Dark •Sequel to Bright!•

Choice

hi guys this chapter goes a bit off rails of the canon story line.. enjoy my loves.

-Akari-

Our team had split up again, Sasuke letting me go on my own. There was a team trailing us, but i didn't want to let that be known to everyone in the group. It wasn't hard for me to guess that Naruto was hoping he could ambush Sasuke and make him come back. Kudos to them for being smart enough to catch on to what he was going after now that Orochimaru was dead. Also for realizing that he wouldn't do this without me. There was one person in particular I was looking for that was with them. So while we scattered to gather information, I went towards the faint feeling of his chakra.

My feet were walking quickly, wearing an article of clothing that Sasuke had worn. That way his scent and my scent were heading one way. They would assume we were traveling together. So of course he would go towards both of our scents.

"Akari, you've got a lot of explaining to do." I heard an annoyed Kakashi standing behind me, I turned to look at him. His exposed eye giving me an annoyed look.

"Can't you just be happy I'm not dead?" I grinned innocently, and he just shook his head. Glaring at me. Pakkun staring at me too.

"You're not stupid enough to die, but clearly you are stupid enough to not only desert the village once, but twice, and for the same-"

"I was trying to bring him back, I was going to come back but he won't listen to anyone but me Kakashi, you know this!" I yelled feeling frustrated, but not with the lecture he was trying to give. Feeling frustrated with myself for being in this situation.

"So you thought taking matters into your own hands would be the smart way to go about this?" Kakashi sighed, if his mouth was uncovered I knew it would be pulled into a tight frown.

"I owed it to him, for just encouraging him before and not stopping him from making a mistake." I tried my hardest to keep my voice from wavering but failed. This seemed to soften up Kakashi as he let out a sigh. He stepped forward and placed a hand on my head. His eye closed as if he was grinning, and I smiled at him softly.

"Your heart makes you who you are Akari, always trying to be that light for people huh?" Kakashi let down his tough guy act, "You do understand I have to take you back with me now right?"

"I assumed that much, can I help you find him? I might have an idea as to where he is." I looked towards the rendezvous point, but just as we went to take our steps there was a large explosion that erupted into the sky. My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach, as I stared at the area.

"Akari, I need you to stay close now, okay?" Kakashi said protectively, as we both took off towards the explosion. I stared in complete disbelief, there was no way he was dead. Not him. He is a pain in the ass he couldn't be dead. Sasuke wouldn't go out easily, he wouldn't let himself die before getting his revenge. Before we were able to get revenge.

——

As we ran up on the rest of the Leaf ninja, I smiled slightly at the sight of Naruto. He turned towards me and rushed up to give me a hug. I wrapped my arms back around him and turned my attention back towards the giant cavern in the ground. Sakura approached me and gave me a small smile. I looked past her to see my teammates with each other, Hinata's eyes watering a bit.

"We, we, thought you left again." Hinata mumbled sadly and I just shook my head before walking towards her. I pulled her into a hug, and just smiled as she loosely wrapped her hand back around my back. I kept my eyes trained on the crater though, not being able to get over the faint feeling of Sasuke's chakra.

"What happened?" I said out loud, and looked around at everyone.

"Sasuke and that Akatsuki member Deidara were here, they fought obviously." Kakashi said briefly and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.

"Wait you said you killed him?" I looked at Kakashi, trying to process everything all at once.

"I am guessing he faked his death, which wouldn't be a shocking revelation that he wasn't that easy to take down considering how strong the other ones were." Kakashi started speaking but then I focused back in on the cavern. That still didn't explain where Sasuke was.

"Okay, so we need to find him, we need to find Sasuke." I said firmly, a bit of denial washing over my body.

"Akari, his scent ends here." Pakkun said calmly, but I just shook my head. I felt like my legs were crumbling, like I was crumbling. I let out a strangled sob, I couldn't feel him anymore. He was gone, Sasuke was gone.

Naruto rushed over to catch me before I fell to the ground, more tears falling out of my eyes as I watched the hole. Waiting for him to pop back up, waiting for him to crawl out of the ground. I needed to hear some stupid joke about me being a cry baby.

I needed to tell him I made up my mind, that if he came back with me that he would be the one I chose.

I thought that it would be some big revelation. That time would slow down and I would run up to him in slow motion. Instead though, it was just waking up this morning, and looking over at him as we were walking. Watching him be his normal self, helped me realize that despite it all.. I still wanted him. Despite all of the crazy, all of the horrible moments these past few years, I wanted him. After this was all over I wanted to bring him home, and help him readjust to life in the village. Help him decompress from a life of being an avenger, and let him come back to me.

"Akari, it's Sasuke, he would let himself die in such an uncool way." Naruto whispered to me, rubbing my back. He was trying to comfort me, but I couldn't focus on him.

"I can still smell him." Kiba finally spoke, I looked back at him.. Looking at each other, it was as if he knew. The look in his eyes told me he knew, and he understood that I didn't choose him, "It's faint but if we go now, we can get to him."

I stood up and looked at everyone.

"Let's go get him then, Kiba lead the way." I looked at my teammate, my best friend, with hopeful eyes. He nodded and we all took off.

You're okay Sasuke, and I'm coming.