The Black Leaf (Part 1)

Chapter 39: Reunion

The next months were the same, missions after missions and Itachi and I only saw each other once or twice a month. It was torture, but when we did saw each other we made the best of it. I noticed Itachi was looking paler and his vision was getting worse. There was definitely something else going on, but he would not tell me and Kisame was not going to talk either.

I also did a lot of missions with Deidara and Sasori and a couple more with Kakazu and Hidan. I did missions with almost everyone in the Akatsuki, and I was also sent as back up on many occasions. I was part of almost everything except their secret mission, which from what I heard was to collect all the tailed beasts. There have been times when all the inner members were gone for days at a time, leaving me and Tobi to do the rest of the missions alone.

I didn't mind doing missions with Tobi, not anymore at least, I even got to see more of his face. I never understood why he acted so childish. He was nothing like the man he pretended to be, he was strong and dangerous. I never let my guard down when I was around him and he knew it. He seemed very interested to hear about my Mangekyo Sharingan's special abilities, and my time in the AMBU with Team Ro. He knew Kakashi, that was evident, but he didn't want to talk about it. It's been almost two years since I joined the Akatsuki and all I did for them was the dirty work. I did the killing and gather the information in the places where the Akatsuki was already known.

I was outside the hideout keeping watch, when Tobi appeared next to me with a man over his shoulder, "Pein wants you to go help Itachi," he said, "then Kisame."

"Why would they need my help?" I asked confused, "aren't they inside?"

"They are up against Leaf shinobi," he said dropping the man on the floor, "you got to use that jutsu and joined them, go with one then go with the other one."

"Who... who are these Leaf shinobi?" I asked. In two years, I haven't seen one Leaf shinobi around why now.

"Might Guy and our friend Kakashi," he said and my heart skipped a beat. "Cme on Izumi, don't you start going soft on me."

"Do I have to kill them?" I asked him, trying to sound as casual as ever, "because you know it won't be easy."

"No, the leader just wants you to buy him some time," he said and I nodded. He started doing the hands signs and I closed my eyes to focus. I felt an extreme exhaustion immediately, and when I opened my eyes, I was staring at myself seating on a rock. "I'll take you there," Tobi said pulling closer to him, "I want to see Kakashi's face when he sees you." His hate for  Kakashi so much, I wondered what he did or how they even know each other. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, we were in the woods far from the hideout. I turned to see Itachi in the distance, I walked towards him, but Tobi held my hand. "Wait not now," he said and he pulled two apples form his pocket and handed me one. "Look at them terrified of Itachi," he said amused taking a bite of his apple.

I took the apple and went to leaned next to a tree, I summoned a kunai and started peeling it. I saw Naruto for the first time in two years, he was so grown up and I couldn't help but wonder how Sasuke was doing. Sakura was there and an older Lady, I moved my eyes to Kakashi who was facing Itachi. I wondered if he even remembers me, I thought. My eyes caught a glimpse of Itachi's eyes who was staring at me. I smiled at him, when I realized he looked at me unamused, jealous, I thought.

The group in front of me were coming up with a plan to fight Itachi. I kept peeling the apple and looked at Itachi waiting for their movements. They came up with the plan but when they were going to move out, Kakashi stopped them he told them about the time he was under Itachi's Tsukuyomi.

Kakashi started to move his headband from his right eye. "I wonder how much damaged has already been done to your eyesight," he told Itachi and I could see the surprised on Itachi's face. "I underestimated you back then, I admit." Kakashi said confidently, "but I am not the fool I was, things aren't going to go the same way this time, I promise you that."