The Eyes Have It

Since it's been a while since the last update, here's a handy recap of the first chapter:

Once upon a time (well, upon this story), a young child in the real world had dreams of being in someone else's body. As time went on, the child grew up and discovered that "the dream world" was actually the world of Naruto, and the "dream body" was Itachi. Insert moment of silence as we all wish we could have learned a second language in our sleep. As time goes on, our dear friend the non-canon character starts to get confined to operating the Sharingan in these dreams.

Then Itachi activates the Mangekyō. Suddenly, they can talk to each other. This is great, since Itachi now has a coping buddy. He starts using the Sharingan more and more, and our real-world friend's sleep is suddenly taken over by getting stuck in the Sharingan. Real-world friend has been trying to cure Itachi's disease, but it's hard to train for the medical field when you keep waking up to battlefields.

One day in the real world, a certain college student and parents are driving to a picnic . . . and their car loses a tire and plunges off a cliff. Itachi's talking Sharingan is now stuck in the Naruto world. That's good - now that the massacre's over with, Itachi will need support in his new endeavors.

Of course, the story is told mainly from Itachi's point of view, so things were a little more subtle. You might enjoy rereading the first chapter before this starting this one, in which case I suggest focusing on:

~The changing stages of "control in the dream world," and how the Sharingan's activation and growth affects everything.

~The changing relationship inside Itachi's head. When does he start trusting?

~Directly comparing the manga/anime scene to this story's, maybe even as side-to-side comparison.

~Awesome. Now, enjoy!

.

The Eyes Have It

II.

Aye, Aye

Don't, the voice warned as he reached for another branch, pushing the tree's grasping twigs aside with his other hand.

"Don't protect my face?"

Don't cut your hair, it chided.

Itachi failed to see what that had to do with anything.

I saw you looking in that mirror at the orphanage, it continued. Nothing good ever comes of that. You should have stared at the child we were leaving there, not a reflection. Loathing oneself never does anyone any good.

"My hair doesn't matter," Itachi replied shortly. "Appearance doesn't determine one's actions."

The voice rolled its metaphorical eyes in exasperation. Exactly. There's no need to do anything drastic to something that doesn't matter. In this world, change is seen as a weakness. What people see is easy to control.

"Can you still see the blood underneath my fingernails?" Itachi questioned bitterly.

Its reply was soft. Let's not dwell.

Pieces. Pieces everywhere, and enough that I hoped none of them were mine. Even so, they hurt us both. They nagged at each reminder that he needed to eat and burned when we left some of his precious relations in the most obscure orphanages we could find. We had tried to save children with weak blood—children that would never be hunted for their Sharingan or even used as shinobi. Knowing that Sasuke wasn't the last was supposed to keep Itachi going, not pull him down even more.

I had never reached my chosen career of a doctor. Perhaps if I had, I would have realized that Itachi could not heal in a matter of days. I might not have panicked so badly when he didn't immediately prick up his ears. Because for all my expertise in dealing with Itachi, I'd overlooked one thing. Those eyes I'd watched for so long—pained, unutterably sad eyes—they'd been mine.

The horror on his brother's face. Disbelief. Incredulity. Fear.

Sasuke had never been afraid of him before. Itachi had always been far too careful with his baby brother—

"I'm home!"

Itachi blinked and focused on the path he was currently walking down. "Stop showing that," he said.

His Sharingan dutifully let Sasuke's face fade away. I control your Sharingan, the voice chided, but I'm basically just fine-tuning. I'm hardly responsible for everything you choose to do.

"We'll be to the meeting point soon," Itachi said, choosing not to mention that the voice was simply an extension of himself.

Ah, yes, time to meet the grand company that thinks we've been tying up loose ends for the past few days. I suppose we have been, in our defence. No doubt some of these people would find murder easier than relocation. Especially of small children.

His Sharingan pinpointed the wards, and Itachi entered the codes he'd been given a few days ago. No surprises, the voice noted. First the village decides to keep its code the same, and now the criminal organization is considerate, too.

"The same code?" Itachi asked. He hadn't heard anything about Konoha's codes since the last time they'd been changed. He was curious, but he was also wary enough of his surroundings not to say any incriminating words. Konoha's safety relied on his successful integration into the Akatsuki.

Oh, you never heard that? The Hokage mentioned it once, I believe.

"Hn."

Which of us can read lips better? We must have been distracted at the time. He said it was his intention to not change the main ANBU security code for at least a few years.

Were that true, it would prove extremely useful. I'm certain, by the way, the voice continued. I know he said those words. He meant them, too. He wants you to be able to come home.

Itachi was tempted to reply, "Those ties ought to have been cut." The Hokage should have cut Itachi loose like a blunted kunai, not given him a mission and ties back to Konoha. However, Itachi chose to be silent. He passed under a torii gate ridden with several genjutsu disguises and walked up to the large shrine borrowed for the purpose of this meeting.

Goodbye, innocent houses, the voice addressed the other buildings of the town. We've got bigger fish to fry.

Play nice with the other kids, it added snidely. Let's not bully them too much.

He scanned the wide room before he entered. The renegade Sannin Orochimaru, a shapeless disguise of puppetry, a tall man with a large wrapped sword, the Akatsuki's leader, and the efficient female shinobi he'd met once before. Five here, which implied that these were the principal members.

Meh, the voice said. Let's see who breaks eye contact.

Konan and the puppet were the only two who chose not to meet his Sharingan's gaze. I like them. And while I understand that the leader of Akatsuki isn't one for speeches, he could be nice enough to introduce us all. Or something. Anything, really.

"You may all go. Itachi-kun, your partner will find you later today."

Hilarious.

I . . . my mother had died, too (but I could never tell him that my mother's death had become less important).

I, too, was responsible for her death. I had killed both of our mothers, technically. I had killed both my parents and his.

We were an odd pair, him and I. If I hadn't had a few weeks to cope with my own family's (and my own) death, I don't know where we would have ended up.

It's ironic that the thought that kept me going was the realization that I was coping better than Itachi was.

"Nail polish?" Itachi stared at the bottle he had found in his new cloak. Who is behind this organization?

I can't believe it, the voice whined, understandably. Why didn't I think of that. That's unfair.

"It is certainly unusual."

No, no. It's brilliant. Fingernails show past diseases and other health indications. Painting over them will hide our symptoms. Plus, it will be harder for me to notice all that dried blood. And, of course, the aesthetics.

"You find painted nails attractive?"

Is that so surprising?

There was a pause. You're female?

She didn't speak for a few minutes. You're so dense. All the time we've known each other. The famed observant Uchiha. She laughed. Now, paint.

It smells. She snickered as he finished walking to the lake and sat at the end of the dock to figure out the unfamiliar process.

Someone's coming, she warned. Most likely your new partner. He doesn't seem to be in a hurry. The nail polish won't be dry when he comes, so move an inch and you die.

This is my new partner, he pointed out. My chance to break the mold.

She snickered. It's my choice, too, and I choose fingernail polish. We both know you like the persona you have.

