This chapter was originally longer, but I added more to the center, then chopped it in half.
And I received a very surprising reaction to the punishment in the last chapter. A few of you said it's completely unbelievable, while others say it was completely believable. In all actuality, that scene had just been tacked on after the story was completed because I had the idea. And also, it explained what Konoha would do because Itachi nearly botched the mission.
XXXXX
Itachi froze where he was, hand outstretched to correct a mistake his brother made on his ninja scroll. He, Team Six, and Sasuke were sitting under the shade of a tree, studying. Sasuke had gotten assigned some work from the teacher to complete during his trip here and, of course, Itachi had been squandered into helping. But now, a chill went down his back, far worse then the one he got the night before Sasuke came. His instincts were kicking in, but as he scanned the surrounding, he saw nothing. Still...
"Sasuke,"
"Hm?"
He smiled, rolling up the scroll. "Why don't you go into the dorm room and wait for me there? I need to report with the Hyuuga. There is some spare paper in my trunk. Just use a flick of chakra and the tag will come off without blowing up, but remember to close it and seal it again, ok?"
Sasuke scowled, "But I don't want to. It's nice out."
"Go." He said with finality.
"Fine." He stood and picked up his things, "Jerk." He swatted away the hand that made to poke his head and stalked into the castle. Itachi smiled faintly after him before standing himself.
"Where're you going, Itachi?" Harry asked, looking up from his book.
"I'm going to look around for my friend," He half lied. "Why don't you guys meet me in the library when I come back?"
Hermione looked relieved and started packing her things. "This grass is making my butt wet anyway."
"Oh, I did not need to know that!" Ron gave her a sour look, but helped her with her things anyway.
Itachi waved them off, before looking around. There was only a single group of three students—fifth years—around. Most everyone was in the library or common room, studying and doing homework, as the tests were coming up, and the older students had their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s to take.
He adopted a neutral expression and began walking, searching carefully. There was someone here who was not supposed to be.
XXXXX
Neshi stopped, feeling his eyebrow twitch. Very suddenly he threw three kunai behind him, at the chakra that was following him. With a squeal, a twelve year old was pinned to the stone wall of the Castle. Her friend shrieked as well, dashing away in fear of being attacked also.
These people had been following him pathetically obviously for the last two hours. First he got assigned to this mission under an Uchiha, who turned out to be none other then the prodigy Too-Arrogant-For-His-Own-Good Itachi, then was stuck on a train for over a day with a Uchiha brat who did nothing but complain, then wasn't allowed to do any training, then he was forced to be with no weapons in a weird place that held too many surprising for his liking, and then he got STALKERS! Why wouldn't they take the hint and leave him alone?!
Glaring at the pale girl with his white eyes, he easily took out the kunai from the stone wall, allowing her to drop to the ground before scrambling away, after her friend. Maybe now they'll stay away, he thought as he put the blades back.
He took a few more steps, walking in the cool shade of the impressively large castle, before he stopped suddenly and turned to see a fully dressed Konoha ANBU, wearing a grinning monkey's mask, sitting on the ledge over head. Its eye holes peered down at him as its leg swung absently, and he could feel the smile. However, this was no happy sight—no one from Konoha other then the Hokage himself should be here.
Neshi frowned slightly, a hand inching to his pouch again. "Who are you?" He growled.
"No one important."
"What are you doing here? This is an enclosed mission. You are not supposed to know about it, let alone be here."
The monkey ANBU sighed, holding up his hands in over dramatic defeat. "I found that out a while ago. But!" He clasped his hands together, holding them at the side of his head like a happy little girl, "That's not going to stop me. You see, I have to finish up something, and that involves two people here." He suddenly withdrew his katana, holding it before him. A pang of dread went through the Hyuuga and he activated his Byakugan, preparing himself. "No hard feelings, but you're in the way. Can't allow that, now can I?"
And the battle began.
