**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the quote below. I just own Sintary ^^ Also I do not own the other OC Kokuro. He's my friend
No! I did not forget about you guys! I kept posting progress updates since I worked all weekend. I was hoping to have this up Sunday or MOnday night, but I didn't get as far as I needed to for Kokuro to write the battle scene in time for those updates. But 12 pages later, here we are! YES I SAID 12. PAGES! You guys deserve it!
Couple of things: please please please view Dear Itachi: The Tales of Kokuro. This will probably still be going on when I finish my own story, so hop on that train now! Also, I have a blog set up for you guys. It will have updates/teasers/pics all for you guys. Fanfiction probably won't let me post the full link so SPACED OUT: Dear Itachi News . blogspot. com . THIS IS ALL FOR YOU GUYS! Enjoy!
"Oh, truth—I guess truth is what you believe in
And faith—I think faith is having a reason
And I know now, love, if your wings are broken
Borrow mine 'til yours can open, too
'Cause I'm gonna stand by you
Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through
Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you
Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you
Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you
Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you
Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you"
Rachel Platten, Stand by You
Sintary had woken up from a large blast that shook the hideout. The drug was still pull her down, and she almost fell back asleep, but her son was shaking her.
"Mommy…" his voice full of worry. "There's a creepy man looking at us…"
A creepy man?
Her mind tried processing who it could possibly be as it fought against the drowsiness.
Sasuke was uncle.
Kabuto was the evil doctor.
And Orochimaru was the snake man.
Creepy man wasn't anyone specific…
Sintary groaned tiredly and opened her eyes. She gasped seeing a Sound Ninja just staring at them. If he was here to move them, he certainly wouldn't have just been staring at her. She tossed herself in between is gaze and her son, glaring at him.
"What the hell do you want?" Sintary hissed at him.
The man continued to stare at her. His eyes weren't hard like Orochimaru's men's eyes usually were. His were soft and familiar to her.
"Sintary."
His voice was familiar too. A deep, rich sound that resonated deep within her. She kept searching his visible face though; unable to place who he was.
"Who are you?" She finally asked not as harsh as before.
Sintary watched as the man slowly pulled back his hood and removed the cloth covering his face. Black, jagged pieces of hair fell in front of his face in its usual pattern. More alabaster skin came to view… along with deep tear-troughs that only one person she knew had.
"Itachi…" she whispered suddenly feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her.
Her heart began to break all over again. She never, ever thought she would see this man again. How long had she wished the fates had been different? How many times had she fantasized he would come down here and rescue her from this venomous villain?
Sintary felt tears prick her eyes as her chest rose rapidly with so many emotions.
"You're actually here…" She whispered, her voice going hoarse.
"I am…" Itachi said quietly. "I can't believe it either."
Sintary threw her arms around him and started crying. She felt Itachi's arms curl around her and pulled her tightly. Neither one could believe that were together again. There were so many unspoken words and emotions flowing through them.
It was truly a miracle.
Sintary felt her son shift on the bed behind her, confused as to what was going on. She pulled away from her beloved and looked back at her son.
"Kazuki, this is your father, Itachi."
The four-year-old tilted his head slightly looking up at the older man. He didn't know how to fell, honestly… his mother had told him all the wonderful things about his father, but always said that he did something horrible that she could not explain to him. His uncle, on the other hand, expressed all the awful things his father was known for. His uncle claimed there was no good in his father despite his mother's pleading of otherwise. Kazuki didn't know who to believe and simply could not develop basic feelings for the father he had not known.
Determination set in his little face, he looked up at Itachi. "Are you a good guy or a bad guy?" He asked wanting an answer.
Itachi blinked at the child—his child. He was shocked that Kazuki even existed, let alone looked stunningly similar to himself. He could also see the boy being like himself; the curiosity to know and understand more than anyone could ever teach him. The question his son asked spoke immensely for his quest for answers.
But the older man didn't know how to answer him. He took a minute to maul over the possible answers and ways to explain this to his young son.
"I am neither… I am both…" Itachi started still indecisive on his answer. "I am human," he finally stated. "We are not as simple as good or bad. Humans have both good and bad inside them. Sometimes the two stay separate; sometimes they muddle together in an unforeseen way. They are as complicated and as unpredictable as life itself."
