Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Consequences ❯ Tragedies, a Trip & An Act of Kindness ( Chapter 2 )

Tragedies, a Trip & an Act of Kindness

Sani stretches as she sits on the grass one day, watching Itachi as he's learning from his father how to hold and throw shurikens. Fugaku sees her watching as they practice, so he waves her over. She grins and hurries across the field to where they are. Fugaku takes a pouch off the ground, and pulls a few child size shurikens out, giving one to Sani. She curiously turns it over in her small hands, thoroughly examining it. He then leads her to a target nearby the one Itachi is practicing on. Fugaku shows her how to hold the throwing star, and then how to flick her wrist to throw it. She watches as Itachi throws a few, and then she throws her first one. Fugaku chuckles as it hits so close to the top of the log target that it almost sails right over it. She pouts a bit, then grins and picks up another one, determined. He's also impressed that she did hit the target on her first try as well; Itachi is also doing very well, getting the hang of it quickly.

"Don't get over enthusiastic." He warns, and the kids nod. After a while of throwing the metal stars, Mikoto brings out a tray of iced tea and sandwiches over to Itachi and Sani, setting it on the grass for them. They both thank her and begin to eat, talking happily about what they're learning and the progress they've made today. Fugaku and Mikoto smile as they sit on the deck not far away, eating their own lunch as they watch the two kids. When they finish, they pick up some more shuriken and return to the targets, totally into the training.

That night, Itachi and Sani are playing on the floor while their parents have tea and talk with the head of one of Konoha's other prominent clans, the Hyuga. Sani laughs as she and Itachi keep busy with some origami shuriken that Mikoto had made for them. She giggles as Itachi tries to aim one at the window, and instead it lands, wedged in a potted plant.

"Why don't you kids head on outside for a while?" Mikoto says, and they nod and get up, pulling on their sandals and heading outside. The two of them head out toward the back side of the district, playing near the border by the woods, just keeping to themselves as they play a quiet ninja game, having fun, when a group of older boys come out of the trees; they look around seven or eight, and they're from the clan as well, but from lesser families.

A secret Itachi will grow up to never tell anyone, he was a victim of bullying.

They try to keep playing their game and ignore the boys, but soon they start picking on Itachi. Pushing him around and calling him names. Sani frowns,

"Leave him alone!" she shouts at them as best she can, but being so small they pretty much ignore her, and don't leave him alone. They start worse name calling, and shoving Itachi harder, down onto the ground, kicking at him. Itachi's eyes fill with tears, and he runs off, and after glaring at the boys as best she can, Sani runs after him. Even though she's only two years old, she understands that her friend, her brother is hurting, and that he needs someone to help him. She finds him hiding behind the house, sitting on the grass with his knees pulled to his chest and his arms wrapped around them, crying into them. Sani makes her way over, wrapping her small arms around her crying friend and hugging him. Itachi lays his head on her shoulder, sniffling and curling up. When Itachi's able to calm down they both head back to the house, Itachi leading Sani by the hand.

Over the next several months, and Sani and Itachi have had their third and fourth birthdays consecutively. They have also gotten much closer, and they do everything together, train, and play, whatever it may be. Fugaku has also started training her regularly along with Itachi; he's seen the same potential in her as in his son.

Also, a young Chunin, an exceptionally skilled silver haired boy, soon to take his Jonin exams, is best friends with Itachi's older cousin, Obito, and is also on a team with him, so he's at the compound a lot, and has taken a liking to Sani and Itachi. Sani and Itachi are currently out playing when something wet nudges Sani's arm, and she startles.

"Pakkun!" she says happily, hugging the little dog, who yips and starts licking her face. Itachi watches her, interested. Sani says,

"'Tachi dis Pakkun, he one of Tou-san's hounds." Her look saddens, and Itachi frowns. Pakkun whines and nudges her arm, saying,

"I just came to see how you're doing. Do you like it here?" Sani nods, smiling as Itachi takes her hand. Obito and Kakashi soon come jogging over, and she frowns when she sees how Pakkun is staring at the silver haired boy.

