Naruto: JEEZ what took so long?!
Kakashi: Now now, Naruto. The author does have a life…
Naruto: so! Do you know how long we had to wait for this next update?
Kakashi: Frankly, I don't care…Now, for the disclaimer!
Naruto: oh fine! Icha Icha Ramen does not own Naruto!
Kakashi: Enjoy
Chapter Seven:
It was late by the time the bonfire had died down. Hinata and Naruto were snuggling to her right, Sasuke was on her left staring into the flames and the only other people left were Kakashi, Kurenai, Shino and Kiba.
Sakura leaned her face into her palm as she looked over at Sasuke again, studying him. He was so handsome, with dark entrancing eyes, perfect pale skin contrasting with his raven hair…aristocratic nose, finely shaped eyebrows that were slightly arched…angular jaw…
She didn't realize Kakashi had called her name until Naruto's big mouth repeated it. She shot Naruto a quick glare before her sea green orbs concentrated on her sensei. Kurenai, Shino, Kiba and Hinata were all walking away and Kakashi was standing up.
"Now that I have everyone's attention…We will start training again tomorrow. So be prepared by 6 a.m." Crow's feet appeared at the corner of Kakashi's exposed eye as he smiled beneath his mask and waved before disappearing with a poof. The rest of Team Seven sat for another minute.
"Does anyone know what time it is?!" Naruto obnoxiously broke the silence. Sakura sighed as Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Time for you to get a watch" Sakura responded, getting up from her place on the log. Sasuke followed her as the two began to walk away.
"Heeeeeeeeeey!" Naruto jumped up, pouring sand on the remaining hot embers of the fire before chasing after them.
When the orange clad boy caught up, he took a position at Sakura's side, giving her a wide goofy grin.
"Hey Sakura, want to spar with me tomorrow during practice?" He asked. Sakura smirked at him.
"I'll have you flat on your back in a heart beat, Naruto."
"We'll see about that!"
When the trio got to their cabin, Naruto ran right to the fridge.
"There's nothing like a bowl of ramen to put one to sleep!"
"Naruto, you're ridiculous! You just had at least 10 bowls for dinner! How can you still be hungry? And right before bed?"
The blonde put the tea pot on the stove and drummed his fingers on the top of the Ramen cup.
"How can I NOT eat it before bed?" He replied, grinning as always. Sasuke grunted as he walked past him. He grabbed himself a tomato.
Sakura watched the two begin eating as she got ready for bed. She rolled her eyes and turned to get her pajamas out. Then, grabbing a pink towel, soap, shampoo, conditioner and a comb, she began to pack it into a small bag.
"Where are you going?" Naruto asked with a mouth full of noodles.
"Shower." She said, swinging the bag onto her shoulder and walking out. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, shoving the last of his tomato in his mouth before grabbing his own things.
"Are you serious, teme? Must you follow her EVERYWHERE she goes?" Naruto all but shouted. Sasuke glared at him.
"When people like Itachi are just an arm reach away…yes." With that the Uchiha exited the cabin, leaving Naruto all to his lonesome self.
Naruto sighed heavily as he threw out the empty cup, pulling his pajamas on. He already took a shower this morning.
"Whatever you say teme…" He chuckled, climbing into the top bunk with a knowing smile.
--
Sakura didn't have to walk far to reach the bathrooms. She rounded the building until she reached the girls side. Right when she was about to open the door, she heard a voice.
The pink haired girl froze as footsteps could be heard.
"How many people have become aware of their background, Kakashi?"
Sakura pressed her back into the wall, peering around the corner to see her sensei along with Tsunade and the fourth hokage…
"I'd say most of them. Two of the Akatsuki are still unaware, as well as Shino, Kiba, Temari and Chouji."
Tsunade sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"By the time they all remember, do you think they will want to find a way to return?"
The fourth spoke up.
"Would anyone give up a second chance like this?"
The three were quiet.
"Even so…Jiraiya is still researching. He's figured out the jutsu that was used to cause all this to happen…at first he thought it was this necklace that helped transport us here…but it was not the case at all. It's only use is helping control the chakra of the tailed beasts…like Naruto's…and somehow it's been able to help our shinobi regain their memories…Some just put the puzzle pieces together quicker than others…but that's all it is capable of."
Kakashi put his hands in his pockets.
"So what jutsu caused this?"
Tsunade bit her lip.
