Tainted Blood: The Beginning

[Author's note: I'm going back in time a bit before Mitsukai escaped from the Akatsuki.]

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*September---six months after Mitsukai started school*

Sasuke looked at his report card and smiled. He had the highest marks in his class. He ran all the way home and found his father in the family room, sitting on the floor with his eyes closed. He handed him the card and took a seat in front of him, anxiously awaiting his response.

Fugaku looked at it and closed his eyes again. He stood and approached Sasuke. "Keep this up and become successful just like your brother." He dropped the card next to Sasuke and walked out of the door, leaving his son alone.

Sasuke's shoulders sagged with disappointment. "Dad...I...," He whispered, "...I wanted you to say, 'as expected of my child.'"

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Later that night Sasuke woke to the sounds of voices. He tiptoed down the hall and heard his father and Itachi talking.

"What did you say? Do you understand how important tomorrow is? You don't understand your position!"

"I have a mission tomorrow." Itachi didn't look up at him.

Sasuke inched closer to the sliding panel and quietly slid it open more so he could see what was going on. 'It's so late, and the lights are out. What could they be doing?'

"What mission?" Fugaku demanded.

Itachi sighed lightly, "That I can't tell you. It's a secret mission."

"Itachi, you're the link that connects us to the village. You understand that, right?"

Itachi controlled his sudden burst of anger that coursed through him. Fugaku was always thinking of the clan and the village...Their image was always more important to him than anything else. "Yeah."

"Make a good impression. And come to the meeting tomorrow."

Itachi didn't respond. He could feel someone else was near. He closed his eyes to concentrate and heard the quiet, tiny breaths of the person. He opened them and, without turning his head, looked in the direction behind him towards the door. "Sasuke." Fugaku and Mikoto gasped and looked up as well. "Go to the bathroom and quickly go back to sleep."

Sasuke was a bit glad to have been recognized. He slid the door open a little more and gave a small smile. "Okay."

Fugaku stood up and addressed Sasuke. "What are you doing up this late at night? Hurry up and go to sleep!"

His tone of voice wasn't like Itachi's gentle one. His shoulders drooped a bit as he sadly slid the door closed. "Okay."

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The next night, like he had told his father, Itachi had a secret mission to complete. It wasn't for the ANBU like Fugaku had assumed, but he was to meet and talk with the Akatsuki leader about Shikyo. He had agreed to meet with Paine at 8:30 p.m. in the forest outside of Konoha. He saw no problem with this seeing as the family meeting wasn't until nine o'clock.

He found Paine standing in his usual spot. "I'll be brief. We are thinking of putting Shikyo in the village's academy as part of an infiltration exercise to see how good she is at blending in with others. What do you think?"

Itachi thought about it. She needed to exposed to other people outside of them. He only nodded.

"Then it's settled. She'll be enrolled next Monday." Paine disappeared. Itachi turned and walked back to head to the Nakano Shrine near the Nakano River. He turned and noticed the full moon reflecting off of the surface. As he was walking alongside the river, he heard rustling and stopped.

"Itachi." He turned to see Shisui staring at him strangely.

He only tilted his head in mild interest before answering, "Yes?"

"Who was that?" Shisui asked.

"Hmm?" Itachi pretended not to know what he was talking about.

"That man. I've seen his face in the Bingo book. He's supposed to be forming some secret organization." He shook his head. "Itachi, I've been watching you since you joined the ANBU...and you've been acting strangely. I don't know what to make of your actions, but I do know one thing: I'm going to have to report you. I've seen you conversing with a wanted ninja and yet you made no effort to capture him. That is treason against your village."

Itachi felt the evil stir underneath his skin as he got angry. He had been so careless that he hadn't thought to check and made sure he wasn't being followed. Shisui tried to walk past Itachi. He couldn't let Shisui tell anyone his secret. Without thinking about it, he swung aiming to hit Shisui in the back of the head. Shisui, having seen this coming, managed to move just enough to prevent the blow from knocking him out. He swung back at Itachi but Itachi moved faster than him, grabbed his arm, and flipped him into the river. Blinded by fury, Itachi jumped in after him and once he was able to get his hands on him, put both hands on top of Shisui's head and forced his head under. Shisui hit Itachi a few times causing Itachi to lose his grip which allowed Shisui to come up for air.

Unfortunately for Shisui, Itachi had a secret to keep that he was willing to kill for. Itachi grabbed his head again and forced him back under; this time he kneed Shisui in the gut which caused him to lose the precious air he needed to survive. As water filled his lungs, Shisui became dizzy and his world spun until it faded into nothingness. Itachi put all of his weight on his cousin's head until the water became still. When he was sure that Shisui was dead, he let go and swam back to shore. As he lifted himself out, he looked over his shoulder to watch Shisui's lifeless body float down the river. He stood up and sighed. His clothes were soaked so there was no way to go the meeting now.

"Forget it." He mumbled and headed home, knowing that everyone was at the meeting by now.

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That next morning, Itachi noticed Sasuke's report card sitting on the nightstand in Sasuke's bedroom. He opened it and was proud of his little brother's progress so far. He found Sasuke sitting on the porch and sat down beside him, laying the report card between them. For a while, neither of them spoke.

