Codename "Light"

The Anbu was a special ninja division established by the Second Hokage Tobirama. Its full name was the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad. Just then, Kaede had received an order from the Hokage to join the Hokage's personal Anbu.

"Long time no see, Kaede-senpai!"

"Long time no see, Shisui. I've heard a lot about your accomplishments." Seeing Shisui at the entrance to the Anbu, Kaede wasn't surprised. Given Shisui's ties to the Third Hokage's faction, joining the Anbu was only natural.

"I only did what I had to." Shisui rubbed the back of his head, blushing slightly. Beneath his sunny smile was a sincere face. He was an innocent boy, and fate had treated him unfairly.

Shisui had been raised by his clan, and now they'd allowed him to join the Hokage's personal Anbu. It seemed that, in the clan's eyes, he was the one who would connect the village and the Uchiha.

Otherwise, why would those stubborn old men put Shisui, whom they'd carefully groomed, into the Hokage's personal Anbu? Thinking of those old men, who'd forced him to lower his head, Kaede felt nothing but disdain for them.

The two of them followed an Anbu Ninja into the secret base. The ninja wore a white suspender top over a black, form-fitting outfit, with pants much like those worn by other shinobi.

They'd been walking for a while. The base was underground, and its gloomy surroundings seemed to conceal countless sins. The Anbu's ninja were certainly no saints. They weren't the strongest people in the village, but they were without a doubt the village's most capable fighters.

"We're here. The captain's waiting for you inside. Go on in!"

Kaede walked ahead, with Shisui following behind. Kaede was more than a head taller than him. Shisui was still a rather adorable kid, and since he hadn't attended the Ninja Academy, he didn't have any friends his own age.

After all, he carried the responsibility of restoring his clan's fortunes. The Uchiha elders had high hopes for him, so he didn't have much time to play. What's more, Shisui was an orphan, which made him easier for them to control. They probably didn't realize that the hope they'd so carefully nurtured would ultimately become the spark that brought about the Uchiha Clan's downfall.

After a knock at the door, they were given permission to enter. Kaede and Shisui knew the man before them must be their future Anbu Captain.

"My codename is Kabuto. You can call me by my codename or simply address me as Captain. When I received the Third Hokage's order, I didn't agree with letting you two join my squad. You're too young, and this place isn't suitable for you.

"But after I read your mission logs, I changed my mind. You're both capable of joining the Anbu, so now you can choose codenames for yourselves."

Kabuto gestured to the two Anbu uniforms and the row of masks behind him as he spoke.

"Yes, Captain!" Kaede and Shisui replied in unison.

They both thought the captain seemed like a decent person.

They went to the changing room, put on their uniforms and masks, and became part of the Hokage's personal Anbu. Kaede knew that Shisui had joined the Anbu at such a young age because of the wings he'd flapped as a little butterfly.

That realization jolted him awake. From the moment he'd stepped into the Shinobi World, everything might turn out differently. Memories of the future weren't necessarily reliable.

"Have you thought of a codename, Shisui?" Kaede asked, his face hidden behind a bear mask and his voice slightly muffled.

"Ahaha... Well, I can't think of one right now. Have you thought of yours, Kaede-senpai?" Shisui rubbed his spiky hair, looking troubled.

He was still a child, not yet mature enough to make up his mind. Indecision was only natural at his age.

"Then how about I pick one for you?"

"Sorry for the trouble, Kaede-senpai."

Though the mask hid Shisui's face, Kaede could hear how happy he was. Making a friend his own age was something he'd always wanted.

"Then how about 'Shun'?"

"Shun," huh? It was about what he'd expected. Kaede-senpai really was a dependable teammate.

"What's your codename, Kaede-senpai?"

"Mine?"

A question from the distant past echoed in his mind, loud enough to shake him to the core: "Do you still believe in the light?"

Kaede: I do, because I am the light of the Shinobi World.

"How about Light?"

"Light? Do you have a dream, senpai?" Light was a symbol of hope, after all.

"I want to become a shinobi like the Hokage of generations past, someone who can bring true peace to the entire Shinobi World. You have a dream like that too, don't you, Shisui?"

"Senpai..." Shisui stood frozen, staring at him with stars in his eyes. Such a magnificent dream echoed in his mind, refusing to fade.

He'd always wanted to change the relationship between the village and the Uchiha Clan, but he'd never thought of a dream like that. Kaede-senpai was such a warm person. It was an honor to become his teammate.

Kaede reached out and tapped Shisui's masked forehead, then patted his hair. "Would you like to help me bring peace to the Shinobi World, Shisui?"

Shisui was very serious now. He stood at attention and nodded firmly. "Kaede-senpai, I'll do my best."

Beneath his mask, Kaede wore a slightly wicked grin. He was delighted.

"Kid, didn't your parents ever tell you not to trust strangers? Oh! You don't have parents. Well, that explains it."

Kind and gentle, Shisui had always had an innocent side. Kaede had gained his trust with little effort. They were both Uchiha, and Kaede was a scheming wolf who'd planned this in advance. The naïve little flower Shisui had fallen right into his hands.

"Looks like you've chosen your codenames. Anbu rules require everyone to use codenames when carrying out missions. Make sure you remember that.

"Our squad has two other members, Swan and Sparrow. I'll introduce you when they get back. For now, you can go home and get ready. Starting tomorrow, you'll be spending a long time living and eating here in the Anbu. You'll learn codes, interrogation, and Ninjutsu unique to the Anbu."

Kabuto came in from outside and began getting them settled. Kaede realized their captain seemed a bit of a chatterbox.

"Yes, Captain. We'll take our leave, then." Kaede left the Anbu with Shisui and headed toward the clan compound. The two of them got more and more engrossed in conversation along the way. Even when they parted, Shisui was still reluctant to say goodbye.

After seeing Shisui off, Kaede felt a little guilty. Wasn't it wrong to deceive a kid like that? But he hadn't actually lied to him. He truly did want to put an end to the wars in the Shinobi World. No one could like a world as chaotic as this one.

It was only his motives for getting close to Shisui that weren't entirely pure.

"Kid, deceiving you wasn't what I wanted. But this world is full of betrayal. To make it up to you, I'll save your life."

When he got home, he played with his younger sister, Quan. After he left tomorrow, he might not be able to come home for many days.

"Kaede, will we still be able to go on missions outside the village together?" Tong was upset. Now that Kaede had joined the Anbu, he wouldn't have time to go on missions with her.

"We'll get the chance. I probably won't stay in the Anbu forever. I should be able to leave in a couple of years, so in the meantime, keep studying Medical Ninjutsu at Konoha Hospital."