Thanks for all the reviews and favs! There were a lot of them last week. More are always welcome.
I'm sorry this is late. This time, it's because I was being lazy. No other excuse. That's it. Oh well. It's been that kind of a week. Lots to do but I don't want to do anything. xD
Chapter 65 – The Light and the Dark
"I think he may be blind." Kakashi was sitting in a crouch in front of Fugaku, who was resting on the ground using his backpack as a pillow.
Fugaku nodded once, "It definitely doesn't look good." He had fallen asleep as soon as they had reached the rendezvous point, but Kakashi had woken him up after an hour, knowing that his commander would get upset if he slept for too long. And besides, there was still a lot to do.
"'Doesn't look good' is an understatement!" Zabuza interjected, "I've never seen such a thing, and I've seen everything. His eyes were completely white except for a tiny black pupil in the middle. And, in the worse case scenario, we'll have to leave him here while we take our three targets back to Konoha."
Again Fugaku nodded. It was standard procedure that the mission took precedence over ones health. And that was supposed to mean that teammates got left behind, to be retrieved later – either dead or alive.
Of course, Kakashi had other ideas, "I'm not leaving him."
"We will have to see what happens before deciding that, Kakashi," Fugaku replied quietly, "But in the worst case, where Sakura, Sai and Kabuto have to be carried back to Konoha, we may have no choice, and you will have to accept it. I can leave my summon cats here and you also have your dogs. He won't be unguarded."
The white-haired ninja scowled under his mask, but decided not to argue the issue any further until he knew more about the situation. And, of course, he trusted his dogs implicitly. If it did come down to that he knew they would protect him as long as they could. Of course, there seemed to be someone else who was also concerned about the teen who had fallen asleep seconds after being removed from the scene of Danzou's final stand.
Kisame was sitting about two feet from Itachi's head deep in thought. Kakashi took a deep breath before speaking hesitantly to the big man, "What are you thinking?"
"Hmm?" Kisame looked up at where the sky would have been if it wasn't for the thick canopy of branches and leaves that had hidden it from the ground for thousands of years. "Just thinking about how messed up all this is. He's dead, and I've wanted it for so long, but there's no way to…" His voice disappeared and he went back to staring at Itachi. After a couple minutes he spoke again, his voice lower and a small smile playing on his lips, "But I will sleep better now. I got my revenge and that man can't do anymore harm. He can't rip apart any more families now."
"You're sounding rather melancholy, Kisame. That isn't like you." Zabuza taunted. "Besides, his followers are still out there. Even though Danzou is dead, there will be lots of people still running around killing in his name. They will come after Konoha." He turned to Fugaku, "So what are you going to do about Ki?"
"Humph." The Hokage closed his eyes for a second, then opened them slowly, "Wiping them out, down to the last man woman and child would be logical choice. But that is something Danzou would do. That is what we, as ninja, are taught is the correct way to deal with problems."
"But?" Zabuza prodded, a big smile on his lips.
"But… it seems the next generation has different ideals." He turned to look at his son again and sighed, "There was a time when Itachi would have done anything I asked of him. But as he is now, he would never follow that order." Once again he closed his eyes and expelled a deep sigh, "Thank God for that."
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"Do something stupid like that again and I'll personally incapacitate you to keep you out of the way!" Haku yelled as he stood over his white-haired teammate, who was currently lying on the floor panting after having been pulled out of the way of a rather potent fire jutsu. "You may think you're in our league kid, but you are no more than Chuunin level. If that. Got it?"
Suigetsu sat up, took a deep breath and scowled, "He caught me off guard. That's all it was."
"Ha ha ha!" The jailer stood over the pair and laughed heartily at their bickering. The man was one of several elite Shinobi Danzou had assigned to meet the team he suspected would be showing up to rescue the three traitors. The large prison, built underneath one of the massive trees the area was known for, was composed of several terraces that went straight up until it hit the base of the tree. All of the fighting, so far, had taken place on the lowest level. Although Deidara with his flying owl was definitely trying to change that.