"Father always talks about you." Sasuke finally spoke. Itachi raised an eyebrow upon hearing his brother's tone. It was a bit resentful. Itachi knew how this sounded because at one point, that was how he sounded when talking to the two year old Sasuke.

"Am I that bad?" Itachi looked at Sasuke briefly then back out at the yard, "Whatever, it's alright. Shinobi are hated by others, so it's no surprise."

Sasuke's mouth gaped open. 'Tha-that way...it's just as he said. In truth, I...about my brother...'

Itachi saw the look on Sasuke's face. He chuckled and smiled, "This is what happens when you are skilled. Power causes you to become isolated and arrogant. In the beginning, you only aim for what you dream of. It's just that we're unique siblings. I'm the barrier you must overcome, so you and I will continue to exist together. Even if you hate me. That's what being a big brother is."

Sasuke looked at his brother. They heard a door open and someone called out. "Is Itachi here? We need to speak to you. Come out!"

Itachi got up and walked to the door. "What is it...? With everyone here...?"

It was three men of his clan who worked at the police station with their dad. The oldest one spoke, "Two were absent from last night's meeting. Why didn't you come?"

Sasuke peeked around the corner and listened. 'It's just as I thought; he really didn't go to the meeting father mentioned.'

The eldest continued, "Ever since you joined ANBU, you have had several 'missions'. I understand that. Your father has told us that too. He watches out for you, but--"

Another guy with long brown hair cut him off, "We don't plan to give you any special treatment."

Itachi stared at them. 'So they've found his body already...'

"I understand. I'll be more careful now. Please leave."

The first guy spoke again, "You're right. But before that, there's something else we want to ask you." Itachi looked up, interested in what he would say next. "It's about the suicidal drowning in the Nakano River last night. That of Shisui Uchiha."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly. On the surface, Itachi was anxious to go back to his spot on the porch, tired of their roundabout way of accusing him when they essentially had no proof. Deep inside, a dark, evil part of him was growing impatient and was peeved. 'Are they so afraid that they cannot even say what they think? They cannot even effectively confront someone over a matter as trivial as this; how dare they claim to be so great when they cannot even wield the advanced Sharingan? It pains me to even acknowledge they have even one single blood cell me in their tainted, unworthy veins.'

Sasuke's eyes widened. 'Suicide?'

The second guy watched Itachi's reaction closely. "The other one who was absent last night was Shisui. Honestly, it was believed that you thought of Shisui like an older brother."

'Shisui...' He closed his eyes, giving him the appearance that he wasn't interested in what they had to say. However, it still hadn't fully sunk into Itachi's mind that he had murdered his own cousin. He had willingly killed his best friend, just to keep a secret. Of course, he had known that if it had came to that, death would be the only way to deal with the person, but it had never occurred to him that the first one would have been Shisui. Inside, it pained him to know that the only person who ever understood him was drifting down a river, dead because of him. After the adrenaline rush had worn off, he had stayed up nearly all night convincing himself that it was necessary and that it didn't really mean as much to him as he thought. He tried to reassure himself that truly powerful people did not feel guilty or regret their actions...ever. It had took him a while, but standing in front of these people that claimed a blood relation to him, he felt nothing. His heart was cold and his mind was calm and collected. "Is that so? I have not seen him at all recently." He opened his eyes, and there was no hint of remorse, grief, or even that what had just been said affected him at all. "It's unfortunate."

"So we, the police force, decided to investigate this more thoroughly."

"Investigate?" Itachi's eyes widened with annoyance. 'An investigation will draw attention. If they listen to what this idiot thinks, then they will investigate me...which would then mean I would be watched constantly until they found out the truth.' The eldest dug into his pocket and pulled out a familiar folded piece of paper and held it out to Itachi. Itachi looked at it but didn't move. The eldest explained, "This is Shisui's suicide note. We have identified the handwriting. There's no doubt that it really is his writing."

Itachi looked at him, "If it wasn't a murder, what are you investigating?"

The arrogant one stepped closer than advisable. "If one can use the Sharingan, then it would easy to copy any handwriting." Itachi finally took the note and skimmed over the familiar words. [blockquote]'I'm sick of missions. At this rate, Uchiha will have no future. And neither will I. This road...I walk down it no longer.'[/blockquote] Itachi stared at the words he had written, hoping that when they read it, they would see what they had drove him to do. Hoping that they would understand that they had become nothing to him, nothing to even themselves. He had been told so many times during his trainings and missions that the world operated on the saying "survival of the fittest". His clan, who was practically tied on his back to be carried for the rest of his life, deserved nothing worse than death if they could not fend for themselves. He knew that he would cut those ties and watch them all struggle to live without him.

"He was the most skilled of the Uchiha, and was feared as 'Shisui of the Mirage'. He was a man who would take on any mission for the clan. It's hard to think that he would do this kind of thing and kill himself."

"You shouldn't judge others by their appearances and your preconceptions." Itachi whispered. He vividly remembered how Shisui would complain about the pointless, tedious missions and their arrogant clan who had done nothing to deserve to be so arrogant. Looking at the arrogant idiot in front of him now made him angry. Konoha was a relatively peaceful village, save the few who chose to run around and cause trouble, like Naruto Uzumaki. The note said it all. Itachi was sick of missions; Shisui had been too. If the clan continued to be as pathetic as they were, then they would surely have no future. And if Itachi continued to be the donkey he had been thus far, he would have no future either. Since he had become captain of his own squad in Anbu, there was only one other title he could acquire as a shinobi, and that was Hokage. He had no intention to ever become Hokage. It got on his nerves by just being captain. Finally, at that moment, he had mentally severed ties with his family. He was done with them. All he had to do know was leave.

