Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. (Feel free to insert your own overly used Disclaimer joke here)
"normal speech"
'thoughts'
Flashbacks
(Author Notes (If I ever use them))
Ugh…. This is my first attempt at a fanfiction, so all input (good, bad, humorous, or otherwise) is highly appreciated. But for now, let's just hope I actually end up with something worthwhile here.
This story begins at the Valley of the End, in the confrontation between Naruto and Sasuke and proceeds with the idea that Naruto was captured and Sasuke returned. Overused type plot, I know, but I figured I might as well start with the basics and go from there.
Summary:
At the Valley of the End, Naruto taught Sasuke the way to gain true power. But when Naruto is captured afterwards by Orochimaru, will the Genins be able to grow strong enough to return Naruto, or will they lose their blond haired friend forever?
Note: Also, I'm sorta lost when it comes to suffixes such as -chan, -kun, -sama, exc. So for now, I'm ignoring them. I might come back and add them later depending on how this does. This also applies to other Japanese terms, since I'm just too much of a baka to remember any of them.
Note as of v1.5: I've changed the section dividers from the provided full line into --- and --, the first for switching perspectives in the same location/event, the second for a change in location/event.
-----Chapter 1: To rise and fall-----
Naruto stared at the demonically altered Sasuke, allowing his red slitted eyes to meet his opponent, subconsciously noticing the arcs of electricity dancing from the sphere in the hand of his companion turned traitor. The howl of the corrupted Chidori screamed in his chakra-enhanced ears as he braced his arm and powered up a Rasengan in his hand, allowing the demonic chakra of the Kyuubi to stain it a blood red.
Time seemed to grind to a halt as the two friends and rivals faced each other, each daring his opponent to make the first move. Suddenly, in a flash of motion, Naruto found himself mere feet from his so-called "brother".
Illuminated by the combined light of the merging attacks, his mind suddenly flared, finding himself with Sasuke in a sea of white, no longer contorted by their demons, but instead back to the way things had been before Sasuke's heart had been darkened by the alluring call of power. The two rivals stood again in this unseen plane as best friends, fingers touching and small heartfelt smiles gracing their faces.
That's all it took for Naruto to realize what he couldn't do. He couldn't risk allowing his attack to go through and possibly kill one of his precious people. It just wasn't right. It was everything he sought to prevent as a Shinobi of Konoha. He knew very well what would happen if he attempted to pull back and lower his arm now, but the consequences of following through were too high a risk, and as such he willed his chakra covered hand to fall limply to his side.
He could distinctly hear the howling of the fox screaming in the back of his mind and the sound of the combined effort of claws and tails beating against the bars of his makeshift prison, but it didn't matter to him. All that mattered was that Sasuke, his rival and best friend, survived. He remembered saying something basked in the glow of the fatal ball of energy, but the words wouldn't return to his mind. He watched as the combined ball of chakra began to inch towards his body for a moment before simply closing his eyes and awaiting the icy grasp of death.
---
'What in Kami's name is that dobe doing?' Sasuke asked himself as Naruto whispered something and closed his eyes. As his body began to fall forwards, it took a moment for him to register what had allowed his attack to follow through: Naruto had lowered his arm.
Sasuke knew he had to kill Naruto. It was just something that had to be done. To beat Itachi, to be trained by Orochimaru, to cut all bonds with Konoha, to reach the power that had been so tauntingly held out of his reach, Naruto had to be out of the way. He was the only thing left between his old life and his new chosen path.
When he had fought Naruto on the Hospital roof he was prepared to permanently silence that loud, boisterous voice. Just moments ago he had full intent to strike Naruto down and wipe that glimmer of life from his deep blue eyes, but now... now that Naruto had so freely given his life to him… had cast aside his dreams for some reason only the dobe himself knew... Sasuke couldn't bring himself to strike down an opponent who had given himself to die.
Especially not his rival.
A snake-like voice screeched at him to finish the blond dobe off, and he could feel the eyes of his blood brother drilling holes in his subconscious mind, but Sasuke still willed his arm to fall.
---
Naruto felt his eyes crack open. 'Why am I still here?' He asked himself. Looking ahead though, Naruto could only stare, eyes flickering back from red into his trademark blue orbs. Sasuke had lowered his outstretched arm. The swirling ball of chakra had stopped its deadly path towards Naruto and now began to collapse upon itself, colors warping and bending within its confines before exploding in a flash of brilliant white light.
--
Kakashi forged ahead with all his might, flying among the tree tops with the swiftness of a bird, mind focused on the welfare of his students as he reprimanded himself for not being there to stop his now wayward apprentice. 'Why hadn't I returned from my mission earlier? Why couldn't the Hokage send a quicker messenger? Why hadn't I noticed how close Sasuke was from the edge? Oh Kami-sama...' Suddenly his thoughts were swept away as a flash and explosion came from the rapidly nearing clearing known as The Valley of the End. 'What in the...? No!' He mentally screamed, fully expecting the worst as he shoved off the nearest tree with renewed vigor, quickly yelling at Pakkun to find the nearest group of ANBU. Kakashi could only wonder about what kind of scene would greet him in the clearing.
