RWBY: Fragment of the Moon

A weary sigh escaped his lips as he stared at the cause of all his world's misery. He had done everything he could, and he still failed in preventing her resurrection.

An unnatural calm permeated through the air as the red rays of the moon coated the battlefield. Sasuke turned to look at his partner, his brother in all but blood, and for the first time he would admit that he was glad they could stand together again. Throughout their life, he was the only person who could share his pain. A single, crimson-eye glowed in the darkness while the other glared ominously in preparation for the final battle, the beginning of the end. Without the other, they stood no chance against Kaguya Otsutsuki, who with her great power hung in the air as she gazed upon the new world set before her. Sasuke breathed deeply. Behind him, Naruto's sun-kissed hair swayed in the evening breeze, a mixture of sweat and blood dampening his blonde tresses.

Naruto's blue eyes looked upon the downed figures of his comrades. Bodies of the deceased and living lay scattered amongst a war-torn battlefield, their minds trapped in an eternal genjutsu. Only Sakura and Kakashi had managed to escape, Sasuke's Susanoo protecting them from the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

"This chakra, it's on a completely different level."

Sasuke scowled upon seeing Kaguya descend upon the earth. Long white hair fell in waves as the great beauty gazed upon them with the grace of a deity. Two brown horns stuck out from her head while a third eye lay in the center of her forehead. His gaze moving down, Sasuke could discern her wearing a white, high-collared kimono with black, tomoe-shaped designs running down the center and the edges of her gown. All in all, she looked like nobility, but for Sasuke, her appearance was secondary in regards to something much more sinister. Rather, he was more disturbed by the monstrous amount of potent chakra that was emanating from her body, giving him visions of a vast ocean that seemed to have no end. It had instantly set him on edge. Never before had he felt this type of energy, almost suffocating him as she edged closer. Naruto, meanwhile, fared a little better, due to his own powerful chakra from the other tailed beasts.

Kaguya's white, clear eyes stared blankly at the two men, her feet hanging just above the ground. A smile played on her lips. "I see my son has gifted you with our power," she observed.

"You're Kaguya Otsutsuki…" Sasuke stated, matter-of-factly.

"Hagoromo has told you who I am, and yet, neither of you are him nor Hamura." Kaguya pumped chakra into her eyes, the surrounding veins quickly protruding as she activated her Byakugan. "I see… so it is Indra and Ashura's spirit that I sense within you. It's been many years since I've last felt their chakra."

"Why are you here, Kaguya? What's your intention?" Kakashi readied himself. He had seen what she had done to Madara's body; coupled with the Sage's warnings, it was highly unlikely she was to be trusted nor did she intend to end this peacefully.

Kaguya paused for a moment. A reflection came off Naruto and Sasuke, two different faces layering over their own. "This world… there is too much violence and destruction. I cannot allow the consequences of both my sons mistakes to damage it any longer," she said.

"I simply want peace."

"Peace? By sealing everyone away and their chakra? Doesn't seem like a peace to me. More like subjugation," Sasuke growled.

"And yet, those who desire peace, also crave power to enforce it. Is that the full capability of humanity, to breed an eternal cycle where one must sacrifice the other in order to achieve their goal? To use fear as a weapon and enforcer who suppresses the weak, creating hatred and jealousy? This hypocrisy has gone on long enough. By subjugating free-will, there will be no more conflict."

"With you holding all the power."

Kaguya scowled. Alas, yet in this age no one could understand the true path to peace. "All chakra came from me, and thus, I intend to take it back. Without chakra, man could truly be equal, and I will make things right again."

Her smile turned cruel.

"I see you do not agree with my plans. The stubbornness of my sons has carried on through the ages. My love for them has clouded my judgement."

Reality began to shift as she said this while hardened bones were slowly emerging from her hands.

"Vanish. Begone from this world."

Sasuke then felt the temperature in the air to have risen dramatically, but what stunned him the most was that he had suddenly found himself falling.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, reaching for his partner. Sasuke quickly performed the necessary hand seals and put out his hand.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Almost instantly, following Sasuke's command and the sudden burst of chakra came a large cloud of smoke that, as it began to clear, revealed the appearance of a large hawk. Brown feathers covered its body, while there were darker areas along it's back and wings along with its tail. There were also markings of a deeper shade of brown around its eyes as well as red ones along the sides of its beak.

