"Who are you?" Kisame questioned the newly arrived, strangely dressed man.
Miyako smirked as the green-clad man stood with one arm behind his back and the other in front of him, palm open and facing towards his body.
"Konohagakure's proud beast! Might Gai!" he announced proudly while Kisame smirked in amusement.
"What a funny outfit. Are you an exotic beast?" Kisame questioned, humouring Gai.
"Don't take him lightly," Kisame and Miyako stated at the same time, startling the two of them. Miyako opened her eyes in surprise and met Itachi's gaze. He didn't make a move – though she was vulnerable against his Mangekyo Sharingan – and met her gaze steadily.
"Urgh!" Kakashi gasped out, collapsing on the water behind Gai. Miyako quickly moved to get him, making sure Gai's attention remained only on the two enemies.
"Gai! Don't make eyes contact with Itachi, or you will be affected by his Genjutsu," Asuma warned, eyes stilled closed as Miyako moved behind him and Kurenai with the weakened Kakashi.
"I already knew that," Gai replied simply, "to beat Kakashi, I used to train in order to fight against the Sharingan. Open your eyes, you two. When fighting with someone who possesses the Sharingan, just don't look in their eyes and it should be alright. Look at their feet and predict their movements from there," Gai explained.
Kurenai and Asuma both hesitated for a second before slowly opening their eyes and looking straight at Gai, keeping their gaze away from Itachi's.
"Gai-san, there's not enough time to teach them this method of fighting," Miyako warned and Gai nodded in agreement.
"I know. So that means you two will have to get used to this method of fighting as quickly as possible."
"So, what's your plan?" Asuma questioned Gai.
"Kurenai, Miyako-san, take Kakashi to the hospital. Asuma will stay here as my back up," Gai ordered. "We will hold them off until the ANBU arrive."
Speaking off which, where are they? Asuma's stray thought crossed Miyako's mind and she couldn't help but agree. Were the ANBU really so slack at the moment?
"As you wish, Gai-san," Miyako replied as Kurenai took Kakashi off her and the two women left, leaving the men to battle.
Itachi frowned as he watched Miyako leave. "Kisame, forget about it. We are not here to fight a war, even though it's a shame to leave, but to stay here is meaningless. Let's go," Itachi ordered showing clearly who was in charge between the two teammates.
Kisame grunted in annoyance, having wanting to battle the two Jōnin but agreed with Itachi. The two missing-nin vanished, leaving Asuma and Gai alone on the river. The two looked at each other in surprise, before leaving the area, heading off after Miyako, Kurenai, and Kakashi.
...
"I'm going to find Jiraiya-sama and inform him of the events that have just transpired," Miyako stated simply.
All five Jōnin, including a passed out Kakashi, were in the hospital, discussing the events that had just transpired with the two missing-nin.
"That's probably for the best. He shouldn't have gotten too far. Especially with Naruto with him," Asuma agreed with a nod. Miyako nodded in agreement before leaving the room quickly, rushing through the village. She barely remember to sign out of the gates before she followed the faint chakra signature of Naruto and Jiraiya.
Miyako rushed through the forest at close-to-full speed, slowing down as she came to a town where she sensed both Itachi's and Kisame's thoughts. She cursed under her breath as she rushed in the direction they were, jumping through the window of the room Naruto was in and pulling the blonde back behind her, meeting her gaze with Itachi's surprised ones.
"Leave him alone," Miyako ordered with a fierce glare, hearing Kisame laugh.
"It's that purple haired girl from the bridge. Do you want me to get rid of her for you?" Kisame questioned, pulling out Samahada.
"No," Itachi replied blankly, all signs of surprise gone from his eyes, "Leave, Miyako-chan. I don't want to fight you," Itachi stated, looking at the girl in her blue gaze.
I'm serious, Miyako-chan. You don't want to get caught up in this, Itachi's thoughts reached Miyako and she was surprised by the feelings of worry and care weaved into the thoughts.
"M-Miyako-san? W-who are they?" Naruto stuttered out in confusion.
"Naruto get out of here and find Jiraiya-sama," Miyako ordered, pulling out a kunai and preparing for a battle she knew she would lose.
"But–"
"It has been awhile, Sasuke," Itachi stated, and Miyako's eyes widened as she looked to the end of the hallway, where Sasuke stood, his fists clenched and Sharingan eyes blazing with sheer hatred for his older brother.
