Chapter Two
The Fight Sasuke vs. Naruto pt.1
The blonde haired boy had been gone from Konoha for two in a half years so far training to get stronger and he was also trying to find Sasuke. He was now a fifteen year old teenager, taller, and had grown a very masculine look to his features, he has increased in strength and techniques, but intelligence as well, and the perverted ness of his Sensei Jiraiya also seems to have slightly rubbed off on him.
As Naruto continued walking along with Jiraiya he couldn't get Hinata out of his mind. He had been thinking about her for two years now. He wondered how she was doing, he had really missed her. The blonde haired teen still held feelings for Hinata and loved her deeply but knew that her heart had belong to someone else and she could never love him the way he wanted her to.
Jiraiya looked at his student was he watched Naruto sigh. "You're thinking about her aren't you?" Jiraiya asked. He knew that Naruto held feelings for her and was willing to do anything to make her happy.
Naruto looked at Jiraiya and smiled. "I guess you know me all too well" Naruto smiled. Jiraiya laughed a little. "Yeah…I guess you can say that?" Jiraiya replied but then he looked at Naruto and raised one eyebrow. "What happened to that other pretty girl that he liked a few years back…the pink haired girl" The white haired man asked. Naruto looked at the ground. "…Sakura-chan…?" Naruto asked. "Yep that's the one"
"I realized that I didn't really like for her as much as I thought I did…but she's still my friend" Naruto said while looking ahead of them to see someone very familiar as he stopped causing Jiraiya to look at him.
"What is it?" He asked while looking at Naruto. "It's Sasuke" Naruto said in disbelief. Jiraiya looked at him in shock as he looked ahead and sure enough it was Sasuke.
Sasuke looked back at see Naruto standing not too far from him. The raven haired teen stared at him for a while before he ran off.
"SASUKE WAIT" Naruto yelled as he ran after him but Jiraiya stopped him. "Be careful" The white haired man said as he let go of Naruto's shoulder. Naruto stared at him as he nodded before leaping off into the trees after Sasuke.
"Why is Naruto here?" Sasuke asked himself as he looked behind him to see Naruto still following him. Naruto flashes back to the trio becoming Team 7, to training, to saving Sakura in the Gaara battle, to Sasuke's words - that he lost everything once and doesn't want to see his friends die in front of him. The visions flood Naruto with confusion and rage.
Sasuke finally decides to stop ahead by the river as Naruto lands on the ground standing in front of Sasuke.
"Why did you do this, Sasuke…Why?" Naruto asked his former teammate. But Sasuke shrugs off the comment.
"This isn't about us, but about me. I have my own path that I must follow. Doing so means I cannot associate with Konoha" Sasuke replied.
With memories of his teammates - of Chouji, Neji, Kiba, Shimamaru, and Lee - in his mind, Naruto presses forward. They risked their lives to come that far because Sasuke is a Konoha nin. But Sasuke walks away.
In a moment of rage, Naruto jumps across the river and lands a hard punch to Sasuke's face. As Sasuke spits blood into Naruto's face. "I'll never grow stronger by remaining in Konoha" Sasuke replies.
"Orochimaru might give you power, but it will come at a price" Naruto counters.
"Doesn't Sasuke realize that Orochimaru only wants to use him as a container" Naruto thought to himself as he stares at Sasuke before him.
"It doesn't matter what Orochimaru does to me, so long as I accomplishes my goals" Sasuke retorts. Then Sasuke laughs as he reminds Naruto of their previous fight. Back then, Naruto was laughing. He knew how badly Naruto wanted to defeat him.
"Sasuke…you have changed" Naruto said as he looked at the raven haired teen as the fight progressed.
He starts pounding Naruto and with a hard punch to the gut, knocks Naruto backwards into the water below. With a moment to collect himself, Sasuke stares down at his hand, marveling at the new power he's acquired. He lets the seal regress and his face changes back to normal, but he can feel the power growing within him and is seduced by the possibilities of using the cursed seal to its fullest extent.
Naruto sinks further into the water as visions of their previous battle flood his mind. Sasuke's different now. He pulls himself to the water's surface and looks up at Sasuke. Suddenly, he rushes, hoping that a hard blow will be all it takes to knock some sense into his friend. The two fight in close range, exchanging punches and kicks. Sasuke lands a kick and grabs Naruto's supply pouch before pushing him back into the water. He is awake. He's awakened from the dream of peace. Now, his dream lies in the past.
