Chapter 3
Shinobi

"What does it mean to be a Shinobi?"

There was a beat of silence, before one of the brothers, probably Kazuki made some kind of a noise, followed by a silent gasp. It seemed he got elbowed by his, smarter brother. I didn't tore my eyes away from sensei, but I knew at that point that Kazuo figured out the meaning of the test.

Konoha was a funny place.

Here you had something that was called "Will of fire". In short it could be roughly summarized as teamwork, among other things. Konoha was well known for it and that belief ultimately labeled us as "tree huggers", which was beside the point currently.

In the middle, you had the Ninja rules.

And then there was the Sakumo incident, which, judging by the ongoing whispers in the crowd, happened as portrayed. The topic was rather fresh, even if the whole thing happened 5ish years ago?

What does that have to do with the above question, you might wonder?

The Second Shinobi World War ended a few years ago, and it left Konoha in shortage of ninja, obviously and the village had to favor quantity over quality. Not as much, as she would during the war, but still. It was because of that the standards for graduation went low. Had it not, Kazuki would have probably never graduate when he did.

So Konoha could deal with faulty teams that could later be shaped into something that would work. It must really have had not been nice to be a Jonin sensei at that time when I graduated. The pressure they had been put under must have sucked.

Because at the time I graduated, Jonin sensei weren't allowed to fail the team given to them.

I knew that at the time, of course I did. I was a prodigy, meaning everyone fawned about that, especially the Uchiha clan as, at that time, they didn't have a prodigy of their own. Yet.

Kazuo depended on the fact we would be passed by default, while Kazuki…

Ah well…

"The Rules." Kazuki spat out. I actually expected something like cool Jutsu, or mission, so it came as a surprise to me. Seeing as sensei's face revealed nothing, I turned my eyes toward my teammates.

Kazuki was glaring at me.

I blinked once, staring at his glare in confusion. What did I…

Oh. He must have thought I was ignoring them.

The fucking idiot.

Glancing at his brother, I saw hesitation in his eyes. I gave him a look.

"Teamwork." I said still looking at the teenager, praying to Kami that he won't do what I thought he would. Kazuo looked away from me, shifted uncomfortably and decided to side with his brother.

"Rules…"

Konoha didn't want another Sakumo to happen ever again, nor did she want comrades to start doubting each other. Academy students were influenced by their parents, especially those coming from a clan. Kids listened, kids remembered, kids came to wrong conclusions, along with their parents. When those kids graduated, they were placed into a team and the final word was given to their Jonin sensei.

Sensei had set us a trap.

The answers we gave weren't incorrect. The academy recorded our grades and updated our states so sensei knew what was our lever of knowledge was. There was a skill sheet for every student, along with general weakness and strength, preferable area of expertise and all that was considered when the teams were formed. There wasn't something as a balanced team. There was only a team that was able to do its job. The fact that our team was even formed, meant that our skill set was compatible. All what was needed was a sensei that could coral us into realizing it. What sensei was testing was not our knowledge, nor teamwork, but attitude.

That… I wasn't yet sure why it was so important...

"Hmm" Itaki-sensei hummed while he stroked his beard. "Is that so?" he scanned us with the eyes of a hawk.

"A young prodigy, this year student of the year and dead-last." He voiced it with an unimpressed tone. "Could you guess what did you do wrong?" he asked no one in particular.

"We can… learn to work together." Kazuo said before his brother could. Kazuki scowled at his brother's comment.

"Maybe." Sensei allowed. "You Uchiha, tell me your thoughts." I had only the time to blink.

"Who cares what the brat has to say!" Do I have to say which brother was that?

"She is the youngest, so she needs to listen what we say. You said yourself that brother is the student of the year, so WHO CARES!" I signed, crossed my arms and closed my eyes.

"At least, now I know which brother is the dead last." sensei nodded to himself. He ignored Kazuki's loud "hey" and he became even more serious than before.

"You fail." It made the tree of us flinch.

"You-you can't do this! I was told the sensei can't fail the teams this year." Kazuo was the first to voice his objection.

"Y-yeah what brother said!" Kazuki was for once nervous. "It's be-"

"Enough!" sensei cut the boy off. The man let out an irritated huff.

