Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Life Drabbles ❯ Misconceptions ( Chapter 7 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: shattered-words 
The mission was successful and went off without a hitch, then I returned to the horror that awaited me at home. If I had been there, I might have been able to save them. If I had been there, I would have died by my brethren’s side.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Shounen / Romance / Drama / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 10.05.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 144 | Status: Completed
The mission was successful and went off without a hitch, then I returned to the horror that awaited me at home. If I had been there, I might have been able to save them. If I had been there, I would have died by my brethren’s side.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Shounen / Romance / Drama / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 10.05.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 144 | Status: Completed
Misconceptions
Author: shattered-words
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it’d be called ‘Gaara’. So, isn’t a shame that I don’t own it? (Quote provided by ninjadruid13.)
Summary: The mission was successful and went off without a hitch, then I returned to the horror that awaited me at home. If I had been there, I might have been able to save them. If I had been there, I would have died by my brethren’s side.
AN: This is posted ahead of schedule and before Sasuke’s for a very specific reason. I felt this was a very significant part in Life Drabbles. Today (September 30, 2007) is the seventeenth anniversary of my uncle’s death and this is dedicated his memory.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Sometimes the simplest truth lay in the lies around us.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A figure darted over the high walls of Konoha undetected and accompanied by two others. It was identified as a male wearing bone-white chest, arm and shin armor. He wore black pants and matching sandals, and a sleeveless black shirt so the ANBU tattoo was visible on his left bicep.
There was a white mask worn over his features that identified him as Nezumi, and long black hair was tied into a low ponytail that trailed behind him. The other two ANBU wore the same attire and the one on his right had the Ushi mask and the ninja at his left had the Saru mask.
They were mere shadows to any walking the streets at this time of night. It was usual that they retire and give their report tomorrow morning. However, Rat sensed unrest within the village and decided it was best to head to Hokage Dairi immediately. Something was amiss within Konoha tonight.
As they neared the tower, they noticed the Third Seat heading in the same direction being led by Hebi. Nezumi nodded a greeting and it was promptly returned. Trailing behind the snake, and keeping rapid pace with him, were Usagi and Inoshishi.
“What has happened?” Nezumi murmured quietly as they hopped over the roofs toward the tower. They had just returned from their mission and had no idea what was going on.
“There’s been a massacre,” Hebi responded in his quiet tone that seemed to carry over the distance. The ANBU besides him stiffened but said nothing more since he knew the Snake well. He wasn’t one to reveal too much if he chose too, and he knew that he’d have to wait for his questions to be answered.
His brother’s face flashed through his mind and he was almost tempted to run toward the Uchiha compound but knew that his duty to the village had to come first. As had happened before, though, he was sorely tempted to throw obligation to the wind and go to his younger siblings’ side.
They arrived at the Hokage tower in no time and it was to see First Seat already there, which had Tatsu as the leader, leading Inu and Uma. His gaze passed over Dog momentarily but nothing more. He knew what his father always said about the silver haired man. That he was a thief and didn’t deserve to be a ninja.
Of course, he had never thought in such terms since he had met his uncle once. He had been a loudmouth and a ‘disgrace’ to their family, and he had cared deeply for his teammates. Obito had offered his Sharingan to Kakashi willingly, and then he had died.
He noticed that Fourth Seat was nowhere to be seen but that was understandable since the leader, Tora, was one of the best medic-nin they had at the moment. If there had been a massacre then her squad, which consisted of Hitsuji and Tori, would be dispatched to aid any that might have been left alive.
Many might wonder why a healer was the Tiger but anyone that had ever fought along side her knew. She had that feminine appeal that made you feel at home, but that same aura of hers turned cold as she became deadly in battle. With the Shosen Jutsu, the same hands used to heal easily ended life.
The Rat knew this well since he had been paired with her squad more than several times and he’d seen first hand the devastation she could cause. She was like a woman possessed while in battle, and he had no doubt that she was a mother.
Nezumi was quite shocked as First Seat surrounded and threw chakra draining nets over him. “What’s the meaning of this?” he demanded. They didn’t respond and lead him away with his confused ANBU squad following close behind.
He was brought before the Sandaime and forced to his knees in front of the desk as his hands were tied behind his back. The members of First Seat left him in the care of the remaining members of Second Seat. When the door closed he turned toward the Hokage who raised his hand to silence him. “I’m sure you are wondering why you are being detained, Uchiha Itachi?”
