Enter: Riyame Uchiha

I stumbled backward when his eyes shifted to Sasuke. If I could have, I would have turned to run then too, but my legs wouldn’t comply anymore.

“Interesting.” There was no emotion in his voice, sending a chill down my spine. He started forward, and I froze. My body refused to listen, and there was no getting out of this.

“Enough talk,” Sasuke growled, but he was as shocked as I was when Itachi walked right past him, “What are you—your fight is with me.” Itachi ignored him, swatting off an attempted attack with ease.

By the time Itachi was close enough to touch, I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. My mouth was dry, and a bitter taste developed on the back of my tongue. When he reached toward me, I didn’t even have time to flinch from him before his hand tangled into my hair and tipped my head back into the light.

“Okay, okay! I get it! Stop,” Naruto pleaded, “It’s me you want, isn’t it? You’ve made your point, I’ll go just don’t hurt anyone.” All eyes were on Naruto then.

“That is very noble of you,” Itachi replied, “but they stepped into this of their own accord. They must learn their lesson.” A hard edge entered his voice as his eyes shifted back to me. “First, I think I have something that needs to be addressed.”

“You’re stalling,” Sasuke growled. I cringed away from the acid in his voice.

“Do you not recognize her?”

No! He couldn’t do this to me! This wasn’t happening. Panic began clawing its way through my body. I tried to fight it down, but the fight left my body shaking. The bitter taste in my mouth started to bring forth nausea, and if I didn’t find a way out, it was over.

“Recognize her. What-“

“Honestly little brother,” Itachi sighed, “Does she look that different?” His voice took on a disapproving tone that I hadn’t expected, and my heart sank through the hysteria. A sharp yank tilted my head back further into the light.

“Stop stalling and fight me like a man,” Sasuke growled.

“I knew it!” Naruto’s shout took all of us off guard. Naruto was looking between the three of us wildly.

“Stay out of it,” Sasuke sneered between clenched teeth.

“I knew you looked alike. And you call me the idiot, idiot.”

“Are you so blind that you don’t recognize your own sister?” Itachi’s tone dripped with condescension.

“Your sister?” Naruto punched Sasuke’s arm aggressively, and I winced. Sasuke glowered back at him.

“I said ‘stay out of it’, dunce.”

“No. Oh, you are so getting it later,” Naruto spat back, “You make me sick.”

Itachi’s voice was in my ear, “You should breathe.” I shivered, sucking in a much-needed breath. He untangled his grip from my hair, and I nearly cried in relief. He shoved me aside, and I hit the ground. And there I stayed, curling in on myself, rocking and fighting the world that threatened to close in on me.

I vaguely heard Sasuke’s growl of frustration, and a chirping sound. “Chidori.” Blue lightning surrounded Sasuke’s hand. He charged at our brother, who brushed his jutsu off and tossed him aside easily. My heart lurched in panic when his hand lodged into the earth several meters away from us.

“Didn’t you learn your lesson last time,” Naruto shouted at him.

“We aren’t done,” Sasuke barked, trying to yank his hand from the ground.

“I think we are.” Itachi advanced toward Naruto, and I watched, frozen in terror. My teeth found my lip, my mind lagging as I tried to think of what to do.

I had to get help. That was our only chance of surviving this. Maybe if I could run to the village fast enough, I could get there before it was too late. I was good at running. Sure, Itachi was probably faster, but…I slapped myself mentally. If I thought like that I would throw myself into a panic attack. The walls were already threatening to close in.

I sucked in a breath and dragged myself to my feet with shaking arms. Before I could even so much as shift a foot in the direction of the village, a kunai stuck into the ground.

“I haven’t forgotten about you.” Dread filled me and threatened to suffocate me. When he faced me, I stumbled backward, my back hitting a tree and knocking a yelp from me.

I had to get out. I had to run. I couldn’t face him. I wasn’t strong enough. I wasn’t ready to die.

“No!” Naruto stepped in front of him, blocking me from sight and silencing the rambling in my brain. “Leave her out of this,” He pleaded, “She hasn’t done anything.” My surprise was like another slap to the face. My chest constricted with emotion that pricked my eyes.

“Once again, that is very noble of you, but leaving her be is not something I can risk.” He tossed Naruto aside with a swipe of his hand. I winced and let out a panicked whimper.

