Mirror, mirror. [Naruto] [Itachi Uchiha] (Complete)

Chapter 35

On average it takes approximately ten minutes for a person to come to a conclusion and make a decision. However this does not take into account the different types of decisions. Some are mundane and have no consequence. Others have the fate of the known world hanging in the balance, it taking one slip of thought or indiscretion to tip the already fragile scales.

Those types of decisions can take days if not longer. But then, what if that carefully selected choice turned out to be the wrong one? It then turns into a matter of 'what if?'. That game is a dangerous one. What if? The sheer amount of variables exceeds the number that existed initially; that is why it is so dangerous - the possibilities are endless.

Itachi had already weighed his options many a time before; however that didn't stop him from cogitating further, deliberating the variables in the equation. Some of the participants in his equations were a must. Reina for example was one of these components. He had to find out if she was safe and well; otherwise what was the point of the journey? Sasuke was also a fixed variable. Itachi was going to make sure his brother did not suffer any more than he already had. He was young and the heartache he had already endured was just cruel.

The variable that caused him the most conflict was Izanami. The death goddess had weighed heavy on his mind ever since he awoke from the transition. As promised he had been returned to the living world and in his own body thankfully. His body, unlike his previous one, did not ache with illness and his eyesight was not hindered by shadowy smears like it had been before the indenture.

So far Izanami had been true to her word.

That factor put him both at ease and on edge. She was playing them. Not just him but Sasuke too. The deity was a shrewd one; she understood humans better than anyone having studied them for countless millennia. They were mere pawns in her game- and her body was the prize.

How would Reina react when she learned that his life came at a cost? That in order for him to remain he had to deliver a deity's earthly remains and not just any deity. Izanami was one of THE deities, one of the original kami to have walked the lands.

It hurt his head to think.

Once again Itachi was conflicted. Once again he was caught in a battle of morals. He knew that deep down the right thing to do would be to find Izanami's body and destroy it. A death deity, especially one as capricious as Izanami had no place amongst men- there was enough evil in the world as it was. He pitied her, he truly did. She, like everyone else had fallen victim to death's cold touch. But she was obviously no longer the woman that she once was. Her heart, if she still possessed it, had turned as hard as her steely eyes. He wished he could bring Izanami the small piece of happiness that she deserved and that he could return her to her former self.

He just didn't know where to start. And even if he did he knew he would be as troubled as he was now.

Sasuke was agitated on the other hand. Outwardly he seemed fine, the epitome of stoniness. The only indication of his temperament was the clockwork rhythm of his jaw tightening then relaxing before tightening once again. If he could have things his way he would lay waste to the village before them - like the traitors deserved. But he couldn't. Deep down he knew he could, it probably wouldn't take much, but at the back of his mind Reina's words were repeating on him. A cruel smile slithered onto his lips at the thought. The entire village, especially the council, all sat on edge and walking on eggshells because he was nothing but civil when he should be reducing everything to ashes.

"If you walk in with that smile on your face they'll presume Orochimaru has returned."

Broken from his destructive thoughts Sasuke stared at Itachi. Itachi was never usually one for sarcasm, but the look in his eyes was not that of amusement, it was a discerning look - a warning. It was not a threat per se, it was however an indication that should he go against his words Itachi would not be happy.