Note:
" talk " - The characters are speaking in Japanese.
" talk " - The characters are speaking English.
' talk ' - The characters are thinking.
More notes at the end of the chapter.
This chapter is unedited. (10/9/19)
Eternal
Part One: Genesis
Chapter Eight
Answers II
Common sense tried to convince him that what he was hearing was false, that such a thing was not possible. But from everything that had happened, the research he had conducted to rationalize or make sense of his experiences, he knew that what he knew was common sense was just that: common. Everything that had been happening was uncommon, but who's to say it didn't contain sense?
Itachi had spent years, ever since he was a child with the unknown illness, researching what had occurred within him to have obtained the conundrum of eyes he had now. He didn't leave a stone unturned. He studied mythology, medicine, rumors of powers within humans. All that made him open his mind to the things most would deem impossible. Sasuke was not the only one desperate for answers.
Naruto had mentioned odd dreams, and though his descriptions of his own were different, he had also experience some of the nighttime visions, though they are far and few in between. They mostly involved his family, and whenever they would appear in his mind, a sharp pang of pain would hit his heart and his soul at the sight of his parents, of his brother. Was it guilt? That's what he'd describe it as. But what was he guilty of?
After his parents' deaths, Itachi's dreams took a more emotional turn. The mere sight of his mother's smile, or his father's nod of approval would strike an even greater pain within him, twisting his insides with the familiar throngs of complicated feelings strong enough to make him want to empty his last meal from his stomach.
With this old woman, standing before him in a void of nothingness, and the single word she had uttered, some puzzles began to solve themselves while new ones begin to flood his brain. One puzzle in particular was the woman herself.
It was quiet for what felt like too long. The woman's eyes never wandered away from his, studying him, looking for some sort of reaction.
Itachi's stiff shoulders relax and he thought he saw a fleeting look of relief in her eyes before they were whisked away, hiding deep inside her onyx eyes.
"Reincarnations," he parroted, finally breaking the silence.
She nodded. "Yes. Of a time I imagine is lost."
He raised a brow, curious.
"I imagine it's been a long time. When I was a child, there was something called chakra, energy that can be used by those who train with it, hone it to perform skills impossible otherwise."
He kept quiet, listening intently. He already had the idea of chakra thanks to Toma the cat, and to what Sakura had mentioned.
"Chakra was specifically used by ninja to perform said techniques. You could call it power."
"Something like magic?"
Her eyes soften. "It would be like magic, now, won't it?" A look of longing.
Itachi took this moment to study her features. Though she was old, the wrinkles and folds on her face telling as much, something in her eyes felt all too familiar. The way she stood, the aura she emanated. However, the shape of her face and her eyes, though relatively changed with age, still rung familiarity in his head.
She snaps out of her brief reverie and looks at him, seriousness returning. "Yes, to you, now, it may be associated with magic, but when I was a child, it was normal. I went to an academy to train to become a full-blown ninja. My parents and their friends were all established and successful ninja who live to protect our village."
"They trained children? As what, child soldiers?"
That took her aback. "Child soldiers?"
"You said, when you were a child. This was the norm? Children were allowed, accepted to fight?"
"Is that not accepted in your time?"
"Quite. In fact, it is frowned upon." Itachi frowned, himself, more complicated feelings continue swirling.
"Well, in my time, it was normal. In fact, my goal was to become the best in the village. Good enough to lead it."
"And that had changed?"
"What?"
"You said 'was.'"
Her eyes leave his own and move to the blackness beneath them. More wrinkles appear on her forehead as her brows furrow in reminiscence and yearning for something he did not know.
"How could I lead a village that no longer existed?" She continued, not looking back at him. "One day, out of nowhere, everything changed. Not only was our village destroyed, but every other ninja village. With it, chakra had managed to disappear, with a few exceptions."
Her home was destroyed. And chakra just vanished?
"Some had retained some of their chakra, but it was not the same. The chakra that remained were only capable of doing the very basic techniques. No one had the same amount they did before the tragedy."
She finally looked at him again, the wrinkles of furrowed brows soften as she allowed her eyes to continue with unspoken words.
"So what happened afterwards?"
"Those who had survived continued surviving, adapting to life without chakra, to life without their loved ones, and eventually, people's memories had been tampered with. Ninja became simple fighters, chakra was considered magic, and the tragedy thought of as a folktale."
"You lived long enough for it to be forgotten?"
"No."
"Then how are you so sure?"
"The fact that you don't know about it yourself."
Itachi considered her for a beat. She seemed to know of him. And with the familiarity he felt, he may, too. "Was I someone you knew?"
She shook her head. "I knew of you. Never met you. But I'm so glad, even in this way, that I have now." She smiled brightly. "I don't have much time with you left." She took a step forward. "I only managed to put this much of my chakra into the scroll." Another step. "But I need to tell you things are changing. I don't know how exactly, but I had devoted my life to finding out what exactly happened to cause the tragedy."
"And I play a part in it." Itachi brought his thumb onto his chin, rubbing it lightly in contemplation. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
"It isn't just you. I fear the tragedy will happen again, now." She sighed. "In my travels, I happened upon someone who seemed to know more than they let on. He was a tall man. His hair was white, and his eyes looked like they kept changing colors. He gave me a scroll and told me that it had a pair still out there. You need both of them in order to read its contents. Right when he gave it to me, he vanished. I felt its power and knew it was something. I never found the other one, though, so I guess, I'm passing that onto you guys. Maybe my questions will finally be answered."
She was directly in front of him now, head raised to look up at him. She was shorter than he thought, and she was now shining in a white light, the color on her person fading into it. "You seem to trust me implicitly for someone who had only heard of me. And, you knew who I was."
"I thought if not him, it'd be you. And Uchihas are easy to recognize, at least for me." Smiling, she shook her head. "I guess it does run in the Uchiha. Maybe just the Uchiha men, that bluntness."
His brows raised as he felt light, frail arms around his waist. He looked down to find her hugging him as the color of her hair turns darker and somehow her height changes. From being just below his chin to just beneath his ribs, her hair turns from white to black as she squeezes harder. He feels wetness on his shirt as he feels the pressure of her glasses fall from his chest to just below his waist. The pressure begins to lighten as the glow around her grows brighter.
