Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto……
"Itch"
Friendship/ there will no attempt at humor
Ita/Saku
Rated T
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"Brought Together by Destiny"
"Our friend is an unconscious part
Of every true beat of our heart"
--Lucy Larcom
Little Sakura was still standing in front of the door, expecting for her Itch to return. She had tried to reach the shiny thing above her head but it was too far for her. So she had settled herself to just wait for the shiny object to turn.
"What should I do with her, Hokage-sama?" Genma asked the old man beside him as they gazed at the little girl who was eyeing the door with her heart in her eyes, expecting for the Uchiha Genius to come and get her.
"You find her parents, Genma." The Hokage said turning his head to look at him "You may find the information you will need in the Archives."
"All the names of the civilians and shinobis who live in Konoha are listed there." The Hokage continued as he walked back to his desk. "The rest is up to you, Genma. You take care of the girl until her parents are found, understand?"
"Do you mean that I'm going to babysit her?" Genma asked, his voice betraying his dislike for the job.
"Yes." The Hokage stated calmly behind the stack of papers and books lying on his desk. "You will be the one to look after her."
Genma's shoulder slumped while Kotetsu patted his shoulder in sympathy.
"Take this as a D-rank mission and you will be paid for your services." The Hokage said as he took a book from the stack on his desk and began working.
"You are dismissed." The Hokage finally said.
Genma and Kotetsu walked towards the girl who was blocking the doorway. Genma looked at the back of the girl before scooping her into his arms. The little girl began to struggle and cry, pulling his hair and scratching his face. Genma winced when she accidentally poke his left eye.
"Good luck with your babysitting, Genma." Kotetsu said, laughing as he exited the room.
Genma tried to glare at Kotetsu, but he was too busy trying to subdue the girl.
"Itch!" Little Sakura screamed as she pummeled her small fist on the person who was holding her. "Itch!"
"Genma." The Third Hokage called. Genma turn to the look at the Hokage's direction, his brown locks were currently being pulled by the girl while he strained his neck to look at the man who had called him.
"Give the girl some candy or ice cream." The Third Hokage advised. "That might calm the girl down."
"Hai, Hokage-sama." Genma said and immediately walked out from the Hokage's Office without closing the door behind him. Genma went straight to the direction of the candy shop and the ice cream parlor with the little she-cat in his arms.
The Third Hokage sighed as he finally found some peace to himself.
Uchiha Itachi
Itachi walked out from the Yamanaka's Flowershop carrying some of the flowers that her mother had requested.
Itachi took the list from his pocket and check the list of the flowers that he had bought from the Yamanaka's Flowershop.
(AN:Bold letters mean that Itachi had already bought the flowers)
1. Ajisai (Hydrangea)
2. Momo (Peach)
3. Tsutsuji(Azalia)
4. Boke (Quince)
5. Fuji (Wisteria)
6. Jinchogei (Daphne)
7. Mokuren (Magnolia)
8. Momiji (Maple)
9. Tsubaki (Camelia)
10. Lotus (Hasu)
11. Yuki Yanagi (Willow)
12. Sakura
(AN:The list above are the names of some Japanese Flowers which I got from the internet. hehehe I did some researching while I was writing this story)
Itachi had 7 flowers more to buy before he could go home. As he was reading the paper, His eyes landed on the last name on the list.
"Sakura." Itachi thought as a pink-haired girl flashed before his eyes. Itachi stopped in his tracks as he stared at the name on the paper.
"Sakura..." Itachi murmured, turning his head to look at the direction of the Hokage Tower . He stood there for a moment gazing at the Hokage Tower in silence before looking away.
His face did not reveal what he was feeling as he walked towards his next stop, "The Birds and the Bees" flower shop. Itachi already knew that all the remaining flowers can be found in that gay flower shop. So he had to go there and buy all the remaining flowers. The money that his mother had given to him was already gone and Itachi have to use his allowance to buy the remaining flowers. Itachi was glad that he was always prepared for everything.
"Well not everything..." Itachi thought as remembered the pink-haired girl who had brought more trouble to his usually boring life.
"Itch." Little Sakura said smiling as she poked his forehead protector.
