Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Dead By Eclipse ❯ Chapter 11

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Nope, do not own Naruto.

A/N: yeah! so close to being finished! i'm sad yet happy.

A huge thank you to all who reviewed! Yes, I got Kira's name from Death Note (I love that show). I remember reading somewhere that Kira roughly translates as killer and that is why I chose it for her name. I never memorized the ring positions either... I got it off the internet. lol. I'm glad Itachi has been kept in character according to the reviews. *sweat drops* He's a tough cookie to keep in character. lol.

n y wayz, on to the chapter... and this will likely be the hardest chapter yet for me to write cause of where it goes.

Warning: chapter contains references to sexual content and possible obscene language.

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Ryoko answers a bit dryer than before, a bitter hint to it, like a mouse who has been overplayed with by the cat. "You are wearing his clothes Sasuke. It's obvious you are lovers... you could have told me."

A strong heat entered my cheeks as Itachi's arms gripped me even more possessively at her words. I feel filthy now, my dirty secret thrown in front of everyone, and the sickness began churning my stomach.

"No, you're my friend-" I began, but Itachi cut me off.

"Otouto, kill her..."

His voice deadly low, laced with an air that dared me to test him, one that sent a cold chill down my spine as it smoothly, calmly, oh so painstakingly stroked the fine hairs of my skin.

"Before I kill you."

Chapter 11- Choices

I take in a deep breath as I thought about Naruto, my betrayal to him, and I slowly let it out feeling my muscles quiver in Itachi's grip. I think back to Naruto's face, how it twisted in pain at the knowledge of what I did to him... and for what? I don't even have my clan back.

Rage strikes through me at the thought. That is right... HE lied to me again... HE betrayed ME again...

I raise my eyes to meet Ryoko's and a pain rips through my heart as I see her dull, lifeless eyes filled with pain and the knowledge of betrayal. And I want desperately to see those golden eyes flash with life and excitement just like Naruto's eyes, and I cannot help but wonder if I stole the life from Naruto's eyes that night... just like Kira stole it from hers.

And it is all HIS fault... HE led you along again... HE betrayed you again...

I grit my teeth as the rage begins to boil my blood beneath my skin. I can feel the warmth of my skin flush melting his icy grip on me, my heart racing the pure anger through my body spinning my head.

You are just a puppet to him... and he is pulling your strings again... puppet...

"ITACHI!!!" I shriek as I throw his arms off of me.

I spin around to face him, now standing directly between him and Ryoko. I gasp for air, the anger and energy I screamed into his name leaving me winded. Itachi narrows his eyes lightly to me as he eyes me with a daring look. I clench my fists, my knuckles turning white in my grip, as I feel my hand begin to numb with the effort. I set my jaw hard, the tendons tightening, as I meet Itachi's eyes with the hardest glare I could give him, one that screams for him to fuck with me further.

"Kisame..." Itachi breathes calmly, the ice in the calm voice spoken like deceptive daggers hidden beneath a still, glass ocean. He raises his arm in one sweep and points to Kira's sword which is stuck in the tree. His eyes never leave mine.

Kisame chuckles darkly. "Right."

I hear the ruffle of leaves as Kisame moves across the forest floor, followed by a sick cracking sound. And all the while, Itachi is simply staring at me with a never changing look. I gasp as the sword appears in my vision, swooping through the air from being thrown, and lands in Itachi's outstretched hand as if it was called by him.

Itachi holds the unbroken gaze, as he carefully, smoothly brings the sword out in front of him, and points it at my neck. I gasp lightly, as I tear my eyes away from his hash stare to look at the sword. I can see the moonlight reflecting on the blade perfectly, giving the false impression that it has never seen battle. I swallow hard, and I can feel my fists start to shake now with the effort, as I slide my eyes along the blade back to his eyes.

Itachi says nothing, his eyes iced over with blood. And it is frightening how deadly calm his face is without a single muscle flawing his features with anger, amusement, or any other human emotion. His eyes are still narrowed, and in a calm manner that sends my heart running, as his bloodied eyes appear to shine in the darkness.

