YES! The longest chapter yet! And with this I will be making the deadline I set for myself so that I can post a christmas story. Or christmas chapter on something. Meh, we'll see.
Sesshomaru glared at Risa as she frowned. They stayed there like that for a moment before she glanced at the sleeping children and turned away. A few feet away he stopped her angrily.
"Why are you going back?"
"I all ready told you: the Hokage wants to talk to me."
"Last time he talked to you he threatened you."
"Which is why I'm going alone. I will not risk him trying to take the boys away."
"Will you kill him?"
"Sesshomaru! I can't do that!"
"You've killed thousands. What is one old human?"
"That old human was Minato's mentor." Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly.
"… Minato again? Perhaps you should revive him to raise children with." Risa stared at him in shock.
"Are… Are you jealous of a dead man?"
"Leave." He turned away and Risa smiled.
"Don't be mad my love. You are much cuter than Minato was." With that she unfurled her wings and flew across the Moien-nak to Konoha. Her smile finally faded as she walked through the village. She waited outside of the Hokage's tower for a second before glancing over her shoulder.
"Why is it always you Kakashi?"
"Because I'm one of the few that isn't afraid of you."
"People fear me? What a surprise." She rolled her eyes and entered the building, Kakashi now walking next to her.
"Are you still angry?"
"Livid." She smiled wryly at him. "But for some reason I'm still willing to speak with him."
"I can see that. What about your mate?"
"… He was against me coming back here and asked if I was going to kill the Hokage." Kakashi froze and his eye widened.
"Kill him?!"
"A permanent solution to a temporary issue. I'm not going to kill him." The door opened and Risa grinned impishly as she stepped inside. "Probably." The door latched shut behind her and she leaned against it, gazing across the room at Sarutobi.
"You can sit down."
"I'll think about it."
"… Very well. Did you bring the… your boys?"
"No."
"So they are with your husband?"
"Mate, and yes."
"It is the same thing." He frowned at her and she raised a brow.
"No it's not. What did you want?"
"I wished to make sure that you were still going to keep coming back to the village. I did not mean to drive you away."
"… With all due respect Sir, I am not sure if Konoha is a good place for the boys. I realize they get to learn to be ninja, but they also have been getting teased more often than not."
"We do still have a deal."
"Which was only agreed upon when I cared about bringing Naruto back here. I all ready made my decision to keep them away from here, at least for the time being. I'll take some books and scrolls with me so they can continue to learn and if I absolutely need help I will contact you. Unless you're willing to part with someone to come with me. Perhaps Kakashi?"
"I'm afraid not. Any chance I could change your mind?"
She smirked, "I'm afraid not. See you later old man."
Risa stretched next to the sea before spinning around to catch a kunai and glare at the men walking through the trees. The bigger one laughed at her and pulled out his sword while the other stayed back near the trees.
"Kisame… we should go."
"What's wrong Itachi? Scared of some girl? Just don't fall in the sea." He laughed and Risa just rolled her eyes to look behind him.
"You're Itachi? Sasuke's brother?" She smiled and dodged another one of Kisame's attacks. "You were so little last time I saw you; and now you've become a wanted mass murderer."
"Your point?" He turned to leave and Risa shot a glare at Kisame as he attacked her again. Within a second she had sent him crashing into the tree next to Itachi.
"You're starting to become a nuisance. My point, Itachi, is that I want to hear everything about the massacre, including what led up to it."
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because I adopted your brother." She grinned at his shocked face as Kisame stood up.
"Enough of this!" Kisame froze, staring past her shoulder at the sea. Risa smiled when she looked back.
"Ferryman, perfect timing. This is going to be my last trip across for some time, so how would you like a vacation? All you have to do is get Itachi for me." Itachi's eyes widened and he turned to run off. The ferryman slowly stood and looked over the field before taking off in great strides.
"That was stupid of you." Kisame spoke up and Risa turned to him with a dangerous smile.
"You're the stupid one; taking on demons alone." A fog rose up around them and Risa faded into it with a laugh.
A few minutes later the ferryman came back into the clearing carrying Itachi. Risa frowned and got out of the boat where she was waiting.
"When I told you to get him, I didn't mean to take his soul." She took Itachi's body and laid it in the boat. When she turned back the ferryman held out his hand, a small glow rising up until it took the miniscule form of Itachi. With a wry smile she gently took the soul. "Come on, I don't want to reattach him until we've set off. And as promised you'll get to ditch this boat. Any travel for some time I can fly myself." She smiled as the boat stopped just after crossing the barrier and the ferryman stepped off, soon disappearing from view. Risa glanced down at Itachi and held out her hand to study his soul. Frowning at the pureness she placed it back into his body and sat back to wait. When he finally opened his eyes she smiled and he glared at her.