"For now, we'll leave that note with you. Take that to ANBU and request that they investigate as well." The younger guy smiled wickedly, wanting nothing more than to piss off the great Itachi Uchiha that the clan respected and loved so dearly.

"Understood." Itachi nodded slightly as the guys turned to leave.

The eldest sighed warily, "I hope there'll be other clues."

The arrogant one looked over his shoulder at Itachi, "We have different ways than ANBU, too. If you try to hide anything, we'll know right away."

BOOM! It was as if something had hit Itachi in the chest. He could feel his grip on the note become tighter and the evil within him stir excitedly. His eyes narrowed angrily, and for the first time, he actually frowned, giving the apparent indication that he was truly mad. "How about being more direct?" His voice sounded a bit more sinister. They turned back and Itachi had unconsciously activated his Sharingan. "You're suspicious of me, right?"

Before he had asked the question, Itachi had made up his mind that he would kick their asses for being so pitiful. The arrogant one scoffed and replied, "Yeah, that's right. Damned brat."

The eldest could almost feel Itachi's anger radiating off of him through his chakra. "Listen up, Itachi! If you try to betray the clan, you won't get off easy!"

His threat made Itachi's blood boil with rage. 'How dare they try to threaten me when they cannot even tell me they believe I killed Shisui?!' Without a second thought, Itachi's fist connected with the eldest's chin, smashed the arrogant one in the nose, and he merely flipped the silent one onto his face outside in the dirt. Sasuke's jaw dropped open with shock.

Itachi hunched over slightly, looking at the men on the ground. "It's just as I said earlier. You shouldn't judge others by their appearances and your preconceptions. You thought that I would be patient. The clan...the clan... All of you, without measuring your own capacity...had no idea of mine. And now, you lie here, defeated."

Sasuke couldn't believe his eyes. 'This side of my brother...is something I've never seen before.' The eldest looked up at Itachi, "Shisui...had been watching over you recently. Just half a year after your joining ANBU, your actions and words became strange. What in the world are you thinking?"

Itachi frowned again and squinted his eyes. "You focus on your group, and you focus on your clan, and you focus on your name. These kinds of things should be done away with, as it restrains us and our capabilities. Also, things we have not seen yet and things we do not know yet...it is foolish to fear them." 'How can they be afraid of the gift that Sojobo has given us when there is not even one who can tell us what it does?'

"Stop it, Itachi!" Fugaku yelled. Itachi turned to his left and saw the man standing there in his uniform. "What in the world are you saying? Itachi, you've been acting a bit strange lately."

Itachi calmed down a bit, regaining control over the hate that had consumed him and allowed the evil to seep out. "There's nothing strange...I'm carrying out my duty. That's all."

"Then why didn't you come last night?" Fugaku looked at him. As he had requested, Shisui had been keeping tabs on his son ever since he came home late as a result of a "mission". Before his "suicide", Shisui had told him that he suspected Itachi was meeting with someone on a regular basis.

"To reach the height..." Itachi whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Fugaku demanded. Itachi snatched out a shuriken and threw it, lodging it into the family crest on the stone wall, creating cracks. He turned slowly back to his father without looking at him.

"My capacity...I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan."

Sasuke remembered Itachi's explanation about the family crest. '...That is why our family crest is on the symbol. Since long ago, the Uchiha clan has been responsible for enforcing and protecting the village's public order...The Uchiha crest also serves as a symbol of our clan's pride. Now the clan has become smaller, but most of us work here, contributing to maintaining public order. The only shinobi who can enforce the laws...are superior ones.'

"You forget what is most important to you because you're not letting go of a lesser thing, the clan. There is no room for change if rules and regulations, expectations and wishes, prevent it from happening." Itachi tried to be calm but it infuriated him to know that Sojobo's gift was treated like some viral disease. Just because he was a demon, they feared that if others learned about their demonic blood, they would become lesser than the other clans. They didn't understand that because of it, they were the strongest, even more than the Hyuuga clan. Yet, they held onto their pride, their name, in an attempt to cover up what they considered to be shameful. It had made him even angrier when he found out that there was a rule forbidding any clan member to seek this gift. They didn't know what it could do; they just weren't supposed to find out. Their rules and regulations made it known that if any member was found with this gift, he would be put to death immediately. Their expectations and wishes for him made it impossible for him to break those rules...However, he didn't care anymore.

Fugaku helped the others get up. The eldest looked Itachi. "Such arrogance! Enough! If you keep sprouting such nonsense, we will have you arrested!"

Sasuke watched the bizarre scene in complete awe. 'This is what happens when you are skilled. Power causes you to become isolated and arrogant. In the beginning, you only aim for what you dream of.' Sasuke couldn't shake his brother's words out of his head. "Why, Brother..."

"Well," the eldest looked at Itachi, "What are you going to do?"

"We can't allow this anymore! Captain," the younger one looked back at Fugaku, "Please issue the order for an arrest!"

