Hey all...sorry for taking so long.
TO make up for it, I tried to make this longer, 12 A4 pages long! XD I'm proud of myself for getting that far..
This isn't edited so expect mistakes and also,
Comment,
Vote,
ENJOY!!
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Rima’s P.O.V
“Naruto!”
Barging past unsuspecting people I charged down the crowded street of Konoha. Some villagers gasped and mutter ‘how rude’ or snapped ‘watch it’ to my back as I ploughed past them.
“Naruto!” I shouted vaulting up over a group of children and skidding down another alley. What if I was too late? What if something happened? What if-?
I slammed into a fence as I quickly rounded another corner and spotted Konohamaru. Shoving from the fence I sprinted over to him and snatched him roughly by the shoulders.
“Hey, let go!” he whined.
“Where is Naruto?!” I demanded shaking him.
“I don’t know!” he shouted back at me. Dropping him with a huff, I went to run off but stopped and glanced back at the kid and sighed.
Konohamaru slumped against the fence looking close to tears. Way to go, Rima, bully the kid who just lost his grandfather! I groaned and rolled my eyes to the heavens when my freaking conscious took control and I found myself walking back to him.
Crouching down, I tipped my finger under his chin and forced his eyes to meet mine. They were watering and what I saw in them was the same thing I’d seen reflected in the mirror when I was younger.
“Hey, it’s gonna be OK,” I murmured.
“How would you know?” he snapped jerking back. “You haven’t lost anyone! You’re not hurting! You know nothing!”
“Nothing?” I repeated. “I found my mother dead on the kitchen floor when I was four. You say I know nothing, I know a hell of a lot more than you, you little prick! I was taken from here, my home after she was murdered and sent to live with strangers! I’ve seen comrades die, I’ve almost die a lot of times. Don’t speak to me of not hurting, of not losing anyone or knowing anything! Because it is you that knows nothing!”
He stared, slacked jawed and eyes as wide as saucers as I stood. “You need to grow up,” I continued in a harsh tone. “You are not a baby. You don’t need anyone to cuddle you. I know it’s tough know but it will ease, get stronger. Become a great ninja, do the Hokage proud. Don’t be a wuss and run from everything just because you lost him.”
Finally having lost all patience, I spun and went to leave but a small hand gripped mine and froze me in place.
“I-I didn’t know, brother Naruto never said-,” he began but I cut him off.
“That’s because Naruto doesn’t know half of it and it’s not his story to tell,” I pulled free of him. “Konohamaru, life isn’t a bunch of roses, it won’t always be what you want. Some people you love and hold dear will die others will abandon you,” as I spoke faces flashed to accompany those words, my mother, Itachi, “You can’t control it. But, others will come to take their place, maybe not your grandfathers like I know no one will take my mother’s but you’ll never be alone as long as you let people in,” at this remake a pair of onyx eyes formed in my mind and I sighed. “I must go.”
I didn’t wait for his reply nor did I look back at him. I didn’t want to see the pity and sadness I knew would be present in his eyes. I just couldn’t deal with it.
I started to jog as I left him and soon broke into another sprint. It wasn’t long before I skidded past the Ramen shop only to screech to a halt and double back.
“Old man! Have you seen Naruto around?!” I gasped staring in at the man behind the counter.
“Sure have, he went off with that Sanin man,” he responded with a grin.
“Sanin...” I muttered before jerking up. “Jariyra!”
“Is everything alright?” he asked noting my anxiousness.
“Oh...yeah,” I mumbled and whirled breaking into another run when with the flow of the breeze the sound of chiming bells. With it came the overwhelming feeling of dread, shuddering I stumbled and shook my head.
“What is that?” I muttered glancing around yet not finding anything that could cause my unease.
Releasing a shaky sigh, I peeked behind me but there was nothing. My shoulders tensed and I began to jog away from the ramen shop.
“Rima!”
With a growl, I spun kunai raised only to screech to a halt. Tenten gawked at me in astonishment, hands raised in self defence.
“Sorry,” I apologised, jerking back and putting the kunai away.
“You OK?” she asked with a frown.
“On edge,” I muttered scanning the area. Tenten noticed this and she too glanced around, her frown increasing.
“I see that,” she retorted. “But why?”
“I don’t know, I just have a bad feeling,” taking a step back, I added. “I got to go.”
“Rima!” she called as I twisted round and ran off.
Once more, I started to dodge around people and when I couldn’t do that I shoved them out of my way, not caring about the consequences. Up head I spotted a familiar head of pink hair and increased my pace.
“Sakura!” I skidded to a stop in front of her causing her to jerk back and trip landing on her ass. I smirked.
