AN: Hello everyone, thank you for reading my story! I hope you enjoy it so far. I would like to let you guys know that I have mentioned many events that I haven't written about yet. Don't worry, I will in time ;) Remember to hydrate properly and have a lovely day!
Odds
1.
Itachi woke up with tears on his face, his eyes were sore. He gazed the early morning sky, which was merely visible between the thick branches of the maple tree that he had chosen to rest near, sometime earlier. A cool breeze made his skin shiver and he sighed from the bottom of his heart or what he wished he had kept inside it. It was early spring after all. Konoha would be at full bloom in a month or so. His favorite Ajisai flowers would paint the staircases of his clan's Shrine a radiant blue color that would make all the early spring rainwaters appear otherworldly. He closed his eyes for a little longer, trying desperately to remember home. The image was alien; it had no sound of footsteps, neither a single scent nor warmth. He brought all of the streets inside the Uchiha district in his mind; however he couldn't imagine life in it. He knew very well that this place would probably host nothing but ghosts, his little brother the liveliest of them.
He was not entitled to shed tears or feel homesick. He was his own demise; someone had to become a sacrifice and even after all this blood, Itachi couldn't regret his decision. It was a choice made out of love, out of compassion and also out of necessity. He honored his headband and he still wore it. He meant every death he had caused; he believed in every scar those killings left on his soul. He remembered his father's final words:
"Do not fear. This is the path you have chosen. Compared to you, our pain will be over in an instant. Even if our philosophies differ, I am proud of you…You are truly a kind child."
Itachi opened his eyes and the sun was still rising. The circle of life didn't stop because everyone he knew was murdured. This was the essence of nature, the beauty of everything possessing a soul.
Sasuke would be taller now and his hair might have become longer, too. Slowly, his cheeks would grow thinner, his eyes sharper and his voice deeper. He would become a beautiful young man, a talented shinobi and hopefully a good person. Itachi knew that his brother was traumatized in the worst possible way but he was in the hands of Konoha, the Third Hokage had given his word to keep an eye on him and Itachi believed him. The Village Hidden in the Leaves would nurture Sasuke, not with fear and hatred like he was raised, but in love and protection. It would provide his little brother with bonds apart from his family and whatever curse their gifts came with.
Itachi stood up carefuly, his long black cape with the red clouds –which everyone in the Akatsuki wore- protected him from the morning's chill. He was supposed to meet his companion from the organization that day, Kisame. He didn't particularly miss him however he was curious about the piece of information he had discovered throughout his journey at the Village Hidden in the Mist. By the looks of it, Kisame wasn't late at all.
"You are back." Itachi said to the man standing behind him.
"Yeah, sorry for the delay. I got caught up in a little fight on my way." The older, shark-like man replied casually, approaching him.
"Did you take care of everything?"
"Almost…One little girl escaped but she won't survive long in the sea. There are bigger fish there you know…he he!" Kisame said maliciously. Itachi turned to look at him. The man wasn't in a great shape.
"Are you wounded?" he inquired with some surprise. He had never seen his companion hurt before.
"A little bit! Isn't that a fisrt?"
"Who managed to injure you?"
Kisame laughed softly. "A Hyuuga girl. A pretty one, with terrifying eyes and aura. I almost asked her to join us, this creature was vile!" he answered.
Itachi thought of Mirai instantly but didn't show any signs of recognition. "A Konoha kunoichi?" he asked, hoping for an affirmation.
"No, no. She wore a Kusagakure headband on her thigh. I think she was their heiress or something." The man responded after a small pause.
"Was?"
"I left her sooner than I would like but I couldn't keep you waiting, Itachi. Do you know her?"
"If she is who I think she is, we might have trouble in our hands." Itachi implied simply.
"Well, she managed to keep up really well. She must be around your age, sixteen maybe." Kisame noticed.
"She was my opponent back in my Chuunin Exams."
"Oh? That's nice, I'm sorry you didn't have time to greet her then." The man said jokingly.
"I should go and finish what you started. I will ask for permission." Itachi decided. He was seemingly cool but his stomach felt sick.
"Sure. I will deliver my evidence and rest. She was the last of many battles and I would like to nap for a while." Said his companion.
