Itachi or rather Julian opened his eyes in the real world.
He stood up carefully and tested the balance of the body that now belonged to him.
Every movement felt natural because the memories of twelve years with this body had settled into his mind.
He reached into one of the pouches on the clothing and pulled out a storage scroll.
With practiced motions that came from Itachis muscle memory he unsealed the scroll and a small jar filled with special liquid appeared in his hand.
Every Uchiha was required to carry one of these jars so that they could preserve the eyes of fallen comrades if those comrades died outside of Konoha.
The rule existed so that the powerful eyes would never fall into the hands of enemies.
Julian carefully placed Shisuis eye into the liquid and sealed the jar again before storing the scroll safely away.
He then turned toward the direction of the village and moved in a body flicker.
The technique carried him forward at a speed that made the trees blur on either side.
Itachis memories seemed to have integrated completely into his mind so that he could do everything Itachi could do as if he had been Itachi himself for the past twelve years.
The muscle memory of the body helped as well and every step and every jump felt smooth and controlled.
Julian could not help but speak to Itachi inside his mind while the wind rushed past his face.
‘How can you not enjoy this feeling?
Moving at such speeds is incredible.
The way the world rushes by and the way the chakra pushes the body forward feels like nothing I ever experienced on Earth.
This alone makes the strange situation worth exploring.’ Itachi replied in a calm and serious tone.
‘Because this power only comes with pain and suffering that one does not only suffer from but also makes others suffer with this power.
Every technique I learned and every increase in strength was paid for with the lives of people around me or with the heavy duties placed on me.’ Julian answered while still enjoying the rush of movement.
‘You are too grim for a child.
But I guess you are considered a prodigy for a reason because you can understand the reality around you better than most people your age.
Most twelve year olds would be laughing and shouting with excitement at this kind of speed.’ Even while he spoke Julian remained fascinated beyond belief at the feeling of chakra rushing through his body and at the pure strength that sat in every muscle.
The energy moved like a living river under his skin and responded to every small command he gave it.
He had spent years studying the limits of the human body on Earth yet nothing in those studies had prepared him for the way chakra could multiply strength and speed so completely.
Itachi spoke again inside the shared mind.
‘What of Shisuis death?
The village will notice his absence soon.
What do we do about that?’ Julian answered in a practical voice that left no room for emotion.
‘What of him.
Nothing.
His body will be found by tomorrow in the river and it will be considered a suicide.
If we say something now it would be suspected that we did it.
I am sure that Danzo would then also know about who killed the last of his agents and that we have Shisuis other eye.
It is better to keep quiet and let him think that Shisui destroyed his other eye before he died.’ He continued after a short pause and added another thought without softening the words.
‘Besides if I am being honest you two friends are kind of cowards.’ Itachi did not get angry at the accusation.
Instead he asked, ‘Why do you say that?
Shisui was one of the strongest of our clan and I have always tried to carry my duties with care.
What makes you call us cowards?’ Julian explained, ‘You both are some of the strongest Uchiha out there yet you do not speak in clan meetings to voice out your own opinions against elders that are long past their prime.
Those old men push the clan toward a coup that will destroy everyone and you stay silent even though your voices carry weight.’ ‘Shisui decided to throw away his life even if he was on his dying last breath.
He could have used the few remaining minutes he had to expose this elder Danzo to the entire Konoha.
The Hokage would have been forced to act if your knowledge about the laws of Konoha and bloodline theft is correct.’ ‘Danzo took an eye by force and that crime alone should have brought serious punishment.
And as for you you decided to put yourself in a genjutsu because you cannot bear to have the burden of your clan your brother and your village on your shoulders.’ Itachi listened without interruption and then answered with quiet acceptance.
‘You are right and probably that is why you came in my body.
I hope you can do better than me Julian.
The path I was walking led only to more isolation and more death.’ Julian replied with a small chuckle that carried both amusement and respect.
‘You are surprisingly mature for a twelve year old.
Your brother from what I have watched in the anime would have probably gotten all angry and murderous by now from what I said.’ Itachi spoke next with the first happy tone that Julian had heard from him since they began sharing the mind.
The words carried a soft warmth that had been missing before.
‘You know even if I die now watching Sasuke grow up in your memories, helped my grief of Shisui dying a little.
Especially seeing him with Naruto.
Those two formed a bond that reminded me of what friendship could look like.
I would have loved to be there when he had his first kiss.
The simple moments of a normal childhood were the things I always wanted for him.’ Julian decided not to leave the happy memory untouched.
‘Oh did you not see him abandoning Konoha like his big brother and going to Orochimaru.’ Itachi answered with a dry voice that had lost the earlier warmth.
‘Well there is that too.
The future, the memories show is not the one I hoped for.
But I again hope you can change it.
A different set of choices might lead him toward something brighter.’ Julian stopped the body flicker for a moment and stood on a high branch so that his next words would carry full weight.
He spoke in a serious tone that left no room for misunderstanding.
‘You are mistaking something Itachi.
I am not here to solve your problems.
I am going to live my life and enjoy myself.
I have your memories so I care about your brother a little bit but it does not mean much to me.
I will do what I am happy with.
If protecting Sasuke fits into the life I want to live then I will protect him.
If it does not then I will choose another path.
My own reasons come first.’ Itachi did not try to take control of his own body at that moment.
He simply accepted the clear boundary that Julian had set and answered in a calm voice.
‘I see.
Then do as you please Julian.
The body is yours now and the choices will be yours as well.
I will watch whatever path you decide to walk.’ Julian corrected the name with firm certainty while the night wind moved through the leaves around him.
‘It is Itachi Uchiha.
Julian is dead.
That name belonged to a life that ended on a different world.
From this moment forward I will answer only to the name that matches this face and this history.’ He then continued to enjoy himself and the wind striking his face as he moved toward Konoha at superspeed.
——–Author Notes——– Some of the readers are getting upset about the twin Itachi situation.
The Original Itachi is a character that I wanted to keep for some time because he was one of my favourite Naruto characters.
Secondly, He would disappear but there is a story behind it.
But It would take time for that to happen.