Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Our Lives in the Hurricane Chronicles ❯ Chapter 15

TFK-fan118: okay, readers! In this chapter, the timeline is going to keep shifting. Why? It's because when Neji and Yasmine met, they were both four, but when Itachi and Mayu met, she was 7 and he was 11... So yeah.

Mayu: That's confusing as all get out!

TFK-fan118: Yeah, well... Anyway, when the timeline jumps forward to Mayu and Itachi's past-

Mayu: I think that was an oxymoron...

TFK-fan118: -It's all gonna be in Itachi's POV. Why? Well, because... it's gonna be like his diary.

Itachi: Journal

TFK-fan118: Whatever...

Mayu: TFK-fan118 does not on Naruto, or any of the other characters of the series.

Yasmine: But thanks to fanfiction (dot) net, she can virtually do anything she wants with them!

Neji&Itachi: And that's what we're afraid of...



Last time...

It definitely wasn’t the book he wanted, but it was damn close importance-wise. Sasuke quickly walked out of Mayu’s room, closing the door behind him as quietly as he could. “Brother…” he thought.

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“… Neji… Meji…” Neji’s eyes widen. That old nickname… she remembered now… She remembered!

“Yaya-chan, you remember,” Neji stated. Yasmine smiled up at him, causing the Hyuuga to gain a small, tiny smile on his face.
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"I'm just a kid and life is a nightmare..." -Simple Plan
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Pain... Immense pain... Her whole body ached. Even a slight twitch sent her mind reeling in protest. She could move, and yet she could feel the heavy rain fall, not helping to take away some of the pain she felt. She couldn't even remember why he had beaten her so badly this time. "Eh... Where am I...?" she thought.

Her body shook. Her breath came out deep and ragged. She had realized she wasn't in her room. The rain was her first clue. This, of course, came as a shock to her. Normally, she would end up in her room. She tried to sit up, but... the pain... Something was wrong with her back.

"Come back here, you lil bitch!"

"Right... I tried to run away this time, but he threw something at me," the girl thought. "It was really sharp." The small girl tried to open her eyes, but the rain was making it hard. She had to turn over, and so she did. She slowly lifted her body off the ground. It hurt just to do that. She looked around. Grass... Trees... Darkness. "Night time," she whispered. "Woods..."

"Hey! It's a child!" an unfamiliar voice reached the child's ears. Not only was the voice unfamiliar... the language, although she had heard it before, was not her native tongue. She turned her head slightly to look back. What she saw was three masked people looking down at her. They didn't seem to mind the rain at all.

"She's bleeding...!" another voice. The girl recognized this voice as a female's.

"Wait... Daddy taught me some of this!" she thought, watching as the three moved closer to her. "What was it...? I don't remember!"

"Kon’nichiwa, my little princess!"

The girl's eyes widened. She felt arms pick her up. A hiss of disgust was heard. "She's bleeding badly. Who would do this to a child?" a slightly angered voice.

"She's talking Japanese!" the girl suddenly shouted. The one holding the girl reared back in shock.

"She's a foreigner!" the male voice stated.

"What's a foreigner doing here? Can she understand us?" female voice.

"Where are your parents, little one?" first male voice she heard.

"It can't understand you, moron..." another male voice.

"She's not an it!"

"Whatever..."

The girl's eyes narrowed slightly. She could understand bits and pieces of what the three were saying. All three of them were wearing mask. They looked so suspicion, and yet... What could she do? Her father and mother always taught her not to talk to strangers, but they were adults, right? She could trust him... They weren't her uncle, after all. "Y-Yasmine..." the girl said in a hushed voice, drawing the attention of the three strangers.

"What's a Yasmine?"

"Name... Yasmine." the girl stated.

"... I'm taking her to the hospital." the one holding her said. "You two go inform the Hokage. I think he needs to know about this."

"Right!" The two others replied and then took off. The girl watched in amazement as they did. They had seemed to just fly into the air!

"Super heroes!" she exclaimed.

"Uh... let's get you cleaned up... Yasmine."
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A hospital; Yasmine had instantly recognized it. Almost everything was white. Outside, the rain still poured, but at least she was dry now. The masked man had brought her here. Almost immediately, nurses whisked her away. She had been cleaned; her back injury had been cleaned as well. They even gave her new clothes.

"Nice people," Yasmine thought, staring at the ceiling. Her uncle hadn't come like she had expected. In fact, it had been well over three hours, and yet he hadn't come to claim her. Yasmine was glad for this. There was no telling how much trouble she could get into.

Yasmine turned on her side. Her back still hurt a little, so the doctor had told her not to lay on it. Well, that's what she hoped she heard. Her father had taught her some Japanese, but only some. But why was she in a place where they spoke in a different language? How did she get here? Before Yasmine could try to remember, however, someone suddenly came into the room.

"Hello, little one," an old man came in, followed by two other, younger men.

"..." Yasmine stared as the three moved closer. She didn't know why, but the old guy looked important. But then again, the other two looked different as well. They had identical head wear. They seemed as suspicious as the people with the masks. But the old guy, he had a kind face. But to Yasmine, all old people had a kind face... Well, except for old Mister Rogers. He was nice, but mean-looking as all get out!

The young girl slightly shook her head. This was no time to be thinking about Mister Rogers! "Can you tell me what your name is, little one?" the old man asked. Yasmine tilted her head in slight confusion. Did he just tell her to undress? No, that couldn't be it.

"Ojisan... ano... can you repeat, please?" Yasmine asked, bowing her head slightly, suddenly feeling shy.

The old man looked at the small girl in surprise. She had such a polite tone, not to mention her words. It was, indeed, rare to hear a child speak as if they're an adult. Whoever taught her the language must have talked in a polite voice as well. "Of course," the old man nodded. "I asked you your name. I would be glad to know it." He said in a much slower tone.

Yasmine blinked. She opened her mouth. "Yasmine... Yasmine is my name, Ojisan," the said.

"Okay, then... I am the Hokage of this village," the old man said. "These two behind me are ninja, so you do not have to be wary of them." The two ninja bowed slightly.

"Kohage...? Village...? Ninja?" Yasmine muttered.

"It's Hokage!" one of the ninja exclaimed, causing Yasmine to rear back in slight fright. It was the same voice from before. The one that called someone a moron... "He is the leader of this village!"

"Stop that at once, Jano! You're scaring her." the Hokage reprimanded, giving him a stern glance. He faced Yasmine again with a much gentler face. "Now, what village are you from? Where are your parents?"

"I am not from a village, Hokage-sama..." Yasmine said, still confused. "I'm from... a city. My mother and father are both dead."

The girl's brown eyes welled up with tears. Just the memory of her parents’ death caused sadness. She, herself, had been there to witness it. And those images wouldn't go away... Not now, not ever.

The Hokage noticed her downcast eyes right away. He coughed lightly, trying to get her attention. "Do you happen to know where you are?" he asked. The small girl shook her head. "You are in a village known as Konoha."

"And there are ninja here?" Yasmine asked, blinking her tears away. The Hokage nodded.

"There are not any ninja where you're from, are there?" he asked. Again, Yasmine shook her head. Sure, she had, at one time, watched movies with ninja. But they weren't real. Her mother always told her that the movies were never real. "Hm... How very peculiar..." the Hokage muttered to himself. The countries surrounding them, he was sure, had ninja in their villages. How could a child possibly make their way, alone, to Konoha?

Yes, she was hurt when ANBU found her, but still... To actually survive? It didn't seem possible at all. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama..." Yasmine's voice made the old man look her in the eyes. "... I have to... potty..."

"Potty...?" Jano repeated. "What the hell is that?" Yasmine saw the confused looks coming from all three men.

"What's the word...?" she thought, looking deep in thought. "Oh wait!" Yasmine hopped off the bed. "Urinate. I have to urinate." The two younger men behind the Hokage choked on their own spit.

"Nani?!" Jano yelled. "Don't go saying things like that in a casual manner! What's wrong with you, gaki?! Just say you have to pee like every other kid!" Poor Jano had never met a child who talked as if they were an adult. They were still supposed to be sucking their thumbs and calling out to their mama! Well, Jano was sure that that Uchiha kid didn't do that. He was way beyond creepy, so Jano was sure he didn't have a correct childhood.

