Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Warning: This chapter is long and has a lot of dialogue. Important dialogue.

/

Snow flurried peacefully about the Umino/Uzumaki home that sat atop the hill. Not a car drove by or a pedestrian in passing. The sun was just finally getting over the mountains to the west, causing stars in the deep purple twilight sky to twinkle prematurely in between the heavy snow clouds. Iruka Umino found these quiet autumn nights to be soothing, relaxing, and-

"I summon-!"

"Whoa, no way Dogboy, that's an illegal move!"

"This is a video game, Naruto, it won't let us make illegal moves. You just suck."

"Hold on guys, someone's phone is ringing. So troublesome..."

"DON'T CHEAT KIBA. I'm watching you..."

"For the last time, Dobe! NO ONE can cheat!"

"Chouji, is that your phone?"

"No... I think it's the house phone."

"LANDLINE PHONES STILL EXIST?"

Iruka, trying to read a book at his kitchen table, rubbed his face anxiously for the umptenth time that day. Normally days like this would be perfect to read or perhaps catch up on work. Normally Iruka's foster-son didn't invite all his friends over at once, parking in the living room to play video games and eat him out of home. The boys were obnoxious individually, but together the teacher thought his house would come crashing down. Saturday nights were usually reserved for Naruto to stay over at a friend's, finally coming home late Sunday night.

Last night around this same time Naruto and Sasuke had stomped into the house soaking wet and in the foulest of moods. Iruka asked if they would be heading back to Sasuke's place and received a nasty 'no' from Sasuke before Naruto's bedroom door was slammed shut for the night. There they stayed until the next morning, when he found them flicking a paper ball back-and-forth across the coffee table, the very image of boredom and depression. "Why don't you two meet up with your other friends?" Iruka had helpfully suggested. Now he regretted being so helpful because all the boys met up IN HIS HOUSE. For the ENTIRE day.

Normally Iruka kept his house spotless. Everything had a place. No stains, no cracks, no piles. The furniture was all in neutral, calming tones with modern but average shape. Decoration was meant to be charming yet not distracting. A simple place for a simple man. Unfortunately, his adopted son was not so simple and his friends not so clean. Iruka dared not look at the ground-zero he knew would be his living room.

Reluctantly, Iruka rose from the kitchen table, dragging his fuzzy-slippered feet across the tiled floor to the landline phone hanging beside the refrigerator. His head 'thunked' against the floral printed wallpaper and he picked up the phone with lifeless greeting, "Helloooo?"

"Umino Iruka? This is the United States consulate in Fukuoka. Do you have a moment? There are some things we would like to confirm with you."

Iruka stood straight as a board. This was unexpected. "Yes, of course. What can I do for you?"

"Well-"

"UMINO, HAVE YOU SEEN AKAMARU?"

"NO, INUZUKA, I AM ON THE TELEPHONE." How the hell do you lose a 90 kilo dog? Iruka pressed his left hand to his free ear to block out whatever Kiba said next, if anything. "I'm sorry, sir. My son has friends over today. Please go on."

"Yes, we have two people here seeking to transfer residency to Japan from the United States of America. Your address specifically. Are you expecting anyone?"

Iruka opened his mouth to answer 'You must be mistaken' when he could hear the living room line pick up and a voice mimic his own, "Yes, sir." Was this a prank?

"Ah, I see. There were many refugees... brought here. Our Congress has recently passed a bill stating anyone changing residency from the United States must be on record and vouched for by a third party. Answering a few basic questions would help us confirm their identities."

Iruka stretched the curly cord, phone still to his ear, to the archway connecting the kitchen to the living room. All the boys were sitting quietly now and watching Sasuke in confusion much like Iruka was doing, except Naruto who had his face pressed against the other side of the living room phone. The caucasian boy turned his face partially to Iruka, pressing his index finger to his lips in a silencing gesture. The only adult said nothing, letting Sasuke continue. Might as well not make a scene until he knew the outcome.

"Please ask anything you need."

"Alright, thank you . Please identify their official nationalities and country of origin, if any."

"Both Japanese citizens. One was born in Konoha. The other is naturalized, previously from Canada."

"Sex, date of birth, and race? In that order please."

"Female, Male. October 10, 20XX, and November 11, 19XX. Both Caucasian."

"Where was their previous residence in the United States?"

"Charlotte, North Carolina."

