Kakashi stayed silent for a while. Eyeing all three of them in his tired state.
"So you've begun your move already? You think we don't know about your organization? It's the Akatsuki isn't it?" Kakashi suddenly spoke up.
Hikari clenched her fist tighter around Mangetsu's hilt.
"Kisame." Itachi's voice pierced through her. The coldness it held. "Take Kakashi out, it's time to make these people disappear."
Hikari leaped up and blocked the incoming kick with one of her own. Glaring daggers at Guy as he appeared infront of her. "Don't interfere," Hikari said through clenched teeth.
"Oh who's this guy? He's giving Hikari a hard time with only a kick." Kisame asked his companion.
"The prideful beast of the leaf, Might Guy," he said as they both came down.
"Oh? So you could be considered like and exotic animal?" Kisame chuckled.
"That man isn't to be taken lightly." Itachi sighed.
"Guy! Don't look in Itachi's eyes! That's how the jutsu is done!"
"I took that into consideration. No need to be worried, open your eyes. The only way for the jutsu to be done is if you look into his eyes." Guy looked down. "That being said, if one can only focus on his feet while he fights, our only problem would be a reflection."
Hikari scowled at the green person standing infront of her.
It's not like Itachi could actually use the Tsukiyomi again right?
He wouldn't right?
"Kurenai! Take Kakashi to the hospital, Asuma will be my support."
"Hikari-san."
"Yeah, I know." Hikari closed her eyes and sat on the water.
"I've already arranged for reinforcements, it's useless." Guy looked at all of them. "We'll take them from here."
"Well aren't you brave?"
"Kisame, no. We're not here to start a war. This is nothing more than nonsense and a waste of time."
Kisame scowled. "With this much trouble." He relaxed and waited.
Hikari opened her eyes and they were gone in a flash.
"A ramen shop?! Hikari we don't have time to-"
"Shut up." She pushed them both and pointed a finger to an orange blob sitting with a white spiky thing.
"You never told me about this?!" Hikari glared at Itachi.
"There was no reason to."
Hikari's jaw dropped. "What do you mean there was no reason to?! Are you out of your mind?! He's twelve-"
Kisame gripped her hair tightly. "Are you going to start acting human now?! Huh?! Have you forgotten who you are?!"
Hikari's hand flew to Mangetsu, she was ready to cut his hand off if she needed to.
"You see that? Right there, that's who you are. Don't start pouring morals out, now." He let her hair go.
Hikari glared at him then looked back to Itachi who only stared at them nonchalantly.
"Come on." He turned away.
Hikari was sitting quietly. Not paying attention to what Itachi and Kisame were saying.
"Hikari!"
She was snapped out of her trance. "What?!"
"Do you understand?!"
"I honestly heard little to nothing," Hikari said.
Kisame sighed and face palmed. "Pay more attention! Don't waste our time."
Hikari's disguise was fool proof.
Even Itachi's sharingan couldn't detect the chakra barrier she put over her body.
They were tailing her silently waiting until Jirayia was no longer too close.
Itachi didn't need her to knock him out, just stall him enough and get out in time to do her job.
Now that he had a huge nose bleed and lying on the ground, Hikari felt prideful that she finished her job so quickly.
Hikari turned away from him, wearing her outfit again.
She had to admit, even though he was a lot older, he certainly knew what he was doing.
Hikari licked her lips and walked away from the old man.
It was almost time for her to do her job.
"I mean I get what Hikari was saying." Kisame walked in after Itachi as he looked down at the blond kid. "Can this kid really be the kyubi?"
Itachi didn't even spare him a glance. "Say, Naruto-kun? Would you like to come with us?"
"Am I late?" Hikari asked with messy hair.
Itachi glanced at her and shook his head.
"Step out of the room."
Hikari looked at Itachi, she wasn't used to him like this. Itachi's kind and understanding. Not like...well this!
"Wait! What's going on?!" Naruto's voice was so full of fear, it made Hikari feel guilty.
"You're that kind onee-chan who helped me right? What's happening?"
Kind? No Hikari wasn't kind.
Hikari didn't say anything.
"We can't have him runaway, let's cut a leg or two off." Kisame held Samehada's hilt.
"Kisame." Hikari warned.
His fish like eyes caught her own. This wasn't going well.
Hikari tensed as she heard Itachi's breath hitch.
"It's been a while, Sasuke."
No no. This wasn't going well at all.
"Uchiha Itachi."
Hikari never though she'd hear such raw hatred coming out of someone's voice. It made her blood run cold.
