Cat Scratch Fever
Itachi meets his brother outside of the compound who looks pissed as his eyes are narrowed in his direction. Of course he knows why his brother is annoyed at him, he has kept him in the dark about his teammate but decides to go ahead and ask anyway. “What’s wrong now?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s that Sakura is-“
Itachi puts his palm to Sasuke’s mouth. “I know you’re a better ninja than that. Not here. Besides we have more pressing matters to attend to right now. Follow me.” Itachi takes his hand from his brothers face and turn around and heads inside the compound.
Sasuke follows him wordlessly as the make their way into varying alleyways and down sections of the Uchiha neighborhood he has never been through, he finally asks. “Where are we going?”
He turns around, “We are here.”
They are standing in front of a rundown shop, closed signs hanging outside and the inside is dark with empty shelves and baskets strewn about. The lights are out and the tiled floor is cracked and dirty. Itachi does a quick hand sign that opens the door.
“Why are we here?” Sasuke asks while eyeing the abandoned store, he hears something behind him and he jumps.
“Scared, brother?” Itachi turns around to face him, and gives a small smirk as his brother flusters and tries to appear unafraid.
“Something moved!" Sasuke retorts, "And I’m not scared!”
Itachi stares at his brother who is looking all around him in paranoia.
“You should be.” A cat comes out from the corner shadows.
“WHAT!” Sasuke yells while jumping backwards into Itachi’s steadying hands.
Itachi lets him go, “This is one of our Uchiha clan summons, hello Hina.”
The Ninneko wearing traditional garb walks by them, “Please follow me, Itachi, Shisui said you would be stopping by with your brother today. Nekomata has been expecting you both.”
Itachi pushes Sasuke to follow the ninja cat through the halls, down some stairs and into a basement lit with candles on the floor. Itachi has decided it would be best to catch his brother off guard and just bring him to the leader of the Ninneko instead of trying to explain what is happening. Despite his younger brother looking up to him there are certain things that have happened that have lead Sasuke to need more than his say so in life. His brother is one who needs physical proof of things, he was no longer the young child who held onto his every word.
When Shisui came to him just a day after his interrogation of Sakura, saying that the leader of the ninja cats wanted to speak with his brother, he knew it was related. When he first learned Sasuke is the reincarnation of the Sage’s son he was aware the gravity of the situation and what it could mean. He decided not to inform his parents of this information until after hearing what Nekomata has to say. Not only that, but he's going to hold out having that conversation with his parents for as long as he can.
Hina enters a room for them to follow her into, but Itachi stops Sasuke with a hand to his shoulder. “Whatever he tells you, be respectful and if you can’t- just be silent and let me respond for you, understood?”
Sasuke nods and they both enter.
The wide room is dimly lit with large candles that are lined up to the tall marble platform that stands center. Atop of it a large white cat is perched, his claws scraping and tapping while its yellow eyes lock in on them as soon as they entered. They walk forward trailing behind Hina. The closer they get to the leader of the Ninneko the better Sasuke can see the scars marking the cats face.
Hina meows at the leader before taking off.
“Sasuke Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha.” The Ninneko Leader says, his voice low, “You’ve kept me waiting.”
They both bow deeply.
“My apologies, Nekomata-sama.” Itachi says and they both rise. “My brother has just returned from a mission.”
The cat nods, his tail twitching as if irritated, and stares at Sasuke. “Has your brother informed you?”
Sasuke shakes his head. “No, Nekomata-sama, how can I assist you?”
Nekomata laughs and hops from his platform, his large claws tapping against the concrete floor. “Leaving me to do the dirty work, Itachi? Shisui informed me you already knew.”
Sasuke stands stiffly besides his brother. Itachi blinks and looks down at the cat who is now sitting before them.
“The information I received is truly remarkable, I want nothing more than to verify it before revealing any of it. No disrespect, Nekomata-sama, but this is why I am also here.” Itachi lightly bows.
Nekomata nods at Itachi then stares long and hard at Sasuke before he goes over to his platform again and jumps up taking his previous position. The war hardened summons looks down with narrowed yellow eyes.
