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tampered2006-12-13 07:00 am
relimited.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2006-12-13 07:00 am
Log: Complete
When; December 9th
Rating; PG?
Characters; Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Itachi
Summary; For the sake of his friends, Naruto has agreed to meet with the rogue Uchiha...who also happens to be a member of the group who is after the Kyuubi inside.
Log;
He’d known from the start that this would be a bad idea. Not only was he going to actually meet with Itachi, but he had agreed to go there alone. Oh, he’d at least been smart enough to tell someone where he was headed, namely his father, who had then been quick to talk him through things. The Cathedral. A woman named Alexiel. The tagged kunai that currently sat in his weapon holster. All of these were explained to him in hopes of not being caught off guard. The trouble was, with a ninja such as Itachi, being caught off guard was something that would undoubtedly happen regardless of any preparation he made.
And now...now Naruto stood outside the front of the cathedral, his eyes focused on the wooden doors that separated him from his meeting. A hand moved to his stomach, clutching at the material of his shirt, just above the seal that showed the reasoning behind all of this. A deceptively simple design that had turned him into the person he had become. It was that very same design that had forced he and the eldest surviving Uchiha to have to ever meet.
Sighing to himself, Naruto glanced back over his shoulder, as though expecting a familiar face to appear. Right now, he could’ve really used anything remotely encouraging. Even if it was just to see someone he knew, that would be enough. Instead, as with every other time he’d looked round, Naruto found himself greeted with nothing more than a snowy landscape.
'The sooner you go in and do this, the sooner you can leave.' Or at least that was what he kept telling himself. Turning back to the door, Naruto nodded his head, trying to show some courage he wasn’t actually feeling. He knew one thing though, he wasn’t allowed to get hurt too badly. Afterall, he had people he had to face. ...he had a father to return to.
As the blonde boy's hand reached for the door, the heavy wooden panel creaked open as if on strings that pulled and bent at some arcane command. Aged metal groaned and protested as the thick slab of wood opened, a single shaft of light racing across mosaic and marble floors to illuminate the figure standing at the other end of the cathedral. Red clouds swirled on the black silk, their colours picked up and accentuated by the shafts of many-coloured light that rained in from the stained-glass window that hung heavy on the wall behind his raven head. An ironic depiction, that of the sinless one casting his benevolent gaze down on he who had sinned so greatly against those he was most bound to care for.
Itachi glanced up as the light flooded dimly across the floors, the fabric of his cloak rustling slightly as he slid the straw hat off of his head, the barest jingle of bells the only other sound as he let it drop to the velvet-softness of the pew by which he stood. He leveled a ruby and onyx gaze at the Kyuubi-vessel. "So. You came."
His eyes moved automatically, scanning the area for the briefest of moments, before settling on the cloaked figure ahead of him. He wasn't surprised by the others calm appearance. Afterall, this was all on his terms. His choice of setting. His choice of time. In truth, Naruto hadn't had a choice in the matter. Well, other than not turning up. But that wasn't an option. Not when his friends' lives were being used as a bargaining chip.
Stepping inside, it was clear how nervous he was, despite the fact he was trying to hide it. He only barely made his way inside, before he was looking around, trying to find a sign that they weren't the only two in there. Of course there was still Alexiel, hidden somewhere within her home. But that wasn't who he was searching for. He'd been told that Itachi wasn't the only member of Akatsuki that was there.
The black-haired man studied his younger "companion", if you could call him that. He smirked to himself, lips curling up slightly behind the high collar of the cloak at the way the younger shinobi glanced around in an uneasy manner. Obviously, he was scanning the cathedral for Itachi's partner or one of the other Akatsuki. So like a deer venturing out into the meadow to feed. He shifted his feet slightly, content to merely wait until the Konoha-nin made himself comfortable. Afterall, it wasn't as though the Akatsuki was in any hurry. Afterall, he had all the bargaining chips that he needed.
Completely oblivious to the cards the Uchiha held, Naruto finally turned back to look at the other.As much as the man may've been the enemy, he couldn't help but note all the similarities between he and his younger brother. The only difference was that he could at least call one of them a friend.
Of at least, he had once?
"What do you want then?" Taking a deep breath, Naruto finally made his way further inside. However, he refused to close the gap any more than he had to. As long as he could hear the other, he had no reason to go any closer right now.
Itachi shook his head, taking a few steps forward. He knew Naruto was uncomfortable around him, that much was clear from the orange-garbed boy's manner and stance. "My my, so untrusting. And here I thought we were meeting under a temporary truce. An exchange of assets, so to speak."
"A truce?" What did he mean by that? As far as he knew, Itachi was just there to try and take the Kyuubi. He'd only been forced into coming after the threat against his friends. "Just say whatever you're gonna say so I can go." And now to try and hide his discomfort behind an attitude.
"Hmph, as impatient as always. Really, what is it about loudmouthed shinobi that draws them to each other. First that ridiculous Jiraiya, then your own father, and now you." He popped open the front of his cloak at the top, to give him a little more leeway to move, and raised one black eyebrow. "I'm sure you know what it is that I want, afterall."
His eyes narrowed in anger at the sheer fact that Itachi had even mentioned his father. "You're not having him." It was as simple as that. Or at least in his eyes it was. He wouldn't let Akatsuki take Kyuubi from him for one reason only. He wouldn't let them use him for power. Innocent people would be hurt, the one thing he hated above all else.
Really, the boy could be so unreasonable. And Itachi didn't have a lot of time. Afterall, he had.."things" that needed tending to. Or, more specifically, one thing in particular. "Is that so? Then I suppose this doesn't interest you, either?" Reaching into his cloak, the Akatsuki pulled out something with one purple-painted hand. With a quick flick of his wrist, there was the soft sound of metal scraping against polished stone floor as the strip of cloth skittered towards the boy, it's metal plate bumping along the imperfections in the floor as it came to rest at his feet, Konoha's symbol staring up at him from it's somewhat bloodied face.
Looking down to his feet, his eyes widened in surprise. A moment later he was crouching down, his fingers wrapping around the blood-covered faceplate. It was familiar. A little too familiar. In fact... "You!" He glared back up at Itachi, his hand closing into a fist around the hitai-ate. "What the hell have you done to him?!"
"And of what use is that information to you, kyuubi? Afterall, he came to me." The crimson spheres whirled slightly, black tomoe the mirrors of those same eyes that held such hatred for their kin. "I should think that you'd be respectful of his wishes for you to not be involved. Unless, that is....you have something to offer in exchange."
So that was what it all came down to then? He'd given Sasuke the opportunity to speak to him, all because of this. He now held leverage over the blond, and it was the very same leverage he had a weakness for; his best friend. That was the only reason that Naruto found himself standing back up again, his voice growing quieter as he asked the same question once again, "...what do you want?"
Now that was more like it. Itachi allowed a rare smile to grace his features as he watched the emotions play across the younger shinobi's face. It was high time that the blond understood his place in the hierarchy of power, and learned that it wasn't the lofty one he aspired to. He was weak, lacking. Just like Sasuke. With a chuckle, he strode another few steps towards the mollified blonde. "A rather simple thing, in fact. Cooperation."
He wanted to back up. He wanted to just leave. But at the same time, morbid curiosity, combined with the want to get his friend back, was what kept him where he was, even as the Uchiha began to close the gap between them. "Cooperation?" Now that he hadn't been expecting. "...what for?"
