Kyandi: Hey, everyone!
Aisa: We have returned.
Kyandi: I will say this now...in this chapter you get a little more of a look into how Aisa is involved with the Uchiha brothers.
Aisa: Don't you mean Itachi.
Kyandi: Well, yes, but lets not give it away before they read.
Aisa: Right.
Kyandi: So, since this chapter in on the long side, we'll just jump right in.
Aisa: Sounds good to me.
Kyandi: Everyone, enjoy and review.
Aisa: Kyandi-sama does not own Naruto.
Chapter 10 Truth
"Naruto!"
Naruto and the others looked up when they heard a familiar voice call out. Coming their way, her two wolves at her side, was Aisa. She easily caught up and fell into formation with the others.
"Aisa! Where the hell have you been!?" Naruto snapped.
"We found a trace of Sasuke's scent, but when we followed it, all we found was a torn piece of cloth. It looked like he had probably passed through there and the cloth was ripped free. It had blood on it, so I'm assuming he's injured." Aisa replied.
"There was three other scents mixed with it as well." Arufa added gruffly.
Since it lined up with what they had found on their end, Naruto couldn't really question it. Though Kakashi felt like something was off. Mostly with Aisa's scent. It was far more faint than normal, as if most of her scent had been washed away. Silently, not drawing any attention to himself, Kakashi moved his headband, just enough to peek at Aisa. As normal, Aisa appeared before his Sharingan with a web of chakra lines spreading out around her to help her navigate the otherwise dark world around her. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and her clothes were dry, so it wasn't like she had gone through water.
It only made him even more suspious.
It was like she had purposely removed her scent.
Or was it another scent that had been on her?
Suddenly, Kiba, at the head of the group, made a noise of confusion. Everyone turned their attention to him.
"What's wrong, Kiba?" Naruto asked.
"We're in trouble! Sasuke's on the move!" Kiba reported.
"We gotta hurry! He's probably going stright for Itachi!" Naruto replied.
"Easy! Something's not quite right! Sasuke's scent just split up! It's going all over the place in a lot of different directions!" Kiba reported.
Aisa perked up when Naruto suddenly summoned forth dozens of shadow clones. The clones spread out in every direction, going to seek out each and every case of Sasuke's scent. Arufa and Omu glanced at Aisa, only the smallest quirk of lips giving anything away about the fast pace rearranging of plans that was going on in her head.
"We can help hunt down the scent trials, Moon Child." Omu offered.
"No. I'm pretty sure Naruto can handle that on his own." Aisa replied. "Right, Naruto?"
"You betcha!" Naruto called back.
Arufa and Omu looked at each other. The look that passed between them caught Kakashi's attention. But the wolves didn't say anything. They took Aisa's order and kept going. Naruto focused on his clones. Somewhere deep in the forest, one clone, chasing a piece of blood stained cloth tied to a bird's leg, came across the last person Naruto expect to at the moment.
Itachi.
"Show yourself Uzumaki Naruto." Itachi called when the clone remained hidden behind a tree.
Naruto stepped out, facing Itachi calmly.
"Finally gonna try to capture me?" Naruto asked.
"No. I merely want to talk with you." Itachi replied.
Mistrusting of those words, two more of Naruto's clones came at Itachi from behind. Itachi took both down with a backward flick of his wrist, tossing two kunai at him.
"Like I'm gonna fall for that." Naruto said, mentally running through all he had learned about fighting someone with the Sharingan.
"I see you've learned a little about fighting the Shargingan...You must know what to do when you're alone. Why aren't you running?" Itachi asked.
"Pfft! Because with me, my numbers can be anywhere from one to a thousand! And I can't afford to run this time. I've gotta capture you so I can find Sasuke!" Naruto replied.
"What is it about my brother that makes you care about him so much? He's a rogue ninja who abandoned you." Itachi said, curious about what was driving Naruto.
"Because he's like a brother to me. And I'm a better brother than you ever were!" Naruto retorted.
This both surprised and somewhat amused Itachi. His lips even twitched slightly with the urge to smile. When Naruto charged him, Itachi held open one side of his cloak, crows bursting forth to swarm Naruto. Before Naruto knew it, he found himself trapped in the world of Itachi's jutsu.
"I'll say it once more. I only wish to talk with you." Itachi said.
Naruto jerked in surprise when one crow flew at him, vanishing down his throat and leaving him feeling queasy. Once it was gone, he found himself back in the forest, down on one knee, a hand pressed to his stomach.
"Wh-why? You're after me, aren't you? Then fight me now!" Naruto demanded.
"I have to leave you for now. I've got a very important matter to deal with." Itachi said.
"Wait!" Naruto called, suddenly thinking of something. "Do you know a Noroi Aisa?"
Itachi paused, staring at Naruto. Naruto was pretty sure that meant that he did. When Itachi didn't confirm or deny it, just stood there, Naruto continued.
"What is your connection to her? Why is she so against going near you?" Naruto demanded.
Itachi pondered on whether he should say anything or not. Aisa wouldn't be pleased if he revealed the true connection between him and her, but he could divulge a few little facts. After all...the girl needed a little push to be more open with others.
"Do you trust Aisa?" Itachi asked.
"Of course!" Naruto replied.
She was his teammate after all. If there wasn't trust between teammates then how could a team function properly? Besides, Tsunade trusted Aisa, so, of course he trusted her.
"You shouldn't."
Naruto stared at Itachi. He had stated the two words simply, as if it was the most obvious fact Naruto should know.
"Noroi Aisa, as you know her by, isn't one to be trusted so easily. It's in her nature to stab another person in the back the moment she gets a chance. To look out for herself and her own interests. And she is not loyal to the Leaf or to you." Itachi told him.
"How do you know!? Aisa is a shinobi of the Leaf now! She's my friend!" Naruto snapped.
"No, she isn't. If you ask her, I'm sure she would tell you that she is there, not for you or the Leaf, but because of her debt to the Hokage. Aisa doesn't make friends. She is a solitary creature that chases others away." Itachi replied.
"Then what is your connection to her?" Naruto demanded.
"She and I have known each other since she was a toddler. I know her better than anyone save the Hokage. I say what I have said because I know her. I have watched her grow. I have seen her turn her back on friend and foe alike. Even turn her back on family. Why does she not come near me, you ask...because we have made a deal."
Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at Itachi. A deal? Aisa and Itachi had made a deal? With that knowledge, several questions ran through his head. What kind of deal, what did it entail, when had it been made? So many questions.
"Because of this deal, Aisa will never try to stand in my way or capture or kill me. Perhaps, if you want to know if you can truly trust, you should ask her what our true relationship is. If she refuses to answer, than you have your answer." Itachi said. "She will never show you the real Aisa or who or what she is. You will never be able to change that. I couldn't."
