Chapter Thirteen: The Death of Itachi Uchiha

When Mikoto woke up she felt nothing but pain. She gasped in shock as the pain quickly overwhelmed her. She breathed deeply in order to control her emotions. A small ache shot through her lungs. She coughed.

"Don't you move," A firm voice said.

Mikoto looked up to see Sakura standing over her. She went to sit up but was immediately pushed back down roughly.

"What did I just say!" Sakura snapped.

"Sakura," Hinata's voice interrupted, "Maybe you should be a little more gentle?"

"I know what my patient can handle!"

Mikoto looked up and around her. There were several ninja gathered around a camp in the clearing. One with a dog and another with sunglasses. She believed she remembered them from Hinata's team. In addition Captain Yamato was there, as well as Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto-sensei.

She looked down. The hole in her chest was healed and the injury itself was wrapped tightly in hot pink bandages. She gave a small smile.

"Papa," She whispered.

Suddenly Naruto appeared by her side, "Are you ok Mimi-chan?" He asked hurriedly, "Does it hurt?"

She smiled, "Nah, just a flesh wound."

Sakura scowled, "You nearly died," She said firmly, "It was foolish of you to go after Sasuke-kun by yourself."

Mikoto frowned, "I wanted to reason with him but… he wouldn't talk. It's as though there's nothing inside him anymore. He was scary."

Naruto shook his head and backed away from her, "I can't believe that," he said firmly, "I just can't."

"The reality is that Sasuke should've been labeled a rogue ninja long ago," Kakashi said, "Tsunade-sama has been preventing this for a while because of you and Sakura."

Naruto's head snapped to Kakashi while Sakura just looked down at the ground sadly, "Then we have to find him and bring him back now!" He said firmly.

Mikoto looked at the group around her, "Why didn't you continue to look for them? How long have I been unconscious."

"You were unconscious for four days," Shino chimed in, "That is because your injuries were severe. That is because you had a hole in your chest. We did not search for them because we have no leads. That is because the scent had disappeared and my bugs have no way of finding them."

"What Shino-kun means to say," Hinata interrupted, "You are our best lead."

Mikoto sighed then coughed painfully as air entered her still healing lung and sat up as carefully as she could. Sakura watched her with a skeptical eye as she monitored her condition, "I think he's planning on challenging Sasuke soon."

"And what you said before?" Naruto asked, "Do you really think that Itachi is going to let Sasuke kill him?"

Mikoto looked down at the ground, "I do," she said in an almost inaudible whisper.

"What makes you think that Mikoto?" Kakashi asked.

"I just know." She said quietly.

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. He had come to know Mikoto pretty well since she arrived in the village. The girl was strong, a genius perhaps, on par with her father. However, he thought, She's still a child. She's reckless and impulsive. Should we trust her judgement?

However, despite everything, Kakashi remembered, when it came to Itachi she hadn't been wrong yet.

"So where do think that will be?" Kakashi asked.

Mikoto looked thoughtful, "I bet he'll meet him at one of the Uchiha hideouts," she said.

"How many are there?" Sakura asked.

Mikoto sighed, "Many. And I don't know all of them."

"Damn it!" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto, don't curse in front of Mikoto," Hinata admonished.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. It was rare for Hinata to speak directly to Naruto, let alone criticize him. Hintata reached into her pack and pulled out a map, "Can you mark them Mikoto-chan?" She asked her.

Mikoto looked at the map and nodded, "I'll do my best."

As she looked over the map and marked all the Uchiha hideouts that she knew Sakura walked over to Kakashi and Yamato.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said quietly, "I don't think Mikoto is in any condition to be running around."

Kakashi nodded, "I agree, but I don't see ourselves getting rid of her."

Yamato nodded his agreement, "She can fly with me, Naruto, and Sai, that way we can limit her movements, unless you think you need to be with her Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head, "No," she said, "I believe she should be fine."

"That many!" Naruto shouted, "Why do the Uchiha have so many hideouts ya know?"

Kakashi, Yamato, and Sakura came over to look at the map and saw that Mikoto had marked fifteen different locations all over the map. Sakura's eyes widened.

"Papa told me that they're from the days before the villages," Mikoto said, "When there was nothing other than war."

"How are we going to search this many Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, turning to his mentor for guidance.

Kakashi looked at the map, "We will split into groups and search the locations with the closest proximity and then meet at an agreed upon location. If you catch a scent, a sight, anything, release a smoke signal. Understood?"

All the ninja nodded.

"Good," Kakashi said, "The groups will be, "Kiba with Hinata and Sakura, me with my Ninken and Shino, and then Sai, Yamato, Hinata, and Mikoto will continue to search from above. Disperse!"

And the search was on!


After weeks of searching the merry group of Ninja were growing weary. Every time they thought they had a scent it would fade. Wherever Sasuke and Itachi were heading, they were moving fast.

Mikoto was almost fully healed now and was able to keep up and help with the search. Since she has the Byakugan she was now integrated into group with Hinata in order to widen their search.

