An Eye for An Eye

Hokage Office

"Itachi-san. How are you?"

"Not well, Lord Third...the clan is dead set on their plans...I fear within a year at most they'll revolt."

Hiruzen lost his smile. This was serious. He didn't want this to happen; he really truly cared for the Uchiha, no doubt about that. One of his best friends had been an Uchiha. This would only spell disaster for everyone.

"Anything that we can do?"

"At this stage in the game, I'm doubtful." Hiruzen looked down. "However", he looked into Itachi's once more, "Shisui told me that if all else had failed, he had a plan. I trust him."

"Bring him in tomorrow."

"Hai."

Next-Day - Hokage Meeting Room

The following day, In the room, when Itachi and Shisui both appeared, they noticed Hiruzen and the village elders. Danzo being to Hiruzen's right, with the other two, Homura and Koharu, to the left.

"Thank you for coming. Before we begin, can you please brief the elders on the situation?"

Shisui and Itachi gave them a rundown on the situation. They looked shocked and worried...except for Danzo. He seemed to have known all along in some way. He couldn't be behind it all...could he?

"Hiruzen, I've told you from the beginning. The Uchiha are not to be trusted. It was only a matter of time before a coup took place."

"Danzo! How dare you! Do you forget that one of our closest friends was Kagami Uchiha!" Hiruzen said in defence of the Uchiha Clan.

"They are the few vs the many. They truly valued the village over the clan...however, the Uchiha now can't be trusted. We must strike first and take them all out." Danzo retorted, the Uchiha clan needed to go; they were a danger to the Hidden Left Village.

"Danzo, enough of this! I will not strike a leaf ally." Hiruzen responded with a slightly higher tone and slammed his fist on the desk in front of him.

"You're too soft, Hiruzen," Danzo said in disgust.

"Lord Third...If I may..." Shisui said, interjected before things could go south.

"What is it, Shisui? Please tell me you have a plan." Hiruzen almost pleaded to Shisui.

"Enough, Hiruzen. Don't listen to this Uchiha, and we must strike."

"Silence. Go ahead, Shisui." Hiruzen ordered with a glare.

Shisui's mind went back to his promise to Naruto, and he knew his little brother would be devastated if anything happened to them.

"I know what you go through, Naruto. I lost my parent at a very young age. I don't even remember them anymore, but you have me, Naruto, and I will do anything to protect my little brother" Shisui gave him a side hug.

"I can stop the coup. In five days, they will gather the clan...I will use my Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku-sama, and he will end the revolt."

"What? How?" Danzo asked with narrowed eyes.

"My Kotoamatsukami is a special genjutsu, the strongest there is...I can activate on someone and practically control them. I can alter memories or fabricate new ones. I would make him believe that he no longer wants the revolt and plan for peace. He would never know; he would think it's what he always wanted out of his own free will ."

The entire room gasped in shock. The implications and use of such jutsu were absolutely crazy. This was pretty much the pinnacle of genjutsu. Danzo narrowed his eyes even more as he didn't trust such jutsu in the hands of an Uchiha. Hiruzen gained hope that maybe this could work while the elders were caught in the middle.

Itachi looked at Shisui in concern. He knew from what Shisui said what the cost was, and even if that wasn't an issue, it must hurt knowing that you are just controlling somebody to your will. Shisui had his eyes closed as he thought about what he had just suggested, but there was no other choice. This had to be done.

"Very well, Shisui, I will allow you to do this." Hiruzen agreed with hope in his heart; perhaps the war could be avoided.

"Hiruzen, you can't be serious."

"Enough, Danzo." The third roared, and his KI released, causing uneasy feelings to everyone.

"Hai. Thank you, Sandaime-sama." Shisui said with a bow from his kneeling position.

Five days...in five days, the revolt will be over, and they can be peaceful within the village. Naruto wouldn't have to live through civil war, and he could still have his family. In five days, everything could be over, and they can continue being happy together, Itachi, Naruto, Izumi, Hiruzen...they can all be together secured in five days.

Shisui had thought to take Naruto to live with them once he becomes a Genin; he's already strong enough to be a Chunin.

Shisui and Itachi were walking together and had been silent for a while. They didn't really know how to feel; things would end in five days, but also Shisui would carry the guilt of knowing that he's manipulated someone's mind to his will.

