I'm rather proud of this piece of drabble, first of all because I think I got all the details right from the anime, and because it's just awesome!! It was also kind of hard to write because it's present tense first person narration from Sasuke's point of view. So had to pretend I was Sasuke...which was difficult, not only because he's a boy and I'm a girl. Lol.

--MC


INTO THE DARKNESS

The rain falls around my shoulders in an icy cascade, and its coldness penetrates my skin and shoots straight to the marrow of my bones and the depths of my heart. Bowing my head, I watch the hiate-ate slide from my forehead and fall, almost in slow motion, to the ground. The metal plate clinks against the stone I am standing on, and it lands face up, next to Naruto's head.

A slash runs through the symbol of the Leaf Village.

I feel my heart clench. Suddenly my left shoulder throbs with a fiery pain, made even more agonizing by its contrast with my coldness. Grabbing my shoulder doesn't help, and I sink to my knees on the wet, icy stone and feel myself hack out blood.

It leaves a metallic taste in my mouth as I am hunched over, my face so close to Naruto's that I can sense how peaceful he is in his state of unconsciousness. Rainwater runs off of the bridge of my nose and drips with empty clinks against his headband. The sound stands out oddly against the steady patter of the rain all around me.

My shoulder continues to throb to the beat of my heart, which is so slow that I have to wait to feel each thump. Ignoring the pain, I tear my gaze away from Naruto and straighten up. I am still clutching my shoulder, and I can feel the coldness of my own hand against it through the fabric of my shirt.

I gather up power in my legs and spring away, towards the forest, and walk a few steps in, dragging my feet. That last jump takes everything away. One foot in front of the other. Now every step forward takes me on a journey inside.

Left foot. "That's my boy."

Right foot. "I'll let you in on a secret. When we're alone and no one's around, the only one he can talk about is you."

Left foot. "I will always be there for you, even if it is just as an obstacle for you to overcome."

Right foot. "Like me, you, Sasuke, may be one of the people who can use the Mangekyou Sharingan."

I want to turn back to see how far I've gone, but I can't.

Right foot. "But there is a catch. You have to take the life of your best friend."

I stop and feel the urge to look over my shoulder, but I don't. The rain is stopping and I know I've come further than I thought I had. Turning my head to the sky, I see the clouds parting and the azure sky peeking out. Such a perfect shade of blue…it reminds me of something I can't put my finger on.

Something in me longs to have this coldness wiped away by the golden-yellow rays of the sun and the azure blue sky. Something in me longs to feel the warmth of sunlight. I lower my head and let the darkness blacken my eyes.

I will acquire that power, but not the way you want me to. If I am to surpass you, I will do it my own way.

I turn myself to the path in front of me. I can feel the rays of the sun leaking out from the heavy layer of clouds, but I don't let myself turn around. Instead, I let my steady footfalls fill the silence in my head as I tread further into the forest, leaving the meager light behind. Soon the shadows of the trees envelop me.

There is no other path—yet a thousand of them branch in every different direction, snaking through the trees.

Every step forward is a step into the darkness.


Indeed…okay IDK.

--MC