Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto only this plot.

Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams

.;:Chapter Seven: Tea, Traitors, & The Journey:;.

Part Two: Traitors

"I still can't believe you," Akari said as she supported Takamaru's weight. "How long have you been under cover?"

"One year," he grunted, his pretty orange hair swinging back and forth. "One long, terrible year."

"I'm sorry," she replied as they walked on, Kakashi in front and Sasuke and Naruto behind them. "You're here now though. That's all that truly matters."

"You would say that," he grumbled under his breath, earning an elbow in the ribs from her. He laughed.

"Once we stop," she slapped his forehead, "you can finish healing yourself and be more of a help in the coming fight. I can't support you the whole time."

He rolled his eyes with a smile, "Yeah, but…" he nodded towards Kakashi, "Why are we with Leaf ninja? Why didn't your father contact the Cloud? The Cloud is much closer."

Akari frowned, "There's bad blood between my father and the Raikage. My father blames him for Akirin's death, my brother." My great father blames him for everything…even me.

"I see…"

"My father may not be a great leader but he loved Akirin, and he loved him as he loved no one else. It broke his spirit when my brother died, especially after what happened to my—"

Akari stopped, "Just know that the Leaf can be trusted. Don't doubt me on that. Also…" she stared ahead, "Well…we'll move faster if we move in silence."

Takamaru glanced over at her, his friend, but could not catch her eye, she wouldn't let him. Who are you, now, Akari? You've changed. "Right."

"We rest here for the night," Kakashi said, as they all set up camp. He took a cursory glance around his group of genin. They're more alert than I've ever seen them. That's a good sign. Still… "Sakura, you and I will take the first watch. Akari, see if you can get some water. Sasuke, I'll leave the wood and fire to you. And Naruto…put that tent down before you hurt yourself."

"Aw, Kakashi-sensei!" he pointed a furious finger at his instructor, "You didn't say anything about it to Sasuke!"

"Because Sasuke actually knew what he was doing." Kakashi said evenly, "Go with Akari and keep watch. She may be skilled but she's still a princess and I'm sure Mr. Hitenzo will rest easy knowing that she is in your capable hands."

Sasuke snorted.

Wide eyed with smoke coming out of his ears, he turned on his dark-haired friend, "YOU GOT A PROBLEM, SASUKE?"

Akari laughed and grabbed onto Naruto's wrist, dragging him away, "Let's go, whiskers, and leave him to his brooding."

They traveled a ways into the woods before the two of them caught the quiet running of water.

Hearing the sound, she immediately slapped her companion's shoulder frantically. "Naruto!"

"Yeah," he smiled, "I hear it too." He took off toward the sound, Akari on heels. "O-Kay! Here we go!"

He pulled out the metal containers and began filling up one after another, his hands working eagerly. When one dropped through his hands he shouted, "Aw man!" but didn't stop work.

Unable to help herself, Akari just stared at him with a smile. "Are you always this excited, Naruto?"

"Huh?" he looked up, his face red with a big, cheese eating grin on his face, "Yeah, I guess so. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." She said, "You just remind me of my sister. I love people like you."

He blushed for real this time, ducking his head, "Yeah, well, thanks. You seem pretty happy too, despite your sister being kidnapped."

Akari pulled her head back to look at the night sky, "It's like you said. I have to keep moving forward. She expects me, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, and when we find the guy who took her, I will show him no mercy!" Naruto raised his fist in the air, accidentally knocking all of the water containers into the stream. He swore, and immediately grabbed after them, never losing his smile.

Thank you, Naruto. I wonder how many other people you've won over just by being you, no titles, no money…I wish I could be that way too

I wish…

Instead, she felt more like Sasuke. In a perpetual state of anger, burdened by things out of her reach, she lived in a world that she was apart from. Separate.

