Ten

Tremble in Vain

"The hospital?" He nodded. "Why? Are you hurt?" He shook his head. He had clammed up and would probably stay that way for a while. I walked in after him and shook my head at Sakuraya who looked at me with a bit of worry. I still hadn't properly talked to him. I guess I have to fix things. Me and my stupid pride. Shisui climbed the stairs as if he had done it a million times. I followed quietly not disturbing him in his somber mood. He stopped on the fourth floor and turned to me as I caught my breath.

"Don't ask stupid questions and just go along with it," he commanded. I nodded as he walked down the hall and knocked on the door labeled '49'. I didn't understand the gruff reply but Shisui took it as the sign to enter. He pushed the door open and waited for me to get in before closing it behind me. I walked in but stopped in the middle of the room. Someone was lying on the bed with wild curly grey hair that reached their shoulders. Their back was my way. It was full of scars and seemed to have some fat here and there. Their waist was slim. That is when he turned around staring at me with half lidded black eyes. I stared back. His eyes snapped open and sat up albiet too fast and stared at me shocked.

"Sensei?" His voice seemed a little off as if his lungs were irritating him, he sat up abruptly before clutching his head. "You're a little small but you look like someone I once knew. Tell me, boy, what's your name?" I realized the man was talking about my ancestor. I opened my mouth about to say 'Tobi is a good boy' but Shisui answered for me.

"Her name is Arashi Senju." The man looked at me for a little while before turning to Shisui.

"Come on, give your grandad a hug," he asked in a light tone. Shisui moved to him mechanically before throwing his arms around the man who was openly staring at me over Shisui's head. He seemed to have seen some part of Tobirama in me. I had closed my mouth and was just staring back. Shisui stepped back.

"She's my friend from the Academy," muttered Shisui. I think that's when I realized that I was being used. I almost laughed at the image in my mind where an older Shisui grabs the girls on his team to go home and pose as his girlfriend to get his annoying parents off his back.

"Oh really?" The man was doubting him, I guess I should jump in now.

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"A polite one, eh? Who's your father?" I was a little uneasy before, Uchiha had been presented to me as some evil race. Now, he was asking questions like a was a naive kid.

"If I may ask your name first? I believe I have been introduced though." He raised an eyebrow at my plain look.

"She doesn't know about me?" Shisui looked out the window innocently. "Shisui-chan, do you know who her father is?" Shisui sighed and shook his head. It seems he can't lie to his grandfather.

"We don't talk about family, we're both going to be Shinobi of Konoha. On the battlefield clans won't matter, villages will. Knowing one an other as something other then our clan name will matter, a generalized idea of what each clan is like won't. There are always exceptions." He blinked then smiled softly.

"You just look like sensei, you're more like his older brother really," he said. My eyes widened as I was compared to Hashirama. I didn't let him see it but I was furious. Hashirama was a pacifist and look what it got him. Peace was unattainable I muttered, knowing that I couldn't fool myself.

"My name is Kagami Uchiha." I gasped. He was well-known in the clan as the only Uchiha that Tobirama Senju could bear with. I thought he had died in the Second Shinobi World War. I stared at him for a moment seeing how his body had been destroyed. He had been on bed rest for some time and the way his hand lay next to his stomach told me all I needed to now, well that and the bandages around his waist. I paled. He had been gutted but barely survived. He noticed me looking at his bandages. He searched for his shirt and threw it on but I had already seen it.

"I'm Senju Arashi, daughter to Senju Wakato and Senju Kanade," I muttered before giving him a proper bow. He looked me for a moment before nodding slowly. He then reached behind pulling out a small satchel. He had bags under his eyes, small ones but still noticeable. Even with all this rest, he had been in the room long enough to be allowed clothes with the Uchiha clan insignia on them and even the room was lightly furnished. He was probably going to spend the rest of his life here. His career was destroyed. I felt sorry for him.

He pulled out three white cards, they had the same pattern except one card had a purple one and the other two were green.

"Wanna play?" He gave me a small grin that shocked me. Shisui gave me a rough idea of what most of the Uchiha would be like. Quite, sullen and active daydreamers. They often mulled over the past too. Kagami seemed different. More easy going, less formal. I nodded. "I'll shift the cards around and you have to guess which one is purple. Shisui you'll play too, won't you?"