"Please describe their original reason for leaving the nation of Japan."

"The old man's writing career. He's her legal guardian They're returning so that he can open to the Japanese market."

There was a typing sound momentarily.

"It appears all the information matches their records. Thank you very much for your time. You will need to come to Fukuoka some time tomorrow to confirm your own identity and sign the residency papers. We can release them at that time. They are very lucky to have someone at home vouch for them. There are others here not so fortunate."

"We are looking forward to having them home again. I will be there tomorrow."

"Have a nice night then, ."

The line went dead then. Sasuke softly put the phone back on its receiver as Naruto - grinning wildly - patted him on the back.

"Way to go, dude! How did you know all that stuff, anyway?"

"Dobe, I read Usagi's letters, too, remember? She's told us all that stuff."

"What's going on guys? Who's Usagi?" Chouji innocently interjected.

"Must be Sasuke's girlfriend~!" Kiba snickered, "Creepy that he knows all her information, though... What's her bra size?"

"Idiot!" Sasuke sputtered, kicking a throw-pillow at Kiba to hide his blush, "She's Naruto's sister!"

Naruto nodded with vigor, "Yeah that's gross, dude! I could never let her date one of you perverts." His face became dark, teeth flashing, "Especially Sasuke."

"Dobe! What are you trying to say?"

"Naruto has a SISTER?"

"I just know how you are with girls."

Iruka returned the kitchen phone to its receiver and walked back into the living room to turn off the television while the boys were distracted. "Boys," Iruka interrupted. The one word was said as if he were talking to his class at the school. Stern and final. They all stopped - deers caught in the headlight - feeling as if they were, indeed, in class. Instantly defeated and tamed. "I think it's about time you all headed home. Tomorrow is a school day." Quietly they gathered the video games and playing cards and dog they had brought with them, then shuffled out the door. Only Naruto and Sasuke were left with an Iruka pointing to the door. "You, too, Sasuke. Unless you want to explain to me what you just did. Otherwise, I think this is a family matter."

Sasuke purposely directed his vision anywhere but Iruka. Naruto elbowed his friend in the side, "I think he's talking to you, bro."

"You should tell him. She's your sister."

"Boys! Do you know what you just did? You committed fraud! If they had caught you... you're old enough to be arrested now!"

"They won't catch us," Sasuke held gazes with Iruka steadily then. His shoulders were squared and back straight, even with his hands remaining in his pockets. A stance that screamed challenge. "Because you are going to Fukuoka tomorrow to sign for them."

Iruka would never admit it, but he was intimidated by this Sasuke. However, as a high school teacher of twelve years he knew better than to show any obstinate student fear. Even his godson's best friend. The boys got into a lot of trouble at school together, but they certainly weren't criminals. Iruka would give them fair chance to explain themselves. "Them, who? I'm not doing anything for anyone until you two tell me what's going on."

"Dobe, I can't believe you thought it was a good idea not to tell him."

"Heh... well, you see, Iruka, Usagi sent me a another letter a few weeks back..."

Iruka took a seat in his special recliner. The living room was in worse shape than he had expected. There was white dog hair all over... It was going to be a long night.

/

The United States consulate was a miniature version of its homeland. American soldiers were positioned around every corner, even the kitchens. Cameras, likewise, watched visitors and workers every move from corners and walls. No one could enter the gates or visit the ironically beautifully kept yards unless escorted by a soldier posted there. Meals were served in the spare guest rooms, which were all overfilled with people, many of which were strangers.

The guest rooms were all furnished with two twin beds, a writing desk, and a television, and connected to another guest room via joint bathroom. Unbefitting lovely paintings of the American countryside and colonial era trinkets decorated the rooms. Beds were dressed in handmade quilts and some in Americana loom-spun throws. The overall appearance was that of a quaint bed-and-breakfast, but the atmosphere was stifling. The television against the far wall was turned up to full volume, attractive Japanese newscaster projecting her teleprompted lines.

"PRIME MINISTER KAIHA HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN FOUND DEAD INSIDE HIS TOKYO HOME THIS MORNING. CAUSE OF DEATH IS SUSPECTED TO BE SUICIDE. KAIHA IS THE FOURTH PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN THREE YEARS. EMERGENCY ELECTIONS TO REPLACE KAIHA ARE CURRENTLY BEING ARRANGED BY THE NATIONAL DIET, EXPECTED TO OCCUR SOMETIME NEXT MONTH. AS OF TODAY THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR ELECTION: HONDA YUKIO AND UCHIHA MADARA. MORE ON THIS STORY TONIGHT."

