Convalescence, a naruto fanfic

A/N

And I'm back with another non-CB-update! Hooray!

Jokes aside, I'm really sorry I've been so slow with updates. I've mentioned before that I'm in college, and that I'm a bit put off by Naruto's canon plot. I'll do my best to finish CB (I swore I'd finish it someday!) and hope you all still have patience with me.

Thank you for sticking around.

On a different note, here's a Oneshot I wrote in just one afternoon because the idea wouldn't leave me alone. It's a bit rough around the edges, but since it's an attempt to get back into writing, I'm satisfied with it.

Enjoy!

XxXxX

Convalescence

XxXxX

Convalescence: the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness; the period during which such recovery occurs

XxXxX

"What do you mean it's impossible?!"

The old innkeeper didn't flinch, even though the outraged shout rattled his eardrums. Instead, he stared the offender in the eye and repeated calmly.

"Sir, it is the truth. The Galax mountain pass is not safe."

"But we have to get to the Borean Coast, and soon! It's a matter of life or death!"

The innkeeper leaned back in his chair, studying the two young men standing in front of his desk. The more vocal of the two, the blonde, overflowed with emotions, his fists clenched and shaking, while his dark-haired counterpart stood by silently. Though they both wore similar, sturdy clothes and boots, they looked nothing alike. They could not have been more different in demeanor, and even their hair and eye coloring contrasted sharply.

The noisy blonde opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by his companion.

"Why is the pass not safe?"

The old man switched his gaze to focus on the quieter male.

"It has been cursed," he told them flatly. "An evil spirit has made its home amidst the mountain forests. We do not know the exact nature of the creature, for none of the men who went out searching for it came back. Once, one of the men's horses returned. All that remained of its rider was a bloodied leg."

"When did this curse start?" There was a glint in the stoic young man's eyes that the innkeeper instantly recognized.

"Don't even think of it, youngsters!" he scolded them. His graying brows lowered as he frowned deeply at the pair of strangers. "I can tell by the weapons you two carry that you have been trained to fight. That is all well and good, but even hardened soldiers have disappeared in the Galax pass! It would be foolish for you to brave it."

The dark-eyed man blinked slowly. Then, bluntly,

"I asked you when the curse started."

The innkeeper swore and reached up to tug at his beard. A quick look at the two expectant stares had his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Young, arrogant, hot-headed fools," he sighed. "Very well. The first disappearances happened in spring. They grew worse as the seasons turned cold. Now, with the snow to account for as well, traveling through the pass is suicidal. I see that I cannot dissuade you, so at least stay the night here and rest before your journey."

XxXxX

The next morning brought icy winds and gray fog. The old innkeeper saw them off, his stooped figure quickly disappearing in the mist.

Trudging through the snow side-by-side, the blonde glanced at his companion out of the corner of his eyes.

"Ne, Sasuke?"

A muffled grunt answered his tentative question.

"Do you believe what the old man was saying?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked faster, not deigning to answer. The snow quickly got deeper as soon as they left the boundaries of the village. Once the surface reached their hips, they took turns leading as they ploughed and floundered through the snow. Their progress was frustratingly slow, and by the time midday rolled around, they were both in a foul mood.

"Dobe, quit clapping and stamping! It's driving me insane!"

"Shut up, Teme! My hands and feet are freezing. So unless you have a better idea, just shut up!"

About five miles from the village, the open territory merged into the forest. The trees thickened, towering like silent, snow-covered sentinels over their heads. Their dense foliage blocked out what little light the sun offered, creating an eerie, shadowy realm on the ground. The only advantage to the gloomy underbrush was that the trees barred most of the wind.

It was silent and dark, and the two young men instinctively ceased bickering. There was something foreboding about the stillness, leaving them on edge. When they broke into a small, perfectly round clearing, the blonde slowed.

"Oi, let's stop for a moment."

Sasuke threw a brief glance over his shoulder at the trailing male, then assessed the clearing critically.

"No."

"Oh, come on, bastard! Don't deny that you're tired."

"That's not the reason. This clearing looks like a trap."