"Yes, Oji-san." He stood next to me and we both watched Kagami shuffle the cards before placing them on the night stand. He shifted them deftly and I barely noticed the way the cards seemed to shift a little when his hands moved over them. There were more then three cards. I was immediately interested in the technique. Spending time with Orochimaru had taught me a little but of chakra control but a lot about the theory of chakra, improving my senses and how to dissect techniques. There was always a slight of hand involved. Kagami shifted them in a way that was almost unnoticeable but he seemed to almost want us to notice the trick. Shinobi never played fair. I grinned a little as I realized that when there were more then three cards the chances of winning could either be increased to a 100% or reduced to 0%. If all cards in play are green I couldn't win but if all cards in play are purple I would win no matter the choice. Since this was the first time I was playing Kagami might be extra tricky or try to lull me into a sense of security. Either way I have a 67% chance of winning. He tilted his hands slightly and I caught the card he sneaked into his sleeve, purple. I frowned. My chances dropped to somewhere between 34% and 0%. He then did a fancy hand movement to let us know that the cards were for all to see. Shisui looked thoughtful as he stared hard at the cards. I wonder if he had caught the hand movement. I decided to let the first pick be by choice. The card on the left seemed furtherer from its original position in comparison to the other two meaning it was shifted the most times. That had been green in the start. The right most had been purple. It seemed to shifted the least but it had shifted. Obviously he would have changed that to green leaving a 10% chnace of it being the purple card. The center one had a 30% chance while the left most had a 40% chance. There was a 20% chance of the card being in his sleeve but I couldn't select that option. I tapped the left most just after Shisui tapped the one in the center. Kagami flipped them over. Both of them were green. His hand hovered over the right most one and I realized that the purple card was never among the ones on the table. He had just switched it in.

"Again," said Shisui just as I opened my mouth to declare a rematch. Seems Shisui hates to lose. I nodded in agreement and Kagami's smirk told me that I would not win. I picked the lowest probability cards after that grimacing when it turned out to be that ugly green color. Kagami laughed as me and Shisui frowned. Eventually we started to make quick hushed agreements over which card couldn't possibly be purple because that was the one that always ended up being purple.

"It's that one. It was purple the last two times." Shisui shook his head.

"That one, its not really been shuffled a lot." I agreed with him and we both frowned when Kagami proved us both wrong. Eventually I realized that it was late. I had to be home soon.

"I must go, my parents must be waiting," I told them. "Thank you Kagami-san, I believe next time the purple card will actually be in play instead of in your sleeve." Shisui huffed and pulled the card out of Kagami's sleeve while the man chuckled.

"I hope I'll see you again, Arashi-chan." I smiled quickly before rushing out. I was in the lobby when I ran into someone. I looked up at the pale short haired man who looked mildly curious.

"Sakuraya-sensei," I muttered. The man looked unamused. I sighed.

"Arashi, what are you doing at the hospital? Are you hurt?" His words sounded concerned but his tone most definitely wasn't. It was almost bored. Did he also act in front me? Did he feel obligated to be nice? Was everything just an act? It was frustrating. Time and time again.

"No, I was visiting someone. Would you be kind enough to escort me home? Or are you busy?" He looked back and then nodded before continuing out of the Hospital. I guess that was like an open invitation.

"Umm, Sakuraya-sensei?"

"Hmm?" I bit my lip, fuck you pride. I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for saying that I don't respect you and stuff. You're really nice and stuff and I think you're awesome and please don't stay mad at me." I huffed before deciding to pull out all the stops. I clasped my hands together and batted my eyes. "Pretty please." Maybe it was just me but I saw a ghost of a smile before it disappeared.

"I am not sure what you are talking about. I was never mad at you." I stomped and puffed my cheeks up.

"Then why are you not talking to me in a normal way?"

"I am talking to you in a normal way." He started walking a little faster so I had to jog to keep up.

"No!" My shreik made him raise an eyebrow, I glanced around to see a few people give quick looks before looking away. I am a kid, give me a break. God. "You're all formal like and not funny anymore." He nodded. I stomped in front of him. I had just flushed my pride out I wasn't letting it go so easy.

"Yes?" Damn this bastard. I think he is enjoying this or is he? Why does he have to be so serene and girly? He coughed when he realized I was just going to stare. I snapped back into focus.

"You aren't you." My shoulders slumped. I know I sound childish but I felt childish. It was like being ignored by others when you were a voice of reason. When you knew you were smart. When no one listened 'cause the little kid is probably dumb. I was almost nineteen now. I didn't like being ignored. "I come to you for advice. I don't need to put up facades around you, you're smart and I like your advice. It's really good. I don't want you to just move on. I'm not just some kid. Listen to me." I bit my lip forcing my eyes to stop before the fountain of tears started. "Don't hide things from me. It's frustrating." He sighed before walking even faster once we had entered the area around the compound Sakuraya beckoned me towards the tall building to the side. I knew that the building held apartments for younger Senju who wanted to stay around the compound. Sakuraya lived here on the third floor. I hadn't been here before I let him lead me to his apartment which was surprisingly messy and had a permanent lived in, worn out look. I eyed everything before my eyes rested on the table Sakuraya was scribbling on. I leaned in and gasped. My mouth opened but he quickly slammed his hand on it bending over further in his work with the weird sterile smelling hand still on my mouth. I blinked in surprise before licking his hand. To his credit he only raised an eyebrow before continuing to do his work while I gagged. His hand tasted like bitter medicine, blood and sweat. Officially the most disgusting thing ever. When he was done he slammed his hand hard onto the table and I watched silently as the squiggly lines of the seal spread out to the walls.

"A privacy seal?" He nodded.

"Kushina has taught you well." That's when I realized another thing.

"Since when are you an accomplished user of the Sealing Arts?" He looked up.

