Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight ❯ Mission Accomplished ( Chapter 16 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 10 :Mission Accomplished

Konohagakure Town Square, 11:30 PMÉ

ÒIs everybody here already?Ó called out Shizune, checking the presence of the 5 kages, and the Jounins. There was a murmur of agreement in response to her earlier question.

ÒKakashi, open the portal,Ó muttered Tsunade. ÒWe need to leave as soon as possible.Ó

Kakashi nodded and snapped his book shut. He has been reading under the lamplight of the streets, snickering quietly to himself as he read the contents of the perverted book.

He walked over to the middle of the square, before performing several ordinary seals, and then some runic seals. And then he wrote the runic for ÔHoseki no YamaÕ. A portal opened in the middle, glowing a bright blue light and illuminating the whole span of the square.

ÒLadies first,Ó Kakashi, said, letting through the Hokage first, then Shizune and Kurenai, before letting the other kages follow as well as the Jounins.

As he stepped through it, the portal drew to a close and the illuminating light disappeared from the square, returning the silence and darkness to rule over the rest of Konoha for the night.

OoOoOoOoO
Hoseki no YamaÉ

Rei had returned to reading up some other books while leaving the Uchiha book to Sasuke for further study and reading. Shikamaru had engaged in a game of Go with Neji, who had returned from the training and FukaiÕs scolding. Sakura was sitting beside Sasuke, silently singing to the poor, stressed boy while Naruto was devouring HinataÕs special dessert prepared especially for him. Fukai was simply sitting beside Neji, occasionally prodding him and giving him tips about the game.

ÒMove that piece, move that piece, quick! HeÕs gonna eat it!Ó muttered Fukai frantically, her arm slung around NejiÕs neck.

ÒI know, I know, IÕm not blind or dumb, you know,Ó sighed Neji, moving the piece.

ÒHa! I win!Ó said Shikamaru, moving another piece of his and winning the game. ÒYou fell into my trap!Ó

ÒNot fair playing against a genius,Ó pouted Fukai cutely. Neji chuckled, prodding her pert nose.

ÒIn a game, thereÕs no fair or biased fight É only the winner and the loser,Ó said Neji preached, making Fukai pout even more. Ino barged into the room noisily, humming her way to Shikamaru. She saw the game.

ÒYou shouldnÕt have played against him, nobody can beat him in Go,Ó laughed Ino, ruffling ShikamaruÕs hair. He grumbled, rearranging his ponytail.

Soon after, Shino, Shuta and Kogure, Lee, and Tenten walked into the room along with the other ninjas left for the base. Sasuke opened her eyes and shifted in SakuraÕs lap.

ÒAny reports?Ó he asked.

ÒKiba and Chouji are still waiting for the nins. They should be here any minute nowÉÓ said Lee, walking over to the sofa and collapsing. ÒSo tiringÉÓ

ÒDid the kages get our message?Ó asked Tenten.

ÒYeah, they should be here any minute nowÉÓ said Shikamaru, lazily flopping back on the beanbag heÕs been sitting on and munching on a cracker.

Just then, a portal opened in the west side of the room, making everybody look at it. Sasuke sat up from SakuraÕs lap, straightening his posture in the sofa. Tsunade passed through first, her eyes still adjusting to the light of the room. She was followed by several others, the last to be Kakashi before the portal closed.

The kages looked around the well-furnished, cozy-looking place.

ÒNot what they expected, I suppose,Ó muttered Neji. ÒTheyÕre the kages and the Jounins from Konoha and the other countries.Ó

ÒOh,Ó said Fukai, cocking her head to the side.

ÒWelcome, guys,Ó said Sakura, smiling slightly. ÒI suppose youÕve received our message?Ó

ÒYesÉ and we want a status report,Ó said the Raikage. They sat around the other vacant sofa, waiting for SasukeÕs explanation.

ÒEverything seems to be fine,Ó said Tsunade, looking around. ÒThough I cant see anybody working. Why is that?Ó

ÒActually,Ó Sasuke started. ÒEverybody is in action. We are just taking a 15-minute break from work, since weÕve been working overtime ever since we discovered that the enemy is close by. 3 of the Departments are out in patrol, and the other base Departments are working on new ways to improve the abilities of the nins in battle. The Assassination Squad is on a one-hour rest from their constant extreme training.Ó

ÒBut you have done no course of action in particular? Apart from the patrols, I mean,Ó asked Tsunade.