Our eyes met again, “You’re still weak.” He wasn’t wrong, and that fact hurt.

“I told you,” Sasuke said, “We’re. Not. Done.” He managed to dislodge his hand from the ground, and he charged at him…again. I couldn’t watch as Itachi kicked him across the clearing. I heard a pair of grunts, telling me that Sasuke had collided with Naruto.

“Stay down,” Itachi warned. Of course, he didn’t listen. He made hand signs I didn’t recognize until a blue lightning surrounded his right hand again.

“Die!” Again he charged, but our brother deflected him. All of his weight slammed into me, knocking the breath from my lungs with an oof. His jutsu demolished a chunk of the tree and showered us with splinters.

“Have you grown dull?” Itachi glared down at him, “Stay down. I will not warn you again.”

Sasuke heaved himself off me, and I let out a groan of relief. “Stay out of the way,” He barked.

Panicking, I gripped his arm and said, “You’ll get yourself killed.”

He pulled away, brushed himself off, and pushed himself to his feet. Without looking back, he said, “Just stay out of the way.”

“You are worse than a child,” Itachi scolded, “If you keep coming at me like this, you will get yourself killed. Now, heed our sister’s warning and stay down.”

“Our sister is a coward,” Sasuke growled. The comment was like an unexpected sucker punch.

“I don’t have time for you. Stop running your arrogant mouth and go play ninja somewhere else.” His punch to Sasuke’s gut made me cringe. A few more, then he kneed him and threw him aside.

His eyes were dark and unfathomable as they settled on me. I practically dissolved into a crying mess, and I hated myself for it.

When he chose to ignore me, shame weighed me down. I had to fight not to curl in on myself and give in to the panic that threatened to consume me. I dug my nails into my arms, hoping it would bring me some sort of clarity in the pain, but none came.

A new fear rushed through me as Itachi grabbed Naruto up by the collar. I jumped to my feet and gripped onto the mangled tree to keep my wobbling legs from giving underneath me. A war waged in my head. Did I rush in and stop him? Or did I run? Every ounce of common sense I had told me to run, to find someone more capable of saving him. But, there was no guarantee that I would reach the village in time, or alive.

If I stopped him, there was definitely no way I would survive. Itachi wouldn’t hesitate to take me out, and I would suffer before he finished me. Self-contempt settled into the cracks of my internal argument. What was I doing? Naruto wouldn’t think twice. I may not have known him very long, but I knew that much. We were supposed to be friends…Could I do something like that?

Yes. I could. I steeled myself and listened to the pounding of my heart. My body trembled but I charged anyway, throwing myself between them. Naruto hit the ground—I knew by his grunt. I threw my arms out in an attempt to block him from sight. And then I made the mistake of meeting his gaze.

The sky turned red and the color around me inverted. The world shifted, morphed into the last place I wanted to be. I knew it too well from my nightmares.

My heart pounded in my ears, and my stomach twisted into a knot that I was sure couldn’t be undone. I felt my brother’s terrifying presence behind me, but when I spun to face him, I saw no one. Behind me again, then no one. He was playing with me. Manipulating me. Trying to drive me to the edge.

“Stop toying with me,” I cried out desperately. A hand tangled into my hair and twisted my wrist behind my back at an awkward angle. I let out a whine as my arm and scalp protested.

“This is my world. I’d suggest you not tempt fate.”

I blinked once, but when my eyes opened, I let out a small scream of shock. Everything was covered in gore. Corpses littered the ground, each of them mutilated in a different than the last. Each of them a face I recognized. I tried to close my eyes, they were still there.

“You can’t close your eyes and pretend that nothing is happening in my world, Riyame.” His low voice was at my ear. He shoved me forward, his grip on me still firm.

Blood splattered beneath my feet, and though I jumped and screamed I couldn’t avoid the bodies that fell before me. I still continued onward. A body was cut down in front of me, yet I never stopped moving. Even through the tears that fell from my eyes, everything was in terrifying clarity.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shut out this world. There was no escaping. I screamed to keep their cries from filling my head, and I dug my heels into the ground. Nothing saved me.

We stood before our parents, and I knew what was next. Both sat back-to-back, waiting for their end.

No, not this. I shook my head wildly, ignoring the pain from Itachi’s constricting grip. “Please! Not this, not this,” My plea was a broken sob that made me sound like I was being strangled.

