CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sasuke was in an unfamiliar room. It was strange. The room was all white and there was nothing in it except for the bed he was sitting on. The door was ajar, but Sasuke couldn't see beyond it.
With a start he realized that his brother was sitting next to him.
Sasuke knew that he should be feeling something. But this was the calmest he'd felt since... perhaps since he was eight years old.
And then, as unexpectedly as possible, Naruto came rushing through the door. But really, he wasn't sure if he should be surprised or not. Naruto only worked in the unexpected.
He was angry about something and he looked older somehow. In fact, they all looked older.
The loud boy said something to Itachi. But if he was so loud, why could Sasuke hear him? His brother rose and responded, just as silently. A taunt from the look on Naruto's face.
Sasuke rose from his seat too, but he seemed to be moving more slowly than everyone else.
All of a sudden the rasengan was shining from the center of Naruto palm. That made so sense. Just a week or so ago, during their own fight, Naruto hadn't been able to make one without the assistance of one of his clones.
But most shocking of all was that his older brother just stood there while the younger boy slammed the ball of chakra into his chest.
Sasuke gasped, but could move no more than he could hear their words. Sasuke was revolted by the smell of burning flesh so near, but was distracted by the blood that spurted out of his brother's neck. Sasuke hadn't seen the kunai pierce Itachi's neck, but he heard the clang when it hit the floor.
The white had now been splattered by a frightening amount of red, but Itachi was still standing there as if nothing had happened. His eyes mocked Naruto. Sasuke's eyes flickered to his brother's, a crucial point that had been left unharmed. Sasuke's team mate saw this at the same time, and, finally, Sasuke heard his brother's voice.
"Go for it," he told Naruto, calm as ever, as if he doubted the boy would. "It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?"
What Sasuke felt next wasn't merely a pang. It was as if the kunai had struck his own heart. For his brother's voice wasn't the cold unfeeling one that he'd last heard, but the one that he had used to address him with when they were younger.
No! He thought as Naruto sunk the tip of his kunai into his brother's eyes, blinding him. What are you doing? But the world had gone silent again and his voice was useless.
More chilling than that was that he could feel him self going through the motions though he was merely watching. How could he feel himself literally in Naruto's shoes when he couldn't move his own?
Perhaps the most chilling thing of all was that his brother was standing there, no longer calm, but not in any obvious pain either. He began chuckling, slightly like someone who was rightfully mad would.
Things began to fade and sway, in and out of focus. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this lightheaded. He wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else. He didn't want to see this anymore and didn't think he could bear seeing whatever came next without becoming unhinged himself.
Finally, everything faded completely as he fell back into himself.
...
Sasuke sprang up in bed. Beads of sweat were pouring down his forehead and he couldn't have screamed if he tried. His voice was still sealed away, locked in his dream.
He shuddered. Stop that! He chided himself. But he couldn't muster anywhere near the amount of defiance he was hoping for. He was too relieved that he could now form clear, coherent thoughts.
Sasuke wished for nothing more than for the dream to just fade away completely. To go black as quickly as reality had returned. Quicker if possible. But his brother's voice came floating back out to him.
"This is what you always wanted, isn't it?"
Not always, he thought. Yes, that had been his dream for the past five years or so, but, as he was starting to learn, it was important that he remember there was a time before that. A time when he'd idolized his older brother. And then there was now. It made him uneasy to realize that he was no longer sure which side of the line he stood on.
...
Unknown to Sasuke, Kakashi was standing
around a corner, peering in at him. If he had cared that this made him appear somewhat stalkerish he may have tried to think up all the reasons why this was not so as he watched his student. But he didn't care, so his thoughts were not plagued with anything even scarcely resembling guilt. Beside, he had nothing on the fangirls.
And Kakashi was only awake at this time of night because he had just recently been the victim of one of his own nightmare.
It didn't show and he probably wouldn't have admitted to it, but Kakashi was just the slightest bit worried. He knew he'd have to tell Sasuke that his brother was here. Sometime relatively soon.
The only thing holding him back was that he wasn't sure if this would improve matters or make them worse.
...
Much to her disliking Sakura was awoken at the first hint of dawn.
The sun was just barely peeking over the treetops when her mother's shrill voice called up to her.
"SAKURA! The Hokage's here to see you!"
Sakura grumbled something unintelligible until her mother's words sunk in and her eyes popped open.
Sakura jumped out of bed (stumbling slightly) and rushed down the stairs. Once there she found the strangest sight. The Hokage had been invited into their kitchen.
But if Tsunade noticed she didn't seem to fit the picture she didn't show it. She had that look on her face that told Sakura it was time to get down to business.
"Lady Hokage," said Sakura, still a little disoriented "What's going on? What are you doing here?"
