Sasuke turned and ran, shoving branches out of the way and jumping over bushes. He could hear Naruto's vicious transformation behind him, the crackling of bones making his own ache in a shadow of pain. His breaths had been reduced to high pitched gasps and fear, anger and hatred were mixing inside of him. He hated the Curse that ruined Naruto's life. He was angry that there seemed no way for the man to escape it. He was angry that Naruto's first experience of freedom was now being punished. He feared that now, he was going to be killed not only by Naruto, but to punish Naruto as well.

'No,' his mind thought as he vaulted over a log. 'I won't die. I'll escape alive. I won't let this Curse force Naruto to kill me; I'll break it by escaping...I'll break this fucking Curse!'

In the distance he heard a howl and his heart knew that it was Naruto's. The sound which had terrified him before only filled him with tremendous sadness. It wasn't Naruto making that sound, it wasn't Naruto who was calling to his companions for assistance in this hunt; it was the Curse. Naruto was never the one to do anything. Naruto was an innocent, gentle soul. The Curse was the one responsible; it was the one that possessed his body and forced it to hurt people, to kill people, good or bad, innocent or guilty. And he knew this because Naruto had proved it; if he'd had a choice, he wouldn't have chosen murder.

"Sasuke!"

He stumbled when a light crossed over his face, and when he gathered his bearings he realized he'd broken free from a thicket of trees and found himself right on the road that led up to the village. The gates were sealed, but Sasuke could hear the activity on the inside; screams and cries as people realized Danzou was dead, begged for mercy and prayed that they would be spared. He hated them all; it was all because of them that Naruto and his companions suffered as much as they did. They were forced to protect those cowardly, blind people who had done nothing for them in return but hate and fear them.

"Sasuke! Jesus, where have you been?!"

Kakashi's voice made him turn to see the man running towards him, flashlight in hand. Kabuto was behind him, standing beside the car and looking up at the red moon with wide, fear-filled eyes. Kakashi grabbed his wrist the moment he reached him, checking him for a sign of injury.

"Are you alright-"

"We need to leave!" Sasuke cut off, reversing his hold and dragging him towards the car. "We need to get the fuck out of here right now!"

"What's happened?" Kakashi asked, looking up at the sky even as Sasuke threw the car doors open and began to shove him inside.

"We've become targets," was all Sasuke said as he climbed behind the wheel, looking over his shoulder at Kabuto. "Get in!"

Kabuto did as he was told, his face pale. Kakashi climbed in the front and slammed the doors while Sasuke turned the key and revved up the engine, his heart beating frantically. Naruto wasn't that far away from them, and once he'd finished his transformation he was going to be able to catch up in no time. He had no idea where Kiba and Gaara were, but he had a feeling that they were closer than he would like. As soon as the car was rumbling, he slammed his foot down and the tires spun, kicking up dirt as they pulled forwards. The headlights were on, cutting through the red glow of the moon and lighting their way.

"Sasuke, what happened to you? You look like hell," Kakashi said nervously, one hand holding the dashboard and the other still wrapped in a make-shift sling as Sasuke recklessly drove along the path. The raven didn't glance at him, knowing he had to stay focused on the road or else they risked getting lost.

And he had a strong suspicion that getting lost would mean their instant death.

"One of Danzou's monsters found me," he said and heard both men in the car gasp. "But Naruto saved me."

Kakashi looked ready to say something, his mouth opening to speak but the only noise that came out was a sharp cry as something collided with the side of their car. Sasuke cursed, hearing tyres squeal as they went into a slide and he fought to keep control of the wheel. Kabuto had toppled over in the back, getting buried by their luggage and Kakashi was pressed against the door, holding onto the dashboard for dear life. Sasuke's eyes swerved around, the headlights slicing over the forest as they spun in a circle. For a brief moment, he caught sight of a large, sandy brown beast with dark rings along its tail.

'Gaara.'