Another smirk, another step, bringing the murderer of the Uchiha closer to his prey. THIS was how he liked it, even though Kisame often found it tedious. But then, the shark didn't always appreciate the simple beauty to be found in the subtle twists and shadows that could be made of the human mind. The elegance of bending and shaping that same mind to one's own devices and filling it with the dark fragrance of despair. He tossed his long ponytail over one shoulder, ruby-onyx eyes staring into blue ones as he stopped. "Cooperation...with Akatsuki's plans. I'm sure you've been told of our goals. As I'm sure you are quite aware that extracting the Kyuubi is not something that can be done with a limited number of us. What I'm offering is an exchange. I return my weakling little brother to you,...relatively unharmed, of course. And in return, you swear your cooperation when the time comes."
His gaze dropped to the side, unable to keep his eyes on Itachi for any longer. If he so much as thought about handing over the Kyuubi, Naruto knew that there were people who would stop him. And even if he did agree to it... "...I can't do that." The trouble was, with Sasuke in danger, he knew he needed to do something. He couldn't leave him with Itachi. Not if there was an opportunity to get him free. "There has to be something else. I can't...even if I wanted to...to hand him over...I just can't."
Typical Konoha-nin. So choked with honor and duty that he couldn't even choose his best friend's life over a group of people who had hated and despised him. He shook his head, laughter filtering up from the collar of the cloak. "You amuse me, you know. So full of righteousness and drowning in your own honor. You choose the life of a village full of people who spat on you, who would have sooner drowned you then look at you over the life of the one you claim is your 'dearest friend'?"
"It...it's not like that. I have to...I can't..." His mind seemed to have taken the opportunity to abandon him and leave him scraping together what thoughts remained. He knew how everyone else in Konoha felt about him. He'd seen it first hand. But despite that, he knew he couldn't regret it. Not now. Now he knew why it'd been him who had to go through it all. His father had been the one to push him into it, but he couldn't blame the man. Which meant he couldn't blame the villagers either. If he'd been in their position, he'd most likely have reacted the same.
...but then there was the fact that, as Itachi had put it, he was choosing the villagers over his best friend. "Let him go. Please!" It was all he could really do for now. Plead for another way around it.
The raven-haired Akatsuki smiled to himself as he watched the boy's resolve start to break down. It was all he could do to keep from grinning when the blue-eyed shinobi actually began to beg. Now all he had to do was deliver the final few strategic blows and shatter what remained of the self-confidence that irked him so much. He cocked his head to one side. "You have to? And who told you that? Your father? The same man who condemned you TO that fate?"
"He had to do that. If he didn't, then Kyuubi would've kept killing people." He knew that much at least. In fact, anyone who knew about the Kyuubi knew that it was dangerous. If the Yondaime hadn't sealed the demon inside of someone, then he couldn't even guess how many others would've died. "If Kyuubi gets out, then people are gonna get hurt. I...I wont let that happen."
"Of course you won't. That's why you're such a noble fool. But tell me, do you REALLY have that much faith in the man?" He paused, waiting for his words to sink in. He knew they would. Afterall, the blonde boy seemed to have an almost worshipful adoration of his father.
"Of course I do!" He didn't even have to think about his answer. It was automatic. He had full faith in the man, and that wouldn't ever change. The fact the man was the Yondaime simply added to the obviousness of his answer.
Itachi's grin widened, a cruel glint appearing in his crimson eyes. Oh yes. He would so enjoy this. The delicious sight of hope and faith wailing it's swansong of death as it was skewered and destroyed by ugly fact. He stalked forward until he was a mere foot or so from Naruto, looming over the blonde. "Well then, I guess you probably already know all of the details from when he had Orochimaru held captive. And the details of his escape?"
Looking up at the other, his confusion became clear once again. "Well...not exactly. But what's that got to do with anything?" They were meant to be talking about Itachi letting Sasuke go, not how Orochimaru escaped. However, a more inquisitive part of him was actually interested.
"Oh really? Well, I must say I am surprised. Why, I thought that there were no secrets between father and son. But, perhaps you aren't interested in knowing what REALLY happened between them?" He was calculating this, counting on the kyuubi-boy's curiosity and impetuous nature to lead him directly into the trap that the Sharingan-user was laying for him.
"He's told me everything that I need to know. If he hasn't said anything about the snake bastard, then it ain't important enough." Though as much as he wanted to disagree with the Akatsuki member, Naruto's curiosity was well and truely piqued. "...you know what happened?"
"Of course I know what happened. You really think your paltry intel-gathering skills are at the same caliber as mine? Pathetic. But, I happen to be feeling in a somewhat generous mood. So, if you like, I'll tell you what happened between your dear daddy and the snake-man." He raised an eyebrow at Naruto, wondering if the blonde was going to take the bait.
Scowling slightly, Naruto finally turned his gaze back to the Uchiha, a feeling of unease passing over him. And yet, despite that, he couldn't help but finally ask, "...what happened?"
Snap. And with that, the trap sprang shut around the unsuspecting fox. The weasel of the Uchiha smiled, leaning closer to the younger boy. "Well, I'm sure you know that Daddy Dearest planned to try and "rehabilitate" our dear snake-Sannin, correct? But I'll wager a guess that you didn't know that his methods involved rather...intimate bodily contact?"
Arashi had recently mentioned something about trying to get Orochimaru to return to Konoha. Naruto hadn't taken that piece of information well at all, but he'd agreed to letting his father try. Afterall, he trusted him to make the right decision to help their village. But... "...huh?" Okay, Itachi must've meant something about fighting the snake. Afterall, how else would he have trapped the guy? "Yeah, so?"
A smirk and a shake of a dark head answered his confusion. "You truly are as naive as you look. No wonder my brother always looks so unhappy. Have you even HAD that sort of education yet?"
And still he was confused about what exactly Itachi was talking about. "Of course I have! I've fought you before, haven't I?" He wasn't even thinking about any other kind of contact that his father and his enemy could've had.
Itachi frowned slightly. Was it possible that the boy was really that clueless? He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose slightly, as he reconsidered his resolve to NOT murder the child where he stood. Glaring slightly at Naruto, one purple-painted hand reached forward to grasp the front of an orange track suit and haul the shorter nin up to his level. "Since you seem to be rather slow on the uptake, I suppose I'll have to be quite blunt with you. While your father had your "enemy" at his mercy, rather then killing him or interrogating him, he instead chose to engage in all sorts of lurid sexual behavior with him. The reason Orochimaru escaped is because your father let him go while he was busy shoving himself into the man. Now, is that plain enough for you?"
His eyes widened as he was lifted off the ground, hands immediately moved to grab a hold of the mans arm as he tried to get free. However, Itachi's following words were enough to still any kind of escape attempt he could've made. "......" And formulating a word, yet alone a sentence, seemed to be out of his reach too just then. Instead, his hands dropped back to his sides, eyes wide as he simply...stared.
The man was lying. He had to be. There was no way that Arashi would... But than he'd been the same one who said he'd wanted to bring Orochimaru back. But by...having s-- No, he was lying! "You're wrong!"
Black eyebrows raised in amusement. "Really? Exactly what reason would I have to lie to you about that? Orochimaru is not my concern, it is immaterial to me what happens to him. However, I can't help but find it rather fascinating that the same man who is spearheading the movement against the snake is also engaging in lust-filled carnal activities with him. It seems to me as though I am not the one who has lied to you."
