Chapter 4: A helping hand

Konohagakure – the village hidden in the leaves – is home to many shinobi clans. Some like the Uchiha and the Senju clan have been there from its inception, while some like the Inuzuka and the Aburame were indigenous to the area where the village was born, and some like the Seiya were nomads that established themselves in the new, peaceful community. 

Whatever the reasons, they all stayed. 

-Extract from 'The history of Konohagakure' - 

– A helping hand -

-Yahizui-

There were many things Yahizui loved about the academy. The endless scrolls on the walls, the quirky fashion sense that some classmates seemed to have, and the twisted hallways and hidden classrooms. She was fascinated by it all and absorbed the information with single-minded passion. But through her fascination, Yahizui found things she loathed.

Among the hung-up scrolls, weapons, and heaps of information, the academy was filled with ruthless children who vied for power and respected only strength. And as days passed, she came to hate the arrogance and superiority of those with a shinobi background. They were vile little creatures that sneered at anything that was different from them, hunting the weak like a pack of hungry wolves. They called it the standard shinobi way. Yahizui found the concept idiotic at best. If someone was talented enough, then they were bound to be a good shinobi no matter their background.

Her association with Itachi and the few altercations she'd had granted her some form of protection, but there were those who weren't so lucky. So, when Yahizui saw a group of boys with proudly sewn clan seals on their shirts pushing a rather tall boy around, she fumed.

"You freak, you scared my sister yesterday!" said a stocky boy, punctuating his sentence with a powerful shove that sent the tall, skinny one to the ground.

"Your ugly face had her crying all the way home!" Another shove.

"You'd better apologize to your betters, civ'."

"Yeah," piped another. "With that face, you look like a stinking, ugly monkey." He had a nasty sneer on his face, his lips twisted, teeth bared in a menacing expression. "You can't even be called human. So apologize, monkey!"

The boy in question took it all with a bowed head. He muttered a silent apology, head bowed low so that his long, brown bangs would cover the angry tears that sprung up.

"I can't hear ya, monkey freak! I said, bow down and apologize!"

"Hey!" shouted Yahizui.

The boys turned around, identical sneers on their faces. Yahizui found them ugly, and ridiculous. With round, baby faces and tiny, childlike hands, these dumb boys were trying to fill shoes that were too big for their feet. She knew one of them – Uta was his name. A stocky boy with spiky dirt-colored hair who came from a clan few heard about. He thought himself strong and bragged that his father was the best jounin in Konoha. But Yahizui knew that once caught in a necklock, Uta was anything but strong, or brave. He was a sniveling little pig that squealed just like one.

"You! What are you doing here, mind your own business," said Uta.

Yahizui fumed at being dismissed so casually. "Picking on the wrong people again, Buta-chan?" she taunted, grinning at her little wordplay.

"I'm gonna make you swallow your words, bitch!" His face was all red by now, eyes narrowing in anger.

Uta lunged at her, but Yahizui sidestepped him easily. The few months of training with Itachi proved to be golden when dealing with… well, anything ninja-related. Itachi was a few hundred levels above anyone their age, and there were already rumors that there was nothing the academy instructors could teach him. Training with him and learning from him gave Yahizui the edge she needed in most hand-to-hand combat matches. The agility she'd gained in the desert helped her make sharp turns when attacking, while the many days spent sparing with Itachi helped her learn to recognize and predict the usually feeble attacks sent her way.

Fighting Uta, who was slow to move and relied on his strength alone, was a piece of cake. Just a side step and a well-aimed kick to the back of his legs had the stout boy tumbling to the ground.

"You will leave him alone, Buta-chan…" she said, voice pitched low. She then turned to the other boys, her green eyes narrowed. "All of you."

It was a gamble; if they thought her too strong to fight, then they'd leave her and the boy alone. If they didn't buy into the bluff there was always running. She'd seen that her entire life. White-collared desert lizards would enlarge the skin around their throat, making themselves look more massive and menacing. Snakes would bare their fangs, hoping to scare predators away. In the wild environment which the academy grounds were, she too had to make sure she was more menacing.

Seconds passed, yet they felt like days. Behind Yahizui, the long-limbed boy she defended stirred uncomfortably on the ground as the tense atmosphere seemed to reach a pinnacle.

Then the bell rang, signaling the end of their break.

