Chapter 6!: Yuki's Warning!

I batted branches out of my way, and ran at top speed towards the hideout.

"No matter what stands in my way…" I thought. "I will warn the Akatsuki!"

I leapt from branch to branch, then whammed into someone that was stood on one.

'S- Sorry…' I murmured, rubbing my eyes. 'I wasn't looking where I was going…' The man in front of me turned his head. The moment his empty eyes met mine, I froze.

"Those eyes…" I whispered in my head. "I've… Seen them before…"

'Watch where you're going you brat.' He hissed. 'If you run into the wrong kind of person, like myself, you'll get killed.' He grinned deviously.

His canine teeth were proper, sharp fangs, Overlapping his bottom teeth. I quivered with fear.

"My mom was killed by this guys Clan." I thought, as he turned his back to me. "He obviously knows I'm an Uchiha. He'll kill me! I have to get out of here!"

'You're lucky you know, brat.' He growled. 'I'm in a rush.' He turned his head to me one more. 'I don't have time to waste with pesky Gênin's like yourself.'

I clenched my fist.

'I'll have you know I'm a Chûnin!' I yelled defensively. 'And I'm just about to qualify to be a Jônin!' I clamped my hand over my mouth as I realized I was messing with the wrong guy. Instead of lashing out and killing me, he chuckled blackly.

'Heh… Whatever, kiddo.' He said and jumped onto the next branch. 'By the way, the name's Hinote. It means Fire. So, brat. Don't mess with me.' And with that, he was gone. I stood on the branch, staring at where he had disappeared and breathing heavily.

I had just faced the most deadly person in the world.

It took around half an hour to reach back to the hideout. The air was still, and there wasn't a sound to be heard or anything to be seen apart from the hideout-house thing that loomed up in front of me.

I reached out to knock on the door, but ended up flinching.

"What if… They won't take me seriously…? And what would Deidara do with my abrupt return…?" I clenched my fist.
No. I couldn't let him get in my way.

I went to knock on the door, this time without flinching, but instead, It opened before I had touched it, and I found Itachi staring right back at me.

I half expected him to call me the Juichuri, and pin me down, but instead, he grinned, and said; 'I thought you had left.'

Pain's face went blank. Kisame whacked his head on the table. Hidan started Laughing, then Konan thumped him round the head, which made him grumble.

Kakuzu sighed, and rubbed his thumb and index finger on his forehead.

'You are sure?' Itachi looked at me sideways. I nodded in confirm.

'I was meant to be in the mission, but I ran away to warn you guys.' Itachi faced me fully now, and his eyes were full of a kindness and understanding I had never seen in them before.

He nodded, and looked across at the Akatsuki.

'We need to prepare for battle. If it's a war Konoha wants, it's a war they will get.' He concluded. Kisame looked up from the table.

'But Itachi-san, most of Konohagakure Don't know who the "Akatsuki" are.' He rested his chin on his fist. 'Wouldn't that be slightly dangerous?' Itachi's eyes flicked across to him.

'What do you mean?'

'Well, If we were, for example, from Konohagakure,' He put his hand flat on the table. 'and these strange people came along and invaded your land, wouldn't you decide to try and kill them?' He asked, squinting his eyes.

'Aye.' Itachi confirmed. 'But Konohagakure, if in need, would call Sunagakure.' I watched as the looks on the Akatsuki turned grim.

'Sunagakure…' Pain murmured from the back of the room. 'Is very…. Dangerous…' Konan looked over at him, and his eyes met hers.

'Yes. Pain-Sama is right.' She agreed. 'But we, ourselves, have some of the most powerful ninja.' Pain's face changed to an admiring look. He always looked at Konan that way if she stuck up for the Akatsuki.

'Where's that blasted Deidara?' Itachi groaned.

'That brat's gonna get it later…' Kisame moaned alongside him. Itachi turned away from me and walked slowly towards the door. I twitched and grabbed his cloak sleeve as his hand rested on the door handle.

'I- Itachi…' I stammered as he turned to face me again. 'Your little brother, Sasuke, he's gonna… Kill you…' My grip tightened on his sleeve.

Why was I acting like this? Me and Itachi hate each other!

…I think…

Itachi sighed and moved his hand up to my shoulder and rested it there.

