Aster ran blindly through the streets in the Uchiha compound. Blood was everywhere, trickling down walls and puddling on walkways. NO! No! Her being was screaming, but she was silent as the night, discounting the echoing tap of her footsteps. This isn't happening! It's exactly like before...!Her mind drifted between past and present in a dizzying manner. One second she saw her brother and parents laying still in the darkness, the next the shapes of dead Uchiha who littered the floor. The awful smell of death and blood was all too familiar and sickening. How could I let Sasuke-chan walk into this?! She screamed at herself mentally. Suddenly, finding him was her only priority. "Sasuke.. Sasuke-chan!" her voice cut through the night. "SASUKE-CHAN!" she screamed, her voice becoming hoarse. Another scream rang out in reply, and she could understand the word, 'Nii-san'. Her heart raced. Could Itachi be in danger too? If he was unable to defend himself, was there anything she could do? "Itachi-kun, Sasuke-chan!" she called again in desperation. Silence met her shrieks. The buildings blurred, becoming one as she careened wildly through the maze of homes.
oOoOoOo
Itachi stood, watching Sasuke tremble in terror. It was clear that he had reached his breaking point. It hurt to do it, but he knew he must if he wanted his brother to survive. He activated the mangekyo sharingan, prepared to destroy the innocence and joy of Sasuke's childhood. The illusion began, and even though it was killing him, he smirked, adding to the horror. Sasuke screamed in agony, trapped in the world he had created. As the genjutsu ended, Aster's wails reached his ears. Sasuke stood with a glazed look, apparently unaware of what was going on anymore. Itachi glared, the last person he wanted to come here now was Aster. He didn't want to hurt her too, he wasn't even sure he could do it. But as her calls grew louder and her footsteps came closer, he knew he had to, or she would suffer the same fate as those on the ground around him.
Itachi woke up with the dawn, not that it was unusual. He sighed, knowing he would have to train Aster. She would be hyper and annoying. But after the initial shock of being reunited with her in the morning, he would find the slight humor in her antics, whether he wanted to or not. Wearily, he got dressed slower than usual, not sure whether he was dreading the day or anxiously waiting for her company.
Aster pried her eyes open. She gasped in horror as she took in her surroundings. The stone room was stained with blood whose age she could not guess, even though it had recently been cleaned. The smell clung in the air, unphased by the absence of the dead and dying. Gazing at herself, she realized she was chained to the wall.
Aster ripped at the shackles violently with one arm. The chain clanged as it pulled viciously at her wrist, causing her to whimper in pain. Fatigue was overwhelming. The night came to her slowly. She had run out into the darkness, hoping for the impossible, and then been ambushed. What was I thinking?! Her body ached; they had not been gentle when they had transported her unconscious form. Not to mention the horrible throb in her neck where Kisame had hit the pressure too hard.
She slumped, letting the chains hold her hands above her head. Her mind reeled; she didn't know what to think. Questions floated through her like feathers in the breeze. Where am I? What will Itachi think? Will he even notice I'm gone? What about Sasuke-chan? All questions she didn't have answers for.
As she sat limply, the door creaked open. Aster glanced up through her bangs, curious, but wary.
Itachi made his way down the hall at a snail's pace. He was at her door sooner than he liked. Knocking loudly, he waited.
No answer.
He glared at the wood, as if it would make her appear. It annoyed him even more when she didn't. He knocked again, more forcefully.
It was a while before he stopped expecting answer.
How the hell does she sleep through that? He wondered, turning the handle and preparing for her wild ravings at him coming in while she was in pajamas.
Orochimaru strolled in through the door, leering at her. His presence filled the room, but Aster held her ground, even when beaten on the floor.
"Welcome," it seemed more like a threat of some sort, than a greeting out of Orochimaru's mouth.
"Is there really a point to what you're doing?" Aster scoffed.
"Of course," he answered, keeping the pretense of manners. "I wouldn't go through all the trouble of obtaining you without reason."
Aster glared at him. "I doubt having me will do you any good."
Itachi stepped into the room, waiting for a torrent of enraged yells. It shocked him to find it empty. Something was wrong, horribly wrong.
Sasuke wandered through the halls of Orochimaru's underground lair. Kabuto's absence last night hadn't gone unnoticed. Sasuke could sense that something was happening, and it annoyed him to not know what it was. He slid into the shadows as he saw Orochimaru enter a cell. Even he knew that something was up now. Orochimaru never did anything like that.
Sasuke hid along the wall, hoping he hadn't been seen earlier. He wouldn't be left out on something this big. If secrets are being kept from me.... He didn't even want to think about what that might mean. Spying seemed the best and most obvious course of action. As he stood outside the door, he almost gasped in shock at who the prisoner was. Calming his breathing, he was thankful he had kept his cool. Things were amiss... Horribly so. Nothing made sense, except spying to find answers.