Boys, she muttered as Kisame introduced himself with threats.

Stereotyping the male gender is hardly beneficial.

Don't be jealous, Chi-Chi. She laughed as he forced himself not to wince. Please note we have never killed a sibling. We're not sharks, you know.

But speaking of hair, she said once both shinobi had properly threatened each other and were headed to meet with the Akatsuki's leader. I want it long. Don't cut it.

Itachi ignored Kisame's most recent comment in favor of the voice's. That certainly explains why you mentioned that earlier.

What? You don't want your hair to turn into Sasuke's, do you?

He eyed the stone steps they were walking up. My hair reminds you of someone else. Is that the reason?

Yes . . . you could say that.

The differences between Itachi and me were now explained in a way that made perfect sense to him. While he'd never truly been suspicious of me, he had always viewed my intuition and, ah, comparative flightiness as odd. The Sharingan should be seen, not heard, I guess I'd figured in response. For Itachi, the discovery finally clicked. Females had a different thought process.

I myself had forgotten that it mattered to be seen as a girl. It did. I didn't want to be lumped in the same category as him. There was no way to preen, of course, as if that had ever been important (grow up with a shinobi and some things will matter less). But to be seen as my own unique self, that was precious.

Not that he thought I was someone else. No, he was certain I was the female version of himself.

His assumption was ridiculous, but I saw no reason to tell him otherwise.

Do you not feel his gaze on us?

Ignore it, Itachi replied. This is hardly the worst threatening glare we've seen.

I dunno, she muttered. I've seen a lot of things. He's creepy. Ugh, I forgot what it was like to have a guy stare like that.

Itachi was instantly concerned. You've seen males watch us before?

Ew, no. I just meant . . . in general. Males and females. You usually attract females, so this is odd. It's creepy.

Itachi fought the urge to smile. You know, I doubt that he is looking at me.

What, you're blind, now? He—oh, that's disgusting. Gross.

On the plus side, Itachi pointed out, it's not very different from a male staring at a female.

Yeah, thanks. I needed that affirmation of my femininity. You're a wonder.

The dangerous shinobi behind them continued following Itachi, and the voice continued her whining. He has a reputation for collecting bloodline limits. If you recognize that he's been staring at the Sharingan, what's to stop him from trying to take it? If he wants it, there aren't many other options. He knows Konoha will protect Sasuke.

Itachi pushed away the tremors of worry. No one will hurt Sasuke, he said. No one.

He summoned a snake, she replied. I've already put a few genjutsus on him, so go for it.

Itachi heard the snake, too, and he waited for the telltale lunge that would halt his progress up the stepped pathway. At some point, the genjutsu would replace the snake with an illusion, but until then, it was best to play along. While it was unusual that she hadn't told him to stand aside and watch everything, he knew it was because of caution. Neither of them enjoyed underestimation.

He froze, caught by Orochimaru's chakra. Itachi's Sharingan preferred to use its victims' chakra against themselves. That way, they ended up fooling themselves. The trick didn't work as well against other Sharingans, but that was barely relevant now.

He's brilliant at genjutsu, she warned softly. Normally I wouldn't have let him summon the snake in the first place.

"Someone who's using the precious Sharingan is standing before me," Orochimaru said, oblivious to the private conversation in front of him.

You're ready? Itachi asked.

Heh, she muttered. It's been a few hours since we last made eye contact. We're gonna need to make eye contact through the snake. Just shut your eyes, and when you open them, I'll take care of it.

We'll need to time it well, he replied.

Orochimaru grinned triumphantly. "I'm quite the lucky one. Now, I'll take that body of yours!"

Defector, the voice sang as Itachi opened his eyes and locked Orochimaru firmly in the genjutsu. Then again, I think Sasori would take over this body just as happily. Maybe with less glee, though. Creep.

Itachi turned to face the sannin. "Impossible!" the snake-faced shinobi growled. "I've been paralyzed by your genjutsu. The power of those eyes—"

In a strange, unprecedented occurrence, Itachi felt himself slide to the back of his mind as his feminine self drove a few extra restraints into Orochimaru through the genjutsu. She stared at the man. For a moment, Itachi's face was purely encompassed by his Sharingan.

"It's wonderful!" Orochimaru cried, trembling under the effort of escaping. He looked away from the Sharingan and grinned disturbingly. She didn't double down on the genjutsu like she usually would, which was unprecedented. Orochimaru's hands began creeping closer together.

She shrieked. Itachi cut off Orochimaru's left hand. The disgraced Sannin recoiled.

The scream in his head ended, and Itachi found himself strangely empowered and impossibly compassionate at the same time. "Orochimaru. Before my eyes, all of your jutsu become useless."

The voice sniffed. Which is another way of saying, Orochimaru, you're an idiot.

Orochimaru fled.

I'm sorry, she whispered when they were alone again. I don't know how that happened. I couldn't do anything, and he nearly won. I never want to do that again.

You won't have to. You're my precious Sharingan, and I will protect you.

The price of friendship is dear, but what frightened me that day was the realization that if Orochimaru defeated us and gained control of Itachi's body, I would still remain. I knew how the future would play out, of course. Itachi was fated to die, whereas Orochimaru's path would continue. Forgive me for wanting to choose my own path with Itachi.

Itachi discovered something of my vulnerability that day, and for his swift action, I could feel nothing but gratitude. Perhaps I could "take charge" of his body through use of the Sharingan, but we found that such an action prevented me from controlling the Sharingan itself. Gone were the days my younger self had controlled both the Sharingan and his body. It made sense, I thought. I was dead to my own world. It followed that part of me would never be recovered. To tell the truth, I was grateful.

I was protected, and I still had my best friend.

Clouds glided by overhead as Itachi wondered why he had agreed to this. Bonding time with his partner would hardly be accomplished at a hot spring— But then, you can hardly say Kisame thinks our visits to tea shops are anything fun, and this is certainly better than going off to murder some random farming community with him.

True enough, Itachi conceded. There was silence for a while, enough that he suspected she'd had selfish reasons to agree to Kisame's offhanded suggestion of the hot spring. She'd always enjoyed watching the sky "because it was familiar." That the Akatsuki straw hats had been left in the bathhouse was no coincidence.

Kisame eventually busied himself making small talk. He often rambled to fill what came across as silence. "You're really not one for talking, are you, Itachi-san? Always keeping your thoughts to yourself."

She surfaced at that point, drawn by the irony like a worm from the woodwork. Itachi continued to watch the sky.

We should tell him, she said shamelessly.

"Eh? It almost looks like you're smiling. What's funny about the clouds?"

He's perfect for our secret. Mass murderer, stuff of nightmares, respectful attitude about nature. A charming personality, of course.

Hush.

But listen to him squirm. Wait, wait. Can you look to the left? That cumulus is getting away.

Itachi tilted his head the smallest tenth of a fraction.

"Huh. Well, it's a hot springs. Even you can relax sometimes . . . maybe."