"Get dressed." Tsunade told her impatiently. "And hurry."
Sakura nodded and rushed back upstairs.
...
Meanwhile Kakashi and Sasuke were just making their way into the kitchen. Both had tried to go back to sleep. Neither had succeeded.
Sasuke slumped down into his seat and let his eyes droop shut as Kakashi made his way over to the window.
Sasuke reopened his eyes when he heard no further movement. Kakashi had opened the window and was staring out at the branch of a tree right next to it.
What was he doing? There wasn't even a bird on the branch.
But then, Pakkun appeared carrying a note.
"I'm afraid we have another problem."
...
"Where are we going?" Sakura asked and the two made their way deeper and deeper into the forest. But her mentor gave no answer.
At last she saw that the trees were beginning to thin out; they were reaching a clearing of some sort.
An Anbu dropped down from the trees as the neared, swift and silent- key traits for any ninja, but expected of an Anbu Black Ops member.
No doubt he was their guard, but he stepped aside when he saw that it was the Hokage. Up in the trees there were two more.
When the guard moved aside one of them, surely a newer member said to the other one, "Wait, she's just a genin. Is she cleared to be back here?"
The other one smacked him on the arm, but his face couldn't be seen since he was wearing a mask. "Shut up, you idiot!" The older, more experience one hissed. "She's with the Hokage!"
Sakura smiled to herself as the trees thinned out even more until they stepped out into direct sunlight.
In the center was a cage. Sakura couldn't see who was inside, but the figure was slumped against the bars.
An Anbu with long, purple hair dropped down in front of them, blocking her view.
"I think he's getting worse, M'lady." Her voice held a hint of worry which was surprising for one who had been so thoroughly trained in the art of hiding your emotions.
Tsunade nodded, still looking a bit impatient and annoyed.
"I expected so, Yugao. Please." Without saying anything more the purple-haired girl stepped aside and the doctor and her apprentice walked up to the cage.
Sakura saw a young man of about eighteen or nineteen in a cloak marking him as an Akatsuki member. (Though really he'd been allowed to keep it to keep warm, Itachi hadn't worn it until the night before when it had become frightfully cold.) He had long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and a very pale face. Much to pale to be assumed healthy.
When they got as close to the bars as they could without actually stepping inside the cage, the man opened his eyes. For a moment Sakura's green eyes stared into his haunted black ones and then she stepped back in shock.
She seen almost this exact image only younger when Sasuke had been in the hospital after his fight with Naruto.
"Oh, Kami..." she murmured in a shaky voice. Her hands were trembling. "I know who you are."
Tsunade sighed. "I'm sure everyone in the village knows who he is, but that's not the big problem right now."
Itachi's eyes closed again, and Sakura couldn't tell if he'd lost consciousness or not.
Gathering her courage, Sakura stepped back up to the bars. Tsunade opened the cage with a key she pulled out of her pocket and the two entered the cage and walked up to the outlaw.
Sakura couldn't deny the shudder that passed through her when she heard the barred door clang back behind her.
...
"What's going on?"
Kakashi looked over as if he'd forgotten his student was even there, and then he and Pakkun shared a look.
"What wrong?" Sasuke asked again. He began to get up, but Kakashi motioned for him to sit back down. Slowly and reluctantly he did so.
Kakashi came over and stood on the other side of the table. He spared Pakkun one more glance who just shrugged and said, "It's your call, Chief." And then he was gone.
Sasuke hated to think what his expression resembled as he looked up at his teacher.
Finally, the man spoke. "I might as well be blunt. Sasuke, your brother is back in the village."
It was almost like being back in his dream. "W-What?"
While his student got over the initial shock, Kakashi opened and read the note left by Pakkun.
Just great...
Finally, Sasuke was able to emit another word. "A-alive?"
Kakashi couldn't judge his thoughts based on his tone and he would've bet anything that Sasuke wanted to keep it that way.
"For now." Kakashi answered though, truthfully he wasn't sure.
...
Itachi had been moved to a private operating room in the hospital, despite the fact that he technically wasn't being operated on. Not yet anyway.
If he had been conscious he'd made no protest when he'd been moved. Tsunade feared that he was getting weaker by the minute.
He was hooked up to a bunch of monitors, but so far Sakura hadn't gotten any answer out of Tsunade as of just what exactly they were doing to him. Finally she asked, "What do you think is wrong with him?"
Tsunade let out a breath. "I'm not sure exactly. We can't be certain until the tests come back. All I can say right now is that the problem's stemming from his heart."
Sakura looked him over. Itachi seemed more weathered than before.
"Who knows where he's been." she said quietly. "He could've picked up a virus or something anywhere."
