Chapter 27: The First Storm Ends
Woo. Well after I got sick a couple days before sunday and I realized I wasn't going to finish on time so what I did was lengthen the chapter considerably (by 1000 words) and edit it giving you what I will call the end of the "Brothers Ark". More is ahead. But for now... Enjoy!
Naruto struggled to stand up. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. Two of his brothers, people he had not seen in years, had appeared in the same day the second appearing less than an hour after the first. "Damn it, Sasuke." Naruto muttered. The confident Uchiha looked down on Itachi with interest, twenty meters behind him stood three ninja obviously his teammates or something of that nature.
Naruto didn't know what to feel. He was happy, yes. He couldn't be happier that Sasuke was okay, but he was angry too. Sasuke had betrayed him, he had betrayed Konoha. Naruto took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and get more oxygen into his blood to re-energize him. He couldn't tell if Sasuke was his friend or foe and after being attacked by the dark haired ninja Naruto was doubtful that Sasuke was going to come back to the village.
"Who are your friends Sasuke?" Naruto asked, buying himself a little time to figure out how to deal with the situation.
"They are members of my new team, Team Hawk. Where are your friends Naruto? Or did you decide to challenge Itachi by yourself?"
Naruto reverted his attention to Itachi who lay on the muddy earth barely breathing. Naruto felt something twitch inside him, and he felt irationally angry. "What the hell do you want Sasuke? You didn't come here to check up on us did you?"
Sasuke frowned and in a hushed tone reiterated what he had planned to say to Naruto for months, "I came to save Itachi. I came to help you. With my team we can destroy Akatsuki Naruto, together. I'm sorry if my leaving you caused you any distress but you are not a child. You must understand I needed power and in my prior state I was too weak to be of assistance to you in Konoha. Now I am stronger than you and I will lead us to saving our brother."
It was Naruto's turn to frown. Sasuke what did Orochimaru do to you? You've lost sight of what's important. "Sasuke I don't give a damn if your stronger or weaker than me. You've always known that, but you don't think that leaving the village was irresponsible? Do you have any idea how much it hurt me? And now you come back as if everything is just fine? You just fucking attacked me!"
Naruto moved to Itachi and felt for his pulse. He needed to attend to Itachi not Sasuke. Sasuke had to earn his time. Itachi's eyelids fluttered for a moment. "Naruto," he whispered.
"Yes," Naruto whisper back, kneeling beside Itachi and moving his head down to shield Itachi's face from the rain.
"Forgive him. He is lost and he will need you help in recovering his old self." Itachi paused, his eyes scanning the mud for an answer. "Lend me your strength, I have one last task to finish." Itachi's voice not audible to normal ears entered Naruto's and the blonde heard him. Naruto felt a cold as a shiver ran down his spine.
Naruto did not fully understand Itachi's intentions but he understood what his older brother wanted and so Naruto poured what chakra he could spare into Itachi. Though Naruto had only given Itachi a fraction of his chakra reserve what he transmitted to the Uchiha was more than half of Itachi's full reserve. More than enough for Itachi to stabilize himself. Utilizing the strength Naruto gave him Itachi pushed himself off the ground. His usual grace abandoned. "Sasuke, you attacked Naruto because you believed he was trying to kill me. I need to die."
Itachi appeared behind Sasuke and slammed his elbow into the side of Sasuke's head. Sasuke picked himself out of the mud. The attack had been unexpected. "Why do you wish to fight me Itachi. I have come to save you." Performing the seals to the Uchiha's signature move and letting the stream of fire leave his mouth Itachi answered. "I can not be saved Sasuke."
Sasuke dodged the ball of flames and formed a chidori. "If you wish to die than I will grant you your wish." Without contemplating his actions- or possibly having already- Sasuke charged his older brother. Itachi's second battle had begun and it would be a much more difficult battle. Itachi was fighting to save his younger brother, and his younger brother was fighting to kill him.
Why... Why do you follow the path we agreed upon years ago when you clearly don't care about it any longer? Naruto wondered as Sasuke who had claimed to want to save Itachi began to assault him. The blonde teen watched the fight feeling helpless and insignificant. Sasuke had only minutes before arrived in the midst of a storm, claiming to want to save Itachi, and now he was fighting to kill him. True, Naruto had been in a similar situation when he began fighting with Itachi earlier. But there was a very important difference; Naruto saw that Itachi was dying and realized that there was no way for him to escape Akatsuki in life leaving death as the only way to free Itachi from hell on earth. Sasuke on the other hand didn't see what was wrong with his older brother and didn't care. The only thing the traitor saw was the objective of the game change, he didn't question why.
