Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
/
A bell rang in the school tower sounding timeless and sophisticated, and at its beckon a flood of neat uniforms piled through the large glass-paned double doors in virtual concert. The chatter mostly kept to a minimum and eventually the courtyard filled with cobblestone and shrubs and towering oaks was also filled with silence. A few song birds flew down from the trees to peck at the ground from which the students before them had migrated. The bell chimed nine times after it's song, and on its last ring another sound just as loud and persistent blended in and replaced it. The school's headmaster was currently closing the door behind the last student when he stopped to listen.
"TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMMMME EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
In the distance the headmaster could see a patch of golden blonde hair rising over the hill until the face attached to it also arose revealing the screeching rhino that was Naruto Uzumaki. For whatever reason a toothbrush was still in his mouth, his hands occupied in attempting to tie his infamous delinquent headband. Naruto looked rather angry, and if his war cry was any indication then the cause was more than likely his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha. The two had (affectionate?) nicknames for one another that were well known around campus. The headmaster was a patient man and held the door open long enough for Naruto to attempt to race past him when he caught Naruto by his black sleeveless delinquent collar, causing the teenager to nearly fall backwards onto the marble tiled floor of the shoe-locker hall and toothbrush flinging across the room, soon forgotten.
"If you don't slow down Naruto you'll let the morning pass you straight by," the old headmaster chortled. He did not chastise unnecessarily as he considered himself a man of respect; treat every man, woman, and child like an equal and give them no reason to do any less for you. The policy worked pretty well for him, as almost all the students - even the otherwise troublesome ones like Naruto - were fairly well behaved in his presence.
"But Sarutobi! Teme took the batteries out of my alarm clock last time he was over to put in the Wiimote and then he took the Wiimote home with him so I couldn't get my batteries back and-"
Sarutobi interrupted Naruto by patting the blonde's back while scratching his own liverspotted chin,"No need to be so riled up. You made it just on time, boy. I'll make sure you get a hall pass-"
"Thanks Old Man, you're awe-!"
"- if you can promise me you won't ambush Sasuke today."
"Aww man! …tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow is Sunday, Naruto. It's Iruka's problem then."
"Sweet! It's a deal, believe it!"
"Yes, yes, now that I think of it I believe Kakashi is teaching class B-5 right now...?" Naruto affirmed with a nod. "Then you shouldn't even need a hall pass! Scurry along before he's actually there before you for once."
"...how does he even keep a job here?"
"Good day, Naruto!"
The ancient man began puttering towards the main office then at a decently steady pace. Naruto pouted about his unanswered question but otherwise obeyed and headed for class without changing into school slippers. He knew Sasuke had mopping duty today after school so Naruto would do his buddy a favor by scuffing up the normally pristine marble floors very nicely. No ambushing involved. Naruto grinned evilly. Revenge could be so sweet.
On his way he stopped in a hallway lined by a wall covered in pictures on one side, and a floor-to-ceiling window extending the entire length of the hall on the other. Naruto turned towards a grouping of picture frames surrounded in laminated calligraphy with words like "commitment", "heart", and... well, Naruto still didn't know what the last kanji said; he was almost as horrible in kanji as he was with English. However, he was sure it said something honorable, because all these words and pictures were put up by students to represent their teacher and his late father, Minato Namikaze. A bouquet of now dried chrysanthemums and folded up notebook paper lay on the floor below this makeshift shrine. He was a very respected man, even ten years after his death. It was Naruto's lifelong dream to be honored in this way. Naruto bowed, showing his own respect and completing his daily ritual.
Eventually the troublemaker made it to classroom B-5 on the second floor and sat in his usual place between Hinata Hyuuga (a really quiet, constantly blushing girl that Naruto couldn't seem to figure out) and Shino Aburame (a really quiet, constantly whispering guy that Naruto couldn't seem to figure out). The seating arrangement was purposefully anticlimactic as to discourage Naruto's outbursts. Naruto went through all his classes quietly today for once, thinking about his sister and where she could be right now. It had been a little over a week since he had received her letter, and he knew it took at least a week for airmail to reach him. "Within the month" she had said. Naruto hoped it was sooner than later. Seeing his father's photographs everyday was a painful reminder that Usagi was the only family member Naruto had left.
