Author's Note: This chapter is a bit shorter, I apologize. I got really sick this last week after getting home from a weekend with my family, and then I spent the rest of the week playing catch up with my school work and dealing with that fun friend drama. This combined with the fact that I just have been... Maybe... Working on another story on the side.. Probably caused the shortness of this chapter along with this delay.

Either way, I wanted to get this chapter out because:

Holy shit we are literally like three people away from 200 followers and we breached over a hundred favorites. Not only that there are now close to 30 reviews! I love seeing comments on my work, whether it's how you liked the chapter, or guesses for what's to come, or even critiques. You all are wonderful, and I hope to continue to hear from you.

Either way, shits finally starting to pick up, next chapter or the one after that should be the end of this arc. Bet you guys can guess what's going to signal that one.

Ps would anyone minded if I started naming individual chapters? Eventually if I even revize the fic as a whole I'll be combining some chapters for better pacing but until then...

Hopefully my update schedule will get better, and I'll be able to focus more now that I'm not sick. Friend drama is still looming around but I'll try not to let it deter me from this. And I'll try not to let writing other stories stop me from writing this one. Especially other Naruto stories, because apparently I have no shame and its so much easier to make things in your head instead of write them down.

But I digress. It's almost 2 AM and I have class in a few hours, time to post this.

I hope we continue to enjoy this adventure together!

The war for the most part seemed to be over. There was still fighting but things were different, people were coming back home more than they were leaving for the first time in what felt like forever. Ninja were staying home for longer periods, and rumors circulated that the Hokage was going to pick a successor soon.

Despite all this however, the war was not completely over. People still had to go out and fight, and until the treaties necessary were signed that would just be the way things were. And so, despite the break that they got, Dad, Kaka-nii, and Rin-nee were all to be dragged out to the battlefield yet again.

I stood at the door to the living room in my pajamas, watching as the three of them got ready to leave.

This time I would say something.

I had to.

I had flashes of horror and death all night. Rin-nee was supposed to die soon, just like Obi-nii did. I didn't do anything last time to stop it, I was terrified and didn't understand what was going on.

I still didn't understand.

But there was this level of certainty in me that said I had to at least try to do something, anything. And in this case that meant doing exactly what I should've last time: actually speak up about what I had seen.

I swallowed my nerves and wandered over to Rin-nee as she finished packing up a pouch full of kunai. She smiles as I approached.

"Come to say goodbye Kami-chan?" She asked sweetly, and I felt my stomach twist a bit.

"Yes." I said bluntly before frowning and lowering my voice, "Hey Rin-nee… Can you do me a favor?"

Rin-nee blinked before leaning foreword,

"What is it?" She softly asked and I took a deep breath for courage.

"Stick right next to Kaka-nii while you're gone."

Rin-nee paused and raises an eyebrow,

"Why do you want me to do that Kami-chan?"

"I had a bad dream."

"Oh? And it had me in it?"

I nodded

"Some mean ninja. I think mist? They have squiggles on their headbands hitai-ate they got you alone and took you away. And then… And then they hurt you! And- And before you could get away you…." I trailed off, fidgeting with my hands as I remembered the vision.

Rin-nee frowned at me before pulling me into a hug.

"It was just a bad dream Kami-chan," she softly said before pulling away a bit and giving me a reassuring smile, "but I'll make sure to stay extra close to Kakashi, okay?"

I felt the tension in my body drain out at her words.

"Okay.. Yes, thank you Rin-nee."

Rin-nee smiles and gave me another short hug before letting go.

"Good! Now go say goodby to Kakashi-kun and Sensei."

I smiled slightly at her and with much more pep in my step moved towards Kaka-nii. He glanced up at me and after a short silence quietly ruffled my hair, causing me to let out a small disproving noise as I tried to whack his hand away.

"Stop! You're going to mess up my hair." I whined, like it'd make any difference by this point. He smirked slightly under his mask and ruffled it a little harder before pulling away and I shot him a small glare.

"Maybe I won't say goodbye to you now." I said and crossed my arms, still glaring.

Kaka-nii had the audacity to not even blink.

"Well then guess I'm leaving without one."

I rolled my eyes and hugged him.

"Fine, just stay safe you jerk."

I felt his hand pat the top of my head in response and I pulled away, giving him one more pouting glare before moving onto Dad.

"Dad~" I singsonged as I immediately latched onto his legs with a tight hug, "Come back safe and sound, okay?"

Dad looked down at me, smiling softly before lightly detaching me from his leg and picking me up.

"Of course I'll come home safe for you Kami-chan."

I smiled slightly at that, it was probably true. Dad was the toughest person I knew, even if he didn't look like it.

"I know- I still like to hear you say it though"

Dad chuckled and kisses me on my forehead gently.

"I can see your mother's rubbing off on you…" he teased and I heard Mom let out an unserious annoyed noise.

"Watch it Minato or I'll try to rub off on her more." She teased back and Dad got a small grin and fake whispered to me.

"Sounds like a good idea to me, how about you Kami-chan?"

