Hey, Reason is back again. I know I like haven't updated this in nearly two months, but I am terrible at commitment? So while I call this chapter two, you could really read each chapter separately. In fact, I love the initial chapter as a one-shot, yet I shall continue. Anyway, now that I've read the manga up to chapter 405, I have a little bit more of an idea of what to do-ish. This one though, I'm doing from memory so I'm not sure if I got the order of events right. My bad if I messed up. So, without further ado, here is an impromptu chapter for "Perfect Ending"
Perfect Ending: Two and a Half Years.
Two years. Two years and six months. He gazed up the cavern's rocky edge until he met the eyes of a man he had longingly been searching for since the day they parted at the End. His whole body froze. He didn't know what to think as he stood at the opening of the enclosed space he had emerged from moments ago. A breath hitched in his throat. He pushed through it and in disbelief, let a single world slip off his tongue.
"…Sasuke."
He had heard his newest teammate's mumblings on the other side of the tunnel. He had nearly fallen over rushing there, not caring how desperate he must have appeared. He saw Sakura and Sai standing there, looking upwards. He had no choice but to follow suit. So there he was– gazing up towards the friend he had not seen in over two and a half years.
He had grown since he had last faced him. That day, when Sasuke had left past the border, he was fully clad in his Konoha genin gear; his scarred headband the exception. Now looking up at him, Naruto noticed his hair had grown longer and face smoother. He saw the new robes that adorned him with the large rope not hanging off his waste. He looked like one of them. But what Naruto had noticed first and continued to dwell on was the look in his eyes. While he had grown taller and sleeker, his heart had grown colder.
He looked down towards the small huddle of ninja that stood below him. At once, his eyes locked with an all too familiar pair. His mind wandered back to that day. It had started out pleasantly enough, the weather at least. But by the time he had hobbled out of Konoha, the sky seemed to be cracking apart over them. He blinked away the thought. As he gazed below, he brushed over the array of intruders. Some character who babbled on about bonds, another unfamiliar face that watched seriously, and Sakura's astonished expression as she looked up at him. Then there was the fourth one.
"So even you came, Naruto…"
He spent longer watching him than he had the others. Naruto's unwavering gaze gave him a profusion of time. The boy had gotten taller. His face, more mature. Nonetheless, the loudmouth was still dressed in all orange with his hair tossed every-which way, and he still wore his ninja headband proudly on his forehead. Most importantly, he still bore that same impression in his eyes. Even after being apart for two and a half years, the blonde still saw him as a friend.
He looked up with passion, and he looked down with serenity.
"Does that mean Kakashi's here as well?"Sasuke spoke again eyes glancing over the area. Their one-sided conversation was cut short by the interruption of the group leader. "Kakashi was not able to come. I am the substitute. We, Team Kakashi, will take you back to Konoha."
The man's words startled Naruto out of his stupor and he turned to Yamato then back to Sasuke.
"Team Kakashi, hm?"
Sakura gazed over at Sai's extended weapon and called out to him.
"So this was my replacement." Sasuke spoke clearly and smoothly. "Spouting nonsense about protecting the bond between me and Naruto; Seems like another tepid guy had been brought into this." Sasuke was annoyed by the newcomer. He didn't care for extras.
Sakura called out once again and Sai corrected her. He explained that he was given a personal mission to kill Sasuke but had decided against it. He said watching the two of them chase after Sasuke was something he couldn't understand, but that bond made him believe he could remember what he had forgotten. He had been inspired by the pair's determination.
"In order to prevent their bonds with you from breaking, in order to keep them intact; they are doing everything they can. I can't understand it myself, but you should be able to." The artist stated his opinion calmly. It almost made the Uchiha chuckle. Did he really think he could waltz in here and make any sort of difference? Sasuke had known long before that he was too far gone. Even too far for his dearest friends to reach him.
"I know. That's why I severed them. I have a stronger bond, a fraternal bond forged through hate."Sasuke let his mind wander once again, this time to images of his brother. 'Your heart is lacking in hatred.' "Having too many bonds causes people to lose focus. They make them grow weaker, forgetting their greatest desires."
