AN: I'd like to apologize for this late submission. I actually finished most of the story during December but for some reason, all of it got deleted and I had to start everything from scratch.
The sky above began to crack apart at the seams, akin to a shattered mirror; an indication that this figment of his memory was starting to fall apart by the mere presence of his foe. The spirit that had possessed him, had now taken the form of a flaming fox, with multiple tails, a clear imitation of the creature that inhabited the body of his greatest rival and friend. As large as a mountain, the beast towered over him and let out a roar.
But Sasuke would not be deterred by such a brazen display of intimidation. He had faced far worse foes than this pale mimicry. Rather, he was content to stand still and look at the creature straight in the eyes.
"You wish to show me the power of an Uchiha? Hahaha," the beast laughed, "I already possess the powers of your clan. In this world, I am its king and your memories are but weapons with which I rule."
"Is that so? Then I'll just have to end you" Sasuke answered back.
"Your boasts mean nothing" Aetherium growled as he regurgitated fire from his mouth, each flame falling into the ground as they slowly began to take shape. Vestiges of humanoid figures emerged until Sasuke was taken aback by what they looked like. "These are your fallen brethren. Uchiha slain by Itachi himself. Do you have it in your heart to cut them down again?"
Sasuke bit his lip and furrowed his brows. They numbered in the hundreds and each of them wielded a Sharingan. But that was not what troubled him; rather it was the sheer audacity of this spirit to desecrate their memories and use them to fight him. This mockery would not stand. As he closed his eye, Sasuke's body began glowing in a bright light, something even Aetherium took note of. As the bright lights vanished, Sasuke's body had undergone a metamorphosis of its own. Gone was the young boy with a single eye and in his place, was a battle-hardened warrior restored to his prime. As he looked at his new body, Sasuke took notes of its features: the grey shirt with a cloth wrapped around his waist which was tied by a piece of rope. Tracing his hand across the left side of his face, he could feel his left eye again, and reaching for his backside, he held onto the scabbard of his sword. He was no longer Sasuke Uchiha of Fairy Tail. He was now Sasuke Uchiha, the avenger, the revolutionary, the one who sought to change the world.
"What? How can this be?" Aetherium exclaimed, flabbergasted by this transformation.
Sasuke gave his answer by taking the blade from its sheath and pointing it at the beast. "You said it yourself that you used memories to gain power, but have you forgotten, that these are my memories? In here, I alone have the authority, not the usurper."
"It matters not!" the beast roared as the army of Uchihas charged forth, covering all sides, encircling Sasuke until he was surrounded like a deer facing a pack of wild dogs.
But Sasuke was no prey, for this was part of his strategy to observe the phantoms that appeared before him: devoid of emotion, they stared at him with cold, crimson eyes. Some he could remember, like those who confronted his brother or the girl whom he was close with, Izumi was her name if he recalled. Yet, deep down, he knew that these were nothing more than apparitions of his memory; a mockery of his clan.
The first one made a dash for him, attempting to stab him with a kunai, but Sasuke quickly grabbed his hand and began smashing his face in repeatedly before sending him flying with a spinning back kick. The rest of the phantoms joined in, intending to gang up on Sasuke, who intercepted one of them as they were jumping towards him with a straight kick and then took out another one with an axe kick. In such a situation, Sasuke knew distance and speed was the key. He had to take out as many as he could with as little time wasted as possible. With a barrage of punches, he quickly grabbed the beaten Uchiha and sent him flying towards another one, and without wasting time, he instinctively reached for his sword and blocked an attack from a phantom who was about to bring down his sword, before deflecting it and kicking his head off.
Individually, despite having the same abilities, Sasuke was more than a match for each of them. But their numbers proved to be problematic and the area was getting more and more crowded, much to his chagrin. Thus, he opted for a quick retreat to the nearby forest, using his kunai and wire to pull him away from his foes, not to hide, for that would be a foolish thought given that an enormous fox was watching him but to give himself some breathing room. However, his foes were just as tenacious as he was and followed him to the woods.
With a scowl, Sasuke charged at his enemies headfirst as he nimbly evaded the shuriken shots, grabbed one of the Uchiha phantoms by the head and tossed him to the rest of his brethren. The remaining one opted for a quick cross punch, one that Sasuke easily blocked as he snapped his arm before slicing him in half with his sword.
As the battle continued, Sasuke slowly started to feel pressure, and he found himself being attacked on all sides. Sensing the escalation in the conflict, he quickly conjured up one-handed signs, channeled the power of lightning into his sword, and began to take out as many of these phantoms as possible, starting by beheading one of them, which was then followed by a swift back kick to another that was planning to ambush him before he leaped into the air just as one of them tried to cut him in half. As he landed, he reciprocated the attempt and gave them the honor of separating the torse from the legs before throwing his sword at one of them. His eyes were moving at a pace beyond what a normal human could comprehend as they detected and registered every single threat that was available to him. Like a dancer, he planted his hands on the ground and began twirling as his feet acted like a spinning top that connected and sent many of the Uchiha phantoms flying.
Landing back on his feet however, Sasuke was greeted by the sight of several kunai being lodged into his arms and legs. Grunting in pain, he looked back to see that the phantom of Izumi, who was a close friend of Itachi was the one leading the assault and he found wires from the kunai being traced back to her alongside a small squad of them as they immediately pulled him down and dragged him like a captured animal. At that moment, Sasuke quickly took out a kunai of his own, one which had several paper tags attached to it as he threw it at the squad until it exploded. Using this opportunity, Sasuke cut himself free from the restraints and took the time to dislodge every kunai jammed into his body. Yet, he had little time for such matters as the Uchiha phantoms began closing in on him like vultures to a carcass.
Realizing that he was at risk of being dogpiled, Sasuke quickly invoked the necessary signs for the Chidori and slammed his hand to the ground, just as the Uchihas were ready to pounce on him. "Chidori stream!" he yelled as electricity coursed through the ground and traveled everywhere, enveloping the phantoms until they disappeared into nothingness. Catching his breath, Sasuke wiped the sweat off of his forehead, a strange notion, given that he was deep inside his consciousness. Even so, the sweat was not merely from any sort of exhaustion but from the heat of the flames that were above him, as he looked up in stunned silence while meteors of flames emerged, no doubt from the remaining phantoms. Covering his face with his hands, Sasuke braced for the impact as he found himself trapped on all sides with no avenues of escape while the flames exploded upon making contact.
The phantoms stared at the cloud of smoke like petrified dolls. Their faces were blank and their voices silent as they quietly observed the situation. As the smoke cleared, a small aura of purple began to emerge, until it grew more and more prominent. Even if they were nothing more than apparitions with no emotions, the sight of the purple avatar acting like a protective ribcage around Sasuke was enough for some of them to take a step back, while those who did not soon realize that the shape of Sasuke's Sharingan had changed. No longer was it merely the three tomoe pattern synonymous with the clan but one unique to him with a distinct floral pattern and bestowed only to the most elite of the elites: The Mangekyo Sharingan.
"What? How is this possible!?" the beast stammered, unable to comprehend what it was seeing.
