Naruto Fan Fiction / Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction ❯ The Never Played Symphonies ❯ The Stone of Absolution ( Chapter 7 )

 

The Never Played Symphonies

 

 

Chapter 7: The Stone of Absolution

 

 

Sasuke scowled for what felt like the millionth time as he tossed yet another scroll over his head. He had to have been in the library for at least six hours now, and yet he had come up with nothing! As he scanned yet another scroll he came to the conclusion that this was all a wild goose chase and that such a stone didn't even exist! He could see his bastard of a brother doing something like that. Hell, he was probably laughing about it now…that is if he even had enough emotion in his body to form laughter.

 

“Gah!” he huffed, kicking at his pile of open scrolls in frustration. He wasn't going to get anywhere looking through records at the library, and he hadn't ever even heard a rumor of this stone's existence to question someone about.

 

Not to mention the fact that he wasn't even supposed to be in Konoha any longer! He had already bid his farewell to Naruto, and after their last meeting he didn't even want to think about another interaction with the blond… His ass still hurt from the last time he had been stupid enough to let Itachi catch him. It was probably a miracle that his brother had needed the loud-mouthed ninja, or else who knows what kind of horrible things he would have been put through on his account.

 

He shifted in his position on the ground as he thought about the day before. He had really done that with Itachi…He had actually let the person he hated above all other's take him in a way that only your most loved were supposed to.

 

Black eyes shut in remembrance. He could still feel every touch, every swipe of that talented tongue, and he could still feel him inside. Sasuke's breathing quickened as he could practically feel Itachi's breath on his neck…the way his finger's tickled skillfully down his ribs…the way his tongue darting in and out of…

 

“I didn't know scroll reading could be so enthralling.” Sasuke was cut out of his fantasy abruptly by an intruder and his eyes snapped open in fear at the thought of someone seeing him daydream about such an act.

 

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sasuke shot, face turning deep red as he looked down to his lap to see that one of his palms was rubbing something in it. “What are you doing here?” He said, trying to even out his voice so that he didn't sound like a crackly teenager going through puberty.

 

The Jounin gave him a small smile, leaning over to a shelf and pulling out a book that looked to have two people on the cover doing it doggy-style. “Oh nothing…just looking for something to read. What about you, Sasuke…It looks to me like you're trying to find something.”

 

Sasuke glanced around at the mess he had made, for the first time noticing the dirty looks the librarian was shooting him at the thought of how much clean-up she was going to have to do. He knew he couldn't lie to Kakashi about this, because all he had to do was look down at the scrolls to get a basis of what he was after, and really there was no reason to. His sensei might actually be one of the few people that could help him out, because if Kakashi had never heard of such a stone then he would know that his brother had just made it up in yet another attempt to feel superior.

 

“I'm looking for something,” he said, grabbing a handful of scrolls as he got up from the floor. “It's a stone here in Konoha…it's supposed to be very powerful.”

 

Putting down his smut magazine, Kakashi raised a hand to his chin, obviously thinking over the answer he was willing to give. “A stone, huh?” He said quietly, and there was just something about the tone in his voice that made Sasuke think he knew something already and just wasn't letting on. “Why do you want to know?”

 

Sasuke scowled once again, though this time for completely different reasons. “What does it matter to you?” he stalled, racking his brain for a believable excuse and finally came up with, “The goal is to get stronger, right?...well this stone will help.” A lame excuse, and from Kakashi's unreadable expression he couldn't tell if his sensei had bought it.

 

“If it is the stone that I think it is, then it will not help you in your quest for power. That gem has many uses, but increasing one's strength is not one of them.” Finally, a break through!

 

“So you've heard of it?” he asked, feeling the excitement bubble up in chest as if he were questioning Kakashi about what his secret birthday present was.

 

Kakashi frowned, obviously not near as excited about discussing such things to his student. “I've heard of it, but no one knows where it is exactly…Yet there is a rumor about where it may lay.”

 

Unconsciously Sasuke had leaned closer to the Jounin, eager to find out where this mysterious object lay, but at seeing the hesitation on Kakashi's face he couldn't help but grow suspicious. “Where?”

 

Giving a sigh, Kakashi gave in to his student's demands, knowing that Sasuke wasn't going to drop it until he did. “The Uchiha District…your old home.”

 

Sasuke's eyes widened at the information. But that didn't make any sense! How could something like that be rumored to be in his old home, and yet he had never heard so much as a whisper!? Furthermore, how could his brother put such a cruel retrieving task on him, knowing he would have to once more walk down those blood stained streets to bring it back. “Why there?” he asked grimly, not quite sure he even wanted to know the answer anymore.

