Itachi greets the MollyNet with a fiercely disapproving look on his face. As a girl, his face hasn’t changed that much. His bone structure is more refined, his lashes a little longer, and his lips a little fuller. He reminds himself guiltily of his mother, but, for now, he conjures his father’s look of stern reproof.

“I’m sure everyone’s very aware by now of the division between the two groups that have changed this week.” Itachi glares. “All I have to say about this is, if anyone is contemplating virgin sacrifices, they had best be prepared to burn on their own altars.”

There’s a screech behind him, and Itachi twists his face away with suddenly wide eyes. The screen shudders and becomes a blur of color as something keeps making high-pitched noises, then something intelligible.

“Itachi, Itachi, what’s that? It’s all up, is it--” The sound cuts off as a small hand clamps over the screen.

Born into a world filled with violence, where mercenary assassins whose services are sold by villages called ninja are common place, Itachi struggled with a soft heart and pacifists soul. The ninja that populated his world were born with amazing powers that allowed them to cause massive destruction and easily control or kill those less powerful. Itachi was born during a war to a clan that prized fighting skill above all else and possessed a feared power that rested in their eyes and allowed them to mimic any movement seen or control those who looked into their eyes. Instead of being raised by his parents, Itachi was given into the care of his younger cousin, a bastard and Itachi’s clans rising star. Shisui became Itachi’s best friend--the most loved and treasured person in his life. Through the horrors of war, Itachi came to despise violence, but, when the war ended, his clan forced him into the Academy for ninja, setting him on the path to be a killer.

( Lalalalaaaa )

In the act or twisting his ring, Itachi has managed to turn it on. For a moment, the image projected is his face, lips drawn down in a frown as he stares at something. Itachi starts to reach for something, hesitates, then drops his head. Itachi grimaces, then twists his ring again.

"This is stupid, isn't it, Nii-san?" Itachi speaks softly and the ring now faces a shallow porcelain bowl on the window with a small floating candle in it. "Is it bad luck? Should I stop honoring a shadow and look to the sun? Or will it burn me to ash after so long in the dark?"

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Itachi lights a match by pressing it to his lips, then leans forward to light the candle. He settles back again. "You are dead." Itachi's thumb rubs the ring, blurring the image of the flame. "You--"

The candle suddenly sputters and the flame dies. Itachi jumps, his thumb slides from the ring and shuts off the video.

Who fucked with my amulet? What the hell is this thing?

I would appreciate it is the crows on the grounds were not harassed.

Thank you.