Last week Sasuke refused the offer to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, only to be whisked away by his father who had other ideas.
So… How was Sasuke able to reach out and grab Itachi, pulling him to the ground? I didn't write that very well. What I was hoping to imply was that Itachi's trust in Sasuke was enough to put him off guard, and when he fell it pissed him off because, well, he's the great Itachi and he isn't supposed to let things like that happen. Will it happen a second time? Not likely. xD
Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto.
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Chapter 37 – The Stadium of Broken Dreams
"He's on his way."
"Wouldn't it be funny if he stopped the fight?"
Madara glared at Zetsu, who was standing nearby arguing with himself. Turning to Fugaku he pursed his lips and settled back into his own chair. The man was busy talking to his son, rubbing the boy's back as if to reassure him. He clearly did not want to see Sasuke get involved and his hovering was probably as much to reassure himself as it was to reassure his son.
The day before he and Fugaku had discussed a strategy that could only be implemented by Sasuke. There was no one else to fulfill the role. Fugaku had reluctantly agreed, and truth be told, Madara wasn't too happy about it either. While he did want – need – the boy to obtain the Mangekyou, this way of going about it was far from ideal.
Despite the plan, he had been surprised when Fugaku had agreed. Of course, ultimately Madara had his own reasons for having Sasuke gain the Mangekyou Sharingan and no one was going to stand in his way. Perhaps Fugaku had realized this and stepped aside, as he had done years ago when he discovered Itachi and Shisui had become his pupils. It would be wise; after all, Madara had no qualms about killing him in order to ensure Sasuke's advancement. More than likely, though, Fugaku was doing nothing more than using the boy as an assassin. It was certainly no secret that he wanted Madara dead.
"Shall we begin?" Fugaku stated plainly and without emotion.
"No!" Sasuke yelled, "I can't…"
Fugaku sighed and shook his head in resignation as he moved behind his son. Holding the boy's arms tightly against his sides, he lifted him up off the ground a few inches to keep him from running. Sasuke kicked backwards in an attempt to free himself, but his father changed his grip, wrapping one arm around his son's torso and the other around his knees. Sasuke was now completely immobilized.
"He's entered through the south entrance. He'll be here in a minute." Sora stepped inside the observation room, limping carefully around the chairs. "Are we starting now?"
Madara sighed and stood up, his Sharingan bleeding into their Mangekyou form as he approached Sasuke. Instantly the boy was plunged into a world of Genjutsu, where another boy he had never met instantly became his new best friend. Memories of school, playing, training, hanging out and of shared pain and joy were pumped into his psyche, overriding any logic that could have identified them as false. When he finished Madara's eyes returned to their normal black and Fugaku set Sasuke back down, holding onto him for a few seconds when the boy swayed unsteadily on his feet.
"Did you do the other boy too?" Fugaku asked quietly.
"No need. He's disposable." Madara unlocked a glass door and Fugaku pushed a very confused Sasuke forward, closing his eyes in resignation as the door was locked.
Sora picked up a microphone, "Boys, only one of you is to come out alive. Begin."
A fourteen-year-old, tall for his age and with long red hair, got up off the ground and glared through the protective glass shield at Sora, "You better keep your side of the bargain. I win, I go free."
Sora picked up the microphone again and spoke authoritatively, "I will keep my end, Killian, now get on with it or there will be no bargain."
The door Sora had walked through only a few minutes earlier slammed open, revealing a very pissed off Itachi just as Killian jumped forward, knocking Sasuke to the ground. The atmosphere turned deadly as the teen faced the three powerful Uchihas. Zetsu chuckled as he melted into the wall.
"You're too late, son." Fugaku stated the obvious as Sasuke picked himself up off the ground and began a tactic of avoidance, trying to stay out of his "friends" line of attack.
"I'm not. Now stop this farce immediately! Or would you rather I stop it for you?" Itachi reached up and removed his glasses, pocketing them as his Mangekyou Sharingan glared out from behind a chakra so dark it was hard to believe it was a man standing in front of them and not the devil himself.
Madara and Sora revealed their Mangekyou Sharingans as well, but Fugaku's eyes remained their usual black. "I will not fight you, Itachi. I order you to stand down."
"Release him! He doesn't need to do this!"
"He does." Fugaku answered calmly.
Itachi stepped forward, but was blocked by Sora, "Everyone has their own plans for him, as you well know. This is necessary."
"Madara has plans, Fugaku has plans, what are you plans?" Itachi spat at the clan lord.
