~*Deliverance*~

Chapter Four: Truths and Lies

"Those eyes... They're mine..." In a last resort, desperately out of ideas, Sasuke unsheathed his Kusanagi and jumped up to slice at Susanoo. It did not work but he had to try, as he expected, yet something else did happen... Something very unexpected. Sasuke gave one last battle cry as he stabbed his Kusanagi down into the Yata Mirror... The moment the tip of his blade met the surface of that mirror, time seemed to stop and Sasuke was seemingly thrown into another dimension.

He was no longer on the battlefield, rather he was in a large octagonal room with eight even walls painted a deep yale blue. The spacious room was cast in darkness, the only source of light coming from the middle. There, in the center of the octagonal structure, was a stand that was nearly as tall as Sasuke, and on it was a single shining mirror. When the Uchiha hesitantly stepped forward he noticed he was not standing on ground but water, deep blue and opaque. How can this be? I'm not using chakra to walk on the surface of the water... Ripples formed neatly underneath his sandal-clad feet with each step he took closer to the center of the mysterious room.

"What is this place?" He whispered to himself. His silent voice was the only sound in the place. Sasuke, enchanted yet cautious with the magic of this edifice, walked up to the center of the room as if in a trance. His fingers slowly reached out to touch the shining surface of the hypnotic mirror on the stand when his earlier question, which he did not expect an answer to, was answered nonetheless.

"You are inside my mirror." A melodious voice snapped him out of the daze he was in. Sasuke whipped around, eyes narrowed in suspicion, when he nearly gaped at the figure behind him. A woman stood at the edge of the room, straight hair as white as snow hung down to her hips unconfined in any way. Her skin was a translucent alabaster, her eyes a shocking electric blue that reminded him of frost on a cold winters night. Her face was an expressionless Noh mask, her tone of voice as noble as a queen's, and she stood straight with her shoulders back and chin high. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her as she regarded him coolly, clad in a pure white kimono that pooled around her feet but somehow did not get wet from the water. She was, quite easily, the most beautiful and enchanting woman Sasuke had ever laid his eyes on- but that didn't mean she was not a threat or an enemy.

"Who are you?" The Uchiha snapped with a glare. The woman lifted an elegant white brow at his ill temper, as if slightly amused.

"I am the spirit of the Yata Mirror; you may call me Kagami." She stated clearly and concisely with a polite bow of the head in greeting. Sasuke observed her with a narrowed gaze. Spirit of the Yata Mirror? The shield of Itachi's Susanoo?

"The very same," She confirmed his thoughts with a single nod. Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief, undoubtedly shocked that she could read his mind. She chuckled behind her hand in amusement at his stunned expression, the sound reminding him of tinkling icicles.

"Why am I here? Where is Itachi?" He demanded impatiently, feeling paranoid in enemy territory.

"The moment your Kusanagi made contact with the surface of my mirror I pulled you into my realm, where time ceases to exist. Not a second has passed in your world since you first stepped into mine, yet I have no doubt that Itachi-sama knows you are here now." She informed him, voice euphonic. Sasuke thought back to the history lessons in his academy days. The Yata Mirror and the Totsuka Blade... They sounded vaguely familiar...

"The Yata Mirror is one of the three sacred treasures. It is endowed with all nature transformations and as such changes its own characteristics depending on those of the attack it receives, making the attack entirely ineffective. It represents honesty and wisdom... Which is why I am unable to lie. The Totsuka Blade is an ethereal weapon with an enchanted blade capable of sealing anything it pierces. Those who are stabbed by the sword, like the late Orochimaru, are trapped in a genjutsu of damnation for all eternity." Kagami informed him after reading his confused thoughts. Sasuke tensed at her words in apprehension. If what she was saying was the truth, if she could indeed not lie, and his brother was equipped with both these sacred treasures along with his Susanoo, Mangekyou Sharingan, and level of genius... There was no chance of him claiming victory in this battle, nor anyone else for that matter.

"Where did Itachi find you? Orochimaru has been looking for the sacred treasures his whole life and never found a trace that they even existed..."

"Itachi did not find us... The spirit of the Totsuka Blade, my counterpart and my lover, Hitsurugi and I chose him as our wielder and master." Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise.

"Why would you choose a bastard like Itachi to be your master?!" He demanded, angry that the gods always seemed to be on Itachi's side by giving him an advantage. Was there ever any chance of him defeating Itachi? Right from the very beginning his older brother had always been stronger than him, and now he was going to kill him after taking his eyes. Was this his fate? His destiny, all along?