The creature looked up as though hearing his thoughts, and Sasuke saw that his eyes were also eclipsed; the Curse had consumed all of them. Gaara's jaw dropped into a roar, sharp fangs already soaked with Danzou's blood. And then he was gone as the car continued to slide and Sasuke felt like his arms were going to break as the wheel tried to spin out of control under him. But then the tyres found purchase, the wheel stopped fighting and he hit the gas again to get them moving as he heard the roar get closer. Even as the car began to drive again, he felt another vicious collision with the back and looked into the rear-view mirror to see Gaara stumbling and shaking his large head.

"Fucking hell!" Kakashi spat once they were racing down again, swiping his hand over his face. "Jesus Christ, that was-"

"That was a Guard Dog, yes," Sasuke confirmed, breathing heavily. The forest seemed to be winding a lot more than it had when they arrived, as though the pathway had been extended during the night. At this point, he wouldn't have been surprised if the accursed moon had magically altered it somehow.

'But we'll get out. We have to get out. Not only for our sakes...for Naruto's sake too.'

Kabuto let out a gasp and stuck his arm forward, pointing towards the tree-tops.

"Look out!"

Sasuke looked up, letting out a breath as he saw Kiba's giant, white form diving down towards them from the trees, his jaw open and his teeth glinting. He landed on the hood of the car and Sasuke felt the back rise up under the force, wheels spinning in air as the front bumper scratched the ground. The white Wolf was snarling, enraged and blinded by the Curse as his claws sunk into the metal hood and spittle and froth splashed over the windscreen. Sasuke began to weave, trying to throw him off while Kakashi yelled curses beside him. Kiba held on, though his back legs were hanging off the side and couldn't find purchase with all the movement. Even so, he was edging his way closer to the windscreen, blocking Sasuke's view of the road. He knew that if he didn't throw the wolf off now, he would either crash the car or Kiba would shatter the windshield and tear off his face.

"Hang on!" he cried, deciding there was only one thing he could really do. He slammed the brakes, the car jerking and Kiba slid forwards, shaggy head slamming against the windscreen. By the high pitched whine, Sasuke knew he'd dazed him and so he stepped on the gas again, this time turning the wheel.

"Sasuke! Sasuke what the hell are you doing?!" Kakashi cried, eye bulging as he saw a large tree looming before them. "OH DEAR GOD!"

"SORRY KIBA!" Sasuke screamed, shutting his eyes as the front collided with the tree, jerking the three of them in their seats. The answering cry that was both human and beast made his stomach churn, as well as the crunch of bones being crushed and the squelch of blood. When he opened his eyes, Kiba was writhing on the hood, large paws scratching wildly as he tried to dislodge his lower body from the painful pin it was caught in. Sasuke felt sick, knowing he'd destroyed the creature's legs. But he would heal; he knew Kiba would heal, just as Naruto healed and Gaara healed. He would live, and so Sasuke pushed aside his guilt and reversed. Kakashi seemed to be trying to re-learn the technique of breathing as he watched Kiba's form slide off the front.

"Holy shit, that was the stupidest smart move you've ever done!" he cried when they were moving forwards again, and Sasuke let out a hysterical chuckle. Kabuto sat up, looking ready to be ill, and glanced behind them.

"Here comes the other one!" he warned, eyes widening. The reporters also looked back and Sasuke let out a whimper as he saw Gaara's menacing figure catching up fast. All of them were frightening in their own right, but Sasuke found Gaara to be especially horrifying. He knew that out of the three, Gaara had wanted him dead from the get-go.

He hit the gas, spinning the wheel to get them back onto the road. His heart was pounding a mile-a-minute, but there was no time to worry about cardiac arrest. Just before they hit their top speed, the car lurched as Gaara's giant body slammed into the back of it, and they heard the sound of metal screeching. Perhaps it was from teeth scratching the surface, perhaps from claws; either way, it grated their ears and made their blood skitter in their veins.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Sasuke cursed, trying to speed them up more but his foot was flat on the floor of the car. He had a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, staring ahead at the dark forest road. God, when would it end?! When would they reach the forest border?!

