Chapter 11

There was that single moment when he'd seen him dissolve into the box. A mere second of silence, bordering blissful ignorance. And then the sound of coughing. Blood everywhere. Everything frozen around him. The heart he felt beating in his enemy's chest was soaring.

"Karin. Let him bite you."

But still, everything was trapped in slow motion. "Hurry."

The vision through Deidara's eyes was fuzzy for a moment, no matter how hard Sasuke peered at Karin. She nudged him to the left until she was right In front of his brother, getting a better view of him.

"Che… right." Karin pushed her glasses up and pulled a shirt sleeve up her arm. "I can let him bite me just enough to most likely put him out of immediate danger." She put her bared arm near Itachi's face. "Bite," she commanded.

The older Uchiha didn't react for a moment, but after a second he slowly positioned his bloodied lips to her arm, biting. Karin made no sound. Nothing happened.

"Why isn't it working?"

"Wh- why do you think I would know that?" Karin seemed indignant. She held her arm to Itachi for serval more seconds and still when nothing changed she pulled away. "This has never happened before."

Itachi coughed, more blood leaving his mouth, and he licked his lips, fixing his gaze on his brother. "Sas… Sas-"

"Forget it. Let me fix this." Jugo was next to them both in an instant. His arm had transformed into its curse mark form. "From what I know your brother doesn't have a curse mark… so this will be all the more risky. In order for it to have the slightest chance of working your brother's DNA will have to at least be somewhat compatible with mine," Jugo said hesitantly. "I just wanted to let you know that, Sasuke. There's only one way to find out. With the time we have, it's our best option."

No time. "…Just hurry up and try it."

Jugo's transformed arm ascended and latched onto the beginning of the fading Itachi's wound that ran completely through his torso. He started the Cellular Regeneration technique. Sasuke watched intently as Itachi's half lidded eyes had snapped wide open suddenly and he gasped.

"I… I-" A violent coughing fit cut him off and Itachi began withering slightly. His mobile arm reached up unstably looking as if he were trying to grasp onto Jugo's arm to stop the process. But he was too weakened to do so.

"That's enough, Jugo- you're hurting him further." It was the end. The jutsu's healing was not compatible with Itachi's body but Jugo's arm didn't stop.

"You heard him, you're killin' the man, Jugo," Suigetsu said. Karin shifted uncomfortably where she stood. All the while, Deidara wasn't there, having seemed extremely annoyed by Itachi's situation, and unexpectedly keeping his distance and not saying a word. A few minutes later Sasuke looked up to see he was no longer in sight.

"Easy, now. I-I think…" Jugo's voice faltered as he focused all of his attention on Itachi. He grunted and his brow had already begun sweating when his transformed arm started glowing dark blue. "No... no, it's working. I-it's working." He sounded surprised.

Itachi's sporadic breathing was already slowing. His wide eyes were closed. Blood was sliding down the sides of his mouth but his coughing died down. When his eyes fluttered open once again, his gaze was stoic but he frowned.

"Why do… you waste your energy?"

Sasuke said nothing and neither did Jugo.

"… I know... It's already… already too late." Itachi rasped, his words clear but sluggish. "Obito, he… used a very powerful jutsu."

'Lets just say it's one of my more... deadly.' The Jitsugensuru Jutsu.

"My… my injuries have followed me into the real world."

Obito. Obito- that was his name- was responsible for this, the jutsu. Never had Sasuke seen or heard of anything like it.

"My left side has been paralyzed... from the fight, and aside… from that-"

"The damage is fatal, but this isn't the first time I've done something like this. Please, don't talk anymore until you're fully healed. It will make things harder," Jugo grunted at the steady loss of power.

Because of Obito's Jitsugensuru jutsu the true victor of the fight was quite unclear.

"Healing me is pointless. I… have already been sick for a… very long time now. I was running low on time... from the very start." Itachi began coughing again despite the healing coming his way. He was breathing heavily as more blood flowed from his lips. Fresh blood from the stab wound was still visible as it flowed slowly from his back.

Sasuke glanced at his orange-haired teammate and saw that he didn't look any better. He appeared smaller than he'd been only seconds ago, in fact. It was a vey subtle change in size, but still noticeable.

"I see. Jugo's already reached his shrinking stage. By this point the average person wouldve been at near complete healing point by now. And your brother still looks as terrible as ever, Sasuke." Karin peered over them, a stern look on her face. "In fact, I can feel the energy he's receiving from Jugo disintegrating. His body is trying to reject it, just like it did my chakra." Having been head of one of Orochimaru's research facilities, it was no surprise that if anyone knew anything about Jugo's capabilities and his limits, it would be Karin. "In other words, this is unheard of."

