Two years later...
I never expected to find myself here after six years. And I most certainly can't believe that I've been here since morning. I just kept searching through the endless files restlessly and impatiently. I tucked away a few strands of my long hair and sank into the chair beside the table.
"Itachi this is literally an endless abyss, how do you expect to find that?", I turn over my shoulder to Shisui with a pouting face as I stared at him.
"I have to", I informed then turned back to the files I have at hand, which lay draped on the surface of the table. I breathed out an exasperated sigh and looked back at Shisui who had his arms crossed over his chest and was leaning against one of the many bookshelves.
His hair had grown out slightly longer, which framed his face perfectly. His face was lit, but he was clearly taking this whole thing as a drag.
"Shisui come on, help me find it", I pleaded, looking at the endless amount of files I have at hand.
"You literally said that the last time you saw that thing was six years ago, who knows if it's even here", he remarked, the tiredness being evident in his voice.
"I'm a hundred and ten percent sure that it is here, I just have to look in the right place", I muttered the last part before continuing my search.
"It was really kind of Lord Third to let you in the Archive Files, but it's getting tiring", Shisui complained, "you're tiring yourself uselessly, can't you dedicate another day for your search?", Shisui tilts his head to the side and looks at me through his tired eyes.
"No, I'm pretty sure that we won't be able to get in and out of the Archive Files building as we please anymore, this is just one of the many atonements that Hiruzen is giving", I breathed out and massaged my left temple, "I have to use this to my advantage".
"Well do you atleast remember a specific shelf where you spotted it last time?", Shisui inquires, to which I look at him dumbfounded and say, "that was literally six years ago, how do you expect me to remember that?"
My response earned me a scowl from Shisui who was clearly not finding my satirical tone amusing.
"Funny now are we?", he arches a brow unpleasantly, to which I grin.
I return back to my work as Shisui stands tall, observing me from afar. My fingers laced quickly through the files and endless papers.
"I do remember that it was the restricted section of the archives, and I remember that I looked at it for about a good minute, but I was also in a haste, which is why I overlooked it completely", I tell no one in particular.
"Itachi it's getting late", Shisui informed, darting his eyes from the clock on the wall to me once again, "and you can't be late for tonight's occasion", he sternly said, making me sigh.
"I already know that Shisui, tonight is special, I won't miss it I promise", I assure and keep tossing files round and round.
"You have to be there or Sasuke and I will be pissed", he threatens.
"Yeah whatever", I dismiss him off and toss a file in his direction, which catches with ease.
I get up from my seat abruptly and stack the files I checked together, before putting them aside. I went back to that same restricted section six years ago and crinkled my nose in disgust when dust particles smothered me.
"Goodness", I muttered under my breath, "it really has been six years..."
"Itachi come on, we can't miss out on tonight, do you have any idea what this means?", Shisui asks as he treads up behind me.
"Yes Sisui, I do have an idea as to what's gonna happen tonight. Goodness can't you see I'm preoccupied at the moment?", I complain as I take out the dusty stacks of documents and place them on the table with a thud.
I dusted off my palms and took a moment to wonder how am I even going to manage to look through all of these archives.
I glance up at the ticking clock and sigh deeply. If I don't manage to find it within the given time, then I might never get the chance to enter the Archive Files again.
I also don't want to miss out on tonight's occasion, I certainly can't afford not to be present. I want to light a lantern with Hanabi and stand under the luminous night light that emits off of the lanterns.
After all, it's been so long since the Hidden Leaf celebrated any occasions. It definitely took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point, but all in all, it sure was worth the effort.
Because we finally get to experience the joy of tonight unanimously. I just couldn't wait to see the girl I haven't seen all day long.
"Suit yourself", Shisui waves a hand dismissively at me, making me look at him, "I'm going, Hana is probably waiting for me to help her pick out the perfect dress and I'm having dinner with the Inuzuka afterwards"
"Good luck", I snort out, as I began to laugh, "it doesn't matter if you are Shisui of The Body Flicker or just some ordinary ninja, you'll still have to pave up your way into Tsume Inuzuka's heart"
"Hey, she's a pretty chill lady if you ask me, I mean I haven't seen much of the Inuzuka feral demeanor from her", he inserted.
"Yeah, unless you're late to helping Hana pick out the perfect dress, then you won't live to see the light of day", I joked, earning a heartfelt scoff from him.
"Well then, I better get going", Shisui announced, before waving me off one more time and disappearing completely out of my sight.
I began tossing and sorting out the files as I desperately searched. This was all getting hopeless and I know that Hanabi is probably waiting for me so she could try out a few dresses as well, which made me feel a bit sad.