"Tch, let's go," said one of the boys, as the other helped Uta up. "This is not over, you hear me?"

Yahizui grinned, her eyes widening in glee. Menacing, this was what she vied to be. This was a battle of wills. "I'll be waiting."

She sighed as they finally left, turning around to look at the boy on the ground. "Are you hurt?" Yahizui asked, extending a hand to pull him up.

"I'm fine," he said in a soft voice.

He stood up on his own, rising to an impressive height. His arms and legs were long, and he stood awkwardly like he had no idea what to do with them. His nose looked too big for his face, and the long, ash-brown bangs seemed to make his sharp, droopy eyes seem menacing.

"You shouldn't have done that. Now they'll be after you as well. Still… thank you."

"Oh, don't mind me!" said Yahizui, waving her hand in dismission. "They're nothing but bullies."

"Still," he pushed, his soft voice gaining a bit of bite to it. "They torment every civilian in our year, and now that you defended one, they will target you as well, although you're not one."

"Who said I ain't one?" asked Yahizui, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Y-you are? But your moves, the way you put him to the ground…"

 "Nah, I'm sure you'd be able to do the same with some practice! I'm not clanned or anything, I actually came to Konoha a few months back." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm Yahizui! Nice t'meet ya!"

The boy paused as if he was unsure what he should do. "Tojiro… Ashiyama Tojiro. Likewise. And I don't think I'd ever manage to do that… actually, I don't even know why I thought I could be a ninja…"

"Don't say that! You can be whatever you want to be, all you have to do is work hard and believe in yourself!"

"Is that what you do?"

She nodded, then moved to walk beside him. "Yeah! So, why do you hide your eyes?"

"They scare people."

Yahizui looked at him sideways, crimson eyebrows rising toward her hairline. "That's the point, no? Miwako-sensei said that ninjas in Kirigakure sharpen their teeth t'look scarier, and some in Kumo cover their bodies in tattoos meant to warn their opponents. You have all you need, so why hide it?"

"Well, yeah but…"

"But what?"

He looked like he was pondering something as they reached the front door of the building. "That's not the point!"

"What is the point?" she said, opening the door and entering.

They were almost in front of the door leading to the inner courtyard. "The point is…"

Yahizui raised her hand in front of his eyes. "Listen, taijutsu class is next, and we're late. You can tell me the point later."

Tojiro stood there for a moment, unsure what to say. He then rushed in after her, intent on making his point clear, when he saw whom she sat down next to - Uchiha Itachi, the most talked about student in the entire academy. He stopped, his initial excitement dampened; why would someone who was friends with that guy want to have anything to do with him? He was about to step back into the crowd when Yahizui gave him a small wave and a smile.

Maybe they could be friends after all.

As Yahizui took her seat by Itachi's side, the aggravated hiss of his classmates resonated around them. This had become the norm for her since she sat next to him on the first day of class. At first, Itachi was received with the usually reserved politeness that someone from such a prominent clan received. He was reserved, so making friends among his classmates was almost impossible. That and knowing absolutely everything taught in the curriculum gained him the envy of practically every male classmate and the adoration of the females. Yet, as a member of the female population, Yahizui lacked the understanding as to why they were so head over heels for him. Sure, he could do a flawless shuriken jutsu, but from that to them whispering that they wanted to marry him… it was a long way down. Unfortunately for the girls, Itachi was oblivious to the dreamy looks he received, and paid no attention to any of the social disasters happening around him, leaving the drama to fall on her head.

"Your fan club is at it again," Yahizui uttered, her voice hushed.

Yahizui waved hello to Izumi, who had a first-row seat in the so-dubbed fan club, then winced as the pretty Uchiha sent her a nasty look. Izumi was more socially savvy than Yahizui had been. Naturally, as a member of the Uchiha, she got to spend more time with the now famous and – in their minds – mysterious Itachi. Of course, that got Izumi a lot of heat at the beginning from her female classmates. Still, the girl had managed to maneuver herself out of the sticky situation and somehow enter their good graces.

As a result, she went from passably friendly towards Yahizui, to downright hostile, treating her as the obstacle that stood in front of her prize: the Uchiha heir. If only Izumi would see how little interest Itachi had in anything that wasn't a complicated jutsu, training, or a book. Silly girl.