Knowing it's summoner's intentions, without a word the hawk immediately swooped in and caught the alarmed Uchiha on it's back. Acting quickly, it then turned mid-flight and once again dove in to catch Naruto in its claws just moments before he had crashed.

"I'm fine, you idiot! Where's Sakura and Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto asked, looking around. Reality had changed to a hellish landscape. Lava coated the ground and they now looked to be in some sort of cave. In the distance, he could see a large, active volcano, which towered over everything else.

"They're fine. Kakashi used a scroll as rope and tied it to a kunai. He's got Sakura with him," Sasuke replied, his mind quickly going to work to figure out what just happened before producing multiple conclusions.

"What about Obito!?"

"He's over there." Sasuke nudged his head. One of Obito's hands was impaled to the walls of the cave with a kunai, most likely by Kakashi. "His hand's only held up by a kunai though. If he doesn't wake up soon I doubt he's gonna make it." Sasuke watched as Sakura's headband fell off her head and into the boiling lava below. He grimaced as he watched it melt. 'So this really isn't just a genjutsu…'

"Naruto, this isn't just some trick. This world's the real thing," Sasuke stated, grimly. Naruto's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean—"

"She just transported us to a different dimension."

Sasuke scowled further. He found his eyes trained once again on the nearly divine being who caused this mess. She had barely moved an inch, unaffected by the intense heat of this dimension. Her white eyes watched them with blank curiosity.

"Naruto, there's something you need to know," Sasuke started, his back turned to him. The tone in his voice was serious, more so than usual, coupled with a dark sense of foreboding. Naruto's ears instantly perked up.

"If either one of us dies, then it's the end, and the end of our world. The Yang chakra the Sage gave you, along with my Yin chakra — it's the only thing that can stop her. We can't fight her and kill her directly, that's impossible. All we can do is seal her." Sasuke looked him in the eye, his Sharingan spinning. "We must not die, understand? Even if it means sacrificing the others."

The revelation struck Naruto hard, almost like the day when Sasuke pierced through his chest with his Chidori. It was a difficult pill to swallow. If it came to it, he would have to sacrifice Sakura and Kakashi in order for the shinobi world to survive. A sacrifice that was too much to bear. Naruto hated the thought of it, truly he did with all his heart and soul, but really what choice did he have? It was a logical stance, as in reality despite what he wanted to believe; both he and Sasuke understood the stakes. What was more alarming for him, however, was how easily Sasuke had taken to it, as if he had truly cut ties with them all and saw them as mere pawns than former comrades. It struck a nerve with him, but for the sake of everyone he pushed the feeling down for the moment. He would be damned if he allowed his emotions to take control and let Kaguya get to his teammates first.

"I… I get it. But just like that time on the bridge, I can't stop myself if my body moves on it's own."

"Hn." Sasuke scoffed, his eyes never leaving Kaguya as he ignored the grim looks from his former teammates. "Just remember what I said."

Understanding the severity of the situation, Sakura couldn't help herself grimace as she cast her eyes down and felt the tears well up. Unknown to him, or possibly due to his own callousness, Sasuke's words had struck her like a knife to the heart. For years, ever since their first day together as a team, she had always been the weak one, always the one who was left behind, and she cursed at her inability. While she was powerful in her own right, Sakura could do little in comparison to her teammates. It wasn't due to her not working hard enough – in fact, it could be said she had put more blood sweat and tears into her skills than anyone on her team. But each time she took a single step – Naruto and Sasuke would just as quickly outclass her and improve with little to no effort, further widening the chasm between them.

"Let's go, Naruto!"

"Right!"

Sakura was suddenly snapped from her thoughts as her eyes followed the two, who now began their assault. Great bursts of power echoed throughout the cave, sending shockwaves of chakra flying past her face.

'This is... they're incredible!' Sakura could only watch with wide eyes as what could only be described as titans of power clashed before her. As she continued to observe the battle, the first thing that crossed her mind was that how could a single shinobi possess so much power, but then she stopped herself when she remembered that it was Naruto and Sasuke, two amazing people who she knew were unstoppable together. Naruto's Sage chakra combined with the Nine-Tails was breathtaking to watch, his chakra bright and warm like a clear summer's day, while Sasuke's imposing Susanoo moved to end this battle quickly, himself an avatar of swift and cruel justice. During the war, the combined strength of the two shinobi were enough to match a reincarnated Madara with the power of the Ten-Tails' chakra, almost defeating him in the process. Now, with everyone else trapped in Kaguya's illusion, both Naruto and Sasuke were their world's last hope, the last line of defence against a tyranny that would destroy their very lives and the shinobi world forever.

