Disclaimer- Don't own Naruto.
Author's Note- Wow… I just noticed something… I HAVE 103 REVIEWS? Oh my god… and only in the first three chapters, too! Wow… I know there are some crazy people out there with like 1000 reviews on their story, but considering that this is my first one that's pretty amazing… wow… THAKS SO MUCH GUYS! I LOVE YOU ALL!
WARNING! This chapter contains some pretty graphic scenes. Read at your own risk. You can skip this chapter if you want. It's only about the massacre.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Four
--
Massacre
Sweat dripped down Sakura's face as she stuck out a tongue and stared intently into two obsidian irises. Determination was written all over her face as she chewed on her lip in deep thought. Across from her, Sasuke was kneeling down and staring at her with the same intensity. He had a confident look in his face. Sakura gulped and raised a hand to wipe some sweat from her brow. The air was so thick with tension and suspense.
What exactly were these two Uchihas playing that was so controversial? Well it's an ancient game. Played by most generations long ago. Sometimes, this fateful game was even used in deciding very important decisions. What is it? Well, they were playing a heated game of…
Rock paper scissors.
Oh, can't you just feel the tension? It's extreme, man! Extreme!
"Are you ready?" Sakura asked in a deadpan voice.
"Yeah," Sasuke replied with equal seriousness. His sister nodded gravely before continuing.
"Okay…One… Two… Three!" Sakura yelled and threw her hand down, revealing rock. She smirked smugly at her brother, who had the same expression on his face. Blinking, Sakura looked down and saw that his hand was… "PAPER? Hey, no fair! You probably cheated!"
"What?" Sasuke glared, "I did not cheat!"
"Yeah huh! I bet you changed it like really quick!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did TOO!" Sakura stuck her tongue out and crossed her arms. Sasuke scowled a bit. Suddenly an idea popped into his head as a sly grin found its way up to his face. Sakura quirked an eyebrow at him, "Onii-san? What are you…? AH!" Sakura squeaked as Sasuke suddenly tacked her to the floor and started tickling her, "HAHAHA! S-Sasu-haha! S-stop! HAHAHA!"
He smirked victoriously, "Not until you say that I won fair and square!"
"No wa-AHAHA! OKAY! Okay, you- haha! Won f-fair and square!" she giggled as he grinned and rolled off of her. Mikoto smiled warmly at her children and Fugaku couldn't help but let his hardened features relax as well. Even though Sakura was not truly an Uchiha, during her eight years of stay with them she had grown on them…and Fugaku felt as if she was his own daughter now. He felt that same protectiveness and caring he felt for Sasuke and Itachi. Mikoto loved Sakura as one of her own too. The whole Uchiha family, sans Itachi, was currently lounging in the living room. They were waiting for the elder son to return form training, even though it ended long ago.
"Aniki works so hard," Sakura pouted after recovering from the afterglow of her laugh.
"He never has any time for us anymore," Sasuke grumbled.
"Don't talk like that about your brother," Fugaku said as he flipped through another page of his newspaper, "Itachi is a strong, responsible, talented ninja. You should be proud of him for working so hard. Why, he's even considered a prodigy, and those come around only once every ten years."
Mikoto rolled her eyes. There he goes again, boasting on about Itachi. "Well, dear, you know Sasuke has been working hard as well. Both Sasuke and Sakura came home with A's on their tests yesterday."
"Iruka-sensei even said that we were one of the smartest in the class!" Sakura grinned.
"Aa," Fugaku replied, "So I take it school is well?"
"Hn," Sasuke frowned slightly. The only time his father ever acknowledged them was when it was about school. Just as he opened his mouth to say more, he was cut off by a loud crash.
"What was that?" Mikoto looked up. The crash was followed by a loud explosion and the sound of breaking glass.
"Huh? Is it a raccoon?" Sakura said.
"No…" Fugaku glanced at the door. Suddenly, they heard a scream.
"AAHH!"
"N-NO! S-SPARE ME!"
