Akira Hikaru walked down the well-worn road, eyes closed against the bright afternoon sun. Despite the fact that her eyes were closed, she knew it was bright because of the warmth on her skin. The walking stick that she always carried with her tapped from side to side in front of her, ensuring that she wouldn't trip on anything that perhaps wasn't there the day before. Suddenly she heard voices- voices that could only belong to the village's other children who would bully her. Dread filled her body and she knew that this was another one of those times where nor the mothers nor fathers were around to scold their children for such acts.
"Hey! It's that dumb blind girl!" One of them jeered.
"Did you learn anything today at school?" Another asked.
"How can she learn anything when she can't see?" Yet a third one replied sassily.
They all began to shove, kick, and punch her, throwing her around from one to the next in the little circle. A tear fell from her eye as she gritted her teeth, vowing not to call attention to either her or them. She had learned the hard way that if she did, the next day of bullying would be even worse. In her mind, she sent a silent plea to whomever could rescue her, despite the fact that she had prayed for such countless times before with no results.
"Such an invalid! She can't even defend herself!" The oldest of them sneered, laughing at her.
His comment burned. She could defend herself, after all she had been an ANBU for several years before the accident that claimed her sight, but if she did, she would be exiled for abusing other children. Even though she knew that exile would be better than this, she had nowhere to go, and surely no other villages would take her in.
Suddenly they all fell silent and stopped pushed her around. Akira knew that someone else, perhaps an adult, was nearby or even heading their way, for that was the only time they would stop.
Thankfulness swept through her in a small fire of hope. She tilted her head and listened, but she could only hear the children breathing. Perhaps it was a ninja? But then in the next instant she thought not, because one of them shoved her to the ground and then they took off running. She sighed and laid there in the middle of the road, allowing the tears to fall as she began to feel the extreme pain throughout her body. The village's children had been particularly brutal today. She knew she was bleeding in some places; she could feel the sticky warmth. Akira began to feel a little light-headed from the loss of blood and with a gusty sigh- one that hurt her bruised and maybe even broken ribs to do so- she was about to succumb to passing out.
"Would you like my assistance?" A male voice spoke. She knew it wasn't one of the villagers, because this person had a different accent.
"No." Akira whispered. "Please, leave me."
"Hm." was the person's stoic answer, and she heard the unrolling of bandages. Gentle hands began to prod at her wounds, yet not hard enough to cause more pain. "You think you are a burden, and in turn do not wish to bother others with yourself." His words struck a chord in her, it was very much the truth indeed.
He ceased talking for a moment, but before she replied, he started again. "Your wounds will need to be cleaned, but for now this will have to do. I'm afraid I didn't bring anything with me, I left it at home."
"Are you a doctor?" She asked.
When he replied, she could hear the smirk in his voice. "No, I am not. But I know how to heal."
She nodded and was silent for a moment. "My name is Akira Hikaru. What is your name?"
"Uchiha Itachi." He sighed. "Why do you keep your eyes closed?"
She flushed and turned her head away. "Because," she halted when her voice squeaked, "I find no use in keeping them open."
"It is none of my business to pry, my apologies. If you want to tell me, you will in your own free time." He responded, turning his attention back to wrapping up the more serious wounds. "You used to be in the ANBU, am I correct?"
Akira stiffened. "And if I was?" Her answer was guarded.
"Nothing of it, it's just I know some of these scars." He went on. "For instance, this one right here," he gently touched one on her lower leg, "was caused by a fireball Jutsu."
"The Uchiha are well-known for their fire Jutsus. Perhaps it was you who caused it, that's how you know how it was caused." She started to inch away slowly, not liking the way the conversation was going.
"Relax, and stop moving. Moving will just aggravate your injuries, and we can't have that. Besides, you and I both know that I didn't cause it." He murmured lowly, finishing wrapping up the last bandage. "There, that's done. Now, grab onto my arm. I'll use a teleportation Jutsu, it's easier." He didn't add that it was easier than trying to either carry her or guide a blind girl down the road, but she sensed it was implied.
But instead of holding onto his arm like he requested, she opened her unseeing eyes and stared at him. "I'm blind. Everyone considers me a burden or invalid or creepy, sometimes mentally unstable. Why are you so keen on helping me? Don't you know that helping me will only get yourself in trouble?"
He was silent for a moment, and she wondered if he was going to leave or if he was just thinking.
After several long moments, he spoke. "If you want to know who you are, you have to look at your real self and acknowledge what you see. There are two types of sight; one who is only focused on the physical aspects, or one who sees the world in an entirely different way. Which one are you, the seer or the feeler?"
She knew what he meant, knew what he was asking. "The feeler. I've learned that not everything is experienced through sight, it's experienced through emotions, thoughts, and feelings."
"Then that's all that matters." He formed some hand signs, ones that she could not see but she could sense. It was in that moment that she did something that she felt almost guided to do- she grabbed onto his cloak. Even though she couldn't see it, he gave Akira a small smile and formed the final hand sign.
Then they were home.