Chapter Text
“Mom? Dad?” I call out hesitantly scared to learn their fate when I open the door. Walking into the eerily quiet house I peer around the corner into the kitchen and see my parent's dead bodies on the floor. Then my body on autopilot I run out of the house not able to look at their bodies any longer.
I run and run before eventually colliding into Sasuke who looks just as distraught and in despair as me. “It was Itachi…” Sasuke reveals and I raise my head looking at him in disbelief. Itachi makes his presence known standing upon a light pole looking down on us.
“Look at you both weak. Neither of you is worth killing and Sasuke until you can obtain these eyes of the Mangekyo Sharigan come stand before me.”
I’ve seen this before…why?
“However, on one condition. You must kill your closest friend! As I did.” Itachi declares and we look at him in shock and disbelief.
“You killed Shisui?” I asked in disbelief as it was believed he had taken his own life.
Wait this parts new…did he say that before? He killed Shisui too?
“Shut up!” I yell out over and over feeling a surge of foreign power coarse through me. Slamming my hand into the ground while glaring at Itachi wood branches appeared out of the ground attacking him in every direction. “Kentai!” Sasuke yells telling me to calm down as he wraps his arms around me getting me to stop. Somehow getting my body to listen I calm down and feel exhaustion creep over my body. I look around for Itachi as I feel my eyes getting heavier before collapsing in Sasuke arms.
Moments later I’m awoken from the darkness and see myself standing in front of my house again. Opening the door again, I found my parent's dead bodies again and became confused as to why I was reliving this night over. As the sequence comes to an end again with me collapsing in Sasuke’s arms I see Itachi’s sharigan in the darkness awakening me and find myself in front of my house again.
Of course Itachi realized Akira was me and compromised my clone. And upon her death would make me relive the clan massacre. During the ongoing torture of having to relieve the emotions and tragedy, I began to notice something new every time the nightmare loops. Each time there’s a new detail I find that I never noticed before. What is he trying to make me see?
I hated talking about that night especially since the sudden surge and fall of my chakra made me collapse making my memory of that night very foggy. All I knew of that night was Sasuke’s recount of it and the bits of pieces I slowly came to remember.
It wasn’t until the next few loops I finally saw what even Sasuke missed that night. As I run out of my home throughout the clan I feel the presence of someone watching me and before colliding with Sasuke I catch a glimpse of movement in the corner of my eye. Then after unleashing my wood-style attack on Itachi and began to pass out I realized Itachi wasn’t alone that night. Standing on the roof off in the distance I see a masked man watching us triggering my memories of my fight with Deidara and Akira.
The reason I felt like I met the masked man named Tobi before. Although he wears a different mask now I know they’re the same person. Remembering that same fight and discovering what I needed to see gave me the strength to break the endless loop and wake up in an unfamiliar room.
Slowly blinking as I adjust to the light in the room I recognize that we must be at an Inn and attempt to sit up but fail my body feeling numb and weak as if there was a boulder atop of me weighing me down. I also couldn’t ignore the feeling of grief within me remembering Deidara’s passing and tears started to build in my eyes. “Kentai!” Jugo calls out noticing my movement and comes to my aid telling me not to move but freezes when he looks at me.
“What?” I asked frustrated that I couldn’t move.
“Your eyes. They’re different.” He says and confused he shows me my reflection in a kunai and I widen my eyes shocked seeing that I have obtained the mangekyo sharigan but I don’t understand how. I didn’t kill a close friend. I don’t even think I have someone I could call a close friend. I try to sit up again but still struggle to support myself and Jugo makes me lay back down.
“What’s wrong with me?”
“It could be due to your chakra. Karin said that your chakra reserves seem to have changed almost doubled after your fight with the Akatsuki and since you used the rest of your chakra in that fight it's gonna take your body longer to recover all that chakra.” He explained. I nodded my head already knowing it was going to be a while before I fully recovered. Now that Akira was dead all the chakra I gave to her had returned to my body and once I recover I’ll have all my chakra again.
“Hey, now that you’re awake you can reveal where Itachi is hiding now right?” Suigetsu asked and turning my head I saw him sitting on the floor leaning against our room door. I also see Sasuke looking at me lying in a separate futon beside me bandaged up.
