[closed] it took all the man in me

[anbu]

Who: Itachi Uchiha and various.
When: Aereuer 13th.
Where: Looking-Glass House.
What: Memory sharing event.
Warnings: Mass death/genocide, war themes, gore, violence, trauma, child soldiers, very sad but cute brothers. I'll update if/as other things come up.





[To the vast majority of the Mirrorbound who cross its path, Itachi's mirror is plain and unassuming, its silver surface set into a black wooden frame. They will notice complicated carvings, some strange cross between Japanese calligraphy and other, indecipherable symbols unlike language. There are only two distinct images: the first is located on the upper left corner of the mirror and features an avian animal with beady, jewel-like red eyes; the second is located on the bottom right corner and features a pinwheel design. If further investigated, it'll become obvious the mirror also carries a burnt scent, as if the wood has recently been charred by fire.

Sasuke will see a much more detailed and familiar frame. The faces of their parents; the face of Uchiha Shisui; the Mangekyou Sharingan set within the shape of an actual eyeball; Akatsuki clouds; and the Uchiha fan directly beside the leaf's symbol of Konoha. It takes no guesswork to understand who this mirror is meant to represent.]

—

[OOC: Due to this event being exposition-heavy, scene specific, and intense (as well as a desire not to get too overloaded), I will not be writing any general open prompts! This also helps me keep each thread interesting and unique. That said, I'm open to plotting something. Feel free to reference my plotting comment here so we can hash something out. I have a list of memories here, but it isn't exhaustive. I can find something else if none of these are appealing.

Starters will be posted below as I write them!]

Comments

sorry for LENGTH, i underestimated this memory

[anbu]

[On the street, three men have gathered. They are his father's retainers: Yashiro, Inabi, and Tekka, though these names will go unknown to Eren. From an outsider's perspective, they are men with black hair and black eyes similar to Itachi himself, dressed in shinobi armor (lightweight and breathable), all carrying weapons in pouches at their belts. The only other significant physical characteristic is that they all possess a headband with the Konoha leaf inscribed on it.

The men begin speaking, addressing Itachi.

"Only two people didn't show up for yesterday's meeting. Where were you?"

"Since joining ANBU, you've pulled us through many situations. We understand that. Your father said so, too, and he's trying to defend you, but..."

"But we can't make exceptions."

As Itachi replies, he remains cool and expressionless, almost placating: "I understand. I'll be careful from now on. Are we done here?" Even through this, the faintest tremor of anger shows in his voice—well-masked and polite, but at present danger of overflowing.

"Almost. We do have a few more questions." The man, Yashiro, pauses. "It's about Uchiha Shisui. He threw himself into the Naka River last night and killed himself. ... Shisui was the other person who didn't show up to the meeting. And we know you adored him, like an older brother."

"The Military Police Force is opening an investigation into this matter. He was one of the most talented in the clan, so it's hard to believe a man like that would kill himself..."

There comes a tense and stilted explanation, during which it's discovered Shisui has left a suicide note, giving the police more evidence to build a case. "We'll leave the note with you, for the time being. Take it back to the ANBU and request their cooperation in the investigation."

As the men begin to leave, Itachi calls out, anger rising noticeably in his voice. "Why don't you just say it? You think I did this."

When the three men turn around, their eyes are gleaming a bright and uncanny red.

"In fact, we do, you child. Listen, Itachi. If you did betray the clan, you will pay."

The murderous aura in the air hits a choke point. Itachi lashes out in that instant, quicker than the natural eye, striking down all three men in mere seconds—a kick to one throat, a whirling arm to a face, a knee to a stomach. They crumple to the ground as Itachi looms above them. "Don't judge people by their appearances of your preconceptions. You misjudge me completely if you think I have patience for you. The clan... the clan... you babble on, but you overestimate your abilities. And you have no idea the depth of mine, which is why you're crawling on the ground right now."

