Nevermore

"Next year Kaa-san, next year you must enroll me at the academy!" Hinamei danced around the kitchen, slapping her hands together in excitement. General enrollment age was around six, and each day that went by she edged closer to reaching that supposed magic number. "I'll train really hard and then, then I can be a top shinobi like Tou-san!"

"Kunoichi dear, you'll be a kunoichi." Her mother responded while stirring her tea. Hinamei gave a flat look and shrugged her shoulders, continuing to get excited. "You'll be in class with Itachi-kun then too." And there it was, the bubble bursting words her mother seemed so good at producing. Hinamei stopped short and brought her bed ridden head upwards.

"Hm, I suppose he will be there. Either way, I'll be ten times better than he will. He's not so great you know." Normally her mother would have reacted to her rude words but this time she just continued to stir her tea. She yawned widely and Hinamei realized her mother wasn't even entirely awake yet. "I threw kunai yesterday." It was about that time she finally confessed to her crime, as it was, Hinamei wasn't even allowed to play with butter knives let alone an actual weapon. "I wasn't very good but Shisui-chan said I could try again next week." All she received was a nod in response and as she turned around, another yawn. "I'll go get dressed for the day." And she darted off past the table and into the wood hallway. She dug around sloppily in her dresser drawers, there had to be one pair of pants in here. Just one. Her mother was prone to buying cute little dresses, not to say Hinamei didn't like wearing dresses-but you couldn't exactly be a ninja in a dress. Finally, on the bottom of her last drawer she pulled out a pair of thin black pants, she wore them only once around a year ago back when it had snowed. It hadn't snowed since and that resulted in her over abundance of little girl dresses. She hurriedly slipped them on and over the top she pulled on a black shirt, it was sleeveless with a small white bow that wrapped around her waist.

It wasn't exactly what she wanted but for now, it would have to do.

She took one look in the mirror before turning away in disgust. Her normal soft curls were gone and in their place was a flat mess of brown hair, it fell in her eyes and lightly curled around her cheeks. She stuck out her tongue at her reflection before running her small hand through the mess.

Either way, it didn't matter what her hair looked like, she was going to become a strong kunoichi. She didn't have time now to worry about her appearance. Regardless, she still promised Itachi would pay for his recklessness. After a fast breakfast she grabbed some tools and ran up to her mother, tugging on the edge of her dress. "Kaa-san, don't worry about walking with me to Itachi-chan's house, I'm leaving right now." Her mother gave her a soft smile and ruffled her short, pixie hair.

"Really? Well, have fun dear. Please, be careful and don't touch anymore knives." She nodded exuberantly and dashed out the front door, eyes glistening with mischief. Inside of her small back pack where a set of her father's kunai. He had plenty, stealing one set for a day couldn't do much damage could it? Not to mention, now she wouldn't have to see Itachi. Down the road she took a sharp left, heading straight towards the training grounds. When she arrived, she dropped down to the ground and tried to slow her breathing. She never did like to run. The sun bore onto her bare shoulders, making her pale shoulders redden in the heat. The bag dropped to the ground and out of it fell a set of seven kunai, sharp and ready to be thrown. A wide grin found her face and for once she was proud of the steps she had taken.

Of course Kaa-san would never think so but it didn't matter to her, all that mattered now was that she move ahead of that cocky Uchiha. Show him that he's not such a genius after all. The small girl stood in front of the targets, farther away than Shisui had made her stand yesterday. Between her thumb and two top fingers, she gripped the handle of the kunai, resting it above her shoulder. Eyes closed, she cast the knife forward and listened for that sound.

The sound of metal piercing wood.

She opened her dark grey eyes and smiled, the kunai stuck two rings outside the middle target. It was such a shame no one was here to see. As fast as her small hands would allow her to move, she whipped out two more kunai and each of them stuck firmly in the core of the target. "Let's see what Itachi has to say about that." She replied smugly, placing her hands on her hips.

"You're aim is better, but it's still not good. It's the way you're holding the kunai that's throwing you off." Without even having to turn she knew that inflated voice anywhere. She whipped on her heel and with the last kunai in her hand she threw it speeding towards Itachi's overly calm face. Metal clashed into metal and her kunai dropped to the floor. "See what I mean, it's moving too slow. Any moron with a stick could avoid getting hit." He dropped down from the wall he was perched on and moved over to the now sulking girl.

"I thought I was doing good, why do you always have to ruin things Itachi-chan?" He smirked at her and handed the kunai in his hand over to her, she took it cautiously. "What?"

"You wanted my help didn't you?" The metal was cold in her hand and slightly heavier than the last, was he being serious? She crossed her arms and looked away, defiant. "You wouldn't make much of a kunoichi if you couldn't even throw a kunai."

"I'll learn to do other things." It was immature, she knew but at the same time she didn't want to be made a fool by the very person she resented most. "Besides, they can teach me all that in the academy next year." He frowned at this and glared, earning a shiver to fall down her spine. When Itachi looked mad, he definitely made an impression.

