A/N- Hey you guys, I owe you a huge apology for not updating this story for such a long time. I just ran into a massive Chinese wall's scale writer's block. But here I am, with an update and a mental chocolate cake for an apology. I hope you're still into this story and awaiting this update.
The way I see it, there are one or two more chapters left in this story. I hope I'm passed the Chinese wall by now, so it won't be long. Enjoy.
Warning: violence
Floating worlds
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"This is a truly bad idea, Pein-sama." Kakuzu hummed. "This could be a trap."
Pein smiled knowingly. "Please understand, this my only chance to save my family."
Kakuzu gazed at his feet, snuffing and complaining about the cold.
"Give the scroll to Sasori, I wrote all my instructions there…and make sure he heads back home."
.
A bleeding dawn
From afar he could see them, illusive as the spirits of the forest, but there they were, his wife and two sons, he wished the distance between them away. His heart soared and sank at the same time as if riding on a storm.
He had half an hour, only half an hour to say goodbye. It wouldn't even do for catching up his breath. How could he possibly use this half an hour in the best way to show them his love and sorrow?
He stumbled on the slippery dewy grass into the forest clearing, arms wide open and tears in his eyes. His wife noticed his presence; she lifted up her head and smiled at him, such a crooked smile. Her eyes glittered with an ominous shine, and the boys beside her stared at him with apathy. Something was clearly wrong, and then it hit him with the force of a raging wave. This was not his wife and those boys were not his sons, he had been deceived.
"I am such a fool …" He whispered as the first arrow pierced through his flesh.
oOOo
"I want to go home!" Sasuke pouted in such a cute way, Itachi had to reach for him and pet his messy hair.
"And where is home exactly?" Itachi wondered, it has been more than half a year of traveling away from the tea house, as if he ever considered Muraski as home to begin with.
"Home is with Hidan and Pein and Naruto." The boy stated with confidence.
"I see…"
"Why do we have to follow those monks around, anyway?" Sasuke pouted again "I hate them. Did you know that the old one stinks like a dead rat? And the tall one always sips Sake when he thinks no one notices, and the fat guy just loves to fart?"
"Sasuke!"
The boy should not speak that way about holly men, even if he is painfully right.
"I'm bored and I want to go home!" Sasuke concluded.
Itachi clenched his lips, he too was more than happy to turn back on his feet, not only because he shared Sasuke's feelings, but also because he had this nagging notion that something was going wrong, Pein was hiding something from his, sending him on this stupid mission, in an ever so obvious effort to lead him off the trail.
"I think we should camp here tonight." One of the monks suggested "Near the river bank, so we could cook our dinner with ease."
'And maybe take a bath while we're at it…' Itachi thought, wrinkling his nose at the man's stench. "This is a good idea." Itachi agreed. "Let's get settled. Sasuke, can you please fetch us some twigs to start a fire?"
"Sure, ni-san."
"Beware of the bears!" The Sake loving monk warned at the boy with a wavy finger.
"There are no bears around this area, Sensei." Itachi corrected him.
"Is that so?" the monk yanked out his bottle and drank up with laud gulps. "I swear they were lurking around all day long."
With annoyance Itachi turned to his brother again. "Sasuke, please?"
"Sure." The boy was more than happy to take a break for this crowd for a while.
He skipped his way cheerfully, admiring the tall reeds that grew by the river and gracefully swayed with the breeze. He was tempted to venture into the vegetation, to get to the refreshing cool water and wash the sweat off his face.
He reached to the bank as a hand grabbed his shirt and pulled him away.
"Itachi!" he cried in fear, before another hand sealed his mouth.
oOOo
Sasori finished reading the scroll and noticed that his hands were shivering with fury. He gazed up at the old officer and growled. "I should have you killed for this, Kakuzu-san!"
"My apologies, young master, but I cannot go against Pein-sama's will."
"Leaving us like this? Giving himself up so willingly? This is such a cowardly act, not the way of a warrior!"