"Yeah, and my name's Uzumaki Naruto. So what? We can handle trouble!"

Sasuke released a slow breath between clenched teeth. "That doesn't mean, we have to go looking for it, idiot." Despite his tough words, his legs trembled. His hands were stiff with cold, and his back ached. When Naruto shot him a knowing look, he glared back angrily.

"Fine. We keep going in five minutes." The blonde shrugged and flopped down beside a boulder, dropping his pack. Sasuke mimicked him, putting down his pack, yet didn't sit. He didn't want his legs to freeze up; it would only make walking harder later. Instead, he leaned against a nearby trunk.

"You know," Naruto broke the silence. "I'm starting to think that old geezer at the inn was right. There's something wrong with this forest. Do you think—"

A bloodcurdling scream cut him off. Immediately, both men were on their feet, every muscle tense and their hearts pounding.

"Over there!" Naruto shouted, tearing off into the trees. Sasuke swore, grabbing their packs and stuffing them behind the boulder, before sprinting after the blonde. Branches tore at his face and he nearly slipped on icy patches a few times. Another cry had them doubling their efforts, until they stumbled across the source of the screams.

A huge mountain lion was roaring and leaping up the face of a small cliff, its yellow eyes fixed upon a small, frightened figure huddling in a crevice. Upon the arrival of two new targets, it spun around with a snarl, its tail twitching.

Naruto cracked his knuckles, dropping into a crouch as he mimicked the animal's stance.

"Get around it!" he called to Sasuke, who slipped into the shadows. Silently, the dark-haired man reached over his shoulder, pulling a long, gleaming blade of a katana from its sheath. There was an explosion of yowls and growls as the lion leapt at Naruto, who nimbly dodged. The bare-handed man evaded its attacks with astonishing agility and reflexes, baiting the giant cat and driving it into a frenzy.

Just then, Naruto's foot hit an icy patch and he wobbled slightly, giving the feline the opening it needed. With a snarl of triumph, it sprang directly at his throat.

There was a blur of movement, a flash of steel, and the lion fell to the ground, dead. A copious amount of blood spurted from the gaping wound through its heart, hissing and steaming as it hit the snow.

Sasuke slowly wiped his sword on a clean patch of snow before returning it over his shoulder. Turning, he gazed up to the crevice in the rock face. The figure there was slowly emerging, a pair of bright green eyes peering down at them.

"Hey!" Naruto's voice was gratingly loud and Sasuke shot him an irritated glare for it. Completely used to his ireful glower, the blonde ignored him in favor of the person they just rescued. "It's alright now, you can come out!"

Little by little, the shape of a young woman emerged. She was covered from crown to toe in a long traveling cloak, and her face was astonishingly young and beautiful. For a moment, Sasuke couldn't help but stare, all thoughts wiped from his mind.

Beside him, Naruto seemed to be in a similar situation. Spluttering, the blonde finally managed to raise a hand and point at her in shock.

"Y-You—Are you for real?!"

The girl stared them, her body trembling and her lips blue. Seeing her frightened face, Sasuke harshly smacked the back of Naruto's head before he could say any more stupid things. By the looks of it, the girl was close to bursting into tears.

"We won't hurt you," he raised his voice enough to be heard. Her eyes darted from Naruto to him, scrutinizing him with a sudden intensity that sent a jolt through him. Sasuke shook off the brief flare of mistrust and repeated,

"Come out, we promise not to hurt you."

The young woman delicately picked her way down and approached them, not shivering as badly anymore. Her gaze still flickered wildly, however, so Sasuke treated her as he would treat a skittish animal. Grabbing Naruto by the collar, he nodded at her and told her to follow him. He led the way back to their clearing, relieved to see that their packs were where he had left them.

"I-I must be dreaming…" came Naruto's mumble. Sasuke paid him no attention, instead focusing on setting camp. He disliked the clearing, with its too-perfect, circular boundary, but with the girl joining their group they would have to stop for the day. Irrational anger burned through him that she was holding them up, but he restrained it, knowing it wasn't her fault.

