Team 7 had been permitted a week off since their mission in the Land of Waves. 'To recover physically and recuperate mentally', they had been told.
But truth was, Sakura was antsy to jump back into training. She knew her teammates shared her sentiment as well.
They had barely managed to escape that mission with their lives, and the experience left each of them well too aware of their vulnerabilities and weaknesses as shinobi.
Sakura always knew this career choice wasn't a game- it wasn't like 'playing ninja' when they were kids at the academy.
And the dangers and risks associated were spelled out all too clearly for them now.
But Sakura took the time off with gratitude, all the same. She made sure to continue to visit Renjiro sensei at the hospital. He had also sustained major spinal injury during his fight with the Demon of the Mist, and witnessing his tenacity and dedication to overcome that during physical training was nothing short of inspiring. Her heart sank at the thought that even if he could regain the use of his lower body at 100% again, he was still extremely limited by his newfound blindness.
But that didn't seem to deter him, so she would not dishonor him by allowing it to deter how she viewed him as a shinobi.
She didn't see much of Naruto or Sasuke during that week off. Renjiro told her they both visited him as well, they just somehow seemed to always miss each other. Which meant one of them seemed to always be with him.
Even as he lamented the loss of his 'me-time' Sakura did not miss the undertone of gratefulness that they had not forgotten him in the wake of his demotion as their sensei.
She imagined he must feel incredibly displaced and directionless in the aftermath of his sudden handicap.
But if anyone deserved their loyalty, it was Renjiro-sensei.
The other half of her time off was spent with her mother- who, despite Sakura's best efforts, had found out about the disastrous mission in the Land of Waves.
She was furious at first, going on and on about how the Godaime could be so callous to throw away such young lives, and for what?
Sakura had to remind her his own youngest son was on her team, there was no way it had been intentional.
But her mother was not to be deterred. Her hatred for the Uchiha and the losses they were responsible for had only grown over the years.
"Awfully convenient that his precious heir had gotten there just in time." She had spat. "Wouldn't surprise me if he had Itachi trail you all throughout the mission. You said yourself they only stepped in when Sasuke's life seemed to be in imminent danger. Was probably just misfortune on their end that his teammates had fared just as well as he had."
Shaking her head in disbelief, Sakura couldn't help but to bite back.
"What are you saying, that they wanted the rest of his team to die? Do you hear yourself?! What would be the point of that?"
Her mother fixed her with harsh look, a warning swimming in the depths of her eyes.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. How else would they get him to awaken his sharingan?"
And that was how Sakura had learned that the sharingan- as powerful as it was- had a dark side that many outside the Uchiha clan did not know about. Something her mother had only learned from her dear Yamanaka friend who just so happened to have been married to the head of village intelligence.
That only in torment and loss could it be born. Only in suffering could it grow.
As much as she did not want her mother's vitriol to affect her, Sakura was shaken. Was it true? …Had Sasuke known?
But then… he had awakened his sharingan pretty early in the battle. She distinctly remembered first seeing it when he had saved her from Zabuza's blade.
Had it awakened after Renjiro had fallen? Or at the proximity of her own demise?
And if the Godaime had meant for him to awaken it on that mission, if he had known it was more dangerous than he had initially let on, Itachi and the other ANBU would have stepped in at that point.
…Right?
Unless… the added loss would have immediately yielded additional power…
She was unsure what to think. But one thing stood out starkly in her mind. If Sasuke had known- about any of this- he would not have put his own life on the line time and time again to save them. Her surety in her own Uchiha teammate's intent was secure, at the very least.
Despite all other questions, that would have to be enough for now.
xXx
When the day had come for Team 7 to finally reconvene and formally be introduced to their new sensei, Sakura was embarrassed to actually be late.
Her mother had fought her as she tried to leave the house, beseeching her with tear-rimmed eyes to not continue down the path of a shinobi. She cited how easily Uchiha Renjiro had been cast aside and replaced- and he was one of the Uchiha's own.
That she was even more expendable- even less important. Just fodder to be used.
Sakura hated arguing with her mother. She knew the older women's words came from a place of love- that she was absolutely terrified of losing one of the only people she had left to the same system that had murdered her husband and closest friends in cold blood.
But Sakura wasn't like her mother.