“Sasuke? Are you alright?” I asked. “I’ll be fine, since I’ve absorbed Orochimaru’s power I recover faster now. First, tell us what happened to you.”
“Sasuke told us about Akira after you collapsed. Which I guess was due to her death right?” Suigetsu asked.
“Yeah. When she died in the blast all of her memories…and emotions returned to me.” I said emotionless knowing I’ll be forced to grieve Deidara’s death even though I never knew him but now the circumstances have changed. “She lied to me, she didn’t know where Itachi was but now with her memories, I know where all their hideouts are.”
“The animals told me that they sense unusual and powerful chakra coming from certain areas.” Jugo said. “Then that’s how we find Itachi. Mark those locations and we’ll check those hideouts first.” I told Jugo. The door to our room is suddenly kicked down by Karin causing Suigetsu to be crushed underneath. “Wake up Sasuke! We’re about to have company.” She informs.
“Suigetsu?” I call concerned seeing him stuck underneath the door. “Hey get off me!” Suigetsu orders but Karin ignores him. “Everyone get ready we’re leaving.” Sasuke orders. I move to get up again but still find myself struggling to sit up completely and groan in annoyance. I usually heal faster than this but without my chakra healing me I’ll have to rest until I’ve built more chakra.
“I got you Kentai.” Jugo calls and with his help, he helps me sit up. “Jugo, help Kentai mark the map of every Akatsuki hideout and then mark the ones the animals sensed the chakra coming from.” Sasuke said and doing as he said together we marked different locations on a map and handed it to him. Jugo helps me again and carries me on his back as we leave the inn and onto the Akatsuki hideouts.
“What’s our plan?” Karin asked Sasuke. “Itachi is our only priority. If worse comes to worse, you three will stop the hidden leaf. For now, this is Team Hebi’s mission. We’re going to use the intel that Kentai and Jugo gave us and hit the Akatsuki hideouts one by one.” Sasuke explained and we left the town we had stopped in.
While following Sasuke, Karin stopped us asking for Jugo’s help. While Sasuke and Suigetsu continue ahead Karin shows us mine and Sasuke’s old clothes that we threw out after the fight. I question why she kept our clothes and although flustered she explains her plan to throw off the leaf hounds by ripping up our clothes and having Jugo call on the birds to split up our scents. Although she was a hot-headed nuisance, I can admit she was useful. After catching up with the others we traveled to the first site and knowing that the fastest way to recover in this condition was to rest, I fell asleep on Jugo’s back to gain my energy and hopefully sleep off the empty feeling in my chest left by Deidara's death.
I awake awhile later feeling well rested but still hadn’t recovered all of my chakra but enough to withstand a battle if it came to it. When I looked around I saw Jugo and the others but no Sasuke. “Where’s Sasuke?” I asked as I got off of Jugo’s back.
“Oh you’re awake?” Jugo said surprised and hesitant to let me off his back. “Are you sure you can move around yet? You should rest more.”
“I’ll live I’ve recovered enough chakra to stand on my own at least. It’ll be a while before I’ll be fit to fight.” I assure. “Now. Where’s Sasuke?”
“He went up ahead to the hideout and we’re to stay here and protect you until he gives the signal to regroup with him.” Suigetsu informed and I nodded my head. “What you’re not gonna go after him?”
“What help would I be?” I’m barely myself right now.” I said leaning against a tree for support feeling tired again. “What do you mean?” Suigetsu asked confused.
“Nevermind.” I answered not wanting to explain the side effects of Akira’s death to them. While awaiting Sasuke’s signal I feel a sharp pain in my head like I did when Akira died and see Itach’s sharigan paint my vision as I black out and see myself transported to an unknown location.
“What do you want from me?!” I shout frustrated as he appears before me triggering my mangekyo. “I’m only here to talk. I’ve been awaiting this moment when I discovered Akira was you. An impressive yet risky tactic.”
“What can I say I went through desperate measures to find you. It was all for Sasuke in the end. Why didn’t you rat her out as a spy when you found out?”
”I wanted to see for myself how strong you had grown since our last encounter and from what I observed you did not disappoint.” He said commenting on my eyes.