What if I don't find it?
Then I would have simply wasted a whole day where Hanabi and I could have hung out together.
I also can't afford to think negatively right now. I can't go to meet Hanabi empty handed. One way or another, I will find it even if I had to storm this place inside out.
I take in a deep breath and start the process of frantically rummaging through all these files and documents in a haste, tossing the files all over the place. It must be somewhere in the restricted section.
Goodness, why didn't I just take it with me six years ago? It could've saved me all this trouble.
I halt for a quick breath and crane my neck to stare blankly at the plain ceiling, before my mind wandered to what happened these past two years that lead to this very day.
We returned back to the village, with everyone unscathed from the rescue mission. A couple of injuries here and there, but all was alright.
Victory was ours that night since we returned back home with three people just like Shikaku had previously predicted.
The higher-ups, including the Hokage himself had waited at the gates for our arrival. Hanabi and I held hands as we crossed the gates of the village. We were welcomed by the Leaf politicians and my father couldn't be any happier when he saw the two of us together.
His expression of disbelief was something that lived in my head rent free. He was overwhelmed with joy just as we were. He clearly saw his two comrades whenever he looked at Hanabi's face.
They'd let us have a few couple of days to enjoy together before taking Hanabi in for investigation, where she told them all she knew about the Akatsuki.
And while the culprit of the heinous crime that occurred thirteen years ago was Obito Uchiha, very little people know about Madara Uchiha's true identity.
For the past two years, the Leaf had spend a fortune to strengthen the defenses of the village and altering the old formulas for new ones.
Danzo Shimura had a dungeon made especially for him in the Uchiha District, where he is kept to writhe for the rest of his life. The Foundation Organization had been dismantled and dispersed, merging them with the Anbu again after strict investigations.
We have to be ready if the Akatsuki looms a threat above our heads again, but even if they do, they'll find a United Hidden Leaf, waiting to crush them.
And I can proudly say that this unity could've never happened without Hanabi and I.
I smile to myself sheepishly and brace myself to start the search again. I'm positive that Hanabi wants me to help her pick out a dress, so I'll have to find it quickly and go off to her.
Unwillingly, I began rummaging and ruffling the files and documents before me as hastily as possible. I know that it has to be somewhere in the restricted section and these documents are the last stack left in the restricted section.
It has to be found within this stack or I'll go crazy otherwise. I'd spend a week trying to convince the higher-ups to let me in here. The two geezers declined of course until Hiruzen finally gave me the slip into this place.
I placed the final stack on the table in front of me and stared at it hard. My arms were unsure whether to unpack it or not. My stomach twisted and turned as I took in a deep breath.
"Here goes nothing", I muttered before attacking the stack and letting all the documents and files tumble on the surface of the table.
Frantically, I'd began my search once again, all the while holding my breath captive in anticipation of finding the token.
After thoroughly checking each file, I tossed them aside, my heart had deliberately grown with unease as I kept picking up files to look for.
Before I knew it, I felt my heart sink when it hit me that I'd just finished tossing the final document of the stack.
"No...no...goodness this can't be...it has to be somewhere...", I began to panic as I felt my stomach settle with unease.
I can't believe all my efforts turned out to be in complete vain.
"How could this even happen?! I...I made sure I-", my breath had hitched in my throat then and I swallowed the lump in my throat when I heard the approaching click of heels towards me.
"H-Hanabi?"
"Where have you been?!", she hissed with tensing shoulders, "do you have any idea how much I waited for you to come help me pick up a dress, goodness I don't even know if I look presentable for the occasion", she complained, all the while poking me in the chest accusingly.
I looked at her dress only for my mouth to fall agape. She wore a black dress that extended below the knees, with two slits going up either side of her legs. The torso of the dress had silver embroidery patterning it along the waist.
The slits of the dress stopped somewhere mid-thigh. Her hair was parted down the middle. Where her now long bangs were pinned behind her ears as she let the remaining hair fall over her shoulders and down her back.
I began to wonder if I am presentable looking for the occasion. I'd gotten myself a new attire, which was a slight enhance to how I usually dress up.
Her lashes were lengthened and her eyes sparkled with the crescents in them.
"Goodness...", I breathed out as I took in her pretty face, "you look beautiful..."
Nineteen-year-old Hanabi
(Inspired by an art I saw on Pinterest)
"R-really?", her accusing scrunched face softened a bit before she regained back her temper, "are you trying to groom me into forgetting what you did by complimenting me?", she demands, and her pouting face when she's mad never fails to make me blush like an idiot.
"I don't compliment you Hanabi, I simply state facts", I smirked at her, making her lips part a bit.
