The Last Uchiha

By: Azure Orbis

10/04/05- Someone asked for more Itachi, here it is. Thanks for the criticism and advice- more Itachi only makes everything better!

He had finally done it. Years of training, humiliation, anger and betrayal and he had finally done it. Itachi's blood stained his hands and he let out a low chuckle, teetering at the edge of insanity. Finally, he would let himself jump, knowing that this was the end of it. Briefly he stared down the gorge and saw himself when he was younger, when he was pure. No, that wasn't it. He was never pure, at least not after he slipped in the blood of his parents while their essence ebbed away. Especially after he begged for his life, he could never be called pure or brave. He was a coward trying to right his wrongs and he had finally done it. The thought of revenge had plagued his thoughts since that fateful day and it was over. He had done it and now he was free.

Or was he? He stepped back for a moment, pausing before taking his fateful plunge. Insanity could wait a while longer.

He had betrayed every bond he ever made, good and evil. Konoha promised a new beginning, he rejected it. He didn't want a new beginning, all he desired was another chance at the past. Only the past mattered for that was where his important people were still alive. Orochimaru promised power and the lying snake delivered, in part. Orochimaru's goal was to use him as a container and he would have let the devil steal away his body if he didn't learn beforehand that Orochimaru never intended to let him finish his revenge. Orochimaru was still obsessed with destroying a certain hidden villiage. It also didn't help strengthen their bonds when every time Orochimaru's eye fell on Sasuke, he licked his lips like he was about to devour the boy. Sasuke shivered, he had escaped that associate only barely. He thanked his lucky stars, if there were such things, and then cursed them for not being there when he really needed them- one autumn's night fifteen years ago.

Konoha. He rarely thought about his home even after fighting his best friend and nearly killing him and himself in the process. Now when he had the free time to even think about visiting the place, he found he wanted nothing to do with the place of his birth. It too had become a trove of memories, of the times he spent with his team and their strange adventures. It was where a twelve-year-old Sasuke was still stuck in front of his doorstep, wondering whether he should follow his heart or his mind. Even then, Sasuke knew he could have been happy, maybe even ecstatic if he stayed. Perhaps deep down, he knew he did not deserve to be happy and that was the true reason he left. Happiness was for those with a future, not for him who only wanted the past. Sasuke followed his mind and that day, iron grew over his heart.

He wondered what happened to his teammates and that lazy teacher of his. Perhaps that blonde loudmouth had indeed become Hokage, yet another reason to avoid the place. Who knows what the idiot might have done in order to "decorate" Konoha? Place a ramen stand on each corner or make an edict that everyone must consume at least one bowl of ramen each week perhaps. Sasuke laughed to himself, all the scenarios above were highly possible considering the person. Kakashi-sensei was probably torturing a new genin team with his tardiness or maybe they were all dead. Sasuke stood thunderstruck at his new line of thought.

They could all be dead.

It wasn't as if time stood still from the moment he left the village and that was many years ago. Perhaps they all perished, names scribbled down to be remembered and later forgotten. The possibility stunned him for minute before his heart of iron shut down and deflected all remaining sentiments. It didn't matter if they were dead, they were in the past, one that did not matter to him then or now.

Itachi laughed while he bleed heavily, a strangely joyous smile spread on his ashen face as his blood continued to pour out. Sasuke backed away, tired from the arduous battle. He was surprised his last attack had worked at all. Surely a genius like Itachi would have seen beyond his flimsy trap and avoided it. Sasuke's eyes widened in anger, he stormed up to the dying man and seized him by his high collar.

"Did you let me kill you!" Sasuke screamed. Itachi sneered at him. The answer was obvious. "Why?" He demanded. Itachi's smile never wavered, growing wider instead. Sasuke dropped him and turned away, preparing to leave.

"I can rest now, but you still have a long way to go," Itachi spoke loud enough for Sasuke to hear, he paused for a short derisive laugh, punctuating his last remark. "Foolish little bother." Sasuke ran back and slit Itachi's throat, but he was too late. Uchiha Itachi had gotten the last word. Dropping the weapon, Sasuke screamed as loudly as he could, his knees buckling underneath him.

"ANIKI!" The surrounding woods echoed with the sound until it dimmed down to nothing.

That was an hour ago and he was many kilometers away, trying to decide what to do with the rest of his life.

His eyes wearily took in all that surrounded him, an empty forest void of life. Without warning he fell to his knees, weeping heavily. He wept for his twelve year-old self who was stupid enough to throw away his life in the pursuit of another's. He wept for the child who did not want a future and now found himself searching hopelessly for a new start and saw it could not be found anywhere. There was nothing left for him to do. If he had listened to his heart, perhaps he would have settled down by now, a wife and children to warm his home. A family to continue the line that was broken, it was a dream that seemed impossible now.

He had known for a long time that the path he had chosen was not the better one. Regret gnawed at the back of his mind although thoughts of his oath drove it away, but he always knew he would have to face it someday. He thought he would find peace and a sense of tranquility once he finished his deed. Instead, he was empty, hollowed out of all his emotions. Once filled with hatred only, he was only a shell of human being now and he cursed Itachi.

Washing his hands in a fast-moving stream, he felt the cold water dissolve the blood but could still feel the sensation of warm blood when it sprayed all over his skin. It was no ordinary blood, for it contained awesome and fearful abilities. His brother's life was now forfeited to him. He continued moving on to an unknown destination.

Sasuke realized that he was the last remaining Uchiha in the whole land, the whole world and he would have to be content with that. It was a strange feeling to know that he was the last of their kind and with his death, their clan would fall into rumors, myths and finally legends. But death would not take him now and he had not the heart to seek it out. Instead he would roam the earth alone, searching for his lost future, the last of the Uchiha.

A/N– My main concern is that this was not nearly as angst-filled as I wanted it to be. Well, I tried. Criticism would be highly appreciated. And "aniki" means older brother. It may be spelt wrong- if it is, sorry to the Japanese language.