Itachi's dead. Sasuke knows this. He did it. His life goal reached. He got his revenge. But then… why isn't he happier? Even if his brother was ordered to do it, shouldn't he at least feel an ounce of satisfaction that he accomplished something?
But no. All he feels is anger. Hate toward the village that he once called home. He's bitter and now he just wants to teach them a lesson. Show them that the Uchiha clan may be wiped out but they are still a force to be reckoned with.
As Sasuke walks, he can suddenly hear a voice he hasn't heard in months, echoing through his head.
"I know about your clan, Sasuke." An annoying, teary-eyed kunoichi with petal pink hair. Trying to talk him out of leaving. "I do."
And he's walking a little faster now, as if he outrun the memory replaying in his mind. The voice, the eyes, the tears that haunt him to this day. Festering in the back of his memories all the time. Until all he can think of when he says goodbye is Sakura crying softly in the moonlight.
He still feels that chill go down his spine, his heart flinch at the thought of his clan. Just like he did that night. How did she know? How had she found out? And how much did she know? He didn't like the thought of her being that close to him, knowing about his dark past.
Sakura shouldn't be involved in such corruption. She was a cherry blossom, pure and sweet. She shouldn't dirty herself with the stains of his life.
"It's seeking revenge."
He still is he realizes as he keeps walking. He still wants revenge. It's just the victim of his revenge that's changed. He killed the actual perpetrator only to learn that he was just a puppet. So the actual murderer had been killed. But the ones responsible… they were still alive.
He would get his revenge too. He lived for it once; he could do it again. What did Sakura know of revenge? She didn't! She didn't know a damn thing about it! She should've minded her own business. Annoying.
He's stomping along now, each footfall smashing stupid Sakura into the ground. He's an avenger. He knows what he's doing. He'll show that Sakura. Once he's killed them, he'll have finished his vengeance.
"That won't bring anyone happiness," Sakura whispers in his mind. Why can't he get her out of his head?
He knows what she's going to say next! He knows so why can't he stop the memory from replaying. It's like seeing his sins dragged out in front of him. Every heart he broke when he left, it's all concentrated in her. Those green eyes are still reproaching him every day. Taunting him with all the things he's done wrong.
All the times he let her get hurt when he should have protected her. In the chunin exams when he let Orochimaru put that genjutsu on both of them. He'd seen her shaking after that, trembling like a leaf. His fragile cherry blossom had been terrified after seeing God knows what. He suspected it was his death. He didn't know.
Then a day or so later, letting her get beaten bloody while he fought a fever. Sure it was a fever from the curse mark. But still, he should have been there for her. Teammates, right?
"Nobody at all." She paused here, he recalls before continuing. "Not you."
He clenches his teeth in annoyance. How had she known? How had she known that he wouldn't be satisfied after killing Itachi? Had she known that the village ordered it? Or did she just know that revenge never gave you that feeling of pride in a job well done?
How had the innocent cherry blossom known that? How had she figured it out?
"And not me."
He stopped, contemplating. Would she hate him now? For killing the village elders for their crimes. Or would she approve. Would she say this revenge was worth it? That now he could be satisfied
Sasuke isn't sure. But he's going to find out soon enough.