“Why did you make me relive that night over and over again when she died who was the guy in the mask with you? I know is the same person in the Akatsuki with you now.” Now knowing Itachi wasn’t alone that night I wanted to know the true identity of the masked man. “In due time, Kentai.” He said as his body suddenly dispersed into crows.
“You and Sasuke meet me at the Uchiha hideout alone. You’ll get your answers there.” Releasing me from the genjutsu I awake once again on Jugo’s back. They were on the move again and had met with Sasuke inside the Akatsuki hideout.
“I thought I told you not to move until I gave the order.” Sasuke said firmly when he saw us. As we got closer we noticed feathers falling throughout the air. “Karin sensed another chakra and Kentai had collapsed again. So we thought we’d better come in.” Suigetsu answered.
“Collapsed is a dramatic expression.” I said catching everyone’s attention. In an attempt to downplay my blackout, I get off Jugo’s back and stand on my own. “It's Itachi, he planted a genjutsu within Akira to be triggered when she died. Now it randomly activates and have to fight it off. Right now, I don’t have the strength to resist it like I normally can. Hopefully, this was the last one.”
“What did you see?” Sasuke asks.
“For us to meet him at the Uchiha hideout alone.”
“Same here.” He makes his leave for the hideout exit and we follow. “I’m in no condition to fight him. At the rate I’m healing, it’ll be another day before I restore all of my chakra.” I told him.
“Then you’ll have to use Karin.” He said. “I’d rather Itachi kill me than resort to that.” I said not wanting to use Karin to heal me. She also voices her detestment but states if Sasuke needs her to she’ll do it and I rolled my eyes.
“Let’s just get there first.” I said laying the conversation to rest. On our way to the hideout Karin and I sense chakra moving all around us and I recognize it as Naruto’s and a bunch of his clones.
“It's the Leaf they’re closing in on our location.” I informed. “Sasuke shouldn’t we change our course?” Suigetsu asked.
“Ignore it we’ll forge ahead.” He answered and as we did we came across one of Naruto’s clones. “Sasuke!” He yells as he makes contact with Sasuke’s chidori and he disappears into smoke. “What was that?” Karin asked.
“It's Naruto.” Sasuke answered. “So that was the identical chakra I’ve been sensing all over the place.” Karin comments. Just before we near the Uchiha hideout Karin warns us a different chakra signature is approaching us and we see Itachi’s partner Kisame up ahead blocking our path.
“Ah, it's Kentai or do you go by Akira now?” Kisame says and I roll my eyes.
“Save the commentary.” I said annoyed. “You know you sure had that Deidara wrapped around your finger. Like a lovesick puppy.” He taunts striking a nerve within me as I’m reminded of Deidara and can’t find anything to say which Sasuke and the others notice.
“Only Sasuke and Kentai beyond this point. It’s Itachi’s orders. The rest of you are welcome to wait here.” Kisame said and agreeing Sasuke and I moved on. “No, you can't, Sasuke! Let's take him down and go in together!” Karin said.
“I have no intention of fighting. But if you insist on going with him, I will show no mercy.” Kisame said drawing his sword. “Karin Stay put. This is our vendetta.” Sasuke ordered and we left the others behind with Kisame.
As we travel to the hideout together Sasuke confronts me on the different demeanor that I‘ve had since I woke up and I explain in detail what Akira’s death caused within me. “I told you before she was in love with Deidara and now that they’re both gone I have to shoulder the burden of her love and grief as if I was the one in love with him.”
“Do you think their deaths caused you to awaken your mangekyo sharigan like back then?” He asks talking about the night of the massacre when I awakened my sharigan.
“I never thought of that but it makes sense Deidara was the closest person to her and technically me. It could have caused me to awaken the mangekyo and the reason it's taking me so long to recover. My body has to physically recover by adapting to its normal chakra reserves and mentally recover from almost 2 years' worth of memories that Akira made during her existence.” I explained and he came to a stop just before the hideout.
“Think you can withstand another fight?”
“The best I can do is offer support, the burden of the fight will be on you.” I said looking down disappointed at my uselessness. However, Sasuke pulls me out of my deprecating thoughts gently raising my head.
“It's a burden I’m willing to take.” He declares bringing the first smile to my face since I had woken up at the inn. Sasuke using his sharigan led us inside the building prepared to end Itachi.
