Behind the Masks

Chapter18

(Deep, deep underneath)

.

"Itachi…"

Dark ebony closed as he heard that voice. Time passed rather quickly or maybe it should be said that events took place in a rate that even affected Shisui. 'Time finally caught up on us Shi-niisan'. Tilting his head to show he was listening he greeted back

"Shisui. You're back…"

"Yeah… how is Naru-chan doing?"

"Same as always. At least he managed to remain the same. I want that to not change… Shi-nii." He smiled a bit when he noticed the pause. If he looks maybe he'll see Shisui's stupid expression when surprised.

He heard a chuckle and an almost inaudible whisper.

"Yeah. I wish it too, Chi-chan."

….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….

The sun has set and the heat of the day long gone. Kakashi had been standing there for hours on end… and truthfully? At the moment it was the only thing he could do because he doubts he could stand back up if he did.

"Maa…maa… Ain't this a predicament?" he said with a sigh as his gaze remained fixed on that name. "Uchiha Shisui, huh? What have you got to do with this?"

"That is what I want to know." said the new arrival. Ahah… They finally decided to track him down then. "Tsunade-sama…" he greeted her with a wry smile before turning his attention back to the monument.

He heard her footsteps as she came to stand by his side. By the way she walked and the look on her face she was drunk. Nothing new there but she was so decidedly sober that he had to wonder what she came there for.

"I think it is time for us to exchange info's don't you think? Kakashi?"

He turned to look at her and sighed. "I don't know, Godaime-sama. It would depend on what sort of information you wish for me to disclose."

He heard her 'tsk' rather violently that he chuckled a bit. "What is this? Don't tell me you promised and or threatened? What is with you and Jiraiya?!" she said. Her voice screamed incredulity and annoyance. He shook his head at that.

"…I think I can't trust Sempai with life…"

"I made no such promises, Tsunade-sama and getting scared of a little threat isn't exactly my thing…"

"Then what the hell is keeping your mouth shut, Kakashi? This is for Naruto!" this time she did scream. And he could see resentment on her eyes. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"…but I believe…"

"It isn't a promise. And it isn't about choosing sides."

"I just feel as if…" he paused then shook his head a bit. He didn't feel manipulated but…

"…that I can trust Kakashi-sempai with my important people's lives…"

"I simply have expectations I want to meet…"

"…along with my most hidden secrets…"

….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….

"Ne, Itachi?"

"Yes Jiraiya-sama?"

"You have drunk sake before, right?"

There was a pause and then a quiet sigh but no answer came. If anyone would have passed by they would have been befuddled by the scene. Two men drinking sake and eating dango. Well it wasn't weird per se but if you look at them you'll think two parallel worlds overlapped. One was an old cheerily drunk guy that even without speaking looks just so loud while the other was a young dark haired male that drank sake as if he was in a formal tea ceremony.

"Are you trying to be obtuse or are you just being plain rude, Jiraiya-sama?"

Of course that statement was delivered along with a side-glance that could be taken in as either a warning or… a death threat- it depends really on ones state of mind. And since Jiraiya was inebriated he will take it as a hint.

"Kid, don't take it as an offense I was just asking." Then again noticing and acknowledging the warning does not mean that he would actually take heed of it, yeah? He was Sannin! He was great!

"Jiraiya-sama, I am an S-class missing nin. Had been for quite a number of years. Now I ask again, are you trying to be obtuse or are you just plain dumb?"

Well yeah… there was that… but hell! He's an S-class ninja too! Sannin! His inner pep talk was interrupted when a cold breeze swept by. Yeah… it was just a breeze! A cold one! In summer! Hah!

"You know you've gone from calling me rude to dumb, right?"

"Yes. At the moment I have a lot of adjectives I can describe you with. You and your idiotic questions."

The Sannin raised his brows at that. "Ok fine. You have drunk before. BUT! Have you ever been drunk before?"

Itachi didn't answer but he did sigh a bit before drinking again. Jiraiya took it as a sign of the kid finally giving up on him. He chuckled a bit as he emptied his own drink in one gulp. He grinned red-faced at the Uchiha and his stuck-up ways in drinking sake. Who drinks sake with little sips?!

"You know I really didn't expect you to be much of a drinker." He finally said all the while chewing his own dango.

Itachi frowned at him probably bothered with him for chewing while talking. Then he sighed and drank again. "You invited me."

Jiraiya bit his cheeks at the tone. If he was drinking with anyone other than Itachi he'd probably be hollering in laughter already. The kid sounded a bit petulant and he could almost imagine the Uchiha pouting in annoyance. The blurry image of which struck him that he choked. 'Scary! Damn freaky! Okay! Of all the wrong things!' He thumped his chest to clear his lungs as heaved a breath. No use killing himself with disturbing thoughts.

Itachi narrowed his eyes at him as if reading his thoughts. He sweat-dropped at the possibility.

"Eheh… I know. I know I invited you. I just didn't think you'd agree. But I really needed to drink and good sake requires good company." He said smirking a bit at the incredulous look he received for the comment.

"I'm considered good company?" was the deadpan reply

Jiraiya sniggered a bit at the pitying look Itachi gave him as if asking 'If I'm good company what sort of company do you usually keep?'

Swallowing the laughter he shrugged and took a few more gulps. After a while Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "You know I did come here for some answers and not just to be your drinking partner, right?"