"Pee..." Yasmine said. "I will remember this. Arigatou, kaasan."

"NANI?!" Jano roared. "You lil...!" The other ninja had to hold him back. "She's mocking me!" he thought.

"I have one more question before you go about your business." the Hokage said, ignoring his ninja's outburst. Yasmine turned back to look at him. "How did you get those bruises on your body, not to mention the injury on your neck and back? Can you tell me?"

Yasmine flinched, and the Hokage noticed. "I... do not remember." she lied. She remembered how she received those bruises, alright. It was something that was going to stay with her forever. At least, that's what her father told her. "I fell asleep, and then woke up in the woods."

"I see..." the Hokage muttered, closing his eyes. "That's it then. You may go. Jano, show her the way."

Jano frowned, but nodded his head. It was an order from the Hokage, after all. He had no choice but to follow. Yasmine hesitantly walked towards Jano. He nodded to her, and then turned to leave. The small girl quickened her pace in order to catch up with the man. The two left the Hokage and the other ninja behind.

"Hokage-sama... What are you planning to do about this situation?" the nameless ninja asked.

"I'm not sure as of now." the old man answered truthfully.

"Perhaps we should put her in the orphanage?"

"No, no... That girl is way too different. Putting her there would cause uproar, and besides, the orphanage is still too packed because of the Kyuubi's attack," the Hokage answered. He bowed his head. What an awful day and night that had been... "Although she looks different, for now, she is a part of this village. I do not know what is going to happen to her, but... From now on, her name will be Yasume."

"But why, sir?" the ninja questioned, confused.

"She, at least, has to have a name similar to ours. Perhaps with a name like ours, she will not be judged so quickly." the Hokage answered. "I'm not sure why, but this will help her in the long run. Go; inform Jano and her of this."

"Hai!"

"And also..." the Hokage almost grinned. "Tell Jano that he is her guardian until instructed otherwise." The ninja smirked.

"Right away, Hokage-sama!"
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Two weeks had come and gone. Yasmine had quickly learned a lot more of the language, even some slang phrases. Jano, who Yasmine still called kaasan, had been an unwilling teacher. Despite that, Yasmine still learned quite a few things... when Jano wasn't on missions, of course. Tomorrow, she would definitely ask him what chakra was and how to use it. But for now, all she could do was wait.

Jano was currently on another mission. He usually was only gone for about half a day, so Yasmine would be alone for that amount of time. It wasn't bad though. Jano had enough food in his apartment to feed an army. Not to mention that there was a park near his home, so Yasmine could go whenever she wanted. That's where it got strange.

Why was she, a four-year-old, allowed to walk around without any adult supervision? Well, Yasmine had been only here and the park that was nearby, but still! It seemed as if adults didn't care about what the children did in the village, as long as they were home by dinner time. They were honestly being treated like young adults! Once, Yasmine even saw some kids her age playing with sharp objects. Kunai, she recalled them naming the weapons. Yasmine didn't think it was a good idea to have those, so she stayed away. Her parents would have had a stroke if they caught her playing with those things. If they were here, that is.

Yasmine sighed heavily as she stared out of the window. Here it was, almost lunch time and Jano still hadn't returned. This was the time he usually came home. Lunch time meant hot lunch. Yasmine could not cook herself a hot lunch. Everything was in a language she didn't understand. She hardly could read things in her own language, let alone this one.

Yasmine sighed again. "Boring..." she muttered, forcing her eyes to stay open. When Jano was away, she would only speak in her native tongue. She didn't know why, but something... told her not to forget who she was. A dream she had had told her not to forget. Outside, she saw a couple of children playing in the park. "Maybe... they could let me play with them."

The girl hopped off the chair she was sitting on. Struggling all the way, she pushed the chair over to the front door. She jumped back on the chair and stood up, so that her small hand could reach the lock. She unlocked it, and then turned the doorknob. The door opened, causing the girl to smile at her accomplishment. Yasmine jumped down, once again, from the chair, slipped on her shoes, and then opened the door fully, so she could get through. She closed the door behind her.

Outside of Jano's apartment was a stool. A stool meant only for her. Yasmine stood on the stool and leaned against the door. She pulled a key out of the pocket of her shorts. After she locked the door, she jumped off the stool. Maybe, just maybe she'd gain a friend or two. It had been two weeks, and she was getting lonely anyway.
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Itachi's POV
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Writing in this diar--journal is such a pain. This journal is the one I received last year for my birthday. Mother thought it was important that I had one. "Being a chuunin is tough, so you should get your feelings out through this," she had said to me. I sighed at the mere memory of her words. I wasn't the only one though. Father had also looked at her, disbelief evident in his eyes. While he had got me a katana, she had gotten me a diar--journal. Sometimes, although I know I shouldn't, I wonder how those two married.

I stopped writing in my journal--I did get accustomed to it, after all--and set my brush down. I heard footsteps. I knew they belonged to Sasuke. He was the only one with light feet, besides mother, that is. The footsteps stopped. He was now standing in my doorway. "I forgot to close it..." I thought, slightly annoyed. I didn't turn to face him.

"Itachi!" He made himself known, and yet I still did not turn. My brother was... more or less, annoying. Always trying to get me to help him with his training, I mean. Foolish brother, real strength comes from obtaining that strength by yourself. Not only that but... Sasuke seemed to find it quite amusing when calling my name. Well, that's what he was doing at the moment, so I'm guessing he's enjoying it. "... Itachi! Itachi! Itachi! Itachi!"

Over and over he called me, but I never turned. Perhaps I should. "He might go on with this for hours." I mused in thought.

"Aniki! Aniki! Aniki! Aniki! Aniki! Aniki!" Sasuke continued. Great, he switched it up. Should I answer him now? Does he really believe he can get attention that way? I certainly hope that he does not become like father and the others. The warning signs are there... "... Weasel! Weasel! Weasel! Weasel! Weasel…!"

Okay, he's getting a little bold, I see. I felt my eyebrow twitch once. Itachi! Of all names, they picked Itachi. Again, I wonder about the stupidity of my clan. "Itachi…! Itachi! Itachi! Aniki! Aniki! Aniki! Weasel! Weasel! Tachi! Tachi! Itachi…!" Sasuke continued to call out to me. Doesn't he realize that even my patience will run thin? "WEESAALLL!" he drawled out in a low-pitched voice that almost drove me to the brink of insanity.

"WHAT?!" I finally snapped, rounding on him. I didn't mean to activate my Sharingan. It just happened. "What could be so important that you absolutely had to crack my patience, otouto?" Sasuke looked slightly taken aback by my sudden outburst. He'd even reared back slightly. His cheeks held a slight pink to them. "Well?" I questioned.

"... Hi..." he said. I briefly thought about burying him alive. Only briefly, though. Nothing to worry about. I'm sure every other sibling feels the same about their younger at some point.

I turned my back to him, and then closed my journal. "If I meet another like Sasuke, it will be the death of me," I thought, standing. "I'm leaving," I said, keeping my voice as calm as possible. So calm, in fact, that it came out as a whisper. I walked past my brother, not caring if he'd heard me or not.

"Wait, Itachi!" he called out, rushing after me. I had left my journal lying out in the open.

It didn't really matter to me. I dare someone to question me about what I write. I dare someone to even read it. Not even Sasuke would dare to peek inside. Speaking of Sasuke, although he is irritating and his constant tactics to annoy me jump to new heights every day, his behavior is quite... refreshing.

Every member of this clan has become arrogant. By becoming such, they become weak and ignorant fools, devoid of anything other than selfishness and pride. Sasuke was different somehow. He worked hard to try to surpass me. It's not going to happen, but the point is that he works hard, stretching to reach a goal. In some ways, Sasuke is the boy that I did not have a chance to become. Thinking about this unchangeable fact makes me slightly... jealous. Never having the chance to be a child, I mean.

"Tell mother that I'm leaving, Sasuke," I told him.

