Full Summary
Hikari Phoenix, a girl taken in by the Akatsuki at a very young age, has become a ninja that goes beyond Anbu level with the help of her friends and teachers among the Akatsuki and around the world. Having ties to many dangerous and mysterious people would bring most people to the brink of insanity, but surprisingly, Hikari doesn't mind. In fact, she seems kinder and more caring than any other person. She once only craved power but soon found out that there was something greater than that.
Her blank memory from the age of 6 and younger is still a mystery but she's not overly concerned. "The past is behind us." All she wants now is to reawaken the love that she and a certain Uchiha once shared so long ago and to reunite with her best friends from Konoha. She knows that Sasuke is long gone because of his brother but she still had Naruto.
What would happen if Pein were to assign her and Itachi a mission to infiltrate Konoha? Worse, they would be forced to stay there for six months straight. Forced to stay in a place where their darkest memories and greatest moments took place, at least for Hikari that is. And what would happen if she found out that Sasuke was actually alive after all these years? Is their any chance of restoring their friendship? What about Itachi and Hikari's past relationship? Is it time for her to finally move on or will she find someone special in Konoha?
Follows the Manga almost completely. The only differences are the extra scenes. Everything else is the same.
Heart of a Phoenix
Prologue: The Past and the Future
No ones Pov
Two cloaked figures walked silently through a forest. It rained continuously from the night sky but they didn't mind it. The tallest figure was a man in his early 20's. He had spiky red hair and piercing all over his face. The other figure was a slightly younger woman with cerulean hair and piercing eyes. Red clouds were sewn into their cloaks.
They walked on for a few moments but stopped when they noticed something in a clearing. The man approached the figure and saw a young girl, no more than 6 years old unconscious and curled up. She had wounds all over her body and she was gripping a kunai with all her might.
He looked to the woman apathetically and she nodded in response to the question in his eyes. He picked up the girl and held her firmly in his arms. They both made a hand sign and transported.
Girl's Pov
I woke up to the sound and warmth of a crackling fire. I didn't open my eyes. I had an almost unbearable headache and I didn't know what was happening. I couldn't think of anything. I had no idea where I was or why I was here. No ones name or face came to mine. The only thing I remembered was passing out in the rain. But it wasn't raining anymore.
I opened my auburn eyes slightly as the pain subsided and looked around silently. A fire glowed beside me and a woman sat beside it on the opposite side of me. Her lilac hair fell passed her shoulders and it reflected in the moonlight. A man stood against a tree close by me. Both their eyes were closed as if they were in deep thought. They both wore black cloaks with red cloud designs.
I sat up quietly as I pushed the blanket off of me gently. I kept my eyes fixated on the man as I moved in the opposite direction, trying to get away, but to no prevail. I stepped on a twig and it snapped loudly and both their eyes flew open and they stared at me. I froze, terrified of their sharp gazes.
The man stood tall and I turned to face him. A second passed and he was right in front of me and his hand gripped both my wrists firmly and his other hand was at my throat. He held me firmly but not hard enough to hurt. In another second I was pinned to the tree he was leaning on earlier. I was hanging above the ground and his rough hand around my throat started to shorten my breathing.
I struggled, trying to get free. I kicked him as best as I could and I attempted to pull my hands from his grip. He seemed to ignore my strife as he kept his eyes on mine. I couldn't take my eyes away from his. They bored into the depths of my mind it seemed and no emotion was seen in his.
After a while I thrashed a little harder as I took my eyes from his. "Let me go!" I exclaimed as I kicked him hard in the stomach. He tensed slightly at the impact but he didn't show any pain. Instead, he gripped my throat harder and I could barely catch a breath.
I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing while I thought of an idea. Seeing no way to get out I finally stopped struggling and glared daggers at the man. He kept his composed demeanor at all times and his apathetic eyes didn't change.
"What do you want," I gasped, trying to breathe. He didn't say anything, instead he let go of my hands and I moved quickly. I reached up to my throat and held myself up to keep from choking. I closed my eyes and opened them quickly, activating my Sharingan.
He finally made a gesture. A smirk of course. "You're a spirited one, aren't you?" he stated impassively. I only frowned at the statement and tried to pull his hand away. . "And you have the Sharingan. Perhaps you are an Uchiha?" His smirk grew wider and his eyes bored deeper into mine. His hand didn't budge and I closed my eyes in defeat and sighed. I couldn't do anything more.
"What do you want with me?" I asked again without fear. I didn't open my eyes and I kept my voice low.