"Oh? Another sharingan! Well isn't today my lucky day, this is my second time seeing one today." Kisame grinned.
Hikari clenched her fist to the point where her nails made her palms bleed.
"I'm going to kill you."
Itachi closed his eyes with a loud sigh. He made eye contact with her. She nodded her head slightly.
No words were needed.
She wasn't allowed to interfere no matter how ugly and unbearable this got.
"Oh are you guys familiar?" Kisame asked.
"He's my little brother." Itachi said nonchalantly.
"But I thought your entire clan was wiped out. By you nonetheless." Kisame gave him a curious look.
"Except one."
"All my life, all this time I had one goal! That goal, my purpose is to kill you!" The anger, bitterness the hatred...The heartbreak.
Hikari's lips quivered. How did Itachi feel? If this was how she felt. How did Itachi feel?
Sasuke started his jutsu.
"Chidori?! No way Kakashi wouldn't-" Hikari's eyes widened. What was going on. Why was this happening?
Naruto also performed hand signs.
Silently Hikari gave a command to Samehada.
"I- It's gone. I can't feel any chakra."
Kisame smirked. "My sword, Samehada can absorb chakra."
Hikari's head whipped around catching sight of the older man she seduced earlier. The poof wasn't gentle either.
Hikari glared at the sannin infront of her. Before dashing towards their target.
She punched him in the gut and dodged an incoming attack from the white haired man, taking Naruto with her.
"Sorry, kid. It's nothing personal." Hikari said looking straight into his eyes.
Naruto's eyes turned into saucers as he stared into her own.
His lips quivered and his ears rang.
The ringing didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon.
Naruto's panicked breaths made Hikari want to stop, but she couldn't. Kurama needed to be warned. She had to warn all the bijus.
The final scream came and they were both hurled into a puddle of water.
Naruto stayed on the ground. The ringing in his ears stopped. He gasped and opened his eyes.
She stood there looking at him with a pained expression on her face. "Sorry, I had to get in here somehow."
"Y-you knew?" Naruto's voice cracked.
Hikari nodded before turning to look at the huge door. She frowned. Why wasn't Kurama here? Is he behind this huge ass cage? How come he's locked. Isobu was always anywhere he wanted to be, so Whay wasn't Kurama too?
She touched the lock and her hand was almost chopped off.
Hikari stared up at the orange fox in fascination. "Wow."
Naruto stood behind her, ready to lunge at her if he needed to.
"Isobu was lying!" Hikari laughed.
The fox growled.
"You look so pretty! Isobu lied to me!" Hikari laughed again.
The fox seemed to calm down.
"I know you." Kurama said.
"Wait you do?" Hikari frowned in confusion.
"Yes, you were there twelve years ago weren't you?"
Hikari shrugged. "To be honest if I were I wouldn't remember."
"No?"
Hikari shook her head. "An incident happened, you see. I can only remember a few things from my past.
"Heiki Hikari. You are probably the only human I accept."
"Honoured really, but I'm not here seeking your acceptance."
"Then why are you here?"
Hikari sat down and started. "You might want to et comfortable this is going to take a while..."
Itachi picked her body from where it collapsed. With Sasuke now in the wall and with Jirayia trying hard to wake up the fourth hokage's son. It was only a gamble of time.
He just hoped Hikari was alright. That she can do what they agreed on.
Itachi carried her bridal style.
They just had to wait.
"But wait! What does that mean?!"
"It means, all Jinchurikis are in danger."
"Gaara too?!"
"Is Gaara a Jinchuriki?!"
"Yes."
"Then yes he is!"
"Ah!" Naruto screamed and out his hands on his head ruffling his own hair nervously. "This is bad! Really bad!"
"Why do you think I'm risking my life being here?!"
"Then why are you doing this? Why did you join them?!"
"I have people to protect too, little Uzumaki. I have a family of sorts. I can't have them get hurt." Hikari smiled at the twelve year old.
"And do you know what they're going to do with us?" Kurama asked.
Hikari frowned. "I'm sorry but I don't. It's complicated, and I'm not trusted enough to actually get any more information than I already told you. I'm sorry if I couldn't be of much use."
The fox simply stared her down. "I see. I think it's time for you to go."
He noticed the sweat running down her temple. It was excruciatingly painful for her to stay here for a few minutes let alone the couple of hours she spent here.
Sure the time here passed differently in the real world, but she was here, so her body is affected by the place she was in.
It was probably only a few minutes in the real world, ten minutes, give or take.
Hikari gasped for air. "Yeah, I'll be going now."