Waves of opposing chakra forced themselves against one another as great winds billowed in response to their power. Naruto clenched his teeth and put out his arm as he attempted to stop Kaguya's charge with a Rasengan, utilising the full force of his and Kurama's chakra to stop the god-like being. It would proved to be unfruitful, however, as Naruto would feel himself become gradually overwhelmed in the power struggle. Unlike Madara, Kaguya's power was on a completely different level. As the first user of chakra, Kaguya's was far more potent than anything he had ever encountered, and he understood why in their final battle Hagoromo and Hamura could only manage to seal her. Eventually, feeling himself grow weaker and numbness beginning to seep into his outstretched arm, his own strength was unable to handle much more. Naruto's Rasengan was quickly forced back and finally wavered in the exchange as the rebound effect sent him hurtling into the air, with Sasuke having to shoulder the offensive himself as he made his own attack.

It was all for naught, however, when Kaguya, with a burst of her own power, batted away Sasuke and his Susanoo aside like a simple pest. Exerting even more of her chakra, she quickly dissipated the Susanoo and forced a massive explosion of energy, catapulting Sasuke towards the lava below.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed, still suffering the effects of Kaguya's power. 'Damn it, I can't stop!'

A safe distance away, Naruto's clone had managed to grab hold of Sakura, Kakashi, and Obito, and quietly slipped away from the battle with the rest of his team. As she and Kakashi watched the exchange, Obito still unconscious, Sakura couldn't help but find herself shocked at the quick turn of events. She had thought that maybe the two would be able to gang up and overwhelm the goddess, but she had overestimated their abilities. Finding it hard to admit, but Sakura could see that Kaguya appeared to be almost too much for the dynamic duo, with the goddess countering everything the two were throwing at her. She felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. As desperation and hopelessness slowly began to settle in, Sakura realised the situation was quickly turning grim.

'No, I can still do this!' Sakura gritted her teeth and tightened her fists. If this was the end, then she'd be damned if she was going down without a fight!

There was movement over the abandoned battlefield, the soft pitter-patter of footsteps tapping against the rocks as a single shinobi raced to his destination. Around him, a vast empty land with no signs of life, everyone he knew being encased in white cocoons as their personalities and individuality were slowly being drained away. Without Kaguya's defeat, they would forever lay trapped under the power of the red moon, its light spread across the world.

When he had arrived, the shinobi bowed slightly, despite him being of the same rank as his colleagues. "Sorry I'm late, Lord First. Were you able to find anything?"

The aforementioned First Hokage, Hashirama, shook his head. "There's no one here, Lord Fourth. All that's left is the lower half of Madara's body."

"I see. So without the upper half, is it safe to assume that the threat of Madara is over? But there's something else, something that unsettles me…"

"Either way, it seems Madara has completed his Infinite Tsukuyomi," Tobirama cut in. "And apparently, those revived with the Edo Tensei are unaffected. My apologies for cutting you off, Lord Fourth. Please, continue."

Minato nodded his head in thanks. "I was able to cut a part of the God Tree to try to free the people trapped in the genjutsu, but sadly there was no effect. Instead, the tree reacted and provided another layer of protection over itself."

"I've faced a similar reaction as well," Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, added.

"Then there's no other alternative. We need Madara to update us on the situation. While it disgusts me to say, but the Edo Tensei may have some good use after all. If we use his lower body as a catalyst, we can revive him and force him to explain everything," Tobirama stated grimly.

There was an almost negative reaction to his suggestion, but the two other Hokage relented, as there was some logic to his plan. Without Madara, they had no knowledge of the genjutsu or the means to stop it. They maybe had some information from what they had gathered during the war with Akatsuki, but it wasn't enough to put to use. In addition, none of them possessed a Rinnegan, thus they were truly in the deep end without any of the required materials.

"No, brother. I do not support this. To use the Edo Tensei requires a living sacrifice. We will not sacrifice a valuable life from this generation to repair the errors of our time. We will find another way!" Hashirama said, a fire burning in his eyes.

