A/N: Ok, well the story is officially starting here. I know that they should have accents and a language pattern and stuff, but I'm not going to do that except for throwing in a "love" every once in a while. About halfway through the story or a little less that that, I'll be hosting a poll on my page asking you who you think Jack the Ripper is in my story. To help you out, I'll be leaving you clues in the form of specific words in the story underlined. So watch out for those, and if you're hardcore about this, you might want to write them down, because they'll help you figure out who the murderer really is. I'm contemplating if I should put false clues in there and you have to figure out which are true and which are false…I'll keep thinking about it and if I decide I'm going to do it I'll let you know.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper. If I owned Naruto I would be a millionaire, and if I owned Jack the Ripper I would be rotting in jail.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Jack the Ripper was a modern killer born a hundred years too soon to be caught...."
~Patricia Cornwell; Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed
Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down
Chapter 1: Jack the Ripper
Screams. They were what made London dangerous – especially because there were none. A serial killer was on the loose and no cries were ever echoed off the filthy walls of Whitechapel's alleyways. The absence of the agonizing wails terrified people, but not just any people.
Prostitute was a perilous title to gain in Whitechapel's East End in 1888. If you were identified as such, you might find yourself with an unexpected appointment with Jack the Ripper.
The Ripper – vengeful spirit, murderer, genius, mystery. Not even his victims knew who he was…or at least that's what the police assumed… "The language of silence is hard to read, but the dead do not lie. They may be difficult to understand, and we might misinterpret them or fail to find them before their communications have begun to fade. But if they still have something to say, their veracity is unimpeachable. Sometimes they continue to talk long after they have been reduced to bone."1
xXxJackTheRipperxXx
Stumbling along the filth-ridden streets, Tsunade blinked in confusion, attempting to see through the overwhelming darkness. She'd just finished with her last customer for the day and made just enough to buy a bottle of whiskey. She guzzled it shamelessly, groping along the walls, trying in vain to locate the corner she had claimed for herself.
The slight rustle of clothes behind her made her stop and sigh in annoyance. She didn't know it was a mistake that she heard it – she took it for the sound of a man undoing his pants.
"Look, I'm done for tonight. Come back tomorrow," she slurred, growling angrily when he only chuckled.
"Ha ha, there won't be a tomorrow, love," she heard him say as he moved directly behind her.
Her eyes widened and she stiffened. "Your voice…I know you…"
"You know me?" he asked, giggling insanely. "Well it's a good thing that dead whores tell no tales, eh?"
A cold blade was pressed against her throat and the last thing she heard was his manic cackling, coating in blood lust.
She didn't even have a chance to scream.
xXxJackTheRipperxXx
Friday, 31 August 1888 – 12:00 PM
Sasuke Abberline frowned down at his book as he re-read the passage multiple times. No matter how many times he looked at it, it didn't make any sense to him. Sighing, he hopped off his bed and trudged down the hall to request his beloved brother's help.
"Itachi, can you take a look at this? I don't understand it and I can't finish my essay if…" he trailed off, surprise twisting his features. His brother's travel bags were set neatly in a row on the bed and Itachi was packing the last outfit from his dresser. "Itachi, what are you doing?"
The older man straightened and turned to face Sasuke calmly. "I'm going to be leaving for awhile, Sasuke."
"Why? Where are you going?" the younger asked, suspicious.
"Whitechapel," he said simply. "There's been a murder and Scotland Yard is sending me along with Detective Inspectors Shikamaru Andrews and Kakashi Moore to investigate."
"A murder…? Who? When?"
Itachi observed his brother warily. "It was Tsunade Ann Nichols, Kakashi's friend's ex-wife. She was discovered at about 3:40 AM today, at Buck's Row."
"But how was she killed?" Sasuke asked, adrenaline starting to course through him.
"Sasuke…you don't want to know."
"Tell me!" he demanded, growing frustrated. "I'm twenty years old, I can handle it!"
Itachi sighed but gave in. "The lower part of her abdomen was partly ripped open by a deep, jagged wound. There were also several incisions on the abdomen and three or four similar cuts on the right side…but the cause of death was two deep cuts that severed her throat," he finished reluctantly.
Sasuke's blood ran cold as images of his parents flashed through his mind, strewn across the floor, their necks slashed by two gouges. The thriving adrenaline began to mingle with burning hatred. "The Whitechapel Slaughterer…"2
"Sasuke," Itachi warned. "Don't jump to conclusions."
"You must see the connection too! Mom and dad were killed in the Whitechapel area by two cuts in their necks, by a serial killer who was never caught might I add, and now he must be at it again! This is probably why they assigned you to the case! They caught on to it too!" Sasuke exclaimed in excitement.
Itachi gripped Sasuke's shoulders firmly and kneeled down to look up at him. "Sasuke, drop it."
Glaring in disbelief, the raven haired man's fists tightened. "Drop it!? Are you insane? How can you–"
"SASUKE!" Itachi's tone caused Sasuke to freeze. Itachi never raised his voice, especially not at his little brother. Realizing what he did, Itachi sighed and took Sasuke into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Please, let it go. I took you and moved away from that place, away from all our friends, for a reason. I want to protect you. Leave it to me. Please."
The desperation and pleading in his brother's voice stunned Sasuke but also pulled on his heartstrings. Itachi never asked for anything, and he certainly never used the word please. Sasuke buried his face in Itachi's shoulder and released a shuddering sigh. "Ok," he whispered. "I promise I'll leave it all to you."
Pulling back, Itachi allowed a rare smile for this brother and kissed him gently on the head.
Sasuke returned the smile but stopped Itachi when he tried to return to packing. "But at least let me go with you."
"Sasuke-"
"I just want to see Naruto and Sakura again," he said quickly. "I haven't seen them in eight years! I wonder if dobe has gotten any stupider."
Itachi looked doubtful but gave up at Sasuke's pleading look. "But what about your studies?"
The younger Abberline shrugged. "I'm ahead," he said simply. "Besides, this will give me first-hand experience! It's so much better than just reading books about investigations." Seeing the look his brother shot him he added, "I'm just going to watch and observe, don't worry. I won't get involved."
Sighing, Itachi poked him on the head gently. "Foolish little brother. We have an hour until the coach comes. Get packed."
Grinning, Sasuke stumbled out the door and dove into his room, throwing random things into his bags messily. Nothing could quell the growing excitement in the pit of his stomach. I'm going to be on the set of a real murder investigation! Not to mention I get to see Naruto and Sakura again. God I miss them…I wonder if they've changed much?
As Itachi and Sasuke loaded their things into the coach, a man miles away was reluctantly scrubbing the crimson stains from his skin, cheering himself up with the thought that soon enough he would enjoy the thrill of murder again…soon enough…
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1 This is actually a quote from Patricia Cornwell's book Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed.
2 I don't know if anyone like that actually exists. I just made him up for the sake of the story.