"It's still after us!" Kabuto called from the back seat, his voice drenched in fear. "It's getting closer!"

"We have to outlast him!" Sasuke roared, starting to swerve slightly again in the hopes of, at least, making it harder for Gaara to catch them directly. He was sweating, his breathing short and sharp. Beside him, Kakashi seemed to have gone into a state of speechless terror.

'We're almost there. We have to be! Come on…Come on!' Sasuke thought desperately, watching as the trees started to thin slightly. They had to be reaching the end. They would have to leave the forest soon. He glanced in the rear-view mirror, seeing that Gaara was still running. Distantly, Kiba was chasing again; he had already healed and was on the hunt. Sasuke prayed that they could outrun them. But then, he realized something that made his heart forget to beat.

'Where's Naruto?!'

His gaze turned to the front again, just in time to see it. Bursting from the trees like an explosion, reddened fur bristling in the red moonlight and eclipsed-eyes filled with nothing but mindless fury;

Naruto was in the road, and there was no way to avoid him.

Sasuke screamed instinctually as the hood of their car collided with the fox, but instead of being thrown aside, Naruto clung on. His claws sunk into the metal, the violent snarl leaving his throat making Kabuto whimper in the back and Kakashi looked like he was going to pass out.

Sasuke was struggling to hold onto the wheel, the weight of the fox on the front making steering difficult. Naruto wasn't idling either; the large fox was starting to climb up, slowly and surely. Every snap of those jaws was closer than the last. With every moment, every passing tree, Naruto was getting closer to the windscreen.

As those large, dangerous claws slammed into the grating just below the windshield, Sasuke screamed out again.

"Naruto, stop! Please!" his voice was panicked and desperate. As if he thought, somehow, he could reach the human part of Naruto's mind. "It's me! It's Sasuke!"

"I don't think he can hear you!" Kakashi cried when the Fox snarled viciously again, and the other paw slammed against the side mirror, tearing it right off. Sasuke heard it hit the back of the car before it vanished, but he dared not to turn away. His gaze was trapped in the eyes that had once been blue. Eyes that were now overtaken with the curse.

"Naruto, please!" he screamed again, unable to do anything more as he kept his foot on the gas and the car travelling along the road as best as he could. The trees were getting thinner and thinner. The forest borders were in reach if they could survive.

All three men in the car cried out when the Fox slammed its paw against the windshield, shattering the glass. It flew at them, the gummy edges preventing most cuts but the danger never died. Kakashi ducked when those claws almost hit his throat, and Kabuto was pressed back, looking frantically around. Behind them, Gaara and Kiba were getting closer, their wild roars audible alongside Naruto's snarling.

"PLEASE!" Sasuke screamed, tears dripping from his eyes as his hair was blown in the wind, never letting up on the gas as he looked into Naruto's eyes. Those fangs glistened in the light, and another swipe let those claws bury themselves in Sasuke's shoulder briefly; the same shoulder that Naruto had healed that first night. An agonized scream left the raven, the hand attached to that arm falling from the wheel as the nerves stopped responding for a moment from pain. The car began to swerve, wind screaming in their ears as the trees thinned out. Sasuke looked to the Fox…to Naruto, his expression pained and pleading as those fangs came towards his face and death sang his name from the depths of that throat.

"NARUTO!"

The car swerved to the side, wheels catching on earth, and the next second they were rolling. Sasuke hit the roof, feeling his injured shoulder give out. He didn't have time to scream before he was being thrown around again. He heard something crunching, something shattering, and an agonized yelp of an animal. The world was spinning in a chaotic jumble of pain and flashing lights and blurring shapes. He felt Kakashi's body colliding against his, saw the ground come up and roll away. He heard squelching and screaming and crashing and his own voice still screaming that one name.