As Sasuke busied himself with building a fire, Naruto regained his senses. His blue eyes wide with wonder, he addressed the girl.

"So, what exactly are you doing out here, um… Miss?"

Flames began to lick around the kindling Sasuke had salvaged, and the girl instantly drew closer to the warmth. She opened her mouth, frowned, and cleared her throat.

"I-I don't know." Her voice matched her features – soft and feminine. "I got lost."

"Were you traveling alone?" Naruto prompted, taking her answer as an invitation. The blonde plopped down beside her, careful to keep enough distance between them. She shot him a suspicious glance, and he clarified, "We can help you find your friends, if you got separated from them."

"Oh. Oh, no, thank you."

Sasuke finished setting up and joined them, sitting across from the girl. He watched her stare into the fire, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames. Remaining silent, he let Naruto speak to her. The blonde had an uncanny way of connecting with even the most withdrawn people – he himself was living proof of that.

"I'm Naruto, by the way, and the bastard over there's Sasuke. Don't worry, despite his grouchiness, he's my best friend. Nice to meet you…?" The girl blinked at the sunny smile directed at her, finally returning it with a hesitant one of her own.

"Sakura," she replied quietly. "My name is Sakura."

XxXxX

Sasuke gritted his teeth as laughter and cheerful conversation floated back to his ears from the two in front of him. After camping in the clearing the night before, Naruto and Sakura were getting along splendidly. The girl's timid smiles were becoming more and more frequent in Naruto's presence. However, their friendly behavior was beginning to really chafe on Sasuke's nerves, so he began distancing himself – literally – from their lively voices.

"Why's your hair pink?" Naruto wondered aloud. The two young men had discovered Sakura's strange hair color the day before. "Did something happen?"

Her eyes glinted brightly as she giggled. "No, it was like that when I was born. I've always had pink hair."

"That's alright, pink's cool! Right, Teme?"

"Dobe."

"He says that all the time, don't let His Royal Grumpiness get to you," Naruto told her. She smiled and darted a tentative glance in Sasuke's direction. He glowered back, causing her to look away quickly.

"So what are you two doing here?" she asked distractedly. "You shouldn't be taking the Galax pass; people say it's cursed."

"Well, we're here because—"

"If you know about the rumors, then why are you here?" Sasuke's low, but hard voice cut Naruto off mid-sentence. He ignored the sputters of protest from the blonde, his dark eyes focused solely on the pink-haired girl. She stiffened at his piercing, probing stare, but then abruptly relaxed. She looked down, her long, rose-colored lashes brushing her pale cheeks, and murmured, "It's a long story. I don't want to talk about it."

"Then we won't talk about why we are here, either." Sasuke declared. "That's only fair."

"Teme, take that stick out of your ass," Naruto groaned in exasperation. Turning to Sakura, he explained to her, "We're trying to get to the Borean Coast."

Surprise flitted over the girl's elfin features and she blurted, "Why?"

"There's a story of a healer there." Sasuke glared at the blonde, willing him to shut up, but as usual, Naruto was hardly intimidated.

"A healer?"

Awkwardly scratching his head, Naruto relented. "Well, more of a witch, really. We've heard a few different versions, but all of them agree that a woman with extraordinary healing powers live in the forest right on the other side of the Galax pass."

"I see." Sakura lapsed into silence. When she spoke again, her voice was thoughtful. "I have heard tales too. You are aware, though, that this healer demands a sacrifice in return for her services?"

"We—"

"Enough!"

Naruto paused, his mouth open, and stared at his best friend in shock. Sasuke's breath came in quick, hard pants; for once he was unable to contain his anger. It was uncharacteristic of him to lose his temper, yet Sakura's sudden interest in their affairs bothered him greatly.

"Yes, we know about the rumors," Sasuke snarled, still scowling fiercely, "and yes, we know the supposed consequences. So don't you dare act as if you knew better—"

"Are you ready to face them, then?"

Her question threw him off. "What?"

