Alright! I promised a new fic and here it is! However, before we begin, I'd like to get a few things about this out in the open.
This is a collaborative work between myself and my wonderful girlfriend, both fortunately and unfortunately for you, the readers. Fortunately because we work wonders together (If you've read Capture and Break, that's an example of what we can do). Unfortunately because this means that updates will be sporadic at best. To say we could update weekly would be promising too much, I think, but we'll try to keep things moving as smoothly as we can.
That out of the way, this is also partially AU, in that Orochimaru is a vampire. :x Sounds cheesy, I'm sure, but bear with me! Rather than place a curse seal on Sasuke, he turned him. This story takes place post-timejump, prior to the current arc of the manga at this time (currently at chapter...352?), but will deviate from canon (obviously, with vampires and Uchihacest abound), so the spoilers will be kept to a very bare minimum. To try and make it seem more all-encompassing, there will be parts to this story that aren't focused directly around Sasuke and Itachi (most likely, I'm assuming, we're still not sure where it's going :x), but the main focus will be on those two and those around them (we won't randomly jump off into "oh hay look, it's SUNA, let's see how GAARA is doing!" unless it's directly related to something the brothers are doing, that would be silly). But enough of my rambling. Enjoy the story!
For further notes, the character depiction is as follows:
In this chapter, Sasuke was written by me (he will be forever and ever, throughout the rest of this fic, too) and both Itachi and Kisame were written by my lovely (heartheart). We'll be splitting up the characters by who is capable of portraying which, so I'll let you know at the beginning of the chapter who's who and all that.prodigium: (Latin) prodigy, portent / monster, unnatural thing.
Sasuke reached back, checking for the fifth time that evening to make sure his katana was in its place. He carried nothing but his weapons with him, for there was no need for material possessions when each time he left the lair of his sire he expected nothing less than victory or death, though he always met with simple failure, unable to locate his target as of yet.
This time was no different, and he knew perfectly well Orochimaru (cocky as always, damn the filthy bastard, even if he was his creator) knew that he was leaving. Despite his plans, the elder vampire was always quite flippant about news regarding the whereabouts of one Uchiha Itachi. Really, Sasuke thought, he should know better by now. Examining the blade of his Kusanagi in the meager torchlight, he gave a curt, satisfactory nod before sliding it back into its sheath and slipping silently from the room. By the time he made it through the maze of corridors the sun would be below the horizon; the night would be his to search by, and this time, he told himself, he would find the man he vowed to kill.
A brisk, early-winter wind caught up his raven bangs and the loose attire he wore as he stepped from the mouth of the snake's den, the crimson in his eyes bright despite the clouds that promised rain and blocked out the stars. There would be no moon tonight, he noted, letting his tongue run over the sharp tips of the intruders in his mouth and wondering just how many sleepless nights it had been since he last fed. With a step away from his master's lair, he decided that if he found Itachi tonight, he would dine on traitorous blood until there wasn't a single drop left, so help the man or beast that tried to stop him.
Only a scant half-mile away, in a tree, sat the owner of said traitorous blood. Kisame had gone to sleep a few minutes before, and it was Itachi's turn to be night watch. He sat in a tree, annoyed but resigned to the darkness that further hampered his vision, but hid himself and his partner from anyone foolish enough to challenge them.
Despite the long walk through the forest and across the small countries lining the border of Fire country, Itachi felt restless. Perhaps it was the slight breeze that rustled the leaves, or light chill in the air. Whatever it was, he jumped down from the tree, landing silently only a couple feet from Kisame, and made a fast seal, leaving a shadow bunshin to stand guard while he went for a walk.
It wasn't long, however, before Itachi frowned, noticing the dead silence in the forest around him. Something didn't seem right, but he continued walking, his arms pulled into his cloak and his fingers stroking the cool metal of a few shuriken.
The silence was as the calm before the storm, and Sasuke felt the presence nearby mere seconds before hearing the faint rustle of fabric. He moved closer on silent feet, quickly as he felt his heart beat rapidly in his chest. The feeling was familiar, this time it would be him, he knew it.
