Inferno (A Naruto Fanfic Book 4)

Chapter 14

I knocked on the Hokage's door and waited. After a few moments, the door opened, and Kakashi exited. "Chihi- no, wait. Kunoichi, now right?"

I smiled. "Yes, Kunoichi. What's that you have?" I grabbed the papers in his hand. "So, you think they're ready?"

He nodded. "I do. They've grown since graduation."

I tilted my head. "I suppose." He took the documents back, and I walked in.

The Third Hokage looked up. "See... was that so hard?"

I shrugged. "Here on official business."

He sighed. "Do you do this to the other Kage?"

I smirked. "Ask them. However, on the matter of Hinata. She would be okay with participating and becoming a Leaf chunin, but..."

He frowned. "But?"

I smiled. "I would like her to be that escort you guys wanted."

He sat back. "So, essentially, nothing changes. How does that benefit me?"

I shrugged. "That's what she wanted."

He sighed. "I will speak with the council. If they approve, she will be assigned to a 3-man team."

I nodded. "Very well."

I turned to leave. "Have you ever thought of participating?"

I looked back at him. "No."

He watched me carefully. "Why?"

I thought for a moment. "I've never needed exams to rate my skill or anyone to say what kind of missions I should take on."

He blinked. "There's more to it than that."

I faced him. "Chunin become team leaders as well. I formed a team of my own. The assignments I was given while here were Jonin or S-rank missions, which doesn't include what I've done aside from that."

He nodded. "Then, if it isn't too much trouble even if Hinata doesn't participate, I have a mission for you." I waited, silently. "I want you to be one of the Anbu watching over the exams."

I thought it over for a moment. "I won't disguise myself as Anbu, but I will do it." He smiled slightly and nodded again before I took my leave.

I sat on rock in a vacant training ground over looking a lake. I strummed the guitar in my hands, piecing together a song. "You're a hard person to get alone."

I tensed but continued. "What do you want?"

Shisui came to stand in front of me. "The wife I married, of course."

I didn't bother to look up at him. "She's probably in the village right now. You should go find her."

I watched his feet as he shifted. "I married both of you, regardless of what anyone says."

I strummed a few chords. "False."

He shifted closer. "It's true, and you know it."

I repeated the chords. "What I know is that you are delusional."

He clicked his tongue. "Kunoichi... you are mine as much as she is. Why put up a fight?"

I plucked a few notes. "I belong to no one unless I choose. You would do well to remember that."

He was standing over me. "I will take what is mine if necessary." He reached for me, and I body flickered behind him, holding a kunai to his spine. "Still fighting..."

He vanished, and I dodged as he tried to tackle me. I took a few steps back as he righted himself. "I'm not yours, Shisui, and I never will be."

His eyes turned blood red. "You think so?"

I met them unafraid. "I know." He lounged again, and I flipped back, throwing kunai in his direction. I hit a clone and failed to sense him coming from the side.

He successfully threw me to the ground and on top of me. I couldn't throw off his weight as he grabbed my face. "Fight all you want, you will give in."

I sent a surge of chakra through my body, stunning him. He toppled to the ground, and I sprang up and stabbed his thigh. I tried to back away as he grabbed my ankle, twisting. Catching myself on my hands, I kicked his face, making him let go, but I stumbled when I tried to run. Fuck...

I formed the necessary hand signs and erected a barrier. Ankle's twisted... chakra low... this isn't good. Kurama, some healing would be appreciated. I felt the fox stir, and the pain in my ankle began to recede.

Shisui was circling the barrier. "You can't keep this up forever. I saw you and him earlier today. I saw you fighting, and I saw you kissing." He grimaced. "You let him touch you... He had no right."

I focused my thoughts on the Hokage cliff, but I felt as if something ripped through the barrier. I gasped as I saw the hole, surrounded in black flames. "You like it?"

I bit my lip and lowered it. "Amaterasu."

He smirked. "You're familiar with it, impressive." He walked toward me slowly as I stumbled backward. "Stop running from me."

I stopped. "Then, I use my last resort."

My thoughts went to the contract, and I activated the seal. I heard his hiss. "What..."

I watched as his eyes turned black once more. "The contract... what else?" He lounged, and I dove to the side. He grabbed my bad ankle, making me wince. He pulled me toward him but suddenly released me.

I looked back and saw Itachi pinning him to the rock. "What do you think you're doing?" The bloodlust in the air was thick.

Shisui scowled at him. "Taking what's mine."

I heard a deafening crunch and watched as Shisui crumpled to the ground, screaming. "Touch her again... you die." Shisui was clutching his forearm, which was bent in half.

Itachi came over to me and lifted me off the ground. "Itachi..." We were suddenly in his apartment, making me dizzy, but his anger was more dominant. "Itachi..."

He set me on the couch and took off my boot to examine my ankle. "Sprained, but not broken."

I winced as he gently moved it. "Please..."

He looked up at me, Sharingan ablaze. "What were you thinking?" I was at a loss for words, and he got up from the couch, going into the bathroom. He came back with bandages and started to wrap my ankle. "If I hadn't come looking for you..."

My heart ached from his expression. "I'm sorry... I didn't know." He didn't look up or respond. He finished and got up again, I grabbed his hand as he passed. "What do you want me to say?"

He sighed, looking defeated. "I just want you to be safe."

I pulled him down, moving so he was beside me. "I'll do my best." I put my head on his shoulder. "I'll be more careful."