Like she promised herself before the crack of dawn Hikari decided to depart from the rice village. She sheithed katana, she named it Mangetsu. Mangetsu was once a boy who knew her, his soul was trapped in her sword after his untimely death, and now he has become her companion.
Hikari jumped from her room's window and proceeded her travels.
She didn't know how far she had travelled. She lost track of time, but it was now night, and it was safe to assume she had travelled into the next day.
On her way to Kirigakure she saw him. After all, what better place to find out about herself than the place she was born?
His eyes blazing red, tear stains trailing down his cheeks, invisible to the naked eye but not hers.
Their eyes met, both of them on guard waiting for the other to attack. She sensed no killing intent from him but she knew better. They stopped, staring at one another, Hikari could almost see the walls built up around him.
"If you're going to the Rice Village, I suggest you don't." He was facing opposite her. Going in the direction she had just came from. "Why should I trust you?" His eyes narrowed.
"I just came from there, Kakashi Hatake is looking for you." He stared at her his stoic face intact. "Not on official orders though. I gave my warning, do whatever you like." She smirked lifting her hands up in 'surrender'.
"And how do I know you won't report me."
"You don't. In fact, there is no gurantee that what I say is true. However, I have no reason to hurt you." She said smiling sweetly. Too sweetly, almost sarcastically. "Why would you help me? You owe me nothing."
"True, but like you I don't want to be found. I understand your situation." She said. Hikari was by no means an idiot. She knew he could report her, in fact she didn't trust him either. "You can put me under a genjutsu. Your sharingan should have gotten stronger after what happened." She said.
Itachi stared at the girl in front of him. He analysed her features. She was short, not too short but still short. Her chestnut hair was long reaching her tail bone. And her walnut eyes were emotionless much like his own. She was clearly a shinobi but he couldn't see a hitate on her.
"You can erase memories using a genjutsu right?" She asked. To say he was shocked at her suggestion was overestimating, but he was surprised. Why would anyone do that. "Yes. Are you willing to sacrifice your memories?" He asked. "Yes." Came her stoic answer. She knew he wouldn't go with it. If he did however, she would have nothing to lose anyway.
Hikari looked at the boy still dressed in his Konoha ANBU gear. She looked at him patiently. "Well?" She asked.
"No. I won't do that." Was all he said. He knew that if he did that he would bear the guilt of his actions forever. He didn't need anymore of that anyway. "Okay then, allow me." She said. Jumping away.
"Wait!"
"Yes?"
"Are you headed to Kirigakure?" He asked. She nodded. "Be careful, they don't allow outsiders." A debt he needed to repay. The fifteen year old looked at the younger shinobi behind her. She smirked two sharp canines coming into view as she pulled her hitate out. She quickly tied it around her forehead.
As she was approaching Kiri's gates she felt her sword warming up. She paused and unsheathed her sword. "Mangetsu?" She clutched the handle tightly. "What is it?" He never appearef infront of her. But she was used to hearing from him, from time to time. The thirteen year old frozen in time was frustrated and it was clear in his voice. "That was dangerous."
"It was a risk I was willing to take." She said. "We could've lost everything." He stressed.
"Then you would remind me."
"Why are we here?"
"We're visiting of course."
"Hikari." He warned. "I know, Mangetsu. I could end up dead." She said walking her way into the village she grew up in.
She was right. The moment she stepped into Kirigakure the swords were pointed at her but she didn't bat an eyelash. "State your business." Her walnut eyes darted around analysing the situation.
She knew she could easily get rid of them even if Kiri shinobi were strong she knew she was even stronger. She raised her hands head-level. "I come in peace. I'm only looking for Yagura." She said. She knew Yagura would recognize her. "That's Mizukage -sama to you." One of them seethed. "I seek an audience with him."
"Sorry, no can do."
"Huh, I could almost say you're worried about him. I wonder how would he react if he knew that." She could feel Mangetsu growing hot on her hip. She was skating on thin ice, but she needed answers. "Why you little. You think Yagura -sama can't take on the likes of you?" He pushed her into the village.
Mission accomplished
"Yagura -sama, a girl by the name Yuki seeks an audience with you."
Yagura perked up at the name. Maybe she was finally found. His pink eyes looked up to see the girl they spoke of.
There she was, she was looking smug as if she could take on all shinobi in Kiri and get out alive and walking.
"I was wondering when you'd come." He stood up. He was shorter than her, but that didn't matter to either of them. "Leave us." The shinobi released her and walked away obediently.
"Hikari Heiki... Welcome back to Kirigakure."
"Mangetsu." She whispered. "Damn you to hell making me worry like that."
"Worry? Please, you hope for the day I die burned alive." She said rubbing the spot he heated up before. She had shifted the saya onto her other side. Simply because he had been too worried about her that he couldn't stay cool. Literally.
"What gave you that idea."
"I don't know probably the first degree burn on my hip."
She knew that if Mangetsu had a face, he would be smirking at her. "It's not that bad."
"Yes, and I remember everything about myself." She said. "Wait you do?"
She let out a strangled groan. "No. Mangetsu I was being sarcastic." She hissed.
"Why is it that I've known you since you were five yet I can't tell when you're being sarcastic."
"Speaking of. If you knew me since I was five, why can't you tell me everything?"