Kisame's partner never heard the jab because the voice in his head was too busy screaming, Turn it off! Turn around! What's wrong with you, looking at him when you've still got the Sh—

She didn't talk to him for four days, not even when they were ambushed by a rogue group of shinobi. Itachi was mildly impressed by her fortitude.

Itachi respected me. At one time, Shisui had been his best friend, but the day Shisui had died, Itachi and I had met. Itachi and I shared far more than best friends could ever share together. We were far more than literally inseparable.

He was painstaking in his treatment of me, and while I really was the more temperamental of us two, I cared for him just as much.

Who knew the whole reason he was so quiet would be because I was so loud? Who would suspect that the reason behind much of Itachi's reserve and propriety was his kindness to the girl in his head?

We had our off days, but real conflict was rare. Not that we didn't have our occasional points of disagreement. Like Sasuke. What kind of—

Most of the time, we got along with each other quite perfectly.

I know why Dei hates us.

Dei? Itachi questioned, humoring her.

Dei-Dei, she smiled. It's because I'm a girl. He couldn't hate you by yourself quite so much.

The smugness was amusing. And how are you certain that he's not just harboring an attraction toward you?

You need to stop before you realize what a hole you're digging for yourself.

Think about it. "Dei" would probably be intrigued by a personality like yours. He'd follow you around instead of me.

I really hate your sense of humor, she muttered. Say, was that Kakazu? I wondered when he'd show up. Gripe, gripe, money, money.

Itachi glanced back in Kakazu's direction, reading the irate shinobi's lips as he relayed the latest mission to Konan. It wasn't easy to read a masked person's lips. Itachi managed.

The voice gagged. Hidan did what? I need to throw up now.

I refuse to indulge you in that endeavor.

Had Itachi and I been allowed to live our life alone, I daresay life would have been easy. Unfortunately, we had the blessing of dealing with all too many of the scum of the earth. Most of the Akatsuki were wonderful people by comparison—they at least felt an obligation to the organization.

Even involvement with "good" people had downsides . . . the criminal life isn't fun. If I had to do it again: no people, no criminals, no problems. A boring life, but he and I would be happy. We were both made for peacefulness. His favorite word was 平和, which meant peace.

My favorite word wasn't something I'd decided on yet.

It's true, we only do things because of Kisame, the voice lamented. Countless times I've suggested coming back to Konoha to pick up some dango, but no, we'll do it when he brings it up. Let's show ourselves in the middle of broad daylight, I said, but just ignore me.

Kakashi took less than ten minutes to start following us, Itachi commented, sipping his tea. Buying a meal is simply polite at this point.

Yes, just like giving us a greeting committee. Does Kisame really think they haven't noticed us yet?

Itachi took another sip.

Yes, half the village has seen that ring by now. Very subtle. You know, I'm impressed that Kakashi's been standing outside of this shop the entire time, and neither he nor Kisame showed any recognition. This is a farce.

A grand one, Itachi replied serenely.

Just wait until Sasuke sees us, she prophesied darkly, but the Sharingan focused on Kisame, who was facing the street, and zoomed in on the reflections in his eyes. A small street scene flickered into existence.

Who's more eager? Itachi teased.

Behind him, Kakashi hailed the attention of Asuma and Kurenai by teasing them. Some things never change, the voice laughed. Kurenai shot down Kakashi's suggestion. Case in point. That's not even a good comeback, Kurenai. You know that he hates dango.

"I'm waiting for Sasuke-kun."

The worst thing was, Itachi knew Kakashi, and he knew Kakashi had noticed Itachi flinch, imperceptible as the movement had been.

Itachi! Don't use that kind of language. Sasuke won't recognize you from the back with a hat and cloak on.

That's not it, Itachi hissed. I don't want Kisame to see the resemblance.

Cold-hearted killer, much? Okay, then, we'll stalk off before he gets here. Kakashi's chosen his allies for the fight. Kisame won't care about the timing. We all knew one was coming.

Itachi put down his mug of tea, but a new voice joined the group behind him. "Kakashi. It's very different of you to arrive first."

Itachi had to force himself not to leave Kisame far behind as he flickered out of the village.

Kurenai and Asuma followed. They didn't recognize Itachi at first, which meant introductions were in order. The voice snickered something about growth spurts and exposition, whatever the latter had to do with anything. He supposed the conversation did end up to be somewhat tedious.

They'll protect each other, the voice said. They'll hold off well as a team, so there's no need to kill them. And they're a couple. Still.

Naturally, Itachi agreed, and warned Kisame to minimize damage.

The voice smiled. No wonder we work so well together. He understands nonverbal clues pretty well.

Kurenai attacked with genjutsu while Asuma fended off Kisame. The Sharingan had already ensnared Kurenai, and Itachi defeated her without any trouble. As usual, his Sharingan was nothing but effective. Kakashi's here, she noted as they blocked Asuma's attempt to protect his girlfriend.

Itachi watched his old friend's arrival. Late as always . . . he hasn't lost his touch at copying jutsu. Extraction will be difficult now that he's joined the fight.

Shoot. I like Kakashi.

He is no easy opponent. It might be easiest to kill him.

She snorted softly, a noise that meant she was rolling her metaphorical eyes. He's never run into our Mangekyō. He doesn't even have the clan's basic genjutsu training, remember?

Perhaps I should rephrase. It would be kindest to kill him.

Itachi. If he didn't have people precious to him, he wouldn't be out of his ANBU mask. You know what that means to him.

Itachi stepped forward, impassive as always. This fight posed no threat to him, even though he would treat it as if it might. She sighed. I want to be clear that I still don't appreciate using this jutsu.

When have you ever appreciated anything but kindness?

She ignored him. Time to show off titles again, I guess. And Kisame can't be allowed to fight—things can't get messy now. Kakashi's a good person to tell about our purpose here.

Kakashi will discover too much, he warned. I'll have to let Kisame retaliate.

Then let's hope Kakashi's best friend shows up. I did see him earlier. Gai's appearance would force a truce.

It's either a truce or an end, Itachi said grimly.

As far as I'm concerned, Tsukuyomi is the end.

And it came, the swirling rush of activity and emotions. Itachi and I were both blindsided by the twin elation and despondency of seeing people we had known and loved in our separate ways. Kakashi was snubbing us—his way of expressing his shock at the massacre—and that stung me far more than it bothered Itachi. Itachi was grateful that Kakashi was willing to help expand the missing-nin façade.

I was a little sore that my fellow friendly (comparatively) Sharingan had looked at me like I was an unstable threat, but that no longer mattered.

There were consequences for going after Itachi and gaining information, and I'd been the one to dish it all out. Kakashi would never look at me again. A good thing—I didn't know if I'd be able to meet his gaze.

"You sure this is the place?" Kisame asked, eyeing the inn's structure like a professional architect looking for flaws. Knowing Kisame, he was doing the latter, and he'd probably trained in the former field during his younger days. Kisame went to a lot of trouble to keep his butchery hobby at its peak.

