Any sentences in Italics is a "memory scene"

( this is an example )

Just so you aren't confused ^^; !

So sorry I didn't update x_x Internet was down

-Anii


Chapter 12: Test my reality; check if there's a weak spot. Clinging to insanity, hopes the world will ease up.

― Make a Move by Icon for Hire

Sakura closed her eyes and waited for the blue light to end her life. When cold air still pushed in and out of her lungs, Sakura re-opened her eyes and to see Sasuke's eyes locked behind her, a smirk present on his face. Sakura turned and shoved down a cry of surprise.

Itachi stood directly behind her, his arm extended and his fingers coiled around Sasuke's wrist. The chidori shrunk down until not a single shock of blue light emanated from Sasuke's hand.

"Enough." Itachi insisted.

His face was dark, his eyes blazing with what seemed like anger- the first emotion Sakura had ever seen Itachi display. Sakura blinked several times but, still, the emotion lay clear and present in Itachi's eyes.

Sasuke's head tilted to the side, his grin widening, "I don't think so."

Itachi's intense gaze shifted to Sakura. He didn't speak, he just shoved her aside and stepped towards his younger brother. Black flames sprouted from the ground around his feet. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Karin dive at her and her body coiled with anticipation. Sakura evaded the woman's attack and slammed her knee into Karin's stomach.

"You…love Sasuke?" Karin asked, as if the blow had not affected her.

"Katsu!" Deidara tossed three of his sculptures at Karin and one hit directly, throwing her backwards and scorching the ends of her sleeves and hair.

Deidara turned to Sakura, "I tell you to kill her, you don't. I tell you to help Itachi, you don't. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Sakura growled, "Who saved your ass, you jerk?"

Deidara rolled his eyes and took off toward Karin, already preparing more of his art pieces. Sakura jerked her body around and tried to find Itachi (again). Both brothers faced one another; the tension hanging in the air around them was as thick as maple syrup and Sakura hesitated before plunging onward. She actually got close enough to hear the conversation occurring.

"Can you feel my hate yet, Itachi?" Sasuke prodded.

Itachi ignored Sasuke's comment and kept dodging his brother while dealing blows of his own. However, when Sasuke's chidori came dangerously close to hitting Itachi, Sakura instinctively lurched forward and landed a solid punch to Sasuke's face, sending him flying back.

She swung around to look at Itachi, opening her mouth as she heard footsteps behind her. Sakura shrunk her body as she waited for the fatal blow from Sasuke's blue lightning.

Something warm and wet splashed against her face. Her eyes shot open wide, grogginess clouding her vision and making her head swim. She twisted her body around to see Sasuke slumped to the ground in pain, his own sword protruding from his stomach.

Itachi's arm lowered, the arm that had slid that thin blade through Sasuke's midsection, and his gaze shifted over to Sakura.

Sakura didn't know whether to cheer or sob so she just remained still. A hand clamped down on her shoulder, shocking Sakura out of her stony stance. Her fingers coiled around her attacker's wrist and she yanked hard as she crouched down, making their body sail over her shoulder and crash down heavily on to the ground.

"Ow! What the hell!?" Deidara roared.

Sakura straightened, flinching, "Sorry!"

"Whatever" Deidara grumbled as he picked himself up off the floor. "We need you outside to heal and what not." He grumbled.

Sasuke was struggling to stand on his own feet. Sakura's eyes slid over to Itachi, who stood stoically and watched his brother with expressionless eyes. She nodded to Deidara, her gaze still lingering on Itachi. Reluctantly, she turned and followed Deidara out of the building.

••••••••

"Sasuke!" the woman named Karin screamed.

She ran towards Sasuke, who was now yanking his sword out of his body, and flung herself on to her knees beside him. She tore open her shirt, making Itachi grimace mentally.

Sasuke put his hand on Karin's neck and brought his lips to the woman's pale skin. Karin cradled Sasuke's head as he bit into her flesh. The gaping wound in Sasuke's stomach suddenly repaired itself. Even the skin stitched itself back together easily until the wound was completely sewn shut.

Itachi never moved to stop Sasuke, why would he? He wanted his brother to live, he always had. He chided Sasuke mentally for giving Itachi such an opportunity to slay him so easily. He waited for his brother to finish whatever he was doing. Karin's head jerked towards Itachi, her eyes burning with hatred. She stood as Sasuke wiped his mouth.

