Chapter Fourteen: The Uncle That Never Was
The Past…
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Sakura sat in the upper boughs of the tree, watching as dawn transformed into day. Kakashi had left a half hour earlier, but left Shiba and Bull with her. The two ninja hounds were currently hunting for breakfast on the forest floor. Sakura had packed up her tent and wiped away all trace of her camp. There wasn't really anything to do that day, but wait.
A dark wing fluttering nearby caught her attention and a crow landed on a branch even with her head. "Well good morning to you," Sakura said quietly. The intelligent avian creature cocked its head to the side and then vanished, leaving Itachi Uchiha in its stead.
Sakura jumped slightly at the summons substitution. She'd just seen Kakashi do it the night before and now Itachi. "Good morning," Itachi said quietly, staring off at the horizon as well.
"Don't you have a mission?" Sakura asked. Kakashi had already left — weren't they on the same team?
"No. I received a notice that I was no longer on my previous team. I'll be starting as Captain of my own team in a few days." Itachi turned towards her and his dark eyes studied her. "I dropped my brother off at that Academy yesterday morning. Apparently, Naruto had given your younger counterpart a picture he'd colored. Sasuke seemed jealous."
Sakura chuckled without humor. "Doubtful. Sasuke never showed interest in me when we were kids." She pressed her lips together to keep from saying more. There had been three classes of thirty children each when she'd first attended the Academy. In her first year, she shared a class with Naruto and Ino. It wasn't until her second year that she officially met Sasuke. He'd been the top student in his class, much as she'd been in her own before they ended up in the same class. She'd been excited to meet another student with such high marks and a crush naturally developed. He'd tolerated her sitting next to him, but rarely spoke with her.
"Children usually do not notice the subtleties of interest." Itachi plucked a handful of acorns off the tree and began to idly throw them into the distance — hitting a multitude of targets that only he knew. "Are you not engaged in work for your mission today? I have seen the list of those seeking asylum. Izumi and my mother have been busy."
"I have my plan on that, which we've both agreed the less you know the better," Sakura said. "Though, I will tell you whatever I can about whatever you want to know."
"I do not like to waste time," Itachi confessed. "This illness you mentioned I have — I may have signs. I had a small cough this morning and there was blood."
"May I run a diagnostics?" Sakura asked. Itachi nodded. She laid a green chakra infused hand over Itachi's back and chest. There was inflammation within the blood vessels, but she could see no virus or bacteria. It was something genetic, just like she'd theorized before she ever traveled back in time. "It's autoimmune. Your cells are attacking themselves." She eased soothing chakra to calm down the irritation. It was only a bandaid.
"Would you still consider teaching me your technique?" Itachi touched the seal on Sakura's forehead.
"It took me three years," Sakura explained. "I had to constantly channel reserve chakra into a certain location within my chakra network — it has to be part of your truncal body or head, not any extremities."
Itachi laid his hand over his three circle necklace. "Shisui gave this to me when I was promoted to chunin. Perhaps the seal could be hidden under the necklace."
Sakura turned to face him directly. She traced her fingers along the deep grooves of his face. "These were brought on by stress — stress no child should have to endure."
"Izumi thinks they make me look dashing," Itachi deadpanned.
Sakura snickered. "I cannot believe you told a joke!"
"I am a funny guy," Itachi agreed. He slid a small bag off his shoulder and opened it to reveal a box with cinnamon rolls. "I brought us breakfast. So, shall we start?"
"Sure, we'll start with these," Sakura said, tapping his deep tear ducts. "I need to see if you can repair cellular damage."
"Can't we just start with a laceration and have me heal the wound?" Itachi asked. "I have several kunai."
"I suspect you're already capable of that. Why create an injury when we have something that can be healed?" Sakura asked. She took a roll and bit into it. It was as delicious as the ones from a few days ago. "Unless the great Itachi Uchiha can't heal a simple injury."
"I can." Itachi's brows furrowed in concentration.