"Hold on a minute, Itachi!" Sasuke exclaimed. I stopped; he almost ran into me. I took off my slippers, and then sat. Whatever he had to say, he better say before I put on my shoes. "I... finally got the Grand Fireball Jutsu down. I even showed Otoosan! He actually seemed proud of me!"

"Very good, Sasuke." I gave my little brother a small smile, which he returned with a grin.

I don't know why he tries to please that man. To me, it isn't worth it. "And that's what you stopped me for?" I questioned, strapping on the other shoes.

"Well..." Sasuke began. He shifted nervously, causing me to look back at him. He bowed his head slightly. "I was hoping that you would show me some more fire jutsu..."

I stared at my little brother for a few moments. Again, he shifted nervously under my gaze. I have that affect on people. My inner Itachi was grinning smugly. "Tell me, Sasuke... Did you learn the Grand Fireball Jutsu alone?" I asked. He nodded his head. I gestured for my brother to come closer.

Sasuke's face lit up and he rushed forward. His forehead collided with my two fingers. I almost rolled my eyes as Sasuke stumbled. "Foolish little brother falls for that every time," I thought.

"Itai!" He grumbled, rubbing his poor bruised forehead. "Why do you always do that?"

"It may be because you fall for it every time," I chuckled.

I used to laugh a lot when I was with my brother. But only him... and Shisui, of course. They are the only two permitted to see me laugh. Others, for some reason, think it creepy when I laugh. I am not certain why. Maybe I should ask Shisui. "So are you gonna teach me?" Sasuke asked in a hopeful voice.

"Now why would I do that?"

"Because you're my dear and loving older brother!"

I chuckled again, turning as I did. I stood up. "Sasuke, if you can accomplish the Grand Fireball Jutsu without help, then you can learn the other fire jutsu of our clan without help," I told him. The ungrateful gaki only grumbled. "Work hard, little brother." With that being said, I closed the door behind me.

"Baka...!" A muffled shout caused me to chuckle again.

Walking through the Uchiha district, I wondered what I could do to pass the time. Shisui was still on a mission. I didn't have any missions today. I didn't feel like training today either. If I did train, Sasuke would most likely find me and start nagging. I don't know how, but he always found me. He has the tracker instincts of a dog. Talk about canine power...

The entrance to the Uchiha district was up ahead. I mentally shrugged. Maybe I should go into town, try to find adequate weapons for myself. I walked down the street, not really paying attention to my surroundings. But I couldn't help but notice that I've never been this way before. Sparking my curiosity, I didn't bother to turn around. Going into town had been forgotten.

Upon walking further down the road, I spotted an unusually-shaped cliff. What made this cliff so different was that it stood alone. From vantage point, it looked as if it were a cylinder, not connected to anything. Being the genius that I am, I quickly concluded that Mother Nature did not make this phenomenon. I activated my Sharingan. I felt my own eyes widen. Faint signs of chakra were inside the cliff.

Someone forged this cliff. And whoever did so forged it long ago. "But for what purpose?" I asked myself. I looked up. The cliff stretched high. Whatever was up there... is supposed to be kept secret. My curiosity only grew upon gaining this knowledge. I walked closer to the unusual cliff. Inspecting the cliff, I observed that it was made of rock, vines, and wood... from trees, I believe.

I decided to walk around. But before I could take a step, a familiar noise stopped me. Snores... Of course, I had heard the same hundreds of times. Especially from Sasuke. That child would always be in my room, sleeping in my bed, every time I came home from a mission, long-term or short. Sasuke's snores were small and quiet just like the ones I'm hearing at the moment. I moved closer to the sound; I heard another sound. "Purring...? A cat, perhaps?" I thought, moving closer.

The sounds were coming from behind a nearby tree. From my vantage point, I couldn't see who or what it was because of the width of the tree. Moving closer, I peeked around the tree. There, lying underneath the shade of the large tree was a young girl. Not only that, but a small... black c-cat slept peacefully on her stomach, purring lightly. But something was off about this cat... I peered closer. It had dark spot... almost like a leopard. "A black leopard? A black leopard child..." I thought, kneeling beside the girl and the feline. "I've never seen one before..."

My fingers twitched as I reached out to the black leopard. I have this weird problem with cats. I believe I inherited it from my dear, sweet mother. She adored cats, kittens, and any animal belonging to the cat family. The only reason we didn't have kittens and cats in the house was because of father. He hates cats. Again, I wonder how my parents married. They're so different...

Anyway, I inherited this admiration for cats from my mother. Every time I see one belonging to the cat family, my body reacts without my mind telling it to. Like now, I'm actually petting the small creature. I watched in amusement as the leopard, in its sleep, turned, almost falling off the sleeping girl's stomach. The girl... I'd almost forgotten about her.

I gazed at her face as I continued to pet her leopard. Well, I'm assuming it was hers. The girl had a skin tone slightly darker than mine. Her face was the face of a child, ignorant of the world around her. It appears that this girl had never fought or trained in her life. She looked younger than me, perhaps even younger than Sasuke. "I wonder if she's from a different country..." I pondered in thought.

She didn't look familiar to me at all. And why was she here, on this street. The Uchiha district is the only thing around here. Suddenly, the purring stopped, the snores stopped. Everything, even time itself seemed to stop. If I hadn't been so skillful, I would have received a punch to the face. Her blue eyes glared at me with such intensity that I almost thought she was conducting a fire jutsu. Her cat had my arm in its mouth. It hurt, but its little fangs would do no damage.

"Who... the hell are you?" she asked. She seemed annoyed that I had caught her fist before it reached its target, which happened to be my nose. I could practically feel her defiance, radiating off her. The leopard growled. For a moment, the three of us stayed like that. I wasn't really expecting a punch.

"Perhaps I was wrong in thinking she didn't fight," I thought, staring at her. She showed her teeth, but that was not a smile on her face. It was more like a snarl.

"I asked a friggin' question!" she stated.

"It is I who should be asking questions," I told her. "Are you a foreigner? Why are you here?" I think she growled at me.

The girl actually kicked me away. I was surprised that she managed to do that. The girl quickly stood up, her leopard at her side, hissing and growling at me. "No, I am not a foreigner, and I was sleeping until I was rudely awakened by a hand touching my Nana!" The girl seemed to actually hiss as well. Strange... The girl and cat must have some sort of connection to each other. "Wait a minute...! You're an Uchiha, aren't you?" she asked, pointing a finger. I noticed that she had dropped her stance. She was actually thinking of fighting me?

I didn't answer her question. "Don't try to deny it!" she continued. "I can spot an Uchiha a mile away... literally..." I wonder what she meant by that.

"Where do you live, little girl?" I asked.

"Little…?!" she repeated as if I insulted her. "I'm seven years old now! I'm not little!" I almost scoffed. Wait... seven?

"And I thought she was younger than Sasuke..." I thought, narrowing my eyes.

"So which one are you?" the girl asked, casually as if she hadn't tried to punch my face in.

"I should be asking the questions, girl." I said. "Tell me who you are." She blinked at me, opened her mouth, and then spoke.

"I'm sleepy, now tell me which Uchiha are you," she said. I'm sure that her name was not 'sleepy.' She must be using sarcasm.

"Are you a part of this village?" I asked.

"Damn straight."

"... What's your name?"

"I asked you first, weirdo."

This girl was annoying. Not Sasuke annoying, no... She was annoying on a whole different level. I could tell just from her words that she's not going to answer any of my questions unless I told her something in return. "My name is Uchiha Itachi, and I-" I had to stop. That girl had made a noise.

"Pfft...!" A hand covered her mouth.

Was she trying to... cover up a laugh? A snicker slipped through her fingers as she continued to stare at me. I noticed that her cat, Nana, I believe the name was, also looked as if it was holding back laughter. "What?" I asked.

"No-Nothing!" the girl said in a hushed voice, and then she broke out in laughs, even managing to fall to the ground. Her leopard looked about the same. I felt my eyebrow twitch twice. It was quite an accomplishment for the girl. Sasuke only managed to get one twitch.