'No...' Sasuke didn't want to see his brother get arrested. Not after all the good he had done for the clan, for the village... "Brother! Enough, stop!"

Itachi gasped when he realized his little brother was watching him. The only person who had a true connection to Itachi was Sasuke, and when he heard Sasuke's voice, it sparked emotion in him and shook the evil that was taking over him. The cold hatred, anger, and vengeance that had consumed him quickly faded and was replaced with the warmth Sasuke's brotherly love. Itachi fell to his knees and bowed deeply, face only a foot from the ground.

"The one who killed Shisui wasn't me. For all I have said, I am most sorry. Please forgive my rudeness."

Fugaku watched Itachi carefully then quietly accepted his son's apology. "Recently, he's been worked to death by ANBU and is tired."

"Captain!" The three looked at him, shocked.

He ignored them and continued to speak, "ANBU is a unit under the direct control of Hokage-sama. Even we, the police force, can't arrest someone without a warrant. Also about Itachi...I will take responsibility of watching over him. Please!"

Itachi's face was blank, void of any sign of emotion. He listened as his father made excuses for him. He found it quite amusing that even they had no ability to stop him. 'Who are they to tell you that you can't unlock my gift? By rights, they can't kill you if you did. That decision would ultimately be left up to the Hokage.'The evil voice whispered into his mind. He could feel its dark energy stirring under his skin again. 'Besides, young Uchiha, you already have it...thanks to that cousin of yours...'

"I understand." The eldest resigned. Fugaku walked towards the house and passed Sasuke. Itachi sat up a bit and stared after his dad, hatred filling him. Sasuke gasped as he watched his brother's visible eye change. The three tomoes spun together and created some sort of warped kaleidoscope shape.

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After dinner, Fugaku told Itachi to follow him to the family room for a discussion. They both sat on their knees facing each other as Fugaku studied his son. Itachi's face held no kind of emotion, not even anger, which was what he had apparently expressed earlier that morning.

"Itachi, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing." Itachi kept his eyes on the floor. He had nothing to say to the man.

"It must be something to make you act out like that in front of everyone. Surely you don't say things like that in front of other people. You'd make the clan look bad with such nonsense."

Itachi almost rolled his eyes when he heard "the clan". It seemed like his father had missed most of what he'd said. "How can the clan possibly look bad if it is so great and mighty?"

Fugaku narrowed his eyes as his Sharingan was activated. "Do not mock us. I don't know why you've suddenly changed and have begun to feel this way about your own family, Itachi, but I will not tolerate it."

For the first time, Itachi made eye contact with his dad. "You say that as if you'll punish me. What could you possibly do the 'pride of the Uchiha'?" He gave a smug smile. All day he let his anger and hatred snowball and now he had a chance to tell his beloved father what he really was thinking.

"You are too arrogant, Itachi. I guess with us relying on you so much, it has turned you into something we cannot control any longer. We were wrong for believing you could handle the family secret. However, my first mistake was deciding to train you at such a young age." Fugaku folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

Itachi's eyes flashed between his normal and new Sharingan."What makes you say that?" Itachi's voice was icy. Fugaku looked up and caught a glimpse of his son's eyes.

"So then it's true. You did kill Shisui." He closed his eyes again.

Itachi's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "How would you know?"

"You have the forbidden eyes, the Mangekyou Sharingan. Or maybe you haven't seen it yet. One only gets it after having killed a loved one."

"Or by watching them die." Itachi felt his lips move on their own. Fugaku looked up.

"That's true also. But I've seen Shisui's body. I was coming home to tell you. It looked like he had been in a scuffle with someone and may have been thrown in the river. He had bruises on his body and no one knew of any fight that he's been in recently. Then I come home and look at you and your strange new mannerisms. Your mother said the clothes you wore yesterday were damp. Your knuckles are slightly red as if you've been fighting. Above all, you have the forbidden Sharingan. All evidence points to you, Itachi."

"Yet nothing makes your accusation solid."

Fugaku chuckled, "You didn't even bother to deny it. Well, that is true. However, don't think something won't turn up. In my heart, I know you've changed. Shisui told me that he believed you have joined some secret organization with S-ranked ninjas, which may include Orochimaru. If this is true, then I can no longer call you my son. You would be a traitor to your village, and to your clan. I have already spoken to the ANBU leader about Shisui's death, and the speculation of your involvement. They've decided to look into the matter as well. As of now, all of your future missions have been reassigned until they can clear your name."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly. Now he had no excuse to leave Konoha which gave him no opportunities to travel to the Hidden Rain village.

"Now that you're confined to the village, I'd like to see what you'll do. I'm watching you at all times, Itachi. I will not have you making the clan look dishonorable. You will not tarnish our name. If I have to, I will request that you be put to death. Do not force my hand." Fugaku stood and left Itachi sitting there. His whole life he had waited for this moment and it had finally come. His father no longer saw him as a toy to be manipulated, but as a threat. The clan would find out eventually and then they wouldn't trust him. Finally, he would no longer be expected to be their connection to the village.