"Where am I?"
"In a boat that won't go anywhere until you explain a few things to me."
"And if I don't?" Risa just continued to smile and ignored the question.
"I want to know why you killed your family. It can't actually be for power; that's ridiculous and pointless, especially since you didn't actually gain anything from it."
"To test my power."
"Wrong answer. Try again."
"No. I don't have to sit here."
"Actually you do. There's nowhere to go without my help."
"I can swim, and walk on water." Itachi stood and almost stepped off the boat.
"This is the Moien-nak. You won't last ten seconds." Itachi hesitated before stepping off the boat. Risa sighed as the souls attacked him, pulling his out to try and attach to his body. She chuckled when she reached twelve seconds before his soul was removed and got out of the boat to get his soul back. The water cleared around her and she tapped on Itachi's shoulder to remove the parasitic soul and put his back in. She carried him back to the boat and smiled at his suddenly pale face.
"What… What was that?!"
"I tried to warn you. Very few ninja know about this sea."
"I know it separates the humans and demons."
"Ninja and demons actually. There are humans on both sides.
"I also know there are souls in it. That does not explain what happened to me."
"Hmm… If I explain it will you tell me the truth?"
"I all ready have."
"Then why is your soul so pure?! No one that kills so many for no reason would not have stained their soul! It is not possible and you only have grief mixed with yours. No hatred or power-seeking. No evil taints. So Itachi? Will you tell me why you killed them?"
"… Why do you care so much?"
"Because Sasuke is my son now and it causes him pain. I want to help him, and if that means mending your relationship with him I will." Itachi watched her for a moment before sighing.
"Okay. Explain what happened to me."
"Well, your soul was stolen and others tried to take over your body. Simple really."
"How is that simple?!"
"Itachi, it is the sea of souls. You think they like being stuck here? If a vessel presents itself of course they are going to grasp at it."
"… They fled from you."
"Yes well… My soul can't be taken or altered. And since I am able to steal and alter souls they don't care much for me. The same happens with the ferryman."
"What are you?"
"A half-demon. You know that. Now, about the massacre?" Itachi looked around and sighed again before beginning to explain. Once he was finished there was a silence.
"I don't expect you to believe me, but can we at least start moving?"
"Oh, yes, of course." They were both silent until they scraped against the shore.
"You're not taking me back? Or to Konoha?"
"No. I'm not really getting along with Konoha at the moment. Enough so that I'm not going to be returning for some time. Unfortunately for you that means you will be staying with me for a while." She sighed and looked at the sky. "If he doesn't kill us that is." She turned a smile at him before he could comment. "I believe you by the way. Saving the village makes far more sense then senseless power-seeking. Especially for you… Do you want to see Sasuke? Hmm… I should probably talk to him first though. And then there's Sesshomaru to always worry about… I really need to start thinking about things before acting. Oh well, too late now. Come on, you probably won't be killed."
"Probably? Who's Sesshomaru?"
"Oh, he's my mate. The boys' father. He's a full-blooded demon and doesn't really like change, or humans, or me going off and doing, well, anything for long periods of time. But, of course, last time I left for a couple years I came back with a human son."
"You were mated when you first came to the village then."
"Yes." Risa smiled and patted his head, making him scowl. "Come along. I'm sure it'll work out. Just be sure not to lie anymore." She walked past him and stretched, shaking herself out of human form. Itachi followed her in shock.
"I… didn't know you looked different over here."
"It was Minato's idea. Being half-demon was bad enough apparently. The humans over there would never be able to get over someone having a tail."
"…I'm sure some would be okay with it."
"But not enough. And it doesn't matter anyway." She paused and looked over the village that was just barely in view. "I would rather have you stay there while I talked to them…" With a sigh she glanced into the trees next to them, "but it seems he has other plans." Itachi looked over just in time to see Sesshomaru walk out of the trees. He stopped just past the line of trees and glared coolly at them.
"What is this?"
"This is a human obviously. I just brought him here."
"Take him back."
"Again with the instant order. This is Itachi; Sasuke's older brother. I told you about him."
"The murderer. Did you adopt him too?" His glare intensified and Itachi barely suppressed a shiver at the icy words. "Have you lost all sense?" Risa glared right back at him.
"Sense? If I lost my sense there wouldn't be any left around here. You should try listening before jumping to conclusions and ordering me around."
