Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but hopefully I'll own a new car by the end of the week.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed (sorry I haven't had a chance to reply to reviews yet)! This'll be the last chapter, so I hope you like it!
Meetings of Fate 5
Vengeful Demon
R. Winters
Itachi breathed heavily, his vision narrowed in on the river before him; the soaked back of his best friend. His eyes ached and his mind reeled. His limbs felt heavy and tired, his fingers numb from the cold.
It was hard to believe what he'd done—that he'd gone through with that. Half a year ago he'd sworn he wouldn't, but the idea had… grown on him.
He'd been planning the perfect murder for months, never really believing he'd go through with it. Even as he set things up—secretly arranging a meeting with Shisui and carefully crafting an alibi with his ANBU missions—he still hadn't thought he'd really do it.
He'd told Shisui of his plans to murder him less than an hour ago and they'd both laughed, knowing he wouldn't do it. But Itachi had seen something in the older boy's eyes and had come to the startling realization that his cousin wasn't as certain as he pretended. There was a hint of fear and wariness in his Shisui's dark eyes.
It infuriated Itachi.
He trusted his cousin with nearly everything, far more than he trusted with anyone else. When he'd started doubting his own humanity, after finding himself largely unaffected by the dirty business of his new ANBU duty, he'd gone to Shisui. When he'd had dreams of strangling Sasuke in his sleep, he'd talked to Shisui. He trusted Shisui with his life, and let him glimpse some of the darkness inside of him… Foolishly, he'd thought Shisui trusted him back.
"Shisui… you know I'm not really going to kill you," he'd said, unable to believe what his eyes were showing him. Unable to believe that his dearest cousin really thought so low of him.
The older boy had cracked a smile that looked awkward even to Itachi and agreed with a false lightness, "Of course, Itachi." His smile faded, "I know that."
Shisui was a good liar, but Itachi saw through it. How could he doubt him? Itachi had always defended him—even in front of Madara! How could Shisui repay all that with this distrust?
And Itachi had attacked because in that moment he hated Shisui as much as he loved him. He hated his best friend who didn't love him as much as he loved him.
It hadn't been easy. Shisui had been ready for it. Shisui had expected it! But Itachi had risen above him like he knew he would, worn him down and destroyed him with his own hands.
Now he was dead and Itachi stood over his body, the burning in his eyes painful.
Maybe Shisui had known him better, after all. He must have known about his meetings with Madara—or suspected at the one thing Itachi had never told him. He understood Itachi better than Itachi understood himself.
Maybe Shisui had trusted him more than Itachi knew. To have come out with him like this, alone and while all the others were occupied, when he knew that he'd only be murdered.
Itachi stared numbly at the older boy's soaked back.
And then, finally, he turned his back on him. On the boy he'd called "friend" since he was old enough to know what the word meant.
His eyes continued to ache and throb for the next several days. Sometimes his vision became fuzzy, and other times it would go completely dark. The pain might have made him a tad bit shorter with his brother than usual, but he doubted the change in behavior was noted. Until, at last, he was confronted for his crime.
The whole clan was turning against him, Itachi realized. Everyone seemed to believe it was his fault Shisui was dead. Even his father seemed to harbor doubts, despite his pronounced support. He wanted to scream
It wasn't his fault! Shisui had killed himself when he'd dare to turn away from him, when he'd betrayed their long friendship!
It was suicide, just like the note he'd written claimed.
But they wouldn't believe him, just like Shisui hadn't believed that the murder was a joke, a game to see if he could really pull it off. And all of a sudden, his vision was perfectly clear.
He saw everything in that moment. The past, present, and future. The clan's bloody roots and its inevitable decay, his own part in everything as the strongest Uchiha in generations.
It made him sick. But at the same time, he was content. He was strong enough now that he didn't have to play along with the clan or 'destiny' or anything else. He could leave the clan to rot on its own.
The events between the confrontation with his family and Madara's arrival seemed to blur together in a confusing sea of time that didn't seem real.
"Are you strong enough?" He was standing in the forest behind the complex with his one-time teacher, the man as haughty as ever.
Instead of answering, Itachi allowed his eyes to shift into their more advanced state. The world was clearer than he'd ever before imagined it could be.
Madara grinned and his red eyes seemed to glitter with malice, "But are you strong enough? To defy the whole clan?"
"The Uchiha clan is weak," Itachi said with the arrogance of youth and the vision his newly afforded eyes gave to him. Of course he was stronger than them.
"But how do you know you're strong enough to deny even destiny?" The man goaded darkly.
Again, Itachi didn't answer. He was Uchiha Itachi. He had surpassed his childhood rival and gained the power that even his father feared. It was preposterous to think he might not be powerful enough for this.
And then Madara was moving, attacking, only he wasn't at all until half a second later and Itachi was ready because he'd seen it coming.
He slashed through the man's neck and disappeared an instant later as a blade pierced the soft flesh of his own neck.
