Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Second Birth ❯ Ch. 3: Our Secret ( Chapter 3 )

The Second Birth

by Mizerable

Ch. 3: Our Secret

* * *

He wasn't sure how it happened. It was rare for him to sleep without several cold-chill waking fits--though this time he had no memory of ever drifting off. He certainly hadn't expected to be surrounded by Anbu soldiers, even if they were his fellow teammates. He fought down the instinct to search frantically about for that Yanagi girl. If she were at all as impressive as he imagined she must be, she would have been long gone from this place.

Then again, if the ever reliable Anbu had located him in such an obscure place, it may also be dubious to assume she could have escaped.

"Are you injured?"

"No…" Itachi murmured absently in response. His phantom wounds still echoed through his body and he felt generally stiff from sleeping against a tree but it seemed Yanagi hadn't graced him with any fresh injuries. He'd have to check for his wallet, though, when he got the chance. When there wasn't anyone there to scrutinize his ever action.

"Might I ask what brought you out here?" Kakashi was cool and collected, no surprise there, "You know the Hokage doesn't think so highly of personal vendettas."

"And I suppose you would be strong enough to capture someone who was capable enough to defeat even me?" Itachi couldn't help but be a tad bit smug. None of these Anbu could even touch his ability, not even Kakashi and his fake eye.

"It's pretty convenient that we ended up in the same area, though," Kakashi remained rather nonchalant about the situation, "Considering you have no memory of who your attacker was."

That sent Itachi for a jolt. He had been so incredibly confident that he had control of the game that he hadn't even planned out an entirely convincing bluff. No doubt his subordinates would pick that apart. He would have to be certain they didn't see through his stone façade.

"If I didn't know any better, Itachi-kun," that superior tone made him wretch inside, "One might think you were hiding something."

"What would I have to lie about?" Itachi rose to his feet, his knee felt stiff, "Further, why does it surprise you that a shinobi of the Uchiha Clan would have the instinct to hunt someone down?"

The reminder of who he was and where he came from was none too subtle a hint, nor was the underlying threat. Kakashi, being who he was, still managed to appear unimpressed, even when his fellow squad members grew more outwardly tense.

"I'm not surprised in the least," Kakashi answered, "that you could find a young girl."

Itachi managed to fight off a scowl. A ninja must never show emotion. Kakashi was good, very good. Unfortunately for him, he was facing the representative of the Uchiha Clan and there could be no one better. Itachi simply could not allow himself to be caught, not that wretched little girl either. But perhaps she was already their prisoner…? No, she wasn't the type to lie down without a decent body count. That much, he was certain of.

Itachi imagined the Anbu would continue the battle of wills and words, waiting for him to make a mistake. That was, until a rustle in the tree above caught their attention. Without warning, a kunai was launched into the branches only to be followed by an oppressive pause of silence. The Anbu prepared for possible retaliation but were only rewarded with a skewered squirrel dropping to the forest floor. It was an animal native to the area, as far as anyone knew, but the best course of action was to check if it was simply a transformation jutsu.

Sure enough, though, it was just a fuzzy lump of matted, scarlet-stained gray fur pierced through with a knife. Another Anbu prepared to explore the actual branches to make sure no one was hiding up there but Kakashi called him off. "If anyone had been there, that person is long gone by now. We'll take our leave here," he turned his back to Itachi, "I assume someone of your caliber can find his own way back."

Kakashi looked over the weapon heavy with animal blood. Its point was dulled and its edges chipped and cracked in places. This was a weapon that knew blood well. He made sure to hold onto it in complete confidentiality. This was his and Itachi's little secret.

I know your lying.

And I'm going to find out why.

In a cloud of smoke, the Anbu were gone and away from Itachi's ears. Only now could the others find their tongues. "Kakashi-sempai, was that wise?" a feminine voice was muffled by the mask, "To speak so coldly to Itachi-kun? He's the heir to the Uchiha-"

"I'm not intimidated by who he is or who they are. I'm still in the Clan's good graces, somehow," his hand absently ghosted over the left side of his face, over the eye, "He may be a great prodigy, but even Itachi must obey the rules as a Leaf ninja."

* * *

Itachi felt like sighing, a characteristic that was rather uncommon for himself. Kakashi was just playing with him now and they both knew it. He was just waiting for Itachi to make a mistake. That simply wasn't an option now, though. There wasn't anyone left in that village who might offer the challenge he needed, save for maybe the Uchiha Clan themselves. But to ask for help from them would show weakness and undoubtedly be seen as an insult. He needed to become stronger or else face further disgrace to the Clan.

Even if it meant harboring the murderer of a fellow Leaf shinobi.

