A/N: So I'm starting this without Bethy-Kins. She can just write in her thoughts after she shows up, teehee~! Yeah...not much to say, except you people aren't really very good with the reviews. But nonetheless, do enjoy~
"Let me out!"
"Now why would I do that?" a voice sneered from the dark corner of the room.
"Because if you don't, I'll kick your ass into the next century as soon as I get out of this godforsaken cell!" Hikari screeched, ramming into the bars one more. Her arms were littered with bruises that she gained each time she tried to ram her way out by throwing her body against the cell walls.
"Now now, you might want to control that anger. Remember that always got Sakura-chan into trouble?" the voice said again, a smirk almost visible in his tone, "We wouldn't want that happening to you now would we?"
Hikari's caramel orbs were full of anything but fear, anger smoldering in them. "Shut-up."
"Oh, I don't intend to. Not until you've suffered enough, Karasu."
"You asshole!" She growled and ran into the barred cell door again. "I'll kill you as soon as I get out of here!"
He laughed sadistically, "You'll never get out, Karasu. Not with Orochimaru watching your every move, and thanks for the location of my little sister. Kabuto greatly appreciates the help."
She stiffened, shaking. "If you touch her, so help me god, I will cut your dick off and shove it down your goddamn throat, duck-butt!" She screamed loudly, ignoring Orochimaru as he came down into the room.
"Oh, I won't be the one touchingher. That isn't my job."
Hikari opened her mouth to yell, stopping as Orochimaru opened his mouth. "You're easily riled up aren't you, Hikari? Just like your mother always was."
"Don't you daretalk about my mother as if you knew her!" Hikari growled out, her eyes holding a dangerous look in her normally kind and warm eyes.
"She's always been this riled up, Orochimaru. She's got a short temper."
Hikari shook, annoyed that she couldn't rip the cell door down because of the chakra repressors around her wrists. "You..."
The snake Sannin smirked, staring at the teen behind the bars. "Your mother was an incredible shinobi, as was your father. It's a shame that I wasn't able to let him live."
Her eyes widened, her breathing suddenly hitching in her throat. "...What...?"
"Ah, so Sarutobi never told you!" He smirked, "I'm surprised he would withold the information about who was responsible for their deaths from their own children."
"What are you talking about?"
He looked at her with eyes that were full of nothing but amusement. "That night eight years ago, I killed Takashi and Kaori."
She dropped to her knees, breathing heavily, her mind clouded with so many different thoughts that she was terrified beyond belief.
"Oh? The raging anger of the Karasu does have a breaking point," Sasuke smirked, "I'll make a note of that information."
The brunette stood up shakily, a dark aura washing over her. Sasuke's words stung, more than she could've ever imagined they would, and it took all the resistance in the world to hold back any tears. She looked up at Orochimaru with two different colored orbs.
"I'm going to see what's taking Kabuto so long." Sasuke stated as he walked out of the room, as indifferent he was to the situation as he was walking into the room.
Kabuto had an unconscious Hope slung over his shoulder as he walked in, nearly dropping her as an enraged scream from down in the dungeon area echoed through the hallways, followed by a loud 'boom' sound. With relative ease, he hurried to the area, nearly bumping into Sasuke.
"Do whatever you want with the girls, they aren't my problem."
Kabuto sat the youngest Uchiha down on the floor gently, jumping out of the way and smirking as Hikari was thrown out of the hallway and into the wall. "Looks like she broke out after all. I knew we should've put her in solitary confinement instead."
"That wouldn't have been as fun. Put Hope in solitary confinement. I want to see how she fares." Sasuke smirked, and walked off to his bedroom to relax.
"SASUKE!" Hikari screamed and ran after him, jumping on his back with all the strength she had, not caring if he had the power to kill her. None of that mattered at the moment. Kabuto picked Hope up and carried her off.
Sasuke grunted under the sudden weight, "What the hell do you want?!"
She ignored his question and didn't even make a noise as he managed to pull her off and pin her against the wall, slapping him as hard as she could, the sound of her hand meeting his cheek echoing through the dark and dank halls of the lair.
He didn't even flinch, but just glared darkly at the young woman and hissed in a deadly tone into her ear; gaining the habit from his mentor, "You didn't answer my question, Karasu."
"I hate you..." She whispered, shaking. "I hate you, I hate you..."
