Naruto 485

Page 1:
Title: So close, and yet so far
Side: Uzumaki Naruto. Uchiha Sasuke. The class clown and the elite, guts and hatred in a point-blank brawl.

Page 2:
Text: Their eyes meet!

SFX: THOCK

SFX: Tak

Page 3:
SFX: Tak, skrrrk

Kakashi: You've got even better timing than me, Naruto.
I never expected you to come, but I sure as hell am glad you did.

Sakura: Th-Thank you...Naruto...
SFX: stand

Naruto: Sasuke...
Sakura-chan is part of Team 7...just like us.

Sasuke: In case you forgot,
I'm EX-Team 7.

Kakashi: Was that proof enough, Naruto?
Sasuke's not the same person anymore.

SFX: step

Page 4:
Naruto: Sasuke...
Sasuke: WHAT?!

Naruto: Tobi told us the truth about Itachi!
I don't know if I believe him or not,
but either way, everything you've done...

Sakura: The "truth" about Itachi?

Naruto: I understand why you did it!

SFX: twitch

Page 5:
Sasuke: Naruto...
I told you once before,
you never had parents or siblings...you never had ANYONE.

SFX: Glare

Sasuke: So shut up, you outsider!

SFX: glare

Sakura: Naruto's had faith in you, Sasuke-kun!
No matter how badly the world slandered you, he still considered you a friend!

He still does...

Page 6:
Sasuke: Just now...just moments ago I finally got revenge for Itachi on one of his betrayers...
One of the Leaf's top brass...
his name was Danzou.

Kakashi: Wha...HE killed DANZOU?!

Sasuke: It was a high unlike anything I've ever felt.
Like I was finally cleansing the Uchiha name of the stigma that's dogged it for all these years.

Like I was freeing the Uchiha from being associated with this corrupt shinobi world.

In a sense, it's what the Leaf has always wanted.
After rejecting my clan for generations, I'm finally going to wipe it from your memories...

Page 7:
Sasuke: By killing every last one of you, until the Leaf is crushed forever!
Any link to the Uchiha will be severed and our name will be purified!
THAT is how I'll revive my clan!

Sakura: Sasuke-kun...

Kakashi: A history of hatred...
that's what turned Sasuke into what he is now.

Naruto and Sakura don't fully understand how much Sasuke was a victim of that era, but they'll learn from experience soon enough.
That's why...

SFX: slip

Page 8:
SFX: POOF
Kakashi: This is MY job!
Naruto, Sakura, get out of here.

SakurA: But Kakashi-sensei-!

Kakashi: I don't want you two to have to see this.
Get out of here, NOW!

Sakura: I-
Kakashi: The kind of poison kunai you'd have learned to make from Shizune won't kill Sasuke.
Orochimaru would've made sure he'd be immune to it.
And besides...you've seen that you can't handle this.

Page 9:
SFX: Bachichichichi
BubblE: Plish

Karin: Sasuke...I may have healed you a little,
but this is too much...

Actually...forget it, I'm done with you...

Naruto: Kakashi-sensei, are you...

Are you going to kill Sasuke?

Kakashi: Leave!

SFX: Splash

Page 10:
SFX: Grab, Slip

Sasuke: You've left him vulnerable!
I won't hesitate for a second!

Kakashi: Naruto, wait!

SakurA: Naruto!

Page 11:
Naruto: It's funny, Sasuke...

You and I could've easily...

been standing in each other's shoes right now.

Page 12-13:
Rasengan!
Chidori!
SFX: BOOOOM

Page 14:
Naruto: You know why everyone hated me when I was a kid...
because I have the Nine-Tails inside me.

I hated all of them, too.
I wanted to get revenge on them.

Page 15:
Naruto: One misstep
and I might've been thinking the same horrible things as you.

I thought I'd never have a real bond with anyone,
not until I met people like you and Iruka-sensei.

I knew you were always alone.
I felt better knowing there was someone like me...I wanted to hang out with you.
It just made me happy!

But I couldn't...
I was jealous of how skilled you were,
so I turned you into a rival.

I wanted to be just like you.

I started with nothing...but I finally made a connection.
We went on missions as Team 7,
and I kept chasing you, wanting to be just strong, just as cool.

Page 16:
Naruto: I'm really glad I met you!

Sasuke: Naruto...
It's too late. Nothing you say now can change me!

I'm going to kill you and every last person in your beloved village!

Page 17:
Sasuke: It's time to make your choice! Kill me and become a hero,
or die at my hand and be another one of my victims!

Naruto: I'm not gonna be your victim OR go down in history as the man who killed you!
NEITHER!
SFX: stare

Naruto: I...
SFX: KABOOM

Text: They clash! What is the third choice, what is Naruto's answer?!