“What the hell Rima?!” she snapped pulling herself to her feet.
“Where is Kakashi? Or Sasuke?” I asked.
“What? Why do you want to know where Sasuke is?” she asked back rather suspiciously. “Is there something you want to tell me? He’s mine, Rima!”
I huffed in annoyance; of course she’d think that. “Now is not the freaking time!” I snapped. “Where are they?”
“Look, I don’t know what’s with you,” she continued. “But I don’t want you going after Sasuke, he is mine. You understand? So, stay away from him. He doesn’t want you anyway. Why would he?”
I refused to let her selfish comment effect me and clenched my fists. Instead I gripped the edge of her top and jerked her closer, putting my face right next to hers.
“Now is not the time,” I growled fiercely. “Where are they?”
“I-I do-don’t know,” she stuttered and I grunted in frustration shoving her away.
“You are no use!” I snarled as she fell to the floor. She gapped up at me and I glanced back at her before leaving. “Oh, and Sasuke isn’t yours. He never was and never will be. Not while you are a snivelling little stalker.”
*********
For over an hour I ran through the village, searching for them. All the while the feeling of dread stubbornly remain in the pit of my stomach only worsening whenever I got the faint sound of chiming bells on the wind.
As I jogged through the trees outside the town, a searing pain erupted behind my eyes. Gasping, I stumbled into a tree, hands flying to grip my head. My eyes burned and I groaned collapsing to my knees.
What’s happening?!
The fire seemed to shift, swirling around my eyes before slithering down my cheekbones. My resonating moan was more like a pained whine created from the jaws of an animal. My lips parted as the fire once again began to slide, this time moving to my throat and from there to my chest. I gasped, hands falling to clench at the fabric of my top.
I laid there on the damp grass for I don’t know how long just gasping and panting as the searing pain slowly began to fade. Soon, I was able to open my eyes, my vision blurry and seemingly worse, as if the pain had zapped some of it away.
When I felt able enough, I forced my body into motion, swaying when the earth seemed to tip around me and stumbling when my eyes betrayed me. It took me a while but eventually I returned to the village only to be bowled over by Sasuke.
“Hey!” I screamed spinning around in a circle as he charged past. He didn’t listen so with a low growl, the air whipped around us and solidified into a wall right in his path.
He raced right into it and bounced off the invisible wall, flying back and landing with a hard thump on the ground.
If I was in the mood, I would have been on the floor laughing my ass off at the enraged Uchiha who surged to his feet covered in dust and dirt.
“What is your rush?” I asked.
“Let me pass,” he snapped with a glare.
Blinking my eyes rapidly to try and improve my vision since could only see a blurred version of him; I stepped in front of him and grabbed his arm. “What is going on?”
“Nothing to concern you,” he spat and shoved past me. I lost my balance and landed awkwardly on my knees. Sasuke didn’t spare me a glance as he charged off.
Pushing myself back to my feet, I headed in the direction of my house, muttering and cursing a stupid assed Uchiha.
“Dad? You here?” I called stepping into the apartment dodging the desk so thankful that my other senses were just as strong as my sight.
“Rima?”
“You’re not Dad,” I pointed out, frustrated that all I saw was a blur. Frowning, I shoved by the stranger and into father’s room only to come to a dead halt. He was unconscious and Kurenai and Asuma were in the room also, I could tell from their chakra.
I could also sense another chakra presence off them, something dark and dangerous yet familiar in a way.
“What happened?” I questioned.
“It’s nothing, he will be fine,” Kurenai hastily assured me but I didn’t budge.
“He doesn’t look fine. He looks like shit,” I pointed out.
“Language,” she chastised.
“English. Don’t you understand it?” I retorted turning and heading out of the room. Someone had hurt him, someone that caused Sasuke to charge off and someone strong enough to put Dad on bed rest or worse.
While I tried to decipher who the culprit was, I wandered into the bathroom and glanced in the hanging mirror. All colour had bled from my eyes. My once silver eyes were now just a dull milky almost cloudy colour. A shaking hand rose and touched the skin beneath my eyes.
It’s a good thing I kept my eyes away from their sight, I thought thinking of the reaction Kurenai would have had had she seen them.
A sudden harsh shudder racked my body and I gasped running from the bathroom into my room and scanning around but there was nothing. Flinging my window open, I peered out and stilled.
Fear, the air stank of it. It wafted to me from the wind from another village. Unknowing why, I leapt from my room, landed lightly and ran using my senses to direct me as my eyes slowly began to strengthen once more.
