Uchiha Itachi extended his right hand, fingers in duel sign. Shisui followed.
"Begin!"
They clashed in battle.
Far from the first round. They'd sparred for hours, quite tired, starting to make mistakes. Each fight ended unexpectedly. Missed a strike. Didn't spot a feint. Shisui led wins by far, but in the last ten rounds Itachi caught up, now trailing by just twelve points.
"I forfeit, you win," Shisui exhaled and flopped onto the grass, arms spread.
His chest heaved heavily. Unruly wet hair stuck to his forehead. He closed his eyes, listening to his pulse throb in his temples.
Itachi lowered his kunai hand and re-tied his ponytail, messed from training. Shisui lay eyes closed, silent. His breathing gradually steadied.
"I'm far from you, Shisui. You just got distracted last rounds. If you'd been more attentive...
"Enough, Itachi. You're stronger than all your Konoha peers. I mean it."
"Not enough."
Shisui opened his eyes and looked at the sky.
"Maybe...
"Shisui," Itachi pressed. "You're thinking about something."
His friend smiled.
"Can't hide anything from you."
Grunting, he sat up and looked at Itachi.
"Okay, y'know. Hallucinations."
"What?"
Shisui sighed.
"Day after Kyuubi attack, I was helping wounded and ran into a chunin and girl genin. Girl in glasses, Uchiha crest on her dress back..." He trailed off, noticing odd realization on his friend's face. "What's wrong?"
Itachi stared wide-eyed.
"No, nothing. Go on."
"Okay. I was surprised then, never saw her before in academy or village. Capable girl. Punched through a wall. After disaster, I looked for her, curious what family, how I didn't know she existed. But she just vanished. Bothered me even then. Thought maybe not Uchiha, just dress with our crest. But never saw her among shinobi either, and we're all in the same pot. But no. She fell through the earth."
"Taken by Anbu. Or died."
"You're first Uchiha slated for Anbu. If others, your dad would've boasted to whole clan at meeting."
"Either way, six years ago. Why remember now?"
"I saw her, Itachi. Saw her again in village crowd. Same dress, same girl, just jacket over. And she hasn't grown."
Itachi was silent. Shisui waited half a minute for reaction, then continued.
"Weird, right? Even then she was three, four years older than me. Now looks a couple years younger. Like six years didn't pass for her, y'know?"
"Yes, that's suspicious," Itachi agreed. "But still, why think about it during training?"
"I just saw you and remembered her."
"Huh?"
"You look alike. I don't know, maybe it was just my imagination. But at one point you turned, and I remembered her face."
Itachi fell into thought.
"Listen," Shisui said. "You stared at me with those eyes when I was talking about her. What's up with you?"
"I saw her too," Itachi replied. "Six years ago. Not the next day, but on the night of the disaster."
"What?!"
"I spotted her in my garden. We were heading to the shelter together, but she fell behind along the way. I thought she died, but now it turns out she didn't. And she already had the Sharingan back then, on the night of the Kyuubi attack. So she's an Uchiha. It doesn't matter what crest was on her dress."
"D-damn. Do you realize what that means?"
"Yes."
Itachi understood. The Leaf blamed the Uchiha for unleashing the Nine-Tails on the village; the tragedy of October 10th had left too many questions unanswered. Moreover, Itachi himself suspected it might well be true. He knew no Uchiha in the village would have done it. But if there was an Uchiha who had broken away from the clan...
And there was. The man in the mask who killed Tenma. On the day he had miraculously avoided death, Itachi had clearly seen a Sharingan with three tomoe flash in the black void of the mask's opening. He suspected that very masked stranger could have summoned the Kyuubi six years ago. Why not? But the appearance of the girl from the Uchiha clan disrupted the neatness of his deductions. Another Sharingan outside the clan. And maybe not just one. How many were there then? And most importantly, who were they?
There were no records in Konoha of any Uchiha who had left the clan. In the entire history, only Uchiha Madara had departed. As an alternative, they could be shinobi presumed dead during the last Great War but who had somehow survived by a miracle.