Kazuki stared up at his father, processing all his words in his young mind. "Yeah… but snake man is a bad guy."
"Honey, snake man isn't human," Sintary told him softly rubbing his back.
Itachi rose an eyebrow at their usage of "snake man." He assumed Orochimaru was the man in question, but why they chose to not use his name was beyond him. Their son could speak fairly well it seems.
His heart thudded.
Their son.
Itachi slowly felt a small smile settle on his normally blank face. They had a son… he had a family… a family he never thought could happen.
Another pulse of chakra shook the compound, pulling Itachi out of his daze.
"What is Kokuro doing here?" He asked looking at Sintary.
She blinked. "How did you know he was here?" She questioned back.
He looked her over before activating his Sharingan. He could see her chakra was sealed, and he could also see the silence seal on the back of her neck. He also saw something else; another chakra signature swirling around inside her abdomen.
"Are you… are you pregnant again?" Itachi asked very perplexed.
"Yes." Sintary said and gripping Itachi's arms as the hideout shook again. "But we don't have time to explain. If this shakes anymore, it will come down on us. I need you to remove the seals so we can defend each other and Kazuki."
Itachi nodded firmly and set quickly to work.
Sintary felt her lover slowly remove the chakra seal, not wanting to zap her with her own chakra. She closed her eyes, relinquishing in the feel of the energy flowing through her once more. She felt stronger already; but knew without having been able to train regularly that her reflexes and skills were going to be slower and weaker than when she left them.
Then he removed the seal that had kept her painfully silent all these years. She sighed in relief as if the weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It was unremarkably alleviating.
Itachi's eyes darted from his lover's neck to the door as the compound trembled again. Now that his bloodline was active, he could see Kokuro slowly moving closer, but he could also see Sasuke's coming from the other side rapidly. They both knew he was here, and he knew neither confrontation would go well.
"Let's get out of here." Itachi said firmly.
Sintary nodded firmly and quickly gathered Kazuki in her arms.
The Akatsuki member headed out the door first, glancing on either side and seeing neither shinobi, but foresaw each approaching shortly. There would be no getting out of here without avoiding either.
Itachi ushered them out to his left, deciding to take his chances with his brother than Kokuro – especially since the latter appeared to be foe rather than friend.
No sooner were they out the bedroom door were they faced with Sasuke.
The Uchiha brothers stared each other down; one concealing his mixed emotions while the other displayed his clear disgust and hatred.
"Sasuke—" Sintary went to start.
"Shut up!" He hissed back in response, clearly upset.
"No, Sasuke," she shot back. "We can finally tell you the truth, and you need to listen."
"Listen? After all this time, you want me to do nothing and listen?!" Sasuke exclaimed royally pissed. "You're just a traitor trying to save a murderer!"
"Sasuke, she's telling the truth." Itachi suddenly spoke up. "You don't know everything. You need to let us explain."
"Let you explain!? As if! You're just trying to save your own skin now! No," Sasuke told them firmly as his eyes bled to a harsh red, "you are going to die here and now, Itachi!"
The older Uchiha quickly moved to face his brother and to protect his family, but they were soon met with the next threat.
The wall at the end of the hallway behind them was blasted to pieces by chakra infused wind. Kokuro causally turned the corner, but he seemed wounded. He was slowly shifting from one foot to the next, and his eyes… his eyes were wide with madness as they shifted from the Sharingan to… to the Byakugan?
Itachi's eyes narrowed glancing back at his old comrade. This was one of the other two Doujutsu his clan's papers spoke of.
"I'll teach you to turn your back on me!" His younger brother raged as the sound of chirping reached his ears.
Itachi quickly turned his head back to Sasuke to see his body engulfed in lightning like chakra.
"I-ta-chi," Kokuro's taunting voice echoed down to them. "I've come to complete my mission, and that mission is to eliminate you and Sintary."
Sintary stiffened behind Itachi, clutching their child tightly. The air filled with chakra again as their friend prepared for his next attack.
"DIE!" The both screamed unleashing their raw chakra against the family.