'My brother has tried many a time. Do not fear.' His stared at me square In the eyes when his hand fell back down to his side. 'Now, come.' He murmured. 'You stay we me, Yuki.' He looked at Kisame. 'You go with Tobi.' Kisame looked at Itachi. 'Why can't I go with You or Yuki?' Itachi rolled his eyes.

'Someone needs to stay with Tobi, plus we need to be in pairs. Also. I want Yuki safe.' He coughed. 'She knows who's attacking, and what their attacks are like.' I looked at Kisame who had a "Yeah. Right." Expression on.

'Okay, fine, whatever.' He grunted, then pointed a finger at Itachi. 'But if we're one less of an Akatsuki member, it's not my fault.'

Itachi's mouth twitched. 'Just… Don't make it two.'

Kisame grunted again in agreement, and stood up, then dragging Tobi outside by the collar. Even though they were outside, we could hear Kisame getting frustrated.

'Come on, Squirt.' He grumbled.

'Oh! Kisame-Sama! Look!' Tobi squealed. 'A Daisy!' A short silence fell.

'Hey! Don't touch that!' Kisame yelled. 'You don't know where it's been!'

Pain walked over and closed the door, then leant against it.

'Konan, you come with me…' He murmured. Konan nodded, and followed him out the door. Itachi looked at me and nodded. I gave him a blatantly unconvincing smile. He put his right hand on my left shoulder, and steered me out the door.

About an hour later, we were in the midst of a forest. I wasn't too sure, but Itachi appeared to be protecting me. Maybe he knew I was close to Sasuke, so he didn't want me to be hurt. But he kept glancing back at me, making sure I was following.

While walking behind him, for the first time, I realised he had his hair tied back into a ponytail. He kept it tucked into his cloak, So how was I meant to know?

His body suddenly tensed, and he span around and grabbed me around the waist, and launched up into a tree, landing swiftly on a branch. I slumped down against the trunk and dangled each of my legs over the sides.

Itachi looked at me carefully for a moment, studying me.

'Stay here.' He murmured, and stepped backwards into the green mess below.

I didn't hear anything for a few moments. Then I blinked, allowing my Sharingan to Activate.

I could see a dark silhouette of Itachi… and another of someone else… I concentrated, logging in the height, approximate weight, and hair style.

Then it hit me. It was Sasuke.

And he was going to kill Itachi.

Deidara

I sat leant against a tree, shivering.

Stupid Sasori abandoned me, and he did it.

AGAIN.

I buried my head in my knees.

'What am I really?' I asked myself, and looked up into the cloudy skies. A flake of snow landed on my nose, and I brushed it away with back of my hand. 'I'm just a small….' I smoothed the softly laid snow beside me. '…Consciousness…'

Itachi

I leapt down, branch to branch, and landed softly on the grass. I looked up into the place I had leaped, and my Sharingan allowed me to see the shadow of Yuki's body.

Confirming she was safe, I looked back down to see a Shape emerging from the bushes. I stared silently, showing no emotions.

The silhouette vaguely merged into my little brother.

'You…' He murmured, anger in his voice. 'I'm going to…. Tear you apart!' I straightened my body and watched his as he ran towards me, pulling his arm back in a punching position.

His fist came towards me, and I merely reached up, and grabbed it.

Sasuke's face blanked.

'Foolish Brother…' I murmured. 'I said before… You weren't ready.' Sasuke's face now showed pain, as well as blood thirst and revenge.

'Yeah, I know.' He growled. 'But I haven't shown you what I can do yet.' His mouth twitched up into a mischievous smile. 'I will defeat you in our clan's pride!'

He stepped back and pulled out a shurikan. I winced.

This was the weapon I had been threatened by Uchiha Madara with.

Images flashed through my head of that night of pain…

My mother, father, dead…

My little brother, crying… Running away screaming that he was scared.

And Me. Surrounded by the painful squeals of all of the Uchiha Clan… Crushing them under my own power. I was too strong…. Too strong…

I raised my hand to my head and clutched it.

I hadn't felt so much pain… In so long…

'Sasuke…' I murmured, my voice sounded pained which surprised myself, and Sasuke, seeing his face. I twitched a corner of my mouth up. 'You should… See you face… Little brother…' Sasuke's anger returned quickly and he readied his shurikan. 'I'm sorry… Little brother…' The shurikan fired and headed straight at me.

'Maybe… Next Time…' I smiled painfully, watching Sasuke's face turn to confusion. Then the screaming of my name repeated in my head, and I fell to the floor, motionless. Surrounded in my own Blood.