The girl finally stopped laughing and stared up at me, tears of mirth sliding down her face. "Heh... weasel..." she said, still the grin remained. "What were your parents smoking when they named you? Ha-ha...!" She nudged her cat with her elbow. "That was some laugh, right, Nana?" The small leopard seemed to nod his tiny head.

"I am so glad to be the source of your entertainment," I bit out sarcastically. I'm actually surprised it came from me. "But could you please tell me your name?"

The girl grinned up at me. She even had the nerve to wink! "Even though I probably shouldn't be telling you this..." she began. Nana, her leopard, jumped on the girl's shoulder. She stood, completely ignoring my narrowed eyes. "Ishikari Mayu's the name, kickin' the bad guy's censored is my game! Put 'er there, weirdo!" Did she just say censored...? I blinked twice at her extended hand.

I don't know why... but something tells me that I shouldn't have come this way...
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As it turns out, coming to the park to make friends was a bad idea. Yasmine had come, but the children there turned her down. They were boys, and they said she had 'cooties,' so she couldn't play with them. Yasmine sat down on the edge of the sandbox. It wasn't fair. Just because she wasn't a boy, she couldn't have a friend? Children were as cruel as adults sometimes...

Yasmine sighed heavily. Every so often, she would glance at the boys that told her that she couldn't play. She still wanted to make a friend, even if they were being mean to her. She sighed again. It didn't look as if that were going to happen. Perhaps she should just go back to the apartment and wait for Jano.

Suddenly, Yasmine felt as if she was being watched. She turned back to the kids, who were still playing, not paying the least bit of attention to her. "It's not them," she thought. Yasmine turned her whole body sharply in order to catch her watcher. Who she saw was a boy, around her age, staring intensively at her. He had long brown hair, and a pair of white eyes; he also had bandages wrapped around his forehead. Yasmine quickly turned her eyes away.

Never before had seen eyes like those. They were... pretty and yet a tiny bit scary. Was the boy still staring at her? Yasmine turned her eyes back to the white-eyed boy. He was still staring, except this time, he smiled. The boy was smiling at her! Since coming to this strange land, no kid had ever smiled at her!

Yasmine bit her lip, and then hesitantly smiled back. The boy suddenly hopped off the park bench. He was moving towards her! Yasmine could have cried in joy, but that probably would've scared her potential friend away. She stood up and dusted off her shorts as he came closer. "O-Ohayo..." Yasmine greeted. She could get away with saying that since it wasn't noon yet.

"Konichiwa," the boy responded, nodding his head. A silence followed after that. Yasmine honestly didn't know what to say. She never made friends back home since her father traveled a lot, taking her mother and her along with him. When they died and her uncle became her care-taker, Yasmine had been afraid of making friends. She was afraid of what her uncle might do. But her uncle wasn't here, was he? "You remind me of... chocolate," the boy suddenly announced.

Yasmine's eyes widened in pure shock. The dark, sticky, yummy goodness that her mother used to give her? "Ch-Chocolate...?" she repeated, confused.

"Hai! I've never seen so many shades of chocolate before, not on a person," the boy answered. Yasmine shifted her weight. What could she say after that? Was it even a compliment? Well, two can play at that game!

"Ano... Your eyes are weird-looking," Yasmine muttered, staring at the boy. His eyes weren't white as she first thought. They were actually a very light lavender-color. From far away, they just looked white.

"They're not weird-looking!" the boy protested. Oh no! Had she said something wrong? She thought it was a game. She didn't want to get him upset! "My father says that with these eyes, I'll become a genius!"

"A genius?" Yasmine replied, trying to amend what she had said.

"Yup! And what about you?" the boy muttered, slightly narrowing his eyes. "You're the weird-looking one... Are you a... a... for... for..." Yasmine blinked. The boy was trying hard to say something. It must've been important because he looked as if he was thinking hard about it. Yasmine hoped his brains wouldn't explode.

Her mother used to tell her that if she thought too hard on something, her brain would explode and come out of her ears. Or maybe that was sneezes... "Foreigner! That's it! Are you a foreigner?" the boy finally asked, looking quite proud that he had used a big word. Yasmine didn't respond. She stared at him, waiting until he finished looking smug. "Well, are you?"

"Kohage... I mean, Hokage-sama said that I was..." Yasmine answered, cursing herself for messing up the leader's title. The boy probably would take it as an insult. "I'm not sure what it means, though. Do you?" The boy smiled.

"Hai! It means you're not from around here." he answered, feeling smart. "My name's Hyuga Neji! What's yours?"

Oh crap! What was her name again? The Hokage had given her a new name, saying that she had to give it to anyone who asked for her name. But what was it? Jano had always called her 'gaki,' so she hadn't heard the name recently at all. "I thought mommy told me that I would never forget something!" Yasmine thought in dismay. She noticed that Neji was starting to look irritated, though he kept smiling. "I'm... My name is Ya-Ya... ano... that is..." Yasmine was sure it started with a 'Ya' sound, just like her name.

Thankfully, the boy decided to help her out a little. "Yaya...?" he muttered. "Yaya-chan! I like it!" He stated, not paying attention to the horrified look that crossed Yasmine's face. She had not wanted to let him assume. That would be like lying!

"Demo...!" she began.

"That's a nice name," Neji continued.

Yasmine stared at his happy, smiling face for a few moments, and then shrugged. Why ruin his joy? If he liked it, then she was fine with that. She didn't want to lose a friend just on a name. "Arigatou, Neji... kun?" Yasmine hesitated with the honorific.

"Hai," Neji replied, nodding. He was being so nice to her. This could very well be her new...and first, friend. Yasmine smiled at the thought. Neji looked as if he was going to say something, but someone was calling his name.

"Neji…! Where are you?" a voice called. The boy turned his head away. Yasmine, in curiosity, turned her head in the direction of the deep voice. She saw an older version of Neji!

"That must be his daddy..." Yasmine thought.

"Sumimasen..." Neji's voice made her look at him. He was giving a slight bow to her. Yasmine did the same, not wanting to seem rude. Neji turned and then dashed away. "I hope to see you again, Yaya-chan!" He waved.

"Sayonara...!" Yasmine replied, waving back.

She didn't put her arm down until he was out of her sight. She had a huge smile on her face. "Could we be friends now?" she thought, giggling. Suddenly, a pair of knuckles pressed into the side of her head. Yasmine squealed in slight pain.

"Where the hell have you been, you lil gaki…?!" a familiar voice hissed at her. Yasmine quickly got away from the usual pain in her head.

"Why do you always do that to me, kaasan?" she asked, rubbing her sore head.

"Stop calling me that!" Jano screeched, pointing a finger. "Anyway, how come you weren't home? I looked everywhere for you!" Yasmine blinked up at Jano. "Don't give me that innocent look, gaki!"

"You were worried." It was a statement.

"No, I wasn't!" Jano protested, and then grabbed her wrist. "Now let's go!" He continued, pulling her away.

Yasmine followed after him obediently. She smiled as she tried to keep up with the older man. She had a friend now, and someone who seemed to care for her. For now, everything was okay in the world... to an extent.
***************************
Itachi's POV
****************************


"I can not believe I'm doing this of my own free will." I thought, narrowing my eyes. I'm rather disappointed in myself. Usually, I can control the feeling known as curiosity. But ever since I met that strange girl, I seem to always travel down here. The girl, Mayu, probably wouldn't even be here. Okay, if she is not here today, I will not come down this road any longer.

I stopped. My eyes darted around, searching the area. She wasn't by that tree. I couldn't hear her or her leopard either. "How idiotic..." I muttered, about to turn.

"How idiotic, indeed!" her voice exclaimed. I looked up... only to have a pink balloon collide with my face... A pink balloon filled with bright red paint. My vision was momentarily blurred. I heard her land in front of me. "Wow, I didn't mean to get you in the eyes. You okay?"

I wiped the paint from my eyes and glared at her. "I don't know who you think you are but-"

"Ishikari Mayu, didn't I already tell you that?" the girl interrupted. "Oh, and your red eyes don't match the red paint. Maybe I should've gone with the darker red..." She actually looked as if she was considering it. "Anyway, why do you keeping coming here? It's been like two weeks, and yet you still come!" She turned her attention back to me.

