Age 8/Year 8 [Part Two]

It was just another day. Another mundane, simple day. I went to school, finished the lessons, and spent a bit of time with Naruko.

"I'm telling you- ninjutsu's the best part about being a ninja!" My friend said adamantly. Her head was thick as a stone and there wouldn't be any convincing her otherwise. "Giant balls of fire! Dragons made of water!"

My friend's eyes sparkled as she recounted the 'examples' our teacher spoke of. Amusingly enough, she was perfectly suited for that style of combat. In the future, she'd be slinging spells or 'ninjutsu' for days.

"You'd make a good Wizard, Naruko."

Hmm, there was a though. Maybe I could teach her the only other Jutsu I knew. It was my clans signature, so perhaps I'd need to ask Fugaku first. Then again, something was telling me Naruko wouldn't get it in just a few days. It'd be a decent commitment.

"A what?"

I had forgotten those sorts of things didn't exist in this world. 'Magic' was a ninja's art.

"Think of a really squishy person that can only use Jutsu."

Her face scrunched up.

"That sounds so bad! What If someone came up and punched me?"

She had a good point. Ninja were both physically strong and had incredibly deadly abilities. Any traditional wizard would soon find their heads punted from their shoulders if they didn't plan around a ninja's insane speeds. Then again, a prepared wizard meant a winning wizard. Ninja bullshit or not, I wouldn't want to go up against anything like that.

Anyways, Naruko continued to praise ninjutsu only ninja. I  did encourage her to focus on taijutsu too. As she said, the number of jutsu in her repertoire wouldn't do any good if an enemy could kill her before she could use the.

"You don't have to worry about that! I punch stuff every day!" My face was immediately full of her knuckles. The calluses on her fingers spoke volumes.

Chakra was an incredible thing, even in children.

"Just don't overdo it." Chakra powerhouse or not, she was still a little girl. "Work too hard and you'll be a shrimp forever."

"Who you calling short!" Tiny hands gripped my shoulders, shaking me back and forth. "Just you wait! You'll be looking up at me in a few years!"

Not if genetics are anything to go by. I'm pretty sure the original Sasuke was much taller than her.

"Yeah, yeah." I said, entering the small stall. "How about we grab a snack and call it for today?"

Splitting the curtains, Naruko's head swivelled left, then right. She took in the place's selection of foods and immediately turned her nose up in disgust.

"Ewww... what is this place?"

The friendly lady minding the counter ignored the insult and asked if I was here to buy anything.

"Two vegie wraps, please. One with extra tomatoes and onions." I spun, meeting Naruko's eyes.

"Any vegetable you like in particular?" Eye dropping to the floor, she mumbled a halfhearted answer.

"What was that?"

Huffing, she repeated her words.

"I said vegetables are yucky."

I shook my head.

"That's a lie. Vegetables are delicious and also good for you!"

My hands snaped out, grasping her tongue the instant it peeked out from her mouth.

"I know you eat them sometimes, so be brave."

Eye broiling with frustration drilled into my skull.

"Fwine!"

It wasn't easy convincing my friend to eat healthily, but the rewards would be worth the headaches. Unlike Choji, she didn't have a fighting style that revolved around calories and weight.

She'd thank me one day.

-----------------

The sky was dark, and honestly, I was running a bit late. Maybe spending so much time tutoring Naruko and then subsequently goofing off with her wasn't such a good idea. Either way, my mother was sure to worry her head off if I didn't arrive home soon.

The entrance to the Uchiha compound is surprisingly baren. It's eerily quiet, and for a second, I feared something was wrong. Stepping forward, I spot the guard out of sight, cigarette in his lip.

Just jumping at shadows.

"Sorry, can't come in." The guard says as I walk closer, barring my path.

"What? Why not?" It's pretty late. "My mom's going to be worried!"

The guard smiles, head swooning left and right.

"Sorry. We're having a special Uchiha festival tonight. You're not allowed in."

...

"Are you pranking me?" Seriously? I'm the son of the clan leader. What the hell is he talking about?

"Nope, little man. Why don't you turn around and walk away?"

...

"I'm going inside. You can talk to my dad about this or whatever."

