Title - The Final Fight
Author - Deep Odyssey
Song - Fallen - Sarah Mclachlan
Date - 1/22/07
Disclaimer - I dun own Naruto, or Fallen. (For Serious)
In a green valley (now mostly burnt down) everything seemed surreal. The birds were still chirping, the sky was still blue, and the grass (miraculously) was still green. Everything seemed normal for this valley, except for the silence before the sure-to-come hurricane, was non-existent. No, the sounds of metal on metal, screams of agony, and the crackling of the bon fire once known as the Great Hidden Leaf rang throughout the valley, but landed on deaf ears.
Heaven bend to take my hand
And lead me through the fire
The fighting persisted, as three people, three old friends, stood on top of their rightful animal representation, passed to them from there long dead teachers, and in all but one case, their very good friends. The toad, the slug, and the snake. Each had something to fight for.
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
The dark figure atop the head of the great snake leader, Manda, had his mind analyzing every possible strategy. Sharingan activated, he refused to go easy on his ex-teammates, reminding himself that he had no bonds with them. They were weak, unworthy of his time. He still needed power. (Ruling Oto wasn't easy)
He had long ago achieved his goal, but was lost to the darkness, even after killing Orichimaru, to prevent him from taking over his body. (The fool actually thought he'd let him) Sasuke hoped that he would now achieve his ultimate prize, the Mangekyo Sharingan.
He could hear Manda saying something about sacrificies, but his mind was too drawn into the fight to comprehend. This would certainly be interesting. A free for all between the Akatsuki Leader (that traitor. Working with his brother. Tch.) and a Hokage (the dobe actually did it.) and the one leading the attack on the unsuspecting Konoha (On his home) The outcome was unpredictiable, even to his genius mind.
The most he could guess was the slug master would be the first to go, seemingly being the weaker of the three. Yes, this would most definitly be a good fight, but he would come out alive, finally severing any inkling of a bond to the under seige Konoha.
Truth be told I've tried my best
But somewhere along the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
Above the head of the blue and white slug known as Katsuya, stood a figure with pink hair, clad in the red clouds on black fabric cloak, standard of all Akatsuki members. (of the few left still standing.) Keeping her eyes downcast, the figure thought of how this happened. How this fight of the century came to be. (All the while ignoring Katsuya saying she disliked fighting Naruto and Gamabunta.)
When he left for power, she became stronger, for him. But when Tsunade died…how was she suppose to get better? It wasn't possible. So, she became the thing she hated, she did the same thing he did to her, to Naruto. (Only with a few less broken bones.) At first, it wasn't her choice; an S-Rank mission gone wrong became her opportunity to escape, to become stronger. To join Akatsuki.
It was easy enough to get in (he was easy enough to kill), and easy enough to stay, as Naruto was already Hokage he couldn't come and force her back. But ANBU teams came, and none returned. She became a Missing-Nin the next day. Sakura fought (and killed) many other ninja, eventually becoming too tangled into the organization to leave (she became their new leader) But she never fought like this.
She knew they were thinking she would be the first to go. That she was still the weak Sasuke obsessed girl she use to be. She would use this to her advantage, and complete her mission without fail:
Obtain the Kyuubi container. (Even if it meant killing her reason for leaving in the first place)
And the cost was so much more than I could bear
The final fighter, his vivid blue eyes and bright blonde hair hidden under the Hokage cap, was sitting on his long time friend Gamabunta, the frog king. (Who was saying something about history repeating itself). And really, he wanted to know how this came to be. How his first true friends, how his only family, became so completely torn.
They each left one at a time, both for power, both aiming for a purpose, for a greater good (as they saw it). This time however, he knew their goals were different. Sasuke, student and almost-vessel to Orichimaru, was following in his teachers footsteps. He had gained enough power to kill Orichimaru himself, and took his place as the ruler of Oto. Now, he was attacking Konoha, planning on taking it over. His reasons were unclear, but Naruto's heart wanted to believe that he was home sick.
Then there was Sakura. The prized apprentice to Tsunade, and the Cherry Blossom of Konoha. But she became so wrapped up in her depression, she left, searching for a light (if only temporary) to strike away the darkness surrounding her (and Sasuke). She even left a note saying it was only for a little while, that she would return with their rouge teammate in hand, and everything would be back to normal. That's not how it worked out however. She became too intertwined into her new Organization. Somehow, through some cursed miracle, she became the new Leader. Now, she was out to get the treasure Akatsuki's been hell-bent on since Day 1; the Kyuubi. But Naruto optimistically thought that she was still here for him. (Despite her intentions)
And then, there was the orange clad ball of energy known as Konoha's Number One Knuckle Headed Ninja. Four years after Sasuke left (3 months before Sakura abandoned the village) Tsunade appointed him the Rokudaime on her death bed. (She died of an unknown illness. Naruto thinks that it was sheer grief, as she knew Sakura's intentions.). Ever since, he's been here, waiting, hoping, and wishing with all his heart that Team 7 could be once more. Even Kakashi, the last member besides Naruto himself, gave up hope.