Tobirama frowned, shaking his head. His beloved older brother had always been stubborn to a fault. Whenever life presented him with a choice, he would always choose the one that would benefit those he cared about the most. While Tobirama would admit he himself was more pragmatic, choosing to look into the long-term and improve the lives of the next generation, his brother would always live in the present, never minding the past or the future. It's what set him apart from the rest of the shinobi, and how he was the closest of his time to achieve true peace. Crowds of followers would instantly be drawn to him, and instead of fearing Hashirama, they revered him like a god.

His scowl then turned into a soft smile, evoking a memory of the time when the shinobi of the world stood to follow the leadership of a certain blonde haired individual. That boy…. he was truly a splitting image of his brother. Maybe the Kyūbi's jinchūriki would be the one to achieve his dream?

While momentarily lost in his thoughts, Tobirama was left unprepared when a sudden, large burst of energy spewed from Madara's remains. Feeling the air grow thicker, like the coming of a storm, he could do little to prepare himself as his head snapped to the source, eyes widening in astonishment. What was happening? Did Madara have another fail-safe in case he failed? He looked at Hashirama, who had taken a step back from the corpse and watched as a torrent of energy swirled around it before suddenly gaining form.

"You are truly like my youngest son, Hashirama Senju."

"Y-you must be—"

"My name is Hagoromo. You may know me as the Sage of Six Paths."

There was a stunned silence. The Sage of Six Paths, the father of the ninja world. Staring into a set of eyes that had been held in the same regard as the wielder itself, they could only feel themselves become overcome with a sense of awe.

This was the man who had founded their very way of life. No words could properly describe his sheer contribution to their history, the closest description being the 'God of Shinobi'. He was garbed in a white, full-length kimono with six magatama patterned around a high collar. Beneath the collar, a necklace also made up of six magatama lay around his neck. On his face, a pair of horn-like protrusions extended from either side of his forehead, with something resembling a Rinnegan residing between the two odd appendages. His legs were folded underneath him as he floated above the ground, balanced by the sheer force of his legendary chakra.

Hagoromo had a somber look about him. "Unfortunately, I have not come to bear the brightest news to you all. It seems a great tragedy has occurred, something which I could not have foreseen."

That brought about an alarmed reaction. "What do you mean? What's happened to them, Lord Sage?"

"I fear the worst is upon us. I had felt a shift when I arrived. My mother has killed the ones who had accompanied Naruto and Sasuke. Their resistance and the power I have gifted them has forced her to make a change to her plans. She has now chosen to eliminate them rather than simply steal their chakra."

Minato's eyes widened in shock. That meant… Kakashi and Sakura…

"What about Obito? Is he still alive?"

Hagoromo closed his eyes. A great amount of emotion swirled within him, feelings of loss and grief. Though he did not show it, he could relate with the blonde-haired man, knowing what it was like to lose the ones you love. Maybe it was time to initiate that.

"He has also failed against my mother in battle. Naruto and Sasuke are the only ones left, though I fear not for much longer," he sadly revealed.

The news had hit him like a wave. His mind raced as he tried to think of a plan to prevent the inevitable, but ominous conclusion. Not only was he doing this for the world, but also as a father, and he was not going to fail Naruto again. Minato scrunched his face in concentration, focusing on whatever he could think to do to help his son.

"Lord Sage, would there be a way to hide Naruto and his friend from Kaguya for the time being, until they are ready at least?"

Hagoromo had a pensive look as he nodded. "Yes, there is a way to avert this. I will weave the signs for the jutsu, but it will require a vast amount of chakra which I do not have." His eyes narrowed. "There is very little time. I ask you to just do as I say."

Their battered, bruised bodies throbbed all over. They had been fighting for hours now, and that was without including the two days of non-stop fighting they had during the war. During the battle, there were times when Sasuke had to hold back and control his former friend, whose heart was filled to the brim with rage over losing the ones he had loved the most. If he had not stopped him, then Naruto would have been left to the same fate as the rest of them, dooming everyone to a life without hope.

Slowly, flakes of white snow fell from the sky, blanketing the ground in a white carpet. No longer were they in the hellish dimension Kaguya had sent them to initially. Rather, they were now in the opposite. This new world was filled with vast fields of ice, which peaked with frozen canyons and mountains that covered the land. Thick, grey clouds layered over the sky like a mother protecting her young, shielding the earth from sunlight.