With that, Itachi vanished into a cloud of crows.
Naruto didn't know how to take this information. Of course, Itachi could be lying, but so much of what he said, just made sense. Naruto would only know by asking Aisa himself.
And hope she didn't lie to his face.
-0-0-0-0-
Somewhere in the forest, Sasuke lead his team through the trees, heading for the Uchiha hideout where Itachi would be waiting for him. He focused his attention straight ahead while Karin constantly scanned the area around them for approaching enemies.
"There's a bunch of people with identical chakra all around us! What the hell is this!?" Karin asked suddenly.
"Do we need to take another route, Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked.
"Ignore it. We'll charge straight through." Sasuke replied.
"Thank god. Detours always wipe me out." Suigetsu said.
Just ahead of them, a clone of Naruto appeared in their path. Naruto turned toward them, his eyes widening when they landed on Sasuke. He had no more gotten Sasuke's name out of his mouth before something hit the clone from behind, eliminating it.
"Damn...I didn't get to it fast enough."
Standing there where the clone had just been, was a clone of Aisa. Sasuke nodded to her as he flew past her, continuing on his way. The clone went poof then. All across the forest, more and more of Naruto's clones were poofed from behind. When the collective information came back to Naruto, he jolted.
"What is it, Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Something is taking out my clones all across the forest. But! I found him!" Naruto told them.
Aisa inwardly muttered to herself. She had tried to reach all of Naruto's clones with clones of herself before they could locate Sasuke. Her clones had just been a little too slow.
"Way to go, Naruto!" Kiba cheered.
"We'll worry about what attacked your clones later. Which way, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.
"Follow me!" Naruto declared, taking the lead.
The others fell in behind Naruto. Aisa turned to look at her wolves now that they were all together and had located Sasuke.
"You can head back now. Thanks for the help." Aisa told Arufa and Omu.
"If you are sure, Moon Child." Arufa said.
"Yes. I will summon you again if I have need of your help or advice." she told him.
"Very well." Arufa said.
Several of the wolves called a parting to Aisa before, with a poof of smoke, they all vanished. No sooner were they gone, Aisa picked up on something, a low hum leaving her and making Yamato and Kakashi look at her.
"What is it, Aisa?" Yamato asked.
"We have an enemy up ahead. I can just make him out on the edge of my senses." Aisa replied. "And it's not someone I know."
Which meant it wasn't Sasuke or Itachi. When questioned, all Aisa could tell them was that he was alone. Kiba picked up the scent not long after that and sure enough, he appeared in their path: a man wearing the Akatsuki cloak and a strange orange, swirl design mask. Something about his chakra, which she could feel through the thin chakra lines spread out around her, felt familiar to Aisa, though she couldn't place where.
"Wow, I didn't think I'd find a bunch of Leaf ninja way out here. And it's nine on one, that's so not fair!" he whined, as if he was a child instead of a grown man.
"That cloak...he's an Akatsuki!" Yamato said.
"He's not on the list of Akatsuki that Kabuto left behind." Kakashi remarked.
"A new member?" Aisa asked.
"Yep! I'm new to the company. Nice to meet you!" the man, Tobi, said in greeting.
"Hah! Don't start acting cocky yet, we haven't even started!" Kiba yelled.
"Calm down and think, Kiba. We know nothing of him." Aisa remarked lowly.
"She's right. Don't make any sudden moves. Just observe him, for now. He's severely outnumbered and we've got the advantage." Kakashi agreed.
"You're not taking me seriously...? Not cool!" Tobi called down.
"Kind of hard to take you seriously when you sound like a child on the verge of a fit." Aisa retorted.
Tobi rubbed the back of his head, letting out a little laugh that only further made him out to be like a child. Naruto attacked him from behind, then, with his Rasengan. It looked like Naruto had him, hitting in the middle of Tobi's back...but then he passed right through Tobi. Tobi shifted forward, jumping towards Naruto.
"You're too full of yourself! What's a kid like you gonna do to me?" Tobi demanded.
Tobi aimed a kick for Naruto's face when something flashed past Kakashi and Yamato, jumping into the air.
"Aisa!" Yamato yelled.
Tobi was surprised when, instead of Naruto's face, another foot meet his, sole to sole. Aisa, having blocked the kick with her own, grabbed Naruto by the waist and used Tobi's foot as a spring board to launch herself back towards the ground. Flipping, she landed firmly on both feet, Naruto gripped tightly in her arms. She slid a foot or two before coming to a stop.
"Are you alright, Naruto?" Aisa asked.
"Yeah." Naruto replied.
Sure that Naruto was fine, Kakashi and Yamato kept their attention firmly fixed on Tobi. They didn't even spare Aisa or Naruto a glance.
"He saw through all of Naruto's jutsu..." Yamato remarked.
"It's like he's just messing around...but why?" Kakashi asked.
Aisa shifted, releasing Naruto. Something about this Akatsuki member, put her on edge. She sensed a cunning and ruthlessness behind the childish facade he was putting up and it made her uneasy. And then there was that jutsu he had used to make Naruto pass through him. Aisa's chakra lines were all over the place, constantly shifting and mapping what was around her. Yet, for a moment long enough for Naruto's body to pass through, part of Tobi's body just...vanished.
Aisa didn't like it.
"What kind of game should we play now, Leaf-peoples?" Tobi asked.
"We don't have the time to screw around with you." Naruto retorted.
"Damn straight!" Sakura agreed.
"Why? Because we need to stay right on Sasuke's trail." Shino added.
"You weren't with us last time, Shino! You'd better work twice as hard!" Kiba told his teammate.
"Alright, everyone. Let's take this joker down." Kakashi declared.
"Get in formation B and attack!" Yamato called.
But it didn't matter what formation they tried. If they couldn't hit him, there was no way they could defeat Tobi. Aisa tried to use her senses in order to hit solid flesh, but even her attacks went straight through him. She tried again, though, but her fist sailed right through his right shoulder, the missed punch putting them face to face. Tobi took the moment to speak into her ear, his voice dropping in tone to one of a much deeper rumble.
"I see you've plunged yourself into darkness. Afraid to face what's in the mirror...Aiai?"
Aisa's whole body tensed up, her heart rocketing straight up into her throat and her blood feeling like it had just run cold in her veins. Faster than any of them had ever seen her move before, Aisa shot away from Tobi. She moved so fast that she even almost stumbled over a tree root in her rush.
"Aisa? What is it?" Yamato asked.
But Aisa didn't answer. Her attention was on something else completely.
