Yamato and Nami was walking silently inside the forest. The cracking of dried leaves was the usual sound.
"So you really love your friends, don't you?" Yamato broke the silence, looking at Nami.
Nami turned to Yamato, surprised by his sudden question.
"Yeah. They are all I have after Grandpa Hokage and my Father died. I want to do everything I can to protect them even if I die doing it." Nami smiled at her Heicho.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah." Nami answered and clipped her hands to the back of her neck, after a while, she started humming random songs.
She removed the nettings covering her arms and legs. So her new outfit consists of the short yellow kimono-like dress. A black cloth underneath the kimono, her fingerless gloves and the black fitted clothing that starts from her mid-thigh to her feet. It was like her socks so it served a double purpose. To protect her legs and as socks.
She was surprised when Yamato suddenly yanked her back, his face was serious as he stared at the bushes infront of them.
"What's wrong?" Nami asked
As soon as Nami asked, two figures emerged from the bushes.
"How troublesome. Leaf ninjas again. Oh well, mind as well enjoy this, a little enjoyment for not being able to take the Kyuubi kid." The shark-like man grinned and pulled out his chakra-eating sword. Nami activated her clan's kekkei genkai to change to her combat appearance. Her eyes widened when she saw Kisame's chakra. It was big, maybe bigger than her and Naruto’s chakra reserve. But he mentioned about not being able to take Naruto. Did that mean they had plans on getting him?
"Kisame." Itachi said, showing no emotion. " Don't start a fight again. We need to go and report to Leader-Sama."
"Nah. Leader-sama can wait. I'll take the guy, you take the kid." Kisame said, running at the two leaf ninjas.
Nami's veins popped out of her head as she jumped out of Kisame's way. She threw a few kunai at him which he easily blocked.
"Who are you saying a kid?!" Nami shouted angrily but faced Itachi after. “And what do you guys mean on ‘taking the Kyuubi kid’? ”
“It’s not your business kid.” Kisame mocked again, attacking Yamato .
"Itachi..nii.." She slowly looked up at his face, wiping the scowl on her face. She missed her nii-chan so much. It had been 7 years since she heard his Itachi-nii's warm voice and felt his warm hug.
She ran at him, brandishing a kunai. Itachi easily lifted his right hand, clashing his own with Nami's kunai.
"I know all your moves. I am the one who taught you that." Nami heard Itachi say as she did a backflip.
"Itachi-nii.. Why? What happened back there?" Nami asked but Itachi just stayed silent staring at her. Half of his face was covered with the collar of his Akatsuki coat.
"Okay.. I'm not going to ask that again.. I just want to tell you, I don't see you like a bad guy like others do, okay. Oh! And Sasuke is really concentrating on training ya'know. He sees Naruto as his rival. If you can see them, they're like kids." Nami said. She looked at Yamato who was busy fighting Kisame-as Itachi called him.
Itachi made an invisible smile, hidden in that coat as he continued staring at Nami. It was like Nami didn't even care if she was facing a criminal, if she was facing a person stronger than her.
But she has a plan.
Nami sighed, it was kinda weird to have a one-sided conversation with a person just staring at you. She kept a kunai at ready in case Itachi starts to attack.
"Hn. Didn't Sasuke tell you? I did it to test my skills if I was stronger to kill all of them." Itachi answered.
"Oh really, Uchiha? You really think I will believe that?" Itachi's eyes widened as he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He whirled around and he saw Nami's clone making fast handsigns.
"Fire style : Fireball jutsu!" Both of the Nami shouted and breathed fire at Itachi.
Nami's eyes widened when the Itachi that they breathed fire at, suddenly disappeared.
He reappeared behind the real Nami and kicked her from her back. Her clone caught her and helped her balance on the air making handsigns again. "Wind Style! Great breakthrough! Fire style! Flame beheading!" She did a combo ninjutsu that suddenly made her illness act up again. Damn sickness. Not now!
She sat at the dirt and slowing her breathing, her chest was starting to get hurt. She exceeded her now, 2-jutsu limit.
"Your sickness? You're becoming weak because of that, Nami." She heard Itachi's monotone voice.
She just opened her eyes, not surprised that Itachi was standing infront of her. His sharingan was activated and she saw the slight burn on his clothes. She shakily dug out her medicine and popped it to her mouth. Hehe. The jutsu-combo almost caught him.
"Nami! Where are you?" The Uchiha and Koizumi heard Yamato's voice.
"Oh no you don't." They heard Kisame's mocking voice again.
Yamato was worried about Nami.
She was facing an old leaf ninja, Itachi Uchiha. He is strong and intelligent. Nami is a part of the Anbu too so all he can do is believe that she can keep up with the Uchiha.