Did I really spend two weeks looking for her? ... I really need more missions. I think I have to ask the Hokage for more. "I... am curious," I answered truthfully. Mayu snorted. I'm guessing she had no manners. "You suddenly appear out of nowhere. Why wouldn't I be curious?"

"Dude... I was sleeping," Mayu said, rolling her blue eyes. "I didn't appear from nowhere, I live up-" she stopped, and narrowed her eyes at me. "Why do you care?"

"... Curiosity," I replied.

"Well, curiosity killed the-"

"Don't say it," I warned. She grinned sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head. She looked quite guilty. Of what, I'm not sure.

"Yeah, she said I couldn't say that either," Mayu muttered. "Look, I'm sorry about the paint, weasel-san."

My whole eye twitched. "It's Itachi," I corrected. Mayu looked at me as if I were an idiot.

"That's what I said," she said. "Anyway... It looks like you can keep a secret…" I raised an eyebrow. "But that's only because it doesn't look like you talk much." she continued, again, narrowing her eyes. "You're a leaf ninja, and I think its ok. I did blast you with paint, after all. I was even about to push you, so that you'd trip over Nana."

My eyes widened, and then I turned. Sure enough, her leopard walked from behind me. Mayu was planning to... What a pest she was! Even Sasuke didn't actually pull pranks on me! "Where are you going with all this?" I asked, turning back to her. I saw that Nana was now on her shoulder.

It was no wonder I didn't detect her. Cats are silent by nature. Not even heightened senses could detect them. The only reason I didn't have a cat partner was because I thought it would only slow me down... That and the fact that I would never stop petting it... But father didn't need to know that. "My house isn't far. I'm sure you can get cleaned there..." Mayu answered, frowning. She looked away as if she was embarrassed. "It's in your hair and clothes... I'm sorry."

I remained silent for a time. This was a chance to satisfy my curiosity... This girl was probably not a big deal, anyway. "Alright... I'll accept your offer," I stated, and then nodded my head. Mayu's face seemed to light up at my answer. I wonder why she would be so happy...

"Great! Hey, how old are you anyway, weasel-san?" she asked.

"It's Ita--Never mind..." I muttered. "I am eleven years of age." I told her. She stared long and hard. "What?" I asked.

"... Nothing, I thought you were older... a lot older," Mayu muttered, turning her back to me. "Well, follow me, weasel-san!" I glowered as I watched her run at the side of the cliff.

"A secret entrance, perhaps…?" I thought, watching as she moved closer. Instead of going through the cliff, as I initially thought, she ran up. I watched her go higher and higher, but then she stopped, and then turned to look down at me.

"Oi…! What's the hold up? Don't tell me you don't know how to use chakra!" she called down to me. Again, I almost scoffed. I merely didn't think that she knew how to use chakra. I quickly moved. "Huh... Where'd he go?" she muttered to herself.

I let a small smirk cross my face. She didn't know I was behind her. "Perhaps you should be aware of your surroundings, Mayu-san," I told her. She jumped in surprise, as expected. She slowly turned to me.

"You're that polite kinda rude person, aren't you?" she asked, eyebrow twitching. I didn't answer. Mayu shrugged, and then walked around me. "Come on, weasel-san." I followed her at a slow pace.

When we reached the top, Nana jumped from Mayu’s shoulder. I tore my eyes away from the small black cat and looked up. There, in the center of this cylinder-shaped cliff, stood a house. It seemed slightly bigger than my home, actually. “You live up here?” I questioned.

“Duh…!” Mayu pointed to her home. “This is the back way. I have to sneak you in, and then introduce you to my parents and other family members.”

She walked ahead, causing me to follow her. “Do you live in secret? How many people know of this place?” I asked. Mayu actually shushed me as she slid the door open. “Mayu-san…!” I muttered after following her into a maze! It had been at least three minutes. She had only shushed me again, causing me to narrow my eyes. Not even my own mother shushed me! I felt slightly insulted.

Mayu suddenly stopped, opened a door, and then slipped inside, whispering a “Follow me,” as she did. I did as I was told and followed her in. I walked into a bathroom. “Hurry, wash your face there!” Mayu said, pointing to the sink. I didn’t move from where I stood. The younger girl grumbled, and then dragged me over to the sink. She really doesn’t care who I am, does she?

A familiar, yet unfamiliar feeling surfaced. Strange, I only seem to get this feeling around my little brother. Why is it here now? Mayu turned on the faucet, causing me to turn my attention to her. “Mayu-san…”

“Well, go on and wipe the paint from your face.” she urged. “You look ridiculous.”

“And who did this to me?” I asked, wetting my hands.

Mayu chuckled. “Couldn’t resist,” she giggled. I repeatedly splashed water on my face, rubbing intensively as I did so. After finishing this procedure and making sure I scrubbed the paint from my face, I held out my hand, hoping Mayu got the message that I wanted a towel. Lucky for me, she wasn’t as incompetent as she first seemed. My hair and clothes would have to wait until I reached home. As I dried my face, I heard Mayu laughing lightly.

“What?” I questioned, still drying my face.

“Oh, nothing…” she answered. “It’s just… earlier, I used that towel to wipe Nana’s butt.” I paused in mid-wipe. I slowly took the towel from my face, and then slowly turned to Mayu, who was grinning. I believe, at that moment, my mask cracked and shattered on the floor.

“WHAT…?!” I shouted, almost completely losing it. If I had completely lost it, the girl would have no head.

“Shush! Shush! Shush!” Mayu put her fingers to her lips. “I was just kidding, weasel-san! I wouldn’t actually do that… Not to you, anyway...” She grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the bathroom. I do not know why I continue to let her drag me everywhere. I could walk on my own, after all. “Hopefully, mother and father are still sparring…” Mayu muttered, pulling me down the hall. She opened a door, and then pushed me in. She’s rude…

“What are you doing?” I asked, turning to her.

“Nothing,” she muttered, closing the door. “This is my room.” She spread her arms out. I almost snorted as I looked around. It wasn’t much. It looked about as big as Sasuke’s room, maybe smaller. Mayu walked around me. “Come, come!” she said. She was now sitting on her futon, patting an area. She wants me to sit down… next to her?

I reluctantly sat down beside her. This girl; she was weird… Just why was she smiling at me like that? “Ne, weasel-san, tell me about yourself!”

“Why should I?” I asked. The smile never left her face, but her blue eyes did narrow. I suppose she’s annoyed now. “I know nothing about you, and yet you want me to reveal myself to you? Don’t be absurd.”

“Ishikari Mayu. My parents are Ishikari Mayuka and Haruka. I have many cousins, but they’re all way older than me. My favorite color’s purple. I love my partner, Nana. I like singing randomly, sparring, messing with people’s head, although mother says that’s bad…” Mayu went on. “I also like reading. My hobbies include sparring, learning my family’s jutsu, pulling random pranks, dancing, oh, let’s not forget about having a battle of wits with just about anyone! Basically, I’m a normal kid!” My eyebrow twitched. There was nothing normal about her. “Now that you know about me, tell me about yourself!” Mayu practically ordered. She was practically bouncing with excitement. Why? One could only wonder.

“Very well…” I began. “They call me… Uchiha Itachi.”

“That’s not your real name?”

“It is.”

“Then why’d you say, ‘They call me… Uchiha Itachi’?” She tried… to sound like me… “I mean, seriously…!”

“Would you please allow me to continue?” I asked.

“Knock yourself out,” she replied with a shrug.

I coughed lightly. Mayu was really, really annoying. Why am I still here? “As I was saying, my name is Uchiha Itachi,” I continued. “Recently, my curiosity has brought me here. I was quite intrigued with this oddly-shaped cliff, and so I came here. I found you and you were someone I hadn’t seen before, thus heightening my curiosity.”

“Dude, why are you talking like that?” Mayu questioned, giving me a look that I couldn’t describe at the moment.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“You’re talking like you’re 45 or something!” Mayu said, pointing an accusing finger.

“Don’t be absurd!” I told her, turning my eyes away. What is she talking about? I speak perfectly fine.