Only one person had ever called her Aiai. Aisa didn't like the nickname and even her parents had disliked it. No one else had ever called her by that name. But...it couldn't be him. It just couldn't be! The last time she had seen him, she had only been four or five. It just couldn't be him. He was dead, she knew this, but her logical mind was in a mess over hearing the nickname. Anyone could come up with Aiai as a nickname, right? And it wasn't like a member of Akatsuki couldn't find out what her name was. But she still had a bad feeling in her gut.
What...what if it was him?
"Aisa!"
A hand suddenly grabbing her shoulder and giving it a shake, snapped her out of her own thoughts. Kakashi now stood at her side a hand on her shoulder. His grip was firm, meant to snap her out of her own head as well as offer some inkling of support.
"Pull yourself together. What's gotten into you?" he asked.
"I...it's nothing. His ability is throwing me for a loop. I could of sworn my fist just passed through his body." Aisa replied back, quickly covering for herself.
"It's strange. No matter the formation we try, it's not working. How can he avoid all our attacks so easily?" Yamato asked.
"Kakashi-sensei..." Hinata called out.
"Mmm...I know." Kakashi replied.
He gave Aisa's shoulder a firm squeeze and a pat before he released her. As he had said, she needed to pull herself back together. Now wasn't the time to let something that could possibly be coincidental, get to her.
"Hey, Naruto...our timing on that last attack was perfect, right?" Kiba asked.
"Yeah." Naruto replied.
"How the hell did he dodge it!? We should've nailed him!" Kiba growled.
"We have, though."
Kiba turned to look at Aisa, confused as to what she meant. Naruto, though, just agreed with her. He honestly thought they had hit him.
"When I punched him just now...I swear, my fist went right through his body. It was as if that part of his body, vanished." Aisa told him.
"The same thing happened when I went after him with a Rasengan. It should've been a direct hit, but for some reason it just went right through his body." Naruto said.
"In other words, while it appeared that he avoided your attacks, in actually, he forced both you and your jutsu to somehow slip through his own body. Is that correct, Naruto, Aisa?" Shino asked.
"Sounds about right." Aisa remarked, though Naruto was a little confused.
"Shino, seriously. Talk like a normal person for once!" Kiba snapped.
"It must be some kind of special clone...or maybe a projection created with genjutsu." Sakura suggested.
"I-I thought so too, so I checked the entire surrounding area with my Byakugan for other chakra sources...the only place his chakra is coming from is right here." Hinata said.
"Genjutsu can't fool the jutsu I use to navigate my surroundings. That's him, Sakura." Aisa added.
The whole thing only confused all of them. If it wasn't a normal jutsu, then it could only be one unique to him. Perhaps a blood line trait. That would make this horribly difficult for them.
"What do you think, Kakashi?" Yamato asked.
"It can only be some kind of technique that's unique to him. That makes things difficult for us, but..." Kakashi turned to look at Shino. "Shino."
Aisa shifted slightly when she felt the thousands upon thousands of bugs take flight, disrupting her chakra lines.
"Times like this are when secret clan techniques like Shino's are the most useful." Kakashi remarked.
"Eww! You're an Aburame? Not the bugs! Grooooss!" Tobi cried.
"You're actually pumped up, Shino!" Kiba called.
"Of course I am. Why? Because I was left out of the previous mission." Shino replied.
Aisa leaned towards Hinata and Sakura then, lowering her voice for only them to hear.
"He's going to keep harping on that, isn't he?" Aisa asked.
Hinata gave a tiny, sheepish laugh as Sakura heaved a sigh.
Shino's bugs attacked then, swarming Tobi. To avoid them, Tobi jumped out of the way. So as long as it was an attack with a fixed point of impact, he could phase it through his body, but he couldn't do so with attacks that came from several points. At least that was the theory they had come to.
"The Aburames don't fight by focusing their attacks on a single point. Their forte is taking control of a wide large area all around the enemy." Kakashi remarked.
"You never really worked with Shino, Naruto and you haven't at all, Aisa...just stand back and let him do his thing, unless you want a few bug bites, too!" Kiba said.
"No, thank you." Aisa replied.
Ihai, for the first time since they had met back up, popped his head up out of the bag on Aisa's back, giving a bark of agreement. He didn't like bugs anymore than Aisa did. Kiba and Naruto looked at the dog, but as quickly as he popped up, he vanished back into the bag, letting out little growls.
"Yeah well...you need to stay in there, so stop complaining." Aisa told the dog over her shoulder.
A sharp bark of retort sounded back at her and Aisa gave her bag a sharp jostle, making the puppy yelp once out of surprise. He didn't make another sound after that.
Aisa turned to focus her attention on the countless number of bugs now swarming around them, chasing Tobi. They surrounded Tobi, caging him in. Aisa never wanted to find herself in Tobi's position.
"He can't get out of this. Avoiding all those bugs simply isn't possible." Kakashi remarked.
Aisa really did hope that was the case. She didn't like the idea of an enemy she couldn't hit in some kind of fashion. Especially not one that gave her such a bad feeling as this one did.
"I'll finish this. Why? Not only am I part of the mission, but I must make up for not being there last time, as well." Shino remarked.
"Alright, so he is going to keep harping on that." Aisa muttered, Kiba muttering in agreement.
Before them, the bugs moved to completely cover Tobi's body, basically swallowing him whole. It made Aisa's skin crawl. She found Shino's control of those bugs to be fascinating, even amazing, but she would never want to be on the receiving end of one of his attacks. The mere thought of having that many bugs crawling all over her, made her skin crawl.
"How's it look Hinata?" Kakashi asked.
"R-right! I can confirm the target's chakra...he's still inside Shino-kun's bugs." Hinata said.
"Yamato!" Kakashi called.
"On it!" Yamato said, shifting wooden poles into place to attack at any moment.
"How're we doing, Shino?" Kakashi asked.
"He's still in there. How can I tell? Because the movement of my destruction bugs indicates they're still absorbing his chakra." Shino replied.
"Alright! Suck him dry, Shino!" Naruto cheered.
"Wait!"
All eyes turned to Aisa, who stiffened just about the same time as Shino. Aisa started shifting, turning as if she was searching for something.
"He just vanished...completely!" Aisa said.
Shino's bugs dispersed, Tobi no longer at the heart of them. Aisa shifted, searching their surrounding area for any trace of Tobi.
"My bugs were reacting to his chakra, and then they just...lost him. This is unprecedented..." Shino remarked.
"Was it a teleportation jutsu?" Sakura asked.
"No, it's wasn't." Aisa answered.