"HELP! SOMEONE, ANYONE, HELP!"
Sasuke's brows furrowed, "Sakura-chan… that's no raccoon…"
Several explosions followed thereafter, as well as crashes and screams. They heard footsteps scurrying around in the streets as well as more screams and crashes. Fear struck Mikoto's heart. Somehow, she had a bad feeling about all of this. An ear-splitting screech erupted from right outside the house as well as a piercing sound that was all too familiar to Fugaku. Suddenly, a loud and frantic pounding was heard at their door.
"What's going on here?" Fugaku yelled as he swung the door open, nearly ripping it off its hinges.
Fugaku's sister in law, Uchiha Uruchi, suddenly stumbled in. Her graying hairs were splayed about messily and her eyes were as wide as saucers. She gripped at Fugaku's collar and yelled hysterically, "IT'S ITACHI! ITACHI! HE'S KILLING EVERYONE!"
"What?" Fugaku narrowed his eyes. Sasuke and Sakura poked their heads curiously around the corner.
Mikoto appeared as well and attempted to calm the woman, "Uruchi-san, what's wrong? Please, calm down."
"No!" the elderly woman shook her head feverishly, "You must do something! I-Itachi! H-He's slaughtering everyone, he's-AGH!" the woman had no time to continued as several kunai shot out and embedded themselves in her backside.
"URUCHI!" Fugaku hollered as he caught the newly deceased woman. From outside, he caught a brief flash of a shadow with two red dots for eyes. Could it be…? Suddenly, an odd whirring sound was heard as several kunai were launched at him from nowhere.
"Shit!" Fugaku roared and quickly shut the door, stopping the kunai from hitting his family.
"Fugaku?" Mikoto's voice was slightly panicky, "What's happening? Oh my god… Why is Uruchi-san covered in blood and kunai?"
"I don't know…" he said, "But something bad." And something about Itachi. Could what Uruchi said before she died was true?
Sakura's eyes widened as she remembered what her aniki said last night… "Would you still love me even if… even if I did something bad one day?"
"Itachi…" the girl whispered.
All of a sudden, a loud explosion ripped through on of the walls as a body was sent flying through. Mikoto and Sakura screamed while Sasuke and Fugaku paled. The body was covered in blood and somewhat mangled, making it hard to decipher who it was. But one look at the light hair told them it was old Uncle Yashiro… Or what was left of him.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Fugaku shouted before running over to the large hole in the wall and looking through to see who cause it. And there, standing in the middle of the street in ANBU uniform, was a pale boy with a long, ebony ponytail. Slowly, the boy looked over to reveal fully activated Sharingan eyes.
It was Itachi.
Fugaku gulped dryly. So Uruchi had not lied… it truly was his oldest son who was causing all this havoc. Uchiha Tekka suddenly ran out form nowhere and attacked him. In a flash, Itachi disposed of the nuisance and killed him… right before Fugaku's eyes.
No…
It couldn't be…
Itachi was… killing the clan?
Gradually, the boy turned towards his father to reveal a sadistic grin plastered on his bloodstained face, "Why hello, father."
"No…" Fugaku's eyes widened and he shook is head, "No! Itachi! What's going on here!"
"Well, isn't it obvious?" he flung a kunai at his father, barely missing his head by a centimeter, "I'm killing the clan." Itachi ended it by widening that sick grin of his.
Fugaku turned rigid. "No… No… NO!" Fugaku then turned and ran back into the house, "MIKOTO!" he roared, "MIKOTO, GET SAKURA AND SASUKE INTO THE BASEMENT RIGHT NOW!"
"W-What? What's happening?" she grabbed her husband's shoulders as she gazed at him in worry.
"I don't have time to explain," he hurriedly strapped several kunai holsters to himself, "It's Itachi. He's going on a killing rampage."
"WHAT?" Mikoto couldn't believe her ears, "Itachi? Our Itachi? No… No! You're lying! I-It can't be!"
"Mikoto," he grabbed her by the shoulders, "Listen to me, I need you to take Sasuke and Sakura to the basement right now."
