A Chance Encounter

Chapter 8

The village was quiet. The sun had set over the horizon so most people were home for the night and businesses closed. The streets were dimly lit by moonlight.

He didn't have anywhere in particular he could go so he settled for walking the block around his home. He just needed some time to cool down and think without distraction.

Hiroto needed to be dealt with but in a way where the Uchiha were not to blame or his efforts won't matter. Danzo was an issue as well but Sasuke knew he wasn't directly involved in the actual massacre, he just formulated the idea and manipulated his brother into acting on it so he could be dealt with later.

Sasuke had just turned the corner when he noticed a figure down the street from him. He felt a chill go down his spine, not that he was intimidated but that something was seriously wrong.

He activated his Sharingan and Rinnegan. As he moved his hand to his sword the figure seemed to mimic his actions and grabbed theirs. Sasuke charged the man, steel meeting steel in a fury of sparks, red eyes meeting red.

The force of their clash pushed them backwards before  finally sliding to a stop. Sasuke regained his balance and resumed a ready stance, sword out in front of him.

"Sasuke?"

Itachi dropped his sword when he saw his own eyes in his brother.

• • • • •

Fugaku went into his and Mikoto's bedroom.

Sakura let out a defeated sigh, "They both need time to cool off. It's getting late so I'm just going to go check on Sarada and wait for Sasuke to return" she said to Mikoto. She nodded and followed her husband into their room.

Sakura walked down the long hallway, as she reached their room the door was closed. She had left it open, she was sure of it. Sakura threw the door open to see someone standing next to bed where Sarada was sound asleep.

Sakura charged the man and punched them in the stomach with all her strength, sending them through the wall into the street. She grabbed Sarada and ran to find Mikoto and Fugaku.

"Mikoto!" She yelled as she ran back into the hall. Mikoto ran around the corner at the same time, hearing the crash and yells.

"Take Sarada and hide. Now!" Sakura pushed her daughter into Mikoto's arms and took off outside.

The man had just stood up and was dusting himself off when Sakura ran into the street. She didn't waste time and charged him again, ready to drop her heel down into him. He quickly rolled and dodged it thus creating some distance between them.

"My my, you're a strong one aren't you" he antagonized.

Sakura raised her fists in front of her, "Come over here and I'll show you just how strong I am."

They each traded punches and kicks, each narrowly avoiding the other. This Hiroto was much faster and stronger than he is in her own time. He kept driving her further and further back until her back was nearly against the wall. She was blindsided by a kick to the ribs which finally slammed her into the wall.

• • • • •

Sasuke lowered his sword when Itachi fell to his knees before him.

"Those are my-" Itachi started but couldn't finish. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Yes" was all he could say. It hurt him to see his brother like this but he knew he had to stop him from doing this, whatever it took.

"Itachi, these eyes are proof of what your future is. I'm not lying when I tell you this is the beginning of many years of suffering, for both of us."

Itachi raised his head to meet his brother's eyes, his eyes, "I'm supposed to kill the whole clan."

"You were, and you did, everyone except me. You couldn't bring yourself to kill your little brother. Instead you put me in Genjutsu and forced me to watch you kill mother and father over and over and over. As many times as it took until I unlocked my Sharingan."

Itachi hung his head again so Sasuke continued.

"You put me on the path of revenge, I wanted to kill you for what you did. I was alone, anyone who was close to me I pushed away. I left the village and went rogue. I killed you when I was 17 years old, but it wasn't until after when I discovered that you were manipulated by Danzo. It wasn't until I came here that I discovered that Hiroto was involved."

"You sound like you know Hiroto. From your time" Itachi said quietly.

"He tried to kill Sakura and take Sarada, twice now. For her eyes. She and I are the last of the Uchiha."

Sasuke walked over and held his hand out to his brother, "But you can help me change everything Itachi." He kept his hand out, waiting to see what Itachi would choose.

A moment later Itachi gripped his hand and was pulled to his feet. "Will you help me big brother?"

• • • • •

Hiroto went to land another kick but was taken off guard when Sakura was replaced by Sasuke. He was anticipating the kick so he grabbed his leg and swung him into the wall beside him. Sasuke continued his assault on Hiroto while Sakura recovered, her mind a blur from the impact of hitting the wall.

"Sakura!" He called out to her. Her head snapped up and she was now focused. He used his Rinnegan to swap places with his wife again. This time she was ready and she dropped a kick directly on the center of Hiroto's back pushing him into the ground.

As he went to stand again he was met with a blade at his throat. He slowly raised his eyes and was met by Sasuke's mismatched eyes, onyx and purple.

"You don't know me Hiroto, but I know you" he said in a deadly whisper.

Once they locked eyes Sasuke placed him under Genjutsu and showed him everything. How he pursued them when Sakura was in labor. How he chained him up and forced him to listen to his wife scream out for him. How he threatened to take his eyes and Sarada.

It took only a second and he released him to fall back to the ground, breathing heavily. Sasuke squatted down in front of him, "Now that we are acquainted, you know why I'm going to kill you."