My Ninja Way

16

"Are they your acquaintances, Itachi? I should introduce myself as well then." The taller one, gave a deep chuckle, and took off his hat as well. Somewhere along the line, he reminded me of a shark, mostly because of those gills on his cheeks and the sharp teeth. I remember seeing the same trademarks on some other people in the Bingo book, but I just forgot who. "I'm name is Kisame Hoshigaki."

"No way..." Kurenai muttered. "Your part of the seven swords men!"
Ah, that's where it was from.

"Kairi, you stand back. And let us take care of this fight." Asuma said, he said looking over his shoulder at me.

"But I want to-"

"No... it'll be best if you didn't, Kairi. You know it as well I do." Asuma cut me off, with a stern stare. I grumbled, folding my arms with a humph.

"Fine..."I grumbled, as Asuma gave a chuckle then turned back. After a couple of seconds, Kakashi appeared beside Asuma.

"It seems both our assumptions were correct, Kairi." Kakashi nodded, looking at the two. "Two Akatsuki members in Kohona. Why are you here?"

"Akatsuki?" Asuma and Kurenai mumbled.

"It's an organization, filled with s-rank criminals from all over the shinobi nations," I answered them. I was there with Kakashi and Jiriaya when they spoke about it.

"We're here for the Fourth Hokages' Legacy..." Itachi spoke.

'Fourth Hokages Legacy... Then that must mean.' I stared wide eyes at him, but did a fighting stance. "Like hell, I'm going to let you get your hands on him."

Kakashi looked back at me in shock, probably wondering how I knew who it was. I mean come on; it's not that hard to figure out. They look almost identical, well besides the whiskers. Other than that, yeah, they look the same. At first it was pretty shocking, when I figured out. "Kairi... let us handle this."

I growled under my breath and glared at him, "No... I'm not going to stand around and be a weak link. I'm going to fight for what I want to protect. No matter what."

Itachi sighed slightly, and raised his gaze, which caused me and Kakashi to freeze. "Everyone doesn't look into his eyes... Or else you'll be trapped into his Tsukuyomi. The nightmare realm."

"The only ones who can counter that move is another sharingan" I finished. "Close your eyes! Now! And no matter what don't open them!"

I stared at Itachi, in worry when Kakashi collapsed to the ground grunting in pain. Asuma frowned, "What's happened, Kakashi...?"

"He got trapped. Keep your eyes closed..." I said, and began summoning chakra to my eyes. But before I could turn on my sharingan, suddenly a flash of green jumped in front of Kakashi, breaking Itachi's concentration. And Kakashi-nii took a deep breath, relief that the pain was finally gone, then looked up at Gai, thankfully. "Kakashi-Nii!" I yelled and was about to run towards him, before a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Kairi!" I heard Asuma yell. I turned quickly, a kunai in hand but stopped when my sharingan met red ones.

"I see... You have the complete sharingan." Itachi muttered. I smirked grimly; I fully awaken the sharingan during my training with Old man Raikage and Bee. Of course they weren't too surprised, since I was my father's child. The only thing they were surprised about was the color. "But that won't change a thing...'' he said and then muttered so softly I almost didn't hear him, "I'm sorry, Kairi."

Before I knew it I was transpired into my own little dream world. I was waiting for the pain of the Tsukuyomi, but it never came. Frowning slightly, I looked around my surroundings, but nothing came. Darkness, but no light.

"Hello?!" I called, but my voice only echoed, across the dark plain. But then I heard it, it was little, but it was a woman's voice laughing. I ran towards the sound of laughter, wanting to find someone, who can tell me where I was. Only it seemed the harder I ran, the farther the laugher got away, but at the same time it got louder. "Hello?! Is anybody there?!"

"Kairi... wait until you father lights the candle!" The voice laughed again, and then light enveloped around me, as colors spread across it, creating pictures. I opened my eyes after the light calmed down, and stared with wide eyes, at the sight.

"But mommy..." another voice complained, it was me, only as a four year old. The woman laughed, and I looked at her. My mother's golden hair drapping over her shoulder, and her stomach swollen with life. My baby brother. Tears started appearing in my eyes at me stared at her.

"Mom..." I whispered slightly, but stopped when a male's voice rang out. "Dad..."

"Wait Kairi, I'm lighting the candle now." The familiar black haired ninja walked out of the living room, with a lighter in hand, a smile gracing his face. His dark onyx eyes were smiling, as he lit the candle on the cake, watching the excited look on his daughters face. "Okay, now you can blow them out, Lil Kai."

Tears slipped down my cheeks, as I choked on a sob. That was my dad's nickname for me. I watched as my passed self, blew out the candle and exclaiming she was finally four years old. Mom and Dad held a secret loving glance between them, before Dad started cutting the cake.

All of a sudden, the scenery changed quickly as it came. It changed to one where my father and I were waiting in the hospital. Sitting in the hospital seats, waiting for the news. My dad was nervous, but spilling with happiness.

"So my baby brother's going to be born today?!" my passed self asked excitedly. My father could only laugh and nod.

"Yes. He is. Are you excited to meet him?" Dad asked, with a smile.

"Yes!" My little self yelled, "I can teach him everything I know! And then we'll train together!"