"I'm sure you remember the threat Akatsuki had become to Konoha, how word of them coming to attack us and destroy our village had spread. The jutsu was set in place from when the first hokage came into power…It's a defense mechanism for the village. Someone activated the jutsu, and it basically transported all of us to another dimension. It's supposed to be temporary, but we don't know how long it could last…it could last up to a few days from now…to years."
It was quiet again.
"So who activated it? How are people like me, Obito…Itachi alive in this dimension?"
"Minato…there is no explanation for that…we are just as puzzled by it as you are…and we don't know if you come back with us when the jutsu has worn off or not…"
Sakura raised an eyebrow from her spot. Minato? Wasn't his name Arashi? Putting in the back of her mind, she once again concentrated on their conversation.
Kakashi looked up into the starry night sky, letting the gentle breeze ruffle his hair.
"I guess only time will tell…"
Sakura watched the three disappear then. The unofficial meeting of theirs was over…as she turned around she was greeted by a dark figure looming over her.
"Itachi?"
The sharingan with the akatsuki cloak gave him away quickly enough. The older Uchiha blinked down at her and nodded.
"uhm…what's up?"
Itachi looked over to the wall.
"I thought I heard a cow….it roused me from my slumber….damn cows…."
Sakura gave him and odd look and sweat dropped.
"But it appears it was just the voice of others…"
Sakura remained silent, wondering what he thought of the conversation between the two hokages and her teacher.
"It certainly is news to me that Akatsuki's next movement after I passed away had been to destroy Konoha…" He looked down now, the corner of his mouth bent into a scowl.
"I suppose it can't be helped…after all. There no longer was anything to stop Madara from fulfilling his revenge against Konoha…"
Sakura's eyes widened, confusion causing her brow to furrow.
"wait, what?"
Itachi finally let his sharingan meet with her green eyes. It was like that for a minute before he sighed.
"It's bound to get out any day now…" He mumbled, his thoughts lingering towards Tobi and how close the orange masked shinobi was to revealing the truth about his past to his brother.
Itachi grabbed the hood of the sweatshirt she had on, tugging her lightly along with him as they walked to the lake. The shore was now empty, the water lapping against the sand softly.
Itachi sat down as did Sakura and the two looked out at the lake.
"The first time I saw war was when I was a child." Itachi said stoically. Sakura listened, her eyes not really focused on the water at all.
"I was much too young to understand any of it. All I saw of the war was death and grief…it was literally hell for me…and it left a big impression on me way after it ended. As I grew, I came to love my village, and have pride in serving to protect it as an elite ninja…I was focused, worked hard and was the prodigy of the Uchiha clan…only to end up being used as a spy for my clan as well as Konoha."
Sakura frowned, lacing her fingers together in her lap as she sat beside him in a pause of silence. From the corner of her eye she watched as Itachi closed his eyes briefly before opening them once more and looking outward at the lake again.
"It all started when the clan planned a coup d'etat…the mastermind behind this plan was Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the clan….my father. It was he who told me to join ANBU and from there I would act as their link to the village's plans. Six months into joining, I was assigned a top secret mission…..Exterminate the Uchiha Clan.
"To this day I ponder over the mission…It was cruel, inhumane…Unthinkable even. They took advantage of my hatred of war and strife. The Konoha leaders took note of it…they knew I was the type of ninja who wanted the village safe and refused to have familial ties interfere. They used that against me, and gave me the mission.
I was terrified. The village had finally reached a state of stability and peace, yet my clan threatened that. I didn't want to take the mission. It was hard to even consider raising a hand against my own kinsmen…but if the Uchiha Caliber started a civil war, the Fire Nation would be vulnerable to the other countries and that would trigger the Fourth World War. I needed to come to a decision quickly, it wouldn't be long before my father decided to follow through with his plans and I was the only one who could possibly stop it. Only I could do it, because I am an Uchiha. To fight an Uchiha you need the sharingan, afterall…"
Itachi sighed.
"The Uchiha clan had a selfish desire for power that would cause the death of countless innocent people. So, I made a choice. I would close the curtain on my own clan's history with my two hands...I didn't betray the clan for a grudge though….I just had no alternative when the time came…but while this was happening, Madara Uchiha was looking to rekindle the flames of war…He had a grudge against both the clan and the village. I caught him and gave him an ultimatum. In exchange for helping take revenge on the Uchiha clan, he was not to make any move against the Konoha."
