End of a Cycle of Hatred
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Dusk began to fall over the rocky scrub of the isolated outback of the border between Earth and Fire countries. A dark haired young man sighed as the sun and his hopes fell. 'Perhaps it was too much to expect him to show up. I shouldn't be surprised he doesn't trust me after everything I've done.' Sasuke Uchiha's face had assumed many expressions over the years. Wide eyed innocence as a young child, haunted anger after the massacre of his clan, an arrogant smirk as a prodigy of the Academy, followed by concern, and even fondness during his time on team seven. However, after being marked with Orochimaru's curse seal and tortured once more by Itachi he had assumed the visage of a madman and a killer, a demented mixture of maniacal laughter, dark stoicism, and screaming rage. Recent events had precipitated yet another change, and his expression had cemented into an impassive yet sad mask, devoid of any great emotion or feeling. Sasuke thought it resembled Itachi's face. A solitary grunt was the only outward sign of his annoyance as he lifted himself to his feet and prepared to depart.
A whisper of wind and slight hum was the only warning he got as orange clad figure in a red and black robe hurtled towards him, thrusting a glowing blue ball of energy at his back. Sasuke swiftly jumped to the side, the Rasengan grazing his shoulder and tearing his grey shirt as his assailant overshot him. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up … Naruto. We nee-" Sasuke was cut off as his former teammate turned around and rushed toward him again. He had changed since they last met, the coat and scroll making him resemble a cross between the Yondaime Hokage and his mentor Jiraiya, but the biggest difference was in his eyes; yellow with a bar-shaped pupil, surrounded by a vivid orange. 'A dojutsu?! Impossible! Is this how he defeated Pain?'
Further thought was interrupted as Naruto, eyes cold and hard with long suppressed anger and pain began a furious taijutsu assault, faster than anything Sasuke had seen from him before. His three tomoed sharingan activated on instinct, the improved reflexes barely allowing him to stay ahead of Naruto's unpredictable jabs and kicks. 'A new fighting style as well' he thought in amazement. His former teammate had once again grown far faster than he expected. Despite the danger, Sasuke made no attempt to counter, instead evading or blocking every attack. "Calm down, I just want to talk." Sasuke said between blows. He had to stop the fight before it progressed into a full power deathmatch.
Naruto's reply was typical of the blonde; a punch to the face that sent Sasuke flying backwards into a tree several feet away. "We're way past talking Sasuke; you made that abundantly clear the last time we met!" Naruto shouted as he charged up a giant Rasengan and charged.
Distracted by memories of their last meeting and the onrushing clone in front, Sasuke barely noticed the ringing noise from behind. A quick glance revealed three clones of Naruto 'or is this one a clone?' throwing a shuriken shuriken shaped Rasengan at his back. 'That can't be good!'
His red eyes changed once more, the three tomoe of the sharingan replaced by the four petals of his Mangekyo Sharingan. "Susanoo!" he shouted as a giant purple specter surrounded him. The clone with the Odama Rasengan impacted harmlessly at the front, but Sasuke's eyes widened as the Rasenshuriken bit into the giant's back and began carving through. An unearthly screech filled the air as the attack expanded, tearing apart and dispelling both Susanoo and the unlucky clone.
'This has gone on long enough; if I hadn't pulled off that kawarimi I would have been killed.' Sasuke thought as he watched from the bushes. A small smirk fluttered across his face as he realized he'd have to take a leaf out of Naruto's book. Despite the danger, Sasuke deactivated his sharingan and stepped out from cover, hands empty and held loose at his sides. "I didn't have Karin send you here so we could fight Naruto, just to talk. You can try to kill me later."
The two shinobi stared at each other momentarily, and then the two clones vanished in a puff of smoke. "Fine you bastard, let's hear your speech. But make it fast, the sooner we get this over with the sooner I can get back to beating your sorry ass to a pulp" the blonde ninja spat, his eyes hard.
'Is this what Itachi saw when I came for him?' Sasuke wondered. 'He hates me just like I hated my brother, but unlike Itachi I won't lie to him… I'll tell him the truth and then take responsibility myself.' Sasuke took a deep breath, "I wanted to apologize."
Naruto's eyes widened and he exploded. "Apologize?! Like you did after I brought you back from the valley of the end? Like you did to my friends who almost died trying to rescue you?! Like you did to Sakura-chan after almost breaking her heart?!" He roared, his eyes flashing red as his anger pulled on the Kyuubi's power. "Why the hell should I believe a word you say, you lied back then and ran off again after I left, but not be-"
"I killed Itachi."
"Hope it was worth it you -"
"It wasn't."
Naruto gaped in shock. That was the last thing he expected to hear from the man so committed to revenge he had betrayed everything and everyone for it.
