Nine
A SasuNaru Fanfic By AnnMiuka
A/N: To those of you who have read my SasuNaru songfic "If You're Gone: A SasuNaru Songfic", this is an epilogue to that prologue story. Some day I hope to put the insides in, but for now, I think this'll be okay.
SPOILER WARNINGS: First of all, I'd like to say that this is after chapter 405, so everything in the last four-hundred-and-five chapters is included. (Even though this is posted after 407, which would change the plot distinctly.) However, one thing has been changed: Itachi didn't die. Yes, that's a major spoiler. I know, you all hate me. ANYWAYS! So, the reason he's not dead in this story is because I hadn't originally intended it to be a Narutoverse story. It was originally intended to be an AU (alternate universe) where we're in feudal Japan and Naruto was a target to be killed by Sasuke. Sasuke was supposed to fall in love with his target, go against his master, and it'd be a romantic ending somehow.
UNFORTUNATELY, my mind has a way of running away with itself, so it became an epilogue to If You're Gone. Well, I guess that's not so bad.
So, without further ado, I present to you "Nine".
Silence. The art of the ninja requires complete stealth.
Deadly. The role of the ninja is assasin. There should be no hesitation when a ninja kills.
Fear. A ninja has no fear.
Love. A ninja does not love.
Especially not the forbidden fruit of the target. That seemed to be his biggest failure. Eight attempts to kill the blonde. Eight. He was a failure.
"Sasuke, dress." A voice edged like a katana blade woke him from his restless slumber. Automatically, he rolled out of his futon and into a defensive crouch, kunai in each hand. A second later, he was growling.
At five foot eleven, one hundred and twenty-three pounds, the raven was a lean, fit ninja of seventeen. His muscles rippled as he stood, a bundle of wirey power and coldness. Wearing only a knee length yukata, most of his milky body was revealed. The room was lit by a single ray of a dim moon, however, but neither of them needed it.
"What is it, brother?"
"We're going on a mission. Prepare for anything."
The other raven vanished. Shaking himself awake, the younger man set his knives within reach and disrobed. His lower half was reasonably unmarked and powerful. His upper half, though, held scars like a house holds cobwebs. The most noticable was the pockmark on his right shoulder. He'd been lucky. Strong medicines and ancient magics had regrown the lung. The edges revealed any clues to where it had come from. Five miniscule nail marks lined his shoulder: four on top, one on bottom.
It was a cool night. He pulled a long sleeved tunic on, covering the scar he remembered well. On came the cloth armour with its secrets. Last came the headband. It had once belonged to a long dead uncle. Now, with the symbol of the fan, it moulded perfectly to his forehead.
Nine months ago, he and his brother had worn a very different symbol. Now, though, the Leaf was an enemy. At all costs, he would destroy it.
Sliding into his boots, he stepped out of his small house and into the light of a dismal moon. From the darkness of a cherry tree came his brother.
"Why the cold face, otoutou?"
"I don't like surprises. Are you ready to reveal the secret, or will you continue to keep me guessing?"
Itachi smirked. He was only slightly darker skinned than his little brother. Two scars lined his nose like shadowy lines of stress. His hair was much longer than his brother's, and was worn in a loose ponytail. As tired as he seemed, however, he was a ninja of unesteemable skill.
"I'm sure you don't. Let's just wait. I'm sure you'll figure it out momentarily."
"Naruto." A stab of pain flared through his shoulder and he grimaced. Always the big brother, Itachi frowned.
"The leaders are...unhappy with your incompletion of the Kyuubi mission. This is your last chance, Sasuke. They're sending us in as a team."
"Fuck the leaders. I can do it alone."
"Konoha is held together by one person. All you need to do is remove him. After that, your job is done. Don't fear. Don't feel. It's the only way, otoutou."
"Revenge is bitter sweet."
"Be cold. Be still."
"Let's go."
Two ninjas disappeared from a garden just as the first cherry blossom bloomed.
Anger. A ninja uses his anger as strength. He controls it. It does not contol him.
Trust. A ninja has no trust. There is no trusitng those who are ruled by their emotions.
Hope. To hold hope in one's heart, a ninja must complete his training and missions with precision. A failing ninja has no hope.
"He sleeps. Sasuke, enter."
Thin as a rail, the teen slid into the room, as quiet as a mouse. A small puff of wind put out the single candle that lit the room. In the complete darkness of the bedroom, the raven with black eyes slunk to a gently snoring figure. He's sleeping with his belly revealed again. So vulnerable. So... He silently drew his half-katana and raised it above his head, preparing to deal the death blow. The smooth, tan skin shifted in the moonlight, dark and unmarked. Sasuke paused. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as raw energy drifted around him to a single source. Through a simple sliding door, bright blue light began to glow just as Sasuke dove behind the bed. The figure there sat bolt upright and gave a loud howl. From the adjacent room sprang two identical half-dressed men. In their shared hands lay a ball of violent chakra.