Nezumi frowned before Saru reached down and removed his mask as his features were shown, although they revealed nothing of his anger. The lines that defined his face made him look older, and his coal black eyes held more wisdom than any other thirteen-year-old boy.
When he didn’t answer, the Sandaime continued on. “Saru and Ushi, did you lose sight of Nezumi during your mission?” he asked the ANBU members. He knew that the Monkey and Ox were faithful toward the Rat but would never do anything that went against the village and the Hokage.
“Not once,” Saru answered immediately. The Hokage turned his gaze on him and nodded after a moment before turning his attention to the other member. Monkey and he didn’t see eye to eye at times but he knew that the man wasn’t lying.
“No,” the Ox finally told him. Sarutobi sighed after a moment and knew that the scarred ANBU would never lie about such matters. As one of the best Torture and Interrogation Specialists they had, he took matters involving information seriously.
“Good,” he replied and he indicated that they release Itachi. “What I am about to tell you must never leave this office.” He eyed each member of Second Seat and when they nodded he proceeded to tell them what had happened tonight.
Itachi was stoned faced by the time the Hokage finished his explanation of the massacre of the Uchiha Clan, which had only left Sasuke alive. He didn’t see the sympathetic look he received from the leader of Konoha or his teammates step closer to him to offer silent comfort.
“Where is Sasuke?” he asked quietly, voice shaking the slightest bit. He didn’t remember ever being this angry before. The Uchiha wanted nothing more at the time than to search out his clan’s murderer and slaughter them, but his younger sibling needed him now more than ever.
The old man hesitated and Itachi felt a sense of dread wash over him. “I’m afraid that we can’t let you see him,” Sarutobi said as gently as possible. “The person who killed off the Uchiha placed an advanced Genjutsu on his mind, and young Sasuke believes that you murdered them.”
The young ANBU commander felt his world collapse all around him at those words. “And has anyone tried to remove it?” he asked as calmly as he could muster. His hands were shaking and his knees buckled and threatened to give way on him. He seemed to already know the answer before it was given to him.
“The illusion over his mind is too powerful and tricky for anyone to remove,” the Hokage told them. He paused for a moment and it brought the Uchiha’s attention to him. His eyes clearly said that he wanted to know everything involving this matter.
“The Genjutsu seems very similar to the one placed on Mitarashi Anko’s mind.” Sarutobi saw Itachi’s black orbs shifted for a moment to Sharingan before returning to normal. “I believe that Orochimaru might have been responsible for this.”
“Did she have a part in any of this?” he asked suddenly, voice laced with venom. He was ready to tear out of there and kill the woman if that were the case. At the moment he had no idea where Orochimaru was located and any bit of revenge for his family would be welcome.
The Sandaime frowned at him. “I assure you that Anko had nothing to do with this tragedy,” he told him sternly. His eyes told Itachi that he was disappointed that he thought the kunoichi could have had anything to do with the massacre. Although, he understood his grief and that he was only trying to cope with the fact that he had lost everything close to him in one devastating blow.
“Sumimasen,” he muttered after a moment and the elderly Hokage knew that was all he would get. Itachi had recovered his mask from Saru after they’d released him but he hadn’t replaced it on his face. He held it in his hand and was trying not to let his fingers crush it.
He finally turned to the Sandaime, determination creasing his handsome features. “Where was the snake’s last reported location?” he asked. He moved forward and placed the mask on the desk in front of the Hokage.
The old man shook his head as he frowned. “I can’t allow you to go after him and get yourself killed, Itachi-kun,” he almost snapped at the young ANBU captain. “The Uchiha Ichizoku would die out.”
Itachi straightened and shook his head. “You have Sasuke to revive the Uchiha clan and keep the Sharingan from disappearing from Konoha,” he argued. His face and black orbs were unreadable. “I...killed Shisui, Hokage-sama.”
“The autopsy shows that Shisui-kun was drugged,” Sandaime stated firmly. “You defended yourself and saw no other choice when faced with a mad shinobi!”
His hands clenched and if it hadn’t been for the gloves he was wearing, his nails would have dug into his palms until blood was drawn. “And I have no doubt that Orochimaru had something to do with it as well. He was after me and murdered my entire clan...my mother and father.” His eyes hardened. “He will come after Sasuke next.”
