Red Eyes (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter 14 - Shark

 Akai and Akito had been eating lunch by the lake when the shark appeared. Like, a living, big blue shark popping its head out of the water, rows of sharp teeth reflecting the sunlight when it grinned at Akai.

"Ah, Little Red! Finally, I've been waiting for you!"

Akito turned to his teammate and frowned. "Will everything always be this crazy? I don't think I'm ready for this many surprises. First Akane, then your dead father, now a talking fish, what's next?"

"For the record, none of those were planned."

"And I'm a shark! Not just an ordinary fish!" The shark piped up, "You must be Akito Naokaze, one of Little Red's teammates! Or her boyfriend, as Mai-chan told me? Big Blue says I can trust you, so well, nice to meet you!"

Akito looked horrified at the shark's quick rant, while Akai simply patted him on the back. "You'll get used to her, don't worry."

"Can't she use names? Like, official, given names, not all those colors and stuff?"

"I think they're easy enough to figure out. Mai is Mairu-san and Big Blue means my uncle. Only Hoshigakis get to have colors, but I'm pretty sure she'll give you a nickname too." Akito groaned, but Akai ignored it easily, "So, what brings you here, Ōumi?"

"Ah, right! Before that, would you share some of your snacks? I'm a bit hungry."

Akai tossed one of her sushis to Ōumi's awaiting mouth. The shark swallowed it whole, only to choke on her own spit when she realized what it was. "Traitor! You made me ate my own kind?!"

The Hozuki simply rolled her eyes. "As you've said, you're no ordinary fish. You're a shark. It's different."

Ōumi's gaze softened, looking almost motherly. It makes Akito wonder, what exactly are their relationship?

"Now that sounds more like your other persona. Big Blue told me you've learned to control her?" Akai nodded, "Her name's Akane, right? Can I see her? In private?"

"Sure." Akai closed her eyes and Akito also prepared himself to leave. Much to his surprise, Ōumi told him to stay, claiming that she might need a witness, but she wanted Akai not to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Akito didn't argue.

Akane didn't seem pleased, but she held back her snark, much to Akito's amusement. "It's been a while, huh?"

"I don't need your pleasantries," Ōumi snapped, "As much as I want to bite your head off, you still share it with Aka-chan, so I'll try to be civil, demon."

Aka-chan? That's kinda cute.

"Demon? Seriously?"

"You didn't even let me see her!" The shark growled, "Almost ten years and I couldn't see my own summoner! You blocked her chakra from me!"

"There was no contract between the both of you! She could only summon you because of her mother's chakra!"

"So? She was a child, not a killing machine!"

"Tell that to her employer. Or her uncle, the one who left her. Mangetsu, who died. Or the father, who didn't return soon enough. Maybe even-"

"Say her name and you'll regret it." Hearing the tone reminded him of the first time he saw Akai revealed her gigantic sword, back when she fought Zabuza on their first mission. It scared him, that aura filled with bloodlust, the hate, all the power she had shown within seconds.

Which, apparently, is a trait the shark also has.

Akane raised her hands in defeat. "Alright, I'll stop. Don't want you to hurt this precious cargo called me, myself and I."

Ōumi scoffed. "Never thought I would see the day when you decide to back off first."

"I know how to pick my fights." Akane let out a sigh, "I won't apologize for turning Akai into 'Red Mist'. It was necessary, she had to survive. Suigetsu needed her. But yeah, maybe I should've let you help."

"Damn straight." Ōumi turned to Akito, "Now, Naokaze-kun. I'd like to talk privately with you." Akane disappeared almost instantly, but not before offering Akito a tight smile.

"How's Aka-chan been treating you?"

"Eh?"

Ōumi chuckled. "What? You think this is gonna be that kind of 'don't hurt my princess' speech? I think you've had enough of that. Last time I see Ketsueki, he seems so... aggressive, towards your team. That interrogator seems kinda protective towards her as well. Morino, is it?"

"Yeah."