Though I've tried, I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
And here they were. The Team 7. The most promising team of their generation. The new Sennin. All facing each other, not hand in hand, but sword against sword, leader against leader, foe against foe. An undisturbed calm washed over the valley, running through the grass like a stallion, hushing the leaves, and drowning out all background noise. One thought running through their heads; it wasn't supposed to be like this.
We all begin with good intent
Love was raw and young
We believed that we could change ourselves,
The past could be undone
Each of the three (despite what they say) had a deep pang of sorrow every time they looked into the masks of pure raw hatred on those who use to be precious to them. And yet, no words are spoken. No "I told you so's". No apologies. The silence was indeed deafening to the passerby.
But we carry on our backs the burden
Time always reveals
The lonely light of morning
The wound that would not heal
The calm passed to the animal summons, who had been down this never ending road before. It was a dance of forever, not between good and evil, but somewhere in between that. It was the gray area that most wouldn't dare even think about as it was too conflicted. They didn't want this anymore.
It's the bitter taste of losing everything
That I have held so dear.
All of the fighters regretted, yes. All wished to go back to those days of being Gennin, of being happy. They too, like there animal companions, were sick of fighting. But in a world of hatred, of forbidden gray areas, and of blood shed, what else was there? Love? Yeah, they tried that once. In turn all it did was hurt them.
(His love betrayed him as it still loved his treacherous brother to the end. Hers gave itself too freely, ending in nothing left for herself or others. And his…his ran away with them.)
I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
There lives were now all based on power. It escalated from a rivalry to a death match. From love to hate. And from happiness, to a never ending sadness that crept over each and every one of them, like it always has for a ninja. Like it always will.
Better I should know
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
Finally, each readied themselves for a fight. All not really wanting to kill each other, but knowing that, in the end, it was inevitable. Someone would die here today.
Heaven bend to take my hand
Nowhere left to turn
I'm lost to those I thought were friends
To everyone I know
It was now a staring contest, from one, to the other. The intensity was cranked up, the tension thick as leather. Then, it happened.
The slug mistress cried out in shock as her summoned friend vanished in a cloud of smoke out from underneath her. She had been deserted. Sakura could almost feel the smugness from Sasuke, and the (was that relieved?) sigh from Naruto. This got her inner self ranting. She wasn't weak anymore dammit! And she resumed her stance (even if she now had a huge disadvantage, she would still win! She was the damn Akatsuki leader!)
Raised eyebrows were exchanged as the other two also stood in a ready position.
Oh they turned their heads embarrassed
Pretend that they don't see
It didn't take two seconds before a nod was exchanged from toad to snake, before both disappeared. Sakura closed her eyes in relief. So it wasn't her lack of control over Katsuya. Good.
The animals were just fed up. Really, none of them could blame them.
But it's one missed step
You'll slip before you know it
But then, all three pairs of eyes met. And all smugness was forgotten. It was now the real do-or-die. Each channeled chakra into their hands, and charged. Rasengan vs. Chidori vs. Chakra induced strength.
Time seemed to stop (They swear it did), light engulfed the entire group, and two felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Memories flooded by like a tidal wave crashing onto there hearts. Love. Loss. Hate. Hope. Everything. And then it ended, all three flew back, landing in a perfect circle around an ordinary patch of dirt. It was finally over.
Though I've tried, I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
Better I should know
3 years later, an old scarecrow looks upon the memorial stone, where (despite two being missing-nin, he had made sure they were on there.) three names had been added. Gently rubbing his finger over them, he almost laughed at how predictable this was. It was the tale as old as time.
So don't come round here,
Sighing to himself, the now much older Jounin couldn't help but feel remorse at not being able to save them. He always got there at the wrong time, always in the wrong situation. Truthfully, it wasn't fair. His fingers traced one name in particular; Uchiha Sasuke.
And it all started with this one, creating the domino effect. If only he had been more…convincing, all of this could have been prevented. Naruto would be whining for ramen, Sakura would hit him, and Sasuke would (almost) smile at their actions. No, life really wasn't fair to him.
And tell me I told you so...
Giving one final sigh, he walked away from the stone that seemed to always loom over his life. Still, one thing couldn't help but dismally boast in his mind.
I told you Sasuke. Even after sweet revenge, there is still sorrow.-End-
A/N: Ok, so this is my first try at a Naruto Fan Fic. I know, some of the characters may seem OOC, and some of the spellings may be waayyyy off, but bare with me. Oh, and before you ask how Sakura's strength could even remotely begin to compare with Chidori and Rasengan, think about the fact that she uses Chakra to obtain her strength. She's gotta release it sometime. So, I figured that it could counter an attack. Eh? Pretty spiffy. (Even though I'm pretty sure I completely mis-thought that...) Anyway, review please. I (apparently) need all the help I can get :)