"Even Sasuke has some rudimentary healing abilities and you are much more patient than him," Sakura pointed out.
"How well did you know my brother?" Itachi asked.
Sakura dropped her hand and stared up at the boughs above their heads. "Better than most. He kept a careful distance from everyone. We still shared a bond." A wistful smile crossed her lips. "You were almost an uncle. Sasuke and I were only together briefly before he left the village on a reconnaissance mission. I didn't even know I was pregnant when he left, but a few months later I lost the pregnancy. I was not quite five months. I took the loss hard."
"How did he take it?" Itachi asked, his voice quiet.
Sakura shrugged. "No idea. He hasn't come back."
"And yet, you found a way to travel through time and try to help him?" Itachi asked.
"I know, it makes no sense. My feelings for Sasuke aren't completely one-sided, but he's incapable of a normal relationship. Your actions damaged his psyche too much. And when he told me everything you went through — what he discovered— my heart hurt so much for you. I wanted to find a way to help. And when I found the tool that allowed this possibility of time travel…" Sakura met Itachi's gaze and could feel the tears welling in her eyes. She willed herself not to cry. "So, let's focus on healing those big creases, shall we? Once I see you channeling your chakra that route, towards repairing your own cells, we can work on gathering a little in forming a Byakugou seal that will allow yourself Miotic Regeneration to repair even an autoimmune disease."
"A moment please," Itachi said. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "I understand that I am ordered to kill the clan. And you are trying to minimize the losses. What more did I do to Sasuke?"
"You were the one person he loved unconditionally and that loved him unconditionally. And then when he came home to see everyone murdered, you spoke such terribly cruel things to a seven year old," Sakura explained. She was going to lay it all out on the table. Maybe she could help both Sasuke and Itachi by explaining how this original terrible idea played out. "You thought if he could focus all his energy on hating you, that he'd grow stronger, fueled by rage. But that leads him to abandon the friends he does make— thinking he wouldn't recover from losing those he cared about a second time— and join with Orochimaru — whom you end up having to save him from. The Snake-Sannin places a curse on Sasuke with the intention of claiming his body. If you didn't have to waste your energy eradicating the parasite of Orochimaru, I don't think you'd have died."
"He becomes strong?"
Sakura nods. "But he loses his sanity. And when he regains it, it's almost too late. He and Naruto give each other fatal attacks and it was only my skill as a medic that kept them from dying." She looked down at her hands, remembering all the blood from their mangled arms. "I almost didn't get there in time."
"And it is his friendship with Naruto that reaches him?" Itachi asked.
"They are like brothers," Sakura said. "I tried several times to reason with Sasuke, but I was never enough."
"So, it was the combined efforts of you and Naruto that saved him," Itachi mused. "Believe it or not, I could see evidence of that bond forming now."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
"I share a bedroom with Sasuke. When I came home late last night, he told me about his training session after school with Naruto and Sakura." Itachi smiled faintly. "A precious bond already exists between the three of you."
"I honestly think that Naruto and Sasuke would both have been stronger together if we didn't have to chase after Sasuke and deal with Orochimaru," Sakura said. She frowned. "Jiraiya could train both of them. Or surely your father could teach Sasuke how to use his Sharingan to the maximum ability. Or he could train in swordsmanship under experts within the Leaf. He's amazing with a sword."
"Orochimaru doesn't know how to use a sword, so he wouldn't have learned from him. Perhaps from some of the rogue shinobi the Snake Sannin has gathered over time. There are impressive swordsmen within Anbu now," Itachi said. "No one would be better suited to teach Sasuke about the Sharingan than my father, Shisui, or myself. You've given me a lot to think about, Sakura." Itachi reached for Sakura's hand and held it briefly between his. He was only a thirteen year old boy, but his hands were calloused and strong. "I would have been honored to have been your brother-in-law. And you will yet make a good mother." He released her hand.
The tears did fall that time."Okay, watch me with your Sharingan. I'm going to use the Healing Palm Technique. It's the same thing you'll use. Even if you don't form the seal — you hardly need it. You don't have the same limitations on your chakra reserve that I have. You just need to be able to heal your lungs."
