Disclaimer: I own nothing except the characters I made up and fake history and stuff.

Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams

.;:Chapter Two: Enter, Akari Tsukuyomi: A Battle Ensues! (Pt. 2):;.

When Akari finally arrived at her home, she didn't even think about using the front entrance (that would only make things worse for her), Hitenzo would rip her apart for sure. She only had one choice…sneak in through the window.

The palace where the Main Family of the Tsukuyomi Clan resided was large and about three stories high. It stretched long as well, resembling a small collection of houses put together, but getting in through the window was a small feat, however; getting Yorimaru through any window would take some time. So instead of going through all the trouble of lugging him through the window, she did what any smart person would do: she made him use the front entrance.

In a few swift movements she was using her chakra to climb the large, extravagant house. When she came to her own balcony she noticed a figure sleeping on her own bed. What idiot had the gall to fall asleep in my bed? Who gave them the right!

She flipped over the marble railing and landed lightly on her toes not even making the dust move. Akari opened one of the glass double doors lightly, not wanting to wake this 'sleepy intruder' and slowly but steadily peaked her head inside. It was so quiet you could even hear a senbon needle drop, which reminded her to take out a weapon. You never could be too careful. She reached back for her backpack but found only her pouch full of scrolls and kunai knives. Dang, she hated using kunai. She'd much rather use senbon than anything, they were neat and efficient. Oh Well.

Kunai at the ready, she opened the door a tiny bit wider and slipped through. With her lightning like speed she was across the large room in mere moments and was dangling from the rods above her bed that held its delicate curtains (which were drawn back). The back of her knees and the rod were locked in an embrace as she lowered herself to face the intruder.

Akari lowered her weapon to the attacker's neck and for a moment her heart ceased its beating. Oh, no… what's he doing here?

Why didn't she notice it sooner? The intruder had spiky blonde hair that either belonged to the late Fourth Hokage of the Leaf or the heir to the Morimoto Clan and the betrothed to the heiress of the Tsukuyomi. This guy was also the only one person who'd dare sleep on her bed when she was gone. She rolled her eyes.

She looked him over and Akari noticed he wasn't under her sheets but was indeed just on top of her bed. The blonde boy wore loose white Capri pants that tied and the end of the knee and a pale, thin but gold etched green long sleeved shirt. And the boy had his darn feet at the head of her bed! The nerve of some people!

Akari zeroed in on his face he looked like he'd been crying.

She was paying almost no attention to his face, when the boy's eyes popped open and his body swung up in an upwards motion towards the tip of her kunai.

"Hitenzo, we're about a half a day's journey to where your home resides," Kakashi said sitting down across from the old man at the table where there supper was being served. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke followed suit, taking their seats as well in bath robes.

They had spent a day and a half traveling in the carriage and finally decided to rest up at an Inn.

Naruto was about to start chowing down when Sakura slapped his hand.

"The objectives of the mission at hand just increased: First we must locate the missing Heiress, Second we have to protect her at all costs, and Third make sure she makes it to the crowning ceremony on time," Kakashi sighed and finished counting off his list and looked over at Hitenzo, "If we have to first locate the girl then we need a picture of sorts to positively id her." Kakashi stated.

Hitenzo nodded his head and stood up and walked over to where some of his possessions were being kept. After rummaging through them for a while he returned with a picture grasped firmly in his hands almost possessively. "Here she is the Princess."

Sasuke was only a little interested in the ongoing conversation, it didn't peak his interest like the conversation in the carriage did. The thing that really got him was when he mentioned Tsukuyomi. The Tsukuyomi was a genjutsu, but also the name of a clan. His brother's favorite move was the Tsukuyomi. Maybe this clan had some connection to the Sharingan, and held secrets to defeating his technique. Whatever those connections are I will find out! And I'll be that much stronger and that much closer to killing Itachi…

"Yo! Earth to Sasuke! What the heck's wrong with you? All spaced out and what not-what's eating you?" the idiot blurted in Sasuke's right ear.

"Shut up you dobe and stop asking stupid questions. I can't think?" Sasuke shot back fiercely ignoring the look of protest on the blonde's face.

