A/n: First of all… MERRY CHRISTMAS! Second, I'm only armed with grade 11 physics, so the debate that Itachi and Ed have isn't the greatest, but it's the most academic thing I could think of, so please bear with me!
Chapter 3- The Grass is Always Greener
It was a nice apartment, a beautiful apartment even. The windows were large and clean, allowing the afternoon sunlight to completely bathe the room. Dark curtains fluttered at each side of the ornate windows, ready to be pulled closed and plunge the room into darkness. The furniture -though not expensive- looked comfortable enough, and littered the room in a pleasant and airy manner. For a living room it was quite large, but then again, the kitchen was connected to it as well. The room was a nice country green, with only four doors to disrupt the calming flow.
Standing at the doorway looking in, Edward couldn't help but be impressed. If it wasn't for what Uchiha had just told him, Edward would have loved it.
As it was, now all Edward could do was scowl. So the old man didn't trust him after all! Yeah, yeah, the Hokage could say all he wanted about Edward's new rank, but this apartment was proof of the old man's suspicions. It had some sort of array on it, preventing him from going outside once he was inside. At 9am, his 'escort' would come and deactivated the array, and reactivated when Edward went back 6pm. It was like Edward had a curfew. What was he, a kid?
Well… okay, yeah in this universe he was a kid, and he hadn't really bothered to correct them. After all, it was rather hard to believe that someone had crossed dimensions and was stuck in an 11 year old body when they were actually 16 just because they tried to bring back the dead. Oh and of course, this dimension traveller didn't mean any harm. Yeah… that would fly over real well. But still, did the person who guarded him have to be a kid?
"Glaring at me will not help," Uchiha said in a monotone, "I was ordered to guard you, and I will not defy orders. Surely you know, that it is not age that determines capability?"
Right, of course he did. It would make Edward seem like an idiot to argue otherwise. He himself had faced a lot of discrimination when he had first entered the military, since none of the older soldiers wanted to acknowledge a twelve year old as their superior. Not that he had cared, but still, he supposed Uchiha didn't have that all consuming reason that Edward did that allowed him to disregard dignity. Still…
"It's not capability I'm worried about," Edward muttered, crossing his arms. So he wasn't quite over the whole 'put Edward to sleep' thing. Yeah, okay, he understood Uchiha's reasons for knocking him out, but that didn't mean he'd have to like it. Worse, he felt like he'd been played.
"If you are referring to the genjutsu I put on you while you were trying to heal me, I apologize. However, it was needed."
Edward scowled, "Yeah I know it was needed, it was your duty right? But still, if you could do that with eye contact, why didn't you do it earlier? Why'd you have to wait until I made the decision to heal you? That's sick, playing with minds."
Whoops, he hadn't really meant to say all that… or maybe he had. Edward was sick of telling lies, sick of dancing around issues. He liked straightforwardness; and what better way to get a straightforward answer with straightforward questions?
For a long moment, Uchiha was silent. Then— "I did not mean to. Again, I apologize."
Sheesh, did this guy ever get mad? Thinking back to the fight, Edward couldn't really remember a time when the guy had lost his cool, either. Uchiha had been cool and condescending, but had never flown into a rage. It made Edward want to clock the guy. Uchiha reminded him too much a certain Colonel…
Edward clenched his fists, squeezing his eyes shut. No, no, no! He would not think about them. He had consciously made the decision to abandon that world in able to give Al the chance at life that Edward stole, so he could not think about that world.
But… but… with this new alkehestry, couldn't he afford to? The possibilities seemed endless with the type of power these 'ninja' displayed, and Edward's alchemy worked too. It was entirely possible that Edward could find a way home, a way to Al, to the Colonel, to Winry. He could picture their faces so clearly, so vividly. It was like he was never away at all.
"Are you alright?" The concerned voice floated into Edward's consciousness, startling him. Opening his eyes, Edward looked to Uchiha, who actually looked a little worried. "You have not been responding to me."
Really?
Edward frowned, lifting a hand to his head in concern. It was not like him, especially with his military ingrained instincts to never stop observing. In alchemy after all, observation was what eventually saved your life, and Edward was not a State Alchemist for nothing.
Thinking about it now, there were times during the dungeon episode where he blanked out a lot, but was able to cover it up easily enough. But before that, he never daydreamed; or at least, not to the point where he ignored all else. It was odd.
Seeing that Edward was fine, Uchiha seemed to straighten himself. "As a new jounin, even a special one, you must be at attention at all times. Please refrain from daydreaming."
Edward narrowed his eyes, feeling a little bubble of anger well up inside him. Did the Uchiha think he was an idiot or something? What was with that tone? Well, Edward could match him. "Perhaps it was side effects from your little 'genjutsu' thing."
The Uchiha immediately stiffened. Red eyes narrowed, and Uchiha's tone turned icy. "Then perhaps we make a visit to the hospital to make sure you are not suffering from permanent damage."
Edward let out a tight smile of victory. He had gotten the damn Uchiha to react after all. Even if it couldn't be considered much, he would count it as a milestone for Uchiha. Well, maybe that was enough teasing for today. Edward took one last look at his apartment, then turned towards the stairs, "There's no need for the hospital. I'm sure it'll pass. If this genjutsu thing is widely used, I'm sure people get over the effects quickly. I would like to visit the library right now. May we?"
"You know…" The Uchiha stated, gliding past him, "No one has had an adverse reaction to a genjutsu before…"
Edward froze. What? His mind raced. Did regular people not suffer any side effects after the so called 'genjutsus' were cast? What did that mean for him? Was he just special because he was from another dimension or… was this a side effect from the gate?