Itachi briefly glanced up from the scroll he was reading, then promptly returned to it. Such things went over his head, and the scroll was dealing with an advanced fire jutsu that he really wanted to learn. He heard Yahizui sigh by his side, then silence settled over the assembled class as their three instructors and a man he'd never seen before walked in.

"Welcome to today's taijutsu class," said the oldest of the instructors in a jovial voice. "Today we have something extraordinary prepared for you. We've had the honor of being visited by one of the highest-ranked shinobi in Konoha. He is here to demonstrate proper evasive techniques. You must remember that whenever you face an opponent stronger than you, evasion is key. A shinobi must be quick on their feet and able to use any means necessary to escape. In life-and-death situations, your mission is primordial, and you must make sure that you complete it. Now, I will give the floor to the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru-sama!"

"Who is this guy?" whispered Yahizui, shuddering as she saw the man's, yellow eyes. They were dangerous, and it reminded her too much of another pair of orbs that haunted her dreams. A chill spread over her spine, and she quickly looked at Itachi.

The scroll lay forgotten in Itachi's lap, his eyes focused on the tall, dark-haired man. He'd seen him as a child, right after the war had ended and the dead were being put to rest in graveyards devoid of corpses.

"Orochimaru, one of the three legendary Sannin," Itachi answered absentmindedly, his gaze never leaving the man. "He's a war hero, with powers on par with the Hokage himself."

"Wow… what's a guy like him doing here?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "That is a good question…"

Their attention was consumed by the man before them. Orochimaru spoke in a rich tone that contrasted with his gravel-like voice; his eyes were a sweet poison that both drew them in and froze them on the spot, and his skill left them all in awe.

Itachi was mesmerized, his mind quickly cataloging every move Orochimaru made. He wished for the hundredth time that he had the Sharingan and be able to see the chakra fluctuate with each precise motion that the Sannin made. And when the time came for them to volunteer for a demonstration, his hand rose up in the air automatically.

"Ah, Itachi-kun," said the instructor, already moving toward him. "Would you-…"

"Actually, I was thinking of a spar." Orochimaru's voice was quiet, yet all listened to it with rapt attention. "It would be unfair to have one of them go against me, don't you think?"

The instructor paled, distinctly uncomfortable in the Sannin's presence. "O-of course! Itachi-kun, you can come up here. Who would want to come next?"

Silence fell over the class. It was a well-known fact that anyone who fought Itachi would be on the ground in a fraction of a second. His speed, agility, and power were unrivaled in the entire academy.

"Interesting…" murmured the Sannin, his yellow eyes roaming from student to student. "How about her?"

Yahizui blinked owlishly at the pale finger pointed her way. So far she'd never been pitted against Itachi. It was a sort of unspoken rule that kunoichi's were rarely put to fight against boys, and even more so against one of Itachi's caliber. And besides one or two classmates, no one knew that the two of them spent their after-school time sparing and rehearsing moves – or to be more precise, with her taking mouthfuls of grass as she hit the ground every five seconds.

As if on cue, the instructor intervened. "Orochimaru-sama, the girl is of civilian background, it would be cruel to…"

"I am sure she will do just fine," said the Sannin, his voice dropping a few octaves.

Unsure of what to do, Yahizui peeked a look at Itachi. His discrete nod was all she needed to jump from her seat and stand before him. She caught the smirk on the tall Sannin's face and shuddered.

"All right, make the sign as we learned. This is a spar, so no weapons. The first one out of the inscribed circle loses."

They both nodded, lifting one hand to make the spar sign. Yahizui took a deep breath, hoping to keep her racing heart under control. She'd fought against Itachi before, heck they did it three times a week, but never with an audience. A tingling feeling ran down her spine as tension skyrocketed through her nerves.

She looked up and saw Itachi smile. It was a natural gesture, a small tilt of his lips that he would sometimes give. It calmed her a little; this was Itachi and genius or not, he was her friend. Losing against him was inevitable, but maybe if she took him by surprise…

Her fingers were stiff in the spar sign, preparing to jump as soon as the instructor gave the signal.

"Begin!"

She jumped up just as Itachi lunged forward, knowing that he favored to flash behind the opponent and finish it with a tackle. I can do it! Yahizui twisted mid-air, aiming a kick at the back of his head. He was wide open, she could do it!

The crash with the ground came suddenly, the back of her head resting against his foot. Yahizui blinked, confused for a moment as to how she got in that position when Itachi's dark eyes and subtle smirk came into view.

