Mentally, the girl sighed and lowered her head. She had spent ten minutes in the inn's shower, attempting to get her emotions under control. Attempting and not succeeded. Her brow furrowed together as she stared down at the floor beneath her. Really, she should not have cared so much. However, admittedly, news of Yasmine's death had… shaken her. It had been unexpected—feeling something for the foreigner—after everything she had done. She mattered to you, Sasuke had told her. His statement had yet to stop echoing in her mind. Mayu shut her eyes for a moment. Okay. She had cared. "She's dead…" It had been okay to mourn her passing. It had been okay to feel something. Yasmine had been her friend for a time. It had been okay to spend a few minutes mixing the water with her tears. "But it's time to move on."

Pressing her lips into a thin line, the young Ishikari slid open the door to the shared room. She was greeted by the sight of Uchiha Sasuke in the midst of looking over a map. The map had been spread out in front of his sitting form. He had changed into his own clothes—a bit different from what he had worn previously. A sleeveless gray shirt showed off his arms. His arm guards were gone, too. In its' place were bandages. She narrowed her eyes, wondering if he had been given enough time to actually rest. "We're leaving," he informed her. His dark eyes slid in her direction, and then returned to the map. "Once Suigetsu, Juugo, and Karin get back." Mayu stepped into the room, eyes roaming the room. It was clean. It was though the previous altercation hadn't taken place. Her gaze returned to his form before she closed the door behind her. She then walked over and sat across from him. Her hand lightly touched the map before sliding it to the right. "What are you doing?" he questioned.

"We…" Mayu bit her lower lip. "We don't have the time anymore." Sasuke knitted his brow. "I've been putting this off longer than necessary, and I'm sorry. But it's only a matter of time before Kiba, Sai, and Sakura find us. We need to meet with Itachi."

"What are you saying?"

"I… I know where he is," she admitted. Sasuke stared at her, eyes wide, for a full minute. He suddenly moved. Her arm had been grabbed and she had been pulled towards him. The young Uchiha showed her a glare. Mayu frowned, but did not avert her eyes. "Well, I know where he intends to go, if he's not already there. Before I left the village, Yasmine gave me the message. It took me awhile to understand it, to go through my memories to find out what the message meant. I know what he meant, and so I know where he is." Sasuke's grip on her arm increased. "Calm down," she continued. She lifted her free arm and lightly caressed his cheek with her hand. His hold on her decreased and his expression softened a bit. "He's not going anywhere. He's waiting. For us."

"Mayu…" Sasuke closed his eyes, sighing through his nose. "Are you ready to meet him? Are you truly ready to see his end? If you're not-"

"I'm not," she interrupted. "I'm not ready to see it. You already know. But I accept it. I know Itachi… I know that he will pay for what he did." Her hand slipped from his face. "His death… is something we have to face." Sasuke sighed again. He moved again, this time pressing his forehead against hers.

"I know this is hard for you, but you can't interfere," he ordered.

"I know. I didn't intend on getting in between blood anyway. I only want… to be there. I'm going to be there for it." Mayu pulled her head away. "We should go now. Waiting for those two might not be a good idea." She stood up, pulling her comrade up with her. Sasuke didn't respond, only regarded her in silence. "What?"

"Do you think I'll win against him?"

"What?"

"Before… when we were younger, you said revenge doesn't have to be a one person thing," Sasuke supplied. "I'm fighting him alone after all. Before, you were confident that if I had others helping that I would win against him. But since I'm fighting him alone in the end, do you think I can…"

"Don't be stupid, Sasuke!" Hands on her hips, she glared at him. "You have me! I'll be there. Even if I don't lift a finger, I will be with you the whole time. You'll win." Mayu noticed the corner of his lips upturn just a bit. "You won't ever be alone again, Sasuke."

This had been one of the reasons he had fallen. Ishikari Mayu had always pulled him up. Had always submerged herself in his darkness just to pull him from drowning. He would have been consumed a long time ago without her. Sasuke placed both hands on her cheeks and moved to kiss her. She relaxed against him almost immediately, and then her fingers grabbed onto his shirt. He reared back, noticing her puckered lips. The young Uchiha almost chuckled. "Thank you," he told her. Her eyes opened, looking a bit confused—and a bit miffed, too—that the kiss had ended so soon. "After all this is over, I'll make you scream."

"Just what every girl wants to hear," Mayu replied drily. She then grinned, gave him a chaste kiss, and then pulled his hands away from her cheeks. "If anyone is going to be screaming, though, it's you."

"Looking forward to it."

Mayu's nostrils flared suddenly. It signaled that a familiar scent had reached her nose. "They're back. We should go," she said. Sasuke nodded his head. With a smile, she turned and began walking towards the door. The young Uchiha followed after her. The two made their way downstairs and out of the door. Predictably, Suigetsu and Karin were squabbling about something or other. Juugo stood idly by, not bothering to watch them. His eyes spotted them immediately. He walked over to them, greeting them with a slight bow.

"Sasuke, I have what you requested," Juugo announced, reaching into his cloak. Mayu made a noise of inquiry. The taller teen then presented her with a gift. Satisfied, Sasuke watched the kunoichi's eyes light up at the sight of the manga. A sharp intake of breath had stopped the others from continuing their banter. Curious, they had turned their attention to her. She ran in place before snatching the book from Juugo's hand.

