This last story has nagged me ever since I finished Nagato and Konan's stories nearly three years ago and I stopped fanfiction writing. To leave the stories of the Akatsuki unfinished seems like a waste when there's so many rich ingredients to use for it. So, I present to you my farewell note to .

So, what if Itachi had survived his battle with Sasuke? How would his continued existence interfere with the machinations of Obito Uchiha, as well as effect his companion Kisame Hoshigake? This story assumes the canon up until this point, upon which it will follow as closely to a realistic timeline as possible (or as realistic as it can get for Naruto). Sit back and enjoy, I will try to update this weekly.

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Itachi Uchiha

When he had first discovered Tsukuyomi, he had been pleasantly surprised that it was as if time flowed like water within it, and with his chakra he created the canals through which it flowed. Time could flow forever peacefully down the stream for a century, or he could erect a damn that shortened the experience to last a day. But what transpired in the real world lasted only a brief second, if not shorter. Although his eyes bled tears of red when he used his jutsu, Itachi often found a sort of solace and calm when he was within the realm with his opponent.

Until today.

In reality, he knew he and Sasuke stood only a few feet apart. Separated only by his brother's manufactured hatred for him, but a necessary product it was. Their battle so far had been one only of genjutsu, feeling how far his brother had come since their last encounter nearly three years ago in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. So much had changed since then.

In the Tsukuyomi, Itachi held his brother's arm above his head and glared down as menacingly as he could. His heart panged to see Sasuke like this, even if it were only an illusion. But brothers, in no circumstance, should ever need to come to blows like this. Real or not, the situation had grown so far out of Itachi's comfort zone it was all he could do to maintain his Sharingan's ultimate ocular jutsu.

For although it was Itachi Uchiha who had made a pact with the elusive and mysterious Madara Uchiha, mirthlessly slaughtered the Uchiha Clan save for his own brother, and joined the traitorous organization known as the Akatsuki, it was also Itachi Uchiha who had wept on and off for days for such actions that had severed him from his brother and family.

"You're a gentle boy." His father's words when he had failed to kill a rabbit during a hunt. The poor creature was easily caught in his fast hands, but the kunai simply refused to slit its throat. His father was disappointed, but understand. "Perhaps you were not meant to fight, Itachi. But with eyes as keen as yours... it would be a waste if you did not."

"Cut its throat."

In the illusion, Sasuke's hand twitched, then flared with the electric song of a Chidori. He was straining as hard as he could against the Tsukuyomi's hold over him, but it was a futile gesture. If time were water in the Tsukuyomi, then reality itself was clay scooped from the earth.

Itachi's fist slammed into Sasuke's stomach, and though in the illusion he maintained his real self choked back a cry. How could he be doing this to his own brother? How easy would it be to simply force Sasuke to be still in the illusion and tell him the truth?

Sasuke wretched, but his eyes were still filled with venom through the pain. There was no reasoning with the young man, not when Itachi had so carefully constructed the web of rage his brother was in now. It was a rage that had given Sasuke incredible power, and with that power he would finally kill his repulsive older brother.

I'm sorry your own gentleness could not be preserved, Sasuke, Itachi thought with the utmost sincerity. I'm sorry it is you who has carried this weight for so long. But there is no other way to cleanse what I have done. Forgive me for this selfishness.

In the Tsukuyomi, Itachi spread his free hand over his younger brother's right eye. It was simply a play to force Sasuke into despair, to cave into his rage so that when Itachi coincidentally lifted the Tsukuyomi, the fight might finally be ended. The venom in his younger brother's eyes lessened, replaced by an abject fear.

Please, give in one more time, little brother. Let this war between siblings end justfully.

His sickness had spread through most of his body. He supposed it was karma from the Buddha for his selfish actions. A debilitating disease that each day seemed to suck away his stamina. Some days, it was all he could do to get up for meals before returning to bed before he was spitting up blood from deep within. The irony he was truly defeated by the unexplainable illness rather than in shinobi was not absent from his mind; no doubt Father would have been furious. But there was nothing to be done, and it was why this moment was unavoidable.

Itachi Uchiha would die today no matter what.

"Forgive me... Sasuke." The words left his mouth before he could stop them, but they fit the message regardless. Was he not playing the part of a brother crazed for power, yet mournful this was the way it had to be?