ÒWeÉÓ said Sasuke, picking out a cracker and taking a bite. ÒÉhave sent two teams of nins to infiltrate the enemyÕs base. They are experts in disguise, and they come from the Traps, Larceny and Deception Department. They will be arriving shortly.Ó

ÒWait, wait,Ó said the Raikage. ÒYou mean you made that kind of direct action without even consulting us?Ó

ÒWell, honestly, the communication processes from here to Konoha can be disrupted by the enemy. It never hurts to be cautious,Ó said Sakura. ÒBesides, you cant get here that quickly, even through portal. I assume you will arrive here an hour after we discover the enemy, and that will be a lot of time wasted.Ó

ÒEvery second here counts,Ó pointed out Naruto, gulping down the last of the caramel sundae he was eating. (a/n: My favoriteÉ yumÉ)

ÒButÉ how can you be so sure that theseÉ kidsÉ can infiltrate the base without being detected? I mean, simple Henge cannot trick the Sound nins! We could have at least sent out Jounins!Ó said the Tsuchikage.

Sasuke sighed, shifting position in the sofa to face them. ÒThese kids, as you have kindly put it, are expertsÉ you see, they are far more efficient than the Jounins you are so proud of.Ó

ÒStill, they are still kids, with lack of experience. I highly doubt that they will bring any useful information from their scout inside the enemy quarters. In the worst case scenario, they can be captured.Ó

Sasuke sighed and leaned back, relaxing his neck. ÒFineÉ suit yourselfÉÓ he shrugged. ÒI have far more problems to take care of than your disbelief in the abilities of your own nins.Ó

Just then footsteps resounded from the tunnel leading to the TLD Dept.

ÒLooks like theyÕre here already,Ó snorted Naruto, gulping down his second sundae.

The two teams emerged, led by Kiba and Chouji, both having smug looks on their faces. Sasuke stood up.

ÒMission status?Ó asked Sasuke.

ÒMission accomplished, sir,Ó said Mou. ÒWe have everything you wanted.Ó

Naruto grinned from ear to ear. Then he looked at the Raikage. ÒYou highly doubted what?Ó Raikage flushed at this comment.

ÒAlright then,Ó said Sakura, straightening as well. ÒRelay information and data collected, as well as the samples. Yuki, Rei, and Shinju, listen very carefully and take down information that you might see useful in your fields. Tenten, Ino, Shino, collect the taken samples. Shikamaru, take the scrolls and documents, weÕll study them later on.Ó

ÒI assume weÕll have somebody to assassinate now,Ó Gaara said in a monotone voice. Sasuke nodded.

Mou took out the bag of medicines from her pocket. ÒThese are the medicines and antidotes they developed from their Medical Lab. I took one sample of each antidote and medicine, as well as the lotions and ointments. Here,Ó said Mou, handing it over to Ino, who smiled as she laid out the test tubes one by one on the table.

ÒSweet,Ó she smiled. ÒWeÕll have antidotes for their poisonsÉÓ

Tsunade raised her brow. ÒWere there any difficulties during the job?Ó

ÒWell, I think the head had a hunch that there was something in the labsÉÓ said Mou. ÒBut she cant see me, and she cant hear me, thoughÉ I didnÕt train advanced shinobi-iri for nothingÉÓ

ÒJob well done,Ó said Sasuke.

ÒArigato, Yami-sama,Ó smiled Mou. She moved over for Akane. Ino started to collect the medicines and put them back in the bag.

Akane took out her bag of stolen poisons and potions from the Chemical Lab. ÒThese are poisons and potions they have in the Chem Lab, one of each kind. I even got samples from their newest find. There was no difficulties in the mission, apart from the part where I feigned coughing from the sleeping gasÉÓ

Shino took the bag and one by one examined the poisons, raising it to the light. He frowned and then took off his shades, revealing for the first time deep and endless jet black eyes. He squinted, examining the poison.

ÒThis is weird,Ó muttered Shino. ÒIts made of human blood,Ó he concluded, pointing to the clear liquid inside.

ÒHuman blood? EwwwwÉÓ muttered Naruto.