Karin drew a kunai and aimed it at Itachi's neck, "I'll kill you!"

Itachi's head tilted to the side. Did this woman honestly wish to challenge him?

Sasuke's sword, the chidori's glow surrounding it, sprouted from Karin's chest, her blood striking Itachi's cheek. Karin's mouth hung wide open and gurgling noises rose up from her throat as a thin line of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth. Sasuke slid his sword free and Karin's trembling body fell to the earth, clutching the gaping hole in her chest.

Tears tumbled down her face as she stared at Sasuke. She tried to form words but she choked on her own blood and ended up in the clutches of a coughing fit, blood splaying out from her lips.

"My brother…is mine to kill." Sasuke hissed.

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at his younger sibling. The blonde jinjuriki- Naruto- had mumbled something in his fevered sleep about Sasuke. He was weeping and shivering as he cried out Sasuke's name. He had also muttered something about saving Sasuke from his own darkness.

As Itachi watched his brother now, he highly doubted that anyone could save his little brother.

The boy lunged at his older brother, the arm creating the chidori outstretched. Itachi easily side-stepped the attack and grabbed Sasuke's arm, bringing his knee into the boy's gut- hard.

"Do you hate me?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke made a "tch" noise and thrust his chidori towards Itachi again and, time after time, Itachi dodged, still holding on to Sasuke's arm.

"Father only cares about you, Big brother." Sasuke's head bent low.

Itachi lifted his head, a slight smile on his lips, "You probably hate me, huh?"

Sasuke's head jerked up but his eyes darted away from his brother.

"It's alright. It's a fact that ninja go through life being hated." Itachi continued after a few seconds of silence.

"That's not how I feel." Sasuke said quietly.

Itachi laughed, "Being the best isn't all it's cracked up to be" his face turned serious, "If you have power you become alienated and also arrogant. Even if you're coveted and sought after at first. But we only have each other as siblings. I'm always going to be there for you, even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome. Even if you do hate me…that's what big brothers are for."

The memory flashed before Itachi's eyes. "Look what you've become, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he jerked out of Itachi's grip, drawing his sword. "You're one to talk! You slaughtered our clan like animals! Even father and mother! You have-"

"Maybe you should learn your facts, little one." said a voice.

Itachi swung around to see Madara, the orange mask hiding his face.

"I know the facts." Sasuke shouted angrily.

"You know nothing." Madara hissed.

Itachi's voice boomed louder than ever, "Don't you dare!"

"Doesn't the boy have a right to know?" Madara shook his head, chuckling to himself.

"Know what." Sasuke attempted to smooth over his anger, trying to force himself to remain calm.

"The truth. Who was really behind the murder of the Uchiha." Madara whispered.

A small gust of wind blew and then Itachi was behind Madara, kunai poised at the man's throat. "Say another word, Madara, and I'll slit your throat." Itachi whispered, venom dripping off of every word.

"Tell me." Sasuke insisted.

"You hear that, Itachi? The boy wants to know." Madara said, obviously enjoying this.

Itachi dragged the kunai across Madara's throat, not deep enough to kill but just enough to silence him.

"Sasuke-" Itachi began.

"No. What aren't you telling me?" Sasuke questioned.

"Sasuke," Itachi hissed, "once I'm dead forget the past."

Sasuke stepped back slightly and his eyes narrowed at Itachi.

"Why did you do this?" Sasuke begged, as he laid on the floor, hand outstretched, voice quivering.

Itachi closed his eyes to the memory and threw Madara aside, "Madara, you have no part in this."

Itachi stepped towards his brother and appeared beside him in the blink of an eye. "Show me what you have learned, foolish little brother."

The corners of Sasuke's mouth turned upwards and the brothers swung their bodies around to face each other. Itachi aimed a kunai at Sasuke, who quickly yanked his sword up to protect himself. The metal clashed together and shook as each brother tried to overpower the other.

Itachi grabbed Sasuke's free arm, brought his foot up, and slammed his leg against Sasuke's face, sending the younger Uchiha backwards.

Sasuke twisted his body mid-air until he landed properly on his feet. His eyes narrowed, hate burning brightly in his blood-red eyes.

Sasuke swung his sword outward and barely missed Itachi, who reached out his left hand and grabbed the back of his brother's cloak, swinging himself behind the younger. Still holding onto Sasuke's cloak, Itachi swung the boy around wildly before slamming him into the ground full force.

