Chapter 51
"What are you doing in this village?" A male's voice comes from just on the other side of the boat I am currently standing on. Sounding as if whoever it was, is standing on the walkway leading towards the village. Sure, only two hours after coming out here and people are interrupting my water walking training.
"It's been a long time, Asuma, Kurenai." A familiar male voice answers the man who had initially spoken. Which I now believe was Asuma. Huh? What's Itachi doing here?
"The fact that you know our names must mean you are a shinobi formerly of this village." Sighing I leap up onto the roof of the boat only to spot Asuma and Kurenai standing in front of the two in black from the Dango shop. Is he slow? That voice is…
"Itachi." I say subconsciously only achieving drawing the attention of all four of them. Itachi raises his right hand and lifts up on his straw hat. I nearly smirk as I put my hand on my hip, seeing his red Sharingan eyes. My long scarf around my neck swaying around behind me from the gentle breeze. "I love being correct." I finally do smirk up towards them as Itachi's bell rings when he finally pulls his hat off from his head and tosses it aside. He then reaches his left hand into his black cloak and begins popping the buttons loose to further show his face. He lets his left hand rest on the front of his cloak his Sharingan eyes never wavering from me.
"Well, what do you know. Itachi. Itachi Uchiha." Asuma proclaims causing my eyes to roll as Itachi looks away from me and back towards Asuma. I know Asuma isn't stupid even though he had pretended like I wasn't here or that I hadn't said anything. He probably just spoke up like that in order to draw Itachi and his friend's gazes away from me. Even so, it was rather rude. I nearly sigh from Asuma's actions as I watch Itachi's hair billow around with the wind.
"Are these friends of yours Itachi?" The other one finally speaks up with a smooth deep voice. "Well, then I suppose I should introduce myself." His voice lowers hardening to become colder than it had just been as he reaches up and removes his own hat. Revealing hair so black it looks blue matching his blue fish-like face. Huh. I shake my head finally sighing. Why did I ever feel like I needed to hide myself? I completely overlooked all those just as much of a freak of nature as I am. Well, at least I look normal. "Hope we can get acquainted later, the name's Kisame Hoshigaki."
"Why should we wait till later? When I could just wipe the floor with you both now." Asuma questions pinning both of the men in front of him with a glare. Crossing my arms I allow my eyes to fall back onto Itachi.
"Boy Itachi, it looks like they hate you just as much in this village as they do in mine." Kisame comments as he smiles showing his shark-like teeth.
"Why would you feel it necessary to leap in and fight without first analyzing the situation?" I ask drawing their attention again. Shoving off of the boat I leap effortlessly into the air before completing a flip just over their heads. Landing with a gentle tap on the cement in between the two opposing sides. What am I doing? Yeah...I'm acting without thinking again. Standing straight I smirk as I turn in a way I could look at all four of them. "I felt short standing down there." I shrug giving the demeanor as if this was just a friendly conversation amongst friends.
"Kira, you should stay out of this." Asuma mentions as he watches me. I turn my attention more fully upon him. "Don't you realize who they are?" I tilt my head causing my bangs to fall into my face with a smirk.
"I do. Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. S rank criminals." I answer him flatly lacking the emotion in my voice as usual when speaking with those I do not know nor care for.
"Then why are you getting in the middle of this?" He narrows his eyes almost accusingly on me causing Kurenai's eyes to widen. Almost as if the same thought Asuma is having just occurred to her.
"Hmm… Why am I?" I tilt my head up and tap my chin with a finger giving off the same lightweight demeanor. "Two of you against Kisame Hoshigaki might stand a chance but since you are looking to take on Itachi Uchiha as well it is like you are wishing to join the recently deceased. Which is why I mentioned how you should analyze the situation before leaping into a fight. You both are outclassed by just one of them. You couldn't hope to take on them both at the same time. Even if you are Jonin, elite ninja. You should have called for reinforcements the moment you set on their tail." I smirk bringing my eyes back to Asuma and tapping my temple once with my finger. "It pays to use your brain. Doing things that risk your lives is one thing and carelessly throwing your lives away is another."