"But Kisame told me you're a good kid and I can see that he's not lying. Only few is accepting towards her demonic curse —Akane's presence, I mean— and those who are usually don't fake it. So, thank you, for not judging her like most people do."

"Uh... You're welcome?"

"What are your summons, Aki-kun?"

Nicknames. Right. Akai warned me about this.

"Hyenas. How did you know that I-"

The shark grinned, showing off her white, sharp fangs. "I'm older than I look, Aki-kun, I can tell from your chakra. I didn't expect that, though. Hyenas are... Well, they aren't the friendliest around. As far as I know, they're almost feral, and usually, the summoner would have a similar personality.

Akito cringed. Nobody ever brought that up, and he never wanted them to. "When I made the contract, I was in... some kind of a dark place, I guess. Akai had just 'died' and well, I wasn't in my best headspace."

"Ah, I see," she said, "Well, I'll send you off to your merry way now! Little Blue's having some snacks in a tea shop nearby, send her my regards. Oh, and give her this!" it was a small scroll, but a carefully sealed one. Even Akito's not sure if he knew how to open it. "Would you mind bringing your other teammate here? Shin Haruno, right?"

Akito nodded.

"Just get him to this place, you don't even have to come along. I just need to see him for a little while. Okay?"

"Sure." He rose to his feet and gathered his belongings, still a little uncomfortable at the shark's presence. "I'll see you later, Ōumi-san?"

"Bye-bye, Aki-kun! Take care of yourself, keep an eye on Aka-chan for me!"

| * | * | * | * | * |

"That shark pet of yours is-"

'She's not my pet, Akane. Now will you let me out?'

"Very well. Your boyfriend's coming, anyways. Give him a kiss for me."

'Akane-' Akai blinked and there she was, back on the outside world. Of course, it didn't stop her for cursing the existence of her second persona, her cup of tea already left forgotten in exchange of the wonderful string of profanities that was starting to scare the customers around her.

"Aka-chan, you're okay?"

"Who the hell are you calling-" grey eyes landed on the blond, and finally, her body relaxed. Akito chuckled as he took his seat across her, calling for the waitress to get him a menu. Akai let out a heavy sigh. "You got that from Ōumi, didn't you?"

"She's... loud, but she's nice, I guess. Though she's not the kind of summon I expect from you."

"That's because we're just friends. Ōumi's family has been close with the Hoshigakis for decades." Akito took the menu and smiled at the waitress, before his gaze landed back on Akai, who explained, "Ōumi had a contract with my mother. Not with me."

Akito knew not to push the matter. Akai barely ever mentioned her mother, and when people ask, she would retreat back to her cold self before Akito can even say the whole name in his head.

Fuka Hoshigaki.

Ketsueki often mentioned her; not her name or her achievements, like Mairu does, or a brief connection to the present, like Akai does. No, Ketsueki seemed to notice his wife in the little things that nobody paid attention to, the most unimportant things. The taste of a food he ate, the way Akai sleeps, or the details of a mission. He often had this faraway look in his eyes, then he speaks like she was still by his side.

A little heartbreaking, but it's also sweet.

"A - ki - kun."

He quickly turned to her, face filled with such shock that made her laugh. "H-How did you-"

"That shark's name was my first word, I've known her since I was a baby. It's not hard to guess what she's thinking."

"Please don't call me that again." He cringed upon seeing her smug look, "I mean it, Akai, it creeps me out."

"Yeah, I feel the same." She finished her tea and watched as the waitress returned with Akito's orders. She picked the strawberry from the edge of the plate and nibbled it slowly, still with that cocky smile, "But I'm pretty sure Shin won't be too bothered by it. So don't use that stupid nickname on me in public or I'll tell him."

His expression lightened. "But I can use that name in private?"

"Wait, what?"

"A deal's a deal, Aka-chan~"

Her glare didn't make him falter, but her threat did. At the edge of the table, he saw her right hand, thumb up and index finger pointing at him, like a gun. "I'll shoot you. For real. With water, or acid, take your pick. You're asking for it, aren't you, tashikani?"

His face paled. "Y-You- You won't do it."

