Akina's Story: Crimson & Clover
Author's Note: Well… 11 Years. So, for old readers, hope you remember me (or Akina) and for new readers, welcome. Much love to you all.
Is anyone out there? Do people still read Itachi Fan Fictions? Regardless, here I am re-writing my Itachi Fan Fiction. If you've read the original of this story, I guarantee you will enjoy this Fan Fic, it's still going to be very different.
I wrote and completed this Fan Fic over 11 years ago, which you can see on my Profile Page. I've definitely changed in 11 years… I've become a wife (today is our 9th Wedding Anniversary! Spoiler Alert!), a mother, did activist work, wrote non-fiction for a while, but recently my mind can't get into non-fiction. It feels a lot more time consuming.
And I have little time to write, but I need to write for my self-care so… Here I am. Deciding to edit/revise my Fan Fiction more accurately to cannon and overall better literacy skill (I hope).
As Cannon, I'm going off of the Anime (both sub and dub, but mainly sub), Manga, and Itachi's Story Novels as my foundation. When there are inconsistencies between Anime, Manga, and Novels, I default to Anime/Manga, or try to make the inconsistencies make sense, such as weather conditions in this opening chapter.
Enjoy!
-Mangekyo Marie
Citations: Naruto Shippuden Episode #451, Itachi's Story [Daylight] pg. 13-15
Chapter's Song: "Someone's Watching Over Me" By Hilary Duff
Chapter 1
Vigor In Violence
She was born in Konohagakure; to her parents Shijimi Ruri and Mochizuki Yasuo, who gave her the name, Mochizuki Akina, Princess of the Mochizuki Clan, her father being the clan's head. The members of the Mochizuki Clan have the Kekkei Genkai known as Rose Style Jutsu. They are also known as the first clan to ever train kunoichi, female ninja.
Akina grew up through the Third Shinobi World War, and as the war went on, and Akina, who had just turned four-years-old witnessed so many lives taken, she wished for the war to end, but before it did, she would know loss more personally.
"Akina, stay in here and don't make a sound." A woman with wavy, dark auburn hair, bobbed at her shoulders, and bright contrasting green eyes told a little four-year-old girl with the same emerald eyes, but with black hair instead.
The little girl obeyed and waited beneath the floor in darkness with minimal cracks of light as she waited for dawn break.
"Mama," She whispered scared. Akina pushed up on the floorboard, and tatami mat to move it out of the way, and she peaked out. It was quiet, so she decided to crawl up and out from under the floor. "Mom?"
As Akina came around the corner, she went down the narrow hallway and out to the foyer. She wore a long sleeve white kimono under a short-sleeve maroon kimono with pink plum blossoms on it and the red Land of Fire symbol on the left side of her chest, a pink obi tied in a bow at the back, and thigh high white tabi socks. She slipped on her zori sandals. "Mom?"
She went outside, leaving her traditional home, running down the streets of her compound that had white walls and greenery everywhere. "Mama?! Where are you?"
Akina saw a crowd of people who were fearfully chattering. "Get her to the hospital!" One said and another, "Ruri-sama!"
"Mom?!" Akina tear-up, screaming, she pushed past the crowd of women, and elderly. Seeing her mom with a slit throat. Her breathing was faint. Akina clung to her, crying, feeling her chest going up and down slowly.
"She lured those shinobi away from the clan compound…" An elder woman cried.
"Get her help!" Akina ordered as her mother's shaky hand rose to hold the back of Akina's head. She glanced at Akina, mouthing, "I love you," but it was inaudible. Ruri's chest stopped moving and her hand that held Akina's head fell limp on Akina's back.
"Mama?!" Akina cried, as medic ninja arrived by Ruri's side. Akina slid out from her mother's side and went running. "I've got to get Daddy!"
The break of dawn finally came, the heavy rain that pounded upon the hundreds of dead bodies scattered across the surface of the earth had stopped.
Uchiha Itachi, a four-year-old boy from the Uchiha Clan stood in the midst of these bodies, he concealed his rage and trauma. If he relaxed, tears would spill over.
Ninja with Konoha forehead protectors and ninja from other villages, they all became people, no longer a connection to their national border, no longer a border they had to fight for. Those anguish-filled faces were all the same, no matter which land the ninja were from.
"Father." Itachi heard his own voice. And then, for the first time, he realized he was shaking. It wasn't the chill in the air. It wasn't a fear of the corpses. Rage made Itachi shake. "Why did you bring me here...?"
His father was silent for a while at the question from his young son, and then he began to respond, as if choosing his words carefully. "You are a clever boy."
Eyes still turned toward the corpses, Itachi waited for his father to continue. The palm of his father's hand rested on his head. "I wanted to make sure you saw this reality."
"This is the world I will live in…" His thoughts were made audible.
"That's right, Itachi. Ninja are creatures that fight. Never forget what you've seen here today." It sounded like an order.
His father's voice led Itachi to rub his eyes. He burned the image before him into his retinas so that he would never forget it.
A warmth unlike that of his tears wriggled and squirmed within his eyes. The sensation— A wild wave of power flowing toward his retinas. It was so terrifying; he unconsciously closed his eyes.