But Sasuke was not surprised by this predicament in the least. After all, this wasn't his real body and if what Aetherium said was true, he was now drawing his powers from his memories, which meant that he too could do the same thing as the spirit, his imagination being his only limitations and what he was capable of in the past. It was a hypothesis he had been testing throughout the fight against these Uchiha phantoms. With each strike, each blow, he realized that he was no longer bound to his current body and that he had been restored to his prime, which naturally meant he could push past the current stages of the Sharingan without any of the baggage required to obtain it.
And lo and behold, the Susanoo had expanded from merely acting as a barrier in the form of a ribcage and a single hand as it grew a second hand and a skeletal head. "Now, I'm only going to say this once, you parasite" he warned as he looked up at the monstrous fox, "Get the hell out of my mind!"
The phantoms of the Uchihas began swarming him in droves, yet his Susanoo swatted them all like flies while others were crushed like ants underneath its enormous palms. Yet even as they perished, they continued to attack the Susanoo in the hopes of chipping away its armor. But Sasuke remained calm, simply enduring the onslaught with his eyes closed and his arms folded, for in that moment, he had believed the battle to be all but won. The difference in power between him and these Uchiha phantoms was simply too high. "It's time to end this. Amaterasu!" he opened his left eye and with a single glance, a sea of black flames erupted all around the Susanoo, engulfing all those caught up until nothing remained. Even as they disintegrated into nothingness, there was no response from these apparitions, no screams of agony, no wails of despair, just a cold acceptance of their fate. He knew that they were nothing more than mimics created to manipulate his psyche but he still couldn't help but flinch as his eyes twitched over the sight of Izumi's phantom being burned to ashes as she simply stared at him through the raging inferno. Was this something that Itachi would've approved of?
With the Uchiha phantoms dealt with, Sasuke then turned his attention towards Aetherium, who roared and brought down its fist upon Sasuke, who commanded the Susanoo to catch it. In doing so, the avatar that protected Sasuke began growing in size, taking on new shapes and forms; its skeletal form was now hidden by muscles followed by layers of armor on top of it, its demonic face now covered by a tengu-shaped mask, and wings erupted from its back. Eventually, it grew to match the flaming fox form that Aetherium had inhabited, in size and majesty, forcing him to back off.
"Passed down through generations of the Uchiha. The mighty Susanoo" he noted with a chuckle, almost with a tinge of respect for this form.
"If you know what this is, then you should realize what it's capable of" Sasuke stated as the perfect Susanoo drew one of its swords and pointed it at the beast.
"Of course, I do! In fact," Aetherium paused his sentence as his own body began being coated by what looked like a blueish aura, one that eventually took shape around its body, reminiscent of a Susanoo. Sasuke watched in horror as the armor began forming itself around the body, enveloping it like its own suit of armor, with two extra hands, each with chakra swords in hand until the head was fully covered. "I intend to use it as well" he finished his sentence.
The look of horror on Sasuke's face gave way to scorn and disgust. The form was a symbol of unity, a possibility of cooperation between him and Naruto, an example of what they were capable of when joined together to face insurmountable odds. This was nothing more than a mockery of that unity. "You're nothing but a pale imitation of the Nine-tailed fox."
"On the contrary, I have surpassed it" Aetherium retorted, proudly bragging about his new form. "Let me show you!"
Aetherium charged on all fours like a feral beast, with each stomp crushing the ground beneath. Sensing the impending clash ahead of him, Sasuke commanded the Susanoo to reciprocate the gesture as it extended its hand and brandished its two swords. With a thunderous stomp, it too began charging toward the monster. As the two titans prepared to clash, the earth shook under their immense weight until both were at an impasse as their two weapons collided, sending a reverberating effect all across the land.
The stalemate did not last long, as while both were even in strength, Aetherium had the advantage of having more limbs as he took the opportunity to pounce on the Susanoo, sending it crashing to the ground. In this moment of vulnerability, he sunk his fangs deep into the spectral warrior's armor, causing a tiny crack in its defense. Once its fangs were lodged in, Aetherium used the immense strength of the tailed beast to drag the Susanoo through the ground, clearing out all the surrounding vegetation before tossing it away at a great distance. While this was happening, all Sasuke could do was yelp out in frustration.
The Susanoo, involuntarily, flew a considerable distance up until the point where it landed directly on the cliffside where the Hokage monuments were located. With a loud bang, it crashed onto the face of the First Hokage himself, smashing it into pieces. Biting his teeth, Sasuke groaned as he willed the Susanoo back onto its feet, and as he looked back at the non-existent remains of what was once the erected face of Hashirama Senju, he couldn't help but sigh. "Apologies for that, First Hokage" he dryly said, in a tone which consisted of a mix of both sarcasm and regret.
But this was no time to rest and reminisce just yet, for in front of him, Sasuke saw a massive wave of energy headed straight for him. Without wasting time, the Susanoo flapped its enormous wings and ascended, narrowly missing the attack by a foot as it sliced through the Hokage monument clean, decapitating the remaining heads in half. He quickly glanced back at the devastation, gave out an indignant "hmph" and immediately regained focus on the task at hand as he stared into his monstrous foe, who was now preparing to bombard him with a barrage of tailed beast bombs.
Lowering the Susanoo to the ground, Sasuke commanded the spectral warrior to make a mad dash for his foe, using his advantage of flight to quickly cover the ground and to evade the tailed beast bombs that were being shot at him, strafing left and right over the first two shots before quickly ascending high to evade the third one. Having the higher ground, relatively speaking, Sasuke prepared for a counterattack as he attempted to plunge the Susanoo straight into the body of Aetherium, who leaped into the air just as it was about to strike them. As the Susanoo's blade lodged to the ground, Aetherium dove headfirst with its sword, hoping to do the same to Sasuke's Susanoo, only for it to dodge at the last second as well. Sensing the opportunity before him, the Susanoo struck Aetherium with a shoulder tackle, sending the monstrous foxian back as it grabbed onto one of its Susanoo arms and with a Chidori-powered strike, sliced it in half, causing the beast to roar and jump back while the Susanoo still had possession of the decapitated arm.
"You will pay for that!" the beast warned as bits and pieces of its armor began to chip off.
"Then bring it" Sasuke retorted, tossing the beast's battle arm away as it disintegrated away.
Enraged by his taunt, the nine-tailed fox brought forth his remaining Susanoo sword and combined it with the tailed beast bomb, creating what was essentially a potent mix of pure destruction as it blasted it straight for Sasuke.
Given the speed with which it was moving, Sasuke realized that the window to evade this attack was too narrow. Simultaneously, he knew from previous clashes that the armor of the Susanoo wouldn't be enough to withstand the full force of this power. Without hesitation, he channeled the power of the Chidori into his Susanoo and unleashed a surge of electricity into its hand, but as the power of lightning cackled from Susanoo, Sasuke decided to add an extra layer of insurance and coated that Chidori with the black flames of Amaterasu. Now content with his preparation, the Susanoo flew forward, intending to face the Susanoo-powered-tailed beast bomb head-on.