She had expected to feel pain before dying, but she felt nothing at first. Her eyes were screwed shut, and her ears rung from the explosion. The first thing she felt was her arms around someone. Her son. The second thing she felt was arms around her; shielding her and Kazuki. Itachi. The third thing she felt was her heart pounding in her chest.
She was alive.
They were all alive.
But how?
Sintary slowly opened her eyes and found her head buried over Kazuki's shoulder and into Itachi's chest. She lifted her head slightly, causing Itachi's to move as well. She noticed just behind him that there was a fire like entity in the disappearing smoke. She slowly looked around and noticed that they were inside this boney, orange-red spirit.
"What is this?" Sintary whispered in awe.
"A Mangekyo Sharingan jutsu: Susansoo. It's the final jutsu Uchiha members can activate ones they receive this stage in both their eyes. It is a form of my chakra protecting us." Itachi explained already feeling his strength get cut, but it had been the only way to save them from two powerful attacks.
"So, you cannot keep it up for very long." Sintary stated quietly.
"No; which it why we need to get you two somewhere safe." He told her simply.
"Itachi, you can't take them both on." She pointed out. "While they're not on the same team, they're both out to get you. Both are deadly on their own… together… you're sure to die."
He could hear the fear in her voice, the worry of losing him all over again.
"It will be worth it so long as you two live." Itachi told her solemnly.
"Itachi, no! I can't –"
"Sintary, enough," he said sharply. "Your first and only priority is to protect Kazuki. That's an order."
The retired kunoichi sucked a breath in hearing his coarse tone. It still resonated deep inside her; instincts never died.
"Understood…" Sintary whispered, not happy.
Itachi nodded softly and looked up as the smoke cleared. The blast had destroyed the compound, completely opening it up. It would make for an easy escape.
He grabbed hold of both and shot them up and out of that hell hole together. The Uchiha prodigy tried to quietly assemble a plan. He could send her south to Konoha where she would certainly be greeted with open arms. It was close enough to where she would make it within a couple of hours. Anywhere else, he wasn't sure how she'd be received. It was their only option at the moment.
"Sintary, head back towards Konoha; due south. Do not stop until you get there." Itachi ordered her.
She nodded bravely, trying to fight back tears.
This might really be the last time she sees him. He was going off to face to incredible shinobi be himself…
She gripped Kazuki tighter.
She couldn't let that happen; she had to try.
A plan formulated itself inside Sintary's head as she looked at Itachi one last time before taking off as the smoke cleared.
Chakra splurged forward for the first time in years. She tried to keep her concentration up, but having difficulty from the loss of training.
It didn't matter though; her plan worked.
Kunai bit into their intended target next to her.
Sintary skidded to a halt and turned around.
"You really thought you were going to get away, weren't you?" Sasuke's cold voice came.
"No," she said softly. "I didn't. The whole plan was to lure one of you away."
His narrowed eyes widened considerably as he realized what had happened. He had been outsmarted, and now he couldn't move. Orochimaru had praised and taunted Sintary for her bloodline, but Sasuke had never experienced it for himself.
And it was utter hell for him.
He had absolutely no control over his body, and it drove him crazy.
"Let me go!" He seethed pissed off with her.
"No!" Sintary exclaimed, determination set in her face. "You are going to listen to me whether you want to or not!"
"I don't want to hear what you have to say!" Sasuke spat at her.
"Too bad! You're gonna hear it anyway!" She shot back.
The smoke finally started to dissipate from the playing field completely just as Itachi released his Susansoo.
He felt Sasuke's chakra go after Sintary and went to go after him, but a fist came flying out of the remaining smoke. He narrowly dodged it and distant him from the attacker.
"Kokuro," Itachi stated seeing the man standing there.
"So you do remember me," he said sounding a bit… mad.
"Of course I remember you. We were best friends," Itachi said truthfully. "We still can be."
The white haired nin tossed his head back and laughed. "Wow, you're actually naïve, Itachi. I never thought I'd hear you say something like that!" He called. "You really think after everything you've put me through, we can still be friends? That's a riot!"
Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly as he analyzed his friend. While he looked the same, he was acting completely different; something just seemed off about him.
"Kokuro," he started again.
"MY NAME ISN'T KOKURO ANYMORE!" The man shouted suddenly not laughing anymore. "MY NAME IS TSUKI!"