"Shisui. Are you sure?"

"Yes, Itachi. If I do this, the revolt is over. We can live in peace together within the village. Naruto won't have to live through civil war, and we can all be a family, You, Izumi, Naruto...It's for you guys."

"Shisui..."

"Listen, friend, don't worry, okay. I got this." Shisui said smiling, "I'm going to go see Naruto's progress on the genjutsu...See you around, Itachi."

"If it's for you two...I'll do anything. No matter the cost."

5 Days Later

Shisui woke up; these five days had been torturous; despite hiding it as much as possible, his favourite blonde somehow knew he was under pressure.

Naruto asked him every day why he was sad and leaving out negative emotions.

Shisui, of course, knew of his ability to feel the emotions of others, the Uchiha had tried to surpass them as much as possible, but all that seemed pointless when it came to hiding it from the likes of Naruto.

Shisui, of course, had just avoided answering his questions or had tried to change the subject, the Uchiha knew that Naruto could see through his lies, and it hurts to lie to him.

1 Hour Before Clan Meeting

"Lord Danzo...you wanted to meet me?"

Danzo stood in front of him and nodded. He looked at him impassively and just internally judged the Uchiha in front of him.

"How do you know this will work?"

"The genjutsu can't just be broken, and it would only end or change on my choice. Even if I died, the jutsu would remain active." Shisui responded with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Yes, but what of the other Uchiha, surely there are many that would revolt regardless. How can you be sure of that, how can you be sure that in the future, the same situation won't happen again?"

"What do you mean?" Shisui asked back, his chakra on his foot, ready for anything unexpected.

"Let's say it works out now; what's to stop the clan in the future from following the same path down the road. It got here once; even if you stop Fugaku, the generation has already decided to take action. What stops them?"

"Fugaku-sama will. They'll listen to him..."

"I doubt that. As such, I believe I shall take your eyes and keep them in my safekeeping!"

Danzo lunged at Shisui, trying to take an eye from him. "Forgive me...Kotoamatsukami!" Shisui began walking away from Danzo when suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in the gut and kick to the chest out of nowhere. "The hell?"He saw Danzo appear in front of him, and he was extremely confused at this. He also noticed that he felt strange now like he was getting weaker and weaker...Danzo came at him again, attempting to get an eye and Shisui's eyes widened; Danzo came so fast, there was no time...He was about to get his eye when suddenly a green aura came and then threw Danzo back.

"Susanoo," Shisui said, and the ribcage formed around him, shielding him from Danzo and saving his eyes. He noticed his weakness coming more and more, so he had to flee. He shunsin into the forest.

12 root anbu appeared by Danzo. "Go get the eyes. Don't Kill him. He won't get far with the poison in his system."

Shisui blocked a slash aimed for his neck by Foundation members in a bear mask. He shunsin away again to gain distance, trying his best to maintain his lead. Just now he noticed blood coming out of his stomach wound, When? Shisui thought and remembered when Danzo first attacked.

A flurry of kunai flew towards him, and he deflected them all with his kunai. Landing on a branch, he was soon forced to shunsin again as a brace of shuriken thudded into the tree.

'This can't go on! I'll have to take them out!' Shisui thought desperately as he returned fire with his own kunai.

Another agent rushed at him, engaging Shisui in a fierce taijutsu match with flashing kunai blades. Shisui unsheathed his tanto in a brief battle opening and decapitated the agent who was battling him. An agent wearing a bird mask ambushed him from the left with another kunai, slashing Shisui across his left arm and throwing down a poison bomb as he went.

In another shunsin, Shisui stabbed the masked bird agent through the throat, leaving him choking on his blood as Shisui fled.

Landing on another branch, Shisui stumbled and fell to the forest floor below as his vision wavered and his legs weakened. He felt shaky and began coughing violently.

'Shit! I must have inhaled some of that poison! And who knows what exactly was on that kunai blade!'

The ROOT agents surrounded him again. The captain gestured to his squad, and one by one, they all raised kunai with explosive tags tied to them.

"Aim for the legs, don't damage anything above the neck." Came the cold-hearted order. His agents nodded, swiftly sending the kunai flying at Shisui from all directions.

BOOM.

A cloud of dust flew up into the air and settled over the forest.