And then it came to an end.

The car's rolling stopped with a slow landing on the wheels. Miraculously upright. Somehow still in one piece. Sasuke was slumped over the steering wheel, his shoulder ripped out of its joint. He would probably need surgery to fix it. Kakashi was between the seats, his broken arm free of its sling and twisted. Kabuto was in the back, blood dropping from his forehead and his glasses shattered away from his face.

The raven lifted his head, feeling bile in his throat. His head was spinning. He didn't know which way was up. Where were they? Was this the end? Had they all died and this was the start of their journey into the afterlife?

His eyes swam, head pounding. He felt like he could be sick any moment, but as he stared out at the shattered windscreen, feeling the cool night air blowing in his face, he realized something.

They were out of the forest. Open plains were stretched before them, and a winding road that led back towards the mountains, through which was the city, were in sight. Sasuke sucked in a breath, his eyes wide. They had made it.

They had made it.

'Naruto! Where is he?!' he thought, realizing that the Fox had been on the hood of his car when they began to roll. He must have been thrown off. They were out of the forest now, so surely…surely they were safe?

As Kakashi groaned and Kabuto tried to move, Sasuke was already fumbling with his door. He pushed it open, and it fell off the hinges. The reporter followed, hitting the grown with a cry. Everything hurt, but his shoulder was almost unbearable. He dragged himself forward with his un-broken arm, looking around. He could see bits and pieces of the car, trailing back to where the forest edge was. There, pacing back and forth and snarling, he could see the monstrous forms of Gaara and Kiba. They were trapped behind the first line of trees, unable to set foot outside. They had not been lying when they said the Curse stopped them from leaving their territories.

'Naruto…Naruto!'

Sasuke looked around, panting heavily. He had to find him. He had to know what had happened.

He dragged himself forward, laboriously climbing to his feet. His legs ached, and he felt that his right ankle may have been twisted. He didn't care, taking unsteady steps. His body shivered from the pain, teeth chattering. He could taste blood, and his ears were ringing. He looked around, stumbling, moving.

And then he saw him.

Laying several feet away, between the forest and where their car was; Naruto.

He had transformed back to a man. Perhaps when they crossed the border, perhaps only recently. Sasuke wasn't sure, and he didn't care. He was already stumbling towards the blond even as Kakashi crawled out of the car and Kabuto followed, trying to help.

"Naruto….Naru…to!" Sasuke gasped the name out, never taking his eyes off of the man's body. He couldn't tell from this far, but it didn't look like the blond was moving. Sasuke's heart was pounding as he got closer, and he realized that there was a lot of blood. And Naruto's legs…

Legs weren't supposed to be facing that way.

"Naruto!" he cried, finally reaching the blond and dropping down. Sasuke reached out, grabbing one of Naruto's shoulders and hauling him over with a cry. There was a gargled sound, and when the raven looked down he saw more blood, torn skin…

Blue eyes.

Naruto was looking up at him, his eyes no longer eclipsed. They were as brilliantly blue as they had ever been, sparkling under the moonlight. There was pain, regret and sorrow in their depths. Sasuke stared into them, his breath coming out in weak sobs. He pulled the blond to his lap, looking at his body. Aside from broken legs, there was a large gash in Naruto's stomach; likely from the hood of the car as it rolled. His arm was battered and torn, and his face was marred with scrapes and cuts.

"Oh God…Oh God," Sasuke moaned, looking at the damage. "You…You need help…!" he looked around, as if he could find something that would aid him. But of course there was nothing; only grass and fields and scattered parts of a car that had caused this. "Oh fuck, Naruto…Shit, I'm so s-sorry-!" he sobbed, looking back.

Naruto was trying to say something, spitting blood from his mouth. He could barely move, his body heaving. Sasuke tried to hush him, hearing the steps of Kabuto and Kakashi coming his way. He turned to them, frantic.

