Well I am back with another one of my favourite to write chapter for my favourite of my own series. I will be updating my other series as I go, but I am a workaholic, so my updates maybe few and far between at times. Or they may come out like rapid fire if the writing mood really hits me. Anyway please enjoy this new chapter, because I did enjoy writing it. ^_^
Ja Ne mina!
Itachi kissed her forehead softly, leaning his forehead against the now sniffling Mei. "Want to talk about it? As you said yesterday, letting go of old pain helps, especially when you have a willing to listen person, and someone who won't judge." Itachi said with a caring tone to his voice.
Mei shook her head rather strongly, gripping his shirt tightly, trying to melt into Itachi's hold, anything to feel safe from that perverted man still wrapped around her brain. "No, just hold me, and keep rubbing my hair." She said, choking back a sob, nuzzling Itachi's chest softly.
Itachi nodded, humming a soft, lilting tune in an attempt to calm her down, and it seemed to be working, after a few moments she visibly relaxed in his embrace. "As a sign of goodwill, I will tell you about my hardest decision I've ever had to make." Itachi said solemnly, his eyes hardening as he recanted the story of the end of a clan full of prodigies.
FLASHBACK NO JUTSU! HAJIME!
Itachi was kneeling before Hiruzen, his head bowed in respect and supplication to his leader. "You summoned me sir?" He asked a bit warily, as he was called in the middle of the night, and the aura in the room screamed something big was going down tonight.
Hiruzen sat there with a grim smile on his face, and took a puff of his pipe before speaking. "Yes Itachi I have summoned you." He began simply, causing Itachi's heart to drop at what was possibly coming next. "I have brought you here because you're the most loyal ninja I've had grace my shinobi corpse since Minato. Though the subject today is even above my clearance level, and everyone in the room has already sworn to take it to their grave. I need you to make this vow as well before we can continue." Hiruzen stated gravely.
This made Itachi's blood run cold, and his breath hitch, if it was even over Hiruzen's head, then no other Kage would know more than necessary about it to keep up with what was also in the scroll. "I swear on my honor, and on Sasuke Hokage-dono." He stated solemnly, everyone present knew when Itachi swore on his favourite little brother, there was no kami, or man alive that could make him break this vow.
Hiruzen nodded, staying quiet for a few more moments before letting out a long, tired sigh. "I'm getting too old for this..." He mumbled to himself, before tossing Itachi a scroll.
Itachi quickly caught and opened the scroll, his hands froze as he read the first line of the scroll:
Contingency plan for the Uchiha Coup D'etat
Itachi forced himself to open the scroll further and continue reading, the feeling of dread building with each line read.
To Itachi Uchiha, if you're reading this, it's because things are now close to the right of bang (Military terminology, referring to close to when shit hits the fan,) and we call upon you, our most trusted, and most skilled anbu. For the mission that will decide the fate of thousands of lives in our village. Mission parameters are below should you accept.
Itachi slowly looked up and nodded solemnly to his Hokage before looking down and reading again.
Basics: Tension between the Uchiha and all the other clans in the village has hit the boiling point, to where the clans are taking up arms against each other. Fighting in the streets, trying to outdo each other in council meetings. We do not by any means ask this of you lightly, but with a heavy heart. We ask you to save the village from mass bloodshed at the hands of your clan, what we're asking you to do is assassinate your clan.
At this Itachi dropped the scroll, his hands began shaking as he replayed the words of the scroll in his mind on fast forward. Images of his mother, father, and little brother Sasuke flashed through his mind as he clutched his heart lightly. To be torn between blood ties of family, and the stronger than any metal loyalty to his village? How could Kami be so cruel to him?
Hiruzen's heart sunk as he saw the war rage and the man before him, Itachi was known for being able to keep his cool even in seemingly ridiculous situations. "As the scroll says, I am not commanding you to do this as your Hokage, you can choose to decline if you wish. Though I am asking you as a friend, and mentor. Will you save the village you care for as much as your family from a massacre?" Hiruzen asked solemnly as Itachi picked the scroll back up and continued to read, currently he couldn't truly hear Hiruzen's question, but his ears had picked it up.