The sky outside began turning dark by mid-afternoon so when Physical Education rolled around the instructor, Might Guy (a very extravagantly strange man from China who never backed down for a challenge), had decided to have the class play basketball inside. Soon after the rain began to pour. During a water break Sasuke and Sakura (a usually sweet but also hot-tempered mixed girl with strange strawberry blonde hair who had been friends with the two boys since Junior High) approached Naruto and the former handed him a towel. Naruto had calmed down exponentially since this morning thinking of Usagi's well-being, so he casually accepted the towel and began dabbing the sweat off his face.
Sasuke looked as if he had something to say but Chouji Akimichi (a fat boy who never put down food and could barely even open his eyes) came bursting through the outside door, pooling rainwater all over the gym's hardwood floor but bag of cheese puffs still in hand, looking as if he had seen a ghost. "EVERYONE COME LOOK! There's a bunch of tanks parked outside in the soccer fields!" The entire class of about sixty followed after him like a herd of wildebeest. Pushing past everyone until the double doors opened up to the wide outdoor athletic fields, Naruto and Sasuke stopped suddenly at the sight. There had to be at least a dozen tanks already parked and more continued to roll in. Sakura caught up with them and recognized the platinum logo on the turret right away.
"Sasuke... isn't that-?" Sasuke followed Sakura's line of sight and felt like throwing up.
"What the hell is Itachi thinking?!"
"Itachi? What are you talking about, Teme?" Sasuke grabbed the top of Naruto's head and brought their faces closer together so that the other students would not be able to hear their hushed words. "Ow bastard, you're pulling my hair!"
"Look at the turrets, you idiot!" Sasuke hissed. "Those are Uchiha Corp tanks!"
Naruto, head still in Sasuke's hand, turned to look near the top of the tanks. Sure enough, right beside the print of the Japanese flag was an uchiwa fan. During sunny weather it's platinum metal would make the logo noticeable, but in the pouring rain it looked a dull grey that blended in well with the forest green paint of the tank itself. Luckily, it didn't appear that anyone else around them had recognized it yet.
"Holy shit..." Naruto whispered, "Does he know about this? Why...? You don't think...?"
"I don't know, but we're about to find out. Let's go, Naruto. Sakura, you stay here and make up something to tell Guy."
"But, Sasuke-! Hey, where are you two going?"
The two boys ignored her, using the chaos of the growing crowd to easily sneak away and out in the direction of the second highest building on the Konoha skyline.
/
Kisame and Usagi made it to Anchorage in three days; one day to carefully revive Usagi and two days travel with limited rest. Usagi did not tell of how she made her way back to camp, too embarrassed by her hallucination, and thankfully Kisame had not asked. The path had been well marked by the other refugees and Kisame removed the red-tape markers as they went to prevent any undesirables from following. There were very few hours of daylight this time of year in Alaska so the darker hours slowed them down by making the markers harder to find. They had no problems between the two of them but on the second day a jeep of rangers from Fairbanks appeared on the path and attempted to have them arrested. Apparently Goodwin's influence had indeed made it this far north after all. With his huge brawn and combat experience, Kisame easily incapacitated them while Usagi tied them to trees. The rangers' jeep was jacked, making the rest of the trip safe and swift.
Getting into the city itself had been easy since the guards at the checkpoint had been told to possibly expect a "guy from the Blue Man Group and Baby Spice". Usagi was told to check in with the Headquarters at Buttress Park; that's where Jiraiya would be as well. From there she and Kisame went their separate ways, the latter saying he "ain't cut out for babysittin' cliners." Usagi was sad to see the freak go. The quiet journey had provided many chances for conversation in which she had only learned a little about him, but it felt like plenty enough. Kisame was from Brisbane, Australia and had enjoyed deep-sea fishing before joining the Defense Force for adventure. Once assigned to the United States, however, he decided that it was not the kind of adventure he had signed up for and went AWOL shortly after.
Anchorage itself was teeming with people in every possible place. The smell of body odor and waste made Usagi gag but she knew that if it had been spring or summer the smell would be much worse. Smoke from trash can fires smogged the entire city and made breathing even more difficult. Tent cities were pitched in nearly every large parking lot and there was no longer enough room on the roads for cars to drive. Usagi slammed on the horn to force pedestrians out of her way. Shouting random obscenities also proved to be both very stress relieving and effective.
Reaching Buttress Park seemed to take forever. Usagi got lost several times and was forced to asked residents for directions each time. The actual Headquarters was in the Anchorage Grand Hotel across the street. The park itself contained a sort of public forum with a stone stage dead center; several very large tents also took up the length of the park. Usagi entered the once-hotel that now had people bustling about it, shouting into satellite phones and in hot debate over various maps and documents. A militiaman standing just inside the door recognized her immediately and directed her upstairs. Suite 204.