She looked up, and with tears escaping now vibrant onyx eyes, he saw the child embracing him. The red rimmed glasses and clothes, though now larger on her small frame, the only thing that hadn't changed. He could see her features more clearly now. A rounded face, eyes large and shape tilted slightly up. Her forehead, pronounced. Her coloring, all too recognizable.
"Please tell them I love them, that I missed them so much." Though he could see her small arms were squeezing harder, he couldn't feel the pressure. She was fading away, somehow. "I did my best after everything, but I still missed them. I missed them so much it hurt."
Tears continued rolling down her face, as if a dam had finally broken after years of holding everything in.
"I grew up, raised a family, tried to keep the memory of them, of our clan, alive." She sobbed. "Even if I can't see them again. I want them to know that much."
He didn't know what came over him, but before he realized, his arms were trying to wrap around the now ghost-like girl, hovering over her form.
"I've always wanted to meet you." She sniffled. "Papa would always talk about how great you were. How everything you did was for him and for the village."
Itachi did not know how to process this, but slowly, things began to piece together.
"I'm just glad, that even for a moment, I did meet you."
Her arms were off his body, as the faint colors of her eyes stared at his own. She motioned for him to lean closer, as if wanting to share a secret. He did, bending down.
He didn't feel it, but the ghostlike presence of two fingers on his forehead were hard to miss. She smiled and that was the last he saw of her and her form faded away, but her voice, soft and carried like a quiet remnant of an echo.
"Until next time, Uncle Itachi."
Itachi had been slumped on his chair for a while now, his red eyes still wide open and its color seemed to get even more vivid. Sasuke was standing next to his chair, changing his focus from his older brother and the scroll in front of him. Tsunade was moved a chair next to the sitting Uchiha, checking his vitals every now and again to see if he was in any trouble.
Checking his pulse, she felt his heart rate increase, though not too much to cause worry. What was worrisome was the constant flow of crimson escaping his tear ducts, but she couldn't do anything about it yet, since his eyes were in use. She couldn't risk it, especially with Sasuke impatiently standing next to her patient.
No one said a word the entire time, all lost in their thoughts over what was happening. Shikamaru looked to be preparing for anything bad to occur, his stance ready. Naruto just stared intently at Itachi's immobile form. Kakashi remained calm, seemingly confident in a good outcome. However, the way his brows would furrow every now and again showed signs of wariness within the calm façade.
Sakura had been walking in and out of the room, repeatedly trying to call anyone who could check the forest where Nekobaa used to live. She even tried calling the site for updates, upon Tsunade's request, but the lines remained down. No calls. No texts. No internet. Nothing.
She walked back into the room with no progress and returned to her seat, worry lines on her forehead, the stress of the days events continuing to weigh in on her.
And then suddenly, the scroll begins to glow, every second a little brighter than the last. Naruto had to get off his seat and walk backwards, his arm raised to cover the light from his eyes. Sakura did the same, her back pressing the nearby wall. Sasuke only squinted, remaining firmly by his brother's side as the rest did their best to cover their sight.
As abruptly as it appeared, the glow dimmed and the scroll went from worn-looking to newly made, it's parchment a clean white as it laid on the table, now closed. Like the light signaled a change, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru felt something within them pulse, a spike of energy and heat had flooded what felt like their veins like a beast had escaped its prison.
Sasuke widened his stance, preventing him from falling, his palms facing the floor. Naruto simply took a sharp breath, a hand placed on his stomach. Sakura clutched her forehead, a warm sensation spreading through it. Shikamaru's eyes widened due to the foreign sensation, his shadow looked like it glitched for just a second.
Thud.
Itachi's body slid to the floor before Sasuke could catch his body, momentarily distracted by the scroll's light show. Sasuke had managed to stop Itachi's head from meeting the wood floor.
He noticed his brother's eyes were now closed as he studied him. Tsunade rushed next to him, checking his vitals.
"He seems fine. Pulse is back to normal. Breathing is fine." Really the only thing was the blood. Tsunade reached for his closed eyes and used her fingers to open them, looking to see any difference. "Inflammation in the conjunctiva. He has eye drops I prescribed him. Anyone know where it is?"
"His room, most likely." Sasuke answered.
Nodding, Tsunade stood. "We'll need to take him to his bed, let him rest. I'll apply the eye drops and continue checking for any changes."
Sakura slowly walked towards the table. "Any idea as to what happened?"
"Whatever it was, it put a strain on his eyes. There's irritation and some of the blood is coming from his sclera."
"Subconjunctival hemorrhage." Sakura nodded. "I'll prepare a warm compress."
"There are kitchen towels in the bottom drawer by the fridge," Sasuke said, eyes not straying from his brother's head. Sakura headed to the kitchen.
"Is that bad?" Naruto asked.
"It'll heal within two weeks, nothing too serious. This is the first time it's happened, that he's informed me of, anyway."
Kakashi appeared by Sasuke, kneeling down and preparing to lift Itachi by the back of his shoulder. Sasuke saw this and followed suit with his opposite shoulder.
Sasuke and Kakashi carry Itachi to his room as Tsunade follows behind them, leaving Shikamaru and Naruto in the room, both focused on whatever their mind was on. Toma was by the window, merely observing the recent events.
Throughout the quiet and then the burst of activity, Toma was busy analyzing the sudden spike of chakra within the younger adults in the room immediately after Itachi hit the ground. He knew that somehow, all of their pathways had completed its forming at the same time. It was too much of a coincidence.
His copper eyes find the new scroll, feeling immense power within it. It had to be the source. But how was it possible to speed up their chakra pathway formation. But maybe it was what the scroll had been. What exactly did the older Uchiha witness?
He supposed he'd wait until he would awake. There was no use thinking about it too hard when the answers were just a few hours away. Still, he was curious.
Jumping off of the windowpane, Toma approached the newcomer he had not formally met yet. Dark hair tied in a spiky ponytail, eyebags that had just began to lighten. He thought he was one who had an abundance of sleep, but the darkness beneath his eyes said otherwise.
"Hey," Toma said, paw tapping on his ankle.