"She is quite lovely, Hitenzo. Very beautiful," Kakashi commented passing the picture to Sakura. And which each new hand that touched this picture, Sasuke noticed Hitenzo would squirm slightly as if fearing for the picture slightly.

He smirked inwardly; he must be her guardian or something.

"Wow!" Sakura exclaimed, "She's so gorgeous and her hair is so long and…Pink!"

"What's wrong with pink?" Kakashi grinned, and Sakura blushed handing the photo back to Kakashi who handed it over to Naruto.

"Our Princess is the pride of our clan with beauty identical to her mother Lady Benihime," Hitenzo spoke obvious pride in his voice. "No other has her angelic beauty…" the man's voice trailed off with that but Sasuke couldn't help but notice that the man wanted to continue but stopped himself. He sounded like he was going to say 'except' but Sasuke let it go, they'd find more about this subject soon enough and hopefully it wouldn't be too late.

"Gosh, she sure is pretty!" the blonde exclaimed grinning like a buffoon, "Right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes scanned the picture. There was a caramel skinned girl with long hair, that had curls at the ends and yes her hair was defiantly a bubble gum pink. This girl's hair wasn't like Sakura's; by the looks of hers you could tell she hadn't worked a day in her existence. Her hair was too shiny too perfect. The princess in the photo wore a long flowing, mint green kimono with a burgundy ribbon tied around her waist which had what looked like silver flowers stitched into it. Obviously this wasn't really made for walking, just for show. She had long dark eyes lashes and piercing silver eyes that were filled with bliss. The girl was holding a bouquet of flowers in her delicate hands whist being surrounded by thousands of flowers in a garden. This was no Shinobi, she wasn't even normal. She was like the man said, "a princess."

He looked closer at the female's small face shape and the bright yellow sun shaped diamond hair pin that was stuck in her hair. She looked familiar; in fact the picture triggered something in the back of his mind. A long ago forgotten memory, he didn't relive until now. It couldn't be her, could it? No, something was off about this picture, he had only known two people with pink hair and that was Sakura and that woman from before…but her hair wasn't pink was it? He certainly never remembered ever seeing this girl, no, not with pink hair but her face, those thick lashes and thin eyebrows those did look familiar, even the length of her hair kept bothering him. Where have I see her? Didn't that day in the village Itachi…? No. So who is she, and why do I remember a hair pin?

Despite all of his inner questions he had to admit she was okay looking. She was defiantly not the type of girl he'd like if he was concerned with that sort of thing. The girl was too pampered and obviously couldn't do anything for herself. She was in one word-weak. Even Sakura could probably eat her alive. She was the defended not the defender. The hunted not a hunter. In other words she was a baby lamb not a lion.

He handed the picture over to Hitenzo and asked, "How recent is this photo?"

"Well," the man started, "I took it two weeks ago, the beginning of spring to be exact."

"I see. This pin," Sasuke pointed toward the hair pin, "Is there any more like it?"

"Dang, Sasuke you playing 20 questions or something?" Naruto said frowning, then a smile broke across his face, "I told you she was pretty!"

He laughed and was quickly shushed by Kakashi who apparently found his interrogations quite interesting.

"There were only ever two pins similar to that one, and one had the sun and moon diamonds on it and the other and a crystal moon."

"What the heck is wrong with you Kazune? I could have killed you, you idiot!" Akari screamed at the smiling boy.

Kazune wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, "Where did you run off to? You had me worried, there. I thought I would have to find you myself. And why do you always call me by full name when you yell at me? I like the way you say my name but I prefer when it when you call me Miki like you always did since we were little, Kari." He said pulling her tighter her hands where aloft to her sides and the kunai was embedded into the nearby wall.

"Kazune, let go of me! And were you crying just now?" she asked as his hold did not loosen.

"I wish you'd tell me when you plan to disappear," he said in her ear is calm voice sounding a little possessive, "Or at least take me with you next time you go. You realize I always worry about you…the most."