"No." With that Sesshomaru struck out at her. Itachi turned in time to see her shocked expression as her head slid from her shoulders and rolled away before bursting into flames and disappearing with her body. Itachi took a step back and instantly regretted it when Sesshomaru switched his attention back to him. Sesshomaru raised his arm to attack him and paused when a hand grabbed him arm and forced it down. They both looked behind him to see Risa frowning at him.
"That wasn't nice love. In fact, it really hurt." She pushed him into a tree and turned to Itachi. "Sorry about that. Come on, let's go see Sasuke. I obviously can't trust Sesshomaru with you, so we'll just talk to him together." Itachi didn't move, staring at her with wide eyes. Risa sighed, "What's wrong?"
"You… How…?" Itachi tried to speak, but he couldn't seem to wrap his head around what had happened. Risa shot him a quizzical glance.
"How what?" Itachi closed his eyes and took a few short breaths.
"You died. How are you here?" He managed out with only a slight tremor in his voice. Risa's eyes widened.
"Oh! Oh I'm sorry Itachi; I should've told you before. I'm immortal. I can't actually die so if I'm killed I just heal. I burst into flames if, say, my head is sliced off." She shot a small glare at a clearly unrepentant Sesshomaru as he began to walk away. "That's why it doesn't bother him to kill me even though it should. Anyway, the only obstacle left is Sasuke so if we make it through that I can answer any other questions you may have. You might even be able to stay here with us." She turned and began to walk away. "I'm sure we'll make it past Sasuke. He'll listen eventually and it does make more sense. This would've been easier if he…" She continued mumbling and Itachi finally smiled lightly and followed her. She led him to a clearing and him wait in a tree as she went over to the boys. They glanced up at her and grinned.
"MOM! You're back!" They yelled simultaneously as they jumped up and ran over. Risa smiled and knelt down.
"So I am." She stopped smiling and put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I need to talk to you about your brother Sasuke." He glanced at her quizzically and pointed to Naruto.
"He's right here." Risa chuckled.
"Not Naruto sweetheart… you're older brother: Itachi." Sasuke's face instantly darkened and he frowned.
"Why? What about him?"
"… Do you trust me?"
"What?" His look became confused again. "Of course I do."
"So would you believe me if I told you Itachi wasn't evil?"
"But… he killed everyone! Even mother and father…" He sniffed and Risa sighed.
"But you have a new mother and father right? And about your clan… They weren't they best people."
"What do you mean?" Naruto tugged on her arm at this point.
"Mom… were they the bad feeling that used to be in the village?"
"Bad feeling? What are you talking about?" Sasuke backed up a step.
"I believe so. Sasuke… you family was going to attack Konoha. Itachi protected it and you."
"… Are… are you sure? Why didn't he tell me?" Sasuke sniffed.
"I'm sure he didn't want you to remember your family like that. But I think you can handle the truth." She paused to pull him to her in a hug. "Would you like to talk to him?"
"What?"
"I brought him here. All ready fought with your father."
"… Can I talk to him alone?"
"Of course." She stood and grabbed Naruto's hand. "We'll be in the next clearing. Itachi's behind the tree line." She dragged Naruto away and went to find Sesshomaru. After a looking for a minute she just sat down to wait, letting Naruto run around after making him promise not to go to Sasuke. She watched Naruto for a minute before looking up as Sesshomaru came into the clearing. He stood across from her, catching Naruto easily when he jumped on him.
"… You did not adopt him."
"No. He's an enemy of Konoha. Even if I could it wouldn't matter to them. And I did promise to talk to you beforehand if I ever wanted to."
"Is he staying?"
"I don't know… I mainly wanted to mend Sasuke's relationship with him. It'll be good for him. But after that… It's up to you. He can either stay or I can take him back." Sesshomaru set Naruto down and leaned against a tree.
"What are his uses?"
"He is an accomplished ninja and could help the boys with their homework. Unlike me he can actually do jutsu. And having an older brother can't hurt the boys. He could also watch over them when we're not around. I'm sure he'd make a better babysitter than Jaken." She smirked. "Which means we could actually have time to ourselves sometimes." Sesshomaru was silent before looking towards the other clearing.
"We'll see. You should check on them." Risa nodded and got up to stretch.
"I suppose so. Are you coming?"
"I AM!" Naruto yelled and ran over to grab her hand. Sesshomaru walked over with a slight nod.
"Very well." They walked over just in time to see Sasuke launch himself into Itachi's arms. They all paused and Sesshomaru leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It looks like he will be staying with us." Risa smiled and let Naruto go to join them.
Awww... How cute! At least I think so. What about all of you?