Frightening images flashed in deep slumber. A sudden thought sparked: "Don't sleep!"
Why can't I sleep?
Sarada struggled to remember. Thoughts floated like in thick jelly. Sorting them and finding the right one wasn't easy.
"Don't sleep!" her inner voice yelled furiously.
Startled, Sarada pried open her heavy eyelids. Before her stretched a sunlit morning clearing with sparse light patches. She sat under the roots of a giant tree.
Right! I can't sleep because... Because I have to protect them.
Sleep vanished instantly. How could she let herself doze off?
Sarada whipped around. In the dim temporary shelter lay unconscious Naruto and Sasuke. She crawled closer. She touched Naruto's forehead. He was fine, but for some reason not waking. Sarada touched Sasuke's temple with the back of her hand, removed the warm damp cloth, and pressed her lips to his forehead.
He's burning up.
Clarity emerged in her thoughts. Sarada knew what to do: protect these two. But what came before... It was hard to recall. Forest of giant trees. Terrifying face with sagging pale skin, endless snake-like neck. Father's burning Sharingan, and Dad fiercely battling a creature no longer human. Limbs flashing. Sasuke's fire techniques. Nanadaime stopping a giant snake with his back.
How did I even get here?
But there was no time to sort it out. Sound shinobi stepped onto the clearing.
"Hey..."
Sarada flinched nervously. Three enemies: a beautiful girl with lush long hair tied low with a rubber band; a guy with Rokudaime-like hair, but dark—sitting on a huge boulder. The third, bandaged face like a mummy, stood in a weird pose, knees splayed wide, hunched, long sleeves dragging to the ground.
"Don't wake Sasuke-kun? We'd fight."
Sarada rose from her knees and stepped from the shelter. All eyes locked on her. Which meant...
Genjutsu.
Sharingan activated instantly, as always. The Sound trio didn't grasp a thing. Sarada trapped three people in genjutsu for the first time. Far from easy, but the bait was set: a link formed between her and the three foes.
I don't know who you are or what you want. I don't even know what I'm doing here. I only know one thing: I won't let you touch Seventh or Dad.
The ground on the green meadow loosened. The shinobi noticed immediately and tensed. From a mole-like hole crawled a stone beast familiar to Sarada, somewhat like a sloth.
"What is that?" the girl asked disgustedly and hurled a kunai at the animated statue.
Sarada saw the blade sink softly into the earth. But in the genjutsu reality, it was different. As before, the girl's kunai clanged off the idol's belly and ricocheted away. Controlling the hearing and sight of three people strained Sarada, but successful genjutsu sparked imagination.
The stone creature scratched its mossy side and tilted its head curiously. New holes appeared across the clearing, more beasties crawling out.
"Kin, that's Doton," the guy on the boulder said gravely.
He leaped up and thrust his hands forward.
"Air Cutter!"
Directed air streams hit empty grass. In genjutsu reality, the stone creatures kept emerging calmly from holes, advancing on the enemies, reaching with long clawed paws.
"What a freakshow," Kin said, retreating. "But when did this bitch pull it off? I didn't see her form seals."
"Me neither," the mummy confirmed.
The guy on the boulder stopped assaulting the empty clearing and lowered his hands.
"If that's how..."
Kin hurled a kunai with an explosive seal into the clearing's center. It boomed.
Sarada smirked. In her genjutsu, the struck stone beasties turned to crows and attacked the trio. A girlish screech sounded. Chaos in the illusion: Sound shinobi shielded from crows as best they could, squinting, trying techniques that hit each other. In reality—they just thrashed around the clearing.
"Played enough," Sarada thought and launched shuriken at the uninvited guests.
She woke in cold sweat, stretched, lit the torchiere, and scanned the dimly lit living room. Parents at the exam, Shisui on mission. Sleepless nights in the empty apartment and exam worries played a cruel trick on Sarada—she dreamed of the exam she'd taken instead of Sakura. But the dream was strikingly realistic, leaving a bad aftertaste. As if she'd touched another life but hadn't fully grasped it. Lost in herself, her thoughts and feelings, because even memories were partly alien and fragmented.
"Too real," Sarada muttered aloud, as if her own voice could dispel the spell.
The spell passed, but the aftertaste lingered. Cold sweat trickled down her back, soaking her pajamas. Reality pressed with silence and the lazy weight of pre-dawn.
What's happening to me?
