Sasuke vs. Itachi

The night sky was clear, the moon was bright, and Naruto was in Itachi's arms at the tree where they always rendezvoused. Naruto snuggled into Itachi's chest with not intent of letting go.

"I love you so much." Naruto's voice was as soft as can be. For a while, Itachi didn't respond and Naruto got worried. He looked up to find Itachi lost in his thoughts.

"What's the matter?" Naruto asked but still, no reply.

"Come on, Itachi. This isn't funny! Tell me what's wrong!" Naruto at this point was raising his voice at Itachi, demanding an answer. Itachi looked up at him for a while, then got on his feet and began to walk away from his blond haired lover with no hint of where he was going and still silent.

"Itachi!" Naruto yelled as he tried to follow Itachi, but his vision suddenly began to get blurry.

"Wha..what? Itachi! What's going on?" Naruto begged in despair as his vision just got even more blurry. Itachi stopped in his tracks, turned around to face Naruto, and said just one thing. "Follow the agent of nature. It is then you will find me." Naruto tried to call out to Itachi again, but everything suddenly faded to black. Naruto was frightened. There was nothing around him. He yelled and screamed but only heard his own echo in return. Then, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Naruto…" He turned around to see Sasuke, staring him down with his sharingan.

"You're foolish, Naruto. How could you think you could keep me from my revenge. Get in my way…" Sasuke withdrew a kunai as he spoke in his sinister voice.

"…and I won't think twice to kill you as well!" Sasuke lunged his kunai into Naruto's chest.

Naruto awoke from his nightmare and screamed. Naruto breathed heavily and quickly looked around to find he was in his bedroom. He looked at his alarm clock, which stated it was 8 o' clock in the evening.

"It…it was a dream…" His door opened and Naruto found Kakashi in the doorway.

"Ah, I see you're awake." Naruto looked astonished to see his sensei out of the blue.

"What are you doing here, Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi walked over to Naruto's bed and sat down.

"You fell asleep under a tree at the training ground so I brought you back to your apartment. You had a rough day so you should try going back to sleep." Kakashi got up to leave but could sense Naruto's anxiety.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Where is Sasuke?" Naruto asked with tension. Kakashi stood and wondered what to tell him, but figured Naruto was going to find out sooner or later.

"He's not in the village." Kakashi turned to try and tell Naruto to calm down but Naruto jumped out of bed in an instant.

"Where has he gone!" he yelled.

Kakashi stared him down.

"You know where he's gone, but Lady Tsunade has dispatched a team of jounin to retrieve him so there's no reason to get flared up. Besides, you need your rest."

"But Kakashi-sensei-!" Naruto began in protest, but Kakashi wouldn't have any of it.

"Naruto, I have been assigned to watch over you tonight so you wouldn't do anything reckless so you're going to lay back down and rest. That's an order!"

Naruto could feel Kakashi's determination to keep him in his room and as hard as it was to agree to his terms, Naruto obeyed Kakashi and got back in bed. Kakashi started for the door, but then stopped to assure Naruto of Itachi.

"I know it's hard not knowing what's happening, Naruto, but you'll see in the morning that everything will be back as it should be." Naruto wanted to believe Kakashi, but he just couldn't do it. Naruto wished Kakashi a good night and turned over on his bed and waited for him to close the door.

"I must find a way out without Kakashi-sensei noticing." Naruto thought to himself. He sat in bed pondering ways to escape for well over five minutes until he noticed a bird stop at his window. Naruto got up to investigate.

"A messenger bird?" Naruto thought until he noticed the birds details. It was a black crow.

"Konoha doesn't have any messenger crows…" Naruto opened his window slowly to avoid making noise and as soon as the opening was wide enough, the crow immediately flew inside his room and stood on Naruto's bed. Naruto continued staring into the crow's eyes, waiting for something to happen until the crow slowly transformed into a familiar figure before his very eyes. When the transformation was complete, joy overflowed in Naruto. The figure that appeared inside Naruto was none other than Itachi.