--
Sasuke lay face up in the dirt, panting, bruised, and bleeding from the multitude of cuts adorning his body, but also strangely smiling. It wasn't one of his recent dark and evil smiles that hid ulterior motives of secrets, or even one of his trademarked smirks, but a true smile. A smile of understanding.
'Could it be… that I don't need to leave Konoha?' he mused to himself as stared into a sunny blue sky. He slowly tilted his head, giving a quick flinch in pain, until he lay gazing at the one he had called his best friend and rival. 'Naruto… is this what you wanted to tell me? Is this what you were willing to sacrifice your life to tell me? Then, thank you…. Thank you Naruto… for giving me my own way to find strength…' His mind glanced back to moments ago when their faces had been illuminated by the dark glow of the mixed chakra.
"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered," …true strength comes from protecting your precious people…" Sasuke could only stare dumbfounded as Naruto continued, "…please… please protect Konoha for me… Sasuke…" Naruto finished, lowering his arm.
Sasuke allowed himself to shutter as he stared at the burned and battered orange bundle lying opposite from him as his vision began to fade to black. As he began to drop into unconsciousness he took a moment to place names to the two figures that entered the clearing. 'Sensei… I'm sorry… and please stop Kabuto…'
--
Kakashi landed in the clearing quickly allowing his eyes to browse the battlefield in search of his students. Seeing the two unmoving bodies laying opposite from each other both overjoyed and terrified him. They were here, but if he didn't get them back to Kohana soon there may not be anything left to keep alive.
His focus was ripped from his students as her noticed a fourth figure enter the clearing. "Kabuto." Kakashi stated, still breathing heavily from his sprint to the valley.
"Kakashi… this was… unexpected… it appears Orochimaru was correct in sending me to escort the Uchiha prodigy" Kabuto answered, making his own visual sweep of the area.
"I'm not letting you leave here with him." Kakashi called.
"I'm afraid that isn't your choice to make Kakashi."
Kakashi barely had time to prepare before he found the medic-nin rushing towards him, the glow of chakra covering his hands.
"…kuzo…"
--
Pakkun bounded through the trees, searching for the elusive scent of the ANBU or Medic-nin teams that had been sent out to follow them. 'Where are they… ah!' Pakkun thought as he caught diminishing scent of herbs, sterile environments, and the slight coppery smell of blood. 'Medic-nins!' Pakkun quickly pushed off the nearest tree to follow the fading trail. 'Kakashi's really going to owe me now' Pakkun thought as he neared the source of the scent. 'Of course, if I don't find them quickly… maybe finding Tsunade herself wouldn't matter…'
--
Kakashi felt the pain as his back connected with one of the surrounding trees. 'Ugh… I'm going to feel that tomorrow…' Kakashi allowed his gaze to drop to his twitching left hand 'He hit me pretty hard there… I'm not sure how much more of this I can take before I run out of chakra…' Kakashi experimentally flexed his twitching hand slowly, noticing the lack of motion in his last two fingers. 'Ahh… that's going to diminish the amount of Jutsus I can use… where's Pakkun when you need him?' Kakashi asked himself as he prepared to fend off the Sound-nin again.
--
"We're almost there!" Pakkun called out to the set of ANBU that had been able to follow him. 'Kakashi, you had better not be dead…'
--
Kakashi felt his vision swimming. He had exhausted his chakra… again. He wasn't going to be standing much longer. "Hatake!" one ANBU yelled as they breached the perimeter of the clearing. 'good job Pakkun…. I'm really going to have to get him something…'
Kabuto turned his head to identify the newcomers. 'Normally, a couple of ANBU would be child's play, but Kakashi proved a better opponent then I expected… Orochimaru won't be pleased if I return empty handed though…' Kabuto quickly glanced around, taking in the positions of the two Genins. 'Sasuke is too far away for me to reach without running into those ANBU, but….' Kabuto, making up his mind, lunged toward the unconscious Genins.
Kakashi's eyes widened at Kabuto's sudden change of tactics. 'Sasuke!' Summing up his remaining energy he lunged towards the unconscious Uchiha, and ended up unceremoniously crashing into the ground as Kabuto slammed his foot into the dirt, flying back into the forest, grabbing an orange bundle as he passed. 'Naruto? Naruto! No!' Kakashi's mind screamed as his world faded into darkness.
It was then the skies opened, allowing a heavy rain to fall, the droplets striking the ground like tears.
--
Well…. thus ends my first chapter. I was expecting to make it longer, since I've already gotten the next part of this written out already, but this felt like a better stopping point. Plus I'm really tired. Please review this, if for nothing else then just to get other people to read this so I can get some feedback. Hopefully this story ends up going somewhere worthwhile. Also, suggestions are always welcome.
Oh yeah, excuse the English.
Thanks for reading.
Version 1.72
-Fixed a spelling error with Konoha
-Split up paragraphs into easier to follow segments
-Lots of minor additions and changes of wording
-Changed section dividers
-Changed version number from 1.5 to 1.72