ÒOf courseÉ When taken in, human blood is dangerous to the system, and it can act as poison if you take in a lot, or when it is doused and mixed with an alkaline chemical,Ó said Ino knowingly.

ÒYes, it acts and destroys the walls of the intestine slowly,Ó said Hinata. (a/n: I heard that from my nurse cousinÉ)

Shino nodded, putting his shades back on. ÒIÕll work on it later.Ó

Ichi walked forward and retrieved the heavy bag from behind his back. ÒThese are the samples of the weapons they have. I got one from each, though I had a run-in with one of the guardsÉ no matter though, he didnÕt see meÉ I guess he was drunk coz he collapsed before he could see me.Ó

Tenten got the bag from him and opened the latch, looking inside. She quirked an eyebrow. ÒLook at this,Ó she smirked. She pulled out a foot-long rod. She pressed a button on it and it elongated. Another button, it opened a hatch where you can hide medicine and poison. Other hatches held small scrolls and small gadgets, as well as shurikens. ÒItÕs the same kind weÕve been developing.Ó

ÒWell then make adjustments to our advantage,Ó said Sasuke.

ÒSure thing,Ó muttered Tenten, retracting the rod and rummaging in the bag.

Kichi walked in front of his brother and proceeded to Shikamaru. He took off the backpack and handed it to Shikamaru. ÒThose are blueprints and documents, as well as other important scrolls. It wasnÕt that difficult, seeing as their stock room was unprotected. ThereÕs one scroll there that cites the heads of the departments and their abilities. SSA can use it.Ó

Shikamaru nodded. He rummaged for a moment, before pulling out one scroll. He opened it, to reveal the blueprint of the base.

ÒYuki!Ó he called. Yuki came forward. ÒDo your thing.Ó

Yuki nodded before sitting beside Rei, who was listening intently.

ÒMy turn,Ó said Konohamaru, grinning ala-Naruto. ÒI found out that there are more or less a thousand Sound and Shadow nins there. They seem to be very confident of themselves, and they said that most of the nins there at camp are veterans in battle. There are many high-ranking nins, and most of them are said to be A to S-class criminals. They will be attacking in 4 days time. I also found out that there are foot nins nearby Konoha and they will be attacking in 6 days time. They are numerous in number, but most of them are easy enough to defeat.Ó

Sasuke nodded. Ò4 daysÉ We have 4 days to shatter their plans and plan our own counter-strike,Ó said Sasuke, thinking. ÒTsunade-sama, I suggest you mobilize your army at Konoha and get ready, but donÕt be too open and donÕt let the enemy know that you know theyÕre present.Ó

Tsunade nodded. Shizune scribbled away madly on a piece of paper, apparently arranging schedules and plans of actions.

Okune followed KonohamaruÕs speech. ÒI talked with Kabuto,Ó she said.

ÒWhat! Kabuto?Ó said the Tsuchikage, apparently shocked. ÒHowÉÓ

ÒHeÕs too soft,Ó snorted Okune. ÒEasy to get along with. He told me that they will be taking courses through the west side of the forest and they will attempt to reach the top of the mountain via walking. They think that there is a way to get in through the top. Kisume also spoke up and told me that the high-ranking ninjas are the only ones who know about the plan, so it means that the heads of the departments are the ones who we need to dispose of. I also saw Itachi and OrochimaruÉ Orochimaru seems to be in deep thought about their next actionsÉ Itachi seems to be edgyÉ he has suspicions. I heard a bit of their conversation. He said he wanted to see you, Uchiha-sama,Ó she said, directing the statement to Sasuke.

Sasuke frowned. The impact of the earlier discovery about the truth behind the massacre seemed too heavy to bear for Sasuke, and now thereÕs new information that Itachi wants to see him too.

ÒI seeÉÓ said Sasuke. He sighed. ÒWe canÕt see each other without starting a war, soÉ tough luck.Ó

ÒNo more, I suppose?Ó smiled Sakura.