He watched as Itachi stilled, his head tilting a bit. After a while he sighed and emptied his own drink before turning to look Jiraiya in the eyes. "Yes of course Jiraiya-sama. I would hope so since you were angry enough to not consider that I may not be alone before charging in screaming murder at me."

"…er yes. Right."

He almost regretted offering Itachi alcohol. Other than the fact that the Uchiha may claim temporary loss of sanity due to too much sake and kill him, he also didn't look all that well either. Actually he looked worse than Naruto did when he and Tsunade found him.

"You know Itachi as angry as I am with you, you were right. You shouldn't be drinking. You look horrible, by the way. You look like… well…"

"…death?" was the sarcastic reply. He almost smiled.

"Er… maybe not up to that extent." He was getting used to talking to the kid… and his weird humor… if you could call it that.

"Like I've been to hell?"

With a dramatic pause Jiraiya finally decided that yeah… that could be it. He grinned at the brat.

"Er… maybe a bit."

Then it started getting chilly again. Jiraiya grimaced when Itachi narrowed his eyes at him before calmly taking another drink. "Who do you think is to blame for that then Jiraiya-sama?"

Jiraiya gulped and no- he did NOT back away… he leaned to the side… yeah. To the side… not away.

"You have been meddling- Meddling with such unfortunate timing if I may add." Jiraiya sweat-dropped at the tone. Did the kid just… growled at him? Seeing the flat look he raised his hands in surrender.

"It wasn't me you know. I wash my hands off that one. It was Tsunade!" Yes… when desperate times becomes desperate… blame the Hokage!

Itachi gave him a look before shaking his head. "Fortunately I can actually believe that. Tsunade-sama does like to meddle… but she had better timing before. You on the other hand have always had unfortunate timing."

"Eheh…" This time he definitely moved back. A little. Just a little.

"Okay! Let's move on!" he said. 'Before you get drunk enough to forget that you don't want me dead'

"This gamble you made with Kyuubi… how did it go?"

"…it led to our current predicament"

"I know Itachi… care to clarify?"

"I won."

He swallowed the exasperation at the very brief answers and pressed on.

"… so what… Is this a celebration or what?"

"Depends…"

"Depends on what exactly?" he snapped. Okay! Drunk Itachi is more temperamental than usual. He either talks a lot or talks very little.

"If winning is worth celebrating."

Temperamental and morose

'Great'

….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….

"And that means what, exactly?"

"Consequences of dealing with a demon, Hokage-sama. Consequences. There is no winning with a demon. We've seen how that went… I understand why Itachi needed the drink."

"Fucking hopeless idiots! This is why I didn't want the fucking hat! I have to take care of idiot shinobi that knows no common sense and has over inflated egos." She wailed as she drunk her sake dry. She growled as she tossed it away empty before glaring Kakashi's way. "Even the ones that SHOULD be smart are idiots! To think given that we hold kunai even before we are allowed to drink we'd have more attuned survival instincts. But NO! That would be too much to ask!"

The Hokage sounded real exasperated, irritated, and borderline crazed with frustration.

If anyone could hear they'd back away real, real fast. Fast and silent as all shinobi must. Fortunately no one could hear and no one was around since the Hokage all but tossed her ANBU guards through the window, cleared her schedule and had Jiraiya draw up every silencing and secrecy seals he could come-up with. Given that, the inside of the Hokage's office is currently littered by numerous amounts of empty sake bottles as well as housing three very drunk, tired and mentally drained A to S class shinobi. The sort of which that can kill you if you so much as breathed wrong.

"Calm down, Hime. My head still hurts!" said the white-haired Sannin. He was currently massaging his temples trying to will away the headache. This would be his third drinking session in less than two or was it three days straight?

"Maa, maa Tsunade-sama… No banging on the wooden table. We can't afford to order another one and the banging feels as if it's taken directly to my head." was the lazy drawl with a hint of a wince every couple of phrases.

"Then stop drinking if you can't handle it, weaklings!" Tsunade said with a scowl.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes at her before groaning at the sudden dizzy spell. "Damn woman! Not everyone is blessed with your tolerance to alcohol. Besides… this conversation necessitates sake!"

"Then shut up and deal with HOW I have to DEAL with the damn conversation!"

"Maa… that hurts Tsunade-sama… I've got hypersensitive hearing. And your voice echoes in my head…" Kakashi hissed closing his eyes due to the headache. He can't even say by that point if the headache was alcohol induced, Naruto- induced or heaven forbid Itachi-induced.

With a few deep, very deep breathes he sighed.

"Tsunade-sama… whatever the consequences of that deal, is well beyond us now. What are we gonna do about it? Naruto's gone all emo with all this confusion with Uchiha Shisui and if left on his own he may, as impossible as it is, take a leaf out of Sasuke's book and go all avenger on us." He shook his head and gave them a wry grin before all amusement went out the window. Itachi had been bothering his thoughts for far too long it's unhealthy.

"Other than that I don't think Itachi is telling us everything" he gave the two Sannin a small nod when he confirmed his stance on Itachi before continuing grimly "cause I am not buying the whole he didn't want Naruto to go look for him thing. Well at least not as his sole reason. Itachi won't do something this intricate if it was just that. After all… the way this all is coming about it's as if Naruto is all he cares about and if he really isn't evil incarnate anymore… I pretty much doubt that. There is Sasuke… and the village."

He felt more than saw how the energies within the room shift. Taking another drink he sighed when Jiraiya finally decided that just looking at him won't make him talk.