The collision of Susanoo tailed beast bomb and the Chidori mixed in with the Amaterasu resulted in a white sphere that enveloped the whole area, disintegrating everything it touched as the entirety of Konoha, or at least the memory of it, was eradicated along with the surrounding land, leaving behind nothing but a charred wasteland.
Seeing the result of his handiwork, Aetherium let out a toothy grin, having great satisfaction over the prospect of having vanquished his host. "Victory is mine" he gloated.
"Are you sure about that?"
"What?" Aetherium yelled as its enormous eyes widened and the smoke in front of him cleared, revealing an empty crater. In a panic, he quickly looked back and realized that the Susanoo was right behind him. "How did you-"
Before he could finish his sentence, the Susanoo, with half of its face, shoulder, and a part of its wing gone, grabbed two of its nine tails, lifted it up, and began dragging it across the ground. Try as he might, Aetherium could not break free from its grip as he dug his claws into the ground. The Susanoo began twirling, leaving behind a large chunk of the earth scrapped as Aetherium desperately tried to escape from its clutches with little success.
Round and round he went, spinning and spinning until everything within its vicinity was either sucked up or trashed around by the vortex it was creating. The swing began to disorientate Aetherium, whose vision was shattered as all he could see was a blur. Once it had picked up enough momentum, the Susanoo lifted Aetherium even higher until it tossed the foxian monster halfway across the battlefield and into a nearby mountain where it crashed with a thunderous bellow.
Seizing this moment of vulnerability, the Susanoo flapped its wings, ascending higher and higher until it reached right onto the shattered sky. At its zenith, it began descending straight for the nine-tailed beast, who saw the incoming purple blur in the sky and sent out a barrage of tailed beast bombs while lying prone on the mountain. Each of the blasts was easily avoided by strafing left and right, while the third one was split in half with the blade that was extending straight ahead while it exploded behind it. Once he was within striking distance, Sasuke commanded the Susanoo to plunge its sword straight through the armor in the chest of Aetherium.
With each push, pieces of the chakra blade began chipping away, shrinking further by the minute while the armor itself began to crack apart. The beast bellowed and howled, struggling to break free to no avail. Ultimately, the sword itself was completely shattered as it dug deep into the chest armor which was simultaneously destroyed, leaving behind an opening.
This was the opening Sasuke needed, and without hesitation, he quickly exited from the chamber that held him inside the Susanoo, disintegrating the legendary avatar of chakra as he dove headfirst into the exposed chest of the poor imitation of the nine-tailed fox that inhabited Naruto. With his left hand coated in lightning mixed in with black flames, much like what he did for his Susanoo, Sasuke thrust his Amaterasu-enhanced Chidori forward, intending to end this fight once and for all.
"Don't do this!" Aetherium pleaded but his cries fell silent on Sasuke, who continued to dive forward until his Chidori made contact with the exposed chest. Energy coursed through Aetherium's body as the Susanoo armor that covered him began to disintegrate with the rest of his body following.
"Noooooooo" the spirit let out a final, pitiful cry as he was being torn to shreds from the inside out. Pure light emitted from within until it began consuming everything around it until all that existed within the memory was no more.
In the waking world, within the crumbling ruins brought forth by the devastating battle, the survivors, at least those still conscious, huddled around the sleeping body of Sasuke as uncertainty hung over their faces. They looked at each other before staring back at the body, unsure of what to do as they patiently waited.
Without warning, Sasuke's body began to move, something they quickly took note of as his hands twitched before the rest of his body convulsed and shook violently as he began levitating in the air. His mouth and eye opened wide as bright light escaped from within while he ascended with an unholy scream, akin to a thousand tormented souls. Gripped with fear, Erza tried to make a mad rush to him, only to be held back by Warren, who shook his head in a silent plea to not get involved. Against her impulses and instinct to protect Sasuke, her rational thoughts won over as she realized that this must be him expelling this spirit from within him. Or at least she hoped.
In a brilliant but brutal display, a cloud of green smoke exploded from within Sasuke's body as it fell to the ground. Only then did the rest of the Fairy Tail members make their way over to their fallen comrade. "Hey! Hey! Give him some space!" Mirajane quickly pushed aside the nosier ones, although she was content with Happy floating above him.
"Look, he's waking up!" Happy eagerly pointed out and just as he had stated, Sasuke began to slowly open his eye.
With a groggy voice and a painful groan, the Uchiha woke up to a blurry world. There was a sharp pain in his eye as the light penetrated, almost as if it was the first time he'd seen the sun after months of being asleep. But that was only the tip of his physical anguish, for the rest of his body felt like it had been crushed by a boulder while he lay still. The agony was such that even trying to move his hands was a herculean task. Eventually, the blurriness subsided as his eye became accustomed to the dusky sunlight once more and the figures surrounding him became clearer.
"Well, look who's finally decided to wake up," Gray smirked.
"Gray?" Sasuke noted with a groggy voice.
"Yup, still alive and kicking, even after what you did here" Gray nodded.
His head swayed left and right, being greeted by the familiar faces with a look of relief to them. "How long was it out?" he asked.
"Quite a while" Erza answered, reaching out her hand to which Sasuke extended his as she slung it across her shoulder to help lift him up, while Gray did the same with the other side.
"Looks like he's back for real. But just to be safe" Mirajane said crossing her arms as she turned towards Natsu, "Hey, pinky! Do your thing."
"Why you!" Natsu clenched his fists and growled before mimicking Mirajane and folding his own arms as well while sticking his nose in the air and closing his eyes. "It's the real Sasuke, I can smell him."
"Then it's settled" Lisanna heaved a sigh of relief, a sentiment shared by the other guild members as they all looked towards Sasuke. "Welcome back, Sasuke!'
The happy reunion did not last long however, much to everyone's dismay as a tiny green flame burst into existence in front of them. The Fairy Tail members looked at it warily, knowing full well what it was and it was for that reason, that they kept their distance.
The flame floated in the air, silent as did the rest of the guild members, neither saying a word. Eventually, Aetherium broke that silence with some scathing remarks levied towards Sasuke. "I should have expected this from one as treacherous as you. You have always been a traitor and you will forever be one. I should never have given you aid. I should left you to die that day."
"Traitor? What's he talking about?" Warren scratched his head and asked.
"He has betrayed all those who have given him aid. His comrades, his teachers, his allies. For the sake of power, he sapped them of everything useful before turning his back on them and discarding them, like a parasite."
The spirits' words left them with unease as they looked at each other before glancing towards Sasuke. "What that thing just said, it's not true, is it?" Lisanna clasped her hands and looked up at Sasuke, who hurriedly looked away, a look of embarrassment resting upon his face.
"C'mon Lisanna, you can't believe what thing is saying" Elfman reassured her.
"It's true" Sasuke bluntly answered, leaving Elfman gaggled while the rest gasped. "I know I haven't been the most forthcoming person but, yes, I'm not who you think I am"
"Don't say that!" Erza jumped to his defense, "What we saw in your memory, you weren't like that. You were-"
"Erza" Sasuke interrupted her, "What you saw was just a part of my memory. The things I did in my pursuit of vengeance, those…. the two of you didn't get to see."
