DISCLAMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, suppressed thoughts, 66 traps, or that one line in Shrek 2, "Fear me, if you dare. (hiss)". But that is one fun line to say.
Michiko woke up with a gasp. Raising her hand to her forehead, she felt cold sweat.
What a horrible dream, she thought, and glanced around her.
The sky outside was a dull grey; the sun hadn't quite come up yet. Looking around the room, which was tinged with bluish light, Michiko saw Deniizu's sleeping form on her mat. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was about 5:40am.
I'll wake her up after I've taken a shower, Michiko thought, stretching.
Wincing, she curled up again. Her leg had cramped up, and the muscle felt like it snapped.
Charley horse...I'll try not to take that as an omen, Michiko thought, feeling dull as the sky as she gritted her teeth and waited for the pain to pass.
After a few minutes, her leg stopped complaining enough for her to get up, grab her towel and a change of clothes, and limp to the washroom. As she thought about her dream, she took a shower.
The purple butterfly burning and turning away, feeling like falling...running and chasing, but failing...Akamaru howling...an open manga book about music, a feeling of gain...Deniizu running and chasing...and succeeding.
Michiko had read books about dream interpretation before, and that had gotten her into the habit of reviewing and analysing her dreams, especially the vivid ones like the one from last night.
Cold eyes, but kind at the same time, on Deniizu...falling, losing...black glass, cold and hard, stopping me from rescuing the purple butterfly...a small crack in the glass...my hands slip away and the cracks mold together.
Closing her eyes under the shower, Michiko thought slowly about the dream, letting her subconscious mind also puzzle it out.
The purple butterfly must mean me and Shino; it looked like the origami one he gave me, Michiko thought, ...bad omen or fear? Same with cold black glass; it's Shino's sunglasses. Cracks stand for breaks...openings...or maybe handholds. Into Shino's heart. ...that scene yesterday was the break in Shino's barrier, he was opening up to me. But...not anymore? That could be my personal fear, or an omen. Falling is usually to represent losing control. Or just failing. Running and chasing is pursuit, or trying to obtain something...probably Shino again. Akamaru howling...that's easy. Kiba probably isn't happy about Deniizu's arrangement. An open book can mean opportunity, but why specifically manga on music? And the feeling of gain...maybe I get an opportunity? Maybe not just me; maybe Deniizu too. Deniizu pursues something, and gets it, but what? And cold, yet kind eyes on her? Eyes can mean many things, but usually it's other people. Who's looking at Deniizu?
Michiko turned the tap off and wrapped the towel around herself, still thinking about the dream.
Maybe I'm reading into it too much, Michiko thought, getting dressed in the washroom, Or maybe not enough. I'll just keep my eyes open and see what happens. But about Shino...
Could you stop thinking about Shino and let me into the washroom? Deniizu asked irritably, Dreams are only suppressed thoughts, anyway.
Sometimes, Michiko said, unlocking the door, "But not always."
"Whatever," Deniizu waved the topic off, passing the older girl and entering the washroom, "The sun's rising, so Naruto will be coming in a couple hours to pick us up."
"Ok," Michiko said, and walked into the kitchen for breakfast, towelling her hair off.
A couple hours later...
Deniizu leaned on the wall beside her apartment door, waiting for Michiko to come out. Looking at the next door to the right, Deniizu wondered what Naruto was up to. The boy hadn't come out of his apartment yet.
"Ok, I'm ready," Michiko said, stepping out of the apartment with her bookbag.
As she locked their door, she glanced at Naruto's.
"Hey, where's Naruto?" Michiko asked.
"I don't know," Deniizu shrugged, "Maybe he didn't want to go early today. Should we walk ahead?"
"Wait a sec; I'll leave a note for him so he knows we're gone," Michiko answered.
Reaching into her bag, she fished out a small piece of paper and a pencil, and scribbled down her message. She folded it around the doorknob so that it looked as if it were twisted into place.
"That looks cool," Deniizu said, examining the paper, "Ok, let's go."
The girls walked down the road; it was a sunny, clear day. Not much seemed to be going on in the village that day. After a bit, Deniizu spotted Hinata and Shino a little ways off.
"Hey, Hinata! Shino!" Deniizu called.
Michiko had been staring down an alleyway they were passing by; now she looked where Deniizu was walking towards. The other two students waited for them to catch up before continuing on their way.
"Good morning, Deniizu, Michi-chan," Hinata greeted with a small smile.
"Morning," Michiko smiled back, and was relieved when Shino nodded his greeting.
