeting and just enjoying the afternoon with Sasuke before he left for his mission with his squad. So when his father called out to him to tell his mother that he would return home by dinner, Itachi merely agreed to do so with a wave of his hand, not once looking back. And he walked leisurely around the town, ready to kill some time with his newly found hobby.

---

The sounds of sizzling steam reverberated throughout the establishment as more pressure from the hot water began pouring into the pools. The air was dense with mist, making it difficult to see. But that was the allure and mystique of a bathhouse, as well as the daily special aroma. And it was obvious from the tiny hint of a scent picked up that today was citron. It was the perfect stress reliever since the salts were designed to relieve shoulder pain and fatigue, which was why the bath houses were especially active during midweek; the peek of the week and the peek of stress. And during those days, the baths were full of mostly full-time mothers waiting for a chance to catch a little rest and relaxation from the taxing job that is raising a family. It was the perfect time to socialize with others of the same occupation or as Mikoto saw it, the perfect time to catch up on the latest gossip.

She gathered a few items together in her basket and walked leisurely down the hall to the woman's bath. Clinging to her towel tightly, she gracefully cascaded down the steps and submerged her body completely in the steaming water. She watched as a few close friends of hers did the same, conveniently arriving just as she entered. Or rather, arriving precisely as she timed it. And as she glanced at the face of one particular woman, she smiled and sighed in relief because if anyone could help her in her situation, it would be none other than Yamanaka Yuriko. She was one of the most social and well-informed members of the Yamanaka clan, and all of Konoha for that matter—a typical busy body and social butterfly. Even listening in on her chatting right into the water, she already learned of several secret affairs between ninjas of whom she was very well acquainted. Mikoto watched as two others joined in the bath, conversing along with Yuriko about their responses to these affairs.

Yuriko was in her mid thirties, in a steady marriage with another Yamanaka and was someone who traveled abroad quite often. It was her business ties with daimyo, her charity work and social agendas that made her a well-informed ninja. Since her late teens, she used her trademark beauty to con people into giving up information. She often called it inadvertent charming, but Mikoto knew manipulation for its real form. After all, she used her inadvertent charm on Fugaku many times since she first met him as a child, even before they began dating.

On that note, she smiled lazily as she thought about how similar the Yamanaka were in every way. Physically, they all bore light tones and pale shades of blonde for hair. Emotionally and mentally, they were all extroverted, confident, and somewhat vain. But she supposed that last bit was no different than any other clan. After all, the Uchiha and Hyuuga weren't exactly the most humble collective of people when it came to anything—be it looks or power. But the difference was in demeanor. Uchiha, and Uchiha men to be more specific, were never as talkative, as chatty as the Yamanaka who made every effort to be the center of a conversation. But it was this brazen way of life that made them attractive not just in appearance but personality as well. They didn't scare off people like most of her clan did by just a simple glance. Even the Hyuuga knew how to carry light conversation. Uchiha may have been high in lineage, but they still had a long way to go in the communication department.

And the thought of Hyuuga clicked in her mind as she glanced over to Yuriko's right side. There was Maemi, her de facto sidekick. Maemi inherited the Hyuuga's physical appearance—dark glossy hair and the crystal light eyes of the byakugan. She was always one step behind Yuriko in every way which wasn't a surprise considering they were both members of the same cell team back when they were young children. They had stuck together ever since.

And Maemi was one that proved her point about Hyuuga. She was much more talkative and outgoing, very similar to Yuriko. Whether this was an adapted personality from being around her best friend for years or an inherited trait, she had no idea. But it proved just the same that the Hyuuga could at least be trained to socialize properly. She would be lucky if she could get her sons to take the initiative in a greeting and at least say hello first. And she scowled slightly as she thought about how an 'oi aho' didn't constitute as a hello. Honestly, where did she go wrong with those two?

It was then her eyes rolled slightly to the right and caught sight of someone over Yuriko's left shoulder. It was Kaioh Michiru. In the bathhouse, her body seemed to blend right on in with the water. It was the teal eyes and matching hair that gave her an aquatic aura of elegance. Michiru was unlike them in that she was a socialite from abroad. Originally from Kirigakure, she was only recently acquainted with most of them—about four years or so. And more contrasting was her age, for Michiru was far much younger—early twenties in fact. But she carried herself with so much grace and maturity that when they all congregated together in public places, the age gap all but diminished. After being around her for even a few minutes, it was obvious why she didn't socialize with others her age. It would be too degrading of her character in some ways.

"I saw Shisui with, yet, another pretty girl at his side. The boy seems to have found himself another conquest. Though I think it was a little too soon from his departure with Naoko but what can you do? The boy never grows up. His grandfather is going soft in his old age, what with not disciplining him and all."

"Men will be men. In anyway, that's not big news. Tell me he's celebrating his one year anniversary and then I'll break out the wine glasses."

They all broke into a fit of giggles and Mikoto laughed along with them. Yes, Shisui's reputation wasn't exactly a well guarded one.

