Touch Of Black - (4) - The Boy Who Held No Future
Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing of Naruto. But I do own Maiko and all of her counterparts.
A/N: Yup. Here is the next chapter. As I said before, I am trying to keep Itachi as IC as possible. Also, I am trying to keep Maiko as far away from being a Mary-Sue as possible. Although it is very difficult and she already is a bit of a Mary-Sue anyway...I think. I don't know. Perhaps its too early on in the story to judge it. Anyways, here it is!
"Ai?"
When Maiko finally awoke that next morning, she glanced fearfully around the room, half expecting Kisame or Itachi to be leaning over her resting place with a kunai. Thankfully, the room was empty. However, as much as Maiko would have preferred to be alone; she NEEDED to talk with Itachi. And almost as if he had read her mind, he opened the door of the room and stepped inside, gazing down at her; his Sharingan was on and as foreboding as ever.
"Uhm...Itachi-san?"
Maiko stood awkwardly, her back clicked and ached painfully due to the floor where she had attempted to sleep the night before. She stared at Itachi, wanting for an answer. He showed no emotions and remained completely stoic. Until he finally answered with a simple:
"Hai?"
"Wh- where is my brother?"
He rolled his eyes, sighing.
"We already went through this. I do not know. Stop asking questions,"
"But you must kno-"
Maiko began a firm protest, bravely ready to start a fully thrown debate if need be. But she was cut of, his pale hands rested around her throat and she felt herself shaking. The Jounin winced, closing her eyes and waiting for him to squeeze.
"Do not make me end your already pointless existence girl," He said smoothly in her ear, before moving away and turning to a desk which was by his desk. He sat at it and began writing. Maiko attempted to look over his shoulder but was met with a cold glare and soon retreated back to her side of the room. She sighed helplessly, leaning up against the wall and slumping down on the floor. Where was that familiar head of spiky red? Where was that voice begging to be taught another 'trick'. Everything seemed to be getting worse and worse. Maiko found herself clenching her fists, practically burning holes in Itachi's back. She hated him. SHE HATED HIM.
"Maiko-chan!"
A high voice yelled loudly, and two pale, skinny arms clutched onto firm, metal bars. Ai had woken up alone, without his sister. He was confined in a small cell, and the metal bars where the only things getting in his way from rescuing his sister. He yanked and pushed angrily at the bars, wishing they would just separate so that he could just crawl out of the jail he was in. But poor Ai's attempts were all in vain, no matter how hard he tried. Nothing would do it. He tried bending the metal bars, he'd tried digging a hole in the STONE floor with just his nails, he'd even tried running up against the wall at the back of his cell to try and knock it over. Nothing was working. He was giving up.
There was a low rumble of laughter as the Akatsuki member who was on guard duty laughed at his attempts.
"It's no use brat, your not getting out. Not alive anyway,"
Ai turned his attention to the wall which led onto the cell next to his, he hammered his fists against the bricks and screamed loudly for the prisoner in there to try and escape too. Although, of course, Ai could not see that there were no other prisoners...in any of the cells. He was alone. All except for the Akatsuki member, who looked like he was falling asleep anyway.
'I must save my sister! And bring honour to my clan!'
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a kunai; a wooden kunai. One that had been made for him by his father, he had not yet even begun to train with the real thing. The red-head stared at the wood calmly, before tapping against the metal bars of the cell. He then began sawing away at the bar. Being very young, he was not aware that wood would not cut through metal. Not to mention metal with chakra in it; making it twice as firm and inescapable to any prisoner inside.
Ai, seemed very clueless. Although he did not know it.
The noise he made awoke the guard, who strode over to the cell and smirked. Grabbing the kunai easily from Ai, he snapped it in half and tossed the pieces onto the floor and left the room, laughing as loudly as before. Maiko's little brother could sense that the guard remained in the hallway, and could smell tobacco wafting through the door and into the many cells.
"Li-...Like a rock...I-...must be hard. Like an -o -o...oak...I must stand firm. C-...cut quick like my blade. T-...think fast...Una-...U-..." Ai found himself reciting what his sister had once told him, although, as tears poured down his pale cheeks. He could barely utter the words.
"Unafraid,"
The last word came out even louder than before, and he sniffed. Not knowing what to do. He could not be as his sister was. It just wasn't possible. Not without her to tell him what to do...