"Don't test me."

| * | * | * | * | * |

Under Akai's advice, Akito and Shin told no one about the shark. Akai herself disappeared the next day, leaving just a two-sentence note written with a permanent marker on Akito's dining table. He spent half a day furiously scrubbing at it just to erase her barely legible handwriting. As always, Shin's support comes in the form of sassy remarks and cocky attitude.

Akito sometimes hates his team. Including his sensei, who gives him a suspicious look when he said that he didn't know where the fuck Akai was.

It's nothing new, right? Akai disappears all the time! Hell, she was dead for 2 years!

Not a good memory, but his point still stands.

'Won't be back for a few days,' the note says, 'Got some errands to do. Don't look for me, tashikani!'

Of course he wouldn't look for her! There's too many chores to do. His team had been staying in his house for more than a week, there's laundry and dishes to do and groceries to buy and-

WELL, ANYWAYS, Akai returned a few days later. She had dirt and blood all over her clothes (he's not even surprised anymore. But did the guards not see her?), her sword was out and proud on her back, and she had a black eye.

Now that got her teammates laughing.

"I've seen you injured before, Akai, but never this ugly," Shin commented in between his laughter, "Whoever did this to you, he takes the cake."

She only crossed her arms, "You know, I'll make you ten times uglier than this in you keep talking."

"Fine, fine. You want me to heal that?"

"Just enough to hide it from my dad, please. I need to go home as soon as possible before Ibiki gets even more suspicious."

"Where were you, anyways?"

She shrugged. "I don't think you would like to know."

"Is it illegal?" Akito asked, "If it is, don't tell us."

"Then my lips are sealed, tashikani."

The rest of the month went as normal as it could be. Akai healed up just as they expected —with half-hearted complaints and lame jokes to hide her pain— and within days she was already walking around like nothing had happened. Although, there are subtle changes in her behavior that makes him wonder, what had she done?

When he finally confronts her about it, she seemed a little wary about it.

"Ōumi wasn't here just to make fun of you," she said, "That scroll she delivered? It gave me a few things to do, and more." He stayed silent, waiting for her explanation, and she eventually gave in, "Ōumi has a lot of connection all around the nations. She heard rumors. Told me to be careful, to be prepared. You should, too."

"For what?"

"Someone's planning to attack Konoha."

Oh. That explains a lot. Like why she had been polishing her sword for hours and why Hiramekarei hadn't been transformed back to its dagger form. Akane hadn't popped in for a while, too, but Akito could often see a flash of red in Akai's grey eyes.

Akai refused to give many details, because "I'm still on probation, they'll get suspicious", but Akito can tell that it's serious. Like, it's gonna be a big problem. Even Shin agreed.

| * | * | * | * | * |

When they finally heard the first explosion, she only shrugged, though it didn't fit the look in her eyes.

"Told you so," she said.

Red Mist is back.

| * | * | * | * | * |

    

Did the two last part confuses you? If it does, well, same for me.

In short, Akito meets Akai's shark friend, Ōumi. Lots of mommy shark moment (don't start singing), then Akai disappears, she returns with many injuries —what has she been up to?!— and refuses to tell them what happened, then she starts acting strange and eventually tells them that there's a chance that Konoha will be attacked. Then it happens.

But, 2000+ words? I think I did good enough on this one. Still half-filler, but that last part will start another arc (I'm not sure how to write it, but I'll do my best!).

HEY, NEW COVER!

Okay, back to business. Whatever illegal stuff Akai did, I think I'll write about that in a separate one-shot. Later. Right now my next focus is updating Go Home before the end of the first week of January (it will be fun, if only I know how to write it. Can't even get myself in the mood).

Do tell us what do you think. Do you like Ōumi? What about Akito's new nickname for his not-girlfriend? Any speculations as to what the scroll was about, aside from the warning? (Do you like the cover?) OR tell me how much you want to kill me for the very late update (sorry!).

Vote? Thanks for reading, anyways! Love you guys~

-Rae (@Midnight-Ravencrow )