"Naruto… how much chakra do you have left…?" Sasuke panted, his breath coming out in white puffs as he spoke. He was running on fumes, his right eye already having reverted back to it's original dark, onyx color. Naruto didn't fare much better, however, as he looked like he was ready to collapse. But luckily, his Six Paths Sage Mode was still active, the yellow chakra emanating from his body like flickering flames.

"I… can still go on, exhausted as hell… but I ain't done yet! Not after what she's done!" Naruto cried determinedly.

The two teens steadied themselves, forcing their weary bodies to stand upright. Kaguya, still floating above them like a god amongst mortals, watched them with interest as they planned their next move.

"Mother, you need to preserve the chakra you've got for an emergency. I'd advise not to continue engaging them together. You use a huge amount of chakra whenever you change dimensions," Black Zetsu warned, still hidden within the sleeve of her kimono.

Kaguya narrowed her eyes. Her supposed 'son' was correct. While it was not outwardly obvious, she was already beginning to feel the effects of the large drain on her reserves.

Constantly switching dimensions was not something she could do without consequence. Despite being the only person capable of the technique, Amenominaka, rewriting the entire time-space of a world took a huge toll and effort from her. Something that was only possible from the chakra gifted to her by the God Fruit.

"If we don't kill them now then our plans with the Infinite Tsukuyomi will only be interrupted again. These pests are too much of a bothersome to live," Black Zetsu growled viciously.

"I shall eliminate one of them first. After that, it will become much easier," Kaguya said, activating her third eye, the Rinne-Sharingan,on her forehead.

Reality began to twist once again. In the blink of an eye, what Sasuke had previously saw as a frozen wasteland warped to a completely different dimension. This time, a pink sky hung above while the ground was littered with green, pyramid-like constructs. Cerulean colored hills stood in the distance; it's formation curling to surround them on all sides. But the change in appearance was not the most surprising. Both he and Naruto were forcibly brought to their knees as they felt the pressure of the gravity of this world. It was nigh unbearable.

"My body it's… it's so heavy…what the hell is with this gravity?!" Naruto strained himself to say.

"This is crazy… why would she—" Sasuke stopped. He saw Kaguya in a similar situation of their own, her own otherworldly power unable to fully resist the gravitational pressure of her own dimension.

'I see, so she's on the same boat as us. But why would she come to this dimension if she were to limit herself as well?'

Sasuke slowly was able to put the pieces of her plan together though, when his eyes narrowed as he trained his line of sight on her. Despite the gravity, Kaguya had managed to carefully lift both of her arms, palms facing in both their directions.

'Damn it, with this gravity, we're sitting ducks!'

"Sasuke! We have to move!"

Ash colored bones began to emerge from the palms of her hand. From her kimono's sleeve, Black Zetsu's smile turned to a mocking grin as his whole being raced with excitement.

"Yes, do it, Mother! Let's finish these guys once and for all!"

Naruto cursed under his breath. He was forcing his body to move as fast as it can. To his dismay, the strain of the battle and his previous fatigue, coupled with the additional strain from the intense gravity, made it rather difficult to do so.

Naruto grimaced. He was not going to die here. He was going to live, to free his friends from the genjutsu and become Hokage, goddamn it. Images began to flash before Naruto's eyes. His parents. Kakashi. Sakura. Obito.

He failed them, and now, until his last breath, he was not going to fail them again. They had entrusted him with their dreams, to live in a world free of violence and hate. As he remembered his promise, the images started to change. Naruto saw himself looking upon his home village, himself wearing a familiar set of robes and headpiece. He looked older, possibly in his mid to late twenties, his hair cut shorter than what it was now. He saw the relaxed faces of the villagers, free from the threat of war and happily living their lives. He saw the Konoha 11, his old friends, having grown older with families of their own. He saw Sasuke, finally having redeemed himself, serving as his right-hand in maintaining balance and order between Konoha and the other shinobi nations. He saw that he had aged again, this time as old as the Third, himself passing on his hat to the future, entrusting them to continue his dream. He finally saw himself on his bed, surrounded by his friends and family, as he quietly closed his eyes with one last, brilliant smile.

'Heh, that's really something special, huh?' He thought with a smile. And wouldn't that be something?

Unfortunately, it was never so simple.

"What the—!? Do you feel that, Naruto!?"

Naruto could only nod his head. He had indeed felt a tug; only it was more like he was being pulled to a specific direction. But there was something more alarming though, which set off the alarm bells in his head.

