Itachi entered Akatsuki's hideout deep within the mountainous terrain. This particular base was not far from the village Ayame is at, this worried Itachi but he kept his face stone cold. He could not focus on that fact at this time. It was over a couple months since he rescued Ayame from the Akatsuki's clutches right in front of them. He had to think of a good excuse for his actions. Itachi still needed Akatsuki's power in order to fulfill what he started over six years ago.
As he entered the lair no one was present, it seemed deserted. Then a powerful slap on the back made him quench his teeth. Tobi stood behind him and Itachi could not tell what Tobi's emotions were since his stupid orange mask covered up his face. Itachi glared at Tobi ignoring him whole heartily when his partner Kisame walked up to him.
"Where is Gobi?" Kisame flaunted his weapon around while glowering at Itachi.
"Boss is pretty mad that you did not show up with him, you're gonna get it." Tobi teased Itachi.
"Get loss Tobi, you're annoying." Itachi's sharingan eyes pierced at Tobi. Tobi ran away screaming 'Tobi's not annoying he's a good boy'. "That guy really gets on my nerves."
"Itachi! Where is Gobi" Pein marched forward.
"Gobi got away. I've been trying to track him ever since." Itachi dare not tell the whole truth.
"You're pathetic we do all the work. All you had to do was grab Gobi and leave. Yet you can not ever mange that simple task, for being the great Itachi you sure are pathetic without use." Pein smirked and Itachi's fist bunched up but then he relaxed them. He was known her for not showing any emotions and that is how he had to stay, if he wanted to get out alive. Friendship meant nothing with this group only power and not weakness was allowed. That was proved when Orochimaru was banished from the group; he showed jealousy and let it get the best of him.
"Fine," Itachi turned away heading to his quarters. He lay down on his bed covering his eyes with his hands. Within his cloak he unwrapped the picture that he borrowed from Ayame and held it close to his body. 'Damn it I am pathetic' he thought as he rewrapped the picture, tucking it safely within his cloak.
"Ayame were are we going?" Sasuke followed Ayame through the thick forest.
"Stop complaining Uchiha, I thought you were tough." Ayame smiled at how Sasuke's face turned red.
"I just don't like surprises," Sasuke tried to redeem his composure. They continued in the woods for a while until the woods meet the beach and Ayame wasted no time she ran for the water. Sasuke began to follow Ayame but she stopped him by raising her right hand at him. Then she made some hand signs and forced her hands into the ocean. The earth around them began to tremble as a huge rock rose from the ocean. Ayame motioned from Sasuke to follow as she stepped up onto the rock. The rock was a huge boulder with edges around it; there was a small hole with a leaf shape. Ayame lifted from between her breasts a necklace that had a leaf shape pendant. She placed it within the small hole and another hole imprinted within the boulder. She placed her hands inside and Sasuke could not quite see what she did but then an eye scanner scanned her eye and suddenly a doorway broke from the boulder and Ayame went inside. Sasuke followed to find that the stair led downwards. Outside they heard a yell and Sasuke felt someone slam into his back. He turned his head but could not see the person behind him for the door closed leaving them surrounded in darkness. Sasuke only saw a light in front of Ayame and the continued to walk down the stairs. Until Ayame turned a switch and the underground room was lit.
"Naruto, take this key and head that way until you see a room labeled Minato Namikaze. I'll be there shortly." Ayame pointed left of where they were standing down a short corridor. "Sasuke follow me." Ayame walked straight ahead. The place was filled with doors that had names, more like bloodline family names on them. The entire place was carved out of the earth and only a couple beams held the earth above their heads.
"Ayame, what is this place?" Sasuke asked admiring each door they pasted.
"It's my job. This place holds all the clan's secrets. Here we are, Uchiha." Ayame stopped in front of an old rotten door and placed a fan shaped key into the door. It opened to reveal bookshelves of scrolls. "Your family's history, everything you need to know about the Uchiha's and most importantly the sharingan."
"What how is this possible." Sasuke dumbfounded explored the area.
"When more bloodline clans became part of Konoha they fought. In order to keep peace they compromised that an outsider would know everything, even the weaknesses of each clan incase one tried to over throw the others and create disturbance within Konoha." Ayame explained.
"Aren't you afraid someone is going to steal all these."
"No, especially since I became the guardian I placed so many traps and convoluted ways of entering this place." Ayame said and saw that Sasuke did not believe her. "Don't believe me, fine I'll explain in more detail. First the entrance is below the sea and constantly moves around only I know where it's at. Then I have to create a serious of hand signs to bring the entrance above water. After that I insert a key, which opens a small opening. I place my hand within the opening and perform some more hand signs. Next a retina scanner opens up and scans for my eyes. Only if the scanner sees that it's my eyes will the entrance emerge. After that there is a key for each room and only a bloodline or the guardian can enter each room. If someone manages to surpass all that, there are secret techniques and traps within this place that will be activated. Pretty smart don't you think?"
"Sure," Sasuke continued to scan the scrolls. "Ayame why did you bring me here."