*********
It was silent in the forest as I ran. The animals having all disappeared hidden from sight. My attention was sole for my destination that I never saw it coming.
One moment I was running past a large rock determine to fine the source of the fear and the next I was sent sailing through the air and crashed into the rock. The rock crumbled as the force of my hit dented it.
Flopping to the earth, I groaned and struggled into kneeling position, gripping my injured side, panting for breath.
“Was that necessary?”
My back jerked upright and I stiffened at the sound of that voice. I knew that voice. I hadn’t heard it in my years but time would not snatch it from my memory. Nothing could.
“Maybe,” another voice replied as I fought against the nausea that threatened to send me into unconsciousness.
Sliding back so I pressed against the rock, I peered over at the two who stood before me. They were both clad in black cloaks with the unmistakable symbol of the red cloud. I studied them both as silence descended around us.
The man on the right was large and blue. Gills were on his cheek and he looked rather intimidating what with the giant sword on his back, but I wasn’t focused on him. No, my attention immediately diverted to the man next to him.
An emotionless face replaced the caring one from my memories. His eyes were hardened and careless no warmth evident in them. And within those eyes was the Sharingan.
“Itachi-sama,” I whispered in shock. He was back?
“Sama?” the other guy chuckled. “I never took you for a lord, Itachi.”
“Rima,” the elder Uchiha brother said. “You haven’t changed.”
“And you have,” I replied, using the rock to propel myself to my feet. I was unsteady on my feet but it was better than being on my knees.
“You have no idea little girl,” the other guy butted in.
“Who asked you?!” I snapped. “What the hell are you anyway?!”
“Watch it twerp!” he shot back taking a threatening step forward.
“Kisame,” it was all Itachi said but Kisame, blue man, stopped and looked back at his partner.
“Why?”
Those Sharingan eyes focused on me and I refused to cower beneath their weight.
“Why?” I repeated. Itachi remained silent so I added. “Why did you kill them? Why did you leave? Why?”
“So many questions, I see. Some things don’t change,” he mused. “I did it to see if I could.”
“Lies!” I gasped. “You wouldn’t be so heartless!”
“Then you do not know him, girlie,” Kisame smirked.
My vision returned with a snap as water erupted in thin air and formed a sphere that encased the blue man’s head.
“Now shark ass, isn’t that better?” I smirked at his enraged eyes as nothing he did removed the water. Turning back to my old sensei, I said. “I want the truth. Why?”
“It doesn’t concern you,” he replied monotone.
“You know, that’s the third time that sentence has been said to me today,” I pointed. “And guess what, it does! You betrayed me! I deserve to know why?!”
Suddenly he was right in front of me. A hard hand wrapped around my neck and lifted me off the ground. He slammed me into the rock.
“I said,” he repeated. “It’s none of your concern.”
“You hurt me,” I whispered.
He remained emotionless save for his hand. It loosened slightly yet at the same time I couldn’t pry it off.
“This isn’t you,” I breathed. “It can’t be. This isn’t my Itachi-sama. Please.”
“The Itachi you knew is no longer alive,” he claimed.
“Why do you lie?” I asked.
He jerked me closer and slammed me back into the rock. Black dots danced across my vision.
“You know,” I croaked. “You aren’t the only one who’s strong.”
Lashing out, my foot connected with his midsection and he stumbled back. Wasting no time I slammed my fist into his face and vaulted away. I flipped back in time to dodge some flying shuriken.
Backing away more, I watched Itachi closely as he turned and eyed me. Something passed through the air and jerking back I narrowly missed be sawed in two. Kisame glared at me with his sword dangling between us.
“Stay out of this,” I snarled.
“Why should I listen to a brat like you?” he questioned.
“Kisame,” Itachi murmured. Instantly Kisame stood back and looked at his partner.
“Oh, I see. That’s how it is,” I smirked. “You’re Itachi’s bitch, aren’t you?”
Kisame whirled and glared at me. Itachi remained passive.
“Do you bark when he tell you to?” I continued. “Do you following him like the good little sharkie that you are? Or are you two like together?”
“You little-.”
“Kisame,” Itachi muttered. “She thinks she is tough, goading us with childish insults. Come, Rima, let’s see how strong you are.”
“I don’t think I am tough,” I snarled back. “I am. I have to be. Your betrayal made me!”
With a snap a kunai flew through the air, heading straight for his head. As expected he caught it, but that was only a distraction. Slipping into the shadows I morphed through the air so I was behind him and lashed out with another kunai. But I should have known it wouldn’t have been that easy. It was my first mistake. Itachi shimmered and dispersed into many crows.
“Huh?” stumbling, I scanned the area in fright. “Ho-?”
