Once upon a time, there was a girl who wrote a story and uploaded super late. Her readers hated her guts for it since she left them hanging. Now that she uploaded with an apology, she hoped to be able to have time to upload more since school has started. Anyway, this girl wants to say here is the next chapter and ENJOY!
The forest leafs danced and sang as the wind joined them in union and harmony. The music they formed washed across the water and village with melody. The leafs fell to the ground silently, twirling in the air gradually. The village was peaceful tonight.
The stars shone above Madara's head as his eyes began to count and connect them. "They changed", he spoke alone to the trees and insects about. "These are all... new stars..."
A new part of the galaxy. A new transition. A new world. New stars. This was what he'd been waiting for. His pupil did not disappoint him yet... and once the transition was complete... he promised himself that he would destroy anyone who could avenge his monopoly.
With a sigh, he looked around. He could not help but think... The village was at peace tonight.
Chapter 15- A Flickering Light
It felt like I could taste the bitter taste of death as that grimly heel descended on me. And in a second, everything vanished, leaving the world exposed to a white bright light blinding me with its luminous rays. Moments passed as the light persisted and my eyes burnt from its magnetic waves. Instantly, I was certain I had begun my transition into the afterlife as my body felt afloat and my weight became lighter than that of a feather's. It all felt surreal until the chattering of humans ignited. Sounds echoed and bounced off the walls as the foundation of speech poured in like a rippling ocean awakening my sensations of life with a heave of breath. Bright lights danced on my face and the tips of my lashes as my eyes squinted in pain. A slight burning sensation poured into my eyes as I gazed above. A heat wave gradually rose about as the humid air returned with the fruitful aroma of the baskets of the Brazilian market. The heat struck hard above my head causing my breathing to diminish along with a forceful sweat to form.
Gradually, I attempted to move about only to find the limitation of my movements a set back. Heavy entanglements of the wrapping shadow enveloped me securely. Gazing to my sides I found both Shikaku and Shikamaru had traveled back with me. It was a shock to see their blazing red eyes peer into mine with determination. Their stone hypnotized features prevailed as a dark presence engulfed their consciousness. Slowly, the look of their irises diminished from red to black as their minds slowly awoken from the heavy world transition. Their bodies wobbled back and forth in a dizzied motion as their grip on me loosened causing their shadow jutsu to fractured a degree. Quickly, before their minds were capable of grasping reality, I placed them under my own genjutsu spell as I forced their grip on me to vanish. Time elapsed within my spell as their minds fooled them into the feeling of old age. Their skin wrinkled and their hair greyed as their ability to resist me diminished greatly with no consequence.
The staggering realization struck them with bafflement. "Welcome", I arrived beside them as their own strangle jutsu began to entangle themselves. The widening of their eyes grew with fear as their faces paled deep snow white.
"Itachi Uchiha", Shikaku muttered with a sickening glare, "Why are you here?"
A naive question. "That question should be directed toward you. You shouldn't be here." Curiosity motioned my body with desire for the slightest knowledge to their arrival. Investigating the components of their pockets, I found no evidence of a card. Nothing leading to the thought that they had been summoned here like I was. There arrival was mysterious and odd. Like an outside force brought them here. Or they had been dropped out of their world, rejected by a negative force, only to end up in this one.
There were many options and hypotheses that brought about a reason for this odd transition, but none provided me with the answer to the most important question in thought... Why?
"The Hokage doesn't appreciate strangers entering the village without permission", Shikamaru broke the silence with distaste as he grumbled in his old age.
"Calm down Shikamaru, Madara Uchiha will destroy him and his insolence", Shikaku added with certainty as he licked his dry lips, "it is only a matter of time... a matter of time...", he trailed off as his mind fell onto the image of their growing age.
"What about Tsunade?", I inquired cautiously.
"She was about to eliminate you, but she will certainly be punished for her failure", Shikamaru cackled as his father followed his lead of lunacy.
The sound of their laughter left me feeling sick as they continued back and forth with speech of Madara Uchiha's greatness. The manipulating genjutsu has been broken and yet their memory was nothing more than a jigsaw mess, unable to comprehend the trueness of this reality or the dripping taste of their freedom. Their thoughts revolved around a reality that has yet to exist, a fabrication, a facade where the life they had once treasured was thrown away into the depths of oblivion. And yet, they speak of this new life with such passion as if it were all that ever existed!
