Author's Note: I've been working for a while on this... and I still haven't gotten this quite right. The tense thing in the first few paragraphs is bothering me. Anyway-- here I just assumed that Shisui was part of the ANBU and of the same age as Itachi. I've reread chapters 221-223 many times, and have found noevidence against it. If anyone can prove me wrong, do so. : ) I wrote the "Back Story" and "Terms" just for fun, but I like 'em so much I decided to keep them here. Feel free to skip them.

Thanks to Chrislea and Nasreen for helping me with the fic! Standard disclaimers apply.

Back Story:

Uchiha Sasuke (last name first) is the last surviving member of what others call the tragic clan. Four years ago he was a normal child in the powerful, elite Uchiha clan. One day, when he returned from training practice to his clan's part of the village, he saw countless Uchihas dead on the road. He ran to his own house to find his mother and father dead on top of each other, with a menacing shadow standing by them. The murderer of the entire clan was Uchiha Itachi, his older brother. Itachi tortured his little brother mentally with images of his parents' final moments, using a technique only a Mangekyou user can. Now, Sasuke has vowed to kill his older brother, and that is his only aim in life.

However, that is not what this story is about.

This story is before all that. This story takes place in the midst of a prodigy's, Itachi's, change from a boy who everyone, especially Sasuke, looked up to and was proud of to the frightening and heartless figure in the current storyline.

Terms:

Sharingan: A genetic trait unique to the Uchiha clan. Also referred to as "mirror wheel". Physically, it changes the user's iris to a ruby red color, with patterns surrounding the pupil like a wheel. It allows the user to copy their enemy's technique, as well as to see through any illusion.

Mangekyou: The mysterious second level of the Sharingan. Apparently, it causes its user to be almost invincible. Still, no one has it, and no one knows how to get it; less than a handful of people have ever gotten it in Uchiha history.

ANBU: A member or a team of the elite assassin group of the village. They take the highest-classed missions, which are not limited to only assassinations. (ANBU stands for Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai, which, translated from Japanese, means Assassination Tactics Special Unit.)

Konohagakure: "Village Hidden in the Leaves". The powerful ninja village in which our characters live. Also shortened to be just "Konoha".

Chakra: The basic energy every person needs to perform jutsu, or techniques.

Summary/Teaser:

What happened the night Itachi got the Mangekyou.

My name is Uchiha Shisui. I am thirteen years old, but age is not of importance when you're a ninja, and it certainly didn't matter to a member of the Uchiha, Konoha's elite clan. Along with my best friend Itachi, I am one of the youngest members of the ANBU squad. I like to think that I'm unique—better than most. I am not much compared to Itachi.

Itachi, of the same age as I, is a genius, a prodigy, the pride of his family. In fact, he has recently been promoted to the rank of ANBU leader. Fresh out of childhood, and he has the responsibility of and commanding these respected assassins. Then again, Itachi's childhood wasn't much of one, anyway. He graduated from the Ninja Academy after just one staggering year. Now he is always training or on missions.

He's on assignments very often.

Itachi has been rather distant lately. He's normally cold, detached, and calculating, but has been even more so since his promotion. I haven't seen him for weeks. That is, until I ran into him in the outskirts of our village. Actually, he sought me out…

"Shisui," he spoke.

"Itachi! Long time no see. Missions going well?" Everyone knew he'd had enough of them.

"They are," he replied, averting my eyes. "Shisui… would you come to the Nakano River tonight? There's something I wish to speak to you about."

"Tonight…? Isn't there a clan meeting tonight? Can't you..."

"No… I don't think I can. Will you come?"

"Sure, Itachi," I relented.

It must have been important. I could see it on his weary face. In reality, it was simply how tired he seemed that made many people mistake him for being older than he really was.

I did not support the idea of missing any Uchiha meetings, but it was too late to change my mind. I let out a small sigh as I decided to wait it out in the fields, lest someone drag me with them to where I was supposed to go.

The Nakano River goes by our village, and runs across the entire Fire Country. It's very calming to hear it rippling at night. To see the full moon reflected on its surface is a wonderful sight.

