A Whole New Twist

The Travel

A/N- sorry for the long wait and the short chapter but I'll try to update again soon! 😁👍 Thank you for all your support!

Third POV:

Sasori and Deidara had already left, Hidan and Kakazu had already said their goodbye and were quickly fading from view.
"Well, Orochimaru is still packing his equipment,"
Konan stated.
"So I guess that means it's your turn."
She point at Itachi and Kitsune.

"Hn."
Itachi nodded and looked back at Kitsune as he turned to huge his father. Tobi squeezed him tightly, burying his face in the child's shoulder. When Kitsune was ready to pull away Tobi simply pulled him back in. He had only ever been separated from Kitsune for a day or two at most and even then, he knew Kitsune was safe and sound. Tucked away with the other Akasuki.
A hand lay on the boy's shoulder. Itachi gently pulled him away, but Tobi kept a firm grip on his shoulders.
"Tobi."
Itachi said but it seemed like the man ignored him as he kept his eyes locked with his son's.

"Let him go Tobi."
Konan spoke up.
"They must be on their way."

"He will be safe!"
Itachi promised, pulling Kitsune a little further away. Tobi's eyes darted up to Itachi but quickly came back down to Kitsune.

"Dad, I'll be fine."
Kitsune smiled under his mask, taking a step back to stand with his back against Itachi. Tobi's grip slowly released and his arms dropped to his sides as he stood.

Nodding, his voice tracked.
"Alright, alright. Go on then."
He made a small shooing motion and Kitsune giggled before turning and skipping down the road. Itachi rested a hand on Tobi's shoulder trying to comfort his brother to no avail. His eyes looked passed Itachi at the young boy skipping down the path. Itachi sighed, knowing his attempts failed. He gave Konan and Nagito a firm nod to which they returned before turning to catch up with the energetic blond.

They walked straight a little ways before turning and take a sharp left into the trees. They were now out of sight. But Tobi still stared at the place he had last seen them. His hands trembling and his mind racing. Every possible scenario playing out in his mind. Each one more irrational then the last. What would happen to his son without him. He could get in a fight and become badly injured. Or what if the path they chose was full of dangerous obstacles! What if he fell while climbing a rocky hill and his head split open. What if an animal eats him! What if he gets sick! What if the hotel he and Itachi stay at catches on fire! What if they didn't take enough money and they run out of food, he could starve to death?

"Tobi"
Konan patted him on the shoulder.
"Come, I need your help moving Nagito."
Tobi nodded finally breaking himself out of his trance and came to help move Nagito as the crippled hollered protests.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The path Itachi and Kitsune took was possibly the longest but they were the least likely to get spotted by shinobi of the Leaf. The path would take them through miles of woods, they would only pass through small towns here or there, then they would follow a river until it reached a large Lake. To which they would cross by boat stopping through the small hidden mist village to refill supplies. Then it was on to an actual road they could follow until they reached the land of Wind. Making a quick stop at the hidden sand before finally making it to the hide out.

A tedious journey and one that Itachi knew would exert him far beyond his limits. But never the less, it was a journey that had to be made.
The day was full of nothing but jumping through the trees. They stopped at a small pond for a break and a deer scared the life out of Kitsune. Itachi teased him about it the rest of the day and when night fell Kitsune was about ready to fight the older male. The blond was left to start a fire while Itachi took his bow and arrows into the wood to search for food. He came back about thirty minutes later with two rabbits and a small pouch of berries that were very sweet. Kitsune loved them and felt a little bad that he eat almost all of them.

The sun had set hours ago and the sky was full of stars as a gentle breeze rustled the leafs and bushes. Kitsune happily played with Itachi's hair as the ravenet buried his nose in a book. He had read it a million times but the fable tale never ceased to intrigue him. Much like the young boy currently tangling his thin hair in an attempt to braid it.
"Naruto."
Itachi said not lifting his eyes from the book.
"May I ask you something.

"Hm?"
Naruto paused his 'work' to look down at the Uchiha.
"Sure. What is it?"
He asked, getting off his knees to sit on the ground.

Itachi set his book down in his lap as he turned to look at the child's unmasked face.
"Why is it that you left the village?"

Naruto turned to look up at the star filled sky, the large moon casting a magical light on his tanned face.
"Well..."
He thought.
"I guess I just didn't want to be alone."

"Were you alone?"
Naruto nodded at the question and his eyes fell to the ground.

"Back then"
His mind seemed to trail off, his eye's swimming with memories of a past long forgotten.
"Everything seemed... cruel. As if everything there wanted me gone. The people, the wall, the buildings, even the animals seemed to know me as the village freak. I hate hated it. Even before I knew what hate was."

Itachi sighed.
"I still do not understand why you would willingly choose people like us over people like them. You act like we are any better then they are. We're not!"

"Exactly! Your both the same, yet they like to act like there better. Like there stronger. Like there smarter. Like they can win just because of where they come from. Eventually their arrogance will be the death of them... Your brother too. He has no humility. It will get him killed one day, you know."
He looked up from the ground to meet Itachi's eyes.

"Do you hate my brother?"
Itachi asked a little cautious.
Naruto seemed to think about this for a moment.

"I think I'd hate anyone who is willingly blind to the truth."
He fiddled with his blade.
"Those who do not seek knowledge will never learn, and those who do not learn are bound to nothing but repeating their mistakes until the grave."
He turned to look at Itachi again.
"Isn't that right?"
Itachi hesitated for a moment before nodding. His own words used against him. A lesson he had taught the boy many years ago, come back to haunt him. His mind faded into the rising ashes of the withering fire as another breeze passed over them.
Naruto nuzzled into his side pulling his small cloak around him.
"I'm cold!"
The child groaned and a soft smile graced the ravens lips. He opened his akasuki robe allowing Naruto to huddle against him as he wrapped them both together. Happy as he watched the blond drift off to sleep, Itachi returned to his book, humming a quiet tune to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A few miles away, laying under a similar tree, Sasuke stared up at the bright moon his thoughts swimming. Kakashi lay on the other side of the long since cold fire. He had fallen asleep hours ago and the ravenet wished he could do the same, but his mind was too flooded. He wished to simply sleep, but he knew full well sleep would not find him this night. Just as it did not the night before.Was he to never rest again until he could discover what had become of Naruto? He didn't know, all he could do was lay there and wait until his eyes would become tired.

A/N- See you next time! Stay safe and take care of yourself!