I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Guilty Conscience
Ryuu sprinted forward, slashing at Sasuke with his tanto. They were going to train for a few days before implanting Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan into Sasuke's now that he had awakened his Mangekyo. Sasuke's were reverse colors like Ryuu's but his were three ellipses intersecting around his pupils. He had tested them and knew he had Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi but unlike Itachi, he was unable to control Tsukuyomi enough to skew the target's perception of time.
"You're being awfully violent today," Sasuke growled, activating his Sharingan too keep up with Ryuu.
Ryuu didn't answer, merely continuing his assault against Sasuke, a slash to the head, a slash to the arm, a stab at the stomach, a stab at the head, a slash at the right leg, a kick at the right knee, a punch at the face, a stab at the throat, and so on. Sasuke was blocking the blade with his chokuto and blocking Ryuu's punches and kicks with his own arms and legs, dodging when he could, but as their fight progressed, Ryuu began to literally speed up, slowly becoming a blur.
Ryuu wasn't seeing Sasuke, however, he was seeing his opponents while imprisoned and Fu, and Itachi, and the eight brothers, and every other person he had ever killed. None of them would leave his mind. Usually he saw them only at night, when he was asleep, or trying to sleep. But ever since Itachi's death, he was unable to sleep, and now was seeing them as he fought Sasuke. Guilt was weighing down on him, crushing him slowly, and his pain forced his Mangekyo Sharingan to activate.
Sasuke noticed that Ryuu was seeing something different, his body more or less on autopilot, then saw his Mangekyo Sharingan activate. He moved to block a slash but the moment their blades met, Ryuu's sparked along it, driving itself into his shoulder. Sasuke vanished in a cloud of smoke and the real one moved to restrain Ryuu. Before he could, Ryuu spun, hurling a wooden spike directly into Sasuke's stomach. Sasuke staggered backward but Kakashi caught Ryuu's hands before he could use the Wood Style Cutting Sprigs Jutsu. Sasuke ripped the wooden spike out, throwing it as Ryuu flipped up onto Kakashi's shoulders then spun, knocking him to the ground. Kakashi looked up at Ryuu and Ryuu instantly placed him under a Genjutsu. Then, Ryuu stood, body beginning to tremble as blood ran down his left cheek. Then, he opened that eye and a massive spectral creature with dark blue skin, four eyes, all copies of Ryuu's Sharingan, pointed teeth, and four arms appeared between the two and roared.
"Genjutsu?" Sasuke breathed. "No, it's different."
The creature raised an arm, a massive sword made of black flames appearing in it.
"Amaterasu?" Sasuke gaped. "Impossible!"
He dove sideways as the creature swung and the blade cratered the ground before black flames spread to the ground around the crater.
"The flames are real," Sasuke realized as the heat hit him. "But then, shit."
He dove aside from another slash as the creature roared again, eyes following Sasuke.
"No choice," Sasuke growled activating his own Mangekyo Sharingan. "Amaterasu!"
Black flames sprang to life on the creature but instead of burning him, they formed into armor.
"What!?" Sasuke spat. "No way! He's controlling my Amaterasu!"
The creature raised all four arms, an Amaterasu Sword appearing in each, then roared. Before it could slash, Yugao appeared behind him, delivering a chop to his neck and knocking him out, the creature vanishing.
"Is everyone okay?" Yugao asked, lifting Ryuu.
"Fine," Sasuke stated, using Amaterasu to burn the black flames already burning in the crater behind him away to nothing. "Since Amaterasu can put out Amaterasu."
Yugao nodded and freed Kakashi from the Genjutsu then left to find someone to see what was wrong with Ryuu. Finally, she went to Inoichi who restrained Ryuu and placed a hand on his head.
"He's troubled," Inoichi stated. "He feels guilt for the deaths around hem and the lives he's taken. His mind is a mess."
"What do you mean?" Yugao asked.
"Well, inside everyone's mind it should be kind of like an inner world with memories making up the contents," Inoichi explained. "However, Ryuu's is more like a void, with debris of shattered memories floating around inside. He wasn't fighting Sasuke, his instincts were. He is lost in his memories."