XXXXX
Sasuke lay on his stomach on the cool stone in his temporary room, in the spot where his brother's futon normally went. His scroll was rolled out before him, and he poured over it, determined to get it done as soon as possible. Kneazle-Sasuke was curled up, purring, between his arms as he propped himself up with his elbows. She was such an odd looking cat. Smart, though. "Hey, Sasuke," he asked, and she moved her gaze from his writing to him. "While in enemy ninja territory, what's the first rule that should be followed?" She continued to purr, looking up at him happily. "Oh, that's right! Number twenty six. Thanks." He petted her and filled in the spot he needed to.
He was just going onto the next one when he felt it. What the...? He looked around. He could have sworn—there it was again! He sat up, sure now he felt a pulse of chakra. He didn't have to wait long before it came again, stronger, causing him to look behind him, where Itachi's trunk lay open.
XXXXX
"Itachi!"
The boy in question froze at hearing the voice. He turned to see someone he didn't expect to, and he watched in shock the person ran up to him. "S...Shisui?"
"Itachi!" His friend laughed, hugging him when he got to him. "It's so good to see you!"
"What are you doing here?" Itachi replied, still stunned.
Letting go of him, but still gripping his arms, the older boy scowled down at him. "We haven't seen each other in months, and that's the first thing you say to me? Are you even happy to see me? I'm hurt!" He gave a melodramatic sigh, pouting for added affect.
Itachi smiled slightly, clutching at Shisui's arms as well, actually happy to see his best friend. "Of course it's good to see you. Who else do I have to blab on for hours to me?" His smile dropped. "But that doesn't explain why—and how—you're here." He looked up and down at the other boy, taking in full appearance. "And you joined ANBU?"
"Yup, yup!" Shisui said happily. Indeed, he was decked out in full ANBU gear, his mask—a grinning monkey—put to the side of his head so to not mess up his topknot. "When you were gone I had nothing to do all day but train, and they finally accepted me! What do you think?"
"That's great, Shisui. But you came all the way here just to tell me that? You can get kicked out of ANBU for barging in on my mission like this."
"Actually... About that," Shisui's smile twisted slightly. "Come on! Let's go somewhere where we won't get bothered, and I'll explain everything." He grabbed Itachi's upper sleeve, and began to tug him towards the forbidden forest.
XXXXX
"Ow! Sasuke!" Sasuke called. The thing—whatever it was—pulsed again and the cat-thing freaked. She spazzed and attacked his hand, biting and clawing, before running off. "Ow..." He babied his injured hand, bleeding from the small but solid scratches, his eyes pricking with tears. That really hurt! Stupid cat, he should have known that it was psycho by the sheer fact it was Itachi's. Everything he owned was freaky.
But as the thing pulsed again, he hurriedly got up and went to the trunk, babying his hand. He began to dig around, searching for whatever was pulsing. He found it as it pulsed again, inside the black duffle back. Hey! Wasn't this the same scroll thingy Itachi talked to him on?
He sat down with his back against the trunk (remembering to close and reseal it this time) and undid the string with one hand, not wanting to use his still bleeding one. He managed, but as he attempted to fit his nails under the edge of the scroll, it just wouldn't open. And as it pulsed again in his hand, making it tingle from the high surge, he finally growled, "OK, ok, already! Geez!" He grabbed the scroll with his bloody one, screw the blood stains, and was surprised when it suddenly clicked open, and the pulsing stopped. "Well... That was easy..."
He unrolled it and realized it was the exact same scroll as before, and he could still see his writing there. But, at the end, there was some writing not there before.
'Report! Code Bird's Fall!' It read. Hey, it was the same hand writing as the very first one after Itachi's.
He stared at it, confused, but then crawled over to where his pen was. He picked it up and crossed his legs, letting the scroll open in his lap.
'Hello?' Sasuke wrote. He watched as a reply started to write out, but before he could read it, it was suddenly crossed off and blurred to illegibility.
'Who is this?' It wrote instead.
