Chapter 26: The First Kills

Konoha, Forest clearing

Yakumo almost jumped out of her seat and dropped her brush when she heard Sakura. "I thought I would find you here."

"You were looking for me?" Yakumo asked. She kept her focus on her most recent painting and hoped that Sakura would not question her choice of subject.

"Ino hoped to have a girl's day out," Sakura explained. "But she didn't have any idea where you were."

Yakumo nodded. "So, you thought to look here first?" She asked. "I thought you would have looked at my clan's compound."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Sakura nod. "Actually, I did," Sakura said. "And a couple of other places before I thought of this place. In retrospect, it makes sense."

"How so?" Yakumo said. She stroked her brush against the canvas, trying to get the shade of color just right.

"Well, this is yours and Sasuke's place," Sakura explained. "And he's been gone with his team for a couple of weeks now. So, I figured you'd be missing him about now. So, I thought that you would want to be somewhere you could be reminded of him. You know someplace that both of you like to hang out at."

"So, I could feel like he's still around," Yakumo said.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, something like that," she said. "I know how close the two of you are." There was a subtle shake in her voice, something that Yakumo chose to ignore. "When do you think they'll be back. Sasuke and his team, that is?"

Yakumo shrugged as she put her brush down and took a moment to admire her work. It just needed some finishing touches. "I'm not sure," she said. "Sasuke said they should be gone for about two or three weeks. So, I guess it could be any day now."

Sakura nodded. "That would be nice," she said. "It's only been a couple of weeks since they left, and already Konoha feels strangely different. Especially without Naruto around, you know how he is." Sakura smiled.

Yakumo smiled back and let out a small laugh. "Yes, the village does feel oddly quiet without him around. I'm sure the ANBU are enjoying the peace."

"That or they're getting very nervous about what he's planning next," Sakura joked, getting a chuckle from Yakumo. "You know pretty soon we'll have our first C-Ranks. Then after that, I guess it'll become routine. We'll be coming in and out of the village so often that I wonder if we'll all be able to meet up again."

Yakumo shrugged. "I'm sure we'll find a way to make the time," she said. She took her brush back up.

"Yeah, you're right," Sakura said. "I think Kurenai-Sensei will request our first C-Rank, soon."

Yakumo nodded. "How is she?" She asked. "As a Jōnin-sensei, that is?"

Sakura beamed at this. "She's really good," she said. "She's kind, patient, and strong too. She's taught me lots of things. Come, you should know how she is. You had her longer than we have."

Yakumo nodded. "You're right," she said. "She's been a good sensei to me over the years," she let out a soft chuckle. "In a way, she's more like a sister to me than a sensei," Yakumo pursued her lips as she pondered something. "Or maybe like an aunt.

She heard Sakura chuckling. "Auntie Kurenai?" She said with amusement in her voice. "You know, I think I'll have to try that on her. See what happens."

Yakumo smiled. "I wouldn't recommend it," she said. "She is Konoha's Genjutsu Mistress. If she gets offended, she might use you as a genuine pig."

From the corner of her eye, she saw the pink-haired girl pale. "On second thought," she said hastily. "I like sleeping at night. Still, she is a good sensei, and I've learned much from her. Thanks to her, I'm starting to get a head-on genjutsu."

Yakumo nodded. "It's nice that she's doing well," she said. "I know she's a good sensei. But this being her first genin team, I was a little worried."

Sakura shook her head. "You don't need to worry," she said. "I think she'll turn out to be a great Jōnin-Sensei. Though I think it helps a little that she's got good students to work with," she put a finger to her lips. "Well, Shino and me anyways. We know how Kiba can be."

Yakumo smiled. "True," she said. "But I imagine Kurenai can keep a handle on him. And if she can't," she twirls her brush around in her fingers. "I can always straighten him out."

Sakura chuckled. "No wonder Sasuke likes you," she said. Then her eyes went over to what Yakumo was painting. "Speaking of. Is that what I think it is?"

Yakumo kept her focus on her painting but nodded. "Yes," she said, feeling a small blush creeping in.

"Naruto and Sasuke?"

"Yes."

"When did?"

"That incident."

"You mean the one Naruto and Sasuke insist never happened?"

"Yes."

"I see," Sakura said, looking at the painting a blush present on her cheeks. "Have you done any others?"

"A few," Yakumo said. "Not all of them with these two."

Sakura nodded. "Do they know?"

"What do you think?" Yakumo replied.

"I'll take that as a no," Sakura said. "Well, anyways, I'm sure that Sasuke will be back soon. Then maybe we can all try hanging out together again. Of course, that's assuming my team doesn't get their C-Rank."

Yakumo smiled. "That would be nice," she said.

"While we're on the subject," Sakura started. "How is your luck finding a team?"

Yakumo shook her head. "Not too good so far," she said. "Right now, there hasn't been a team that needs an opening."

Sakura nodded. "I'm sure you'll find a team soon enough," she said. "Anyway, Ino and I are going to hang out for today. If you want, you can join us."

Yakumo smiled. "I'll think about it," she said. "So maybe later today. Where will the two of you be?"

"Out shopping, really," Sakura said. "So, look in any of the clothing shops around the village. It shouldn't take you long to find us."

Yakumo nodded. "I don't suppose you'll drag one of the boys along?" she asked with a smirk.

Sakura returned the smirk but shook her head. "As tempting as torturing one of the guys is. Ino wants this to be a girl's day out."

Yakumo nodded. "Then I'll see you later. Once I'm done here," she gestured to her painting."

Sakura blushed. "About that," she said.

Yakumo raised an eyebrow and looked at the pink-haired girl. "What?"

"Can I get a copy?

Two days later, gates of Konoha

Shisui let a sigh and looked up at the steadily approaching gates of Konoha. He wished that they had gotten back sooner. He looked back at his genin, who held a loose formation around the council member.

What should have been a happy homecoming for the genin from their first C-rank was instead a quite somber experience. Even the council member, Eguchi, seemed a little less energetic. The bottle of wine he normally had in hand was missing, and a natural expression was set on his face.

Shisui had not expected their first C-rank to end like this. But he supposed it was his own fault.

Two days earlier, road to Konoha

The members of team-11 had left the capital about six days ago, with them a member of Konoha's civilian council. Naruto was surprised that the man named Eguchi turned out to be a friendly, easy-going fellow. Most civilian council members he knew were, at best, cold towards him, but most times, they were outwardly hostile. It was the main reason he preferred the shinobi side of the council.

Eguchi here proved to be anything but. "So let me get this straight," Naruto said. "In your clan," it was a little strange referring to a civilian clan. As he always associated clan with shinobi. "There is this tradition where at the age of, what? Eight?"

Eguchi nodded. "Eight," he confirmed.

"Eight," Naruto said. "At eight years old your clan has you drink your first bottle of wine. That's just weird and kind of crazy. Won't that be bad for them? I mean, there are lots of adults who can't handle the stuff. I'm not sure how well a kid can."

Eguchi smiled at him, the kind of smile that people did when they knew something that others didn't. Naruto noticed that Shisui had the same smile on his face. "Well, mind you," Eguchi replied. "The bottles we give are small. Kid-sized if you will. They shouldn't drink any more than a glass or two. Plus, we use one of our weaker varieties. So even a kid should be able to handle it. But even then," he trailed off for a second as he took a sip from a drinking saucer in hand. "Well, let's just say that it is not much of a concern for members of the Eguchi clan."