Itachi nodded and the two of them walked towards the forest.
2.
Mirai was hidden in a cave that smelled a lot like fish and moisture. The rocks that formed this natural sanctuary were sharp and slippery but she was in no condition to move or communicate with anyone. All of her companions were slaughtered and she wasn't certain that she wouldn't die yet. Her kimono was effectively ruined; it had long cuts and huge stains of blood, not to mention the salty water dripping from it.
"You are not going to die in a cave without a name, on a land without honor, wearing a ruined kimono." She hissed at herself.
She took it off and threw it away, deeper in the shallow cave. Beneath it, she wore dark green military pants and a mesh armor shirt that revealed her black brassiere. She sighed.
She looked at her torso and saw the little token of Love her brother once gave her. She couldn't die a respectful death while he could still draw breath. She had a future to mold, a better future for everyone; that pendant on her neck was a promise of revenge and a reason to live.
She examined her wounds and they were horrible. She had multiple cuts all over her body; deep, crude injuries that still bled on the ground of the cave. Her right leg wasn't functioning so she imagined the metallic rode inside it had lost its ability to work because of her chakra levels and she was certain that she had at least three broken ribs. Breathing was difficult and the sea water didn't dull the taste of blood in her mouth. The back of her head was cracked and her chakra was depleted. Mirai calculated the odds and started to laugh. Outside, the storm was raging.
She managed to gather enough energy to play one final card; she swept some blood off her wounds and pressed her fingertips on the moist ground, channeling all the crumbles of chakra she could possibly gather. Black seals appeared below her open palm and as the summoning technique was complete, a small, bluish, sea serpent in the size of regular snake appeared.
"Mirai!" The dragon cried as he saw her.
"It's fine, Bo." She reassured him.
"You are at the verge of dying! You need assistance. I will stabilize you!" He said and he moved his body near her.
"No. I have a scroll in my pocket; take it to the village and give my mother my exact location. She will have-" Mirai stopped only to cough some more blood "…she will have to collect my remains. We can't jeopardize the Byakugan secrets." She finished her sentence.
"Please, I can heal you instead!" Bo insisted desperately.
"Listen to me, my friend. This is important. If you heal me you won't have enough power to reach Kusagakure." She reasoned with him.
The small dragon looked at her. Mirai bit her tongue. The creature's expression was honest and sad. She was tempted to let him just heal her but she was a ninja: her duties were her honor.
"I will do as you wish." He agreed, his small but defined and sharp teeth clenching.
"Thank you, Bo." She said and gave him one of the truly warm smiles she reserved only for dragons and children.
"Please, survive. We dragons haven't had a bond with a human in centuries. We don't want to lose you. We…"
"Stop right there, my friend. I promise to try." She interrupted him softly.
The dragon nodded and reached for the scroll in her pocket. He swallowed it and then he rubbed his head at the back of her palm as an indication of affection.
"I will follow your wishes to the end, Hyuuga Mirai. May the Heavens bless you." He said emotionally as he left, reaching the edge of the cave.
"See you later, Bo. Be safe." She bid him farewell.
The small sea serpent dove into the ocean, leaving her alone but relieved. She coughed again and her back slipped from the wall as she collapsed on the ground completely. She had no strength to support her body any longer or her calm expression; it was immediately disfigured from pain. She felt heavy and numb.
Mirai closed her eyes and smiled as hot tears were pouring from her eyes. At least, she could finally sleep now.
3.
When Mirai opened her eyes again she was very confused. First of all she wasn't dead. Secondly, she was in pain but her wounds were mostly taken care of and finally the cave was… warm.
She was instantly alarmed by the figure standing at the entrance of the small cave. He wore his Akatsuki coat but she couldn't see his monstrous sword anywhere. Had the shark freak return to claim her? She wouldn't allow it. She noticed that her body had restored enough chakra. She moved silently and ignored any sting and pain as she approached the man from behind.
He sighed and she stopped on her heels, afraid that he had discovered her.
"You're feeling better, I suppose." His voice! He wasn't that shark-man, Kisame. He was…
"Itachi!" she gasped, not controlling her expression yet.