Was he high? I didn't even hear about a festival or whatnot.

I stepped forward, easilly strolling through the gate. A hand griped my shoulder, pushing me back.

"Last warning kid. Turn around."

The world stood still. My eyes narrowed into sharp daggers.

"Who are you?" Was he actually this stupid? I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but everyone should know who I was! At least, my black hair and eyes, accompanied by my Uchiha shirt should be enough proof!

"I'm the guard, and you're trying to get into places you shouldn't be."

...

Was it really possible for ninja to be this stupid? He might just be really paranoid.

"Look, just call my dad Fugaku and let him know I'm here." Fine. If he doesn't want to move, then I'll just have my dad set him straight.

"And leave the gate unguarded? you're pretty bad at this whole infiltration thing, you know?"

Oh. My. God!!!!

Would it be bad to just punch this guy in his stupid face? I really want to do it!

"What the hell do I need to do to make you let me go inside?!"

The more time I waste here, the more worried my mom will be! If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to get this guy cleaning the toilets for a week!

"Hmm." His eyes hoved over my face. "Show me the Sharingan."

...

"Are you serious?!"

I'm supposed to be an eight-year-old! What kind of child has their Sharingan by this point?!

"Hey, you're the one that asked." He chuckles. "If it's too much, then you can walk away and come back tomorrow."

I take a deep breath, calming the imminent eruption of rage boiling within me.

"Anything else?!"

He hums.

"Nope!" The way he popped that P has my teeth gratting against one another. "Sorry kid. Just go home and play your games elsewhere."

"..."

This fucking guy!

There was so much wrong with the situation that I immediately made up my mind. This guy was all sorts of fishy. With the massacre weighing heavy on my mind, everything just built up and up and up. Like a bottle filled to the brim, I could only take so much untill the lid just came bursting off.

Was it foolish?

Yes.

Was it immature?

Almost certainly.

Still, unprovoked attacks with intent to kill weren't ok. That was a crime, but then again, so was punching someone randomly in the face.

He asked for it.

"You want to see my Sharingan?" I asked, teeth mashing against one another.

"Yep! Come on and whip it out~"

Oh. My. God! This fucking guy!

"Yue, please make it so I can switch the way my Sharingan looks at will." A simple wish; one made out of spite.

"Y-Yes." The small fairy hovering over me shoulder whispered. Her form pulsed for a second, light shimmering from her soul to cover mine. In seconds, the light surrounding her faded. "O-Ok. It's done."

The 'guard' blinked, confused about what I just did.

"Talking to yourself? Should I call a shrink?" He said, genuine concern on his face. "That's the first sign of insanity, you know?"

My Sharingan blazed to life. The world took on a slower tinge, yet my eyes remained the same to anyone looking at me from the outside.

"Again, I'm not letting you in untill-"

Something was off. I'd  seen how Chakra clung to people normally. It stuck to them like a second skin, always flowing over flesh and muscle. However... this guy was nothing but Chakra. He had no 'body' to speak of.

My fist crashed into his face easilly, knocking him against the wall. Nothing changed.

He stood back up, a firmer look on his face.

"I think it's time you came with me." He said, threateningly taking a step forward.

Wait...

"No." I walked through the gate, ignoring the weird chakra-person behind me. His arm reached out, fingers coiling around my shoulder.

I kept walking, feeling no resistance but the air itself.

"You're not real, after all."

A simple illusion. Genjutsu. At least, that was my theory. A theory that was proven true.

Amused laughter came from behind.

"Not bad... you actually saw through that." I ignored the frustrating fake, eyes focused on more important matters. The streets were empty.

Where was everyone?

"I'll see you around-" The strange Genjutsu whispered- taking on a more sinister tone. "Uchiha Sasuke..." And just like that, the voice and illusion vanished from my mind. A shiver rushed up my spine.

Behind the gates, bouts of grass were stained a deep crimson. I gaged at the sight. Oh, there was training for this sort of stuff. Cutting up frogs and inspecting dead animals wasn't enough. My lunch swiftly rushed up to my mouth and out onto the ground; some of it getting in my nose.

"W-What?"