"Damn it," she muttered, then took his offered hand and stood up.

They each gave the union sign, then moved to sit down at the instructor's command, unaware of the intense look Orochimaru sent their way.

"I almost got you there," she whispered to him.

Itachi was once more absorbed by his fire jutsu scroll. "Dream on," he said, then looked up at her with a small smile. "Though, you are getting faster."

Her eyes narrowed, a dusting of red coloring her cheeks. "I have no idea if you mean it or if you're making fun of me," she answered with a pout.

The next match started, and Yahizui's attention turned toward it, unaware of the serpentine eyes pointed at her and her friend.

Time at the academy passed fast. A week later Yahizui was once more in the taijutsu class, practicing her katas when a long-limbed shadow fell over her. "Tojiro, good morning!"

He looked the same, with his long bangs hanging like a curtain, his clothes a bit too small for his body.

"How's it going?" she asked, hoping to relieve some of the tension that seemed to emanate from him.

Silence; then Tojiro took a deep breath through his nose. "The point is that I don't want people to be afraid of me!"

Yahizui blinked, unsure what to do with the passionate declaration. "You waited a whole week to say that?"

Color bloomed in his cheeks, turning the sun kissed skin burgundy. "Well… it's not like I had time to say it or anything… I was... busy."

"Oh, ok," she said, returning her attention to the next move in her kata. She saw Tojiro move next to her and drop in his own stance.

"You need to widen your feet a bit more, and put your hips forward," said Yahizui, showing him an exaggerated motion of what she meant.

"Sure," muttered Tojiro. "You get training tips from the Uchiha, that's why you're so good."

Yahizui stopped mid-kick, her stance relaxing. "Is that a problem?" The idea bugged her. Tojiro wasn't the only one that had accused her of riding on Itachi's back, on his fame, on his knowledge. "I work hard to train with him, it's not like Itachi can just give me his skill!"

"So you admit that you're training with him!"

"Well yeah, we're friends! But what does it have t' do with anything?" Yahizui turned to look him straight in the eye, her fists balled in anger. "If you want, I can help you out, but I'm sick'n tired of being told I'm good 'cause I train with Itachi!"

"Will you?"

"What?"

Tojiro looked at her from between his long bangs. "Will you help me train?"

Yahizui gave him a fox-like grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Tojiro-boy, you're my new student! You may call me Yahizui-sama!"

"Suddenly this seems like a bad idea," Tojiro grumbled.

"Nonsense! This is a great idea! Now, part your legs more and put those hips forward. After class, we meet for endurance training."

Tojiro gave her a long look but followed the directions anyway. "So… why do you train so hard? Most girls in my class worry about… their hair, or clothes, or how cute their notebooks are."

Yahizui paused. None of your business – she wanted to say but curbed her tongue. Tojiro knew nothing of her, knew nothing of her reasons and of her pain. He was just curious, and friendly.

"I… I want to be strong. I want to protect those I care for." Yes. The more Yahizui thought about it, the more this reason rang clear in her head. She wanted to be strong enough to protect those she cared about. "What about you?"

"Not sure. I wanna prove that even civilians can make great ninjas, I guess."

"Then we better start working!"

-Itachi-

Silence loomed in the Uchiha household. Mikoto was preparing dinner in the kitchen, with Sasuke and Itachi close by. Itachi was content to play with his little brother, watching him wobble on his chubby feet as he walked around the room.

"Itachi, have you finished your homework?" came Mikoto's voice from above.

"Yes, mother." His attention never strayed from Sasuke, and at the sound of his twinkling giggle, he smiled as well. He could do this all day, watch him walk, and play and smear baby food everywhere as he tried mastering the art of eating. Watching Sasuke do anything made him feel… peaceful.

"Have you practiced your katas?"

The peace was broken by his mother's stern voice.

"No need," he answered over his shoulder. "I know them already. I know all drills from my year, and those from second, third, and fourth year."

Mikto bristled, or maybe she was scared of his answer. She was often uncomfortable when he spoke in his level voice, and Itachi knew it. And yet there was a small, rebellious feeling or satisfaction he got when he did that. Itachi could see that she cared for Sasuke more, and was a better person, a better parent with him. Loving, caring, smiling. But that was all right. He also loved Sasuke more; he didn't hold it against her. Yet at times, Itachi was itching to make her feel uncomfortable. Maybe spending so much time with Shisui and Yahizui was rubbing off on him.