Nami's eyes widened as she saw Itachi make handsigns that she's really familiar with. The jutsu that He taught her.
Cold Itachi is back. She thought and scrambled to her feet back at Yamato and Kisame's view.
"Firestyle: Great Fireball jutsu!" She heard behind her.
"Gah!" She shouted, frustratedly and faced the big fireball. "Water style! Water piercing torrent!"
The steam from the jutsus swallowed her. She can't see around her, only the fog that the steam made.
"Tch!" She exclaimed when a hand suddenly made its way to her neck and slammed her back on the tree.
She tried to pry off Itachi's hand on her neck that was blocking her airway.
It was like 7 years ago. She thought again. Itachi-nii will disappear again after this.
Her slitted eyes that was full of determination, stared back to Itachi's Sharingan. It was like they were having a staring contest.
She gripped Itachi's arm. "Itachi-nii. I miss you so much, can you answer my question this time? Why did you do that?"
She didn't expect that his nii-chan will use a genjutsu at her. It was too late as she realized that the commas on Itachi's sharingan were moving and everything around her turned black.
Nami fell limly at the large root, now unconscious. She was now caught up with Itachi’s genjutsu.
Itachi turned around like nothing happened. He walked towards the fighting Kisame and Yamato.
"Kisame. Let's go. We've wasted enough time here." Itachi commanded, passing by them and disappearing into a cloud of smoke.
Kisame jumped backwards avoiding Yamato's wood release and like Itachi, he disappeared into the cloud of smoke.
Yamato ran at the unconscious Nami as soon as the Akatsuki members disappeared. He tried releasing the genjutsu casted to Nami but it was far too strong.
Nami's Pov
As soon as I saw Itachi-nii's Sharingan move, I tried breaking the eye-contact. But I was too late, he casted the genjutsu at me.
The world started spinning as the usual pitch black, swallowed me.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I shut it close. The sudden bright light blinding me for a second.
I sat up, letting my eyes adjust at the light. Where's this place? This is not Konoha nor the Suna. I haven't been in this kind of place before.
The place is beautiful. It was full of lively trees, dancing at every blow of the wind. The ground is full of colorful flowers and the place had a warm atmosphere.
"Beautiful, right?" A male voice suddenly commented behind me and made me jump.
"I see you are wearing our gift." He added looking at my clothes.
My eyes widened and I was suddenly paralyzed on where I am standing on. My mouth, agape.
"Fa..ther?" I asked, my voice was barely a whisper.
"Yes. It's me. I see you've become strong, Nami." Father agreed. I really missed him calling my name. It feels like so many decades passed by.
"No. This isn't real. This is just a genjutsu Itachi-nii casted." I told myself.
My supposed father, laughed.
I shot him a strange look.
The last time I heard him laugh was before he became strict with my training.
"This is real Nami. I asked Itachi to activate this jutsu. He didn't cast a genjutsu on you. I asked him to activate this when he sees you strong enough."
"How will I know you're not a fake? Prove it." I commanded.
He sighed. " You have a heart-shaped birthmark on your right shoulder. You snore very loud when you are sleeping. You talk in your sleep. You have a bad mood when you are suddenly woken--"
"You really are my father." I jumped, hugging him. We fell into the flowerbed behind him.
I really really miss my dad, so illusion or not, I will really believe this is him.
I flinched, remembering something.
I abruptly stood up, surprising him.
I remembered the formalities when it comes to him. He looked up at me, questioningly.
I bowed formally. "It's nice to see you again, Father."
He sighed and stood up, his towering over me. There was silence and I was just looking at the ground, waiting for him to talk. He suddenly ruffled my hair.
I looked up at him and he was smiling but it was forced. I can clearly see that.
"I haven't been a good father to you.." He started. "Sorry about that. but now, let's go over the formalities. Just Father and daughter , okay? Just give me this last chance to be your father even for a little while." He finished, kneeling down infront of me. He smiled at me. This time, a real smile.
I nodded, tears forming into my eyes. That means I can tell stories to him, right? I can whine all I want. I can hug him all I want.
I jumped at him again, gripping him into a tight hug. My tears now falling to my cheeks.
Father hugged me back. "Papa, I missed you so much. Why did you do that?" I sobbed, I was talking about how he shielded me from Orochimaru's attack from the last mission I had with him. " If you didn't do that, you will still be alive today. You will still be with me. I needed you, Papa."
He broke the hug, his hands on my shoulders. "If I didn't do that, you'll be the one who will die." He stated firmly.
"I can dodge that!" I countered.