"My plan is nothing more than ensuring the customs of the Uchiha are upheld. I have allowed an exception… young Sasuke's opponent is neither an Uchiha nor his friend, but the boy is close in temperament to Naruto Uzumaki – or so I'm told – and with Madara's jutsu the end result will be the same." Sora didn't seem to be concerned at all. His usual, mild-mannered way of speaking was rather disturbing. It sounded for the world like he didn't care about the emotional trauma that he was continually inflicting on the youngest members of his clan.
Itachi glanced through the window and saw that his brother was now fighting back. Killian's attacks were a good match for Sasuke and the fight would have been entertaining, if it weren't for the underlying reason behind it.
"I can't stand here all day and talk." Itachi raised his hands and formed a jutsu as Sora stepped in front of Madara and raised his hands in front of him, easily dispelling the Amaterasu that was sent his way. The black flames, when they reached him, had simply shrunk away and disappeared, as if deprived of oxygen.
"How…" No one had ever been able to stop Amaterasu and Itachi glared as he considered his next option. The space they were in was small – only about a thousand square feet. The fighting arena was much larger, but was it structurally independent of the observation room? If it wasn't, and he did too much damage it would harm Sasuke. He wasn't concerned about himself or the three elder Uchihas and certainly not Zetsu, who, for all he knew, could be a hundred miles away by now. Or in the ceiling filming everything. Genjutsu was also impossible in this situation. The Sharingan – and especially the Mangekyou Sharingan – could dispel it as soon as it was cast.
"You cannot beat all three of us Itachi, do as your father instructs and stand down." Sora's voice was now authoritative and his chakra was just as deadly as Madara's. In fact… Itachi looked closely and saw that the clan lord's eyes no longer showed the Mangekyou Sharingan.
"You have… the Eternal Mangekyou… just like…"
"Just like my nephew, Madara." Sora finished the sentence. "And I will die protecting him. It was a promise made as a child after he saved my live. Till then, I will remain alive, at all costs."
It suddenly made sense. Itachi began grinding his teeth. He wasn't going to be able to get through Sora or Madara, and even if he did, he would be weakened and Fugaku would still be in the way. There was literally no way to win. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone." Itachi growled. "But you three are despicable! How can you call yourselves lords of a clan or a village if you would throw away a life so carelessly?"
"That was pretty lame for you, Itachi. You are usually more eloquent than that." Madara taunted. He turned around and looked through the glass, diverting his gaze to the north end of the arena for a few seconds before returning to the action. Fugaku had already turned his attention back to the fight and was standing rigid with his jaw locked shut and his hands clenched tight. He was so still, in fact, that it looked like he was holding his breath.
In the meantime, Sasuke instigated a Chidori attack, driving his hand through Killian's chest and collapsing as his opponent fell to the ground, wide eyed and very dead. He sat up and watched as Madara once again opened the door, allowing Itachi to race into the stadium.
"Why didn't you stop them?" Sasuke screeched at his older brother, "You…" his voice broke and he was reduced to tears as heavy sobs shook his small form. "I was counting on you… I thought you would… save us…"
Itachi was stopped in his tracks as his brother's words cut deep into his heart. Sharper than any man-made knife the wound that they made was one that would never heal.
"It's my fault." Itachi muttered, "I shouldn't have left you alone."
Fugaku stepped forward and lifted Sasuke to his feet. Sora moved closer and gripped Sasuke's chin. Using his Eternal form of the Mangekyou he ordered Sasuke to reveal his Sharingan. The eyes that gazed back at him though tears of sorrow, betrayal and fear contained a Mangekyou that looked remarkably like a six pointed star.
"Interesting pattern. I can feel the power, even in this infant stage." Sora muttered, then spoke up in a normal voice, "He is definitely your son, Madara."
Sasuke attempted to pull out of Fugaku's grip, only to have the man grip him harder. "Sasuke belongs to me."
This of course, made Madara laugh. "For now." He and Sora started to leave as Zetsu materialized partially out of the floor.
"Looks delicious."
"We should ask before we eat him. It's only polite."
Madara smiled at him in amusement. "Chow down, Zetsu. And be sure to have that tape in my room later. I think I shall open a bottle of wine and enjoy the fight properly."
Fugaku practically dragged Sasuke out into the observation room, rightly guessing what was about to happen. The young boy, however, was so traumatized that he wasn't really catching onto much of anything and allowed himself to be pulled along.
Watching the plant/man hybrid as he began his meal Itachi finally turned around, only to see that he was now the only one left. Alone, he made his way back into the observation room. Sasuke was collapsed on the floor, holding Tama tightly to his chest and crying softly into his fur. The large tabby was purring loudly, as if trying to console him.
