Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 51 The lost and the lonely

“Sakura,” Kakashi said, “were you going to kill Sasuke on your own?” Sakura looked down. “There is no need for you to take that burden yourself,” Kakashi said softly, “as leader of team seven, it’s my fault this has happened. I… said things to you I shouldn’t have, to try and assure you everything would be alright. Maybe I was just trying to reassure myself. Sorry. I haven’t been a good sensei.”

“That’s not true,” Sakura whispered.

“Sasuke,” Kakashi turned to him, “I don’t like saying things over and over, but I will tell you one more time… don’t be consumed by revenge.”
Sasuke started chuckling, but it soon changed into a loud laughter. There was an insane look in his eyes and Taryn eyed it concerned.
“Bring me Itachi,” Sasuke said in a dead voice, “…and my father… my mother… bring me my clan! Then I will stop!”
“Sasuke,” Taryn whispered.
“I don’t want to kill you,” Kakashi said calmly.

“Heh,” Sasuke said, still that same look in his eyes, “you say that like you actually could. Don’t act like I’m still your student. I’ve been dying to kill you, Kakashi.”

Next to Kakashi, Taryn clenched her fists. “I won’t let you do that,” she said though her teeth.
“You!” Sasuke spat, “I despise you. Always going on about how much you loved Itachi, but his body isn’t even cold or you’re already with Kakashi.”

“How dare…” Kakashi started, but Taryn already charged at Sasuke. Quick as lightning she moved up to him. And punched him square in the face. She caught him by surprise and he rubbed his jaw. “Heh,” he scoffed and gave her a threatening look, “you really shouldn’t have done that.”

Lightning circled around his arm and around his body.

“Taryn!” Kakashi shouted, but Taryn had already dodged the attack. He glared at Sasuke with a look of pure hate.

“Taryn, no!” Kakashi yelled.
“Stay out of it!” she snarled and activated her Byakugan. She charged at Sasuke.

Sasuke came at her with Chidori. Just before she reached him, he stuck out his lightning blade. Taryn gracefully stepped around it, swirled and slammed her flat hand against his arm. Immediately Sasuke’s chakra level dropped an he glared at her. Taryn quickly used her Gentle Fist technique on him, but he blocked her attack just as fast.

“Sakura,” Kakashi said softly while eyeing the fight concerned, “take that girl and go somewhere safe. See if you can heal her most urgent wounds. She may have useful information.”
“But sensei…”
“Don’t argue with me now Sakura.’
Sakura lifted Karin and carried her to the far wall. She would get out of the line of fire, but there was no way she was gong to leave. She eyed the two fighters concerned. She still wasn’t sure what Taryn was doing here. At first she had believed Taryn had sided with Sasuke.  But now she and Sasuke were fighting each other. And they seemed quite serious about it.

Lightning was flying everywhere as Sasuke blocked Taryn’s Gentle Fists. They both cast each other to opposite sides of the bridge and glared at each other panting.

Taryn took out her fan and threw a heavy wind attack at Sasuke. He took several  cuts and dropped to one knee. His lightning attacks would be useless against her wind, but he could still wound her with it. He charged at her head on with Chidori.
Taryn dropped her fan and ran at him with her activated Byakugan. On the middle of the bridge their attacks clashed and the world seemed to come to a standstill.

“For the peace of Konoha, and most of all for you Uchiha Sasuke, he desired to die a criminal and a traitor.”

“Promise me you’ll never tell him.”
“I promise.”

Itachi was carrying a young Sasuke, on his back. Sasuke’s arms were loosely around Itachi’s neck and he was smiling.