Itachi opened the scroll to it's full length, forcing himself to read the full mission parameters before making a decision that would change his life.
Officially we would have to brand you as a rogue agent that worked outside of my orders to stand down so we could civilly disarm the situation. Completely off of the books though you would be our mole on the outside world. This is a deep cover mission, so deep that a single slip up could cost you your life. Should you choose to accept, a rather substantial part of the coffers of the village would be yours to do so with what you may. Along with the most of the Uchiha's coffers as well.
On a little side note off to the side: Should you choose to accept, but decline the role of a mole for us on the outside, I would completely understand. I do not ask this of you with any kind of malice towards your clan mates. Damn that Uchiha curse that repeats itself seemingly no matter what. It saddens me beyond words to have to ask this of you, but you're the only one aside from myself capable of this mission I trust.
Back to the mission parameters: Should you choose to accept, please turn in your anbu mask, you may keep your headband if you please.
With this, Itachi closed the scroll and the room was deadly silent as the man before Hiruzen thought deeply about his choices. Hiruzen knew he would make the decision soon, as he realized the severity and the gravity of the situation that was put on his shoulders.
Hiruzen's eyes were steeled as he puffed on his pipes, his mind running a million miles an hour at what could be going on behind the onyx eyes of his top ninja.
Itachi nodded once as he stood, untying his anbu mask from his waist, and putting it on the desk. This simple action sealed the fate of this mission, a mission that would never truly be recorded in the history books as much more than an Uchiha turning on his kin. "I understand Hiruzen." He said simply, dropping all formality, already getting into his role of an officially outcast ninja. Taking off his headband as well, digging a Kunai no one had realized he had drawn across the metal. Scratching the leaf village symbol right down the middle horizontally.
"Good luck, and Godspeed." the occupants of the room intoned solemnly as Itachi shunshied from the room.
At the Uchiha compound:
Itachi stood on top of a powerline in the middle of his clan's compound, from behind he looked the very picture of the vengeful image of death. Though from the front you could see the broken emotional armor of one Uchiha Itachi. Tears streaming from his eyes as he was emotionally broken into shards, but his training wouldn't allow for any mistakes. Even in the event of an emotional break down, it would be quick, painless, and by the book.
With a silent movement, moments later, throughout the compound there were only the sounds of a blade flashing at seemingly impossible speeds as people were dispatched before they even hit the ground. Their bodies being sealed in a scroll to avoid too much evidence being found, caught before they made a sound.
In record time Itachi had dispatched majority of a clan that was acclaimed to have been a god given clan of power ever since the fall of the senju clan.
There he stood, thinking wistfully in front of his own house, taking a moment or two to lock down his emotions to that of a heartless killer that he would need to be to succeed now. 'I'm sorry Kaa-san, Tou-san, and especially you Sasuke-kun...' Itachi thought to himself as he silently let himself in through the window he left open earlier for his briefing with the Hokage.
Mikoto Uchiha couldn't sleep, so she had peeled herself from her bed, and headed to the kitchen for a night snack, her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Itachi stood before her. His blade glinting in the faint moonlight. Blood dripping down from the tip of his blade, she gulped as she knew the reason why he was there, and given the situation. You would think she would hate him, despise him, or call for help. Though none of these things crossed her mind for even a moment, a small sad smile crept across her face. "You chose wisely my son, I wish things could have ended differently." She whispered as quietly as the night air around them.
Even the moon seemed to be weeping with them, a crimson color of the harvest moon.
Itachi disappeared in a blur of speed, appearing in front of his mother, but in his hand was nothing, balled tightly was his fist as it made contact with her stomach. Forcing all the air from her lungs, causing her to stifle a scream of pain as she slowly started losing consciousness. 'Forgive me mother, I know you're kind and gentle... You had no part of this and fought for a peaceful solution...' He whispered, almost deathly silent, but his mother heard this before passing out.