Tsunade said nothing, but Sakura knew they were both hoping for infection rather than virus.
Tsunade was holding out on her; the only thing Sakura was certain of was that she didn't want Itachi to die before she knew everything.
And if it was a virus there was no guarantee they could cure it.
Review please! Okay, so this chapter was a little darker than all the others.
The thing that gave me the motivation to write this chapter was Sasuke's dream. It was actually my dream last night. A tad bit creepy...
I don't own Naruto!
Now it's time to thank the reviewers once again. (And once again I've been slacking)
CHAPTER EIGHT:
SkyeandMax: Well, first, I LOVE your story and I hope it gets even more followers than it already has because it's awesome! And second, yeah I wanted to add Gai in there somehow even though he really doesn't play that big a part. ^^
CammyHaartsItachi4evaAlways: Itachi's one of my favorite characters too. (If you couldn't already tell) And the grammar freak within me is yelling at me to tell you that you used the wrong 'hearts' ^^ I really appreciate the review!
LiliL-1113: Thanks, here's your update. (Just in case you're reading this, what does your name mean?)
Mar-VIII: I was worried about all their reactions. (You get to see Sakura's in this chapter) I'm trying to keep them as in-character as possible.
troublesforherx: Ah, yes. The long-awaited, getting to see how Sasuke reacts to learning Itachi's in the village. Well, it finally happened!
Sasuke-Fan-723: Ah, one of my loyal followers, lol. ^^ I'm glad you love the fic and your reviews make me smile every single time.
Gazing on the Arabesque: I was actually a little ashamed with what I did for Sasuke's reaction. Because he's changed a lot between Shippuden Sasuke and thirteen-year-old Sasuke. And I mostly based his reaction here off of what Shippuden Sasuke did. ^^' But, I myself didn't have the energy to make this into a total screaming match between him and everyone else in this story. Plus, I like to think he's more mature than that, even as twisted as he is. And yes, Sakura is finally becoming important to the plotline.
LucyLu: Thanks for the review! Usually the only time I don't leave a review on someone else's story is because I'm too lazy to log in and the person doesn't allow anonymous reviewers. ^^' Which is why I do!
goldengreaser: Okay, I don't mean to go all creeper-fangirl on you here, but I'm going to. I don't know about the rest of you, but for me there are just some authors on this site who have so many awesome stories that they've become fanfiction celebrities for me. You, goldengreaser, are one of those people. So, needless to say, I was freaking out when I saw that you'd reviewed one of my stories. ^^' I really appreciate it!
Sasuke's Pal: Another loyal reviewer. :) You've become my pal too! :)
CHAPTER NINE:
SkyeandMax: Wow... I've never been compared to them before. *blushing* Thanks! You got Itachi! ;)
Pen-Name-Kitsune-Chan: I like your pen name. :) I updated!
magicaltoothbrush: Well, for the sake of this story, Sasuke will have to accept Itachi. As you can begin to see in this chapter. :)
xooreoxo: It's kinda too bad that the Leaf and the Uchiha couldn't just be one big family. :( Thanks for the review! :)
CammyHaartsItachi4evaAlways: Hey, here you are again. :) Thanks!
Jugo'sGirl: I love suspense. ^^ (If you couldn't already tell) Yeah, Naruto's story is going to have to take a back-seat for a little while.
troublesforherx: Story Spoiler! Naruto will find out eventually. ;)
Sasuke's-Fan-723: ^^ This is what I mean when I said you were a loyal reviewer.
CHAPTER TEN:
Luna Uchiha 666: I love to see new reviewers! ^^ And I really like your pen name. Here's chapter eleven!
Black maid56: Yay! Another new reviewer!
CammyHaartsItachi4evaAlways: Yeah, the whole Itachi in a cage thing gives me mixed feelings. (And I'm the one writing him into the cage! Well, I got him out in this chapter... not so sure if that's better or not...)
Gonstika: Haha, I love your profile picture! Here is the next chapter.
Itachi-nii: Whoa... Look at you, predicting a bunch of key parts to the story! D: (That's a face of surprise, I'm not upset) Also, THANK YOU for having such good grammar in your review! ^^
BlackGryphon101: Wow! Look at the onslaught of new reviewers! I like this. :)
xooreoxo: To be honest, I'm not completely sure what I'm going to do with Orochimaru yet... ^^' Yeah, he's still pretty confused.
troublesforherx: In the hospital! Sorry, I'm pretty sure that didn't really tell you where Itachi's being kept in the village.
Sasuke-Fan-723: Have I mentioned how much I love seeing that you review every time?
And that's about it! :) Thank you, guys I really, really appreciate all the reviews and I hope you liked chapter eleven!
As for when chapter twelve will come out... I have no idea yet...