Shisui sighed, leaning against the trunk of the tree he was hiding in. It had been a few weeks since he had been alerted of his Root stalker; now that he was aware of the presence following him, he couldn't turn off that awareness.

Itgratedon his nerves.

There were very few places Shisui could go without feeling eyes on him and apart from Hikari's house, they weren't places he frequented often. If he suddenly spent a lot of time at an unusual spot, there was a chance of tipping off the Root nin. That wasn't something Shisui could afford, not without knowing the reason why he was being monitored.

'I can't even go home,'the teen lamented, throwing an arm over eyes.'The atmosphere in the Compound has been weird lately and there's no one waiting for me at home anyway.'

Just as he was debating whether he should risk going to Hikari's, as he had just been there that morning, an unfamiliar voice called out to him.

"Uchiha-san."

Shisui blinked and looked down; a pair of pale eyes met his own, a Hyuuga woman staring up at him. "Uh…can I help you, Hyuuga-san?"

He wasn't really surprised at her appearance, considering that he was right next to the Hyuuga Compound. Since the Uchiha and the Hyuuga -or at least most of them- weren't at each other's throats anymore, relations between the two clans had been peaceful. That was why he hadn't been too concerned when he settled in a spot close to the Hyuuga.

"Hiashi-sama wishes to know if you would join him for tea."

The words, while seemingly innocuous, had a strange inflection to them that bewildered Shisui. He couldn't guess what motives laid behind it, but refusing an invitation from the Hyuuga Clan Head would not be polite. So the teen nodded and hopped off the branch he was perched on, landing soundlessly on the ground.

"Sure. Lead the way."

The woman inclined her head at him and turned around, gesturing for the boy to follow her. She led him through the gates of the Compound, guiding him through the maze that was the Hyuuga main house. They finally stopped in front of one of the larger rooms that looked like it had been made to receive visitors.

"Hiashi-sama, your guest has arrived," the woman announced, voice clear as she knocked. At the reply from inside, she slid the door open and stepped to the side. "Please, go in, Uchiha-san."

"Thanks, Hyuuga-san."

Shisui walked inside, spotting the Hyuuga Clan Head seated at a low table. He bowed, his past etiquette lessons kicking in as he said, "Thank you for the invitation, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi gave a single curt nod in response, acknowledging the greeting. "Take a seat, Shisui-kun," he said, gesturing to the empty place set at the table. The Uchiha did as asked, murmuring his thanks when a cup of steaming tea was placed in front of him.

"Pardon me for being blunt, Hiashi-sama, but why did you invite me?"

The man raised his gaze, staring at the boy. His expression was impassive but there was a meaningful glint in his eyes as he said, "I believe you are aware of…the unsavory eyes following you?"

Shisui didn't stiffen or react, but it was a near thing. "…yes."

"Good."

There was silence after that short exchange, neither of them making a single sound. Shisui was tense, not sure why the Hyuuga had sought him out and why he had spoken about his observations. Just as he was about to give in to his curiosity and ask, Hiashi broke the silence.

"Should you feel like it, you may come in at any time. My daughter and nephew would welcome your presence, I am sure."

'What?'

The Uchiha stared, not quite certain what the man was saying. It took a few seconds of contemplation and rolling the words around in his head before he figured it out. Ruthlessly crushing the maniacal bark of laughter that threatened to slip past his lips, Shisui schooled his expression and nodded.

Hiashi had already let slip that both of them were wary of Root, had noticed the teen's stalker and was now offering him a place to hide. No matter how good the Root nin was, there was no way he could escape the eyes of a Hyuuga. That meant he couldn't come into the Hyuuga Compound, even if he wanted to.

Hiashi had even crafted an excuse of playing with Hinata and Neji to allow Shisui -and Itachi by default- to visit the Hyuuga Compound without arousing suspicion.

Well, there was another ally.

And another safe place.

'Speaking of allies…'


His chance arrived that very day itself, in the form of delivering reports to the Jounin Commander. While Shisui could have visited the Nara Compound at any time, having a legitimate excuse was better, especially since he usually went there with a kid in tow, not by himself.

A Nara clansman met him at the gates, lazily waving him inside. Shisui was a familiar face and hardly needed to be checked, which allowed him to dart inside quickly.

Shikaku was waiting for him at the back of the house, sipping on some sake. He sighed when a sheepish Shisui held out the stack of reports, but took them with only an annoyed grumble.

Work was work, after all.

He didn't want the Hokage after his hide for slacking off.

When the Nara was looking at the last report, Shisui spoke up, "Shikaku-sama, may I have some of your time when you're finished?"

The man eyed the teen and took in his tense expression. He set down the papers in his hand and drawled, curiosity piqued, "The report can wait; what's bugging you?"

Shisui hesitated; the conversation they were going to have dealt with sensitive information and he wasn't really comfortable talking out in the open. But this was the main house of the Nara Compound, closest to the Nara forest. The only other people in the area were Nara and they knew how to keep their mouths shut.

He decided to just go for it.

"How much has Hikari-chan told you?"

Shikaku's eyes narrowed and he straightened from his slouched posture, sharp gaze focused on the Uchiha. He hadn't expected that. After a moment of thought, he replied, "Quite a bit. And you?"