"Edward-san," Uchiha's blank face didn't change one bit, but Edward could tell that the red eyed brat was smirking underneath, "Did you not want to visit the library? Perhaps we can research your unique condition there."
Edward gritted his teeth, understanding Uchiha's message. So the red eyed ninja was suspicious of him. With a stiff nod, Edward followed the Uchiha down the stairs, and past the various buildings to the Great Library.
The sight of it stopped his breath.
It was amazing, just as amazing as the State Library, in its own way. Though it didn't have shining pillars and polished marble, this library had its own charm, which fit with Konoha almost perfectly. Each part was hand carved with beautiful designs and dancing figures, which Edward knew would take at least a year to fully appreciate. Vines grew around the wooden pillars, giving the library the classical look that it came right from nature itself. A faint, musty scent filled the air: the scent of history, and knowledge. Edward fell in love with it right there.
Hardly paying any mind to his guard, Edward drifted in, running his hands along the smooth wooden walls. Golden eyes scanned the various titles, all of which sounded breathlessly interesting. Ninjutsu, Genjutsus, Taijutsus, Seals, Summons, History, Lightning Country, The Basics of Ninja…
He pressed a finger against the spine of the book, flipping it out and scanning the contents. Using jutsus here turned out to be almost exactly the same as using alkehestry in the old world. One simply had to combine the spiritual aspect (which in this world, was not the earth but the mind) with the physical and vola, something happened! In its own way, equivalent exchange still occurred, except instead of using life itself, they seemed to be using temporary energy. It was… brilliant to say in the least.
Well it was brilliant, until Edward got to the parts that described the duties of a ninja. Nearly slamming the book shut when he finished, Edward quickly thrust the bundle of paper back into its place, as if it were too dirty to be touched for too long.
"Is something the matter?"
Edward nearly jumped, having forgotten Uchiha was there. Whipping around, Edward cast a sheepish look at his companion. Uchiha was sitting languidly at a table not too far from Edward's position, reading another book. He hadn't looked up from his book, but the blond could somehow still tell Uchiha could see every move that Edward made. Carefully scrutinizing the 11 year old boy, Edward wondered that if Uchiha too, had been forced to kill.
Uchiha finally looked up from his book, seemingly unable to back down from a challenge.
"Do you really-" Edward began, than shook his head, "No, that's a stupid question. Have you ever killed?"
It came out hesitant, unsure, and not like him at all. It was hesitant, unsure, and a topic Edward wasn't sure if he should have breached. But, he was going to be working with these people, so he had to know. Still, Uchiha was perfectly within his rights to deck him, and just this once, Edward wouldn't retaliate. The actual response wasn't nearly as expressive as Edward thought it would be.
"Yes."
Edward blinked; that was it? Just a monotone 'yes'? Not Mustang's small, ashamed yet defiant 'yes', nor Kimbley's slight insane, gleeful 'yes'? Just a 'yes' that was said without emotion, without thought? Edward clenched his fists; he thought he preferred Kimbley's 'yes' over this.
"So I see," Uchiha muttered, glancing at Edward with an almost apologetic look in his demonic red eyes, "I take it that despite your new promotion and adequate fighting skills, you are still very much a civilian in that mindset. You cannot condone killing? Perhaps you should ask the Hokage to reconsider your new status."
"Cannot condone killing?" Edward gritted out, "Is killing something that should be condoned? Yes, I agree, that some people, meaning a very select few, need to be eliminated in able for the world to gain some semblance of peace, but where does that line end? It seems to me that ninja kill every single person that they have a problem with!"
"We do not!" Uchiha snapped, his blood red eyes ablaze like fire. "Violence does not solve everything in the ninja world! Do you think people aren't trying for peace? What ninja do aren't that different from regular villagers, we just kill in a more complex way! It's not like we like violence either."
"What a funny thing to say for an organization that depends on assassinations," Edward sneered.
Uchiha opened his mouth, a fierce and slightly frightening look in his eyes. Suddenly, he seemed to deflate, going back to his standoffish, cold self. "That is why it is hard to change this village, this whole ninja system. We are trying to, but until we do it is unrealistic to expect us to suddenly stop killing."
Edward snorted, turning away. Talk about a kid trying to play the adult. Grumpily, he glared back at the bookshelves. He knew that of course, knew that it would be unlikely for the ninja to suddenly stop killing just because Edward Elric showed up. Still… that didn't mean he had to like it.
"But I would not worry about it," Uchiha continued, "You are a research jounin, and therefore not liable to being assigned to assassinations…"
But Edward's attention was far from Uchiha at the moment, catching onto something that he would have smacked himself for not seeing before.
Time/Space techniques.
Edward drifted towards that shelf, heart bubbling with excitement, hope, anxiety. Was it possible…? Completely forgetting about the world around him once again, Edward entered the realm of knowledge.
Hungrily, Edward drank in the books, feeling something he hadn't felt since that fateful night, the night that he had spent the past five years trying to correct. It was a bubbling excitement, a willingness and yearning to learn- to fix and create something deemed impossible. If he could master this time/space jutsu thing, there was a chance to go back to his world…
The Uchiha suddenly didn't matter anymore, erased from Edward's perception. The killing hardly mattered at all. After all, it was in a foreign country, wasn't it? All Edward cared about now, was learning everything about the time/space techniques, and finally getting home. Home. He hadn't dared think that word, but now… now it was looking like a real possibility.
"Edward, Itachi," The Hokage greeted politely, smiling his benign old smile.