His fingertips squeezed, and Sasuke's Sharingan popped out into his hand. Itachi made sure to make the illusion as bloody as possible; shocking Sasuke into anger at this stage was important. In the walls, he knew Zetsu was watching. If the fight were too fake, then the Akatsuki spy would find reason to suspect Itachi's greater goals. Too real, and the Leader would find Sasuke too dangerous to be left alive.

"Only through your hate can you destroy me." Words he'd repeated to Sasuke on a number of occasions, but there was still truth to them. Anger made someone powerful in their youth, or at least until they mastered how to use their calmness as a weapon instead. Staying in control of the battle was everything- especially if you intended to throw it.

"And now I'll take the other one, too," Itachi murmured.

Sasuke's reaction was sloppy through the pain, but with the Curse Mark he suddenly exploded out of his shoulder a vile extension of flesh. Itachi grimaced at it; Orochimaru had left a deeper imprint on Sasuke that he would've liked. Perhaps it would be wiser to remove the Sannin from his brother before he decided to break the Tsukuyomi.

He dodged the extension while his brother groaned in agony. Sasuke was riled up, but not enough. The second eye would have to go to properly scare him into a believable turnaround.

"This is the difference in our strengths," Itachi taunted softly. The words were thinly controlled; seeing Sasuke like this was awful to see. "And... between your eyes and mine." With the Tsukuyomi, he produced a clone out of thin air to entrap Sasuke in a headlock. His brother was too paralyzed with pain and fear to throw it off, and the main Itachi glided forward. After taking the eye, he would drop the Tsukuyomi to enrage Sasuke to his utmost, and then he would be struck down.

Balance would be restored. Konoha would view his little brother as a hero for killing the village's most hated outlaw shinobi. Sasuke would be embraced by his friends and help defeat Madara and the Akatsuki. All would finally be as it should be.

His bloody fingertips brushed the skin of his little brother's sockets-

XXX

Kisame Hoshigake

Their enormous swords clanged awkwardly against one another. They were not designed for sparring or dueling, but of course the brat brother of Mangetsu Hozuki would challenge the first Swordsman of the Mist he encountered. Kisame Hoshigaki did not believe in or care for theatrics, but he did enjoy making a show for others, if only to show them how misguided they were.

Samehada swung violently downward against its sister blade, the Kubikiribocho, and the much smaller Suigetsu Hozuki winced from the effort of holding both blades aloft. His thin arms held the hilt of the sword deftly, but for all his determination, it was not a fight suited in his favor.

"I'm willing to call it quits now. For your brother's sake," Kisame said from his towering height.

"Are you kidding?" Suigetsu shot back as steadily as he could. "I'm hardly getting started here!"

To Kisame's surprise, the Kubikiribocho threw off Samehada and resumed the clashing. Kisame parried the wide strikes easily with his greater handling, but in his hands, Samehada groaned and wriggled uncomfortably. Such a wearisome battle without a meal made the beastly sword an unhappy one, and although Kisame seriously doubted the weapon would ever turn on him, he never wished to make the blade unhappy with him.

In many ways, his weapon was his only real friend.

The annoyance flared as he shrugged off another clumsy blow. "You're hardly ready to chasing after the Seven Swords! You can barely lift one, yet you plan to wield all Seven? Your brother at least had the talent for it, Suigetsu Hozuki, but all it got him was an early grave. You'd be wise to quit while you have at least one sword to your name!"

But Suigetsu only laughed. "If you don't want to keep fighting, just admit surrender and I'll take Samehada off your hands, Kisame! I'm sure you must be tired of carrying that old thing around all your life; I'm sure Sharkskin wants a new master!"

Something about the young man's demeanor snapped a thin wire in Kisame's brain. Five left, he told himself angrily. That's what playing with upstart kids gets you.

Suigetsu's next blow was deflected so strongly that Kubikiribocho was knocked completely free of his hands. Before the white-haired shinobi had fallen onto his backside, Samehada was already leveled at his face. "Do you think it's funny that you and I have a friendly sparring match while your and my companions fight to the death in the next building over?" Kisame snarled. "Does this behavior really seem befitting of a shinobi?"

One of Sasuke Uchiha's other journeymen, the red-haired woman, spoke up smartly. "Sasuke will win," she said with blinding confidence. "This is what he's been training for his whole life."