If Hikari had told him everything, then Shisui wouldn't have started with that as his opening statement. That meant he was probing what were safe areas to discuss. So Shikaku had kept his response as vague as possible.

"Much less than I'd like. She said she'll tell us -me and Itachi- everything soon, but to go to you or Kakashi-senpai in the meantime."

'That's interesting,'the Nara thought, eyebrows rising in surprise.'Hikari actually told them that she'd tell themeverything. I know that Kakashi knows some of her personal information but Sandaime-sama doesn't know even half of what I know. Just how much does she trust these boys?'

Out loud, he only said, "I see. Then? What do you want?"

"I'm being followed by Root," Shisui told him, lips pursed in mild irritation. He didn't have a good impression of the shadow organization and it was just getting worse. "Itachi too, but to a lesser degree."

"How long?"

"For at least two months."

"And when were you made aware of that?"

"Three weeks ago. Hikari-chan was the one who told us; that Root member is good enough to slip under Itachi's and my senses."

"That does not sound good," Shikaku murmured to himself, recalling the redhead's antsy behavior of late and her growing dislike of the Sandaime. Things finally made sense, the puzzle pieces falling into place to form the full picture. "What else did she tell you?"

Shisui shook his head. "She doesn't know anything else. Only the suspicion that Danzo-sama might be after our eyes."

"I thought as much. And for the record, I vaguely know of your abilities and I don't want to know more," Shikaku informed the boy in a casual tone, feeling a little amusement at the way the teenager slumped in relief. Even if he technicallycoulddemand the information, thanks to his position as Jounin Commander, he was more than willing to allow the Uchiha to keep his secret.

Especially since it was a powerful ability.

If need be, Shisui could always say that it fell under clan secrets.

No need to give Danzo more sources of information.

"Anyways, what do you want from me, Shisui? I doubt you came here just to tell me that."

"I need a favor, Shikaku-sama."

"Go ahead."

"As much as possible, I ask that you do not send me on solo missions," the Uchiha said, voice quiet as he bowed his head a little.

While he was sure that Danzo wouldn't care if he was in the village or not, anything that could happen to him whilst he was inside Konoha would be investigated, but an attack while outside would likely be brushed off as an 'accident'.

"I don't want to leave too many openings."

"That can be arranged," Shikaku agreed easily. Konoha shinobi were hardly sent on solo missions, unless they involved assassinations, in which case ANBU were sent. And though Shisui was ANBU, he went on more Jounin-level missions than ANBU most of the time. "What about Itachi? He recently joined ANBU, correct?"

"Yes. But he's officially a Chuunin, so he will still have a team with him unless it's something really simple. And," Shisui hesitated, pondering whether he should revealthator not. But this was Shikaku, someone who could be trusted. "There are rumors that Itachi and I will be added to Team Ro soon."

Team Ro was entirely made up of ANBU. They were a team that answered only to the Hokage and worked directly under him/her. Not even the Advisors could use them.

Shikaku snorted in amusement. "That has Hikari's meddling written all over it."

Shisui blinked. "What?"

"I'm probably not supposed to know but the current leader of Team Ro is Kakashi. Little Red's likely trying to keep you all in one place so that you can look after each other."

"…that actually sounds like her," the Uchiha admitted after processing that. He knew that Itachi and he had the skills to make it onto a high-ranked team on their own, but he also knew that they would be more valuable in separate teams. Uchiha in the shinobi forces were a rarity.

But that also raised the question of how much power Hikari had over the Hokage.

Still, that was something he didn't really need to know right now.

"Back to the matter of your stalker," Shikaku pulled the conversation back to its original track. "Who else knows?"

"Hiashi-sama knows; he offered to let me hang out at the Hyuuga Compound if I needed a breather," Shisui explained promptly, before sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Fugaku-sama doesn't know, though. It's likely that he'd kick up a fuss and that would alert Root."

"Perhaps, but your Clan Head should be aware of this, just in case. Fugaku would understand if you tell him to keep quiet on the matter while also monitoring the situation in any way he can."

"That's…a good point. I'll send a message to Itachi. Mind if I do it now, Shikaku-sama?"

"Your summons? Sure," Shikaku replied, intrigued. He hadn't seen the Uchiha's summons so far, despite having known that he had signed the Panther contract. It had been pretty funny when the Uchiha Elders had caught wind of it years ago and had demanded the contract. Hikari was the one who had held the contract then -and currently as well.

It had been an entertaining sight to see the Elders run like the hounds of hell were snapping at their heels.

Shisui quirked a half-smile at the man, having noticed the Nara's curiosity. He flickered through the handsigns for the Kushiyose, slamming his palm on the ground. There was a puff of smoke and when it cleared, a black jaguar cub the size of a cat, stood at that spot.

"Hey, Matsu," the Uchiha greeted cheerfully, laughing when the cub leapt onto him and started licking his face.

"Shisui! Why haven't you summoned me in so long?!"

"You know that you're not allowed on missions with me, Matsu."

The jaguar's aura turned sulking, a depressed expression on his face. "Yeah, but you can call me to play, you know?"

"You can play all you want after you do me a little favor. But first, meet Shikaku-sama," Shisui turned the cub towards the quietly watching Nara. "Shikaku-sama, this is Matsu. He's one of the youngest, so he normally carries messages between summoners."

