Stoic Love

Chapter 14

3RD PERSON

Hinote didn't know what to do, neither did Pein. They had moved Sasori into Itami's old house and hoped that Itami would eventually show up. Truthfully, they were afraid to move him in case he died.

"Do you think Itami will show soon?" questioned Pein as he and Hinote sat in the living room where Sasori was unconscious on the couch.

"I don't know," Hinote admitted, "But I am very anxious about how long Senpai will take… and her state of mind." Pein blinked.

"Her state of mind?" Pein asked slowly, but as he thought about it, he too began to worry for Itami's mental state.

"You see, from what I've seen here, Senpai's had a bad past… and according to that other Senpai, that if these ghosts leave, Senpai will go crazy." explained Hinote. Pein nodded.

"That is true, but I'm worried because of her past. These ghosts… they can't move on, I believe it's because Itami won't let them leave. I see them as parts of timelines; we were able to look in on what happened to Itami; however those timelines are still open so Itami can most likely still recall those things vividly." explained Pein.

"Timelines?" inquired Hinote. Pein nodded.

"The other Itami said that she was in fact Itami, but she wasn't our Itami. She's from a different timeline, one where Itami didn't do whatever it was she did." Pein elaborated.

"I think I understand… but… how does that affect Senpai?" Hinote asked curiously.

"Because, I believe that Itami is greatly affected by these timelines. Itami seems very ashamed of her past and she is very guarded over it. These timelines, Itami is most likely aware of them. She is most likely able to weigh them, if all the timelines including the one that she took were weighed on a scale; this one would most likely come out as the heaviest, meaning that this is the worst path. At the time, this seemed to be best but it has given Itami the worst result, as she seems to be more miserable in this timeline than the one the other Itami is from." Pein explained.

"So either way," Hinote sighed, "Senpai is still screwed."

"Basically." Pein nodded.

"What do you think Senpai will do, in the end?" inquired Hinote.

"Honestly?" Pein looked up at the ceiling, "I think she'll end up going crazy. Maybe killing herself. It seems like whatever happened, has made her very unstable mentally. She's very fragile; it seems like using that Jutsu set her off. We just need to hope that we can still pick up the pieces after her breakdown."

Things were not looking good for Itami.

Meanwhile, in the Leaf village, a girl with black hair and bright silver eyes hurried down the street. A strange red mark was under her left eye, but she was used to it. Her parents said it was a birthmark. Funny how she didn't believe them.

'I need to get to the hospital to help Naruto, Sakura and Tsunade-sama said his arms really bad!'

The girl reached the hospital and dashed through the door panting; a few looked up and watched as she hurried down the hall to the room she knew Tsunade, Naruto and Sakura were in.

"Ai, thank God you're here! The cells in his arm were almost destroyed! Can you help him?" Sakura babbled, gripping onto Ai. Ai shook her off and walked over to Naruto who was sitting on the bed looking sheepishly at Ai.

"What did you do, Naruto?" Ai asked, exasperated as she looked at Naruto's arm.

"I just used my new Jutsu!" he protested. Ai frowned and her hands gripped Naruto's arm as a murky red aura went around them. The tattoo on Ai's cheek glowed as she closed her eyes. A migraine was forming in her head but she was too busy examining Naruto.

"You almost destroyed your entire arms cells, if I wasn't here to replenish them, then your chakra network in this arm would be destroyed… Hm? What's this?" Ai's focus moved from the damage that the strange murky red aura was healing slowly to a few strange substances that dotted throughout his arm.

"What? What is there?"questioned Tsunade.

"Naruto… Did someone manage to hit you with an attack? Or maybe a poison?" Ai interrogated seriously as she examined the substance, however she didn't touch it.

"No… I wasn't hit by an attack or poison, I don't think…" Naruto trailed thoughtfully.

"What were you hit by?" demanded Ai.

"Um, some blood mainly. And… I was hit by an attack or two but they weren't enough to permanently affect me." Naruto explained. Ai's eyes narrowed.

"Sakura was there anything peculiar about the blood that Naruto was hit by?" she inquired. Sakura nodded.