"Fine, then I won't help you. If you wouldn't mind," he stepped forward and snatched the kunai out of her hand. "I'll train alone." As he stepped past her a small smile tugged on edge of his lips. One, two, three…

"Wait!" She pulled back her outstretched hand and her cheeks got rosy. It could have been the heat or a blush but Itachi was betting on the latter. "I'm sorry, I'll listen to you." It was a shy side of her he had yet to see and instantly he saw it as a weakness. He stepped back and stared, eyebrow quirked and mouth tight. He didn't like this side at all.

"Don't do that." Her large doe eyes focused on his face and even still, she bit her lip nervously.

"Do what?"

"That, being all nervous. A shinobi doesn't act that way." The wind picked up, swirling the hot summer's heat around her, she blinked the dirt away. Straightening herself up, she stepped back towards him and delivered a firm nod.

"Alright, I won't act like that anymore." A thought suddenly occurred to the dark Uchiha, he brought his eyes slowly down towards her hand and quickly looked back up. She gave a quizzical look and frowned. She might not have known him well but anyone with a look like that couldn't be having a good idea. "What are you thinking Itachi-chan?" Asking, she knew full well she probably wouldn't like his answer.

"Hinamei, have you ever been in pain?" A cloud moved across the sun and momentarily, the world was shrouded in a shadow. She nodded her head and he shook his. "No, I mean, have you ever really been in pain?"

"One time I sprained my ankle out in the sunflower fields. But that was almost three months ago." Itachi's small hand wrapped around hers, extending her palm upwards. In his other hand was gripped the kunai, razor sharp to the edge. She wanted desperately to pull her hand away, not just because of the sharp implement in Itachi's hand but also because she didn't like Itachi touching her in the first place-even though most if it was because of the kunai and it's unsaid threats.

"This will be the first part of your training. Pain tolerance. If you can't keep yourself together when you're injured, you're just dead weight, okay?" His inky black eyes probed her face. As young as he was he was evidently wise beyond his years. It was something that made her feel insecure in more than one way. He brought the kunai over her palm and with the touch of a whisper he reassured her, "No matter what, it will be okay. Now, don't cry. If you cry, you lose." Instinctively, she trapped her bottom lip between her teeth and shut her eyes until all she saw were blue dots on a black background. Another whisper, "One, two, three-" The air around her fell dead silence, so silent that she could hear her skin being slit wide open. Her eyes flew open, tears pricking at the edge of her vision with a silent scream trapped between her throat. Shakily, her eyes lowered down to her hand. Don't look, you don't want to look-but she couldn't resist. The cut wasn't as deep as she had thought, at this point she would have been surprised if she had seen bone, however, the blood was a different story. "Hold it in!" Itachi glared at her, still grasping her small crimson palm in his. He squeezed gently and finally that scream slipped out.

She had failed. It didn't matter though, she expected it by now.

Tears streamed down her cheek as if it were raining, her mouth was bit back in violent sobs as she watched the blood slip from under her palm to the dry dirt beneath her feet. "Itachi, make it stop!" She said between gritted teeth, for once forgetting her most basic of manners. Her eyes met his and for a second she thought she saw his skin pale, the bleeding was getting worse. He crouched down on her level and took the hem of his shirt between his thumb and forefinger. With his other hand he grabbed a kunai and slid it straight across the hem.

"I didn't mean to-" His teeth grazed his own lip and for once he looked worried. Maybe not so much regarding Hinamei, but rather his own consequences. If his father heard…well he'd rather not think about the outcome. Once the bandage was secured tightly around Hinamei's hand he gave her a half sort of smile. She knew it was forced but even that managed to sooth her nerves a small bit. "You did good."

Her eyes lit up like spring time and a small blush crept it's way to her cheeks. "Really?" They kneeled across from each other in the dirt and in the sun he felt his face redden. If Shisui saw this, he'd never hear the end of it. He had pushed the envelope far enough for one day.

"But really, I didn't cut you that deep-I doubt it hurts that bad." Childishly, she stuck her tongue out to the smirking boy. The tears on her cheeks glistened in the sun and before he could say anything else to hurt her feelings he stood, "come to my house, Kaa-san has some medicine I can use on your cut."

"So does this mean you'll train me? Even if I didn't pass your dumb test." She sniffed, standing up as well all while protecting her wound. He set off in a new direction and hurriedly, she followed. Onyx eyes glanced over and he gave a shrug in reply. He should of known that wasn't any kind of answer to leave her satisfied.

"I guess, but once the Academy starts-you're on your own. Oh, and don't tell anyone about that cut. It will be our little secret." A nod and a smile, she stepped in sync with him. Before he lost his chance, he slyly looked over to her until she met his eyes. With a quirk of her brow she frowned, he wouldn't stop staring.

"What?"

A genuine smile met his lips, along with a gleam in his eye that just screamed trouble, "With that hair cut…" the smile turned into a wicked grin and with a snort he finished his insult. "You look just like Sasuke-kun."