Chapter Ten

Yoshi followed closely behind Itachi, leaping through the trees. The only way they would get into Konohagakure is illegally. She had already taken off her Taki headband and put her hair down and changed her clothes. She couldn't have the Uchiha symbol on her in Konoha; they'd recognize it. He came to a halt a few branches away from the opening that would lead to the village. He turned to face her, a serious guise shadowing his face.

"Yoshi," he whispered, "I'll be near you at all times but you won't see or sense me. Don't stray too far and don't talk to anybody."

Yoshi nodded. "Yes," she whispered in return.

He gestured towards the opening and Yoshi climbed down the tree and slowly walked towards it. Her fingertips tingled with excitement and her heart pounded in her chest. She stuck her head through the gap between the trees and gazed around. People were everywhere. She crept through and walked behind a group of people as if she was one of them so that nobody noticed her come in through the forest. She flicked her hair away with her fingertips, slowing her gait. She gazed around, in awe. Although she'd spent her entire life in a village, Takigakure wasn't half as great as Konoha. She felt her pockets. Her wallet was in there with her money. She smiled. This would be fun.

Yoshi turned her head, continuing to walk. Her gazed studied the forest. She could see Itachi but she knew he was there. She felt safe. She walked on slowly, gazing around. There were shops, restaurants, houses. Of course Taki had all of this stuff but here... it just seemed so unreal. She stopped, gazing up at a sign. Ichiraku Ramen it read. She stepped inside and gazed at the menu. Only a few people were here; a couple of civilians and a blond kid wearing a Konoha shinobi forehead protector.

"What can I get for you?" the man behind the counter said to Yoshi, a friendly grin on her face.

Her heart began to race. She looked like just another civilian around here. She was fitting in. She sat on the stool beside the blond guy.

"Oh," she said thoughtfully, "May I please have the special?"

"Yes, you may," the man said kindly, beginning to prepare her Ramen.

Yoshi gazed down at her hands, rested on the counter in front of her. She was trembling. She was afraid and excited at the same time. She swallowed, taking a deep breath. She was seconds away from hyperventilating. Yoshi lifted her gaze. It had just come to her realization that the blond guy was staring at her. He was gazing at her closely, as if he was thinking.

"You," he said, "Do I know you?"

"No," Yoshi said quickly, "You might have seen me around, though. I'm from the next town over and I visit often."

"Oh," he said, "I thought you looked familiar."

"Yeah," Yoshi said, "I'm Yoshi. What's your name?"

He grinned. "Naruto Uzumaki," he said, "I'm going to be the next Hokage."

Yoshi smiled. He was so enthusiastic. "Aw," she said, "Good luck."

•••

Yoshi had just finished eating her Ramen. She paid before getting to her feet and exiting the Ramen shop. Nobody was suspecting her in the slightest. She began to wander randomly around the village, buying souvenirs and exploring. She hadn't met many people but that didn't matter to her. The sun was finally setting. She rushed out towards the forest. She crept into it, careful so that she was unseen. She gazed around.

"Father?" she whispered.

"Let's go," she heard his voice say from above. He was in a tree.

Yoshi obediently ran up the side of it towards him. She climbed on to the branch he was on.

"Did you have fun?" he asked as he began to leap through the trees.

Following closely behind, Yoshi said, "Oh, yes! It was so fun! I could only wish Taki was as great as Konoha."

He glanced back at her before saying, "Now," he said, "You belong to Takigakure. Don't think too much about Konoha."

"I understand," she said. Although she wanted nothing more than to stay here for the rest of her life, she did understand. What she wanted and what she had to do were two different things now. It wasn't long before they were landing on the ground and entering the next town over. In their hotel, Yoshi sat on her rented cot. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"I don't know," he sighed, sitting in his, "I want to spend it together this time, though."

"Alright," she said, smiling, "That works for me."

•••

Yoshi gazed up at Itachi across the table. He was eating his lunch in silence, nibbling on his noodles. He looked in a daze. His gaze was fixated on the table but it seemed like he was seeing something completely different.

"Father?" she said, "What are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" he said, returning to reality, "Oh… nothing, it's nothing."

Yoshi pursed her lips. "It sure didn't look like nothing," she said, "It seems like something has your mind occupied."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he said, "This is a vacation. Don't worry about things you don't need to worry about."

"It's a vacation for both of us, though," she said, "I just want to make sure the both of us enjoy it. Plus, how can we be close if you don't tell me anything?"

Itachi gazed at her thoughtfully before resting his elbow on the table of the restaurant they were in, holding his face in his hand. He played with his food using his fork without moving his gaze from the window beside them.

"If I don't stop talking to you by the end of the week, you'll be killed," he said, quietly.

Yoshi's fists clenched. The damn Akatsuki were so cruel. Why were they so quick to kill? What did killing innocent people solve? Nothing. Cold-blooded murders are what they are.

"But why?" she said, "We're not doing anything wrong."

"It's not that," he said, shaking his head, "They don't want me to tell you their secrets. They would kill you in an instant if they knew that you knew anything."

"Even if you did," she said, "I'm not one to blurt things out…"

"I know that," he said, "But you're still considered an enemy to them. They don't trust either of us."

Yoshi sighed. "Damn," she muttered, "I guess I just… got my hopes up. I thought that I would actually have family now. It was lonely with just Ayame."

Itachi met her gaze again and reached out, touching her hand on the table. "I'll always be there, Yoshi," he said, "Even if you can't see me… I'll be there for you."

Yoshi smiled. "Thank you, but that's not the same," she said, "Why is our family so screwed up?"

He sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I don't know," he said, "It's been like this for a long, long time."

Yoshi flicked her hair away from her face, resting her chin in her palm and scanning outside of the restaurant. People passed, children holding hands with their mothers and fathers; couples walking side by side. There were hardly any loners walking. It's because they all had family. That was what Yoshi wanted; a family. Itachi got to his feet, leaving money on the table with the check.

"Yoshi," he said, "Let's go."

Yoshi nodded and stood. She followed him outside. The hustle and bustle of the people here was somewhat exhilarating to Yoshi. She grasped a handful of Itachi's shirt so that she wouldn't be pulled away from him. A gust of wind lifted her hair off of her shoulders. She blinked hard so that the room temperature winds didn't water her eyes. When she opened her eyes, her gaze found someone. He looked so familiar, but at the same time she knew he was a stranger. He looked suspicious; wearing his black, hooded cloak and gazing around as if he was looking for someone. She lifted her gaze to Itachi. He was gazing at the shops. He didn't even seem to notice the familiar stranger. Her gaze fell on him again. He looked left and right before gazing straight ahead. His eyes widened when he saw Itachi. His gaze flickered to Yoshi. He had a blank expression on his face before turning around and disappearing. He didn't look like a ninja. Yoshi squeezed Itachi's shirt. Just who was that guy?