Chapter Four: Appearance

It had been weeks since Izakura had run into the rogue shinobi along side her mother and her mothers teammates. As such not only was she working as a full time medic but she was training along side her genin team and sensei. She wondered sometimes how wise that had been, if perhaps it wouldn't be best to just advance without her cold teammates. None of them talked to her, they guarded each others back, did what was best while out on a mission, but nothing more than that. Sighing Izakura proceeded to finish the set of combinations she had invented a while back before releasing a large water dragon.

Izakura was about to attempt creating a wind dragon but before she could start to play with some sort of hand seals she felt that familiar chakra close by and knew that he had come back just as he had warned her mother. However instead of worrying for her mother Izakura sighed and jumped to hide in the shadows because she knew that her mother was not in Konoha. Instead she was in the land of sand on an ANBU level mission with her teammates and their old sensei. Of course because she was away Izakura knew that it would have been best to leave, to teleport herself away from the area and hope that he wouldn't follow but she, much like the rogue himself, wanted answers.

"Hn." came the man's cold stoic voice as he stepped out into the clearing and noticing the destruction Izakura had left behind. She knew that had it been anyone other than her mothers sensei, shishou or teammates they would have all simply assumed that it had been her mothers doing. However Izakura knew that the man before her, the legendary Uchiha Itachi had seen the subtle and minute differences in the destruction.

"Who are you to Haruno-san?" Izakura called as she threw a couple of kunai his way so as to distract him and move her position without being followed. Itachi blocked, it wasn't difficult to block such weak and clearly lazy attacks. However when he turned to face her he realized just how advanced her intelligence was as well.

"It seems we are both looking for an answer to the same question. Perhaps you can answer mine first." The rogue spoke and Izakura smiled. She wasn't afraid of him. Cautious perhaps but she didn't fear him and as such she wouldn't give him what he wanted so easily.

"Iie." she answered before dodging the fire ball jutsu he send her way and ridding herself of a genjutsu. It was then, as she had sensed the genjutsu that Izakura sighed, jumped down and stood before the man with narrowed eyes.

"It is rude to act in such a manner to a woman, let alone a young girl Uchiha-san." Izakura taunted as she grinned and once again dodged his attacks. All the while Itachi kept his eyes locked on the girls body and searched for any signs of a jutsu without hand signs being send his way.

"What are you to Haruno-san?" Izakura asked again, that time with anger and determination in her eyes. It was noticing it, seeing that glimpse of defensiveness that Itachi knew how to get the information he wanted out of her without supplying any himself and without having to fight for it.

"She is a sow of a woman whom I've enjoyed playing with. However if she is not present perhaps I should go off and in search of another. Maybe then I can save a couple of..."

"Bastard." Hissed Izakura as she jumped in to fight the man in hand to hand combat. At first Itachi kept it simple, refused to use his kekkie genkai; but when the young girls movements increased in speed he was forced to activate it so as to keep himself safe from her green glowing hands.

"You are cautious around medics I see." Izakura growled before shaking her head and grinning.

"However, sadly for you those crimson eyes don't scare me in the least." She said before allowing chakra to flow into her owns eyes as she readied herself for the fight of her life.

Meanwhile Itachi couldn't believe what it was he was seeing. Sure he had seen the resemblance, had thought of the possibility; however he had not yet had time to accept it. Had not had the time, nor taken it, to wonder what it was he would do should he discover that the girl whom had defended the pink haired kunoichi was in fact his daughter; that he'd parented an heir to the Uchiha clan.

"You..."

"You really shouldn't have insulted Ka-san so recklessly." Izakura said before taking off at a speed Itachi found to be outstanding for a child her age. Of course with said speed and eyes he knew that he needed, couldn't afford to go easy on the young girl. He knew it, yet he seemed to find himself conflicted about doing so.

"Sakura Haruno is your mother...then you are..."

"I am Izakura Haruno, daughter of Sakura Haruno, kunoichi to Konoha, and the secret of Konoha." Izakura said with a sort of ironic, sorrow filled tone. As soon as Itachi had heard the truth he narrowed his eyes and knew in that instant that he was her father, that Sakura had not send him word of such thing and that more than anything the child before him was blind to the truth.