Right away Usagi recognized Jiraiya's deep 'serious-voice' down the hall. It was more common these days than it used to be, unfortunately. Before all this madness Jiraiya was just an everyday sleazeball pervert who drank himself to sleep looking at porn, even though he was entering his seventies soon. Hardly a model or serious guardian at all. His and Usagi's living, in fact, had been made on his literary career... writing smut. Usagi had never been able to figure out why on Earth her responsible father had made Jiraiya her god-father until the old goat began translating The Will of Fire and distributing it in English speaking countries. She discovered shortly after that deep down Jiraiya was actually a wise and insightful individual. Many people respected Jiraiya's efforts, including apparently the people now in charge of overseeing the refugee camp that was Anchorage.
Usagi entered what she assumed was once a conference room. A long table with stools lining all sides took the center and along the walls were all sort of machines and filing cabinets. Sitting at the table with Jiraiya was two other men and a woman. They all looked up at her entrance and the Pervert ran over to Usagi, checking all over for damage.
"Usagi! My god you stupid girl, I thought you wouldn't make it! What happened?"
"Just went pee, you impatient ass." There was no need to tell him what had really happened. That would bring up way more questions than answers.
Relief was coming off Jiraiya in waves, but he asked nothing more. The Pervert led Usagi to a stool and sat himself down beside her. "Now that you're safe we need to get back to business. Tomorrow we'll be travelling through a possible war zone in Russia, but first, these are some people I would like you to meet."
Jiraiya introduced them each in turn. First was the man sitting at the head of the table with more metal piercings than face and bright orange spiked hair, Pein. The Pervert said he was the unanimously elected leader and strategist of the Anchorage militia which showed; his body language screamed that of an experienced and logical man. The calm, poised woman to his right was Konan. Her dark hair was worn in a tight bun atop her head adorned with a white rose, and heavy eyeshadow made her lavender eyes pop gorgeously. Konan was in-charge of information gathering and leakage prevention. Lastly was Nagato the mechanic and overseer of all things technical, a sickly looking Oriental man who slacked in his seat and had unusual looking eyes. The pupils were surrounded by several dark rings... Usagi remotely wondered if they were contacts. Handshakes were exchanged as each one was introduced. Konan was the first to speak beyond simple greetings, "We're very pleased to meet one of Minato and Kushina's children. Sorry it could not be under better circumstances, Miss Usagi." A Southern Belle.
"You knew my parents?"
"Believe it or not, you brat," Jiraiya laughed, "I used to be a teacher once." Usagi vocally expressed her disbelief and he continued, "No, really! I taught Political Science at Kyushu University. These three and your parents were all in my advanced classes."
"Why'd you stop that sweet a gig?"
Nagato answered Usagi instead, eyes downcast on the table. His South Korean accent surprised her. "The Dean of Letters didn't approve of Minato's thesis, but Jiraiya refused to make him change it. So he quit. Luckily Minato was able to transfer last minute and still publish his thesis." Jiraiya hummed in affirmation, his eyes glossing over as if he was seeing through the walls into the past, "The Will of Fire. All the other professors thought it was bullshit but he wouldn't give up on it." Usagi nodded vacantly in admiration, "That sure sounds like Dad. Well... what I know of him." The unsurety of her comment must have inspired Pein to add, "If Minato had not written that theory, Usagi, none of us would be fighting Goodwin's regime right now. We would have already lost. We are very fortunate that you and Jiraiya have chosen to carry his torch."
"Back to the matter at hand," Nagato interrupted, "We have almost five-hundred-thousand people - and growing - in abandoned buildings and tents outside this hotel... in a city that was built to house maybe half as many. In Alaska. Approaching WINTER. Things are going smoothly enough for now, but I don't think I can manage to keep the electricity and natural gas going if Goodwin decides to send troops here."
Pein played with a piercing on his neck, seeing all possible events and outcomes and making plans for each ten steps ahead. The trademark of an accomplished strategist. "Yes..." he drawled, "That would be the first thing to secure in an invasion since the people here would surely die off quickly without it in the winter. We have enough militiamen here to hold them off in small waves. But with the oil reserves right off the city coast... Goodwin will definitely want to go out of his way to eliminate us for it." He stopped suddenly, noticing Usagi who looked uncomfortable. She had heard plenty of talk like this around the dinner table and with fans of her father, but this was real. Actual lives were at stake. The pressure was too much and the past few weeks were slowly catching up. Usagi was not sure she had the courage currently to continue listening to this discussion. Pein seemed to sense something was wrong and said softly, "Nagato... we can discuss this tomorrow. I would like to speak at length with Jiraiya some more about what occurred at the convention. Would you be kind enough to show Usagi to her room?"
