Shadowed Sun

Mark It

Itachi stared at the clone impassively.

"Sasuke activated his Mangekyo Sharingan," the clone responded. Pakkun, who sat right beside her, gave her a curious look. "He didn't kill anyone for it, rather, he watched someone dear die for him. He knows what it means to have one, now. And, he knows that your apathetic guise is a load of bullshit."

Itachi did not respond. He kept his perfect poker face, waiting for her to finish.

She swallowed roughly. "He knows that you manipulated him, because of your guilt, and he knows that something is fishy about the massacre."

Well. He suspects, at least.

"Danzō won't allow him free reign, if he finds out about his eyes," she told him. "You know that. No one, but his teammates, can protect him from inside Konoha from that man."

"How do you know Danzō?"

"I'm the jinchūriki of Konoha. Kurama, the Kyūbi, is my best friend. He knows quite a bit about the warmonger. Including his unhealthy obsession and revulsion for the Uchiha clan. I don't know all the details about him, nor the entire truth in regards to the massacre. All I know is that Danzō is a threat to my brother, and Sasuke. That's all I need to need to know. But, you understand that, don't you? You understand what it's like to have to watch over your sibling; to protect their innocence from this disgusting world."

Itachi blinked at her, and Pakkun brushed his side against her leg. The clone remained strong, though, certain. Her gaze was hard and convinced. "You love Sasuke, like I love Naruto. Maybe more. I have a theory that you massacred your family for Sasuke. Or perhaps, you became a nukenin for Sasuke. Nothing you say or do will convince me otherwise."

"Nothing?" Itachi inquired softly, lethally, his Sharingan whirling to life.

"Nothing," the clone repeated. "That's why I'm here. That's why you're here. You were on your way to Konoha, not to capture Naruto or myself, but to check up on Sasuke. It's the same as it was after the Orochimaru's invasion. You could have taken Naruto, or myself, but you chose not to. The minute you saw Sasuke—and the minute after you enforced his desire to kill you—you left. Even now, you took my code—my warning for Sasuke—with the utmost care. You risked exposure to your identity to hear my warning for him. No, Itachi. There is not a single thing you can say or do to convince me that you do not adore your brother."

"The real you is not near here, is she?"

"No. She's fighting Danzō right this very second," the clone said.

Itachi's eyes flashed. "Danzō? You... she is really so reckless?"

"Maybe," the clone allowed. "I told you. He's a threat to Naruto, and Sasuke. That's all I need to know. Now is the perfect chance to eliminate him. When he has been taken care of, I will then track down each of his bases and continue to exterminate the problem. I will not allow this threat to continue when I have a say in it."

"Miwako," Pakkun breathed. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

"That I am exterminating a secret, illegal ANBU operation?" the clone asked dryly.

"No. That part I'm okay with. Never liked Danzō, and ROOT has to be taken care of if it's still up. You're talking about this like you're going alone."

"Maybe I am," the clone said, leveling her gaze with Itachi. "Maybe I'm not."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

"The truth of the massacre will be found out one way or another," she said simply. "I will find it. Either you allow me to find it, and me to inform Sasuke, or you tell him yourself. If I do it, I cannot promise to paint Konoha in a good light. I'm not that good of a liar, especially to him. You can, of course, try to deny it, but I will find undeniable proof, one way or another. It will be your word, against mine, and my proof. And if I do tell Sasuke, I will probably tell the others. Tell many of the others. Then no one in ROOT will be safe."