Naruto gave him a curious look. "How so?" he asked.

Eguchi looked at him for a moment before he waved him off. "I'll tell you another time," he said. "Perhaps when you decide to visit the Uzu district. I would be more than happy to show you around."

Naruto nodded, unhappy that he didn't get a straight answer from the man. But he understood the desire to keep things close to one's chest. "That would be nice," he admitted. Ever since he learned about the Uzu district and its people, he had been asking the man nonstop about them.

For the longest while, Naruto had thought he would be the last Uzumaki until he had kids. In a way, that was still true. But he had an opportunity to connect with people who came from the same village his clan controlled.

He could learn more about his clan from them than he ever thought possible. He could know the kind of people the Uzumaki clan were and what kind of beliefs they held. Perhaps even learn more about the history of the Uzumaki.

Now he wasn't holding out any hope of learning about any of his clan's secrets, which he knew would be hoping for too much. Even still, what he stood to learn was enough for Naruto. Who knows, he might even meet someone who is old enough to have met a member of his clan.

Naruto was about to ask Eguchi more about what he knew when he caught sight of something that drew his attention. Naruto looked over at Shisui. "Shisui-Sensei," he said. "We have a problem."

Shisui looked at him with a look of concern. "Yes?" He said. "What is it?"

"Bandits," Naruto said. "There are Bandits waiting on the side of the road."

Later

Following Naruto's little announcement, they set up a small camp. Firstly, to keep council member Eguchi safe, and secondly to decide what to do next.

Shisui had his hand on his chin as he tried to think through everything Naruto told him and his team. "They must have set up here recently," he said. "Probably in the last couple of weeks. Otherwise, we would have encountered them on our way to the capital."

Eguchi nodded. He was sitting nearby watching the team's meeting. "That would make sense," he said. "So, what do you plan to do about them?"

That was a good question. What were they going to do with these bandits? Shisui looked at his genin, who looked at him for answers. Truth be told, he had already come to a decision regarding the bandits. He just wondered if his genin were ready for it.

"Firstly, let's go over what Naruto discovered about them one last time," Shisui said. "Naruto, were you able to find where their camp is?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I did," he responded. "It's not too far from where they are now."

Shisui nodded. "Okay, good," he said. "How many are waiting for us on the road? And how many are back at the camp?"

Naruto looked through his eyes, counting off how many of the bandits there were. "I'd say around a dozen are waiting by the road, split between either side," he said. "Then about half as many back at their camp. It's not a very big one either and doesn't appear to have much in the way of valuables."

Sasuke nodded. "So, it's like Shisui said they must have recently set up," he said. "They may even be a new group that's sprung up."

Shisui nodded. "That would be my guess as well," he said. "They shouldn't be too much for us."

This was when Eguchi chose to speak up. "What I'm wondering is why they set up so close to Konoha," he said. "Doesn't seem like a very good place."

"They're probably hoping to catch clients on their way to the village," Hinata suggested. "And maybe even targeting some of our trade."

"Good detective work Hinata," Shisui said. "Of course, there is the possibility that they may not be fully aware of how close they are to Konoha. They did manage to set just on the edge of our patrolled perimeter."

Eguchi nodded. "Either case," he said. "I imagine they are about to find how bad of a mistake they've made. Correct?"

Shisui nodded. "Indeed," he said.

"Shisui-sensei?" Hinata asked nervously. "What are we going to do about the bandits? Do we go around them to protect the council member?"

Shisui shook his head. "Negative Hinata," he said. "Even if our is to protect Eguchi here," he gestures to the man, who nods back. "They'll still target anyone coming to or from the village. No, we have to try and take them out here," he looked over at Eguchi. "Eguchi-san, you can stay here until we eliminate the bandits. One of my students can stay to protect in case the bandits pull something."

Eguchi looked like he thought about the offer before he shook his head. "No, that won't be necessary," he said. "In fact, having me around may serve to draw them out. I doubt they would attack a group of shinobi. Not without a good reason."

Shisui frowned. "You sure?" he said. "You would be putting yourself at risk, and I can't guarantee your safety."

Eguchi smiled as he took a sip of his wine. "Not to worry," he said. "I have full faith in you and your students to keep me safe."

Shisui didn't look like he was convinced but nodded his head anyways. "Alright then," he said. "The plan is simple. We'll let the bandits ambush us as he walk down the road. Once they're out, we eliminate the group and then move on to finish the rest at the camp. Any questions?"

When he got no answers from his genin. "Alright then. One last thing before we go," he paused for a moment. He had come to a decision not long after Naruto told the team about the bandits, and it wasn't one he liked. But he knew that it was bound to happen at some point. Best it happens now under controlled circumstances.

He looked at his genin, seeing the innocence on their faces, knowing some of that was about to die today. "When I say we eliminate these bandits," he started. He saw the uneasy expressions spread across their faces. "I do mean eliminate."

A pregnant pause passed before one of his genin responded. Hinata. "How so?" she asked.

"It's time for your first kills."

Later

Team-11 walked down the road in silence. Even Naruto himself was quiet, which to anyone who knew him, was unusual. But given what was about to happen, it was understandable.

"Can. Can we do this?" He asked himself. "Can I do this?" Through one set of eyes, he saw his hand curled up. Through several others, he saw the bandits lying in wait for them, unaware of what was about to happen.

"You have to," Kurama said within the seal. "I don't like what your sensei is forcing you to do. But I understand why."

"But Kurama," Naruto argues back at the biju. "He's asking me to kill someone. To take someone else's life with my own hands. That's not just something you ask a person to do. Especially kids like us."

Naruto had seen death before. The incident with the nuke-nin that kidnapped Yakumo came to mind. He had seen one of her clansmen be killed by the kidnappers, and, thanks to Yakumo's genjutsu, had experienced some form of death. Sometimes he could still feel a cold chill passing through his neck. And he remembered some of the things he saw before the Hyūga took him in.

But to be asked to kill someone, to see the life slowly melt away from another's eyes. It didn't feel right. Of course, Naruto knew that as a Shinobi, he would have to do it one day in his life. Several times even. He had been told as such. Even the academy didn't gloss over the possibility. He would have to kill.

But as Naruto was learning, knowing, and having it happen were two different things. Naruto had always thought his first kill would be a long way off. Not today, at the end of his first C-rank.

"I know you don't like it," Kurama said. "But your sensei has a point. Best get this done now under a situation that can be controlled. Not when you're fighting for your life or the lives of others."

Naruto nodded. As much as he didn't like it, he understood Shisui's reasoning. Get it done when they knew it was going to happen, instead as a moment of shock. Naruto looked between his teammates, Hinata and Sasuke. They tried to hide the pensive looks on their faces.

Hinata had her head buried in her coat while she tapped her fingers together. Sasuke had his eyes closed and head held to the side. Neither of them seemed to be in a hurry.

Naruto turned his head to face Shisui, who was walking beside the council member. Shisui saw this and nodded at him. Naruto nodded back and turned his head back to the road ahead.

Naruto took a breath, trying to ready himself for what was going to happen next. They were almost in the middle of where the bandits were waiting for him. Some of them inched away from the trees with smiles spreading across their faces. Evidently, they thought the group would make for easy prey. They would learn how mistaken they were.