"You look just like… the White Fang…" Pakkun says suddenly, making the boy skid to a stop.

"He was my father." He says quietly. Sani asks Pakkun,

"You know him?" and the little dog nods, saying,

"He gave our contract to your father when he was married." She nods, pretty sure she gets it. Kakashi crouches down, reaching out and scratching Pakkun behind the ears. Sani and Itachi laugh as Pakkun actually rolls onto his back, encouraging more attention. Kakashi laughs too, obliging, and Obito crouches down too, scratching him as well. Though, after a while, Obito stands up, and says,

"Alright Kakashi, we need to go and meet sensei. You know how the Yellow Flash gets when we're late!" The silver haired boy chuckles and nods as he stands up, and he and Obito head off after promising to visit often. Itachi and Sani wander over to Itachi's other aunt's house, deciding to see if Shusui wants to come out and play. Pakkun had left right after Kakashi and Obito did. Shusui's mother says he can, so Sani hangs onto Itachi's hand as they quickly cross the compound's main street. The three of them then go to the lake; Shusui's Kaa-san coming along to supervise them.

Around a week later or so, Rin, Kakashi and Obito's good friend and medic teammate, comes running down the compound's road, obviously in a hurry, looking upset, and she's crying. She goes to Obito's parents' house and goes inside for a few moments, and then the three of them all run off, both women crying as they run. That night when Fugaku returns from a meeting with the Hokage, and the head Uchiha elder, he looks upset, and sits everyone down around the kitchen table.

"I have grave news." He says quietly. Mikoto frowns, taking his hand, but Sani and Itachi are both confused, looking at each other, then back at Fugaku. He then says,

"Obito's squad was attacked, Kakashi and Rin made it back okay, though wounded themselves too, but Obito…" he trails off, and Mikoto starts to cry, covering her face with her hands and leaning against Fugaku. Sani doesn't know Obito all that well, but Itachi runs to his room. Sani starts to follow, but pauses outside the kitchen door, listening to Fugaku.

"Hatake was injured protecting Obito from an attack, and then another Rock Nin attempted to crush Rin with an earth jutsu, but Obito pushed her out of the way, falling under a landslide of boulders himself, resulting in his entire right side being totally crushed, a fatal injury. But Obito, the thoughtful boy he was, could only think of the others. Kakashi and Rin told the Hokage what happened when they and their sensei made it back." Mikoto gasps, her eyes wide and tear filled, and he continues,

"There's more. Kakashi lost an eye in the attack while defending Obito, and as his dying gift, Obito gave him his left Sharingan eye. He's still recovering, but he needs to be taught how to use that eye, for which I plan to have an Uchiha instruct him." Mikoto nods quietly. Sani hurries to Itachi's room, as she goes to pull open the shoji, (a/n: sliding paper screen doors. I was told this is the word, if I am wrong please let me know, thanks) she hears crying inside. She goes in, pulling the door closed again, and climbs up on the bed, where Itachi curls up beside her under the blankets, comforted by her presence. She stays snuggled close to him as they both fall asleep.

The next day is the funeral, so they have to dress in formal black yukatas. Mikoto is quiet as she gets Sani and Itachi dressed in their yukatas, both kids unusually quiet. Once they're all ready, they follow Fugaku out to the courtyard where the funeral is to take place. Once in the courtyard, Kakashi ends up standing beside Sani and Itachi, his head bowed a bit, and they notice that he now wears his Hitai-ate (a/n: headband) skewed to cover his healing left eye. Sani notices how sad he looks and reaches over, taking his hand. He startles, and then relaxes, squeezing her hand, his other coming to rest on top of Itachi's head. After the funeral service, burial and several prayers they head inside, and in the kitchen, Kakashi says to Fugaku,

"Fugaku-san, I know the clan will now gather to mourn privately, would you like me to look after Sanishu for the night?" Fugaku considers it a few moments, and then he nods.