"Itachi!" Naruto whispered in excitement.

"You managed to avoid Sasuke!" Itachi stood from Naruto's bed and placed his hands on his shoulders to signal him to calm down.

"That's what I need to talk to you about." Itachi said softly. Curiosity showed on Naruto's face.

"What's going on…?" Itachi took a small breath and began.

"I'm not the real Itachi. You're actually under a genjutsu that the crow has placed on you. I did this so you could follow me to the real me. Right now, Sasuke is on his way to where I am right now, which is the Uchiha hideout. None other ninja other than the Uchiha clan knows of this hideout so whatever team that the hokage has obviously sent to go find Sasuke won't find him."

Naruto began to worry. His legs shook and he nibbled on his lips. All he could think about was the worst. Itachi placed his hand on Naruto's head.

"Hey, quit that." Itachi said with humor in his voice.

"This is why I'm here as of now. You're going to follow me and be my back up, ok?"

Naruto quickly gained confidence within himself.

"Yes!" he replied, without the slightest of worry. Naruto quickly changed clothes, even though all of his outfits were the same, and tied his headband around his forehead.

"Let's go, but we have to be quiet, or else Kakashi-sensei will hear us." Naruto summoned a shadow clone to take his place in his bed and both he and Itachi snuck out through the window as quietly as possible. Naruto softly closed his window and they were off towards the Uchiha Hideout.

"It may take some time to get there, but I'm sure I'll be able to stall Sasuke long enough until then." Itachi said, taking lead.

"For both our sakes…I hope you're right." Naruto replied, once again worried. They headed off into the night, determined to stop the Uchiha brothers' quarrel.

Within the Uchiha Hideout, Sasuke stares down his older brother, filled with the thoughts of the unforgettable night he slaughtered their entire clan and became a missing nin so that he could join the Akatsuki. Sasuke clenched his fist. He was slowly letting his temper out of control just by looking at Itachi.

"Do you hate me….Sasuke?" Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Do you despise me? Do you wish for my death?" Itachi's questions irked Sasuke and to try to calm himself, he looked away.

"LOOK AT ME!" Itachi yelled with demand. Sasuke looked at his brother as though he finally pushed his nerves to the edge.

"That's right. That's the attitude I want. You've trained all your life for this moment. Now seize it, baby brother!" Both brothers activated their Sharingan at the same moment. Itachi quickly made hand signs.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!" Itachi launched multiple fireballs towards Sasuke. Sasuke was left with only a second to think of a counter attack. Sasuke dodged the balls of fire as he inched closer to his older brother. Then, as he was close enough, he too made his hand signs.

"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Jutsu!" Itachi was caught point-blank in Sasuke's attack. The fire was of very high temperatures. No human could survive that attack at point-blank range. As the smoke cleared, Sasuke was shocked to see Itachi's body was nowhere to be seen.

"What? Sasuke clenched his teeth. He was sure he had the upper hand.

"Foolish little brother." Sasuke looked up to see Itachi sitting at the throne at the upper center part of the room. He had been watching Sasuke in a genjutsu the entire time.

"Even after all this time, you still can't distinguish reality from genjutsu. You'll never defeat me at this rate." Sasuke huffed a breath in frustration.

"This was only the warm up, Itachi. I know very well what is a genjutsu." He then pulled a kunai out of his pouch and threw it behind him. He smirked as he saw Itachi grab it in defense.

"Well, I see it is you who has fooled me. Maybe you are more skilled than I thought." said the real Itachi.

"Why wouldn't I be?" replied Sasuke.

"I'm going to have to. You ARE dying tonight." Itachi smirked his baby brother's bold claim. He then activated his Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Let's see you do that then." From then on, it was a game of genjutsu and wit. Each brother fell for the other's visual prowess, yet managed to gain the upper hand again. This tied battle continued for some time, until both of them had almost exhausted their chakra.