By the gods that was a lot of chakra.

Kaguya herself felt the same thing. She paused. While she wasted her opportunity, it would also be unwise to ignore the oncoming approach of a seemingly mountainous load of chakra.

"Mother, do you think…?"

"Yes, this is Hagoromo's doing."

Not even having a second to react, a large, black portal suddenly appeared behind the two former teammates. Its jagged edges made it appear like it had shattered reality itself, forcing its way onto the physical plane.

"A space-time technique? What the hell is going on?!" Naruto exclaimed, himself being pulled in. Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"I don't know. But whatever it is, I don't want the luxury of finding out!"

With what little chakra he had left to spare, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and quickly called forth a Susanoo. While not having enough to complete a full-bodied one, he was able to summon a partial skeleton with a single, spectral arm, whose claws dug itself deep into the ground as it attempted to hold Sasuke in place.

Naruto, meanwhile, used a pair of chakra arms to anchor himself.

Interestingly, Kaguya remained unaffected.

"They're vulnerable now, Mother!"

Smiling cruelly, Kaguya faced her palms towards the two before she fired her technique.

"Here it comes!"

Naruto watched with trepidation as two ashen-colored bones sailed through the air, each aimed for both of them. The All-Killing Ash Bones. This was the technique that had murdered his friends, the certain kill move that, no matter who it hit, would turn them into ash.

'Damn it, I'm stuck in a blind here!' Naruto cursed, having been forced to make a decision. With the gravity still limiting his movement along with the strength of the mysterious space-time technique, he really had no other choice.

Having little time to explain himself, Naruto let go and allowed the darkness to take him.

"Naruto—ungh!"

Naruto's eyes opened with a jolt. His immediate thoughts were that he could no longer sense Kaguya, which was a relief. Once he felt the blur clear from his eyes and he became more aware of his surroundings, he then noticed that he was now lying in a forest.

"Damn you, stupid idiot…"

Naruto turned his head to the voice. "Sasuke!" Naruto cried as he got to his feet.

"Tsk, guess it's over for us, huh? Well, for me at least…" Sasuke chuckled mournfully, his hands holding on to something on his abdomen. Naruto, though, simply grinned, failing to see what was happening.

"Ah, don't you worry, you cry baby. Kaguya isn't around for now so you'll be just fine after I give you some of my chakra," Naruto said as he stopped and kneeled down to touch Sasuke. He quickly pulled his hand back, like he had been burned, when he saw the part he had just touched turn to dust.

Upon seeing the desolate state of his friend, Naruto's eyes widened dramatically. However, it wasn't until he saw the long, grey rod sticking out of Sasuke's stomach did he feel his heart stand still.

"Sasuke… you were—"

While upon first glance he looked fine, in reality Sasuke was just barely hanging on to life. When Naruto had entered the space-time portal, Sasuke had a lapse in concentration as he tried to save the blonde. This would prove to be his downfall. With his attention divided between saving his friend or facing certain death from Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bones, in addition to having only a moment to decide, he had acted on instinct and done what he thought was now impossible for him.

"That's why you're an idi—" He paused. "Ah, forget it. It's just like that time in Wave, you getting yourself into trouble with me having to bail you out of it," Sasuke said warmly, a small smile on his face as he was reminded of a much simpler time, even if he himself wasn't as simple.

Sasuke then groaned, his smile quickly vanishing and turning into a frown. He furrowed his brows. Now definitely wasn't the time for talk. He had one last mission to do, after all. With his force of will and his own half of the Sage's chakra, he had managed to slow the progress of decay somewhat, but it was still inevitable. Certified genius that he was, there was nothing he could do or ever could be done. Kaguya Otsutsuki's power was absolute. Sasuke Uchiha was going to die this day; there was no doubt about that.

"Listen, Naruto, there's something I need you to do. I need you to take both of my eyes. Do it quickly. They are one of the only things that can stop Kaguya. Without it, there's nothing in this world that could stop the Infinite Tsukuyomi."

Naruto, his mind having been shocked beyond comparison, could only stare dumbly at his dying friend as tears began to leak from his eyes.

"Naruto! Are you listening? You have to do this now! I… I don't have much time left!" Sasuke pleaded, his body beginning to fall apart. His legs were already degrading at a much faster rate than before, the first parts of his body to go.

