He might have actually been the only person with enough power to do so, because if Itachi refused, he might've received some form of punishment or a kind of consequence. He had the whole village in the palm of his hand, it would make sense. She felt a sudden chill go up her spine. She must have just been thinking too hard. There's no way the third would ask him to do such a thing, he was too kind. But, she couldn't ignore the fact that it made sense, and she didn't know him too well besides their short encounters. Her hands fisted; if the third really did ask Itachi to murder innocent people with the form of a threat, then that old man deserved to die.
She soon saw a small village and the smell of the food came into the forest, making her mouth water. She walked as fast as she could while wasting minimal amounts of energy and soon arrived. Her eyes glowed, there were so many stands! She could see some people eyeing her bandaged arms and legs but she couldn't care less, she was just looking at the food. She quickly ran over to a stand that had the strongest smell of delicious meat.
"Excuse me sir, how much does one cost?" she asked as she looked at the roasted duck on a stick.
"That'll be three hundred yen," said the man.
She innocently blinked before letting out a nervous laugh. She looked at her arms and an idea popped into her head.
"I'm sorry sir, I was recently mugged and the bandits, well, they did this to me. T-they stole all my money, do you think you could please spare me just one?" she looked at him with her big doe eyes.
The man scratched the back of his neck but when Harumi forced tears into her eyes, he sighed and gave one up to her. She thanked him profusely before skipping away. Who knew being tortured would have its benefits? She smiled brightly as she continued to look around for a weapons shop, while still trying to keep an eye out for the Uchiha killer. Her eyes soon found the weapons shop she was looking for, but she knew the same trick wouldn't work twice. She continued to look around until her eyes landed on something that made her smirk. A casino. She walked and looked around. Who would be an easy target? Her eyes landed on a bunch of middle aged men, smoking and playing poker. Her eyes widened as she recognized one of them, which made her eyes narrow and a frown appear on her lips.
Then, her lips curled up into another smirk before she added a slight sway to her movement as she walked over. She purposely made herself trip near him, and he quickly caught her.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm such a klutz! Please forgive me!" she mustered up the most innocent tone she could as she bowed her head. The man let out a rough laugh as his hand snaked around her arm and pulled her close to him. She did everything in her power not to cringe at the smell of his smokey breath.
"How bout' as a thank ya', you keep me some company baby gurl'?" he suggested, knowing well he was much older than her. She gave a shy smile, and though surprising, it was a genuine one. It made her so happy to think about robbing this man of as much money as she could.
"I-I'm not sure," she said while squirming timidly.
"C'mon, I promise ya' will like it," he replied, a perverted smirk on his face. Harumi mumbled an 'if you say so' before sitting next to the man.
"What's an innocent gal like you doin' at a place like this?" he asked.
"I was going to look around for a game to play, I-I need the money for my sick mother," she looked at her lap innocently, putting a hint of regret and sadness into her voice to really sell the act.
"Ya' know, I could pay for anythin' she needs in exchange for a little time with ya' in ma' bed tonight," he said.
"What?" Harumi looked up at him, quickly reminding herself that breaking his nose wouldn't help. He was disgusting; she was a child. He repeated himself and she pretended to think about it and said she'd tell him her decision later. He smiled creepily at her before pulling her chair against his and putting his arm around her. At one point in the game, the man's bodyguards left to go check something, and when Harumi noticed they weren't coming back, she felt like fate was on her side to pull off her plan.
Though the man got annoyed when his bodyguards didn't come back, he continued playing the rest of the poker game, and Harumi pretended not to know how to play. After the man -who went by Goro- explained the rules, she pretended to try and help him. Well, there wasn't much pretending actually, she looked over the reflection of a dark cup on another table to see the cards of two other men at the table. She whispered what plays she thought he should make and he ended up winning almost every round. She didn't mistake his hand moving away from her shoulder and to her thigh.
She debated breaking his hand, but decided she'd break his bank instead.
"I think imma go cash this in," Goro stuck his chin out.
"I can do it for you," Harumi smiled.
"You're not plannin' on runnin' with ma money right baby? 'Cause that would be y'a mistake," he tilted his head, his tone turning lower at the end.
"No, I was just hoping to use the lady's room, to prepare for something," she said as started to get up.
He quickly grabbed her hand and asked, "Prepare fur what?"
"I was thinking you'd take me home tonight, l-like you said," she replied innocently.