Mikoto just smiled faintly as her consciousness fully left her, as she was gingerly layed down on the couch by Itachi.
Itachi allowed himself a moment to let out a breath of relief, his mother didn't hate him after all, she understood the pain he must be going through and still loved him, but now the ring leader. His father was the man behind the mask of leading the Uchiha rebellion. 'Father... Why didn't you just listen to me, and Shisui?' Itachi sadly thought to himself, as he looked over his shoulder, seeing his father standing there in the hallway, his Uchiha family Katana. Passed down through generations from the first Uchiha, to Madara, to the next clan head.
"I see... It has come to this my son..?" He stated softly, and solemnly, his lips pursing into a grim line, his eyes voicing his betrayal more than words would ever be able to describe.
Last Man Standing - Mayday Parade!
Who'll be the last one standing? When it all goes up in flames
Who'll be the last one standing? When the cold ice melts away
Who'll be the last one standing? When the smoke drowns out the day
Who'll be the last one standing? When it all goes up in flames
I'll be the last one standing!
Itachi simply nodded, drawing his own Katana from his back, readying it towards his father, he knew this was going to be a fight that would test everything he had learned until now. Disappearing in a blur of speed, the only thing that could be heard in the night air was the faint tang of blades bouncing off of each other repeatedly at godly speeds as two shinobi clashed.
Fugaku's eyes turned as cold as steel, as he put up his guard, not taking the offensive, even though he knew his life was on the line. He couldn't bring himself to fully fight Itachi, seeing behind his son's guard, he could tell that he didn't want to do this. Itachi was a true shinobi through and through. He wasn't stupid enough to waste his breath with going on a tirade and try to get Itachi to see his way. "I wish things could have gone differently my son..." He said sadly, flaring his sharingan to life, Itachi's movements seemed to slow down to Fugaku.
Itachi said nothing, but his eyes narrowed as he felt his body become more sluggish for some reason or another. He had his sharingan awakened as well, as this would be a battle of the eyes as much as it would be a battle of the bodies. "You shouldn't have let it get this far." Itachi stated coldly, his voice becoming like the last of a below zero winter's night, absolutely
emotionless.
Soldier till the death of me, till my last breath come from my lifeless lungs
Some kill for the recipe
If it all burned down which one of us gon' run?
Which one from the place of glory? Short ending with a long story
Fugaku nods once, before returning to his concentration, as he was getting up there in years, he couldn't fully keep up with Itachi who wasn't even at the peak of his prime yet. "I know son..." He stated simply, dodging a downward slash by a back handspring, kicking Itachi's Katana into the ceiling before raising his sword to what he thought was Itachi. "Join me son, and we can dethrone that pitiful excuse for a Hokage, and have an Uchiha in office." He said, his voice intoning power, and command that the head of a clan was expected to able to use at will.
Itachi shook his head simply as his form separated into a flock of crows, causing Fugaku's eyes to widen a bit.
Fugaku looked around for his son, but he couldn't sense his sons chakra either, and his blood went cold as he felt a pair of sharingan open behind him. Just barely dodging a kunai aimed at his spine. "You truly are a prodigy my son... Needless to say I'm proud..." Fugaku trailed faintly, allowing a proud smile to grace his face even in the midst of combat he felt proud.
Maybe we want too much and program but the city do not give a fuck, a blood oath!
One for the saints, one for my bros, two for my brains
One for the ghost that are haunting my friend while I been out here workin' to get us some chains
Now I realize that we're slow and I wait
But I be dead cause it's probably too late
Itachi felt the pride coming off of his father in waves, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, it saddened him even more that he felt it in a situation like this. 'Any other situation I'd be smiling... Too bad...' Itachi thought to himself as he launched his trap for his father, if all things went well this match would be over soon. Starting to backpedal as if his father was breaking through his guard, and starting to win. Preying on the Uchiha's accursed pride, and conceitedness, his father was no different in this respect as an Uchiha. Feigning surprise as he fell backwards to further pull his father into the trap he had set up. Just outside the corner of Fugaku's vision Itachi was rapidly weaving one handed hand signs for one of his signature jutsu.