Apprehension flowed alongside excitement and adrenaline through his veins as he drew near, catching the scent of fire and steel. There was nothing to curb the hunger that rushed through him, slowly eating away at his mind just like the hatred that had driven him since that fateful night. Nothing would stop him from taking what he wanted or dying in the process; half of his goal in life was shattered since he'd become this monstrosity, and if he couldn't attain the other half, he didn't care whether he lived or died.
The moment Itachi came into sight, he made his move.
A civilian would have guessed a wild animal had lunged from the bushes, but Itachi knew better. His eyes were blood red with the Sharingan the moment he'd sensed that murderous intent, and his hands flew from the long sleeves, throwing shuriken at the pale blur that attacked him. His hands went through seals automatically, and he lifted his fingers to his lips, breathing a stream of fire at the enemy. In the light of the blaze, he caught sight of black hair and red eyes, of animalistic madness and fangs, and his blood froze in his veins.
There was no time for shock, there was no time to question, there was only survive or succumb. Itachi repeated the seals and adjusted his aim, and a tree not far from him exploded into flames. Pulling a length of wire from the pouch at his hip, he narrowed his eyes, trying to calculate his younger brother's strength. All he could do was take a chance, though, and Itachi took it, looping the wire through a few kunai and throwing them around Sasuke in an attempt to restrain the boy for a few seconds, enough to buy himself a little more time and knowledge.
There was a flash and the scrape and clang of metal against metal as the kunai were shot down. The light of the nearby fire glinted off the Kusanagi's blade as Sasuke stood poised and ready, moving forward only a moment later to go on the offensive.
"Don't tell me that's all you've got, brother!" he snapped, voice laced with the venom of his hatred and the Sharingan burning in his eyes (even more intense with the fire's reflection). Anticipating Itachi's next move, he moved to strike.
Sasuke was stronger, no doubt about it, though it was impossible to tell how much of it was actual training and effort, and how much was the taint of the vampire curse. Itachi dodged the blade, jumping into some overhead tree branches and letting his Sharingan twist into the Mangekyou.
"How disgraceful, little brother... look how far you've fallen." he murmured coldly, slipping a kunai into his hand. All he needed was three seconds, then he could once again defeat and nearly cripple the younger man and be on his way.
Snarling his frustration, Sasuke followed his target into the trees, catching the briefest glimpse of the twisting Sharingan before focusing on Itachi's chin; he wasn't going to get roped into the same trick three times.
Over the crackling fire, he read his brother's words more than he heard them, eyes narrowing sharply. "Do you think I chose to be like this!" he replied, hurling a spherical object towards Itachi with the hand not gripping his sword (a flash bomb, he hoped the man wouldn't notice until it was too late). Closing his eyes before the flash could go off, he focused on his hearing and his sense of smell to pinpoint where Itachi was, knowing that with the Mangekyou in place, the flash would thoroughly disable him.
If only for once, Sasuke's assumption was correct. Itachi didn't expect the flash bomb, and even as it went off, he knew he should have and thoroughly regretted attempting his infamous genjutsu so early in the fight.
The world exploded in a kaleidoscope of red, white, and black,before fading into complete darkness. Itachi jumped to the ground, relying entirely on sound to try and find Sasuke. He was also rather frustrated, as Kisame had yet to arrive, and Itachi knew it shouldn't take this long for the Mist-nin to run little more than a quarter of a mile. His fingers flew through the seals, and he waited in silence to hear the footsteps and words of the man who intended to kill him.
As the light faded, Sasuke opened his eyes again, looking down to see where Itachi had landed. By the looks of things, his attack had worked, a sudden thrill running through him. He knew better than to assume Itachi was helpless; even without sight, he was sure the man was formidable, and yet he had his cover.