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Itachi attended his meeting with ANBU and wasn't surprised when they basically repeated everything his father had told him two weeks earlier. They, too, didn't want him potentially tarnishing their name either. He spent more time out in the forest, training to keep in shape, and secretly seeing what his new eyes could do. When Sasuke asked him to help him with his shuriken training, Itachi had to tell him no. Even though he had nothing else to do, he just didn't want his little brother following him around. He cherished his alone time and didn't want to sacrifice it for tedious things. The more he tapped into his Mangekyou Sharingan, the more it made him hate the people around him. The more it caused him to isolate himself. The more he wanted them dead.

One night, he was able to sneak off in the middle of the night after he was sure his parents were asleep and go to the Hidden Rain village. He peeked in on Shikyo and she was sound asleep. The leader was in the meeting room talking seriously with Orochimaru before they both looked up and saw him.

"Itachi." Leader-sama stood.

"I just came to check in. I know it's been months."

"Yes, it has. Have you made your plans to leave your village yet?"

Itachi stared at the floor. In the months since his confrontation with his father, he knew that he had to leave. They were still trying to find evidence that he had joined the Akatsuki. It seemed that his family no longer cared for him. While that was great, it made things harder for him."Yes, I have. But I still cannot leave yet."

"How long will this take? We plan to move our headquarters in June."

Itachi nodded. "I will be here."

"Very well." Their leader dismissed him and he turned to leave. On his way out, he passed Shikyo's room and heard the door creak open. Shikyo appeared, lids too low for her to really see anything, and went to the bathroom. Itachi stood there, intrigued by her habitual trip to the bathroom at one o'clock every morning. She came back out and took her time going back to her room. She rubbed her eyes and felt someone else standing there with her. She looked up quickly to find the hallway empty.

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*June--three days after Itachi's birthday*

Itachi sat in a tree near the river where he had drowned his cousin, staring at the moon. The evil within him was buzzing, occasionally causing some of his body parts to temporarily become numb as if they were merely falling asleep. The sun had not set completely, yet the moon was visible and high in the sky. Orochimaru had officially left the Akatsuki after he had tried to take Itachi's body in order to obtain the Sharingan. Little did he know, Itachi's body was already partially occupied at the moment...

'How can they make you so inferior to them when you've unlocked this gift? Every time you tap into it and use it's abilities, it makes you stronger. They fear it, Itachi. If they are so worthy then why don't they have it?' By now he knew the voice well, and it knew him, now calling him by name.

"They are weak." Itachi admitted out loud.

'They want to stop you. They believe they know what you plan to do. You cannot let them stop you. I will keep my promise if you keep yours. Release my body and I will give the Mangekyou unlimited power. Now extensive usage will weaken your eyesight, but with my power, I can negate that effect. Find me a body to transfer to, and I will deliver the world at your feet. Think of all that you can have, and all that you have to lose should your family decide to turn you in to the Hokage. You cannot allow that.'

Itachi stared at the river. Dressed in his ANBU uniform, he was allowed to continue missions. However, it was hard to want to do them. For months, he had done nothing but whatever he wanted to, looking for something to challenge his mind. The missions he was assigned was nothing compared to the few assassinations he'd done for the Akatsuki. The thrill of the kill made it interesting; the more skilled the target was, the more effort he had to make in order to succeed.

'Itachi, you know what you must do...and you must act now!'

Itachi sighed. He was always a patient person. He knew that acting prematurely always ended badly. However, a part of him stirred at the thought of doing such a thing. For months he had planned it all out carefully, and now it wanted him to act. 'It is the only way you can ensure that you will be able to release me later.'

"All of them? Even Sasuke?" Itachi asked himself.

'No, you would need three users. I know for a fact that my son is out there somewhere. Sasuke is the only one who hasn't been told about the Mangekyou Sharingan from their perspective. He's pure of their fears. He knows nothing of the bloodline. You can manipulate him. Get him to detach his emotions and activate the Mangekyou. The trick is getting him to detach his emotions. After that you would have the required three.'

Itachi thought about Kisame had told him about Shikyo. Her parents held her back and she didn't get stronger until after they were dead. In almost every way, Shikyo was like Sasuke. Sasuke's weakness was the clan...So the clan needed to be eliminated in order to help him reach his full potential.

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How he came to be back in his clan's part of the village was a mystery to even Itachi yet there he was. The sun was beginning to disappear on the horizon. He pulled out his katana ready to begin.

''Is that Itachi?" He heard someone ask.

"Yeah, it's the brat." They noticed his katana out. "Hey! You can't just walk around with that out."

"And who's going to make me put it up? You?" Itachi didn't even bother to look up at them. He kept walking but seven people blocked his path. "I advise that you move."

"Either put it up or we'll take you down to the station." One hissed with obvious hatred for the one who had once carried the clan on his back. Itachi closed his eyes.

"Try it."

Annoyed by his arrogance all of the men charged Itachi. Sojobo fed off of their anger and took complete control over Itachi. Their deaths were a blur to him. With each death of a family member, it became easier to kill. It didn't bother him as much as it had at first. Even killing his aunt and uncle was easier than expected because when he looked at each face who had come out of their homes to see if they really had heard something he remembered how inferior he felt and how he had turned the tables: he controlled their lives...and he knew what must be done.

He finally stood at the front door of his home and looked at it knowing that it would be the last time. Inside Mikoto and Fugaku were in the family room discussing their children's whereabouts. Itachi stepped in and looked at them.

"Itachi, have you seen your little brother?" Mikoto asked worried. Itachi frowned slightly. He couldn't recall her ever asking about his whereabouts...

