AN: Here's the chapter with the extra long flash back...silly me, getting sidetracked and making you all wait...theres not much Hana/Itachi stories to keep you busy...so I'll try my best to write faster (and stay focused too I guess...)! I got no reviews last chapter (T.T) Repondez si'l vous plait!!
Hana's POV
I got in trouble for something I didn't even know about! Konoha doesn't have random festivals where girls get beads for flashing or kissing boys. I didn't tell the elders about the fact they were Temari's beads... she tried to stop me.
So now I'm lying across my bed without my dogs, they left me for Kankuro's puppets. The elder in training -Akago- tried to pull this: The Hokage said she would send someone with great promise and potential, but instead we get this disappointment. That's why he's not an elder now, freaking bastard.
I remember back when I first heard that word- potential, and met Itachi. No matter what I'm doing, that word always haunts me. I never have skill, just 'potential', the Fourth said it himself.
--Flashback--
Hana Inuzuka was always the first kid out of the academy. She did not only want to get home to her parents, but she didn't want to be around the mean older kids more than necessary.
"Hana-chan" The Fourth Hokage called from his place on the swing. The little girl had run past without seeing him, maybe it was the fact he didn't have on the Hokage clothing. Upon hearing her name called, said girl whipped around and stumbled.
Minato had to admit, the little girl was very fast for her age, but someone has to teach her about physics and little kids. Apparently the stumble didn't affect the Inuzuka because now she sprinted toward the Hokage.
"Hi Hokage-sama!" The little girl said beaming, "What are you doing here today?"
"Well, I wanted to see my friends and maybe take them somewhere."
"Who are your friends? I am one? Let's go!"
"Hm...maybe, I have to find my other friend too, though."
Itachi Uchiha was always one of the last kids out of the academy. Unlike others, he had no desire to go home. His mother is pregnant now and his father says he can't be babied by Mikoto anymore. The Head Uchiha wanted Itachi to train with him now, learn how to be a Uchiha. Screw that, Itachi planned on making training as difficult as possible. He'd rather have his mother's dango and do nothing.
Unlike Hana, Itachi noticed the Hokage on the swing. He only did because that was his way home, but no one would ever know that. Itachi began his slow stride in the direction of the pair.
"Hello Hokage-sama." The ever stoic Uchiha greeted.
"Hi Itachi-kun" The blond man said.
"Hokage-sama is he your friend? How is he your friend if he doesn't talk to anyone? I guess he's shy. Are you shy?"
Said boy was glaring at the curious Inuzuka. She is going to find herself in a lot of trouble if she doesn't get over that real soon. The Hokage took the liberty of answering the innocent child.
"Of course he's my friend. He can be very nice when he wants to be, and I assure you he's not shy -just quiet."
"Something she's obviously not." Itachi mumbled underneath his breath. The Inuzuka senses caught it all though.
"TAKE THAT BACK MEANIE!" The Yellow Flash took a breath -children have such fragile emotions, and he has one on the way.
"It seems fighting is more interesting than me. I guess I just have to go find some other friends." The Hokage began fake sobbing in his hands.
"Oh! I'm sorry! You're the bestest ninja in the world! I hope my little brother's just like you! I wont let the meanie distract me from you ever ever again!" Sweet little Hana rushed to comfort her Hokage.
"Really?" Hana rapidly nodded her head yes. Minato now sniffled and turned to the brooding Uchiha. Itachi casted a half-glare at the Hokage's puppy dog face.
"Even though she provokes me...I'll be good, but only if we get dango." He found a way to benefit from an apology, The Fourth thought. I'm should be glad he even apologized.
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After getting the children situated with their dumplings, Minato thought he should do what he came to before the peace goes away. "I bet you guys are wondering why I came to get you."
"Cause we're you're friends!"
"He wants something." Itachi corrected his peer.
"What makes you say that, Itachi? You don't trust your friend?" The Fourth feigned sadness again.
"You bought us treats knowing it's almost dinner time." Itachi decided against telling the man his trick was getting old.
"Hey...that's right, but Hokage-sama is too nice to trick us!" At least someone still has childhood innocence, Minato thought.
"Thank you Hana-chan. As for you," he turned his attention to Itachi, "I only want to talk to you guys."
"See Meanie!" Hana waved her dumpling stick in Itachi's face. He bit off the red dumpling and smirked in triumph -begin the war!
"Calm down Hana-chan, there's plenty left. I need to have a serious talk with you two. As the youngest children in the academy, lots of people are watching you. Some want you succeed, but others want you to fail."
"Which are you Hokage-sama?" Itachi asked. Hana opened her mouth to answer for the adult, but was interrupted.
"I'm not too sure actually. I want you both to do well in everything, but I don't want you to go through what one of my students went through. Kakashi Hatake is one of the most skilled ninja in all of Konoha. Not only was his father a great ninja, but Kakashi became a chunin at the age of six. He carried his father's shame upon him and had to suffer the consequences. He lived by the rules and it took his teammate's death to give him his life back. I don't want that for you two, but I don't want either of you to not give all your heart." The blond confessed.
