"I will walk by myself
and cure myself
in the sunshine and the wind."
― Charles Reznikoff
1.
The night was dark and windy. The Hyuuga district was quiet and everyone was either sleeping or on duty. Mirai and Itachi finally parted their throbbing bodies and fell breathless on the soft futon mattress in Mirai's chamber. His hair was sticking on his sweaty neck and torso as he caught his breath, looking at her. She had her eyes closed and she rested the back of her hand upon her forehead, licking her lips.
"Are you thirsty?" he asked.
She didn't respond but she stood up and poured herself a glass of water on the nightstand. He watched her naked body flexing gloriously as her gaze returned to him, above the glass.
"What?" he inquired, prepared for yet another fight.
"You should go." She replied simply, her voice soft as she grabbed her white silky robe and wrapped it around her small figure. She was pale but her skin was shimmering and her eyes were feverish; the perfect image of a ghost.
He got out of the mattress and went back into the showering area, not responding to her. It was obvious she was already regretting her spontaneous reaction to him.
Mirai opened her veranda sliding door just a little in order to get some fresh air in the room. She sat in seiza in front of the opening, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars. The moon was supposed to be full tonight but the sky was heavy and cloudy. She sighed as she heard the water stop flowing in the shower.
Moments later he came into the bedroom in full attire but his coat, nothing giving away his previous action but maybe his wet hair that was now in a neat ponytail again. The long black bangs that framed his beautiful face appeared sharp as blades. His eyes burned her like coals as he stepped closer to her. She could see everything he did but she never turned her eyes towards him.
"Why won't you even look at me?" He asked calmly. He examined her blank expression and her small body that a few minutes ago was trembling in ecstasy beneath him, now appearing almost lifeless.
"You disgust me." She replied in the sweetest voice she could possibly make. "Go."
He blinked in shock. "I disgust you? That's all you have to say?" He demanded quietly, trying not to lose his temper.
"Yes. Leave, now." She said as she stood up and passed by him as she headed to her wardrobe.
"I see." He chuckled as he put on his coat.
By the time Mirai had opened the closet's door, he had disappeared from her room. She turned around and made sure he was gone. The room was cold now, unfriendly. She almost ran and closed the sliding door to her veranda, feeling tears welling up her eyes.
'Don't cry. Don't you dare cry.' She scolded herself. She took a few well-managed breaths in order to calm down and she just fell on the mattress, numb and silent.
The sheets were cold too, however his scent was still lingering there. She infused chakra to her palms and blew it accurately towards the small flames of the candles in her room, effectively snuffing them. Darkness fell around her and although she could always see through it, she felt better. She reluctantly hugged the parts of the sheet that smelled more like him and closed her eyes, feeling tired beyond compare.
2.
Itachi didn't rest for days since he had to travel as fast as possible back to the Akatsuki. He tried not to think about what happened and as he failed, he tried to accept it instead. He couldn't guess what she was thinking about, how she felt. She had kicked him out right after they shared her bed, the state of her was inscrutable and distant.
The moment they kissed his mind was almost completely full of her, just a small portion of his perception was active in case of a surprise attack. Things happened too fast indeed but she never told him to stop; on the contrary, she had led him in her room and she often took charge of their intimate dance. What had happened?
Itachi understood that Mirai wasn't good at dealing with emotions, she was trained to suppress them and that was part of the reason why she became such an excellent kunoichi. He perfectly respected that but he could easily channel his emotions when he wasn't on duty.
"However she is always on duty..." he muttered to himself, unable to resist her even in a distance.
"Who is?" He heard a voice close to his ear. His partner had joined him.
He didn't reply and Kisame didn't insist. "Let's see what they have for us, shall we?"
Itachi nodded and Kisame sighed. "With a partner like you, I appear talkative." The older man mused as they increased their speed.
3.
"Regarding the next group of genin that you'll be in charge of-"
"Me again?"
"Now now, don't look so upset. I'm sure they will hold your interest..." the Third Hokage promised to Kakashi as they walked inside the village, to inspect the new shinobi.
Kakashi would be in charge of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura.
"If they fail my test, I'm not going to promote them just because of who they are." Kakashi claimed firmly, hinting Naruto's and Sasuke's backgrounds.
"Do what you have to do. I trust you." The Hokage replied serioudly and the younger man returned the gaze.
"I'll meet them." He agreed.
"There is another individual I want you to meet as well, Kakashi." The Third said cautiously.
The Jonin sighed. "I am planning to do so, this weekend. Are you convinced this is our best option?"
"It's an option I don't want to shut down yet. Have you ever noticed this individual around children, Kakashi?" The old man asked, his eyes fixed on the bright blue mid-day sky.
The younger man frowned and shook his head.
"If you ever have the chance to see, you might comprehend why I believe she is someone we can trust the future with..." he mused, mysteriously.
