Disclaimer: Aki's story is © to me, all events referring to Naruto and his friends that Dragon Man included in his fic, "Naruto the Kitsune Hanyou" are hereby © to him. All other things are hereby © to their respectful and rightful owners.

Sixth Shadow: Hide and Seek

Another year had passed, and as of late, Nii-chan has become even weirder than before. But he still acted like himself, taught me jutsu and about all the stuff in the shop. Thanks to him I could now proudly say that I'd mastered all the Tamahashi clan jutsu. And I knew almost every item in the shop like the back of my hand. I was very proud of myself. I couldn't have been happier with life. Iruka-sensei was always commenting on how much like Nii-chan I was becoming, and I talked with Neji-san a little more, when Hinata-san was over with Naruto. So basically, life was great. Nii-chan was slowly letting me run the shop, with his supervision, of course.

I sighed. Yes, life was good…

x0x0x0x

A bell tinkled overhead, and Itachi walked into the shop.

"Hey, Toji!" The Uchiha greeted.

"What's going on, Itachi?" Nii-chan replied.

"So…you get that sword that I wanted?"

"Yeah, I've got it here. I actually just finished it last night."

Nii-chan ducked behind the counter and retrieved a long thin box. "Here it is, just how you asked for." He opened the box and a sheathed blade was revealed to be inside. "Aki-chan, stand back."

I obeyed and retreated a few steps as my brother unsheathed the blade. Itachi let out a low whistle. "Wow it looks nice. How much?"

"Half-price. I'm giving you my best friend discount."

Itachi smiled, and handed my brother the money.

"Hey can I test it?" Itachi asked eagerly, waving the still unsheathed blade around the shop, one of his swings coming too close for comfort.

"Meep!" I exclaimed as I ducked.

"Sorry Aki-chan. I guess I should be more careful," The Uchiha apologized.

"You nearly took my head off! Nii-chan, you should know better than to let Itachi-san wave his sword around in here! It's dangerous! And it could hurt the merchandise! Go with him in the backyard or something! I want to live, Nii-chan. I'd really like to not get my head chopped off by your best friend because of an accident." I said scathingly.

"Heh, she sounds like your mother, Toji."

My brother walked over to me and patted my head. "Alright, we'll go in the yard. But call me if any other customers come in, alright?" he said.

I nodded, and took a place behind the counter. After a few minutes, I could hear the telltale sounds of a sparring match. Curious, I glanced out the window.

Itachi was so quick. I could see the Sharingan active, and my brother was parrying Itachi's swings with his sword with two kunai. Nii-chan leapt backwards, throwing his kunai, which Itachi blocked. While he was distracted, watching his weapons be deflected so effortlessly, Itachi's sword barely grazed past his arm. He winced slightly, taking note of the shallow wound on his forearm, pulling out shuriken from his holster, using the Shuriken Kage Bunshin skill. Itachi blocked most of them, but didn't catch one of them, which left a thin scratch on his cheek.

Nii-chan disarmed Itachi quickly, kicking the sword out of the new owner's hands. A Taijutsu match had begun. Nii-chan reached for his holster, but every time he tried, Itachi pulled his arm away before he could grab one. Grabbing one of the deflected shuriken on the grass with his teeth, Nii-chan used the sharp edge to slice at one of the Uchiha's hands, which now held him in a choke hold. Itachi released him, and Nii-chan sent a powerful kick his way, knocking the Uchiha off balance, and sending him several feet away, his sword within reach. Itachi made some hand seals and used the special Katon jutsu, a large ball of flame headed for my brother. Nii-chan also made hand seals and retaliated with a Mizu jutsu. Fire and water strained against one another before water won at last. Itachi released a shuriken, which went every way known to man, my brother dodging with ease. And then, Nii-chan found that the shuriken had a wire attached to it, and he soon found that he couldn't move. Then, Itachi picked up his sword and charged.

I stood up immediately, grabbing the first thing within an arm's reach. Itachi was going for a kill. I didn't care about the store. I had to save my brother. I'd grabbed a fuuma shuriken, I twirled it quickly between my fingers, letting it fly, severing the wires that held my brother captive, and catching it, as it came back around. I made a hand seal.

'Kage Hokou no Jutsu!' I thought.

I vanished, and reappeared in Itachi's quickly approaching shadow, parrying the strike with the fuuma shuriken, staring right into Itachi's crimson eyes.

It was a few seconds that Itachi strained his blade against my shuriken, the edges cutting into my hand, before he realized who his new opponent was.

"Itachi-san that's enough. I think you've had enough practice for today. Please leave." I said in a commanding tone.

I ignored the blood that began to drip onto the ground from my injured hand.

"Oh what's the problem, Aki-chan?" My brother asked.

"He was about to kill you, Nii-chan. I had to protect you."

My brother laughed, as usual. "No he wasn't. We both just got carried away. It's been a long time since we've sparred together. We were just enjoying ourselves."

Itachi shut his eyes for a second, the Sharingan now gone, his normal dark eyes staring me in the face. "I guess I did get a little too excited from the fighting…" The Uchiha admitted solemnly.

