Followed by Mitsuki, Itachi and Kisame travelled down the mountain path to leave the area. By the time they reached the village, the sun already started to rise. At the sight of the village, Mitsuki stopped on her track.

"Hey.. Let me borrow one of those coat and those hat."

Hearing her plea, Kisame stopped on his track, followed by Itachi.

"What is it this time? The size won't fit you anyway, kid," said Kisame.

Mitsuki looked down as she walked past Kisame towards Itachi. As she stopped in front of him, softly, she tugged on Itachi's coat as she kept her face down.

"Then, lend me yours. It's smaller than his. It's just for a while anyway. I promise i'll be good on our way.. Please?"

Looking at her surprisingly docile attitude as she pleaded, Itachi felt like he knew what was going in her mind. Without saying a word, he took off his cloaked hat and put it on her head.

"That'll be enough," he said, knowing that giving her his coat will just obstruct her movement instead. As he continued to walk down the path, both Kisame and Mitsuki followed him without a word.

It was early morning, but people were already awake as they were preparing for their daily routine. As they passed through a small house, a little girl appeared from behind its door. It was the little girl that was chasing her down the slope the day before. Cheerfully, she pranced towards Mitsuki and called out to her.

"Mitsuki onee-chan! What are you doing here so early? What's with that look?"

As she was questioned, Mitsuki stopped on her track. As he saw her halting, Itachi stopped and glanced at the girls. As the little girl looked curiously down her cloaked hat, Itachi thought he saw Mitsuki trembling.

Mitsuki bit her lips. As the smaller girl get closer, she hold onto her borrowed cloaked hat and tilt it down to cover her face. In a failed attempt to change her voice, she spoke in a funny demeanor.

"Hohoho, I think you got me wrong, kid! I'm a traveller, I don't know you!"

The girl continued to stare at her with her wide eyes, then cracked a laugh.

"What was that! You're so funny, onee-chan! Come and play with me again later, will you?"

To the girl's response, Mitsuki once again bit her lips without letting go of her hat's edge as she walked away from the smaller girl.

"Cya later, onee-chan!" the little girl's shout could be heard from behind.

As she hastened her steps, Itachi and Kisame followed behind her out of the village.

—

Outside of the village, Kisame asked with a smirk on his face, "You sure you don't wanna stay or wait to say goodbye, kid? You look like you're about to cry." His tone was full of sarcasm.

"Shut up, shark-chan. I don'-.. I can't," she replied, as she added, "This whole facade is over, and they will hate me once they knew anyway. I see no point in saying goodbye. Besides, weren't you saying that you're gonna take me to see your leader or something like that?"

"Hmph, don't go regretting on it later," said Kisame in a mocking tone, not dropping his smirk.

"I won't. Don't talk as if you actually care, it sickens me," said the girl, harshly. However Itachi could hear a slight tremble in her voice.

Was he really doing the right thing? Or was it a mistake of his? Would it be best for her if he just killed her there last night? Will bringing her actually do the worst for both of them? And if he were to kill her, could he?

As he remembered her face being reflected on the girl's eye the night before, together with the chaos caused by the resurfaced memories and thoughts of himself and his brother, Itachi doubted that he could.

Going down the path, away from the village, Itachi tried not to question himself too much. He still needed time to sort away the mess that she created in his thoughts.

—

Author's note:

Haven't proofreaded this, but i have done it for the 2 parts before.

Why 8.5? Since actually this part is not really significant on the story and i can just skipp right away to the leader meeting part. But it helps clarify the girl's personality and Itachi's stirred up feeling after getting a face to face with this enigmatic girl. I hope i depict his personality correctly and is not going ooc. Well, with Kisame also.

And yes, Kisame actually understood her feeling and so does Itachi. That's why he didn't make any remark when Itachi lent her his hat. He asked Itachi if he was feeling nostalgic the first time they went back to Konoha, so i think he understand about the feeling of attachment towards someone's source.