Didn't expect him to be nice anymore, huh? Deniizu said in her head, Told you dreams were only suppressed thoughts.
"What were you looking at back there?" Shino asked Michiko.
"Um...nothing," Michiko asked, suddenly interested in the strap of her bookbag.
"...It's bright today," Deniizu said conversationally.
"Iruka-sensei may let us have lessons outside," Hinata said hopefully.
Michiko's ears perked up; class outside would be nice. But that hope would soon be crushed.
"Hey, Denii-chan! Shino! Hinata!" "Arf, arf!" came two voices behind the small group.
"I only get greeted by the dog?" Michiko asked, in a mock hurt voice.
"Saying I forgot your name wouldn't be the best idea, huh?" Kiba teased, catching up to the group.
Michiko rolled her eyes, and grinned as she picked up Akamaru.
"At least you love me," Michiko murmured to the white dog, scratching him behind the ears.
"So, what's new?" Deniizu asked.
"You saw me just last night," Kiba shrugged, "So nothing."
"Do you think we will get lessons outside today, Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked.
"I hope. It's a great day," Kiba answered, waving to the clear skies.
But as I said, that hope would soon be crushed. Specifically now, as the five students walked through Konoha's main square.
"Attention Konoha," a loud voice boomed. The students turned and saw a man standing on a box in the middle of the square, "I have grave news. The watchmen at the south gates of Konoha have reported possible sightings of a dangerous missing nin. Keep all young children close-"
Here, Kiba and Michiko each took one of Shino's arms protectively, and both grinned as he shook them off; he was taller than both of them.
"-and be on your guards. Spread the word that the infamous Uchiha Itachi may be near or even within Konoha. This is no joke; the Hokage has ordered for all shops and the school to be closed. Try not to leave your homes until the ANBU give the 'all clear'. Spread the word..."
The rest was lost to the four of the students when Michiko finally was aware of something.
"Oh no," she whispered, and glanced around herself wildly.
"What?" asked Hinata, "Why...oh no..."
"Are you serious?" Kiba asked, also looking around wildly.
Akamaru jumped out of Michiko's arms and sniffed around the ground. Hinata and Kiba continued looking around the square, but Shino looked at a stricken Michiko.
"Has she?" Shino asked, and Michiko nodded seriously.
"Deniizu's gone to find Itachi," she answered.
"I didn't think she really would," Kiba said sadly.
"It's usually safe to take Deniizu at face value," Michiko said, and after checking the sun and getting her bearings, she started jogging in one direction.
"Where are you going?" Shino asked, catching her arm and stopping her.
"I have to find her," Michiko said, matter-of-factly, though her eyes shone fear, "In this whole village, I'm the only one who might be able to talk her into coming back. Sorry, Kiba."
"I know," Kiba said, hanging his head.
"W-what can we do?" Hinata asked, shaking, but wanting to help her new friends.
Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru stood by, waiting for Michiko's answer.
"Ok...Hinata, you go and tell Iruka-sensei. As his students, we're his responsibility, so he will probably want to know what's going on. Shino, you can go with her. Kiba, you and Akamaru can help me find Deniizu; she's probably headed towards the south gate since that's where they thought they saw the Uchiha."
"I'll search with you," Shino said suddenly, "Kiba and Akamaru can get Iruka's attention faster; they're better sprinters than I am."
"I want Kiba and Akamaru to search since they can watch each other's back," Michiko said patiently, "Deniizu knows who I am and how I stalk, so she's less likely to attack me by accident if I find her first."
"You're forgetting about the chance of Itachi attacking," Shino said, "That's flawed logic. You should have one of the best with you, so that your chance of survival is better."
Shino, I don't have time for this...and I don't want you out there either, Michiko thought, but she nodded anyway.
"Fine. Hinata, Kiba, Akamaru...you all should hurry."
"Roger," Kiba said, taking off at a run with Akamaru in his wake.
"Hai..." Hinata looked at Michiko, who was already running south, and at Shino, who was waiting for Hinata to finish, "Shino...take care of her."
"I will," Shino nodded.
As she watched him run to catch up to Michiko, Hinata thought, I know she won't take care of herself...
Meanwhile, on the outside of Konoha...
Itachi...my love, where are you? Deniizu thought.
She had made it out of the village gates and was now stalking through the trees, looking for her favourite missing nin. Not having any real leads, she didn't know where to start; looking around at the vast forest she was in, she realized that finding Itachi was not going to be easy. Every now and again, she would see a flicker of a dark shape in the corner of her eye, but whenever she turned there was nobody there. Eventually she came to a small clearing, and while she was looking down for some sign that Itachi had been by, she noticed something glinting on the grass. Warily approaching the glinting object, she found a black shuriken with three points, just randomly stuck in the ground.