Naruto suddenly felt the effects of giving Itachi some of his chakra. He had used a quarter of his chakra during his fight with Itachi and and after giving a quarter to Itachi Naruto had only had half his strength to deal with Sasuke's team that looked pretty damn strong. Seeing an opportunity he threw a shuriken at Sasuke who was forced to duck to avoid and his face met Itachi's knee.
"Naruto don't interfere." Itachi said as he disappeared into another genjutsu.
Naruto turned back to Team Hawk slightly annoyed by Itachi's comment. Itachi needed help and he wouldn't accept it. Naruto looked at the three ninja spread out in what Naruto guessed was strategic placement. Well what do you want? Naruto wanted to ask before a powerful explosion broke Naruto's concentration and everyone except Itachi and Sasuke turned to the site of the explosion The cave where Heiri, Hinata, and Ino were trying to rescue Heiri's uncle was rumbling as a hectic battle raged.
For a moment Naruto moved toward the cave but stopped as the members of Team Hawk focused their eyes on him. What would happen if I left? Naruto wondered. Would they assist Sasuke in defeating Itachi? He couldn't risk going to Heiri's aid personally. In an instant a shadow clone had been created and was halfway to the cave. Heiri shot out of the rubble with his uncle on his shoulders and a second after him Hinata and Ino emerged from the rubble. Heiri lay his uncle next to Naruto.
Before Naruto understood what was happening. Kisame emerged from the rubble looking angry. "Damn runts."
Heiri frowned. "You alright Naruto?"
Naruto nodded, "Having trouble?"
"A little, the guy's sword is a pain."
"That sounds like something I can take care of. Make sure those guys don't interfere with Itachi's fight and I'll take care of Kisame." Naruto said, pointing to Team Hawk, as he pulled out his twin cursed katanas. It had taken him a while to understand what the swords abilities were, but he had discovered that the true reason that he could use all different elements in jutsus was due to the blades he held- not simply Jiraiya's training, as he had previously assumed. But that was only one of the two sword's capabilities many more of their abilities were unknown and Naruto wouldn't have minded if the swords had showed him more of their power as he stepped in front of his friends.
Naruto used shushin justsu to give him a huge burst of speed and charged Kisame, his head tilted downward to avoid getting rain in his eyes. When he was within five feet he jumped over Kisame and spun in mid air slashing several times at the blue man. Kisame blocked the attacks lifting his samehada to deflect the blows but was not fast enough to get out of the way as Naruto landed behind him and his sword managed to dig itself into Kisame's back. Naruto pushed the blade in further but was caught off guard as Kisame whirled around and kicked Naruto in the head.
The blonde skidded back and jumped to his feet but the blow he had sustained and stunned him and slowed his reaction time allowing Kisame to kick Naruto to the ground again and this time pin him the blonde between his foot and the ground. Naruto looked up seeing stars, "Shit," he gasped as Kisame applied more pressure to his leg. Kisame looked down at Naruto with a twitch in his smirk.
"Fuck you brat." Kisame swung Samehada down on Naruto's head. Naruto brought his left arm up and pumped as much chakra as he dared into it stopping the huge sword with his palm. With his right hand Naruto grasped Kisame's leg and using simple wind element manipulation began to slice the leg in half. It took Kisame less than a second to jump away but the damage was done and his right leg barely held his weight thanks to the half inch deep cut which gushed out blood where the three inch wide wound bled on his inner calf.
Naruto pushed himself off the ground with his left arm. Scratch that. He tried to push himself off the ground with his left arm but his arm was about as much use as a twig in lifting him up. He stood up and analyzed Kisame. The wound in Kisame's back would prove fatal to a normal person, but unfortunately Kisame didn't look human and he was no where close to being a normal person. Maybe Kisame will bleed out. Naruto hoped as he eyed Kisame's leg bleeding profusely. The type of cut on Kisame's leg should have at least crippled him. Naruto's hopes were dashed as Kisame experimentally took a step forward.
Kisame grunted as Naruto moved his left arm. "That bastard," he mumbled, "it should be broken and he shouldn't have been able to block my sword he should be dead."
Naruto and Kisame for a brief second had exactly the same thought. "I can't believe he's still standing."
Pain exploded in Naruto hand and as he looked at it he saw that his hand had been severely cut. Blood was gushing out everywhere and he was temporarily disabled from sending chakra to it as Samehada's abilities damaged the flow of his chakra. Samehada eats chakra it ate most of the chakra I poured into my arm. If I had used any less chakra to stop that swing I would be dead. Naruto hoped that Kisame would back off not wanting to take any more damage but again Kisame dashed his hopes. Naruto's body tensed.