Akari watched as the last of the embers died. There was a small crack in the tent that allowed her to see Kakashi, not far from the fire, keeping watch over the camp. After weaving the hand signs, her clone climbed into her now vacant spot as she slipped out the back of the tent. She walked slow, with no real rhyme or reason. Her ears led her back to the stream, her eyes were trained on the moon. The water in the clear stream trickled down in a melody that calmed her raging insides. She bent down to take a sip…

"Who's there?" she called out into the night, her weapon drawn. She flipped to the other side of the stream and peered over to the edge of the trees. Low, from the bushes,… sprang a spring rabbit. Its eyes beady, its nose twitching this way and that, it looked up at her and scampered away. With a sigh of relief she dropped her weapon hand. "Just another rabbit."

"There you go again, letting down your guard."

Sasuke opened his eyes with a start. It was that dream again…his parents falling right in front of him. What he wouldn't give to be put to sleep. He wouldn't ask Kakashi, Naruto would kill him and Sakura…no.

He'd ask Akari, maybe with her powers she could rid him of this—no to that as well. He needed to hang on to that memory, it fixed his resolve. It made him strong.

Sasuke turned over, and pretended to fall asleep.

"Itachi, you bastard!" she spun on him and tried to hit him but he easily caught her hand. With a huff, she allowed her outrage to be replaced with unabashed happiness, "What are you doing here?"

"Not being a rabbit." He said simply, looking over her shoulder.

With a roll of her eyes, she practically skipped closer to him, "I've missed you."

"I figured." He said with a gentle smile, "But that's not why I'm here."

Of course not, she thought, you're never here for that. "Then why?"

Disappointment filled her stomach and she clenched her teeth. "Is it because of Sasuke?"

Itachi didn't comment, only continued on like she hadn't spoken at all, "You're going into a very dangerous place. Yoruken has a hundred or so mercenaries working for him, all surrounding that castle. It won't be easy. He aims to kill you, you know. This isn't a game, Akari."

"I know that!" she said sharply, "But I'm not a little girl, Itachi. I can handle myself. Besides, I'm with Leaf shinobi—strong shinobi. I'll be fine." She laughed, "I couldn't imagine Naruto giving in to anyone."

"Naruto?"

"The blonde kid." Akari said with a smile, "He's kind of cute. Stop pretending you don't know. I know you've been following us. Otherwise…how else would you find me?"

He sighed.

"Do I exhaust you?" Akari asked with a tilt of her head. "Or is this jealousy?"

It wasn't jealousy. He didn't see her that way, she knew it, but she loved to think it.

"Whatever you say," Itachi never corrected her, she expected it was because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He was really kind. Really. Despite those horrible rumors. "I wish you'd take my warnings seriously."

"I do…I take everything you say seriously." She swallowed, her head dropping low. "You know I do."

With another sigh, he reached out to her and tapped her forehead with two fingers. She smiled brightly. "Now…what else can you tell me?"

"First," he said, "I want you to tell me how your power works. Everything."

She nodded eagerly. "That's fair."

After she was finished, he nodded, his eyes low. She stared at his beautiful face, he had lines traveling from his eyes and down his cheeks. She longed to trace those lines. Would he let me?

"Akari."

"Yes!"

She realized she had one hand outstretched, reaching for his face, she was centimeters away from it.

"You said that the leader of your clan is the only one to have both the daydream and the nightmare ability, correct?"

She nodded.

"This leader is always female and her hair is always two shades…am I right?"
Akari frowned. "That's how it is usually but Revie wasn't born with two toned hair…just the pink."

"Hmm. You're sure?"

"I am." She said, "I know her better than I know myself."

"Well," Itachi said, "What are you doing?"

Her hand was still extended. Under his soft gaze she dropped her hand. "Nothing."

"I must be going," he said, his voice so low it made her tremble, "dawn is beginning to break."

"Oh," she tried to hide her sadness with a smile. "Well in that case—"

She lunged forward and buried her head into his chest. He smelled like forest. She squeezed him, getting dizzy. She was absolutely infatuated with him. It made her feel small, stupid. But it was so strong, carried for so long, fueled for ever by so little as a glance that she wasn't even sure she'd be ashamed if anyone found out. People did know…and she was never ashamed. In his anger, Takamaru had called it a silly dream. Dream or not, she didn't want to wake up.

She let him go. "Walk me back?"