"You two." He pointed at the brothers "Don't do good together. While one thinks everything out, the other just follows blindly. You." He turned his eyes toward me. It wasn't as bad as seeing my parent's disappointment, but it was close enough. I held his gaze.

"You are arrogant, confident in your skills and think you can read people." I blinked.

"Sorry?" I said confused. Sensei snorted.

"So she speaks." He looked at each of us, shaking his head. "It's true that I can't fail this team and I should at least do a probation period on this mix match, but I won't. I don't waste time on those not worth my time. My skills are better spent elsewhere" He looked at Kazuki.

"You will be split from your brother and sent to the Genin Corps. If you do good, you might be given an opportunity for promotion in a few years." He clicked with his tongue, as if he doubted his own words. "You will register there by noon today. There you will have an opportunity to sharpen your skills, without relying on your brother all the time." He turned his gaze from one pale brother to the other.

"The T&I will work on your confidence and they will either make you or break you, but if you do good, they might keep you. They are short on staff anyway. Keep up on working on your observation skills. They might save lives one day. If you learn to follow them, instead of sticking to your brother's opinion on everything. Report to T&I by noon today." He then turned toward me.

I didn't like to hear anyone's disappointment, not even some random person, almost my sensei's disappointment. It would mean failure and I was allergic to that word. I was rather prideful of my skills, no matter how meager they were.

Besides it was 10 now. There was still time to make sensei change his mind.

"Had you graduated a year earlier, you would have ended in a far better suited team for your skillset. You are not the only young prodigy the Academy doesn't know what to do with." I wanted to cringe at the implication. Me in team 7? Kami, please no.

"Your chakra control is steady and with the right work it will serve as a powerful asset. Right now, you can either go to be a medic or a Ninjutsu specialist. Either field will claw each other to get a hold of someone of your sharp skills." It was hard to grasp on what my team skills were from what the Jonin said. " Decide on what field you want to focus. You need to be signed up by noon today." He looked expectedly at me. I frowned at him, making the cogs in my head to spin.

The 3 of us had a deadline of entry, but at the same time, team placement has been a fraud because spots for us were already waiting.

Nobu must have counted on this outcome because he acted as if he expected it.

How could he predict this?

Why would Konoha waste away a potential team?

"One question before I give my final answer." The twins beside me gave me a look.

"Shoot Uchiha." He nodded. The fucker looked amused, probably figuring I was up to something, but didn't bother to stop me.

It felt surreal to be failed. We had to be missing something. Right?

"What is team 14 specialty?"

"Hm. Ninjutsu assault team." He drawled out. I frowned.

If I was a Ninjutsu user, Kazuo with his observation skills a tactician or maybe mid-range and Kazuki with his supposed skills… support, we should be good as a team. Even if I went as a medic, it would still be fine. That was assuming that Nobu was a Ninjutsu specialist. So why did he fail us? Kids are stupid. One or two serious missions and their idiocy was miraculously cured.

"Sensei… Itaki-san already failed us. It's no use." Kazuo murmured dejectedly. I frowned at how easy he gave up.

"I thought you two wanted to work together? I asked frowning, turning my attention toward them and away from sensei. I probably shouldn't have done that.

"We do Uchiha! But…" Kazuki trailed off, his spirit seamed spend and he looked away.

"Itaki-san was right… we... I depend too much on my brother. I didn't do that good on my own." Kazuo murmured.

What in Kami's name…

"You are… giving up because it's too hard!?" I asked, seriously surprised. The brothers didn't look as someone easy to give up, especially the louder brother. Apparently, I had been wrong…

"Do you know that once you sign in your name into the Genin Force, you will never be pulled out? When you get promoted to Chunin, you will just be reassigned to the Chunin force. You will never be reassigned into a 4-man cell, ever again." I was counting on the brash brother's temperament to flare up. It didn't. I turned toward Kazuo, now desperately hoping the student of the year would kick start into the world of the logically thinking.

"The T&I won't let you out from their ranks because you will be a liability if ever caught. They sometimes form teams and go out on fields, but never in coalition with either Forces. You two will never work with each other again." I was lost. It was logical to me to rebel against this decision. The man did fail us, but nothing stopped him from changing his mind.

"Are you serious suggesting we argue with this?" Kazuki sounded half in panic, half surprised. I gave him a weird look.

