My head jerks up, as the alarms start sounding. The alarm sequence is one we learned in the academy. Every shinobi, rank Chunin and above, is to respond to an internal threat. Genin are to evacuate the civilians.

We rush out of the house, Mikoto dumping Sasuke into the arms of a passing Uchiha Genin, and the ANBU and Madara shunshin off in the direction of the biggest jutsus. Fugaku and Mikoto look to go after them but pauses, "Itachi, Shisui, Hana, Yoruka, go look for any stray traitors. And whatever you do, stay away from the large battle. It's no place for kids, no matter how good a shinobi," Fugaku says gruffly. Mikoto smiles at us reassuringly and ruffles Itachi's hair. Then she and Fugaku shunshin away.

I share a look with the others, "That's a pretty big distraction," I muse.

The others pale. "What do you mean, Yoruka," Hana asks.

"Well, think about it. Why would a big group of traitors suddenly come forth now? Sure, they tried to kill either Fugaku or Madara, but we didn't know for sure who was behind that. The only thing that makes sense is that they're after something. We need to find out what." My explanation doesn't seem to reassure any of them.

Itachi shares a glance with Shisui and they both grimace. "We think we know what they might be after," Shisui starts reluctantly.

"They tried to kill the clan head and a very powerful clan elder, so it makes sense," continues Itachi.

Shisui takes over again. "The Naka Shrine contains secret Uchiha techniques and well... some Uchiha have been going missing on missions. Only to be found dead, with missing eyes. It's very possible whoever's leading these traitors is our eye thief and wants our techniques."

The Izanagi, of course! There's no way Danzo came across the way to make it just by happenstance. He had to have had a scroll detailing the usage and creation. Hana grins viciously, "Well let's go, then!" The Haimaru brothers yip their agreement.

We make it to the Naka Shrine to see a Root Agent coming out with a stone tablet. Shisui growls and disappears into the fastest shunshin I've ever seen. The Root Agent never sees him coming, and Shisui slits their throat in a swirl of leaves heralding his arrival. It somehow slipped my mind that in Canon, Shisui made Jonin at 14. Shisui is 14 now.

Shisui grabs the tablet. "I'm going to go replace this," he says distantly and walks into the shrine. Itachi follows him. I frown at their backs. They're not telling us something important. I say as much to Hana once they're out of earshot.

Hana snorts. "When are they not? Uchiha keep a lot of important secrets."

"Yeah, you're right," I sigh. "I just worry that they'll get into a situation that's over their head someday because of these secrets."

I dodge a brace of kunai as three Root Agents descend from the rooftops. Hana sniffs the air, then growls. Her ninkin mimicking her. "Those kunai are poisoned, Yoruka. Don't get hit." I nod and activate my Shadow Imitation Jutsu.

I catch all three operatives with the jutsu. "Hey Hana, do me a solid and take them out would you?" I snark at her. Hana rolls her eyes and moves to knock them unconscious. People should really stop attacking me in shadowy places.

Before Hana can get within range to hit their pressure points, the Root Agents spontaneously die. "Fuck," I whispered. "Cyanide pills. We've already seen them do this!" I let the bodies fall limp.

Hana and I anxiously wait for Shisui and Itachi to come back. I don't know about Shisui, but Itachi's fighting style is fairly destructive, so if they ran into trouble we would have known. I vaguely note that the sound of destruction is getting incrementally closer.

A black figure darts out of the shadows, quickly followed by another. I hurriedly jump out in front of the first, blocking their path as Hana does the same with the second. Blank masks, so more Root. I activate my Shadow Imitation Jutsu, their fast and they dodge. This one, it seems, has done their homework.

They move forward to stab me with a kunai, and I flip backward, kicking my foot into their mask as I go. The mask falls off and staring back at me is a girl, brown hair, brown eyes, and tanner than the average Konoha citizen. One that can only be one or two years older than Shikamaru. She makes a familiar handsign and my eyes widen. Then I'm dodging a Shadow Imitation Jutsu.

Anger seethes within me. Danzo took a fucking Nara! I snarl and throw three electric Kunai at the other girl's head. She dodges backward to where I replace myself with a rock. She startles and moves to turn around when I jam my fingers into one of her pressure points. I sigh, I'm not about to kill a child of my own clan. I open her mouth and notice the seal on her tongue. Danzo can go fuck himself. I dig the cyanide pill out of her mouth.

I glance over to where Hana is standing over another Root Agent. She's holding a Kunai, looking conflicted. "Hana," I call out. "Is that one a child, too?"

Hana jerks in surprise, then whispers, "He can't be more than a year older than Kiba."

I nod. "Same with mine, but they're brainwashed children. Surely the Hokage will want to rehabilitate them. I say just restrain them."

Hana looks relieved, like she was planning on doing that anyway but didn't have the justification besides child. I drag the Nara girl to where Hana is tying up her opponent. Black hair, ridiculously pale skin, and a drawing scroll greet me when I lay eyes on the boy. Something about him jangles a memory, but for the life of me, I can't remember what!

Itachi and Shisui exit the Shrine as the alarm and sounds of destructive jutsu stop. ANBU pops up a short time after that, and seeing the amount of Root Operatives around us in one concentrated area, tells us to report to the Hokage. They then take Hana and I's captives. As we make our way to the Hokage tower, the sun's light begins to peek over the horizon, and a wave of exhaustion hits me. Danzo's gone, I smile in relief.