|||17+//AU Naruto||| Above and Beyond the Stars

ＰＲＯＬＯＧＵＥ

Sasuke sat upon the makeshift futon, not entirely sure of what his future held... if he had a future at all. Though it was true that he had worked to save the United Shinobi Nations towards the end of the War, it was also true that Sasuke Uchiha had committed many crimes both before and during said War. The world was now at peace, somewhat thanks to him. Would that be enough to save what remained of his life? Better yet, did he want it to be?

For the majority of his time spent alive, Sasuke had been the illusion that his elder brother had been a heinous monster that killed off their entire clan for the simple sake of testing his abilities. After years of nothing but hatred, Sasuke killed his once beloved sibling to only discover shortly thereafter that Itachi Uchiha had done so under orders. That meant that he needed to avenge his dearest Nii-san after avenging his clan, making revenge the only thing that poor Sasuke had known for just about nineteen years. It made him think; were those years wasted? Would he go back and change things if given the chance? He had become quite strong, but he had isolated himself to obtain his current level of power. Perhaps, just perhaps, the young Uchiha would not be in this situation if he had instead chosen to remain with his second family- with Team Seven.

I'll see my family soon at least, the grim thought greeted the male.

Suddenly, the door to his cell opened with a near deafening creak as the old metal was made to work. Dawn was the previously appointed time for his trial, but Sasuke realised that things must have changed when a slender man approached him. Just like he himself, the individual had long and spiked hair of the same blue black colour. They, too, shared the pale complexion to their flesh as much as their dark eyes reflected the same horrors of an unjust life.

"Do you want to live?" the elder man asked of him.

Do I?

"I can save your life, Sasuke Uchiha."

"What if I need not saved?" Sasuke felt uneasy.

Why does he seem so familiar?

"Trust me, the life that you'll lead after this upcoming morning is not one that anyone would truly consider a life."

"How do you know that?"

I did threaten to destroy Konohagakure...

The middle aged man shook his head, giving off an amused chuckle.

"Just trust me. I can send you to a different timeline, a new dimension, where your li-"

"I refuse to run from my fate."

This time, the old man's chuckle was not of amusement. Sasuke could hear the underling tone of sheer bitterness that hid beneath the polite words and simplistic manners. It truly made him ponder just what kind of Hell that this man had survived through to turn him into this.

"You don't have a choice," said the mysterious man.

By this time, Sasuke realised that he hadn't been sent by Tsunade. He questioned if this stranger even came from the Hidden Leaf. Before he could react, Sasuke was grabbed by the other male and put under a paralysis jutsu. Watching helplessly, Sasuke had no other choice but to lay there as the other male weaved signs. Activating his Sharingan to at least give himself one advantage, Sasuke's eyes widened in shocked horror.

He did not have time for questions, however, as he was lifted and tossed into the newly opened portal. Once the younger man was gone, the stranger heaved a sigh of relief. Weaving his last set of signs, he used the Transformation Jutsu. After the smoke had cleared, Sasuke sat down within his cell and smiled a genuine smile for the first time in a long time.

Be safe in your new world, younger me.

A single tear slid down his worn out face as the ANBU was sent to retrieve the prisoner. What they found, though, was Sasuke Uchiha with a self slit throat. Still in death, he gave that happiest of smiles.

Meanwhile, the Sasuke from that timeline sat up and rubbed at his sore eyes. He didn't recognise the room that he was in, or the faces of those around him. All that Sasuke knew is that it felt like he had been thrown off of a very tall ledge, or something along those lines.

"We have a heartbeat! He's regained consciousness!"

I'm alive?

He blacked out from the pain after that.