Genin Days (VI).

Itachi and Shisui were sitting back to back in the middle of the training ground, both of them trying to stop panting and regain their strength.

"Well," Shisui broke the silence first. "I think it would be safe to say that you mastered the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique) and the Katon: Hibashiri (Fire Release: Running Fire) by now. By the way, did your chakra reserves grow? You used these two Jutsu much more than you did in our last match."

"You know as well as I do that the body grows used to a technique with time if you use it often enough and that it consumes much less chakra to use a technique your body is used to than it would otherwise. I spent the last three weeks you were on your mission, almost exclusively focused on getting my body as used to these techniques as possible."

Unfortunately, this effect would lessen more and more with time until it stopped entirely. Otherwise, every Shinobi would train a few techniques like crazy for a few weeks and be able to spam them endlessly afterwards.

Shisui laughed. "I know, I know. No need to give me a lecture, I just wanted to test you."

He rolled his eyes, a small smile on his lips. "Of course you did."

"Hey, are you saying you doubt me? I let you know, that I will be promoted to Jōnin soon! Then I will probably be given a Genin team, which means I need to train how to act like a teacher and test my cute little students. And so you know it, you just took the role of the cute little student!"

'My pity to whoever is unfortunate enough to become your student' Itachi thought amused. "Isn't the teacher supposed to be better than his student? I think I won more of our fights than you did so far, didn't I?"

His friend spluttered. "Only as long as we don't include Ninjutsu! The times you won then can be counted on one hand!"

"You're three years older and have bigger reserves than me. That's hardly fair."

Honestly, it probably wasn't fair of him to tease Shisui over his losses either. He knew his fighting style by heart, even after all these years, and his current form was far less developed than the one he would have years later.

Also, Itachi was much faster than he was when he was actually six years old. So, although still slower than Shisui, he could hold pace with him enough to win their fights.

"Many things aren't fair, Itachi. Enemies will always use every chance they get to have an advantage. You need to be prepared to deal with it," Shisui said, much more serious now.

He nodded, already aware of that.

"Anyway," his friend continued, his voice carefree. "Why did you choose this two jutsu? Any specific reason?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "They are both rather basic but have enough potential to be used versatilely. Furthermore, one of them is more offensive orientated while the other one is more defensive orientated. Seemed like a good balance."

Shisui nodded, not commenting on it.

This time it was Itachi who broke the silence, asking the question he had wanted to ask Shisui since he had returned from his mission. "You have been distracted all day now. Did something happened on your mission?"

Shisui didn't answer immediately but thought about it for a few minutes before replying.

"There were some unexpected interferences. Some missing-nin got involved and they outnumbered us quite badly. Most of their followers were normal bandits, though, no shinobi, so I'm pretty sure we would have been able to manage them after a while. Just not without casualties. It was fortunate that we were close enough to the border for some ANBU to notice us or else at least one of my teammates would have died. It was a close thing, had they arrived a minute later it would have been too late."

Shisui stopped to took a deep breath. Then he suddenly balled his fists, an angry look on his face. "And I didn't even notice! He could have been killed and I wouldn't have known it until all the fighting was over! I'm still not strong enough to protect everyone."

Itachi hesitated for a moment, thinking about how he should react, before giving his friend a soft nudge with his shoulder. "Hey, you're not even ten yet but are still considered for promotion to Jōnin. You are strong, and you will only grow stronger. That's what we're training for, isn't it? To get stronger and protect everyone."

Shisui laughed softly but sounded absent when he answered. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Itachi knew there wasn't anything he could say that would placate the other prodigy, so he didn't speak at all.

They continued to stay where they were for another hour, enjoying the calm and each other's silent company, before standing up and making their way home.

...

"So," the old Hokage said. "You think they're ready for their first C-rank mission, Akihito?"

Their Sensei nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Their teamwork is faultless, and Itachi fits right in. All of them can defend themselves and they look out for each other. They're ready."

"Well then," the older man replied with a smile. "I think I have just the right mission for you."

He needed a minute to search through the documents on his table before handing Tanaka-sensei a scroll. "There is an orphanage located at the coast of the Land of Woods. For a few weeks now, children went missing at irregular intervals. As of right now, 28 children are unaccounted for. Since the Land of Woods doesn't have a hidden village of their own, the caretaker of the aforementioned orphanage sent a request to us instead. We assume that there are no shinobi involved and that regular bandits are the culprits. They most likely kidnapped the children to sell them on the black market. Your mission will be to find and to kill all the bandits as well as rescuing every child that is with them. If you find out where they sold the other children you're not to interfere. Bring the information back home and I will have an ANBU team take care of it later."

