Gift of Pein
Summary: Itachi was Pein's and Konan's favorite, everyone knew that. He was the youngest Akatsuki ever, even if Deidara joined later. They see him as more than a member of their organization. So how far will Pein go to prevent Itachi's supposed inevitable death and what are the consequences?
"Have you found them?" Obito growled out from behind his mask, glaring through the one hole in it at the schizophrenic fly-trap plant in annoyance. Zetsu actually flinched at the tone the Uchiha was using. Three weeks of searching and no results sure did do a number on his temper and usually it was Zetsu who was on the receiving end of that very temper. Zetsu had spread out his clones as far as the eye could see, but there was still no sing of them.
And by them, Zetsu meant either Pein's surprising new path with Itachi's very valuable body or Kisame, who they were absolutely certain knew the answer to those strange riddle-like directions. However, as was stated, they'd been searching for three weeks already and they have yet to find either of them. Zetsu told Obito that it was only a matter of time before the Path's body died, but until then, it could have taken Itachi anywhere. Obito, of course, then spent an hour destroying everything in Pein's old office, tearing it apart for clues as to what had gotten into to Uzumaki to steal Itachi's corpse. The body was absolutely and utterly useless, disease ridden as it was, so there was no use of it for Nagato if he had actually survived through some strange technique he never shared with anyone. Obito refused to think that Nagato was really so stupid as to have stolen the body due to some strange sentimental ties he had to the dead Uchiha, even though both he and Zetsu realistically knew that was actually the truth. That still didn't change the fact that Itachi's corpse was still missing and Sasuke definitely lacked Itachi's skill to navigate through the world without the use of his sight. If they didn't get the boy another pair of Sharingan eyes so he can obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke will go completely blind and be utterly useless to them. They needed to find Itachi's corpse and take his eyes as soon as possible.
''I haven't,'' Zetsu replied carefully and quickly prowled on when Obito whirled around to yell at him again. ''But I think I may have found the Path's body.'' That instantly calmed the Uchiha and he gestured for Zetsu to continue. ''It was near one of our first bases in the Kawa no Kuni, so we searched that base. Nothing there. I don't think anyone has even entered the base there.''
''What about the cave in which Sasori died?''
Zetsu shook his head. ''Nothing. I have no idea where he could have hidden Itachi's body, but by the time we find it, it may be too late to salvage his eyes. They've been damaged enough by now as it is. There is no way that they had survived this long without proper preservation.''
Obito cursed inwardly, knowing that Zetsu was right. After just a couple of days, the body starts rotting beyond salvaging if not treated right. He knew he should have just taken Itachi's eyes from the very start. Now all that power was going to vanish without trace, completely wasted on a pacifist who had given everything for his cursed village and damned little brother. ''Madara will not like this.'' He declared, glaring at Zetsu. ''Sasuke will be blind as a bat in just a week or two, without a doubt and as such utterly useless. We need his rage to destroy Konoha.''
''What do you propose we do?''
''It is quite simple, Zetsu,'' a new voice said from behind them and they both turned around to see a tall, well built man with long, wild midnight black hair, some of his bangs covering one eye, dressed in red armor of generations long since passed. His eyes were in the form of the legendary red Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, instantly identifying him as the one and only Uchiha Madara, the so for most powerful Uchiha to exist. He stood there, his arms casually crossed over his chest as he leaned against the door frame of the little room Zetsu and Obito were using for this little meeting. They had to be careful about where they talked of this matter since Sasuke was quite unstable now, one bad word about his brother earning you the death sentence. People have come to actively avoid being in his presence. ''You will take him to the Uchiha Compound Graveyard and find his parents' graves. Take the eyes of one of them and bring them back here, where we will use Hashirama's DNA to restore them. They should be more than enough to give Sasuke his vision back.''
''Will he be as powerful?'' Obito questioned, thinking about the plan. It should work. They only needed someone who is in a close blood relation to Sasuke in order to activate the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan in the boy.
Madara snorted. ''Of course not. Itachi's eyes are unique. Everything about him is unique. Exceptional. Unrepeatable. If I could choose between Sasuke and Itachi, Itachi would always be my first choice. After all, Itachi's probably the only person alive who would be fully immune to the Infinite Tsukuyomi, seeing as he wields a similar power.''
''Yes, the reason we were always careful to keep a close eye on him.'' The younger Uchiha conceded, knowing his younger cousin could be quite the handful. Even in death, he was making problems for them. Then something hit him and he frowned at Madara. ''Wait a second, you talked about Itachi in the present tense.'' The long haired raven just arched an eyebrow. Obito frowned deeper. ''What aren't you telling me, Madara?''