"We could be punished for disobeying our higher ranked official. This will go on our permanent record." Kazuo said his eyes wide as dinner plates. At least I got them out from their silent acceptance.

"I.. But we won't be disobeying anyone! Itaki-san is not our sensei, neither of you signed up yet- were Genin, we graduated an hour ago! No one in their right mind will suspend us. On what point anyway? Disobedience toward the non-existent Jonin-sensei? He's toying with us, testing if we'd be willing to bend the rules for the sake of teamwork! It's like… I don't know, when there's a turn of event during a mission. You can't cancel it, neither can you continue, but you have to make it work anyway." I struggled to form words that would explain what I meant. Finally, finally, something clicked as Kazuo raised his head his eyes wide with realization.

"You planed this!?" Kazuo accused Nobu, but when we turned our heads toward the Jonin- the man was nowhere in sight.

"NO WHAY! HES GONE!" Kazuki shrieked.

Eventually, we managed to hoard each other into hunting down the man. It was chaotic, but… fun. Kazuki and I bickered all the way, of course. He kept accusing me for one nonsense or other, while Kazuo kept reminding us to focus.

In the end, we didn't find the Jonin.

I had half expected him to pop up, wearing a stupid grin, telling us we passed, once he got his fix at watching us tumble around, but that didn't happen. Once it was close to noon, the boys needed to go, because they will get in serious trouble if they would be late.

"So… thought about where you wanted to go?" Kazuo asked me once we got to a crossroad in the village that would make us part ways. Kazuki was scowling nearby, still pissed that he lost our latest verbal assault. He refused to look at either of us, realizing himself that this was where we part ways. Or, at least where he parted ways with his brother. I know I won't miss him.

"I don't know." I frowned. I really had no idea, because I was fine with both. "Tou-san won't be pleased about this." I grimaced. I will have to tell him I was failed, wouldn't I? The two brothers did the same.

"Mum and dad are going to smother us." Kazuo agreed. There was a short silence, before Kazuki broke it.

"I still don't get why we failed. You Uchiha… could be worse." I hummed at him "Right back to you." He scowled at my comeback, but his brother cut him off before we could start arguing again.

"I think, Itaki-san watched us interact during lunch… we couldn't have left a good impression." It was true I guess. Still… "I think, this will be fine. I need to learn to work on my own, brother too. This could be used against us during a mission. I don't think I could ever chose the mission over my Otōto." He whispered softly.

"That is why you have a team, no one asks you to work it out on your own." I said, staring up in the sky. It was time to go.

"Aa, I think that's my problem, our I think." Kazuo glanced at his brother, who shrugged.

"That jerk was wrong though." Kazuki stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'll prove him wrong someday." He scowled.

And so, Team 14 was no more, not that it was ever formed anyway. We were a pseudo team for a full… hour and 15 minutes. I think this was considered as a record or something…

Don't be so surprised. Yes, Konoha needed man power, but she did have standards. Teams were the ones that would work with possible clients, representing the Village as a whole. If Nobu is as an important individual as I think he is, he didn't have the time to waste on brats that were going to fail anyway. The twins accepted their new fate and I really didn't care about it. There was always a place for a prodigy I guess. I hope. Without Tsunade, the hospital was desperate for someone to continue her work and Ninjutsu specialists were just as rare. Neither was as easy as they might sound and whatever I decide in the end will take me years to master anyway. So maybe not being a member of a team will work for me. At least now I know why Kazuo and Kazuki and me, wouldn't mix. It was my best guess anyway.

They were fast quitters, hard to motivate and I just went forward. We wouldn't be able to keep with each other. Nobu must have had realized this and culled a team destined to fail anyway and instead shoved each of us into the direction where we were most suited for.

Konoha is more than 4-man teams anyway. There are so many more different parts of Konoha that made her beating heart.

The Hospital, T&I, R&D, Genin and Chunin Forces and so many more. The 4 man cells were the flashiest ones, with the most influence because they were closer to the Hokage himself. Only the most promising ended there. So, where did I fit in?

I really had no idea.

I knew that I was better than the Academy students. I saw their skill levels, even the older students like Kazuo and Kazuki. I didn't know where I stand with Genin. I hoped Nobu would pit us against each other, to gauge our skills, point out our mistakes and eventually give us a legit reason why he failed us, other than the "I don't waste my time" bullshit. Suddenly, the idiocy I pulled off earlier didn't seem so bright anymore. I didn't know where I stand now…

What did Nobu Itaki see, that the Academy didn't?

