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: 24

Naruto, Sasuke: 19

Shisui: 28

Kakashi: 33

I blocked his foot and pinned him down. Nicely of course.

After all, I was invited for a showing at the Academy.

The kid stood up and bowed to me, which was still weird, and he went back with his comrades. Choujurou came to stand next to me.

"I hope you have learned a lot today by watching Mizukage-sama train with you."

"Yes!" they replied in sync.

"Nah, you're all very good already," I said, waving my hand.

"Mizukage-sama!" I nodded at the girl raising her hand. "Is it true you were on the frontline and one of the only ones to not be asleep?"

"Yes."

"And that you fought Uchiha Madara?"

"Yes too." Suddenly, all of them had their hands raised. I raised mine to defend myself.

Choujurou hit his sword against the floor.

"That's enough for today, Mizukage-sama has things to do." I left after saying goodbyes.

People said 'hi' to me on the way back to my office. I slowly got used to it.

Things were going well. Isobu was still in the waters of the country. He appeared one day near the harbor and Haku felt him. We went there and he was happy to see us. I told him that he was free to roam around our waters as long as he didn't disturb people, which he accepted. He told me Seiken was fine too.

The next morning, I checked my bag.

"Are you sure you should be going on your own?" Haku asked me with a frown.

"I know I'm important now, but it's because I can defend myself I am."

"Sure, but between you fighting and you tripping over a rock and falling off a cliff…"

"Give me some credit couz'." I opened the door; the night still presents in the October morning. "If I'm not back in a week, send people for me. And when Itachi calls, I forbid you to complain about me."

"You won't be here, I can." I rolled my eyes. "Be careful."

"Sure, bye."

I typically had Itachi on the phone twice to three times a week. We were trying to diminish the effect of the distance on our relationship. My phone bill didn't like that, but well. We saw each other two weeks ago anyway, for the Kage Summit in Kumo. It had been a year since the war ended, already. I had not seen time passing by with how busy I was.

Tsunade came for two months to train our medics once she no longer was the Hokage. I let Dai handle it, but he told me things went great and I believed him.

With the railroads, people came more and more in Kiri. Thanks to the direct sea route we had with the Land of Fire, goods from the continent would be available at the harbor stands first, then throughout the country. Buildings were being built, slowly connecting the harbor, which soon would be extended, and the south of the village. Ships were being modernized too, courtesy from the Land of Lightning and their engineers. Kiri had more money than it had in decades, and soon a new school would be built for civilian purposes.

Next fall the sea resort should start being built. Once Itachi became the Hokage, I told him about railroads between the harbor on their coast and the biggest cities in the Land of Fire, Konoha included. He listened to me, glancing at my bare chest, but he listened and agreed, so this was in the work too by engineers from our country. I talked to Gaara about it two weeks ago and he seemed interested too. Travelling the desert was for experimented people, a train would be safer.

Right now, I was going to the Fuyou Springs to finally have my nodachi fixed. The journey was quiet and, even if I struggled to find the springs at first, I did eventually after a day and a half. It was beautiful. The water was crystal clear, yet I could feel the natural energy naturally flowing in it. It was surrounded by luscious wildlife and rocks, the water ricocheting on them as it was falling.

I jumped on a rock in the pound at the bottom of the spring and took my nodachi. I plunged it in the water. There was nothing at first, then I saw ice crystals forming around what was left of the blade. I widened my eyes when I felt the weapon taking my chakra and the ice crystals fixing my blade.

I was out of breath when it was over, I removed my nodachi from the water, which no longer was a nodachi. The handle didn't change, but the blade was shorter. I could use it as a regular katana with this length.

"Wow!" I jumped on my feet and was on my guards.

The man raised his hands in front of him.

"I'm sorry for surprising you Mizukage-sama!" He had short, messy strawberry blond hair and bright blue eyes, almost as bright as Naruto. He was tall, seemed fit.

"Who are you?"

"How rude of me. My name is Samuru, I am an itinerant merchant. I heard of this place and wanted to see it with my own two eyes." I looked at him up and down. His outfit was not from around here.

"This place is sacred; I need you to leave." He didn't even seem disappointed.

He followed me back to the main island.

"Well, have nice travels."