Her eyes scanned the distance when she saw something strange. Naruto was standing stock still and staring into the distance.

"Captain!" She shouted, getting Yamato's attention, "Something's wrong with Naruto-sensei!"

Yamato's eyes widened. You leave him alone for one second! He had been so careful not to leave Naruto alone. But he let him go to pee and… I hope the Akatsuki hasn't gotten to him.

Just as he was about to sound the alarm Naruto stumbled out of the bushes looking pale.

"Naruto-sensei are you ok?" Mikoto asked, "You looked like you were stuck in a genjutsu."

Naruto shook his head as though to clear it, "I just… feel like I swallowed a crow."

"A crow?" Mikoto's eyes widened, "That's papa's summon! He must be close!" She looked to Yamato and nodded.

Yamato nodded his agreement and sent up the signal. Within ten minutes everyone had appeared, "Kiba," Yamato said, "Can you get a scent?"

Kiba nodded, "I got him! Let's move!"

"I'm sorry I can't let you do that!" Came a playful voice.

Everyone looked up to see a man with a mask appear out of nowhere.

"Who are you!" Naruto demanded, "And get out of our way!"

"I will not do that," Said the man in a singsong voice.

Mikoto cocked her head to the side, "Tobi?" she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Mimi-chan do you know this bastard?" Naruto growled.

Hinata rolled her eyes at the fowl language, but figured she'd scold him another time.

Mikoto nodded, "He's an honorary Akatsuki member but I don't know anything about how strong he is."

"Ah!" Tobi said happily, "You're Itachi's daughter aren't you little one."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed and she activated her Sharingan. Kakashi gave her a sidelong glance. Three tomoe's huh? When did that happen?

"Let us pass!" Mikoto demanded.

Tobi chuckled, "Sorry," he said again, "I can't let any of you interrupt this fight."

A strange flower began to grow neck to him until it turned into a plant-like man, half-black and half-white, "The fight has begun," The white half said, "I hope Itachi wins."

Everyone's eyes widened. The fight has begun.

Mikoto's sharingan glowed, "No," she whispered.

The black half of the strange plant-man chuckled, "I bet Sasuke will win, Itachi seems off to me."

"Go and watch," Tobi said in a light voice, "I don't want to see you until it's over."

"Very well," The black half said.

"We'll be back," The white half said with a chuckle and the strange man disappeared into the ground.

"Enough of this!" Naruto shouted. He pulled out his shuriken and tossed them at him. Everyones eyes widened as the shuriken passed through his body.

"Did he dodge?" Kakashi wondered aloud, analyzing the situation with his Sharingan.

"No," Hinata said, her Byakugan active, "I don't know but he appears to just disappear."

"Screw this," Kiba shouted, "I'll take care of him!" Akamaru transformed into him and jumped on top of him, "Man-Beast Clone!" He shouted, "Gatsuga!" And he spun at Tobi incredibly fast.

"Wait! Kiba!" Hinata shouted.

But it was too late as he hit the branch that Tobi was standing on. Everyone watched with curiosity as the dust cleared. Tobi stood in the middle of the chaos completely uninjured. Kiba's eyes widened, "Impossible!" He admonished.

Tobi chucked, "Come on! Let's have some more fun!"

"Channaroo!" Sakura shouted, charging forward with her impossible strength. She shattered the ground around him but still, Tobi remained uninjured.

"What's going on Hinata?" Sakura shouted.

Hinata tried to analyze the situation but still, she couldn't tell, "I don't know Sakura! It's like the attacks just don't touch him!"

Mikoto jumped in, "I'm going to help papa!" She screamed. She made hand-signs and shouted, "Katon: Fireball Jutsu!" A huge fireball, bigger than she had ever made, jumped from her mouth. The fireball engulfed Tobi entirely. When it cleared he still stood in the center of chaos, laughing.

"That was strong," He said happily, "So strong! You must love your papa very much!"

"Mokuton!" Yamato shouted. Wood sprouted from the ground and wrapped around Tobi.

Tobi just walked through the bindings as though they weren't there, "Ooh, Wood Style! Didn't think I'd see that!" He turned, "Are you going to try something now? Kakashi?"

Kakashi's eyes widened as he saw a glimmer of red through the single eye-hole in the mask but before he could say anything Naruto charged forward, "Great Rasengan!" He shouted as he shoved the giant ball of charkra at him. The Rasengan hit the ground below him creating a giant chasm in the ground.

"Yeah! Naruto!" Kiba shouted, "No way he could've dodged that!"

But still in the center of the chaos Tobi stood there, uninjured. Naruto's eyes were wide with shock, "What?"

Tobi laughed playfully, "That could've really hurt Naruto-kun!" He said in his sing-song voice. He leapt up and stood on tree branch, looking over the motley crew, "Who's next?"

"Shino!" Kakashi shouted.

"I know," Shino said simply.

Naruto moved to run forward but Kiba held him back, "Let Shino work," He said seriously.

