*AN: Hey guys! This is the last chapter of Nothing But Time. Don't worry, the sequel's first chapter is already up, and I shall continue updating the story every Monday. If ya'll have questions, feel free to send me a PM or drop a review. Thank you all so much for all your support while I wrote this, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story! Until next time!*
I held up a hand to stem the flow of questions that was bound to come. "You guys need to hear this all the way through before you do anything rash. Anko-sensei, I disobeyed your direct orders and, while in a coma, viewed my memories on the Massacre."
She glared at me. "You fucking what?"
I shrugged. "You really think that I was gonna avoid discovering S-class secrets? I'm on a team with Sepi, for crying out loud."
"He's got a point." Sepi piped up, and Anko-sensei glared at her.
I turned towards Kakashi. "This is gonna be hard for you to hear too, Kakashi. Oh, also, this is an S-rank secret, which I probably shouldn't be telling you guys."
Jiraiya stood carefully. "Then why are you?"
Miko, Sepi, and I glanced at each other. "Because fuck the rules, that's why." We answered in tandem.
"That should be our motto." I said.
"It really should." Sepi agreed.
"What a drag." Was Miko's response.
"You do realize the punishment for what you're about to do, right, kid?" Jiraiya asked me, and I nodded, serious once again.
"Yea, I do. Revealing an S-class secret is tantamount to treason. However, fuck the rules. I want the truth to be known instead of a convenient lie."
He sighed and motioned me to continue.
"This story begins years ago, with the Kyuubi attack." I began as everyone found various places to sit down. "The Uchiha, for some unknown reason, were ordered not to engage the Kyuubi, despite the fact that their Sharingan could stop the beast's rampage. This was because one Danzo Shimura hated the Uchiha, suspicious of them always. He intended on taking all power away from the Uchiha, crushing them totally. The village began to blame the Uchiha for Lord Fourth's death, and resent them. The Uchiha began to resent and hate them right back. Six years later, in an act of desperation to save their clan, they planned a coup d'etat."
The news hit like a ton of bricks. Kakashi's face, along with Anko's and Jiraiya's, paled as the full weight what I was saying hit them. A noble clan had tried overthrowing the Leaf? The news was shocking, to say the least.
"Under the orders of the same man, Danzo Shimura, Itachi and Aiko were ordered to slaughter their own clan to prevent civil war, and subsequently, the destruction of the Leaf."
No one spoke. Anko held up a hand to her mouth, Jiraiya closed his eyes in realization, and Kakashi's fist clenched.
"That...bastard!" My father finally growled, and I nodded.
"Because of Danzo's meddling, Lord Fourth died, and the Uchiha were destroyed. The blame, and all those deaths, are his fault."
"How do you know this?" Jiraiya asked me.
"Because of my mother's Mangekyou Sharingan." I said with a humorless smile. "She hated what she had to do, and she used her ocular jutsu to impart the knowledge onto me. The damage that had already been done couldn't be undone, but she wanted, more than anything, to make that bastard pay for what he did to the Leaf, and her clan. She and Itachi loved the village, and after the death of her brother and Itachi's friend, Shisui Uchiha, she did what she needed to do to protect the village. However, she swore revenge on Danzo, even from beyond the grave."
I could see my words slowly sinking into everyone. "So, Itachi?" Jiraiya finally prompted, brow furrowed as he processed the new turn of events.
"Itachi loves Sasuke like Aiko loved me. They couldn't bring themselves to kill those they cared about most. Itachi is, and will always be, the older brother that loves Sasuke and will do anything to protect him. He has resigned himself to dying by his little brother's hand. He intends for Sasuke to be seen as a hero, ending the traitor that destroyed his own clan. Aiko refused to let him go through their orders alone, even when he offered to."
"Why would Itachi…" Kakashi asked, trying to wrap his head around the fact that the boy he trained to take over his place in the Anbu wasn't actually a power-hungry murderer.
"For peace." I replied. "But I'll be damned if an innocent man whose only crime was following orders dies for that. No, this time, justice will be served on the one person who deserves it: Danzo Shimura." My voice softened. "Mom loved you, Kakashi, and she tried hiding the truth, but if I'm going to carry out the justice for my clan, I need all of your help, and that means you all needed to know the full truth."
"And how to you plan to do that, kid?" Jiraiya asked, even though we both knew the answer.
"How long does Naruto have before the Akatsuki move after him, again?" Sepi asked.
Thank the Sage of Six Paths for you, Sepi.
"About three years, give or take." He answered, curious.
"Then we train until then. I believe you were already planning on taking Naruto on a training trip?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Then the rest of us will train our asses off until you return. We'll bring Itachi back, confront Danzo, and destroy the Akatsuki." I declared.
