Disclaimer: The characters are Masashi Kishimoto's property, I own the OCs.

Characters age:

Akane: 11 (44)

Itachi: 11 (28)

Shisui: 14

Naruto / Sasuke: 5

Kakashi: 19

"You're sending me what?"

"Tomorrow, I'm sending you on a mission with Orochimaru-san," he repeated. I had been working on the Hiraishin in my room and he had ruined my day.

"What have I ever done to you?"

"You've lied to my face for five years." I mimicked him talking and he sent a pencil at my head. I barely dodged it. "What's wrong with him?"

"What is not wrong with him?" I sighed and put my notebook away. "You've read what I wrote, right?"

"I did. It is very concerning."

"Then…"

"Akane, you wrote Orochimaru-san was a secret pedophile prying on kids with magic eyes."

"In my defense…Sasuke never went into details regarding that snake training him when he was away." I sighed and left my chair. "But with Danzou? I know it's not much but…"

"It's nothing at all actually." I looked down. "It's like accusing them both without proofs right now, I can't marginalize them just like that. I would take all of Danzou's power away if I could, trust me, but right now the best I can do is stay the Hokage and keep him in check." Still better than Hiruzen.

I had seen him a few times. He was Minato-san's advisor, but other than that he was retired, so I would not encounter him often.

"You know, if you want me to keep being your spy, just say so." He grinned sheepishly.

"Well, I wouldn't say 'no'." I nodded. I wasn't really surprised. "What bothers me is that it would be unofficial business."

"Obviously, don't go screaming on the rooftops I'm a lot older than I look like."

It was the end of May. I had been going on chuunin missions for a month. It was fine so far. It was more challenging. I was still working at the Hyuugas', so I'd see Kou often even if we no longer were on a team.

Going on a mission with Orochimaru though? Not a big fan.

"What do you really want me to do?" He pursed his lips.

"Anything you can get about him. He started to come back from missions alone too often." I nodded. "One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"He…has an interest in you?" I frowned. "He knew both your parents and knows your father's level and lineage. Not only that, but he works closely with Danzou and we know where his eyes are."

"Do you think they want to test me and see if they can turn me into a Root member?" He looked down with conflicted eyes.

"Anything is possible I am afraid." I nibbled my bottom lip. Joining Root…being an anbu was not my goal, but Danzou had played a big part in the Uchiha Massacre, so if I could spy on him…

"If it comes to it, I could you know." He blinked at me. I nodded to myself. "I mean, I wouldn't enjoy it, but if it's necessary, then I'll join it. I doubt he would use his usual method because of you though." He sat down on my bed.

"Root is not nothing Akane, I'd rather have you as an anbu under my orders than there. I don't even know exactly how he trains them but…"

"I've lived through hell once, don't forget that."

"And from what you've told me after the Chuunin Exams, it did a number on you decades after." I shrugged.

"Seeing dead people do that, especially if they traumatized you. Now I'm…good, about it. I mean, as good as I can be but…good. Point is, I did and saw gruesome things. Maybe Root wouldn't impact me as much as other people because of that, who knows?"

"It's coming down to what is the worst between the Bloody Mist and him, it's not something I thought I'd think of one day." He glanced at me. "Focus on the coming mission for now."

"What is it about?"

"You'll see tomorrow, I've already told you more than I should have." He stood up and glanced at my work. "How is it going?"

"Huh, it is going. The Nidaime made it very intricate, and you didn't dumb it down with your own version, so I'm using his formula that you gave me instead." He chuckled nervously. "I should be done dissecting it soon."

"If you need help…"

"Naru needs help with homework, I'm good. I know my work process, even if space-time jutsu is new."

The only thing Naru liked at the Academy was being in Sasuke's class and pink-haired Sakura. Other than that, he was as academically gifted as the Naruto I knew. Sasuke seemed to be at the top of his classes. Good for him, I was not surprised but good for him.

