Jumping over the rooftops I look to my right at Sasuke then my left to Itachi. We had been out training again today when a hawk passed us by overhead. It was Itachi who had noticed it first and told us we were needed at Tsunade's office. Without question, we leaped from the training grounds and made our way to this point. Not unlike usual very little was said between us even as we leap down to the road landing directly before the archway to the yard of the building. I couldn't help but wonder what Tsunade would be calling us for and I could feel the palms of my hands beginning to sweat beneath my gloves. All I could think about was the possibility Pein has been sighted near the village. "Calm yourself, Kira. It isn't like you to be so worked up." Itachi speaks gently back towards me causing Sasuke to give a grunt of confusion. Sighing I shake my hands a little before hooking my thumbs onto my front pants pockets. "Do you think it's Pein, Itachi?" I ask him and nearly flinch at the weakness in my voice. The slight whine as the words were laced with the very pain I usually hide. "It's possible." Is all he said before he fell silent again like he usually always does when he thinks about the -leader- of the Akatsuki.
I didn't press the issue so silence fell between us. Since we weren't talking strategies or a direction to go in there was no need to bring Pein up again. I've noticed it, ever since I came to from my month-long meditation when I broke my curse. There is something about the relationship I have with Pein that bothers him. I always guessed it was to be expected. Before I joined the Akatsuki, Pein would only show up for some meals but otherwise, he locked himself away in his office only being heard through his mind link jutsu giving orders. Afterward, however, he came out more often and even would call me into his office just to talk. Pein had taken an interest in me and Itachi didn't like it. I personally can see how it unnerved him but only I knew Pein's true ambitions so it helped me to warm up to him.
Itachi knocks on the Hokage office door pulling me from my thoughts. "Enter." Her voice flowed through the wood to us a moment before Itachi opens the door and leads us inside. Coming up next to him when he stops, Sasuke comes back to his place on my right side with a hand on his hip as all three of us look towards the blond behind her desk. "You summoned us, Lady Hokage." Itachi speaks for us as her brown eyes travel over all three of us before returning to Itachi with a sigh. "Something unusual has been seen." That is all she said causing me to tilt my head. "Unusual?" Sasuke questions his confusion. "Hn, yes. We aren't entirely certain what it is. With the other half of Team Kakashi out on a mission, I'll be sending the three of you to check it out." I see, so basically if Kakashi and the others were here we would still be stationed in the village. Understandable since at one point all three of us had left the village, for different reasons but still. She wanted to keep an eye on us to make sure we didn't have any other plans up our sleeves. "It's difficult to explain based on the report. It seems chakra is being pulled in one direction forming a certain focal point igniting the area up in an electrical current between here and the hidden grass.." She pauses as she sets back in her chair her eyes moving over us again.
"Itachi, your team's mission is to locate this disturbance and figure out what's causing it." Huh well sounds boring. Although since it is an unknown they needed a team that could look into the disturbance and fend off whatever is causing it. If it is actually being caused by someone. That would need people that can analyze the chakra and focal point and track the cause. If it was caused by someone, the team would also require a fighting force that is equipped to handle a practically endless of possibilities. Meaning if she sent Hinata with her Byakugan along with Kiba and Shino, they would meet two-thirds of the mission criteria. They may be specialists in their own field and they are efficient in fighting however, they have proven they can be overpowered. Tsunade has more than shown she is cautious. Without knowing much of anything about the situation she wouldn't needlessly risk the lives of ninja. Basically, she had no choice. "Let's move." Itachi speaks as we leave the building and without a word we follow him back up onto the rooftops heading for the main gate.
"Shouldn't we get ready?" Sasuke asks from behind us causing the both of us to look over our shoulders in his direction. Get ready? "Is there anything you do not have on you that you usually use, Sasuke?" Itachi questions blankly causing Sasuke's eyes to narrow on him briefly. "Hn, guess not." He grunts and looks away. Sasuke... He must be remembering how back when we were team seven and Kakashi, would make us wait an hour to meet him so that we could make sure we were prepared. With a glance to Itachi, I nearly frown. I'm sure he understands that Sasuke hasn't been on a team or probably hasn't even been given a mission in a while. So why did he just talk to his brother as if he were speaking to a child? They've been getting along so well lately, I guess I didn't question what happens when the team splits up. Are they acting like things are going well between them in front of me? It's possible. Sighing as we leap to the trees outside of the village I couldn't help but feel this one slip up between them, won't be the last.