Shikamaru looked down, his arms folded over his chest, and raised a brow.
"Why don't ya sleep?"
His brows fell into a furrow. "What?"
"Eyebags."
"You always this rude?"
"It's a genuine question. You're up doing something."
"And that's important, why?"
"Ya have any theories about what's going on?"
"A few."
"And ya noticed the change in your chakra, didn't ya?"
"Yeah. Right after that scroll lit up."
"And you know more about Maiso lore than anyone here, so…" the cat trailed off.
Shikamaru sighed and relented. "If we have this chakra thing, I'm guessing all that's up ahead is trouble that we can't avoid."
Itachi had been asleep for a few hours. Sakura and Tsunade had cleaned the blood off of his face and deemed that he was going to be okay.
Tsunade had to head back to the site, the truck and the driver that took her there had waited until she instructed them to return. With recent important events, it was imperative that she break the news to her colleagues and underlings. It was a task she did not look forward to.
She had also instructed Sakura to stay with the Uchihas for the time being, just to be safe. She was met with some rebelling from Sakura, but the young medical professional in training had decided to follow her orders and stay in the cottage.
Watching her mentor as she left the lot, she let the weight of the events finally fully settle and she squeezed her eyes shut in what was a mix of frustration, shock, and exhaustion. She had lived a normal life, stayed away from trouble, but she knew those days were over, and she didn't know how to feel about it.
Raising her head and staring at the reddening sky and the sun that was almost setting, she breathed in a large gulp of air. In the corner of her eye, she saw someone's leg dangling from the roof and panicked before she realized it was Sasuke, sitting down on it with his leg over the ledge. She turned and met his eyes.
"Is that really safe?" She asked, loud enough for him to hear.
He answered her with a shrug.
He was tired, worry over his brother seen clear as day in his eyes. She thought she'd be surprised with it, but she'd be more surprised if he didn't show his concern. He cared deeply for his brother. She guessed she would, too, especially if he was the only family he had left.
Biting down her bottom lip, she went inside the cottage, grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and climbed up the stairs to the balcony where they spoke to each other earlier in the day, after she had woken up from her nap. Seeing the table that was moved close to the wall, she knew that's how he had gotten up there.
Sasuke eyed her as she stood on top of the table. She threw a water bottle his way. Grabbing it with both hands, he felt the cold moisture off the plastic as she gave a small 'oomph' sound when she jumped and climbed onto the roof to join him.
Water bottle in hand, he raised it up with a quizzical look.
"You need it. After everything today."
If anyone needed it, he thought, it'd be her. But he didn't say it out loud. Instead, he took off the cap and welcomed the coolness down his throat.
Sakura watched him as he did so, questions circulating in her mind but hesitance prevented her from voicing them out. Within the short time they'd known each other, she felt as if she could tell what he was thinking. She knew he was scared. She knew he was mad. She knew he was battling emotions swirling within him. She could tell all of that with just one look into his eyes.
Yet, she found it strange. She barely knew him, but the connection she felt to him was real, strong. He was some sort of unknown magnetic force pulling her towards him with the intent of bounding themselves together, mind and soul.
She shook her head. She had to be crazy. But crazier things have happened. And the vivid dreams she had were almost definitely part of the ludicrous thing that was their lives now.
With her hesitance dissipating, she took a breath before speaking. "I don't want to make a heavy day even heavier, but… I think we've all mentioned some weird dreams…"
Sasuke was quiet, weighing in her words. Before she had gotten on the roof with him, that topic was one of the many that was plaguing him. Naruto had mentioned it, she had mentioned it, it seemed far too specific to be a coincidence.
"I think you do."
She blinked. "What?"
Turning his gaze away from the greenery in front of him, he looked at her. "Want to make today heavier."
Frowning, she looked away "Not my intention, but I just… I just want answers."
"We're going to have to wait for aniki to wake up for majority of the answers we want for now."
"Then, listen to mine." She stared back at his onyx irises with her own emeralds.
He found himself incapable of saying no, so he gave her a nod.
"I've been having dreams, lots of them." Her eyes left his and found the sky. "It used to feel like I was watching something, but recently, I've been feeling like I was actually living these scenarios. And in most of them, I see you."
Her heart, despite herself, began pounding faster. Why was she flustered all of a sudden? Internally shaking herself out of it, she continued. "I didn't know who you were and when we did meet, I felt like I knew you more personally than I should. Same goes with Naruto." Though, not entirely.
Sasuke let her words sink in. So it was the same for her as it was for him and Naruto. "What dreams?"
"What?"
"Describe one of them." A silent 'please' hung in the air.
"There's one that always seems to find its way back into my dreams. I'm running. Naruto's with me, but I ran ahead to, I don't know, beat the shit out of some guy and then I see you, standing above the crater I run into. It's you, but it's not. Your eyes looked so empty."
They stared at each other in silence, Sakura trying to gauge his reaction.
"As opposed to now?"
"Excuse me?"
"They aren't empty now?"
"No. They're not."
The silence rolls on as the red sky slowly transitioned to its nighttime colors, the sound of nature filling in the space.
Sasuke knew she was familiar, too. He knew the moment he caught a glimpse of her at the airport. But hearing her say the same made him wonder of what else could be lurking within his own mind. Maybe some of his answers were within him all along.
A soft breeze moves a few strands of her pink hair over her face, her gentle fingers move them back behind her ear.
There was familiarity in whatever she did. The way she moved, the way she spoke, the way she smiled. Sasuke just knew she smelled like her namesake, that her hands were slightly rough due to how hard she worked. He knew she had a temper in her that she hadn't shown them yet. He knew her insecurities. He knew her strengths. But why did he know?
He really shouldn't be questioning the impossible too much in the situation they were in. Red eyes, healing abilities, a magic scroll, maybe it was time to redefine what they thought of as normal.
Still, he wanted to know this as much as what his brother had went through when he was in the state he was in using his eyes on the scroll.
Naruto mentioned having dreams involving her, as well. Was chakra responsible for it? That was the only thing he knew they shared in common.
But still, there was something different. When Sasuke and Naruto had become friends, they both knew details that strangers could not possibly know about each other. With Sakura, it felt like that, but more intimate.
