Hi. I am thankful to all the viewers who read this story.

Disclaimer: Don't know what's the point in making me say this when I'm doing a fan fiction.


2.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked the stranger. The person then walked towards where Sasuke was revealing his mask in the light of the candle.

"I am Madara Uchiha. I know a lot about your brother and you should know that too."

Sasuke made a very disgusted face. Just who does this guy think he is? "Madara Uchiha, huh? So you were the one who set the Nine-tails free on our village."

"How were you to know that?" Then the said Madara paused for a moment to let out a short chuckle. "YOUR village?"

"Yeah, what's with that?" he retorted quickly seeming irritated with the other Uchiha.

"I doubt that you'll call it your village when you know about your brother."

"You think I'll buy that? You're dead a decade ago and now who the hell am I talking to?" Yes. He was yelling, now that he had nothing to be grumpy and moody about since his lifelong dream has been just fulfilled. Even though he too died in the process. That is what he thought.

"You know nothing about me. Well, first try to digest the fact that I AM ALIVE."

Madara was actually getting irritated though it was not like him to lose his patience often. But when things don't meet his expectations at least to some extent he gets pissed off. Currently he was in one such rare times. He was trying to be cool and calm since he had to deal with Sasuke carefully.

No one spoke anything for three minutes or so. Sasuke sank down with his legs getting folded upwards and his head was hanging down. Both his hands were supporting his head and all one could see were his bangs carelessly hanging down to his wrists. He had his elbows were on his knees. He was brooding hard over something. Why am I not surprised? I'm dead.

"I was just fooling around all this time, of course with myself too. Itachi did kill me. He must have done something when he poke my head"

"…"

Madara didn't know what to think of the being before him. And more than that, what was he? An Uchiha. His lips slightly parted behind the mask. What?!

All Sasuke was trying is to be logical here.

"I killed him. I did see him lying there dead. So he must be here too.

Hey, big fat liar, show yourself already.

I still need to know why you killed mother and father. To test your power?! That's lame. Let me hear the truth already", Sasuke yelled to the walls.

"Just shut it, you brat." Madara lost his temper yet his voice was low and even.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke. Don't you dare call me names."

"You're such an annoyance."

With that Sasuke was all fired up. This man in front of him just now called him annoying. Saying 'you're annoying' to everyone was his catchphrase after all. He pulled his katana out and charged at Madara.
"Enough now. You are the one who's annoying me. I'm done with you and I'm going to send you to your next after life."

But before any of the two could realize anything, Madara was caught off guard due to the Amaterasu. Sasuke found himself staring at some gorgeous black flames which fascinated him so much on the other spirit.

Madara, who knows what that was, somehow managed to get rid of the fire much to Sasuke's dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile something went off in Sasuke's mind. "I thought we wouldn't posses any physical significance when we're dead. But doesn't seem like it.

Don't you think?" he asked swinging his sword to and fro and to and fro.

Madara kept quiet as it seemed like he cannot go into an argument with Sasuke for he was acting oblivious. Who knew the two brothers were so different? Itachi was focused and always composed, maybe from taking a big burden on him. But Madara did not understand why Sasuke was not like the elder one. Even he must have gone through a lot of pain. He did lose everyone, didn't he? And now here he is acting like none of that has ever happened.

"Hey, what was that black thing on you just before."

"I'll tell you, only if you don't speak another word until I ask you to." Madara was hopeful. This should do it. I can speak to him then.

"Oh yeah? You will tell me. Because I'll call you Madara. That will make you happy right?"

Madara sighed. Little did he know that things always don't go as planned. "Fine. It is the Amaterasu. And you cast that jutsu. More like your brother made you do it."

"What? You don't make any sense. It sounds as senseless as you are."

Oh. If not for his orange mask, one could easily see a crease pop out on his forehead. "It's only the two of us in here. Why would I burn myself up?" All he received for that was a simple shrug from Sasuke. "Understand that your brother tried to prevent me telling you something."

"Okay. I see you are already dying to tell me whatever you wanted to. So get on with it already."

Yeah right. Of course I was begging him, he told himself sarcastically and started to tell him the truth.

Truth as to what actually happened back at the village and what Itachi really was. That he was a spy to both the Leaf's council and the Uchiha clan. What their father wanted from Itachi and how he sacrificed everything. Everything in exchange for one life. That single life which was his.

Madara told him everything starting from the smallest disputes that rose between the Uchiha and the Senju. It took them a while.

Sasuke was too shocked to think or say anything. He was convinced however that the masked narrator is Madara Uchiha through the guy's speech.

It was all silent for minutes. Then after a while Sasuke spoke. "Right. That was why he was crying that night. I saw tears in his eyes. And you know what; back at that time I thought I imagined it." He smiled shortly after.

"So now you know everything. What will do about it?"

"You shouldn't be bothered about that."

"You are acting like your brother all of a sudden."

"I know."

Madara didn't give a thought to it. "You can take your brother's place and join the Akatsuki."

"No", was his stern reply.

"Are you actually planning to go back to the very village that took down each one of us, Sasuke?"

"You better don't count yourself into the clan. After all you betrayed my brother as well, in an appreciable way though. Be grateful that I believe you because it makes sense that way. We are no more any concern to each other." Basically Sasuke did not have a firm ground to trust this man's sayings. He always wanted to kill his brother, true. But deep down in his heart he knew Itachi remained a role model which he would always look up to even considering his resolve to kill Itachi.

Having said what he had to, Sasuke turned to the doorway to leave.

He turned his head to look at the orange mask over his shoulder, "I wonder what your fate would be like for everything you have done against your village." Then he left.

Madara did not budge even a bit to the last comment. Right. I wonder too. He went over the table and took the candle. Once he blew it off, he disappeared.


A/N: I know all of this is just sort of retelling of the already well-known original story. I did not want to pull off everything so abruptly and it is actually helping me develop the characters is all. The real story starts in the following chapter.

Until next time.