"B-but..." He was right. This was one thing that Itachi really didn't have a reason to lie about. There would've been hundreds of better things for him to make up and use against him. "That....that doesn't...matter..." he finally muttered. As bad as the news may've been, that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was a certain ninja that was being held captive. Not...his father...doing things...with his enemy.
"Oh doesn't it? i think it matters to you a great deal. But, it's not my business what your father does for his own personal pleasures. I believe you were currently trying to badger me into releasing my fool of a brother?" He stepped back a few feet, setting Naruto back on his feet and relinquishing his hold on the blonde's shirt.
Stumbling slightly at his sudden release, Naruto turned silent for a few moments, his thoughts stuck in areas he wished he never knew. "...he wouldn't," he muttered to himself, almost wishing that he had proof otherwise. However, Itachi reminded him of the reason he was still there. "...let him go..."
"And exactly why should I do that? You still haven't given me either a good reason, OR suitable recompense." He smiled maliciously down at the blonde, the light coming through the stained glass window playing shadows and colours across the black and red of his cloak.
"You...you don't need to keep him. ...he'd come to you whenever you gave him the chance." His voice came across sour, annoyed at the fact that Sasuke was really that devoted to his thirst for revenge. "...but I can't give you the Kyuubi."
Itachi sighed, feigning defeat. "Oh well, then I guess there's nothing more for me to say. I suppose I'll just have to amuse myself by listening to my little brother's screams. They can be so enjoyable, you know."
His eyes widened, his body moving automatically as a fist was swung directly at the Uchiha's face. "If you even touch him, I'll kill you." The fact he was very much outmatched, didn't even factor into the equation. He would find a way to stop Itachi and get Sasuke back, no matter what.
His fist was blocked with 2 fingers, as the Uchiha raised an eyebrow in a seemingly-bored fashion before he pushed back, putting a little extra force behind his hand to throw Naruto back. He smirked at the blonde. "Fool. You think I need to touch him to rend his mind into shreds of it's former self? What a limited imagination you have, my dear boy."
Falling backward, Naruto was quick to move back into a couch, his body tense as though expecting their 'match' to continue. "You...What did you do to him?" The sharingan. Their history together. The two combined seemed like a bad combination. Well, for Sasuke at least.
"Would you like to experience it for yourself?" He took a step forward, menacingly. Itachi was growing swiftly impatient. The boy was proving more recalcitrant then he'd expected.
A step backward, and Naruto looked away on instinct, ignoring the fact it was already too late. "...just...let him go. That's...that's all that matters right now..."
"And if I say no? What then? You plan on trying to make me?" There was a flicker and he vanished, reappearing behind Naruto, lips bare centimeters from the blonde's ear as he whispered. "Can you make me?"
His arm spun round, moving to strike at Itachi the very moment he spoke. "If I have to," was his only response. Regardless, he knew he wasn't alone in this. Not anymore. He had his friends, his father, everyone he cared for. If he had to, he had people he could rely on to help. But for now... "I'm not gonna let you hurt him anymore."
The raven-haired Uchiha easily avoided the strike, moving effortlessly around to duck underneath Naruto's arm and push him back. "Such bravado, from one with so little strength. You really think you can stop me, Kyuubi?"
He stumbled backward once again, eyes narrowing on his target. "I'm not the Kyuubi." Just because the creature was sealed inside him, it didn't mean it was him. "If you're going to try to keep him, I will!"
"Oh really?" A flick of a finger and the world blurred momentarily before it froze around them. The dust motes in the air stilled in their trek to the floor, the beams of light steadied and ceased their motion across the tiles. Itachi's form flickered, multiplying into more and more of him that spread across the room. They stood all around, on the walls, on the ceiling, as though the gravity and the orientation of the room no longer mattered. Genjutsu, obviously, but one that kept the blonde entangled in it nonetheless.
Gaze darting between each copy of Itachi, Naruto couldn't help the frustrated growl that escaped him. All he wanted was to get Sasuke and leave. There had to be a way to get that. Somehow. It was the same somehow that made him unable to move as his gaze returned to the one in front of him. "You're not having the Kyuubi." A roundabout way of asking for some other payment he could use.
"Then what would you consider to be a fair exchange? I have to say, I find it unlikely that there is anything else of equal value to our organization." The copies flickered, their motion choppy and harsh as they disappeared and reappeared in a different place, throwing his eyes off and concealing the real Itachi's location.
A frown. What else was there that he could do? As far as he knew, Kyuubi was the only thing that Itachi wanted. Other than that.. "I...I don't know..." As the figure in front of his disappeared, he looked back to the others, a feeling of unease washing over him as they all began shifting. How real were they?
"Well, then it would appear that we are at an impasse. A pity. But then, I can always use someone else to twist and break. Afterall, it's so much more satisfying to watch the psyche shatter into shards then it is to watch the body itself be broken." Each of the multiple Itachis pulled out a kunai, readying it for throwing.
Once again, the blond found himself confused. What exactly did Itachi mean by that? Did that mean that he'd already... "What did you do to him?!" Any opportunity he had to try and return a glare to the Uchiha was lost however, as the series of kunai appeared in their hands. Things weren't looking pretty.
"What did I do to him? Oh, I merely gave him a taste of what it feels like to be on the other side of things. Showed him a few "truths"." He chuckled slightly. "His face, staring at the sword in HIS hand...indescribable. And then the screaming..." Crimson eyes leveled on the blue ones from every direction, muscles tensing as they readied to throw.
"The other side?" It took a few minutes before realisation set in. "I don't get it. Why...how can you even think of doing something like that to him?!" It just didn't make any sense. "He...he's your brother." The thoughts were forced to receed for a moment as the Itachi's prepared to throw. Backing up once again (ignorant of those behind him), Naruto brought his arms up, a kunai in each hand to try and block as many as he could.
"I suppose he never told you WHY he hates me so, did he? If he had, then you'd understand. As for how I can do what I do, you seek to assign those typical values of "family" and "love" to me when there are none there." The many Itachi’s let loose with their flurry of kunai. Though the metal vanished the instant before striking him, the pain was the same as if all of them had hit their mark.
"But why not? He's still your brother. You're both family. How can you not care about that?" As the kunai sped toward him, Naruto brought his own up, striking quickly at as many as he could. However, it seemed as though it were all in vain as his blade simply swung through empty space. Was it just an illusion then? ...the sudden wave of pain that shot through him, begged to differ. The weapons dropped from his hands as the boy collapsed onto the floor, a scream of pain being forced into submission, even as his body shook.
Itachi stared down at the younger shinobi as the boy writhed in phantom pain. He obviously had a good deal still to learn about genjutsu. Either that, or he had severely underestimated the Uchiha's command of the skills and his ability to twist not just the visual senses, but all the other senses as well. That being said, the boy could feel the metal in his flesh, smell the coppery tang of his own blood, hear the pulse of his heart as it pumped it's illusory lifeblood onto the marbled floor. "My brother? Family? Weak concepts for those who lack breadth and width of their containers. Neither are needed in pursuit of your ultimate potential."
"You're...you're wrong." His voice shook as he forced himself to look up at the nearest of the Itachi figures. "A f-family makes you stronger." A hand dropped to the ground, his only support as a sickly feeling passed through him. He...needed to get out of there. He had to get some help. But right now, that was an impossibility. He simply needed to get Itachi to release his younger brother. "They...they support you...and help you...grow..."