"Oh? Does that mean Itachi has the Panther contract too?" the Nara asked, holding a hand out when Matsu started sniffing him curiously.

"All of us, meaning Hikari-chan, Itachi and I, have all three contracts. We just use the ones we're most comfortable with."

Matsu interrupted before Shikaku could say anything in reply, giving the man's hand a lick and turning back to Shisui. "He's nice," he announced primly, sounding much like the Panther lead summons, Isao, at that moment. "I've memorized his scent too, since he seems to be an important person."

Shisui chuckled, patting the cub's head in praise. "That's correct, Matsu. As for the favor, could you tell Itachi, 'Time to spill the beans'? He'll understand what it means."

"Okay! I'm going to play at Hikari's after that! Bye, Shisui!"

The cub disappeared the same way he had come, popping back into the summon dimension before heading to Itachi. It was the fastest way to pass messages between fellow contractors, after all.

"He was quite energetic," Shikaku remarked with a good measure of amusement, staring at the spot the jaguar had just been. Not many shinobi had summoning contracts in Konoha, or generally anywhere, so he didn't have many references to compare to.

"Matsu is still a child. He's smart though, and very aware of his surroundings, no matter how playful he gets. That's why I don't mind letting him loose."

Chuckling at the last comment, Shikaku handed over the reports Shisui had brought back to the boy, having looked over the last one during the pauses in their conversation. His day hadn't gone as expected, but that was normal for a shinobi. Still, he had a lot to think about.

The Uchiha got to his feet and bowed, turning to leave. He paused mid-motion, when something occurred to him. "Shikaku-sama?"

Raising an eyebrow at the hesitant tone, the Nara prompted, "Yes?"

"If Danzo-sama does try something with the Uchiha Clan…what would happen?"

"Well, for one, unless he does something drastic, you're not alone," the man said, smirking at the confused teen. If it had been three years ago, the situation might have been very different. "None of the other clans will stand by if the Uchiha come under fire, Shisui."

The assurance got a relieved smile and Shisui nodded. "What about Hokage-sama?"

"That's a tricky one. I'd like to say that he'd do the right thing, but I'm not sure."

"So, unless it's something very, very bad, we shouldn't expect help from him," Shisui concluded tartly, displeased by the very notion that the Hokage would be blinded by his friend.

"Yes. Let's hope it won't come to that."


Itachi was hidden in a tree near the main gates of the Uchiha Compound, waiting for his best friend to return. Matsu had come by hours ago with a message from Shisui, telling him to reveal everything to his father.

That had not been a fun conversation.


"Let me get this straight: you and Shisui have been followed by Root for months, like some kind of animal to be wary of?"

Fugaku's voice had grown increasingly louder as he continued speaking and he was almost hissing in fury by the time he finished his sentence.

Was the loyalty the Uchiha had shown not enough for that old war hawk?

Why had he set his sights on his son and nephew?

"Yes, Father," came Itachi's calm reply, the boy hardly fazed by his father's outburst. He had expected it, which was why he and Shisui had not brought the issue to the man's notice sooner. But if Shikaku was advising them to tell Fugaku, then it was best to do so.

The older Uchiha sighed, his anger draining away when faced with his son's composure. Fugaku leaned back in his chair, studying Itachi. "Do you truly not plan to do anything?"

"We were not supposed to notice our tail, Father. We don't know what they are after and we decided to wait until there is a change."

"…fine. We'll do this your way for now. But," the Uchiha Clan Head's expression turned stern, "should anything and I do meananything,happen, I will not remain idle."

Itachi inclined his head in acknowledgement. He did not expect any less.


But the result of that was not what Itachi was waiting to tell Shisui, but something else.

Just as he was wondering whether to find his friend's location via their summons, said person came into view. Shisui's face was as impassive as ever, but Itachi could see the faint lines of stress around his eyes and the tight corners of his mouth revealed his irritation.

The teen looked up, feeling a new but familiar and friendly pair of eyes on him and noticed Itachi perched on the tree branch. A smile spread across his face, clearing some of the exhaustion as he greeted, "Hey, Itachi. What are you doing up there?"

"Waiting for you."

Itachi slid off the branch, dropping to the ground right in front of the older boy. He stared at Shisui expectantly, making the other Uchiha chuckle nervously.

"Want to come over to my place for a bit? We can talk."

"Yes."

"So serious!"

Nevertheless, the two boys wandered away from the gates, the older relaxing when the feeling of hostile eyes on him vanished. Just like the Hyuuga Compound, the Root nin couldn't enter the Uchiha Compound. But Shisui still did not feel perfectly comfortable, considering that the aura in the compound was still weird.

In no time at all, they reached their destination and Shisui let them in, activating the privacy seals as he ventured inside. Throwing himself on the couch with a groan, he buried his face into the material. "Today was so tiring."

Itachi made himself comfortable on the armchair opposite the couch, almost curling up into a ball. "What happened? Apart from your meeting with Shikaku-sama."

"We've got a standing invitation from Hiashi-sama to enter the Hyuuga Compound for a breather if we want it, under the guise of playing with Hinata-chan and Neji, or to see little Hanabi-chan. Other than that, nothing noteworthy. What about on your side?"

"Father has agreed to wait and watch for any suspicious movements, along with a demand that we report anything out of the ordinary."

