Sasori's gaze was fixed on Itachi's closed fist. What object of such a minuscule size could possess the kind of power and importance that Itachi spoke of? He felt himself shaking slightly in anticipation and he noticed his breathing had accelerated.
Itachi's hand took what seemed like minutes to open even though it was only a fraction of a second. And in it lay an eye but not just any eye. Sasori's first reaction was disgust until he noticed this eye was of a purplish-gray color all around and had a ripple pattern similar to that of a drop falling in water.
"Itachi...is this...is this what I think it it? One of Pain's rinnegans?" whispered Sasori in awe.
"Yes that is exactly what it is. Now here, drink this it will numb your body and help make the chakra transition easier." Said Itachi, tossing a glass vial to Sasori who almost dropped it because of how significant his trembling had become.
"Wait, what's going to happen exactly..?"
"I am going to remove one of your current eyes and replace it with this rinnegan. This will allow you to not only copy jutsu's like my sharingan but you will also be able to see chakra points like the byakugan and you will have the ability to learn all jutsus. Now we must hurry, I do not want this to cause a commotion so I would rather it be done while the others are away. Also, it would be better if you keep the eye covered at all times unless absolutely necessary. Pain doesn't want the others feeling like he is picking favourites so if we can keep it a secret during the whole mission it would be best, it is only a precaution he is taking. Also, since you were not born with this power, using it will expend your chakra quickly so you really have no choice but to keep it hidden unless necessary."
"What about my opinion here?" asked Sasori nervously.
"Unless you wish to sit out this mission and thus be exiled from the order, your opinion is irrelevant." continued Itachi in his same matter-of-fact tone.
"Okay then...in that case...I guess I don't have a choice."
"You should not be hesitant. This is a great honour and an opportunity to increase your strength immensely that Pain is giving you. To be this unsure of it is insulting to the sacrifice he has made for you." Continued Itachi, a sliver of anger breaking into his usually emotionless voice.
"Woa! Alright! It's just not every day you get forced to give up an eye ok?" exclaimed Sasori. "I guess... I guess I'll give up the left one" he added and downed the vial's content.
His legs suddenly felt weak and he fell hard to the floor.
"You should have warned me idiot. I could have caught you." Itachi said bending over Sasori with a thin knife in hand.
The liquid had numbed Sasori greatly but not put him to sleep. He needed to be awake to make the transfer of his body's chakra into his new eye possible. The initial incision was painful but he was too numb to utter any sounds. Itachi worked quickly and efficiently and within a few minutes the procedure was complete. He used a small fireball jutsu to burn all traces of the old eye. He then dabbed the blood that had dripped around the cuts and wiped his own bloodied hands and left the cloth on the ground as it was part of his plan for explaining what had happened to the others.
"Now your body needs to get used to this new part and spread its chakra through it. This combined with the elixir you just took and going to be very draining. Your body has already started transferring chakra into the new eye, it should be alright to sleep and I would recommend you do that since we are leaving tomorrow." He handed Sasori an eye patch. "Wear this over it so it is not always in use. I already know what I am going to tell the others. I'll fill you in tomorrow when you are properly conscious"
Itachi had been meditating the mission they had been assigned when he heard the sound of someone walking down the steps to the hideout door. The door opened and Deidara walked in. His gaze fell on Sasori laying with the eye patch over his left eye and the bloodied rag that lay next to him and a look of shock and worry appeared on his face. Sasori had always been his partner and they had grown into friends throughout the missions they had faced together.
"Itachi...What the hell happened to Sasori?" he gasped.
"Training accident with a kunai, it's nothing to worry about." said Itachi in his usual relaxed tone. "I have already looked at it and it will heal back to normal. However he will need to wear that eye patch for a while because his eye will be very sensitive."
Deidara accepted this explanation without any questions like Itachi knew he would. He then proceeded to ask how their tasks had gone. Deidara said he had brought back two pots of water and Kisame had caught a dozen fish. He told Itachi that Kisame would return shortly after he had found the herbs he needed to preserve the fish.
"Are you sure I can't take a look at his eye just to see if there's anything else I can do for him?" asked Sasori still somewhat worried.
"Removing the patch now would only further risk exposing it to infection. I am satisfied with the treatment I gave him and you should be too." the tone he used showed that he did not wish to discuss the matter any further.
"Meh...alright I guess... I'm going to sleep now. All the shit I've put up with today has tired me the fuck out." Deidara walked towards the far corner of the room where he had piled some leaves to sleep on when they had arrived. Unlike the others, he shuddered at the thought of sleeping directly on the ground.
"I will remain awake until our final member returns so I can inform him of what happened here. We will be up early tomorrow. I expect no complaints when I awaken everyone."
"Yeah, yeah, now shut up and let me sleep!"
Itachi awaited Kisame's return quietly. Once his blue friend had arrived and the night's events had been explained, both promptly went to sleep knowing too well that the following morning would mark the beginning of a long and strenuous journey.