Snapping out of his stupor, Naruto quickly wiped his eyes before nodding his head.

Moments later, an inhuman scream rang throughout the forest, a voice full of pain and agony that haunted the very hearts of those who heard it. It was the cry of a broken soul who had lived a very misguided life. Blinded by his thirst for revenge, he had lived as a shadow of his former self who, now within moments of his death, realized that his life had taken the wrong path.

When Naruto had finished, a pair of different colored eyes rested in his palm, Sasuke's Sharingan and Rinnegan. Blood dripped from his fingers tips as he held them – he was not a medical-nin like Sakura, therefore he had neither prior training nor preparation for this. In addition, he didn't have any anesthetic, so he had to bottle up his emotions when he was performing the procedure, ignoring the pain he knew his friend was going through.

With his other hand, Naruto pulled a small scroll out from a pouch on his hip. He then hesitantly sealed the objects within the scroll before kneeling down to his friend.

"There… it's done," Naruto said softly, almost tenderly. Sasuke, meanwhile, was a mess. His breathing was heavy, and blood poured from where his eyes had been, his eyelids now closed. Sweat also dripped from his brow from the pain.

"T-thanks, Naruto…" Sasuke rasped. Surprisingly, he was feeling lighter now, like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His face began to crack as the fragments faded into the wind.

After a moment of silence, Naruto spoke up. "Why did you save me? I thought you hated me," Naruto had to ask.

Sasuke groaned as he prepared to speak up again. It was getting harder for him to talk, his throat burning from his body's decay. Naruto inched closer to listen. "Because you're an idiot, that's why. If I had been a split second earlier, then maybe… I could've prevented this. But when I saw you get sucked in, I hesitated and that was all Kaguya needed. It's-it's my fault…" he admitted. "Sorry I'm… leaving everything up to you. You're the hope of this world now. Become Hokage and end this cycle of war and death."

Naruto reached down and cradled Sasuke in his arms. He could only watch, with a heavy heart, as Sasuke faded into dust, but not before seeing an extraordinarily radiant smile on Sasuke's face – a genuine, sincere smile unlike anything Naruto had seen before.

"I believe it."

"Sasuke!"

He broke down. Naruto could not stop himself now. Tears of grief fell from his eyes as an ear-splitting roar rocked through his very being, sending the entire forest into a frenzied panic. All manners of nearby wild life turned and bolted in the opposite direction, spooked from the growing demonic presence building within their home. For any humans in the area, they would have been hit with an overwhelming pressure. It was a power so vast and incomprehensible that nothing could have prepared them for it, forcing them to their knees as a burst of energy filled with anger and loss gripped their hearts.

If that was not enough, within the dark recesses and shadows of the trees, creatures of darkness began to move forth, silently drawn to the negativity.

"Naruto! Calm yourself! If you don't then this whole forest will be destroyed!"

Kurama's words fell for naught, as mere words could not stop his container from releasing all his pent-up feelings. Like a dam collapsing on itself, a deep, primal rage filled Naruto's mind with hate, hate for the world, hate for himself, and most importantly, hate for Kaguya, for destroying his life and the lives of those he considered family.

There's no stopping him now.

If there were a place for her in hell, then he'd be damned sure he'd be the one to put her in it.

"Sorry, this is the best I could do for you guys. After everything that's happened, you deserve this at least."

Naruto kneeled at the foot of a freshly dug grave. Although there had been nothing buried there, it served more as a symbol in memory of his deceased friends. Just like Jiraiya's grave, it was a small monument, with a single rock inscribed with the symbol of Konoha. Sasuke's sword sat on top of the rock, unsheathed as Naruto had decided he would find no use for it during his journey. A fresh collection of carefully selected flowers sat at the front of the grave, having been hand picked by Naruto himself to signify each of his teammates. A rose for Sakura, whose sisterly love and kindness would never be forgotten. An iris for Kakashi, whose loyalty and honor to his village was unmatched. And, finally, a sunflower for Sasuke, who despite his rough and callous personality underlay a genuinely good person, dedicated to doing what he thought was best.

"Sorry, Obito, but I didn't know you that well enough," Naruto began, talking more to himself. "Maybe we can share a bowl of ramen someday."

Taking out a scroll from his pocket, Naruto infused it with a small portion of his chakra before it popped with a small cloud of smoke. As it cleared, Naruto felt another sharp pang strike his heart.

