'Snap out of it!'
The field shifted back into focus.
There he stood ... Unmoving... Stoic... A wicked grin etched on his face.
The corners of my lips turned up, matching his sinister smile. "Cut the small talk our relationship means nothing. All that matters is that I am going to end you".
"Spoken like my true heir". Something suddenly made contact with the side of my head, sending me back a few hundred feet. I braced myself in anticipation of my body crashing into a boulder, but it never came. Someone caught me. Arms locking around my mid-section and chest, cushioning me as we slid back on the battlefield. My head shot up, eyes focusing on the person who cradled me.
"Tsunade? How did you get here?" I was dumbfounded. Had it been that long since our battle had started?
"You've done enough Shiori. It's our turn now".
Looking over our shoulders, I caught of glimpse of them, "The kages..."
My head quickly shot back to Tsunade, "I can still fight!" I yelled, practically leaping out of her arms.
Her firm expression momentarily softened, her face moving from me to the infamous man behind me, "I've always asked a lot of you Shiori. This time, it's on me".
"But I ca-".
"Fall back, for now, understand?"
I bit back a sparky comment.. I wanted to fight... I needed to fight. Finding out the truth about my lineage was enough of a reason for me to continue fighting. It was a personal fight now too... Wasn't it? But it didn't feel like it.. Despite the shocking reveal... Nothing attached me to this man other than genetics. He wasn't anything to me. Not a friend, or family... Just the enemy. I had people I needed to protect, people who relied on me, if he was in the way of that, I was going to level him with the surface of the earth.
But first...
"Tsunade... He's my great grandfather..." Each syllable came out in airy whispers so light I didn't think she would hear me. Part of me didn't want her to hear them. Would she look at me differently? Would it change anything?
No... It wouldn't.
She didn't respond. A smile graced her lips, her hand cupping the back of my head. "None of that matters. Let me handle this, for the time being, understand".
I nodded, taking a step back.
My eyes lingered as I watched the kage take a stance before me.
'Itachi... If you have something planned... Please do it soon...'
∞
'He's mopping the floor with them. I need to do something. Tsunade was losing a lot of chakra... Itachi...'
I watched as Tsunade made a B-line for Madara. Just a cursory glance at her, and I could tell she was almost at her breaking point. I could barely make out the fatigued twitches of her muscles.
'Bodyflicker'.
"S-s-Shiori..."
"Just rest". I whispered. Her body almost immediately slumped against me. Her head lulling back against my shoulder for support. But then, almost like magic, she recovered. Her depleted chakra levels were now almost fully restored.
"Tsunade??"
"It was... dan..."
There was an almost euphoric emotion of relief that rippled through me. "That means the reanimation jutsu was released. Itachi did this". My mouth couldn't move fast enough as the words dribbled out.
"He saved us".
We stood there, watching, waiting, but nothing was happening.
"Why isn't he disappearing!?" The raikage growled.
"Reanimation is a jutsu that brings back the dead, but it does come with its risks. As long as one knows the signs, the reanimated can rescind the contract with the original summoner". His deep throaty voice vibrated across the field, each word taunting us as they escaped his lips.
"No..."
YOU ARE READING
Truth: Itachi Uchiha Love Story
Fanfiction∞ Indicates a time skip Some chapters may include spoilers to the anime/manga. "Can you help me with some training?" His question didn't even register in my mind, I was lost in my own thoughts of Itachi. Since that night it had been hard to look S...