"Wait!" He grabbed my left hand. There was like an electric shock, and I pulled my hand away from his grasp. "Hey, it's almost like love at first sight!" I looked at him strangely. "Or not, I guess. I just wanted to know if I could stop by Kiri for a few days."

"You need to make an official request to sell things within Kirigakure."

"But you're the Mizukage!"

"And I have to study what you have to offer before letting you stay. Until then, I can't do anything for you." I teleported away and straight back to my place.

That man…was strange.

From the moment he appeared…I had almost a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. The worst of all was that my whole left arm went cold.

I removed my glove and frowned. The side of my hand…was still tingling.

It was strange, and I hated when things were strange regarding the Shinigami.

"You're worried about that guy?" Naruto asked him as he was treating him to ramen. Ichiraku now had a few tables in front of the shop.

Their popularity skyrocketed thanks to Naruto.

"There's just something that is irking me with him." Naruto slurped his noodles next to him.

"He said his name was Samuru, right?" Itachi nodded. "He's a what again?"

"He said he was an itinerant merchant going through the Five Nations to sell his goods and asked on the best way to get accepted in Kiri in particular." The Uzumaki put his empty bowl down.

"You called nee-chan to warn her?" Itachi nodded.

"She wasn't in the village, I told Haku to tell her to call me back."

"She's not stupid, she'll feel it if there's something wrong." Itachi knew that, but it didn't stop the knots in his stomach. Somehow, the black flak jacket he had, with "Rokudaime" sewn on the back of it felt heavier since that man came.

He couldn't pinpoint what it was but…there was something in his eyes, in his demeanor when he asked him about Kiri that just did not sit well with him.

He went home quietly, and Sushi followed him to bed. When Akane was not home, which was sadly often, she'd sleep on her pillow, and he did not mind it at all. It was at night her absence was felt the most, it was quiet and the only greeting he had was meowing. He didn't get to greet her home either.

It was a good thing Sushi was there, she was making his loneliness a little bit more bearable. He wondered how his mother was handling it really, now that Sasuke was gone, and she was alone in this big house. He tried to visit her as much as possible, but it was complicated.

She was keeping herself busy during the day anyway. She had adopted a puppy the day after Sasuke left, stating she knew he preferred cats and that now, he couldn't say anything when he'd come back. He was letting her handle how the Compound was working too while he was taking care of more political and practical matters. The biggest change was how she decided to go back to work. When she heard about Sakura's and Ino's mental health clinic for children, she asked Sakura if she needed any help with it.

It was strange to see his mother going to work, but her job as a housewife were pretty much over now. His father passed away, he moved out three years before and Sasuke was travelling. A part of him couldn't wait for Sasuke to come back and be shocked at their mother wearing pants more often than dresses now.

He frowned when the phone rang. Who could it be at that hour of the night?

"Hello?" he said. It was a good thing insomnia had become a good friend in the past few months sometimes.

"Hey Itachi, sorry to call you at night." He was more than happy to listen when he recognized Akane's strained voice. "I couldn't call earlier. Did I wake you?"

"No, and it would be fine anyway."

"I'm tired and stressed, you keep saying things like that I'm going to cry on the phone for an hour." He chuckled.

"Why are you calling in the middle of the night then?" She sighed.

"Haku gave me your message." Yes, that's what he thought it was about. "That guy's called Samuru?" Itachi sighed too.

"You've met him already?"

"More like he met me. There's something wrong with him." Yes, he knew that, and he was glad she agreed with him. "I didn't meet him in Kiri, I was fixing my nodachi at the Fuyou Springs and he just appeared."

"I thought that place was hard to reach."

"Because it is hard to reach. It took me half a day to pinpoint where it was exactly." It really was strange. "And I wasn't a fan of the way he was looking at me." He was not imagining things.

"When he asked me how to get in Kiri, he sounded and looked too interested in it to be strictly professional."

"Look at that, your overprotectiveness coming into play even with the distance!" she teased him, but he could hear in her voice she was trying to make the situation lighter too. "It's like you have a radar for guys."

"You'll make fun of me all you want once we know what this guy's deal is, because right now you're agreeing with my radar."

"Yeah, I can't deny that. He almost tried to force his way in Kiri."

"How so?"

