Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 21

Naruto, Sasuke: 16

Shisui: 25

Kakashi: 30

"Good morning." I shot Itachi a disbelieved look. He raised a surprise brow.

"Go...good morning..." I stuttered back. He sighed and poked my forehead before heading in the kitchen. I rubbed the spot with a small smile.

Everything was good I guess.

It didn't make the feeling of dread in my stomach disappear though. I could just feel there was something coming but I didn't know what it was.

"What do you have planned today?" Itachi asked me as he sat down in front of me with his breakfast.

"Huh? Not much, Naruto is training with Kakashi and Yamato-senpai, Fu's with Team Gai or hanging at the Aburame's..." Bugs lovers. "...and Sasuke said he had some solo training to do." Who knew what Shisui was up to, I had not seen him in a while.

November was settling in, the weather getting colder and colder. I was fine with it, it was easier to train my Ice Release but…

"You want some action." I nodded sheepishly.

"I feel useless."

"Have you read the contract?" I nodded.

"There's nothing. From the moment the engagement is made official, I have training to follow and have to be faithful to my fiance. Then I have to produce a child within the next two years." Naruto didn't take it nicely. Sensei neither and she was actively trying to find something to break the contract.

It was not really on my mind though. Stopping the Akatsuki, Kaguya, was more important yet...I was stuck in Konoha.

How long would Tsunade-san make me stay on the sideline? I asked her if I could go to Uzushio to go to the place Hoshigaki-san and Dad were before, but she almost kicked me out of her office.

I couldn't help but feel like there was something deeper behind her refusal to let me go outside.

"I'm gonna bug Tsunade-san."

"If you're not sent outside the village there must be a valid reason."

"Well then she better tell me."

I went in the morning. I had the Tower in sight when I felt several shinobi on it, Tsunade being one of them. As I didn't like being ignorant, I got as close as possible without being seen to hear what was going on. I took a deep breath. The Akatsuki was in the country and all of these teams were sent to track them down. I heard Tsunade saying the Fire Temple had been destroyed and that a Chiriku was killed.

Why would the Akatsuki aim a Temple? There was no jinchuriki there.

I widened my eyes. That Chiriku, wasn't he a Ninja Guardian before? That was what Naruto told me. If it was the case, then he must have had a bounty on his head, then…

Kakuzu and Hidan?

I widened my eyes even more. I had never really interacted with Asuma but...could it be the mission where he dies? Then Kurenai was pregnant and Mirai…

Tsunade threw a kunai in my direction and I landed behind her. She turned around and shot me a stern look.

"How much of that have you heard?"

"Enough." I followed her in her office. Once we were alone, I clenched my fists by my sides. "I should be on one of those teams, it's probably Kakuzu and Hidan and..."

"It is out of the question." I frowned.

"Why!? Hidan's jutsu is deadly to all but me!"

"And it will only make the Akatsuki more curious about you. Drop it Akane, you're not going!"

"Then give me a reas..." She punched her desk, splitting it in half. Splinters flew everywhere. "What are you insane!?"

"I am the Hokage and you respond to me as of today, I have no reason to explain myself to you!"

"NO REASON!?" I yelled at her. She widened her eyes at the sheer anger and frustration in my voice and I widened my eyes as well. I put my hand on my mouth.

"Tsuna has an ulterior motive but it is not a bad one. I know it." I gulped at the Shodai's voice.

"Hokage-sama!" Two ANBU appeared in front of her.

"I am fine, leave us!" she barked at them.

"But..."

"This is family matters!" The ANBU exchanged a look.

"Fine." They disappeared.

"I can't have you fall in the Akatsuki's hands Akane, Konoha has plenty of great shinobi, just have faith in them."

"So you're willing to sacrifice them when I could be more useful?" She glared at me.

"You better be careful of what you're going to say."

"All I'm saying is that you should let me go as well! Please!"

Mirai was so hurt for growing up with a dad. Now I could...I could…

"I know I can't fall into their hands, but I'd kill myself before they got any information! I have to go! I'm a great ba…"

"ENOUGH!" I bit the inside of my cheek. "I have enough of Naruto, but you're a grown-up so act like one! We're shinobi, choices have to be made!"