Sakura watched as the girl beside her would be quiet one moment and suddenly seized with a huge grin the next. "Is something bothering you?"

Akari looked up, glanced around and waved her hand, "I'm imagining Yoruken's death is all. What are you doing?" on the contrary, she was thinking about Itachi but Sakura needn't know that.

"Um," Sakura looked down at her hands, "Sorry I interrupted."

"No sweat." She patted Sakura on the shoulder, still smiling to herself. "How much further until we receive reinforcements?"

"Kakashi-sensei said they we'd come to the border shortly."

Akari sighed, "This is taking longer than I thought it would."

"I know," Sakura said, "Kakashi is moving slower because he wants us to have time to restore our strength. He isn't doing it because he doesn't care…"

"Oh, I know. I just—she's right there, you know?" Just in reach.

"Stay motivated," Sakura said sweetly, holding her fists close to her chest, her eyes strong, 'We'll get there….I promise!"

Akari nodded. Takamaru, who was just beside Naruto fell back to Akari's side.

"So," he said, keeping his voice low and his eyes trained forward. "Where did you go last night?"

Naruto elbowed Sasuke, who had, despite never saying anything, gone rigdedly silent.

Naruto could make out Akari's words, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't pretend you didn't sneak off, Kari." Takamaru practically growled, "That was very stupid. What the hell were you thinking? That Akatsuki could have—"

"I was thinking that you don't get to ask those questions. Or talk to me as if you've lost your mind," Akari's voice was different, elevated like a noblewoman's, "Pray that the next time I speak with Ai, your Raikage, I won't remember your disrespect."

Takamaru's voice faltered, showing his surprise at her sudden hostile tone, "A-Akari?"

"The conversation is over." She waved her hand at him, and he moved forward again, matching pace with Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto glanced over at the oranged haired guy beside him. "Hey," he asked, "What was all that about?"

Takamaru didn't say anything at first but after a huff of unchecked anger his words blurted out, "Akari has some very dangerous habits. They're going to get her killed one day."

"Alright," Kakashi turned to the group, "We're stopping here. Team Gai will meet us here as soon as they can. Hitenzo cannot go much further." He gestured to the man beside him, astride the tiger. He had been completely silent all day. "He's exhausted."

Akari fought back the flicker of annoyance that rolled across her face. She had to remember that Hitenzo was more a civilian than she was. She couldn't expect him to go on forever. With a smile she moved to help him down. "Here," she gave Hitenzo her water as she settled him against a tree, "I'll go get more water…"

"No."

Akari turned to Kakashi's voice, "Why?"

Kakashi didn't answer, "Sakura…Sasuke…Naruto. You'll be taking care of dinner tonight. Go catch some fish and be sure to get a lot of water."

Sakura frowned, looking between Kakashi and Akari, "All three of us?"

"Yes. One of you has to catch the fish, another has to get wood and I'll expect the other to get the water…" Kakashi said as if the matter explained itself, "Does that answer your question?"

Sakura nodded and with a final glance she turned away.

Akari shouted out to the group, "Catch me a big one!"

"I'm on it!" Naruto replied. Akari laughed, watching them retreat.

As soon as they seemed to be a safe distance away, Kakashi turned on her, "You've been sneaking out."

"I…" Akari stood to her feet. "I wouldn't call taking a walk sneaking." She laughed it off. "Am I not allowed to move around?"

"Not if you're sneaking off to meet S-Rank criminals."

"You told!" Akari spun on Takamaru, who had stood next to Kakashi. "I can't believe you!"

"This isn't about him," Kakashi said evenly, "What else do you know about the Akatsuki?"

"I don't know anything!" Akari tried to regain her calm, reached for that cool of hers that she was trained to maintain. She reached for the princess. "Besides, I don't believe that has anything to do with you."

"It has everything to do with us. You asked us for help—"

"Hitenzo asked you for help—"

Hitenzo looked shocked, "Lady Akari—"

Akari stepped forward, her shoulders square. "I did not."

"Either way, we are your only hope of retrieving your sister. Don't stand in the way of that because of some false sense of loyalty." Kakashi's voice had grown colder than she had ever heard it, it was chilling but she could be just as cold. "So, tell me, what is your relationship with Itachi Uchiha?"