When he did, the wave slowly, quietly disappeared into the center of his head. His heart pounded madly, and his breathing was ragged. He took a deep breath, and opened his eyes. Before him, the hellish world was unchanged.
He gently pressed a hand to his chest. He felt like if he gave himself over to that power, he would stop being himself somehow. He heard his father's voice, "What's wrong?"
He didn't respond to Fugaku's question, but simply stared hard at the sight before him. This hell might have been the world in which he was to live, but he had no intention of sitting back and simply accepting it. "I will change it."
"Fugaku!" A tall, thin man with black hair pinned up in a ponytail barked, addressing said man with short brown hair and crimson eyes. "Why are you allowing your boy out here?!"
The four-year-old Itachi looked up at the tall man with black hair. "Yasuo-sama," Itachi voiced, until he glanced to Akina coming over the hillside.
She stopped, seeing her father, Fugaku, and Itachi surrounded by dead bodies on the landscape. She was overwhelmed with sadness, tears snuck out. "Death... Everywhere..."
"Father!" The little girl cried out, overcoming her shock.
"Maybe you should mind your own business, Yasuo." Fugaku sneered.
"Akina!" Yasuo exclaimed, worried, and mad as said girl came running to his side.
"It's mama!" She announced. "Kumogakure shinobi, they— She's not breathing!" Yasuo ran passed Akina and she went to follow, but in a flash, Fugaku grabbed her shoulder to stop her.
Akina pulled away, wanting to go after her father, looking up at Fugaku. "Fugaku-sama," she pleaded with big misty green eyes. Itachi approached, taking Akina's hand gently.
"Itachi-kun," She breathed.
Itachi looked up at Fugaku. "Can Akina-chan come home with us, Father?"
Fugaku nodded as he looked back to his wife, Mikoto, approaching from behind. She wore her Leaf Village uniform
"Ruri's been killed." Fugaku whispered to Mikoto.
The Uchiha woman had shock and tears swell up in her crimson eyes. She looked to Akina and knelt down, stretching out her arms to the young girl to pull her into a hug. Akina then began crying into Mikoto's chest. Itachi watched as Mikoto pet Akina's short wavy black hair.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Akina." Mikoto cried as she then gestured Itachi into the hug. Holding each four-year-old with each of her arms.
A Few Days Later
"Mikoto-sama," Akina breathed as the Uchiha woman folded clothes she pulled from the laundry basket. Itachi looked up from the book he read.
"Yes, sweetie?" The mother's voice gently asked.
"When is my father coming to get me?" Akina asked.
Mikoto's eyes saddened. "He loved your mother very much, he's mourning her. We all are. She was a dear friend to me. You'll go home after the funeral tomorrow."
The mother took the book from Itachi and sat it on his bookshelf. "It's time for bed," She said as Itachi crawled under his blanket on the futon on the floor of his room. Akina did the same, her bed right next to Itachi's with a small gap between them.
Mikoto made her way to the door and shut off the light. "Goodnight, you two. Sweet dreams." She closed the door behind her.
"I enjoy you here," Itachi rolled his head to the side, seeing Akina staring at the ceiling. "Like having a twin sister."
Akina smiled at him. "I enjoy your company, too, Itachi-kun."
"Don't worry, I'll be there with you tomorrow." He reassured.
"Thank you. You want to look at the stars?" She asked.
"Yeah," He excitedly exclaimed as he got up, and went to the dresser beside his window.
Akina was already waiting by the window, sadly looking out a small square pane of the window. Twenty. Twenty square panes in each window of the two windows. Itachi came over, sliding the window sideway to open it, the night air on Akina's face made it feel like she could breathe again. Itachi then looked through his telescope, up to the stars.
"Do you think kids in Kumogakure want the war to end?" Akina asked.
Itachi lowered his telescope, handing it to Akina for her to take it. She looked through it to the stars.
"I'm sure they do. And all the kids in the other villages, too." Itachi said contemplating.
"Yeah," Akina nodded. "Why were you out on the battlefield?"
"My father thought it would help me get my Sharingan." Itachi said blankly, hiding his resentment. "A Stone Shinobi tried to attack me after I helped him get a drink…"
Akina hugged him from the side, and he hugged her back. "You're the one that lost your mom…" He reminded.
"I'm here for you, too," Akina reassured.
"I'm going to be a shinobi that will stop war. The Hokage." He declared it.
Akina smiled. "That makes me hopeful."
"I'm getting sleepy," Itachi yawned. Akina nodded, going back to her bed.
"Sweet dreams, Itachi-kun." She smiled.
"Sweet dreams, Akina-chan." Itachi smiled, as he put the telescope back. Akina closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the drawer closing, and Itachi pulling his blanket as he got into bed.
The Next Morning
Akina and Itachi walked down the Leaf Village's streets in black, both in long sleeve shirts, Itachi in pants and Akina a black skirt. His onyx eyes glanced over, as he seen Akina hold back tears on her lower lid. Itachi took her hand for Akina to glance over and force a smile.
Mikoto and Fugaku smirked as they watched the four-year-olds, but then they put back on their somber expressions as they entered the cemetery.