"Ohoh… I get the Sasuke part since he is the little brother but why the village then Kakashi? Come on since we're psychoanalyzing the prodigious Uchiha. We are aware of his love for the village but you seem more certain of it than even me."

If he could smirk at them he would have. But his head hurts… so he just took the rather annoyed glares in stride. Massaging the back of his neck he contemplated on his options. So… what was he to say? Of everything he knew from plain guess work and from what Jiraiya-sama had said there was only one secret he knew that they don't.

"…along with my most hidden secrets…"

Well Itachi didn't say which secret and besides, it was more of a suggestion anyway…

"Troublesome" was all he could say thus leading to Tsunade chucking a paper weight at him. He normally would have been bothered by how lethal that was but since he was drunk and was still supposed to be hospitalized, he shrugged it off grinning madly at his supposed healer and leader.

"Maa, maa Tsunade-sama. Patience is a virtue even for people who are dead drunk."

"I swear brat if I knew you were this scatter-brained when drunk I wouldn't have had let you have a sip!" hissed Tsunade as she glared at the cup sitting in front of him.

He chuckled at her before taking the cup away from her gaze. "Maa, we all agreed alcohol is needed for this conversation so you just have to deal with how I deal… isn't that right Hokage-sama?"

"Just start talking with a sense of direction, Kakashi! You act as if you know the Uchiha-brat much more than we initially thought. Actually what do you know?" said a rather impatient Jiraiya. "And stop stalling."

Kakashi had to smile at that. He didn't even notice that he was… indeed… stalling. He took a huge gulp of sake and sighed. Ok then.

"Actually you both should be aware already. Itachi was once part of my ANBU squad when he was still green and slightly adorable. He obviously already had the markings of someone who'd be a great shinobi… not the fluffy sort of course but the sort of shinobi ANBU raises."

He smiled benignly at then already aware of how they're looking at him. After all he is one of those that was ANBU raised- literally and in every sense of the word. Although for him it may not be obvious but then again that is why one must look underneath the underneath.

"Aside his unquestionable potential… I had considered him to have unquestionable loyalties. To both the Hokage and the village. At the age of thirteen I saw in him as someone who knew why and just for whom he could potentially die for and that…

He whole heartedly loved Konoha."

They knew what he meant, understand it even. He turned back to them and smiled sheepishly at their glares.

"I couldn't understand it really. Not that I don't feel the same but… at the age of thirteen few could claim to have that level of love for Konoha as a whole. At that age love for the village was merely a concept and an integral part of those that considers Konoha home. It's a given like how a child automatically loves their family even if they technically don't like them. But to Itachi… It was deeper… like…"

"How a Kage should feel?" said Jiraiya in such a snide manner that made Kakashi shake his head at the teasing smirk the old Sannin gave their Hokage who, for all intents and purposes, looked like she wanted to hit her head on something.

"Don't tell me I'm dealing with another brat vying for this fucking hat? If he's intent in taking over all the paperwork and all the politics then going rouge is most definitely not the right way."

"Well Tsunade-sama I don't think he's vying for the Hokage seat. But yeah… he had that look at times. Like he truly understood what love for the village truly meant."

The Will of Fire

"Which explains why you were more attentive than usual." Said Jiraiya and he nodded.

"Yes. I've had my doubts on his involvement with the massacre to begin with… but I was also part of the clean-up… I was there just before the bodies grew truly cold. I was familiar with his chakra, his scent and most specifically how he killed. Even I could not dispute that it all lead back to him- as impossible as it should have been. Well aside from the implication that it was committed by a possibly demented, psychotic and psychologically insane lunatic? I couldn't dispute the implications. But later on I had to wonder about the reasons. And then there came that time after Sound invasion when he defeated me so thoroughly that I was in a coma for two weeks…"

"Yes… but that encounter opened a lot more questions than what it confirmed." muttered Jiraiya.

"Yes… for a while I didn't think much about any of my doubts on his loyalties. After all he nearly killed me and Sasuke. But after Suna… I had to reconsider. I was forced to dig a bit deeper and to recall details I've foregone. And it really was surprising…"

"Kakashi… you are talking and thinking at the same time. So stop with the melodrama already or is your head really this melodramatic?!"

"Maa… It was just I was surprised I didn't notice earlier, Tsunade-sama. It was glaringly obvious. I woke-up. One does not usually wake-up when faced by Itachi… especially if the face-off was so informative. And that is already disregarding the fact that there was a confrontation at all. We were not his targets and yet we found him in a tea shop. He is more skilled than that."

"The Itachi I knew from ANBU could perform infiltration-assassination missions where the kill would not even be found for days on end. And yet when he entered Konoha he was found out? Konoha is his home territory and as far as I'm concerned the security seals around the village had not been changed or updated even after he left."

"And you did not deem to tell us that, brat?"

"Maa Tsunade-sama… I was unconscious for two weeks, had to deal with my wayward cute and adorable mentally unbalanced emo-genin-kun, and then there was my depressed ball of sunshine turned sour with a hole on his chest other genin-kun and then my cute and adorable cotton candy genin-chan that was melting at the seams. I did not have the time or the emotional and mental capacity to worry about my adorable kohai turned psychopath who had just tortured the living daylights out of me for three endless days. And then I suddenly find myself without my precious little genin-chans and back to my old job. It had been quite a bit of a challenge… these past two years, Hokage-sama. As you probably already know."

