23Sorry for not updating for a very long time! I just lost interest in Naruto. But now I'm back and addicted again! :)) Itachi's back! Yey! Sorry but I decided not to make this a romance fic. There might be, very very little maybe, but I really have no idea how to write romance! And also I'm gonna edit the other chaps. Nothing major though, just gonna change some stuff. I finished this yesterday at 2:00 pm. O.o LOL.
Chapter 8-
Sasuke's Ninja Way
After taking turns showering, the adults were drinking tea, Temari and Kankuro were playing cards, and Gaara and Sasuke were huddled in the corner.
"So…" Sasuke tried to break the silence between he and Gaara and tried to think on what to say. "Why exactly were they hurting you?"
Gaara bit his lip and looked dow at his feet, "Because it's true, I'm a monster."
Sasuke frowned, "I don't understand… You seem very nice."
Gaara placed a hand on his stomach, "I myself don't understand, much… but I know I'm different. Sometimes I hear whispers, something about a demon, a bijuu, I think. They say it's inside me, sealed, and I think they're scared of that beast. I am… a little I guess."
"I've heard of Bijuus before, they're tailed beasts, one of them, the Kyuubi, attacked my village—former village, Konoha." Sasuke said. "I can try using my Sharingan to see?"
"Ok," Gaara agreed.
Sasuke took a deep breath. How did I do it again? Sasuke tried to envision himself having the Sharingan, but failed. "Damn…" He cursed silently.
"It's alright," Gaara looked at Sasuke's eyes. "It didn't work?"
"No…I don't know how to activate it! It just came naturally when I was fighting today. But…" Sasuke trailed off.
Think, he thought. How did he activate his Sharingan? Kuso… I already had it! I have my Sharingan! This isn't fair! I won't lose it! Not when I'm so close! I can't! I need it! Sasuke opened his eyes angrily.
"You did it," Gaara whispered, struck between awe and fear.
"I did?" Sasuke asked disbelievingly. But he knew he had, he could see all things clearly and sharply, colors seemed much more intense, and he could see chakra. Yes, the young Uchiha thought. He looked Gaara in the eye, then looked at the gathered ball of chakra in his abdomen. It was spiralling, spinning…
The world turned black, but Sasuke could see a little…
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Sasuke heard a low, thundering rumble.
"Gaara?" he asked. "Gaara!"
"I'm here," said boy replied. "What is this place?"
"I don't know," Sasuke answered tersely. "Come on." He was scared, but he needed to reassure Gaara.
They heard a low, menacing laugh. "At last! You have come and visited me! Come, Gaara… And you… An Uchiha..."
Sasuke saw it then. Black eyes rimmed with yellow, with black markings all over its sand-colored body. Sasuke couldn't see its tail.
"Which are you?" Sasuke asked.
"I?" The beast rumbled. "You fool. I am the one tailed beast, Shukaku of the Sand!"
Gaara stared wide-eyed at the caged large creature. "Shukaku?"
"Hai," the beast rasped. "And soon, very soon, you will come to me and seek power, which I will, of course, give you…"
"You're the reason they hate me, the villagers!"
"No matter, I'll protect you, Gaara," Shukaku laughed. "I'm your power, I am the sand, I am you."
And then all faded.
"See you around, then," Yashamaru said to the mist nin and Sasuke.
"Hai," Zabuza replied. "Thank you again for your hospitability."
Sasuke looked at the siblings, which were his first friends. "See you," He smiled.
"We'll meet again, I'm sure," Gaara said, looking a little sad at Sasuke's departure.
"Yeah, till then," Sasuke waved as they began to leave. When they were out of eyesight, Sasuke began to ponder on his emotions. He was feeling both sad and happy. He was sad, because he might not see them in a long time and he was sure he would miss them. And Sasuke was happy, because he now had friends… 'Friend' was no longer just a word. Sasuke finally understood. Within the short time they spent together, Sasuke knew they had already established a strong bond… Bonds…
In order to attain the same eye as I, you must kill your closest friend… Just as I have.
Sasuke's small smile faded. He hadn't even realized he had been smiling until now. For a while, he had completely forgotten about Itachi, and revenge, and the fate of the Uchiha... But Itachi's words still haunted him.