"You are truly foolish, boy. Do you think that I gained this power by relying on my 'family'? No. I gained this Mangekyo Sharingan the same way that Sasuke attempted to gain his when he attacked you all those years ago at the Valley of the End. By killing the one who was closest to me." Another kunai appeared in his hand, this one bearing the same crimson tassel and enamelled fan as the ones he had attacked Sasuke with days earlier.
He shivered, his body growing colder by the second as his 'blood' continued to spring forth from his 'wounds'. Dropping down onto his knees, he was forced to stare at the ground, watching as the supposed pool of crimson grew before his eyes. "T-there are other ways to...to get st-stronger. There always...are."
Itachi's smirk only widened as the kunai, real this time, found it's mark between the boy's shoulderblades, the red tassel swinging slightly in time with his breathing. "So you say. And yet, here you are. No stronger, no closer to your goal. Even Sasuke, so weak and pathetic, who abandoned you and still spurns you, is far stronger. And he at least has learned the truth about so-called "friends"."
This time, a whimper escaped his throat as the kunai embedded itself in his back. Another shudder and he found himself growing increasingly...tired. "Y'wrong. m'stronger than b'for." As though trying to prove his point, Naruto forced all his energy into pushing himself back up onto his feet. His legs, barely able to keep himself up, wobbled as he took a few moments to steady himself. "...an' Sasuke...he knows...he needs us still..." He refused to believe otherwise.
"Hmph...so you still believe that. Admirable, in a way. But futile. With only a simple genjutsu and a single kunai, you're barely on your feet. And you hope to face me? Pathetic. Yet amusing." There was another twist of his fingers and the waves of pain lifted, the only lingering sensation the dull aching throb of the kunai embedded next to his spine.
It came as a relief, one he tried to hide, as the pain disappeared from him. His feet resteadied beneath him, hands closing into fists as his glare returned. He did his best to ignore the pain in his back, thinking it was merely an aftermath of Itachi's previous attack. "When I'm allowed to kill you, I will." It was as simple as that. Or at least, in theory.
"Perhaps. But that doesn't solve your...predicament, now does it..." He had to admit, this was quite amusing. But the question remained, would he have to do everything himself, or would the kyuubi-boy actually come up with something acceptable to Itachi on his own? "...Kyuubi?"
"I'm not the Kyuubi! My name is Uzumaki Naruto." Despite his obvious annoyance at the name, his words also came with a note of question. What did the man want now?
"Well then, Kyuubi. I'll give you one other option. You'd best take it, if you want to see your precious Sasuke again." It was annoying, the way the Konoha-nin kept standing back up. Well, he could do something about that. A quick flash of steel and red tassels swung slowly from each shoulder, a second pair embedded just above each knee, the blades digging deep into flesh and bone.
Another option? Well, he had his attention there. Though the sudden attack was quick to stifle any attempt to say something. Instead, his hands dropped to the pair of kunai, staring down at the two as he tore them free. Blood running freely, his legs gave out on him before the wounds even began to clot. Kyuubi may've been enough to heal wounds, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt first.
"Not so cocky now, I'd suspect. Now, are you ready to hear the price for my brother's freedom?" Itachi crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side.
"I already said...you're not having Kyuubi." Grasping at his legs, Naruto willed the pain away, wishing that his body would heal quicker than it was. "s'not gonna change."
"Did you clog your ears with idiocy? Or did you simply ignore everything I said. Whether you're willing to give in or not is of no consequence. It won't change the outcome. But...I am willing to offer something else. Unfortunately for you, the terms are not negotiable."
It didn't matter how much the other said he'd be taking the Kyuubi, Naruto refused to ever let that happen. Even if that meant having to destroy the demon before it could ever be touched. He would've refuted Itachi's words once more, had he not finished with the mention of another offer. "...what is it?"
"Cessation. Regardless of what our actions are, no matter what path we choose to take and what comes of it, YOU will remain uninvolved. One less hurdle to our goal."
So in order to protect Sasuke, he had to agree to not get in their way again. If things were as easy as that, he would've agreed. The trouble was, if his friends were involved, he couldn't promise anything. "...and you'll...leave Sasuke alone?" No. That wasn't what he was meant to be saying. He was meant to be rejecting that idea. Or at least trying to change the terms. But instead, he simply stood there in wait.
"Yes, I'll release him. I'll even be so generous as to not leave him with any...lasting damage. Now, do we have a deal?"
"But what about later? You...wont hurt him again?" He doubted that Sasuke would give up on his search for revenge, but that didn't mean he couldn't just...hope.
"I can't promise that. Afterall, I have every right to defend myself against his ridiculous attempts on my life. But, if you wish, I will abstain from attacking him myself again." Not that it really mattered, as Sasuke was only useful to him AS a pawn to keep the blonde in line. What did he care if Sasuke lived or not? His brother was worthless to him anyway. "But...should you go back on your word, then it won't be his hitai-ate that I send you. It'll be his head."
Looking down to his hands, Naruto stared at the blood that had seeped through his trousers. If he agreed, then Sasuke would be safe. But it also meant that he wouldn't be allowed to face any of Akatsuki again. But what if... "...if you guys come after me, I'm not gonna just let you take Kyuubi."
"I didn't expect you to. Please, I do try to give you the benefit of at least a rudimentary intellect. Your weak flailings against us are merely an annoyance. Now, your answer?" He was growing very impatient. The boy had had enough time to decide. Now his time was up.
"Then...then I...accept..." Even as he said it, he knew he'd made a mistake. But at the same time, if it meant that Sasuke was free, and more importantly, safe, then it didn't matter. It was worth it in the end.
The corners of Itachi's mouth turned up in a slow smile. Brushing a strand of black hair out of his eyes, he vanished to reappear behind Naruto. "Good. And just to make sure you don't go back on your word..." A blur of one-handed seals and a whispered word were all the warning the orange-clad shinobi got before the purple-painted palm pressed to the back of his neck and the pain lanced through him, swirling into an angry red seal at the base of his neck, forged from the boy's own blood that the Uchiha had wiped off of one of the discarded kunai.
He blinked as he felt the rush of air as Itachi moved behind him. That in itself was enough to cause him to try and get back up again. But the sudden rush of pain that coursed through him was enough to keep him from doing little more than dropping back to the ground with a whimper. Taking deep and heavy breaths, a hand lifted to the back of his neck, not knowing... "...w-what did...y'do?"
"Just a little 'insurance', boy. In case you have a lapse of thought and should happen to consider breaking the deal. And I'd advise not trying to break the seal. As it's forged from your blood, trying to forcefully remove it could have quite damaging effects on you." He smiled, stepping back. The seal itself wasn't that impressive. It was really little more then a tracking device in itself. The key to it's power was that it utilized the boy's own blood and chakra. Hence, if he tried to force the seal to break, all it would do was cause damage to his own body.
"I don't...break my word..." No matter what it meant to keep to it, Naruto had never once broken a promise. If he'd failed once, he would do whatever it took to keep it the next time. His fingers trailed to the seal, wincing at the fact it even existed. If the others found out... "Fine...so let him go then!"
"Very well. Look for him at the carousel, at nightfall. It's been a pleasure, Kyuubi." With a bow and a flourish of scarlet and black silk, he vanished into the darkness.
