"Big brother!" Sasuke called out, racing towards Itachi with Naruto and Tsuki trailing behind him.
Itachi, pausing his training, turned to face his younger brother and his friends. A flicker of amusement crossed his features. "You brought your friends over?"
Sasuke nodded eagerly. "Tsuki and Naruto want to join us in training, and you said you'd train me if I brought him over." He gestured towards Tsuki.
Tsuki felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead. The sudden attention made him feel a bit self-conscious.
"That's right," Itachi said with a wry smile, glancing at Shisui, who quickly waved his hands, clearly not wanting to be involved in this particular promise. "I guess I have to live up to my word, right?"
"That'd be a first," Sasuke mumbled under his breath, a playful jab at his brother's tendency to postpone their training sessions.
"You're always saying 'sorry Sasuke, maybe next time' anytime I ask you to train," Sasuke complained, his voice rising in mock indignation. "It's so unfair."
Itachi chuckled, a hint of sheepishness in his smile. He looked over at Shisui, who shrugged and offered a solution.
"Itachi, you teach Sasuke and Naruto. I'll take Tsuki. I want to see something."
Itachi nodded in agreement. "Hey, Tsuki, come with me."
Tsuki's heart skipped a beat. 'Shisui the Teleporter... my hero!' He eagerly followed Shisui to a secluded clearing, his mind buzzing with excitement.
"Itachi tells me you've begun training in the academy, is that right?" Shisui inquired, his tone casual.
Tsuki nodded. "We just started today. It wasn't what I was expecting, if I'm being honest."
Shisui tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?" He set up some kunai and targets, preparing for a demonstration.
"Well," Tsuki began, his gaze drifting towards the legendary shinobi, "when I see you and big brother Itachi being such highly respected shinobi, feared by many, I thought the academy would be tougher. You both became what you are today through going into the academy. But today... they disappointed me with how easy the things they taught us were. I hope it gets more difficult later. Or maybe you two just got so good after being on the field."
Shisui smiled, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Just what I'd expect from someone with the Rinnegan," he remarked.
Tsuki nodded, a sense of pride swelling within him. "So, why did you bring me here?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "It wasn't to talk about the academy, right? Is it my Rinnegan?"
"I invited you here because I want to teach you ninjutsu," Shisui revealed, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "It's easy, and you'll learn it at the academy eventually, but I want to help you master it as well as I have. And maybe, in the future, you'll even surpass me." He reached out, ruffling Tsuki's hair with a playful smile.
"You know, seeing you up close," Shisui mused, his smile fading slightly, "you remind me of someone."
But Tsuki was already focused on the task at hand. "Shisui, you're teaching me the Body Flicker Technique, right?" He eagerly grabbed a kunai, too excited to dwell on Shisui's cryptic comment. The weapon gleamed in the sunlight, its craftsmanship far superior to the worn and rusty tools he and Naruto had seen at the academy.
Shisui formed a hand seal, his body blurring into motion before reappearing in front of Tsuki. "Wait!" Tsuki exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder. "Do it again while I'm watching."
Shisui obliged, his movements a mesmerizing display of speed and precision. Whoosh! He vanished, then reappeared beside Tsuki in the blink of an eye.
"Alright, now you try it," Shisui encouraged. "Just envision where you want to be, infuse your chakra, and you'll get there."
Tsuki concentrated, picturing a spot a few feet ahead. He formed the hand seal and leaped.
Whoosh!
He landed perfectly, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"Well done!" Shisui exclaimed, genuinely impressed. "You did it on your first try. That's already better than me when I first learned it."
'Shisui Uchiha is impressed by me! Yes!' Tsuki's chest swelled with pride.
"But now," Shisui continued, "let's try it at a further distance."
With a flicker, Shisui vanished, reappearing atop a nearby tree. "Sasuke said you've already mastered walking on walls and other platforms, so this shouldn't be too difficult for you."
Tsuki took a deep breath, focusing his chakra. He launched himself towards the tree, his movements echoing Shisui's. He landed on the branch, but his balance wavered. He teetered for a moment, but Shisui's hand reached out, steadying him.
"You okay?" Shisui asked, concern etched on his face.
Tsuki nodded, his heart still pounding from the near-fall. "I'm fine, thanks, Shisui." He took a deep breath, his determination renewed. He wouldn't let a little stumble discourage him. He was ready to push his limits and master this new technique, just like his hero.
"Big brother, why is Tsuki being taken away by Shisui?" Sasuke asked, his mind distracted while they were training.
"What, don't tell me now you don't want me to train you?" Itachi asked playfully.