She wasn't going to run away just because things were not in her favor. She wasn't going to turn her back on her team. On her village.
And the way she saw it, the most effective way to change any system of power was from within.
When she arrived at the designated training field, she was the last of Team 7 to arrive.
The silver haired ANBU from before fixed her with a critical look. His lithe form now adorned the green of a jounin vest, and it softened his appearance in a way that she knew was deceiving.
"You're late."
Already embarrassed, Sakura's cheeks heated at being scolded.
"I know… I'm sorry, I uhh-"
"I don't want excuses." His tone was sharp as he crossed his arms before him; that lone slate eye seemed to pierce her very soul.
"I took this assignment because I saw something in you three that I do not usually see in shinobi so young. But, if I was mistaken, I'd much prefer you tell me now so I don't waste my time."
The shame that burned through her crushed her lungs and fogged her mind to the point that she was scrambling for a response but could find none. If they lost the opportunity to be mentored by a renowned shinobi because of her, she-
"Sakura has never once been late to anything. If she was today, there must be good reason for it." Sasuke's smooth voice cut in.
"Yeah! Sakura-chan is always the first of us to be anywhere! You better believe it!"
The girl in question's face softened at her teammates immediate defense of her.
"Is that so?" The older man's lazy tone did not match his serious countenance.
"Hai. But I take full responsibility and it will not happen again, Sensei."
She was almost certain she caught a shadow of a smile from beneath his mask, but it was gone so quickly she was convinced she had imagined it.
"Very well. Your trustworthiness as a shinobi is only as good as your word, so I'll have to take you for it. For now."
He languidly uncrossed his arms and deposited his hands into the pockets of his pants, and as he did so his entire countenance changed. It almost reminded her of a lazy cat sunning itself on a quiet morning.
She was struck with how quickly he was able to transform his entire aura.
"My name is Kakashi Hatake; you may call me Kakashi-sensei. No need to introduce yourselves- I already know all about the three of you."
The three genin in question exchanged wary looks.
"Any of you care to take a guess as to why I may have volunteered to take you on as my first students?"
Naruto was quick on the mark, raising his hand before blurting, "Because we're badasses who were able to take on an S-class ninja?"
"From my perspective, looked a lot more like you were about to die at the hands of an S-class ninja, so, no. Try again."
Naruto scrunched his noise, insulted.
"Pah! You can't know that for sure! Besides, how many other genin could have even gotten that far? Huh?"
Kakashi fixed Naruto with a cold grey eye, and Sakura did not envy his attention in that moment.
"When I was your age, I was already a jonin leading my own S-class missions. Sorry if you three getting lucky doesn't quite impress me."
"So you took the job just to insult us then, is that it?" Sasuke didn't bother trying to hide his annoyance, and he was rewarded with nothing more than a huff of amusement from the seasoned shinobi before them.
"It was an added bonus, I suppose."
"Ok… why then?" Sakura had been genuinely curious since that debrief in the Godaime's office.
He was silent at first, lifting his face to watch white puffy clouds as they floated pass overhead.
"You already have the answer, whether you consciously realize it or not."
He continued to watch the sky, seemingly deep in thought, and the three genin waited patiently for him to continue.
Finally, he let out a small sigh, bringing his attention back down to the three of them.
"You know, when I was younger, I believed there was nothing more important than the success of the mission. Nothing. And in that, you three failed. Spectacularly."
Three young bodies deflated before his eyes, none seemingly able to meet his gaze anymore.
"But I had been wrong."
Sakura perked up at that.
"You three have the makings to become not only great shinobi, but positive influences to those around you. The potential to be great leaders one day. Shinobi like you are indicative of a bright future for this village. Do you know why?"
The three remained quiet, waiting for his answer.
"Because you look out for one another- you have each others' backs before anything else."
He took a moment to look each one of them in the eye.
"Your lives were very much in danger on that last mission, and yet, you each stood your ground and risked it for your teammates when it would have been much easier- and much smarter- to run away. That is commendable behavior. Enough so that I've decided to break my own self imposed vow to never babysit a team of genin."
"Babysit?!" Naruto's affronted outburst paired well with Sasuke's heated glare.
The man before them let out a low chuckle. "Well that's just it, isn't it? It wouldn't be babysitting, because you three are serious about this. Aren't you?"
