EDIT 10/13/21: Didn't change much apart from proofreading. Pretty much the same as original.

[ This chapter has been edited/ fixed as of 10/13/21 ]

Eternal

Part One: Genesis

Chapter Seven

Faint Whispers

Sasuke held onto his brother's waist and arm dangling on his shoulder even tighter than before. A tsunami of thoughts overtook his mind, drowning everything else that stood in its place. He heard nothing but the panting, jagged breaths his brother took as he battled the pain he was experiencing. His hand was back on his face, staining it with the blood that escaped from his eyes, covering the source of the unimaginable pain he must have been feeling.

Those eyes.

He tried to wrap his brain around what he had just witnessed, thinking of things that could possibly explain the discoloration of his normally dark onyx irises - a trick of the light, contacts worn incorrectly, his brain conjuring up a fake image in place of Itachi.

But he knew that it was real. One look at Naruto's face, frozen in fright, in confusion, in concern, says that everything he saw was reality.

Dark red, a swirl of black reminiscent of a throwing blade embedded onto its surface. Veins etching the white expanse of his eyes showed the agony he must be suffering, as if the heavy scarlet streams and the dry, metallic taste in the air wasn't enough to concur.

They were different to what he saw in place of his own irises that night. Both eyes are of the same likeness. But Sasuke's, they were different shades: a scarlet red flower engraved onto a pitch black canvas, and swirls drawn into a sea of purple.

"What do you mean they wouldn't? It's their job to fix things," Sasuke finally replied, an unexplainable anger rising within him. Why doesn't his brother want help? "Naruto, call for emergency."

Naruto, whose face is contorting to a look of worry and dire, attempted to take his phone out of his pocket. He didn't even manage to type in one number before Itachi intervened.

"I told you no." His voice began to sound steadier, less breathless. "They wouldn't know how to handle it. This isn't the first time."

His hand slowly left his face, dragging it down until it was no longer on its surface, tracing scarlet trails along with it. Sasuke felt his brother's arm escape from his shoulders as he straightened out his posture. He wobbled a bit but steadied himself, his shoulders back, his arms on his sides.

Then he lets the lids covering his sight open.

The abnormality disappeared and back in its place were the eyes Sasuke had known since birth.

No one said a word. Itachi, despite his appearance, stayed stone faced as the two younger men in the room stare wordlessly at the sight of him.

Naruto didn't know what to do, what to say. He'd known Itachi for years and not once had that ever occurred. Not once that he knew of. His eyes found Sasuke's that were wide, expressing so much yet containing them all to find which one he wanted to start with.

He remembered Sasuke talking about that time his older brother was sick when he was young. He only spoke of it once, and he couldn't help but wonder if whatever just happened is connected to it in some way, shape, or form.

"What was that?" Sasuke's voice was frighteningly quiet. He spoke with clenched teeth, an attempt to cage in what was to erupt. His brother said it wasn't the first time. Why hadn't he told him?

Itachi didn't answer him. Instead, he looked at the similar colors within his irises, silently asking him to not ask. That only fueled his anger.

"Itachi!" He took a step forward. "What the fuck was that?"

He didn't answer again. That was because he wasn't too sure himself. He had some answers, yes, but not enough to fill in the giant gaps between them.

His hands formed into fists. Sasuke didn't know why he was so mad. Was it because the sight terrified him? Was it because of the secrets that Itachi had been so obviously keeping from him? Maybe. If his brother was ill, and nothing could be done about it, he'd be left alone. Is that why his brother always used thinly veiled truths? Is that why he always gave him the same promise of next time?

What if next time would never come?

"I've been sick for quite some time, Sasuke." Itachi finally spoke, looking straight into his eyes.

"How long?" He was shaking. His body vibrated with the influx of differing emotions welling up within him.

He took some time to reply, a pregnant silence filling the room before he did. "Since we were young."

Sasuke knew exactly when. Itachi just confirmed his fears. His eyelids forced themselves to shut. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Naruto could tell he was about to explode. He'd said before that Sasuke was someone filled with so much emotion that he didn't know what to do with it. He hid beneath a veil of nonchalance and a tinge of arrogance because he was never great at concealing what he felt once they were overflowing his senses. It wasn't always like this. As he grew up, his demeanor began to shift to what it was now. It cemented itself right after the death of his parents. Some might say his parents' passing was the root cause of this behavior, but he disagreed. Itachi would, too. They'd seen it somehow grow into him far before the accident. Neither of them knew why.

Itachi remained quiet, not heeding his demand. As if on cue, his phone rang. He turned his back on the two and walked to where it was, on his desk.

"Itachi!" His yell was harsh.

Phone in hand, he walked to where his little brother was firmly planted on the ground. Two fingers met his forehead. "I'll tell you tomorrow. Get some rest."

Another next time.

That wasn't going to cut it for the younger Uchiha. He lunged forward, adamant on demanding him to speak, but felt himself being held back. Looking behind him, he saw that Naruto had his hands gripping his shoulders. His eyes determined, not wanting a physical confrontation between the two brothers.

"Tomorrow, Sasuke. I promise." Then Itachi made his way into the bathroom, phone in hand, and closed the door. The sounds of the lock clicking in place, his privacy achieved.