With one last nuzzle of Sasuke's soft hair, Itachi stood, leaving his mother alone to fume. She was right on one point. He had to learn more.

His silent steps brought him to the slightly open door of his father's study, which he was about to enter when a quiet voice stopped him. Itachi held his breath, concentrating on suppressing his chakra as best as he could.

"Captain, Taro, and Uko have been reported missing. There are no leads as to where they can be, but we believe it was an outside attack during the last mission."

"Anyone that can confirm that?"

"No, sir. They were chuunin, on a mission. The third member of their team was found dead nearby – kunai to the back of his head."

"I see. Talk to the hospital and see what you can find. Maybe we can get a lead by analyzing where the kunai was forged. It's safe to assume that our clan members were taken since no bodies could be found. It's either for information on the village, which I find unlikely or…"

"It can't be…"

"But it can. They were most likely taken for their eyes. There is clear evidence that the Sharingan can be successfully implanted in another person; others might try."

"Captain, what should we do? We need to protect the clan!"

"Calm down, Fujira. I will bring the matter to the Hokage's attention. Until then, keep on searching. We cannot say for sure what happened until we have more information. You're dismissed."

Itachi moved to hide before the man left the office. The information disturbed him. Two of his clansmen were missing; a Konoha shinobi had died during a peacetime mission.

Moments passed, and the footsteps of Uchiha Fujira moved down the hallway and through the garden side entrance.

Itachi's thoughts were in turmoil, yet they settled on one thing: he had to get strong, stronger and fast. If he was strong he could protect them, he could make the world of shinobi safer, better. If a Hokage was the one that protected the village, then he will become that and make sure that no one would ever have to die.

Finally, Itachi breathed in, his small knuckle rapping on the door.

"Father?"

Fukagu looked up from the papers he brought home with him. "Yes, Itachi?"

Itachi schooled his expression to one of eager curiosity, burying the anxiousness he had felt before deep down. He had another goal. "I want to learn more. Can you teach me?"

Fugaku placed the brush down, looking at his elder son with shrewd eyes. "You are attending the academy, do they not teach you enough?"

Itachi lowered his head. He yearned to explain the shortcomings of the whole academy system and make his father understand that he wanted – no, needed – to know more. Knowing the basics would not get him far as a ninja in the field – it probably didn't get those two chuunins very far.

"Yes, but it's too easy." It was the most straightforward explanation he could come up with. Surely his father could understand the idea behind it.

Fugaku smiled, pride shining in his otherwise tired gaze. "That's my boy. Then follow me, I will teach you something."

They passed Mikoto in the hallway, and she smiled, focused on a giggling Sasuke. Itachi grabbed his brother's chubby cheek and gently ruffled his hair, then turned back to the expecting figure of his father. "I wish to know more about being a shinobi. Tell me everything."

"Ah… that's a lot to learn in one go. Let's start with a useful jutsu."

-O-

Three months passed since the academy began, and at this point, Itachi found it harder and harder to have a peaceful lunch. Why me?

It was strange how fickle the opinions of others were. One day the boys in his class hated him for reasons beyond his understanding, and as soon as he stood up for them against a senior student, they hailed him as a god. Their attention irked him, their incessant questions buzzed in his ears and the constant adoration in their eyes stung like a thorn in his side. Fickle people that flocked around the strongest. Itachi didn't mind protecting them; in fact, it was as it should be. The strong protect the weak, and to him, this was the way of things.

Still, he could do without the attention.

"Trying to hide from the world again?"

He was startled by her presence. How did he not hear her arrive?

"How did you find me?" Itachi was sure that no one had seen him get here, and he was completely hidden in the thick branches.

He could see her shake her head as she took a seat between the giant tree's roots.

"Don't worry, you're well hidden. Tojiro saw you come here just before lunch started," said Yahizui.

"Aa."

"So," she began in a light tone, "we haven't been training for a while now…"

"Hmm…" Itachi knew that since the academy started, they had spent less time together, but he was busy. He wanted to learn everything, and as soon as possible. For him to be able to achieve his dream he had to push his limits further, faster.

"I've been training with my father…he's been teaching me new jutsu's."