And what if it does exist, physically and mentally?! Does that mean my world has finally been engulfed with falsifications and lies?! It left me feeling pale white and nauseous as the thoughts of my home began to fade gradually into an abyss of nothing, as if my whole life was slowly shattering and gradually erased... Will I... end up like them? Speaking a fool's word and listening to orders without a thought to spare?!
It was all mind-wrecking and upsetting. The parallel of both my dreams and reality will suffer a grave change and slowly I could feel myself eclipse. What will become of me when my heart truly becomes blind?
"What about the first four Hokages... What about Sarutobi?" I felt my mind trail off. What about Sasuke?!
"What Hokages? Madara has been the only Hokage present", Shikaku cocked his head slightly, "And for Sarutobi... He has been a great helper of the Hokage."
Of course... they didn't see any of the others becoming Hokage because they never were leaders to them.
It was odd how much I desired Tobi to keep even the slightest of the origin of my world intact. And yet I knew he wouldn't. If his subjects were ever released from his genjutsu with previous memories to cherish, they would only rebel against the atrocities he has made them committed. To him, there was no new world if there was an old one to remember.
A sigh of frustration heaved out of my chest ominously. It depressed me of my world and the people within it. Many have been erased to be replaced by nothing. Many will be forgotten and never seen again. Everything that will fill the background now is just my dear family and friends, and those deemed worthy of importance.
Slowly, my genjutsu seized there minds in a whirl of memories. They were also fabrications and figments of the mind, however, they were closer to the original source than what they find to be true. Their realities were nothing but lies and yet to them, their memories were precious. And somehow, there must be hope for their real memories to recover for Madara's plan remains incomplete. I am a part of his plan and yet I persist with many of my memories untouched... or so I hoped. Hoped that the new forged story has not taken over my previous home. Not yet...
With thoughts swirling about, I realized... This might be my only chance to destroy him. Nora is safe and this world is slowly crumbling. There is no time to waste.
A slight change of pressure emerged, awakening me from my thoughts, as the two bodies I held captive in an illusion dispersed into thin air, leaving behind the gentle smell of cut green grass and forest earth. Their disappearance was sudden, like the change of weather or the tide of the ocean. It was similar to what I had endured in my worldly transition as everything about washed away, dissolved, only to return back here, with magnetic images of life.
Now I am certain... Currently, Madara's reign has engulfed two worlds with desires of peace, prosperity, and perfection only to provide so little of satisfaction to those who were awake of his dreams. And yet, this all began as a vision to him, a crazed notion, filled with a hungered appetite to consume two worlds to end pain and death. That dangerous crave that swims ravishingly within him increased his feverous thirst for creating and correcting mankind. However, he has made a great mess of things and it is nothing more than my obligation to repair it.
As I breathed in the fruitful air around me I realized this was the final moment. It was to be the ending of Madara's sudden success story. His reign over two worlds has finally come to a challenge... and I will be the one to finish this once and for all...
The trip to the Brazilian Branch of the House of Unity was quick with the unbearable anticipation to grasp Madara by the shoulders and drag him back to where he came. The assassination trap had failed and yet I was certain he already received the devastating news of my survival. As I traveled, the wiping cool wind in my hair awoken my senses and rested my muscles. In mere seconds, I stood high before the large building then entered with no extra time to waste. The halls were ominously quiet only capable of multiplying the volume of my feet as they pounded hard against the marble floor. Neither Deidara, Hidan, nor Kisame were capable of such silence as their loud nature did not appeal to that. Something about this muteness left me anxious to see the reason to their hush.
The rattling of the weapons in my pouch danced with the beat of my heart as I advanced through the glamorous halls. The smell of wax rose about as squeaks emerged from the bottom of my feet where my shoes and the marble collided.
Gradually, my pace began to slow as I found myself gazing at the orange masked man. His back rested toward the wall as his eyes shone with a blazing crimson red. A kunai spun around his finger lethally with the metal shine craving the taste of blood and flesh. The wind howled around it as if it were alive.
As I fell to a stop, I spoke toward him with a clear goal in mind, "It is time to end this foolishness Tobi. It is time for us to return home."
A gaze of amusement emerged throughout his eyes as he crooked his head sideways. "What home? This is our home. This is where we could act based upon our own will and desires. That other place you speak of is history", he gazed into my eyes with pity, "Don't try to hurt yourself Itachi. Just let go of your unworthy past and obey!"
Silence fell between us as I glared at him with confidence only to provide him with no reply.