He had his eyes trained on her face, narrowed.

She didn't look up to face him, "That's…that isn't the issue."

"I'm done talking about this." Akari made to turn away, but a hand grabbed her wrist and spun her around.

"You have to tell them. And maybe finally someone could wake you up!" Takamaru said, "Tell them that he comes to you—finds you whenever he sees fit or you go to him like a sad moth to flame—"

Akari snatched her hand away and slapped Takamaru across the face, surprised by her own anger she looked down at her hand. She regretted it instantly. "Itachi isn't the problem!"

Takamaru took the hit but came right at her again, "He is. He's your problem. He killed your brother…remember?"

"I—" Akari's head began to hurt, "I- I don' remember."

"And yet you run to him…every chance you get."

"I...he didn't. I know he didn't. Itachi is kind. He wouldn't do that to me."

"I don't know what he's told you," Kakashi said with a sad voice, "But the Itachi you know…and the one we know are two very different men."

Trembling, Akari took a step back, her anger falling away. "No." she didn't believe it, she wouldn't. She'd let them have their argument. She'd concede, if only to walk away. They could never understand.

Takamaru held out a hand to her, his eyes imploring, "He's telling the truth about Itachi, it's time you heard it."

It was at that moment that Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto chose to walk back with the fish. Sasuke had them in his hands, but they fell to the ground at the mention of that man's name. "Itachi," Sasuke said, "Uchiha."

Kakashi hit himself in the head. Terrible timing.

Sasuke started forward, "You know, Itachi?"

It all made sense to Sasuke. Itachi wanted her power, craved it even, as he craved whatever was in Naruto. Her power was strange enough to warrant his older brother's sick attentions. Is it ever enough for you brother?

"He's using you," Sasuke said, voicing the words as they formed in his mind.

Without meaning to, she responded, anger rising off of her in waves. "He's not."

"Why are you defending him?" Sasuke said the words through his teeth. "Do you have any idea what he is? Has he brainwashed you?"

Sasuke had turned his sharingan on her, is reaction visceral. Takamaru moved to stand between them but Akari walked around him, ignoring Hitenzo's pleas for her to do otherwise. "He's not like that." Came her calm reply.

"Itachi slaughtered our entire family," Sasuke practically screamed at her, he couldn't believe his ears. This girl, a girl he'd considered a friend, was defending the one man he loathed more than anyone. This idiot, stupid girl. "He did it for power. To test the limits of his ability."

Akari was silent. So was everyone, even Naruto had yet to choose a side. Sakura held her hands to her chest, watching Sasuke with worried eyes.

The silence was deafening on her ears, her mind was roaring on the inside, a hurricane of thought—anger and calm. Yes. Calm was there too, she reached for it…

"If he has shown any interest in you, it is because he wants whatever power you have. Itachi is a sick, deranged murderer—nothing more!"

…and missed.

"What did you just say?"

"And you are a stupid, idiotic, pathetic little girl if you think any differently."

Akari walked forward, her arms at her side, her head cocked, eyes so cold they could freeze water. She wasn't that girl. She wasn't. She couldn't be. If she was then…what has she been doing her whole life? Was she really this sad?

She could hear Kakashi's voice call out to them, but it was more like a buzzing in her ears. Naruto moved to grab onto Sasuke but he shoved his hand away.

No Akari, her calm conscious shouted at her, you should not do this—yeah maybe you heard wrong.

Her gaze went from his furiously narrowed eyes to that great big scowl on his alabaster face.

Nope, she thought, he definitely said it.

"Say it again," she hissed, staring down his cold eyes, stepping closer, "I dare you. Call me pathetic…" she gave him a chilling smile, "just one more time."

She narrowed her eyes, damn he said it again.

The instance the second string of words escaped his lips, Akari had her mind made up…

Comrade or not, Uchiha had to go.

The next few seconds were quiet. Akari closed her eyes. She wanted to hurt him.