It is now that I feel my chest constrict in the power of his gaze, as the panic begins to tighten my chest sending my breaths out it shaky rasps. I swallow again, as I clear my throat, the adrenaline beating through me stronger than in any battle. My palms became slick, and I set my eyes in the strongest glare I could give praying that my fear does not show through them.

"No." I say it as forcefully as I can, and the word shakes through my lips from the force. "I'm not killing her."

I hear Ryoko gasp behind me, and I imagine in my head the life returning to her eyes. I pray that she is smiling, that I finally am the one responsible for my friends' joys and not sorrows. I feel her hands rest on my back, and I jump lightly beneath the touch. My muscles relax slightly as they become accustomed to her presence, the slight touch giving me the strength to finish my sentence.

"If you want to kill her, you'll have to go through me!" I shout the last words, the forcefullness of them surprising even me, and I am pleased that not a single one shook.

For a moment, nothing happens, and I wonder if I only said those words in my head. Itachi shows no signs that he even heard the words, and then his eyes loosen from their narrow stare as his brow relaxes into a glass gaze. His face now reminds me of a dolls, as if it was chizeled from a flawless opal, and then I remind myself that dolls cannot stare at you like that... and the intensity of his eyes sent a chill down my spine.

I jump slightly, as Itachi lowers his sword, and takes a single step towards me. It is then that his look becomes unreadable, and I begin wishing his eyes were still narrowed and showing some sign of humanity. Such an intense gaze... the deadly calm of the blood in his eyes, and it is becoming hard to breathe now as my throat tightens from the implication as I try desperately to decipher his thoughts.

Another step, slowly, painstakingly, as he takes in every slight reaction of mine, the sweat dribbling down the side of my face, the way my muscles quiver with each step as if it is an earthquake, the wavering confidence in my eyes, I can see it all sucking into his eyes like a black hole.

"Otouto..." He whispers, his voice smooth as glass, as he takes another step forward. "You've grown..."

"I..." I try to answer, as the words catch in the tightness of my throat, and my eyes widen as he comes yet closer with another step.

"Standing up to me like this..." So deceptively calm, and I can only stand frozen in place waiting for the storm.

He takes another step forward, his eyes burning right through me, and I feel naked now standing in front of him, as all my composure melts away and my breath becomes ragged. My body is now drenched in sweat and I am terrified knowing in just a couple more steps he will be infront of me, death will be standing before me. I begin screaming at myself to just grab Ryoko and run, but my muscles refuse to respond, and I find I cannot look away from his eyes as their power holds me in my place.

"I am impressed..." And with those calmly spoken words flowing from such a perfectly still, emotionless face, everything stopped.

I could feel my eyes blink, momentarily blacking out his eyes, as his words fully registered. "W-Wha-" I gasp, as the shock fully takes over my body. He is impressed?...

His cold fingers graze the side of my face, and it occurs to me that Itachi is standing directly in front of me now. The gentleness of his touch catches me off guard, and I can feel my body fully relax beneath it as my muscles loosen their fear. I stare back at him questioningly, unsure of his intensions, as his icy fingers travel down my sweat-slickened face.

"You love me, Otouto?" He questions, his smooth voice like silk on my skin, stroking me to his likening.

I blink a few more times, my face contorting in confusion, as my muscle tense back up and my brain begins to spin over the notion of run or stay. His empty eyes stare at me, like stone red rubies showing no hint of his intention, and I begin to think, this must be what his victims see before he kills them. His fingers press lightly into my skin on my neck, and I remember he is waiting for an answer, as I slowly nod my yes.

I feel his fingers ghost over my neck as they slide back up their slickened path and cup my face. My heart skips a beat, as a light blush covers my cheek, and I picture how lovingly he held Naruto's head in my dreams... and how lovingly he must be holding mine. He carefully, gently held my face as he leans in closer, and I can feel the heat of his breath graze across my face sending my heart racing with a new emotion beyond anger or fear. My eyes loosen, as I stare back into his red gems.

And I felt Itachi's fingers brush along the side of my face, moving over me like ice melting over my skin.