Choices?

Like the one old Itachi was given?

"And the lower ones are treated as disposable pawns?" I asked her quietly.

She grabbed me by my collar and put an Immobility Seal on me.

"Everything you're saying could trigger diplomatic issues Akane, so think about this in a cell for a while. You're having a special treatment, don't forget it." The ANBU took me to T&I.

I was thrown in a cell.

"Don't forget who you are Kiri," an ANBU spat at me.

I was left alone, the small window allowing less and less light through as the day was going. When the moon replaced the sun, I scanned where I was to sense anyone. There was barely a few chuunin.

Not enough.

I made the Claw appear and broke the seal easily.

"Akane, what are you doing!?" Minato screeched in my head.

"Saving someone's life!" Once out of the seal, I hiraishined in my room.

I grabbed what I needed and teleported once again, but outside the main gate this time. I cut off the connection with the souls, not handling oji-chan begging me to go back to Konoha before I got myself into bigger issues.

If I was right then Kakuzu had a bounty to deliver. I pulled a map from the Land of Fire from my back pouch. There were several in the country and I had markers nowhere. I would need to visit them one by one.

Annoying.

I made four shadow clones and we went our separate ways.

I probably was in the wrong but morally speaking, I knew Asuma was going to die so I was trying to save his life. I couldn't just sit around and wait until the Hokage allowed me to help.

I couldn't sit around and wait while I knew I could help again.

It...it was the right thing to, I knew it.

I knew where they were as dawn was there. I hadn't stopped running once.

When I ran past a lake, I frowned and looked toward it. I widened my eyes when I spotted red clouds.

"Suiton: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!" Shit, Hoshigaki-san!

As his water wave was coming at me, I went through hand seals as well and made a water dragon. I jumped on its head and froze it, heading toward Hoshigaki-san. He grinned like the shark he was and used Samehada to break the head. I blocked it with Yagura's club, baring my teeth at him, before he threw me back.

I landed smoothly on the water that was now covering the road.

"Yo kid, how's it been?"

"Good as long as I didn't see your shark face." He laughed.

"You really don't change, do you?" I looked around.

"Where's my father?"

"Watching, he said I could deal with you like I wanted to on my own." My eyes found his. Then, I smirked.

"Well, I think we both know that water is as much your element that it is mine."

"Really now?"

He used a water jutsu. I countered with one of my own. It kept escalating until I used a Wind Jutsu to reinforce my attack. Hoshigaki-san took Samehada and cut through my attack. He ran at me and I blocked Samehada with my club, even if she tore her bandages apart and that her scales started moving.

He kicked me in the stomach. I spat at that and was sent flying meters away, but I threw a marked kunai. He deflected it easily, the kunai going above him and I teleported to it.

"Hiraishin," he stated as he turned his head toward me. I already had the hook of the club around his neck and I threw him in the water violently.

It should have broken someone's neck.

It was Hoshigaki-san though, and Samehada followed him. It would heal him. I ran a hand across my stomach. It would leave a big bruise.

I went through a few hand signs and put my hand on the water.

"Hyoton: Freezing Technique." I wouldn't be able to freeze the whole lake without wasting chakra, but I could get to him.

I widened my eyes when I was surrounded by water. My feet left the lake and I felt Hoshigaki-san getting closer and closer. Quickly, I froze some of the water, enough to make an Explosive Seal and made it explode, sending me away before the missing-nin broke through the ice I made.

I put a breathing seal on my mouth and nose to breath.

Samehada had merged with Hoshigaki-san.

"Suiton: Water Prison Shark Dance Technique."

This dome of water would follow him, as long as he was after me I would be stuck in it. With Samehada, he could absorb my chakra and heal, he could breath fine and be very fast here.

Water was water though.

I made three Shadow Clones as distraction. As long as we were in that water, as long Samehada was attached to him, physical attack would be useless. Hypothermia might be the way to go though.

Using the same method I used to avoid him, I joined my clones. He killed them quickly, but it gave me enough time to make him slower.

"You...you're cooling the water down," he finally noticed. He smirked and I frowned.

