A day had passed, and Arashi awoke with a sense of disorientation. His memories were hazy, fragmented fragments of Shisui and Itachi in conversation, then a sudden, all-encompassing darkness.
He found himself in Sasuke's room, Itachi perched on the edge of the bed, his expression grave. As Itachi recounted the events of the previous day, each word felt like a heavy stone sinking into Arashi's stomach.
Shisui's broken promise to train together, his abrupt disappearance, the cryptic mention of a secret mission that Arashi was forbidden to discuss... It all felt like a cruel dream. And the news that Shisui was dead...
'This is impossible.' Arashi clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white. 'Shisui-Nii-san can't just vanish...'
He tried to carry on as normal, but Shisui's absence haunted his every thought. He found himself in the Uchiha training yard, sparring with Sasuke. Their movements were fluid, a practiced dance of attack and evasion, all under the watchful eye of Itachi, who observed from the porch.
Arashi dodged Sasuke's punch, countering with a swift strike that sent his friend tumbling to the ground.
"You alright, Sasuke?" he asked, extending a hand to help him up.
"I'm fine. Just tired, is all," Sasuke mumbled, his gaze drawn to the mural of the Uchiha clan symbol that adorned the wall behind Arashi. His eyes lingered on the emblem, a mixture of longing and sorrow clouding his features.
Arashi couldn't help but wonder, 'What could be troubling him?'
In the midst of all the recent turmoil, Sasuke had been feeling increasingly sidelined and overlooked. The weight of expectations pressed heavily upon his young shoulders.
At his age, many sought recognition and a sense of self. But all Sasuke ever heard was, "You'll be as incredible as your older brother." This constant comparison, echoed by both his father and the clan, left him feeling frustrated and inadequate. To add insult to injury, Arashi's consistent achievements and undeniable talent only served to cast a longer shadow over him, one he couldn't seem to escape.
Itachi, noticing Sasuke's troubled gaze fixed on the Uchiha crest, broke the silence. "Are you feeling resentful towards me?" he inquired gently, his eyes reflecting the fading light of the evening sky.
Sasuke's eyes widened, as if caught off guard by his brother's perceptiveness. He slowly turned his gaze towards Itachi, a flicker of defiance in his eyes.
"It's understandable," Itachi continued, his voice soft and empathetic. "The life of a shinobi is often one of solitude and misunderstanding."
Arashi watched the exchange silently, his own thoughts echoing Itachi's words.
"I-I don't think..." Sasuke stammered, his words faltering.
Itachi offered a knowing smile. "It's a heavy burden, being the best. Power can isolate, and even the highest expectations can breed arrogance."
Arashi's mind wandered to his own experiences. 'He's right. Danzo wanted my Rinnegan, my loyalty. When I resisted, he wanted to kill me.' A bitter taste filled his mouth. 'But what do I know?'
Itachi paused, his gaze distant for a moment, and Arashi assumed he had finished speaking. Sasuke fidgeted nervously, but Arashi remained stoic, his expression carefully neutral.
Taking a deep breath, Itachi continued, his voice resonating with a newfound sincerity. "But now it's just the three of us. I'll always be here, like a wall you need to climb. Even if it means being despised, that's a big brother's role." His eyes met Sasuke's, filled with genuine emotion.
Their reflective moment was abruptly shattered as the front door swung open with a jarring crash.
"Itachi, you there?! Come out! We need to talk to you!!" A gruff voice yelled from the entryway.
"It's all right," Itachi reassured his younger brothers, leaving them on the veranda and heading towards the front door.
Three men stood outside, their faces unfamiliar to both Sasuke and Arashi. The air crackled with tension as their hostile gazes fell upon Itachi.
"What is it? What brings you all here?" Itachi inquired calmly, his composure unwavering despite the palpable animosity.
"Only two people didn't show up to yesterday's meeting," the long-haired man spoke first, his voice gruff and accusatory.
His gaze was so filled with hostility towards Itachi that Arashi felt a surge of protectiveness towards his brother.
"Where were you?!"
Their roundabout way of speaking was confusing. Somehow, these three already knew about Shisui's death. And yet, they were starting by questioning Itachi's absence from the meeting. It seemed like a foolish and convoluted path to their true intentions.
"Since joining the Anbu," Inabi, the long-haired man, continued, his glare intensifying, "you've pulled us through many situations. We understand that. Your father said so, too, and he's trying to defend you, but…"
The man with gray hair stepped forward, his voice cold and measured. "But we can't make exceptions."
"I understand," Itachi replied, his tone carefully neutral. "I'll be more mindful from now on. Now, are we done here?"
"Almost," the gray-haired man's voice lowered, a hint of menace creeping into his words. "We do have a few more questions."
