Chapter 29: Bloodcurdling Screams
I stared at him for a moment and then I cracked a small smile. "I tried so hard to become strong, so that you and Shisui wouldn't have to worry about me." I searched Itachi's eyes. You two were never going to stop worrying about me, even after then, were you?"
The light smile he made confirmed my suspicions. My head leaned against his shoulder as I stared off into space. "My guardian angels..." I murmured before exhaustion took over.
This girl...if she knew what I'm about to do...would she still lean against me this way...and feel safe...?
Itachi leaned his head against hers and enjoyed the feeling for as long as he could before standing and picking up her sleeping form. He took her to her room and laid her on the bed before returning to the couch. He would sleep for a short time as well before going back to Konoha.
When I woke up in bed, I got up and ran to the living area. Itachi peeked at me with one eye and slowly got up and rubbed the sleep away. I turned red when he looked at me curiously.
"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you...I just...nevermind." I sheepishly laughed and he walked past me, poking my forehead as he went by. The blush deepened and I watched as he grabbed his things off the table. "You're leaving already?"
"I must go, Shikara." He replied as he put his ANBU armor on.
I gave a small sad sigh and he started for the door. "Ah, wait!" He paused and I ran to the room, grabbing something from the drawer of the nightstand. I ran back and blushed again, holding the bracelet I made for Shisui out to him. "I want you to have this..." I said shyly, "...even if you are far away...and we may not see each other for a long time...I'll always be here for you...forever."
His eyes widened a little as he took the bracelet and I helped him put it on without being asked to. He watched me silently do this and my blush never faded. "Shikara..." he put his arms around me, "thank you."
I gave him my best smile. "Please let Sasu-kun know that he's always in my heart, okay?"
Itachi had a soft, distant smile. "Okay." He released me and opened the door. "See you...Angel."
I followed him out and stood by the door as I watched him go. I kept smiling until he was out of sight. A sigh escaped my lips and I turned to go back in. I needed to put on something more decent so that I could go see Granny Yin.
Even though I was gone longer than expected she had me back working just as soon as I entered the shop. She didn't ask questions which came as a relief. The loyal customers were happy to see me as they came in and everything went back to its happy norm. Thank goodness.
Over a span of a week I started hearing an excited chatter happening throughout the village. I hadn't paid attention to it but the news finally came to Granny and when I entered the shop just to see her she greeted me with a sad expression.
"Oh, sweet girl! Come here!" She motioned to me and I curiously made my way over to her. "I'm so sorry, Shikara, about the terrible news."
My eyebrow raised. "What are you talking about, Granny?"
"Your friend, honey, Itachi Uchiha has murdered his entire clan!"
My eyes widened and I dropped the vase of flowers I had been holding to give to Granny. I stared at her, bewildered. "Granny...what did...you say!?"
"You didn't know dear?"
I fell to my knees and gasped, tears trickled down my face. "He didn't...he wouldn't..." I couldn't believe it.
Granny came to me to embrace me and wipe my tears away. "I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you, dear."
I blinked and started to pick up vase pieces and the flowers.
"Oh, no honey, let me take care of this." She ushered me to a table and had me sit there while she cleaned the mess. I sat silently, trying to put everything together. It just made no sense. He didn't give away his intentions while he was here with me. He almost seemed normal. How could this be?
After Granny had the mess cleaned she brought me some tea. "Oh, dear. I can't envision that sweet boy doing something like that."
"Me neither..." I said sadly. The news was shocking. One thing that pained me to wonder is if Sasu-kun was okay. I looked to Granny. "Was there any survivors?"
She looked grim. "Just a young boy, rumor is that it was the younger brother who survived." I would have sighed in relief but that means everyone else in the clan was now gone. Anothertear slipped. Itachi must have been in so much turmoil to have had thought this was the only way...
I told Granny that I needed a couple days to mourn for the loss of the Uchiha clan. Thankfully she understood and I went home to wait and see if Itachi would show.
He never did.
...
After waiting patiently for two days I decided that I would return to the village and help Granny Yin the next morning. I tied my hair up and went out into the cold morning air. It smelled like smoke and there was an ominous glow coming from the direction of the village and I ran as fast as I could. My heart already ached as I came to the top of the hill and looked down to see the village up in flame.
"No!" I screamed, lunging forward and bombed down the hill. The streets were paved in blood and corpses from young to old. Tears were flowing as I desperately searched for survivors. I came to Granny's shop which was starting to crumble in flames.
Please no, Granny. I broke the door down and a wave of heat hit me. I coughed from the smoke and made my way in. She was on the floor, passed out. I grabbed her and ran out just before a beam came down and crashed to the floor where she was. I placed her down outside in the soft grass and she coughed weakly. "Granny Yin!" I called to her.
"Shikara..." she coughed again. "Bandits...rouge ninjas...attacked us."
I choked back a sob. "Just relax, Granny." I whispered.
"You must get away from here...Shikara." She took one last breath and was gone.
Anger and sadness took over my senses as I wiped the tears away and ran back to the cottage. I put on the ANBU outfit that I had repaired myself and placed the wolf mask over my face. I would make them pay.
They were sloppy and left obvious tracks. It didn't take me long to find them. There were seven of them and they were bragging about how many they took out and how much loot they stole. My blood was boiling and I walked out into the open, the morning sun at my back. I appeared to be a dark silhouette as I approached them.
"Hey! Who is that?" They all peered in the direction I was but barely caught a mere after image. "Hey, where did she go!?"
I appeared behind one, sword drawn and I slashed, casterating his head and as it dropped, I moved to shove the sword through another's throat before he could make a sound. I jumped in the air as his companions turned to watch his body drop and came back down on a rather ugly, evil-looking bitch, slicing her stomach open and allowing her entrails to fall out in front of the remaining four. There was blood all over me and I gave them a dark look before continuing my onslaught. Their screams couldn't have brought more pleasure to my ears. The one who bragged about killing the most was my final target. He was on the ground begging for mercy and I slowly approached. He was trying to scramble backwards, looking at the sword, drenched in his companions blood. It hung loosely in my hand, allowing droplets to run down the tip of the blade and stain the grass below.
"No! Please!" He was screaming. "Please spare me!"
As I walked upon him and slammed my heel into his chest, flattening him to the ground, I bent over him, reeking of murderous intent. "You mean like you did for those good people?" He gasped and before he would let out a bloodcurdling scream, I dug the sword into his stomach and slowly dragged it all the way up to his throat and jammed the sword through and into the earth below. When his body went limp and his eyes dimmed, I pulled the sword out and shook most of the blood off. All of these people were wanted dead or alive in the bingo books. To further my revenge, I would take their heads and turn them in for cash.
I found myself a new profession, and the darkness inside couldn't have been more ecstatic.