"What are you laughing at?" Haku was calm again and looked carefully at the man in front of him. His Kekkei Genkai was definitely going to win the fight, but he was suddenly curious.
"You hanging out with that kid. A member of the infamous Ice clan hanging out with a member of the Hoozuki clan. You're ancestors would be turning over in their graves if they knew."
Haku and Suigetsu looked at each, clearly in the dark about whatever it was their taunter was hinting at.
"I haven't a clue what you're talking about." Haku replied with a blank look on his face.
"The Hoozuki clan never mentioned an Ice clan when I was still living with them and my brother. Besides, Haku is from the north of Water country and we stayed in the east." Suigetsu tried his best to remember any hint of a conversation that could elaborate on what the ninja was saying, but nothing came to mind. Of course, he was quite young then, and it was possible he had forgotten.
"Travel in Water country is very difficult. Until the formation of Mist village ninjas rarely left their territories so I doubt our two clans would have interacted much at all."
Kabuto, who had be standing nearby trying his best to look like he was not weak from his stint in an underground dungeon spoke up, "He's lying. Don't fall for it. He's just trying to rile you up."
Haku laughed, "Thanks, but I think we figured that out on our own."
Adjusting his glasses, Kabuto grinned back and moved so he could lean against the wall. "That's good to know." He glanced down at Sakura and Sai who were now lying down sleep. They lacked the energy to remain conscious and Kabuto silently cursed the circumstances that let them all to this situation.
Deidara chose that moment to launch an attack on the terrace opposite the one they were standing on. The clay caterpillar he tossed at it flared for a moment before exploding magnificently in a burst of flames and noise. Flashing a mischievous grin he dove towards the floor again.
Haku stepped back two paces as the distracted shinobi watched Deidara's wild flying. Raising one hand he formed series of signs as he quickly raised his other hand, palm up.
Too late they realized their mistake as they were enclosed tightly on all four sides and above by several thick, chakra enforced panels of ice. The clear cube was left open at the corners so air could get through, but other than that it was inescapable. The ninja pounded heedlessly on the cold walls of their tiny prison and yelled, but no one could hear them.
"Are they suffocating?" Suigetsu asked hopefully.
"No." Haku responded with a small smile, "In fact, the chakra will wear off in about four or five hours and they can escape easily."
"Is that wise?"
"I see no point in killing people needlessly." Sighing at the younger boys bloodlust he turned his attention back to Deidara.
The mad bomber had cornered his prey on the bottom floor and was keeping them on their toes with a series of well placed explosions. In fact, upon closer inspection Haku noticed that there was a definite pattern to his attacks.
Four ninja were backed up against a wall and effectively immobilized by a series of holes that had been blown through the floor. Weakened, the floor was beginning to sag, but every time one of the men would try to move forward to safety Deidara would blow another hole in the floor, forcing them back.
"Are you ready to go?" Haku yelled out across the open expanse of the prison, only to find himself on his knees when something hit him across the back, knocking him down.
Quickly turning around he watched as Suigetsu flew threw the air as he too was quickly dispatched by a very large woman, well over six-and-a-half feet tall, was standing over the teen with what could only be described as an insane look in her eyes. Her ebony skin was set off by shoulder length white hair and light brown eyes that perfectly matched her brown leather shorts and white sleeveless shirt.
She reached down and lifted Haku up by the front of his jacker and held him up over her head for a moment, "I think the young man wants to go flying like his little friend over there." Her voice was surprisingly feminine.
Throwing the teen over the edge of the railing she quickly turned her attention back to Suigetsu, "Humph. He was hardly worth the effort. That little fall shouldn't have knocked him out. What a wimp."
The boy was lying against a badly cracked wall, while blood leaked from the back of his head and his left arm was bent in an angle that could only indicate a break.