Jugo looked ashamed of what Karin told as the truth. "She's right," he panted. I'm losing… more chakra than I normally w-would at too fast a rate… I'm sorry." He wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer, that is before he ran so low on chakra that his curse mark threatened to take completely over.

"As I expected," Itachi said quietly after he'd recovered from his hacking.

How long had he been affected by this sickness, Sasuke wondered. What else had Itachi kept from him all this time?

Things were going to be okay. Even if Karin, Jugo or no one could heal him at all because of his physical state. Itachi would still live. They'd find a way. But the unmistakable, strangely serene look in Itachi's eyes already confirmed every part of the reality Sasuke did not want to acknowledge. The reality in which Itachi, the humble person he was, had already accepted.

When he looked at Itachi he only felt frustration building. Frustration that came when nothing was no longer truly in one's control. Frustration that came with the knowledge of how close his brother had been in defeating Obito without a single fatal scratch. But most importantly, frustration that came to him as Itachi continued staring back at him with a certain look on his face.

Sasuke knew that look like the back of his hand. Even after all this time. It was a very familiar and very much intentional look that he hated.

It was a certain expression he always remembered Itachi giving him when they were younger, whenever he felt troubled about something. It was a look that had always reassured him… everything was going to be alright, whether Sasuke had wanted to believe that or not. And he never particularly liked the look because no matter how much he resisted it, it never left him feeling ill at ease, even when he wanted to be. The fact that the look in Itachi's eyes still had power over him, after everything that had happened, was more than a little annoying.

Nonetheless, Itachi didn't seem to care. That was his brother.

So kind-hearted, sacrificing, selfless. Not naïve, but taken advantage of.

...All this time.

Jugo's arm had stopped glowing and detached itself from Itachi's wound, accepting hat there was no more he could do. "Though his body's rejected most of my chakra, I think he still sustained a fraction of my healing-"

"True," Karin confirmed. "His body only accepted a bit of it." In other words, if anything, Jugo had won Itachi a few extra minutes at best.

Silence ensued the atmosphere.

"Why don't we leave the two brothers alone for the time being, whatdaya say?" Suigetsu said, standing above them, next to Karin. Jugo quickly nodded. After casting Sasuke a kind look he stood up.

"We'll be here if you need anything."

Sasuke said nothing.

Instead he let cold blue eyes settle on the tiny cube resting mere inches from Itachi's limp right hand.

Yes, indeed. Once he was freed, Obito would wish he'd never laid eyes upon Itachi. On he, himself. He would pay for all of this.

With no further words, Jugo followed Suigetsu and Karin over to the fire several feet away to give the brothers some space.

"You said Tobi's real name was Obito," Sasuke finally said after an almost painful stretch of struggling for words. "...So you saw his face as well."

Itachi nodded weakly, resting his eyes for a moment. "Hn. Let's just say it… was mainly because he wanted me to."

The image of Obito's distinct face was fresh in Sasuke's memory. "What do you mean by that?"

Itachi thought back on the battle and the revelations that had only been meant to distract, to make things more difficult for him. Even though what Obito had said about Shisui was true.

He'd never exactly trusted Tobi, but in that fight, there had been no hiding anything from him and all masks were shattered. With their minds having been linked, many of their past secrets; Itachi's truth, Obito's motives, with the moon plan and with Sasuke. It had been displayed on the table for them both to see whether they liked it or not. The only thing they had been able to keep to themselves were the jutus they'd had up their sleeves.

Itachi's right hand grazed over the small cube containing the unmasked man inside. He allowed himself to think of his best friend and the unbelievable truth once more.

That revelation would be kept in the past.

Itachi's eyes opened again, settling on his brother through the face of his former Akatsuki associate. "You mind explaining how exactly…. You and Deidara… managed to get into this mess?"

Of all things to bring up. Sasuke looked down at the blue metal bracelet that stuck to his enemies wrist like a second skin.

"I thought I heard my name, hmm. I had a feeling you'd never ask, Uchiha. Seems I came back just in time then, yeah."

Hearing the sound of his own voice again, but twisted in that sickeningly familiar speech pattern had Sasuke tensing. When he turned his gaze behind him to see his form emerging from the trees and stretching, he could only imagine what had been keeping the former Akatsuki member occupied this whole time. He realized he really didn't wish to know.

Deidara kept walking towards them, away from the shadows and Sasuke involuntarily found himself growing increasingly irritable.

"You can keep your distance. You're close enough," he said when Deidara was a couple yards behind them.

"What's wrong? Come on, Sasuke," Deidara sneered, rolling coal-like eyes. "What could I possibly do to your sorry excuse for a brother at this point that could even pass on my radar as satisfactory, hm?" He only sounded disgusted.

