Title: Black Strips
Author: AppleL0V3R (was previously Sharingan-Youkai's)
Fandom: Naruto and InuYasha
Pairing: Uchiha, Itachi and Haruno, Sakura
Chapter: One – Set A Task, Never Refuse
Rating: T
Type: Story – Incomplete
Summary: Itachi meets Midoriko, she sets him a task that he refuses and pays the price. He has to guard Haruno, Sakura...as an over grown cat!
Word Count: 1,220
Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before then it's obviously not mine.
Note: This was originally Sharingan-Youkai's but she decided to quit it and put it up for grabs. I liked it so I took it. The first three chapters were originally one chapter but when I did all the revising and such that I wanted to it turned out to be a lot longer and leaving it like that would leave a horrible unbalance between it and what was originally chapter two (now chapter four) so I broke it up into three chapters.
Itachi's thoughts will be in italics.
To Sharingan-Youkai: I did make a few changes. Nothing major just spelling and grammar errors that I fixed and I also kicked out your comments. Well, except I decided that I didn't want Kakashi dead. I personally like the guy so I did personalize this fic. I hope you don't mind. But also, I wanted to say that this Itachi doesn't fit in with my normal Itachis, this one is brash, arrogant, impolite and, well, just everything that I don't like to portray him as because I don't think it coincides with his character. So I've decided to go back and change lines and stuff, the idea will remain intact, I'm just going to use it in a different way. Again, I hope you don't mind.
..:Xx0o0xX:..
The night was quiet, too quiet. Two figures clad in black cloaks stalked through the forest. Silently moving between trees, snow crunching soundlessly beneath their sandaled feet. Their hot breath turning white in the cold. Soon they came to a temple, old and beaten down over the years it was half buried in white snow and the entrance was covered. The shorter figure of the two performed a number of familiar hand seals quickly. The snow covering the entrance melted rapidly as fire burst from his lungs through his mouth. With the entrance revealed, they moved into the temple. Moving with the stealth they'd both been raised on, they entered into a single large room that was the temple itself. The walls were wooden and bare, the floor was wet. The only thing that stood out from the beaten room was a pedestal glowing with an ethereal light. Upon that pedestal lay a pink jewel with its power concealed within.
The taller figure blinked, frowning slightly. "This seems too easy." He stated quietly. His companion, upon hearing his remark, nodded.
"Something isn't right." He replied, stepping forwards cautiously. Another few steps later he stood before the pedestal. Crimson eyes scanned the surrounding area for any possible traps once more; he saw nothing but an inhuman chakra radiating from within the pink stone. His partner stood beside him, tense and ready. Uchiha, Itachi moved to lift the stone from its place, but moved quickly out of the way as a large gust that could have been potentially dangerous blew through where he'd been standing moments prior. Before him, standing in front of the pedestal stood a tall raven-haired woman. She had chocolate brown eyes that were currently staring into his own, a timeless look set in them. She was clad in feudal era armor, wielding a sword in one hand.
"Who are you?" he asked quietly as he drew a kunai, slightly bending his knees and balancing on the balls of his heels.
The woman frowned. "I am the Priestess Midoriko, creator and guardian of the Shikon no Tama. And you, Uchiha, Itachi will not attain it."
Kisame blinked, a motion Itachi had caught out of the corner of his eyes. It wasn't out of surprise, but more out of curiosity.
"How do you know my name?" he asked flatly, his partner standing ready by his side.
Midoriko laughed. "My boy your arrival has been predicted for centuries!"
Now that had really taken him off guard. Predicted for centuries? Who the hell was this woman and what did he have to do with anything?
He watched her with intense eyes, careful not to miss a single detail. She was clearly someone powerful in her own right. "Predicted? By who?"
Midoriko smiled an ominous but still all-knowing smile. "By me, you are the chosen one." Itachi raised an eyebrow at this, he didn't believe in things like destiny and 'chosen ones'. Midoriko sighed. "You have been chosen by the council to guard my reincarnation, Haruno, Sakura."
Itachi titled his head. "And what makes you so sure I'll do that?" The words were spoken with curious lilt more than a mocking one but it his tone would imply it all the same. He didn't care though, it didn't matter to him how others perceived him after all.
Midoriko glared; clearly she'd heard the condescending tone instead of the intrigued one. "It is your destiny Uchiha, Itachi, you have been chosen for a task and you will set out to complete it! She is very powerful, but her power is not tamed and she is completely unaware of her true nature. I will tell her when the time comes, but until that day you will find her, guard her with your life and train her in the ways of the sword."
Itachi narrowed his eyes. His irritation igniting at being ordered what to do with his life. Mission orders were one thing, life orders were a whole other. He'd gotten more that enough of those from his late clan members and wasn't about to roll over and do as some priestess ordains him to.
"And if I refuse?" It was the same tone as before but it had more of a steel bit to it.
"If you refuse, you will spend everyday and every night as a beast."
Itachi frowned, no longer in the mood to indulge in her games. "You hold no power over me." he glowered warningly, the pinwheel in his eyes spin with growing anger. "Now, step aside, I have no business with you or your games, only the jewel behind you."
Midoriko scowled at him with hard eyes. "So be it, only when the moon is full in the sky will you turn human, but for every other moment you will spend as a beast until your task is completed. I am disappointed in you Itachi, but you leave me with no alternative."
There was a blinding blast of light then and but before it was gone unconsciousness had claimed Itachi, his body thrown out into the cold snow. Kisame was thrown with him.
Midoriko shook her head, this was going to be more complicated and difficult task than she'd originally intended. Well, it was her fault for choosing someone of his character and history, but she knew it was necessary for what she had planned. Not too mention that she had a feeling Sakura was going to be just as impossible. Well, it was part of the job description she supposed. And then she was gone with the jewel.