Yuriko glanced over towards Mikoto with her arms still crossed and a small smile on her face. "But I suppose big news to hear would also be Mikoto's eldest son celebrating his one day anniversary. So tell us Mikoto, any luck in that department? Your son is at that perfect age in his life. Ripe and well harvested yet left unpicked from the tree. You aren't hoarding him all to yourself now, are you? As I've seen you do with young Sasuke."

Mikoto laughed. She supposed in some ways, her attachment with her children was, within its own right, an unguarded fact itself. "In my defense, ninja or not, Sasuke is still a twelve year-old boy but yes, I suppose I do spoil him a bit. However, that's not the case with Itachi. He was already an adult in my eyes by the time he took his first chuunin exam. But to say that his focus on work eases my worry about his future would be a lie."

Maemi raised an eyebrow. "Meaning…?"

"Well, I can't help but wonder if my son has any other interests outside of duty."

"You mean interest in women. Am I correct?"

It was no wonder why Yuriko was the best at what she does.

"Yes."

Yuriko gave a long sigh before relaxing further into the water. "Yes, Itachi is indeed a peculiar one. Now, don't go berserk on us, but rumor has it that Itachi's taste don't necessarily run towards women."

"I hope you're not suggesting what I think you are."

"Calm down. It's just a rumor being tossed around. That's all. It's what happens when a man has gone without a woman as long as Itachi has. You have to admit, he shows more interest in men. You can count the number of women involved in his life on one hand, yet the number of men is in abundance."

Maemi shook her head in mild amusement. "Come now, Yuriko. That's no way of thinking. It's how nasty rumors are spread. Itachi's association with those men is strictly professional, you know that. In any way, he puts up with most of those men out of duty, not will. Besides, with as much responsibility as he has, it's no wonder he doesn't have the time for any kind of affair. You should be proud of your son's discipline, Mikoto."

She smiled warmly. "Oh, I am."

Yuriko offered a mischievous wink to Mikoto. "If it is women in his life you're worried about, then you needn't. I'm sure his fan club can fill that spot in easily enough."

Mikoto rubbed her temple at just that very thought. "My poor boy does his best to avoid them whenever he can. You should have seen his face when Fugaku forced him to socialize with a few girls from the Uchiha clan back when he first made it to Anbu. I swear; it was like being back at the Academy." She thought about how Fugaku forced Itachi to say hello to them. He shyly mumbled a meek hello and flinched when just one word caused those girls to giggle indefinitely and follow him around afterwards in failed concealment; it made Itachi uncomfortable and she wondered if maybe it was forced situations like that which made him uneasy around females.

"Actually, now that you mention it…"

Everyone turned to Michiru who until now had been pretty much silent—watching with interest as they discussed Mikoto's son and his personal life.

"It was awhile ago, maybe a year or so. But I vaguely recall your son talking to a young girl of whom I've never been acquainted."

They all watched with sudden curiosity as she continued.

"It was a young, fair-haired girl. She couldn't have been but maybe a couple years younger than him," Michiru continued and hid her smile well as everyone was transfixed on every word she was saying.

"Michiru, you've been holding out on us!" Maemi's towel almost fell from her excitement.

"Yes do go on, Michiru. This is most intriguing." Yuriko's eyes glistened in fascination. This would be the juiciest gossip to date.

Michiru continued as soon as she saw that Mikoto was silently begging for more information. "As I was saying, the girl was fairly young. Beautiful, of course. As expected of Itachi's refined tastes. I was walking in the market at the time, getting some fresh fish I needed for my dinner when I spotted a robed Anbu operative in the corner of the alley. Had it not been for my small hesitation earlier with the vender, my timing may have been off and I would have surely missed it. But I did see an Anbu, and I recognized that mask to be your son's, Mikoto. He was conversing with that young lady. If I recall correctly, their conversation was regarding directions."

"What's so significant about that? The girl could have genuinely wanted directions. Itachi's timing led him there. If anything he was probably on a mission." Maemi wasn't too convinced about this piece of detail.

"I found it suspicious. It didn't appear to me that she was wanting directions at all."

Yuriko pondered on that a bit, thinking of several possibilities. "Are you sure it wasn't one his fan girls? She could've been trying to ask for directions as a means of talking to him."

Maemi giggled. "Yuriko has a point. I've seen them do it all the time. They'll whisper to each other and plan an 'accidental' bump into him. Then they use it as a way to speak to him. Pretty juvenile if you ask me."

"I don't know. They seemed to recognize one another. And there was also that look."

Yuriko rolled her eyes. "All girls swoon over Itachi."

They all laughed except for Michiru who was debating something and Mikoto who was assessing her facial expressions for any signs of sincerity.

"It was how he looked at her."

It fell silent afterwards as they all stared at Michiru intently. Not once had Uchiha Itachi gave any recognition to even being attracted to a female. The fact that he was fascinated with one was remarkable.