"Perhaps when you are old enough to have a family of your own you'd understand…"
"Understand what? I understand well enough already- Pein places his personal family before the needs of our people! This is a misjudgment at best! And he asks me to do the same? To bow my head down before Danzo and let him rob away our country? I'll die a thousand deaths before I call this scumbag my emperor!"
"We can only die once, young master."
"I will not follow those cowardly instructions!" Sasori's eyes gazed directly at Kakuzu with defiance; his hands slowly tore the scroll into pieces and cast the scraps into the fire.
"I don't think Pein meant for us to bend over and take it up the ass!" Hidan intervened with anger, if someone else called his master a cowered besides Sasori, he'd already be on the floor collecting his inner organs. "We have to go back home and gather our strengths, practice this noisy new weapon and wait for the right opportunity to smack Danzo's ugly face."
"I agree with Hidan-san." Said Kakuzu with calm. "Rushing into battle now will only be counterproductive."
"Excuses! I will have none! The time is now!" Sasori insisted.
"This kid is more stubborn than his cousin." Kakuzu sighed.
"You're playing into Danzo's hands right now, don't you fucking realize it?" Hidan shouted at the boy with frustration.
"Pein has already made his choice and deserted us. We no longer have this privilege! This is my choice and I say we fight!"
"You choose to disobey your clan lord?" Kakuzu asked, or stated to be exact.
"Pein is as good as dead." Sasori replied with anguish "I am the clan lord! Gather the troops immediately, we march within an hour!"
Kakuzu and Hidan gazed briefly at each other, deliberating.
"Obey me!" Sasori glared at them, his voice both commanding and begging.
"Yes, my lord." Kakuzu was the first to bow and leave the room.
Hidan glared at the young master for a moment. "Fuck it… who wants to live forever?" he shrugged and left the room as well.
oOOo
"Good… I see that you're finally up."
Pein blinked at the blurry image in front of him that was sharpening by the second to become a young man with a long silvery hair tied into a low ponytail.
While his mind regained consciousness, his body registered the enormous pain he was in. Every part of his body burned and throbbed; he was burning up and freezing at the same time. Picking up the pieces of his surrounding; he realized he was in a cell, chained up to a wall; his arms were well stretched over his head in a way that almost dislocated his shoulders. He tugged his handcuffs, to test their strength and a wave of pain ran down his spine like lightning. He almost screamed.
"There is no way out of here, Pein-sama. You are going to die in this stinky wretched cell; I give you my word for it. However… you can choose to cooperate and die a quick and painless death or… you can refuse to be helpful and suffer horribly until you beg me to end you. Please refuse me; I could really use this practice."
"Who are you?" Pein asked the silver haired youth.
"Kabuto of the Toujou clan."
"Where are we?"
"In safe hiding place." Kabuto breathed with annoys "I'll be the one asking questions from now on. Where is the perfect weapon?"
"A perfect weapon? What on earth are you talking about?"
A blow to his head came so swift and out of nowhere. His scalp crushed into to the wall with the sickening sound of breaking bones. Pein felt something wetting his hair, probably blood.
As soon as the world stopped spinning, he smiled at the Toujou "Is that all you got?"
Kabuto looked dissatisfied.
"My apologies." The ninja said "I am lacking in experience, so I resorted to brutality, but make no mistake; the art of torture is much more sophisticated than this. I'll ask you again- where is the perfect weapon?"
"If I was in the possession of the perfect weapon, would I've ended up here?"
Another blow to his head, Kabuto was fast and furious. "I already told you- I'm the only one to ask questions."
Pein smiled through his bleeding lips.
"The perfect weapon is a person, not an object, she is of the Uchiha clan and she singlehandedly finished the Kobayashi army for you. Where is she now?"
"I cannot help you; I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Is that your final answer?"
"It is."
"Thank you for the opportunity to practice my skills." The Toujou bowed slightly, Pein just glared at him without a word.
"I'll go and make my preparations now."
