Fading Light

Chapter 8:

"Sasuke... I see you failed to kill the kyubi boy," Itachi stated.

Sasuke stared imperviously.

"It doesn't matter, I can still beat you," Sasuke retorted without much haste.

Itachi got into a fighting stance.

"I see your ego hasn't matured much either," Itachi stated, "Well then little brother, come."

Sasuke charged.

(Scene change)

"Aren't you going to go after Sasuke?" Naruto asked, taking a sip out of his noodles.

"It's not my fight," Sakura replied, quickly peering out the window.

"But you are worried, aren't you?" Naruto asked swallowing a mouthful.

"Of course I am," Sakura answered, peering out the window once more.

"You've grown up," Naruto stated, staring out the window.

Sakura peered out again, but instead of looking back at Naruto, she kept staring out at the horizon.

"I think we all have...after what happened," Sakura remarked, nibbling on her toast.

Naruto looked out also. Both of there hearts were pounding with worry, but they had faith in Sasuke.

"Do you know why I liked you when I was little?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"Because of my beauties, brains?" Sakura replied jokingly.

"I admired your strength," Naruto answered.

"What do you mean?" Sakura questioned.

"You couldn't fight...hell, you couldn't throw a decent punch," Naruto stopped, noticing the sudden change of animosity in Sakura's face, "Err, I mean, well. I mean, you weren't as strong as Sasuke or me. And you were a bit aggressively obsessed," Naruto stopped once more, noticing the over looming shadow grow, "B-But, you kept us together."

"How is that strength?" Sakura asked, her voice laced with slight distaste.

"It is. You stayed with us, even when he left all those years ago. You were always smiling, and you never lost hope for Sasuke. That's what I admired," Naruto finished.

For a moment they were quiet. Only trying except the entire cold truth that had been neglected for so long, realizing why they were Cell 7 and what made them all special.

"Naruto, do you still wanna be Hokage?" Sakura inquired.

"Yup, and there's no way in friggin' hell I'm gonna give up," Naruto chirped, flashing his trademark disappearing eye act (his smile people's).

Sakura smiled warmly. He was still childish, but he did grow up quite a bit.

"After this, I wanna be a medical shinobi. The pain and suffering, it's made me change my dreams," Sakura stated.

"I'm sure it has," Naruto agreed.

Sakura glared, "So, you're saying that I can't throw a decent punch?"

"Ah-no, er...it was just in the moment...and uh... oh crap..." Naruto finished, knowing there was no hope for him.

A mischievous glint flickered in Sakura's eyes.

Picking up a pillow, Sakura hurled the pillow across the room to Naruto, who was knocked out as if there was no tomorrow.

"Nope, I can still kick his ass," Sakura laughed.

Naruto, who suddenly regained consciousness, laughed also. They both laughed, something the last 6 months had been missing for quite awhile.

(Scene Change)

Sasuke dodged another blow. Pulling out his kunai knife, he flung it at his brother, who dodged by a hair.

Grunting with slight frustration, Sasuke panted heavily, as well as Itachi.

"You've gotten better little brother," Itachi remarked.

"And you haven't changed a bit nii-chan," Sasuke grinned.

The charged again and again. Sasuke released his chidori, Itachi narrowly missed. Itachi shot an unknown ninjustsu that released his chakra like tiny needles.

Sasuke avoided all of them. They continued this battle, shooting each other attacks and then dodging them narrowly. It wasn't a battle of strength nor with anything intellectual. It was endurance, they continued to fight, continuously pushing their stamina and perseverance to its limits.

Sasuke dodged another attack but fell back with a thud. Itachi took this opportunity and charged, Sasuke, quickly reacting began to focus chidori in his fist. Itachi dashed and right when he was about to lay the finishing blow, Sasuke pulled his fist through and punched Itachi, straight past his heart.

Itachi fell to his knees, sputtering blood.

Sasuke stood, grabbing his left shoulder. They both panted. Sasuke's face with contorted with some sort of anger.

"Why didn't you dodge?" Sasuke shouted angrily.

Itachi laughed softly.

"I wanted to die. I hated my life. It was so fucked up," Itachi replied.

"Tell me brother, what was the real reason that made you decided to kill our family?" Sasuke asked.

Itachi's laugh became more unsettling and horse. Thunder cracked in the sky, as a light shower covered the battlefield.

"Didn't anybody ever tell about our curse?" Itachi coughed.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, signaling his brother that he had no idea of what this 'curse' might be.

"It's no jutsu and it's no blood. It's our first ancestors..." Itachi replied.

The rain poured insistently as it pelted water to the ground.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke inquired, becoming more and more interested.

"Do you remember the legend of the snake, the toad, and the snail? It's not about the three legendary shinobi... It's about our ancestor... H-he-" Itachi choked on his word, but continued, ignoring the internal pains, "He betrayed them... He used them, and after he finished...he attempted to kill them... They weren't just shinobi... They were warriors...warriors so...powerful, beyond human comprehension... More powerful then any god... Sasuke, I saved them... I saved them all from the curse. I saved them, mom, dad, and everyone. Hahaha... Look what it's done to me... There's a world out there, that's been sealed... A world that shouldn't exist... Go there, and you'll understand. Go find the scrolls... The scrolls of Hokage the 4rth... Sasuke...dear brother...I was only protecting you... Dear little brother... Look what I've don't to you... I apologize, had I not lost control, you would've lived a normal life... But you will understand soon brother..." Itachi closed his eyes, and his body went limp.

