Chapter Eleven: Rasengan and Chidori

The last paper was placed into its proper tan colored file folder. I handed to the file to Kaeda. "That's the last bit of the report." I told her. She nodded and left my office as she went to fulfill her duties. I sighed and leaned back at looked at the clock and then out the window. It was beginning to rain a little bit which had be very confusing, it was bright and sunny that very morning with no chance of rain, but there it was

I stood from my seat and got ready to leave. It was just a day were we finished early. Work was mediocre and I had the time to pick up my younger brother from the academy. Since it was a rainy day and I was sure that Sasuke didn't have his umbrella with him, I had to go. The walk there was completely silent except for the drop falling to the ground

As all the students rushed out of the school I looked out for my little brother. When Sasuke saw me he smiled brightly. I smiled back, knowing that exams were coming soon and he wanted all the emotion support he could withstand before it became too much. After all, I knew just how tender Sasuke was.

He rushed to me. "Hello, Sasuke." I said holding the navy umbrella over our heads.

"Hello, big brother."

"Ready to go home?" I asked. Sasuke smiled brightly and nodded. Out of the corner of my eye I saw blonde hair. A young blonde haired boy was sitting there on his own, under a nearby tree, sitting alone on the old swing that had been there for the longest time. It was there when I was in school. "Sasuke? Who's that?"

"Oh? Him? That's Naruto. He's an idiot." My head flashed to the two people who were his parents and I smiled.

"Yes, an idiot." I whispered to myself, even if I knew better. I had seen his type a lot. The upset ones who decided to wear big smiles on their faces, hoping in convincing others he was happy he could trick himself into believing the same thing. Naruto, then it struck me, he was the son of the fourth. I remembered that. I remembered him.

I spent the rest of the afternoon with Sasuke at home helping him with his shuriken jutsu just for a short time. Of course soon, Mother scolded Sasuke about not doing his homework and reminded him that his exams where coming soon. Of course, after a cute pout and me insisting that it was fine and I would help him, we snuck off and enjoyed our time. As much as I enjoyed those small moments, it came to an end when I was called back to work. I smiled at Sasuke and asked for his forgiveness before I left.

When I first arrived back to the office the first person I saw was Youhei near the door. "What happened? Why were we called?"

"Apparently as soon as Kaeda handed in our mission report we were handed another." Youhei said rolling his eyes.

"Ah geez, they might work us to death." Said the overdramatic, Isako.

Kaeda and Taiyo soon joined us and soon we were ready to head out for the new mission. Of course, I was still thinking about Naruto, a sheepish smile was plastered all over my face. I had recalled the time where my mother had told her about a good friend that she had, the wife of the fourth Hokage. It amazed me, how my family and clan could have harbored hatred for Konaha and its people and yet my mother was best friends with one of those people.

From the sound of my mother's tone, as she relayed the excitement of the woman who couldn't wait to become a mother, I knew that they were close. Even more that they cared for each other deeply. Perhaps their relationship wasn't the typical trend of shinobi, the comrade and rival combination but it was one of trust. At that moment something called in me and I looked back towards the Hokage Mountain and stared at the dear fourth Hokage and thought of my father.

Sasuke and Naruto popped into my head and various history lessons that could not be unlearned. It made me wonder if perhaps the two of them could be friends. Even if Sasuke considered Naruto an idiot, could a day come where the two of them fought alongside each other as comrades and rivals at the same time? Only time would tell. But I couldn't help but harbor that hope, the hope that perhaps they could be the bridge that ends the senseless hatred. Perhaps they could be the ones who build new paths for what a shinobi should be.


The fire on top of the roof began to dissipate and revealed Naruto charging up the rasengan. Sasuke was taken back at the powerful chakra and immediately to combat it began charging chidori. Soon the two got closer and closer to clashing their ultimate techniques.

"I will win no matter what!" Naruto shouted.

"Don't flatter yourself!" Sasuke yells replied.

Sakura stood there hands folded in front of her, "Stop it both of you…" She whispered under her breath. "Stop it!" She screamed and ran out from the safety of the door frame, just before she could get in the middle someone else got there before her. One hand grabbed Sasuke's wrist and the other hand grabbed Naruto's wrist. They were thrown with their own speed and power into two water towers. Sasuke pierced one water tower and Naruto the other.

Both their chakra's reduced dramatically with those attacks. Kakashi stood aloof with Sakura at his side. His lazy eye glanced at them. "What're you guys doing up on top of the hospital?" He asked, playing dumb. "You went a bit too far for just a fight, you two."

Naruto was shaking from all the chakra that he had depleted. He removed his hand from the impact on the water tower and only a small stream of water came out. On the other hand, Sasuke had to wrench out his hand from the water tower and the water gushed out. When Sasuke saw the difference, he smirked, pride blazed in him and the fact that his technique was more powerful than Naruto's.