"No… no…" the woman was still in denial and shook her head feverishly, a few tears leaking out from her eyes, "No… not Itachi. He would never do something like that!" More screams penetrated the air as another explosion boomed somewhere near their home.
"Mikoto," he stared at her with cold, obsidian eyes, speaking in a tone so dead serious that Sasuke and Sakura couldn't help but shiver, "Listen to me. Take Sasuke and Sakura to the basement. Now. I will explain all else later." His face softened when he noticed that she started crying, "…Please…"
Slowly, she nodded and wordlessly took her two other children in her arms. Fugaku nodded and went to get more weapons.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mikoto poked her head out the backdoor to see if the coast was clear. The sight that greeted her was not friendly. The normally dark midnight skies were ablaze as reds and yellows swam across, clashing with each other. The smell of smoke permeated Mikoto's nostrils. It didn't take much to figure out that the houses were on fire. She suddenly turned frigid. So Fugaku hadn't lied… Itachi really was destructing the clan.
Shaking her head from such thoughts, Mikoto pulled her children along to an entrance near the side of the house. It was a pair of heavy oak double doors. The Uchiha matriarch then broke open the lock and wrenched the door open, "Here," she said, "Sasuke, Sakura, get in."
More screams echoed through the air and Mikoto winced.
"Mommy?" Sasuke glanced at the pale face of his mother, "Mommy, what's happening?" but Mikoto said nothing as beads of sweat started to swell on her brow. Anguish and fear was written all over her normally calm and beautiful face as she stuffed her two children in the basement.
"Sasuke-chan, Sakura-chan," she whispered shakily and embraced them, "Something very bad is happening and mommy can't explain right now. Just stay in this room and don't make a sound until Daddy or I come to get you, alright?"
"But what about aniki?" Sakura's brows furrowed in worry. She did not see the way her mother blanched and turned frigid.
"Don't say his name!" Mikoto screamed. Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she hid behind her brother. Mikoto's eyes softened and she pulled her daughter in for a hug, "I'm sorry," she whispered, "For screaming at you. Please don't be mad."
Sakura relaxed. Though she didn't know what was going on or why everyone was getting worked up, she complied with her mother's orders. Suddenly, she felt her mother shake and sob lightly in her hair. Sakura smiled reassuringly, "Don't cry, mommy. Everything will be okay."
"No…" her voice was barely audible, "No it won't…" Mikoto sniffed and then turned to her son, "Sasuke, be a big boy and watch Sakura for me, okay? Take care of her and yourself, alright?"
He nodded, "Kay."
A few tears dripped down her cheeks as she gave her children on last, reassuring squeeze. A loud explosion was heard followed by a roar that sounded like their father's. Panic invaded Mikoto's features as she thrust her children into the basement and slammed the heavy doors shut, sealing them with several jutsu just to be safe. Though she was still only a chuunin, Mikoto was still a pretty capable ninja. Afterwards, the woman whirled around, only to meet a familiar crimson gaze…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was dark. So very dark. The only light that penetrated the caliginous room was the faint, silver moonlight that seeped in through little ventilation holes and windows near the upper edges of the wall. Sakura shivered and snuggled closer to her brother, who wrapped his arms protectively over her. Sasuke and Sakura were currently huddled in a corner like their mother had instructed, with Sakura curled up on Sasuke's lap as they hid themselves partially between two crates.
Sakura clamped her eyes shut as she heard several loud shrieks and the sound of something spurting. "O-Onii-c-chan… I'm s-scared…"
"Shh," he whispered and stroked her hair, "Mommy said not to make any noise."
"But why is everyone screaming?"
"I-" Sasuke was suddenly cut off as something hit one of the windows.
A body.
And not just any body- it was the body of their cousin Kagami. They watched in horror as she slid down the window, leaving a trail of blood on the glass. Sakura shrieked but Sasuke smacked a hand over her mouth to keep her silent, but he himself found the sudden urge to just turn around and throw up. Sakura started to cry and clung onto Sasuke as if he was her source of oxygen. The boy managed to worm over to another corner of the room so they wouldn't have to look at the window any longer.