"Itachi…" Fugaku's concerned voice called out through the darkness that was beginning the envelope the teen. "It had to be done. You understand why I couldn't say anything to you…"
"No it didn't have to be done!" Itachi turned on the older man and yelled, "You are supposed to be his father, not this guy! Can't you even make your own decisions?" He turned on Madara, but could think of nothing to say.
"You are growing weaker, Itachi. It had to be done." Fugaku repeated his statement calmly, refusing to be drawn into a fight with his eldest son.
"He wasn't what you said he was…" Sasuke sniffled loudly, "He said he didn't kill anyone. He said… he just wanted to go home. He wasn't from here. If he won the fight he could go home. But now…"
"He had no home to go to." Sora spoke up, a pained look on his face. "His mother was banished from her clan for having a son out of wedlock. She came here looking for a new home, but was never able to forget her family. She never told Killian the truth – even when she knew she was dying. This way, Killian died believing he had a home."
"That doesn't make it right." Sasuke whispered.
"No. But Killian's refusal to become a ninja condemned him in our eyes just as much as his mother's shame condemned her in the eyes of her clan. Life is harsh, my boy. We can make all the excuses we want for our behavior but in the end, all that remains is the reality of our actions. Right or wrong, we still move forward."
Fugaku spoke up as he grabbed Sasuke's arm and pulled him to a standing position, "I'll take him back to his room."
Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He never reacted this way when on a mission. It was unprofessional and dangerous. Why did being around his father always bring out the worst in him? He had a feeling there was probably a team of psychologists out there somewhere who would find themselves in seventh heaven if they every got their hands on his brain.
"Your brother loves you a lot, Sasuke." Madara smiled warmly at the boy. "You are truly blessed."
"He was supposed to save me." Sasuke muttered half-heartedly. He had been hanging on to that hope up until the end, only to find himself delivering the final blow before rescue came.
"He still can, Sasuke." Madara leaned back against the glass wass, "There are a lot of things brothers can do for each other."
"It's not going to go that far." Fugaku interrupted. Itachi's eyes shot open and he clenched his fists in anger.
"What's he talking about, dad?" Sasuke had finally stopped crying and was wiping his face on his shirt, which he had removed shortly after Fugaku had made him stand up. There were three large bruises on his chest and one on his lower back.
Shaking his head in frustration, Fugaku relented, "It is the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan."
"Years ago," Madara began, "when I was the leader of the clan I brought them forward to victory. We stood above all others, winning all the battles we fought. Me… and Izuna. My younger brother. We were devoted to each other, the best of friends. But also rivals. Our fights were evenly matched, our intellects equivalent and our dedication to the clan unmatched. Then… I found myself going blind. There was nothing anyone could do.
"As I lay in my room, apathetic and considering the end, Izuna came to me with a solution. One I refused outright, but eventually agreed to. My brother gave me his eyes and in return, my vision was restored. However, the Mangekyou that was created… it was eternal. Never again did my eyes suffer."
"What happened to Izuna?" Sasuke asked hesitantly.
"After both of us healed, we were hired by a government official whose clan was feuding with a clan in another country. Izuna…. insisted on going to battle with us… and died."
Sasuke yelled, "Why did you let him go?"
"How was I to stop him? We were already there by the time I realized he had tagged along. He was that good at hiding. At that point… I knew it was his choice, his way of dying. The greatest disgrace for a warrior is to be caught in his bed when death comes for him. And even though he was still a teenager – barely Itachi's age - he had already decided how he was going to die.
"I couldn't stop him, Sasuke." At this point Madara's face fell and he dropped heavily into one of the chairs. "I had lain in my bed, lamenting my blindness and considering taking my own life and here he was, standing up and willing to fight. Our rivalry, until then, was always equal, but at that moment… he turned the tables to his favor. He was the better man and I was a pathetic cry-baby. And that pathetic battle that took my brother's life was over a god-damned good-for-nothing piece of pottery."
"You see," Sora continued, noting the look of surprise on both Fugaku and Sasuke's faces, "Madara was illegitimate and not supposed to be clan lord, but Izuna stepped aside when their father, my brother, died. I… went a little crazy back then and went after the official that hired us. I assure you, his death was both painful and drawn-out."
"Oh." Sasuke didn't know what to say, his nerves were raw and the story he had just heard seemed to cut into them even deeper. "Itachi is going blind…"
Itachi plastered an expressionless gaze across his face. The thought of being compared to Madara or Izuna was distasteful.
The room was quiet for a minute before Fugaku finally spoke, "How did you get your eyes, Sora?"
"My other older brother." He sighed, "It's complicated… my mother's husband – the man I thought was my father - had been injured as a child and was unable to father children. His father, in order to save face, impregnated his son's wife, giving his son several children."
