Chapter 21: Dark forebodings
Autumn has finally come and with it, more tension and darkness ascending the Uchiha clan. Absent Itachi, struggling with unrest and inner conflict. He deepened the gap between him and Akira which he himself has created. The girl, feeling scorned and untrusted, did her best to keep it together for the sake of her younger sister. She continued the long hard training to keep Izumi strong and safe but the sense of impending danger would twist her insides every night in bed.
Unable to sleep, she sneaked out to the garden one night. Cold dew covered the withering grass. The sky was cloudy, giving her eyes comfort, so used to the darkness. With bare feet she would tread lightly on the cold ground, matching her breaths with the dance moves carefully. Suddenly, a flash hit her, throwing her to her knees. She bent backwards like struck by a lightning, throwing her head up, losing breath.
Blood, screams and… a man wearing a strange orange mask. The red liquid streams down the Uchiha symbol carved into the wall of the compound. Another man, standing with his back to her pulls out his sword from the body of his father, collapsing now on the floor. Akira doesn't want to know who he is. She fights the vision, chokes and hyperventilates. He slowly turns towards her. Red Sharingan meets her eyes. Tears flow down his cheeks covered with characteristic deep lines.
Akira presses her hands to her mouth to keep from screaming, cowering hiding her head in the grass and howling hollowly trying to catch her breath. She can't stop shaking. Now things seem to be falling into place. Trying to name her emotions, fear slowly turns to rage, flooded with countless questions that need answering without delay.
Itachi hasn't made it home yet, but she can hear his footsteps approaching the front porch. Everyone else is already asleep, so the girl gets up and runs towards him.
Her face, pale as paper, her eyes full of fury. Itachi freezes mid-step to the door, and as Akira runs from behind the house and reaches him, she strikes a hard blow to his face, leaving a red mark on his cheek.
'I saw it!' She gritted her teeth, her voice eerily serious, completely contradictory to her usual gentle nature.
'I saw what you did… what you will do! You must…' she didn't finish as the boy covered her mouth with his palm dragging her towards the exit of the property.
'Not here.' He replied coldly. He realised there was no turning back, now was the time to explain everything to Akira.
Only when they both reached the dense forest, running in silence, they stood among the trees, making sure no one is around to hear them. Itachi's Sharingan illuminated the darkness.
'You said you were going to stop the clan somehow, not by killing them, you said you made that promise to Shisui back then…' she started.
'Listen…' he sighed heavily, holding the girl's arms until she stopped shaking angrily. He needed a moment to collect his thoughts. The decision he made was risky but inevitable. 'Everything I'm going to tell you now must stay between us. Izumi… kids… they must never find out.'
Akira frowned, but after a moment, she loosened her clenched teeth and let out the air with a hiss. 'I'm listening.'
What I'm going to tell you in a moment... I trust you completely. You are free to do with this information whatever you wish, I am not going to stop you' he paused to meet her eyes. 'Our clan is planning a coup d'etat in three days. I joined the ANBU, as you know, to be closer to Konoha's political core and follow act as a spy for our clan. What my father doesn't know... and no one else either is that Danzo and the Hokage tasked me with being a double agent. My father is convinced that I serve the Uchiha, but our clan's values have long ceased to coincide with mine... The well-being of this village is my priority, peace and the prevention of slaughter. This won't be possible if I side with Uchiha.
Akira leaned against a tree feeling that she was losing strength in her legs. But she didn't interrupt him, so the boy continued.
'I have been given one last mission from the village.'
'Last… what do you mean?'
The boy looked down with a face full of pain, he squeezed his eyes shut so that tears wouldn't spill out of them. The girl touched his burning cheek with her hand. She was beginning to understand. A groan of despair escaped her lips, but she pressed her lips together quickly to keep herself in check.
'What will happen to Izumi and Sasuke…?' she whispered 'what will happen to me? Itachi, what will happen to you... after that?'
'I met the leader of an organization who will accompany me on this mission. He offered me asylum in his ranks. The Hokage promised to take care of Izumi and Sasuke. You have to…' He broke off, feeling how stupid and inappropriate it was now to give orders to the girl whose whole world he had just turned upside down because of his family. 'I would like to ask you to help with Izumi. We cannot allow…'
'Wait, I'm not leaving my sister alone!' Akira protested.
'We have no choice. The organization I'm joining... which I'll take you to' Itachi continued hesitantly 'they hunt jinchuriki and collect tailed beasts... I'll explain later for what purpose. Either way, taking Izumi with us is putting her life in great danger.'
'No, no…'
'Akira. We have to disappear from their lives now. Only in this way will Sasuke and Izumi have a chance to grow into powerful ninjas and face…'
'Worse things in the future… Itachi, I don't even want to hear it.' She hid her face in her hands. She was silent momentarily, breathing heavily, trying to control her rage. The cool calculation of the options was now the most prudent step.
'Are you sure this is the only way? she asked with a hint of hope in her voice, but she knew what the answer would be.
Itachi took her hands in his and brought his forehead closer to her face, leaning slightly. 'I promise you, when the time comes, you will get Izumi back and you will be together again. Akira. I want to ask you for one thing. Run away with me.'
The girl felt a bitter longing and an unnamed warm feeling that both of them had for each other, although they never put it into words. Something that made her want to follow him to the end of the world, into the greatest battles and the darkest roads, to stand by his side and savour the warmth of his love.
'I will go. I will stay with you until the end.' she exhaled swallowing bitter tears.
The dark clouds thinned out, moved by the cold September wind, revealing the silver moon, in an almost perfect circle.