CHAPTER RATING: T
Chapter 36: The Final Act, Part I: Sakura's Realization
"…W-What happened?!" Naruto asked with shock and anger.
"Sasuke happened." Shikamaru replied with solemn sarcasm.
A few weeks had gone by since Sasuke's assault on the small prison facility. The steel walls were still stained with the black ash of the shinobi that fell victim to Sasuke's inferno. Nature itself had started to reclaim the structure, vines embraced around the outer walls, as weeds, and deceptively beautiful flowers sprouted from the steel floor, new life had begun to take root in a place that had witnessed so much death.
"It's my fault…" Naruto said in regret. "I should have been here to stop him."
"Hey, there's nothing that you could have done." He placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself." Shikamaru took a deep breath, and stared blankly at the ground. "Sasuke didn't do this because of you. He did it because of that woman."
"Ever since I've had to deal with her, she's been nothing but trouble. I wish I could just…turn back the hands of time."
"Don't let one decision from your past determine your future. What's happened, has happened, there's nothing we can do to go back and change it." He took another deep breath, and brought his gaze to Naruto. "Naruto, listen."
"What is it?" Naruto replied in a deep voice.
"If you need any help, anything at all, just ask. Ask anyone, we're all here to help you. You don't need to face this alone like you used to think. We can all overcome together, what we can't do alone."
"Thanks…Shikamaru. I'll remember that."
…
In the Hokage's office, three figures stood.
"You've seen what has happened?" Tsunade stared out of the window, her voice filled with anger and regret.
"…I have." Naruto replied silently.
"Then, you realize what must be done?"
"…I do."
Shizune looked towards them both, with a saddened expression. She was unsure of how Tsunade would react to Naruto's absence. Tsunade had known what Naruto was sent to do; she had even given the journey her blessing. But Sasuke's actiona had pushed to the extreme.
"Naruto, can you do it?" Tsunade asked as she turned around. "Can you really, do something like this? Can you kill someone you know so well?"
"I…I don't know."
Tsunade approached him, he flinched as she moved towards him, expecting to be yelled at even more, or worse-to be struck by the current Hokage.
"I know it's hard." Tsunade opened her arms. Naruto's eyes opened as he felt her embrace. "But this is something that you will have to do. I'm sorry, but if you don't stop him…He will do even more damage than has already been done." Her hands fell to her side. Naruto held his head low, turned around and opened the door.
"I know what I have to do." He said with certainty in his voice as he turned and left the room.
He walked through the streets of Konoha, his mind haunted by the images of black steel, and images of burned bodies. His mind wandered as he blankly looked over the populace, ignorant of all the chaos that had happened.
It's good that they don't know. They can go on with their lives.
He entered his house, darkened, dusty, and dirty from his absence. He reached over instinctively and flipped the light switch. The lights didn't come on. His nostrils were assaulted by a slight smell of perfume; a scent that he had never noticed before, but a familiar scent that brought back memories; memories filled with regret. He followed it to his desk, and saw an envelope, it's edges burned pitch black.
The smell of burning parchment took over. His hands slid under the envelope, and ripped it open. Inside, he read a message.
Naruto. It's been a long time since I saw you. I can't wait to see you again. I will be waiting for you. At the edge of the forest, where grass meets sand. It's time that we finish what we started so long ago. If you truly believe that you can defeat me, if you truly believe that you are better than me…If you want me to acknowledge your existence…
Come Alone.
The letter began to flicker; a spark began to burn at the edge. Naruto dropped the paper, letting it float to the floor, where it burned into nothing. His mind recalled what Shikamaru had told him.
"You don't need to face this alone like you used to think. We can all overcome together, what we can't do alone."
He walked out of his door, intent on facing the coming challenge alone.
…
Sakura walked into her room with uncertainly with each footfall. Her mind was racing with past events that she had been through with Naruto. The same doubts that she had faced at the Waterfall of Truth was still lingering in her mind.
Is this really true? Do I truly love Sasuke?...What about all the history that I have with Naruto? Does all of this not matter?
Another, horrifying thought streamed through her mind.
Did I only choose to love Naruto…because I couldn't get to Sasuke…?
