Author's Notes: Wow, this one came unexpectedly. I was thinking i would write again in a few days, but I just felt like it now. So here you go, a very fast update for me.

Disclaimer: Naruto characters are Kishimotos babies. I only own Miya.

Chapter 5

"We're here," said Kisame as he leapt up on a final ledge. This cliff edge was more spacious than the others, but there was nothing there except the uniformly jagged face of rock. Miya raised her brows in wonder. Was this all?

Then, Kisame's hands came together and he performed a jutsu, the rock face suddenly disappearing and a clear cave opening appearing in its place. She blinked a few times, eyes widening and squinting. She wasn't imagining things. Kisame nudged her with his elbow.

"You can get off," he said, turning his head towards her. Miya looked at the ground.

"It's…kind of high," she said. Kisame pursed his lips and crouched to the ground. Her feet found it and she let go. He started for the cave opening, but she stayed in her place, hesitant to enter a place that didn't exist a moment ago. He looked back at her exasperated.

"What's your problem now! Quit being a nuisance and get over here!"

She quickly came to his side, squeaking out an apology. He's very scary when he's annoyed, she thought, still looking intensely at the cave opening. It was a clever jutsu, but disturbing in how things materialize from nothing. Stepping into the cool shadow of the cave, she looked up as they passed below the rock archway and into the darkness. There was light shining in behind them for awhile before fading.

Miya took an extra step closer to Kisame, the light from outside beginning to fade away into the dank path. She rubbed her arms, a warm yellow light starting to show against the rocky wall. A torch was set in the wall and another shone a few feet ahead. Kisame's dark silhouette seemed to glide down the path, his feet hardly making a sound. Turning a bend, they were faced with a dead end. She looked up at him, watching his hands do a similar gesture as before and place some written inscription on the wall. The rock disappeared before her eyes, and a more polished hall shown on the other side. Electrical lights shined from above, the light still warm but less dim. The floor had wood paneling and the walls were white plastered with a wooden beam imbedded about waist high along both sides.

Kisame pressed on in silence, passing a few doors on the way. She eyed one of them that stood out, colored blue with a few characters on it, but kept on, trying not to loose her guide through the maze. Turning another bend, Miya saw an evenly spaced line of doors, all red-stained wood and blank. He led her down the hall, and then stopped at the second to last door.

"You'll stay here," he said, turning to her at last. She looked up at him and he only met her eyes for a second before opening the door and motioning for her to enter. Miya stepped inside.

It was simply furnished: a narrow bed, a small table with a pitcher and bowl on top, a mirror and a small window. No Itachi.

"Kisame, where-" she began when the door was closed on her. That's rude, she thought, but he doesn't like me at all, so I shouldn't expect much. Miya sighed, walking towards the bed and leaned over to press her hand down on it. The mattress only gave a little bit, packed very tightly. It's too hard, she thought. Looking around again, the whole room was barely enough to fit a single person, and it dawned on her that she was likely considered a prisoner as guests were never given rooms so sparse.

She glanced around the space again, her eyes lingering on the mirror. She hadn't seen her face clearly for years. It hadn't mattered when all she was doing was farm work. A rippled image in a bucket of water or a translucent reflection on the window glass had been sufficient. She took a step towards it. What if I'm ugly, she wondered. Another step. I won't know unless I look. She kept her eyes lowered as she took a final step, timidly glancing up at her face.

Her hair was overgrown, her bangs nearly covering her eyes. The sides were a little straggly. Her skin was a little brown, but still much fairer than the people of that tiny village who'd worked in the sun all their lives. Her dark eyes stared back at her, that distinctive curve and hue reminding her of her legacy. Raising her hand to her forehead, she pushed back the long hair from over her forehead. Her lips began to curl into a small smile. She didn't think herself a ravishing beauty, but she wasn't plain or ugly.

Letting her hair fall back over her face, she turned away, moving towards the window. The outside air felt cool as she came up to it. The expanse of the forest below spread out towards the horizon. There was nothing else discernable beyond that. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky, a few birds flying in the distance.

She stepped away from the window and sat down on the small bed. It felt like a stone beneath her. Sighing again, she began to miss the farm even more. You're a fool, Miya, she said to herself and laid down, closing her eyes. Her mind drifted to memories…Mr. Narita throwing a fit about a pair of rabbits eating his vegetables, the first time she had Mrs. Narita's specialty dish, the warm smiles of the villagers as she got to know them, and farther still her mother's soft humming on a rainy day. A warm spring rain….

A woman's voice sung quietly, her eyes raised to the sky, watching raindrops fall and drip from the roof. Her teacher had not come today, and she was glad of that. The advisor had given her a scroll to practice formal addresses on, but it was so boring, she'd kept nodding off. She'd set it aside now and sat near the outer door, watching.

Thunk!

She looked to the back wall beyond the garden. The noise came again. The woman's voice had faded off to another wing of the house. She was alone. Glancing behind her shoulder to be sure, she pushed the outer door open wider and stepped out, running barefoot into the rain, cool, wet grass beneath her feet.

Thunk!

The sound was coming from behind the wall. She followed along it until reaching a wooden gate. Unlatching the lock, she opened it slowly peeking beyond.

A boy stood in the road, drenched with a few kunai in his hands. His face was turned away from her, staring intently at an overgrown tree on the wall. There was a splintered mark in the trunk of it. She closed the gate as quietly as she could and tip toed near him. He was about to throw a kunai, but paused and turned to her, not surprised by her presence.

"What are you doing?"

"Wow, you could hear me?"

"…Anyone could."

"Oh."

She blushed, embarrassed.

"I'm not a very good ninja I guess."

"…."

"…Uhm…are you training to be a ninja?"

She pointed at his kunai.

" I'm already a genin."

"Wow, are you? You don't look older than me, though. I'm only seven."

"Everyone says I'm special."

"Are you?"

She smiled at him. He stared at her.

"...Maybe."

"I think you're special."

"You don't know who I am."

"Oh…well, what's your name?"

"..."

"…Erm, my name is Miya."

"…Uchiha Itachi."

She laughed.

"You don't have to give me your full name. I can see the crest on your back."

"I was being polite."

"Ah, sorry…I just get tired of manners sometimes."

"…You live here?"

He pointed at the large house beyond the gate.

"Yes. I'm successor of a special bloodline or something like that. I don't really care."

He looked confused.

"Why?"

"It's annoying! I always have to do this and that a certain way and wear stiff, uncomfortable clothes, and learn all these weird traditions and I hate it! I can never do what I want."

"What do you want?"

She looked up.

"I want…a normal life. Where I can be myself…."

"….I think I understand."

She looked back to him and smiled. He smiled back.

Miya opened her eyes. Evening had arrived while she'd been asleep. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly. A tray of food sat on the table across from her. She got up and lifted the cover. A bowl of rice with a minimal sprinkle of vegetables and two thin cuts of fish awaited her there, lukewarm. She made a face, but her stomach lurched and she couldn't leave it. Slowly chewing her food, she looked over at the window, the last rays of sunlight streaking across the sky. It reminded her of his smile: a beautiful moment that passed much too quickly.

Next...Chapter 6

Again, thank you all for the kind reviews! I'm always glad to get them, so please write more! Until next time!