Illusions of Serenity

Chapter III

"Reaction"

Slowly, Itachi's mind returned to the embrace of consciousness, the darkness receding and allowing him to recall his last memory. He had felt a strange pull and everything had spun into indiscernible images, his genjutsu having failed and allowing for something akin to consume his entire awareness. His eyes remained closed, but he could now feel the touch of a sweet and delicate breeze upon his skin and through his hair, calming and assuring. He heard nothing but the rustling of what he discerned as leaves and branches, swaying and creating an aura of comforting enclosure.

One hand was lying against his own chest, while the other rested upon something both soft and warm, a curious yet somehow familiar feeling. The only scent that greeted him was that of a musky wood, similar to oak yet somehow different accompanied with the smell of rich earth. He inhaled slowly, his lips parting to partake of the gentle and unpolluted air, his lungs reveling in its natural touch.

Carefully and somewhat guardedly, he opened his eyes to the sight of countless branches overhead, the leaves swaying in the wind and falling at the force of its relentless breath. They sky behind was gray and cloud covered, the outlines of the scenery almost beautiful in its contrast. His vision remained hazy at first but then began to gradually clear, his brows furrowing slightly in response to the change. Had he actually died? Had he arrived in a heaven of sorts? That explanation did not seem possible as he was quite certain he was destined for the opposite realm. Eternal paradise had long since become a bygone dream. 'But my eyes…' He thought in silent awe. 'How? How am I able to see all of this?

He immediately closed his eyes and opened them again before allowing them to widen as they were greeted with the same result. Intensely confused, his fingers clenched in anticipation of relocation before they again felt a soft warmth. Itachi's gaze shifted and he turned his head to look down at where his hand rested, the presence of a smaller, much more delicate one beneath his hold.

His scrutiny lifted to see someone beside him, her face skyward and her eyes gently closed. He noted that she was alive and breathing, proving that he was still alive as well. He observed her a moment longer before recognition finally set in. 'Rosy hair…she was the one who intercepted my genjutsu…'

Itachi returned his gaze to the scenery above before slowly sitting, disturbing the leaves beneath him and removing his hand from its place over the girl's. He continued to cast his attention about his surroundings as the wonder at once returned, prompting his gaze to uncharacteristically widen further and his mouth to remain parted.

He shifted before carefully standing, looking about the dense wooded area as his breaths quickened in response to the perfect, vivid definition. Slowly, he lifted a hand and brought it over his eyes to examine his external condition. However, as he felt that everything was physically in order, he withdrew his touch and gazed down at his limb in continued amazement. It was so astounding, every tone and pore of his skin remarkably visible.

The sudden sound of leaves shifting alerted him to movement and he slowly turned to see that the girl was standing, a somewhat guarded and anxious expression on her face. However, he disregarded her obvious distress as he again allowed his eyes to widen, his arm falling carelessly to his side. Hers was the first face he had seen in almost a decade, her features all wondrously profound and the contrasting colors strikingly remarkable. The sight was more breathtaking than anything he could remember and he found himself simply unable to remove his gaze. He was strangely determined to commit every aspect of this vibrant person to memory, one part of him fearing the loss of his newfound ery s t of his recovered vision while another found an inability to explain why such an endeavor was so vital to him in that moment.

However, he suddenly watched as she lowered her gaze, some sort of realization and harbored suspicion taking her expression. He blinked once and then lowered his own eyes to the forest floor beneath him as the countless leaves hurriedly swept past his feet. Where exactly am I? Nothing about this location is familiar. There was also an unnamable yet potent presence pulsating through the air, its very nature alluding to both mystery and indescribable intimacy.

He attempted to piece the known facts together as he revisited the moments leading up to his current situation. He had attempted to cast a genjutsu over Naruto but the girl before him had intervened and rushed forward to protect her friend, somehow preventing the effects of his technique and instilling a curious sensation through his own mind. It was then that he had begun to lose consciousness, all coherency disabled before he finally woke to find himself in this strange forest, vision restored.