"That's… complicated all right." Fugaku agreed.
"Therefore… the man I thought was my father, was actually my older brother. He gave me his eyes, but he was dying and feared I would go blind like Madara. My eyes were already fading by that time. He was a cruel man, but at the same time… he was a man I learned to respect a great deal."
"So… who was Madara's father?" Sasuke was confused.
"Ah. This is getting a little round-a-bout isn't it?" Sora gave a short laugh, "Ryuunosuke Uchiha was the clan lord, his son was Masaru and his daughter-in-law was Yuka. Because Masaru could not father any children, they agreed that Ryuunosuke would lay with Yuka instead. Two of the children survived. Me and Shou. Shou was Madara's father and eleven years older than me. I'm about six years older than Madara so he, Izuna and I used to play and train together, but because I was older, my responsibilities pulled me away from them a lot."
"You are talkative tonight." Fugaku noticed that Sasuke was beginning to relax a little, and reluctantly he had to admit that Sora probably knew what he was doing. Madara was quiet, but whether or not he was listening was debatable.
"No point in keeping this a secret any more." Sora laughed.
Fugaku sighed, "So that means you are my grandfather."
It was quiet for a couple minutes as a dark shadow seemed to pass over Sora's face.
"My greatest regret and biggest failure. That boy… your father. If I had known what he would turn into… I left him in Konoha because they needed a clan leader. I was leaving to fulfill my oath to serve Madara. My son was three at the time, and seemed normal. But… he didn't like to be picked up and wouldn't respond if you did. He would stare into space for hours… or talk to himself nonstop for hours. He had many problems that I chose to ignore. Everyone else desperately wanted him to be normal and ignored his behavior as well. Until it was too late. I wish to God that I had taken him with me, but I gave in to the elder's demands and left him with his mother, who, by the way, was just as messed up as he was.
"It took all my self-control to keep from grabbing you after his execution. The guilt was almost too much to bear. But at least you turned out alright. And of course, Sasuke's a good boy. Itachi… I'm not so sure… but he does mean well… unlike his grandfather."
"He was executed." Sasuke replied sadly. "He killed a lot of people."
"He was a psychopath, pure and simple." Fugaku stated firmly. "He haunted me almost my entire life. I even thought Itachi was like him for a while."
"Itachi is a psychopath." Madara finally spoke up, looking closely at the teen who appeared to be staring off into space. "But a psychopath who learned to hate killing. Don't underestimate him, even as he becomes more and more ill, underneath it all he is still dangerous. The only reason there were no casualties tonight is because you were here, Sasuke."
"He would never hurt me or dad or mom." Sasuke stated firmly.
"Correction." Fugaku interrupted, "He would never hurt you. If Mikoto or myself harm you, our lives would be forfeit. Sasuke, I told you a long time ago that Itachi has a lot of problems. I tried to guide him…not only for my own selfish ends… but to keep him out of trouble. As a policeman I have seen what shinobi become when they no longer have a use, for the village or themselves. It isn't pretty."
Sasuke scowled, "So are we down here gossiping because you are afraid to leave without me to save your skins?"
Itachi smirked. The thought of three of the most powerful men in the Uchiha clan using a twelve-year-old Genin to hide behind was definitely enough to break his concentration. And he had to wonder if there was some small grain of truth to the accusation.
Madara laughed, "The boy's got guts. I like that. And to answer your question, no. Itachi, if he was going to do anything, would have acted earlier, but as stated, you were here and he no doubt knew that the advanced attacks required to stop me, Sora or Fugaku would have harmed you as well."
"Likely story." The boy muttered, then scowled again when the three men smirked.
"I'll take you back to your room, Sasuke, you need to rest. The eyes will feel a bit weird and sore for a few days, until you get used to it." Fugaku pulled his son closer and disappeared from the room followed closely by Itachi. Tama trotted up to where the pair had been standing, sniffed the floor, then disappeared.
"Interesting cat." Madara sighed, "I'm not happy that you told them all that."
"Too bad. It needed to be said. Fugaku is my grandson and Itachi my great-grandson. I find I am rather fond of both of them, just as much as you are of Sasuke. They are both strong men who take great pride in their duties and would die for their beliefs. They aren't perfect, but that… if I had stayed in Konoha…"
"Don't play that game with me Sora." Madara snapped as he stood up and faced his uncle, "And what was that about Masaru 'giving' you his eyes? You took them. Ripped them out of his face while his corpse was still warm."
"Ha ha ha! You got me there. That I did, Madara, that I did. But I got what I wanted. That man tried to kill me. And you. We were just children and he thought I was weak and you were an embarrassment. I can't forgive him for that… no matter how much I learned to respect him later on… I can't forgive him."