It was a picture of Team 7, back when they had graduated from the Academy. It was simple enough, an official team photo organized by Kakashi to keep a record of as shinobi of Konoha. But for Naruto, it had meant so much more. It was a picture of his family — they were not related, but he had thought of them as his family. People he loved and treated as close as blood. Without them, he would not be the person he was today. As an orphan, he grew up never knowing what it was like to be loved, to feel the love of parents or brothers and sisters. So he had replaced them with his friends, who he knew cared about him all the same. And that was enough.

"Thank you, for everything. Kakashi-sensei, thank you. For always being there for me. You and Iruka-sensei were like the fathers I've never had, and even though you tried so hard to keep all of us together," Naruto made an apologetic grin and rubbed the back of his head, being reminded of a certain Uchiha. "Sometimes we get a few bad eggs in the group."

"Sakura, I may have loved you differently before, but I think I understand what love means now. My feelings evolved into something much more special, and I feel like it's how we became closer. I never knew what it was like to have a sister, or girlfriend, but since meeting you, it didn't matter. You were always there for me, and you always watched my back. And both of us tried to make each other happy no matter what. So thanks… Sakura. I'll always love you." His eyes then shifted slightly to look at the sunflower, his fists tightening.

"You know, I never got the chance to beat some sense into you, for leaving us like that. You know how worried you made all of us?! You were my brother!" Naruto screamed, unable to stop the wetness in his eyes again. "We almost lost you. We were ordered by the village to kill you on sight. I…I wouldn't let that happen. I couldn't. But the path you chose, it was somewhere where I couldn't follow, and you almost left me with no choice," Naruto lamented. He wiped his eyes.

"But it doesn't matter now, right? I'm still alive while you moved on. It's funny; I'm the last one in our family now, just like you had been the last Uchiha. Funny, huh, how things turn out that way, am I right, Sasuke?" Naruto snorted, a sad smile slowly forming on his lips. He then picked himself up and turned his back to the grave, looking up at the sky.

A new day had dawned, now that he mentioned it; Naruto realized that today was October 10. He chuckled mirthlessly, as if he had just heard the punch line of a really bad joke. It seems like Kaguya was not done beating him to the ground just yet, like she was cursing his very existence. Adding to what was already a long list of personal tragedies that had occurred on this day, the deaths of his teammates further desecrated and added to what was, for him, one of the saddest days of his life.

October 10. It was the day when Kurama attacked Konoha. The day his parents died. The day the Nine-Tails was sealed within him after his parents loving sacrifice.

And now, years later, the day that Team 7 died.

A day he'd like to forget, even though it was the day, many years ago, when a certain blonde-haired Uzumaki was born.

There was a reason why Naruto hated his birthday.

"I'll make things right, I promise. And you know me…" Naruto said, clutching his heart. Even though his face didn't show it, inwardly he was holding back a great torrent of emotion, trying to fight back the crippling loneliness that had plagued him for so long.

The scars would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"I never go back on my word. It's my ninja way."

AN: First things first, I put up a poll on my profile in order to get you guys, the readers, to share some of your opinions with me in regards to some plot elements. However, that doesn't mean that the poll will influence the story. Maybe it will sometimes, but I already have most of this story planned out so I'd rather not deviate from my ideas unless someone could suggest better.

Anyways, it's been a while since I've been on this website, so hello and welcome to this little project of mine! And this time I'm back with an RWBY crossover. I've watched up to halfway of Volume 3 at this moment, so excuse me if I miss anything or made a mistake with some characters. I'll definitely finish everything as soon as I can, but to be honest I'd rather hold back on starting Volume 4 until Volume 5 comes out, since then I wouldn't have to wait too long for new content. All in all, it feels good to be back, and I've actually already started on Chapter 3 of this story. Chapter 2 is completed and will be posted when I'm done with Chapter 3 or halfway done with Chapter 4, so I apologise if you guys were expecting something soon. My plans for updating this are that I am at least one or two chapters ahead before I post, so that in case anything happens I at least have a backup or if I made a mistake, I could rectify it as soon as possible in the next chapter. It also helps with keeping my interest with this story, since as you know for those who have been long-term fans of me, I have a commitment problem when it comes to my stories.

So that's it, guys! To those who've read it, thanks for checking out my story, and please check out the poll on my profile or leave your responses in a review!