"Otouto..." my heart skips a few more beats, as my mind spins with his words, his breath breathing new life over me as it washes over my face.

"I have waited so long to..." Itachi spoke calmly as he leans in further, and my heart began to race as I waited eagerly for those three words to leave his lips... and he is going to say it, finally, the words I have waited so long to hear... to love you...

"... kill you..."

My eyes widen in shock as I feel a sharp pain rip through my stomach. I stare into the cold blood of his scarlet eyes, as I try to register what just happened. I reach down and wrap my hands around a cold, steel blade, and run my fingers along it until I reach my stomach. It is then that the reality settles in.

I hear Ryoko cough behind me, and feel her forehead rest on my upper back, and a hot liquid runs down my spine as I hear her begin to gag. Then I feel her touch leave me and hear a sickening slice as she slides off the blade, followed by a thud as she hits the ground.

"Itachi." I gasp, as I meet his eyes again.

And reality crashes down on me as it hits me how his face has not changed at all. His face is still deadly calm, void of all emotions, and his eyes are staring at me with a cold calm that only further chills my blood. I feel a pressure in my stomach as he tries to slide the sword further in. I gasp, and grip the cold blade trying desperately to hold it off as I squeeze my eyes shut. My legs shake as a strong convulsion overtakes my body, and I feel something hard hit me from behind.

I cough hard, a violent shake ripping through me, as I painfully open my eyes to find I am on the ground and Itachi is leaning over me with the sword in his hand now pointing at my throat. I shake lightly, staring at my blood as it drips down the steel blade onto my throat, the hot liquid burning my skin as it slides over it.

"If you don't kill me," Itachi cold voice breaks the silent, "I'm going to have to kill you."

Did he just tell me to kill him. I think to myself in shock. I imagine his blood on my hands, the same blood I have sworn for so many years to spill, and I find the thought now sickening to me... painful even. And I realize my head has just shaken 'no' on its own accord.

I feel the point of the blade place pressure on the tender notch at the bottom of my throat. As I stare into his silent, calm eyes, I can feel my pulse race beneath the point of the blade. He would not really... I feel the pressure deepen, and my heart takes on a deafening boom in my ears... and I can hear it synchronize with the clock as it slowly winds down to zero.

terrified...

I beg him silently with my eyes as I feel all the power leak from my muscles leaving me helpless beneath him. Something cold, something steel enters my hand, as I slide my hand down to my thigh and grip the kunai in the pouch. I can feel the hot tears sting my eyes as they slowly slide down my cheeks, and a deep cold sensation begins to tinge my body... and I become terrified... is it death?...

alone...

I slightly expect Naruto to come bounding through the forest trees to rescue me, and I almost laugh at such an expectation. Those bridges are burned, and the only one who waits for me now is Itachi. His cold scarlet eyes scar into me shining with a light brighter than the moon, and it strikes me now that there is a demon sitting above me holding death to my throat, as I silently beg this demon to release me please release me finally.

"Otouto, as you wish." His cold, calm reply.

And I almost think he read my mind, as I wait for him to climb off of me. It is then that I feel the blade press deeper yet onto my throat, as he gazes right through me with those glassy calm eyes, and the blade oh so slowly breaks the skin. It is strange, how carefully and slowly he presses the blade into me, and I gasp as I feel the warm liquid creep up around the cold blade. His eyes watch, tantalizing me with the knowledge of release from this prison he has thrown me into. I can hear his smooth, icy voice whisper to me like a dream, "You do not desire life."

desperate...

I gasp again, my pulse racing through me, and I feel as if my hands are bound again, and I am in this dark prison again, staring down this hole terrified with the knowledge of what is to come. I watch staring up above me at the sky as his body slides further over me, and it was then that Itachi eclipsed the moon, its pale light engulfing him like a silver halo casting him as a shadow, his bloodied eyes taking on an eerie glow from his darkened state. I squeeze my eyes shut greeting the darkness as he burrows the blade deeper, my muscles clenching with the fear. I can feel my breath pushing and releasing against the blade as my mind spins.

desperate...

aniki.

please... release me...

"I want to live!!!"