The children were listening to every word the Hokage spoke.
"I'm mostly worried about you Itachi. You have great raw skill talent, but not a lot of social skills. I know you will follow the rules and meet any condition, but I'm not sure about you're motivation. You cannot force a job like this, eventually you will snap."
Itachi glared at his dango. He was only good at being a ninja. What else can he do?
"You Hana, have great potential and instinct. It's your technique that lacks. You have to find balance between your heart and your brain. People lie and deceive others, so I'm not sure you're emotionally ready for this field."
Hana's lips quivered at the Fourth's words, she knew all of it to be true.
"I know I sound mean but it's really important that you guys hear this. If only one of you pass this year, that one will be on a team with kids twice your age. That's why I need you both to pay attention and work at 1050. With you guys graduating at the same time, you definitely will be on the same team along with someone mature enough to treat you as equals. That means when the kids your age do finish the academy, you wont have to be reassigned to a different team unless you want to."
"So the only difference is we wont be on the same team? What's so bad about that?" Itachi questioned, earning a glare from the girl.
"Who says I even want to be on the team with this Meanie!" Hana interjected.
"That's not the point, but it will be better if you two are on the same team. For example, if Hana graduates, the administration will sort the teams by the older kids and just fit Hana in where they can. If both of you graduate at the same time, however, they will immediately place you two on a team and then work around that." The Hokage explained. He only had the final say on teams, he doesn't make them.
"So we need to keep up with each other," Hana began, "Mea-Itachi, you wanna start practicing with me so we can make our friend happy?"
"Training -not 'practice', we don't have anything to practice so we have to train first." Itachi said, if he was going to do this, he will be in charge.
"Thank you both. I will be rooting for you as long as you give it your all." Minato said before being engulfed by Hana's hug.
--End of the Longest Flashback ever--
"Everything I do is wrong!" Venting in an empty room is not considered crazy.
"Correction: Most of what you do is wrong." So much for 'empty room', I didn't expect Itachi to find me again.
"What are you doing here?" I know I sounded weak, but he just catches me off guard.
"I would ask you the same thing if it wasn't announced to the entire country." There should be jail time for being vague.
"Answer the question. I know you have a reason." I did a happy dance in my head -annoyed is something I do well.
"I'm an S-ranked missing-nin. That should be reason enough." He said, making himself comfortable in a chair. He even had the audacity to pull out a stick of dango and start eating.
"How'd you get in here anyways? They'll think you're trying to steal Gaara! I wouldn't put that past you though..." Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit -I'm gonna be in even more trouble!
"S-ranked missing-nin..." Did he seriously think that's the answer to everything? I hate him.
"Stop being cute -that pouting thing is annoying." Itachi ate his snack; he acts like he just told someone his name. I told everyone he wasn't a genius; he obviously doesn't know what he just said.
"Well get out my room, then."
"Firstly: I'm eating…secondly: the red head is guarding your room so I can't leave." He sure is taking a long time for three small dumplings.
"What happened to 'S-ranked missing-nin'? It sure got you in." I know I wanted to see him, but this is too awkward for me.
"I'm not invisible." He simply said while finishing his dango. I didn't even get to release a false-relaxed exhale because Itachi took out another stick of his precious dango.
"What made you come here?" I asked myself more than him –he heard.
He stared at his dango stick before replying: "I just wanted to…" It was barely a whisper but I heard him. He continued to stare at his dango a moment longer before taking a whole dumpling in his mouth. "Where are the dogs?"
"They abandoned me for Kankuro. They can demolish his puppets into many different pieces and they don't get in trouble for it." I fell back on my bed.
"Puppets can cause more trouble than you know." He responded before finishing his dumplings. This time he doesn't pull out another stick.
"Itachi, what is it like in the Akatsuki?"
"We do nothing but roam around. We don't have anything that imperative to do. Everything we have to do can wait three years."
"What's three years?"
Itachi doesn't answer me, and from his upside down face –he doesn't plan to. "Why were you chosen to come here?"
I know he's avoiding my question, but I answer anyway. "I asked for it. I needed to get away from the village and…sort things out."
"Did it have anything to do with me?" The cocky-bastard got up and began walking towards me. I roll over so I'm on my stomach and prop myself up so I'm not breaking my neck trying to look at him.
"Your little visit did influence this, but this is for me." It is for me…to get Itachi.
Our eyes lock for a moment before he turned away. He was about to jump out the window when he turned halfway. "When I arrived, what were you thinking about?"
I should have been mean and not answered like he did me, but I couldn't stop myself if I tried. "The day we first met."
His eyes softened for a fraction of time –he remembers too. "Hn," Itachi grunted and leapt out the window. I couldn't see it, but I know Itachi was smirking when he left.