'Sasuke.'
'Sasuke,' There was a long pause. 'Where is your brother?'
'I dunno. Itachi told me to come inside, so I did, and he went off somewhere. I think he went to find the Hyuuga that came to collect his report, or something. Why? Want me to go get him?'
'No!' The word came so quickly that Sasuke blinked. 'Stay where you are.'
'Why?'
There was a long pause. Long enough for Sasuke to think whoever was writing left. 'Hello?'
'Sasuke, I need to tell you something. Something very important. This is the Sandaime, and I'm giving you your first mission.'
Sasuke stared, and then swallowed. 'Hokage-sama?' He wrote reluctantly, nervously. He was talking directly to the Hokage! Something lodged in his throat, but he couldn't squelch the slight feeling of superiority. Has any of the other kids talked to him before? Nope, he heh...
'Yes.' It said bluntly. 'Now, what I'm about to tell you is very important. You and Itachi are in extreme danger. Shortly after you left Konoha, the Uchiha clan was wiped out; we just now discovered it. We have means to explain that Uchiha Shisui did this, and now we have reason to believe he is on his way to Hogwarts to kill both you and your brother. Your mission is to take this scroll to Dumbledore. Show what I'm about to write to a teacher, any adult in the castle, and they'll take you to him. Once there, he will know what to do, and will protect you. Understand?'
Sasuke stared at the writing, eyes wide and burning, breath caught in his throat as his heart stopped. Hot tears trailed down his cheek and started splattering on the paper, and he started to sob. Mother... Father...! 'What about my brother?!' He forced himself to write. 'He's still out somewhere!!'
'Dumbledore will see to him, and he is the one person I would trust holding his own against Shisui. But first we need to get you to safety. Sasuke, this is an order. Go get a teacher and have them take you to Dumbledore!'
'Yes, sir.' He wrote as he sobbed. He only caught the barest of glances as strange words started to form on the scroll as he scrambled up, clutching the scroll. He ran down the hallway, crying loudly. Bolting across the crowded common room, he attempted to open the door in his state, but was able to. He pounded on the door as Dean came up, standing from a nearby table.
"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong?"
"I-I have to see Dumbledore! My Older brother's in danger!" He sobbed, pounding some more. Murmurs were going through the crowd, but otherwise they didn't do anything, completely confused as to what was going on with the strange foreign kid. "I have to find a teacher to take me to Dumbledore!"
"I'll take you to McGonagall, she's closest." Dean said worried, opening the porthole and following as Sasuke darted through.
They ran down the hall, Sasuke tripping every so often and tears continuing to fall down his face. Soon they reached a door and the weird skinned boy who spoke his language yanked it open, calling out McGonagall's name as he did.
"What is the problem?" She said, standing and going around her desk.
"I dunno!" Dean told her, and watched as the sobbing child ran and crashed into her legs.
The youngest Uchiha sobbed hysterically, unable to speak, holding the red scroll with on hand and pointing frantically. She snatched it up and scanned it until she came to words she could read.
'Get every man, woman and child into a very secure area. There is an extremely dangerous person coming and he is after Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha. He has already killed fifty eight people, including his own parents and sister, and will have no qualms with killing any of your students. This is not a joke. Immediately take this boy to Dumbledore and keep him hidden! If you find Itachi and Neshi Hyuuga, the attending ANBU, tell them to drop the mission and guard against an attack.
-The Leader of Konoha, the Third Fire Shadow'
McGonagall paled, and snapped her eyes to Dean, who stood awkwardly. "Get everyone you can into the great hall immediately! Don't take anything, just get there! Go, go, go you stupid boy!" She yelled at him as he hopped to the order before put her hand on the child who was sobbing into her robe, saying "Dumbledore," and began running out the office with him on her heels.
XXXXX
Professor Snape looked at the paper in his hands, reading off the instructions for a potion as he absently listened. Professor Flitwick was waddling next to him, talking about whatever it was that interested the short little man. God, why doesn't anything interesting happen around here? It is so boring...