"Stay back blondie! This is my fight." A member of team Hawk said, sliding in between Naruto and Kisame.
To Naruto's surprise Kisame laughed. "Oh well if it isn't Suigetsu. I'm having fun for once and you decide you can just step in? Beat it punk I don't have time to play games."
Suigetsu's face contorted in annoyance. "Oh really? But I'm not here to play games. I'm here to kill you and take Samehada."
For once Naruto couldn't beleive his luck. His enemies were battling each other giving him time to recover and it couldn't have been at a more perfect time. He turned to Heiri's uncle who lay completely still. The guy was out cold. Naruto flinched as a gentle hand grasped his forearm. "Naruto, let me take care of this for you." Ino said, almost sadly.
Naruto rubbed the back of his hair and forced himself to laugh. He ran his free hand through his hair as the blonde beauty tended to his arm. "Thanks Ino." Naruto sighed. Words could not describe his frustration. The rest of Team Hawk was no longer a threat. The two teammates not engaged in battle were more concerned with Suigetsu and his battle with Kisame, than Naruto. Still Itachi was hardly keeping up with Sasuke. It was that Itachi was tired from his spar with Naruto. While Itachi was one of the strongest ninja in the world it was not because of his stamina or chakra reserve both of which seemed to be failing him in his time of need.
Naruto's frustration stemmed from his inability to understand the situation. What was Itachi trying to do? What was Sasuke here for. And then it dawned on Naruto. Did Sasuke kill Orochimaru? Or did he escape. Naruto examined Sasuke for a few moments. There were no signs of anxiety he was focussed. Not even the most stoic ninja could be free of all fear if Orochimaru was after him. Sasuke hadn't come on a mission for the Snake Sannin. The Snake Sannin was dead.
Unless. Naruto's thoughts raised as he attempted to put the pieces together. He knew enough about Orochimaru to know how his body transformation process worked. Orochimaru broke the mind of the host body and took over. Naruto also knew that the process needed to be done every three years. When he was younger Naruto had heard that Orochimaru had tried to take over Itachi's body but failed because of the sharingan.
Naruto had an assumption but the only way he would know for certain if his suspicion was correct was Heiri who at the moment looked completely befuddled by the present chaos.
Ino pulled her hands away from Naruto's arm and smiled sweetly. "Is that better?"
Naruto grinned. "Your the best."
Ino's blush could not have been more out of place as people she didn't know fought to the death a stones throw away. Yet the blush was there. "Just tell us what's going on tough guy. I think I speak for all of us when I say I have no idea whats going on." Heiri and Ino nodded in affirmation of Ino's assumption.
Naruto explained in brevity what he thought was happening, explaining quickly to Heiri how Orochimaru's body transformation. To anyone else Naruto sounded ridiculous, his analysis was so outrageous and his laconic style of speech so vague yet Heiri put Naruto's words together. Though not as genoius as Shikamaru, Heiri was a dangerous and shrewd strategist and it took him only a minute to come to his conclusion.
"Damn Naruto. That was awesome figuring that out, but there are some pieces to this puzzle still missing. Why is Sasuke here? And why does Itachi want to fight him? I'm sorry to be the cynic but your old buddy Sasuke is dead. Their was no love in the way he greeted you... He's here for Itachi."
Naruto and Heiri jumped on Hinata and Ino shielding them as an explosion erupted and a lightning bolt slammed into Itachi and the water around him. The vaporized water adding to the dense mist and blinding everyone.
For a moment there was silence. Nothing but the splatter of rain on the already soaked ground dared make noise. Kisame and Suigetsu had stopped their fight to look at the destruction of Sasuke's technique. They waited, and as the mist cleared Itachi's crumpled form became visible.
Silence.
Then to Sasuke's horror Itachi rose. His older brother stood, having survived the youngest Uchiha's ultimate attack Kirin. "Roll over and die!" Sasuke demanded as his brother stood confident and ready. Sasuke reverted to his cursed seal mode, he was out of chakra, he was going to lose. "No..." Sasuke muttered sadly to himself, "no... I don't believe it. I've trained so hard. I've worked for this moment. It can't end like this. IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS! FUCK YOU!"
Itachi smiled sadly. "I'm very proud of both you and Naruto, Sasuke. Now behold my greatest weapon, Susano."