"Loli..." Kabuto stared at the woman warily, "Why are you here?"
"Danzou wants to keep his personal physician safe and sound. Why do you ask?" Loli ran a hand through her hair and looked over the edge of the railing.
"I had a feeling that flyboy would catch him, but I was hoping he would miss." Haku was now sitting behind Deidara, arms firmly wrapped around the teens middle as if holding for dear life.
He looks scared." Kabuto snickered. "Anyway, if you are here where is Danzou? I know you are one of his personal guards."
Suigetsu mumbled something as he slowly climbed to his feet. "So he sent away his guards, eh? That must mean he's dead. With both Itachi and Fugaku after him, he won't last five minutes."
"You looking to get your ass whooped again kid?" Loli growled angrily.
"No. Once is enough." Suigetsu gave the woman a toothy grin.
"Smart boy. I..." She was interrupted when Kabuto suddenly leapt away, landing on top of Sakura and Sai as a huge explosion shook the terrace.
Smoke and dust filled their lungs as Kabuto and Suigetsu started coughing. Sakura and Sai also began coughing as they were jolted awake by the sudden noise. Lifting them up so they were sitting, Kabuto hoped they had the energy to cough because if they inhaled too much of the dust it would make them sicker then they already were.
"You guys still alive down there?" Haku yelled.
"There's always that possibility, but maybe we should wait a few minutes before answering that!" Kabuto yelled up at the pair on the owl.
"He's mad at us." Haku said to Deidara.
"Who cares?" Deidara answered "That kunoichi fell over the edge. I don't think she's getting up any time soon either."
Kabuto got to his feet and looked around. The part of the terrace that Loli had been standing on had disappeared and the woman was now lying underneath a huge section of concrete with only her foot sticking out.
"She's still alive." Kabuto muttered to himself. Suigetsu was staring across the chasm, realizing that he was now cut off from the others.
There was a loud roar as the large cement block was shattered into a hundred pieces. Loli stood up and brushed dirt and cement bit off of her clothes and hair.
"Ha! That was definitely fun! I haven't been tossed around like that since I left the village hidden in the Clouds." she looked around, trying to find a way back up to the terrace. The stairs, however, were one of the first things Deidara had destroyed.
"She can't use chakra to jump." Kabuto explained to the others, "I'm not sure why. Still, I hate to rush you, but we need to get out of here now. If Loli was sent here then the other personal guards must be near by."
Deidara landed his owl on the remaining terrace just as Suigetsu used chakra to leap over the chasm. Pulling out a piece of clay the blond quickly formed it into a second owl and helped Haku drape Sakura and Sai over its back. They were too weak to sit up and Haku quickly fashioned a harness to keep them from falling off.
Meanwhile, Kabuto quickly wrapped Suigetsu's broken arm. He didn't have enough chakra to fix it or even lessen the pain. However, the boy had a collection of soldier pills and he quickly chewed on one to deaden the throbbing.
"Suigetsu can ride with me." Deidara pointed to his owl. "I could make a third owl for you two to share but I might not make it to the top before I run out of chakra. So..."
We're on our own." Haku smiled at Deidara and then turned to Kabuto, "Race you to the top!"
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"Hey Kisame," Zabuza laughed, "Remember when we used to bet on how many ninjas would come back dead, wounded, or untouched?"
"If you're asking me to make a bet with you, forget it. We both know Suigetsu will be wounded, Deidara will be out of chakra and Haku will be running on low." Kisame couldn't resist laughing at his old teammate as memories of their time as Mist ninjas drifted through his head. They did have a few good times together and that was certainly something he hadn't forgotten.
"Can't get one by you. How about you, Kakashi, Fugaku, want to bet?"
Kakashi closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief, "With those odds, it's not worth it."
"If you're that hard up for money maybe you should ask for a raise?" Fugaku smiled at the bored ninja.
"Hmm. Can I have a raise, boss?" Zabuza asked the Hokage.