The Sandaime found himself at a loss for words. Of course he had suspected that his former student had something to do with the drugging of Shisui so he went into a mindless, crazed state. Itachi spoke up before he could say anything to change his mind.
“Either I get sent after him or I defect to chase him, Hokage-sama.” His words rang with truth and so Sandaime knew that the Uchiha would follow through with his threat.
“What will you have me do, Itachi-kun?” he asked with a sigh. He felt his years weigh more heavily on him in those moments then he had ever felt them.
“Let Sasuke...let the village think that I am the murderer of the Uchiha Ichizoku,” he said. “Label me as a missing-nin and S-class criminal so that I may be able to go after him.”
“You would let them all think you a cold-blooded killer?”
“For the sake of the village and those I have left that are important to me, I would drag my good name through the mud. I would request acceptance into the ranks of the nameless shinobi to serve my village to the utmost of my abilities and keep the Sharingan out of Orochimaru’s hands.”
The Hokage sighed wearily at the leaf-nin’s words. “So, you wish to be Oinin and discard all that connects you with your name and identity as Uchiha Itachi?”
An emotion flickered behind his ebony orbs and then they turned into lifeless pools. “Hai, I do.”
Sarutobi nodded and turned to look at Saru and Ushi. “This information is ranked S and is to never be spoken of again. Is that understood?”
Morino Ibiki and Sarutobi Asuma had varying opinions on the decision that had been made, but both nodded all the same. “Hai, Hokage-sama,” they responded in unison.
Shortly after this meeting Second Seat was permanently disbanded. Ushi became the head of the Torture and Interrogation Squad, and Saru left Konoha and would later become one of the Twelve Guard Ninjas of Fire that protected the Daimyo of Hi no Kuni. Nezumi was labeled an S-class Nukenin as he became the Hunter Enenra. A few months later he became Uchiha Itachi once more and joined the organization, Akatsuki.
Since the defection of ANBU member Nezumi, the Zodiac Animals would no longer be passed down through the ranks and original names started to be used. The stain that the Rat had left on Konoha’s elite would be a long time in washing off, but the teenager bore this burden for the sake of all he held dear.-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Translations:
Nezumi: Rat
Ushi: Ox
Saru: Monkey
Hebi: Snake
Usagi: Rabbit
Inoshishi: Boar
Tatsu: Dragon
Inu: Dog
Uma: Horse
Tora: Tiger
Hitsuji: Sheep
Tori: Rooster
Enenra: a monster in Japanese mythology that is made of smoke.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
End, Misconceptions.
Author: shattered-words
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it’d be called ‘Gaara’. So, isn’t a shame that I don’t own it? (Quote provided by ninjadruid13.)
Summary: The mission was successful and went off without a hitch, then I returned to the horror that awaited me at home. If I had been there, I might have been able to save them. If I had been there, I would have died by my brethren’s side.
AN: This is posted ahead of schedule and before Sasuke’s for a very specific reason. I felt this was a very significant part in Life Drabbles. Today (September 30, 2007) is the seventeenth anniversary of my uncle’s death and this is dedicated his memory.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Sometimes the simplest truth lay in the lies around us.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A figure darted over the high walls of Konoha undetected and accompanied by two others. It was identified as a male wearing bone-white chest, arm and shin armor. He wore black pants and matching sandals, and a sleeveless black shirt so the ANBU tattoo was visible on his left bicep.
There was a white mask worn over his features that identified him as Nezumi, and long black hair was tied into a low ponytail that trailed behind him. The other two ANBU wore the same attire and the one on his right had the Ushi mask and the ninja at his left had the Saru mask.
They were mere shadows to any walking the streets at this time of night. It was usual that they retire and give their report tomorrow morning. However, Rat sensed unrest within the village and decided it was best to head to Hokage Dairi immediately. Something was amiss within Konoha tonight.
As they neared the tower, they noticed the Third Seat heading in the same direction being led by Hebi. Nezumi nodded a greeting and it was promptly returned. Trailing behind the snake, and keeping rapid pace with him, were Usagi and Inoshishi.
“What has happened?” Nezumi murmured quietly as they hopped over the roofs toward the tower. They had just returned from their mission and had no idea what was going on.
“There’s been a massacre,” Hebi responded in his quiet tone that seemed to carry over the distance. The ANBU besides him stiffened but said nothing more since he knew the Snake well. He wasn’t one to reveal too much if he chose too, and he knew that he’d have to wait for his questions to be answered.