They bowed, as were their wont, their voices low and humble, "Hokage-sama."
Inwardly, Itachi felt a flicker of surprise, though he knew he really shouldn't. So Edward knew how to greet people after all. Itachi would have thought that the blond didn't know anything about customs, much less be expected to follow them, but here he was, being proven wrong. Perhaps those books Edward had been reading had been helpful after all.
"How has it been going?" The Hokage asked graciously, flapping a hand so that the door swung closed behind them. Itachi wondered at this, since there was still someone obviously in the room with them, but whatever was the Hokage's will he supposed, he would have to consent. "Edward, you are adjusting well I hope?
Edward nodded, an excited glint in his eyes, "Your library has very interesting material."
The Hokage laughed, a soft, wheezing sound. Shaking his head slightly, he turned to face Itachi, "And Itachi, no problems?"
"None," Itachi murmured, inclining his head.
And truly, there were no problems: at least, no surface ones. Edward had been fairly compliant these past two weeks, not causing any problems whatsoever. And that was what had Itachi on edge.
It seemed that the blond was being entirely too compliant, if that could be a fault. After that almost argument the blond had with Itachi on the first day, Edward had never again disputed with the Uchiha. No… it was more than that. It was as if the blond didn't want to talk with Itachi. Or anyone else, for that matter.
It was disturbing to say in the least. Itachi had peeked at Edward's books, but they all seemed to be basic ninja knowledge that anyone could get their hands on. It wasn't anything special, nothing to give away any fact that Edward might be a spy.
Though… even he had to admit that the rate at which Edward read was rather impressive. The blond had gone through an entire shelf within a week. If Itachi weren't so suspicious of the Hokage's reasons for accepting the blond, he would have commended the Sandaime for picking out such an excellent researcher.
The Hokage coughed, gaining back his wandering attention.
"Now as you may know," The old man stated sadly, "I unfortunately cannot call people here simply for health checks. Edward, I am glad you are adjusting well because it has been decided that you have stayed here long enough to start to serve. Therefore, I have a mission for you."
"A mission?" For a moment, Edward looked annoyed, but he quickly shook his head as if to clear that thought. Good. Even the idiot blond wasn't stupid enough to refuse a mission from his sponsor. "Right then, what am I to do?"
The Hokage pulled out a drawer in his desk, and collected a stack of paper. Putting the sheets in front of him, he looked at the two of them seriously, "Grass Country is one of Fire Country's greatest allies, and as such, they have decided to hold an event in which we can share in our good will towards each other. We are to send two of our academy students to them, and they will send two students to us, so that we can learn a bit about each other. Much like the Chuunin Exams, if you please."
Itachi's eyes never left the papers, "But the Chuunin Exams have a much deeper meaning."
The Hokage nodded, steeping his fingers together, "Ah, so you have figured it out, as I had thought you would. Yes, this little event is more than just an exchange of good will. Much like the Chuunin Exams, I expect Grass will send their best academy students, so that they will seem much more competition than Konoha."
"What does this have to do with us?" Edward blurted out. Seeing their two stares, he blushed, "I mean, we're both technically jounin right? It wouldn't be fair if Itachi and I participated."
"That is true," Itachi said slowly, "We could put our skills to better use."
The Sandaime's eyes glittered, "My, my, what sharp little ninja you are. I hadn't even asked the question yet, and you have guessed. But my friends, you should know that there is always more than meets the eye. This mission is more than just an exchange, or even a chance to show off."
Itachi cocked his head, interested in spite of himself.
The Sandaime spread out the papers, looking at them intently, "Recently, there have been a number of killings within the Grass Palace. Individually, they all look like bad luck, or maybe even one bad offense to a suicidal ninja, but when you put them together…"
Itachi stared down at the piece of paper, looking confusedly at the list of names. Their names he remembered, but they didn't relate to each other in any way. Their causes of death were common enough, happening about once every- and suddenly, it became clear to him, "Their deaths are all…!"
The Hokage nodded, "Yes, the causes of their deaths are perhaps, too inconspicuous to be ignored. You hear about these 'natural causes of death' happening all the time, so it's not such a big deal. However, when they all start happening to nobles around the same time…"
"But for what purpose are they being killed?" Itachi murmured, not really understanding. As far as he knew, none of these nobles were related in anyways, and this method of killing was far too tedious for a simple fanatic.
"That's what you are hired to investigate," The Hokage stated, shuffling the papers away. "A worried noble of the Grass Palace has figured this out too, and has hired us investigate Grass. Of course, he could not hire any of the Grass ninjas, because he did not know who to trust. He is a very old friend of mine, so I agreed with him for this favour. Plus, I would like to know the political situation in Grass myself, since I feel like something is being kept from us."
"And this 'event' is the perfect chance for us to have an actual reason to be there," Itachi muttered.
"Yes, and since you two are the only ones who have the skill of a jounin, but can pass for eager students, it must be you two who do it."
Itachi didn't like arguing with the Hokage, but there was one, big, gaping flaw in the Sandaime's plan. "But they know I am a chuunin."
The Hokage shook his head, "And they probably know that Edward is a special jounin. What they don't know however, is that you're ANBU, Itachi. No matter what they say, it is human nature to underestimate children. They will think you passed the exams because of your bloodline limit -I apologize- and even so, chuunin is not a large threat. As for Edward, well he is a research jounin, hardly something that strikes fear in people's hearts. You two will be overlooked."
"Funny that," Edward let out a wry grin, "You're giving me a mission on spying."
"I mean nothing by it," The Hokage apologized, "It simply is that there is nobody else who could possibly do it."