"Goodness you're impossible to get mad at", she sighs exasperatedly, "but I look bad don't I? Oh my...I forgot to finish my makeup...oh my god I didn't put lipstick on...", she gasped the last part, "my lips probably look dead don't they?".
I let my eyes trail down to her lips where I let my gaze linger before I accidentally muttered out loud, "I don't know, they look kissable to me..."
"You flirt!", she blurts out and pushes down another accusing finger at my chest, "oh my, I can't believe I ran up here with these five inch heels", she muttered to herself, earning my strict attention all of a sudden.
"Wait a minute", I said, narrowing down my eyes to look at her entire body.
I looked at her intensely, rendering her nervous as I inched closer to her. I leaned in a bit near her face and she thought I was going for a smooch, which is why she closed her eyes.
Instead, I ruined the moment by the thought that popped in my head, which made me snort out a laugh in her face.
My shoulders began shaking as I hold my stomach. She looks at me in confusion, her face burning red as she tips her head low from all the nervousness.
"You're telling me that you're wearing five inch heels and I still have to give my back a hunch just to give you a peck on the lips?", I laugh at her face as I quickly brush a dismissive finger on the tip of her nose, "my god Hanabi, I might just end up with back pain", I remark, all the while trying to regain my composure.
I squat down to look at her black heels only to see how long they are. And sure enough they are long, if not even longer.
I was just about to blurt out another laugh that'd echo in this room, before my eyes widened when they fell on the long lost token.
"No way...", I gasped, before I lunged at it like a pup.
"What?", Hanabi inquired, growing restless from my antics.
I ignored her and enclosed my palm over the slightly bleeding colors of the token.
I rose up on my feet abruptly again and stared down at the token in my hand, cackling out a triumphant laugh.
"Found it...", I whispered to myself.
"What's that?", Hanabi inquires to which I hold it up away from her and say, "not yet", I stare down at her pretty blue sapphires and smile to myself with gratitude.
But for real...how could I have not noticed that it might have slipped from one of the files.
"I wanna see", she persists and I roll away my eyes before putting the token away in my back pocket.
"For the past two years and you've only managed to grow half an inch?", I mock her, only so I can see her face turn red.
"It's okay, I'll lean in so you don't have to", I say, then contradict myself by craning my neck up high and smirking.
I could almost feel the steam radiating off of her at this point.
I was clearly just having my fun because I finally found the long lost token.
"Oh don't tire yourself", she sternly says, narrowing down her glowing sapphires, "I'll reach up to your height so you don't have to get any pain".
"And how do you exactly plan to do that?", I scoff and poke her lightly in the forehead.
She looks at me with determination and says, "watch me"
And then, Hanabi forcefully slaps both of her hands on mine and grips them firmly. She propped our hands between us and said, "stay still Uchiha Boy"
I looked down at her in confusion before my heart skipped a rapid beat. Hanabi had jumped up in the air, where our lips clashed abruptly and she enclosed her arms behind my neck in a moment's notice.
The movement was so rapid that I'd tumbled back onto the table behind me with an echoing thud, where I lay flat on the surface of the table with her hovering over me.
The kiss remained intact and our eyes were closed. Hanabi deepened the kiss to the point where I felt my pounding heart was out of pulse. Her hand snaked to the side of my neck before trailing up my jaw.
My hand had went up to her waist, where I kept a firm grip.
She suddenly pulled away from the kiss, finally letting me take in a breath as we stare intensely at one another.
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do darling, that's up to me to decide", she asserts all the while letting me get lost in the abyss of her eyes.
She tore away from me and regained composure as I slowly sat up in a sitting position on the table.
I always knew she was something else, but she always has to remind me time and again.
She adjusts her dress and hair from our curt encounter and I just feel my lips go swollen.
"Hanabi", I call out to her. She glances over her shoulder and her swollen lips were very much visible from here.
"What?"
"This is the reason why I couldn't help you pick out a dress today", I say and hop off the table with the token in my hand.
Her creasing brows raised in astonishment and her lips parted as she took in the sight of the token. She glanced up between me and the token several times before taking it with an unsteady hand.
"Itachi...", her voice went astray as she couldn't form the words to express her gratitude.
I chuckled softly and inched closer where I gently took hold of her chin and leaned our faces in for another soft peck.
"You needn't say anything", I whispered against her lips, when I felt her mouth move to form the words of gratitude, "you deserve all the good, Hanabi"
"Itachi...we're going to be late...", she trails off, holding onto the token very tight.
"It's okay", I whispered back as I caressed her forehead with a soft kiss, "I used your kunai to mark the place"
"Of course", she scoffs to herself, "well then, hold on tight.