As we head down the hall leading to the main room I became tense at how eerily quiet it was and hoped to not walk into a trap. “How much can you see with that sharigan of yours?” Itachi asks us. On cue, I get a head-splitting pain but prepared this time I already release myself from his possible genjutsu refusing to look weak in front of him. We reach Itachi and see him sitting on a throne in the room.
“What I’m seeing right now Itachi, is you dead at my feet.” Sasuke said.
“You see me dead, do you? Well then go on make it happen.” He provokes. However, they don’t exchange blows instead putting each other under genjutsu neither moving from their spot.
“Listen close Itachi, I have one final thing to ask of you.“ Sasuke said believing he had the upper hand but realized he was under genjutsu. Itachi had always posses a powerful genjutsu and even till this moment I was envious of his abilities and still swear to this day to surpass him.
“Starting with your favorite genjutsu farce, huh?” Sasuke said.
“So what do you want to know? It won’t be the last thing but I’ll hear what you have to say.” Itachi said but Sasuke used a genjutsu on him again neither of them moving. Since I couldn’t see what illusions they were under it was an underwhelming to watch but I was curious as to what they were seeing.
“Answer my question. Remember what you said?” Sasuke said reminding him of what he said at the massacre about those who had obtained the Mangekyo sharigan. “Who in the Uchiha clan achieved it?”
“But why, why would even concern yourself with such a thing?” Itachi asks.
“I’m going to kill him after you.” Sasuke declares shocking me as I never knew that was his goal after this. However, his words make me think back to that Tobi guy and I realize why his ability was so strange yet familiar. He was a Uchiha and with Itachi that night. “When you killed off the entire clan, you mentioned the existence of another person. So that Uchiha member you didn't kill was a co-conspirator. Even you couldn't kill the entire Police Force alone.” Sasuke said.
“So you figured it out.”
“Who is it?” Sasuke asked.
“Madara Uchiha.” He answered and I released a mocking laugh at his revelation.
“You’re a liar. I’ve admired Madara Uchiha since the day I learned about him and if I could meet him in this lifetime I would never complain again but there’s no way I’m gonna believe that guy was Madara Uchiha. He’s been dead for years, he founded the Leaf village and has a monument at the Valley of the End there’s no way he’s still breathing.”
“He was also the man who possessed the first Mangekyo Sharigan. Madara is alive. It's up to you whether you believe that or not.” He said and I sighed frustrated at his words. The strange ability that the man Tobi had made sense as it was similar to Kakashi’s Mangekyo ability…but now the question is how did Kakashi obtain his Mangekyo? Something was not making sense making me doubt again the existence of Madara. Kakashi had to have gotten his eye from another Uchiha in the past. However, it was also known that Madara had surpassed the Mangekyo and possessed even more powerful eyes.
Caught up in my thinking Itachi places Sasuke and me under genjutsu transporting us to the past as he tells us about Madara Uchiha and his younger brother. “Where are we?” I asked as Sasuke and I looked around seeing Madara with his brother. Itachi narrates how Madara obtained his eyes and eventually went blind before taking his brother's eyes and obtaining the eternal mangekyo sharigan.
“You have to take someone else’s eyes?” I said in a mix of shock and disbelief.
“Madara now possessed new light. And never again did the light fade from his eyes. An eternal Mangekyo Sharingan! It is said that his younger brother's eyes gained eternal light when it found a new host and it triggered a change.” Itachi said and we listened on. A new, unique ocular jutsu was born in those eyes. However, the exchange of eyes can only be conducted among clan members.”
“Madara still lives with his ocular powers intact. He formed a new organization called the Akatsuki and hid himself in its shadows. Sixteen years ago, Madara instigated the Nine-Tails' attack on Hidden Leaf Village. But that too was foiled by the Fourth Hokage.”
“So…” I dragged out. “You’re saying Madara became a bitter loser and created the Akatsuki?” I said slightly disappointed after hearing Madara’s story.
“I am the one who shall surpass Madara and become the ultimate ninja! And now! I can finally obtain power that exceeds Madara's! Sasuke! You are my new light! You have my spare eyes!” Itachi exclaims and attempts to place me and Sasuke under his Tskuyomi but with my newly obtained eyes I easily break through it. Sasuke on the other hand appears to be caught within.
