Disclaimer—I don't own Naruto.
A/N: OMG. I am so sorry, I did not mean to put this aside for so long. I started a new job and my life has been non stop since then. It is starting to calm down as I am starting to get the swing of things, but still, I am very, very sorry it has taken me so long to finish my first fic!
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It had taken a lot of convincing, as Neji held little love for Sasuke, but Sakura had finally managed to persuade the Byuukagen user to be present. The whole thing was risky, and she wanted as much support as possible. But now the four of them were in a room and the air was thick with tension.
Neji spoke first. "Sasuke…you have never used the Mangekyou before?"
"No. In fact, we only figured out I had it based on a theory and your observations after…the incident."
Sasuke had expected Neji to flinch when he mentioned the beating—everyone who knew about it always did—but the stoic Hyuuga showed no trace of emotion.
Kiba cut in. "You see Neji, For whatever reason, Itachi continues to let Sasuke live—"at this, Sasuke winced himself at the reminder of his brother's power,"—and I began to wonder why. Then, I did some research and discovered that the Mangekyou is a horrible thing that can only be activated when the user kills his best friend. Because it gives Itachi such an advantage, I believe he not only lets Sasuke live in the hopes that they will become equal enemies, I also think he caused hallucinations so that Sasuke would, in fact, kill his best friend, even if it was on accident. You follow?" Neji nodded. "So when Sasuke beat me to the point of death under the jutsu, and then discovered I was…well, me, then his own Mangekyou was activated."
"I understand the theory, but because Sasuke hasn't tested it out, how are we even sure he has it?"
Sakura spoke. "You saw his chakra concentrating in large, uncontrolled quantities around his eyes. I can't think of any other medical reason for that kind of chakra behavior. I am sure it was the Mangekyou."
Kiba moved so that he was sitting facing Sasuke. He spoke to everyone, but his words were for his lover. "And now Sasuke is going to use it in me."
It hadn't been the theory on the Sharingan that had confused Neji, it was what they were about to do. "Kiba, Sasuke, I understand all of it. But why must you go under the jutsu? What is the point of such a dangerous trail?"
Sasuke spoke, quietly. "Kiba...wishes to share his life with me. And I, unfortunately, am a difficult person to be with. This is for us, Neji, so that Kiba might begin to have a grasp on the baggage he is picking up when he chooses me." The words were to the point, and honest. But that wasn't what Neji appreciated. He appreciated the vulnerability Sasuke showed in his open statement. He knew the Uchiha was weird and brooding, and very closed off. And although Neji felt a little confused about the relationship between Kiba and Sasuke—where did it even come from?—he knew it must be important if the Uchiha was willing to speak so frankly.
"My love?" Kiba whispered, reaching a hand out to stroke Sasuke's cheek. The boy leaned into the palm, feeling its warmth and its strength. "I'm ready."
Sakura sat beside of Sasuke, facing Kiba, ready to heal him if needed. Neji sat on the other side and together the four formed a square. Neji was going to watch with his Byuukagen for safety.
Sasuke closed his eyes and began breathing slowly. He wasn't quite sure how to activate it. He thought back carefully to his brother… what had his brother said? Had he used any seals? There was nothing for a while, and imagining his encounters with his brother began to enrage Sasuke.
But then, it came.
"Tsukuyomi!" Sasuke's eyes snapped open and Sakura saw the wheel-like Sharingan. It was different from Sasuke's normal red eyes and it frightened her to her core. These red eyes…were filled with coldness and hate. Breathing, she fought hard to remain focused.
Neji stared. He had never seen anything like this before—with his Byuukagen activated, he could see Sasuke's chakra collecting in his eyes. But the chakra was different. When he normally saw the chakra sytems within a person's body, it was a life-giving source. But the chakra rapidly building around Sasuke's red orbs was… different. It felt different. It felt dangerous.
And while those two were surprised and worried… Kiba found himself in a new world.
The sky had turned red and everything was outlined like a photograph negative. He saw a small boy, a mop of black hair and recognized his lover, only as a child. Smiling, he wanted to walk over to Sasuke, but realized he couldn't.
And then, the boy disappeared. There was another person in front of him, back facing him. He instinctively recognized the long, black hair and slender, agile body.
Itachi.
Kiba felt his body moving forward even though his mind was screaming to run away.
Kiba was startled to feel his mouth open and words come out of it. He realized that he…was the young Sasuke!
"Can you help me with my shuriken practice?"
Itachi turned around, impatience in his eyes. "I'm busy." But he motioned with his finger. Kiba felt himself move forward. Itachi raised a hand, reaching out, and Kiba felt his/Sasuke's heart freeze. But Itachi only flicked him on his forehead.
Kiba could feel the love for an older brother spreading in his young Sasuke body.
It broke his heart.
And then he saw eyes, frightening eyes, surrounded by black. Kiba screamed out.
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It felt as if hours had passed, but Kiba couldn't place where the time had gone.