He smirked his signature 'I'm better than you' smirk, "You can't hate me, you don't have the ability to."
"I hate you!" She screamed again; tears finally coming forth, and closing her eyes tightly to try to keep them from flowing.
"Well then, that settles things," he said nonchalantly, loosening his grip slightly on the teen's shoulders.
Her hands trembled visibly, her lip split, blood trickling down her chin. "You don't even care..."
He whispered against her ear, "Now, if I didn't care. I would have stopped him."
"But you let him hurt me..." She whispered back, grimacing at the coppery taste that flooded her mouth, "You even said all those things...that really hurt..."
His breath was hot on her neck compared to his icy skin, "Now, if I hadn't said those things, you'd be in much much hotter water, Karasu."
"It still hurt..." Hikari whimpered weakly, tears falling down her cheeks.
He chuckled darkly, "Well, does this hurt?" he asked as he nipped a soft spot on her clavicle, and rubbing his tongue over the spot between his teeth. Her face flushed in response, a choked moan escaping her lips, unable to bite her lip like she would normally do.
"Nngh..."
He smirked against her smooth tanned skin, "Hm?"
She looked away, mumbling under her breath silently. "N-No..."
"No?" He asked quizzically, but his voice still laced with that emotionless tone he held.
She bit her already bleeding lip lightly, "It doesn't hurt..." she whispered. The bruises that littered her body were visible in the dim candlelight that lit the dark hallways.
"Oh really?" he spoke against her neck, his nose trailing along her shoulder as he moved. Hikari was silent, ignoring the dull pain in her sides. Thinking that she could quite possibly have cracked a rib in the process of throwing herself into the iron bars so many times, but she didn't think too much into it.
"What do you want...?"
"You."
She snorted, laughing bitterly. "Why? You said you didn't love me, remember?"
"When was that, dear karasu?"
"Two years ago when we all sacrificed our own lives to get your ass back to the village..." Hikari mumbled, remembering the fight that had ensued between the Uchiha and Naruto.
"That was because I had to break the bonds. Right now, I want to forge a new, better bond with you." He whispered against her skin, "A more intimate bond."
Hikari frowned, not looking up. "What do you mean...'a new bond'?"
Instead of speaking, he tilted her chin up with one of his hands, and kissed her. It wasn't a passionate kiss, it was gentle yet still rough. Hikari didn't respond, not wanting to give him the satisfaction that he won. But as the seconds went by, she slowly gave in and lightly kissed back, her hands resting at her sides. One of his hands was pressed to the wall next to her face, and the other one cupping her face gently. He spoke in hushed tones, making sure to not alert his mentor of his affection towards the brunette, "I was lying the entire time, I need you Hikari."
"Why? What could I possibly give you, Sasuke? I have nothing..." She whispered, slowly looking up at him.
"You have everything I don't have."
The brunette reached up and wiped her lip of the scarlet liquid that was still there, tinting her lips the same color, "Like what, Duck-ass?"
He shook his head and pulled away.
"Come back with me then." Hikari said, changing the topic as suddenly as he had done earlier in the conversation.
"No."
"Why not? Haven't you gotten strong enough?" She whispered, playing with the hem of her tattered shirt.
"It's not just about strength anymore, Hikari."
She frowned, not quite understanding what he meant. As she stood there, pressed against the wall, she remembered the blur of Kabuto taking Hope away, her eyes widening slightly. There was no telling what Orochimaru would even do to the youngest Uchiha, and the very idea greatly troubled her. "You're just going to sit by and let that murderer experiment on your baby sister...?"
He shrugged, "She lived with a murderer her entire life, I have no sympathy."
Hikari couldn't believe that he didn't care. Ignoring the pain that throbbed throughout her entire body, she moved away, grabbing Sasuke's katana from it's sheath along the way. "Then you can live with the title as a murderer as well if you sit by and do nothing."
"Her blood is not on my hands, it's on yours." he smirked, "You gave us her location."
"I didn't. Kabuto used some type of jutsu on me...that's how he got it..." She shook, knowing that even though she didn't physically tell him, it was still her fault. "So shut-up..."
"That's such a weak argument, Hikari. You know that."
"My mother died because I was too stupid to start screaming for help when I found her." Her voice was soft, having never shared this information with anyone.
Sasuke looked like he didn't seem to care, listening to Hope trying to fight against Kabuto.