Sakura bit her lip. "Madara Uchiha? But isn't he…"
"That's a story within itself…"
Sakura nodded.
"The only person who refused to accept what was going on was the Third Hokage…he believed that reconciliation with the Uchiha clan was the answer, and despite trying his best to convince the others of his view, he failed.
The massacre of the Uchiha clan was all part of the mission. Kill the clan, flee the village as a wanted criminal….all of it planned out. I completed it quickly and efficiently…except for one small tiny little detail….."
Itachi glanced over at Sakura with a knowing smile. Sakura's eyes widened as she mouthed along with his next words.
"Kill Sasuke…"
Itachi inhaled a deep breathe.
"I plead to the Third to keep Sasuke safe from Danzou and the others…Then I threatened Danzou himself…I threatened that I'd tell everything there was to know about the village to every hostile nation in the world if he did anything to Sasuke…I was more worried about Sasuke than myself. While I would leave the village, Sasuke would still be stuck in Konoha with no one but himself…completely vulnerable.
Sasuke…he was only seven then. He was kept in the dark, of course. So innocent…It killed me to taint him like I did...but I couldn't tell him the truth…he was too young to understand it…So instead, I made a plan of my own for him."
"I would turn Sasuke's life into a quest for vengeance on myself, and pray that it would make him stronger. I wanted Sasuke to continue to believe that the Uchiha were the pride of the Hidden Leaf Village, and I begged the Hokage to ensure Sasuke would never learn the truth. By the time I left the village, I already decided I would die by Sasuke's hand to be sure I could give Sasuke a new power…a power of the Sharigan."
Itachi smirked to himself as he thought back.
"And over the years…despite my many attempts at torturing Sasuke, if I were truly serious in killing him, I would have done so…Sasuke played his part just as I assumed he would. He was determined to get as strong as possible, to surpass me and defeat me…And even though I hated every pain I inflicted upon him, I had good reason to do so…to push him to the edge. I needed to do so in order to free him from the cursed seal…to awaken his mangekyou sharingan via death of the person closest to him which ended up being me. I planned every last detail of the fight out, all for Sasuke's sake. Even my 'attempts' to steal his eyes were no more than an act…I told him a false story about Madara to prevent Sasuke from trusting him and finding out the truth of our clan…I even implanted Amaterasu in his eyes to further prevent it…But unfortunately, I don't know how long i will be able to protect him from the ill history of the Uchiha, the truth about everything since Madara is now here and ready to let the cat out of the bag…."
Itachi gritted in irritation as he recalled the previous events with Tobi…he'd have to keep a real close eye on him from now on.
Sakura folded her arms as she pondered over Itachi's words.
"So let me get this straight…You aren't just in Akatsuki because your some nut job that killed his entire family on a whim?"
Itachi smirked.
"No…"
"….well that's a relief." Sakura smiled. Then she furrowed her brows.
"Then why did you join Akatsuki?"
"Isn't it obvious? What better way to further protect the village than from the inside?"
Sakura blinked before her grin once more appeared across her lips.
"How clever…"
"I'm not a prodigy for nothing, you know. But that's the truth…I never lost my love for the village…or Sasuke. I may have killed my friends, my superiors, my mom and dad, my girlfriend…but not Sasuke…I just couldn't. To me, Sasuke was more important than the village. Sasuke's safety was my number one priority…I'm just lucky my plan worked out for the most part…Sasuke didn't see through me one bit. Every illusion I created, he accepted…just like always….
All along I was trying to give him more power. I even let him defeat me to take revenge for the clan and turn into a hero in the eyes of Konoha…It seemed like quite a fitting destiny for Sasuke, to be the hero and redeem our clan's honor."
Sakura was starring at Itachi as the man seemed to get caught up in his own thoughts.
Itachi…he's so….lonely….all this time, he's been suffering while trying to protect the things he loves most….
Itachi's head turned and his brow rose.
"Why are your eyes watering?"
He sacrificed himself…always thinking about others…
"Sakura?"
So selfless…so lonely….
Itachi let out a low grunt as Sakura wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Sakura…I don't need pity."
Sakura looked up at his face, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
"It's not pity…I'm crying because you're so lonely…"
Itachi didn't reply but instead rested his chin atop the head of pink hair currently clinging to him. Itachi closed his eyes. Words formed on his lips, but no sound accompanied them. Instead, he spoke a soundless whisper...
