Special Jutsu: Ultimate Sacrifice
Rating: T
Summary: There is a way to bring a person back to life, yet it requires an exchange – a life for a life.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
He growled, curse seal reacting and spreading rapidly. The older man watched as the former transformed – pale skin turning a sickening grey, whites of eyes turning black, black eyes turning gold, a black cross forming over the bridge of the nose. The older man chuckled maliciously.
"When I said 'cling to life', I didn't mean for you to search for the weakest Sannin and follow him like a pup follows its mother, you are as foolish as you were years ago,"
The former refused to respond, instead contorting his height into a low taijutsu stance. Rolling his eyes, the older male jumped, seemingly disappearing. Unfazed, the demon-man looked below and readied his sword. As he predicted his opponent grabbed an ankle from below. The demon's sword thrust downwards, running through the forearm of the hand that attached to him.
The older man appeared in front of the demon, stemming blood pooling from his forearm.
"You've become much faster… yet I do believe that it's not because of that traitor Sannin,"
"Shut up," growled the demon, "I won't rest until you are dead, brother."
The older man grinned evilly, grabbing the demon, its sword and cutting off a wing. The demon winced, not allowing a sound to pass his lips.
'I'm not giving him the satisfaction…' he thought 'I can't show what I feel.'
"Fight me like a true, honourable ninja would," the brother said into the younger man's ear, "No filthy snake tricks."
Freed from the grasp, the younger man spun around, red eyes glowing dangerously in the afternoon sun.
'He'll be dead by sundown…'
Two male ninja clashed, fire scorching the trees that surrounded them like walls of an arena. Fighting continued as the sun began to cast long, lazy shadows, signifying the oncoming night.
At some point, both men were caught in genjutsu causing them both to writhe on the forest floor for a matter of seconds before the tricks being dispelled. Both stood up, panting, bodily damage burnt, bleeding, and bruised.
Both made one final dash at the other, weapons raised to chest height, hoping to run through their opponent. Chakra enveloped the weapons – electricity versus fire. Both men were flung backwards, the other's blade embedded deep into the heart and lungs.
"Good fight…" called out the older brother, chuckling as life-sustaining breath left his body, never to be replenished.
'Finally…' the younger brother thought, unable to stop the spreading blood from his chest. 'Mother… father… I succeeded.'
When it was clear that the fighting had stopped, a lithe figure jumped out from behind the bushes. The figure first checked the older of the two bodies, ensuring that he was – indeed – dead. Satisfied, the figure crossed the clearing in a matter of leaps, landing gracefully beside the second body.
The figure repeated the same routine as before, but this time willing for life instead of death.
"You may have fulfilled one of your goals… but you need to be alive to complete the second, Sasuke," the figure said, her voice firm.
"But…" she said, to herself this time, "I suppose the situation calls for it… an exchange…"
She sighed and knelt next to the body and began to check the injuries. Humming to herself, she traced a spiral tattoo encircling the man's wrist.
"A summoning contract…" she whispered to herself, "It seems as if all three of us have gained a summon. Naruto's signed in his own blood; mine, a strand of my hair; and yours… a tattoo."
Humming still, she began to contort her fingers into the signs that would kick-start her jutsu. She smiled in remembrance, her studies and observation of life restoration – Gaara brought to life before her very eyes with elder Chiyo's special jutsu, Tsunade's own supposedly secret jutsu.
'It is the most successful when there are strong feelings for the recipient by the performer, and even more so when a point of physical contact can be established and held for the duration of the jutsu,' she thought, her mind automatically recalling her studies and theories.
"Life Restoration: The Ultimate Exchange, My Sacrifice," she called, looking down upon the blank face of a man she had strong feelings for. She bent over, her face in front of his.
"I still love you, Sasuke," she whispered before pressing her lips to the cold ones of the man below. Chakra swirled around them, and a breeze picked up carrying the scent of Haruno Sakura towards a group who had spent their day frantically searching for her.
A small pug sniffed the air, "Sakura's not far from here, we need to keep heading west maybe for another few hundred metres." Those following the small brown dog nodded and sped up – something was happening and every single one of them had a bad feeling about it.
Feeling was spreading back into his body like a wild fire. It started as a tingle in his lips then behind his eyes, in his head, through his arms and legs before, finally, his chest. As the warm feeling began to create heaviness on his chest, he took a deep breath. Unable to get one deep enough, he attempted to push the heaviness off his chest, only to have it fall to the ground on his right. Greedily gasping for air, he looked to his right to see a shock of pink and a bright smile.
"I'm so glad," said the pink-haired woman. He couldn't speak, his throat closed painfully against a sob.
"You succeeded in your first goal," she said, "I couldn't let your second go unfinished."
Tears began to run down his face, yet she kept smiling.
"SAKURA!" came a voice in the distance. He turned to see a group of shadowy blurs fast approaching.
"No…" choked a cry – that of a middle-aged female.
