Summary:This is an Itachi death fic. It centers on the relationship between brothers, unkind truths and choices our values force us to make. It has humor, but in essence it is NOT a happy story. In the end, I hope to touch on what can be learned through death, pain, loss, and suffering. There are no pairings.
This is rated Teen for violence, language and moral content.
Warning: swearing and violence
Special thanks to being sick... and Rise Against for 'Behind Closed Doors'
At Gun Point Part 25
By Aster Uchiha
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Sasori cursed loudly, hating the endless flight of stairs more than anything else at the moment. He was running up them, which he realized was probably incredibly dangerous, but he was beyond caring. His stomach twisted in agony as he thoughts of what Itachi might do if he found out about what was going on. This couldn't end well, unless it was stopped.
Pain broke out over his chest and face as he slammed into something smooth and metallic. 'The door!' Despite the aching burn that was spreading over him, Sasori fumbled, looking for a handle and finding it quickly. Wrenching it with his entire weight, he threw the door open.
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It was beginning to make sense to him now. Something was falling into place, but what Sasuke couldn't be sure what. "So…" He started out slowly, choosing his question carefully. "Why did Itachi disobey Uchiha-sama…?"
Deidara smiled grimly. "Perfect question." He moved away from the door, walking leisurely towards the edge of the rooftop. "First of all… I think you need to know what mission he was sent on…" He turned around, and realized Sasuke had followed. It finally time to tell the young Uchiha what he needed, and by now, wanted to know. The moment was here and the gravity of it held him for a moment. Deidara stared at him, searching his eyes for understanding.
The door behind then flew open and both faces fell in shock and horror as Sasori glowered at them. The redhead locked eyes with Deidara, and Sasuke instinctively backed away. "What the fuck did you think you were doing?"
There was a fierce and sudden exchange of glares and unspoken dialogues that Sasuke couldn't decode. Deidara turned to him abruptly, but before anything thing could happen, Sasori had him by the arm and he was watching the blonde being dragged through the door. Sasuke froze, unsure what to make of the situation as Deidara realized what was taking place.
Their eyes locked one last time and Sasori pulled him into the stairwell. In an intrepid moment, Deidara realized it might his only chance to convey the information to Sasuke that could make or break them all. Fighting against the redhead for one brief moment, he made an audacious suggestion. "Ask Itachi!"
Two words rang loud and clear before Sasori jerked him away and slammed the door. They echoed in the younger Uchiha's mind for a moment, unslurred by the bang of the door. Icy fingers curled within his chest. 'Ask… Itachi…' It sounded impossible, but now he wondered. Could it be as simple as requesting an answer from his elder brother? Could it be possible that he would not only get a reply from Itachi, but an honest one? Anxiety turned to stone and sank within him.
Sasuke looked back over his shoulder. It had been sunset. It was nearly dark now, and twilight was encroaching upon its demise. The intervention of Sasori made no sense to him. Deidara had explained him as a protector for the silhouetted elder Uchiha, and the possible harm of their discussion was beyond him. But it was obvious that something even bigger now was occurring, and before it fell over them, Deidara wanted to see things righted between himself and Itachi, while Sasori seemed to hold an opposite stand point.
It was a confusing thing to try to sort. Sasuke mulled over it as he reached for the handle. No matter what Deidara had said, he couldn't simply ask Itachi for an explanation, not after their last encounter. Deidara himself was now clearly off-limits, and Sasori would tell him nothing. The rest of Hakumei were said to be oblivious to what he desired to know. Only one person remained to him. It was evident that his last source was deceitful, but he was banking on pride to bring about the truth. Itachi had been punished for a mission some time ago, and it had left a scar on his right hand. The man capable of doing such was no doubt proud of his power, and when it was inquired about, with any luck arrogance would make him loose-tongued.
Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, Sasuke opened the door and stared into the black abyss. He would seek his answers and find them. He would seek and find Uchiha-sama. Sucking in a shaky breath at the recollection of his initiation, Sasuke set into the spiraling void of the staircase.
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Footsteps echoed down the hall as Pein lay in wait. Madara's idea was brilliant in its deceptiveness and manipulation of those around them. He was still uneasy about facing another member of Hakumei, but there was nothing he could do against a direct order from Madara himself. They would fight, and it wasn't certain he'd walk away.
Itachi's oblivious approach continued, steady as it had been. Taking a cautionary breath, he waited until he was sure the elder Uchiha was right where he wanted him. Maybe Pein could have finished the job then and there, but Madara was more concerned with drawing out the end of Uchiha Itachi, rather than simply doing it. There was a brief lapse in his logical consciousness and he moved out into the open, firing one well-aimed shot.