"Hai!"
"That's right!"
"Hmn."
Challenge glinted in that lone slate eye.
"Good. Then prove it to me."
xXx
The next couple of months were hell.
Literal Hell.
Kakashi-sensei drove them so hard, it was all they could do to hope for any small reprieve.
A gasp of air while his attention was on Sasuke's stiffness.
A gulp of water while he scolded Naruto for his form.
An empathetic look after he pushed Sakura's endurance to the brink.
But none of the genin uttered a murmur of complaint. It was easy to see the quick improvement in each of them. Renjiro-sensei had brought them together- taught them how to be a team. Now that that foundation had been laid, Kakashi had stepped in to stretch each of their own individual potential as far as it could go.
Sakura may have never seen Kakashi-sensei in action on the battlefield, but if this is how he went about training children, then she was glad she would never have to seriously face him across from one.
But for all his intensity, the man did possess his own interesting quirks as well.
The times the trio were actually allowed a break, Sakura would catch him slinking off to the shade of a tree and pulling out a book- a book, of all things!- to read. Her curiosity had gotten the best of her more than once and she had tried approaching him with some inane question just to get a better look.
The book was always quickly pocketed before she got the chance, however.
And he never took off his mask.
Even when he ate, it seemed as if he just absorbed the food. One moment it was there, in front of him, and you take your eyes off him for one second- BAM. Food was gone. One hand resting on a slightly fuller belly, completing the image of a contented cat.
For all his hard edges and sharp words, Sakura could see there was a softness simmering idly just underneath the surface.
Whatever reasons he had for keeping them at a distance, she could respect though.
After believing they had lost Renjiro-sensei, even for less than a day, had Sakura absolutely terrified of losing any of her other teammates. And though she didn't fully understand the implications, she knew political tensions were high- both outside the village and within.
Young, inexperienced ninja were not expected to last very long if those tensions were to intensify.
Judging by how hard Kakashi was driving them over that learning curve, he was well aware of it, too.
But as much as she cursed the silver haired man at the end of every day as she lowered her aching body into her bed, she was admittedly very grateful.
She never wanted to feel as helpless as she did in the Land of Waves again.
And Kakashi-sensei was their ticket out of that feeling.
xXx
The ear piercing clang of metal ricochets in his head.
The sharp taste of copper in the air floods his mouth.
It's all he can do to continue to move- to propel his body forward.
Past familiar faces that used to greet him with smiles- now twisted in confusion, anger, pain.
Through recognizable voices now tinged with fury, agony… rattles whispering the last of its kind.
Betrayal.
There was no other word for it.
That's what this was.
He watched as people of the village- HIS village- were cut down. Maimed. Murdered.
These were mothers, fathers, friends, mentors…
The boy tried to stay focused on his personal mission.
But he interfered where he could.
A sharp glance with his sharingan to ensure instant sleep before one of his kin could come along and do worse.
A flash of shuriken to circumvent anothers' otherwise fatal aim.
A quick strike to the vagus nerve to ensure unconsciousness.
So many of his clansmen had held on to contempt for so long that they were using this as an outlet, punishing innocent villagers who were guilty of nothing more than trying to protect their village. Trying to protect each other.
And there was no longer any escape from this but through.
So he would see it through, but with as minimal casualties as he could personally ensure.
He wasn't alone. He knew Shisui and a couple other like-minded cousins were doing the same at other ends of the village.
All Uchiha were headed towards one point- the Hokage tower.
He had to make it there first.
But a shock of pink hair stops him.
A girl. So small, fragile.
No more than his younger brother's age… facing a full grown jonin from one of Konoha's most prestigious clans.
Smooth features set in grim determination. Fear shimmers in her verdant eyes, but her legs hold fast despite it.
A fissure forms in his heart in that instant; paper thin but deep.
His clansman raises his kunai in a killing strike, and it's all the boy can do to keep from combusting.
He traps the man in a genjustsu he will never wake from.
It's better than he deserves.
After he ensures the brave girl and her mother are out of harm's way he continues his breakneck pace.
That little stunt cost him precious time.
But two people are still alive for it. One of which burns bright with the Will of Fire at such a young age.