"Itachi lied to me about why he killed our clan. He wanted me to kill him, to restore our family's honor and to put him to rest. He lied to me and used me, just like the Sandaime and his councilors lied to me about his motives, hiding the fact that my family was planning a coup and that Itachi was ordered by Danzo to kill his clan to prevent a war, but couldn't bring himself to kill me. They wanted me ignorant and happy, a model Uchiha to fill out their village. Just like Orochimaru lied to me to get me to come to his lair so he could take over my body. Just like how Tobi is trying to manipulate me right now to get me to help him do… whatever it is he plans to do with the biju."
A bitter smirk snuck onto Sasuke's face as he eyed his former teammate still looking on in shock at the rapid-fire revelations being dished out. "In fact, the only person who has never lied to me, never tried to manipulate me, who saw me for who I was, who treated me like a person and not a tool is you. Ironic, isn't it? Here I am, your most hated enemy, yet you're the closest thing I have to a friend in this world."
Naruto looked up, shaken but steady, and asked "And this changes things how? Danzo's corpse is barely cold after you killed him. You haven't changed; you still put your vengeance ahead of everything." His tone grew bitter and angry. "And I can't forgive you. What happened to you and Itachi, if you're telling the truth, was wrong, but it doesn't excuse what you did. I'm not letting you kill anyone else and I definitely won't join you in some crusade against your enemies, even if they're mine too."
"I'm not that foolish anymore Naruto, I'm done with revenge. The cost is too high, and when I can't even be sure that what I'm fighting for is real…" Sasuke paused for a moment, hoping that his sincerity would reach Naruto. "Danzo was my last kill as an avenger, I just couldn't let him go after what he did to Itachi. Besides, from what I've heard you and Konoha won't miss him much. What I'm trying to say is that... that you were right. Revenge wasn't worth what I did, and I became what I hated most."
Naruto was outraged. It wasn't about Danzo, after everything the man had done, especially to Nagato, the world was better off with him gone. It was Sasuke's lack of respect for what he had done to the innocent that set his temper ablaze. "So that's it?!" he shouted. "Is that how little everything means to you? You think you can say "Oops, I messed up! So sorry, but I'm better now!" and make things go back to the way they used to be?" The blonde looked into Sasuke's eyes, his anger drawing upon the Kyuubi's power a second time, turning his eyes blood red. "I can't forgive you! Not after you killed Sakura-chan and ran away again! You may have never acknowledged her, but to me she was one of my most precious people! She loved you and you murdered her for those damned eyes!" he howled, fists clenched in rage.
Sasuke's impassive mask finally shattered, twisting into a pained look. "I - I loved her." Once more, Naruto was frozen with shock, eyes wide and fading back to their usual color. "After you brought me back nobody trusted me anymore. Nobody wanted to be around me, and everyone treated me like a leper. And after you left with Jiraiya she was my only friend in the village. My defeat drove me over the edge, I felt that I was not growing as fast as I wanted, needed to. I had to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan if I wanted to avenge my clan. But I couldn't act on it; you were stronger than me and if I showed any signs of aggression Tsunade and Kakashi would have locked me up."
Tears fell down his face, matching the tears of blood that had flown after he used Susanoo, as the self incriminating words tumbled out, one after another. "So I pretended to change and acted all contrite to lull everyone into a false sense security. You and Sakura were so relieved you didn't notice. Then after you left, she was the only one around who still treated me like a person, who tried to understand me instead of judging or trying to "help", and I let myself fall for her. I don't even know how, it was completely messed up. Here I was, planning to kill her and yet somehow I still fell in love with her."
"Then Kabuto came to take me to Orochimaru, and I killed her. Not just her, but any chance I had for a future in Konoha, and chance of happiness. In a single stroke I ripped apart all my bonds, and I hated myself for it. But, I got the power I wanted. For years I thought that my broken heart was worth it, because I had the power to kill Orochimaru when he tried to take my body and to fight my brother and win. Then I learned that it was all for a lie, and my world broke down. It wasn't just the fact that he was not the monster I thought he was, it was the realization that I had become worse than him." Sasuke paused for a moment, taking a deep breath." I knew you would never forgive me after I killed Sakura, and I won't ask you to when I can't even forgive myself."
"Then why are you here talking to me? What are you planning?"
"I owed you the truth, and I wanted to prevent you from following my path. No matter what happens to you, don't copy me. Don't let your hatred rule you. You still have a future, unlike me." A sick, bitter smile filled his face as he continued. "As for me… my life is worthless to me now. I'm not going to let anyone waste their lives hunting me down for the things I've done like I did. I'll end this cycle of hatred myself!" His eyes twisted once more into the flower shaped Mangekyo Sharingan, the memorial of what he had sacrificed in his folly. Naruto quickly sprang back expecting an attack, but gaped in astonishment as the black flames of Amaterasu engulfed his opponent.