Itachi was taken aback by this; completely surprised. Something was definitely wrong.
"Kokuro," he insisted, "Danzo is the enemy, not me."
"You're wrong!" The other shinobi exclaimed irritated now. "Danzo-sama is a gift to all of the ninja world! He was right the purge the Uchiha clan, and he's right now in killing you!"
Before Itachi could utter anymore words of reason, his former comrade was in front of him with flying attacks. He blocked them, not wanting to hurt his teammate, but the latter clearly wanting to hurt him.
"I don't believe you."
Sintary rolled her eyes. She had seen that coming. She had seen that coming for years.
"Okay, well, I haven't had this seal on the back on my neck for four years because Itachi was a true murderer. I had this seal because Danzo and the elders and the Hokage were trying to cover something up." Sintary sat as she gently rubbed Kazuki's back.
"That doesn't matter!" Sasuke shouted at her.
"I beg to differ," Sintary said looking at him, "because it just further proves Itachi is not the bad guy here. Look, maybe hearing it from him will be different. Maybe you'll believe him. But you won't get those answers if you kill him – or Kokuro kills him."
"The details do not matter!" Sasuke snarled at her.
"Then let's see if this matters:" Sintary snapped turning Kazuki to face his uncle. "You're taking away his father just like yours was taken away. Do you really want to inflict that pain onto your nephew?"
"He doesn't know his father." He insisted.
"So? He just finally met his father, and you're going to yank them apart? The worst pain you can ever feel is wondering what could have been. Don't you remember feeling that at all? Can you imagine if you were even younger when this all happened!?" Sintary exclaimed desperately.
Sasuke was about to shout back at her, but Kazuki stopped him.
"Mama, can I say something to Uncle Sasuke?" He asked looking up at her.
She looked down at him, shocked, but she did nod. "Go ahead sweetie."
Kazuki got down from her arms and waddled over to his uncle. He stood in front of him and looked up at the taller man.
"Uncle Sasuke?"
"What?"
"Can you promise me something?" Kazuki asked innocently.
"Depends on what it is," Sasuke replied already getting annoyed with this.
"Can you promise at least talk to my father about this?"
"No."
"Please?"
"I said no."
"… Please?"
Sasuke looked down at the smaller boy… and he saw himself. He wished he had been given a chance to plead like this when Itachi-Danzo-whoever planned his father's death. He pushed out air through his nose taking in his nephew's big eyes.
Innocence.
He saw innocence in those eyes.
It was something he lost at a young age, and something, he thought reluctantly, his brother lost at an even younger age. It had been forcibly taken from both boys; and many more that were exposed to the shinobi world in times a war.
Could he really be the person that rips it away from this young boy? From his nephew?
Sasuke sighed.
He was going against everything he stood for. Everything he had lived for these past years. Everything he had worked so hard to get to this point.
"Fine."
Chakra cladded fists collided with each other at an equal force shooting both shinobi back in their respective directions.
Itachi flinched slightly as he felt blood slide down from his right eye. The wear and tear of the Mangekyo Sharingan was starting to show on his young body. On top of that, he was barely keeping his illness in check. This had to be the most he had exerted himself since obtaining the it. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this stalemate up at this point.
While they were matched with talent, there were certain factors setting the two old comrades apart.
One being physical health. Itachi was weaker while Kokuro… just seemed weighed down by wounds.
The next being chakra and jutsu. Kokuro had a second set of Doujutsu up his sleeve and seemed completely unaffected by the side effects while Itachi was, again, feeling the pains of just his one.
The final being mental health. Itachi saw this specifically because Kokuro was a mindless killing machine as of right now. He just kept firing jutsu after jutsu and kept coming at Itachi. Any hit the latter made on Kokuro didn't seem to affect him. He just kept going as if he didn't feel anything.
Itachi needed a way to fix that. He realized then the only way to get Kokuro back was to get him to feel something.
But he couldn't seem to surprise the other shinobi. The latter seemed to be able to predict any plan Itachi had come up with.
And then things seemed to turn for the worse.
Sasuke joined the fight – against him.
