From time to time, I couldn't help, but glance up at the sky where I felt like the crescent moon was following me like it was my shadow. It was my reminder of Hanabi.
"I'm betting that on a hunch"
Shikaku's words have stuck with me for the past hour or so. The dispatch team consists of seven Ninjas, appointed by Shikaku Nara himself.
Raidō Namiashi, the well-noted veteran ninja who supports the village with his extensive experience and skills, known in the Hidden Leaf as the prominent assassin.
Genma Shiranui, another well-known veteran, noted for his excessive partaking in difficult missions due to his excellent skills.
Iwashi Tatami, a shinobi with a reserved demeanor in the public eye, skilled like the other two.
These three are leading the rescue mission.
I'd read all about this trio firsthand in the data books. They were Lord Fourth's elite bodyguards, who happen to be taught the Flying Thunder Formation Technique.
I look over to my left where I spotted an old Anbu comrade, Tenzo, the Wood Style user. He's been dispatched with us just in case Naruto slips into his Nine-Tails form.
A little further, the two lovebirds, Hana and Shisui could be seen. Hana's three hounds have accompanied us on the mission as well.
She was chosen to be on the dispatch team due to her medical skills along with her offensive attacks. Her three hounds trail after her and Shisui as they leap from one tree to the next.
I take in a deep breath and hasten on my feet as I jump from one tree to the next.
What are you doing now Sasuke?
"Itachi", Tenzo called out, snapping me out of my train of thought. I immediately whip my head in his direction where he motions for me to glance down. It took me a solid minute to realize that the Jonin trio had stopped in the nearby clearing.
"You can't keep zoning out like this Itachi", Tenzo informed, to which I quickly blurted, "R-right"
Tenzo and I were the last ones to land on the cool ground, where I caught sight of Shisui and Hana inching closer to each other. Raido began to observe and check whether everyone is present as Genma tipped his tooth pick up and down between his teeth.
"Alright", Raido spoke, his eyes traveling to everyone present at the moment. I couldn't overlook the distinct feature that draws attention to his face. A weal-like scar, which ran across the bridge of his nose and down the left side of his face.
He darts his dark eyes to Iwashi and inquired, "Did you bring it?". His comrade simply nods and mutters a quick 'yes'.
"Everyone listen up, this is a critical time as well as a dangerous mission, so stay on alert at all times", his narrowed eyes trail the remaining six of us as he addresses, "by now, we are a fair distance away from the Hidden Leaf, this is about how far kidnappers have come after abducting a Leaf citizen. We'll examine the area for any trace of Naruto and Sasuke using the three Haimaru Brothers".
"Their scent couldn't have possibly stained all the way to their location", Hana interjects, to which Genma chirps in and says, "we only need to find the direction they were headed to, whether it's the North, South, West, or East".
"I see", Hana muttered as I kept my eyes fixated on the squad leaders.
Raido turns to Iwashi and says, "give the clothes to her".
"Understood"
Iwashi opens his traveling back and hands out a black Uchiha shirt to Hana, along an orange jacket. My eyes soften when I see the Sasuke's shirt, but I had to hold off my emotions for now.
Hana takes their clothes in either hand and gestures for her hounds to circle around her. She holds out the shirt and the jacket, allowing the dogs to sniff them and take in their scents.
The rest of us watch intently as the dogs began sticking their noses in different parts of the area to catch any trace of their scent.
"Itachi calm down"
I almost got jump scared when Tenzo appeared behind me, the crescent moon highlighted his face in all the wrong places, making him look like a child's worst nightmare.
"I-I am..."
Raido and Genma pay less attention to us, but I catch Iwashi's eye as he mouthed, "focus"
Right...focus
Hana had both of her hands on her hips as she looked in all the different directions, which her dogs were examining.
The three creatures ruffle their tails back and forth, taking me back in time to that one memory staring Hanabi and Shiro, not mention the staircase...
I took in a deep breath, then turn to the elite Jonin trio,"I'm pretty sure that Kabuto has settled in the Hidden Sound village", I assert, earning a skeptical glance from Genma.
"We can't take any risks, Itachi, if what you're saying is true then the hounds should catch their scents towards the North of the Leaf Village. That's where The Hidden Sound is located", Raido inserts, his scar moving slightly as he talks.
"Understood", I reply, but my stomach has a pit forming in it. I just want to get them back...
All three of them...
I swallowed the lump in my throat and flinched when Shisui placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "it's hard I know, but you have to hold on, for their sake, Itachi".
The corners of my mouth forcibly curled into a faint smile, before I was on alert again when one of Hana's hounds began to bark.
