"Long time, no see Mei." His hoarse voice pierced through every inch of her skin, leaving the girl frozen in place. He stood in front of her, watching her intently with his piercing eyes. The wind played with the hem of his cloak. The straw hat and the collar of the cloak covered most of his face, but there was no mistake. Mei knew who it was. Slowly he removed the hat, granting her the full view of his face. She quiet gasp caressed his ears.
"Itachi…" she whispered clenching her hands into fists. The mixture of feelings was overwhelming, making her dizzy. The strength in her legs weakened, she felt shaky. Her heart was racing as she took a step away from Itachi; then another one and another one. Acting on her instinct, she turned around and started running. Almost instantly a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Her body was pulled backwards. Her back collided with his chest. Itachi leaned closer to her ear.
"Did you really think you can escape me?" he whispered. Hot breath tickled her ear and sent shivers down her spine.
She straggled to get away. Itachi chuckled darkly. "My little Mei, you are still as weak as a butterfly,"
"Get off me!" Mei hissed making a flip and kicking Itachi in the chest. She activated the jutsu Sasuke taught her and sent a wave of energy at Itachi. He ditched it with ease, yet a look of amusement crossed his face.
"Oh," his lips curled into a smile. "I see." Itachi expelled a volley of small fireballs at the girl. She dodged as she jumped further away from him. "Little Sasuke taught you a thing or two, but Mei," he sent her a heavy gaze. "It just isn't enough to get away from me."
Before she could react, Itachi appeared beside her and disabled her body. She remained conscious as she fell on the ground. Mei looked at Itachi's body hovering over her. He did not move. It was the shortest battle in his life; a battle with someone he thought he would never fight. Itachi looked at her placid body. The paralysis was temporary, they both knew it. Her eyes followed him furiously and yet avoided his gaze. Itachi kneeled beside her. His fingers grabbed her face forcing the girl to look at him. She closed her eyes earning a harder squeeze on her face. A couple of tears escaped her eyes and ran down her face. His chest tightened. Itachi did not understand what possessed him. Upon leaving their village, he swore that he would never interact with her again. Then what was he trying to achieve?
He trailed his fingers from her forehead to her neck, down to her chest and to her abdominal. Mei's eyes shot open. She glared at him furiously. She could see her face turn red; she was trying to move but to no avail. Itachi scowled. His fingertips circled her bare bellybutton. Itachi could almost sense her internal sensation of fear and it delighted him. He covered her belly with his hand, enjoying the thrills the simple act was giving him. His eyes travelled to her face. Mei's lips trembled.
"Look at me," he commanded. "Do it."
Itachi's hand moved lower from her belly. Mei squeezed her eyes shut allowing the waterfall of tears to escape her eyes. The entire time Itachi watched her inner battle. At last Mei turned her head and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up and for the first time in the past year, they eyes have finally met. Her emerald orbs glared at him furiously. If looks could kill, Itachi was certain that he would be dead in an instant.
Itachi's eyes narrowed and turned red as he activated the Mangekyō Sharingan. His eyes twitched and before Mei knew it, she was trapped by the tsukiyomi. A sigh escaped Itachi's lips. The girl in front of him was in a deep trance, trapped in an illusion completely governed by him. He gently pulled her body up in his arms. Her head rested against his chest as he held her closer. Itachi inhaled her scent, admitting how much he missed it. His lips found themselves on her forehead. Itachi held the girl closer and started running.
/
The feeling in his chest was unsettling. He paced around the room trying to figure out what bothered him. Sasuke cussed under his breath, grabbed his katana, and rushed out of the hideout.
/
As soon as she opened her eyes, she knew that she was trapped inside an illusion. To her surprise she was not bound to a torturing pole, not tied up and not tormented. There were no feelings of fear and despair, on the contrary, she felt relief. Soothing calmness was wrapping around her in a thick cocoon as she walked down the lit path to the door of light. Mei knew how Itachi's Sharingan worked. He had full control of her mind. He could do whatever he wanted in the illusions he created. However, what she was experiencing as she continued walking was different. Dazzling lights blinded her as she reached the door. She used her hand to cover her eyes and with a hint of hesitation stepped into the light.
/
Sasuke darted around the lake area like a caged tiger, but the girl was nowhere in sight. He scanned the area, but there were no signs of her chakra nearby. Sasuke felt the hairs lift on his nape and arms as he clutched onto the katana. What could have happened to her in the past half an hour that she was alone by the lake? Who could have kidnapped her from this area which was protected from intruders by Orochimaru's jutsu. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. The feeling of fear mix with anger. Sasuke bit his bottom lip trying to calm himself and think rationally. A trail of blood ran down his chin and splattered on the while shirt. Several deep breaths helped him regain composure. He wiped his mouth and looked around once again. It was then that he noticed something shiny reflecting the light.
He kneeled and picked up the object. Sasuke's jaw tensed. It was the Uchiha Clan pendant which he had given Mei earlier. The chain was neatly cut, as if someone purposely cut it and disposed of it. Sasuke clasped the pendant in his hand. There was not a double in his mind that Mei had been kidnapped. Sasuke clenched his hands into fists. His eyebrows furrowed as he scowled. He hid the pendant in his pocket and rushed to the hideout to get Kabuto.