My brother shrugged off the loose wires and handed Itachi back his shuriken. "Here. I think it's good Aki-chan stopped us. If I'm not in that shop when my mother gets back, I'm in for it. Besides, we can duke it out later." He said.

Itachi nodded, lowering his sword. I lowered my shuriken, and the three of us walked in, putting away equipment, Itachi sheathing his sword, putting it back in the box.

"I'll see you later…" Itachi began.

"Yeah…tonight…" My brother replied in a low whisper, in an attempt for me to not hear.

But I heard anyway. Itachi gave a brief nod of acknowledgment, turning to leave, exiting as my mother walked in.

She looked rather tired. "We're going out to eat. Your father should be back soon."

"Speak of the devil…" Toji said, as our father came in.

I waved, my mother noticing my injured hand. "What happened to you, dear?" she asked concernedly.

I glanced at it. The wound was deeper than I thought, and for the past couple of minutes I'd been bleeding all over the counter. "Oh, this? An accident." I replied innocently. "I was practicing with a fuuma shuriken, and when I caught it, I almost missed, so it cut me."

"Bandage that up, dear. I don't want it to get infected."

I did as I was told, and once the bandages were wrapped, we left the shop, headed for some barbeque.

x0x0x0x

I went to sleep and found that slumber came easily. It was a very busy day for me. All that Academy and shop-keeping, along with fight-prevention really wore me out.

It only felt like five minutes that I'd been asleep, but it had been at least an hour or two. Someone was shaking me awake.

"Wake up, hon. Please wake up. Oh Kami-sama, please don't let them have got you…" My mother's voice said urgently.

"Wha…? What's going on…?" I asked.

I heard my mother's sigh of relief. "There's someone in the house. I don't know how they got in, but they did. I need you to get up and get your shuriken and kunai, ok? I'm going to leave for five minutes. Your father and brother are looking for the intruder right now. I have to make sure that they're not up here. I don't want you to get hurt. You can't exactly defend yourself very well right now." My mother explained.

"What time is it?"

"It's almost ten-thirty. But time doesn't matter. The Uchiha clan has already been attacked. The same person who did it might be in the house. Be happy that your father is Captain of the ANBU."

I stumbled out of bed, trying to be as quiet as possible. I strapped on my holster and put on my supply pouch, my mother waiting for me in the doorway.

"Aki-chan, please be careful. I'm going to try to help your father. Try and sneak out and get help, alright?"

"Okay, Okaa-chan."

And then she was gone, and I stood alone in my bedroom. I took a deep breath and stepped out of my room, standing in the hallway. Where do I go? I can't just stand here. They'll surely find me. I'll go downstairs and try and sneak out the back door. That sounded like a good a plan as any.

Quietly, I crept down the stairs, praying that they wouldn't decide to be creaky this time. They were silent. I walked forward, into the shop, only to find myself grabbed and pulled into a corner. The person covered my mouth, but not before I could yelp with surprise.

"Shhh…they're down here." The voice of my brother whispered.

I looked around fearfully, seeing nothing in the pitch-black darkness.

"Stay here, Aki-chan. I think I see him."

I nodded, still in his grip. He released me, and I saw the faint outline of his form disappear, his steps not even making the slightest trace of a sound.

"Otou-san? Where are you?" My brother called out.

"Nii-chan! You're giving away your position!" I hissed.

"Hush!" My father replied finally, in a harsh whisper.

"Found you…" My brother muttered.

I had moved from where I was, seeing as you should move once you call out to someone in a dark room when an intruder's inside. It's common sense to move so they don't find you. I had found my brother's form, which had not moved from the center of the shop. I watched my brother's movements, straining my eyes to see his dark form. He turned, hearing movement. And then he leapt forward and tackled someone to the ground.

"Nii-chan!" I exclaimed.

The sound of a weapon coming out of its sheath sang in the darkness.

"Toji, get off, it's me!" My father's voice said hoarsely.

"Nii-chan, it's just Otou-san!" I said, appalled.

"It's a bunshin." My brother replied in a level voice.

"Run, Aki!" My father commanded.

"Don't listen to him, get Okaa-san. It's the intruder, Aki-chan!"

I took a few steps back. I didn't know what to do. I was so confused.

Crash!

A shelf toppled over, a shower of weapons raining down. Sounds of grunts and straining were heard in the silent shop. I could see two figures struggling, the moonlight slowly filtering through the shop windows. It was a full moon, so the light was bright.

Slice!

SKRISH!

"Guh…Kanna…"

I felt blood shower me, and it covered me like a blanket. It was all over me. The moon rose, and light illuminated the shop. There lay the body of my father; one of the ANBU swords embedded in his chest, blood pooled everywhere. His body had shuriken and kunai sticking out of him, undoubtedly from the contents of the shelf falling on him. He had been slashed across the throat, where blood was still flowing out, spraying everything around, covering it with a thick coat of blood.

"Ugh…"

Ting!

Towering above my father's body was my brother, bathed in blood, one hand still on the handle of the sword, the other yanking out stray kunai and shuriken that had fallen on him.