"She is right. How do I know? Because teleportation is merely high-speed movement. The bugs still would've sensed the direction he moved in and pursued. They wouldn't let him escape." Shino agreed.
"It has to be a space/time ninjutsu. There's no other way." Aisa said.
Kakashi glanced at her. A space/time ninjutsu? In this situation? Kakashi didn't see how that could be possible, but Aisa was right...it was the only answer they had. He watched as Aisa shifted uncomfortably.
"But he made no seals...I don't understand...and I don't have a good feeling about this." Aisa muttered.
Kakashi could agree with her on that too. Tobi hadn't made any seals and Kakashi was sure he had no summoning tattoos, and yet, he had still gotten his body out of the area. If it was true that it was time/space ninjutsu, than it had to be even more advanced than that of the Fourth Hokage's. Which didn't speak well for them.
"His entire body disappeared...can he just make himself cease to exist?" Yamato asked.
"No way...assuming he can make himself disappear at will, it makes sense he could do the same with individual body parts, too. In other words, he could..."remove" whatever part was about to be hit by an attack, making it appear like the attack just slipped through." Sakura remarked.
"That would mean he's definitely making our attacks go through him, not simply defending or avoiding them." Kakashi remarked.
Just then, Aisa perked up, turning on the spot.
"I found him." she said, pointing in the direction that she could sense him from.
Over their heads, standing on a wide tree limb, was Tobi. Like a childish idiot, he was waving happily at them. Losing his temper, Kiba attacked, but Tobi merely side stepped him, letting Kiba crash into the tree instead of him. The force of his attack carried Kiba straight through the tree limb and into the ground below.
"Well...that was a waste of breath." Aisa remarked.
"Damn it Kiba, you can't just jump out on your own!" Sakura snapped.
"...slipped right through him again...son of a bitch!" Kiba muttered.
"Kiba...he merely side stepped you." Aisa informed him.
Suddenly, as new source of chakra entered Aisa's web of chakra lines. She shifted, turning towards Tobi.
"Someone else is here." Aisa said in warning.
The others turned to look at Tobi as something that resembled a venus fly trap, grew out of the tree branch beside Tobi and opened, revealing a person in side.
"What...is that?" Sakura asked.
"He's in the Akatsuki file Kabuto left behind." Kakashi replied.
"God damnit, more people trying to delay us!?" Naruto snapped.
This new pop up didn't even pay them the slightest of attention, focusing solely on Tobi. What he had to tell Tobi, though, surprised everyone.
Everyone but Aisa.
"Sasuke won! Uchiha Itachi is dead."
"Whoooa! Didn't see that coming! Not. Just as I predicted." Tobi replied.
"Sasuke collapsed like, a second later, though...what do you say? He's probably fading fast." White Zetsu said.
"Yo, Aloe Vera! Where the fuck is Sasuke!?" Naruto demanded.
"Aloe Vera!?" White Zetsu asked.
"Just ignore him." Black Zetsu added.
Kakashi's eyes widened then, as he finally got somewhat of a peek through the eye hole of Tobi's mask and to the eye beneath.
"I'll play with you children some other time." Tobi said.
"Sharingan!? Who...who the hell is he!?" Kakashi asked.
"Bye bye! See ya later, Aiai." Tobi called.
Then with a wave of his hand, he vanished, piece by piece, before their eyes. Aisa grit her teeth as Kiba turned to look at her.
"Aiai?" he asked.
"I haven't heard that nickname since I was a child." Aisa admitted.
"So you know him?" Sakura asked, turning to her.
"No. The person that called me that, is dead. I don't know who that man is. I wish I did. Things might make more sense." Aisa replied.
Kakashi turned to them then. They could question all of this at a later time, though the way Naruto looked at Aisa, made Kakashi want to question it then and there. For now, though, they had to reach Sasuke before Tobi and Zetsu.
"We have to get Sasuke before them!" Kakashi called.
Kakashi turned then, scanning the area around them with his Sharingan. It was then that his eye caught on a large, dark cloud centered around a single point in the distance. Kakashi turned to Hinata, asking that she check it out. What she found was that the area was surrounded by a powerful chakra and was burning in black flames.
"Black flames? Amaterasu?" Aisa asked.
"That has to be it. Everyone follow me!" Kakashi, called.
Though they would move as fast as possible, Aisa already knew...they wouldn't reach Sasuke first. Not that it mattered at this point. The fight between Sasuke and Itachi was over and, as Aisa had thought, Itachi had lost. Her job was done and there was no further need for her to delay them.
Half way there, Kiba caught the scent, proclaiming that they had already reached Sasuke. Naruto cursed darkly, his teeth grinding together. It was then that they encountered the black flames of Itachi's Amaterasu. Using his jutsu, Yamato rose the burning ground into the air, splitting it in two to clear a way for them straight down the center. They left Yamato behind to see to the flames, but by the time they arrived, Sasuke was gone.
"There's still a trace of their scent...but..." Kiba trailed off.
"We're too late." Kakashi finished for him.
Naruto stared at the ground. They had failed again. From the very start it had seemed that everything was against them. As if something was purposely standing in their way.
Or someone.
Naruto turned his eyes to look at Aisa, who stood off to the side of the group, her face raised to the sky, rain trickling down her face.
Was what Itachi told him true? Was Aisa really not who she said she was and was she really against them? Itachi had told him that if he wanted to know if he could trust her, he should ask her what her real connection to the Uchiha brothers was. Naruto would ask.
He just hoped Itachi was lying.
-0-0-0-0-
Craggy, rocky ceiling.
That was the first thing Sasuke saw when he opened his eyes. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he glanced around, finding himself in a cave with a single candle lighting up the space.
"I gave you some first-aid."
Sasuke turned towards the voice, but the speaker was lost in the shadows. He knew someone was there, but they were just out of eyesight.
"It was very close, though...you're still badly wounded. You shouldn't be so reckless with your life."
Out of the shadows stepped the masked man, Tobi. The last person that Sasuke expected to see at this moment.
"We've met once before. As enemies. Don't worry about what happened with Deidara. I'm no longer your foe. I brought you here to tell you something important." Tobi told him.
Sasuke turned his eyes away from Tobi, not the least bit interested in anything he had to say. Tobi could see that much.
"Not interested, I see. Maybe you'll pay attention if I say it like this...it's about Uchiha Itachi."
That caught Sasuke's attention, making his eyes shift back to Tobi.
"There we go. You know so much about your brother, and at the same time, you know nothing. Alright, why don't I start by introducing myself...Like you, I'm a living breathing Uchiha." Tobi said, reaching up to shift his mask to the side, revealing the right side of his face with it's Sharingan eye. "And the man who knows the truth about Uchiha Itachi."
