It was Uncle Wind that told me someone was coming. His voice rang through my residence, at first screaming but then falling to nothing but a hoarse whisper. No one ever told me what his words meant, for there was no one to tell me. I figured it out on my own, though. I had always been smart. Not as smart as I would have liked, but smart enough.

I sat still on the floor, not knowing what else to do. After all, I couldn't remember the last time someone had come. Many seasons had passed and I had lost count. Throughout the whole thing, I was alone. There was the occasional wanderer or nomad who needed a place to stay—I would never turn them away for I was always craving company—but no one permanent. It made sense, really. This place was a barren wasteland—nothing but a scorching desert littered with the corpses of men who thought they could defy Mother Nature. No sane human should live here, not even me. I stayed, though. I don't know why, but I stayed.

Uncle Wind was silent now, but his previous cries did not go unheard. I stayed still on the floor until my visitor came into view. He was definitely a sight to behold. His hair was as bright as the ever-present sun and his cerulean eyes put even Father Sky to shame. The most interesting thing about him, though, were the marks on his cheeks. Like those hairs on one of those creatures I used to have. It was long gone and I didn't remember much about it, but whenever I thought of it a feeling of fondness overtook me. Yes, I liked the man. I'm sure we would get along well.

"Hello," I said. My voice was weak and scratchy from disuse but understandable nonetheless. At least I had that one thing that I would never forget—the language I had always spoken, the one of my family (now long-dead) and my ancestors had spoken, too. "It's been a while since Uncle Wind has announced a visitor for me," I continued, my voice growing steadier and more confident with every syllable. The man stared at me, his eyes glazed over in cold calculation, but I didn't say a thing. I smiled pleasantly and waited for him to make a decision.

Finally, he stepped into my cavernous residence and bowed. "I beg forgiveness for intruding." Ah, so he was from the same era I was. Proper manners were everything back then and if you didn't have them, you would have been considered a social pariah. The younger generations meant well but I could never shake the feeling that they were being impolite.

I nodded to him. "You bless my home with your presence." It was a common reply from our time and I could tell from the spark in his eyes that he recognized it. The corners of his lips curled up.

"Quite a home indeed," he said. "Caves are all the rage these days."

I raised an eyebrow at his boldness. "Probably because they keep people alive."

"Probably," the man agreed. And then we both shared a smile and laughed. I motioned for him to come closer and sit and as he did, I handed him a glass of water.

"Drink," I ordered. "Brother Sun has been especially taxing today. You must be parched."

"Thank you." He brought the glass up to his lips and sipped. He paused. "...is this mineral water?"

"It is," I said. "I harvested it myself." The man's eyes lit up.

"Oh, it's been so long since I drank mineral water! Thank you!"

I nodded again, my smile wide. "You're welcome." For the next few minutes, we were engulfed with a comfortable silence. The man stared out the cave opening and into the barren wasteland.

"This is an odd place to make your residence."

"It is. The thought of making it anywhere else, however, is unwelcome." My intentions were clear—I was staying here no matter what he said.

"It must be hard."

"There's a difference between the not-easy and the hard. I have adapted. How hard it must be for you, though, as a nomad."

The man shrugged in response. "As you said, it's not easy, but it also is not hard. I take what I can carry and rely on permanent residents such as you." I offered him a bowl of porridge but he shook his head. "I won't need food for a few more hours. I don't want to be more of a burden than I already am." It was a mindset that I understood—I didn't know how, but I did.

"Very well, then. Inform me the moment you are hungry."

The man grinned. "Of course." He paused and once again looked out the cave's opening. "Do you happen to have a map?" His voice was soft but filled with hope.

I sighed. "No. The paper is useless now. I'm afraid that it will fall apart with a single touch. The ink is no longer visible, either. I should have invested time in making copies. I apologize for that."

The man shook his head. "Don't be. Paper decomposes whether we do or do not want it to. You might have had more pressing concerns at the time."

"Maybe. I don't exactly remember."

"That's quite alright...I do have another question, though."

"What is it?"

"Do you...do you happen to know where we are?"

I stilled, stunned. "You don't know?"

"Should I?"

"You definitely should. This...this is the homeland."

The man's eyes widened in horror. "This is the homeland? What happened to it? It used to be so different! I thought this was the West!"

"I can't blame you. Things have changed over the years, haven't they?" I leaned back. "What happened is that the city fell. It wasn't to another empire or to some deadly disease. No, the city fell to Lord Time, he who is almighty." I shook my head. "I watched it happen from start to finish and yet I still don't know how exactly it happened. All I can say is this...the city came from Mother Earth and now Mother Earth has taken it back."

"...Mother Earth is a fickle woman, indeed."

"Mother Earth does what is fair, as a mother should."

The man shook his head. "I wouldn't know. I've never had a mother...or parents."

I blinked. "Really? You remember that?"

