Back in time

Chapter 4

"How is my favourite cousin this fine bright morning?"

Shisui grins when Itachi twitches like he's about to fall out of the tree he is perched in but catches himself just in time. His little cousin may be a genius but Shisui isn't known for his Shunshin for nothing. He takes pride in the fact that he can still surprise Itachi on a regular basis.

"Shisui," Itachi acknowledges curtly but, as usual, makes no attempt to start a conversation.

Actually, on closer observation, Shisui wonders why his cousin seems a little tense at the moment. And now that he thinks about it, what in the name of Konoha is Itachi doing in a tree in the civilian sector at seven in the morning?

"Itachi, what are you doing?" Naturally curious, Shisui studies his cousin closely before glancing around. He has always been an early riser, much like Itachi in that respect, and was on his way to get some dango when he picked up his cousin's chakra signal.

Letting his senses probe his surroundings, Shisui finds his attention drawn to the neat-looking house several feet away. He looks back at Itachi again and finds the younger Uchiha's gaze fixed determinedly in the opposite direction.

Well, Itachi is practically shouting for Shisui to investigate.

Clambering easily up to the branch Itachi is crouching on, Shisui peers at the normal house again and blinks when he finds himself with a clear view of the backyard. And a...

"Itachi," Shisui turns to gape at his cousin as a horrifying thought snakes into his mind. "Are you stalking little girls now?"

Itachi's head snaps around and he glares irritably at Shisui without ever shifting his expression. "I am not stalking anyone. What I do in my own time is none of your business."

Shisui stares at Itachi for few seconds longer as he tries to figure out what the hell is going on here. He hasn't seen his cousin for several months now having only returned yesterday from a mission to Kumo - and after the whole Hyuuga disaster, isn't that just a picnic - but he recalls that Itachi is usually training at this time. Unless he has a mission, Itachi is almost always training.

So what's changed?

Carefully, Shisui focuses on the pink-haired girl doing katas in the yard again. She can only be five at most and a civilian child to boot; why is Itachi so interested in her? Looking closer, he notes the smooth, practiced movements of the exercises she is going through. She's quite good.

"She's pretty good for a kid," He comments out loud. "Who is she?"

Itachi glowers at him, clearly unhappy that Shisui is cutting in on his... whatever this is, but he answers after Shisui maintains an expectant look on his face. "Haruno Sakura. She's Sasuke's friend."

Shisui's eyebrows shoot up briefly in surprise. "Oh? Sasuke-chan's made a new friend? And a girl at that," He grins again. "You're little brother's got more moves than you do, Itachi."

Itachi almost frowns but retains a blank look while still somehow conveying his displeasure. One day, Shisui really would like to find out how he does it.

"So, what, you're here to see if she's a danger to Sasuke?" Shisui can't help snickering. "C'mon Itachi, what is she gonna do? Fangirl him to death?"

Itachi just gives him a deadpan look that unmistakably questions Shisui's brain capacity. But he doesn't look as annoyed anymore; in fact, his cousin looks almost amused.

Shisui gets the feeling that he is missing something.

He looks back at the girl again. She's really nothing special; above average for a civilian but he's seen shinobi children go through katas like that every day.