“See? That! What eleven-year-old says ‘absurd’?” Mayu continued as if proving a point. “And anyway, I don’t wanna hear about that silly ‘curiosity’ crap! I wanna know about you! What’s your favorite color? What are some things you like to do?”

“A favorite color is not needed in the life of a shinobi,” I told her. “Speaking of which… You know how to use chakra, and yet I don’t see any indication that you are a ninja.”

Mayu scoffed. “The only ninja in the Ishikari clan is my Uncle Mori,” She stated. “He’s awesome!” But… Didn’t she tell me that she liked ‘learning her family’s jutsu’? If her family wasn’t ninja, why did they have jutsu? This was a question I didn’t get to ask, because Mayu had fired another question at me. “So, what are your hobbies?” she asked.

“Missions,” I answered.

“Missions…?” she repeated.

“That’s right,” I confirmed with a nod.

“You do realize that I’m asking for hobbies, not chores, right?” Mayu asked in a flat voice.

“I’m well aware,” I said.

“Missions aren’t a hobby! They are jobs that people have to do,” Mayu said as if she knew everything. “Hobbies are things you want to do, things you choose to do in your spare time. What do you do in your spare time, Itachi-san?” Well, at least she decided to call me by name…

It took a moment before I came up with an answer. “I write in my journal,” I said. It was silent for a few moments. Mayu blinked repeatedly as if she couldn’t believe what I just said. I stared back, wondering what her reaction was going to be.

“… Do you have a childhood?” She questioned.

“No, I am a shinobi. A shinobi has no time for things as trivial as that,” I answered.

Mayu opened her mouth as if she was to say something, but it closed before words slipped out. She turned her head away. Why did it seem as if she was guilty? Mayu suddenly stood her eyes downcast. She no longer stood with her head high. It was as if a lioness had turned into a kitten before my very eyes. She moved closer to me.

Suddenly, I found myself wrapped in a hug. My eyes grew wide. What?! Don’t tell me I actually let myself fall victim to a fangirl’s trap! I lowered my guard, and look what happened! I tried to push her away, but she held on with an iron grip. As expected of a fangirl! Damn…! Even though I knew it was futile at this point, I still struggled. “Itachi… I pity you,” her words caused my struggles to end. Pity…?

“I don’t need your pity.” I said.

“You… don’t need to put up a barrier, Itachi,” Mayu continued, pulling away, yet she was still near me, hands on my shoulders. “When you’re with me, you can act as childish as you want, I promise!”

“What are you talking about?” I questioned. And then she, quite boldly, kissed my cheek. I reared back in slight shock. “Why the hell did you do that?!”

She completely pulled away from me. “As of now, you are my precious friend,” Mayu stated. “Whenever you are here, you’re free to be yourself, not a ninja.” I was slightly confused, not to mention shocked.

“You… You can’t decide things on your own,” I replied.

“Nope…! It’s already been done!” Mayu waved off my protest as if it was nothing. She stood and smiled at me. “I don’t care who you are outside of this place, but… please try to lower your guard when you’re here. I want my friend to be as comfy as possible when he’s a guest in my home.”

“Mayu-san…?” I said. I didn’t understand her. For the first time in my eleven years, I did not understand someone younger than I. Why is she doing this? Before I could speak anymore, however, the door opened.

“Mayu, what do you want for…” a male’s voice trailed off. I looked at the door to see a man. This man’s height was around six feet, maybe taller. He had brown eyes, ivory skin, and dark brown hair. Most of his short hair covered his right eye.

“D-Dad…!” Mayu exclaimed, sounding panicked. So this man was her father? “Wait! I can explain, just don’t tell-”

“MAYUKA!” the man interrupted. Mayu smacked her forehead with her palm.

“-Mom…” She finished, flatly. “I am so gonna get it.”

I looked back and forth between the two. One, red from anger, I presume. The other was red from embarrassment. I stood from Mayu’s futon and bowed, showing I meant no disrespect. “Sumimasen… Ishikari-san, I don’t mean to-”

“You… don’t… speak!” Mayu’s father interrupted me; I noticed that Mayu flinched.

“If he’s this mad, mom is gonna kill him.” she muttered. Uh… nani?!
********************** *********************

“So… you’re a ninja of Konoha?” Mayu’s father asked. His stare was intense. I was sitting alone in a room with him. A woman, who looked similar to Mayu, after yelling a few things, had dragged Mayu away. Mayu’s face was a look a pure terror as the woman took her away. I believe that the woman was Mayu’s mother. All three were family. I noticed that they’re much louder than my family.

“Yes, that is correct,” I answered, meeting his gaze. We were in this room for about twenty minutes. Mayu’s father narrowed his eyes. I believe Mayu’s mother called him Haruka. A small frown was evident on his face. Until he asked his question, he had remained silent, staring all the while. I wasn’t unnerved by it. Being a ninja, I’m used to stares, glares, and killer intent.

“And you’re an Uchiha?” he asked.

“That is also correct. Uchiha Itachi is my name,” I answered, nodding my head.

“Pfft…!”

I felt my eyebrow twitch. It was the same. The same reaction Mayu had given me. Gods, were everyone in this family that way?! It’s just a name. Haruka must have noticed the twitch because he sighed slowly, and then closed his eyes. He looked quite deep in thought. I’m puzzled as to why most people do that when they’re thinking. I don’t have to close my eyes in order to think.

“How is it that you stumbled across this place?” Haruka asked, opening his eyes. The same intense look on his face, but this time, he looked a bit weary. “Although I knew that someone from the Uchiha clan would happen upon this place someday, I’m curious as to how you came across my home.”

I nodded my head, and then spoke. “It was merely a coincidence that I walked down the road leading here,” I stated. “I did not know of this place two weeks ago when I happened upon your sleeping daughter.”

“Two weeks ago…?” Haruka repeated; I nodded my head. “I told that girl not to fall asleep under that damn tree…” he grumbled, turning his eyes away from me.

“I didn’t mean to-” He turned his brown eyes back to me.

“Let me guess, you were intrigued by Mayu because you had never seen her before? And to your knowledge, the Uchiha district is the only place on this street, right? So why is a girl, whom you’ve never seen before, where she shouldn’t be?” he asked. I nodded my head again.

“All of this is true. After my first encounter with your daughter, I came back to the same spot for two weeks,” I said. “For two weeks, your daughter was all I could think about. Thinking back, it was foolish of me to do. Normally, I would gather all information in the surrounding area. But because of your daughter-”

“How old are you, Itachi-san?” Haruka asked, interrupting me.

“… I am… eleven years of age,” I answered, confused as to why he suddenly interrupted me with a question as random as that.

“Eleven…?!” he repeated incredulously. “Whoa! I had thought you were at least sixteen!”

“Your daughter also made that speculation.” I stated. “I assure you that I am only eleven.”

“You talk like an elderly person,” Haruka muttered.

“Like father, like daughter…” I thought, slightly narrowing my eyes. I briefly wonder if the wife and mother of these two is the same way.

Suddenly the door opened, causing my attention to be diverted. Mayu walked into the room, looking as if she was holding back tears. Following her in here was her mother. This woman had a calm demeanor. But I’ve learned that it’s usually the quiet ones you worry about. Haruka and I stood as the woman, Mayuka, closed the door. “All three of you… sit,” her equally calm voice said. It wasn’t a question, I perceived, it was a demand.

We did as we were told, Mayu moving to sit next to me. Mayuka walked over to her husband and sat next to him. For a moment, that’s how we stayed. All were silent. I didn’t dare to try to break the silence. This atmosphere is familiar to me. In fact, those rare occasions when my family did eat together, it was like this moment. Even Sasuke didn’t talk during those dinners.

Mayu, I noticed, was shaking slightly as she stared at the floor. I wonder what her mother did or said to her. Mayuka suddenly breathed deeply, causing my attention to be drawn to her. “What is your name, Uchiha?” her tone held authority.

“I–my name is Itachi,” I answered.

This was definitely strange. I felt an uneasy feeling wash over me. Yes, I had experienced this feeling before, but it was long ago. Long ago, when my mother used to treat me as a child, I used to feel that way whenever I was caught doing something I wasn’t supposed to. “Uchiha Itachi, huh…?” Mayuka muttered, staring at me as if waiting for me to crack. Well, at least she didn’t laugh… “My daughter as told me that you’ve been stalking her for two weeks.”

