Cry 14

(Shisui P.O.V)

He had known what he wanted for a long time. In a world filled with nothing but death and decay he knew what he was reaching for. It may be an Illusory thing and something that might not really exist but he knew what he was chasing.

Peace.

For moments where a child can hold their father’s hand and chatter without a care instead of the same child clutching onto their dead father as tears seep endlessly. For days where women can hold onto those they hold dear instead of uncovering their corpse in a morgue to identify them. A place where the sorrow and death that was a part of life was just as illusory.

He thought the village was that place. The happy smiling faces he saw every day were proof of that. So if he had to stain his hands red with the blood of countless people he was willing to do it to protect this place. Even if the people he had to kill were just as young as those children, or if those people had their own stories to tell and families to grieve over.

These blood red eyes of his would pour endless tears for their pain but it was the price that had to be paid.

These blood soaked hands may never deserve to clutch onto that peace for himself but he thought it was still worth it. The people of the village enjoyed that and his family held onto it as well.

Now…now he was not sure if it really was worth it. 

His family was certainly not enjoying the peace he brought about. Everything was okay before the Nine Tail Riot. The villagers may not have liked his family but things were getting better. They saw the powerful Uchiha protecting their village with great ninja like himself and Fugaku and they let go of their views on his clan.

His own people were not exactly open to talking to the villagers but the praise they got had them beaming. Even if it was hard to see for a non-Uchiha.

The Clan leader had a friendship with the fourth Hokage and while it was not deep his wife held an almost sisterly bond with the fourth Hokage’s wife. So the Clan was buzzing in joy, which was a fantastic sight for the usually stoic and standoffish people.

If only things could have stayed that way but the Nine Tails proved that his peace was just an illusion. One he could not change despite his vast skill and eyes that commanded the might of the gods themselves.

Roars of a feral beast rumbling through the village. The ground and air shaking from the sheer weight of that roar. Swipes of giant claws tearing entire streets apart. Blasts of pure Chakra blowing up shelters with very little effort. The killing intent in the air so dark and heavy that it killed weaker willed people as their hearts stopped in fear.

That night told Kohona that the Tailed Beasts were not just a weapon the village used but that they were a natural disaster. One that held a hate of humanity so deep that they would spend the rest of their lives tearing them apart.

That night was not just a tragedy for the village but a turning point for his clan. They were not allowed to help protect the people as the Sharigan pattern in the beast's eyes could be seen for miles. The Hokage that held a friendship with their clan died along with his wife. The harmonious relationship that had been building between the village and his people popped like a bubble.

The people needed someone to blame for their pain. For the deaths of their children, for their husbands, for their wives, for their parents. Death needed a name and for the village it was Uchiha.

That pattern in the Nine Tails eyes was something that was known for the entire village. So it made sense that the village hated his people and were willing to do the things that they did but did it really?

His Clan could have broken the control that was holding the Nine Tails down. Sure that pattern was not the standard tomoe but he held a pair of eyes that was equally strong. In fact in the field of genjutsu and control there is not a person alive who could even dream of reaching his heights.

So if Danzo did not stop him from showing up he could have saved countless lives. He could have even controlled the Nine Tails instead of this mysterious person. Maybe the Fourth would have even lived through that night.

No longer needed to use the Reaper Seal to lock the Nine Tails away. He could have used the standard seals most Jinchuriki.

Had he not proven his loyalty!? He stained these hands blood red for this village. He had killed and killed until his soul felt dirty. He allowed himself to be dragged into the darkest corners of this world and they could not trust him!

He sat at a cliff's edge, feet dangling over the as the drop loomed in front of him. At the bottom of the cliff was a river he was more than familiar with. The river seemed to be blood red as the reflection of His Sharigan seemed to paint it. The thing was spinning wildly and trembling as these emotions had him near the edge.

His head hung low as if defeated. The bright outlook and hope for the future seemed to have been snuffed.

Of course they did not trust him. No amount of sugared words from the Third would change that. No amount of comparisons to his grandfather would change that. Why would it? They may call him a good Uchiha but he was still an Uchiha in the end. He should have seen this earlier but the kid was right. He was willing to blind himself to these shadows.

Not because he could not see them but he was afraid of what they meant. Afraid that the death dealt with these hands was pointless. That the dream that fueled his very existence was worthless. That no matter what he did things would not change.

The rushing sounds of water rang around him. Both calming and pleasant but it felt like the only thing in his world right now. As if the rushing waves wanted nothing more than to consume him and the siren’s call felt so tempting. 

It was maddening.

He leaned forward, his body almost petering off the ledge. The rushing waters below the same blood red, a monument to all the blood he spilled in the name of peace. 

Just a little more. Another step and all of these things could be left behind. He would not have to deal with his thoughts. He would not have to face the truth of this world. He could let go and have his heavy heart lighten. 

It would be so easy.

He leaned back, laying against the ground and staring at the cloudless sky instead. The rushing waters still seemingly called for him to join them but it was easier to ignore. The endless blue a stark contrast from the hell-like lake below. Even with all his power he was not capable of dying the sky in these eyes. Some god like power, he let out a chuckle.

Since when was the easy route ever an option for him?

If he took the easy way out everything would spiral out of control. The village would be thrown into chaos as his Clan rioted and his people would end up dead in a pointless rebellion.

No one but him could stop it. Not even his little protege Itachi. So no matter how much those words have struck him he had to hold on. He had always known that the peace he sought was not real. That his outstretched hands were only ever going to capture air.

That was not going to stop him from reaching for it. Just because a dream is impossible does not mean you should give up on it. It might end in failure and you might regret the ending but the journey itself would be beautiful. 

And hey, maybe you could do the impossible.

The difference between a fool and a hero was that the hero won. That he struggled and bled and faced quite literal impossible odds but still saved the day.

He was not confident enough to say he was a hero, but he will continue walking down this path even if it ends in his death. Even if he would be labeled a traitor and hazard to the village. Even if his actions would have his little protege steaming in rage and anger. Even if his honor was going to be tested and bent.

He was a proud member of Kohona and he was going to cut away the rot. Even if that included him in the end.