Naruto could even hear some of them speaking. "Just some kids, and their guardians," one said.

"They don't even look like real shinobi," another muttered with a laugh. "I bet those hit-ates are fake."

Naruto frowned, feeling just a bit slighted by their dismissive comments. "Don't let them get to you," Kurama advised. "They will learn their folly when they greet the Shinigami."

Naruto didn't nod. He didn't have the time too. With a loud yelp, the bandits sprang out from their hiding places and charged at the genin, their Jōnin-sensei, and their client. For a moment, the genin acted like they were surprised by the sudden appearance of the bandits. Even going as far as acting like they were afraid.

The bandits saw this and seemed to relish in the perceived fear of the genin as they continued their charge. One of the bandits, a large barreled man carrying a mace, ran at Naruto. As he got close, he held his mace over his head and was ready to bring it down on the blindfolded boy's head.

There was a gleeful expression on the man's face as he brought his mace down. Only for it to morph into an expression of shock as his hand and mace went flying, with a trail of blood following it. The man only had enough time to gaze the stump where his hand used to be before Naruto cut into his knees with a kunai. The man fell to his bloodied knees and let a scream of pain before Naruto cut his throat open, ending his life in a matter of moments.

For anyone else, it would have been bad enough after killing someone. They only had one set of eyes to watch the life leave another's eyes. For Naruto, he saw himself killing that man from several different perspectives. It was something that would forever be engraved in Naruto's memory.

Naruto wouldn't get the chance to dwell on this thought as he moved on to the next bandit. Four others had already been killed. One from Sasuke as he leaped behind the man and plunged a kunai into the back of his neck. Another from Hinata as she slipped into the man's guard and sent a juken strike to his chest, causing him to cough up a blob of blood before he toppled over. The other two were cut down by Shisui so quickly that it looked like a blur to Naruto.

Five of the bandits were dead now, leaving seven of their kin left. One of them, a man carrying katana, roared in anger and tried to charge at Hinata. He was stopped when two bolts of charka tore into his chest. The man looked at the burning holes in his chest before his eyes rolled back into his head, and he hit the ground.

Naruto let out a breath. It took a few moments for his eyes to gather enough chakra for a killing shot like that, and if they had been Shinobi, they would have felt the build-up of Chakra. At seeing half their number dead, the remaining bandits paused in their steps to try and take in what happened.

A mistake that the genin would capitalize on. Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke each reached into their kunai pouches and threw out a barrage at the bandits. With little time and room to react, two of the remaining bandits were killed outright. Naruto didn't know whose kills they were, and he didn't want to know. The other four receive various injuries from the thrown weapons. One even gets a kunai to his shoulder.

This was enough to snap the remaining bandits back to reality. They dropped their weapons and ran away from the group of shinobi. Or rather, they tried to. Naruto saw Shisui grab the hilt of his sword, and in a blur of motion, he was in front of the fleeing bandits. Half a second later, all four fell to the ground as their heads went into the air.

With the bandits gone, silence fell over the road. Twelve bodies laid around the road, and the three genin took the sight in. Shisui turned to face his genin, a natural expression on his face. "You three stay here and keep the council member safe," he said. "I'll deal with the bandit camp. Understood?"

Naruto didn't answer as he stared at the man whose's throat he slit open. He was staring into green lifeless eyes. A couple of seconds later, he nodded. "Hai," he croaked. He really didn't hear an answer from the others, but he did see them nodding.

Shisui nodded and seemed to open his mouth to say something. Then he closed it and nodded again. He vanishes in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto continued to stare at the dead body. He didn't know why, but he felt his body shaking.

Present, Hokage tower

As they walked through the Hokage tower, Shisui looked at his genin. Not for the first time in the last two days, he wondered if he had made the right decision. Certainly, there were better ways to get his students bloodied. At the same time, though, he had seen an opportunity and took it.

The last couple of days had been spent in near silence as his genin seemed to try to process what happened. What they did. Shisui had tried to offer what words of comfort he could, even giving them small tasks to keep their minds off the matter.

He wasn't sure how much it helped. But Shisui didn't know what else to do to help them. Whenever he tried to say something to his genin, some words to console them, he always came up with silence. So, the journey back to Konoha was spent in an awkward silence. He was thankful to Kami that nothing else had happened since the bandit attack.

Eguchi wasn't with them now, as he departed for his home after they entered through the village gates. He had thanked Shisui and the trio of genin and offered that they visit one of his stores in the Uzu district sometime so he could repay them. It was something that Shisui hoped his genin would take him up on. Particularly Naruto, that boy deserved to have some connection with his deceased clan.

"The Hokage will see you now," a clerk said.

Shisui nodded at the woman. "Thank you," he said and was about to step into the Hokage's office when he got another look at this genin. At seeing the expressionless faces of his three students, Shisui curled his hands into fists. He had had enough.

"Can you give us a moment?" Shisui asked the woman. She gave him a questioning look. "There's something I need to say to my team. In private."

She looked at him for a moment longer, then she nodded. She tapped a button on the intercom. "Hokage-Sama, Team-11 will be delayed for just a moment," she said, getting an appreciative nod from Shisui.

"Very well," the Sandaime's voice came through the com. "Just tell them not to take too long."

The clerk nodded. "Yes, Hokage-Sama," she replied. "Also, I'll be taking my break early today. Something came up."

"Understood," the Hokage replied.

The clerk nodded and stood up behind her desk, gathering her things. She walked past Shisui. "Don't take too long," she said. "The Sandaime is a very busy man," then she left the reception office.

Now left alone with his genin, Shisui turned to face them. He strained to put on his best smile. But found that the muscles around the corners of his mouth would not comply. So, he just settled for a natural expression as he looked over his genin. Who, in return, gave him curious looks.

Shisui took a deep breath and let it out after holding it for a few seconds. "Alright, guys," he said. "Let's have a little talk. Have a seat over there," he gestured to the row of seats nearby.

His genin looked at him wearily for a second before they each nodded their heads and took a seat. Shisui stood in front of them. "Look I know these last couple of days have been difficult," that was probably an understatement. "I might even have pushed you three too far as your sensei."

"No, you didn't Shisui-Sensei," Naruto said. "We understand why you did it. The bandits needed to be stopped, and we," he trailed off. "And we needed," he paused again.

"We needed to get bloodied," Sasuke finished for him. Hinata, next to Naruto, nodded.

Shisui nodded. "I'm glad you understand," he said. "But still, I fell like that maybe I should have waited. Give you guys a little more time to get used to being Shinobi and being on a team." Then he would have asked for a mission where they could get their first kills. Likely a bandit elimination mission or a simple assassination. That might have been the better course of action.

Shisui mentally shook the thought off. He had already made his decision, and now as the Jōnin-Sensei of Team-11, it was his duty to manage the fallout. "What the three of you experienced a couple of days ago is something that every shinobi experiences," he said after a moment. "And what usually follows. Look, I don't care what some textbook says or what some of the older shinobi say," his mind went to a certain warhawk. "Killing is not an easy thing, and it should never be."

"We know that sensei," Naruto said. "It's just that," he paused. "These were our first kills. Its. Just a shock to our systems, I guess." Slowly the other members of the team nodded.

"I know that," Shisui said. "I remember my first kill and quite vividly, considering I had my Sharingan on at the time," he saw Sasuke visibly flinch. "Though even without it, I think I would remember every detail."