"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not alone anymore…"
Sakura was still buried into his shoulder, her eyes no where near catching to ending response to her tears...
--
Down a good ten yards away, Sasuke could be found frozen stiff, his figure pushed up against the side of a tree trunk as he replayed the conversation in his head.
He held his temples, crouched over as more and more memories flashed through his mind.
Impossible! Impossible! Itachi killed them! He killed them all! All to test his ability! He betrayed the clan! The village...
Itachi's face came to his head, blood trailing down his lip as he staggered toward an equally beaten Sasuke. Two fingers outstretched toward him…his eyes! He was going to take his eyes! But then….a pressure…on his forehead.
"I'm sorry Sasuke……."
Wide fearful eyes locked onto Itachi's onyx ones.
"…there won't be a next time." The man collapsed as Sasuke was left starring at where he once stood.
Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. His head was still pounding. He couldn't understand……
What…..why? All these years!
Another image this time...a little boy…standing with shaky legs, his eyes wide with confusion, hurt, pain, sorrow and fear….ahead of him is a shadow…a man…he stands with Sharingan eyes focused on the boy…
"Run run and cling to life. Then, when you have the same eyes as I do, come to me."
He disappears in a flash. The boy gasps.
"WAIT!"
He activates his Sharingan, and it barely registers to him he finally obtained it as he picks up a forgotten kunai and chases the shadow.
Chasing, chasing…it's dark, the moon looms high above in the sky, illuminating his path towards the quickly fleeting shadow just ahead of him.
With all the precision he can muster, he throws the kunai. The shadow turns, taken by surprise as the weapon launches towards him. It causes his headband to fall to the ground, and thus the shadow stops before the fallen head protector.
The boy with the raven hair stops too…he collapses onto the dirt, his eyes never leaving the man who slowly picks up his headband…He catches the man's eyes as he glances back at the boy…
With that last look, a mere couple of seconds in time that seemed to go by in slow motion, the boy intakes a sharp breath. Is it...is it really true or is his imagination running? The glint of tears running down the cheek of his older brother do not go by unnoticed…...but how? He was so emotionless...so cold beofre...how could his brother be cryinng when before he talked of emotions as a weakness...when he had killed his entire family just hours before…
Sasuke glares at the ground as he focuses back in on reality. His mind is still racing when he gets up…his eyes dart around in search for the two people he had spied on in the first place and finds himself alone. With a shake of the head, he starts walking slowly to the showers…he needed some time alone to think…
--
Deidara: Oooooooooo! So Finally Itachi reveals the truth! But Sasuke seems to have overheard everything, yeah! What will happen next?!
Tobi: Sasuke's brain will explode?
Deidara: Heh. No no…..seemed like it would though, huh?
Kisame: keh.
Deidara: Hey, Hidan, got those reviews all organized, hn?
Hidan: Fuck no, Barbie boy! There's too many reviews!
Kakuzu: We should charge them…
Deidara: if we do that, no one would review, Kakuzu….
Kakuzu: tch.
Tobi: TOBI HAS THE RESPONSES!!!!!!!
Deidara: Aha, finally, Tobi has proved himself useful, yeah…
Tobi: Tobi is a good boy!
Hidan: Yeah yeah, just get on with it, kid.
Tobi: OK! First off a special thanks to the following reviewers kristy1452, silver_lone_wolf, Naru-Vampire, aquacherries, missimpossible1352, Mitsuki Sakura Uchiha, lil sakura haruno, w0nderd0ll, and NightWing101! The author, Icha Icha Ramen, was so happy by your comments and is sorry that she was gone for so long, but finally the story should be picking up with faster updates! Thanks for your awesome reviews! And to the other reviewers…here are your responses!
Character Responses!
To Akasuna no Morana aka A.H.S:
Deidara: Oh mee gee, more play-doh! For me, yeah! I feel loved.
Hidan: uhhhhhhhhhhhhm………I'll have to get back to you, Chimey on that….
Deidara: Yeah, Hidan, when ARE you two gunna get together –wink wink hint hint nudge nudge-
Hidan: Fuck you play doh boy!
Rock Lee: DID I HEAR SOMEONE SAY….YOUTH!?!?!?!?! –cheesy thumbs up pose-
Hidan: ….morana did…
Rock Lee: AHA! AND CHIMEY HAS PLANS TO….BE INVOVLED WITH THE EVIL ONE OF DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!?
Hidan: …what?