Since his Sharingan's attention was still focused on a genjutsu he'd placed a while ago, Itachi decided to answer. "The Nine-Tails is inside," he said succinctly. She would have said something witty and depreciating. Fortunately for Kisame, Itachi took no pleasure from baiting. He simply rehearsed a few logical arguments in case he had to dissuade Kisame from leveling the building and walked inside the inn.

Good, came a distracted whisper, she's still got him. Come on, Jiraiya. Don't prove me wrong, buddy. Everything's hinging on this.

He'll see past it, Itachi assured her.

Well, obviously. Not like he's famous or anything. Besides, that was hardly my best work.

She was rarely snippy. The uncharacteristic bite to her words brought to mind the care she'd used to set the genjutsu. You admire him that much?

Shhh.

Kisame, as usual, broke the constant silence. "Should I break down the door?"

"No." Itachi smiled in the uncommon privacy of his mind. "I'll knock on it." Several times, as it happened.

"We've heard he's young," Kisame mused as they heard the person in the hotel room walk to the door.

As the door swung open, the Sharingan's attention came back to watch. Aw, he grew up, she remarked fondly. Just look at him.

The confused blonde boy had gotten taller. I don't know, Itachi argued, he's still pretty short. He hasn't changed much at all, although that could still be due to malnutrition.

So you still think he's adorable?

Kisame's eyes dropped to the boy. "However, could this child really be the Nine-Tails?"

The young genin sucked in an appropriate wary breath. He wasn't entirely stupid. That the strangers outside his door knew about the Nine-Tails meant that he couldn't just flee. Itachi considered. Should I invite him into the hall, or would you rather set a genjutsu on him?

She didn't respond. Very well, then. He looked at the boy—Minato's son, the voice had once figured out. "Naruto-kun. We would like you to come with us." When Naruto visibly considered his options, Itachi tried again. Talk to me. Tell me what to say. "Come out of the room."

Honorifics, how do I love thee? None for the younger, and one for the elder. . . .

You're right; it's better when you concentrate in silence.

Kisame grinned down at the scared Naruto and exchanged what amounted to pleasantries, but Itachi's attention was stolen by something else.

Sasuke's here, the voice whispered. They'd known he was in the vicinity. They'd hoped he wouldn't come closer. Unfortunately, it seemed Itachi's brother was hunting him.

Thoughts toward Naruto were brushed aside. Kisame would recognize Sasuke's Uchiha blood! Well, either that or kill him outright for getting in the way. Best to present something that would keep Kisame far from the younger Uchiha.

"It's been a while . . . Sasuke."

At the corner of the hallway, behind Itachi's back, Sasuke froze in recognition. "Uchiha Itachi," his mouth said, apparently too overwhelmed to bother with emotions. The emotions played across his face, instead. Love, fear, grief, panic, hatred . . . later, Itachi would watch this moment over and over with his Sharingan as a ready narrator. For now, he simply concerned himself with pulling off the best damage control.

Besides, the only way he could see his younger brother was by enhancing the reflections in Naruto's eyes. The boy wasn't blinking, but the angle was hardly ideal.

"Ho ho," Kisame laughed, glancing over, "today is a special day indeed, don't you think? This is the second time I've seen another Sharingan."

Sasuke's thoughts combined into a single mass of— Hey, he's got two tomoe now. Aw, so adorable.

("I will KILL YOU!" Itachi's brother roared.)

Hush.

Right, then. Fine, handle this on your own. I'm out.

When Kisame wondered at the resemblance out loud, Itachi launched into his plan. "He is my younger brother."

"I heard the entire Uchiha clan was wiped out by you."

Itachi turned then, and Kisame let his partner take the lead with the new threat. Family business was personal, after all.

Got him, the voice announced. Sorry, bad timing. I really wanted everything to fit in a window, but this is too close. If Naruto does anything at all, Kisame will take him down. It'll be rough keeping them both safe without raising any red flags.

The Nine-Tails will heal, Itachi said.

Yes, but do you want to release it here? We'll have to subdue it, and Sasuke will do something stupid, and then Jiraiya will get past Kisame and go for us, which will put us right between a Tailed Beast and a very opportunistic Sannin.

Hurry up Jiraiya, Itachi decreed.

Yes, well, it's not a remote genjutsu and I can't do much without Kisame noticing. But hey, Sasuke's threat face is stinking cute, isn't it? Bet you're trying not to smile.

Itachi's eyes narrowed just a bit as Sasuke glared. In another time, Itachi would have fought a smile. Now, all he could think of were his last words to Sasuke. Words that had driven his little brother to this intense hatred.

"I've been wanting to say this to you," Sasuke spat. "I've lived hating you. And I've lived only to kill you." Lightning lit up around his left hand. "I have lived for this!"

"Chidori?" What was Kakashi's signature technique doing here?

He must be his student, the voice thought for both of them. He's doing it well for being so young and furious. Jiraiya's en-route.

Sasuke yelled and ran forward. Itachi caught his wrist neatly, diverting the Chidori into the outside wall. The remaining lightning crackled desperately as it died out. Itachi's and Sasuke's eyes met. Sasuke, I—

Not the time—Naruto's gathering chakra! Kisame's going to maim him.

Genjutsu for intentions, now.

Sasuke chose the moment to insult his brother, but Itachi barely heard. It's not working, the voice hissed, he's too determined!

Sorry, Sasuke. "You're in the way," Itachi said, and he snapped his brother's wrist.

Sasuke screamed. Naruto yelled the boy's name in panic. Kisame observed that wow, Itachi really had a vendetta against his kid brother, and Itachi was freed to fight if need be. Kisame swiped his sword through Naruto's cloud of chakra, absorbing the blonde's entire supply. Breaking Sasuke's arm had worked, then—if Itachi had still been busy, Kisame would have gone for one of Naruto's limbs.

Come on, Jiraiya.

Kisame's sword tended to get greedy when given tastes of chakra, and today was no different. The sword wiggled, and Kisame pulled it back to strike.

Come on . . . now.

A toad summon blocked the sword in the nick of time. Jiraiya was right behind, spouting words as he summed up the situation and planned how to rescue the injured Sasuke. Naruto added to the distraction by insulting his rescuer. Kisame identified Jiraiya, which was flattering for the Sannin. To think civilians thought that shinobi were never polite to each other.

"In any case," Itachi said, done with giving the Sannin more time, "it seems you have already undone the genjutsu controlling the woman."

Shoot, he knows. He noticed when I lead him here. Rats. Rats, rats, rats.

Itachi couldn't very well kill the Sannin to tie up the loose end, but he could glare. Jiraiya wasn't likely to mention that one of the Akatsuki pair had actually led him here. He knew Itachi was from Konoha, and he would doubtless form his own conclusion.

Since Itachi respected Jiraiya, this seemed a good time to trade information. Konoha needed to be certain that the Akatsuki wanted Naruto. Tailed beasts had been disappearing, after all. More importantly, if Jiraiya suspected Itachi might possibly be on Konoha's side, it was a good idea to mention that Itachi had been ordered to do this.