Since Itachi was truly focused on Sasuke I put my guard down for a moment to realize that someone else was here. Assuming they were here with Itachi I located their position and decided to deal with them. Sasuke falls to his knees, finally breaking out of the genjutsu, and Itachi falls to his knees in shock. Distracted by the fight I appear in front of the half black and white man hiding within the walls and their eyes widen in shock.
I punch them across the face destroying pieces of the wall they were poking out of and as the dust clears from the attack I ask “Bring guest did you?”
“If there are it's uninvited.” Itachi says and I sigh frustrated seeing them gone and their chakra gone. Knowing they couldn’t have gone far I head for the roof of the hideout. “You can hide all you want but I’ll find you.” I said risking the chakra I had stored up to strike the roof destroying the surface and they revealed themselves while trying to avoid the path of destruction I caused.
“Akira?” They said looking at me confused and I stared back looking for a name as I went through Akira’s memory.
“Formely I go by Kentai now.” I said finally recognizing the strange man as Zetsu.
“Oh you’re the one that Tobi told us about.” White Zetsu said. Before I could respond I felt an attack coming from below and quickly moved out of the way. As I move toward the roof's edge, I see a fireball blast through where I was just standing and sigh in relief that moved in time.
“Phew We almost got caught in that!” I hear white Zetsu suddenly say. Looking next to me I see his head sticking out as the rest of his body is hidden within the surface of the roof. Still, unsure whether or not they were a threat I decided to leave them be as Itachi and Sasuke were now on the roof with us. Both use fireball jutsu against each other creating a battle of strength that Sasuke wins before Itachi suddenly uses Amaterasu putting out Sasuke’s fireball and beginning to consume Sasuke.
“Sasuke!” I shouted feinting fear when I knew he was waiting for Itachi to use his Amaterasu so he could use his substitution to attack from below.
“I-Incredible He put out fire with fire.” White Zetsu said. “With that jutsu, he eyes whatever he wants to burn and once the target is in focus, black flames burst forth. The black flame cannot be extinguished until the one it targets is totally incinerated.” Black Zetsu explained and I rolled my eyes at them.
“Are you two gonna narrate like this the entire time?” I asked annoyed. Over my shoulder, I noticed that the black flames from Itachi’s Amaterasu had surrounded the perimeter of the hideout and considered pushing Zetsu into the flames.
Sasuke shoots more fireballs from beneath destroying more of the roof at Itachi drawing my attention away from the flames. Itachi easily dodges them and the fireballs go into the air. With everything set in place, I began doing hand signs and started to create a windstorm on the roof. Zetsu made himself scarce when he saw me doing hand signs and Itachi stood his ground almost unbothered by the surge of wind.
Didn’t bother me though because that wasn’t the point of the storm. With Itachi distracted by me Sasuke goes to the highest point of the roof and prepares his attack as the wind brings in the storm clouds produced by the heat of his fireballs and Itachi’s Amaterasu. Once the rain comes in I stop the windstorm and go to Sasuke’s side.
“You evaded my Amaterasu using the Orochimaru-style Substitution Jutsu. A well-made substitution to deceive, but it uses an enormous amount of chakra.” Itachi said.
“You’re right. I don't have any chakra left. I used it up in that last Fire Style Jutsu. However, do you really think I would come here to kill you unprepared?” Sasuke said as the storm around us became stronger and lighting began to strike. “This jutsu is just like Amaterasu. It is impossible to dodge. Now as you wished, I‘ll recreate your death!”
Sasuke begins to gather the lighting and using his lightning release strikes at Itachi killing him. Being this was only a one-time jutsu Sasuke exhausts the rest of his chakra and we see Itachi’s body lying lifeless on the roof.“You did it.” I said relieved that this was all over.
The rain comes to a stop and the clouds start to disperse after his jutsu. Curious I went over to Itachi’s body to see for myself just how deteriorated his eyes had become from the Mangekyo to avoid doing the same to myself.
“What are you doing?” Sasuke asked me.
“Seeing for myself how badly he ne-” The air is suddenly cut off from my throat as Itachi suddenly grabs my neck choking me as he stands up.
