I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

Nightmare

Ryuu smiled to himself as he stared up at the birds above. Beside him, Sasuke watched him carefully.

"You really haven't given up on being a bird have you?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm not trying to be a bird," Ryuu said. "I just want to fly."

"Well, either way I'm glad you're smiling again," Sasuke said. "You've finally begun to act normal again. Well, normal for you at least."

"You're one to talk, duck butt," Ryuu laughed.

He sat up, holding out his arm and whistled. After a moment, a Mockingbird landed on his finger, whistling his tune back at him. He smiled, whistling again, beginning to sing with his newest friend. Sasuke smiled as he watch his oldest friend enjoying himself. He really had come a long way. He wasn't as happy as he used to be, but he was getting there.

"Alright, I gotta go," Ryuu said, lifting his hand and making the Mockingbird take off again. "I can't be late for training."

Sasuke nodded and Ryuu waved goodbye as he ran. When he reached home, he quickly took his sandals off and hurried to the training room, finding his father waiting.

"You're three minutes late," his father growled, slamming a bo staff into his thigh, making him drop to the ground, holding his leg. "Get up!"

Ryuu pushed himself up, picking up his bo staff from the rack and readying himself without a word. His father stepped forward, jabbing at him with his staff, Boruto knocking it aside, blocking the other end as the staff swung around at him. He shoved it away, ducking under the other end and swung at his father. His father blocked it then swept his feet out from under him and slammed him into the ground using his staff. As Ryuu was standing, his father's staff swung up from below, catching him under the jaw and throwing him backward to the ground yet again.

"You're pathetic!" his father spat. "You're not worthy of the Uchiha name! You'll never be like Shisui was! You're a disgrace! You should never have been born! If we had to lose a son, it should have been you! Your brother was a genius! You're just a mistake."

With that, he turned, walking out of the room, leaving Ryuu to curl into the fetal position and cry. It was always like this now. It had gotten worse ever since Shisui had died. His father refused to accept him as their only son. His father wanted him to be Shisui's clone. But his mother was worse. He smelled dinner and stood, drying his eyes and walking out to the kitchen where his mother was finishing setting the table, a pleasant smile on her lips.

"Oh there you are Shisui," his mother beamed. "Wash your hands and sit down. Our darling genius needs to eat to keep his strength up."

"There's nothing genius about this boy," his father snarled. "He's barely worthy to eat our food. Eating it off a plate at the table is a gift."

"Aw, did you two have an argument?" his mother asked. "You've always said Shisui is a genius. You're just being too hard on the boy."

"I've told you before, Shisui is dead!" his father snapped.

"Nonsense," she smiled sweetly. "I think I'd know if the only child I've ever had were dead and not sitting across the table from me."

Ryuu stared at his plate in silence, suddenly not hungry. After several minutes, he stood, returning to his room. His father said nothing, though he could feel his father's Sharingan glaring at his back. His mother, however, didn't even notice as she ate, smiling pleasantly still, thoroughly convinced that Shisui was still alive and Ryuu didn't exist.

Once in his room, Ryuu lay down, staring at the ceiling. Tears rolled silently down his cheeks as he waited to cry himself to sleep, but sleep never came. Then, as the sky was its darkest and the chirping of insects filled the air, drifting in through his open window, the world suddenly went silent. He sat up, staring out the window. Then, he walked outside, looking up into the sky. Usually, owls would be flying around, looking for food. And insects would be flying around, chirping. There was nothing.

A scream split the night suddenly and a bell began to ring instantly. However, by the third toll, it went silent as well. Screams began to ring out all over the compound and Ryuu could only stand there, staring into space as he listened to the scream, terror flooding him. Then, the screams fell silent just before Itachi stepped around the corner.

"Big Brother Itachi!" Ryuu called out, running over and hugging him. "What's going on? Why is everyone screaming?"

He looked up at Itachi, freezing as he saw the blood splattered across his face, and the Sharingan staring back at him.

"Ryuu, get away from him!" Ryuu's father's voice suddenly shouted.

Ryuu looked back at him as his father glared at Itachi, his own Sharingan active and a tanto in his right hand.

"Father?" Ryuu blinked. "I think Big Brother Itachi's hurt. There's blood."

"Get away from him!" Ryuu's father shouted again.

Ryuu looked back up at Itachi, finding Itachi's arm raised, sword pointed downward, just as Sasuke's arm fell. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the air just before the sound of something wet splattering across the ground and Ryuu suddenly found himself beside his house again, his father standing over him, sighing in relief and smiling.

"Thank God," he smiled. "I made it in time. Ryuu, run inside. Find your mother. Hide. I'll come and get you in a little while."

Ryuu looked down from his father's face, staring at his right arm, which was missing below the middle of the bicep. "Father...your arm..."

"Go now Ryuu!" he snapped.

Ryuu stared up at him, tears welling up in his eyes as he saw tears running down his father's face.

"I've been hard on you," his father said. "Too hard. I'm sorry. I was so broken by losing one son, that I couldn't see I was pushing away the one I still had. Forgive me for that. You must go inside, Ryuu. Get your mother and hide. I will find you. I swear it."

Ryuu nodded, hugging his father who hugged him back. Then, he turned, sprinting away from him and into the house. He heard metal clashing against metal rapidly, and skidded to a stop in the kitchen where his mother was making a cup of coffee.

"Mother!" Ryuu said. "We have to run!"

"Go and hide Ryuu," his mother said, sipping her coffee, Ryuu noticing a katana on the counter before her. "I lost one son. I'm not losing you also."

"Mom," Ryuu said, fresh tears running down his face.

"I'll always love you, Ryuu," his mother smiled. "Now get going."

Ryuu turned to run just as there was a crash behind him. He stopped, turning to look just as his mother appeared in front of him, katana held at her side. Itachi leveled his own blade at her and she knocked it away.

"Run away Ryuu," his mother commanded. "I'll hold him here."

"Mom," Ryuu whimpered.

His mother shot forward, slashing at Itachi. There was a shower of sparks, then another. Their blades were a blur of steel and sparks. Then, his mother's right arm was sailing through the air, landing on the floor. Still, his mother fought, using her left hand. Neither of them took a step, save to shift positions during strikes. Their blades were moving too fast for him to track. Then, just like that, it was over. His mother's left arm landed on his left, the sword stabbed into the floor between himself and Itachi. Itachi was holding his sword in reverse grip as Ryuu's mother sat on her knees before him, bleeding profusely out of the shoulders.

"Ryuu...run..." his mother pleaded, eyes not leaving the floor.

Then, Itachi slashed, Ryuu's mother's head sailing through the air and landing in Ryuu's lap. He screamed, sobbing and clutching his mother's head to his chest as his eyes burned. Itachi walked forward, his sword in standard grip again and at his side.

"Big Brother Itachi, why?" Ryuu sobbed. "Why did you kill them? Why did you kill Shisui?"

Itachi stared at him in silence for a moment before speaking. "Yes. I killed Shisui. I crushed his eyes with a stone and threw him off a cliff. And now I've killed the rest of your family. I've taken everyone you cared about from you. Do you hate me?"

His only response was Ryuu sobbing anew.

"I see," Itachi said. "Don't worry Ryuu. I'll end this nightmare for you. I'll make it quick so that it doesn't hurt."

Ryuu looked up at him just as there was a flash of light as he slashed, and Ryuu's body went completely numb, slumping to the side, his mother's head still held in his arms. As his vision began to fade, he stared at the floor, his own blood pooling under him rapidly. I feel like...I'm finally flying.

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