As we leap through the trees Sasuke comes up to my right again as we tighten the formation. I couldn't help but look to him from the corner of my eye if only just to make sure he was doing alright. This is their first mission since they returned to the village after all. "Kira." Itachi speaks up the moment my eyes look away from Sasuke, pulling my attention from my thoughts. Looking ahead of me I watch how his loose ponytail barely clings to the shoulder he has it resting on. "huh?" I give a sound of question absentmindedly officially causing Itachi to sigh. "Do you have an idea of what we are looking for?" He questions once he recovers from my momentary slip up from having been caught lost in thought. Biting my bottom lip I skim through my memories of this world both since I arrived and the anime itself. I could feel their eyes on me as I raise my right hand and cup my chin since today I have my bangs braided back out of my eyes and tied in with my ponytail in a way I haven't worn my hair since I was sent back to the leaf by the Akatsuki.
"Actually.. no, I have no clue." I mutter causing Sasuke to grunt and Itachi to look forward again. I know what he's thinking. I nearly sigh as I drop my hand back to my side watching him ahead of me. He and I nearly always think along the same pathways. If I don't know what we are going after then there are two possibilities for it. Either I forgot this part of the timeline or... It could involve Damen. Problem is, there is no way of knowing with certainty until we get there and see this disturbance for ourselves. "It's not like you." Sasuke speaks barely audibly enough for me to catch his words. Itachi glances over his shoulder briefly but stays silent. Seeing he has my attention he gives a small and short-lived smirk. "You always have thoughts on the mission." My eyes nearly widen seeing as he remembers that about me before I look ahead of me again.
"Actually I do have thoughts, I just find myself not wishing to jinx us and speak them." I mutter causing him to chuckle even as I notice Itachi's shoulders stiffen. He caught what I meant. As usual, he doesn't miss my meanings, however... Sasuke is another matter. Pushing off of the branch I feel my ponytail whipping wildly behind me as I give a long jump to make it to the next branch. "With Tsunade not knowing what this disturbance is and even mentioned it was difficult to describe, it could mean one of two things." I find myself explaining drawing Sasuke's gaze again. "Either the jutsu is unknown to her or it isn't a jutsu at all. Basically, there is no way of me knowing if we are looking at encountering ninja or immortals."
"Immortals?" Sasuke subconsciously asks before he grunts and looks away from me. "Damen." He mutters as if it had just come to him. "What's that guy like anyway? All you've explained is he tried to kill you and sent you here instead after making you a kid again." He speaks up a bit making his words ring more clearly through the passing wind. "Actually, I only met him the once." I inform him as I find my memories drawing me back to the day I had returned home. "He may be Aphrodite's younger brother but I had never met him."
"So he's your cousin but you only met him the day he tried to kill you." He grunts drawing my gaze momentarily on him. "It's time I tell you." I mutter to myself causing him to grunt again as I look ahead of me. My stomach knotting up at the very thought. He already knows I'm not human, what could it hurt? I silently ask myself. "My mom is the queen of kin in my world. Her older twin sister is Aphrodite's mom and her right hand. Like an adviser or a second in command." I elaborate for him knowing he probably is like me when I first heard the words right hand. I then glance to him. "Like Kabuto was for Orochimaru." Seeing the recognition flash through his gaze I very nearly sigh. "So.. you're royalty." He breathes as if he was telling himself that. I give him a nod. "I was locked away in my parent's home until I was seventeen. The only people I was able to meet or even know were my parents along with my aunts and uncles. Even then my parents were hardly ever home, gone for weeks or even months at a time, and only returned for anything from a single day to maybe a week at most. My aunts and uncles would pop in from time to time to check on me but again, it was rare. I had never met any of my cousins even though I knew I had some. I never knew their names or what they even looked like. When I accidentally fell into the other world it took almost a year for Aphrodite to disobey the adults and come looking for me. That is where I met her and was informed of the fact she was to be my Second when I take the throne."