Unfortunately, Sasuke stood up again and again garnered Kisame's attention. I need to make an example of him, Itachi explained to no one.

Yes, I know. If we do this, we'll send the message that he's ours, and no one will touch him. And of course we're playing it up to distract Kisame.

Itachi beat down Sasuke and his Sharingan applied a Tsukuyomi. She'd barely recovered from administering the last one.

Poor kid.

He's a shinobi now. The heir of the clan. We can't afford pity.

Oh? And what did we just show him, then?

She prepped the Amaterasu before he even suggested it, and they fled. Release it, he reminded her when they were safely away. You know that fire destroys everything.

No, she replied, Jiraiya will be able to seal it. I think it'll come in handy later.

If you want, he said dubiously, and let his hands fall.

He's getting taller, she whispered as they made camp later. And he really needed a decent haircut.

The one thing I didn't give him, Itachi replied wryly.

Many things bothered me during my second chance at life, the biggest of which was perhaps that I no longer had a body. That didn't bother me too often, but sometimes I wished for more than the limited taste, touch, and smell that Itachi's body afforded me. That I longed for normal, untiring eyesight was a fact I never even started to entertain—it would be a personal Curse of Hatred.

Even so, I healed the damage to his eyes done by the Mangekyō. I gave him medical advice, and I refused to become bitter. The day of the confrontation in the hotel, Itachi's health began to fade. He finally regretted driving Sasuke against himself, but he still refused to tell Sasuke the truth. Itachi insisted that the relationship was too far gone.

Really, it was Itachi that was too far gone, and now the fight against his disease grew desperate. With all my heart, I wished that my birth world had found a cure to microscopic polyangiitis. But this world hadn't, either, and the disease began to destroy all of our systems.

It took particular pleasure in attacking his eyes.

"Must I point out that if I lose my eyesight, you will likely be gone forever?"

She waited a few minutes to respond. I hadn't considered that. We could always try Izanagi or Izunami and see if we lose half of me, I suppose. Or maybe we'll lose you, since I'm clearly the better half. And then we'll just con someone into using that Rinne Tensei thing to fix you with the Rinnegan—

Itachi blinked. How do you know that?

Obviously, she was part of him. She would have read that hidden scroll just as he had, and come to the same decision that such jutsus should never be used for personal purposes. He was content to let dangerous jutsus fall to the back of his mind, but she'd always been a bit more inquisitive. Go away, I'm supposed to be wise and impossibly mature.

Pardon me, I wasn't aware you were the reason I gained that reputation.

I saved your life for a math test once, buddy. That's on your head forever.

He was an impossibly kind man. I was his spark of humor and sanity. I couldn't see into his unconscious thoughts, but one thing was for sure: whether he truly considered me the feminine side of his mind or another consciousness entirely, I was in love with him.

I don't think there was any other option.

And I know that in the purest sense of the word, that was how both of us felt.

"Sasuke is still a blank canvas. He needs to stay that way."

Your wish sounds suspiciously like brainwashed manipulation.

"He needs to be painted by the right reasons. They cannot be mine."

Then whose will they be? He won't find his own if he isn't given the chance! He'll find other people's, like Orochimaru's. That's gotten him far, hasn't it? Down the wrong road. We've kept an eye on him. You know how he's changed.

"What, you think he should have stayed with his naive, optimistic friend?"

I wish he had. So do you.

"Yes, but you must recognize that he was given a choice."

The choice to follow a desperate path. Not to make his own.

"And what path would you have given him?"

She stilled. The narrow one.

"What?"

But she had already retreated.

In the end, I was going to die. The disease had been too much, and we were going to sacrifice everything for our little brother. We loved him. But on top of everything else, I was still a frightened girl. Who knew what the unknown held? Who knew what would go wrong? At the very least, I knew that we would die together.

It's just . . . here I am. I've spent my life fine tuning my use of the Sharingan. I have absolutely no doubt of my ability—I've honed it far too long for vision loss to cripple me. I know myself, and I know this body's reflexes. I've seen us waste away and medicine lose its effect.

What are you trying to say? Itachi asked her once she trailed into silence.

Nothing relevant, she said. Let's wait for him together, shall we?

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hey, she added, this is basically our last chance to play with him. Probably the best bonding time we'll ever get with him. It's a shame Zetsu is lurking around, but you're right—better him than Tobi. Zetsu definitely won't see into any genjutsus.

One more thing, she whispered while they waited. Has it ever occurred to you that given time and the truth, he would forgive us? He still admires us, as much as he tries to hide it. Ultimately, we're the best big brother ever.

Well, time to die.

Sasuke came. The Sharingan met him effortlessly, tearing through his genjutsu and letting him take the upper hand. Sasuke asked about the other Uchiha who'd achieved the Mangekyō. Tell him everything? the voice suggested. I can do it for you.

No, he's not ready to listen yet. Besides, we already decided about this. I don't want him to know the truth.

And what happens when someone else tells him and he turns on the village?

That's why I put Shisui's eye inside of Naruto for you.

She changed the subject. Speaking of doing things, what's wrong with us? Are we really lazy enough to just lounge here while he thinks he's stabbing us?

Work smarter, not harder. Especially when another fit is coming on.

"Just what are you trying to say?" Sasuke growled, caught up in his own discussion.

Itachi smiled. "That thinking Madara is dead is merely an arbitrary assumption that you've made, in exactly the same way that you once assumed that I was your kind and gentle older brother."

Nice, she applauded. Now that we've told him Madara's dead but faking life, can we start dropping hints about Tobi's identity?

. . . Or we could bait him, I guess. Sounds fun. Arrogant child.

"Or am I too strong now for you to dare to test your abilities against mine?" Sasuke taunted back, matching the insults with sheer insolence.

"The Mangekyō Sharingan are very special eyes," Itachi explained, aware that this was the most important part of the information they needed to share with Sasuke. "The moment they awaken, they progress toward darkness. And the more they're used, the faster they're sealed."

I'm not gone yet, she protested.

"What does that mean?"

"The Mangekyō eventually lose their light."

Sasuke blinked. "Blindness. So that's the price of obtaining the power to control the Nine-Tails, is it?"

But Itachi barely heard. Why do you think, he finally admitted, I wasn't interested in living past this confrontation? After you sacrificed yourself so freely, how could you expect me to go on without you? How could I live without you?

Itachi. . . .

Hey, I'm not that much of a trump card, she muttered after a minute. Stop bragging on me. I'll make you look ridiculous when you tell him you're going to take his eyes.

The fight progressed to a wall of shuriken. The weapons that had always been Itachi's forte were harder than ever to see. Yikes, she commented. So much for the days of wire traps. Sasuke, you lovable idiot, I could have killed you countless times by now, shuriken prowess aside. This is a standstill, by the way.

Hush.

Sore loser, she replied fondly. And . . . go.

The brothers met in the center, weapons extended but each grabbing the other's wrist. Free hugs, she muttered. I love you so much. Let's show it through fighting like real men.