Hinata was pressing her fingers together as she spoke. "Wh-what happened?"

Shisui took a breath as his mind easily drew up the memories of his first kill. "I won't go into the specifics. My team where on a C-rank, not our first, mind you, but it was supposed to be a simple escort mission for a merchant convoy," he learned not everything went to plan on that mission. "We were attacked by a shinobi squad from another village, I don't remember which. They weren't with any of the big five. A Jōnin and three genin."

"A lot like us," Sasuke said.

Shisui nodded. "It's a widely used formation," he said. "I think they were a team was as new as mine was. I couldn't, really tell. It was just a feeling I had. Anyway, they broke off to fight us one on one. Their Jōnin-Sensei went after ours while we each took one of the genin. I ended up fighting a boy around my age, maybe a tad younger. He wasn't half bad. Gave me a couple of good scratches and bruises. At some point, we ended up on the ground, with him on top of me. We struggled for a bit, neither one of us getting the advantage. That is until the guy reached for a kunai," Shisui crossed his arms as the memories returned as vivid as ever.

"I didn't know if he was going to kill me if he just wanted to keep me pinned down," he continued with his story. "Not that it makes much of a difference now. Instinctively I reached my hand out for anything that could help me out. I grabbed something, and I swung in. It was a kunai that had been discarded during the fight, and I had plunged it into the side of his neck." Shisui could remember the feeling of the boy's blood pouring out from the side of his neck and dropping down onto his face. He remembered how warm and heavy the droplets of red were.

Shisui breathed in through his nose. "I can remember clearly the expression on his face," he said, eyeing his genin and gauging their reactions. "It was one of shock and surprise. Like he couldn't believe what had happened. Admittedly I had a hard time processing it as well. Then after a moment, he just sort of tipped over and fell off me."

His genin were watching him close, probably waiting for their sensei to continue. When he didn't, one of them spoke up, Sasuke. "How did that feel?" he asked. "Killing someone for the first time like that?"

Shisui crossed his arms and tried to recall how he felt in the aftermath. "To be honest," he started. "I felt numb for a while after that. I didn't really feel anything for a while, not until my team got back to the village. I think the shock of it hadn't set in yet. Sort of like what's happening with you three."

Sasuke nodded and remained quiet for a while.

To Shisui's surprise, it was Hinata that spoke next. "Shisui-Sensei," she said without a stutter. Strangely, he had expected her to be doing that. "When the shock did set in, how did it affect you? How?" She paused for a second. "How did you learn to live with yourself after that?"

Shisui nodded, knowing where the young kunoichi was coming from. "If you're thinking that I just got over it somehow and that everything turned out fine for me the next day," he started. "I hate to bust it to you. But that was not what happened. I shut myself out for a long while and didn't let anyone near me because I was afraid, I would hurt them. I didn't pull myself out of that state by myself, and it wasn't something that happened overnight."

"You had help?" Naruto said.

"I did," Shisui said. "Despite that I tried to shut others out. A lot of people wanted to help me. My teammates, my friends, my family, and even my counselor. It took a fair bit of effort, but they got through to me and helped me through it all. So, if you want my advice, don't shut the people around you out. You have your friends, your families, and you have each other. Konoha also has counselors for this type of thing. I can even see about getting a Yamanaka to help you. They're good at this sort of stuff. Then finally, there's me," he looked at his genin to make sure they were listening. "If you want to talk about it, you can always come to me. You get that?"

Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke looked between him and each other. "We do Shisui-sensei," Naruto said. "Sensei, if I can ask a question or two?"

Shisui nodded. "Of course," he said. "Anytime."

"Does it go away?" He asked. "The feelings you have after killing someone for the first time. And does it get any easier?"

Shisui put a hand on his chin. He was trying to think of a way to put this into words. "Yes, and not really," he said. He got blank stares from his students, who didn't seem satisfied with his answer. So, he went into more detail. "In time, the feeling will fade away, but it will never go away. In one way or another, the first people you kill will haunt you for the rest of your life," he knew he would be seeing that boy's face tonight as he did a moment ago. "As well the others. Now for your second question," Shisui rubbed the back of his head. "It doesn't really get any easier, and to be frank, I don't think it should. But I think you do get a little more numb each time. But you never stop feeling anything."

Naruto nodded. "I understand," he said. "I think."

"In time, you will," Shisui said. "Just remember you're not alone. You don't have to handle this alone. If you want to talk, just come, and find me. I always have time for my students," he looked at Sasuke. "And my cousin." Sasuke gave him a faint smile. "And if you don't want to talk to me. Just remember that there are others around you who want to help."

One by one, each of his students nodded. "We understand," Naruto spoke for his team. "We'll think about what you said. But I think it's going to take a little bit for us to process what happened."

Shisui nodded. "Of course," he said. "I never said that this was going to happen quickly. All of you will need a little time. Which is why after our debriefing with the Hokage, Team-11 will have three days off from training. I hope that gives you a little time to sort things out. But if you do need help, just remember you can ask me or anyone else. Understood?"

His students nodded at him.

Shisui nodded back. He knew that there was nothing else he could do for now. The best thing he could do now was to wait and see if they would get through this part of their Shinobi lives. The first kill was often a make-or-break moment for any Shinobi. If his students got through this, he knew they would go far.

"Alright then," he said. "I think we kept the Hokage waiting for long enough," his genin nodded at him and stood up from their seats. Shishu nodded back and turned around. He was about to walk into the Hokage's office when he paused in his steps. "I meant what I said. If any of you need help, don't hesitate to come to me. Ok?"

He turned his head over slightly to gauge his student's reactions. They looked at him wearily for a second before each of them nodded. Shisui smiled and led his team into the Hokage's office.

Hyūga Compound

Hiashi took a deep breath. He knew something was wrong when his daughter and Naruto returned from their mission. Their first C-Rank. He had expected the two children to come back with bright smiles and fully expected Naruto to tell them how it ended out turning into an A-rank mission to stop a rogue from blowing up the capital.

Instead, the children had quietly entered the compound and went their own ways. That was the first clue that something was wrong. No, Hiashi's forehead creased as he thought back to earlier in the day. He had gotten a bad feeling when he first woke but had written it off as nothing. Old habits and instincts plaguing him again.

He should have known better than to simply ignore them. Now he was wandering through his clan's compound, wondering what to do. "Perhaps you should ask them?" A familiar voice greeted Hiashi.

Hiashi turned around to face his brother, Hizashi. "Hizashi?"

His twin nodded at him with a grin. But the smile seemed to be strained. "I know you are worried about them," he said. "But pacing about like this will not help them."

Hiashi nodded. "I know," he admitted. "It's just I'm worried about what might have happened. This was supposed to be their first C-rank. A simple mission to the capitol. What could have happened to put them into this state?"

Hizashi nodded at his twin brother. "That, too, I have been wondering," he said. "But you and I are not going to find out by just wandering the halls of our home. The best way to find out what happened is to ask them ourselves."

Hiashi nodded, understanding the wisdom behind his twin's words. "I know that," he said. "But I have a strange feeling that they may not be so forthcoming with answers."

Hizashi nodded. "If it is what I think it is," he said. "I cannot fault them."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "You know something?" He asked.

Hizashi rubbed his chin. "More like a feeling," he replied. "If it is what I think. Then we will need to be there for the children."

