Hey Everyone!
This is my first attempt at a fanfic and I really hope I don't suck…well anyways I've had this story idea brewing in my head for months and I thought that I should really write it up… I'll try and post new chapters as soon as I can, but as I've recently found out, I can't type as fast as my brain wants me to -sweat drop- yep I'm slow
Comments are welcome, and I hope my spelling and grammar is up to scratch for everyone! (I really don't like short hand typing)
Well here's your first chapter: Reunion
Penny g
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Reunion
The sun was low in the horizon casting eerie shadows along the streets of the hidden leaf village. A cooling breeze danced through the aged cherry blossom trees - dotted between homes and buildings; kissing the sun dried limbs from the heat of the day and scattering the falling petals like dust into the sunset. Konoha was truly beautiful.
Amongst the captivating scene, one blossom stood out from the rest. Her shoulder length rose locks dancing, untamed with the wind, as she briskly walked along the deserted streets. Sakura had just finished her long shift at Konoha's Hospital, and taking the time off wisely, she couldn't wait to get back to her small apartment and take a long bath to relax her aching muscles. The amount of enemy attacks had increased within the last three years, causing a greater quantity of work to be placed on her shoulders. It wasn't surprising that her already long shifts had been extended.
Sighing, she looked up at the cherry blossom that darted in the breeze. 'Oh, what I'd give to be free. Nothing to worry about – like you blossom'. But she had a duty, a duty to protect. And she would protect the civilians and the shinobi of the village, even in the event of exchanging her life. She ran a hand through her dishevelled rose tresses and smiled to herself, knowing how good that bath would feel once she finally got home.
Opening the door to her small apartment, Sakura kicked off her ninja shoes and commenced her way to the bathroom, on the far side of the one bedroom place she called 'home'.
"Tadaima…"she whispered softly, even though no other lived with her. She was so accustomed to saying it back in her old home, that she felt reluctant to give up the old habit.
She leant over the tub to turn the valve on the tap so the steamy water could pour into the bathtub. Whilst the bathtub filled with the warm liquid she stripped herself from the normal ninja attire, letting it drop to the floor, pooling around her ankles. Turning the flow of water off she slipped into the tub almost elegantly and began to relax.
Sakura was now eighteen and a profound medic-ninja. At the age of sixteen she had already surpassed the expectations of her sensei: Tsunade – who was also the Hokage of the fire country. Even before then she had defeated Sasori when she was just fifteen, gaining respect from elders for destroying part of the dangerous association called Akatsuki. And now at her current age she was in the 'prime of her youth' as Guy and Lee would say. Her future was prosperous and she would focus all her energy and chakra into helping people and her friends.
Now Naruto, her best friend, he was really growing. He wasn't the same hot headed teen he use to be. Unfortunately Sakura had to admit he was maturing and she could already see him taking his childhood dream – the title of Village Hokage. Also Sai: the emotionless bastard. The conflict between him and Sakura had subsided years ago, but it still didn't stop her swinging a fist at him from time to time. As for her old teacher: Kakashi, he was still into reading those perverted books that Jiraiya wrote – the Make-out Paradise series. Apart for his twisted hobby, he still managed to keep Naruto in check and train him with new jutsu's occasionally.
Sakura laughed out loud when she remembered Naruto's childish attempt to get her to go with him on a date to Ichiraku's, earlier that day.
"Ne ne Sakura-chan! Won't you come with me to Ichiraku's?" Naruto bounded in front of Sakura on her way to the Hospital, late in the morning.
"Naruto, I have too much work to do. Can't you ask someone else?" She whined whilst quickening her pace in a futile attempt to rid herself of his presence, which would surely make her late for her shift.
"But Sakuraaa-chan, you promised you'd eat with me sometime!" He cried out has he too increased his speed to stay in step with her.
"And that 'sometime' isn't today, Naruto" She shook her head and walked into the Hospital lobby "Gomen nesai!" she called back over her shoulder as she scurried inside and pulled on her white medical jacket.
"Naruto you idiot" She said out loud to herself. Smiling, she looked up at the tiles of the bathroom ceiling. They were white and bland like the Hospital's tedious colour scheme and she really needed to forget about that place. Letting her eye-lids slide shut, she drifted into a warm slumber, reminiscing about her day and her friends.
Bang
"Uhhh…" She woke to the sound of banging on her apartment door.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan are you in there?!" an irritating voice greeted her now agitated eardrums. "Granny-Tsunade needs you! She says it's urgent!" He yelled.
At the mention of her sensei's name she lunged out of the bath causing a proportion of the lukewarm water to slop over the edge onto the tiled floor. "Coming Naruto! I'll be out in a minute!" She called back. In an instant his voice had died and she was frantically pulling on her clothes from the previous day.
'Shit…I fell asleep for too long', she cursed in her head.
She dashed out of her apartment, combing her fingers through her hair in an attempt to rid any unwanted knots. Glancing at the clock on the way out, it read around 10.30am…'Shit!'