Naruto's eyes widened as Shino's bugs surrounded Tobi, creating a sphere around him, "Secret Jutsu: Beetle Sphere," he said calmly.

The beetle's surrounded Tobi and tightened, so that all could be seen was a black figure completely surrounded by beetles.

"I can confirm that he is in there," Hinata said, Byakugan activated.

Mikoto activated her Byakugan and nodded her aggreement, "I still see his chakra."

"And I sense it, why? Because it is impossible to escape my bugs" Shino said.

"Shino's bugs should completely drain him of his chakra," Kakashi said, looking at Naruto from the corner of his eyes, "Stay back."

Suddenly Shino's bugs tightened entirely, as if to squash his opponent, but there was nothing there.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock, "That's impossible," Shino said, "Why? Because my bugs sensed his chakra the entire time. There's no way he could have gotten away."

"Teleportation?" Sakura sugested.

"It is not teleportation. Why? Because teleportation is just a fast movement, and my bugs would have felt him move. I did not feel him move. It is safe to therefore conclude that it is not teleportation."

"Than where the hell is he!" Naruto shouted.

"I'm here Naruto-kun!" Tobi said from the other end of the clearning. He maintained his singsong teasing voice, "Who's going to come next!"

Before anyone could make another move the plant-like man began to grow next to Tobi. The black half spoke, "It's over, Itachi Uchiha is dead."

Mikoto's eyes widened, "No," she whispered.

The white half laughed, "It was quite the fight too! But Sasuke was victorious in the end."

"No!" Mikoto screamed. Suddenly she could see it in the distance. She could see it all. She could clearly see her papa and Sasuke. She could see both their chakra fading, "No!" She screamed again. And she raced forward past them away from them all.

"Mimi-chan wait!" Naruto shouted and moved to go after her. But before he could Tobi appeared in front of him.

"We'll meet again soon Naruto-kun." He said.

Naruto's eyes widened, "what happened to your voice?"

Everyone looked at Tobi. It was true, his voice has changed; it was now deeper and far more serious.

Now Kakashi could clearly see his Sharingan. His eyes widened, "who are you?" He asked.

"It's not important, Kakashi," The dark voice said, "I must leave now. You should go find your friend, before she gets hurt."

And he disappeared into a portal.

"Let's go," Kakashi said, "We'll worry about this later. Let's go find Sasuke."

"Hai!"


When Mikoto arrived at the scene she could see everything. It was unlike anything she had seen before. She could see the residue from the fight; the fading charkra in different colors. Everything was so clear.

She saw her father lying on the floor next to Sasuke. Sasuke had a dim light of pulsing chakra in his heart, still beating slowly. But her father…

She knelt next to his dead body, "No…" She whispered again, "Papa."

Silent tears rolled down her face as she turned her head to look at Sasuke. She could kill him now. It would be easy. She felt anger and fury boil inside her as she stared at the last glow of charkra in his body. She summoned chakra into her palm. It was time to put out that glow.

"Can't have you doing that!" A voice said.

Suddenly Tobi appeared between her and Sasuke, "Wow," he said, "They really did a number on this place," he looked around, "Well I'll be taking this!" He said and grabbed Sasuke. He disappeared again, this time taking Sasuke with him.

"Wait!" Mikoto shouted. She turned in time to see Zetsu grabbing her father's body, "No!" She shouted and raced over to grab him. Zetsu began to drag him into the ground, "Please don't!" She screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks. She reached to grab his body but found herself grasping at nothing as he disappeared. She grabbed again and wrapped her hands around the only thing could find: his headband.

She pulled it up and stared at it. Itachi was gone. His body was gone. Sasuke was gone. It had all been for nothing.

She flipped the headband over and saw a familiar symbol inscribed in the back. Her eyes widened in shock asndshe immediately pressed her thumb to the center.

Itachi's voice filled the emptiness around her.

Your eyes,

As we said our goodbyes,

Can't get them out of my mind,

And I find I can't hide,

From your eyes,

The ones that took me by surprise,

The night you came into my life,

Where there's moonlight,

I see your eyes.

How'd I let you slip away,

When I'm longing so to hold you,

Now I'd die for one more day,

Cause there's something I should have told you,

Yes there's something I should have told you,

When I looked into your eyes.

Why does distance make us wise?

You were my song all along,

And before the song dies!

I should tell you,

I should tell you,

I have always loved you,

You can see it in my eyes!

She knew that he wasn't talking about his Sharingan. He was talking about his eyes. His onyx eyes that had only ever shown her the truth. He loved her and she never doubted that.

She looked up at the sky and grabbed her heart, her hand making a fist with her purple shirt. She gave a small smile. It was raining.

Naruto appeared next to her. He put a hand on her shoulder, "Mimi-chan?" He said quietly, "Are you ok."

"No," She whispered as everyone appeared around her, "But I will be."

She looked at them with her violet eyes and nodded,

"I will be."