That did little to ease Hiashi's worries. What could have happened on his daughter's mission? "I don't suppose you will be willing to share your thoughts?"

Hizashi gave him a smile and shook his head. "I'm afraid this is something you'll have to find out for yourself," he said. "But when you do, remember to give your girl all the love and care you can give her. She will need the help to get through this moment in her life, and so will Naruto."

Hiashi nodded. "You are a wise man, my brother," he said. "Far wiser than I will ever be." In Hiashi's opinion, it should have been Hizashi that led the clan, not himself. But a cruel twist of fate had denied them that better path.

Hizashi let out what sounded like a snort. "That may be," he said. "But you are a wise man as well. More so than you give yourself credit."

Hiashi nodded. "Then I will talk to Hinata," he said. "See what is plaguing her mind. What about you?"

Hizashi gave him a smile. "I plan to talk to Naruto," he said. "I was actually on my way to his home when I saw you wandering about."

Hiashi smiled at his brother. "Then I will leave you to it," he said. "I hope you will be able to offer some comfort to the boy. As I will try to comfort my daughter."

Hizashi nodded. "Assuming that Sara-San hasn't beaten me to it already," he said. "Good luck Hiashi."

Hiashi nodded at his brother. "The same goes for you, too," he said. The two brothers bowed to each other and went their separate ways.

It did not take Hiashi long to reach his daughter's room. He was not at all surprised to see his wife standing outside the door. Hitomi looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Hiashi-Kun," she greeted him.

Hiashi smiled at his wife. "Hitomi-Hime," he said to her. "I guess we had the same thought."

Hitomi nodded at him. "I was worried for her," she said. "While Hinata is a reserved girl. She has never been like this before. Not in recent memory."

Hiashi nodded, knowing what his wife was referencing to. "Not since that night," he said. That night he had almost lost his then-only child.

Hitomi nodded at him. "What happened out there, Hiashi?" She asked. "What happened to our girl?"

"That is something I intend to find out," Hiashi said, walking up to the door. "Do you want to come in with me?"

Hitomi looked like she was tempted to but shook her head after a moment of thought. "No," she said. "I think it might be best that we do not overwhelm her. You can go first. If you can't find anything out from Hinata, I'll go in. Sound like a plan?"

Hiashi nodded. "Sounds good," he said. Then he looked at the door in front of him. He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

A soft voice reached his ears. "Y-yes?"

"Hinata," Hiashi said. "It's me, your father. May I come in?"

He was met with silence for several seconds. He was about to repeat himself, thinking that Hinata had not heard him right. "Come in," she said.

Hiashi nodded and opened the door. Closing the door behind him, Hiashi scanned the room over for his daughter. She was sitting on her bed, hunched over.

For a moment, Hiashi felt some fatherly instinct try to take over. Urging him to wrap his daughter in his arms and tell her everything would be fine. He kept control of himself and walked over to Hinata's bedside.

"May I sit?" He asked her, gesturing to a spot next to Hinata. She looked at the spot and him about two or three times before she nodded her head.

Hiashi smiled and sat himself next to his daughter. He took a second to get comfortable and collect his thoughts. "Hinata," he began. "Are you okay?"

Hinata remained silent for a second before she nodded her head. "I am," she said. Hiashi was not convinced. He looked at his daughter closely for several seconds, trying to take in every detail. Trying to see what was bothering Hinata so much. He immediately noticed that she was looking at her hands.

"Did something happen?" Hiashi asked, between his daughter and her hands. "And why are you looking at your hands so intently. Is there something on them?"

Again, Haishi was met with silence. He was about to repeat himself when Hinata spoke in a soft voice. One he almost missed. "What?" He asked.

Hinata looked him in the eye. Hiashi was disturbed to see a dimness in her eyes. "Red," she said a little louder this time. "I don't see red on them."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Hinata's hands. "Red?" He questioned. Now why Hinata think her hands should be … should be red. Pieces started to come together. The way his daughter and Naruto were acting. The cryptic illusion his brother made. A picture began to form in Hiashi's mind.

He looked at his daughter again. "My dear sweet Hinata," he thought to himself. "Hinata, tell me what happened. Did you?" He left the question unfinished, but he got an answer.

Hinata nodded. Then she began to explain everything that happened. How they arrived at the capital, dropped off the scroll, and how they received council member Eguchi. How they spent a day in the capital and attended a local festival. That brought a smile to Hiashi's face.

The smile would not last long. Hinata explained how the rest of their mission had gone. She told him they had encountered bandits on their way back to Konoha and what Shisui had them do.

By the end of it Hiashi had two main thoughts in his head. First, he was going to find Shisui and rip him a new one. He understood why Hinata's sensei had them do it. Why he gave them their first kills. The Shinobi in him agreed with what he did. Best to get them bloodied now rather then later when a moment of hesitation could cost her.

But the father in him wanted to wring the Uchiha's neck. The second thought also came from the father in him. To comfort his daughter. For the moment, he was going to go with the latter of the two options. He would deal with a certain Uchiha later.

Slowly and carefully, he wrapped his arms around Hinata. Who let out a surprised noise from her mouth as she stared up at him. "Father?"

Hiashi smiled at his daughter. "Don't worry," he said. "I know what you're going through will be tough. The first time is always the hardest," Hiashi could still vividly recall the first time he took a human life. He could remember their face with perfect clarity. That face and others still haunted his dreams to this day. Thankfully not every night, most nights he had a good night's rest. But from time to time, those faces would show in his dreams.

He knew the same would be true for Hinata. With this being her first kill, the face of the whoever's life she took would haunt her for the next several nights. But in time, with help, the face would fade away, disappearing into the recesses of her mind. Only to resurface at a time of their choosing.

Hiashi instinctively knew he would be seeing familiar faces in his dreams tonight. However, he didn't care now. What mattered most was comforting his daughter. "I," Hiashi started, then corrected himself. "We, are all here for you."

A moment later, he felt Hinata's head leaning into his shoulder. Soon after, Hiashi felt his shirt becoming wet.

Naruto saw Sara well before he heard her knocking at his door. He wasn't surprised by that, though he was a little surprised when he saw Hizashi walking up to her.

Knock! Knock!

Naruto cleared his throat, wondering if he should let them in. He didn't want them to come in. He wanted to be alone.

"Come in," he said. Why?

"Because a part of you knows better," a voice said.

He saw Sara and Hizashi nodding at one another. They both walked into his room. Naruto was sitting out at the foot of his bed. The palm of his hand was stretched out with a pair of eyes floating above it. They were green.

"Naruto," Sara said. "How are you feeling?"

Not good, Naruto wanted to say. "Good," he said.

A frown tugged at the corners of Sara's mouth. But it was quickly replaced by a warm smile. She sat down next to Naruto. Hizashi stood by the door, watching them. There was a caring yet concerned look on his face.

"Naruto," Sara said. "How are you feeling?" She repeated her question.

Naruto opened his mouth to give her the same answer. Then he closed, knowing that she wasn't going to take it. So, he remained silent and kept his head facing the pair of eyes above his hand.

Sara looked at them. For a moment, Naruto thought he saw something dark flashing in her eyes. Then it was gone. "Those were his eyes," she said. "Weren't they?"

