The nightmares were relentless. Gruesome images flashed behind his eyelids. Blood and fire lacerated his once peaceful realm of sleep.

Itachi awoke with a start. He'd had the same dream for a week now, each night adding on to the terror. Each dream, however, shared on key element. That girl was always present.

"Itachi~San," Kisame's voice resounded through his room," you ready to go?"

"Almost," he responded monotonously. He changed out of his sweat drenched shirt pulled on a new cloak, and joined Kisame in the cave's entrance area. Their mission was to intercept yet another squad of Waterfall shinobi, interrogate them, and then dispose of them. Just like the last mission, Itachi thought. Itachi skipped breakfast for the millionth time, and for the millionth time, Kisame gave him grief about doing such.

"Come now, Itachi, we have time for you to eat something,"

"Not hungry,"

"Itachi, there's no rush if that's what's concerning you."

"No, now focus at the task at hand."

"As you wish."

. . . . . . . .

"Two more miles until we stop for the night," Yuki stated on the third day of travel. Mizuumi's legs quivered in relief once they landed in a serene clearing. Relena scoffed scornfully.

"Pathetic," she strode past Mizuumi, making sure she brushed arms with her aggressively as she did so. Thunder exploded overhead and lightning flashed forebodingly. Mizuumi shivered a strange feeling about her. Last time she'd felt this way, her mother had died. She cast her gaze around the other members of her squad. A feeling like black ice slammed itself down into the pit of her stomach. Dizziness overtook her and she was dragged down into a pit of blackness.

. . . . . . .

Itachi heard the screams first. Faintly, he wondered if he was dreaming again, but no, the forest was too real. Besides, Kisame was with him, and Kisame's bothersome presence never invaded his dreams. Well, not without several spears in him anyway.

"Hear that?" Kisame inquired

"Yeah," the pair slowed to a stop at the edge of a clearing. They crouched low, peering through the tangled branches of the bushes they hid behind. A squad of four Waterfall shinobi stood around in a cluster, one, a kunoichi, appeared to be unconscious.

"There's our target," Kisame whispered. Itachi nodded in response. Kisame rose quietly to his feet and slowly crept forward. Itachi began to follow, but stopped dead when his eyes focused in on the unconscious kunoichi's face.

The kunoichi had bluish blonde hair that tumbled in thick waves a few inches past her shoulders. Blue mist kanji shaped tattoos dotted the space beneath her eyes, one under each eye. She wore a black sleeveless shirt with arm guards and black kapris with multiple pockets and bandages encircling her left leg from her ankle to the edge of her pants. She also had on blue sandals.

'She looks just like her mother,' Itachi thought,' wait, how do I know that?'

'Because I told you,' a voice within his mind whispered.

'Who are you?' Itachi asked. The voice seemed to smirk,

'Someone who knows you better than you know yourself,'

'Tell me your name!' Itachi demanded.

'How impatient we are! No, I shan't ruin the suspense yet. Until next time, my friend,'

"Itachi!" Kisame hissed," What're you waiting for?"

"Nothing," Kisame followed Itachi's eyes to where he was staring. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, turning out more like a smirk.

"Yeah, she's kind of cute," he stated," you wanting to take her back or something?"

"No," Itachi's voice was hard as ice.

"Why not? She's your age. Who knows, maybe she'd make a good-"

"Kisame, don't make me kill you."

"Defensive, Itachi?" Itachi's response was a fiery Sharingan glare.

"Let's go."

. . . . . . .

Mizuumi dreamed of darkness. A black sky with blood red clouds descending on her squad.