Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor shall I ever. The ocs and original plot are all that belong to me. The summary is under construction, first off. I don't like it, but I'm posting this at school, and I'll edit it if I have time before the bell rings.
Anyway, guess what! Today is my last day until Summer Break. Guess what that means? I can finally write the stories that have been left terribly neglected due to reading fanfictions and me just being distracted by school. Including this little one, which I completed during one of the class periods I was doing nothing in. I'm pretty sure some of you remember this little guy. Hopefully the want to write it will continue. It has for the last few months, and so, we'll see how it goes. Now it's one of my three main Naruto fanfictions.
Anyway, for you new peoples, this is a SasuOc story of mine I had stopped. A few times, actually. This is the story that has gone through the most revisions. I'm hoping it will go better now that I have a clearer idea what in the world I'm doing.
Anyway, I'm hoping very much what I did in the chapter was realistic. I hope you guys think so, so please tell me what you think. This is the beginning. Not so much a prologue, but not sure it's a chapter, either. The oc may come in next chapter (90%), but not promising. As is, most should remember her. If not, welcome to the party, new people.
Without further ado, here is the story:
The rain was cold against his skin, but he was wet enough from battling on the water that it barely registered. Even if he had, though, he was too numb to care. It felt as if his emotions had been drained, leaving him like the droplets of sky water(*1).
Yet looking at the face of the boy he had once considered his friend tried to force them out again, and for a moment, they partially succeeded. Memories bubbled to the surface.
"What the heck are you?" he asked, staring in bewilderment at as a demonic energy pulsed from his closest friend. It wasn't normal. No human being should have such a presence as he felt then. Something wasn't right about the blond knucklehead, but he had no clue what he could be feeling.
"A friend," he replied, tears streaming from his now red eyes. "That's why I say I won't give you up to Orochimaru!"
Why? Why would the idiot fight so hard to drag him back? The entire battle had been pointless on his part. Shouldn't he have known it would end in failure? This was his path, and he would follow it no matter what.
"When I'm with you," he murmured, his eyes softening with a strange mixture of sadness and joy, "I wonder…. if it's like being with a brother."
"Why?" His voice came out almost as softly as the other boy's had. "Why do you go so far for me, Naruto?"
As those strange red eyes rose to meet his own crimson ones, he couldn't help but notice the sadness slowly vanishing from Naruto's gaze. "For me, it's one of the first bonds I've ever had. That's why I must stop you, Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes widened, and for a second, there was a slight pain in his chest. No, that was stupid. He had no reason to hurt breaking these bonds. It was necessary in order to kill his brother. Despite this, he still saw himself on the docks all those years ago, glancing over his shoulder at the other boy, the one who claimed to be like him, walking along the path, a small smile on his face. And his own smile that soon followed as Sasuke turned away.
He had to break these bonds. They would only be a hindrance in the future. If he knew this so well, why was he hesitating? Sasuke had been prepared for leaving only minutes ago when his and Naruto's jutsus clashed. What had changed? Was it the reality of what was happening? He was finally leaving Konoha and would be able to gain the power to achieve his revenge.
Only for a moment, he thought. For a moment he would relish the bonds he had to sever, and then he would never build any again. It was all he would allow himself, but he was shocked at the momentary relief and happiness he felt. These feelings were only his weaknesses, though. They did not matter and would soon be gone.
He heard the footsteps a moment before he heard the voice. "Sasuke."
The Uchiha's head rose slowly. That voice – he knew whose it was. Yet he still felt a pang of surprise when he saw Kakashi crouched by them, his eyes wide at the sight he found in front of him. It must have looked as if Sasuke was crouched over his dead comrade. Naruto wasn't dead, however. Itachi had told him to kill his closest friend to achieve the next stage of the Sharingan, and he had failed.
If he didn't leave soon, Kakashi would stop him. Grounding his teeth, Sasuke forced his weakened body to rise. Pain shot through him, but he stepped away, clutching his injured arm. If it came to another fight, Sasuke had no doubt who would come out victorious.
"I'm not going back," he growled at his sensei, backing away slowly enough not to invoke a sudden reaction from Kakashi. "Naruto is not dead, but I could easily have killed him. Why would you want to take me back after that?" His only option was to talk Kakashi into hating him. By the look in Kakashi's eye, though, Sasuke knew he was failing. He was so distracted trying to think of a way to escape, he didn't notice the jounin move until he was right behind him, hand poised to strike. A quick jab to the pressure point on his neck was all it took, and Sasuke felt the consciousness leaving him.
As he fell, he couldn't help but bitterly think, Why is it part of me feels relieved?
"How's he doing?"