“Genjutsu,” spinning too late, he caught me. A kunai placed at my throat and my hands pinned to my sides. Gasping, I stared up into his eyes. Mistake number two.
The world around me melted away into a dreadful and fearful scene of blood when I gazed into those Sharingan eyes. Struggling was futile, I was trapped.
“Itachi-sama!”
Shuddering violently as a shiver ran down my spine, I stiffened and shut my eyes tight. Clenching my fists I shook my head, silently begging for it to end before it began. No, no, no, I don’t want to see this!
“Itachi-sama! Look! I did it!”
“Stop!” I cried. “Why would you do this?!”
An invisible force slammed into me and I was flung back into a wall. The distinct rattle of chains met my ears as my wrists and ankles were bound and stretched far apart. I cringed at the pain but stubbornly kept my eyes shut.
Something cold slid across my arm, rising to my neck and slithered over my cheek. A scream lodged in my throat as my eyes were pried open and I was forced to witness the scene before my eyes.
Giggling with joy the little girl with silver eyes, danced in circles around the older boy, happily clapping her hands as he studied the mess she’d made of a wooden pillar, decorating it with kunai.
“What do you think? I did it, right Itachi-sama?” she wondered as she skipped around.
His hand darted out and took hold of her little wrist halting her movements. Frowning slightly, she let him lead her to the pillar.
“Rima,” he said patiently, nodding to the outline of the person on the pillar where no kunai had pierced. “You missed.”
“I know,” she nodded enthusiastically.
“Stop it!” I shouted out, straining against the binds. “I know what you’re trying to do! I get it! Just stop!”
“Did you not hear me tell you to aim for the person?”
“I did!” she exclaimed. “But I didn’t want to.”
Sighing, Itachi knelt and peered into her innocent eyes. “You must not miss, Rima. Not on purpose.”
“Why not, Itachi-sama?” she enquired. “Why do I have to hurt them?”
“Because they, enemies, would hurt you if you didn’t,” he tried to explain but it was hard to speak the truth of hardship to her. Little Rima Hatake was so naive and full of innocence she just couldn’t understand why anyone would want to harm her or those she cares about.
“But they won’t,” she argued with a shake of her head, crow black hair falling about her.
“And why not?” he asked interested in her response.
A chubby fist made contact with his chest and her fingers splayed out to grip his top. “Because you’ll be there Itachi-sama. You’ll be with me,” she smiled with confidence in her mentor. “Won’t you?”
“You have so much faith in me,” he mused.
“Of course!” she exclaimed. “You’re my Itachi-sama!”
The look in his eyes shifted slightly before he smiled and ruffled her hair. It was a look she couldn’t understand back then but now...
“You bastard!” I screamed. “You knew! You knew all along what you were going to do! And still you played me! How could you!?”
“You’ll be with me, right?” She asked when he remained silent.
“I will always be there for you Rima,” he swore with serious eyes. “Even when you believe I am not.”
“Why would I believe that?” she frowned. “You would never hurt me! You couldn’t!”
Again the same look entered his eyes and again she never noticed. Little Rima grinned at him. “I’ll do it!” she shouted with glee. “I’ll hit the person so I can protect you like you protect me!”
“Rima...” he murmured watching as she scurried away and spun swiftly fling a kunai. In silence, he stared as the weapon sailed through the air and embedded itself in the wood, right where the heart should be.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you!” she swore.
“But you hurt me,” I whispered feeling the tears make tracks down my cheeks. “Have you no heart? What kind of sick person would do that?!”
“One who doesn’t care.”
My head jerked to the left where Itachi stood and I glared at him. “Lies,” I spat. “You are nothing but lies! I want the truth!”
“The truth?” he repeated, his dead eyes watching me without giving anything away.
“The truth behind the lies!” I screamed. The scene changed; little Rima and Itachi melting away and I stilled, my breath seizing in my throat as a new image formed.
“You’re lying! He wouldn’t do that! NO! Stop!”
This Rima was older, her hair longer and her eyes firmer. She glared with venom at the man who knelt before her wearing a Leaf headband. She clenched a katana in her fist as fat tears sped down her flushed cheeks.
“It is not a lie,” he insisted, turning slightly to look to the big Raikage who sat silently in his chair.
“Itachi-sama wouldn’t do that!” she screamed. “He didn’t kill them!”
“Rima!”
Her small shoulders stiffened at the Raikage’s bark and she sniffled before slowly turning to him, her eyes overwhelming and burning as she tried to stop the tears.
“Listen to him, he speaks the truth,” Lord Ay said folding his massive arms.
