Thanks for all the reviews and favs!
The chapter is late today, but since it is technically still Friday where I live… okay I'm just making excuses. I'm so sorry! xD I was fussing too much over this chapter. There's a lot going on in the story and I was trying to write all of it at once and the chapters just seemed disjointed because of that. So with this chapter I slowed things down. Hopefully its better.
Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto
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Chapter 77 – The Forgotten Gods
"Damn it!" Kisame slammed his forearm heavily against the steel wall of the make-shift hospital, inflicting a long dent in its surface. "How does Madara know what we're up to? How can he be so knowledgeable about everything? He doesn't even have any spies!"
Itachi was just as angry as Kisame about that one little fact and ground his teeth in frustration as he watched the healer concentrate over the red, swollen wound in Suigetsu's stomach. It had become infected as he had lain on the beach and the boy's fever had been steadily increasing for the last few hours.
Moaning in his sleep, Suigetsu mumbled something unintelligible then grimaced as a wave a pain passed over him. The healer, a big woman with arms covered in tattoos and fingers that looked like they would be more comfortable around a throat than healing, growled under her breath and touched his forehead once with her index finger. Immediately the boy quieted down, falling into a deep sleep.
"I can't stand that hair anymore." Kisame picked up a pair of surgical scissors from a drawer and bent over Suigetsu's head. The blond hair, a perfect match for Naruto's blond locks, fell mercilessly to the floor leaving less than an inch.
"There's a razor in the far left drawer." The woman's strong voice ordered.
Kisame looked at the drawer and shook his head, "This is good enough." He dropped down onto a nearby chair and watched as Itachi cleaned up the mess. "So, Uchiha, how is it that your great-great-uncle or whatever he is knows so much about us."
"Teleportation perhaps?" Itachi conjectured. "However… that has its problems. How would he know where to teleport? And if he stayed for too long it would eat away at his chakra and make hiding it impossible."
"So if he was popping in and out amongst my crew we would eventually know it. But the problem is how does he know where my crew is to spy on them to begin with? Sounds the old 'which came first – the chicken or the egg' argument."
"Yeah." Itachi sighed heavily and leaned against the wall. The bright fluorescent lights of the room and the clean antiseptic feel of the furnishings reminded him so much of the hospital in Konoha that he suddenly wished he could just open the door and find himself back home. Rubbing his eyes he yawned widely then yawned two more times.
"You haven't slept much." Kisame commented. "I'm positive there are no spies in the crew. Madara would know how easy it would be for me and others on the ships to find them. They would be useless. He could be using Zetsu on land, he's got spores all over the place so it makes sense he could see us when we were next to his hideout, but out here… could Zetsu really be that powerful?" He gave a half-hearted laugh, "I always thought of him as just an annoying, schizophrenic spy. I never took him seriously."
Itachi nodded, "Yeah, it would make sense if it was him. I have to admit I never researched his abilities and I have no idea what his potential is."
It was quiet for several minutes as the healer continued her attempt to stop the spreading infection in Suigetsu's abdomen and Itachi and Kisame attempted to solve the riddle that was promising to the be start of the next Ninja world war.
Finally Kisame stood up and took a deep breath. Retrieving Samehada from where it was leaning against the wall he threw it over his shoulder and grinned, revealing his sharp, pointed teeth.
"I'm moving the fleet back to the Hideout. He knows we're here and I'm tired of hiding." He turned and looked at Itachi, "Take Suigetsu and get out of here."
Itachi blinked once in surprise, "Are you telling a ninja to run away?"
"No. I'm telling you to run away. Itachi, you stopped being a ninja a long time ago."
Nothing Itachi had ever been told had ever shocked him more than his former Akatsuki partner's words. He wasn't a ninja? When… how could that have happened? "Th…then what am I?" Itachi hadn't meant to stutter, but the words seemed to stumble over his tongue of their own volition.
Kisame smirked, "You are that Samurai who, after an earthquake, dies holding up the last beam of a crumbled house while the residents run out to safety." He paused for just a moment before turning his back on the teen and gripping the doorknob, "And I am the ninja who caused the earthquake with a jutsu and waits, hidden, to kill them as they run out of the building, knowing that you will not be able to protect them."
"Killing both the protector and protected in one fell sweep. That is a ninja, perhaps." Itachi wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about the man's revelation. After the initial shock died away he felt neither insulted, happy, nor sad. Just noncommittal or perhaps un-phased. However, something had always bothered him about the world they lived in and he couldn't help but voice his concern, "But not all ninja act like spies and not all Samurai are filled with noble deeds. That said, I will be staying. And so will Suigetsu."