 

“It is said that the stone is as red as the Sharingan that bleeds into the Uchiha's eyes. It has remarkable powers, quite a few actually that users of the Sharingan possess.” Sasuke's hand gripped the table as Kakashi continued with his history lesson. “Some even say that the remnants of that stone were what first empowered the inherited blood trait in your clan. It has been lost for ages, however, and most have forgotten about its very existence.” Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Which makes me wonder how you came to learn about it.”

 

Sasuke ignored Kakashi's question, much too focused on what he had said earlier. Something about that description was triggering his memory, and he knew it was important.

 

“Is there any record of this stone?” he asked vehemently. “Does anyone have a picture of what it might look like?” He had to know…He had to be sure it was it!

 

Giving a suspicious nod, Kakashi disappeared behind the rows of books, reappearing minutes later with an old leather bound book with ripped pages and paper that was crusted and yellow from all its wear and tear. His sensei carefully peeled it open, flipping through the pages of what looked to be some kind of diary.

 

“This is from the official records. It's a journal from one of your ancestors long ago. It actually is one of the only written documents speaking of the stone's existence.” Sasuke's eyes were big as he reached for the book, and as his fingertips touched the musty leather he saw what was inside the page Kakashi had marked, and he almost dropped it then and there.

 

Inside was a drawing of a blood red stone that looked to be about as big a fist. Now this normally wouldn't upset him, but at seeing such a crude drawing it occurred to him just what he had forgotten. “…I've seen that stone before…part of it anyways.”

 

“You have?” Kakashi asked with skepticism, though you could tell his curiosity was peaked. “Where!?” he asked with actual excitement in his voice, and really Sasuke couldn't blame him. It wasn't every day after all that you learned of the whereabouts of such a coveted item, but then again he supposed that his excitement would fade once he got his answer.

 

It almost pained him to have to be the one to say, but he managed to get it out as he realized the cruelty in this situation. “…Around my brother's neck.”