What is a prodigy worth anyway?

I returned to the Academy to see if my parents were still waiting for me there. Today was graduating day. The tests should have been held tomorrow. I didn't have the nerve to seek an Academy sensei and ask what was I to do now. I would deal with this later today. I scowled to myself, turning around when I saw no one waiting for me and headed toward the Uchiha compound. I made a stop at the training ground where we failed our test, just in case the man waited for me there. He wasn't.

Not knowing what else to do, I sucked my annoyance and nervousness up, shoved my fists into my pockets, raised my chin up, made my expression look so blank that it actually hurt and went home to whatever would await me there. Yeah, it was some nasty preparation.

I expected a shit storm upon delivering the delightful news.

The guard didn't as much as blink when walked closer to the compound gates. He did nod in greeting, his eyes briefly going over my shiny forehead protector, so I did the polite thing and nodded back.

I had the unexplainable desire to hide the metal plate on my forehead in my pocket, but then again, why should I? I graduated a ninja school at the age of 8, when the average age for graduation was 12ish. That was something to be fucking proud and something so tragic, because the village gave her blessing and decided I was good to start killing people, but that was beside the point. Different world, different rules. This was something good. Something the Uchiha clan needed. The political implication made me almost look cross-eyed in front of me.

But the sense of success left a foul taste in my mouth. I failed to end in a team, I failed to find a sensei… a tutor? What the hell happened with Kakashi when he graduated? Team 7 wasn't filled up from the first day, was it? I scowled into the open air, wishing to hit myself, by running into a nearby wall, or tree.

I didn't think what could have happened when I prompted my not-even-a-team to rebel. Was that even seen as a rebellion against the system? I didn't think what was likely to happen, I just did what I thought was right.

But that was a tv show, with a goal to show unmotivated kids that determination and persistence payed off, coloring everything with bright colors with safe proofing the plot so that certain things would never happen (like the main character dying). This was an ugly real life where the story author wasn't so fond of me and didn't made obvious things happen just because of the kick of it. This wasn't Naruto, this was a complex system making sure things worked. Because training ninja costed money and manpower and time…

This was the real deal. War and conflict always seemed so far away in my past life. Suddenly everything seems so-

"Maki-chan" I was just walking by the clan heads house when I noted someone calling my name.

"Kon'nichiwa, Mikoto-obasama" the woman giggled at me. Her eyes shone with a glint as they fell on the metal on my forehead.

"Oh look at you! Congratulation on graduating." She smiled pleasantly, because Uchiha didn't sound overenthusiastic. My aunt figure motioned me to come closer to the porch where she was standing. "Your parents were held up so I was at the Academy to pick you up, but was told by your sensei that your team was being held up. Itaki-san seemed rather enthusiastic when I met him on my way back to the compound." She said rather excited.

"Arigatōgozaimasu. Sorry for wasting your time. "I murmured dutifully. Than my brain caught up with what she said.

"Aa. Do you know him, Mikoto-obasama?" my aunt was being unusually distracted today. That was something new. I felt bad for a second to take advantage for it, but I stomped the feeling for the time being.

"Hm. I know Takeshi-kun works often with him. I did hear that he is quite a good Ninjutsu specialist." You don't say… "It would be his first team that he takes on. He passed his mastery few years ago."

That meant that he was a genuine, registered, Hokage-blessed and real Ninjutsu Specialist. It was quite more than him being just "quite good", but that was just a Uchiha way of praise. Elite was a heavy word with a real kick to the meaning, but that man was very close to it.

"I take it, the test went well?" aunt asked me, still hovering in that daze of distraction that placed an, delighted smirk on her face, because Uchiha didn't wore stupid grins or anything that ridiculous.

"Aa, he failed the team." I said with a deadpan, before I decided to chicken out. Mikotos pleasant dream state ended with a snap. A frown marred her face.

"I see. That's…" she didn't finish her sentence. She looked at me, really looked at me this time and I saw the moment when she took in my mood. I didn't kid anyone with thinking I could pull out a genuine, blank Uchiha look, but I did try. As her kind face started to twist into something looking like understanding, I tried to change the topic.