He turned around. He was taller again and his side bangs were even longer, the markings on his complexion were deeper. His coat was concealing his ponytail. She looked at him, still prepared to rip his throat with bare hands; she had noticed she was stripped off her weapons.
"Mirai." He greeted her. He came closer to her and she lowered her body, ready to defend herself from a sneak attack. He paused mid-motion and his eyes narrowed.
"I am not here to harm you." He explained coldly.
"That's exactly what you would say if you were here to harm me." She argued with a small smile. He unbuttoned his coat revealing his mesh armor shirt and gray military pants. Now she could see his expression better and he was smiling back at her. Mirai felt a strange tingling on her belly that she ignored. He was even more beautiful than she remembered him.
"I was sent here to finish you off-"
"Go ahead." She interrupted him, raising an eyebrow.
"I will not. I will inform them that I failed to track you and that I have information that you were safely retrieved by your village." He continued, obviously annoyed.
"Why?" she inquired. What was he thinking?
"I like our conversations." His expression was cold and unreadable. "Why don't you rest some more? You haven't recovered completely." He suggested.
"I am fine." She glanced at her body; her wounds were bandaged, she had some stitches and her broken bones were almost completely healed. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Two days." He informed her.
"Did you tend to my wounds?" she asked him, trying not to appear as surprised as she felt.
He simply nodded, as he walked passed her and stood upon a small pile of dry branches. He blew fire from his mouth and the warm light gave the space some hospitality. He sat in seiza in front of it, completely removing his cape.
Mirai defensively approached him and stared at him. Was he seriously saving her now?
"What do you want?" she demanded coldly. He turned his onyx eyes on her face and returned the intensity of her gaze.
"Good manners would be appreciated." He replied strictly after a few seconds.
"Thank you." She said coldly. He nodded again.
She sat across him in lotus position and kept her eyes on him. The flame reflected on his velvety pupils.
"Are you going to look at me forever?" he mocked her after a while.
"Do you intend to stay here that long?" she sneered.
He glared at her. 'She is impossibly stubborn' he thought. 'Part of her charm' a small voice added mentally. He chuckled.
"What?" she demanded. He just shook his head in reply.
Mirai sighed and tried to reason with him. "Itachi why are you doing this?"
He looked at her. "What are you asking me?"
"Why do you "like our conversations"? Why are you taking the risk to save me?" she insisted, her voice soft and convincing but her gaze sharp and absolute.
He peered into her eyes. "You always ask questions that you are not prepared to have answered."
"I cannot believe your motives are as innocent as you present them to be."
"Then stay quiet." He stated coldly.
Mirai felt her rage roaring somewhere deep in her chest. Her eyes focused on the flames as she striven to control her temper. Itachi studied her expression and decided to leave it alone.
Right then two black ravens entered the cave, each one holding a big fish on their sharp beaks. The girl froze but then she remembered that this was probably his summoning technique; she had gathered some information on her journey here at the Mist Village. The birds left the fish on his feet and flew outside again. He casually pulled out two kunai and created an improvised grill. He then proceeded to pull a flask out his back pocket.
"Do you want water?" He asked her.
She was thirsty and the taste of the sea wasn't completely gone yet but she shook her head, arrogantly. He put the flask by the fire and ignored her as he watched the fish was cooked. Mirai pulled a small wooden box from her ruined kimono that was still on the floor, along with the weapons she was carrying, and she took one food pill out of it. She swallowed it swiftly and sat away from the fire. His eyes followed her movements.
"Are you so intimidated by me? Do you think I might have poisoned the entire ocean now?" he mocked her.
She didn't reply as she leaned her back on the wall and closed her eyes.
"Stubborn brat." He laughed in a low voice.
"Obnoxious prick." She replied coldly.
Soon after that, Mirai succumbed to sleep again.
4.
Mirai woke up some time later. The fire was snuffed and the cave was quiet. It appeared like the storm would calm down soon but the rain was still heavy outside and some thunders hit here and there. She opened her eyes discreetly and searched for him in the dark. Itachi was sleeping, closer to the exit of the cave, using his coat as pillow and resting his left hand on his abdomen. His hair was still in ponytail and his feet were crossed. He appeared relaxed and comfortable. Mirai held her breath; this was her chance. She pulled one of her kunai close to her and then she firmly grabbed it. She approached him on all fours, silently, taking advantage of the bad weather. She activated her dojutsu and she focused on his vitals. She could take him out in his sleep and be done with him. She finally reached him and she could now listen to his peaceful breathing. His face was occasionally enlightened by the thunders outside. She examined his calm expression; he seemed almost harmless as he slept, his long dark lashes casting shadows on his fair complexion.