She scoffed at his snide bordering extremely sarcastic reply. She knows he had not been happy with her after all. Jiraiya coughed a little too loudly and he backed-of.

"So… what happened in Suna that made you reconsider his loyalties?" Jiraiya said leadingly trying to make him talk again.

"Oh… that's easy. Naruto called him Saiai once."

"WHAT?!"

"Well I don't think Naruto noticed though."

"The hell could that happen?!"

"The fuck you kept that to yourself?!"

"Maa… calm down Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama. He was still out of it both from recovering from Itachi's genjutsu and from having memory flashes. I could not call it definitive proof at the time but it was intriguing."

"What made you sure?"

"Maa Tsunade-sama… you can't say that you and Jiraiya-sama tried hard to keep me from figuring it out, yeah? I do hope that it was because of my charm and not your inability to lie and keep a secret or else we're all doomed."

"Damn all of you brats! I'm gonna die of an aneurism and not old age if you keep this up!"

Sniggering to himself he all but ignored the thoroughly pissed drunk glare they shot him. 'Maa… they never wanted to talk before.' Chuckling at the huffing and raising his brows at them they finally sighed in defeat.

"I hate prodigies! Lazy bastards!" muttered Tsunade in her extremely pissed off tone. On his side of the table Jiraiya was glaring and muttering about 'Annoying brats'. He glared some more before sighing and finally getting serious again.

"Back to the first encounter then… We found-out about his whereabouts and his connection to Akatsuki… as well as their goal. At that time all I knew was that there was such an organization… but there had been no intel regarding their purpose or who comprised the core group. Other than that, he but gave as quite a bit of a show and tell didn't he? A bit of his skillset, his strengths, his weaknesses… and even his aces."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at that. "The mangekyo sharinggan." When Jiraiya nodded in the affirmative she sighed. "Hmm… yes that is quite intriguing. It was the first time any of us has even heard of it. He practically fed us information on what he was capable of and…." She slipped him a glance then sighed "… gave Kakashi here and you Jiraiya, a demonstration- Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu. But why? That was risky… considering he is still officially labelled as an enemy of the leaf."

At that Kakashi gave her a nod. "Why indeed. Now that we know that he isn't an enemy… we could take this as either a warning or an indirect way of information sharing. Which is odd since the Mangekyo sharinggan, albeit an advanced form of a doujutsu that is very dangerous and nigh impossible to negate; it isn't exactly a threat to us. For all intents and purposes only he knew about it and if he kept it to himself, the only one to possess it. Why give us knowledge on something that could keep him safer? After all by the way the fight was progressing it didn't seem as if he was hard pressed nor was he backed into a corner. When he was in ANBU he didn't have it and he was skilled enough without it. To those who didn't know him they would just think that it was his pride taking precedence but if anything, Uchiha Itachi was never that prideful… or careless."

"Later on, I thought it was in order for me to acquire it myself but… I get the feeling that there is more to it than that. I have a bad feeling that there is more that we do not know. He did not expect me to achieve the Mangekyo and based on what obtaining the eyes entails… I doubt he would want it for Sasuke." He couldn't help but think that they were missing something…

That was then that he noticed a certain glint appear on Jiraiya's eyes. The Sannin's attention focused on him then. "Oh? Why would you say that he did not expect you to develop it, Kakashi? And what do you mean… by entails?"

"On the Suna mission I implied that I knew of the consequences of having the same eyes. He was surprised when I all but told him that I knew he was going blind."

The effects of his words were instantaneous.

"He is WHAT?!"

"The hell do you mean he's going BLIND?!"

Well he didn't expect that reaction. He almost… almost… fell from his chair when Jiraiya lunged at him.

"Er… Jiraiya-sama I thought you knew…" the man was practically on his face with a look that screams he was about to be sick. And so he backed away… very slowly… blood and gore was one thing… vomit and other bodily fluids were too much. "I mean you even had a drinking session with him. How could you have not noticed? And you even mentioned that he wasn't looking well."

"The hell about the brat going blind?! I thought the 'not looking well' was just part of the consequences of making a deal with a demon you were all talking about!" screamed his Hokage as she practically destroyed the table they were sitting around on.

"The fuck?!" Jiraiya cursed as he practically collapsed back to his seat "And I thought having a debilitating fatal illness was the last I have to worry abo-"

"FATAL- WHAT?! JIRAIYA! I thought he was just DAMN SUICIDAL!"

"He's dying?! Just Suicidal! Maa… Ita-kun the hell have you gotten yourself into? And there I thought you were just a bit ill…" at that point Kakashi sagged on his chair completely loosing track of what he was getting to in that conversation. 'And there I thought to keep that a secret…at least…'

"Why the hell didn't you tell me earlier?! What does being 'the world's BEST medical ninja' did you not understand?!"

"Well I can't exactly drag him back to Konoha and force him to get treated now could I, Tsunade? Besides! He specifically said he did not want you to know! He practically threatened to kill me if ever I tell and it was a serious threat too! He was adamant! He-" Kakashi watched as confusion warred on Jiraiya's face before he threw a look of wonder at Tsunade.

"I never noticed before but… he was pretty adamant that you should not know. Why?" narrowed eyes fixed on the Hokage and she appeared as frustratingly confused as he did. "What are you trying to get to Jiraiya?"

"Actually just the last time we talked he referred to you as 'someone who liked to meddle' I didn't know you had even met before. Tsunade?"