They spent four hours in training medical jutsus. Itachi was a fast learner and it didn't take long for him to understand the concept of a Hundred Healings. They did end up using his kunai at different points. The lines on his face were softened, but not erased— they were part of him and he'd earned those worry lines honestly.
"I feel our mission is about to diverge," Itachi said. "I hope in this new reality we are creating, that we might form a friendship— you and I— one day, Sakura."
Sakura smiled at him. "We already have, Itachi."
He frowned faintly. "It will be strange when you are back to your future. When I cross paths with your youngest self, I will think of her as a friend, yet I will be a stranger."
"You don't have to be. As long as you don't go too far down the path of darkness, I hope my past self has the pleasure of your friendship," Sakura said. "Honestly, you're the best cook of all my friends and I've only had your cinnamon rolls!"
"Maybe I'll pack you a picnic one day. I made an eight course meal for my family a few months back. They were overwhelmed." The corners of Itachi's eyes crinkled faintly at the memory. "I—-I saw the shark man," Itachi said. "On my last mission, from afar."
"I still suspect your fate is destined to cross with his," Sakura said. "Some people our destinies are so closely woven we cannot escape them." She wanted to tell him everything Sasuke told her about the Mangekyo Sharingan and it's consequence of blindness with its usage and the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan which had no such limitations, but was awakened through the unusual circumstance of transplanting the Mangekyo Sharingan of a blood-relative.. But this was Itachi and he had access to the records of the Uchiha clan.
"I will be sad when you leave, Sakura," Itachi said quietly. "I have very few whom I would consider friends, but I would count you amongst that number." He smiled slightly. "I might have to kidnap your younger self in a few years."
"I really hope you're joking." Sakura studied his face, but his expression was unreadable. She'd never met anyone better at suppressing their emotions. Sai didn't understand his emotions, but Itachi was different. The lines on his face indicated that he felt things very strong.
"Naturally," Itachi agreed.
"I'm glad to call you my friend too, Itachi," Sakura said quietly. "I think I can understand Sasuke better having known this version of you." She really wanted to hug him, but it wasn't her place. Though, maybe, Izumi could give him the comfort he deserved and needed. "Maybe you should spend today with Izumi."
"Maybe I'll go by the Academy. It's a big skills test today. I think I'd like to watch." Itachi reached for Sakura's shoulder and gave her an awkward pat. "Do we meet again in this quest of yours?"
"We asked the Hokage for my admittance into Anbu. So either I'll contact you from there, or Kakashi will," Sakura said. He would need to know the fate of Shisui— they all needed to wait and find out whether the mission is success. "Or if I leave, I'll write you a letter and have Kakashi give it to you."
"Until we meet again, Sakura," Itachi said. He body-flickered out of sight leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts.
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OoO
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Team Ro had an update on its roster. At roll call it was Kakashi, Tenzo, Yugao, and Genma. Both Itachi and the Tiger mask were transferred. Instead of Danzo issuing orders, it was the actual Hokage.
"Good morning," Hiruzen greeted. He held his pipe in his hands, but refrained from smoking. "You probably weren't expecting to see me for this mission. For today, I want you to stay within the village. Observe the police. Unfortunately, there is some tension between the Uchiha and the village. The latest budget cuts will be seen as the insults they were meant to represent."
Kakashi said nothing. He didn't involve himself in politics. The unrest wasn't news to him, he knew better than most given his involvement of late.
"Is that why Crow isn't here?" Foxy asked.
"He's been promoted to Captain," Hiruzen explained.
"He's a kid," Lion protested.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "None of you are kids." He walked in front of their lineup. "Wolf," he called, indicating Kakashi — his preferred nomenclature rather than Fang. "Stay back for a moment. The rest of you are dismissed to begin your mission." He waited for the three Ro members to vacate the room. "Your friend's paperwork will be ready in a few days — should it still be required. Jiraiya vouched for her."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. He still wanted to kill the Sannin for his interrogation tactics. It would definitely be best for his long-term cooperation to have that memory repressed.