Some rustling indicated his bane's descent from the tree but he hadn't really been surprised to know she was still around. He had picked up on her nearly non-existent chakra after that kunai had been tossed in her direction. No doubt the others had, too. Itachi shook his head. It would do him no good to contemplate too heavily on what the Anbu actually had in mind for him. If he could become even stronger, then it would help Konoha and the Clan. An unorthodox approach, yes, but one likely to bear highly coveted fruit. He doubted they would mind if it was useful in the long run.

"You really are a weirdo," Yanagi leaned backward, hands on hips, until she heard a satisfying pop, "Why the hell 'ya keep coverin' for me? They could smell you was a liar from a mile away."

Itachi had intended to answer that question, relatively. But the glint of crimson that caught his eye pulled at his attention instead. He knew now where the other kunai went, settled firmly in Yanagi's thigh. It seemed she absently noticed it as well and pulled it out with a rather unceremonious yank. As he assumed, pain wasn't a remote deterrent in her mind. She then proceeded to focus attention on skinning the squirrel; evidently she decided it to be her next meal.

"It was impressive of you to use that animal as a decoy, even after being injured."

"It wasn't a decoy. I was just hungry," she quipped, seemingly far more engrossed in her task than the conversation at hand. Even preoccupied, she somehow seemed rather relaxed and contented with the situation. She was far better at it than Kakashi. "I didn't really care if they caught me or not, anyway."

Itachi's mood darkened at that statement. It was understandable to a point that perhaps she, being a simple countryside girl, didn't fully comprehend the magnitude of his decision to hide her. Maybe she didn't know the consequences he would face if found out. Perhaps she didn't realize what the Anbu would have done to her if she had been taken prisoner.

"And what wouldyou have done if you were captured?"

"I'd just kill them all."

There was no boasting in her words, no showmanship. She was completely confident she could take on all those elite warriors without a second thought. Either she was a complete fool or unbelievably dangerous. Itachi's instincts led him to believe it was likely the latter. He had to know…

His knuckles caught her cheek sharply and she smacked her temple into the tree waiting on the other side. Yanagi had been stunned by the attack and was slowly wobbling to her unsteady feet. Once she could relatively reestablish her balance, her ferocious eyes found him again. She was certainly strong but her reflexes were dim. Unless she was focusing completely on a fight, she lacked the great speed she had shown during their first encounter. She definitely was still a clumsy and untrained fighter in some respects.

" 'The hell was that for?" she growled. Irritably she wiped off the blood running from her scalp with the back of her hand.

"I want to know what it is you live for," Itachi answered blankly, "Why do you struggle and put yourself in situations where you are constantly wounded? What drives you to live when you are forced to scrounge for every meal? When you have no place to call home?"

" 'Cause this is all I ever had."

In return, Yanagi clocked him solidly in the face and knocked him to the ground. She seemed to be as furious as she could manage appearing; Itachi's eyes found what they might describe as resentment sewn seamlessly into her features.

"If you have such better things waitin' back home, what're you doin' here?"

Itachi thought briefly of his brother but shook off the afterimage. The countless other pictures burned into his mind by the Sharingan were enough to brush aside any lingering sense of doubt. He knew perfectly well his Clan needed his power and image to support their reputation. And when he returned, he had every intention of presenting improved versions of both. But Itachi knew it wasn't actually him at all that concerned the Uchiha Clan. A shinobi was merely the arms and legs of whomever they served. They were not an actual person in they eyes of their superiors.

"Nothing waits for me there."

Itachi hastily pulled himself to his feet and spat out the copper taste of blood assailing his tongue. The little brat of a girl really did pack a mighty punch. This time Itachi did sigh and turned away. "We should head to the nearest village," he decided and sensed her growing skepticism, "I'll find you something better to eat."

Yanagi made a noncommittal noise which he decided could be taken for agreement. She also seemed to be following him, albeit begrudgingly, but he supposed it was still a good sign. He paused a moment as something occurred to him. Yanagi was strong but probably had never truly been hunted before. "When you're looking for food, it's dangerous to eat anything that leaves behind remains. Any kind of trail only makes you an easier target."

"Oh."

So she actually hadn't known that. She really was an amateur child at this, though who would have expected anything more from her? Before she met him, she hadn't needed to worry about hiding. It was just as the whisperings of Konoha said: everything the Uchiha touched, only destruction followed. Sadly, he could not argue with the old gossiping bints this time. The nature of the shinobi meant to do exactly that. Destroy. And like all other things, the Uchiha Clan was far too proficient at it.

"You should take off that damn headband. It's way more noticeable than animal bones."

Itachi blanched wholeheartedly. The forehead protector had become so keenly apart of his identity as a ninja that he hadn't even given a second thought to it. Perhaps some part of him was no less of a child than his unusual companion. He unfastened it with some hesitation before slipping it away into his pouch, an unknown sense flooding his veins.

