Chapter 14: More Uchiha

'Inner thoughts'

Writing/Tsukiyomi

Shakko-kun

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Yukino's POV

Fidgeting with my sleeves I took a deep breath I was around the corner of the Uchiha home gathering my courage. Raising my head high I walked forward, my dress moved fluidly as I walked to the main door but the more I approached said door the courage I had gathered slowly left little by little until I stood in front of the door. Sliding the small basket of persimmons I had collected from the botany to my hand I prepared to knock with a shaky hand. 'Breathe. I was home with my guardian. Studying.' I had rehearsed that line over and over in my head for the past couple of days just as Tsukiyomi had told me. 'Remember you DIDN'T deliver the scroll.' Relaxing a bit I knocked three times quickly and waited. No answer. Resolving to bolt back home I turned around, 'Another day' I thought.

I could hear the door slide open and I froze in my tracks "Yukino-chan?" A familiar voice asked. Turning around again I was met with the raven-haired woman. Stunned of how little difference there was when I couldn't see.

"H-hi," I stuttered out.

The woman bent down and pulled me into an embrace creating a warm fuzzy feeling in my chest a bit "Where were you? You've been gone for almost two months now." she asked worried, she pulled back and I saw her furrowed brows and downcast eyes behind that attempt of a small smile and I felt guilty for being the reason why she was showing that expression.

"I'm sorry, I was with my guardian," I laughed awkwardly, "studying..." I said trying to sound positive to ease her worry.

"That's a relief." The woman said with a smile, hiding her questions as to who was taking care of me. "And what happened to your hair?" she asked patting it.

"My guardian cut it. It's pretty right?"

"It is" she smiled before noticing the basket "Are those for us?" Nodding I handed over the basket relieved of the topic change. "I'm sure they'll enjoy it. Come meet them," she said moving aside to let me in.

'Who is they?' I thought following after her.

"Look what Yukino-chan brought," Mikoto-san called out opening the sliding door leading to the veranda.

"Persimmons!" I heard a high pitched voice yell. Peeking from behind Mikoto-san I assumed it was the small raven-haired boy with spiky hair running towards the basket.

She handed over a persimmon the boy as he gladly took one in his hands, we made eye contact and he waved with a smile and I returned it. "Nii-san look!" He yelled running off, looking in the direction he ran off to there were two more boys sitting on the veranda talking to each other.

When one of them turned around I recognized them and realized it was Shisui. Mentally hitting myself I remembered what his last name was and put two and two together, he told me and I didn't realize it. 'They're from the same clan'

Feeling a push from behind I looked back to see Mikoto-san smiling pushing me forward "Go introduce yourself." She whispered while handing me back the basket.

"Oh, Yukino-chan!" Shisui happily waved from the veranda, looking back quickly to where Mikoto-san I was shocked to see that she was gone.

"It seems you know each other." the boy next to Shisui said. As he said this I grabbed a persimmon from the basket for myself and placed the basket between them.

"While you were gone on your mission I met her in the forest while training."

"It's similar to how we met." The boy said after he heard the extremely short story, as he said this he was peeling a persimmon for the little boy next to him.

"It is isn't."

Waving to get their attention I asked the important question "Who are you?" before sitting down in an empty space on the veranda next to Shisui.

Shisui spoke first, "That's Itachi," he said pointing to the older boy with long hair, "and that it Sasuke-chan, his little brother." He pointed to the spiky haired boy.

Nodding understanding I noted down in my head their names and faces.

"And this is Yukino-chan," he said motioning to me to the others.

··· ··· ···

After a while of silence I looked to my left to see Shisui peeling a persimmon, upon closer inspection I noted how he had long eyelashes, tilting a bit forward I noted how Itachi and Sasuke had long eyelashes as well. Moving back up I looked up trying to look at mine and flinched as I realized that Shisui had noticed my staring and gave a smile.

"Itachi I think something is on your face, Yukino-chan has been staring at you for some time now."

"Eh?"

"Really?" He said looking in my direction "where?" He asked.

I just sat there like a deer hearing a branch break until I snapped out of it and bolted to the wall. I gave I quick goodbye before jumping over.

That day ended quickly with me laying in my bed wrapped up in my blankets like a caterpillar in a cacoon with my face burning.

Placing the new persimmons I had brought into the fruit bowl I kept glancing back outside at the falling leaves 'soon' I thought happily.

"What is making you so happy?" Mikoto-san asked placing her basket of clothes by the table.

"Soon. The leaves will fall and I will be five!" I exclaimed placing the final persimmon in the bowl. 'The older I become the more new things I'll be able the learn.' I thought giving an internal huff of pride.

"When is it?"

