"Kiba!"
Inuzuka Hana's voice called from the kitchen, prompting Kiba to stop playing with Akamaru and look over his shoulder.
"Take the saury I made and bring it to Shin, would you?" she said, poking her head out from the kitchen.
"He probably hasn't come back yet."
"Just go!" she insisted.
Kiba stood up, scooping Akamaru into his arms as he walked to the kitchen and accepted the lunch box Hana handed him.
"Make sure to hurry. It'll taste awful if it gets cold."
"I know, I know," Kiba replied impatiently, stepping out of the house with the box in hand.
Hana watched his back as he left and sighed. "That boy… When will he grow up and be more like Shin?"
As Kiba stepped outside and looked around, he found the street mostly empty dinnertime had begun, and few people were out.
Opening the lunch box, he eyed the neatly arranged meal and pinched a small portion with his fingers, popping it into his mouth.
"Mm, not bad," he nodded approvingly, then picked up another piece.
"Akamaru, you try some too."
"Woof!"
"Well?"
"Woof!"
"No, wait. This is for Shin. We'll eat when we get back."
"Whine~"
"...Fine. Just a little more."
"Woof!"
…
Bzzzzzz!
A sharp, grating hum filled Shin's ears relentless, maddening. Then, a deafening boom. His consciousness plunged into darkness.
It felt as if he were being torn into another dimension, a bizarre and surreal space. Hundreds of thousands, millions perhaps billions of vibrant threads of color whirled past him, rushing by at impossible speeds.
He struggled within this vortex of color, trying to escape, but there was no way out.
Scenes flashed before his eyes some familiar, others alien. Memories, dreams, premonitions. Yesterday, or perhaps never.
…
He saw flames consuming everything. Blood spurting. Screams of desperation. Shouts of fury and despair.
"Takigawa Shin! You butcher! You demon! You're no better than the tyrants you serve! May you never find peace!"
"You murder the innocent without remorse. You're bound for hell!"
…
"Takigawa, don't you know what kind of man General Fujino is? And you still choose to serve him?"
…
"Your swordsmanship is impressive."
"But your character? I have no interest in associating with someone like you."
…
"Shin, how do I look in this dress?"
"When are you coming back? Don't make me wait too long, okay?"
"Shin, why... why aren't we running? Take me with you I don't... I don't want to die yet... cough cough..."
"Shin... I'm scared..."
…
"Feel pain..."
"Know pain. Accept pain. Understand pain."
"Only those who understand pain can understand peace."
…
"My name is Uchiha Madara."
"Five Kage, I have something to explain..."
"My plan the Eye of the Moon."
…
"Shin, my son."
"All these years, not being by your side... you've suffered so much."
…
Who knew how long he had been drifting?
When Shin finally opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was Shisui's face still as elegant and unreadable as ever. Except this time, his eyes were blood-red, three black tomoe circling his irises.
As the tomoe spun, his eyes slowly returned to normal.
"Just now..." Shin murmured, dazed. "What... what was that?"
"What did you see?" Shisui asked softly.
"...The past."
And was that the future?
"Oh? What kind of past?" Shisui's voice had a strange pull to it, like it could drag someone into an abyss.
"Fire. Blood. Slaughter..." Shin murmured, his eyes vacant.
Shisui frowned slightly.
The Nine-Tails' attack? But he was so young then could he even remember? Or was the illusion too deep?
Or perhaps...
"Who's your father?" Shisui asked again.
"Takanami Tsukasa."
"And your superior?"
"...Iruka-sensei?"
Shisui sighed and released the chakra binding his genjutsu.
Shin blinked as clarity returned. He looked at Shisui, then quickly averted his eyes.
"...That was a genjutsu?" he whispered, staring at his own hands, unsure what was real anymore.
"You... What are you talking about?"
Shin forced a small, awkward smile.
Shisui stared at him in silence, his eyes so piercing that Shin felt pinned in place.
The air between them grew heavy.
"Nothing serious," Shisui said suddenly, chuckling.
"I was just joking."
Shin didn't laugh. He only pressed his lips together and looked at him in silence.
"I was guessing... maybe you were a spy from another village pretending to be Takanami Shin."
Shin: "..."
"So? Joke or not, wasn't that funny?" Shisui said, still smiling.
"..."
Shin exhaled slightly in relief.