She slipped from under the blanket, went to the kitchen, drank water.
No more sleep. She peeked into Shisui's room. The wide bed perfectly made, half-darkness beyond huge balcony windows. Sarada padded barefoot onto the balcony; chilly morning air sobered her a bit.
At the end of the second day of the second stage, Shisui reached the tower at the polygon's center. He found Team Sasuke but didn't interfere in the genin squabbles. No need. Shisui had taken the chunin exam long, long ago, and nothing like this... No, he'd never seen anything like this on his own exam.
Forest of Death. Enemies everywhere. Even Leaf teams—enemies. No one helped anyone. Alliances formed, shaky and temporary. And just that morning, he'd witnessed something utterly unexpected on a chunin exam. Might Guy's kid stood up for a foreign team, one against three. Then that girl, Sakura, transformed behind him. Shisui thought she had no place on the exam. By Sasuke's tales—nothing special. Clever, genjutsu-resistant, but inexperienced and weak. Like many girls her age, more focus on looks than training. But for Sasuke and Naruto's lives, she fought like a tigress. Shisui himself wouldn't fight like that. His style had formed since childhood, elegant. Sakura just bulldozed brutally, bleeding, kunai stuck all over...
Then Ino-Shika-Cho kids burst from bushes. Knees shaking, they dragged the chubby one by scarf; he kept munching even facing foes. Yet they shielded battered Sakura and her team. Took the hits. Rock Lee's teammates emerged from thicket next; if Sasuke hadn't woken, they'd have joined against Sound shinobi too.
Such mutual aid among the young shocked. No matter how weak or scared—they stepped up to protect loved ones, prioritizing friends' lives over passing.
Yes, Itachi. They're not like us. But like us, they'll go far.
Something was off with Sasuke. He woke, stood, soloed the whole Sound team that Sakura, new Ino-Shika-Cho gen, and Guy's Rock Lee couldn't handle. Black symbols covered his body, and his chakra... Shisui saw the Hyuga kid's face change. Byakugan surely sensed that horrific chakra better than Shisui's Sharingan.
The Hyuga spotted him; no point lingering. Shisui pressed a finger to lips, signaling the Byakugan user not to mention his visit, and vanished.
Sasuke-kun... Finish this exam fast. I don't like your chakra.
In one tower room, Anko set up HQ. Shisui entered, nodded to Izumo and Kotetsu watching video on TV.
"What's up?"
Shisui leaned on the sofa back.
"Some already passed."
Kotetsu approached the TV, crouched, rewound. Screen filled with flickering black-white lines.
"Watch, Shunshin. First ones... Arrived an hour and a half after start."
Shisui frowned. Screen showed Sand genin. Blonde with fan, face-painted guy, browless redhead boy with gourd on back.
Beat Itachi's record. Unbelievable.
"Who're they?"
"Izumo bets not genin."
"Who else passed?"
"Won't believe—newbies. Yūhi Kurenai's precious kids."
"Interesting. Where's Anko?"
"Meeting Hokage-sama."
"Dragging on," Shisui irritably replied. "Serious business, but everyone's indifferent."
Chunin just shrugged.
By lunch, council gathered in HQ. Anko, her chunin aides, Hokage, two Anbu, Shisui and subordinates.
"Hokage-sama," Anko asked displeased. "Why's Uchiha Shisui here?"
"Shisui's team watches exam safety," Third replied. "He has full right. What's bothering you?"
"Nothing," Anko growled, clutching shoulder.
Hiruzen removed smoking pipe.
"Cursed Seal hurts?"
"Yes."
"Here."
Hokage repocketed pipe, circled behind Anko. Girl shed cloak, baring left shoulder. Hiruzen frowned, touched mark, formed seals fast. Shisui habitually activated Sharingan. Elder pressed right hand to Cursed Seal, left to lips, used some technique. Anko hissed in pain.
"There, there," Hiruzen murmured indulgently. "Should pass now."
Anko glared venomously at Shisui. He deactivated Sharingan.
"Thanks, Hokage-sama. But Shunshin peeked your technique?"
Shisui wasn't embarrassed. Shinobi missing chances to learn new things—foolish.
"No issue. Curious, eager youth—splendid. Remember, Anko, you're Leaf's future. I gladly pass experience. Shisui learns new techniques fast anyway."
Anko grimaced.
"Why hate me so, examiner?" Shisui thought, aloud asked:
"Hokage-sama, what's that mark?"