Had a teleportation jutsu been used? It was as plausible an explanation as any considering the effects it could have over the body when unexpectedly executed. However, that did not explain his sight or the similar state of the girl who appeared to be wary of him. What then, could explain their surroundings?

Itachi's mind returned to its initial perception. Had the girl cast him into a genjutsu? Was everything he was seeing simply an illusion? Still, if it was she who cast this over me than she would not be behaving so timidly…unless she wants me to visualize her this way. What could she possibly gain from that tactic though?

He had never before experienced what a genjutsu was like when on the receiving end and he also knew very well that their natures were all entirely different. It was…possible he supposed, though the very miniscule flow of her chakra signature conveyed her absolute inability to cast something so powerful over him.

'No, that cannot be it. There is simply no way…' He returned his eyes to her face and saw that her attention remained lowered, though her features were set almost determinedly. This reaction of hers all at once proved his theory of a reverse genjutsu entirely wrong. She still believed him capable of casting his eye technique over her and the nervousness and guarded set of her posture was entirely genuine.

His attention shifted between the two paths on either side of where they stood, the explanation possibly lying within further inspection of the area. Perhaps he could find someone who would be able to tell him where he was. He thought of all the countless books he had read concerning rare ninja techniques and jutsus but found nothing which could explain this odd predicament.

Maybe….he once again allowed his eyes to rest on the rose-haired girl. Is it possible she knows what's going on? She seems much more concerned with my presence than with her surroundings…He reasoned that it was worth endeavoring to ask her what she might know, presumed enemy or not.

He composed his features into a familiar, unreadable mask, though he inwardly continued to marvel at the clarity of his vision. Now…what to say? I don't intend to scare her but I also don't want to give her any reason to believe me harmless…

"Though you are wisely avoiding my eyes," he began in a controlled voice, "I don't intend to harm you at this moment."

He silently awaited a response, or a reaction of any sort from the small girl before him. He doubted she would actually return her gaze to his but wondered what her response would be all the same. However, upon her actually and resolutely meeting his eyes he fought the urge to shake his head. 'Well, that is rather foolish of you considering you have no idea as to the truth of my intentions.'

He let the matter pass though, as he instead focused on the much more pressing matter at hand. "I am going to ask you something and I would appreciate a truthful response. I will know if you are lying to me."

He watched as her features almost immediately contorted into a look of angry defiance before she openly scoffed and replied in a challenging voice, "Why do I have to answer at all?"

Itachi observed her wordlessly a moment, analyzing her sudden change from timid to rebellious. Did she have no sense of superiority or obvious danger? It was true that he did not enjoy asserting his power and position over others but he also found it quite imprudent of her to so aggressively oppose a more capable enemy, one she hardly knew anything about.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked then, narrowing his eyes slightly. He had to remind himself that she was still quite young, doubtless having seriously pursued her Shinobi career for long. She obviously knew nothing of properly analyzing her opponents before defying them.

"Yes, I do, you bastard!" she exclaimed a second later, resulting in he nearly widening his eyes in response to her exclamation.

"What is it that you know?" he asked then, hiding the small semblance of amusement her immediate response had inspired. However, a plan started to develop as he quickly determined a suitable method to extract the information he needed from her.

"You're a traitor to your clan and your village," she answered heatedly. "You are with the terrorist group Akatsuki, who are after my friend's Bijuu. You're also the one responsible for Sasuke-kun leaving Konoha because he wants to avenge the family you betrayed and slaughtered in cold blood."

So, she is a friend of Sasuke's, he inwardly confirmed as his eyes imperceptivity lowered for a moment. However, he refused to dwell on the past events her statement had conjured, though the pain associated with those recollections at once returned to plague him. "And my abilities? What do you know of them?"

He watched as she placed a hand rather matter-of-factly on her hip before responding confidently. "Everything. Your affinities are fire and water and you are very skilled at genjutsu. You have the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, which you mastered at a young age, and a more powerful level of it called Mangekyou Sharingan. However, the eyes pay a heavy toll on your sight, which is fading away."