The younger Uchiha paused, glancing at the privacy seals to check if they were functioning. Satisfied that they were, he turned to face his friend, who had sat up and was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, spill. What's got you on pins and needles, Itachi?"

"Remember when you told me to keep an eye on happenings inside the Compound? Today, I saw some of the Elders meeting with a member of Root."

Shisui stiffened, eyes widening in alarm. "Are you certain?"

Itachi nodded with a pensive expression on his face. He too had been alarmed when he had spotted the Root nin lurking around a fairly deserted part of the Uchiha Compound.

Originally, he had thought that the man was spying on the Uchiha, but to his shock, a few of the Elders had appeared from the shadows a few minutes later, going to talk with the Root nin.

He hadn't been able to eavesdrop on their conversation but he had managed to glean a small amount of information by reading their lips.

"I had Hikari's chakra suppression and perception manipulation seals so I got as close as I possibly could," Itachi said, uncurling a little as he met Shisui's gaze. "The Elders are colluding with Root to gain more power. Or at least, Danzo-sama is making them think that Root is on their side."

Shisui's expression had darkened over the course of the explanation and he turned his head to stare in the direction of the place where Itachi said he'd seen the Elders meet with the Root nin, as if he could see them there if he stared hard enough.

"We knew that they weren't happy with the status quo, but I didn't think they'd let themselves be played like this. The Clan has finally gotten rid of the rumors and the villagers' distrust…if this gets out, it could be disastrous for us."

"I think so too. I haven't told Father yet, though I'm certain he's already aware of it. But I intend to tell him what I know once I have more information."

"So by the end of this week?"

Shisui sent a half-hearted smile his friend's way, dropping back onto the couch. "If it weren't for Danzo-sama's position and our clan's future, we could have exposed this long ago."

Wrapping his arms around his knees, Itachi watched Shisui mumble to himself, the words muffled by the fact that his face was buried into the material of the couch. Even if the older boy was trying to keep things as light as possible, there was an uneasiness beginning to stir in the depths of Itachi's heart.

Something was about to happen and soon.


In an unknown place…

Papers fluttered to the floor, discarded in a fit of victorious glee.

"It's time…"


The soft pitter-patter of feet upon wood broke the silence and Shisui ceased his mindless staring at the sky to focus on the person who had just arrived.

"Hey, Hinata-chan."

"Good afternoon, Shisui-san," the Hyuuga Heiress returned the greeting in a soft voice, holding a tray of refreshments in her hands. She set it down next to the boy and poured out some tea, extending the cup to the Uchiha who took it with a cheery thanks.

Hinata took a seat as well, staring out into the garden while Shisui sipped on his tea, popping the occasional sweet into his mouth. She wasn't sure why the teen was there but didn't complain, appreciating the company since Neji was at the Academy, her mother busy with Hanabi and her father with clan duties.

"Got nothing to do?"

Startling a little at the sudden question, Hinata dipped her head in a nod and looked up at the Uchiha, peeking through her bangs, "And you, Shisui-san?"

Shisui hummed, placing his empty cup on the tray, "Kind of? I'm pretty much on standby since the team in which I will be placed on hasn't been finalized yet."

Actually, it was all but confirmed that he'd be put on Team Ro but because Itachi had just joined ANBU, the boy was being shown the ropes and given some training. Once that was done, the two Uchiha would be assigned to Team Ro, under Kakashi.

Hinata didn't need to know that, though.

"…I see."

Smiling at the hesitant expression on the little Hyuuga's face, Shisui patted her head, "Something you want to ask me, Hinata-chan?"

The girl nodded, pressing the tips of her fingers together. She hadn't lost that nervous tick but it was adorable on a five-year-old and she was gaining confidence, so no one said anything.

"If it's fine with you…can you watch over my training?"

Shisui blinked.

"I don't know anything about the Hyuuga taijutsu style though?"

"Yes, but…"

Hinata trailed off, cheeks burning bright red with embarrassment as she tried and failed to get her point across. After a few seconds of stammering, she snapped her mouth shut and ducked her head low.

"Sorry…"

"No need to apologize, kiddo. Why don't you warm up and do a few katas? I may not be able to help much but I can ensure that you don't hurt yourself or something."

The Hyuuga brightened at the easily delivered suggestion, gratitude shining in her eyes as she thanked the grinning Uchiha profusely and shot to her feet. She dashed off towards the open ground, stretching a few times before settling into the stance for the Jyuuken.

Grinning a little at the girl's enthusiasm, Shisui shifted into a more comfortable position, settling himself down for some supervising time.


"Shisui-kun."

"Hmm? Oh, hi, Hitomi-sama! And little Hanabi-chan too!"

Hitomi smiled softly at the energetic greeting from their guest, gracefully sitting down next to him to watch her eldest daughter practice her taijutsu. "Thank you for watching Hinata, Shisui-kun."

"I don't mind; she's pretty good and accepts pointers easily."

The woman nodded in understanding, shifting Hanabi in her arms when the baby gurgled and waved her chubby arms. "There haven't been many who have given positive attention to her, not even my husband or myself. I'd like to believe we've gotten better lately but with Hanabi's birth, I fear that Hinata has been feeling neglected."

Shisui shook his head, "Hinata-chan doesn't seem to care about that. She's very kind and forgiving; I'm sure she understands."