"It's okay, it's okay," Sasuke repeatedly whispered to a frightened Sakura. But in reality, he knew it wasn't okay. More muffled screams were heard through the walls and the Uchiha siblings could have sworn they heard one of them say "ITACHI!" But that couldn't be…could it?
Silently, Sasuke looked up at the dark ceiling and pulled Sakura closer to himself. "What's going on here?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"AAAAHH!" Mikoto screamed and held her arms up defensively.
Fugaku quickly drew his wife close and placed a hand over her mouth, silencing her. "Hush, Itachi might hear."
"F-Fugak-ku?" she managed to sputter. At first she thought she was staring into the eyes of Itachi, but instead it was only her husband with his Sharingan activated. "Where's Itachi? What's happening?"
"He's working on the middle district right now," he quickly explained and tossed her a few kunai holsters, "And working his way up. It seems he'll be heading here any minute now." Onyx eyes glanced briefly at the heavy wooden doors that led to the basement. "Are they-?"
"Yes," Mikoto replied, "Sasuke and Sakura are safe."
He nodded and took his wife by the hand, "Come. We must meet Itachi now."
Hesitantly, she nodded and followed him as they ran out into the street.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Itachi grinned and picked up his victim by the neck, wrapping his pale fingers around the poor person's throat. Itachi's grin widened as he watched the person struggle and gasp for air, choking and screaming, begging for his life to be spared. Feeling a bit bored, the elder Uchiha thrust a kunai through the person's stomach and relished his horrified expression.
"You dissapoint me," Itachi frowned, "I thought you'd put up more of a fight... Inabi."
"M-Monst-ter," Inabi managed to gasp.
Sharingan eyes narrowed as Itachi delivered the final blow, sending Inabi to the other side. As the body dropped to the ground, Itachi felt two presences appear on the other side of the street.
"ITACHI!"
Ah, so it was mother and father. What a pleasant surprise. Itachi turned arouond.
He blinked and cocked his head slightly, "...Where is otouto and Sakura-chan?"
"Why would we tell you?" Fugaku narrowed his eyes at him, "We're not going to let you kill them too!"
"Itachi, please!" Mikoto sobbed, "What's gotten into you? Snap out of it! This isn't the son I raised!"
"Fine," Itachi smirked and unsheathed his katana, "If you won't tell me where they are then I'll just have to find them myself."
"Monster!" Fugaku roared before launching himself at his eldest son.
"NO!" Mikoto screeched and reached out to him, "NO! Fugaku! Don't kill him!"
The sound of metal clanging reverberated in the air as the two Uchihas met- kunai against katana. "This isn't our son, Mikoto!" the elder Uchiha roared, "He is no longer one of us." Itachi narrowed his eyes before splitting off from his father. The two leapt back and Itachi turned his head slightly, resting a hand on his hip, "So I'm not an Uchiha now, eh? I guess that makes me and Sakura outcasts."
Both Fugaku and Mikoto's eyes widened, "Y-You know?"
"Of course," Itachi spoke casually, "I found a little box under your bed." His parents froze, knowing exactly what he was talking about. It was the box Fugaku and Mikoto compiled with Sakura's adoption papers and family history. They planned to give it to her when the time was right… and Itachi found it.
"Hmph," Itachi glanced at them, "I could have figured it out even without that box. She doesn't look like any of us, and she doesn't possess Sharingan. I'm just disappointed you lied to me this whole time."
Fugaku merely growled and charged at the monster formerly known as his son.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How long had it been? An hour? Two? Three? All Sakura and Sasuke knew was that most of the screaming had died down; however, there was still a lot of ruckus going on outside. But then, everything was silent.
Sakura blinked. Had it stopped? Slowly, she lifted her pink head up but Sasuke still kept a firm grip on his sister.
