10. Family Bonds
Silently, Kohanako snuck out of bed, lighting a candle and grabbing a book as she piled herself on the floor of her room. She laid there, reading peacefully, until she heard a noise outside of her door.
Quickly, Kohanako tried to shove the book under her bed, put the candle away, and climb back into bed, but failed to do so before the door opened.
"I'm sorry Otousan." The little girl said in a rushed voice. "I just wasn't tired, and-" She paused. "Wait, you're not Otousan."
The man who had entered the room smiled briefly. "Foolish little brother, what did he think he was doing?"
Kohanako looked up at him with a confused look on her face. "Who are you, and what are you doing here, and what do you mean?" When he didn't answer, she put her hands to her hips. "Don't make me call Otousan; he'll be mad at you."
The dark-haired man smiled. "Silly little girl, what do you think he would do?"
"Otousan would beat you up and make you leave." Kohanako fumed.
The man just laughed more. "That foolish little brother of mine doesn't have enough power to kill me, yet; you've made him soft."
Kohanako seemed to realize something. "Wait, if my Otousan is your brother, then that means…" She trailed off.
"I'm your Uncle." Itachi finished for her.
"But Otousan said that we don't have any family, that it's just me and him."
The sharingan flared in Itachi's eyes, causing Kohanako to jump.
The little girl relaxed, and even smiled. "I can do that too!" She said excitedly, as her eyes reddened and the sharingan appeared. She then let it continue, and the more advanced form took its place.
This time, Itachi jumped. "So young, and already you can use the Myokuoyo Sharingan?"
Kohanako relaxed, and the sharingan disappeared. "I was born with it." She informed the older man. "Otousan says I have to use my chakra to hide it 'cause it's bad, and I shouldn't use it."
Itachi thought for a moment. The potential of having an Uchiha who didn't consume chakra when using the sharingan was unlimited. Itachi, himself, had taken the Uchiha eyes to the next level; it was possible that Kohanako could take it even further.
The smile returned to Itachi's face as he bent down and picked Kohanako up. "You and I are going to become the best of friends." He said childishly. "Tell me, what would you do if something happened to your Otousan; where would you go?"
Kohanako thought for a moment. "Nothing will ever happen to Otousan, 'cause he's too strong, and if he needed help, I would tell Kooriao and the others to help him, and no one can stop them, and then Otousan would be okay, and be with me forever."
Itachi laughed a low laugh. "No one can help him."
In anger, Kohanako jumped off her Uncle's lap. "Kooriao can beat anyone! She'll always protect me, and anyone I say; Oro-sama said that Ka-san made sure of that."
"Who is Kooriao?" Itachi asked, seriously.
"My demon." Kohanako answered shyly.
"And you have others?"
Kohanako nodded.
Itachi looked up, then back to the little girl. "Don't tell your Otousan that I was here, okay?" He smiled, and Kohanako nodded again.