Before his Sharingan gaze, Tobi watched as the Sharingan in Sasuke's left eye suddenly activated before shifting to resemble Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, blood spilling from his eye like tears. Seconds later, Tobi's clothes burst into Amaterasu flames. Dropping his mask, he stumbled back into the shadows. Sasuke dropped his face into a hand, pressing a hand to his left eye as he panted.
"What...the hell...was that...?" Sasuke muttered lowly.
He glanced in the direction that Tobi had stumbled off in. After seeing the Amaterasu in action, himself, Sasuke didn't think he would survive it.
"The "Amaterasu" that Itachi implanted into you."
Sasuke's head jerked up when he heard Tobi's voice. Stepping out of the shadows, Tobi bent to pick up his mask, fixing it back into place, completely unharmed by the black flames.
"That Itachi...even in death, he never ceases to amaze me. Even planning for a situation like this." Tobi remarked.
"What...what are you saying?" Sasuke asked.
"He equipped you with his own jutsu as a last-ditch effort to kill me. Or perhaps his intention was simply to keep me away from you. I assume that he set things up so the sight of my Sharingan would automatically trigger Amaterasu to activate." Tobi said, thankful he had managed to keep some secrets from Itachi. "It's what you'd call a fail-safe...although he only got as far as the "fail" part."
"I have no idea what you're getting at." Sasuke told him.
"Look, Itachi did something to you just before he died, right?" Tobi asked.
Sasuke thought back to the end of his fight with Itachi when his brother poked him in the forehead as he use to do before he killed the clan. Sasuke hadn't thought anything of it at the time, though he had been confused by it.
"Somehow, at the last second, he transferred all his eye techniques into you." Tobi told him.
"...That makes no sense. What are you trying to say!? Why would Itachi want to-"
"You still don't know?" Tobi asked, cutting Sasuke off. "It was...to protect you."
Sasuke stared at him, unable to believe what he had just said. Itachi? Protect him!? Tobi had to have lost his mind!
"Pr...protect me!? Is that supposed to be funny!?" Sasuke demanded.
"As I said before, you knew so much about your brother, yet you knew nothing at all." Tobi replied.
"You keep screwing with me, and I will kill you!" Sasuke threatened.
"I see talking with you is going to be difficult. I guess I understand. Some weirdo takes you in and starts saying all these shocking things. But I assure you, I speak the truth. You asked Itachi yourself about the person who helped him that night. It was me. Uchiha Madara."
Sasuke's eyes widened. He stared down at his lap, unable to believe what he had heard. He had thought Itachi was making things up when he had told him that.
"I know everything there is to know about Itachi. Of course, he died without realizing just how much." Tobi, or rather, Madara, said.
"Enough! I don't care anymore! Go away and never come near me again!" Sasuke yelled.
"No, I think you need...you have to question me. It's your mission...your duty! You need to know about him...this man who risked everything to protect the shinobi world...the Leaf village...and most of all, his little brother. You need to know about Uchiha Itachi's life!" Madara said. "Do you understand why Itachi transferred Amaterasu into your eyes? The last thing Itachi wanted was for you and me to cross paths. And if you listen to what I have to say, everything will make sense."
Sasuke remained silent, gripping the blanket over his lap as if for dear life.
"The only Leaf villagers who knew everything about Itachi were the Third Hokage, his councilors Homura and Koharu and Danzou. With the Third's passing, only three of the four old relics remain. I doubt they'll ever speak a word of their sickening knowledge to anyone. The truth about your brother has been hidden with a vast, infinite darkness...that was undoubtedly, how he wanted it. But I know the truth, as well, as does one other person, and like I said before, Itachi died without realizing the extent of what I'd learned. But he was no fool...he clearly didn't trust me. He accounted for the remote possibility of me finding out and tried to shut me up permanently with Amaterasu. Apparently me revealing my Sharingan to you to gain your trust was within the range of his plan." Madara remarked.
"What...are you getting at?" Sasuke asked. "What's this guy...trying to say? Protect me? Protect me...? The "truth"?
"Think back. Recall everything you know about Itachi...slowly...carefully. Remember your loving older brother." Madara insisted.
"He...he tried to kill me...tried to steal my eyes..." Sasuke muttered.
By this point, Sasuke was so lost in his hyperventilating that he lost consciousness even after Madara tried to get him to calm down and take deep breaths. When next he awoke, he was leaned against the wall, his arms bound to his sides.
"You awake?" Madara asked from where he was perched on a crate. "I took the liberty of tying you up. I figured you wouldn't stay and listen otherwise...sorry."
Sasuke doubted he was really all that sorry, but he didn't say anything out loud. Not about that, at least. Being tied up was the least of his issues at the moment.
"He was...Itachi was my enemy. He killed my mother, my father...and everyone in my clan. He's a rogue ninja and member of the Akatsuki. I have every reason to hate him. My ambition was always to..."
Sasuke trailed off, staring at the floor as he tried to gather his thoughts. Madara crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back slightly as he spoke.
"What happened on that night and your memories of him massacring the Uchiha clan are all real. He fled the Leaf village immediately after. Had a little help with that part." Madara said.
"Then why...?"
"All done on orders given to him by the Leaf's top brass. And that is where the truth about your brother begins." Madara explained.
"Orders...a mission?" Sasuke asked, wide eyed.
"Yes. That night, Itachi left his old life behind and carried out the duty assigned to him." Madara said.
From the way Sasuke was focused on him, Madara could tell he now had his full attention. At least he wasn't hyperventilating this time around.
"You've calmed down...good." Madara remarked.
"What they hell are you saying!?" Sasuke demanded.
"For the rest to make sense, we must first return to the founding of the leaf." Madara told him. "Itachi was a sacrifice. The latest in a long line of fatalities. Part of a huge problem dating back to the first day of the hidden village's existence. One that decided the course of Itachi's life."
"...A sacrifice?"
"Correct. It's a long story, one that includes another face you know well, but I promise you, every words of it's true." Madara said.
"I'm not falling for this. I don't trust you one bit." Sasuke told him.
"I have no proof or evidence to offer. You're free to believe me or ignore me. But you will listen."
Sasuke stared at Madara for a long moment. Part of him didn't want to listen, but another part of him wanted to hear what he had to say. Finally, he agreed. As Madara said, he could choose rather to believe it or not.