Sasuke shook out of Naruto's grip and angrily stalked out of the room, a series of curses exiting his lips. The fainter they got, the louder his steps seemed to get. And then a loud slam.

Naruto's eyes found the floor, then he briefly gazed at the closed bathroom door Itachi escaped to, feeling increasingly more aware of the heavy air only amplified by the tension between the two brothers who were always so close. The place suddenly felt even more intimidatingly eerie.

The event that had occurred right in front of him made him all too aware of the silence that replaced it and the creepy sensation of another presence that had appeared right after he was left alone. He felt a rumbling sensation in his stomach, one not familiar to him. It was like long, sharp nails were trying to escape his skin, but he knew his body was fine. But the rumbling continued, and he could somehow hear a loud growl in his ears. Clutching his stomach, he silently begged for the feeling to stop. Silent grunts escaped his lips.

"It's almost time, Naruto."

He felt the gnawing inside his stomach cease, almost like the low, deep throated voice ordered it to.

It was silent again, and all he could hear was the pounding of his heart as he cautiously walked out of the room into his own where his thoughts would keep him up until dawn, plaguing him with questions to be answered, where when he finally closed his eyes for bed, a single swing tied to a tree branch swaying softly with the breeze would be the last thing he saw before a static image began to form a little boy's frame onto it.

Melancholy washed him over to slumber.

Despite the late hour, Itachi was still up, phone still on his ear as Tsunade continued.

"Right when you left, he called to announce his oh-so-important ass is to arrive tomorrow morning." He could hear her frustration. "I'd have to tell Sakura to leave tomorrow. I just don't know how."

"You'll figure it out. We can't let him know any more than he already does."

"Yeah, well, things are changing fast, Uchiha. All of a sudden, I can feel when people have pathways, like you. It's like you can feel someone with a different heat signature, like you described."

"We need to keep everything in our control or else he might do something."

"Don't you think I know that? That son of a bitch has been a thorn on my side ever since this whole shit show started."

"Make sure Sakura isn't anywhere near him. If you've started feeling it, she might be too, considering your similarities."

Itachi found it too much of a coincidence that the two shared a similar pathway. Did the two have a connection they weren't aware of? Or was this just connected by their ability to heal.

He rubbed his temples. He needed rest.

After everything that had transpired when Sasuke and Naruto had seen his eyes, he knew it was only a matter of time until they realized their own differences from the natural human body.

Unless they've already gotten an inkling of it.

Ever since stepping foot in the mountain ranges, there had been odd visions he had been getting in his mind. And since he was beginning to notice the younger men's slightly odd behavior, he surmised that the two had been getting the night terrors or visions that he had begun to have ever since the illness that he had gotten when he was a child.

There was something about the place that irked him, as well. Naruto had described it as the air being heavy, and he was right. The patients with the growing pathways seem to be well on their way into having it fully formed. However, their bodies are not responding as it did his, or Tsunade's, or Sasuke's for that matter. If it goes on any longer, their bodies may just break down at the inability to handle the heat and pressure of it.

"Sasuke and Naruto have it."

"What?" Tsunade exclaimed.

"I've figured the possibility of them having it for a while now."

"And you didn't say anything?"

"It was dormant," he said. "Like it was waiting for something to happen. Ever since I'd gotten back from my last business trip, I'd felt the pathway become more present."

"They didn't show the same symptoms as the people of Maisō either, huh?" An aggravated sigh was heard from the other line. "This is more people with it in one place, and at such a terrible time, too."

"We'll keep out of your way. They'll be in the cottage all day tomorrow anyway."

"And you're absolutely sure of that?"

"Yes. They have a lot of questions." His palm was on the desk. "They saw it."

"It was only a matter of time."

"Yes, but it's Sasuke's reaction that worries me." Her silence gave him the signal to continue. "He was angry and adamant. I thought he would be, but there was something else."

"Not surprised he's mad. Your secrets could be the end of you, Itachi."

A sigh. "I know." Nothing was said for a few seconds before Itachi spoke again. "I'm calling him. He knows some things I don't."

"It's risky having this many people in the same vicinity, Uchiha."

"I know, but I'll tell him to come after he leaves."

They were already gambling on so much, but they needed all the help they could get.

Dropping the phone on his bedside table, he crashed onto his bed. He needed to rest for the morning.

It was very early in the morning. The sun had made its appearance over the horizon giving the warning of daybreak. Some birds began their morning songs, filling the air with a sense of peace, as animals had awoken from their slumber, ready to start the day. A few were awake at the site in Maisō, some of which had already begun their duties in the tents, checking over patients and going over test results. Test results that couldn't begin to decipher what was truly going on in their systems.

Sakura was one of the few that were awake. She had gotten up early despite the fact that her shift didn't begin until noon. She wanted answers and her frantic internet searches didn't give her anything but more questions.

She needed to find Nekobaa.

'Who the hell writes such a lazy description of a town's lore and posts it on the internet? And 'to be updated' my ass. The website hasn't been updated in years!'

With the scroll hidden within her sling bag, she looked at the campgrounds. Lights were off. People already awake were already in their stations. As sneakily as she could, her feet led her to the direction of the river where she met the old woman. Hopefully, when she arrived, she'd remember which way it was to her little cottage.

But someone caught her leaving.

"Sakura, where are you going?" A loud, stern voice entered her eardrums.

Busted by the boss.

