Crossroads (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Starting Point

"Uchiha Satsuki, right?"

Looking over to the opposite side of the room, the familiar sight of the browned haired and purple cheek marked girl came into vision. Itachi was still deep in sleep, perhaps originally only wanting to have a short nap. But being as young as he was, nobody could blame him for sleeping it out.

I turned away again and made a point to look out the window. I wasn't one to be rude but I just didn't know to act around her.

Nohara Rin chuckled. "So you don't speak as they say. Muteness is a rare case. I read about it in a small section of a medical textbook but there wasn't much written about why it happens. Some say it has to do with how the brain copes with stress, as the recorded mutes were all shinobi. It's also trauma in theory as a person could have been trained to only speak when told, or punished when speaking out of turn, that they begin to not speak at all."

I turned back to her when she started talking and my perplexed stare seemed to only urge her to speak more, "Maybe it's social anxiety, crippling shyness, or from bullying. However, it stumps everyone as to why you don't speak. You had been a lively child, or so I heard from Kushina-nee-chan. You were able to make friends fast and were beginning to show signs of high intellect before you just stopped speaking and recoiled into yourself. I'm actually very curious about your situation. Everyone is. Kushina-nee-san always worried about how to help you and I just happened to hear it when she confided in Minato-sensei for help. More pressing is if your muteness is selective mutism or just mutism itself." Noticing my lingering gaze on her, she smiled awkwardly. "Sorry about that. I'm a big medical nerd and your situation took my interest."

Is that why you're actually here? I wanted to ask her.

From under the palm of my hand, Itachi shifted and slowly sat up straight as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He looked at me for a second then outside through the window where the sun was bright, before looking to Rin. "How long was I asleep?" He asked.

"It was about three hours," Rin answered him. How did she know that? Had she been awake since then? Itachi must have come to the same conclusion as he thanked her and looked at me again, taking me in. He got down from his seat with a stretch to ease his back, and with another nod to Rin, he left the room.

"As expected of twins, you two look almost identical. I could see the differences though, but their small ones." I didn't know why she was talking as much as she did. There was no point when it was with me. "I have an older sister. A lot of people say we look alike, but I think she's a lot prettier. Though I'd wish I had a younger sibling, brother or sister. I want to know how it feels to be the older one." Rin rambled on.

Itachi came back a moment later with a tray that carried a bowl of cereal and milk. "Would you like me to bring some for you too..." He trailed off.

"Nohara Rin. And it's ok, thank you. I'll go grab it for myself." She said as she pulled the blankets off her feet and climbed down her bed. She smiled at us before leaving.

Itachi placed the tray on my lap and sat back in his seat, waiting patiently for me to begin eating. I wanted to ask him where Father and Mother were. It might've shown on my face or not, but Itachi seemed to understand what I was thinking. "I'm sorry I couldn't visit yesterday." He started. "Training with father lasted longer than I expected. Mother will be here for lunch. Father will see to visit as well."

Living in this world, going to war is treated as early training. How nice.

Itachi kept quiet as I ate my breakfast, my thoughts on Nohara Rin. I don't have the right knowledge of the timeline but I knew it was some time after Obito's false death that she was kidnapped and made the third tailed jinchuuriki.

More than the future generation of Naruto, my interest had been more to the older generation during team Minato's time. Minato in himself was an amazing character to me, so I had a deep interest in knowing specific details, but I mainly focused on Kakashi and Obito, even though Rin was a major plot point in herself.

Rin's death was the moment everything set into motion, but even if she doesn't die, Madara will no doubt find another route to his plans with Obito still in his grasps. I was no strategist, but I knew for a fact that the only way Madara could ever get Obito on his side would be if he instilled the 'Curse of Hatred' of the Uchiha clan into his heart. But how? Rin was still here kicking.

Just how?