A perverted grin made it up to his face before he gave her all his gaming chips and told her to go cash it in and come right back. She nodded and went to the desk to do exactly that. When she got the money, she made her merry highway out of the casino, and straight to a clothing shop. She got a small bag, blue ribbon, and a weapon's pouch. She put the large amounts of money in the bag and went straight to the weapon's shop. She bought a bunch of kunai, shuriken, paper bombs, light bombs, and her favorite, wire strings. She left the store, surprised Itachi hadn't dragged her back to the cabin to kill her or something.
She suddenly paused at the thought. She knew he knew she was gone, and she figured he already knew where she was, so was he toying with her? No, that wasn't his style. What was he up to? She walked out of the store with a sigh. No matter how hard she tried, she never knew what was going through that pretty head of his. She suddenly blushed at her own thoughts. Really Harumi? Even though he's probably trying to murder you? He killed everyone, he killed the last family she had left! He probably had a very good reason though…no! She would not fall down this hole!
"I thought I told ya' that you'd regret stealin' ma' money ya' whore," Goro appeared out of nowhere. She abruptly turned around and gave a fake gasp.
"Did you just call me a *gasp*...whore? Oh no! What on earth shall I do now that the man with breath that smells like steaming garbage has called me such an indecent word? It is indeed the end of the world!" Harumi dramatically held her hand against her forehead.
"Imma make ya' eat ya' words," chuckled Goro before signaling his bodyguards to get her while also trying to get her himself. Harumi wondered where his bodyguards had come from, and why they hadn't stopped her from stealing his money earlier instead. She also had the slightest urge to take her anger out on them, but she was genuinely afraid she would've killed them if she did. Instead, she gave them a mischievous grin and began running for the forest; the game wouldn't be any fun without a little chase, now would it? As soon as she made it to the trees, the two bodyguards took off their suits which revealed the ninja gear under them. She smiled brightly, thinking maybe they wouldn't dieif she just took a little bit of her anger out on them.
As soon as she made it into a more open space among the trees, she planted her feet and got ready. She would have to avoid hand to hand combat from their part, ironically, as her wounds hadn't fully healed. Her cuts had healed, but her bruises were still there and though the injuries weren't threatening or even all that bad thanks to her medical ninjutsu, she still didn't want them getting any worse. She grabbed two shuriken and two kunai, knowing that was all she needed. She couldn't help but wonder if he was also looking at her as well. She only smiled at the thought. If he was watching, Itachi would only get a refresher course in why she was named one of the strongest kunoichi of the village.
"We've got ya' cornered baby gurl'," Goro smirked.
"That's fine ya' old man, it's you I'm worried 'bout," she mocked his accent and exaggerated it.
He growled before yelling, "Imma teach ya' some manners. Get 'er!"
The two ninja quickly jumped at her and tried to attack her but she dodged with ease. She mentally named them Ninja One and Ninja Two. She could see Ninja One weaving hand signs for an earth style jutsu, and that's when she threw her first shuriken which only grazed him. She threw her other shuriken which he dodged with a cocky look as he began weaving hand signs again, but his hands and body were suddenly wrapped in wire string as the two shuriken looped around his body.
Ninja Two looked surprised and pulled out his kunai to try and attack her with it, but she instead countered with a fireball jutsu. Ninja Two recovered in a second, but she was somehow already behind him. He was shocked, how was she so fast?! Little did he know that she was infamous among her classmates for swiftness and speed. She quickly kicked in his knees before she threw her kunai -that had wire string attached to it- around his neck and grabbed onto both ends.
She gave a dry chuckle. "I don't need to remind you how sharp wired strings are, right? If I feel you move even a little, I'll cut your neck so quick you won't even realize what happened. Understand? You may want to give a verbal response, we don't want me mistaking a nod for movement, now would we?" she said, her calm and even sweet voice countering the words she spoke.
Ninja Two side eyed his friend, and his eyes widened. Ninja One had blood running down his arms from moving with the tight string around him. He gulped. She's dangerous, and she got us both on our knees with three weapons and a jutsu. Just who is this girl?
He looked in front of him at Goro who looked like he was about to pee himself. Goro yelled something about not yielding to a girl and told him he wouldn't pay them unless they finished the job, but Ninja Two couldn't care less about the job anymore. He could tell, this girl wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he didn't comply with everything she said.
"This is your fault! Why weren't ya' two at the casino doin' ya' jobs when she ran out?!" Goro yelled.
