I do Not own Naruto
Chapter One: Under the Light of a Setting Sun
WARNING: If you are not up to date with the manga, this will not make sense to you. This takes place after Naruto's battle with Pein in chapter 434.
Dim light filtered in through the heavy layers of dust that still floated in the air around Konoha. This area of the desolated city was eerily silent; the mammoth rubble piles effective sound barriers against what was going on near the Hokage Tower.
Wiping her master's forehead with a damp cloth, Sakura took a moment to study the sannin's face. Her mentor was in a bad way. All her chakra had gone to protecting the remaining people of the village, leaving her in a state beyond exhaustion. Her once youthful appearance was gone, vanished just as like their magnificent city, revealing a woman who looked to be in her late eighties. Tsunade reclined against a large rock, eyes slightly open.
"Sakura, any sign of the Root patrols?" the former Hokage asked.
The other medic shook her head. "No. Not yet. Once Danzo has complete control over ANBU, he'll be looking for you. If he's not already."
"You need to get out of here. Konoha is no longer safe."
Sakura nodded. "Where should we go? Suna?"
"No."
Sakura was only half listening. It was by sheer force of will she hadn't collapsed from grief, sadness, and utter despair. She'd missed the end of Naruto's battle with the Akatsuki leader, Pein. She'd been otherwise occupied getting Tsunade to safety. If she'd thought for one second that Naruto would be defeated, she would have been at his side. But…she never truly thought Naruto would lose. He was Naruto. He'd never failed for as long as she'd known him. When she'd returned to the battle ground, her teammate was gone.
Captured.
If not for the knowledge that Tsunade was dieing, Konoha was being overthrown by Danzo, and more than two thirds of the shinobi population was missing, she would have been instantly on Pein's trail. However, the shackles of duty held her where she was. She was a ninja. She needed orders.
"Did you hear me, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, her voice wavering.
"Sorry, Master. I'm just a little tired."
The sannin nodded. "My time here is short. I have one last thing to ask of you." Her dark-rimmed eyes studied the young woman kneeling next to her. "You're to leave Konoha, Sakura. Leave Konoha and head for Amegakure."
"You're sending me after Naruto?" A small seed of hope bloomed within the medic.
Tsuande groaned as she sifted her position slightly. "Not after Naruto. Pein is too powerful. You need help."
Sakura was silent and her teacher continued.
"Sakura, what do you remember about the Uchiha massacre? In the reports you researched, did anything strike you as odd?"
"Odd?" The pink-haired healer drew in the dust at her feet. "The entire thing was odd. A promising ANBU captain goes crazy and murders his entire clan with the exception of his younger brother."
Tsuande made a sound akin to a snort. "Don't be stupid, girl. Think. Think about what Sasuke reported his brother as saying that night."
Rolling the details around in her mind, she nodded. "Yes, I do remember. He said something about 'testing his container? Or was it ability?"
Tsunade nodded. "It was container."
"I don't understand."
"You will." The former Hokage leaned forward. "Itachi was acting on orders from the Konoha elders. He was given the command to kill the Uchiha clan." At Sakura's shocked expression, the sannin raised her hand. "Hear me out. It was not something the Hokage was aware of. Danzo authorized the mission. And Itachi, loyal to a fault, carried it out. However, in order to protect himself, he enlisted the aid of a jutsu I believe you've seen before."
"A jutsu?" Sakura rubbed her face and sighed. She was too tired to focus on what she knew about the sharingan family. "What jutsu?"
"You remember your first encounter with Uchiha Itachi?"
She nodded.
"He used a justu that allowed him to command another body from afar. That body looked like him, and had a fraction of his powers. It was the second time he'd used it."
Mouth agape, Sakura asked, "You mean he really was 'testing his container'? That it wasn't the real Itachi who murdered the Uchiha clan?"
"It was him; his abilities, his chakra. It just wasn't his actual body. He really was testing his new container."
"Are you telling me—?"
"That Itachi is alive?" Tsunade finished for her. The blonde woman nodded. "He is. Sasuke defeated the same body that carried out the Uchiha massacre. But that body was not really Itachi's."
The revelation of truth compounded with the horrors of the past few hours was too much for Sakura. Though she was already sitting, she braced herself as the pounding in her head threatened to make her pass out. She shook her head in an attempt to clear out the fog that clouded her thoughts.
"Itachi is in Amegakure?" Sakura asked.
Tsunade nodded. "Yes. He will not be easy to find."
"Why would he help me?"
"He might not. He has not had contact with anyone in Konoha for years. I can only assume he kept up the illusion of being killed so that everyone would finally leave him alone. So that Sasuke could finally move on with his life and Itachi could move on with his."
"He could be anywhere."
The sannin shook her head. "He'd used to Amegakure. It's a monsterous place. He will have connections there. It will be easy for him to remain under Akatsuki's radar. They would know if a sharingan user suddenly popped up in a different country." A fit of coughing shook her body. She reclined again, pushing away Sakura's attempt to assist her. "Go, Sakura."
"I'm not going to leave you alone!" The young woman stood, dusting off her clothes. "Come on, I can carry you out of Konoha."
"Sakura!" Tsuande's voice was stern. "I'm ordering you to leave me here." The look in her eyes told Sakura there was no room for arguing.
"I'll need everyone else here to help me against Danzo. You're the only one I trust enough to send on this mission. Find Itachi. Rescue Naruto."
They stared at each other for long moments, a quiet understanding passing between them. Sakura abruptly leaned down and hugged her mentor tightly. She only let go when she knew her eyes were once again free of tears.
"Good luck, Sakura." Tsunade said as the medic turned to leave. "Bring Naruto back. Konoha will need a new Hokage soon."
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Coming soon: Chapter Two: A Needle in a Haystack
Author's note: Well, here it is… the start of my next project. Those of you who are familiar with my writing know my first chapter is always short to build interest.