Kurama closed his eyes and dismissed her.
Naruto looked at her and the ringing started again.
He closed his eyes and was completely calm this time. Hikari onee-chan turned out to be even kinder than he thought she was.
A loud gasp tore through the hallway as Hikari opened her eyes.
Itachi, startled, almost dropped her. He barely picked her up twenty second ago.
She looked paler than usual. Her eyes half hooded and her body still a bit limp in his grasp.
Her heavy breathing was probably the only sound heard in the corridor they were in.
"Can you stand?" Itachi asked her, his voice strained himself.
"Maybe." She got up and wobbled slightly before steadying herself. "I'm fine, I'm fine."
"We have a small problem."
Itachi and Hikari averted their eyes to Kisame who pointed in annoyance at the pinkish wall behind him.
"It's not going anywhere."
Hikari blinked and pulled out a bazooka bigger than Kisame himself, and pointed it at the wall.
She fired but nothing happened.
"Huh, you're right." She made a face. "So, what are we going to do?"
"Can't you think of something?"
"It's useless! Nothing can break this jutsu except for me. You can't escape."
Hikari eyed the older man with her half hooded eyes. "Oh? And you won't do- hey!" Itachi pulled her by the hand abruptly towards the wall.
"I was trying to make him get us out!"
"No need."
"Well how do you- no! Itachi-kun! Enough!"
He glared at her with his Mangekyou sharingan before turning away.
"Itachi-kun!"
"We don't have time for this Hikari-san!" The black flames engulfed the walls and the were out in a blink of an eye.
Jirayia blinked at the burning wall then back at Naruto who had a huge grin on his face.
"What's gotten you all happy?"
"Hikari onee-chan is really kind isn't she?"
Jirayia blushed, a small trail of blood ran from his nose. "Oh yes she is."
"Ero-sennin no!"
"So basically this mission. Was a waste of time?" Kisame asked them both as they all raced back to the inn Hikari booked for the night in a nearby village.
"Well I'm sorry someone made a false report to Pain and got me into this mess! Besides Itachi-kun was already in no condition to fight and you were just going to cause a massacre! I did what I could!"
"Don't fight, at the level the kyubi was in, there was no need to capture him. Think of it as a reconnaissance instead. Besides, Hikari-san is right, you know I need to rest. I used the Mangekyou three times."
"Wait three?!"
"Later."
Hikari's eyes wide and disbelieving, she looked at Itachi. How could he even stand at the moment.
"We're about thirty minutes away at this pace. If you feel like resting-"
"I'm fine."
Hikari looked to the ground in worry. "Okay."
"Itachi-kun breathe!" Hikari held him down as he thrashed around.
"Kisame! You go on ahead and make the report! I'll take care of him!"
Just as they arrived he was beginning to grow short of breath then the screams came.
Apparently his heart hurt because he kept holding his shirt over it as if his life depended on it.
Hikari took his shirt off and put her hands to his chest allowing chakra to flow through her hands. Massaging it to get the blood flow a bit more steady.
A temporary measure until they could get him back home for Yukine to fix this. He had taught her a few basic healing jutsus for drastic times.
She was sure this was one of them.
Hikari paced around outside his room.
"What did you do?" Kisame asked her. "How is he?"
Despite not wanting to admit it, Kisame was worried about Itachi as well.
She stopped suddenly. "He's asleep now. I'm worried."
She was fidgeting, shuffling her feet around, or bouncing on her ankles.
She was so frazzled it was almost amusing to Kisame. Except he was worried too, and if it wasn't in this kind of situation he would've laughed so hard at seeing her looking so haphazard.
"He'll be fine. You know what you always call him. Stubborn ass Uchiha."
Hikari nodded because she couldn't trust herself to speak.
"Itachi-kun. Hey wake up." Hikari whispered gently.
He jerked up.
"Woah! Easy!"
"Where are we?"
"At the hotel remember?" Hikari asked.
"Oh yeah, yeah I do."
"Are you feeling alright?"
Itachi nodded hesitantly.
"We're ready to go whenever you are okay? Don't push yourself too much."
He nodded again.
She went to leave.
Itachi tried calling out to her but stopped.
He sighed and lied back down on the bed. He didn't know why he just pulled her away, Itachi knew he shouldn't have used it that third time, but he didn't want her to do what she was about to do.
It made him angry just thinking about it. Maybe because it would only serve as a waste of time. They were up against a sannin after all.
"Are you hungry?" Hikari's face popped in from the doorway.
Itachi looked at her and shook his head.