His brother’s face flashed through his mind and he was almost tempted to run toward the Uchiha compound but knew that his duty to the village had to come first. As had happened before, though, he was sorely tempted to throw obligation to the wind and go to his younger siblings’ side.
They arrived at the Hokage tower in no time and it was to see First Seat already there, which had Tatsu as the leader, leading Inu and Uma. His gaze passed over Dog momentarily but nothing more. He knew what his father always said about the silver haired man. That he was a thief and didn’t deserve to be a ninja.
Of course, he had never thought in such terms since he had met his uncle once. He had been a loudmouth and a ‘disgrace’ to their family, and he had cared deeply for his teammates. Obito had offered his Sharingan to Kakashi willingly, and then he had died.
He noticed that Fourth Seat was nowhere to be seen but that was understandable since the leader, Tora, was one of the best medic-nin they had at the moment. If there had been a massacre then her squad, which consisted of Hitsuji and Tori, would be dispatched to aid any that might have been left alive.
Many might wonder why a healer was the Tiger but anyone that had ever fought along side her knew. She had that feminine appeal that made you feel at home, but that same aura of hers turned cold as she became deadly in battle. With the Shosen Jutsu, the same hands used to heal easily ended life.
The Rat knew this well since he had been paired with her squad more than several times and he’d seen first hand the devastation she could cause. She was like a woman possessed while in battle, and he had no doubt that she was a mother.
Nezumi was quite shocked as First Seat surrounded and threw chakra draining nets over him. “What’s the meaning of this?” he demanded. They didn’t respond and lead him away with his confused ANBU squad following close behind.
He was brought before the Sandaime and forced to his knees in front of the desk as his hands were tied behind his back. The members of First Seat left him in the care of the remaining members of Second Seat. When the door closed he turned toward the Hokage who raised his hand to silence him. “I’m sure you are wondering why you are being detained, Uchiha Itachi?”
Nezumi frowned before Saru reached down and removed his mask as his features were shown, although they revealed nothing of his anger. The lines that defined his face made him look older, and his coal black eyes held more wisdom than any other thirteen-year-old boy.
When he didn’t answer, the Sandaime continued on. “Saru and Ushi, did you lose sight of Nezumi during your mission?” he asked the ANBU members. He knew that the Monkey and Ox were faithful toward the Rat but would never do anything that went against the village and the Hokage.
“Not once,” Saru answered immediately. The Hokage turned his gaze on him and nodded after a moment before turning his attention to the other member. Monkey and he didn’t see eye to eye at times but he knew that the man wasn’t lying.
“No,” the Ox finally told him. Sarutobi sighed after a moment and knew that the scarred ANBU would never lie about such matters. As one of the best Torture and Interrogation Specialists they had, he took matters involving information seriously.
“Good,” he replied and he indicated that they release Itachi. “What I am about to tell you must never leave this office.” He eyed each member of Second Seat and when they nodded he proceeded to tell them what had happened tonight.
Itachi was stoned faced by the time the Hokage finished his explanation of the massacre of the Uchiha Clan, which had only left Sasuke alive. He didn’t see the sympathetic look he received from the leader of Konoha or his teammates step closer to him to offer silent comfort.
“Where is Sasuke?” he asked quietly, voice shaking the slightest bit. He didn’t remember ever being this angry before. The Uchiha wanted nothing more at the time than to search out his clan’s murderer and slaughter them, but his younger sibling needed him now more than ever.
The old man hesitated and Itachi felt a sense of dread wash over him. “I’m afraid that we can’t let you see him,” Sarutobi said as gently as possible. “The person who killed off the Uchiha placed an advanced Genjutsu on his mind, and young Sasuke believes that you murdered them.”
The young ANBU commander felt his world collapse all around him at those words. “And has anyone tried to remove it?” he asked as calmly as he could muster. His hands were shaking and his knees buckled and threatened to give way on him. He seemed to already know the answer before it was given to him.
“The illusion over his mind is too powerful and tricky for anyone to remove,” the Hokage told them. He paused for a moment and it brought the Uchiha’s attention to him. His eyes clearly said that he wanted to know everything involving this matter.
“The Genjutsu seems very similar to the one placed on Mitarashi Anko’s mind.” Sarutobi saw Itachi’s black orbs shifted for a moment to Sharingan before returning to normal. “I believe that Orochimaru might have been responsible for this.”