"You need to know the true purpose of what you seek to accomplish." Ayame replied. "And the consequences that has been hidden from you. Well you are not allowed to escape until you read everything and I mean everything in this room. Bye."
"What!" Sasuke turned around to find the room completely emptied.
Naruto sat in the room searching through scrolls researching his father. There were so many that it would be impossible to read them all today. He hated to do research but this was not his typical research. He was learning about his father, the man who saved Konoha and who also cursed him with Kyuubi. Naruto wanted to know his methods and reason for why Minato chose him, his own son to be the shell for Kyuubi.
Ayame was standing in the entranceway watching Naruto as he scanned over scroll after scroll. She looked at the walls of the room, pictures were scattered around the walls. Minato's face was in all of them, they were pictures of his life from a baby up until the day before he died. "Naruto, this is what you are looking for." Ayame slid him a box filled with scrolls. Naruto dug into them.
Ayame walked towards one particular picture. Minato smiled while his arms enwrapped a beautiful brown haired woman. She held a small child within her arms that reached upwards towards Minato. A small tear slide down Ayame's cheek, as she thought of the mother she never got to know. But through this job she was able to read about her through letters that her mother and Minato wrote to each other. Emptiness filled her heart as she thought of all the lonely nights were Kakashi could not comfort her because he did not have the women's touch.
"Ayame is that your mother." Naruto stared at the picture next to her.
"Yes," Ayame choked at the word.
"How did she die?"
"She was on a mission and died in action." Ayame stared intently at her mother's face.
"Ayame did Minato ever love my mother." Naruto asked shyly.
"Of course, father was so lonely after my mom died. Your mom, Kushina, made him so happy. I'm only glad that he died before knowing that she died as well. I was only three yet I remember knowing that I could not see dad try to live losing two women that he loved dearly. I'm sorry Naruto, I don't know why but talking about him just makes me so vulnerable. He barely was my father and without Gobi I would not have been able to remember him. It's not that I guess… it's more the fact that I never had a mother. I guess that one's more thing we have in common, neither of us got to know our mothers." Ayame's tears fell uncontrollably onto the stone floor. Naruto flung his arms around Ayame hugging her tightly.
"We have each other now and I finally have a part of my family with me now." Naruto said softly.
"Thank you," Ayame closed her eyes picturing how perfect life would have been if her father did not die while fighting Kyuubi. 'You had me.' Gobi whispered quietly to Ayame. 'Yes, I did' Ayame slowly smiled as her tear's dried up. Then another whisper crossed her mind. "Naruto I have to get some air. I'll be back." Ayame left Naruto suddenly she ran up the stairs and onto the beach. Itachi stood there in different clothing than his Akatsuki clothes. She walked up to him and fell into his arms. He grabbed her tightly as to erase all the air between them.
"What's wrong?" Itachi surprised at seeing her so vulnerable.
"I just missed my mother and father. But I'm feeling much better now. Just hold me, please and don't let go." Ayame softly said as she buried her head into his chest.
"Alright, if that is your wish. But later I need to talk to you. I'm ready to explain." He whispered as his head laid on hers. She pulled away slightly from his chest staring at him in his eyes. He tilted her head slightly upwards. Ayame pulled her body upwards as he drew down towards her. They were in sync with each other, as she parted her lips he copied and then their mouths met in a warm embrace. His hand pulled her head to him making the kiss more passionate. Their lips grew wider until she felt the tip of his tongue caress hers. Itachi's free hand slid down her waist until it rested on her lower back.
"What the hell is going on here?" Sasuke yelled from behind them. Ayame let go of Itachi's lips turning around in his arms. Sasuke just exited the cave and stared at them.
"Sasuke!" Ayame let go of Itachi completely.
"Oh well, I guess I don't have to find him anymore." Sasuke took a fighting stance.
"Sasuke, don't fight him." Ayame begged.
"Why not, this is the reason why I lived, this is what he made me into an avenger and that is what I'm going to do. I do not care what those scrolls say. The Sharingan can't make a person involuntary kill his entire clan!" Sasuke lugged at Itachi but was hit with a powerful burst of water in his gut. He fell to the side a couple of feet and saw that Ayame was the person who attacked him.
"Itachi I know why you killed your clan. Sasuke I know that you want to kill him but please try to understand that the Mangekyou Sharingan is a curse not a blessing. Do you know why not many Uchiha's have reached that level? It's because they refuse to reach it. I lied a person can only achieve the Mangekyou Sharingan by killing someone close to them, there is no other way. It's pure evil!" Ayame yelled.
"Liar. If it's pure evil then why did I see Itachi embrace you the way he did, he is the essence of evil." Sasuke screamed back at her.
"It was forced upon him, he didn't want it! He went mad after achieve that level. It was his best friend, Shisui, who tried to kill him in order to achieve the Mangekyou. Unfortunately, Itachi killed Shisui instead!" Ayame began to tear up again.
"Ayame how did you…" Itachi's eye's widened at what Ayame said but smirked instead. He was a fool to think that she would not figure it out, especially since he has been so caring towards her.