"I won't let anyone else die...knowing that I can save them!" She screamed and took off to the holding cells, gripping Sasuke's katana tightly as she ran.
He rolled his eyes and watched. Hikari winced as Kabuto elbowed her ribcage roughly, kicking her foot up and landing it in his jaw, while she threw him into the wall and rammed the blade through his shoulder, ignoring his shouts of pain. She remained where she stood, keeping the sword in her grip tightly and holding him against the wall.
Sasuke looked at his mentor, "I told you."
Orochimaru smirked, amused. "Hmph. Restrain her."
"If you touch me, I'll kill you!" Hikari screamed, her eyes holding a deadly look in them. "I mean it!"
Sasuke ignored her protests and restrained her arms and legs as his mentor had asked. Hikari screamed and struggled, managing to throw a paper bomb to Hope before she had been restrained.
"Take her away. I don't care what you do with her, just don't kill her." Orochimaru ordered, pulling his pupils blade from his assistants shoulder and throwing it to the ground.
"Hope! Get out of here and don't come back! Tell Yuna and Liz I'm okay! Go!" Hikari yelled to the younger girl, grunting as Sasuke dragged her away.
Hope nodded, her eyes wide with fear as she scrambled off of the floor and ran. Orochimaru smirked and followed her at a walking pace. "Kabuto, tend to your wound and hurry after her."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."
The former Sannin continued on silently, leaving his assistant behind. Hikari yelled curses at Sasuke as he threw her down, wincing a little.
"You really don't like to follow orders, do you?"
~Hours later~
Naruto sighed as they followed Yoru quietly, the tiger their only source to being able to find Hikari's location. "Are we there yet?"
"Not yet, you idiot." the tiger growled. Yamato sighed as the blonde asked the same question he had been asking since they left the village, his own annoyance growing by the hours.
The blonde groaned, eager yet a little worried about what they would encounter on this mission. Shiroi stiffened suddenly, accompanying the team due to the fact that Hope was missing too, "I smell blood, lots of blood."
Yamato frowned as the white tiger took a detour to the bushes, Naruto following her. "Who's is it...?"
"Uchiha blood."
Naruto's eyes widened as they came across a lump laying in the grass, blood splattered about. "What the hell happened...?"
Shiroi rushed over to the lump, dragging the dark cloak off of the body. Yuna rushed over, having come along with them by request. "She's still breathing..." Yuna whispered, pressing her hands to the young girls chest, a glow coming into her hands as she healed her.
Hope was barely breathing though, and her pulse was weak. If she had gone any longer without medical care, she would have died.
"I don't doubt for a second that Orochimaru did this to her..." Yuna mumbled sadly, continuing to treat Hope. "Naruto, Shiroi. Go on with the rest of the team. I'll take care of her."
Naruto nodded and turned around, walking out of the bushes and back to the team. "I lost the scent. It rained in this area last night."
Yamato frowned. "Then we'll have to rely on being able to sense chakra then."
Naruto sighed and left with the group, concerned about the younger girl they had discovered.
The snowy tiger looked at him, "Go follow Yuna. You're distracted. You won't do well on the mission now."
"But...Sasuke..." Naruto began, having been hoping that they would also encounter him as well.
"You're too distracted, Uzumaki."
The blonde nodded and turned back around and ran to Yuna, sitting down next to her while the others continued on.
Hope was slightly awake when he arrived, trying to tell Yuna where Hikari was, but the words not coming out properly. The blonde medic gently pet her hair as she healed her, soothing her. "You're going to be okay, Hope."
"Ane..."
Naruto honed his hearing in on her words, "Do you know where Hikari-chan is...?"
"H-hai..."
"Orochimaru. Does he have her, Hope?" Yuna asked calmly, her voice soft.
She nodded, and Naruto frowned.
Yuna sighed. "Yoru...Shiroi...find her..." She whispered, getting Hope some water.
"She...said...she's..."
"She's what?" Yuna asked.
"She's...okay..."
Naruto's eyes widened when the girl closed her eyes and promptly passed out. He opened his mouth to speak, Yuna beating him to it. "She's okay. The blood loss has made her weaker than normal. She'll wake up once she gets her strength back in a few hours."
~Back in the underground base~
Hikari stared up at the ceiling, silent. Every inch of her body hurt, and just turning her head to the side to look made her want to cry. "This sucks..."