Inwardly chastising herself for not being more vigilant, she slowly turned to the source of the voice.

Tsunade was still in casual wear, sporting leggings and a baggy shirt that somehow still captured the curves she was blessed with. But that wasn't what Sakura was focusing on. It was the look of suspicion in her master's eyes. "Where are you going?"

"The nearby river." She felt like a child being caught sneaking out. Which, technically, she was, compared to the woman with her hands on her hips and her foot tapping impatiently on the grass.

Her eyes narrowed, studying her protégé's actions. She was up to something. She looked at the bag Sakura was clutching her right hand onto over her chest and felt a small surge of heat and power. Tsunade wanted to know what exactly was going on in that pink head of hers but decided it was good timing. She needed Sakura gone for a few hours to avoid unnecessary hounding from the guest that was to arrive. It's in her best interest to steer clear of the site until after he leaves.

"Okay," she said, hands letting go of her hips as she raised her arms to fold across her chest. "You're off for the day."

Sakura looked distressed. "What?"

She had just gotten back from a few days' worth of rest. If it kept going on like this, she wouldn't be getting as much experience as she had wanted. Something must be up. Tsunade would usually hound her for work. Was it because of what she just learned? Or maybe…

"Did… Did my results come in?"

"We'll discuss it afterwards. Don't come back to the site until late afternoon. We have a truck and a chopper ready in case you want to head to the nearby city." She turned on her heels and left a confused Sakura in its wake.

Something must have happened. Sakura wanted to know what was up but decided to trust her and wait. Tsunade was the only one nearby with answers that she may need. For now, she'd go and look for her other source of information.

Once she was out of the small village, the cool breeze that she felt yesterday never came. It was already hot on the site, but it seemed to have been spreading. If it was what she thought it was, it wasn't a good sign. Or was it? She scratched the side of her head. She didn't know why so many people were beginning to get a new pathway within them and that only Tsunade, and potentially herself, were the only ones who didn't experience the sepsis.

Or was it truly still sepsis? The charts they viewed yesterday showed no signs of the sepsis that they had seen in previous results. Were their bodies healing themselves? That wouldn't explain why they were still down for the count if their bodies looked to be completely normal.

It was beginning to frustrate the young woman. All of the impossibilities she had boxed away as such suddenly resurged as potential realities. She thirsted for knowledge. She couldn't just leave things as they were, it would drive her mad.

And then she began to think about her dreams, the ones she'd woken up to screaming, sweating, panting, or all of the above. Were they a sign of something, too? But that would mean Sasuke and Naruto had some part in it. Did they have whatever it was that she had?

Her eyes found the bright blue water of the river and sighed in relief. She hadn't gotten herself lost because of her inner monologue. Taking in the sight, she thought back to when she first arrived. It seemed like it was so long ago, but it was only a few weeks. Each new question seemed to age her, mentally and emotionally, exhausting her without second thought.

She walked by the river, eyes down at her feet as she managed to calm herself down and organize her thoughts instead of having them run amok in her brain. But she stopped, her feet no longer able to move as she felt a giant pound in her eardrums, an unexpected smoke covering her eyes as she turned towards the forest.

The trees were moving. No, the soil it was rooted on was. Giant gaps were formed by the movement of the earth. Animals and leaves fell to the ground or into the craters, the vibrations from the earth too strong for them to take hold. Sakura felt that the ground beneath her began to shake, but she couldn't move. Her mind was telling her to run, to escape. But her body didn't listen.

The air was incredibly dry, its pressure enough to make her feel like her lungs were being squashed. Her skin prickled, her mouth thirsted for any drop of water, any type of moisture. Her throat constricted, blocking whatever air she was breathing from her mouth. Her nostrils threatened to do the same.

Out from the craters sprouted a giant, sprawling tree, destroying the littler ones from the root up to take its place. It rose high up into the clouds, piercing it in the process and spreading its branches to cast a giant shadow over the land.

Then down from its branches, giant drops of red fell to the ground, everything it touched was splattered with its color, marking it as its territory.

At this point, Sakura was screaming in her head, to move, to do anything. But nothing happened. Instead she stared silently as a giant drop was heading to where she stood.

All she could see was destruction. A giant crater was created causing the houses and buildings to turn to rubble and debris.

Sakura found herself kneeling, eyes straight at the commotion that was taking place in front of her. She was too far to see anything, but she felt it. The strong surge of power that emanated from the middle of the crater, filling her senses. She felt different types of heat and energy from there, as well. One of which was so strong, she couldn't come to terms with its voracity. But its heat was that of tenderness, of warmth. It was inviting, almost. But it was determined, too, unwilling to back down.

A giant shadow was cast above her, covering the sun's bright rays. Squinting her eyes to see what was coming, she couldn't believe what she saw.

'Is that… a toad?!'

Her mind seemed to be the only one reacting to it because her body doesn't move, as if flying toads were something not to be shocked about. But she felt another presence in her body. Was it her body? Because although it felt similar, it also felt a tiny bit shorter. And it felt a whole lot hotter. She felt that heat mostly on her forehead, as if a fire was burning within it.

The toad landed, puffs of dust flew past her face and her arms went up to cover her eyes. He had something cradled in his arms, protectively. But she felt heat, a familiar one at that, and realized it wasn't a thing. As carefully as the giant could, he lowered the body down to the ground, positioning the person onto a broken wall. The blonde hair caught her eye.