"If that's not a trap, Naruto hates ramen," Deniizu said out loud.
Selecting one of her own shuriken from her pouch, she carefully aimed at the star in the ground and threw it. It glanced off of one of the points, and a snare which had been hidden around the star flew up. Wondering if another trap was hidden by the three-pointed star, Deniizu threw another shuriken at it, and as she suspected, another snare revealed itself.
"Huh," Deniizu shrugged, throwing another star at the one in the ground.
This time nothing happened, so after a moment, Deniizu took a step towards the shuriken in the ground. And felt a rope under her foot.
"Uh-oh," Deniizu whispered.
The trap flew past her head, acting like a whip and making a cut on her cheek. Taking a step to the side, the girl set off a whole chain of traps.
"OH GAWD!"
Nooses, set shurikens and kunai, a few exploding tags...all these traps suddenly went off, one after the other. Deniizu dodged and deflected them for dear life. In the midst of small explosions and jumping tripwires, she was having the time of her life.
"Hahaha!" Deniizu laughed, deflecting 16 kunai that were coming from her left with one of her own, "I have never had so much fun! Whoever set this really knew what they were doing."
This girl... a young man thought, watching the ninja student evade the 42nd trap, She's incredible...and terrifying...almost like me at her age.
Yosh, Shino; Michiko...
"Stop."
Michiko obediently froze where she and Shino were. Both had just gotten into the forest outside of Konoha.
"Did you hear-" Michiko started, when Shino put a hand up, gesturing for silence.
Both twelve-year-olds strained their ears, and heard laughter to...
"Our left," Shino said, nodding. He raised an eyebrow at Michiko.
"Deniizu's laugh," she nodded, and both jumped into the trees and continued their search.
Fear Deniizu, if you dare...
"Aw...that's all? Just 65?"
Deniizu looked around the clearing, at the great amount of charred black ground from exploding tags littered with throwing weapons. She sensed a thought from behind her, Wonderful... and spun around to see a tall figure in a black cloak with red clouds. The stranger stood at ease on the edge of the clearing, clapping slowly for a moment. Both regarded each other in silence for a minute when he finished applauding. Finally the cloaked stranger spoke.
"Good morning," he greeted.
"Good morning, Itachi-senpai," Deniizu greeted, with a small salute, holding her kunai to her heart and bowing her head a little.
"...senpai? I haven't heard that in a long while."
"Don't like it?" Deniizu raised an eyebrow, putting her kunai away.
"...I don't mind...excuse me, but I hate traps going to waste."
Itachi threw a kunai beside the three-pointed shuriken in the ground, severing a rope that the shuriken had been holding in place. This set off a trap that would have been triggered had the shuriken been picked up. At first nothing happened, but after a questioning look to Itachi, Deniizu heard a hissing noise from above her. A noose came down around her neck and tightened before Deniizu could dodge it. Michiko and Shino landed lightly on a treebranch at the edge of the clearing.
Denii-chan! Michiko thought, but Shino held her back.
"He's a powerful missing-nin," he reminded her in a whisper.
"Ugh..." Deniizu groaned.
At first Deniizu struggled with the rope, and Itachi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Suddenly the Uchiha saw a great surge of chakra in Deniizu's head, and the rope exploded into fine little fibres. He tried not to gape.
"Almost got me there," Deniizu smirked, lightly touching where the skin had been abraded.
Itachi stepped forward quickly, arms outstretched, and for a second all three ninja students thought he was going to throttle her. Michiko broke away from Shino and jumped down into the clearing, rushing forward and was about to turn her hands into fire when Shino caught up and grabbed her shoulders, stopping her again.
"Stupid child," Itachi murmured, applying healing salve on Deniizu neck. Michiko couldn't tell if he meant her or her friend.
"Um...thanks," Deniizu said when Itachi took his hands away. She was about to touch her skin when Itachi stopped her hand.
"It would be best if you let that be," the missing-nin advised, leaning close to her, "What was your name?"
"Deniizu," she said quietly, very conscious of how close his face was to hers.
"Deniizu..." he murmured, as if tasting the name and finding he liked it.
Both heard a noise to their left, opposite of where Shino and Michiko were, and Itachi kept a finger against Deniizu's chin so that she wouldn't turn her head.
