Half Brother

The Intruder

Itachi removed his ANBU mask and uniform, setting out to return home. He still couldn't believe what had almost happened today. If his teammate hadn't been training in the forest of death, if Yamato hadn't sensed them when he did, if taicho hadn't reached them in time..... He shuddered to think what would have happened to three barely trained academy students in the Forest of Death.

They hadn't explained much to Hokage-sama and their reason to go to the forest took a backseat in view of misconceptions of Naruto-kun's heritage, but it wasn't hard to grasp that Sasuke was responsible for this venture. Itachi was the one who had told him about the Forest of Death in the first place.

Itachi hadn't expected such callousness from Sasuke. He was aware that his little brother was harbouring some resentment after Itachi had publically scolded him and supported Naruto-kun. But, willfully endangering a fellow Konoha shinobi in hopes of them getting hurt or dying... Itachi was beyond disappointed.

Atleast he regretted his actions, considering he followed Naruto-kun along with the Haruno girl. The three of them together atleast had managed to survive long enough for help to arrive. If it hadn't, all the three children would be dead now.

Itachi couldn't even scold Sasuke regarding the matter, considering it was declared an S rank secret. Itachi's ANBU identity was also something that could casually be disclosed.

"Oi Itachi!" Shisui's voice called out as he was crossing the clan training grounds. "Where were you? We were supposed to spar today."

Itachi blinked. He had forgotten about that. "I apologise. Something kept me."

Shisui pouted. "Something kept you, huh? Now that you are ANBU, I guess every explanation is going to be like that. Atleast tell me what are you moping about, or that's classified too?"

Itachi's lips twitched. "It is, unfortunately."

"Damn." Shisui cursed playfully. "Do you want to spar now, are you too tired?"

Itachi was not tired. Team Ro's venture into the Forest of Death was interupted before taicho could bring them to the verge of chakra exhaustion through his training from hell.

Before he could voice his ascent though, his attention was caught by sudden appearance of a muted chakra in their vicinity. He activated his Sharingan which prompted Shisui to alertness. A glance towards the tree line revealed a shinobi wearing an orange mask trying to blend in amongst the leaves. He proceeded to teleport in fron of Itachi and Shisui using an unknown swirling technique, when he noticed that he had been discovered.

"I was wondering if anyone would ever notice. It looks like the Uchiha clan has gone blind over time." The intruder commented casually.

"Who are you?" Shisui asked, as Itachi remembered the last time he had seen this masked stranger. It was the day he got his Sharingan and lost his teammate.

"I am Madara." He replied.

Shisui's eyes flickered towards Itachi, signalling him to flee. If he thought that Itachi was going to do that, he obviously didn't know him very well.

"Ah, I see." 'Madara' observed, catching on the byplay. "You'd fight me rather than flee. Well, it's been a while since I sparred with the young men of the clan. This should be fun."

Without warning, tree roots erupted from the ground, attacking them. They dodged just in time to avoid getting skewered.

'Mokuton?'. Itachi thought. 'Madara or not, he is going to be a tough opponent.'

He was proved right when 'Madara' was easily able to counter both him and Shisui, using a combination of Mokuton, teleportation and making himself intangible. A few minutes into the fight, Shisui decided to act stupid by directly charging in towards the enemy after briefly signing his stupid plan to Itachi.

'Don't do it.' Itachi wanted to scream, as Shisui was impaled in the abdomen by wood.

He repressed his urge to panic and proceeded to follow his part in Shisui's plan, by sending in a barrage of kunai, which he dodged effortlessly without even moving his eyes away from Shisui's.

"Sacrificing yourself to get your teammate a shot?" Madara asked.

"If that was the plan, it would have been pathetic." Shisui answered, grunting in pain. "Luckily that was not the plan- Kotoamatsukami." He continued, completing the genjutsu he had been building.

'Madara' let go of Shisui, falling down unconscious. Judging by the amount of blood flowing out of Shisui's wound, he was close behind.

Itachi quickly made two shadow clones, one to inform the T and I of an incoming prisoner and other to carry 'Madara'.

He himself proceeded to take Shisui to the hospital.