A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with this little chapter here. Sorry its not particularly long but I finally finished it anyways. Like I said before, I'm only posting chapters when I feel like it. So sorry about the wait but I literally had a sudden want to finish this one. So yeah, enjoy I guess.
Three years have passed on since the two began living within the academy. Itachi spent that time going on missions and earning money-tons of it-and training Emerald in hand-to-hand combat. She was going to be facing Grimm but it was possible that she could run into criminals or be set on a mission fighting rogue hunters. Although Grimm were the main priority as a hunter sometimes those rogue elements had to be dealt with if they were too powerful.
Though he was well-known no one actually seemed to know anything personal about him. He often just took a job, completed it, got his pay and left. He only spoke when he needed to and never took the time to socialize. Aside from him never failing a job no one knew how capable he actually was. They just had to look at the missions he completed and at the fact that he always did them by himself. That was the only way to gauge his abilities. Just from that, they did seem to be impressive. And that was it.
Itachi only wanted a simpler life since it seems it could never be simple with him. That simple life was doing huntsman work saving money until he could retire and live off of his riches. Along with Emerald if she wanted.
Emerald on the other hand, well she spent her days training and catching up with her soon to be peers at Beacon. She was extremely committed to her future as a huntress. If that was the career that Itachi thought was best for her then she would do her best with it. It was a good distraction most of the time as she often missed Itachi. He went on missions as often as possible. She very much treasured whenever they spent his days off out in Vale. Though he was not very expressive around others he joked and smiled with her. She liked that little detail very much.
She still wasn't quite sure what she felt for Itachi, She just thought it was something like love for a family member but, well she never had a family. She didn't know what that type of love felt like so she couldn't differentiate it between romantic love. It bothered her but not too much. She still went about her life as usual, she just spent some of her free time wondering about it.
As long as she was with Itachi it was fine. Nothing mattered as long as she was by his side.
That all said as Emerald was training and sometimes heading out to Vale in order to indulge herself with treats, Itachi was working hard and enjoying it. None of the Grimm were a genuine threat to him. Even the larger and more ferocious ones. He had gotten to his full strength and with some more training he could possibly attain even greater heights. He certainly appreciated the large jump in chakra reserves.
His latest mission was like any other, hunting down a certain Grimm that had been terrorizing a particularly high paying town out of Vale. It was specified to be a fully grown Alpha Beowolf. Those were quite the pain as they always traveled in packs of thirty or forty other Beowolves. However, it had a cracked mask so it was far more identifiable.
Itachi had been searching some tracks in the nearby forest for some time. A few days and he found something. The old man who he had talked with had the right idea that it would be near some optimal camping spots. It seemed that it was far more intelligent than most.
However, as the young Uchiha flew through the trees with a practiced silence he saw a glint of something. He stopped on a branch and made his way back to that little sparkle. Hopping off Itachi saw it coming from a strange looking patch of grass. He quickly lifted it up and found the grass to be fake and when he lifted it all the way up he found a large metal door leading downward into the dirt.
"Not what I expected. Hm, if I didn't know any better I'd say this was the work of Orochimaru. One of his underground labs would have not been found accidentally though." With that Itachi decided to investigate the place. Something like that could be good to report and could possibly land him some good money.
Without much resistance the Uchiha punched the metal door and watched as it tumbled down some stairs. Quickly making his way down into the place he could see it was just as he expected it. Abandoned, messy and ruined. Stone walls and ceilings filled the place. There wasn't much to think about but Itachi decided to make a clone. It would be good to cover more ground quicker and get out with any documents he could nab.
In all honesty, he should have alerted any hunters that were closest to his area or just call the Headmaster and wait for a few other hunters to arrive. However, Itachi didn't really need anyone to assist him. Though he couldn't create an army of clones, one clone with a good amount of chakra put into it should work well enough. Itachi could evade most surprise attacks aimed at him, ambush or not. The only thing he could not avoid is being snuck up on a stealthy Grimm.
Those things were annoying and somewhat frightening as he still could not sense them no matter how much training he did. Though he never truly got injured by them as they always roared before attacking; Nothing in Remnant could match the speed of a shinobi.
A few hours later and the Uchiha prodigy had gathered all the information he needed. As he began his trek back out of the lab it was interrupted by a large rumbling followed by an explosion. A second later the memories from his clone came to him. Unfortunately some of the physical evidence procured by his clone was gone with the explosion. It couldn't be helped though, he was blindsided by a hole in the wall that gave more space for Grimm to overrun him. He wasn't in a very open space and was instantly stabbed from behind as he engaged a few of the genetically enhanced Grimm. Good thing it was an explosive clone.
Itachi sighed and made his way back out. He'd also have to collapse the entrance. He could not ignore the chances-as small as they are-of those particular Grimm escaping. He would doom any other huntsmen or huntresses. It was good to know that the main man who operated that underground lab was long gone and dead. Killed by his own creation if that corpse his clone saw was any indication. Though it was one among many it shared the most traits with his now burnt up picture.
With a few quick hand signs Itachi activated an earth technique and buried the entrance further underground and shifted some of the surrounding terrain. He still had more than half of his chakra reserves but the few techniques he used required quite the amount. Itachi looked around for the original tracks of the Grimm he had been hunting. Luckily for him they were still there though incredibly faded.
The young Uchiha would have to worry about the rather interesting mysteries he discovered within the labs later. He still had a job to do.