"She shouldn't have to, though, and that is our failing."

"Eh…ah, as long as you do better from now on?"

Hitomi giggled at the Uchiha's flustered expression and flailing hands, the boy not knowing how to respond to her words. "It's okay, Shisui-kun. I apologize; I didn't mean to burden you with my worries. I simply came to check upon my daughter and greet you."

"Okay…"

The pair descended into silence after that short exchange, only Hanabi's occasional gurgles and Shisui calling out to correct Hinata's posture breaking the stillness.

It was quiet and comfortable.


It was late in the afternoon when Shisui left the Hyuuga Compound, waving goodbye to Hinata and Neji, who had returned home from the Academy some time ago.

Instantly, the feeling of unwanted eyes on him returned and he suppressed a shudder.'I really hate that guy,'he complained internally, forcing himself to keep his expression neutral as he went on his way.'Can't he take a break or something for just a day?'

Ever since Shisui had become aware of his tail, he had felt himself being watched constantly and it didn't give him the freedom to relax. There were too many unanswered questions and risks, which made it all worse.

But…

There hadn't been any change in the situation in a while, so…

Nodding decisively to himself, Shisui turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction of where he had been originally heading, intending to go to the training ground that he used to frequent.

The only thing was that it was a little out of the way, a couple miles outside the walls of Konoha. It was a training ground that only the higher-ranked Jounin and ANBU used, and even then, it was rarely occupied.

Shisui used to go there often to clear his head and burn off stress, so that was what he planned to do that day.

Just one evening for himself.

One evening to let loose and then resign himself to his hopefully temporary problem.


He was well on his way out of the village when there was a softpopand a puff of white smoke. Then there were weights on his shoulders, familiar high-pitched voices chirping into his ears.

"Hi, Shisui-san!"

"Kira, Kaya," Shisui shot back, an eyebrow rising in question even as he raised his hands to pat the foxes' heads. "What brings you two here?"

The twins didn't reply immediately, Kaya curling around the boy's neck like a fluffy black scarf while Kira hopped onto his head. Shisui chuckled at their antics but didn't say anything, letting the two make themselves comfortable.

"So?"

Kira flattened herself and stretched out, paws touching the Uchiha's forehead as she looked upside down at him, ears twitching and blinking meaningfully.

Shisui got the signal and nodded, casting a light Genjutsu around them to mask their true conversation.

Satisfied by the strength of the Genjutsu, Kira spoke, "Hikari-san wants to know 'why the hell you are leaving the village alone when you know you're not supposed to'. Those were her exact words."

The Uchiha snorted in amusement.

Of course Hikari had noticed him leaving, her considerable sensory range aiding in that regard. Knowing what a worrywart she was, she had probably sent the fox twins to check on him.

"I'm just going to blow off some steam. It's getting tiring, being cooped up in the village like this."

"Hikari-san thought you might say that," Kaya said, voice quiet but strong. She didn't speak often, likely due to her former muteness but whenever she did, her tone was always soft, even when she was upset or angry. "She said that 'you're being stupid and just asking for trouble'."

"Well, this is just a hypothesis and I could be wrong, but there hasn't been any change in the situation, so it should be fine?"

The foxes looked at each other and snickered.

"Let me guess, Hikari-chan predicted that, too?" Shisui asked drily, rolling his eyes when they nodded. "Seriously, that girl knows me better than I do myself."

Kira piped up, pawing the boy's head, fortunately without her claws, "She also said that she couldn't stop you from doing what you want, so you have to be really careful, Shisui-san!"

"Hikari-san also promised to drag you back to life and kill you herself if you get yourself killed."

"Charming," Shisui snarked, not doubting that the redhead would follow through on her threat. She was really vicious like that. "Remind her to resurrect me again after she kills me, okay? I like being alive."

"Then you shouldn't do anything stupid," Kira stated primly, finally sitting up straight and looking around the forest curiously. "Hikari-san would be really sad if you got hurt, Shisui-san."

"Yeah, I know. I got it; be careful and not do anything too reckless, right?"

"Right!"


The still air was broken only by the swish of kunai flying through the trees and hitting the targets they were aimed at. Practicing his aim and reaction time was Shisui's way of relieving his tension when he couldn't wrangle a spar out of anyone he knew or didn't want to be a bother by doing just that.

It had been only two days since Itachi had told him of the Uchiha Elders' plotting with Root and the effects were already visible. While no news had reached people outside the compound, the atmosphere inside had turned heavy.

For the whispers of a possible coup already reached the ears of the top-ranking Uchiha, the rumors clearly spread with the intention of gaining allies.

Shisui suspected it was done by some or all of the Elders.

Because of that, most of the Uchiha acted like they were walking on eggshells, not quite knowing who had the same views as the Elders and who didn't.

But it had been easy to track down once Shisui and Itachi had put their minds to it.

At least ninety percent of the clan was against any attempt at grabbing power, content with the recognition they were receiving. The villagers had returned to the same attitude that they had had before the Kyuubi incident, treating the Uchiha with respect and the shinobi showing them camaraderie.

'But those stupid Elders just had to poke their noses into where they don't belong,'Shisui griped internally, tugging his kunai out of the targets they were embedded in with more strength than strictly necessary.'Because of them, we're toeing the path of treason, all thanks to their overinflated sense of importance!'

