Leaving the safety of the hideout behind, Shisui and Arashi ventured into the dense forest, their mission: boar hunting. Shisui, an expert in various weapons, was taking this opportunity to teach Arashi the basics of archery. Though Arashi showed promise, hitting a few targets with surprising accuracy, Shisui now wanted to test his skills in a real-life scenario.
"It's not one of my strongest weapons," Shisui admitted, handing Arashi a bow and a quiver of arrows, "but I know the basics. Itachi is actually better with a bow than I am."
Arashi scoffed, turning his head away. "Hmph. Itachi can't be better than you at anything, Big Brother. He's only practiced so hard so he doesn't look weak in front of Sasuke."
Shisui chuckled, a warm smile gracing his lips. "In that case, I think I should train harder so I don't look weak in front of you."
Arashi's eyes sparkled with determination. "Alright, let's go."
Shisui set off into the woods, Arashi following close behind. After ten minutes of careful tracking, Arashi pointed to a set of footprints on the forest floor. "Here, I found some tracks."
"Look at the space between the toes," he observed. "That's a wild boar, isn't it?"
Shisui nodded. "Yes, but not just any wild boar. This one is bigger than average."
Arashi's brow furrowed. "Will the bow and arrow still kill it?"
"Yeah," Shisui assured him, "as long as you hit it in a vital spot. But don't worry, I'll be there to help."
Arashi smiled, his confidence bolstered by Shisui's support. They continued their pursuit, their footsteps silent as they stalked their prey. The tracks grew fresher, the anticipation building with each passing moment.
"Here," Arashi whispered, pointing towards a clearing ahead. "I found it."
A massive boar, its tusks gleaming in the dappled sunlight, grazed peacefully between two towering trees, oblivious to the hunters lurking above.
"Now, all you have to do is take the shot," Shisui instructed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Remember, aim for the vital organs. I'll hit it from the other side. Let's try to make it a swift kill."
"Got it," Arashi replied, his grip tightening on the bow.
Shisui readied three kunai, his eyes fixed on the boar.
Arashi took aim, his breath steadying as he focused on his target.
"Fire."
The arrow flew true, piercing the boar's thick hide and burying itself deep in its chest. The beast let out a startled squeal, its massive body collapsing to the ground.
"Good one, Arashi," Shisui praised, a genuine smile on his face.
They descended from the trees, the silence of the forest broken by the rustling of leaves under their feet.
Arashi approached the fallen boar, reaching for his arrow. It was coated in blood, and he discarded it with a grimace.
"Big brother?" he asked, turning to Shisui. "How are we supposed to carry this back?"
Shisui smirked. "We aren't carrying it," he said. "You are."
Arashi's jaw dropped. "Are you joking?"
"No," Shisui replied, his tone firm. "This is part of your training. You have to get stronger."
Arashi stared at the boar, its bulk dwarfing his small body. He couldn't help but imagine himself being crushed beneath its weight.
"Fine," he grumbled, resigning himself to the task.
With a grunt, he positioned himself beneath the boar and heaved, his muscles straining. The beast was surprisingly heavy, but with a surge of chakra, he managed to lift it off the ground.
He staggered forward, his legs wobbling under the immense weight. Shisui walked ahead, his pace brisk.
"Don't fall behind," he called back over his shoulder, a playful smirk on his face.
"So annoying..." Arashi muttered under his breath.
Five hours later, they reached the Uchiha hideout. Tsuki helped Shisui build a fire, and soon the aroma of roasting boar filled the air. They ate in silence, savoring the warmth and nourishment after their long journey.
"Big brother," Arashi finally spoke, his voice soft, "how long are we going to stay here?"
"You miss your friends?" Shisui asked gently.
Arashi nodded.
"We won't be here much longer," Shisui reassured him. "But I'm not sure we're allowed to go back to the village just yet. We both committed crimes. The Hokage is forgiving, but not to this extent. Especially now, with the clan..."
Shisui's voice trailed off, as if he were about to reveal something, then he shook his head. "Nevermind that. I hope we can go back soon, too. Itachi must be lonely without me, you know."
Arashi nodded, a sad smile touching his lips. "Hey," he said after a moment, "we're going to be fine, right?"
Shisui ruffled his hair affectionately. "Of course, we are. I'm sure Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi are alright."
"I know that too, Big Brother," Arashi replied, his voice firming. "It's tough to believe, but Naruto's the toughest guy I know... Besides you, of course."
"Oh?" Shisui raised an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across his face.
"Yeah," Arashi said, his eyes sparkling. "You're both my brothers. I've known Naruto my whole life. I can't imagine what would've happened if we didn't meet. I think I would've been a total loser without both of you."
Shisui's smile softened. "I don't think you'd be any kind of loser. You're my brother, so either way, you'd still be alright."
After finishing their meal, Shisui extinguished the fire, and Arashi curled up in a corner, quickly falling asleep.
Hours later, Shisui's urgent voice jolted him awake. "Arashi, Arashi, wake up!"
"Wha- what is it?" Arashi mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Someone's here," Shisui whispered, his tone tense. "Get up."
Arashi scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding. He quickly gathered his belongings, his senses on high alert.
"Wait," Shisui held him back. "Do you hear that?"
The sound of footsteps echoed through the cave, slow and deliberate. The intruder seemed unconcerned about being detected.
'Maybe he's not here to fight or take us. Or maybe he's just cocky,' Arashi thought, his hand instinctively reaching for a kunai.
Shisui stepped in front of Arashi, his tanto at the ready. "Did you take this long to find us?" he called out.