Therefore instead of attacking Itachi blocked, he tried to step down but the young girl, his daughter, continued to attack him relentlessly. All the while he took note of how proper her form was, how precise and how accurate; it was almost as if she'd known it all of her life; and what a short life it was so far.

"Izakura Haruno Uchiha, stop at once." Itachi called, his tone of voice hard and cold. Izakura jumped back, her eyes narrowed and an anger, a rage so big in her began to build that she was at a complete lost for words.

How dare he! She screamed in her mind as she stood shocked in her place. Years had gone by and he had never once send word, had not once tried to see her or write to her and yet now he was acknowledging her as his daughter, was giving her the name of an Uchiha and expecting her to listen?

"Bastard." She growled again as tears stained her face and she shook her head.

"You bastard! What right to do you have to call me an Uchiha! I am a Haruno, I am my mothers daughter and I will be nothing like you!" she screamed before throwing three kunai his way and then quickly going through the hand seals so as to once again create a large water dragon and a large wind jutsu.

"Izakura!" they both suddenly heard a voice from a distance but Izakura didn't listen and Itachi could care less. At the moment he could give a damn about his useless little brother and the nine tails. What he cared about was the child before him and the woman whom he had slept with several years ago.

"You are an Uchiha, those eyes are your curse and your mark." Itachi said before disappearing in the form of a flock of birds. Instantly Izakura kept her guard up, she could feel the genjutsu wrapping around her, could feel her mother and her teammates close by but she couldn't get free.

"Damn it." She growled while trying to release herself several times. Then, before she could injure herself on purpose so as to rid herself of the jutsu suddenly a pain in the back of her neck exploded and then all there was, was darkness.

Meanwhile Itachi caught the young girls body in his arms, left behind a note addressed to Sakura and took his leave. He could see that his daughter was trained, that she was a true prodigy, one who was perhaps stronger than he and more than anything he could see how in need she was of someone to teach her how to control and train with her sharingan.

Therefore without hesitation he ran for the west, toward the land of mist and toward their current hide out. He didn't care what those at the base had to say and knew that their leader would be intrigued of his daughters abilities. However he also knew that she would be angry, that she was refusing the Uchiha name and considering it had been his doing he felt it was right that he tell her the truth behind the Uchiha massacre.

Upon arriving at the compound Kisame approached him with a teasing sort of grin plastered on his face. It had been the first time he'd seen his partner return to base with a girl in his arms and so even more surprising that he'd brought back the brat that had been hiding and taken away their target not too long ago in Konoha.

"Didn't know you liked them so young. Still, hand her over to me once you're done with her. I'll teach her what it's really like to..." but before he could finish his taunting Itachi had a katana to his throat and was glaring at his partner with sharingan glowing eyes.

"You lay a hand on this girl and you will die a painful death. Understood?" Itachi demanded, not sure why it was he was suddenly compelled to protect the young girl in his arms or why it was he thought it necessary to.

"Hn." was all Kisame said before he backed away and took his leave. Nodding Itachi then continued to make his way to one of the empty rooms in the base, placed the young girl in the bed before sealing the room with a jutsu and then making his way toward the kitchen. He'd been out on a mission for the last several days and as much as he wanted answers and rest he also wanted food and silence.

Once Itachi had gotten Kisame's understanding and placed the young girl in a room he went back out into the garden and stared out into the surrounding forest. He had never given much thought to ever becoming a father, had never considered fathering an heir much less what he would do should such a thing come true. However now he was a father, had an heir to a non-existent clan and had her locked in a room at one of the akatsuki bases. His current mission was to capture the nine tails host however now with the finding of his daughter he was unsure as what he should do or what he should take care of first.

What was more was the name that Sakura had given her? Truly the name was fitting, it suited her unique colored hair and even more so her unique parentage. She was the daughter of the most respected kunoichi in all of the five nations, the daughter of the apprentice to the slug princess, and she was the daughter to one of the last two standing Uchiha. What was more was that Itachi knew that her name was a combination of his and Sakura's; a thought he couldn't help but not only respect but like as well. She'd given some thought in the name that was clear, but had she given any thought in having send him word?