I giggled and Mom rolled her eyes at us, taking me out of Dads arms.

"The two of you will be the death of me, I swear."

"Hopefully not before the baby comes" Dad said lightly, smiling as he kissed Mom and stepped towards the door.

"Oh trust me, I'm more than tough enough to wait that long. Now whether I want to…"

Dad chuckled again and soon after Rin-nee and Kaka-nii joined him at the door. The four of us smiled gently at each other and and this time left out and goodbyes, and they disappeared into the night without a word.

Mom lightly bounced me on her hip as she shut and locked the door. And for some reason a small part of my heart hurt, though I couldn't yet understand why.

.

"Itachi-chan, are you ready for the academy?"

He paused his stretches and looked at me

"Yes." He thought for a moment, "but it's a few months before we go. I think I'm ready though."

I hummed and finished the same stretch, cracking my back as I reached up before laying back onto the floor.

"Im kinda nervous" I stated sheepishly and Itachi raised his eyebrow in my direction

"You know it's just…" I grasped for the right words and instead just smiled slightly at the thought, "we're gonna be ninja."

"We won't be ninja until we finish the academy though." He pointed out, smiling lightly at me.

"Well I know that." I rolled my eyes and looked back over at him, "but still the idea is there. We'll be ninja in training. Proto-ninja."

"Protoninja?" He parroted, looking mildly amused.

I nodded and he thought about it for a moment before giving a small shrug and standing.

"Ready to train?"

I nodded and moved to stand,

"What do you want to do today? Oh, oh, oh- we should do-" Itachi cut me off before I could finish.

"We aren't going to do taijutsu again." Itachi said, looking only half as exacerbated as he sounded, "It's what we've done almost nonstop for the past week"

"But Itachi-chan, taijutsu is fun" I whined and then pouted at him in defiance, "but what was your idea?"

Itachi brightened slightly at the fact I wasn't dead set on some more muscle numbing workouts.

"Lets try to work on ninjutsu. We haven't done that in awhile. Oh," Itachi paused, eyes widening as if he remembered something, "actually I started learning my first genjutsu. How about I try to teach you?"

I went to agree but paused, thinking about the last time someone tried to put their chakra in my body.

The sickening sucking feeling.

I grimaced at the thought of having to feel that again, and even more so at the idea that I might hurt my friend.

"I'm… Not sure if that's a good idea Itachi-chan.." I tried to avoid it, but only after did I realize I just opened myself up for obvious questions that would follow. Crap.

"Why not?" He asked curiously, just like I hadn't hoped. Wasn't looking like I was going to get away with this one.

"There's something that's.. Wrong or something.. With my chakra" I said, trying to simply put it, "it's like by body just um.. Sucks all the chakra up that's put into it and it doesn't work… And the doctor said to be careful because they don't know if it's dangerous or not."

Itachi stares for a moment, a bit wide eyed.

"I didn't know that could happen" He pointed out, sounding somewhere between a bit awed and stunned.

"Neither did they" I said sourly and Itachi looked me up and down for a moment before looking serious

"Can I try my genjutsu on you?" He asked.

I blinked

"Seriously?" I squinted a bit as I asked, because really. That was just plain stupid.

A nod

"Did you not hear what I just said?" I tried to worm my way out of this.

"I heard you just fine Kami-chan." He replied, nonplused by my disbelief.

"But what if it eats your chakra?" I tried again.

"I have more." He simply stated.

"What if you get hurt?" Because, seriously, this was a horrible idea.

"I'll be careful." He brushed the concern off.

"No what if you ACTUALLY get hurt?" I was willing to wine about this, I didn't care if I sounded like a petulant child at the moment, I really didn't want him to get hurt.

"Training accidents happen all the time. Worst case won't be any different." I tried to ease my worries.

"It's not an accident if I seriously hurt you." I fired back weakly. "Itachi-chan-"

"Kami-chan" He interrupted. He had the audacity to even smirk a bit as me forced the bickering into a circle. Damn it.

I glared before groaning and stomping my foot at his amused, smug expression

"Fine! But know this Itachi Uchiha! If you get hurt, I warned you!" I stated as I crossed my arms and watched him, waiting for this to happen. I probably looked like a brat, but I didn't even care, I could barely believe I was getting peer pressured into doing something that could potentially bare some really serious consequences.

Oh well I guess.

"I'll be fine Kaminari Namikaze" he said lightly as he worked through the handsigns, clearly pulling each from his memory with relative ease.

As he finished the last one I admired slightly how fast he had apparently learned something new, then his chakra suddenly it hit me and the sucking feeling started, sharp and hard. Itachi let out a small gasp and immediately released the jutsu, staring wide eyed at me, like he hadn't actually expected a response. I didn't think I had ever said anything to make me seem like a liar, was what I had tried to explain to him really that farfetched? I shuddered at the feeling soon trickled to a stop, distracting me from my thoughts. I rubbed one of my arms nervously.

