Chapter 35

Uchiha Kane was an oddity. There was just no other way to put it. Of course that didn't stop Hikari and Itachi from loving him or caring for him, it just tended to confuse them. During the scheduled times when people would come into their cell the boy would go completely limp and all signs of life would leave his little body. Everything from the color of his skin to the beating of his heart would fade into nothingness.

The first time it happened was when their breakfast was slipped through the small opening at the bottom of their door. Hikari had panicked instantly as she all but shook the lifeless child in an attempt to bring him back from what could only be death itself. Surprisingly as soon as the presence of the other person vanished Kane 'reawoke' in perfect health.

This wasn't the end either. Even though their chakra was blocked by the seal Orochimaru had placed inside of their blood they were still able to sense the chakra presence of others. The only thing was; Kane didn't have a chakra presence. It was as though he was a void in life with only the beating of his heart to prove that he wasn't actually dead.

"I don't get it," Hikari said as she watched her son's chest rise and fall in his sleep.

"Hn."

Hikari glared. "This isn't really the time for monosyllabic responses Itachi. I'm really worried."

Itachi stifled a sigh and looked over at his wife and son from where he had been standing next to the barred window.

"I do not really understand what it is that you want me to say, Hikari. I am no more knowledgeable about our current situation then you are yourself."

Hikari sighed. "I know…I just…I want to know what's happening with Kane. And I want to get him out of here. It's only a matter of time before Orochimaru somehow learns that he isn't really dead."

Before Itachi could respond several rocks fell from above accompanied by the sound of scraping stone. As best he could Itachi looked out the window in order to see who or what was causing the rocks to fall. His eyes noticeably widened in surprise and he jerked back as two bare feet suddenly appeared in his view.

"It looks like you have that chance after all."

Hikari didn't respond to her husband as she stared at the person now fully visible outside of the window.

"Yondaime-sama!"

"Oh good," Yume said, his voice cracking from disuse. "I was hoping that this was your cell."

XXXXXXXXXX

The village that Sasuke and his group finally decided to settle in was in the small country of Wave. Having only just been there they were sure that no one would suspect who they really were. Besides, the bridge still needed workers and if they played their cards right they could easily get jobs.

They were able to settle in with out too much confrontation although their sudden arrival did spark a bit of confusion. That was quickly settled when Sasuke and Naruto, who had once again taken on the alias names of Kousuke and Iota, instantly joined Tazuna's crew. They made up an excuse about having lost their previous jobs and then moved Nami no Kuni after they heard rumors about the bridge.

"You moved here just because of some rumors?" Tazuna gaffed. "And jus' what would you of done if they weren't true?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Move on I suppose."

Tazuna snorted. "You and your friend are some strange people Kousuke. I can't imagine anyone else just up and relocating their family like that."

"There wasn't much else left as a choice when Midori-chan started needing new clothes. With no job how was I supposed to give her any?"

"True, true." Tazuna looked uncertain for a moment before he set down the beam he had been carrying to face Sasuke squarely. "I've been wonderin' I saw the girl when she came with Iota's wife, Hikoto-san. She don't take much after you, except for the eyes of course."

"No, she looks more like her mother."

Tazuna nodded. "That's another thing. How come none of us have ever seen her?"

Sasuke just barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he let his hand drop lazily over the beam he had been bolting to the steel frame of the bridge.

"She just had a child a week ago Tazuna-san." He looked up, his bangs shadowing his red eyes. "Why the interest."

"No real reason," Tazuna said before he chuckled. "Just wanna see what kinda woman could put up with such a person as you. You really need ta lighten up Kousuke."

Sasuke snorted before he returned to what he had been doing previously. "I'll keep that in mind."

It wasn't much longer after that that the lunch whistle sounded and Sasuke stood rubbing his arm across his forehead. He wasn't sweating of course, but it would look a little odd if he was the only person not effected by the humidity and labor.

"Oi! Teme!"

Scratch that. One of two people.

"What do you want dobe?"

Sasuke stiffened a bit as he noticed Tazuna spin around in surprise.

"W-what did you just call each other?"

Sasuke mentally cursed. Of course he should have known that Tazuna would remember how they had always addressed each other the last time they were here. When they were kids. Before Sasuke could speak though Naruto beat him to it.

"Aw they're just names now. They don't mean anything anymore. But back when I first started liking Koko-chan, Kousuke-teme didn't like me very much. I guess he thought that I wasn't good enough for his Imouto, ne teme?"

Sasuke was nearly speechless from the sheer brilliance of Naruto's lie. Nearly.

"Hn, if it were up to me you would never have married her at all Dobe. I don't like the idea of having my sister being corrupted by a moron such as you."

Naruto just stuck out his tongue and pulled down his eyelid. "Nya, you're just jealous because my wife is better then your wife."

"…"

"Ha!" Naruto said. "I got you! You can't agree or disagree because either way you would insult family! How's that for a dobe huh Teme?"

Sasuke just spun around to leave. "I don't have time for this. Sakira is waiting with lunch."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Ahh! I forgot that Koko-chan was making ramen today! I don't want to miss that!"

