My Pain is Yours
Author's Note: It's great to be back on FanFiction again! Thank you so very, very much to all my reviewers on the last chapter: yoyshaia-chan, WhisperInTheRain, Cold Fyre, mirambagirl1993, Kakashi Forever, Nutella's Biggest Fan, Stephi Hope, iLoveThisStory, and Iced Phoenix54.
Now, on with the chapter!
Chapter 31: A Brother's Quarrel
Mom…Dad…Deidara…Kakuzu…dearest Yahiko…
Why did you all have to leave me?
What did I do wrong?
Tossing and turning, struggling to sleep as she curled against Hidan's warm body, Aiko spoke pained nothings in her sleep, mind succumbing to the torture invading her nightmares. She couldn't sleep peacefully with the agonizing threat resounding within her mind, burning within her psyche: What if something happened to Shinsei before Aiko saw her again?
What if Shinsei died?
Mind throbbing at the excruciatingly alarming thought, Aiko's hazel eyes abruptly flashed open and she flinched beside Hidan. Emerald gaze wide with flowing fright, Aiko sat herself up, holding her head and slamming her eyes shut. She couldn't think those horrible kinds of thoughts. That wouldn't get her anywhere. She reopened her eyes, peeking out from beneath her long lashes as the sunlight glimmered through the window.
Morning had finally come.
Aiko gazed forlornly at her empty hands.
But I know why they died—and I know I was the reason. I couldn't protect them when they needed me most. I could have helped Deidara and Tobi when I saw them that last time…I could have saved their lives and prevented their deaths if only I had gotten involved! And Kakuzu, if I only stayed with him then I could've thwarted death's plan to claim him.
She clenched her empty hands into fists, seizing nothing.
Kakuzu was almost like a brother to me, I loved him like that, like the way I loved Yahiko. Then again, I couldn't save Yahiko either. If I had been a better medical ninja, if I trained harder, if I worked to my fullest potential and had always been able to risk my life in exchange for others then maybe, maybe I could be more useful…
Then, her eyes flashed.
No.
No!
What am I thinking? This is…this is so stupid! I'm stupid. Why do I keep blaming myself? Am I just trying to erase the guilt I feel because their deaths were related to me?
Sliding out of bed, walking with light footsteps towards the window accepting the luminosity, Aiko arrived to immerse herself in the sunlight. It caressed her hair, allowing her auburn highlights to burst into brightness as the light caught in her eyes, breath hitching. Beauty consumed her in a radiance determined by her awakened spirit, her aroused fire that began burning fiercely in the depths of her heart.
She would despair no longer.
The time for mourning was past.
She belonged with the living, with life.
For an everlastingly enchanting, ethereal eternity.
Behind her, Hidan stirred to life, sitting up with his head resting on his hand, mouth forming the slightest grimace at the brightness of the intruding sunlight. A smirk touched his lips, however, when Aiko whirled around, a beam adorning her sun-streaked face. He snorted playfully, yawning, "It looks like someone's in good spirits."
Aiko raised an eyebrow, cocky simper surfacing, "More so than you know."
With a dancing tremor in her step, Aiko swished to the opposite side of the room and gathered her belongings, preparing herself for the day ahead. Hidan rolled out of bed and smoothed his hair into place, wondering about the kunoichi's miraculous recovery from her depression. He scoffed subtly. "Hey Aiko, what the hell's gotten into you, eh?
The brunette's eyes glinted lovingly. "I've finally realized something."
Hidan raised an eyebrow, left with more questions rather than an answer.
Aiko grinned. "I realized that it's my job to protect the living while they're here."
Glancing back out the window, recognizing the will burning within her, Aiko smiled warmly.
This whole time I've been agonizing over the things I couldn't change, the paths I couldn't take. But, whatever will be, will be, whatever won't, won't; that's life, and I have to remember that. Right now, Shinsei is still within my reach…she wouldn't want me to be sad. Seeing me in such a state would hurt her—just as it's been hurting me. But I don't have to keep burdening myself with these pains; I have the power to stop the agony.
And that's exactly what I'm going to do.
Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Aiko turned to her perplexed Hidan.
"I'm ready when you are."
"Good morning Gaki!" Kisame boomed happily upon seeing Shinsei the following morning.
