Chapter 4

-Decompress

"You four executed the mission exceptionally well. Though there was some damage to property, I know that comes with the territory and you kept it to a minimum." The fifth Hokage begins. "So good job. Get some rest."

"Thank you lady Hokage." Team Kari simultaneously replies before exiting the Hokage building.

"How about a celebratory dinner? My treat." Shozen offers.

The other three-squad mates shrug before agreeing to eat together. The sun is just now settling down off in the horizon, gray clouds still blanketing the sky. Cold winds begin to pick up, bringing the village temperature even lower than during the daytime. After putting up their ANBU supplies and armor they meet at Ichiraku Ramen, a favorite of the village where the most delicious ramen is served. The four of them meet in the streets, wearing their casual attire that still includes a tool pouch in case they are needed. Being an ANBU means always being on call.

Lifting up the cover to the shop all four of them sit down with Shizake and Shītto on the ends and Toshi and Nitatchi in the middle. After ordering their food the owner of the shop, Teuchi, places their bowls in front of them a big grin on his face. All at once, the squad breaks apart their chopsticks before digging in.

"I'm not going to lie, that was some fine work out there everyone." Shizake says while taking off a small backpack he's wearing and settling in down next to him. He slurps up the wonderful food taking a break to breathe. "Especially you two Toshika and Kenta. You executed the hostage extraction perfectly."

"It's so weird when we aren't using code names... but thanks!" Toshika replies happily before putting the bowl up to her face and devouring the delicious steamy noodles.

"You nearly destroyed the house Shizake, you're lucky we had them out of there before the second explosion." Kenta adds.

Shizake looks up at him, tapping the chopsticks against the bowl, "I was determined to get him. Besides, Nitatchi would have protected them if anything had gone awry. I tried to direct my attack away from anyone else."

Toshika takes another few slurps of ramen, washing it down with water soon after, "How did you survive it Nitatchi?"

The Hyuga eyes Shizake's small backpack before shrugging the thought from his mind and turning to the younger girl.

"Heh. At the last second I saw Shizake's fist light up with electricity so I knew what was coming. Used a rotation to keep any harm done from me. Although I think part of the explosion nicked my mask..."

"Sorry about that, we'll get you a new one." Shizake apologizes.

Nitatchi throws his hands up, "No no! I think it adds character. Like how some swordsmen put a tally mark on their blades for each confirmed kill. Every mark represents a mission, hopefully one that ends in success."

"That's a nice way to see it. Well, we wouldn't have been able to complete the mission if it wasn't for Nitatchi coordinating the whole thing." Toshika says.

"So when is our next mission Shizake?" Kenta asks while running his fingers through his short but spiky blonde and black hair.

"Beats me. The Hokage usually gives them to us on the spot unless it's a special circumstance in which we'll be notified days before." Shizake says while taking the final slurp from his ramen.

"A little eager there Kenta?" Nitatchi teases.

"Hell, if we can execute every mission with that kind of finesse, then of course I'm eager."

Toshika shakes her head, "But some missions will be harder than that one. Not all of them are going to be so simple..." Though that one was hardly simple

"She's right." Shizake cuts in. "For all we know we could receive an S-ranked that will kill us."

The young girl frowns, "Well that certainly got dark Shizake... you don't believe in us?"

"It's not that Toshi... I'm just saying that death is always around the corner. You've seen the kind of shinobi we've had to deal with. Remember when Orochimaru attacked the village? He would cut all four of us down in an instant."

"Tch. Orochimaru..." Nitatchi grumbles.

Kenta scoffs, "That excuse for a ninja? We could take him down."

Shizake's eyes lower, staring into his empty bowl of ramen, "He murdered the third Hokage Kenta...what makes you think we would stand a chance...?"

"Well...I..."

"We must know our strengths and weaknesses. Where the line is drawn. Unfortunately there are people in this world who will stop at nothing to gain ultimate power."

"Like Sasuke?" Kenta dumbly says.

Shizake's body freezes as if time has stopped only him. Not a muscle in his body twitches, the name ringing over and over in his head, constantly replaying thoughts that were blocked out long ago. Finally the Uchiha puts down his chopsticks and gets up, grabbing the small pack and leaving the tiny ramen shop without even paying.

