Sight and Sound

New Paths

Itachi stood talking with Shusui. "They won't really do that.. Shusui?" Itachi was upset. Shusui was like a brother to him. He was the only one Itachi would tell what he really felt to. "The Akatsuki mean what they say. The clan only wants to keep its status in Konoha. His life means nothing to them." Shusui spoke gravely, trying to keep Itachi from the imminent proposition he felt coming. "Shusui, I won't let them just hand over Sasuke like some animal. He is not a guinea pig. He is a little boy, my little brother." Itachi was adamant. "Itachi what can we do? Just listen to me for once.." Shusui tried to reason with him. But Itachi was far wiser than his age credited him. "I have an idea. I have already tried to go in his place, but that didn't work." Itachi looked at Shusui, expecting him to be able to perceive the plot he was cooking up. "I have another way to save him." Shusui furrowed his brow at this, "Itachi, stop beating around the bush. What do you mean?" Again Itachi stared into his eyes in that all-knowing way, "I will infiltrate the Akatsuki and destroy them from the inside out." His brother-like clansman only scowled at him. "Itachi Uchiha! How the heck to you plan to infiltrate such an organization?" Itachi for once sighed because he had no answer. Then he looked hopefully at Shusui. "Why else would I tell you about my plan, unless I needed help? Please, Shusui. I can't stand by while they send Sasuke unknowingly to his death." As Shusui met Itachi's desperate gaze, he melted. The utterly lost feel of his eyes made it impossible to refuse his help. "I can't promise anything. This is betraying the clan, we are a pair of traitors as of now. I will do my best for you." Itachi only looked at him reprovingly, "For Sasuke. Not me."

Aster moved slowly through the lightless forest. Despair weighed down her every step. She was going to try to find Itachi, but she really had no idea where he was headed or how far ahead he was. Quietly as she could, she moved through the trees. Aster realized that was running away from Konoha, much the same way she had before. Disgusted with herself, she continued on, only thinking of Itachi. As she moved on the forest floor, she heard voices above her. Aster whipped her head up, believing to be caught.

A girl with a flute and a bandaged head that showed tufts of red hair stared menacingly at Sasuke. Sasuke only gazed back coolly, "I thought you were the 'Sound Five'.. There are only four of you. Are all of Orochimaru's subordinates unable to count?"

The girl replied, "You've got guts. How bout I tell you the story on the way?"

Sasuke tilted his head nonchalantly. Aster stared up, apparently still unnoticed. This is the path he has chosen? She thought as a pit formed in her stomach.

"Do we really need to move so quickly?" Sasuke asked, anger putting an edge on his words. Aster gaped. The Sasuke she had known was never malicious.

The redhead chuckled darkly. "He needs you more than ever now. We must move quickly."

Sasuke shivered slightly, but as far as Aster could tell, none of Orochimaru's henchmen picked it up. She could tell he was apprehensive about what he was doing. That made it harder to watch him go. Then, at a signal from a man with six arms, they set off, leaving Aster stunned in her hiding place.

Dazed and distant, she stumbled through the woods, blindly searching for Itachi. Itachi heard crashing in the trees behind him. He turned when he felt the crash of something in the forest behind him. He was going to attack, but he recognized Aster's silhouette. Tiredly he thought to himself, I knew leaving her in Konoha was too easy.

She picked herself up and stared at him in wonder. "Itachi? Is it really you?" He thought she had been saying a lot of the same thing.

Reprovingly, and a little angrily he asked her, "What are you doing here? You should still be in a hospital bed in Konoha.."

She instantly fell apart. "I.. Sasuke-he! And Orochimaru! How could I? How could I do that to Sasuke-chan?!" She ran toward him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He was too aghast to resist.