(Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in this story with the exception of my OC.)
Chapter Four: A Taste of Defeat
Akane snapped to consciousness seconds away from crashing into the grass carpet. Slamming into the soft floor, Akane chuckled, disgusted at how she couldn't even keep herself from falling. Twisting herself back into folding her legs, only then did Akane gaze upon Itachi's horrified expression. Observing his sister through a careful eye, Itachi crept slowly up to her, afraid that she'd get hurt if he went any faster. Worry lacing his child like features, Itachi stuck out his index finger and ironically poked the center of his sister's forehead. "Are you okay?" Akane stared perplexed back at her brother who displayed an intellect and wariness ages above his stage. Raising an eyebrow, Akane quickly put two and two together just as her brother continued. "You fell, you just fell. You were walking, and you fell." Widening her eyes in remembrance, Akane briefly recalled being too late to break a fall. "I'm just a little tired, don't you worry your pretty little head." Akane smiled too reassuringly. "Come on Itachi, let's practice your aim again." Itachi stayed as still as a figurine. The two stared at each other for a good minute before Itachi snaked his petite hands into Akane's slender fingers. "I think I want to go home."
"Well aren't you two back early?" The tendrils of the aroma stirring up in the kitchen wafted through the corridors. Akane delivered a quick pat to Itachi's shoulder before ascending the wooden stairs. Mikoto peeked her head out to greet her children, deflating slightly finding only one. Her smile lit back up as her eyes dropped to Itachi. "How was training?" Itachi opened his mouth before quickly closing them after hearing his sister's footsteps pause. Pressing his small lips into a pout, Itachi muttered something about being hungry before pivoting to follow his sister. "Dinner's ready so don't take too long!" Mikoto slid back into the kitchen before yelling out once more for her husband.
As Akane turned the corner to go into her room, Itachi slipped through the closing opening of the door right as Akane shut it. "I'm quite sure this is my room." Akane flopped onto her mattress, noticing that her mother had cleaned up all her scattered clothes and bed sheets. "You fainted 'kane." Itachi still had the same pout on his face. "It's nothing Itachi trust me." Akane sat up to gingerly place her hand onto Itachi's shoulder. "I just sparred a lot with my new team today." Akane stood back up after removing her gear and kicking it to a corner. She motioned for Itachi before gliding back down to the dining room. "
Midway through supper, Akane excused herself, saying nothing but the single word, training. Carrying her plate to the sink, Akane dropped her utensils following the dish. Closing the front door, Akane could hear a voice shout, "Be home by 10!"
Akane woke up in her covers, changed into her pajamas. Furrowing her brows, Akane combed her fingers through her layered tresses. She didn't remember changing. Dropping her hand back onto her bed, she realized that her hair had also been washed, free of the dirt and grime that embedded itself during her spars. Now that the girl thought about it, she hadn't come home, she had fallen asleep in the training grounds, most likely during her break. Someone had taken her home and her mother finished the job of cleaning her. Groaning and pulling her torso into a sitting position, Akane stretched her limbs into the air whilst yawning. You were too reckless, no one'll carry you back home in the middle of a mission if you fall.
"I'm sorry if I worried you, mom," Akane called out as she entered the room. Mikoto smiled slightly, "Well I know now that I don't have to worry about you being in good company at least." Company? Akane never trained on her own accords with anyone besides her father and brother. "Sakumo's boy carried you home. He said you fell asleep during training." Akane's expression morphed into one of annoyance, only stirring a chuckle from Mikoto. "He seems like a good kid." Akane groaned again before rolling her eyes. "You know sweetheart, you look almost like my little girl again when you're deep asleep." Mikoto sat up from Akane's desk chair and smiled, walking over to her bed. "I'm still your little girl mom." Mikoto chuckled, "but you're getting quite tall now eh?" Akane pulled up the corners of her lips slightly before flinching from the screech of her alarm. "I need to get ready." She had a meet up with her team in a few minutes and she hadn't even changed. Akane whipped up into a frenzy, pulling on her outfit and hastily tying her forehead protector before dashing down the stairs. "Akane, Breakfast!" Akane shoved her gear into her pockets before grabbing an apple. Stuffing the apple into another pocket, Akane sprinted towards the designated ever famous, training ground three. Dashing towards the exact spot without breaking a sweat, Akane was confused once again why no one else was present. Cursing at herself for being so forgetful for the second time today, she recalled that her alarm was set an hour earlier as one of her tactics for punctuality. Shrugging as she was here already, Akane broke off into another sprint for a half an hour before the said boy that transported her home appeared. Not wanting the discuss the events of the previous night, Akane sped up, racing around field with ease. Skidding to a stop a few minutes later in order to prevent from slamming into Rin, both girls apologized profusely to one another before the clearing of Minato's throat reversed the girls' attention. "Now to find the last puzzle piece." Minato smiled at the two. "Good morning girls, I hope you had a good night of sleep because today's training is no less demanding than yesterday." Rin whined slightly, rambling about how they were but three days into becoming genin. Looking over at Akane, hoping for the raven-haired girl to carry on the conversation, Rin realized that Akane had no interest in conversing. Not giving up however, Rin tried to make small talk. "Sooo, what do you think about the guys?" Rin gave her most welcoming smile to the Uchiha. Not turning her head to face Rin but instead simply raising a brow, Akane exhaled. "They seem alright." Not skipping a beat, Akane stood up and began delivering a steady set of swift kicks and jabs to the training post. Rin's head dropped down, her shoulders deflating.