Itachi had formed a shadow clone, and it attacked from midair, forcing Sasuke to use his curse mark. It's begun, Itachi said.

Sasuke channeled the Chidori into a Fūma shuriken and threw it at the clone. Itachi caught Sasuke in a Tsukuyomi as the clone dispersed. I'll take this, the Sharingan offered. Itachi accepted. One of them needed to be ready if Sasuke broke through.

Forgive me, Sasuke. She handed him his worst nightmare and stole an eye, and then went for the other. The curse mark reacted.

So that's the power of the curse mark.

In the Tsukuyomi, she pinned Sasuke and went for the second eye. The curse mark reacted again, blending with Sasuke's chakra. The Tsukuyomi shattered.

Aaaaagh! she screamed. Itachi felt it, too—a tearing fire that ripped through his left eye. It hurt her far more than he could feel, just like physical pain barely affected her. If the pain sent Itachi to the ground with a hand over his eye. . . .

You . . . broke through my Tsukuyomi?

The Sharingan said nothing. She was repairing damaged pathways in his eyes. She'd done so countless times before, but never while the backlash was still happening.

Sasuke recovered first, shrugging off the mental trauma and standing up. "Like I told you, no matter how much you use your eyes, with all of my hatred, I'll turn fantasy into reality."

Itachi laughed softly and forced himself upright. "Fantasy into reality, huh?" His voice hardened. "Some strong words. And let me throw them right back at you now. Just a few moments ago, you saw your eyes gouged out during the Tsukuyomi." Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Well, allow me to make that reality."

Itachi, don't kill him!

Phew, she was back. It's my turn, he snapped, closing his right eye and forming a hand sign.

Sasuke lobbed another Fūma shuriken before Itachi could finish. With his vision mostly gone, Itachi had to open both eyes to dodge. There was a second shuriken hidden underneath. He avoided them both, but Sasuke pulled a well-hidden chakra thread and the two shuriken burst apart from behind Itachi. One of the blades stabbed into his left thigh. A rigged shuriken?

Vastus lateralis, she reported. Leg extension's in trouble. That leg's gonna lock up—get the blade out and send it chakra.

Itachi moaned into the privacy of his mind and pulled out the chunk of metal. He tried standing, but his vision shifted and the Sharingan's pain shot through him anew. The extra pain reminded his leg of its injury again.

Sasuke gloated and formed a fireball. Up! Dodge the Chidori—through the roof—counter the fireball!

You know, she said, I do believe he is trying to kill us.

Their fireball surrounded Sasuke. Hate to say this, Itachi replied, but we're already dead. They landed softly, letting their left leg rest on the rooftop.

Both brothers formed fireballs again. Sasuke poured an extensive amount of chakra into his jutsu. We can't afford that much, Itachi said.

Gotcha. She formed Amaterasu, bleeding out as the black fire quickly ate away Sasuke's jutsu. Itachi turned it off.

He thought she'd healed quickly earlier, but this time she prepared the eye in a mere second. Do it! I'll try to keep the damage down as we go.

Itachi opened his eye again. This time multiple streams of black fire appeared. Itachi did his best to find Sasuke and send one of the black streams after him. The rest of the fire settled into the surrounding trees.

Neither of them had much control over the Amaterasu at the moment, but they managed to catch Sasuke and burn off the wing the curse mark had produced. They were one step further in their plan. He looks dead, she observed. We only burned off the wing.

They walked up to Sasuke. He wasn't breathing. He'd had more than enough chakra left over for a clone.

The corpse dissolved as they reached down to touch it.

Trap, she hissed.

The hole underneath had been formed by lightning, which Sasuke was skilled at. The rest must have been Orochimaru's substitution technique. That way Sasuke could have left a body behind for the Amaterasu to burn.

Sasuke, naturally, had a surprise attack planned, and it lay within their best interests to let it be successful. The game had been set up, and now it was time to let the pieces fall.

She concentrated on the still-active black flames in the trees. She hadn't stopped healing his eyes, and she probably never would now. Sasuke had come hoping to kill his brother, but Itachi had planned how to die. Itachi had two reserves of intelligence and knowledge to draw from. Both were needed.

My leg is relapsing. Itachi dropped to his knees. It wasn't just his leg—the disease that had hounded him throughout his life had been threatening another strike for the last several hours. He'd tried his best to avoid that, but it was past avoiding.

Hemoptysis already? Can we hide it?

I already took the last dose of medicine, he replied, and promptly doubled over to cough up blood. His eyes throbbed in sympathy.

Breathe, she murmured. Yes, the eye hemorrhages and the scleritis won't recover. This body is about to go. But we'll get through this.

The ground erupted beneath them. Itachi was thrown away by the blast. He used the momentum from rolling along the ground to pick himself back up.

Eyes are still functional, she reported with suspicious cheer.

The ground exploded again, and then again, and Itachi's body suffered another relapse as he was dodging. His right sleeve got caught in a spurt of flame. When the jutsu died down, he checked the damage.

Oh no, it hemorrhaged more. Right eye's blind. Shut it and stall him.

Sasuke looked exhausted, but he at least had been spared from coughing up blood. "That Amaterasu of yours," he panted, "it seems to have taken quite a lot out of you." The curse mark retreated due to a lack of chakra. Still, he smiled. Not that Itachi could see it with only one eye.

Sasuke was preparing something, and they both knew it.

"The Sharingan can assess your chakra level," Itachi said, vaguely surprised that the blood in his lungs didn't get in the way (the damage was deeper down, the Sharingan had told him). He opened both eyes for a second to evaluate said chakra level and to get a better look at his brother. "So stop bluffing. I can tell just by looking that you're out of chakra. You used Orochimaru's substitution jutsu to evade my Amaterasu. It's a good trick to deceive your opponent, but it uses up an enormous amount of chakra."

Almost there, she whispered. The Amaterasu's encircled the top two levels of the shrine. My, it's raining. That's not suspicious. Phew, I was worried we hadn't produced enough heat.

It's enough, Itachi replied. We forced him to use up the rest of his chakra, and the thunderclouds are forming. The perimeter is set up. So long as you can heal in time, it will work.

Yeah, she muttered as Sasuke harped on about his prowess, his cleverness in using the heat produced by the Amaterasu, and Itachi's imminent demise. Too bad we can't die yet.

Sasuke called his lightning. Too bad it was a jutsu that couldn't be dodged.

The Sharingan diminished the Amaterasu she was still controlling and whipped up a protective Susanoo just as the lightning crashed around them. They were safe from the immense force that wiped out the surrounding landscape, but not from their disease. As the lightning bolt struck, Itachi dropped like a stone. His Akatsuki cloak slipped away and disintegrated. Oops.

Sasuke's relief filled the air more thoroughly than the ozone had before the lightning strike. Itachi gave him a few seconds to revel in the feeling.

"Is this . . . the death you had imagined for me, then?"

Sasuke gaped in dismay. Itachi forced himself up to his knees.

I, too, think that that mouthful of blood belonged on the ground.