 

~~~flash~~~

 

“Ouch!” Sasuke yelped, picking up his sandal after once again stubbing his toe. He was so tired from trudging through the seemingly never ending woods that he could barely lift his feet to avoid such things as tree branches and highly inconvenient pointy rocks.

 

The pain didn't matter though, because he was on a mission, and that mission was to find that ultimate coolest present ever for his niisan! Itachi's birthday was coming up, and he wanted to find him the perfect present, because his aniki deserved it, and maybe if he got him the gift his brother would stay home more often and play with him. He was so sick of being poked in the forehead and told another time.

 

Itachi was always the one everyone paid attention too. He was always the most liked. Well he was sick of it! He wanted to be the one who got the attention! He wanted to be the one his parents looked on and told good job! He would hear that praise, and if he was lucky enough he might even get a smile to come on Itachi's face…and all he had to do was find it.

 

Honestly he had no idea what to get Itachi. He didn't even really know what his brother liked. Their father supplied all the weapons and training gear he needed, because he couldn't very well let their prodigy son live in shambles, and such things never really seemed to bring his aniki any joy. He wanted to find something that made him happy, and not just something that helped him become an even better shinobi than he already was. He could tell that sometimes Itachi didn't like all the praise he received…although he never said it out loud. No, his niisan would never anything like that. He was the perfect son…unlike him.

 

Though Itachi had never treated him like the outcast that everyone else did. His brother had always been kind to him, and treated his accomplishments as if they were the greatest things in the world. He was the only one that looked at him and saw something other than a disappointment. Well, he supposed his mother loved him, but all mothers love their children.

 

At school he had heard the other kids talk about how in the trees surrounding the Uchiha district there are supposed to be these special flowers that bloom. Apparently whoever receives them and takes a whiff will love the person who gave the treasured gift forever. He wanted to find those for Itachi! He wanted his niisan to always love him and never leave his side.

 

The only problem with this plan is he had been walking out in the woods for so long now without any flowers in sight. The only thing that seemed to grow this deep in the trees was shrubbery and toadstools. Plus now that he had gotten in so deep it was starting to turn dark, and he had no idea how to find his way out.

 

His eyes widened as foreign sounds filled the air, and reaching into his back pocket he grabbed out a kunai that he had stolen from his brother's stash. He wasn't scared by any means…but he didn't like the sound of those sounds, and he really just wanted to be home in bed.

 

Who knew how worried his mother was right about now. After all it was getting around dinnertime, and he had ditched school just to come look for the present. What would they do when he didn't come home? Were they looking for him already?

 

The boy jumped about a foot in the air when he felt a gust of air fly past his shoulder, and without thinking he ran ahead, hiding behind an old oak tree. His breathing was coming out in short ragged breaths as he fought to keep his heart rate under control. He wouldn't be scared! He was going to be a strong shinobi just like his aniki!

 

Bound and determined to prove himself, Sasuke stomped out from behind the trees, making his way clumsily through the dark. His sandal caught with yet another branch, and he tripped over his feet, falling forward and having his face crash into the earthly soil.

 

He groaned in both pain and annoyance as he spat the dirt from his mouth, wiping the residue on his sleeve as he got back to his feet. He wasn't getting anywhere like this, and if he continued on he'd be even more lost than he already was.

 

Sadly he didn't need to worry about continuing on such a route, because with one more step his foot hit a crescent in the earth, and his whole body fell forward, stumbling down what felt like a humongous hill in the dark.

 

His body tumbled and rolled, banging him up in the process as he fell mercilessly down the ravine. Letting go of his kunai, Sasuke instead opted for the use of his nails, trying to find something, anything to grab hold of and stop his fall.

 

Sasuke gave a cry of pain when one of his nails snagged in the earth, breaking a sending a jolt of shock through his system as he finally managed to grab hold of a tree branch. The bark ripped at his hands, but he managed to keep hold, which was probably a good thing considering his toes were no longer touching the ground.

 

Knowing that he was hanging over thin air Sasuke quickly added another hand to the branch, struggling with every bit of strength he still had to pull himself out of whatever he was about to fall into. The moon had disappeared behind the clouds by this time, leaving the entire forest in an eerie darkness where not even the best eyes could see.

 

His feet scraped against the edge of something, and he propelled himself forward, finally touching his elbows with dirt. Practically scared out of his mind he crawled onto the ground, never before being so happy to smell that raw stench of earth.

 

Hugging at the ground, Sasuke wasn't too proud to give it a quick kiss before glancing behind him and gulping at the sight of a huge cavern that he had almost had the misfortune of falling down into.

 

This was not good. He glanced back up the hill he had fallen down to see that the forest was now very far away, and he had fallen into some sort of valley down below. It looked steep too, and he knew that if he didn't build up at least a little of his chakra before he attempted it that there was no way he'd make it back up.

 

He was going to die out here! He was going to die and no one was going to find his body because he was the only one stupid enough to come this far out into the woods for a flower! Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes, and hugging his knees to his chin he tried to force them away and pretend he wasn't scared, and try to ignore the dark sounds in the forest and how utterly cold it was getting for a little boy in nothing but shorts and a t-shirt.

 

Light filled the sky as the moon came out from behind the cloud, and the valley he was sitting in was temporarily lit up as if someone had shined a lantern down upon them. The cave he had almost fallen into was enormous, and the mouth stretched the length of what could have been his house. Picking up a stone he tossed it down the black abyss, swallowing in fear yet again when he had yet to hear it hit bottom. If he had fallen down there was no way he would have survived, let alone gotten back out!

 