"Correct, on all accounts," Itachi replied, before looking to her pointedly. "And how, should you choose not to respond to my question, do you plan to counter my techniques, most notably that of the Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Now, give me the answer I need from you, he thought as he calmly anticipated her response. Tell me how you were able to deflect it earlier.

He watched her smirk then and became somewhat curious as to the sudden turn of her thoughts. He had momentarily unnerved her, of that he was certain, however, just like a moment ago she had immediately and inexplicably returned to her blatant defiance.

"Well, you're not the only one here with special abilities," the girl explained. "I have one in my head, but it's hard to explain."

Itachi tilted his head slightly and observed her in slight bewilderment. He had certainly not expected such a response from her and now that he had received it he was admittedly unsure as to how he should analyze it. A special ability…in her head? Is it a bloodline limit of some sort?

"What is the nature of this ability you have?" he asked, watching her closely. He was one step closer, he knew, to unraveling the strange situation in which he found himself.

She shrugged nonchalantly, as if the answer were unimportant. "Even I don't know the answer. All I know is that this is the second time it's been able to deflect a mind technique."

Itachi's eyes very briefly widened before he regained his composure and simply stared at her as he processed what he had just heard. She…deflected it? Is that related to how we ended up here? In a normal circumstance my genjutsu would merely be dispelled. However…it wasn't. It's almost as if…it malfunctioned somehow. Are we still in some sort of external illusion then? I've never heard of anything like that before….

"Do you know where you are right now?" he asked then, purposefully approaching the subject in a way that implied she was the only one unaware of their present location.

He was moderately adapt at interrogation, though admittedly not as proficient as he would like to be. Most of the time, one glance alone was enough to break an opponent and, if faced with a particularly challenging individual, the threat of the Mangekyou would suffice. Even in his ANBU days, his job had never been to question, only carry out the mission in a swift and efficient manner.

He watched as she frowned, before answering in a leveled voice. "No, but isn't that your intention?"

So, she believes that I was the one who brought her here…I might be able to work with that somehow…Though it also eliminates her as the sole cause of this situation.

"Perhaps," he replied cryptically. He regarded her silently another moment, before allowing his eyes to drift to the area behind her where he saw nothing but clusters of branches and unfamiliar fauna. His gaze then drifted up toward the sky as he attempted to discern the time of day. The thing he found odd was that there did not seem to be a discernible sun, though the atmosphere remained a perpetually pale gray.

What is this place? He again looked to the girl before him and reasoned that she did not seem to know anythingabout the situation either. She was not going to be any help after all, though she had offered him some valuable insight into the nature of her abilities.

Now…what to do? He wondered if it would be wise to leave her in the clearing, lost and incapable of effectively handling herself. She already considered herself his prisoner, though he hardly appreciated continuing such a charade. What help can she offer me in the scenario of us travelling together? Again, he simply decided to ask.

"What other abilities do you have?"

As expected, her response came both quickly and vehemently. "Why do you need to know?"

Itachi considered his next words carefully, before finally relenting. It did not really matter anyway, he figured he would discover her skillset in time. "Did I say I needed to know?"

"Arrogant bastard," he heard her mutter to herself irately as he felt a rare semblance of mirth.

He inclined his head slightly as he continued to observe her. "Arrogance is a rather subjective term, one that should not be used lightly. It is, as one often finds, the gravest of vices."

For some reason, her rage only seemed to become more prominent upon hearing his last statement. However, he merely lowered his eyes as he entertained a memory of he and his younger brother sitting on their porch one evening, discussing something similar. The boy had expressed his concerns over their father not preferring his abilities and failing to acknowledge him as an accomplished son. Itachi remembered only smiling sadly at his sibling upon hearing this before explaining that the path of a prodigy was difficult as well, the arrogance often corrupting. Sasuke…do you recall all the things I told you? Have you grown up well, despite the hatred I forced over you?

"I wasn't using the term lightly, Uchiha."