"Or maybe they're Madara's descendants?" Itachi thought.
It was entirely possible that both the girl and the man in the mask were Madara's great-grandchildren, born outside the village. Perhaps they had awakened their Sharingan, attacked the Leaf together, and then gone into hiding. And now—they had reappeared.
But that didn't explain something else: why hadn't the girl grown up? Or was it some technique, like Henge no Jutsu? But then why not use a different appearance to avoid arousing suspicion in those who had seen her six years ago, like Shisui, a Chunin, or even Itachi himself?
"I can practically feel your active thinking process with my skin," Shisui said cheerfully, snapping him out of his reverie. "You're so serious, like you're planning to conquer the world."
"I don't want to conquer the world. I want to protect it."
"You could conquer it first, then protect what you've conquered. One doesn't preclude the other."
"Not funny."
"It is. You're just an unusual kid."
Shisui grinned slyly and ruffled his hair.
Itachi frowned, pushed his friend's hand away, and started retying his ponytail.
"I hate it when you do that."
"I know. That's why I do it."
Shisui stood up and rolled his shoulders.
"I'm all sweaty, ugh, you really made me work up a sweat."
He seemed to have already forgotten their conversation and the strange girl from the Uchiha clan.
"I just wanted to walk arm in arm with the person I like," Izumi said.
Tears glistened in her eyes, and Itachi was surprised to see a spark of defiance in the girl's determined gaze.
"Maybe I shouldn't have..."
Izumi brushed away her tears with her hand, bit her lip to hold back sobs, and whispered:
"See you, Itachi-kun."
She didn't turn back. Itachi watched her go and felt guilty. He didn't get along well with people. He had a goal, so he trained and developed as a shinobi, missing out on a whole layer of human life. Sasuke and Shisui made up his entire social circle, but the first was much younger, and the second—older.
He hadn't gotten along with his peers since early childhood. Itachi surpassed his age-mates in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and thought far more maturely, which naturally created a gulf between him and the other kids. They envied him and didn't dare get close.
Among his year-mates, he had only one friend—Izumi. Itachi had a habit of answering people briefly and to the point, which discouraged any desire to continue talking to him. But Izumi wasn't fazed, and now Itachi finally understood why.
Joining Anbu, the clan's hatred, and now a girl with a Sharingan... All these thoughts kept him from sleeping, and he was overlooking the obvious.
I like her.
An unfamiliar feeling, warm yet a bit bitter. He couldn't give Izumi what she wanted. Itachi sincerely wanted his friend to be happy, and the thought that the clan's unbridled fury might touch Izumi and ruin her life poisoned his soul. Pure, kind, sweet... He liked her too. But Itachi had no free time, and he didn't allow himself to waste it on such trivial things when the world continued to bleed.
Fool, why did he even ask her...
"So what did ya do? And why'd ya make yer girl cry, huh?" a familiar voice with an accent sounded in his ear.
Inari Shinko.
"You're excellent at hiding your presence," Itachi replied quietly, staring at the polished corner of the table. "Why not become a shinobi again?"
"Wha-at? No thanks, yeah," his former teammate suddenly turned: "Oh, Sarada?"
He noticed Shinko's approaching assistant and...
No way.
She was impossible to mistake. That girl... Skinny, short, with short black hair, in her ridiculous glasses with red frames. And judging by the stunned expression on her face—she remembered him too.
Shisui was right. The girl really hadn't changed since the night of the tragedy when they last saw each other. Now she seemed younger, which was natural since Itachi himself had grown.
But there was something else.
Itachi looked into her eyes and saw something incredibly familiar and dear, something he hadn't noticed six years ago. He couldn't have, because his little brother was still a baby then. And Sarada, as Shinko had called her, was strikingly similar to Sasuke.
Itachi couldn't look away. He stared into the girl's black eyes, trying to piece together the strange puzzle.
"I just saw you and remembered her."
"You look alike. I don't know, maybe it was just my imagination."
Shisui had remembered the girl upon seeing him. And Itachi himself, looking into eyes behind red-framed glasses, involuntarily recalled his little brother.