"He tried to slip through the paperwork and asked me directly because I'm the Mizukage. I told him off and used the Hiraishin to go home but…"

"But?" She sighed.

"Look, you're the Hokage so you can't make decisions in the heat of the moment." He didn't like that. "He grabbed my left hand and there was…like an electric shock. Even when I got home it was still tingling."

"I see."

"And maybe it's just me, maybe this guy really gave me the creeps and I'm paranoid but…I don't know, my left arm felt weird once I met him. It was just cold and…I was scared, I could feel it deep in my guts."

"So, Izanami would be sending you signals about him?"

"Maybe, I don't know, I never felt that before. I hated it."

"Don't let him in."

"And let him roam free? Whatever that guy is, there is something and it could be dangerous Itachi."

"I know Akane, but if he is linked to Izanami somehow, then he's here for you."

"I know. I also know I can't let Kiri be an exchange money for whatever it is he wants." He gulped. "Yes, I know you don't like what I'm saying, but I know you enough to know you also understand where I'm coming from." He pursed his lips. "I'll keep you updated."

"Hn." He could hear her breathing through the phone. "Akane."

"Yes?"

"Go to bed and sleep." She chuckled weakly.

"Yes Itachi-sama. I love you." He smiled faintly.

"I love you too sweetheart." She hung up and he did as well, sighing deeply. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Samuru huh…"

The next day, Naruto was in his office.

"You're sending me to Kiri?" Itachi nodded.

"Akane called me about what I told you yesterday, she met him and doesn't like him." Naruto frowned at that, now serious. "On paper, I'm giving you a vacation during which you're going to see how Kiri is doing."

"But I'm really observing the guy." Itachi nodded. "Got it. Do I tell nee-chan?"

"I think she'll figure it out on her own when she sees you. I contacted Haku already, he's taking care of everything for when you arrive."

"Okay. I'll leave this afternoon."

"And Naruto, you're going on a vacation, nothing more," Itachi reminded him sternly, which got him a thumbs-up.

He hoped it would be dealt with quickly.

"Naruto?" He grinned at me.

"Hey nee-chan, guess who's on a vacation!?" I deadpanned at him.

"Itachi sent you; you mean?" He sweat dropped.

"That was fast." I stood up, shooting Haku a quick glance. "Heh, don't be upset with Haku."

"I'm not. But, as a good Mizukage, I should give you a tour of how Kiri is now while he takes care of my paperwork." Haku made a face and Naru just patted his shoulder. "Let's go!"

We walked around town. I told Naru what kind of things we were planning and such, and people were warm to us at our sight. Then we reached the harbor.

"I was shocked when I got here earlier," Naru admitted.

"Yeah? Wait until it's over, there's going to be a sea resort there," I told him, pointing at the small cliff on our left. "It's higher than sea-level, but stairs are easily made in this kind of rock and it's not too many steps."

"And you think people will come?"

"Well, many people from the country come here to have goods from the continent, and we have lots of demands for goods from here for people on the continent, so yes. You taste something, you want to visit where it's from."

"What about those?" he asked me, pointing his thumbs toward the new buildings being built.

"Permanent stalls. It gets windy often on the coast. There'll be five on each side facing each other and then you'll have some waterproof fabric covering the path at the middle. It will be important for food stalls mainly to have their equipment and merchandises safe from the weather."

"You're killing my whole profession." My face became serious, which Naru noticed, and I turned around. Samuru grinned at me. "Hey, it's me, I got an authorization."

"I know, I signed it." He laughed, his hands on his hips.

"I get it, you didn't get a good first impression of me Akane-sama." My first name, really? Naru must have thought the same because his shoulders tensed suddenly. "Please have a look at my goods, I'll give you a discount." I followed him quietly, Naruto one step behind me like a bodyguard.

I knew Itachi asked him to come and basically do that.

I looked over Sarumu's goods. They were not local, that was for sure. I picked up a wooden box with a Cholloma on it.

Maybe this guy was from the Eastern Continent, but then, why go to Konoha to ask how to get in Kiri instead of coming directly? Was he gathering data?

Still, my left hand kept tingling.

I took the box and a beanie.

"Good luck with your sells."