"I'm sorry sir, but I can't remember! I remember we felt eyes on you and went to check out the threat from outside, but it went black from there!" Ninja One explained, causing Harumi's eyes to widen slightly. She was about to say something but Goro's yelling interrupted her. He head snapped to him, her eyes narrowing.
"Listen, I'm a bit pissed right now, so if you keep yelling, I'll rip your tongue out," she threatened. "And if you try to run, I'll break those fat, stumpy legs of yours."
All three of them flinched, knowing she wasn't messing around. She tied Ninja Two's hands behind his back with the string before knocking him out. She walked over Ninja One and knocked him out as well. Goro was frozen with terror in his place. Was this really the same girl he had met just a few minutes ago? Harumi calmly began walking over to him, her eyes bored but confident. Ignoring her warnings, he began running while screaming.
Harumi face-palmed, wondering if he was an idiot. Had she not warned him seconds ago that she'd break his legs if he ran? She counted to ten in her head, that was enough of a head start, right?
Goro looked back to see she wasn't behind him and felt relief wash over him, until he turned back forward and saw her standing in front of him, arms crossed, tapping her foot with an annoyed look. He screamed and was about to run again but was interrupted by Harumi slamming his face into a tree. He held his nose with a pained groan, feeling the blood coming out.
"You know, I don't understand you. I literally just toldyou I'd break your legs if you ran, and you still did! Who does that? Are you stupid or something?" she held the bridge of her nose. "Nevermind, don't answer that, you're the type that's in denial." Goro gave her an odd look. What was wrong with her?
"Now, are you going to resist and make it slow and painful, or are you going to give up and I'll make it quick?" she asked with a curt smile.
Goro got down on his knees and began crying and begging. "Nah, please spare may'! I promise I'll make it up to ya'! Ya' want money? I've got tons! A-and if ya' don't want that, I'll get you somethin' else! Anythin'! Just spare may'!" He looked up at her.
"Hm, I guess I can be merciful and not break your legs," she said as she tapped on her chin and walked right in front of him and bent down a bit. "I'll break those perverted arms of yours instead."
Before he could even react, Harumi grabbed his left arm and a crack was heard. Goro screamed in pain but didn't have time to dwell on it as Harumi grabbed his other arm and broke it as well. She made sure it was a deep and bad break so that he'd feel for a long time to come, and she made sure to break it in a way that ensured it would never heal properly. Goro began rolling around in pain before Harumi stomped her foot down -hard- on his chest.
"You think I don't know who you are? You're Goro Sarmi, you're part of the black market and have been known for preying on young girls. Minors, specifically," Harumi's eyes narrowed in disgust. "I know what you'd do to them if they said no. You can't handle rejection, and are in denial that others don't want you, so you'd hurt them and their families as revenge. That's how I knew the sick mother act would work on you perfectly. You're just a filthy scumbag."
"You've got the wrong man! That ain't may'! I would never do such a thang'!" Goro shook his head rapidly, but this only caused Harumi to bring the heel of her foot down so hard on his fingers, she heard another crack. This only caused another scream out of him.
"The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I was going to make you pay, with both cash and pain. Now, let's finish this up," she dusted her hands off.
She dragged him out to the very front of the forest, right in front of the village, and tied him to the first tree, making sure the string was tight enough to cut through his skin, and if he moved, it would only go deeper. Once satisfied, she grabbed her second kunai, stabbed his leg, and quickly pulled it out, splashing blood around the tree so that everyone in the village would be able to see it. His bodyguards were put behind the tree instead. She knew they were only doing their jobs, but she couldn't respect people who would work for a man like that.
She walked back into the forest, waiting a bit before declaring, "I know you were watching, what did you think? Do you think I should've broken that perv's legs as well?"
When she got no reply, she gave a soft laugh. "You put a genjutsu under the bodyguards when I was in the casino right? You didn't want them getting in the way of my plan, you wanted to see what I was trying to do, is that it? Or were you worried thinking I didn't know who Goro was?" she looked around.
"It didn't matter if you knew him or not," said a voice.
Harumi turned back, and she had to fight the smile coming onto her face when she saw Itachi, but wasn't able to stop the small little tug up at the side of her lip. He knew she could handle herself, and she couldn't help but feel a small warmth that he decided to watch just in case. That confused her though; wouldn't it have been easier to let them kill her? Well, they couldn't have either way.
Her expression suddenly turned serious as she knew their conversation would take a turn. "So why did the hokage tell you to kill the Uchiha?"
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