Tsunade jerked slightly, eyes searching for the one who had spoken. One lazy eye stared at her, amused by her reaction. "Hello, Kakashi. You really shouldn't speak to people when they are thinking."
A small wrinkle was the only hint of a smile Tsunade saw. "I am sorry, Lady Hokage." All humor left his eye as he nodded to the door. "So, how's he doing? Speaking to anyone yet?"
The Hokage sighed, and for a second, Kakashi could nearly see the older woman beneath the false youth. "That boy is almost as stubborn as Naruto. Too much more of dealing with the elders' complaints and his complete indifference and I'm going to kill someone," Tsunade said, reaching up to massage her temples. "Sasuke hasn't even seemed to listen to anything anyone has said since he was told about Naruto being a jinchuuriki."
Kakashi had been the one to tell him. That had been a few days after Sasuke was brought back about two weeks ago. It had really been that long since he had been responsive? "Has he shown any signs of trying to escape again?"
"No. He's been watched by Anbu more or less twenty-four hours a day. I'm sure he knows this and hasn't made a move." Tsunade crossed her arms, leaning against the wall by Sasuke's room. "I am growing dubious about ever being able to reinstate Sasuke as a Leaf shinobi. As is, I am only still trying because of Naruto."
The memory of the blond bursting into Tsunade's office pulled on the edge of Kakashi's mind. It sure had been interesting, although Naruto had left with a giant knot courtesy of Sakura. In the end, though, Naruto's managed to sway Tsunade with his uncanny ability of influencing people's hearts. His very ability was the only thing that had even allowed Sasuke to be brought back.
With another stressful sigh, the Hokage nodded toward the door. "Did you want to talk to him? It seems you're the only one he listens to anymore," she said.
Out of the two weeks Sasuke had been back, Kakashi had only seen him twice because of the missions Tsunade had been giving him. The first time he had told Sasuke about the Kyuubi, and the second was the next day with Naruto. The young Uchiha hadn't said a word. Would he be given the silent treatment again? Even if Kakashi was unsure, he nodded. His purpose for coming to the hospital had been to speak with his student.
"I wish you the best of luck. The elders only want me to give him until the end of the month before I just throw him in jail."
It was Kakashi's turn to exhale an exhausted sigh. The new deadline doubled the weight already on his shoulders. "I'll do everything I can, Lady Hokage," he assured her.
With nothing more than a nod, the blond woman made her leave. Kakashi remained where he was, waiting until Tsunade's clicking heels faded into the other hospital noise. He pushed off the wall and into the room in one fluid motion.
Although there were numerous beds, only one of them was occupied. His pale skin blended in. Everything else about him, however, was a shock against the white background. The young boy looked out the window, but obviously his gaze was more internal than external. It was a mirror image of the first day Kakashi had walked into the room.
"Hello, Sasuke."
The only sign Sasuke showed of hearing him was the merest flicker of his eyes. Otherwise he could have completely missed Kakashi's greeting.
Kakashi lowered himself onto the bed beside Sasuke's. Was this how he had treated Tsunade and others? Even when Kakashi had visited with Naruto the other boy had at least glowered at his team-mate. What reason was he acting so unresponsive? What did he gain?
"How have you been doing for the last couple of weeks?" Kakashi asked.
There had to be something he could say to get a reaction. Seconds ticked away, turning to minutes as the two sat in silence. After about five minutes, Kakashi rose to his feet. He walked around Sasuke's bed to look out the window, the sun's golden glow illuminating him as he took in the village spread out before him.
"The elders only want me to give him until the end of the month before I just throw him in jail."
What was Sasuke's one weakness? What would allow him to push through the barrier he had placed around himself? There had to be something. If anyone would be able to find it, it would be him. Naruto had tried, and had done amazingly, but there was something he had to have missed. What all did he know about Sasuke?
The last time he had spoken to Sasuke to sway him, Kakashi had pointed out the dark end of revenge and his bonds with his team. What other angle could he take? After Sasuke lost his clan, there were very few things that mattered to him. Bonds had been strong before, but when his seal was unleashed, he had seemingly cut them. Now all that mattered was killing Itachi and resurrecting his clan.
Kakashi's single eye widened ever so slightly as he glanced momentarily over his shoulder at his student. Whether or not his clan was dead, it still meant the world to Sasuke. Why hadn't he thought of it before? It may have only been a guess, but Kakashi knew it was supported by solid facts.
"I once knew an Uchiha. In fact, he was on my team. I thought he was nothing more than a crybaby. To me, he didn't take being a ninja seriously. After all, to me then, the rules meant everything, but barely anything to him. I nearly left him and another team-mate of mine to die to finish a mission we had. His words, however, convinced me to abandon the mission to help him.