Kakashi nodded once, unconvinced. He had the information he needed and maybe by this weekend Uchiha Sasuke would be a Genin. He had to take his measures against Itachi. No one had enough intel about him apart from her.
He sighed again.
4.
"Mother?" Mirai whispered discreetly.
Hyuuga Shizuka stared back at her daughter. "What is it?"
"Why are we preparing the house for guests?" she demanded. "I was expecting you and father next week."
"We had to change our schedule for security reasons. We will accept some guests from Konoha this evening." The Hyuuga Clan Leader explained.
"Konoha?" Mirai asked, displeased. They were taking a stroll at the training grounds to observe the new genin of their clan. Everybody was training at Taijutsu and Mirai felt a little nostalgic. She made a mental note to check up on her former teammates.
"Yes. Apparently the main house there believes you are ready to succeed your father therefor they appointed a husband to you." Shizuka responded, sarcastically.
Mirai halted and turned to face her mother. "What did you say? You and father are perfectly capable of leading. I am still too young-"
"I know all these, Mirai" she interrupted, "but we have no option in this case."
"They want me out of the battlefield." Mirai realized, furious.
"You have proven yourself too useful in our clan, they can't risk your reputation exceeding their Heiress's." Shizuka explained, her voice sharp and cold.
"Can we stall them?" Mirai inquired.
"Of course we will however not indefinitely. At some point we will have to accept it. In any case, your fiance will arrive tonight along with Hiashi-dono."
Mirai nodded. "Who is he? The man I am to have?"
"He is more of a boy still. His name is Hyuuga Neji and he of course belongs to the branch clan from Konoha's Hyuuga." Her mother replied hastily. "He is considered a genius there but he is still a genin at the age of thirteen. I don't have many information about him but I will learn all we need to know tonight."
"A branch member? This is a disgrace Mother!" Mirai protested.
"Do you think I don't realize that they are trying to overcome us? They will fail even if they make you marry their worthless daughter!" she hissed.
Mirai felt a pinch of guilt, thinking about the little girl she met back at Konoha. She was happy she made it into becoming a genin, at least. It was a good omen. Whatever ill-feelings she had against Konoha she couldn't share the same thoughts about Hinata-sama; she was always remembering her sweetly. She wondered if she had changed since then, if she became a tool like her.
She looked at her mother and nodded again. "The boy is young, marriage would be inappropriate. I can handle an engagement."
"You can avoid this marriage for two years at most, Mirai, no more. Do you understand?" Her mother hinted, looking deep into her daughter's eyes. "It's your duty."
"I will accept whatever duty my Clan demands." Mirai claimed firmly, returning her mother's gaze.
The older woman almost smiled as she took a lock out of Mirai's hair and held it for a few seconds.
"I am content that I gave birth to you, my child. You are the only reason I am not burning this place to the ground." She mused, absentmindedly.
Mirai's eyes narrowed. "Hyuuga-dono..."
"Enough. Let's have some tea before those clowns arrive." She said simply, removing her shoes to enter the minka.
Mirai followed her without any second thoughts.
5.
Kakashi arrived at Kusagakure along with the Hyuuga Head as part of his Anbu bodyguards. He left unnoticed and he utilized every possible technique he was familiar with in order to remain hidden during their dinner at the Hyuuga House in Grass. He watched Mirai meet Neji for the first time and he thought that they would make an excellent political couple. The trouble was that none of them would be willing to leave the battlefield. Hyuuga Neji was a very serious shinobi and a very competitive one as well. Hyuuga Mirai had the ambition of becoming a God. They would clash a lot but if they found common grounds they could become a natural disaster. Apart from that, Mirai and Neji both harbored ill-feelings for Konoha's Hyuuga Main Clan. Was this mating well thought by Hyuuga Hiashi? Kakashi thought. Of course, Neji had the curse mark of the Clan on his forehead, making it impossible for him to resist Hiashi's will but on the other hand, if he and Mirai made a pact, he could become a horrible threat.
At some point during dinner, Mirai's eyes glimpsed towards his direction. He remained hidden, wondering if she had noticed him; she was specially trained against ANBU, Kakashi knew that. Yet again, to be discovered by her in such short time was a bad indicator. She was evolving too fast. Soon she would be invincible.
After she excused herself for the night he crawled inside her chamber and hid himself in case she came with company. Mirai entered alone and she immediately started to remove her hair and ear pieces, obviously frustrated. He sneaked behind her and only when he stood ten feet behind her, a kunai came at his direction. He caught it mid-air, inches away from his headband.
"Byakugan allows me to see without looking, Kakashi-san." She greeted him calmly as she turned around to face him, wearing a heavy, formal kimono with many layers. The colors were mostly red and gold.