The next day, I went to Minato's office. Orochimaru was already there. He shot me a quick glance and I bowed my head, ignoring the shivers crawling up my skin. How could he even be this pale?

"You have a mission, A-rank." I raised a brow, the flak jacket a little too big on me. "There have been strange activities in the Land of Rice, the Daimyo suspects it might be rogue shinobi. People have started to go missing in the villages as well. Go there and investigate." We nodded. "You leave tomorrow."

Itachi's birthday party was soon, hopefully I'd be home to go. I mean, he had not invited me, Mikoto-san had, saying it was a little bit more official now he was a chuunin, people from the clan would be here and such. I didn't think much of him not asking me if I wanted to come, lately he had been too busy trying to win against me on my console. Ultimately, he was not that good, and Naruto tried to teach him.

It was adorable to see Naru sat against him, showing him moves and Itachi focused on the controller and the TV.

I needed to be home on time.

"I hope you are fit for the mission Uzumaki." I looked up at the snake, who was gazing at me, his eyes unreadable.

"Let's hope I am Orochimaru-san." I bowed slightly. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get ready. I will see you tomorrow morning." He nodded and I started to leave.

"Eight sharp."

"Understood." I left to find Itachi. Hopefully, he was not on a mission.

Sadly, he was. I went to Shisui's apartment. I was about to leave after waiting for a few minutes when there was a hoarse voice on the other side of the door.

Shisui opened the door, still in his pajamas and ruffling his unruly hair. He yawned and blinked sleepily at me.

"Oh, it's you. Morning Akane."

"Morning. I can come back later if…"

"No, I'm up now. I'll sleep my week-long mission off another time." He let me in, and I sat in his couch. "So, what brings you here?"

"I have a mission tomorrow. It's…A-rank." It woke him up a little.

"It's too soon. Who are you going with?" I smiled nervously.

"Orochimaru." He widened his eyes for a second before lowering his eyes to the floor. "Yeah, so…I wanted to tell Itachi, but he's away so I came to see you. Could you tell him when he's back if I'm still away?"

"Sure, it's just…" I raised a brow. "Orochimaru-sama doesn't do teamwork from what I have heard. At least since the war ended. It's…unexpected." I pursed my lips.

"He's scary." He smiled warmly, trying to easy my worries. "I mean it."

"I know, but he's a respected shinobi, and you've met the other two Sannin, you were bound to know him too at some point." He put his hand on my head. "I'm sure it's going to be fine. You do be careful though, I heard it was not always the case." I rolled my eyes.

"He's a drama queen."

"More like a concerned boyfriend." I looked away, but I knew he narrowed his eyes. "Akane, Itachi refuses to tell me anything about it, he always finds something to change the subject! Are you two together together?"

"Shisui…" I whined under my breath, flushing.

"You're blushing!"

"You're embarrassing!" I shot back, jumping to me feet. I didn't even reach his chin, but I still glared at him, embarrassment obvious on my face as his grin wouldn't fall from his lips. "I…I don't even know!" We hugged, and kissed, and all that but we never actually said 'Hey, let's rekindle our past relationship!' or anything so…

Shisui burst into laughter.

"I'm messing with you! Man, as long as we all stay friends with each other I'm good!" He shot me a sly grin. "But seeing you two with each other is funny." I tried to stomp on his foot, but he dodged it easily. "Gimme some credit."

"I'm leaving you big meanie!"

"I'm wounded now!" I kept hearing him laughing through the door once I was out of his place.

Still…it was nice to hear it.

Shisui…I had to keep him alive and breathing.

"Hey, how was your mission?" Itachi shrugged, muffling a yawn as they were leaving the Naka shrine. Clan meetings were starting to be more often. People were being louder and louder with their disapproval, but his father was better at handling them. "Is your dad really talking about us with Hokage-sama?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. Kushina-san and Mom are best friends, like Naruto and Sasuke or Akane and I and he entrusted Father with her tutelage. It's not nothing."

