Simple Manipulation

.:Twelve:.

That following morning, Kakashi showed up at the front door with an offer you couldn't refuse. A friend of his owed him a huge favor so he called it in to get you a job working in their bookstore as a clerk. You would be part-time starting off at a rate of twenty ryo an hour then later full-time. He told you that if you could keep the job for six months you'd be able to rent your own apartment without assistance. Kohana was overjoyed. She spent your first week of employment just sitting in the bookstore watching you work while randomly buying books to read and drinking tea that was served at the in-store cafe. Soon her mother realized how much she was spending and forced her to go back to her duties as a ninja. You didn't know she was on personal leave this entire time thus you, too, pestered her into returning.

Soon things began to fall back into what you would consider a normal life. The past began to fade away as an ugly nightmare.

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"Nii-san...do you really think it's a good idea? I mean, will she really want to come with us?"

"Hn...I won't give her much room of a choice, Sasuke. She'll have to say yes if she doesn't want to be forced to come." Itachi stood next to his younger brother, black cloak moving slightly with the breeze of the autumn wind.

Sasuke frowned and bowed his head slightly, staring at a leaf that was being pushed around in the breeze. "What about the other one?"

Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Not yet....not yet, Sasuke."

Sasuke let out an annoyed sighed and turned away, heading back into the forest. "Then I'd prefer to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Itachi smirked and turned to follow. "I agree."

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Life sucks. And then you die.

Kohana had been sent out on some mission to help another village. Of course you loved her mother, but the woman wasn't exactly the best company. All she really wanted to talk about was her TV shows she loved to watch and how appointing some old bat like Tsunade as Hokage wasn't the best idea the village elders have had in a while. To avoid clawing your eyes out and ears off, you had to lock yourself in the guest room and read books to keep your mind occupied.

There was a knock on the door. "(Y/n)?"

Ko's mom poked her head in.

You put the book you were reading down on your chest. "Hm?"

She made a pouty face. "My soap's on but we need toliet tissue and an onion."

You pretended not to understand. "Uh-huh?"

She pouted even more. "Do you mind running to the store for me? Please?"

You thought about protesting but thought better of it. It was an excuse to get out of the house and avoid talking to her about things you had no interest in. "Sure." You consented, sitting up and putting your book down. She gave you the money and you headed out.

Dusk was approaching. The approaching sunset and cool air was calming to you. You ignore the looks and whispers as you passed down the street.

"Long time, no see...(Y/n)." The wind whispered in your ear.

Though you knew that voice anywhere, your mind immediately rejected the possiblity of it. You turned around, eyes scanning every possible dark spot that could hide someone. When convinced that you were alone, you decided to hurry.

The wind chuckled softly and caressed your cheek, sending chills down your spine and causing you to stop again. "W-who's there?"

A hand materialized still touching your cheek, making you stumble backwards and inhale sharply. "Me."

"No."

Sasuke took a step a forward to match yours. "How have you--"

"Where is he?!" You shrieked then lowering your voice to a lethal whisper. "I know if you're alive then he's nearby."

Sasuke rubbed his cheek angrily then grabbed your arm. "If I take you to him, you won't be coming back here." He paused to let this fact sink in before moving on. "He came back to take you with him. He told you back then that he'd come back for you...he didn't lie." His voice dropped and became softer. "I know what hell he left you to deal with...and he wants to make up for it by taking you away from the village that doesn't want you."

"Then why didn't he take me in the first place?" You demanded. "He knew what he was doing! He used me as a scapegoat to take the fall while he merrily lived his happy little life elsewhere! Dammit Sasuke they put me in prison for something he knows I didn't do! According to him, he was the one that killed everyone!"

For a second, he paused as if unsure, as if something puzzled him but he quickly recovered. "He told you that so that you'd believe him, (Y/n). Things aren't what they seemed to be and if you come with us, everything will be explained."

Your eye twitched. "So you're saying he lied about killing his family even though the evidence at the time pointed to and supported the 'lie' he told me?"

Sasuke nodded grimly.

Rage consumed you. "Take me to him. Now."

He sighed softly and took a step towards you. You instinctively took a step back but his arm went around your shoulders, covering you with his cloak. There was a strong gust of wind at your feet that kicked up enough dirt to cause you to cough violently and cover your mouth and nose. "She slapped me. You didn't say a damn thing about her hitting me."

"Forgive me...I didn't think she'd be angry with you."

You stopped coughing and turned slowly towards the voice. Even though you'd prepared for this moment for the past three years, it still left you speechless to finally look at him again. Your jaw worked feebly to force words to come out but you ended up looking like a goldfish gasping for air.

"(Y/n)..." Itachi murmured with a guilty, somber expression. You noticed he wasn't stupid enough to move closer to you though. "You've aged beautifully."

