Chapter 7 The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Attack 03 (Limited Tsukuyomi Ed.)
Few moments ago
"Everyone! Please stay calm, shelter is this way." In the middle of this chaotic night, Haruno Mebuki was also on the evacuation team until she decides to took the charge. Although very worried about her husband's safety, the lady understood this is his responsibility. So as the Hokage's wife, naturally, she can't just stand around doing nothing when such natural disaster(?) struck the village. She must stay strong and set a good example for the people around her.
Not long after Kyuubi broke the seal, someone came to inform her the emergency. Mebuki quickly made preparations and entrusted her daughter Sakura to the Anbu member. And then the hokage's wife followed her heart to help the evacuation and injured civilians.
"Madam Mebuki, it's okay. Just head to shelter with the others." By her side, Yuhi Kurenai who couldn't help but try her best to convincing the lady reconsider her choice. "Sakura is waiting for you, we can take care of the rest here."
"...Don't worry." Haruno Mebuki wavered when she heard her daughter's name, but the woman still shook her head firmly. "Kurenai, I'm the wife of the Fourth Hokage! Especially at time like this I need to stand tall and do my best to help calm the minds of villagers. This is part of my duty after that person became the hokage and I'm well aware about it."
"But..." Despite understanding what the lady means, Kurenai still didn't want give up the convincing yet. But before she could say anything else the woman in front of her was already gone. As the kunoichi quickly looked up, all she can see was Madam Mebuki turned her back while ran towards the children who were pushed by the crowd and fell on the ground.
"Ouch!...I'm sorry, Sasuke, are you okay?" Regardless of the dust and bruise all over his own body, the older boy nervously checked the baby up and down while the small one let out an ear-piercing cry. As he repeatedly apologized to the baby in blanket, the older sibling kept asking the question: "I'm really sorry, does it hurt? It's all my fault."
"You over there! Are you injured?" Leaning towards the brothers, Haruno Mebuki worriedly searched for any possible wounds on the older boy. "Where are your parents?"
"Father went to deal with Nine-tails, and we got separated from mother." Surrounded by such chaotic environment, the older sibling who was at most 5 or 6 years old showed calmness doesn't match his age. "if it's not much of a trouble, excuse me for asking. Is this the correct way to the hiding shelter, Madam?"
"Correct...Uh, If you don't mind, can you tell me the name of you and your mother? Maybe I can bring both of you to her." Take another look at the siblings, the older one is so polite while the younger one is at the similar age of their precious daughter, Mebuki immediately felt warmth inside her heart.
The elder brother nodded.
"My name is Itachi, Uchiha Itachi. And this is my younger brother Sasuke. Our mother is Uchiha Mikoto. Madam, if you don't mind, please take us to our mother, thank you very much."
"Wait...Are you Fugaku and Mikoto's eldest son?!" After hearing his simple self-introduction, memory slowly came back to Haruno Mebuki. No wonder she didn't recognize them at a first glance, the last time she meet Itachi, he was also about the same size and age of the baby in blanket now.
"Yes...?" Itachi nodded again, hope and relieve rose in his eyes. Sure, no matter how calm he behaved, it is impossible for a 5-year-old child to face this situation without any hesitation or nervousness. "Madam, do you know my parents?"
"Right, my name is Haruno Mebuki, I met you when you were very young, though you may not remember it."
Helping the boy stand up again and dusting off all dirt on his clothes, Haruno Mebuki was about to reach out to his hand. It is at the same time, Kurenai rushed towards here almost hysterically.
"Madam Mebuki! Watch out!"
Reflexly turning her head to the direction of Kurenai, the next thing Mebuki saw was half of a large building flying straight towards her in mid-air.
Waiting until all the dust fell to the ground, Itachi, who was blown far away by the inertia force, felt pain from all over his body. However, no matter what happened, he didn't let go of hands and protected his younger brother. Though Sasuke's crying was even more shrill than before, as if he could feel the pain his brother was suffering at the moment.
Manage to suppress the pain while opening his eyes, the boy who recalled what happened few seconds ago immediately raised his head try to looked around. "Madam...where are...?"
His voice was completely cut off within the next second, Itachi stared and stared, his black pupils reflected the figure surrounded by rubble and fire until it turned into a similar hue.
"...Are you... all right?" Raising her broken voice, with half of the body being crushed under the wreckage, Haruno Mebuki's face appeared a forced smile. "I'm sorry... I have to... push you away in such a rough way..." Despite a mouthful of blood suddenly gushed out of her mouth, the expression on the woman's face was none other than simple relieve.
"Madam Mebuki!" It was only at this moment that Kurenai arrived, before she got any closer she stopped immediately. As she doing her best to hide the struggle and sorrow, the young kunoichi understood the hopelessness of the situation in an instant.
"Kurenai... please...you must...help them find their mother..." Puked out another mouthful of blood, Haruno Meibuki's gentle gaze fixed on the boy whose face at completely loss at first but then acted like he had done something wrong. "Sorry... I just promised you now, right?...but it seems like...I can't keep that..."
"...I'm sorry...Madam Mebuki...I never intend to..." First time facing such instant yet unexpected death, Itachi felt his whole body and mind was going numb at every second. The only warmth he could still feel at the moment was the younger brother in arms he promised his mother will always protect. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…I..."
Not knowing what to say at a time like this, all he could do was to apologize to his life saver desperately.
"Silly child...it...it's not your fault at all..." Haruno Mebuki gave a wry smile, feeling that her body under the rubble had begun to loose sensations. "I have...a daughter who is about the same age as your younger brother, her name is...Sakura...so when I see...you kids...it reminds me of my own child...that's why my body...moved on its own ...So...you don't need to feel any...guilt...Just...protect your brother, Itachi, this is the responsibility of an older sibling...you can do it...right?"
"...Of course! I promise!... Not only that, I will also promise to you, Madam Mebuki. If one day your daughter was in any danger, I will do my best to help...no, I will come to her rescue no matter what the circumstances is!" Tighten the arms around the baby, Uchiha Itachi's expression turned into utter seriousness with unwavering determination. "So...don't worry, Madam!...Thank you for saving our lives! I will never forget what you did for me today!"
Staring at Itachi's face, Haruno Mebuki almost immediately believed every single word he said. Although it was not her intention to let a 5-year-old boy felt this level of gratitude, the woman smiled without saying anything more. Then she shifted her gaze to Kurenai who was watching everything unfold with her feelings all over the places and left her last words with the young kunoichi.
"Kurenai...about what happened to me...please keep it from my husband at a time like this...I don't want him to get distracted because of me...you also...be careful..."
Bearing the regret of unable to meet her husband one last time, the fourth Hokage's wife—Haruno Mebuki quietly swallowed her last breath.
Author's note: And this is the reason in the movie "Road to Ninja", Itachi stayed by Sakura's side to protect her the whole time (even she's not the Sakura he knew)...of course under this fanfic's setting.
PS: in my fanfiction settings, it's definitely not all rainbows and gumdrops in the world of limited tsukuyomi as well, several horrible things happened no matter what (such as the first three Great Shinobi Wars; Kyuubi attacks Konoha; etc). Also some heartbreaking events in original timeline still happened but with some twists (for better or for worse, you will be the one to judge), follow the story and let me tell you. So in order to write this fanfic, I even made an actual timeline table for the limited tsukuyomi world because I want everything made sense.