He shouldn't be smug right now, unless…

I narrowly dodged the small sharks aimed at my vitals. I had a cut on my neck and waist, but nothing too bad. However, Hoshigaki-san was coming at me. He seemed...disturbed though, because of the cold. I made a Water Clone, put an Explosive Seal on her and she sent me down. I exited the water dome and saw her explode as well as lightning.

I looked at the seal on my hand. The Chidori disappeared.

The dome exploded and I was sent harshly on the frozen lake. Fuck, I indirectly hurt myself. I got up, my body aching and I saw Hoshigaki-san falling near me, Samehada falling further away.

"That hurts..." he growled, sitting up. I was already on my feet, blood now staining my clothes around my wounds.

Maybe they were deeper than expected.

I threw a kunai at Samehada and teleported to it. I froze the sword immediately and put a seal on it, just to lock it up nicely.

"Don't take it personally, Samehada is a great weapon but is very annoying to fight against." He opened his mouth but his ring shone.

There was a meeting being called.

"That's enough for today Kisame." I gulped when Dad appeared next to him, looking utterly bored. He took a kunai and threw it toward me. I dodged and it landed in Samehada.

In the blink of an eye it was by his side.

I loved the Hiraishin but having it used against you was annoying.

I blinked when Kakashi appeared next to me.

"Why are you leaving so soon?" he asked my father, who scoffed.

"I have no reason to tell you." On this note, him and Kisame vanished.

"Shit," I cursed under my breath, the water Hoshigaki-san had made disappearing as well. I unfroze what I had frozen and the lake was back to its initial state.

I lowered my head and rubbed it when Kakashi punched it.

"Do you even know in what kind of troubles you are!?" he yelled at me, making me take a step back. "You could be accused of treason Akane!"

"But..."

"No 'but'! The Hokage's words are absolute, even if you don't agree with it!"

"So I should have let someone die against people I already faced before?" I replied icily. His eyes glared at me.

"If Tsunade-sama didn't send you, then she had a reason." I looked away. After a few silent seconds, I saw him lowering his headband on his sharigan with a sigh. "Whatever it was you told her, you leaving afterward made her send back-ups." I stared at him without pipping a word.

"Really?" I asked in a small voice.

"I don't know what you believe, but the Hokage knows you wouldn't throw a tantrum for no reason Akane. You will be punished though, you disrespected her more in a few sentences than Naruto ever did."

"So wondering about why I am kept me in the village is worst than Naruto calling her 'Grandma' nonstop and basically fighting with her all the time?" I replied, stunned.

"It's not the same."

"You can't tell me Naruto is the perfect, respectful shinobi." He turned around. "I knew it, there is something else, isn't there?"

"Follow me." I bit back the snarky comment I was about to make and followed him, securing the club onto my back.

The way back was silent. I couldn't get a read on Kakashi. I could feel Minato or Tobirama poking at the connection to have it reestablished.

When I was back in Tsunade's office and I saw the cold fury in her eyes, dread ran through my body.

Right.

I messed up bad following my feelings.

"Shizune, Kakashi, leave." They did. I noticed the shiny new desk there was.

"New desk?" She frowned.

"Do you think that because you know things you're allowed to just act on it?" she asked me calmly.

The anger was easily distinguishable behind though.

"Do you think I do not take it into account at each decision I make?"

"I'm sorry," I apologized, looking down.

"You're not. After that scene, the least you can do is continue to be honest. Start lying to me now and things will get even worst." I raised stern eyes to her.

"I just don't want my actions to impact Kiri." She scoffed.

"You didn't seem to care earlier."

"I am aware, I let my feelings dictate my behavior."

"Shinobi can't have their feelings dictate their behavior. You're old enough to know that." I smirked sarcastically.

"What can I say, I'm my father's daughter." Her brow twitched.

"I thought having this stigma in Kiri disgusted you."

"It did, still does, but maybe they weren't wrong after all." I sighed. "You're right, I don't regret going there when not ordered to, but you not sending me after the Akatsuki is frustrating and I know there is something you don't want to tell me. It's making it worst. You're asking me to be honest, is it too much to ask the same of you, as a fellow Uzumaki?"