Itachi smirked and thought "Yeah, she was trouble alright." Itachi kept walking, carrying the flowers in his arm but each step he took, his eyes slowly dimmed and his lips curved into a sad smile.
"Yes, she might have caused me some trouble but she wasn't that bad."
Haruno Sakura
Little Sakura gazed at the melting ice cream in her hands as she sat there in the ice cream parlor where the man had took her. Little Sakura had already stopped her waterworks and had calmed down a bit after eating 4 cups of ice cream of different flavors.
First she had eaten a mango flavored ice cream, then strawberry, then chocolate and the 4th one which she's currently savoring was her most favorite ice cream, cookies and cream. She had almost finished with her 4th ice cream when the two women had walked in the parlor. They were wearing clothes which Sakura had never seen before. The clothes revealed too much flesh and too much curves that made Sakura gazed at them with open curiosity but the women choose to ignore her as their attention was directed to the man opposite her.
"Genma-kun," the woman with green hair and amber eyes purred as she leaned closely to the man. "Come with us, please."
"Yes, come with us Genma." The woman with red hair and violet eyes agreed with her companion as she too leaned closely to the man and place her head on the man's broad shoulders.
"What about the girl?" The man asked as the three of them turn to look at her, suddenly remembering that he was babysitting the girl for the time being.
"She can come with us if you want." The woman with green hair said as she curled her long red nails on the man's chest.
"Yes, we can leave her outside while we can enjoy ourselves." the red haired woman said as she craned her long neck and bit the man's ear.
Little Sakura watch them with her eyes as curious and as innocent as a child her age. The man leaned away from the women beside him and look at her.
"I can't do that.." The brown haired man said and both of the women beside him pouted at his words. The women pulled the man back towards them and both grasped his arm.
"We can take her to the playground where she can play with other children." The red haired woman said as she nuzzled the man's strong neck.
"I'm sure that she won't stray away from the playground.." the green haired woman added as she busied herself twirling her slim fingers in the man's brown locks.
"We'll be back later to claim her and then you can go looking for her parents..." the red haired woman assured the man.
Little Sakura had already lost interest at the three people in front of her and was now looking outside. The people across from her continued with there discussion.
"No." Genma said shaking his head. "I have to follow the Hokage's orders. He was the one who gave me this mission."
"But Genma..."The green haired woman whined but Little Sakura did not hear what the woman said next since her eyes had caught something from afar. Her eyes were drawn to a black haired boy with a gleaming object on his forehead as he walked away.
"Itch." Little Sakura whispered and she silently jumped from her perch and slowly ran outside. Genma was too distracted by the two women beside him that he didn't notice the girl that he was supposed to babysit, was already gone.
"Genma, please come with us." the red haired woman batted her long red lashes at him as she wrapped her slender arms around his neck.
"No." Genma said firmly as he unwrapped the woman's arm around his neck.
"Fine then." the red haired woman huffed and suddenly stood up. "If you don't want to come with us, so be it."
The green haired woman flipped her locks over her shoulder as they walked away from the ice cream parlor. The two women walked away with there heads held high, gaining the attention from the many men on the tables who were dating their girlfriends or treating their children to ice cream. Their girlfriends and wives simultaneously slapped the back of their heads for looking at the two women.
Genma watched them go with a regretful look on his face and then turned towards the girl opposite him. His eyes met nothing but an empty chair.
Genma whipped his head to looked for the girl but there was no sign of pink hair in the area.
"Damn." Genma cursed under his breath. He stood up and placed a bill on the table before walking away from the ice cream parlor.
"Damn you, you Uchiha brat for leaving that girl." Genma said to no one in particular as he strode towards the exit.
"A-Achoo!!" Itachi sneezed at the flowers he was carrying. His eyes watered but he wiped it with his free hand.
"Some of the pollen must have gotten into my nostrils.." Itachi thought as he sneezed again. Itachi distanced himself from the flowers in his arm and waited for his shadow clone he had sent to buy the remaining flowers.
Itachi was sitting on the roof as he gazed at the noisy people below. His gazed shifted to his clone who was standing in front of the flower shop without moving a muscle.
"What is he doing?" Itachi murmured, his brows furrowed "He's taking longer than I expected."
