Saki washed a plate. It was a mundane thing she enjoyed doing. Her mind was on other things as she washed the plate.
She stared at the window for a long while, her mind racing even as she went through the motions of washing and rewashing the same plate in her hand.
"Saki."
She jerked, the plate flying across the kitchen. Itachi caught it.
"You're jumpy."
"I was just thinking..." Saki paused. "Isn't it odd? It's the solar eclipse year."
"Our most sacred time," Itachi nodded, meaning the Uchiha Clan. "Mixed with a lunar eclipse at the same time."
"I think that we may have a chance," Itachi admitted. "But, according to legend, the one wasn't Uchiha and didn't rise."
"They didn't have the Imperial Regalia." Saki heard Itachi's sharp breath. "Relax. Tsunade-sama allowed me to hunt it down. I was able to find the actual Yata no Kagami and the Yasakani no Magatama; all that is left is finding the Kusanagi no Tsurugi." She shrugged. "It's far-fetched to think that the tale could be real, but if it is..."
"Naruto's personality can be described as the sun." Itachi closed his eyes. "And the hair... Well. She used to be a blonde. Let's hope Amaterasu thinks that Naruto is worth it."
"Yeah..." Saki shivered. "We actually do need a few more components, other than Kusanagi no Tsurugi, though that one is the one we're going to need and the most time-consuming to look for."
Itachi nodded. "All this does hinge on whether or not we find the Kusanagi and a second person in case it's necessary."
Yes, the Uchiha's sacred festival of the solar eclipse was coming up. But the real reason they needed Naruto was not so far off anymore.
They would need all the ninja they could get.
~:~
Naruto ignored Neji's stare and read the book Shisui was letting her borrow.
"How long have you been -?"
"Ten years, give or take a few weeks," Naruto answered quickly. "Her son, Mitsuki, is going to be eleven - I've helped raise him." A small, proud smile came onto her face.
"Is that why you're sad?"
The smile became tinged with melancholy. "Partially." She paused. Than she spoke. "I was furious when I was ordered to come here."
Neji blinked. "Why?"
"Because she..." Naruto looked torn. "She ordered me to wipe out a clan with a doujutsu."
Neji's eyes remained normal. "The Uchiha seem to piss everyone off."
Her guilty look made him reconsider.
"Oh." He bit his lip. "Well, it's not exactly a huge surprise someone wanted to kill us Hyuuga."
She glanced up at him, incredulous. "Please tell me I did not just hear you excuse my behavior!"
"You heard me excuse your behavior. I didn't realize you had a hearing problem as well as a living problem." Neji's joke was halfhearted. It still caused her to crack a tiny smile.
"I'm living-impaired."
Neji snorted. "You are that."
"If you want, I can be dead quiet."
A slight pause. Neji started to laugh, and Naruto laughed with him.
When they were out of breath, Naruto giggled some more.
"What?" Neji asked breathlessly.
"I'm out of breath," she sniggered, giggling once more.
Neji couldn't quite keep his own laughs to himself.
"Still lame," he chuckled. "Still lame."
She grinned. "You know it."
"Don't ever change, Naruto." Neji smirked. "Don't ever change."
Naruto smiled. "I don't think I could if I wanted to."
Neji took a deep breath and stood up. "Let's go walk."
Naruto frowned. "I thought I was supposed to stay inside?"
Neji shrugged. "I was never told that. Can you eat?"
"I don't need to," Naruto replied with a shrug. "I don't have an urge to eat, or anything. What I have eaten was mostly to blend in and I really don't think it's a good idea if most of the ninja population doesn't know I still exist on this plane."
Neji shrugged. "So wear a henge. I'm thinking pizza. Come on."
He dragged her out. It was only Naruto's desire to not destroy the floorboards that allowed her to stumble after Neji.
~:~
Her henge was imperfect, of course, but Neji threw a cloak over her and they went to eat.
Cheese pizza was what Naruto picked, and she took a slice and stared at it as if it were an alien.
She ate it.
"Oh, yummy! It's converting into energy," she hummed, picking up another slice. "It's really good, too!" She kept eating, Neji smirking as he picked up his own piece.
"You have cheese on your face," he said, stopping himself from laughing.
She scowled at him, then smiled. "I haven't eaten in ten years," she said, looking content.
Neji smiled. "Glad I could help."
They stared at each other for a long moment as several other ninja entered, laughing loudly.
"Some kid came in with an Edo Tensei," the drunk shinobi snorted. "Them ANBU types, they took 'im to T&I. Friggin' idiots! I mean, the kid hardly seems old enough, though he did have the look."
"What look?" sniggered another.
Naruto stood, her henge appearing. She walked over to him.
"Is the kid about ten, pale skin, white hair?"
"Yes," the drunk laughed.
Naruto nodded. "Thank you."
She walked to Neji, then yanked him up.
"I'm going to sneak into ANBU. If they're torturing him, you need to stop them," she told Neji.
"I take it this is the child you're protecting?" Neji asked as they hurried along.
"His name is Mitsuki," Naruto replied. "He's her son - hers and..." She hesitated.
"And?" Neji prompted.
"Orochimaru's." Naruto winced.