Rating; PG?
Characters; Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Itachi
Summary; For the sake of his friends, Naruto has agreed to meet with the rogue Uchiha...who also happens to be a member of the group who is after the Kyuubi inside.
Log;
He’d known from the start that this would be a bad idea. Not only was he going to actually meet with Itachi, but he had agreed to go there alone. Oh, he’d at least been smart enough to tell someone where he was headed, namely his father, who had then been quick to talk him through things. The Cathedral. A woman named Alexiel. The tagged kunai that currently sat in his weapon holster. All of these were explained to him in hopes of not being caught off guard. The trouble was, with a ninja such as Itachi, being caught off guard was something that would undoubtedly happen regardless of any preparation he made.
And now...now Naruto stood outside the front of the cathedral, his eyes focused on the wooden doors that separated him from his meeting. A hand moved to his stomach, clutching at the material of his shirt, just above the seal that showed the reasoning behind all of this. A deceptively simple design that had turned him into the person he had become. It was that very same design that had forced he and the eldest surviving Uchiha to have to ever meet.
Sighing to himself, Naruto glanced back over his shoulder, as though expecting a familiar face to appear. Right now, he could’ve really used anything remotely encouraging. Even if it was just to see someone he knew, that would be enough. Instead, as with every other time he’d looked round, Naruto found himself greeted with nothing more than a snowy landscape.
'The sooner you go in and do this, the sooner you can leave.' Or at least that was what he kept telling himself. Turning back to the door, Naruto nodded his head, trying to show some courage he wasn’t actually feeling. He knew one thing though, he wasn’t allowed to get hurt too badly. Afterall, he had people he had to face. ...he had a father to return to.
As the blonde boy's hand reached for the door, the heavy wooden panel creaked open as if on strings that pulled and bent at some arcane command. Aged metal groaned and protested as the thick slab of wood opened, a single shaft of light racing across mosaic and marble floors to illuminate the figure standing at the other end of the cathedral. Red clouds swirled on the black silk, their colours picked up and accentuated by the shafts of many-coloured light that rained in from the stained-glass window that hung heavy on the wall behind his raven head. An ironic depiction, that of the sinless one casting his benevolent gaze down on he who had sinned so greatly against those he was most bound to care for.
Itachi glanced up as the light flooded dimly across the floors, the fabric of his cloak rustling slightly as he slid the straw hat off of his head, the barest jingle of bells the only other sound as he let it drop to the velvet-softness of the pew by which he stood. He leveled a ruby and onyx gaze at the Kyuubi-vessel. "So. You came."
His eyes moved automatically, scanning the area for the briefest of moments, before settling on the cloaked figure ahead of him. He wasn't surprised by the others calm appearance. Afterall, this was all on his terms. His choice of setting. His choice of time. In truth, Naruto hadn't had a choice in the matter. Well, other than not turning up. But that wasn't an option. Not when his friends' lives were being used as a bargaining chip.
Stepping inside, it was clear how nervous he was, despite the fact he was trying to hide it. He only barely made his way inside, before he was looking around, trying to find a sign that they weren't the only two in there. Of course there was still Alexiel, hidden somewhere within her home. But that wasn't who he was searching for. He'd been told that Itachi wasn't the only member of Akatsuki that was there.
The black-haired man studied his younger "companion", if you could call him that. He smirked to himself, lips curling up slightly behind the high collar of the cloak at the way the younger shinobi glanced around in an uneasy manner. Obviously, he was scanning the cathedral for Itachi's partner or one of the other Akatsuki. So like a deer venturing out into the meadow to feed. He shifted his feet slightly, content to merely wait until the Konoha-nin made himself comfortable. Afterall, it wasn't as though the Akatsuki was in any hurry. Afterall, he had all the bargaining chips that he needed.
Completely oblivious to the cards the Uchiha held, Naruto finally turned back to look at the other.As much as the man may've been the enemy, he couldn't help but note all the similarities between he and his younger brother. The only difference was that he could at least call one of them a friend.
Of at least, he had once?
"What do you want then?" Taking a deep breath, Naruto finally made his way further inside. However, he refused to close the gap any more than he had to. As long as he could hear the other, he had no reason to go any closer right now.
Itachi shook his head, taking a few steps forward. He knew Naruto was uncomfortable around him, that much was clear from the orange-garbed boy's manner and stance. "My my, so untrusting. And here I thought we were meeting under a temporary truce. An exchange of assets, so to speak."
"A truce?" What did he mean by that? As far as he knew, Itachi was just there to try and take the Kyuubi. He'd only been forced into coming after the threat against his friends. "Just say whatever you're gonna say so I can go." And now to try and hide his discomfort behind an attitude.
"Hmph, as impatient as always. Really, what is it about loudmouthed shinobi that draws them to each other. First that ridiculous Jiraiya, then your own father, and now you." He popped open the front of his cloak at the top, to give him a little more leeway to move, and raised one black eyebrow. "I'm sure you know what it is that I want, afterall."
His eyes narrowed in anger at the sheer fact that Itachi had even mentioned his father. "You're not having him." It was as simple as that. Or at least in his eyes it was. He wouldn't let Akatsuki take Kyuubi from him for one reason only. He wouldn't let them use him for power. Innocent people would be hurt, the one thing he hated above all else.
Really, the boy could be so unreasonable. And Itachi didn't have a lot of time. Afterall, he had.."things" that needed tending to. Or, more specifically, one thing in particular. "Is that so? Then I suppose this doesn't interest you, either?" Reaching into his cloak, the Akatsuki pulled out something with one purple-painted hand. With a quick flick of his wrist, there was the soft sound of metal scraping against polished stone floor as the strip of cloth skittered towards the boy, it's metal plate bumping along the imperfections in the floor as it came to rest at his feet, Konoha's symbol staring up at him from it's somewhat bloodied face.
Looking down to his feet, his eyes widened in surprise. A moment later he was crouching down, his fingers wrapping around the blood-covered faceplate. It was familiar. A little too familiar. In fact... "You!" He glared back up at Itachi, his hand closing into a fist around the hitai-ate. "What the hell have you done to him?!"
"And of what use is that information to you, kyuubi? Afterall, he came to me." The crimson spheres whirled slightly, black tomoe the mirrors of those same eyes that held such hatred for their kin. "I should think that you'd be respectful of his wishes for you to not be involved. Unless, that is....you have something to offer in exchange."
So that was what it all came down to then? He'd given Sasuke the opportunity to speak to him, all because of this. He now held leverage over the blond, and it was the very same leverage he had a weakness for; his best friend. That was the only reason that Naruto found himself standing back up again, his voice growing quieter as he asked the same question once again, "...what do you want?"
Now that was more like it. Itachi allowed a rare smile to grace his features as he watched the emotions play across the younger shinobi's face. It was high time that the blond understood his place in the hierarchy of power, and learned that it wasn't the lofty one he aspired to. He was weak, lacking. Just like Sasuke. With a chuckle, he strode another few steps towards the mollified blonde. "A rather simple thing, in fact. Cooperation."
He wanted to back up. He wanted to just leave. But at the same time, morbid curiosity, combined with the want to get his friend back, was what kept him where he was, even as the Uchiha began to close the gap between them. "Cooperation?" Now that he hadn't been expecting. "...what for?"