"The story begins over eighty years ago. In an era of unrelenting violence and bloodshed. Nations crusaded for more rights, more land...the usual reasons for war. Back then, shinobi organizations weren't made up of multiple clans and families. Rather, each individual clan rented its military might to the highest bidder. And amongst those countless shinobi families, only three were truly feared as the strongest, one even known as a clan of cannibalistic monsters. We Uchiha, with our unparalleled chakra and Sharingan, were so gifted in the art of battle, we came to be considered an army. And within this renowned clan, I was born with the greatest, strongest chakra they'd ever seen. My stubborn refusal to die could be considered proof of that." Madara said.
He wasn't even kidding about that. After so long, the man should have been long gone, and yet, here he was.
"I spent every waking hour in battle. In an era where power was everything, I exhausted every resource I could to get more...friends, my brother...everything. But thanks to those efforts, I obtained a flawless Mangekyou Sharingan and became leader of the Uchiha. And with this power at my command, I often found myself pitted against, not only the Chirura, but the Senju. But the Chirura are a completely different story, one you'd be better off asking an actual clan member about. It was inevitable that I would one day face the Senju's leader, Hashirama. Senju Hashirama...the tree element user who became the first Hokage, the greatest ninja of his time, and the only man I had ever admired."
Sasuke knew enough about the Chirura to know why they had earned the title of cannibalistic monsters. He could imagine how hard it must have been, living in a time when constant fights with the red haired and red eyes members of that monstrous clan, was an every day occurrence.
"The first man to hold the title of "Hokage", Hashirama...he and his clan, the Senju were respected by every other shinobi clan as being the best. Respected...and feared. While the Chirura...they were just feared. There was no respect for a clan of people who bathed in blood and entered a battle field with grins on their faces. The three clans constantly clashed. When one would make a move, the other two would make a move. Our clan and the Chirura, were the only ones capable of standing up to the Senju. If one country hired the Senju, their enemies would hire the Uchiha or the Chirura. And through my constant fights with Hashirama, I became pretty famous myself." Madara said.
"You stole your brother's eyes...just to make yourself famous!?" Sasuke asked.
"I did...but only to gain the power I needed to protect the clan." Madara confirmed.
"Protect them?"
"As our fame and reputation spread, our enemies increased. In an era of unrelenting war, his eyes were sacrificed for the sake of protecting his bretheren from outside threats, like the Senju and even the Chirura. It was never about fame. My younger brother accepted his role and willingly gave his eyes to me. But one day, the Senju approached and proposed a truce...and the Uchiha accepted. They even extended the same proposal to the Chirura, who also accepted. Though it was later revealed to be a plot they had for bringing down both the Uchiha and the Senju in one fell swoop. A plot that failed, of course."
Sasuke knew, from past history lessons, that that plot was what had lead to the Chirura being banished from the village.
"As for the Uchiha and Senju...both our clans were fed up with the constant fighting. Everyone had had enough. I ended up being the lone voice of dissension. What happened to the hatred we had for them!? What did my brother sacrifice his eyes for!? The Uchiha and the Senju were like oil and water...and the truce changed nothing. The Chirura made that clear very quickly after the founding of the village. I was adamant that the Senju would eventually destroy us all...but no one else took my side. The Uchiha wanted peace, and as their leader, I had to follow their will. Soon after, our newly-formed alliance was employed by the Fire Country to help stabilize its borders. And with that, the system of one hidden village per country got its start. The Fire Country and Konoha. The surrounding nations started copying our system, and slowly but surely, the violence stopped. For once, we had real peace. But the Leaf itself was thrust into chaos because of two certain incidents."
"What were they?" Sasuke asked.
"The first was the Chirura turning on the village. The Senju and Uchiha, together, stopped them and the few hand full of them left after the fighting, were banished from the village for good. The second was...the selection of the village's leader...the first Hokage. As you already know, the honor fell to Senju Hashirama. All the villagers and people from all over the fire country supported him. It was clear to me that he would slowly strip the Uchiha of their rights and power. I knew, as their leader, that the only way to protect the clan was to stand up against Hashirama. But not a single person stood with me. They claimed I was trying to re-ignite the old flames of war, and turned their backs on me." Madara explained.
Madara explained how his own people had called him greedy, saying he only wanted power and that he had taken his brother's eyes only to save his own life. They had completely turned their backs on him, betrayed him and, as a result, he had left the village to become an avenger. This being what lead to the great fight between him and Hashirama at the Valley of the End. As far as history knew, that was supposedly where Madara had met his end and he had ceased to exist in history from then on.
"To deter anyone else from following in my footsteps, Hashirama's younger brother, the Second Hokage, gave the Uchiha special roles in the village as a sign of good faith. They were made into the Leaf's military police. But even that was a means to keep them out of government affairs. They were simply being grouped together to make keeping an eye on them easier. Some of our clansmen finally noticed and thought to stage a rebellion, as I had. But by then, it was too late. As the years passed, the Senju came to control everything. The once proud Uchiha were now nothing more than the Senju's playthings. Everything I tried to warn them about came true. And finally, the last straw...the event that sealed the Uchiha's clan's fate. You know all about it..."
Sasuke gave him a questioning look, wondering what he could have been talking about.
"The nine-tailed demon fox's appearance sixteen years ago."
"Are you serious?" Sasuke asked.
"Only our eye techniques are capable of controlling the nine-tails. So the Leaf's upper echelon suspected that an Uchiha was behind the attack. In actuality, it was just a freak occurrence. A natural disaster. The Uchiha were completely blameless. But the seeds of doubt had been sown. They believed the Uchiha had set their sights on controlling the village. The surveillance would need to be more thorough than a few Anbu. The clan's land was moved to a remote corner of the village. They had effectively been quarantined. The Third Hokage was the only one to voice any disapproval, but his two advisors and the Anbu leader, Danzou, overruled him. In the end, no one trusted the Uchiha. And the discrimination began. Being treated so poorly led to a lot of bad blood. And the Leaf's suspicions eventually became fact.
"The Uchiha came together and started organizing a coup d'etat. So the Leaf's leaders planted a spy amongst them. They chose your older brother...Uchiha Itachi. And that is where his life went from ordinary to a living hell." Madara said.
"The Uchiha planned a coup d'etat and Itachi was a spy?" Sasuke repeated.
"You had no idea what was really going on with the clan...you were still too young. But I assure you, this is all true. Your father, Fugaku, was the mastermind behind the whole plan. And Itachi, on his orders, joined the Anbu as his spy. But in reality, it was the opposite. Itachi was sending information about the clan to the village. I believe the common term is "double agent". You can't even begin to imagine the burden he had to carry."
"But why? Why would Itachi betray the clan?" Sasuke demanded.