But then he was walking into a village. He knew Sasuke's memories now and recognized it at the Uchiha clan's side of town. He felt something, a presence, watching him. Glancing at the source, the top of an electicity pole, he saw the sillouette of a body. He/Sasuke blinked and the person was gone.
What was that? I thought I saw somebody there.
It was then he realized the streets were empty. There was no one around.
The lights are out…it's not time for sleep yet.
Walking, he rounded a corner.
This is…
There were bodies everywhere. Bodies he recognized, bodies of people he knew. Blood was splattered on the walls and ground, painting the village in crimson.
He began running down the street, panic filling his small body.
What is going on?
Kiba/Sasuke stopped when he recognized a body. It was Shizu and his Auntie Shizue. He recalled having spoken to them earlier that day. Now they were both dead, lying at his feet. The desire to scream rose in his throat, and the small feet began to run quickly home.
He approached his own home, Kiba heard his/Sasuke's tiny voice call out.
Father… Mother!
There was no answer. His small hand opened the door to see that no lights were on and the main room was empty.
Father? Mother? He took a few steps in. Are you here?
The small boy bent down and removed his shoes out of habit. He began to pad quietly from room to room, calling out for his silent parents. Kiba felt himself shudder from the fear, already knowing what was going to happen and yet unable to stop himself/Sasuke from his search. He walked outside and heard a noise behind large double doors.
Someone's in there.
He walked up to it, intending to open it, but his body was frozen with fear. Everything was wrong with the situation and he could feel it—why weren't his parent's answering him? And now someone dangerous—he could feel the danger—was behind the door. Another noise came from behind the door.
Move…
But his hand shook in the air, unable to open the door.
Move…
He willed it to shift, to push on the wood and discover the inside of the room, but still the hand remained frozen in fear.
Move!
With that, he shoved open the door and stepped into the dark room.
He immediately wished he hadn't opened the door. Kiba, inside of Sasuke's body, felt his own grief at what he witnessed through the young boy's eyes.
Sasuke's mother was lying on her back, dead. His father was also dead and draped across her chest. Fresh blood flowed from them, staining the wood floor.
Father! Mother!
From the shadows behind the bodies, a pair of sandal-clad feet stepped out. Sasuke gasped in fear. He looked up to see the face of the owner of the sandals. There, carrying a sword still wet with blood, was…Itachi.
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Sakura watched Kiba's body begin to tremble and shake. Only a second had passed, but she could already tell his vitals were rapidly escalating. Just what was this jutsu, that could have Kiba's body shaking with paralyzing fear in a mere second? Her first instinct was to halt the whole process—after all, they had agreed that if it became too dangerous, it would stop. The Inuzuka obviously did not carry the Sharingan—the only defense against the mental onslaught of Mangekyou. However, Sakura looked to Neji. His white eyes met hers, wide with awe, and he shook his head slightly—they didn't need to stop it. Yet.
Shuddering, Sakura began to collect her chakra in her hands. She didn't know what was happening between the two lovers, but she knew that her job was to keep Kiba alive. And soon—very soon but what she was witnessing—he was going to require every bit of healing she could give him.
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Brother!
Itachi just stood there, staring impassively.
Brother, Father and Mother were…
But Sasuke didn't finish the sentence. He couldn't. The pain in his chest was too immense.
Why? Why… He looked to his brother, hoping for something, anything to comfort him. Who did this?
Instead of words of comfort, a shuriken flew through the air, tore through the young boy's shoulder and imbedded itself in the wood. Itachi never missed. He was the best at shurikens, it was why he had been bothering him for help for months. Itachi never missed…he had meant to hit his brother. Kiba winced as he felt the impact of realization hit the small boy's mind. His shirt tore at the shoulder and blood began to trickle down his arm. The shuriken…the wet sword…
Itachi.
Brother…what are you…
His brother stared at him, ice building a wall in those bottomless black orbs. They stared at each other for a minute, but for Kiba and the young boy's body he inhabited, it felt like an eternity.
What are you doing, brother?
Finally, Itachi spoke.
Foolish little brother. He closed his eyes, but Kiba couldn't tell if it was from pain…or annoyance. Having met he Itachi, his heart shuddered when he thought it was probably the latter.
Mangekyou, Sharingan!
And then Itachi's eyes changed, they were…just like Sasuke's had been. Kiba cringed, knowing what was about the happen. But even knowing, he still felt the child's chest freeze, the pain crawling across the whole body (making him aware, suddenly, of his own body's—his real body's—pain).
He was back out in the street, alone again. He saw Itachi. He saw his brother killing, cutting down everyone. Bodies fell at him, their faces twisted in agony. The young boy was paralyzed, fear. Fear of his brother, fear of the bodies whose lifeless fingers seemed to be reaching out to him.
Sasuke began to scream.
Shuriken flew through the air and blood splattered all of the walls, running like small rivers at his feet. He tried to run.