"I can't continue playing around like this…I have to make the next move count!" Sasuke said to himself. He contemplated a plan, while he kept his distance from his brother.

"I've exhausted my chakra. I have to plan accordingly if I want to stall any longer." Itachi said to himself as he stared down his sibling. Then, breaking the silence, Sasuke charges for his brother, planning for close combat. Itachi defends himself as Sasuke continues to try his best taijutsu on him.

"If he continues this, he'll tire himself out in no time, and by then, Naruto will be here. Perfect." Time passed as and Itachi noticed something perculiar. Sauske wasn't getting tired!

"Why won't you get tired!" Itachi shouted.

"Oh? Is one of the biggest experts at genjutsu tricked by a simple illusion?" Sasuke's voice echoed throughout the room. Itachi quickly looked at what appeared to be Sasuke, and he saw him dissolve into snakes and watched them slither away. Itachi broke himself of the genjutsu, to find himself chained to the ceiling of the hideout. I stared down his younger brother.

"How…!" he asked with frustrated anxiety.

"When I threw my kunai. I knew at that moment you broke the genjutsu you placed on me and I seized the moment to be inconspicuous. Honestly, I didn't think it'd be so simple. Chaining you was easy once you were too busy fighting an illusion." Sasuke smirked. Victory was finally in his grasp.

"Now, brother. Feel my wrath! The power that will send you to the depths of hell itself! I don't need your eyes… With this attack, I'll show you I can win all on my own ability!" Sasuke made the hand signs for his strongest fire attack.

"Say hello to Mother and Father for me…" Snake! Dragon! Rabbit! Tiger! The hand signs were formed.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Jutsu!" A giant flame dragon came erupting out of Sasuke's breath. Itachi stared in shock and amazement. Amazed because his little brother had grown in power so much, but shocked that he was about to die by the hottest of flames, next to the Amaterasu. The giant flame burst through the ceiling, consuming Itachi and souring into the sky, creating numerous clouds. Sasuke jumped to the roof and onto the grounds behind the hideout. There laid Itachi's body.

"Yes…" Sasuke said.

"I….I have won….I'VE WON! HAHAHAHA SEE THAT BIG BROTHER! I TOLD YOU YOUR DEATH WOULD BE MY HANDS! THE UCHIHA HAVE BEEN AVEN-…." Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, noticing something crucial as a storm began to rage on the area.

"Why….isn't your body covered in burns!" Sasuke's shock sent him into the corner of doubt and hopelessness, as he saw his brother get up on his feet, as though he was a god.

"I see….I still have some chakra left after." Itachi heaved, as a shroud of red mist surrounded his body, taking the shape of a giant with a shield.

"What…WHAT IS THIS?" Sasuke shouted. Itachi panted, and then coughed blood.

"You see, little brother…this the ultimate power granted by the Mangekyou Sharingan. This is…Susanoo…" Itachi coughed more.

"Susanoo…." Sasuke mumbled under his breath.

Just a mile outside the hide out, Itachi's genjutsu clone stopped dead in his tracks and clenched at his chest.

"Itachi…! What's going on!" Naruto panicked. Itachi began panting.

"My chakra is depleting, and quickly! Sasuke is for real this time. I'm going to have to release the genjutsu…the hideout is just up ahead. Just find your way to the back. Hurry, I can't hold him off for much long-!" Itachi's genjutsu broke before he could even release it himself. Naruto's face turned pale.

"Itachi…hold on!" Naruto ran at full pace towards the hideout.

In Naruto's apartment, Kakashi woke from a nap.

"It seems I dozed off for a bit." He thought to himself as he yawned. Kakashi sat for a moment before noticing things were awfully quiet.

"This lack of sound can't mean anything good." He said aloud and went to Naruto's room. To his surprise, he found him in his bed, sound asleep, but he thought for a moment.