"Are you ready to face the consequences?" She repeated. He felt as if he were drowning in the depths of those large, emerald-green eyes. Her question reverberated through his skull, and suddenly, he knew – he just knew – that she was asking something far weightier than a simple inquiry out of curiosity.

Naruto, oblivious to the unspoken exchange that had taken place between the other two, hastily stepped between them, shattering the tense moment.

"Sasuke, you bastard, stop bullying Sakura-chan!"

That drew an angry look from the dark-haired man.

"I'm bullying her?"

"Yes, you are! So cut it out!"

A retort rested just behind his teeth, but he held his tongue, instead opting to brush past the blonde rudely and walk away. Naruto called after him, hurrying to catch up to his long strides, but Sasuke blocked him out. All he could hear was the roar of blood in his ears, and a burning question branded into his thoughts.

"Are you ready to face the consequences?"

XxXxX

Two days passed and Sasuke refused to speak to Sakura. He refused to even be near her. When they traveled, he stalked ahead of them, and when they pitched camp, he sat as far away from her as possible. Even Naruto's trademark cheeriness took on a strained quality as he did his best to mediate between them.

Another factor that worsened their situation were the shadows. Frequently, Sasuke or Naruto saw dark, swirling patterns reach out from the dark recesses behind trees and under rocks, only to vanish just as abruptly. When Naruto questioned Sakura whether she saw them too or not, she just tilted her head quizzically and answered in obvious confusion,

"No, I did not see any shadows moving. Shadows can't move on their own, can they?"

This didn't ease Sasuke's doubts in her in the slightest – if anything, they exacerbated them. He didn't trust her at all.

Finally, during their fifth night traveling together, it happened. Sasuke woke with a start, his eyes flickering around the dark camp. He lay there, unmoving, and picked out Naruto's silhouette in the dim light of the moon. The blonde had taken first watch, and was sitting against a tree.

… Or at least, he appeared to be sitting. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he noted the other male's slumped shoulders and deep, even breathing. Naruto was sleeping.

Before Sasuke could pull himself out of his bedroll to wake the blonde, a chill washed over his back, setting the fine hairs on the nape of his neck on end. Slowly, he turned… and saw her.

Sakura's already bright eyes glowed in the dark, inhuman and luminous. She had thrown off the dark, ragged cloak she wore for traveling and stood at the foot of Sasuke's sleeping matt in nothing but a semi-translucent, sheer white gown. Her skin was pale, as white as the snow that swirled around her, yet her lips were blue. Her long, pink hair swayed and curled in an unseen breeze, and her bare feet stepped soundlessly towards him.

"It was you." The words tumbled from his lips without hesitation. "It was you all along. You're the reason this pass is dangerous, you're the reason why it's cursed."

She smiled beatifically at him, delighted by his accusation.

"You're a smart man, Sasuke." Her voice was completely different from before. Gone was the timid, hesitant girl. The lazy, almost purring note in her voice had him scrambling to his feet, reaching for his sword. His hand closed around the hilt, and she released a throaty laugh.

"Yes, definitely smarter than the average human," she mused as she watched him fall into a ready crouch. She motioned towards Naruto's slumbering form with a casual flick of her fingers. "He was all too easy. A pity, that one. Such a trusting, kind-hearted boy."

"What are you?" Sasuke snapped, tired of her games. "Are you a ghost?"

She made an amused sound in her throat, taking a step closer. "Hardly. Have you never heard tales of the Lady of the Mountain? She of the Forest?"

Sasuke's mind whirred. Of course he had heard the stories. The patron goddess of the northern mountains and forests was said to be an immortal young woman, forever youthful and beautiful. According to legend, she could make plants grow and heal any injury—

He stopped dead.

"You're the healer?" He meant to demand an answer from her, yet the question came out as a disbelieving whisper. "You?"

Sakura, if that really was her name, nodded, seemingly pleased.

"Very good. Yes, I am. I'm amazed stories of my healing abilities have survived for so long. I haven't healed anybody – especially not a mortal – for a long time." The bitter way she enunciated the word describing mankind gave Sasuke pause.