"We chose Uchiha Itachi-sama to be our master because we saw in him a light that is the purest we've seen in a millennium. We regard his ideals highly and have sworn to help him achieve his goal of peace. We will protect him to the very end, we will fight for him... Because he is the only one we see fit to wield us. Come, Sasuke-sama. There is a reason I brought you here... I have something to show you. Come now, look into my mirror." Kagami beckoned him with a hand, now standing beside the mirror in the center of the room. Sasuke felt his blood boil at her words defending his bastard of a brother, but he didn't show it. He cautiously stepped forward, ripples underneath his feet, until he stood beside the elegantly achromatic spirit.

"Touch the mirror, Sasuke-sama. It will show you the truth... And the truth will set you free." Sasuke scowled at her riddles and looked into the mirror before him. It was nothing special, really, besides the fact that it seemed to be radiating an enchanting white glow. The white frame was octagonal and a simple, circular looking glass was placed in its center. The surface was the same as any other mirror; when he peered into its depths he only saw his battle-worn self staring back. Hesitantly he reached his hand up to touch the speculum. Sasuke watched in amazement as, when his fingertips met the surface, they went through it as if he had touched water, and ripples spread out from the contact. Before he could ask about the odd mirror and its mystical properties he was pulled into its surface and yet another reality, no longer in the octagonal room with Kagami, spirit of the Yata Mirror.

Sasuke was standing in a clearing, a canyon a few meters away. He could hear the river that was running through the bottom of that gorge. Where am I now? Sasuke thought in annoyance when he was suddenly aware of two people nearby. He whipped around to find...

"Itachi and... Shisui?" Sasuke said out loud in confusion. He waited for them to see him but when they approached they simply walked through him, as if he had no physical form. What the hell is going on here?! He thought angrily. It seemed they couldn't hear him, and it was obvious they couldn't see or feel him.

"There is no way to stop the Uchiha's rebellion anymore... A civil war will break out in Leaf, and the other countries will take advantage of it to attack... It will mean the beginning of a war." Shisui said solemnly as he stared down the cliff. Itachi stood behind him silently, dressed in his full ANBU attire.

"When I tried to stop the rebellion using Kotoamatsukami, Danzou stole my right eye. He doesn't trust me... I decided to protect the village in my own way. He'll probably try to get my left eye as well... But I'll give it to you before that happens." Both Sasuke and Itachi watched in horror as Shisui reached up and plucked his left eye out of its socket, slicing the optic nerve swiftly with a kunai. Shisui...! Itachi's concerned thoughts entered Sasuke's mind, who seemed to be watching from a third person perspective.

"You're my best friend, Itachi. You're the only one I could ask this of. Please protect the village... And the Uchiha name." These... These are Itachi's memories... Sasuke thought in realization. The scenery warped from the clearing to the Konoha council's meeting room, where Itachi was knelt down at the front of the Elders respectfully.

"We can't allow it anymore! They call it a revolution but if their real intention is to take back political power, then we'll have to treat them as rebels!" The council woman Koharu declared.

"Koharu-san, wait! Don't jump to conclusions." Said an older man that Sasuke recognized as the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"However, Hiruzen-san, the Uchiha aren't going to stop. We must make our move right away to avoid confusion... Including unknowing children." The one known as Danzou said. Itachi remained silent at this notion but Sasuke saw the momentary flicker of anger in his older brother's eyes.

"Don't say that in front of Itachi-san!" Hiruzen snapped, "Besides, if a civil war starts it will be difficult to fight against the Uchiha. We must think of a strategy."

"It's a race against time... We must act before they do anything. If we and our ANBU team up together we could just make a surprise attack and end it right away." Danzou insisted.

"The Uchiha used to be our comrades in arms... I want to use words, not power against them. I'll think of a strategy." Hiruzen pledged. "Itachi-san, try to gain as much time as you can." His brother nodded mutely and bowed in respect before being dismissed. Sasuke watched in rapt attention as the scene shifted once more; this time, Itachi and Danzou were standing outside a shrine at nightfall.

"The Hokage may have said valiant things back there, but we will act if the Leaf needs protected. That's the way it is. If that happens even he, as Hokage, will have to take drastic measures..." Danzou said gravely. Itachi simply listened, choosing not to speak, and Sasuke watched history unfold right before his very eyes.