Naruto jerked his head up in surprise. On instinct, he turned his head to look at Sara. Who was giving him a sad smile. "How did you?" He began to ask.

Sara's smile grew sadder. "Naruto," she said. "I have been a Shinobi ever since I was your age. I've seen that look before. On others, like yourself."

"And I've seen it before as well," Hizashi said. "On my brother's face, my son's, me included," then he looked at Sara. "And I've seen it before on her face."

Naruto hesitated to ask, but he did. "What expression?"

"The look of someone who has just killed for the first time," Sara answered. "It's not a look that you will easily forget. Especially if you have seen it many times before."

Naruto nodded and turned his head back to face the set of eyes floating above his outstretched hand. "We were on our way back to the village when we ran into some bandits. Shisui-Sensei he," Naruto's voice suddenly dried up.

But Sara and Hizashi seemed to understand what he was going to say. "I see," Sara said. "I think I can piece together what happened next." Then she whispers something under her breath. She probably thought that Naruto wouldn't hear her. "I'll need to have a word with him."

Then she shook her head and looked back at Naruto. "So, was I right?" She asked. "Where those the eyes of the bandit you killed?"

Naruto continued to stare at the green eyes, or rather he stared at himself with them. "I killed two bandits," Naruto answered. He saw a tug at Sara's lips. "But yeah, these were his. The first one I killed. I slit his throat open."

Hizashi nodded. "A clean kill," he comments.

Naruto didn't think it was clean. He could still remember the feeling of the blood on his hands, how warm it felt. How hard it was to wash it off his hands. Days later, he still saw some red on them. "I took his eyes, and the eyes of the others," Naruto frowned as the memory of the incident came back to his mind.

It was just after Shisui had left to finish the remaining bandits. Naruto had found himself standing before the man he had killed. He stared at the man for a long time, looking into his lifeless eyes. Then before any rational thought could circulate in his mind, he outstretched his hand. With a small pop, the green set of eyes flew to him. He had done the same for the other bandits, including the ones back at their camp.

He still didn't know why he did it or why no one tried to stop him. Shisui just gave him a strange look about it.

"I see," Sara said. Hizashi silently nodded.

"I don't know why I did it," Naruto said. "I just did."

"We all have our ways of dealing with our first kills," Sara said. "And the ones that come after."

"The ones that come after," Naruto thought. He didn't relish the thought that he would have to kill again or that he would be adding to his collection. "Should I feel like this?" He asked after a moment. "This numbness, this," guilt, he added silently to himself. Why should he feel guilty? That bandit was going to kill him. All of them were.

"It's normal," Sara said. "Whatever your feeling right is perfectly normal." she wiped away a stray strand of hair. "I felt quite numb after my first kill."

Naruto knew he shouldn't have felt surprised by that statement. He knew Sara had been a Shinobi for several years. It should have been no surprise that she had killed before, more than likely more than once. But Naruto had never made the connection in his mind. "You've killed before?" He asked, turning his head to face Sara.

Sara nodded. "I have," she answered. "A few times. But the first was by far the hardest. It wasn't anything messy, thankfully, a juken strike to the heart. But it still stuck to me," a dark shadow crept over Sara's face. Naruto didn't have to be a genius to know she was reliving that moment.

Naruto felt a frown tug at his lips. "I'm sorry," he said. "If I'm bringing something you don't want to remember." he paused. "We can talk about something else."

Sara and Hizashi shook their heads. "No," Sara replied. "don't apologize. Besides, I think it's something you need to hear."

Naruto tilted his head slightly, giving Sara a questioning look. "Something I need to hear?" He questioned her.

"To show that others have gone through what you are going through now," Hizashi answered for her. "Both of us have killed before and have gone through that process. Every shinobi in this village has. Your sensei, senseis of your friend's teams, Hiashi, Hitomi, and the Hokage. All of them have killed before, and they had to go through the process of what that meant. But you should count yourself lucky not all of us have quick clean kills as our firsts."

Naruto faced Hizashi. "Can I ask?" he said to the man. "What was your first kill like?"

Hizashi rubbed his chin. "As I said," he began. "Not all of us were given the luxury of a clean first kill. With me, I was not so lucky. I won't go into detail about what led to it. But I had to stab my opponent several times in the chest before he finally died. And with each thrust, I had to watch the life slowly leave his eyes."

Naruto slowly swallowed. "How did you get over it?" He asked. "You know, your first kill, and how do you deal with the others."

Hizashi looked up at the ceiling. A smile crept across his face, which was anything but happy. "Firstly," he said. "To dispel the notion. You don't simply get over something like this. To some degree, everyone you kill will haunt you for the rest of your life. They will always be with you. Secondly, I had help getting through that time in my life. Help that I sorely needed."

That sounded a lot like what Shisui-sensei said. "Shisui-sensei said something similar," Naruto said. "He had help from his friends and family."

Hizashi nodded. "Then that is something we have in common," he said. "For my part, I had help from my teammates, my wife, my sister-in-law, and from my brother."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "What about your parents?" he asked. "Didn't they help you?"

A frown appeared on Hizashi's face. "Not by much," he said. Naruto was wise enough not to press on the issue. "Either way, I could not get through by myself."

"That same went for me," Sara said. "I tried to close myself off from the world, tried to process it by myself. On the outside, I was a proper Hyūga. Calm, collected, and most of all, unaffected by what happened."

Naruto really couldn't picture Sara being like what was thought of as the proper Hyūga. At least not as they preached or what other people thought of a proper Hyūga. Certainly, Sara had many of the qualities he attributed to a Hyūga. Calm, collected, cool-minded, and always the ones for etiquette. But not to the point where she came off as a snob. These traits she had were tempered by kindness, compassion, and understanding. In a strange way, Naruto thought Sara might actually be the ideal Hyūga.

"But one the inside, it was a different story," Sara continued. "My teammates were the ones to see that. They helped me through a difficult moment in my life, something that my family failed to notice, that most of the clan failed to notice."

"I noticed," Hizashi said. "And so did my brother and Hitomi."

Sara looked at him and nodded. Then she looked at Naruto. "Naruto, I do hope you realize that you're not alone. That there are people here who care about you and are more than willing to help. There are even those of us who understand what you're going through. Not just me and Hizashi-Sama. But your friends, your teammates, and even your sensei."

"And I'm here," Kurama said from within the seal. "All of us are."

"Kurama?" Naruto asked but got no reply from the fox.

Sara wrapped her arm around Naruto. "So, remember that we always be here for you," she said softly.

Naruto smiled, feeling tears coming down his cheeks. "Thank you," he said, leaning his head on Sara's side.

Sara's arm around Naruto tightened. "You're welcome," she said.

Naruto nodded. They remained there for what felt like an eternity, the three of them. The silence was broken by Naruto's soft whisper. "Does it get easier?" he asked. "Living with yourself?"

Hizashi nodded slowly. "It does," he said. "It won't go away, but it does fade a little each day."

Naruto nodded, thinking maybe he could live with that. He took his hand back and let the green eyes float away from him. He could still see the flashes of memory.

Of himself standing, bloody kunai in hand, and the darkness rapidly taking over.

Forest clearing

"So that's what happened."

Sasuke nodded at Yakumo. He had come here hoping for some privacy and a chance to process everything. But had forgotten a couple of things. Firstly, was that he wasn't the only one that knew about this forest clearing.