The sound of one of the targets breaking jolted the Uchiha out of the semi-trance he had fallen into and he stared dispassionately at the jagged pieces of wood, brushing the splinters off his hands.

Sighing at his loss of control, the thirteen-year-old closed his eyes and took a deep breath.'I can't let my emotions get the better of me, not right now.'

No, not until he was in a place where he felt safe.

Looking past the trees and towards the setting sun that painted the sky in various shades of red and orange, Shisui murmured to himself, "The sunset is really beautiful today…but why does it feel so ominous?"

The unsettling feeling that took up a place in his heart only served to spike his adrenaline and Shisui hastened to gather his kunai, intending to leave the area as soon as possible.

'Maybe it wasn't a wise decision to come here, after all.'

While it wasn't strictly outside of Konoha, it was still a little far away from where people normally ventured. Considering his current dilemma, Shisui didn't think it was wise to loiter around for long. He was already regretting venturing outside the main part of the village while not out on official business.

It was also too quiet for his liking.

Far too quiet.

"I know you're there. You might as well come out."

There was a moment of silence followed by a hum of acknowledgement as a figure stepped out of the shadows, from the opposite side of the clearing the Uchiha was in. "You certainly have earned your fame, Uchiha Shisui."

The very person causing Shisui's distress stood across him, the old man's expression as flat as ever. But there was a glint ofsomethingin the Shimura's eyes, whatever it was making the Uchiha's hackles rise.

"Danzo-sama."

Shisui's response was stiff and curt, eyes narrowed as he carefully adjusted his posture to appear respectful, while also remaining on guard. He was sure that the old man wasn't there just to compliment his skills. And while he couldn't exactly feel any other presences around, that didn't mean that Root operatives weren't hidden amongst the trees.

"How can I help you, Danzo-sama?"

The old man didn't respond immediately; instead, he looked around the training ground, taking in the clean cuts and gouges in the bark, speaking of skill and constant practice.

"You could have become a fine protector of Konoha, Uchiha Shisui, had you chosen to join Root. Yet you remain in ANBU, doing useless missions that bring nothing but money."

"…"

"Oh? Do you not intend to respond?"

"If I may," Shisui ventured slowly, not sure what point Danzo was trying to make, "being in ANBU may be as you said but it is what I've decided to do. I do not seek glory; I only want to protect the future of Konoha."

"Such a waste."

Danzo shook his head, as if pitying the Uchiha and looking down on him. "Well, it does not matter. I will have better options soon."

'What does he mean by that?'

The teen tensed, thrown off by the strange words and unnerved by the intensity with which Danzo was watching him. Shisui didn't allow his guard to lower, keeping a sharp eye on the old man to track any minute movements, Sharingan active.

Something was very,verywrong.

In order to gauge the situation and to test the Shimura's reaction, Shisui spoke, still keeping his tone polite and respectful, "If you have no need of me, Danzo-sama, allow me to take my leave."

Danzo chuckled, but the sound didn't have any real mirth in it.

"I don't needyou, but something youhave."

Instinct overpowered rational thought and Shisui threw up an arm, blocking the kick aimed at his throat. Danzo did not hesitate, pressing the advantage of his surprise attack and reaching for the Uchiha's face, fingers spread wide.

'He's-!'

Shisui ducked, letting the hand pass harmlessly over his head and swung his leg out in a wide arc, intending to either sweep the man's legs out from under him or to at least make him back away. Danzo chose the latter option, jumping into the air to avoid the attack while also creating space between them.

'He's aiming for my eyes,'Shisui thought with anger and distaste, lips pressed into a thin line as he regained his bearings and leaped backwards.'Does he know about my Mangekyou's abilities?'

That was the only reasoning that made sense, considering Danzo's earlier attempt. The Shimura's hand had been bent like a claw, clearly intending to rip out the boy's eyes. It had been an obvious move, something unlike the normally cunning war hawk but considering that the two were out in a deserted area, it stood to reason that Danzo didn't care about being cautious.

"I see you have understood my motive," Danzo spoke suddenly, landing on his feet on the other side of the clearing. He looked unruffled, as if he had expected Shisui's defense. Which did make sense, because of the years of battle experience he had over the boy. "I suppose you will not let me have what I want quietly?"

Shisui didn't reply, only shifting to adjust his posture to a defensive one.'I can't kill or even hurt him,'he thought to himself, mind whirring to think of the best way to come out of his precarious situation.'I need to retreat and head back to the village. Danzo won't attack me in full view of other shinobi. Or so I hope.'

The distance between his current location and the closest safe place was not a trifling amount.

Not to mention that there was a high chance of Root operatives present around.

If there were, then Shisui needed to conserve as much energy as he could.

Root never played fair.

Across from the boy, Danzo straightened, his unnerving gaze never leaving the Uchiha. The man slowly raised his hand and flicked his fingers once.

"Very well then."

Masked figures appeared all around them, covering the entire perimeter of the clearing. There were very few openings one could use to get past them, all of the Root operatives armed with various weapons and ready to fight.

In one last attempt to discern Danzo's true motives, Shisui bit out, "You are a respected Advisor of Konoha, Danzo-sama. Why would you do this?"

"Because Konoha must be the strongest village in the world. Hiruzen is too soft-hearted to use the tools in his hands, so I must take over," Danzo replied, his tone of voice indicating that that was the end of the conversation.

