Uzumaki Sasuke
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 4: Feelings of Loss and Despair
Sasuke ran and ran until his legs were numb. He could feel himself breathing heavily and his sides ached. The men behind him were not giving up and continued to follow him relentlessly. Sasuke did not even know why he was being chased, although he knew that it was nothing good. His demon, his curse, and his life were connected into his other one. Sasuke was still trying to figure out why he was trapped in such a weird dimension.
"Aha! Gotcha!" shouted a thug.
"Hey! Let go!" shouted Sasuke.
One of the people had grabbed him by his shirt collar and held the little shinobi up. Sasuke kicked and squirmed although they were too powerful. Their grip on him was strong and it seemed unbreakable. His hands were white and powerful Sasuke looked in horror into their own eyes. They looked relentlessly into his.
"You have been caught stealing from my store! You monster!" one shouted.
"Yeah! Uzumaki Sasuke, what would happen if your father saw you today!" exclaimed another.
"Let's teach him a lesson he'll never forget. That'll teach him that stealing isn't a ninja way…"
"Hey stop!" shouted Sasuke.
Sasuke lost his fear and grew in hatred. His eyes looked murderously onto the three thugs that had him by the collar. His hands clenched and his face was angered. His legs were prepared to spring into attacking and he held his breath.
"I never stole from you!" Sasuke shouted.
"Right… you keep telling us something about 'your way of the ninja' ha! It's pathetic," sighed one. "You are a thief. You also have the Kyuubi inside of you. Well, we don't care much for losers like you stealing… It's just, we need to end the boy who ended the Yondaime's life. We'll crush you…"
As Sasuke prepared to be punched by a man he barely knew…he thought of everything that had happened to him and wondered why he was in Naruto's place… He thought and thought so hard about this matter, that his head hurt and he was even more confused with doubt. He closed his eyes preparing to have his face meet with the fists.
His face felt horrible as he tried to look up again. The punch was delivered to his face, leaving him to bleed from his mouth. Sasuke wiped his mouth and looked at the blood on his hand. He had felt great pain compared to this…although he now felt like the world had rejected him. Sasuke wasn't needed. No one needed the young boy.
"Yo, you want to mess with him, you mess with me…" said a familiar voice.
Sasuke looked up and could almost feel his ribs shattering. Although he looked up anyway and saw the man that had saved his life. It was Iruka. The young man stood firmly in front of Sasuke with a fire in his eyes.
"Let's scram," suggested one.
The three thugs disappeared into the forest while Iruka looked back at Sasuke. Tears were streaming out of his eyes in a long stream. Iruka kneeled down to the young ninja and tried to look into his dark eyes. Sasuke pulled away and fell onto the ground in an effort to get up. The tears would not stop falling out of his eyes… Iruka then picked up the young boy and helped him sit on the grass. Sasuke looked up at the helping teacher hopefully…
"Are you okay?" asked Iruka.
"No!" shouted Sasuke. Although, he decided to keep his former life a secret. If anyone else heard about him talking about another world… No one would help him. No one would believe him. And everyone would be against him. "Gomen…Sorry."
"It's all right Sasuke," laughed Iruka. "I was just wondering why you took off before the Ceremony was over. So, again, are you sure you're all right?"
"Yes, I'm sorry Iruka sensei. It's just… this isn't where I belong…" said Sasuke. "I could always picture throwing a kunai with great accuracy. I mean, I always could do it… but now, I can't…"
"Hmm, Sasuke, you remind me of Uchiha Itachi," laughed Iruka. "When he was your age, he was trying to learn this technique using the Uchiha bloodline limit. It was the most powerful form of the advanced Sharingan. He was trying to learn the secrets to creating alternate realities."
"Sugoi…" breathed Sasuke. Amazing…
"He was persist as usual…" said Iruka happily. "No one was able to help him, except his father. Although his father wanted Itachi to learn on his own. Eventually, he gained the third dot to Sharingan within that same year and with it…the technique."
Sasuke looked at Iruka's smiling face and wiped the tears from his eyes. He cried too much. He wanted to stop this weakness. Sasuke then smiled back at the man. Iruka lowered his hand and gently wiped away the trickle of blood that had fallen down the side of his face. A beam of light shone through the trees and onto the spot they were sitting on.
"He is just like you, Sasuke. Just a bit older and more accomplished at this stage. If you work hard, like him, then I guarantee you will be a better student than he," said Iruka.
"Arigatou yo!" shouted Sasuke. Thank you! "Is he your best student that went to the academy so far?"
"He is the best student, the academy has ever seen. But if receive training and guidance, Uzumaki Sasuke, I guarantee you could take the title of Hokage one day…"
Iruka took Sasuke back to the Academy, with Sasuke having a huge grin on his face. Iruka said that he had as much potential as Itachi. It was an honor to be compared to the genius of the Uchiha clan. As he returned, he saw Kiba and Akamaru, Chouji, and Shikamaru welcoming him with open arms. Sasuke smiled…again.