"I thought I was your best friend, way to ruin my day!"

"You are too, you both are."

"Huh." Itachi almost sighed at the sly look Shisui gave him.

"What?"

"No, I saw her yesterday, that's all. She wanted me to give you a message."

"What is it?"

"She's on a mission, A-rank apparently." He stopped on his step.

"With whom?"

"Orochimaru-sama." He widened his eyes.

Orochimaru? First of all, he already should have left Konoha, but with him? What was Minato thinking?

The sannin was not known for going on missions with others either.

"She didn't seem very happy about it, but they left this morning a few hours before you came back."

"Do you know where?" He shook his head.

"She didn't go into details, but I made her blush a lot." Itachi frowned, Shisui grinned and put his hands behind his head. "I asked her if you were sitting in a tree, kiss…" He dodged Itachi's kick. "So, she blushed, you kick?"

"Then mind your own business."

"But you're my friends! If you are and break up, it would be very awkward for me!" Itachi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, don't bother taking my concerns seriously!"

"Itachi-kun, Shisui-san!" Izumi stopped behind them.

"Good afternoon," Itachi greeted her, Shisui nodding her way.

"Good afternoon. Itachi-kun, do you want to eat something later?" Itachi nodded and she smiled brightly. "I'll see you at three at the tea shop of the Compound!" She ran off, waving at them over her shoulder.

"I am invisible," Shisui commented, looking at his cousin. "However, are you sure it's a good idea?"

"What? We're friends."

"But you know she likes you as more than a friend, right?" Itachi frowned. "Look, if you like a girl, you better make sure any of your girl friends know that you're not available, that's all. I'm not sure Izumi realizes you're spending a lot of your time with Akane. Except if you like Izumi, then you should let Akane know." Shisui slapped him on the back. "Don't turn in a player Itachi."

"Izumi is just a friend." A good one at that. They could share how hard it could be at times to have awakened the Sharingan at a young age. He also felt guilty for making the other Izumi have a life with him in his genjutsu before she died. She was a good friend, he liked her, but he wasn't in love with her, had never been. Even if he had never killed his clan and had ended up with her, he was not sure if he would have fallen in love with her as hard as with Akane.

Who was with Orochimaru. He was not in the Anbu, so he had no idea if Tenzou was there already, but he was pretty sure he was. If he was under Kakashi's orders, then he was out of Root and Orochimaru should have left, his experimentations on humans should have been discovered. The fact Minato was still there may have made him hide them more, or maybe he had less eyes on him. Itachi was not sure of how much influence the Third and his anbu still had.

He worried though. Akane had told him Jiraya and Tsunade had known her parents, so Orochimaru had to have known them as well. If he knew, if he knew Akane was Ushio's daughter, then he would get interested. He had approached her on her mom's grave after all.

Hopefully her mission would run its course with no issue.

He had to listen and watch his kinsmen more closely now. He had not been promoted to Anbu yet, hopefully it would happen soon. It would allow him to have more information about what was happening behind the scenes, hopefully what was being said between his father and the Hokage.

The downside to his father having a genin team, and Akane actually, was that he was less inclined to talk to him as an equal. He would be eleven soon, sure, but before it had happened when he was ten. He had been a genin and chuunin earlier too. With Akane passing for a prodigy in a way, but an Uzumaki and close to the Hokage, maybe his father didn't think of him as highly as possible. He was fine with it to be honest; his father was less after him and his achievements, he had more freedom. It was nice.

It meant he had to find a way to make him talk to him though. Getting promoted to an anbu would be a good thing, even with the schedule he'd get from it.

Maybe he could ask Akane for help? She knew about his reasons; he knew she would help him. He didn't want to involve her, but maybe it could be a good thing. He also didn't want to lie to Sasuke or avoid him as much.

He needed to think deeply about his next move.