Kisame laughed but did not move Samehada from Suigetsu's face. "You know, I was there the last time those two had it out. Would you like to know what happened in it?" He looked at all three of them in turn. "Itachi stopped his little brother's strongest attack with the smallest movement of his hand. Then he broke his brother's arm in a second without the slightest hesitation. And when Sasuke tried to keep fighting, Itachi pummeled him within an inch of his life before almost destroying his own little brother's mind with the Tsukuyomi. The fight was over before it began- if you can call it a fight."

The three of them were appropriately shocked, but the red-haired one (Karin, he loosely remembered) still had some fight in her. "That was thee years ago! He's gotten stronger since then, and he'll kill Ita-"

"Kill? Kill?" Samehada shot spikes out from its bandage protection, and Suigetsu cried out in surprise as one narrowly sliced a lock of hair from his head. "You're a slow one, girl, saying that word so lightly. Being formerly of Orochimaru's slithering servitude, I have to wonder if that traitor was truly as menacing as I was led to believe." His tiny black pupils dilated as the three looked at him with some revulsion. "Are all of you this blind to what a real shinobi like Itachi can do? What I could do? I could kill this young man right here if he gave me reason to do so. I wouldn't spar like the little game he wanted; if I had set the stakes, we would have fought until one of our heads rolled across this rooftop."

"In that hideout, it is one and the same. Those two brothers will fight until one of them dies. No happy ending, no reunion for one of us." Kisame lowered Samehade and its talons reluctantly retracted. But with an angry squeeze of its hilt, the beastly sword obeyed his command. "And Itachi... I know the man. Perhaps better than anyone else alive right now, seeing as he's killed anyone who'd know any better. That man...is one of the most bloodthirsty, cruel, calculating, and potent shinobi I have ever encountered. Little Sasuke will never leave that place alive under any circumstance if that is how Itachi wants it to be."

Silence hung over there like a storm cloud, but Kisame did not mind. It was no different than the previous sword fight; sometimes, things simply had to be explained to others so they could see how things really were. That's how life was meant to be lived for a shinobi: cutting away the fake tapestries it hung before you in order to see the true image behind them.

There's no sense in living in a dream. Mentally, he counted the cords in his mind. Five left.

Suigetsu got up, hands tentatively touching the missing strands of hair. "Well, I'm glad you're stocked in the confidence department," he grumbled. "But you're wrong. Sasuke is going to come out on top of this fight. And you'll be the one left without a reunion."

His faith in Sasuke was annoying, but Kisame could see none of them would be shaken until the truth was revealed to them by the outcome of battle.

He turned in the direction the two brothers had jumped to and stood there, waiting, for reality to answer the waiting.

XXX

Itachi Uchiha

There were few things that surprised Itachi on a genuine level anymore, he had witnessed so much in his young life. Some of Sasuke's feats in the battle thus far had been remarkable, certainly, but they were expected not just of an Uchiha, but of a brother he truly considered his equal.

But this was something unforeseen.

The Tsukuyomi was broken. Not of Itachi's own doing, but Sasuke's. What was more, his little brother did not possess the Mangekyo Sharingan like he did. No, this... this was his brother's Will of Fire made manifest. But a perverted version of what the Third Hokage had championed in all of the Leaf Village's shinobi. Whereas the old man had hoped others would use their Fire for good and the defense of the village and their loved ones, Sasuke's determination was so raw and hateful that it had done the impossible.

He had not doubted himself in many years, not since he had carried out the Uchiha Massacre. That act had been calculative but in his mind, a necessary act conceived of Madara, Hiruzen, and Danzo's machinations. But the conversion of Sasuke's anger into a righteous justice was one entirely of Itachi's own design- no outside influence.

And now it had gone so wrong. So very, very wrong. Reality was upon them, not illusion... but it was not the reality Itachi had wanted.

What have I done?

Pain arched through his left eye and Itachi fell to his knees. At the same time, from within his diseased innards, he felt the overwhelming urge to vomit and sleep. No... not now. Not NOW! This is not the way this fight is supposed to go!

Sasuke stood up, a smirk across his face. "Like I told you... no matter how much you use your eyes... I'll use my hatred to turn fantasy into reality."

The agony only worsened, and Itachi found himself unable to even get the words out of his lips, lest he groan aloud. What he had perceived to have only been trash talk at first was the real deal. Had he underestimated Sasuke so seriously, or had the disease simply progressed faster than he'd realized.