“What I am about to tell you Uchiha’s may impact the future and the future actions you take. An individual from another dimension came into this one and it has caused a disruption of sorts. An emergency summons meeting took place once we realized this dimension was breached and we all confirmed it was by Sakura Haruno, a female on your team. ”
Nekomata stops only for a moment, seeing the realization on the young ones face he continues.
“We summons are special creatures, we have abilities far beyond comprehension of man. You, Sasuke Uchiha, are in fact a reincarnation over the span of dimensions as being one of the sons of a Sage. The very same Sage that brought your alternate dimension teammate here. The other son is Naruto Uzumaki. What this means is unknown but we must be ready.”
The Ninneko takes out a scroll and tosses it to the ground, it unravels and shows a long list of bloody signatures, the most recent being Shisui’s. Nekomata is once more by their side.
“How the summons of this dimension have been informed is one I cannot reveal, but you brothers have been through a bloody war path in the other dimension that has marked your soul. Our clowder believes this knowledge is a sign and due to being a summons for the Uchiha clan over the decades we see it only fitting that the both of you have your names on this scroll.”
Nekomata holds his claw out, and with immediate understanding the Uchiha brothers hold out their palms, the leader of the Ninneko slices them and watches as they both sign their names in blood.
“Welcome to our clowder.” Nekomata’s smile reveals his sharp fangs.
…………
Sasuke remains silent as they walk to Itachi’s. Reincarnated? Him and Naruto, brothers!? It was something he didn’t even know if he believed in or not. How can he be a reincarnation from another dimension? No wonder his brother didn’t tell him, he wouldn’t have believed him, and before now he didn’t believe Sakura either.
When they get inside Itachi’s place they find Shisui on the couch waiting for them, “How did it go?”
“Nekomata had us sign the scroll.” Itachi says going into his small kitchen for tea. “Didn’t really give us an option, is that how it was with you?”
Shisui nods and chuckles, “It’s an honor that is only ever offered, no one can ask to have them as their summons and there’s no test to pass. It’s for whoever is worthy.”
“What made you worthy?” Sasuke asks sitting on the couch.
Shisui scoffs playfully and puts a hand to his chest, “Why my good looks of course!”
Sasuke glares at him, still resentful and can’t help but ask the shinobi for the hundredth time, “Why won’t you teach me the body flicker technique? Please, I am begging you here!”
Itachi rolls his eyes and shouts into the other room, “You just found out you and Naruto were reincarnated and all you can focus on is the body flicker, for the last time, it’s dangerous! There are ten other jutsu’s you should be focusing on right now, that is why!”
Sasuke folds his arms and sigh looking over at the master of the body flicker technique. “Hey, you heard your brother! I would but it’s not for me to decide when you’re ready. And it is very dangerous. Have I ever told you the time I almost sliced off my face?”
“What! No you didn’t!” Sasuke says not believing the man for a second, his scare tactics won’t work on him.
Shisui shares a smile with Itachi who comes back in tea in hand, “Itachi will tell you, all it takes is one pretty gal and you’re cut in half.”
Itachi hums agreeing with his friend, sure it didn’t actually happen but it could and that’s all Sasuke needs to know. Speaking of pretty girls…he sets his tea down.
“How has Sakura been adapting to her situation?” Itachi asks his brother.
Shisui nods and inquires as well, “Has she come back to her old self yet?”
Shisui was told from the beginning about what had happened while Itachi interrogated the girl. Itachi even admitting to him that he may have killed Sasuke’s teammate. The guilt his friend has been dragging around hasn’t gone unnoticed by him but it looks like Sasuke doesn’t have a clue.
“No, this Sakura… isn’t ours that’s for sure. She’s completely different and…” Sasuke sighs and rubs his face. “This is crazy… right? I mean, this is really….” He shakes his head. “And I am reincarnation of someone? Naruto is my reincarnated brother? Come on!”
