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Ryuu landed on the roof behind Shisui, setting a hand on his shoulder as they watched Kisame, who Shisui had been in the middle of a sword fight with. Kisame's eyes drifted from Ryuu to Fu, then to Itachi, unconscious on Fu's back, then to Sasuke, who looked like he was barely on his feet.

"So, Itachi was a traitor, then?" Kisame asked.

"Why do you follow the Akatsuki?" Ryuu asked. "You could be better than that."

Kisame laughed. "Don't waste your time, kid. I'm not a traitor, and my heart is set. I'm with the Akatsuki to the end. That's all there is to it."

"That's too bad," Ryuu said. "You seem honorable, for a murderer, and your power is one that will be a shame for this world to lose when the day comes that you have to die."

Kisame smiled. "Itachi always did say you were a naïve, kind-hearted kid. You have my thanks for saving Itachi, and for sparing him. I leave him to you."

Then, he turned, disappearing with the Body Flicker Technique.

"So, what's the plan now?" Suigetsu asked.

"We're heading back to the Hidden Leaf Village," Sasuke said. "It's long past time for me to return home."

The others nodded and they turned to leave, only for the rest of the Konoha group to land in front of them.

"There you are, Ryuu," Kakashi said. "You captured Itachi?"

"No," Ryuu said, smiling. "We saved him. I can explain to everyone on the way. The short version is...both of my brothers are finally coming home."

"They're..." Sakura stared at Sasuke hopefully. "You're really..."

"Yes," Sasuke nodded. "I'm coming home, Sakura. Finally."

Sakura smiled, rushing forward and Sasuke sighed, hugging her. After a moment, she pulled back and looked up at him and he smiled, kissing her.

Ryuu smiled, turning to Fu just as Itachi opened his eyes, squinting toward Sasuke and Sakura before smiling. "Your eyes are just about finished, aren't they?"

Itachi nodded solemnly. "Right now, you're little more than a blur."

"We'll find a way to fix it," Sasuke said.

"There's only one way," Itachi said. "But it's alright. I'll manage. I just won't be able to use my Mangekyo Sharingan again."

"That's fine," Ryuu said. "You're plenty strong without it."

Itachi nodded and let his chin rest on Fu's shoulder again, once again passing out. Ryuu turned to Kakashi, who nodded, and they all turned, heading home.

"Who was that with the mask?" Kakashi asked as they travelled. "He had a Sharingan."

"I know," Ryuu said. "He's the one who grafted the Hashirama Cells onto my body." He was silent for a long while before closing his eyes. "His name is Madara Uchiha, co-founder of the Hidden Leaf, and the most powerful Uchiha to ever live."

Fu glanced at Ryuu, but remained silent.

"Madara Uchiha!?" Kakashi gasped. "You're sure?"

"Positive," Ryuu said.

"But...he should be long dead by now, or if not, he should be ancient!" Kakashi said.

"My best guess is that he found a jutsu to extend his life and keep him young," Ryuu said. "Wouldn't be the first person to pull it off."

"I suppose," Kakashi said. "This is bad. Very, very bad."

"I know," Ryuu said. "Tsunade already knows about him. I told her as soon as I got back. For now, there's nothing we can do about him. We'd never be able to catch him."

Yamato nodded in agreement. "When we fought him, our attacks passed right through him."

Ryuu nodded. "I think it's a Mangekyo Sharingan power, but I can't prove it."

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. "It's possible. Mangekyo Sharingan powers are unique to the person, though it's possible brothers may inherit powers similar to each other."

"That much is true," Ryuu said, raising a hand to his right eye. "I have the Kotoamatsukami, though I've never used it. I'm not sure how I know, I can just feel it. I also possess something else. I don't know what it does, but I can feel its power."

"Be careful testing them," Kakashi said. "The Kotoamatsukami can only be used once every ten years."

"I know," Ryuu said. "I don't plan to use either ability except as a last resort."

Kakashi nodded and they all fell silent again.

Ryuu remained silent as Tsunade inspected Itachi, nodding to herself.

"You did well," Tsunade said. "There's no trace of the virus, and what little damage is left will heal on its own within a couple weeks."

"Thank you Lady Tsunade," Ryuu said. "How did the Elders react to the news that we brought them home?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Tsunade asked.

"I suppose not," Ryuu said. "If there's nothing for me, I'm going to head home."

"Wait," Tsunade said, taking a long breath before sighing heavily. "I'm sorry. During the Three-tails mission, I didn't trust you. I let Koharu and Homura's constant whisperings get to me, and I lost faith in you, despite everything you suffered through for this village. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Ryuu said. "In the end, you accepted Guren and the others, and you've accepted everyone else I've saved. I have no reason to bear a grudge. Now, I'm heading home. Have a nice day, Tsunade."

He walked out of the building, sighing. He had really wanted to forget that she didn't trust him. Oh well. At least she wasn't making a fuss about Sasuke and Itachi being brought home. Ryuu looked around as he entered the shopping district, pausing as he saw Guren and Yukimaru shopping. He smiled and walked over to them.

"Hey Guren, Yukimaru," Ryuu smiled.

"Ryuu!" Guren smiled, hugging him. "I heard you saved another lost cause."