Watching her warily, he asked, "What happened to you? You aren't…" His voice trailed off and she seemed to snap out of her momentary trance. Her face hardened, the expression sorely out of place on her lovely features.

"I am not what I used to be," she confirmed with a cynical twist to her lips. "Humans don't deserve mercy and kindness. There are a select few," here she threw another glance at Naruto, "that defy the standards of your kind. But most are corrupt, selfish creatures who do not hesitate to shed blood." Her green eyes lifted to sear into Sasuke's once again.

"You are evil beings." Her claim was blunt and cutting. "You murder each other. You defile and destroy nature. You defile and destroy me."

The last sentence fully caught Sasuke's attention. Lowering his blade a fraction, he frowned down at her. For all she was dangerous, she looked so innocent, so small and delicate. And in that moment, realization dawned on him.

Delicate topics were never his forte, so he went in for the direct kill.

"Someone betrayed you."

She jerked, a flash of fury finally breaking through her composure. It was gone as soon as he saw it, but he had definitely seen it. It only encouraged him as he pressed on recklessly.

"It was a human."

She whirled away in a storm of snow and wind, and suddenly, she was standing right before him, her expression livid. She reached forward and, with a one-fingered flick to his forehead, pushed him back several feet. Sasuke managed to catch himself before he fell, but she wasn't done yet.

"Of course it was a human!" She snapped. "No other being could be so treacherous. You want to know the truth? I shall tell you, then! It began as something so innocent, harmless. He came to my shrine every day. I was charmed by his visits, by his apparent sincerity, and allowed myself to be deceived. I took a mortal form for him and paid for my mistake dearly. I was a fool!"

"Who was it?" Sasuke could feel his heartbeat in his throat, pounding in his ears. "Tell me his name!"

Hatred flared in her luminous eyes.

"Madara! Uchiha Madara!"

The silence that fell between them was deafening. Breathing hard, they stared at each other, stunned disbelief on Sasuke's face, despair and anger on Sakura's.

After an agonizingly long moment, Sasuke found his voice again.

"Madara…?" His voice hardened harshly. "Don't joke around with me…!"

Snow billowed in his face, blinding him for a second. Her displeasure couldn't have been clearer.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me!" Her words were a cutting hiss. "All of you humans—"

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke."

His confession brought her up short. Her lips parted in shock, before her mask of self-control slid back over her face. She sneered. "You're lying. That man killed all his relatives. They were slaughtered, right on the borders of my forests."

"I'm not lying." Sasuke stepped in front of her, using his taller frame to tower over her. "Look at me. Anyone can see that I'm part of the Uchiha Clan."

She tried to avoid him, yet he moved to block her once more. "On that day, I was traveling. I wasn't there when Madara attacked. The reason I came looking for you, the healer, was because I found my brother. The only other survivor of the Uchiha massacre. He's comatose, and has been since spring. I have to save him… He's my brother, I can't just let him die… I have to… to…" He broke off with a frustrated growl, unable to articulate himself in his agitation. Lost in his conflicted feelings, he missed the long, measuring look Sakura gave him as they both slowly calmed down.

Backing away from her, he dropped onto his sleeping matt heavily. She followed him on graceful, noiseless feet, folding herself elegantly onto the snow beside him.

"Do you remember what I said, about facing consequences?"

Sasuke looked up to see her regarding him intently. Nodding once, brusquely, he watched a small smile tilt the corner of her lips.

"I have a proposal for you, human."

"My name is Sasuke."

She ignored him. "You want me to heal your brother. As I am now, however, such a thing is not possible. I am bound to my mortal form, and my powers are sealed." Her eyes glinted like chips of emerald as she looked up at him. "However… If someone were to kill Uchiha Madara…" She let the end of her sentence dangle tantalizingly.

Sasuke realized what she was angling towards. His mouth tightened into a thin, hard line. Sakura seemed pleased with this, and continued silkily,

"It is simple, really. Hunt Madara down, kill him and avenge your family. At the same time, such actions would restore my powers, and I could return your brother to you in full health." Her rosette hair whispered over her bare arms as she cocked her head at him, her eyes gleaming eagerly.