Then, after what felt like hours Itachi noticed the slight alteration to his seal, had felt when she had stirred and even more so knew the instant she had effortlessly rid herself of the seal sealing her in said room. Truly she was gifted, would grow to be a kunoichi unlike any that had ever been seen in the shinobi world. More so than Sakura herself and the current hokage of the village hidden in the leafs. However upon sensing Konan's presence, challenging presence, Itachi stayed in place and waited for the explosion he was sure the young girl as to cause.

It didn't take long before the young girl jumped out of the window and right in the middle of the garden Itachi and Kisame had been standing. Of course upon her arrival Kisame wasted no time and so quickly began to swing his large sword at the young girl.

"We meet again runt." Kisame greeted her as his sword began to shake and roar. It was drawn to her chakra, hungered for it and Kisame would happily give it what it wanted.

"How about lets leave it as a quick one and let me go, ne Kisame." she taunted before catching the kunai Kisame threw her way with ease.

"Thanks." Was her only remark before she charged in and started her own series of attacks.

All the while Itachi watched he could see how well she had been trained, how so much more advanced she was from the average genin and so wondered why she had not graduated from the academy earlier in her life. Clearly she could have been a chunnin at the least and an ANBU at the highest. What was more intriguing was her fighting technique. She fought like Sakura, graceful, with medical chakra, and yet she moved as fast and as deadly as any Uchiha he had ever seen. However despite being curious, wanting to further watch as the young girls skills released themselves Itachi knew it would be best to stop the fight before him and so he send out a fire ball jutsu. Instantly the young girl dodged as her own kekkei genkai came to life.

"Oi, I can handle her Itachi." Kisame complained but Itachi ignored him. It was not a matter of whether he could or not; it was simply a matter of him not allowing it.

"Itachi, she..." began Konan upon her noticing of the young girls eyes. They were crimson and spinning with the true, complete sharingan symbol in her eyes.

"Hn. She is my daughter." Itachi declared and as soon as he had Izakura screamed. All the while her scream showing true furry, showing the rage that she felt, the confusion that surfaced, and more than anything Itachi knew that she screamed because she was against what he had just called her.

It was no surprise that upon her doing so that everyone turned to face her with shocked eyes. However before anyone could ask what was wrong Izakura growled and without thinking went through several advanced and chakra draining hands seals.

"Mistress." Greeted a large stretching tiger as the smoke cleared. The tiger reached Izakura's waist, seemed to be calm and controlled. However Itachi knew the dangers of facing an enemy who had a summoning animal.

"Hikari I need to get home and these rogue are in my way." Izakura stated and instantly the tigers eyes were scanning the garden and those that stood before her and her mistress.

"Wow." Was Kisame's only response as he proceeded to put his sword away and take a step back.

"Enough." Itachi called, all the while a finality to his tone of voice. There was no point in fighting against her, he knew this. What was more was that he would not allow anyone else from the akatsuki to attack the young girl until he was sure of what it was he wanted from her, her mother, and their existence.

"Hikari." Izakura called and as soon as she had done so she and the tiger were both soaring through the tree tops of the surrounding forest. All the while sending out several senbon needles with poisoned tips and blocking what paper kunai Konan was sending out her way.

They attacked one another for a while, all the while Itachi holding back trying to force her into submission. However the child was determined, strong, and clearly had no intention of giving up without a fight. Itachi found himself not only amazed with her abilities but somehow feeling proud of the child he had produced and the manner in which Sakura had raised her. Truly she was an Uchiha woman. Independent, strong, stubborn and more than anything determined to accomplish whatever it was she had her mind set to accomplishing.

"Enough of this." Itachi called, true warning to his tone of voice. In turn Izakura took to the tigers side and began laughing evilly.

"You're in no position to command me. You're nothing to me, I am a Haruno!" she screamed before a sudden wave of white bright light took over the garden. Before Itachi could lose sight of the young girl he narrowed his eyes her way and met her own sharingan burning eyes.

When the light cleared away and everyone could see, Kisame bursted out into a laughing fit, and Konan turned to face the Uchiha head on. He was a member of the akatsuki, his job was to capture the nine tail hosts, and above all else report any and all shinobi that proved to be a risk to the organization and its plans. Clearly his own heir was one of the risks the akatsuki now faced.