"Uh, not that we'd just stand by and let you do anything to his sorry excuse for a brother," said Suigetsu from where he stood by the fire, still a fairly close distance from Deidara, Sasuke and Itachi. Jugo was staring at Deidara intently, and Karin's calculating gaze had halted on him as well. No one seemed to move. "Love to see you try, though."

Deidara shrugged, face blank from where he stood.

An excruciating pain hit Sasuke as it shot up Deidara's spine. The whole body tingled and pulse sharply with sudden unforgiving nerves. A healing injury he hadn't known was there Deidara had taken advantage of.

Another kick followed in alarming succession but Sasuke was ready for it when he saw his own foot swoop in from the side aiming for the side of the head. And even without chakra, the blow was still powerful when the Uchiha blocked it with a forearm. So much so that try as he might, Sasuke still lost his balance from where he'd been kneeling over Itachi, and stumbled to the side.

Deidara was in front of Itachi now towering before him with a raised leg aiming for his throat, and with a foggy mind and tingling body Sasuke lunged at the artist from the side as not to collide with Itachi as they both crashed to the ground.

"What- do you think- you're- doing?" Sasuke snarled. He struggled to pin his own body down with his enemy's weight but any by passer could have been convinced Deidara had been taken over by a deranged, vengeful worm the way he lashed out and fought back against his very own body with speed and vehemence that the Uchiha was able to dodge solely because of his inhuman reflexes and the fact that he had chakra to work with while Deidara did not. Yet the artist didn't seem to care. He kept struggling even as the crushing force of chakra strengthened arms pushed against him, trying to stop him completely.

"What's it- look like? Just taking a few things- off his shoulders, trying to do the weasel a- favor, hm!" Deidara spat back. Messing his own body up didn't seem to matter to him in the slightest. He'd clawed and swung out with Sasuke's arms and a rock hard punch hit the burning Uchiha in the jaw.

Tasting blood Sasuke caught his own wrist and snapped it. Deidara barely showed a sign of noticing and struggled uncontrollably still. The Uchiha knew harming his body would only hinder them in the long run, but the manic grin his lips were stretched into long since set fuel to the fire. He slugged Deidara across his own face to tear the expression off.

At the end of the day, he was still the insane, deceiving and unstable ticking time bomb who thirsted after Itachi's blood. He'd tried to finish off his brother. Itachi; a man that was too weak and too far gone to fight back. It was low, and the lunatic thought it to be amusing?

Sasuke ignored the unworldly feeling that came along with being the one responsible for the broken wrists, blood and forming bruises on his own pale skin. Instead he only dodged and punched back harder again and again.

That was until déjà vu hit. He was yanked up from the ground, into the air and into someone's restraining embrace. Disoriented he half expected to look back and see the orange mask of an awkwardly laughing Tobi. But instead it was Jugo, holding him in place. Sasuke breathed heavily in his grasp, his mind able to clear easier and his focus able to come back quicker than it had last time he was in a position like this. Jugo was calling his name, repeating words urging him to pull himself together.

"Thank you… Jugo." Itachi's voice was such a hoarse whisper then that it could hardly be heard, but anyone would've been able to detect the deep gratitude in it. Jugo nodded humbly in response.

"Ngh... How admirable. Seems your big brother over there couldn't stand our quarreling, hm." Several feet away across from he and Jugo, Sasuke noticed that Deidara was engulfed in a large water-like fist that wrapped around him, immobilizing his movements to a bare minimum despite his visible struggle as he stared back at Sasuke.

And in the dark eyes, Sasuke saw that same mix of both amusement and scorn. It was the same look he'd seen earlier when they'd first fought only a couple days ago now. Nothing had changed.

"Didn't think I could do this, now did ya?" The water fist had Deidara elevated from the ground. Suigetsu stood a few feet beside him with an arm extended.

"But that's not all, you know." Suigetsu studied his balled fist, which controlled the water made hand, with sparkling eyes before looking back to Deidara contemplatively. "I can also do this," he flicked his wrist to the side and the fist flung sideways, pounding down with such force, the grassy ground cracked where it landed and Deidara was thrown into alarmed curses and shout-filled protest immediately.

"And this." The same thing was done in the other direction. A few more times again into the ground, into a near by tree, another near by tree, and into a log Karin had been standing near. Then into a boulder, all the while Suigetsu seemed to be enjoying the disheveled Deidara's reactions and death threats a bit too much. "It's funny, I could kill you right now and there would be nothin' you could do to stop me... I'm not always known to exactly follow Sasuke's orders."

"That's enough, Suigetsu," Sasuke said, just so happening to intervene only after a few more seconds passed. Things could not be taken too far. Jugo had let Sasuke go once he saw he'd calmed down.