I felt my eye twitch. I almost turned to glare at the younger girl. Stalk?! I wasn’t stalking anyone! “Stalk… isn’t the exact word I would use, Ishikari-san,” I told her.

“Oh…? Then what word would you use?” Mayuka asked. Judging from her voice, her question was a rhetorical one, so I kept quiet. “Do you know what you’ve stumbled across, Itachi-kun?” Again, I said nothing. “You’ve stumbled across a secret. A secret that will remain a secret, because you will not tell a soul about this place, understand?”

“Understood, Ishikari-san…” I answered, bowing my head. “But if I may…” I continued, lifting my head. Mayuka raised an eyebrow. “Now that I know of this place… May I also know the secret as well?”

“No, you may not,” was her immediate response. “And if you try to find out, you will have to be taken care of, if you know what I’m saying, Itachi-kun.”

I noticed Haruka and Mayu sigh, both seemed relieved. I nodded my head. I understood perfectly. I was no amateur. I could tell that these three had shinobi abilities. Unknown shinobi abilities, at that. Anything could happen while in the presence of these people.

“Now… On to what I really want to discuss with you,” Mayuka continued. “… Why is there paint in your hair and clothes?” My mouth dropped open slightly, and then I turned to glare at Mayu. She was grinning awkwardly. Mayuka chuckled lightly, causing me to turn to her in surprise. She had lost her commanding nature. “Don’t be so alarmed, Itachi-kun,” she said.

I noticed Haruka looked slightly confused, but then he smiled. “Yeah, yeah…! It’s okay now,” he said.

“It has come to my attention that my daughter is… lonely,” Mayuka said. “She has no siblings, and because of who she is, she has no friends either. I’m assuming that that is her reasoning for bringing you here. She wants you to be her friend, Itachi-kun.”

“I…”

“I know that this is asking much of you, especially since you’re a ninja.” Mayuka continued. “But… could you be a dear and remain Mayu’s friend? I was a fool to think that she didn’t need someone else. I am disappointed in myself for not realizing it sooner…” She bowed her head slightly, and then her eyes met mine again. “Now that you know of our home, Itachi-kun, you may come and go as you please, but you must never tell anyone of this.”

“I understand, Ishikari-san.” I nodded. Suddenly, I felt excess weight on my knees. Mayu was now looking up at me with hopeful eyes.

“So you’ll be my friend, weasel man?” she asked. I felt my eye twitch again. So this was the reason she dragged me here? She has suffered without a friend for the seven years of her life, while I only had to suffer for six years.

It was selfish of her to proclaim me as her friend, but it would also be selfish of me… if I were to refuse her friendship. Most likely, I wouldn’t be allowed here anymore. If I said no, I wouldn’t be able to report anything to anyone. I needed more information before contacting the Hokage. Remain a secret, eh…? Not when Uchiha Itachi is here.

“I accept this friendship,” I told Mayu. I let a smile cross my face.

“All right!” Mayu yelled, punching the air with her fist. “I am so glad! But that means you can’t wear a mask around me, you do know this, right?”

“I’m aware,” I answered. I knew that she knew about the mask. She had seen me with and without it, after all. I doubt that her parents knew about it. I felt Mayu’s arms wrap around me again.

“I’ll be the best friend ever!” Mayu declared. I slowly wrapped an arm around Mayu’s torso.

“As will I.”

“Oh, and you have to stop talking like that! It’s creepy…”

My eye twitched again. This girl…!

“You have no idea what you got yourself into, Itachi-san,” I heard Haruka mutter. I wonder what he means by that…
*************************

Sasuke flipped to the next page. His eyes narrowed. He flipped more pages. His hands grasped the journal in slight anger. “Nothing…!” he thought, grinding his teeth. The rest of the journal was completely blank! How the hell was he supposed to find out what happened if his brother had suddenly stopped writing in this damn thing?!

The younger Uchiha stared at the blank page, deep in thought. “This can’t be it,” he thought. “There must be some more indication of his past somewhere!” Sasuke’s eyes widened as a sudden memory surfaced.

"This place is causing weird things to happen." Sasuke muttered.
"Like what?"
"First off, I'm having hallucinations... and you are..." Sasuke trailed off.
"I'm what?" Mayu asked.
"Doing things...!" Sasuke answered quickly.
"Maybe we should... your face is turning red. And that can't be natural!" Mayu replied, standing. "Just let me finish reading this diary I found." She continued, showing him the book in her hands. Funny how Sasuke didn't notice it before. "I was just getting to the good part!"

That diary Mayu had read… Could it have been hers? “That’s it!” Sasuke muttered. “Mayu’s diary corresponds with Itachi’s. It has to!” He had to get his hands on that diary. If he was lucky, the diary would still be in Mayu’s old home, in the same room she had left it. Sasuke closed Itachi’s journal, and then stood. “That’s the only way I can know. I should’ve thought about it sooner.”
******************************