Itachi talked some more as his Sharingan again killed herself to simply be capable of using the Mangekyō. Sasuke uselessly activated his curse mark.

Got it, the Sharingan crowed. They started forming another Susanoo. Sasuke sucked in a breath. The Sharingan laughed tiredly. Come on, bud, we Uchiha are made out of chakra. Magic happens here. Insert confidence.

Itachi smiled. "If I hadn't have had this, I'd have been dead." The Susanoo solidified around him.

That's right, my car is better, she babbled incomprehensibly.

"You really have . . . gotten stronger, Sasuke." He opened his right eye. "Now it's my turn. I'm going to reveal to you my final trump card, the Susanoo."

Sasuke was a genius who had managed to beat Orochimaru at his own game, even when Orochimaru certainly hadn't shared any real secrets. The boy had lived sixteen years, and in just the last few, he had mastered an impressive array of ninja tools and techniques. Itachi needed to share the secret of the Susanoo, but he certainly wouldn't have to tell his brother many of the details. Sasuke would figure them out.

Information shared, he encouraged Sasuke to finally play his last card. After all, what the Sharingan thought was true: "The real battle's just beginning."

The sun broke through the clouds. Never fear, the Sharingan reported, the bits of Amaterasu are still alive. Nowhere near big enough to sustain the storm clouds, of course. No more handy nature chakra. Too bad. Guess I'll just finish building this Susanoo, instead.

"What's the matter?" Itachi goaded. "You use up all your chakra and run out of options?"

Somehow, Itachi's Sharingan was no longer activated, but she was still controlling the Susanoo and Amaterasu. Without her help, Itachi couldn't see Sasuke at all through the giant blur that was his degenerated vision. He made do. The curses and strangled cries were descriptive enough.

Yes! they thought at the same time. "That feels like . . . Orochimaru's eight-headed serpent jutsu."

It was fortunate that the immense creature was so huge, because while Itachi could still see a blurry white shape, he could only pinpoint its location by using his sense of hearing. He stumbled forward—a definite downside to the Susanoo was its requirement of mimicking physical movement—and with no small amount of willpower and skill, destroyed seven of the heads with the Susanoo's fiery sword.

The whole while, she narrated. Oh, yes, I'd love to fight something else, since the kid brother was such a nice appetizer. Here, snakey snakey. Yes, dog-pile on the shield. Yay warm hugs—look, I smiled for you! Oops, you all broke.

"And now, it finally emerges," Itachi finished as the remaining snake head froze and spit out what had to be the head and torso of the very last bit of Orochimaru.

Orochimaru laughed, choked up something, and looked down at the older Uchiha. "Is this it? Is this what I've been waiting for?" Itachi shut his eyes. "Thanks to you, the repressive chakra is gone, and now, at last, I have the chance to take over this child's body for good! And so—"

Itachi's less-destroyed eye opened to the Sharingan, and the Susanoo's sword stabbed through Orochimaru.

Good thing it's a big sword, the Sharingan said wryly.

Orochimaru laughed again. "Did you truly think that a puny attack like that could take down the likes of me?" And then he gasped, because he recognized that the sword was the Totsuka blade, and he had already been sealed away for all eternity.

Itachi's face lightened through his pain. "Well, Sasuke, what will you do next, then?"

It was a simple, unloaded question, free of the years of manipulation and plans Itachi had always given his younger brother.

"This is it . . . Sasuke."

A tiny snake freed itself from Sasuke's neck and disappeared into the rocks. Poor snakey, the Sharingan snickered after it. Hope you like playing with fire—ow, Itachi, I'm losing the eyes.

Another fit's coming, he warned. Losing them is not an option.

I'll throw a fit, she muttered.

He tried to smile, but he was too exhausted. Hey, he murmured, I spent three hours coming up with a joke that would fit your style of humor. I'm sorry I didn't say it before now. Here it is. "And now . . . your eyes . . . are mine."

Give me a minute to figure it out, hon.

"I'll take my time retrieving them," he said, and then he was hit by the same level of pain she'd felt when the Tsukuyomi had broken.

Heart attack," she said sadly, gently. The Susanoo lost its armor and reverted back to a simple skeleton as they fought out the pain. Itachi fell on his hands and coughed and coughed and coughed.

An Uchiha of opportunity, Sasuke threw a kunai at the wavering Susanoo. He himself could hardly move.

She managed to pull the Susanoo back together, and Itachi managed to block the attack. He stood. Each wavering step forward became an eternity. The Sharingan moved frantically, trying to heal his eyes with energy born of desperation.

Sasuke, terrified, threw the last of his explosive tags, but to no avail. The Susanoo's shield was a relic of Itachi's younger, healthier days, and nothing could penetrate it.

"They're my eyes . . . they're mine."

I get it now, she said softly. Thank you. We are together, you and I. Forever.

But I hope. . . . He trailed off.

Sasuke drew his sword and leapt at the shield. He was knocked into the remains of a wall. His sword landed far away. He struggled to rise, but he was too late.

Itachi stumbled forward. The Susanoo surrounded Sasuke, strangely not hurting the younger boy.

Itachi's bloodied hand—covered in Itachi's own blood—reached out, exactly as it had twice before already. Sasuke was frozen, caught in his own terror.

Itachi was completely blind. His senses were far past shutting down.

"Forgive me, Sasuke. This is the last time."

His burned, bloodied hand reached out with two fingers extended, and he poked his younger brother with the love he had ultimately always shown Sasuke. Amaterasu was now sealed into his brother to get rid of Tobi—the last step of his part of the plan.

The fingers slipped. A trail of blood wiped down Sasuke's face and Itachi's fingers left his baby brother's jaw. He fell forward. The Susanoo roared sorrowfully and vanished. Itachi's head fell forward and hit the wall. He slid down it, unneeded muscle memory keeping him upright as long as possible. Somehow, he landed on his back, facing the brilliant blue sky.

A tiny white snake slithered desperately away from the scene, but black flames began to spread through the landscape. They caught the snake and tore at it hungrily. The snake stilled for the last time, and the flames burned on, spreading and devouring in their greed.

The heat of the black fire climbed into the sky, and clouds formed. They blocked out what had once been a beautiful, sunny day. This time, the succeeding rain would eventually melt away the fire.

And today, what had once been Itachi's gentle Sharingan would be followed in her tears of blood.

We do not know what kind of person we are until we die, Itachi had once said. Perhaps that was why we were so strong in life. Because Itachi did not change. Who he was during our last breath was exactly the same noble, unselfish man I had been with for two lifetimes.

But who was I? I found that it no longer mattered. I didn't—

The masked man stepped out of the darkness, revealing his Sharingan.

Sasuke's left eye spasmed. Blood pooled and ran down his cheek.

The masked man jumped back, but a mass of black flames shot out and caught him.

Hey, bud, Sasuke's head whispered. I'm not even gonna to try fooling you along, so lemme tell you something before I head off to mope and die: you can trust what this guy says, but don't you dare trust a word out of his mouth.

Sasuke promptly dismissed the feverish hallucination as such and fell back into the pleasant nightmare that was his life.

