Sakura facing life.
ALERT: English isn't my native language, so be lenient.
Life. What is life? For some it's responsibility, for others it is a gift. Some may feel it's an obstacle to their happiness.
Yes, obstacle. Why? Because a lot of people are living in sureness they have what they need and don't care for what may come. But the biggest obstacle in life is, that life is so fragile. And it should be too late to realize it.
Life.
She didn't hate her life. But she does now. Why? Because life have taken someone special from her. And she have had to be a witness of it.
She have been a witness of how her knucklehead teammate once again put his life on the line. She wouldn't describe it as a "line" though. She would describe it as "thin ice", the more you'll jump on it, the more it'll crack 'till one day it will break.
Life.
Life of a shinobi. She knew they were in constant danger, but with Naruto it all seemed so...insignificant. He made it all look like a child play in the playground. The war ended 3 years ago, and since then Naruto became god-like. But it wasn't strength what enchanted her. It was the personality of his. Even though he was popular now, the strongest person in the world alongside Sasuke, he stayed the same person as he was before. Goofy, enthusiastic, caring. Not running around, being arrogant and big-headed, but the opposite. Always trying find the way to satisfy everyones enthusiasm for him, such as signing an autographs for 3 hours in the rain, coming to all of the weddings he was invited to, giving a speech at all soirees for upper classes to make a good name for Konohagakure, etc. He himself has confided to her he doesn't feel like a shinobi anymore, but more like a tool. Tool for a peace. Tool for Konoha to show off. She told him not to consider himself as a tool, but as a symbol of peace. But she found a bit of bitter truth in his words. And she wondered, did the Konohagakure citizens see him as a hero, or as a tool?
But she have come to a realization she don't see him in the same way as she used to.
In their childhood and when their team was formed, she saw him just as friend.
In their growing up she saw him as her best friend.
After the war, she admired his strength, his maturity, his...him. And those were the times, when he was constantly asking her innocently to join him for meal, for dinner, for spar, for one-man mission simply just because he didn't want to be alone and he always would share his earned money for mission. And she have grown be fond of him. Maybe too much, she thought...
Life.
Their 4-man mission was about to escort and protect Daimyo's precious daughter from borders of Land of Fire, where Daimyo's mansion lies, to Konohagakure. God, how she hates that girl, who obviously has a thing for Naruto. She was along his side 24/7, sticking out her tongue everytime she noticed that Sakura was looking at them. That little brat. Sakura would already killed her, if the purpose of this mission wasn't protect life of Daimyo's daughter at all costs. She would never thought it will be at this cost. For the cost of a life. Life of her love. It hurts that her love have died. But it hurts even more knowing she never told Naruto her newly found feelings for him. And she never will.
Life.
Everyone was struck. How could this happen? Wasn't Naruto the most powerful human in the world? They all did know this enemy, that they faced, was a strong shinobi. But what they didn't know was that he was often recruited by groups fighting against the peace for his special kind of chakra. His chakra wasn't made from any of so far known elements. It took Naruto's death to learn. And the guy with unknown chakra, nicknamed Fumei, was more than eager to teach them. Being at the end of his tether, knowing he is going to die, there was no sense in keeping it secret. He told them, how he was a subject of experiment back in his native village - KagerÅ no Sato. How he suffered, how he was tortured. How his "parents", as he called the scientists, invented a chakra that is deadly, it takes only a scratch to be a fatal injury. The time Fumei's chakra invaded Naruto's body through the scratch, Naruto was dead. What Fumei didn't know, Naruto was a different tough cookie. It took fairly 30 minutes till the impact of Fumei's killing chakra took place. Fumei also told them, that he noticed Naruto figured out what his chakra was doing to him. So he didn't hold back.
"And that...son of a-bitch..." Fumei haven't opportunity to finish his sentence, because his body gave up due to fatal injuries caused by Naruto.
Life.
Sakura's tears were now soaking Naruto's jacket. Every teardrop landing on the fabric symbolized one of Sakura's regrets in her life - one for being harsh to Naruto, one for putting Naruto in danger, one for not being able to protect him, one for not being able to save him, one for not telling him how much he mean to her, how much she loves him.
Life.
Nobody really knows why all of this had happened. Why Naruto died, why they were encountered by Fumei, and why Yutako-dono, the Daimyo's daughter, needed to be escorted to Konohagakure and then be protected there. Sakura was grieving, she felt sudden loneliness, sadness, anger, betrayal. She wanted to ask, she wanted answers, she wanted to scream, she wanted silence.
In the life of a human, there was enough room for getting all her sadness and anger out.
In the life of shinobi, there wasn't. But she didn't care, she just wants to hold lifeless body of Naruto in her arms.
She hated her life for questioning her feelings for him, questioning if they are real, and if they are - how much real they are.