"Who are you?" Itachi wanted to ask, but aloud he said:
"Have we met before?"
The girl snapped out of it and shook her head furiously. Perhaps too furiously.
So, you remember everything, but you don't want me to recognize you. You're afraid of me. Fine.
Itachi pretended to have mistaken her.
"Then I apologize. Goodbye."
He stood up and left the teahouse, feeling Sarada's intense gaze on his back.
Itachi scoured every possible archive and record of living and deceased Uchiha for anyone who might be connected to Sarada. Including the log of visitors arriving in the village and residents settling in.
An Uchiha outside the clan... Illegitimate daughter of one of the men, born to an ordinary woman? There were many possibilities.
A highly skilled Iryonin could control their metabolism, including hormonal balance. If a talented medic learned this in childhood—they could slow their development. In that case, the girl would be an adult but look like a teenager, misleading those around her with her innocent appearance.
It could also be Henge. The stranger from the Uchiha clan had indeed died that night, and a spy, taking her form, had now sneaked into the village. But no, she recognized him. She remembered. So it was the same person. Not Henge. Or had the girl used the technique back then?
Thoughts boiled.
Yes, there were damn many possibilities. But intuition whispered to Itachi that all his guesses were fundamentally wrong. Too sloppy work. An enemy spy wouldn't act like that, unless their goal was to deceive the village's defenses and divert eyes from something else.
Itachi trusted his instincts. His mind analyzed any situation perfectly, and the whisper of intuition was nothing but a logical conclusion that seemed too implausible to rely on fully yet.
And his gut told Itachi that Sarada was no enemy.
He remembered trying to get her on her feet on the night of the Nine-Tails attack. Back then, Itachi had touched her cool hand and felt her whole body shaking in tremors. She was terrified.
And now—genuine horror in her eyes when their gazes met.
Just an ordinary lost child.
Or a brilliant actor.
His mind insisted that as a Leaf ninja, he must consider all possibilities and not let someone who posed a threat to the village mislead him. But in his heart, he wanted to believe Sarada was innocent, and he irritably realized the reason for his fondness for her lay in her resemblance to Sasuke.
But if Sarada wasn't an enemy, how to explain all these oddities?
The only option—space-time Ninjutsu.
Itachi knew no such technique, but he suspected a time jump from past to future was possible. Everything moved forward in time. There had to be speeds and ways to desynchronize a person's life from the general time flow.
If the girl, so strikingly like his little brother, could travel through time, everything fell into place. Why the clan knew nothing of her. Why her age didn't change. Even their physical resemblance. Sarada could have come to their time from the deep past, then jumped forward another six years. So who was she, a distant relative? At least that would explain the striking similarity to Sasuke.
"If I tell Shisui about this, he'll think I've gone mad," Itachi thought.
But the final theory fit the puzzle almost perfectly. Only one single thought gnawed at Itachi. A fleeting memory that might be a figment of his imagination. But he intended to verify it, and for that, he needed Shisui's help.
"Do you realize what you're asking?"
"Yes."
"It's impossible to run that analysis without an official request. Too expensive. And Itachi, who are you planning to compare with whom? Got someone in mind?"
"Yes."
Shisui gave him a strange look and scratched the back of his head.
"I'm already regretting telling you about her. You won't let it go now, will you. Sigh, Sarada, you say?"
"Yes."
"Then we'll need..."
"I know. And I need your help with that too."
Shisui fell silent.
"Shisui," Itachi began. "I know I already owe you everything, but..."
"Drop it. I understand. You're lucky—I kept an eye on the girl in my spare time. And let me tell you, she's caught more than just our interest."
"Anbu?"
"Exactly. And it looks like it's Root under Lord Danzou."
Itachi's face darkened, and he lowered his head.
"Shisui, do you think she's a spy?"
"I don't know what to think, Itachi. She looks like an innocent kid. But spies usually do."
"They don't work that sloppily."
"You're defending her?" Shisui said in surprise.
Itachi hesitated.
"I haven't made up my mind yet. That's why I need the analysis."