And his mind can't help but think of how many others did not fare so well because he hadn't happened upon them at just the right second.
That fissure carves its way just a little deeper.
When he reaches the tower, he is both relieved and dismayed to see Shisui already there.
There are sounds of struggle coming from within the building.
"Where the hell have you-"
"How many?" Itachi interrupts.
Shisui's expression is pensive.
"5 already inside the building. Including your father."
Panicked crimson eyes scan the premises.
"Izumi?" The question is left to air as his eyes sweep for her familiar face.
Shisui's dark eyebrows furrow for a micro of a second.
He ticks his head only once.
Itachi tries so expunge the pain broiling in his chest with a sharp exhale.
To no avail.
There's a tearing sensation within his chest that he's worried will bring him to his knees. He keeps his affect flat as he fights against it.
"We have to move." There's sorrow in Shisui's tone but it's backed with an urgency that cannot be argued with.
Two separate pairs of hands form the necessary signs to activate the teleportation jutsu they had each secretly planted as a fail safe for something they had hoped would never come.
But it is needed now.
They reappear at the top level of the tower- far ahead of any of their kinsmen.
Three people are in the room already, arguing amongst each other.
Shock and fear manifest on the faces of the two elders; disgust makes its home upon the visage of Danzo.
"Just what do you think-"
The outburst is cut short by the sudden impact of two bodies upon the hardwood floor.
Sharingan red flashes in the dim lighting as the two Uchiha turn to the man.
"Insolent brats!" Danzo's hiss is so filled with venom, it almost disguises the fearful waver beneath.
Almost.
He reaches his one good arm up- to form a hand sign or to remove the bandages from his own eye, neither Uchiha can be sure.
Because he never gets the chance.
Shisui is behind him, the tip of his tanto boasting crimson as it protrudes from the elder man's gut.
There's a clamor from far down the hall, and Itachi knows he does not have the time to revel in the surge of vengeance that washes over him.
"Go." Shisui instructs, before twisting his blade and thrusting it downward.
The squelch of intestines as they drop to the floor bid the young Uchiha farewell as he quickly exits and makes his way to the double doors of the Hokage's office.
Another flash of a hand sign, and he is on the other side of those doors.
His sudden presence agitates the dust as it shimmers erratically through the thin particles of light filtering through shuttered windows.
The Third Hokage stops short to face the new figure in the room; his traditional robe and hat having already been replaced with his customary combat clothes.
As Itachi's eyes connect with his Hokage's, he knows the old man's expression his mirrored on his own.
Resignation.
Regret.
A heavy sigh disturbs the tense silence.
"So. This is your decision, then."
Tired grey eyes watch as pensive tomoe spin, languishing in contrition.
Hiruzen nods as if answered.
"I am sorry it has come to this, Itachi. I wish… I had been able to find a more peaceful solution."
The words hammer into the young boys ribcage like kunai.
"As do I."
A flash of metal glints in the light.
The sound of ripping permeates the air- cloth, skin- followed by a final thud of deadweight against the hardwood floor.
A ragged breath distills the dust again amidst the sudden stillness.
The fissure is a gaping canyon within his chest…
Itachi woke with a gasp, shooting upright from his bedding. His hands move to cover his burning eyes, obscuring the thick connecting black pinwheels that contrasted sharply against blood red crimson.
It takes a moment to regain control of his breathing, and only when the tightness in his chest fades does he lower his hands. The pale palms are dappled with spots of blood.
He lets out a ghost of a sigh before pushing himself up from the warm comfort of his bed to silently rinse his hands.
His lithe form halts in the quiet hallway, wrapped in darkness; the stillness of the sleeping household around him contrasting with his restless heartbeat.
He knows there will be no more sleep for him tonight.
Slinking out of his childhood home without detection is easy, and his racing mind pays no attention to where his body is taking him.
When he is met with the sight of the steep cliff that cradles the Nakano River, he is not surprised that this is where he ended up.
He is, however, surprised that he is not alone here.
As silent as he is, he knows the other person is aware of his presence, even if they do not acknowledge him.
He sits silently next to them; his toes dangle precariously close to the edge.
The ravine soaks him in a chilly updraft from the river, and he embraces the discomfort.
He can't help but feel it is deserved.