“I would appreciate it, the Uchiha need to be together.” Kakashi nods, and lifts Sani up. Mikoto hands him a bag she had just gone to quickly pack for her, along with a stuffed rabbit. As they leave, Kakashi notices Itachi's downcast expression, Sani does too, chewing her lip sadly, and Kakashi ruffles the boy's hair,

"I'll bring her back tomorrow Itachi, don't worry." Itachi pouts a bit, sighing, but he nods a bit. Then they head out, Sani looking around as they make their way through Konoha to where Kakashi's apartment is. Pakkun appears in the apartment right after Kakashi gets there with Sani. Pakkun sits with her on the floor, nuzzling her arm, and Kakashi lies down on his bed, curling onto his side and sighing. Sani starts playing with the little dog on the floor, but soon she hears soft crying, and she goes over to Kakashi. She climbs onto the bed; she's surprised to see the young Jonin crying, curled in a ball on his side. Pakkun looks concerned too. Sani whispers to him,

"You need find Rin." And he gives a nod and disappears with a soft `poof'. Unsure, Sani climbs onto the bed and takes hold of Kakashi's hand, not really knowing how to make him feel better, but wanting to try. He squeezes her hand some, seemingly grateful she's there. Sani stays with him like that, watching out the window as she waits for Pakkun to bring Rin. A bit later Rin arrives, with Pakkun right behind on her heels. Her eyes widen with worry when she sees the jonin on the bed.

"Oh Kakashi, I'm here now." She says softly, hurrying over and pulling him into a hug, settling against the wall with the jonin lying against her as she tucks the blanket around him. Pakkun and Sani watch as she comforts Kakashi, shocked at the amount of grief pouring out from the young man. When he finally calms down, he drifts into a restless sleep, and she gently lays him down, pulling the blankets back over him, then she turns to Sani.

"Hungry?" she asks and Sani nods, holding out her arms, and Rin smiles and picks her up, taking her to the kitchen where she sits Sani on a chair. She then starts rummaging in the fridge, pulling out a few things. She ends up making some miso soup and some fried pork and rice. They also had noticed that Pakkun has left as well. Rin puts a plate away for Kakashi, and then she sits at the table with Sani, helping her some as they eat, the both of them laughing as Sani tries to get the hang of the slippery ivory chopsticks.

When Kakashi wakes up later on, Rin and Sani both move over to the bed to sit with him, and he wraps his blankets around the three of them, hugging them. Later on, Rin puts Sani to bed, tucking her into the blankets on the spare sleeping mat near Kakashi's. Sani ends up falling asleep fairly fast, tired out from the day. Rin also decides to spend the night, incase Kakashi needs her, and sets herself up a bed beside Sani's so she can be close to Kakashi as well.

The next morning, Sani sits up in bed, looking around, and then remembering that she is at Kakashi's, and relaxing again. Rin is sleeping beside her, and Kakashi is curled on his side in bed. Rin wakes up, sensing the little girl awake and watching her. She smiles and picks Sani up, tickling her as she takes her to the bathroom to get her washed and dressed. Sani lets out a few giggles as Rin tickles her, and their laughter ends up waking Kakashi. When Rin has Sani cleaned and dressed, they come back to the living room, and she sets her beside Kakashi on the bed. Sani crawls back over, curling up beside the young jonin.

"'Kashi?" she says softly, not quite able to say the full name, and he looks at her sadly. She says softly, suddenly knowing what to do.

"I want give you somefing." He gives her a confused look, and then Pakkun appears, sitting beside Sani with a small scroll in his mouth. Kakashi's eyes widen, and he carefully takes the scroll, opening it.