Kisame nodded once and left the room without speaking.
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Twenty-four hours later found the entire fleet of pirate ships in a half-moon formation around the beach where Madara's hideout lay hidden. The shark-man himself was standing at the bow of his own ship in front of the formation as if challenging Madara to do something. Anything.
He didn't have long to wait.
An hour after the ships' arrival Madara, dressed in a black, formfitting ninja outfit. Sasuke, dressed in a similar outfit was following him. Flanking the pair were Kakuzu, Hidan, Sasori and Deidara. Zetsu was no where to be seen.
The bloodlust being broadcast by the assembled ninja was overwhelming, but unnecessary. Experienced, high-level ninja rarely, if ever, reacted to such shows of force.
Madara placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and frowned slightly when he realized the boy was trembling. After all that training he was still just a child. Using a jutsu the elder Uchiha magnified his voice and smiled when he saw Itachi join Kisame on the deck.
"I asked Sasuke if he wanted to return to Konoha. I promised him he could leave, but he refused."
Itachi huffed and he crossed his arms over his chest and answered back, using the same jutsu, "Of course he refused, he's afraid of leaving Naruto behind."
Laughing, Madara nodded, "Of course that's the reason. He knows he is a key part of my plan but even so, he can't bring himself to run away."
Itachi is watching the assembled ninja and focuses in on Deidara, who was nervously keeping an eye on Sasuke.
"You see it too, huh?" Kisame muttered under his breath, "Sasuke has a guardian angel over there."
"That only applies if he can keep from blowing my brother up." Itachi said drily, although he found he actually felt a little better. Ever since Deidara had saved Sasuke's life all those years ago he had, somehow, taken an interest in the boy's welfare. He wondered what it must be like for the otherwise solitary orphan to suddenly realize he cares for someone. Probably confused, was all Itachi could come up with.
"You're sword is sure loud." Itachi observed, changing the subject.
"Yeah. The chakra from all the gathered Jinchuuriki's is like a finely aged sake. He's drinking it up. That means, of course, that they are still alive. If they had been sealed in that statue Samehada wouldn't feel this much chakra."
"What is he waiting for then?" Itachi wondered out loud. Madara was still standing and staring at them, as if waiting for something to happen. "He has all the Jinchuuriki yet the presence of the Akatsuki here means they aren't sealing them away."
Madara turned around and, keeping his hand on Sasuke's back, returned to the hideout without saying anything else. The rest of the Akatsuki followed behind with Deidara taking up the rear. He caught Itachi's eye for a second before turning away.
"He's probably worried about Suigetsu." Kisame finally said.
Itachi nodded absent-mindedly, "Perhaps Madara feels his chances of victory have dropped and is holding off."
"Huh?" Kisame wasn't sure that made sense.
"Would you rather be trapped in a room with nine wolves or one lion?" Itachi asked.
"Well… hmm… I can keep an eye on the lion and outrun him for a while but he would get me in the end, of course. If it was the nine wolves, I would use up my chakra pretty quick trying to avoid nine different animals and they would probably take me out pretty quick. But what is the point you're trying to make?"
Itachi leaned against the railing as the ship rocked gently over the blue waves. Large lazy clouds cast a brief shadow over them, only to be replaced by sunlight a moment later. "Madara wants to extract the nine demons and then force them back into their original ten-tailed form. If he can't get the nine demons extracted and under his control inside that statue then he will have nine demons running rampant over the countryside. And every single last one of them wants him dead."
"So if he isn't absolutely positive of success he'll hold off. Makes sense. So as long as we can feel the Jinchuurikis then we know there's still a chance we can beat him."
The teen nodded with certainty, "It may only be a two percent chance, but it is there."
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Even though the journey was a little slower than he would have liked, Fugaku decided to travel with Pein. The wheelchair ridden Nagato was carried along via a simple transportation jutsu while his many animated corpse bodies, along with Konan and Fugaku ran through the trees. Given the Rain leader's vast stores of chakra the repeated use of the jutsu had little effect on his crippled body.
Fugaku had spent many hours discussing strategy with Pein and found his knowledge of battle and assassination to be the most impressive he had ever seen. There seemed to be very little, if anything, he didn't know about the ninja arts.
The thick tree-cover protected them from the hot summer sun and the clan lord was momentarily reminded of the forest where Ki was located. The memories of that village still haunted his nightmares as he remembered the corpses that littered the ground of Danzou's one and only attempt at running a ninja village. His thoughts turned to regret as he considered, over and over, what he could have done differently to prevent the mass suicide that had decimated them.
