Dragonfly

Extra-Itachi

Rika was a strange girl.

Itachi never was quite sure what to think of her, or her silly antics-though it was a nice change of pace when she outwitted his father and kept up a chase through the district to avoid punishment. She exasperated him, for sure, but at the end of the day when he complained about it, there wasn't an ounce of harshness in his face. Sometimes he wondered, if he and Sasuke had a sister, Fugaku would want her to be like Rika.

Sasuke adored her.

Mikoto loved her like a niece.

Shisui was head-over-heels for her.

But Itachi never could bring himself to like her. He didn't hate her, but he didn't...like her, either. It was more of a neutral acceptance than anything. She was just too unpredictable.

Maybe he was a little jealous. Because of how free and unfettered the girl was, like the wind. The wind could go everywhere and anywhere, unlimited, unbound. She never minced her words and she said whatever she wanted, regardless of what others would think. She lived life like she was going to die tomorrow and, really, he admired that about her a little, too.

No matter what he thought about her, she was a constant in his life. He couldn't turn around without hearing someone say her name, whether it was from her latest mayhem masterpiece or from mere gossip. She probably didn't even realize how popular she was in the neighborhood, but the day she dyed all of the clan's khakis purple won her fame for a lifetime. He still had his ruined pair of fuchsia pants hidden in the back of his closet.

In the end, it didn't really matter how he felt towards her. Sasuke enjoyed her company in his absence and he was grateful she was there to look after him. Maybe their relationship was best summed up as family. Distant, but tied together by invisible bonds and the blanket term of "family." She wove her way into their hearts.

He never thought he'd have to cut her out of them.

"Look after Rika for me?"

Damn Shisui. Damn him. He phrased it as a question, gave him the choice to reject, but how could he? How could he, when his best friend was bleeding from both eyes and on the edge of death? Even if he wouldn't hold it against him if he said no, even if he wouldn't even be around to see it-

It wasn't a promise he could keep. In the end, he would have to cut her down just like the rest of them. Because Sasuke, Sasuke he could leave alive. But only Sasuke.

Rika, though...she was the heart of the clan. She was lively, and energetic-kept them all on their toes, made them laugh, smile, yell, glued together with cheerful commotion. Kept them alive. She was the first one he went for, because if he went for the heart first it would make the rest that much easier. It would make killing his own parents that much easier because he would have the peace of mind in knowing they would never forgive him for killing someone they loved.

He was fully aware that when he struck her down, he would die, too, as an Uchiha. The Uchiha clan in its current state was done for.

Then why was it so damn hard? He'd landed on her windowsill, saw her with her back to him, and she was only a civilian, a defenseless young girl who wouldn't stand a chance against him. He could make it quick. He should make it quick.

His hands shook as he clutched his blade.

He couldn't do it-but if he didn't, someone else would. She didn't deserve that. None of them did. It just...had to come to this. For the greater good of the village.

"Hey-what are you waiting for? Do it. Just make it quick and I'll forgive you, okay?"

She knew he was there. Of course she did, unpredictable as she was. Shisui always said she was smarter than she let on. Maybe, if he'd taken the time to properly get to know the girl, they'd have gotten along. If she was so smart, then, she would understand this. She would know why it had to be this way.

He just wished she hadn't said she'd forgive him.

He inhaled sharply, stilled himself. Steeled his will.

"Thank you for looking after Sasuke."

One slice is all it took. Her body fell, limp, against the desk in front of her as a black stain seeped out across her back, dripping to the floor.

He didn't feel any better. This didn't feel any easier. But he didn't have the time to look at her corpse and dwell on what he'd done, because there was more to do.

His only regret was that he couldn't keep Shisui's promise.