The gruesome hush was unbearable as we awaited each other's comments. Soon it shattered as he spoke with a deep dry tone, "I was hoping you understood the trouble you are placing yourself in", he glared at me with devious eyes, "I know every move of yours. I have studied every pattern you could make. Every jutsu you are capable of performing is already known to me. There is no surprise in your actions and thoughts, and yet, you do not possess the slightest of knowledge of my abilities. You are clueless to my jutsu. And by far, you are at a great disadvantage. Defying me will only lead you nowhere. You might as well surrender child."
"You are only capable of making assumptions. You do not possess the true proof to your words", I retorted with confidence, however, everything he spoke was true. There was a limit to my knowledge of his strategies. The abilities he possesses remain a mystery to me. The unbearable reality that I was at a disadvantage was also true and yet I felt it in my blood to fight. It would be a weakness to accept the title of 'disadvantaged' right before the real battle commenced. "I won't allow the merging of these worlds," I called to him with heat forming slowly at the tips of my feet as I prepared to pounce on him with a kunai in hand.
"Why not?" He inquired with confusion, "Do you not desire a perfect world?!"
With a quick glance around, I answered him, "Your perfect world is nothing but a status change allowing the Uchiha to rise above the others and exact their vengeance on everyone around like they were only to be their slaves and servants. Your perfect world is nothing but a waste of time and I cannot take the chances of the merging failing."
It was evident in his eyes that I had struck him hard with my comments only enraging him and making him laugh. "You are quite the comedian Itachi, but failing!" He burst with surprise, "That is far too much. Let me assure you, this plan has the highest probability of success. And with you gone, it cannot fail!"
"Madara... or Tobi", I began with conflict toward the name I was to address him by, "You expect such a mediocre plan to merge these two worlds into one to occur without complications?! It is quite ridiculous how your mind works. One world overlapping the other to form a world in which two different realities could live in will never exist. The laws of nature will not allow such unbalance to occur in this vast solar system. Think of it this way, bringing two large objects to form in the same place at the same time will only collapse this solar system along with the entire universe. They will all vanish with a grand explosion greater than the Big Bang. You and I will not exist, and neither will this planet and neither will our world."
In one smooth motion, he lifted his back off the wall and began to advance toward me. With a quick reaction of my kunai, he halted in place then spoke in a deep low tone, "There is a very high chance of failure, I admitted it. You are right. Both worlds cannot exist at the same time in the same place, however, there still remains a probability of this plan working perfectly. It may be a very low chance, but I am quite confident in taking it to create a perfect world."
"And what if you destroy us all", I inquired with disturbance.
"What about it? As a leader, I am willing to sacrifice. And even if it destroys us all, I would still have achieved a peaceful universe. Both conclusions will end positively."
A sickening knot formed in my throat as he spoke with cruelty and cold-bloodedness. "What about our world. It will end in flames."
"Itachi", he directed his words toward me, "The worlds are very close now that even people of our world have begun to transition into this one without the need for summoning. It's quite amazing, no? That means it is too late to change the course of this plan. Both worlds will either merge together to form one perfect world or... both worlds will destroy each other from the inside out, taking with them the entire universe and the balance of the solar systems around."
"I will stop you." There was a hint of distortion in my voice as I called to stop him and a grave feeling of panic filled me.
His counter was nothing but a mere amused clap. A daunting clap that echoed heavier and heavier upon my shoulders as if I had missed a great deal of detail. A surreal feeling engulfed me as the clap seemed to slow and boom. "You have finally come to realization. You were just a tad too late. You see, this process has already reached an irrevocable stage, just as you spoke. It's over."
"No, it's not over. It's never over", I countered with heat forming throughout my face. "What happened to the trust I was promised?"
"You and I both know the truth. There will never be trust between us. After all, this 'trust' and 'loyalty' doesn't fit the Uchiha name. Our eyes threaten each other's plan along with our complete difference in dreams and desires." He placed his hand on his chin before he continued, "I will tell you this. It took me by surprise that you accepted my request to eliminate a bunch of rebels, but I did not complain. As a tool, you served me well, but I must say, I had not expected you to help bring about the final stage of this plan. You must have done a miscalculation Itachi."
There might be enough time to reverse this!
As soon as my hand held a cold metallic kunai with the desire to purge this mistake, I was prepared to lunge at Madara to thrust this blade into the depths of his chest then burn the card within his grasp. It didn't appear to be a fitting end for a fiend, but it was an end, and that was all that was required to achieve peace.
Before I begun to execute my plan, he conveyed to me the failure of my actions. In an odd motion, his eyes shone red as he commenced to speak with a voice completely drenched with power, "You will not be able to touch me, pet!"
