Chapter 4
The weeks passed in a blur of training, studying, and spending time with her friends. Rei was making steady progress in her studies of medical ninjutsu and her training with Shisui. She was also becoming closer with her classmates, especially Naruto and Sasuke. However, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off with Shisui.
He seemed more tense than usual, his normally bright eyes clouded with worry. He was still an excellent teacher, but there was a certain edge to his demeanor that hadn't been there before. Rei tried to ask him about it, but he brushed her concerns aside.
"I'm just a bit stressed, Rei. Don't worry about it," he said, forcing a smile onto his face. Despite his reassurances, Rei couldn't help but feel worried. She knew Shisui well enough to know that he wasn't telling her everything. However, she decided not to push him. If he wanted to tell her, he would.
One day, after an intense training session, Rei brought up a topic she had been thinking about for a while. "Shisui, are you going to teach me the Body Flicker Technique next time?" she asked, her eyes shining with anticipation. Shisui looked at her, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"The Body Flicker Technique, huh? It's a useful technique, but it's not easy to master," he said, his tone serious. "But I think you're ready for something even better."
Rei's eyes widened in surprise. "Better than the Body Flicker Technique?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Shisui nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Yes, something better. It's called the Flying Raijin Jutsu," he said, his voice filled with excitement. "Your great-grandfather, the Second Hokage, invented it. I tried to learn it, but I couldn't. Instead, I created the Body Flicker Technique. But I believe that you can achieve it, Rei. With enough practice, of course."
Rei's heart pounded with excitement. The Flying Raijin Jutsu was a legendary technique, known for its incredible speed and precision. The thought of learning such a powerful technique filled her with determination. She thanked Shisui and wished him a good night, her mind already filled with thoughts of the Flying Raijin Jutsu.
That night, Rei went to bed with a smile on her face, excited for her next training session with Shisui. However, that excitement quickly turned into shock and disbelief when she received the news the next day.
"Rei, Shisui... Shisui is dead," Itachi said, his voice choked with emotion. "He... he killed himself."
Rei felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her. She refused to believe it. Shisui, the cheerful and kind-hearted ninja who had been her mentor and friend, was dead? And by suicide? It didn't make sense. She knew Shisui. He wouldn't do something like that.
"No, Itachi. There must be some mistake. Shisui wouldn't... he wouldn't do that," she said, her voice trembling. Itachi looked at her, his eyes filled with sadness.
"I wish it were a mistake, Rei. But it's the truth," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Rei felt tears prick at her eyes, but she forced them back. She couldn't cry. Not yet.
In the days that followed, Rei found herself drawn to the Memorial Stone. It was a monument dedicated to the shinobi of Konoha who had died in the line of duty. Her parents' names were etched into the stone, as were the names of her siblings. But Shisui's name wasn't there.
One night, Rei found herself standing in front of the Memorial Stone, a kunai in her hand. She knew what she was about to do was against the rules, but she didn't care. Shisui deserved to be remembered. He deserved to have his name on the stone.
She was about to carve Shisui's name into the stone when a voice stopped her. "What are you doing, Rei?" Kakashi Hatake asked, his tone stern. Rei turned to him, her eyes filled with determination.
"Shisui's name should be on this stone," she said, her voice steady. Kakashi looked at her, his gaze softening.
"Rei, this stone is for shinobi who died in action. Shisui... he didn't die in action," he said, his voice gentle. Rei felt a surge of anger.
"I don't care! Shisui was a great ninja! He deserves to be remembered!" she yelled, her voice echoing in the quiet night. Kakashi looked at her, his gaze filled with understanding.
"I understand how you feel, Rei. But this isn't the way," he said, his voice calm. Rei felt tears well up in her eyes, but she blinked them back. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of Kakashi.
Kakashi sighed, reaching out to take the kunai from her hand. "I can't let you carve his full name into the stone, Rei. But I can do this," he said, his voice soft. He took the kunai and carved Shisui's first name into the stone.
Rei watched as Kakashi carved Shisui's name into the stone, her heart pounding in her chest. When he was done, he handed the kunai back to her, his gaze meeting hers.