Kabuto turned to leave and Pein watched him with growing rage.
"Come back here, you dog! Where are my wife and children? What have you done to them?"
Kabuto turned on his heels, pouting; he approached the warlord and glared at him for few seconds. With one swift motion he kicked the man at the chest, breaking two of his ribs; and then he bashed his head into the wall again.
"I am the one to ask questions." He reproached the unconscious man.
oOOo
"You!" Itachi ran into the reeds following his brother's cry and recognized the man that was holding him. "Let him go, you traitor!"
"Itachi…" the man said, letting go of the boy. "This is just a misunderstanding."
Itachi refused to listen, lifting his sword up in the air, catching the last rays of the sunset.
Madara had no choice but to draw his own sword and he answered the first swift strike with his blade.
Another man emerged from the vegetation, ready to join Madara with his Katana.
"Stay away!" Madara said, barely blocking another attack. "This is not your battle."
The silvered haired man backed down, although Madara seemed like he could really use some help. The younger man attacking him was fierce, skillful and very determinate.
"Why did you betray me, Sensei?" Itachi attacked again and again, frustrated by the fact that Madara did nothing but defend himself.
"Betray you? How?"
"Don't mock me!" Itachi charged again, almost cutting Madara's blade in two.
Madara had to admit that his student made an impressive progress even with his absence.
"We were waiting for you at the forest, and you broke your promise! You never came for us!"
"I'm sorry." Madara blocked another attack, he was in a bad shape, panting heavily and sweating, his body was not fully recovered from previous injuries and he knew he could not stand this for much very longer.
"Sorry? You sent Arata instead!" Itachi said, blinded with tears of disappointment but it did not stop his viscous attack "And you ordered him to kill us!"
"I've never…"
"Do you take me for a fool?"
They exchanged few more blade blows, Itachi was furious; Madara's persistence choice of defensive maneuvers drove him mad. He managed to penetrate Madara's defense three times slashing his arms, his cheek and his shin but even the gushes of blood did not evoke aggression, on the contrary, Madara only smiled at him.
Itachi could not get madder. "I read his mind! Arata was going to kill Sasuke on the way to the village, you never meant for him to join the clan!
"Itachi!" Madara threw away his sword and got down on his knees. "Kill me if you must." He said, panting, staring at the youth.
Itachi's sword stopped at the tender skin of Madara's throat, drawing some blood, but not cutting through the flesh.
Itachi shivered, tears in his eyes. "Why?"
"It wasn't my doing." Madara glared at Itachi breathing calmly, waiting for the end.
Itachi hesitated, but Sasuke did not. He sprung into the space between Itachi and Madara, placing himself in front of his brother's blade.
"Don't do it, Niisan…" He pleaded "Uncle just saved me from a viper at the riverbank. Brother pleases!"
"It was Fugako's decisions sending Arata to retrieve Sasuke. I can only assume that Arata let his hatred overcome his obedience to his father." Madara sighed.
"Why didn't you come for us?"
"I was engaged elsewhere, a different mission."
"You put Sasuke at risk because…"
"He came to save our lives."
"Huh?" Itachi raised his gaze to search for this new female speaker. "Who are you?" he asked, irritated at the disruption.
"My name is Kumori Konan, I am Pein's wife."
oOOo
Orochimaru could not suppress an amused smile tugging up his lips as he entered the palace's hall. At the center of the hall, on an elevated platform and in front of a huge mirror there stood Danzo, surrounded by a pack of tailors and servants, hovering around him like bees around a flower, or flies around a rotten fruit, a better simile.
"Are you sure you took the right measurements?" Danzo barked on the master tailor. "Because if I merely as trip on it at the ceremony tomorrow; I'll order you to open your gut in front of all the guests!"
"Not before dinner, I hope." Orochimaru intervened and made himself noticed.
"I'll fix it right away!" said the terrified tailor, pale and shaking.
Danzo freed himself from the golden robes and cast it on the overwhelmed tailor, then he noticed the ninja and sent all the servants away with the wave of his hand.