Two people. Garbed in black and wearing ornate masks, their twisted bodies sat right behind the compound's gate. The air was rancid; I could taste the iron and blood wafting around.

Why didn't I notice?

...

The illusion!

Snaping around, I found the back of my clan's flamboyant gates stained red. My body shook and a with unsteady hands, I reached down, pulling free the real, metal kunai from the deceased ninja's holsters. A weapon.

What could I  possibly do against whoever did this?

...

Nothing. Nothing at all.

"M-Mom!" But I couldn't standstill. All my frustrations and fears rushed up at once. I took off running into the clan compound. There was only a single thing on my mind.

I have to stop this! Brother! Please!! Don't hurt mother or father!

It was inevitable. My wild floundering changed nothing. I had hoped Itachi or the Hokage would find another way... but that clearly didn't happen.

God damn it...

[Reward: 'Shift' Gained for Sharingan! | -5 WP]

--------------

My small feet dashed through the compound. Bodies littered the streets. Most of them were armed and obviously killed during a struggle. The lack of civilians didn't ease My mind, however.

It was a nightmare, yet not all was lost.

I didn't see any children.

As I rushed by houses, I made sure to glance inside. Unlike what I remembered, there weren't any signs of people being slaughtered in their sleep. Of families being butchered by Itachi.

Something had changed, but what did it matter if everything ended the same?

My lungs burned as I ran toward my house. Stopping to catch my breath, I heard a pained groan.

"H-Help."

Around the corner and in a dark alley, I saw a dying man. Blood pooled below him and flowed freely from a thin hole in his chest.

I rushed to his side.

"A-Are you ok?!" You asked, fearing the obvious question.

Don't say it.

Don't say it!

Don't-

"I-Itachi-"

My eyes widened.

I see the flash of steel too late. Not late enough too end my life, however. The man's weapon rakes across the back of my hand, spilling blood and causing me to push him away.

It hurts!

"B-Bastard." He coughs. With shaky legs, he stands up and takes a combat stance. "I-I'll k-kill you. Y-Your f-family. T-They d-did this."

Dozens of thoughts flash through my mind. My family? What is he talking about? Why is he trying to kill me?!

My eyes spiral and transform.

He's no imposter or illusion. He's very real and out to end my life.

"Why are you doing this?!"

He lunges forward, pouring his lifeblood in desperate attempts to end my life. I easilly dodge.

I stare down at the man. He aims to kill me.

Why...

The injured man grunts and once more aims for my life. His blade sliced through naught but air; I easilly sidestep the blow, having seen it coming. The Sharingan's predictive qualities are truly a marvel. I see his next move before he even does it, easilly grabbing his hand mid-swing and knocking the kunai out of it.

"H-How." He coughs, blood splattering the floor. "Y-You're j-just a kid." Strength leaves his frame and he quickly hugs the ground. "D-Damn you and y-your family."

Dull, obsidian eyes pierce into my soul "I-If it w-wasn't for you... w-we could h-have been great..." Another cough brings him closer to death. I don't turn my back- not on a trained ninja. He's exhausted and on the verge of death, but he can also kill me with a well-placed hit. A normal person wouldn't, but Chakra is a hell of a thing. It can make people super-human and let them perform impossible feats. Thus, I keep my eyes trained on the dying man.

I watch, even if it sends shivers down my spine.

I watch- the smell of blood and death slithering up my nose.

I watch and realize that this is something I'm going to be seeing over and over again. This is the life I wanted so much.

The life of a ninja.

It takes all my concentration to keep my eyes on my clansmen, even as bile and vomit flow from my lip.

C-Can I really do this? Can I really live a life like this?

"B-Bas...tar...d" I  see the final ember of life fade from the man's eyes. "S-Shoul...a k-killed y..ou and y..our..."

He dies, reminding me why I rushed into this deathtrap. My family.

What the hell is going on? What did they do?!

The shock and disgust I feel at his death slowly fades, replaced by a much more familiar emotion.

Fear.

Like it or not, this world is one where civilians and those without power can be killed at the drop of a hat. If I don't fight, then I'll die. My mother will die. My father will die. And my friends will die. Perhaps there is a way to resolve every conflict with words, but I'm not someone that can do that.