Letting his eyes fall to the side as he continued to cradle his knees, something sparkled out of the corner of them and he craned his neck to get a better look. The moon slowly traveled across the sky, making the area light up even more and reveal that the sparkle was in fact a pool of water on the other side of the cave, and even though it was black as night outside that pool of water seemed to have an unearthly glow about it, and Sasuke knew he had to look upon it before he left.

 

His feet carried him over to the water, and he stared breathlessly down into its sparkling depths, sinking to his knees almost immediately and scooping out some to drink. He had been walking for hours, and his throat felt like sandpaper from its lack of fluids, but the water seemed to help, sliding down his parched throat effortlessly and quenching his thirst.

 

As he gulped mouthful after mouthful of the liquid he looked down at his reflection, noticing in the lit pool something towards the bottom. He craned his neck to look, leaning dangerously close to the edge of the water. It was dark, and yet he couldn't help but think that whatever it was had been the thing to catch his eye from when he was sitting by the tree.

 

Just watching it sparkle he knew right then and there that whatever it was, it had to be his brother's present! Not thinking about the consequences Sasuke jumped feet first into the pool, biting back the bitter cold that stabbed his bones as he waded to the center just above the object before diving down.

 

His body kicked as he struggled to get to the bottom, not having all that much experience where swimming was concerned. Itachi had taught him once though, and his niisan had even said how talented he was, and so he refused to let him down. His lungs grew smaller and smaller the closer he came to his goal.

 

Sasuke's fingertips stretched out, all the while continuing to kick downwards as he reached for the object, small hands finally clasping around what felt to be a rock. He tried to pull it up, but it seemed to be embedded into the ground. Grabbing hold while at the same time pushing off with his legs Sasuke struggled with the rock, all the while getting more and more light headed from lack of oxygen to his brain.

 

His eyesight was starting to become fuzzy as he continued to try to pull on the stone, and with one last tug he managed to heft it free, though the momentum was a little much as his hands came flying up, hitting against one of the walls and smashing both his fingers and the stone.

 

He cried out underwater, allowing some liquid into his lungs as he watched the rock break, leaving a small portion of it in his injured fist while the much bigger half floated back down into the murky depths.

 

The Uchiha reached out to it, trying to snag it as his head went fuzzy from being under too long, but he knew that if he didn't get out of the water right then and there he would drown and then he would never get to give his aniki the present he had just found.

 

Spiky black hair emerged from the water, allowing Sasuke to suck in a deep breath and cough out the water he had inhaled while under. His head was spinning as he struggled to swim to shore, barely being able to pull himself out of the water as the bitter cold hit his sodden wet body and froze his limbs.

 

He started immediately shaking, trying to hug his limbs together to stop the torture that was wind. He had never hated the wind before, but now, being out in the dark, cold and alone, he couldn't help but cry from it all.

 

He didn't want to be weak…he didn't! But he couldn't help it! He hurt, and he was cold, and alone, and he hadn't even been able to get the present he had wanted to without it breaking! He sniffed, vision blurring through his tears as he opened his injured palm, eyes widening a little as he saw his catch.

 

It was a small piece of a red stone, and it seemed like it was splintered like shattered glass that hasn't fallen out yet. For some reason he couldn't take his eyes off the gem, and it gave him some comfort just holding it in his hand, it reminded him of home, and of Itachi, because it was the same color as the Sharingan eyes of his clan. Though right then he didn't even know if he would ever see home again. He sniffled, curling once more into a ball as he let himself drift off into a restless sleep, scared, cold, wet, and alone in the dark.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

Sasuke opened his eyes just as dawn was approaching over the trees, making his sore and shaky limbs tighten up as he stretched from his spot on the floor. His clothes were still damp and smelled of mildew, and as he looked down in the daylight he saw just how bad he had gotten torn up from the fall. His entire body was covered in scratches and bruises, and there was a huge gash in his knee from where he had hit. Not to mention the hand he had slammed in the water the night before was swollen and red, and if he had to guess the boy would say it was broken.

 

He let out a groan, squeezing the stone even more tightly in his hand as he struggled to his feet, wondering how he was ever going to make it back up that hill as he stared up at the perilous height.

 

Diving right into the task he grabbed at a root, tugging up on it with his good hand and getting some good footing, using all the strength left in him to pull his body up. He continued this way, struggling with all he had to inch his way up the side of the steep hill. His bones ached and cracked, but he ignored the pain. If he didn't get up this now then he never would! Then he would be left alone!

 

Using this as new motivation he tried to hurry his pace, ignoring the way the roots and branches on the side of the hill cut his face and ripped up his hands. He could see the top now! He was nearly there! He would get there, and then he would go find his niisan and wish him happy birthday! A smile came to his face as he hefted one leg over the edge, pulling himself up very slowly and then rolling his body away from the side of the hill, having no strength left in him at the time to even move.

 

He tried once to get up, but found that he didn't have the strength so he decided to rest for a moment and recuperate his strength. Uncurling his hurt hand, he brought the stone out, holding it up to the sun and marveling how it creating a red glow onto anything it shined against. It seemed to lull him into a state of peace as he couldn't take his eyes off it. He knew his brother would love it, because he had only had it for a little bit and already he didn't want to let it go! He would though, because he would give anything to Itachi.

 

“Sasuke!” Speaking of Itachi…he could have sworn he heard his niisan's voice. “Otouto answer me!” Well now he was almost sure of it! Itachi's voice filtered in through the many trees, and he didn't sound more than 200 feet away.

 