His younger brother was backing Kokuro, only through kunai and shuriken at Itachi attached to ninja wire. The older brother wasn't a fool; he knew what Sasuke was trying to do. He was setting a trap for Itachi to fall into. But Itachi was changing the directory of the weapons fired at him.
Suddenly, the three ninja stopped in a complete deadlock. The two Uchiha members flanked the Otsutsuki shinobi; all red in their eyes.
"Now!" Sasuke suddenly shouted cutting a string near him.
Itachi cut his as well hoping he hadn't just ended his own life.
His eyes widened as the trap he thought had been for himself – and which he redirected for Sasuke – actually latched itself to Kokuro. It tied him up to the point where if he moved a muscle, he would strangle himself by the time he got out of the other wires.
"If anyone's going to kill my brother, it's me." Sasuke told Kokuro coldly with a slight glare.
"After you talk to him," came Sintary's voice.
Itachi whipped around quite pissed. "You're supposed to be half way to Konoha by now." How could she have not thought?
"I needed to stay and help Kokuro." She said softly.
"I gave you a direct order."
"And you didn't like me for my ability to follow them blindly." Sintary snapped at him. "You valued me because I had an opinion, and that I would do anything to save my friends. So, excuse me, captain, but so long as my baby's safe with me, I'm staying and bringing Kokuro back."
"You're never going to see Kokuro again," came a chilling voice.
The three heads snapped to the center of their circle. It had been Kokuro's voice, but it was so voided of emotion.
"What makes you say that?" Itachi asked cautiously feeling as if they were speaking to this alter, Tsuki.
"He's currently curled up and whimpering like a baby. He can't handle all the pain and torment." 'Tsuki' said coyly.
"We'll see about that," Sintary told this alter stepping forward.
She closed her determined blue eyes and reached out to the man before her. Her chakra levels elevated as her bloodline took over.
Kokuro found himself surrounded by a black abyss. The only source of light was on him, and he couldn't find where it was tethered to. He felt the panic raising in his chest. Was this another one of Danzo's mind games? Was he locked in a dark, dirty room soon to be chewed upon by rats? Was someone going to strike him? Was there going to be a Genjutsu torture? Oh god, he couldn't stand those.
Instead, he heard the sound of a door creaking open, and a blinding white light bathe him.
Oh shit.
Was his dead?
Did Danzo really kill him after all that?
What about his life was Kiba? He had such high hopes!
"Kokuro?" came a sweet, tentative voice.
He tried to place where he had heard that voice before… but he couldn't. He just felt he needed to go to find the face of that voice.
The white haired shinobi walked towards the door and walked through the threshold.
Immediately, he felt of not anxiety, but joy. He felt happiness instead of the ever looming doom he felt over his head.
He felt hope.
The feelings had overwhelmed him so much he had closed his hazel eyes. When he opened them, he saw himself faced with his own memories as if they were playing on a slide show in front of him.
Kokuro saw himself at the orphanage all by himself. Then it switched to him meeting Sintary and Itachi for the first time – and then him moving into the Uchiha clan and being put on a team with his new friends. He had been so relieved that day as well… so full of hope and happiness.
He then saw all the grim times the team had endured; missions, the Chuunin exams, his best friend dying, the massacre, Itachi leaving… and then he went through all the joyous moments they strived to live; the laughs, the games, the nights at Sintary's place, playing with Sasuke…
Kokuro was reminded that there were plenty of bad times, but that there were also good times as well.
The white haired shinobi saw the recent events as if they were through someone else's memories. He felt the malice, the need to kill the target – the target being Itachi and Sintary. He had seen Itachi unleash his Susansoo to protect his girlfriend and their son. He had seen that they were equally matched, but that this… this shinobi was going to have the upper hand in the long run. He had heard Itachi trying to call out to him, to try and get him, Kokuro¸ to stop.
Kokuro felt like backing out that door and crawling back into the dark. He couldn't believe he was doing all these horrible things. It made him sick. Why was he trying to kill his friends? What had Danzo created?
"We're all here for you, Ko," came that soft voice again.
He looked around frantically, trying to find that voice.
He was faced with an eye-like view.
In front of him was Sintary. Her blue eyes were closed, but her face was determined. He could feel her chakra emitting from her and sensed her bloodline was in use. Behind her was Itachi, watching earnestly.