Forcing himself to stand up, Itachi forced any weakness behind an impassive expression. "Turn fantasy into reality, huh? Some strong words, but let me-"

Blood erupted out of his lungs and through his mouth, and before he could stop himself he was hunched over and coughing up more and more red drops. He heard Sasuke's exclamation of surprise, but there was no stopping it.

No... I've exposed myself. I wasn't ready for the Tsukuyomi to be broken, and... to see Sasuke like this...

It's like my heart is bleeding.

The blood continued to come out of his heart, and Itachi fought to cling his hands to his stomach or eyes, both were in such disrepair.

"You... what's wrong with you?" Sasuke demanded. He had not moved from his place across the room, only staring in suspicious disbelief. "The Tsukuyomi backlash should hardly cause you damage like that- why are you so wounded?"

"I..."

"SPEAK!"

This is how Shisui must have felt, long ago. Caught between the truth and the cliff edge. What was Itachi meant to do? Anything he said now was a massive wrench in his hopes for Sasuke... but weren't his plans already destroyed? Sasuke had been pushed too far; he needed to fix things now! But how?

His head felt woozy, like his brain was being gripped menacingly by a human hand while within its skull. He fought to keep upright on his knees, but the room was wavering in his vision. There were already three Sasuke's in front of him; it hurt to know he wasn't even going to see his brother fully before he died-

I can't die now. Not like this, now with this going on.

"Zetsu!" he gushed.

The being recoiled on the wall. "W-what? You knew we were here?"

Sasuke flinched at their response. "You again? What the hell are you doing here?!" He shot an shocked and betrayed expression at Itachi. "You coward- were you planning to have them intervene and save you? Do you really not have any honor left in you, you bastard!"

"Kisame-" Itachi wheezed. "Get... K... Kisame..."

Zetsu - or the two Zetsus- looked conflicted. "Err... isn't this meant to be your deathmatch? I'm not really sure we should be intervening like this..."

Mustering every bit of composure he could, Itachi shouted, "GO!"

The Akatsuki member retracted into the wall without another word, and Itachi collapsed into more coughing, wheezing, and bleeding. But in between each gasp for air, he heard Sasuke's sandals slapping upon the concrete floor, until he stood right before his brother. Itachi found himself without even the strength to lift his head up to look at him."

"This is what your lust for power brought you, is it? Some paralyzing illness? I can see your chakra is in complete chaos inside of you, slowly wilting. Is this karma for your actions against our Clan?" When Itachi did not respond, Sasuke kicked him in the face and sent him sprawling. "IS IT? BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW, RIGHT NOW... HAS MY PATH BEEN FOR NOTHING? IS ALL I'VE DONE BEEN A WASTE IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO DIE WITHOUT ME EVER RUNNING YOU THROUGH MYSELF?"

"S...Sas..."

"You... all of this... what kind of reality is this, Itachi? You swore to me that you would fight me and claim my eyes, but I don't see any of that now. Instead I see a pathetic excuse of an Uchiha dying in front of me. Where is the justice in that?" Sasuke sounded so hollow, yet simmering beneath the deadpan tone were the violent flames Itachi was so alarmed by. "You were at the heart of everything I've done, but I'm sure you know that. Leaving Konoha, nearly killing my former teammate, joining Orochimaru. I did it all so I could one day come face to face with you and kill you for what you've done to me. To Mother, to Father, to our uncles and aunts, cousins and nephews and nieces and everyone! But how am I supposed to find solace in ANY of what I've done if you're just going to DIE like a coward!"

The spasms in his chest were getting worse with the sheer distress the older Uchiha was feeling, but there were no words. Perhaps worst of all, he could not tell if the disease was behind his silence or if he had been shocked into silence. He was not used to being helpless, and the sensation filled him with dread.

"I ought to be taking advantage of you being like this, so vulnerable. This should be my moment to avenge Mother and Father. I've thrown a life of content and happiness away for you, Itachi," his little brother said almost matter-of-factly. "To kill you myself. But there's no payoff in this. So I'm going to ask you again: what kind of reality is this? Because I refuse to accept it."

"A valid question, Sasuke." To Itachi's horror, the new voice floated out of thin air before the telltale sensation of a new person entering the antechamber sounded. His eyes were so blurry and head so heavy he could not tell from where he came, but his ears worked fine still.