Michiru leaned back against the edge of the bath. After letting out a small sigh of content, she closed her eyes and reopened them again. Every girl was staring at her, waiting in suspense for her to continue her story. And so, she raised the back of her palm to her mouth and fell in a fit of giggles. "As if something like that would really happen!"

And the room was filled with laughter once again.

"You really had us going there, Michiru!"

"Such a cruel joke to play on poor Mikoto. Don't take it too personal, Mikoto."

"I-I won't," Mikoto replied—laughing half-heartedly. She could've sworn that Michiru was being sincere.

And the rest of the conversation went on without more teasing on her son's love life or lack thereof. And while she appreciated not being the source of the joking anymore, she couldn't help but feel depressed at the thought that her son really didn't have anyone special in his life. She was hoping there would be some kind of juicy gossip to a possible love affair but if even Yuriko didn't know of anyone then it was safe to say that her son was as celibate as a monk.

Her hand fisted under the water. No. That couldn't be it. Itachi was a master of stealth. Being in Anbu had trained him for that. If he did have anyone in his life, it wouldn't be hard to keep her a secret. And though Michiru may have been jesting, perhaps she was on to something. Perhaps her son did find ways to sneak around with a girl by exchanging secret codes. And even though she didn't gain any useful information from the other women to solidify her theory, there was still that nagging feeling that told her something was definitely up with her son. And the idea that a woman was involved still refused to leave her mind. This was not something that could be handled by a gossip chain in a bathhouse. No. It was something she would have to go to the source to unveil. Maybe she wasn't the most perceptive and analytical ninja in the world, but she knew she was on the trail of some well kept secret.

Call it a mother's intuition.

---

The primary basics of a shinobi are to eradicate any traces of presence and to remain concealed at all times—particularly during a mission.

Itachi remained stoic in his position, body tense in caution. He surveyed his surroundings carefully and perched quietly on a rooftop. He observed the villagers casually walking in a large clutter. At first glance, it appeared as if the people were moving chaotically, bumping into one another in a messy fashion. But upon closer inspection, he noted that some people began to form paths and tended to stick to one side as they moved in a particular direction, as though an invisible road was formed. In this way, the crowded people seemed less chaotic and more organized. He halted any further thoughts from this observation, however, noting that it wasn't always wise to be so observant on every situation that he came across. He was a man on a mission and so he continued from rooftop to rooftop.

He took one look at his surroundings and noted the stealthiest path he would take from his particular position. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his nerves in order to decrease his chakra level. This would make it harder to be detected by anyone, even a shinobi of similar rank. The last thing Itachi wanted was for his presence to be detected before he finished his hunt, especially when his father obviously had someone following his trail. How predictable. Quietly, he jumped down into a dark alley and continued in panther-like movements. Because of the sun's position, Itachi did not cast a single shadow. This was entirely planned, of course. He could have no one follow him.

Prowling through the darkness, he noted how eerily quiet it got. This would make stealth moves a lot more difficult to execute since there was not any noise for cover. Glancing at the ground, he made sure not to follow any paths marked with pebbles or granite lest he make any unnecessary sounds. When light shone through, right past his left shoulder, he knew he was reaching the open road again. Keeping his back to the brick wall while remaining in the shadows, he allowed only a subtle movement of his head to look behind him.

Sure enough, his target was in sight and right on time. Mentally priding in his meticulous calculations succeeding once again, Itachi watched from afar as his target began to close in on him…seven meters…three meters…and sure enough, in less than eight point two seconds, the target passed right by his checkpoint.

Smirking to himself he kept a careful eye on his prey and followed carefully while remaining in the shadows of the alleyways. His target was walking casually, without a trace of suspicion or worry. He scowled in disapproval at such carelessness and made a mental record of it. Itachi now watched as the said person disappeared into a confectionary store. It would be too obvious to wait right next to the building, and he wanted to maintain the target in frontal view. Thus he settled on the opposite building in front and hid behind an advertisement billboard of the latest Paradise installment.

His calm black eyes darted to and fro, watching for any suspecting shinobi. It was a man, he knew that much. About a few good meters away from him and it was obvious this shinobi had no idea where his target was by the way his face searched his entire surroundings frantically. Itachi had apparently eluded him well. If his father, who he suspected was the one that sent him, had wanted to track his son's whereabouts, he should have hired a more experienced shinobi of equal caliber. How unfortunate for him that he was assigned to one of the most elusive ninja in Konoha. It wouldn't hurt to humor him though, so with one hand sign and a bit of chakra, which made the man instantly alarmed, Itachi summoned one shadow clone. The clone headed off in one direction and the man was instantly on his trail again.

Itachi shook his head in disappointment and looked back at the store just as the target exited. Once he was sure there was no one ready to spring at him from any direction, he continued his pursuit. Rooftop to rooftop, alley to alley…he moved just enough behind that he wouldn't be detected but not enough that he would stray off. But when he rounded a corner he realized she wasn't there. Had she detected his presence and was now hunting him? Impossible! She wasn't that advanced yet, was she?