Akari moved when Sasuke did. Both of them caught each other's strikes. She rammed her knee into his stomach, Sasuke gasped for breath but didn't double over. Akari flipped over him and grabbed his head to crack it into the ground. Putting on a sudden burst of speed, Sasuke grabbed her hand and tried to throw her to the ground. She hit the grass, wrapped her legs around his arm and threw him down.

"Enough!" Kakashi's voice rang out on deaf ears. "Stop this or I will—you know better than this Sasuke!"

Akari raised her fist to deliver a crushing blow to his sternum, but in their tangled mess, he managed to grab her hand. The two jumped away from each other.

Akari started to laugh, "I see it now…why he left you."

Sasuke snarled.

"You're weak." She shook her head with a smile, "It makes sense now. If I was giving this fight my all…I could actually kill you." Perhaps she could, but she was only saying it to throw him off his game—make him angry and stupid. Angry was easier to fight than calm. Yes. "No wonder he picked me. What a true disappointment."

"I am going to destroy you!"

She laughed again, grabbing her sides, "Sure, Sasuke. Keep talking tough. I'll pretend I believe you."

He raced toward her in a blur, kunai in his hands. She pulled hidden senbon from her sleeves and stayed put, one good throw could put him out cold, a better throw could kill him…decisions…decisions…

"NO! STOP IT!" Sakura's voice finally made it through the sea of rage. Both Akari and Sasuke, halted in their movements, eyeing the girl crying on the ground. "You two have to stop! This won't solve anything!"

Climbing back down to herself, Akari had the sense to feel ashamed. Now, she really was the pathetic one…letting a word get to her like that. It was a word her real brother had called her in anger.

"You're pathetic…loved by no one…not anymore…"

Akari's head began to ache again. She clutched her temples, "Make it stop!"

Pathetic.

"Akari?" Hitenzo called out to her.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Loved by no one…

"What's wrong with her?" Kakashi asked.

"GO AWAY!"

Not anymore…

"Wait! She's done this before…we must restrain her before she hurts herself." Kakashi said. What was he talking about?

"Akari?"

Hands arrested her movements, pinning her to the ground while she writhed against it. A hand struck her across the face. The force of it made her ears ring.

"What the hell, Sasuke?" Naruto yelled.

"She stopped, didn't she?" Sasuke replied coolly, probably enjoying that slap more than he let on.

"Touch my face again and you'll lose those hands of yours, Uchiha." Akari said through her teeth.

Sakura crept to her side, "Akari, what happened? You had a fit or something."

Akari swatted everyone away, except Hitenzo and Takamaru wouldn't move. "No. I just get really bad migraines."

"And they're usually triggered by something, a word…a thought?" Kakashi stated this as fact, strangely he was right.

"Yeah," she said, "I guess so."

"It's an old genjutsu, it feeds on the targets chakra like a parasite so that it can operate separate from the user."

Akari looked over up at him, "Why would someone put a genjutsu on me? Besides, no one has had the time." She shrugged, "I'm not an idiot. And only a few actually work on me."

"My sharingan worked on you." Kakashi said.

"Yeah, but…that's usually the exception."

"You know from experience?"

Realization hit her, filling her with dread. The dots connected themselves, snapping into a picture she couldn't bare to see. She felt like she had dived face first into a frozen lake, her mind numb. She struggled to her feet, words not coming to her. She said nothing. Saw nothing. After a while, a single tear ran down her cheek, dropping down onto her clothing.

It isn't true. It can't be. He…Itachi you?…no. No. NO!

"I need some air," Akari said, "could I get some of that water?"

Silently, Naruto gave it to her. She took a container, walked toward her tent and opened the flap. Her voice was low, "Sasuke…"

He didn't respond, but somehow she knew he heard.

"You were right." Trembling, she took another breath, "I am pathetic."

Author's Note: It has been many years since I wrote anything on this website. I took a break because when I was writing my laptop got a virus and everything I had written for this story was deleted. Now, my intention is to upload the last of this story as fast as possible and go through and edit the rest of the story. It really needs a facelift, but I'll start by finishing the story first.

I apologize to those of you who really liked this story. I should only have six chapters left. They will probably all run from 10-20 pages. I apologize in advance.