Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Outcasts: My Crystal Angel ❯ A Sad Memory ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

::hyper_hurricane::junketsu_tsuta::

Outcasts: My Crystal Angel

Chapter 2: A Sad Memory

The next day...
Since I finally got a day off, I decided to walk Naruto-kun to the academy.

It's been a long time since I did.
Ever since I joined the ANBU, missions never stopped coming in, I'm getting sick of it.
I never have time for Naruto-kun...

"Ne, Hitomi-nee, how old were you when you graduated!?" he asked loudly while we were walking.
"Umm... I think I just turned 7 then-"
"NO WAY!!!!" He yelled.
"Yeah I know, really weird, huh?"
"Of course not! You're the daughter of a Hokage! I'm not surprised even if you say you were only a Genin for a year!"
"Don't worry, I suffered being a Genin for 3 years...." I sweat dropped.
"That doesn't matter! You were good enough to be a ninja just my age!" He yelled again.
"Okay, okay, just lower your voice down a little, Naruto-kun." I said chuckling a little.
"We're already here." I added.
"Nee-chan, you think I'll be a great ninja?" He asked.
"For sure, I know you'll be, probably even better than Hokage-sama." I said smiling at him.
To my surprise he tightly hugged me.
I hugged him back too. "You'll be a great shinobi, Naruto-kun, I know it."
"I'll pick you up later, okay?"
"Uh-huh." he nodded, his eyes closed, he looked so cute that way.
When he let go, he ran off to the academy, waving at me with that happy grin of his.

I walked away headed home alone and guess who I ran into...
"Ohayou* Hitomi-neesan."
I didn't notice I was already passing by the Uchiha Compound.
I turned to see Itachi's little brother Sasuke waving at me with a girl about his age.
She had long wavy black hair and her eyes were as black as coal.
"Ohayou, Sasuke-kun." I smiled back at him and walked to the two.
"Who's your friend?" I asked referring to the girl beside him.
"Oh, this is Hotaru-chan, Shisui-san's sister."
"Really? Aren't you cute?"
She smiled when I said that. Her eyes were half-open but her smile was so sweet. For an Uchiha, she seems to be quite frail.
"It's nice to meet you, Hitomi-san." She bowed. Even from the way she spoke, she seems to be so fragile...
I let out a nervous laughter. "You don't have to bow, Hotaru-chan."
"Onii-san told me a lot about you."
"He did, huh?" She nodded.
"Hitomi-neesan, Onii-san was looking for you." Sasuke said immediately.
"H-he is?" I didn't know but a blush was crept onto my cheeks.
He nodded, "He left just a little while ago."
I blinked. "I wonder why he's looking for me..."
"Okay, I'll try to find him then." I waved good-bye to the two.
Sasuke began to run but he slowed down because Hotaru couldn't catch up.
"Tsk, I wonder why they made that girl go the academy, she seems so... laid up..."
As I was caught in a daze, in just a split second I heard Aiko call from afar.
"Hitomi-san!!"
She stopped in front of me panting, holding onto her knees for support.
"What wrong?"
"H-hokage-sama wants to see you." She kept panting in-between almost every syllable but I got the message.
"Alright, thanks Aiko-chan..." and with that, I ran off.

At the Hokage's office...
I went to the hokage's office in my ANBU gear, I had a feeling this was a mission.
As I opened the door, I saw Kaede Juro, Homura Yuuji and...
"Itachi-san...?"
"Ai-chan found her!" Juro quickly said.
I turned to the Hokage who was standing by the window. "You called for me Hokage-sama?"
"Yes, I did. I have a mission for the four of you."
He handed Itachi a scroll, probably about the mission.
"Rank A, 'Escort Ketsueki Hiroshi to the Sunagakure no Sato'...?"
The Third Hokage nodded.
"'Ketsueki'? I thought that clan doesn't exist anymore." I said.
"They were killed off, yes, but not all of them. There was one who survived." The Hokage said.
"So this Hiroshi-guy is the last survivor?" Kaede-san asked in confusion.
"Yes. He needs protection though. Orochimaru seems to be after the clan's power. Who knows if there are others more..."
"Orochimaru?" He's at it again. Experimenting to create the perfect shinobi...
"So when will we leave?" Homura quickly asked.
"The client's request is tomorrow morning." The Hokage said.
"He'll be waiting by the gates then." he added.
After that we left the office.
I went to the training grounds, where the Marker of Konoha's Fallen Heroes stood.
"Genki desu ka, Onii-san...*? It's been a while since I came here...ne?"
I always come here before I go to missions outside the Hi no Kuni*.
"I hope you're listening..." I sighed.
I talked to him for half an hour, I talked to Dad too. I told them everything, how I felt...

Later...
I sat next to the marker after having that 'talk' with them.
It gets so lonely without them...
I closed my eyes, recalling memories from years ago... when I was just 3...

"Obito-nii-san!!!" I ran to him and gave him a hug when I saw him come through the door.
"Hey Hitomi-chan!" He hugged me back.
"Wanna go to our place, lil' Mii-chan?" I nodded.
"Hitomi!" I heard a familiar yell from the other room.
I turn around to see Mom who looked angry.
"Okaa-san*, can't I go?" I begged her.

