Summary: Spoilers for Chapter 394 Sasuke VS Itachi. Sasuke has been living in the past. What happens when Itachi is finally dead? What will Sasuke do now? Only time will tell. One shot. Please R&R.
Time
Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto.
Ryuujin no Hikari is my character creation.
Ryuujin no Hikari sped along the ground, quickly approaching the Uchiha battlefield. She was a hunter nin from the Hidden Leaf Village, Konoha, in the Fire Country. Her long dark hair, streaked with gold flowed behind her as she went. She was completely concealed in the darkness, thanks to her dark outfit, which consisted of a black ¾ length sleeve turtle neck, black capris tucked into black wedge boots, black forearm braces with red tribal wings on them, and her mask was black with 3 red swirls on it. She carried two katana's on her back, one made from titanium with silver edging and the other made from Ebony; she also wore two daggers strapped to her thighs, that had jewel encrusted silver hilts, which she concealed with a knee length hooded jacket.
Hikari had caught wind of the final confrontation between the Uchiha brothers, and was on her way to ensure the secrets of Konoha stayed just that, secrets. As she approached the area where the two Uchiha's fought, she could sense two dwindling chakras of the Uchiha brothers, and a third unknown. She frowned at the unknown 'Wonder who that is?' Hikari thought as she picked up the pace 'Don't particularly want to deal with someone trying to steal the Sharingan.'
Hikari came to a halt on the edge of an over hang, looking down on the spent Uchiha brothers. It seemed their battle was ending, with Itachi appearing the victor.
Susanoo looming over them, Sasuke backed against a wall. Sasuke looked as though he was about to launch another assault, when Itachi's bloodied and battered hand reached out, looking to take and eye. Sasuke froze in fear.
Hikari's eyes widened at this, and looked around for the source of the third chakra source. She noticed Zetsu on the far end of the breach. Deciding to ignore him for now, she turned her attention back to the two Uchiha's.
Itachi missed Sasuke's eye, and hit him in the forehead, just like when he was a boy. Itachi's fingers streaked across Sasuke's forehead, leaving a bloodied line.
"…" Itachi muttered a few words and then suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Sasuke stared straight a head, stunned.
Susanoo disappeared. The last remaining bits of chakra slowly leaked from Itachi's dieing body.
Sasuke looked down at his brother, an evil smile gracing his features. Then he to collapsed to the ground next to his brother, as the rain started to fall.
Zetsu disappeared at this time and Hikari jumped down next to Itachi. She shook her head 'Such a waste.' Placing her right index and middle finger on Itachi's forehead and held her left hand out, as if to catch something "Memory Extraction." She whispered the words to a jujutsu only she knew. Dark tendrils swirled from Itachi's forehead, just above Hikari's finger tips, and began to form a cylinder in Hikari's awaiting hand. After a few moments a dark scroll sat in her hand, with a seal depicting Itachi's name. She then removed Itachi's necklace and forehead protector, placing them in a small black velvet bag. She took the Atasuki ring and placed it in her jacket pocket. Looking over to Sasuke she sighed 'Suppose I should heal this one, can't very well leave him like this, and I promised Naruto I wouldn't kill him, even if he is in the bingo book..' Moving around the two brothers, she knelt next to Sasuke. She placed one hand flat on Sasuke's chest, and brought her other hand up in front of her chest closing her thumb, ring and pinky finger together, and extending her index and middle finger straight up "Phoenix Flame" she whispered. Golden flames licked out from her palm on Sasuke's chest. The flames spread across his body, burning away his wounds, externally as well as internally. After a moment the flames burnt out, and they were once again left to the dark night and the quietly falling rain.
Hikari looked straight up at the crying sky 'I hate the rain.' She moved back from the two brothers 'I wonder if he will still want a good bye, after everything they have been through. I think I'll wait to dispose of the body, family is family after all.'
"But I'm not about to sit here in the rain" Hikari said out loud; creating the seals: hare, snake, ram and dog. "Shadow Construct" Shadow poles shot up from the ground, with the shadow stretching between the poles, creating a slanted sheeting. The make shift shelter covered the two Uchiha brothers, and extended far enough past them for Hikari to sit sheltered from the rain. Before she sat down to await for the youngest Uchiha to awaken, Hikari gathered a few small pieces of some what dry wood and lit a small fire.