I hate you all, the voice said.

.

~WOW, guys, I posted it! I spend a good part of a year upset about the amazing lack of progress on this fic . . . and then in quite literally three days . . . well. You've already read it. Please allow me share a few more thoughts, would you?

~Here's a great thing: you can walk the same progress (and process) of the scenes! Since many of the scenes came from canon events, you can actually watch or read them side-by-side. Believe me, you might like doing this. Many of the long silences and side glances will match up, and hey, it's always fun to reread (unless you wrote this fic, in which case, I'm retiring for a day or two).

~If some of the scenes seemed crammed into other scenes . . . you ain't dumb. This was as much as I was able to force myself to write and edit in barely any time. Of course, I'll try my best to look through everything again and make it all run smoother. Comments are accepted.

~I'm not content with the last several scenes. You might have felt that the narration in the first chapter flowed more smoothly and was more fun. With my writing, that comes from having time to reflect. I'll get it up to that level, but for now, I wanted to post it. Come back in a month and this should be edited for my version of quality. (:

~Ugh, I am tired. Three days! And my longest chapter in anything, ever.

~I found out that it takes me more than an hour to cover ten minutes of screen time. For every half-sentence written, I went and rewatched/reread the corresponding five seconds at least two times. This is why I'd love it if you directly compare this fic to the canon scenes. I sure slaved enough.

~On that last scene: Itachi implanted the Amaterasu into Sasuke's eyes to set off when they first saw Tobi. Sasuke's eyes briefly transform into Itachi's Mangekyō to do so. People's spirits get sealed into things all the time in the Naruto world. Does this mean she's there permanently? No. It was a one-time jutsu. Draw your own conclusions.

~That fight scene was stinking long. It was supposed to be tidbits. But you know, 3500+ words is basically the same thing said no one ever (well, not me).

~That last scene was my determined attempt not to finish with a cliffhanger. I know, the death scene was distressing. I tried to alleviate that a bit.

~I'd like to see you write, and then edit, twenty-seven pages before you start going through and adding details. That's twenty-three scenes. In three days. I'm not sure if I'm impressed or traumatized, but definitely the latter. So many things to juggle in this story. You think you cried at the end? Well. I'll be going back to edit it again, of course. Let me know if you thought there were particular scenes that need work, would you?

~The matching canon/main scenes in this fic (Itachi's POV): Scene 2 - flashbacks to the massacre (you've seen them a million times) and Itachi's introduction to the Akatsuki. It's from Shippuden episode 453. There's a video on YouTube entitled "Itachi vs Orochimaru Full Fight English Sub" by the user Narutufull that covers it. Scene 3: Shippuden episode 453. Scene 4: Aforementioned YouTube video, and also Shippuden episode 453. Basically, watch that thing. Scene 7: original manga chapters 140-143. Scene 8: original manga chapters 144 - 148. Scene 11: I'm going to go cry, and then I'll come back later and figure that out. I know it's easy to look up. Boo. I watched the anime for the fight. Scene 12: Shippuden chapter 397. This has been, way too much research times with Silimaira. Please tune in next time to hear . . . that I am done. So much rereading, guys.

~Hey, thanks, reviewers! Thanks for your reviews and your support, because wow, it means a lot to me! A lot, seriously. I've replied to many of you, but to my anonymous friends, thanks, guys! I'll reply chronologically. Thanks to you all!

Daisy Field: Well, I know I haven't read this kind of plot before. I've heard of plenty of "Sakura's Inner" stories, of course, but I don't really feel that they're the same. I can't say that too much knowledge, since I don't think I can recall reading any . . . sorry, Sakura writers. I don't like to flame characters, and I don't hate her by any means. She was written with the flatness that Kishimoto gives females. I've read some excellent portrayals of her. I like her, but I'm not too interested in her personality. I don't say that lightly, and I do like reading her stories. Odd. But hey, if you ever think of the fic you read, I am all ears!

Nessie: I wish so, too! I tried to pack in as much content as possible to make up for it.

G: Boy, I hope you meant "another chapter" and not a real sequel. Thaaat would be intimidating.

Crys: We're done hanging now! I'm both sad and relieved about that. It was tough not letting Itachi call her a male, and I don't like assigning "it" to a character that was definitely female. The ambiguity was fun while it lasted! As for your questions, no, that's never occurred to Itachi. She's either inside his eyes during it, or she controls his body inside the Tsukuyomi. He (technically she, since she controls the Sharingan) would definitely be able to control a body in a genjutsu. I don't think anything more physical would work (short of making Susanoo look like her), but Itachi himself could make a clone or anything appropriate look like her. She could even control something with the Sharingan. The thought hasn't really occurred to either of them, however. There was a fragmented concept of a scene I cut out where one of them basically made a female version of Itachi, and they both agreed that was her. As far as she's concerned, that's basically who she is now. But free information: she used to have long hair.

Guest: That's very kind of you to say. I don't know how I would find the willpower if it weren't for my readers' encouragement. Or even recognition. :P

unknown: Well, I am delighted that my writing managed to evoke some emotions. It's what I strive for the most in my stories.

The Puppeteer: Awesome! That hits the nail on the head for what encourages me to write this story. I'm glad I could finally give you an update.

Guest: You're very welcome. I hope you recovered without too much trouble.

~So, did she ever tell Itachi that she knows the plot? No. But why not she should have blah blah blah! Yes, she should have (probably). However, things worked out just like canon (with a few hidden benefits). Itachi was going to die in canon. There's a happy ending for most people in canon. Sasuke lives in canon. Konoha flourishes in canon. The trick about this story is that if you let yourself think "Wait, how would he have known about that if she hadn't noticed for him?" enough, it's hard to look at canon without seeing this character everywhere. That's the whole premise of this story - canon wouldn't be canon if she hadn't spent her life just trying to get by. And hey, how would telling him the plot have made much of a difference? Itachi did all that he could. He made stupid choices sometimes, but not many. He goaded Sasuke into gaining enough power to protect himself. He made an example of Sasuke, and many criminals didn't touch Sasuke because he was clearly Itachi's prey. He drove Sasuke into killing him, and Sasuke gained the Mangekyō from the much-nobler method of seeing someone he really cared about (Sasuke figured it was hatred, but all of that love was repressed just like Orochimaru'd been) die - plus, Itachi made him do it and never confessed to being a good person. And Itachi died from his disease, which he would have done anyway. Works out, right? Let me know your thoughts!

~If you missed that last joke Itachi told his Sharingan, I'll happily explain it to you, but I encourage your trying to figure it out. It's kind of like a logic puzzle, at least according to my brain. If you can't figure it out, just mention that. I'll explain it here if it really bothers anyone. Come on, my friend, you can figure out my humor . . . maybe.

~Did you have a favorite scene/quotation/anything? I'd love to hear about it.

~And now, we have one chapter left. What will it contain? Let's wait a year and find out. ;D

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this present, and I hope you can mull this one over for a while afterwards, too. (:

I hope your day went well!