My terrified shriek mixed with my words filled my ears and I felt the blade still in my flesh. A warm liquid snakes around my hand erasing the cold from my grip. I slowly open my eyes and blink, expecting this to be a dream which vanishes from sight. But it didn't. Itachi is leaning over me with a kunai gouged into his chest. He slowly removes the blade from my throat and drops the sword next to me. I absent mindedly bring my fingers up to my throat as I finger the hole there. It is deep, but not life threatening.

Itachi calmly takes my hand which is still gripping the kunai and pulls the weapon from his flesh. I watch, entranced by how much blood leaves the wound, and I almost expect him to slump over lifelessly from it. He moves the blade a few centimeters to the right, aiming my hand carefully to point exactly over his heart, as he holds my eyes in his powerful gaze.

"This is the lethal point, Otouto." His voice is still and even, and I gasp at his calm words.

He releases my hand, and it drops limply to my side, as I stare up at him cold from the events. His face remains expressionless as he regards me with scrutiny, his eyes analyzing me as they etch over my face only to land back on my ebony eyes. A satisfied look enters his gaze, and he rises in one smooth motion, as if there isn't a hole in his chest.

"You pass." Comes his calm reply, as if ordering a decree.

Kisame chuckles. "I'll make the contact then." He closes his eyes and holds up his hands in a sign as his face etches in concentration.

Itachi turns his back to me and begins to walk away. I shake my head hard. I pass?... I shoot up to a sitting position, and hiss as I grip my stomach in pain.

"You will not die." Itachi's calm words only fuel my anger. "I aimed for her vital point, not yours."

"Shut up." I grit my teeth as I force myself to stand despite the sharp pain.

Itachi pauses, and looks slightly over his shoulder. The shadows of the night block out the side of his face, but I can still see the blood of his sharingan as it burns through the dark. I dig my fingers into the wound in anger, as I hold it in a hard grip. I glare at him, the rage boiling to hate inside of me.

"A test... this was all a test!!" I shout enraged.

Itachi turns fully to face me. "To test your mettle." He closes his eyes calmly. "It is of the utmost importance."

"What the hell does murder have to do with testing my abilities!!!" My shouts cut through the forest, and I hear birds squaking as they fly into the forest startled from the noise.

"He wasn't testing your ability kid," Kisame chuckles as he moves beside Itachi and slips something into his hand which Itachi closes inside a hard grip, "He was testing your staying quality."

Itachi opens his eyes, and their sharpness startles me for a moment. "What are you talking about!" I demand, the power of my voice causing Kisame to blink, and then chuckle.

"Your desire to live, Otouto." Itachi answers calmly.

"What the hell for... I am sick of being fucked with!" I scream.

"There is nothing more important than a shinobi's desire to live. Their strength and vigor is what pushes them to win in battle. If your desire to live is weak, then you will not kill your opponent, and they will kill you." Kisame spoke matter of factly with a smirk on his face.

"You have no right to play with me! That's all you do! You are always playing with my emotions!" I shout, the anger causing me to tremble.

Kisame chuckles again. "Sentiment is next to foolishness."

"Ryoko is my friend!"

"And your sentiment led you into her betrayal." Kisame growls.

It is those words that led my anger to its climax. It felt as if something inside of me snapped, and all I saw was him in a clouded halo of rage.

"I am sick of all this shit! We're going to settle it!" I scream, as my legs took their flight.

I nearly flew over the ground, the rage and adrenaline blocking out the pain from my wound, and the smell of my own blood brought my thoughts to a new height as I imagined what it would smell like mixed with his. I lunge at Kisame, my fist flying through the air, and Kisame easily catches it as he grabs my throat and raises me off of my feet to his eye level.

"That's enough." Itachi says calmly, and I feel Itachi's chakra entering my body the moment he places his hand on my back.

"So I can't even play back when he plays." Kisame grumbles with a frown on his face. "Lucky kid."

"I'm not fucking playing!" I shout as I squirm in Kisame's grip trying to free my throat. His grip is oddly light, despite how I cannot seem to free myself.

