A Lethal Observer - ALW Saga Book 2

Chapter 38 - The Half-Blood Uchiha

Hikari was the first one to wake up in the middle of the woods once the first ray of sunlight hit her face. She opened her eyes slowly, smiling slightly when she caught a glance of a short haired boy sound asleep right beside her.

She reached towards him and gently pushed his shoulder. "Shisui... it's morning."

Shisui groaned and opened his eyes. "Ah, what time is it?"

"Around six in the morning, I think..."

Upon looking at their surroundings, the eldest Uchiha of the group frowned. "Did we fall asleep? Where's Kira?"

Itachi opened his eyes after being awoken by Shisui's loud voice. He stretched his muscles and stood up, muffling a yawn. "I thought you would be taking guard, Shisui..."

Shisui turned to the young boy. "I don't remember falling asleep, I swear..."

"Now that you mention it... I don't remember going to sleep, either." Hikari sighed. "Did she knock us out, maybe?"

"Whatever, we lost her..." Shisui ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Let's go back home."

When the trio arrived at Hikari's house, her attention was drawn to the dry grass around her home. "Weird... is it summer already?"

"I swore we were still in the middle of spring..." Shisui narrowed his eyes. His attention was drawn to the boy beside him, and a mischievous grin adorned his face. He pinched Itachi in the arm.

The boy flinched. "Ow!" He glared at the older boy.

Shisui only smirked at him. "Guess we're not in a genjutsu."

"I would have known if we were in a genjutsu..." Itachi muttered, rubbing the mark of Shisui's nails on his skin.

Hikari ignored the boys behind her as she continued to stare at the dried grass. I could have sworn the grass was still green when we left earlier... Her hand rose, and she cupped her chin with her fingers in a pondering stance. She felt her surroundings different. Wind wasn't blowing as much as it used to. The weather was getting hot.

She opened her front door and her eyes widened. Her little sister was lying on the couch in the living room, with all of her limbs spread around her and her mouth slightly open. Her eyes were still closed, and her breathing was steady and profound. "Guys, quiet down..."

Shisui and Itachi looked at Hikari and then, curiously, approached the open front door. Both of them stared at the girl sleeping peacefully and then glanced at each other. "When did she return?" Itachi was the first one to speak.

"Last night? She definitely wasn't here yesterday." Shisui sighed. "She hasn't even realized we're here..."

Hikari smiled. "Hanako is a heavy sleeper. She always takes the first guard in missions 'cause she knows she won't wake up in the middle of the night for her rounds."

Shisui muffled a laugh. "Are you serious?" He purposefully raised his voice. "I guess we can just speak at a normal volume, and she won't budge." Hanako didn't make the slightest move. The trio entered the house and just continued to stare at her. "Hikari..."

The girl looked at the elder boy. "Hm?"

"Do you have something like cream, or a marker or something like that?"

An eyebrow on her face lifted slowly at his question. "Are you thinking about pranking my sister?"

Without the slightest bit of shame in his face, he nodded. "Yeah."

"I have shaving cream, take it or leave it."

The mischievous grin on his face widened. "I'll take it."