"Now, if you followed directions you wouldn't be in this condition."
She ignored him, yelling in pain as he poked her side. "Ow!"
He chuckled and watched her. She weakly glared at him, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain in her ribs.
"You're easily broken."
"Why can't you be nice...?" Hikari muttered, chakra glowing in her hands as she healed her right side, where the pain was most intense. "All you've done is make fun of me and take pleasure in my pain. Sadist..."
He chuckled, whispering softly in her ear, "You don't particularly sound enthused."
"Because I'm not..." She muttered, annoyed with his behavior, "You're being mean..."
He rolled his eyes, "You seemed to enjoy my pain during the chunin exams."
"I did not!" She protested, not bothering to turn to look at him.
His eyes were grim, "Tch, whatever."
"Fine! Maybe I did, okay!?" She didn't like talking about the chunin exams. Especially with all that went down.
He winced as she grabbed his arm, currently nursing the curse mark that was paining him.
"..."
"I should get going. You have chakra restraints on by the way." he stated as he left, going to see if his teacher had found his sister or brother. Hikari sighed sadly, throwing an abandoned kunai after him, wishing that instead of pushing her away and acting like an ass that he would take her into his arms and hold her while telling her that everything would be okay and that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Instead, he allowed his teacher to ruthlessly torture her and keep her locked up. So much for all that lovey dovey stuff that she wouldn't mind having.
Although, Sasuke had admitted to her that he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. Even though he couldn't really get the thought across to her quite as easily as he could have wished. Punching the wall suddenly, but only leaving a small unoticeable dent in it. "Damn it all!" He shouted down the dark candle-lit hallway. "Damn it all to hell!"
Hikari sighed as she heard his shouts, sitting up and ignoring the dull ache in her body as she pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face in them, struggling not to cry. She had done enough of that today, and she had even let Sasuke see it. Of course, she'd let him see it before, but that had been different. She wasn't the weak little genin that she was two years ago. She was better than that now!
Hope was waking up slightly, listening to the beeps of the different machines hooked up to her. She didn't remember much of what had happened before she had passed out, only that Yuna was there and the strange blonde haired boy that was always obnoxiously loud to her sensitive hearing. She opened her obsidian eyes and took in her surroundings.
"Hey! She's awake!"
She looked to her right to look at who had said that. Azure orbs were right in her face, bright and curious.
"Gah! Get out of my fucking face dammit!" she screamed at him, her habit of swearing when she was overwhelmed due to Hidan constantly swearing around her as a young child. Itachi had given up when she was around ten and screaming profanities right and left; but after a long lecture from Konan, she changed her habits to only swearing when she's in pain or surprised.
"Sorry!"
She rubbed the back of her head, a migraine throbbing in the back of her skull. "Shit man, that hurts..."
Yuna sighed and pulled the blonde boy away, "Naruto, you're being a disturbance. Sit down and be quiet or I'll throw you out."
"Yes ma'am..." Naruto mumbled, sitting far away, over by the window.
"If you throw him out can you throw him out the window?" Hope asked in a sickly sweet voice, a playful smile unintentionally playing on her lips. Yuna giggled and shook her head.
"Unfortunately, I'd be arrested if I did that."
Hope laughed, "You wouldn't be if you lived with my family~ I've seen plenty of people thrown out of windows."
"Hikari would cry if I threw him out the window. After all, she says that he's going to make Hokage one day." Yuna said, smiling softly at the blondes dream.
Making an expression of mock horror, her voice sarcastic, "Oh no~ Not the future Hokage!"
Naruto growled. "Stupid brat..."
"Oh~ A feisty one too~"
Naruto ignored her comments, choosing to stare out the window instead.
She giggled as Yuna tended to her, "How long was I out?"
"About four hours." Yuna explained, changing the bandage to one wound, "You lost a lot of blood, but luckily we got back here in time in order to get some blood back into you."
She looked up, "Thanks."
The blonde haired beauty nodded and smiled gently, her azure orbs kind and gentle like they always were. "Hope...I need you to tell me what Hikari looked like. Her condition, I mean."
"I think...she looked okay, a few cuts and bruises. That's really it...I got injured more because I was resisting Kabuto...and ran off... He injured me and left me for dead. It was about a half hour before you guys found me..."
Yuna nodded, "Good. Not that you got hurt, but good that you got away..."