"Where'd he go?"
The raven barely heard the words as he disappeared through the window once more.
"Decoy. Kiba. Should've known."
"Why are you here, then?" The cold tone that edged his brother's voice was enough to calm the raven teen. Instead of going back in, however, he waited. Itachi raised an eyebrow, but let Sasuke lead.
"Sasuke!"
Through the roof came a red ball of fury. Both ravens leapt away, easily dodging a ball of energy. It flew away and dispersed.
"Well, well, well. Sasuke, you never told me he'd accessed the fourth tail."
"Shit."
A wave of energy blew them into the nearby cliff face. Pain radiated through Sasuke's back, then washed away. His eyes narrowed on the red chakra being that stood before him.
"Nine."
A blur to his right was blown back by bloody chakra, yet the being before him didn't move.
"Nine," it repeated.
Sasuke blinked. The creature before him was tall, strong, and blood red. It was surrounded by a layer of chakra like a fox-fur. Itachi had been wrong. There were only three tails...or were there?
"Kyuubi."
The demon growled its fury and thrust its arm out at the teen. Expecting a flame of chakra, he closed his eyes. Instead of heat, cold air rushed past him as he was tugged away.
"Baka! Do you have a death wish?!" The shout was punctuated by an explosion behind them.
"Shut up!"
They landed on the roof of a building with a thump! only to dive away as the demon landed where they had just been.
"Nine."
Locked amongst battle, his heart wrenched at the voice. Beyond Kyuubi's terrible growl he heard a voice that he'd heard only twice before, yet dozens of times in his dreams. Sasuke! He barely dodged the blow.
"Naruto..." From his side, he drew his katana. Red chakra blazed at the sight of it, landing in front of him. A demon with two tails. Four tails. Three tails. Blood red chakra.
"Naruto..." Inside, he ached at the sight before him. Kyuubi's chakra was rust-colored. He'd seen that first hand long ago. This...this was chakra laced with blood.
"Naruto!" The raven haired teen leapt at the demon before him. The katana he raised in his right hand was laced with chidori. In his left, he held a promise.
I'll return...I promise.
A memory in a cold, pale fist.
The demon didn't doge the blow. The katana, however, failed to meet its mark. Katana glancing sideways, Sasuke's body was drawn to the right. Gritting his teeth, he brought his left fist back and followed through. A large paw of chakra pinned him against the cliff face.
"Nine."
Blood choked its way out of his mouth and bones cracked. A yell was a forgotten ninja. One whip of one of Kyuubi's tails easily batted him away like a fly. Barking was a sign that others were appearing. Kyuubi leaned closer.
"Nine."
Blood slid down Sasuke's chin as the demon ground him into the rocks. Naruto... He lifted his head and sharingan eyes met demon ones.
Sacrifice. A ninja must sacrifice everything for the sake of the mission.
Dreams. A ninja's only dream is an honorable death. A ninja is not a coward.
Redemption. A ninja has no redemption. Failure is not an option.
This world was not real, yet it was entirely real. His first knowledge of Uchiha Madara had come from here: the lair of the Kyuubi.
"Uchiha...Sasuke..."
"Kyuubi."
"We meet again..."
Red and black eyes glared through thedarkness at the rust colored creature before him. Its form was of a semi-transparent demon fox ith nine whipping, writhing tails. The enormity of the creature was only masked by the inenormity of the place it resided in. Its form was half in and half out of the open cage doors. A single figure could barely be seen residing inside it.
"Naruto..."
Course, evil laughter split the air, and the massive creature bent forward so that his chest brushed the ground. A teen floated limply inside it, blonde hair wild and still. A familiar orange garb cloaked an uncharactaristically pale body. The one thing Sasuke longed for most--cerulean eyes filled with ethereal light--was denied by limp lids.
"Uchiha...Why have you come to my temporary lair?" Bloody orbs sliced by slit pupils locked onto cold ones.
"Release Naruto." The request was met by harsh laughter.
"Why should I? He's strong. He's...delicious."
The katana was up and sinking into rusty nothingness before Kyuubi could blink. A howl of fury blasted the weapon away, and a paw forced Sasuke flat upon the ground. Teeth the size of the teen's legs faced him barely inches away. He narrowed his eyes.
"What makes you think I forced him?"
"Naruto..." Course laughter filled the dark emptiness. The demon lifted his head and looked beyond him, but his sharingan eyes locked onto the blonde he could never forget.
"Welcome to my lair, Illusion Master. I was wondering when you'd show..." Weight pressed down onto Sasuke's body.
"Conbanwa, Kyuubi." The older Uchiha brother stepped out of the shadowy darkness and stood before the demon calmly. Inside his eyes resided a cold fury.
"Uchiha...Itachi..." The gutteral laugh was choked off by a single hand.