The two ninja faced off again, their movements and reactions impossibly fast as each saw what the other was going to do before he even thought of doing it.
For the first time since he'd met the man, Itachi felt like he had a chance of winning. Madara wasn't a god and his powers won't impossible to comprehend. Itachi had powers of his own now.
It seemed like he was gaining the upper hand, even. Madara was good, but he was getting old, Itachi knew. He was getting very old, a part of a previous generation that was dead except for himself, and Itachi was still well within the peak of his existence.
So when the opportunity came, Itachi was able to take it, and plunged his sword into the man's face. Blood sprouted from the wound and Madara's eyes reflected his surprise.
Itachi felt a thrill at his own power. He'd finally done it, he'd surpassed even the legendary Uchiha Madara's power. He'd done the impossible and killed a 'god.'
But then something his eye hadn't predicted happened. Madara's lips curved upwards in a cruel smirk and Itachi found he couldn't move and it was Madara whose sword had skewered him. He pain washed over Itachi like a flood and he would have fallen if his legs were still under control. Instead all he could do was stand there, letting the pain wash over him and staring into Madara's mocking eye.
"Foolish boy," the man laughed, "Did you really think a novice Mangekyou could defeat one that has been developing for a hundred years?"
The man leaned close until his lips were just brushing against Itachi's ear and the boy could do nothing but stand frozen as his ancestor's breath wafted across him. "If you cannot even defeat me.. what makes you think you are any match for the clan…? You are still so weak—I should kill you here."
He could do it, Itachi knew, just as he had killed Shisui, Madara could kill him. But he wasn't a little boy anymore, and he wouldn't resign himself to his death.
"I'm stronger than the clan," he defied.
"How do you know?" Madara pressed. He laughed and added, "How do you know you're stronger than anybody."
"I'm stronger than Shisui," Itachi pointed out. He'd risen above him and destroyed him like a vengeful spirit.
"You killed Shisui," Madara agreed.
Itachi didn't respond because the reply was self-evident. Of course he killed Shisui—who else could have? He was Itachi's friend, so it fell to him to kill him.
"I could kill anyone in the clan," Itachi said with a sudden realization.
"Naturally," Madara said as though such a task would be easy—and it would be for people like them. The man grinned, eyes intent, and added, "But… could you kill them all?"
Itachi's eyes widened briefly.
Madara's grin widened maliciously, "Could you kill all of them together?" He reiterated, "Only then would you know, without question, that you are strong enough to overcome the Uchiha… to break free of your destiny."
It was crazy. As crazy as the idea of him killing Shisui. But he had killed Shisui, and the idea didn't sound so strange anymore.
He could kill them. The whole clan in one go. He was that strong. Strong enough to defy the Uchiha. Strong enough to choose for himself how to live.
It would be exhilarating, like his fight with Shisui had been. More importantly, he would know.
"There's… more than a hundred Uchiha," Itachi said. And most of them were skilled shinobi.
"Are you afraid?" Madara asked, "If you fail, whoever is left will kill you."
Of course he wasn't afraid. Itachi wasn't afraid of anything, anymore. Not even of Madara, who held his life in his hands.
"I'll kill them," he said, wondering if he really would.
As the words left his mouth the sword in his face vanished and the pain dissipated. Madara was gone and Itachi found himself alone in the dark clearing near to the Uchiha estate.
He turned towards the complex and felt amazingly calm, because Shisui had made him strong and he would see just how strong he had become.
The opportune time came one week later, on the eve of the founding day celebration when all of the Uchiha were at home—most of them, at any rate.
He found he didn't even need Madara to tell him what to do. His actions seemed obvious and natural, and he even understood about the higher power that Madara had—about the part his brother had to play.
Miles outside the village he came to a stop in front of a cave. He wasn't sure exactly how he reached it—the path had seemed clear before his eyes.
A man waited there for him. Itachi didn't recognize him at first, but he felt the man's chakra and knew immediately who it was.
"What's with the look?" He asked—he wouldn't have cared if it was anyone else.
There was no outward sign of the man's response—his entire face was obscured by a mask, and his body language gave away nothing. But there was amusement in his voice as he replied, "It's a new game, Itachi."
"What game?" Itachi asked, although he didn't particularly care. He'd done his part, his was a game of waiting now, until Sasuke would bring him what he needed to reach completion.
"You'll see," the man replied evasively, "Do you want to play?"
He didn't, but said nothing.
"There's a prize," the man said temptingly, "Strength above even that of the Shodai."
Itachi wasn't as tempted as he would have been a month ago, but he did need something to pass the time.
"You know where to go," the man said, apparently reading the decision in the teen.
"Madara," Itachi said with a nod, turning to go—he said it only to emphasize the fact that he could. Madara was no longer his master.
The man did not seem perturbed. He sounded amused, more than anything, "Call me Tobi."
Itachi didn't glance back.