Itachi had been leading the battle across the house up until the loose board in the floor, as everyone knew, Itachi was a tactical genius. On par with the Nara's, and surpassing a few of them.
Kick it up into the center of the madness, they say it to me that it's kill or be killed
Never diss up in the penny of a savage, it's like I want to come a shoot em at the wheel
Kill to still feel the chill
The cold days let me know that I am definitely alive
And I walked in the valley with the vibe but by carrying the time
Fugaku noticed that Itachi had started falling backwards, tripping over a crack that brought up a floorboard that they had been meaning to repair. 'This is an ameture mistake for Itachi, but you can only concentrate on so much... Even you Itachi... I'm sorry my son, but this is where it ends...' He thought sadly to himself, bringing his blade down directly at Itachi in a deadly arc, aiming for his center mass in an attempt to sink his sword into Itachi's chest from his shoulder.
Itachi, or so Fugaku thought hit the ground, trying to block with one hand, but Fugaku's downward arc had too much power. Forcing Itachi's blade down enough to where Fugaku's slid off, hitting it's mark, or so he thought. 'Seems it worked...' Itachi thought to himself, slinking into the shadows, and all but melding with it as he hid his chakra presence. His clone at that moment exploded in an effect similar to a flashbang. It was his normal explosive clone, but it's chakra was minimal, so upon detonation it was not a deadly or that much painful explosion, just a distraction.
Fugaku cursed under his breath as he searched around for his son, but it being dark, only compounded by the fact Itachi was a master at stealth. Even better than himself made it impossible for the Elder uchiha to find his son. "Damn it! How did I not see him weaving handsig-!" Fugaku stopped as he was interrupted with a blade dragging painfully across his back. Forcing him to a knee, shaking as he could hardly feel his legs now.
Itachi stood behind his father, completely devoid of emotions currently, no ki, no malice, no love, no happiness. As cold as ice was how Itachi stood behind his downed father as he let Fugaku slowly turn around to face him. "This is where things end father..." Itachi trailed painfully, raising his tanto above his head, ready to strike down his father.
Fugaku fell backwards, landing on his back, one leg stretched out, and one knee bent with his arms behind his back keeping him up. "You've done well my son, there is nothing left I can teach you, your values are strong, and I'll admit. I like that, but I don't envy you." Fugaku said cryptically, causing Itachi to stop mid arc in confusion as to what his enigmatic father meant. "I do not envy the loneliness you will have to face from here on out. Because this couldn't have been a sanctioned massacre by that soft warhawk Hiruzen." He said, decrypting his earlier statement.
Itachi nodded, bringing his sword back up above his head, bringing it down in a deadly but beautiful shimmering arc across his father's torso. Sending blood spraying across the adjacent wall, Fugaku hit the ground with a sickening thud. "One last person..." Itachi mused painfully, the tears returning to his eyes, then a thud sound was heard behind him in the hall. Itachi's blood ran cold yet again even in the summer's night heat as he slowly turned his head. His eyes wide in fear of what he would see behind him, he already knew, but he prayed to whatever kami was listening that his senses deceived him as to who it was.
Sadly it was not to be, it was his seven year old little brother that he cared for more than even their parents. "W-Why nii-chan?" Was all his little frame could ask as he violently shook in fear and sadness that his father was just slaughtered by his most prized brother in the world.
Itachi closed his eyes, steeling himself to become the ruthless killer persona that everyone expected of him as a shinobi. When he opened his eyes again, the Mangekyo Sharingan was no spinning in his eyes. "If you love for our family, garner your love for life, and come for me." Itachi said in his patented monotone voice. Not saying what he originally wanted of 'for the village (watch,) as to not make him hate the village.