Itachi waited for about 5 seconds before making his move. The clone was still standing there like some statue.
Itachi jumped in to the ground and started to walked towards his clone but he immediately stop when he saw his clone move.
Itachi sighed and waited there.
--
Clone Itachi stood in front of the flower shop. His eyes gazing at the gay title written atop his head.
"The Birds and The Bees"
Clone Itachi cringed
"Damn that Itachi...I mean, Damn that real Itachi..." Itachi muttered as he started towards the door. "Cowardly bastard...for making me do this."
Clone Itachi slowly opened the door to the flower shop, expecting to be attacked by the transvestite pervert Orochimaruko.
The bell rang but there was still no Orochimaruko. Clone Itachi relaxed at the realization and started forward.
"I thought that you would we be back.." a voice said beside him.
Clone Itachi jumped at the voice and position himself into a fighting stance.
"And a Clone at that." Kabuto said as he pushed away from the wall beside the door, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His spectacles glinted as he watched the Clone Itachi.
"The real Itachi must be waiting outside." Kabuto said as he walked behind the cash register. "But you don't have to worry, Orochimaruko-sama is scheduled to a plastic surgery and hair transplantation right now."
Clone Itachi straightened and gazed at him warily. Kabuko had always been a faithful servant to Orochimaruko and what the real Itachi did to him may have triggered Kabuko's wrath. Itachi did not trust him, Kabuko might as well be planning to seek revenge for his beloved Orochimaruko.
Buying flowers here was a very bad idea, the real Itachi must have overlooked his decision into sending him here. Clone Itachi's shoulder slumped, of course the real Itachi never overlooked anything. The real Itachi was always careful in making decision and making plans,that was why the real Itachi had sent him here. To suffer the full attack of what Kabuko was hiding up his sleeve. After all he was only a clone, that would immediately disappear after being used.
"So what can I help you?" Kabuko asked arranging his spectacles on his nose.
Clone Itachi watched him carefully for any suspicious movements. Clone Itachi just hoped that Kabuko did not set some traps within the Flowers shop. If he did well, he would just disappear in a cloud of smoke and let the real Itachi handle everything.
"I want to buy..." Clone Itachi took the paper in his pocket while his eyes remain on the form behind the counter. Itachi glance at the paper for a brief moment and then said what he needed. He would have to thank himself for having a photographic memory.
"Boke (Quince),Jinchogei (Daphne), Momiji (Maple),Tsubaki (Camelia),Lotus (Hasu),Yuki Yanagi (Willow)..." Clone Itachi paused before continuing, the image of pink and green on his mind as he said the last name of the flower "...and Sakura"
" Didn't you buy the flowers before?" Kabuko asked, frowning in thought.
Clone Itachi mentally grimaced. "The flowers were destroyed." Clone Itachi replied not really showing any emotion as he answered.
"May I ask why?" Kabuko said his eyes glinting with interest.
"Skura loves Itch!" green eyes stared at him through his mind's eye.
Clone Itachi mentally kicked the image away and answered "They got crushed." His eyes showing no further answers. Kabuko waited for a moment or two until he got the silent message Clone Itachi was sending through his eyes.
Kabuko nodded and turn towards the back door where he had gotten the flowers from earlier.
"I'll get the flowers then." Kabuko said as he walked away.
Clone Itachi waited inside the flower shop and look around him. The walls were painted with colorful flowers and butterflies that made Clone Itachi twitch in revulsion. Aside from the fact that the shop was so gay and the colorful that almost made Clone Itachi's eyes burn from the sight. The shop was also decorated with pictures of Orochimaruko holding the trophies that he had won in Flower arrangements.
Clone Itachi was burning holes on the pictures of Orochimaruko and his pet snake when Kabuko came back carrying the remaining flowers that he needed.
"All the flowers are there except--"
"Sakura, I k image awnow." Clone Itachi cut in as another flashed of pink hair came in to his mind. He pushed theay and walked towards Kabuko still keeping his guard up. Even though the girl was no longer there with the real Itachi, she still had a way to keep popping in their lives like some pink bubble gum.
Clone Itachi took the flowers from Kabuko after paying his purchases. He was on his way to the front door when Kabuko stopped him.
