"I'll see you in a few days, Ino," Sakura said with a little wave as she and the other kunoichi parted ways. The blond woman waved back and made her way down a path that would lead her to a village close to the border of this small ailing country. Sakura had her own end of the country to get to and started walking again. Now on her own, she started scanning the woods around here, looking for a sign that someone was out there.
Naruto was the only one to misread this action. Well, Sasuke couldn't see it but taking note that Ino was no longer there, he could only assume that Itachi would be making himself known. The Hokage however was sure that Sakura was looking for danger, certain that someone would leap out and try to take her against her will again. He was met with shock as the middle Uchiha stepped out onto the path, closing in on the pink haired medic.
He was ready to run and defend his friend until he saw how she lit up and threw her arms around that Akatsuki member's neck. He tripped over his own feet and kissed the dirt. That was unexpected and quite frightening. His mind was reeling both from the shock of Sakura greeting Itachi and from how hard he hit the ground.
The surprises just kept coming!
"And we all meet again," Sasuke growled, a most frightening smile twisting his lips as he joined the embracing couple, Itachi a bit awkward in the hug. Both looked at the youngest dark haired man, his brother with a small frown forcing its way into his expression. "I knew your change of heart was too good to be true," Sakura muttered, scowling at her former friend.
Sasuke chuckled, stepping closer and baring his sword. "I haven't wanted to be around you for years. You were never worth anything. The only reason I bothered with you and the dumb blond was so I could kill you and Itachi. I don't suffer traitors lightly, you should know this by now," He finished, his words ending in a nasty snarl.
The pair watching the blind man took a few steps away, moving to get room to maneuver. They had a crazy person in front of them so they would need that room. The long blade shifted, pointing at Itachi. "I'll make you suffer first." With that, Sasuke rushed forward, aiming the sword to pierce. He ran at Sakura, shocking all that would be directly involved in the fight.
Naruto was frozen on the ground, stunned to silence as he watched the exchange. If he could afford to simply die of shock, he would have at what happened next. Itachi was a blur of black as he moved, faster than the Hokage expected. The sword bit through flesh, making Itachi give the slightest of flinches as he protected Sakura. Really? Did that just happen? What had been going on with these people that Naruto didn't know about? Clearly a great deal if Sasuke was attacking Sakura and Itachi was protecting her. One would think it would be the exact opposite.
Yet, Naruto had to do something as the elder brother pushed the medic back, moving himself to try to walk off the blade that had embedded itself through his side. Sasuke only knew that he hadn't hit his former teammate because he felt the rush of air and the burst of speed from his brother. He hissed, clearly displeased with what just happened. Then he felt Naruto behind him, his singular chakra signature blazing as the blond made his way down the path.
"Sasuke, stop this. Sakura is your friend!" He said loudly, his face contorting in confusion and pain that his friends were fighting. Sasuke turned on him, ripping the tip of his sword out of his brother's side to point at the demon vessel. "She is no friend!" He yelled, his pain and rage clear as he lunged at Naruto.
The Hokage moved quickly, pulling out a kunai and blocking Sasuke's blade. "Sakura has done nothing but take care of you! She kept helping you long after I told her to give up!" Naruto yelled back, trying to defend the one woman that he knew was always a good person, no matter what. He never thought that Sakura would do anything to intentionally harm a friend or innocent person. He knew her too well.
"She helped him take my eyes!" The youngest Uchiha howled, taking a step back and pointing in the general direction of the medic. "He manipulated her and turned her against me!" Sakura was left standing in shock, guilt floating around the edges of her expression. Naruto looked to her, slowly deciphering her expression. "You helped?" He asked in a small voice, appalled that someone could think of something so terrible of the pink haired woman.
"Don't blame her," Itachi chimed in, voice low as he turned slowly, leaning to one side, favoring the wound just a little. "I did manipulate her, but she changed me as well." The tall man pushed Sakura's warm, healing hands away, preferring to fight as he was, it might make things a little more fair.
