Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ With arms wide open ❯ Resolution ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter IX - Resolution

 

 

“Damn you, Orochimaru,” Sasuke spat silently. He knew that trusting the bastard wasn't a smart thing to do, but what other choice did he have? Naruto would have been all but consumed by the monster inside him if Sasuke didn't find a way to get rid of it first. But you don't have to worry about that anymore, his inner voice mocked, now Orochimaru got his paws on Naruto just like he always wanted, and you helped him with it.

 

Squeezing his eyes shut, Sasuke let out a shaky breath and leaned against a nearby tree. His thoughts were an incoherent jumble in his head, his feelings were a mess. He was stuck between tears and hysterical laughter, unsure which one of these two would be more appropriate at the moment. He couldn't help but wonder if Naruto will ever forgive him if he explained his actions. The blond was known for never keeping a grudge, but this was the second time Sasuke betrayed his trust and frankly, in Naruto's place, he wouldn't have forgiven him even the first time. There is simply so much a person can let slide.

 

Don't worry, Sasuke's inner voice added matter-of-factly, he won't live long enough to decide whether to forgive you or not.

 

Sasuke's eyes shot open at that thought. If what Orochimaru said was true, then Naruto didn't have much time to live as an identity. He had few weeks, a month at best, before Kyuubi will take over his body and he would turn into nothing but a vessel for the monster's chakra. And then…

Gulping audibly, Sasuke recalled his previous encounters with Naruto when he borrowed a tiny portion of Kyuubi's chakra. And then it will all be over, not only for Naruto but for all Konoha.

 

Suddenly, Sasuke sensed a faint flow of a very potent chakra coming from somewhere north from where he stood. It wasn't just strong, but almost evil, not to mention poorly controlled. It was almost as though someone else was interfering and messing with it. Sasuke knew only two people to posses such an outrageous chakra, and one of them was already dead. And the other could be dying…

 

With that thought in mind, he pushed away from the tree and ran northward as fast as his legs allowed him.

 

--

 

 

“How are you feeling, Naruto-kun?” Orochimaru purred, grinning from ear to ear. That voice never failed to send shivers down Naruto's spine, chilling him to the core every single time they met. They stood perfectly still, neither of them trying to skip the unnecessary conversation and move straight to the inevitable battle. Orochimaru needed that time to try his best and spur nonsense in the other's direction, but Naruto could no longer be intimidated by words alone. More than anything, Naruto was surprised to meet with the legendary nin for the second time, especially this early after his defeat. One would think Orochimaru knew when to back off, but apparently the bastard finally reached the level of insanity necessary to become suicidal.

 

Naruto clenched and unclenched his fists, the action somewhat calming him. “I'm better.”

Much better, he thought as he recalled the pain that shot through him whenever someone tried to initiate any sort of physical contact. That memory brought back another one, which involved a certain dark haired shinobi and a second betrayal. Orochimaru chose that precise moment to speak, as though picking up Naruto's train of thought.

 

“Sasuke-kun didn't hurt you too much, did he? I specifically ordered him to make sure you survived the little stab.”

 

It took Naruto an enormous amount of self-control to keep the surprise from surfacing to his face. One does a lot of thinking when confined to a hospital bed, and Naruto was no exception. The blond knew that stabbing him wasn't something the Uchiha decided on the spur of the moment. He probably had been planning it for god knows how long, patiently regaining his trust so that he wouldn't even consider the thought that Sasuke might betray him again, let alone wound him mortally. Sasuke waited for the day when Naruto would trust him with his life, and used that trust against him. Naruto figured it all out on the second day of his hospitalization, but one question remained unanswered - Why? Why would Sasuke, or anyone else for that matter, go through all the trouble of regaining someone's trust only to break it again? I believe Orochimaru just answered that question for me.

 

“So he did this,” Naruto pointed at himself,” just to please you?” He squinted at the nin grinning knowingly before him. “I don't buy it.”

 

That caught Orochimaru by surprise, and the look on his face switched from smug to curious in a matter of seconds. “Ho? You still believe in him?”