Kakashi sighed at the abrupt change. 'Maa… S-class temperamental and bipolar ninja's. And people thought he was weird.' He shook his head at the thought and simply watched the Hokage think back. As far as he knew… Itachi had next to no opportunity whatsoever to even meet Tsunade much less for her to meddle in his affairs. And it was apparent on his Hokage's features that she could not think of any either.

"Jiraiya… unless I happened to lose money to someone Akatsuki was trying to bankrupt, I cannot even imagine how I could have meddled on any of his plans. I avoided Konoha issues like the plague, remember? I haven't even met the kid before. "

"I thought so… but now that I got it in my head I can't get it out." Jiraiya sighed and ran his hand on his already unruly hair. "He seems to know you Tsunade. He even said that you had 'better timing' in your meddling before."

Oh he was having a headache and it was not even because of the alcohol anymore. Actually he –

"Maa… we are getting nowhere… along with the sake."

"SHIT!"

"Damnit woman! You crushed all the sake along with the table!"

"Don't blame me when you spring such news out of NOWHERE!"

….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….

And his day ended-up back in the hospital.

Again

"Maa… nurse-chan don't be too mad." He said wincing as the healer worked on him. "You know that being shinobi does tend to increase our pain limit and we are used to having sharp pointy object tearing at our flesh but…" he flinched again and it was not just because of her glare.

Ahh… she must be real mad… the usual charm was not working. He sighed when she her glare upped a bit more before scoffing at his apparently pathetic attempts to make her stop poking him with sharp pointy objects.

"Shinobi-san that has had his own room in the hospital since he was 12…" his jaw dropped at that and he couldn't stop himself and asked "Er… how old are you exactly healer-san?"

She gave him a smirk that froze his blood. "I am not old, Shinobi-san but you are an infamous patient who's on the troublesome list given to all new recruits in the hospital. You are even placed above Naruto-kun on the usual escapee list and just below Jiraiya-sama on the greatest headache list."

"Er…"

"Yes. That was what we thought too when we first saw it." She gave him a last withering look before continuing on her task on trying to stick an IV line to his arm. He got the feeling that it was revenge… it usually never took this long… or sting that bad.

"I know that I told you that you could do your escape routine as usual Kakashi-san but I did not think you would actually stand under the sun for almost the entire day and then drink so much sake that I can practically smell it in your veins!" he cringed at her tone and then cringed again when she gave a particularly forceful jab on his poor probably collapsed vein. "You are lucky you are only here because of chakra exhaustion and not because you need to be doped up with medication! Actually next time I'd probably do that since you're probably thick enough to not die of overdose!"

"Maa, nurse-chan…"

"Shut up, Kakashi-san. You have just lost all escape privileges for today and tomorrow! Be happy you may be discharged soon. Do NOT even try to get out of this room else you want me to sick Gai-san on you."

"What?!"

"Maybe all his springtime youthfulness and boundless energy would sap you of your own and actually make you stay put in this bed and preferably unconscious."

"…"

"Good night, Kakashi-san." She gave him one kindly smile that he swears did not reach her eyes before leaving his room.

"…"

Ok so his entire day wasn't as he expected.

He heaved a sigh… already wary of the up-coming days.

"Ahah… Ita-kun what a puzzle you left me… and did you really need to cover it all up so deep underneath?"

A frown he could not supress appeared on his face. After a few moments of trying to meditate uselessly he finally gave it up. Giggling a bit he took out his favourite orange book and read.

There is nothing like reading that can take one away from the world. An array of endless letters and words- sentences and paragraphs that can fill the dull emptiness at the back of his mind. A constant buzzing to keep him away from the silence. A flow of letters that did not need to make sense.

A constant distraction that can keep him away from distractions

He needed to wander.

Itachi opened up a lot of possibilities… so many elements… the unknown, known, unidentified even the improbable… There are too many to consider… too many grey facts, too many inconsequential blacks and whites…

Questionable truths… little white- greatly misleading- lies…

"…there is no such thing as absolute truth…"

How he hated being right… at times…

And so he needed to delve in…

… be drowned…

… be consumed…

… there is something he isn't seeing…

Uchiha Itachi of before…

Uchiha clan heir, prodigy, ANBU captain, highly perceptive, very talented, powerful… not too powerful… lacked in influence, young, knows Naruto… loyal to Konoha… to the Will of Fire… a true shinobi but a closet pacifist and in some ways arrogant… fatally ill… possibly since ANBU days… may have some involvement with Tsunade-sama… an involvement with questionable importance …

Fatally ill…

…means he has limited time…

…backed into a corner…

…Gotten way over his head…

How?

He was too young with limited influence, limited social circle… mainly involved in intrinsic affairs…

Intrinsic affairs…

Politics, Clan, Rank, Konoha…

The Uchiha clan, Military Police, the ANBU corps, ANBU black ops, Danzou Shimura, Sandaime-sama, Naruto, Jinchuuriki, Kyuubi, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Shisui

…alive during the third war, present during the Kyuubi attack, Uchiha Massacre…

…not enough…

Liveable, survivable, deep… not deep enough…

…he got involved and was way over his head…

To have to go to such extents… something that forced him to massacre his entire clan, give Naruto up, loose and almost destroy his only brother and ultimately abandon the village he loved too much. You dove in something that flies right over your head… something…

…above all our heads?...