Yasuo approached and knelt down for Akina to run into his arms. He gave a tight hug where he didn't want to let go. "I'm sorry, bud." He whispered. Yasuo stood and bowed his head to Fugaku and Mikoto. "Thank you, dear friends for taking care of my girl."
"Always a pleasure to have her," Mikoto smiled with sad eyes.
"You both are always welcome," Fugaku said as he gave a friendly and firm pat to Yasuo's shoulder, then leading his wife and son to the crowd of people lining up to pay their respects in front of the Will of Fire sculpture.
"Fugaku…" Said man looked back to Yasuo. "Minato is my teammate and I care for him, but you have my vote. I'll put your name forward. It's about time we broke the trend of family and student Hokage lineage."
"Thank you, my friend." Fugaku bowed and turned to continue on his way with his family.
Yasuo knelt down in front of Akina, holding her shoulders, and looking deep in her eyes. "How you doing, bud?"
"Okay," She sadly shrugged. "I won't cry. Ninja don't cry."
"That's my girl," He petted her cheek.
Yasuo reached into his pouch, he placed a red hair comb into her hair to hold back her bangs, and then pulled out a map, handing it to her. "This map has been passed down through generations. My grandmother gave it to my mother, and my mother passed it onto me… And now, I think it's time I gave it to you. It will help you find your way."
"Find my way?" She asked with curious eyes.
Her father nodded with a grin— Akina then jumped into her father's arms and silently sobbed as she tucked her features into him. "Thank you! I'll make you proud, I promise."
Akina's Aunt Iva, a woman with black hair and eyes, just like her brother, only her bangs that hung beside her cheeks were much longer, extending to her elbows. The woman swayed over to the father and daughter. "The services are starting."
Akina placed the map in her pocket and took Yasuo's hand as he offered it to her.
"So it seems." Yasuo coldly said as he passed by Iva with Akina in hand.
Iva shot an evil eye to Akina, the young girl noticing to pull closer to her father. "So brother, you gave your little mistake the comb and map. Hmph!"
Akina stood in front of the Will of Fire sculpture, beside her father on his left side and her two older cousins to her right side. Akanah, an eleven-year-old girl with dyed red hair in ponytails and brown eyes.
Then beside her was Benjiro, a seven-year-old with side-swept brown hair and brown eyes.
Then there was Iva, who was just waiting for her little niece to cry, to shame her clan, but Akina never did. She stood like a brave warrior, never shedding one tear.
Itachi stood with his family, Fugaku to his left and a clansman behind Itachi, whispering to Fugaku. "We managed an armistice, but the sacrifice was just too great. Lord Third intends to take full responsibility and retire. There are voices in support of installing you, Captain, as the Fourth Hokage—"
"Please… Enough Talk." Fugaku ordered solemnly.
"What should we do about Hatake Kakashi?" As Fugaku heard this question, his eyes opened to glance to his left, passed Minato to a thirteen-year-old Kakashi. "He doesn't belong to our clan, but he possesses the Sharigan."
"I understand Uchiha Obito fought bravely. Let's respect his wishes." Fugaku replied, still discreetly staring at Kakashi
"We should bring the Sharigan back to the Uchiha…" The man suggested.
"The war just ended. Do not sow seeds of discord." Fugaku ordered as he closed his eyes.
"Yes, sir." The clansman silenced himself.
"We finally have peace." Fugaku thought looking ahead to the Will of Fire sculpture. "We will persevere to maintain it. That is the duty of the Uchiha…"
Itachi's eyes glanced to Orochimaru standing a distance away from everyone else. Itachi approached Orochimaru's side.
"Grieving over the dead is meaningless." Orochimaru addressed with a smirk, standing over his parent's grave. "If there's any meaning in death, it's to take advantage of it."
"What is the meaning to life?" Itachi asked.
"There is none." Orochimaru answered. "There's meaning in life if it's eternal."
As the service ended, Akina noticed Itachi talking with Orochimaru. "Go with him," Yasuo gestured to Akina, giving her a press to her back.
"So, Orochimaru or Fugaku as the next Hokage?" Iva asked Yasuo, as Akina paused to listen, but then headed for Itachi.
Itachi looked back to the rest of the group, seeing Akina coming, but then Itachi turned back as he heard Orochimaru's feet shift in the grass to turn and walk away.
"I hear he's nominated to become The Fourth Hokage." Akina stated as she came up to Itachi's side, watching Orochimaru leave the cemetery.
Itachi looked to Akina, with a confused expression. "Where'd you hear that?"
"My Aunt. Just now." Akina stated.
"But the village needs hope…" Itachi declared.
"It's hard to hope when you've lost your parents to war," Akina shrugged as she gestured to Orochimaru's parent's headstone.
Itachi's expression became sad, looking at the headstone, all the headstones. Itachi walked away towards his parents leaving, without another word said to Akina.
"What's wrong with Itachi?" Akina asked herself, her eyes saddened, knowing how he was feeling far too well. "Why does there have to be war? And death?" She continued to question as she watched the Uchiha crest on Itachi's back get farther and farther away from her.
