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Naruto and the picture belong to their respective owners.
Saving Sasuke
Chapter 1: For Them
It's late in the ninja village Konoha, there are a few patrol teams out but otherwise all is quiet as everyone sleeps, well almost everyone. No one would notice this late but on top of the Hokage Monument stood a boy no older than sixteen with a black backpack slung over his shoulders and a large scroll just below it. The boy was leaving, not that anyone knew yet. No if they knew his real plan he was sure they would stop him, but that's exactly why he didn't tell anyone, or leave any trace of it.
The boy looked down at the village he had once wished to be the leader of, to protect… to be accepted by. This would be the last time he would see it for a long time, matter of fact he fully realized that he may never see it again. He had a promise to keep though and he was going to keep it even if she never knew. The promise was originally to bring a teammate and friend back to their home village, but it had change since then.
Now he knew there was no 'bringing Sasuke back'. Not after he had joined Akatsuki, kidnapped the Raikage's younger brother and attacked the Kage summit. Even if it turned out that Bee the Raikage's brother, hadn't actually been captured it was still far too late. Sasuke had been labeled an S-class criminal with a kill on site order.
No this was the only way to save what was left of his friend but that wasn't the only reason he was leaving, that was only half the reason for his plan. He also had to save everyone else. The Akatsuki was still coming for him, like Pain had come. Just one of their members and he had destroyed most of the whole village… it was a miracle that there were no casualties, not for long anyway.
It wasn't just his friends that had protected him that day either, it was everyone. Granted not many knew where he actually was, but every single ninja that was asked refused to answer even though they knew Pain would kill them for it. They had all protected him, now it was his turn.
The blond boy said his silent goodbye to his village, his home, and turned away vowing to keep them safe. Knowing that in carrying out his plan he would be giving up everything and that it would hurt his precious people that he was gone… but they would move on in time. He couldn't just run though, no that wouldn't solve anything. To keep them safe… he would have to die.
As the blond boy who was barely more than a child ran through the forest, his eyes were set in determination and he whispered just over the wind, "For the sake of my precious people."
He knew what he had to do and where to go to find Sasuke. He had seen it when they last met, when Sakura tried to kill the Uchiha. It was where it all began and where it would all end. Ironically many things ended there, The Valley of the End. He had told Sasuke last time they met that they would both die the next time they fought, and they would. One way or another.