"Master!" She heard herself yell as her feet brought her body up and ran to the woman's almost lifeless body.

She didn't know what was happening. She was telling her body to quickly assess her master's wounds and check her pulse, but it ignored her. She felt something push her mind to the side like she was trespassing. All she could do was witness what was going on, in the eyes of who she thought was her but was made clear it wasn't.

"Lady Tsunade!" She exclaimed in worry as she dropped to her knees.

'Lady?'

She looked terrible. Her typically flawless features seemed to slowly disappear. Fair skin faded into grey and her body began to thin. Wrinkles formed all over her face as the bags underneath her eyes darkened. She was aging right in front of her.

"Sakura," she said, breathlessly. "I'm fine now."

The diamond on her forehead, once a bright purple, lost its vibrancy. And then, it was gone. A single red tear escaped her ducts as she panted for air.

Her hands held onto Tsunade's frail one, careful in handling it at her fragile state.

Seeing her in such a state made Sakura's chest ache. The woman she'd come to know as strong, independent, and as someone who was always at her best was almost unrecognizable in front of her.

"You did well, Lady Tsunade."

She felt a gigantic, shaking exhale exit her lungs. Her hand was on her heart, clutching it to feel the fast pounding in her chest. She lost her footing, almost falling into the body of water before she caught herself, her hands on her knees, crouching to prevent the descent. She tasted salt on her lips and realized she was crying.

How could she not?

She had only known Tsunade personally for a number of weeks, but in that short amount of time, she had created a connection with the woman, a connection she inexplicably felt that was already there to begin with. Standing up, she rubbed the tears from her face with her wrists and massaged her temples.

If her mind wasn't already plagued with questions, that ordeal just released an army of rats to spread it all throughout the Europe that is her head. Dumb analogies aside, it was terrifying. She thought she was going to die paralyzed, not doing anything to prevent her own demise.

She stood there for a few minutes, catching her breath and calming herself down. She needed to remember why she was there in the first place. She had questions, and Nekobaa seemed to be the only one with any type of answer. Maybe she could explain what had just happened.

Her eyes back to the forest, she walked to the direction she remembered from the day before.

It was oddly quiet. Yesterday, she heard some life within the trees, but today, there was nothing. Her stride became slower, her eyes searching the area surrounding her for any sign of danger.

She heard a faint rustling of leaves and a soft snap of a stick on the ground. Frantically looking around her, she hid behind a giant tree, making sure her hurried breaths were quiet enough to be overlooked.

There was nothing, for a few moments, until she slowly peeked her head out from the tree trunk. Just a few feet in front of where she stood were shadows, shadows of what looked to be three men. Her breathing quickened. Perhaps they were from the site?

"All those damned cats," she heard one of them say, a dark, menacing tone laced in his words.

"But the job's done."

'What job?' She thought, worry beginning to envelope her.

Sakura's foot moved slightly causing a tiny branch she didn't see underneath it to crack.

"Hear something?" She saw one of their shadowed heads move to her direction. She hid her head behind the trunk, holding her breath.

"Probably a squirrel. Let's get out of here."

With the sounds of their footsteps growing fainter until she could no longer hear them, she bolted out to where they came from.

It had to be Nekobaa.

And it was.

The sight that greeted her was gruesome, cruel. Lifeless bodies of cats discarded as if they were nothing but trash. Their little figures tarnished by the blood escaping them. Since she didn't hear any gunshots, the sick fucks must have stabbed the poor things. It smelt rancid. Nothing but the sick smell of the rotting flesh of the animals that had lived there.

Her hand covered her mouth and nose as she choked back a sob. It was despicable. She didn't know why anyone would commit something so heinous, but she knew the world was filled with terrible human beings as it was filled by those that weren't. Her heart sank. There was no way Nekobaa made it out of there.

With shaking hands, she took her phone out of her pocket and dialed for the local police. All she heard was the sound of an automated voice telling her there was no signal. She redialed the number multiple times, hoping it would ring and pick up her call. Nothing. She tried the emergency line. Nothing. It was like the signal was cut completely.

Falling to her knees, she let the tears escape, an overwhelming sense of helplessness taking over her. She could have sobbed for hours, she felt like. She knew she should be looking for help. But the people closest were at the site. And what if whoever did this was still out there. Fear began settling in her bones, making her still.

Out of nowhere, she felt a pulsing heat. It was soft, but it was there. Her eyes widened as she looked up from her hands, looking for its source. And she could feel it coming from behind the cottage. Getting on her knees, she walked to it, hoping for life within this ocean of death.

A single black cat, its body weak with traces of blood coming from its paw. It slowly opened its eyes, and a sliver of copper met a downtrodden emerald. The pulsing heat was from the cat.

"H… help me."

Sakura stilled, her lip quivering. Was the cat talking?

"Please… heal me." His voice was getting weaker.

Sakura wanted to freak out, but she thought all she did so far was freak out. Swallowing her fears, she kneels before the cat, the blood on the grass staining her jeans. "I don't know how." Her voice was weak, distraught and in need of water.

"Just hover your hand… on my left front paw." The cat's paw was spread on the grass a few inches in front of his face. "And my stomach. Your body… knows."