Secondly, someone was going to come looking for him. Yakumo had found him sitting on the hill overlooking the lone tree in the clearing. His hands had been grasped together in what Naruto termed his 'brooding pose.'

He had almost jumped when Yakumo silently sat down next to him. But she didn't say anything. She just gave him an understanding smile and looked out at the tree. So, the two had sat in silence for the longest time, both watching the tree.

One was left to quietly stew in his thoughts, while the other waited for him to give voice to those thoughts. Then finally, Sasuke spoke to Yakumo. He told her about his team's mission. How at the end, they got their first kills.

Yakumo had remained silent for most of the exchange, occasionally asking the odd question. Yakumo nodded. "I can see why you wanted to be alone," she said. "It's not something you can just think about and get over."

Sasuke shrugged. "I just wanted to clear my head," he said. "Alone." He hadn't even gone back to his clan's compound. No doubt his family was worried about him.

"I can understand that," she said. "But you can't do this alone, Sasuke. There are people who understand what's happening and can help you.

Before Sasuke could quill it, he felt a flash of annoyance. "It's not like you could understand," he said. Then immediately regretted it when he saw the hurt expression on Yakumo's face. "Yakumo, I'm."

He was stopped when Yakumo raised her hand. An odd smile spread across her face. "But I do understand," of all the things she could have said, that was the least expected. It cut through Sasuke like a kunai.

Sasuke eyes widened. "Wait, you mean?" he asked as the implication settled in his mind. "You?"

Yakumo nodded. "I did," she whispered low enough so only Sasuke could hear her. She looked up at the night sky. "It was about three or four months before my parents died. I was practicing my genjutsu, and well, you should know how things were back then."

Sasuke nodded, remembering the creature that plagued Yakumo years ago. "It did something?" he asked. "The Shadow?"

Yakumo nodded. "One of my clansmen, an older man, was supervising," she explained. "That day, the Shadow was particularly vicious. My control was tenuous at best." She pulled her knees in as her gaze went down the hill. "I tried to hide it, pretended I was in control." Yakumo was silent for a moment. "But I wasn't."

Sasuke slowly nodded his head. "What happened?" he asked. He knew the clansman had died. He just didn't know how.

Yakumo remained silent for what felt like an eternity to Sasuke. For a moment, Sasuke thought he had asked too much of the girl and was about to recant his question. "The shadow trapped the man in a genjutsu," she answered. "I don't know what all happened in it. I just know he was screaming and thrashing wildly. Cuts appeared all over his body, and his arms twisted around. Then his stomach opened up."

Sasuke fought back the bile building up in his throat. "That must have been horrible," he said, unable to think of anything else. He had seen death before, witnessed his mother kill, and his clansmen turning on one another. But to see something like that, he couldn't imagine it.

Yakumo nodded. "It was," she said. "After that, I suddenly found myself in my mother's arms. I didn't black out or anything. I was staring at the body of the man I killed, then the next, my mother's arms were around me. She cradled me as my father tried to cover up the body," Yakumo's voice had become hoarse. "They both told me it wasn't my fault. That I wasn't the one to kill him. I couldn't sleep right for months after that." She looked at Sasuke. "You see, Sasuke, I do know what's it like to have killed someone. And I know what it feels like after it."

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something. But the words died before they could leave his throat. He closed his mouth and nodded at her. "I'm sorry," he managed to whisper. "I didn't know."

Yakumo nodded. "You don't have to apologize," she said. "I never told you before."

An awkward silence fell over the clearing. Sasuke was left with his own thoughts, with Yakumo being a strangely comforting presence. "They were right, you know," he said after a while.

Yakumo gave him a questioning look. "What?"

Sasuke looked at Yakumo. "Your parents," he explained. "They were right when they said it wasn't your fault. You didn't kill that man. The Shadow did."

Yakumo looked at him for a long moment before she nodded her head. "I know," she said, looking up at the sky. "But it doesn't stop me from feeling the guilt. Just remember that there are people who want to help."

Sasuke nodded. "Like you," he said.

Yakumo smiled. "And your family," she added. "And teammates as well. Have you tried talking to them?"

Sasuke frowned. "No," he answered. "I haven't."

Yakumo nodded. "Then maybe you should," she replied. "Of all people, they should know exactly how you feel."

Sasuke remained silent for a moment as he thought over Yakumo's suggestion. He knew she was right. His teammates were going through the same thing, and… and he hadn't been there. "I'll do that," he said, resolving to make it the first thing he would do in the morning.

Yakumo's smile grew, something that made Sasuke feel alright. "Good," she said. "I'm sure they could use the help," then she started to chuckle. "You know I'm a little jealous."

"Jealous?"

Yakumo nodded. "Yeah, you have a team, and I'm still waiting for mine," she explained. "It makes me a little jealous. You get to work with such amazing people like your sensei and teammates. You get to go out on missions. I want to be a part of that."

Sasuke smiled and moved closer to Yakumo. "I'm sure you won't have to wait long," he said. "You'll get an amazing team," maybe her teammates and sensei would be as amazing as her. But somehow, he doubted that few could compare to Yakumo. "And you'll be out on missions like the rest of us. Who knows, you might even get to team up with us." Sasuke thought that was a nice thought.

Yakumo smiled at him. She leans her head on his shoulders, which felt nice to Sasuke. "I'm sure you're right," she said.

Sasuke smiled. "Thanks," he said.

"For what?" Yakumo asked.

"For helping me," he answered. "I think I needed someone to talk to."

"You're my friend," Yakumo said. "I would have done it for any of the others. Plus, you've helped me so much. I want to pay you back."

Sasuke frowned a little. "You don't have to pay me back," he said. "What I did, what we all did, was because you were our friend."

"I know," Yakumo said. "But I want to."

Sasuke had no reply for that. So, he turned his attention to the night sky above them. "Yakumo," he said after a moment of silence.

"Yes?"

Sasuke felt his cheeks warming up. "Can we stay here?" he asked. "Just for a little bit? I want to think for a little bit."

He didn't see it, but Sasuke knew Yakumo was giving him a soft smile. "Sure," she said. "I think I can use the time to think as well."

So, they stayed there, silently watching the clearing and the sky. Sasuke knew he would have to thank Yakumo later for helping him. He stole a brief glance at the girl next to him. There was something else he realized that night as his heart started to beat a little bit faster. That was something else to be thankful for.

The Rusty Kunai

Shisui wasn't surprised when Itachi sat down next to him.

Shisui was nursing a half-empty glass. The only one he had so far. "So, did you come to slip the kunai in my back?" Shisui asked his friend.

"Not until I find out what you did," Itachi asked. The bartender came by, allowing Itachi to order his drink.

Shisui glanced over at Itachi, surprised. "Sasuke hasn't told you?"

Itachi shook his head. "He hasn't even returned to the compound," he explained.

Now Shisui was worried. One of his genin was missing. Shisui sat up in his seat. "Sasuke's missing?"

Again, Itachi shook his head. "No," he replied calmly. "I know where my little brother is."

Relief flood over Shisui. "Don't scare me like that," he said. "I do worry about him. He's my student and cousin. So where is he?"

"Talking to a friend," Itachi said. "He's in good hands. So, tell me what happened. You were supposed to be on a simple C-rank."