"End this."
The rust colored paw lifted from Sasuke's chest to swipe Itachi away. Unheeded, Sasuke gathered his energy and thrust himself inside the creature's flesh. All around him, the demon's rusty chakra burned like acid. The youngest Uchiha grit his teeth and stepped forward. Through the transparency he saw his goal.
Naruto...
With each step closer, his shoulder ached more and more furiously. The tossing he felt was his brother outside, fighting the demon.
Naruto...
Nine more steps.
Naruto.
Five more steps.
Naruto.
One more step.
"NARUTO!"
Aquamarine eyes drifted open.
"Sasu...ke?"
A single pale hand fisted into black cloth.
"Why?!"
"Leave me."
"Why?!"
"Hate me."
"Why?!"
"Forget me."
"WHY?!"
"I LOVED YOU!"
Around them, the demon's chakra and being faded away. Itachi's hand held the giant gates shut.
"I loved you, but eight times you tried to kill me. Eight times you broke my heart. Eight times I fought you. I couldn't do it anymore. Eight was nine times too many."
Tears slid down the tan face with its six scars.
Tears slid down the pale face with its obsidian eyes.
"So I told the kyuubi that if you tried to kill me a ninth time, he could take over me and kill you."
"Nine..."
The milky hand fell away.
"I loved you for so long, Sasuke..."
"Naruto, I..."
Evil laughter was punctuated by a whir of a shurikan edged by chakra.
"He doesn't have to die."
"What?" Both teenagers turned to stare at the older Uchiha brother incredulously. He now used his shoulder to brace the giant gates.
"The revenge we seek lies only on the four elders who knew. Two are left alive now. The rest of the village is innocent, which Madara knows full well. Uzumaki included."
Naruto walked to the tall man he'd come to loathe for causing the one he loved so much pain. Sapphire eyes locked onto black and red ones without fear.
"Why the hell are you being so damn helpful?"
"Ku, ku, ku. He's the good guy, stupid kid."
"Shut up!" all three shinobi shouted. Glaring daggars at the older Uchiha, Naruto bent down and picked up the seal. Leaning past him, Naruto plastered it onto the cold metal once more.
"Explain youself."
"It's the truth, Naruto. The elders are the only ones who know it. And I still love you."
"What?!" blue and red locked onto black.
"I never stopped. But, I thought leaving was the only was to protect you. Then, I was ordered to kill you. I can't." Each sentance brought Sasuke a step closer.
"Where are the elders Naruto?" An irritated pair of eyes glanced to the older Uchiha.
"Like I'll tell you."
"Naruto. It's the only way."
"You think he'll stop with the elders? What other lies has he fed you?" Naruto spat. Black flames burst into life around them, then immediately disappeared.
"If we see the elders, my innocence will be assured, Uzumaki."
"Please." Naruto looked down at the hands that touched his.
I'll return...I promise...I love you...
"You better keep your promise, teme."
Lies. A ninja bases life on lies. Withouth them he cannot survive.
Truth. A ninja knows all of the truths amongst the lies.
"Good evening Sasuke, Itachi, Uzumaki Naruto."
"Uchiha Madara."
"I must admit: I'm a little bit surprised that you're still alive. Only a little, though." A single cold eye looked over a black cloaked shoulder.
"Tobi!"
"'Tobi'. Ha," Madara scoffed. Standing on the terrace roof of the headquarters building with blood stained hands, he was far more terrible a demon than the Kyuubi.
"You've always been a nuisance, Tobi. Do Akatsuki a favor and disappear," Itachi spat.
"Haven't you heard, Itachi? I am Akatsuki." Twin kunai launched themselves at the older Uchiha brother. He expertly dodged, only to be hit by another atack.
"Nii-san!"
The long haired raven grunted as he pulled the kunai out and launched them back.
"Run away, little brother."
"ITACHI!"
Black flames sprang up around the battling Uchihas. Instictively, Sasuke grabbed Naruto and leapt away.
Pain. A ninja fears no pain. A ninja learns from his pain.
Sorrow. A nina holds no love. A ninja holds no sorrow.
Raindrops splattered on his head. Nine hours ago it had put out the black flames. Nine minutes ago it had finally washed away the blood. Nine seconds ago it had hidden the tears. Nine...
"Sasuke..." A tan hand slid into his own pale one.
"Is this the end?"
"This is the beginning."
"T-tadaima." Fresh tears slid down his face, and he let Naruto pull him into a gentle embrace.
"Okaerinasai. Welcome home, Sasuke."
The sun began to rise.
A/Closing: So, this is the end. I know that it doesn't wrap up very many things, but pretty much the danger has passed. Naruto and Sasuke know that they both love each other, and are together once more. The SasuNaru arch has come to a close...or just begun, as my Naruto said.
Note: Tadaima means "I'm back." and okaerinasai means "Welcome back."