“Why the hell are you staring out that window again, gaki?” Jano asked. Yasmine found it amazing that he had his back turned, and yet he knew what she was doing. She turned her head away from the window to see that Jano was still making something. Kushi dango, she remembered him calling them. She turned her head back and stared out of the window again.
“I am… looking at the park,” Yasmine answered.
“Well, stop leaning out of it already!” Jano said, still not turning. “One of these days, gaki, you’re gonna fall out!” Yasmine promptly sat back in her chair. She hadn’t even realized that she was leaning over the edge. Was she really that raring to go? “Alright, let’s go, gaki.”
Jano had finished preparing the food. Yasmine hopped from the chair. The man stood near the door, which was open. He carried a small basket and a blue blanket. Yasmine noticed the delicious smell coming from the basket as she got closer. Jano was a great cook. And although he never mentioned it, he loved to hear Yasmine’s praise about it. He was proud of what he did with a knife, either in a kitchen, or on a battlefield.
The four-year-old went out of the apartment first, Jano followed. He gave her the basket, muttering a “Don’t drop it this time, you clumsy gaki.” Yasmine only nodded her head as he turned to lock the door. After locking the door, Jano quickly took the basket of food from her. He did not want a repeat of what happened last time they were to eat at the park. The girl had slipped on nothing, fell down the stairs (the nurses at the hospital were glaring at him just because of a swollen ankle) and messed up the entire meal. Needless to say, the two didn’t get to go to the park to eat.
The two walked down the stairs, which were conveniently located near Jano’s apartment. Next, the two walked out of the front door to the building. As they walked towards the park, Jano stared at the small girl accompanying him. She was smiling so brightly, Jano was sure that she could replace the sun. He snorted, and then looked away from her practically bouncing body. “Why are you so happy?” he asked. Yasmine turned her brown eyes to her caretaker. “Come to think of it, each time we come here for lunch, you always seem to be in a good mood. Why is that, gaki?”
Wow… Four days of the two going to the park for lunch, and he finally asks why. “I want to see a friend,” Yasmine answered. “He was there once, maybe he’s there again. Hopefully, he’ll be here this time.”
“He…?” Jano muttered. He snorted again. She hadn’t told him about any friend! Not that he cared or anything…
“Yes, his name is Neji,” Yasmine continued.
“Neji,” Jano repeated. He almost scoffed. Screw…? Whatever…! “Is he the reason I found you here that one day?” Yasmine nodded her head.
“By the way, kaasan…” she began, looking slightly embarrassed.
“Don’t call me that!” It seemed like a routine now.
“What is my name?” Yasmine asked, completely ignoring his protest. After all, it seemed like a routine. Jano glanced at her, confused.
“You don’t remember your own name?” he questioned.
“No, I meant the one Hokage-sama gave me.” the girl explained.
“Ah…! Clumsy and forgetful, eh? I really lucked out getting you,” Jano joked. Yasmine didn’t find it funny, and so she kicked him in the shins. “You little…!” He glared at her. She merely stuck her tongue out, and then ran ahead.
Now, ordinarily, Yasmine would do nothing of the sort. But… She was getting used to Jano. She actually trusted him. It had been almost a month since she’d come to this place. Finally, she was warming up to her caretaker. It was slightly hard to warm up to anyone after her parents had died and her uncle took her in. … Well, maybe it was really hard, but Jano had unknowingly brought down her barriers. Yasmine briefly noted that Jano had once told her about him being able to break barriers, saying that it was his job. Yasmine really didn’t get that, nor did she try to.
Jano rushed after the girl, who had stopped under a tree. She had picked a shaded area to sit. Jano followed suit, and then set the basket down. Next, he laid out the blanket on the grass. Yasmine scurried on to the blue blanket and sat, slightly afraid that Jano would grind his knuckles into her head again. The man chuckled at her actions, and then crawled on to the blanket as well. He took out the food and spread it across the cover.
“So what is my name, kaasan?” Yasmine asked again. Jano scowled as he pulled out chopsticks. He still didn’t understand why this child just refused to call him by name. Instead, she called him kaasan. He wasn’t a woman, damn it! But… It didn’t really bother him that much anymore.
“Your name is Yasume,” Jano answered, handing her the chopsticks.
“Ah, that’s right! I knew it sounded similar to my real name!” Yasmine exclaimed. “Itadakimasu…!” She said, and then broke apart her chopsticks. Jano gave her a small plate.
“Itadakimasu…” he said, and then pulled out a plate of his own. “So why did you wanna know?”
“Hm…?” Yasmine looked up from her food. Noodles hung from her mouth, causing Jano to chuckle.
“Your name, I mean,” he explained. “And don’t talk with your mouth full.” Yasmine quickly slurped up the noodles.
“Yes, kaasan,” she said. “I couldn’t remember that name when I introduced myself to Neji-kun, so he thinks my name is ‘Yaya-chan’.” Yasmine smiled. She didn’t seem to mind the mistake at all, Jano noted.
“So what’s this gaki look like?” he asked, curious.
“He has weird, but pretty, eyes and long brown hair. It’s even longer than mine!” Yasmine said. Pretty eyes…? Long brown hair…? Why did that simple description sound slightly familiar to Jano’s ears?
“YAYA-CHAN…?!” A voice called, sounding slightly surprised. Yasmine nearly dropped her chopsticks in surprise. Was that…? Could it be him?
Yasmine slowly turned to see a boy coming towards her. Jano nearly spit out his food in surprise. “A Hyuga…?!” he thought, staring as the boy moved closer.
“Neji-kun…!” Yasmine waved him over.
“How the hell did she manage to befriend a Hyuga?” Jano thought as the boy stopped right behind Yasmine, causing her to turn to face him. As far as Jano was concerned, all Hyuga were stuck-up, high and mighty, egotistical, and anti-social when it came to anyone other than their own freaky clan.
“I knew it was you! I could recognize you right away, Yaya-chan!” Neji stated proudly. Jano’s eyebrow twitched, noticing the faint blush on Yasmine face. Even with the darker skin tone, it was visible to his eyes.
“Neji-kun, how have you-”
“Neji…! Don’t run off so suddenly like that.” a new voice interrupted. Three pairs of eyes looked up at the newcomer. This man looked like a much older version of Neji.
“But then again, all Hyuga look the same,” Jano thought.
“Gomennasai, otousan…” Neji turned to his father, looking slightly ashamed. “I suppose I was excited to see Yaya-chan again…” Neji’s father finally took notice of the girl. His eyes then traveled over to Jano, who looked slightly annoyed.
“Forgive my son for the intrusion,” he said, giving a slight bow.
“But-”
“Neji…!”
Neji quickly gave a bow of his own. “Oh, please don’t do that!” Yasmine said. “It is not necessary.”
“Yes, it’s quite all right, Hyuga-san,” Jano said, waving away the bow. “Gaki–I mean, Yasume has told me that your son and her are friends. There is really no point in apologizing.” Neji’s father nodded.
“Arigatou... My name is Hyuga Hizashi,” he stated.
“Jano.”
“Jano…?”
“J ano,” he repeated.
“ANBU…?”
“Not important.”
The two children looked at their caretakers in confusion. They didn’t understand what was happening between them. Both Yasmine and Neji turned to each other, hoping the other would know. Sadly, that was not the case. The two shrugged. Neji grabbed Yasmine’s wrist and pulled her up. “Let’s go play!” he whispered, pulling her along. Yasmine quickly set her things down before she was pulled away. Meanwhile, the two adults continued to stare each other down.
“Why are they staring at each other like that, Neji-kun?” Yasmine asked, trying to keep up with the young Hyuga.
“Oh, otousan always does that. I think he called it an intimidation tactic,” Neji answered. He released Yasmine’s wrist, allowing her to walk next to him. “You were eating lunch, right? I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Ano… It’s fine.” Yasmine said. “Ne, Neji-kun…”
“Yes?”
“My name is Yasume… I didn’t mean to confuse you,” she said.
“Ya-su-me…” Neji tried out the name as he climbed up the ladder to the ‘big slide’. “I like Yaya-chan better,” he called down. “Can I call you that, instead?” Yasmine smiled brightly as she followed Neji up.
“Sure, I don’t mind at all!” she answered. Neji smiled as he sat at the top of the slide, waiting for his friend.
Not wanting to make her friend wait for her, Yasmine went slightly faster. She reached the top, and then sat behind Neji. The pale-eyed boy wrapped Yasmine’s legs around him. The girl, almost as expected of her, wrapped her arms around Neji’s neck. “You ready?” he asked.
“Yes!” Yasmine said, nodding her head.
The two slid down the spiraling slide at, what seemed like, the speed of light! Their shouts of glee alerted their caretakers that they were no longer beside them. “Gaki…!” Jano shouted, jumping up.
“Neji…!” Hizashi raised his voice as well. Both thinking the children were hurt.
Neji and Yasmine landed in a tangled heap at the bottom of the slide. Luckily, the sand cushioned their landing. The two had swirly eyes and crooked smiles on their faces. Jano and Hizashi rushed over to them. “Gaki…! Are you okay?” Jano asked, kneeling next to the girl. Hizashi did the same to Neji. The two children stood, stumbling away from the adults.
“Let’s do that again!” they both exclaimed, dizzy. Because of their dizziness, the two stumbled right into each other. Their foreheads collided and they fell to the ground, laughing all the while. The two adults turned to each other, blinked, and then looked back at the dizzy children, who were trying to stand. Surprisingly, it was Hizashi who released a light chuckle. Jano, slightly taken aback, stared at the Hyuga.
“Neji, have fun… while you still can,” he murmured, a bitter smile had surfaced on his face. Jano was very confused by this, but before he could voice his thoughts, Yasmine’s voice penetrated his ears.
“Kaasan, can Neji-kun eat with us?” hhe asked.
“Kaasan…?” Hizashi and Neji muttered. Jano flushed as two pairs of pale eyes turned to him.
“Don’t call me that in public, gaki!” he exclaimed, embarrassed. And it did not help that Hizashi chuckled again.
“Yeah, can I, otousan?” Neji chirped.
“Well, we do not want to-”
“Please…?” both children asked in honey-coated voices. Both parents groaned lightly. Why did that voice always work?
“Alright, he can join us, gaki!” Jano muttered, standing. “That is… if Neji’s father agrees.”
Hizashi nodded his head as he stood. “All right…!” Neji and Yasmine exclaimed, rushing back over to blanket. The two adults watched them go.
“Cute…” Jano muttered, rolling his eyes.
“But it won’t last,” Hizashi said, more to himself than Jano. “My poor genius…”
“Branch…?” Jano asked. Hizashi nodded, not caring that he knew or not.
***************************

Okay, I decided to put this in two chapters because if I’d kept going… this would have most likely been fifty whole pages! And… that would suck. So, I’m just gonna break it into two chapters. Stick around!

"If I meet another like Sasuke, it will be the death of me," –Uchiha Itachi
I don’t know why… It’s kinda relevant…


--Beta’d by UKELICIOUS--

… -.- she put that herself. She put that, but didn’t add her favorite quote… -shakes head- for shame…