"Hm?" Hiruzen exhaled smoke. "Orochimaru's Cursed Seal, placed on Anko as child. Acts up sometimes."
"Orochimaru..." Kotetsu ventured timidly. "That's..."
"...Legendary Sannin," Izumo finished. "Thought he was dead."
Shisui smirked inwardly. These kids had telepathic link.
"Hm. Rumors like that often," Hokage replied. "But he's always alive. What'd he want at exam?"
Silence fell.
"I suppose..." Anko voiced, faltering.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Shisui stated firmly.
She snapped gaze to him.
"How..."
"Ran into his team in forest. Sakura mentioned Orochimaru and mark; Sasuke's chakra changed hugely."
"Told you not interfere!" Anko barked.
"Didn't! Why so protective of exam?" Shisui parried, turned to Hiruzen. "Hokage-sama, second stage should've ended long ago. Three Hidden Grass shinobi corpses; S-rank rogue crawls polygon."
"You're exam security, Shunshin," Anko sniped. "Your failure."
"Enough. Anko, Shisui's team can't handle Orochimaru. Wrong to blame."
Shisui felt shame sting.
Can't handle... Itachi did, so I could. Bastard fled too fast. Anko's right, my screw-up.
"So, Sasuke-kun?"
"Hai."
"Anko, heard you, agree. No exam interruption."
"But, Hokage-sama!" Shisui protested.
"Quiet!" Hiruzen snapped. "I'm Hokage, not you. I decide."
Shisui clenched teeth in rage.
Shisui spent days in Forest of Death. Hiruzen watched skeptically. Orochimaru unseen, team exhausted, but Shisui persisted, refusing to leave Training Ground 44. Hokage finally called him to Anko's HQ, relieved team of duty.
"Other team handles exam security. They relieved you last night. Nothing left here. Rest—you worked well."
"But, Hokage-sama!" Shisui objected instantly.
"Not debatable," Hokage irritably said. "No proper sleep, useless, Shisui-kun."
"I... can't..."
"Hm, why so riled? I get you worry for Sasuke-kun, but still. Feels like your duel with Orochimaru. No face left. Go home. We'll care for boy, promise."
Shisui sadly bowed, left HQ. In tower corridors, spotted Seventh Team's sensei.
"Kakashi-san!"
Shisui caught up, bowed briefly. Kakashi stopped.
"Shisui-kun? What?"
Shisui eyed seriously.
"My team's off duty. No right here. With passers so far, prelims soon."
Kakashi waited patiently.
"Orochimaru..."
"I'm aware. Don't worry."
Shisui faltered.
"That seal..."
"I'll seal it."
Uchiha felt awkward. Jonin read minds.
"They won't let him fight, right, Kakashi-san?"
"Naturally against."
Shisui sighed.
"That kid..."
"Won't listen, huh?" Kakashi clarified. "No worry. I'll handle. Rest."
"Thanks, Kakashi-san. You're right."
Shisui nodded; they parted.
"Feels like your duel with Orochimaru," Third's raspy voice echoed.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was keenly perceptive.
As long as Orochimaru lives—Sasuke's in danger. Vengeance-obsessed kid... Easy to manipulate one in darkness. Like Danzo netted Itachi, Orochimaru snared Sasuke. Coveted Uchiha blood...
Hope no one targets Sarada yet. Good she's not in exam, no extra eyes. But wait till...
Door clicked softly midnight in entryway. Sarada woke, sat up on sofa, reached back, lit nearby torchiere. Days sleeping in empty apartment. Sasuke left for exam with team. No one called to hang. No one watched house. Tomentous waiting, uncertainty.
"How're parents? Alive? Nanadaime?.."
Shisui entered living room. Haggard face, dark circles like sleepless days. Heavy sigh, sank onto sofa on her blanket, leaned back, closed eyes. Sarada scooted closer.
Minutes, Shisui statue-still, like asleep. Broad chest rose faintly with breath.
Soft yellow torchiere light dimly lit sofa area.
"Sarada, tell..."
She tensed.
"Your dad—Sasuke-kun. Mom?"
"Why, Shisui-san?"
Last close Uchiha quizzed future—ended badly. Shisui opened eyes, eyed wall shuriken.
"Just curious," he grinned. "Watch youth, guess which girl you're like."
"Which?"
"Can't say. Pure-blood Uchiha look."
"Sakura..." Sarada admitted reluctantly.