A few moments passed and Mirai put the kunai back in her pants' pocket. She wouldn't kill him in his sleep and that would be the way for her to return the favor. He healed her wounds, she didn't inflict him any. She decided to leave early in the morning, preferably before him. She was now in a condition to travel and Bo would probably reach Kusagakure in three days.
She held in a sigh as her Byakugan faded and turned around to lie at her space again when she felt a firm grapple on her forearm. He was awake.
"I was betting that you would go for the kill." He said calmly as she turned again to see him. His face was very close to hers. "Can I ask you what stopped you?"
"I owe you nothing now." She told him coldly. His eyes shimmered in the night and he moved too fast for her to react. He pulled her beneath him and grabbed her other free hand, too. She managed to bring her knee on his stomach and hold him in distance the moment she noticed a black spark at the ceiling of the cave. A raven had been watching. She failed to spot it earlier; what a clever bastard! His eyes were still black; his Sharingan wasn't activated.
"Did I tell you that you owe me?" he hissed. Mirai could tell he was angry and deep down she enjoyed the fact that she had forced him to snap.
"You would expect my gratitude and I harbor none!" she replied firmly, an arrogant smile pinned on her face.
"I don't expect anything from you or anyone else, so, unless you'd like to challenge my temper, be quiet and listen when someone is talking to you." He warned her. His expression was serious and dark.
Mirai lifted her chin in defiance, bringing her face closer to his. "I'd like to challenge your temper." She said conceitedly.
They locked eyes again, exposing their pride. Itachi came closer and she didn't back away although she was surprised when he kissed her forcefully on the lips. She bit him and he pulled away, licking the blood on his lower lip. Mirai then kissed him back; it was now his turn to be flustered. A few seconds passed and she stopped and looked at him.
They kissed again, this time both of them initiating it and he released her hands and rolled on the cold and hard floor of the cave, bringing her body above his. She pulled his hair with one hand and grabbed his shoulder with the other. Itachi locked his hands on her waist, pushing her body against his own, while they kept kissing passionately. Every little detail about who they were flew away as they discovered each other with no weapons or manners but mere instinct.
A few moments passed and the room felt no longer cold and humid; they had lost their shirts and she was now below him, her hands running on the perfect physique of his torso and her open lips on his silver chain, hanging loosely around his neck. He had lowered his head to look at her and he was holding her hips firmly around his waist.
A thunder fell very close to the cave, making them both stop for a moment but that was all that their fragile truce needed in order to collapse.
They stared at each other, both of them apparently intoxicated by the moment but then they moved instantly away, putting as much distance as the cave allowed between them.
Mirai looked at him in the dark that they both could ignore. He was topless and breathless, blocking the exit of the cave with his beautiful figure. His muscles were tensed and his hair was almost undone. She realized he was the most beautiful man she had ever met and that she always knew but she had decided to ignore it for so many reasons, each and every one of them now rushing back into her head.
Itachi looked at her standing at the depth of the cave, her small but feminine figure trembling because of him; her short hair all messed up, her pearly eyes reflecting the moonlight even in this darkness. He wanted her! That's why he kept walking towards her, that's why all these years he would have dreams of the Hyuuga symbol shimmering on her kimono. He wanted her since the first time he saw her in that empty corridor during the Chuunin Exams in Konoha; they were both young back then so he didn't realize his fascination had another source.
More time passed and the revelation made the room suffocating.
"You seem perfectly fine to travel." He said coldly as he gathered his shirt from the floor. She didn't answer but she picked up her ruined kimono and wrapped it around her; she didn't even want to go near him right now to retrieve her own shirt.
"Let's dance again next time." He said and -like he did the last time- he disappeared.
Mirai stood still for a few silent moments and then she sat on the floor, formally.
"Jerk." she said to herself. The odds were currently bad.