"While I was helping him, he finally awakened his Sharingan. He didn't grow powerful because of revenge – the only reason he awakened it was so he could protect me. When we saved our other team-mate, one of the enemy ninja destroyed the cave we were in. A while before I was given my scar protecting this team-mate –" Kakashi absent mindedly reached up, tracing his headband where the line would be – "so I had a blind side. My team-mate shoved me out of the way of a bolder coming from that side, but ended up crushed himself. That same day I had become a jounin, and he had been the only one not to give me a gift, yet he also gave me the best give of them all before he died. My Sharingan."
Speaking of his past brought a strange tingle to his scar, as well as a tightness to his chest, but he knew he had to push on. This was the only way he knew to save his student, and he was going to do it. "Compared to him, Sasuke, you are a disgrace to the Uchiha name."
He heard the footsteps a moment before he turned, catching the fist that had been thrown at him. Hatred was etched into every fiber of Sasuke as he glowered at Kakashi. "Don't you ever say that again! Everything I do is for my clan." Sasuke yanked his hand from his sensei's grasp, taking a step back so there was a bit of room between them. "So what if you knew an Uchiha? It doesn't mean anything!" the angered child shouted.
His words had hurt Sasuke, Kakashi knew, and it stung slightly. In trying to help him, Kakashi had dug deep for some hole in the other male's defense. "It means I know how great the Uchiha were," he rebuked. "Obito was an amazing shinobi who gave his life for his comrades. They meant so much to him, and I'm sure your clan valued their team-mates greatly. Yet you tried to kill your best friend just out of revenge."
The reaction Kakashi was getting from Sasuke was more than he could ever hope for. Yes, it was one of rage, but at least it was something. "It was for their vengeance I did it. You know this, Kakashi."
"Yes," he said, nodding, "I do. I also know that you would do anything to do it."
"Then why-" Sasuke was quickly interrupted.
"But I also know you want to restore your clan, and if you leave this village to kill Itachi, you'll never be able to do it." Kakashi forced himself to pause, giving his meaning time to sink in. Once he believed he had waited long enough, he pushed on. "Sasuke, you have already been forced to return once. This is your only chance. The Uchiha are of the Leaf Village, but if you leave now, you'll lose the lineage you're trying so hard to avenge."
Sasuke's fists were shaking, his expression once again withdrawn in thought. So it had struck a nerve, and one his student didn't even know about himself. "I have to kill Itachi," he finally said. "I can't stay here. It may cost me, but otherwise my clan's murder will continue to live, and I cannot allow that.
"Killing him will be revenge?" Kakashi had decided a new angle he could take, although part of him felt wrong pushing for it. There was only a month left, and he didn't know if he could pull Sasuke out again. He had to do something. "If you were to use a chidori right through his heart, what would it do?"
Scoffing, he replied, "Kill him and avenge my clan."
The jounin nodded. "He'll be dead, and you'll gain nothing but a life where you are shunned and chased by the Leaf Village. Is that how you want to bring the Uchiha back? Having them chased for the rest of their lives? Forsake the future of your clan to kill someone for what they did in the past? That is revenge that will damage you just as much as him."
The anger at being insulted still remained, but for the most part Sasuke had calmed down. Without taking his eyes off Kakashi, he sat down, thinking over what the man had said. "What do you think I should do then? Stay here, where I'll be weaker and restricted, while he lives in this world free?"
"That is not at all what I am suggesting." Kakashi felt a small ball in the bottom of his stomach for what he was about to suggest, but he pushed it aside, knowing he was doing what he needed. This was the shinobi world, and it was a tough one. "You will get stronger, and Itachi will be captured, but he will not be killed immediately in a battle to the death," Kakashi began. "Instead he will be captured, and he will be tortured for being in the Akatsuki for information we both know he won't give. This will lead to a life of punishment, and you can live on, knowing he is suffering while you are prospering. If you hate him and try to kill him, you are doing as he wants. If he live and strive, you will be getting your revenge while also restoring the clan he chose to destroy.
"You have until the end of the month to think about this, Sasuke. If you still choose to remain on the path you have chosen, then so be it. You will be thrown in jail. If not, you can have the life I'm sure your parents would want."
Sasuke's jaw tightened at the obvious farewell. He once again stared out the window, but this time he was thinking about what Kakashi wanted him to. Knowing nothing else to say and knowing Sasuke needed time to think, the silver haired man left, hoping over all else Sasuke would choose the right decision.
Chapter End Notes: 1 - First person to tell me where I got this, I'll let you have a sneak peak at the next chapter. Hint - it's from a kid's movie.