He left the darkness of the alleyways and headed right into the bustling crowd of people. Ignoring the way they pushed at him every which way, he searched carefully for any signs of her. She couldn't have gone far, even with her speed. He was so sure in his calculations. And at that he had to smile. Maybe he wasn't the most elusive ninja in Konoha.

"Yo, Itachi! Long time no see!"

His body froze only briefly from the contact. Just a few seconds of reflecting on a few ideas had apparently been enough to put him at ease and be caught completely off guard. But as usual, he would never admit it or show it for that matter. And so he casually turned around to the figure that tapped his shoulder and found himself with someone of whom he was very well familiar.

"Shisui, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you. It's highly unlike you to go shopping in the middle of the afternoon. Especially when I know you were planning on meeting your little brother in about a few hours."

"Ah…"

So…" he trailed off and leaned heavily on him, trying to search in the direction Itachi was once focused. "Who are you trailing?"

"What?" Itachi feigned ignorance. But he should have known better than to try and lie his way out of his best friend's grasp. Because Shisui wasn't swayed at all, and he rolled his eyes exaggeratingly.

"I know you too well by now to recognize the patented 'Itachi-stealth-mode."

"Then I guess the question really is why you're following me?"

Shisui smiled innocently. "I'm bored."

"Hmm."

He smiled and gave him a good pat on the back. "Keep me entertained and tell me who you're trailing, sexy ninja master."

He frowned in disdain at the nickname. Every time his fan girls came up with a new phrase to coin him, Shisui never let the opportunity to tease him about it escape. One time it was the immortal sex god, next was the Uchiha prince. It was downright humiliating and he hated being reminded of it. But if he played into Shisui's hands and showed as much irritation as he felt, it would only worsen matters. And so he just continued along as if he hadn't heard the nickname at all. "You're mistaken, and it's somebody on my trail anyway."

He looked at Itachi with obvious disapproval at his response but continued anyway. He could always find out later about his best friend's true intentions. "So you were trying to lose someone, then. Am I correct?"

"Ah…"

"Then let me guess, your father's got something up his sleeve."

"That obvious?"

"Your father is hardly unpredictable nor subtle in his motives. Or perhaps we're just too observant." He chuckled and motioned for Itachi to follow him, and the two headed over to a newsstand. Shisui grabbed a small paper and began reading its contents. "For instance, the other day they were discussing about the upcoming chuunin exams. They're hoping, or rather planning, on having your brother participate. They want him to do more intense training to prepare him against the byakugan but you know they just want him to show off Hyuuga Neji. It's all a ploy to make us look good."

"Yes, I know. I was at a recent meeting about it."

Shisui's eyes lost focus on the contents of the paper as he pondered about that last statement. "You went to a chuunin exam meeting?"

"Yes, just today. Quite tedious. It didn't feel as if my presence was at all required." And as he thought about it in retrospect, they never once asked him anything they couldn't already figure out on their own. In fact, most of the questions seemed like something an academy teacher would ask his or her students just to see if they were paying attention. And now that he remembered, he realized he still couldn't decipher what they had supposedly figured out or wanted. His conclusions linked to that of betrayal but perhaps that was stretching it too far? Maybe he calculated that all wrong. It was all perplexing and unnerving. What the hell was going on?

"Hmm." Shisui said nothing more but instead, opted to read his newspaper. "That's quite intriguing. But unfortunately I have bigger problems on my plate."

"What's that?" Itachi redirected his focus and threw a few coins over at the vender. He reached over to a rack and picked up some of his own selected materials.

"I've got a date this evening but I'm not sure where I should be taking her. Nothing's playing right now." He chuckled. "Well unless she doesn't object to watching that new Icha Icha Paradise movie. But somehow I don't think she'll fully enjoy it like we would, eh?" he elbowed Itachi suggestively but was easily dismissed. "Well, then I guess I could take her out to eat…"

Itachi simply rolled his eyes as he flipped open the newspaper in haste, wanting to avoid the topic altogether. Shisui's chatter continued, and he tried tuning it out completely. He decided that the renovation on the new Kabuki theatre was much more appealing at the moment.

"Hey! I told you to listen to me!" Shisui grabbed the paper from him to which Itachi was extremely displeased.

"I was reading that," and yet he made no effort to grab his paper back. There was no way he was reducing himself to squabbling with Shisui like a child.

"And I'm sure the Kabuki theatre is looking remarkably exquisite right now but my dilemma demands immediate attention."

He stifled a laugh but even Shisui could see the amusement in his eyes and so Itachi didn't bother to hide the small smile that formed. Shisui reminded him very much of someone else of who had grown familiar to him. "Then take her out to eat."

"You think that's the best option?"

"Ah. At least with your face stuffed, she can be spared the excruciating task that is listening to you."

There was no pain from the receiving end of that comment. Instead Shisui threw his head back and released a deep rich chuckle. "Quick wit never dies with you, does it? Anyway, anything else you want to share about your life?"

He reached over for his paper and pulled it open again. "Nothing since the last time I saw you. Had some missions, did some paper work at HQ. Same old, same old."