Tears dripped off my cheeks as a doctor, came out of the delivery room with blood on his scrubs. His eyes were sullen and sunk in with sadness. Just one glance at the man, my father's playfulness and carefree attitude went away, and turned into a serious one. "Jushido... I need a word."

"Of course." My father said, as my passed self sat on the hospital chairs, unknowing what occurred. My father's head nodded, and then rubbed his face as a lone streak ran down his cheek. Just seeing that made me want to cry again. My father had always been the tough guy, who never cried, even when mom gave him one of her deadly punches. After awhile, the doctor was done talking and went back into the delivery room, and dad came back to my 4 year old self. "Kairi..." he began, but didn't know where to start talking. "Kairi... T-There was a problem during... The operation. And mom... Mommy didn't fare to well. I... God I don't know what to tell you...Mommy's and Daiki not going to be able to come home."

My tiny 4 year old body hugged him and sobbed with him. My father may have thought I didn't understand what he was saying, but I understood. I tried to wipe the now ceasing tears, as the scenery changed once again.

This time is was one where I was 5 and I was walking around the village, father was on an important mission with some ANBU and few selected Jonin. I walked behind my pass self, wondering where she was heading, only to smile faintly, when the park appeared. I stood at the entrance, and watched her look around, before her gaze landed on a kid the same age as her all alone on a swing set.

She made her way over too him and smiled. The boy didn't notice her until, she started talking. "H-Hi there!"

The blonde hair boy looked at her with confusion and sadness, swimming in his bright blue eyes. "A-Are you talking to me...?"

"Of course, I am!" I smiled brightly at the boy, as his eyes widened in shock.

"But... But why are you talking to me? Everyone just ignores me..." He said, looking down again with sadness.

"Well... I'm talking to you because I don't know who you are, silly!" My passed self, smiled laughing brightly. "My names Kairi Senju. What's yours?"

"I'm... I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I'm the next Hokage! Believe it!" he yelled, and I laughed lightly.

"Wow... so I'm meeting the future Hokage...? That's amazing!" my younger self awed in amazement at him. "Well, as long as you have something precious to protect and would do anything to keep it from harm you can become Hokage. But you seem like that type, so I think you can achieve Kage title."

"Y-You really think I can..." he asked, a faint pink brushing his cheeks, his eyes wide.

"Of course I do! I believe in you." I smiled at the two, that's how Naruto and I became best friends.

I smiled again, but sighed as the scenery changed once again. It was when Naruto and I were playing tag and were taking a break in one of the parks.

"Hey Naru-kun?" My younger self asked, while looking up at the blue sky, then over at him.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, looking over at myself.

I smiled and watched as my passed began talking. "Let's make a promise! To be best friends forever and always be there for each other!" She exclaimed, holding out her hand towards him.

He looked at it in surprise, but smiled brightly and took it in his. "It's a promise of a lifetime!"

The scenery once again changed again to where my younger self was running past the Uchiha compound. I smiled lightly and sadly, this was one of my favorite memories.

"Itachi!!!"

"Itachi-kun!!!! ITACHI!!!!" My younger self yelled running into the woods, behind the Uchiha compound. When Itachi was training it was almost impossible to find him, since he was so secretive about it. But this was the time when Sasuke and I made a bet to see who can find him first. "ITACHI!"

My passed self stopped and slapped her forehead, probably realizing that he always put a genjutsu up when training. She made the sign for release, she ran forward and slide into a bush carefully. She peered out of the bush, watching Itachi hit the targets perfectly, while upside down and eyes closed. I sweat dropped at him, damn Uchiha prodigy.

My younger self sneaked a kunai from one of the targets, without him noticing. And waited for the perfect moment. When it came, she threw it at him, catching him by surprise. Right when it hit him, his body erupted into crows, causing my younger self to slouch in defeat.

"No fair..."

There was a chuckle and two hands picked me up, setting me on their back."Sorry Kai... But life isn't fair." my younger self laughed and wrapped my arms around Itachi's neck as his hands held up my legs. "But you're improving you techniques... I didn't notice that you slipped pass my genjutsu. And you did take me by surprise." he praised, as we walked out of the woods and onto the main dirt road. She smiled at him, blushing slightly at his praise.

"Itachi! Itachi-nii!" they both looked ahead in surprise only to see Sasuke running towards us, but frowned when he saw me nod pouted slightly. "Hey... How'd you find him so fast?"

"I found him training and I surprised him!" she cheered as Itachi set her down. "So I win!' I could practically imagine Itachi rolling his eyes right now. I laughed slightly, watching my younger self, Sasuke and Itachi walk away laughing together.



Then once again, everything turned blank once again. I don't know what happened, but no more memories came up. Just total blackness. I don't know how long I just sat there doing nothing. I don't know what I was waiting for, but I just sat there. My body felt numb. Then I felt a slight warmness over my hand, a tight squeeze, and then it disappeared. Muffled voices I could hear, but I couldn't tell who's they were. I know one was a woman's voice and then a couple of male's voices.

After a while the voices left, and soon my own subconscious fell into darkness.



***



I opened my eyes to instantly regret it. Sunlight was shinning in from the window. I blinked multiple times, before looking around. White walls, white bed, white and grey tiles, grey table stand with flowers. The hospital. I groaned slightly, and then sat up, rubbing the back of my head. A gasp filled the room, as a clatter of metal hitting the ground followed. I looked up to see Sakura.

"Kairi... You're... You're awake!"