ÒOh, and yeah, they have a crazy curfew of 8:00 PMÉ guess they donÕt want too much noise in the nightÉÓ said Konohamaru. ÒAnd they drink often too, so I suppose theyÕre always drunk.Ó

ÒYeah, I noticed,Ó Naruto snorted. ÒYou smell of sake.Ó

ÒAww, come on, its only sake,Ó snorted Konohamaru. ÒI wont get drunk so easily. Ah, another info is that the lower ranks of veteran nins are mad at the high rankings. We can use that bit of infoÉÓ

ÒHmmÉ well done, you guys,Ó said Sasuke after a moment of thinking. ÒYou can take some rest nowÉÓ

ÒThank goodness!Ó gushed Akane. ÒSome well deserved rest!Ó she exclaimed, yawning as she walked hurriedly to the showers in her quarters.

ÒIno, Shino, Tenten, go ahead and start the research. Mass produce antidotes and poisons, as well as the weapons stock. Go ahead,Ó ordered Sasuke. The three nodded and went off to their specified head quarters, followed by their subordinates.

ÒShikamaru, can you hand me the scroll that cites info on the heads of the departments?Ó asked Sasuke. Shikamaru rummaged inside the bag before pulling out a blue scroll.

Sasuke slipped down to sit on the floor cushion. Neji and Shikamaru sat either side of him, peering over the now opened scroll.

One by one the pictures of the heads appeared, as well as basic details and info on them. The kages watched with interest as the teens studied the scroll.

Neji motioned to Shinju. ÒYou have assessed the abilities of the SSA, right?Ó Neji said. Shinju nodded lazily and handed him several pieces of paper. ÒGood.Ó

After a few minutes of hushed discussion with Sasuke and Shikamaru, the 3 of them straightened up.

Gaara smirked and cracked his knuckles. He knew that they had assigned each member a person to assassinate.

ÒWe have assigned each of you someone to assassinate,Ó said Sasuke.

ÒAbout time,Ó snorted Aira.

ÒIts important you make sure your target is killed,Ó Neji said. ÒNo flaws, no mistakes. Whoever sees you must die. If you can, try to coax some info out of them. You can torture them as much as you want, just as long as the kill is sure. Wait for the perfect opportunity to kill them and remember, you do NOT take the kill if you arenÕt sure you can do it. NO hesitations. Constant vigilance. It must be Swift, Clean and Perfect. Remember everything weÕve trained.Ó

ÒGaara,Ó Sasuke called. Gaara slowly stepped forward. Sasuke handed him a copy of the picture of Hiromasa. ÒHeÕs the Head of the Squad of foot nins, named Hiromasa. He commands every single on of their actions. HeÕs an aggressive type of person, strong-willed and stubborn. HeÕs also pretty sharp, so be careful. HeÕs known for his unnatural strength.Ó

ÒNo problems,Ó Gaara said, reducing the picture to sand.

ÒShourai Ren,Ó Sasuke said. The boy stepped forward. ÒYouÕll assassinate Fujiko. SheÕs the head of the Medical Lab, and sheÕs pretty soft, so this shouldnÕt be that much of a problem. SheÕs known for her hunches that always seem to be correct, so be careful. She might prepare a trap for you. Also, sheÕs an expert at taijutsu, much like Lee.Ó

ÒOkay thenÉÓ muttered Ren, fingering the picture. He snorted. ÒPity, such a young and pretty ladyÉÓ

ÒShourai Mori,Ó Sasuke called. RenÕs twin brother came forward, twirling a kunai lazily in his hand. ÒKill Shizuku. Be careful, sheÕs a dangerous and cunning lady. She is said to have a jutsu that can read minds, so be careful when facing him. Clear your mind and focus on killing her. She also doused a kind of chemical on her skin, making it hard and resistant. You cant wound her by an ordinary hitÉ and her weakness isÉ the nape of her neck.Ó

ÒMm-hmmÉ nape? What a weird placeÉÓ snorted Mori, pocketing the picture.

ÒAkashi Kai. This is Nagara. HeÕs the head of the weapon departmentÉ so be careful. HeÕs good at setting traps, and it is said that he set traps around his place so that no one can enter without permission. HeÕs a sharp person, but heÕs always drunkÉ he likes alcohol. Find a night when you can kill him without anybody noticing, most probably when heÕs drunk.Ó

ÒAlcoholic? EhiÉ I hate him, thenÉÓ muttered Kai, folding the picture and stuffing it in his kunai holster.