"This is the last volume of Twin Degrees!" Mayu squealed, holding the manga up as though it had been some treasure. Sasuke found himself smiling a bit. He supposed, to her, it was. "With everything that's been going on, I completely forgot about Kara and Tatsu!" She held the book close to her chest. "Thanks so much, Juugo!"

"Ah, it was Sasuke's request," he stated.

"Really…?" She turned to the person in question. "How'd you know?"

"Naruto."

"Ah… Well, thanks…" Mayu turned back to face the bigger teen. She beckoned him with her finger. Juugo furrowed his brow, leaning forward. The kunoichi still had to stand her on the tips of her toes to reach him. She pressed a kissed to the middle of his forehead. Giggling, she stepped away, only to give Sasuke a kiss to his lips. The two teens both flushed for two different reasons. "So, shall we go?"

"Don't crash into any trees while you're reading," Sasuke said. Mayu only saluted him. He turned his attention to the rest of his platoon. "We're going after Itachi now."

0-0

It wasn't long before the group was traveling again. This time, they were moving through the trees. Mayu had her eyes firmly planted in reading. Every so often, she would release a squeal of glee, a passing remark about how Kara was such an idiot for letting Tatsu walk away, and giggles. Very obnoxious and loud giggles. Karin's attempts at shutting up the dark-haired kunoichi were ignored. Mayu had completely shut down the outside world. It was a wonder why she hadn't slammed hard against any tree trunk yet. Red eyes glowered in her direction. But once it was clear that the girl wouldn't be provoked by eye daggers, Karin turned her attention to the leader of the small faction. The redhead informed Sasuke that there were multiple chakra signatures heading their way. "What's the plan to stop them?" she asked.

"No plan," he answered. "We're almost there, anyway." He gestured for the kunoichi to look ahead. "He's close." The group leapt out of the forest and landed on a building. They only got a second to look around before Sasuke ran across the roof, forcing them to run after him. Karin's sudden shout of warning caused the group to halt their movements. Narrowing her eyes, Mayu snapped her book close. She shut her eyes for a moment, and breathed deeply through her nose. She slid her book into her weapon's pouch, and then completely focused on the presence in front of her. Ahead of them, a twirling blue ninja came to a stop. He grinned at them. "You…?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Kisame—I see that you've become a ballerina since the last time I heard about you," Mayu commented. The missing-nin glared in her direction. He squatted down on the pole he was standing on. He scrutinized her from afar.

"Ah, the cheeky brat from before," Kisame suddenly grinned. "Still got that hammer of justice?" An embarrassed flushed settled on Mayu's face. She hadn't expected the blue-skinned man to remember her antics as a child. Hell, she hadn't expected him to connect her previous appearance to her current one. The kunoichi outright ignored the questioning gazes of the three ignorant members. Luckily, Sasuke seemed to of have forgotten about that encounter with the shark dude. Either that or he was focused on the task at hand. That was good. He couldn't realize that she remembered anything until it was all over. After biting her lip, Mayu schooled her features just in case her comrade decided to glance her way. "Anyway, only Sasuke-kun, plus one, can go any further," Kisame stated. "On Itachi-san's orders of course. The rest are welcomed to wait here."

The young Ishikari frowned. So it had really come to this point already. Silently, she breathed out. Mayu took several steps forward until she stood beside Sasuke. "That's fine with me," he replied. "They're only traveling with me as a platoon, anyway. In order for there to be no interference with my fight, this will do just fine. Mayu will come with me." Sasuke only glanced at the others. "You three stay here." Karin began to protest, heatedly proclaiming that this turn of events weren't fair, why had Mayu been the one to get chosen, and she could definitely assist him better than her. "Mayu isn't going to help me fight. Stop complaining about things you don't understand." The redhead immediately shut her mouth, appearing dejected. If the situation hadn't been so, Mayu might have rolled her eyes. Despite the changes within him, Sasuke was still cold towards others he wasn't completely comfortable around. "Let's go."

"Mm." She nodded her head. Together, they took off, past a grinning Kisame. With each leap they took, it felt as though time was dwindling. Mayu swallowed hard, finding their pace far too fast. It wasn't like she could slow this whole thing down. Not anymore. They had all made their decisions. As she had said before, it was time to face the storm. But before that… "Sasuke," she captured his attention. "Before we meet him, there's something I have to tell you. To be honest, I was holding this information back as well." He didn't response with his voice. However, his foot slammed against a tree's branch harder than necessary. Mayu squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I already said that Itachi and I were engaged… The engagement would bring two clans together, but it was also my way into the Academy. As my clan wouldn't be secret anymore, I could officially train like other kids to be a ninja."

"You would have been in my class?"

"Yup, if I was, you probably would have struggled to keep your number one rookie title."

"Hilarious."

"I would be just like my uncle, except I wouldn't have to use the transformation technique to blend in and obtain ninja status. My mother and I—we were going to walk into town proudly, something we couldn't do up until that point. Normally, it had been honorary members of our clan that would venture into town."

"Honorary…?" Sasuke echoed. "What does that mean?"