After my explanation of why I hadn't met Damen before that day silence fell over us. Sasuke's eyes were set ahead of him as emotions and thoughts swirl through his gaze. "I can tell you that from that one encounter with Damen I found out that he wasn't happy about his family's standing in the hierarchy. He truly believes that since his mom was born first that she should have the throne even though my mom was crowned because of her role in winning the kin war. He wants the throne and he's willing to do anything to get it."
"Hn, so you and Aphrodite are standing in his way." He grunts his understanding and I find myself giving him another nod. "Yes, I am the next in line and then it would be Aphro since she is the eldest of her siblings. However, he was only at the house for me. His plan.. to go to the other world and kill me there, leaving no trace in our world of what he had done. He hadn't expected Aphrodite to figure out what he was up to and show up or for me to choose that exact time to return." I mutter and look from Itachi to Sasuke. "This is all theoretical assumptions for the most part. The vibe I got from him. He's completely insane so sane deductions may not hold much merit. However, I am certain about two things." Looking away from him again I finally do sigh. "He's insane and he was there to kill me."
"If this disturbance is Damen's work. It could give us some much-needed insight as to what he's planning." Itachi finally speaks up drawing Sasuke's gaze. "Yes, it would be the first tangible sign of him since that day. Ignoring the fact I felt him in the land of stone eight months ago." I agree with him causing Sasuke to click his tongue in annoyance probably for the fact that Itachi and I are following the same thought process. Silence fell between us once again as I feel Sasuke curl his hands into fists at his sides every so often his gaze flickering from Itachi to me. I found myself wanting to put his mind at ease. But there wasn't really anything I could do. Itachi and I do have history as more than simply teacher and student or even team members. Just as Itachi himself declared me as his prize openly and without restraint to Sasuke. He had even mentioned since then that he is adamant about not giving up on me. Yes, things have become easier, less hostile. But there will always be that knowledge. That both of them are in love with me and they are still both willing to chase after me in their own ways.
I am not helping matters either. The image of the night Sasuke snuck into my room flashes through my mind nearly distracting me enough to miss a branch. That night, I had become so caught up with the image of Light and the further realization of how similar Sasuke is to him. I very nearly did something I probably would have regretted. In fact. It was Sasuke that regained control over himself and stopped us from continuing forward. He had only planned to further lay claim to me in order to sway me to choose him. Instead, however, we ended up with his arm firmly around me and had 1pulled me against him on my bed. Both of our more natural of desires heavily lingering over us made it far too difficult to sleep. Though when I had succumbed to sleep my dreams were hell. I still don't know what stopped him that night. I had lost myself and given in to him. So he had me exactly where he wanted me. His touch had seen to it.
"Kira." Itachi's voice speaks up in a way that told me he had said my name once already. Successfully pulling my thoughts away from his brother. When my gaze meets his I push forward so I was now moving next to him over the branches. "Are you prepared?" He asks gently looking down at me as we leap from the trees into a grassy plain. "I don't use much for ninja tools but I always have a readied supply." I mutter and break my eyes away from his gaze. "You know that's not what I meant." He comments and I could feel Sasuke's eyes on us as we make our way over the plain. This time I sigh openly. "Not really. I've been watching my consumption to draw out my rations." I finally answer him. "I have packs in my scroll and the new canteen Aphrodite left for me weeks ago set up so I can heal when necessary."
This time it was Itachi's turn to sigh as he suddenly stops forcing us to as well. He turns to me, his dark gaze boring into mine. "Have you taken from the vein?" His sudden question very nearly made me step back as Sasuke looks away from us with a heavy glare. His entire body going tense with this conversation. "No." I state simply and allow my gaze to move from Itachi towards Sasuke. I know why Itachi is asking. I understand it fully. When I take from the vein even periodically my abilities are stronger than with just preservatives. It's just... they are finally getting along mostly. "Let's go." I sigh and move away from Itachi as I start running towards the next tree line. An uneasy feeling washing over me from having just brushed Itachi off. When previously in the year I wouldn't have hesitated to take him up on his offer or I would have openly jumped onto his back and asked him myself. Things have just become... complicated. Just as it almost felt like he was deliberately offering in front of Sasuke for more than just my well-being. His tone had that usual slip like he tends to get. Even now I can feel their eyes on me as I run. Leaving me hoping this mission won't take long.