My legs…
They wouldn't move. The bodies kept coming, kept towering around the young boy. It was too much. It was too much! Oh God, why wouldn't it stop?
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Neji was in awe. Kiba's whole body seemed to be… infused with chakra. Sasuke's chakra, to be exact. In all of his experience, he had never seen a jutsu like this one. He could actually see the chakra coming out from Sasuke's eyes and wrapping, writhing around Kiba's body. Kiba's own chakra circulatory system was going wild, squeezing and contracting around Kiba's vital organs.
Neji nodded at Sakura, who began to heal.
Now he could see three chakras molding and twisting…fighting…in the Inuzuka's body.
The scariest part about it was the time. Only two seconds had passed, and Kiba's body was already fighting for life.
What a terrible jutsu. The worst part was, Neji couldn't think of a single defense against it.
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Grabbing his head, screaming and shaking, the young boy began to will himself out of the vision.
Stop!
He closed his eyes, tears and snot streaming down his face.
Brother! Don't show me this!
It became quiet, and when he opened his eyes, Kiba/Sasuke saw Itachi, standing alone in the street, bodies littered everywhere. His sword was ready in his hand.
Why? Why did you do this, brother?
Visions of his clansmen, he father's police comrades, rushing at them filled with anger assaulted his mind. But the young boy knew what fate had in store for them.
No…
But they couldn't hear him, they kept rushing in.
No…
And they were all cut down, mutilated in front of his young eyes by his brother.
Kiba felt the young Sasuke remember talking to his aunt that very morning about Itachi, about how talented Itachi was, about how the whole clan was proud of Itachi. Itachi. Itachi.
Itachi.
Now he saw his aunt, cold and dead in front of her store, her friend next to her.
Mister, Auntie…
Kiba felt himself screaming, felt Sasuke screaming. He almost imagined he could hear their two voices melting into one.
And then they were back in the room at the house, his father and mother on their knees in front of their son. In front of his brother, sword raised high in the air.
Father, Mother.
The sword began to descend, as if in slow motion.
Don't brother!
But the downward arc of the blade continued.
Don't do that to Father and Mother!
He watches the final descent of the steel, sees the spray of blood, the crumple of bodies. His parent's bodies. His whole vision swam red and he could feel Itachi's jutsu leaving his body. Kiba wanted desperately for it to be over, but it wasn't.
He felt his body collapse on the floor, drool slipping out of his mouth. Kiba was still alert, but he could feel the young mind of Sasuke breaking.
The tiny boy whispered, barely audible. Why? Why did you…
A voice, cold and deep, answered. To see what I was capable of.
What you were capable of? That was it? You killed everyone for that reason?
Sasuke watched his brother close his eyes, as if deep in thought. Kiba felt the young boy struggle to rise. He felt the anger. What the hell… Kiba tried to fight it, but he felt the young boy's intent. He wanted to stop the child but was powerless. Don't screw around! He yelled. With that, Sasuke charged his brother, rage fueling him.
And was stopped, Itachi's fist in his stomach. Blood spurted from his mouth as the air was knocked out of him. He dropped to the ground.
Sasuke was mere feet from his dead father's face. Tears began to flood his eyes. And then his view was blocked as his brother stepped in front of his face.
I'm scared…he thought.
Finding energy despite the soreness he felt, Kiba/Sasuke scrambled away from the sandals.
I'm scared! He thought again. It was enough to motivate him, and Kiba felt the young Sasuke running for his life. He ran out of the house in his bare feet, stumbling through the body-strewn streets of the Uchiha district.
Don't kill me! He screamed.
Panic blurred his vision as he ran.
But he felt it, felt him, and stopped running.
Don't kill me…
He waited for the deathblow, so scared, trembling. But it never came.
You are not even worth killing.
It hit him hard. Itachi might as well have cut him down with the sword.
Foolish little brother…
That voice, that had used to be so warm and comforting, had now become the most frightening voice in all of the world.
Sasuke looked at him. Kiba saw through his eyes, looked into Itachi's eyes.
And saw something.
If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me…And survive in an unsightly way…
Run. Run and cling to life.
Sasuke ran.
Kiba understood.
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A/N: Ok, ok! Only one or two more chapters to go, depending on how busy I become. I swear, I did not mean to go so long without updating. I am an awful, awful girl! In my fantasies, of course, Kiba would be there to, uh…. Pleasantly punish me for my transgressions. Or Neji. Or Sasuke. Or Shikamaru. Or Shino. I don't even need to continue. Oh god, I am a naughty pervert going to a special place in hell.
Still, I hope you enjoyed this chappie. Took me longer because I hunted down an old episode on my computer so I could get this scene just right. And of course, I got delayed watching old Narutos while I searched for a Sasuke memory one.
Anyway, I hope I didn't lose any readers with my absence, I hope you are enjoying it and please please please review. I am a review whore, I've discovered.
Until next time (hopefully soon….) , Jenny