Uchiha? Why did that name sound so familiar...?

Even though the news was morbid, the five children Usagi had been forced to bunk with the night before continued to play loudly. They hopped from one twin bed to the other and sang their favorite cartoon songs and begged Usagi to give them piggy-back rides. The sixteen-year old couldn't blame them for being bored. One child had been stuck in the consulate for three weeks already waiting for her parents' paperwork to check out. Regardless of how much sympathy Usagi held for them, she couldn't help but tuck her knees under her chin, back against the headboard, and wish the children would just go away. The vibrant life possessed by the children seemed so foreign to her now.

The night before had been a bureaucratic hell. The Chinook - after avoiding Japanese air patrol - landed in the Hokkaido countryside around three o'clock in the afternoon. There the passengers immediately dug a hole and dumped all their weapons, according to plan. In Sapporo a team of Japanese soldiers took them into custody. Passports were examined, lies were told, and the group split up by supposed country of origin. All possessions had been confiscated and never returned. Only Jiraiya had managed to keep some items hidden on his person by being generally perverted. No one really wanted to touch him.

By seven o'clock many had been taken to the United States consulate nearest their destination for "processing", according to the newest procedures laid out for international migration. The Fukuoka consulate would not allow anyone to make their own phone calls, instead investigating everything themselves. Jiraiya took a shot in the dark on Iruka, hoping he would catch on to the situation, and had been pleasantly surprised to hear their release papers were being processed shortly thereafter.

It was now almost noon of Monday, and Usagi and Jiraiya were very impatiently playing the waiting game.

The bathroom door to her left slammed open revealing Jiraiya. Completely ignoring the children now running circles under his feet, he pointed to the television. "I'm glad you're watching the news because we might be running straight into the lion's den."

Usagi really did not want to be having a conversation like this right now. Not when she was so close to being home and having a safe night's sleep. Usagi reached for the television remote and muted the volume. Her irritation showed as she sighed, "Why? Is the Prime Minister's ghost going to send us back?"

"Ghost!" The children all shouted in terror and ran to join the elders Jiraiya had been roomed with on the other side of the bathroom. Jiraiya closed and locked the door behind the children and pulled the desk chair up to the bedside, taking a seat.

"This is serious, girl. An Uchiha is running for office. You do know about the Uchiha family, right?"

"No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me all about them."

Jiraiya pulled at Usagi's ear. She protested loudly, clawing at his hand, but he managed to keep a hold of her. "Brat, haven't I taught you anything? The Uchiha family owns the world's largest arms company, right after Blackwater. Uchiha Corporation has been supplying arms to the United States military since Vietnam! Their corporate headquarters is in Konoha!"

The petite blonde was finally able to slap her foster-father's hand away and snapped, "If you knew this then what the fuck was the point in even running here? Just so we can watch our home be destroyed again?"

Jiraiya leaned back in his chair then, arms crossing, a strangely stern look on his wrinkled face. This was face Jiraiya occasionally made when he assumed the role of reprimanding mature adult. It was enough to make her feel ashamed and like a petulant child. The entire world was falling apart for everyone. Not many had the opportunity to do something about it like Usagi. Jiraiya waited until he could see the apology in her blue eyes before speaking. His stern tone remained. "It won't come to that hopefully. Madara's dangerous but we have enough information from Konan on Uchiha Corp's CEO to prevent him from seizing office, if we play our cards right."

"What? He's not the CEO?"

"No. Apparently Madara is the actual brain behind the corporation, but legally the strawman owner is his nephew, Uchiha It-"

There was a knock at the hallway door. The lock clicked and the door cracked open, revealing an American soldier. "Oh good, you two are together. Your witness is here to release you. Get your things and follow me."

The thought of finally being free from soldiers and running and fighting gave Usagi renewed vigor. She jumped up excitedly and with Jiraiya simply followed the armed man out, having no things to collect. They passed by several other rooms filled with refugees (or "temporary residents" as the soldiers were told to call them) before descending a flight of stairs and immediately turning left through a set of double doors. The lobby was much more elegant than the guest rooms with crystal chandeliers, marble columns and antique victorian furnishings. The attendant's desk sat to the far left, where Jiraiya was led. Sitting on an arrangement of couches in the center, however, was the person Usagi had desperately fought for.