Everyone blinked as they gawked at him, some with more wariness than others. "Sasuke…." Erza meekly sighed.
"Listen, I promise I'll tell you everything, soon" Sasuke reassured them before turning his gaze over to the small green flame, "But for now, let's find a way to deal with him first."
"Alright! It's chow time!" Natsu salivated at the thought of eating the green flame with a large grin.
"Natsu don't!" the Uchiha called him out.
"Huh? But why?" the dragon slayer whined.
"He's a being of pure energy. If you eat him, he'll just as likely to possess you too" he warned, to which the pink-haired boy slumped up and grumbled.
"Sorry, Natsu. Looks like you'll have to eat another day" Happy patted him and followed along.
"So, what do we do with that thing then?" Gray asked.
In all honesty, Sasuke was at a loss for what to do. It was true that the creature could peer into his memories, but it was a two-way street and he saw what it had gone through as well. Thousands of years of knowledge jammed into his mind. And all of it showed that it could not be killed, conventional or otherwise. The truth was that this Aetherium was, much like him, an outsider as well: someone not from this world. But his kind was old, very old, packed with knowledge of the cosmos itself. Had he peered too long and too deep into Aetherium's memories, he reckoned he would've gone insane.
"Honestly? I'm not sure myself" he admitted.
As if his prayers had been answered, a small orb began descending upon them as it enveloped itself around Aetherium's body before ultimately containing it. As the group scanned their surroundings to find out where the orb originated from, a small shadow emerged from the top of the ruins and descended onto the group as it landed on Sasuke's shoulder.
"Hmph, and where have you been all this time?" Mirajane called out as the bird simply tilted its head.
"Talyn!" Lisanna happily remarked.
"It is kinda strange for it to show up after all this time," Cana said, observing the bird.
"Hmmm, if Natsu's scent told him that Sasuke had changed, then maybe it's the same for Talyn" Erza hypothesized, "The moment Sasuke lost his memories and was possessed, maybe it no longer recognized him as Sasuke."
"That's a reasonable thought" Sasuke nodded in agreement, "Now that I've got my memories back, it must've accepted me again."
"So, you think the bird's the one responsible for this too" Gray pointed to the orb that caged the spirit.
"It's possible" the Uchiha gave a vague reply.
"…"
Noticing the spirit's grunt, Mirajane condescendingly called for it, "What? No evil monologue? No raging or ranting?"
"I do not need to. I have been defeated and that is all there to it" Aetherium said in a somber voice.
"Really? No 'You'll never get away with this, I'll be free muahahaha ha'" Natsu asked, enacting a mocking play with fire coming out of his mouth.
"No. I only wished to return home to the stars, but now that hope is dashed away, again. I am…tired" it sighed.
Everyone except Sasuke blinked over the response Aetherium. Normally, most villains went down kicking and screaming, swearing vengeance upon all. This one was usually passive after defeat. Too passive.
"Pst, hey, do you think he's telling the truth or is he just lying" Warren whispered.
"When he took over my body and peered through my memories, I also got a chance to look into its memories. What he's saying is true. His end goal has always been to leave this world and travel to the stars. That's where his people came from. It's why he needed a host to conduct the ritual needed to let him leave" Sasuke meticulously explained while the guild members hung onto his every word.
"And do you truly believe that he won't try to escape or barring that, the orb will hold him?" Erza asked.
"It'll do for now" Sasuke nonchalantly shrugged as he looked at the contained spirit, "We'll let the council decide what to do with you. Maybe, someday, you'll find your way back home."
"Hmmm, is that empathy coming from your mouth? So, you did learn something from my memories. Perhaps, you have changed. Even just a little"
"Is that so?"
"Do not mistake this for forgiveness but yes, I am certain of this. You humans have always had the capacity for change. Of all the mortals I have met, you are certainly the most interesting of the lot. Before you take me away, I have but one request."
"As long as it's within reason."
"I wish to look at the night sky at this moment. To gaze at the stars once more before I' am sealed away again."
"Fine."
As per the request, the group stayed on past evening, until the night stars emerged, all the while keeping a very close eye on the container that held the spirit.
"Ah, look how vast it is. Against the infinitesimal expanse of the cosmos, this world is but a mere speck of dust in the wind. Not even the gods can comprehend the true might of the universe."
Seeing the tone of admiration and a hint of sadness within Aetherium, many were left puzzled by this creature's bizarre sense of morality. "Are you really from up there?" Lisanna spoke up.
"I am. My people were born when the universe was created, born from the chaos that birth the universe. We have existed before humans came to this world and we will exist when you are all gone." Aetherium explained.
"Y'know, if you just wanted to go home, you could've just asked us. Instead of trying to possess someone and put on a ritual while trying to kill us" Gray pointed out.
"Over the centuries, my betrayal and imprisonment by your kind have caused me to be wary of humans. I have witnessed the worst that your species has to offer and therefore, I saw little reason to trust you. However, I never intended to harm any of you. My desperation simply got the better of me."
"Riiight," Gray sardonically said narrowing his gaze towards the orb, "But, you're still gonna have to face jail time."
"It matters not, one prison to another, such is my fate. I have seen enough. I thank you for entertaining my final request."
"Hmph, is that enough?" Sasuke asked.
"It is. Farewell, Sasuke Uchiha. I look forward to witnessing the rest of your life here."
With those final words, Aetherium finally became silent. With a little help from Gray and Erza, Sasuke managed to hobble to the orb which he took in his hand as the Uchiha slowly closed his eye and exhaled. "Go in peace, primordial spirit."
"Is that thing really worth doing he asked? And after what he did?" Mirajane argued.
"Maybe not. But I guess I just got curious as to what it'll do."
"You're as weird as ever" Mirajane smiled and finished his sentence, "So, what now? Ready to get out of here?"
Sasuke looked at everyone who was still with him and smiled back "Yeah. Let's go home"
The door to the infirmary opened as two elderly figures walked into a room filled with bedridden patients, all covered in bandages, though some with worse injuries than others. The only exception to this predicament was Warren, who bore the least brunt of the injuries and was discharged quickly. Conversely, the one who bore the worst was Bickslow, who was placed in a different room for his recovery.
Seeing all of the children in bandages left Makarov with a feeling of unease as he squeezed his palms to calm his nerves. Even so, a part of him was relieved to see them alive and unharmed, which was more than what he could've hoped for.
"It seems like there's quite the story to tell here. But before all of that, I want you children to know that I'm happy to see you here in one piece." Makarov said, strolling through the infirmary with his hands behind his back.
"Hmph, you brats should be grateful that your wounds weren't critical or life-changing. Maybe this will teach you from trying to pull off rescue missions on your own." Porlyusica wasn't as lenient as Makarov was as she chided them.
"Ugh, gimme a break you hag" Natsu groaned.
"What was that!?" With a steely gaze and face full of wrath, a chill fell down on Natsu and the rest of the patients.
"N-nothing" he quickly fibbed.
With her wrath now unleashed, Porlyusica turned her attention to Sasuke, who was seated on one of the beds. "And you" she called out to him, hands on her hips "All this trouble just to bring you back. Honestly, what were you thinking!?"