Shisui sighed. "It was," he said. Then he noticed the disbelieving expression Itachi gave him. "Really, it was. We delivered the scroll and met the council member. We even got to stay at the capital for a day. Then we went on our way back to Konoha."

Itachi was watching him carefully. "Then something unexpected happened," Itachi was always too perceptive for his own good.

Shisui nodded. "We hit something of sang," he said. "But at the time thought it was an opportunity. So, I took it."

The bartender came by, dropping off Itachi's drink. Itachi took it in his hand. "So, what happened?"

Shisui took another breath and told him everything that had happened. By the end of it, Itachi had finished his glass. Sitting down on the bar, he spoke. "So, that's what happened."

Shisui nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Things were understandably awkward on the rest of the journey home."

Itachi nodded and started to rub his chin. "I had my suspicions," he said. "But I wanted to confirm it with you first. My brother's first kill. I had hoped it would be a while before that happened."

Shisui gave a sad smile. "Sorry about that," he said. "So do me a favor. When you put the kunai in my back, make it quick and painless."

Itachi snorted. "I'm not going to do that," he said. "Yet."

Now it was Shisui's turn to snort. "A stay of execution," he said. "How comforting. You think I did the right thing? Having my team kill the bandits instead of capturing them?"

Itachi was silent for a moment. He placed his hand on the empty glass. "Frankly," he said. "I'm not sure. The part of me that is Sasuke's brother very much wants to put that kunai in your back. But the shinobi side of me agrees with you. It was a chance to get your genin bloodily in relatively controlled conditions. An opportunity to expose them to the less savory aspects of shinobi life."

Shisui nodded. "That was what I was thinking," he said. "Let it happen now, instead of it being a surprise and coming as a shock to them," he stared off at the other side of the bar. "Starting to wish I hadn't."

"As much as I hate to say this," Itachi said. "It was bound to happen at some point. We're shinobi, death follows us like a predator."

Shisui nodded. "I know that," he said. "But seeing them like that," he said. "Trying to come to terms with it. It's more than a bit heartbreaking. I'm their sensei, aren't I supposed to be protecting them?"

"Yes," Itachi said. "But at the same time, you need to prepare them for life as shinobi. That includes exposing them to things that ordinary people don't see. Even if you don't want to."

Shisui looked down. "I know that," he admitted. "I guess it never really clicked in my mind until now. I've heard from the other sensei about what a wonderful experience it is to have a genin team. Nurturing them from wide-eyed youths to fine shinobi about all the good times they had with their teams. How they come to be like a second family to them. I heard all the good but forget about the bad."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Itachi nodding his head. "I can understand that," he said. "For one, they're your first genin team. But more than that, you know them."

Shisui remained silent for a moment. He knew where Itachi was getting at and knew he was right. "Yeah," he admitted quietly. "Sasuke's my cousin, your brother. As for Hinata and Naruto, they've been best friends with him since the beginning of the academy. I've watched them grow up together."

He felt a hand on his back. "We both did," Itachi said. "We care about them and what happens to them." He heard Itachi let out a sigh. Shisui looked at him, seeing a frown on his face. "Which is why, in the end. I think you did the right thing."

Shisui swallowed, a part of him wanted to argue with Itachi. He put that side aside and nodded at his friend. "I know," he said. "But it still doesn't make it any easier seeing the fallout."

"Nor should it," Itachi said with a small smile. "So, what are you going to do now? About your team.

Shisui picked up his half-empty glass. "I gave them three days off," he answered. Then finished the glass. "I wanted to give them some space to sort things out."

Itachi nodded approvingly. "Have you thought about checking in on them?" he asked.

"I thought about it," Shisui said. "But I think it might be best to let their friends and family handle it. Besides, I wouldn't know what to say to them."

Itachi looked at him, giving him a familiar expression. "You sure about that?" he asked. "You said it yourself. You're their sensei. You should be there for them."

Shisui was quiet for a moment. "I wouldn't know what to say to them," he said. "I didn't know what to say when we were coming back. How can I now?"

Again, Itachi stared at him. "You don't have to," he said. "Just being there will be a comfort to them. They need to see that their sensei will be there for them."

Shisui was quiet for a moment. "I'll think about it," he said with more conviction than he thought possible. "But not right now. Let them have this night to themselves and their family and friends."

Itachi looked at him for a long moment. He finally nodded his head. "Just promise me this," he said. "That you'll look after them."

Shisui thought about it for a moment. He knew that Itachi had some hidden meaning behind his request. But for the life of him, Shisui could not discern that. But he nodded his head anyways. "Yeah," he said. "I'll do that," he was surprised by how much he meant that.

Itachi smiled at him. "Good," he said. "For what's worth. I believe you'll be the perfect sensei for your team."

Shisui smiled and nodded. The rest of their stay would be spent with quiet conversation.

Hokage Tower, late night

Hiruzen let out a long, loud sigh. Brought about by a long day of work. He looked out his office window to see that the moon was now high in the sky. He had one more than one matter of work to take care of before he would be off for the night.

He heard a buzz on the comm to his desk. "Hokage-Sama," his aid said. "Council member Eguchi is here to see you."

Hiruzen took a breath before he spoke. "Send him in," he said.

A moment later, a familiar man walked into his office. Predictably he had a bottle of wine in his hands. "Hokage-Sama," Eguchi said, bowing. "A pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine," Hiruzen greeted the man. "Please have a seat." He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk.

Eguchi nodded and walked to the chairs. "I trust you had a productive day?" He asked, taking a seat. He placed the bottle of wine on the table.

Hiruzen smiled at the small jab from the council member. "A very productive day," he admitted rubbing the back of his neck. "I look forward to a night's rest.

Eguchi gave him an understanding nod of his head. "Then I shall not be long," he said, pulling out two small glasses. "But first, a quick drink?" He placed the glasses on the table.

Hiruzen took one of them. "One drink," he said. He knew denying an offer for a drink from a member of the Eguchi clan was considered an insult to them. Plus, Hiruzen could use a good drink right now.

Eguchi nodded and poured them both a drink. Eguchi held his glass in the air, and Hiruzen mirrored the action. "To the continued prosperity of Konoha," Eguchi started. "And to it's Hokage. May he continue to guide us for many more years to come." They toasted and downed their drinks.

Hiruzen placed his glass on the desk. Then he locked his fingers together as a serious expression morphed across his face. "Now then," he said. "What do you have for me?"

Eguchi nodded and pulled out a scroll from his robes. "I think you find some of the things in here interesting," he said. Hiruzen took the scroll and began to read the contents. "Particularly when it comes to the Land of Rice Paddies and Ame."

So, concludes Team-11's first C-rank, not quite the disaster some of you might have expected. But the kids getting their first kills is not something they had expected at the beginning. That aside I did want the team to have their first kills at some point and having to deal with the fall out of that. I also wanted it to happen before the Chunin Exams started up, so that Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke won't quite be the wide eyed genin they would have been otherwise. Incidentally I originally intended for Sasuke to talk to his brother about his first kill or maybe have his father say something. But then the thought of him talking to Yakumo occurred to me and I ran with it.

Speaking of Yakumo, she may or may not have a new hobby following a certain ... incident. :) Wither or not Sasuke and the others will learn about it is up in the air. The next update will be the start of the real catastrophe C-rank mission, Wave! Tough in this case its Team-11 bailing the others out of trouble instead of getting into it.

Until the time, stay safe out there.