CHAPTER 12
Days passed but they felt like an eternity. Since the day she found out about Shisui's death, Misaki hadn't seen Itachi.
Not only she was grieving for the loss of her best friend, she had also lost the person she loved most.
She had still spend some time with Sasuke, playing with him would lift some of the weight she felt in her heart. The little boy had also been sad about Shisui's tragedy and since that day, he had also noticed the change in his brother's behaviour and the friction between his brother and his father. However, he still tried to make her smile and, in return, she did the same.
As the evening approached, Misaki headed towards the Academy to pick up Sasuke but, this time, she recognised Itachi's back on a high tree branch behind Academy. She jumped to a branch just behind him and gave a quick glance at what he was observing, finding Sasuke below working on his shuriken throw on his own.
Itachi sensed her behind him, he bowed his head then turned his face slightly to look at her.
"You found me, huh?" He asked.
"I just happened to notice you by chance, it wasn't like I was searching for you. I know you've been avoiding me for the last few days and I didn't want to bother you if wanted some space. However, I think we should talk about the other day…" She wanted to know why Itachi had turned to how he was know just after the night they spent together. Followed by Shisui's death.
"It has nothing to do with you, Misaki." Itachi interrupted her.
"Then why wou-"
"Don't follow me…" He ordered in a stern voice but then his tone softened. "Please. There's something I must do and I can't have you by my side anymore, you can't be dragged into this. You'll understand, in time..." He told her before his body turned into several black crows, leaving Misaki there on her own, her mouth slightly open. She would give him time, for now...
She stood in that tree, unconsciously watching Sasuke train, as her mind kept searching for a reason that would make Itachi like that, then she realised that it was night already. Jumping down the branch she approached Sasuke.
"Hey, Sasuke, why are you still training so late?" Misaki asked the young boy. Sasuke stopped mid throw and turned to look at her.
"Oh, hi Misaki-neesan." Sasuke noticed the street lamp behind Misaki's. "Oh, no! I didn't realise it was that late. I bet mom has already prepared dinner. She'll be upset I'm not home yet. I'll see you later!" Sasuke yelled as he started running home.
Misaki watched his running form when a chilling breeze blew all around her, a frightening shiver running through her body. What was that unnerving feeling? She thought before turning to go to a nearby food stall to get some dinner.
A while later, she was finishing her bowl of ramen when she noticed a commotion outside. Peeking her head out of the little stall curtains she noticed several shinobi and a few ANBU running in the streets and over the rooftops towards… the Uchiha compound, she realised, her eyes widening. Using her sensory mode she worked on locating little Sasuke first, remembering the chill she felt when he left, and realised that Sasuke's chakra was very faint. She quickly stood up and headed to his location.
When she finally reached the entrance to the Uchiha compound she spotted an ANBU carrying Sasuke's body, the Third Hokage walking behind them with a grim expression on his face.
"Sasuke-kun!" She yelled, reaching for him. "Why is he unconscious, Hokage-sama? What's happened? Why is everyone running here in alert?"
"Misaki." The Hokage started. "Sasuke-kun is fine, my men are taking him to the hospital just to check. This area has been closed off, so you shouldn't be here. We're dealing with a situation at the moment."
"What kind of situation? And where's Itachi?" At the mention of Itachi's name, the Hokage closed his eyes as he had been slapped on the face but stood silent.
"Hokage-sama?" Misaki asked again, feeling uneasy.
"Only because it's you, I will tell you myself: Itachi is the reason we're having this situation. He has turned against the village and killed his entire clan."
"W- what-" She gulped, feeling her throat dry. "That's… impossible. He would never do such thing. You had this all wrong, he's not-"
"Misaki, that's enough. Either accompany the ANBU escorting Sasuke to the hospital or go home. You can't get involved in this." The Hokage ordered. When he noticed her looking to up to her side where she surely was pinpointing Itachi's location he reached out to grab her wrist. "You will not go after him, it's too dangerous." He added.
She shook her arm to lose the Hokage's hold.
"No. You're wrong." She said before making the hand sign to teleport where she could sense Itachi which wasn't too far from where they were.
Misaki appeared on the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in the village, from there her vision could reach almost every spot within the small town. Itachi was crouched on the ledge of the roof, his back to her.
"Tell me the Hokage is wrong, Itachi." She commanded. But Itachi didn't move a muscle. His eyes were fixed on the ANBU carrying Sasuke just passing close by on his way to the hospital.
