Someone Screaming
The Alternate Story – Dim Light
Ayane Selznick
It was his fear.
To watch how his friend caught in Itachi's illusion world felt like someone just gripped his heart. Being in the Akatsuki's world, with no Sharingan, means death. They knew that there was no way to survive Tsukiyomi.
Furiously Naruto shifted his Chakra and let himself be drowned by the Ninetails inside his stomach. His evil Chakra whipped all trees around.
He roared mindlessly.
His raging cry was mixed with salty tears.
Sakura-chan!
And he dashed towards Itachi.
He never wanted in the same feeling again but seeing his ex-teammate's body dropped soundly on the ground his mind went wild.
Overlapping voices penetrated his minds.
All of which were her voice.
Voices of present and voices of past…
(Series of Flashback)
"If…if you wish to kill me… then do it…"
"I don't want you to hurt!"
"Sasuke-kun."
"Don't use your Sharingan it will affect you."
"Is it really that bad to visit an ex-teammate?"
"Thank you."
"I will just consider you as a Missing Nin then."
"I love you with all my heart!"
(End of Flashbacks)
Enough…enough…
His eyes opened once more only to gaze at her back.
It was an accident. She was healing him by the time his brother attacked him. Maybe that attack was meant for him. Or maybe it wasn't Mangekyou at all. He hoped she moved, even the slightest of movements…
But—
She wasn't moving. Her body was still.
There was no movement of breathing.
Something at the pit of his stomach lodged up to his throat. There was also something in his heart that made it throbbed painfully. He was nervous.
He didn't want to believe what he saw.
He didn't want to believe that one of his teammate, friend and precious someone was lifeless.
"I'll help you if that's what you want. Just don't leave."
Her last words stung inside his already hurting head. The word "leave" stuck inside his mind. Unlike his previous flashbacks this last word never faded.
"Don't leave..."
Sasuke willed his arms to move forth to see for himself if there was still hope. Every inch he covered his heart pounded loudly. His lungs were restrained by something inside his body that he thought he might not be able to breathe.
A few moments later he was finally behind her.
He forced his arms and hands to move so that he could see her. Shakily, he touched her arm, pulled her so that he would see her face.
Then his eyes widened.
Her eyes were bloody shot and soulless. Her mouth was slightly open. The corners of her eyes bore dried tears mixed with dirt from the ground.
"Sakura?"
No words came out from her mouth. No emotions were seen in her eyes. She was totally silent… and unmoving.
"Sakura…?" He tried again, with a voice sounded like a ragged whisper.
His hands were shaking again. Although his eyes never shed a tear, he knew it was hot and burning with tears. His tears never flow after the tragedy of his clan.
Even though there weren't any tears he knew that that emotion rose up once again.
So he chose closing them. He didn't want to see her tear stricken face with soulless eyes… it hurt him so much.
All emotions bottled up inside his heart and he didn't know which one should be taken out first.
Carefully settling her beside the trunk he took one last look at her face. He brushed his palm over her eyelids for him to prevent seeing her soulless eyes. He also wiped away the strands of her hair out from her face.
He didn't know what to say to her…
He didn't know what to do now.
As he stood up, he clenched his shaking fist. He turned to the battle scene where Naruto had been attacking recklessly. His brother dodged and counterattacked when he got the chance.
Chance…
His black eyes glared dangerously to his brother…
In a matter of seconds, his eyes turned red.
I won't give you any chance, bastard!
With a flick of his sword, Sasuke rocketed in the middle of the battle.
Neji's team delivered the Akatsuki towards the gate. He passed the authorization of keeping the criminal with the ANBU troops. He told them to hurry back before something critical might happen.
On the way to the sea of trees he felt devastating Chakras filled the air. Apparently, his team noticed it, too.
Somehow he knew whom it came from and he never wanted to find out how it was released.
"Kiba." He called his teammate and friend.