Unseen from between the tree's roots, Yahizui grimaced. "I see…" she said as she tried to suppress the bitterness she felt. Of course, Itachi had a family, someone who cared for him in that particular way that parents cared for their children. He had a father to teach him all he needed to know, just like… Tears gathered in her eyes – just like her father had taught her how to catch lizards.

"Well, maybe tomorrow." She held her breath, willing the tears to go away. 

From his vantage point, Itachi could only see her shoulders and the top of her head. Her hair was starting to grow, now almost reaching her shoulders, yet it still seemed to have an unruly quality to it. Her skin was getting lighter as well, the lack of exposure to the constant smoldering sun bringing out its natural pale color. Yet what his observant eyes stopped upon were her stiff, slightly trembling shoulders. Was she… crying? Because they stopped training? No, this was no reason for her to be so distressed. Maybe… maybe she missed home or missed her family. Whatever the cause – just as that time by the river – her tears distressed him.

"Tomorrow," he said with conviction in his voice. "We can meet after classes end."

Itachi could see her nod, but she kept otherwise silent. A few moments later, Yahizui finally spoke. "So what jutsu are you learning?"

A pause. Should he tell her? It wasn't a secret or anything, and after all, she was also training to be a Konoha shinobi. "The Kagebunshin and the Katon."

"Oh? Kagebunshin? Is it like the bunshin jutsu that the seniors learn?"

"Not at all." It was a common mistake, and Yahizui didn't know any better.

Should he explain? Will she get it? Yahizui was pretty sharp so she might understand the workings behind it, but it will take a while to put it in simple terms. There were still ten minutes of break, it should be enough.

"A normal bunshin is a copy of yourself, but it's not solid. It will move and talk and do whatever you would normally do, but it's basically just a diversion. A Kagebunshin is a few steps above. It's solid, it can attack and receive attacks. It's basically a solid clone. Once critically hit, the clone disappears, and you get its memories."

"Ooh! That's a pretty neat jutsu. You can be in more places at once!" Yahizui looked up at him with excited eyes. "You could put a clone go to school while you sit home and do nothing. Or-or, I know! You can have one go to school, one train, and one help with chores, while you sit at home and do nothing."

People started looking their way, making Itachi realize that his secret spot was suddenly no longer so secret.

"Yahizui…" he said in a hushed voice. "Calm down, people are looking our way."

"Who cares? Itachi, you're a genius! You must teach me this jutsu!"

Itachi's dark eyes widened as he saw a group of girls perk up at the sound of his name. They'd found him.

Yahizui looked behind at the sudden squeals of joy. Her eyes widened, panic flooding her veins.

"They're coming."

In a flash, Itachi grabbed her and jumped back into the thick branches of the tree before flooding his legs with chakra and leaping onto the academy roof.

Yahizui blinked. That had been… less than a second. She turned to look at his focused expression in awe. Just how strong was he?

Seeing that he was once more out of their attention range, Itachi gently released her and then gave her a mock glare. "I should have left you there."

Her eyes narrowed, nose scrunching up. "Oh, y' wouldn't dare…"

"I should have since you gave my position away. And please… stop swallowing letters."

She waved a dismissive hand in front of his eyes. "We both know you're too nice t' leave me to the wolves like that."

Itachi sighed, his head dropping low. Really, when will she learn to talk properly? "Don't take advantage…"

"Not at all! I'm eternally grateful, Itachi-sama!"

"Stop it."

Yahizui grinned impishly. "Aaanyway… how about that jutsu? Will you show me?"

"No."

"N-... What!? Why?"

Itachi lifted his hand, one finger held straight up. "First, it's a B-rank jutsu." Another finger followed the first. "Second, if misused, it can kill you as it requires either a large chakra pool or perfect control. Third, you haven't even learned the regular bunshin technique – it's not good to skip steps in your education." A fourth finger rose. "Fourth, you don't even know how to use your chakra. And finally, you haven't even completely mastered the shuriken jutsu. The Kagebunshin is way out of your league."

Yahizui blinked owlishly at him, eyes crossing as she looked at his fingers before a pout twisted her lips. "Well, you didn't have to be so… thorough."

He gave her a confused look. "I'm always thorough, and I didn't know you knew such big words."

Her face turned bright red as she tried to sputter an answer his way, fists balled in anger. Itachi smirked, amused by her antics. Red really was a suitable color for her.