Instinctively, Hana rushed to the hound and ruffled its fur as she talked with him. Then, the other hound followed lead and began barking in the same direction.
I gave Raido a look, but his eyes were preoccupied on Hana's hounds.
"What's it then Hana?", Genma called out, earning an exasperated sigh from her. She glances over her shoulder and informs, "it's the North, they were both taken to the Hidden Sound".
"I knew it", I cursed under my breath and braced myself to move. I glanced over at Tenzo and the others, waiting for Raido's approval.
"Rescue squad", Raido declares, "head for the Final Valley at once!".
I immediately tense at the mention of the Final Valley and I could feel Shisui's apologetic stare on me. I tipped my head low for a moment and breathed in heavily.
Nevertheless, I swallowed down the pill of memories and leapt in air before anyone else did.
"Come on now", I yell down at them, when I land safely on the tree branch, "this mission won't complete itself".
Raido gave me a stern nod before the others instinctively followed suit.
Hana's three hounds took lead of the pack as we followed along with on the journey.
It's going to be a long night, I can feel it in my bones.
The woods seem thick and never ending. I keep peeking curt glances at the crescent moon, hoping that everything will turn out okay.
The Land of Fire is a big nation as it is, so it will take sometime to get to the borders, where history and everything bad happened.
I could feel myself wince when I felt Hanabi's cries right in my ears as I shook the memories away. The sight of the bandage on her faces made my heart clench.
But she's alright now...she has to be...
Sometimes I wonder if she's even the same person that she was a couple of years ago.
And in all integrity, I don't expect her to. I won't expect from her to be that same lively spirit that I was lucky enough to know.
Regardless of how she is now, my feelings still won't budge.
Clearly she'd drastically changed over the course of this time, but so have I.
I got more miserable.
My feet get heavy and I gradually fall behind as I trail along the tail of the squad.
Hanabi, where are you now?
Are you wondering about me the way I wonder about you?
Do you wish to see me the way I'd kill to see you?
Or am I just a figment of your past that prevents your wounds from healing fast?
Just what am I to you, Hanabi Namikaze?
There's so much that I want to tell you, so much emotions that I want to spill right in front of you until I'm as vulnerable as a kitten. And I know that you'll only return the gesture.
Please...let this turn out okay...I just wish I get to see her one more time...just one more time...
I just want to tell her the words I've so cowardly suppressed.
Stop lying, be honest with yourself, Itachi.
I just want...
You can lie to everyone including Hanabi, but can you really lie to yourself?
I want...
Admit it to yourself, what you really wanted all this time. Let your heart be at ease by being honest with yourself for once.
I want an entire lifetime with her...is that too much to ask?
Only if you're willing to push your limits, do you get that outcome, Itachi.
"Hey"
My eyes widen momentarily as my head jerks in Shisui's direction.
"You alright?"
I stop gawking at him and dismissively reply, "y-yeah I'm good"
"Itachi, get it together", Tenzo chirps in, giving me the goosebumps again.
"U-Understood..."
I swallow the lump in my throat and quickly leap away from them both to catch up with the rest.
The Finally Valley...
I loathe that place to moon and back. It holds my most painful memories. Ever since that night at the Final Valley, I'd scrunch my eyes shut as much as possible, hoping that when I open them Hanabi will be smiling at my stupidity or call me something like 'Uchiha Boy'.
But it never happened, because it was all just too convenient. Bad things happen to good people all the time, but it's only to test out if they'll turn to the dark side.
From the bottom of my heart, I hoped that Hanabi and I would be able to swallow the bad pill of memories and move on...
It seemed like my prayers of not wanting to see The Valley of The End came true, because right then, Hana comes to an abrupt stop.
"Hana what is it?", Raido inquires as everyone comes to a halt as well.
"Is everything alright?", I say, looking at Hana intently.
Hana shook her head and sighs deeply, putting us all on edge. My shoulders tensed as Shisui asked her the same thing we were wondering.
"What happened?"
Hana seems to have entered a deep state of mind before turning to Raido and Genma with a stern face.
"It's a good thing that we decided to take precautions and investigate where their scent was headed", she informs as a howling wind brushes the strands that frame her face away.
"And why is that?", Iwashi questioned what was on everyone's mind.
Then, my stomach goes weak when Hana simply looks back at Raido and informs, "because Naruto and Sasuke are not in the Hidden Sound Village".
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A/N:- I know this left ya'll craving more, but bear with it. And just in case y'all are feeling discouraged from reading then I'd gladly tell you that there's a big surprise waiting for you in the epilogue, I promise you, you wouldn't want to miss it✨✨
~A