''I have good reason to believe that Itachi might be alive.''
''WHAT?!'' Both Zetsu and Obito exclaimed, shocked and a bit horrified that it might be the truth. ''But how?'' The other Uchiha demanded, looking around to see if Sasuke or one of his friends were around. If Sasuke learned his brother was somehow alive again, it would be real bad for them. The boy was now even more obsessed with his brother than he had ever been before, and that's saying something.
''It is unclear to me as well, but I am guessing that Nagato did something to bring him back to life. It is one of the powers provided by the Rinnegan, after all.'' Madara said casually and the other two exchanged weary glances. Madara was just smirking to himself. ''Perhaps I will finally get to test him in combat myself?''
''I honestly don't think that's such a good idea, sensei.'' Obito told his musing great great great uncle. ''Even after years of intense observation, we have no idea what he can really do. The Susanoo had been surprising enough.''
''That is precisely the reason I wish to fight him.'' The ancient Uchiha declared excitedly. ''I have observed my clan from afar for decades and he is the first person I have come across who has mastered the Susanoo. All on his own, no less.''
''Technically, Sasuke did so, too.'' Obito pointed out, not seeing how his youngest cousin differed so greatly from Itachi in Madara's eyes.
''Sasuke saw the Susanoo performed right in front of his eyes.'' The long haired Uchiha elaborated. ''He instinctively knew what to do after his Sharingan saw the technique. Itachi had no inspiration or model for any of his jutsus. He discovered hem on his own and trained them by himself. He had no reference to compare. This is why I think of him differently to Sasuke.'' The older man looked off into the distance, his mind miles and miles away from his current company. ''To be able to do so, at such a young age ... Truly extraordinary.''
Obito sweat dropped. ''Maybe we can think about how awesome Itachi was some other time ... Or is it 'is' now?''
Madara seemed to ponder that for a moment before shrugging. ''The Rinnegan's sensory abilities, as well as the enhancement of my own natural sensory skills due to Hashirama's DNA suggest that there are not three Uchiha Clan chakra signatures, but rather four. And all four are living. If I were to be asked to place a bet, I'd say that yes, Itachi is alive.''
''But that only leads us to a whole new bundle of problems.'' Zetsu pointed out gravely. ''He is unchangingly loyal to Konoha. He will probably try to stop us in the upcoming battles.''
''He should still be gravely injured.'' Black Zetsu pointed out. ''And even if he were healed, he'd been dead for quite the number of days before Nagato could have revived him. He should be greatly weakened at this time, still. If we could find him now we would have no problem taking him down.'' White Zetsu finished, looking thoughtful while hi other half looked excited at the prospect of killing the prodigy.
''Finding him will be a hard task in on itself.'' The short haired Uchiha stated, running a hand through his messy spikes of hair. ''Especially since we have no idea where to even begin looking.''
Zetsu suddenly perked up. ''I think I know where we can begin our search.''
The two Uchihas looked at him with curiosity. ''Go on.'' The older one urged.
''One of my copies just reported that Kisame was spotted fighting some Konoha shinobi. They're trying to make him talk right about now. You know, all the little dirty secrets of the Akatsuki, where Sasuke is and our final plan or whatever.'' The Uchihas nodded. ''If we can go there and take Kisame back, perhaps we can get him to tell us where Pein might have taken Itachi's corpse.''
''Fat chance of that happening.'' Obito grumbled but Madara nodded along with the plan.
''Send Sasuke out. Obito, you're going to Konoha for a pair of Uchiha eyes.'' The two nodded and Madara snapped his fingers, signaling for them to leave. The two left not a second later, Zetsu sinking into the earth and heading off to find Sasuke so they can save an endangered shark while Obito used Kamui to reach Konoha in a matter of seconds, landing right in front of his dead uncle's grave with a somewhat remorseful look in his eyes but a wicked smile on his face.
Madar left them to it, too distracted by the thoughts of the final Uchiha among the living, the one that should be as dead as he was. Itachi had always fascinated him. He had arrived into the Akatsuki as a small, fragile-looking teenager of only thirteen, yet he had exuded more power out of his young, thin frame than the rest of the organization combined. His chakra reserves were awfully low but he had such perfect control over his chakra that he could use jutsus long after people with ten times the amount of chakra he had have with the same efficiency as though it were the first jutsu he was using all over again. His calm demeanor no matter what happened allowed him to keep a cool head in even the most dangerous situations, which allowed him to clearly analyze the situation when it was needed the most. He had perfected all ninja arts at a very young age and his loyalty was something to marvel at.
