Title: It Ends With This
Author: Writer's Soul
Story Number: 001
Word Count: 1013
Summary: Itachi sacrificed much to save his little brother, but he still has one last thing to tell Sasuke before he passes on to the next world. Story is from Itachi's POV.
Author's Word: My first fanfic so tell me what you think of it. It's a little short, but I think it turned out pretty good. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
I see you have finally given up any hope of winning, little brother. I can't blame you. You used up all your chakra in that lightning jutsu of yours, which was quite impressive, and that dreaded Curse Seal and Orochimaru are gone. That slimy snake…he will never escape the special nightmare I prepared for him in the Sword of Totsuka. Forever he shall remain imprisoned in a sea of fear and despair. A fitting end for him, don't you think?
Even with my blurred vision, I can see the fear in your eyes, little brother. The absolute terror that you believe awaits you. That earlier Tsukuyomi must have really scared you, judging by your shaking knees. I can't blame you. The worst possible fate for an Uchiha is having one's eyes taken away. It wouldn't matter for me, considering my eyes are basically useless now. I can't even distinguish the different types of hues in this world of unlimited color. I never thought I would miss them so much…
Anyway, I guess no more futile attempts to harm me with an explosive tag or that piece of metal you call a sword? The Yata Mirror will absorb any attack, even the Amaterasu could never hope to penetrate it. No, you slowly move back, desperately trying to put a fair amount of distance between us. When you finally realize there's a wall behind you, I hope you don't faint from shock.
For a split second, I have to stop. I can feel my legs wobbling, begging me to stop and just accept my fate. My right leg is especially in severe pain. That rigged shuriken was a good trick, little brother, but maybe poisoning the blades would have been better? I would have been dead within minutes and you could have had your victory. Once again, foolish little brother, you did not think ahead. It doesn't matter, the damage was done. Judging by the rivers of blood flowing down my leg, I believe I have lost a fair amount of blood. Again, my body screams at me to stop and give up, but I won't allow it. I just need to make it a few more feet, just enough to fulfill one last, selfish desire.
Zetsu is watching. I can't sense him, but I know he is here. He couldn't resist watching such an 'exciting' battle and Madara undoubtedly wants to record it. I hate that I still have to keep up this ruse, but I can't risk letting anyone interrupting us. To be even more convincing, I slowly raise my right arm up, pointing my middle and index fingers in your direction. More accurately, your eyes.
"There my eyes…mine!"
It took much of my strength just to say those words. I'm not surprised, not at all. The pain…I've become used to, but my body is about to give out and I'm running on borrowed time. Medication can only keep you going for so long before you become immune to it. The Susanoo protecting me feels my strain. It constantly wants to dissipate and give me relief, but I won't allow it. So what if it will permanently damage my chakra network? I'm going to die anyway, it's all irrelevant.
You have just realized the wall behind you, little brother. Your scared, absolutely terrified out of your mind. Please, forgive me for this, little brother. If I could have done things differently, changed the way history would turn out, I would without a moment's notice. I have so many regrets, so many. I wish I was there to see you graduate the Academy, I wish I was there to embarrass you about your first crush, and, most importantly, I wish I could have told you how much I love you. Shisui was right all along. You are the most important thing in the world to me, Sasuke, and nothing has ever changed that. Nor will anything ever will.
I'm almost dead, but I'm so close. As I get closer to you, I stretch my arm a little further, seemingly reaching to pluck out your eyes. If you realized just how much pain it gave me to place you in that Tsukuyomi, you would not be afraid. But still, your eyes widen and you push closer to the wall. It's no use, but you try anyway.
My blood-stained fingers move slowly toward your eye. You're so scared; I can hear the speed of your breath rapidly increasing and the almost silent sound of your heart beating. Yes, someone is going to die here, little brother, but not the person you think it is. When my fingers are just a few inches from your eye, I move them slightly and discreetly up. With all the gentleness in the world that I can muster, I poke you on the forehead, transferring to you what little I have left to offer.
"Forgive me, Sasuke. It ends with this."
I take your image in one last time, noticing the confused expression on your face, reminding me of the years before all of this happened. For the first time in years, I smile. Not the stoic smirk and passive expression I have always shown since joining Akatsuki, but a true, genuine smile filled with every emotion that I have kept bottled up. The moment feels so serene; I don't want it to end. I take in one last breath of fresh air in this world before my energy finally gives out and I feel myself falling to the ground.
Time seems to slow down as the last thing I here is my Susanoo vanishing, a loud roar signaling the end of a powerful warrior. Maybe, just maybe, we might see each other again, Sasuke. I hope by then you'll understand why I had to do what I did, the hard decisions that I had to make. Until then, goodbye, my foolish little brother. Forgive your foolish older brother and avoid that old bastard, Madara. If he appears before you, hopefully that Amaterasu I sealed inside your Sharingan will kill him…
Author's Word: I hoped you enjoyed the story. If a few people ask for it, I will write the end of the battle from Sasuke's POV. Anyway, thank you for reading and a review would be much appreciated!