She fought the urge to protest, unsure if it would actually do what she wanted it to. But she did it anyway. Slowly, she hovered her two hands above the parts he had told her to.

It did nothing.

Her shoulders slumped, and her mind began yelling at her body to do something. Anything. These past few hours, she'd done nothing but panic. She was beginning to feel useless, and she didn't like it.

"Please," she whimpered.

She didn't want to give up and stop there. She wanted to be a doctor, damn it. She wanted to save lives. She knew lives were lost and sometimes there was nothing to do about it, but she knew she could do something. So why wasn't her body listening?

She closed her eyes shut, willing for something to happen as the little black cat's jagged breathing grew fainter by the minute.

Her eyes quickly opened at the sensation of heat and power building up to her hands. She felt it all over, predominantly on her forehead. But she directed that heat, that energy onto her hands, hoping it'd go where she willed it to.

Her hands began showing the green, wave-like energy. A calm current gave a spark of hope. She could feel what was just a pulsing heat from the cat turn to a steady one. His panting turned to steady breathing and the wounds he suffered looked to have healed up.

She did it.

She smiled softly as new tears began to form, her relief making her body slump. If only she had come earlier.

The green energy disappeared, and she put her hands on her lap as the cat slowly got up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. You have my thanks."

Sakura gave him a small smile before her face shifted to worry. "What happened here?"

"Someone sent men here to kill baa-chan." She could hear the pain in his voice. "I don't know who, but I have a feeling it has something to do with the scroll she gave you."

She inhaled quietly. "Why?"

"That scroll's been in her family for generations upon generations. No one knows what's in it apart from that it's extremely important. This proves it." The cat begins to walk towards the woods. "We need to get you to an Uchiha."

She stood abruptly at the name, then recalled the day before when Nekobaa mentioned that their families did business with each other. "Does it have to do with her family's history with them?"

"It's the closest thing we've got. We better hurry. I can smell two of those buttmonkeys coming back."

"The Uchihas have a cottage here!" She recalled Naruto mentioning that that was where they were residing. "They could still be there."

"I know the one. Follow me!"

Sakura struggled to keep up with the black cat. Whatever she did to heal him took a lot from her. He stopped in front of Maisō, realizing the young woman was tiring. She stopped behind him, her hand on a tree trunk as she caught her breath. She saw where they were and sighed in relief. They'd be safe there.

"We should ask someone here to call the authorities," Sakura told the cat, taking a sure step towards the site's entrance.

"No." He ran in front of her, one of his front legs extending out, stopping her in her tracks. "I can smell one of them here."

"What? Here?" She panicked. What could she do? There was a murder site a short distance away, she needed to call the authorities. She remembered what Tsunade told her, that a driver would be on standby to take her to the helipad site. She could ask him to drive them to the Uchihas. Surely, they'd have a working phone.

She carefully picked up the cat and cradled him in her arms. His curious copper eyes turned to her.

"I've got a plan," she said as she walked out of the trees.

She spotted cars she hadn't seen before and wondered what they were there for. Was it why Tsunade told her not to be in the area the whole day?

She made her way to the familiar driver that was sitting underneath a large tree for shade and greeted him.

"That doctor said you needed a ride to the pad?" He asked for clarification as he tipped his hat back to look at her.

"Actually," she started. "Do you mind if you take me to the Uchiha's cottage?"

He raised a grey brow at this. "No one but the Uchihas are allowed to be there, young lady."

Biting her lip, she racked her brain for an excuse. Then she looks at the ball of fur in her arms. "This cat, I think it's theirs."

He looked suspicious. "Ya sure?"

"Heard them talk about him when we met at the landing dock."

"I don't see a collar." She looked at him with pleading eyes for what felt like forever until he stood up, relenting. "If you get arrested, that's on you, young lady."

They walked to the pickup. She opened the passenger door and let the cat make its way inside before she did. One foot was in when she noticed a man get out of a newly arrived black car. The greying hair, the dark aura surrounding him. It was Ito Shimura. Only there was something new. She felt it.

The heat.

All of a sudden, he turned and looked at her, eyes that hid so many dark secrets met hers. She turned away, vomit wanting to exit her system. She felt nothing but evil reside within him.

Sasuke and Naruto sat at opposite sides of the table with Itachi standing at its head. The tension was thick. None of them had gotten any proper rest that night. Itachi, most of all, with the call he had to make.

"Answers, aniki," Sasuke said, impatiently.

"Patience, otouto."

"I think I've been patient enough, Itachi. No more next times."

Itachi exhaled. "What do you want to know?"

Sasuke had so many things piled up in his mind, but he knew exactly where to begin. His brother was always one to keep secrets, only saying half of the truth when needed. A master manipulator. Sasuke knew Itachi didn't have any bad intentions; however, he was tired of being at the receiving end of his lies, at the mercy of the information only he could give. Sure, manipulation was something that came in very handy at work, and Sasuke took some notes in that regard. But this was family business, personal business. And if it could give Sasuke just a glimpse of what he was going through, maybe he could help him.

He said he was sick, that he had been sick for over a decade. Why didn't he say anything? Did their parents know? What else was he keeping from him?

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

Itachi took a moment to assess the question. It was a simple one that had a complicated answer on his part. Dragging the chair away from the table, he took a seat. He decided to start with his intention. "I didn't want to cause worry. I, myself, am not sure about the severity of my illness."