"Na nana na na na! Not a ninja! Not a ninja! Na nana na na na!"
Ai stood, frozen in one spot as boys walked round him, cornering him and jeering at him.
"You can't fight! Your not even a REAL shinobi!" One called out. "Even my baby sister could beat you in a fight!"
"No! I can too fight! I am of the Emiri clan!"
"That doesn't mean anything. Your not like them. In fact, I bet you aren't even their actual kid. I bet they just found you and felt bad for you cause your so weak!"
"WEAKLING!"
"NOT A NINJA!"
"NA NANA NA NA NA!"
There was a black blur, and a shadow loomed over the group of boys.
"Why are you troubling my brother then hmmm?"
Maiko stood towering over the bullies, with a huge smirk on her face as they stared in awe up at her. She pulled a shuriken from her ninja pouch and spun it around on her finger effortlessly.
"We weren't doing anything Maiko-sama!"
"Yeah. Honest we weren't!"
"I don't like liars. They don't get very far in the world of the shinobi. You lot wouldn't last two minutes. Now scram!"
She leapt forwards and all the boys - except Ai of course - ran swiftly away. Mumbling insults and cursing the day Maiko-chan had decided to keep better watch over her brother.
"If they do that again just tell me Ai. I'll knock 'em into oblivion!" She winked and embraced the boy. Before putting on a more serious tone. "I am glad you did not try that jutsu on them. And you must never do so. Not unless its a REAL enemy. It doesn't matter how mad you get with those bullies. But you must not use that jutsu on them. Understood?"
Maiko had found that her brother was very weak indeed, she attempted to teach him many jutsu's...the only one he'd ever really taken to was the fire jutsu. He had not mastered it of course, but Ai was able to send out small amounts of flame and create a bit of fire at will. It was something he prised greatly, as it was the only jutsu he had really every managed to master in the slightest. Most of the time, his father and mentors concentrated on teaching him Taijutsu alone. If he could improve his strength in that area. Then perhaps he would go places. Perhaps.
"I'm not giving up on you Maiko-chan!" Ai told himself, as he sat down cross-legged on the stone floor and proceeded to try and work out some kind of plan.
By the time Itachi had finished doing whatever it was he was doing at his desk, Maiko had given up all hope. And was now lost forever in a pit of doom and gloom. She held her head in her hands and said nothing. Merely wondering what her fate, and the fate of her clan was to be. The Uchiha glared over at her and she felt his gaze, her head lifted and her dark eyebrows turned into a slanting frown. He knew where her brother was alright. He definitely knew. He just would not tell her
"Why am I being kept in here?" Maiko blurted out, she felt very angry.
He said nothing.
"All of the others; as planned are being used as hostages and working. Whilst I'm sat in here. Why is that?"
"There are other uses for you," Itachi replied bluntly.
Other uses? What the hell did he mean by that?
He noticed the look on her voice and saw what she thought he was implying.
"Our leader has yet to speak with you. Maiko, of the Emiri clan,"
She wondered why he addressed her in such a way; she knew what clan she was born into. She didn't need it pointed out to her. Sure, she could be lacking in common sense at times. But Maiko was definitely not that ignorant. She clutched a piece of her raven hair and played with it, twisting it round her fingers every so often. She did this when she was nervous or frightened. Old habits die hard and all that..
"Very well. But who said I wished to speak with this so called leader?"
The only way Maiko was going to see her brother, was if she was brave enough to cross the line. And she'd crossed it long ago.
A small smirk appeared on Itachi's lips, as if he found her courage amusing to behold.
"You have no choice,"
"I don't have to listen or cooperate,"
"Then you will die,"
She gulped. Okay, that was one thing she definitely had NOT considered. An example of her lack of common sense she supposed.
"I know you know where my brother is,"
Once again, there was a long and awkward silence. Least ways it was awkward for Maiko. Who really didn't know what was coming and was quite aware that the man she was in the room with could crush her easily. The Uchiha's eyes held no emotions or feelings. Or any sign that he was going to reply. He glared at her for what seemed like eternity, he stepped towards her and looked down at where she was sat. She was certainly not who he had expected the leader of the organization to choose at all. Maiko Emiri did not seem the type. It would be hard work indeed, most especially for Itachi.
He did nothing for a moment or so, and then left the room. Slamming the door and locking it behind him.
Maiko sighed.
"What did I do to deserve this?"