"I've already told you all I know. Your mind doesn't seem to retain information about who you are except your name and age. In fact, it's almost like it's rejecting your or anyone's memories of you."
"So what do I do?"
"Listen, Hikari. We continue as if nothing happened. It's only this time that I'm asking you to forget."
"I can't."
"Hikari."
"It's okay, I'll carry on. I won't forget, but I sure as hell won't let this stop me."
If Mangetsu could smile, he would. He was so proud of her. "Ready?"
"Ready."
She departed from Kirigakure heavy thoughts weighing on her head. She felt it. "Are you tailing me?" She glanced back.
"No. Are you?"
"No."
"Where are you going this time?" Hikari asked. "You were right." He replied.
"Excuse me?"
"You were right, Kakashi Hatake was in the rice village." She hummed in reply. "Arigato."
"Don't mention it." She replied. "Hide." Itachi looked at her in surprise. "Sorry?"
"Hide, now." He didn't respond. She pulled him by his collar and threw him into the heavy woods. He was surprised at her brute strength and how far she had pushed him. But why had she?
His sharingan allowed him to see her and what it was that was going on with her.
He saw them but he couldn't feel them. His red eyes scanning the area looking for more shinobi. She faced them. About a dozen stood before her but she didn't even seem scared. "Itachi Uchiha where is he?"
He suppressed his chakra to the point where no one could feel it. "I don't know what you're talking about." Hikari answered. "Have you seen this man?" He asked again shoving a bingo book in her face. "Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about."
Run
She mouthed. She knew he could see and read her lips so it didn't matter. He complied being stealthy as possible. He ran knowing she'd follow suit.
She sighed in relief when he went away. "Excuse me." She said turning away from the ANBU in front of her. She felt a hand grab her arm and pull her back when she went on her way.
Hikari unsheathed her sword and pointed its white tip against the ANBU's throat. She let her chakra go astray and her power was almost suffocating.
Almost.
"Calm down."
"Like I said, I have to be on my way. I swear on my life if you touch me again, I'll make you wish for death." She said her walnut eyes turning a bright red.
"Hikari." She went back into suppressing her chakra heeding Mangetsu's warning. "Now if you'll excuse me." She hissed.
Itachi stopped, dead in his tracks. It was too much. He never felt anything like it. He knew it belonged to her, but her exterior seemed soft. Almost too soft, as if it was on purpose. His sharingan allowed him to see her miles away. "Sorry about that." Hikari said approaching him. His heart was racing and he was still shocked at what he had experienced. Although he looked calm, he knew that he was nervous. He noticed her bright red eyes. They were never like that. "Your eyes?"
"What about them?"
"They're brown right... They should be."
"Yes." She answered.
"Then why-"
"I'll tell you next time." She said. Itachi didn't have any words after what she said. He remembered how he used to say that to Sasuke.
Next time...
They both walked in silence. She didn't know what to say and he had nothing to say.
"This is awkward."
"Just because you like talking Mangetsu."
"Well yeah, it's fun you should try it sometime."
She sighed. She wanted Daifuku and she wanted it now. Her eyes wandered around the town they were currently in. "Daifuku. Daifuku." She chanted looking for a dessert parlour. Her eyes perked up as she sped away from her current companion.
Itachi was startled when she suddenly sped away. He tailed her with his eyes until they fell on where she was going. Well then, a bit of dango wouldn't hurt him would it?
Hikari stared at the plate of Daifuku in front of her. Just four pieces. She remembered the cashier's words. "I'm sorry ma'm but your request is impossible." He had said. Itachi could almost see the cloud of depression hanging over her from where he sat across from her. He was eating his third dango and she hadn't even touched her Daifuku.
"Daifuku." She muttered and raised one to her mouth but it suddenly fell. She stared at the fallen sweety heaven for a solid minute then she went to reach for it but a waiter stepped on it. She looked at the waiter as if he had kicked a puppy then banged her head over the table. Itachi flinched at the bang. It was unnoticed by any one.
"This is so funny."
"You enjoyy misery too much, Mangetsu."
"No way, I bet even stone face is amused."
"Stone face, good one." She said. The Hikari Mangetsu knew would have laughed her ass off, but this one has been through so much shit he honestly couldn't blame her.
All their conversations were in her head so no one heard her. But he knew the weird things she said would've made everyone question her sanity. She wasn't exactly sane but still, no one needed to have any doubts about it.
She raised her head from the table and reached for another one gripping tightly so it wouldn't fall. Her plan immediately backfired as the second one was crushed. Strawberry juice spilled all over her hand as she looked at her destroyed second piece. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and stood up.
The chashier sweat dropped as he saw the 'crazy Daifuku lady' approaching him.
"Excuse me, can I get my previous order of Daifuku please?" She asked smiling sweetly. Too sweetly. "You mean the-"
"Yes, and not the four piece crap you've given me."
"R-R-right away ma'm." He replied. "Crazy Daifuku lady." He muttered.
Itachi watched as she munched happily on her Daifuku. He saw the way she walked up to the counter and reordered her crazy order.
Itachi was on his final piece of the final stick of dango. He waited patiently until she was done. "I'm Yuki." She said. He stared at her. "I never told you my name did I?" She said. "No."
"Well now you know it." She said.