Itachi was wondering when his brother was going to start melting down, looks like it’s beginning. He looks over at Shisui who has stood up, smart guy. “Well, it’s time I take my leave, you’ll be fine Sasuke. Talk later, Itachi!”
Itachi stands before his brother. “After everything I have seen from the other dimension and from what the Sage has told me, and now Nekomata….” He waits for his brother to look at him, and once he does, “I'll be there for you, and we will get through this."
Sasuke stares at his brother, the determination and conviction of those words is all he needs to finally relax and sit back to take a deep breath. “Yeah, right. So... you're telling mom and dad, right?”
Itachi picks up his tea, "Maybe… not yet."
…………
As Sasuke and Itachi head back home they run into Naruto and Minato who are going in the direction of the Uchiha compound.
“Heya bastard!” Naruto laughs nervously, his father besides him unamused.
Minato looks over at Itachi. “Have you seen Sakura?”
Itachi looks over to Sasuke who grumbles, “I left her with Naruto…”
“Hey! Like I was gonna be the one! It should have been a team effort and you ditched!”
“She’s missing?” Itachi asks Minato who nods and looks around before saying, “We were hoping she ended up coming here…”
“Like she would come to see Sasuke, she’s probably… I don’t know, but anywhere but here.” Naruto says crossing his arms. “You think she left the village?”
“It’s a possibility but I don’t think she would. We should split up and inform Kakashi and Tenzo immediately.” Minato nods at Itachi who already has a messenger crow summoned, he attaches a note and the bird takes off.
…………
Sakura is sitting in the library with books stacked up on the desk before her, she’s skimming through each one reading about Konoha’s history. There were battles here and there but not anything to do with the wars her dimension had. No, the history here was completely different. All of it. She slams the book down and puts her head on the desk, what is the point of her being here then? She can’t change anything because there is nothing to change.
There was no ‘Warring States’ period as the Uchiha and Senju got along fine here, and used their strengths to help each other with their weaknesses. Hashirama who was the first Hokage had Madara as part of his council and who also lead a unit in the military for securing Konoha’s borders. Tobirama the second Hokage, worked with other villages and began treaties and regulations for trades between them, nothing said about the First Shinobi War, and after much digging it never seemed to happen.
There was also no war with Hanzo the Salamander and due to that the three Sannin went on to do their own thing. Hiruzen Sarutobi was the third Hokage and there was a brief war with the Land of Grass but it lasted about five years with minimal casualties on both sides and ended with a peace treaty. Minato was Hokage for a little while after Sarutobi stepped down but decided to step down as well once Naruto was born. Dan took over as the Fifth Hokage while his wife, Tsunade, began running Konoha's first ever medic-nin training course that takes shinobi from all villages for internships. A crucial incentive freshly placed in their peace treaties that everyone has trained medics.
Sakura rubs her face, she hates to say it but her father is right, these ninja here are soft. Without war, she’s surprised they even have a shinobi force. What a trippy world, how nice it must be to have forefathers who delegated their authority correctly instead of being blood thirsty power hungry bastards. This is the world Naruto belonged in.
After she shuffled through pages upon pages looking for anything regarding the tailed beasts she found nothing. Sure there were things like revolts and missing-nin and treaties being broken, but nothing resulting in an all out war. They even took down Danzo without a civil war, but the information in the book was limited and only offered the date of his execution and listed him a traitor. For her living through war it seemed peace was impossible to achieve. But nope, here this dimension is, pulling the peace card at every turn.
She’s too pessimistic for this, there must be something that is going to happen... Otherwise why would she be here? Why not let her die?
Sakura puts the books away and leaves the library in a daze. The fresh air gently caressing her face, the smell of the blossoms nearby fragrant and lovely, the sun shining down softly between the trees above her. What a perfect time to be alive. She brings her fingers to her eyes and tries to stop the trail of tears but it doesn’t. This isn’t where she is meant to be, this is where her other dimension Sakura should be.
She dries her face and heads towards the Uchiha compound, it was time to ask Itachi for help. She doesn't know how, but she will get Normal Sakura back, and hopefully it will be the last thing she does.