"You aren't so easy to find," a familiar voice replied from the darkness. "You covered your tracks well. Anyone who doesn't know you as I do would have trouble."
'That voice... I know that voice...'
Shisui relaxed his grip on his weapon, and Arashi followed suit, lowering his kunai.
"Itachi, is anyone following you?" Shisui asked.
Itachi stepped into the cave, his Sharingan activated, his Anbu gear marking him as a formidable presence. Arashi's eyes widened. He had never seen Itachi like this before.
"No one followed me," Itachi reassured them, his voice calm and steady. "You can relax."
"Sorry," Shisui replied, his voice uncharacteristically strained. "I can't drop my guard right now."
Itachi's gaze shifted to Arashi, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. "So then it's true, isn't it?" he asked, turning back to Shisui.
"He is Arashi Uchiha," Itachi stated, his voice firm. "And he is your brother."
Shisui nodded, his expression a mixture of sadness and resolve. "Yes. He was taken as an infant."
"Taken?" Itachi echoed, his brow furrowing. "You're sure?"
"It's the only reasonable explanation," Shisui replied, his voice heavy.
Itachi's Sharingan deactivated, replaced by a look of concern. "Shisui, you and I both know the village wouldn't do this without a reason. There's likely a reasonable explanation. Possibly a misunderstanding of some sort. According to that data, Arashi was supposedly born at the same time as Naruto Uzumaki, so you could understand if fear was a factor, right?"
Shisui clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.
"I understand..." he said, his voice strained. "The Hokage did this for the village, to protect the village. You know I understand this more than anyone."
Itachi looked at his friend, a glimmer of hope returning to his eyes. 'It's just like Shisui to have such a strong bond and unwavering will.'
But Shisui's next words shattered that hope. "What the Hokage did..." he began, his voice thick with emotion, "...it's what many would do to ensure safety. But that won't make it right. He orphaned my brother."
A dim crimson light flickered in Shisui's eyes. "Arashi lived as an orphan," he continued, his voice growing angrier, "and then he was burned and kicked to the streets, treated like a curse."
Shisui's gaze shifted away from Itachi, and when he looked back, his Sharingan blazed with a newfound intensity, the three tomoe spinning in a hypnotic dance.
"Even before Arashi was born, I devoted my life to this village," he declared, his voice filled with a righteous fury. "This... This is how they repay me."
For a moment, Shisui diverted his gaze, then looked back at Itachi with eyes that blazed with a newfound intensity. The once gentle warmth had been replaced by a burning fury.
"I won't have it," he declared, his voice thick with barely contained rage. "All who took part in this will pay."
As Shisui spoke, Arashi watched in silent alarm. His brother's chakra, usually so calm and collected, now lashed out, swirling and twisting around him like a storm.
"Shisui..." Itachi murmured, his own eyes reflecting the growing unease.
"I've had time to think about this," Shisui continued, his voice low and menacing. "To think about why the Hokage did what he did."
He paused, his gaze hardening. "All the reasons I've come up with only point to one conclusion. The isolation and fear of the Uchiha clan. Perhaps it was Danzo, but that shouldn't matter. Maybe it's time to listen to your father, Itachi."
Itachi caught a glimpse of Shisui's eyes, their depths filled with a darkness he had never seen before. His friend was almost unrecognizable.
"They lied to my family," Shisui spat out, his voice laced with bitterness. "I would have lived my entire life without knowing I had a brother, all because the village is too scared of the clan for something we didn't do."
Itachi frowned, his concern deepening.
"Fugaku and the rest of the clan were right," Shisui continued, his voice rising. "The only problem is... I fought for the wrong side last time. We both did."
He turned to Itachi, his gaze piercing. "Join me, Itachi. The village has made its choice. I won't fight you; you're like my brother too. We can take on the Hokage together."
Itachi hesitated, his mind grappling with Shisui's words. "Listen to yourself, Shisui," he finally said, his voice firm but gentle. "You're losing your mind. Aren't you the one who always lectured me about keeping the peace within the village? You told me there aren't any rights or wrongs as a shinobi. So what gives you the right to judge what the Hokage did?"
"And you think I wanted this, Itachi?" Shisui retorted, his anger flaring. "Do you think I would've influenced Arashi to attack the village? The village doesn't trust us so much that they won't even allow us to have our own families."
His voice grew louder, his resolve hardening. "Don't be naive, Itachi. The Hokage will do the same thing to you too. He doesn't care about us. Step aside or join us. I have the Mangekyo. I'll defeat the Hokage with these eyes he despises so much."
Itachi's expression turned grim. He drew his katana, the blade gleaming in the dim light. "You're my best friend, Shisui," he said, his voice heavy with sadness. "I won't let you do something you'll regret."
Shisui narrowed his eyes, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning menacingly. He paused for a moment, gauging Itachi's resolve. Then, with a resigned sigh, he drew his tanto.
"I won't kill you, Itachi," Shisui said, his voice a low rumble in the tense silence of the cave. "Because I know you'll come to understand the truth one day. If the Hokage can do this to me, he'll do it to you, or any other Uchiha."
His Mangekyo Sharingan blazed, casting an eerie light on his determined features. The air crackled with anticipation, the impending clash between two powerful Uchiha a stark contrast to the warmth of their shared past.
With a final, regretful glance at his brother, Shisui shifted into a battle-ready stance, his tanto poised to strike. He would not kill Itachi, but he would not hesitate to fight for his brother. The fate of the Uchiha clan, and perhaps the entire village, hung in the balance.
(Edited on: 21/09/24)