"Kokuro?" called the voice, and he realized then that it was Sintary.
He had seen her mouth move at the same time the voice hit his ears.
"Kokuro, you can come out. We're here to protect you from any more harm."
He felt like trusting her… but then again, she had promised the same thing all those years ago, and look where he was.
Then again, she hadn't had control over her situation.
Kokuro took in a deep breath as the eye-like view slowly came closer, and suddenly everything went black.
Sintary slowly opened her eyes and looked at the man before her.
"Come on, Ko," she whispered biting her lip.
Very slowly, his hazel eyes reopened as well. He slowly looked around, confused at first.
"Ko?" Sintary asked gently.
His attention turned back to her as he regarded her curiously.
"Sin?" His voice quivered a bit.
She slowly nodded her head feeling tears well up in her eyes. She had done it. She had brought Kokuro back.
"I can't believe it." She said, her voice tight. "You're back."
"Welcome back," Itachi said softly placing a hand on her shoulder as he looked at his friend. "Let's cut you lose and head out."
Kokuro suddenly felt all the wire cut from around him, and it slowly fell away. His legs almost gave out on him, and he could feel there was damage done to them. How had he not felt this before?
"Come on, Ko, let's go home." Sintary placed a hand on his back and began to walk with him.
"I don't think so," came the voice that had ruined them all.
Sintary turned around just as a kunai came flying at her. It landed in her side, and she gripped it.
"Sintary!" Itachi and Kokuro shouted with worry.
She looked back at them before they were surrounded in smoke. It had been a clone.
Both men sighed with silent relief before regarding their new threat. They just couldn't get a break, could they?
"Did you guys forget about us?" Hissed Orochimaru.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I was hoping you died in the collapse of the hideout."
"Oh, Sasuke, you're going to make me cry," the white man said. "Do you really want me dead that badly?"
"Yes." The younger Uchiha stated planning.
The two remaining Uchiha and their distant cousin looked over their opposing forces: Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Danzo.
"Tsuki!" The Konoha councilman exclaimed. "What are you doing!? You should be attacking these two!"
Kokuro felt his heart thumb and something slowly start to take over. His vision was slowly growing dark, and he felt himself losing control.
"Kokuro!" He heard Itachi distantly yell. "Don't give into him! We need you to take on all three of them with us."
'Must. Kill. Uchiha.' The white haired shinobi heard a sickeningly evil voice inside his head.
'No…' he timidly said. 'They're… they're my family.'
'The only family you have is yourself and Danzo. You are nothing with him.' It hissed.
Kokuro slowly shook his head. 'I am nothing without them.'
Itachi watched his friend fight his supposed alter. He suddenly grabbed a kunai, and the older Uchiha prepared by grabbing ahold of one as well. Kokuro turned to face him, and Itachi could see his inner turmoil.
"Come on, Kokuro! Fight it." He encouraged.
The other shinobi's hazel eyes widened slightly, and Itachi saw him break through. The former spun around and threw the weapon as the opposing side.
"Tsuki!? What is the meaning of this?!" Danzo hissed.
"My name…" Kokuro huffed. "My name is Kokuro Otsutsuki, and I am not your pawn anymore!" His eyes flared a deep red and then to an opaque white. Blood vessels growing around his eyes. The Byakugan.
"It seems our disciples have fallen off their paths, don't you agree Danzo?" Orochimaru commented. "It looks like we're going to have to teach them a lesson."
"It seems so," Danzo agreed disappointedly.
"And I get to take out the great Itachi Uchiha?" Kabuto asked eagerly.
"Yes, Kabuto. You deserve an opponent who challenges you. It's the least I can do for all your years of service." Orochimaru told him.
Kokuro lunged first the knife whizzed past Kabuto's ear slicing it slightly.
"Don't you fucking think that you are going to touch my captain," hissed Kokuro. The two white haired shinobi squared up. Danzo and Orochimaru split and lunged for Itachi and Sasuke respectively. The two Uchiha Both flared their sharingan to life and expelled a roaring plume of fire.
"Wind Style: Great Devastation," hissed Orochimaru.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets," rasped Danzo.
The two elder shinobi's jutsu combine and clashed against the fire swirling and engulfing it. The air ignited with a bright flash and there was a back flash of searing fire heading towards Sasuke and Itachi.