Shisui half pouted. "Your life sucks. It's boring."

"It's calm," he corrected. "With all the chaos in my life right now, the last thing I need is pointless drama."

"You're taking this all too well. I've been meaning to ask, though. What is your outlet?"

"Outlet?"

"Well with all the chaos in your life, as you yourself have put it, surely you have a way to alleviate the stress."

"Yes, ignore it."

He shook his head and sighed. " All you do in your down time is brood in your room. So seriously, what have you got hidden? Meds? Alcohol? Drugs?"

Itachi took one index finger and skipped over to the entertainment section, and when a full-page advertisement of the recent Icha Icha movie appeared, he flipped again. "None of the above."

"You know, I'm almost beginning to lose all hope in…you." He frowned as he peered over Itachi's shoulder which in turn earned his friend's immediate attention.

"What?" Itachi looked up from his paper and turned his head around when he realized that Shisui was no longer paying any attention to him. Shisui's eyes were completely focused beyond him and he watched him intently, wondering what had caught his interest. His eyes darted in every direction but couldn't see at what he was looking. Yet for some reason, his heart beat sped up just a tad.

"I knew it!"

He froze but said nothing as he tried to calm his heart rate. He felt like a guilty kid that didn't even commit a crime. Why did he feel like he'd been caught? It wasn't like he did anything. What did he know? "Know what?"

Shisui placed one hand on his shoulder and gently pushed Itachi away as he reached over to another rack and pulled out a colorful book. He flipped through the pages and smiled. "This is the newest issue of Tasogare Senshi! I've been wondering when it was about to come out!" He handed a few Ryo over to the man for his purchases and glanced over at Itachi who scowled visibly. "What? Whatever is in this…" he tapped the book, "…is much more interesting than anything you'll find in any scrolls."

"I hardly believe that." Yes, Shisui was very much like Usagi in every way.

"I'm being completely serious here. I've learned so many life lessons from the heroine. The protector of mankind and the fighter of love and justice. On top of that she's got killer moves. I actually found myself jotting down notes so I can use them in battle." He made a few air slashes and saw that Itachi was just shaking his head in response.

"It's childish. I would expect it of a ten-year old, but a grown man such as yourself reading manga…it's downright degrading."

"I swear…people just don't appreciate the artistic design of manga!" He threw the book over at Itachi who in turn opened it up to skim through. "It's more than just a colorful book, you know? Everyone could learn from Serenity. She's kind and honest, sincere and passionate. She never gives up in battle and stays firm on her beliefs."

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he skimmed over the pages. A small smirk grew on his face after looking through it and glancing at the author's name on the front cover. Honestly, the old pervert never changed. Hiding his sick hobby behind the clever ruse of a champion fighter of peace. And apparently Shisui caught on to his thoughts because he was suddenly snatching the book back and hiding it in the pockets of his uniform.

"Alright then! I read it because I think she looks hot. There, are you satisfied now?"

"Tch. I feel sorry for Masako-san. To have to put up with you. "

Shisui hesitated momentarily before the statement finally registered. Apparently he was a little behind in his own updates on life. He rubbed the back of his head nervously, knowing full well what his friend would think of it. "Yeah, well…I'm kind of not…dating her anymore."

This didn't surprise Itachi at all who merely sighed. "Then who is it this time? Naoko-san?"

"First of all, I'm dating Reika right now. And for your information, Naoko and I are just friends." And when Itachi obviously showed his distrust in that, he felt the need to continue. "Seriously, I was just helping her out with some studies. You think I'll just have a go with anything female or what?"

"Yes."

"Ouch." He faked a kunai through his heart. "Right through there, man. I always knew you were going to be the end of me someday."

He frowned.

"I'm just joking! Lighten up. In anyway, at least I am utilizing my youth. When was the last time you got any? I'm starting to think that's why you're so grumpy all the time." He waved a disapproving finger to and fro. "Even the doctor would agree with me that pent up sexual frustration is bad on the body."

He decided to cut the conversation right there. Topics like these never settled easy with him. And so he came up with the easiest excuse to get rid of him. "If I recall correctly, you have duties to perform right now back at the station. Shouldn't you be heading off to take care of them before your date?"

He frowned. It was obvious he was being discarded away for the moment. Itachi had lost his patience with him and he wondered why so soon. Usually, he would put up with way more than this silly banter. But he smirked and shrugged it off. He knew whenever he would overstay his welcome. "Fine, jerk. I'll leave. In anyway, I have to head over to meet the captain. I've got a report to hand in from last night's guard duty. Can you believe it? Of all the things I could have been assigned, they stuck me with grunt work. I was lucky I made it through the night without snoring. It was such a waste of time."

"I wish those were my only problems…" Itachi muttered under his breath.

Shisui chuckled, having heard that and gave Itachi one good hit on the shoulder as he began to walk off. "Wish me luck!" He winked.

"Ah…" Itachi watched as his friend vanished around the corner and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't quite sure which was worse: the fact that Shisui managed to sneak up on him without detection or the fact that there was something oddly suspicious about that smile on his face as he disappeared from his vision.