"You forgot something." Kabuko called as he throw something in the air and towards him. Clone Itachi reached out his hands at the thing but someone caught it before he did. The real Itachi had come in and was now holding the thing in his hands.
Both the real and the clone Itachi stared at the red teddy bear with a golden ribbon arounds its neck and was holding a red heart with a stitching saying,
"I love you." Itachi read the stitching out loud.
"The girl must have dropped it earlier after her scuffle with Orochimaruko-sama." Kabuko said pushing his spectacles as usual. "Orochimaruko-sama had wanted the thing burned but I remembered that the toy must be important to the girl since she was carrying it. So I didn't burn it as what Orochimaruko-sama had ordered."
Both Itachi was still staring at the stuffed toy with thoughtful look on their faces.
"The girl must have been heart broken after knowing that her stuff toy was gone." Kabuko added
Both Itachi turned to look at Kabuko and remembered what had happen when Itachi had took the girl with him. The girl had been distraught about something and Itachi could never find out why. The girl had always keep saying 'Chu'.
"Chu." Little Sakura cried as she clutched Itachi's neck "Chu."
"Okay were going to look for Chu." Itachi said as he tried to pry the arms the was depriving him to breathe.
Itachi did not know at that time what Chu had meant and now that he knew, Itachi could fully understand what the girl had told him.
"Chu Skuras fuwend" Little Sakura said as she pointer her chubby finger at herself.
"Itch Skuras fuwend" Little Sakura pointed at Itachi
" Skura have two fuwend" Little Sakura spread her fingers at him not really showing two fingers but five.
"But Itch Skuras betfuwend!" Little Sakura smiled up at Itachi.
Itachi now truly understand what the girl was saying. If she had been heart broken after realizing that her teddy bear was gone, how much would she feel now that Itachi had left her too. She had called him her best friend and Itachi had done the only thing that a best friend would never do; he had left her.
Itachi's heart constricted and he turned to leave, his hands tightened on the teddy bear.
"Where are you going?" His clone asked as they both exited the shop.
"Go send this to my mother." Itachi said to his clone as he place the other flowers he was carrying on the basket. "And tell her that I won't be back until later."
His clone nodded and disappeared from his sight. Itachi looked down at the stuff toy he was carrying and turn the other direction, opposite to where his clone had left.
"Gomenasai Sakura.." Itachi thought as he jumped towards the roof "I should never have left you."
The clouds thundered above him and it began to rain.
Haruno Sakura
"Itch!" Little Sakura cried out through the pouring rain "Itch!"
"Wait for me, Sakura" Itachi thought as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop as the rain soaked through his clothing and the teddy bear he was holding.
"Wait for me" Itachi whispered through the rain.
"Itch!" Little Sakura called out, her tears mingling with the rain.
When clouds and darkness veil the skies,
And sorrow's blast blows loud and chill,
Friendship shall like a rainbow rise,
And softly whisper--peace be still.
--Lucretia Maria Davidson
To be continued...
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R&R Please...please...
I'm almost done with this story, yeah!. There will 2-3 more chapters to go before I can write the time skip sequel.
I hope you like this chapter but I think it was really boring. I lost my not so-sense of humor when I was writing this story. I wish you could review more and tell me about what you don't understand about this story and such. So that I can grasp your perspective about the story.
Do you think that Itachi is OOC?
Tell me what you don't like and you like about my story or my style of writing so that I can improve myself, ne?
I've already use my Kagebunshin no jutsu to make this story while the real me is currently sleeping right now.
If you notice any grammatical errors just tell and they'll be fixed. I'll blame it on my Kagebushin for making such mistakes. hehehe just kidding.
Thanks for the reviews: Mokulule, Ottawa, Clairesa-chan, Pretty Little One, Ozeki, Moodyme1, Pink Blossom Princess and Shaudelovesanime.
Your reviews had really helped me in continuing this story.
So for some of you who have read "The Shinobi Path". I think I'm going to continue it after I have written the last Chapter of "Itch" which I hope would be on Saturday or Sunday. I'm really sorry for delaying "The Shinobi Path".
I would also like to thank my beta reader ottawa for betaing this story.