"If I meant to remain hidden, I would act likewise. I'm here to report." He said simply, walking closer to her to return her weapon. She took it with half a smile and knelt before him, sitting in seiza. She concealed the kunai somewhere in the layers of her kimono.
He took one step back and sat in the lotus position, across her. "What do you have for me?" He inquired, his tone flat and cold.
"You first. You said you had to make a report. Was your mission successful?" she demanded, staring at him. The dim light in the room made the shadows on her face dance, creating minor illusions.
"I want proof that you have what it takes for me to reply." He insisted, unfazed.
She arched an eyebrow but didn't protest any further; she stood up and left the room momentarily. When she returned at her place, she had a sealed scroll in her hands.
"Everything you need is in this parchment." She said.
He examined her tired expression; her regular vigor was somewhat lost today. She must had been in a bad mood because of her engagement or something. He didn't want to press his luck and provoke her; he much preferred her quiet and formal.
He took out a similar scroll and placed it between them, extending his hand to take the one she held. She gave it to him, but the moment she did, the shadowdance on her face made her appear sad. Kakashi frowned. He never thought she could possess such an expression but then again, it could be an illusion. He nodded.
"I will leave you to it then." He claimed as he got up. He didn't want to stay with her longer than necessary.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Kakashi-san." She said, still on her knees, looking at the scroll in front of her, mystified. "You can go."
He bit his tongue for two reasons: The first one was because he wanted to tell her that she wasn't in position to dismiss him and the second because he almost asked her what was wrong with her. Both of these questions weren't useful.
He simply nodded, lingering for a few seconds and then he left her alone. He resisted his curiosity to stalk her for a little longer and traveled directly to Konoha, filled with impatience about the scrolls contents.
His team had passed the test and now he was considered a teacher as well as a bodyguard. In his team, he had a monster and a ghost. He couldn't decide which one would be a greater challenge.
6.
Itachi watched the rain curtain falling endlessly upon Amegakure. The grey skyscrapers were the only constructions between the mists and the clouds and created the optical illusion of a floating city. The sound was deafening yet somehow it helped him clear his thoughts. He was tired. Lately he had been thinking about this whole plan and how pointless it was, how nothing would change because he sacrificed everything.
He closed his eyes and focused on the violent sound of the rain. He tried to remember his parents only to be confronted by the last memory he had from them; their lifeless bodies in front of him, blood pooling beneath them, eyes shut and pale limbs awkwardly mingled. He shook his head and tried to think about Sasuke. Again, the only memory he could recreate was his little brother's eyes, pouring tears as he gagged in fear and begged him to end his life too.
Itachi opened his eyes and as he stood in the rain, his tears could not be seen. His expression never changed when he cried; practice makes perfect. Konoha was a sunny place with sunbathed people and hearts. He was uprooted from his land and did his service everywhere else, as he promised, but now, at the dawn of his sacrifice he lost hope. He still believed in humanity, in peace, however he found himself struggling to remember how those values feel upon one's skin. Crime and murder have been taking their toll on him and -although his conviction was immaculate- his life lost its meaning day after day.
He jumped from the concrete rooftop and landed on an alley, through the mist. He started walking slowly towards the entrance of the village. Once there, he wondered if he could just walk home, find Sasuke and beg for forgiveness, return his marked headband and maybe try to atone for his sins. Suddenly all of his ghosts appeared before him: His mother smiling with her doe-like eyes, his father with a hint of a smile, his brother frowning because he wanted his attention, Izumi blushing in his presence, Shisui smirking at him secretly... He also saw her, sitting in seiza in front of the rest, lifting her chin in defiance, a wild look on her pearly eyes; The only byakugan between all those pairs of sharingan.
The guards of the gate hadn't noticed him yet. He could easily slip by their attention and leave, never to return.
Unfortunately he wouldn't. The chains of destiny were biting on his bones; no punishment was enough to wash away the blood on his hands. He took responsibility for his Clan's mistakes. Backing off now, would be the ultimate disgrace to his family and to his village. Had he acted like the child he was back then, he would have left the Uchiha Clan go through with their scheme to attack Konoha and seize the power over the village. He would still be home, but home wouldn't be the same; he knew he did the right thing.
It was just on of these days that he wept because no one could do the right thing but him. He cried for all the time he didn't spend with Sasuke, for all the drinks he didn't have with Shisui, for all the dates he didn't go to with Izumi. He cried for all the fights he missed with his father and all those discussions his mother would never have with him. He cried for all the mistakes he didn't make.
He didn't cry for Mirai, they were never meant to belong anyway. She would marry someone else as he would and they would lead separate lives, no matter the circumstances. Unless she was one of his mistakes, luckily. Could he have asked her to elope? Would she agree? Knowing her and her vision, that scenario was impossible but still, he smiled at his thought.
He turned away and walked back into the city that rain never stopped. Maybe death was a sunny place, after all.