“NO! It’s a lie! I hate you! I hate you!” she wailed and fled from the room. The scene shimmered as she ran becoming a cliff overlooking the water. Rima collapsed to her knees and sobbed.
“Itachi-sama, why?”
“ENOUGH!”
The genjutsu shattered into pieces and I sagged, crumbling to my knees and choking as tears flowed free. My shoulders heaved as I drew in air and slammed my fist of the ground.
“The truth is,” Itachi whispered appeared behind me and seizing me by the back of the neck. I gasped and kicked out, clawing at his hand. “Everything you knew was and is a lie.”
He shoved me away from him and I rolled, groaning when my side bashed off a sharp rock that bit into my skin. Pulling myself up, I glowered over at him.
“You haven’t improved one bit,” he stated. “And it’s obvious to see you neglect your mother’s heritage.”
“Shut up!” I hissed. “You traitor!”
“Say what you will,” Itachi replied calmly. “If it fills you with hatred then fine.”
“I wish you were dead instead of them,” I snarled with venom and dimly noticed him jerk slightly in shock.
“Get stronger and you may realise your wish,” he murmured.
“You honestly think I could kill you?” I laughed bitterly not trying to hide or erase my tears as they continued to fall. “Then you really don’t know me. How could I kill you? A part of me would never allow it and you know that!”
“Then you are too weak,” he observed.
“No!” I snapped. “It means I have a heart! I have emotions! I care! I love! It means that I know deep down this isn’t you! You are not this mindless monster! This isn’t the Itachi I know!”
“I told you, he is dead,” he rumbled and smashed his foot into my side.
I bit back a cry as agony welled in my side and I felt blood seep through my ripped top. Hunching into a ball, I winced and gasped in pain.
“A little harsh Itachi,” Kisame noted above me. “The kid cares for-.”
“She shouldn’t,” Itachi snapped, showing some emotion for the first time. “Let’s go.”
“Don’t...I...”
He didn’t listen, didn’t spare me another glance as he left. Kisame, however, watched me for a moment as I forced my body to work and stood unsteadily, with an unreadable expression.
“Where is Naruto?” I questioned, my arm wrapped securely around my waist. “What have you done to him?”
“Nothing...yet,” Kisame laughed before turning to follow Itachi.
“I like sushi you know,” I mused as fire erupted in front of me. With a wave of my free hand it shot forward after him and hit him right on the ass. He screeched like a girl but before he could retaliate I was gone.
****************
“Should have brought Dawn and Shadow,” I muttered catching onto a wall in a nearby town as I struggled to remain upright. My side was killing me, some serious damage had been done. The skin and muscle was ripped but thankfully it didn’t go that deep.
Glancing around, I spotted something that was familiar and shook my head. Its times like this that his weird outfit comes in handy.
Pushing from the wall, I forced charka into my feet and with a burst of speed appeared in the hallway where Naruto stood with Gai and Jariyra-sama. They didn’t notice me a first and I sighed noting that Naruto was fine and slumped against the wall.
“You’re annoying to find, you know that,” I said causing their eyes to jerk to me.
“Rima!” Naruto was by my side in an instant. “What happened? Are you OK?”
“Fine, worried about you though,” I muttered. “It isn’t good for my health.”
“Hey Naruto,” Jariyra called sauntering over. He nudged the Blob and grinned. “Is this your girlfriend? She’s pretty cute.”
It was meant to be a sly whisper but I heard all the same and glowered at the Sannin. “You pig!”
His eyes shot open as the ground erupted into flame around him and physically shoved him back from me but doing so drew my attention to a slumped form. Heart racing I stumbled over to the fallen form and gripped his shoulders. “Sasuke!”
“Oh, I get it!” Jariyra exclaimed. “You’re his girlfriend!”
“I’m nobodies!” I screeched back. “What happened here?”
“The Akatsuki,” Naruto growled.
“Itachi,” with wide eyes, I stared gown at Sasuke and sighed. What did you do to him?
“You know him?!”
“Now is not the time, Naruto,” I snapped. “You have a job with the Sannin, no? Go do it, uncle Gai and I will bring Sasuke back.”
“Right! We’ll get Tsunade, believe it!”
“I hate that phrase,” I muttered as they left. Wait, Tsunade?
“Rima-ima,” Gai said softly as he came closer and heaved Sasuke onto his back. “You’re injured.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured with a smile.
“You ran into him, didn’t you?” for once Gai wasn’t messing or being an idiot, he was serious. It was strange to see him like that.
I sighed as we exited the hall and headed for the Leaf. “Yeah, I did.” And I know it won’t be the last time I do...