Sasuke was mortified. He had spent a year planning for this moment; where he would prove he was the strongest, where he would kill his brother. Naruto wasn't supposed to see it, true. But even still it could have worked out. Yet he was still too weak. He nearly puked at the words. Too weak. Those agonizing years spent with Orochimaru, underground, for this?
"Use my power Sasuke-kun."A voice pleaded in Sasuke's mind.
Sasuke gripped his head. "No, no, no. Go away!" He fell to his knees. The temptation was too much. He could barely resist.
"You don't want to kill him? Admit it Sasuke you need me? Unleash me and your wish will be granted."
Naruto felt the urge to turn away as Sasuke's neck began to ripple. It was something out of a nightmare. Ino turned away in disgust as Sasuke let out a tormented cry and his neck blistered and broke open. What has he done to himself? Naruto asked himself, he's sacrificed his humanity.
Sasuke lost consciousness as Orochimaru was unleashed.
"I know this feeling. Orochimaru's Hydra technique." Itachi mumbled. He opened a scroll and gently caught the wooden jug that came into existence. With patience he opened the lid and raised his arm. Susano moved as Itachi did and swung the sword that he had taken from the small wooden jug. With one swing the powerful chakra entity cleaved off ever one of the snakes heads.
"Finally" Itachi whispered thankfully. Then with more effort he baited the Snake Sannin. "Show yourself, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru obliged and sprung out of one of the defeated snake's heads, puking up his sword to meet Itachi's. "Fool! I am reborn and it's all thanks to you forcing Sasuke-kun to expend all his chakra he used to suppress me. I will take his body for my own and finally use my greatest weapon to destroy the Akatsuki and Konoha."
Naruto felt his heart sink into his stomach as Orochimaru's snake eyes looked right at him. Orochimaru thinks I'm his greatest weapon. Naruto shuddered at the thought. He didn't understand what that meant but it was apparent that Orochimaru meant him. Orochimaru's ecstatic glare had focused on him right as he said "greatest weapon".
Naruto's fears melted away as Susano's sword tore into Orochimaru's shoulders.
"Got anything else Sasuke?" Itachi asked, managing a ghost of a smile.
Orochimaru huffed indignantly, "You really think a little cut like this will stop me-" Orochimaru paused as he felt himself grow weak. For the first time in many years the Snake Sannin felt fear grip his heart. He didn't know what was happening and he always knew what was happening. He examined the sword closely in disbelief. "Thi-This. This. It can't be. The sword of Totsuka? You had it all along!?!"
The onlookers of the spectacle were speechless as the sword absorbed Orochimaru and sealed him into the sword, placing him in a permanent genjutsu for the rest of eternity along with all the other pitiful souls who had experienced the same fate.
Itachi took a step toward Sasuke, the step was forced and heavy but the tiltering Itachi kept his balance and moved toward his younger brother determinedly. Sasuke began to panic. With the strength he had left he pulled out his remaining weapons and threw them at Itachi not stopping until all his weapons were thrown and even then searching for anything he could use to defeat Itachi. Meanwhile the projectiles were deflected whenever they got within a few feet of Itachi. Susano protected the Uchiha with Yata's Mirror a spiritual item which deflected all types of attacks.
Itachi marched on invincible.
Sasuke backed away looking to retreat but as he turned he found himself facing a wall with the Uchiha symbol staring him in the face. Sasuke whirled back around to see Itachi feet in front of him. Itachi faltered and fell his head slamming into the rubble. Watching on horrified, Naruto did not know what to do. He wanted to intervene, he needed to intervene, but something told him he shouldn't. Naruto's ears perked up as Sasuke's eyes bulged open. The blonde could tell Itachi was speaking to Sasuke but what was he saying.
Before Sasuke could move to react to Itachi's words Naruto was by his side.
Itachi opened his mouth to speak again but instead of words he coughed violently spraying blood into Naruto's face. Naruto didn't flinch, he wouldn't dream of such a disrespectful thing. It was his brother's blood that covered his face. Itachi smiled as he tried to speak again but this time his words were lost to all but himself as a strong wind whipped through the valley carrying away the words. Itachi moved his hand to caress Naruto's face but his hand never made it. Inches from Naruto's face the hand fell away lifeless. Itachi was dead.
Naruto closed Itachi's eyes and then shut his own. Naruto wanted to cry. He wanted to feel horrible grief which would cause him to remain silent for days too upset to speak. But Naruto was a ninja, and his training left him so calloused that he had already acknowledged the fact Itachi was dead. Numbness washed through his muscles as the last few raindrops washed through his hair. The storm had ended- for now.