A flick of his hand and the Root nin charged.

Shisui cursed under his breath, the tomoe of his Sharingan spinning wildly as he blocked a tanto with his kunai, kicking the wielder of the blade with a chakra-reinforced foot, ignoring the nauseating crunch of bones. There was no room for mercy or hesitation, not when a single misstep meant his death.

'Even death would be better than what Danzo wants to do,'he thought absently. He understood what the old man had implied; thetoolshe had mentioned clearly referred to Naruto and Gaara, perhaps even Hikari, what with her skills and Fuuinjutsu.

If worse came to worst, Shisui would rather destroy his eyes himself than let Hikari and the kids be controlled.

The Uchiha pulled out all the stops, kunai and shuriken flying in all directions with deadly accuracy. He only needed a momentary break in the formation that Root had created around him to be able to escape. He took a chance, starting to form handsigns for a certain jutsu.

Danzo, however, spotted it immediately and recognizing the sequence, ordered, "Don't let him use the Kuchiyose!"

There were two reasons the war hawk wouldn't allow it: one, the summons would provide assistance to the boy, increasing his chances of escape; two, even if the summons were defeated, they would know of the Uchiha's predicament and could inform the other summoners to bring help.

He could not let that happen.

"Damn it!"

Shisui had no choice but to stop the sequence for the Kuchiyose, instead pulling out a kunai again to deflect the shuriken aimed at his hands. He couldn't even jump back or put some distance between himself and his attackers, for they mainly engaged in close combat, a few of them throwing the random jutsu every now and then to distract him.

'I may have a lot of stamina, but I can't keep going like this,'Shisui thought, a tinge of desperation beginning to color his thoughts, even if he didn't allow it to bleed into his actions.'Sooner or later, they'll land an attack on me and I'll be done for.'

Katon was his primary elemental nature and it came easily to him; he could use most of his Katon jutsu with one-handed signs and that was what he chose to do. Throwing his last kunai at a Root nin's exposed throat and taking vicious delight when it hit the target dead-on, the man dropping with a wet gurgle, Shisui pulled out his tanto.

Going for simplicity and function over flashy, chakra-draining jutsu, Shisui took a deep breath, gathering his chakra, "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

The oversized fireball did its job as intended.

The Root nin scattered, leaping to the sides to avoid the attack. If they got hit with that overpowered Katon jutsu, nothing but ash would remain of them, judging by the way the ground was scorched black.

'There!'

Taking advantage of the enemies' distraction, Shisui used a Shunshin to speed past the Root nin and through the opening that had formed. He darted into the forest, making a beeline for Konoha.'I need to hurry,' he thought, hearing the men behind him already reorienting themselves and giving chase.


Danzo watched as the Uchiha disappeared into the trees, unconcerned by the escape. He had predicted that it would happen and had taken precautions against it.

More of his men were stationed all throughout the forest; no matter which direction Shisui went, they would catch him. His power and speed meant nothing if they could outsmart him.

"Everything is finally falling into place," Danzo murmured to himself, beginning to walk forwards. All of his observations and careful planning had paid off, dropping into his lap the perfect tool to achieve his goals. "This is an opportunity that I absolutely cannot let slip."

Once he had the power of Kotoamatsukami, no one would be able to stand against him, as long as Danzo could successfully cast the Genjutsu on them.

The path to the Konoha he envisioned had finally opened up.


'I need to go faster,'Shisui gritted his teeth, using more chakra to increase his speed. If he was caught then, he wouldn't be able to escape again, no matter how fast he was. Once he had put a considerable distance between himself and his pursuers, he stopped using the Shunshin, instead leaping from branch to branch.

'I'm still too far away to be safe; there might be more Root nin lurking around,'he surmised, eyes flickering in all directions to look for ambushes. His caution paid off, instincts screaming at him to dodge as a hail of kunai came out of nowhere. Shisui channeled more chakra to his feet, jumping into the air to avoid the attack.

But that was a bad choice.

Movement registered in his peripheral and Shisui turned his head in that direction, eyes widening at the swarm of insects coming at him. "Damn it!"

Suspended in midair as he was, the boy couldn't dodge it and he had noticed the swarm too late, since they had already surrounded him. His only option was to break through in one direction and he did just that, throwing a Katon jutsu to burn his way out.

"Tch!"

Even if he had avoided the brunt of the attack, some of the insects had managed to bite him, evident by the tiny pinpricks he had felt. "Why the hell is an Aburame in Root?! I have no idea what these stupid bugs even do!"

But that was not the time to be pondering about it and Shisui forged on, keeping a steady pace while also on the lookout for more ambushes.

"Just a little further…" he muttered to himself, his mental map of the forest telling him that he was close to his destination. Another five minutes at his current pace and he would reach the walls of Konoha. "I'm so not going out alone again, personal frustrations be damned."

All the precautions he had taken for his safety, only for them to go up in smoke thanks to his own stupidity.

Suddenly, his vision turned blurry and he realized that he couldn't move freely, foot slipping off the branch he had just landed on. Shisui fumbled as he fell, somehow managing to land upright on the forest floor, albeit awkwardly. His breathing had become difficult and he braced himself against a tree, realizing that he had been poisoned.

"I see it has finally taken effect."