The Hokage meant more than nothing. If the Sandaime was so easily assigning a mission out of town for the newcomer…
Edward bent his waist ever so slightly, a gesture of respect, "Thank you."
So he understood, too. It was of course, a very kind gesture from the Sandaime, and it wasn't as if Itachi thought Edward was a serious threat, but, was it really the right course of action for a Hokage to take?
The Sandaime's eyes glittered, as if he knew what Itachi was thinking. The old ninja cocked his head sideways, gesturing to the shadows, "Of course, as 'children', you will have an escort."
Itachi's eyes roved over to the hidden figure, the ANBU level ninja whom he had sensed earlier. Edward stiffened beside him, casting a wary glance at the back of the room. Ah, so the blond hadn't sensed it then. Not that Itachi had expected him to, of course. After all, this was an ANBU, and there were very few people in the world that could sense chakra.
Itachi had only noticed the ANBU because he knew their habits, and of course, his long honed skills. The only reason Itachi had even felt it when Edward had first landed in Konoha was because the disturbance was so large, and no doubt anyone even the tiniest bit sensitive to chakra would have felt it. That is to say, genjutsu users such as himself, and medical ninja.
"Hare shall be going with you," The Hokage explained gently as the ANBU came out of the shadows, a rabbit-like mask on her face, "As a chaperone of sorts. Don't worry, it is expected. It is also expected that she will be ANBU, and most likely Grass will send one of their most powerful ninja as well. However, she will be closely watched, which is the reason I will need you two."
Hare nodded, and put up a hand to her mask to remove it, "For this mission though, I will not be known as Hare, I will be known as…"
"Hikari Sarutobi," Itachi murmured.
All eyes turned to him.
Itachi pretended he didn't notice, and continued staring at the unscarred face of the Hokage's daughter. The rabbit mask dangled from her hands, leering at Itachi with mockery on its face. All this time, the animal face had hidden the truth, had concealed it from Itachi.
Hikari laughed uncomfortably, "Yes, that is my name, and I'm afraid you'll have to use it for the remainder of this trip. Please remember though, elsewhere I'm just Hare."
How could he? How could the Hokage use his own daughter as ANBU, when it was ANBU who had the lowest life expectancies? Yes, he had to be a good leader, and Hare was one of the best, but still…! She had a baby, a little kid named Konohamaru. She shouldn't have been in the assassin corps, yet… But, it wasn't his place.
Clenching the fists hidden within his sleeves, Itachi carefully kept his face blank. "Very well."
Edward dipped his head in assent, no apparent disapproval on his face. Itachi was surprised, until he remembered the golden haired boy didn't know about the dangers of being ANBU. To Edward, ANBU was just some sort of guard weren't they? Especially since they weren't supposed to be recorded in any books…
"Excellent," The Hokage nodded, "You will depart tomorrow, if that's not too soon. Here are the mission details Itachi; please remember to file a good report. Ah and Itachi, if you deem whatever non-threatening to us, you may take care of it. Also, I would like Edward to stay. Itachi, you may have the rest of the day to say goodbye to your family."
Recognizing the dismissal, Itachi bowed and quickly left. As he jumped out of the Hokage tower, he wondered why the Hokage had asked Edward to stay behind. Was it to warn the blond not to do anything that'd incriminate Konoha? Somehow, Itachi doubted that.
Taking to the roofs, Itachi decided to review the mission. He was not an ANBU at eleven for no reason after all. Itachi was nothing if not thorough. He quickly scanned the contents, using his Sharingan to make sure he didn't forget them. Everything was as the old man had said; they were hired by a Grass nin to investigate the killings, and were on Fire Country's espionage mission as a side note.
The excitement of foreign missions had long faded from Itachi, though he had never really had the excitement that all his classmates had seemed to display. The war had seen to that.
Awakened Sharingan at age four; some had called him a genius, but it was all due to the pressures of war. And personally, Itachi wished he had never awakened the damn thing. Now the images constantly plagued his mind; cursed to never be forgotten due to his bloodline. He would trade the thousand jutsus he had learned, for only one night's peaceful sleep.
No… no he wouldn't. He needed that power, as he needed the memories, so that he could make sure that they didn't repeat the same mistake.
Itachi fluttered gently down from the rooftops, landing gracefully on one foot in front of his household. That's right; he needed peace. Peace for a special someone.
The door swung open, revealing a small, dimpled child with messy raven hair. His large eyes brightened immediately when he saw Itachi, his face flushing from pleasure. A wide smile spread across the boy's face, revealing two missing front teeth. "Tachi!"
Inwardly groaning at his butchered name, Itachi gently pushed past the child, stepping into the Uchiha Chief household.
"Ni-san! Ni-san! Help me train!" Sasuke begged, catching onto Itachi's robe as the older boy walked passed. "Ya promised! Ya promised!"
"What promise?" Itachi questioned, crossing his arms as he turned around to face his best little brother.
Sasuke hesitated, looking guilty. "Um… when you were talk'n with Shishui, and I asked if you coul' train me…"
Seeing Itachi's thinning lips, Sasuke quickly jumped to his own defence. Literally. Itachi's lips twitched; his brother gave a whole new meaning to 'hopping mad'.
"It doesn't matter!" Sasuke insisted, looking desperate, "You always say you'll train me, but you never do! I heard that you gots a day off today, so can't you just train me for once? Please? Please?"
For a moment, Itachi hesitated, but reason won out in the end. He couldn't spend time with his brother- couldn't. Raising his two fingers in a familiar way, Itachi poked his brother with a sad smile, "Maybe next time."