"Well, I have a feeling he wouldn't have minded anyway. In the end, he also had learned to respect us as well. I think he even liked us." Madara relented. "Ha! I haven't thought about that man in years. My first teacher. He was cruel, indeed. Fugaku is just like him, you know. It was hard at times watching Itachi struggle with that, but as I survived, I knew he would as well."
Sora sighed, "Still, Sasuke isn't like any of us. Not really."
"He is his own person. Not swayed by the politics of the clan, he would defend his family simply because they are his family, and he would follow his brother into hell if need be. It is refreshing. And a pity."
"That it is." Sora reached tripped the circuit breaker and the stadium went black. "Let's get out of here before the ghosts show up. Talking about the past like this… they are sure to walk tonight if we aren't careful."
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"I can't forgive you." Itachi materialized seconds after his father and brother.
"I will never ask you for forgiveness, Itachi. I don't deserve it. I have damned myself to hell so many times that all I can do now is try to keep you two from following me. And I probably failed in that task as well." Fugaku's voice was strained as he sat down heavily on the couch. "Sasuke, I know you need to rest, but I want to tell you something. That man… Madara… I know he is your… father… but he needs to die. Somehow… I really don't have any idea how it can be accomplished. He would remake this world, creating a series of puppet governments that would fall to his will. Hundreds of thousands... perhaps millions will die. He is an Uchiha and our responsibility. But… that is not the mission I was talking about yesterday."
Everyone's attention was momentarily distracted as Tama materialized and immediately lay down on the floor, staring closely at Sasuke.
Fugaku cleared his throat, "Madara suggested it, and, well, quite frankly I think it may be a good idea. Albeit, the 'last-resort' type of idea, but nevertheless… Sasuke, the reason I wanted you to have the Mangekyou was to defend yourself against Orochimaru."
"What?" Itachi and Sasuke yelled in unison.
"He will come for you. It is inevitable. And when he does… you will go with him."
"No!" Itachi stepped forward and yanked his father off the couch by the front of his shirt, "Have you completely lost your mind?"
Fugaku extracted his son's hand and stepped back. He had expected this kind of reaction and knew that the best way to handle it was to remain calm, "Yes, Itachi, perhaps I have. However, Danzou and Orochimaru are working together in some capacity. We need someone on the inside to pass us information. Sasuke is the only one who could go in without suspicion. Madara has already sent in four people – all S-class – and Orochimaru has taken out all them, without even breaking a sweat."
Itachi growled under his breath and glanced at his brother, who had backed himself up against the wall and was as white as a ghost. "He's never had to do anything like this before! He's a Genin with no battle experience whatsoever! What kind of a father are you? Even if Orochimaru doesn't suspect anything, Kabuto will. In fact, Kabuto is probably S-rank as well."
"I realize that." Fugaku snapped. "But this is the closest we're going to get to Danzou. He's dangerous, Itachi, he has to be dealt with."
"D…dad… I don't want to…" Sasuke sniffled and wiped his eyes, "I can't do it. I'm not good enough. Please… don't make me…"
"Itachi, you will be in charge of his training. Keep in mind that we have no idea when Orochimaru will show up again. Sasuke, you will go with him when he comes for you, but try to pull yourself together and act your age, at least. You are an Uchiha, not a Senju crybaby." He turned around the leave the room, but Itachi wasn't finished with him.
"I won't allow it." His voice had turned deadly calm. "If I have to fight you to stop this, I will."
"I realize that, Itachi. And who knows? You may be the one to take my life someday. But right now, you will obey my orders and if you want Sasuke to survive you had better do a good a job of training him. His failure will no doubt weigh on your conscious more than anyone elses." He slid open the door and paused, "Any attempt to spirit Sasuke away and hide him will result in severe consequences. Remember, this was originally Madara's idea and unless you've figured a way to stand up to him then I suggest you get to work."
Itachi cursed his father and Madara then turned on his brother, "Stop that whining, it's pathetic."
Sasuke immediately quieted down and watched closely as Itachi stood seething in the middle of the room. Afraid to move or even breathe, the boy realized that he was now trembling violently.
"Damn it! Danzou couldn't possibly be this dangerous. What is going on here? You're completely useless for a mission like this. What the hell is Madara up to and why is father going along with him?" The only person whose motives seemed even remotely straight-forward were Sora's, Itachi realized distastefully. He had always known that Sasuke would somehow be used to further Akatsuki's goals. Pein's continued interest in the boy was a huge hint that could not be ignored. But sending him to Orochimaru seemed about as close to a death sentence as you could get.