"Who said we won't let you?" Dad said as he was standing by the door.
Mom's frown changed to a sweet smile, then giggled a little. Obito-niisan laughed nervously.
"Just don't let her wander too far, Obito-kun." She told Obito-niisan.
"Hai, Kushina-san. C'mon Mii-chan!" He said gently pulling my hand.
"Bye Minato-sensei, Kushina-san!" He waved to my parents as I did too.
He took me to the Uchiha Compound. "This is where I live." He said.
"There so many people, Onii-san!" I exclaimed.
I was never around many people. I never went out of the house very much either.
This was the first time I came to the Uchiha Compound as well...

"What do you mean!?!"
"G-gomen nasai, Hi-hitomi-chan... H-he's not c-coming back..." Rin-nee-san said stammering, tears were rolling down her cheeks as she said those words to me.
"NO!!" I yelled angrily. I couldn't believe what they just told me. I didn't want to.
"Mii-chan you have to listen!" Dad said.
"No..." I whispered, covering my ears and shaking my head, tears were also rolling down on my face.
"Hitomi-chan, we didn't want this to happen either..." Rin-nee-san said, still sobbing.
"...No, O-Obito-nii-san will c-come back!!" She hugged me as we both sobbed.
"Gomen H-hitomi-chan, I-it was my fault..." Kakashi-nii-sama said looking down.
I ran to him but I didn't hit him, I hugged him too.
I kept crying, Kakashi-nii-sama bent down to hug me back, "Gomen nasai..." He whispered.
"I d-don't blame you." I said, still sobbing. "You said it was war, right?"
He didn't say anything, but I took it as a 'yes' because he tightened his hug. I could still hear Rin-nee-san sobbing too.

"Hitomi-chan?" I opened my eyes and woke up from my trance when I heard someone call me.
The first that I saw were a pair of onyx black eyes.

"I-itachi-s-san!" I almost jumped up when I realized it was him. He was just a few of inches from my face!
"What are you doing here?" He asked curiously.
"J-just recollecting..." I said, looking away. I could tell I'm blushing right now.
I saw him smile at the corner of my eye.
"Don't faint. Don't faint. Don't faint." I chanted to myself.

He stood up and lent me his hand to help me up.
We both stared at the marker for a while.
"You must really miss your dad." He said.
I nodded in agreement, "I miss him so much. And Mom too..."
I didn't realize he was still holding my hand until he pulled me away.
I was so surprised that I nearly tripped when he did.
"Wh-where are we g-going?" I stuttered.
"You'll see." He said lightheartedly.

My face felt even warmer at that moment…

Itachi dragged me up to some place I've never gone to.
Passing through the forest, we ended up in a dead-end - or so I thought...

Itachi pushed away the branch that blocked their way to his special place.
As he did, Hitomi was astounded by the place.
There was a lone tree a couple of meters away from the edge of the cliff and when they came near it, Hitomi was even more amazed.
The view was breath-taking; it was overlooking the whole village.
"This place is awesome!" She exclaimed.
"I come here often when I feel a little depressed. Nobody else knows about this place." He stated
"Well no wonder, it's pretty much a remote area." She said and laughed.
He smiled, "It's been a long time since I heard you laugh, Hitomi-chan."
The two sat down by the tree. It was actually a camellia tree...
"You're really different when we're not on missions..." He said after a moment of silence, that made Hitomi blush a little.
"R-really...?" She asked.
"You're a lot calmer; you look cuter that way..." He said smiling.
"He thinks I look...cute..?" Her face was beet red now; she just had to look away.
"A-arigatou*..." She whispered.
"Itachi-san, can I ask you something?" She asked.
Itachi hummed.
"Do you know anything about Uchiha Hotaru?"
"Besides that she's Shisui-san's younger sister...?"
Hitomi nodded.
"Not much actually, Shisui-san doesn't talk about her much. All I know is that she's very intelligent; rumors are her IQ is over 200, but her body's very weak. Her father even thinks she might not be able to handle the Sharingan if she manages to activate it..."
"So desu*..." She whispered, showing disappointment in her voice.
"She could be a great shinobi if her body wasn't so feeble..."
"Yeah..."
Silence took over after that...
"We'll be out for a week, have you told Naruto-kun?"
She shook her head. "Maybe after his class..."
Silence took over for a few moments.
"Hey Itachi, why'd you bring me here anyway?" She asked innocently.
"It's because you're the person I could always run to when I'm troubled."
Itachi was quiet to Hitomi though.
Hitomi yawned a little. "Sleepy already?"

"I guess so, the missions are piling up, I don't get enough sleep." She said and leaned onto Itachi's shoulder.
Itachi was taken aback but he quickly recovered. He just let her stay like that, leaning close to him.

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|Author's Note|

That's chapter 2! Thank you for reading again!!!

It's getting kind `a cheesy XD

This story has been published in my Quizilla© account with the title “A Frozen-Solid Heart”

Please forgive the incorrect grammar and misspelled words.

What follows are the translations for the words denoted with asterisks (*).

*Translations:

Ohayou - morning (used here as: `good morning')

`Genki desu ka?' - `how are you?'

Hi no Kuni - Fire Country

Gomen nasai/ gomen - sorry

Arigato/arigatou - thank you

So desu - `is that so?'/ `really?'

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|Disclaimer:|

Namikaze Hitomi, Uchiha Hotaru, Kaede Aiko, Shirayuki Aya, Kaede Juro, Homura Yuuji and Ketsueki Hiroshi belong to me.

If any of the scenes or the plot itself is similar to yours or those you have read they are purely coincidence.

I do not tolerate with any forms of plagiarism.

Thank you for reading.

Reviews are requested.