"You lie." Sasuke spit towards Ayame.
"Sasuke, she's telling the truth. I wanted you to kill me because I hated myself for letting this thing control my actions. But now I can't let you kill me, there is some unfinished business and scores that I have to settle first." Itachi appeared behind Sasuke disbanding the building Chidori that Sasuke was gathering in his hands. "You've grown stronger since coming here, but not strong enough to kill me."
Sasuke quickly shot a burst of chakra at Itachi pushing him away and ran out of sight. Ayame quickly transported herself from her spot, leaving Itachi behind. Then moments later she reappeared in front of him smiling.
"What did you do?" He cocked his head to the side.
"Nothing special just let a special friend know some updates. Come on lets go we'll be late to see the show." Ayame smiled while grabbing onto Itachi's arm.
"Ayame, the cave." Itachi planted his feet on the ground and Ayame rebounded into his chest.
"Oh yeah, I'll be back soon." Ayame left and grabbed Naruto, informing him of Sasuke's escape. Naruto quickly rushed up the stairs pushing Ayame onto the floor in his quake.
Sasuke speed through the dense forest; the only emotion on his mind, betrayal, overtook his mind. This was why he did not trust anyone, they always disappointed him somehow or another. He grabbed his chest as his mind recollected the events earlier, his expression when he saw Ayame and Itachi embracing outside the cave. Their hand, their lips, their bodies imprinted themselves into his mind. The person that was training him and the person to be killed holding each other like long lost lovers.
Then brut force shoved him off track. His body limply fell through the air until it made contact with a near by tree. The impact of a sudden solid object forced him to gasp for air, as he could not breath for a couple of seconds. A large man strolled towards him, Sasuke tried to move any part of his body but nothing would respond.
"This is our territory, you do not have permission to enter." The deep voice bellowed in Sasuke's ears. He could not defend himself so he waited for another impact from the husky man. Nothing came. "Sasuke!"
"Jugo, how could you be so careless. Sasuke are you alright." A singsong voice rushed to Sasuke's side.
"Ugh," Sasuke muttered as his vision became clear. "Karin, Jugo, Suigetsu."
"Oh Sasuke you're all right." Karin flung her arms tightly around Sasuke. He chocked for breath and felt him receive his wish when Jugo grabbed Karin forcing her away from Sasuke.
"Karin he needs to breath not suffocate." Suigetsu said.
"What are you doing here, did I not give direct orders to not follow me." Sasuke glared at all three of them.
"Um…well…" Jugo stuttered.
"Sasuke, I missed you." Karin ran to hug him again but Jugo found his grip on her clothes once more, preventing her from clinging onto Sasuke.
"Doesn't matter, I guess since you already broke that order once when you kidnapped Ayame. What wouldn't keep you from doing it again." Sasuke finally rose from the uncomfortable position indented into the tree. "Let's leave, we still have a goal to accomplish."
"What happened to Ayame, I thought you wanted her to train you." Suigetsu asked.
Sasuke turned his face away from the others, "She's a traitor. Let's move-"
"Sasuke, don't leave!" Sakura rush towards the group with her hand stretched out.
Karin grumbled and threw a punch into Sakura's stomach. Sakura, caught off guard, hurled backwards until she caught her footing. She wiped some blood that she coughed up from her mouth and propelled forward. Sakura gathered chakra into her fist going full speed at Karin whose smile turned into a frown as she sensed Sakura's new chakra build up. Only inches away from Karin's face Sakura was hit once more but from the side, Jugo stood by Karin. Sakura's body flung to the right but she quickly responded and bounced off the tree with her feet. Gathering more chakra she aimed it this time at Jugo. Sensing the coming threat Jugo transformed his cells unleashing the powerful monster within. Sakura's punch hit its target. But only Jugo's head turned to the right slightly before rearranging itself back to normal. With fury in his eyes he lunged towards Sakura throwing her away as if she was a piece of trash. Sakura landed some yards away in the leaves of trees. Blood trickled down her face her vision blurred but she saw four figures about to leave.
"Sasuke, please stop! Don't leave again! I-"Sakura yelled out.
"You what!" Karin appeared before Sakura, "Do you love him." Karin teased. Sakura spit at Karin's face but Karin moved her head before the salvia made contact. "Well too bad because he's mine. Haha! foolish little girl, don't get mixed up in adult emotions. You can't even defend your love. Haha!" Karin left Sakura to join the others. Sakura slowly rose to her feet. Trying to ignore her broken ribs and lunged at Karin.
"Don't you every learn." Karin formed some hand signs then forced a small windblast covered with fire at Sakura. Sakura dodged the blast head to Karin once again with a fierce determination painted onto her face. Then she spit out blood as something slammed into her back. Her whole body arched as she fell downwards. She saw Karin's smiling face as she left Sakura to plummet to her death.
"Sasuke don't go," Sakura whispered as she closed her eyes ready for the impact of the earth, but it never came. Instead she felt the warmth of arms holding her body. A heartbeat pounded through the person's chest. She felt a light kiss on the forehead as her eyes opened to a familiar face.