Forcing his body to move out of pure excitement Sasuke stumbled up, half limping through the trees as he ran towards the sound of the voice. “Niisan!” He cried. “Aniki I'm here!” He couldn't believe Itachi had come looking for him…their parents were probably very mad that he had skipped school and had sent his brother to come bring him back for punishment.

 

His run soon slowed down to a trot as he pictured all the horrible things he would have to do to make up for this. Mother would make him do dishes for a week…and he didn't even want to think about what Father would do when he found out. He stopped walking altogether, seriously considering turning around and living forever as a hermit out in the woods rather than going home to face his father's wrath.

 

“Gotcha!” He almost yelped as two arms wrapped around him from behind and he was pulled backwards into an almost desperate hug. “Oh Sasuke…thank God!” The boy was shocked as Itachi held him to his body, burying his face in his shoulder as they just stood there together.

 

“Niisan?” He still didn't know what Itachi was doing out here, and he especially didn't know why he seemed to be so upset. “What are you doing out here?”

 

At the question he was promptly spun around, and Itachi crouched to his knees, laying his hands on the younger's shoulders so that they were eye level. “What am I doing out here? Otouto do you have any idea how worried Otousan and Okasan have been?” He shook his head disbelievingly as he continued to stare down his now guilty looking little brother.

 

That guilty feeling only heightened as he noticed the dark bags under Itachi's eyes from obvious lack of sleep. Had he been out looking all night? “But I wasn't gone that long!...I was just trying to find something!”

 

“You can't do things like this.” Itachi scolded. “You've been gone for over a day…Mother's been crying ever since Iruka-sensei told her that you hadn't shown up for school.” The guilt increased as he bit his bottom lip in a pout, not at all liking the way Itachi was practically yelling at him. “Do you know how upset she'd be if something happened to you?” Now up until this point Sasuke had been staring dejectedly towards the ground but the elder's hand tilted his head up to that he was looking in his eyes. “What would we do without you, Sasuke?”

 

The statement was so quiet and sincere that Sasuke felt his eyes soften as he let a smile light up his face when Itachi leaned in, placing their foreheads together and just leaning against him for what he wished to be all eternity, but was probably just mere minutes. Finally his brother pulled away, laying a kiss on his damp spikes as he got back to his feet.

 

The elder reached out, ruffling his little brother's hair in affection as he gave him a relieved smile. “Let's get you home. You could do with a hot bath and a change of clothes.” He leaned forward to whisper in the younger's ear teasingly. “Because sorry to have to tell you this Otouto, but you kind of stink.” He teased, and Sasuke bristled at the statement, reaching out to whack at his cruel older brother who quickly evaded his attack and instead scooped him up, carrying him on his back so that Sasuke's arms were wrapped around his neck while Itachi had a good hold of him from behind.

 

As Itachi quickly jumped from tree to tree through the forest the younger Uchiha couldn't help but think about what his brother had said. He had scolded him for being out, and he had said how worried he had made everyone, and yet as he was saying it Sasuke pretended that he meant that he was the one actually worried. He buried his face in the back of Itachi's neck, taking in his spicy scent as he imagined his brother really couldn't live without him.

,,,,,,,,,,,

 

When they had gotten home Sasuke had been smothered by his mother in what felt like a strangulating hug as she went on and on about how she thought she lost him, and she of course made him promise never to do anything like that again. His father, however, hadn't been near as forgiving. He had yelled at him for what felt like an hour about bringing disgrace to their name, and lectured him about not being responsible like Itachi. Then of course he had been grounded and sent to his room without breakfast, which really was a punishment seeing as how he hadn't eaten in over a day.

 

He wasn't about to complain though. After the day he had had all he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sleep. His mother told him she would run him a hot bath when he woke up, and nodding tiredly he hadn't hesitated in walking his tired limbs to his room and falling onto his bed to sleep.

 

Though he hadn't been allowed to do such a thing, because Itachi had followed him to his room after the elder had grabbed a roll of bandages from the medical cabinet and a washcloth.

 

Making Sasuke sit up, Itachi carefully washed all the dirt and gravel that had gotten into the cuts in his legs away, cleaning them so that you could only see the red inflamed skin as fresh blood began to seep through. Before the wounds began to bleed too badly Itachi began to wrap his calves in the bandages, never once saying a word or even acknowledging his very existence other than to dress his wounds.

 

As a matter of fact the only time Sasuke still knew his brother could speak was when he reached his hand, and Itachi was forced to talk to him due to the loud yelp the younger made when he tried to touch it.

 

“What did you do to it?” He asked, lifting up his wrist and assessing the damage of the still tightly closed wrist.

 

“I banged it on something.” The boy replied, pulling back as he suddenly remembered his reason for the trip in the first place. “I got you something Niisan!”

 

Itachi raised an eyebrow. “Oh? I wasn't aware that they had stores out in the middle of the woods.” Sasuke let his lip stick out, pulling his hand away and crossing his arms in a pout.

 

“Don't be mean!” He cried, happiness dying at the lack of enthusiasm from his brother.

 

Sighing in resignation, his brother held out his hand, silently asking for the present, and Sasuke was only too happy to comply. Bouncing up and down in excitement he held out his hand, opening his dirty palm to reveal the small piece of stone that he had worked so hard to obtain.

 

Picking the red gem out of his brother's filthy hand, Itachi studied it carefully, all the while Sasuke beamed with delight. “Do you like it!? Huh!? Do yeh!? Do yeh!?” He badgered. “I went all the out there to get it!...It's your birthday present!”

 

Itachi looked up at that, his eyebrow rose a little in surprise. “Is that the reason you went out there?” Without hesitation Sasuke excitedly nodded, causing his aniki to slowly shake his head, reaching out once again to ruffle his spikes. “Foolish Otouto…you really can be strange sometimes.”

 

Getting up, Itachi headed to the door, but Sasuke's shouting of “Happy Birthday, Aniki!” stopped him in his tracks.

 

Giving him a smile, his brother glanced down to the small stone in his hand. “Get some sleep Otouto.” Was the last thing he said before shutting off the lights to his room and closing the door.