"Fine. You win," his friend sighed wearily and smiled a bit sadly. "And here I wanted to rest before the mission."
They crouched on the roof slope. Below, on the street, drunken men were loudly arguing.
"Cover your ears," Shisui whispered.
Itachi gave him a questioning look. His friend smiled.
"You're too young to hear words like that."
"Go to hell."
Shisui suddenly grew serious. The smile vanished from his face; he peered intently into the darkness over the nearest houses and activated his Sharingan. Itachi followed suit.
"Do you sense the chakra movement? Small, scattered."
"Yes. What is it?"
Shisui hesitated, watching the enemy closely.
"Insects."
His tone held undisguised disgust.
"Aburame clan," Itachi realized.
"Exactly."
"Bad. If he's using bugs, we can't attack unnoticed."
"Yes, but he's probably alone. Root doesn't have that many people."
Shisui peeked over the roof ridge onto the street and immediately ducked back.
"The bugs are still near him. He hasn't seen us. Let's split up. I'll handle our Aburame watcher, and you take Sarada."
"You can manage?" Itachi said in surprise.
"Yes. I think so," his friend replied firmly and added disapprovingly: "The kid picked a good spot for her night stay."
They waited in ambush for about an hour, deactivating their Sharingan and concealing their chakra as much as possible, until Sarada finally appeared at the street corner.
"I'm starting," Shisui whispered.
His iris flared red, tomoe manifesting around the pupil.
Itachi activated his Sharingan too. In the red world, far off beyond several houses from their hideout, tiny lights moved—insects. Their chakra suddenly stirred and began flickering unevenly.
Shisui's genjutsu... Incredible. Even on bugs. Alright. My turn.
Itachi soundlessly shifted to the other end of the roof and watched Sarada. She turned into an archway leading to the inner courtyard of the neighboring house... He jumped to the adjacent roof, channeled chakra to his feet, ran down the wall to the first floor, and hid at the edge of the arch. His ponytail dangled down. A cool evening breeze touched his bare nape.
Crows were already gathering in the inner courtyard. They flew in from everywhere, as if someone had scattered enticing feed on the ground. From outside, it looked natural, but it was a summon in action.
Sarada reached the middle of the passage, and as if an inaudible signal had triggered: the birds in the courtyard rose into the air with a whoosh of wings and rushed into the arch.
Itachi shifted to the arch's ceiling. Crows screeched and swirled around Sarada. She tried to shield herself, covering her face with her hands, but the birds pecked and battered her with wings.
Come on. Look at me. Come on!
The girl fended off the crows, glancing around distractedly, and their eyes met for an instant, completely unconsciously. Itachi seized the moment and sent a meticulously crafted illusion into Sarada's mind. Sharingan against Sharingan. Itachi wasn't at all sure the genjutsu would work, but Sarada, judging by everything, wasn't experienced enough to detect the illusion he had subtly woven into reality.
Itachi dropped from the ceiling to the floor and recalled the crows. Sarada kept flailing her arms and hiding her face, then suddenly froze, staring ahead with superstitious horror. He pulled out a syringe, removed the cap, pinned her throat with his elbow to keep her from thrashing too much, and carefully inserted the needle into her vein.
She can't be a spy.
Itachi felt the warmth of the compliant girl's body up close as she sank into the genjutsu, and mentally prayed his hunch wouldn't prove true. Because if it did—he'd surely go mad.
Shisui landed silently on the ledge and squatted, holding onto the outer wall of the apartment building. Before him was a small dimly lit room. The rumpled bed was empty. At the wall behind a desk cluttered with scrolls and books sat a girl in a loose home t-shirt. The shirt was a bit too big for her, the neckline slipping off her shoulder, exposing it, but absorbed in reading, she paid no attention. The room was lit only by a yellow desk lamp. A large she-wolf by the wall lifted her head, sniffed interestedly, scenting Shisui, wagged her tail, and lay back down to sleep. The night visitor's scent was familiar.
"Kirei!" he called in a whisper.
She startled and turned. The desk lamp glinted in her glasses.