The female twin squeaked in speechless glee and darted for the couches. The sound caused the object of her attention to turn toward her just as she leapt over the couch's backrest to tackle them. Together they fell off the couch and onto oriental rug below. "What the-"

"NARUTO!" Usagi kissed her brother's cheek repeatedly in unbridled joy. Said twin finally managed to push her up when she latched onto his obnoxiously orange hoodie and shook him like a rag doll. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"

Naruto said nothing but stopped his sister's assault by capturing her in a bear hug, his arms almost wrapping twice around her frame. She was so much smaller than he remembered... or was it that he had grown? A wetness prickled his chest through his hoodie and shirt then as he noticed said tiny frame trembling. Usagi was crying. When had she started? "Ehh? What's wrong, Sis? I'm happy to see you, too! Believe it!"

Usagi couldn't answer immediately, her tears blocking her voice, so she shook her head. She felt something nudge her side. Looking over Naruto's shoulder she was able to blurrily make out the culprit's familiar figure (hair) even through all the tears. "Crying isn't a very good way to show your gratitude, stupid." Gentle fingers reached past Naruto's head and removed away the tears, revealing a smirking Sasuke crouching behind her brother. "So stop that." The kind sentiment only made Usagi smile lightly, but the tears still came.

"You ass," she managed to choke but otherwise dug her face deeper into Naruto's shoulder while her left hand reached out to grab the hand Sasuke had just used. He allowed her to hold it without gripping back himself. If she let go they would disappear. This safe place would crumble into dust and she would wake up in her North Carolina home burning alive or bleeding to death from a gun wound. She would wake up and these two people she loved would be missing or... the possibilities only made her cry harder.

Usagi gathered all of her will to convince herself that this was reality. Not another hallucination.

Namikaze Usagi really was safe and in her brother's arms.

/

The group of five watched Jiraiya use a match to light fire to his and Usagi's documents in a public parking garage. Including the release forms he had stolen from the desk while everyone was distracted by Usagi's crying, Jiraiya had also managed to put a virus-loaded flash drive into the consulate attendant's computer. No one would know he and his goddaughter even existed. Usagi had stopped crying by now, but her eyes were still red and she refused to let go of either Naruto or Sasuke's hands.

Umino Iruka's electric blue Honda Accord pulled out of the public parking garage sometime later. The high-rise apartments and hotels looming overhead soon shrank into two-story storefronts and suburban homes, and within the hour transformed into miles of trees and mountains. The solitude of the winding road helped promote conversation.

"Thanks for this, Iruka. I didn't actually expect you to know it was us," Jiraiya attempted quietly.

"You're lucky Sarutobi could find me a substitute on such short notice. You should thank the boys, too. I had no idea what was going on until they filled me in."

Jiraiya looked back at the boys in confusion (without thanking them), then back at Iruka. "I don't know how those brats could know anything but thanks again." Usagi coughed nervously but went unnoticed. "I'm thinking we can be out of your place within the month if I can get my old job back."

Iruka snorted. "I doubt the university will humor you again. Plenty of teachers are threatening to quit the high school after... recent events. I suppose you could apply there. If that doesn't work out... stay as long as you need."

"If you give a mouse a cookie..."

"Is that an English phrase? Why would you give a mouse a cookie?"

"I wouldn't expect a home economics teacher to understand."

"I could kick you out of my car right now Jiraiya and there would be no one for miles to help you."

The two adults in the front continued to banter Usagi studied her brother and his friend in the backseat with her, noticing a lot of things. Both boys towered a whole head over her now even in the low sitting car seats; just two years ago Sasuke was the tallest but not by this much. They had lost a lot of baby fat making them look more mature. Naruto still dressed like a little thug, though. Sasuke was still wearing band-Tees and skinny jeans apparently, but now his ears were gauged. Plugged like hers but the size was smaller.

"You two are taller than me now..."

"I was just thinking how tiny you are! Have you been eating, Sis?"

"Not for the past few weeks, no."

"Iruka always keeps lots of food in the house, right Teme?"

"Ah, if you don't eat it all first Dobe."

"By the way, Duckbutt, about your plugs... wait, are those headphone buds in your ear?"