~~~back~~~

 

Sasuke practically dropped the old worn book to the floor as the realization hit him. He had given Itachi unknowingly a part of the stone, and his bastard of a brother had had it fashioned into a necklace, which he had always worn around his neck. The Uchiha had thought it had been out affection, but he understood now that, like all the things his big brother had done for him, it had been a lie.

 

This big mission that he had sent him on had been because he was the only one that knew of the location, and Itachi probably wanted the entire stone for himself. Sadly…he had no choice in the matter. His brother was a master of breaking promises, and yet he had a feeling that this wasn't going to be one of those times. Because no matter how much he knew Itachi despised him he had a feeling that seeing the torture on his face as he was forced to writhe under him in the most whorish ways was one of his aniki's favorite pastimes.

 

“Sasuke are you alright?' He heard his sensei ask, and as a natural reaction he shot out and `I'm fine!' before shoving the book back into his hands.

 

“I have to go.” He explained, not bothering to clean up the mess he had left on the floor as he walked briskly towards the exit. If it had been anyone else he had given such a hasty good-bye to he knew there would be questions, but it was Kakashi, and if anyone understood at all it was the copy ninja, and so he knew he would not be followed.

 

His footsteps carried him upon the familiar path towards his old home, and he tried not to think about how he used to be so happy when making this trek. Going home meant seeing his big brother after all, and bragging about all the things he had accomplished in class and hoping he would notice. …Now all he hoped for was to be left alone. All he wanted was to be released from the darkness that had surrounded his life ever since Itachi had decided to take up the blade and strike their family. It was then that his brother had taken the pure love of a child and turned it into the dark and twisted creation it was today.

 

He glanced around at the broken in windows, as the smell of decay entered his nostrils. This district of town just radiated death, even though all the bodies had been long since removed. He hated coming here, and that hate festered even stronger now, because now when he thought of Itachi the straight lines of revenge he had set were starting to blur, and so now when he saw the ghostly houses all he felt was guilt. In his mind he was as big of a traitor as his brother himself.

 

Stalking through the woods was considerably easier than it had been as a kid, and it was almost like deja vue as he glanced up at the slowly thickening trees. He could remember the feeling of fear he had had while grew more and more lost, but then the desire to make his aniki happy had out trumped that fear…it always did, because that has always been the most important thing. Even though he hated him, he still did everything he asked. Itachi had trained him well, and he was sure his brother knew it.

 

The trees were continuing to get thicker, and he knew that he was close to the cliff that had almost taken his life back then. He had a feeling that it would be considerably easier to find in the daylight, and with his skills he wouldn't have a problem getting up and down it. Though as he saw the edge and looked down into the chasm he seriously started to wonder how he had ever gotten out of that alive. The drop down to the bottom had to be at least 75 feet. Shaking his head in resignation, he gave a running leap and landed without incident at the bottom. Now all he had to do was find the stone.

 

Landing easily on the ground, Sasuke didn't bother to look around at the oddly beautiful area in the trees as he had when he was younger, there was no need. His life was not beautiful. It was a never-ending stream of unfortunate events that led him closer and closer to a dark abyss just like the one he was walking towards right now. What was the point in admiring beauty when the one you care for the most was just going to rip it away and leave you once again with nothing?

 

Glancing down towards the cave he felt a cold gush of wind shoot up from inside it, making goosebumps rise on his flesh and an eerie chill travel down his spine. That had been the cave that had almost claimed his life. How much easier things would have been if he had only died then. He would have never seen the travesties of that night, or know that his beloved brother was the man standing in the shadows. He would have never had to feel the way he did now…which with the ever present guilt of wanting nothing more in the world than to see Itachi again as he always had when he was younger. Only this time he didn't want his niisan to play with him or help him train. No, he wanted to be lying on his back moaning underneath him as he made him feel the way no one else could. It was such a dirty sensation, and yet he craved it above all others in the world.

 

Shaking his head, Sasuke then headed over to the pool of water, and even in the daylight without the help from the moon the clear water still seemed to give off a glow. He wondered, would the stone still be there after all these years, or had someone else on random stumbled upon it and felt that same pull he had? He sighed, slipping off his shoes, the wrappings on his legs, and finally his shirt…there really was only way to find out.

 

With that thought in mind he dived in, letting the cool water freeze his limbs and give them a tingling sensation as he swam towards the bottom. It was shallower than he remembered, but then again he was a bigger and it was probably infinitely easier for him to reach the bottom than the scared frightened kid that tried to in the pitch dark.

 

Though the deeper and deeper he swam he saw that maybe he had underestimated the deepness of the water. No matter how hard he swam, he never seemed to get any closer to the bottom, and the bigger half of the stone was nowhere in sight.

 

He could hold his breath for a long time, but as he continued to go deeper he was pushing two minutes. If he didn't see anything soon he was going to have to go back up and try it again. Though it seemed like such a waste, and so fighting off the lightheadedness and added pressure he continued in his descent.