Sasuke kept his breathing calm, but he was anything but. He didn't want to cause another uproar like he did the night before. He was getting what he asked for, so he wouldn't ruin it by letting his emotions control him again. "But you have seen doctors?"

"The only one that could possibly solve this medical quandary, yes."

Naruto, who was silent until that point, placed the palms of his hands on the table, leaning over it slightly. "Is it that Senju woman? You're funding her research and came all the way here."

He was more perceptive than most people gave him credit for. Sasuke seemed to have the same idea since he nodded. "Yes, it's Doctor Senju."

"Does she know about the eyes?"

Sasuke felt his heart start to pound furiously. He was worried about his brother's wellbeing and those eyes made him feel incredible pain. And it was something that could potentially happen to him, as well.

Itachi studied his brother's features. He was more reserved than he thought he'd be after the episode the night prior. Perhaps he took the night to cool himself off. But he knew there was more to it. His reaction to the sight he witnessed last night was one of shock, that he had anticipated, but there was something else within its depths. Fear. Fear, and perhaps, morbid curiosity.

He had an inkling that his brother had begun experiencing the same symptoms he had when he realized the pathway within his body began forming. It would be less painful for his little brother, though, since he didn't have to bear the brunt of it at such a young age. But like Tsunade, he wouldn't undergo the pain the people of Maisō are going through. Neither he nor the esteemed doctor had the answer to why, though. It was as if their bodies were expecting the change and had created the necessary cells to deal with the heat that had erupted within their systems and created a network of channels to spread it all throughout their bodies.

"Yes, she knows."

"What is it, then? The eyes?" Naruto asked, lips in a line.

"That, we don't know."

The breath Sasuke wasn't aware he was holding dissipated into an exhale. They didn't know. For weeks, the sight of his own eyes changing had made him fear what it was, but it also gave him a want for answers as to what it was, exactly. It was painful, when it had happened to him, yes, but it wasn't close to how painful it looked on his brother.

"But we do know that it has something to do with a new pathway in my body."

Two pairs of eyes looked up at him, startled as he casually stated the new bit of information.

"A new pathway?"

"Like the one for your blood?"

Itachi nodded. "It's taking its space directly above the bloodstream, but it doesn't interfere with it."

"That isn't possible." Sasuke's voice was firm, truly believing his words. He's no doctor, but he remembered taking anatomy in high school. "Your body should be breaking down."

"And yet, I'm here."

"Is that what's wrong in Maisō?"

Naruto hadn't contributed much to the conversation, his mind playing the voice that he heard just a few hours ago on a constant loop. But he was listening to the conversation. "Is that why the place is so hot?"

Itachi focused on the blonde, his blue orbs dead set on his. The same determination that always gleamed in it was never more apparent than now. "Yes. The new pathway is essentially made up of heat from what the thermal scans had shown."

"And your body isn't on fire?"

"As you can clearly see, no."

"Then why are you okay, and they aren't?"

"Tsunade and I think that it may have something to do with our genes."

Sasuke glared at his brother. "Our genes?"

Itachi let the new information sink in for a minute before he stood up, arms folded as he walked behind his brother's seat. "You remember old stories our grandparents used to tell us? That our family was capable of things inconceivable?"

"Those were old folk tales, Itachi," he said, despite his thoughts agreeing. They were told as children about stories of their family's past. As untrue as they sounded, with what was happening, he was beginning to think that they weren't so impossible.

"But you're giving them some thought, otouto." Itachi put a hand on his shoulder. "She herself had met a few people with the pathway, herself included, and she hadn't seen anything like my case."

Itachi's eyes bore into his own, searching for something. That's when Sasuke realized.

"You know." His voice was a growl escaping through clenched teeth.

Naruto narrowed his gaze, confused. "Know what?"

Sasuke stood abruptly, shaking Itachi's hand off of him as he turned to glare at his brother. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

For weeks, Sasuke had been trying to convince himself that whatever he saw looking back at him in the mirror was nothing, that it was his mind playing tricks on him. Itachi had known something was going on and said nothing. He told himself he wasn't going to get angry the way he did when he saw Itachi's red eyes, but he couldn't help it.

Naruto stood up, too, growing more concerned about his best friend as his palms fanned down. "Calm down, Sasuke."

"No, Naruto," Itachi told him. "It's fine."

"You've known, and you didn't even think to tell me anything?"

"Know what?" Naruto was confused.

"That Sasuke's getting the eyes, too."

Naruto's breath hitched. What? He knew Sasuke had been acting weird for weeks, but that was something he didn't expect. Then, he thought back to yesterday when Sasuke was frozen and stared into the horizon with his eyes as wide as they could possibly go. It was only for a moment, and he seemed to come back to his senses right when Naruto asked him. He remembered the day they arrived at the cottage. He had experienced something similar. That vision of colorless destruction. The strained, breathless voices he had heard. The loud, threatening voice he heard last night.

Itachi was staring at him now, understanding.

Naruto decided to ask something that's been eating him up. "I've been having… weird dreams for years. Does that have anything to do with all of this?"

Sasuke's surprised to hear this but didn't show it. Naruto had been getting dreams, too. Did he have the eyes? Itachi said he thought it was only in the family, but he wasn't certain.