Naruto shifted on his feet, making sure he could see what both brothers were doing. He frowned, seeing the two together and obviously changing places on the moral compass. Sasuke spun to face Itachi, full out yelling at him. "You don't change, Itachi! You're a heartless monster! You've never cared about anything!"
A deeper frown marred Itachi's features, showing real expression for the first time in a very long time. "Foolish little brother," He murmured, shaking his head a little. "I still care for Konohagakure. There is a reason why the Akatsuki have not attacked in full force," He stated, looking towards Naruto meaningfully. He had been keeping a close watch on the organization and did do his best to continue to protect the village even though he was no longer welcome.
"I still care for you, Sasuke, but I was … afraid." Admitting that took more courage from Itachi than was pretty. Everyone, including Madara was surprised by the admission. "I did not want to go blind, stuck in the darkness. I, instead, forced it on you. But you've been blind for so long anyway. You took your own eyes from you long ago," He said quietly, knowing that Sasuke's rage had hindered him in seeing what was really important.
Itachi understood now that Naruto and Sakura had always been a strength. Or rather, they could have been. If Sasuke had allowed himself to really feel for them, accept them and their love for him, he would have had such power. Now, he was alone, blind, and worse off for his anger. An anger so strong that Sasuke was starting not to know who to face off with first, who to fight as Naruto and Itachi both advanced in small steps.
"What did you mean you still care for Konoha? If you cared, why would you slaughter your own family and go rogue?" The Hokage asked, clearly suspicious. Something told him to listen though, deep in his gut he knew he had to give Itachi a chance to at least speak. He wouldn't guarantee that he wouldn't still do a little harm to the man, seeing as he was one of the most dangerous men known in the shinobi world.
Blue eyes drifted to meet with green, Naruto looking to Sakura to see what she thought, felt about all of this. He could see the pain in her eyes at having hurt Saskue the way she did. He knew now that the reason she didn't give up was at least partly guilt now. But that wasn't all he saw. When she glanced at Itachi he could see the softer feelings, the love. If he really thought about it, Itachi had been in a fantastic position to make a move against Konohagakure when he had Sakura. Obviously he had been in contact with her recently if he knew that she was going out on a mission. If that much was true, then he could have used her any time to make a move against Naruto, not only as the demon vessel he had been after for years, but as the Hokage.
It was an interesting thought, that. But it wasn't what he wanted to hear about from Itachi right then. "I did those things to protect Konohagakure. It's a long, complicated story. I will share it with you if you allow me later," Itachi said carefully, lifting his hands to sign for clones. Still, he stared hard at the young Hokage. Naruto got the hint and followed suit.
There were now multiple Uzumaki and Uchiha. Saskue felt the chakra surround him, drawing his senses in all directions. "No!" He shouted, enraged at the pair seeming to work together. "This isn't how it goes!" He let out a roar and started slashing through the clones, hunting the true men he wanted dead.
While he raged among the clones, Naruto and Itachi slid closer to each other, both channeling their chakra into their hands, calling wind and fire respectively. Sakura slumped as she watched, eyes wide and mouth agape. She couldn't believe this was happening. Saskue was insane, Naruto and Itachi were actually working together and looked like they were going to perhaps kill the youngest Uchiha. She couldn't argue their logic as Saskue was a true danger to everyone and imprisoning him would just drive him crazier than he all ready was.
Still, she couldn't bare to see it happen. Her hands went to her face as she started to sob, the crackling of fire and the howl of wind the only things to tell her that Saskue was about to be beaten. It was a shorter fight than anyone expected. Saskue fell at the force of the ninjustu thrown his way. He sword fell a few feet away as he dropped to his hands and knees, body burned and cut all over.
He wasn't able to get up as Itachi approached, kunai in hand. He bent down, an arm going around his brother as he slid the weapon home, the elder brother whispering words of love as he killed his little brother. His one hand drifted up, his fingers touching Sasuke's forehead. "Forgive me, Sasuke." This would be the last thing he would ask forgiveness for. He had been saying that Sasuke's entirely life, and he still meant it just as much as when he first said those words, made that gesture. So much for always being there to protect his baby brother.