"Wasn't he out training?" Itachi asked. Both parents sighed.

"He did mention it this morning." Mikoto nodded with a relieved smile. "I just have this feeling something bad is going to happen to one of my boys...Now that you're home Itachi, I feel a little better. I just wish Sasuke was here as well..."

Fugaku stared at Itachi. "Your clothes...They're stained with fresh blood. Have you been fighting today?"

"I no longer care for this clan. Nor do I care for this village that holds you so dearly. Tonight I'm leaving Konoha." He kicked Fugaku in the chest knocking him to the floor then just as quickly swung Mikoto down after him. He pulled out his bloodstained katana and leveled it at them. "Sit up and get back to back."

They looked at him in disbelief then did as he said. Fugaku shook his head. "Seriously Itachi. Has your mind deteriorated so badly to the point where you'd willingly kill your own family?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly then narrowed. "Maybe it has. But in this moment I am the one in control of your lives. No longer will you order me around. I am the dominate one. I control your fate."

One swipe across Mikoto's throat took her life. "Had you spoken up for me, had you showed me the affection you showed Sasuke...You would still be alive. But because you had no voice for me then, you'll never have one now."

Fugaku turned and saw his wife fall behind him and lay unmoving on the floor, blood spurting from her neck, eyes staring at the ceiling. He touched her gently, shaking her. "Mikoto?"

Itachi felt the void in his chest grow larger when he realized that he had slain his own mother. It didn't concern him in the least. Fugaku looked up at his son with tears in his eyes. Even though he hadn't shown Mikoto that much affection in public, in private he loved her dearly. "You monster!"

He charged at Itachi but Itachi saw it coming, and allowed his father to fall on his katana. He shoved him off and Fugaku stumbled backwards and looked down at his fallen wife. "Mikoto...Sasuke..." He whispered then fell over on top of his dead wife.

Thanks to Itachi's finely tuned hearing, he could hear his father's heart beating faintly. He held up his katana, then forcefully drove it down through both of their bodies to ensure they were dead. Now all he had to do was wait for Sasuke to come home...

~---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~

Sasuke realized that it was getting late and decided to head home. When he finally made it to their section of the village, an eerie chill washed over him. The lights were already out, yet it was too early for everyone to be in bed. Surely he wasn't that late, was he? The chill returned, and this time he was forced to look up. For a brief second, he saw the dark outline of a figure perched atop a telephone poll, looking down at him with interest. He blinked and the shadow was gone...

He suddenly noticed bodies scattered on the ground and his mouth opened in horror. His uncle and aunt...It took several seconds before his mind accepted the possibility that they were dead. He also saw his cousins and other uncles, bodies cold with death. He ran home. He stopped at the door to take his shoes off then searched for his family. The lights were out. The kitchen was empty... He heard movement in the family room and went to investigate. When he got to the door, another noise was made and he froze, paralyzed with sudden fear. Did he want to know what was going on behind the doors?

He forced himself to move and put his hands on the door handles and pull...

Tears threaten to fill Sasuke's eyes when he saw his parents lying in a pool of their own blood, leading to his feet. He then noticed a figure standing behind them, towering over their bodies.

"Why...how?" Sasuke tried to form a sentence but was cut off by a small shuriken that sliced his left shoulder. He felt the skin rip open and instinctively held his shoulder with his right hand. He didn't see his brother move...but look in Itachi's eyes said it all.

"What are you doing, Brother?"

Itachi slowly looked up at his little brother, who until this point had admired him and dedicated himself to becoming better than him one day to earn a praise from a man who never had the intention of doing so, and saw pure confusion and fear. "Foolish little brother..." Itachi fully turned to Sasuke and his eyes began to change. "Mangekyou Sharingan!"

The images that Sasuke saw made him sick to his stomach. Bodies of those who had once smiled at him fell at his feet. He tried to call out to his uncle and aunt but they were slain as well. "Don't show me this!" Sasuke continued to scream as red splashed everywhere. The final image nearly drove him insane. "Why?!" Sasuke screamed as Itachi swung his katana at their mother and she fell dead, followed by their father. Sasuke screamed and grabbed the sides of his head, feeling as if his head would explode from the gore that he was forced to admit had been his own family. He became painfully aware that his brother was teasing him, taunting him with images from his own memory. As if he were proud of the monster he had become. He dropped to his knees then fell over into his parents' blood. He struggled to collect himself and steady his breathing and heart, lest he past out. Drool leaked from the side of his mouth, as he turned his head to look up at Itachi.

"Why?" He calmed down. Surely he had a good reason. Itachi always had a good reason...

Itachi looked the child. He closed his eyes. "To measure my capacity."

Confusion seized Sasuke. Of course, this was true, but it wasn't the real reason. It was only a half truth. He needed to mold Sasuke into a younger version of himself...to gain more power. He needed to take away Sasuke's childhood ignorance and innocence...and make him detach himself from all emotion except negative ones, like hatred...vengeance...blood lust...in order for him to be ready to be the new container. Itachi knew Sasuke better than Sasuke knew himself. Itachi knew exactly what to say to his little brother to piss him off and make him hate him just like any older sibling would know to say.