“Did she have a part in any of this?” he asked suddenly, voice laced with venom. He was ready to tear out of there and kill the woman if that were the case. At the moment he had no idea where Orochimaru was located and any bit of revenge for his family would be welcome.
The Sandaime frowned at him. “I assure you that Anko had nothing to do with this tragedy,” he told him sternly. His eyes told Itachi that he was disappointed that he thought the kunoichi could have had anything to do with the massacre. Although, he understood his grief and that he was only trying to cope with the fact that he had lost everything close to him in one devastating blow.
“Sumimasen,” he muttered after a moment and the elderly Hokage knew that was all he would get. Itachi had recovered his mask from Saru after they’d released him but he hadn’t replaced it on his face. He held it in his hand and was trying not to let his fingers crush it.
He finally turned to the Sandaime, determination creasing his handsome features. “Where was the snake’s last reported location?” he asked. He moved forward and placed the mask on the desk in front of the Hokage.
The old man shook his head as he frowned. “I can’t allow you to go after him and get yourself killed, Itachi-kun,” he almost snapped at the young ANBU captain. “The Uchiha Ichizoku would die out.”
Itachi straightened and shook his head. “You have Sasuke to revive the Uchiha clan and keep the Sharingan from disappearing from Konoha,” he argued. His face and black orbs were unreadable. “I...killed Shisui, Hokage-sama.”
“The autopsy shows that Shisui-kun was drugged,” Sandaime stated firmly. “You defended yourself and saw no other choice when faced with a mad shinobi!”
His hands clenched and if it hadn’t been for the gloves he was wearing, his nails would have dug into his palms until blood was drawn. “And I have no doubt that Orochimaru had something to do with it as well. He was after me and murdered my entire clan...my mother and father.” His eyes hardened. “He will come after Sasuke next.”
The Sandaime found himself at a loss for words. Of course he had suspected that his former student had something to do with the drugging of Shisui so he went into a mindless, crazed state. Itachi spoke up before he could say anything to change his mind.
“Either I get sent after him or I defect to chase him, Hokage-sama.” His words rang with truth and so Sandaime knew that the Uchiha would follow through with his threat.
“What will you have me do, Itachi-kun?” he asked with a sigh. He felt his years weigh more heavily on him in those moments then he had ever felt them.
“Let Sasuke...let the village think that I am the murderer of the Uchiha Ichizoku,” he said. “Label me as a missing-nin and S-class criminal so that I may be able to go after him.”
“You would let them all think you a cold-blooded killer?”
“For the sake of the village and those I have left that are important to me, I would drag my good name through the mud. I would request acceptance into the ranks of the nameless shinobi to serve my village to the utmost of my abilities and keep the Sharingan out of Orochimaru’s hands.”
The Hokage sighed wearily at the leaf-nin’s words. “So, you wish to be Oinin and discard all that connects you with your name and identity as Uchiha Itachi?”
An emotion flickered behind his ebony orbs and then they turned into lifeless pools. “Hai, I do.”
Sarutobi nodded and turned to look at Saru and Ushi. “This information is ranked S and is to never be spoken of again. Is that understood?”
Morino Ibiki and Sarutobi Asuma had varying opinions on the decision that had been made, but both nodded all the same. “Hai, Hokage-sama,” they responded in unison.
Shortly after this meeting Second Seat was permanently disbanded. Ushi became the head of the Torture and Interrogation Squad, and Saru left Konoha and would later become one of the Twelve Guard Ninjas of Fire that protected the Daimyo of Hi no Kuni. Nezumi was labeled an S-class Nukenin as he became the Hunter Enenra. A few months later he became Uchiha Itachi once more and joined the organization, Akatsuki.
Since the defection of ANBU member Nezumi, the Zodiac Animals would no longer be passed down through the ranks and original names started to be used. The stain that the Rat had left on Konoha’s elite would be a long time in washing off, but the teenager bore this burden for the sake of all he held dear.-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Translations:
Nezumi: Rat
Ushi: Ox
Saru: Monkey
Hebi: Snake
Usagi: Rabbit
Inoshishi: Boar
Tatsu: Dragon
Inu: Dog
Uma: Horse
Tora: Tiger
Hitsuji: Sheep
Tori: Rooster
Enenra: a monster in Japanese mythology that is made of smoke.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
End, Misconceptions.