A/N: Okay, folks. I just keep getting new plot bunnies that won't leave me be and won't fit into my main story, so I'm going to be making either a great number of one-shots, like my other story, or I'm going to do something like this. This will be an AU of the anime, set during the fight at the Valley of the End. This first bit is an idea about what if Naruto and Sasuke had one last conversation before the final clash. I own nothing but the random plot deviations.
Dark clouds blocked the sky. Rain poured from the heavens, covering everything in a light haze. Everything, that is, except for the two A-rank assassination Justus clashing together. The dual techniques released such energy that the rain was vaporized before coming anywhere close to the two combatants. An explosion, triggered by the clash of chakra, threw the pair away from each other.
The dirt and mist thrown up from the collision faded, revealing the two shinobi. Both were just children, no older than thirteen. One had black hair, and pale skin. His clothes were dark blue, with a red and white fan emblem sewn on his vest. His red Sharingan eyes identified him as the younger of the two remaining Uchiha clan, Sasuke. The other wore an orange jumpsuit. His blonde hair was matted with unidentifiable blood. Blue eyes stared back at Sasuke. Dark lines etched his face like whiskers. Anyone could tell you this was Naruto Uzumaki.
The shattered cliff face around them bore the signs of the struggle. The Valley of the End, with its statues and waterfall, was smashed by the near-tectonic forces unleashed by the boys.
"Why are you doing this?!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke smirked.
"That village couldn't give me what I needed. I need power to kill my brother!" The duo stood at opposite sides of the valley, the river and waterfall separating them. Sasuke stood near the feet of his ancestor, Madara Uchiha. The massive statue was partially smashed, with an entire leg gone. Naruto crouched in the shadow of the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju. The stone visage above was relatively unscathed.
However, neither combatant cared or knew about the irony or significance of their placement.
"You realize what Orochimaru will do to you?! Damn it!" Naruto blinked back tears. Here was his first true friend, betraying them for power. And it wasn't even a likely prospect. The black-haired boy's 'teacher' would probably take over his body before Sasuke could take his revenge! "We care about you! Why kill your brother alone?! We could help you!"
Sasuke scoffed at the idea. "You fool. You care?! I don't! I know exactly what the consequences are! But I don't care! You could help me! But I don't care! AND YOU COULD BE MY NEW FAMILY! BUT I DON"T CARE!' Sasuke bellowed, each phrase getting louder. His curse mark spread across his skin, like the fire burning in his heart.
"Is that how it's going to be? Are you really doing this for yourself? For Kami's sake, Sakura loves you! She loves you with her heart, and you betray her?" Naruto had gone quiet, yet his voice still echoed along the rock walls. "I've lived my life ten times worse than you. If someone told me they loved me, I would move mountains for them. But you ignore what you have. You were like a brother to me. The brother I never had! And I honestly believed you felt the same. I believed you felt I was the replacement for Itachi. I wouldn't have betrayed you. But obviously I was wrong." The blonde demon-container finally broke down in silent tears.
"Don't you see? I need this power. I can't be complete with my blood running in the veins of that traitor. I can't love Sakura back. She deserves more. I can't feel any happiness or warmth from your friendship. My heart was stolen the day my family died, and I need to kill my brother to get it back. I would hope you understand that." Sasuke looked at Naruto with scorn. "I guess I was wrong."
"I understand. Believe me, I do," Naruto growled out, his sadness giving way to anger. His nails lengthened into claws, and the scars on his face darkened. A light red aura manifested around him. He suddenly looked up and the red Sharingan eyes burned the image of hate-filled, crimson fox eyes into Sasuke's mind forever. "I understand that you have had life good for far too long. Don't have a heart. Stolen away. BULLSHIT! You can't live without a heart, physically or metaphorically. Your heart pumps blood and it shows your humanity. If you had no heart, you wouldn't have saved me in Wave, or helped Sakura in the Forest of Death, or any number of other times you saved us. Your heart makes you human! It wasn't Itachi who stole your humanity. Orochimaru made you this cold monster. His seal corrupts your soul, and leeches the warmth from every part of you. You used to smile before the Chunin exams, but now, all you do is glare. He made you betray us, and for that I will kill him. But first, I'm going to beat sense into you!" Naruto shouted his challenge, and promise.
Sasuke sighed, looking at his marked hands. "If this is the way it has to be…" The marks widened, and softened to a grey pallor over his skin. Hair lengthened and lightened into an almost white shade. The red eyes darkened to black, and a golden star appeared in both. Two monstrous wings erupted from his back. Sasuke dropped his stance and gripped his left hand with his right, lightening chakra forming a Chidori attack.
Naruto reached out a hand. Chakra coalesced into a glowing purple Rasengan.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way, Naruto." Sasuke said, his face deadly serious.
"I am too, Sasuke." Naruto's face was twisted in emotional pain, twin tear trails painted down his cheeks.
"I as well." The third voice shocked both combatants. Both attacks sputtered and died. Kakashi appeared behind Sasuke and pressed a quick pressure point on the boy's neck. The Uchiha grimaced in pain, before the curse seal retreated from his body and he passed out. He was caught by his teacher before he hit the ground.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto's voice was full of relief, and not a small bit of exhaustion.
"Yes, Naruto. I made it back just in time." He quickly carried his burden to the other shore. One quick hand sign and a shadow clone appeared, just in time to catch the blonde as he passed out. He dragged both boys back to Konoha, and the anxious eyes of an entire village. One that cheered the return of the last Uchiha.
'Why did I even bother?'
So, there is the first variation of the Valley of the End. Each one following this one will be written in a similar fashion. The first paragraph of following drabbles will be in italics, and will be a repition from this chapter, as I am too lazy to re-write the introduction, and it would cheapen the experience to re-read copied intro's over and over again. Next one will be put up ewither tonight or tomorrow.
I am not abandoning SoB, just getting the creative juices flowing again. If you must, put an author alert on me, but please don't put a story alert on anything but my main story, as I don't know when I'll update them, if ever.