The Uchiha looked at the healer with a look of surprise and guilt. She was always a moody and cranky person on a normal day but the emotions she was expressing were different. It was anger born from worry, one that he could read through amidst the irate face. "I didn't think I had a choice" he sheepishly answered, looking away from the old woman, "It was either me or Mirajane, Lisanna, and Elfman. I felt that any deal was worth it if it meant they could live."
"And was offering yourself to an ancient spirit, worth the price? Do you feel it a wise decision?" Makarov asked.
"Of course not. But I didn't want to lose anyone else" Sasuke replied.
"Lose anyone else…" Erza repeated as her eyes lit up, "You're talking about your family, aren't you?"
At that moment, all eyes were trained on Erza, even Sasukes whose body tensed over the fact that she had spilled the beans. However, he begrudgingly realized that this was a consequence of his own choices when he chose to make a deal with Aetherium. After all, if he hadn't been possessed, it was likely Erza wouldn't have to peer into his memories to save him.
"Family? What's she talking about?" Cana inquired, nudging closer to the edge of her bed.
"Yeah, gonna spill the beans?" Gray joined in.
"Well, you did promise that you'd explain everything" Mirajane pointed out with a smirk, "Besides, you owe them that much."
Mirajane's words rang in Sasuke's mind. His heart started beating faster and faster, he could feel a tinge of sweat dripping from his forehead. If he told the whole truth to them, how would they feel? Would they still accept him knowing the kind of person he once was? A killer? A traitor who used his allies and discarded them once they were no longer needed? Gripping the bedsheet tightly, he closed his eye and exhaled. Regardless of how he felt about this, Mirajane was right. After everything they did, risking their lives to bring him back, he had to tell them the truth or at least part of it. That debt had to be paid, lest he still be the person he once was.
"Oh, he knows alright. Besides, I wanna give his brother a piece of my mind too" Mirajane boldly declared raising her fist, "And some good pummeling."
"Don't bother" Sasuke shot her down.
"What do you mean by that?" Mirajane whined, "Just because he kicked your butt doesn't mean he'll do the same to me."
"That's not what I meant" Sasuke paused and groaned. Her stubbornness and confidence were palpable, especially in thinking she could take on Itachi at her current strength. "What I mean is that there's no point in looking for Itachi…. because he's already dead. I killed him."
A hush fell over the entire room in an instant. Some instinctively covered their mouths just to cope with what they heard. Death and destruction were something most had experienced in their lifetimes before joining Fairy Tail as Gray and Erza could attest. But this was something else. The act of taking revenge against one's own kin and even killing them went beyond the simple act of murder. To slay one's own blood was the deepest of taboos. A special kind of evil.
"Wait, are you for real?" Mirajane stammered slamming her hand on the bedframe, "I know he did all those things but he's your brother!"
"I told you it was complicated" Sasuke responded.
At that moment, a thought raced through Gray's mind as memories of years gone by came back to him. Memories of their mission in a certain village, of a scene under a certain gate, one that he had nearly forgotten but now came rushing back immediately. "That time, at the village, Misty Bloom. When you and I met that thing at the gate when we went to rescue Cana. He said you committed an act of great evil" Gray said, recollecting the events as he looked at Sasuke and pointed at him, "So it is true! You really did kill your brother!"
Hearing those accusations, all of which were true, caused Sasuke to lower his eye. "I did" he confessed.
Gray could not muster another word at Sasuke, opting to simply look away with a frown. Natsu on the other hand had his hands dug into the bedsheet, barely containing his fury. The boy had spent all his time looking for his father and the mere thought of killing one's own family was incomprehensible to him.
Sensing the tension that was brewing within the room, Makarov stepped in and spoke up. "I won't claim to understand your actions nor do I condone them. Acts of vengeance seldom have happy endings. However, I know that there must be more to this than simply murder for the sake of it. Am I correct?"
"Y-yeah. It's true, master! Mira and I both looked into his memories. Please, don't think wrong of him" Erza quickly responded as she pleaded with the rest of the guild members.
"Erza's right" Mirajane joined, in a surprising act of solidarity with her rival, "You guys don't know the whole story. You should at least hear him out. After all, he promised to tell us everything. Right?"
"Care to explain what she is talking about?" Porlyusica loomed over him like an overwhelming shadow with her arms folded.
"Alright, I won't break my promise. I'll explain everything" He conceded and sighed.
"Now I wanna hear it!" Happy exclaimed as he hovered around Natsu.
"Me too," Elfman said.
"Hmmm, where do I begin" Sasuke muttered before speaking again, "Okay, it started years ago, back when I was still a child, no older than a year. Everything here is recollections of other people, so you'll have to bear with me."
"Of course, take your time" Makarov gently nudged him.
"Thanks" Sasuke nodded, "Many years ago, in the village where I was born, Konoha, or the village hidden in the leaf, a Nine-Tailed Fox attacked it. Its power was beyond anything mortals could possess. It could level cities with its bare hands and destroy mountains with ease. The leader of the village at that time, the Hokage, sealed the monster and saved the village, at the cost of his life."
Everyone sat and listened quietly as Sasuke continued relaying his story. "And this is where the story of my clan, the Uchiha, comes into play. We were famed for our combat prowess and were appointed as the chief enforcers of the law. However, our true claim to fame came from our unique ability. You all know this as the Sharingan."
"Our eyes allowed us the power to control the tailed beast and so, doubt and mistrust began being cast on our clan, many suspecting that one of us had controlled the creature. Because of this, we were eventually isolated from the rest of the village. Resentment towards the village over how we were treated began brewing amongst the clan, and my brother was at the center of it all." He continued explaining away.
"Itachi was one the brightest prospects of the clan and his talents eventually made him part of the Anbu blacks ops, sent to spy in on the clan. However, my father had also assigned him to spy on the village elders as well"
"Hold on a minute, so what you're saying is, your bro was spying for the village and your clan too. So what does that make him" Natsu interrupted as he scratched his head.
"A double agent" Sasuke nonchalantly answered.
"A double what?"
"A double agent. He was a spy for two sides who were at odds with each other. Unfortunately, negotiations broke down and any hope of a diplomatic solution was dashed away once Shisui Uchiha was found dead. Our clan members were at their breaking point and a coup was inevitable. And there was my brother, torn between his loyalty to the village and loyalty to his clan."
"And, what did he choose?" Cana asked.
"I think you can guess what happened next. His life had reached an impasse and at the crossroads, he made his choice"
"The Uchiha clan is set on turning against the leaf" It took every ounce of his strength to utter those words as he knelt in front of his superiors, the people whom he was ultimately beholden to. In the dark chamber, the elders sat quietly as they listened to the information he parlayed and, in that moment, he prayed that whatever choice they made would be the one that was paved with the least bloodshed.
"We are in a race against time here. We ought to strike them pre-emptively, before they can make the first move" one of the elders stated. This one in particular had always advocated for more drastic actions and in the words of his friend, was one who could not be fully trusted. Itachi kept a wary eye on him but given his position, there was little he could do at the moment.