The rain continued long into the night. The small fire did little to keep Hikari warm. Pulling up her hood, and her jacket closer around her and threw another piece of wood on the fire. She wasn't worried about attracting attention; if anyone was coming they would have been attracted by the Uchiha brother's battle, not her little fire. Looking back over her shoulder at the two, she wondered why it had to come down to this. Why did one brother betray his people and his village, and leave nothing but a blood in his wake? And why did the other think it necessary to sever bonds he could have used to become just as strong, if not stronger? She didn't understand it, but who was she to judge either of them. They had their reasons for what they did.
As for her own bonds, well they were far and few between. It was probably better that way. It was safer for everyone. It was why she had chosen to become a hunter nin, so she could work alone. Her own past was riddled with as many blemishes as the two behind her combined. But she didn't want to think about that; and truth be told it wasn't really her fault, but someone had to take responsibility for what happened.
Early the next morning Sasuke began to open his eyes. He sat up, frowning at the stiffness in his muscles. He could find no injuries, which confused him. He looked to see his brother still lying next to him. He smirked knowingly, it was over and he was glad of that. Sasuke realized then that he could hear the rain, but could not feel it. He looked up to find that some one had erected a shelter over them. He could find no one around. He frowned again.
"I should have known that it wouldn't have taken you long to wake up"
Sasuke turned towards the voice, ending in a crouching position, hand lightly griping his katana. Crouching just beyond the shelter was a hooded figure with a hunter mask, marked with the Konoha emblem.
"Didn't mean to startle you" The hunter tossed a satchel at him "You're going to need this."
Sasuke looked at it, and then back at the hunter.
"It's not poisoned, Naruto would have my head if I did such a thing" The person replied moving towards Itachi. Pointing towards Itachi's motionless body "I wasn't sure if you wanted to say goodbye or not"
Sasuke only scoffed at this, never taking his eyes off the hunter.
"You should relax, just because you are in the bingo book doesn't make you my target" The hunter turned to face Sasuke.
Sasuke remained in position, unwavering.
The hunter faced Itachi again, performing a few seals "Katon; Silver Dragon Flame no Jutsu!" putting her fingers to her lips a black silver flame blew from the hunter's lips, incinerating Itachi's body. When the flame extinguished, the hunter tossed a small velvet bag to Sasuke "You will probably get more use out of these than I will"
Sasuke caught the bag, hesitantly opening it. Inside was his brother's necklace and forehead protector. Sasuke looked back at the hunter.
"So what will you do now?" The hunter asked "they are waiting you know"
"Who are you?" Sasuke asked.
"Can you keep a secret?" The hunter asked.
Sasuke just looked at her.
"So can I" The hunter said and stepped out from under the shelter "Who I am is un-important, nothing but a shadows and dust."
The hunter began to walk away "The shelter will last until the rain is gone. Perhaps that will give you enough time to decide where you will go from here, and what is important now."
The hunter dissipated into shadow, leaving Sasuke to ponder this.
Sasuke looked back into the bag in his hands.
He smirked closing the little bag back up. He checked the other bag the hunter had left. It contained enough food for a few days. He pulled some out and began to eat.
He had to admit, the hunter did present some excellent queries. He had time to decide that. Now that his brother was dead and gone, he had time. Time to re-evaluate. Time to adjust. Time to heal. Time to let go.
If he did decide to return to Konoha, Sasuke knew that it could never be as it was. No matter how hard anyone tried. Regardless of what that hunter had said, would he even be allowed to return? He didn't know. The consequences for treason were more often than not death.
Perhaps it would be best to stay away. He wasn't sure if he wanted to deal with any of the possibilities that went along with returning to Konoha.
The rain slowed and then eventually stopped. The clouds gave way to the sun. The sun chased away the shadows, including Sasuke's shelter.
Sasuke gathered his things and stood. It was time to go. Time to move forward.