Nagato looked blankly at Usagi as if noticing her there for the first time. Seeing her exhausted expression gave himself strange mixed feelings of pity and annoyance. This was supposed to be one of Minato's children? Shouldn't she be stronger than this? Regardless, he huffed, "Yeah, sure," and stood. Usagi, after quick "goodnights" and mutual "it was an honor meeting you"s, followed Nagato out into the hallway. He silently led her up another floor to a small one-bed suite and turned to leave when Usagi asked him to wait.
"Can I... ask you a favor?" Nagato's only reply was to turn to her and raise an eyebrow. "I know this might be a stupid idea, but... is there any way I can make a phone call around here?"
/
News vans, professional-colored umbrellas, and flashing cameras stretched the entire block, blocking the front entrance to Uchiha Corporation. Reporters were screaming all at once, trying to intimidate the sucker being interviewed to accidentally spill information. Sasuke and Naruto stood on top of a parked Honda Ridgeline to get a better view of the front rotating doors. In front was a unidentified man in a suit with sunglasses, someone Sasuke told Naruto was probably his brother's press manager. Itachi was nowhere in sight. Sasuke decided the best course of action would be to sneak through the back-alleys to the janitor's entrance. The youngest Uchiha happened to have a key from pranks he and his friend had done on Itachi in the past. Now it would serve a serious purpose.
Getting in according to plan had been amazingly easy. Once through the janitor's door they snuck through the supply and locker rooms until they made it to the main elevator shaft, taking it up to the 66th floor. Once the elevator passed the 40th floor, one side became all glass which allowed the passenger to look at the city below. Even though torrents of rain pounded against the glass making vision shoddy, Naruto commented on how the reporters looked like ants from this high... ants that were being surrounded by the flashing lights of police cars. They watched the police ants get out and begin shepherding the reporter ants away from the building until the elevator finally reached floor 66 - Itachi's personal office.
Inside sat Itachi at the left couch, elbows on his knees and head in his hands. The office was only lighted by the white table lamps; the three walls made of glass behind Itachi's desk had turned effectively into a waterfall, preventing any light from the outside. On the coffee table sat Itachi's open cell phone, the tone signifying a long ended call blaring. He looked pale and so, so tired. Itachi did not notice his brother and friend's entrance until Sasuke barked his name. Itachi looked up suddenly then, black eyes wide with surprise, before a mask of monotony overfell him. "Sasuke," he said as if he just met up with the both of them on the street, "Now is really not the time for you two to play up here."
"No one's playing Aniki."
"Yeah! We're real serious about the tanks you put outside your own brother's school."
Itachi's gaze turned stern. "Are the both of you absolutely brain dead? You think I have the power to do this?"
"What else are we supposed to think? We were just playing basketball when tanks with OUR FAMILY'S CREST roll in! How am I supposed to show my face after this, Aniki? What am I supposed to tell people? You already don't involve me with anything..."
"You want to be involved, little brother? Fine, then let me allow you this: I sold those tanks to the President of the United States. I was told their soldiers here in Konoha would take them from our warehouse and store them on base."
"Do you KNOW what's happening over there right now?" Naruto rushed Itachi, grabbing the young man by his suit collar and knocking over the black glass table in the process, "Do you KNOW my sister - and who knows how many others - is running for her LIFE because of that man? And you sold him TANKS? Do you not have a fucking soul?"
Itachi did not dare push Naruto away, not because he was afraid of the younger boy or out of some sort of respect, but because he knew from experience (he had been his little brother's best friend for four years now) the only way to communicate with Naruto was to stare him straight in the eyes and let him feel the words. The blonde was his namesake - a force of nature. Although not particularly bright, Naruto had some strange ability to sense the authenticity in people. Perhaps it was an inherited trait. "You can trust, Naruto, that I did not have a choice."
The caucasian glared back for a long time and must have seen something agreeable in Itachi's own glare, because he began to let go when a cell phone in the room jingled. All three looked at Itachi's phone that had been slung near the desk when the table was thrown over. The flip-phone was lifeless. Both Sasuke and Naruto dropped everything then, comically tearing through their pockets looking for their own phones. Sasuke's wasn't ringing...