"The Uchiha are our comrades in arms. I would like to use words first before employing any violence, so I would like to come up with a strategy" The elder who sat next to Danzo interjected, his own authority, as the Third Hokage, superseded the former. His solution was something Itachi would very much prefer and yet, he couldn't help but feel that in such moments of near crisis, drastic action would need to be taken as soon as possible, no matter his disdain for it.
…
"Despite what Lord Third said, he'll do whatever it takes to protect the hidden Leaf," Danzo said, attempting to explain the futility of diplomacy at this time as he gave Itachi an ultimatum, "You must choose: Align with the Uchiha and launch the coup de tat and be slaughtered along with your family or side with the Leaf and before they hit the coup, eliminate every single Uchiha except your younger brother."
Upon hearing those parting words, for that singular moment, the mask of stoicism that Itachi had worn throughout his whole life cracked. His eyes widened the moment Danzo mentioned the word slaughter for a realization had hit him; this was only going to end one way and it was the way of bloodshed, but whose blood would be shed, that decision was bestowed upon him. "Eliminate the Uchiha?" he gasped.
"To protect the village, every possible step must be taken to avoid mayhem. The only one who can make this decision is you; a double agent of both the Hidden Leaf and the Uchiha" Danzo continued to explain, "There's no one else, Itachi. So will you accept this mission or not?"
…..
Even amidst the clear skies and the serene view of Konoha, to Itachi, it felt like the walls were bearing down on him as if his whole world was about to come crashing down. The only real choice he had on the matter was whether to let fate make its choice and smash it or take it by the reigns and bring it down himself.
"The village. The clan. Shinobi. Is fighting inevitable?" he contemplated on the absurdity of it all. To be thrust into this role, to be given the power of being the executioner, to one who detested violence. Was it all just one big joke?
But as he looked down on the streets and witnessed a young boy running, one whose fate was literally hanging by a thread based on the choice he would make, everything became clear to Itachi. All choices would lead to bloodshed but there was only one path which would ensure Sasuke's survival.
At that moment, he had made his decision. The clan would have to die.
…..
That night, for the villagers in Konoha, it was a night like any other with the full moon illuminating the way. But for Itachi, the moon and the night sky seemed all but crimson. The blood of his clansmen strewn across his face as bodies littered the streets where he walked. Their screams of pain, their pleas for mercy, or their cries for help, he had to numb himself of all of those pains, to close his heart and harden his resolve. The only consolation he could even give himself was that he ensured that their deaths would be as quick and painless as possible. He had no ill will towards them, and he certainly did not feel deserving of any forgiveness for them, for all of this was for the sake of Sasuke. And yet, for Izumi, he wanted to give her a death more peaceful and happier than he could ever hope for himself, for he felt he owed her that much at least.
But the downfall of the clan could not end if the clan leader was still standing and at the crossroads, he met one of his final targets. "Itachi, what lies beyond this slaughter? Will you show me a new future for the clan? One that's different from the future I showed you?" Fugaku asked, firmly planted in between himself and his final destination. There was no hatred, no rage, or even a look of disappointment on Fugaku's face as he uttered those words while witnessing the carnage around him.
"This is what I see for the clan's future and for the villages" Itachi answered, his eyes glowing red as they reflected off of the moonlight.
"Yes, I see" In an instant, Fugaku disappeared under a puff of smoke.
"A shadow clone?" Itachi muttered as he began wiping away the blood from his face. "Father is the worst possible enemy for me to face. This will be a battle of Mangekyo Sharingan" he remarked, concerned about the destruction he and his father would leave in their wake. So far, he was confident in his abilities and certain of his victory against the other Uchiha. But his father was another matter entirely, having the same special eyes as he did and could very well be his equal, if not, his superior as well. Regardless, he had a mission to carry and for the sake of that goal, he soldiered on.
Sneaking into the place that was once his home, Itachi took cover and glanced at the corner of the well-lit room, the only room that still had light on it while his mind raced through every strategy and tactic available to end the fight as quickly as possible.
"Over here" his thoughts were interrupted by the voice of his father, who reassured him as he called him over. "There are no e in."
Logically speaking, every ounce of Itachi's mind and body should refuse this invitation. After all, they were now enemies and on different sides of the conflict. And yet, even after crossing the point of no return, his feelings for his family were strong enough that Itachi followed him and complied. Upon entering the room, he was greeted by the sight of his parents sitting together, quietly as they faced away from him, exposing their backs.
"Father….mother"
"I don't want a deathmatch with my own son," Fugaku said as Itachi drew his sword and pointed it towards them. "I see, so you've aligned with the other side."
"Father….mother….I just…" Itachi tried to explain, to get the words out, and yet, something was choking him from doing so.
"We already know, Itachi" Mikoto acknowledged the answer that he was about to give.
"Itachi, just promise me this" Fugaku requested as Itachi drew near, "Promise me that you'll take care of Sasuke."
The fragile walls of the facade that Itachi had put up had finally broken after weeks of its foundation weakening. Where he stood, in that moment, he was not Itachi Uchiha of Konoha, he was Itachi Uchiha, the loving son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, torn between his family and the good of the village. Tears trickled down from his eyes as he solemnlt accepted his father's request with a whimpering "I will."
"Do not fear it, this is the path you have chosen. Compared to yours, our pain will be over in an instant" Fugaku reassured his son, amidst the trembling hands and the rattling of the sword. "Our philosophies may differ, but I'm still proud of you. You are truly a kind child."
And yet, the shaking would not stop, nor the rattling of the sword. He had made the choice, this was his fate, he had hardened himself and steeled his heart but the mere sight of his parents on death's doorstep shattered Itachi as he began to wail uncontrollably.
"We will always love you, Itachi"
Those final words from his mother were all that were needed to act as the final push as he plunged the blade into their hearts, putting them to sleep in an instant. The threshold had finally been crossed and there was no going back.
The Uchiha clan was no more.
….
"First, you have my thanks. Your actions averted a potential civil war within the Leaf. We maintained peace despite all odds" Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, stood before Itachi, and faced away from him.
"Yes"
"But even so, I sincerely regret that there was no other way to achieve it " Hiruzen mused over the recent events, with a sigh of regret over the course of action that had to be taken.
"I apologize, Lord Third."
"I'm the one who should apologize, you will be branded as a traitor and be listed in the bingo book as a rouge shinobi who killed his whole clan."
"Of course."
"What will you do now?"
"I found aid with a group called the Akatsuki. I intend to stay close to them and ensure a promise is not broken."
"You're going to join this Akatsuki?"
"Yes" Itachi replied and after a brief silence, spoke again, "Lord Third? Will you make a promise to me that you will continue to protect and look after Sasuke?"
"Your younger brother will grow up at the academy and will train to become a Leaf Shinobi. I will ensure that he wants for nothing. But I doubt I can erase the hatred that he's bound to harbor for you now."
"I know, I am prepared to bear his hatred."
"From that moment on, I spent every waking moment of my life getting stronger. Strong enough that I could destroy him and avenge my clan. Along the way, I met comrades, people who I could consider friends, those whom I could rely on and trust. Over time I grew to accept them and cherish my time with them. However, my need for vengeance took precedence and so, I turned my back on them and cut them off of my life."