Yashiro groans as he makes an attempt to stand. "Shisui... had been watching you recently. It's been six months since you entered the ANBU... What you've said and done since then is too strange to overlook. What on earth are you thinking?"

Itachi cuts back, "You cling to your organization, to your clan, and to your name... You limit yourself, you arbitrarily decide on your capacity. Disgusting... and then, you fear and despise what you can't yet see and don't understand... Sheer idiocy!"

There's a flash of silver, Itachi unearthing a kunai from his pocket. The scene is steadily escalating toward further violence.

cuts into this BEAUTIFUL and JUICY steak 👀

[usurpers]

[ the dragon could taste the strain rising with each flick of his tongue. here the men are: pointing fingers. if he were quick to deduce, all simple evidence would lead to the same basis of origin— but eren knows better than that, knows better than anyone that what appears to the naked eye and drums into a fallacy that blinds you from the truth. ignorance was a cage and lies by the mind itself are the most infuriating.

eren . . . feels like he knows this all too well as itachi confronts them. they swing their mud from their feet and instigate assumptions they’re too cowardly to bring up directly. each one topples in a flashing one-two-three. from anger simmering after being misjudged to the point that, yes, you’d hurt people, even the important ones. the outsiders, even moreso. because you can’t say anything, can you?

he’s just unsure it’s wise, for a hot second, to hurt them further— but then again, eren too, realizes he couldn’t say a thing. what does he know . . . when ire erupts? you only see red. ]

😌

[anbu]

["Itachi!"

The voice comes from a severe-looking man at one end of the street, and at his approach, Itachi immediately drops his head.

"Calm down, that's enough." The man drawers nearer, looking over the boy. "What's wrong with you? I'm worried about your behavior lately."

Itachi answers his father almost mechanically, "There's nothing to worry about. I'm busy with work, that's all."

"Then why didn't you show up last night?"

Almost lost in a whisper, he says: "I needed to achieve the next state."

"What are you talking about?"

Silence passes between all five individuals, the young boy and the four adults, until suddenly the kunai flashes out of Itachi's hand. It embeds itself in the near stone wall with a thud of finality, piercing one of the clan crests displayed around the compound's perimeter. The group of adults become visibly uncomfortable. Their body language shifts, tenser, uncertain. Itachi keeps his face lowered as he speaks, "Obsessing over worthless things like the clan, you lose sight of what's really important. Premonition and imagination... You can't achieve real change as long as you're bound by regulations and restrictions."

"What insolence!"

This response from one of the men seems to surprise Itachi, who lifts his head. His eyes now, too, are bright crimson.

"Enough!" his father glares down at him. "If you continue to speak this nonsense, you're going to prison!"

The threat doesn't seem to faze Itachi outwardly, and he continues frowning as if in disappointment, brow creased by some inner unshared thought.

"Well, what're you going to do?" one of the men shouts. "This will not be tolerated. Captain, give the arrest order!"

And then, out of nowhere, comes a childish voice: "Itachi, stop it!" His younger brother is in the doorway of the house looking out onto the street, terrified and upset, eyes wide and confused. It shatters Itachi's resolve instantly. He goes to his knees in one defeated fold and says to the Uchiha clan members, "I did not kill Shisui... but I apologize for my inappropriate remarks. I'm very sorry." Head hanging, hair shielding his face, Itachi waits for judgment.

His father sighs, straightening. "Lately, the mission load for the ANBU seems to have tired him out."

"Captain!"

"The ANBU is under the Hokage's direct control. Even we can't arrest him without a warrant. As for my son, I'll take full responsibility for him. Please." His voice is hoarse, head bowed.

There the situation finally begins to diffuse, and with a quiet "Itachi, inside" the father gestures at his son to move out of the street. Still on his knees, Itachi glances up toward his younger brother — and almost directly at Eren, coincidentally — and the strange pattern in his bloody-colored eyes changes. Then the memory begins to fade, blackening at the corners as if this moment had dimmed into an inconsequential aftermath.]