"Was...Sasuke there?" Naruto suddenly asked, having been quiet for the past several minutes. If Orochimaru was somewhere, then Sasuke would be with him.
"I don't know...I don't know who he is really..." she admitted, her gaze downcast.
Naruto nodded and said nothing more. Yuna hummed softly as she poured Hope a glass of water. "Here. You were dehydrated. You need all the fluids you can get."
She smiled kindly, "Thanks again."
Yuna smiled gently as the door to the room opened. "You're welcome."
Hope looked over to see who had entered the room during her conversation with the medic-nin. Yuna yawned and waved at her girlfriend as she checked Hope's IV's, making sure everything was in tip-top shape. Naruto nodded politely at the auburn haired woman, glancing back out through the window.
"You alright, Naruto?" she asked. He nodded quietly, sighing softly.
"Want to talk about it?"
"I'm just...worried about the others..." Naruto admitted, concerned about his teammates. Not so much Sai though. The bastard only made crude comments about the size of his dick, calling it small. If he could, he'd wring his neck, but Sakura would beat him up and Yamato would make that creepy face that terrified him.
"They're fine, they came back..."
He looked up upon hearing her say that. "D-Did they get Hikari!? And S-Sasuke!?"
"They found them both, but Hikari demanded that they leave her there." Liz smiled softly, "I think she has plans."
"Eh? Plans...? WHAT PLANS!?" Naruto all but screeched, not understanding why the brunette had chose to stay there.
"Plans to save my brother." Hope spoke in a soft tone, "She told me that when she left for her mission..."
Naruto calmed down. "Oh..." It didn't surprise him.
"By the way, Naruto. You're in charge of escorting Miss Uchiha through the village. She's under house arrest. Unless someone we specify is with her."
He nodded, understanding. "All right." He yawned. He was a little disappointed that Hikari wasn't coming home anytime soon, but he didn't stay too sour about it.
"Oh~? The future Hokage is going to watch after me~?" Hope said sarcastically. Naruto grunted in response.
"Looks that way."
"Fun~" Hope said, she now knew of a way to get under her escort's skin, and she planned to use it against him.
Yuna giggled and rolled her eyes at their reactions. "This will be very interesting."
~Weeks Later~
Hikari slammed her fist into a nearby tree, not caring whether she disturbed anyone around her or not. She had been looking for that duckbutt bastard named Sasuke for over four weeks now, and it was like he disappeared off of the face of the planet. Oh, what she wouldn't give to sock him really good right now.
"Stupid. Duckbutt. Bastard!" She grunted with each punch.
"What did that poor tree do to you?"
She let out a battle cry as she slammed her fist into the tree a final time, uprooting it successfully. She panted heavily, not answering him for a few minutes. "Nothing..."
"Well, that's too bad." Hikari rolled her eyes at his comments, rubbing her hands soothingly.
"What do you want?"
"Why did you stay?" Sasuke asked.
"Because you're still here." She spoke quietly, her voice soft and very fragile sounding.
"What do I have to do with anything?"
"Because you're precious to me..." She blushed, biting her bottom lip shyly.
"Oh? Am I now?"
Hikari nodded silently, still biting her lip as she looked up at him. "Yeah..."
"I was hoping you'd say that," he said as he pulled her into an embrace. Hikari felt her face heat up even more, not used to the tender gestures he rarely ever had. She buried her face in his toned chest, clutching the fabric of his shirt tightly. "You alright?" he asked, concerned.
She nodded lightly, enjoying the closeness and the concern he was offering. "Y-Yeah, why do you ask...?"
"Nothing."
Hikari slowly looked up at his face, her chocolate orbs bright and full of different emotions. "I'm sorry about all those things I said before..."
"You were honest."
"But...I was bitter..." She looked down, feeling bad about how she had treated him, though she knew he deserved it after how cruel he had been towards her.
"I saw it as honesty."
"Why were you...so...harsh back there?"
He whispered softly in her ear, "To keep Orochimaru away."
"What more could he have done...? All he managed to do was beat the living shit out of me and tell me who really killed-" She stopped and bit her lip, shaking her head. "What more could he have done?" She asked again, whispering.
"He would've tortured you endlessly, if you died you'd be brought back and tortured more. That's how he works."
"Then why do you stay with him?" She looked up at him, touching noses with him silently.
"So I can get stronger."