"Measure your...that's all?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. Of all the reasons he thought he would hear, that sure wasn't on the list. He studied Itachi. He was too calm. It seemed as if he didn't care about what he had done. "For that alone...everyone..."

"It was necessary." Itachi replied, still showing no emotion. Sasuke remembered how before this moment, Itachi always showed some sort of emotion when speaking to him. Even a few days ago when Itachi had poked his forehead and told him that he couldn't train with him, to show him how to use shuriken. But now his voice was emotionless, monotone. The more Sasuke thought about how little Itachi seemed to care about the genocide he'd committed, the angrier he became. ‘He’s so calm...this monster...how can he not show any emotion? If he's angry then there should be some sort of emotion in his voice...Yet, he stands there with that blank look...this is not my brother...but then who is it?' Something within Sasuke snapped. He jumped to his feet in a blind rage and charged at Itachi.

"DON'T SCREW AROUND!!!" Sasuke yelled. What exactly he was going to do once he reached Itachi, he did not know, for he hadn't thought it through that far. Realizing that the man before him was a monster now, Sasuke was thrown into a rage he'd never known before...and would only feel whenever he laid eyes on his brother. Itachi's calmness, lack of emotion, and mere presence would always be enough to unlock his hatred and rage. Itachi watched as his younger brother rushed toward him. He moved forward to meet him, and planted his fist into his younger brother's stomach. The gesture was simple, yet it spoke volumes. Sasuke was too weak to even last one second in battle with his older brother. If Sasuke really wanted to do any harm towards the older sibling, he would have to train religiously, and pursue power by any means necessary.

Sasuke fell flat only a few feet from his dead parents' bodies, sharing their pool of blood which caused the front of his shirt to become slightly damp. The expression frozen on Fugaku's face was foreign to Sasuke; he looked sad, as if he had been crying. Then it hit Sasuke. He no longer had a purpose. Before, he lived everyday with the intention of one day hearing his father tell him "as expected of my child"...Itachi had stolen that opportunity away from him. Sasuke believed that his father had died still believing that his younger son would never be like his older prized son. Mikoto was covered in dried blood. Sasuke knew he would never see her beautiful smile again. Would never feel her hold him, or even clean his wounds after training. He would never taste her food again. Would never smell her floral scent again...or ever hear her voice again. His heart began to ache as tears escaped from his eyes.

Gone.

They were all gone.

And with the exception of the monster in front of him...he was all alone.

Itachi knew how much this was hurting Sasuke, but he would rather it had been him who hurt Sasuke...because it was done out of the last bit of love that Itachi had in him. This small amount was more than enough to temporarily release the demon's hold on Itachi. Itachi saw his brother's tears and forced himself to be cold. He shut off the part of him that wanted to pick his little brother up. However, this was the only way. So much good came from this one sacrifice that Itachi had made for them both. He had cut the strings that the family and village had used to control him and one day would control Sasuke, giving them both eternal freedom. With the power he had found, they both would be invincible one day. No one would ever dare try to control them, try to make them inferior, ever again. With them eliminated, Sasuke could reach his full potential without someone towering over him, trying to make sure he didn't unlock something they were afraid of. Neither one of them would be expected to be the pride of the clan. More importantly, Itachi knew for sure that the only person within their whole clan who loved and adored him without doubts or questions was Sasuke. From the day he was born, Sasuke had adored Itachi as if he had created Heaven and Earth. No one else looked Itachi the way Sasuke had...except Shikyo. It was because of her Itachi realized how much he cared about Sasuke. He would grant him the power that Sojobo offered to make him powerful. It was what any older sibling would do for a younger one: make sacrifices to better their lives.

Sasuke's tears slowed down as a new emotion enveloped him: fear. Surely this monster would kill him as well. Itachi stepped closer to Sasuke with the intention of talking to him, to tell him what he had to do. Sasuke sat up and shook his head. "No...no...I'm scared." Sasuke stood up and ran. "Don't kill me!" He ran back to the front door and slipped his bloody feet into his shoes. He ran out the door screaming, begging for his life.

Itachi appeared suddenly out of thin air. Sasuke didn't know of any jutsu that could make someone move that fast. For a moment they just stared at each other, then Sasuke slowly shook his head. "This must be a lie. This is not how my brother is."

Itachi paused for a second. Sasuke was still clinging onto hope that he was still the good brother he knew. Itachi had to crush that hope.

"I played the role of the older brother you wanted...to test your capacity. The one who will test my capacity...you have that potential. You thought of me as unpleasant and hated me. You've always wanted to surpass me. That's why I'm going to let you live. For my sake. You're also capable of activating the Mangekyou Sharingan. But, there is a requirement for that. Your closest friend, you must...kill them."

Sasuke's eyes widened with horror. "No way!"

"Like I have." Itachi added.

Sasuke remembered the day Itachi had been questioned about Shisui's death. "That? Brother, you... Then you...? To Shisui-san?"

"That's right. And because of that, I was able to obtain these eyes. At the main temple of the Nakano shrine, underneath the seventh tatami mat on the far right side...is the clan's secret meeting place. There, you'll find the history of the Uchiha clan's doujutsu...and for what purpose it exists. The real secret is there."

"The real...secret?"