"It's our summoning contract." Pakkun says, watching Kakashi. He says,

"Does she really understand what she's doing?" Sani nods at Pakkun, and he says,

"I believe so; it's in her blood to know what to do with the contract when the time is right. As you see, her name is on the contract, placed by her father at her birth." Kakashi nods. He then bites his thumb to make a cut, and signs his name on the contract right below Sani's. Pakkun says,

"I can be summoned alone, but there are also seven other hounds as well, and the jutsu is called 'Earth Style: Fanged Pursuit'. We can track just about anything or anyone, and the seven others can also fight. These here are the hand signs." He proceeds to list them, and as he does, Kakashi makes each sign, and Sani copies each one. She grins as the other hounds appear with the summons.

"Everyone, this Kashi, he sign the scroll." The hounds all look at Kakashi, watching him curiously, then each one going over to meet him and learn his scent one at a time, then they return to sit near Pakkun. Sani starts scratching Pakkun's ears as he lies on her lap. The other hounds leave after showing they each accept Kakashi on their contract. Rin also soon heads home, but before she does, she takes Sani into the kitchen with her and says softly,

"Sani, do you think you can do something?" Sani's confused, chewing her lip, but she nods, since she understands the question. Rin says,

"If you see Kakashi getting sad again, can you do me a favor, and give him a hug for me?" Sani nods and Rin ruffles her hair before heading out. Sani climbs back onto the bed, where Kakashi is laying on his side, facing the wall. With a soft sigh, he turns his eye to her, and it makes her sad to see him sad. Sani yawns, and then lies down, snuggling down into Kakashi's chest, and he wraps an arm around her. The two of them end up laying there on the bed for a while, just napping off and on. And as Rin asked her, whenever she sees Kakashi looking sad again, she gives him another hug, which seems to cheer him up some.

That night, after Kakashi and Sani have had supper and Sani a bath and changed into her pajamas, Fugaku arrives to pick Sani up. When Kakashi lets him into the quiet apartment Sani's asleep on the bed, wrapped up in a purple blanket, her stuffed bunny tucked under one small arm. Kakashi watches quietly as Fugaku approaches the bed.

"Arigatou Kakashi, for looking after her for us for the night." Fugaku says softly as he lifts her into his arms. Kakashi nods, handing him her small backpack as well. Fugaku takes it, nodding at Kakashi, and then heading from the apartment and back through Konoha and home. When he reaches the district, the gates are opened, and then locked behind him, guards nodding at him as he passes, and he heads to the house, going inside.

Mikoto takes Sani from his arms, heading back to the bedrooms. When she lays her in her bed, Sani curls on her side, sighing a bit in her sleep, hugging the stuffed rabbit. Mikoto then leaves the room, blowing out the lamp on the way. After she leaves, Itachi slips into the room, climbing onto the bed and curling up beside Sani, happy she's back, where he can be with her again, and not away from her.

Over the next few days, Kakashi begins his training with the Uchiha cousin to control and hone his new Sharingan eye. Itachi and Sani often go to watch him train and they know that he likes to have them around too. They're currently watching him try to get the hang of copying a few smaller jutsus, which to the cousin's surprise he manages quite easily.

“I can't wait to get my Sharingan.” Itachi says as he and Sani settle in the shade of a large old tree, leaning against the thick trunk. Sani nods,

“Hai, I can't either.” As she leans her head on his shoulder, the two of then cheering as Kakashi masters another jutsu and grins.

“Impressive, Kakashi.” A praising voice suddenly says, and the four of them turn, finding none other than Minato Namikaze, Konoha's Yellow Flash and Kakashi's sensei standing not that far away from them. Kakashi smiles and nods,

“Arigatou, Minato-sensei.” He says, and the blond man chuckles and nods, coming to sit down on the grass beside Itachi and Sani.