"You're already strong enough, Sasuke...at least, I think so."
His jaw clenched tightly, "Not yet." Hikari cupped his face gently, rubbing her thumbs over his pale porcelain cheeks.
"Not yet..."
"What do you mean you don't like ramen?"
"It's gross and unhealthy, I'm surprised you don't have a belly from eating that much of it." She noted.
Naruto glared at her, "Then what do you like?"
"Sushi~!"
At least Naruto could agree with her on that. "All right! We'll go to the sushi place!"
She smiled softly, and brushed her hair back behind her ear. Her eyes were distant, obviously missing her eldest brother, but not daring to say anything with the risk of arrest looming down her shoulder. Naruto checked his wallet to see how much money he had, pleased to see that he had plenty saved up.
"Why does everyone stare? Do they not know it's impolite?"
"They're stupid and have no manners. Ignore them, okay?" His voice was gentle, knowing how it felt to be stared at.
"Why is my family not welcome here?" she asked quietly, never learned about her family's past.
"I honestly don't know...but it's not right for people to treat you like they do."
Hope shrugged, "I know I was part of an organization against the village, so they have a right there."
"I guess..."
"The stares hurt, but I've gotten used to them."
"I know how it feels..."
She looked up with bright obsidian orbs, "How so? You're really nice and all, even if I do insult you." she smiled sheepishly, "That's how I get to know people, y'know? I like knowing what makes them tick, tells me what kind of person they are. But seriously, why do they not like you?"
"Because...I'm a monster."
"A monster?"
Naruto nodded, "I have a monster inside of me..."
"A monster? What d'ya mean?"
The blonde rested his hand over his abdomen, fisting the fabric of his shirt tightly. "There's this thing inside of me...that nearly destroyed the village a long time ago...and it also killed a lot of people too..."
"But it isn't you, correct?" She asked, watching him with curious eyes. "It's just there and doesn't have any control over your actions and thoughts, but people ostracize you for it?"
"If...I'm not careful, it takes over my body..."
"From what I've observed, you have wonderful control. Your chakra system is flawless and the seal stays, not fraying like others I have seen."
"T-Thanks..."
She smiled a crooked grin, "Seriously, one of the best systems I've ever seen."
Naruto smiled softly. "Thanks...that means a lot..."
Shrugging, the ravenette stated, "It's nothing, everyone deserves to be liked and loved," sighing sadly, she grasped a silver pendant around her neck, "That's what my family taught me..."
Naruto patted her head as means of comfort, as she looked at the ground with a downcast expression. "Come on, cheer up...I'll buy you ice cream after we eat~"
She stuck out her tongue and pouted, "I'm not an orphan~ I don't need charity~"
"I was doing it to cheer you up..." He frowned.
She laughed and ran to the sushi house, leaving the blonde shinobi behind. Naruto shouted after her, hurrying in the same direction. The last thing he needed was Tsunade on his case for failing at watching over someone.
"Itachi...why aren't you going after her?" a soft voice spoke from the shadows.
"Because she's angry with me, that's why...plus...she's much safer there than she is here..."
"If she stays around the boy any longer Nagato will use him against her, she doesn't know of his plans..."
Itachi closed his eyes. "I'm going to die eventually..."
"Why is that important to the conversation we are having now?"
He sighed. "Leave her be for now...I don't want to discuss it any further..."
"What happened Itachi, this isn't like you."
"I...don't know what to do anymore, Konan. I want to protect her more than anything in this world...but I just..."
"...What exactly...did you do to upset her so much?" She asked and sat next to him.
Itachi opened his eyes to stare down at the floor. "...I told her that Sasuke was our brother."
"She didn't know? I thought...we all thought she knew."
He sighed, "No...she didn't know. And she also doesn't know that Sasuke's heart is set on revenge against me..."
"Oh Itachi...you really got yourself into a mess this time..."
Itachi could only nod his head silently in response.
"We think...she encountered Orochimaru..."
He visibly tensed upon hearing the former Sannin's name mentioned, his fists clenching. "And?"
"From the intel we received, she had serious injuries as a result of fighting back. She's currently in Konoha under house arrest, and had astounding medical care." She said, trying to keep him as calm as possible.
"Who got her out of there? I know that she wouldn't have been able to get out on her own..."
"Sarutobi Hikari aided her escape, Uzumaki Naruto found her afterwards."