He mind went blank at the pain of that thought. She buried her face in the palm of her hands, and silently sobbed in her room. She opened her eyes, and lifted her tear-stained face. She was now in a familiar room, tainted in a green hue. In front of her stood the familiar Nine-Tailed Fox, constrained behind six interlocked gates. He grinned, with ivory fangs stretching across his entire face.
"Your memories, your feelings, your love, has been corrupted." He said in a deep voice. "You have seen what has been hidden inside of your heart for the longest time…And you've come to accept those feelings as fact." His hands wrapped around the red pillars and scratched away at them. "And here I thought that you were smarter than he was. It looks like I was wrong."
"What the hell are you talking about?" She said weakly under his verbal assault.
"You really believe that what you saw in the 'Waterfall of Truth' was what you really feel? How ignorant you poor humans can be."
Sakura felt a surge in her heart.
"Why is it that you can communicate with me? Have you forgotten? Don't you realize what you have seen?"
"I saw terrible things, things that I never knew existed!" The Nine-Tails' smile became even wider.
"What you saw, wasn't the truth. It was merely doubt that I had created." A deep laughter echoed throughout the shadowy chamber. "Even Naruto knew that I draw power from the deep doubt and hatred that lies within all of your hearts."
She felt a burden lift off of her shoulders.
"…Why are you telling me this?" Sakura asked.
"I have watched from this prison for the last twenty-one years, I have watched and seen many things that you have all faced. I was there when Naruto first learned how to make Shadow Clones. I was there when he first fought Sasuke. I was there when he fought Pain. I have always been here. Silently observing everything."
The Nine-Tails let out a deep breath, steam shot out of his nostrils.
"And I have come to admire you humans."
His words shocked her.
"His tenacity rivals that of the Gods. He never takes failure as an option; even if that means that he would lose everything that he holds dear. Even some of us Tailed-Beasts do not have that quality. He takes everyone's burden as his own, and carries them on his back, as if he was destined to do so."
Sakura was speechless.
"He has my respect."
Sakura opened her eyes, her tears were gone, and in her heart, she felt at ease. As if she had defeated the Waterfall of Truth within herself. Her mind jumped back as she came to a realization.
No one can tell me who I love, no one can tell me who I am.
…
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Naruto silently whispered as he walked to the forest's edge. A shadow clone appeared before him. "You know what to do." He commanded. The shadow clone nodded, and sat down behind a tree, he silently began to meditate.
Naruto continued to walk until he reached a clearing, an obvious divide created by unknown forces that divided the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. He noticed two figures on the horizon; they became clearer as he approached. Sasuke held Karin, his hand wrapped around her waist. He smirked as Naruto came closer.
"Sasuke. I'll make you pay for what you've done, to Sakura-chan, to everyone."
"That is only the beginning, Naruto. When you are dead, I will truly make this country the Land of Fire. I will burn down every single leaf in the forest, and leave everything scorched. Nothing will ever grow here again."
"How can you say this?! What happened to you, Sasuke?! What is it that made you think this way?! What do you think this would solve?"
Sasuke kissed Karin, and stepped forward. "You don't understand, everything that this corrupt country has done will come back to haunt them. They will pay for everyone that they've wronged."
"But what would that resolve? You can't bring back those who've lost their lives! You can't!"
Sasuke moved with immense speed. He embraced Naruto as he had done long ago.
"Naruto…You have claimed to know me more than anyone else. But you can't understand the pain that I feel." Sasuke smiled. "But I can help you understand that pain. I will take everything from you. I will destroy everything you hold dear. Everyone you love will die."
Sasuke unsheathed his sword, and brought it down towards Naruto's back.
A/N: As you can see from the title, this is indeed, The Final Act for Cherry Blossoms in the Wind.
Also, in the coming chapters, please save your keystrokes and don't post reviews that state: "That would never happen" or "Sasuke would do 'x'." or "Naruto would do 'y'." I really want to make it clear that I have not watched the anime in over 6 months, and have no idea what is going on at the moment. All I know so far, is that Naruto has control of the Nine-Tails Chakra.
That's it. So please, don't waste your time telling me that I'm writing my own story wrong. Thank you.