"You're bringing the clan into this!?" she roared, standing up and slamming her hands on her desk.

"Of co..." I blinked, remembering the discussion I had with Dad just before he put that seal on my eye. "Wait, you and Dad are related like Naruto and I are, you knew my grandparents, didn't you?"

"What about it?"

"Dad said a Yurei was to stay hidden, that the clan had to hide it because it was the dirtiest secret the Uzumakis had." She froze and looked away. "Is that why you're doing it? Because...because..."

"Do you know how angry I was when Jiraya casually told me you had the Shinigami Seal on you Akane?" she asked, calmer now. "They wanted me to be the Fifth and then he told me that. Those old geezers, if they know, you're done for. I feel bad enough that when I arrived years ago, I saw the corpse of a child and that Ushio out of anyone had done this, if people were to know what the Uzumakis did..."

"The Uzumakis no longer exist! Dad won't tell that guy a thing, great! But there's no reason for you to follow that stupid rule! And you definitely can't use your position for that!"

"Watch me!" she snapped back at me. "You're valuable, too much for the Akatsuki to get you like they want to and tried to three years ago!" She took a deep breath. "If you are really needed out there, then I will send you but until then, stay here and help Naruto and Fu control their bijuu. Work with the Uchihas and Hyuugas. You've got plenty of things to do here." Yet none of them seemed…

"Understood, sorry for overstepping my boundaries and escaping." I pursed my lips. "Am I going to be sent back?"

"No." I blinked in surprise and she turned around, looking through the window. "You already know that Kurenai is expecting, correct?"

"...yes..."

"Well, the child will grow up with both of his parents." I widened my eyes and a smile grew on my face. "Asuma was wounded and will be away from missions for a while, but Sakura reached him in time. You're dismissed."

"Thank you Tsunade-san."

I left her office. Once outside, I teleported to oji-chan rock face.

I placed a hand on my eyes, an uncontrollable smile on my face.

"Thank God..." I whispered to no one.

"May I speak my mind Hokage-sama?" Tsunade raised a brow at Kakashi.

"Go ahead."

"Akane made a mistake and decided she knew better than you, I can't defend her on that."

"But you're still going to try." He sighed.

"I guess. The only reason Akane became a kunoichi and had to be in the Bloody Mist was because someone in the Akatsuki decided she could be useful. She was trained just to join this organization later on."

"It seems so."

"And Karatachi Yagura was a victim in this. He was made a tyrant but actually was a victim. Like her best friend. She had to turn a relative of hers into a jinchuriki and made him a target when Naruto already is one." Tsunade folded her arms. "I know your reasons, I know that Akane could potentially end up as a risk to herself and her team on missions, especially regarding the Akatsuki, but keeping her in the village on purpose will only make her doubtful of Konoha."

"You're saying that by trying to protect her from herself and the Akatsuki, we might just send her straight to them on her own free will?" the Hokage summed up.

"I'm afraid so. She tried to defect Kiri five times before Shisui got her out because she felt used like a tool. If she feels the same in Konoha, I'm afraid she might take the same path. Honesty will keep her here." Tsunade pursed her lips.

Akane had been offered a spot in the Akatsuki by Obito in Kiri. She turned him down, but she acknowledged finding his offer tempting in spite of knowing the truth.

"You think she would try to leave even with her family in Konoha?"

"I'm sure she would as long as her decision doesn't impact them, or Kiri. I agree it's annoying, but when it comes to the Akatsuki, Akane doesn't think as a kunoichi."

"A personal vendetta?"

"Most likely. I know Akane...is different per say, I don't know how but there is just something off with her that grew over the years. I'm afraid that whatever it is, it plays a huge part on that vendetta as well."

"You've noticed?" He nodded stiffly.

"Yes."

"Look Kakashi, I'm aware of all of that, but I can't risk putting an unstable element on a team, and so far missions requiring you did not require her presence as she has work to do in the village as well."

"Then what?" Tsunade pursed her lips.

"She's living with Uchiha Itachi, isn't she?" Kakashi nodded. "Fine, bring him to me."