"Help! He's injured!"

"Sa…s…" Naruto gurgled, his remaining hand reaching up weakly. It caught Sasuke's shirt, bringing the reporter's attention back to him. Sasuke was crying hard, panicking. He didn't know what to do to save the blond. Naruto's injuries were so severe, they had to be treated immediately. If only he had the same life-saving magic as the blond had-

"Wait….Kiba! Gaara!" he looked towards the forest edge, seeing the two pacing monsters. Now that he paid attention, he could see that they, too, were no longer-dark eyed. They were frantically running along the edge of the forest, barking and snarling. Not for rage of them; they wanted Naruto. He had been taken from the boundary of the Curse; they were unable to come for him, despite their strong desire to save their comrade. To save one of the only people they could call a true friend.

"Oh fuck…" Kakashi breathed, seeing the damage. "Sasuke…He's…"

"We have to get him to the forest!" Sasuke yelled, already trying to somehow lift Naruto. His broken shoulder rendered one arm entirely useless, but he still had to try! "Those two can heal him! We have to put him back into the forest so they can save him!"

"Sasuke, that's insane!" Kakashi cried as Kabuto crouched down, his eyes studying the wounds on the blond gravely. "Those two will murder us!"

"No! They'll be able to save him! They have to!" Sasuke cried, his voice wild as he struggled to lift the blond into his lap. "Help me lift him!"

"Sasuke-"

"PLEASE!" Sasuke screamed, his voice cracking as he looked to Kakashi desperately. "WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE HIM TO DIE!" The Uchiha was like a cornered animal, his body shaking and his eyes wide and frightened and fearful. He was still trying to tug Naruto up, but with only one arm he was helpless to do more than cradle Naruto in his lap. "KAKASHI PLEASE!"

Kakashi looked back at him, his own face taught in despair. He didn't know what to do. Even if they did manage to carry the blond to the forest, what if the other two used that opportunity to attack them? It was dangerous. But Sasuke was looking at him with that pleading, desperate look in his tearful eyes. Kabuto looked up at them, biting his lip nervously.

"We could try to carry him-"

"No."

All three men looked down in shock. Naruto was staring up at Sasuke, his chest heaving as he sucked in rattled breaths. Sasuke fell back to his haunches beside him, tears dripping down his cheeks and splashing onto Naruto's face.

"Naruto, your wounds-!"

"I….know…" the blond groaned, blood pooling at the corner of his mouth and dripping over. Still, he kept his gaze on Sasuke. "….Leave….me…."

"No! Naruto, I won't let you die like this!"

"Sasu…" Naruto stopped, coughing. It sounded wet and rattled; as if something loose was in his lungs. Every cough was pained, and it made Kabuto and Kakashi wince while Sasuke looked as if he was being stabbed each time. When he stopped, he looked at the reporter steadily…and smiled. "…Plea..se…"

Sasuke's hand was shaking as he felt Naruto taking it. "Naruto please…don't-"

"I've…never been….out…side…" Naruto rasped. "I never…got….to choose…."

"Naruto, stop! Just let us take you-"

"I don't want to go back!" Naruto forced out harshly, tears forming in his eyes as Sasuke fell silent, staring down at him. The blond looked into his eyes, blue filled with so much emotion that it was like they were drowning in it. There were not enough words to summarize all that was in Naruto's gaze. "….I don't…want to…be Cursed….any more…."

"N-Naruto…"

Naruto's grip on his hand got tighter, fingers lacing with Sasuke's as he continued to stare into the weeping onyx eyes. But again, he smiled around the blood and pain. The moonlight had faded from red to silver once again, and the only sounds around them were the raspy breaths of the blond man and the distant barks and whines of Kiba and Gaara at the forest edge as they paced and panicked over their friend and third Guard Dog.