"Hold still." Itachi speaks forcefully in an even tone.

There is a moments impulse in my body to thrash even harder, to holler and scream just to spite him. Then I think back to before 'You'll have to go through me!' and he did after all... he drove the sword right through me to her. I find my body remaining completely still for him until he removes his hand from my back.

Kisame smirks. "Hmph." Before he drops me to the ground like an old toy he is throwing away. I look down to what Itachi was doing only to find my stomach wound completely healed. I stare at it shocked, but I suppose I shouldn't be; afterall, why wouldn't Itachi have learned some form of healing jutsu by now.

It is then a ring enters my vision, the same light blue one Kira had worn on her finger. Itachi takes my left hand and slides the ring on my pinky swiftly before he fluidly glides back up to a standing position. I stare at it for a moment, confusion setting in over with suspicion lacing around its edges, before I climb to my feet. I glance momentarily at the rip in the chest area of Itachi's cloak, only to find his wound is already healed.

"What is this for." I ask suspiciously.

Itachi remains silently, his sharp eyes watching my movements carefully, with satisfaction dancing in his gaze while his face remains even and still. It is Kisame who smirks, his razor sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight, and answers my question.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki."

My eyes widen as I remain speechless for a moment, and then glare at them almost as if they had insulted me. "I'm not joining. I don't want anything to do with anything he is in!" I point accusingly to Itachi.

"It's not an invite. You're a member." Kisame chuckles. Kisame turns to Itachi. "Leader wants everyone to gather at the main base to welcome the new member."

Itachi nods his head lightly. "Come Otouto."

Itachi turns slightly to leave, but my scream stops him. "I'm not going anywhere with you! I hate you!"

I expect some sign of emotion to snap on his face, hurt, insult, but his face remains perfectly still void of any emotion as amusement flashes quickly across his eyes.

"I forced Deidara. I can force you." Came his calm, smooth reply, like silk running over me.

Itachi stares into my eyes, the intensity slowly erasing my nerve. I see a hint of satisfaction enter them as he turns easily and begins walking towards the trees, his footsteps silent despite the crispy leaves that litter the ground. I grit my teeth, ashamed of how easily I caved to his demands. Some shinobi... I think condescendingly to myself as I silently mock my strength.

Kisame chuckles and I look up to see him eyeing me in amusement. I fist my hands, wanting desperately to punch him. What's the point... he'll just block it.

"So is that what the test was for? To see if I was Akatsuki material? You're leader told Itachi to do this, didn't he?" I demand.

Kisame's smirk widens. "When the leader heard we had Itachi's little brother, he figured two sharingans were better than one. He ordered us to watch you train for a week to see if you were skilled enough to become Akatsuki.... but Leader never contacted us."

I glare hard at Kisame. "Then what's with 'testing my mettle' and having me battle Kira."

"It was my decision." Itachi answers coldly, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"Itachi was bored with how slow you were training." Kisame laughs in amusement.

"So I was just some game to you!" I scream.

"The game ended in the bar with Kira, Otouto. This was the test." Itachi answers calmly despite my anger, agitation lacing his words.

I yelp in surprise as Kisame lightly tugs on my hair pulling me forward with him. My feet quickly match his walking pace in order to loosen the pain. I glare upwards at Kisame as he lets go of my hair, his ebony eyes looking down at mine as he smirks.

"It's not a good idea to make Itachi wait." Kisame orders me with light force.

"I still have questions." I snap.

"Later. Right now we move." Kisame smirks. He's like an Itachi with visible emotions... heh.

I reluctantly nod, and with that we leap into the forest. I feel my nerves shake beneath the anger of my exterior as my mind races with thoughts of the future for the first time in years, and what will await me in the Akatsuki... and the pressure returns in my chest as I stare at Itachi's back and his words echo from the past.

Happiness is an illusion, Otouto...

His demonic red eyes burning into mine.

Aniki... my love is not an illusion.


Why is your love an illusion?...

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Kakashi surveys the forest scene as he glances among the small crators that were burrowed into the forest floor moments earlier. Tsunade walks up to a pile of ash clumped between two roots where a tree once stood. She touches the cold ash as she picks up a pinch in her fingers and rubs them between them. What kind of technique could have done this?...