"Are you saying you won't help us?" Asuma glowers at me even more as I meet his gaze with a smirk.
"I'm not an idiot. I'm a chunin. If you two would die against them I wouldn't last half as long." I turn and glance at Itachi seeing he was watching me as well. Almost as if he was thinking about something. "Why not try to ask them why they were here in the village? They may feel that with their strengths being so superior to our own that they would know we couldn't stop them even if we wanted to."
Kisame chuckles. "How can someone seem so strong and weak at the same time?" hmm. That's an interesting question. I raise a brow to him curiously.
"And that question... made no logical sense." I comment causing him to chuckle again.
"Where is your pride as a ninja?" Asuma asks me drawing my attention back to him. Huh? I tilt my head curiously. "Wouldn't you want to stop them out of loyalty?" Loyalty? Why would my loyalty be questioned? Oh, I see. It's because of the Uchiha on my team and how they believe Itachi killed his entire clan for the hell of it. I know he did it for a different reason but they were kept in the dark from the advisors' sick amusement.
"Loyalty is shown in a number of ways. You could see my suggesting letting these two go as a betrayal or you could see it as my loyalty being stronger than ever. Knowing you two would be killed for even attempting to stop them and also letting him live to die by the correct person. Hmm…. The choice in my eyes isn't difficult."
Almost as if Asuma finally understands my reasoning his eyes fall back onto Itachi. "I've gotta hand it to ya. The fact that you'd even show your face in this village after what you did. It takes some guts."
"I'm warning you two. You don't want to interfere with me. It isn't my desire to kill you." Itachi responds to him and I nearly laugh at how he had left me out of it. Then again he probably felt safe saying that because I had already stated I wasn't stupid enough to fight him.
"You know that's pretty hilarious coming from a guy that murdered his own people… Now come on, out with it. I know you didn't come skulking in here dressed like that for no good reason. What are you after?" Heh, so Asuma is doing as I suggested and asking huh. A sudden movement from Kisame causes me to jump back just before his sword crashes into the ground where I had just been standing.
"This guy is getting on my nerves. Can I kill him?" Placing my hands back on my hips I look towards Kisame.
"Well, I guess we're not going anywhere without a fight. Just try not to overdo it. Your moves tend to stand out." Itachi speaks as his eyes glance over in my direction. Probably noticing my irritated expression as I watch Kisame.
"They're as good as dead." Kisame breathes before he is set off balance as I shove my foot against his sword kicking it from the ground in front of me. "Huh?" He gives a sound of question followed by the others, as he regains his balance and pulls his sword to set on his shoulder. I narrow my Icy glare on him causing him to laugh.
"I thought you weren't going to get in the middle of this small fry?" He chuckles as I feel the others watching me. I rest my hands on my blades my lip nearly curling in a snarl.
"That was before you almost hit me with your sword, Fishface. I don't take too kindly to people acting without expecting consequences." I finally snarl at him as I shift my weight onto my right foot. Preparing to attack him.
"No Kira! Wait!" Asuma yells out nearly causing me to growl. "You were right, you are just a chunin. You stand no chance against him. Think about what you're doing."
"Tch." I click my tongue in annoyance. He's right. If I leap in to attack now I'll be forfeiting my own life without a good reason. I would be throwing my life and my dreams away just because someone angered me. Standing straight I release my blades with a sigh. "Fine. How about I go for reinforcements."
"Heh. Good idea." Asuma chuckles as he pulls his chakra blades.
"As if I would let you!" Kisame grunts as I feel his blade pushing against the air towards me. Asuma's eyes widen as I bow my head. A smirk showing just before The blade rams against my side.
"Kira!" Asuma calls out in worry seeing me be struck just before where I had been standing, erupts in a puff of smoke. "Huh?"
"What the." Kisame growls as I look down towards them from my sitting place in the trees above them. Swaying my left leg below me as I nearly laugh. Seeing Itachi's eyes being the first set to find me. I give him a salute before the others could see me. Standing on my branch I leap away from the area as quickly as possible in order to avoid Kisame from trying to stop me again. Like I said. I'm not dumb enough to fight them. But I just may take my time to give Itachi some leeway to leave.