"Ahh... no. They're earplugs. To block out all of Naruto's screaming."

"You liar! Those are totally the headphones to Usagi's iPod-! Oops..."

"Dobe! You weren't supposed to tell her!"

"I KNEW IT!" Usagi pounced on Sasuke, attempting to search all his pockets. "It's about time I got it back you bastard!"

"GET OFF ME YOU CRAZY B-"

"Quiet the hell down back there! This is a car not a wrestling ring!" Iruka finally butted in when the right side of the car began swerving. Sasuke pushed Usagi to Naruto's side of the Honda where the pigtailed girl crossed her arms and pouted, muttering something about lucky bastards getting away with murder. Sasuke smirked, reaching into his inside coat pocket. The longer his hand stayed inside his denim jacket the louder the sound coming out of his headphones became. "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin... One of Usagi's favorite songs. That son of bitch.

The ride continued this way. Iruka and Jiraiya shared light, adult conversation (although at one point Jiraiya mentioned something about high school uniform skirts becoming shorter) and Usagi tried to ignore her entire playlist blaring through Sasuke's ear drums by catching up with Naruto. The twins talked about everything except for Usagi's life for the past two months. It was a topic being carefully avoided.

Eventually a beeping noise emerged from Sasuke's pocket. When he didn't react - just continued to lay with his head back with his eyes closed - Usagi considered it safe to assume that Sasuke could either not hear anything or was asleep. She preemptively "shhh"ed Naruto and went for the gold...

" 'Aniki'? Ooh, Sasuke has a message from his brother." She whispered.

"Major Dick Itachi?" Naruto muttered. Jiraiya's eyes jolted to the two in the mirror then, but went unnoticed by the twins. "Just leave him alone, he's trouble." The mischievous girl ignored her brother's request, sliding the phone open and reading aloud, " 'It's been almost two days baby brother. Are you okay? Where have you been?' Oh, how precious!" The concern and affection there was so familiar. Usagi felt like she was looking at a message from herself to Naruto. Immediately she began searching through options for "call contact".

"Eh? What are you doing, Usagi? Talking to him isn't a good idea..."

"It'd be wrong to let him worry about 'baby brother'."

"He's always like that though. It's just an Uchiha thing."

Usagi had just hit "call" when Jiraiya roared to stop the car and pull over. Iruka slammed on brakes, the momentum sending the passengers flying forward then back in their seats. The cell phone flew from Usagi's hand, hit the windshield, then fell into Jiraiya's lap while the phone's owner awoke abruptly. Itachi's voice could be heard shouting into the phone. ("Hello? Sasuke! Sasuke, what's going on?") Iruka did as told and pulled over. Before the vehicle even came to a complete stop, Jiraiya jumped out with Sasuke's phone to his ear.

"Hello? Uchiha Itachi of Uchiha Corporation?" The old man ripped open the door closest to Sasuke and dragged the Japanese boy out by his collar. All the other passengers were out of the car in seconds shouting at Jiraiya to let Sasuke go. Naruto tried to pry him loose but was roughly kneed away. Jiraiya locked Sasuke's arms behind his back and slammed his body against the Honda Accord in one swift movement, preventing any more struggle. Sasuke still cussed loudly, but somehow Jiraiya's voice remained clear even through his eerily calm tone. "This could go one of two ways for your little brother depending on how you cooperate: very well, or very badly."

Usagi was frozen in shock, standing far off to the side. Her foster-father had just told her about the Uchiha family barely hours ago! Sasuke was... she now realized why the sir name had been so familiar to her. Sasuke was one of them? One of the sick fucks making money off of this whole fake uprising? Usagi couldn't bring herself to believe her beloved brother's best and first friend was a monster. But... Usagi had trusted the older brother, even if it had only been three days. What if he had ended up hurting Naruto instead? How could she have been so stupid and blind?

The line was deadly quiet for several moments before Itachi's smooth voice came out over speakerphone, "Who are you?"

"I'm asking the questions here, Uchiha. You work for Madara, correct? He have any targets right now? Anyone he would tell little Sasuke here to spy on?"

"What the fuck are you talking about, you bat shit old coot? Why would Itachi waste his time spying on you?" Sasuke yelled. He was largely ignored.

"I assure you that Sasuke has absolutely nothing to do with Madara. He most certainly knows less than you, whoever you are."