Sakura was studying him, as well. A hint of fear crept into the recess of her mind. Maybe she was thinking too deep into things. Maybe she was trying to put a story in something that didn't have room for one. But looking back into his eyes, she felt a strong connection. It was like they were having a conversation without words because they were unnecessary.
She could see the curiosity, the confusion, and the sliver of hope within them. He felt that there was something, too.
She didn't know what was going to happen now, but there was comfort in knowing he was there. Now, all she had to figure out was why. Why was she so comfortable with someone who was basically a stranger?
Her dreams couldn't have possibly projected into reality, but if it did, why now? Why, after years of dreams, did he just come up now? Years of staring up at him from a crater, of tears of the thought of him, of the enormous weight he carried on her body and soul, why did he appear now?
Why did everything happen at once?
She thought back to Naruto, and how she felt like she had known him since birth. She had likened him to some sort of spiritual brother, but what would that make Sasuke?
Breaking the eye contact, Sakura looked at the sky, the sun now about to set. Sasuke followed her gaze and the two stared wordlessly at the upcoming moon. Maybe it had the answers they sought after. After all, the moon was their most frequent witness.
"I see." A calm voice. "So you've aligned with the other side."
Kneeling in front of him, their backs towards him as they face the door.
Itachi knew those voices, the voices he longed to hear after years of their absence.
What was he doing? He could feel the power from his eyes, the chakra that was focused on them. He also felt the pain behind them, the pain that was wallowing up his mind, threatening to swallow him whole. It wasn't just from the eyes. It was from the action he was about to do.
"Father, Mother…" He stopped, finding the words. "I-"
"I know, Itachi." His mother's voice, always so understanding. It didn't make what he was about to do any less painful.
"Itachi, just promise me this." His father, calm and assertive. He didn't sound any different. Yet another stab to his conscience.
Itachi felt his head shot up in shock. His father's last words would be a request?
"Take care of Sasuke."
Warm liquid tears roll down his cheeks. As much as his father showed a brave face towards the younger sibling, he always loved and cared for Sasuke, just as much as he did Itachi.
But why did Itachi know this? This was something new, something different. He'd dreamt of this moment, but he was always a ghost staring at the scene before him, yelling in horror as he witnessed himself kill his own parents.
But he's living it. He knows what's to come.
His surroundings change. The air went managed to get colder. The wooden walls and floor of the Uchiha house turned to stone walls of a cave, familiar yet foreign. The taste of salt appeared on his tongue until it dissipated, and his body became lighter.
Sasuke, in front of him, looked at him with a look of sadness.
"I feel my consciousness is slowly fading," he heard himself say.
He could feel not just his body becoming lighter, but the weight of something unspoken lift off of his shoulders.
Sasuke's eyes widened as Itachi's body began to glow. He'd have to leave him again.
"The night I left you." His feet make their way to Sasuke. "I did do everything Danzo and Tobi told you."
If Sasuke was shocked, he didn't show it. His eyes only remained wide at the sight of what was occurring.
He'd always hurt him. It was never his intention, but he did. Maybe this time, he could atone for that and not leave his side.
He left his brother to the village that betrayed his own family. He left him alone. He vowed not to do it again.
"I always lied to you and asked you to forgive me." His steps were lighter. His body glowing even brighter as he began to fade. Two fingers raised. "So this time, I want to impart this truth to you."
Closer.
Just a little closer.
Brushing through his brother's forehead, he cradled the back of his neck and brought their foreheads to meet.
"I will love you always."
The last thing he saw was his brother's face, shocked and close to tears.
And then, like flashing lights, more scenes began to play, all playing in fast motion, all making his heart scream in pain.
"Maybe next time."
Two fingers tap his baby brother's forehead. A promise he didn't fulfill.
"There is no value in killing the likes of you... Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, then Hate me, detest me, curse me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, Run and cling to your pitiful life."
Sasuke on his knees, a young child who had seen too much.
"Self-sacrifice... A nameless shinobi who protects peace within its shadow... That is a true shinobi..."
His back against the village he had known and loved, all at the cost of his own blood.
"You're still too weak. You don't have enough hate, and you know something? You never will."
His hands around his brother's neck. Sasuke had to get stronger. Sasuke had to kill him.
"I shall surpass Madara and achieve real greatness. And now, I can finally obtain power that exceeds Madara's!"
Two fingers digging into his brother's eye socket.
"I am always going to be there for you, even if it is only as an obstacle for you to overcome, you and I have to live together, even if it means hating each other, that... is what big brothers are for..."
Blood all over his body. Time had finally come for him. Two fingers on his brother's forehead. He was just as banged and bruised as he was. Fingers slide off his forehead as his body falls to the ground.
"You will never have to forgive me."
A tear. How could he ever have it in him to do so?
"No matter what happens to you from here on out."
He knew now he was given yet another chance.
"I will always love you."
And Itachi was not going to let this chance slip by.
Naruto laid on his bed, worry etched on his face as he recalled the day's events.
"So I talked to a giant fox, everyone has some weird power, Itachi's passed out."
He rubbed his hair in agitation.
"I sound crazy."
"Yes, but in fairness, we all have a bit of crazy."
Naruto jumped and sat up as he heard Kakashi's voice come out of nowhere. Kakashi was leaning by the door frame, arms folded with an air of nonchalance.
"Kakashi-sensei! Ever heard of knocking?"
He shrugged. "Try closing your door."
A pout as Naruto moved to the edge of the bed, feet off the mattress. "Is Itachi awake?"
Kakashi shook his head. "Though, I suspect he'll wake up soon."
"What happened, anyway?"
"We'll have to ask him when he does wake."
Naruto put his elbows on his knees, hands rubbing his hair again. "Why did life get so weird all of a sudden?"
"It's part of adulthood."
"Well, duh, but I know most adults don't have to deal with crazy ass energy things and a talking fox."
Kakashi raised a brow. "About that…"
The blonde raised his head and met the professor's inquisitive gaze. "What?"
"What else did the fox tell you?"
"I told you all he told me. He said I didn't have enough of the chakra thing yet to hold a longer conversation."