"Are you alright Obasama? You looked… distracted…" because Uchiha don't show happiness, like, at all. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. The look of pure delight was only slightly dampened this time. Mikoto didn't giggle, just for you to know.

"Do come in, we both need something sweet now." She ushered me into the house. The estate seemed empty and as the cheery, sorry, politely pleased, woman disappeared in the kitchen, I took my time in taking my shoes off, placing my gear onto the designed stand and dragged my sorry ass lifelessly threw the house and toward the outdoor terrace that looked over the small, private training spot hidden in the privacy of the lush garden. I didn't feel like lounging around anyone at the moment, as much as I adored the woman and instead wanted to prolong the unavoidable for as much as I could.

I needed to kick something right now.

"Obasama, do you mind me abusing the dummies?" I raised my voice a bit so my voice would reach into the house. There was a beat of silence as the pleasant hum coming from the woman stopped for a moment.

"Knock yourself out!" I snorted at the woman's reply. Her friendship with Kushina showed.

"I heard that young lady!" There was no force behind her chide, so I just silently rolled my eyes and hopped above the flower bed that separated the house and the training space. I turned toward the nearest straw training puppet and went into beat the shit out of it. It did little to damper the growing annoyance and frustration, but it made me feel a little better.

"Come here now, Maki-chan." My aunt let me went out for a while, before she called for me to come over. By the tone of her voice, I knew there was no avoiding this. Frowning, I spared a glare at the stupid puppet, jumped high in the air so my foot was in line with the straw head, coated my striking leg with chakra and swung my led in a large, but controlled arch, decapitating the dummies head off. I landed on my feet as if it was nobody's business, stuffed my bruised fists into my pockets and dutifully walked toward my aunt, glaring at the grass as I went.

Damn did that felt good.

Kami my leg hurt.

I avoided looking at my aunt as I plopped down, reminding myself to sit properly because the woman would chide me for it too and while I kept my head low, I glared at the table as I waited for the beginning of the shit storm that was waiting for me today.

Mikoto didn't speak right away, letting the scent of tea fill the half open terrace in a soft flavor.

"You are angry." She started simply. I scoffed, gathering the courage to look up. The woman was looking calmly at the decapitated dummy, a small frown decorating her pretty face. There may or may have not been surprise evident on her face.

"I don't understand why he failed us. Yes, we might not get used to working with each other, but he didn't even give us a chance at it." It was hard to explain why was I really mad, but talking with Mikoto was easy. Figuring the Uchiha were easy. Figuring a Jonin I know nothing of was downright frustrating.

"You should address your superiors accordingly, Maki-chan." The woman ignored seeing my eyeroll. "Itaki-san tested your teamwork than?" She prompted me to continue.

"No… He asked us what it meant to be a Shinobi." I scowled. "We weren't wrong, but it wasn't the right answer either." Mikoto looked curios at the information.

"What did you say?" I shrugged.

"Teamwork, while the other two decided on rules. Itaki-san send one to the Genin force, while the other got a spot in T&I."

"And you?" I hesitated.

"I could either go for a Medic or Ninjutsu specialist. Why did the Academy bother placing me under a team when I would fit in anyway? They could just place me under someone and be done with it." I murmured. My dear aunt didn't buy the distraction. Her look told me everything I needed to know. I tried to gauge her reaction, but it proved useless.

"I might have… started a munity to make Itaki-san change his mind. It failed." I added quickly. Mikoto signed, shaking her head in disapproval. I think there might have been a hint of amusement there for a moment, but her stern expression made me think I might have been wrong.

"Maki-chan! You shouldn't argue with a superior's decision." I lowered my head, hiding my frown under my chin. I didn't see her disapproving look, but I could feel it. The woman signed. I will not apologies for this.

"Have you decided on what you wish to specialize on?" Aunt asked while sipping her cooling tea. I chose to sip mine instead of playing with the cup. I just shrugged, choosing to say nothing.

"Your father will support you no matter what you decide, Maki-chan" Mikoto said gently. I looked up, studying her expression.

"I wouldn't want to disrespect..." I said neutrally. The Uchiha matriarch hummed thoughtfully.

"Your father was a respectful Shinobi and an ally of the Uchiha. You shouldn't bother yourself with clan politics yet, but know that the clan will support you as one of us." I didn't comment beside thanking the woman for her words. Having a clan like the Uchiha clan support you was… something.