"He's not." He said after a long moment, making her gasp loudly.
"That can't be true, you're lying! I know you, your ultimate goal has always been to protect Konoha. There's no way you would-"
"You're wrong." He interjected.
"No..." She said but she had lost the strength in her voice. "No…" She added a bit louder, her breathing ragged.
"Yes. I wanted to test my power. I wanted to show everyone that I'm the strongest Uchiha. I'm leaving the village so go home and stop following me."
Itachi stood up.
No… She repeated the mantra in her head. It can't be. Everybody already knows he's the most skilled Uchiha, specially after Shisui… did he really kill him then? For the same purpose, for the Mangekyō? Why would he go to that extreme?
Misaki, unable to accept his words, ran towards Itachi until her body collided with his back, wrapping her arms around him and trapping his arms under hers. She sensed his body tense under his clothing which reeked of blood.
"Stop lying!" She yelled.
Itachi easily broke the hold she had on him and took a step forward, away from her.
"Misaki, stop being a nuisance." He said without turning, his words causing a stinging pain in her chest. "I need to gain more power, I can't stay in this village playing the happy family, holding hands with you and spending the evenings eating dango by the lake. I'm going to-"
"Enough! Would you look at me already! If this is really it, at least have the decency to look me in the eye! Tell me the truth, I can handle it!" She yelled, grabbing Itachi's left hand and pulling it towards her, the force of the movement forcing Itachi to turn around and face her.
However, as he did, Misaki noticed that his eyes were bright with unshed tears and torment was written all over his face. He didn't want to look at her because he knew she would see past his lies, she would see the agony and sorrow inside of him. Because now, as she was glancing into his eyes, she could perfectly feel the throbbing pain within his core as if it was hers.
She stared at him questionly, a silent conversation going on between the two of them. She wanted to know the reasons of her actions but Itachi's eyes were pleading her to drop the matter. Whatever it was, he couldn't share it with her.
Misaki placed her hands on the sides of his face and the strength seemed to fade from his body. He leaned his face down, stopping when his forehead touched hers, the tears silently spilling over her.
"I really wanted to do a clean cut. But it seems I'm not strong enough to let go of you so easily." Itachi told her.
"You don't have to let go of me at all." She said in a calmed voice but inside she felt like screaming at the top of her lungs because of the turn of events. What was the reason for things going this way? Was it because there was a bigger plan that she couldn't see? A bigger destiny she could have never possibly imagine for themselves?
"I do." He said before lifting his face and placing his lips over hers. If there was time to cry tears of joy -now would be it. Wherever the real Itachi had been hiding for the past days, it was unknown to her, but he had finally come out of his hiding place.
Misaki wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, not in a sweet kind of way but in a possessive way, as if trying to convey a message to him: that she wasn't letting go. Itachi tried slowing down the kiss but Misaki held onto his neck so tight that he couldn't help but plunge his tongue and lose himself in the depths of her mouth. Misaki let out a moan, making him shiver. He was amazed that this girl's love wouldn't falter even after what he did.
Itachi leaned back and stared into her hazel eyes. His hands moved to the side of her neck, caressing her smooth skin and tugging her back to him until their mouths were a breath apart.
"My life is yours, Misaki. You have my heart in your hands. It stores the essence of everything I am. You'll enjoy life for me as I become nothing." Itachi's last words were clipped as if all his joy had just been sucked out of him.
Her breathing picked up again.
"What? No!" Itachi tried to move away from her but she held him firmly. "Whatever you have to do and wherever you have to go, I'm coming with you." She said closing her eyes and placing her face against his neck. She would do anything for him.
"Look at me." He commanded. When she did, she found his new Sharingan activated.
"Your Sharingan doesn't work on me…" She started saying but Itachi ignored her.
"You won't remember today's events." I will break this genjutsu. She told herself.
"You won't remember meeting me today at the Academy or just know, nor going to the compound. You will go home, sleep and wake up tomorrow as it was today. When you learn about what I've done you'll despise me as everyone else. You won't search for me or follow me and you'll stay in this village where it's safe."
I will break out of this. I will. I must remember. She repeated in her head but when Itachi's final command was to close her eyes, she did and she felt the ground fell beneath her.
Drowing. She felt like drowning. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, her heart felt like it had stopped. She tried to suck in some air but her mouth couldn't grasp any air…
Her body started to fall backwards when she felt everything around her faded into nothing.