His only target had been Danzou. That was why he hadn't attacked. At that point, most of that man's followers weren't even from Konoha, or Fire country for that matter. Suddenly through the bloody haze of memories Fugaku heard Pein mutter something rather alarming.
"I am sorry the Eye of the Moon plan has no chance of success."
Fugaku stopped jumping and landed on a branch next to the tall, orange haired man whose words came from Nagato, several miles ahead. Pein looked down at Fugaku with emotionless, multi-ringed eyes, "It was the only chance this world had to obtain peace."
"I disagree." He wondered if Pein was going to back out of their deal and as Konan joined them, he glanced at her eyes which were opened wide with alarm.
"I know you do." Pein looked up at the roof of the forest and sighed. "As you know, Madara got a hold of the statue with the demons in it before I could pull them out. While he does have the remaining Jinchuuriki alive he is no doubt strengthened by the knowledge that he already has some of them ready to do his bidding. He could release them and force them to fight for him."
"Three?" Fugaku wasn't sure he remembered how many demons had already been sealed over the years. But the number didn't matter. A rampage of Madara-controlled demons was not something he wanted to experience. Seeing the Kyuubi twelve years ago was definitely enough for one lifetime.
"He would use them as a last resort."
"Or not at all." The clan chief surmised, "If he does he would have to track them down again and capture them. Meanwhile, he has the current Jinchuuriki to keep an eye on and, if he does defeat us, he will have localized groups of rebels attacking him until he is ready to go through with his plan. However you look at it…"
Pein interrupted him, "It will take many years to regain the ground he has lost. He will have to keep those Jinchuuriki prisoner until he is ready to use them. You know, Fugaku, every seal leaks chakra. There is no way to create a seal that doesn't. Which means the statue we sealed the demons in will eventually be weakened enough for them to escape. That time frame is ten years. Perhaps less. The demons could possibly find a way to escape on their own if the chakra wore down enough."
"So they could, theoretically, escape tonight."
"That's about the gist of it. And that was one of the reasons Madara and I had a falling out. I knew he was taking too long and I knew Konoha would get in the way and could even stop him. The arrogant bastard refused to even consider the possibility. Humph. He says this is about peace. He feels sorrow over the passing of his children and the wars that decimated the world and killed the rest of his family. He feels remorse for those he has had to kill. Yet, Fugaku, there is one immutable fact about that man I want you to keep in mind."
Fugaku nodded to indicate he was listening.
"Madara is power-hungry. It is only a coincidence that the ten tails can be used to place the world under a controlling Genjutsu that he can use to bring a forced peace to the world. Because no matter what power the ten tails turned out to have in its place, if that Genjutsu didn't exist and instead it was a weapon of mass destruction, he would have used it anyway just to become the most powerful man in the world."
"Yeah, I figured that much out."
Pein closed his eyes and shook his head as he stared back at the shade-enshrouded ground twenty feel below them. Birds and insects were chirping and buzzing, giving a rather optimistic view of the world despite the pessimism that those in their attendance felt.
"Even so…" Pein paused, then continued as Konan moved closer and wrapped one delicate hand around his calloused fingers, "even so… a peaceful world wrapped in Genjutsu… to me… to a child who has lost everything and was faced with no future… it was a dream come true."
This was quite a shock and Fugaku blinked a few times as he tried to digest this new revelation.
"You have no idea how it pains me that the Eye of the Moon can never come to pass."
"You're right I don't." Fugaku admitted, "Trading freedom for peace… to me the only freedom is that which comes from peace of mind. Peace doesn't necessarily equate to an absence of war. It's also a state of mind."
"Spoken like a true ninja." Pein gave a short laugh and shook his head to clear it.
"Ten years ago I would have taken that as a compliment."
"And now?"
Fugaku didn't answer. Instead he took off through the forest, leaving Pein and Konan behind. He could feel Nagato's chakra ahead and he knew the sacrifice that man had made for his friends, his country, and the world. And now, he more than likely was feeling like he had wasted his time and his life as the goal he had worked so hard to achieve fell apart before him. Stopping he looked back and saw that the red-haired man was holding Konan against his chest in a tight embrace. He looked up and caught the clan leaders eye, then nodded, a bittersweet smile on his lips.
"As long as you don't give up…" Fugaku muttered to himself, "perhaps one day you can find your own peace of mind."
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The day passed quickly, and Itachi was certainly glad it did. For some reason the cheerfulness of the summer sun started to get on his nerves. Of course, the fact that he chose to lay out on a reclining chair on the deck of a steel ship in the middle of a bay in full view of the radiant orb while dressed in full ninja gear probably had a lot to do with it.