"I hope you bring me good news, my friend." He rubbed his fingers against his temples, fighting the arrival of a massive headache.
"I just received a message from Kabuto. Our plan worked as we hoped, Pein took the bait and now we have him in a safe Toujou hiding place."
"Good." Danzo hummed "Let no one kill him or even cut one limb, I want this pleasure to myself, this would be the best coronation gift I could possibly think of."
"I already instructed my men to spare him for you." Orochimaru smiled, Danzo was such a predictable thing, so easy to control.
"The old emperor is also ready for tomorrow, drugged into oblivion. You should've seen him, as happy as a child."
Danzo smiled softly, pleased. "Follow me."
He left the hall and headed for the balcony, with Orochimaru at his side.
The palace's balcony, set on a high ground, gave them a breathtaking view of the capital. It was a bright night, the moon was almost full and its shine enhanced when reflected on the wide river that marked the city's boundary.
They could see the sleeping city stretched on the soft hills, most of the houses were dark and drowsy, but here and there flicked fire lights, mostly on the city's walls, where the guards took their watch, they twirled like an orange snakes surrounding the capital.
"Lovely, isn't it?" Danzo smiled at the master shinobi.
"Yes it is." Orochimau agreed.
"Mine."
"As from tomorrow sir, it is."
"All mine."
oOOo
"My lady…" Itachi gasped, falling on his knees before her, he waited head down for few seconds before daring to have a look at the lady.
He never laid eyes of a woman that could rival his mother's beauty before, but Konan with her fair skin, deep violet eyes, dark black-blue hair was a worthy challenge.
She stood like a marble statue before him, trying to overcome her distress and confusion.
"This is my nephew, Uchia Itachi." Madara broke the awkward, rising on his feet, holding on to his bleeding throat. "Please forgive our little disarray, nothing but a harmless family quarrel."
From behind them someone sneered, Kakashi.
"The little one is also my nephew, Sasuke."
The spiked haired boy bowed with awe.
They fell into the introduction routine as a mean to reduce the tension. After Minami, Sai and Kakashi presented themselves, Itachi's eyes fall on the kids. He didn't need any clarifications; the older boy was the spitting image of his father, tall, blazing ginger hair and grey eyes, the younger one was more like his mother.
"Pein's sons." Itachi smiled, minding the sudden flow of tears to his eyes. He was not ashamed for shading them. "What are your names?"
"Hiroki." The ginger boy answered but drew away as Itachi reached for his coppery locks to hide behind his mother's thigh.
"The little one is Kaname." Konan said, kissing the baby's forehead.
"Pein would be so pleased to see you all alive and well." Itachi said without thinking. "He's been worried sick."
"Do you know my husband?" Konan asked her voice stiffened and cold.
"I…I…" Itachi threw a glance at Madara who rolled up his eyes. "I took an oath to protect him, protect you, the Kumori clan."
"He is a ninja as I am." Madara explained although it was obviously clear from their little display from earlier "You just saw how much fighting spirit he has in him." He chuckled, looking at his bloodstained hands.
"I see." Konan said with unease, but she chose to let it go. "Where is my husband now?"
"On the outskirts of the capital, preparing for battle." Itachi replied, hoping to be true, ignoring his gut feeling that something was horribly wrong.
"I want you to take me and the children to him." Konan ordered.
Itachi, still on his knees, bowed his head to the ground. "As you wish, my lady."
"What about the stupid monks?" Sasuke asked.
The monks, Itachi forgot about them altogether. "We'll send them on their way in the morning. They have only half a day's journey left and I think they can manage on their own."
"It is getting late." Madara said. "I could use a bonfire and some stew."
"I'm with you on this one." Said Kakashi.
oOOo
As the night came down, the little camp was quiet and peaceful. Minami put both Kaname and Hiroki to sleep; Sasuke and Sai borrowed under their blankets and tolled each other their stories and adventures, fighting their growing need of sleep.