Infiltrated a criminal organization…

…not internal…

…not just internal…

External…

Akatsuki, S-class missing nin from various shinobi vilages, hunting Jinchuuriki, Tailed demons… mass of potent chakra, power…

…Once acquired will tip the balance of power…

Lack of balance… probable cause of conflict…

… International conflict…

Possible objectives

…For power, for control, influence, wealth…

…not deep enough…

…powerful ninja's joined in one cause…

What cause?

…something is missing…

Method of acquiring objective…

…involves lots of finances, powerful shinobi, unlimited amounts of chakra…

…WAR…

… war between who?...

…between shinobi villages… is a possibility

…war against Akatsuki…

…A possibility…but mostly improbable… A handful of S-class shinobi with no known allegiance to any country or shinobi village… too small in number…for something like war…

…unless they are secretly backed by one?...

…too many unknowns…

…something is missing…

Ultimate Goal

… unkown… will depend on those that would be involved…

…the one pulling the strings…

…unknown…

How did Itachi get himself involved?

…connection between intrinsic and extrinsic…

…tailed beast, Jinchuuriki… Naruto?...

…NO… improbable…

…a reason to get involved…YES…

… but not the source of information that could have gotten him involved…

Involvement…

…Was he pulled in? Did he stumble in? Was he sought out?...

Why Itachi?

…too many unknowns…

… is it really war or something unknown…

…something more?...

…

The book snapped close as he snapped back to the world.

A strained smile stretched his lips as his headache that continued to throb threatened to be a migraine.

"Mahh… Ita-kun you are such a headache. You are lucky you are not the only damn prodigy of this village. Luckily for us there is also another genius out there getting himself some training."

'…along with my most hidden secrets…'

He scoffed at the memory.

Damn Uchiha.

"What a way to get me involved Itachi… peak my curiosity and string me along why dontcha…"

"Underneath the underneath, indeed."

"Maa- I need to do some serious digging… and Itachi… whatever this is you better pray it won't change Naruto irrevocably."

….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….

"Naruto-kun what are you doing?"

He stifled a snicker at the exasperated tone on his friend's voice. He threw him his best 'I am an innocent little child with blonde hair and blue eyes smile'.

"Nothing, Saiai." Then he turned back to his work. "Don't mind me… Just sit there and brood." After all he needs to keep busy. So many things to do, so many possibilities to explore…

"Saiai… I can't exactly do that while you look like you're plotting the demise of very unfortunate people."

Even with the flat tone he could detect amusement. It almost made him smile. BUT NO! There are certain dynamics that MUST be maintained! And so he threw his friend his most practiced scowl and let himself loose.

"What?! How could you insinuate such a thing, Saiai?! And I thought you know me more than that!"

"Yes… unfortunately I do."

"…Tse! I knew there has to be a disadvantage to meeting you Saiai… the downs of having a stiff prodigy for my Saiai, oh the paAaiiinnn!"

And yes… there it was the dreaded… eye roll… that is almost as infamous as the deathly glare of doom.

"Well! I don't need to suffer with you as much today! I'll go find Jiji! He's less stiff! Bwahahahahaha"

"Naruto-kun you're not getting away that easily. What are you doing?"

That… was bad.

He could feel his sweat drop… really, really stickily at the side of his face when his friend stood up from his position by the window.

"Plotting?" was what he shouldn't have said but it slipped through his big traitor of a mouth and… 'NOOO! How could I have admitted to the CRIME?!'

Oh here comes the walking… that looked more like stalking…

"Hmm… I got that one."

…that makes you feel like a tiny little rabbit…

"What are you plotting?"

…about to become dinner…

"Err… ninja traps? Epic ninja traps for when I become genin! You can never start too early, right Saiai?"

And there it was! The raised brow of suspicion!

"Oh? Let me see then."

"No! "

"Why ever not Saiai? It's got nothing to do with the fact that those seemed quite… innovative, right?"

Eh? Innovative?

"Really?!" he could just feel giddiness. That was a good thing, right?

Innovative sounded… positive.

Then he backtracked…

"Wait! How'd you know?! You've been peeking haven't you?! How'd you even do that?!"

Then stepped-back… there it was…the 'I-am-not-arrogant-just-being-factual' SMIRK!

"Prodigal skill of a ninja, Saiai."

"Gah! You arrogant! Wait! So you think it's good? Huh?huh?!"

"Yes… they are going to be devastating and is extremely creative…" his Saiai said with a drawl but Naruto could see the slight tick on the corner of his lips. He narrowed his eyes at that.

"You're playing me aren't you?" He said as he narrowed his eyes some more…before screaming/ whinging "Saiai!"

His friend smiled gently at him as he ruffled his hair. "Stop squinting at me, Naruto-kun. It is indeed creative, Saiai and as you have illustrated… quite devastating." Naruto would have smiled and was about to celebrate but then his friend just had to ruin it. Saiai smirked that insulting smirk of his. And yes there are a lot of interpretations for that smirk!

"Ah… devastating if only they were possible. But undoubtedly creative, Saiai."

"What?! How could you say it isn't possible?! You can walk on water and breathe fire but my ideas aren't possible?!"

"Yes, Saiai. You know, no matter how good you get or even if you manage to make me do it… tailing a shinobi unnoticed and then ambushing and taking them down by the skill of a well-painted camouflaged box is bordering impossible."

"I thought you said it was devastating and creative?!"

"Yes… the illustration, blood and gore are quite suggestive of a great devastation and you can actually illustrate things quite well."