"Can you send me in after him?" Yugao asked. "Maybe I can bring him back."
"I doubt you'll find him but yes, I can project you into his mind," Inoichi stated.
Yugao nodded and sat down beside Ryuu. Inoichi set his hand on her head as well, and suddenly she was standing on a floating chunk of floor that looked like it might be granite. The piece was spinning slowly, giving her a view of the endless blackness all around her with pieces of everything from ground, to trees, to walls, to even pieces of people. Yugao looked around then closed her eyes and reached out to sense Ryuu. Everything around her, however, was made of him which made it impossible for her to sense him.
"Oh Ryuu," Yugao breathed as she caught a glimpse of Fu's body floating between two shattered pieces of the Hokage Monument.
She looked around just as an explosion went off to her right. She hurried toward it and found Ryuu with the same spectral creature that had attacked Sasuke, this time fighting an army of people including Aeron and his eight brothers, the group of shinobi that Ryuu had fought against alongside Guy and Lee, an army of people that all wore rags in place of clothes, and a relatively small group of people that Ryuu had mentioned being forced to fight, Kekkei Genkai wielders. And Hayate.
"Hang on Ryuu," Yugao whispered jumping from piece of rubble to the next until she landed behind Ryuu.
"Who are you?" Ryuu asked turning toward her, fear in his eyes.
"It's me," Yugao said taking off her mask. "Don't you recognize me?"
He stared at her for a moment before nodding. She smiled then looked past him.
"What is that?" Yugao asked.
"Genjutsu turned reality," Ryuu muttered. "He's mine."
"Ryuu," Yugao said turning him back to her. "Do you know where you are?"
"I'm in Hell," Ryuu replied. "Those things are demons that want to kill me."
"No, Ryuu," Yugao sighed forcing him to look back at her again. "Those are all people that you met and who have died. You were forced to kill some of them. Your guilt over their deaths is why they're attacking you."
"But I don't know them," Ryuu stated. "And I would never kill anyone!"
"That's not true Ryuu," a voice above them stated.
They looked up to see Itachi standing on a piece of rubble over them wearing his Akatsuki robe and with his Mangekyo Sharingan active.
"You killed almost all of them," Itachi stated. "You had a hand in my death, in the end."
"But...I would never..." Ryuu began but trailed off.
"Ryuu, do not hide from your actions," Itachi said harshly.
Ryuu's eyes widened for a moment before the shinobi trying to get past his genjutsu monster disappeared and Itachi dropped to the ground before Ryuu.
"You are an incredibly caring person Ryuu," Itachi smiled. "Never lose who you are."
Then, he faded into a cloud of smoke and blew away. Suddenly, everything began to spin. Yugao closed her eyes then opened them again and they were in a flat spot, surrounded by rocky mountains. the corpses of everyone that had been attacking Ryuu before were scattered around them but Ryuu wasn't beside her anymore. He was cradling Fu and sobbing. Yugao walked over and saw that Fu had several serious burns, blood running from the corner of her mouth, and a very large stab wound in her abdomen. Yugao remembered Ryuu telling her about his fight with Sasori and Deidara and understood what had happened.
"Ryuu," Yugao whispered kneeling beside him. "Ryuu she's gone. I'm sorry."
She reached out to him but her hand passed through him. A moment later, she was in the real world again and Inoichi removed his hand.
"I'm not entirely sure what you did, but it worked," Inoichi stated.
"I didn't do anything," Yugao stated. "Itachi, it would seem, left a copy of his consciousness inside Ryuu's mind incase this happened. He told Ryuu not to lose who he is then disappeared. Then it was over."
"I see," Inoichi nodded. "Well, I suppose we owe Itachi then."
"Is Ryuu okay to be released?" Yugao asked.
"He is," Inoichi nodded. "Though, I'd keep an eye on him for a bit."
Yugao nodded and unfastened the restraints as Ryuu opened his eyes. He looked around then sat up and stared down at his hands for a moment.
"Is Sasuke okay?" Ryuu asked.
"He's fine," Yugao smiled. "Come on. You and me are going to train for a bit."
Ryuu nodded and stood, then followed Yugao out of the building.
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