Sasuke's world snapped even further, at first he was screaming in his head that this was a terrible nightmare, but that lie was broken then and there. "AHHHHHHHHH!" Is all Sasuke could get out, as he let out a gut wrenching wail that could be heard across the village.
Itachi's heart became dust at this, his tears were painfully apparent as he disappeared
FLASHBACK NO JUTSU! KAI!
As Itachi finished recanting his story his eyes were far off and glazed, he had told a story he had never told a soul before. Why did he trust her so much? Is it because she is an outcast as he is? Or is because of some deeper meaning that he couldn't identify. He chalked it up to he could probably easily kill her if he felt the need arise if she tried to blow his cover. With a sigh he looked over to Mei. Who was paying rapt attention at his story, not once had she even blinked since his story began, to be honest it unnerved Itachi a bit.
Mei's eyes finally snapped back to life as she realized the story was now over, she was deeply moved by his loyalty, and saddened by how things went. "Wow... That makes my life seem like a cakewalk comparatively speaking..." She trailed a bit, looking away from Itachi, not meeting his eyes, because she could just feel right now that his eyes conveyed the pain he kept in check.
Itachi's gaze relented a bit as he looked down at his hand, which currently held a pocket watch, still fully functioning, but it was battle worn just like it's shinobi owner. "You know... Sasuke would be 17 today..." Itachi trailed wistfully to himself, closing the pocket watch and putting it back. "I can't even celebrate his birthday... The one person I didn't want to let down was him..." Itachi said solemnly, his voice cracking from the raw emotion trying to seep through.
Mei's eyes widened as she felt the raw emotion coming from the normally stoic enigma that is Itachi Uchiha, so without thinking she pulled his head onto her chest. Stroking his hair softly, trying to get him to relax. "It's ok... Sometimes things happen this way to send us through a crucible, so we can come out the other side, stronger and better than ever." Mei said, smiling as she felt Itachi relax in her grip and his breathing evened out as he calmed.
Itachi closed his eyes and sighed, he couldn't fault her statement, it was true. "Thank you Mei." He said with a soft smile. Sliding down to where his head was in her lap as he gazed up at her, with a mixture of curiosity, and intrigue as to what the redhead was smiling about.
Mei chuckled a bit and gave him one of her patented eye smiles. "Oh? Am I just your head pillow now?" She asked jokingly, leaning closer to Itachi, so that their faces were a few inches apart.
Itachi gave a nod. Causing the redhead to scoff in shock, and surprise at his rather blatant acceptance of her question. "Mhmm... Your lap is comfortable." He said with a small smile, though if you paid close attention you could see the faint blush on his face.
Mei rolled her eyes at this and looked away in a small pout, but raised an eyebrow when Itachi's hand was on her chin, turning her back his way. Before she realized it, Itachi was sitting up, and propped on his extended arm. "What are yo-" Is all she could get out as Itachi's lips were soon on hers, giving her a soft, but caring kiss that had honestly surprised both of them. "Well that's a nice way to tell me to shut up." She said with a soft giggle, a blush adorning her face.
A/N: (watch) I decided it would be a bit interesting to throw a game of thrones refference in there.
The song I placed excerpts in, was called Last one standing - Mayday Parade, its a really good song, and its the first song that popped into my head writing this chapter.
Welp... That's another successful chapter, sadly it wasn't as long as I'd hoped, but it's something. Well I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this. This was one of the more feels heavy chapters. It goes into great detail about what made the enigma that is Itachi Uchiha. Also why did Fugaku survive the slaughter long enough to fight? Because honestly they did him dirty in the series, he is a clan head, who trained Itachi for a fair part of his life. So why should he just be slaughtered like a pig? Never made any sense to the young me. Why did Makoto survive? I dunno, I haven't figured that far as of yet, but when I do figure it out, I'll let you know.
