Tortured Uchiha [CURRENTLY EDITING]

二十三

F I R S T   G L I M P S E

    The connection between Kuragari and me severed when two figures emerged from the bushes beneath me. With a kaw of confusion, Kakashi and Naruto's images were gradually lost. I scampered up higher in the canopy until I heard two distinct voices. Two voices that I thought I would never hear.

    Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha stood beneath me in the distinct outfits of the Akatsuki. Their black high-collared robes danced softly in the wind as they removed the bamboo hats that conceal their images. Their attire was exactly the same as Hidan and Kakuzu, though Kisame only carried a large bandaged Samehada to his back.

     "Konohagakure," Kisame announced. "Why do we keep coming here Itachi, Sasuke's been rogue for two years and Leader–Sama stated that the Bijuu had to be captured in tail order."

     "...Sasuke," Itachi whispered. "We are not here for Naruto Uzumaki, and we certainly are not here to relive what I did to my clan and brother."

     "Then why are we here?" Kisame growled. "We aren't really in the occupation to sight-see."   

     Itachi was silent for a long while. Even though his back was to me and I was too high to see his face, I could tell that Itachi had grown into a strong man. His hair was left long in a ponytail yet the way Itachi held himself, lead me to believe that Itachi wasn't the same man that he once was.

     Of course he isn't, my conscience hissed at me. He killed you in cold blood regardless that you desperately didn't want to die. He has no remorse that you're supposed to be dead. He doesn't care.  

    I clenched my jaw and craned my neck to see what the comrades were doing. If they weren't here to acquire the Kyuubi from Naruto like they'd originally been tasked to do, then what was their true purpose at the Leaf? Itachi hasn't even watched from afar to spectate Hiruzen's funeral, he owed Hiruzen that much at least.

     Itachi shrugged off the shoulder of his robe so it slid down slightly. His arm dangled in the nook of the fabric as if he were using it as a sling. I peered closer to examine his arm; feint blotches covered his pale skin like bruises. I frowned in thought; Itachi wouldn't allow himself to be dominated―and he knew how to evade beatings from being thrown around by Fugaku for most of his life. What'd happened to Itachi since our three years apart?

    Itachi reached into the pocket of his black pants hidden behind the rest of his Akatsuki cloak to retrieve a frayed piece of paper. I leaned forward on the branch and a small gasp escaped my lips. It was our old squad photo―the one Itachi always kept in his room. He hadn't thrown it away?

     "Bah, you better put that away before someone sees it," Kisame scoffed. "You know how everyone in the Akatsuki doesn't trust you. If they know you had clan ties, you'll become vulnerable."

     "It was never simply clan ties," Itachi's fingers traced over the tape holding the two pieces of film together. "My heart was ripped out when these two died, and both were because of me. I should've stopped Shisui instead of accepting his wishes, but Etsuko..."

     "Why do you keep torturing yourself like this Itachi?" Kisame adjusted Samehada. "I mean, it's been three years hasn't it? And within those three years, you've been wasting away―biding your time until Sasuke finds you. But what if he just gives up on killing you, by the looks of things, this guilt will take you before Sasuke does."

    My crow mask slid off my knees as I leaned forward to listen to their conversation, I grabbed it with my feet before it could fall to the ground. However, I shook the branch profusely in my struggle. Two leaves detached from the thick branch and floated towards Itachi, landing on the crumpled photo in his right hand.