The sound of the fire masked his landing, his footsteps quiet enough to be drowned out as well as he approached from behind. This was his chance, the mere thought of bloodshed striking up the hunger within him once more. Still, the anger he had needed more of an outlet than a swift end would allow, and he found himself prolonging the fight with a solid kick to the middle of Itachi's back. The thrill swept through him again at the vibration of the hit through his leg, and he was moving again so his brother wouldn't have the chance to track his position. He knew he would have at the very least a few minutes to let out his anger before the effect of the flash would start to wear off, and he planned to use every last second of his time.
The kick to his spine made Itachi grit his teeth and fall forward, catching himself on his free hand. He rolled onto his back, the fire leaving his lips and blossoming behind him, but he knew he had missed. Righting himself, he drew a few more kunai, catching brief crackles of leaves amid the roaring of the flames. It wouldn't do to waste weapons, but he knew he would have to guess a few times before finding Sasuke. Frowning, he made a fast seal and two bunshin appeared next to him, leaving him free to run and attempt to clear his eyes. He released the Sharingan, in hopes it would work, but found he still couldn't see anything, and he relied on memory and the orientation of the fires and trees to know where he was.
The younger laughed inwardly, dispatching one useless bunshin and then the other (though the pop of their disappearance gave some idea of his movements). What good were bunshin when they had the same disabilities as the original? A smirk twisted his lips as he ran his tongue over his teeth, moving towards Itachi once more.
His second blow was aimed for the side of his brother's head, its goal to further disorient his prey.
This time, Itachi heard the younger Uchiha coming at him, and tried to dodge, but it was too late. Pain blossomed in the side of his head, and he blinked, finding himself on his side and struggling to his feet though he couldn't remember falling. This was very, very bad. He wondered once more where Kisame was, and when his vision would return. As it stood, he was in a horrible situation, almost a worst-case scenario, and he frowned as he pushed himself back up, weighing his options.
Trying his Sharingan once more, he found he'd regained a little of his vision, though the world was still blurry and dim. Raising his hands, he made one last seal, the world growing darker as the Mangekyou took over. He held the jutsu back, waiting for Sasuke to come within range.
For a moment, Sasuke stood perfectly still, the scent of blood reaching him and telling him that he was running out of time to play around. Looking at where his brother stood, he saw the source of the smell, dripping steady crimson down the side of Itachi's face (such a beautiful sight, he had to lick his lips at it).
The seals Itachi made, however, were different, something unknown, and he wondered at the elder's ability to actually see to aim a jutsu. To err on the side of caution was preferable to succumbing to what his brother had to offer, and from where he stood, he calculated. If nothing else, a katon jutsu would be a good distraction, letting him move in to strike, and in the best case... He could force Itachi to disable his Sharingan once more.
That decided, his hands flew through the seals (Itachi would be hard pressed to read them at this distance, anyway), gathering the necessary chakra and allowing a sudden plume of flames to sprout from his lips, making a flanking maneuver as soon as he had the chance. He needed to immobilize the man beyond blindness, and if he managed to get in enough good hits, he could surely back him into a tree and pin him there.
The sudden movement and flash of light before him alerted Itachi, and he raised his hands, narrowing his eyes. Amaterasu spread before him, covering the clearing in nightmarish black flames and countering the fireball, but the brightness of the flames and the chakra drain were too much, and Itachi's eyes returned to normal, stabbing pain making him squeeze them closed and hold his head. He knew, without having to look, that he had missed, and he also knew that he was all but finished. His chakra was tapped out, and he was wounded and blinded, his greatest weapon taken from him.
Well, he wasn't one for regrets, and Itachi had long ago accepted that he would likely die at Sasuke's hands. Still, he could not accept death from someone who's blood had been tainted, someone who had to resort to becoming a monster to defeat him. Itachi's options were limited, and he assessed them carefully. He could retreat, though that would be dishonorable and foolish. He could allow Sasuke to kill him and avenge their clan. Or...
Drawing his last kunai from a hidden pocket of his jacket, Itachi reached up, cutting a long line across the side of his neck. Blood gushed over his fingers, and he dropped the blade, falling to his knees.
I've won again, otouto.
The sudden and overwhelming smell of blood shocked Sasuke's senses into overdrive, and the sight that greeted him nearly made him retch.
