Just Smile: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 37: Shadows

And to there surprise, Zabuza was Mei Terumi's second in command, having returned to help fight the war after his defeat by Naruto back in Wave. Mei, Zabuza, Naruto, Haku, and himself have all grown close, but then again, that's what war does, it brings those who fight together closer. 

They were all friends and when Mei was hailed at the Fifth Mizukage, a beautiful alliance between the Leaf and the Mist was formed due to their efforts. Mei often had said that without them, the war would've taken much longer than it already had. 

It was a nice feeling, knowing that you have done something right in the world instead of contributing to the darkness of it. Sasuke was content, maybe not totally happy, but he was no longer miserable. 

Naruto had been right all along, it seemed. 

"Get away from me!" Sasuke snarled as he threw a kunai at Naruto, who just moved his head to the side as the kunai flew right past him, missing him by mere millimeters. 

"Sasuke, calm down." He had caught Sasuke using the Curse Mark that Orochimaru had given him in the forest, practicing its sickening and corruptive power. 

"You don't understand!" Sasuke shouted, his two-tomoed Sharingan active, glaring murderously at Naruto. "I need every tool at my disposal!" 

"Orochimaru is a deformed tool." Naruto said seriously. "His power will do nothing but hurt. Sit down, we need to have a talk." It was time to nip this problem in the bud. 

"Tch," Sasuke clicked his tongue as he began walking in a different direction. Naruto's frown deepened. Being quick, Naruto flashed in front of Sasuke and planted his foot in the Uchiha's chest, sending him backwards into a tree before throwing two shuriken which had wire connected to them as they flew around Sasuke and the tree before stopping the Uchiha from moving, halting him in place. "Let me go!" Sasuke demanded. 

"No. We need to talk and I need you to be still in order for that to happen." Naruto spoke in a serious tone, surprising Sasuke a little bit but he continued nonetheless. "Forget about revenge. Forget about the masked man. I've seen too many people go down the path you are about to go down and it never ends well for them. You have friends, Sasuke. You are not alone." 

"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted, gritting his teeth as he struggled futily at the ninja wire. "How would you know? Maybe if I were to kill everyone in your life, everyone who's ever had any meaning, then maybe I would listen to you, because then maybe you would even have an idea on how I feel!" 

"Hm, an interesting theory. But I'm afraid you're a little late to put it to the test," Sasuke's eyes widened as he watched his sensei's face turned into a fake smile. "Everyone you're talking about has already been killed." 

"W-What?" Sasuke couldn't believe it. His happy-go-lucky sensei, his idiot goofball, ridiculously powerful sensei, had lost everyone? 

"That's right," Naruto confirmed, looking Sasuke straight in the eyes. "I've lost my family not once but twice. When I was your age, I had one surviving family member and even then it was not from blood. Together, you and I have lost what most people would go crazy over. But we are lucky to find new people to fill the whole in our hearts so that we don't suffocate under the waters of loneliness.

"I know it's hard, but letting go is something that everyone needs to do once in awhile. It's like holding onto a barbed wire, the longer you hold onto it then the worse it is going to hurt you. You just need to learn to let go of your hate." Sasuke looked down at the ground, unable to meet his sensei's eyes.