"Sasuke?" came the first voice, close and confused. He could feel hands upon him, checking for wounds whilst others moved to his right to check on the pink-haired woman.
Raspy breaths began to become shallow, their owner smiling, no tears or frowns marring her face. "Sasu…ke…"
A cry made its way out of his throat, coming out like a sorrowful howl.
"What did she do?" came a male voice, worry thick within it.
"S-she… kissed me…" Sasuke stammered, "I thought I was dead…"
A female voice came crashing into the exchange. "Sakura developed her own jutsu," she explained, "using her medical jutsu she repairs the damage done to the body and as she ascertained the need to be one of great importance, she has used a variation of Chiyo-sama's secret that revived Gaara… she has tapped into her life force in exchange for…"
Sakura nodded. "For you… Sasuke…"
Numbly Sasuke took the limp body into his strengthening arms. And for the first time since he was eight-years-old, he let his true emotions be seen by those around him. He smoothed back short-pink locks and skin that seemed to glow, he marvelled at the woman he held who was once so helpless – but alive. Sasuke began to cry, holding Sakura's limp and lifeless body close to his own.
"I never asked…" he sobbed.
The blonde-haired youth looked up at the older woman of the group, tears in his eyes – reflected in the woman's tear-blinded vision. The youth's eyes seemed to beg her to do something: 'Don't let Sakura die… not Sakura…'
The woman looked towards the pitiful sight of the last Uchiha shaking whilst burying his face into the neck of her pink-haired student, an occasional strangled word escaping from the wayward youth.
She ignored the other man, knowing all too well that his face would still be hidden behind his ever-present mask and only an eye visible. After five minutes – an eternity – she prised the body from Sasuke's possessive grip and laid her down gently on the forest floor.
"Hatake…" she said, the masked man attentive, "When this is over, return us all home." She pulled out a scroll and bit her forefinger. Quickly, she created an incantation and sealed the scroll.
"Give this to the elders; they will do what I've instructed." She motioned for the men to stand back before creating hand signs at a rapid rate and allowing an ethereal-looking chakra to disperse from her forehead to that of her student's.
Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke watched in horror as Tsunade – the Fifth Hokage – began to age in front of their eyes. It was as if she went from her twenty-something-year-old appearance to her actual fifty-something appearance in a matter of minutes. The chakra and life-force being reintroduced to Sakura's body created a strong current of air, causing all three of the men – plus Pakkun the pug – to fall to the ground. Struggling, they stood, Naruto and Kakashi able to catch Tsunade as she fell to the ground.
Sasuke clambered over to Sakura, watching in amazement as her chest rose and fell with every breath she took and taking her into his arms. He looked over to see Naruto helping to place Tsunade into Kakashi's arms, sadness etched on the blonde man's face. Catching glances, Naruto shook his head but smiled towards the colour that had crept back into Sakura's face.
As the group arrived back in Konoha, they swiftly made their way under the cover of darkness into the Hokage tower. As soon as Kakashi had placed Tsunade onto a day-bed she had placed in her office for her midday siestas, he disappeared from the room leaving Naruto crouched next to Sasuke who was sitting with Sakura still unconscious in his arms.
"Granny sacrificed herself…" Naruto began, Sasuke realising how deep it had actually become during his absence, "She really cared about Sakura you know, I don't think Granny would've done it for anyone else."
Sasuke nodded numbly, the events of the past twenty-four hours playing on his mind. He knew what Naruto was getting at – Sasuke had to be grateful for the original sacrifice Sakura made as well as Tsunade's.
Sakura began to stir as the sun rose, awaking to see Sasuke sporting a ghost of a smile and Naruto, a wide grin. Confused, she listened as Naruto retold the aftermath of her death and revival – leaving out parts that he knew Sasuke would fill in later – all whilst Sasuke held her tight.
Needless to say, Tsunade's sacrifice was not in vain. Sasuke eventually reclaimed his position as a Leaf Genin and Sakura agreed to start a family – their marriage taking place two years after Sakura's 'death' and children following soon after. As part of her instruction to the elders, Naruto – at age twenty – became the Rokudaime Hokage and learnt the truth of his parentage… but that's another story.
Author's Note: the main idea for this fic came from a random idea I had the night before stemming from numerous inspirations. First was, of course, from the current anime arc of Naruto: Shippuden. I won't expand into that here to avoid possible spoilers for those who haven't seen it or read the manga.
The next came from reading fics that involved Itachi and Sasuke in a battle to the death. As for Sasuke's out-of-character behaviour, if he was a real person (was being the operative word here!) he would have to slip out of his uncaringness at some point, especially since he had finally achieved goal #1.
Finally: I have no idea how a contract with Tsunade's slug summon is explained in Naruto – I know that Jiraiya's toad summoning is through signing name in own blood, and I'm unsure about the snake contract being canon or not. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed it… reviews and constructive criticism welcome!
1/11/07