Author: Shadlez
Rating: T (for language)
Main Pairing: SasuNaru (in the distant future)
Disclaimer: Nope. Not Sha's. I thought it was obvious since this is a fanfic! Oo

Summary: Orochimaru is dead. So is Itachi. It ends, and at the end everything else will begin, because nothing ever ends. Time just keeps going, and you can do nothing but keep walking ahead. New ways and outlooks, new friends and enemies, and most of all, a totally new chance at the life that you could have had. This is a story that deals with what might happen after the theoretical end to the Naruto series, and what might develop after that. Because, a story like theirs never ends. (Potentially shounen ai and AU. I don't know yet! D: I go where my fingers take me...)

Random Notes: My god. This is the first ... multichapter fic I have ever attempted. Infact, its a multichapter of anything I've ever attempted. Please help me along...
Mmmm... oh and "Atarashi" in Japanese means something along the lines of 'new'.

This is a potential shounen ai fic. Consider yourself warned!

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- P R O L O G U E -

- What Ends, Begins -

Hey bastard, it’s over now.

Yeah. It’s over.

Blood dripped on to his now dirty white kimono shirt. Sasuke heard coughing sounds.

Heh, our teamwork is still pretty awesome— more coughing.

Stop talking, you usuratonkachi! No sound left Sasuke’s mouth. He sat frozen on the ground, unable to do anything as he watched the crimson fluid flow between his warm and sticky fingers. It blended indistinguishably with the blood of another that lay a way off. Distantly, he was aware of a pink haired girl choking on her sobs as she tried desperately to stem the blood flow of their mutual team mate.

That wasn’t team work you idiot! You jumped in front of me! You total moron, why did you do something so stupid! Why can’t you do something smart for once, like staying away—

Why? It wasn’t any of your business.

I don’t know… my body moved on its own…

Sasuke fought the bizarre urge to laugh. To laugh and laugh, and not stop laughing at the irony of it all. It brought back the events of three long years ago with piercing clarity, of that misty battle on a half finished bridge. Now that their positions are reversed, Sasuke finally saw what Naruto saw and understood immediately with ease.

Loneliness and hatred wasn’t your strength, your greatest power.

It wasn’t loneliness and hatred that motivated Haku to jump in front of Kakshi’s howling Chidori.

It wasn’t loneliness and hatred that allowed Naruto to summon that Gamabunta and save them all.

It wasn’t loneliness and hatred, at all, that made Sasuke jump in front of those needles aimed at Naruto.

Liar. You do know why you jumped in front of me then.

Usuratonkachi.

I finally understand.

It’s because we have someone important to fight for, isn’t it.

I get it.

Don’t die, moron.

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End notes:
Wheee! Fear not, for not all my chapters shall be all poetic and angsty. Well maybe angsty. But certainly not so short...
- SHA