Tortured Uchiha [CURRENTLY EDITING]

十三

R E F U G E    W I T H I N   T H E   R O O T

       We armed ourselves in front of the ANBU entrance. Back to back, Shisui and I mirrored each other's stances with our Mangekyou on display. Tekka, Yashiro and Itachi held their ground against us, making it clear that it was either fight or flight. 

      "Etsuko Uchiha, you are hereby stripped of all ranking within both branches, from this day forth you will be known as a stranger to the Uchiha," Itachi stepped forward and pulled the Tanto from its holster. "Resistance is futile against my divine authority."

      "Your divine authority? You don't have any right to blacklist anyone from our clan!" Shisui spat. "Listen to what you've become you dumb-arse. The three of us were part of the small minority that hated your father, but I suppose if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."  

     My hands tingled with anticipation as I stared Itachi down. It seemed like he was unaware that I held the Mangekyou Sharingan, or he simply didn't care. Tekka and Yashiro stood behind him, almost uncertain as to who should strike first. 

      "Shisui. . .don't," I took hold of Shisui's high collar and tugged him back towards the stairs. The crimson glare from his Mangekyou illuminated his face as he blinked down at me through his thick lashes. "There's no point wasting your breath on a traitor." I murmured the last part as Itachi dared to take another step towards me.

       "The weak links run," Itachi spoke slowly. "You can't hide from my father forever, I know you both too well for you to simply slip off the radar. I will give you two choices, you hand yourselves over quietly, or I kill every single person you care for until you comply."

The wind seemed to pick up around us and blew my hair around my face, distorting Itachi's image. I tried to figure out his motives, why did he accept Hiruzen's mission from the council? While he valued our lives as well as Sasuke's, what about the two hundred or so clansmen? What of Izumi?

      I let go of Shisui's collar and slid the Tanto between my shoulder blades. I matched Itachi with each step and continued to stare him down. He seemed to catch on that I wasn't going to buckle and I watched his face sour with dissatisfaction. In the glassy reflection of his Sharingan I could almost feel his pain. If we were in different circumstances, I would've hugged him. 

      "I have nobody," I whispered in Itachi's ear as we stood shoulder to shoulder. I glared his comrades down while Shisui clenched his fists. 

      "You're wrong," Itachi reached down slowly to twirl a kunai around his finger. His tone stayed guarded, but he spoke loud enough for Tekka and Yashiro to hear. "There will always be Shisui."   

      I ran down the main street of the village, flipping over stalls and rooftops to exert my joy. In one hand was the graduation certificate while I clenched the headband in the other. Once I reached the wall of the compound, I almost tripped over my feet at the sight of Shisui and Itachi.

    "I did it!" I circled them, jumping hysterically. "I did it, I did it, I did it!"

    Chuckling, Itachi fisted his hand in my hair to stop my rotating. As I came to a dizzy halt, he tapped two fingers against my forehead with a lop sided smile. 

      "Finally, I thought you'd never graduate," Shisui plucked the headband out of my fingers and tightened it around my head. "We can now be a complete Jonnin team!"

    "T-thank you," I hid the blush beneath my high collar. "I better. . .um, go show my parents. . ." 

      My mood deflated when Shisui's attention wandered towards two petite girls from the first branch. They too held similar certificates to signify their Chunnin qualification. My shoulders slumped when the shortest, Izumi, waved at Itachi. However, both took interest in Shisui as he approached.