"We planned on telling you this while celebrating your promotion tonight, but…" I looked up at my aunt, confusion and curiosity on my face. The woman had a dreamy look and was lovably rubbing her abdomen. My eyes widened at the implication.

"You are going to be a big sister and cousin soon." The woman al but cooed. My sour mood slowly seeped away, a bright grin taking its place.

"Congratulations Obasama! That is awe- very good news!" the older woman's cheeks flushed at the congratulations. Her pregnancy was clearly new news and the woman wasn't used to the praise yet. "You always wanted to be a Kaa-chan, Obasama." I prompted, as if I needed to remind the woman, but the comment did worm out a soft, but warm smile from the Uchiha. Uchiha weren't cold, contrary to popular belief. They were just very private people.

"I hope I get a cute girl that is as bright as you are, Maki-chan" aunt cooed and I smiled. Something told me it would be a little weasel instead of a cute girl.

"Just to warn you, I will spoil both equally." I said seriously, but my growing grin spoiled the supposed seriousness. Mikoto laughed with mirth, amusement dancing in her eyes,

"Anata and Takeshi-kun will have to just predict which one will adore you more." We both laughed.

Fugaku and Takeshi were unusual brothers. They loved each other to death, but both would rather die than admit this even though everyone who knows them enough knew it. Instead they do this "prediction" thing, because Uchiha don't bet. They do it on everything. And I mean everything.

"Don't you want to know if your Tousan won?" aunt voice was smug, evil even.

It was the famous "Guess Pool", because Prediction Pool sounded stupid.

"NO!" I bleached, cringed and pulled myself away from the table. My dearest aunt seriously didn't just ask me if I wanted to know whenever if my sibling or my cousin was conceived first. That's just disgusting!

Mikoto giggled.

Kami there was something serous wrong with my family's head. Wait. There literally was.

"But Maki-chan" her voice was as close as to a whine that I would ever hear. It was time for a hasty retreat.

"Uh, I need to go do something…" I grimaced, when I remembered that I was in a structural limbo. Aunt smiled, unconcerned.

"Let me do your hair before you go. It's a mess." She said softly, thankfully dropping the brothers stupid betting, uh, guessing pool. I crawled happily toward her, siting so my back was facing her. There was something calming when someone did your hair. Aunt produced a comb from nowhere and started to comb my hair. I noted how the action was unnecessary. While not straight, my hair was that curly either. A simple rake with fingers would do the job. Combing hair like this was reserved before sleep. So, aunt wanted to spend some quality time with me. My shoulders relaxed, as I easily accepted her silent invitation. Please spend time with me, said her gesture.

"I hoped being able to spend time with my niece today. You have been working hard lately, little prodigy." The woman murmured softly and I closed my eyes. Since the brothers, unsuccessfully, denied their closeness so much, the two families were close. It wasn't unusual for the four adults joined together and we had lunch or mostly dinner together. Whenever the ninja live allowed it anyway. It reminded me so much of the Christmas time when family came together and everyone was just content being together, forget about the gifts. It was like this with the Uchiha, with my family, every time when we came together, or simply spend time together. Uchiha love was that much intense.

"I'm sorry, Obasama that I couldn't spend more time with you." I murmured back. I was part of that intense care. I found myself, not once struggling with it. I didn't mind receiving or giving it, but I would never be true Uchiha. I might not be able to fully, truly understand them. It made me feel indebted, the need to prove myself was almost too painful to deal with.

In my past life, I would have been royally annoyed about this much attention, but not here. I was a Genin now. Eventually, I would be send out in the field. I would kill and I might get killed. My closest family was worried about me, probably proud too. Normal people don't graduate the academy after 2 years. Some finished it even quicker, but it was first time someone barring the name of an Uchiha, blood related or not, carried that kind of a tittle. I was never able to comprehend it, there was always more.

I wasn't sure how to deal with this.

I didn't want to misunderstand the attention I was given and asked to give. Aunt was giving me her support her way, like just now, over combing my hair. It's going to grease because of it, I would need to wash it today and Kachan will probably do the same what aunt was doing now.