"How long have you known of her existence?" Konan demanded and knew that he would answer. That Itachi would answer not only because he did not have a choice but because she was the second in command in said organization.

"I have only recently become aware of her existence."

"Who is the mother?"

"Haruno Sakura, apprentice to the slug princess." Itachi answered effortlessly. All the while silently planning a trip back to Konoha so as to not only approach said pink haired kunoichi but so as to demand an explanation of her and her secrecy.

"You are to stay on the grounds until further notice. I must speak with Pein." she ordered before disappearing in a cloud of spoke.

"Damn Itachi, who knew you would have knocked the girl up." Kisame taunted as he shook his head and began to walk toward the hide out.

"She's strong though, would make the perfect addition; she and the kunoichi too. Don't you think?" he tauntingly asked before walking into the hide out. Leaving behind a quiet and pensive Uchiha behind.

~Izakura's POV~

Ever since I'd faced him in the clearing I couldn't get his face out of my mind. What was more was the way he had looked at me when he'd seen me, the way he had suddenly asked mom who I was; almost as if he knew but just wanted to confirm it for himself? What was more was why had mom not told him to go fly a kite? Why hadn't she gone at him with full force the way she had always done with countless others?

Not like it mattered now though. It'd been several weeks since that had happened and now all I could do to vent my frustration out was to train and to practice. Thankfully though the field I'd turned into my own was just outside of Konoha and a good place to be left alone. I wouldn't be able to hurt anyone, I wouldn't need to worry about accidently destroying Konoha and I wouldn't be found so easily. That of course was so that I could invent my jutsu's in piece, could go over the advanced jutsu's I knew and so that I could test my own limits.

I had just summoned a water dragon and was about to attempt to create one out of wind when suddenly I felt that same and oh so familiar chakra signature close by. Instantly I took to the trees and stood at the ready waiting for him to appear in the small destroyed little grove I'd been practicing in for who knew how long.

"Hn." came the man's cold stoic voice as he stepped out into the clearing and upon noticing the destruction I'd left behind over years of training.

I knew that had it been anyone other than Ka-san, Tsunade-sama, or Ka-san's teammates that any other shinobi would have simply assumed that it had been Ka-san's doing and not myself. However I also knew that the man before me, the legendary Uchiha Itachi, had seen the subtle and minute differences in the destruction, had seen my own power when we faced each other in the field so long ago and as such he would not underestimate me like so many others did.

"Who are you to Haruno-san?" I found myself calling out to the Uchiha before me as I threw a couple of kunai his way so as to distract him and move my position without being followed. Of course he blocked but I'd gotten what I needed so it didn't matter much. At least not yet.

"It seems we are both looking for an answer to the same question. Perhaps you can answer mine first." The rogue spoke and I couldn't help but to smile then.

I wasn't afraid of him. Cautious perhaps but I didn't fear him and as such I wouldn't give him what he wanted so easily. Especially considering he had betrayed Konoha, when he was after Naruto-san, and when he wanted to take what Ka-san cared about away from her and the village.

"Iie." I answered before dodging the fire ball jutsu he'd send my way and ridding myself of a genjutsu as well. It was then, upon sensing the genjutsu that I sighed an annoyed sort of sigh before jumping down and stood before the man with narrowed crimson eyes.

"It is rude to act in such a manner to a woman, let along a young girl Uchiha-san." I taunted as I allowed a grin to spread across my face before once again finding myself dodging his attacks.

"What are you to Haruno-san?" I asked again, that time with anger and determination in my tone of voice and eyes. He would answer my questions, I would know why he was after Ka-san and I would deal with him before he hurt her or Konoha again.

"She is a sow whom I've enjoyed playing with. However if she is not present perhaps I should go off and in search of another. Maybe then I can save a couple of..."

"Bastard." I hissed as soon as he spoke. Instantly I jumped in closer so as to fight the man in hand to hand combat.

At first I kept my speed at that of any genin's but when it was clear that he was holding back, that this was too easy for either of us I upped my speed and watched as the S-ranked criminal before me activated his kekkei genkai.

"You are cautious around medics I see." I growled when he had avoided my green glowing hands and then shaking my head. Grinning I went on.