"Uchiha Itachi," Sasuke growled in fury, "I will kill you!"
"Hmm? It seems today is a very special day. This is the second time I've seen another Sharingan," Kisame stated in surprise at the turn of events.
"What the hell are you doing here, Sasuke? Are you nuts?" Miyako snapped, but Sasuke paid no heed to Miyako's words, his anger and attention all on Itachi.
"You seem to be familiar with Itachi. Who is he, Itachi?" Kisame first stated to Sasuke, and then questioned Itachi.
"He is my younger brother," Itachi replied simply, as if it were common knowledge. And for three out of five in the room and hallway, it was.
"I heard the entire Uchiha Clan was wiped out," Kisame stated with a frown, "by you."
Sasuke weaved some hand signs, forming the Chidori in his hand and charged at Itachi. Itachi easily dodged the attack. He grabbed Sasuke's wrist and snapped it, making Sasuke shout out in pain and kneel on the ground.
Naruto ran in front of Miyako and tried to summon a jutsu, only to be cut off by Kisame using Samahada to eat up Naruto's chakra. Naruto looked around in confusion at the sudden lack of jutsu and chakra as he was grabbed by Miyako and dragged behind her. She shot him an annoyed glare, making him gulp as he realised he now knew where Sakura learned how to glare like that.
"Naruto," Miyako snapped, catching his attention fully, "they're after you. Go and find Jiraiya-sama!"
"But Sasuke..." Naruto trailed off as Miyako turned her back to him.
"Is my responsibility," Miyako replied and shot forward, dodging Kisame's attack with ease and running towards Itachi and Sasuke.
She threw her kunai towards Itachi in the hopes of distracting him. He caught the weapon and threw it back at her. She swiftly dodge it and moved in-between Sasuke and Itachi, kicking Itachi back a few metres so she could protect Sasuke and, hopefully, stop him from doing anything else stupid.
"Sasuke, I told you to leave!" Miyako snapped in anger as the boy fell face first onto the ground in pain. She sighed, her gaze falling onto Itachi who stood calmly. "Haven't you two done enough? Leave!" Miyako ordered and Kisame snickered.
"We want the nine-tails, and we'll get him," Kisame stated and swung Samahada down towards a frozen Naruto, only to be blocked by a red and black toad.
"You don't seem to know very much about me," a new voice stated from behind Naruto. "I'm better at getting girls than they are at trying to get me. even though it doesn't look like it, it's my speciality."
"Jiraiya-sama!" Miyako shouted in relief, knowing that now they actually stood a chance against the two Akatsuki members.
"Oh yeah? That girl just winked at ya and you went scampering after her!" Naruto shouted in annoyance at the toad sannin's statement. "And now you're trying to look cool and classy – you pervy sannin!"
"Hey! Can't you stop calling me that in front of everyone?" Jiraiya snapped back.
"Screw that, you two! We have bigger problems than Jiraiya-sama's perviness," Miyako snapped in annoyance, glaring at the two and making them shut up.
"You... I've met you before, right? Haruno Miyako, correct? What are you doing here?" Jiraiya questioned in confusion and Miyako rolled her eyes.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke's guardian. I came to warn you of the threat, but they were already here when I got here," Miyako explained.
"Hehe, so it's one of the legendary sannin, Jiraiya," Kisame stated with a smirk. "You like beautiful women, but we weren't thinking that such a simple method could successfully stall you anyway."
"In any case, it seems you have already undone the Genjutsu binding the woman," Itachi stated and Jiraiya frowned as he placed the dark-haired woman that he was holding next to the wall.
"You guys wanted to draw me away, so you used the Sharingan to cast a Genjutsu on the woman, huh? Not a very manly way of doing things," Jiraiya stated. "So you really are after Naruto."
Naruto's blue eyes widened in surprise at the statement. He looked around the room at everyone, his gaze landing on Miyako, looking for answers. She nodded in confirmation and his eyes widened in fear.
"No wonder Kakashi knew about this. You were the source of the information," Itachi stated bluntly. "'To abduct Naruto,' those were the orders given to us by the higher ups of our organisation, the Akatsuki." The toad vanished as this was said and Jiraiya's face turned serious.
"You won't get Naruto," Jiraiya stated as if it was common fact.
"And why not?" Itachi questioned.