"-And you know, I was only kidding when I said to go ahead and go for it. Quite a show that was; you attacking Sasuke and trying to finish off his brother like that. In fact, if it hadn't been Sasuke, I might've called that little scene entertaining."

"Suigetsu," Sasuke said warningly.

"Geez. Kidding, Sasuke." Suigetsu's sly grin faded as he narrowed his eyes. "Anyway, people like you should really learn to catch on to my jokes. Or else next time I may not be so obedient."

"Hmph. So since he can't settle whatever score he had with Itachi or whatever, it seems he was going for the next best thing by throwing a tantrum and trying to harm Itachi through Sasuke." Karin stood with her hands on her hips, staring at the infuriated artist. "You seriously mean to tell me that's all you had in mind? I saw it coming a mile away. Pathetic!"

Deidara hissed venomously. "Shut up! You don't know what I was planning- you don't know anything, hm! All of you are the pathetic ones- all complete fools!" He shouted, the looks on their faces seemingly making him angrier by the second. "You think it's amusing?" He spat, "I'LL GIVE YOU ALL TRUE ENTERTAINMENT IN A BREATHTAKING EXPLOSION! And I'll give you the grand seat, you fish freak!" He shot Suigetsu the promise of excruciating death growling again. "Let me go, hm!"

"Fish freak, eh? If anything I'm closer to a shark tha-" he suddenly paused, staring more closely at Deidra. "Hold on a second... Hah, come on, I don't think I handled you that roughly. You look a bit too pale, there..."

"Suigetsu, you freaking idiot! Sasuke said to put the lunatic down," Karin snapped impatiently. "You're just making things more complicated- like you always do!"

"Why do you always have to be the first to ruin the fun?" Suigetsu complained. "I mean he might actually lose Sasuke's dinner, Karin. I can't put him down yet-"

"IF HE THROWS UP EVRYWHERE IT'S GONNA SMELL DISGUSTING, AND I SWEAR I'M GONNA SMASH YOUR UGLY FACE IN IT, YOU MORON!" Karin bellowed, throwing her fists at Suigetsu who seemed genuinely disturbed by that notion.

Deidara had quieted down, Sasuke's face looking paler than normal. He cursed the Uchiha even more and their pathetically weak stomachs.

As Sasuke stared at the artist he couldn't help but think. If these past few years of Deidara unable to lay his hands on Itachi in vengeance didn't drive the artist mad, the fact that he could not destroy Itachi with his art, now, ever, certainly did.

There was nothing more satisfying than extracting revenge in the strongest state you could be in, with your very favorite tools in reach. Something that was at the moment, for Deidara unobtainable.

And on top of that, it was already too late.

Not being able to defeat Itachi, for Deidara was a big loss; never again having the chance to put all of his hard work to the test. Because time was up, and the test had expired.

Deidara had cut himself off to swallow and hold back any unsightly thing possibly trying to leave Sasuke's throat, however the threatening aura that radiated from him remained.

"Deidara."

Itachi's monotone voice sounded in the night. When Deidara didn't respond, he continued. "I just wanted to let you know… that if-"

A puff of smoke greater than any other appeared, momentarily obscuring everyone's vision.

"Oh, for the love of me. It seems I've missed quite a bit in these past hours, now haven't I?"

The old man was still small and very short in stature but everything about him, from his sandals, to the very top of his hairless, shiny head seemed to hold an air of power and order.

"Uh, who the heck is he? Wait don't tell me," Suigetsu's eyes grew wide. He'd released his hold on Deidara.

"You."

In a cloud of fading smoke Atsugoshi stood a distance from them, hands clasped over his chest and buried under the sleeves of his robe.

"Now, now, now, I don't want any of that tone of voice or those brooding looks, or I'll fix 'em in a record." Atsugoshi said. "I tried to keep my distance, if anything just a tad bit longer. However, my signal-sensors just refused to let me alone; kept telling me there was just too much chaos and turmoil going on around here, so I had to come on over-yes, I know, it's early- to make sure my two dear subjects didn't get themselves killed before the real changes began. All to find out my signal-sensors were right, yet again."

The aged man paused, narrowing his eyes at both Sasuke and Deidara. "I haven't even known you two for a week, and already, you're workin' my little heart out," he scolded, looking more annoyed than anything else. "But mot too much of a bother I guess… I had a few things that I needed to tell you of anyway."

His fault. It was all his fault. Subjects. Real changes. Ridiculous. Sasuke stood, staring the man down. "You have no right-"

"Oh, save it," the old man waved the Uchiha off. "Young Sasuke- is it?- When are you going to open up your powerful eyes and see that this isn't about rights? It is about our future."