Sasuke's blade shot up and stuck fast in to the ceiling. Sasuke cried out slightly but regained his balance, already moving his hands to produce the chidori. Sasuke shoved his left arm straight down and grabbed his left wrist with his right hand, blue light exploding from his hand and the familiar chirping erupting in Itachi's ears.

Sasuke charged toward his brother and brought his chidori to the ground swiftly, "Chidori Stream."

The chidori spread and moved quickly towards Itachi, who jumped up to dodge it. As Itachi leapt, he saw Sasuke, sword in hand, hanging from the ceiling. Sasuke plunged his sword through Itachi's chest in mid-air. Blood burst from the exit wound in Itachi's back before Itachi's body plummeted to the earth. Sasuke, poised on top of Itachi, shoved the sword deeper into his brother's chest.

Sasuke smiled triumphantly and opened his mouth to speak but Itachi raised his trembling index and middle fingers up towards Sasuke, who jerked away slightly.

Itachi's fingers pointed left and Sasuke's gaze followed. Itachi, the real Itachi, sat in the old cracked stone chair, ankles and wrists crossed over each other casually. Sasuke looked at the body he had stabbed and a raven burst out of the mouth, which was followed by dozens of other ravens until the body under Sasuke vanished entirely.

Sasuke stood and faced his brother, "Your special genjutsu?"

Neither spoke a word. Sasuke's eyes twitched ever so slightly. Blood exploded out of Itachi's chest. Sasuke now stood behind the chair Itachi sat in, his sword plunged through the stone and his brother's chest. Itachi watched the Sasuke standing before him melt away into snakes.

"Genjutsu." Itachi smiled slightly, allowing blood to spill from his mouth and down his chin.

Sasuke shoved the sword farther through Itachi's chest cavity. "Answer my question."

"You purposely missed a vital spot." Itachi remarked, more blood dribbling from his mouth.

Sasuke ignored his brothers observation, "Back then you said, 'If you awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, there will be three, including myself, who possesses its powers. Then there will be meaning in letting you live.'"

"You want to know who the third is, correct?" Itachi asked, watching blood- his blood- drip form the tip of Sasuke's blade.

"Who in the Uchiha clan is it." Sasuke persisted.

"Why the curiosity about such a thing?" Itachi asked.

"I'm going to kill him after you. That's why." Sasuke answered.

Itachi's eyes moved to the side, as if he could see his brother behind the stone chair. "Kill?"

"When you killed off the entire clan you mentioned the existence of another person. So that Uchiha member you didn't kill was a co-conspirator. Even you could not kill the entire police force alone."

Itachi was proud his brother had uncovered so much, "So you figured it out."

"Who is it?" Sasuke pushed the sword again, driving it further into Itachi's body.

"Ah, Itachi. Now, I fear, it concerns me. I seem to have a fan." Laughter.

Sasuke spun around and came face-to-face with Madara, mask still on. "You haven't even finished off Itachi and now your coming after me, seems the little puppy has bitten off more than he can chew." Madara laughed, his voice already deepening.

"It was you?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Madara erupted into laughter yet again and placed his fingertips against the mask residing over his face. He flung it away from his face, revealing his face although keeping his eyes closed. "I was the first to possess the Mangekyo Sharingan. You can't even obtain it and you want to kill me." Madara's foot slammed into Sasuke's chest. "Arrogant fool."

The young Uchiha's body flew back before crashing into the hard concrete wall; the impact forming a huge crater in the structure. Madara grabbed the hilt of Sasuke's sword and released it from Itachi's body. "You really shouldn't let your brother think he's won Itachi."

As the sword was pulled free, Itachi's body disappeared and the real Itachi walked up behind Madara, who clucked, "You know how children hate to be allowed to win."

Itachi ignored Madara and his eyes traveled to Sasuke, who was now standing on shaky legs. Itachi approached him. Sasuke tried to begin an attack on his brother, but Itachi grabbed both his arms and yanked the boy towards him until Itachi's lips were not even a hair length away from Sasuke's ear. "You want to know who? Madara Uchiha is a bitter defeated loser. He is not worthy of becoming the best among the Uchiha."

Madara made a "humph" noise but did not speak.

Itachi focused only on his brother, "Sasuke, don't listen to him-"

"I don't take orders from you! I don't take orders from anyone" Sasuke screamed as he shoved Itachi away.

"Orders." A grin broke out on Madara's face. "Ah, I guess you received the outcome you wanted, Itachi."

