Sakura's last fight
Disclaimer: All characters are possessions of Masashi Kishimoto
Summary: Madara was dead. Kabuto was captured. Sasuke was spotted near Konoha. Naruto and Sakura prepared for the mission, not knowing that it will be their last day in Konoha. (A/N: I decide to remove the IchaIcha bit, it just doesn't fit. And the aging part too, I agree with my review, it will give you weird image)
Splash...
Blood. Blood splattered everywhere. My blood
Shh...
He could smell a pungent odor somewhere in the air, of overcooked flesh. My flesh.
Naruto looked down at a hand, the hand that had pierced through his body, broken his ribcage, smashed his liver, the hand of his friend, his ex-best friend. Blood was oozing out of his wound. He slowly glanced up, sea blue eyes met swirling red eyes, hatefully staring back. Blood was filling up his bowel. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something. Signal of pain was jolting through his spine. He heavily twisted his head back, cloudy eyes stopped at a prairie of pink, swiftly passing him His feet was breaking down under his weight. Sakura-chan ? He wanted to scream, to stop her, desperately, to no avail. Tiredness suddenly overtook his body, he wanted to rest, to lay down, to forget. Somebody caught him in his fall. Soon, his mind will be shrouded in cold, silent, eternal darkness. Don't hate Sasuke...
Forgive me.
Sasuke hastily pulled his left hand out of the body, no, corpse. He winced at the horrid smell of sizzling fat, disgusting. He sidestepped to the left, right hand reached back for the Kusanagi hilt. Hardened steel collided with cheap kunai. A low thud vibrated throuh his ears. Wind. A sweet fragrance flooded his nostrils, reminiscent of cherry petals. Your perfume gave you away, stupid kunoichi. His eyes, my brother's eyes, darted to the left, a punch was coming. He amusingly watched as the punch slowly crawled toward his target, his heart, at snail's speed. Still weak as ever, Sakura ? The question unexpectedly blurted of his mouth. It seemed to only strengthened the petite kunoichi's resolve, her knuckles shut tight.
He smirked; his left palm, now completely free, raised up, instantly catching her right wrist. He lightly strained his muscles, tiny sounds of fragmented wrist bones reverberated back, pleasing his ears. He looked straight at her big, emerald, panicked eyes. The smirk widened to a sneer. His blood-red eyes swam into life, hypnotizing their prey. Wasting no time, he subtly extended his right arms backwark, sword firm in hand, and swung upward in a semicircular arc, perfectly cutting through the left arm of his opponent, detaching it at the joint. The green eyes widened at the the realization, of shock and pain. Sasuke released her wrist, stepped back a little, thoroughly enjoying the gory view.
Green eyes shut tight, then slowly opened up, staring back. The thin rose lines on her face slowly curved into a small smile. Then suddenly, his eyes were filled with darkness. What happened ? He hastily tried to open his eyes, not working. His left hand reflexively reached up to where his eyes were. Nothing. He fell down, shocked, sword laid forgotten next to him.
Squish...
My eyes. They were squeezed.
Silence.
"How?" He whispered, still not believing his defeat.
"It was an illusion." Came the soft, feminine voice. "Your Sharingan couldn't notice it, because it wasn't made by chakra."
"..." He sat there in silence, his mind trying to process the information
"You were poisoned, by my perfume. The moment you smelled it, all your senses will malfunction, giving you wrong information. You stopped seeing the reality, you only saw what you wanted to see." Pausing a little bit, Sakura continue. "Wasn't that what you've always done ?"
"I...I..." Sasuke stuttered, trying to form a word.
"The rest was easy, I simply took your eyes out of their sockets." She soundlessly motionned to Sasuke's back, and with a quick jab of chakra, she cut through the skin on the back of his neck.
"Now you can't gather chakra anymore, I just destroyed one of your chakra node." Sakura coolly said.
"Just kill me already." Sasuke cried out.
"No, I won't. I will uphold to … Naruto's wish" Sakura choked on the mention of the blonde's name, tear threatening to flow. "I won't grant you that privilege. If you want death, you must give it to yourself. But I doubt you'd have the courage to do so."
Leaving Sasuke to wallow in his own misery, Sakura walked back to Naruto's still form. Kakashi was checking on the blonde. "Sakura, there's no pulse... I'm afraid he's already dead."
"I know... I can tell." Held tears moist in her eyes.
"His last word... It was for you, please don't hate Sasuke." Kakashi's voice was barely audible anymore
"It is so like him, I promise I won't, don't worry". She mumbled, failing to form a reassuring smile. Kakashi just sighed.