“Mind if I join you?” he asks, and Itachi says,

“Not at all.” And Sani smiles and nods too. Minato smiles too, settling comfortably onto the grass, watching Kakashi train. Shusui soon shows up as well, his mother behind him, bearing a tray with drinks and snacks for the kids, plus bento boxes for Kakashi and Asaki, the cousin. Minato calls the two over for a break, sipping a glass of iced tea as they come over and settle on the grass, both taking a bento and chopsticks and beginning to eat. Shusui's mother heads back home, and the three kids talk happily to Kakashi and Minato as they eat, though Asaki is quiet, barely saying anything.

Sani and Itachi lean into each other a bit, but they look over when they hear Minato begin to talk to Asaki about the war currently going on, asking.

“Will the Uchiha be fighting in the war?” and Asaki frowns, saying

“We might, I do not know if Lord Fugaku wants to fight, but if he does I know all of the Uchiha civilians, elderly and children will be sent to the hideouts for safety. Sani looks at Itachi, both of them curious, Hideouts? They try not to make it obvious that they're listening, and Asaki is unaware, even though Minato catches on to them, but decides to remain quiet about it. Soon enough Konoha will likely be pulled into the Ninja war, whether she wants to get into it or not.

A couple of weeks later, Sani and Itachi are outside again, watching Kakashi training with his temporary sensei, Asaki. He's working on copying much harder jutsu now, and as Minato had feared, the war is coming to Konoha. Fugaku is already making plans to send those of the clan who are unable to fight, civilians, the elderly and the children to the four Uchiha hideouts, one for each compass direction. Sani and Itachi don't want to leave Kakashi and their other friends too, but they know safety is priority, especially with Itachi being the clan heir. Mikoto will be going with them as well, as she had recently found out that she's pregnant again, and Fugaku wants her where it's safe so that no harm comes to her or the baby.

“I don't wanna go away.” Sani says sadly, and Itachi nods too, wrapping an arm around her as they lean against the tree, watching Kakashi.

“Me either.” He says, leaning his head against her shoulder. They continue to talk together, as they watch Kakashi, even though young, the two of them understand each other quite well for their age. As Kakashi and Asaki soon come over to eat, they notice other district families seem to be preparing as well, sealing up windows and doors, and packing up carts to get ready to go to the hideouts. Mikoto and Shusui's mother are packing the head family's cart; Shusui will be coming with them, since his parents are staying to fight. Itachi and Sani sigh, knowing they will be leaving at daybreak tomorrow.

“I'm gonna miss you kids.” Kakashi says softly, reaching over to ruffle Itachi and Sani's hair as they look at him. He smiles slightly as they both scoot over and curl up at his sides, leaning up against him as they sadly watch their mother and aunt pack the cart to travel. Food, and other supplies like blankets, a first aid kit and medicine, clothes and everything they'd need. Mikoto also slips the kids' training gear into the kart as well, since Fugaku asked her to make sure the kids keep up their training while at the hideout. Kakashi keeps his arms around the kids, Asaki notices too, but doesn't say anything, though he does keep glancing at them. Kakashi sets his now finished bento box down, along with his chopsticks, and settles back against the tree, and he asks,

“Will you kids be okay?” and Sani and Itachi both lift their heads to look at him, nodding a bit, and then resting their heads back down, again watching the cart sadly. Kakashi sighs a bit, he wishes they didn't have to go either, they're like the little siblings he'd never had and he loves having them around, but he knows Fugaku wants them as safe as possible.

After Asaki finishes his lunch, and he and Kakashi train some more, Asaki heads back to make sure his sister and her family are ready to go, and Kakashi brings Itachi and Sani back to their house, sitting with them on the porch.

“Look after each other, alright?” he says, and both kids nod, and then they both tell him,

“Be safe.” And Kakashi nods, hugging them both.

“You know I will.” The kids return the hug, and then head inside when Mikoto opens the door, they pause and turn, waving to Kakashi, and then go inside, the door closing after them. Once they are out of sight, Kakashi turns and heads from the district, back to his apartment to go to bed and get some needed rest.