Foolish little brother, killing you now would simply be a waste of effort. You are no match for me…
You're so pathetic…
Sasuke's fists clenched. Itachi… Sasuke didn't know what to do. Should he seek revenge, like Itachi said, and avenge his clan, or should he forget what had happened, and get on with life? Forget his clan, his parents, and Itachi? Sasuke briefly thought of forgetting revenge… To be free…
"Sasuke, you alright?" Zabuza asked monotonously, peering down at his shorter form.
Sasuke blinked. "Yeah… I just got carried away in my thoughts." He answered softly. Sasuke could feel Zabuza's stare on him for a second, then Zabuza looked up.
"We're almost there." Zabuza announced to Sasuke. The mist was getting thicker and thicker.
"Yeah, geez, home sweet home," Kisame said with a grin. They continued walking until they stopped in front of a tower with a red sign "水"(water, mizu). Sasuke stared at the red character. The blood red 'Mizu'. For some reason it brought chills down the young Uchiha's spine.
"Sasuke," Zabuza said seriously. "Don't cause trouble, behave, and don't topuch anything." Sasuke was about to retort at Zabuza indignantly at how he was treated like a child, but stopped when he saw Zabuza's dead serious look. He glanced at Kisame. The smile on Kisame's face had faded into a small curling of the lips, almost a grimace. He looked nervous, which Sasuke never thought possible. When Kisame noticed Sasuke looking at him, he smiled his toothy grin once more.
"Ah well, whatever. It's going to be fine, kid." Kisame placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke looked at Kisame's hand on his shoulder, and a pang went through his heart. When was the last time someone had placed a hand on his shoulder? It seemed so long ago…
Sasuke's head lowered and his bangs covered his small, sad smile. "Who said I was scared?"
Kisame laughed and they entered. The inside was dimly lit with a dull orange glow, and led down a hallway. Paths turned and turned, so it was impossible to know where to go when you didn't know the place. They continued and reached a door.
"Enter."
Zabuza pushed the door open. Two masked ANBU were visible.
"Zabuza-senpai, Kisame-senpai," the cat masked ANBU slightly bowed his head in respect. "Leader has been expecting you."
Zabuza nodded and continued walking. The fish masked ANBU moved slightly, as if to block them, but stopped at Zabuza's glare. He bowed his head and moved away, his eyes on Sasuke. Zabuza opened another door, hidden by the shadows. He closed the door and walked on confusing paths once again.
"They got scared of you," Sasuke told Zabuza, who responded with a slight smirk.
"Kisame and I have the highest authority here, it was good he backed away or he would have been dead."
Zabuza suddenly stopped. He focused a fairly large amount of chakra on his right hand and put it against the wall. A trapdoor was revealed. They entered and Kisame, who was taking up the rear, closed the door. It was very dark, lit only by a few candles leading up stairs. They went up and reached the top of the tower.
"What happened?" A man's voice said. Sasuke looked around and saw a silhouette of a man facing opposite him.
"We were... distracted." Kisame replied.
The man turned, but Sasuke still couldn't see his face in the darkness. He wanted to activate his Sharingan but knew it was better not to reveal it yet. However he saw a mask obscuring the man's face. He could feel his eyes on him.
"Uchiha… Sasuke," The masked man said, folding his arms.
Sasuke started. "You… know me?" The man stared at Sasuke, then looked at Kisame and Zabuza.
"Explain."
"We were moving through the Leaf—very easily, actually, then we stumbled upon Sasuke on a cave. We decided to bring him along. We met Uchiha Itachi however," Kisame said. Sasuke's jaws clenched slightly. "Followed by Kakashi Hatake. We lost the others. Zabuza and I decided to retreat."
The man looked at Sasuke again, and turned back.
"Very well. Sasuke will be staying with Zabuza for now. Do not let anyone know of him. Dismissed."
Zabuza and Kisame glanced at each other, then bowed. "Understood, Mizukage-sama."
"Wait, Kisame. Zabuza, go ahead."
Sasuke followed Zabuza out and didn't even glance back at Kisame. He was deep within his thoughts. Uchiha Itachi… The name kept ringing in his mind. But when they got out of the tower, he forced himself to stop and think about it later.