Not giving Sasuke a chance to reply, Itachi turned on his heel and walked quickly towards his room. He couldn't stay; he couldn't. If he stayed, he might not be able to resist Sasuke's pleas, and might actually teach Sasuke something. That couldn't happen.
He would taint him; taint the thing that he treasured most. Itachi was only eleven, yet he had killed more than people than he could count on two hands. He had heard what other people called him; whispered behind his back. Under the praises of 'genius', were 'demon child' and 'monster'; for how could a simple child kill so many? Special Assassination and Tactical Squad- well that was just short for murder, wasn't it?
He couldn't let Sasuke experience that.
That's why he was sacrificing his childhood, so Sasuke wouldn't have to. He couldn't be the one that was immature, that could take time to play with their siblings. He needed to be the one that ensured that others could. Therefore, he needed to be the best. That was why every single moment he could spare, Itachi would train. Silently apologizing to his brother, Itachi opened the door to his room and stepped inside. Picking up the scrolls laying neatly on his desk, Itachi sat down and started studying them.
Edward stepped inside the carriage, giving a slight snort as he took in the rich, velvet hangings, and smooth, leather chairs. The representatives from Grass had insisted that they ride on these carriages on the way to their country, and now Edward could finally see why. Show-offs, he thought savagely, taking a seat on the far end of the coach. But then again, it wasn't as if he minded. After all, he had gotten used to luxury, and this certainly beat camping in the woods at night.
Uchiha and Miss Sarutobi slid in gracefully after him, taking a seat beside and across from him respectively. They looked just as thrilled as he did about this development; maybe even less. With all three 'important ninja' inside the coach, the door to the carriage slammed shut, and the vehicle started off on its raggedy ride. Uchiha leaned his head back, looking like he was trying to fall asleep, and Edward decided to take a note from the Uchiha's book.
He was just about to dig out his book and lose his world to reading, when a kindly voice interrupted him.
"So how do you think of Konoha?" Miss Sarutobi asked with a smile, leaning in as if she were truly interested in the answer.
Edward hesitated.
Truthfully, he didn't want to make small talk; which he thought was meaningless and boring. But… but this was a girl, and he could never refuse girls. Still, he didn't want to participate in this. Biting his lip, Edward slowly dug out his book, "It's very nice."
The conversation should have ended right there. In fact, it did. With Edward's short answer, and the act of taking out a book, Miss Sarutobi immediately stopped any attempts at conversation. But… but as she sat there, with a melancholy face, Edward started to feel bad about what he did. She was just trying to be nice, right? Did he have to shut her down so harshly?
Knowing he was going to regret doing this, Edward opened his mouth again, "So, what do you think of Konoha?"
Okay, lame, but he had never said he was good at starting small talk. With alchemic partners, it was all technical mumble-jumble, which he liked and understood. With military personnel, it was straightforward and to the point, 'cause the military didn't believe in wasting time. And with Al and Winry… well, talk never seemed small with them. Not when they were so important.
A small smile spread across Miss Sarutobi's face, "It's my home. Everyday, going to the groceries, watching the old couple who bicker about nothing, seeing little kids running around naked pretending to be ninja… Do you feel it Edward, the warm of the atmosphere, the radiating kindness?"
Edward shifted, uncomfortable with this sudden turn of conversation, "No."
"It's fine," She said softly, "You'll feel it soon, and then you'll understand how nice it is just to be in that place. You're new, but I know you'll fit right on in with all the people who do the kindest things, but all in the shadows. That is the way of ninja."
Something about what she said, spooked Edward out. The picture she painted, was so realistic it almost made Edward's heart hurt, and made him want to stay in Konoha…. Edward shook his head harshly. No! He couldn't, he had to get back to Amestris!
"Oh!" As if realizing what she had just said, Miss Sarutobi's eyes widened, and she jerked back apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get into a rant about Konoha."
"It's fine," Edward grunted, and then, realizing he was being rude, cleared his throat, "I mean, it's obvious you love Konoha. That's nice to hear."
Once again, that reminiscent smile spread across the woman's face, "Yes, it is lovely. But that must be a bore to you. After all, young men these days are always wanting excitement, it's us old people that want of home."
"You're not old!" Edward protested, "You can't be over 30!"
Miss Sarutobi blinked at him, and then laughed, "Ha, you're not a bad judge of age, and I'm glad I don't look old to some people, but I'm afraid being in my profession and having a child has given me numerous grey hairs."
"You have a kid?" Edward spluttered in surprise.
Mrs. Sarutobi threw an amused look at Edward, "Why yes, his name is Konohamaru. He's my pride and joy."
A mother then…
Edward felt his heart soften even more, if that was possible. Mothers were nice, kindly creatures, and didn't deserve to be treated ill.
Mrs. Sarutobi chuckled, "Ha, what's with that dopey expression Edward? Please don't tell me you think that I'm incapable just because I've been pregnant once."
"It's not that," Edward said softly, twisting and untwisting the cloth of his cloak, "I've seen a mother have a baby before. It was the most amazing thing. How could a mother so easily give life when so many others have tried so futilely before? It's… humbling."
"You…" Mrs. Sarutobi sighed, her voice low, "It's I who should be humbled, then. Constantly, you kids are surprising me with your insights."
Edward gulped, why was he sharing his thoughts so easily? Peeking up at her, he took in her kindly face, her gentle expression, her tender eyes, trying to analyze what had made him talk when he had only ever shared his thoughts with his most trusted companions before. And suddenly, with a feeling of cold, hard dread, he realized. Even though they didn't look anything alike, all her manners, her actions, reminded Edward of Trisha Elric.
