6 - The Uchiha Pact
Sasuke had spent several days after seeing his former teammates thinking about what was discussed. The fact that his Sharingan could not see any deception in Naruto's body language made things particularly puzzling for him. So with evidence to the contrary meant Naruto had spoken the truth, and after he killed Orochimaru when the snake sannin was at his weakest, the Uchiha departed what was left of the Hidden Sound to begin his search for his brother. Not for revenge as he previously wanted oh no now the Uchiha wanted answers to questions that his dobe of a former teammate brought up. He decided to head to the one place Itachi would likely go to rest between missions for the Akatsuki the old Uchiha foundry located just south of the Valley of the End. It took another three days to arrive there, in that time he heard some interesting things, one Naruto's placement in the Bingo Book had changed from low B-ranked Leaf Shinobi to high A-Ranked with the words approach with caution or attack in a group. The reason for this was his and Sakura had ambush and defeating the Immortals of the Akatsuki, Sasuke scoffed at the approach with caution section in the book, they didn't know Naruto. He would never killed unless people the he knew and cared for were threatened, then he would gain unparalleled strength, it was what the Uchiha admired about his former teammate.
XXX
Sasuke could sense his brother sitting on a throne that Madara Uchiha once sat in and ruled over his clan with an iron fist. "Brother," Sasuke stated simply watching him with his Sharingan, the last three years had not been kind to his older brother apparently he could see his older brother's skin had become paler and waxy, he looked like he was sweating profusely. Itachi was in bad shape and his chakra had rapidly decreased since their last fight. "You aren't well."
"Do I sense compassion in your voice little brother," even Itachi's voice sounded weak. "I wanted you to channel your hatred to beat me."
"I had been until two weeks ago when I ran into Naruto, you'd be amazed at what he told me," Sasuke stated. Itachi's brow rose looking at him with a questioning gaze, "You acted under orders from the Leaf elders to assassinate all the Uchiha coup de tat conspirators' father included fifteen in all, yet somehow you massacre everyone including mother, this lie has gone on long enough. Naruto told me what father…; no Fugaku did to our mother all because she wanted to raise her best friend's son!"
Itachi sighed heavily not expecting this kind of confrontation but deep down he was proud of both his brothers, "I had not anticipated Naruto would learn the truth or that he would somehow managed to tell you. But whatever he said is just the tip of the iceberg, I tried to limit the casualties but the one who came with me that night is mad, he has a cruel plan in the works to enslave everyone putting them under the Tsukuyomi only on a larger scale, and the key is the Jinchuuriki."
"Naruto," Sasuke's eyes widen. "Then why help them, if you know what they plan why try to capture our brother!"
Itachi's mouth twitch upward into something resembling a smile, "That was all that I would do, try. Mother would never forgive me if I harmed Naruto; he was as much her son as we were didn't often wondered where she would disappear to for those long periods of time."
"I do recall she was assigned as ANBU for a stretch of three years, before Fugaku caught on and demanded she stay home where she belonged," Sasuke stated.
Itachi nodded, "She made it her mission to watch out for him even though she couldn't raise him. Father couldn't stand it, mainly because she still had ties to both her former sensei and to her teammate while his had both been killed during the last war. I believe he was the one who tipped off the one who cause the nine-tails to be released."
Sasuke's hands clutched and he growled softly, "So father not only killed mother but he led to the deaths of not only the fourth hokage and his wife but over half dozen good shinobi."
"Now you see why I had no love for the man," Itachi slumped into the throne looking more tired than when they started this discussion. "I'm not long for this world Sasuke, I figure a day or less and my illness will kill me. I only ask that you do it for me in the way all Uchiha must, through a test of arms."
"Brother," Sasuke whispered sadly.
"When you finally strike me down, take my eyes and go back to the hidden leaf, have the Hokage or that pinked haired teammate of yours surgically implant them, once that is done you'll be granted with the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan with it you must help our brother defeat the mad one," Itachi stated firmly. Sasuke stared at his brother looking stricken wondering if he could now kill his brother with what he knew and the reasons behind everything. After a few minutes Sasuke reluctantly nodded drawing his sword. "Fight well little brother, because I will not hold back."
XXX
Naruto groaned feeling Sakura touch him in areas in the past few days that he dreamed she would when he was younger. He knew the SS ring cleansed her of all doubt about who she loved and that person was luckily him but lately it was a double-edged sword to which she admitted to, she already warned him she would get jealous of any girl not of his family who showed any interest in him and that she would get a bit more affectionate than she had. While a very welcomed change and he could now bask in further accomplishing his primary overall dream to marry his favorite pink haired girl and become hokage, her liberties were downright embarrassing. "I just know Pervy-sage is in these trees right now writing this stuff down for that porn of his," he muttered Sakura was currently draped around his shoulders nibbling on his ear whispering if they didn't have their rings on and weren't in public about the things she would do to him. He was blushing heavily, trying to ignore how awesome it felt with what she was doing and failing miserably. "You're doing this because of what Fu did this morning aren't you?" he asked dryly with a deadpan expression on his face.
"She was walking around nude in the middle of your apartment again," Sakura whispered huskily in his ear before sucking on it. "That's the third time she's done since she came here and don't tell me it's because she has no modesty. You need to get her a boyfriend, so I can have you all to myself."
"Sakura-chan it's only been three days," Naruto sighed feeling her fingers tighten around the cloth of the front of his shirt.
"She's taking advantage of you, the seven-tailed hussy," Sakura scowled.