I wanted to go home. Currently, I was alone, bleeding from my arm, had been injected with something and had no idea where I was going.

We had reached the Land of Rice in less than a day. People were very weird, and I was woken up in the middle of the night. Someone was carrying me on their shoulder. I got rid of them and ran to the center of the village, only to see everyone in what seemed to be a trance. I fought back trying not to kill civilians, but someone stuck a syringe in my arm. I moved to put some distance away, but they plunged it deeper, and it torn my skin open, and I got rid of them too.

I fled to the woods, having no idea where I was going. I didn't know where Orochimaru was, but did I think he was behind this and wanted something from me? Yeah, I absolutely thought that. Fucking snake, fucking forest, fucking mission, fucking everything!

Like hell I was going to be Orochimaru's guinea pig for whatever sick experimentations he had planned! How could he still be walking around freely? What was Minato-san doing!?

I stopped at the bottom of a tree, the sun rising slowly in the horizon. I took a diagnostic seal and put some of my blood on it. I frowned when the symbols on the seal moved to form the words 'Muscle relaxant'.

Shit. Drug was not poison technically; I couldn't try to extract it with a seal. I never pushed medical seals so far. I guess I had to…let it leave my body on its own. Muscle relaxants would make me sluggish, I needed to find a safe spot to…wait.

I reached a farm when I felt my limbs getting weird. I entered the barn and fell on straw, breathing out loudly. What was the meaning of all of this?

I tried to put a Chakra Concealing Seal on me but gave up when I couldn't lift my arm. I heard the rooster singing outside. I could smell the straw under my back and the distinct scent of farm animal that were here not so long ago. I could feel the dryness of the straw beneath my fingers.

I couldn't move though.

There was an inhuman scream outside. I opened my eyes, seeing more sunlight coming in the barn through the small openings in the wood of the walls. I had to have fallen asleep or something. I sat up, apparently able to move my body better now.

I froze when the wall was destroyed and used my arms to protect myself from the wood flying everywhere. I blinked and started, stunned, at the man in front of me. He was a man, but he was bent forward a lot, a big lump on his back. His skin was brown and there were like tusks coming from his mouth.

Was it one of the test subjects Sasuke had mentioned when he talked about the Curse Mark?

He looked at me, grinned maniacally and ran straight at me. I still couldn't move like I wanted to. Instead, I made ice in front of me and on me. He destroyed the first layer and his tusks dug in the ice against my abdomen, lifting me in the air. It went through a little and in my skin, piercing it not too deeply. He kept running and I went through the wall before being sent straight to a tree. I went through the trunk and shook in pain on the ground. I could feel blood running down my forehead. I got on all four and glanced toward the middle of the rice field. The man was still there, laughing to the sky.

Maniac.

I stood up on shaking legs and slapped my cheeks. Come on Akane, you were an Uzumaki, your body was already getting rid of the drug, don't let it go to waste.

He was fast. He ran at me, and he was incredibly fast. I managed a body-flicker, not without stumbling when I stopped, covered my foot in ice and kicked him behind the knee. He fell on one knee but before I could do anything else, his arm bent backward, at an impossible angle and his hand was on my face and head. He lifted me up the ground, I saw his arm going back to normal through his finger.

I put my hand on his wrist, hoping to freeze him. Whatever it was with him, it made it too hard to freeze him without proper time. Without warning, he removed my gloves and threw them away.

Shit.

I gritted my teeth, muffling the whine of pain as he clenched his hand on my head. From his strength, I wouldn't be surprised if he could squish my head like an apple.

I dug my nails in his tough skin, vaguely wondering if my nails would fly off because of it. I was a Seal Master, if anything…I could fight back with my bare hand, even with drug, even with my hand…

I yelled, chakra flowing from my hands. I was using both to make one Explosive Seal, but I couldn't with only one right now.

