"What's not troubling that Orochimaru's still alive and well and working with a village we know very little about?" Itachi turned the question around on Shisui as he thought of what he could and couldn't say to his cousin here. He'd met Ashiko on ANBU business. Itachi bit his thumb nail.
Of course, lying to Shisui was painful and often useless. Itachi certainly left things unsaid, as they both understood there were some things they couldn't, for whatever reason, tell each other. Itachi didn't consider that lying.
He might as well have Shisui tell him how stupid he'd been before he had an official talk with the Hokage about how stupid he'd been. Itachi sighed. The weight he had been ignoring with the frenetic setting up of the training field settled on his shoulders in a prickling tension.
There was no point in drawing this out. He should get it out in one go. Shisui knew something was up.
"I've been working undercover in the Land of Ride Paddies for a few years," Itachi began slowly. Shisui would know Itachi did undercover work, but not where. Still, Itachi felt it important Shisui have all the damning details. And if he couldn't trust Shisui, then he might as well not trust anyone at all.
"I've been...running into the same young woman there at least once a year. I'm fairly sure it's been coincidence. We both travel widely across the country, and it's not that large of a place." Not if compared with some of the other countries, at least. "She's the maid servant of someone I assumed to be an important political figure in the country. She never told me who her master was, but she talked about him."
Itachi paused, taking another few seconds to gather up his words very carefully. He kept his eyes on the tree around them, not daring to look at Shisui yet.
no subject
Of course, lying to Shisui was painful and often useless. Itachi certainly left things unsaid, as they both understood there were some things they couldn't, for whatever reason, tell each other. Itachi didn't consider that lying.
He might as well have Shisui tell him how stupid he'd been before he had an official talk with the Hokage about how stupid he'd been. Itachi sighed. The weight he had been ignoring with the frenetic setting up of the training field settled on his shoulders in a prickling tension.
There was no point in drawing this out. He should get it out in one go. Shisui knew something was up.
"I've been working undercover in the Land of Ride Paddies for a few years," Itachi began slowly. Shisui would know Itachi did undercover work, but not where. Still, Itachi felt it important Shisui have all the damning details. And if he couldn't trust Shisui, then he might as well not trust anyone at all.
"I've been...running into the same young woman there at least once a year. I'm fairly sure it's been coincidence. We both travel widely across the country, and it's not that large of a place." Not if compared with some of the other countries, at least. "She's the maid servant of someone I assumed to be an important political figure in the country. She never told me who her master was, but she talked about him."
Itachi paused, taking another few seconds to gather up his words very carefully. He kept his eyes on the tree around them, not daring to look at Shisui yet.