He had learned in his short years of life that his friend is a bastard that talks nice.

"… Saiai… you know you could just say that I can draw well…"

He almost misses the silent bordering mute ball of gloominess he met. Almost.

"Hm? Yes… you are quite right Naruto-kun… you should drop your dream of being a shinobi and just be an artist."

Ok on second thought

"Bastard."

He should've just stayed mute.

His glowering must have been quite effective because after a while Shisui finally relented and gave him an amused bordering exasperated and defeated smile. Complicated stuff.

"Saia… what is this really about? You don't usually think of killing people to this extent and up to such a point that you'd draw it in grave detail."

He scowled at that.

"You think too much. I am just trying to improve on my artistic side."

He collected his 'work' from the table. He has got to hide all of it somewhere in this apartment that Shisui isn't aware of. Somehow.

"Saiai… this doesn't have anything to do with me being injured, right?"

He flinched at the tired voice. The injuries were after all the reason they had to hide away into his apartment. Shi-niichan was too tired to do what he usually does when they get together. But…

"Of course not! You're a shinobi injuries are a given no matter how good you are! Jiji has already warned me about it."

Or Jiji tried to make him understand more about it…

"Oh? So it has nothing to do with the fact that the injury isn't from the mission?"

Naruto bit his lips and looked away.

"Or the fact that in your illustrations all the violent deaths involved black-haired people with prominent black eyes wearing my clans traditional style of clothing?"

"Your supposed style isn't unique you know! And your hair and eyes aren't exactly rare! You are full of yourself! My world does not revolve around you!"

"Oh? So it cannot be connected to the fact that the illustrations have an uncanny resemblance to my father?"

"…"

"And that you'd never insult me so vehemently unless you are being defensive? Saia… having a few burns and minor chakra exhaustion isn't so rare with shinobi. I was training."

Oh that was the line!

"Training. Yes." Even to his ears he sounded spiteful. But he is old enough to be spiteful! "And I remember the first time I saw you right after training. Oh it was also the first time we met! And Oh! You were bleeding from everywhere and you were so injured you couldn't put-up enough of a fight to make a child go away! And that you also looked toasted and roasted on a lot of spots too! And let's not mention that most of your scars came from training too! Now please explain it to me Saiai… Why can't I plot their deaths?!"

He was heaving when he finished. He needed more air damnit! And his eyes are getting foggy again! And… and… he isn't gonna cry! But…BUT they make him SO angry!

There was that ruffling on his head again. He glared at that.

"Saiai stop mussing my hair…" was all he could mutter without his voice doing that cracking thing it liked to do when he is upset.

"Then stop crying then, Saiai." Was the soft answer that just invites a scowl. "I am NOT crying! I'm gonna be a ninja! And ninja's don't cry! They said so in the academy! I am being… upset!"

The soft chuckling made him frown.

"So you are in this stage now…"

"What stage?! And why can't I plot their deaths?! It isn't like I'm actually gonna DO anything! I'm NOT an idiot!"

Apparently his growing anger invites more hair ruffling and even more chuckling.

"You, Saiai are currently undergoing the 'brat' stage. Don't worry my brother is there too." After more hair ruffling and sighing Shisui finally stopped. He could just make out the tired smile indicating a budding lecture.

"No plotting. For one, you aren't plotting just any deaths; it is my Father's death. Another, you really shouldn't cater to such dark depressing and bordering psychotic thoughts Saiai. And lastly… as grateful as I am that you feel this outraged for my sake… vengeance isn't a road you should walk … It isn't and should not be for you. Your dreams lie opposite it and your strength can be achieved where the sun is. The shadows are not for you… This is the heritage you were blessed with."

"So swear it to me… you would refrain from walking such a path. Swear it Naruto."

He bit his lip at that. Saiai rarely calls him by just his name… he tried to glare some more but he can't actually refuse… Saiai rarely asks anything from him, after all.

"I swear."

…

"So Saiai instead of planning the demise of my Father how about I teach how to actually 'plan' for something less… destructive?"

"You'll teach me?"

"Yes."

"YES! YesYesYesYesYes!" he screamed running around in circles before stopping in front of his friend. "You'll teach me what exactly? Ninja traps? Those that go BOOM!?"

"That is called destructive, Naruto-kun. What about the planning part first?"

"Boring!"

"Planning and execution Naruto-kun is essential to a ninja. You have to learn to plan, execute and to NOT be caught."

"So… how is this different from planning the… uh… demise? Of you Father?"

"It does not involve all the blood and the gore."

"Oh. BORING! Can't you teach me anything interesting? Oh! Wait! I'm asking YOU of all people… I must be mad!"

"Saiai…" his friend sighed looking exasperated. "Hm… how about this… We'll make it fun as you say."

"Oh?"

"How about I teach you to plan… and execute… a prank."

"A prank…"

"Yes."

"As in making a fool out of people prank?"

"Can be… if you want to call it that."

"With paint, water balloons and… and… maybe runaway pigs? Out of control fireworks!? Or… or..."

"…How about we start with the basics? Like… a bucket of water and a door? There is... class… in simplicity Saiai."

"Okay! We'll start with your Father!""

….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….

'BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!'

He swears he had only been asleep for a few hours.

And he will deny any accusation that he almost leapt out of his skin.