There was half a moon that night I arrived, but the pale light didn't really show on the water's surface because it was covered by clouds. I saw Itachi sitting on Nakano's bank, staring intently at its inky depths. I took the seat beside him. He didn't even glance up.

I used this opportunity to study the river I had for so long taken for granted. If you look hard enough you could still see the moon swimming between the wispy clouds. I looked, memorized by its motions.

"Shisui," Itachi said quietly, his voice almost drowned out by the currents. "What do you think of the clan?"

What? "I…"

"They're presumptuous fools, bound by their own unnecessary laws..."

"No! I'd do anything for my clan! Being an Uchiha--"

"I've given up being an Uchiha," he muttered. "They have lost all hope of redemption. One can never reach his true potential if they are always clinging on to their pathetic name."

I bit my tongue, trying to decipher his words. Did something happen that I didn't know about? Itachi was one of the few people I opened up to. I liked to think we were like brothers, but it struck me that I know very little about him, about his motives.

"Shisui," he said again, still facing the gloomy waters. "You are my closest friend."

"I'm… flattered…?" I racked my brain for a more appropriate answer for for this awkward position, but I stopped when he turned his head towards me. His worn face looked strange and was darker than usual. That was not what surprised me so much, however.

His eyes were Sharingan.

"That is why," he continued gently, "I must kill you."

Was this some sort of joke? Itachi never joked.

"W… what?" I managed to blurt out in my numbness. Itachi had been acting rather peculiar lately. He has been talking quite a bit about the Uchiha clan's decline.

I looked into his mirror-wheel eyes. He was serious.

I took a step back as he started to slowly advance upon me. He took his time, emphasizing his every movement.

I sent a shot of chakra to my eyes, activating my own Sharingan. My hand quickly moved to my shuriken holster, and my body settled into the familiar fighting stance I've used so many times.A light breeze blew between us and across the river. It was then, as I gazed through the wind, that I truly realized that my opponent was my best friend.

This is not something that happens even in the worst of my nightmares. I blinked a few times, trying to push my disquieting thoughts away. Why me? Why Itachi? A thousand thoughts ran through my head at once, each pushing and shoving its way to the surface, then intensifying tenfold.

But now was not the time for me to be dwelling on why I was betrayed. Now, I needed to concentrate. Now I needed to live.

But while I suppressed these thoughts, I had to stare into this stony cold face. Itachi's face. It wasn't quite like looking at a whole new person, but like finally peeling back a layer of translucent film.

This person is going to kill me.

He came at me, so menacing, so devoted to his goal of my demise. The initial clash was severe. I could barely parry in time as he leaped-- threw a kunai at him--

No! That was a replacement--!

There! How can I fight someone like this--?

I saw a shadow move to my left, and turned to my right--

His foot embedded into my back--

Pushing me forward--

I've managed to land a few hits on him--

It seemed--

We jumped, him higher than me--

I landed on the water, barely gathering enough chakra to walk on top of it and dodge--

Too fast.

He is too quick.

I am too burdened.

I dragged myself out of the water, breathing heavily. He saw an opportunity and jumped on me, pushing me into the water. I twisted away, and moved to kick him, but the water was clouding my vision.

I'm sure.

Or maybe it was the tears that somehow found their way into my eyes.

Maybe that was what made him look like my old friend again.

I felt the water envelope me as I was pushed back down.

I looked on impassively at his body floating down this river, lighted only by the gleam of the fading moon. His white face was forver frozen in horror, and his eyes glistened red with leftovers of the Sharingan. It seemed so out of place in the otherwise tranquil scene.

He had put up quite a fight.

Shisui the Mirage.

I tried to laugh, but I couldn't. I wasn't happy at his death, but I wasn't regretful, either. It was more of a relieving feeling; I am no longer bound to my limits.

As his body disappeared from my sight, I tried out my new ability. The Mangekyou. A new surge of power rushed through me. It was invigorating. Maybe I should test my new eyes, to reach the height of my capacity.

I laughed.