"Hey! Is he going to pay for that?!" Teuchi yells at the three remaining ninja while leaning over the counter.

Toshika smacks the blonde in the back of the head, "Kenta you idiot!"

"I'm sorry about that. I'll pay for it." Nitatchi apologizes while digging through his wallet for money. He throws down the correct amount plus a tip before spinning in his chair and dashing out of the shop.

"What did I say?" Kenta asks, dumbfounded.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHAT DID I SAY'?!" The young girl roars at the top of her lungs. "You do know that him and Sasuke are RE-LA-TED right?!?!?!"

The blood in Kentas face heats up, rushing to his cheeks, "I totally forgot..."

Toshika heavily sighs, forcibly sitting back down in her seat, "It'll be okay for now..."

Nitatchi finally catches up to his friend, placing his hands on his knees, "Shizake. Hold on. For one. Huff...huff... second."

Shizake turns around, putting his arms through the sleeves of his cloak while eyeing Nitatchi, "What."

"You didn't have to run out like that."

"Tch."

"You know he didn't mean it like that."

"I know Nitatchi." The Uchiha says, looking up at the moon. "I just wish it wasn't like this."

"Look. This will all be sorted out before you know it."

"I sure hope so..."

*

In the darkest deepest depths of an underground-undisclosed location sits an Uchiha sitting ominously in front of a snake statue. The darkness envelops the room, dimly lit candles burning along the walls of thick stone. The only sound is his slow breathing as he focuses in on the energy coming from the hallway. Soon enough footsteps can be heard, the sound growing louder and louder as each second passes by. A man with white hair and glasses steps into the dim light of the room, his glasses the only thing illuminated by the candle he holds.

"What is it Kabuto...?" The Uchiha practically demands.

"Lord Orochimaru wishes to see you. His sickness has subsided enough to begin the next step of your training." The man says, turning on his foot to walk back down the hallway.

"Hn. Very well." He replies, lazily moving his feet on to the ground.

"Meet him outside." Kabuto's voice echoes down the hallway.

Slowly the Uchiha finds the exit to the underground lair. Concealing the exit is a massive waterfall, pure water cascading over the edge as the moonlight causes it to sparkle and glisten.

The snake man stands at the cave's edge, watching the water continuously fall. His ear twitches at the sound of sandals clapping against the rock. He turns his head partially over his shoulder, looking at the angry avenger approach him.

"What do you need Orochimaru...?" Sasuke asks.

"We must continue your training, Sasuke, no? This jutsu we've been developing... it's nearly complete. It still needs a little work though."

"Hn. Fine."

"Heh heh heh. Step into the pool at the bottom. We'll begin once you're ready."

The Uchiha bursts through the waterfall, the crystal clear liquid shattering like glass before retaining its original form. Chakra flows throughout his feet, allowing Sasuke to stand atop the water's surface. He looks up at the snake sannin, squinting his dark coal eyes that have been forever lost in the shadows of hatred and revenge. Suddenly the ground begins rumbling, Sasuke looking around for whatever is about to happen next. From four points adjacent to Sasuke, the ground explodes, four massive snakes protruding from emergence holes. The dark brown scales glisten in the moonlight, all four of them opening their mouths to reveal deadly razor sharp fangs dripping with lemon-lime colored venom.

Sasuke looks up nonchalantly, the threat unwavering to his stoic figure. Hand signs quickly begin forming, an energy signature hastily rising in the area. The Uchiha raises his hand up, electricity sparking out of it. The snakes are nearly about to slam into him when a massive bolt of electricity crackles and screeches through the sky before exploding into his palm and radiating outwards around him. The snakes are literally fried to a crisp, dropping dead in mid air. Sasuke lowers his hand, oblivious to the extreme singe marks covering his palm and fingers. Not even first-degree burns affect his cool composure.

"Hm. Well done Sasuke. Not perfect but still well nonetheless..." Orochimaru hisses.

Almost offended, Sasuke looks up.