But sometimes, you can't question yourself and you have to act, and sometimes you don't need to ask a question to get an answer.
Life.
Yutako was watching the scene with tears in her eyes. She hated her life because life gave her a gift. A gift that needed to be guarded and treasured. Many lifes were lost in protecting this gift. She had pity all of those lifes, but never in a way she did now. She slowly approached crying Sakura holding Naruto's body. She reached out, but stopped in her movements, to admire the pure love she was now seeing. On her lips formed a sad smile. 'I'm sorry, father...'
This time she reached out, putting her hand on Sakura's shoulder.
"You really do love Naruto-kun, don't you Sakura-san?" Yutako's hand has left Sakura's shoulder, when Sakura lifted her eyes she noticed the girl she hated so much started forming couple of seals. "Promise me one thing."
Yutako's gift was more or less gift for her father. Land of Fire flourished under the great Daimyo, he was favourite among the citizens for his personality. He was kind, smart, caring, selfless. But how much he loves his daughter, he loves his country. And he would do anything to protect what he has build after the war, he is determined to protect what has been acomplished under his charge, protect that Land of Fire was the richest country. And that's why he married an old woman, at the end of her's life. Because he was aware of her gift. Gift that allowed her to bring dead to life. But at the cost of her life. She could exchange her life, for someone who was dead. Yutako's mother died during her birth, it was just too much to bear for this old body. From her birth, Yutako had everything. Toys, parties, servants, friends, she could travel around the world. But only purpose of her life was to exchange her life with Daimyo's once he will be dead. So he will still be able to run the country for better tomorrows. She became reconciled with her fate, and lived her life. Untill she met Naruto and learned that you don't have to accept your fate.
Life. That is what it was all about. Life.
"Promise me, that you will take care of him" teardrops starts to form as a stream of tears.
"Promise me, that you won't stop caring for him! Promise me, that you will never let him be alone again! Promise me, that no matter what will happen, you won't leave his side! You know best, that he is dense sometimes and acting dumb, but everything he does, he mean it in good way. Since the first time both of you appeared in my life, I was jealous of you...the way he was looking at you. I don't know if you noticed it, but he did everything to protect you. Even though it were little things - like walking in front of you, asking you if you're cold, if you're hungry, if you're not tired. Sakura-san, promi-se me...promise me, that you will forever love him!" She shouted. Sakura was taken aback, she wanted to ask what was she about to do, she wanted to say so many things. But before she could open her mouth, Yutako's body was ringed by yellow light, her presence fading out, but smile never left Yutako's lips. Sakura wanted to stop her, but when she reached out and thought she touched her hand, Yutako dissapeared in a yellow flash of light.
Life.
Yutako appeared inside Naruto's body. She was brought into last scenes of Naruto's pressence, at least that was what Naruto was thinking.
He was lying on top of Kurama's head, stroking Bijuu's fur.
"Gomen ne, Kurama. I didn't manage to let you free." both of them knowing what it means.
"Hn, it would be boring without your loud mouth." smirked Kurama, opening his eyes feeling someone's presence.
"I thought that Shinigami will be more scary, or at least a male." said Kurama lowering his head.
"Wha-" Naruto inquisitively opened his eyes to share gaze with Yutako.
"I don't have enough time to explain. Just promise me you'll remember me, and that you'll take care of Sakura-san. She really likes you. Treasure your life, because it gave you love, Naruto." She wanted to say so much more, and she saw that Naruto was about to say something too. She wanted to reach her hand out, pulling it back remembering she doesn't have enought time for it. And then in a snap, Yutako's body disassembled into glowing yellow pieces, lighting up the whole space inside Naruto's body, drifting wide in every direction. Tiny little pieces floating everywhere looked just like butterflies in a beautiful bloomed meadow. Then in second the pieces were soaring, as well as falling down, rapidly drifting left and right.
Kurama has never seen anything like it, and he seen pretty much everything. It was breathtaking, but he had a hunch of what does all of this mean. He lowered his head, to let Naruto slip down from his head.
"She's giving up her own life so you can live." said Kurama the raw truth.
Naruto sharply turned his head in disbelief and panic.
"Hey, Yutako, sto-" but when Naruto turned his head back, no more glowing pieces were floating around, and the space once again fell in darkness.
Suddenly Naruto felt how life was once again flowing in his body, feeling all the pain and ache the injuries from his fight with Fumei caused. The scent of Floral Green shampoo filling his nostrils.
Life.
Sakura was dumbfounded from disappearance of Royal daughter, but as soon as Yutako dissappeared she felt Naruto's arm twitched in her embrace.
Life.
Sakura now knew life isn't something you have for certain, you have to earned and treasure it. And from now on she knew that Naruto is her life.