"…Please…" Naruto breathed again. "…Let me...choose…to die here…"

"Fuck…." Kakashi breathed, closing his eyes and biting back his own tears. This was even harder to hear than Sasuke's cries. Kabuto had turned away, his lips a thin line and his hands clenched tightly at his sides in resignation. Only Sasuke was looking at Naruto now, his face open and vulnerable and devastated.

"No…Naruto please…" he moaned, his tears falling faster and landing on the blond's skin, tracing the whisker marks as they slid down and vanished against the soil. "N-not like th-this…"

"This…" Naruto breathed back, pulling Sasuke's hand to his chest. His heart beat was irregular. "…Is perfect…" he smiled again, big and bright behind the pain. "….Thank you…for not…letting me…kill you. For breaking...the cycle..."

"Naruto, don't die!" Sasuke cried as he felt the grip getting weaker. "Don't die on me! What about Kiba?! And Gaara?! W-what about the village?!"

Naruto laughed, softly. "…I'm…sorry to leave…them…But they'll under…stand…eventually..." he glanced at the tree line briefly before turning back to the sobbing man above him. "…Sasuke…?"

He couldn't respond, his sobs too strong. They made his body shake and his throat hurt. They were deep and from his soul; echoing through his heart as the pain he felt salted the tears cascading down his cheeks. The unfairness, the injustice…the cruelty of this fate; it was too much to bear. Why did this have to be?

Why did Naruto have to be Cursed?

"Sasuke…" Naruto continued softly, but his grip was growing weaker by the second. "…You…will always…have a choice…" he breathed, and their eyes met once more. "…Please choose to live."

Sasuke's voice broke in a cry as he bent down, their foreheads pressing together. "I will..." he whimpered. "…I'll live. I swear it. I'll live for you."

Naruto smiled softly, but his eyes were beginning to fade and the warmth of his touch was slipping away. "…Thank you…" he whispered, using the last of his strength to flatten their hands together; just as they had at the window.

And then he was gone.

His body became limp in Sasuke's lap, his hand falling away. And for a moment, Sasuke could only stare, not breathing as he waited, vainly hoping that those blue eyes would regain the spark within them, that the warmth would come seeping back into the touch, and that he would see that bright, childish smile once again.

But they remained dull; the moon had faded from their depths at long, long last.

And as Sasuke threw his head back, letting out an anguished scream to the inky sky, his voice was accompanied by two long, mournful howls from the forest that echoed across the trees and reverberated with generations of pain.

Above, the moon glowed brightly, a golden halo pulsing around it as it shone down upon the victim it had claimed, yet again.

3 Months Later

Uchiha Itachi knocked on the door before him, not waiting for a reply before he pushed it open and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a few streams through the blinds that were partially closed over the window. The walls were barren, and the shelves nearby had been cleared. All that remained inside were a few boxes, filled with the personal belongings of the man sitting at the desk, staring at something in his hand.

Itachi carefully walked up, coming to a stop and surveying the boxes. "…So, you're sure about this then?" he asked softly. "You're not going to change your mind?"

There was a long pause.

"…I'm sure," Sasuke said softly. He didn't look up at his brother. Itachi sighed, slowly moving to sit on the edge of the desk.

"…Are you ever going to tell me what happened in that village?" Itachi asked quietly, watching the way that Sasuke's shoulders tensed. "The article you wrote was…impressive but...the ending was kind of...strange. And Kakashi resigned right after its printing…"

"We gave you what you asked for," Sasuke bit out. "The readers loved it. A legend, ominous events, and something spooky to sum it up. Can't you just leave it at that?"

Itachi frowned deeply. "No. You and Kakashi have never been the same since you got back. Kakashi wouldn't even look me in the eye when he handed his resignation in. And now you're going on some world-wide journey to God-knows where and you won't even tell me why!"