"Yeah?" He walked in front to meet his captain.
The Captain glanced at him for a moment then resumed his grim tone.
"I want you to locate Hokage-sama. Tell her that Kyuubi and Cursed Seal are activated."
All their eyes went wide.
"Activated at once? How…?"
His white eyes glared ahead as if searching for the team that the have to aid.
"I don't know. Whatever triggered Naruto and Sasuke to unleash it, it's probably because of her."
"…Sakura?"
He nodded.
He discarded his black cloak to move freely. Fighting against an unrestrained Kyuubi and a fully angered young brother wasn't part of his plan. It was the woman's fault.
The woman…
Itachi threw a glance at her then resumed skipping back to avoid Naruto's claws.
Their power was triggered because of that woman…
He bent his head from left to right to avoid being hit by Naruto's blazing Chakra. Back flipping, he noticed that Sasuke took that chance to attack him. He avoided the attempted stab by Sasuke's katana then continued back flipping until he had a good distant away from them.
He restarted contemplating.
Hate… Hn. Hate started it all. I unexpectedly pushed buttons by attacking that woman with Tsukiyomi. I don't care if they'd grown attached to one another, but I never realized how much that woman meant to the Kyuubi vessel and that stupid brother of mine.
He jumped up then swung towards a large tree to make it his cover for Naruto's raging tail.
I only have a little time left. I have to stop this now before they drain my Chakra.
Sasuke appeared in front of him with blazing red eyes. Itachi didn't show how much surprised he was. How could he not feel it?
"I will kill you." He seethed then brandished his sword towards the head of his elder brother.
Itachi just duck and rolled to the side. He was standing with his feet rooted at the side of the tree trunk.
"You think you can defeat me using Orochimaru's power?" Sasuke's left eye twitched, "you never gained your own strength. You allowed him to manipulate you, luring you to become part of them when he offered you power."
"Why do you care anyway?" Sasuke's Sharingan eyes glared hatefully at his brother's eyes, "I don't care whoever offers power to me as long as I can use it to kill you."
"How stupid…" Itachi closed his eyes in dismay.
"FUCK YOU!" Sasuke could no longer contain his anger when he yelled, "Everybody looked up to you but you killed them, asshole! For your fucking capacity you killed everyone! You are stupid!"
Slowly, Itachi looked back to his brother's level three Sharingan. His eyes were still and emotionless whereas Sasuke showed his innermost hatred.
"Manipulation, it's what most people do to gain power. It's what self-centered people wanted to get what they want."
If Sasuke was in his twelve year old body, he could have looked his brother with wide eyes and a mind, which was incapable of understanding hidden meanings.
But no, Sasuke had grown matured.
He's old and wise enough to decipher any hidden meanings from his brother's statements. He narrowed his eyes, trying to restrain himself from attacking his brother since he wanted to know what he was trying to say.
"When they have the authority they'll use it no matter what, such as choosing a person to become part of that link without his consent."
He understood.
Sasuke knew that Itachi was talking about their father. He forced his own son to be the pipe that connects the clan and the village particularly to the Hokage. Becoming an ANBU soldier at young age was the best achievement their clan ever had. They earned Hokage's attention through Uchiha Itachi.
But why was Itachi telling this part?
He had no choice. Sasuke narrowed his eyes to his brother. He had grudge against the clan because of that arrangement?
"You're saying that you killed them because they forced you to be a pipe?" The venom in his voice indicated how senseless Itachi's objective.
Itachi returned the stare as he replied, "Partly."
They shot their heads up when Naruto jumped in between their conversation. He whipped Itachi's body away but failed when he heard a poof sound.
It was just a Shadow Clone.
Naruto's red flaring eyes searched the area. He darted Sasuke's presence but neglected attacking as he was so focused to kill Itachi.
On a side note, Sasuke observed Naruto.
So this is how he goes without somebody controlling the Kyuubi for him. As long as his target is Itachi he won't attack me unless of course I'll try to stop him.