ÒAmazaki HayateÉ you need to kill Seimei. HeÕs the head of the stocksÉ HeÕs a particularly meticulous person, so be careful, even one single thing you misplace, heÕll notice. He has a strong sense of hearing, and he can fight even when blindfolded, so donÕt rely too much on the dark. He can hear you even in shinobi-iri. Only way to defeat him is a jutsu.Ó

Hayate nodded, crumpling the picture and stuffing it carelessly to his pocket.

ÒKankurou, you kill Kanata. Careful with him, he likes mind gamesÉ heÕs very smart and he likes to set traps too. Sometimes his traps are jutsus meddling with the mind so be careful. It is essential that when you face him, you have a strong will, since he will say things to muddle your mind and set it on the wrong trackÉ heÕs a good persuaderÉÓ

Kankurou nodded wordlessly, looking at the picture carefully.

ÒKashin Rai, you will kill Okiya. She is the head of the base patrol section head. SheÕs definitely very lazy, and most of the times leave the work to her comrades, though she is very skilled in fighting. She has the sight of an eagle, so its useless to hide in the shadows. Kill her quickly before she can unleash her techniqueÉ its using sound waves to shatter your eardrumsÉÓ

Rai nodded. ÒPretty easyÉÓ

ÒNowÉ Yuri Aikawa and Taira AiraÉ you will kill Shurin and Mikai. Shurin and Mikai are often together, since it is said that they have a relationship. Both are deadly and cunning, and both are close to Orochimaru and Itachi. Shurin heads the scout patrol that goes around the forest, and he often goes with them, so it will be pretty hard finding them. Kill him, and the scout patrol will shatter. WeÕll have more added advantage to our side. Mikai, on the other hand, is a Battle Techniques SpecialistÉ she knows many complex techniques and teaches it to the nins. But often times she is with Shurin, on scout patrol. She is also very smart. Both of them are well-known missing nins, and they are renowned in the 5 countries as the Death Couple.Ó

ÒI never really expected theyÕd be involved here,Ó said Neji. ÒThey have broken records all over the 5 countries, and they are both S-class criminals. Since you two are the best in the league, I suggest you two get the job.Ó

ÒSounds impossible,Ó said Raikage. ÒYouÕre just kids. These are S-class criminals.Ó

Aikawa and Aira looked at each other and smirked. ÒSounds like fun,Ó snorted Aira, looking at MikaiÕs picture. In one go, she memorized the face, before burning the picture to ashes. Aikawa ripped the picture apart into pieces after memorizing it.

ÒWhen do we leave?Ó asked Gaara.

ÒYou can proceed now. Its up to you how you kill them, just make sure,Ó Neji said. The nine of them disappeared with a large chorus of pops and thick white smoke.

ÒThey are exceptional fighters, I admit,Ó said Neji. ÒEven I am surprised with them.Ó

ÒIf youÕll see their medical records, your eyes will pop,Ó said Sakura.

ÒWhy is that?Ó asked Kakashi, speaking up at last.

ÒWell, you see, most of them already experienced extreme injuries, like severed vital arteries and veins, gashes the length of a ruler, broken bonesÉ sometimes even shattered bones,Ó Hinata said silently. ÒLucky I know how to cure it by using chakra and runic techniques, or else, theyÕll be cripple forever.Ó

ÒTake for example that girl, Aira,Ó said Sakura. ÒDuring sparring I gave her a major concussion, 4 broken ribs, a crushed left hand, acute internal hemorrhage and several deep and long gashes on the abdomen and the back.Ó

ÒYeah, that was really a shock,Ó Hinata chuckled. ÒThe girl didnÕt even say ÔouchÕ once when I cured her. I managed to repair her bones and the gashes easily, but the internal bleeding and concussion was hard. I performed a forbidden runic jutsu to cure her. The technique is very painful; its like the patient is being electrocuted in a barrel of water and burned at the same time. But she just screwed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, never saying a single thing.Ó

ÒThe next day, she was up and training again,Ó Neji smirked.

ÒWhatÕs really surprising there is she managed to stay awake,Ó said Lee, who was still there, listening to the conversation. ÒA concussion and acute internal hemorrhageÉ thatÕs pretty intense, dontcha think?Ó

ÒAre they even human?Ó asked Kurenai.

Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata and Sakura looked at each other. ÒI donÕt know,Ó they said simultaneously, shrugging. ÒWeÕre just lucky theyÕre on our side. TheyÕre dangerous on the other side.Ó

ÒAikawa managed to wound me onceÉ its not very deep, but considering my techniqueÉ heÕs really very good,Ó said Sasuke.

ÒYeah, actually, I like that guy,Ó said Neji.

The Tsuchikage spoke up. ÒHas Gaara been behaving properly? No bloody incidents or anything?Ó he asked.

ÒAs long as IÕm here, he wont freak out,Ó snorted Naruto. ÒI can calm him downÉÓ

ÒYeah,Ó nodded Sasuke. ÒApart from a few dead wild wolves around the vicinityÉ there have been no incidents whatsoeverÉÓ

ÒGood,Ó sighed the Tsuchikage in relief.

ÒI pity the one heÕs going to kill,Ó Kakashi said, flipping his book open again.

ÒKakashi-sensei, cant you get enough of that book?Ó Sasuke sighed in exasperation.

ÒNo.Ó

ÒDoes that book go on forever or are you just a slow reader?Ó Sakura said sarcastically.

ÒNeither.Ó

ÒAh, Kakashi-sensei, IÕll give you something to look at!Ó Naruto said. He performed the Sexy no Jutsu and there was a lot of blood flowing out of a lot of noses. Naruto roared with laughter the rest of the day.

OoOoOoOoO

ÒAhÉÓ Orochimaru said, twirling his favorite kunai around. ÒSomething is bothering the great Uchiha ItachiÉÓ he spoke in his sleazy voice. (a/n: He likes kunais, doesnÕt he? Hey, what does PMS mean? Pls answer in a reviewÉ)

Itachi sighed. He took out a kunai and threw it at the wall, impaling a leaf blown by the wind and pinning it on the wall.

ÒSomethingÕs wrong,Ó said Itachi. ÒI can feel it. SomethingÕs terribly wrong.Ó

ÒKabuto, status report,Ó Orochimaru snapped. Kabuto appeared in a puff of smoke in front of him.

ÒEverything is going fine, sir, nothing seems to be amiss,Ó he said smoothly, adjusting his glasses.

ÒSee? NothingÕs wrong,Ó Orochimaru said.

ÒI donÕt know,Ó Itachi said, his eyes narrowing. ÒMy intelligent little brother is planning something and I donÕt like the feeling of itÉÓ

ÒHow do you know they are planning something?Ó asked Kabuto.

ÒBlood ties, Kabuto,Ó Itachi said. ÒHeÕs my brother. Maybe he doesnÕt remember it, but his chakra patterns are almost completely similar to mine. I can feel his emotionsÉ its in the air.Ó

ÒAh, so you were closeÉÓ Orochimaru said.

ÒWell, heÕs the only person who practically adored Uchiha Itachi, the disgrace to the clan,Ó snorted Itachi.

Then, just as suddenly, he startled Kabuto by snapping his eyes open with the Mangekyou, a smirk slowly spreading across his face.

ÒWhat?Ó asked Orochimaru.

ÒOh, nothingÉ nothing,Ó said Itachi, chuckling. He wants to see meÉ He learned the truth alreadyÉ Ah, foolish little brother, it took you this long to find out?

Itachi stood up and walked out towards the forest, disappearing into the darkness. ÒDonÕt even think about following.Ó

He walked and walked until he was about 50 meters away from the base. The occasional rays of dappled moonlight illuminated his features, accentuating his face, which was just as handsome as his famous brotherÕs. The Mangekyou allowed him to evade the paths of several hunting wild wolves and boars and other wild animals during the night.

He stopped in a clearing, momentarily looking up to the cloudless night sky. The stars twinkled pleasantly above him, reminding him of memories from the past when he lived in Konoha, protecting his brother dutifully from the clan council.

Flashback---

Itachi carried his exhausted little brother in his back, slowly making his way home.

ÒNii-chan, do you think I can be as strong as you are one day?Ó asked Sasuke innocently, looking sideways to his older brother.