For the first time, in such a long time, Itachi smiled. A true smile, not the smile etched with malice and blood thirst, but a smile of true of kindness. Itachi smiled at Sasuke, with pride and apology.

For a moment, a single stream of crystal sorrow flowed from Sasuke's eyes. Wiping the blood from his brother's lips, more and more tears began to flood his eyes.

"You asshole... You stupid, stupid, idiotic, little... Baka..." Sasuke murmured incoherently.

He didn't cry with wild animal-like cries and obnoxious, depressing sobs. He cried like an old man, silently.

Digging a hole with his bare fingers, Sasuke continued to dig, regardless of the pain burning as blood dripped from the aggressive and relentless digging. Finally, when the hole was deep enough, Sasuke cautiously put Itachi's body into the chasm. After Itachi's body was in a respectable position, Sasuke buried his body.

The dirt covered everything except Itachi's face. Sasuke looked at his face, Itachi seemed so bedridden. The heavy bags and dark shadows that covered his face as well as the pale, waxy complexion. Though as tired as he looked, Itachi seemed so peaceful as well as happy, a happiness that nearly made Sasuke cry another well of tears.

You deserve to go to Hell, after what you put me through and after every blood soaking sin you made... But, something tells me... Sasuke looked to the clouds. The rain cleared, as lights glared in-between the clouds. Something tells me, you'll be up there...

Sasuke put his brother's kunai knives in a cross on top of the grave. Taking two branches, he tore the trim of his shirt and tied the branches, making it resemble somewhat of a cross. Finally, Sasuke looked to the unburied face of his brother.

Sasuke held a mound of dirt, looking one last time at his brother's face, he poured the dirt reluctantly. Patting the ground, Sasuke stood, and turned away, as Heaven's light, shined upon Itachi's grave.

(Scene-Change)

In the dark taverns of the cave, a dark figure opened the tomb. Two bodies lay in the tomb together. A man with golden hair, shining like sun and an expression with slight mischief glowed from his small grin. Even with his eyes closed, his handsome features could be seen. The one beside him on his left also had hair spun like the most purest of gold. Her lips and cheeks were naturally rouged, but her skin was also deathly pale. Her lips beaming with a motherly glow, which fit her astounding beauty, she was as beautiful as the man lying beside her.

Together, there hands were entwined, holding a single scroll. A calloused hand reached out and gently pulled the fragile scripture from their hands. Opening the scroll with much care, which was made of the most delicate silk and rice paper, the man gazed at the scroll. Absorbing every word, the man put the scroll under his dark cloak.

He almost left, but then stopped and gazed at the couple, their hands apart. The man walked back and laced their hands together. Smiling lightly, as their beauty glowed once more, but with even more brightness.

Closing the tomb, the man looked at the tomb which read:

4tth Hokage

Isamu Uzumaki

&

Akiko Uzumaki

(Scene Change)

The wedding bells rang as the crowd cheered for the newly weds. Rice was thrown into the air as the bride smiled shyly. Accepting the arm of her groom, they gracefully trailed down the stairs as they crept away from the crowd and into the limo, which was ready to send them to a happy honey moon.

The limo left, as ramen cups trailed behind the limo, which were attached to a sign that read:

♥Newly Weds ♥

Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki ☺

Sakura cheered, but from the corner of her eyes, she noticed a dark, conspicuous figure moving through the crowds. Sakura ran after the figure and grabbed the edge of his sleeve.

"Where do you think you're going Sasuke?" Sakura joked happily.

Sasuke's face remained solemn. Sakura looked at him quizzically.

"I found out about something. And I gotta find the answers," Sasuke remarked.

"Let me come with you," Sakura stated.

"It's too dangerous, you'd only get hurt. And the trials," Sasuke began.

Sakura put her finger on his lips.

"We've been through hell and out, and I'm ready to take on anything, as long as I'm with you," Sakura whispered.

"But-" Sasuke argued.

"No buts, I'm coming. You can't do this alone, and I'm coming, whether you like it or not," Sakura retorted.

Sasuke nodded, knowing that there was no point in arguing.

They left the crowd.

Sakura quickly ran to her house and changed, taking a pack filled with survival needs, noticing how unprepared Sasuke seemed.

Sasuke got into a pose, ready to sprint. Sakura nodded, signaling out that she was ready.

They jumped.

(End of Fading Light)

AN: Mwahahahahaha, and so it finally ends. I am SO sorry that this took freaking forever to finish. I'm so happy that I finished, but now I'm sad. My baby's all grown up. However, there will be a sequel. Now, I wouldn't drop you guys like that now would I? (audience looking unconvinced) Well, erm, okay, well, there will be no replies, since this is the last chapter, and I have no time. And look out for the sequel that probably won't be out for a while, depending on the weird schedule. And thank you all so much for your touching and encouraging reviews!

Love you guys!

With much love and thanks,

Mourning Fox