"Whatever. You done yet? I don't want to forcefully remove you from my room, Kazune." She spat at him trying to wiggle out of his grasp. The boy was taller than she but certainly not stronger; if she wanted to she could snap him like a twig. He was slim and like many of the nobles he didn't do much.

He buried his head in her hair, "I wish you'd stop being so cold to me. You act like you hate me."

Why did he always feel the need to do this? It makes her sick how he'd act so whiny and needy all the time. On more than one occasion she's told him to man up or something along those lines and he'd just smile at her with his great, shiny, sparkly amazing smile. She was immune to his handsome face and overprotective attitude and wonderful personality by now. Sarcasm.

She finally shoved him off and felt a little sorry for him after he recovered and looked at her with those vibrant, electric green eyes of his that were the prize you could win if you married the guy. Yep, you'd get to look at those eyes all day.

"You know you can't come with me Miki… you wouldn't last a day outside all this," she gestured around her, "Besides you can't go roaming around with me anymore like when we were eleven." She said and wanted to say, "Because you're betrothed now."

"You're probably right," Miki said smiling, "But that still doesn't mean I can't. You do all the time and you're a girl. If you can," the boy said leaning into her face, "I can."

Way to close, she thought scooting away and looking toward her window, the sun's going down…full moon tonight.

"I'm leaving," the girl finished, getting up when a hand shot up and grabbed hers.

"You can't," Kazune replied, "There's something I need to tell you about Kaori."

She couldn't stay any longer; she had really had to leave now.

"Wait! Stay, I need you," he said urgently as she thrust open the balcony doors.

"Go and ask your betrothed for help." She spat at him jumping from the railing and continuing to run as he called her name.

Akari didn't stop running until she was deep into the forest of their little 'town'. She didn't want to deal with that old crush she used to have on him before she found out, he'd be marrying Revie. Of course she didn't blame her sister, she was born first and that just what happen's in the family. Akari just happened to be born a second later than her twin. The one who's supposed to be the Head is to be married first. Strange tradition but it is what it is. We couldn't help what we was born into, she couldn't help she was born with the sun and I couldn't help I was born with the moon. Besides…there's only one person I truly love…not that he thought of me that way.

She began to walk again and stopped when she reached a tiny clearing and sat on a rock and turned her body to face the moon which was no longer blocked by trees. Sadly the moon was not full, I must have gotten the wrong date on the calendar. That's strange; she paused looking up at the moon, its blood red.

"You always were fond of the darkness," the one voice in the whole world that she knew without even having to think about it spoke to her softly.

"Not the darkness, but the beautiful light you could find in it," she replied turning to face Itachi Uchiha.

Sasuke just couldn't shake the feeling that he met her before. Even when the rest of his team slept he just couldn't stop thinking about it. He stood next to the window and looked up toward the above moon. Another night and it'll be full, Sasuke thought as an eerie feeling crawled over his skin, the moon is covered in blood?

Without thinking about it Akari bolted up and buried her head in his chest, "Took you long enough! Why didn't you come sooner? You promised the last time." She said and tried to remember the last time they met, but it was all fuzzy and made her head hurt to think about it.

"Forgive me," Itachi replied. And Akari released him almost immediately after he said those words. He told her those words when he left before her mother was taken away from her. Thinking about her mother being murdered was something she didn't like to dwell on too often. Her insides started to burn and her face began to feel funny but as always; she didn't shed a tear.

She shook her head, "Itachi?"

His eyes were impassive and not the same as they were before. Before he had a type of light to his eyes only to be described as breathtaking, that wasn't so now. His Sharingan masked his true eyes and even though she thought his Sharingan was beautiful it scared her a little tonight. He never wore his Sharingan with me before; she thought unconsciously backing away, what happened to make him so…cold.

As if he sensed her pause his eyes lightened a little, "Usually I'd ask if you missed me but…that doesn't seem the case." He neared her and she shivered slightly when he kissed her forehead, "You also didn't address me by saying 'big brother' either. What's wrong? You do not fear me do you?"

She saw a small smile twitch at the corner of his lips and she released her worries, "Sorry just…a little shaken today that's all. Besides you know why I don't call you big brother anymore so don't get so," she paused as he smiled a little bigger. A few years ago she told him she loved him more than any man on the face of the earth. She kind of regret saying it now it made her look so young and childish, not strong.