ÒOf course you can,Ó muttered Itachi as they entered the Uchiha grounds. ÒYou can be even stronger than me.Ó

ÒNah, I donÕt think I can be stronger!Ó Sasuke said, grinning. ÒYouÕre the best, nii-chan!Ó he exclaimed, his stubby arms tightening its grip around his brotherÕs neck. He was very proud to have had a strong and talented brother like him, and apparently, he idolized him.

ÒRemember your promise earlier, Sasuke,Ó said Itachi as the house of the main family came into view. ÒNever listen to what they say. Even father. Alright?Ó

ÒOf course, nii-chan,Ó grinned Sasuke, resting his head against his brotherÕs. Sasuke liked this kind side of his brother better. He hoped that tomorrow he could train with him again. ÒCan we train again tomorrow, nii-chan?Ó

ÒSure thing,Ó Itachi replied, stepping up to the door. ÒOpen the door, otouto.Ó

Sasuke reached out with one hand to the knob and turned it silently, pushing the door open. Itachi walked in carefully and kicked the door close, proceeding straight to the stairs. But before he could even take a step up the stairs, his fatherÕs voice stopped him.

ÒWhere have you been?Ó he asked sternly. ÒYou have displeased the elders greatly by your behavior earlier! You too, Sasuke!Ó

ÒH-huh? What did I do?Ó asked Sasuke, turning his head around to face his father. His mother looked like she had cried.

ÒSasuke didnÕt know what was happening, father,Ó said Itachi. ÒHeÕs too innocent to be scolded. He didnÕt do anything wrong.Ó

ÒHe shouted at the elders, for goodnessÕ sake!Ó boomed his father.

Itachi put Sasuke down carefully. The little boy stood beside Itachi innocently, refusing to leave his brotherÕs side. Their father continued to shout at them, scolding verbally.

ÒHe disrespected the elders and almost threatened them! HeÕs grown enough to understand what is right and what is wrong! Its no excuse that heÕs just a kid!Ó shouted their father, glaring at Sasuke.

Sasuke whimpered and cowered behind Itachi, clutching his pants. He shrank behind ItachiÕs shadow, attempting to escape the scorching glare of his father. Sasuke knew ever since the beginning that his father particularly favored Itachi than him. That was before they found out that Itachi had the abnormal power. It hurt even for the kid to see his father mad at him, while he did everything to make them proud of him, even just a tiny bit, even if it wasnÕt like ItachiÕs.

ÒI repeat, father. There is nothing wrong with what he did. He just stood up for what he believed in. If thatÕs considered a wrong thing to do, then heck, nobody should be alive right now,Ó snorted Itachi. ÒIf thatÕs a wrong thing to do, well then youÕll have to kill yourself and everybody around you, because theyÕre all doing the wrong thing.Ó

Itachi turned around and picked Sasuke up, carrying him up the rest of the stairs to their room. (a/n: LetÕs just say they share a room.)

As he closed the door, he put Sasuke down. ÒSasuke, go on and take a shower. After that weÕll eat dinner downstairs, okay? IÕll take a shower too.Ó

ÒAlright,Ó Sasuke said, nodding. The little boy headed off. After showering, he got out dressed in his sleeping clothes, to find his older brother half-naked inside the room, drying his hair with a large towel.

ÒSasuke?Ó Itachi called, setting down the towel and slipping into a black shirt before sitting down on the bed. Sasuke scampered to his brother, climbing on the bed beside his brother. ÒRemember, Sasuke, you cannot trust anybody in the clan, except me. Okay?Ó

ÒOkay!Ó grinned Sasuke. Then the grin faded. ÒDemoÉ nande ka?Ó (a/n: ButÉ why?)

ÒYouÕll understand, someday,Ó said Itachi, poking his forehead. Sasuke looked bewildered, but nodded nonetheless. Then Itachi opened the window, just in time for Sasuke to see a shooting star.

ÒA shooting star! IÕll make a wish! Make a wish too, nii-chan!Ó Sasuke said excitedly, fidgeting as he closed his eyes and made his wish.

Itachi shook his head at his brotherÕs antics.

End of Flashback---

Itachi sighed. ÒThat was nine years agoÉÓ

Nine years ago, he discovered SasukeÕs power. And eight years ago, he killed the rest of the clan.

ÒIÕm growing oldÉÓ he muttered. I suppose Sasuke is around 15 right nowÉ IÕm 22É (a/n: LetÕs assume they have a 7 year span.)