The utter boldness of his tone stung me with disrespect like a thousand needles had showered down on me. With the title he had unwisely bestowed upon me, the wires of my mind grew with vast realization of his attempt to erupt me with rage. Even with this knowledge, as if out of control, the inner components of my mind inspired hustle plans of assassination to unfold. Each was more gruesome and more fitting than the last. And yet, before I attacked with the blazing hot blood that coated my insides, he pulled an object out of his pocket and held it within his fingers. It was a rectangular piece of paper that was unfolded before me. In fact, it appeared to be a card!
Gradually, the sight before me adjusted into a sharpened image. The card that he concealed with him held a picture of... me?! Was he planning to slow me down by burning it?!
"It's quite pathetic to hide behind a card that wouldn't be enough to slow my movements", the words sounded more confident than I felt. It was evident that if the card he possessed was burnt, it would inevitably hurt. By the close exposure distance, it will definitely effect the velocity and power of my attacks. If he set it ablaze, it will be pathetic, yet quite effective.
"Now, now, Itachi. I am not that low", he spoke with a cold glare, "I already know I will defeat you", the disgusting cocky attitude overtook him. Conceited with all that confidence, it must have blinded him to what could be his last. Before he continued to speak, Madara motioned for the door then opened it with a loud creak. "I don't wish to fight you at the moment for I fear that my guest may receive drastic injuries from such a bash."
Guest? The sound of oddly taken footsteps emerged from the room beside Madara. Whomever was in there seemed to have great difficulty with one of their legs. The sound of an object being dragged against the hardened floor amplified greatly like the sound of sandpaper on skin. It brought about my heightened defense for I assume it may possibly be Deidara, however, the person who emerged from within the chambers of that room had been shorter than Deidara. A lot shorter.
Their face was slender and pale as if hungered then drained from the red blood that ran inside their body. Red marks ran across their face, arms and legs. Yet there must have been more hidden behind the little blue shirt and bloodstain white shorts. The thing that sickened me most had been that a child walked out of that door. There was nothing written upon their face other than misery and torture. And once his eyes met mine, I read the anguish and depression that ran deep within them like a hole was forced inside of them, and never closed. The wounds he possessed were left wide open from infliction and overexposure to mental and physical pain.
A throb ached within my heart like a thorn had been rushed into my core. The thing was, I knew this child. Yet it took my mind time to register their face and what was truly happening.
"Sasuke...?"
Another throb emerged as I spoke his name with a choke. Then another followed with greater power that a slight groan escaped my lips. The sight before me fed the chaos that raged aimlessly inside, however, a sense of sadness and utter helplessness suddenly washed the flames away.
He couldn't be here in such agony and filth. The torment that he endured force my heart to wither and die. There was hardly a voice within me as I spoke his name again with a low demanding mumble, "Sasuke..."
This time it sounded more like a command to bring him closer to me. The eyes of my brother averted from mine in betrayal and hate. It tore my insides like a knife twisting my flesh. A shiver grew inside him as his body quaked with fear. The blue lips of his mouth were slightly parted for air yet it appeared as if he weren't breathing.
"Sasuke!" This time I sounded wounded and desperate. But I was met with nothing but silence. There was no reply. Just a dead glassy stare toward the cold floor.
Then as my sight drifted from my brother to the man standing beside him, a fire set ablaze inside of me as the sense of helplessness evaporated from within. A vicious intention flourished, then I began to advance toward him. It was time for me to liberate my brother from this monster.
Madara's hand fell upon my brother's shoulder forcing him to flinch and me to halt.
The utter pain of this rushed across Sasuke's features. It was filled with hurt and glimpses of dependence appeared. He needed me.
With a step forward, Madara spoke, "Take another step and this card will burn." Even though I received a verbal warning I continued to advance. It was a selfish of me to advance knowing he might be punished for my actions... but oddly, I could not stop. Quickly, I began to hear Sasuke groan and ache. Wails of pain consumed him until I noticed what Madara dropped onto the ground. It was a card of Sasuke, and to my relief, it had a picture of him engraved on it.
The child fell to the ground in suffering and broken faith engraved upon his features. He wanted me to help him, not increase the abuse he tasted as the flames burnt him. A wheeze came from his chest as he gasped for air.
My heart cringed together and I could feel my lungs tighten then shred from the pressure. The pain rushed throughout my body then into my brain like poison invading my organs. It felt like my body ruptured with blood as my veins collapsed from the speedy pound of my chest.