"Let's assume I believe you. You still didn't answer my question."

"Unless you're an anti-statist rebel you need not worry about Madara for now."

"What if that's exactly what I am?"

"Old man!" Usagi hissed in English, coming closer and stopping just beside Jiraiya's ear opposite the phone, "Are you sure you should be telling him that much? We're already running into the goddamn inferno!"

"I know what I'm doing, Usagi." The hushed in like-tongue. Sasuke used this as another chance to buck Jiraiya which only ended in his face eating more metal. Naruto tried to charge Jiraiya again but Iruka held his godson back. Usagi had thought she had been discreet by keeping her volume down and using English, but the speakerphone had still managed to transfer her feminine voice across the line.

"...Namikaze Usagi. I am very disappointed. I would not have thought you to use unnecessary violence." Disappointment was not the emotion - if any - carried through in Itachi's voice, but the statement itself was disturbing. She had only spoken to Itachi Uchiha once. Who was he that he knew she opposed violence so strongly? Who was he - the owner of a military arms production company - to judge her violence? Usagi couldn't tolerate such dangerous hypocrisy.

As Jiraiya demanded how Itachi knew the girl at all, Usagi surprised her adopted father by pulling his very long ponytail and snagging the cell phone right from his hand. He couldn't chase after her and hold Sasuke simultaneously, so she bolted. Once the treeline had been reached the war torn teenage girl began laying into Sasuke's brother with righteous fury, still speed-walking past countless trees with unknown purpose or direction.

"You listen here you piece of shit. I admit I was foolish in my position but I trusted you were an okay guy because you're related to Sasuke! Dammit, no one told me you're an arms manufacturer! Who the hell are YOU to call ME VIOLENT?"

"You're holding my brother hostage. I would have equally trusted you with his safety because I thought you were friends."

"No no no no NO. Don't change the subject. I don't condone the old man's extreme behavior, but I'M not the one selling assault rifles TO FUCKING DICTATORS. Why would trusting ME be any issue compared to someone like you?"

" 'Old man'. The man who's doing this... is he Gama Jiraiya?"

"No. Stop changing the subject, jerk." How did he know that? Did this Madara character keep detailed information on Minato's relations or something?

"You're lying. At least I know now that Sasuke is under no threat. Jiraiya is a respectable man. I think I understand the situation now."

"Respectable? Obviously you don't understand jack because that doesn't describe Jiraiya." There were leaf-crunching footfalls. Someone had followed, but Usagi couldn't be bothered to figure out who.

"No, he is an honorable, if not persistent man. 'The philosopher earns trust by seeking truth. Those who live Socrates' examined life will inevitably be Plato's martyr in the cave.' "

"Usagi?" It was Naruto calling from a distance. Usagi hadn't realized that she had ventured this far around the mountain. "Sis, where are you?" She didn't respond, too engrossed in her conversation with the probably psychotic CEO, so she sat on a boulder and waited to be found. It helps to remain stationary when one realizes that they are completely lost. Goddamnit.

"That's from The Will of Fire! My father's book... You've read it?"

"I've memorized every word. I am... a sympathizer. I have information on Madara and would like to help you, if you will allow me."

"Somehow I doubt that. What kind of information, per say? What do you get out of it?"

"It's not safe to say here. Return the phone to Jiraiya and I will allow you to personally try me for my war crimes if you wish."

"Another deal? Are you retarded?"

"Have I violated the terms of our first agreement? Has any harm come to Naruto?"

Usagi could see said twin brother's obnoxiously orange hoodie approaching up the slope through the masses of leafless, hibernating trees. The closer Naruto came now (having spotted her), the deeper Usagi began to think on this trust issue. The deal had only been for two days, and it had been made in Usagi's tired, horrified state of mind. How could any weight be put in that sort of thing? She wasn't that stupid; his request was about more than returning Sasuke's phone to Jiraiya. Usagi would doing that regardless. Itachi was indirectly asking her to give him the benefit of the doubt until she could hear him out. Trusting someone who literally enabled all of the problems she had ever had in her life? Was there any excuse under the sun for the things this man had done? What if she showed up to meet him and was... eliminated? Was she insane?