Itachi sighed as he flopped down on the grass, looking at the starry sky. I remember what I wished for that nightÉ

He traced the Big Dipper with his eyes, and then searched for other constellations in the lot. He then sat up, his mind finally made up. ÒI need to see himÉÓ

He performed several seals, and a long piece of paper appeared in front of him. He wrote something in it and folded it into a small square, then placed the Uchiha insignia on it. He performed several more seals before the paper disappeared in a puff of white smoke.

ÒSasukeÉÓ he muttered, flopping back down on the grass.

He spent the rest of the night lying there in the clearing, thinking. He wondered how strong his little brother was, and he wondered if he had improved during his stay at Tasogare. He wondered what he would be like right now. And he wonderedÉ would he be stronger than him, just like he had expected?

Itachi sighed. I had wished for him to be safeÉ

OoOoOoOoO

Sasuke sighed as the kages finally left along with the Jounins, as he asked them to. Konoha needed them. There was a war going on, and the Hokage being gone is not a good thing.

ÒGuys, IÕm just gonna take a nap,Ó said Sasuke. ÒAnd you guys can take a time-off if you want to, its 1:00 AMÉÓ

Sasuke walked over to the room, followed by Sakura. As soon as they reached the room, Sasuke jumped on the bed.

ÒSasuke-kunÉ take a shower first,Ó giggled Sakura, wrapping her arms loosely around him.

ÒIÕm tired, SakuraÉÓ muttered Sasuke, forcing himself nonetheless to stand up. He staggered over to the shower as Sakura let go of him.

Sakura sighed as she heard the shower turn on after a moment. She spread out in the bed in an ÔXÕ position, stretching her tired muscles then relaxing them again. She closed her eyes.

After 10 minutes, Sasuke emerged from the shower, half-naked, a towel draped around his shoulder. He saw his cherry blossom sprawled out on the bed comfortably and chuckled, discarding the towel. He crawled over to her, prodding her awake.

ÒMmmÉÓ she moaned in protest, cuddling up to his chest.

ÒTake a shower, Sakura,Ó he said, pushing her up. Sakura opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times before sighing. She swayed over to the shower and slammed the door shut. Sasuke waited for her patiently to come back out, and she did, after 15 minutes. She was already dressed in her nightclothes, consisting of a very thin satin dress. She only wore panties underneath.

She walked over to him and collapsed on the bed beside him, grateful for the immediate warmth that engulfed her trembling form. He wrapped his arms around her, cocooning her in warmth and love. He kissed her cheek before settling down.

Not even 5 minutes had passed before a sinister ÔpopÕ and a puff of smoke startled Sasuke back to his senses. He swiveled around, startling Sakura awake, only to see a square piece of folded paper floating in front of him, waiting for him to take it.

ÒWhat is it, Sasuke-kun?Ó asked Sakura. ÒFolded paper?Ó

ÒIt has the Uchiha Crest on it,Ó muttered Sasuke, retrieving the paper.

ÒWhatÕs it say?Ó asked Sakura drowsily. Sasuke carefully opened the paper, revealing a neat handwriting he knew only too well.

It read:

Otouto,

I assume you already know about the truth. Meet me in the Shimatani Mansion tomorrow at midnight. DonÕt worry, this is not an ambush. You can bring along some people if you want. We just need to talk, and I assume you feel the same way.

ÒItachiÉÓ Sasuke sighed.

ÒSasuke-kun? Are you gonna go?Ó asked Sakura uncertainly.

ÒIts the perfect chance, Sakura. I really need to talk to him,Ó said Sasuke.

ÒAre you gonna take me with you?Ó

ÒNo, SakuraÉ while IÕm gone, stay here and take over. Tell Naruto and Hinata about it, but donÕt tell the others. Okay?Ó Sasuke said, caressing her cheek gently and placing the paper on the stand beside them.

ÒAlrightÉ justÉ be careful, okay?Ó Sakura said worriedly.

ÒAa,Ó Sasuke muttered, kissing her lightly on the cheek before planting a firm kiss on her lips. ÒGo to sleep now, cherry blossom.Ó

ÒOyasumi, Sasuke-kunÉÓ

ÒOyasumiÉÓ