I close my eyes a moment as I stretch my energy blanket out further around us. Hoping to feel anything at all like what we are looking for. Feeling nothing, my shoulders visibly slouching before I catch them. "Itachi." I find myself speaking as I leap back into the trees and glancing over my shoulder in his direction. There is nothing I can really say to alleviate the newfound tension that has built between them. I know this. "You shouldn't use me to get to Sasuke like that." I find myself speaking anyway when I see his gaze is on me. Looking away from him I bite my bottom lip. "I love you, both of you. I don't like it when either of you tries to one-up the other where I'm concerned as if I am the weapon you both wield against each other... This tension. It feels like a blade." My voice inadvertently quiets after my pause, once again my emotionless state slipped. Closing my eyes a moment I try to work past the latest sting inside me. For the first time, I verbally admitted those feelings. And by their gazes piercing my back, it did not go unnoticed.
It was then a hand catches mine forcing me to stop on a branch. I can feel Itachi's eyes on me as he watches me. His hand not releasing mine even with my refusal to see the emotions my words brought to the surface. "Kira." He speaks waiting for me to look at him. "You can take from Sasuke if that is your wish." The sudden pain in his tone finally brings my gaze to him as Sasuke gives a grunt now looking at his brother as well. "If it is Damen. You need your strength." He elaborates though I think it's mostly for Sasuke's benefit than mine. "So, now you are making me choose who I bite. As if there is some meaning behind it?" I mutter and look away from him though I know the fact I have not pulled away from him didn't miss him. "Isn't there?" Sasuke grunts drawing my gaze further to the branch at my feet.
Suddenly my hand is pulled, forcing me against Itachi's chest. I could feel his breath against my ear ever before Sasuke hisses in anger. "It should be me." Itachi breathes causing me to uncontrollably stiffen in his grip. "Kira's bite depends on her emotions." He speaks up as Sasuke's hand grips his sword causing the younger Uchiha to hesitate. "Itachi.." I frown, I wanted to tell him to stop but if these two hold my bites in such regards that it is literally causing them to fight... Then Sasuke should know... right? It was with Itachi's help that I figured out how my bite affects my prey. "The emotions inside of you right now." Itachi speaks just before I feel his lips brush against my ear. "You don't want to hurt him." This time he speaks low enough I am surprised Sasuke even caught them. I can feel his hand move from his sword as his eyes move away from the two of us. I can only guess the emotions that would be filling his gaze right now. He's right. Even Sasuke knows it. No matter how many times I've threatened him I've never once managed to strike against him. Even when we were 12 in the forest of death when Sasuke had landed in front of me and pulled painfully on my hair trying to force me to give him the scroll. I couldn't raise a finger to him.
With Itachi it was different. We hurt each other emotionally and when we were training we wouldn't hold back. Hurting each other physically. Our relationship was always one where we used the other. It was an understanding, we did what we had to no matter what. Sighing I find myself turning in Itachi's arms my hands reaching up and brushing over his shoulders. My eyes trail over his neck finding the soft curve even before I move his necklace out of my way. The very tone he had been using taking me back to the Akatsuki. The darkness he would allow to fill his words as if he enjoyed tormenting me back when there had been a distance he placed between us after I had told him about Sasuke. The hatred layering his tone had confused me and I never could figure out what I had said. At least, not until Sasuke had kissed me. I had told him Sasuke's confession to me and that had pushed him away. Even knowing Itachi was doing it again. The tone brought rise to the bubbling anger inside of me and he knew it. He purposefully took my decision away from me. My lips curl baring my fangs moments before I sink them into his neck. Hinging myself to him as his warm sweet blood pumps into my mouth. His flinch did not go unnoticed by any of us as his hands hold me firmly in place. Once again, I hurt him and all I can think about, is how he asked for it.