My uncle and father, I noticed, had distanced from me for some time now. Both were taking turn in showing me the proper way of doing things, the famed Uchiha Shuriken Jutsu and the strong fist Taijutsu and other strictly Uchiha skills. They were doing it in a such cold manner that it truly frightened me. In one way, they saw me as their own blood, taught me like their own blood, but on the other side, I wasn't taught the Uchiha rite of passage, the famed fireball Jutsu. I didn't know what to think about it.

My mother had to be struggling as me, because she too wasn't an Uchiha. She had it easy, especially now when she was carrying an Uchiha child, pure blooded or not. She was being busy, doing her work for Konoha, constantly on missions and I didn't her as much as I liked to. I didn't know how it worked out for her, being torn between Konoha and the Uchiha clan. That wall did exist. It was untaggable, but there was still a bridge that yet needed to be cut open.

I spend most of my time with aunt Mikoto. She too had responsibilities as the clan heads wife and most of the time we were doing our work, she whatever she needed to do and I studied. I know that she had been trying to have a baby for some time. She has almost been married as long as I was alive, yet she was having her first child just now. My mother was a few years older than aunt, which made her the oldest of the 3, but I had yet to see the clan react to her pregnancy.

"Obasama should do this more often. It feels nice." It would be rude pointing out her behavior, or commenting how it should be, because showing much emotions wasn't what Uchiha were, but it was fine saying she was so good with playing with my hair like a five year old. She would get the hidden meaning though.

"Is that so?" I heard the smile in her voice. I hummed in return, feeling how sleep creeped at me. I could hunt whoever it was that I needed to find in half an hour, right? It was already pass noon, so it didn't matter…

"… Little prodigy needed her noon nap." Someone chuckled.

The distant disorientation told me I had indeed fallen asleep. I was leaning on someone- my aunt I realized, as the sound of sipping tea doubled around me. There was someone here.

"Good afternoon little prodigy." I snapped my eyes open and promptly glared at the person who said that. Turning my head, so I could see my aunts face, I saw her sipping tea without a care for the world, unconcerned that she was seen in a such private situation. I straightened up and sat close my aunt as if it was no big deal. I scowled at the Jonin sitting across the low table.

"Good day, Itaki-san." I said with a bored tone, biting down on a rude comment that loomed in my head. In the corner of my eye, I saw aunts mouth twitch. The Ninjutsu specialist chuckled.

"A scary little thing, aren't you?" He didn't bother hiding his amusement. Aunt handed me a cup filled with hot tea.

"Nobu came here to speak with you, Maki-chan." Aunt explained. I noted the way she addressed him with familiarity, but I hid the sense of dread stirring in my stomach. I stared at the man, finding him staring back at me, a trace of disappointment in his eyes. I held his gaze.

"I see." I said levelly. Another one of the Guessing pool, huh? "You will never win a Guess against an Uchiha, Itaki-san." I wanted to pat my shoulder, at how my voice sounded toneless.

"It's called betting, little prodigy." I sniffed at his chide.

"Uchiha don't bet, Itaki-san." I countered in the same tone. Nobu chuckled.

"Yare, yare, so scary." The man said in amusement. What the hell was he so amused about?

"Say, Mikoto, do you mind me kidnapping your niece for the day?" he scratched his chin. "It seems I have some business with the little rebel here." So, he was watching us. Mikoto gave him a blank look.

"I want her back until dinner in a conscious state." Aunts voice was as close sounding as a demand as it was politely possible. I blinked.

"Hai ma'am" He mock saluted "This is going to be so fun."

There might be some grammatic issues in the text, but I didn't feel like checking it.

It's nice seeing so much followers and favorites. I'm glad you guys like the story enough to do so. A cookie for you all.

I'll probably have another chapter up by the end of the week. I didn't intent to make this chapter as long as it is, but I didn't feel like splitting it up. I had originally planned to skim threw this part of the timeline, but found it complicated to do so, while showing Maki's relationship with the Uchiha clan. So, I'm going with the flow from now on and see where it leads me.

Read and review. Your thoughts are always welcomed.

There isn't much plot going on at this time, but what do you think.

The Uchiha Guessing pool sounds scary...

DarkDust27 *Giggles* It wouldn't be fun if I spoiled the fun, wouldn't be? It's going to be a fun ride, that's for sure. Yeah, Kazuki's got it pretty bad there. Wonder if he'd ever get people killed because of how he acts. Good think Maki won't be forced to deal with him. Probably.