"Outsiders without our blood or abilities… Those who married into our clan, I mean," Mayu explained. "See, with our genetics, the dark skin and blue eyes are dominant. Any offspring born with Ishikari blood would have these features, so we couldn't very well walk into the village without arousing questions that didn't need to be answered. They could go into town without worrying and… just be normal, I guess." She suddenly sighed out. "Anyway, that day, my mother had taken me outside of our home to enroll me into the Academy. We… never made it. Itachi blocked our path. Me being a kid, I had been more concerned with the sight of my best friend than the strange look on his face. Itachi… He wouldn't look at me. He completely ignored my attempts to gain his attention. He only… stated at my mother and apologized. It was so weird." Mayu shut her eyes as the memories came back to her. "I remember being so confused, but I got distracted by mother. She had squeezed my hand so tightly, I thought her nails would were going to dig into my skin and draw blood. I… That's when everything changed. Suddenly, the surrounding area felt stifling. Thinking about it now, it must have been killer intent. My mother lashed out. She attacked Itachi, and then ran. With me in her arms, she ran back to our house. That was the day, I was sent away and my memories were erased."

She drew a deep breath. Sasuke slid his tongue over his front teeth. By the way her story had been told, he could already tell where it had been destined to go. He swallowed hard, watching her from the corner of his eye. "The death of her clan…" he thought. When they were younger, they had already discovered that his father had something to do with the annihilation of a clan. And what's worse, there had been evidence of betrayal.

"… I don't know why my mother attacked him, but Itachi—he ended up running after us. Burned our forest and killed almost everyone. Itachi, by himself, is the one who killed my clan and left my mother to die on the orders of Uchiha Fugaku," Mayu went on. The intense look on her face—it had been a rare occurrence. "Now that I truly think about it, maybe we weren't going to enroll me. Maybe the sole purpose had been to speak with the Hokage about whatever deal had been worked out through the arranged marriage. Maybe your father knew of my mother's intentions, and that's why…" Sasuke noticed her blinking rapidly. In an effort to get rid of tears? "Whatever the case, that had been the day and night of our clans being mostly wiped out. Mine first, yours later." So he had been wrong then? His theory of an Ishikari clan member helping to eliminate his clan hadn't been accurate. Finally, the two came to a stop right in front of the entrance of an Uchiha hideout. He merely glanced at their destination before refocusing on Mayu. "Whatever happened in the past, I have decided not to blame Itachi. I have decided to forgive him. One day, I hope you can do the same. He… will always be our brother, and so I hope you can when your revenge is complete."

"Mayu…" Honestly, he didn't know what to say. He realized that she still had lingering affections for Uchiha Itachi despite all he had done. However, she actually wanted him to feel the same? Sasuke couldn't even imagine it. Not now. "I'll think about it." A slight smile appeared and his insides clenched. "Now, we're here. I don't want you near the battle, but if you must see the conclusion, do it from a safe place.

"Yes," Mayu nodded her head. "We should split up for now, though. I promise I won't fight him. If I find him first, I'll alert you." She could tell that he didn't like that plan, but honestly he had no choice. She had already broken away from him, heading into the base. Hearing the grunt of annoyance, Mayu suppressed a smirk. Then she focused on the task at hand. Finding Itachi was her priority now. So she walked through the mazelike hideout. Steeling herself, she came to a stop in front of a door. This was where his scent was most concentrated. Her hand reached for the handle. She was almost ashamed to realize that her fingers trembled. The young Ishikari gripped the handle and briefly shut her eyes. She scolded her body for reacting this way. She had already resigned her mind. Her body should follow. Breathing out slowly, she pushed open the door.

Her eyes fell on the Akatsuki cloak first. Then her gaze worked its way up. His eyes were close as if harmlessly sleeping. He sat on a stone chair, looking more like a throne than anything. Upon further inspection, she noticed the Uchiha crest had been painted on the wall behind him, along with tomoe. The room was dimly lit by candles instead of artificial light. Mayu stepped forward and shut the door behind her. "So it has come to this," he began. Uchiha Itachi finally opened his eyes to gaze upon her. With his fingers laced in front of him and his legs crossed at the ankles, he didn't appear to be too worried with her arrival. "You have such a strained look on your face. Can I assume you have come to stop what has already been set in motion?"

"… No," she confessed. "Rather… I have come to see you one last time. For what happened when we met, I said some pretty mean things. I'm sorry."

"I was not expecting an apology. I assumed you hated me."

Mayu blinked three times, feeling a certain stinging in her eye. Shit. No. No. She could do this. She could. Faltering now would be… would be… The room around her felt as though it was spinning. Her esophagus felt as though it was slowly closing. Swallowing hard, she clenched her fists at her side. "Am I already trapped inside your genjutsu?"

"How observant of you," Itachi commented.

"Then I can speak freely." Her whole body tensed, anticipating his reaction. "I know what happened. I know what caused our families' destruction." However miniscule, his eyebrows rose. He was alarmed. After all these years, she could decipher that expression. "The alliance, the coup, your orders—I know what happened. Itachi, how could you-" The man stood up abruptly. He appeared in front of her just as quickly.

"How did you come across this information?" he interrupted. His expression had regressed back to being completely neutral. He had been shocked, but had managed to mask it again.

"Does it matter?!" Mayu blurted out. "What you did-!" She cut herself off, averting her gaze to the floor. She had to calm down. If she became too worked up, she would forget the reason for seeking him out in the first place. "To clarify," Mayu went on, returning her gaze to his body. "Your father and my mother arranged a deal, stating that when the time came, Ishikari would support Uchiha. Through our marriage, the coup d'état would have thrust the Leaf village into civil war. You, as a double-agent, had to stop that from taking place. At thirteen, you killed our families to protect the village you hold dear." Her eyes narrowed. His remained stoic. "Tell me I'm wrong," she dared. Silence was his response. "You knew more at that time—you knew the little details that I either ignored or was ignorant about. I want to know those details."

