Vision
- He was always there. One day, she decided to talk to him.
*.*.*.*.*
Sarada wasn't a normal girl.
Though her parents weren't anything but normal too. Her mother had inhuman strength that rivaled no one else, stronger than her shishou, the Godaime. She was also the top Medic in all five nations.
And her father with his not-so-normal visual prowess, incredible strength, speed, and power that only the Nanadaime can defeat.
It was to be expected that their only daughter wouldn't be just 'normal'.
But there was one thing she could do that her parents couldn't. Not even her brilliant prodigy of a father.
She could see dead people. Whenever walking down the streets alone, she'd usually she things she wasn't supposed to. Hollow, almost see through bodies follow normal humans around like a tail.
It scared her at first. And it scared her friends more.
The first time she ever pointed it out, she was four, and she was with Boruto, the Hokage's son. Her Godfather and his wife were on their usual visit to her and her pink haired mother. Her auntie Hinata was holding a two year old Himawari in her arms, and right beside Hinata, was a pale, long haired man who looked desperate to hold the little girl.
"Boruto, who is that?" Sarada whispered to the blonde.
"Ha? Who?" The boy stopped whatever he was doing and turned to look at wherever Sarada was pointing. "That's mom and Hima."
"No, the other man. He looks just like auntie Hinata."
"Ha?!" Boruto's eyes widened. "Oka-chan, Sarada's being creepy!" He dramatically pointed at his friend.
"Oi Boruto! That's not very nice!" Naruto berated. "Gomen, Sarada-chan, he doesn't mean that." He apologized to the little girl.
"...I was just asking who he was." Sarada once again pointed at Hinata's side. "The man who looks just like auntie Hinata."
"Eh?" Hinata's eyes widened as she whipped her head beside her. "T-There's no one there Sarada-chan." Sarada's eyes squinted.
"No he's there. He's pointing at Hima-chan."
Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura only looked at each other before smiling sadly.
Sarada had come to know that the man's name was Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's older cousin who died in the war. He was her uncle Naruto's good friend, and he was part of the team called Konoha twelve with her parents.
At the time, she didn't understand why Naruto and Hinata looked like they wanted to cry, and why she was the only one who can see the man called Neji.
He wasn't the only one though.
There was another man who was frequently visiting in the Uchiha household. Another long haired man who looked like her, except older. Whenever she was sitting, reading a book, or just being quiet, he was usually at the corner of the room, watching her.
It never scared her. Maybe it was because whenever the weird man was around, she felt calm, and his prescence was more than soothing.
When she was seven, and old enough to understand what the human life cycle actually was, she asked her mother,
"Is papa dead?"
Sakura, who had been chopping tomatoes, cut her finger and hissed in pain. Green chakra began emitting from her hand as she healed herself. "Of course not sweetheart, he's alive. He's just on a mission."
"Does he have long hair?"
"Eh?" Sakura thought back on the last time she saw her husband. "Kind of. Why do you ask?"
"He ties it in a ponytail?"
"No, I don't think its that long yet. Why are you asking?"
Sarada remained quiet. "...Nothing mama."
She wondered who he was. Why he was always watching her? Why did it feel so calming whenever he was around her?
One day, she approached him and asked, "Who are you?"
He looked a bit startled. Then, he smiled. "You can see me?"
"Of course I can. You're always there."
"Ah." His smile widened. "So you have quite the talent. Mother and father would love to meet you." Oh, how he wanted to pat the little girl's head. "My name is Uchiha Itachi."
"Uchiha?" Sarada tilted her head innocently. "You're like me?"
"Yes I am. I'm your uncle." Itachi sat down next to her. The little girl scooted closer to him, eager to know more about him.
"Then... you're papa's brother?"
"Yes."
"Do you know where papa is?"
"No dear. I'm afraid I don't."
Sarada frowned and looked at her sock covered feet. "No one knows where papa is. I don't even know who papa is." She looked at her uncle again. "Why are you dead?"
"Ah... well you see, I wanted to protect the village. Protect its people. And my little brother too. Your father."
"Did you protect it?" She asked innocently.
"In a way, I guess I did." Itachi smiled at her again.
"Then you're a hero then!" Sarada stood on the couch, though her uncle still towered over her. "Uncle Itachi is a hero!" She grinned widely.
"Ah. I guess if my only niece thinks I'm a hero, I should be very happy then."
"Were you strong, Uncle Itachi?" Sarada sat back down, facing her Itachi, her eyes shining with curiosity.
They spent that entire morning talking, mostly Sarada entertaining him with stories about her life at the ninja academy.
"And and and you know what, I scored number one on this year's test too! Mom was so happy!"
"Really? That's great Sarada. I'm proud of you." Itachi's eyes softened. She was such a pure, little girl. She was just like Sasuke... before the massacre.
"...cle? Uncle are you listening?"
"Hm? What did you say?"
"I asked if you knew where Grandfather and Grandmother were. I want to meet them too!"
"Ah..." Itachi thought back to his parents. Oh, how happy his mother would be. If she were alive, she'd spoil the little girl rotten.
And his father... he wouldn't show anyone, but he surely would give Sarada anything she wanted.
"I want to meet them Uncle!"
"Next time Sarada. I'll bring them along. They'll be very happy to meet you." He reached to pat the girl on the head, though futile as his hand just went through to her. She smiled widely nonetheless, but soon frowned.