"Bold words, kid." Anko said. "Providing what you're saying is true, I'm behind you 100%. Still, how exactly are you planning on pulling this off?"
"As a team." Sepi replied, and Miko nodded in agreement.
"It's a drag, but it really can't be helped." He chimed in.
Kakashi gave a small smile, barely visible through his mask. "I'll train Sasuke during the time Jiraiya is teaching Naruto. Sakura already is learning from Tsunade, so convincing Lady Hokage to take Sakura on as a full-fledged apprentice shouldn't be too difficult."
Anko-sensei shook her head. "I've got to hand it to you kids. It'll be a tricky thing to pull off, but you just might manage to do it."
I smirked. "Then let's get started."
After everyone dispersed, Jiraiya caught up to me, alone.
"Kid, think about what you're going to do. You are talking about killing a village elder."
"I know." I replied. "But that 'elder' has done more to harm the Leaf than all of our enemies combined. Do you really think that Lord Fourth would have died if not for the fact that the Uchiha, with our ocular power to control the tailed beast, were forbidden from being on the front lines? My mother and uncle loved this village, and all the people in it, and many Uchiha felt the same way, but all that was taken from them because Lord Second ad Danzo mistrusted and hated them."
He sighed. "I just hope you know what you're doing."
"So do I." I whispered.
At the memorial stone.
"I always wondered why Mom's name wasn't on this thing." I commented as I came to a stop next to Kakashi.
He was silent for awhile. Finally, he spoke up. "Aiko...The Massacre...It's a lot to process."
"Yea, yea it is." I responded. "Still, half the battle is the truth being revealed to everyone. The second half is getting everyone to accept it."
He glanced at me. "Ibukai...about Toru and Shena..it was the best option at the time. Still...I'm...sorry. I would have-"
"Dad." I interrupted him. "I understand. I get it. You're here now. That's what matters, okay?"
He smiled slightly. "Alright."
My smile faded. "There's...one more thing."
He glanced at me. "What is it?"
"I don't know what happened to Aiko." I admitted. "I intend to find out, though. Do you...know...?"
He finally shook his head. "I don't." He admitted. "She disappeared. I always assumed she was killed in the Massacre, but if what you say is true..."
"She's missing." I concluded for him. My eyes narrowed. "We will get to the bottom of this, even if I have to beat the truth out of Danzo."
"You'll have to beat me to it." He replied with a growl.
Later, on top of the Hokage's monument.
"How are you planning to back your words up, Ibukai?" Miko asked me, curious. "I mean, I agree that we have to do something, but how in the hell are you planning to take on Orochimaru and Danzo and the Akatsuki?"
Slowly, I reached into my small back and pulled out my tattered cloak, looking down at the Hatake and Uchiha symbol embroidered on it. I held it up to the light, admiring the crimson lightning running through it and the darkened spots of dried blood."
"The last time I spoke to Toru and Shena," I began, "they told me that they would love me always, no matter what I did. They gave me this cloak, and told me it was for when I was ready for the world to see me. It took me awhile to realize what they meant. They didn't mean for when I was ready to be an Uchiha, or a Hatake. It wasn't for when was ready to be seen as a ninja, or even simply as Ibukai. It was for when I was ready to be seen as an opponent. It was for when I was ready to declare to the world that I was ready to fight to the end."
I looked up. "I lost my fight in the Chuunin Exams, but the fact remains that I went toe-to-toe with the Jinchuriki of the three-tails and survived. I went against Kisame Hokigashi and survived." My eyes narrowed. "You ask me how I'm going to back my words up. I'm going to back them up by training, honing my skills and learning new ones. In three years, I'm going to begin a war. This isn't going to be a war for territory, or for revenge. There's not going to be any clear allies or enemies. No points to hold, no cities to defend. No, this is going to be a war to right past wrongs, to end the cycle of hatred that began with the formation of our shinobi world. First, I'm going to save Itachi. Then, I'm going to kill Danzo Shimura. After that, I intend to raze the Akatsuki, once and for all. Naruto is going to be Hokage one day, and I intend to make sure that he gets there without having to see his comrades die in front of him. This is a war, the old against the new. Hatred versus justice. Wrong versus right. In three years, I'm going to prove that the Uchiha aren't dead, and that we have the power to change the world. I'm willing to do anything to protect my friends, even if it means becoming a demon myself. I am going to be…"
I stood, breathing out slowly. The wind had picked up, ruffling my hair from behind, cooling my skin as the sun set, lighting up the compound with a brilliant golden glow, making the crimson lightning in my cloak light up, looking alive as it danced under my finger tips.
"Retribution."