"Tch. Then what am I missing?" he asks, a blow to his perfection.

"Control. Power. Precision. But don't worry Sasuke...we can...fix those easily."

"Hn. I can practice on my own..."

The snake man licks his teeth, amused at the Uchiha's persistence, "I know you can...and I know you will. So go ahead - practice. Oh and one more thing...we're moving locations in the next two days."

Sasuke looks back down at his hand, observing the burn markings healing due to the curse mark.

"Got it."

*

"Where are we going Shizake?" Nitatchi asks as he gazes at the overgrown vegetation on the outskirts of the leaf village.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now." Shizake replies, walking down the dusty trail with a torch in hand.

"You can't possibly mean-"

The two of them stop, observing the dusty yellow caution tape blocking off the entrance to an old compound. The Uchiha compound. Where the proud clan lived and where the police headquarters was located. Now it's just a memory, a partial vestige of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Nitatchi takes a step back, shivers crawling up his spine, "This... doesn't feel right man. I don't belong here."

"It's okay. No one comes out here anymore. Plus, I want to show you something." Shizake says, placing a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

"If you say so...can't we get in trouble for being out here?"

"I'd like to see anyone stop me."

The two of them bypass the tape by jumping on top of the arch that is the gate to the compound. Both of them observe the run down buildings, cracks, mold, and vegetation afflicting nearly every house and piece of infrastructure. As they drop to the ground Nitatchi wraps his cloak tighter around his body, the cold of the night settling in heavily.

Each step is an ominous descent into the bloody demise of the Uchiha clan, wiped out in a single night. Shizake stares at the spots where he saw dead bodies on that day, blood of former relatives, friends, and most importantly clan mates still dried on the streets. Nitatchi shakes his head, not understanding how someone could mentally torture their self like this. Passing by more abandoned buildings only brings forth the stench of death, hatred, and betrayal, feelings that rise in Shizake's gut but settle back down when he sees what they are searching for.

"This way." Shizake says, taking a left at the intersection.

As the two of them pass by the last set of buildings they come to a field of headstones. Nitatchi's jaw drops, feeling the dead spirits of the clan still screaming in bloody agony. Please let that just be my imagination.

"Why did you bring me here Shizake...?" Nitatchi asks trying to think of any possible explanation about why his friend would bring him to the field of buried dead corpses of a once hailed clan.

"This is why I get so angry when Sasuke is mentioned...why I get so angry that he left. Even though I've accepted he's gone to the clutches of darkness I just can't...fathom as to why he left this behind. These gravestones..." Shizake pauses, crouching down to dust off a gravestone, "Are what keeps me going. So that I know whatever I do, it isn't in vain."

As he dusts off the two gravestones the names reveal them selves - Yumi Uchiha and for the one adjacent to it, Hideo Uchiha.

Nitatchi's lip trembles, "Your mom and dad."

"These gravestones remind me that everything I do isn't just a waste of time. That as long as I stay in the village and protect what's dear to me, that justice will eventually come for my clan." Shizake continues while reaching in to the backpack he had brought along earlier. He sets the backpack on the ground and pulls out a bouquet of flowers, specifically snapdragons, fresh from the Yamanaka clan shop. These flowers are good for this time of the year since they can withstand harsh cold temperatures, lasting from early fall to late winter. He delicately rests the flowers against the gravestones while placing a hand on his mother's. Tears well up in his eyes, a concoction of emotions rising up in his chest. He inhales deeply, flushing them back down into the depths of his conscious mind.

"I know how this must make you feel Shizake... your cause is just. You will bring justice for your clan, and I'll be there every step of the way to help you."

Shizake wipes his eyes with the back of his palm, looking back and faintly smiling up at his friend, "No wonder my mother liked you so much."

"Heh. Hey the only reason I came around was because of your mom's cinnamon sugar cookies. Oh man I miss those things so much," The young Hyuga boy jokes.

"I miss a lot of things...I miss playing with Sasuke. Even with Itachi. I miss seeing aunt Mikoto... and uncle Fugaku, as harsh as he was on his sons. He still cared about them though...about us."