His voice persisted. "I didn't come here to get yelled at and nearly maimed tonight... No, no, and I most certainly am not going to wait until tomorrow to be killed in the crossfire of any more powerful boys like you and others just like yer'selves, who are obsessed with hatred and this unsightly taste for revenge." Atsugoshi's gaze fell on Itachi who still lay on the ground.

"And it seems this young man here has nearly the exact same mind-set as I…" He looked at him longer, slowly shaking his head. "I'm just trying to stop all this here horrid chaos."

"Oh drop the act!" Deidara leered. "If it weren't for you butting into everything pretending to help me out, that Uchiha would've been dead by my hands- by mine, and my art by now- both Uchiha! And how dare you make me remain chakraless in this disgusting body, hm. Because of you I was almost killed by that idiot Tobi- Tobi- Uchiha or not- without hardly any defense!" the artist boomed. "I'm going to-!"

Despite his previous dishevelment Deidara suddenly shot towards Atsugoshi with the ferocity of a starved lion.

"Enough, Deidara." Sasuke said over Deidara's continues shouts and growls as he (quite embarrassingly) struggled to get his hands on the small man, but still with no success. Sasuke would never admit he wanted Deidara to stop for his own sake more than for anything else. Strange how disturbing it was seeing one's self dash pitifully after anyone.

"I see. So this… is the one behind it… all, brother."

"Hold up a second! You mean to tell us that you weren't kidding when you said it was this guy that really played you two?!" No one else could've been better at sounding annoyed and amused at once. "Come on, now, Sasuke!" Suigetsu yelled.

"Normally I'd say this is a major disgrace, but in anyone's defense, his chakra signature is extremely strange; unlike any kind I've felt before. The smell is so strong it's nearly repelling, yet… It has a pleasant feel as well, unthreatening. But it doesn't even feel remotely human." Karin examined Atsugoshi and her nose twitched. "No, i-it smells like-"

No one on team Hebi spoke. Magic, yes, there was plenty of that in the ninja world. But inhuman…

Jugo shook his head. "None of that matters guys. This is who interfered with Sasuke's mission. He's the one who's put him in danger. It's our duty to take him down, no matter what, no questions asked." He started for Atsugoshi with his chakra getting at the ready.

The buzz of building chakra activity and the threat of further chaos filled the atmosphere. "No, Jugo- no fighting. Listen to me," Sasuke said. The last they needed was for Jugo to get overwhelmed when there was no current cage to stop him.

Jugo halted. "But- what he did-"

"That doesn't matter right now. Harming him will make things worse, so don't engage-"

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help." A teammate as caring as Jugo still almost managed to cause more chaos than good. But Karin and Suigetsu were worse.

"You're really asking to die. Why would you even think of doing this to Sasuke?! You have no idea who you're messing with!"

"Elder or not, don't think you'll leave here scot-free."

In that moment they acted as if Sasuke were nonexistent even though their cause of attack had to do with him. They went on, taking swings at Atsugoshi as Deidara continued trying to take him on as well. However, the man was incredibly fast; disappearing and reappearing this way and that as three (partially) capable shinobi soared all over the dark grounds in vain, making quite the sight. It continued for an excruciating amount of seconds. That was until-

"I tried to play kindly, but you bunch of new generations are just too rude nowadays; not even letting me rest a moment before I'm fighting for my life," Atsugoshi snapped, though he really didn't appear fatigued at all. "Oh, I think the time is near for a change in scenery."

The skin on Atsugoshi's entire body grew a shocking golden yellow, appearing like an ancient statue. He lit up the night like a blinding star and he was soon elevated a few feet from the ground. His power was rolling from him in small but visible waves, but the energy felt different from chakra. Was it even accurate to call him a shinobi?

And it took all of a good ten seconds. He first aimed at the scurrying Suigetsu, The fearsome glow that surrounded him jumped from his extended hand, crashing onto the water nin. With a cut-off yell he was gone from sight. A second of silence. And then chaos again, but this time Atsugoshi was more the predator as he next went after Karin. Despite her lunging efforts to avoid it, one zap was all it took. Though he was surprisingly the hardest to catch and the most creative in his dodges, Deidara could not outrun or jump Atsugoshi or his golden prowess for the life of him, and with a curse he too was gone. Jugo was last.

Atsugoshi's face twisted into an expression of discomfort as he cracked his cramped hands. "There. I was planning on speaking with young Deidara as well, but since he… insisted on being one of the bigger problems I reckon I'll deal with the boy later. Now that there's some peace and quiet, I can finally give at least you the update, dear boy, Sasuke."

Sasuke remained emotionless, looking away from Itachi and trying to make sense of what had just happened. "Where did you take them?"