"Someone who's never seen true war, such as yourself, may not be able to fully comprehend the answer. During the Third Ninja World War, Itachi, barely four years old, witnessed countless people slaughtered in cold blood. A four year old is still too immature to turn war into experience...for a child, war is hell. The trauma turned Itachi into a boy who loathed war and strife, and only desired peace. And a man who worked tirelessly to keep his village safe and stable, a man who refused to let fetters and familial ties interfere with his love for the village. The village leadership noted this, and used it against him. He was assigned a top secret mission. You know the phrase "Eye for an eye"? To take on the Uchiha, you need the Sharingan."
Sasuke knew exactly what that meant. To take on the Uchiha, they had used Itachi, possibly one of the greatest Uchihas there was.
"Exactly." Madara said, as if reading Sasuke's mind. "His top secret mission...was to wipe out the entire Uchiha clan. The emotion and inner turmoil he must have felt...it's beyond even my imagination. But as terrified as he must have been, the time to make a decision closed in quickly. To raise his hands against his own kinsman should have been unthinkable. But if a clan of the Uchiha's caliber started a civil war, it would've shaken not only the foundations of the Hidden Leaf village, but the Fire Country itself. And that would've opened the door for other countries to invade. Unrest in the Leaf would have been the trigger for a fourth wold war. The Uchiha's selfish desire for power would have caused the deaths of countless innocent bystanders. If you were in Itachi's shoes, what would you have done?"
Sasuke didn't have an answer for that. He couldn't even begin to imagine being in Itachi's position. He would never want to be in such a position.
"He didn't betray the clan because of a grudge, he simply had no alternative. The exclusion from the village's prosperous gains...the origins of their feud...no one can blame Itachi for making the decision he did, after having dealt with everything all by himself. Coincidentally, around the same time, I was looking to rekindle the flames of war. Remember, at this point I had a grudge against the Leaf and the Uchiha. But Itachi found me out. He was the only one to even notice my presence. He sought me out and gave me an ultimatum. In exchange for helping me take revenge on the Uchiha clan, I would agree not to make any moves against the village.
"I would help him murder his kinsmen but the Third Hokage simply refused to accept what was going on. He tried everything he could to convince the others that reconciliation with the Uchiha was the answer. Unfortunately, time ran out and he failed. It all led to that night. It was his duty. Killing his own clan and leaving the village in dishonor. It was all part of his duty. And Itachi fulfilled it. Except for one mistake. He was unable...to kill his own brother."
Sasuke turned to look at Madara. Itachi had been able to bring himself to kill everyone...but him?
"Afterwards, Itachi pleaded with the Third Hokage to protect you from Danzou and the elders. Then after threatening Danzo, he left the village. "If you lay a hand on Sasuke," he said, "I'll leak everything I know about the village to enemy countries". He was so worried about you. He even had a second pair of eyes always on you. But he couldn't tell you the truth. So this was all he could say. He gave you revenge as your goal. In order to make you stronger. He wanted you to believe that Uchiha was a clan Konoha would be proud of. He begged the Third Hokage not to tell you the truth. Since the day he left the village, he planned to fight you and die by your hand. So that you would gain a new power. This is the truth about Itachi."
"...lies...lies...you have to be lying..." Sasuke muttered, more to himself before turning his eyes on Madara. "You, Madara, you were the one who used the kyuubi to attack the village! Itachi told me everything! Nonsense...I was almost killed more than once."
"You would have been had Itachi been serious...that's certain." Madara replied.
"He even tried to kill me with the Mangekyo Sharingan! And yet..."
"It was all part of his plan. He had to drive you into a corner. You must have already realized the reason, right?" Madara asked.
Images of the part of his fight with Itachi in which Orchimaru made an appears, flashed into his mind. All of it, right down to Itachi absorbing Orchimaru out of his body and sealing him away.
"Freedom from the cursed seal and with the death of someone close to you...the battle would awaken your Mangekyo Sharingan. Itachi planned everything about that fight for you. And he played the role of trying to steal your eyes till the very end. Looks like you finally understand." Madara said.
"You're lying! You're the one who loosed the nine-tailed fox on the village! Itachi said it was all your doing! You did it so Uchiha would be falsely accused thanks to your games!" Sasuke snapped.
"Itachi lied to you...I told you. He was afraid you'd find out the truth. To make sure there wasn't the slightest possibility, he lied to you so you wouldn't trust me. Not only that, but he planted Amaterasu in your eyes."
"You expect me to believe you!? He's...! Itachi is evil! He's a criminal, killer of our clan, tainted by Akatsuki!" Sasuke insisted.
"After having left the village, burdened by an unforgivable crime, he joined Akatsuki in order to keep watch on that dangerous organization from the inside. Always thinking of Konoha and of you. The Third Hokage had sworn to protect you. The reason Itachi appeared in Konoha immediately after his death was because he wanted to warn Danzo and the village Elders, "I am alive". You were more important-"
"Lies! That's all-"
"But you're alive!" Madara insisted.
Sasuke jolted. More and more of what Itachi had said to him began to click into the place, the double meaning behind his words becoming clear.
"And then there was Aiai's part in all of this."
Sasuke's head snapped up. His eyes flew to Madara.
"Aiai?" he asked, somewhat afraid of where this was going.
"Noroi Aisa. Did you think her a passive bystander in all of this?"
Aisa had, for as long as he could remember, been a fixture in his life. Even before he first met her, Itachi had told him stories about her, had always come back from a mission with new news on how Aisa was doing in her life outside of the village. She had always been there, passing between the two brothers as if she was a neutral observer in everything.
Nothing more than that.
"She was the first person Itachi turned to, the one that gave him shelter for the first few weeks after he left the village. Since then, she has been covering for him, feeding him information on you. She's always been watching, playing the go-between between you and Itachi, all the while, helping him towards his end. She knew about everything, every aspect of his plan, and helped him. All so he wouldn't share her secrets. The same threat he used with Danzou, though, I'm sure she would have done it without the threat." Madara said.
Aisa...had helped Itachi plan his death?
"And, I am sure, now that he is dead, she will continue in his place to protect you. Itachi left his will to her, I'm positive. You couldn't see through Itachi at all. No more than you could Aisa. The two plotted together, never showing you their true colors. You couldn't see through the illusion. But Itachi... had killed his friend, his superiors...had killed his lover and his father and mother. The only one he couldn't kill...was his little brother." Madara said, walking over to Sasuke and cutting him free of the robe binding him. "The man who cried tears of blood as he smothered his emotions and killed his brethren...couldn't bring himself to kill you. Even left behind the most loyal of protectors he could find. Why do you think that is?"
It was slowly starting to hit Sasuke. Everything was clicking into place to make a clearer picture than any he had had before.