"… You were never meant to find this out."

"Well, I did, so the least you can do is fill in the gaps for me."

"What do you wish to know when you already have the knowledge?"

"Although I know these things, I don't understand them. It all comes down to one question. With everything that happened, just… why?" Her voice shook. "Why did my mother attack you? Why did she agree to such an alliance in the first place? Just why did things happen the way they did? If your orders were to kill us, why didn't you just kill me, too? All this drama… Why?!" Her voice had risen until her last question came out in a scream.

"Mayu." Itachi lifted his arm and extended it in her direction. She smacked his hand away. Immediately, his arm dropped back to his side. Without restraint, she demanded that he not treat her like a little girl anymore. She wanted answers. And she wanted them now. It couldn't be helped after all. Tears welled and spilled over. No matter how many time she had told herself not to cry and rehearsed her words in front of his apparition, being in the presence of the real thing had been a completely different story. "You are filled with anger and hatred. You shouldn't have become this way. I apologize."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it!" Mayu irately wiped her tears. "Tell me what I want to know or I'll make you!" For a moment, he didn't seem as though he would. Then he opened his mouth again.

"Very well," Itachi relented. "I suppose it is only fair. You have so come far."

0-0

Eight years ago…

The tension was so thick, surely a stray kunai could cut through it. He had found himself in the middle, watching the stare down take place. The two pairs had been at this for a total of seven minutes—going on eight. Just how long were they going to keep this up? Dark eyes lowered to the tatami floor before shifting again. He would rather not become caught between the two clan heads. He had been the only one to endure it as well. Well, it certainly seemed that way. To his left, his friend sat seemingly oblivious to the tension shared between their respective parents. She blinked slowly, appearing seconds away from nodding off. If this had been a different situation—and his parents hadn't been present—he would had kicked her for appearing so nonchalant.

"So…" Ishikari Mayuka began. He found himself drawing a breath and tensing. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the head of Uchiha. It is an honor." The atmosphere immediately shifted. Heavy and dark—almost suffocating. From his vantage point, he could see the vein in the middle of his father's forehead bulge, showing his irritation. Beside him, his mother kept a polite, albeit, bemused smile. The pleasant smile the dark-skinned woman wore had not helped. As she had done so on purpose, she did not care for his reaction. "Shame. Itachi-kun got a few features from your husband, Mikoto-sama." The youngest Uchiha in the room noted the slight movement from his father.

"Ishikari-san," he spoke hastily. His murmur successfully focused the attention to himself. "I apologize… for the inconvenience."

"It is fine, Itachi-kun. You are not at fault." Her gaze went back to his father. "The visit, though surprising, could turn out to be beneficial. So tell me, Uchiha Fugaku-san, what has caused you to come to my home unannounced and bring your poor wife along?" His father cleared his throat, though it appeared he had been attempting to calm himself in front of such a woman. Mayu had received her habit of teasing from her mother. The woman knew very well that his father was the leader of the Uchiha clan, not his mother.

"You know very well that we have already come to an agreement," Fugaku said. "I-"

"I haven't agreed completely."

"You will."

"So this was a ploy, was it?" Mayuka questioned. "Bringing your wife to appeal to my motherly instincts in an effort for me to agree faster?" Her pleasant smile had become forced whilst his parents shared a glance. "How very clever of you, Uchiha-san." With narrowed eyes, she opened her mouth to speak again. However, her husband interjected.

"Mayu-chan…!" he said. Said person snapped to attention as though she really had nodded off. Itachi wished he could share her blissful ignorance. "With this sudden visit, we forgot to show our manners. Be a good girl and fetch our guests some refreshments." The young girl grinned and stood up. More than likely, she had been excited at the thought of leaving such a 'boring adult' conversation. With an affirmative nod, Mayu left the room and shut the door behind her. After a few moments, Ishikari Haruka released a sigh. "Now, no need to get worked up. I'm sure we'll all curious about the details of the agreement. Both parties have been vague to this point." Generally, the man wore a laidback expression, but there were times, like now, his face hardened to fit the mood. "So, Uchiha-san, tell us exactly you have my daughter to do once the agreement is locked."

"As I told you before, your daughter would act as another infiltrator," Fugaku stated. "With her unique abilities, she would be the perfect Uchiha spy. As no one else knows, it would be easy for her to gather information." Itachi dipped his head. At the time, he hadn't known that Mayu's technique had been something only she could do. He had carelessly mentioned it to his father when he had demanded to know things of the Ishikari clan. It had been a mistake to let his father know that secret. "When the time comes, we will use the information she has gathered in order to overwhelm the leaders of this village. Because of your daughter, a full scale war won't happen. But in order for this to take place, our children will marry. She has to first exist in order to enroll in the Academy. Isn't that what you want of your daughter?"

"Yes." Without hesitance, Mayuka had replied to the weighted question. Never had she spoken of it out loud, but she had not wanted the life she led to be transferred to Mayu. She knew in her heart that her daughter would not conform. "You got me figured out. Congratulations." Her tone held a bitter edge to it. "If I accept, then you promise not to set your plan in motion until Mayu has reached an appropriate age?"