"However, sadly for you those crimson eyes don't scare me in the least." I assured him before allowing chakra to flow into my owns eyes as I readied myself for the fight of my life. The small amount of chakra I allowed wouldn't show the crimson they could turn but they would keep me safe, they would keep me from being caught in any sort of genjutsu.

"You..."

"You really shouldn't have insulted Ka-san so recklessly." I said before taking off at my full speed.

"Sakura Haruno is your mother...then you are..."

"I am Izakura Haruno, daughter of Sakura Haruno, kunoichi to Konoha, and the secret of Konoha." I said with a sort of ironic, sorrow filled tone of voice.

I hadn't meant to do so, to be so honest with him but I figured if I was about to kill the man that he had a right to at least some sort of information. In fact it was the least I could give him for not telling him the whole truth, for insisting on hiding my own kekkei genkai and allowing him to die without knowing that he either had a niece or a daughter.

However even as I attacked with everything I had in me it seemed as if though Itachi Uchiha was insisting on blocking and keeping to defensive rather than fighting back. He was holding back, the question was why? He was a killer, a rogue who didn't give a damn about anything or anyone, so why hold back?

"Izakura Haruno Uchiha, stop at once." The man suddenly called out to me. All the while his tone of voice hard and cold. Instantly I jumped back, narrowed my eyes and tried to keep myself in control as an anger, a rage so big in me began to build that kept me at complete lost for words.

How dare he! I screamed in my mind as I stood shocked in place. Years had gone by and he had never once send word, had not once tried to see me or write to me asking me if I was okay, if I was in fact his daughter or if I was his niece. Yet now he was suddenly, and without hesitation, acknowledging me as his daughter? He was giving me the name of an Uchiha and expecting to listen to his words simply because he just so happened to be the new leader! Well, to hell with that.

"Bastard." I growled out again as tears stained my face and I shook my head in denial.

"You bastard! What right to do you have to call me an Uchiha? I am a Haruno, I am my mothers daughter and I will be nothing like you!" I screamed before throwing three kunai his way and then quickly going through the hand seals so as to once again create a large water dragon and a large wind jutsu.

To hell if I hadn't mastered them yet, he was going to see that I was my mothers daughter, that I was nothing like him and that I refused to be given such a name. He would pay for what he'd said and he would pay for how he'd approached me today.

"Izakura!" I suddenly heard a voice from a distance but I couldn't bring myself to listen to it. How could I when I was so determined to rid myself of the man before me, when I felt as if though I needed to end this once and for all; as if it were all up to me?

"You are an Uchiha, those eyes are your curse and your mark." Itachi suddenly said before disappearing in the form of a flock of birds.

Instantly I kept my guard up as I could not only feel the genjutsu wrapping around me but as I could feel how I had accidently allowed too much chakra into my eyes and felt the power behind the kekkei genkai I had been born with. What was more was how I could suddenly feel Ka-san and her teammates close by; I could feel them but I couldn't get free so as to join them?

"Damn it." Were my last and only words before I fell into a world of darkness.

When next I woke up I groaned as I felt a big headache take over me. Without hesitation I lifted my hands, numbed the pain and was about to turn so as to rip what IV's had been attached to me when I noticed the small, abandoned room. Growling I stood and walked to the door. There hadn't been a window so the best choice to take was the door, even if I didn't know where it lead or where the hell I was.

So, sighing and taking in a deep breath I undid the seal and quickly ran up the stairs on my right and toward the end of the hall. I could feel several chakra signatures close by, most asleep but two were awake and suddenly moving. Sighing I made sure to keep as much distance between me and the Uchiha while staying to the shadows.

Then, just as I had found a window I spun around on my heals and blocked what kunai had been send my way. Or so they had appeared to be kunai but they were made out of paper. Curiously I went to touch one and when it cut through me like butter I smiled, healed my hand and turned so as to face the woman before me. In turn she narrowed and glared her eyes toward me.

"How did you get in?" she demanded.

"Good question. How about letting me out and we'll be even." I said but instead of an answer I got several more paper like weapons. Sighing I dodged and without hesitation jumped out of the window that I'd found. Sure the glass would hurt, it'd cut me but with the right amount of chakra I would also be able to keep myself safe.