The next morning, Mikoto has the kids up early and dressed, doing a few last minute things to make sure they're ready to go. Fugaku gives them each a hug, ruffling their hair lightly, and then he pulls Mikoto into a kiss, a hand on her still flat stomach.

“Stay safe, all of you.” He says, and Mikoto nods, hugging him back.

“We will, I promise.” Fugaku nods and they go outside, where Itachi and Sani see several clan families getting into the carts for the trip. Shusui is already sitting on their cart, his parents off to the side of it, talking. Mikoto climbs up onto the cart with Fugaku's help, and then he lifts up both of the kids up as well, settling them down. Shusui settles with them, and Mikoto climbs into the driver's seat, taking the reins and whip to guide the pair of oxen that are ready to pull the cart, snorting and tossing their heads a bit.

The families all say goodbye to their loved ones that are staying behind, then the carts begin to move, Mikoto in the lead to guide the procession to the Northern hideout. Three other processions break off as well, heading to the Eastern, Western and Southern hideouts, effectively splitting the large clan into four smaller groups, guards with each group for protection. The head elders had decided that they felt smaller groups sent to each of the four hideouts was safer for the people going, instead of one large group sent to one hideout, which would be harder to protect and easier to find. The carts soon disappear from view, and Kakashi sighs a bit, talking with Asaki a moment before he heads back to his apartment.

Soon, Itachi, Sani and Shusui have crawled up toward the front of the cart where Mikoto is, to look around at the scenery, curious. Mikoto smiles, slapping the reins lightly against the rough hide of the oxen's backs. After a bit, the kids are getting restless, so Mikoto stops the cart and lets them down, an older cousin from the cart behind them also hops down to walk with them for a bit, since they need to burn off some energy. Itachi and Sani laugh as they run beside the carts, chasing each other and just having fun. The cousin stays close to the kids, making sure they don't go too far with their current game of tag, chasing each other around the carts and trees, laughing.

When they tire after a while, the cousin chuckles at them yawning and he lifts them up one by one and settles them back onto Mikoto's cart. They thank him sleepily and curl up in some of the blankets. Mikoto smiles, glancing back at them a moment, then turning back to the road as the oxen continues to plod along.

A few days into the journey, the kids are again racing around the carts happily, enjoying a new game of tag, when suddenly the oxen snort and toss their heads, stamping their feet in agitation. Itachi and Sani back away from them, not wanting to be kicked, while Shusui runs to get the cousin who watches them to tell him something's wrong on Mikoto's request. Soon the thick, coppery smell of blood fills the air, and Mikoto frowns, calling back to the carts,

“Kids inside! Quickly!” and the families nod, gathering kids who were playing on the ground as Sani and Itachi were and placing them back into the carts. Itachi and Sani though, curious as they are, start to wander off to the side of the path, wanting to know who could be hurt that it smells like blood so much. Mikoto sees them disappear into the bushes and her eyes widen.

“Kosa! The kids!” She yells to the cousin, pointing to the bushes where the two had gone through. He frowns and hurries after them, noting how worried Mikoto is. Itachi and Sani wind their way through twisting bushes and trees, coming to a huge, open field, and they both just freeze, their eyes widening and their faces going pale. The field is littered with bodies, they can see Konoha insignias on some, Stone on others and Wave on a few more, there's weapons everywhere, broken and not, and so much blood. The stench in the air is thick with it. The two kids stand there, shocked at the sight, and they reach for each other's hands, their small bodies trembling in fear and shock.

“S-so many…” Itachi mumbles, and Sani nods, and when Kosa finds them, they're standing at the same spot, silent as they stare out at the mass destruction. He frowns, kneeling down in front of them.

“Itachi-san? Sani-chan?” he asks in concern, but both kids remain silent, staring in almost an empty daze.

