With A Broken Soul
Life's not always going to be easy, and there will be days when you feel like giving up, but just keep your head up. Remember that tomorrow is another day and it can always get better. –Unknown
Previous Chapter
"Anyone up for fireworks tonight?" I ask, letting one eye to close as my other one lazily scans my friends. Even though there is a variety of personality's throughout the group, it was quite clear that every one of them wanted and probably needed to relax, and fireworks seemed to be a good way to get the stress off of their shoulders.
"Then let's get going!"
I lie on the soft swaying green grass. It's almost completely black out, excluding the stars of course. Everyone around me is talking, conversing about their excitement. I look around for my blonde knucklehead but I can't find him. I look over to Hinata to see if she knows but she seems to not know where the boy is as well as she shakes her head as our eyes meet. I let a sigh escape my lips before I lay down again. He's probably getting a midnight snack.
A loud crackle was heard, signaling the beginning of the fireworks, and the first firework baffled everyone. It was shaped like Naruto's head. I face palmed before letting a loud laugh escape my lips along with everyone else. Well now we know where Naruto was.
It's been over two weeks since I've seen anyone. It's just been constant training with my mind and my body. The next part of the exams is coming up and I do not intend on fighting in it. Though, I do need access to where the competitors are sitting, so being involved in the third round is to my advantage.
Itachi is nowhere to be seen, to no surprise. Though, knowing him he should be close enough to keep an eye on Sasuke.
I look at the burnt greenery surrounding me before taking in a deep breath. The ever blue and endless sky seems to be almost clear of clouds. The sun shines down with brute force, only being relieved by the small wind that blows through the village. My skin is red; no longer it's porcelain white due to the constant training. The weather has been brutally hot, the sun not going to rest for very long. The sun started to bleach my hair 3 days in. My hair no longer the strong petal pink, it begins to flow along with the small breeze.
My eyes droop slightly before I rub my hands over them. My hands linger over my pounding head, letting out a long and exhausted sigh. I had been having issues sleeping, to no surprise. After the seal was released on the demon last time, the same thing had happened. I know the nightmares won't exhaust for another week at best. The big issue was if I'd be able to handle fighting Orochimaru off with such a small amount of sleep. Yes with the training I've gotten stronger, but with a lack of sleep I could become clumsy and lose focus.
I let that thought vanish as it isn't healthy to be so stressed. I take another quick glance at the damage I had done to my surroundings. I had mastered Water already, and it's only been two weeks since I had started. I began training on Fire after the first week, and by lunchtime tomorrow I plan on mastering Fire as well. After such, I will be beginning on Wind, leaving myself half a week of time to master Earth. Now first off, being able to practically master an element within a week is blasphemy, wanting to do it in less than a week? Insanity at best. Now, if I was anyone else, this would be impossible. A smile spreads across my face.
But I'm not anyone else, I am me.
Using the small amount of Earth chakra and skill I have, I clean the field, fixing most of the damage. Before leaving, using a small Water technique mixed with healing chakra, I fix the burns on the trees and roots. I take my time exiting the field as I am indecisive about where I will be heading for lunch. Thinking it through, and not really wanting to confront much of anyone, I decide to go grab some ingredients from the market so I can make my own lunch, in my own home.
The market had been quiet today so it didn't take me long to get home and start cooking. I hadn't made anything big, knowing I probably wouldn't eat the left overs. Thankfully my house was still running, thanks to Tsunade. She had paid the most recent bill for me, not wanting the Hokage to be suspicious right before the third part of the exams. Thankfully he thought nothing of it and went along with it.
After I had finished eating, I washed the dishes and locked up the house, yet again leaving for the training grounds. Sadly I didn't make it far as a small orange book had come flying towards my head. Noticing the small book I dodged it to avoid a killer headache. I picked up the book, not needing to know who had thrown it. Turning around slightly I look at the three now terrified boys (maybe you could consider one of them a man). I let a menacing smile cross my face before I let out a long sigh. This was when Naruto started crying for me to forgive Kakashi and to not hurt any of them and Kakashi had started inching away thinking of an escape route. The split second before Kakashi was going to make a run for it, I appeared behind him, slapping the small perverted book on his head.
"But, whyyyyyy~?" Naruto whined, looking at me with his attempted puppy dog eyes.
"Naruto, I don't think you understand that training with you guys would do nothing for me. I would learn nothing new and second of all, I wouldn't be getting trained in the first place!" I growled out, causing Kakashi to look away slightly in shame.
