Strength From Within (A Naruto Neglect Book)

25

What Itachi Uchiha wasn't expecting to discover when he returned from his own part of the job wasn't what he actually saw. He had expected tears and vomit and blood from a boy who had never before had his first kill. Many people had saddened expressions, they felt guilty for what they had done. Make no mistake, Daidai was sad and guilty, but that hadn't been his most important thing at that point.

With blank crimson eyes and a monotonous voice, the boy was reciting all of the information he'd gained from Gato for what seemed to be a second time, as Hebi was writing everything down on a scroll and seemed to be a few words ahead of what the boy had to say. Itachi had a brother that seemed to be Hitsuji's age, he was innocent and kind and determined to be a great ninja. He would be starting the academy soon, in fact.

Itachi knew what it was like to kill, but he knew what it was like to move on from that. The faces would haunt him when he slept, but in the day he was able to be at peace knowing what he had done would save more lives than he would take. He stood there silently as the boy finished reciting the information, and then looked to Hebi. "I do not believe he is in a state to be returning back to the village. We cannot stay here though," he said quietly, looking at Daidai once more. The younger seemed to pay attention when he mentioned returning to the village, and he shook his head.

"I can get back on my own just fine. If you guys are alright to keep going I can," he whispered, his voice more frantic. "I just want to go home, it's not safe out here. So many eyes watching us, watching our every move. They're afraid of us, that's what they tell me, they scurry past and they run when we even turn near them. You can't see them but I can see them and their eyes are full of hate."

Hebi looked at Weasel and reluctantly nodded. "Keep an eye on him, Weasel. Hitsuji, we leave now. Follow us."

It was that simple command that caused the boy to spring into action. He stood up, on guard, so stiff it was almost robotic, "Hai, Taicho," he said quickly, following them when he began to run.

Itachi had seen people react to their first kill a fair few times. This was odd, to say the least.

x-X-x

Hibiki had been surprised to return to the room and see two dead men and a pile of ashes. Daidai was covered in their blood yet he didn't seem to be having the most common reaction, of vomiting and tears. He seemed almost distant, like he was having a conversation in his head, for all the Anbu captain knew, he very well may have been.

Once he had gotten his attention and told him they would move out, the boy immediately recited to him what happened even though Hibiki had no way to record the information. Without even telling him to, he once again began to speak when they had sat down and the scroll and ink were out. It was too unlike the boy, and for all his maybes and assurances that he was right, more worries that he had made the wrong decision crept in.

The boy was having some sort of reaction to killing, but he didn't know exactly what was going through his head. Hibiki couldn't get a read on him, his mannerisms were too contrasting and different. Maybe it was paranoia or internal fears, but when he saw how frantic Daidai was, he knew he had to get him out of there, so they ran.

x-X-x

Daidai knew it wouldn't be easy to kill. He'd known that from the beginning. Ninja work wasn't fun and games, it was life and death. The realisation only came after he had killed Akaashi. Still, he did as Kurama told him. He collected all the information they needed from Gato and his assistant who was indeed the strategist and numbers guy behind the plan.

Following that, he killed them. He wasn't thinking when he did, it was one moment and then the next and then it was over. It was terrifying thinking of all the power he had in his two hands. He didn't know what to think, he wasn't thinking. He was no longer using the third stage of the Kyuubi's eyes, which had allowed him to quite literally incinerate the man called Akaashi. It was similar to the Uchiha's mangekyo skill, but it did not cause a toll on the eyes in return for its use.

He just wanted to run. He had turned from a state of not thinking to one of hyper awareness, every little detail surrounding him visible due to his eyes. The animals, it was like they were speaking to him, the nocturnal animals or even just the ones that came to see what the commotion had been after it had all died down. They could smell the blood, they were looking right at him.

But not just them, he couldn't help but hear the voices of his family, blood related and not, telling him he was a monster. He couldn't handle it, and so he didn't. He allowed himself to fade away into the nothingness.

x-X-x

Kurama hadn't cared for very many things in his life. This boy that he was trapped inside was an exception.

He had watched him grow, spend hours training and working. He had seen him grow and learn and laugh and live and love. He had also seen him when he was upset and at his very lowest.

Today was the lowest he had ever seen him.

He'd thought he'd done the right thing, preparing him for death and killing. Maybe he shouldn't have relied on tough love for everything. Maybe Naruto would never forgive him. Naruto, not Daidai, because Naruto was the boy he knew better than anyone else. Daidai was just the name he used to cover up his past and make a new future.

Perhaps it was his fault things had turned out like this. If he hadn't made those changes, maybe things would have been better. There were many things he could have done better. Kurama just wanted to see the boy smile, truly smile like he had back before anything had happened. It was rare that he truly smiled, nowadays. Now, it would be even more so, he was certain.

When Naruto gave up, Kurama was the one that took control for him. He pretended like he'd slipped over, and then jumped back onto the right branch. The other two, Hebi and Weasel, they noticed. He was sure that they knew something was different. Kurama carried himself differently, he showed less paranoia and fear. The chakra beast hadn't really ever known fear. They stayed silent though, not making a fuss about it. Kurama would be Naruto's strength from within, until the boy could have his own return.