"Thank you, Sir," Kakashi said.
"We'll just play things by ear for now, nothing too hasty," Hiruzen decided.
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Itachi wasn't sure why he'd gone to Izumi's house. He could see that knowing look in the older kunoichi Sakura's eyes when she mentioned her during their conversation in the trees. He felt sorry for his friend from the future and yet he knew that his empathy for her paled in what she felt for him. The temptation to delve into her memories and gather up all the information was great, but he resisted for the most part.
He knew enough.
The dark blue door of Izumi's family house loomed in front of him. With a deep, steadying breath, because for some reason he felt nervous, he rapped his knuckles on the door.
"Itachi?" Izumi stared back at him, her dark eyes wide in surprise. Her long black hair was tied in a high ponytail and she wore a flattering dark blue dress.
He'd practiced the speech in his head on the way over. "Good afternoon, Izumi. I'm sorry to intrude. I was thinking of going into town to watch my brother's skills test at the Academy. It's open for family to observe. Would you maybe like to accompany me?"
"That would be great! Let me just go get my shoes!" Izumi rushed back inside, leaving her front door open. Itachi peeked within the small house. There was no clutter, the living room looked clean and comfortable. There were a few potted plants and an orange tabby cat peered at him curiously from atop an overstuffed pillow on the red sofa.
Izumi came back to the door and closed it behind her, a big smile on her face. "Let's go!"
"You have another cat?"
"Yeah, that's Leo. Mr. Whiskers needed a companion," Izumi explained. "Have you eaten already?"
"I had a large brunch," Itachi said. "I thought I would eat after the skills test, perhaps surprise Sasuke by inviting him and his friends to eat out."
"Oh? Little Sasuke has made friends? Great!" Izumi's eyes glittered with excitement. "I'm so relieved. Sometimes, it's hard for us Uchiha to make friendships outside of the clan."
"Or friendships within the clan," Itachi added. "It's a couple of his classmates. He's mentioned them some in the evenings. They'd all stayed late yesterday to train for today's exam. I would like to speak something encouraging to them."
"That's so sweet!" Izumi looped her arm through Itachi's and began to tug her alongside him.
Itachi was surprised by the playful act, but didn't protest. It felt nice. "So, you and mother have been busy."
Izumi nodded. "Thank you for being brave enough to give us this option, Itachi-kun. We really don't want to be doomed by the pride of a few."
"The list wasn't that long. It seems more a majority than a few," Itachi murmured. He wasn't surprised. At the clan meetings he often felt he was a single man screaming at a typhoon to stop raining.
They reached the Academy before long, many citizens of the Konoha clearing a wide berth as they passed on the streets. Itachi nodded his head at one of his father's subordinates, patrolling the street. The Principal of the Academy had been overjoyed at two former early graduates wanting to visit the school and offer support to the younger students.
Sasuke's class, led by instructor Iruka, had assembled on the training grounds. Itachi and Izumi snuck to the bleachers in the back. Most of the students wouldn't have noticed them, as they kept their chakra masked, but Sasuke whirled around — his dark eyes wide in shock. The blond Naruto followed his gaze and recognized Itachi and waved.
Itachi lifted his hand and greeted them both. After they turned back to Iruka, he let his attention also shift towards young Sakura. She'd not noticed him and was focused on the kunai in her hand with such a great intensity. He could see her white-knuckled grip from here. Her circulation would be reduced if she kept that up and it would impair her aim.
The students lined up. The Nara boy went first— his kunai struck the board, but it was obvious he'd not bothered to make much effort in aiming. The Akimichi boy swallowed a bag of potato chips and then extended his arm and shot forth his kunai. He destroyed his target.
Sasuke went next. Perfection. His aim was true on the multiple targets that he used. He turned back towards Itachi with a smirk on his lips. Next was Naruto, he struck true at least eighty percent. It certainly wasn't bad. He just needed to work on his impatience, sometimes he released his grip just a millisecond too soon.