"I-Is everything… AAHH!" Sakura yelped as a body suddenly came crashing through the heavy wooden doors. As it rolled down the steps and slammed against the wall, Sakura and Sasuke's eyes widened as they realized who it was
"HIROSHI-KUN!" their cousin and one of their best friends. Sakura clawed out and tried to reach for him.
But Sasuke held her back, "That's not Hiroshi-kun," he grunted.
"He's hurt!" Sakura wailed, "Look! He's bleeding!"
"He's dead!"
She froze. Dead? Hiroshi-kun was dead? No… No! That can't be happening! Sakura shook her head feverishly and squirmed away from Sasuke, "Hiroshi-kun isn't dead! H-He can't be dead! This isn't happening! I-It's all just a bad dream!"
"Sakura-"
"NO! THIS ISN'T TRUE! Mommy, Daddy, where are you?" Sakura cried before running up the steps, out of the basement and out into the street. She was hysterical. Sasuke cursed inwardly before rising and chasing after her, taking care to avoid the body. He gagged. This was his first time seeing a dead person.
As the middle Uchiha emerged from the basement, he stopped and glanced at the opening. There were several jutsu tags placed around the opening. He recognized them as a type of lock that his mother used to use to lock their doors at night. But… how did Hiroshi manage to break through it? The jutsu could only be dispelled if the user was dead… Sasuke's face pale. Oh no… don't tell me that Mikoto was…
"SAKURA! OKAA-SAN!" he hollered before chasing his sister down the street.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A sigh escaped the lips of Itachi Uchiha as he dusted off his uniform. Well, that was the last of them.
He lowered his katana and let the blood drip lazily to the ground. Before him lay the corpses of the two people who gave birth to him: Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha. Fugaku was on top of Mikoto, and their bodies were arranged in such a way that they resembled an X. A puddle of blood began to leak from the bodies. Itachi stared at them with cold, crimson eyes before sheathing his sword again.
Well, that wasn't much of a fight. He took them down easily. Itachi wiped a bit of blood off his cheek before turning on his heel and walking in the opposite direction.
And now he needed to find two certain eight year olds…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Running. Running. That was all she did, and didn't focus on anything else. Tears streamed down Sakura's face as her cropped pink locks whipped about, her tiny lungs panting harder and harder. She sprinted down the road, screaming whenever she ran into a body. The cold, lifeless eyes… the pale skin… and the blood.
Blood…
There was so much blood…
It was everywhere…
Sakura shrieked and sank to the floor, shielding her eyes from the sight before her. Limbs, bodies, blood, weapons, and just pure wreckage was scattered everywhere. Being the once naïve and innocent eight year old she was, Sakura had never seen such a devastating sight. This was what true ninjas must have faced.
"Mommy," she sobbed and hugged herself, "Daddy, where are you? Sasuke… Itachi… Anybody… I'm so scared…" she cried harder. Cold. It felt so cold. She felt so empty and alone. Poor little Sakura sat there in the streets, weeping her heart out. She stayed like that, just a little pink blur in a sea of red as screams and crashes echoed behind her.
She didn't hear a pair of footsteps approach her, nor did she notice the shadow loom over her small form. Sakura gasped as she felt someone lean down behind her and wrap their arms around her tiny waist.
"Sakura," it breathed. The owner buried his face in her hair. Sakura squeaked and whirled around.
Viridian eyes widened as the eight-year old realized who it was, "Itachi!" Sakura gasped and flailed from his grasp, scrambling to her feet and staring at him through wide, green eyes. "I-Itachi-chan! W-What's going on here? What's happening! Where's Mommy and Daddy?"
The elder Uchiha did nothing but stare at her. Finally, he got to his feet and dusted his hands, "Mom and Dad are in a better place now."
"B-Better place? Like a hospital?"
Itachi chuckled. Even in a time like this, she was still so naïve. "Something like that," he mumbled before bending down and stroking her cheek. At first she jumped and tensed by the contact, but Itachi continued to gaze warmly at her, giving her a sense of… peace.