 

Che, yeah right. By now, Naruto had no doubt that he despised Sasuke. He was naïve to give him a second chance, but he did it partly for Sakura's sake. Once, when he still believed there was hope for the Uchiha, he had promised to bring him back to Konoha. Today he looked at the world from a different angle… You cannot save those who do not wish to be saved.

 

“What have you promised him this time?” Naruto asked, truly interested. “He is already strong enough to bring you down, if he wanted to, so power is out of the question. I just can't see what else you could give that is of any value to him.”

 

Orochimaru watched him for a moment before starting to laugh uncontrollably. The irritating sound didn't even resemble a normal laughter, but rather a mix between chokes and high pitched cries that made Naruto sick to the stomach. There's no way that guy is human, the blond thought and flinched as the laughter grew louder. Angered beyond belief, Naruto was just about to tell the bastard that he didn't quite get the joke when he suddenly picked up the sense of a very familiar chakra close by. He hoped that it wasn't who he thought it was, but seeing the owner of the chakra in person a moment later cleared all doubt.

 

“Sa—Sasuke?” the blond managed to choke out, his anger subsiding temporarily. He watched the one he used to consider his rival and best friend stand mere feet away, looking at him silently. He hadn't imagined their encounter to be in such a place. In fact, he was sure they would never meet again, not after all that's happened, and yet here they were, standing face to face in the same part of the forest where Sasuke informed him that he was leaving after plunging that kunai into his chest, only this time they were separated by feet of air and a megalomaniac psycho in a laughing fit. They were rooted to the ground, their faces expressionless, simply because none of the existing facial expressions could accurately display what they felt at the moment.

 

Orochimaru stopped laughing when he noticed that he was no longer the center of attention. He looked between the two ex-teammates and once again silently thanked Sasuke for his blind trust. You really did exactly what I told you, not questioning my words even once, he thought with amusement. But I wonder why you are that desperate to get rid of the Kyuubi, Sasuke-kun.

 

“My my, isn't it my loyal follower. Thank you for making an appearance, Sasuke-kun. I was eager to test out Naruto's new powers, but I don't particularly feel like dying in the process.” Orochimaru watched with growing glee as his words registered in the bond's mind, making something akin to fear and hesitation grace his features. Orochimaru knew that by now Naruto was aware of the destructive power the dark chakra possessed. If anything, the fear in the blond's eyes was the fear of his own power.

“You can fight him,” Orochimaru added and now watched Sasuke for a reaction. The shinobi in question didn't break Naruto's gaze as he answered with determination, “I will not fight him. This wasn't what we agreed upon.”

 

The thought that Sasuke was Orochimaru's ally crossed Naruto's mind countless times, and Uchiha's latest words was all the confirmation Naruto needed. “You bastard,” the blond growled, staring daggers at his ex-teammate. “'I will not fight him, not what we agreed upon' - saying those things… have you really never left Orochimaru's side?” the blond asked, unconsciously letting a small amount of hurt slip into his voice. “Were you really nothing but a spy all along? The smiles, the fights… were all meaningless to you? The time we spent together - was it all fake?”

 

Hearing Naruto throw questions in such a hysterical voice brought back memories from long ago. Sasuke recalled that back then, Naruto had the same face, the same look in his eyes - disbelief and betrayal mixed together into tears of anger. Today, however, there were no tears flowing down the scarred cheeks. Naruto matured over the years, to the point where he no longer radiated heat and warmth. His feelings were there, but now restrained and carefully guarded, and Sasuke was angry at himself for reducing Naruto to this state.

 

“Naruto… we will discuss it later, now come—“

 

“No! I had enough,” The blond interrupted Sasuke's carefully structured speech and swiftly took out the bloody kunai from his pocket, getting into a defensive stance. “Looks familiar?”

 

Sasuke recognized the weapon, and even more he recognized the blood crusted on it. He didn't have the opportunity to formulate an answer as the blond added in a low voice. “We end this now, Uchiha.”