"Don't worry I remember," he said brushing her hair to the side and sticking a pin in her hair, "You dropped this when you were hunting."

"Oh," she blushed but thank God you couldn't tell on her skin but faintly, "You watched?"

"Of course had to make sure you weren't mauled by any animals," he said laughing.

The girl protested, "You don't have to watch over me anymore you know! I have been training with the Raikage and his brother for years now, I'm not the same little girl you met being hunted by a wolf, Itachi. I'm a Shinobi now, I may not be at your level but-"

"I wish you wouldn't get so angry with me," he cut in taking her chin his hand. Usually at a time like this she would giggle like crazy and think 'big brother's so pretty' but not this time she couldn't stay a child forever.

She turned away from him and sighed, "I wish you wouldn't treat me like such a kid, Itachi."

"I don't mean to get you so upset, but you're right you aren't that little girl I used to find searching for me in the woods or clinging to my sides every time I would visit…I should go now," he sighed, and turned, "I have someone waiting for me."

"It's not a girl is it!" she blurted out and quickly then covered her mouth.

He laughed, "I didn't realize you were so protective of me. But no."

She stood on the rock and wrapped her arms his neck and clung to him like a child would a favorite teddy bear. He still faced forward but spoke, "I didn't know I had this effect on you."

She frowned, "Liar."

He chuckled, "I can't take you with me, you have a family and friends. You belong here."

"Did you give that same speech to your brother when you left," she said wanting her words to hurt to cut him like the many times his has cut her.

"Akari, it's not the same besides, your sister needs you right know and so does your father."

"Why do you always bring those two up? Yes I love my sister dearly and would kill for her, but she has my father and the rest of my clan. My father has his precious heir and I only have her and Yorimaru. So don't go this time just stay."

He sighed.

"My father hasn't looked at me with love in his eyes since the day I was born and he never will. I don't know if all parents have favorites but mine had. Brother and Revie were his and me? I don't even know. Mother took me everywhere with her but it was just another way of apologizing for me not being born like her. She was day and me, I'm night."

"You know I can't stay."

"I do." She admitted, "I do like to try though, so next time come back sooner."

He nodded.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"You're such a liar, Itachi. But I don't care either way."

He turned to face his eyes locked into hers, "And you were always so naïve, Akari."

She looked into his Sharingan and everything went black.

Akari woke up on the couch in her mother's study where no one else dared to go except her. Damn-Darn you Itachi!

She stood up and walked out the door down the hallway and up another flight of stairs. While she walked she noticed there was a large commotion coming from downstairs, she didn't really care either way so she continued to her room; wasn't any of her business. She was just an extra.

Akari came to her room to bathe and noticed Miki wasn't on her bed anymore. What time was it? How long I was out? She needed some answers but she also needed a bath so after she had that she went to look for Revie.

Went she reached Revie's room she heard sniffling and great sobs coming from the room so she entered knowing the only person who could cheer Revie up was she. So in a way Itachi was right Revie did need me. That just made her love him more; he's the most unselfish person I know.

She walked in and was surprised at what she saw, a grown man crying in the middle of Revie's room. That's bizarre.

The man turned on her and embraced her; she was surprised because this was the first in like four years that he actually hugged her, "I'm sorry I failed you, Akari. B-But she's gone. They took her and I was too weak to stop them."

Akari shrugged away from her father, "What do you mean, she's gone? Who is she?" that's when it all finally hit her. Miki wanted to talk to her about Kaori, and he had been crying.

"They finally succeeded. They kidnapped Kaori," her father sobbed and silent alien tears began to run down her face, "No…"

"When will we get there? I'm starved!" Naruto roared.

"We'll be there in a few hours, so calm down Naruto." Kakashi replied simply.

I can't wait till we get there and then maybe Sasuke will stop acting so weird, Naruto thought glancing over at his raven-haired comrade, he hasn't said anything all morning and last night he was talking in his sleep about some girl named Kari or Akara or something, I'm starting to get worried.