"It's 3 in the goddamn morning, Itachi. Why aren't you resting?"
Itachi shoots his cousin an incredulous look, and Shisui lets out a dry chuckle at his hypocrisy.
"Yeah, yeah. I guess we've been having the same kind of night, then."
The two sit in relative silence with the sound of distant rapids echoing off the canyon walls and the continuous low wailing of the wind piercing the air.
Shisui's vacant stare slopes down the canyon.
Itachi's gaze traces the light scar along his cousin's right eye- the only indication he had ever lost it at one point.
"Can you not?"
When there is no response from the younger of the two, Shisui angles his head to look his cousin in the eyes.
"How am I supposed to drown in my thoughts with you staring at me like that?"
His tone is light; it's meant to be a joke.
But the use of the word "drown" in such close proximity to this particular cliff overlooking this particular river triggers something in Itachi.
"You were going to leave me."
A sharp inhale is followed by a straightening of the spine as Shisui turns to give his cousin his full attention.
Itachi feels a sudden pull to break the eye contact and assumes Shisui's previous vacant stare down the ravine- but the heavy rise and fall of his chest gives away the falseness of his stoicism.
"You were going to leave me- force me to make a hard choice and deal with whatever fallout on my own."
Six years had passed since that night. Not once had either Uchiha ever even breathed any indication of what had almost befallen at the edge of that very cliff.
Shisui bites his tongue when Itachi finally looks back over to him, his eyes glassy with anguish.
"If I hadn't stopped you…." His slender throat bobs as he tries to swallow his emotion. "Why?"
The breathy question lingers briefly in the air between them before being carried away by the wailing of the wind.
Long, loose black strands of hair are whisked before the younger Uchiha's face, but his questioning eyes do not so much as blink.
The question alone pulls at something deep within Shisui's chest- but the look Itachi gives him is utterly haunting. Almost as if Shisui had died that day. Almost as if Itachi were still mourning him.
Shisui takes a moment to collect his thoughts, but he's unsure how to respond. He's unsure any answer will be enough to justify the torment painted all over his cousin's face.
He shakily runs his fingers through his hair, bowing his head to unconsciously shield his face from Itachi's gaze.
It's shame simmering in his stomach, he recognizes bitterly.
They had both been entirely too young to shoulder the burden they did- to play mediator between two volatile parties.
But he had been the eldest. Itachi had looked up to him and looked to him for advice.
And he had almost snatched that from him out of some misguided idea of martyrdom.
"After Danzo had taken my right eye…" A sigh escapes him. Lifting his head, he faces Itachi again. "I thought I had failed. I thought I had failed you, the clan, the village… I had allowed him to take a powerful weapon, and I knew if he ever discovered how to use the kotoamatsukami…" Cutting himself short, his gaze darts between Itachi's eyes, beseeching him to understand.
"You are the heir to the Uchiha Clan. You are one of Konoha's most devout carriers of the Will of Fire. I thought… in the wake of my failure, the only other person who could see everyone through… was you. And I wanted to make sure you were properly equipped for it. I feared Kotoamatsukami would not have been enough-I wanted to help you awaken Mangekyou, and whatever gifts it would bless you in kind. I knew I could trust you to use them in a way that would fix what I could not."
Shisui reached a lone hand out to grasp Itachi's shoulder.
"I never wanted to abandon you, Itachi. That was never my intent, I promise you that."
Jaw clenched, Itachi murmured something that Shisui couldn't quite catch.
At his look of confusion, Itachi took Shisui's hand and removed it from his shoulder.
"You were wrong. To trust me."
Shisui scoffed in disbelief. "I don't think-"
"I would have burned the Uchiha to the ground."
A warning flashed across Shisui's features, but Itachi pressed on.
"For their insolence and their pride and their selfishness. For thinking themselves greater than the village in its' entirety. For pushing the council and Danzo to the point of retaliation."
Pale lips pressed together in consternation.
"For pushing you off this cliff."
Both young men turned their gaze to the edge of the aforementioned cliff.
"Well… if that would have been the conclusion you came to for the greater good-"
"I would not have been acting in the name of the 'greater good'."
Itachi lifted his gaze to the sky, taking in the expanse of endless stars against the inky backdrop. The pale moonlight highlighted the sharpness of his jawline.