"Mito-sama taught me. She was very good at teaching too. Kushina was always better then me at those lessons but Mito-sama never discouraged me. You have heard that I was sick right?" I nodded. "Well, I have been sick since almost forever. Sealing was the only thing I could do back then. It took me years to manage enough chakra control to be able to heal." He spoke of Mito with such respect.

"Wait, how old are you again?" He laughed a little.

"I'm two years older then Kushina. Well, almost three." I nodded with a smile. Sakuraya was back to normal.

"So ...what's with the kidnapping? Oh and your hands tastes disgusting."

"It's better on the inside. Now, Arashi-chan. You have been neglecting your father." I frowned. He sounded like he was talking to a really small kid. I wasn't a really small kid on the inside. "He thinks that you approach me too much and are treating me like a fatherly figure. He wishes to talk to you the way you talk to me." Wait, Wakato was getting jealous?

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I have backed down after hearing that from your father if you want conversations like this please approach your father." I nodded. I guess I understood. I didn't know Sakuraya knew father that well but they seemed to have a good relationship if I was trusted with him and they shared things like that.

He let me go demanding that I go meet my father as soon as possible. He also hinted at me possibly not mentioning our conversation. I oblidged. That should have tipped me off that something was wrong.

Father was sitting in his office with some Senju, Fujio or Suki something like that. He was strapping his gear on with some help. He looked over to me seemimg confused before he gestured for the guy to leave. I walked over and started fixing the straps of his arm gaurd albiet clumsily.

"How was the Academy?"

"Good, our teacher is Ito Furuhime. I have contacts too." My tone was clipped and light as I tried to tie the arm gaurd in place. "Nara Kasuga and I are acquainted and Uchiha Shisui too. I actually went with him to meet his grandfather Uchiha Kagami-san." Wakato seemed a little shocked.

"I see." I let the straps be and walked out. Was that 'interactive' enough? Hopefully. I wanted Sakuraya back, I'd let go of my pride and I'd appreciate it if I got something back in return.

I strolled around for a while not sure of why my life seemed so much more tense then before. Tsuki, Shisui, Kasuga ...no else had any reservations. Perhaps because this is all they have known.

"Why does she do this every single time?" Kasuga just nodded. His face was red from running so many back to back laps. I don't think he can talk. This time I was running because I asked Shisui about Kagami-san, the man's dying because of some lung disease. I wonder if it's the same one Itachi has. I ran face first into some kids a class ahead of us.

"Oi, gerrof." I rolled off the blond boy groaning while I held my stomach. He had somehow managed to elbow me in my stomach. He sat up looking a little flustered. "Sorry." I waved a hand dismissively as Kasuga collapsed besides me.

"Nah, is 'Kay." I tried to catch my breath while I was down.

"You're Ito-sensei's class aren't you?" I nodded. "She's a slave driver. She was supposed to be our sensei but then something happened during the secondary tests and she decided to take the second class instead." I was quite for a moment.

"I wonder what happened?" Kasuga nodded still panting. A kid helped him up, one look at him told me he was a Nara too. I put my hand out.

"Senju Arashi." The blonde shook my hand first.

"Yamanaka Santa." I smiled lightly before offering my hand to the other kid.

"Nara Maen." We talked for a while exchanging different stories of Ito-sensei. She had been teaching them last year right until they send her to the battlefield. She came back injured after a month or so.

"Her students are always the best at Taijutsu," added Maen. He was soft spoken in comparison to Kasuga. His were droopy unlike Kasuga's narrow ones and he was paler too. Be reminded of Sasori even with the tiny man-tail. What's with the army of mini-sasori's? But we'll the only similarities were in expression.

"Well, I guess that's a plus," said Santa. "But her students aren't very good at theoretical stuff." I blinked just realizing that Ito wasn't punishing us. She was training us.

"Brats, three more laps! I didn't send you out to chitchat!" I nearly screamed, Santa screamed for all of us and was halfway down the hall when he remembered that he wasn't Ito's student anymore. He blushed obviously embarrassed. She reached down and pinched Maen's cheeks. "You two should also do the laps. Your getting soft around the edges." I laughed but stopped when her KI reached me. It was almost disturbing upclose. We had read that only the worst, most horrific, most gruesome missions helped build your KI. The worse the pinch you were in the more you can increase your KI. It makes me wonder what people have gone through to develop such stifling KI.

Glimpse

"Who, you?" I grinned a little. He was adorable.

"A-ra-shi." He blinked before his face lit up.

"Onee-chan!"

A/N: So we are finally at ten chapters, hell yes! I was wondering if you guys were fine with the lenght of the chapters. I can always merge them so they are about 6-7k words instead of 3-4k words.

Wakato is about as old as Fugaku. Sakuraya is older then Kushina by three years and Kushina is older then Kanade by about four years and Daichi is younger then Kushina by about two years. I think.

Also, JigokuShoujosRevenge had the closest guess. I think. You mentioned that it could be Itachi and then negated it in the next line but since it is an Uchiha I guess that counts for something. Also, the gambling bit. I think guesses are gambles too. So congratulations. PM me about whichever you want; and Omake, an OC or a plot twist. (Though the last one will be more of a suggestion).