"In order for this takeover not to draw blood, then we would have to promise that, Ishikari-san," his mother spoke up. "You are not the only one who worries about their child's wellbeing once this is all over. This plan will succeed and our children will no longer be held in the dark, sinking in isolation. The Uchiha and Ishikari clans—haven't we had enough of this life?" Mayuka shut her eyes and drew a deep breath through her nose. For a time, all were silent.

"Very well," she finally agreed. "I will inform the Hokage and the council of the arrangement. They will have no choice but to grant my daughter existence early and allow her to train as a ninja. She will get your information and when the time comes, you will have the full support of the Ishikari clan."

"It is fortunate that we have reached consensus," Fugaku remarked.

"Yes, it is rather fortunate that you thought to bring your wife along. Tell me, Mikoto-san, are you sure it isn't you whom leads the Uchiha?"

Before things could take a turn for the worse, Itachi decided to stop being mute. Any more teasing and surely his father would not be able to hold in his ire. "I am to marry Mayu," he stated. "I have no qualms with this. For the sake of the two clans, I would do this without question. However, Mayu's reasoning-"

"She will do it. Upon contemplation, she will see that it must be done," Mayuka interrupted. "I know my daughter well. Her reasoning will surely be different, but in the end, she will agree to marry, Itachi-kun."

"Then when the time comes, I am at your service, Ishikari-san."

"There is one thing my wife has neglected to mention," Haruka stated. "I'm sure you've realized that I am not Ishikari by blood, right? I married into this family, taking on my wife's surname."

"What are you saying?" Fugaku questioned.

"It means that Itachi-kun, once he marries, will not have the Uchiha name anymore. His clan will officially be Ishikari," Mayuka said as though she hadn't revealed unforeseen news. Predictably, Itachi's father and mother showed their surprise. Then came the outrage. His father had been more vocal about his protest than his mother, but the indignation could be felt coming off her in waves. Admittedly, sometimes, he would forget that his mother had retired from a life of a ninja. Every so often, little reminders would surface. The dark-skinned woman let their objections fade before speaking again. "This is not another restriction the Leaf village has placed upon us," she said. "This is strictly Ishikari tradition. Both women and men that become honorary members take on the name Ishikari—no exceptions. Itachi-kun, once married, will belong to the Ishikari clan and he will answer to me."

Itachi stayed silent, yet he realized it must have been something like that. Haruka, as he previously said, had been a prime example. The man had more or less left his own family to be a part of this one. Itachi speculated that Haruka's blood relatives did not know of his location. Perhaps they even thought him dead. Other members of the clan must have been in similar circumstances as inbreeding didn't seem the way they procreated. He… did not mind the circumstance. In fact, it would be better this way. In ten years' time, this could all seem pointless—overthrow simply unnecessary in both clans' eyes. "You tricked me!" Fugaku fumed, snapping his son out of his thoughts.

"You are the one who suggested marriage to seal the deal, Uchiha-san," Mayuka coolly retorted. "Nobody tricked you." She arched a brow. "Be glad you get to know what happens to your son. Others weren't so fortunate." Her husband whispered her name and her body relaxed somewhat. "If all goes according to plan, you won't need to worry about Itachi-kun. The Ishikari clan won't be hidden anymore at that point. He will be taken care of and have status in our clan as well as the village. He will not disappear into the shadows like so many others before him. You will lose your son, in a sense, and I apologize for that. However, you will gain the full backing of our clan. You have my word, as long as you keep your end of the bargain. So, now that you have this newfound knowledge. What do you plan to do with it? You already know the stakes. Do you still propose marriage in exchange for my daughter's ability? If not, the whole deal's off and you can plan your little takeover without me. Either way benefits Ishikari, so the decision is yours."

Itachi could tell that his father was seriously reconsidering the arrangement. Most, if not all, of his life, Fugaku had been training and grooming him to exceed him and take his place as the head of the Uchiha clan. That time spent mentoring would go to waste if the deal was struck. Also, the deal meant the Ishikari would benefit the most. Not only would they have the Sharingan in their midst, but they would also have the most promising Uchiha be Uchiha no more. The clan could not lay claim to him or his abilities.

However, his father had wanted a bloodless war too desperately. Despite being a strict man, Itachi wanted to believe he wouldn't put his family—his clan—in harm's way unnecessarily. Forming an alliance with the Ishikari clan seemed the only possible way to change things peacefully, at least in his father's mind. "Fine—the arrangement is still agreeable," Fugaku conceded through clenched teeth. Mikoto pressed her lips into a thin line, obviously not liking the decision. "The official agreement will be written up. We will both sign it once it is approved."

"Of course."

0-0

Three weeks later…

Each step he took felt heavy—heavier than the last. Rigid and mechanical, Uchiha Itachi walked down a familiar path, eyes trained on the ground in front of him. He hadn't wanted this outcome. Out of all possible scenarios, this had been the most unwelcoming. However, his orders were clear. There could be no going back after the day and night had finally ended. Everything had already been set into motion, and he couldn't change a thing… in the end.

Despite his outward appearance of tranquil, the young shinobi felt utter turmoil at what must be done. He had thought he would have time to stop such nonsense. The arrangement would have allowed him the time to sway such a drastic decision. It would have ensured that the clan stay subdued long enough to make them see the error of their thought process. Plunging their village into war, no matter the reason, was foolish. Nonetheless, he had underestimated his clan's level of frustration and impatience. The power had been wretched from his hand. He no longer had the strength to protect all of the things he cared about.

At his side, his hand clenched. If only he hadn't relied so much on the arrangement, perhaps he would had thought of another way to end things. If only his clan hadn't decided to accelerate their plans. If only… If only… Perhaps it had been pointless to place blame. Things had taken a turn for the worst and because of that his family, as well as his oasis, needed to be 'put down.' This had been his only option. He had to live with his own decision until his dying day. "Weasel…!" An excited voice brought his inner lament to an abrupt halt. Regardless of his resolve, he could not stop his body from trembling nor the widening of his eyes. Itachi came to a stop.

Slowly, his gaze lifted from the ground. Almost ten meters in front of him, Ishikari mother and daughter were making their way towards him. Young blue eyes had only became brighter the closer they became. Conversely, the older pair of eyes seem to darken. Mayuka—since when did she begin looking at him in that way? The dark-skinned woman was nearly dragged forward by her daughter until they were right in front of him. Merely an arm's reach away now. Mayu attempted to gain his attention. He couldn't look at her directly. She remained ignorant of the situation. The head of the Ishikari clan, however, had always been sharp and wary of her surroundings. It was at that moment that Itachi realized that he did not deserved to be loved anymore. This was his punishment for holding onto his childlike fantasy. This was his fault for being too passive. He was to blame for this turn of events.

"I…" Itachi began. He shut his eyes, feeling the stinging. It had recently become a familiar feeling as of late. It had started with Shisui. It would end with his little brother. Afterwards, he would only feel numb at what he had done. What he would do. "I am sorry, Ishikari-san."

Once he had muted his overwhelming emotions, he lifted his eyelids again, revealing his triggered bloodline. Mayuka immediately grew alarmed and her grip on her daughter's hand increased. Chakra pumped quickly through her body. She released her hold on her daughter and shot forward. A twitch in her shoulder told him what she intended to do before she did it. The woman spun on the ball of her right foot, bringing her arm up to strike with the back of her fist. Itachi flawlessly caught her wrist before it made contact with his temple. She appeared shocked for just a moment. Then she kicked his torso and tugged her arm free from his grasp. Admittedly, he allowed her to get away. Perhaps he would never truly be ready for what he had been ordered to do. She had grabbed Mayu and headed back to the shelter of her home. Itachi narrowed his eyes, watching her disappear with her child behind the condensed forest. Erase their existence completely, he had been told. That is what he must do. No longer could they be the people he had shared memories with. They were targets. Nothing more.

Itachi walked forward, resolve reforming each time his foot hit the ground. Within seconds, he stood at the edge of the forest. He concentrated his chakra into his right eye. The black flames of Amaterasu erupted and began burning the woodland. The fire spread quickly, making a clear path for him and continued to burn the surrounding faux creation. There would be nowhere to hide. The shinobi reached up, fingers smearing the blood under his eye. He had to be quick about this. Reluctance would only draw out the inexorable. He ran, creating a copy of himself by means of the Shadow Clone Technique.

The two ran up the rock and wood foundation, and then split up once they reached the top. Already he knew that every member of the clan had been home at this time, except one. It would be quick. It would be clean. It would be merciful. Itachi came across defenseless members. They had actually greeted him with smiles. Then the screaming began because of his clone's work. Their smiles disappeared and were replaced with looks of confusion. His katana ended their lives before they could speak. "Itachi…?!" His shoulders tensed, recognizing the voice. The husband. "What are you doing?! Why are you doing this?!" Itachi slowly turned to face the man.

"I am sorry. I cannot accept your position." Moving almost mindlessly, he slid his blade across Haruka's throat. A scream—a bloodcurdling scream seemed to echo all around him. He whirled around only to see the horrified faces of mother and child. She called out to the dead man as though he could still hear. She screamed and cried. Twinges of guilt threatened to overwhelm him, but Itachi managed to push the emotion aside. He stepped toward them. The woman violently jerked back before running into a room along with her daughter. Following after them, he repeated a mantra in his head. The only way, he thought. He found the woman in the middle of the room, shaking and crying. She stood protectively in front of her daughter. "It has come to this, Ishikari-san."

"Itachi… Why did you kill them?!" Her strangled question made him pause. "Why did you kill Haruka?!" Her voice, raw and hysterical, nearly broke him. However, this must be done. It was the only way. Steeling himself, he moved quickly, pushing the child away. His katana impaled the woman from the back and the tip burst from her front. Her body tensed as she gurgled on her blood, and then went limp. The only way… The only way… The only way… Itachi removed his blade and focused on the last Ishikari. The girl had backed herself into the far corner. Her blue eyes stared up at him, so full of fear and confusion. With unshed tears and a quivering body, she mouthed his name. She shook her head, eyes still wide and focused on him. Itachi's grip on the hilt increased as he slowly made his way over to her.

"D-D-Don't…" Barely a whisper, the woman pleaded from her spot on the floor. He turned slightly. She had been attempting to crawl towards him. Something within shattered at the sight. He had made a mistake and had missed her vitals. "Ple-Please don't kill… D-Don't kill my baby. I beg yo-you, It-Itach…kun…" Gathering her strength, she forced herself to sit up. "My ba-baby doesn-" Her words were interrupting by a coughing fit. She spit out blood and hissed clearly in pain. He may have missed her lung, but he had pierced it. "Be a goo-good boy and le-let me… sav-save you… let me save you both! My bab-babies… Please!" That's it. He could not do this. Once again his resolve had broken.