"Whether the war happens or not, once they've tried to rebel the Uchiha will necessarily be assassinated... Your innocent little brother included. But by acting before it happens, he can still be saved." Sasuke's jaw dropped in shock as he watched Danzou use his life as a bargaining chip. Did he really think Itachi would care about his life? This Danzou obviously didn't know a thing about his psychopathic older brother.

"If the rebellion happens your little brother will witness it all. He will see his whole clan be destroyed by a Leaf shinobi and will unmistakeably seek revenge on the village. In that case, he will have to be killed." Danzou stated with finality. This seemed to get a reaction out of Itachi, who's eyes slightly narrowed. For his older brother this reaction was the equivalent of standing up and screaming out defiance; to put it loosely, Sasuke recognized that Itachi was very, very displeased.

"...Is that a threat?" His voice was hard and as cold as ice. Danzou met his gaze unflinchingly.

"Iie... I want you to choose. You can either side with the Uchiha, participate in the rebellion and be destroyed together with the rest of your clan, or you can side with the Leaf, save your brother before the rebellion happens and help destroy the clan." Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat. Was what he thought was happening... Really happening? Was Danzou really giving Itachi an ultimatum, with Sasuke's life in the balance? Iie... This can't be true... Itachi said he killed our clan to test his skills, to gauge his capabilities...!

"To protect the village we must stop the rebellion before all hell breaks loose. The only one who can do this is a double agent working under both the Uchiha and the Leaf... In other words, you, Itachi-san." Dead silence hung in the air, threatening to smother Sasuke with its intensity. He was still in denial over what he was seeing, that Itachi hadn't been the monster he thought he was for the last fifteen years... Touch the mirror, Sasuke-sama. It will show you the truth... And the truth will set you free. The spirit's words whispered in his mind. Iie, it can't be... Iie, iie, iie...! Sasuke clutched his hair in his fists and shook his head ferociously. This wasn't happening... This simply couldn't be happening...

"Itachi-san... It will be a difficult mission for you, but in exchange for that I will let your little brother live. I'm sure that you, too, want to protect this village... Do you accept this mission?" Danzou watched him with a measured gaze. Itachi remained silent, simply closing his eyes in resignation.

The scene warped for the third time, and now they were standing in the Uchiha Compound in the dead of night. It was the very night that the massacre happened, Sasuke realized with a jolt of fear. He didn't want to see it again, after all the times Itachi had forced him to relive this very moment hundreds of times already! But he needed to see it, just once more... He needed to see the truth.

Sasuke stood hovering in the air beside Itachi, who was perched on top of a telephone pole. I should have told you before all this happened... But it's too late now... Sasuke. His older brother's thoughts said in his mind. Sasuke watched a younger version of himself run by, barely catching a glimpse of Itachi before the ANBU captain melded into the surrounding darkness. Next thing he knew, they were standing in the Uchiha Manor. Itachi stood behind two kneeling figures, that Sasuke recognized as his parents. He trembled in apprehension, eyes wide with fear, as he watched the scene unfold before him.

"Iie, Itachi! Don't do it; stop!" Sasuke begged in despair. He lunged forward to land a punch on his brother in desperation, to stop him from repeating the horrors of the past, as if that was possible; they could simply go back to being the not-so-perfect but overwhelmingly real family that Sasuke had once taken for granted- only cherishing it once it was too late... But he simply passed through Itachi as if he were a transparent apparition, with no physical form in this realm of the mind. From the momentum of his attack Sasuke landed forward unceremoniously on the floor in front of his kneeling parents, their resigned expression frightening him to his core with a twinge of anger- why weren't they fighting back? If not for their own lives, then for his own sanity and innocence!- and Sasuke was lost in desperation. Tou-san, Kaa-san...! Sasuke sat in front of his parents, who stared directly ahead and seemed to be staring right at him... But he knew better. They weren't staring at him, but rather through him. Sasuke reached out in vain to touch his mother's hand, but he simply slipped through her. He allowed his hand to fall limply at his side, eyes stinging with unshed tears, reality settling in though he wasn't any more appeased.

"I see... So you joined their side..." Fugaku said, but it was merely an observation rather than an accusation.

"Tou-san... Kaa-san... I-"

"We know, honey," Mikoto consoled softly. "It's okay."

"Itachi... Promise us that you will take care of Sasuke." Their father said. Tears fell from Itachi's eyes like everyday raindrops down a glass pane. His hands began to shake, blade in hand, trembling at the very notion of what was to come.