"No, this is NARUTO. No way I'll accept this situation." He snatched Naruto's clone out of bed. Naruto's clone awoke in shock.

"Kakashi-sensei? What's the matter?" he said in shock.

"Don't play coy with me, Naruto. Where have you gone?" Kakashi demanded, holding the clone by his collar.

"I have no idea what-" Kakashi stopped him in midsentence.

"DON'T. PLAY. COY." Naruto looked into Kakashi's furious eyes and knew he was not going to buy the trick being played on him.

"Itachi came to me in a genjutsu. I'm following him to Sasuke as we speak." Naruto's clone said in a low tone. Kakashi let go of him.

"Take me to him. NOW!" Kakashi sent a messenger bird directly to the hokage's mansion requesting a platoon to track him immediate as a request for backup and took off with Naruto's clone to the Uchiha Hideout.

"Damn it, Naruto. You've gone and done it this time!"

Back at the hide out, Sasuke stared down his older brother, his nemesis, his reason for being, his goal.

"What will it take to kill someone like you?" Sasuke whispered. Itachi stood, shielded by his ultimate defense, which was slowly draining his life. He fell to his knees, dying sooner than he thought.

"Susanoo…I forgot how much you take to maintain..!" Itachi thought.

"Now's my chance!" Sasuke gasped as he looked to the sky. Lightening soared through the clouds.

"And conditions couldn't have been more perfect." Sasuke smirked as he honed his chakra. A figure appeared behind him.

"SASUKE!" yelled the blonde headed hero of the Hidden Leaf.

"Naruto…how dare you show up here." Sasuke's anger began to erupt.

"How dare you…after all he's done to me? HE KILLED MY CLAN! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO STOP THE PUNISHMENT OF THE NATION'S MOST WANTED CRIMINALS! Also, how dare you try and take your BEST FRIEND'S biggest desire!" Sasuke's Sharingan flared at Naruto. Naruto gulped. Itachi looked up, knowing what was happening.

"It seems the situation is in good hands now." Itachi released Susanoo and collapsed onto the ground. Sasuke didn't even notice.

"You…I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU COME ANY CLOSER!" Sasuke yelled.

"Sasuke, I understand you pain…" Naruto tried to calm down his best friend.

"LIKE HELL YOU DO!" Sasuke erupted more.

"You never had parents! You never had a loved one die before your eyes! YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT PAIN!"

"Then why put me through that pain now by killing the only man I'll ever love?" Sasuke suddenly stopped in his train of thought. Everything suddenly made sense. Naruto's pleas, his frustration, and his struggle all came to light. Sasuke looked down. He couldn't bare looking at his best friend now.

"You…you're right." Sasuke said. I'll just be like him…I'll just put you through the same, painful tears he put me through and I'll be just like the monster that took my clansman away." Naruto inched closer to Sasuke.

"Yes, you ARE right. So let's go back to the village and let the jounin handle it from here, ok?" Naruto was finally finding relief, until all things crumbled once more.

"But…you…you dare love something like this…you dare love this hideous beast! He's a monster! A DEMON! As far as I see it, you're just like him!" Sasuke yelled.

"No, that's not true!" Naruto cried. His tears rolled down as though his tears were the storm itself.

"And as demons, I will exterminate you both! But first….the source of your evil alliance must be annihilated." Sasuke looked down at his collapsed brother, no longer sustaining Susanoo.

"Oh the pleasure of finding this!" Sasuke sent lighting chakra through his palm and thrust it towards the sky. Then, in the eye of the storm, came a massive dragon made of lightening.

"That's….so much power." Naruto gazed in surprise. He had never knew Sasuke was secretly harnessing such unbelievable strength. He tried to come closer to Sasuke, but Sasuke wouldn't allow it.

"Come any closer and I'll send you to Hell with him!" Sasuke shouted. He had no intentions of letting anyone interfere, even if he did have to include the death of his closest friend.