The captain gestured to his subordinates; they nodded and separated to search for Shisui's body parts.

Suddenly a shower of bright green projectiles thudded into three agents.

The smoke cleared, revealing a standing Shisui who was engulfed by a giant fiery green humanoid figure in a tengu mask. The figure appeared to have its chest cage opened, ribs on stark display, with a bright red Matagama in the middle of its chest.

Shisui panted as his Susano-o slowly disappeared from existence; Leaving him defenceless once more.

One of the agents broke off from the formation and engaged Shisui as the captain, and the last remaining member hung back and started preparing a jutsu together.

Unexpectedly the single-agent engaging Shisui fell with a kunai through the back of his neck.

One fireball blasted into the remaining ROOT agents, charring them alive, not even leaving time to shout.

"Shisui! Are you okay?!" A worried shout came from the other side of the clearing.

Itachi came running out of the forest towards Shisui, and he hurried to support Shisui as he collapsed.

"-Huff- Thanks, men, how did you know I needed help? And sorry for the trouble."

"You didn't show up in the gathering; I left and sensed that your chakra signature was in distress; I arrived to see your technique disappear," Itachi replied as he hovered over Shisui with a basic diagnostic jutsu.

He frowned in worry; Shisui had been poisoned with a fast-acting agent that Itachi doubted anyone aside from Tsunade had the skill to remove. "Shisui, you don't have much longer left... but we can go to the hospital..."

Shisui shook his head. "We're going to our spot at the Naka River; there's something I must tell you urgently." He then disappeared in a shunsin.

The Naka river was indeed a spectacular sight in the setting sun. The beautiful pink rays of light played off the tops of the trees surrounding the valley of the Naka River, and the water was a beautiful blue that rushed cheerfully along. The river looked like a painting rendered masterfully by a professional artist.

Unfortunately, this beautiful sight was lost upon the two Shinobi that had just arrived.

Itachi appeared at the Naka river to a coughing Shisui; Itachi started a basic healing technique on his friend to at least ease the pain.

Shisui panted as he looked at Itachi with worried and drawn expressions; he laughed, "Don't make these worried faces at me! I believe in you to carry on for me in my place."

"Itachi, the Kotoamatsukami plan has failed; Danzo's ROOT interfered, he doesn't trust me, and he wants my eyes for himself. He will resort to anything to protect the hidden leaf. They'll probably be coming for my eyes again."

Itachi stoically watched Shisui remove his own eyes. Holding out a hand to them, "Please, keep my eyes safe. I believe in you. Itachi, I will be giving you great power; you'll need it in the coming days. Please protect Konoha in my stead."

Itachi gasped, "Shisui! You can't."

Shisui patted Itachi on the shoulder, "I'm not going to last much longer anyway; take it as my dying wish." as he started coughing blood, his palm on his mouth filled with blood and dripping on the grass.

Speechless, Itachi could only gaze at his friend with a stricken expression on his face.

Shisui smiled at them blindly, "Come on, even like this, I can tell the face you are making. Don't look so worried, Itachi; everything will be fine."

Itachi sadly took the eyes in his hand, drawing a seal on his arm with Shisui's blood and sealing it away immediately.

Itachi summoned a crow and implanted Shisui's eyes into it, and he lowered his head respectfully to Shisui. "I will carry on your will for the Uchiha."

Shisui grasped Itachi on the shoulder again, "From now on, you may be forced to walk down a long, dark path. One that is filled with pain and suffering. I have to apologise..." Shisui grip on Itachi's shoulder tightened, "That I can't be there with you through it all. Still. I hope you don't falter from your path. And keep moving forwards as a leaf ninja. I believe in you. In you and Naruto. That is why I'm able to ask you to carry on my will..."

Itachi had silent tears trailing down his face as Shisui patted his shoulder. Itachi grit his teeth tightly.

"Promise me to take care of Naruto; he will be alone, I know he's only a child, but I believe in him; he shall be the one to unite this world. He's special, and he will need love now more than ever..." Shisui coughed even more blood, and his colour skin slowly turned pale.

"I will, Shisui. Naruto is my little brother just as much as Sasuke," Itachi promised and thought of how he could ever tell Naruto.

Shisui laughed loudly; despite his lungs screaming in pain, he ignored it to have the last laugh with his friend and brother.