Once she had the Uchiha heir in front of her, she couldn't help but already be exhausted. Akane was exhausting, and Itachi's poker face, the one he always had, tended to irk her a lot.

"You asked for me?"

"Yes. I need to ask you questions about your roommate." He perked up at that, clearly interested.

Well, if that wasn't an interesting development.

"He's on a mission?" I asked Mom.

"Yes, it seems Team Kakashi was asked as back-up on an important mission." I clenched my hand around my cup of tea. "Tsunade-san told me about your little escapade the other day." I tensed.

"Ha." She shot me a stern, disappointed look and I looked away.

"If you can't look at me in the eyes then you know you were in the wrong."

"Sure."

"Akane..."

"I can't sit around and wait Mom. I can't blindly have faith in an institution that..." That destroyed so many lives before, that sacrifices so much before.

The Shinobi world...was a cold, cruel one.

"Yet if you try to do things your own way, you'll get more problems than ever. Please, don't do things on your own." Her gray eyes became almost pleading. "Please honey." I looked away and my gaze found Fubuki's picture on the wall.

"Alright," I agreed quietly. "Sorry for worrying you Mom."

"I'll always worry about you, it's how a mother is." I smiled faintly.

"I should head home, see you later," I told her, drinking my tea in one go.

When I got home, Itachi was watching TV. He shot me a glance.

"Hey," he greeted me casually. I waved at him. "What do you want to eat tonight?"

"I'm not hungry, I'll go to bed early." I closed the door of my room behind me and sat on my bed.

Oji-chan was concerned. Tobirama seemed as well, but it was hard to tell with that one. Hashirama was on the floor, his cheek in his hand.

"It's like Umiko," the Nidaime stated. Hashirama sighed deeply. "It starts with thinking you're somehow invincible in fights, then you start thinking that you know better than everyone, then you become more and more numb to anything and anyone around you. It's the Claw. It's that cursed thing!"

"Didn't you use that as inspiration for the Edo Tensei though?" his older brother asked him without looking at him.

"I wanted to understand how this kinjutsu worked." He shut his eyes. "The results were similar but far from being the same at the same time." Hashirama opened his eyes.

"You, Akane, are heading straight to your own downfall." I stared at him blankly. "If you keep pretending around your loved ones, you will only let yourself sink more and more within the Shinigami's hold on you."

"Please, tell me how Umiko managed then." Tobirama glared at the sarcasm in my voice. Hashirama stood up.

"She didn't." I was taken back. "The longer she was staying in Konoha, the longer she was staying with us and seeing all that she had changed, the more she wanted to protect it at all costs. It made her make some bad decisions that we had to handle afterward. Ultimately, Madara discovered who she was and how she was responsible for Izuna's death and killed her whereas she was going back to Uzushio." His eyes flashed with pain. "I will forever be grateful to her and I still failed her." He glanced seriously at me. "Which is why neither Tobirama nor I can fail you as well." I averted my eyes. "I only ask of you to listen to my granddaughter."

"But..."

"Tsunade-sama has her reasons Akane," Minato intervened. "You can't just act because you don't know them."

"I'm not a fucking tool!"

"And she doesn't see you like that!" I shrunk when Hashirama raised his voice. "I made sure that Konoha would transmit the Will of Fire through generations, there is no way my own granddaughter would omit it." His eyes showed pity. "However, shinobi are supposed to endure and not everyone can do that." I scoffed.

"I know I can't endure."

"You could if you looked around you and relied on people." I looked at Tobirama. "Isn't that what Saru told you? That they would fight?"

"Your goal is pure, but unfortunately you can't save everyone, even with all the knowledge in the world," the Shodai stated. "Saving Saru's son was luck, but you can't just dive into danger like that." He grabbed my shoulders. "There's a war coming, we'll be needed, if you died, we won't be here. You have the only two ways to bring us back Akane, don't forget that."

I was back in my room. The connection was off. They turned it off on their side to give me some time to myself.

I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my forehead on them. I knew shinobi had to obey orders, blindly even, but…

Did it mean I was supposed to just stay here and let people die?

Damn it, was there something wrong with me or with them?

What were you supposed to do when you didn't agree with the world around you?

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks to Raylis for the review!

Bye!