"What if you didn't?" He countered back.
There was silence again. The only sound that can be heard are my sobs.
"Listen. If I hadn't save you back then you will be the one who will die, I will not stand seeing my daughter die. It's better for me to die than you."
I stood there, trying my best to stop my sobs and calm down.
"Stop crying, okay? I'm here. “ He cooed. “How're you doing? How's the village doing?"
I broke into sobs once again at the mention of the village. I don't care if I look like a crybaby infront of my father. Whether he likes it or not, I'm going to tell him everything even if I am sobbing in the process.
"G-grandpa H-hokage--" I started between sobs. "H-he's g-gone. Orochimaru.. He--He--" I cried.
Father's eyes widened but had let me continue. " It was the chuunin exam. He bit Sasuke and gave him a cursed mark then he attacked the village after a month. He faced Grandpa and I was by his side, fighting that evil snake.. but I couldn't protect him.”
“ I was so scared Papa. I lost Grandpa and I thought i'm going to lose Sasuke and all of my friends too. My friends.. They know my sickness now.. I can't protect them anymore because my heart illness is getting the best of me.. Is there a reason behind your sacrifice? I don't understand. There was something that changed both in and out of me after I saw you die. I'm so confused." I told him, saying the things running to my mind. Everything that happened. I don’t even know if the things I am saying is making sense. All I know is I will say everything that happened to my father here and now.
Father rubbed my back, helping me calm down after I said everything, after I cried to everything I said. To be honest, I fel like all my problems weighing down on me was lifted from my chest.
"Really now.. Stop crying. You're like a crybaby." He told me. “It’s going to be alright baby. You don’t have to protect them anymore, they are the ones that will protect you. Just think about this, you made friends with them and it is the biggest thing that you’ve done for them, for being there for them.” Her father tried answering her questions one by one. I made this jutsu and told Itachi to activate it when you are strong enough. That's why I told you to find him before I died. He knew about that sickness of yours, he knew that if it takes longer before Tsunade-sensei heals you, you'll die. I know all this things because all that Itachi knows about you is sent inside my head as a part of this jutsu."
"Wait! Tsunade-SENSEI?" I asked.
"Yeah. The Sannins are my teachers." He answered me like it was nothing.
My mouth hang open. Something clicked inside my head. "Wait. When you said, you asked Itachi to activate this jutsu, then that means.. you knew.. all along.. that he'll massacre his Clan?"
He nodded. "But Papa! Why didn't you stop hi--"
"He have his reasons." My father firmly said.
I bit my lower lip.
My father's right. Itachi-nii will never do that without a good reason. So I just need to continue doing what he asked back then. To be there for Sasuke no matter what. Well he doesn't need to tell me that. To be honest, I will always be there for my friends.
I sighed. "So.. Papa, you said the Sannins were your teachers.. that means, Old Man Jiraiya is your sensei?" I asked, changing the topic.
He was surprised at my question. " Old man?" He asked.
"Yeah. Old Man Pervy Sage. I met him before the final round of the Chuunin exam. A pervert but a strong person." I told him, remembering how he flicked Naruto's forehead to summon Gamabunta.
Father sighed. "Jiraiya-sensei's still is a perve, eh? But I need to tell you something first. It's about our Clan's selfless Kekkei Genkai. It’s about why your appearance changed." He told me.
My brows furrowed.
"The pain you feel when you see your parents die in front of you is far more different than any pain you'll feel. That's what causes the Kekkei Genkai to surface. You have your eyes have slits and your hair have dark shades like mine. You need to see me die so you can have that kekkei genkai." He said, changing his appearance to prove his point.
I suddenly got angry. Again. I punched him square on his stomach, making it fast so he can't avoid it. " Kekkei-Genkai my ass! Father! With or without it, I will be fine as long as you're alive! I don't need it if the cost is your death! Dad! You know that I need you..."
"It's an absolute law in our Clan." He smiled at me, but rubbing his stomach where I punched him. "You have your friends, as long as they are by your side, you'll be fine. Besides, some of them are my teammate's sons and daughters so I trust them."
"Damn. You're really strong like your mother." He murmured, still rubbing his stomach. "Minato, Fugaku, Hiashi and Hisashi. You're friends with their offsprings right?"
"Yeah--Wait a second! You're a 5 man squad?!"
"Yeah. The first and last 5-man squad in Konoha history." He said, facing me.
"But who is Minato?" I asked.
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Please Vote/Like and Comment. :3
Just going to clear something 'kay? Kyo Koizumi's (Nami's father) squad is a 5-man squad excluding their senseis.
Nami's squad, excluding Kakashi is a 4-man squad. :))