"Let's play the ninja game!" shouted Chouji.
"Too troublesome," breathed Shikamaru.
"Let's play in the park!" shouted Chouji bursting with ideas.
"You never run out of ideas, do you?" laughed Kiba. "Akamaru says 'yes' to that too!"
"What do you say? Sasuke?" asked Chouji.
Chouji lifted out his pudgy and cute hand along with Kiba, Shikamaru, and even Akamaru. Sasuke had an urge to lift out his arm as well. Finally, he swallowed his fear and doubt and brought out his small hand. Everyone else smiled, and Sasuke looked content for the first time in days. The young ninjas then ran over to the park…
"Push me higher!" shouted Chouji.
"I can go down the slide!" shouted Kiba.
"Who can't?" laughed Shikamaru.
The young ninjas found themselves among the play ground they enjoyed. Sasuke, although, was clueless of where to go. He stood at the sand pit and just sat down after a while. Then Sasuke grasped the sand in his hand and his mind flooded over to the time he met Gaara. He clenched the sand and then piled the grains on one spot.
"Wow! Sasuke, you can really make a sand castle," said an annoying nearby voice.
"I know! It's like…a…a pile of doggie doo!" shouted another.
Sasuke turned his head and saw the girl who had treated him like a god in his other life. Sasuke could almost yearn for that time, instead of her destroying all of his hopes as he was now. He looked to the side of her, which stood the proud Ino. The blonde also hollered after her pink haired friend and laughed amongst themselves. Sasuke had no doubts there were troubling themselves into his life, and he just sighed.
The young boy didn't care anymore, he seemed to have real friends that cared about him now. Iruka, Chouji, Kiba, and Shikamaru had now invited him into the world. Sasuke felt a surge of pride at how he smirked at the girls and grabbed a handful of sand. He felt the grains slip between his fingers and realized how great it was to be free of a burden.
"Doesn't your face look like it too?" said Shikamaru remarking Ino's face.
"Nara Shikamaru!" she shouted dangerously. "Don't go there!"
"What is that, Sakura? A giant forehead that makes your head look big," laughed Kiba.
"Kiba…" said Sasuke slowly.
Sasuke had thought Kiba's insulting of Sakura-chan was unnecessary and a bit rude. Although Sakura didn't seem to be perturbed by the remark at all. Her eyes just had fires within them and she pointed her finger out at all the boys.
"I will be a greater ninja than all of you!" she shouted firmly.
Fits of laughter broke out amongst the young boys. They could not control themselves. Even Sasuke had laughed so hardly, his side hurt and he began to ache. Still, no one could stop laughing. Akamaru started to laugh softly as human as a dog could ever get. They were soon paralyzed with uncontrollable laughter.
"I'm serious!" she shouted.
"What a nice laugh, Sasuke," said Ino softly. "You should try to laugh more often."
Sasuke then looked uncomfortably at his sand pit and blushed slightly. It wasn't as he liked Ino, but no one had given him a compliment before. Sasuke smiled and Sakura was the only one who wasn't laughing. The pink haired kunoichi then pulled her hand into a fist and brought it up to herself seeing it at eye level.
"I will be a great ninja!" shouted Sakura confidently.
"I have to get home," said Ino with a smile on her face.
Ino and Sakura soon left the playground leaving Sasuke, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chouji to have fun by themselves. Sasuke had never felt so happy in his entire life. He was laughing and being cared by friends of his. He normally would have a relationship with the hidden people of life…such as Shino and Neji…
"Sasuke! Let's play on the swings!" shouted Chouji.
"Sure!" he shouted in return.
Sasuke ran over to Chouji and pushed him on the swing. Chouji was so high that he could have touched the skies. Night time was approaching as the tangy orange left and the dark blues and purples came and parched the sky. Finally…the day was over and the young ninjas were just on the grass just staring endlessly into the sky.
"I can see a rabbit…" said Shikamaru.
"Looks more like a butterfly…" said Chouji.
"Nah, it's a doggie," confirmed Kiba.
"What do you think, Sasuke?" asked Shikamaru.
"Uhm well…" said Sasuke at first. Although, he remembered what his mother had taught him about the night sky. Also, Itachi, who had taught him the true beauty of the world.
Flashback
"Mother!" shouted Sasuke when he was four years old. The young boy toddled over to his mother as she was kneeling. He ran straight up into her arms and hugged her deeply and happily.
"See the stars, Sasuke?" asked his mom gratefully.
"Yep! You mean those shiny dots? They remind me of onii-san's sharingan!" exclaimed Sasuke.
"Sasuke, you're so cute… See those many stars cluttered together? Think of that as the Uchiha bloodline limit. Then after a little dark space, you see three bright stars around that clutter of stars. Those are the true Uchiha powers. They lie within the sky."