"Usually I see Sasuke in them, or my…" Naruto swallowed, nervous. "Uncle Jiraiya, and a few with Sakura."

He raised a brow and cocked his head slightly. "Is that so?"

Naruto nodded in verification. "Do they mean anything? Do I have… whatever it is you got?"

Itachi walked back to the head of the table. "The people Tsunade had encountered, and herself, with the pathway did mention night terrors. I use 'terrors' loosely because they all claim that once they wake up from it, they break into a cold sweat."

"So I have it?" Naruto's voice was low, unsure.

"The pathway, yes."

"And how do you know that? Don't you need some tests or something?"

"I can feel it, the heat from your bodies. I assume you two will be able to, as well."

Naruto slumped back into his seat.

"So are we gonna get sick like you are, or are you going to keep that information for yourself?" Sasuke said, snidely. His eyes were set on the table in front of him, his fingers gripping the back of the chair.

Itachi ignored the disrespectful tone in his brother's words and sighed. "No. Whatever I have is mine to deal with."

His brother snorted. "Deciding to deal with it alone?"

"Sasuke-"

"No, Itachi, listen." He brought his eyes to his brothers, anger and disappointment mixing within his irises. "You've been dealing with shit yourself for years. We lost mother and father, and you immediately took all of their responsibilities on you. To top it all off, you're sick, and you won't let me even try to help you? Good intentions or not, you have to tell me things! I don't care if you think it's for my own good, keeping me in the dark isn't going to lighten the weight on you. I'm sick and tired of the 'next times', Itachi. What if there won't be a next time!"

Sasuke's thoughts circled back to the dream he had weeks ago, of Itachi fading away, relaying his final secrets before disappearing completely. He didn't want that to turn into reality. Whatever that dream was about, he wasn't going to let it end the same way it did there. Itachi was still alive, and he was there, still keeping secrets, still keeping the burden to himself.

Naruto watched Sasuke, his chest heaving. He was right. Itachi loved to carry all of the burden, and he very rarely asked for help. If it were up to him, he would have carried the secret of his illness to the grave. It was the noble thing to do in Itachi's head, but it didn't mean it was right. He stood and walked to the spot beside Sasuke.

"He's right, Itachi! You gotta let people help you every now and then. We all know what it feels like to lose people important to us, and to Sasuke and I, you're the only one left. Just let us help you, 'ttebayo!"

Naruto stopped. He wanted to continue, but he was caught off guard by his own words. 'What the fuck is a ''ttebayo'?'

Regardless of the unknown word uttered by the blonde, the Uchiha brothers continued their stare down with Itachi flicking his gaze from Naruto to Sasuke. Both were resolute, firmly standing on their feet.

When those two were determined, nothing much could stop them. Admittedly, Itachi was the type of person to keep the truth hidden, if only for other people's benefit. It was his mindset. Ever since their parents' passing, Itachi put it upon himself to make sure Sasuke had a stress free like. But Sasuke was determined to follow in his footsteps, and his life was far from stress free.

He should have known, though. Ever since they were little, his little brother always regarded him with admiration and respect. As they grew up, though he wasn't as vocal about it as he used to be, it remained. Naruto, on the other hand, was always one willing to help others. He had grown to be a part of their little family, especially after he lost his own. He didn't stand a chance when they decided to team up.

He wondered where the years had gone. From little boys to growing men with a maturity far older than their years, despite their childish tendencies. Sasuke had the habit of jumping to conclusions, and Naruto was almost too optimistic. You'd think it was a recipe for disaster, and in truth, it was, but they had turned it into something, an unstoppable force of two minds, that he believed was something spectacular.

Releasing a breath of acquiescence, he gave the two a tired smile, telling them that they have won him over. Naruto beamed, his toothy grin and bright eyed happiness brightening up the room. Sasuke looked as if he had calmed, his eyes closed as he gave a modest nod.

'These two,' Itachi thought as Naruto proceeded to wrap an arm around Sasuke's shoulders, celebrating the small feat of Itachi's acceptance as Sasuke looked at him with mild annoyance, a twitch in his eye. 'I guess I never stood a chance.'

Then, began a frantic scratching sound that came from one of the nearby windows. All heads turned to search for the source. The scratching continued, and suddenly, the security system they had installed in the cottage began its incessant beeping. Itachi quickly walked to the tablet on the wall that controlled the system, his eyes on the bright pink head of hair, hands covering her ears as the noise outside began to increase in volume.

Naruto found the window and looked at the black cat with reddish-brown eyes using its claws on the window, leaving clear signs of its doing.

"Hey!" Naruto admonished the cat. "That isn't nice, little kitty."

He expected a meow back.

"Let me in, damn it!"

That was definitely not a meow.

Naruto looked at Sasuke to check if he wasn't the only one hearing it. "I'm not crazy right? That thing just talked?"

Sasuke didn't even get to answer, his slightly startled eyes focused on the cat as it replied. "An idiot, maybe, but not crazy! Let me and pinky in!"

Blue met onyx in surprise. "Pinky?"

Just then, the beeping stopped. The noisy alarm that warned them of an intruder going silent as Itachi put the tablet back on the wall. As he walked to the front door, he called out, "Open the window, Naruto."