"Wait!" He ran around his stall and took my left hand in both his hand. It was almost burning, not only from his intense gaze but also from where he was touching me. "I know that I'm going to sound bold but…would you go on a date with me? You're beautiful and I want to show you that I am not a bad guy." I blinked and Naru pulled me back. "Oh, sorry I didn't see you there."

"I've been here from the begi…it doesn't matter. She's taken." I nodded, still stunned at what he had asked. He wouldn't take his eyes off me.

"But is it serious? I didn't hear anything about it in town." I frowned.

"It is serious and concerns only me and my partner." Who did he think he was?

His eyes became very sharp for a second.

"Well, they shouldn't let people think you're not taken then, or someone might just steal you from them."

"I think I can turn down people on my own." His grin came back after a second.

"Sure." He went back behind his stall.

We went toward the other end of the harbor and Naru looked at me with wide eyes.

"What was that? Does he have no shame at all?"

"Good question."

The worst was…how my heart missed a beat when he asked me out. It was silly, I was in love with Itachi and even with the distance, I didn't want to lose him or what we had. I knew crushes could happen but…

It was so odd.

"He's here. He's weird, I don't like him."

"I told you," Itachi said.

"He hit on nee-chan! Hard!" Itachi's hand clenched around the phone.

"Did he now?"

"Yeah, he even implied you guys weren't serious and that someone would steal her from you." Itachi glared at the wall.

"I see," he said bitterly. How dared that man, who came from nowhere, imply things about their relationship?

"Naruto, have you ever eaten swordfish before?" He heard Akane ask in the distance.

"No, I trust you nee-chan!"

"It's pretty good, the meat is firm so you can grill it like a ste…who's on the phone?"

"No one…"

"It's Itachi, isn't it?"

"Wh…"

"Naruto, hand over the phone please."

"Itachi, I turned the guy down, no need to have your grumpy, jealous face on."

"It's not jealous, it's possessive" he corrected her, trying to control his frustration. "And would you be happy if I told you a girl hit on me saying we weren't serious?"

"Of course not but…it wasn't as bad as Naru made it sound I'm sure."

"I'm sorry what?"

"Come on, I'm sure girls flirt with you all the time and I can't do anything about it so…"

"Sure, they do, but I don't tell you about it especially and am not thrilled about it."

"I am not thrilled about it!" He clicked his tongue.

"It sure sounds like it to me."

"Wh…Fuck, I'm not fighting with you over the phone!"

"You're the one getting upset."

"Because of you! Bye!" She hung up on him and he narrowed his eyes at the phone.

He was getting upset too, but he despised how giddy she sounded when she said Naruto made it sound worse than it was. The guy was good looking but…

He put the phone down a little too loudly as Sushi raised her head at the noise.

"Thank you very much onii-san!" the kids thanked him, their dog out of the river.

Sasuke nodded and watched them leave. He had left Konoha shortly after Akane became the Mizukage, not going back when his brother became the Rokudaime. He did receive an official letter saying that if he was ordered to, he had to go back.

He knew his brother enough to know he was angry with him, but it was to be expected.

He travelled through the Land of Fire, then the Land of Wind. He briefly stayed in the Land of Earth before heading toward what used to be Taki. Survivors, once the war over, decided to rebuild. He helped them for a few weeks before going to the Land of Snow, now the Land of Spring. He tried not to be seen, but the Daimyo's guards noticed him quickly.

He did not wear his hitai-ate, yet he was quickly in the Daimyo's palace, Kazahana Koyuki having aged a little yet still beautiful. She had a more mature aura around her, moving graciously like a woman and not a young girl. She greeted him warmly, saying that she almost did not recognize him. He thanked her for her hospitality, saying it was not necessary, but she waved him off, saying Konoha saved her and her country.

He did not say no to the bed though.

He stayed there for a month, doing some jobs for the Daimyo who had troubles with thugs in the north when he received a message. Uma suddenly appeared out of nowhere in his room while he was sharpening his katana.

"Yo Sasuke, long time no see!"

"Indeed." He scratched him under the chin. "How have you been?"

"You know, I'm the most trustworthy of the Mizukage's summons for errands, so I'm good! I have a letter for you in my right pouch!" Sasuke took it.

He frowned upon reading it. Someone strange was in Kiri, after having been to Konoha, and seemed to have a strange interest with her and she thought he was from the Eastern Continent. It had been a while since he thought about it.