"You and Sasuke's mothers were sisters, right?" Nitatchi asks.

"Yeah..."

"Heh. That explains a lot."

Shizake raises an eyebrow at his friend, curious as to what he's about to say, "How do you mean?"

"It explains where you received your compassionate side. I remember how caring your mother was. How close she was to you and everyone else. Heck, even to me, someone outside of the clan in a completely different clan."

"Yeah... I wasn't so close with my father. He cared well for us, provided for us. We just never connected...emotionally." Shizake responds, staring at his father's grave. He gets up from his crouching position and walks a few feet to the right, crouching down to dust off Mikoto and Fugaku's graves. Once again he reaches in to his backpack and places more flowers against the headstones, honoring their existence as well.

"That's okay. Because look how you turned out. You stayed in the village...Sasuke didn't. You were taught to never abandon the things you love. I know a lot of your emotions were gone after the massacre but... I'm glad you held on to compassion."

"You're right..." Shizake says still staring at the graves before taking a deep breath, "Come on. Lets get out of here."

Nitatchi nods his head, following his friend and teammate out of the graveyard site as well as the compound. Once they return to the heart of the village they bid each other farewell until tomorrow for training. Shizake walks back to his apartment, located on the far east side of the village. His mind slowly processes everything, coming to terms with his feelings for the moment being. Sasuke is to be forgotten but Itachi is still to be killed. Bloodlust rises up in his chest, especially after visiting the Uchiha graveyard. Had it not been for Itachi everything he held near and dear to his heart would still be here. Sasuke would have remained in the village and his life would have been lived more peacefully. But now...Now I live under a constant blanket of despair. Constantly thinking of how I'm going to rip Itachi's heart out and show it to him before I end his wretched excuse for a life. How I'm going to-

Shizake's thoughts are stopped when he sees a figure leaning against the wall next to his apartment door. Steadily he reaches into his tool pouch, placing a hand on a kunai since the person hasn't noticed him yet. He continues walking, acting casual, still unsure of whom it is since they aren't standing under the light. With one swift movement, he dashes up to the figure, placing the cold knife up to their throat, and swinging them around to the opposite wall where the light is. The one lamp in the hallway illuminates the figure, messy purple hair falling in front of their eyes.

"Azumi...?" Shizake asks, face to face with the girl. His cold yet warm breath grazes her face ever so slightly causing her cheeks to glow a light shade of red. Their gazes meet, her ocean blue eyes sparkling under the lamp while his coal ones remain listless and unreadable.

"Y-yes...it's me." She replies, flustered while her eyes bounce around to avert his stare.

Shizake lowers the kunai, placing it back in his tool pouch and backing away from the girl, "Why are you here?"

"Sorry...I just...I have some more news for you." She says, still tensed up.

His eyes meet back with hers, "Sorry for attacking you. I thought you were waiting in ambush."

Azumi takes a deep breath in and out, "It's...okay. I'm okay. Are you okay?"

Shizake smirks, sensing her nervousness, "Yes. I'm fine. So what do you have for me?"

"More information on Itachi...he's moved again." She starts, "Currently our sources say he's in the Land of Rivers."

"So first the Land of Grass now the Land of Rivers...this quickly? It's only been a day since you told me he was in the Land of Grass." What are you up to Itachi...?

"Uhm...yes."

Shizake nods his head, "Thank you. Goodnight Azumi."

"Shizake?"

The Uchiha stops in front of his door, turning around to face the violet haired girl once more, "Yes?"

"A-are you okay? You just look more...I don't know...down than usual."

Shizake approaches her, placing his left hand on her shoulder, "If you must know I just got back from visiting my parent's graves...but trust me Azumi. I'm fine."

"I never believe you when you say that...but okay. Goodnight Shizake." The girl says, throwing the hood of her jacket over her head while stuffing her hands in the front pockets and leaving.

Shizake watches her exit the hallway before unlocking the door and stepping inside of his apartment. He takes off his cloak, kicks off his sandals and throws his tool pouch on the floor immediately crashing on the couch, wiped from today's trials. Soon enough his eyes grow heavy, the Uchiha drifting off into dreamland.