After that, we ran the rest of the way to the waterfall nation. Tension still ran really high in fact it was worse. I couldn't really expect anything else. When it comes to Sasuke, I completely lose myself. Kira completely checks out. I should have been able to stop him but the moment he had said those words I was gone. Kira ceased to be. All that was left was the burning desire inside of me eating me whole. Shaking my head at my own thoughts I look back towards the two Uchiha. I've been wondering with the look buried in Itachi's eyes if Sasuke is going to make it back to the village alive. No, that's a ridiculous thought. Itachi always remains in complete control of himself. There's no way he'd slip up and kill his brother... right?
- "Sasuke, I need to tell you something and you need to be alright with it." I had told Sasuke just before the sun came up. Hn. he grunted with a smirk as he ran his fingers through my ponytail threatening to coax my mind from me. "I refuse to treat Itachi any differently than I have or do." I sigh reaching up and brushing his bangs out of his face as he watches me. "I am yours. But Itachi and I are close and you should be okay with that."- Yeah.. that didn't really soothe things over between them. I just wanted him to know, I love him but I'm not going to let him dictate who I am close with. Itachi has been there for me in so many ways the last several years. I can't just suddenly turn my back on him. Leaping back towards them I reach out and take Sasuke's hand. Looking up to him as we continue our path I couldn't help but smile as his eyes softened. His hand gently squeezing my own.
"We're in the land of waterfall now. Kira, your energy blanket." Itachi speaks up pulling my attention away from Sasuke. Nodding to him I close my eyes and extend my energy blanket outwards to cover the entirety of its maximum circumference. I found myself nearly jumping when Itachi suddenly takes my free hand guiding me along so I can focus on what is around us rather than what I am doing. "Beyond animals, I don't feel anything yet." I comment as I slowly open my eyes. "Keep watch." Itachi speaks simply and I find myself nodding to him again. "Okay." This is our usual way of tracking. I almost missed it. Smiling to my own thought I stop and jump onto Itachi's back, hooking my legs around his waist as I close my eyes. "You drop me again and I really will kill you." I mutter playfully ignoring Sasuke's glare. Itachi's chuckle rumbles through his body as he grips onto my legs as if to make sure I stay in place. "Good, so once again you'll be my legs and feet and I'll be your third eye." I mutter if only just so Sasuke knows what we are doing.
This way I don't have to focus on anything other than our surroundings. "So when we find them. Are we just going to hang back and gather intel, or are we going to hit them fast and hard like usual?" I find myself asking as I curl my fingers over his shoulders to hold on a bit more. "Intel is the best option. We have already found out that your younger siblings are indeed strong. We need to know more about what Damen is doing." I give him a nod. I can understand that. Silence fell over the three of us as I concentrate. Feeling for any sort of humanoid movement rather than just birds and animals, rushing waterfalls and rivers. Itachi and Sasuke slowed their pace and continued moving so we weren't rushing around. We made it to the country Kakashi sent us to so there was no need to rush. besides, we want to find them before they find us.
It was then a pair of ice-blue eyes pop up into my mind for the first time in over a month. Weird. I thought to myself and opened my eyes. "There is a town to the northwest of us about 80 kilometers from where we are." I pipe up and hop off of Itachi's back the moment his feet tap the tree branch. "Do you think they are there?" Sasuke speaks for the first time since I had taken my place on his brother. "Could be. Something weird happened, it could just be my mind playing tricks or it could be Lucas." I speak up for him as I push forward. Both sets of eyes are now on me as I watch ahead. "His eyes showed up in my mind the longer I felt the village." I find myself smirking. "I can't wait to find out if it's him."
"If it is, it is possible that he has powers similar to yours." Itachi pipes in causing Sasuke to look in his direction. "Yup, that thought came to me as well." What I won't tell them. Is my heart is racing. I could be excited because this time I know that Lucas and Krista are my siblings. That I'm not alone anymore. Or it could be their energy pulling me to them. I won't lie, since Kakashi brought up Aphrodite's suspicion I have thought about it. Like could it be that my blood is so toxic because I am not my full self yet? What will happen internally when the change occurs? For the first time since I was 16, I found myself actually thinking about my fully awakened state. Will I still need blood? Most Likely. Will I still be so short compared to Sasuke and Itachi? Probably not. Will I take after my parents and have wings? Would they be leathery like my dad's or feathers like my mom? So many uncertainties and yet just as many possibilities.
As we near the village I can feel Sasuke and Itachi hide their chakra. They were now moving through my energy blanket next to me without making a sound or giving any other signs they were actually with me. Closing my eyes a moment I try to steady my racing heart and do the same. Stopping on a tree a bit of the way off from the village I look out over the scenery. There were slightly fewer trees in this area. More water from flowing rivers and a waterfall off in the distance on the other side of the village. The village itself looked like it was made into the trees around it with only a few actual buildings standing alone without a tree. In the pale shimmer of the moon, the village almost looked ethereal especially with how pale the stones are that make up the parts of the buildings that can be seen poking out from a tree. The moon reflects off of the running water around the village casting even more light on the area. From what I have seen of this world, it's almost as if we crossed into another one entirely.