I'm just a scared, normal guy.

Taking a deep breath, I reach down and lob a stone at the unmoving corpse. If he's still alive, then he's doing an incredibly good job of it. Just to be sure, I walk away, still facing him.

The dead lay still- those without life don't give chase.

-------------------------------

My feet carried me through abandoned streets. Only bloodied corpses and signs of battle marked my path. What had happened here? Why was there so much violence and death?

Sounds of battle and metal striking metal drew my attention. I rushed ahead, bloodied kunai in hand. Turning the corner, I saw a battle unfold in front of me. Someone from my clan, Sharingan blazing, traded blows with Konoha's Elite. Anbu. It was a beautiful dance where a single mistake would spell the end of one of its participants. Skill faced against deadly eyes. Feints lead into jutsu and punches.

A ninja's fight was a spectacle and this was no exception. Both combatants were bloodied, and in the blink of an eye, they struck.

"Bastard!" The Uchiha shouted, eyes shifting from the usual three tomoe to something else.

Mangekyo.

"No!" The Anbu shouts, throwing his sword at my clansmen. It all happens in a flash. An arm flies into the air, blood spraying all around.

"Ahhh!" The Uchiha shouts, holding his stump as he falls.

"Gah!" The Anbu screams in pain, gripping his gut. A tiny, finger-sized hole can be seen, going past him and into the building behind him. Both fall to the ground, pained cries slipping from their lisp.

Without energy and at death's door, both lay still.

The Uchiha's eyes meet mines. Something flares within. He gurgle's out my name.

Across from him, the Anbu locks eyes with me- a pleading expression on his face. Reaching into his pouch, he just manages to pull out a small, green vial. Sadly, he has no strength to do anything with it.

"H-Help." The Anbu whispers with the last of his energy.

I'm are faced with a choice.

Help the Anbu? Or help my clansmen?

The vial is clearly some sort of medicine.

In the end, I decide to help the dying Anbu. Perhaps it was my last encounter with my clansmen that put me on edge, or maybe it was the scathing look the Uchiha was sending my way. In any case, I just felt a lot more comfortable helping the Anbu. His gaze wasn't malicious and was genuine. The Uchiha's, however, held something in it.

"T-Thank you." Through gritted teeth, and with barely any energy, the Anbu swallowed the vial's contents. I held his head back, marvelling at his desire to live. How had he not instantly died from whatever the Uchiha had done? The hole in his chest might have only been as thick as a finger, but it looked to be in an important spot.

"Y-You save my l-life." The wheezing that left his lip reminded me of a slowly deflating balloon and the sound it often made. "T-This should k-keep me alive untill I g-get help."

As he said, the constant bleeding soon stopped. The wound sizzled and through the half-broken mask, I saw a pained expression bubble onto the Anbu's face. What sort of medicine was that?

I had several questions, yet now wasn't the time for them.

"Y-You should leave." the Anbu warned. "This place isn't safe for a k-kid."

Why? Why did I have to go?

"What the hell's going on?! Why are you fighting the Uchiha?!"

Slowly, the Anbu rose to his feet. His legs wobbled and threatened to snap under his own weight- yet he stood nonetheless. The sheer determination and strength of will required were insane. How could someone endure all that pain and just walk around? It had to have something to do with Chakra.

The thought of someone just ignoring it sent shivers down my spine.

"I-I need to g-get to a medic." He coughed, staining his palm scarlet. "H-Here."

A small pill spiralled through the air. I nimble snatched it out of its arc and started examining it. It was small, spherical and had an ashen colour to it. My fingers felt a certain brittleness to it, almost as if it'd shatter with a good hit.

"I-It's a s-smoke bomb." Konoha's elite says with a cough. "H-Head out of the c-compound and use it if y-you meet someone."

I'm  not leaving!

"T-There should be a f-few guards there. N-Not sure h-how you're still here." The dry, sickly laugh makes me feel as if he'd fall dead at any moment. "I-I gota go."

Before I can say or do anything, the ninja vanishes. Even half-dead, he's still fast enough to outspeed my gaze.