"I know... I will." Itachi swore to his parents, voice cracking with uncharacteristic emotion.

"Don't hesitate- it's the path you chose. Our pain will only last an instant, unlike yours... The way we think is different but I'm still proud of you, son. You really are gentle." Itachi's body shook with silent sobs and he gritted his teeth to keep quiet, tears cascading down his face and his katana shaking violently in his trembling hands. Sasuke cried openly at the scene, no one present to witness his weakness though he half wished someone was, someone with small delicate hands and soft roseate hair; he felt something inside him break at the truth revealed to him after all these years. He turned his head away and shut his eyes tightly when Itachi carried out the deed, both of them weeping in the process, and he didn't know if the agonized scream that followed came from him or Itachi. Sasuke watched a younger version of himself slowly swing open the door, lost and terrified, revoltingly erratic and unforgivably young, and Itachi's thoughts entered his mind once again. I lost all the truth... It won't come back.

Sasuke watched through teary eyes as Itachi tortured his younger self with Tsukiyomi, knowing full well what would happen next. He didn't want to watch anymore. He couldn't watch anymore. Why was he still here? Hadn't he seen enough already? His whole life's goal up until this point in time had been obliterated, shattered with a few priceless memories. Sasuke became too tired to cry, both physically and mentally exhausted. He watched as, with weary eyes and a heavy heart, Itachi departed from the building. His younger self, despite the turmoil, managed to get up on his feet and chase his older brother down through the streets. Sasuke knew only more torture was to come, and Itachi's parting words that shaped his whole life. He watched expectantly but, once again, something very unexpected happened.

"Itachi!" The young Sasuke cried out, sobs wracking his small frame though he stood eyes blazed red, a single tomoe swirling angrily within each eye. Sasuke was utterly stunned. This is when I first awakened the Sharingan? The older Uchiha stilled and slowly turned around and faced him, his face the emotionless mask of the hardened, cold-blooded killer Sasuke had believed him to be all these years. He watched in amazement as his young self pulled out a kunai and threw it with excellent precision and accuracy- he had been practicing particularly hard that day, as he remembered- but his disheveled state had caused the blade to go slightly off course. The kunai zipped past Itachi, ripping off his hitai-ate and slashing the surface in the process. A deep, neatly engraved fissure marred the Leaf symbol emblazoned across the front.

Itachi's eyes widened in surprise, seeing Sasuke's awakened Sharingan and how close the kunai had come to embedding itself in his head. I don't remember that... This didn't happen... Sasuke tried to convince himself vehemently, incredulous. Itachi's thoughts interrupted his own. Sasuke... His name, a single word, held so much emotion. Sorrow, regret, determination, protectiveness, love... Pride. A single stubborn tear slipped out of Itachi's eye as he bent down and retrieved the fallen hitai-ate. He held it up in the moonlight, observing the slash through it. Itachi smiled, finding it appropriate that Sasuke was the one who had inflicted it. He placed it over his forehead once more, knotting it tightly at the back of his head. I'm sorry, Sasuke. But it must be done.

Itachi turned around once more, face hard, eyes narrowed, and tone icy... His lips twisted up in a smirk.

"There is no value in killing the likes of you, my foolish otouto... If you want to kill me... Curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life... Run away... Run away, and cling to your pitiful life." He spat, eyes dancing with a sadistic gleam.

The young Sasuke gasped at the cruel words, still shocked after everything that had happened that night that his beloved aniki, whom he idolized, would say something like that. He naively looked his brother in the eye and fell to the ground a moment later, Itachi rendering him unconscious. He left him there on the ground, turning his back on him and leaving for good. Sasuke watched Itachi bound over the rooftops and flee into the darkness of the night past the Konoha city gates, never to return.

The next time Sasuke opened his eyes he was back in the octagonal room, the white mirror in the center and Kagami, spirit of the Yata Mirror, standing at his right side.

"Sasuke-sama... Now that you have been shown the truth, I'm going to send you back to your world."

"Why?" Sasuke asked, voice hushed with his hair shielding his face. His voice seemed to crack slightly on the word. "Why did you show me that?"

"Itachi-sama never planned on telling you the truth- instead, he wished for you to believe he was a monster and kill him in revenge so that you could move on with your life. He only wished for you to gain peace from his death and go back home."

"You're lying..." He whispered fiercely, though it seemed he was trying to convince himself of the fact rather than accuse the spirit. She smiled lightly, understandingly, and she put a hand on his shoulder consolingly. He didn't acknowledge the gesture.