"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" Sasuke finally asked.
"Apparently not." Itachi's voice was harsh. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we begin training."
"I don't want to…" Sasuke's words were cut short when Itachi grabbed him by the throat and shoved him to the floor.
"I don't remember you being given a choice."
"Itachi…"
"Training from here on out will be strict and any hesitation, whining, or failure will be dealt with severely."
"But I…"
Itachi kicked the boy in the groin, causing him to double over in pain. "This should have happened a long time ago. The elders were correct, father and I have been babying you. Do you want to know why they had you fight that boy instead of an Uchiha? Because you are weak and any victory against you would be an insult."
As the pain subsided, it was quickly replaced with shock and disbelief. His brother had never behaved like this before. It was both disturbing and frightening. Their training sessions in the past had always been friendly and filled with encouragement. Slowly he stood up, gulping loudly. Itachi's eyes had turned cold and hard.
"Earlier you said I was…"
"You will not have your friends to help you, Sasuke. I won't be there either. You will be completely, and utterly alone."
"Oh." He realized there was no getting out of this. "Then… okay. I guess…" He couldn't think of anything to say and stared morosely at the floor.
"We will be using standard ANBU training as well as additional techniques to enhance the Mangekyou."
"Itachi… if I can't do it… what will happen?"
Itachi thought for a minute. If he purposely weakened the boy, made it so he couldn't do the mission… He could cripple him somehow… permanently paralyze one leg or an arm. He would be safe then, no longer a ninja and able to stay home. It would be easy, too. As an ANBU, Itachi had learned how to incapacitate his adversaries and that had included a rather in-depth discussion into anatomy, muscles, nerves, and the circulatory system. He could do it.
Sasuke stepped back, fear crossing his face as Itachi moved forward, chakra seeping into his hand, "What are you…"
Blinking in surprise, Itachi stopped moving and stared curiously at his own hand. It wouldn't work after all. Any advanced medic nin would be able to heal him without any problems. And besides… Orochimaru could still kidnap him and steal just the eyes.
"If you can't do it… you will die."
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"If he fails, father, we will have handed Orochimaru a fully functional Mangekyou Sharingan." Two hours later found Itachi and Fugaku in the guest house's living room, arguing, once again, over Sasuke.
"Yes. I realize that." Fugaku snapped, "Do you really think I wanted to do this? We're backed up against a cliff and Sasuke is the only one who can build a bridge and get us out of this mess."
Itachi was seething, "Yeah, I do think you wanted to do it. There is no way Danzou is that dangerous. He's got nothing on Madara."
"He is perhaps more dangerous than Madara, Itachi." He advanced on his son, raising his fist to emphasize his point.
"Why? What the hell did you find out that I don't know already? He's nothing more than a traitor with an organized rebel force. While I admit that he has killed a lot of people, his attacks have dropped off since he took over the capital. What's wrong with just letting the situation remain and stabilize?"
Fugaku huffed and turned his back on his son, "I can't believe you actually think that situation could ever stabilize. All evidence pointed to Danzou creating a new secret ninja village somewhere and he has connections with Orochimaru, a powerful Sannin. Logically, that village must be Sound. In case you have forgotten already, Orochimaru killed Hiruzen Sarutobi as well as several Konoha citizens."
"I haven't forgotten." Itachi replied quietly, "But he backed off as soon as we started fighting back. He doesn't have the power to harm us in any significant way. If Danzou is using him then he's really not going to get very far. And I could easily infiltrate his organization…"
"Out of the question. You have other duties. And as for backing down, even you have to admit that he used Sand Shinobi. To our knowledge there were none of Danzou's people present and very few Sound ninjas. As such, we have no clear idea of how many people Orochimaru has at his disposal."
"Yes I realize all that, but you haven't given me a good reason for why you think Danzou is so dangerous. What are you keeping from me?"
Fugaku changed the subject, "Can you deny the power Sasuke is capable of?"
Itachi realized he wasn't going to get any information out of his father and ground his teeth, "No, I can't deny that." He had been feeling rather guilty about the way he had treated his brother earlier. But his crying had gotten on his last nerve and the thought of him dying because he was weak was too much to bear. "Sasuke has tremendous potential. I sense that he is more powerful than me, although I can't really put that feeling into words to substantiate it."
Fugaku sighed, "Orochimaru will protect Sasuke. He will want nothing to happen to him and would probably go so far as to lock him up if he was weak just to keep him safe. That is perhaps the number one reason I agreed to this. However, if he is locked up the amount of intelligence he sends drops off considerably, therefore he must be strong enough to hold his own, at least enough to be around Orochimaru."