Itachi sat on the edge of his seat watching the younger version of his new friend. It was clear that Sakura was nervous and she took her time. She was very slow in taking her stance. Naruto leaned over and whispered something in her ear and a slow smile graced her lips. She threw her first kunai and it thudded in the center. Her next two were close to center but just a little off.
This time it was Sasuke that whispered something in her ear. Her lips thinned, she spread her legs a little further apart to brace herself. And she threw her remaining three kunai in rapid succession — perfect center of the target— head and heart shots.
"I guess I know who Sasuke's little friends are," Izumi said quietly.
The Academy released early that day and Itachi and Izumi waited at pick up. Sasuke ran towards him. "Itachi! What are you doing here?"
"I came to watch my little brother," Itachi said. He patted Sasuke on top of his head teasingly. "You did very well. Would you like to go out to eat dinner? My treat?"
"Yeah!" Sasuke said. He looked briefly over his shoulder at Naruto and Sakura. They sat side by side on the swings, talking quietly amongst themselves. Then he looked back at Itachi and he was clearly indecisive about asking Itachi what he really wanted to ask.
"Why don't you invite your friends?" Izumi asked. "Otherwise, it will be weird like Itachi and I are on a date with little brother."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Are you on a date, big brother?"
Itachi shook his head. "Izumi is teasing you. Though, why don't you ask the friends you trained with yesterday? You all deserve a celebration."
"Alright," Sasuke agreed, still sounding unsure. He turned around and raced towards the swings. He came back with Naruto.
"Sakura-chan says she has to wait for her Dad," Naruto explained.
"Non-sense, I'll just inform Master Iruka," Itachi said. He stepped past his little group and discussed the matter with the teacher. He promised to send word to Sakura's father. He continue don his way to the swings. "Come, Sakura. I'm Itachi — Sasuke's older brother. Master Iruka will let your parents know you're having dinner with us. We'll escort you home afterwards."
"Really?" Familiar jade eyes looked up at him with such hope it caused Itachi's heart to ache just a little.
"Let's go. Sasuke gets irritated when he gets hungry," Itachi joked.
"Where are we eating?" Naruto asked. "Can we go to Ichiraku Ramen?"
"Ramen?" Sasuke asked. "I've not had that before."
"You'll like it," Itachi said. "Ichiraku sounds good. Mom's old genin teammate owns the shop." Itachi started to lead the way with the young Academy students trailing behind him and Izumi. "Lord Fourth was on the same team."
"Really?" Naruto asked. "That's so cool! I had no idea!"
Izumi looked over her shoulder at the three young students. "I'm Izumi Uchiha. It's nice to meet you all. Itachi and I became friends when we were at the Academy together."
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to be Hokage one day! And this is Sakura-chan, I mean, Sakura Haruno," Naruto greeted.
"Is it true that you graduated in just one year, Itachi?" Sakura asked quietly.
"Times were different," Itachi said. "Though, I'm not even the youngest graduate. That honor goes to Kakashi Hatake. It's good that Lord Third changed the requirement to age twelve for graduation. I have great skills as a shinobi, but I struggle with making friends. I think if I had more time as a student I might have learned the art of friendship."
"You and Izumi are friends," Sasuke pointed out. "And cousin Shisui."
"Exactly," Itachi said. "My two friends are also in my clan." He gestured towards Naruto and Sakura. "I would have loved to have had a Naruto and a Sakura to call friends. You are very lucky, little brother."
They were seated at one of the larger booths within the Ramen shop. Itachi and Izumi sat on one side and the trio of children sat across from them, Sasuke in the middle. Sasuke quietly asked Sakura which type of ramen she was getting and had ordered the same. After they began eating, Itachi noted that Sakura kept her gaze focused on her bowl.
"I was impressed at how you adapted and shifted your stance this afternoon, Sakura," Itachi said. "It looked like both Naruto and Sasuke gave you a few tips that you were able to utilize."