"The Godaigon holder? Hmph."
"Don't be so rash, she saved your sister's life. She's trying to save your brother too, according to Hope."
"I know that." He closed his eyes, "That girl tried to fight me when I last saw Sasuke."
"I remember...she tried to kidnap Hope too, for Sasuke."
"Sasuke influences her too much...She's just going to get herself in a situation she'll end up regretting."
"Of course, speaking from experience?" She asked, a slight tint of humor in her tone.
Itachi snorted. "Of course."
Stifling a giggle, her voice more cheery, "You see yourself in her."
"Perhaps."
"Of course you do, I see you in both of those girls."
Itachi chuckled softly. "And only one of them is related to me..."
"You raised one of them as your own child."
Itachi smiled sadly, "If only I could've taken care of Sasuke..."
"If only he could let go."
"But he can't..."
"And that's his downfall."
"Hai..."
"Now let's see if we can get our little Akatsuki princess back."
"Right."
Konan looked around the dimly lit room, "No wonder you're going blind..."
Itachi laughed quietly and shook his head. "The lighting helps with the pain..." He closed his eyes, sighing quietly.
"Will they endure this too?" She asked, concerned for the remaining members of his clan.
"I can only hope that they won't...and if they do, they'll be wise and not overdo it like their big brother..."
She giggled softly and patted his shoulder, "They've got a good teacher."
"I suppose they do."
She smiled softly and helped him up, "Now let us get going."
He nodded in agreement, "Hai..."
"Oh~ The gardens are so pretty here~!"
Naruto smiled and nodded in agreement. "Hai! They actually used to be really dead looking a few years ago..."
"Really? That's so sad..."
"Hikari-chan fixed them up really nicely though!" He smiled softly.
"I hope she's okay..."
"Me too..." He sighed, worried about his brown eyed friend.
"I-I should've stayed..."
"No, don't say that...Hikari is very strong...I'm sure that she's doing fine..."
"I could have helped ane!"
"Hikari is fine." Yuna said as she approached the two, having overheard their conversation.
Desperation was settling in for Hope, "I-I just left her there! I-I should've gotten my brother!"
"Hikari isn't there anymore, Hope." The blonde said, calm.
"Sh-she isn't?"
She shook her head, "She escaped with Sasuke's help."
Hope nodded and sat down on a nearby bench, looking at her feet. "That's good.."
Naruto sat beside her, patting her shoulder in reassuring way.
"Can't really do much anyways, waste of space...that's all I am here..."
"Don't say that!"
"Why not!? The damned elders here just want me here so I can just let my skills rot while they bathe in their pride of capturing me and making me useless!"
"..."
"All I am is a pawn." No one said a word and backed off from the area, not wanting to upset the girl even further, as she curled up on the bench, hiding her face in her knees. "Just a disposable game piece...seems like that's all I have been..."
A sudden hand gently placed itself on the top of the girls head, the owner of the hand having a calm aura. "You're so much more than that..."
Scoffing softly, "I don't feel like I am..."
"I've seen you in action, imouto..."
She looked up suddenly, recognizing his voice, "B-brother!"
Itachi's eyes softened, "You're my sister...and I love you." His last words being cut off as the young teen hugged him tightly around his waist.
"I-I'm sorry for running off!"
He buried his face in her hair, holding her close, "We're taking you home now..."
"B-but my friends!"
"Do...you want to stay here?" Itachi asked, surprised. He looked over at Konan.
"N-not really...b-but..I wanna give them a proper goodbye!"
Itachi nodded. "Of course you can...we'll wait."
Smiling brightly, she ran off to her friends. Naruto watched as she approached him, tilting his head. "I'm going home! I wanted to say goodbye!"
"Will...I see you again?"
"Of course!" she took off the pendant around her neck, "It's a chakra receiver, use it whenever you want to find me!"
Naruto took it from her gently and grinned. "Okay! Thanks!"
She smiled and ran off, never to be seen in the village of Konoha for a long time.
~Elsewhere~
"I refuse."
"What do you mean, you refuse?"
"I'm not going to help you kill your brother..." Hikari huffed, leaning back against a tree, "I get that he's a bad guy and all, but it's none of my business."
"I didn't ask you to go kill him. I asked you to join my team." Her raven haired counterpart retorted back, obviously irritated she was refusing his offer.