"Restricted..." Naruto read aloud as he looked at his outside display. He never got restricted calls. What horrible timing! Sasuke heard Naruto so stood closer to eavesdrop while carefully keeping an eye on Itachi; his older brother meanwhile first straightened his collar before starting to pick up the tossed table. Rushing to open the cover before whoever was on the other end gave up, Naruto sputtered stupidly into the phone, "H-hello? Naruto Uzumaki speaking."
"Hey! Look at your camera, Dummy!"
"Eh?" He did as asked then gasped, "HOLY COW, Usagi! Hey Teme, look! She's okay!" The table suddenly dropped from Itachi's hands and the glass cracked, but the two teenagers either did not notice or care. She was really alive after all? For the second time since retrieving it, the paperback book in Itachi's inside pocket felt like a heavy weight, as if it wanted out, while he felt a weight equally release from his chest. Sasuke had rushed to look over Naruto's shoulder ("Excellent! Duckbutt is there, too!" he heard her voice laugh) and Itachi found himself unintentionally following, looking over the opposite shoulder.
The image on the wide telephone screen struck Itachi in a strange way. He wasn't sure what he had expected exactly, but as he had read the intelligent notes this Usagi had made in her father's book, he would never had imagined someone so... vulnerable looking. She looked less like Naruto than she had in the family photo; now her appearance began to take-on Minato's sharp angles while Naruto's features were rounded like their mother. The pigtails were strange, but they fit somehow. Overall, regardless of the fact that the resolution of Naruto's cheap phone was horrible, Itachi could tell she was relatively cute by everyday standards. No tellable flaws or blemishes, unlike her brother.
"I don't have too much time to chat, but- hey, who's that?"
Usagi pointed outwards and the teenagers followed the direction until they noticed Itachi standing so close for the first time. Sasuke glared at him, snapping, "This is a private conversation, Aniki. Butt out."
"Private? Sasuke, you're in my office."
"Aniki? Sasuke, you ass, you never told me you had a brother!"
"No one wants to mention it right now, Sis. There's a bit of a situation."
"Eh? Am I calling at a bad time?"
"Sorta... look Lieutenant Major Dick Itachi-the-War-Tank Pimp isn't important right now."
"Naruto, I'm not even a soldier...and the rank you assigned me is ridiculous."
"Tanks...? There's tanks there? Among the public?" Usagi's face contorted in horror and Sasuke jumped quickly to rectify the conversation before she got upset. The last thing she needed right now was more to worry about.
"Yeah, but it's not an issue. Where are you? When will you be home?"
"If nothing else goes to shit then I'll be home the day after tomorrow, but I can't tell you where I am right now."
"'Nothing else'?"
"Long story short I was involved in two firefights and then I got lost on a mountain and nearly froze to death. Nothing serious." At the word "firefight" both Naruto and Sasuke glared venomously in Itachi's direction before her continuing voice drew them back to attention. Itachi felt a stab of guilt in his gut but otherwise gave no indication he had heard them. He was well aware of the ills his industry wrought.
"That doesn't sound like 'nothing serious'." Itachi said without having his brain's permission. "You should take better care of yourself. These idiots have been very worried about you."
"Major Dick is right. You better come home safely!"
"Aniki is paying for your party. Don't make us waste money."
"...so I'm paying for it now, too? When did I agree to this?"
"We can make this ugly if you say no."
"A party for me? Itachi is it? Can I be a bitch and ask you a favor?"
"Yes, miss. Anything I can possibly do."
"Jesus! Your English is perfect! You obviously aren't Naruto's tutor then. HAHAHA."
"USAGI."
The petite girl on the other end laughed melodiously, a smooth, sincere sound. She looked less tense now somehow. "Sorry, bro, I'm just having fun. Itachi, I know this is retardedly corny, but if something happens please look after my brother. He's stupid and times are, too. A bad combo."
Itachi smiled almost imperceptibly. He and Usagi were exactly the same beast. Even when her own life was probably in so much more danger, she worried about the safety and future of her loved one above all else. It was exactly Itachi's relationship with Sasuke. Cementing at this very moment, very few people alive held Itachi Uchiha's respect more than the young and brave Usagi Namikaze. "Yes, Naruto certainly gets in enough trouble," Itachi said without hesitation, "but I take care of Sasuke's own. In exchange I suggest being around to show up to your own party."