Another smirk, another step, bringing the murderer of the Uchiha closer to his prey. THIS was how he liked it, even though Kisame often found it tedious. But then, the shark didn't always appreciate the simple beauty to be found in the subtle twists and shadows that could be made of the human mind. The elegance of bending and shaping that same mind to one's own devices and filling it with the dark fragrance of despair. He tossed his long ponytail over one shoulder, ruby-onyx eyes staring into blue ones as he stopped. "Cooperation...with Akatsuki's plans. I'm sure you've been told of our goals. As I'm sure you are quite aware that extracting the Kyuubi is not something that can be done with a limited number of us. What I'm offering is an exchange. I return my weakling little brother to you,...relatively unharmed, of course. And in return, you swear your cooperation when the time comes."
His gaze dropped to the side, unable to keep his eyes on Itachi for any longer. If he so much as thought about handing over the Kyuubi, Naruto knew that there were people who would stop him. And even if he did agree to it... "...I can't do that." The trouble was, with Sasuke in danger, he knew he needed to do something. He couldn't leave him with Itachi. Not if there was an opportunity to get him free. "There has to be something else. I can't...even if I wanted to...to hand him over...I just can't."
Typical Konoha-nin. So choked with honor and duty that he couldn't even choose his best friend's life over a group of people who had hated and despised him. He shook his head, laughter filtering up from the collar of the cloak. "You amuse me, you know. So full of righteousness and drowning in your own honor. You choose the life of a village full of people who spat on you, who would have sooner drowned you then look at you over the life of the one you claim is your 'dearest friend'?"
"It...it's not like that. I have to...I can't..." His mind seemed to have taken the opportunity to abandon him and leave him scraping together what thoughts remained. He knew how everyone else in Konoha felt about him. He'd seen it first hand. But despite that, he knew he couldn't regret it. Not now. Now he knew why it'd been him who had to go through it all. His father had been the one to push him into it, but he couldn't blame the man. Which meant he couldn't blame the villagers either. If he'd been in their position, he'd most likely have reacted the same.
...but then there was the fact that, as Itachi had put it, he was choosing the villagers over his best friend. "Let him go. Please!" It was all he could really do for now. Plead for another way around it.
The raven-haired Akatsuki smiled to himself as he watched the boy's resolve start to break down. It was all he could do to keep from grinning when the blue-eyed shinobi actually began to beg. Now all he had to do was deliver the final few strategic blows and shatter what remained of the self-confidence that irked him so much. He cocked his head to one side. "You have to? And who told you that? Your father? The same man who condemned you TO that fate?"
"He had to do that. If he didn't, then Kyuubi would've kept killing people." He knew that much at least. In fact, anyone who knew about the Kyuubi knew that it was dangerous. If the Yondaime hadn't sealed the demon inside of someone, then he couldn't even guess how many others would've died. "If Kyuubi gets out, then people are gonna get hurt. I...I wont let that happen."
"Of course you won't. That's why you're such a noble fool. But tell me, do you REALLY have that much faith in the man?" He paused, waiting for his words to sink in. He knew they would. Afterall, the blonde boy seemed to have an almost worshipful adoration of his father.
"Of course I do!" He didn't even have to think about his answer. It was automatic. He had full faith in the man, and that wouldn't ever change. The fact the man was the Yondaime simply added to the obviousness of his answer.
Itachi's grin widened, a cruel glint appearing in his crimson eyes. Oh yes. He would so enjoy this. The delicious sight of hope and faith wailing it's swansong of death as it was skewered and destroyed by ugly fact. He stalked forward until he was a mere foot or so from Naruto, looming over the blonde. "Well then, I guess you probably already know all of the details from when he had Orochimaru held captive. And the details of his escape?"
Looking up at the other, his confusion became clear once again. "Well...not exactly. But what's that got to do with anything?" They were meant to be talking about Itachi letting Sasuke go, not how Orochimaru escaped. However, a more inquisitive part of him was actually interested.
"Oh really? Well, I must say I am surprised. Why, I thought that there were no secrets between father and son. But, perhaps you aren't interested in knowing what REALLY happened between them?" He was calculating this, counting on the kyuubi-boy's curiosity and impetuous nature to lead him directly into the trap that the Sharingan-user was laying for him.
"He's told me everything that I need to know. If he hasn't said anything about the snake bastard, then it ain't important enough." Though as much as he wanted to disagree with the Akatsuki member, Naruto's curiosity was well and truely piqued. "...you know what happened?"
"Of course I know what happened. You really think your paltry intel-gathering skills are at the same caliber as mine? Pathetic. But, I happen to be feeling in a somewhat generous mood. So, if you like, I'll tell you what happened between your dear daddy and the snake-man." He raised an eyebrow at Naruto, wondering if the blonde was going to take the bait.
Scowling slightly, Naruto finally turned his gaze back to the Uchiha, a feeling of unease passing over him. And yet, despite that, he couldn't help but finally ask, "...what happened?"
Snap. And with that, the trap sprang shut around the unsuspecting fox. The weasel of the Uchiha smiled, leaning closer to the younger boy. "Well, I'm sure you know that Daddy Dearest planned to try and "rehabilitate" our dear snake-Sannin, correct? But I'll wager a guess that you didn't know that his methods involved rather...intimate bodily contact?"
Arashi had recently mentioned something about trying to get Orochimaru to return to Konoha. Naruto hadn't taken that piece of information well at all, but he'd agreed to letting his father try. Afterall, he trusted him to make the right decision to help their village. But... "...huh?" Okay, Itachi must've meant something about fighting the snake. Afterall, how else would he have trapped the guy? "Yeah, so?"
A smirk and a shake of a dark head answered his confusion. "You truly are as naive as you look. No wonder my brother always looks so unhappy. Have you even HAD that sort of education yet?"
And still he was confused about what exactly Itachi was talking about. "Of course I have! I've fought you before, haven't I?" He wasn't even thinking about any other kind of contact that his father and his enemy could've had.
Itachi frowned slightly. Was it possible that the boy was really that clueless? He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose slightly, as he reconsidered his resolve to NOT murder the child where he stood. Glaring slightly at Naruto, one purple-painted hand reached forward to grasp the front of an orange track suit and haul the shorter nin up to his level. "Since you seem to be rather slow on the uptake, I suppose I'll have to be quite blunt with you. While your father had your "enemy" at his mercy, rather then killing him or interrogating him, he instead chose to engage in all sorts of lurid sexual behavior with him. The reason Orochimaru escaped is because your father let him go while he was busy shoving himself into the man. Now, is that plain enough for you?"
His eyes widened as he was lifted off the ground, hands immediately moved to grab a hold of the mans arm as he tried to get free. However, Itachi's following words were enough to still any kind of escape attempt he could've made. "......" And formulating a word, yet alone a sentence, seemed to be out of his reach too just then. Instead, his hands dropped back to his sides, eyes wide as he simply...stared.
The man was lying. He had to be. There was no way that Arashi would... But than he'd been the same one who said he'd wanted to bring Orochimaru back. But by...having s-- No, he was lying! "You're wrong!"
Black eyebrows raised in amusement. "Really? Exactly what reason would I have to lie to you about that? Orochimaru is not my concern, it is immaterial to me what happens to him. However, I can't help but find it rather fascinating that the same man who is spearheading the movement against the snake is also engaging in lust-filled carnal activities with him. It seems to me as though I am not the one who has lied to you."