Hikari sighed and pushed the door open. "Well you're gonna have to eat anyway. You've been asleep for the past week, you know?"
"It's been a week?"
Hikari nodded. "Here." She set the bowl on the nightstand.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it." She smiled at him and got up to leave.
"Hikari-san?"
"Yes?"
Itachi pursed his lips, then shook his head. "Nothing, never mind."
Hikari laughed. "Well aren't you acting strange today?" She shook her head with a small smile.
"Why-why is your hand shaking?" Itachi asked her.
"It is?" Hikari asked, looking at her hands.
Surely enough her right hand was trembling bad. "Huh, I hadn't noticed. Don't worry about it Itachi-kun, it's probably an after effect of the jutsu." She gave him a thumb's up then immediately put it back down. "Good God that is painful."
Itachi stared at her back as she left.
Hikari closed her eyes with a sigh as she leaned on Itachi's door.
"Well then, how do I clean this up?" Hikari asked no one in particular as she scowled at the Konoha ANBU bodies and blood littering the hallway.
"Are you sure you're ready to go? We can stay a bit more if you want to."
"Hikari san?"
"Yes?"
"How much money do you have left in your purse?"
Hikari felt like an arrow pierced through her. "Well.." She scratched the side of her head nervously.
Itachi laughed. "I'm fine we can go now. Where's Kisame?"
Hikari shrugged. "He was called back into head quarters. They're waiting for our report too."
Itachi nodded.
Then a loud ring suddenly made Hikari drop the bag she had.
"Fucking hell." She picked up the bag then opened the device she built herself.
"Yukine what?!"
"Yo Hikari! Tsuki and I have a thing or two to tell you! When are you going to be back?"
"Three days give or take?" Hikari looked back at Itachi for confirmation that he could keep that pace up.
He nodded.
"Is something wrong?"
"Oh, no! Not at all! Well see you!"
The hologram went dead.
Hikari looked at the device in surprise. "What the hell was that about?"
"Yukine!"
"Hikari-san let go!"
"No you're here now! Yukine!" Hikari pulled Itachi uphill to the house. "Yukine!"
"Hikari-san I swear I feel fine! When he called you it sounded like it was more family matters I-"
Hikari turned to him with a glare.
Itachi looked down to meet her eyes.
The kept at it for a moment before he was pulled forward again. "Yukine! There's someone I'd like for you to shout, yell and bitch at!"
"Hikari-san!"
"Well this isn't looking good." Yukine frowned at the blood tests he ran.
"Itachi-san you said you used the Mangekyou tree times right?"
Itachi nodded hesitantly.
Yukine suddenly stood up and made his way over to him.
Bending down Yukine's fuchsia eyes staring intently in his black ones.
He sprang back up making Itachi jerk his head back a bit, in order not to get hit.
"Are you an idiot?!"
Itachi stared at him blankly.
Yukine paced around for a bit muttering on and on about how he couldn't always be on their beck and call and how he had to pay more attention to his health.
"You!" He pointed a finger to Itachi.
"Yes?!" He sat up straighter.
"Don't make Hikari worry!"
Itachi relaxed a bit.
He walked back towards Itachi and quietly sat beside him.
"What about your eyes?"
Itachi tensed.
"You haven't been seeing as well have you?"
Itachi shook his head looking on the ground.
To tell the truth, he didn't. Sometimes his eyes would suddenly blur and wouldn't go back. Sometimes he really had to focus on something to see it, but he could see fine for the most part.
It just sometimes went out of focus. Kinda like a camera does.
Yukine sighed, then banged his head on the wall next to them.
Startled, Itachi jumped slightly.
Now he knows why Hikari does it.
"Listen more carefully please! And do what you're told!"
Itachi nodded.
"At this point, Itachi-san, It's rough to estimate how much time you have left. When you first cane to me six months ago it was a bit easier." Yukine held out one hand, then dropped his pinky and thumb. "Three years."
Itachi nodded. It should be plenty of time for Sasuke to grow.
"Also, don't tel this to Hikari, she'll probably give herself hell over it." Yukine looked to the door leading to the living room.
"I won't either way, not if I can help it."
Yukine sat down beside Mitsuki. "So then Hikari! We had something to tell you! But first open this." Yukine gave her a box.
"My birthday already passed? And you already gave me a present." Hikari said in confusion.
"Well yeah! But it doesn't have to be your birthday for me to give you a present does it?"
Hikari frowned and opened the little box nonetheless.
Keys, three of them, a letter and a big piece of paper.
"We're moving," Yukine said.