The difference between an Elite and a common grunt can't be understated.

[Reward: Elite Smoke Bomb X1]

========

I keep running, only a single thought on my mind. Where is my brother? Where is your mother? And where is your father? All of my worry and stress culmulates into one violent, intense confrontation. I turn the corner, coming face to face with a scene I've dreaded.

"Die!"

"Traitor!"

My clansmen rush at Itachi, blades drawn.

Useless.

Like the wind, my brother easilly cuts them down. They die as leaves dragged away by a violent gale.

The Uchiha aren't the only ones intent on taking his life. Two brave Anbu rush him. Their blades meet empty air, yet my brother easilly slices through flesh and bone, ending their lives in an instant. It's a scene straight out of a nightmare. My brother stands triumphant, surrounded by the corpses of his enemies.

He turns, spiralling eyes locking onto me. The Mangekyo burns itself into your mind.

"Sasuke..." Confusion and surprise flicker onto his face. Most would see a blank expression, but not me. I'm his brother.

"Brother... what's going on?! Why are you killing everyone?!"

Please... please let me be wrong. The signs don't point to him. There has to be something else.

"Sasuke. Stand very still." He commands, hands drawing forth a kunai. Crimson eyes stare straight through me. "Don't move." He rears back.

I stare at Itachi, fear dripping from me in waves. What comes next will decide if I live or die; I can feel it in my very bones.

"Stand still, Sasuke." My brother's voice is cold and sharp- just like the shuriken that he pulls out. In one swift motion, he rears back his hand and throws the deadly weapons at me.

Run!

Jump away!

Move!

Do anything!!!

Mu instincts scream at me to get out of the way. To do anything but stand still. I stare death in the face, weighing what I valued more.

My brother's words- or the advice of my flesh.

The answer comes to me like an avalanche.

I trust my brother. He'd never hurt me.

Shuriken whizz past my face, only taking a few strands of hair from my head. They move so fast, that a second or two after they blow past my ears a massive explosion sends my senses reeling. I lose hearing in both ears momentarily, having it replaced by a loud ringing.

The earth vibrates behind me, a loud thump-like feeling travelling up my leg. I snap around, realizing what just happened.

He saved me.

An Anbu, though, this one didn't feel like Knoha's elite. This one was aiming for my neck.

In a split second, Itachi's by my side, hands blurring through the air. Dozens of shuriken and kunai clatter to the floor.

"Come out. It'll make it easier to kill you." My brother commands, taking a protective stance over me.

"What's going on, b-brother?" This... this is nothing like what it should be.

A pained, hesitant, and guilty look flashes across My brother's face. He knows me, so rather than treat me like a child, he gives a quick and precise description.

"A portion of the Uchiha were about to do something dumb. It was decided that they be apprehended." His gaze scanned the area, and in a split second, one of his shuriken drilled through a nearby wall, splashing the entry hole with blood.

"I'm not sure who these ninja are, but they're the enemy. Stick close."

I noded, gulping and hardening I gaze.

Surrounded on all sides by masked strangers, I can do nothing but watch.

"Who are they?" I ask, a chill running up my spine.

A part of me already knows the answer to that. Who else could be behind this? Obviously not Obito, or as he's calling himself now, Madara. That leaves only one other dirty scoundrel unaccounted for.

"It's better if you didn't know such things," Itachi mumbles, eyes falling onto the dark streets of Konoha. "Stay behind me. They're coming."

Metal glints through the air. In a dazzling display of speed, my brother batters all of them away like nothing. His hand wraps around my midsection, and a moment later, I'm flying through the air. My body twists and turns, spotting a dozen shadows rushing toward my landing spot. Itachi perfectly spins, stomping on the face of one of the masked ninja and letting loose a single kunai straight into his throat. Blood spills in all directions, staining my shoes and the ground slick with a crimson sheen.

A hail of metal rushes at my position. Nimbly falling backward, my brother kicks the corpse forward, using it as a makeshift wall against the rain of steel. Suffice to say, the body becomes a pincushion, nearly popping like a balloon.