Shisui smiled oddly.
"Hey, Shisui-san. Why smile?"
"Nothing. Wonderful parents, Sarada."
He ruffled her hair, hugged shoulder, pulled closer. Sarada pressed cheek to soft smoke-reeking clothes.
"Missed you," she mumbled, not pulling away.
"Know, girl."
"Leaving again?"
Shisui shook head:
"Shifted off duty."
"Good."
"Who knows," Shisui mused, closed eyes, head back like dozing on sofa.
Sarada stayed, on his chest, heart thumping deeply. So good, calm with him. Deep down, cursed propriety fumed: "Sat on clean bed, shannaro!", nose stung acrid soot in fabric. But unimportant.
Morning days later, doorbell.
Shisui breakfasted kitchen; Sarada answered. Future Rokudaime Hokage at threshold. She bowed, let in.
"Hm... Uchiha Sarada, right?"
"Hai."
"Pleasure," man amiably squinted, waved.
Sarada bowed deeper. Hatake Kakashi went kitchen, sat opposite Shisui.
"Yo, Shisui-kun!"
Sarada peeked cautiously, seeking permission. Shisui nodded. She entered, sat.
"How is he?" Shisui asked.
"Fine. Did as promised. Fought anyway," Kakashi mused: "Opponent—genin with odd ability: chakra absorption technique."
"And... Sasuke?" Shisui asked anxiously.
"Beat with taijutsu, no Sharingan."
Shisui exhaled.
"Relax, Shisui-kun."
"Where?"
"Hospital. Still watching, so rest."
"Thanks, Kakashi-san!"
"No biggie. Off to Sasuke. Bye."
Sarada saw to door, suddenly:
"Wait!"
Kakashi turned intrigued.
"Others? Naruto, Sakura-san..."
"Hm, Sakura failed. Naruto in main matches."
Sarada relieved sigh.
"Alright. Gone."
She shut door.
Sarada first chatted casually with Rokudaime Hokage. Young Hatake Kakashi little differed from future Sixth. Same calm, cool confidence, speech/move laziness. Face masked, protector over left eye.
Sarada relaxed. All alive. Dad, Naruto to third stage. Mom... Good she failed. Safer.
Back kitchen.
"Shisui-san, what 'did as promised'?"
"Mm, asked Kakashi-san watch Sasuke," Shisui replied, mouth full breakfast remnants.
"Why Dad hospital?"
"Know, girl, second stage no picnic."
Sarada sat table.
"Weird dreams. Like in forest with Dad, Naruto."
Shisui silent. But Sarada wanted talk him. Long tried say something; right words elusive.
"Shisui-san..."
He eyed interested.
"Feels... you're molding me."
Shisui surprised, chuckled:
"Hinting I'm hidden manipulator?"
"Yes."
"You, girl," he laughed easily. "Hoped politeness objection. But know what it's really called?"
"What?"
Shisui grinned wider.
"Upbringing."
Sarada quieted.
"Unexpected?"
"Yes," she murmured, met eyes: "Shisui-san, molding me—mold normal Dad!"
"What?"
"There, future—he cold, callous, heartless and... and..."
Shisui shook head. Sarada swallowed lump.
"...now understand why. But feel changed under your... 'upbringing'. Can do same for him?"
"Can't, girl," Shisui saddened. "You're blank slate. Sasuke... When like you—lost, grieving—Itachi got first."
Chills ran spine. Not deaths, not Kyuubi... Here, Sarada feared two: uncle Uchiha Itachi—image seared terrifying; him and mask-man bodiless.
"Uchiha Sasuke—Itachi's creation. Itachi shaped him, gave purpose. Battling your father six years, can't change. Deep darkness in Sasuke's heart I can't purge; unsure possible."
Soul slick, unpleasant.
Dad...
"But anyway, know. Seems headstrong, rude—but Sasuke great guy. Teammates lucky had him on exam."
Sarada listened astonished. Present Sasuke irked; abandoned daughter, resented future. But Shisui revealed new father sides she'd miss.
"Rookies suffer exam. Many die, depressing—but Sasuke knew early. Prepared for shock."
"Told him opposite—life scarier things."
"True, said right. Sasuke thinks limit reached, only Itachi, revenge ahead. But friends—those kids: Sakura, Naruto. Even unflattering words don't mean indifferent. Feels responsibility, protect even at life cost. Knows losing loved ones; repeat... hurts bad."