Something snapped within you. "You...ASSHOLE!" You launched yourself at him only to have Sasuke grab you by the waist with both hands and hold on. "HOW DARE YOU!? HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AFTER LEAVING ME HERE TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR SHIT YOU DID?!?!"

"(Y/n), I plan to answer for what I did to you if you'd only--"

"DON'T 'PLAN' TO ANSWER--COUNT ON IT!!!" You screeched clawing at Sasuke's hands still reaching for Itachi.

Itachi pursed his lips into a tight, thin line. "Let her go Sasuke."

Within seconds, your found yourself pinned to a tree, arm bent painfully behind your back as Itachi pressed his body towards yours to whisper in your ear. "I prefer this to be a pleasant, friendly exchange but if you insist on behaving this way I'll have no choice but to treat you like the criminal Konoha believes you to be. Everyone knows you're innocent. They just want a face to put with the scary murderer capable of wiping an entire clan. They all sleep better at night knowing its some girl who doesn't even know basic martial arts much less jutsus. It doesn't make sense, I know, but its how they deal with reality. As far as you're concerned, however, you're forever marked." He eased his grip but didn't let go, turning you around to face him as he put a hand on the tree above your shoulder and leaned close. "There's no point in you suffering here any longer. I've come back for you like I promised..." He started to lean in for a kiss but you quickly delivered the same angry slap you'd given Sasuke earlier. "Ninja or not..." He rubbed his stinging skin. "Your reflexes are admirable."

You glared at him and he let out an annoyed sigh, stepping back, looking at Sasuke while nodding his head in your direction once. "Let's go. The other one won't be back for a few days."

Sasuke nodded once and started towards you.

"No!" You screamed and started to take off but Sasuke's arm went around your waist, pinning you to him as he jabbed a thin syringe into your right arm, injecting a clear fluid. "Sasuke...no..."

"Go to sleep, (y/n)."

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Days later, Kohana and her team made it back to the village. Even though she wanted to stop to see how you were doing, she knew it was procedure to report to the Hokage before anything else.

"Hokage-sama." She kneeled down on the floor with the other two teammates on her flank.

"Report?"

"The rumors are true. Itachi was spotted in the Kumo Village of Lighting Country...with his younger brother, Sasuke." She added relunctantly.

"That...contradicts the story that (y/n) told us. She said--"

"She didn't say that Sasuke was dead, Hokage-sama. She said he was standing over his body with a bloody katana. She never stated anything that made it seem she believed Itachi killed Sasuke. Besides, she also noted many times that Itachi picked up Sasuke before telling her that he would return for her." Kohana stated firmly, standing sharply with her fists balled up at her sides.

"You two--" Tsunade pointed at the others. "--leave."

"Hai." They barked before disappearing in a poof of jutsu smoke.

Kohana held her ground, even angling her chin upwards towards the blonde in a defiant stance.

"I allow you to investigate this not only because you are one of the very few who believe in her innocence, but also because I trust you to have sound judgment. You cannot twist--"

"With all due respect, Lady Tsunade, you may pull her statements taken before the trial and attempt to tell me what I just said to you is a lie. I merely repeated the very words that came out of her mouth."

"That doesn't mean she told the truth."

Kohana bit her lip for several minutes before speaking again. "If you don't believe she told the truth, then why the hell do you bother to have me investigate?"

Tsunade sat back in her chair.

"For my own benefit?" Kohana accused. "To keep me happy with the idea that someone's doing something just so that I continue to do bullshit errands for this village? Is that it?"

"Kohana--"

"No! Tell me the truth! Why do you bother if you don't truly believe she's innocent?"

"...Kohana, she's been missing for nearly four days now. Your mother sent her out to buy a few things and she never returned. To make matters worse, two guards were taken to the infirmary due to very simple, yet near fatal wounds. ANBU level debilitating attacks. One was able to give a description of an older Itachi and Sasuke...the other didn't even make it to the hospital. The elders find it hard to call this all a coincidence when she hasn't even been out of prison for six months. They want me to believe that this was the plan from the start."

"The question is do you?" Kohana asked pointedly. "Do you believe that (y/n) is mentally capable of condoning murder, sitting in prison for three years, then allowing herself to go back to that...monster?"

Tsunade closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "That doesn't sound like her at all."

"Then you have to take into account that the main suspect of the murders is a Sharingan-possessing genius. Simple manipulation of someone's mind could be child's play to him for all we know."

"For all we know..." She echoed nodding. "At any rate, she's missing. Assemble your team and as soon as you're ready, go find her."

"Hai!" Kohana nodded and turned.

"Kohana?"

"Hai?"

"...Don't...force her to return if she doesn't want to."

"What--"

"Don't make her come back. If she chooses to stay with Itachi, if she's with him, let her be."

Kohana bit her lip once again and gave a brief nod before leaving out, slamming the door behind her.