Uzumaki Sasuke

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 7: Becoming a True Friend

I thank everyone for reading this story and reviewing. After this chapter, there will only be one more. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter!

The sun began to set, and Naruto walked towards the orange patches littering in the sky, Sasuke followed behind him slowly. He hoped that he could remember the last lyrics… They were the only help he had towards saving himself and Naruto within this twisted and sad world. Naruto walked down the path with a warm smile on his face, like Sasuke had that night before in his life. Sasuke trotted behind Naruto shortly, when the blonde finally sighed and turned around.

"Sasuke, I know you are following me, you can come out," Naruto said with a smile.

"Eh?" Sasuke said softly.

The dark haired boy walked out from behind the bush and looked into Naruto's deep blue eyes. He looked sheepishly at the former Uzumaki knowing that Naruto had sensed him following him from the very beginning. Sasuke caught up with the boy before him and Naruto smiled at him. Sasuke looked at his former friend from Team 7 questioningly.

"How long have you know…" started Sasuke.

"Just now," Naruto laughed.

"I see," Sasuke said darkly.

"Why are you so dark and gloomy all the time?" asked Naruto.

"There were horrible things that happened to me lately…that will happen to you," Sasuke said as he bit his lip. He wasn't allowed to say much more…

"What is going to happen to me?" asked Naruto.

"I…I'm not sure," Sasuke said nervously.

Sasuke walked beside Naruto like best friends, and Sasuke knew that… Naruto's personality will never change, and neither will his. Their personalities are just too different and their lives were just too different. But Naruto was still blessed with his charm giving everyone the will of fire. The blonde still had the power to make others believe and think positively. Without Naruto, Sasuke knew that he would never be able to survive the darkness before him.

"Well, my home is this way," Naruto said.

The dark haired boy then looked at the fork in the road and looked at the road leading to his old house, and the dirt covered house on the other side. Sasuke looked sadly at his own house with the horrible yellow paint tainting the walls. Words of hatred were spelled out on the sides and threats were written on windows and the grounds around the dwelling. Sasuke's hair covered over his eyes and they suddenly darkened. Naruto noticed this, and put his warm hand on the other boy's shoulder. Sasuke looked back the blonde…

"You can stay over at my house tonight! I'm sure my mommy won't mind. She loves company! And so will my dad!" shouted the exuberant 'Uchiha.'

"Yeah…"

Sasuke's mouth twitched into a happy smile as Naruto took his hand and they both walked down the concrete road looking at the shops on their way back. The lights were beautiful and the people walking around seemed nice… Sasuke had never seen Konoha in this light before… Naruto led him then across the lake and towards their house.

---

"So why don't you like speaking?" asked Naruto casually.

"Oh, well… I'm not sure…" Sasuke said sadly.

"Don't worry, it will be fine!" shouted the blonde.

I doubt it…

The former Uchiha knew that tonight was the night when his parents were murdered. Itachi would be home waiting for them, and their lives would be put into the worlds of the red moon. Sasuke followed the energetic Naruto all the way until the Uchiha Street had come.

"What happened?" asked Naruto with a scared note in his voice.

"I…I don't know," Sasuke lied.

"What do we do?" asked Naruto.

"Stay close, and we'll walk in slowly.

Naruto hid behind Sasuke and the two young boys started to walk in. Finally, they had come across the dead Uchiha nins sprawled out across the ground. There was blood everywhere. Kunais were thrown, shurikens were piercing the skin, and the red liquids were flowing in streams of horrible discomfort.

"Auntie Shizu!" shouted Naruto.

He knelt beside the fallen woman, and Sasuke looked sadly at her as well. He had not even been able to say goodbye in this world. He was too late. They were all too late. Naruto held her hand and then silent tears flowed down his face and onto the ground. Sasuke couldn't help himself, and also cried. His tears had flowed for the same reason…twice already. His family was gone, though no one thought of the Uchihas being his family, he knew the truth.

"Auntie Shizu…" Naruto cried.

"I'm sorry Naruto…maybe we should find your mother and father…" Sasuke suggested through his tears.

"How would you know what it is like! Huh? Have you lost anyone close to you before?" shouted Naruto.

"Yes, but it would be even worse having no one there for you…" Sasuke said softly.

"Shut up!" shouted the blonde.

"I know the pain you are going through. But having someone is better than losing everyone. Maybe… your mother and father will still be alive, maybe even Itachi. But you need to know. You can't stay in one place, never finding answers because you are too afraid of them…"

Naruto wiped his away and the clear drops fell onto his hands, and then flowed off. Sasuke shook his head and the tears with it. Naruto smiled softly, although Sasuke knew that he was being torn from the inside. Naruto was surely brave, even in this world. Naruto and Sasuke then ran over to the main house of the Uchihas. Naruto opened the doors and they slowly creaked open.

"You first?" asked Naruto uncertainly.

"Together," Sasuke said reassuringly.

Both of the young boys walked into the house although there was no sign of life anywhere. The air was heavy and the feeling was doubt. Sasuke looked around, and his memories of the horrible incident replayed in his head. Naruto was frightened and walked closely behind his friend. Soon enough, they checked every room… Except…the teahouse.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Naruto. "Maybe we should come with help…"

"Do you have time to call for help, if you parents are an inch away from death?" asked Sasuke sullenly.

