Disclaimer: This story utilizes characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz Media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelizations, comics or short stories is intended by the author in any way, shape or form. This fan oriented story is written solely for the author's own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All fiction, plot and Original Characters with the exception of those introduced in the books, manga, video games, novelizations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn and using them without permission is considered rude, in bad-taste and will reflect seriously on your credibility as a writer. You will be have your life-force zapped by an angry demon bunny goddess should you be found plagiarizing.

Warning:Spoilers up to Manga Chapter 689; AU/AR from Chapter 689; rewriting of history; non-canon-compliant; character death (ish. it's complicated.)

Eventual Pairings: (so you guys know what you're in for) Obito/Rin, hints Sakura/Sasuke, hints Naruto/Hinata, hints Itachi/Shisui, others TBD

AN: An Inch of Gold is finally winding down, and this story has been on my mind for a while. So enjoy!

PROLOGUE

It happens too fast to follow.

One moment, the three of them are in perfect sync: Naruto reaching from the right, Sasuke from the left and Sakura barrelling downward, fist strong – all of them poised to deliver a final blow to Kaguya.

And then, abruptly – inexplicably – the boys are in crumpled heaps upon the dry, rocky ground. Their chakra is gone, the remnants of their life-forces bleeding out of them, along with the last hopes of the entire world.

As Kaguya and her inky black hellspawn loom in the air above them, drunk on their victory and radiating with newly absorbed chakra, Sakura crawls on broken bones back to her teammates. Desperately trying to call up whatever healing energy she can, she doesn't notice Kakashi beside her until he speaks.

"It's no use," he rasps, staring down at the pale, hollow faces of his students. His voice is raw, as if he has been screaming. "They're too far gone."

"No – no they're – I can save them!"

"Sa…ku…ra…" Sasuke wheezes.

"Hold on, Sasuke! Naruto!"

"G-go," Naruto pants, coughing as blood trails over his lips. "…you have to…"

"After them, you have the most chakra," Kakashi says dully, eyes flitting back up the demon goddess in the sky. It's only a matter of time before she remembers they're still down here. "She'll come for you next."

And then him.

"Which means there's no point in running," Sakura snaps, tears coursing down her cheeks. "If I'm going to die, it will be protecting the people who are precious to me. Because we don't leave our comrades behind!"

Kakashi gazes at her for half a heart beat, and his eyes blur. "No…no, we don't."

"Sakura…" Sasuke whispers, and their attention falls to him. Blood leaks from both his eyes now, cloudy black and unseeing, the mighty Mangekyō and Rinnegan no longer visible there. "I…"

"If you apologise now, I will beat you to death myself," she promises him harshly. But her tone belies her true feelings, fingers shaking as she tenderly brushes his bangs off his forehead.

His mouth twitches like he's not sure whether to smile or frown.

"…annoying," he finally manages.

"Hey – Sasuke –" Naruto begins, but is briefly cut off by a wet, hacking cough. More blood spills from his mouth, thick and almost black.

Sakura does her best to stem the flow, but Naruto's insides are shredded beyond her abilities now. The last scion of the Uchiha grimaces with effort to turn to the blond. Only as Naruto stops gasping does he manage it.

"What?" he asks, and somehow, even here at the end, he can still sound utterly exasperated with him.

"Gimme…your hand…"

"Why?"

"Because…I'm your fucking best friend…and we're about to die," Naruto growls, and the startled laugh that Sakura emits is more of a sob. Kakashi's jaw clenches so tightly his teeth might shatter.

For a wonder, Sasuke doesn't argue. He tries to move his left hand but can't. He doesn't have the strength.

Seeing this, Sakura reaches over, shoulders shaking with emotion, and brings her teammates hands together, pressing their palms together. Those are blank now, stripped of the sun and moon marks when Kaguya ripped their chakra from them.

As their hands fit into each other's, Naruto begins to curl two fingers around Sasuke's into what Sakura recognises as the Seal of Reconciliation. A breath later, and Sasuke returns the gesture.

Now Sakura does sob.

"Of course, it would take you two dying," she sniffs. "Shannaro...idiots."

"Some things…" Sasuke says, pauses to gasp for a breath, and continues, "don't change."

He does his best to meet Sakura's gaze, and it's clear those words are meant for her as well. She tries to smile at him, but it seems this is one task beyond even her strength.

Kakashi reaches forward, covering all of their hands with his own – one hand pressing them together from above, the other holding them from below.

"I should have known that day," he tells them ruefully, "that you'd all be the death of me."

"Oh, come on…Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto quips. "Would you have it…any other…way…?"

The last syllable becomes a whisper, and Naruto's form begins to still.

"N-no! No!" Sakura cries, as Sasuke's grasp also begins to go slack, and she joins her other hand to Kakashi's, trying to keep them all together for a little longer. "Please!"

But there's no one to hear her prayer, nothing left for it but for the remnants of Team 7 to sit there and wait for the inevitable end.

つづく

And so we have yet another ominous beginning. I'm really looking forward to writing this story. It's a departure from most of what I've written so far, so I hope you guys like it.

I was originally going to make this prologue much longer, but it turned into a lot of telling versus showing. So instead of the big long info-dump and way too much description... if you want to know what happens next, you're just going to have to read the rest of the story. I'm mean like that :)

Reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated!

(And yes, the title is taken from Doctor Who)

クリ