"B-but..." He was right. This was one thing that Itachi really didn't have a reason to lie about. There would've been hundreds of better things for him to make up and use against him. "That....that doesn't...matter..." he finally muttered. As bad as the news may've been, that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was a certain ninja that was being held captive. Not...his father...doing things...with his enemy.
"Oh doesn't it? i think it matters to you a great deal. But, it's not my business what your father does for his own personal pleasures. I believe you were currently trying to badger me into releasing my fool of a brother?" He stepped back a few feet, setting Naruto back on his feet and relinquishing his hold on the blonde's shirt.
Stumbling slightly at his sudden release, Naruto turned silent for a few moments, his thoughts stuck in areas he wished he never knew. "...he wouldn't," he muttered to himself, almost wishing that he had proof otherwise. However, Itachi reminded him of the reason he was still there. "...let him go..."
"And exactly why should I do that? You still haven't given me either a good reason, OR suitable recompense." He smiled maliciously down at the blonde, the light coming through the stained glass window playing shadows and colours across the black and red of his cloak.
"You...you don't need to keep him. ...he'd come to you whenever you gave him the chance." His voice came across sour, annoyed at the fact that Sasuke was really that devoted to his thirst for revenge. "...but I can't give you the Kyuubi."
Itachi sighed, feigning defeat. "Oh well, then I guess there's nothing more for me to say. I suppose I'll just have to amuse myself by listening to my little brother's screams. They can be so enjoyable, you know."
His eyes widened, his body moving automatically as a fist was swung directly at the Uchiha's face. "If you even touch him, I'll kill you." The fact he was very much outmatched, didn't even factor into the equation. He would find a way to stop Itachi and get Sasuke back, no matter what.
His fist was blocked with 2 fingers, as the Uchiha raised an eyebrow in a seemingly-bored fashion before he pushed back, putting a little extra force behind his hand to throw Naruto back. He smirked at the blonde. "Fool. You think I need to touch him to rend his mind into shreds of it's former self? What a limited imagination you have, my dear boy."
Falling backward, Naruto was quick to move back into a couch, his body tense as though expecting their 'match' to continue. "You...What did you do to him?" The sharingan. Their history together. The two combined seemed like a bad combination. Well, for Sasuke at least.
"Would you like to experience it for yourself?" He took a step forward, menacingly. Itachi was growing swiftly impatient. The boy was proving more recalcitrant then he'd expected.
A step backward, and Naruto looked away on instinct, ignoring the fact it was already too late. "...just...let him go. That's...that's all that matters right now..."
"And if I say no? What then? You plan on trying to make me?" There was a flicker and he vanished, reappearing behind Naruto, lips bare centimeters from the blonde's ear as he whispered. "Can you make me?"
His arm spun round, moving to strike at Itachi the very moment he spoke. "If I have to," was his only response. Regardless, he knew he wasn't alone in this. Not anymore. He had his friends, his father, everyone he cared for. If he had to, he had people he could rely on to help. But for now... "I'm not gonna let you hurt him anymore."
The raven-haired Uchiha easily avoided the strike, moving effortlessly around to duck underneath Naruto's arm and push him back. "Such bravado, from one with so little strength. You really think you can stop me, Kyuubi?"
He stumbled backward once again, eyes narrowing on his target. "I'm not the Kyuubi." Just because the creature was sealed inside him, it didn't mean it was him. "If you're going to try to keep him, I will!"
"Oh really?" A flick of a finger and the world blurred momentarily before it froze around them. The dust motes in the air stilled in their trek to the floor, the beams of light steadied and ceased their motion across the tiles. Itachi's form flickered, multiplying into more and more of him that spread across the room. They stood all around, on the walls, on the ceiling, as though the gravity and the orientation of the room no longer mattered. Genjutsu, obviously, but one that kept the blonde entangled in it nonetheless.
Gaze darting between each copy of Itachi, Naruto couldn't help the frustrated growl that escaped him. All he wanted was to get Sasuke and leave. There had to be a way to get that. Somehow. It was the same somehow that made him unable to move as his gaze returned to the one in front of him. "You're not having the Kyuubi." A roundabout way of asking for some other payment he could use.
"Then what would you consider to be a fair exchange? I have to say, I find it unlikely that there is anything else of equal value to our organization." The copies flickered, their motion choppy and harsh as they disappeared and reappeared in a different place, throwing his eyes off and concealing the real Itachi's location.
A frown. What else was there that he could do? As far as he knew, Kyuubi was the only thing that Itachi wanted. Other than that.. "I...I don't know..." As the figure in front of his disappeared, he looked back to the others, a feeling of unease washing over him as they all began shifting. How real were they?
"Well, then it would appear that we are at an impasse. A pity. But then, I can always use someone else to twist and break. Afterall, it's so much more satisfying to watch the psyche shatter into shards then it is to watch the body itself be broken." Each of the multiple Itachis pulled out a kunai, readying it for throwing.
Once again, the blond found himself confused. What exactly did Itachi mean by that? Did that mean that he'd already... "What did you do to him?!" Any opportunity he had to try and return a glare to the Uchiha was lost however, as the series of kunai appeared in their hands. Things weren't looking pretty.
"What did I do to him? Oh, I merely gave him a taste of what it feels like to be on the other side of things. Showed him a few "truths"." He chuckled slightly. "His face, staring at the sword in HIS hand...indescribable. And then the screaming..." Crimson eyes leveled on the blue ones from every direction, muscles tensing as they readied to throw.
"The other side?" It took a few minutes before realisation set in. "I don't get it. Why...how can you even think of doing something like that to him?!" It just didn't make any sense. "He...he's your brother." The thoughts were forced to receed for a moment as the Itachi's prepared to throw. Backing up once again (ignorant of those behind him), Naruto brought his arms up, a kunai in each hand to try and block as many as he could.
"I suppose he never told you WHY he hates me so, did he? If he had, then you'd understand. As for how I can do what I do, you seek to assign those typical values of "family" and "love" to me when there are none there." The many Itachi’s let loose with their flurry of kunai. Though the metal vanished the instant before striking him, the pain was the same as if all of them had hit their mark.
"But why not? He's still your brother. You're both family. How can you not care about that?" As the kunai sped toward him, Naruto brought his own up, striking quickly at as many as he could. However, it seemed as though it were all in vain as his blade simply swung through empty space. Was it just an illusion then? ...the sudden wave of pain that shot through him, begged to differ. The weapons dropped from his hands as the boy collapsed onto the floor, a scream of pain being forced into submission, even as his body shook.
Itachi stared down at the younger shinobi as the boy writhed in phantom pain. He obviously had a good deal still to learn about genjutsu. Either that, or he had severely underestimated the Uchiha's command of the skills and his ability to twist not just the visual senses, but all the other senses as well. That being said, the boy could feel the metal in his flesh, smell the coppery tang of his own blood, hear the pulse of his heart as it pumped it's illusory lifeblood onto the marbled floor. "My brother? Family? Weak concepts for those who lack breadth and width of their containers. Neither are needed in pursuit of your ultimate potential."
"You're...you're wrong." His voice shook as he forced himself to look up at the nearest of the Itachi figures. "A f-family makes you stronger." A hand dropped to the ground, his only support as a sickly feeling passed through him. He...needed to get out of there. He had to get some help. But right now, that was an impossibility. He simply needed to get Itachi to release his younger brother. "They...they support you...and help you...grow..."