Sakura locked eyes with him she too worried, I hope this hasn't anything to do with Itachi or Sasuke just might…

The only thing she and her father had in common was Kaori or Revie as Akari nicknamed her when they were little. Kaori gave everyone an excuse to be selfish with her, she was light itself and in Akari's opinion she was the only thing that redeemed their entire family. Her angelic smile and chipper and blissful demeanor was only one of the many things that made her a light. Even though Akari became a second thought to the family because Kaori was around, she really didn't care. Kaori was pure and couldn't help the way she was. Akari would rather her sister be the head anyway, so that everyone would do their part in protecting her. That is also what pushed Akari to become strong. She loved Kaori she really did but Kaori couldn't truly defend herself so she volunteered to take care of that. And Kaori was the one who looked up to Akari because she regarded Akari as her big sister.

Akari grabbed her legs and pulled them to her as she sat huddled by the window in her sister's room. She had been sitting there since the yesterday morning and now it was about to be dawn again. The only thing she did since then was bathe again and then she did it to make herself stop crying. Her father after a while of trying to get her to talk gave up and left the room. The only person who didn't give up on her was Yorimaru who was by her side in the darkness.

Revie's voice ran through her ears the whole night:

"Hey, Akari! What are you doing practicing your aim? Can I watch?"

"Here, Kari. Smell these roses, there your favorites right?"

"I brought you some lunch! Time for a break!'

"Can you show me how to throw senbon?"

"Wow Akari! You're so amazing!"

"You're going to be a splendid Shinobi one day, I'm sure of it!"

One particular incident rattled through her brain.

"Hey, why are you in the woods Akari?" Revie asked, coming closer to her sister.

"Did you follow me in here? You know it's dangerous, let's go back," she said taking steps toward the house and her sister.

"Here smell these blue roses!" Revie said trying to go downhill but fell instead the bouquet of roses she held fell all along the ground.

Immediately after she fell Akari sensed a presence stalking her sister and reached for a rose at her feet, its stem was cut at a sharp point. She threw the rose like she would a senbon needle or kunai and it made contact with the predatory animal who was stalking her sister, in mid pounce. Quickly she threw two more and nailed it in the neck.

Her sister picked up her dress and dragged her eleven year old self over to Akari.

"Oh Akari, give me your hand those roses must have cut you!" Revie tore a piece of cloth from her favorite dress and wrapped it around her sister's scratched hand, "there, all better!"

Akari stared at her sister who wasn't even scared, "Thank you Revie."

"Thank you Akari for saving me," the girl smiled.

"You weren't scared?"

"Of course not! As long as you're here what's there to be scared about!"

Akari wiped every tear from her face and stood up, there's no time to cry, my sister's counting on me! I've got save her!

She went to her room and found a cloak and her things. Akari strapped her shuriken holder to her right thigh and faced her window, it's early noon now, and I've got to get going.

"Its about time!" the blonde shouted as they walked toward the palace, through the rest of the little town that surrounded it.

"Hn." Sasuke said as he stopped and looked on the ground. A figure was casting a shadow. There was someone on the roof of the building above them. He looked up and saw a girl with long hair that was the colors of the moon and she wore a long cloak.

"Sasuke, do you see what I see?" Naruto asked in a slightly more serious tone. The building was about two stories but it wasn't anything special so the girl was quite easy to see.

He looked at her face and both of their eyes locked for an instanst. The girl's eyes were pink. A shocked look crossed the girl's face and she full on her hood and ran in the opposite direction.

Without thinking, Sasuke's feet were off the ground and he was tailing her, Naruto beside him. You can't escape.

"Naruto! Sasuke wait!" Kakashi shouted after them but Sasuke didn't hear. All he knew was that something was wrong here and he was determined to find out!

Damn! They spotted me! What are ninja doing here? Maybe they came for my sister but were too late? She reasoned turning to leave, whatever the reason they're not going to get what they came for!