Itachi glared at Madara but said nothing.

"Aren't we all sick of orders?" Madara laughed and turned his gaze on Sasuke. "Sasuke, Do you truly remember the night your clan was slaughtered? Every last detail?"

"I haven't forgotten even the smallest detail, Madara." Despite Sasuke's words, doubt seemed to form behind his eyes.

Madara smirked, "I think you have. Think back. You've lost a few moments of your life, Sasuke."

"Madara." Itachi warned.

"It's his memory, Itachi. If I were him, I'd want to know." Madara appeared in front of Sasuke and gripped his chin. "Think. Relive every moment of it."

Sasuke adverted his eyes and Madara smirked. "I guess you don't want to know the truth. The truth about everything that happened."

Sasuke clenched his teeth together, "Shut up."

"Look into my eyes and see the truth. Or are you too afraid?" Madara teased.

"I'm not afraid of anything!" Sasuke shouted as his gaze roamed to Madara's eyes.

"Sasuke!"

Smoke billowed around Madara and Sasuke, who had to snap his eyes shut against the dense smoke cloud. Madara jerked his body backwards, his sleeve covering his nose and mouth. The smoke cleared and Itachi stood before Sasuke, his face hovering above his younger brothers.

"You came to kill me, right? Do it." Itachi taunted, bending forward until his silver necklace dangled off of his chest.

Itachi's hands flew up to grab his brother's wrists however Sasuke succeeded in capturing one of Itachi's wrists as well. Sasuke's gaze flicked over to Itachi's headband, just for a second. The gleaming metal with the deep horizontal cut across the metal threatened to cause memories to flood over Sasuke's mind- Itachi could read it all in his brother's eyes.

A shadow clone burst up from behind Itachi's body, sharp weapons clutched in its grasp. The clone flung the weapons at Sasuke, whose hands were defending his body against his real brother's attack. Itachi watched as a bulge formed from the side of Sasuke's neck before stretching and transforming into a white snake, which coiled itself around Sasuke, protecting him from the flying metal, and lunged at Itachi's hands.

Itachi released Sasuke, his clone and his own body jerking backwards. The snake puffed into a cloud of smoke and Itachi saw an enormous spinning weapon in Sasuke's hands. Sasuke tossed the weapon at his brother, who yanked up a kunai to protect himself.

Metal struck against metal, sparks flying as Sasuke infused his chidori with the rapidly spinning weapon he had thrown. The kunai didn't hold up against this new addition and the spinning weapon tore through Itachi's shoulder. The other Itachi watched as his clone dissolved in to flapping ravens.

Itachi's fingers twitched. He had to rid that thing of his brother's body here and now but he could feel his own body succumbing to the pain he had forced it to endure. He had to push his brother father until the parasite revealed itself. His stomach clenched at the thought of the result if that thing was allowed to live inside of Sasuke a moment longer.

Sasuke's fingers flew into several hand signs before his cheeks puffed out. The muscles in Itachi's legs tensed. He launched himself high into the air as Sasuke released a giant ball of fire at the spot where Itachi had stood.

Sasuke's chidori came to life in his hand and he lunged at Itachi, who was still hanging in the air. Itachi managed to dodge and Sasuke's lightening engulfed hand blew a hole in the ceiling of the building.

Itachi gripped the edge of the broken building and flung himself up, his fingers already shifting to create his own stream of fire. Itachi landed smoothly on the ground, watching the red flames and smoke dance before him.

The smoke cleared and Itachi saw a large grayish colored wing-like hand protecting Sasuke. Strange black marks snaked across his brother's face. The fingers of both Uchihas raced to complete the hand signs before the other. They inhaled one deep long breath and released it, blasts of fire flying out of both mouths and crashing against each other.

Sasuke's fire seemed to push back his brother's and Itachi's gut twisted. There was no helping it, Itachi had to….

Blood trickled from Itachi's closed right eye. Amaterasu! Itachi's eye shot open, lines of red cracking across the white of his right eye as more blood slid down from the corner of his eye.

Black flames hungrily licked against the red flames of Sasuke's jutsu, battling for dominance. Itachi's black flames won out almost instantly and all flames vanished into nothing. Itachi's right eye slammed closed again, blood still dripping from both sides of the eye.


Yes, I used the fight scene right from the show :) However, the next chapter drifts away from the fight scene in Naruto xD -Anii