Chapter Nine

Yoshi jerked awake, sitting up. She had fallen asleep, warm next to Itachi. He'd wrapped his cloak around her as well. Her gaze studied her surroundings. They were halfway to Konoha. She began to tremble as a chilly gust of wind swept her pig tails of hair from her shoulders. They were lifted up, riding on the wind for a few moments before falling on to her back. She felt Itachi's warm hands grasp her shoulders and he pulled her back down, holding her close.

"It's cold," he said, "We were unprepared to travel. You'll catch a cold if you're not warm enough."

She nodded. Where were Minori and Akio? She closed her tired eyes, her thoughts wandering. Akio and Minori. Last time she'd seen them, they were waiting outside of her home. What about Ayame? She had no idea of this trip. It seemed all good and well in the beginning, but the longer she'd wondered about it, the more unsure she became. She sighed. Itachi felt warm against the chilled winds. It was comforting. It wasn't long before she'd fallen into a deep sleep in her father's arms.

•••

"Yoshi, wake up."

Itachi's soft voice reached her through the thick fog of her dream. Her eyes fluttered open and found him, leaning over her, the sun brightly shining behind him. She sat up. It was warm now. She rubbed her eyes.

"Father," she murmured, "Do we have anything to eat? I'm hungry."

"Soon," he promised, "We're almost there. When we get there, I'll buy you something."

She sighed and got to her feet. "Well," she said, "Let's get going."

He nodded, getting to his feet as well. He bent forward and she climbed on to his back again and he began to run. She held on tightly, resting her head against his shoulder. Her heart pounded with worry. She wondered what Ayame was doing. She was probably worried sick. She sighed, closing her eyes. The wind was strong. It was more soothing than annoying, however.

Yoshi hadn't realized that she'd fallen asleep until she jerked awake. Itachi had stopped. He was standing atop a tall tree, gazing over the village of Konoha. She gasped, sliding off of his back and standing at his side. Konoha was beautiful. Her heart felt warm. She felt at home here. She delicately touched the tree beside her. She didn't want to go back to Taki anymore. She'd rather Ayame and the others come here but she knew it wasn't possible. She had to go back. She clenched her hands into fists, wishing that whatever had kept Itachi from letting her live here hadn't existed. If she'd never met Ayame or Minori or Akio or Mari or anybody from Taki, she wouldn't have to question her loyalty to her village as she gazed down at the great and beautiful Konohagakure.

"Father," she murmured, "I... I wish I could stay."

He took a deep breath. "I know the feeling," he sighed.

She couldn't pull her gaze away. She could see people scattered around the village. Some of them were lucky enough to be endowed with the Konoha shinobi forehead protector. She lifted her gaze to her father. His forehead protector had the same symbol; the only difference was the scratch through it. Why hadn't she noticed it before? He was from Konoha. And since he was her father, that meant she was originally from Konoha as well. Curiosity grasped her heart. She wanted to know why it was that Itachi had abandoned such a beautiful village and taken Yoshi away from it.

Yoshi hadn't realized what had happened until she found herself in Itachi's arm opposite where she was standing before. The swiftness of it made her feel dizzy. But there was no doubt; gazing at where she was standing, there was a kunai in the tree. She began to pant, rubbing her eyes. She lifted her gaze towards Itachi. His sharingan were activated. The sunlight danced in his angry eyes. His gaze wandered left and right, in search of who did this.

"Oh, Itachi," a voice sighed from the branch above their heads, "What can we do? We told you time and time again that that girl is off limits."

Itachi's jaw clenched and he threw his gaze up to the branch above them. "Tobi," he said quietly, "How did you find me?"

A man jumped down. Yoshi studied his attire; the Akatsuki cloak adorned his body, no doubt. Over his face, he wore an orange mask with a hole for the eye. He looked frightening. Something about him being near her didn't feel safe. She held tightly on to Itachi.

"Easy," he shrugged, "I've been behind you since you've entered fire country." Itachi was grinding his teeth now. "Anyway, back to what I was saying. I realize that she is your daughter, but, Itachi... the fact of the matter is that we don't trust you. We can't have anybody finding out what we're doing."

"What are you saying?" Itachi said, "You're telling me that I can't be with my own daughter?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Tobi said, "Do what you will for now. You have a week to get her off of your hands."

There was a long, tense hesitation before Itachi muttered through gritted teeth, "Yes."

"Good," Tobi said. The swirl design on his mask grew suddenly and he was swallowed by it. It then disappeared. Itachi set Yoshi down on the branch before sitting down, leaning his head against the trunk. Yoshi gazed at him. Something about being here in this tree; something about the sad look on his face; it all seemed too familiar. Something about it made her want to cry. She sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. Tears slid down her numb cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying; all she knew was that now felt like the best time to cry. Itachi pulled her into a hug at the note of her crying.

"Don't cry, pretty girl," he murmured, "Everything will be okay."

Something about his words touched her heart. It only made her cry harder. After a few long, heartfelt moments, Itachi sat up, gazing at her. He touched her cheek and wiped away the tears with his thumb.

"We have a week," Yoshi said, "I don't understand why... what will happen after a week?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, nothing," he said quickly, "Don't worry about it. Everything will be back to normal very soon; I promise."

"Normal..." she said quietly, "What do you mean by normal?"

He gently kissed her forehead, pulling her against his chest and stroking her hair humanely. "Don't worry about it," he simply said, "Let's just enjoy this time we're given."

"Oh... okay," she said, unsure.

•••

Yoshi's eyes fluttered open to the sunlight streaming in through the shades of the window beside her, pouring over her face. She shaded her eyes with her hand before sitting up in her cot. Her gaze traced the walls of the room. Itachi wasn't in here. She got to her feet, making her way to the bathroom. She entered, closing the door behind her and washed up quickly. Her stomach growled and she sighed, rubbing it with the palm of her hand hungrily. She brushed her hair before returning to the room where her cot was. She tied on her forehead protector and sat at the table beside the window, gazing out. There were so many people outside. This was a village near Konoha, where all the hotels and carnivals and things like that would be.

"Are you hungry?" Itachi's voice found her from the doorway.

Yoshi turned in her chair and the first thing her gaze could see were the little boxes in his hands. She fidgeted in her chair. She was so hungry that his footsteps towards her were in slow motion, according to her mental image of it. He finally reached her, setting a box down in front of her on the table and a box across from her. He sat in his chair and opened the box. She gazed at him wide eyed, her fingertips brushing against the corners of the box in front of her. His gaze met hers before he chuckled and nodded. She opened the box quickly and began to devour the food in front of her, savoring every bite like it was her last.

It wasn't long before the box was completely empty. She sat up. She was full now. She lifted her gaze to Itachi. He wasn't eating as quickly as she was and his box still had yet to be finished. She sighed, finally able to think clearly. This was so close to the place where she was born. This was so close to the place where Itachi had decided to give her up and take her somewhere else.

"Father," she said quietly, "Are you ever going to tell me why you took me to Taki?"

He chewed slowly, gazing down at his food. He swallowed before taking a deep breath. "Yoshi," he said, "One day, you will learn. But that day can't be today, okay? I'm sorry."

Yoshi sighed again, picking up her empty box and getting to her feet. She tossed it in the garbage and stood by the door as Itachi tossed his out as well.

"I want to explore," she said, "Can you show me around here?"

He nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin before tossing that out as well. "My pleasure," he said, "There's just one thing we have to be sure of."

"What's that?" Yoshi asked, watching as he stepped in front of her and opened the door.

Without glancing back at her, he responded, "That the people of Konoha don't see my face."