“Without this I would’ve been dead.” He says and my feet flail about as I try to get him to release me. He finally does throwing me down behind him and I start coughing gasping for air. As I am he shows us his Susanoo trapping me within it with him. “Sasuke, is that it for your jutsu? If you are hiding another power, don't hold back. The real battle is only beginning.”
I looked at Sasuke frightened as I was at Itachi’s mercy but my fright soon turned to concern when I saw Sasuke suddenly fall to his knees screaming out. “No!” I shout standing up seeing that Orochimaru was using Sasuke’s weakened state to free himself now that Sasuke was out of chakra.
“Thanks to you, Sasuke's repressing chakra is gone! Now's my chance to take over the child's body!” Orochimaru declares as he reveals himself.
“This can’t be happening!” I said desperate to get out of this Susanoo. I tried to break from within pooling chakra to my fist striking it but it did nothing. Unknowingly in my desperation, my mangekyo sharigan shows me the way and I’m suddenly taken away to an unknown place before suddenly appearing beside Sasuke. I clumsily land beside Sasuke and look around confused unsure of what I did and how I did it but somehow I was no longer trapped by Itachi. For a moment Itachi seems impressed with my actions before focusing on Orochimaru who produces a multi-head serpent to attack Itachi.
“You think I can be beaten with that level of attack?” Itachi said unimpressed easily slicing off the heads with the Susanoo before he suddenly revealed a sword.
“No way.” I said in disbelief as he revealed the sword of sealing the Totsuka blade. “Orochimaru searched everywhere for that blade. He made me chase leads about it.” I said remembering how Kabuto and I had periodically searched for the blade when Orochimaru thought he had finally found it.
“This sword! It can't be! Itachi You had it hidden in your possession?” Orochimaru yells as he is sealed away by Itachi. Sasuke now free of Orochimaru was now weakened and no longer able to hold his sharigan. Practically in the same state as him, I looked to Itachi unsure of what to do next as I didn’t have enough chakra to summon using the rest of my reserve on my mangekyo abilities.
“This is it Sasuke. Your eyes are finally mine. I think I'll take my time to retrieve them.” Itachi said before he suddenly grabbed at his chest and went into a coughing fit.
“Is he sick or something?” I said confused as he began coughing up blood which I’m sure wasn’t caused by any of Sasuke’s attacks.
“Who cares we need to finish this,” he says and I shake my head. “It's over you saw it yourself that Susanoo is like a suit of armor. Not even the Kirin could hit him.” I said and Itachi although struggling was walking straight toward us. “we’re done for.” I whispered in defeat and fear started to retreat backward. For the first time, I felt helpless and had no idea what to do. In fear, I grasp Sasuke’s hand as we together are backed against a wall and cornered by Itachi. But all he does with his bloodied fingers is softly tap Sasuke’s forehead his face appearing lifeless before collapsing on the ground.
In a state of shock, I look down confused wondering if this was a trick but know it is officially over when the Susanoo vanishes along with Itachi’s chakra. Letting go of Sasuke’s hand I slide down onto the ground feeling that something wasn’t right. Like he was toying with us till the end. I start to call for Sasuke but he suddenly falls collapsing from exhaustion and I go to his side unsure of what to do or of how I feel now that the deed was done.
“What the hell was this all for?” I ask myself as I feel rain start to pelt us from above and giving in to my own exhaustion I collapse as well in between Sasuke and Itachi’s bodies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I groan in pain as I wake up on the ground feeling sore but also feeling better than I was moments ago now that my body has gotten time to rest and recover. As I sit up I realize I don’t know where I am and look around confused. “Why is it every time I wake up now I have no idea where I am?” I complain to nobody but myself. I feel slightly better seeing Sasuke lying beside me and begin to wake him.
“Hey wake up. I don’t wanna be all confused by myself.” I said as I tapped his arm while looking around the dimly lit room. He awakens at my words and slowly starts to sit up.
“I treated both your wounds. You won.” A voice said I had never heard before and looking around I scoffed at their words.
“Really? Cause it sure didn’t feel like it.” I said remembering how weak Itachi appeared to be by the end of the battle. In a darker corner of the room, a figure emerges and I glare at the masked man who Itachi said was Madara Uchiha.