Makarov grunted, "And your quest vengeance. Was it worth turning your back on your 'comrades'?"
"No, it wasn't. I only learned the truth behind the massacre once Itachi was dead at my feat. The person who revealed the truth to me was a collaborator who aided Itachi in culling the Uchiha. From him I learned that it was Danzo, the leader of Root and one of the elders in the village who cast suspicion onto the Uchiha in the first place, stole Shisui's eye, and sabotaged any attempt at a peaceful negotiation. All so he could harvest my clan's eyes, coveting our power. By that point, my whole life was consumed by nothing but hatred as I set my sights on Danzo. Once I killed him, it was the rest of the village that became the subject of my vengeance and hatred."
By that point, Sasuke quickly stopped himself from speaking as he looked around at the expressions of the others. Not surprisingly, many seemed horrified by events of his life while some remained cautious but inquisitive, no doubt expecting the worst act for him to commit. He could see them imagining a scenario where he reenacted the massacre Itachi committed on his clan but this time, it was on the entire village. "Don't worry, I didn't go through with it" he reassured them, dispelling their worst fears as they looked relieved to hear it.
"Okay…this is a lot to take in" Gray exhaled, seemingly exhausted from his narration, "Guess it does explain why you're always like this."
"Yeah, but if you hated the village so much, why didn't you destroy it?" Cana asked, immediately correcting her phrase. "N-not saying you should have, I-I'm just wondering."
Sasuke tapped his finger on the bedrail and sighed, "I guess you could say that I had an epiphany. Somewhere along my journey, I began to rethink what I was fighting for, why my brother went through so much to protect the village, and why he was so willing to be branded a traitor."
"And did you find your answer?" Porlyusica asked.
"Perhaps. From that point on, I realized that to destroy the village would be to undo the sacrifices that Itachi and many others like him gave their whole lives for, that the village was but a step towards creating a world where children didn't have to be needlessly slaughtered, and people can put aside their differences for a greater cause."
"And I suppose you exiled yourself from your home and wandered here instead?" Makarov stated, providing his own assumption on his case.
Sasuke resisted the urge to chuckle over the old man's statement. In a way, he was correct but his guess was a gross oversimplification of what really happened. But in all fairness, he too had glossed over many details such as Itachi's resurrection, the great war, his meeting with the first four Hokage, the battle against Obito and Madara, and of course, his final clash with Naruto, not to mention the fact that his quest for vengeance took years, something he refused to explain as well.
"You could say that" Sasuke looked at Makarov and affirmed his words, "Let's just say that I can't go back home ever again. Not after what I did and the people I hurt."
"Sasuke…." Lisanna whimpered, her eyes giving away a look of sadness and pity.
"It's not all bad because not long after I ended up here and I met" he looked at Erza and finished his words, "You."
The red-haired girl blinked as she pointed at herself while the others began to stare at her. The pieces were finally coming together, or at least based on what she thought it was. "So you're saying that all this time, you're actually….in exile?" Erza remarked.
"One I imposed on myself. But then again, I am a wanted criminal" the Uchiha answered, his tone somber and filled with regret, "I've worked with dangerous people, killed many who didn't deserve death, and betrayed everyone I ever knew. If I ever went back, I'd probably be arrested and locked up in prison."
Sasuke's admittance caused many of the guild members to tense up, especially over the thought that they were basically keeping a criminal under their guild. At that point, they looked to the one person with the highest authority in the room. "So, now that you know that I'm a criminal, what will you do?" Sasuke looked at Makarov and asked.
"What do you wish for me to do?" Makarov asked.
"If you want to kick me out of the guild, then I'm fine with that" he answered as he looked around, "This place…. this guild; it's been kind to me; more than I deserve. I've already caused all of you enough grief, I don't want to cause this place any more trouble. If you'd rather I just go away-"
Before he could get another word out, Erza sprang from her bed and slowly limped over to Sasuke, while everyone looked on with bated breath. The moment she reached him, she extended her hand and in one swoop, slapped Sasuke across the cheek. The Uchiha's eye was wide open as the sting of the slap reverberated across his face, but the shock was not from the pain but from the mere fact that Erza did it. The rest of the guild members had their jaws dropped as some of them screamed in terror over what Erza just did as they fearfully looked on.
As he slowly turned around, he saw a look of indignant anger on Erza's face as she grabbed him by his collar and drew him close. "Don't you dare say that about yourself" she growled as tears began leaking from her eyes, "I saw your memories, I know what you've been through; you were just a kid, you didn't deserve what happened to you! Ever since we've met, you've always been kind to me. You've taught me, treated me like a friend, and all this time, you've given up everything to protect the people around you!"
Hearing her words, Sasuke couldn't help but remember the tower; of that moment when he saw Jellal hold Erza hostage when he saw a mirror of his old self in Jellal, and when he gave up his greatest power, all just to make sure no harm would come to Erza, a stark contrast from his old self. As he felt through the empty socket of his left eye, he was once more reminded of his own sacrifice; was it truly enough of a redemption? Or merely the first step?
Erza began to press her face on his chest as she wallowed, "I know how much you must be hurting, how much you're trying to make things right, to be better. So, please, don't say that you don't deserve to be here."
If there was one good that came to him after his exile, it was her. Seeing her crying over his plight only served to make Sasuke loathe his current self even more because the thought of seeing her sad troubled him. She was his first friend in this world, the closest thing to family, and the only good that he ever gave back in this life. "Erza…" he silently stammered as he patted her head, "I won't. I promise."
At that moment, even Lisanna exited her bed, climbed over to his side, and embraced him, an act which took him by surprise. "Lisanna" he gasped and blinked, unsure of what to do in a situation like this. His heart pounded faster as his nerves began to act his; a combination of both discomfort and happiness, albeit one he kept inside.
"It looks like you've got your answer," Makarov said and smiled, "To be frank, you're not the first to come here with a checkered past. Fairy Tail has been host to many who wished to escape from their past misdeeds and many have become better for it. Regardless of your actions in the past, if you truly desire to make amends and become a better person, the doors of this guild will always be open to you."
"Yeah!" Natsu proclaimed, raising his fist in the air, "Ain't no way you're gonna leave, right?"
"Aye! This place won't be the same without you" Happy excited joined in.
"Even if he's hardly around?" Cana teased as she giggled, "Just kidding since there's always a spot for you there."
"It just doesn't feel right to drag you down for what you did in the past. After all I…." Gray paused and mumbled before speaking again, "Look, you're one of us. Wouldn't have it any other way."
"And if something goes wrong, we'll be there to fix you" Elfman declared.
As the Uchiha looked over to Mirajane, he noticed that her face was noticeably more flushed than usual, as she raised her nose and looked away. "All that work would be for nothing if you got kicked out of here" She pointed her finger at him, albeit one that seemed to be trembling as her face seemed to barely be able to contain whatever it was on the inside, "Besides, we're even now. And if you leave, I'll clock you first!"