"You guys don't even want to spar with me! What am I supposed to do? Sit on the sidelines like always? I would much rather be up and doing something purposeful. Now, I gotta' go, you guys threw me off my schedule, by an hour. Another hour of sleep, I must add." I sighed, just about ready to dash off before my arm was roughly grabbed and pulled by Kakashi.
"What schedule? And why does that hour have to come out of your sleep?" He asked.
"I've been sticking to a rough and precise training schedule. And yes I know a lack of sleep hinders a ninja, but I don't have a choice if you can't tell by my eyes that now look like an owl's eyes." Ripping my arm out of his hold, I dash off, preventing any of them from protesting.
It took less than 2 minutes to reach the training ground I had been at in the morning. Letting out a long and strained sigh, I begin to focus on training my Fire chakra.
"Finished…" I breathe out, trying to catch my breath. It's the day before the third part of the exam, and I have now mastered all 4 elements, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water. Now, yes, I still have to work on the alterations of these elements, but knowing simple jutsu's and some certain special techniques should be enough for the time being. My physical endurance had increased from my daily dash around the village and my practically non-stop training (considering my sleep was close to nothing). My nightmares seemed to have dwindled last night, as I had woken up by my alarm and not from a nightmare. Tonight I was going to make sure I got at least 12 hours of sleep, knowing it was more than overdue.
My now calloused fingers ran down my arm, healing minor scratches that I had gained through the rigorous day of training. Looking and evaluating the training field, satisfied, I left in search of the closest Dango shack. My feet subconsciously brought me to the shop closest to the Uchiha district. Looking around before I entered, I let out a sigh, not quite understanding what made me choose this shop out of the 13 throughout the village, 2 of them within a short distance of her house. Entering the small shop, I evaluated the people within. There was a small family, a mother, a father, and a young girl. There was a man standing to the side, probably waiting for a special order. His head was faced down so I couldn't see his face.
The young girl started to laugh as the shop owner handed her a small pink box with some dango in it. The girls' mother grabbed one of her hands and the father paid as they began to exit the shop. Moving to the side I allowed them to have a clear path out. Once they exited with the now ecstatic young girl, I made my way into the shop, already decided on what I wanted to order. After I finished telling the man what I wanted, he exited to the back to get one of the flavors that I had asked for which wasn't on display.
I walk up to the wall that the man is standing at, leaning up against it with enough distance between us. I let out a soft sigh as I wait for my order.
"Here you go sir, enjoy your day!" The owner came out of the back with an eloquently wrapped box sitting on the counter. The man looked up quickly, face pointed away from me as he took the box, giving a courtesy nod before walking out of the store. Before he exited, something small fell from his pocket. "Here you go miss!"
I pick up the small box before quickly dropping down what I owe him on the counter before snatching up what the man dropped on the ground and chasing after him. Thankfully when I exited the shop I could still spot him as he hadn't walked very far. I dashed up to him, cutting him off. I look up into his eyes and give a strangled laugh, slightly embarrassed of my antics.
I hadn't noticed I had been staring blankly at him, which had made my face probably look like a tomato. Letting out a sigh I quickly take out the small shiny trinket he dropped on the floor, holding it up to the man. "Oh, um, you dropped this in the shop back there!" I nodded, giving a toothy grin.
"Oh! Ha, thanks so much young miss!" His surprisingly deep and raspy voice sighed out in relief. H took the small thing from my hand, only just now taking a glance at it. That is exactly when I let out a loud gasp, realizing exactly what it was and who was in front of me. It was a necklace, but not just any necklace, Itachi's necklace. Now he took my gasp as something different, like I was sick or something was wrong, so when I had gasped his face had contorted to worry and fear. Not knowing what to do, I grabbed his arm and dragged him into an ally. Now it is just about sunset and the shops are all closing and not many people where in the streets, but I didn't want to risk anything happening as I confronted the innocent man in front of me.
"What's wrong?" He said, worry laced through his deep velvety voice. I look up at him, my eyes now watery. I didn't know what to say, what to do, but all I knew was the remorse I felt for the so innocent and sad man before me. Surprising him, I grab him in a hug, a strong one at that. "Itachi…" I whisper out, surprising him even more before pushing me away and up against a wall.
"Who are you and how do you know who I am?" He stared me in the eyes. I looked up, pure empathy displayed in my eyes. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at the emotions in my eyes, purely confused.
"I know Itachi… I know everything…" I sighed, looking up into the now charcoal eyes of Itachi Uchiha.
Okay um, idk, how did you like it? Yes, I know at this point in time, I made Itachi OOC, but he had to pretend to be someone else. Okay whatever, tell me how you enjoyed it! :D Also, sorry if it wasn't obvious but Itachi had used a jutsu to make himself look like someone else.