---

"I didn't like the look on his face."

"And did you see how nervous he was? If we actually laid the pressure on him we might have been able to make him sweat!"

"Not to mention how defensive he got when we brought up all that talk about the exams. Don't you agree, captain?"

"Ah. He seemed a bit too quick to respond at the mention of other clans. Then he tried to deter our concentration on them by focusing on the less significant participants. On top of that, he came up with a perfectly logical explanation in order to make it a legitimate claim. He's making sure to cover every corner so that we'll be lured into a false sense of security, and then he'll be able to maneuver his way out of the situation just as easy."

"On top of that, he seemed to submit too easily at our accusations. And that made me uneasy as well. The little brat is obviously up to no good. Don't forget, this is Itachi we're talking about. He could be trying to throw us off by giving us exactly what we want."

Everyone murmured signs of agreement to Inabi's conclusion. It was no hidden fact that he held a particular distaste for Itachi since the boy became jounin and soon after that, an Anbu. Once he heard of this particular project, he was immediately onboard. He knew that Itachi held some deep secret; no one could excel that quickly. He was probably training in secret with someone else, or even clan. And that made him a liability to the family.

"Now the question is, how do deal with it?" Yashiro wiped his old pocket watch carefully while he awaited some suggestions. "Should we expose him and then try to rectify the situation by putting him through special assignments and training? Or should we just skip right to the retraining and hope that clears up the problem. If we expose him, there's a chance he could flee and then we'll have accomplished nothing."

"No, we need more information. We can confirm as of now that something is wrong in accordance with an alien affiliation but not necessarily that he's deserting the clan because of it. If we move too fast then we have nothing to pin on him and that's his escape route. We need to observe him more carefully."

"Then I suggest you send someone else."

Everyone turned around to the man that just entered the room. He looked worn out and just simply tired. His hair was in disarray and several patches of dirt covered his face. It had been a horrible trailing experience on his part.

"Tekka! How did it go?"

"Forgive me captain. But your son was aware I was following him. He distracted me with a clone and I lost complete sight of him." Tekka bowed his head in shame.

"As expected of my son. You're relieved of your duties." He waved the boy away, knowing full well that he wanted to wash up.

It was then that an idea hit Yashiro. "What about Shisui? Next to Itachi, Shisui is the most talented shinobi in the Uchiha clan. He too has the Sharingan and is about the only person that can fight on par with Itachi. I heard that even Itachi can't always detect Shisui's movements. Not to mention they're close friends. If anyone can get any information out of Itachi, it has to be him."

Fugaku gave a small hint of surprise. Of course, he should have realized the solution much sooner. "It sounds like a promising idea. I will personally go to Shisui and enlist his help. If I make it an official order, he won't be able to refuse. This is for the sake of our clan after all. Now, are we all in agreement?"

They responded with simple nods and adjourned the meeting, heading off to finish their real work.

Tekka watched from the hallway as all the men were beginning to depart from the room. He sighed. He hadn't meant to be so useless to the captain. But his skills in tracking were apparently much too inferior for an Anbu captain. He should have known he would have failed. But he needn't be so pessimistic by comparing himself to Itachi. Hardly anything stood a chance against him. Knowing he needed a change of pace, he headed over to the vending machine to grab himself a drink. But he watched as another officer beat him to it.

Shisui slipped in a few coins and impatiently tapped the machine as the annoying sounds of buzzing indicated that his desired item was being slowly discarded through the slot. He hated waiting more than a few seconds just to get some decent snack foods. And as soon as the item dropped, he hastily retrieved it and began eating. He needed something to kill the time until the captain came out from his meeting.

"Oi, Shisui!"

He turned around and found Tekka heading his way. "Yo, Tekka. What's taking the captain so long?"

He reached over to the machine and added a few coins in for his choice of beverage. "Chuunin exam meeting. He's just wrapping up some stuff."

Shisui's ears perked at the news. He found it odd that Itachi mentioned he was partaking in the meeting, and almost impossible to believe. For one, Itachi had to remain impartial to most of the training of the Uchiha for the exams. He was operating closely with the Hokage and any direct influence would look suspicious to other clans. Second of all, he had never once participated. The fact that they were allowing him now was strikingly intriguing and he was more than eager to do his fair share of prying information from Tekka. "Oi, Tekka. What's this I hear about Itachi participating in the meeting? He's never once attended any gathering involving the chuunin. Don't tell me the guy is stepping up to his future role of patriarch."

"Well, who knows? It was a decision made by the captain and the elder officers." He tried dismissing the issue and decided to grab himself a few salty snacks from the machine as well.

"Elder officers? Since when do elders care so much about such a thing? I mean I understand the future of these chuunin is important, but isn't calling in Itachi a bit too much? Ojiisan doesn't seem like the type to put him up to such small affairs. Besides, the old man is senile; you really shouldn't be trusting in his judgment at this day and age." He finished off with a small laugh.