"You can trust me, Deniizu," Itachi whispered.
His lips brushed her cheek as he turned to the noise, causing the girl to blush furiously.
I don't know whether to laugh or collapse in terror, Michiko thought, shaking where she stood.
What is going on? Shino thought, but outlining a plan mentally, in case they had to fight. Not to win; just to run and get away from the Uchiha.
Crashing noises were heard all around now. Michiko and Shino stood back to back in defensive mode, not knowing whether Itachi had company or not. Itachi stood behind Deniizu, holding her to him with his arms in an embrace, facing the trees, keeping his hands free to perform jutsus, and eyeing the surrounding forest warily. Ino, Sakura, and Sasuke appeared in front of Deniizu and Itachi. On the opposite side of the clearing, Kiba, Hinata, Akamaru and Iruka appeared by Shino and Michiko.
"Iruka-sensei!" Michiko gasped, sagging against Shino in relief, "I thought you would never-"
"Wait! Prove that you are truly who you appear to be first!" Iruka barked.
Michiko and Shino blinked; this was nothing like their sensei in school.
"Shino, what was your father's mission objective when your mother died?" Iruka asked.
"To obtain a special scroll," Shino answered.
"Correct. Michiko, what was the first ninja technique you have ever learned?"
Easy. That would be the Art of Substitution, many of the students thought.
"Medical jutsu, how to heal a bruise," she answered.
"What!" Sakura exclaimed, shocked.
"It's true, Sakura-chan," Iruka said, nodding.
The other students except two stared at the dark girl; Shino and Sasuke looked pointedly at Itachi and Deniizu.
"Aniki," Sasuke growled, looking at his elder brother.
"Sasuke," Itachi sneered back, "How have you been?"
Sasuke didn't spare time for insults; he ran right at his older brother with kunai in each hand.
"Sasuke!" Iruka yelled, and ran to the other side of the clearing, catching Sasuke's shoulder and flipping him with one hand to the side.
"You didn't have to do that, Iruka-sensei," Deniizu said.
Iruka turned and saw something he had hoped never to see; one of his students in enemy clutches.
"It's ok, sensei, Itachi won't hurt me," Deniizu grinned.
"You can trust me in this respect," Itachi nodded, kissing the top of Deniizu's head.
"I'm afraid I can't trust a missing-nin at all," Iruka said, and began making hand seals.
Itachi rolled his eyes, and after forming a seal, both he and Deniizu disappeared with a puff of smoke. Michiko's jaw dropped, and Iruka froze in the middle of a hand seal, then collapsed onto his knees.
Failure, he thought to himself, You have lost a student.
"There will be no class today; all of you get into pairs or small groups and go home," he said dejectedly.
Ino and Sakura ran off to check on their precious Sasuke-kun, and Kiba, Akamaru and Hinata joined Shino and Michiko.
"What just happened there?" Kiba asked.
"Michi-chan...are you all right?" Hinata asked, gently putting a hand on Michiko's shoulder.
The long-haired girl nodded, smiling weakly, then the smile disappeared and she shook her head.
"Deniizu, what have you gotten yourself into?" Michiko thought out loud, putting a hand over her mouth.
Shino turned around, facing her, and Akamaru whined, pawing at her feet. Michiko sighed and picked up the little dog.
"Let's try and cheer sensei up," Michiko suggested, and walked towards the still-kneeling figure. Shino put an arm around her shoulders and steered the girl away.
"Naruto would be the best to do that," he said, leading the small group back to the village.
"Naruto-kun and Iruka-sensei are much closer than you would believe," Hinata nodded, walking beside them.
"Where is that baka, anyway?" Kiba wondered out loud, as they neared the edge of the forest.
Once the other students had left, Naruto, Chouji and Shikamaru stumbled into the clearing.
"Ne, where is everybody?" Naruto asked, looking around.
"It looks like there was a big fight and we missed it...how troublesome," Shikamaru noted, scuffing a toe against the black earth.
"Yeah, we came out here for nothing," Chouji said, taking out a bag of chips, "Hey...is that Iruka-sensei?"
"It is," Shikamaru said, "Ugh, so annoying. Naruto, you go take care of him, while Chouji and I go home."
"Fine, fine," Naruto said, and went to check on his sensei.
A/N: Yosh, reader! If you think Itachi is OOC here...well, I tried. And so is Shino (a little), and Kiba and Naruto (they're not loud enough), and Sakura's too...calm...and Hinata talks (I love Hinata, leave her alone!), and...at least Akamaru is in character!