“I brought you here to tell you something.” He told us and I rolled my eyes focusing on Sasuke as he tried to sit up.
“You're not interested at all, I see. Maybe if I put it another way, you'll want to listen?” He continued seeing that we were ignoring him. “Let me guess it's about Itachi.” I said with a sigh.
“You think you know about your brother but you know nothing. Like you, I am a survivor of the Uchiha Clan.” The masked man claimed. Reaching for his mask he slowly begins to reveal his face gaining my attention. “And the one who knows the truth about Itachi Uchiha.” He said coming closer to us but when Sasuke looked at him his face and body were suddenly consumed with black flames. I look at Sasuke surprised and see the mangekyo in his eyes along with blood dripping from his eyes. The masked man screams in pain falling back into the darkness until his screams come to a stop.
“The Amaterasu, which Itachi implanted inside you. How like Itachi. He surprises you even after he's dead. To think he planned things this far.” He says before showing himself to us appearing unharmed by the flames.
“Impossible how did he…” I question wondering where the flames went.
“What are you talking about?” Sasuke asked him.
“In order to kill me, he placed a jutsu into you, or rather should I say; in order to keep me away from you he probably set his Amaterasu to self-activate when you look into my Sharingan.”
“Sounds like a good reason to get away from you.” I said feeling wary of him now.
”At the end for your sake, he transferred his own ocular powers to you.”
“What are you saying? Just what are you trying to say? Why would Itachi do something like that?” Sasuke shouts.
“Don't you get it? In order to protect you.”
“You Uchiha men are so hard to understand.” I said lying down trying to comprehend what the hell all of this was supposed to mean. “To protect me? Are you kidding me?” Sasuke said.
“You think you know about your brother, but you know nothing.”
“If you continue speaking such nonsense, I'll kill you!” Sasuke threatened.
“What I'm saying is the truth. Itachi did mention it, did he not? About his accomplice that night?”
“I am that Madara Uchiha. I know everything about Itachi. I suppose Itachi died without realizing that.”
“So you’re the one who convinced Itachi that you are Madara Uchiha. Even I thought Itachi was smarter than that.” I comment.
“Shut up! Such things don't matter anymore! Just get out of my sight!” Sasuke yells.
“No, you will listen. You will know how Itachi Uchiha lived! Do you know why? Why Itachi implanted Amaterasu into your eye? Itachi was determined to make sure that you and I would not meet. You will understand why, as well as everything else, when you hear me out.”
“No, he, he tried to kill me! He tried to take my eyes Who would do such a thing?” Sasuke shouts going into a panic. He starts breathing erratically and the masked man tells him to calm down grabbing his face. “Get off me!” Sasuke shouts pushing him off.
“Sasuke.” I say worridely grabbing his arm gently. He doesn’t meet my eyes but lets me help him calm down. “It’s a lot I know but you need to calm down. Please.” However, still in a panic he passes out from the hyperventilating. Worried I attempt medical ninjutsu but the man stops me.
“Don’t waste your chakra he’ll be fine.” He said and started to tie him up with rope.
“What are you doing?”
“When he wakes up I doubt he’ll stay still to listen to what I have to say.” He said and without admitting it he did have a point.
“Where are we?” I asked him.
“An Akatsuki hideout in the East. Your team already knows of your location and are on the way here.”
“I’ll believe it when they get here.” I said not trusting him. “Why is it hard to believe that I am telling the truth?” He asked. “Cause no one tells the truth without some ulterior motive.” I said thinking back to my time with Orochimaru when he kidnapped me from the village.
“Just like I do not believe that you are Madara Uchiha.” Before he could respond Sasuke had woken up speaking about Itachi.
“It its true he slaughtered the clan and fled the village. It was his mission to do so. He was ordered by the leaders of the Hidden Leaf.” He said gaining our attention.
“I still don’t understand.” Sasuke said.
“To explain Itachi’s story I’ll have to take you back to when the Hidden Leaf was founded.” He said and I immediately lost interest.
“Do we have to go back that far?”
“It is a long story but every word I’m about to tell you two is the absolute truth.” He said and I rolled my eyes.