Kakashi nodded, a hand rubbing his mask covered chin. "Then, perhaps you could try again, now."
"Huh?"
"Surely, you noticed the surge of energy right after Itachi snapped out of that trance?"
Naruto did feel a shot of energy after the whole thing. Was that what it was? Maybe he could do it, but how?
"I don't know how to." Naruto admitted. "But about all of this…"
Naruto had only been to a couple of Kakashi's lectures, but his acquaintance with Itachi came as much a surprise as everything.
"How exactly did you meet Itachi?"
"How'd I meet him, huh?" Kakashi's hand left his chin. "It was an Uchiha event a few years back. Felt a charge of heat, chakra, that was from him. He felt mine. He wanted answers, and I gave him the few I did know."
"Which were?"
"That only a few possessed it. That from what I've experienced, came with heavy dreams. Dreams that you have mentioned."
Kakashi knew Naruto. He knew him even before seeing him in one of his lectures. He was just waiting until he remembered, too.
"Back then, I talked to your father and mother about it, as well."
Naruto stared at him; eyes large in surprise. "You knew my parents?"
He nodded. "There are things you have to wait for, Naruto. Things have to go in a certain pace. Your father told me as much."
The dreams, the pangs of nostalgia, Kakashi had been through them all. He knew the only reason he knew the reality of the situation was because the Namikazes had divulged the truth to him. Maybe he could tell them all. But that would be unwise. Though easier, it might ruin some pertinent things that had to come naturally. And the last time someone did so, they had died a few weeks after.
"I know I don't have long."
"But Minato-"
"We had hoped we could live our entire life with him in this life, but something's coming. I'm just happy we did get this time with him."
"Why are you so sure that you're-"
"Dreams have a funny way of telling you the past, present, and the future. It's all the more apparent in this life." She walks in, a sad smile. "We knew we shouldn't have told you everything at once, but you needed to. Lead them well, Kakashi."
"Just make sure things happen as organically as possible. They need to learn of things themselves or else some important aspects may change. They could act rashly. Or worse."
"You keep saying 'they'. Who are 'they'?"
Shortly after that conversation, he realized who they were referring to. His students.
In this life, he had only ever taught Naruto, but they were still his students.
Naruto was the same. He guessed he would never change. Always a beacon of hope, a light to people's lives.
Sasuke was calmer. Perhaps he could thank Itachi's presence for that. And the fact that he didn't have to witness a deadly murder at such a young age.
Sakura seemed to be more like her adult self, keeping her temper to herself, but he knew it was still in there.
They were the same, but different. How that would change once they knew, he didn't know. But they were still his beloved students.
Suddenly, right as Naruto was about to ask about his sudden silence, Kakashi's phone rings in his pocket. "Looks like signal is back."
Naruto hopped out of bed. "I'll go tell Sakura-chan." He ran out of the room.
The name on his screen made his brow furrow. Clicking accept, he placed the phone by his ear.
"Finally! My calls weren't getting through!" She sounded exhausted and irritated.
"Something wrong with the signal in the area."
"Well, thank God, it's over. We've spotted Kaiju and Shimura in the same building."
"Where?" He stands straight and walks through the empty hallways to the back terrace.
"Nakagin Capsule."
"That's just a walk away from Uchiha Towers."
"Think they have a hunch on where the servers are?"
"Can never be too careful."
"Gaara's back from Dubai, says he found something important."
"You and Gaara make your way to the Hidaka range. I'll have a chopper sent for you. I'm afraid it's safer to talk in person"
"How soon?"
"A week, max. There are things that need to be sorted before you get here."
"Got it."
The call ended, and Kakashi stuffs his phone in his pocket. He feels a presence behind him. "Shikamaru?"
"That Temari?"
He nodded. "She and Gaara are coming in a few days."
An exasperated sigh. "Can never get away from that woman."
"That's one way to refer to your girlfriend."
At least those two had gotten together without interference. He thought back to his own students. He hadn't witnessed much between Sasuke and Sakura, but he had only just arrived. And as far as he knew, he hadn't seen or heard of Hinata in this time. It was too early to judge the state of that particular situation, but even though he couldn't meddle out right, maybe a push in the right direction would help speed things up concerning the Uchiha couple.
He shook his head. Hopefully this time wouldn't take years of chasing for it to happen. They didn't have the time.
"Have something you wanted to say, Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru walked to the spot next to the white haired man. "Itachi's awake."
Kakashi looked at him. "And you didn't start off with that?"
"You looked like you needed to think about something." The man shrugged. "I'll wait until you and him finish talking before telling the rest."
Shikamaru may not know everything, but he was smart enough to have an almost clear answer. He was so close to figuring out Maiso's origins. He asked Kakashi what he knew one time, but that was just one of the few bits of information he couldn't divulge fully until everyone realized who they were. He suspected that now that Itachi was awake, he would know the scope of this new life. Shikamaru was not far behind.
He was confused about one thing, though. Why was it taking longer for his students to remember? Perhaps there was something blocking their minds. Or maybe they had grown too accustomed to this life and are suppressing their own memories. That, he'll have to investigate.
For now, he needed to speak with Itachi.
Itachi had his back against the bed's headboard, staring at the wall in front of him. It all came back to him. All his sins in his past life, his true life. Or was this his true life? Was he given another chance at redemption?
He didn't know how he'd be able to face Sasuke now. He was the cause for all of his trauma. But this was a new life, a new start. Maybe he had forgiven him after their last shared moment.
Itachi had an inkling of what was happening, but he didn't know the full scope of his past life. All of the crimes he committed, all of the pain he had caused. Did he truly deserve this chance?
A knock shook him out of his deep reflection, and Kakashi walked in the room.
Without saying anything, he walked to the side of his bed with his arms crossed and waited for Itachi to speak first.
"You knew?"
Kakashi only nodded, knowing full well what he was referring to.
"I'm a criminal."
"Was." Kakashi corrected him. "And in fact, it wasn't entirely your fault. You had to make a difficult decision."
Calmly, Itachi turned his head to look at the older man. "How long have you known?"
"Just a few weeks before the Namikazes died."
Itachi nodded. "Did Sasuke… Did he ever forgive me?"