As if that wasn't enough, a familiar pile of paper was thrown before me upon the marble ground with a loud thud. With a quick flicker, it shone ablaze. Streams of hot tears ran down Sasuke's cheeks and his face was boiling red. "Please!" He begged as he clutched onto his chest as if acid had been pushed into his core. "Stop!" He croaked with thirst for ease. Slowly, the groans seized and silence took over the hallway. Then the hush receded as muffled sobs cut through the air with agony and misery. With an unconscious step forward, another flame was set in the corner of my eye followed by loud wails and cries of pain. Pleading with severe pain written upon Sasuke's features, I thought I saw a partial cloud of smoke escape his lips. It was dark with ash as if he were being barbequed alive.
Gradually, my feet could not carry me any further as I collapsed upon the hardened ground with a tightened chest and no air to scare the faintness away.
Now I began to beg, "Please stop." I sounded desperate and breathless as I stared at Sasuke's crimson lifeless body that laid on the floor.
"Take another step and he will get hurt real bad", Madara noted with complete heartlessness, "You should have listened. This is all your fault and now I must resort to his last card if you disobey me again." He held up the card that held my picture on it.
At first, confusion filled me until realization struck hard. It was the same card I had burnt in Nora's house. Written upon the surface of the card was a saying I had once given Sasuke.
'Forgive me, Sasuke… There'll be another time.'
Ironic, I thought, there was nothing I could do this time. Weakly, my sight fell to the cold floor.
A loud bang emerged and my head jerked to find Sasuke wounded on the floor with blood seeping out of his head. Without thought, I rushed to Madara with a fist only to drop dead from a rapid heat wave that suddenly rushed through my body.
He did it. He truly was burning the last card of my little brother. Bloodcurdling cries filled the room, as I gaze upon Sasuke's features. A large magma like crack emerged upon his nose and quickly began to expand.
"I'm sorry!" My eyes began to rain. "I will do anything but please stop it!"
No sooner, he placed his foot upon the card and the flame was extinguished. "Your brother was almost terminated due to your incompetence. Do not underestimate me and do not defy me or else."
Why was I breathing so heavy? Why couldn't I move? I wasn't paralyzed... I was afraid.
"I see that you have learned a valuable lesson about life Itachi. Now that you know your place, speak with your brother. Grieve in the pain of your situation. Then we will discuss terms and... errands you will complete for me."
Once he left, the hallway fell silent as the rustling of the trees was all that could be heard. Everything slowed in ache as the sudden vile smell of vomit reached my nose. Sasuke had vomited on the ground beneath him as his body shivered and quaked. I went and stood beside him.
Placing my hand upon his shoulder, our eyes met and my gaze fell against the scar I had caused him. It stretched deep into the tissue of his skin and extended from one brow to the edge of his lips. It was the conclusion of the burning of his summoning card and it remained upon his features as a sign of death. With caution, I brushed my fingertips on top of the wound only to hear him wince in pain then cringe away. It ached me to see the damage I had caused him. This was never meant to happen and he was never meant to get involved. Eventually, my sight drifted to the ground before I found enough courage to speak to him, "Sasuke, I'm sorry that I hurt you. You weren't to get involved in this. I was calling his bluff, however it appears that he was not bluffing after all."
The voice that emerged was neither hurt nor hateful. It was low, yet tender. It brewed hope and happiness within me like a wave of warm sunshine on a cold winter morning. "It's okay big brother", his eyes avoided my gaze as if to hide the mix of emotions that ran within him. The heat of his body began to decrease. The quivering of his voice shook me, "I'm scared", he said.
A piece of my heart broke apart and withered within me. This child was frightened and I am unable to comfort him. The quake in his voice gripped the insides of my stomach hard.
"I promise to protect you", I held him closer this time. The hurting that ran within me eased as Sasuke's fragile arms embraced me. The pain of our bodies was bearable now.
"I want to go home big brother." He buried his face into my chest.
"Soon we'll be home", I tried to comfort him.
Madara will make sure of it.
File X Opened
Name: Tobi ('Madara')
Weapons: Gunbai, Kusari, Sword, Sword of Nunoboko
Jutsu: Explosive Landmines, Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique, Demonic Statue Chains, Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique Summoning Technique (Demonic Statue of the Outer Path)
In Case of Contact: This enemy is the leader of the Akatsuki. You may not live after you spot him since he usually has his followers do his dirty work. He has no mercy for anyone he encounters so try to avoid close contact. He is capable of mentally and physically breaking down his opponents. OBEY him if you want to live. DO NOT act like a wimp in front of him if you want to live. SPEAK of why you are WORTH of living and how you will contribute to his plans. AVOID him at all times.