"The one who was using the Jutsu; she was completely torn apart, into a bloody mess! But, then she was pieced back together… and she fought using blood. She actually manipulated the blood!" Sakura realized. Ai nodded slowly and she used her strange aura to prod at the substance.

"Gah!" suddenly Ai shivered and the aura around her hands dispersed. Cuts appeared on Ai's hands and she jumped back, away from Naruto. She didn't stop shivering and then she shook her head as the tattoo on her face burned fiercely, causing extreme pain. She gripped her tattoo with one hand and grit her teeth.

"What happened?" Tsunade demanded.

"That… that substance… it, reacted to the birthmark, or tattoo, or whatever this is on my face! And what's worse… I can't feel my chakra or abilities anymore!" Ai exclaimed. Tsunade walked forward and pressed a green glowing hand to Ai's tattoo. Her eyes widened.

"This isn't a birthmark or tattoo… this is a seal. And it's a particular seal, one that only someone from a special bloodline can give and remove." Tsunade gasped.

"But, why would there be a seal on me? I was born with it… but now that I think about it… I can't remember anything from before I was nine…" Ai blinked.

"I think we better investigate further, I'm going to summon your parents, now from your apartment." Tsunade decided as she left the room. Sakura, Ai, and a now somewhat healed Naruto followed.

In ten minutes, they had assembled in the Hokage's office with Ai's parents. Her mother, Shiko, was a pretty woman with long hip waist light blonde hair and shining green eyes while her father, Myoga, was a man with dark auburn hair and bright blue eyes.

'Ai's parents look nothing like her!' Sakura thought, looking for any similarity between Ai and her parents.

"Its time you've told us the truth about Ai, why does she have a seal on her?" demanded Tsunade. Shiko and Myoga shared a look. They sighed.

"I'm infertile." Shiko announced sadly, "I've always been, and I've always wanted a child."

"Ai isn't our child from blood." Myoga revealed.

"Wait… I'm adopted?" Ai questioned. Myoga looked away as Shiko nodded.

"When you were nine, you were left on our doorstep, unconscious, with a note. I have that note on me actually, I had a feeling we would need it." from her apron Shiko produced an old scroll she handed to Tsunade. She scanned the scroll, and her eyes narrowed finding that it was signed and written in blood.

'I have heard of your wish for a child, though you are unfertile. Our village has just been destroyed, and I am unable to support my younger sister. Our family is dead. I have sealed her memory away. Her name is Kitai. Call her Ai. From this moment forward, she is your blood daughter. I am nothing to her. Do not tell her of her heritage. She does not deserve to be linked to the horrors of our land. Within her is our bloodline. She will not be able to unlock it, due to her seal. Her seal will save her from becoming a monster like I have become. Take care of her.'

Then, in the bottom corner a signature was there. But Tsunade couldn't make it out. Tsunade handed the scroll to Ai wordlessly. Ai, when she finished, had tears brimming in her eyes.

"I…" Ai, no, Kitai shook her head. She was unable to think of anything to say.

"How are we going to learn of your bloodline, and how can we remove that seal?" questioned Tsunade.

"She is from the Land of Death." Shiko announced somberly.

"Land of Death?" Naruto and Sakura asked simultaneously before looking at each other.

"Tsunade-sama…" Sakura said slowly, "There is an Akatsuki member that is from the Land of Death… and there is an old village by the field we had been sent to… perhaps… we could find information there?"

"I'll take her, and we could probably find two others to come with us." Sakura volunteered, shooting Naruto a glare when he went to protest that he wanted to come.

"You're injured, you would be useless in this situation." she stated, not caring that Naruto looked like a kicked puppy.

"Go find a Hinata or Neji, then find someone else to take with you." ordered Tsunade. Sakura nodded and hurried out. She looked to Kitai, who was still staring at the scroll.

"Who do you think she is?" questioned Kitai. Tsunade looked out the window.

'I have a suspicion that the Akatsuki member may be her sister… but… we already have enough drama with Naruto yearning to get Sasuke back. I cannot add fuel to an already burning fire.'

"I think she is dead." Tsunade lied. Kitai nodded and looked down.

"When Sakura returns, you are to leave immediately." Tsunade dismissed.