Itachi noticed the paper on the small night table almost immediately. He snatched it, not sure whether to be angry or worried.
I'll be back with Sasuke-chan.
His heart stopped for a second. He was living a nightmare.
"Having you will do me plenty of good," Orochimaru assured her.
"What do you mean?" Aster asked. Despite her reluctance at asking the obvious question, she had to know.
"He loves you." It was a statement. "You're the key. My bait."
"Like hell I am!" she screamed. "What are playing at? He doesn't give a damn about me!"
Orochimaru smiled, projecting the image of a vicious creature about to tear its prey to bits. "You don't need to lie to me. Why else would you have gotten so close to him? Why else did he let you live? Sasuke only breathes at his mercy, at his affection. You are no different."
Aster laughed ominously, like most who are at their breaking point. "Haven't you ever heard of using someone?"
"I didn't picture Itachi-san to be that kind of guy," he muttered, pretending to give her words thought, but only mocking her.
Sasuke felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Itachi?! Rage ripped through him at the name.
"You would know all about using people," she almost spit the words.
Itachi crumpled the note, angry and worried at once. Dammit! Everything that could go wrong seemed to have done just that. Without another moment's hesitation, he exited quickly through her window.
"Me? Using people?" he asked, faking innocence with a chilling curl of his lips. "Who could you possibly mean?"
"Shut the hell up, you lying bastard. You manipulate everything and everyone," Aster hissed.
"Maybe you're right, but I know Itachi-san better than you care to believe," Orochimaru came closer, sending shivers down her spine. "He doesn't use people, and for some reason hidden from me, he seems to have soft spots for two people. He's not using you; he would never do anything like that."
"You don't know that," was her feeble come back.
"Yes, yes I do," he whispered in her ear.
"He won't come for me if that's what you're hoping!" she yelled, kicking him in the stomach.
Itachi rushed through the forest, no longer sure where he was, only that he wasn't at his destination. Everything was blurry and green round him. Suddenly, a pink and orange smear appeared on his sides. He stopped, only to see that he stumbled into the remains of team seven.
Naruto and Sakura stood prepared to fight, with Kakashi coming up behind them, unveiling the single sharingan he possessed. He really did not have time to play around with them at the moment.
Sasuke held his breath. Despite himself, he didn't want Orochimaru to hurt Aster, but it seemed inevitable as he heard the snake sannin's body smack the other side of the wall.
He moved so fast that Aster never saw him get up to recover before he back handed her. The blow came seemingly out of nowhere. Her head twisted sickeningly, contorting the rest of her chained body. Sasuke heard the slap outside the room. He breathed a sigh of relief; Orochimaru was capable of much worse.
"Do NOT ever fight against me. You are my captive, the equivalent of trash. I can discard you at anytime, do not tempt me," Orochimaru hissed, eyes glowing with malice.
"Like hell you can." Aster glared at him, speaking evenly. "I'm not yours to discard. Nor will you do it as easily as you seem to think. Not to mention, you're under the illusion that Itachi will come for me."
Sasuke sucked in another shaky breath. It was beginning to make sense, but it still didn't seem real. Orochimaru wouldn't be giving him answers, he guessed. He would need other sources of information. A plan was beginning to form.
"Where the hell is Sasuke?!" Naruto yelled, tightening his fists.
"You really want to save him?" Itachi inquired, thinking on his toes.
Sakura and Kakashi gave small starts of surprise at the question.
"Does it matter to you at all?" Naruto retorted. Itachi sighed. Naruto was going to make this take longer. He needed to be straight to the point.
"If you care about him at all, you'll let me go without any trouble." Itachi phrased it as best as he could without giving it a second's thought.
This gathered more surprised sounds from them. Sakura stepped forward this time. "It's because we care about him that we won't let you just walk away!"
Itachi sighed again. There was no time to screw around. He didn't know if he would need a lot of chakra, but it was better not to take chances. Even so, if he wasn't quick, Orochimaru could easily destroy them both.
Aster and Sasuke both, gone, gone forever. The thought was sickening. The decision was made. Time was more important right now. He would have to take them out quickly.
"He'll come," Orochimaru leaned down to her as he spoke, but was wary of her feet and fists. "I have him right where I want him."
"No you don't!" she shrieked, but it sounded like denial. Orochimaru paid her no more mind as he left the room. "You don't! You're wrong!" her ranting continued after he had gone. All the while Sasuke stood outside the door, hidden in shadows, unsure what to make of the situation. Only one thing was clear, his source of information, even if she seemed to be a lunatic.
"Be careful of this guy..." Kakashi muttered so only Naruto and Sakura could hear.
As they began to move to ready themselves for the fight Itachi activated the mangekyo sharingan. He moved quickly appearing behind them. Unaware, they all turned in shock, looking him right in the eyes. Instantly they were caught in the illusion.