"I wanna stay at an inn," Yanagi announced, earning a sideways glance, "It's been a long, long time since I slept indoors."

Itachi could feel a slight twinge of irritation but his habit of silence was far too ingrained for him to say so. Considering he likely gave the kid a concussion, it probably wouldn't do too much harm to pay for a room. It would most likely be in his best interest to keep her mood agreeable. This lost little kitten had sharp claws and could turn on him at any time, should she deem it necessary. If he kept Yanagi dry and fed, she would likely remain somewhat compliant to his demands.

* * *

He made sure to keep his hackles raised at all times once inside the village limits. There was always the chance of being spotted by the Anbu and being caught in a public place would further the damage to the Uchiha name. It was strange, though, to walk through a town and not earn so much as even a glance. Without anything to identify him as a member of the Leaf or the Uchiha prodigy, he simply faded into the background of this gray land.

The anonymity of it, the simple and quiet freedom…

He likedit.

Was this what it was like for her, he wondered, the peace and quiet.

He didn't miss the mild scrutiny of the hostess when they arrived at the inn. Two young people soaked and showing signs of a scuffle probably earned at least one raised eyebrow no matter what the establishment was like. It wasn't a luxurious place, to say the least, but Itachi hadn't intended on staying the night. Indulging Yanagi's every whim would make her spoiled and therefore useless. He needed to keep her sharp. They would only dry off, eat a little, and rest a little. It was too big of a risk to stay in one place, anyway.

The room itself was drafty, its wood soft and rotted. But surprisingly there was functional kotatsu* situated in the middle of the room. Moreover, it seemed Yanagi had never once been introduced to such an item. Itachi supposed that this village, being near Fire Country's northeast boarder, must have had some influences reach here by now. It also led him to believe that Yanagi was also an import to the area.

Even though the heat of the kotatsu seemed comforting, Itachi took up residence against the window. An escape route. It also kept a safe distance from Yanagi, should she try to catch him off-guard. For now, she was enthralled with the idea of the table and the food they purchased. Proving to still be a child at heart, she had requested a chance to try dango and Itachi let her do as she pleased. Though he refused to share in her sampling of new foods. Somewhere in his faded book of memories, he recalled a member of the Clan mentioning that sweet things were for kids and not warriors.

Itachi never tried dango.

Somewhere in the midst of watching the strange child before him, Itachi's mind slipped away into sleep and dreams. The stench was horrendously filling and made the back of his eyes water involuntarily. His hands felt likes stones hanging from his arms, the blood hadn't yet dried. He had been told that these people were part of a large crime family. They were a terrible threat to the Leaf and to all lands. "Don't feel guilty about your actions," he was told.

The infant squirmed towards its unmoving mother, the woman who would never hold it again. Like a worm, it slithered along the ground and soaked itself the most unsightly shade of red. All to be held.

This person will grow up and want revenge.

End it now.

Itachi cut down the worm. Its tiny fingers were frozen, always seeking those damn arms. He did the right thing, stopping the weak and clinging from evolving. No one held ever him. No one let him be weak. His mother would sometimes tremble in his presence. His fingers grasped blisteringly tight to his weapon, an unknown wave coursed through him. He brought the blade down again. And again. And again. And-

Later he was told a lot of clichés. It had to be done for the greater good. It was better safe than sorry. It was the responsibility of the ninja to follow all orders. But something was passed onto him that he hadn't forgotten to this day.

It is a child that always becomes the greatest of threats.

* * *

Itachi woke with a start. His hand stung mildly and he stared blankly at the burn on the back of it. Yanagi sat back on her haunches with a crushed cigarette between her fingers.

It is a child that always becomes the greatest of threats.

 "You sleep too expressive," she grumbled before crawling back to the warmth of the kotatsu.

"I was remembering something," he murmured idly as he attempted to regain his wits, "I always remember…"

"About what?"

"Home."

"Heh. Seems like a shitty place to me," Yanagi rested her head against her folded arms, the heat already made her drowsy.

Itachi found himself wanting to agree but couldn't find the words to say so. They never allowed him to think such and now he wasn't sure if he even knew how. It wasn't so terrible, he had to believe. He was well-respected, so long as he carried out their every demand. They had trained him to become a powerful shinobi, even if he might have lost something he couldn't quite place his finger on. The nightma-memories would surely be easier to cope with in due time.

"It's an…oppressive place," he whispered.

"Then why not leave?" her eyes were already closed.

"Because it's all I have."

* "Kotatsu" - Japanese tables are traditionally low to the ground. A kotatsu is this type of table with a heater and has a blanket to cover the legs with.