"AMATERASU," yelled Kokuro and Itachi in tandem. Black flames swept and grew around the bright flames consuming it and swallowing it in a cloud of darkness.
Kabuto turned and quickly brought a kunai into the back of Kokuro's knee, and followed up with a round house kick that sent the young silver haired shinobi sprawling. Itachi caught his teammate and helped him to his feet. The young shinobi tried to stand but his leg gave away under his weight.
"Really," smirked Kabuto, "is that the best the prodigal orphan of the Leaf can offer? A flimsy offense, and opening so large a Genin could land a hit."
Kokuro grimaced and pushed forward; tumbling out of Itachi's arms and towards the ground. Just before he collided, a rift seemed to form and he fell into darkness and was gone. Completely gone, no trace of his chakra, until Kabuto went ridged. The Medical shinobi shuddered and then coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"H-how," Kabuto sputtered.
"Yomotsu Hirusaka," breathed Kokuro, "dimensional teleportation." The white haired shinobi twisted his kunai driving it deeper and pushed the incapacitated shinobi to the side.
"Danzo, what is this child? Sharingan, Byakugan, and teleportation stronger than the Fourth Hokage's. why wasn't I informed," bit Orochimaru with a murderous look.
Danzo looked on as the serpentine man regurgitated a sword, and spoke, "I was unaware of his potential to that regard, but now he seems like a promising candidate for your experiments. I would suggest keeping him alive and using him to breed on that girl of yours. His blood is better."
Itachi rushed to his comrade's side, but then Orochimaru raced to Sasuke. The pair locked blades and began to parry one another's moves. Sasuke evaded carefully knowing that his former master's blade was likely coated in a toxin or poison.
Kokuro stood feebly, his body weak and beaten. His eyes pulsing and filled with anger.
"Kokuro you can't fight Danzo on—"
"Dammit Itachi, if I can make it this far, I can face him. Now protect Sasuke." Itachi looked at him stunned. This wasn't the same Kokuro as before, he had a stronger will, he had people to protect. He had a vendetta to fulfill. "Go now Itachi. I am going to show him everything I've got."
Itachi nodded and raced off through the rubble of the hideout entrance, chasing after his brother and Orochimaru into the dense forest. He looked back and smiled slightly. He pitied Danzo. Kokuro was always the strongest, he just never used his powers to the full of his ability. He was always holding back, but not anymore. He was going to fight Danzo with no mercy.
"Tsuki," hissed Danzo, "you bring dishonor to the Leaf. Do you realize the repercussions of your actions, a murderer is getting away?"
"M-my n-name isn't…Tsuki…it's Kokuro. Now shut the fuck up."
Kokuro didn't even feel himself move, he was in front of a wide eyed Danzo his fist speeding towards his wrapped face. The elder caught it and twisted his wrist trying to snap it. Kokuro moved with the force and flipped over Danzo. Mid-flip he struck eight of the older man's tenketsu, and flung him off into a clearing.
"Tsuki, do not disobey me," screamed Danzo, "remember you are nothing no one, they are all temporary like Kai, like that little Inuzuka boy. Do you want him to be killed t—"
Kokuro found himself winding up for a second punch, the first found home into Danzo's chest. Danzo's chest grew red as small shafts of bone pierced him from Kokuro's arm. The boy was no longer his to control. The second punch whistled towards the older man's jaw. Weaving the sign of the dog Danzo shouted, "Art of the wind blade."
Kokuro flew back and landed with his back on the rough gravel, a large gash across his chest. His eyes burned and watered, both of them burning with worse pain, then ever before. Then ice, bitter utter nothingness. Kokuro slowly crept up, cradling his chest, blood pooling in the front of his tattered garb. His motions jerky and slow. Snapping his head forward, his eyes focused on Danzo with new clarity. His body pulsed and he heard the ancient voice again, the one from the exams. You have my chakra, now kill him my child.
Lightning poured from the sky, and Kokuro dashed at Danzo. The electricity was potent and lashed out at the older man. Wind parried and sliced at the streams of lightning as the two faced off, each dispersing the charge. Kokuro locked blows with Danzo and lashed out with his bones. Each piercing and sharp.