"Hitsurugi, spirit of the Totsuka Blade, and I decided we would let you know the truth, despite Itachi-sama's wishes that you remain in the dark about this matter. This is the one and only time we have defied our master's wishes, but we did not want these events to come to pass without proper understanding on both sides... So now you know, Sasuke-sama. And now you must go back, return and make your decision."

Before Sasuke could utter another word, he was thrown back into reality. The impact from his blade being deflected off the Yata Mirror send him flying backwards, where he collapsed onto the ground in a pitiful heap. Itachi continued to step forward, undaunted. His brother's hand was outstretched, reaching for his eyes. It was all genjutsu. It was an illusion. It wasn't real. It was a lie. Sasuke chanted in his head in an attempt to maintain his sanity. He scrambled onto his feet and scurried back away from Itachi, who was less than a meter in front of him. Each shaky step he took forward, Sasuke took back. When his back hit the wall behind him Sasuke almost cried out in despair. Itachi ventured forward, each footstep bringing him closer and closer to his goal. It was a lie! It was a lie! Oh kami, it was all a lie! Sasuke screamed in his mind, horror taking over and fear planting him to the spot. A pale face with bubble-gum hair and apple-green eyes flashed in his head, and a single thought flitted across his mind. Sakura...!

Itachi's fingers trembled in front of him, about to gouge his eyes out at any moment. Sasuke shut them tightly in vain, as if it would hinder his brother's quest... But the pain never came. A firm poke to his forehead made Sasuke's eyes snap back open, and Itachi smiled at him.

"Forgive me, Sasuke... It ends with this." Sasuke watched in shock, his breath catching in his throat. In that very moment everything... Clicked. I found the truth. It has come back. Time seemed to slow as Itachi fell at his feet... And Sasuke barely registered his movements as he caught his older brother in his arms just before he hit the dirty ground. Itachi winced slightly in pain as Sasuke crouched on the ground holding him. He looked up at his distraught little brother and observed him.

"You know the truth now, do you not? Kagami showed you everything." Sasuke clenched his jaw and nodded, his voice evading him. Itachi merely sighed. "Meddlesome spirit..."

"N-nii-san... I... I didn't know... Oh kami, gomennasai!" Sasuke sobbed, clutching his dying brother in his arms. Itachi smiled up at his little brother, who was crying like a little kid again. Some things never change, he mused.

"Listen to me, Sasuke. I don't have much time left-"

"Don't say that, Nii-san! I-I'll save you! I'll get you a medic! Sakura is the best, she'll save you-" Sasuke interrupted desperately, but Itachi kept talking over him.

"-and there are some things I want you to do in my stead. Do you understand?" He asked sternly. Sasuke nodded, the gravity of the situation hitting him fully though he still helplessly clung to denial. His brother wasn't dying. He would bring him back to Konoha and Sakura would save him. His brother wasn't dying. He did not just kill his brother with his own two hands...

Rain poured down from the heavens, pelting them with its intensity, and Sasuke leaned forward in an effort to shield his brother from the onslaughts of weather.

"Firstly, I want you to go back to Konoha and live a life of peace. Do not seek revenge for my death." Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. His brother didn't want to be avenged?

"But Nii-san-"

"Do not seek revenge on Konoha. Do you hear me, Sasuke?" Itachi snapped. Sasuke gulped silently and nodded in confirmation. His older brother had been tragically loyal to a fault; he had given his life up to protect the village as well as Sasuke, and he couldn't bear to go against his brother's wishes with this knowledge in mind. Itachi relaxed a bit at this.

"Secondly, I want you to revive the Uchiha Clan. Rebuild our clan, Sasuke. Make it great. It is the one thing you can do to honor those who have fallen."

"It's already started, Nii-san. Haruno Sakura is now carrying my child." Or so Sasuke hoped, but he wasn't going to tell his brother that. Itachi raised an eye brow at this.

"The pink-haired woman, your former teammate? The apprentice of the Sannin Senju Tsunade?" Sasuke nodded once more and felt his chest swell at the thought of her, proud of his choice in lover.

"She is strong. She will do well to raise the future Uchiha." Itachi noted with a small smile. "I bless whatever children you do have." Suddenly his eyes clenched shut as a shudder wracked his body and he went into a wet-sounding coughing fit. Blood spewed out of his mouth, soiling his clothing. Sasuke watched in horror and his mind reeled, not knowing what to do.