"Were you going to kill Naruto, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, bluntly. Sasuke was confused as the why the voice was coming from a different location. He looked up at saw the white haired man sitting on top of the water tower. "What're you doing giving yourself over to a sense of superiority?" Kakashi scolded. Sasuke only glared at his teacher, hating the relaxed attitude he had. "The size of the chidori there wasn't one to be aimed at a comrade of the same village." The glare grew. "Why such infantile behavior?"

Sasuke did a back flip over the fence that surrounded the roof and landed on a little platform beside the roof that was behind the water towers. When Sasuke lifted his head he heard water running and only saw that the side of the water tower opposite to Naturo's impact site had been completely blown off by his rasengan. Sasuke stood there shocked, pissed and feeling inferior to Naruto for the second time. "Damn it." He whispered and punched the wall.


"Oi, don't you think that's a bit too spicey?" Kisame asked. Kisame was in Itachi's room as the two of them discussed a matter of the Akatsuki, but it was also the time Kaeda was eating. For some reason this teen had decided to pack on shichimi onto her pork dumpling. Kaeda looked up from her food with her chop sticks in one hand and a small jar of shichimi in another.

Itachi sighed. "Kisame…" He said trying to have his focus back on the topic. The sharkman was easily distracted by the female present where as the nonchalant Uchiha could care less about her presence. Yet again, this was an impassive Uchiha. It didn't matter that he was in a building surrounded by men and was currently housing a woman. He was an Uchiha and somehow kept his complete cool.

Kaeda swallowed the food she had in her mouth. "Don't you know, Itachi? There are two ways into a man's heart, food and sex." Smartass. Itachi thought and couldn't help himself from rolling his eyes at this clever and annoying remark.

Kisame laughed. "She really is an amusing pet."

Itachi went back to the file, pushing out the nonsense that he was hearing. "Between the two of us, you are more suitable to handle this fight, Kisame."

His shark teeth glistened in the light. "Of course, Itachi."

"I will go with you," He began. "My sharingan might help you slow him down." He shuffled through a few papers. "Unless…" He smirked a little. "Leader-sama tells us that there cannot be any movement for the time being." Both Kaeda and Kisame were confused at what seemed like foreknowledge. "Let's go get dinner." Itachi said, standing.

Kisame chuckled and smiled. "Alright then." He said and stood. "Well then, good bye, pet."

"Kaeda!" The kunoichi said, reminding him. Kisame smirked at her and began to leave. Itachi close behind with the file they had before in hand, "Itachi." She said.

The raven haired man turned to her. Their eyes locked for a moment. Kaeda was the one to break the gaze. "Where the dumplings store bought?" She asked.

"Why does it matter?" He asked.

There was a moment of silence. "They were horrendous." Kaeda muttered.

Again silence. "Try to get some sleep." Itachi said, his eyes continued being on her. She could still sense him being in the room, him just staring at her and he knew that she was feeling uncomfortable or at least… strange… under his eyes. "Your hair has gotten longer." He stated. Her brown eyes went back to meet with his obsidian ones. "Do you want a kunai to cut it?" He asked and then he shook his head. "Nevermind, you could probably escape with just a kunai." He whispered and began to leave again.

"Itachi." She said, stopping him again. "I would like… to trim my hair a little bit." She said. He nodded and closed the door behind him. Kisame, who was a few feet away from him, smirked. If I didn't know him better and what kind of person he was, I would have killed him. Itachi approached Kisame. "Let's go."


"Sakura, thank you." Why are you walking? Why are you going away? Sasuke… not only are you blind but you are also deaf. Why can you not hear the cries of those begging you to stay? Even those so far away?

Sasuke walked with the only sound around him was the soft rustle of the grass under his feet. It seemed as though nature itself was holding its breath in anticipation for Sasuke's walk towards the darkness. The world was waiting for him to rush back home and lift all the photos he had turned down, the happy part of his past he refused to accept.

"We were waiting for you, Sasuke." One of the sound four said as the raven haired boy approached.

"What's your intention?" Sasuke asked, coolly as usual.

He glanced coldly at the shinobi bowing down before him. "It was already decided that you would be our leader the moment you exited the village. Please forgive our rudeness up to now." Their heads bowed even further.

Sasuke didn't even spare a smirk. He simply began to walk, going right past them. "I don't care about any of that." The sound four stood on their feet, now the five standing in a straight line. His eyes nearly began to glow as the wind began to protest against his decision, a new Sasuke had emerged out of hate and rage. "This is the beginning."