Her brown orbs flickered towards him, "I don't have a choice, do I?" She sighed, knowing that he wouldn't give her the chance to leave if it was in the air.
"You don't."
"How lovely. So I'm stuck with you and Sharkie over there?" Hikari gestured towards the white haired boy standing a few feet away from them.
"Of course."
The brunette sighed loudly, rubbing her temples in aggravation. It wasn't that she didn't want to be around Sasuke. It was the fact that he was considered a rogue ninja that bothered her.
Grabbing her arm roughly, he pulled her over to where he and Suigetsu made camp for the night. "I could restrain you if you even think of running away," he whispered into her ear, his breath hot on her neck, "But, if you be a good Karasu, I'll keep the restraints off."
Hikari snorted, "What's the point of running anyway? You'll just turn it into some game of cat and mouse."
"Of course I would, I wouldn't hesitate to let Suigetsu go after you also."
"Please, that incompetent fool wouldn't be able to keep up with me." She smirked at her words, knowing that it was partially true.
Scoffing, he shook his head, "He's good help though."
Hikari glanced at Suigetsu. "You. What's your specialty?"
The purple eyed ninja glanced at her, giving her a smirk, "Water based jutsu."
Hikari sighed, moving herself away from the two, wanting space. She was unfortunately denied such space when Sasuke grabbed her, when she resisted, he promptly let go. "If I run, you'd be chasing me for hours. I'm sneaky. And I'm smart."
"But you won't run, you don't want to."
"And how would you know?" She whispered.
"Because, your body language says so."
She rolled her eyes and sat down, leaning against a tree and staring at a bush, the glow from their small campfire illuminating her face. Watching Sasuke retreat to his tent, to get some rest. After about twenty minutes or so, she stood up silently, looking over to see if Suigetsu was paying attention. To her surprise, he was fast asleep, despite the fact he was supposed to be keeping watch.
'Some look out...' She rolled her eyes and quietly walked away from the campsite.
"Ack! I said I was sorry!"
"Uzumaki! You just let her go with a criminal!?" the auburn woman shouted, obviously having gotten yelled at by the elders and the Godaime Hokage earlier.
"Lizzie, she was happy to see her brother...cut the kid some slack, ne?" Yuna said, her voice gentle.
"Oh ho, he's not going without some sort of punishment though!"
Naruto whined as she bopped him. "Ow! Hikari and Sakura hit me enough, I don't need you starting to!"
"At least I got the elders calm enough not to punish you! You still have to get a little bit!"
"Oww!"
Yuna sighed as she watched the two, rolling her cobalt eyes at their antics. She giggled when the auburn haired woman pulled on the boys ear harshly. "Your mother would be so disappointed!"
"Liz...that's enough."
Her wife whined and let go of Naruto's ear, "But Yunie..."
Yuna shook her head, her eyes softening as Naruto rubbed his abused ear. "He doesn't know who his parents are, remember?" She whispered so only she could hear.
"Hai..." Yuna held her hand gently, lacing their fingers together while Naruto wandered off, heading home to sleep. "Sorry.."
"I'm not mad, silly..." She looked up at her.
"I miss Kushina...she was a good friend..."
Yuna's eyes were gentle, her hand reaching up and resting against her wife's cheek. "I know..."
"She..."
"Hm?"
"She was great..."
Yuna nodded in agreement, wrapping her arms around the others neck. "Hai..."
Resting her head on the blonde's shoulder, warm tears escaped and wetted the cloth on her shoulder. "God...why do we have so many orphans in Konoha...?"
Yuna ran her fingers through the taller woman's hair in a soothing manner, "It's just...life...if I could, I would take all of them and adopt them..."
"I wish we could have children..."
"I've been working on that..."
"We are both women, Yunie..."
"Thank you for clearing that up, Liz. I'm very much aware that we're both women. And I'm working on something~"
Liz rolled her icy orbs softly, "Sure sure, I'll see that when pigs fly, Yunie. It's impossible."
"It's not." Yuna smiled, handing her a small scroll.
Liz didn't even look at it, "I'm tired Yunie...can i read it tomorrow?"
"Oh, okay~!"
The auburn smiled and took her lovers hand into her own, "Home we go!"
"Hai~!"
A/N: Jeeeez, what a long chapter *O*! But long chapters are nice, so you're welcome. Perhaps we'd feel more loved if you reviewed! Bye!~