Tazuna just shook his head in surprised amusement. He could just see it. Ten years from now those kids would be just like these two. He was positive.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Welcome back Sas-er-Kousuke-kun." Sakura said as Sasuke walked through the door. "How was work?"

Sasuke shrugged and lifted Midori, who had been tugging on his pants, into his arms. "As expected. The dobe was surprisingly intelligent."

"Oh?" Sakura asked as she stirred the miso soup simmering on the stove. "In what way?"

"We slipped and Tazuna noticed. Naruto explained it away as my being Hinata's older brother."

Sakura giggled as she turned and crossed her arms letting the wooden spoon hang over her elbow. "I'm going to guess it was about the whole, dobe vs. teme thing."

"Hn."

"Ne, S…Ka-san," Midori said with effort (she still wasn't used to addressing Sakura and Sasuke as her parents) "What's a dobe and a teme?"

Sakura's mouth dropped for a second before she blushed and glared at Sasuke. "It's nothing Midori-chan. They're just mean names that tou-san and Iota-ji-san call each other."

"Oh. Okay!"

Sakura sighed as she flipped her dull white hair over her shoulder. After deciding that they would 'adopt' their sensei's children Sakura also suggested that they should probably disguise themselves as well. Since she was the one that stood out the most with her baby-pink hair Sakura had swallowed her pride and told the others that she would bleach out the color to leave it the same shade of white-gray that Midori's was.

Fortunately she wasn't the only one that had to make a sacrifice, even though hers was the most drastic. Sasuke had volunteered to make his eyes red to match Midori's and Kaede's thinking that all he needed was to keep his sharingan activated. Unfortunately for him Sakura had read ahead in some of the Uchiha clan scrolls and told him that to leave his sharingan activated for a long period of time would slowly eat away at his eyesight. Aside from that, not many people would take kindly to seeing three mirror wheels spinning around his pupil. It was because of that that Sasuke was forced to wear red colored contacts while Hinata wore violet gray ones to match the highlights in the twins' eyes. To Sasuke's great annoyance Naruto hadn't needed to change his appearance at all; a fact that Naruto had been rubbing in the other boy's face at every given opportunity.

Sasuke was jerked back to reality when Sakura gave a small cry and suddenly dropped to her knees. Instantly he was at her side setting Midori carefully on her feet so that he could make sure Sakura was alright.

"What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself?"

"I-I can't find my ring! I think I lost it!"

This time Sasuke couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. "If you lost it I'll give you money to buy a new one."

"I don't want a new one Sasuke! I want that one!"

"Is dis it?" Midori asked as she went on her tiptoes to pull a glittering object off of the counter.

"Yes!" Sakura said as she took it and slid it onto her wet hand. "Thank-you so much Midori-chan!"

"It's just a ring Sakura."

Sakura huffed and settled her fists onto her hips. "It is not just a ring Sasuke. It's the right you gave me for our wedding!"

Before Sasuke could respond the sound of Kaede crying drifted into the small kitchen. Sakura sighed. "Could you get her? I need to finish lunch so that you can get back to work."

"Aa." Sasuke said, before he swiftly left the room.

Once he was gone Sakura caressed her ring absently as she thought back to their small 'wedding'. It was actually only a joining ceremony but the day before Sasuke and Naruto had gone out and bought the four wedding bands; gold for Naruto and Hinata, and sliver for Sasuke and Sakura. To the boys it was just a formality that needed to be taken care of, but for Sakura and Hinata, who had confided this in Sakura only an hour ago, it meant so much more then just that.

"Ka-san?" Midori said as she gently tugged on Sakura's navy colored dress. "Is it time to eat yet?"

"Oh!" Sakura quickly jerked around to switch off the stove before her perfect soup turned to ashes.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo and Gaara walked slowly down the streets of Tsukiomi, a small fairly unknown town in southern Cha no Kuni. Ichigo had learned quickly that it wasn't only the auras of her friends that she could see, but the auras of anything that had life. This included plants, animals, and, surprisingly enough, rocks that contained any sort of element, like gold or phosphorous.

The reason they were walking was so that Ichigo would be able to get used to her knew surroundings. It had been hard enough when she couldn't see anything at, but now that she could see half of everything she had a hard time maneuvering around things that didn't have an aura; like dead trees, weapons, or furniture.

"It looks like we're almost out of the village." Gaara said. "We should head back."

Ichigo was just about to nod before an absolutely horrid stench reached her nose. Her nose wrinkled and she physically recoiled at the smell.

"What is it?" Gaara asked.

Ichigo shook her head. "I'm not sure. It's an awful smell. Really strong too, but it almost seems like more then one at the same time. It's like…blood, ash, and water all at once." She paused for a moment. "I think it's coming from over there."

Gaara followed Ichigo's finger to a large cluster of overgrowth. Had it been anyone else he would have just ignored the entire thing and just gone back home, but since it was Ichigo he figured he had better take a look.

"Stay here," he said. "I'll be right back."