Kokuro's fighting became thoughtless, just effortless. Without signs he called upon all changes of nature. Wind and fire swirled and water froze in jagged spikes. Danzo was put into a corner. He gathered all of his chakra and poured it into his kunai, creating a deadly wind blade. Kokuro turned and created his own blade.
"Tsuki you have failed me."
"Danzo, you have failed the Leaf."
The pair charged and lashed out. Danzo struck first, or so he though, his blade aimed at Kokuro's heart. The blade inched closer and then passed into nothing as it fazed like through him. Kokuro flashed away and disappeared. Kokuro rematerialized and drove his kunai deep into Danzo's spine.
"Threaten me, bad move, threaten my family, and I will beat you to a bloody pulp, threaten Kiba, well now I am going to kill you. Shikotsumyaku: Ash Killing bone." Kokuro place his palm on Danzo's back and drove a shard of bone into his heart.
Moments later Danzo began to crumble and turn to ash.
Kokuro watched as the man who tortured him for years died. The silver haired shinobi finally collapsed and sunk to the ground. Kokuro finally gave into all of his hurt, all of his pain and suffering, every last aspect of his trauma. Kokuro wept, he wept tears of pain and tears of joy.
'I am finally free.'
Snakes writhed through the air, fangs dripping with poison as Orochimaru lunged after the two. Sasuke whipped lightning enhanced throwing stars into the serpents pacifying them as snapped their jaws. The snakes fell dead and Orochimaru lashed out, clashing ruthlessly. Sasuke parried and dashed to his brother's side.
"Show me the power of the Uchiha, show me the power I so desperately crave," Hissed Orochimaru.
"Sasuke, remember that mission we did with the boar before I left. Let do it again," bit Itachi murmured.
Sasuke nodded and prepared lightning in his hand. Itachi rushed the man with exploding clones, pinning him against the tree. Sasuke saw his opening and fired an arrow. The lightning hissed through the air straight towards Orochimaru.
Itachi watched as his clones exploded on impact as well. However, he a change in Orochimaru's chakra at the last minute. His eyes narrowed as the smoke cleared. They had blown the tree to pieces, but what was left of Orochimaru was a mud clone, slowly oozing down to the gorund.
The two Uchiha brothers scanned the area searching for that snake, but came up empty.
"Dammit," Sasuke said annoyed and disappointed. "He got away."
"You'll get your chance," Itachi told him softly. "He'll be back."
The brothers soon made eye contact. They had won this battle, but the next one they faced was just as menacing. The journey would be long and hard with love and tears.
It was the road to healing.
Thank you to KnightsRoses, Sweet Petit, arigarciar, Ijustdon'tcare132, KyuubiNoPuma, pika-78, Rose 23527, ILurveManyAnimeBoys, xxRyuu-himexx, nathy13, HonestxxEyes, NinjaChipmunk, PityThoseWhoLiveWithoutLove-95, animefangirl0219, creven16, randomindividual467, darkxion, OrangeBeanGamer, terriblecupcakes732, Integral16, MickyLove, Elizabethcica, KHB123, FailingErin, MaidMaliya, Johana-98, ElephantLover220, Bananarock509, nacheell, LadyLunaTwilight, slowbro0609, CommanderCats, juury, Katelynn Snow Fox, sierra halle, Crazedstill99, Ne Ne Papa Ne Ne Mama, scarlet-angle-13, kyoko minion, and To'M'L Kuran, for following/favorite-ing the story!
A special thanks to ILurveManyAnimeBoys, Rose23527, HonestxxEyes, bunnyguest, an unknown Guest, nacheel, and FailingErin for their reviews and requests for updates!
AND PLEASE GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO MY RP PARTNER (who I am not naming for her privacy)! Without her cooperation and amazing ability to play Uchiha men, this idea would have never been brought to life! On that note, from here on out, everything is coming from my own crazy head. Hope you'll all enjoy it as much! Also: Final remainder; please check out Dear Itachi: The Tales of Kokuro for another view of your favorite characters and either comment and/or vote in the poll so we know how you guys are feeling it! Also, check out the blog! again SPACED OUT Dear Itachi News . Blogspot . com
THANK YOU!