Seeing as Itachi already knew, telling him wouldn't change anything. "He ended up protecting the village just as you had. Named his daughter with you in mind."
That gave him a spark of joy within his moment of self-loathing. Then, he remembered the woman that faded away as a child. The face shape, the eyes, her coloring, her aura. He realized then. "What was her name?"
Kakashi smiled softly beneath his mask. "Sarada."
'Da' from 'ta'. Her name was Sarada.
"I met her."
This piqued Kakashi's interest. "The scroll?"
Nodding, Itachi continued. "When I came to, she was in front of me. Older than I am now. She said she used what chakra she had left to be put in the scroll."
"Explains why the scroll had to be given to Sakura specifically."
Itachi nodded. "She mentioned a man giving her a scroll. She described it as something with incredible chakra within it, can only be opened with its pair."
"The moment you snapped out of it, the scroll changed."
"Then, she must have gifted it to us."
"Now, we have to find its pair." Kakashi sighed. "It could be anywhere."
"That's the only lead we've got."
Itachi was quiet for a beat. "Why didn't you tell us that we are… what we are."
"I was advised not to."
"By the Namikazes, I presume."
A nod. "When they told me, a few weeks later, they were dead."
Itachi rubbed his temples. "What exactly did the tell you?"
"Everything."
"Then perhaps, there is a loophole to that."
"What are you implying?"
"They chose to divulge the whole truth to you, then they passed away. I have a feeling my parents' deaths were because of something similar."
Just a few weeks before they died, Itachi remembered his parents having an intense conversation with someone behind the closed doors of his father's office in the manor. He didn't know who the man was, only that he was an associate of his father. He had a similar shade of hair that Kakashi did and glasses to aid his sight. The last he saw of him; he was on his way out of the manor.
He always thought they had an argument over business proceedings, but now, he thought otherwise.
"Do you think Jiraiya could have died the same way?"
Itachi shook his head. "Jiraiya died in different circumstances. Where the Namikazes and my parents died in freak accidents, Jiraiya died in his sleep."
"Still, there's a possibility."
"What exactly did the Namikazes tell you not to do?"
"Not to divulge the whole truth."
"Then, how about just a part of the truth?"
Kakashi thought about it and began a short pace back and forth. "Do you really want to risk it?"
"I have lied my whole life to my brother last time. If I can't even tell him half of the truth here, I'm afraid I will just repeat my past sins."
Kakashi understood where he was coming from. His brother had to suffer through so much trauma and manipulation last time, but he had to wonder about the cost. If he died now, what chance did they have?
"What do you want to tell them? That this is not our first lives?"
"To start, yes. Maybe that will speed up their understanding."
"I still think this is risky."
"I will not lie, Kakashi."
"If you die now, it will be harder to defeat whatever's coming. And Sasuke-"
"Then, I will not die. I owe Sasuke this much."
"You are usually more careful."
"And where did that lead me?"
Kakashi sighed in defeat.
Itachi wanted this life to be different for him and Sasuke. Yes, he still had his secrets, but this one, he needed to know, even just a little bit.
"How long do you think their memories will fully return?"
"Since Naruto has begun speaking with the Nine Tails, I suspect he'll find out before the other two."
"And Sasuke and Sakura?"
Itachi pondered this. He had noticed the group of three's bonds seemingly happen overnight, and it was apparent that Sasuke and Sakura had an unspoken connection. It was hard to get Sasuke to open up about anything, especially to someone who was a stranger, but the moment the two shared a look, he knew they were speaking to their souls. Perhaps, deep within them, they already knew.
"I don't know."
Kakashi shook his head. "I don't know how I'll be able to handle another years long 'will they, won't they'."
"It worked out for them in the end, did it not?"
"Yes, but even in marriage, they were apart for a lot of it."
Itachi dons a look of slight surprise. "What?"
"Sasuke spent most of his life protecting Konoha from the shadows in atonement for his crimes. His words, not mine. A lot of his adult life was spent outside of the village, keeping trouble away."
Another pang of guilt. "And his wife understood?"
"Sakura was always selfless. She knew what it meant to him. Even apart, she said they were connected. They had a strong bond. Every time he came home, the two would prefer time alone than with other people."
"It reflects in the way they look at each other now." Still Itachi felt sorry for the woman. Guilt weighing heavily on him.
Itachi may have looked calm, but Kakashi could tell he was reflecting, feeling apologetic for what Sasuke had become and what he did even after his own death. "Without meeting you for the last time, he would not have had any humanity in him left."
"Without my mistakes, he never would have lost it. I won't allow him to go down that road again."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we've had local rangers check the area within and over the site, but have found no traces of foul play, let alone a wooden home."
Sakura's hands were shaking, the hand on the phone squeezing tighter. "But, officer, I told you, the-"
"Ma'am, perhaps you were just tired and hallucinated the events. Working on that medical mission over there must be stressful. Please, rest."
The line goes dead, and Sakura grumbles in frustration. The hold on her phone got tighter until the rectangular device was crushed between her thumb and the rest of her fingers.
Naruto watched in horror at the sheer strength that she had just displayed. She broke her phone with her bare hands!
Sasuke, on the other hand, was as frustrated as she was. Something was definitely off, and Shimura was obviously behind it.
Sakura, finally realizing what she had done, looked at her right hand in horror. The remnants of her phone land on the floor. "Did I actually just-"
Naruto nodded slowly. "Sakura-chan, you're cool and all, but that was terrifying."
"I don't know where that came from! I know I was stronger than most girls, but that… That's never happened before!" She sighed in aggravation. "God, I don't have the funds for a new phone, right now."
"You backed up your files?" Sasuke asked, not facing her.
"Yeah…"
"We'll handle it."
Sakura panicked. "No, you don't have to-"
"Come on, Sakura-chan! You're one of us, now! Let us help you."
One of us.
She had always felt close to the two, but this was kindness that she thought she didn't deserve. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to say no. They wanted to help her, and she would do the same if she was in their shoes.
This was beyond nostalgia. Something else was happening.
Toma runs into the upstairs living room that they were in. "Itachi's awake!"
Sasuke shot to his feet and ran down the stairs. Naruto and Sakura were on his heels.
