Crimson Echoes

Izumi Uchiha gasped as she finished her fifth plate of food. After too many years of gruel and slop, she was finding the wonderful aroma of perfectly prepared food rather unorthodox. Plus, it was hard for her to open her eyes in the sun. She had knocked into at least five people on her way to feed herself.

Never mind that she kept getting comments about her...extreme diet plans. She ignored the comments. She felt so pitiful. She had to keep herself from falling to tears with each bite of food. She had given up on having such luxuries. Yet, she was saved...by a ten-year old outcast of Konoha.

Try as she might, Izumi was not able to remember ever helping Uzumaki Naruto. Just trying to remember had given her a headache. She hoped these things would come in time. Then again, spending years of your life in darkness had an odd way of reshaping the perceptions of time and distortions of space.

In the time that she ate, she watched dozens of people enter the establishment and leave. Some couples, and others alone. Each of them wore a pleasant visage of contentment and fulfillment.

Izumi didn't like it. She wondered if she had worn such expressions on her face. If she had then she wished she could have erased it from her face. She resisted the urge to scowl when some even waved to her. She did not wave back. There was too much light here.

A snarl escaped her throat. In that moment, she recognized how much she had changed. She was finally free, but the chains of darkness beneath Konoha still kept her bound. It was as if the village's sole existence was to drain the entire life from her body. She paid for her food and angrily left the area, ignoring the goodwill sent to her from one of the staff members.

She clumsily walked through the village. Stores, some new and some old, passed her gaze. The sun was hot and she felt tired, but she had someplace to go. She kept her head down. She wondered how she looked. Did she seem poor? Did she seem elderly? The clothes she wore felt like fine robes. Though worn by common folk, for her they felt akin to the softest shades of material fit to embrace the human body. For many years she had known only the comfort of rags. It was a nice...if odd feeling.

Her stroll took her towards...the Uchiha Compound. She stared at one of the many doors which led into the compound. Her eyes gazed upon the dirt that she and her mother walked.

The young Uchiha recalled her father's will. He strove to protect those around him from harm. She had always wished to be like him. Yet, he was one with the Memorial Stone now. Where was her mother? Among the dirt and traitors, spoken of about the Uchiha clan and their coup.

Yes, Izumi knew. It was one of Shingen's favorite tales to her. He told her how Uchiha Itachi had ruthlessly cut down the men, women, and children of the Uchiha clan. No doubt her mother was among those people. The goodness of her mother, the strength of her service, the courage of her heart, dragged through the dung, and mud.

It whistled in the dirt because of her clan's accursed desire for power. She remembered believing that no Uchiha worth their pride would summon the Kyuubi no Yoko, but...she kept finding belief after belief to be tested!

All of this...because of Itachi! Now, do not mistake her. She did not wish to kill Itachi to avenge her clan. She did not wish to kill Itachi for ending her life in the fashion that he had. No, these were not her reasons for such things. No, in...another life she loved Itachi. She was sure that somewhere in her heart of hearts she still did. Yet, that only made her rage burn hotter.

She took a calming breath. She supposed she should head back to the...lair before Naruto would start looking for her. She took one more look at the gates and then she began to walk away.

"I know it's improper to speak ill of the dead, but I can't help, but think...good riddance,"

Izumi glanced to her side and she noticed a woman standing next to her looking at the gates which led into the Uchiha Compound. The Uchiha female frowned before fully turning towards the woman.

"I mean, you heard the rumors right? It was said that an Uchiha was the one who attacked the village by taking control of the Kyuubi no Yoko. I don't know about you, but I've slept much easier knowing they're gone. The village has been a lot more peaceful," she stated.

Was it worth it, Itachi? Was the exile worth it? Was her life worth it? Was her mother's life worth it? Where the years that she spent in physical and mental torture worth it? Was having her dignity, her pride, her feelings, her very being degraded worth this?! Forgive her if she did not share in the notion.

"I suppose it has. Good day," Izumi muttered. She was tired. She hoped to get home and then have that ridiculous doctor take her physical for the blonde who had released her.

"Good day to you as well. I just think everyone in the village has started to learn that the only good Uchiha...is a dead one." she said and the woman walked off. However, Izumi did not. Her feet felt as if they had just been frozen in severe ice. She stared at the ground. Her body then trembled as if the flames of Hades had washed over her. She faced the woman. Rage filled her eyes. Anger filled her spirit. Death filled her tongue.

"Huff. Huff. Huff. Huff." Izumi panted as she slowly regained her senses. In her hands was a large stone that she must have picked up. Its face was awash with the color and scent of blood. Down on the ground were the crushed remains of the woman who had just been speaking to her.

That is, if one could even remember what she looked like. She also noticed they were no longer in the street, but in an alleyway. Izumi Uchiha's eyes glowed with the stunning might of the Uchiha Clan ocular dojutsu, the Sharingan.

She shuffled the stone into one of her pockets. Her eyes hollow when she looked up the woman she had just killed. "And the only good Konoha civilian...is a silent one," Izumi replied. She dropped the body into one of the alleyway trash cans. Hopefully the stray dogs and gnats would do some of the work for her.

Izumi Uchiha stepped out of the dark alley she had somehow found herself in. There was no one to be found. So, she walked out and continued back to the club. She let out a laugh with no warmth. Yes, she had become corrupted as well. A normal life could not fix her. So...this was what Itachi felt was worth the destruction of her clan?

This is what Itachi felt was worth the destruction of her kind nature? Then she would show him what she thought of his glorious sacrifice! It was right there...in the garbage along with the rest of Konoha...right where it belonged.

....

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