"Are you okay?" I asked uncertainly, " I told you that you could get hurt"

"How… How are did you that?" Itachi asked in soft wonder, ignoring my question as he moved a bit closer as if the answer would physically appear around me.

"I dunno… I don't think anyone does.." I quietly pointed out as he looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"... I don't think we should try that again.. At least not now" Itachi conceded and looked me over, his face morphing into a concerned frown.

"Are you okay?" He softly asked

"Yeah it just.. Feels weird" I tried to explain.

"What did it feel like?" He asked, sounding a bit unsure on if he actually should or not.

"Like a sucking feeling." I said, trying to sound less freaked out then I was and shrugging a bit.

"So do you still feel it?" Another question.

"The sucking?" I attempted to clarify.

"No, my chakra at all. If it got sucked into you shouldn't you feel it?" Itachi asked, sounding fairly uncertain if it works like that himself.

"I… Hmm.." I paused and thought for a moment, focusing inward.

Nothing except the small feeling that I was still dragging ambient chakra in.

"No. I don't feel it." I said with a small shrug and Itachi's face just grew more curious.

"Huh…" He replied, seeming to accept the answer.

The two of us stood in silence for a moment, and I felt the continued worry in my gut. It was pretty weird wasnt it, it clearly wasn't normal. Just what was wrong with me?

"Kaminari-chan?" Itachi piped up and I snapped out of my thoughts

"Y-yeah?" Crap, I didn't manage to hold back a stutter. I tried to ignore the heat rising to my face at the clear breach in my own mask.

"... Want to do some taijutsu instead?" Itachi lightly offered.

I paused.

It would at least be a alright in the respect that I wasn't going to be forced into having to deal with that again for the day. Itachi clearly felt a bit bad about pressuring me, or he wouldn't of offered to do taijutsu.

The thought was nice and helped sooth some of the worry burning in me.

I let out a small breath and smiled slightly

"Of course, when do I not like working up a sweat." I let myself joke a bit, it felt good to do so.

Itachi brightened a bit at the response.

"At least one of us does" He teased slightly, but there was no bite in it.

I snorted, and the two of us got to work.

.

The news came back later that week that Rin had died on a mission. Mom clutched the letter tight in her hand, trembling slightly as she obviously held back tears.

"Kami-chan," she said, her voice straining around the edges like a taut string, "Rin-chan isn't going to be coming home."

I felt cold.

It hadn't been enough just so say something about it. Apparently I should've done more. Should of, could of, the power of hindsight tugged painfully at my heart. I had all the opportunities, all the chances, I could of saved her. But I didn't do good enough, words weren't enough.

It hurt, deep down in the depth of me it hurt.

Because I'd never see Rin-nee again. None of her bright smiles or afternoons of her reading to me. No more going to the hospital with Kaka-nii just to see her, no more playing with her in the backyard.

She was gone. And it was my fault.

Mom set down the crumpled note and moved to pull me into a tight hug.

Oh I was crying, I hadn't even noticed this time. I wrapped my arms tight around her and tried to draw whatever comfort I could from her.

"Mom," I asked shakily, pain settling into my bones, "how… How did she die?"

I felt Mom pause and swallow before pulling away to look me in the eye, gently moving some hair out of my face.

"It didn't say Kami-chan, 'ttebane. They don't put the hows or whys in the letter…" She gently told me, as if this fact would cause me to break into pieces.

"Oh…" I said softly. I knew how she died, I knew it in my gut. The flashes of moments and time told me how it happened.

I just wanted to make sure.

I needed to know it was my fault that she wasn't coming back.

But until then I tried to find some comfort in Mom.

I tried to ignore the corners of my mind, peeling up at the edges and under them flashes of screams and ugly chakra in them.

.

It didn't shake me as much this time.

The death, the funeral on the offensively bright and sunny day, the tired eyes of my little family and the weeping of the ones who had come to mourn.

This time it just didn't stick like it previously had. I felt the sting of loss deep down, but this time it was so much more clear and simple and it just was. I failed, and I couldn't change that.

But next time, I just had to think for next time.

If anything this had proven it at least. Glimpses into the future, flashes of whatever. It was cold, hard proof that it wasn't just some strange coincidence that I could ignore. I just had to do better.

Actions were worth more than words apparently, and I wouldn't make that mistake twice. So in the aftermath of Rin-nee's death I settled down and focused on getting ready.

As gently as I could, I brushed of the concern Mom and Dad shown for me and the ever so subtle changes in everyone's behavior. Mom and Dad's ever increasing protectiveness, Kaka-nee's slow and steady cracking under the surface. It was so painfully obvious as soon as I looked for it, and I wondered how I could of kept myself from seeing it for so long.

But not anymore.

I would focus on this, I would get stronger, and I would figure out how to stop the things I would see.

And the first step of doing that was actually allowing myself to see those things, to embrace the visions and not shove them into the back of my mind where the would fester.

So I sat cross legged, trying to push to the back of my head where I kept all the little images and scenes locked up tight.

I dug until I hit them.

I dug until I remembered.