"Hold on." Itachi curses, dashing through the air at speeds that force the air from my lungs. In a second, I'm across the street, standing next to one of the masked ninja. I gasp for breath, but there's no time to rest. The area I was just at combusts as a giant fireball explodes near it, boiling the very rock beneath it.

Fire?

Without a word, Itachi swings his hand forward, slicing apart the ninja's throat with ease. I see vertebre, muscle, and flesh part like water.

"Close your eyes, little brother." He advises. I feel the pain and sorrow dripping from his tone.

I want to. Oh, how I want to shut my eyes and look away.

"N-No..."

Not now. Not like this. A single mistake could spell the end for both of us. If I look away, it could very well mean that we both die. I have to keep an eye out and at least try to help.

"Very well." With those words, My brother jumps back into the fight. Using only one hand, he blitzes through a series of hand signs. His chest heats up, the air near his mouth roasting as he opens wides and exhales. Flames rocket from his lip as if alive. They chase one particular ninja through the streets- nothing he tries works, and soon, the burning fires of hell are upon him. His screams pierce the night, yet those around him barely bat an eye. They ignore his cries for help and charge Itachi as one.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't so much as worry about him. However...

He deflects, blocks, and parries a number of blows. Jutsu come at him from all sides, yet none reach him. He fights back, but his deadly blows become less so with each confrontation. And then, while spinning me around, a single kunai nicks his cheek.

An insignificant wound; that's what it is. However... that's more than enough to show that he can be beaten. His opponents redouble their efforts. The battle becomes much bloodier. Some lose fingers, others an eye. Their teamwork is excellent. A single nick becomes two, then three.

No matter how good my brother is, he can't fight to the fullest with me weighing him down. This is what I realized.

The clashes of blades come sooner and sooner. Itachi's an amazing ninja, but he's still only human. He starts to get tired.

Not like this...

The next time an enemy get's close, I shut my eyes, focus and breath.

He never sees it coming. No, to be exact, my brother doesn't give him a chance to see it. Perhaps he's that good, but Itachi somehow realizes my plan and spins around at the very last second. Our target changes in an instant, yet I don't hesitate.

Red-hot flames streak across the ninja's body, scorching his suit and setting his flesh alight. A small part of me shrivels up and shuts its mouth.

The man falls to the ground, rolling out of instinct in an attempt to put out the seething flames.

It's a mistake- one my brother doesn't allow him to make twice.

Like a flash, Itachi's at the ninja's side. His friends anticipated this, so a shower of kunai race toward my brother's back. Always a step ahead, he backflips over the kunai, picking one from the air and using it to kill the downed ninja. The weapon goes straight through his eye, and with a solid kick, it completely shatters his skull.

Within my brother's grasp, I start to tremble as sweat soaks my clothes.

Why is this happening? What the hell's going on?!

Only two ninja are left, but my brother is beyond exhausted. He's been fighting for god knows how long. How much longer can he keep it up?

Performing the final dance, he rushes in toward one of the remaining two. Kunai bounce against one another- kicks are dodged and jutsu barely miss. It's down to the wire and at the most crucial moment-

My brother coughs.

It's an insignificant thing, not more than a second's inconvenience. Yet it's all the opportunity they need to strike.

Both lunge at us like mad sharks. Itachi's fingers tightly coil around my body.

This is it. This next strike will decide the outcome of the battle.

An ominous feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

Itachi?

The deadly, bloody dance continues around me. Itachi deftly blocks swings and thrusts, keeping me out of danger. Yet he is but one man. The tiny nicks begin to accumulate, and as his clothes go slick with blood, I feel the end approaching.

I'm nothing but a hindrance now. If he could fight all out for but a moment, these two would be dead.

A part of me wants to run away and leave my brother to fight, but that's suicidal. I'd die and then he'd die trying to protect me.

No, I need to do something else- something no one would expect.

A blade glides by my cheek, slicing off a few strands of my hair. Even Itachi's amazing abilities are faltering. How much longer do we have before he takes a deadly hit to protect me?