And so I do, I wrapped my arms on the small of her waist and held onto her. I'd loved how taller I got these past two years, way taller than her.
The genuine smile on her face from seeing this token of my gratitude brought me happiness all over my heart.
"Lightning Style: Flying Raijin Jutsu", she whispered against my chest and we stayed like this through the entirety of the Teleportation Dimension up until our surroundings had altered into a lantern full sky with exhilarated Leaf citizens that have gathered in front of the Hokage's building for this special announcement.
I looked down at Hanabi, who had her eyes glued to the Hokage Tower as she held tight on that small token.
The crowds eventually came to die down and Lord Third appeared on the top of the Hokage's tower.
The entire village held its breath as Lord Third stepped up to speak.
"I, as the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf village want to acknowledge something very crucial to the Leaf citizens"
"The upholding of peace that has been maintained in our village was near impossible if not just a mere revery. Without the courage of those who gave it their all, a stable Hidden Leaf could not exist. And so as I stand my ground, right here, before you all, I have to atone for the mistakes of our past so we can move on"
I hold onto Hanabi tight as I stare up at Lord Third in anticipation.
It's been decided...I can't believe that this is real...
"As the Third Hokage, I have been guilty of burdening our young generation with the indiscretions of our predecessors' distant past and I genuinely hope that they find it in their hearts to forgive me. I have made many mistakes while trying uphold the peace in this village and I confess to one of them right before you all".
I stared back at him with unblinking eyes as the lanterns illuminated his distant features.
"Fifteen years ago, when the horrors of The Third Great Ninja War finally concluded, I shamelessly disregarded the efforts of one of the Leaf's finest shinobi. He fought hard to keep our village in check and it'll only be fair that I atone for my many mistakes. And today, I stand here tall before you all to address to you what's going to happen"
Hanabi gripped my hand and gave me a reassuring squeeze, making me loosen a breath. The anticipation was hanging in the air before he finally spoke again.
"From this day on, I Hiruzen Sarutobi step down as Hokage and pass the title onto the noble Fugaku Uchiha"
I choked out a laugh of joy as Hanabi hugged my arm and started cheerfully jumping.
The citizens cheered and clapped in loud screeching applauses when my father stood tall in Hiruzen's previous place and waved at the Hidden Leaf.
My head whipped down, where I saw Hanabi sniffing as she stared at her small token. A single tear was to elude her eye, before I sighed and wiped it away before I engulfed her in a full hug under the light of the lanterns and the cheering of the crowds.
And maybe the token was a small painful reminder, but it was hers and we had already put the past behind us.
"I imagine them standing up there with Lord Fugaku", she whispers into my chest.
"I know", I muttered and kissed the top of her head gently.
The Yellow Spark and The Red Butterfly
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A/N:- I am so over the moon for finally ending this book. I hope you enjoyed this journey and I hope I gave you characters to love✨✨this is where Itachi and Hanabi's story ends. If you ever think that this book was great enough for you to reread, then I ask you to vote if you haven't cause it really helps.
I thank all of those who supported me throughout this long journey for about three months.
I wanna know your respective thoughts regarding the ending of this book.
I understand that this book heavily lacked romance for the most part, but I hope that you guys still enjoyed it, and so tell me:
What is your favorite thing about Red Butterfly?
It could be a chapter, character, scene, quote, or ability etc...
Yes, all credits goes to me for the art above.
First Chapter: November, 14, 2020
Final Chapter: March, 2, 20201
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Now, regarding 'The Squel' to Red Butterfly. I have something in mind, but I'm not sure if I'll do it...
DISCLAIMER! WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ IS NOT CANON UP UNTIL I SAY SO, I MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT GIVE THIS BOOK A SQUEL, BUT HERE'S A WHAT IF I GAVE IT A SQUEL?
"Crimson Instincts"
Hanabi and Itachi thought that their story had ended more than once. They'd been sure it'd ended upon a crescent moon, but did it?
"Crimson Instincts" takes place three years after the epilogue of "Red Butterfly" where one day Hanabi and Itachi disappear without any trace from the village. Which renders a sixteen-year-old Sasuke Uchiha to wonder and discover what his older brother had been burdened with years back. Sasuke concludes that the stigma the village gave his older brother was enough to drive him and Hanabi away, but is that really why?
Stigma?
So as he spirals down a love triangle between Karin Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, not to mention his rivalry with Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke has to find a way to fit the pieces of the puzzle, which would then lead him to believe that his older brother's disappearance had something to do with the incident that happened when he was eleven.
(I might consider the sequel if Red Butterfly gets the recognition it deserves)
~A