" But... if you're bringing them along, then they must be dead too?" She looked down again. "Why did they die uncle?"
"Ah... when your enough, I'll tell you."
"When is that?"
"When you become a chuunin perhaps."
"Really?" Her eyes sparkled again. "You promise uncle?!" She beamed at him.
"Yes my dear niece, I promise you." Itachi reached towards her again.
And this time she felt it. It wasn't hard, just a small, light tap on her forehead.
He poked her. Like her mother did when she asked about her father.
She beamed at him even more.
*.*.*.*.*
"Sarada, could you help me bring the groceries in?" Her mother's voice echoed throughout the house. Sarada looked at the door.
"Ah, mama's home. I'll be right back uncle Itachi!" Her small feet jumped her off the couch, almost falling off balance, before running towards the front door.
Itachi just smiled at how adorable his niece was.
"Did you buy extra food mom?" Sarada asked as she took the plastic bags from Sakura's hands.
"Hm? Why? Do you have a friend coming over?"
"No, uncle's here! Look!" Sarada pointed at the direction of the living room, only to find the couch she and Itachi were sitting earlier, empty. "Ah... he's gone..."
Sakura's eyes widened as she look at her daughter, who pouted again.
"... I thought he was gonna join us for lunch."
Sakura pursed her lips together, before placing her hand on Sarada's head. "Why don't you go wash up and come help me get lunch started, ne? I'll even make your favourite!"
The little girl instantly cheered up before nodding and heading towards the second floor.
"Don't run on the stairs Sarada!" The pink haired woman scolded. Smiling to herself, she leaned against the doorframe of the living room. "...I do wonder you know. How many times you've visited my daughter. As you can already tell... she's not like others. She can see you..."
A small gust of wind kissed Sakura's form, as if to notify her of a silent answer.
"Well, I must thank you, for looking after my daughter while I was out. Please come by anythime. She seems to love your company."
Sakura felt a familiar light tap on her forehead. It was barely there. But she felt it.
*.*.*.*.*
Everyone knew how close to Sasuke and Sakura Naruto was. So much, he had his own spare key to their front door and usually just let himself in.
Though he'd always get punched by the lady whenever he dipped his head in their fridge.
So one Sunday afternoon, he let himself in on the intent to deliver some scrolls to Sakura, when he saw little Sarada running to put her shoes on.
"Ah! Lord Hokage!" She noticed his prescence, then looked at the scrolls in his hand/ "Mama's still at the hospital. Is it important?" She asked cutely, Naruto had to stop himself from pinching her cheeks.
"Nope, just came to drop some scrolls Sakura-chan requested. Are you heading off somewhere Sarada-chan?" He asked her.
"Mm!" She nodded. "Uncle Itachi is taking me to see grandpa and grandma! He said they're really looking forward to meet me!" She looked at her side, as if to look in someone's eyes, and smiled. "I have to go Lord Hokage! They're probably waiting!" With that, she dashed out of the house.
Naruto, however, stayed dumbfounded. He then smiled.
"Itachi huh?"
*.*.*.*.*
It was a shadow clone, but it sure did give itself a hard time looking for the man.
"...Sasuke."
The said man turned to him with a glare. "You're late."
"Ah! I maybe a shadow clone, but it took me a whlile to get here!" He flared his arms around dramatically. "I dont even know the way home now, damn it."
Ignoring what he just said, Sasuke spoke up, "So, where's the scroll?"
"Ah!" The seventh Hokage wanted to badly to throw the scroll on his best friend's smug face. Though he settled with just handing it to him.
Reading the contents of the scroll, Sasuke sighed. "Its hard believe Danzo got this close to Kaguya's hidden jutsu." Pocketing it, he stood up. "But with this, I may be able to get closer to the time space Kaguya existed in."
"Eh? You're leaving already?" Naruto questioned him. "What's so bad about visiting the village once in a while?" He crossed his arms. "You know, your daughter developed some pretty cool powers. She once pointed out Neji being in the same room as us. Which meant she can see dead people."
Sasuke didn't move or say anything.
"...And just the other day when I came to visit Sakura, she was running off. Said her Uncle Itachi was going to introduce her to her grandparents." He gave a sad smile.
Naruto didn't miss the small smile at appeared on Sasuke's face, though didn't say anything about it.
"Naruto." He called. "Give Sakura a message for me."
Sasuke almost sighed before continuing. "Tell her I'm sorry for everything." He said before disappearing.
Naruto let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "I'm the one who's sorry."
*.*.*.*.*
With Sasuke, he tried to fight off the smile creeping up on his face.
...And tried to fight off the small crushing feeling on his chest.
His beloved little girl went off to meet his brother and his parents before she could meet him, her father.
He thought back to the last time he saw his daughter. She was barely a year old then...
This time, Sasuke sighed.
'Look out for her, aniki.'
...
My first Naruto fic in a while! I haven't published anything in like, two or three years.
I hope you guys liked this, I whipped this up in my craving for fics where Itachi meets and dotes on his one and only niece.
If you guys dont watch Boruto, the scene where Naruto and Sasuke talk is actually canon, I just added the part about Sarada.
I'll write another fic about Itachi and Sarada completely unrelated to this one.
Please do Review!