"Nii-chan…you…you…I…I…" I said, thunderstruck.

"Aki-chan, don't scream." He said.

I did the exact opposite. This was one request I couldn't obey. I screamed into the night, shrieking as loud as I could.

"OTOU-SAN!"

"Shut up, Aki!" My brother snarled, dropping the usual formality of attachment.

The bell by the door rang, and in walked Itachi.

"Has it been done?" he asked.

"Hai."

"What about your sister?"

"I'll deal with it right now."

"Hurry up. Her screaming will have attracted some attention. The rest of the ANBU are already looking for me. I'll be waiting outside the gate."

"I'll be there soon."

Itachi disappeared from sight, and my brother turned to me. Who was he? I didn't know him anymore. This boy had my brother's face, my brother's skills, and my brother's talent. But he was not my brother. No. Not anymore. My brother died tonight. He died the moment my father did. The moment that this murderer killed him.

"Why…?" I asked.

"I wanted power. I have potential for greater things. I'm much too strong, much too talented for the assignments that the Hokage and our parents give me! I'm not a child, Aki-chan. I've surpassed them both. I deserve better. You will realize this in time. I'm sorry I won't be able to see you become a genin. And I'm sorry that I won't be able to see you become the fine kunoichi I know you will be someday. But this is the path I have chosen. Just know that once you realize you're being held back, I will be waiting for you."

My vision started to blur, and tears streamed down my face. "Where are you going, Nii-chan? Why do you have to leave? Just…just say it was an accident! You were looking for the intruder! And you thought you got him, and you accidentally killed Otou-san!"

"Iie, Aki-chan. I was the one who said that there was an intruder in the first place. There wasn't one to begin with. I'm going with Itachi, Aki-chan."

"Then…then where's Itachi going?"

"With Akatsuki."

"You can't leave me to go with them! I need you Nii-chan!"

"I'm sorry…"

He stepped towards me, and hugged me tight.

Then I felt pain in the back of my head, and I saw darkness. The last thing I heard was quickly retreating footsteps and the shop bell ringing one last time that night.

x0x0x0x

I opened my eyes, and found myself in Konoha hospital. I saw my mother sitting in a chair nearby, her eyes swollen and red, obviously from crying for a long period of time.

"Kaa-chan…?" I called out.

Immediately my mother was on her feet. "Aki-chan! Oh Aki-chan, you're alright!" she exclaimed, at my bedside. "Kyuubi-sama! She's regained consciousness!"

Kyuubi walked into the room, coming up to my bedside.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"I…don't know…" I replied.

Honestly, I didn't know how I felt, or how I was supposed to feel. I couldn't really remember what had happened either.

"Can you remember?" Kyuubi asked.

"No…I don't know what happened…"

"Do you know your name?"

"Hai! It's Aki! Tamahashi Aki."

"Do you know your brother's name?"

Obviously, I was being tested for amnesia.

"Toji…" I whispered.

Just by saying his name, I started to remember. The events of that night suddenly unfolded, and I could feel my father's blood showering me. In horror, I looked myself over, finding my skin clean. Not a single trace of blood.

"He did it." I said suddenly, not caring if I didn't make sense.

"What?" My mother asked.

"Nii-chan did it. Nii-chan did everything. There wasn't an intruder. He made it up. Nii-chan killed Otou-san. He went with Itachi-san. Itachi-san said that the ANBU were looking for him."

Kyuubi seemed curious. "Did your brother tell you where he was going?" she asked calmly.

"He said…he was going to join Akatsuki. With Itachi-san."

"I see…Aki-chan, do you know why Itachi was running?"

"No…why were the ANBU after him?"

"Itachi killed his entire clan. Except for his little brother, Sasuke."

"Nani? Why? Where's Sasuke? Is he ok?"

"Sasuke is in my family's care. My son Naruto found him. Sasuke told Naruto that Itachi killed the clan simply so he could see what he was capable of."

"That's horrible."

"Hai, it is…"

My memory decided to remember something else. It was a year ago, and I had just met Neji-san. That conversation…it was…talking about this!

"Kyuubi-sama…" I said in a small voice.

"Hai, Aki-chan?" she asked.

"I think…I might have known…"

"Might have known what?"

"I think I might have known that Itachi-san was going to kill his clan and Nii-chan was going to kill Otou-san…"

My mother's face looked shocked. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" she exclaimed.

"I-I forgot about it."

"How did you know?" Kyuubi asked, ignoring my mother.

So I explained the conversation I had overheard. I couldn't tell how my mother felt about the information. She simply stormed out of the room in silence. At that moment, I felt lower than dirt. I should have said something…then nothing would have happened. Otou-san would've been alive. Sasuke's family would be alive. It was all my fault…

I could've stopped this. All of this. But I did nothing.

It's all my fault.

A/N: Sorry it's been awhile. Haven't had much time with finishing up all that end of the year crap in school. Plus, I've been having difficult times with one of my friends. We're kind of in a fight that was my fault, so I'm in the process of mending our rather broken friendship. So anyways, enough of my sorry ass life, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to post more soon. Ja ne until next time and please review!