"Shisui?"
Kirei tensed immediately and tugged at her t-shirt. Shisui smirked, watching her flustered face.
"Don't do that!" Kirei whispered loudly.
He grinned even wider. His friend removed her glasses and fixed her tousled hair. Shisui slipped quietly into the room.
"Hi."
"Shisui, it's one in the morning! If Mom..."
"Just a minute. Besides, Eiga won't give us away. See, she's pretending to sleep."
He nodded at the dozing she-wolf.
"Sneaking up on me from behind when I'm sitting in home clothes, oblivious..."
"Kirei," Shisui interrupted with a smile.
"...that's unchivalrous!" the girl declared in a loud whisper, crossing her arms angrily over her chest.
"It suits you," he admitted, scratching his nape sheepishly.
Kirei blushed slightly and turned away, still feigning outrage.
"Listen, I'm not here for nothing. I have a favor to ask."
She dropped her arms and eyed him warily.
"What now?"
Shisui pulled out two syringes into the light.
"I desperately need to run a kinship analysis."
"Why not come during the day? With an official request..."
"Because it's... uh... not exactly official."
Kirei narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Shisui, the reagents cost as much as..."
"I know, Kirei. I know a request is needed and it's all strictly controlled. But it has to be this way," he drew a thumb across his throat.
"Shisui..."
He cautiously circled her, left the syringes on the desk, and backed toward the window.
"Thanks."
"Shisui!" Kirei clearly regretted not being able to raise her voice without waking her mother. "I didn't agree."
Shisui was already on the windowsill.
"Thanks a lot, Kirei. And yes. That oversized t-shirt really suits you. Surprisingly well."
The girl gasped in indignation and delight at once, blushing even more. Shisui dropped from the window and vanished into the night.
"Here."
Shisui handed him the envelope. Itachi stared at it for a long time, hesitant to open it. His heart beat faster. The contents would decide everything now.
"Open it already," his friend urged.
Itachi sighed and tore open the envelope. He unfolded the yellow paper.
Shisui, leaning over his cheek, read along.
"Congratulations!" He clapped him on the shoulder, startling Itachi into jumping. "You guessed right. We found her father."
Shisui ruffled his hair, but he pushed his hand away with extra irritation.
"What's wrong? You're not happy?" Shisui said in surprise.
Itachi was silent.
"Come on, spill. Whose blood was in the second syringe? Who's her father?"
Itachi sighed and looked his friend straight in the eye.
"Her father is Uchiha Sasuke."
"What?" Shisui asked cheerfully.
He still didn't get it. Itachi watched his comrade's face change before his eyes. It was dawning on him.
The news stunned them both.
"You asked me to run a kinship analysis between the girl and your brother?"
"Yes."
"But... That's nonsense. It can't be. Kirei said that... " He trailed off.
"...that the test unambiguously shows only parent-child connection," Itachi finished for him. "The result is positive. Sasuke's mother is Mikoto. So Sarada can only be his daughter."
"I still don't get it," Shisui admitted. "But how did you even think to submit Sasuke's blood for analysis? I won't argue, they do look alike, but..."
Itachi sighed heavily.
"Back then, six years ago, she called me uncle."
"Itachi, we have a problem."
Shisui appeared out of nowhere on a branch of the nearest tree. Itachi lowered his raised hand with kunai gripped between his fingers.
"Root took your 'niece'," his friend reported quickly. "Pack up your training."
Itachi quickly stowed the kunai and leaped to the branch.
"Whoever she is, we can't let the Sharingan fall into Danzou's hands."
"It seems you're more worried about the Sharingan going to Danzou than Sarada herself," Itachi noted.
"I didn't say that," Shisui disclaimed. "But your space-time Ninjutsu idea sounds as insane as it gets. So yes. I don't trust her."
"We'll discuss it later," Itachi cut him off.
"What are you going to do?"
"Tell Father. Only he can help. No one else."
Itachi jumped from the branch, leaving Shisui alone.
"You're acting strangely attached to her, my suspicious friend," Shisui thought and followed Itachi.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan