Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Don't steal and don't sue. Thank you *Phantomness bows*
Chapter 37: Illusions Shattered
Sasuke's Rinnegan opened wide. Preta Path, he thought desperately, with every ounce of strength he had. Itachi poured all the chakra he could towards Susanoo, keeping the Yata Mirror in place. Naruto, or whatever he was, laughed at their futile attempts. The last thing Sasuke saw was Itachi transforming into his Suzaku form, before the world went white.
When Sasuke awoke, he was not lying in the dungeons, as he had expected he might be, but on a soft couch in what was obviously Naruto's bedroom. The opulent decorations, the smell of incense in the air with a hint of ramen, the enormous four poster bed with rich red sheets trimmed with gold and brocaded curtains, the ceiling painted to look like the night sky… it was all meant to be impressive, and yet, somewhat tacky at the same time. He groaned, rubbing his head, noticing that he was also quite naked. Well, some things could not be helped.
"Ah, you're awake," He heard Naruto's voice. "I should really thank you, Satsuki-chan," He grinned, a very unpleasant smile, Sasuke realized. "After all, if not for you, I would never have been able to capture Suzaku."
"What did you do to neesan?" Sasuke demanded, barely remembering to use the right form of address for Itachi's current gender.
"Oh, nothing yet…" Naruto grinned, beckoning Sasuke over to the bed, where Sasuke could see a naked Itachi chained to the bedposts by his manacled wrists and ankles. A quick glance with his Sharingan confirmed his worst fears. Itachi was completely and utterly out of chakra. He was just about running on empty himself.
Sasuke swallowed. "P-Please don't…" He begged. "I…I'll take her place."
Naruto laughed. "How generous of you, Satsuki-chan," He almost crowed with laughter. "And after all that protesting earlier! But you see; I'll have to refuse." He grinned. "Let me tell you a secret… You know how I got all of these abilities?"
Sasuke shook his head.
"I have a very special kekkei genkai, Satsuki-chan…" Naruto said. "In fact, it was the only one I was actually naturally born with – not the Rinnegan, or the Mokuton, or anything like that… no, it was this. With my kekkei genkai, I can absorb and copy the kekkei genkai of anyone I have intercourse with."
His eyes widened in horror at the revelation.
"So you see, Satsuki-chan," Naruto continued. "I have no real interest in you. I already have the Hyouton and the Mokuton, and Itako-chan's Mangekyo Sharingan is much stronger than yours… she also has a much nicer body. And since she is Suzaku's current host – can you imagine how much stronger I will be, once I absorb a god?"
Sasuke could, and he didn't want to. Naruto would be invincible.
Within the blink of an eye, Sasuke was standing in front of Naruto, guarding Itachi's unconscious body with his naked one. Mangekyo Sharingan and Rinnegan swirled to life in his eyes. "No."
"You're in no position to stop me, Satsuki-chan," Naruto said impatiently. "Get out of the way."
Sasuke swiped a finger down on a familiar summoning seal. The Kiba blades were in his hands, crackling with lightning. "No!"
"Nice swords," Naruto commented, before forming the signs for the atomic dismantling technique once more. "I'll make sure to just destroy your body…"
I can't die here! Sasuke thought desperately. This time, I have to protect Itachi! I can't be weak anymore! His Rinnegan eye widened. Preta Path, he thought as desperately as he could. Please… He would have prayed to Suzaku, but Itachi was Suzaku, and needed his help, so he prayed to Seiryuu. I'll do anything, he thought. I'll give up everything… I'll… give up niisan… Seiryuu can have him…
In an instant, the world shifted.
Sasuke was not sure where the sudden surge of chakra had come from. Seiryuu, he thought. Seiryuu must have granted his desperate prayer. He knew that there would be a terrible price to pay later, but for the moment, he could only concentrate on saving Itachi. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he was now wearing clothes. He could ponder that later. For now, his main concern was to get Naruto away from Itachi. He noted that Naruto was attempting to trap him in another cube. The Kiba Blades were in his hands, pure blue-white lightning coursed up their blades. With two swift slashes, the barrier crumbled.
Molten lava surged towards him, a veritable river of it. He wove ice with a thought and the lava froze and cracked under his feet, shattered at a touch of his fingertips. A thunderstorm brewed inside the mansion, heavy rain fell as lightning crashed and thunder boomed. Sasuke gently calmed the storm with lullaby. Naruto cursed as acidic mist seeped out from every pore of his being. Susanoo snapped into being around Sasuke as he cut Itachi's bonds, wrapped him in soft blue chakra, clothing him in light.
Explosions sounded all around him. So, Naruto had Deidara's explosive techniques too. Sasuke was not wholly surprised. Susanoo grew wings, launched itself into the air. Undeterred, Naruto followed, although his wings were those of the rhinoceros beetle. He did possess all nine tailed beasts, Sasuke remembered. Then again, Sasuke would not have batted an eyelash even if Naruto had Mahri Suzuki's powers, at this stage of the game. He pressed his lips to Itachi's, channeling as much chakra as he could into his brother's unconscious body through that kiss as he dared, but Itachi did not even stir. Then, a barrage of diamond-hard crystals slammed into Susanoo, cracks started to appear, and Sasuke had to go on the offensive.
Diamond was one of the hardest substances known to man. But diamond, Sasuke remembered, was made out of carbon. It was strange, he thought, that he could see so clearly. He could see the individual molecules that made up the diamond crystals, and a little rearrangement here and there… diamond darkened, crumbled, reduced to worthless charcoal. He stared into Naruto's eyes, into his very soul, and pulled. With a cry, Chomei broke free, winging off into the distance like a streak of light.
Naruto faltered for a moment, and Sasuke pressed his advantage. The blonde recovered quickly, Sasuke had to give him points for that. With a roar, new wings sprouted from his shoulder blades, a sickly gray, oddly reminiscent of those of the cursed seal. Sasuke did not care. His Mangekyo Sharingan and Rinnegan spun, as Susanoo wrapped Naruto gently, almost tenderly in a large, delicate-looking soap bubble. Naruto frowned, as he was drenched, not in water, but in what tasted like soap. Glycerol, Sasuke thought, binding water molecules. And now… nitric acid formed, under heat and pressure…
Naruto roared, feeling his skin bubble as the boiling acid poured over him, but he healed almost instantly, and the wounds were insignificant. Seconds later, he ripped his way out of the bubble, feeling fresh air on his face as his chakra cloak spread over him, chakra roaring to life in a fury. "Die!" He screamed. That was when his world exploded in indescribable agony as the liquid nitroglycerin he was covered in all detonated.
Sasuke summoned one his medical kits, and came out with a handful of syringes, filled with clear liquid. Was she trying to poison him this time, Naruto wondered through the agony, staying back until he had healed. Well, he was immune to poisons! Unerringly, the needles punched through his chakra cloak, sinking into his heart. The plungers sank down, their contents flooding inside. The pain was harsh, but Naruto grit his teeth, yanking the syringes out. He would show her! He… The concentrated potassium chloride stopped his heart completely.
The instant that happened, the tailed beasts fled. Streaks of light shot off in all directions. Sasuke watched in satisfaction. That ought to deprive Naruto of some of his ability, even if he wasn't dead. Sasuke waited for a moment, but Naruto didn't stir. Just to make sure, he decapitated Naruto and then incinerated his head with Amaterasu. He was going to destroy the rest of the body, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"That's enough, Sasuke."
"Itachi," Sasuke turned to face his brother, who had apparently just woken up. He noted with satisfaction that Itachi was clothed in Suzaku's robes, wings and tail sweeping behind him. Clearly he had gained enough chakra back to manifest that power. "Are you well?"
"Well enough for us to leave," Itachi replied.
Sasuke nodded, dismissing Susanoo. He felt a sudden wave of exhaustion overcome him, and Itachi caught him as he fell. Thank you, Seiryuu… he thought, eyes closing, before he sank into blissful oblivion.
Itachi stroked Sasuke's hair as he watched his little brother sleep. "Sasuke…" He whispered. "I always knew you were stronger than I was…"
Sasuke, of course, did not hear any of this, and were he awake he would undoubtedly have vehemently protested the statement. The elegant robes and armor he had worn earlier had faded away, and fortunately, the dimension they had chosen was stable enough and their current bodies were safe and clothed and peaceful. They were also, unfortunately, seven and twelve years of age, respectively, but it could not be helped.
Sasuke was so exhausted that he did not go to the Academy the next morning and was sick with the flu, which made Mikoto worry and Fugaku frown. Itachi, unfortunately, had a mission, and had to leave his little brother unattended for the next few days. By the time he returned, Sasuke had gotten over the flu and resumed his studies at the Academy.
"Sasuke," Itachi spoke.
"I'm ready to go, niisan." Sasuke replied, smiling at him innocently. Itachi should have recovered his chakra by now…
Itachi shook his head, kneeling down next to Sasuke and staring into his eyes. Sasuke frowned, before he was caught in Tsukuyomi.
"Niisan, what's wrong?" Sasuke asked. "Have your powers not recovered?"
"That is not it, Sasuke." Itachi replied. "There is an important conversation we need to have before we leave."
"I understand," Sasuke looked down. He swallowed. Itachi must have found out about the deal he had made with Seiryuu. He should never have tried to conceal it from his brother. "I… I had no choice, niisan! Naruto was going to rape you and absorb your power as Suzaku, and if that had happened… I couldn't let him do it! I'm sorry, niisan! I know I cannot ask for your forgiveness, but…" He broke off when Itachi gave him a thoroughly puzzled look. "Niisan?"
"Sasuke, what are you talking about?" Itachi finally asked.
He swallowed. "I made a deal with Seiryuu. In exchange for his power, I would," Sasuke choked, "I would give up any claim I had on you." He took Itachi's stunned silence for a condemnation, and flinched back, as though he expected Itachi to hit him, or worse.
"Sasuke," Itachi reached for him. Sasuke edged away even further. "Sasuke," Itachi tried again. "You don't have to give me up. Sasuke, you are Seiryuu."
Sasuke saw Itachi's lips form the words, and of course, with the Mangekyo Sharingan and Rinnegan activated, they were forever engraved in his memory. He heard them, but they did not register at first. Then, he shook his head. "Niisan," He whispered. "I know you are trying to comfort me, but I have already accepted the truth. I could never be a god…" I could never be stronger than you… his eyes pleaded. Don't you understand?
Itachi could not take Sasuke's denials any longer. He would have to force Sasuke to accept the truth. It was for his own good. He grasped Sasuke forcefully by the shoulders, heard him hiss in pain. He gazed into Sasuke's eyes, forcing his memories of the fight into Sasuke's mind, feeling Sasuke's shocked betrayal at the realization that his brother had feigned helpless unconsciousness to draw out his true power, that from the very beginning, when he had been lying naked in Naruto's bed, seemingly lifeless, he could have destroyed him…
Sasuke saw the blue light envelop him, forming dragon-scaled armor and robes, saw the delicate horns sprout from his head, but those were minor details compared to what his brother had done to him. "Why?" His voice broke as he stared at Itachi, tears running down his face. "Why, niisan?"
"Would you have accepted the truth any other way, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, tilting Sasuke's chin up and pressing his lips to his in a gentle kiss. When they finally broke apart, Itachi gently brushed Sasuke's bangs back. "Think about it, otouto."
Sasuke's initial reaction was to protest, but he tried to view the situation logically. As much as it hurt to admit it, Itachi was right. He was so used to feeling inferior to Itachi and expecting his older brother to protect him that he would never have expected or accepted the fact that he might possibly have Seiryuu's powers, even if Itachi explained the facts to him calmly and rationally. Slowly, his grip on his brother tightened. "Niisan…"
"Yes, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, wondering what his brother was going to say now.
"I still love you." Sasuke murmured.
Itachi's eyes softened. "I love you too, Sasuke."
"And Itachi," Sasuke's voice was almost a purr, as his hands slid down to Itachi's hips, feeling the curve of his buttocks. "I'm not seven years old right now."
Itachi's lips tilted up in a slight smile.
End Chapter
Started 3/11/16
Completed 3/12/16
I've been studying a lot of cardiology. And Itachi had to be cruel to Sasuke to make him accept the truth! Seiryuu's powers are derived and extrapolated from those of the Seiryuu seishi in Fushigi Yuugi – there have already been several foreshadowing hints in the story for those of you who are familiar with the series and who have kept your eyes peeled…