"Thank you," Sakura said. "We practiced—." Sasuke shot her a look. "Trained," she corrected. "Trained quite a bit after school yesterday. It definitely helped. Sasuke-kun just knows how to do things that the rest of us don't."
"It helps that he's part of the Uchiha clan," Itachi said. He looked across at his little brother. "Though even as such, Sasuke has a lot of natural talent. He's better at targets than even our father."
"I mastered the Fire ball jutsu a few weeks ago," Sasuke announced.
"What's that?" Naruto asked.
"It's where you use your chakra to create ninjutsu and blow a massive fireball out of your mouth," Izumi explained. "That's amazing, Sasuke! I didn't master that skill until I was twelve and you're not even seven!"
"When's your birthday?" Sakura asked, tucking a long strand of pink hair behind her ear and turning to face the boy beside her.
"July twenty-third, nine days," Sasuke said.
"Would you be interested in learning how to use a sword, Sasuke?" Itachi asked. His conversation with older Sakura stuck within him. He would need to find ways to anchor his brother to Konoha. Friendship, the ability to gain new skills would certainly attract him.
"Um, of course. I've never seen you or father use a sword," Sasuke admitted. "I hadn't thought about it."
"You should see Kakashi Hatake with a sword. He's magnificent. His father was the White Fang— excellent swordsman. There are others, but he's my friend — I could ask him," Itachi suggested. "I could teach you what I know first though— consider it my birthday present." If he mastered the Fire ball jutsu in a week, Itachi could teach Sasuke the fundamentals in a few days. "We'll start this evening. I'll have my new team assignment in a couple of days, so I should be free until then."
"My brother is an Anbu officer," Sasuke explained, his voice thick with pride.
Naruto lifted up his head, mouth full of noddles. He swallowed them noisily. "Do you have one of those tattoos?"
Itachi touched his left upper arm. "I do indeed."
"I've got to get me one of those," Naruto said.
After finishing their meal, Itachi led the group to drop off Sakura at her parents' residence. Her mother sat on the porch and when she noticed Sakura, the young girl's shoulders stiffened. It was only slight, but Itachi didn't miss it.
"Hi, Mama," Sakura said, offering a weak smile.
"Your teacher told us you'd gone off to eat with Itachi Uchiha," Mebuki said, her face decidedly unfriendly. "You are to ask permission first, not forgiveness later."
"Thanks for dinner, guys," Sakura said quietly, not taking her eyes off her mother. She walked obediently up the steps and her mother grabbed hold of her ear painfully and dragged her inside. The front door slammed closed.
Naruto cringed. "Is that normal? If so, I'm glad to have Anbu guards instead of parents."
"No, Naruto. It's not normal," Sasuke said quietly.
They dropped off Naruto, left him with his Anbu guard of the day, then the three Uchiha walked back to the compound in silence.
"I'll see you around," Izumi said before she waved and went towards the west in the direction of her home.
Itachi and Sasuke continued east towards their home. "You're really going to train me tonight?" Sasuke asked.
"Yes. We have some wooden swords in the dojo. Mom is a pretty good swordswoman. She first taught me when I was young," Itachi said.
"Do you think Sakura will be okay?" Sasuke asked. "Her mom seemed really angry."
"Some people don't like the Uchiha," Itachi explained. "They fear us because we have more power than most shinobi. And a lot of people are scared of Naruto because he has a great power sealed within him. Fear often leads to anger."
"Should I try to stay away from her? Would that be better?" Sasuke asked.
Itachi shook his head. "I can't claim to know a lot about those two, but I know you, Sasuke. And I think the three of you could have a very special bond. It's important to not abandon your friends — especially when they need you."
"Is that some sort of proverb?" Sasuke asked.
"No, it's just something my previous Team Leader used to say," Itachi said, thinking of Kakashi.
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A/N: So many bonds linking these characters together! The red thread of fate is wound tightly around our heroes!