"You are truly foolish, boy. Do you think that I gained this power by relying on my 'family'? No. I gained this Mangekyo Sharingan the same way that Sasuke attempted to gain his when he attacked you all those years ago at the Valley of the End. By killing the one who was closest to me." Another kunai appeared in his hand, this one bearing the same crimson tassel and enamelled fan as the ones he had attacked Sasuke with days earlier.
He shivered, his body growing colder by the second as his 'blood' continued to spring forth from his 'wounds'. Dropping down onto his knees, he was forced to stare at the ground, watching as the supposed pool of crimson grew before his eyes. "T-there are other ways to...to get st-stronger. There always...are."
Itachi's smirk only widened as the kunai, real this time, found it's mark between the boy's shoulderblades, the red tassel swinging slightly in time with his breathing. "So you say. And yet, here you are. No stronger, no closer to your goal. Even Sasuke, so weak and pathetic, who abandoned you and still spurns you, is far stronger. And he at least has learned the truth about so-called "friends"."
This time, a whimper escaped his throat as the kunai embedded itself in his back. Another shudder and he found himself growing increasingly...tired. "Y'wrong. m'stronger than b'for." As though trying to prove his point, Naruto forced all his energy into pushing himself back up onto his feet. His legs, barely able to keep himself up, wobbled as he took a few moments to steady himself. "...an' Sasuke...he knows...he needs us still..." He refused to believe otherwise.
"Hmph...so you still believe that. Admirable, in a way. But futile. With only a simple genjutsu and a single kunai, you're barely on your feet. And you hope to face me? Pathetic. Yet amusing." There was another twist of his fingers and the waves of pain lifted, the only lingering sensation the dull aching throb of the kunai embedded next to his spine.
It came as a relief, one he tried to hide, as the pain disappeared from him. His feet resteadied beneath him, hands closing into fists as his glare returned. He did his best to ignore the pain in his back, thinking it was merely an aftermath of Itachi's previous attack. "When I'm allowed to kill you, I will." It was as simple as that. Or at least, in theory.
"Perhaps. But that doesn't solve your...predicament, now does it..." He had to admit, this was quite amusing. But the question remained, would he have to do everything himself, or would the kyuubi-boy actually come up with something acceptable to Itachi on his own? "...Kyuubi?"
"I'm not the Kyuubi! My name is Uzumaki Naruto." Despite his obvious annoyance at the name, his words also came with a note of question. What did the man want now?
"Well then, Kyuubi. I'll give you one other option. You'd best take it, if you want to see your precious Sasuke again." It was annoying, the way the Konoha-nin kept standing back up. Well, he could do something about that. A quick flash of steel and red tassels swung slowly from each shoulder, a second pair embedded just above each knee, the blades digging deep into flesh and bone.
Another option? Well, he had his attention there. Though the sudden attack was quick to stifle any attempt to say something. Instead, his hands dropped to the pair of kunai, staring down at the two as he tore them free. Blood running freely, his legs gave out on him before the wounds even began to clot. Kyuubi may've been enough to heal wounds, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt first.
"Not so cocky now, I'd suspect. Now, are you ready to hear the price for my brother's freedom?" Itachi crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side.
"I already said...you're not having Kyuubi." Grasping at his legs, Naruto willed the pain away, wishing that his body would heal quicker than it was. "s'not gonna change."
"Did you clog your ears with idiocy? Or did you simply ignore everything I said. Whether you're willing to give in or not is of no consequence. It won't change the outcome. But...I am willing to offer something else. Unfortunately for you, the terms are not negotiable."
It didn't matter how much the other said he'd be taking the Kyuubi, Naruto refused to ever let that happen. Even if that meant having to destroy the demon before it could ever be touched. He would've refuted Itachi's words once more, had he not finished with the mention of another offer. "...what is it?"
"Cessation. Regardless of what our actions are, no matter what path we choose to take and what comes of it, YOU will remain uninvolved. One less hurdle to our goal."
So in order to protect Sasuke, he had to agree to not get in their way again. If things were as easy as that, he would've agreed. The trouble was, if his friends were involved, he couldn't promise anything. "...and you'll...leave Sasuke alone?" No. That wasn't what he was meant to be saying. He was meant to be rejecting that idea. Or at least trying to change the terms. But instead, he simply stood there in wait.
"Yes, I'll release him. I'll even be so generous as to not leave him with any...lasting damage. Now, do we have a deal?"
"But what about later? You...wont hurt him again?" He doubted that Sasuke would give up on his search for revenge, but that didn't mean he couldn't just...hope.
"I can't promise that. Afterall, I have every right to defend myself against his ridiculous attempts on my life. But, if you wish, I will abstain from attacking him myself again." Not that it really mattered, as Sasuke was only useful to him AS a pawn to keep the blonde in line. What did he care if Sasuke lived or not? His brother was worthless to him anyway. "But...should you go back on your word, then it won't be his hitai-ate that I send you. It'll be his head."
Looking down to his hands, Naruto stared at the blood that had seeped through his trousers. If he agreed, then Sasuke would be safe. But it also meant that he wouldn't be allowed to face any of Akatsuki again. But what if... "...if you guys come after me, I'm not gonna just let you take Kyuubi."
"I didn't expect you to. Please, I do try to give you the benefit of at least a rudimentary intellect. Your weak flailings against us are merely an annoyance. Now, your answer?" He was growing very impatient. The boy had had enough time to decide. Now his time was up.
"Then...then I...accept..." Even as he said it, he knew he'd made a mistake. But at the same time, if it meant that Sasuke was free, and more importantly, safe, then it didn't matter. It was worth it in the end.
The corners of Itachi's mouth turned up in a slow smile. Brushing a strand of black hair out of his eyes, he vanished to reappear behind Naruto. "Good. And just to make sure you don't go back on your word..." A blur of one-handed seals and a whispered word were all the warning the orange-clad shinobi got before the purple-painted palm pressed to the back of his neck and the pain lanced through him, swirling into an angry red seal at the base of his neck, forged from the boy's own blood that the Uchiha had wiped off of one of the discarded kunai.
He blinked as he felt the rush of air as Itachi moved behind him. That in itself was enough to cause him to try and get back up again. But the sudden rush of pain that coursed through him was enough to keep him from doing little more than dropping back to the ground with a whimper. Taking deep and heavy breaths, a hand lifted to the back of his neck, not knowing... "...w-what did...y'do?"
"Just a little 'insurance', boy. In case you have a lapse of thought and should happen to consider breaking the deal. And I'd advise not trying to break the seal. As it's forged from your blood, trying to forcefully remove it could have quite damaging effects on you." He smiled, stepping back. The seal itself wasn't that impressive. It was really little more then a tracking device in itself. The key to it's power was that it utilized the boy's own blood and chakra. Hence, if he tried to force the seal to break, all it would do was cause damage to his own body.
"I don't...break my word..." No matter what it meant to keep to it, Naruto had never once broken a promise. If he'd failed once, he would do whatever it took to keep it the next time. His fingers trailed to the seal, wincing at the fact it even existed. If the others found out... "Fine...so let him go then!"
"Very well. Look for him at the carousel, at nightfall. It's been a pleasure, Kyuubi." With a bow and a flourish of scarlet and black silk, he vanished into the darkness.