Chapter One

Chinastu Haruno, former ANBU captain, lay on a tree branch, balancing her entire body. She was a good eighty feet from the ground, but she remained unperturbed. At first glance, it would be hard to recognize this young female kunoichi as the older sister of Sakura Haruno, the young, naïve girl; whom she adored. Being sisters, they shared a very striking resemblance. Both had bright pink hair, although Chinastu's was softer and much longer, reaching past her waist with a full fringe to obscure her forehead. She had had it pulled into a single braid, with a few stray locks framing her face.

Unlike their brother, Osamu, he had possessed their mother's blonde hair and their father's blue eyes, a perfect combination that had made him a heart throb during his days in the academy.

Her skin was much fairer, her lips fuller, not to mention she was curvaceous and well-endowed, though this was hidden underneath her sleeveless turtleneck top and mesh armor underneath. The twisting tattoo that all ANBU wore was placed upon her arm. Her headband was worn around her neck.

While Sakura's eyes were an emerald green, Chinastu had inherited their father's blue eyes, which her younger sister was quite envious of when they used to live together.

She was twenty-one now. After leaving home a while back, along with her brother, Osamu, Sakura had become depressed because the only two whom she'd come to admire had left her behind. It wasn't easy, since the Haruno siblings spent their childhood doting on one another and being as close as possible to each other.

Osamu and Chinastu sent their younger sister letters, which the latter was always thankful to receive. Chinastu smiled, remembering Sakura's earlier letters. She'd risen in ranks quickly, becoming a skilled medical-nin under the most powerful kunoichi in the world, Tsunade, one of The Legendary Sanin. Tsunade had also been Chinastu's mentor as well. Chinastu's blue eyes softened and saddened as she let out a small sigh. She missed her family. If only she had spent more time visiting them...

She looked up just in time to see her hawk come soaring forward. She held out a gloved hand so that it could perch there.

"Daydreaming again, milady?" The slightly sarcastic voice of the winged creature asked.

"You could say that...did you complete your assignment, Shippū?"

"Yes, milady. I've scoped the entire area. No trace of enemies as far as I can tell."

Chinastu nodded. She disappeared, spreading through the trees like a spirit, the still air making no more noise as she did. Suddenly, Shippū spoke.

"Milady, I sense strong chakra signatures. Their level of chakra—Akatsuki."

Chinastu caught the shuriken that burst from the trees. She jumped to the left. She sensed the chakra signatures, two of them, only one of which she knew.

Can't be...

Chinastu leapt forward towards one man. His red Sharingan shined through to her. She threw four shuriken, watching them hit the tree that had been behind Itachi as he disappeared. She felt his presence behind her as she pulled her sword from its sheath a few inches, stopping the kunai launched at her back. She sheathed the sword as she flipped backwards.

"Hm. I knew it was you...Itachi."

"Hm."

They stood facing each other.

"I didn't think we'd cross paths like this...Chinastu."

She frowned.

"How did you find me?"

He didn't say anything, typical male. He hadn't changed a bit. He was still the same as she had known him before he had slaughtered his entire clan.

"Does it matter?" His tone was cold, flat and devoid of emotion.

She watched a tall man with blue tinted skin and large sword step beside Itachi. She knew him as Kisame, one of the swordsmen her brother had told her about when they were kids, usually stories he'd try to scare her with but to no success.

"So, this is the girl our leader wants to recruit. She's kind of cute, Itachi. From what I've heard so far you two much know each other."

Of course they knew each other. They'd met and became friends on their first day into the ninja academy when they were still kids. They soon started hanging out and practicing shuriken together. She'd become so close to him that the next thing that hit her, she'd fallen in love.

Until that night...

"Recruit...huh?" she smirked in amusement. "Trying to get me to join your little party I see. Well, if you want me, you're going to have to beat me first."

Chinastu swiftly and agilely dodged their attacks, countering them with her own. She had received a cut from Kisame, but smiled, relishing in the slight sting she'd received. She shot up her leg, aiming it for his midsection. It smacked against his forearm and she cursed.

Itachi and Chinastu locked eyes. He blinked as though he were unsure as to believe it himself. This had been his only female friend when he'd still lived in Konoha. He grabbed for Chinastu's wrist, snapping her around. She cursed herself. Blue met crimson in a moment. His eyes began to swirl hypnotically. She tried to close her eyes, but to no avail.

She caught flashes of her own life inside of her mind.

She was in a dark room, the moon's light providing the only kind of light so that she could see the faces of her parents and siblings. Itachi was standing behind all of them, his sword poised in the air.

"NO!" she screamed. "Please don't kill them! Whatever you want I'll give it to you, you don't need to do this! Itachi!"

She watched the blood spray into the air, her family members falling down in heaps. She screamed a blood-curdling scream.

Chinastu went limp in Itachi's arms. He carried her bridal style, watching her features. Memories of their childhood plagued him. He shook that feeling off, wondering why he was remembering these events. Itachi nodded. Their bodies flickered with Chinastu in tow.