Itachi undeniably worried over his younger brother's well-being. This very conversation would not be occuring if he did not. So he could be trusted to look after Sasuke's best interest. Was Sasuke a spy, though? ...No, Usagi believed Itachi when he had said his iPod stealing kid brother knew nothing. Sasuke was the first friend Naruto ever made after a very lonely and traumatic childhood. The trust Usagi held in the raven-haired boy was not unwarranted. Itachi had said, "I take care of Sasuke's own." She and Naruto were considered Sasuke's own weren't they? Could Itachi be trusted to uphold that? His voice was so unreadable... could that be the voice of someone with something to hide?

If she believed him... if Itachi held his end of this new bargain then Usagi would literally be the judge presiding over his trial. The offer was so tempting. To have revenge for all of those people... Usagi's thoughts stopped dead. Her mouth soured. Revenge was what kings and oligarchs and sociopaths aimed for. Her father would have been shamed by her lack of benevolence. Minato had believed people should be judged by the products of their efforts, and that punishment of negative products came in the form or social ostracism and a ruined reputation. If Itachi's good will was legitimate... Usagi and Jiraiya had everything to gain. If he held any malintent... they didn't really have anything left to lose, did they?

When Naruto caught up he carefully pulled his sister to her feet. "Usagi, what's going on? The Pervert is thrashing Sasuke with questions right now! You don't believe that Sasuke is a spy, too, do you? Major Dick is... a dick, but I don't think he'd make Sasuke do something like that!" Itachi had been waiting awhile for Usagi's reply, so upon hearing Naruto's voice provided for her an answer, "Not only is Naruto fine, he has given me a chance. If you cannot trust me, will you trust Naruto?"

"Naruto's an idiot."

"Hey! I understood that! I'm not an idiot! Believe it!"

"But I already decided that you have enough going on in your favor, Uchiha."

"Thank you. I will do my best to make sure you do not regret it."

Usagi placed a hand over the phone's mouthpiece to address her brother with a "Let's get back before this gets any uglier." Naruto moaned about being ignored and insulted but otherwise led the way out, knowing how horrible Usagi was with direction. The phone stayed silent the entire journey, even though the call had not ended. Eventually the earthen ledge evened out into pavement and the blue Honda Accord stood out amongst the barren hardwood and occasional evergreen trees.

Jiraiya waited leaning against the car, arms crossed and stormy eyes glued to the forest line. Sasuke sat inside the vehicle with Iruka. He looked ready to murder and a nice bruise was forming on his temple, but otherwise no worse for wear. The moment the twins stepped onto the asphalt Jiraiya's body catapulted off of Iruka's car towards them.

"Give me the phone, girl," he said with finality, "Me and you will have a talk later." Usagi tossed Sasuke's phone at him ("Sure, whatever.") and continued into the car. Naruto directed a demon's scowl at Jiraiya while following his sister. Once inside Sasuke revealed that the elder man couldn't get any answers out of him so gave up. Jiraiya had at least had the decency to explain that his family's business could be a great threat to their 'family' of sorts, although refused to go into further detail. Sasuke and Naruto both complained loudly about the situation but Usagi found her focus elsewhere.

The pig-tailed blonde knew she was practically begging for catastrophe. This Itachi Uchiha fellow was probably nothing but trouble. Not even his own brother truly liked or knew him. If he was selling weapons to the 'terrorist-eliminating' United States then financially wouldn't it be in his best interest to turn over possible leaders of the resistance? Uchiha Corporation's public reputation would fly through the roof. Logically this had to be a trap, but... could he actually be one of those inspired by The Will of Fire? It was possible he was a double agent if his uncle Madara was the man actually behind the scenes. Usagi wanted to believe that someone so close to her brother with so many resources would naturally be on their side, but a man as rich and powerful as Itachi giving up fortune for family? Highly unlikely. Either way, she would meet with him and use her judgement from there.

Usagi found her heart torn between logic and hope.

/

I will be the first to admit that this is a terrible chapter, but it was necessary for plot development. I had originally intended Itachi to approach Jiraiya at Iruka's home, but that was too convenient and not at all dramatic. Also, this confrontation will develop Sasuke's character later. Surprise: Sasuke fans will not like what I have in store.

In other news, midterms were this week, so I really struggled to write this chapter at all. Here's hoping that in the next three or four days I will be able to publish chapter six. If this chapter was distasteful for you LEAVE A REVIEW, and we can negotiate.

Next chapter Usagi tries to fit in with Naruto's crowd, and Itachi reveals his plan to help the anti-statist movement.