"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing?"
Sasuke looked up, forcing his eyes back to normal, restraining them from neutralizing the flames. It took every ounce of his stoic reserve to keep from screaming in agony as the black flames began to blister his flesh. "I'm ending it myself. Don't worry about me; I want to go apologize to Sakura too… Just don't let them forget our story, the tragedy of the Uchihas." Sasuke gave Naruto a final sad smile as he raised his burning hands. "Goodbye my friend" he said as he pressed them into his face.
Naruto stood, looking at the remains of his hated enemy, and his first friend. By the time he realized what Sasuke was doing it was too late to try and stop him. Naruto had felt the inextinguishable black flames claim his life through sage mode seconds after his farewell.
"Damn it Sasuke!" Tears fell from his eyes as he slowly punched the ground in frustration. Long repressed memories of the happy times in team seven passed through his mind. The last of his "family" had come back to him, and then left again.
'Just like Nagato, he realized that he had become a part of the cycle of hatred, and entrusted his will to me before ending his life.' There was nothing he could have done to help his friend; Naruto hadn't even fully believed his story until he realized he was committing suicide. 'It was the fastest way to show he was sincere… and I think he didn't feel like his life was worth living anymore. I'm not sure I would either if I was in same position.' Naruto shuddered as he realized the depths of the self-loathing his friend must have felt.
Over the horizon, the blood-red sun finally set, and the moon began to rise. Naruto let out a deep breath as he looked up at the pale orb. 'The bastard was right though, I can't let myself wallow in the past. I still have lots of precious people I need to protect from Madara and his insane plans!' A look of pure determination filled his face as he stood before his friend's pyre of black flames. "Here's a promise of a lifetime to you Sasuke. I'm going to win this war and become the best Hokage ever. And I'll never forget you, or what you've taught me." The blonde shinobi turned and began the trip to Konoha and his future, tears still streaming down his face. Sure, it was uncertain with the looming shadow of war, but Naruto Uzumaki was finally ready to face it head on without looking back at the past. After two years, the long, painful chain of hatred was finally broken.
Author's Note: This was originally an idea I had for a full-length story about what could happen if Naruto bought Sasuke back after the Valley of the End (things went terribly right). After outlining it though, I felt it would be too close to cannon to be worth the effort required to write it out fully. However, the final confrontation between Naruto and Sasuke was just too unique and powerful a moment for me to abandon, so I decided to write it out as a oneshot both because I thought it was a good story idea, and to test the response to my writing ideas and technique.
For those who are confused, here is a short summary of how the story has diverged. After Sasuke was brought back he went crazy sooner than in cannon from the shock of being defeated. Instead of acting out, he hid it and pretended to repent to avoid being locked up. While Naruto and Sakura bought it, Tsunade and Kakashi didn't fully trust him and decided to confine him to the village under observation while Naruto went on the training trip with Jiraiya. A few months later Kabuto infiltrated Konoha to acquire Sasuke. Convinced by his defeat that the only way to grow strong enough to kill Itachi was to get the Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke murdered Sakura before leaving. I intended him to develop a sort of personality split before leaving; he would allow himself to form bonds with Sakura and truly fall in love with her, but sacrifice her to get stronger. If you didn't notice, his Mangekyo Sharingan is shaped like a cherry blossom instead of the cannon pattern to reflect how he got it.
Afterwards, events happened similarly to cannon, but with some additional angst and characters switched around. Naruto and Sasuke meet during the mission to Orochimaru's base and exchanged words, but didn't really fight. Things didn't deviate much until after Sasuke learned the truth about Itachi. Instead of turning against Konoha like in cannon, Sasuke was overwhelmed by guilt from the realization that following the path of revenge had lead him to needlessly sacrifice everything for a lie. The self loathing caused a "heel-face-turn," tentatively planned for when he was fighting B. He still felt obligated to kill Danzo, but developed a hatred for revenge and a strong distrust of everyone except Naruto. After Danzo's death he became suicidal as he felt that he had nothing left to live for. As a result, he contacted Naruto to "settle his affairs" leading to the events of this story. In short, he burns through his psychotic stage far faster than he does in cannon, and subsequently becomes suicidal.
I came up with the idea before certain events in cannon were revealed in the manga, and there are interesting parallels between this story and another character's backstory. Depending on your interest and how the manga progresses I may turn this into a two-shot.
Please review with your thoughts and constructive criticism! Did the plot make sense? How was my characterization of Naruto and Sasuke? Was their character development believable? I'm especially curious about how the dialogue reads. Also, comments on the pacing of the story, especially your level of surprise at the revelation that Sasuke killed Sakura (I tried placing subtle hints leading up to it) would be helpful. This is my first try writing a fictional story and any comments that could help me in the future are greatly appreciated!