4 Itachi's thoughts and Jiraiya in Ame

She couldn't remember when it started. At first, she denied that it began when she was serving as Naruto's guard. Although she had a fondness for him, it was only a mission, and her feelings towards him didn't go beyond that. However, she couldn't help seeing her little brother in Naruto, and she couldn't imagine Sasuke feeling as lonely and isolated as Naruto did. Therefore, she violated protocol and developed a connection with him.

During her short time with Naruto, she realized that he was different from Sasuke and that she liked it. Due to her father's actions, Sasuke was increasingly seeing her as someone to surpass, and that planted the seeds of jealousy and resentment in him. Her distancing herself from him and the rest of the clan didn't help either. On the other hand, Naruto was inspired by her. He didn't want to surpass her or become a better version of her, but rather the best version of himself. She found it touching and flattering, and she was sad to see that connection end when she performed her duty to the village.

At times, she wondered why she didn't ask Naruto to look after Sasuke. She knew he would have done it without hesitation, but maybe she wanted something purely for herself. She had already wounded Sasuke deeply, and she had made peace with the fact that he might one day kill her to find a resolution in his vengeance. How much more could she give him, and how much more did she want to? Whatever the reason was, she decided against it and only gave Naruto a short goodbye.

The Akatsuki obtained some information about Naruto, and Itachi kept track of his progress. She was constantly impressed with his growth and his development into a shinobi hero once he graduated and started taking proper missions. He even managed to prevent Sasuke from betraying himself and the village. All of these actions were worthy of respect but couldn't explain why she sought him out in that bar the first time. It wasn't a plan, but it felt stronger than a mere whim. She didn't know then and still doesn't know now.

This only makes her current situation more confusing because if she didn't understand why she did it the first time, she certainly can't explain why she's doing it again. While she found Naruto an interesting conversationalist, it wasn't enough to justify her actions. Nevertheless, she had no intention of turning back.

She decided to name her guise Luna and approached Naruto with a natural elegance as the path toward him was cleared. She had been observing him, and while several young women had tried to get his attention, it never went beyond polite small talk. Taking a seat beside him, she could see that her henge immediately caught his eye. It didn't take long for "Luna," the freelance journalist, to strike up a conversation with Natsu, the artist. Much like the first time, Itachi enjoyed the easy rapport between the two as they talked about everything and nothing, including just enough truth to make the lies easier. Just like the first time, it didn't take much to get him back to her room.

"He may not be aware of it, but Naruto had this ability to make you feel like the only person in the room when you had his attention. It was invigorating but also intense and seemed to heighten their current activities. She noted that he wasn't as hesitant or nervous this time, and a little more assertive as well. The small contented smile he wore as he slept was so endearing she couldn't help but match it. He was the one to vacate the room before morning this time, leaving silently enough that had she been someone else, he'd have left without being noticed. After a second occurrence, she could no longer afford to have her motivations go unknown to her. Was it a simple attraction? She wondered. He was certainly growing into his looks but wasn't so devastatingly handsome as to make her swoon, not that any man could. Reconnecting with a severed bond? Possibly. He truly was one of the few people she was close to before she left, and the only one she fully let her guard down for. Maybe, and if the fates were kind, they could have possibly been something, but her health was deteriorating. She only had a few more years left and was committed to dying by Sasuke's hand. She didn't have a future and tried hard not to think about what one could look like. A nice quiet life of a typical Konoha Jounin was not in the cards for her, her services to the village robbing her of that chance."

It seems like Itachi will never get to experience the joy of having a family of her own. She dreams of having a daughter with her looks and her partner's features, who would be a source of warmth and happiness for her. She imagines a little girl who is encouraged to feel, grow, and love freely, without any restrictions. Itachi quickly wipes away her tears and scolds herself for entertaining the thought of a happy future. She knows that there's no possibility of that happening because she's responsible for killing her family and breaking her beloved little brother. All she can do now is wait for her time to atone and hopefully find peace in the afterlife.

Itachi has a conversation with Jiraiya, who asks her where she plans to go now. Itachi is unsure of her next move but knows that nowhere will be safe for long because Zetsu is good at finding whatever he wants. Jiraiya suggests that they return to the village and clear things up, but Itachi refuses, saying that she has no place in the village anymore. She tends to her arm that had been severed at the elbow and hears the fight between the Sage and Pain. She intervenes and saves Jiraiya's life before they retreat to Konoha. Itachi plans to disappear until she can think of a way to neutralize the rest of the Akatsuki.

"The child would be thrilled if we went through with it," he said.

"But I'm afraid it would be a disaster. Sasuke would attack me on sight, Naruto would retaliate against Sasuke, and I would try to intervene to prevent things from escalating," she replied.

"Ah, I see what you mean. And let's not forget about Tsunade. She thinks you've seduced her son, grandson, or little brother figure and wants to hurt you for it," he said.

"I had no idea she knew about us. How did she find out?"

"She did some investigating and figured it out. She's not happy about it, to say the least."

"And how do you feel about it?"

"I'm too exhausted and injured to do anything about it. But I know this situation is not sustainable. Everyone involved knows it, except for the one person who thinks he can use his power to change the outcome."

"Then this will be a good lesson for him, some things cannot change."

"Hai, an excellent lesson. But what happens when in his rage and despair he decides to burn the world around him?"

"He wouldn't do that," replied Itachi.

"Why wouldn't he? Naruto comes off as light personified and honestly, I don't believe it's an act but he subdued, captured, and torture the fucking Darkness of Shinobi because he thought the man might have information on you. What else might he do behind you?"

"He has you, Tsunade, and his team. He even has that little heiress of his."

"Tsunade and I are both old and high profile targets. We could live another thirty years or be dead today like you know, what was going to happen to me. He doesn't like his team. Well, he likes the pink-haired one but even she tries his patience half the time. The heiress? Jealous much?"

"Get nearly killed by a former student much?"

"Deflect from the topic of conversation much?"

"Use an outdated rhetorical device that you're much too old for much?"

"Touche."

"I try. And no, I'm not jealous of the little stalker, why would I be? Except she's all wrong for Naruto. That's not jealous, it's just a fact."

"Sure, Itachi-chan, sure. Anyway, she'd support him but it's asymmetrical and they both know it. Naruto wouldn't truly lean on her, he'd feel too guilty taking advantage like that."

"Jiraiya, what do you want me to do?"

"In terms of Naruto, nothing. But I do have a mission for you. Orochimaru's second, Kabuto. We've been keeping light tabs on him. The Akatsuki will likely be too busy to do a dedicated search for you, at least for a month. You think you could see to him?"

"Sure. Anything else?"

"No, but there is somewhere I know you can hide out once you deal with Kabuto. Send a crow my way and I'll give you the information once you're done."

"Can you make it the rest of the way?"

"Yeah, shouldn't be an issue. The beating Tsunade will give me for coming back like this? Not prepared for that. Might be able to leverage a sympathy handjob though."

"Ugh, I didn't need to know that, Jiraiya."

"Oh, please. Like you and the kid were just holding hands the entire time. Tell me, is my student a lowkey pervert? Did I at least corrupt him properly?"

"I'm going to leave before I set you on fire. Goodbye, Jiraiya." Itachi said before disappearing in a murder of crows. Jiraiya accepted the pain as he laughed, not failing to notice the light pink on the kunoichi's cheeks. Oh yes, his student was an undercover pervert.