I find myself nearly humming as I leap from tree to tree. Almost as if biding my time would mean I needed to hum. Spinning in mid-leap I nearly smirk remembering the looks on three of their faces when they had realized that it had been a shadow clone speaking to them the entire time. When I had first felt the presence of two people walking I hadn't thought much of it. But when I felt two more gaining on them rather quickly I had a sneaky feeling that something was going to happen. I created my shadow clone and left it on the boat while I sat in the trees. I then proceeded to wait patiently to see what would happen.
I had no idea that the two black figures from the Dango shop were actually Kisame and Itachi. I could only figure that this was one of those parts in the anime that I had forgotten about. Which is odd, you would think this is a major occurrence in the show. Because of how Sasuke would or will react if or when he finds out his older brother had been here. I personally can't see Itachi's presence going far enough under the radar that he wouldn't find out. That isn't necessarily what bothers me though.
If this is a part of the anime then those cloaks are too. It feels like I'm forgetting something drastically important. To be honest I never thought much about Itachi after that night when I had been seven for the second time in my life. I didn't really think about where he went after he completed his mission or what he has been doing since. I've been so wrapped up with my own pain and watching over Sasuke I lost track of something important. Something I desperately need to remember. But what is it?!
"Calm down, Kira." I breathe quietly to myself as I close my eyes for a moment. Pausing on a tree branch with my right hand against the tree. What am I forgetting? Think about it. The night of the Uchiha massacre I had been so certain of what I knew. I knew he was killing off the clan due to orders given to him from the village advisors under the rouse to stop the coup d'etat. Just like I had been certain he had help from a man named Tobi. Even with my dwindled memory, I remember nearly everything about Tobi. Those black cloaks Itachi and Kisame were wearing are familiar to me as well. Black with red clouds…
Face palming I click my tongue in annoyance with myself. It's obvious and was staring me directly in the face from the beginning. How could I have let myself get so caught up that I had forgotten? Images of the others that wear that very same cloak pass through my mind. A group that had once been eight members but are now down to seven after Orochimaru had failed to gain the Sharingan from Itachi. Seven S rank criminals working in one specific organization in order to obtain all nine beasts. An organization built and ran by deceit. The Akatsuki.
"Hey! Kira!" A familiar male voice echoes from below me pulling me from my thoughts. The sight of his green attire and black bowl hair cut. I almost thought about just leaving to avoid him. - "How about I go for reinforcements."- My own words echo in my head as I click my tongue in annoyance. I know I want to give Itachi time to get out of here but if I don't actually get someone to help Asuma and Kurenai they'll most likely die. If they don't die and I still don't get help then Asuma's accusing glare won't be the only thing I'd have to deal with. To him, it would mean I was helping Itachi out from the beginning and I could possibly be labeled as a traitor. How annoying.
Leaping down from the tree I was standing on I land in front of Guy. As I place my hands on my hips I watch his mouth open as if he was going to talk so I speak up if only to prevent hearing something annoying. "Asuma and Kurenai need help. They sent me to get reinforcements because I would have been a hindrance rather than any help." Guy's happy demeanor changes as his eyes harden to become more serious.
"What's going on?" He asks me evenly.
"They are fighting against Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha." I state plainly almost sounding bored as if the whole fact I had to find them help was a trivial thing.
Guy's eyes widen before I watch him square his jaw. "Right. Send word to the Anbu black ops. I'll go on ahead." Tch, I click my tongue in annoyance again causing Guy to stop as he had moved to leave. "What, why aren't you doing as I said?"
I don't even meet his gaze as I turn my back on him ready to leave. "I'm avoiding Aphrodite. Unless you want her and I fighting officially deterring help from getting to you. You will find a different way to send word to the Anbu." Sighing I leap away from Guy in order to head back towards the river. Deciding I want to see what transpires and maybe just maybe. Since I had found Guy and he is retrieving the Anbu, I can figure out a way to delay the fight and Itachi can get out of there.