They nodded, Anko and Yukio looking slightly sick at the thought of children being sold on the black market. While he knew that they had their fair share of combat experience, a given with Orochimaru as their sensei, they apparently lacked the experience with the other dark parts of the Shinobi lifestyle.

They were already half turned when the Hokage spoke up again. "Before you go on your way; Itachi, I have a scroll for your father concerning some of your clan's dealings with the village. Would you mind taking it with you?"

Nodding he turned around, walking the short way to the Hokage to receive the message scroll. He took it, not visibly reacting to the hand signs the older man made when his body blocked the view from his teammates, and turned around to join his team.

Tanaka-sensei spoke up as soon as the door was closed behind them. "We will meet at the entrance gate in an hour. We will need around two or three days to arrive at the orphanage, depending on where exactly at the coast it's located. Keep that in mind when you guys prepare your equipment."

"Hai, Sensei." they intoned simultaneously.

It was amusing for Itachi to watch his teammates interacting with their teacher. On one hand, they were immature enough to blame him for something that wasn't his fault -becoming their new sensei after their old one betrayed them and left the village-, but on the other hand, they were mature enough to hide their disdain and act professional while on missions.

With nothing else to say they departed, all of them making their way home to prepare for the mission.

.....

As soon as his teammates had vanished, he made his way to the closest empty alley and opened the scroll he had received from the Hokage. Just as the Sandaime had said, it was indeed about his clan's dealings as the leading force of the KMPF and how they could possibly work closer together with the ANBU, but that wasn't what interested him.

Much more important was the second, smaller scroll hidden in the bigger one. All it said was one short message:

[Jiraya will be back in three days. We will meet him after you return from your mission.]

...

Anko jumped over the roofs for about three minutes before arriving home.

She didn't bother to use the door or even announcing her arrival; not having any living family members and thus living alone, there wasn't anyone there to greet her when she entered her apartment anyway.

Ignoring the cold feeling in her gut, she started to collect her stuff. This only lasted a few minutes as she had her equipment already prepared beforehand, having decided years ago to be always ready to depart for a mission on a minute's notice. She hadn't needed it for a few months now, not since... - 'do not think about him, he doesn't deserve it.'

She was as ready as she could be and very motivated by the thought of saving some poor children from slavery. Having grown up in an orphanage herself, the thought of young children being kidnapped from there was just disgusting.

'Just wait you bastards.' she thought. 'You will pay for this.'

....

Only a few blocks away, Yukio was currently rather busy with soothing his mother and younger sister, promising them that he "would be safe" and that "this wasn't a dangerous mission at all, really" while his father hurried through the apartment to get his equipment ready for him.

Honestly, he thought while trying to suppress a fond smile. 'This is hardly my first real mission. Shouldn't they be used to it by now?'

His gaze wandered to his sister, the seven years old clinging to his left arm, which made his thoughts turn to a darker tone.

These monsters who kidnapped children like little Yui at his side didn't deserve any mercy. Just the thought of his sister being one of their victims...

'Just wait you bastards' he thought. 'Your little shitshow will be over soon.'

.....

"And you promise me you will be safe, will you? And don't forget to look out for your teammates as well, protect each other. That's what a team is there for, after all."

"Of course, Okaa-san. This shouldn't be a very hard mission anyway, just some common bandits making trouble. It will be fine," Itachi replied, enjoying her hug for as long as it lasted.

Now that he thought about it, it had been a long while since he had been hugged like that. That was rather sad, actually.

He had never been very keen on hugs, but Sasuke's and his mother's hugs had something soothing at them that he couldn't help but enjoy. In this specific case, it might be because he felt a bit more forgiven for the sins of his last life when he was in her arms, but he tried to ignore that thought for the moment. No need to ruin the mood.

She ended the hug a few moments later, just when his father spoke up. "Your mother is right, Itachi. A team is there to look out for each other, and there is no shame in accepting help from others when you need it. False pride will just get you killed."

This was the father from his earliest memories, the one he grieved for after his death. He so dearly wished that he would stay this way, strict but loving, and not turn into that bitter man he had become in his last life. This was a man he could proudly call his father.

"I have no problem with admitting it when I need help. Besides, we trained our teamwork the last few months rather intensively, so we will have no problems looking out for each other."

His parents didn't get any chance to answer, as Sasuke decided to include himself in the conversation. "Nii-san gonna go? Not playing?"

Smiling he knelt down to be at eye level with his brother. "Sorry Sasuke, not today. I need to go on a mission and will not be home for a few days," -he tapped his forehead for good measure- "but I will be home before you know it."

I will always return for you, I promise.