"When a lot of leaves start falling," I explained by spreading my arms wide.

"I know. But when is your birthday?"

"Birthday?"

"If you don't know why not make it October 11?"

"Okay!" Jumping up I walked to her side and sat down to help her. "What day is it?"

"September 30."

"Oh, is that close?"

"Yes really close." She laughed.

Sitting next to Sasuke by the trees we watched as the two figures spared in the clearing in front of us, glancing at the boy next to me I could see the way his eyes sparkled with admiration for his older brother. Turning my attention back to the match before us, we both sat there silently watching from the sidelines how Shisui and Itachi spared with each other without using any jutsu. Hit after hit each one was deflected each side never made contact with the other.

It was incredible the way they moved so fast and elegantly to the point where I could barely see them. It was like this for the past hour when they finally stopped both sweating and breathing heavily. "That's so cool nii-san!" Sasuke yelled jumping up from his spot and running to the older boys. Standing up as well I followed behind.

"You are good for the chunin exams." I heard the Shisui say as we approached.

"I still need more information on the kinds of fauna that live in the forty-fourth training grounds."

"The forest of death," Shisui said in thought. 'Forest of death?' I thought remembering the name from somewhere.

Something clicked inside as I turned away from them walking a couple of steps. Stopping I closed my eyes and began to focus on the area in front of me a small ripple appeared on the ground as it changed and became a small opening showing the library upside down from where I was. Kneeling down I crawled in ignoring the surprised gasp behind me.

Pulling myself up and into the library, the portal closed behind me, I layed down on the floor breathing in heavily trying to catch my breath. I know Tsukiyomi told me not to practice using my eyes but the book told me how to and I couldn't resist as well as other things I have yet to try.

Why are you doing this? 'Because I want to.' I responded rolling to my side and jumping up. You should ask for something in return. 'Okay,' I walked to where I remember seeing the book while scanning the spines of the books I passed until I came to a stop at a book called Forest of Death: a Guide to surviving the horrors within. What kind of title is that? 'Dunno'Hearing an internal sigh that didn't belong to me, he stayed quiet as I opened the book and scanned quickly the first page for the words Forest of Death.

The Forest of Death is an area filled with deadly creatures and fauna…

Stopping I closed the book and held it tightly. Walking to a clear space on the floor I took a deep breath in focusing once again I created a small opening. Throwing the book through crawled in after it.

Itachi's POV

After the girl had disappeared into the ground we started to look around in the grass and in between the trees, knowing of the trouble we could get into if we had lost her.

"Itachi what kind of technique do you think it was," Shisui whispered low enough so Sasuke couldn't hear.

"It seemed like a time-space technique." remembering a similar technique he witnessed not long ago a sudden image popped up in his mind of that day, Tenma and the man in the mask. Shaking his head he kept looking.

Sasuke ran up to him "Nii-san why did the ground eat her?" the sudden signature alerted him of the new presence. Glancing at Shisui he looked in the direction he was looking in.

A ripple on the ground appeared before them, slowly forming an image before something came out. Standing defensively in front of Sasuke he saw as a small arm reach out from the hole and grasp the grass. Recognizing the white sleeved arm he relaxed, another arm came out and grasped the grass as well before the small girl rose and pulled herself up.

Rolling to her side she placed her hand over her mouth and took in deep breaths as we began walking up to her, she looked up wearily before looking back at the ground.

"Where did you go?" I heard Shisui ask first.

"Library." she gasped sitting up and reaching for the book, brushing off the leaf blades with shaking hands.

"What is that?" I asked looking at the book.

"For you," she said quickly handing over the book and placing her hand over her mouth.

Turning his attention to the book he flipped it open with Shisui leaning over his shoulder to look at the book as he flipped through it, the words weren't any that he recognized. "This language seems old." I heard Shisui whisper returning the book to the girl still trying to regain her composure.

"Can I borrow it? I could use it to practice for the written exam." I asked genuinely intrigued. It would help with his practice in deciphering if he can find what some words mean he could cross reference it with another book to fill in the missing gaps.

"Yes if you answer any ten questions I ask." She replied her nauseousness gone. Thinking carefully whether it or not it was a good idea she added something else, "There are more books like it."

Thinking it over I chose to agree "Deal." 'She may have information I wouldn't be able to get normally.'

"Yukino-chan, do you understand this?" he heard Shisui ask inspecting the book.

The girl nodded proudly as Shisui pointed to one of the pages with a centipede in it. She placed the book on the grass. "These cen-ti-pe-des," wording it slowly with her finger going over each word, "can grow to be bigger than a person and are…" slowing down she quickly glanced at me then back at the book "capable of eating a person." She stayed silent for a while her eyes scanning the pages before she stopped and closed the book gently and placing it in my hands. "Um...there are some big words I can't say." Holding the book carefully I gave a simple thank you.