"Because right now, right here, you two will die by my hands," Jiraiya answered.
"No! Don't do it!" Sasuke gasped, forcing himself to his feet. "This guy... IS MINE!"
There was a moment pause before Itachi sighed. "I have absolutely no interest in you right now." Then he kicked Sasuke, sending him into the wall.
Miyako and Naruto made to move but Sasuke stopped them. "Naruto, Miyako, I told you, don't! This fight is mine!" Sasuke snapped in anger. "Come on!"
Itachi punched Sasuke in the stomach, making Sasuke cough up blood. Itachi repeated the process until Sasuke fell face first into the ground at his feet. Itachi grabbed Sasuke and picked him up by the collar of his shirt, pushing him up against the wall before dragging him into Tsukiyomi.
"No!" Miyako shouted as Sasuke shouted in fear. She shot forward and kicked Itachi away from Sasuke, making the dazed boy hit the ground again.
Miyako pulled out a kunai and attacked Itachi. Itachi, still recovering from the use of his Mangekyo Sharingan for the second time that day, barely managed to dodge the swipe. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her against his chest, reaching behind her neck and knocking her out before she could react.
Itachi picked her up bridal style, turning to face a surprised Kisame, just as the hallway turned into the mouth of a toad. Itachi and Kisame ran forward, Itachi using Amaterasu to escape with Kisame. Miyako still in his arms.
...
"Why did you bring her?" Kisame questioned Itachi an hour later.
The two Akatsuki members were resting in a clearing in the forest. Miyako's wrists and ankles were tied together by rope and she was laying in-between the two. Itachi's gaze hadn't left her, more specifically, the necklace she still wore that he had given her all those years ago.
"Hn," Itachi grunted, after all, he himself wasn't entirely sure why he kidnapped her. He knew, now, that it would be best to just leave her there and keep travelling, but he wanted time with her after so many years apart.
He couldn't help but gaze down at her, admiring her long, purple hair and tanned skin. Or what he could see of it. His eyesight has gotten worse since that night, but he didn't care. It was all for a bigger plan. A plan he hoped to fulfill before he became completely blind in the near future.
"I'm going to go and scout the area. I'll be back soon," Kisame stated and got up, leaving Itachi in the clearing.
It was silent for a few minutes before a voice spoke out, startling the Uchiha. "Is it true?"
Itachi faced Miyako in surprise, questioning her question with his eyes alone.
"What I saw I your mind about the massacre," Miyako clarified. "Did Danzo order it? Like he and the elders did with my clan?"
Itachi frowned in mild annoyance. "You shouldn't be rifling through other people's minds. You won't like what you find."
Miyako pursed her lips. "It's as easy to me as breathing. I can't help it. Now, stop beating around the bush. Is it true? Did Danzo and the Elders order the massacre?"
Itachi gave one sharp nod and Miyako's eyes widened in shock and excitement. "I have to tell Sasuke and the new Hokage. You shouldn't be kicked out of the village for this!"
"You won't tell anyone, Miyako-chan. Its best to leave these things in the past," Itachi stated simply.
"Leave things in the past? You killed one of my best friends! You ruined Sasuke's childhood! I've been raising him as my own for the past five years! Don't tell me we should leave this in the shadows of the past!" Miyako snapped.
"I didn't kill Hisoka," Itachi stated and Miyako's eyes widened in surprise. "Don't get me wrong, he's dead. But I had someone help me massacre the clan. He is another Uchiha, one who went rouge during the last war. Though he claims to be someone thought long dead, I don't trust him. He has someone working for him, a male who calls himself Ookami."
"I've met him. Ookami that is. He's been stalking me as of late," Miyako stated with a frown. "Do you know who he is?"
Itachi shook his head. "No. He's always wearing a mask, just like his master. You need to keep away from them, Miyako-chan. I don't know what they have planned, but I don't want you caught in the middle of it."
At that moment Kisame shot into the clearing, annoyance on his blue features. "Konoha-nin are on our trail. We need to get moving."
Itachi nodded and stood up.
"Are we taking the girl?" Kisame questioned eyeing Miyako wearily, wondering briefly what his partner and her had been talking about before his arrival.
"No. She will remain here. Hopefully her presence will distract the Konoha-nin from our trail long enough for us to get away," Itachi stated and the two missing-nins vanished, leaving Miyako with more questions than answers.