Disclaimer: I also do not own Naruto or Sasuke or anything that is inside of this particular story, unfortunately. Miracles don't seem to come true for me very often. Actually not very often. Wait, I don' t think any miracle has ever come true for me. Oops, off topic here.

ALSO: This is the last chapter of the story and it is also the rewritten version of the last chapter.

(Again) Also: I would very much like to give thanks to one author: SkywardShadow - for reviewing all my stories. I appreciate it very much.

Also thanks to:
angelsxdemons
Hello Mitty

Warning!: Spoilers for the latest manga chapters.

Shiver

Chapter 17 Choices

The single clenched fist lifted and ready,
Or the open hand held out and waiting.
Choose:
For we meet by one or the other.

_______________________________

"Life is a mere dream, a fleeting shadow on a cloudy day."

______________________________

Itachi walked slowly forwards to Sasuke, who was backed up against the wall with nowhere to go.

Itachi was getting closer. Ten steps. Nine steps. Eight steps. Seven steps.

Then, suddenly, almost quicker than Sasuke could comprehend, the world whirled around him. The world in front of him disappeared and colors flashed against his now burning eyes. It felt as though he was spinning. Then, in a flash of a second, it all ended. His feet hit against hard concrete and his knees buckled, barely managing to stay upright.

Then, again, his world spun. Then there was nothing. Nothing but a chilling blackness. He tried to move his body but it was as though there were metal chains around him, holding him back.

He saw his eight year old self again. It showed him asking Itachi to train him and Itachi saying his trademark line and poking him in the forehead.

Unconsciously, both versions of him reached up to their heads and rubbed the spot dead in the center of their foreheads.

Itachi walked towards the door.

In front of his eyes the scenery changed and Itachi was murdering the clan. His katana ripping violently through the members of his clan.

The vision changed again and again through the moments he spent with his brother when he was younger.

Then his vision changed back to Itachi walking towards him.

Six steps. Five steps.

Sasuke could feel his own breath against his face as his brother got closer and closer.

Four steps. Three steps.

He could see his brothers face more clearly than he had in years and years.

Two steps.

So close.

Close.

One step.

Itachi came to a halt in front of him.

Sasuke watched his brothers hand reach up to take his eyes.

But then the hand turned its angle and hit directly on his forehead and trailed down slightly, smearing blood on his pale skin.

Then Sasuke heard Itachi say in a whisper, his voice strong but quiet.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke…… There won't be a next time."

Then Sasuke watched his brother fall.

Watched. His brother. Fall.

Itachi landed on the ground facing the sky.

A small smirk went on Sasuke's face for a brief moment before disappearing as Sasuke, too, fell onto the cold ground next to his dead brother.

Everything went black.

______________________________

Tears fell unrelentingly down porcelain skin.

Sasuke could not help but cry.

After all, he had murdered his brother when all his brother had done was protect him.

He thought he had seen through Itachi but he hadn't even come close to seeing through him.

He knew his brother so well, yet he hardly knew him at all.

And Sasuke remembered.

He remembered activating his sharingan that night. He remembered chasing after Itachi and knocking off his Konoha head protector.

And he remembered Itachi crying.

And he knew what Madara had told him was the truth.

Sasuke would finish this. He would get revenge.

After all, revenge was his specialty.

____________________

Sasuke jumped from tree to tree.

Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo were all following him.

He was going to Konoha. He was going to destroy Konoha and those elders who ruined his brothers life.

Then Karin's shout broke him from his thoughts and he saw Madara appear ahead of them.

"Hey Sasuke."

His team all landed on the tree in front of them and came to a stop.

He heard Suigetsu say, "Shit! Bad timing."

Then Sasuke questioned him, "How did you know where I was?"

Sasuke could not read his facial expression due to his mask.

"Don't underestimate me. It's within my powers."

"What do you want with me now? Taka is no longer a part of Akatsuki. We have no further use for you."

"I said I'd have to kill you if you betrayed Akatsuki and you broke your promise to me."

"What are you talking about?"

"The eight-tailed beast."

This time Karin cut in. "But we found the eight-tailed beast and brought him to you!"

"It was a fake. In other words, you failed. The eight-tailed beast pulled one over on you. I'm really disappointed in you guys."

Madara's sharingan activated through the eye-hole of his mask.

Suigetsu retorted for them. "So what do you want us to do about it? It's not our business anymore!"

"No… You will finish your last job as a part of Akatsuki. But I don't care about him anymore. There's something else I want you to do."

Then Sasuke spoke up again. "What If I say no?

"Then you'll have to fight me to get to Konoha. I won't let you pass."

Lightning pulsed through Sasuke's left hand as he said, "I'll force my way through…."

Sasuke lunged for Madara and went straight through him as Madara spoke. "It's a little late to go to Konoha now. Your goal is futile now…. Too bad."

"What do you mean?"

"Konohagakure no longer exists."

Karin shouted at him. "What do you mean?

A new voice entered the conversation. "I'll explain."

Sasuke questioned him. "Who are you?"

Madara answered for him. "Calm down… He's with me," Then he turned to Zetsu. "So… Who's the new Hokage?"

Zetsu replied back. "Some guy named Danzo."

"I thought as much."

Then Sasuke cut in. "Danzo… is Hokage?"

Madara answered. "That's right… He's one of the elders who drove your brother to do what he did and now he's the new Hokage."

Anger spread through Sasuke like a wild fire. "What the hell happened in Konoha?"

"One of my minions, Pain, destroyed the village but because you and Pain have made such a commotion, the five kages have begun to move."

Sasuke glared slightly. "The five kages…"

"They're holding a meeting."

Zetsu volunteered to tell the rest.

After Zetsu explained the rest, Suigetsu questioned him. "This Naruto defeated Pain all alone?"

"That's right. He's gotten really strong… He's probably stronger than Sasuke now."

"Heh" Sasuke laughed. "I don't care about that… The five kages are the problem."

Suigetsu wondered what to do next. "What're you gonna do? Konoha's gone… Danzo's your target right? If he's gonna be at this meeting, maybe that's where we should head."

Sasuke didn't say anything.

Suigetsu, looking worried, questioned again. "Wh… What? Am I wrong?"

Sasuke did reply this time. "We'll go to the meeting and kill the kages. Our plans have changed."

"Good." Madara commented.

Karin spoke up about getting there. "So... Where is this meeting?"

Madara turned to Zetsu. "Zetsu."

Zetsu split into two and one half jumped to the next tree. "Follow me!"

As they moved Juugo asked Sasuke if they could trust them.

Sasuke's reply was simple. "Let's just see what happens. If he tries anything, I'll just use Amaterasu on him. There's something I've been wanting to test out anyway."

As Sasuke headed to the meeting of the kage's he wondered when Naruto had gotten so powerful.

As they got closer all Sasuke could hear were his brother's last words ringing in his ears.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke…… There won't be a next time."

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Darkness serves a purpose: to show us that there is redemption through chaos