Tekka frowned at having given away so much. But it wouldn't hurt for Shisui to be in the know. After all, his grandfather was the eldest of the clan and knew of this affair; and therefore, news would eventually travel back to him. "Well, the truth is…and this is between us alright?" When Shisui nodded in confirmation, he decided to pull him into a desolate corridor before continuing. "The captain brought in Itachi for investigation."

"Investigation? What the hell are you talking about? What's he done now?"

"Well, you've noticed Itachi's strange behavior, haven't you?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. He's been mostly himself lately. A little more guarded and reclusive, but that's nothing to worry about considering it's Itachi we're speaking of."

"But that's just it. His father has been talking about how out of control it's been getting."

Shisui raised an eyebrow at that. Itachi and 'out of control' in the same sentence just couldn't coexist. "I think you guys are taking this a little out of proportion."

"Not likely. I mean, the guy goes off on missions and doesn't come back for long periods of time, even after his squad has since long returned." He cut off Shisui before he could retaliate of how much it was expected of Itachi to be gone for any length of time at any such notice. "So how do you explain that?"

"So he wants time to himself. So what?"

"Captain finds it suspicious. Especially when he'll leave without so much as a word to his family. I mean, his father is one thing but his mother and Sasuke? You know how close Itachi is to those two. And as of late, he hasn't even so much as shared some quality time with them. Well, at least not as often as he used to."

"Look I get it okay. So he's been spending a little more alone time as of late. With all the stress he's been having, don't you think it's justified that he just wants to take a little break from so much contact with other people?"

"That's a little too much time, don't you think? And then sneaking off in the middle of the night. His mother gets worried sick the next morning sometimes when he never even bothered to show up for dinner or bed. Honestly, worrying his own mother; isn't that drawing the line?"

He gave a deep chuckle at the thought of how often he snuck out at night when he was even younger than Itachi. Good times. "That's no surprise. Guys his age sneak out all the time. I remember when I was his age. I used to sneak out all the time so I could…" His words died early as he thought about it. And giving one glance back to the exit doorway, it was all quite sudden when he drew a remarkable connection. "That little brat…unbelievable! All this time…"

"Eh. What is it?"

"Shisui!"

Tekka and Shisui were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Fugaku. With the discussion and plans finally put to rest, everyone was officially adjourned from the project.

"Captain, I have that report for you." He handed over a sealed scroll wrapped in parchment. It was actually nothing truly confidential but Uchiha always liked keeping everything a secret nonetheless. At least, the higher-ups did.

"Ah." And as he received the scroll and glanced at it and back at Shisui, Yashiro's previous comments came to mind. Other attempts to keep tabs on his son had failed, and mostly because he had been using what most would consider them to be, inferior shinobi. If he truly wanted to know more about Itachi's whereabouts, he needed to venture into more experienced ninja to accomplish that task. And Yashiro was right; Shisui was the best candidate for the job. "Shisui."

"Sir?"

"Come with me, I need to discuss something with you in private."

"Yes, captain." He gave one farewell nod to Tekka before following Fugaku into his office. He was slightly hesitant upon entering because only one of two things happened in his office, scolding and more work. And he had performed his last task flawlessly.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. As you may have noticed, my son has been displaying some erratic behavior as of late and this is of most concern not only to my family and me but to the entire clan as well. So I'm assigning you on a mission so confidential that not even my son must know about it."

"Sir?"

"Your mission is to keep a close eye on Itachi and find out his whereabouts. I have requested to the Hokage for him to have a temporary leave of absence for approximately a week so that he may focus on some work here at the station. Of course, this is all just a disguise. We're trying to pinpoint what Itachi is doing, and in order to do that, we need him in the village."

"So that if he tries to escape by claiming he has duties at Anbu, we'll know then it's not the case, correct?"

"Ah. If we catch him lying, we can really push for a full interrogation. We have our suspicions of what's going on right now that we just confirmed from the meeting. We suspect a possible cooperation with another clan. As you know, we cannot allow this. It is of upmost importance to eradicate this problem before it develops into something more serious. If Itachi is planning on deserting the clan, we can easily lure him back with the appropriate course of action. However, I wish to know more details as to what he's doing. So go and keep a close eye on him. Find out what he does at every moment you can. Itachi is good at stealth, so try to be cautious. He'll eventually catch on."

"Understood. I'll get right on it and get back with you as soon as I can truly confirm what it is he's doing."

"Good. In that case you're dismissed."

"Sir!" With one final salute, Shisui rushed out of the office and the building. This was the most exciting mission as of yet, and the first he would have readily volunteered to do. Even without Fugaku's orders. And so he headed off into the business district of town, the busiest section—as he prepared himself for some heavy investigation.

End Chapter

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Author's Notes

1. Ayu: It is a sweet fish. And when I say sweet, I don't mean candy canes. Can be found in bento as sushi
2. Makunouchi-ben: "In between" bento. Eaten during transmissions, hence the reason they're in the fic at that specific slot
3. There are several OCs mentioned in here. But Tekka and Yashiro are not. As well as Inabi.