Deidara: Don't bother trying to understand the eyebrow kid, yeah….It'll cause your IQ to drop…
Hidan: well at least the girl is out like a light…-notices chimey on ground- Well I'm going to go stalk Kakuzu….
Deidara: thanks for reviewing Chimey, Morana, un!
--
Hinata645:
Deidara: yikes…can't….breathe….
Kisame: heheh, you're getting Fan-girled. Heheh
Deidara: -glares-
Kisame: WHOA and a marriage request! This just keeps getting better....
Itachi: And someone enjoys my moos….
Sasuke: -rolls eyes and eats tomato- You're mooing just makes you crazier…
Deidara: -escapes fan girl hug- uh about your offer, yeah….uh….
Sasori: He belongs to me…-drapes arm around Deidara-
Deidara: NOT IN THIS FANFIC! – replacement jutsu and glares at Sasori-
Sasori: Fine by me. Why would I want such a person who doesn't know real art…
Deidara: YEAH RIGHT!
Sasori and Deidara bicker
Kisame: Well anyway, thanks for the review!
--
OblivionRose:
Kakuzu: I'm hot? –pockets the money-
Deidara: I don't think she was referring to you, money bags….un.
Kakuzu: oh…that almost made up for her reminding me I died….tsk
Orochimaru: FINALLY I MAKE A SSSSSSSSSSSSEMI-APPEARANCE!
Deidara: ew who let Michael jackson's clone in?
Orochimaru: -ignores comment- I'm sssssssso sssssssad to hear you don't care about my death….no matter. You support my self created village!
Deidara: She liked the jutsus…not anything to do with you…creeper, un.
Sasori: …Uhm, thank you? Also, me and Deidara are just team mates. Nothing more…
Deidara: How Cruel! And here I thought I was your best friend, yeah!
Sasori: …
Deidara: On more serious matters, it was worth the sacrifice. I certainly was true Art and made quite a bang, yeah? Woot, more play-doh!!!!
Jiraiya: I get a response too? Sweet! Oh right it's about my death….-sighs-
Tsunade: Out of all the bets to win….
Jiraiya: Don't blame yourself, -winks at Tsunade-, we can make up the time we lost in this dimension right? –winks again pervertedly-
Tsunade: God you're still such a PERV! –smacks upside the head-
Jiraiya: But back to the response…I hated dying too, kid. But I'm back right! Hehe
Itachi: …It was necessary in order to protect the things I loved….I'm sure you heard all about how I felt in this chapter though so no need for me to further explain…
Hidan: I FUCKING DIED TOO, YA KNOW! AND I BROUGHT THAT ASUMA GUY DOWN WITH ME!
Kurenai: -drop kicks Hidan in the nuts- Bastard
Hidan: …..bitch…..-squirms on ground holding balls-
Kakuzu: haha…stupid priest…
--
SakuraRoxMySox:
Kisame: And we are glad you reviewed! And of COURSE you can have a Save The Whales tee! –throws one to reviewer- Spread the word, kid.
--
Mari Santoro:
Itachi: hehe
Sasuke: -grows red in anger- Sakura is NOT going to be with him!
Itachi: They're right…you HAVE ignored her lately…and this chapter really just…connects us, don't you think, little brother?
Sasuke: Don't make me kill you again…I'll do it, you know…I Will.
Itachi: Sure. Anyway, I'm sure the existence of this chapter must excite you. The author did plan on me exposing myself to Sakura for a boost on the bond between us, BUT of course, this story does not only revolve around me and Sakura. There are still many other competitors out to capture her heart as well, and many chapters still lie ahead…your idea was close though.
Sasuke: Don't you try pulling anything, Itachi…I'll be watching you…
Itachi: Events will be unfolding in quite a different fashion though, but thanks for your input and review. It amused the author greatly to see someone was thinking along the same lines as she. *gives reviewer a star for their awesomeness-
--
Deidara: AND THAT CONCLUDES THE CHARACTER RESPONSES! Thanks to all the reviewers! You really motivated in getting this chapter uploaded, for it has been sitting in the computer for far too long, yeah!
Tobi: And as for this time, PLEASE REVIEW! Tobi promises to give hugs and kisses!
Itachi: Review or else….-mangekyou activates-
Sasuke: I can do that too, now…
Itachi: shut up, you ruined it!
Sasuke: …-watches Itachi storm off and then activates his own special sharingan- Like he said…Review…or else –smirks-
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