"Ask Tsunade." Fugaku snickered.
"Ha!" The ex-mist nin found that very amusing, but his attention was drawn back to their surroundings as a familiar chakra signal drew near."
"Someone is coming." Kakashi said quietly. "Oh, it's the other team and I think we have a solution to our transportation problem, Lord Fugaku."
The Hokage chuckled, "Assuming Deidara's chakra holds up that is. He looks about ready to collapse."
Haku spoke up as soon as he got close, "Kabuto is in good enough health, but Sakura and Sai need treatment as soon as possible. Deidara used too much chakra and will need to rest before continuing on. Oh, and Suigetsu has a broken arm and a concussion and should be see seen by a doctor. He refuses to admit it, but he keeps getting dizzy."
For some reason Kisame and Zabuza broke out laughing, causing the new arrivals to look at them, and wonder if they had finally gone completely insane.
"Never mind them." Fugaku stood up and took a deep breath as he looked around at the remaining team. "Zabuza, you carry Itachi. Kakashi, Haku, Kabuto and myself will switch off carrying Sai and Sakura."
"I suppose that leaves me with you two." Kisame gave Deidara and Suigetsu a lopsided grin that seemed to have a hint of something evil behind it. The two boys looked warily at each other before nodding. Neither of them had enough chakra left to argue or even escape whatever it was he had planned for them.
"What… what are you going to do?" Suigetsu whispered, pulling his broken arm closer to his body.
"I'm going to call a healer to look at you two."
"But I'm okay. You don't have to call him. I just need to sleep. Suigetsu's the one that's sick!" Deidara's voice sounded paniced, and everyone looked at him curiously.
"Who's he going to call?" Suigetsu asked.
"Kakuzu." Kisame answered, "One of the best healers I've ever met. But he's want paid. In cash. And Deidara, you just got over a major virus and running out of chakra like this will likely make you sick again. Besides, it amuses me to see you panic around Kakuzu, and I could use some amusement about now."
The blue man walked over the Itachi, who was still sleeping fitfully on the ground. It seemed as if he was about to say something, but instead he turned around and walked away with Deidara and Suigetsu following close behind.
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Itachi had no idea how long he had been asleep, but the first thing he noticed when he woke up was the sensation of being carried. He could smell the damp forest, feel the light, cool drizzle of rain against he heated skin, and hear the sound of water dripping from the leaves.
But he wasn't able to see any of it. Not even the faintest of light penetrated his now lifeless eyes. A feeling of intense sorrow overwhelmed him as he thought of all the things he would never see. His family, his friends, his home, and his child. It was almost overwhelming and he had to stop himself from shedding the tears that suddenly welled up in his eyes.
"Itachi…" Kakashi was at his side, running behind the person carrying him on his back. He guessed it was probably Zabuza, judging by the chakra. "Itachi, we got Shisui's eye from Danzou. You're going to be okay." He reached up and whipped the teen's face off with a cloth. "The rain is getting on your face, I'll see if I can fashion a hat of some kind to protect it. You're running quite a high fever too. Can't have you getting sicker than you already are."
Itachi tried to speak, but his words caught in his throat. Nodding, he let the copy-ninja know he heard what he was saying.
Kakashi continued, "Sakura and Sai are okay, too. They're suffering from malnutrition; it appears Danzou was trying to slowly starve them to death. But they'll recover."
"I'm doing great as well." Kabuto butted in, smiled broadly, "Thanks to you."
"Less talk, more sleep." Fugaku interrupted, but his words held more worry in them than was usual for him. Itachi felt himself drift off again.
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The next time Itachi awoke he was lying in a bed with sheets that had a subtle scent of bleach. He could feel a slight breeze from what was surely an open window and to his left was the aroma of roses. He could also smell the floral bouquet of Sheeta's and his mother's respective perfumes.
But he couldn't see them.