They were all running in world comprised of red and shades of black. No matter how fast or how far they ran, they could not come any closer to each other in the great open space. Miles seemed to be separating them. Naruto continued to try to push on, hoping to reach Kakashi or Sakura.
"Hey! Sakura, Kakashi sensei!" his yells echoed as Sakura and Kakashi stood, determined not to let the genjutsu wear them down.
Suddenly it seemed Itachi was behind each of them, speaking in their ear. "Twenty-four hours..."
Naruto ignored it, dashing forward madly. To his horror, holes opened in the reflective ground under the still Kakashi and Sakura. Naruto stopped in terror.
"Keep running..." Itachi's voice echoed quietly in the emptiness.
"What the he-" a hole began to open under Naruto as he stood. He jumped, causing the pit to close, only for another to begin its awakening. He had no time to speak. If he wanted to stay out of those holes, he needed to keep moving. No matter how much he wanted to know what had become of Sakura and Kakashi, he knew better than to stupidly fall into a rift on purpose.
Sasuke waited until he was sure Orochimaru was long gone before entering the cramped cell. He stopped short, eyeing Aster's tattered clothing and limp posture. Beaten down, crushed... All the worst words came to him. She had always been strong in his eyes as a child, this wasn't who expected to see.
"Not what you were before, are you?" he asked without sympathy.
Aster looked up suddenly. "S-sasuke-chan?" It was almost a whisper.
Sasuke glared at her. "You're just one disappointment after another. It sickens me to think I looked up to you at one point."
She appeared not to hear him. "Sasuke, listen to me!" she spoke in a hushed, urgent voice. "I need you to help me!"
She opened her mouth to say more but Sasuke stopped her with a malicious grin. "Help YOU?" he almost outright laughed. "After what you've done?" It was only then that she took in his appearance. He now had an odd open white jacket-like shirt with black sweats bandaged from his ankles to just below the knees. Around his waist was a something almost like a skirt with a purple bow of rope. But none of this caught her eye. It was the sword he fingered. "I should get rid of you, just like I will Itachi."
Aster gaped in awestruck horror. How could I forget? Itachi sealed all the memories! She watched him begin to slide the blade out of its sheath. I let my own little brother die, and now I'm about to die at the hand of an adoptive little brother... How sickly ironic. "You're going to regret this, listen to what I have to say." She had taken the commanding voice she used so long ago at the after school tutoring class.
Sasuke dropped the handle, letting the sword slip back into the sheath against his conscious thought. It was a little odd to pull it back out now and kill her, maybe he would listen to her. "What do you mean, 'regret it'?"
Sakura and Kakashi stood shakily. It seemed they had fallen into the same place, but Naruto was no longer with them.
"Naru-" Sakura called, but was cut short as she dodged another opening chasm.
"We need to keep moving!" Kakashi yelled, barely avoiding the ground separating beneath him.
"Please, hear me out." Aster held Sasuke's eyes gravely. He hated to be trapped under her spell, but he had spent too many days, too many weeks, and months obeying her. "I need you trust me. I need you to get these chains off me."
Sasuke's fingertips brushed the sword's hilt again. "Why?"
"I don't have time for this, just trust me!" she pleaded.
"Give me one reason to trust you, after you betrayed my faith in you," he retorted in disgust.
"You don't understand!" Aster shook her fists as much as the manacles allowed. "Itachi is in danger! You're in danger!"
Sasuke smirked. "Good. As long as Itachi dies, I'm fine with what ever happens next."
"NO!" she yelled. "You don't get it! How can you really not remember?!"
"I remember well enough," Sasuke gave her another menacing look.
"No, you don't!" Aster sighed in frustration. She was sure he wouldn't believe the truth.
The illusion ended. Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto sat on their knees, panting and tired beyond all reasonable belief.
Kakashi clenched his fist. He had the mangekyo sharingan activated, he read our movements before the fight began! I should have been more careful. Kakashi side-glanced at Naruto and Sakura. I failed them. We're going to die here.
"Dammit!" Naruto fell forward and caught himself on his hands. His body was shaking and beginning to give way. We never had a chance! The thought rang through his head. Anger and disappointment rushed through his veins. "I'm not giving up!" Naruto tried to push his way to his feet.
"Stop it Naruto!" Sakura scolded breathlessly as she watched him. She was the worst off from the genjutsu. "You'll injure yourself!"
Itachi was still standing behind them. "Listen to her, she's a medical ninja."
All three turned, giving looks of hate, disgust and shock in turn. "H-how did yo-.."Sakura stuttered.
"I'm sorry, but I have more important things to do," he muttered, his voice barely audible. Looking down on them he added, "It didn't have to be like this."
Sakura cringed, waiting for a final blow, but it never came. Instead, her gaze followed a breeze created by Itachi's speed as he dashed over them, and into the surrounding forest.
Itachi moved even faster than before, more anxious by the time he had wasted. I used a lot of chakra back there, and I might be too late already. Either way, I'm going to fight. I will get them both, or lose them both.