What had my breath catching wasn't the beauty before me. It was the same intense feeling of death flooding over the area. A murderous intent that is so foul it was as if it could and has killed many people from the intent alone. "He's here." I'm barely able to choke out those words causing Itachi and Sasuke to look at me. Only proving my theory I came up with the last time I had felt Damen. From this distance, Itachi can't feel his intent like I can. And from Sasuke's reaction, neither can he. Could be simply an inhuman feeling another inhuman. Though I'm still not sure how that works. My mom used to say that we can feel each other even on the other side of the world from one another. I just never could. Probably because... I never cared to. I hated my life, everything about it. So why would I want to feel others have a freedom I did not?
"If I go any closer, I will be noticed." I speak quietly tearing my eyes away from the scene before us and look towards the two Uchiha. Meeting both of their gazes. "If you two go in, it should probably be during the day when the village would normally receive visitors, and probably using a transformation since Lucas and Krista have seen you already. However, with this distance, our radios won't be of any use for you two to contact me." I run through my thoughts as I set down on the branch in my usual indian style. "Which would leave your energy blanket to keep an eye on us." Itachi speaks up as he too sits down his eyes moving from me to Sasuke. "Yes, but the moment you enter the village I will have a difficult time pinpointing you due to the other villagers. I'll be left out here to mainly keep an eye on the outer areas of the village while you two inspect from within."
"We can't leave you on your own." Sasuke all but hisses quietly nearly causing me to roll my eyes. "All three of us are experienced and powerful shinobi, Sasuke." Itachi utters out only causing Sasuke to glare at him. "Besides, if I'm noticed I will feel them coming before they get to me. I could either protect myself with a shield or hide. I'm actually more worried about the both of you at this point. They aren't human and my siblings have already proven they could have beaten us if they had the desire to fight." Sighing I reach into my pouch and withdraw my book along with a writing utensil. "You two will have to watch each other's backs for once." I mutter as I open the book and write Kakashi's name on the first page. Watching the words sink into the paper and disappear.
"He should be on his way to the Kage Summit." Itachi speaks up looking over my shoulder as no response comes through. My eyes visibly widen as I remember Kakashi wearing the red and white Hokage hat for the first time since he was named acting sixth. So, we already had the visitors come into the village and I didn't even notice. There had to be a reason why no one informed me of this, meaning since Sasuke never attacked the cloud village in the land of lightning then the information the Raikage wants is about the Akatsuki from the former Akatsuki members. If that is the case then they would automatically leave me out of it to keep me away from them. Face it the leaf and cloud don't necessarily get along. Sighing at my late realization I shake my head and write in my book again. Informing Kakashi that we have located a village where I believe Damen is holed up in from feeling his energy. Since he is the one that gave us this mission, he needs to be kept informed.
Closing my book I slip it back into my pouch before standing. "We will keep watch here tonight, you two will move in tomorrow. We are officially in enemy territory so no campfires. Itachi you can go to the river to the west of us and gather up enough fish for you and Sasuke. A quick fire jutsu will cook them and be less likely to be seen. It won't taste too appetizing from the intensity of the heat but it will sustain you two. Sasuke, you and I will keep watch over the perimeter for any sign of the enemy noticing us. If they slip through my blanket without my knowing I am counting on your eyes." Without a word, Itachi stands and jumps down from the branch. Sasuke stands more slowly his eyes moving to me.
"You didn't give me a direction to go. It's unlike you." He speaks up quietly and I find myself smirking. Walking up to him I grab his hand and pull him onto a shadowed branch. Casting us into darkness. "Wha..." He begins before I push him against the main part of the tree. Moving up onto my toes I use my right hand to catch the top of his shirt, pulling it away from the soft spot on his neck. "You need your strength so I won't take much." I breathe as I feel his arms slip around me. He leans forward a bit to bring himself more towards my height. Smiling as my lips graze his neck I find myself licking his salty skin. Baring my fangs as my heart begins to pound in my chest again. I've held off for too long. I never did find my canteen in the forest where I had been fighting Pein. Almost as if someone had taken it since I had used my time to clear away all of the fallen and broken trees so there was no chance it could have been buried. Closing my eyes I try not to think about how this is the first time I've willingly bit Sasuke. Pushing away all of my worries about this mission and what is going on inside of me. Allowing only the warmth that Sasuke brings me to remain near the surface. Biting into his skin I first feel the warmth of this neck on my lips before his heart pumps his sweet juices into my mouth.
Sasuke holds my hips tightly with his left hand as I feel his right trailing up my spine sending goosebumps over my body from his touch. His hand finally stops as he gently holds the back of my head. "Hn." He grunts against my lips as I hear him smirk into my ear. I feel his eyes close contently as I drink. It never ceases to amaze me how those I steal from accept what is happening. They aren't ever grossed out or turned away. They are.. happy. Smiling around my bite I unhinge from him and lick his wounds causing him to shiver against me. His breathing is coming out heavily as it had been last night. Pulling from him I feel him frown before I find his lips and kiss him. Yes, I chose Sasuke. Not because he is so much like Light. He doesn't even bring me the same feelings as Light did. I chose him... because I love him. I love his smirk, I love his short grunts, I love how he wears his emotions barely buried in his gaze, I love that I can be more myself with him. I love him.