Naruto stood there, listening to the two talk. He was surprised to hear Sai's opinion, but that didn't matter at the moment. He was only fixated on Sasuke's previous statement. 'I severed them.' Naruto couldn't accept such a fate. Sasuke may have severed his bond with him, but Naruto had never imagined cutting ties with his friend. He though back to an argument they had when they had that day. 'You never had a mother! You never had a father or a brother or anything! You were born alone! You couldn't imagine how I feel! Because of my bonds I have suffered! The loss of them is something you could never understand.' The young blonde almost smiled at the memory. On his face he put on a front of clear sorrow. "If that's true…" He trailed off again. 'Why? Why would you go so far for me?' He remembered the response he had given Sasuke back then. 'Because to me, you represent the bonds I've wanted to make for so long.'
"If that's true, why didn't you kill me back then? Is that how you sever a bond, Sasuke?"
He was angry. Angry, hurt, depressed and desperate. He couldn't imagine how it was possible. He couldn't fathom why Sasuke didn't end their relationship then.
Sasuke watched his old friend become enraged. Maybe a couple years ago, he would have yelled right back at him, but not now. Now, he stood overhead with a slight smirk pursing at his lips. 'In order to achieve these eyes, you will have to kill your closest friend.'
"I simply did not want to give him the pleasure of gaining my power through his plan."
Naruto looked up confused. "What did you say!"
"Still, I guess the one thing I can say to you is back then, the reason I spared your life was nothing but a whim of mine."
In a flash barely caught by the 3 onlookers, Sasuke was in front of Naruto. His arm hung loosely over the boys shoulder as he looked to the opposite wall. Their faces next to each other, but unable to see one another. His expression stayed the same as when he was talking. As if the young man was wearing a mask.
"Now that I think about it, didn't you want to be Hokage? Don't you think you should be doing more important things than wasting your time chasing after me?"
The rouge ninja began to draw his blade with his unoccupied arm. The surrounding ninjas' eyes widened at the action.
"And now this time, you will lose your life, simply, on a whim of mine."
Naruto held a steady expression. He heard the unsheathing of the sword, but continued to face forward with a look of determination.
"Like there's any chance that someone who couldn't save a friend could ever become Hokage. Don't you think so, Sasuke?"
He knew that without saving his best friend, Naruto would never be able to live his dream. He knew that as long as Sasuke was out there, he would follow him to the ends of the earth. If Naruto couldn't save Sasuke, he would never deserve to call himself 'Hokage.' Sasuke scoffed off the statement as if he had heard it a thousand times. He pulled back his blade and moved it to strike. Suddenly, the newest edition to the team held Sasuke's wrist, halting his motion.
"You're choice of defense, quite correct."
Sasuke was almost surprised at the action of the young man. For a moment, he had forgotten that anyone else had been there. He had gotten lost in the little world made for him and Naruto. A foolish mistake, for they were not alone, but in the company of a squad with a mission to return him home. This was not the Valley.
It was then that Sasuke showed his strength to his opponents. As the eldest in the group began performing a jutsu, Sasuke became surrounded by a cloud of blue lighting. 'Chodori Nagashi.' The three ninja within arm's reach were thrown into the air by a powerful blast. 'This is nothing like the last time.' The thought flew through Naruto's mind as he landed several feet away from the raven. Sakura ran towards Sasuke. "I will stop you with my own power!" She was cut short by Yamato as he blocked her way, trying to destroy Sasuke's blade.
"Your choice of defense, quite the mistake."
The ninja leader was stabbed though with the sword, his body numbed. He could only think he had used chidori in the blade. He quickly turned away from the man when he heard a sound from the side. Naruto had begun to move.
'Let me show him our power. Let me out and we'll show him what we can do, that we are not to be trifled with.' The chakra beast grew excited at the thought. 'Who do you want to kill?'
Naruto was in his head as he always was when talking directly to the nine-tailed monster. He looked at the creature sternly.
"I don't want to see your face. I don't need your power anymore!" 'What? All this time you were crying 'lend me your power' and all the like. Now, set me free and you can have all the power you desire.' Naruto ran through his memories of using the fox's chakra and knew the beast was right. He had asked before, but not his time. This time was different. He stretched his hand out in front of the beast.
"Get lost."
Abruptly, another hand replaced Naruto's. 'How did you—' There in what was supposed to be Naruto's mind, stood Sasuke, face to face with the legendary nine-tailed fox. Naruto's face contorted to one of pure shock. How could Sasuke be there? How could he appear in a place so hidden, so sacred? 'I congratulate you on getting this far.'