Danzo stepped out of the trees behind the Uchiha, expression impassive as he met the boy's gaze, who had turned to glare at the man over his shoulder. "You certainly are impressive, Uchiha Shisui, to have resisted the poison for quite so long, even if you had been unaware of it."

"You…you won't get away with this! Even if you are an Advisor…!"

"Oh? But I will," came the confident reply.

Danzo walked towards the teen, Shisui struggling to get to his feet. "The poison is extremely effective and has no antidote. It will break down soon after your death. Even if your body is found and an autopsy is performed, it will not be detected."

Shisui felt his last hope disappearing.

Even if he managed to escape, the poison would kill him. And he could feel the Root nin surrounding him again, cutting off his path.

'Do I really have no choice?'

However, before he could come to a decision, Danzo made his move.

In a surprisingly fast move for the aged man, he appeared in front of Shisui, hand held out.

"Urk!"

Shisui, weakened by the poison coursing through his veins, was barely able to move.

His reaction was too slow.

Futile.

Blood splattered onto the ground, the teen dropping onto his hands and knees as he bit back a cry of pain, one hand rising to cover his now empty eye socket.

He looked up, Sharingan spinning furiously as he glared with his remaining eye at the man in front of him, Danzo's satisfied expression doing nothing good to his spiraling emotions. The old war hawk held Shisui's right eye in his hand, unconcerned by the blood staining his skin.

"Your eyes will pave the way for Konoha's power," Danzo murmured, closing his fingers over the eye he had stolen, careful to not apply too much pressure lest he crushed the organ. "You should be happy, Shisui."

"How can I, when you want to use kids as your pawns?!"

"It is a necessary sacrifice, for the good of the village."

There was no talking the man out of his plans.

Shisui could only act.

Kotoamatsukami couldnotfall into Danzo's hands!

Gritting his teeth, Shisui forced himself up, forcibly ignoring the weakness due to the poison and the pain from his injured eye. If he could no longer save himself, it was time for the last resort.

"Susanoo!"

The emerald green skeletal construct appeared around the teen in a blink of the eye, its hand sweeping out to send the nearest Root operatives flying, the men dropping like flies from the overwhelming impact. Shisui didn't care if they were dead or simply unconscious; his only target was the old man.

Shisui had made the wrong choices earlier and it was time to make up for them.

A single thought had a barrage of chakra needles bursting out of the Susanoo's chest, shooting towards Danzo who leapt away from the line of fire. The man intended to wait until Shisui burnt himself out, before taking the boy's other eye.

It was obvious that the Uchiha was running low on chakra; using Susanoo was only going to drain his already low reserves rapidly.

What Danzo didn't expect was for Shisui to appear in front of him, expression set in a stone mask that spoke of no emotion. The emerald Susanoo had yet to fade away, despite the wielder no longer occupying it. The feat spoke of the boy's speed and power, even when weakened by poison.

Shisui did not hesitate, left hand grabbing Danzo's hand around the wrist in an iron grip. A quick twist served to loosen the man's fingers and Shisui instantly took the opportunity, free hand swiping his stolen eye from the slack limb.

He immediately disengaged once he had accomplished his goal, not wanting to give Danzo a chance to recover and come after him again. A glance around him told Shisui that heading towards Konoha was impossible, so he picked the path with the least obstructions and vanished.

"After him!" Danzo shouted, angered by his own carelessness. He had underestimated the thirteen-year-old and now he was paying the price. The only silver lining was that the Uchiha wasn't moving in the direction of Konoha.

No matter what, he would have those eyes.


Shisui's breath came in gasps, the poison from that Aburame taking full effect. He knew he was going to die; the only possibility of survival was if a medic of Senju Tsunade's caliber could treat him, instantly.

'Even then, I estimate it to be less than ten percent chance of survival,'Shisui thought morbidly, flying through the thick branches.

Still, it wasn't enough to shake his resolve.

He had little to no chakra left, which crossed out the options of seeking help and fighting back.

Though, when he didn't come back, Hikari would suspect that something had happened. She would be able to fix the mess that Danzo had created.

Shisui was sure of it.

'I don't care what happens to me; I will never allow Hikari-chan, Naruto and Gaara to be controlled by Danzo. If it's him, there's no telling what he'll make them do.'

He looked over his shoulder behind him, spotting no pursuers yet but aware that he was being followed. If he slowed down, the Root operatives would be upon him within minutes.

Shisui was already running on pure adrenaline and sheer force of will; he had no strength to fight.

No, he needed to end it before his pursuers caught up.

The trees thinned out around him and Shisui burst out of the forest, finding himself upon a cliff.

"The Naka river…"

Shisui could hear the sound of rushing water, despite being hundreds of feet up. He slowly stepped closer to the edge, almost like he was in a trance. The moon was rising high up into the rapidly darkening sky, rays of pale light breaking out between the clouds and reflecting off the waterfall across him.

The Uchiha stared down the cliff, gaze unfocussed as he made his choice.

A sad smile crossed his face and Shisui turned his face towards the sky, a single tear sliding down his cheek at the thought of the people who were dear to him.

"I'm sorry, Itachi, Hikari-chan…"

Eyes closed, Shisui took that last step, allowing gravity to take control as he tipped himself over the edge.


"It looks like this is it for me."