Mom…
Edward's throat closed, and he shook his head frantically. No, he knew that Mrs. Sarutobi wasn't his mother, and it was wrong to think of her as that. Plus, they had only known each other for a week. It was wrong and weird. Why in the world did he have a sudden flashback? Was he this homesick?
Mrs. Sarutobi must have picked up on the same vibe, because she quickly started to distract him, "Hey, you know, you remind me a lot of this boy I met on a C-rank mission…"
She started talking, and Edward was all too glad to focus on her words. That way, he wouldn't have to listen to the black thoughts slowly starting to creep up on him. Surprisingly, soon he found that he didn't even have to force himself to listen to her anymore. She was a natural storyteller, and Edward found himself drawn into her stories despite himself. She told of a C-rank mission gone bad, a funny B-rank where they had to escort a drunk princess, an overpaid A-rank, another C-rank where their client was mute, and back to a B-rank again…
Before he knew it, the cart jerked to a stop. Uchiha and Hikari managed to stay in position due to their abilities as ninja. Edward was not so lucky. The blond was flung from his seat, landing facefirst in Hikari's lap. Uchiha's lips twitched.
Spluttering, Edward jumped back up, his face red with embarrassment, "I'm- I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to- it wasn't-"
Hikari's clear, musical laughter rang through the air, "Please, don't worry about it. My son does that all the time, and I feel that it's the cutest thing ever."
If possible, Edward's cheeks turned even brighter. Quickly looking away, the blond flung open the carriage door, "Hey, let's get out of here then."
Nodding to himself, the blond hopped out of the coach, followed by a smirking Hikari and an amused Uchiha. No sooner than they had gotten out of the ride, they came face to face with a thin, beady-eyed Grass nin.
The ninja bowed, "Greetings, I am to be your guide to Grass for today. Please, allow me to show you around."
Nodding, Uchiha gestured for the foreign ninja to lead. But the Grass nin didn't move. Hesitantly, the Grass nin glanced at Hikari. Uchiha's eyebrow twitched, and Edward couldn't suppress his smirk.
Hikari smiled benignly at the Grass ninja, but her eyes were sparkling with an inner amusement, "Thank you for taking care of us. Please lead the way."
The Grass nin nodded, and gestured towards the large building that they had stopped in front of. "This is your hotel for the next three months, one of the best in Grass. Your room numbers are 201 and 202. I am sorry that there are only two, but we did not expect a third member of your party, and this hotel only accepts reservations. However, if you have any problems…"
"Not at all," Hikari cut in, sounding amused to no end, "Edward, Itachi, you boys have no problem with sharing a room, do you?"
"None at all," Uchiha stated in that normal, infuriating monotone of his.
Edward narrowed his eyes; well if Uchiha didn't have a problem, he didn't either. Stubbornly, he shook his head.
"Good, good, and once again I am sorry for the inconvenience. Now, onto the next part of town…" The Grass nin showed them around, rattling off bits of history as he did so. Edward found himself drawn in despite himself; the Grass nin was really good at what he did.
When they got to Grass's main library, Edward couldn't help himself. They'd been traversing the town for a good hour, and though it wasn't as if Edward was tired or anything, now that he saw the library he couldn't help but feel as if he had wasted time. Did knowing the history of some foreign nation help him get home? No! And he needed to get home.
"Hikari-san," Edward said as soon as the group was ready to move to their next destination, "Could I stay here for a while? We've been to the academy, and if there's anything interesting, you can always tell me about it later. Today, I'd really like to…"
"Sure," The kind woman agreed readily, "We'll stay too, and wait for you."
Edward blinked; uh-oh, that wouldn't be good. Hikari had never seen his reading habits and well… "I'm not sure if that's such a great idea. I mean, I'd love for you to stay but…"
"What he means is," Uchiha cut in as if it were an everyday occurrence, "When he starts reading a book everything around him is cut off. He could be here for quite a while, and we should leave and explore the town for ourselves. We can rendezvous at the hotel."
Edward glared. Yes, everything Uchiha said was correct, but the black haired ninja didn't have to put it like that. Now Edward sounded like some sort of incompetent bookworm.
"Oh but," Hikari sounded a little worried, "I am supposed to be your chaperone…"
Edward sighed; damn that Uchiha. Now he couldn't refute what the black haired boy said if Edward wanted Hikari to feel assured. Edward straightened his belt, and nodded towards the older woman confidently, "I can take care of myself, Hikari-san."
"But still, you never know what…" Hikari glanced at the Grass nin, "Um, I don't mean to say that any of your ninja will ambush us, but who knows what might happen to a young foreigner?"
"None taken," The Grass nin said politely, "What your charges say is correct, though. The journey from here to the hotel is not very far, nor dangerous. Even civilian children should be able to make it to your hotel with no problem."
"Well… alright then," Hikari gave an exaggerated sigh, but then threw a wink at Edward the moment the Grass nin's back was turned.
Edward's eyes widened, and he couldn't help gaping at the three's retreating backs. The sly fox! Hikari had purposefully let the Grass nin think she was worried so they'd underestimate Edward and Uchiha's abilities! He didn't know she had it in her.
Making a mental note to never get on Hikari's bad side, Edward turned back towards the endless rows of shelves, and started at the nearest one. Time/Space jutsu… time/space jutsu… ah, there they were! Now, which book hadn't he already read…?
Katsu Kurkawa was a man of many things, and one of his most distinguishing qualities was perhaps, his seemingly endless patience. That was probably the reason why he was the only one who could travel with Mikio, who could pick a fight with a butterfly.
