"So we'll be doing this again tomorrow."

"We'll see."

"That wasn't a question."

"I do have missions, team training..."

"Those are less important."

"Not according to the village."

"But we're part of the village."

"And your family. Family matters more than anything else."

He pokes her forehead. "I have a lot of responsibilities, but I can train you guys on a few of my free days, alright? But not all of them."

"But most of them."

"At first, maybe, but I'm going to have more responsibilities as I advance in rank, too..."

"It's important to know how to balance your time. In favor of us."

"I'll see."

"Guess so."

He can, indeed, be badgered into teaching them more and more over the next few years, though there's a see-saw in his responsibilities. Two years later he's accepted into ANBU at twelve, apparently stops sleeping, switches between an almost desperate attempt to spend time with them and cold distance - gets into loud arguments with his father and other clan elders -

The Uchiha clan, as a whole, is very, very tense.

Elieyha keeps a watch on Itachi to see if he's about to murder everyone. She aids and abets his siblings' efforts to get close to him, figuring that if he does do the massacre again, he'll at least spare both of them.

Aside from that,she spends almost all her time with Sasuke and Hisame. It would not be an exaggeration to say they are her best friends. She especially appreciates the flair with which Hisame approaches everything.

Despite everything -

The massacre doesn't happen. At least, not by the time Elieyha and the two young Uchiha are approaching graduation.

Gradually, the tension among the Uchiha backs off from the edge.

That's something, anyway. Maybe her biggest problem can be who's going to be on her team.

And then graduation day rolls around, and teams are announced - 

Sasuke is put on a team with Uzumaki Naruto (still their friend) and Haruno Sakura (a bookworm who likes to fawn over Sasuke).

Elieyha is put on a team with Hisame and a girl named Chihiro.

"Chihiro" is a quiet girl who hasn't made very much of an impression during their time at the Academy.

Oh good. It's Danzo's spy.

"Awwwww, we didn't get Sasuke," Hisame says to Elieyha. Still, she's bouncing.

"He's with Naruto, at least. That should help with sulking problems."

"Definitely! Split two and two isn't so bad."

"Compared to the alternatives. I'm glad I got you instead of one of the others."