"No..." was the barely audible sound that came from his lips, repeating and getting louder as he made his way towards Itachi, dropping to his knees before the man and twining his fingers roughly through long, raven hair. He jerked his brother's head up to stare into slowly glazing onyx eyes and screamed at him, fighting an inner war with his own hunger (the smell was so strong, so sweet). "You bastard!" he screamed at the faint smirk on bloodied lips, hands shaking at the feeling of blood on his hands. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, not at all, he reaped no satisfaction from this end.
"I won't let you do this," he hissed, tugging the man's head to the side to expose the gash along his neck. You'll die by my hand, not your own! he thought bitterly, lowering his head. Running his tongue along the wound just once was all it took for instinct to take hold, fangs piercing already lacerated flesh as the grip in Itachi's hair grew tighter.
I will not let you take this satisfaction from me!
The world was fading, and Itachi let it fade, surprised at how quickly it was swept away. With each passing heartbeat, he felt his life being drawn from him, and a faint smirk crossed his lips, as he wondered if it was like this for his family too. He could barely hear Sasuke's angry screams, feel the hands in his hair and the slight stretching/tearing pain of his head being jerked to the side. The pain of fangs in his neck made his eyes widen slightly, as he realized what Sasuke was doing. Reaching for the forgotten kunai, he lifted his arm, amazed at the effort it took, before plunging it into Sasuke's shoulder. Blood splattered up from the wound, covering his face, and Itachi grimaced, before dropping the kunai and letting Sasuke's hunger and madness lead him into darkness.
At the edge of the clearing, Kisame watched the scene in mute surprise, somewhat shocked by what he saw. He unstrapped his sword, the bandages falling free of it as he charged. If he did nothing else, he would retrieve Itachi for Leader and claim the bounty certain to be on the Uchiha brat's head.
The pain in his shoulder had only caused Sasuke to bite down harder, but the sound of nearing, heavy footsteps jerked him back to reality. He tore himself from Itachi's neck, blood staining his lips in the firelight as he turned wide, almost animalistic eyes towards the oncoming figure. There was still blood flowing from his brother's neck, still breath left in his lungs. The job wasn't done yet, and he tried to drag the limp form with him, but the injury to his shoulder prevented it.
Cursing inwardly, he weighed his options. Stay and fight for the right to Itachi's death, with one currently useless arm and half his sanity, or escape and risk this shark like beast saving the man's life. Even if he did fight his brother's partner in crime, he would have no guarantee that Itachi's life would end. Spitefully, he thought of driving the fallen kunai through one of his brother's eyes, but the distance between the shark and himself was closing far too fast, and he finally made the decision to flee. Even if Itachi were to survive the blood loss, there would be another chance to kill him if he lived.
Kisame intended to give chase, and looked forward to seeing the young man dead at his feet, but a rattling noise stopped him as he passed Itachi, and he paused, glancing at his partner. The cold, black eyes were glazed and slowly fading out, and blood spurted fitfully from the gash in his neck, but somehow, he was still alive.
Cursing, Kisame made a seal, sending a water bunshin after Sasuke and crouching down next to the nearly dead shinobi. It was disconcerting and more than a little pitiful to see his partner, once so prideful and cold, reduced to a blind, bleeding wreck. Tempted as he was to end what suffering Itachi may be going through, he knew Leader would be displeased at losing yet another excellent ninja.
Certain it was a waste of chakra, he held his hand to Itachi's throat, a rough medical jutsu cauterizing and sealing the vein until the bleeding ebbed. Satisfied that Itachi wouldn't die on the way back to the hideout, he threw the broken ninja over his shoulder, throwing a halfhearted wave of water at the burning brush around him before taking to a few undamaged trees and disappearing into the forest.
satus: (Latin) origin,start, beginning /planting, sowing.
Well that's it. Technically this was a bit of a prologue and a setup for the rest of the story. Next chapter, we start to develop some plot! So? Like it? Love it? Hate it? I'd be willing to bet that reviews will not only make both of us happy, but perhaps even spur us to write a little faster! Til next time!