Erza and Lisanna also let go of their embrace, her tears having dried as she looked at him with a beaming smile; one reminiscent of the day they met. "So, what'll it be, Sasuke?" she said as she extended her hand, which was curled up into a fist.
The Uchiha looked around at the smiling faces, the same ones that had just been filled with dread and fear over him. Were they so quick to forgive him? No, perhaps they were not that naïve and more that they were willing to give him a chance. These people went to hell and back just to save him and in a way, it reminded him of those to risked everything to bring him back to Konoha after his defection, even if he took it for granted. Maybe, this was the universe's way of teaching him a lesson; to not let go of those important to him. To cherish every moment he had with them, for he never knew when they'd be gone.
With his mind clear, Sasuke extended his hand and reciprocated Erza's with a fist. "Fine, you win" he smiled and answered.
At the other end of the door, a certain blonde wizard leaned against the nearby wall and had been intently listening in on the conversation; one he had stumbled by accident as he was on his way to visit an injured crew member.
"Laxus, is something the matter?" His companion asked one who sported long green hair.
"It's nothing" he smirked as he pushed himself off of the wall and began to walk away, "Let's go. Bickslow's waiting."
It took longer than Sasuke had hoped to be discharged, but the extent of the injuries he received apparently warranted a longer stay at the infirmary. That and he did not want to incur Porlyusica's wrath any further than it already was. Her disappointment in him was obvious but more for his supposedly reckless actions than anything else. Surprisingly, she was quite attentive when it came to his care, despite sulking all the way.
Regardless, it felt great to feel the cool breeze once more, along with the smell of the dirt and the touch of the grass as he sat on the hill which overlooked the rest of Magnolia; a far more preferred place to be in over the sanitize smell of the hospital. Lying under the bed of grass, he closed his eye and embraced the soft breeze blowing past him.
"You did not tell them everything?"
He was awoken by the voice inside of his head, one who had returned once more now that Aetherium was no longer in possession and manifested as a specter in front of him. "I didn't want to complicate things any further" he answered, "There was really no need to go through every single detail, especially the circumstances behind our presence here."
"A fair assessment."
"I didn't think you'd agree with me" Sasuke stated.
"You bore your soul and your past sins onto them, revealing your greatest shame, and left yourself open to be judged. That in itself, is more than enough honesty. After all, any choice you make is one I will respect regardless of any reservations I might have," Hagoromo said.
"Is that so?" the Uchiha smirked.
"Indeed" Hagoromo asserted, as he turned to his left and continued speaking, "Even so, I certainly hope our new guest here will not be so curious as to pry into our secret."
As the sage disappeared, Sasuke heeded his warning, rose up, and quickly turned around. In front of him, stood a young boy, around his height and frame, whose face was completely covered with a piece of cloth with only his eyes exposed. He held a staff on his right hand, as well as a few others trapped to his back.
While a confrontation was the last thing Sasuke sought after, he was nevertheless wary of this newcomer, steadily keeping on hand on his sword. "I had a feeling you'd show up," he said, continuing to keep watch over the stranger, "So, do you have business with me?"
"Don't worry, I'm not here to fight" The stranger reassured him, even as he held onto the staff.
"Really? Then why are you here?" Sasuke questioned.
"I wanted to check up on you. To see if there was any of the taint from that spirit was still there" the boy explained.
"Check up on me?" Sasuke's eye darted as his brow narrowed, and his mind raced over how the stranger knew of his condition until it struck him, "Hold on…you're the one, aren't you? The one who captured Aetherium."
"I am" the stranger bluntly answered as he pointed his finger at Sasuke, "Your flying friend led me to you."
"Talyn" Sasuke whispered as he trained his eye on him, the clues that he had been thinking of began to piece together one by one. Not to mention that according to the old man, Makarov, the person who rescued them and brought them back was apparently a new member of the guild. Could this stranger be the one?
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Call me Mystogan"
"Mystogan" it finally dawned on Sasuke that the new arrival in question might actually be in front of him, "So you're the one who joined up recently?"
"Yes" The boy folded up his sleeves to reveal the distinct guild mark on his forearm.
Hearing his confirmation and seeing the guild mark for himself, Sasuke lowered his guard, if ever so slightly. But he still kept his eye trained on him, for mere words would not be enough for him to lower his guard. "So, tell me, Mystogan, are you here to collect a debt?"
"No" Mystogan shook his head, "You and I are comrades now, so there's no need for that. I just wanted to see if you're doing okay."
"I see…thanks…I guess?"
"You and I have a lot in common. We're both outsiders, in more ways than one, exiled from our homes."
Sasuke blinked upon hearing Mystogan's words. "Wait, what do you mean 'outsiders'?"
"You must've noticed something about me, didn't you?" Mystogan stated, "I'm sure you have a way of checking that out with your eye."
There was some truth to what he was saying, for Sasuke did feel that something was off about his presence. But just to be clear, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and began scanning him, and just as he had claimed, Mystogan's body was an abnormality. Even though Chakra and Magic were fundamentally different, they both emanated a certain type of aura that Sasuke could detect and differentiate with his Sharingan and yet, there was nothing on Mystogan: no magic, no chakra, nothing. He might as well have been an ordinary human.
"Are you saying you're from another world?" Sasuke inquired, folding his hands.
"Yes. I could surmise that you're the same as well" Mystogan confirmed.
"And what makes you say that?" Sasuke asked, glaring at Mystogan with a frown.
The mysterious new member of Fairy Tail remained quiet for a while, as he averted his gaze. Once he a mustered up the courage to speak again, he began with a chuckle, "Let's just say that you remind me of an old friend of mine. He too was an outlander from another world."
"Are you gonna tell me who this friend of yours is?" Sasuke asked, his curiosity having been piqued.
In response to this, Mystogan simply opted to turn around and start walking away. "Maybe another time" he answered, slowly descending down from the hill, "Take care of yourself Sasuke."
The Uchiha could only stand and watch, a bit dumbfounded, as this mysterious new member of Fairy Tail departed. Whoever he was, he certainly lived up to his title of being a mystery, if that is how his alias translated to anyway. Everything about him screamed suspicious with his inquisitive nature getting the better of him, and yet, just like him, Mystogan was an island to himself no different from how he was either, that much he could deduce. Perhaps in that way, they were alike. Who was he under that mask? Where did he come from? And who was this friend he referred to? All these would answered in due time, he hoped.
"You too," he quietly said in acknowledgment.
Gen2324: If Sasuke had to go all out, it'd definitely be against someone like Acnologia or the gods themselves. But even when he's holding back, he can still use his training, skills and experiences too.
Observing the Stars: Astute observation. Your assessment on what I envisioned for Erza and Mira's relationship is spot on. And I'm glad you're still enjoying the story :)
Hatred and Love: I want my story to be focused on character dynamics between Sasuke and everyone else in the Fairy Tail world, which was why I used a lot of parallels in their interactions. Mirajane and Erza's reactions to the Uchiha massacre was just one of the many I have planned. If you enjoy these types of dynamics, I think you'll like the interactions I have planned in the future with characters like Laxus, Jellal and Ultear.