I hear the melody of water on wood.
It's the same as blood on a blade.
The lyrics ring in my ears as my soul detaches from my body.
Killing is a normal day for the ANBU.

I watch from high above as a body leaps at innocent children, women, men.
It doesn't feel like me.
Their cries are blocked out.
My saber mask is splattered with crimson.

I go on autopilot, why do I even have such a thing.
It's demeaning.
It's maddening.
Hell, this whole thing is.

Finally, it's over.
We're traveling back.
Crimson dots our bodies, almost like the spin of a Rasengan or Chidori.
None of us are ready to go and face what happened. We don't want to.

We need reattachment.
I need reattachment.
Haven't had it for six years.
That was when my soul mate was murdered.
For being something he wasn't.

I dimly hear the cries of my fans.
Sasuke, Sasuke.
Why do they care?
I'm a monster.

I see the Hokage.
She helps me walk to his grave.
I read the inscription.
I cry.

Naruto Uzumaki
16
Died on October 26th
ANBU captain
"Our shining light."

I collapse to my knees.
Why did he have to die?
He died when a brick crushed his skull.
I hate those villagers.

Tsunade whispers something in my ear.
I laugh hysterically.
I have a reason to kill them.
I'm an unattached ANBU.

Who can blame me?
I see the battle.
It lasts only a couple seconds.
Kunai through the stomach.
A slow, painful way to die for the ones who broke his soul.

I smile, and transport to the top of the Hokage tower.
I spread my arms out wide.
There are people below.

I turn around.
It's Tsunade.
She holds out her hand.
She is crying.

I take off my ANBU mask and my headband.
I hand them to her.
She takes them.
She smiles.

She has Naruto's in her other hand.
I know she'll keep them safe.
I step back, to the edge of the roof.
Who else is there?

No Naruto

No Hinata.

No Sakura

No Naruto

No Ino.

No Tenten.

No Choji.

No Shikamaru

No Naruto

No Shino

No Kiba

No Neji

No Lee

No Naruto

No Gaara

No Temari

No Naruto

No Kankuro

No Naruto

No Naruto

There's no one.

I fall, and feel the gravel meet my back in almost no time.
My body isn't supposed to bend like that.
I close my eyes.

They're all there.
At the end of the tunnel.
All of the nin.
The Uchiha too.

I bear hug Naruto, then suffocate Itachi.
Hinata points behind me.
My thread of life.

I walk to it.
I tear it apart.
One side retreats toward the living.
The other side dissolves into me.
I smile.

We were always supposed to die.
Dying is beautiful.
It's art.
Deidara would agree.

I died.
I think I know what's on my gravestone.
Tsunade joined us with Jiraiya and told me.

Sasuke Uchiha
24
Died on April 4th
ANBU Interrogator
"Our caressing darkness."