“And on what grounds should we trust you?” Sasuke asked him.
“It’s up to you to decide whether you believe me or not. But until after you have listened to the entire story.” He said and I ignored him but felt Sasuke’s eyes on me. Glancing at him I knew the what-ifs were circling in his head and I sighed to myself.
“Fine tell the damn story.” I said as I sat up and leaned against the wall next to Sasuke. He goes back 80 years in the past and I try not to groan at the tale till he mentions our clan. “Two clans were feared above all others as the strongest. One was our own Uchiha clan and the other-
“Let me guess the Senju clan.” I interrupt.
“Smart girl.” He comments.
“Don’t patronize me.” I said annoyed. He continues on to when he was born, obtained his sharigan, and faced Hashirma the first hokage. He was still only scraping the surface of what anyone else could know about Madara and still left me unconvinced. As his story goes on he goes into details even I have never heard of.
“I left the Hidden Leaf, having been betrayed by everyone. I decided to return as an Avenger. I declared war on the Leaf.”
“Until Madara was killed by the first at the Valley of The End. Or at least that’s the story I believe.” I said not wanting him to think I believed he was Madara. As the story draws on I rest my head on Sasuke’s shoulder growing bored again till he brings up the nine-tails attack sixteen years ago. The Uchiha were blamed for the attack and forced to relocate to the outskirts of the village and under anbu surveillance.
“So that’s why Danzo hates me.” I said understanding why he removed me from the Anbu. However, they were right to blame us as Itachi said himself Madara instigated the Nine tails attack. “But what does that have to do with Itachi killing our families?”
“Resentment started to grow. The Uchiha clan started a coup to take over the village. A spy was planted within the Uchiha to watch over and that spy was your brother. That was the day Itachi’s suffering began.” He said and we both sat in shock at the revelation. His worlds trigger a memory of the past. I remember my parents arguing a lot before the massacre but it came to a stop after Orochimaru had kidnapped me from the village.
I had heard my mom mention a coup de tat but didn’t know what they were talking about but I knew my mom was against it. “He’s telling the truth.” I said making Sasuke look at me. “I think my dad was a part of it and your dad was in too. My parents used to argue a lot before the massacre and had mentioned some stupid coup but I didn’t know what they were talking about. My mom wanted me to stop going over to your house so much when she found out your dad was in on it. But after I was rescued everything went back to normal. I forgot all about it.”
“She’s right. Your father was the mastermind of that planned coup.” The man said and Sasuke sat there shocked. “And Itachi was a spy who entered the Anbu Black Ops under your father’s orders. However, it was the opposite Itachi was actually supplying the village intelligence on the Uchiha.”
“But why would Itachi betray the Uchiha?” Sasuke asked in disbelief.
“It would start another war, Sasuke.” I answered guessing that's why my mom was against it. She had seen war tear her own clan apart. She didn’t want to see another.
“Exactly.” The masked man said. “Because you have never lived through the horror of war. Itachi was four years old during the third shinobi war, he saw many people die. War is hell. He was a ninja devoted to his village and the village leaders exploited that trait.” I sat in silence for the story believing his words. Sasuke still refuses to believe him. When the story came to an end he cut the ropes that were bounding Sasuke letting us go.
Being the first to move I leave Sasuke to think and for both of us to be alone. I leave the hideout wincing as my eyes adjust to the light and see it is already sunset. I follow the sun and stop at the edge of some rocks facing the ocean. Silently I watch the sunset wiping my tears as feel them start to fall feeling screwed over by the world and mostly the leaders of the village. After a while, I sense Sasuke walking up behind me and he stands next to me in silence watching the sunset. Hesitantly I take his hand intertwining my fingers with his. Although he doesn’t do the same he doesn’t let go of my hand either as tears stream down his face. We stand like that for a while but I let go of his hand when I sense Jugo and the others coming our way along with the masked man.
Sighing I sat on the rock and stared at the sky spotting a hawk watching it. After a while, it comes down and lands next to me. “So what do we do now?” I asked Sasuke as I petted the hawk.
“We are no longer the Hebi. From this day on, our team will be the Taka.”
“Hmm, I actually like that name.” I comment. “And our goal?”
“Our mission is to destroy the Hidden Leaf.”