The young Uchiha let the katana fall from his hand. He then dropped down to his knees, pressing his forehead against the floor. "I'm so sorry!" He repeated his apologies over and over again. Tears did not come. However, his body convulsed with the pressure of his sobs. Itachi—the boy, not the shinobi—pleaded for forgiveness. In his heart, he knew he didn't deserve such a thing. But… From Ishikari Mayuka, forgiveness would-

A gentle hand touched the back of his head. He froze, eyes snapping open. Drawing in a breath, he didn't dare lift his head. Her inhibited and whispered plea filled his ears again. Her death had been brought by him, but she would still think of his wellbeing. It hurt—far more than it should have. "Ishikari-san…" His gaze settled on her bleeding form. She called him a good boy again and ruffled his hair. Tears still dripped from her chin, but she managed a small smile. "What would you have me do?" Her hand slipped from his lowered head as he eyes focused elsewhere. Her hands began moving, slowly at first, but then picked up speed. Itachi's eyes expanded recognizing the hand seals.

"Transfer of Mind, Body, and Soul…" Several bursts of chakra exploded the corner of the room, in particular from Mayu. The girl screamed out, body completely enveloped in chakra that had not been her own. The colors of the chakra, which surrounded her, indicated that there had been many people behind this jutsu. Just as it had been with the forming of Tsukeru. "Transportation of Ishikari Jutsu!" With one last burst, stronger than the previous one, Itachi was lifted off the floor and slammed into Mayuka. The unnatural winds faded suddenly, leaving papers and such to flutter to the floor. As expected, Mayu's body had completely disappeared. He had learned of this jutsu from Haruka. A forbidden jutsu that had the power to move a person. Where—no one knew the answer to that question. It had happened once before, and to this day, the man had not returned. Furthermore, the transported person had their memories wiped. According to what Haruka had told him, the powerful technique had been a last ditch effort in case something drastic happened. Something drastic like this…

Itachi turned his head, eyes settling on the still form of Ishikari Mayuka. She was still, yet not dead. It wouldn't be long now, though. She had exhausted her chakra and was still bleeding profusely. He laid her body horizontally, cradling her head in his lap. "Ishikari-san… what I've done, what I will do… You cannot save me." Through blood, her eyes opened. A fresh stream of tears slid down the sides of her face. She lifted a shaking hand and cupped his left cheek.

"I kn-know… But you… allowed me to send… Mayu from this place…" Her words were slow and soft. He had to strain himself in order to hear and understand her. "I sa-saved her… so that she can… save you… from your sorrow and grief. She will… help to end your… eternal suffering. I-I-I… The jutsu will no… not keep her aw-away be-because of my… my st-state. My daughter will… come back… and… and…" Mayuka's hand fell. It had taken a full minute to realize that the head of Ishikari had passed. Still, his body had remained tensed as though waiting for her to complete her sentence.

"Ishikari-san…?" Itachi mumbled. "Ishikari-san…?" The boy remained in the same position for… for how ever long it took for him to accept this type of parting. He swallowed hard before sliding himself away from the dead body. A shuddering breath was released. Suddenly, he was nodding. "That's right," he whispered. "Mayu survived… She will find me. In the process, she will meet Sasuke. She will shake him, keep him sane, just like me. She will do this. That is how she will save me. Is that what you meant, Ishikari-san?" Of course, she did not answer. She would never answer him again. Mentally, he shook nearly all thoughts from his mind. He wasn't finished.

Not yet.

0-0

Present...

Mayu furrowed her brow, staring at the man. That hadn't told her a thing! Of course, she should have realized beforehand. She wouldn't get a straight answer until she asked a specific question. Itachi had always been like that. Being vague enough so that whomever he spoke to would draw their own conclusions. Well, she didn't have time for his eccentricities. "What you've told me doesn't explain why my mother agreed to an alliance with your clan. She did not know any better, and so she would have been loyal to the Leaf until her dying day," Mayu said. "A coup, even if she believed it would be a cold one, was not something she would agree to."

"You do not understand?" Itachi questioned. "I assumed I had been clear enough."

"If that was the case, I wouldn't have asked again!"

"… Ishikari-san was, indeed, loyal. However, she, like my father, loved her family more," he explained. "She would have gone to great lengths for her only daughter. And she did."

"What does that mean?!"

"Calm yourself, Mayu-chan. The answer is obvious if you think critically. I have already told you what I know. You, yourself, have already discovered the information. Apply it, and you will have your answer." She knew he was right. But she just couldn't see past her sadness right now. What Itachi had told her only brought up painful memories, which triggered her anger. She couldn't think straight with something like that biting at her brain. She had been holding in anger this whole time, barely keeping the lid on. But she knew he was right. She didn't normally run on emotion. She was a thinker—a strategist. Her strengths had always been her mind.

Inhaling, she closed her eyes, and then released her breath. She sifted through all Itachi had told her. As a whole, it had all seemed pointless. Wait… Unique ability? That couldn't be right. She didn't gain her special abilities until she and Ino had used their respective clans' mind technique on each other. There had been something else. Fugaku had called her a perfect Uchiha spy. What did that mean? The ability to completely conceal their presence had been something all in the clan could accomplish—those who had the connection with feline partners anyway. Tsukeru had not been the case either as she had recently learned it and her mother and uncle could do it flawlessly; plus that wouldn't make someone a good spy.

There was the switching minds thing. However, it hadn't been used for information gathering like the Yamanaka's technique. It was primarily a battle technique, which allowed the user to switch minds with a target; they could do just about anything to the target once their body was there's to control, and then go back to their own body without consequence. Her mother used to tell stories of their ancestors and how they would sneak into enemy camps using the technique and cause bodily harm before returning safely to their bodies. There was also the copying. Once the user of the technique returned to their body, they had the option of using the person's innate abilities—not techniques, just abilities. Like when she had switched bodies with Sakura. The medic-nin had an immunity to the poisons she used, and so when she returned to her body, she had gained that immunity, too. For a time, at least.

Mayu shook her head and opened her eyes. She still didn't understand and voiced her puzzlement. Itachi had the nerve to look exasperated for a split second. "You… Do you not realize…?" It had been a question, but it didn't seem like he had been aiming it at her. "You seem to be misunderstanding something, Mayu-chan. Your mother knew what you are. That is why she did what she did. Had you been… a normal member of the clan, she would not have resorted to dealing with my father. Or perhaps… my father would not have resorted to dealing with your mother."

"Itachi… Clearly I am too close to the situation to think logically about this! Hurry up and tell me or so help me-"

"Abomination." Mayu sharply inhaled and flinched as though Itachi had moved to strike her. "Your mother knew from the start what you are. She shielded you, made you think your ability was something all Ishikari could do. When you carelessly used your ability on me, and I later told my father, she realized that she could no longer protect you. Your secret would get out and your life would change into your own hell. She conspired with Uchiha to change the way of the village so that you would not have to go through the same thing your ancestor went through. Ishikari Mitsuo—an abomination just like you." Through clenched teeth, she snarled out his name. Itachi had known more than she had previously thought. That word—abomination—had been something a select few were called throughout the history of the clan. Before she had called it a curse. Now, she'd rather call it a mutation. Not an abomination. It was an atavism of the mind. But how did her mother know?

"She couldn't have known! I just found out when I came back to this world!"

"No, it had been obvious back then," Itachi replied seemingly disinterested with her objection. "You are the only one who can reach inside someone's mind and make their genetics your own." Mayu's lips parted slowly. A cold wind swept through her body, causing a slight shudder. "Your mind had been more developed than it should have been. That had been her indication that the atavism would reach you. Judging from your expression, you must know what happens to Ishikari like you. Not even your uncle knew."

"Mother…" Mayu's legs wobbled, coming to a realization. Ishikari Mayuka had lied from the beginning. If she hadn't, then her daughter would have been taken from her. Like Mitsuo, she would have been tortured and made into a tool. That is why her mother had wanted the coup. To prevent her from growing up a shell of her former self. "Why… If you knew all this… why—how can you still put on this façade, Itachi? Why didn't you just tell us?"

"Why would I tell a child the horrors of the village they grow up loving?"

"Why would a child take on those horrors as if they were his own?!" Mayu retorted aggressively. "You are not to blame for anything that happened, and yet you would have made us think otherwise, your last of your family. I can't understand you, Itachi. I can't—I just can't."

"Do not blame the village, Mayu. It is not their fault there are those who wish to ensure the safety of the village… by any means necessary." The teen fell silent, choosing to mask how she felt. As always, Itachi was right. That didn't stop the utter fury she still felt. "Everything I have done, I have done it to protect you both. Neither of you were meant to learn of this information."

"Sasuke doesn't know. He's still here to kill you… as you wish," Mayu replied bitterly. "And I won't tell him once you've gone. But I refuse to be a force that keeps him in the dark. If he begins to learn what really happened, I will not stop him from knowing the truth."

"He will-"

Mayu interrupted him from speaking further by wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in the cloak that had branded him traitor. "I didn't come here for this!" Her statement had been muffled, but surely he could understand her. She then lifted her head, staring up at him. "You have chosen to die and I can't stop it per your request… but like mother said, I can… save you." Tears, once again, formed in her eyes. Red eyes stared down at her unblinking. "You are my precious friend and honorary member of the Ishikari clan. Mend your heart, Uchiha Itachi because you are forgiven."

For what seemed like awhile, the two merely stared into each other's eyes. Then Itachi dipped his head. "Thank you," he whispered close to her ear. "Dry your tears, Mayu." The girl sniffed loudly as her grip on him increased. "It has been a long time. However, it is time to... Let. Me Go." She heard the blade impale her before she felt the pain that accompanied it. Her scream shook her mind.

The genjutsu shattered around her.

0-0

Jumping jellyfish! I exhausted myself writing this chapter. And the reason Mayu's so goddamn angry is still not out in the open yet. Argh! My brain hurts, and this is partially tumblr's fault.

Anyway, like I said, everything has not been revealed quite yet. Like what Mayu learned when she left the village. What happens to abominations? Shit of that nature. All that hasn't been explained yet, but I wanted to get this chapter out to let people know that I haven't given up on this story, and with the sequel to Team 7: Revolution! finally out, perhaps I'll gain inspiration from it and/or treat it like competition. Until next chapter, peace out holmes.