Grinning tiredly, Shinsei managed a short wave of her hand accompanied by a small yawn. She sat at the table where Kisame was, grabbing a cup of coffee and pulling small snarls from her tangled mass of red hair. "Eh? Kisame, where's Itachi?" The shark ninja shrugged unhelpfully, trying to strike up a conversation regarding the mysterious Uchiha.
But Shinsei only cared for seeing Itachi in person.
Glancing around, ignoring Kisame, Shinsei remembered that after she healed his eyes she hadn't seen him or Kisame for days—almost a week. She was used to them making unprecedented disappearances anyway due to the duties they were responsible for in the Akatsuki, so she hadn't made a fuss over it.
Shinsei flinched, however, when Itachi placed his arms around her lovingly from behind.
"I'm right here."
Spilling a little coffee on herself when she jumped, Shinsei let out a startled cry as she reached for a napkin and began patting her lap. Itachi raised a concerned eyebrow and quietly apologized, fending off Shinsei's flailing arms. "You scared me Itachi! Don't do that!" She huffed and puffed, face flushed. "Where've you been anyway? The weather's been terrible!"
Kisame laughed heartily. "Yeah, don't I know it?"
Itachi shrugged, disregarding Kisame, and sat in the chair beside his lover. "We had to catch another Jinchuriki and you were so tired that I didn't bother waking you. Actually," he paused shortly, "someone else sighted it and we were merely going out to see if the sighting was false or not because you hadn't had any visions before that—which was odd."
Shinsei blinked, inexplicably dropping her gaze. "O-oh…yeah, that is kind of…weird."
Kisame pushed himself into the conversation. "We would've been back earlier, but Leader-sama had to make an announcement that involved the entire organization too, along with the sealing." Itachi's gaze darted warningly to his partner as Kisame continued. "That crazy Deidara killed both himself and Tobi yesterday because he was fighting Sa—"
"Because he blew himself up." Itachi rapidly interjected, voice abnormally venomous.
Oblivious to Itachi's interruption, Shinsei managed a brief, "Oh!" She hadn't known Deidara or Tobi so their deaths didn't make much of a difference to her. Although, the mention of death reminded her of Aiko and her sapphire orbs began drilling dejectedly into the floor. Itachi scowled darkly at Kisame, obsidian eyes flickering, before turning his eyes back to Shinsei.
"Anyway," Itachi murmured, "we're heading out again today."
Shinsei took a moment to respond. "Already?"
Stealing a closer glance at Itachi, Shinsei noticed that he looked a little more stressed than she remembered. She slowly stood up from the table, saying, "I'm going to go get my stuff then." Spinning around on her heel, Shinsei plodded out of the kitchen and up the stairs. When she was out of hearing range, Itachi leaned towards Kisame, Sharingan glowing crimson. Kisame grimaced at his partner's ruthless expression, mouth sagging.
"Kisame," Itachi emotionlessly hissed, "don't mention Sasuke to her."
"Why not, Itachi?" Kisame asked, perhaps too loudly.
"Because she doesn't need to know."
Propping his elbows on the table and peering blankly at the wood, retracting his Sharingan, Itachi pondered his upcoming course of action. He was painfully aware that Sasuke was looking for him, searching for him, and had already found him once. Itachi said that he would settle things at the Uchiha hideout with his younger brother and wondered innately how Shinsei would handle the situation when she found out.
There was a thud behind them, diverting Itachi's attention.
Shinsei arrived, putting on a fatigued grin. "All of my stuff is ready!"
Standing from the table, Itachi replied with a fond smile, tousling her hair.
Watching Itachi and Shinsei with inquisitive eyes, Kisame shook his head. Itachi cared almost too much for Shinsei, as far as Kisame could comprehend, and their relationship was definitely a little more than simply criminal. The shark nin sighed to himself, finishing his coffee.
"So, are we all set to head out then?" Kisame exclaimed in question, grinning.
Nodding calmly, Itachi murmured, "Yes, I do believe we are." He turned his eyes upon Shinsei, gently touching her shoulder then grazing the length of her arm with his hand. Stomach dancing nervously, Shinsei enjoyed the little tingles, unhappy when Itachi drifted away to the other side of the kitchen and began waltzing towards the door. "Let's go."