He leaps into the air, one of his hands blitzing through a dozen handsigns. The air sparks and ozone begins to burn. In an instant, he thrusts his hand down and the night sky shines brighter than the sun. The cataclysmic crackle reaches my ears after the flash. Below, the ground smoulders a dazzling orange. The lightning bolts he launched ruptured the ground and sought to fry our enemies.

It was a desperate move- one I hoped would work.

There was damage, alright. One of the ninja had his arm charred black and the other's back bubbled. Yet, both were still standing.

The powerful Jutsu had mangled our opponent's bodies, but it also left my brother open to a counter-attack. Exhaustion coursed through his body and dripped onto my face.

No...

Moving through sheer willpower, the enemy ninja charged. One's arm uselessly flopped at his side, blood vessels popping as he raced across the ground. The other left a trail of blood and charred flesh as he followed. The wound on his back was wide and gaping. I could see bits of white; his spine.

They're not human. How could a human endure so much pain?

This was it- the deciding moment. My brother's movements were sluggish and his breath heavy.

One of us would die if nothing was done. My heart smashed against my rib-cage, threatening to expel all the food in my stomach.

The one to act would have to be me. There wasn't any other choice.

Slowly descending through the air, I swallowed and took a deep, shaky breath. Itachi's feet touched down and the first ninja was upon him. My Sharingan blazed to life once more, focusing on my target.

Both he and my bother crossed blades, yet for the first time in the fight, it was my brother that lost the trade. His landing was imperfect and the ninja pounced on that opportunity. For a single second, Itachi's footing was lost. I knew he'd regain it in a moment, but that was far too long. The other ninja raced forward, leaping over his ally with a bloodthirsty blade in hand.

"Sasuke!" Itachi shouted, his movements sealed as the first ninja assaulted him with frenzied strikes. The message was clear.

Run!

I squirmed out of his grasp, using his hip as a springboard to launch myself forward. Everyone had committed themselves to an attack; they wouldn't be able to change course.

Everyone but me!

Abandoning my kunai, I swung my fist straight at the ninja's face. I saw his movements, used my clan's style, and followed through.

Too slow.

My body couldn't keep up. I saw the enemy adjust his aim, yet all my attempts to follow suit were far too sluggish.

In that case-

I abandoned the idea of a counter-attack. It was a desperate, final hope. There's no way a child would actually be able to hit a trained ninja...

My body turned in the air, twisting and making itself as wide as possible. For an instant, I blocked his sight, and in return, I felt metal scrape across my flesh and slide through my body.

Not yet!

Through the agonizing pain, I grit my teeth and sunk my nails deep into the ninja's wounded back. For the first time in the fight, his torturous screams pierced the night air. A sharp piece of metal burned my insides.

It hurts.

It hurt!

It hurts!!!!

My own screams joined his as my vision swam. The world grew darker, and a moment later, his head left his shoulders.

"Sasuke!!!!" Itachi's frantic horrified scream rung in my ears. I fell, catching a glimpse of the other ninja falling to the ground- his body split in half.

"Sa..."

"..kue!"

"... me!"

"T...k to... e!"

My brother was trying to say something, but the beating of bloody drums pounded my ears.

"Please!" I painfully opened my eyes, meeting Itachi's own. Crimson orbs stared back at me. They had a strange, intricate design I hadn't seen before.

Mangekyo...

"Please! No!" Tiny hands gripped my cheeks. Yue's tears bounced off my flesh. "Please!" She clung to me for dear life.

Ah... I was stabbed.

W-What the hell happened?

A bloody cough left my mouth, staining my shirt a deep red.

"B-Brother..."

"Don't talk!" I found my body being lifted. Everything hurt and I whimpered out of reflex. Itachi winced like a kicked puppy.

"I-I'm sorry. Just hold on!" The scenery around me began to shift. "I'll take you to a medic right away! Please, just hold on!"

Slowly, but surely, darkness crept up on me. The world grew gray and sound dulled. This was bad, yet what could I do?

It was so hard to keep my eyes open. my eyelids were so heavy.

Before I knew it- my eyes had shut. I found myself in a shallow, expansive ocean. The only source of light was the crimson moon reflected on the waters. Over the course of a few seconds, it grew larger and larger. I looked up and found the moon rapidly descending toward me.