"Elsewhere. Just know that right now, they are safe, and safe they might remain. I just came to get my message across." Atsugoshi's golden glow faded away and he'd returned to the ground. "And if you and your blond friend still wish to return to normal… you will listen to the things I need to say that now need addressing."

"Just get to the point," Sasuke cut in.

"Very blunt I see. Alright then." Atsugoshi regarded him strangely. "It seems you had quite an episode a couple hours ago, did you not?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Tell me if I'm senile, but it appears as though when your old masked buddy turned completely rouge on you all, you and young Deidara exchanged a few words… and you got a glimpse into his… let's just say his past…" Atsugoshi looked at Sasuke knowingly. "Oh, don't look too surprised, boy. I know many a things, as I told Deidara earlier. I know you did. For it is one of the quirks that goes along with my splendid, well, spell. I sensed it when it happened."

Try as he might to forget Sasuke did remember the memory that was not his own, the memory that he wasn't entirely sure had been real or something made up that seized his attention. The flashback of a younger, troubled Deidara along with the black-haired girl. He remembered how he was unable to control, nor stop the images from suddenly popping to the surface from Deidara's array of stored past. He hadn't known for sure what to make of it when it replayed itself, but he remembered how he couldn't help acknowledging the very present pain that was buried there. The pain of hope and then rejection of family and friends that turned way from something that had become a part of Deidara.

He really hadn't known what to make of it but with a twinge of disgust he recalled what he'd thought after it. He'd been… beginning to understand a bit of the reasoning behind Deidara's ways and his actions after he was betrayed by all of those he cared for.

And most disturbingly-

"I understand your pain at the moment…"

"…understand your pain…"

He'd said those words. Now the thought of those past words made him sick.

Because in that moment, though he still resented Deidara and his unforgivable ways, he'd been forced to acknowledge the pain there that he too felt now and in the past. It was the pain that came with the feeling of betrayal, and the sting of constantly needing to protect the only purposes they had left in the world.

Sasuke still held onto part of that pain. Deidara did as well. It was a humane feeling.

But that maniac was not human. He was not sane, far from it. He destroyed countless lives of others and took pleasure in it, that was his life. Part of his twisted art. There was no pity or pathetic empathy for him, no relation. Especially not now.

Sasuke hadn't been himself back the when he'd said those words. And he wasn't himself now, because the real Sasuke would not have begun to have been affected in the lightest.

Being forced to see things that would begin to make him think, feel differently caused the blood within him to boil. Back then, he'd had no control, none. And yet he knew Atsugoshi wanted him to feel these things about Deidara, whether he wanted it or not.

But for what? Why?

"Do you think… I have time…" Sasuke drawled very quietly, "to sit around and look into some psycho's mind and try and relate to him?" Atsugoshi was playing with his mind, trying to make him see things that he would not. Never again. He was trying to drive him completely insane.

A kunai was thrown at the old man. Sasuke was not looking his way. It whizzed over him as he dodged it.

"Leave us," he growled.

Sasuke's gaze had fallen back onto his brother who'd been quiet the entire time. The breath that left him felt like a stab in the throat. His brother was gravely still. He was not breathing and he'd grown deathly paler.

"Ah… He's dead," was the only thing that broke the prolonged stretch of silence.

"Ah... He's dead."

Nothing.

"I said LEAVE…!" Sasuke roared. Raging with the violence of a tsunami he was charging at Atsugoshi, the storm within him overwhelming his senses as images of ripping him to shreds and into a begging, sorry heap of blood, skin and bones was all he saw. But where he dug balled fingers into fists, he felt tongues fighting to worm their way out from under the pressure.

Suddenly he had the unbearable desire to see the man destroyed, not ripped limb from limb, but Instead the thought of seeing him evaporate... into flame, gone in… the… sublime incandescence of an explosion sounded so… so satisfying.

He'd lost it.

The craving for explosives was just as alarming as it was persistent and he itched for it just as much as he itched for the sickening hunger for it to cease. His breathing grew rapid and pain suddenly pulsed in his enemy's head and he was gripping large fistfuls of blond hair in vain.

No. Yes.

Get yourself together

The pain didn't stop and neither did the sudden obsession.

One moment he was standing there, and the next hands were shoved into clay pouches at his waist. Never had he made that move before, impossibly, it was muscle memory alone. He heard the sound of chomping, he felt the bitter coldness in the hands, arms, head, building.

One of the mouths' teeth were bared before it spat out a generous blob. Shapeless, disgusting. But powerful. The next thing he knew he'd swung the arm back and the clay was soaring through the atmosphere straight for the old man, and then another chunk of clay followed, then by another. Earsplitting followed and a screen of fire and smoke obscured everything. The ground shook.