/
She found herself in the middle of a busy street. The surroundings looked painfully familiar; it did not take a long time to realize that she was in the middle of the shopping street of their village, on the day when Itachi kissed her for the first time. Her heart pounded harder against her ribcage. A hand landed on her shoulder and she turned around abruptly. There he stood in the Akatsuki cloak; his eyes looking at her intently. Mei gulped. Itachi took a step closer and leaned to ear. The sensation of his closure felt too realistic. "Do you want to relive the moment?" he whispered as he grabbed her hand and dragged her to the lake.
Mei pulled her hand back, but Itachi held her firmly. His thin fingers dug into his skin, bruising the pale flesh. "Itachi…no. Stop this! Why…?" Mei tripped and fell on her knees. Itachi glared at her. He grabbed both of her hands and yanked her up.
"Walk properly because next time you fall, I will drag you." He hissed and she believed him. They made their way to the lake. Occasionally Mei glanced at Itachi's back. His behaviour confused her. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, instead she bit her tongue and remained silent. Suddenly Itachi stopped and she bumped into him. He glanced at her with an unreadable gaze and looked away. Mei followed his gaze and gasped. Indefinable heat spread through her body. She felt hot. There they were. Sitting next to each other. Smiling and laughing. They were younger and happy. The look on the face of her old self was obvious. Mei wondered if she always looked at Itachi that way. Her heart ached as she continued watching their first kiss. Her slightly flushed face, the gentle look in his eyes.
She never told anyone how much she cherished those memories. Every time she thought about Itachi she felt like she was betraying Sasuke. She felt ashamed. Mei closed her eyes refusing to look. Itachi grabbed the back on neck pulling her closer, forcing her eyes to open. "Do not look away," he demanded. Mei grabbed onto his hand. Her nails tug into his skin.
"Let go of me," she hissed angrily. Her nails dug deeper, but Itachi seemed unaffected. His hand clenched her neck as he forced her to her knees. Tears moistened her eyes. She gasped for air, but he held her tighter. Mei felt on the edge of losing consciousness when Itachi finally released her. He wrapped her long hair around his hand and shoved her face in the direction of the scene. Mei groaned in pain and watched. Feeling of bitter disgust started spreading in her chest.
She watched as younger her wrapped her arms around Itachi's neck. She watched as he gently eased her on his lap. Mei knew what was coming. She replayed the memory over and over in her mind over the past two years. Itachi kissed her temple. His gentle hands massaged her waist. He leaned closer and brushed his lips over hers. Even then she could almost feel his breath on her lips. She could hear him tell her he loved her.
She did not want to cry, but her body disagreed with her desires. Hot tears streamed down her face and dripped on the ground. The gentle Itachi from the past was a different person from the man holding her hair tightly. Their happiness was an illusion. She wanted to break free. She continued watching as he laid her down on the grass, as he hovered over and kissed her neck. The way younger Mei grabbed onto his shoulders nervously. The way she looked at him…
Itachi's grip on her hair loosened and the vision changed. They in the Uchiha mansion. Terror bound her body as she watched the massacre created by Itachi. Blood. There was blood everywhere. She was too absorbed in the illusion that she did not notice when Itachi released her hair. His cold hand snaked around hers. Mei did not budge. She watched wide eyed as Itachi entered the room where his parents awaited him on their knees. She listened to his father's final words. She saw the way Itachi's katana trembled as he raised it above the bodies of his parents. The tears in his eyes were real when cold metal slashed the bodies of his parents. Her own hands trembled as she sobbed. Itachi stood over the bodies looking down at them. Tears kept streaming down his cheeks, but he did not release a sound.
The illusion was changed once again. Mei watched herself drop on her knees beside her grandmother. She watched herself cry, sobbing loudly. Her hands clenched the kimono of the old woman. She tried to flow her chakra into the body of her grandmother, but the dying body rejected it. With a shaky hand her grandmother cupped her face and smiled. "It is time," she whispered, closed her eyes, and exhaled her last breath. Mei watched the hysteria of her younger self as she continued clenching onto the cold body.
Mei's whole body started shaking. The pain in her chest increased. She gasped for air, but still could not take a breath. The illusions Itachi chose for her were real and he was forcing her to relive them again. She watched as Sasuke wrapped his arms around her and pulled her away. The way he rubbed her back while she cried on his chest, leaving wet stains on his clothes. The way he kissed her forehead trying to calm her down as best as he could.
Itachi stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her body; he held her close. Mei did not move. Her eyes were still glued to the scene. Her throat was dry. "Now watch carefully," Itachi whispered, his lips touching her ear, but Mei did not notice. The scene changed. They were standing in the open field. The sound of fighting reached her hearing and she turned around abruptly. She saw two people fighting and one was clearly winning. Mei blinked trying to see through the tears. Her vision cleared to reveal Sasuke and Itachi. Itachi kicked Sasuke in the chest, sending him flying. Sasuke's body hit a large rock and fell on the ground lifelessly. Blood splattered from his mouth. She watched as Itachi approached his brother. His katana rose in the air and with a whistling sound entered Sasuke's body. Itachi's eyes narrowed as he twisted the katana inside Sasuke taking his life.
Mei could not take it any longer. She dropped to her knees and screamed in agony.
Her body shot up from the trance and a heart-breaking scream filled the cave. Mei's eyes opened unseeingly. She screamed once again before her eyes rolled back and she fainted. Itachi watched her shallow breathing. Her clothes were soaked from sweat and tears. He took her hand into his and brough it to his lips. Itachi kissed each finger. He pressed his lips to her palm and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mei."