Redemption In Your Eyes

The Offensive

Putting an arm out, Itachi stopped Sasuke. The forest around them was unusually rainy and the mud beneath their feet slick. Frowning, Sasuke stepped back. Both men surveyed their surroundings warily. The path they had walked was difficult to follow, overgrown and green.

"These plants don't do well with rain like this," Itachi said softly. "This rain is unnatural."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, putting his back to his brother's and activating his doujutsu. "It's been raining almost non-stop in Konoha."

"Pein monitors Amegakure using rain laced with his chakra." Itachi activated his own sharingan. "We've been under observation... We've been expected."

"Should we make a break for the statue?" He looked around again, checking for anything else out of the ordinary. "There's too much cover here. It's not to our advantage to face them here."

Nodding in reply, both brothers took off at breakneck speed. Knowing the battle had already begun, they moved swiftly, not worrying about the noise they made crashing through the tree line. Abruptly, the forest ended and they skidded to a halt. The ground was dry and the sun shining above them. In front of them, a menacing red gate stared back. The charms hanging from the top had been ripped and flitted in a gentle breeze above them. Behind the gateway, the cave was open. Inside the shadows, the outline of the two raised hands was visible. Behind them, the statue's looming head and shoulders were visible. Standing shoulder to shoulder, both Uchiha took fighting stances.

"Come out," Itachi commanded. "There's no use in playing games."

Laughter echoed in the cavern. Behind it was the quiet tap of footsteps. A shadow emerged and gradually the light bathed the figure. Madara's red eye met the crimson gazes of the brothers.

"You think I've been playing games with you, Itachi?" he asked, bemused. "I can assure you that none of this is a game."

Sasuke gasped and took a step back, feeling the darkness that Madara emanated. "You aren't Tobi... That sharingan..."

"He's Uchiha Madara." Itachi clenched his fists, ready for any sudden movements. "Aren't you?"

Amused that Itachi would question his identity, Madara continued, "I take it the harlot is awake. I have to say, I'm impressed if she is. I didn't expect you to be able to break that tsukuyomi."

"We didn't break it," Sasuke shot back, finding his confidence. "She broke free."

"Hm," Madara tapped his chin. "That should be impossible. Maybe since she and the baby share a chakra system, she can temporarily access some of the Uchiha's strengths. Too bad she's such a weak vessel."

"Enough," Itachi cried, "You can surrender or we can do this the hard way."

"The hard way, eh?" Madara chuckled. "As if I'd surrender to someone inferior to me."

Before either could respond, Madara moved faster than even the sharingan could perceive. He ducked down under their guards and punched both in the stomach. Itachi and Sasuke doubled over as they were launched into the treeline.

Rain pounded on the wide window next to her bed and Aster pressed her fingertips to the chilled pane. The sound was soothing to her wounded heart and called back to a time she couldn't remember. Earlier she had spotted the light switch and flipped it; the light in the room was too much and had been causing her head to ache. Despite the cloud cover, a healthy amount of grayed light was filtered into the room. The shadows on her face were sharp and deep.

There was gentle click behind her and she turned to see the door open. Sakura immediately reached for the light switch to chase away the gloom.

"No- please don't," Aster asked urgently. "I can't stand it."