 

The deeper he got, the darker his vision became, and as he glanced back to the surface he saw that hardly any light was getting through. He had gone deeper than he thought, and with the rate of his burning lungs he wasn't even sure if he could make it back to the surface now without passing out from lack of air.

 

He needed to make a decision now; because if he didn't head up soon there was a good chance he wouldn't make it back up at all. He glanced once more towards the surface, before looking down into the depths of the water to try to determine if he could risk a few more feet, and that's when he saw it. A little glimmer of hope in the form of a twinkle out of the corner of his eye that was coming from farther down the pool. It could be it, and he could go for it, but chances are even it turned out to be the stone that he wouldn't make it back up to the surface.

 

Yet, he knew he couldn't go back without the stone. Pressing back the burning pain in his lungs as they screamed for air he kicked his feet lower, heading towards his tiny glimmer of hope that seemed to be stuck in a crevice. Touching the bottom of the pool his hands grabbed onto the gritty stone, pulling himself further down in what seemed to be a cavern at the bottom, and as he pulled himself inside he saw the crimson glow that only a gem that supposedly came from the Sharingan could create. He had found it!

 

Swimming into the almost suffocatingly tight crevice he reached out for it, but just like the depth to the bottom the stone appeared to be much closer than it actually was. He swam further into the hole, fighting back unconsciousness the entire time as he desperately made a swipe for it. He had to get to it!

 

His eye sight was beginning to black out as he reached frantically for the stone, knowing he had to get a hold of it…wanting it more than anything other than Itachi himself. Pushing himself forward he did a half-barrel role in the small cave, fingertips barely touching the stone and grasping it as he rolled further in. However, even though he was hailing his victory it didn't really matter because just as he had grabbed hold of it his eyes slid shut and everything else started to dim.

 

He was vaguely aware that he was floating, and to him it might as well have been as if he were floating through time and space itself. Nothing seemed real…everything was numb. It was nice. It was nice to not the feel the ever-present pain anymore. He was glad that even with all the sins he had committed he was allowed to feel a moment of reprieve before the end.

 

The end didn't come though, because just as he had come to accept the fact that he was going to die down in this water, and no one around would care enough to find his corpse, his face collided with the top of the cavern, and a tiny air pocket allowed him to refill his lungs that were now too numb to scream in protest.

 

Gasping in the little bit of air he was allowed, Sasuke's eyes shot open as he glance around, and they widened as he saw that the air pocket seemed to stretch further into the hole before actually opening up to what looked to be an underground cave hidden beneath.

 

Struggling to turn around, Sasuke pulled himself further in, coming up through what looked to be a wading pool and into a humongous cavern. Wet spikes shook out the water they had collected, and he took gasp after gasp of the sweet air he had taken for granted until now. It had never felt so good to fill his lungs and get that natural high that came from such an every day thing. He had never thought in a million years that he want so much to keep breathing forever.

 

After his lungs had had their fill of air they once more began to scream in protest, and he started to cough, crawling up out of the wading pool and onto the flat surface of the cave, not even caring that he was in the pitch dark without a single source a light to be found. He was a shinobi, he could deal with navigating through the dark, it was the things that lay in the dark that worried him.

 

Getting up to his feet, he knew that he had to find a way out of this predicament and so he began heading like a blinded soul towards the unknown, hoping to find the exit somewhere. Holding up his hand he waited until he felt a slight breeze coming from the left, and knowing there had to be an opening that way changed his path to head in that direction.

 

He treaded carefully, making sure his footsteps were silent. The last thing he wanted to do was wake up whatever may lay in the depths of the cave. He slipped the stone into his pocket, not wanting to drop it if trouble should arise as he pulled out a kunai. If his skills served him correctly he should be in the cave he had almost fallen into before, and as such if he continued heading in the direction he was he should reach the mouth of it and be able to crawl out in the same hole he had almost fallen in.

 

His bare feet slapped up against the sharp rocks, cutting them and making him wince as he continued on. He had no idea what it was, but he could feel the presence of life all around him.

 

The cold cave made his bones shake, and he cursed his wet skin as it made the trek even more miserable than it already was. He couldn't be too far away now though. If his calculations were correct the mouth of the cave should be just up ahead, and judging by the glimmer of light he was seeing through the darkness he would have to say that they were.

 

He made it to the other side of the cave, smelling a bit of fresh air compared to the musty air that smelled of apple cider. His hands touched the edge of the cavern as he glanced upwards, seeing the sun just beginning to set behind the clouds. If he didn't hurry up it would be nightfall before he made it to the top.

 

Taking a deep breath, he concentrated on his chakra flow, sending it to the balls of his feet. This would be immensely easier than when he was a child…at least that's what he thought until the mild vibrations from his chakra flow vibrating through the floor happened to wake up what lie in the deep.