So far, it had been fairly peaceful; they had gotten out, and were now eating at a dumpling stand. There were various customers spread out across the long table, and even a soldier of the army, but somehow Katsu had managed to keep Mikio from picking a fight with any of them. Perhaps they would live this day in peace.
At least, that's what he thought, until the blond kid showed up and order three bowls of dumplings. Richly furnished in black and red, the kid seated himself right beside them, a fierce scowl on his lips. It was a noble then- and an angry one at that. Katsu sighed; Mikio had a thing against nobles, more so than the rest of them.
Sure enough, Katsu's stout companion leaned forwards, a leer on his lips, "Why're you so grumpy kid, couldn't find your mommy?"
The blond instantly turned towards them, his golden eyes narrowing, "Oh no, you don't want to pick a fight with me. The stupid Liberian kicked me out because she thought I needed an adult guardian or something, and I am not in the mood to talk."
Mikio sneered, "Just a regular little arrogant noble then. Don't you ever think that others might actually know something? Think you're the top of the world, you are."
Now that wasn't really fair, though Katsu knew where Mikio's frustration came from. If he looked around, he would immediately see about a few dozen beggars littering the streets, and at least five closed shops because the owners couldn't pay the high rents. The nobles had gotten out of hand in the past ten years- the same amount of time the Daimyo had been in power, actually. Common folk could hardly make a living anymore, and it was only the people who bribed that got any sort of protection.
Still, blaming a random kid -even if the kid needed the lesson- was not the way to go. Katsu reached out a hand, ready to stop Mikio's tirade before it progressed to anything dangerous, when the blond's next words froze him.
"Oh, how mature," The blond rolled his eyes, giving Mikio a hard look. He didn't even turn away when the shopkeeper came and delivered the mouth-watering food. "It's obvious you've got some sort of problem with some type of person, and apparently I fall into that category. But look fatso, yelling at a kid won't solve your problems."
How decisively… mature. Despite the blond's claims that he was short on temper, he still managed to make a diplomatic remark? This wasn't like any other ten year old child Katsu had ever seen, nor like any other noble either. The grey eyed man's curiosity was piqued.
Mikio blinked, "Are you trying to give me advice, kid?"
The boy snorted, spinning in his seat to face his bowls of dumplings as he deftly picked up a pair of chopsticks. "It's against my code to help idiots."
Mikio flushed red, jumping off his seat and raising a fist in anger, "Why you little-!"
"Hey, hey, calm down. It's just a kid," Katsu decided it was finally time to step in. The exchange had been interesting, but anything more, and he was afraid even he couldn't restrain his tempered companion. "He looks like a nobleman's son; you really don't want to harm him, do you?"
Mikio let out a deep breath, but sat back down obediently. Good, it looked his companion was finally starting to learn. They didn't come out to make trouble, after all.
Katsu also went back to eating his dumplings, his long brown hair covering most of his face, but secretly he kept his eyes on the blond haired child. He had a feeling, that the supposed noble-man's son was more than he seemed. He was rewarded for his observations.
"That stupid guy," The blond grumbled between mouthfuls, his words muttered almost too softly to hear. And if Katsu hadn't been paying as much attention as he was, he was sure he wouldn't have heard it. "Ugh, he's as bad as that Uchiha, in his own way. If I were still home they'd never get away with this! They'd come to fear the name of Fullmetal Alchemist! As of now I need to learn the jutsus though…"
Katsu sat back, a thoughtful look on his face. Jutsus? The Fullmetal Alchemist? Uchiha? Just what in the world was this kid? No, it probably wasn't important, but Katsu found himself intrigued nonetheless. This was a nice break from his tiring; this was a nice little mystery that could be quite relaxing.
Well then, what did Katsu know about the things the boy mentioned? He knew ninjas used jutsus, so was this boy a ninja in training? But somehow that didn't quite fit: after all, what noble would allow their son to become an assassin? Unless this boy wasn't the heir, and therefore had more freedom? Perhaps that Uchiha the blond mentioned, was his older brother?
So may questions… and then there was the 'Fullmetal Alchemist', what exactly was that? Just a nickname? That seemed most likely. Lastly, the Uchiha… why did that name sound so familiar…?
Just then, his thoughts were cut off by a loud crash.
The soldier had stood, slamming his hands on the table. Katsu's bowl rattled with the motion, but thankfully Katsu was able to catch it before it crashed to the ground. Beside him, he saw the blond boy do the same. Still, now the soldier had his attention.
"What is the matter, mister?" The shop tender kindly asked, quickly making his way towards the solider, "Is there something else you need?"
"Something else I need?" The solider sneered, leaning in close to the stand owner until the tips of their noses were touching, "How 'bout, I find your food dissatisfactory?"
The stand owner startled, steeping back a step, "But- but sir! You ate… you ate five bowls!"
Mikio growled beside him, but Katsu shook his head in warning. They were not here to make a scene, though… if Katsu had to admit it, even he was feeling a bubble of anger towards the soldier. But, they could not afford to stumble here, not for the good of their nation. So, silently, Katsu watched the scene unfold.
"Are you trying to argue with me? 'Cause you know, I am a soldier of the Daimyo, and he wouldn't take too kindly to a commoner messing with us."
The shop owner's eyes hardened, but then he quickly bowed his head. His voice bitter, he turned to leave, "Of course not, the Daimyo has long abandoned us common folk."