Itachi had already figured that much out and nodded. The sannin wanted an Uchiha body with a Sharingan and if one of his henchmen harmed his new container it would not bode well. Therefore, he had to admit, reluctantly of course, that Sasuke would probably be the safest person in Orochimaru's lair. Until he needed him. "Sarutobi injured him quite badly. I wonder if that means he'll need a new body sooner than expected."
"Yeah. That was also a factor in this. We have no way of knowing just how badly injured he is right now. His jutsu's were sealed, and it would be nice if that included his soul-transfer technique, but considering how little we know about it we must assume that, at least, is still functioning."
Glancing outside through the glass wall Itachi watched as the branches of the leafless trees moved slightly in the breeze. It was evening and the pitch-black night was made even darker by the mists that had not cleared that day. He looked closer and saw that it was now raining.
"By the way, Itachi, I met a couple rather interesting people yesterday."
"Hm?" He turned his attention back to his father, who was now squatting in front of a stack of videos and going through them absent-mindedly.
"Pein and Konan." He paused long enough to register the look of absolute shock that crossed Itachi's face, "They were also in the north observation room during the fight earlier. They seem quite interested in Sasuke's welfare and, well, they are just as upset about this as you are. Pein threatened Madara, quite successfully I think, because Madara offered to cancel the mission if he decided it was too dangerous. That's not something he would do for you or me."
"Why are they here?" Itachi's blood ran cold as he remembered the village Pein had destroyed with his jutsu several years earlier. His power was unmatched and several times over the years the teen had wondered what the outcome would be if he fought him.
"Seeing the Rinnegan… it was unbelievable. I know you told me before that he had it… but seeing it… I had read the documents passed down from clan chief to clan chief and never believed them. How could anything be that powerful? But Pein is completely in a class of his own. Itachi, I don't know how much you know about the Rinnegan – Sharingan connection but… there is a possibility that what Madara is planning could change the world more than we could ever comprehend."
"That is what you meant when you said things are changing. So you had already spoken to him when you came to see Sasuke yesterday." That did explain a lot, Itachi realized reluctantly. "You are correct, I found the hiding place for the clan chief's scrolls, but I didn't think they were important enough to read. I figured they were nothing more than a retelling of clan history than I already knew from the stuff I read when I became a Genin. And… well… the clan has an immense quantity of information. More than anyone in one lifetime could read. I had to make a choice."
"That is certainly understandable." Fugaku conceded. He had actually assumed the same thing when Kentaro had taken him down into the hidden chamber after he had become the chief, and reading them had been more like browsing a fantasy novel than a history. What was contained in those scrolls was too far-out to be completely believable. "Read those scrolls when we get back, son. Read them very carefully. But don't show them to anyone else. They are only meant for the perusal of chiefs." Selecting a horror movie, Fugaku shoved the tape into the VCR and settled back onto the couch.
Itachi gazed back out into the darkness and decided that a walk in the chilly night air might feel good. However, Fugaku called out to him just as he was about to open the door.
"Itachi, has Pein ever been in Konoha?"
"No. I mean…" He realized he had no idea until his father mentioned it that Pein was in Mist, and certainly none that he had attended the fight a few hours earlier. "Father, I have no way of knowing. I take it that's a problem?"
Fugaku turned to his son, and the look on his face was something that the older man was not in habit of displaying. Releasing the door handle Itachi creased his brow in worry and gazed deeply into his father's eyes. 'Is that fear?' He thought to himself.
Returning to his movie, Fugaku took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Sensing the conversation was over, Itachi made his way out into the garden. Why was it that whenever something bad happened, something worse always followed?
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"There you are!"
"Aya, don't start anything. I'm not in a good mood right now." Madara pulled off his yukata and threw it across the back of a chair, "And what are you doing in my room anyway? Didn't I tell you not to come here unless I call for you?"
"Humph. As if I'm going to be following any of your petty, thoughtless rules. And if you really meant it you would have locked the room anyway."
"It is left unlocked so the servants can clean. You know that. Not so you can go traipsing in and out as you please."
Aya ignored him, "How could you do that to Sasuke? It was bad enough that you tricked me, now you go after your own son. Your own flesh and blood. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Aya banged her hand on the small table as she stood up, the tea cup clattered, knocking the small silver spoon onto the porcelain tray.
"It means everything to me!" Madara snapped, turning on the woman, "I didn't do it because I thought it would be fun! It's necessary, an Uchiha tradition and the only way to gain the advanced eyes. Only some of the clan even gets the Sharingan, and an even smaller percentage are capable of awakening Mangekyou."
"So you wanted to see if I was good enough for you."