Itachi, weak and powerless, looked up at the mass of lightening.

"This…can't be." He mumbled, coughing up more blood.

"It can't end….like this…I have…to….be with Naruto!" Itachi struggled to get on his feet, ready to use the very last ounce of his strength in defense.

"Sasuke…please…I'M BEGGING YOU!" Naruto's tears were neverending. Then, suddenly, Kakashi, Naruto's clone, and a squad of jounin and anbu appeard behind them on the roof of the hide out. Naruto turned back in surprise.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto gasped.

"Backup! I have to seize the moment NOW!" Sasuke thought as he thrust his palm downward towards Itachi. Sasuke's ultimate attack, Kirin, roared as it soared towards the ground.

"Vanish with the roar of thunder…"

Itachi managed to summon an imperfect Susanoo, but it was no good. The power of Kirin was too great for the little chakra he had left and it broke to pieces of mist. Itachi was engulfed in the biggest stream of lightening that only lasted a second. Sasuke looked down and as the smoke cleared, he chuckled.

"What power…" Kakashi said under his breath.

"Itachi….ITACHI!" Naruto yelled as he hoped to the other side of the roof and pushed Sasuke aside. He jumped down to the ground, through the smoke and to his horror, lied his beloved, burned to the bone from Sasuke's attack. Naruto began to lose his. His heart was now in billions of pieces. He couldn't see any light, any reason. He eyes shot red from tears. His anger was slowly building, until he heard a faint whisper.

"Naruto…."

Naruto quickly dropped to the floor and leaned and hear towards Itachi's lips.

"You're ok! We can get you a hospital! You can be well again!" Naruto's dim light of hope shone, but it wasn't for long.

"Listen…" said Itachi's whisper, his eyes sealed shut from his burns. Naruto listened, although he couldn't hold back his tears.

"Please….become….Hokage…." Nothing else came forth. Itachi was finally no more. Naruto stood to his feet. Tears rushed down his cheeks. He clenched his fist. So many emotions rushed through his body and mind. All Hell was about to break loose.

"Sasuke!" yelled Kakashi. "You could have settled this in different matters! There was no need to go off the deep end!" Sasuke turned to face his sensei.

"Save me the pity party, sensei." he said putting his hands behind the back of his head.

"You knew just as well as anyone that this would be his fate. As a matter of fact, I think I deserve a medal. I just took down one of the world's most notorious missing nin!" Even though Kakashi knew Sasuke had a point, that was not the most of his worries.

"But what about Naruto?" Kakashi thought out loud. At the moment, the earth began to shake. The hide out crumbled under the massive magnitude and everyone fell into the building's rubble Sasuke and Kakashi looked over to find a spiraling hemisphere of red chakra.

"No…" Kakashi said in fear. Naruto's shadow cloned was released. The chakra dispersed and before everyone stood a 6 tailed version of the kyuubi. It looked just like as he did with 4 tails but with a tough, outer skeletal layer.

"Yes, Naruto, show what Sasuke deserves for taking the life of your one true love…SHOW EVERYONE YOUR ANGER FOR NOT ACCEPTING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN!" The Kyuubi's voice roared in Naruto's mind. He roared to the Heavens.

"Naruto…." Kakashi said as Sasuke ran passed him. Sasuke knew he was no match, especially since he had absolutely no chakra left to fight. He was exhausted.

"Asuma!" Kakashi yelled.

"Yes, Kakashi?" Asuma appeared behind him.

"Take Sasuke back to Konoha. We'll take care of Naruto." Asuma nodded and took off with Sasuke. Kakashi and the rest of the jounin surrounded Naruto.

"We're going to drag you back home, Naruto, even if we have to beat you unconscious." Naruto roared at Kakashi, readying a tailed beast bomb, aimed to destroy anyone and anything in his path.

To Be Continued.