"You get what you want… and I get what I want."

He couldn't think when she was looking at him like that. Turning away from her, he stared up at the dense forest canopy, thinking.

Did he believe he could defeat Madara? The older Uchiha would undoubtedly be more skilled, and much more cunning. He had knowledge and experience on his side, after all. But Sasuke was young, strong and desperate.

He made his decision.

"Fine. It's a deal."

In a flash, Sakura was nose-to-nose with him, startling him. Before he could push her away, or move, she grasped the sides of his face with cold hands.

"I will hold you to your word," she breathed, filling his nose with the smell of frost and winter. That was the last sensation he remembered before smooth, blue lips touched his in a brief, searing kiss. A jagged bolt of energy shot through him on contact, blurring his mind and sapping the strength from his limbs. His vision tunneled, and the final thing he heard before he lost consciousness was the murmur of her voice in his ear.

"Thank you, Sasuke."

XxXxx

3 years later…

XxXxX

Lying in the remainders of a battlefield, Sasuke stared up at the sky.

Pain throbbed through every cell in his body, yet he couldn't suppress the tired smile of victory. He was so weak he couldn't stand up, and so wounded that he couldn't feel his legs anymore. In fact, the paralyzing feeling was slowly consuming him, moving towards his heart.

With the last of his strength, he turned his head to the side. The decapitated body and head of Uchiha Madara sent a renewed surge of triumph through him.

He'd done it. It had taken years, but he'd finally done it. Itachi would be saved, he would live.

But Sasuke was fading fast. He had lost too much blood, broken too many bones. The numbness climbed up his ribcage, squeezing his lungs until it was hard to breathe. With a slow, rattling inhalation, he glanced towards the sound of approaching footsteps.

The bare rock he was lying on suddenly softened. Moss spread under and around him, curling up around him in dense, soft waves. Grass sprouted, and flowers uncoiled like springs to bloom out of nowhere. And coming towards him amidst a shower of pink cherry blossoms, a familiar pair of green eyes pierced him all the way to his soul.

For the first time in years, Sasuke felt content.

XxXxX

Before you ask…

… the "Yukionna", or "Snow Woman", is a Japanese spirit, or "yōkai". She appears as a tall, beautiful lady with long black hair and blue lips. There are many various depictions and stories, but in general she tends to prey on human men, with encounters ending in victims frozen to death, or drained of their life-force through a kiss. Some sources say she is a vengeful ghost, while in a different, well-known version, she is a snow spirit who shows a rather humane side by marrying a human whose life she spares.

… I purposefully left the ending open. Loving-goddess-turned-snow-demon-Sakura is not exactly merciful, nor is she particularly endeared towards humans. She is bitter and cynical, with a huge appetite for revenge. She will uphold her word in healing Itachi, but it's up to you to imagine whether she decides to spare Sasuke's life as well in the end.

… yes, Madara raped Sakura. In many myths, Japanese or otherwise, many deities or shrine maidens slash priestesses were said to lose their powers once they lost their virginity. Whether the loss of Sakura's powers was because Madara raped her, or because he broke her heart is unclear.

… Sakura was a goddess of spring and life, but lost access to those particular gifts as a result of being stuck in human form. So, she found herself only able to influence winter and death. I'll admit it's a cliché transformation, but I somehow like portraying Sakura both as a warm, loving girl and an embittered, world-weary woman. In my opinion, one can go both ways with Sakura's character from the canon manga; she's just that diverse.

… Madara isn't an ancestor of the Uchiha in this story. He is merely an older member of the Clan. Itachi wasn't involved in a grand plot, nor did he help Madara slaughter the Uchiha. He was caught in the crossfire, but managed to survive. Barely.

… Naruto is fine. He isn't dead, just asleep. Presumably, Sakura wanted to kill them both, but she couldn't bear to kill Naruto and didn't manage to take Sasuke by surprise. In many stories, the Yukionna either kisses her victims to death (lols) or breathes on them and freezes them this way. But whatever: Either way, she didn't kill Naruto.

XxXxX

Review?

xoxo EbonyEye