Akari jumped over the side of the building and in mid leap she turned her body to face her pursuers and pulled out six senbon clutched between her fingers. She made an 'x' with her arms and her eyes quickly searched for the weakest link. Behind the two boys was a much slower girl in red, Gotcha! She realized something as she was readying the senbon but she didn't aim for vital spots as she had planned to. Akari pulled her shot as soon as she saw the girl's pink hair. Instead she aimed for the ends of her clothes and settled for throwing the needles with enough force to pin the girl down. Akari channeled her chakra into the senbon and took the shot with enough speed the girl didn't see it coming.

As the girl plummeted Akari heard what looked like the oldest of the four of them, call her name, Sakura I think.

She continued picking up her pace and charged over the houses and various buildings and headed for the clearing inside the forest where she was sure she could finish them.

As she was running her hood flew off and her hair blew out behind her along with the wind, oh well, she felt better with the thing off any way.

"Hey! Princess slow down, we're here to bring you back to the palace!" the blonde haired one yelled behind her.

She sped up even further until she heard some footsteps behind her, the blonde had made shadow clones! I guess a fight can't be helped!

Akari didn't slow her pace and as the thought began in her mind her hands began to weave signs. She jumped into the air above the clones and put her hands together:

Wind Style! Never-ending Cyclone!

A tornado like wind cycle escaped her mouth and obliterated every clone on site.

"I assumed she couldn't fight," Naruto replied to Sasuke who just gave him a look, "She being a princess and all."

"Naruto didn't you notice something's up with her," Sasuke said to the idiot, both still in persuit, "She not the girl from the photo."

A look of surprise crossed Naruto's face.

"That's right ya dobe, she has blue hair and the girl in the photo has pink. They're not the same girl. That means…" he waited for Naruto to draw his own conclusion.

"She's an imposter."

"Something along those lines."

"But shouldn't we hold back Sasuke? She might know something about the real princess. And she is a girl after all."

"Yeah and she's also a girl who completely obliterated your shadow clones without blinking an eye." But the dobe's right we can't afford to have her too hurt, we just need to capture her…but the girl's pretty fast. How are we going to capture her if she's this fast? Not to mention the little girl uses senbon needles just like Haku, damn, Sasuke smiled, this sure is going to be interesting.

A look of doubt crossed his face as kunai came barring into their direction. Sasuke deflected some and dodged the rest, what was her game? And if she was a princess how did she learn to fight like that?

"Why are you following me?" the girl shouted in front of them.

"Why are you running?" Sasuke replied. The girl stopped and Sasuke noticed they were in a clearing now and beside them stood a lake. We're screwed if she uses water style too.

"Yeah, we're not going to hurt you," Naruto added as ten clones appeared at his sides. Idiot!

The girl smiled and her fast hands drew some signs and she pulled out about eight senbon. A shadow clone jutsu?

In a small puff of smoke the number of senbon increased to what Sasuke guessed to be about eighty. What are you planning to do?

"You two seem to be pretty light on your feet. So I don't plan on going easy on you in fact I'll give you the honor of experiencing one of my own jutsu. But I must warn you its damn near impossible to dodge. If you do make it out…," the girl's grin turned deadly, "it will be nothing less than a miracle."

Wind Style! Damn! "Naruto! Move! Get behind me!" Sasuke yelled as the girl finished with her last sign.

"Wind Style: Dancing Claws!"

Sasuke's hands moved as the mountain of senbon accelerated in their direction:

Fire Style! Fire-Ball Jutsu!

The fire ball consumed most of the senbon and it was easy enough to have Naruto's clones take the rest of them. Relived Sasuke smirked, "I thought you said it was damn near impossible to dodge. Or was all that just talk."

The smoke cleared and Sasuke's eyes searched for the girl.

"Nope. It was just a distraction," she replied coolly.

"For what?"

"This!"

Sasuke had barely enough time to register the girl standing next to him before he received a kick that sent him flying.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted and charged the girl. "I don't want to hurt you!"

The girl paused and stared at Naruto, then shook her head. She looked as if she was contemplating something, "I wish I could believe you," she said as her figure was now a blur, "But I can't afford to be lied to. Forgive me…but I'll have to kill you."

N/A: Did you like? Please review.