"It's not much, but it's something," he said, his voice gentle. Rei looked at the stone, at Shisui's name etched into the cold, hard surface. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was a reminder of Shisui, of his kindness and his strength. It was a reminder of the friend she had lost.
"Thank you, Kakashi," she said, her voice choked with emotion. She turned to leave, her heart heavy with grief. But as she walked away, she made a promise to herself. She would become a great ninja, just like Shisui had been. She would protect her friends and her village, just like Shisui had done. And she would remember Shisui, always.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rei sat on the rooftop of her small house, her legs dangling over the edge as she stared up at the star-studded sky. It had been a few months since Shisui's passing, and the pain was still raw, the wound still fresh. But she was healing, slowly but surely, thanks to the support of her friends and her own determination.
She was lost in her thoughts when she heard a soft rustling behind her. She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw Itachi standing there, dressed in his ANBU uniform. His usually warm eyes were cold and distant, his expression unreadable.
"Itachi, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice filled with surprise. Itachi looked at her, his gaze softening slightly.
"I'm going on a long mission, Rei. I wanted to say goodbye," he said, his voice quiet. Rei felt a pang of worry. Itachi rarely went on long missions, and he never came to say goodbye before leaving.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He handed it to Rei, his gaze steady. "I want you to have this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Rei opened the box, her eyes widening when she saw the necklace inside. It had three silver rings red gems inside them. It was identical to the one Itachi always wore.
"But this... this is your necklace," Rei said, her voice filled with confusion. Itachi shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"It's not mine, Rei. It's yours. I want you to have it. To remember me," he said, his voice filled with emotion. Rei felt a lump form in her throat. Itachi was acting strange, almost as if he wasn't planning on coming back.
He then asked her to look after Sasuke while he was gone, to stay by his side. Rei was puzzled by his request, but she nodded, promising to take care of Sasuke. Itachi thanked her, his eyes filled with gratitude. He then pulled her into a hug, his arms wrapping around her in a tight embrace. Rei hugged him back, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't notice the wetness on her shoulder, the silent tears that Itachi was shedding.
The next morning, Rei woke up to the news that the Uchiha clan had been massacred. She felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her. She couldn't believe it. Itachi, the person she considered a brother, was responsible for the massacre. And Sasuke was the only survivor.
She rushed to the hospital, her heart pounding in her chest. She found Sasuke in one of the rooms, his face pale and his eyes filled with pain. She was relieved to see him alive, but her heart ached for him. He was all alone now, just like she was.
Sasuke confirmed the news, his voice filled with anger and hatred. He told her about Itachi's betrayal, about his promise of revenge. Rei felt a chill run down her spine. Sasuke was no longer the happy, cheerful boy she knew. He was a stranger, filled with anger and hatred.
In the days that followed, Sasuke distanced himself from Rei. He was focused on training, on getting stronger. He pushed her away, refusing her help and her company. But Rei didn't give up. She was there for him, making sure he ate and slept, healing his wounds when he pushed himself too hard. She was there for him, even when he didn't want her to be.
As they grew older, the distance between them grew. Sasuke was cold and distant, his heart filled with hatred and a thirst for revenge. Rei tried to be there for him, but he pushed her away, focusing on his training and his quest for power.
But Rei didn't give up. She kept her promise to Itachi, always there for Sasuke, even when he didn't want her to be. She wore the necklace Itachi had given her, a constant reminder of her promise. She trained hard, becoming a strong and capable ninja. She made new friends, but she never forgot about Sasuke.
She was there for him, always in the background, watching over him. She was his shadow, his silent protector. And she would continue to be there for him, no matter what.
Rei's life was filled with challenges and hardships, but she faced them head-on. She was determined to become a great ninja, to protect her friends and her village. And she was determined to keep her promise to Itachi, to look after Sasuke.
As she lay in bed one night, her mind filled with thoughts of Sasuke and Itachi, Rei couldn't help but feel a sense of determination. She was going to become a great ninja, just like Shisui and Itachi had been. She was going to protect her friends and her village, just like they had done.
And she was going to remember them, always. She was going to carry their memories with her, a constant reminder of their kindness and their strength. And she was going to honor their memory, by becoming the best ninja she could be.