 

His heightened senses picked up what had to be hundreds of wings flapping at the same time, and knowing what was coming he ducked down to the floor, covering his head as a wave of bats swept over, hitting his body in their mad dash to get up and out of the hole.

 

Sasuke winced as their claws scratched at his head, and more than one body rammed into him at alarming speeds. Even thought he was protecting himself he knew that he had to get out of there as soon as possible.

 

Keeping his head down he made a mad dash for the side of the cave, running up the slick wall in time with the hoard of bats and managing to grab onto the edge just into before he fell.

 

Scrambling over the ledge, Sasuke immediately got to his feet, running forward with his head down and waving his hands, trying to get off any traces that a bat had touched him. “Why the hell did it have to be bats?” He grumbled to himself, feeling a chill go up his spine at the very idea. He. Did. Not. Like. Bats. There was just something about a furry little rodent being able to fly that always wigged him out beyond belief!

 

Shaking in disgust he tried to get over his slightly traumatic experience by reaching into his pocket and pulling out the thing he had risked his life for. He held the red stone up to the setting sun, easily being able to tell where the piece had broken off that he had given to his brother. Kakashi wasn't lying, when ever he looked at the stone all he could picture were his brother's eyes, and he felt an off longing deep inside him that he couldn't place. Perhaps it was for his clan, or perhaps it was for the one who had taken them all away.

 

It didn't matter anymore though, because he had no right any longer to justify anything to the bones of his family. After all he was becoming just like their murderer. Hell, he was even on his way to join the same criminal organization that he had!

 

Slumping back onto the grass due to pure exhaustion, Sasuke stared up at the clouds, watching the sun slowly set behind them, and that's when he caught sight of it. A tree…the very same tree that had saved his life all those years ago. Pushing himself to his feet he walked over, examining the towering monster in greater detail.

 

It seemed enormous as he looked up, and unlike the dead branches of before it now sprouted beautiful golden flowers that made it almost seem to glow in the light of the setting sun. Those flowers, they reminded him of the past…funny that the tree that had saved his life had been the one to contain them all along.

 

Reaching into his bag he brought out a shuriken, tossing it skillfully into the trees and slicing through the flowered branches. His slicing skills were sharp, and flower after flower began to fall from the tree.

 

He smiled, liking the affect and pulled out more shuriken from his bag containing his weapons. He knew he should be preserving his stock, but all care flew through the window as he began tossing them towards the flowered tree, slicing the petals off and making them fall through the air like snow on a cold winter's day.

 

He hadn't realized he was smiling lazily up at the sky until he suddenly felt an angled hand cracking against the back of his neck, expertly striking the pressure point there that could knock an opponent unconscious... just like it was doing to him now. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly as his mind started to recede into blackness, and the last thing that he could clearly make out as he fell backwards was the shadowy figure coming to stand over his body and the blossoms floating down around them. Though while his eyes gave out, his sense of hearing continued to fight against the onslaught of unconsciousness.

 

“You always were persistent, Otouto,” came a deep voice from beyond the darkness. Sasuke couldn't place it right away... but it was clearly male... and it clearly referred to him as `brother'... Which could only mean it was-

 

“It-atchi...” Sasuke mumbled, eyelids furiously twitching, fighting to open.

 

“Don't fight it, you will only knocked out again if you do,” Itachi's low voice seemed to be fading... it was so close... yet so hard to hear... as if he were whispering against Sasuke's ear.

 

Damn it... he couldn't fight unconsciousness much longer... and maybe he didn't want to... he was so tired... so exhausted...

 

As Sasuke's mind fell into darkness he felt the soft weight of flower petals caressing and landing on his cheek, not missing the last string of words that came from his older brother... though at this point he couldn't tell if it was real or imagined.

 

“Tengoku no hana... the Flower of Heaven... Sasuke, really, you never cease to amuse me.”

 

And with that Itachi's soft mumble of the golden, star-like flower's name was the only thing left whispering about the immediate vicinity as his silhouetted figure washed across the landscape, the lax body of his brother held against his chest.

 

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

 

 

A.N- Happy Valentine's Day! This chapter was oddly adorable and sweet…which if you're used to reading my stuff you would know I don't do all that often, and so yay! (huggles her Itachi and Sasuke plushies) Who knew Itachi could be such a sweetheart…in his own way. But yeah this chapter moved the story along a whole bunch, and next chapter is gonna be even better!

 

Thanks so much to my new beta myownlife, and to Dembo for helping me a ton with this chapter…she even wrote a small part of it…I love both of you and am forever grateful!

 

And thanks to all of you for reading my fic and reviewing and I hope to hear more from you because that's what really keeps me going!...(is now off to write Dembo's V-day present) till next time!