He was finally getting to the real point of this visit, and the air grew heavy with anticipation.
"It's about Shisui Uchiha. He threw himself into the Naka River last night and killed himself," one of the officers announced, his voice heavy.
Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Here we go...' Itachi thought, bracing himself for the inevitable accusations.
"Shisui was notably absent from the meeting," another officer continued, his gaze piercing Itachi's.
"And given your close relationship with him, nearly brotherly, his actual brother might know of his whereabouts. Is he here?"
Itachi stepped forward, subtly shielding Arashi from their view. "Neither of us has had contact with Shisui recently. However, I'll be the one to break the news to Arashi. As you noted, Shisui was like a brother to me."
The officers exchanged glances, their suspicion lingering.
"The Military Police Force is initiating a comprehensive investigation," one of them finally declared.
"Investigation?" Itachi's voice was laced with incredulity.
Yashiro, the grizzled elder, produced a folded piece of paper and handed it to Itachi. "This is Shisui's last note. A handwriting analysis confirms its authenticity."
"And what is the investigation aiming to uncover if there's no suspicion of murder?" Itachi questioned, unfolding the paper to read its contents. "The Sharingan enables one to mimic handwriting effortlessly."
Arashi's fists clenched involuntarily. 'All these indications... could they suspect... No.'
"The content of his suicide note is all here on this tiny piece of paper," Yashiro remarked, his tone dismissive.
"He was one of the most talented of the clan," another officer added.
"And the best ever at teleportation. He was always the first to take on any mission for the sake of the clan."
They praised Shisui's capabilities, but Itachi could see through their facade. Behind their words, they viewed him as nothing more than a valuable tool. The flames of rage burned within him, their hypocrisy fueling his disgust.
"It's hard to believe a man like that would leave a note like this and kill himself," the third officer remarked.
"You shouldn't judge people by appearances or preconceptions," Itachi retorted, his tone laced with sarcasm, a thinly veiled reference to their own prejudice against him.
"We'll leave the note with you for the time being," Inabi continued, as if Itachi hadn't spoken. "Take it back to the Anbu and request their cooperation in the investigation."
"Understood," Itachi replied, his voice carefully controlled.
The three men turned to leave, and Itachi released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. If the conversation had continued any longer, he might not have been able to contain his anger.
"Hopefully, we'll get some sort of lead," Yashiro spat as he crossed the threshold.
Without looking back, Tekka, the silent one, issued a final warning. "We have alternate information channels into the Anbu. If you destroy the note, we'll know."
'So it's true,' Arashi thought, his blood running cold. 'They think Itachi-Nii-san killed Shisui-Nii-san!'
Itachi's hand tightened around the note, his knuckles white.
"Why don't you just say it?" he challenged, his voice dangerously low.
The three officers froze, then slowly turned. Their Sharingan blazed, their eyes filled with accusation and malice.
A murderous aura emanated from Itachi, his Sharingan blazing with a chilling intensity. "You think I did this?" he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper, yet carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken threats.
"We do, you child," Inabi spat through clenched teeth, struggling to suppress his own fear.
Yashiro, the elder, met Itachi's gaze with a defiant glare. "Listen, Itachi," he growled, "if you did indeed betray the clan, you will pay."
But Itachi was already in motion. Faster than thought, he lashed out with a swift kick aimed at Yashiro's throat. A spinning elbow connected with Inabi's face, sending him sprawling. Finally, a brutal knee strike to Tekka's midsection left the third officer gasping for air.
The three policemen lay crumpled on the ground, their bodies wracked with pain. Itachi stood over them, his posture radiating an icy calm.
"Like I said," he admonished, his voice dangerously low, "don't judge people based on appearances or preconceptions."
The trio struggled to regain their composure, their pride wounded as much as their bodies. Inabi, shaking, managed to lift his head, his eyes burning with hatred.
"The clan... the clan..." Itachi's voice dripped with disdain. "You babble on about loyalty, yet you overestimate your own abilities and underestimate mine. That's why you're on your knees."
Yashiro, still on all fours, looked over his shoulder at Itachi, his voice a venomous hiss. "Shisui... had been watching you recently... It's been six months since you entered the Anbu... What you've said and done since then is too strange to overlook. What on earth are you thinking?"
Itachi's anger flared. "You cling to your organization, to your clan, and to your name... You limit yourselves, arbitrarily deciding on your own capacity. Disgusting... and then, you fear and despise what you can't yet see... still don't understand... Sheer idiocy!!"
"Itachi, stop it!!"
Just as Itachi was about to lash out again, a fierce voice from behind halted him. He turned to find his father, Fugaku, standing there, his expression a mask of shock and fury.