Gazing longingly at Naruto's now hazy blue eyes, she whispered. "I won't ever forget your shiny, brilliant eyes when you looked at me". She grabbed his cold hands. "I won't ever forget your warm, big hands when you touched me". She laid her head on his chest "I won't ever forget your powerful, strong chest when you hugged me". Her tears was now flowing freely, damping the fabric of Naruto's jacket.
Kakashi looked at her, drowning with the feeling of guilt.
Then, without another word, Sakura lightened her hands with a pinkish blue. "Sakura, he's dead..." Her shush quickly silenced him. The light slowly grew, covering both her hands. After it stopped expanding, she gingerly put them on Naruto's stomach. Kakashi, suspicious, activated his Sharingan; he recognized this chakra flow pattern. "Sakura, you can't... Naruto won't..." He struggle to form coherent words.
"No, Kakashi, this is my decision. Please let me do it, for him... and for me" Quickly glancing from the corner of her eyes, she focused her gaze back to Naruto. She could feel her life energy being drained. Ignoring the discomfort, she continued to push her essence, intertwined with chakra, into Naruto's body.
The feeling at his stomach, that he can't put a name to, felt ticklish, yet pleasant, and oddly familiar. He felt comfortable, fulfilled and, for some reason, loved. Every cell of his body welcomed it, waking up from their temporary slumber. Wanting to find the source of this pleasure, he pulled his heavy eyelids apart. Pinkish blue light blinded his sight. After a moment to accommodate, he slowly made out the figure above him. She looks so beautiful, so angelic. Sakura-chan ? His thought materialized into words.
She looked up at her name, surprise and happiness brightening her face. She tried to put on a fake smile. "Naruto, just a moment and you will be alive"
I was dead ? Naruto was confused. Her fake smile. Something wasn't right. Her breath was heavy, and sweat was flooding her temple. Tears. Sakura was crying? "What are you doing ?"
"No..nothing, I'm just happy to see you waking up" Stuttered Sakura, trying to maintain her smile. "Now stay quiet, you'll be good and kicking in no time"
Why are you still lying to me. Don't you trust me? Aren't we teammates, companions, friends ? Naruto felt a sudden pang in his heart. But not more.
He noticed changes on Sakura's feature. They were slight at first, but they soon became apparent that he cannot miss. Her breath was growing heavy. Sweat flooded her pale wide forehead. She never has hard time healing me. Immediately, he summoned Toad chakra to his eyes, carefully watching Sakura. Her natural energy was moving in a strange pattern. It seems to gather up at her hands.
Then realization hit him, he sputtered. "You.. you are doing the same jutsu Chiyo-baa did on Gaara?"
Emerald green eyes widened in shock and shame of being found out, betraying her thoughts.
"Why?" was all he could said
"You are my most precious person"
"What about Sasuke ?", asked Naruto, confused.More sweat poured out on Sakura's face, mixing with dirt and dried blood. She's breathtaking.
"He won't bother us, or Konoha anymore. I incapacited him." She signed, as Naruto's confusion didn't seem to subside. Same Naruto, still dumb as ever. " I did love him, but you are more important. I ca... can't live without you". Pausing a bit, she continued "You brighten my mood, you make me happy, you gave me a goal in life" to make you happy "And... I thought we could had something more" Pink hue tinted her cheeks.
"You know that I love you." He whispered.
"But you never showed me." Sakura cried out. "You saved me many times, but you saved everybody. You asked me for dates, but I thought you were just fooling around."
"I was serious." He was struggling, trying to break Sakura's jutsu, but he wasn't strong enough.
"I don't need your pity, I want your attention, that you need me, want me. You're always somewhere, busy saving the world, busy helping everyone. I want to convince myself that you love me, but I can't... Naruto..." She stopped, trying to control her emotions. They always break free whenever he is involved, and she will make stupid decision. Like that confession. "No, stop talking about the past. You've always saved me. Now, I will save you." A small stream of blood sprawled out from the corner of her mouth, mixing with the slimy sweat.
"What about the village? Konoha needs you." He could move his finger. Just a little more. He was growing alarmed at the sight of her blood.
"Konoha needs you more. You have the power, the will, the legacy to lead our village. You bring hope to people, you restore their faith, you give them strength. Konoha needs you as its Kage. I've always known that" since I was 13. She proceeded, trying to distract herself from the sudden wave of tire, "I'm just a mere medic-nin from a nameless clan. Nobody needs this useless Kunoichi. I can't even fight a proper battle without help. I've tried to fool myself multiple time, but I can't ignore the truth, not anymore."