Everyone was halted from being allowed to move outside of the village. All Akatsuki activity had ended. It was halted, for reasons only the leaders knew. Yet, as soon as the order was given, Hidan and Deidara began protesting and most of the S-ranked criminals.

"What a pain!" Hidan snapped.

Kisame smirked down at Itachi as they both sat on the couch again. "You knew." Kisame whispered. "How did you know?"

Itachi flipped through the file they were examining eariler, "Could it be any other way?" He asked. Kisame chuckled and went back to watching the other Akatsuki members screaming and raging. In the midst of it though, no one noticed a female presence slipping by. Itachi's eyes glanced over to the blue haired kunoichi.

Konan walked up the stairs, her purpose out of even Itachi's sharingan. Itachi set down the file making Kisame fly into confusion when Itachi stood and began to leave. Konan was lost from his sight but her chakra wasn't. He could see her location and his heart stopped when he noticed where she was. She was in front of his bedroom door and ready to opening it, leaving Kaeda there with one of the most powerful members of the criminal organization.

Konan knocked on the door of the genius' room. Kaeda looked from the book in her hand to door. Kaeda granted permission for the person to enter knowing it must have been someone other than Itachi. Konan unlocked and entered the door. Kaeda stood. Her feet took her to the door without her will and her ears listened to the words said without her will. Her body froze. She couldn't shake, she couldn't cry nor could she breathe. Itachi stepped into the doorway. "Thank you for telling her, Konan." Itachi said, "Excuse-"

"I need to go." Kaeda said trying to escape the room. Itachi caught her and held her with one arm. "Stop! Let go!" She screamed immediately. Itachi looked at Konan who nodded to him silently and left. Itachi dragged Kaeda back into the room and closed the door behind them. He tossed her towards the opposite wall. Her back hit the window and she slid down to the ground, trying her hardest not to cry, not to break down the doors and go running after the gennin.

Itachi sighed. "Kaeda…"

"Shut up!" She screamed. "Don't talk to me! Don't even-…" She couldn't keep her voice even. Kaeda covered her eyes. Memories of pulling on his cheeks to get him to smile flew through her head, Sasuke's cocky smirks, his cute little sleeping face and his enormous appetite even if he refused he had one. She wanted to laugh but she wanted to cry. Sasuke was heading for Orochimaru… it was something she feared so much, how often had she tried to fill the void of hate and revenge and she felt the failure now more than ever. "He's the one thing… he's the one person I wanted to protect without fail." She whispered tears spilling from her eyes.

Itachi watched, seemingly cold. He walked until he stood in front of her. He picked her up by her arm, her body weakened by the emotions that were wracking through her body. She struggled a little but as she was trying to pound her fists onto his chest, Itachi's hand sneaked behind her head and pulled her head to his chest, shocking her. "Just cry." She grasped his shirt and began to ball her eyes and her whole body trembling.

It felt like they were ANBU again, once again facing the death of a comrade, or at least that's what seemed like. It at least looked like the same sad scene of the medic covered in blood and clenching onto the remaining living comrade. Itachi kept his hand on her head and after a while wrapped his free arm around her waist. "He'll be fine. You know Sasuke is strong." He whispered to Kaeda. "Orochimaru will not harm him. He will make it through this, I promise."

She shook her head against him. "Is no one trying to save him?" She asked ready to break down again. "No one wants to help him?" She asked. "None of the leaf shinobi were sent after him?!" She asked getting sad and angry again. She pushed herself away from Itachi, Itachi tried to grasp her again and she only pulled away. Her attempts to pull away turned into a small struggle.

Eventually he had her wrists and pinned them to the wall next to her head. "One chunnin and four gennin have gone after him. Here are four sound shinobi with Sasuke… Kaeda, accept that he won't make it back." He said.

Kaeda snapped, "He will! He has to…" She whispered at the end and her head slumped forward. "He has to…" She was begging at this point. "Please, Itachi… please, if you cared, even just a little bit… please stop this." She begged him, clenching her fists. Itachi released her wrist and the girl grasped his shirt. "Please save him." It was a futile plea but she had to make it. She had no one else to turn to. This wasn't Konaha where she would be able to call chuunin, jounin and even some ANBU allies to help her at a time of need.

He pushed her hair out of her face and brushed away her tears. "Be quiet, Kaeda." She lifted her head to look at him, their eyes locked again. She reached up on her toes and Itachi lowered his head as if he knew what her intention was. She placed her lips on his headband over the leaf symbol, despite the mark over it. Itachi's hands slipped down to her waist and he held her there in place. Once Kaeda lowered herself she was stuck, caught in between the window and Itachi Uchiha.