Hikari looked at him in surprise. "O-oh where to?"
Yukine shrugged. "A small village a five day walking distance away."
"Why so suddenly I-"
"This village's shinobi activity has been increasing. Humans are greedy Hikari, this place was neutral territory, but now I don't think it's going to stay that way."
"You didn't even tell me I-"
"It's not your decision to make," Yukine said.
"Hey, Yukine!" Mitsuki scowled at him.
"What?! It's true isn't it? She does this all the time! You joined the Akatsuki three years ago didn't you?! You thought I wouldn't find out?! You didn't tell me!" Yukine stood up.
"I was doing it to protect you! Do you have any idea the rough-"
"Protect me?! Who do you think you are?! You think I'm not capable of protecting myself?! Have you forgotten Hikari?! I'm a Heiki too!"
"The man I'm up against is way past all of our levels Yukine! He threatened you what was I supposed to do?!"
"Tell me!"
"You would've stopped me!"
"Exactly! Because I wouldn't want your life to be in danger! Back then did you even stop to think about how I felt?! No you're just acting selfish! Assuming everyone would just go by your every whim!"
"That's not-!"
"Okay okay! Break it up!" Mitsuki stood between them both.
"Yukine! Apologize."
"I'm not-" He turned to his girlfriend.
"I wasn't asking Yukine!"
He turned back to his adopted sister.
Hikari's lips were wobbling as she looked at the ground.
"Hikari I-" his voice turned soft.
She shook her head. "N-no it's okay. You're right I am selfish most of the time." She gave him a big smile.
"I-it's fine. Thank you for leaving the house to me, I promise I'll take good care of it, and you should keep a copy too! What if you decide to visit and I'm not here? Probably not, but it'll make me feel better if you so here. I know it's selfish but." She gave him one of the copies.
"I-I'll leave you guys to pack." She closed the box and knocked on the medical room to see Itachi looking at her understandingly. "We can go now."
He nodded and they went to leave.
"Good going." Mitsuki said patting him on the shoulder with a glare on her face once they both walked out the door, leaving the room herself.
Yukine sat down on the couch. "Yeah, good going," he whispered.
They were gone that same afternoon. Hikari stood at the border of the village waving goodbye to them.
Once their carriage was out of sight she put her arms down.
"Are you alright?"
Hikari looked up at Itachi. "Yeah, I guess. I'm sorry you had to hear all that craziness this morning."
"Don't worry about it. You're going to live in the house from now on right?"
Hikari nodded. "I already told Pain. It's going to be lonely you know, but I'll be away from Deidara and Hidan for quite sometime. I don't know how I feel about Deidara but Hidan I can do without for the rest of my life."
Itachi's face paled. "Could you come by and kill him at least every morning? I think we can tolerate him at night."
Hikari laughed. "Sure, why not?"
That night Hikari was startled awake by a knocking on the front door. Hikari was a naturally light sleeper, the slightest of sounds woke her up. That didn't mean she didn't enjoy her sleep though.
When the knocking continued, she assumed it was an emergency, but Yukine didn't live here anymore.
She got up, putting a black and yellow hoodie over her tank top and shorts as she walked down the stairs. It was raining and she felt more comfortable wearing warmer clothes
"Yukine doesn't live here so-" she stopped when she opened the door to find Itachi standing there.
"Itachi-kun?"
He was wet from the rain. Absolutely drenched and his hair messy, not in it's usual ponytail. "What happened? Come in." She opened the door more to let him come in.
"Here." She took off her hoodie and gave it to him. "I'll go make something to drink okay?"
Itachi only nodded.
Hikari came back with two cups of hot coca.
"What happened are you okay?"
He looked at her, and somehow Hikari understood that look. That look he never gave anyone. That vulnerable, heartbroken look.
She reached out to tie his hair. "Itachi-kun?" She never got the chance though
Her breath was knocked out of her lungs when he pulled her into a death grip.
He gripped her so tightly with trembling hands.
Hikari's breath hitched when she heard his sobs.
She began stroking his head with a shaking hand while pulling him closer with the other one.
"It's okay. It's going to be okay." Hikari stared ahead as he cried in her chest, her heart breaking with every sob he let out, with every tear leaked from his eyes.
"It's going to be alright."
Guys! I'm on a roll! It's probably going to end soon, but this is only because I planned these chapters ahead. Not all of these turned out the way I planned it because I changed some things along the way as I'm writing. But hey it's a double update and I'm proud of myself! please please review I'd love to hear your opinions especually on this chapter and the upcoming two or three. Thank you so much for reading!