Well that's the end of that chapter. And it was long since due. The next chapter is 30 percent done but the outline of the events in there are completely finished. Just a lot of rewriting, editing, fine tuning, etc...

And the web of events further tangles. Does anyone in this story know what they're doing? It makes me wonder. Haha.

In the next chapter we have Sasuke up to try his luck. Let's see how it goes. And to everyone wondering, yes, Usagi will return in the next chapter. I guarantee it. She just didn't fit into this one so naturally I didn't force it.

Also, a few people have PMed me in regards to blood typing. I responded to one but decided I would rewrite it here. You can find further research of personality traits on your own but I have a chart compatibility made. There are SEVERAL variations and not all will agree to my typings. But I've based my charts on extensive research I've done for projects. This includes books and field study. I find field studies much more credible than the traditional books. One of the reasons being as there has been a mistake in coupling with compatibility typing. So my information is based on testimonials from several families (many Japanese and other Asians who are more firm on blood typing myths), records of past usage of the typing, second-hand research, and several studies of people. And when I say several, I'm talking in thousands, not just two or three. Based on my research and several ties with some Japanese families, I got this overall census.

Type A: They get along with other As in terms of work but not always relationships since they tend to fight over agendas. They prefer Bs for that since they can be more flexible. They do not like AB types typically since they cannot predict their behaviors. And Os can sometimes be to out of it for them. They prefer clean, neat, organized people like themselves. (They're the type who get anal if you move the remote out of place).
Type B: They can get along with most blood typings for work so long as the job is always seen through the end. Occasionally in relationships, they will pair with A to help with stability but most of the time, they prefer to stick with only Bs and are the rare blood types that do. (They're the type who stay true to their word and insanely loyal most of the time).
Type AB: These guys are tough. Type A and B find it hard to work with them at times because of their multi-personality. They find it very hard to predict their behaviors. ABs don't typically do well with other ABs because they are so shady. They'll spend most of the time being suspicious with another unless the moods match each other fine. Then they can get along. But if one AB is mad when the other is happy and vice-versa, it won't bode well in the relationship. The best they do well with in work and relationships are Os because Os are very flexible with behaviors since they fluctuate themselves. (Most villains tend to be this typing if that helps haha).
Type O: They generally get along with everyone but sometimes, the courtesy is not returned. They remain cheerful nonetheless. As are good to help them balance out the fact that they are so careless and unorganized sometimes but relationships between the two can be strained. Bs tend to stick and trust only Bs but will enjoy the friendship of an O who will cheer them on to help them finish their goals. Type AB tend to be attracted to Os and vice-versa. Both personality traits have a "multi-personality." ABs have 2 personas whereas Os tend to just adapt meaning they are usually carefree but can become serious when the situation calls for it. This is what attracts ABs who need the flexibility. (A lot of blondes get this. Naruto being the rare exception haha)

To put things in perspective...

Usagi is an O and Itachi is an AB. See the compatibility?
Naruto is a B type, and he stays true to his word right? And wants to see the battle through to the end right? Afterall, he still is hell-bent on bringing back Sasuke.
Sakura is also an O like Usagi and she is pretty carefree and easygoing. Though I think she could have also passed on for an A type since she is very booksmart and keen on studying. Plus she's a neat freak but her boy crazy attitude kinda changes that haha.
Sasuke is an AB and his personality is very much like Itachi in many ways. But that could also be the Uchiha line as I see most are AB or A typing. Genetics, but the personality traits are still there.

Remember this is all in fun like horoscopes so don't go breaking up with your BF just because your blood typings don't conform to 'standards'. I wouldn't break up with a guy because he was a bull-headed Taurus so why do it if he was an anal A-type? It's all in good fun. And interesting to study. So hope you enjoyed the little lesson. And like I said, other people will likely have their own versions. That's just how studies go. Theories can vary, like the Hierarchical Complexity theory.

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Preview of the Next Chapter (subject to editing)

He disregarded following Usagi after Shisui intervened. She disappeared by then anyway. And so he walked to the training field, where he was scheduled to meet Sasuke, and waited patiently. Maybe it was still just training, more work in the eyes of anyone else. But being with his brother was much like his other two close friends—a distraction, an alleviation from the stress of work. And seeing his brother progress, knowing he helped out somewhat in his growth brought on a deep male pride within him. They may be rivals in the future, rivals even now, and someday Sasuke may grow competitive enough to actually feel resentment for him; but today, and each day after until that moment came, they were simply brothers.

When he saw a familiar set of spiky dark hair walking up towards him, he began to wave until he noticed Sasuke wasn't paying attention at all. There went that sinking feeling again.

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Thanks to all readers who are still keeping up with this. It's inspiration to any writer. And all your reviews are greatly appreciated. I do take the time to read all reviews and PMs. They really help me get my creative juices flowing. I might forget some of you so I will thank all of you as one.

And once again,

Review if you like

~Icehaze