Itachi was roused from his contemplations as he lifted his gaze, the images of his past receding and returning to the hidden corners of his mind. He noted her smirk before composing his expression, careful not to reveal the reactions his memories instilled. "Did I say that you were?"

He watched her glare before replying, "It was implied, you bastard, and you know it. Why else would you have said it?"

"I might have been implying it," Itachi replied before his tone subtly became lighter. "Or perhaps I wasn't.

Something then occurred to him, perhaps as the only positive to the entire situation. He would now be spared from witnessing the end of the little Kazekage's life. Gaara, right? He silently voiced a prayer for the soul of the boy, in hopes that he would find a serene rest he had undoubtedly never experienced in the mortal world. He offered this wordless imploration to whoever might still listen, as he had done for each and every other victim slain by his hand.

"Is it impossible for you to give me a straight answer?" the girl asked, once again dispelling his reflections.

"Impossible? Hardly," Itachi replied. "I merely word things in such a way as to allow the receiver to interpret them in any way they choose."

In any case, Itachi thought, looking to both paths once more. I'm wasting too much time standing here. As reluctant as I am to return to my responsibility as a member of Akatsuki, the time is at hand to face Sasuke. I need to find an explanation for all of this soon.

"Well, great prodigy, this receiver thinks it's very irritating and it only makes me dislike you even more," the girl spoke in assured tones.

Itachi looked to her as she crossed her arms and faced away, a self-satisfied expression in place. He was silent for several moments, before shifting as he decided to venture down the left path. It was faced east and, if geography had any impact on this place he could expect not to be blinded by a setting sun on his journey. This seemed as reasonable a consensus as any.

"Hmm," he answered offhandedly, taking a step toward his new destination. "I will comply in continuing this conversation as we travel. You may follow if you wish, or stay if you prefer. Either way makes no difference to me."

Itachi walked past where she stood, his steps slow and deliberately executed. He cast her a sidelong glance before averting his eyes and resting them on the peculiar path before him. He briefly wondered what decision she would make before casting the thought from his mind. Whatever it was she chose would not affect him whatsoever. The wise option however, is never to remain alone, whether that means accompanying an enemy or not. Especially in a strange place like this.

Itachi had learned of this wisdom during his time with Akatsuki. All the members were at odds with one another, being that they were from different nations and from separate circumstances in life. However, each and every one of them understood the value of travelling with a partner. The chances for survival were nearly tripled in that ideal situation, a statistic that few would ignore.

However, if she chose to stay he would not force her to accompany him. He was not overly concerned with venturing alone, despite the risk involved. He would neither seek her out nor return to see if she had even survived the night. Despite his empathy for other human beings, he still had something more pressing to fulfill, something that demanded his undivided devotion. He had to return, as quickly as possible. There was too much hanging in the balance to chance a mishap on his part. He had already come so far…

All he could really do was hope she would make the right decision. She was a Shinobi, after all. Surely she understood the most appropriate tactics for survival?

His eyes slightly widened, however and he slowly turned to see that she was quickly running in the opposite direction, hastily venturing along the westward path, determination permeating through the air. It would have surprised him if he had not previously entertained a conversation with the girl. However, upon the analysis of her heated responses and emotional outbursts, he reasoned that such an outcome was the only thing he should have expected from her.

The qualities in modern Shinobi were truly diminishing…

However, he absolutely could not go after her, for the loss of his carefully constructed alias of cruel, murderous criminal would be lost. He could not show the face beneath his apathetic mask to anyone. He could never reveal himself until the moment of his death. That was the moment he longed for, the moment he lived for. The moment in which all pretense and illusory façades would fade and recede, leaving nothing but unabashed truth to behold the dimming of a world he had sacrificed himself for.

He stared at her retreating figure but a moment longer before turning and resuming his path away from the sun. He resolved not to dwell on the girl any longer, for he doubted he would cross paths with her again. Doing so might only make him regret not saying more to convince her to follow him, a remorse he was determined not to add to the compilation of haunts that relentlessly accompanied his existence.

Farewell then, irrational little Shinobi, I wish you all the luck in the world.