"Well, no. It's more of a feeling than anything. I just know it. A mother and father were luxuries that I've never had. And you?"

"I had parents...and a sibling. A brother, I think. I loved him—maybe her—with all my heart."

"And your parents?"

"My memories of them are much vaguer. There is a feeling of safety and acceptance, but nothing as strong as with my sibling."

"Odd, it's usually the other way around."

"Is it really?" I hummed.

"It is." A pause. "This is a bit out of the blue, but...have we met before?"

I shook my head. "I don't know...maybe. It's been a while. For all we know, we may have been best friends."

The man chuckled. "That would be quite a coincidence, wouldn't it?"

"Indeed. What is your name?"

He blinked at my sudden change of subject but indulged me anyway. "Naruto," he said. "Naruto Uzumaki." A flash of...something roared through my system. My vision blurred and I saw someone else—someone remarkably similar to the man sitting in front of me, just younger.

A hero always arrives late!

"...you know," I said, "I actually think we knew each other."

"Oh, really?" the man said, hope gleaming in his eyes. "We did?"

"If it helps at all, my name is Sasuke Uchiha." It did help, seeing as how his eyes widened.

"We know each other!"

"We do."

The man—Naruto—stared in wonder. "Before the Revolution, too."

"I was part of the Revolution."

The smile slowly drained from Naruto's face, replaced by thoughtfulness. "You were? I was, too."

"Of course we both partook in it. After all, it took place in the homeland."

"It did, didn't it?"

"I can't blame you for not remembering. It's been years-"

"Eons," Naruto agreed. "I can barely remember anything from so far back and yet your face is still present in my mind, as clear as day!"

"If it is as clear as day then why did you fail to recognize me when you first arrived?"

"You jogged my memory, Sasuke, just as I have jogged yours."

"I suppose that could be the case."

"Do you happen to remember anything else?"

"Were you...were you important?" I asked, hesitant. "I feel like you were an important figure."

"Maybe. I wouldn't know. If I was important, then maybe you were, too."

"I was." That, at least, was an indisputable fact.

"What a humble man you are."

"No...no, I mean...Uchiha. Does that name not ring a bell?"

"It does, but you were my best friend. Why wouldn't your family name ring a bell?"

"I suppose, but still…"

Naruto shook his head. "Maybe," he said slowly, "that there was something especially important about you...about the Uchiha name. But that doesn't matter now, does it? No matter how noble your lineage is, we're all still stuck on this planet for who knows how long."

"Until we die."

"I wouldn't bet on it. It's been eons, Sasuke. I don't think there is a single person who has died within the last fifteen millennia."

Sasuke blinked. "Really?"

"You didn't know? What rock have you been hiding under?"

"This one."

"...oh. Right, I see. When was the last time you left this cave?"

"I go outside every morning. I still have to stay in shape, after all."

"No, no, I mean really gone outside? When have you left this cave for longer than a few hours at a time?"

"...since I've first arrived here, never."

"Why not?"

"What's so great about the world out there?"

"What's so great about the world in here?"

"Nothing. Isn't that the best part, Naruto?"

"I personally think it's the worst one." Naruto paused, then stood up. "It's about time I take my leave."

My eyes widened. "Wait, you didn't even eat anything-"

"That's fine. It's not like starvation is going to kill me, after all. Besides, I have places to go."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that every single one of them is worth seeing." Naruto gave me a smile and walked towards the opening, then paused. "Sasuke…"

"Yes?"

"Did you know that there's someone living within a three-day walk of here?"

"...I didn't."

"She's lonely and could use a companion and, frankly, so could you. I have a feeling you two would get along."

"What is her name?"

"Sakura Haruno."

"I know her...I knew her. I think."

"As do I. More importantly, she has a picture in her home. She has copied it many times over to preserve it. The picture is one of a child. She forgot who that child is, but she has her suspicions."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"The child in the picture," Naruto continued, "has black eyes and black hair and, on the back of her shirt, there is the very symbol that is on the back of yours."

I froze. "Are you saying-"

"I'm not saying anything," Naruto said, his eyes sparkling. "I'm just pointing you in the right direction. After all, that's what true friends are for." He turned and walked out of my home. "See you later, Sasuke."

Uncle Wind told me he left, though I could see him clear as day. I watched his silhouette walk far into the horizon before disappearing completely over the dunes. And when he left, I closed my eyes and thought. I thought back, trying to remember something real, concrete, true about the time before the Revolution. No, even farther back. And when I did, something clicked. Sarada.

Do you even care that you've forgotten your daughter's face?

My eyes opened, and I was crying. Maybe...maybe I should meet Sakura Haruno. And Uncle Wind calmed down to nothing but a soft, serene hum.

tbc

I posted this on a bit of a whim. I don't know how far this will go or what Sasuke intends to do, but I do know that I really like this and I want other people to like it, too. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed it!

Remember to Favorite, Follow, and Review! Until next time, this is SSSRHA, signing out!