He couldn't resist.

All Sasuke knew was he wanted him dead. He no longer cared of the penalties. He could barely control the rest. This was what he wanted. This was what he wanted to stop. He was back at day one. The day he'd been captured again. Injured. Furious, confused. Not in control.

Something touched his chin. Suddenly only blinding colors. The Uchiha couldn't regain his footing, nor could he see anything. The feeling of slimy tongues remained, but he soon realized he'd hit the ground.

Sasuke blinked rapidly but could barely see four feet in front of him. A forehead protector slid down over his line of sight and he shakily ripped it off. A puff of smoke was in front of him now and he chocked.

"Now… Don't waste your energy and get yourself killed, boy. I almost was forced to do the undesirable." A weary sigh. "Though it already seems you've made some remarkable progress in your friend's body, it still appears you took this all a bit harder than I estimated. And to think, I barely got the chance to tell you what it is I arrived for. I tell you, you're almost worse than your little buddies. But first."

Sasuke struggled to sit up straight with everything still shinning too brightly and his surroundings crossed over painfully. Itachi's lifeless body a distance from him.

"Oh, hold on. I reckon I can do this much."

He could've sworn that with the clay he'd caught the old man at least once. But there Atsugoshi was before him with his skin glowing gold again and looking untouched. No scratches and no blood. The old man closed his eyes. Chanting a short and strange mantra he extended his hand and the glow lashed out from where he floated and hit Itachi's form, completely incasing it.

Seconds later, the sound of a small groan was heard.

"S….Sasuke?"

Sasuke sprung to stand and it all hit him. He coughed, hacked up blood. But a few seconds later the dizziness, disorientation had then left him just like that. All that remained was a faint annoying buzz in the back of his mind. He forced his gaze back to Atsugoshi.

Someone who was able to bring the dead back to life. With just a single zap. Who was he?

"Now I can only do so much. He really doesn't have much longer," Atsugoshi shook his head, looking over at Itachi. "There is still more explaining to be had. So much you do not- refuse to understand, boy… and that comes at a price eventually. But it all must be done in due time, oh yes… However," his hands disappeared under the sleeves of his robe again, his golden glow fading away. "I think we'll get a bit further in progress once you've gone and cooled off a bit. Therefore…"

He'd just tried to kill the man.

Sasuke was still going to kill him. When this- whatever it was all came to pass.

But the old man could've killed him right then. But he hadn't, quite the contrary.

Why was he so valuable? What did everyone want from him? Why did he have to be involved in such pointless, confusing things?

"My time here has become an inconvenience, it seems. As important as it is, it's best to put this off. Dear me," Atsugoshi sighed. "For now, I reckon I'll busy myself with those other little young ones. Poor kids are probably as confused as ever. I will gather you all back when the time is right. Young Sasuke, the clock is still ticking. Until later."

Atsugoshi was gone.

Still breathing harshly, Sasuke didn't know how much longer he stood there, or how many seconds had passed in which his mind remained numb. He was by his brother's side again. He saw every wound still inflicted with red bleeding through clothing. What had just occurred and the motive behind it was far from clear to him.

More coughing and a gasp for air before the wheezing died down. "You know… for a moment… I had almost mistaken you for the real… Dei… dara." Itachi's voice started up again. Despite him just getting pulled from death's embrace, it was amazing that he could still speak at this point. "If it… weren't for the original blobs you produced… I just might have been… fooled."

Slowly, slowly Sasuke's heart rate began to decline. "Hmph. Since when did you start having jokes?" He then paused for s moment. Wait. "How did you-"

"I don't know… as I left my body… I somehow saw it all happen… above." If Deidara's eyes weren't playing tricks on him, Sasuke would've believed he saw a small smile before it faded.

"I know it's expected… but when I look at you, I am pained with all of the a… anger… I see." Itachi was no longer looking right at Sasuke. "How much longer will you go… before you decide to abandon your hatred… and go after happiness… brother?" he said quietly. His single white eye appeared so pure in contrast to the spilled blood as it seemed to look right through Sasuke.

"Who ever said I needed happiness?" Hatred was what he'd always needed to extract all the revenge he needed to. And now, it would be what he needed to make things right in the name of his brother now more than ever. Even if he needed to feel bitter for as long as it took, he didn't care.

"Hn… You may be wearing Deidara's visage… right now… but you still cannot lie to me, Sasuke. You never could. You can pretend to love this poisonous hate all you want, but…. in reality, you no longer want it."

"You can't tell me what I want. Not anymore," Sasuke said coldly. Where this was going was clear and he was not willing to have the conversation. His new goals had already been set. This was one of the only things he could give back to his brother, the only thing that would make him feel even remotely okay again… whether it was partially selfish or not, why couldn't Itachi accept his decisions and the feelings that came with them?