(Flashback)
Sasuke, who watches in awe as his brother trains. Itachi is flawless - he flips and twists in the air, releasing a dozen or so kunai within a matter of seconds. Each finds its target, even the one behind a rock.
"Can I try Aniki?" Chibi Sasuke asked his older brother. Itachi looks at Sasuke.
"I'm done for the day" He replies.
"But you promised to teach me a new technique" Sasuke protested. Itachi replies with his classic forgive me line. Sasuke isn't about to take no for an answer, but as he starts to perform a technique, he twists his ankle. His brother hoists him onto his shoulders and gives him a piggy back ride home. Tomorrow is his first day at the Academy. Maybe now, dad will approve of him, like he does of Itachi.
(End of Flashback)
Back at the fight, Naruto aims a shurikan at Sasuke, who has the high ground advantage. Sasuke throws a kunai to deflect the projectile weapon and tosses another to take out a Naruto clone behind a rock. A few more quick movements and he uses Naruto's own supplies against him. He attaches wires to kunai and strategically tosses them to bind Naruto to the rock below.
"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!" Sasuke engulfs Naruto in a stream of flame. As Sasuke watches the fire burn, waiting to see the damages, Naruto flies out of the flames and lands a punch to Sasuke.
"Asshole" Naruto hissed as let's loose, punching Sasuke again and again until his knuckles are sore.
"If this is all you have, I'll be able to defeat you without the Sharingan" Sasuke taunts.
"Don't underestimate me" Naruto warns.
"Naruto you lack power and desire" Sasuke replied.
(Flashback)
"You lack hatred" Itachi says as was holding Sasuke against the wall
(End of Flashback)
With Naruto in reach, he tosses him backwards off the cliff, does a kick, and sends Naruto free falling to the ground. He then tosses Naruto's supply bag. With visions of Itachi still in his mind, he recites the mantra he's been trying to convince himself of for so long - that he needs power and hatred to catch up.
Naruto picks up his supply pouch and faces Sasuke, now with Sharingan eyes.
"Kage Bunshin" Naruto yelled as he's clones come. But Naruto clones are no match for Sasuke, who spots the real Naruto and lands a hard uppercut, sending him flying backwards.
Sasuke quickly follows up with a stream of fire (Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu) through the trees beside the river. Naruto walks out of the burning forest ready to fight seriously. Sasuke gets a few hits in before knocking Naruto backwards into the water.
Sasuke watches with Sharingan eyes as Naruto sinks into the water below. No matter what darkness lies ahead, he'll pursue it.
As Naruto lies at the bottom of the river, he recalls Neji's words - that Sasuke is lost within the darkness and that he must try to reach him.
Realizing that Sasuke's not playing around, Naruto asks Sasuke questions.
"Are we friends? Did our team mean anything?" Naruto asked Sasuke.
"Through those experiences, you have become my best friend. That's why there is meaning in defeating you" Sasuke replies. The comments confuse Naruto, who can't understand why a friend would want to fight him so badly, but he knows that he must seriously fight Sasuke if he wants to win.
"What about Hinata-chan…she's been waiting for you all this time…for three years now waking up everyday not knowing if you're even still alive or if you're even ever coming back to her…she really misses you and she also wants you to come back just like everyone else" Naruto yells. Sasuke pauses when he hears Hinata's name.
"…Hinata…" Not a day has gone by when he didn't think about her. He had missed her dearly.
Sasuke suddenly frowned as he changed the subject. "Isn't this the moment you've been waiting for Naruto? Neither Kakashi nor Sakura can stop us now" Sasuke taunts the blonde haired ninja. Sasuke tosses a kunai, which Naruto deflects with a shurikan, and then powers up Chidori.
"I'm going to beat the hell out of you and drag you home" Naruto grumbles as he then Kage Bunshins to form Rasengan.
As the Naruto clones mold Rasengan, Sasuke's words haunt Naruto's memory. Why did Sasuke call him his closest friend? Regardless, Naruto will make sure that he ends it with this Rasengan. The boys rush at one another, power balls outstretched, and collide. An explosion engulfs them and both boys fall into the water below.