"Professors, Professors!" A voice called suddenly, making both men stop. A Ravenclaw girl in her final year with a terrified face came running up to them before she grabbed a hold of his sleeve. He slightly crinkled his nose in distaste. Did she have to touch him? "You have to come quickly!"
"Why?" He said simply.
"Someone was killed!" She nearly sobbed, tugging him in the direction.
His eyes widened and he ran with her, knowing Flitwick was sure to follow. They were led outside and around the castle for a little bit, but soon he froze in horror.
That strange new Konoha ninja with the white eyes was pinned to the wall by a kunai through both of his hands, stretching him out like some sort of crucifixion. His head was bowed and his long hair was draped over him like a veil. Blood dripped from his mouth, and there were weird star things imbedded all over him. There were a few more kunai brutally stabbed into his chest, but the most shocking thing of all was that he was cut clean in half, from below the ribs to where his hip would have been, leaving his half-intestines to freely hang, blood sprayed all over the ground and wall.
He turned to the girl who had hidden her face into his shoulder, and he withdrew his wand, saying "Obliviate!" and causing her eyes to suddenly glass over as she swayed, about to fall. He caught her and picked her up, planning on taking her away from the scene. He turned to the Charms teacher who just arrived and was gaping at the scene. "Wipe the memory of anyone who sees this and remove them from the area when they're confused, I'm going to get the Headmaster!" With that he turned and went back the way he came, setting the girl on her feet as soon as she could stand on her own. "Go to the Great Hall and stay there, you fool!" He growled and she quickly nodded, heading off, perfectly confused.
He ran the entire way to the Dumbledore's office, barking the password to the stone gargoyle. He continued to run up the moving steps, breathing heavily.
When he got there, Dumbledore was reading off a red scroll and paling, McGonagall brushing past him to leave. That brat of Uchiha's was crying into the Headmaster's robes for some reason, but it was unimportant. He had more worrisome news then some broken toy or something.
"I'm afraid we have a problem," he said, calming his breathing.
"It'll have to wait," Dumbledore said absently, conjuring a quill and writing on the paper. "We have to—"
"No, you don't understand." Snape cut him off, "That Konohaninja, the older one, with the white eyes, has been killed. Whatever you were doing needs to be put aside for that." He watched as the old man's face drained of what little color it had before, his hand pausing on the paper.
"Sasuke," He turned to the still crying boy, "I want you to get under my desk and hide. Stay there, don't come out unless I come to get you. Understand?"
The child nodded and crawled to the leg hole, sobs still echoing through.
"This is very grave indeed. We have to immediately get everyone to the Great Hall. I've already sent McGonagall to contact the other teachers." He scratched out whatever he had been writing, and began scratching down something different.
"Black?" He asked.
"I wish it was. Then we would have a chance."
Well, today wasn't very boring now.
XXXXX
Shisui stood across from him, his red eyes gleaming with lust for battle and anticipation. He was seemingly heedless of the wound on his thigh, positively giddy with delight in the battle.
They had walked out far into the forest, to a clearing Itachi vaguely remembered, discussing how he became ANBU, how he found him (he put a tracker in Sasuke's bag, a scroll that he could follow anywhere), and what he had done.
Itachi breathed evenly, his red gaze hard. Shisui had gotten impatient with waiting, and made a new plan. He found out that Itachi was in a far away land from Sasuke, but didn't know exactly where. However, Sasuke had told him he would be going back in the spring, so he planned to activate his new plan when he left again.
So, the day Sasuke left, he slaughtered the entire clan that was left behind. It had been easy! He wasn't even scratched from it, and he escaped Konoha without anyone the wiser. They probably haven't even found out yet. He ran after the chakra in his scroll and soon found his way to Hogwarts. He already took care of the only threat of interruption, the Hyuuga Bastard, and now their plan will come to fruitation! Who ever would win will go locate Sasuke and kill him, thus the blood pact will be complete! They'd be free!