"Where do you take your life's work when the objective is snatched from you?" Madara Uchiha pondered aloud- not the voice of the pretender Tobi, but that of the former warlord shinobi. Sasuke shifted into a defensive stance, but made no physical attack; he likely knew who this was. Itachi cursed his loose lips for having revealed anything to his younger brother; he had been caught up in his own act. An act that was now becoming someone else's puppet show.

"I have answers, Sasuke," Madara continued soothingly. "A simple response to your monologue, yes, but there is truth in what I say. You perhaps have guessed who I am based on your brother's admissions, and I can tell by your lack of attack that you're intrigued. Why not discover what I can offer you?"

"And what's to stop you from killing me if I take your hand?" Sasuke retorted.

Madara laughed gently. "You've proven yourself a stronger Uchiha than your foolish brother here. Look how he has wilted in his confrontation with you; a husk of a man, driven into despair by the guilt of destroying his own clan. I look into his face and see a look I have seen so many times before: a man who knows his end has come and desperately wants to circumvent it. But he has failed, and you have succeeded."

"You murdered the Uchiha Clan alongside him. By all rights, I ought to exact my revenge against you in his place."

But the other simply tsk tsked above Itachi's head. "And where would that get you? Dead. Don't look so affronted; do you think you would best me now, like you did your feeble older brother?"

Itachi felt Sasuke's eyes on him. "He said you were weakened."

"He also said he would kill you and take your eyes. Quite the opposite has happened. But if you wish to see if he lied on that account as well, try it. But you will lose your only chance to find true meaning in your actions."

Frustration and desperation coated Itachi's lungs with newfound determination. "S...Sasuke... don't... trust... M...Madara..." For the love of everything. Anyone, anything, if you hear me, please... stop this. Let Madara leave. Let Sasuke relinquish his hatred. Stop this from happening...

Instead, Sasuke snorted gently. "Hmph. Fine, I'll bite. What do you want to offer me?"

No!

Itachi's heart plummeted into his stomach, and although his blinded eyes widened with panic, he could not lift his head or open his mouth for more words. Blood was drowning his lungs, punishing him for what he had done to his little brother. Everything he had set out to do was becoming undone by the same man who had helped undo his own life... and right in front of him.

Was this... how Father felt that night?

"Good man," Madara said approvingly. "But not here. Pursuers from the Leaf Village are approaching... and I'm sure you don't want to look upon this fool any longer."

Sasuke finally appeared in Itachi's peripheral vision, but it was only to purposely look down on his brother's now mortified face. "No. I don't. I just want one last look at him... to remember this moment forever."

"I understand." Madara tapped his mask lightly. "But as I said, time is rather short, so I'm sure you understand this."

There was a rush of air and a shout of surprise, and then Sasuke was gone before Itachi's own eyes. No. Sasuke, no! Come back! NO!

In Sasuke's place, the deceivingly bright orange mask appeared. "I don't there's much that has to be said between us, Itachi. Not that it seems you could reply if you wanted. Yes, look at me with those furious eyes, but I really just wanted to briefly thank you. You've given me such an excellent package, one with even more potential than you. Your little brother will be the perfect tool to hone. Hmph... you were always such a barrier to me after the Massacre, Itachi. It's why I never would have expected you to actually help me in such a way." Madara put a mocking finger to where his lips ought to have been. "Ah, but you didn't mean to help me, did you? Oh well, I accept your gift regardless."

He closed his right eye and tried to muster an Amaterasu to burn the man to a crisp, but his head only exploded with new internal fireworks. "Ghh... n...no... Mad...ara..."

"Hush now, don't speak. This is a big moment for us all. For the Uchiha. For the Shinobi World! It's what you would want for your little brother, isn't it? To play such a grand role in making things better? He'll do better with me than he ever would with Konoha, Itachi. Trust me." The older man sighed. "Or don't. It doesn't matter now, does it? You're dying... and while I would deeply enjoy watching my last great obstacle perish before me, it is time I am off. Wouldn't want to keep my newest asset waiting."

With a final mocking bow, the Masked Man disappeared into a whirlwind. By that point, Itachi's vision had faded considerably, and his mind had grown equally foggy. What have I done to you, Sasuke? Where did things go so far off course?

Was this how those trapped in his Tsukuyomi felt? Time felt awkward, distorted. Was it actually passing by, or was he passing through it? He thought a shape loomed over him towards the end, but none of his senses were responding. As he slipped away, the last thing he felt was a tear- for once, not of blood- leave his left eye.