Sasuke looked up and saw the Sharingan in the sky. It was very clear that it belonged to the Uchiha clan, for it looked so much like the bloodline limit. Sasuke smiled as he brought his head down and looked at his mother. His dark eyes were lightened and the mother could see the kindness and courage within them.
"Someday, I will have the bloodline limit as well!" shouted Sasuke. "I want to be a ninja like Itachi! I want to protect the village and be useful to Konoha! That is my yume dream…"
"Good luck with that…"
---
"Go away Sasuke," said Itachi irritably.
The young four year old Sasuke waddled over to a hill filled with green blades of grass. His older brother was lying on them and gazing at the world above him. The night scent carried throughout the air and Itachi slowly closed his eyes reopening them a minute later. His younger brother laid right next to him in the same position…
"What do you want?" asked Itachi.
"What is that giant round thing?" asked Sasuke.
"It's the tsuki," replied Itachi. moon
"Whoa, it's so pretty. Why do you stare at it so?" asked Sasuke.
"I do not," denied Itachi.
"Yes you do, I see you every night out here just staring at it. Nothing more, sometimes you fall asleep out here staring at the moon. Why do you love it so?"
"It's complicated Sasuke, don't worry about it."
Itachi's eyes were fixed upon the magnificent moon as the moonlight had reached him. He lifted his hand out determined to catch the moonlight. He wanted it within his grasp. Sasuke stared as his brother just laid there…in a trance.
"The moon…" continued Itachi. "It is a balance between the light and darkness. There is too much light in the world, and so assassins were created. When there were too many assassins, ninjas were created. The moon serves as a light giver to darkness and a darkness to light. It is beautiful. The moon is so needed for everyone. And I have a power of the moon…"
"Power of the moon?' inquired Sasuke.
"Both of us, Sasuke. We carry within us, the power of the moon. The moon is inconsistent, although still necessary for us to thrive. Sasuke, once you grow older you will understand," said Itachi firmly.
"I understand somewhat…"
"Good…"
"What is the power of the moon anyway?" asked Sasuke.
"The power to break ties, the power to free ourselves, and the power to be the best ninjas in the world. Sasuke, you carry that potential, as do I."
End Flashback
"I don't know," lied Sasuke.
The other young boys just laughed and ignored his answer. Then… Shikamaru's father came alongside with Chouji's father. The shadow ninja left right before the playful one. Soon enough, Kiba's sister walked up to her younger brother and tapped him on the shoulder. Sasuke was still lying on his back seeing the voices disappearing into the night and soon enough… he only heard the gentle sounds the crickets were making.
"Shikamaru? Chouji? Kiba?" asked Sasuke.
No voice returned his and Sasuke felt the loneliness once again. It was painful seeing his friends walk away from him with their father by the side. Chouji and Shikamaru's hands were within their fathers embracing each others hand in a loving way. Kiba's sister lifted the sleeping Kiba onto her shoulders and smiled at her younger brother. Sasuke wanted to feel the warmth of his parents, although it seemed impossible at the moment.
Then he heard the most beautiful voice of a man that he had ever heard of… It sounded…very dangerous yet very mysterious. His voice…
Zawameku mori no kaze mi orosu yami
Kasanaru senritsu wa ten no koe ka
Tamashii ni kanamitsuiteiru kuroi bara ni
Hageshiku furi sosoideiru shinku no ame
Harusana yume
Another voice joined his and this time, a woman's voice was present. The two lovely voices joined together in a powerful bond making the most beautiful music together.
Toki wo koe samayou utsusemi no yo
Torawareshi sadame ni moe tsukitai
Mabuta ni yomigaeru…Inishie no ni utsuru hikari to kage
(A/N: It is the first two verses of the song, Toki no Ito sung by Matsukaze Masaya. He has a beautiful voice and this song should be heard by everyone!)
Sasuke remembered those voices at once. He looked over at the other side of the lake and saw three people on the opposite side. The young man and the woman were the ones singing as a younger child stared in awe at his two family members' voices. Sasuke remembered at once that his mother had sang that song many times as he was a child. The other voice had belonged to his older brother. His voice… was so beautiful…
"Okaasan!" shouted Sasuke.
I want my mother back. I want my father back. I even want Itachi back into my life. I wish I could return to who I truly am. Not Uzumaki Sasuke, but Uchiha Sasuke. The youngest son of the Main house in the Uchiha clan. Mother! I'm coming… Even if I am known as Uzumaki Sasuke, I will at least see your face smile one last time!
-Sasuke
Author's Note: Another chapter in and done! Sasuke finally begins to learn what life is truly about in perspective of Naruto's life. Although he is still unwilling to accept his position in society. For all those who are a bit confused, answer this question. Why does Sasuke want his old life back? Wasn't it worse than Naruto's as he anticipated? Tell me your answers! Also, if you would like to hear the song, just email me and I'll see if I can send it to you. Please Review! That's all I have to keep me going!
