Golden Crown of Sorrow, Bloody Sword to Swing

Chapter Two

Shisui's house had been a solitary place ever since his father died. Perhaps it had been even lonelier in the months leading up to his death when a terrified man lay in pain on a bed far too big for him, his son a stranger in his delirious eyes. Now the home was just quiet and drafty, full of closed doors and dust gathering in the corners of dark rooms. If his father hadn't entrusted him with maintaining the house in his will, Shisui would have moved ages ago. Instead, he spent as little time within its walls as possible.

Hungry waves lapped at the bank of the Naka. The rainy season brought higher water levels and far stronger currents such that the cry of the waterfall was almost loud enough to deafen Shisui's thoughts. Shisui often imagined setting off down the Naka in a small barge, following the current until the river met the sea. He had visited the coast of Fire Country only once on a mission, but he would give anything to spend his life there. The smell of saltwater sat heavy in the air of the coastal town in which he stayed and when the fog burned off, he could stare at the vast expanse of ocean as far as his vision could reach. There was no freedom like sprawling ocean, no freedom like looking around you and seeing nothing but undulating, clear water. One day Shisui would show Itachi the seaside and then they would live beside it forever. One day they would put the turmoil of the clan and the blood of the shinobi world behind them; then they would be free.

Shisui focused back on the bank of the Naka, his reflection shifting in the unsettled water. He gathered chakra behind his eyes, activating his sharingan. Red glinted against the waves, shining as if rubies lay beneath the surface. Three tomoe stared back at him. He gathered more chakra behind his eyes, a sharp pain lancing through his temples. The three tomoe spun once before straightening into a pitch black pinwheel. The pain in Shisui's temples continued to grow until it was nearly unbearable. Struggling to remain standing, he let his eyes fade back to black, his heart pounding in his throat. That was the power he needed to stop the coup and it hurt more than anything he had ever experienced.

With a sigh, he fell backwards onto the grass, letting his head tip up towards the sky. A cool wind bit at his cheeks, his face turning pink in the cold. He would worry more tomorrow but for now, Shisui focused on the cool air and the calming rush of the water. Everything else would follow.

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Fugaku nodded approvingly as Itachi stepped into the parlor wearing his ANBU armor. The slight raise of his eyebrow served as a reminder that Itachi was to be the Uchiha's eyes and ears into the inner-workings of Konoha and there was no better way to do that than to work directly beneath the Hokage.

"Be safe," Fugaku instructed as Itachi slipped out the front door.

With a short spike of chakra, Itachi launched himself onto the nearest roof, the base of his sandals hitting tile after tile as he traveled through the Uchiha district and into the village proper. ANBU headquarters lay on the opposite edge of Konoha, hidden behind several obscuring jutsu and a dense copse of trees. Only ANBU agents and a select few tokubetsu jonin knew how to get through the security system and myriad traps without getting themselves decapitated. Itachi entered into the front lobby without wasting a second on disarming the traps. The low light and musty air greeted him, settling him into a pre-mission mindset. The objective was simple: a straightforward assassination to be performed right outside Tanzaku Quarters. He would iron out the rest of the information with Kakashi, Tenzo, and Yugao as soon as they arrived.

The three of them were never quite as punctual as Itachi, so he often found himself packed and ready before they even arrived. Kakashi was another specimen altogether, being perpetually tardy. If he showed up on time or a few minutes after the assigned meeting time Itachi immediately knew that the mission was high-priority. Itachi took his armor and weapons from his locker which he had to bend down to reach; Kakashi had thought it funny to give "the baby ANBU" a locker on the lowest level. As funny as the joke was, Itachi really did stand the shortest out of everyone on Team Ro and Kakashi would never let him live that down.