Usagi got the underlining message, smiling (and blushing...?, damn choppy resolution), "Deal."
She was cut off by a deep South Korean voice that she nodded towards. Looking back at the camera she smiled sadly and said, "My time's up, guys. We'll have to talk about this party when I see you, okay? It was nice meeting you Major Dic- errr... Itachi."
Genuinely, "Likewise. Remember our contract. It will be Friday." Itachi threw the word 'contract' out casually to chance her reaction and received a strange, pleasantly surprised grin in return.
"Right! Bye Duckass! Naruto, I love you!"
"You, too, Usagi."
And the connection was cut.
Immediately, the attack on Itachi resumed, but taking a completely different direction than before.
"This is the part where you tell us what the hell that was all about."
"What what was about, Naruto?"
"You've been acting weird this whole month, Aniki, ever since I told you we needed the house. You knew her somehow, which is even weirder. Then just a second ago you were all-"
"You rolled over like a fucking puppy wanting his tummy rubbed when she asked you for a favor." Naruto growled protectively.
Itachi would have died of embarrassment were he a lesser hearted man. Was his admiration so obvious? There was no way he could explain such a thing to them, but they had gotten a completely wrong idea. "It was nothing. I was just being chivalrous."
"Right. For some reason I believe you when you say this tank jazz isn't your fault, but just... stay away from her." Naruto made a gesture using his peace-sign fingers to point at his own eyes, then pointing them the same way at Itachi's before backing towards the elevator, Sasuke close at his heels. Itachi caught a snippet of their conversation before the elevator doors blocked their voices and figures from him completely.
"You believe him? Are you INSANE?"
"Hey, I was right about the Gaara thing, wasn't I?"
"Gaara isn't Itachi."
The eldest Uchiha brother was saddened by how little faith he earned from the younger, but it mattered not what Sasuke actually thought of him as long as his treasured little brother remained safe from Madara's all-consuming appetite for destruction. Itachi sat back on the left couch now and allowed his whole body to go limp, head rolling over the backrest lazily.
He had known something like this would happen the second his secretary told him the news, but he could not manage to steel himself enough for the backlash. While he himself was personally responsible for this in part, he had just found out that his uncle was more directly to blame. From what Madara had just told Itachi over his cell phone earlier, the older man had just bought majority shares of the private Konoha Senior High School, becoming Chair. Madara had given Fort Leatherwood permission to use the school grounds as temporary storage, but to what end? Itachi had dropped the phone in distress without hanging up after the call had ended.
"The State is, by definition, the monopoly of violence and force. Contracts made by the State on behalf of its people are enforced by involuntary force, therefore making the design of the State incompatible with a voluntary society. Those who knowingly supply the tools of the State... are equally responsible for whatever violent product comes out of the State." Itachi quoted The Will of Fire aloud to-the-letter to no one but himself and the rain still pouring outside. This line in particular stabbed at Itachi's conscious. Naruto's statement had matched Minato's exactly. Itachi knew what Goodwin would probably do with those weapons, but he still went through with the transaction. If he had any fiber of character in his being he would have refused outright. The consequences Madara would bring could be dealt with later. Perhaps he truly had no soul after all. If that were true then this lingering contempt for himself would not be; life would not be so painful. Itachi was simply nothing but a coward.
Itachi's desk phone rang shrilly, then, breaking up his internal berating. At first he simply turned his head to look at the blasted machine. When he was finally fed up with it's unending screaming he got up from the couch and reached for the phone but ran his hand over his face in exhaustion before answering it.
Having regrets of the past would have to wait until later. For now, Itachi would have to simply get back to business.
/
While there have not been any reviews yet, the 50+ views I've gained so far is really encouraging. If you're enjoying my story I hope you continue to enjoy. If not, reviews are for correcting my horrible imagination. Also, if you find any plot inconsistencies or incorrect information on a particular subject let me know! It is very important to me to make this story as believable as possible (with my limited writing abilities haha).
The next four chapters are already planned out, but if you have any ideas for what should happen I would love to hear them! Co-writing used to be a big hobby of mine. You don't have to review, I enjoy Private Messages just as much.
Next chapter Usagi and Jiraiya have a (hint) BLAST in Russia, so say a (hint) PRAYER for them. Will they make it home? Also, Madara makes his first actual appearance and reveals a very important plot piece to Itachi. Don't miss it!