Akane was asking him to go to Ryoushi, maybe even Sen'i to see if there was anything unusual there. He wrote back to her, saying he'd be there in a week time and gave it to Uma, who poofed out of air.

He was in Ryoushi a week later. Nothing seemed to be out of ordinary at first, but upon a closer inspection, it seemed people did not look forward to going to Sen'i. He heard some whispers about it being stricter, but nothing more.

Naturally, he went to check it himself.

It was different than before. It was not buzzing with life and activity. There were not as many ships as before from the Eastern Continent and heavily armed men were patrolling around. He knew there were wars around the country where Min and Hyo were from.

Could it have gained their country? It was not as if they had stayed in touch in the past four years, who knew if they were still alive but…

It was worrisome.

He looked to his right when several men ran by, saying that someone was going to flee to the Elemental Nations, and they had to stop her.

'Flee'? Why would they flee if things were okay?

Naturally, he followed them from a distance. He reached a deserted warehouse quickly and saw the men surrounding a girl covered by a cloak.

One of them attacked the other and Sasuke jumped down from the roof he was on. No signs, no nothing, it was genjutsu. He activated his sharingan and observed three others doing the same thing. The red under the hood didn't escape his eyes and he smirked faintly.

When one of them was about to hit her with a big hammer, he used the Rinnegan to swap places with a box and stopped the man with a chokehold. With a quick look in his eyes, he passed out.

He turned around to look at the girl, who was gaping at him.

"Sa…Sasuke-nii?"

"Min, what's going o…" She interrupted him by jumping in his arms, shaking. He patted her shoulder awkwardly. "Hey…"

"Hyo, he's…" she started, raising her head to him. He frowned and let her take him inside the warehouse.

Behind some old boxes was Hyo, sitting against the wall, sweating and in pain, a hand on the red bandages on his stomach. He opened an eye to them.

"Sas…suke?" Sasuke took some of the medical seals he still had and used them. The pain on Hyo's face disappeared, but not entirely.

"You're going to stay in the land of the living for a while." He chuckled but groaned in pain. "What's going on?"

"Yuurei-sama…" Hyo muttered. "Akane…she's in danger…" Sasuke frowned.

"We were trying to reach your continent, but we were attacked on the way and…" Min clenched her fists on her cloak. "I couldn't…"

"No matter how strong you are, mistakes and accidents will happen," Sasuke told her without shooting her a look. "I'll take you there."

"How?"

Min was terrified as they were on Garuda, Sen'i quickly disappearing in the distance.

"It's common among shinobi!?" she yelled to him to be heard above the sound of the wind.

"Depends on who."

However, upon reaching Kiri, he was shocked to be met with Naruto about to leave, a serious look on his face, Haku grim next to him.

"Sasuke?"

"Naruto?" he asked at the same time.

"What are you doing here?"

"Akane asked me to investigate something regarding a strange man." He frowned.

"Why didn't she ask me?"

"It's related to an S-rank mission her and I did." Haku widened his eyes. "He needs to go to the hospital." Naruto looked at Hyo and widened his eyes at the Uzumaki whirlpool on his shoulder.

"Sasuke-nii…" Naruto widened his eyes even more at Min, who was hiding behind Sasuke.

"Wh…"

"Why did you look so serious?" The serious glim in his eyes came back.

"Uzu-nee is missing." Sasuke frowned at Haku. "She stayed at her Mizukage's quarters yesterday and this morning, it was…wide open, but no sign of her."

"There were two used, empty glasses though," Naruto added. "It's that guy, he took nee-chan and I'm gonna get her back dattebayo!"

"Have you contacted my brother?"

"I tried but he wouldn't listen," Haku said, shooting Naruto a pointed look.

"We need to contact him. I think he needs to come with us." Haku and Naruto exchanged a look. "We need Mei-sama too." On this note, Sasuke left with the two foreigners for the hospital.

"You make the call Naruto," Haku told him. "I'm going to get Mei-san." Naruto nodded and went back to his sister's apartment instead of taking the boat to search the islands of the country.

He had no idea what was going on, but he would get to the bottom of it, deal with that guy and maybe, maybe let him suffer the wrath of Uchiha Itachi once he would know his girlfriend vanished.

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

Bye!