It had been around half an hour after the designated time Minato had set for the genin to assemble when Obito stumbled into spot.
"So much for being punctual," Kakashi snickered at the sight of the tardy boy. Obito glared at the silver-haired child before muttering about helping an old lady cross the street. Hoping to get started before the sun set, Rin broke up the tension between the two boys and the team turned their attention to the blonde. "Good morning everyone, I hope you've all slept well." Minato continued, "Today we'll be working on our first mission as a team." The four children lit up, all feelings of disdain and apathy forgotten. Obito's finger shot out to aim at Kakashi, "I'll show you! Whatever our task is, I'll be better!" before pointing his thumb back at himself. Rin once more fell into the task of peacemaker and a small chuckle emerged from both Minato and Akane.
When the group assembled at the mission site, the younger members of the team appeared visibly disappointed if not bewildered. "So you're telling me that our first mission is to tend to shrubs?" Minato simply smiled at Obito. Rin grabbed a pair of shears and strode over to the green patch and began to trim at loose ends. Sighing in defeat, Obito followed suit as did the rest of the team. Minato sat back and watched the shinobi turned gardeners, Kakashi and Akane worked hastily, getting the job done but without much precision. Rin worked at a slower pace, making sure her plant looked elegant and pristine. Obito on the other hand, was making quite a mess, twigs and leaves littered his area and the shears looked unnatural in his hands, but he too was getting the job done nevertheless. They balance each other out, thought Minato, Rin was the passive bond that would split up the boys' quarrels and hold the team together. She was kind and nurturing, but she showed potential, she would make an amazing medical ninja. Obito was determined, a good trait, and he was dedicated. While he hadn't awakened his latent strength yet, he too showed promise. Obito's headstrong mentality equaled out the strictness Akane and Kakashi walked with. Kakashi wasn't very interactive, he did what was told of him. He was a natural nonetheless, his strength not subtle at all. Akane wasn't very vocal either, and while her compassion was hard to notice, he could see it in the way her cold eyes held miniscule warmth in them. This would be an interesting group indeed.
The shrubs in the garden ended up in various appearances, some neat, and some worse off than they started off, and others looking sharp. The group head off to the Hokage's office to collect the mission's meagre sum and Minato decided to treat the team for their first mission, not caring how small a task it had been. His little ducklings, Minato thought, he vowed that he'd protect them.
As Akane turned the knob, she was enveloped by the warm scent of her house, a smell she could never grow tired off. "Welcome home," Mikoto greeted her daughter with a smile as warm as the glowing house. Akane set her belongings down and head over to help her mother out with supper. "So how was your day, mother?" Mikoto's smile dimmed at the inquiry. "I think you should go see to Itachi, he's being waiting for you all day." Akane frowned as she set down the dish in her hands before heading to her brother's room. At the sound of his door opening, Itachi flinched before darting his eyes to the intruder, only relaxing his tensed shoulders after realizing it was only his sister. No longer was the wonder in his eyes still present, Itachi held his shoulders as if he had seen what the world had to offer, and that it was too much. Walking over to the boy's bed, Akane sat down next to her brother. "Mother said that you had been waiting for me," she began, not knowing how to approach Itachi.
Kakashi flicked the light switch and locked the door. He was greeted by a dark hallway. It had been almost a year, and despite his feelings of anger and frustration, he still hadn't gotten accustomed to the silence that greeted him instead of his father. Throwing a pot on the gas stove, Kakashi waited for the water to boil so that he could assemble a quick dinner. His never changing routine was something he could count on, it was the only thing he knew to count on.
"Dad took me to a battlefield," the boy breathed quietly after a few minutes. Akane pursed her lips, not wanting to interrupt. "There were mountains," Itachi continued, "many mountains." Taking a deep breath, Itachi mouthed out, just loud enough for Akane to catch briefly, "-of bodies." The pale girl pressed her eyes shut, trying to figure out how to console her brother. "War is a monster, why do so many people have to die?" Caught off guard by his question, Akane stumbled to find an answer while Itachi gritted his teeth. "I'm going to change this, I'm going to bring peace to this blood spattered earth." Akane looked at the now silent boy and hugged her brother. "I know you will." She finally answered.
(A.N)
I'm incredibly sorry for not updating in such a long time. I just couldn't figure out how to continue this story for so long that I forgot I had half an unfinished story sitting in a folder. I plan on adding back stories and how things came to be and what not but much later on. Hopefully there's less confusion with this chapter. If you guys have any suggestions, I'd love to hear about them! Until next time then!
-Ruse Featherblade