To his surprise, he heard it hit the wall and clatter to the ground. Itachi met his eyes, puzzled, but ready to fight with his gun drawn. Caught off guard by his target's preemptive defense, he calmed himself with the reminder that he only need make Itachi fire once. Madara would back him up with the story he had been fed. 'Uchiha Itachi, unprovoked, attacked a superior. He has now become a threat to Hakumei and must be eliminated.' From there, the organization itself could be used as a weapon, and leave him no chance of escape.
"What is the meaning of this?" Itachi inquired warily, keeping a finger around the trigger.
Only tempted for moment to answer, Pein fired at him again, this time anticipating his movement. Itachi dodged in the direction he'd predicted. Faster than his normal eyes could keep up with, he whipped around, swinging himself almost haphazardly out of harm's way. Seeing that this fight would get them nowhere, they both activated their kekkai genkai.
"Pein- answer me!" Itachi called across the hall, still tense, but not ready to inflame his superior. "Pein!"
Three fiery explosions reverberated through the corridor with the deadly precision of the rinnengan. Despite the advantage of the sharingan, Itachi was unable to fully avoid them. Two skimmed his right arm and the third left a shallow scratch inches above his hip. "Respect your superiors." His face was made the more fearsome by the excess of piercings it carried. "When you speak to me, use the correct address." Pein scowled, hoping to incite the wrath of his confused opponent. As if to finish the reprimand, he fired another shot. This time it skimmed Itachi's cheek. If he hadn't moved, he would have been killed.
'This is no joke… Looks like I actually have to fight him.' It wasn't his first choice to take on someone holding more authority than himself, but it suddenly seemed necessary. "My apologies, Pein-sama," he replied mockingly.
Another bullet flew by, skimming Itachi's chin and the top of his shoulder before he returned fire. One shot, loosed in a moment that Pien was mid-step and unable to evade. It shrieked through the air, the bang from the pistol following it, and tore through the orange-haired man's shoulder. His gun hand was suspended in the air momentarily, and then his entire right arm fell limp, hanging uselessly from his side. The pistol clambered to the floor, its sounds resonating briefly.
Itachi paused, pinning his now defenseless elder with a muzzle aimed at his head. "What is the meaning of this? I demand an answer."
Pein sighed, shaking his head. Their eyes met, and Itachi was aghast to find something bordering pity in the other's gaze. "You should start running now." He twined a short series of hand signs and disappeared in the breath of ashen smoke that accompanied a teleportation technique.
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His breathing was heavy with the wound in his shoulder, and Madara's quarters seemed darker than ever. "Madara-sama…" He paused, waiting for a response. His blood felt warm over his fingers, which were curiously cold now. He couldn't see how much of it he was losing, for the way it became invisible within the black cloth of his uniform.
"That was quite a shot," Madara commented, his leer barely discernable. "It looks as though he cleanly severed the shoulder tendon. Very impressive, especially under the circumstances."
Pein nodded, beginning to feel dizzy. "Yes. It took awhile to induce his attack…"
Madara melted into view from the shadows and Pein wondered where the small amount of light in the room came from. "Pein… You make me proud." The approach of the malevolent Uchiha was slow and unstoppable as he swayed. 'Just how much blood am I losing?' He continued, "You've been an example of everything I could ask for in a member of Hakumei… And you you've served me well… Now I have one last favor to ask you before you are released…"
Dread tossed in the back of his mind. "Released…?"
"Pein…" Madara spoke softly, as if comforting a child, but the sound was unassuring. "One last favor…. Hold still."
He blinked in confusion, but stood in rigidity. "Ye-" An ardent bang pealed through the chamber echoing indefinitely. Pein fell with a leaden thump and silence prevailed.
"What a waste…" Madara murmured to the still corpse before as blood pooled under his feet. "All this… In the name of a second chance…" He slipped the gun that Pein had never him seen pull, back into the waist of his pants. "Sasuke…" He surveyed the mangled remains of one of Hakumei's most fearsome. A bullet through the head, it was quick and swift, and the last thing he wanted to characterize the death of Uchiha Itachi. All the trouble that had been caused by the prolonged existence of both Uchiha brothers was about to end. "Sasuke… You will not fail me this time…"
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Well... I hope no one was attached to Pein. I dunno that his name is spelled right all the way through... Bear with me. Now it truly starts... Here goes the climax! PlEaSe ReViEw