"So now I am able to see it. This is what has been living inside you all this time. The secret to your power." Sasuke kept up his calm demeanor. After all, the fox was behind the cage of Naruto's mind. The runaway took in his last statement. 'This is the reason Naruto could improve so much. This is how he defeated all those enemies. How he almost defeated me.' He thought back to his own seal marked on his shoulder blade. 'I guess we both had a bit of an unfair advantage back then.'
Naruto looked in disbelief. Sasuke was talking to the demon. He wasn't even fazed. Naruto didn't know how to react. He haphazardly watched them as the beast continued. 'That Sharingan is an irritating thing. Those accursed eyes are even more sinister than mine. You are not unlike that one, Madara Uchiha.' Sasuke clenched the muscles in his hand slightly and the illusion if the red fox shattered.
"Am I supposed to know who that is?" He had not heard of such a name. He hadn't then, anyway. The truth would be revealed soon enough, but not soon enough for them. As the fox chortled off into the air, he left a final phrase with the tortured soul. 'I warn you, don't kill Naruto.' For the first time since their encounter began, Sasuke's mask slipped and he became surprised for a moment. Just a moment. 'If you do, you'll regret it.'
Just like that, they were once again facing reality. They continued to gaze at each other, when they were interrupted by Yamato's justu. Caught off guard, Sasuke almost found himself in trouble. In one swift motion, he returned to his position on the cavern's edge. 'I can't believe it. After all this time, he still can still make my focus sway.' He felt almost apologetic. Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He stood and called up at the boy.
"Don't you know that he'll take your body any day, Sasuke? Don't you get that he's just trying to use you?" He couldn't understand. He just didn't get why his best friend would let it happen. He knew Sasuke knew. But if that were true, then why?
"If that happens, it happens. Do you still not understand? I want revenge more than anything. Right now neither I nor Orochimaru could take on Itachi, but if something as simple as giving up this body of mine will let me obtain the power to kill him, of course I'll do it."
Yamato sought to fight him again, and the boy raised his hand. He was quickly caught by the man who had caused the conflict: Orochimaru. "Now now, Sasuke. No need to use that justu."
"Remove your hand." The three rouge nins discussed overhead. Kabuto convinced Sasuke that letting the ninja of Konoha live might prove a help to them in the future and with his revenge. The raven reluctantly released his bitterness and accepted the fact. He peered down over the hole in the ground once more and his eyes relocked with the worried boy's below. Then, in a wisp of smoke, they were gone. He was gone.
Naruto still couldn't understand. Even after all Sasuke had said, he didn't get it. He heard the words his comrade had stated, but he could not comprehend them. 'I guess he was right, I will never know how he feels.' He could not imagine hatred so strong. More than that, he couldn't believe love could not overcome it. He knelt to the ground and bent his head down. 'I failed, again. It's that day all over again. I am not nearly strong enough. I knew that from the beginning. Since the moment we reunited I knew he would slip away, but it still hurts.' Tears streamed down the young man's face. He wept silently as he stayed there on the ground for a moment, wondering if he would ever be able to be strong enough, if he would ever bring him home.
As the trio disappeared, Sasuke's eyes never left the blonde's. They faded away and Sasuke let himself be lost in the memories of the past. He remembered all the times he had with his team and most importantly, he thought of the day at the Valley. At that time, his closest friend had fought him with all his strength and, as he had previously put it, on a whim, he left Naruto alive. He supposed it was more than just avoiding the path Itachi carved for him. Out of all the people Sasuke had come in contact with, Naruto by far made the deepest impact. He made him feel alive again. 'I guess by letting him live, I was giving myself a little window to regain my own humanity. I guess I figured he was the only way I could come back.' Thinking of his current situation, he chuckled at the thought. There was no way he could go back now.
The two children left each other again, though it surely was not as painful as their initial parting. Their minds that should have been focused on other issues were full of each other, wonder, memories, and regret, though they'd never show it.
Two and a half years had passed since the end had begun. For two and a half years, they had cleared their minds and grown stronger. For two and a half years they tried to forget about each other.
'Revenge is all that matters, now. I will get rid of him eventually. In due time, I won't think about him anymore. Soon, I won't care for him at all. '
'I have to get him back. If could let go, I would be fine, but I can't. So I have no choice. Soon, I'll bring him home even if it kills me.'
They thought they could do it. They thought they had it all under control, but in that instant when their gazes met again after two and a half years, they wondered how much longer they would have to wait.