"Don't think like that." Naruto was pained that Sakura could even think so badly about herself. I thought I understood her. "I can only destroy, but you save lives... You know, I felt in love with you during the trip to Suna." Naruto closed his eyes at the memory. "Never have I seen somebody so beautiful, when you totally focused on your task, your slim feature, your shining forehead, your intense eyes. At that moment, I selfishly wished I was Kankuro, just so I could receive your care. I was so proud of you." Stealing a quick look at her, he went on, "And I still am.". Haze was taking over Sakura's eyes. She was slowly falling into unconsciousness.
"I'm selfish, violent, and manipulative. I've always hit, scolded you. I don't deserve living" Sakura stammered, her voice faltering. How could he think so highly of me.
"I understand that medical training is stressful." Naruto smiled warmly. "I'm not stupid, I can see that example clearly from Tsunade. I'm willing to be your punching bag, just so you could relieve your frustration. Besides, I've always loved feisty girls. They remind me of my mother."
"I wished you've talked to me sooner. We could have been happy together for years. But I have no regret. I have spent the happiest days of my life with you, and that's enough. It's too late now." Tears were flowing freely down her face."Live on. Be strong. Forget me, Naruto. Fall in love with another girl." She quickened her voice, my time is near. "Promise me, always be happy." Her breath grew harder. She closed her eyes, drawing in her breath, and the last drop of her life essence, preparing to release her all in Naruto, muttering "I love y...". Blood oozed out from her nose.
Finally.
"No" Naruto rose up, finding just enough strength. He quickly embrace Sakura, forcing her to cut the jutsu connection. "I can't, not without you".
"You shouldn't.. do... that" Sakura gasped for air and began talking, heavily. "You won't be able to use chakra anymore. You will never be Hokage. You..."
"I don't care, as long as you're with me." Naruto interrupted her "And I love you too" He planted a quick kiss on her chapped, dry lips. This is heavenly
Sakura blushed heavily, a small smile slowly formed. The exhaustion of the day soon caught up, lulling her into sleep.
Scooping a blissfully rested Sakura into his hands, Naruto looked at Kakashi, who was trying to hide his tears. "Kakashi-sensei, go back to Konoha. Make sure that he won't ever cause any trouble" He took a quick glance at the depressed form of Sasuke. "I'll take care of Sakura. I won't return to Konoha. Madara is dead, Kabuto has been captured, Sasuke is useless now. Konoha doesn't need my protection, not that I could fight anymore."
"What about your dream ?"
"I realize, this is my dream", Naruto glanced at Sakura, "I was just too blind to see it."
"Where will you stay ?"
"I don't know, but I have connections around the world, we will be fine".
"What are you going to do?"
"I will give Sakura-chan", Naruto gazed affectionately at Sakura, "the attention and love that she deserves. I will make her happy. I owe her as much. Believe it"
"What would happen if she ..." Kakashi's voice trailed off, but Naruto caught on the hint.
"I will follow her", Naruto paused a little, to let the idea sink in, "but I will try, to extend her life, as long as possible."
And with that answer, Naruto forced the Kyuubi chakra out, leapt on a nearby branch, and started running, toward an unknown future, of him and his Sakura blossom.
Kakashi just stood there, looking after the disappearing couple who was only a dot of pink and yellow blurred together. Heaving a sigh, he lightly strolled toward Sasuke, and formed a handsign. Sasuke was instantly put at sleep. Grabbing the collar by one hand, pulling out his favorite novel with the other, Kakashi took one last look at Naruto's direction. He and Sakura had completely vanished off sight. I need another habit. He smirked at the thought, before teleporting back to Konoha.
The End.
A/N: This story happened around 3-5 years after the event in the manga. There may be a sequel, probably told through the perspective of Naruto's note (they shall both be dead by then)
Sakura didn't really copy Chiyo's jutsu, she doesn't have Sharingan. She came up with one of her own, after extensive study.
About the fight with Sasuke, Sakura used poison to create illusion, completely fooling his senses. Sharingan can't see through it, since it can only see chakra, not chemical reaction inside his brain.
Despite Sakura's warning, Naruto could still use Kyuubi chakra, even though his chakra coil wasn't restored due to his interruption by the end. That's how Naruto used chakra to run. I'm assuming that Kyuubi chakra won't be lethal, since he was in control.
My thanks to forum, I got most of my bash for Sakura from the Anti-Sakura FC. The Naruto's compliments are mine, though. Sakura was an unique character, I started out hating her. She was so flawed, so imperfect to the point that I must sympathize with her, and making her into my favorite character.
This is my first fiction, so enjoy, read and review.