I tried to activate it, but nothing. He started laughing when heat flowed beneath my hands. I removed them quickly as there was an explosion. It burned some of my neck and cheek as I was released. I rolled a few meters away and looked at the man through my bangs, screaming in pain, holding his bloody limb.

Blood…blood though…

Minus eighteen Celsius degrees.

I made the tiger seal and sent chakra everywhere, as much as I could, before dropping the temperature as much as possible. It was maybe twenty degrees right now so…thirty-eight…

He punched me in the cheek, a sharp burning pain appearing in my jaw. I didn't move, my feet stuck to the ground with chakra and kept decreasing the temperature.

Frost soon appeared, then ice. I dodged when he tried to hit me again, now slower but put my hand over his stump. My cold, deadly gaze was deep in his and I froze the blood still dripping. He stopped and a few seconds later, spikes of frozen blood came out of him, killing him on the spot.

I took a few steps back and fell on my butt. I touched my jaw, feeling it was dislocated and looked up when someone appeared in front of me. Actually, there were four of them, all of them wearing Anbu masks. I blinked and tried to get up when Orochimaru walked between them, only to trip and fall.

"Congratulations on scaring a little girl," the sannin commented for the four anbus before kneeling in front of me. He grabbed my jaw harshly and I winced in his grasp. "Dislocated jaw. It is not going to be pleasant." I didn't have the time to say anything he put it back in place. I bent forward, my hands on my poor, bruised jaw. "This mission is finished."

"Huh?"

"You heard me, the Anbu took care of the rest." He gave me my belongings, indicating he had gone back to the village.

"…villagers…"

"All dead. It looks like an epidemy, they dealt with it." They killed the whole village then?

An anbu knelt next to me, their hand glowing green. I tried to move away but Orochimaru kept me still as I felt their healing chakra get in my jaw. It was soothing and I felt myself passing out.

"Nee-san!" Akane looked at them tiredly, the sheets to her chin. "What happened?" Sasuke was already sitting next to her on the bed.

"Oh you know…mission…I don't remember much." Itachi sat down on the chair next to her bed.

"Really?" She glanced at him.

"Really. I went to bed when we got there and then…I don't really know if I dreamed things or something else. What's the date?"

"June 5th," his brother replied. "You came back yesterday." She sighed.

When he heard she was in the hospital, the worst scenario came to his mind. She was with Orochimaru and who knew what he would do to her? However, she appeared to have had a dislocated jaw and a superficial flesh wound at the stomach, but nothing much. She was near chakra-exhaustion though, which was strange.

Akane had a lot of chakra. She would remember being in a fight big enough for her to use all of it. It didn't make sense.

After half an hour, he saw she was getting sleepy. They left, telling her to rest. The next day, he came back and was relieved to see her sitting, drinking something and watching TV.

"What are you drinking?" She looked down at the glass, the straw between her lips.

"Veggie smoothie. I can't eat solid food because of my jaw." Her lower jaw, on the left side of her face, was a bluish black.

"At least you look better than yesterday."

"I slept for eighteen hours straight." That bad. "You're here to interrogate me, aren't you?" He nodded. "I really don't remember much, it's foggy."

"Yesterday you said something about dreams or something." She nodded, aspiring some of the smoothie loudly.

"I went to bed in the village. Then…I remember people, but they were acting like…puppets or zombies, it's hard to tell. I fled but I was…drugged or something…then I see a barn and a guy with…horns? No, tusks?" He frowned. "The wounds on my stomach are holes, so tusks would make sense. I think I killed him and then…I don't remember."

"Did they find drugs in your system?" She shook her head. "So, they would have made sure to remove it and any proof then."

"Well, if it did happen of course."

"I'm sure it did." He crossed his arms, looking at the flower on the nightstand in thoughts. "You went to the Land of Rice, it later…weird things happened there." It would be where Otogakure would be later. "What I don't understand is that if they drugged you, why would they take you back to Konoha?"

