"You're back."
Uchiha Mikoto waited at the door.
Only when she saw the three boys did she breathe out in relief.
Even knowing they would meet no danger in the Leaf, she still worried.
Itama nudged Sasuke toward Mikoto. "Mother, I am going to wash up and sleep."
"All right, go on."
Itachi paused at the threshold.
"Mother, where is Father?"
"He has not returned yet. He is probably busy."
Itachi nodded.
"I will head out on a mission tomorrow. I will skip breakfast, so you do not need to prepare it."
"So rushed?"
"Very urgent."
Itachi said, "I should have departed tonight, but I wanted to stay home a little longer."
"Then be careful, Itachi. Take care of yourself."
"I will."
The next morning.
Itachi left early.
Itama went alone to the training field.
His training was on track now. He did not need Fugaku hovering. If problems came up, he would ask at night.
Sasuke had wanted to tag along, but Mikoto stopped him.
Fugaku had grown much busier.
Itama could guess why.
Before, he had warned Fugaku, who did not care. But after Itachi's latest visit, Itama sensed a seed of doubt in his father regarding Itachi.
"This is good."
Itama did not want the original plot to repeat in this world.
When faced with Itachi's slaughter, Fugaku and Mikoto had stood dumbly and accepted fate, offering no resistance. Compared to Itachi, Itama cared more for Fugaku and Mikoto.
"Four years left."
He looked up at the sky.
A single tomoe turned in his eyes.
Outside the village.
"Itachi, you finally came."
Uchiha Shisui smiled when he saw him.
"How did it feel to be home? Are Itama and Sasuke well?"
Itachi nodded.
"They are both fine."
He thought back.
He doted on Sasuke. As for Itama, they had once gotten along very well, but at some point a gap had opened between them.
Itachi had tried to bridge it and failed.
Yet the dango last night made him realize his younger brother still cared.
That made him happy.
"Good."
Shisui nodded. "We have already lost some time. Next, Itachi, we need to move faster. We cannot fail this mission."
"Understood."
Their faces grew solemn.
Itama also thought of the dango.
He had done it on purpose.
He knew Itachi liked dango.
It was his way of extending goodwill, to see if he could tug Itachi off the old path of fate and make him value family a bit more.
Do not make the choice from the original story.
He was only willing to try and give Itachi that chance.
If Itachi still chose wrongly as before, Itama would treat him as an enemy without hesitation.
Two months passed quickly.
The Leaf's Ninja Academy entrance day arrived.
Fugaku and Mikoto came, and Sasuke too.
At the school gate stood many figures like the four of them.
"Father, Mother, I will go in myself. You do not need to see me off."
"Very well. Be careful."
"I will." Itama nodded. "You already told me plenty about the school. I will keep it in mind. Do not worry."
Then he faced Sasuke.
He lifted a finger and flicked Sasuke's forehead lightly.
Sasuke clutched his brow.
"Brother, you bullied me again."
"Three years from now you will enter the Academy too. I hope by then you will not trail too far behind where I am now, or I will be disappointed."
"Hmph, I will surpass you."
Itama smiled.
"Father, Mother, I am going."
He stepped through the Academy gate.
A teacher waited there.
"Name."
"Uchiha Itama."
The teacher's brows twitched.
"Good. Go wait over on the training field. Do not wander. I will come for you later."
"Yes."
By now, quite a few had gathered on the grounds. All were this year's new students.
Itama scanned the faces and saw no one familiar.
There were children from larger clans like the Hyuga and Aburame, but they seemed ordinary.
He drew the most attention.
One reason was his identity.
The Uchiha were still the Leaf's foremost clan.
Another was his appearance.
Half black hair and half white, a look unique in the entire village.
Not ugly.
On the contrary, striking. Handsome.