"Yes. The woman I take as a wife has to have Mangekyou in order to assure our children have a greater chance of inheriting it. It is the same for the rest of the clan. Sora controls who marries whom for this exact purpose. That is why Mist is able to breed a higher ratio of Sharingan users than Konoha."
Aya was now standing directly in front of Madara, her Sharingan blazing fiercely and her face set with determination, "And how does Sasuke fit into this?"
"He has nothing to do with it. I need him for something else."
"Akatsuki."
"Yes."
Walking back to the table she picked up the miscreant spoon and set it back in the cup. "I hate being here. You are the epitome of evil."
"Soon enough, my princess, you will change your mind." Madara moved closer. Wrapping his arms around her, he buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath. "You always smell so good. It's getting harder and harder to wait for our wedding night when I have you within my reach like this."
Aya felt a surge of fear course through her and she extracted herself from his embrace, "Y…you promised…"
"I'm evil, dear princess. Remember? I have no need for promises." He advanced on her slowly, his face twisted into a half-grin and his eyes darkening with lust. "The only reason you keep asking me to wait is because you are hoping your precious Shisui will rise from the dead and save you from my clutches." He gave a short laugh at the look of utter shock that crossed over the woman's face.
"How… how dare you!" It was a pretty lame come-back, she knew that, but she wanted to say something… anything… she just didn't know what.
"Hit a nerve, did I?"
"We were talking about Sasuke, not me!"
"Shisui isn't going to 'save' you. No one is. And why, exactly, do you think you need saving anyway? Is the thought of being with me that repulsive? Even Mikoto enjoyed my company."
"She was forced!" Mikoto had explained the situation to Aya shortly after arriving with Emi to help plan the wedding. She had wanted to clear up any misunderstandings between them and as hard as it was, clearing the air before it had a chance to stagnate seemed like the best plan. Aya had been very grateful the older woman had done so.
"Perhaps. At first."
"Damn it! We are supposed to be talking about Sasuke!"
"You are getting harder and harder to sidetrack, princess." He gave a sigh of defeat and sat in an upholstered chair, draping one leg over the arm. "Sasuke is a necessary sacrifice. I will be using him to bring about my new era, and Fugaku will be using him to try to kill me. And before you complain, no it is not something I want to do to my own son. I do love him, Aya. There is no way I could not. I'm not that heartless. As for Mikoto… I love her as well. I wish she was the woman I was marrying and not you. Just as you wish Shisui was your groom. But it appears neither of us is getting what we want."
Aya's face fell and she dropped her head to stare at the floor. "You are so good with words, yet you use them as a weapon so often that I can't tell anymore when they are sincere."
"Then let's not use any words for a while." He stood up and approached Aya, "There are other ways to communicate."
"Huh?" She suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt and found herself staring at his chest as if hypnotized. 'He's really, really built.' She said to herself. However, her attention was quickly diverted when he grabbed the back of her head, interlacing his fingers in her long black hair.
He spoke in a low voice, "You are invited to my room this evening, princess, and you aren't leaving 'til morning."
"Is… is this a Genjutsu?"
"Shisui isn't the only reason you have been avoiding me." He bent down and pressed his lips to the nape of her neck, speaking against the bare skin of her throat, "You also desire me, and are refusing to allow yourself this ultimate of pleasures. That ends now, Aya."
"I… um…" She grabbed his shoulders as his kisses trailed up her neck, finding her lips, and then her earlobe.
"Okay?"
Aya sighed as she pressed her body closer to his, "Okay. But if any of our children ever die, I'll personally make sure you never have any more."
He maneuvered her onto the bed, and crawled over the top of her, "Hmm… Less talk… more action…"
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Next week – Training begins
So, has Sasuke been given power without working for it? Absolutely. However, he is more powerful right now in the story than he was in the manga before he left for Orochimaru. I'm still not so sure I portrayed that well enough, but Sasuke is going to be working very hard from here on out.
I hope you all don't think Sasuke was being too whiney here. I mean, he remembers what Orochimaru did to him in the Forest of Death so he knows what the guy is and… really… why would he react any differently? He's much more normal than Itachi and never went through any "emotional repression" training. I thought his reaction was appropriate and hopefully I wrote it to look like that.
I had to do a Madara / Aya moment… after all it is supposed to be a wedding…
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Omake (extra - because I absolutely, 100 percent could not resist it):
Aya sighed as she pressed her body closer to his, "Okay. But if any of our children ever die, I'll personally make sure you never have any more."
He maneuvered her onto the bed, and crawled over the top of her, "Hmm… Less talk… more action…"
"Did you want me to film this too?" Black Zetsu inquired calmly.
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