His features twisted with anguish for but a moment before he regained control, but Shisui's sharp eyes saw it. They always did.
"Itachi. I need you to understand something." He deliberately let the silence seep between them until Itachi was forced to turn back to him.
Only when he had his cousin's full attention did Shisui continue.
"There was no 'right choice' in this situation. I can see that now. When Danzo took my eye I just… panicked. I knew that would incite the immediate deployment of the coup. By removing myself, I thought I could at least buy you time. But it would have only delayed the inevitable. And then you would have had to bear the brunt of everything alone. That would have been entirely unfair of me. We only ever had two decisions, and people would have to die in both. There was no possible way to save everybody without the full cooperation OF EVERYBODY… and it was very clear that that was never going to happen. If you had decided to annihilate the clan… you would not have been in the wrong. Even if your motivations would have been less than pure. Please, Itachi. Do not beat yourself up over that alternate reality."
"Then should I beat myself up over this current reality?"
A exasperated tsk escaped Shisui as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Of course not. You do not bear the brunt of the responsibility alone- we share that. And we always will. Can I say for certain that this was the lessor of two evils? No. People died who did not deserve to die. But the same would be true either way. And that is not our fault, Itachi. The unrest between the village and the Uchiha was simmering long before either of us even took our first breaths."
The persistent guilt etched across Itachi's face promted Shisui to continue.
"There was nothing in our power that we could do to mitigate the conflict that was brewing. We were only kids. And we did the best we could with the hand we were dealt." Shisui chewed the inside of his cheek in thought.
"The only real way out of the situation would have been to not have been born Uchiha. But their conflict would have persisted none the less."
The two young men shared a long look.
"It's not over yet, though." Shisui's soft voice was nearly carried away by the wind. "When you are finally at the helm, we can change everything. We can finally set things right."
A heavy sigh was accompanied by a shake of the head.
"The more I object to and resist his policies, the further he pushes me away. At this rate, if I do not start going along with him, he will not name me successor. How far do we let him push us before it's irreversible?"
Contemplation sweeps across Shisui's face.
"Maybe… its time to stop biding our time. If playing along ever crosses the line of being more harmful than helpful in the long term, then perhaps that's indication that we need to-"
Both men straightened, sharingan ablaze in the darkness as the most miniscule flare of chakra alerted them they were no longer alone.
"You there! Do not move!"
Two Uchiha bearing the insignia of the Police Force flickered into existence only feet away from where they sat at the edge of the cliff.
"You both are in violation of the curfew set by the Godaime. You will hereby be detained for questioning."
"Oh come on, now. Is that really necessary? Can't two best friends star gaze under the moonlight anymore?" Shisui's voice was light, but both he and Itachi allowed the barest hint of menacing chakra to roll across the field as they stood to their full height.
"S-shisui-san. Itachi-sama." The two newcomers shared a look of trepidation, their previous haughty stances melting into submission. "We didn't recognize you. Our apologies."
"What's this about detainment and questioning?" Itachi's voice was a stark contrast to Shisui's. It boasted of authority and demanded capitulation.
The nervousness rolling off the two strangers was nearly palpable.
"B-by order of the Godaime, any civilians found consorting passed the curfew is to be detained for questioning."
"Yeah, we got that part." Shisui mumbled sarcastically under his breath.
"Why." The demand was said through clenched teeth.
The ANBU exchanged nervous glances once more before the previously silent one stepped in.
"Apologies, Itachi-sama. That is the extent that we are able to discuss this, by order of the Hokage. Perhaps you can discuss it with him directly if you would like more information."
"Perhaps I will do just that."
The Uchiha enforcers gave a slight bow before taking their leave.
The remaining two waited in silence for the moments it took until no chakra signal could be detected within their vicinity.
"If we didn't know he was questioning those breaking the curfew, how much you wanna bet no one else does either?"
Itachi nodded his agreement. "And who's to say what methods he is utilizing for this 'questioning'."
"Fuck."
"You'll need to warn the others. It's too risky to meet at the usual times now. We'll need to think of a different way."
"Consider it done. And what about you?"
Itachi lifted his face to the sky, beseeching the stars to give him the patience and foresight he needed.
"I'm going to try speaking to my father."
xXx