"It's always nice to feel wanted," she sarcastically replied. He looked at her sternly.

"I mean, if they had you drugged, they could have done anything with you but there's no sign of it. They just brought you back. Where was Orochimaru in all of this?" She shrugged.

"He told me to rest in my room and then nothing." Orochimaru had to be behind this, but why? "I know the name of the village we were in if it can help you? Although, I gave it to Minato-san and he just seemed weird about it."

"Tell me, I'll take a look into it."

"It was called Ine."

"You're sure?" She nodded.

"I thought it was lame to have a village named after rice in the Land of Rice." Yes, he could see her think that.

"I'm going to let you rest." She furrowed her brows.

"You're leaving already?" He nodded firmly.

"I want to know what happened and if he did anything to you. The sooner the better." She puffed her cheeks in a pout, and he poked one of them. "I'll see you later."

"Sure." He left her room.

Orochimaru had dug his fangs in his brother once and he couldn't do anything about it. There was no way he would let him do that to his brother again, nor Akane. He would find out what had happened during this mission.

"There you are!" I was greeted by Mikoto-san. It was Itachi's birthday; I had his present with me, but his mother asked me to meet her at a clothing shop. "Now, we don't have much time so try this on." I was sent to try on a formal kimono without being able to say a word.

She had told me it was formal attire. I told her I didn't have any because I had never needed one, only Kushina-san went with Minato-san on formal, official occasions. I didn't feel legitimate to show up with them and Naru…well, if there were many people, he wanted to prank anyone making bad comments and he had big ears.

I left the dressing room with a furisode on. It was in silk, the fabric shining as it went from a deep maroon above my waist to a crimson red below it. The obi was black with ruby-colored flowers on it, sparks of dimmed orange on the edges of the kimono, above and below the waist.

"I knew it would fit you perfectly," the Uchiha matriarch said with a kind smile. She put her hands on my shoulders when I looked at myself in the mirror.

"I feel ridiculous," I muttered under my breath, raising my head like a ghost would. My sleeves covered even the tip of my fingers.

"You are adorable and beautiful." She put my hair in a bun in one quick move. "I think you are going to accept you are turning into a young woman soon. Kushina won't let you forget it anyway."

"I do know that Mikoto-san, even if I can dress and act tomboyish," I retorted. "I accept it as well. I'm just not sure how well I can do with particular tasks asked from kunoichi." She crouched and turned me around, her hands on my arms.

"You know, times are changing. I think Minato will change things in that regard so that what you are thinking of is the last resort possible." I nodded.

Sex was not something I wanted to…do for missions.

"Let's go now, I've let Fugaku handling the guests and I am scared of what I am going to see." I nodded and followed her to her house. "Don't let the amount of people intimidate you Akane."

"Wh…" She disappeared somewhere when we reached her house. I could hear noises on the other side of the room.

I froze when I saw the amount of Uchihas, all ages, in the room, all of them talking to Itachi. They all had formal kimonos on. I spotted Izumi talking with other kids, including Yasuo and I wanted to run before they could see me and realize how uncomfortable I was.

"Nee-san." I looked down at Sasuke. I had been playing with Itachi's gift, moving the box around in my hands. "I didn't know you were coming." I smiled and crouched in front of him.

"Your mom invited me." He glanced at the room.

"Nii-san can't catch a break." I glanced at Itachi. He had his…polite mask on. There was no way he was enjoying this much attention with a smile on. "I don't think he can talk to you until it's over." I sighed.

"I noticed." He pinched my kimono between his fingers.

"You're very pretty with it," he complimented me with a blush, staring at the floor while kicking an invisible rock. I smiled warmly.

"Oh, thank you Sasuke, you look handsome too." He had a deep blue kimono on. My compliment made him look up and he puffed his chest. "Now, don't get too arrogant, it's not good on the long run." I stood up and glanced at Itachi. He was looking at us, confused at my sight.