"Sure, let the mysterious talking cat into the cottage," he mumbled, a little miffed that the cat called him an idiot. "It's not like black cats cause misfortune or anything."

Sasuke stared at the creature that jumped off the window pane and entered the room, his long tail high up, confident. He caught a glimpse of its eyes and realized that it was the cat that had appeared out of nowhere yesterday when he and Naruto were on the mountain top. The cat slowed its pace until it was just a few inches in front of Sasuke's feet.

"Nice to see you again, Uchiha-san."

"You know me?" Sasuke squatted down as he let the cat sniff his finger.

"Only that you're an Uchiha. You guys have that scent."

Naruto snickered. "Told you you should change your deodorant."

Sasuke scowled. "Shut up, that isn't what he meant, dobe."

The blonde squatted down, as well, his hand hovering over the cat's head. "You got a name, kitty?"

The cat sniffed his hand and stuck out its tongue. "Toma."

While the two got acquainted with the furry animal that apparently could speak, Itachi opened the front door to meet Sakura's worried green eyes.

"Hi, Uchiha-san. Sorry about that." She looked tense. It was still morning, and she looked like she had just trekked the entire mountain range. She had dirt on her tear stained face and little dark spots of soil on her arms. It's the blood that discolored the knees of her pants that caught him the most off guard.

It was a disorienting sight. When he met the young woman, she looked ready for anything. Right now, she looked like she had been through a tough ordeal and needed rest.

"Come in," he said, signaling for her to enter. "You look like you've run through the entire forest."

He wasn't too far off. The driver dropped her off a little farther from their property, afraid of trespassing. He didn't fully believe that she knew them. So she ran after the cat that jumped off her arms and dashed to their destination only to have the alarms go off when she stepped foot on their property.

Once the beeping stopped, she found herself feeling three new heat signatures, all different in warmth. One complex, a cool heat. Another warm and inviting. The last raw, imperfect flares of heat that were mixed with chills that she could only describe as similar to hot ice. Three people. Three people that she had met. She couldn't dwell on the unexpected information, though.

Itachi opened the door and took in the sight she must be. It was a tough morning.

"Thank you," she said, her voice hoarse. After healing Toma, who introduced himself as she dashed after him, she felt her energy almost get sucked right out of her. She didn't know why though. She'd have to ask Tsunade about it later.

The place was smartly and sophisticatedly furnished. She admired its modern, woodsy feel for a brief moment. Letting her mind get distracted and stray from the ordeal she had been through. It didn't last long, though.

Following Itachi's lead, she spoke, "Do you have service? I need to call the police."

Itachi stopped and eyed the poor girl. Based on her appearance, she looked to have been hurt. "Someone hurt you?"

She shook her head. "Not me."

As they stepped foot into the dining room, three pairs of eyes took to them. Sasuke stood up, eyes on the girl's concerning appearance. Naruto was already up, but his face was that of concern.

"Sakura-chan!"

"What happened to you?"

"Now, boys," Itachi said. "Let's let her sit first. Naruto, get her a glass of water, please."

He nodded and quickly made his way to the fridge to take a pitcher of water out and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. Placing the glass onto the table, he poured the water down until it was almost full.

Sasuke found himself by her side, his hand on her shoulder as he eased her onto the chair. The small touch felt warm, as if it were a natural thing for their skin to meet. He felt heat rise in his ears. Can't let Naruto see that. Filing that thought away, he considered her. She was dirtied, exhausted from what he could hear from the shortness of her breath. What was she doing out there by herself?

He didn't know her that well, but something in him chastised him from thinking her incapable of being by herself, telling him that she could more than handle herself. He didn't know why though. Then he thought back to the recent revelations. His dreams, Itachi's explanation. He had mentioned Tsunade also had this new pathway, and she worked for her.

He studied her, his gaze unwavering even when her eyes met his and quickly turned away. He noticed her cheeks color themselves to the color of her hair. Then, he felt something. A little flicker, like a light at the end of the tunnel turning itself on and off. He saw Naruto's eyes go large as he stared at her, at him, at Itachi, at the cat. He felt it, too. And she wasn't the only one with it.

"What happened?"

Kakashi stared at his watch as the seconds ticked by. Back to the start after a minute, then it resumed again. An endless cycle, really.

Minutes turned to hours as he stared up at the ceiling, book forgotten on his lap, waiting for the time to pass. His bags were packed, and so were the bags he was asked to pack. He's not usually someone's errand dog but this was a different situation.

Alone in his bedroom, the man was waiting for noon to strike. Waiting for both hands to reach twelve, so he could get up and leave. He was told things were moving at an unpredictable pace, that they had to get all the answers they could. He didn't know how exactly, but everything was possible now that the impossible was proven not as it seemed.

Finally, the time had come, and he stood up, digging his phone out of his pocket and typing. He felt the cool touch of the screen on his ear as the ringing had continued until it stopped and a groggy voice replaced it.

"Professor Hatake?"

"You said you've been meaning to take a trip down to Maisō?"

Sighing exasperatedly, the man replied, "When?"

Kakashi stared outside his window, one hand still in his pocket as he viewed the bustling of the busy Tokyo streets. "Tonight."

"What a drag," was the last thing he heard before the call ended.

Taking one last look at the scene outside his window, he heard a faint whisper, one not of malice but of warning.

"It's time."

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