A single lidded grey eye opened and scanned the village through the window. There were screaming but it was more of 'disorganized angry mob screaming' than 'terrified we are being invaded screaming'. He took a sniff and he almost choked… nope… not blood. At least he hopes so.

He sighed at all the chaos.

Last he checked… there were no festivals in the near future… but he is seeing madly cracking… orange… fireworks.

"What the-?"

He stood-up and sighed again.

The Hokage monument was… looked… well… something.

The monument was painted… again -with realistic skin tones and disastrous hair colors. It was still dark out but he swears he can see pink, moss green and neon orange… definitely neon orange…

He tried to muffle the snickering. "Maa… Minato-sensei. You look… flashy!"

Only the Sandaime-sama and Godaime-sama looked somewhat… natural.

Then a flash of bright fireworks erupted near the monument. A quick moment of illumination and he choked.

"Tsunade's gonna kill you Naruto… "

After a moment new screams erupted throughout the village and he swears… he heard Iruka screaming pre-genin censored things from somewhere… hopefully nowhere near where he was. And if he wasn't imagining things…

"Do I hear pigs?"

A whole lot of cursing and chaos later the fireworks finally died down and the squealing pigs were finally silent and he hasn't even spotted neither hide nor hair of his orange-loving student. He couldn't see much of the village but he has the feeling that the clean-up would be difficult. The ANBU would be pissy and…

He blinked and blinked again. That was OWL who passed-by, right?

Multi-colored, neon orange splattered ANBU? That was ANBU, right? What the hell?

Laughing to himself he couldn't help but be floored by the relief.

Number One Most Unpredictable Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja, indeed

"Maa… at least he isn't brooding and plotting blood, death and gore anymore… That's a good thing. Right?"

"KAKASHIII!"

'Maa…'

"YOU! I want you OUT of my hospital! Deal with your hellion before I get my hands on him, skin him and toss him to ANBU! You said you had a training regimen ready?! It better be damn near impossible to accomplish Hatake! Keep the brat occupied and dead tired till he couldn't even lift his arms much else brood and be all emo or else I'll end his miserable existence! Teenage angst or not! Phase or not! I do not care! So YOU! OUT!"

"Maa…"

….XXXX….XXXX….XXX….TBC….XXXX….XXXX….XXXX….

FINALLY! I'm sorry. This took me longer than I thought it would but it IS earlier than what I feared it would. Truthfully? I had trouble planning and writing this out. I had to write a lot of other scenes and ended up deleting and replacing more than I had intended. I had a very, very difficult time with Naruto most of all. The last chapter was just so much of a stretch in his characterization that I had headaches. When I released the last chapter I knew I would have problems since he had a complete 180 degree flip and at that time I really didn't know how to fix it. Problem was I couldn't compromise with myself. BUT! I am happy with how this turned out to be.

CLARIFICATIONS:

1. Kakashi is not aware of the details regarding the Uchiha Massacre. He knows there was something there but it was never laid bare to him. It was a village secret above his clearance.

2. The thing with Shisui and that little gamble, for those who are still confused, would be delved in deeper on the next chapter whenever it may come. Hopefully within the next couple of months. I am sorry I can't promise you guys anything better.

3. Past Naruto-chan had a character change. Well… he is a growing child. He can't stay cute, adorable and innocent all the time. The kid Naruto in canon also had a mischievous, slightly bratty attitude like most kids do. He is also a bit of a closet emo. But my Naru-chan at least wouldn't be like that. Or not yet.

And some of you may have also noticed that Kakashi had so many POV's in this chapter I am almost tempted to name the chapter after him. Maa… I had been trying to get my writing style more attuned to the Naruto-vibes the past couple of months. I've been on Harry Potter, Merlin, Sherlock, Supernatural, etc fics for the past couple of years that I'm afraid I'm barely swimming afloat and my writing doesn't sound like it's on the Naruto-verse at all. SO! I've brushed myself up on reading Naruto fics nonstop! But I ran out of Itachi-centric fics which led me on the road to Kakashi-centric fics. I've been reading them all the time lately that it now shows on my own work. Sorry about that.

SO! My dear readers that I have left stranded and frustrated the past two years please accept my most humble, sincerest and near-begging apology… er… If you are still reading this. I hope this chapter has managed to be at par with my past chapters although I have to admit I have become a bit too wordy lately… although I hope not as confusing and demented as before.

To my new readers that are having very viable doubts about my updating habits I repeat my promise from before… as long as I have readers and I love Itachi I would strive to complete this series… there may be a couple of changes to my original plan for this story but it cannot be helped. I myself have changed the past couple of years… so it may show on my writing. I will also not be pushing the ending abruptly… so you need not worry about the quality. I have worked tirelessly in the writing and planning of this and I would strive to not ruin that. But I'm afraid that, that is also the reason why I have really erratic update intervals.

ANYWAY! This would be my longest chapter up to date and my longest afterword! And like always I have to remind everyone that I am my own beta and I tend to write parts of this story at random parts of my day and sometimes my hand slips a bit and my grammar and spellings leaves quite a bit to be desired. Sorry about that. Please be patient with me. I am actually thinking of rewriting everything but… you know it would stand in the way of the updates so maybe later.

I haven't asked for anything last chapter because I felt I did not deserve it at all but… It is kinda depressing. So pardon me for this but…

Reviews dear ones? Please? I need your insights. I am not averse to criticisms and just want to know what my readers think of the story… the chapter… whatever.

So… till next chapter?

Ja ne!