I smiled awkwardly and waved a little. It got him out of his stupor, and I thought I saw him try to walk away but a man got in front of him.

Sasuke stayed next to me like a mini bodyguard. He had to have seen I was not at my best and didn't leave my side. We talked and whispered to each other until Itachi started to open his presents. People tried to get to him first.

After the fourth present, which was another shinobi-related thing, I glanced at my gift. It wasn't…anything like this…but he seemed to enjoy the presents, he was sincere in his thanks. He'd open it in front of everyone too, maybe I should have…

"I hope this will help you make the clan proud," an old man said as Itachi opened the present, showing an expensive-looking katana.

Itachi didn't even rely on kenjutsu, why would they offer him a katana?

I looked at the people around, then my present, then Itachi and I felt like I was starting to suffocate. I was an outsider here, clearly, and Itachi clearly had no idea I was coming or even was invited.

"I have to go," I mumbled in a shaky voice.

"Huh?" I left the room and hurried outside of the house. I ran to the first street I saw outside of the house in the Compound and leaned against a tree, a hand on my chest.

Really, was I about to have another panic attack? In Kiri I could see the reason, but here? Apart from having thrown in my face Itachi apparently belonged to another world than mine…I tended to forget he was a noble. Konoha had four noble clans, the Hyuugas, Aburames, Akimichis and Uchihas.

I was so used to Itachi not having a village or clan anymore that…I forgot. I knew he was the heir, I just…the whole noble thing went out the window.

Fuck, it really wasn't…

"What are you doing here?" I looked up to see two Uchiha teenagers. I straightened up and tried to leave but one of them stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

"He asked you a question outsider." Damn, I had to find these kind of people…

"I was leaving." He looked at me up and down.

"It's quite an outfit you have going on, you thought you'd be going at Itachi-sama's birthday or something?" I didn't reply. They laughed. "You did, didn't you!?" The one behind me took the gift from my hand and shook it.

"Hey, it's not yours you fucking prick!" I spat at him without thinking. He narrowed his eyes at me, the Sharingan flashing in them briefly.

"Watch your tongue Uzumaki." He dropped the present and stomped on it repeatedly.

"Stop!" The other one grabbed me by the hair, making me fall to my knees.

I could fight back. I very well could, I knew that.

However, would it be worth it? Their words against mine would be Uchiha versus the Hokage. I also was a foreigner, no one would let me forget it here and they didn't care I had been Fugaku-sensei's student. If I were to fight back, wouldn't it make things worse?

"Bitch." The one holding me punched me in the cheek, re-dislocating my poor jaw. He let go of me and I was on all four, three, my hand holding my jaw.

"You'll never be one of us foreigner, you'll never really be Konoha's." They left, laughing.

I sat on my knees and took a deep breath. After a few seconds where I did…nothing, like stuck in my position, I took my gift. I shook it a little and heard the pieces moving inside.

I sighed sadly. It had taken me times, and many tries to make it and now it was broken. I thought it would surprise Itachi but…

I thought back on what he was receiving. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise? Maybe he didn't even remember what I had told him during the winter camping trip about ice sculptures and what it meant in my clan. Maybe he wouldn't have liked it as it was a tradition from a foreign clan.

Maybe the fact the ice raven I had struggled so hard to make with precise details had been destroyed was for the best? I'd get him something else, something useful.

I took it and threw it the bushes.

"Nee-san?" I froze and looked down at Sasuke. He had a dark, yet worried glint in his eyes. "Are you okay?" I gave him a thumbs-up, not wanting to speak with my jaw. "You should tell Father. It's not oka…" I shook my head. "But why?" I shot him a pointed look. He dropped his shoulders. "Alright." I flicked his nose and left.

Now, what could I make up as an excuse for my dislocated jaw?

Thanks for reading. I hope you have liked it, please do let me know in reviews! Thanks to Amaterasu53 and Guest for their reviews!

Bye!