"Oh my gosh..." Sakura gasps as she looks down at Kira. She holds her hands up to her mouth horrified. "She's... oh, she's-her... her spine was severed..."

"Sakura, that's enough. You don't need to look at her." Kakashi spoke in a gentle, forceful voice.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei. This is kind of weird." Naruto says as she looks at Ryoko and then the pile of blood that has pooled near her. "I mean, why is there a second pool of blood next to her... and then all those blotches of blood that lead over there and then there is a third pool."

Naruto scratches his chin in thought as Kakashi and Sakura walk over towards him. "I think she was injured over at the small puddle, and then she stumbled over here where she collapsed at the second pool, and then she crawled over here where she is laying now."

"No.. I don't think so." Sakura mutters as she stares at the foot prints near the second pool of blood. "Whoever made these foot prints were wearing sandles, and she is wearing boots."

"Yes, and judging from the direction of the foot prints, the person was injured here and ran over the the smaller pool of blood creating these blotches." Kakashi adds self assured.

Naruto frowns as his face flushes in embarrassment. "Yeah, I knew that." He laughs.

"No you didn't!" Sakura shouts irritated.

"You were right, Lady Tsunade. Whoever killed these two girls was extremely powerful. It's a good thing you insisted on coming. If he was still out here..." Kakashi speaks in a low, serious tone.

"Whoever killed these two girls was using a jutsu I have never seen before. To think that he was able to reduce an entire tree to ash, and for me to be able to sense his chakra all the way in Konoha from out here..." Tsunade spoke in an equally serious tone.

"But I thought you only sensed one person, and there are two bodies here." Naruto adds questioningly.

"That's cause he was the only one strong enough to be sensed from Konoha! Weren't you liste-!" Sakura made a disgusted expression. "Naruto! Quit touching the dead body!"

Naruto blinks a bit surprised, before he furrows his brow. "Hey... I don't think she's dead. She's really warm."

Kakashi and Sakura stare in shock before they move into the body. Kakashi feels near the neck for a pulse. "It's weak." He gasps quickly.

"Move aside!" Tsunade orders as she lays her hand on the wound which lays over her liver. Her hands instantly began to glow.

"Grandma Tsunade, is she going to be alright!" Naruto asks breathlessly.

"It's in a vital spot. I can stabilize her here, but I need to get her back to Konoha if she is going to live." Tsunade answers, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi watch on edge as Tsunade tries desperately to heal her. Tsunade opens her eyes as she raises an eyebrow looking down at the girl. For such a lethal wound, her blood loss is minimal. Yes, the wound is still bleeding, and it is still lethal, but...

Ryoko opens her eyes weakly, and mutters in a quiet, inaudible voice. "Sasuke..."

Sakura blinks, "Kakashi, what did she say?" Kakashi shrugs at her.

And Naruto's pupils shrink as he stares down at the red head, and his mouth slides open.

"Sasuke... where is he!"

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A/N:
O i, I never get a story done in the amount of chapters I say... why is that? Anyways, if you are wondering why Ryoko did not die, it is because she is a healer and started healing her wound before she fainted... but she is not as good of a healer as Tsunade so she could not heal it and would have died if it not for Tsunade finding her.

I figured Itachi would have picked up on some healing jutsus in all of his travels and what not, so I put that in there... I hope you guys like my decision on what happened to Sasuke. :) Itachi followed the leaders orders to test Sasuke by watching him train, but Itachi wasn't satisfied with the results. When Itachi saw Kira in the bar, his simple toying with Sasuke out of boredom turned into something a bit more... sinister... and Itachi decided to test Sasuke to see if he was Akatsuki material by seeing how badly Sasuke wants to live. When Sasuke refused to kill Ryoko, Itachi decided to see if Sasuke would be willing to kill him despite the fact that he loves him. Sasuke's blow was close to being completely lethal since it was near the heart, so he passed. :)

Please review and let me know how the chapter was! I'm eager to hear what you guys thought about this one.