When Naruto connected his fist at Itachi's forearm he suddenly felt extreme heat. Looking down the target, his curiosity got the better of him.
Standing in a defense stance, Itachi's forearms were covered with black flame; the flame he had seen long ago; the flame which was sealed by Jiraiya when he and his companion escaped for dear lives.
Searing pain immediately tuned up his nerves to which he decided to back away and check his hand.
It was melting.
What the hell was that?
Sasuke watched the fight from a corner, trying to get an opening without being thrashed out by Naruto's uncontrollable Chakra. His eyes were as wide as Naruto's when he looked at his brother's arms, blazing with black fire.
Itachi lowered his arms, but the flames didn't die. He looked at Naruto's missing hand.
Since it was melted, Naruto had to take off his hand before the flame crawl up his arms. However, it was more surprising when he noticed that Naruto was capable of recuperating easily. His Chakra and flesh molded together as they try to fix the missing body part.
I won't let you.
Itachi quickly launched himself while Naruto was in state of healing. He took this as his advantage to damage the vessel's body. He minimized his killing Chakra in fear of killing the young man instantly. The order of getting the Kyuubi boy was top of his list and he won't let this boy die.
But he would dismantle him if he must.
The youngest of the brothers entered the battle once he took notice of how Naruto was at difficulty. He was not really helping him, but he didn't want his brother to get out here alive and victorious.
His elder brother noticed his intention.
Itachi swerved to the right and kicked his brother's abdomen but Sasuke shielded that part using katana. Itachi withdrew his leg then used a backhand attack aiming at Sasuke's side of head.
Alarmed, Sasuke bent backwards and used his katana to distant his brother's hand away from his flesh. Unfortunately, when the blade of his sword collided with Itachi's blazing hand it melted. Sasuke discarded the useless sword behind and jumped back to avoid unnecessary damages from the black flame.
"Afraid of losing an ear brother?" Itachi teased while he coolly looked at his side then disappeared in attempt to halt Naruto's restoration.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke dashed his way before Itachi gets a hold of Naruto.
Persistent as always. Itachi gazed at his brother then disappeared.
It was like he was warning Sasuke already, but Sasuke accepted the threat as he stopped dashing. He eyed Naruto in a defensive stance, letting his hand to be restored by his own Chakra.
As long as Naruto restores I've got to buy some—
His mind went blank when Itachi's foot hit the back of his head.
He crashed head first to the ground. Although half unconscious from Itachi's leg power, he was able to hear his brother's footsteps drawing near.
"I killed them because I want to test my capacity." Itachi's footsteps stopped, "but I also killed them seeing as they tried to brainwash me."
He turned into confusion. He had a looked that doubts his statement.
Why would the clan brainwash him?
He couldn't speak nor yell for he was struggling to get up and his head was like tearing his brain in half.
"You know why?" He heard Sasuke groaned, taking it as some reply, "Because they wanted to use me against the village."
Sasuke got himself in a genuflect position. With shaking arms supporting his aching body, he pushed his willpower to stand fast.
"Who… who are… who are you kidding?"
At last, Sasuke used the speed that could rival the speed of his brother. He whipped his leg to unbalance his brother's stance. When Itachi's body was in midway towards the ground Sasuke pivoted his body and use that momentum to kick high targeting Itachi's back.
The Uchiha brothers engaged themselves in Taijutsu battle.
Sasuke avoided his arms seeing it was still covered with black flames. He gave his full strength to damage his brother. Midway of the round Itachi saw an opening immediately taking in to attack Sasuke using his black flamed arm. Sasuke dodged at the same time used his discharging technique.
Chidori Nagashi!
His whole body turned numb. Itachi fell on the ground with a bent knee, eyeing his brother close by.
Just like Amaterasu, he was able to discharge that amount of paralyzing electricity throughout his body.