The difference in power between them was vast. If Shisui had meant him harm, there was little he could do.
"Curious why I taught you shuriken techniques?" Shisui asked abruptly.
"...Yes." Shin nodded.
"What do you think the reason would be?" Shisui smiled as he spoke.
"Because it's a secret technique? Or maybe... you're worried I'd surpass Sasuke?"
"That so?"
"A ninja's strength lies in a balance of skills. Just because someone's better at shurikenjutsu doesn't mean they're stronger overall. Even if Sasuke isn't as good as me at that, doesn't make me stronger than him."
"And besides..."
"So what if you surpass Sasuke?"
"...What do you mean?" Shin finally asked. "Wouldn't that tarnish the Uchiha name?"
"You really want to know?" Shisui's eyes narrowed slightly. The calm, composed expression from earlier returned.
"..."
Shin frowned, unsure what he meant.
"Not that it would matter even if you did."
"...What?"
Shisui sighed softly, as if speaking to Shin, and also to himself.
"The Uchiha... have been first for far too long."
Shin: "..."
He was starting to understand.
"Weren't you going to thank me?"
"...What?"
"Then keep that top rank, won't you?"
Shisui's eyes curved into crescents as he smiled and reached out to pat Shin's head.
"Do your best, top student."
Shin immediately slapped his hand away, visibly annoyed by the gesture.
"That's more like it. Kids should act like kids." Shisui laughed heartily at Shin's irritation.
He kept laughing, even as his body began to blur and fade before Shin's eyes, finally dissolving into a flickering mirage.
"Your friend's coming. Until next time."
Shin stared at the spot where Shisui vanished, a wistful expression crossing his face.
What he had just seen…
He thought he'd never recall those memories again.
"..."
Suddenly, there was a rustling in the grass.
"Woof!"
It was Akamaru, with Kiba close behind.
Seeing them, a smile bloomed on Shin's face.
"Oh, so you're not training. Just slacking off, huh?" Kiba said with an exaggerated sneer.
"Woof!"
Akamaru jumped into Shin's arms and began licking his face enthusiastically.
"Woof woof!"
"What are you guys doing here?" Shin asked after calming Akamaru down.
"Here." Kiba held up the lunch box. "My sister made grilled saury. I brought it for you."
"Really? Thank you," Shin said, smiling as he accepted the box.
"Tch." Kiba clicked his tongue, but then his expression shifted. He sniffed the air carefully.
"Wait..."
"What is it?" Shin asked. "What are you smelling?"
"Someone else was here... besides you." Kiba said, sniffing again, but it seemed the scent was fading.
"Akamaru!"
"Woof!" Akamaru leapt up and began sniffing the air, climbing up Shin's shoulder.
"Woof woof!"
He pointed with his paw at Shin's neck.
Shin: "..."
Kiba leaned in close and sniffed at Shin's neck.
"What are you doing?" Shin recoiled, clearly uncomfortable.
"Agh!"
Kiba suddenly shouted and jumped back, startling Shin. But before he could say anything, Kiba yelled again.
"It's a girl's scent!"
Shin: "???"
"Damn it! You... you were secretly on a date with a girl?! That's just unforgivable!" Kiba fumed.
"...Are you sure you're not mistaken?" Shin asked hesitantly.
"How could I mistake that? A girl's scent is unmistakable! Ugh, Takigawa Shin!"
"You traitor!"
"I'm so mad I can't even"
Shin: "..."
Could it have been... Shisui?
And even if it was a girl, why are you so upset?
He watched, baffled, as Kiba jumped around like a madman.
Finally, after some time, Kiba calmed down and sat beside him on the ground, sulking with his back turned. Akamaru curled up on the grass next to him.
Shin shook his head and sighed, sitting down as well. He opened the lunch box Kiba had brought.
"...Kiba," he said suddenly.
"What now?" Kiba grumbled, shooting him a side glance.
"Why is there... only half a saury in here?"
Kiba: "..."
His face twisted into something between guilt and panic.
Akamaru lay on the ground with his eyes closed, perfectly still.
"I-I tripped on the way over... some of it spilled."
"...Is that so?" Shin raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"O-of course!" Kiba's face flushed red.
"Then what's with the teeth marks?"
Kiba: "..."
"Akamaru?! Did you sneak a bite?!" he shouted, pointing accusingly.
Akamaru: "???"
…