“Kuso!” he curses, frowning “we should have been far from the battle zone!” He scoops up both kids and hurries back to the carts, becoming even more worried when neither kid gives a response or movement. Mikoto frowns worriedly when she sees the kids in his arms, and he sets them down, saying to her.

“They… found the battlefield… the sight seems to have put them into shock. The scene was so much destruction and death.” And she gasps, her eyes widening with worry. Shusui frowns, trying to shake his cousins and looking over at Kosa and Mikoto with teary eyes when neither child gives any response. Kosa sighs, writing quickly on a scroll and then summoning a brown messenger hawk, sending it off immediately with the scroll in the pouch on its back. Mikoto sighs worriedly, letting Kosa take over driving the cart so she can sit with the kids. Shusui and Itachi and Sani are sitting in the blankets, Shusui looking worried as Itachi and Sani seem to be staring ahead without really seeing.

“Oba-chan, are they in shock?” he asks Mikoto, and she nods sadly, saying.

“Hai, they saw something very, very bad.” She says worriedly as she rubs their backs gently, settling down and pulling them onto her lap. Shusui watches sadly, hating to see his cousins hurting in any way. Itachi and Sani curl up a little bit, but remain silent, still in a bit of a numb like trance, the shock of what they'd seen too much for their young minds. Mikoto sighs, battle is never something young children should see, and even children destined to become shinobi should never witness battle and violence of this magnitude at such a young age. She knows its two more days before they reach the hideout they're headed for, and that the medic Kuso had just sent for won't arrive for at least four more, even traveling at shinobi speed.

When they stop to camp for the night, Mikoto has guards make sure no kids leave the camp to wander off at all. Not wanting any more kids to witness the scene Itachi and Sani had found by accident. Mikoto sighs a bit as she stirs the stew she's making, glancing over at Itachi and Sani, who are silently watching the fire, as if watching something only they can see, and she also notices how they still hold onto each other's hands too, never seeming to want to let go of each other. When it's ready she hands Shusui a bowl, then sits down with Itachi and Sani, a second and third bowl beside her. She remembers how she pretty much had to feed Sani to get her to eat after they found her until she started coming around, so she knows how to get the kids to stay nourished.

Shusui watches his aunt and cousins as he eats, watching how she brings a spoonful to Itachi's lips, easing it into his mouth, then uses her other hand to gently massage down his throat to encourage him to swallow. She repeats this with both kids until their bowls are mostly empty, and gets them to drink some water the same way as well too, a curious Shusui still watching them, intent to know how his aunt is doing this in case the need arises for him to help her. He notices that a while afterward she also uses a small bit of chakra to soothe his cousins to sleep as well, one where they won't have nightmares he hopes.

A few more days pass, around four as Shusui has counted, and his cousins are still not doing well. They have to be fed by Mikoto, and any movements they do make are almost robotic, the two of them seem to be numb to the world.

“Oba-chan, how long will they be like this?” he asks at breakfast on the fourth day. Mikoto's eyes sadden a bit, and she says softly,

“It's hard to tell, Sani has been like this once before, and it took her a couple weeks to come out of it.” Shusui nods sadly, watching his cousins curled up by the fire, they've been now at the hideout for two days. Shusui sits down with Itachi and Sani for lunch, feeding them the way Mikoto showed him since she's busy with clan affairs at the moment. None of them notice a figure watching from the shadows, curious about the state of the two kids. Shusui finishes giving them their lunch, then eats his own after making sure both are okay, and hoping they come out of this stupor soon so he can have his cousins back. He eats his own meal, and then takes the dishes back to the kitchen to be washed, depositing them on a table before heading back to his cousins.

“Hey you two, I'm back.” He says softly as he sits back down with Itachi and Sani, he tries to talk to them as often as possible; Mikoto does as well, hoping to get a response out of them to something they say. Shusui sighs, gazing around the hideout at the families huddled around different fires, since the rooms still have to be cleaned out from years of disuse. He fixes their blankets, and then settles back, gazing at the fire tiredly. He's still gazing at it later on when a shadow falls over him, and he looks up to see the Uchiha's head medic and Mikoto.