"For him, your life weighed more than the village. Until he died...no, even in death, he was thinking of you. So you would gain a new power. So that in defeating him and avenging the Uchiha clan...you would be hailed as a hero in Konoha. Eaten up by disease and feeling his own death approaching, he used medicine provided to him by Aisa, to prolong his life, relying on her to watch you when he couldn't. All for the sake of his beloved brother. He had to fight you...and die before your eyes. For the sake of Konoha's peace, and more than anything, for you, Uchiha Sasuke, he wanted to die a criminal, a traitor. Accepting dishonor in payment for honor...and hatred in payment for love, even then, Itachi died smiling."
Such incomparable love...that was what Itachi had left him. He had entrusted the Uchiha name to him, all the while, entrusting Aisa to continue watching over him. It now made sense why Aisa had appeared before him so much over the last few years, always "just dropping by". And in that moment, he finally remembered the last words Itachi spoke to him.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke...there won't be a next time."
-0-0-0-0-
By the time they returned to Konoha, night had fallen and their spirits had hit rock bottom. Tsunade met them at the gate and knew, from the moment she laid eyes on them, that they had failed.
"It was a failure?" she asked.
"Yes, my lady." Sakura replied.
"Damnit! The whole thing felt like we constantly had someone working against us! Even before that Akatsuki bastard showed up!" Kiba growled.
"We did."
Everyone turned to look at Naruto, who was staring at his feet. Sakura questioned what he meant and slowly, Naruto turned.
"Isn't that right...Aisa?"
All eyes turned to Aisa as she turned to face Naruto, one snowy eyebrow rocketing up in questioning.
"What are you talking about, Naruto?" she asked.
"When we were in the forest, one of my clones ran into Itachi." Naruto explained.
It was barely noticeable, just the slightest of movements, but Aisa stiffened up, her shoulders shifting under her cloak. It was almost like she knew whatever Itachi had said to Naruto, was something bad for her.
"Oh?" Aisa voiced, as if unconcerned.
"What's your relationship with him, Aisa?" Naruto asked.
"Naruto, why d-"
Naruto knocked Kiba's hand away from him, his attention focused on Aisa, who had yet to say a word.
"What is it, Aisa!?" he snapped.
Aisa remained quiet. If it wasn't for the visor, Naruto swore she would have been staring at him. The others just stood back, their eyes traveling between the two.
"Why does it matter?" Aisa asked.
Naruto felt like his stomach bottomed out. Itachi had told him that if she wouldn't answer him then he would know if he could trust her or not. She wasn't answering.
"He told me to ask you. Said that if I wanted to know if I could trust you than I should ask you. He said that if you refused to answer than I would have my answer." Naruto said.
Aisa turned to fully face him, squaring her shoulders in the process. Her eyebrow knitted together, as if in displeasure.
"And what else did he say?" she asked.
"He said I shouldn't trust you so easily, that it's in your nature to stab others in the back and look out for yourself and your own interests. That you aren't loyal to us or the village. He said he's known you since you were were a little kid and that he knows you better than anyone but Grandma Tsunade. And that he's seen you turn your back on friends and foes, even family. He said you made a deal with him! Did you?" Naruto asked.
"Naruto! Now isn't the time." Tsunade told him.
But Naruto ignored her. His focus was completely on Aisa.
"Did you!?" he yelled.
"Naruto, stop it! That's en-"
"Even in death, he still has to nose into my business."
Tsunade cut off, everyone turning to look at Aisa as she shook her head. One of her hands came up to run through her hair, pushing the bangs back from her face.
"He always did have to try to push me out of my comfort zone. Said it was good for me. I didn't think he would actually go this far, the jerk." Aisa remarked.
"Aisa...is what he said...is it really true?" Naruto asked.
Aisa dropped her hand. She might as well get this over with. Maybe Naruto would stop trying to push her if she did.
"Yeah...all of it."
Naruto's jaw dropped as the others turned surprised looks on Aisa. Naruto hadn't expected her to just flat out admit it! Tsunade walked up to Aisa's side, taking a hold of her arm and trying to get her to walk away now before she said something she would regret. Naruto, though, wasn't ready to let this go, or to let her off the hook.
"Why!? Aren't you our comrade? Our friend? Why would you get in the way of our mission?" Naruto demanded.
"Don't be naive, Naruto. You've known me less than a month." Aisa retorted. "I've told you before, I've made horrible mistakes in my past. Mistakes like turning my back on family. And it wasn't a mistake because I chose to turn my back. It was a mistake because I did...and let myself get stabbed in the back for my trouble. Yes, Itachi was right. I look out for myself and my own interest. For those closest to me. No one else. But that's human nature, isn't it? So, no, I'm not here because of some misguided loyalty to a village."
Tsunade groaned to herself. It was too late to stop Aisa now. She had started and now she wouldn't stop until she had told Naruto exact what she thought.
"I'm not like you, Naruto. I didn't grow up in a village, so I don't understand this whole "loyalty to a whole" that you and everyone else here seems to live by. Why should I feel loyalty to people I have never met in my life? I don't get it. But I do understand loyalty to those closest to me. Whatever you may think of me, Naruto, I am loyal to Tsuna-nee and as long as she dwells here, I will fight to protect this place, but only because she is here. And as long as the job she gives me is to protect you, I will do so." Aisa said.
"But you sabotaged our mission!" Naruto snapped.
"...Maybe next time you'll listen to me when I tell you not to push me." Aisa said simply.
Naruto couldn't believe his ears. She wasn't even trying to deny any of it.
"Trust me or not, Naruto, it doesn't really matter. I've done my job and will continue to do it. I'm not here to make friends, because when this is all said and done and you, and this village, are safe, I will go back to my solitary life. I made a deal with Itachi, yes, but I don't have to explain myself to you. If you want to hate me for it...well, that's your choice."
With that said, Aisa turned on her heel and walked away. Even Tsunade calling her name didn't make Aisa stop. Kakashi, who had watched the whole thing quietly, watched as Aisa walked away from them. She carried her head held high and never once looked back even when Naruto yelled, "Fine then!" back at her.
But Kakashi could have sworn...he saw her shoulders hunch ever so slightly in defeat.
END
Kyandi: And there's a little more of a glimpse at who Aisa really is.
Aisa: And in the next chapter, they'll get more.
Kyandi: Yep. For now, I'm pretty much going to go ahead and just wrap up this chapter.
Aisa: It really was on the longer side.
Kyandi: Yep. It would have been shorter, but I really wanted to include the back story with Itachi.
Aisa: I did play a part in it.
Kyandi: If only they knew how much.
Aisa: Spoilers.
Kyandi: Right! Everyone, please enjoy and review.
Aisa: We shall return soon.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!