"I merely want an answer to why you were unconscious in a forest in the midst of a downpour," he replied. He tightened his grip when I didn't answer and I opened my eyes as I pulled myself up higher to breathe.
"I… don't remember," I said honestly as I looked into his eyes bravely. Deep down I was terrified that he was going to kill me. To my surprise he dropped me and I hit the ground with a thud. I looked up at him and glared. His smirk faded and he bent down to my eye level.
"Tell me…," he said lowly. "What's your name?" I hesitated as I looked from him to the woman and back.
"H-Hikari," I replied as I pressed myself back against the tree, wanting to get away, but not knowing why.
"Your last name?" he pressed. "Are you an Uchiha?"
"I don't know," I said quietly as I averted my crimson eyes from his. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. I cringed at his touch but didn't attempt to make a move.
"Don't know," he pulled a kunai from his cloak and pressed it against my throat. "Or won't tell?" I let my fear show for a slight second then tried to compose myself but it didn't work. He saw the fear in my eyes and smirked.
"I don't know!" I replied loudly, shaking slightly as the cold metal almost pierced my skin. He let me go swiftly and lifted me up by the arm until I was standing. The woman rose and walked over to us swiftly.
She did several hand signs and I made sure to copy them with my Sharingan. She placed a hand on my forehead and I felt dizzy. After a moment she lifted her hand and looked slightly startled. She looked to the man as I fell forward from the feeling in my head. He caught me in his firm arms and sat me down.
"Amnesia," she said softly. "From what I can tell, she is missing all memory of people and past events. She may be a part of the Uchiha clan but I find that unlikely. We are no where close to Konoha and they wouldn't let a mere child travel alone or even leave the village without a guardian."
He looked back to me and seemed to study my appearance. "The only resemblance to an Uchiha is her body built and her Sharingan," he said with his normal tone. "Other than that she is completely different." I managed to look up at him, still feeling the effects of the woman's jutsu.
"Pein, what's your opinion?" She asked. He didn't remove his gaze from me.
"…She could be of some use to us," he replied as he bent down again. I became fully aware now as his face inched closer to mine until we were less than a foot away. "Hikari… come with us."
I looked at them both, trying to look unafraid. "Why should I?" I asked quickly, earning a glare from him. I picked up my sole kunai and held it firmly. It was different. It was black with a red rose design wrapped around it and the rose's "thorns" stuck out of the knife less than half a millimeter. It didn't hurt to hold but it would be painful to squeeze.
"Because," he began. I was quickly pinned to the ground on my stomach and he had one foot on my middle back and he pressed down hard. His hand held the kunai again and his other hand arched my neck up so the kunai rested right underneath my throat. My kunai lay uselessly at my side. "You're weak."
I became extremely angry and scared all at once. "I am not weak!" I screamed childishly. "Get off me! I'll prove it!" Pein, to my surprise was off and I was standing without knowing what had happened. He was standing across from me. Suddenly, he appeared behind me and I quickly turned and flipped backwards. I threw my only kunai at him and he blocked it easily.
I charged at him and attempted to punch him. He moved quickly and I managed to follow him barely with my Sharingan. He hit me hard in the side and I crashed into another tree. I looked up at him angrily. I was blinded by my new found hate for him. I jumped up quickly and swung wildly and missed when he disappeared. He pinned me to the ground in the same position as I was in earlier.
"Slow reflexes… Barely able to use your Sharingan…. Blinded by anger easily. You are weak." His voice held serious authority and I almost started to tear.
He released me slowly and stood in front of me. I didn't bother moving, knowing that he was in charge of this situation. He lifted my chin up and said something that shocked me.
"I can make you stronger," he said seriously. "Will you come with me?" He offered me his hand as I sat up and looked at him in astonishment. His face was deadly solemn as he looked me in the eyes. I looked to the woman and she had a solemn face on as she looked at me.
I looked back to the man. "You'll make me stronger?" I asked in disbelief. There had to be a catch. "Who are you and what are you thinking?" He blinked slowly as if in thought.
"Pein," he said evenly. "As for what I'm thinking about…You'll have to figure it out yourself." He smirked evilly and I gulped involuntarily which caused him to chuckle slightly. Seeing that I had no other choice I grabbed his hand and he helped me up.
"Fine. I'll play your game," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance, still hating the man. "But, only if you promise to give me power." I smirked and he looked at me slyly.
"I swear that I will bring out your full potential," he says impassively. Konan nodded in agreement as she stepped towards us. And with that all three of us disappeared into the night.