hope: itachi x oc

二: became partners

Itachi and Akemi embarked on their journey back to Konoha in the morning breeze. The forest path lined with yellowed maple leaves which drew a perfect scenery of Autumn. They were engulfed in the peaceful silence of each other as they stroll their way into the gate of Konoha village.

"Kakashi-senpai, are you here to escort us?" Akemi asked the guy with silvery white hair and donned a black face mask.

"Ah Akemi and Itachi! Yes, I am here by Sandaime's order to escort both of you to the Hokage tower. He has a mission to announce." Kakashi stated.

"Alright, lead the way!" Akemi grinned at Kakashi.

They entered the Hokage's office in a polite manner. "Welcome back, Akemi-chan. Glad to see you returned safely," Sandaime greeted. Akemi proceed to pass the retrieved scrolls to Sandaime. "I believe you have met Itachi who will be your partner for the upcoming mission."

"Your mission is to infiltrate Orochimaru's hideout, we have tracked him over the past few months and it leads us to a piece of barren land a few miles away from the Tenchi bridge. We suspect that he has kidnapped a child named Tenzo from the orphanage and used him as an experimental target. This is not surprising of Orochimaru. " Sandaime sighed and shook his head. Sandaime was Orochimaru's sensei, that explains why he must be disappointed in Orochimaru for doing inhumane experiments to excel himself, especially on children.

Sandaime continued, "You two are the finest shinobis among your age and I would like to appoint you with the mission to retrieve Tenzo back to safety. Please do not engage in full battle, observe and note down Orochimaru's weaknesses then report back to me."

"When do we leave, Sandaime?" Itachi asked.

"Tonight at eight sharp. The duration of the mission will be one to two weeks, please prepare enough supplies,"

"Hai!" Itachi and Akemi bowed and left the office.
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The village of Konoha lay shrouded in the silvery glow of the moon, its streets deserted as the world slept in blissful ignorance of the clandestine affairs transpiring within its boundaries. Their paths crossed beneath the ancient branches of a secluded grove, the moonlight filtering through the leaves casting ethereal patterns on the ground. The pair set out from the West gate of Konoha after bidding goodbye to their family. From time to time, Itachi's Sharingan eyes met Akemi's Byakugan gaze, and in that moment, an unspoken understanding passed between them. It was a connection forged in the crucible of their shared missions, a bond that transcended the spoken word. Suddenly, the gentle zephyr transcended into strong blows of wind. Itachi dug his feet into the soil for a better grip whereas Akemi stuck her katana onto the ground as a handle.

Itachi spoke, his voice a low murmur that seemed to blend seamlessly with the rustling leaves. "Akemi-chan, please be aware of your surroundings. I assume the wind is unnatural."

Akemi's lavender eyes, tinged with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, met Itachi's. "I sensed that as well, the current of wind is strong but only in this area."

The unspoken connection continued to grow between Akemi and Itachi even at this chaotic moment. Itachi gave a brief smile to acknowledge what Akemi has stated, agreeing to her reasoning.

"We should get moving to find out who was orchestrating the wind." said Itachi.

As they embarked on their mission, the air crackled with the tension of an approaching thunderstorm. Itachi and Akemi moved as one, their movements synchronized by the language of seasoned warriors. The target, a rogue ninja with a penchant for chaos, awaited them in the heart of the dense forest.

Kabuto Yakushi, the right-hand man of Orochimaru, sporting a high collar shirt and long pants in dark purple with a white cloth waistband. His black-rimmed circular glasses hid his eyes under the reflection of the moonlight.