Sasuke still didn't look at him, his face falling. His fingers rubbed at what he held in his hand, and he sighed softly. "…I've made my choice," he said. "I just…It's something I have to do. Please, Itachi…" he finally raised his face, and Itachi was struck by the look in his brother's eyes. There was something strange about them, but he couldn't quite figure it out. "I can't stay here, or I'll lose my mind."

Itachi was quiet for a long moment, his expression confused and concerned, but eventually he sighed. "…Very well. But don't forget to write. And come back to visit me sometimes," he reached over, flicking Sasuke's forehead playfully. Sasuke's lips pulled into a slight smile, but it didn't last.

"I will. I promise," he said softly, slowly standing up. Itachi watched as his brother slowly turned over the small, broken wolf-tooth he had in his hand before slipping it into his pocket. He carried it with him everywhere, and Itachi had caught him talking to himself as he rubbed it, almost like a prayer.

Sasuke gathered the box filled with his things. With a last look to his brother, he gave a nod and another smile and made his way to the door, leaving Itachi to sit in the empty space. He had a flight to catch the next day.

The eldest Uchiha sighed. He deeply regretted ever sending Sasuke and Kakashi to that village. Neither man had been willing to disclose the full details of what went on, but they had returned with severe injuries and changed characters. When Itachi asked, Sasuke had refused to speak and Kakashi simply said that it was a chapter they both wanted to forget about. No matter how much prying he did, Itachi still didn't know what the two had experienced to shock them so deeply. And it frustrated and frightened him.

Sighing, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the torn page of the magazine they had printed. On it was the end of the article that he had assigned Sasuke and Kakashi to write three months earlier. He stared at the words, reading over the ending once again.

'-seemed they have been encouraged and exacerbated to cover up the illegal experimentation that the village elder, Shimura Danzou, had been performing before his mysterious death, which eye witnesses state was the fault of the very creatures of legend. This revelation thus leads us to summarize our report of the Konoha Village Legends as such:

The secluded village of Konoha fears the Guard Dogs in the forest, and the Curse of the Moon that binds them. And rightly so; for a curse is not something that can be dismissed for those under its hold. That is, after all, the point of a curse.

It is unending.

It is eternal.

While modern horror movies often instil a false hope within the minds of their viewers by providing a cure, an end, to the dreadful suffering that the curse has inflicted, and freedom to those under it, reality is not so forgiving.

In reality, there is no cure and there is no end. The cycle repeats, sometimes through generations.

The Curse will claim new victims when the old are gone. And no matter how hard you fight you cannot escape fate.

But maybe, just maybe…you can outrun it.

-In memory of Uzumaki Naruto; a man who deserved to make his own choices.

-Konoha Village Legends, by Uchiha Sasuke and Hatake Kakashi.'

Itachi frowned deeply as he folded the paper. He'd never quite been able to put his finger on it, but something about that ending always made him feel…uneasy. As if there was some kind of a message he wasn't understanding. As if Sasuke had been trying to say something without being able to say it clearly. But he couldn't figure it out, and if he ever dared to mention the name 'Naruto', Sasuke only grew despondent and quiet. Itachi had stopped trying. Now he could only hope that, one day, his little brother would tell him the truth. Perhaps when he returned from his world-wide journey.

Pulling his phone out to check the time, he paused at seeing the screensaver that was of him and Sasuke on a family trip. As he studied the picture, staring at his little brother's dark eyes on the screen, he finally realized what it was that had been different when he looked at them before.

Sometimes, when the light caught them just right…Sasuke's eyes almost seemed to have small, crescent moons within them.

Four years later, and I can finally put this story to rest.

I can only offer my humblest apologies to any readers that have been waiting for this bloody thing to have its ending! Believe me, this thing has been haunting me since the last update! 4 ruddy years ago! Trust me, the shame is real. But regardless, it is done now. Finally, I can put this story as complete.

I hope everyone enjoyed Cursed! Thank you to everyone who kept reading and reviewing despite the absence. You're all awesome. 3