Following Itachi without hesitance, Shinsei and Kisame pursued him, cloaks trailing behind themselves in ebony waves and rippling red splotches. Taking Itachi's hand in her own, Shinsei smiled at the brightness of the sun, commenting on what a lovely, bright day it was.
Itachi remained silent, mind absorbed in inquisitive thought.
For hours they walked, the three of them, discussing the captivating essence of the day.
Despite being embedded in the forest they were traveling, golden rays still managed to penetrate the usual darkness and spill gilded gold across the landscape. Not a single shrub nor a single root could escape the sunlight being cast from the heavens. The brightness of the day was justly and appallingly magnificent.
Kisame threw a hand over his eyes, casting a large shadow upon his face, "Ah! It is bright!"
Rolling her eyes apathetically at Kisame, Shinsei responded with a drawl, "Well, no duh. Of course it's bright! It's so bright that even in the thick of this forest everything's lit up! Jeez, we've been walking around for hours now and you're only just noticing it?" Shinsei was herself getting quite sick of the lustrous sun herself, and wanted nothing more than to reach their destination. She yawned tiredly, rubbing at her clear blue eyes. "How much longer, Itachi?"
Kisame piped up from behind them, "Probably another half hour or so!"
Shinsei continued walking with Itachi and turned to glare at Kisame. "Was I asking you?"
The former Kirigakure ninja scoffed, guffawing, "What do I care, eh Gaki?"
The redhead hissed to herself, turning around and looking at Itachi. "Hey, Itachi?"
There was a glazed look mirroring the reflections haunting Itachi's mind. Shinsei stared searchingly at him, unable to read his expression that seemed sunken into an anticipatory depression. The young Yamanaka squeezed his hand lightly, to try to divert his attention, unsettled by the gaunt appearance riddling his ordinarily handsome features.
Suddenly, the Uchiha came to a dead halt.
Shinsei jerked forward and nearly tripped over herself.
Kisame stumbled behind them, clumsily bringing himself to a stop.
Itachi tossed his gaze into the forest, Sharingan activated. "They're coming."
Heart skipping a beat before beginning to race desperately, Shinsei fearfully exclaimed in the smallest of squeaks, "What? Who?" Her blue eyes grew wide, realizing that because she was no longer a ninja that she had absolutely no means of defending herself. "Itachi—what's—" Before she could finish, however, the redhead felt a tug and she was instantly in Itachi's arms.
"Kisame, you know what to do," Itachi gruffly murmured. "No one but him."
"Of course," Kisame grinned toothily. "Whatever you say, partner."
Forming the right words for the situation became increasingly difficult for Shinsei and rendered her taciturn. She didn't understand what was going on; she couldn't comprehend the alacrity at which everything was so quickly taking place. Itachi was soon running with her caged in his arms, carefully avoiding branches and carrying her with great ease. Shinsei had never been more afraid in her life.
What's going on?
Are we in danger?
Where are we going?
Is someone after us?
Why are we running away?
Is Kisame going to be all right?
Oh my God—I'm so scared right now! I-Itachi hasn't been acting like himself lately and it seems almost like he planned this when he turned to Kisame. Oh my God—what if there's been an enemy following us the entire time and I didn't notice, and Itachi knew this was going to happen? Oh my God—what if we have to fight? I'll only be a burden!
"Itachi!" Shinsei gasped, voice a tiny tremor.
"Yes?" He murmured, unfazed, as he continued running.
"What's going on—I'm scared!" Shinsei exclaimed, eyes frantic.
Itachi looked down at her, Sharingan blood red. "Are you really scared?"
Unable to lie to those piercing ruby jewels, Shinsei nodded, whispering, "Yes!"
Eyes flashing dangerously, Itachi easily wielded his Sharingan upon the young woman in his arms without any sign of vacillation. In the merest of moments, Shinsei found that her eyelids were falling, sight failing, and soon that her mind was sleeping. Itachi placed her under a genjutsu and continued running, leaving Shinsei to plummet through indefinite confusion.
Dropping onto a group of poles, Kisame waited for the incoming group of Otogakure ninja to meet up with him. Among them, he could sense four presences, four ninja, one of which he knew was Uchiha Sasuke, Itachi's precious little brother. The missing nin chuckled lightly to himself as he waited, remembering the discussion he had with Kisame following the successful sealing of their last Jinchuriki.