Last actions complete Shisui was relieved, he let out a short sigh.

"Don't stop me."

With those final damning words, Shisui smiled and stepped backwards off the cliff. Disappearing into the raging waters of the Naka river silently.

"SHISUI!" Itachi shouted, reaching for Shisui's hands.

Only to fall short by inches.

The figure of Shisui disappeared in the darkness, Itachi's Sharingan changed, taking the form of a three-blade Shuriken.

Naruto

Smiling he had just finished the academy for today, Naruto rushed outside, the courtyard buzzing with people; the parents had come to take their children home. At the same time, Naruto waited for either Shisui or Itachi to come.

Naruto felt the wind blowing against his face as a hand touched his shoulder; turning around, he smiled, seeing Shisui in front of him smiling.

Naruto was surprised that he hadn't felt his chakra coming.

"Naruto is time."

Naruto looked confused. His eyes glanced, but he couldn't see Itachi anywhere.

"Time for what..." he stopped mid-sentence as Shisui kneeled and hugged him; Naruto immediately returned the hug but couldn't help but feel... Cold.

"Shisui, are you" "Naruto, promise you will live a long life. I never said it, but you're like a little brother, and you're family to me. I have come to say Goodbye, Take Care of Itachi," Shisui whispered in his ear.

Naruto felt his body start breathing heavily. He wanted to shout, angry, why he was talking like that.

"Oj Naruto" the blonde turned his head to see Shikamaru looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"You alright?"

Naruto turned his head to look at Shisui but saw no one there, and his senses couldn't detect him anywhere, his eyes desperately trying to see him anywhere; the wind blew again from behind his back as leaves flew high in the sky.

The blonde felt a pain on his chest, his heart beating on his chest, almost popping out, unshed tears on his eyes, his hands shaking; he kept trying to catch his breath, his hands in front of him, not feeling the warmth.

"I know what you go through, Naruto. I lost my parent at a very young age. I don't even remember them anymore, but you have me, Naruto, and I will do anything to protect my little brother."

"Shi... Shis... Shisu...SHISUI"

Itachi - Tomorrow

Itachi walked inside the secret meeting of the Uchiha Clan, his eyes roaming around the large room where the hidden stone of the Uchiha clan stood; his father stood in front of the stone, looking down at it. No one else was in the room.

Itachi knew what the stone said; his Mangekyo allowed him to read the secret text, And it sounded too good to be true.

His thoughts were interrupted when his father turned to look at his son with a fully matured Sharingan.

Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly, his muscles tensed, almost like preparing for a fight, he never believed his father would fight him, but one can never be too prepared.

"Itachi, I thought you were training Naruto?" His father asked with a neutral tone, and he didn't look angry with him, much to Itachi's surprise.

"He said he didn't feel good", Itachi replied, knowing Naruto's true reason for not training this time.

The next thing that happened shocked Itachi to his core. His father's Sharingan changed into a Mangekyo Sharingan, suddenly everything around him changed; he saw Kurama with Sharingan destroying the village. His tails were destroying the Hokage tower.

Itachi fell on his knees, breathing heavily, cold sweat running down his forehead. Will his father truly do something like that? No, he would not allow it.

Raising his head slowly, his own Mangekyo Sharingan was on full display; But to Itachi's surprise, his father didn't even flinch from his new Sharingan, almost like he was expecting it.

"I didn't know you had it, father," Itachi said, still breathless.

"During the war, I lost my closest friend. And is better this way Itachi, if people of our clan knew of my Mangekyo, they would force me to use it on Naruto. I had him in my house, at my table. I could have easily used it on him, but that's not what I want," Fugaku stated with a cold tone.

"Itachi; With you inside, we can take over without killing anyone, the only ones that need to die are the Hokage, and Danzo, with you we can do it without any bloodshed," His father said and stretched out his hand for Itachi to grab.

Right now, Itachi was happy he hadn't told anyone about Naruto's Sharingan; he looked at his father's hand in front of him; he wanted to accept it. Uchiha clan was his family, but he closed his eyes and remembered her words.

"Itachi, I love you, and I know we will be together and live in a Just World," Izumi said in his ear.

Standing up, Itachi closed his eyes and looked at his father with a neutral look on his face.

Itachi opened his mouth to respond.