What intrigued him the most about the youngest ANBU ever was that he had gone to such extreme lengths for his younger brother. Madara had loved Izuna beyond all boundaries of normal or sibling acceptable by the society, being prepared to destroy the world for his younger brother if Izuna wished it of him. His death was a more devastating blow to Madara than anything Hashirama and Tobirama combined could have delivered.
Itachi looked to be ready to do anything for Sasuke, too. He had killed his family, destroyed his reputation, ''betrayed'' the village he loved so much, allowed himself to be villainized and hunted, kept himself alive through willower alone so that Sasuke could get his fucked up revenge and had been prepared to give Sasuke his eyes had his corpse not been stolen. Madara wondered if he could do the same, be so humble to let people walk all over him like that. He knew for one that he would never let Izuna to try to kill him. He'd tap him, put him in time out for a month and scold him so fiercely that Izuna will spend a week apologizing.
Especially if he were like Itachi, a prodigy of unmatched talent and unseen before genius. Itachi stuck out like s ore thumb in the Uchiha family tree, as he was probably one of the only Uchiha to be so humble, to have an absolute lack of arrogance no matter what he did or how he did it. Itachi was so close to perfection that it was funny to think he would lower himself so. Had he been truly loyal to the Akatsuki, Madara would have made sure he didn't have to ever act so low, wouldn't allow anyone to ridicule this one genius.
But the fact of the situation was that Itachi was actually their number one enemy. Madara had no doubt that, with his Rinnegan and the Hashirama cells in his body, he can take on anyone who would try to take him on. Unfortunately, if it were Itachi he had to fight, he'd have to give it his all and still risk a devastating loss. With the Yasaka Magatama he controls so magnificently, the deadly and dangerous sealing Sword of Totsuka and the all-reflective Yata Mirror in the possession of his Susanoo, Itachi's defense was impenetrable, ultimate and unstoppable. His Tsukuyomi would be something he'd have to actively look out for. Madara didn't want to be the first to test out if Itachi's deadliest genjutsu can trap someone who is also in the possession of the Mangekyo Sharingan. He guessed he'd be able to deal with the Amaterasu, if only he could predict where someone like Itachi might attack with it.
He'd have to tire him out, Madara knew. Itachi had low chakra reserves as his only weakness. His chakra control compensated for it rather nicely, but there was only so much Itachi could stretch his chakra reserves. Chakra restraints would be of little help, but if he could get close enough to him to suck his chakra out ... Yes, that could work ... If he could actually manage to get that close to Itachi. Maybe he's faster than Itachi, but he wouldn't be faster than his eyes, he feared. And then there were those damned crows of his that he used to distract people ... Madara always hated crows, even more so after he realized that Itachi had a pact with them. Those things were more loyal than dogs were. And they were perfect for someone like Itachi.
He presumed he'd have to end the fight in a way that might appease Itachi's style the most: come to a compromise with ht other Uchiha. Or rather, get something to lord over him. His little brother would be good, but chances were that he won't be able to keep Sasuke on his side if Itachi were to be revealed to still be walking among the living. Itachi was turning out to be an even bigger problem than he had presumed him to be in the first place. Maybe his partner will suffice for him to step down from protecting Konoha? Unlikely, but still a possibility.
''We're ready to go, Madara-sama.'' Said man blinked out of his thoughts and turned to face Sasuke, who was squinting at him subtly, and Zetsu. Madara fought down a sigh of exasperation when he saw Sasuke's new playmates just beyond the door frame. Well, he guessed they'd come in handy if they met too much resistance in retrieving Kisame.
''Then what are you waiting for? You have an overgrown fish to catch.'' He snapped at them and ignored the glare Sasuke sent his way, but he didn't let the boy leave before he got one last word in for him. ''And Sasuke?'' He continued only when the boy paused. ''We've found you a set of eyes so you can get the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Be sure to come back alive in order to receive it.''
''Hn.'' Was all the teen replied with, seething on the inside that they have yet to find his brother's body. He didn't even care for the eyes, Madara realized. He only wanted the body itself back. Well, Madara knew that feeling, remembering Izuna's death.
But unlike Izuna, Itachi had cheated death somehow and still roamed the land of the living. He was a threat. Madara guessed he'd be one of those rare few people who caught a glimpse of the other side and came back to tell about it.
Too bad Madara planned on giving him a one way ticket back a little earlier than Itachi or even Nagato had suspected.
Itachi was a threat, their number one threat.
Itachi had to die.
'What will you do, little weasel?'