Stuck in between freedom and the darkness, she began to feel like she was being asphyxiated. Unable to do anything else, Kaeda stood there in Itachi's grasp. Slowly, thoughts and emotions began to slip away from her. Slowly, after about two month of being there, she was slowly surrendering back to her captain, to her leader. "I hate you."

"Liar." Itachi mumbled under his breath, and since Kaeda was so close, she heard it. Small tears began to run down her face. Itachi let go of her hips and cupped her face in his hands. Kaeda touched his wrists gently. "You're a horrible, terrible liar." He whispered as lips approached hers until they finally locked and once they did it felt like complete relief for Itachi. His constant internal battle with himself and his sins seemed to just stop. Kaeda broke the kiss and bit her bottom lip and the battle came back full force in his head. Itachi couldn't help but leaned in again and took her lips again, his head was quiet if only for this moment. His thumbs whipped away her tears softly. Kaeda stayed in that kiss and grasped onto the fabric near his chest.

Once the kiss was broken, she rested her head back into his chest. Itachi just held her in place, glad she was relaxed. He smoothed out her hair. I know this pain, I know this pain… He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. She snuck her arms free and wrapped her arms around his waist, grasping the back of his shirt. Itachi looked down, actually shocked by that. You haven't changed at all, Kaeda. He quickly pecked the top of her head trying to comfort her, still feeling the vibes of sorrow simply radiating off of her.

Kaeda sighed heavily and relaxed back against the window and they locked eyes again. As his eyes turned red her eyelids began to fall to cover her bright brown eyes. They both had to let events that could not be changed flow as it should, like grains of sand slipping through their fingers no matter how frantically they tried to stop it.


What are you dreaming of, Sasuke? What is this half death like? How is death? Tell me… For I wish that I could start fearing the thing that I've been staring at for years now. Sasuke… are you even listening to me anymore? Or have you completely derailed?

A surge came over him, a surge of power and a coldness of emotion. The boy who broke free of his wooden barrier stood on the sunny and grassy field. Just his aura was enough to draw rain clouds and enough to kill the life surrounding him. The darkness he was in was too immense for just one small body.

And he knew, this young boy of thirteen knew that what he was feeling was simply a fraction of his power and as he grew, this insane power would grow and as his body did the same they would meet half way and fit perfectly. This power, this chakra, this rush was beyond comprehension and only led to one single direction, more power, power that would accomplish his greatest desires. It would be the power that would end the life of that certain man, without fail.

Sasuke knew there was one place he was meant to go. It was deeper into the darkness, and into the snake's mouth. It was time for him to get lost in the darkness and walk right into the hands of so many horrible people and play his role in this elaborate chess game.


Frightening images plagued the mind of the young ex-ANBU. She tossed and turned in the arms of a man, when she should have been exhausted and sound asleep in his bed. After a few moments of the mental torture, she opened her eyes and sat up, shivering. Out of the corner of her eye she swore she saw a man standing there watching them and Kaeda pulled the sheets up to her chest. Yet, no man was there.

Itachi's hand reached up and trailed her spin. "Kaeda, it was just a bad dream…" The man that continued lying beside her said, his voices gruff from the tiredness he was feeling. "Kaeda…" Itachi said her name again and finally managed to draw her attention. "It was just a dream." He promised.

Kaeda slid slowly back down so her back was on the bed. "Did I wake you?" She asked him.

Itachi shook his head. "Don't worry about it." His hand found the back of her and pulled her back to him. "Just sleep." He said. He felt Kaeda tuck her head under his chin. He closed his eyes and could see his younger brother disappearing into the forest and getting lost. He stroked Kaeda's hair he felt empathy for her. He knew she was suffering in the way he was suffering.

Obsidian eyes began to lose their focus as the mind began to wonder. Itachi thought of the events that would take place tomorrow. The Akatsuki would go on their duties and in a few hours from that time they would all be called for a meeting. It would be a meeting that would declare Sasuke as part of Orochimaru's property and as a new threat to the cause of Akatsuki. The leader would give his sympathies to Itachi and then tell everyone to watch their step as Orochimaru would become an active threat once again.

"Ouch." Kaeda mumbled. Itachi looked down at her. "You pulled my hair…" She whispered. Only then did Itachi realize that he had mindlessly been tugging a lock of hair in his fingers. To him, out of a moment of Itachi's sheer instinct to protect, the hair in between his fingers didn't seem brown but blue, black raven hair.


A/N: I apologize for the very erratic timing of these updates. I have the story written out a few chapters ahead on my computer but right now school is killing me, when I find an hour to spare or when I need to calm down, I either write new chapters or update the story. So there is no more concise scheduling of the once a week deal but whatever, we can all deal with it right? We are all grown adults (or close...) Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed and don't forget to review, it makes my day. :)