He glanced down at the ring on her finger, "Have you asked you're inner to keep your ring powers in check like you promised, you're getting a bit possessive."
Sakura blinked the tension on his shirt lessen then she buried her face in his shoulders he could see her shoulders shaking he could tell she wasn't crying as her breathing was evening out. Then her arms went from his around his chest to his shoulders, when he saw her face again it was in deep concentration. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun," she said in a shaky voice as her eyes opened.
Naruto turned and captured her lips with his, "That's what you three agreed to, Inner Sakura would be the buffer for your raging emotions that way you can think clearly and not get jealous of every girl that gives me a passing compliment or smile. It's why the Green Lantern ring has up the absorption and purification of the fox's chakra to make things easier on us."
"I know it just with Fu it's like dealing with a really tall three year old, sure she knows about survival living on her own for so long. But she has no concept of day to day life in a village, everything fascinates her," Sakura states reaching up and rubbing Naruto's whisker marks find it strangely soothing more so because she hears Naruto actually purr.
"She's taking an interest in bugs, I've caught trying to capture a few she says because they talk to her," Naruto shrugged then smirked, "Think if I can get her to train with Team Kurenai, you'll be happy. I mean maybe she and Shino will hit it off."
"It wouldn't hurt," Sakura smiled. "That way I can have you all to myself again."
"Cha! Now rip his clothes off and take him right here!" Inner Sakura shouted a violet glow surrounding her.
Oh you and I will get along really well, the SS ring stated hovering above Sakura's inner persona.
Sakura groaned hearing that and blushed slightly, "Why can't we have a normal brain like everyone else?"
"What having two voices in our heads, you're lucky you don't have one threatening to eat you every five minutes the moment he's free," Naruto chuckled.
"True, but I think what I get can be considered pretty bad. Try imagine me with no way to restrain myself pushing you down right here and pretty much trying to rape you," Sakura stated.
Naruto chuckled nervously, "You forget who was my teacher for the last three years," he sighed missing Sakura's red face. "Speaking of which where is Pervy-sage?"
XXX
Sasuke closed his eyes fighting the tears that were threatening to fall as he slumped down next to the body of one of his brothers. He winced slightly in pain from when Itachi use his Susano to knock Sasuke back. He knew he was going to have bruises and the cuts he did have had stopped bleeding, "Surprised you lasted as long as you did, Sasuke. But considering you killed my teammate not bad," Sasuke spun quickly to see Jiraiya of the Sannin had just entered the foundry.
"How did you know we were here?" Sasuke asked leaning up against the wall.
"Your brother sent me a message had to put off chasing down a lead on the Akatsuki leader to come out here, but I'd do anything for Mikoto's sons even if I don't particularly like how they've turned out," Jiraiya stated walking up to the teen and squatting down examining the boys injuries.
"You knew mother?" Sasuke asked.
"Chojsu Akimichi, Minato Namikaze, and Mikoto Uchiha were my students, one died during the last war," Jiraiya stated pulling out some gauze and wrapping a particularly nasty cut on Sasuke's arm. "The second one went on to become the 4th Hokage married this little firecracker named Kushina Uzumaki, both died sealing the Nine-tails into their son. The last one was forced by her clan to drop being a shinobi, marry the clan leader and produce a worthy heir, did so in two tries," Jiraiya stated. "According to a wayward apprentice of mine was murdered by her own husband on the night your clan was massacred."
Sasuke slumped his head forward, "I've been an idiot."
Jiraiya chuckled, "Maybe I should have taped that would make the brat's day, he'd probably play it over and over again." Sasuke tried to keep his face neutral but it cracked into a smile. "Your brother stated in his message to find you and to help extract his eyes from his body then bring you, back to the village so Tsunade can do the surgery. You know you won't be able to use your eyes for at least two weeks afterward."
Sasuke nodded, "I have to ask did Itachi and I have godparents?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya stated rolling Itachi over then stepping between Itachi and Sasuke to begin the extraction rolling out a storage scroll.
"And?" Sasuke prodded.
The Toad sannin sighed, "Father's pick the godfather and the mother's pick the godmother, I don't know who Fugaku picked for your godfather, probably either a clan member, Danzo, or Orochimaru as he was closest to them. Your godmother I do know, she was your mother's best friend."
Sasuke gulped to get the lump out of his throat, "My godmother was Kushina Uzumaki?" He watched Jiraiya nod his head before slumping into the wall behind him his energy completely drained. Thinking back on all the times he had with Naruto as a member of Team 7, the fights they had both juvenile and real, but worse he thought about the fight at the Valley of the End. His heart hammering into his chest at how close he had come to killing his godbrother in that fight. The emotional strain on him became too much for him and he openly wept.
Jiraiya glanced over his shoulder and felt both pride and a little bit of sorrow for the young man, his mistakes while huge were not irreparable and once the young man got over the amount of grief and anguish he would be stronger for it. However the toad sage could easily see a much darker future for the Uchiha if things hadn't gone the way they did.
"I'm making a new goal from this moment forward, I will be the embodiment of vengeance not for my clan but for the unjust I will help Naruto hunt down defeat these Akatsuki. I'll bring peace for all those cry out for justice, I will be a dark knight helping from the shadows," Sasuke stated a fire of will and determination flickering in his eyes.
Jiraiya jumped when he saw a small flock of bats leave the foundry turning back to the teen and smirked, "Then I have a proposition for you."
Author's Note: Gone is the idea for the Shinobi justice league way to much static for it.