“Do you want me to end your suffering?” I nodded wildly. He said nothing in return. Blood sprayed me and my parents fell to the ground. The shock hit like a ton of bricks, but it didn’t last long before a raw scream of suppressed agony tore my chest in two. Over the sound, words echoed in my ear, “Seventy-one hours and fifty-nine seconds to go.”

Sasuke’s body landed with a thud close to Naruto. The blond stumbled to his raven-haired teammate.

“Sasuke?” The boy grunted in return, but he made no move to get up. Naruto’s attention shifted to Riyame, worried that Itachi’s attention was still on her.

His heart practically tore in two when he saw her crumble. Had he not watched it, he would have never thought he’d ever see a person fall apart. His pity for her was short-lived before Itachi’s gaze landed on Naruto. He jumped to his feet, preparing for a fight.

His intense stare sent a chill of unease through him. Sharingan had always creeped him out. Maybe it was the kekkei genkai’s red color or what it could do. Sure, it was cool, but there was a darker side that didn’t sit right with him.

He was yanked out of his distraction when Itachi grabbed him up by his collar. Naruto struggled, but he made the mistake of looking into his eyes. He began to find it harder to fight, his body growing heavy. He fought against his drooping eyelids with all of his might. He needed to stay awake. Why did he need to again? What was the harm in—he was jarred awake when the ground rushed to meet him.

“What the-“ his protest was cut short when he saw who stood above him. Her arms were extended as she tried to block him from sight. Naruto knew he should have felt grateful, but he was horrified.

“Riyame, no!” The air became thick, a creepy vibe pressing down on them. Naruto had felt this before, and he knew when Riyame went limp—help up by Itachi’s grip on her collar—this day was about to get worse.

Naruto rose to his feet, “Riyame?” He couldn’t manage anything louder than a whisper.

A scream nearly made him jump from his skin. His heart pounding, Naruto paled. More screams followed, and Naruto was frozen in place. What had he done?

Naruto didn’t have to watch the display long before Riyame disappeared from in front of him. He barely caught Itachi’s frown before he too was gone.

“Where did he go?” It took Naruto a minute to place the voice or to realize that it was speaking to him. He looked up at the familiar figure. Jiraiya’s hands rested on Naruto’s shoulders.

“He disappeared,” was Naruto’s jumbled response.

Pervy Sage cursed under his breath, “Kakashi?”

“I don’t know,” He responded.

“The girl?”

“Riyame!” Naruto pulled away from sage, but Jiraiya maintained a strong grip on him.

“Slow down, kid.” If it was meant to soothe him, it did the opposite.

Naruto glared at him, “Let go.” He tore away from him and stumbled to his sensei’s side.

“Easy Naruto,” his sensei said calmly as Naruto steadied himself on Kakashi’s forearm.

“Is she-“

“Unconscious,” Kakashi replied, “She’ll be okay as soon as we get her to the hospital.” Any other words died in his head before he could get them out, so Naruto had no choice but to accept Kakashi’s words.

“Where’d Sasuke go? I was sure I saw him when we arrived,” Pervy Sage said.

Naruto’s blood began to boil as he looked around the clearing. No Sasuke. All of his anger and frustration at the situation hit him then.

“That son of a-“

“Naruto,” Kakashi scolded, “Enough.”

“I can’t believe that jerk—no, of course, I can. You coward,” He shouted at the trees.

“Calm down, would ya,” Jiraiya said, giving the boy an irritated huff.

“Alert the Anbu Black Ops,” Kakashi said, “I need to take her to the Hokage. Naruto, either come with us and keep your temper under control or go cool off.”

“I’m coming with you,” Naruto grumbled. His eyes flickered to Riyame. She was so pale that Naruto thought she looked sick. Guilt settled into the cracks of his anger, but he was too prideful to let that go just yet. Not until he made Sasuke pay somehow.

“She is not going to be happy,” Pervy Sage sighed.

When they reached the hospital, nurses were quick to direct them to a room with a bed. They were hesitant to allow Naruto to stay with her until Tsunade arrived, but Kakashi managed to talk them into it. He would have to remember to thank him later. When the nurse finally left them alone in the room, Naruto had a feeling that they would hear the Hokage long before they saw her.