As soon as I was out in what appeared to be a garden I growled and performed a substitution jutsu the instant the rogue mist's sword came sailing my way. The woman all the while stood by the window and proceeded to watch. Grinning I shook my head. If she thought that some blue skinned, fish looking man was going to be enough to kill me then she sure as hell had another thing coming.

"We meet again runt." He stated as his sword started to shake and roar.

"How about lets leave it as a quick one and let me go, ne Kisame." I taunted and as soon as he did he threw kunai my way. Grinning I caught them in mid air and nodded.

"Thanks." Was my only word before I charged in and started to attack. At first he had been careless, had let me get close but when I covered my kunai in medical chakra and turned it into the most deadliest scalp possible he started to keep at a distance. Annoyed I went on with fire style jutsu's and wind but nothing worked. Then, before I could try to make a run for it my eyes channeled chakra on their own and urged my body to move out of a fire ball jutsu's way.

"Oi, I can handle her Itachi." Kisame said. As soon as the words left his mouth though my anger soared and I turned to meet the blue haired, origami user, Kisame, and Itachi with blazing crimson eyes. As soon as Kisame saw he stepped back and the blue haired woman jumped down from her post.

"Itachi, she..."

"Hn. She is my daughter." Itachi declared and as soon as he had I screamed. I screamed out of furry, out of rage, confusion and more than anything I screamed because he had no right to call me his daughter.

Everyone turned to face me with shocked eyes but before they could ask what was wrong I growled and without thinking went through the familiar hands seals. Mom may not have known yet, no one in Konoha knew of my summoning animal, but they would and now Itachi would be forced to let me go; to let me go back to Konoha and to my Ka-san.

"Mistress." Greeted a large tiger as she stretched. She was as tall as my waist line, had snow white fur and had deep amber colored eyes. She was also a deadly creature, one who would not answer to more than one master at a time.

"Hikari I need to get home and these rogue are in my way." I said and as soon as I spoke her eyes were scanning the garden and those that stood before me were staring at me with wide eyes.

"Wow." Kisame said as he put his sword away and took a step back. Huh, so all it took was a summoning animal to intimidate the large fish.

"Enough." Called Itachi-san. His tone of voice was bored, serious and though I knew that he was just as deadly, if not more so, as Ka-san I knew that I would die before I gave in to his will so easily.

"Hikari." I called and as soon as I did we were both soaring through the trees, sending out several senbon needles with poisoned tips and blocking what paper was send our way.

Then, when Hikari seemed to be caught by the paper, the blue haired woman grinned. What she didn't know was that though she had captured Hikari in her cage of paper she was not bound to said place. In fact, it wasn't until it went up in flames and Hikari charged at her that the blue hair woman kept at a distance from that moment on.

Meanwhile I was stuck blocking attacks from the Uchiha criminal. His eyes were narrowed, had a different symbol from my own eyes but that didn't stop me. I knew enough about his fighting style, knew enough of medical techniques so as to block genjutsu's and therefore I wasn't worried about getting caught or having my mind caught; at least not again.

"Enough of this." He said again and as soon as he spoke Hikari was at my side again and I was laughing evilly.

"You're in no position to command me. You're nothing to me, I am a Haruno!" I screamed with all I had before Hikari and I released a large amount of chakra. Upon doing so there was a large, white, blinding sort of light and with it our chakra teleported us back to Konoha's market square. The last thing I saw was Uchiha Itachi's narrowed eyes and the rest of his companions widened one's.

As soon as we appeared I took to a knee as there were screams all around. Not that I blamed anyone, after all it wasn't every day that one saw a large white tiger standing next to a shinobi in the middle of a civilian square. Then, within the blink of an eye I was surrounded by several jounin and ANBU shinobi.

"Izakura?" called Kakashi-san and Shikimaru-san. Sighing I nodded before turning to Hikari.

"Thank you, I will summon you later when I have enough to sustain you." I assured her and with a silent nod of her head she was gone.

"What happened?" Kakashi-san asked as he approached me. All the while his own sharingan eye looking over my body for any signs of injury. Turning I met his eyes, as well as the remaining of the jounin and ANBU eyes, and watched as all their eyes widened in surprise. Cursing I withdrew my chakra and slowly forced myself to my feet.