Minutes ticked by like hours as Ichigo impatiently waited for Gaara's return. When he finally did she could practically feel his grim frown as he took her hand and placed a metal rectangle in her palm. Running her thumb over the surface once Ichigo nearly dropped it in shock as she stared right into Gaara's bright sea colored eyes.

"Gaara," She said. "What is a Konoha hatai-ate doing all the way out here?"

"I'm not sure," Gaara said. "But I think that we should let Kyo-sensei know."

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Yondaime-sama!" Hikari said as she hurried to the window. "How—why—huh?"

Yume smiled tightly as sweat slid down his brow. "I—." He slipped a little and cursed before he regained his footing. "I've come to get you out."

Before either of the two could respond a piercing alarm sounded making Kane's eyes opened and he gave an annoyed mew. Yume's eyes widened.

"Well…You two certainly didn't waist anytime."

"Hokage-sama," Itachi said, ignoring that comment. "There is no time to release us. Take Kane and leave. We shall be fine."

Hikari nodded quickly in agreement. "Yes! Please do! It's only a matter of time before they learn that he is still alive."

With out waiting for Yume to agree Hikari spun around and started making a makeshift baby sling with a pillow case and her old hatai-ate. While she did that Itachi explained everything that they had learned about Kane in the three short weeks they had been with him.

"We don't know why he goes into these…states," he said. "But we believe it has something to do with him sensing tainted chakra. Don't be alarmed if it happens. He will awaken soon enough."

The sound of shouts and running grew closer to their cell as Orochimaru's lackeys raced through the tower in an attempt to locate the missing Yondaime.

"Here," Hikari said as she draped the sling around Yume's neck. He spared one hand from the window seal just long enough to slip his arm through so that Kane was nestled gently against his chest. Hikari's fingers lingered on her son's cheek as tears slowly began to slip from her eyes.

"Please," she said. "Tell him everyday that we love him and that we'll see him as soon as we can. Please."

Yume nodded solemnly. "I promise. And I swear that I'll come back for you."

"No," Itachi said. "Find Naruto and the others. Here." Pulling off his chakra ring Itachi slipped it onto Yume's right pinky. "It's locked onto my chakra signature so it should lead you right to them since my ring is linked to theirs. The will need your help with their training."

Yume's jaw tightened as he nodded and pulled his right hand away to recreate his chakra scalpel in order to resume his descent.

"Hokage-sama."

Yume paused at the sound of Itachi's voice. "Yes Itachi?"

"Take care of my son."

Yume smiled and nodded once. "Of course."

With that said Itachi and Hikari watched as Yume and Kane disappeared into the waning twilight.

End Chapter 35

Kaliea: Yes, yes, I know it's really short, but an update is an update right? Just a heads up, don't expect another for a long while.

Review Answers:

Jillzie: I'll do my best but I have a lot going on right now. Thanks for the review!

Foxtriller: Uh, wow. That's really nice of you. I hope you still think so.

lisa: I hope you liked it.

mak0-ch1: Incredibly low. In fact, with out a hospital or even equipment he should have died. How he lived will be explained later on though.

Hiei-Touya-icedemon: Sorry, not much about Kane with his parents but don't worry, they'll be reunited. Eventually.

Danny-171984: Yeah, Kane is a great deal like his father. That shows up more if you read OtherWorld since he's older in it. As for Ichigo, yes she can see auras, but not just the auras of people. As for what else she can see, well, you'll just have to wait on that.

HarukoElric\: Er…what?

Tears like Crystals: I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter. I hope you liked this one as well.

Seasle: That's a shame. I was hoping to surprise everyone. As for relationships:

Haruno Kyo is Haruno Hikari and Haruno Sakura's older cousin. He is also Haruno Ichigo's older brother. He was married to Haruno Kairi who worked for Uzumaki Yume, the father of Uzumaki Naruto. She gave birth to Haruno Akira. Akira is best friends with Hyuuga Hanabi who is Hyuuga Hinata's little sister and Hyuuga Neji's youngest cousin. Neji is friends with Tenten who is the younger sister of Yotaro who are both without a clan name.

Hatake Midori is the oldest daughter of Hatake Kakashi and Yuuhi/Hatake Kurenai, she is also the older sister of Hatake Kaede. Kakashi's best friend Uchiha Obito is married to Uchiha Rin who gave birth to their twin sons Shigure (the oldest) and Shinta. After the death of their parents Midori and Kaede are adopted by Sasuke and Sakura while Shigure and Shinta were adopted by Naruto and Hinata.

I hope that clears it up at least a bit.

grim reaper sakura: I'm sorry. If it helps, I almost cried as well.

blackXpinksakura: Thank-you. I'm glad you like it.

Dragon Man 180: There is no way I would ever let Orotomato get his hands on poor little Kane. No one deserves that, especially not a baby.

Suki dah Turdle: I'm glad you like it.

Princess Ren: More will be told about Kane's powers later and as for Ichigo…well, that will be interesting I think.

sallyluv16: I'm glad. I like surprising people.

RedDreadSky: I'm sorry that you didn't like the age jump. It just seemed to fit.

Shinobi Darkbeak: Thank-you. I'll do my best.

Kaliea: I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to review!