Kakashi and Madara set near the fire, discussing strategies and deliberating the best course of action. Itachi deliberated joining them, after returning from visiting the monks that camped further up the road, but then he noticed Konan at the riverbank, washing the dishes and pots.
He decided to approach her first, clearing his throat to be noticed, and still she winched with alarm.
"My lady, it is best to leave this task to the light of day, now it is too dangerous…"
"I have enough light from the moon." She answered coldly.
"At least, let me help." He leaned besides her and took some plated off her hands.
She watched him as he worked.
"You are beautiful." She said after a while, surprising him until he almost lost the dishes in the river. "Did my husband take you to his bed already?"
Now Itachi startled, cutting his finger on a rough adage of a broken cup.
Konan's lips curved into a bitter smile. "You don't have to answer."
"Pein-sama met me at the brothel I worked in. He freed me and my brother; he gave me my first sword."
"I see."
"I'm sorry."
"This is none of your fault; this is Pein's weakness, a weakness he never truly overcame." Her tears shone by the light of the moon, but there was no other indication of her emotion. "Do you… do you love him?"
Itachi gathered the clean dishes into a pile and then focused on the blood trickling from his index finger.
"There are two options before us, Itachi-san, if we lose this war, we will all perish, my husband and the children as well as I…. but if we win, Pein will become an emperor, if that happens, you must promise me you will let him go."
"I don't understand…"
"If you truly love him then you'd let him go!" She repeated with a rise of her voice. "You will not harm him and endanger him by indulging his weakness! He'll be an emperor! His place is by my side, his wife!"
Itachi's lips trembled as he struggled to find something to say. "I… I will respect this wish if Pein-sama shares it with you."
"Sure he does! Pein have no place in his life for the likes of you, do you understand me, Itachi-san?"
She might as well just call him a whore.
"You've made yourself perfectly clear, my lady."
"Good." She rose on her feet. "Bring back the dishes when you're done."
oOOo
Dawn came slowly, cold as iron, the sun bled into the sky. Sasori awaited his scouting team, at a hill watching over the capital's walls. They came back with gloomy faces and bad news.
As they spread the maps and showed him where the enemy lines were, the situation became ever so clear.
They were outnumbered; two thousand against fifteen, all armed with guns and canons, and had latitude advantage at their side.
"It's gonna be a fucking slaughter." Hidan stated the obvious.
"One more thing…" The scouting team's commander eyed Sasori with sorrow "Rumor has it that your aunt, lady Kurenai, is held captive by Danzo."
Sasori bit on his lips, he wished Pein was with him right now, because the man was a genius regarding battle tactics, but he was not, he was probably not even alive anymore.
Sasori breathed deeply, gazing at the huge city, basking in the first light of dawn.
"Gather the men, we attack now."
oOOo
Pein looked up at the window, nothing more than a crack at the wall, and still the first rays of dawn managed to creep into his cell, red as blood.
He bled all night, through his untreated wounds, he was dehydrated and hallucinating, he knew he his death was a matter of hours. His body was drenched in pain, but his very soul ached more, reaching out to his beloved ones, kissing them, holing them tightly, wishing them health and happiness, begging them to forgive him for he had failed them.
oOOo
Itachi woke up, jerking out of his bedroll, waking up Sasuke in the process. He hugged himself against the chill of the morning. It was dawn, a beautiful ruby dawn, but he had this horrible feeling, coiling up in his gut, he felt like he should run a thousand miles just to gain the chance of chasing it off.
"Nissan?" Sasuke murmured, rubbing his eyes.
"We have to go; we have to get going right away!" Itachi whispered to the half asleep child.
"Huh?" Sasuke did not register the sense of emergency; Itachi got on his feet and walked with haste to Madara's bedroll to wake him up.
oOOo
TBC
OooO
A/N- I know I don't deserve reviews now, because I'm so outrageously late with this update, but if you'll be kind enough, you'll make me very happy. Take care :)