"I need to see the hokage and lady Tsunade-sama."

"Those eyes." One of the ANBU whispered as he withdrew his own weapon. However before he could attack me, force me to block, there was a fearsome snarl in the air and suddenly Ka-san was standing before me.

"Were you about to attack a fellow shinobi?" she demanded, all the while standing before me and allowing for Kakashi-san and Shikimaru-san to take her flanks.

This was ridiculous! What did it matter who my father was and the blood that ran through my veins? I was a kunoichi of the leaf village and I was damned if that was going to change. I would never leave Konoha to join my so called fathers side. Hell I couldn't see him as a father; not when he had been absent for so much part of my life without a single word or a single letter.

"Iie Sakura-san." he said and with that Ka-san turned to face me and frowned.

"You're injured."

"All minor injuries. The akatasuki, they came after me." I whispered and sadly she smiled; almost as if she had known all along.

"You are all dismissed, Haruno-san and I will escort Izakura to the hokage's office." Called Hatake-san as he turned to face me with one eye alone.

It took a while for the rest to do as they were told but as soon as Shikimaru-san reminded them of his rank they all left. As we walked to the hokage's office I kept my face down and sighed. Ka-san had kept me from him, clearly that was the case. What was more was that she'd allow me to think what I wanted all this time; had not given me the truth as to who my father was for so long and now I was paying the price...

"When did you get those eyes?" Hatake-san asked softly as we neared the hokage's tower.

"When I was trying to escape the akatsuki." I answered, not wanting to answer honestly in fear of what he might say and how Ka-san might feel afterwards. Hatake-san was a man who was not only trustworthy but one who I knew could keep secrets; however this was one secret I could not afford to share with anyone. Nodding he turned to Ka-san.

"She needs training." He said but all Ka-san did was nod.

When we walked into the hokage's office it wasn't surprising to find Tsunade-sama sighing and Shizune-san walking toward me with glowing hands. I didn't try to keep her away, not when I needed to be healed and not when I needed my strength.

"You disappeared two days ago." The hokage said, expecting me to go on and so I did.

"Hai, I was taken by an akatsuki member. I'm not sure where their hide out was, I teleported a long distance, that I am aware of."

"Why did they take you? Who?" the hokage demanded seriously. Sighing I took in a deep breath and spoke in a manner that not only answered her question but in a manner that showed Ka-san that I knew the truth.

"I was captured and taken by my biological father Uchiha Itachi, why I am unaware of." As soon as the words left my lips everyone's eyes turned to Ka-san.

"When?" she asked me softly.

"When I first saw him. It was evident that it was either him or Sasuke-san; however you do not like Sasuke-san's advances and spend little time alone with him therefore it was clear who my biological father was." I answered honestly.

"Have you activated your..."

"Hai, earlier when I was trying to escape. Several jounin and ANBU shinobi saw my sharingan and were about to act had it not been for Ka-san. Hokage-sama?"

"Yes,"

"I do not wish for this to interfere with my training or my team. I have no control over who my father is or was, and therefore my loyalties should not be at question. I wish to continue on with my life." I answered boldly. Instantly Ka-san's eyes widened and the hokage looked at me as if uncertain.

"She has a summoning animal, she will be more than..."

"What?" exclaimed Ka-san and instantly I sighed.

"Not many were aware of that fact Hatake-san." I mumbled before facing Ka-san and addressing her and the hokage.

"While it is true that I have a summoning animal I rarely summon her. She is not one that I can keep hold of for long with what reserves I currently have. However if the situation calls for it then yes, I will be able to summon her to avoid death."

"Izakura why didn't you tell me? What were you thinking when..."

"Enough, I've heard enough. Izakura you may remain on the active duty roster but know that should you be assigned any missions outside the village I will require that a tracking jutsu be placed on you." He said. Ka-san's eyes were instantly full of hurt and though I wanted nothing more than to fight against the orders given to me I knew better than to do so. Not only would it be wrong but it would also raise a purpose to question my loyalty.

"Hn."

"Good dismissed, all of you." and with that I was leaving the hokage's office.