Naruto then nodded slowly trying to conceal his emotions. Sasuke tried hard as well, for he felt remorse that he couldn't stop Itachi before this. The young boys gritted their teeth and both put one hand on the door handle. With a sudden motion, they opened the doors. It creaked as it did, and they looked inside. Tears formed…words were beyond what could say…

"Mother! Father!" shouted the blonde.

Sasuke turned away trying to hold the water coming out of his eyes. This was another time, when horrible things had been replayed before him. It was torture, he could never become immune to it, and he was hopeless. Naruto ran inside checking to see if they were still alive. Although there was too much blood everywhere. Sasuke slowly walked in and saw the fallen Naruto on his knees. He was crying shamelessly… and no one really cared. Sasuke felt the horrible guilt of putting Naruto through this, although he knew it was the only way.

"Why?" asked Naruto. "Why?"

"Naruto…" Sasuke said softly.

"Why did they have to die? Who did this?" demanded the blonde boy through rushing tears.

A figure stepped out of the darkness and he was dressed as an ANBU member. For he was the ANBU squad captain at the age of thirteen. He had dark eyes and a dangerous Sharingan. He stepped closer into the moonlight so he was seen by his true little brother and the blonde haired kid. He held a sword in his hand, stained with blood. The red liquid fell steadily off it, and dripped onto the wooden floorboards. Naruto cowered in fear and so did Sasuke. This reality had haunted him forever, and now, he was living in it.

"You killed them…" Sasuke spat venomously.

"You did?" asked Naruto.

"Sou…" Itachi replied. That's right.

"I don't believe you!" shouted the little blonde boy.

Itachi opened his Sharingan eyes and stared into the blue eyes of the young boy. The Uchiha genius then activated the Mangekyou Sharingan. Naruto was taken into the World of the Shining Red Moon replaying and seeing the past that differed from his future. Blood was everywhere, knives were thrown, pain was released and nothing was solved.

"Yamero!" shouted Naruto.

Though he was still stuck in the inescapable genjutsu created world, his screams carried out into the reality finely. Sasuke stared in horror, as the boy beside him was writhing and twitching on the ground. He was being tortured from the inside. Sasuke stared at him in terror as the pain never ended. The wounds never ceased. And the horrible doubt continued.

"Did you remember the last lyrics? Without it, you can never escape from this world," Itachi said softly.

"I know…" Sasuke said slowly.

"And you choose to not learn them why?" asked the Uchiha master.

"I didn't choose, I am trying… Release Naruto from the genjutsu!" shouted Sasuke.

"Why? I thought you wanted him to see the pain you were in before…" Itachi muttered.

"I know! But I can't imagine him going through it as I did. It was just too horrible. I don't want to lose any more friends!" Sasuke finally shouted.

Suddenly, Itachi was thrown back from Sasuke's sudden words. The Uchiha genius smiled softly and then released Naruto. The blonde haired boy faced the ground shaking and shivering because of the horrors within. Sasuke put his hand on his shoulder and felt the young Naruto shake of anger and sadness. Finally, Itachi threw a kunai and Naruto.

"Naruto look out!' shouted Sasuke.

Naruto looked up and only saw the kunai piercing his own hand. The blood flew everywhere, although Naruto was not only wincing because of the pain in his hand. It was the pain in his mind that was not able to be cured so easily. He disregarded his hand, although he knew that he was going numb. Sasuke tried to take the kunai out of Naruto, although the blonde didn't let him.

"I want to die here…I don't want to live anymore," Naruto said softly.

"You can't die here! You have dreams! You have friends!" shouted the former Uchiha.

"The choice is yours, Sasuke. Die protecting my foolish little brother, or allow him to die," Itachi said murderously. 'The choice is only yours."

Or remember the lyrics…Itachi spoke to his former brother through his mind.

"I can't!" shouted Sasuke. "I can't do any of them!"

"Fine."

Itachi then threw a kunai at the slightest ease, although Sasuke could see the chakra that was outlining the kunai. It was a strong kunai that would pierce through the entire body. Sasuke knew that he was forced to make a decision. Be a friend? Save yourself? Save your friend? Sasuke then opened his mouth trying to remember the last lines.

Okozureru seijaku to chiriyuku hane yo

The kunai stopped right before Sasuke's eyes. Naruto's life was spared and the kunai began to shatter. It fell on the ground in a cloud of dust. Itachi smiled softly and waited for the young Sasuke to stop the horrible things that have happened. Just two more lines…

Zawameku mori no kaze mi orosu yami

Kasanaru senritsu wa ten no koe ka!

Itachi disappeared in a swift wind and so did Naruto. Both of them had a smile on their faces while looking at the young dark haired boy. The house crumbled and Sasuke looked around… Pitch black… Had Itachi tricked him again?

Author's Note: One more chapter to go before the story is finished! I thank everyone who reviewed and allowed me the strength to go on. I hope the last chapter is not disappointing!