After successfully hunting down and killing the Alpha Beowolf and its pack Itachi relayed as such to the village and got his prize money. A well paying job indeed. Then within a few days he made it back to Beacon Academy on one of their personal bullheads. It constantly annoyed him that he had to restrain himself and his power all the time. However, he didn't want the authorities to begin questioning him and for the world's attention to be on him and his strange abilities.
From what he understood hunters could only gain one ability. However, not only did he not even have the same energy as them-which was why he made sure to never get injured or tested for how much Aura he had-but he could do so much more.
While Itachi wanted to live an easier and simpler life there was one thing he could not deny. He also wanted to use his ninja abilities. It was ingrained in him the want to unleash it and fight. Every ninja no matter their goal or morality loves a good fight.
This new information could lead to that. But it also led to a decision that was life changing. This time Itachi would have to talk with his companion. She could make her own choices now and Itachi just wouldn't feel right if he chose to pursue what he found in the lab. He would leave her alone and he didn't want to make a mistake like that a second time. Not in this life.
After reporting that his mission was successful he made his way back to his dorm room. Upon entering the room Itachi was greeted by Emerald who was sat watching some TV. The shine on her skin and her slightly wet but mostly dried hair told him she had just finished showering, likely after a little workout.
Itachi changed into some more casual clothing before sitting on his own bed. Silence followed but it was a comfortable silence. The Uchiha thought about how he should start the topic. It was difficult, he wasn't exactly sure how he should bring up that he found out through some hidden documents that the Grimm were controlled by someone. Not only that but she also was possibly planning the destruction of the Kingdoms so that her Grimm could freely feed on the humans that would be left without homes and within the wilderness.
Not to mention that Itachi wanted to go and hunt her and her little group down because it would probably solve the little Grimm problem and lead to a more peaceful life. And maybe, secretly, he wanted to freely unleash his powers and have a little fun with them. It was mostly selfishness that he wanted to go without telling anyone else. Then again, who would believe him?
Of course, he had to at least tell Emerald about it. She was his… Little sister? Friend? Daughter? No, definitely not that. He wasn't exactly sure what they were but it definitely was not anything romantic. For the sake of convenience he'd say they were like siblings. Itachi guessed he could just ask.
"Say, Emerald we are kinda like siblings right?"
The girl in question jolted up a bit, apparently she was surprised by his sudden question. She took a minute of thinking before responding. "I guess? I mean, that would make the most sense. You are a few years older than me so I guess you are like an older brother. I don't know, I never really had a family."
"Hmm, well that is what we'll be then. Family. Or more specifically siblings even if not by blood. Though I'm not sure I'd call you little sis. Sounds a little weird."
Propping herself up and giving him her full attention Emerald responded. "Yeah just call me Emerald, as you always have. And I'll call you Itachi, just as I always have." With that solved Itachi decided to just once again be blunt. It was honestly the best bet. So he told all that he found out and knew. Her reaction was understandable, she was shocked though she wasn't scared. "I mean, that's just nuts. I honestly never thought about Grimm that often. They mostly just existed, I mean I was a street rat so I never worried about Grimm. I was always in the city, safe from them but not safe from people so it's more just crazy than scary to hear someone controls them."
Itachi could understand that logic. This world was flawed just as his was. The main difference was that humanity and the faunus had a common enemy yet they still chose to fight each other. Even then, the shinobi from his world were far more brutal and unforgiving than the people from Remnant, so it was a wonder how they found themselves in their current position.
Something he could care about later however, he had to ask the real question.
"So, with all that said, I want to go out and hunt her associates and then herself after. You know that I want to leave a simpler life. I know so far it hasn't seemed that way but this is all so that I can live the rest of my life simply. Anyways, my question to you is, do you want to accompany me?"
"I do. But, I'm not nearly as powerful as you seem to be."
"I have a solution for that, it's something I've been working on and it will help you be able to fight alongside me. You won't be anywhere near as powerful as myself but it will make sure you can fight the… immense amounts of Grimm we will likely encounter."
Emerald was interested now, something to help her fight with him? She knew she could never hope to be as strong as him but being able to not need his protection was the most realistic option. She wanted to stay by his side forever as his sister. If that meant she would fight against the Queen of Grimm herself then so be it. She not only owed her life to him but she loved him.
She was ready to go any time. In her mind as long as she was with him then her life was well lived.
Itachi showed that he was happier at her answer by standing up and hugging her. She hugged back. It was not often that he showed her physical affection but she didn't seem to be against it so it was fine.
Before they would leave there was one person he wanted to talk to and maybe ask if they wanted to join him as well. Though he would likely take a more subtle approach. Maybe. The guy was convenient but he did often contact Itachi whenever he wanted to hang out. Even though he was salty for being defeated by his junior he warmed up to Itachi after. The young Uchiha wouldn't deny making a friend. Emerald and him didn't have much to talk about even if they enjoyed each other's company.
Yes, he'd give Qrow a little visit. The guy was strong, stronger than Emerald and with his little ' original technique' would keep her safe. With that thought in mind Itachi laid back down onto his bed and drifted into sleep.
A/N: Holy shit, a TON of people like this story. Its actually boggling my mind how many people like this story or are interested in it. Just so none of you are let down its not gonna be a long one. So it will be ending in probably 3 or 4 chapters. Its mostly cause I also plan to write other stories and I don't want to write more than one at a time. Though that may end up happening anways.
Anyways, till next time!