"Isn't it wonderful, Itachi?" He said, twisted smile on his face. "What we always dreamed of! It's so close! Just this and your brother left!"
"Shisui," Itachi said, the katana he got from (the recently departed) Neshi held out before him, his own cheek bleeding from a cut to the bone. "I have to tell you something."
The gleam died a little, and a confused expression took its place. "Yeah?"
"This place has made me think a lot about the plan." He sighed, setting preparing himself for how the other Uchiha would react. "I will not go through with it."
"What?" He gasped, taking a step back in shock and confusion. "Why! We spent a year planning it! Together!"
"I will not kill my brother. I refuse to."
Suddenly, Shisui's face contorted in anger. "After everything we planned," He hissed, "Everything I did, you're backing out now?!"
"You changed the plan, I change the plan. The first thing I would have done once home was to convince you to change it as wel—"
"WE MADE A BLOOD PACT!" He roared, eyes spinning dangerously. "Don't you remember?! I'll force you to remember! I'll kill you and you'll become my eyes, and then I'll kill your brother and finish it for the both of us!"
"I cannot allow you to do that, Shisui." Itachi said coldly, but only just blocked the new barrage of attacks. Before, Itachi had been more powerful then Shisui, but now that he had been stagnant in training for months, and Shisui hadn't, there was no telling who was stronger.
Before he could think any more on it, he ducked to the left, narrowly missing the large Katon fireball, only to look back up and see a swarm of kunai and shuriken flying toward him. Instead of dodging again, he threw a handful of his own, deflecting the center ones and jumping directly through the opening he created. His cousin was surprised by this action, and wasn't quick enough to dodge the heavy punch to his gut, but he was able to twist away before any more damage could be done.
They sprung away from each other, pausing just for another second and gauging the new damage on the other. Springing into action again at some unknown signal, they dashed towards each other and came together in a flurry of moves. Itachi punched, Shisui dodged. A kick was given, and blocked, and elbow to the face was punted away. A flash of steel was deflected by another piece of metal, and the clang rang through the woods. A hiss was issued as a hit connected the retaliation as quick as lightning. A log suddenly appeared in a puff of smoke, a kunai buried deep within it. Electricity cackled and a scream erupted before the jutsu was canceled by a heavy kick to the side that broke bones. The two bodies danced and moved so it gave the appearance of a single entity, fighting with itself for dominance.
This was the most interesting fight of Itachi's life. He and Shisui knew each other extremely well, knew their fighting styles and their jutsu, and they seemed to be on an even field. This went beyond a spar, an intense new level of fighting, something that drew out the best and worse in both Uchiha. A normally too cruel jutsu was used, causing extreme pain. A move usually considered too barbaric was taken without a second thought, making the receiver gasp for breath. The surrounding area suffered as heavily as the combatants, broken under their power.
This is what it was like, he thought, when the powerful fought for their lives. Limits were erased, past actions forgotten. Moves never seen before bloomed into terrifying existence, made only to cause great harm. Itachi had never been in such a fight, and it sent his blood boiling in vigor and bloodlust. And from the look on his cousin's face, Shisui felt the same energy. They were like the yin yang symbol, the perfect depiction of balance, each fighting for their own means. Itachi, cloaked in black with a white shirt was yin, Shisui in the white of armor and black of cloth, was yang. They danced around each other in perfect harmony, neither seemingly to get the upper hand, but both fighting for their own desires. Shisui fought to continue on the path of destruction, heading down an unknown path. Itachi fought to protect what was most precious to him, his own path blurred from existence. Their pasts were the same, their paths were nameless, but their desires depicted their difference. Who, in this endless world, seemingly endless fight of light and darkness, protection and destruction, would become the victor?
Itachi could only pray it was him.