"Deep cover agent," Ryuu said. "Unfortunately, even though Itachi sealed the original Orochimaru, he managed to revive himself immediately after by possessing Amalgam."

Guren's eyes widened as she turned to him. "Is he going to be a problem?"

"Most likely," Ryuu nodded. "However, we've got more than enough powerful fighters to deal with him."

Guren nodded, sighing. "I hope you're right." She sighed and rested a hand on Yukimaru's shoulder. "We need to get going. Gozu worries when we're gone for too long."

"Alright," Ryuu smiled. "I should be going too. See you around."

Guren nodded, smiling, and Ryuu turned, walking back out into the street and continuing toward his house. However, after several moments, his eyes rose from where he'd been staring at the road in thought about how to fix Itachi's eyes, just in time for a black cloak to bush past him, Ryuu's eyes just barely catching the white mask. He turned, but the person was gone already. He sent a clone to Itachi's hospital room immediately, then turned continuing to his house. As he arrived, Tayuya and Yugao were training in the back yard, Sasuke and Fu training a little further away and Sakura watching. As Ryuu stepped into the yard, they turned to look at him, all five sensing something was wrong.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing yet," Ryuu said. "I passed someone that I think might have been Foundation, but when I turned around, they were gone. I have a clone with Itachi."

Sasuke nodded. "Danzo had better be smart enough to keep away from Itachi."

"Danzo's not foolish enough to think he has anyone who could take the three of us, plus Fu, in a fight," Ryuu said. "He'll wait to make a move. Yugao, you should go and see him. He should be waking up soon, anyway."

Yugao nodded, smiling slightly. "I'm so nervous I don't know what to say." Her smile faded. "I don't...It's been so long. And I was with Hayate since then."

"have your feelings changed?" Ryuu asked.

"No," Yugao said.

"Neither have his," Ryuu said. "Go and see your boyfriend."

Yugao smiled and nodded, leaving for the hospital, a Naruto clone following at a distance, just in case Danzo really was being annoying again. Then, Ryuu sighed, turning to Sasuke, who grimaced but nodded.

"It's worth a shot," Sasuke said.

Ryuu nodded and closed his eyes for a moment before opening his Sharingan, showing Sasuke the memories he'd seen from Itachi, forcing Sasuke to experience them just as powerfully as he had. Sasuke dropped almost instantly, shaking. Tears ran out of his eyes as he stared blankly ahead before he fell forward, landing on his forearms, staring at the ground.

"What did you do!?" Sakura demanded, kneeling beside him.

"I showed him what Itachi's been through," Ryuu said. "All of Itachi's pain."

"Why?" Sakura asked.

"To help," Sasuke said, pushing himself up, looking up at Ryuu as Ryuu deactivated his Sharingan, allowing Sasuke to use his black eyes to see his own reflection.

His Sharingan had reversed colors, the main part of his irises turning black with the tomoe turning red, then opening into three ellipses that intersected around his pupil. He blinked and his eyes reverted to his normal Sharingan before they deactivated and he wiped his eyes. Sasuke stood and took a shuddering breath.

"It's good you sent her," Sasuke said. "She needs to be there when he wakes up."

Ryuu nodded in agreement. "Now we just need to find a way to restore Itachi's sight."

Sasuke nodded.

"If I were to steal Shisui's other eye from Danzo, I could give that to him," Ryuu said.

"No," Sasuke said. "Shisui's eyes are yours, once we take the other one from Danzo. Use them to create Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan."

Ryuu hummed thoughtfully. "I might not need to. Tobi said there's a good chance that the Hashirama Cells make my eyes naturally eternal."

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke said. "Get Shisui's transplanted. Better safe than sorry."

"But if I gave them to Itachi, he could use them while you take Itachi's for your own Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan," Ryuu pointed out. "I rarely even use my Mangekyo Sharingan."

"Ryuu, you're getting them," Sasuke said. "It's not an option."

Ryuu sighed. "Fine. Fine. We'll figure something out."

Sasuke nodded and Ryuu sighed, looking up at the sky in silence. After a moment, he sighed as the clone he'd had following Yugao released its jutsu to report she'd arrived safely.

"Well, since we've got some time off anyway, I'm going to go and take a nap," Ryuu said. "I still need to give my mind time to sort Itachi's memories out of mine. Wake me if anything happens."

Sasuke nodded and Ryuu headed inside.

Yugito walked out of the small tent she and Killer B were living in together while they trained, which was only half true, since they were also using the time to be alone together, only to stop at the top of the stairs.

"Who is it?" Killer B asked, stepping up beside her and stopping.

"The Akatsuki," Yugito said, watching as a dozen Zetsu clones watched them from the bottom of the stairs, Zetsu himself behind them all. "It's Zetsu."

"One of the three that tried to take you?" B asked.

"Yeah," Yugito nodded. "From what I've heard from Ryuu and Fu's letters, he's dangerous. He can create clones as strong as he is, he used Wood Style Ninjutsu, he can release poison from his body, and he can spread pollen through the air that will allow him to grow clones inside of you from your own chakra, leaving you unable to fight."

B nodded. "Knowing his abilities is a treat. And now this foe, I will defeat."

And with that, he took off.

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