The younger Uchiha reached the room first, opening the door quickly. He saw his brother sitting down on his bed, looking completely fine. Still, he was wary.
"I am fine, otouto."
"What happened?"
Sakura and Naruto entered the room. Sasuke was now directly in front of Itachi's bed. Hearing the ruckus, Shikamaru had decided to walk in, as well.
"It was… an enlightening experience, to say the least."
Sasuke was not having it. "Cut the crap, Itachi."
"Damn, he called him by his name. He's serious serious," Naruto whispered to Sakura, receiving a slap that was meant to be light but actually hurt. He winced.
Sakura realized this and apologized in hushed whispers.
Kakashi witnessed this and shook his head. 'Maybe things are speeding along.'
Itachi's attention moved from Sasuke to the entire room. Naruto and Sakura were behind his brother. Kakashi was now by the window where Toma had decided to sit by its pane. Shikamaru stood under the door frame. Now was a good time as any.
"About the dreams you have all mentioned…"
Everyone was listening intently.
"Those are not just dreams. They are memories."
Shikamaru nodded his head. He already had a hunch. They were too real to just be imaginations. He didn't know how to feel about knowing the fact he married his current girlfriend when they had just started their relationship.
He was curious if his past relations would go the same way in life now, though. It is with his relationship, but are his relationships now, romantic and platonic, only based on the foundation of the past life he didn't even fully remember yet.
He wasn't the only one with that question. Sakura studied her surroundings and the people around her. Itachi had basically said it was fate. Was that all it was?
She looked at Kakashi. He was studying her, like he knew she'd react this way. Somehow, she knew he'd be worried. And he'd be right.
Sasuke's back was in front of her, and somehow, she pictured the same logo she saw in Nekobaa's home printed on the back of his shirt. She pictured the large full moon above them, the cold night air, the tears streaming down her face.
She didn't know what exactly happened in that dream. She'd only seen bits and pieces of it, but she remembered the excruciating pain. Would he hurt her that way again?
Naruto stared at the ground, remembering the dreams he did have. One stuck out in particular. The pained voices speaking as a baby cried loudly. He had a hunch of who they were. He wasn't sure if he should be glad he had the time with them he did, or be mad that they were taken away too early, again.
He shook himself. He had time with them this time. Was that why they showered him with so much love and attention?
He'd remember when he was a child feigning sleep as his parents read him a story. Sometimes he would hear his mom's quiet sobs, the soft "thank you"s that escaped her lips. Sometimes, his father would hug him so tight, like he was afraid he'd fade away if he let go.
They knew. And they made sure he was loved.
That was enough for him.
Sasuke stayed silent, eyeing Itachi with suspicion. In truth, he didn't really care about the bombshell he had given them. A part of him, deep down, knew. He just wanted to know if he was going to disappear. That was his fear.
He felt the pain in his dreams when he faded away.
He felt the loneliness in a lot of his nighttime visions.
But then, he was curious, too. Was that why he was so drawn to her? Why he and Naruto immediately became friends? Why he was so afraid of losing his brother?
It had to be.
"And?"
Itachi raised a brow.
"You're fine?"
"Yes."
"Then, that's enough. For now."
Itachi was shocked at this. He expected Sasuke to be more livid with him. He had been demanding answers for day, but then it hit him. His brother didn't want I have to lose him again. And he didn't want to be the cause of his suffering again.
Naruto walked up and patted Sasuke on the back. "We were worried something bad was in that scroll thingy."
Itachi let a small smile grace his dried lips. "It wasn't bad. It shed light on many things."
"I had a hunch that the dreams were memories," Shikamaru adds, now walking to where Sasuke and Naruto was. "It's good that we have confirmation on that, at least."
"You're completely sure it's accurate?" Sasuke asked, getting a nod from his brother.
"I have no reason to doubt it." Especially since it was coming from his own niece.
He still hadn't wrapped his head around it. He had a niece. He could see the resemblance clearly now. She had Sasuke's nose, a similar aura to his. But he looked at the pinkette standing at the back of the room. She was more like her mother. Her mannerisms, the shape of her face and her eyes. It was a dead ringer.
He had noticed she looked more reserved now after revealing what the dreams were. He didn't know her well enough to deduce why. He'd have to ask Kakashi.
"So what happened to us? You know, older us?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi found this the best time to interject. "That, he cannot share just yet."
Sasuke glared at him. "And why not?"
"Because there are risks," Itachi answered. "You have to regain your own memories or else things may take a turn for the worse."
"How exactly?" Shikamaru looked interested.
"Naruto, I was actually quite close with your parents."
That was news to him. He wondered why he'd bring it out at this moment but let him continue.
"Weeks after they told me everything that had happened, they were involved in the car crash."
Naruto bit his tongue.
"Prior to the accident, they knew, somehow, their time was up. I may have gotten my memories back quickly, but it came at a price."
The blonde pursed his lips, replaying what Kakashi had said in his mind. His parents must have known that they'd be killed. At least, he though they must have. Why else would they know they didn't have long?
Something was up.
"So…" He began speaking, slowly. "No asking about our past. Got it."
Naruto would talk to Kakashi privately after the group discussion. For now, they needed to know what was to come.
Sakura hadn't spoken since she entered the room but decided to walk to where everyone was and voice her question. "So, what now?"
Itachi and Kakashi shared a look before Kakashi faked a cough to gather everyone's attention to him. "For now, we keep our eyes open. Shimura is up to something and we need to make sure everyone's on the same page. We'll treat the Uchiha cottage as home base."
"What about school?" Shikamaru pondered aloud.
"I'll contact your institutions and have them send you your schoolwork."
"I'm only here because of the medical research trip. Now that Doctor Senju has been removed from the mission, I'd probably have to head back with my professor."
"I'll contact them, as well. What university do you go to?"
"BMS, Kaup Uni-Houston."
"You can send me your professor's number. It will help-"
Sakura bit her lip, sheepish. "Um… About that…"
Itachi raised a brow at her sudden shyness. Sasuke looked away and Naruto began rubbing the back of his head.
"Sakura broke her phone."
"With her bare hands!" Naruto added.
Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at that. It looked like with her chakra; her strength increased.
"I see," Itachi fought a smile. "We'll get you a new one."
"Told you he'd be fine with it, Sakura-chan!"
"Speaking of the phone incident, I only broke it because I called the authorities, and they said that I was hallucinating seeing Nekobaa and her murder." She looked angry now, her hands balled into fists. "Told them how far it would be from the research site and they said they searched but found nothing but the forest."
"Shimura had something to do with it, no doubt." Shikamaru clicked his tongue as he racked his brain for the next move concerning the incident.
Toma was off the windowpane and hopped onto Itachi's bed, anger in his bright copper eyes. "Then let's kick ugly's ass! Nekobaa didn't deserve to…" he trailed off, tears forming.
Kakashi walked closer to the bed to pet the feline. "We'll figure out what to do next. Temari called and said Kaiju and Shimura were spotted at Nakagin Capsule."
"That's suspiciously close to Uchiha Towers."
"Yes. But Temari has it under control for now. Gaara is returning from Dubai tomorrow to help her."
Gaara, now that was a name Naruto not only found familiar, but one he actually knew. "That guy that does TED talks?"
Shikamaru nodded. "Yes, how did you know?"
"I like watching TED talks."
"Why am I not surprised?"
"I don't know. Maybe because past me liked TED talks, too."
"I'm pretty sure TED talks didn't exist then."
Kakashi, with the knowledge he did know of Naruto from their past life, was struggling to keep his amusement hidden. If Naruto only knew he was some sort of TED talk speaker back then…
"So for now," Itachi cut Naruto and Shikamaru's conversation short. "We stay here and help Tsunade with private research." His attention turned to Sakura. "Which is why I asked Sakura for her professor's number. I guess recruitment will have to fall to Tsunade herself."
"Private research?"
He nodded. "Very private. Shimura knows Tsunade won't just sit down and take his orders. We already have more than enough data. We just need to figure out what to release to the public and how we do that before Shimura does anything drastic."
"But the patients…"
"We can't sneak them out of there. The government has the full list of patients, which means it's damn near impossible to sneak one out." Kakashi said. "I'm sorry."
"Then, we just have to put a stop to whatever he's doing." She put on a determined face. "But I need to know. Are we going to reveal what chakra is to the public?"
"Seeing as most of us barely know exactly how powerful chakra is, no." Shikamaru began tapping his chin. "But when it does come to that, will we? It's going to be a frenzy with the public."
"We will be weighing the pros and cons during research. For now, our main objective is to figure out exactly what Shimura plans to do with the patients of Maiso."
"Wait! Since we know it's chakra causing it, why do we have to keep researching?" Naruto tilted his head.
"It's not the 'what' we're researching now, Naruto. It's the 'why'. We know why we have it, but why are the residents of Maiso having pathways formed? We're able to continue our daily lives, while they're all stuck in hospital beds."
"But you got just as sick when yours were forming when we were kids." Itachi looked at his younger brother who's expression was set in concentration. He had something planned, the older Uchiha deduced. What, he didn't know.
"That was because my body was incapable of the new barrage of energy all at once, out of nowhere." He paused. "But it could also be that since we are reincarnated, we possess the same chakra that we did when we first died."
The masked man in the room thought about it for a moment, and it did make a lot of sense. Though Itachi is now in a new life, his past complications seemed to have followed. Sasuke, past Sasuke, had informed him that Itachi was already facing complications when he joined the Akatsuki, that he purposefully joined the organization just so Sasuke would find him and kill him.
Now that the thought occurred to him, did that mean Itachi would die the same, no matter the circumstance?
But the older Uchihas words rung back in his mind.
"Then, I will not die."
Kakashi couldn't help but just trust in his words. Because if anyone deserved another chance, it was Itachi Uchiha.
It was late, and everyone had returned to their rooms to rest up for what was going to be a hectic few days. Everyone, that is, except Sakura. She stood on the second-floor balcony; her eyes focused on the stars above. She wanted to stay in that tranquil state, but she knew that was all but impossible.
Now that she knew what her dreams meant, that they were her own memories, shook her to her core. She wouldn't say she was upset, more conflicted. Her dreams, though had beautiful moments, were mostly of her in pain, longing for someone who wasn't there. And she knew who she was pining for.
Sasuke.
What exactly went down between the two of them in their past lives, she had no clue. She'd only seen a handful of what their lives were like. She was longing, missing him for most of them. Sakura didn't want to jump to conclusions, but she knew that her feelings for him now could just be influenced by who he was then.
Yet, she knew she wouldn't be able to escape that feeling. Everything about being with him, just the thought of it, felt right. She had always been a romantic, but she never thought something like this would happen to her.
Still, a small part of her berated herself for thinking he'd hurt her. She didn't know where it came from, but she heard her voice scolding her.
Maybe she should just sleep. There was too much to think about.
She walked back in and saw Naruto, Sasuke, and Toma on the second floor living room couches, looking to be conspiring something together.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto smiled brightly as he quickly approached her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "We got a plan."
Notes:
Hey, guys! Sorry for the long wait. Life hit me like a ton of bricks, lots of financial issues, but it's getting better at least.
Let me tell you, my mood when I write this vs when I write Fade In is different. This is a heavier story whereas Fade In is my self indulgence, trashy romance novel fic that I just do because I wanted a trashy romance novel SS fic lmao.
So, this chapter was gonna be a lot longer, but I needed an extra chapter to finish Genesis before we get to the middle part. We almost there, y'all.
And 100 REVIEWS! Thank y'all so much! Just to let you know, I read them all and enjoy your feedback. They give me the motivation to keep writing.
ALSO! I'm looking to commission an artist to do the cover art for this fic! If y'all have any suggestions as to who I should commission, tell me!
Let me leave yall with some questions!
1. What plan did Naruto cook up?
2. What is Shimura's motive?
3. Is Shimura the main baddie?
4. What other Naruto characters will be appearing?
5. SasuSaku angst? Yes or yes?
Oh! And before I forget! I will be posting chapter one of my A Discovery of Witches SasuSaku AU on, of course, HALLOWEEN! So, look out for that!
Please leave a review! Happy reading!