"If you can activate it, the number of people, including me, who can use the Mangekyou Sharingan will be three. If that happens, there is a reason to let you live." Itachi chuckled slightly. If he kept on, he would end up telling Sasuke the whole truth. That he had to find out on his own, and then make his own decisions. "But at the moment," He slightly moved forward and Sasuke jumped back as he predicted he would. "You aren't even worth killing."

This was true in so many ways. If he did kill Sasuke, he would be alone. Loneliness was something Itachi never built a tolerance for because he always was with someone. At home, he always had his mother and Sasuke. On missions, he always had a team. Training with his dad, Shikyo, and his sensei and team, there was always someone there, even when he wanted to be alone. Even when he was alone, Shisui had always found him and they would sit together in silence.

If he did kill Sasuke, how would he get the power promised to him? What point was there to measure himself against his little brother when he knew that Sasuke wasn't as skilled as he was? For Itachi, there were so many reasons to keep his younger sibling alive and so few to actually kill him. In fact, there was only one reason he could think of to kill him: end his suffering. By simply looking at the expression Sasuke had on his face now, Itachi knew, that with time, his heart would heal and he would then become an avenger...begin to hate...and come for him.

"My foolish little brother..." Itachi knew that Sasuke would eventually one day try to find him to kill him. But in Sasuke's mind, it would be to avenge the clan. Itachi wanted to tell him that the clan he wanted to avenge wasn't who he thought they were...Foolish. Sasuke was foolish. He would try to avenge people who only had the intention of making his life a living hell on earth. Itachi saved him and one day he would hunt Itachi down for doing them a favor. 'Foolish little brother...if that's how you want it, fine.' "If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live a wretched life...run away, run away...and cling to life. And then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me." Itachi narrowed his eyes, using a bit of the Mangekyou's power to get inside his little brother's head, and watched as Sasuke fell unconscious on the ground.

He approached the boy's body and bent down to him. He studied Sasuke's face, burning it into his memory forever. With a small smirk, he took his index and middle finger of his left hand and gently poked Sasuke in the forehead one last time, severing the bond they once had, secretly hoping one day it would be restored and together they would be invincible.

"You have some growing to do, little brother. Survive at all costs, grow stronger at all costs...and remember...let no one use you..." He stood and disappeared, leaving his only family member left alive, in the cool night breeze.

~---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~

Itachi arrived to the Akatsuki headquarters to a peculiar scene. He jumped down from the tree and landed next to Zetsu. "What happened here?"

"We don't know yet." Zetsu answered, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Where's Shikyo?"

"No one's seen her leave." Kisame answered stiffly. Itachi turned to the building. 'Surely she had gotten out...'

"We can't just stand here and wait. One of us should go in and search personally. Zetsu, can't you go in?" Deidara suggested.

Itachi watched the flames jump into the air and felt the heat blown by the gentle breeze. Zetsu replied, "Why won't you go in?"

It was stupid of them to just stand there when there were ways to get in and find her before it was too late. However, Itachi wasn't motivated to move. Leaving Sasuke was still on his mind...

"I'll go." Kisame stepped forward. He made a few hand signs and a water dragon appeared and slammed into the building, putting out the flames in the part of the building that Shikyo was supposed to be in. He disappeared inside.

Itachi thought about his student that he had left in their care. He'd told her to train hard so that when he returned they could have a battle to determine her growth. It was disappointing to know that his battle may not come. Fifteen minutes, Kisame appeared with a body, charred beyond recognition. "This is what I found in her room." His voice held a detectable hint of sorrow.

Itachi felt his heart sink a bit. Typical. "No...way..." Deidara whispered. Itachi stepped closer to get a better look. The smell of burnt flesh invaded his sharp senses and he immediately stepped back.

The leader spat an array of colorful words as he turned away from the sight. "All of that hard work..."

Itachi looked down at the body. 'Another dead person...It's funny how I go and kill all of those pathetic people...and return to find another dead.'

Their leader collected himself, "Fine, then we'll just proceed to phase two of the plan. We have the money anyway from all of the people we've tricked over the years. We'll move base to Amegakure as discussed. Zetsu, you stay behind and make sure that all of this is cleaned up and erased. We're not going to leave a trail. Itachi, are you with us for good?"

Itachi nodded. He slowly moved to remove his headband and looked at it. It was a shame he wouldn't see Sasuke get his. He took a shuriken out of its holster and put a line through the center of it. He could never go back, not even for Sasuke. He had thought about taking Sasuke with him, but he knew that as much Sasuke had adored him, he would never be able to detach himself from his emotions. It was better this way. He tied the headband back on and looked at their leader.

"Good. You'll still be paired with Kisame since your fighting styles compliment each other. The other teams will be Sasori and Deidara, Kazuku and Hidan, Zetsu will be on his own, and Konan will be with me."

"What about Orochimaru?" Deidara asked. Itachi visibly tensed. He had to watch Orochimaru. Knowing that Orochimaru wanted the Sharingan, the snake man could easily screw up Itachi's plans. Especially if Sasuke ever managed to activate the Mangekyou Sharingan...then the world would be at the man's mercy.

"If we ever cross paths with him again, he's to be killed on sight. He knows too much of our plans, he's taken his ring with him, and he didn't tell us that he was leaving. He knew the procedure for leaving this group. There's no reason why I would make Deidara go through that and not him. Don't bother to go after him, but if you see him, bring his head to me."