"Sasuke."

"No."

Sasuke understood. Itachi had a kind heart, good intentions. But the fact of the matter was his elder brother, under his previously cold façade, was too kind, too hopeful. Too much like the other family Sasuke turned away from to come under Orochimaru's wing.

The Uchiha brothers were different and the same. It seemed in the beginning, Sasuke had been the more hopeful one, the small, naïve and happy child while Itachi had been the more distant and progressively cold one. But now it was as if the roles were flipped. Now Sasuke was the bad one consumed and driven by the justice that needed to be served. Now he appeared the cold monster, but it didn't matter.

Because someone had to pay the price for everything that was lost, what he, they'd lost. Someone had to make sure Itachi's chaos was not repeated. He'd bring them all to their knees.

"Or... You could help others.. Who hold hatred as you do… You could help… him."

"Help him." His patience was leaving him. It was as if his brother was really too far gone and he was no longer comprehending what he was standing on. Him?

"…Isn't a joke, Sasuke. I saw a lot of… of him… in you." Itachi said slowly. His eyes had slid closed. Almost as if it was a struggle to admit the truth of all he'd seen.

The vengeful, hurting heart. Thirsting for things to fall back into place; for things to be justified. Itachi was talking about Obito. Obito.

"It's not betrayal. You and I were never allies in the first place." The words Sasuke had spoken to Obito just a while ago when he decided to put all of his trust in Itachi.

"Don't lie to yourself, Sasuke. Don't lie to me."

"Why do you think you found it difficult… to turn away from him when I arrived?" Itachi said after an agonizing stretch of silence passed. "I saw… your hesitation."

There'd always been a part of him that could never ignore big similarities once they were evident to him. Naruto... Others he knew and others he hated. Those similarities always presented themselves to him. No matter what he did to block them out. Similarities, shared pain. Everyone had it. But It still disgusted him to no end.

He clenched trembling fists.

"Don't lie to yourself, Sasuke…"

Similarities, same goals, the past, powerful possibilities or not, Obito was unforgivable. There was no further thought on that.

He would keep the box intact just a little bit longer, in his brother's presence.

"And if you choose not to help him," Itachi whispered suddenly, "Maybe… you'll still find it in your heart to d what I… waited too late to do." Itachi wheezed and then swallowed. "Help yourself."

Sasuke understood what Itachi was getting at.

"Why do you all of a sudden expect so much of me? My capabilities."

"Because… all of those positive traits…. once dwelled within you. I remember them, Sasuke. And unlike a lot of people in this world… you have the strength to regain those traits… rid of your darkness. I know you do."

There was more of a response in Sasuke's silence than words could have given. Itachi did not speak either for a stretch of moments.

"You should know… the seal will only hold for two…weeks," Itachi muttered, referring to the blue box, suddenly. By the end of two weeks the seal would be broken, and lead to immediate self-destruction. "That is… unless you release him with the hand signs I mentioned… therefore sparing Obito's life before before…. his time is out. Take it… with you."

Sasuke glanced down at the cube where he'd last seen it at Itachi's side. He paused when he didn't see it. His gaze swept around Itachi, around himself, subtly. But the sealed box was nowhere in sight. He then could not remember seeing it for a while now, this entire time. Blood ran cold. It was gone.

Suddenly there was the feeling of two fingers on his forehead. The blurred sight of a hand crusted over in dried blood. He blinked a few times, looking down. Through the blood it was faintly evident Itachi was smiling, oblivious to the sudden problem. The missing cube. The missing sacrifice Itachi made.

"The rest of your journey will…. Not be easy; what…ever path you take, little… brother. Just know that whatever you choose… I will love you always."

With the fingers still on his forehead Sasuke's gaze stayed on his brother's smiling face for what seemed like forever before he closed blue eyes and did his best to pretend that he was back in his own body, and things were back to normal. He did his best to pretend the box was still there by his side waiting for him.

Enveloped in silence, he forced himself to remain silent on the matter for Itachi's sake in his final moments. Instead he focused his attention on the feel of two cool fingers, and suddenly he found his thoughts slowly drifting where they had dare not tread for so long, reaching out for the memories of years ago…

Back when it was just he, Itachi and the rest of his family; the place where things had been perfectly imperfect. The time before the mystifying tornado of love and hatred swooped in and shattered their worlds, his world of peace and light. Right then, he acknowledged those memories again. Those alone.

And for a mere second, in that single moment, by his brother's side, despite the turmoil of everything that had happened along with all that was to come… for the first time in a very long time all Sasuke could feel was true warmth. Where no bitterness lurked.