Nevertheless, he couldn't sleep, he couldn't meditate, and he couldn't get Madara out of his thoughts. Standing up he gazed at the stars and figured that it was probably around midnight, or shortly after. The cool breeze off the ocean probably foreshadowed a morning fog and he found himself looking forward to it when he felt a presence behind him.
Turning quickly he was further startled by the presence of a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders,
"Hello young Itachi." Madara drawled lazily, "Been a while, hasn't it? You know, if I wanted you dead, you would already be dead by now."
Itachi thought that was an odd way to begin a conversation. It was almost as if he was continuing a discussion started many hours or day ago. However, it didn't scare the teen, or even bother him. He knew the truth. "You're observation is pointless. Killing a four-year-old Itachi as he lay huddled and in pain beneath a bush would have been too easy and no challenge. If you had wanted me dead, as you say, you would have done exactly what you did. Train me to be a worthy opponent, create a conflict, and then fight me."
Madara dropped his arm back to his side and stepped back several paces. "Your powers of observation are scary, Itachi, and normally right on. But not in this case. The point I was trying to make is that I don't want to kill you. I have never wanted to kill you. Yet, you have forced me into a corner, where, if I get the opportunity, I should kill you."
Itachi's powers of observation began calculating again and he realized he felt the same way. He had gone through a gamut of emotions when it came to Madara. He had loved him as a teacher and a surrogate father, as a friend and then hated him as a rival and the tormentor of his little brother. Yet did that really equalize out somewhere along the line? Did any of that even make sense?
"Izuna…" Madara muttered and Itachi looked up at the dark clad man with the red Sharingan eyes. "Perhaps it was Izuna who stayed my hand. I realized on several occasions just how powerful you were. I knew that letting you grow up would cause problems. Yet I could never kill you. Was it Izuna…" His voice drifted away and he a time-space jutsu to disappear.
Itachi's face went pale as he realized how easy it had been for Madara to sneak up on him. He could definitely escape but the rest of the crew couldn't. The elder Uchiha could have easily appeared on any ship and killed the entire crew before the other ships even realized anything was amiss. Yet he had stayed his hand. This time.
"Was that Madara?" Kisame came running to the deck, skidding to a halt a few feet from the teen, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Look, Kisame, you need to pull the fleet back. Staying here is too dangerous. I'll go up on the beach and wait for Fugaku and Pein…"
"Not in a million years!" Kisame waved his hand in a cutting motion in front of him. Meanwhile the crew, having been drawn out of their cabins or the engine room came wandering up to the deck upon hearing the shouts of their captain. "I… we… have no intention of backing off!"
The crew, realizing what was going on shouted their support to Kisame, causing Itachi to close his eyes in pain and he imagined their bloodied corpses falling into the watery, lonely depths of the sea. Shivering, he suddenly wished the sun were out again to chase away to pervading feeling of death and dread that had suddenly overcome him.
"These people," He waved his arm over those assembled, "come from many different islands in the Water country. Most of those islands were independent nations at one time but were crushed by the anti-Shinobi mass-murder the Daimyous of that country have followed for the last couple of decades. Most want to go home and that can't happen because Water country, which is now controlled by a puppet government manipulated by Madara, has labeled them criminals and ordered their execution. To them, taking out Madara is just one step closer to home."
"That's right!" One man called out, followed by cries of support by several more men and women.
Itachi nodded once, knowing in his heart that there was nothing he could do to stop them. 'If only I had set out to rescue Sasuke alone… then Kisame wouldn't be in this mess.' He thought to himself.
"Hey! A kitty cat!" A woman, dark skinned with short, pale blond hair picked up a purring silver tabby and gave her a hug.
"That's…" Itachi and Kisame said at the same time.
The cat purred for a few seconds before speaking, "Fugaku, Pein and Konan are in position. Konoha, Stone, Lightning, and Wind are forming a secondary defense as we speak and several lesser villages are assembling at key points to form a tertiary defense."
Kisame laughed joyfully as he slapped Itachi on the back, "We're going to win this easy! Just you wait and see!"
The crew raised their arms up in unabated excitement as they cheered their impending victory.
Feeling sick to his stomach, Itachi turned his back on them and made his way to his room. Weighed down by dread he dropped heavily onto his bed and closed his eyes. But still, sleep would not come.
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"I had a feeling you weren't sleeping." Kisame stepped into the small cabin with knocked and dropped down into a folding metal chair. The early morning sun was streaming through the small round porthole emphasizing the absence of the expected fog.