About two hours later, the team assembled, Sakura, Kitai, Neji, and Kiba, arrived at the field. When they arrived, Kitai looked around and felt her tattoo start to burn again. She gripped it and made a face, but nothing else happened.

"There are three strong chakra's ahead," Neji informed the, his Byakugan activated, "One is dormant." Sakura tried to sense the chakra, and a chill swept through her body when she recognized the chakra of the small girl that was usually with the Land of Death girl.

"Akatsuki." Sakura hissed. They all nodded at each other and they made a plan.

Meanwhile, Hinote and Pein were getting ready to leave. Waiting for Itami had been tedious, too tedious and too worrying. They were planning on going back to the base with Sasori.

However their plans were interrupted when a barrage of weapons were thrown at them. Pein used his ability to push the weapons away and he glared at the offending Leaf ninja as they appeared. however, his eyes widened when he saw that a black haired girl with silver eyes was with them. He and Hinote shared a look.

'Kitai.' They both thought simultaneously, both nodding at each other. The Leaf ninja ran at them, and suddenly Hinote and Pein realized that they couldn't fight with Sasori in his condition.

"Shit." Pein muttered and Hinote's eyes widened as Sakura's glowing fist was coming towards them. Hinote could think of only one thing.

"SENPAI!" she screamed with all her might.

A sudden splash sounded throughout the empty village as Sakura's fist flew through a chest. However the chest was not that of Hinote, or Pein, or Sasori. But it was of Itami, the real Itami. not the fake Itami, or the ghost Itami's. But Hinote and Pein's Itami.

"S-senpai!" gasped Hinote.

"I told you Hinote, that I would always protect you." Itami responded, frowning at Sakura as blood dribbled from between her mouth. Sakura's eyes widened. Her fist was in Itami's chest. Sakura pulled back and Itami looked at her chest which healed itself, adding another scar.

"You should be dead!" Sakura shouted, pointing at her. Itami cocked her head.

"It takes more than a measly punch, it didn't even go right through me, nor was it near my heart." Itami stated, as if it were obvious, "The heart is the most vital organ. Without it, oxygen won't get to your body parts, making them useless. It pumps your blood." However, Itami's eyes narrowed in on Kitai, and the two stared at each other as Kitai's tattoo burned and glowed. Simultaneously, Itami's eyes began to glow.

Itami's appearance had changed. Her cloak was gone, and her bandages, now all she wore was a top with not sleeves and it didn't cover her stomach, and she had black Shinobi pants with no shoes. Her body was horribly scarred. Hinote thought to the sunglasses she had recovered for Itami right after her fight with the Konoha ninjas. They had flown from Itami's face to the ground in front of Hinote, who had picked them up.

"Senpai." Hinote called, making Itami turn. Hinote tossed the sunglasses from her pouch to Itami who caught them. She nodded at Hinote and put them in their rightful place.

'This girl… she's affecting Kitai… could this be her sister!?' Sakura thought worriedly.

"You… who are you?" Kitai asked Itami slowly. Itami turned and took Sasori from Pein and Hinote.

"I am not a who, I am a what. I am a monster, a demon, a machine made to kill that was created by the Land of Death's wars. I am not human, I do not deserve humanity for the things I have done." Itami spoke solemnly as she jumped up onto the roof of her old home. The ghosts of Itami stood under the house, looking up at her.

"But who are you before then?" Kitai growled. Itami cocked her head.

"The unwanted child, the one that Aika loved, but Saisho called a demon. I am the only true survivor of the Land of Death, for I am the only one who bears its memory and pain on my shoulders. The machine, the monster, the demon, that is who and what I am." and with that, Itami took off, Hinote and Pein following. Neji and Kiba took off after them, but later coming back empty handed. Meanwhile, Kitai had entered the house, passing by the ghosts that watched her curiously. Kitai paused as she looked at a picture on a shelf of the house.

'The similarities…' Kitai thought, looking at the picture of a woman who looked just like her with a man and a young girl who looked just like the girl that had just left.

"Tsunade is right… she is dead… to me."

AN

So, Shidonii couldn't come up with anything. So I got to do a second chapter. Yay. So, I completely forgot the age gap between Itami and Kitai, so I decided its five years. Itami is now around her early twenties, and Kitai is in her late teens.