"Sakura," he whispered, "You're so innocent…"
"I-Itachi?"
His eyes softened, "I would never hurt you…"
"Hurt me?" she shivered and furrowed her brows, "Itachi? Why are you covered in blood? And… why do you have that look on your face? What's happening here!"
"Sakura," he cupped her face in his calloused hands, now even rougher from the dried blood. Sakura's eyes widened as his lips slowly twisted into a sadistic grin, "Sakura, come with me."
"W-Where?"
"Out of here. Out of Konoha. We don't need to stay here- it'll be just you and me. You and your aniki. We can have loads of fun and new adventures." He smiled softly and wiped away a tear, "And I'll finally have time to spend with you…"
"R-Really?" hesitantly, she reached up and enclosed her tiny fingers around his bigger ones.
"Yeah," his smile widened, "I promise. So what do you say?"
Sakura glanced at the floor and shuffled her feet, "I…"
Itachi nodded, patiently waiting.
"I… well, um…"
"It's okay, take your time."
"I-"
"SAKURA!"
Instantly, the two heads whipped over to see who it was. Sakura's face lit up, "Sasuke?" she saw him running frantically towards her, waving his arms and yelling something incoherent. It looked like it was really serious. Absently, Sakura separated herself from Itachi, who frowned. "Sasuke! What's wrong?"
Sakura took a step forward and caught her brother as he nearly slammed into her. She looked at him. He looked hysterical- like he'd just seen a ghost. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"
The boy panted a bit, pointing a shaky finger at Itachi, who still knelt on the blood soaked ground. The elder Uchiha's face was shadowed by his bangs, so it was impossible to tell what his expression was.
"H-He," Sasuke started. Though his voice was a bit rasp, Sakura could tell it was laced in hatred, fear, and anger, "H-He…He killed everyone."
"W-What?"
"He did!" Sasuke quickly thrust Sakura behind him, "That-That monster killed Mom and Dad! He killed the entire clan!"
Itachi saw the way Sakura's face morphed to a horrified expression. She began to sob more, the tears flowing from her like an unbarred dam. She wailed and clung to Sasuke's shirt as they back away from Itachi.
After a few moments, the criminal rose. He turned his attention to his sister, another grin finding its way up to his mouth. "Yes. Sakura, it's true. I did kill the clan- and even Shisui, too. Any do you know why? I killed Shisui to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan- the ultimate form of the Sharingan! All this for power… just how father wanted…" Itachi smirked manically and flexed his fists, "And as for the clan? I merely did it to test my skills, and obviously I am very powerful."
"MONSTER!" Sasuke hollered, tightening his grip on Sakura.
"But even so," Itachi continued, "I would never hurt you… Sakura."
"NO!" Sakura shrieked and slapped him away, "I don't know you anymore…"
Itachi froze.
He gazed at his sister, who was glaring at him with as much hate and loathing she could muster. Though her shoulders shook from fright, Sakura still grit her teeth and scowled at him. Sasuke too. He stood by her side, glaring at Itachi with utter detestation and pure anger.
Suddenly, Itachi winced and lightly touched his chest.
W-What was this feeling… was it… hurt? He winced again, feeling as if someone had clawed at his heart with their kunai.
So that's the way it's going to be, huh? Itachi understood.
Finally, he rose and turned his back to them. When he spoke, it was with an icy tone. "I see. Very well, then. You foolish children. If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life. Sasuke, when you have the same eyes as I do, come at me. And Sakura . . . I don't take back what I said earlier."
I would never hurt you…
But I just did.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, so this chapter didn't come out so good, and I'm sorry about that. Lately my writing skills have been falling. I don't know why, though.
By the way, I know this sounds completely random and off-topic but did you know the first initial of the Konoha girls' names spell S-H-I-T? Sakura-Hinata-Ino-Tenten. Hehe. I just thought that was funny.
Oh, and stay tuned for the next chapter. I have a little surprise… err, well it's not really a surprise but I think you might like it. Or might not. Oh well. Leave reviews!