-Time Skip-

Carefully cutting the apple in my hand I placed each slice on the plate. The light approaching footsteps caught my attention as they headed towards the kitchen. Placing the last slice on the plate I looked up as the girl I came to know as Yukino came in, with a basket of apples in hand standing there staring before she jumped.

"Oh…um I didn't say it." She quietly told herself, "Did you finish the book?" She asked drawing a rectangle in the air with one hand.

"I did, it was helpful." reaching into my knapsack I pulled out the book.

"Thank you." She chirped placing the basket on the table while taking it back and clutching it close.

After she turned around I stopped her when I noticed the ripple effect on the floorboards "Wait," I said as she stumbled back holding her head, "Kaa-san went looking for you." She nodded slowly understanding what I meant before creating a hole and going through it.

Sitting there I waited for a while before continuing to store the rest of the food into their containers, in one bag was all the food as well as the water bottles.

"I thought you were going to return tomorrow"

Looking up in the direction of the doorway he saw Shisui as he gave a small wave "I was, but it seemed the problem was simpler than what we thought."

"How long were you going to stay there?" he asked pointing to the doorway.

"Not long. I wanted to see how long it would take for you to notice me." The boy smiled seeing his friend. "Do you need any help?" he asked.

"Sasuke was looking for something can you help him."

"Sure I'll-"

At that moment a ripple appeared on the floorboards followed by a hand. Shisui leaned over the opening reaching for the other hand and helped pull her out.

"Thank y-" slapping her own hand over her mouth she stood there frozen. This was my second time seeing this but it seemed she was still new at this if it made her nauseous every time she used it.

"Here take an apple." He said pushing the plate in her direction.

··· ··· ···

As I stood up to leave I could see as she was trying to carefully balance the apples she had brought on top of the other fruit already there. Shisui had left to help Sasuke and so I decided to go pack my own things for the trip.

On my way back to the kitchen I could hear the voice of my mother, "Yukino-chan would you like to go to the Sora-ku with Itachi and Sasuke?"

"I need to ask first," she responded I could hear her as she ran out of the kitchen before running back "But I would love to! I'll be back!" I heard her exclaim.

Entering the kitchen I saw her jump over the gate with the basket in hand as I placed my bag down next to the other bags.

"She always enters through the front when she can just jump over." Shisui pointed out coming into the kitchen.

"She's really quirky…" mother responded with a faint smile before noticing the overflowing bowl. "Shisui would you like some of the fruits?"

"Of course. I'm sure my mom will appreciate it."

Somewhere in the Konoha forest

Reaching her tree for a home she moved the shrubs to reveal a hole on the base of the tree a part of it was submerged in the ground creating a tunnel-like entrance, laying down she crawled through to enter "Tsukiyomi?" The small girl asked peeking into her home to find it empty.

Crawling back out she made her way to the watering hole and along the way she spotted a white fox run by, fascinated for a moment she shook her head snapping out of it and continued with her goal in mind.

Moving the branches of low shrubs aside she entered the watering hole area to find who she was looking for. The man sat on a rock by the water's edge. Knowing she was there the man turned halfway to look at the girl.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No. But Mikoto-san asked if I could go with her kids to Sora-ku." the girl walked up to him holding her hands together in front of her.

The white fox from before quietly made its way back to the watering hole making sure to stay away from the girls view before stopping by the edge watching their interaction and waiting for the answer. The fox seemed to smirk and the man noticed it, giving it a small glare before turning to the girl completely.

"Do you wish to go?" He asked knowing what the answer would be as he watched her give a firm nod, "then go."

"Thank you!" She said taking a step forward in a sort of half attempt to give a hug before she clutched her hands and stopping. Stopping herself she tried to seem as if nothing was going to happen before she turned around quickly and left. He had made it clear multiple times before that he/she was her teacher. Nothing more to her disappointment.

Watching her sprint back into the forest he shook his head, "Pack the essentials before you leave!" He yelled before she completely left his view.

After the girl was out of earshot he stood there for a while before turning to the fox erasing his kind smile, "What intrigued you so much to bring you all the way here?" he hissed sending a fiery glare at fox.

Mikoto purposely lied about the birthday just a couple of hours (since he was born at night) away from Naruto's birthday.

Kaa-san: mother

Fun fact (not really): I looked at the Uchiha clan massacre to know just how Itachi and Sasuke call their mom since it can vary depending on the person.

Tenma was Itachi's teammate that met his end in the daylight novel pg.81-84

Also, I hope you guys have a happy holiday wherever you may live.