"Nii-san!"

"There is a third thing I want you to do, Sasuke. I want you... To be happy. Go home to Konoha, protect the village with your power, revive the Uchiha to their former glory, and live a life full of happiness without any regrets. Raise a family with your Sakura, and always love." Itachi rasped out, his time running short.

"Please, Nii-san, don't die... I only just got you back, don't die on me... I want you to live, to come back to Konoha with me, to be at my wedding and to be there when my children are born... Please..." Sasuke begged quietly, tears falling down his cheeks and landing on Itachi's bloody face along with the rain. The older Uchiha smiled.

"Gomennasai, Sasuke, but I cannot do those things. I am living on borrowed time as it is. I do have one more thing for you though- consider it an early wedding gift." Itachi whispered, his voice failing. Sasuke leaned closer in order to hear him. "...The Mangekyou, and my eyes. Take them. They are the last things I have to give to you, Sasuke. Take them, use them for good where I failed to. Protect the village, protect the Uchiha..." Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't possibly take Itachi's eyes- it was desecration, defilement, utter blasphemy.

"Iie, Nii-san! I can't do that... I won't-" Sasuke's words were interrupted when Itachi's hand raised up and pulled his head down, the brothers' foreheads now touching and their gazes aligned.

"I always lied to you, telling you to forgive me. I always kept you away with my own hands. I didn't want to involve you. But now, I think... That you could have changed Tou-san, Kaa-san... And all the Uchiha... If I had faced you from the start, tried to see things from your point of view, and talked to you about the truth... Maybe none of this would have happened. But there is no going back- what's done is done. You don't have to forgive me, Sasuke. Just know this- I will love you forever." Itachi vowed, a smile on his face. Tears continued to fall from Sasuke's eyes, though Itachi never cried a single tear. Instead, he smiled. How could he smile? Sasuke thought in amazement through his despair. He was on the brink of death, hated by the whole village and killed by his little brother. So why, kami, why was he smiling? That smile would haunt Sasuke forever.

"Me too, Nii-san! Me too! I love you, so please don't die! Please!" He begged, clinging onto his brother for dear life. For his brother's dear life, that is. The only member of his old family he had left- the only link to his old, happy life.

"Sayonara, Sasuke... Otouto... It ends with this." The light faded from Itachi's eyes and his hand slid from Sasuke's head, falling onto the ground beside him. But the smile lingered on his face. His love shone through, despite the fact that his heart stopped beating. Sasuke gasped, his eyes widening in horror. He gripped his brother's limp shoulders and shook him in order to wake him up, but through his denial a small part of him knew Itachi was gone.

"Nii-san? Nii-san! Nii-saaan...!" A scream ripped through Sasuke's raw throat, but his cries fell onto deaf ears... Onto dead ears. The rain had never faltered and instead seemed to be mourning along with him. He shivered, absolutely drenched, and exhaustion overtook him. The tears stopped. The crying stopped. The emotions stopped. It was all too much for him to handle- Sasuke felt strangely numb as he looked down at his deceased older brother in his arms, his unseeing eyes staring back at him hauntingly. Sasuke raised a trembling hand and closed his eyes lids shut respectfully. He would take him back to Konoha, where he would make sure Itachi would be honored as a hero and buried alongside their ancestors. Sasuke closed his eyes in resignation, and when he opened them again the Mangekyou glowed in the darkness. Thank you for your gift, Nii-san... But I will not take your eyes... I will do everything you told me, but not that. Sasuke's vision grew spotted as he struggled to maintain consciousness and he slumped over his brother, blackness coming over him as he fainted.

A/N: RIP - Uchiha Itachi! I hope you had your tissues handy. I know I did. ;( I hope what I did with the Yata Mirror and everything was believable! When the idea struck me I was so happy I found a way for Sasuke to find out the truth before Itachi actually died, even if it was right before. I'm satisfied with how this chapter turned out, so I hope you like it. Jeez, it's kind of depressing... I don't have anything cheerful to say in this chapter's author's note. xI It may be a little bit before the next chapter, since I've been uploading so quickly recently. Thanks for reading, reviewing and everything else, I appreciate it bunches! Sayonara!

Japanese vocabulary:

Iie: no

Gomennasai: I'm (so) sorry

Otouto: little brother

Aniki: older brother

Nii-san: older brother

Kaa-san: mother

Tou-san: father

Kami: god