XXXXX
That weird bird was back again. But this time, as Sasuke sniffed, curled into a terrified ball under the big desk of Dumbledore-sama, he didn't mind so much. It was comforting even, hearing the large bird thrum with almost song on his knee.
He wanted to know if his brother was alright. He was all he had left, and he didn't know what he'd do if Itachi was killed too.
E-everyone... Hokage-sama said everyone was killed. It can't be true, can it? The Uchiha were the most powerful in all of the Leaf! No one could stand against them, especially if they had the Sharingan! Like his father—who was very strong—the Police Chief! And what about his aunt and uncle, who weren't even ninja, so what could be gained by killing them? They couldn't all be killed... Right?
He sniffed again, pressing himself further into the corner of the desk. He was suppressing his chakra—like his Onii-san taught him during his last visit—just incase Shisui came to find him in Dumbledore's office.
How could his cousin do that? He always seemed so happy! He was always joking, and one of the few to get Itachi to smile at home. Shisui of the Mirage was frowned on, slightly, for his jovial nature, but why would he feel the need to kill everyone? It couldn't have been him...
The bird reached with its long neck, rubbing its head against his glistening cheek. He sniffled and reached out, stroking the soft, warm feathers.
He rested his head against the wood of the desk, watching the bird watch him, but his eyelids were getting heavy. He would close them for just a bit, then he'd go back to huddling terrified.
The Phoenix's thrumming lulled him into sleep, feeling it travel down his legs and into his chest, warding off fright.
XXXXX
"Hey, do you know what's going on?"
"Hell if I know."
"Damn."
"You think one of the teachers was attacked?"
"You think it was Snape?!"
"No, Snape's over there."
"Damn."
"Why are we all here?"
"I was studying! For once in my life! Why did they make me stop? I can't fail my Transfigurations or my mother will kill me!"
"You think you have it bad? This would be my second time failing!"
"I'm hungry, where's lunch?"
"Are they going to keep us here forever?"
"You think Black was the cause?"
"You think he was spotted again?"
"You think he attacked Snape while in Hogsmeade?!"
"For the last time, Snape's over there!"
Dean sat against the wall, nervously chewing on his thumb nail. He looked out into the milling crowed, listening to snippets of conversation. They were all completely oblivious. He himself only had a inkling, and he knew to better then to tell anyone anything. Whatever it was, it was bad. The teachers had sealed the entire room, including the Owl Post windows. As soon as the last student had made his way into the room, they had sealed and barred the door as well.
That stupid knight was back. He had been transported down, and a portrait hole was constructed very quickly and then he was placed over it, facing outwards. The entire room had been told to keep their wands in hand at all points. Headboy and Girl and all Prefects were running around like scared chickens, making sure everyone was here and had their wands out. Why would they go through such precautions?
Then the portrait opened (causing all teachers and a few students to point their wand at it) but only Dumbledore and a semi dirty Filch crawled in. Dumbledore had the sleeping Sasuke in his arms, and what had to be a Phoenix on his shoulder.
Dean watched with wide eyes as Dumbledore conjured a sleeping bag and put the foreign child in it, hiding it under the teacher's table. The Phoenix hopped off him and glided down, until it waddled to Sasuke and sat on him, almost guarding him.
The Headmaster then turned and spoke very quickly with the herd of teachers around him. Whatever he said, he, Snape, and Lupin made their way back to the portrait hole and left, leaving the rest of the teachers to take up guard evenly around the room.
Soon, Ron, Harry, and Hermione stumbled across him. "Hey, Dean, have you seen Itachi?"
"Yeah, we've been looking everywhere, and we can't find him."
"We asked some people and they said the grounds and castle has already been checked for students, so he must be here. Somewhere."
Dean shook his head blankly, not trusting himself to speak. They looked disappointed, but left, asking him to tell Itachi they were looking for him if he saw him.
One thing was on their mind, his, and everyone else's.
What was going on?
XXXXX
MDF: Blame my beta for the cliff hanger.