"No." Itachi muttered. His brain was in overdrive, thinking stray thoughts, contemplating lost opportunities and regretting perceived wrongs. One, of course, was the age of his children. If only they were older they would at least have a memory of him after he died. As it was now, he would only exist as a photograph and perhaps a collection of half-remembered stories of valor for them to grieve.
He barely noticed Kisame's silence as he went on to consider his own mortality. Survival would be a miracle. There was no one else to fight Madara. And as for Sasuke… the brother he loved and cherished would also die. His heart clenched with fear at the realization. There was literally no way to get him away from Madara. Fugaku would also die. He would consider it shameful to walk off the field alive if his children were dead.
His father had changed so much in the last few years… but the change had been ten-fold in the preceding months. 'At least we won't be alone…' Itachi tried to console himself, but he knew that in the afterlife, there were no guarantees they would see each other. All he could do was hope.
"Itachi…" The teen was suddenly reminded that Kisame was still in the room. The sun was shining on him, creating a bright halo as it refracted off the dust in the air.
'Akatsuki means sunrise.' Itachi thought, 'And sunrise is just a metaphor for a new beginning.'
"I… wanted to keep this a secret and was prepared to go to the grave with it but… I guess I trust you after all." It was a big admission for a man such as Kisame and Itachi sat up so he could give him his full attention.
"I need to keep their existence a secret, especially from the major ninja villages and ninja in general. I…have two daughters and a niece in my care, so to speak. They are quite young and don't even know who I am. As you already know, my girlfriend… well we married in secret so I guess I should call her my wife… was killed. She had hidden the three girls and gave her life to keep them hidden. And… I…" He stopped talking and clenched his jaw tightly, as if trying to keep the memories from escaping, to keep them locked up inside his heart.
"Where are they?" Itachi asked softly.
"They are students at a Shinto shrine in Waterfall. I pay all their expenses and the girls study and work there as Shrine maidens."
Suddenly, the reason for the location of Kisame's cabin made complete sense. He had located himself near enough to his children to come when needed, yet far enough so it wouldn't arouse suspicion.
"Shinto, huh?" Itachi commented. He remembered that the Uchiha clan had originally been followers of the Shinto belief but had converted to Buddhism upon moving to Konoha. Although a few were still Shinto. Sheeta was even following the Buddhist beliefs, in deference to her new position as his wife, but he knew she was one of the few who had been raised Shinto.
Many of his advanced jutsus called upon the gods worshipped by the Shinto, yet he never paid homage to them for using their likenesses. Perhaps that was cursing the clan. Perhaps, upon abandoning their beliefs, they were being punished.
Kisame gave Itachi a curious look before continuing, "There are many orphans at the shrine and it is well hidden. It has existed for years, raising many generations of children who needed to grow up anonymously, free of their parents lineages and their own cursed conception."
Itachi suddenly looked hard at Kisame, understanding where the conversation was going. He was about to disagree, to tell him that his interference wasn't necessary, when he realized what would happen if he did die. What the situation for Rumiko and Shisui would be as they grew up. If they grew up. It was possible that even if the Uchiha of Konoha won the battle, their relationship to Madara would condemn them. And without Itachi or Fugaku to defend them…
"I understand." Itachi muttered softly. "Thank-you."
It was quiet for a while as both men sat in their own thoughts, listening the sounds of the men and women above them running about and shouting orders to each other or laughing.
"I have to admit," Itachi said hesitantly, "I find it surprising they aren't being raised as Kunoichi. You're motto is 'survival of the fittest' after all."
"Yeah, surprised me too. But… the oldest was only two-and-a-half at the time and didn't even recognize me when I dug them out of their hidey-hole. I guess… I felt I didn't have any right to be their father at that point." He cheered up and laughed, "But you should see them! They're definitely not weak little girls, I'll tell you that! They haul water, chop wood, and fix machinery better than the boys!"
Itachi had to smile at the thought of the three little girls balancing a water bucket on their index fingers as they skip to the bathhouse. It was silly image and he actually laughed. Kisame cheered up completely at that point and clapped his hands together.
"Time to go back to work!" He exited the room and began to bellow orders and the first crewman he saw.
"A new beginning." Itachi stood up and looked at the morning sun on the horizon. "First, I will make an offering to the gods, then I will prepare for whatever tomorrow brings. I'm not going to die that easy."
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Coming up in future chapters: the rookies (Sakura, Sai, etc.) will join the fight as will Zabuza and Haku. The Jinchuuriki aren't waiting around patiently and Deidara and Sasuke work together.
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