Sasuke shook his head. "It's nothing like that. It's just strange, that's all."
Itachi nodded, understanding his brother's curiosity.
Sasuke looked over at Naruto, who was struggling with his shuriken jutsu. "You're doing it wrong, you loser, that's why it's not working."
"Oh, yeah?! And what do you know about Shuriken jutsu?!" Naruto retorted, his cheeks puffed out in frustration.
Sasuke smirked, snatching Naruto's shurikens and effortlessly throwing them. They all hit the dead center of the target.
"Hmph! It's that easy," he said with a smug grin.
Itachi chuckled softly, watching his brother's antics with a fond smile.
'Man, I wish Tsuki was here,' Naruto thought to himself, glaring at Sasuke. 'He'd show him how to throw shurikens.'
Suddenly, a voice echoed behind them, "Hey guys, check this out!"
Naruto jumped, startled by the unexpected sound. Tsuki stood there, grinning mischievously.
"Yo."
"Ah!" Naruto yelped, his heart pounding.
Tsuki chuckled and held out his hand to help Naruto up.
Naruto accepted it, a sheepish grin replacing his initial surprise. "Shisui taught you his best jutsu?" Sasuke asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and envy.
Tsuki nodded proudly.
"That's not fair," Sasuke grumbled. "All we learned was shuriken jutsu."
"Don't worry, Sasuke," Tsuki reassured him. "Shisui said we'll learn this jutsu in the academy anyway." He folded his arms, a confident smile playing on his lips.
The three boys resumed their shuriken training, their playful banter filling the air. Itachi and Shisui watched from a distance, a silent exchange passing between them.
"Did you really pull him aside just to teach him the Body Flicker?" Itachi's voice held a hint of amusement as he watched his friend interact with the young Tsuki.
Shisui shook his head, a thoughtful expression replacing his usual playful grin. "It was more than that, Itachi," he replied, his tone turning serious. "I needed to confirm my suspicions."
He paused, his gaze lingering on Tsuki's retreating figure. "Just as I thought. It's not only the Rinnegan that makes him special. The kid's a prodigy. Today, he told me he wished the Academy training was more challenging. Said the things they're learning are too easy for him."
Itachi's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Too easy?"
Shisui nodded. "Mark my words, Itachi," he said, his voice laced with a hint of prophecy, "you better teach Sasuke some new tricks, or Tsuki will surpass him in no time."
Itachi chuckled, a touch of pride in his tone. "Sasuke's already shown great potential. He's almost as good as I was at shurikenjutsu at his age."
Shisui shook his head, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "You don't understand, Itachi. Tsuki is on another level. He's already better than I was at that age. Mark my words, Sasuke will be coming to him for advice soon enough."
A competitive glint sparked in Itachi's eyes. "Should we make this a challenge, then?"
Shisui's smile widened. "You're on," he said, his voice brimming with confidence. "But remember, you're the one who wanted this."
Itachi nodded, a determined look settling on his face. The stage was set. The future of two young Uchiha prodigies hung in the balance.
"Hey, what do you think they're talking about?" Naruto asked, watching Itachi and Shisui deep in conversation.
Sasuke shrugged, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "I'm guessing they've challenged each other again, but I could be wrong."
Tsuki nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.
Suddenly, Itachi's voice cut through the air. "Sasuke, come here. I want to teach you a new jutsu."
Sasuke's eyes widened with excitement, and he sprinted towards his brother.
"Tsuki, you're with me," Shisui called out. "I can teach you something new too."
Tsuki grinned and followed Shisui, but then paused, looking back at Naruto.
"Wait, what about Naruto?"
Shisui paused, his gaze thoughtful. "What do you think he should improve on?" he asked Tsuki.
Tsuki chimed in, "Me? I think he should learn more about chakra control. It seems to be his weakness."
Shisui nodded in agreement. Naruto, overhearing their conversation, crossed his arms and pouted.
"I don't have a weakness, you know," he muttered under his breath.
Shisui chuckled. "Well, in that case, you wouldn't mind doing this test for me, would you?"
Naruto's eyes lit up. "A test? Sure!"
Shisui plucked a leaf from a nearby tree and held it out to Naruto.
"What's this for?" Naruto asked, taking the leaf cautiously.
"If you can keep this on your forehead without using your hands, I'll teach you a new jutsu."
Naruto nodded eagerly. "Is Tsuki going to be doing this with me?"
Tsuki shook his head. "I've already mastered this," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "But I know you can do it too."
Naruto beamed, his competitive spirit ignited. "Alright!"
With a determined nod, he placed the leaf on his forehead and began focusing his chakra.
(Edited on 12/9/24)