Reaching up he placed a hand over his eyes, only to find bandages instead. They completely covered the upper part of his face.
"Itachi." Sheeta's soft voice reached out to him as her warm fingers wrapped around his hands, pulling them away from his eyes. "You're finally awake." Her voice was shaking, as if she had been crying for a long time.
"We were told you would be waking up soon, but it's been so long…"
"How long?" Itachi could barely speak, and his throat was unbearably soar for some reason.
Sheeta spoke next, running her words together in an attempt to get the horrible memory out of her head as soon as possible, "You stopped breathing and they put a tube in your throat and you were on life support for a whole day and then you were in a coma for almost a week and then last night Tsunade finally said you were healed up enough to implant the eye."
"A week?" Itachi tried to clear his throat but it hurt too bad and he gave up.
"Two weeks." Mikoto clarified.
"Sheeta… you're not supposed to leave the house."
The teen gave a nervous laugh, "I still have to keep my medical appointments, Itachi. It's okay."
"He's awake?" Tsunade stuck her head in the door, "Good. I thought I felt his chakra. You're doing very well, Itachi. The eye took root immediately. I've never seen such a thing. Although Kakashi says the same thing happened with him when he received Obito's eye. It must be something unique to the Sharingan. I am going to leave your eyes bandaged for another day, though, just in case."
"My throat." Itachi muttered hoarsely.
"You had a tube in your throat for a little over a day. That usually messes you up for a while, but it's not permanent. Sheeta, it's time for your appointment. Come with me and I'll have you checked out and back with Itachi in no time at all."
Itachi relaxed and a smiled as his mother wrapped her hand around his, "Go back to sleep, Itachi."
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The next day Itachi's room was crowded with people. It was confining, and the teen wanted nothing more than to have them all to leave, however he didn't have the heart to ask. He had worried, for the last few hours, about how he would deal with the disappointment if the transplant didn't work. Having his parents, wife, Toshiro and Kisa there as well would make the disappointment even harder.
Besides, the whole scene reminded him of one of the soap operas Sheeta's aunt was addicted too.
"Itachi, you've healed very nicely so quit tensing up." Tsunade's voice sounded both confident and cheerful and she began to cut away the bandages. Itachi sighed. So it wasn't going to be like the TV shows. In the soap operas the doctor would roll the bandages and the patient would see the world grow increasingly lighter through a veil of gauze. The bandages fell away with only three snips of the medical sheers and Itachi blinked at the bright light.
"Why is it so bright?" Itachi asked, his voice still a little hoarse and he knew his words were probably not what one should say after getting ones sight back. However, no one else seemed to think that and began to cheer, laugh, and pat him on the back.
"You've been loosing your vision for years, Itachi." Tsunade's clear voice carried over the noise, "And that meant more than just seeing things become blurry. You were also loosing the light. But you'll have to have some physical therapy. You only have one working eye now, so you'll have to train yourself to see without binocular vision."
Itachi turned his to look at Kisa and Toshiro who were now sitting on the edge of his bed at his feet, holding hands. Tears were streaming out of Kisa's eyes.
'Mother. Father.' The voice was loud and clear, echoing though his head with intense emotion, 'I never thought I would see you again. Itachi… you brought me home.'
Itachi's eyes opened wide as he stared at the room behind Kisa and Toshiro. There should have been no one behind them, but the shimmer in the air, and the lightness in heart told him that there was more to Shisui than just chakra. His spirit had also been trapped.
"What are you looking at?" Mikoto asked, and everyone turned their head to the other side of the room.
Itachi realized they couldn't see anything and smiled, "Everything."
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Next week, Konoha makes plans for Ki, and we'll check in on Madara and co.
I guess that last bit was probably a bit cliché, but I guess there wasn't really any other way to do it. So Itachi has one blind eye and one good eye. The blind eye will still move around and stuff, since the muscles still work, but the vision is gone. It's kind of weird to think of it that way, though.
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