“I was able to get here faster than planned.” The young woman says as she kneels in front of the two kids, then she continues,

“Do you know exactly what it was they saw?” and a voice says softly before Mikoto can answer her,

“What they saw, was a massacre.” They turn to see Kosa standing there, watching the kids worriedly. “They went off wandering and found a battlefield; it was a total massacre, and one of the worst even I've seen in my life.” He finishes. The medic frowns a bit, nodding as she starts checking the kids while Mikoto, Shusui and Kosa all watch her. Mikoto chews her lip as she watches her and the medic soon sits back,

“Hai, they are in shock. It seems to be about the same level of shock Sani was in when you took her in last year, they should come out of it in roughly the same amount of time. Mikoto nods, sighing in relief, Kosa and Shusui both smile too, relieved as well. The medic decides to stay with the family to keep an eye on Itachi and Sani, after handing out messages to the rest of the families from shinobi members back in Konoha.

The medic eases the two kids to sleep with gentle chakra, then moves to her own sleeping mat as Mikoto gets Itachi and Sani settled in theirs, making sure they aren't far from each other. Shusui tugs his mat closer to his cousins' as well, wanting to stay near them, wanting to be there when they come out of it and wake up. Mikoto lies down as well after she makes sure all of the other families are settled for the night and that guards are posted at every one of the building's entrances and exits. The medic, Miya, settles down on her mat as well, also not far from the kids just in case anything happens during the night. Shusui falls asleep not too long after, curled on his side facing his two cousins.

No one seems to notice the figure still hidden in the shadows, the silent figure who has never taken his eyes off the Uchiha and Ukishira heirs. He knows what the girl is; he's been watching the kids for a while now. He sighs quietly, hoping the two young prodigies come out of this soon, he wants to watch them train some more, so that he can know when to make his move to them. He watches them a moment more, then vanishes into the shadows, a small flash of bloody crimson red vanishes in the darkness where no one sees. The softest of dark laughter follows in the wake of the blood red and still night.

The next morning, the medic again checks Itachi and Sani, watching as Mikoto gets them to eat some soup for breakfast, then after, she goes with Mikoto and Shusui as they guide both kids on a walk. Itachi and Sani don't resist the movement, going along with it, but the two of them still remain silent, eyes gazing ahead of them.

As the next couple weeks pass, that same procedure continues, with Sani and Itachi slowly recovering. The medic also checks them every day, making sure that each day they get a walk as well, as the physical stimulation keeps them moving. Mikoto and Shusui continue to take care of them, and as the days pass they respond more and more, starting to swallow on their own, looking around a bit at things on their walks, until finally one day when Shusui brings them their breakfast, they both smile at him. He whoops in relief and hugs them both tightly, and they return the hugs. Itachi then says softly.

“Arigatou, for taking care of us.” And Sani nods as well. Shusui smiles and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Ano... it was nothing.” Itachi and Sani smile again, settling with him by the fire. When Mikoto comes over later they both hug her too, and Itachi says.

“Kaa-san, I don't want to fight, I don't like it.” Sani nods too,

“I don't like it either.” She says, taking Itachi's hand. Mikoto nods, saying,

“You don't have to if you don't want to, but if the time comes when you need to, you'll have to put those fears aside.” The kids both nod, taking the bowls of noodles she brought them and they start to eat. Mikoto smiles as she watches the kids eat, just relieved that Itachi and Sani are doing so much better. After relaxing for a while, Sani and Itachi ask for their training kits, even though they don't want to fight battles, they agree they want to keep up their training, so Shusui smiles and digs his out as well, Mikoto gives Itachi and Sani theirs, and Kosa takes them to the hideout's training grounds.