"Well Kisame, what happened?" the Mizukage asked when Zabuza and Sasuke left.
"Well, we took the route on the south of Konoha, near the Uchiha District, and saw a cave with concealed paper bombs. We figured something was up in that cave, with the paperbombs and that, we found the kid sleeping inside. Zabuza told one of our men to take him and we continued. After about only 2 minutes, Uchiha Itachi showed up."
"What did he say?"
"He was saying things about a stronger Mangekyo Sharingan, power and how he'll use Sasuke for that. He told us to give Sasuke back to him, so we fought. Itachi must have sensed Kakashi approaching because after taking out some of our men he just fled, then Kakashi arrived. We got into some hassle so I told Sasuke to do something. Astonishingly, he threw a kunai at Kakashi, but nowhere vital. He looked guilty though. I knocked out Kakashi and Zabuza placed some genjutsu to make him forget us. Then we returned here."
"I see… does he have the Sharingan?"
"…Yeah."
The masked man looked down at Kirigakure through the foggy windows. "He will be a great asset to us," the mysterious man said. "Bring Sasuke here tomorrow evening."
"Hai."
"Well… this certainly changes things," the masked man opened his eyes, and one blood red Sharingan shone in the dark. "Make sure no one sees him yet, I'll think of what to do. Go."
TIME SKIP
Sasuke was lying down alone on a tatami mat given to him by Zabuza in his temporary room in the safe house. He was staring at the white ceiling off-handedly,thinking. About the strange man that was the Mizukage. How had he known who he was? Why did Kisame and Zabuza, which Sasuke knew were very very strong ninjas, fear him? He had felt the man staring at him, perhaps he wanted the Sharingan? Who was he? Sasuke closed his eyes. He would just have to ask Zabuza and Kisame tomorrow, then. Kisame had informed him that the Mizukage wanted to see him. Why?
And then there was Itachi... Sasuke felt hatred bubble up inside him at the mere thought of Itachi. His face never seemed to leave Sasuke, taunting him, mocking his strength. He shoved thoughts of Itachi firmly into a door in his mind. Then there was Gaara, Kankuro and Temari... For the first time in his life, Sasuke felt lost.
He could see his uncle and his aunt, smiling and telling him to be a great ninja. He could see his father's face, arms folded, looking at him with calculating eyes. ''That's my son..." His mother's kind face, smiling at him softly. "When we're alone, your tou-san talks about you all the time you know!" Then the scene melted. His uncle and his aunt were sprawled on the floor, lifeless, never again to send him away to school. Shuriken and kunai were thrown all over, killing Uchiha effortlessly. Itachi was standing above his parents, katana raised. Despite Sasuke's pleas and yells, Itachi brought down the katana mercilessly, and his parents blood splashed all over. He could see all the dead Uchihas' faces, eyes silently pleading for him to avenge them. And he could see the blood red moon above him... Blood...
Sasuke woke up, eyes wide, panting heavily. His fist clutched his blankets so tightly his knuckles turned white. He was finding it difficult to breathe. He quickly got up and went to the washroom. He looked horrible. Tears were running down his face, and his hair was disheveled. His sharingan was activated, three tomoes swirling. He washed his face and tried to gather himself together. He felt miserable. He had lost everything. But he remembered Gaara... Gaara was helpless, alone, with no one to defend him...And he looked so scared... He thought of what he would do if Gaara and his friends died, just like his clan... killed by Itachi because he was weak...too weak...
Sasuke stopped crying and closed his eyes. He clenched his fists. He had decided.
I will avenge my clan and do whatever it takes to obtain power. I will not watch my loved ones...die before my eyes again. Anything! Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil. I swear it. I'll become stronger and stronger, I won't give up until I become the ultimate shinobi. That is my Ninja Way!
Sasuke's FINALLY in the Mist. I had so much trouble getting there lol. Thanks for reading. I'm dedicating this chappie to Nitinha56, Echo Uchiha, Deer Flower, sarahsalim, Wolf Master Uchiha, Lidsworth, lol-er, Lancelot-Albion, The Darkest Wizard, ML. Thanks guys! =)) and btw, I promise I'll finish this story, no matter how long it takes!
Review pls. :)