The soldier grinned, putting his foot on one of the stools and leaning forwards mockingly, "Was that treason, old man? But hey, if you let me eat here for free from now on, I might just consider not telling. After all, even if it's bad food, it's still food. Hehe… you'd better make sure your servings for me are the best quality from now o- ow!"
Katsu had enough; forget about restraining Mikio, he'd gladly rip the solider limb from limb. This was the type of person he hated most; the type who took advantage of whatever situation they were in, regardless of the state of their peers. It set his blood boiling. It was people like this that allowed tyrants to live!
But it seemed, that someone got to the soldier before him. The blond boy from earlier wore a smirk, sitting casually on top of his table as he twirled his remaining chopstick between his fingers. The soldier rubbed the side of his cheek, where the other chopstick had skidded past, and glared at the blond, "Apologize."
The blond's grin grew wider, and somehow, Katsu knew there was going to be trouble. "I'm sorry… I meant to hit your eye. I guess my aim still needs working on; but to be fair, I've only been learning for a month and a half."
The soldier growled, kicking his chair away and taking a menacing step towards the blond. Face set in a snarl, the soldier drew his sword, its harsh metal blade glinting dangerously in the sunlight.
Mikio made to stand, obviously wanting to help out the blond, whom he now saw as a friend, or maybe he just wanted part of the action. Katsu stopped him. Mikio gave him a questioning look, but sat down anyways, far too trusting of Katsu's motives.
The truth was, Katsu had seen something very interesting, something he had missed before, and now he wanted to see how this scene would play out. Really, he should have gotten the hint when the blond mentioned Uchiha, -for how could Katsu forget about that prestigious clan- but to be fair, Katsu would have never in a million years suspected…
Grinning, the blond hopped off the table, his cloak twirling past his shoulder, revealing the swirly crest of Konoha on his belt. Immediately, the boy set himself into a fighting stance, "Now, I've met the master of swords, and I admit, I could hardly land a scratch on him. Question is, are you nearly as good?"
Roaring, the soldier charged, swinging his sword wildly in the air. Customers shrieked, and dove out of the way, clearing the shop. Only Katsu and Mikio stayed, one observing the scene with a curious eye, and the other waiting for permission to join in the melee.
With a fierce grin, the blond jumped, too quickly for the soldier to follow. Flipping through the air, the little boy landed in a crouch behind the now off-balance solider, sweeping his leg out as soon as he touched ground. The soldier didn't stand a chance. Literally.
Katsu imagined he would have thought this were funny if the scene weren't so prudent to his nation. A little kid was beating up a war veteran, so to speak, but then again, the kid had an advantage the idiot soldier still had not noticed. But then, Katsu supposed, the solider wasn't exactly forcing the kid to reveal his secret.
"Why are you helping him?" The soldier asked weakly, staring up at the eleven year old child standing over him, one foot at the base of his throat, "He's just some stand owner."
"Helping who?" The blond raised a brow, and gestured towards five overturned bowls at the foot of his table, "I'm simply taking revenge for you ruining my food. You slapped the table so hard that it fell. Now, pay me back."
Groaning, the soldier dug around in his pockets, pulling out the appropriate amount of money. Shakily, he handed the money towards the blond, and with a nod of satisfaction, the kid let up his foot. Flushing with fear and humiliation, the soldier scrambled up, and quickly scurried away.
The blond didn't even look at him. He examined the money, then making a face, threw the coins on the counter, "Actually I don't even want the money; it feels too dirty. He was a horrible swordsman after all- gives a bad name to people like Lin. Here's a tip, old man. Your food was good."
The blond turned to leave, but he hadn't taken three steps, when Katsu caught up with him. Immediately, the blond stiffened, casting a wary glance at the brunette, "Do you want to fight, too?"
Mikio grinned, showing all teeth, "Yea."
"No." Katsu said at the same time, then seeing the blond's look of confusion, sighed. "No, but I want to know something. Obviously, you were trying to help the old man, so why did you pretend otherwise?"
"What do you mean by that?" The blond asked suspiciously, continuing his walk away from the dumpling stand. "Don't go assuming things; I seriously was pissed off at that guy for destroying my lunch."
Katsu followed the blond step by step, "Please do not try to fool me. I saw you catch your bowl, and I know you only ordered three, not five. You were obviously trying to get the solider to pay back the stand owner. So, why hide it?"
The blond growled, stopping midstep and whirling around to face the brunette, "Why does it matter to you?"
"Because," Katsu said thoughtfully, clasping his hands behind his back in a scholarly manner, "I have a feeling it's because you don't want the soldier to blame the shop keeper. You were already thinking of what would happen if next time you weren't there, and the soldier came back. Pretty impressive, for a ten year old."
"I'm si- I'm eleven! Don't belittle me!"
"I mean nothing of the sort," Katsu compromised, "I simply mean, it seems like you're a kind person, but your actions right now aren't going to have any long lasting effects. Do you know right now, most of the population of Grass is suffering like that old man at the dumpling stand? Soldiers of Grass often abuse their powers, nobleman even more so. Regular Grass citizens hardly have enough to eat, and they only get poorer. I have a feeling you don't like seeing that."
The blond shifted uncomfortably, and Katsu knew he had hit the mark. This boy, despite still being a child, knew all about the suffering under a tyrant. It was part of being ninja after all, to see suffering and to do nothing about it, but Katsu somehow felt that this boy was different. He was banking on it.
"If it's that bad," The blond grumbled, crossing his arms and turning away. "Then why not just start a rebellion?"
Katsu felt his lips stretched into a wide grin. My, my, the boy and he thought so similarly it was almost scary, "Why Mr. Ninja, we already have."