"You're going to meet up with Sasuke?"
"Precisely."
Neglecting to explain his true purpose of meeting up with Sasuke, Itachi entrusted that Kisame would be useful enough to prevent Shinsei from finding out the secret he withheld from everyone else. Itachi loved Shinsei more than anyone else in the world, but, he loved his younger brother and his deceased clan just as much. He also decided against telling her about the rumor that Aiko and Hidan might have been alive and that Zetsu was out searching to discover the truth regarding the believed-to-be-dead Jashinists.
Then again, Itachi felt like he had been neglecting many precious things.
"Hey," Kisame's heavy hand fell upon his shoulder and the Uchiha looked up. "Don't fret."
Lifting an eyebrow in slight irritation, Itachi stared into his partner's knowing eyes before apologetically murmuring, "I cannot help it. The less she knows the better. I don't want her to be hurt because of any of this and I'm afraid to put her through anymore pain than I already have. Besides, at times like these, it's better when no one knows what's going on."
Kisame scoffed. "You mean to have your brother kill you to avenge your clan."
Itachi's eyes widened unbelievingly at his partner's strikingly correct ingenuity.
The shark nin sighed heavily, almost insulted by the shock riddling his comrade's broadening scarlet eyes. "Itachi, I've known you for so long now and I understand they way you think. And, I'm not going to be the one to stop you when it comes time for you to do what you must, but just know that Gaki will never be able to forgive you if your plans are successful."
"Believe me," Itachi mused, "I know…and that's why I've changed my plan."
Kisame scratched the back of his neck even though it did not itch, wondering in silence to himself just what it was that the Uchiha had crammed up his sleeve. Soon, however, Kisame found himself no longer as alone as he once was and instinctively brandished his Samehada as he relaxed upon his post.
Upon seeing a pair of Sharingan eyes, Kisame spoke, "Only Sasuke, alone, beyond this point."
When she awoke, Shinsei was in the most unfamiliar place she had ever laid her eyes upon.
Is this what I think it is?
Walls formed by rocks and finely chipped boulders kept the redhead obscured from the former sunlight she had delighted herself in enjoying. The room she found herself trapped in was in was more like a hall, a massive foyer accepting distinguished guests of a belligerent kind, a sanctuary of divine, illicit judgment, opposed to the small havens she dined and dreamed in.
Could this be the Uchiha fortress from the olden days?
Red comma-shaped marks made up painted versions of the Sharingan which was proudly displayed upon the walls in the deepest of the dark reds. Her eyes strived to take in the intimidating height, the prolonged width, and the never-ending length accompanying the vastness of the antagonistically inspirational room. She gasped outwardly.
At the end of the chamber-like room, sat Itachi, upon a throne fit for a dead king.
Decorations relating to both the color and design of the Sharingan surrounded Itachi, as well as the Uchiha crest which was painted upon the back of the formerly royal seat. Despite its daunting magnificence, however, cracks desecrated the previous masterpiece, obvious signs of ruin defiling it. Elderliness taunted it, yet because it remained, it was almost a symbol of the desperation imposed by the Uchiha clan that was struggling to continue.
Shinsei could not help but to be petrified.
From the end of the room, Itachi spoke, his voice as calm and collected as always. "Those Sharingan, how much can you actually see?"
Jumping at the suddenness of his voice, Shinsei thought that he meant for her to answer, but then she noticed the other person approaching her adored lover, unable, for reasons unknown to her, to recognize the young woman. The second man replied in a hard, harsh tone, "How much can I see with these? What I'm seeing right now is you, Itachi, dead at my feet."
Who is that?
Why does he want Itachi to die?
An electrifying jolt struck Shinsei, remembering Itachi's words to the separating the two of them as he stepped menacingly towards Itachi. "Those Sharingan, how much can you actually see?" The redhead tried to swallow, but couldn't. Her eyes bulged as the tears started to accumulate in agonizing clusters, lighting up her unbelieving gaze.
There is only one other individual besides Itachi with the Sharingan.
Only one other person from the massacred Uchiha clan.
The only survivor spared on that horrible night.
His little brother, my closest friend.
I can't believe it.
I just can't.
That's…
"S-Sasuke?"
Author's Note: Cliffhanger!