Itachi didn't give any chance for his brother to relax so he started dashing all the way with his hands in front however Naruto, who had finished his healing, jumped in again and stopped Itachi.
The eldest Uchiha could not believe that he just received an almost deathblow from the Kyuubi vessel.
Being thrown aside, Itachi immediately found a short sanctuary to look at his injured arm. Naruto just clawed his arm and it looked like it was going to detach soon.
Damn…
He admitted. He was careless.
He never wanted all of this to happen.
He never expected to be in this battle: to have a detached arm and to have this mission fail. Of course, when he knew he would get the chance to escape, he would. But it looked like there was no way he'll escape from here.
The only way to stop this nonsense is to kill that fool and restrain Naruto.
Itachi decided what tactics he had to use. He was intelligent not to mention dangerously talented.
Disarming his Amaterasu, Itachi used Mangekyou Sharingan.
According to his observation, Sasuke may have known some illusion techniques but he figured that it wasn't as close as Tsukiyomi. And he knew that Sasuke wouldn't be able to use that technique because it requires Mangekyou.
Sasuke doesn't have Mangekyou Sharingan to begin with.
Itachi barely escaped from another attempted attack from Naruto. When he lunged forward he saw his brother rushing towards them for an attack.
When Itachi and Sasuke were both in close contact, the elder of the Uchihas activated his triumph card.
"For the next 72 hours you will witness how I killed Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun."
Sasuke felt his whole body went numb when he was transported in Itachi's world of nightmares.
But before the nightmare started, Itachi's figure inside his own world stood unmoving.
Itachi looked at the huge cross where Sasuke was tied with chains.
His little brother looked back impassively. Suddenly he felt his blood rose from his heart towards his esophagus forcing him to release it.
When he felt where it pained most, Itachi dared to look at the spot.
His eyes widened.
Sasuke's outstretched hand went through Itachi's left chest.
He looked back at the huge cross in front of him.
Instead of seeing his brother chained, he saw himself agonizing in pain.
He could never believe this!
His younger brother reversed the effect of Mangekyou Sharingan through physical attack.
Suddenly Itachi's world crumbled. It forced him to return to real world. Itachi looked at his brother's condition with only one Sharingan eye opened as Sasuke struggled to see the end of the battle.
"I've had enough of your illusions… Itachi…"
He looked his reflection from Sasuke's red eyes. He let himself drowned in a pool of red blood before he felt the stinging pain spread throughout his body. They could still hear the sound of thousand birds chirping wildly. For a while Itachi thought he was deaf…
"Manipulation, brother… don't let the clan mani-…manipulate… you…"
Soon Itachi's world went black.
His heart stopped beating yet his blood covered half of his little brother's arm. Sasuke watched his brother's lifeless body dropped on the ground. He withdrew his Chidori hand from Itachi's chest.
It took him a full minute while he stared at his victory. Naruto's roared echoed throughout the forest but he ignored it anyways.
"Go to hell…Itachi…"
It was Sasuke's turn to allow himself drown in a world of infinite darkness.
To be Continued…
Author's Note: I'd like to say thank you very much to those who supported and encouraged me.
I've observed the same thing too, its me its me (giggle). And that's why I've rushed this one to get to the next chapter. Actually I hated jumping to conclusions where most people wanted to read fluffiness. Of course I'd like to help them to become a good reader as well as writer in a sense that they must understand the flow of the story. Reading extreme romance is as good as reading pocket books with no plot at all. I am most definitely not trying to brag, the thing is… I would really like to help T-T
And to compare this alternate story from the tragic one, I have the same sentiments. I tried hard to write like what I used to but this one totally led me to a different course. I figured out that I should lessen the action scenes. There had been a lot of that from the previous chapters.
And don't worry; SasuSaku romance will still be here.
What a great present to my beloved Uchiha Itachi (who's birthday is today, June 9). Killing him in SS-DL lolz