"Ne Sakura-chan, how comes you took so long to answer the door?" Naruto asked as they walked to the Hokage tower.
"I fell asleep…" she huffed out quietly hoping he hadn't heard her.
Yet she was shocked when she heard his reply: "You're over working yourself. You should ask for a break, I'm sure Ino can cover for you at the Hospital", worry lacing his tone of voice. She looked over at him, his concerned cerulean eyes softened her harsh expression and she could help but feel slightly relieved that he was her best friend.
"I can't…It's my duty" She sighed and let her head drop, rose bangs shielding her eyes. "But…Thanks" Lifting her head she smiled at him sincerely and he grinned back at her. By now they had reached the tower that the Hokage resided in. "I wonder what this is all about?..."
"Me too…" He replied as they entered the building.
Tsunade was pacing in her office when the two shinobi entered. Kakashi and Sai both stood in the corner of the room watching her anxious movements. The same emotion somewhat evident on their faces as well.
"Sorry we took so long Tsunade-sama" Sakura apologised for her delayed reaction to the calling.
"It doesn't matter now, seat yourself, all of you" she addressed the Shinobi in the room. She too sat behind her desk and briefly closed her eyes, taking a breath she began to voice what was on her mind.
"Itachi has been spotted outside of Konoha…" She paused and opened her eyes to see the reaction of her audience. Both Kakashi and Sai remained unsurprised, Naruto however looked completely shocked and Sakura held a quizzical look on her face.
"But why would he be near Konoha!? He will only get-" Sakura's questioning was cut off.
"We don't know why he would risk capture or death, but one thing we know for sure is that-" she paused "Sasuke is not far behind him". She stopped and looked out of the window into the horizon sighing.
Naruto growled under his breath, "Sasuke-teme…" Tsunade looked back at her shinobi and saw the anger that lingered in his eyes. She turned her gaze to Sakura, whose face held a blank and unresponsive stare. But she didn't expect her to show emotion, not after what had happened…
"Sasuke-kun…I'm going to stop you with my own power!"
"I want you all to pack supplies for this misson. You will leave in an hour. Kill Itachi and bring back the body. Also if-" Tsunade paused to think about the outcome of what she would say "-if Sasuke appears…Capture him!" Kakashi nodded silently to acknowledge what the Hokage had just said "Use by any means possible to obtain him…" She looked up at her elite shinobi, checking to see if they understood. With everyone giving a faint nod she dismissed them.
"Sakura, I want a word with you" Tsunade called to her former student.
"Hai, Tsunade-sama"
"I know what you are capable of, but I want you to protect the team with your life. Do not attack Itachi unless there is no other option or Kakashi states otherwise. Do you understand?"
"Hai sensei, but-"
"Sakura, a medic-ninja must protect the team! Therefore it is vital that you do not get hurt!"
"Hai…" Sakura averted her gazed to the floor, feeling disappointed that she wouldn't be able to fight Itachi herself.
"Also Sakura, do not damage his head; I may want to extract his memories to find the real cause of the Uchiha murders."
"Hai!"
"That is all Sakura. You are dismissed." With that said Sakura rushed out of the door to catch up with her team mates.
"Naruto Mate kudasai!" she called after him. Finally catching up to him, she began to regulate her breathing. He kept his gaze forward, towards the distance, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. Sakura almost felt dreadful seeing him this way; this wasn't Naruto.
"Naruto? Who is Sasuke?..." She felt obliged when he turned to her, his features softening and the frustration dissipating.
'She really doesn't remember'. He felt sympathy for Sakura. The closest friend he ever had would never remember who she had once befriended and loved, and he felt somewhat angry at the fact that she had done it to herself. Yet he couldn't help but feel that it was his own fault in some way, and that maybe it was for the best. For her own good.
"An old friend…" He replied to her question, his fists clenching at his side.
Seeing that this convocation was only going to anger Naruto further, Sakura changed the topic. "Neh Naruto, are you going to bring ramen with you on the mission?" She asked full well knowing what the answer would be.
Immediately his face lit up in a wide grin, "Hell yeah!" and Sakura couldn't help but laugh at his childish 'ritual'. He certainly was an extraordinary person.
It was now dead on 11.30, Sakura dashed to the gates of Konoha to meet the rest of her team, whom she would track and kill Itachi with. For once Kakashi wasn't late and his latest volume of 'Ichi Ichi Paradise' was missing from the picture. Infact he stood tall and focused, his vision looking into the woods beyond the gate.
"Now that everyone is here, we'll get started." He bit his thumb, drawing blood and performed a summoning jutsu, to which Pakkun appeared from. "So here's the plan: Pakkun will pick up Itachi's scent and once we locate him we are to stay hidden and pull a surprise ambush. As you all know Itachi is a master at genjutsu and it is almost impossible to release yourself without damage. Do not look into his eyes; otherwise you will be instantly trapped." Everyone nodded to say they understood. "When we are in range I want you Sai to check the surrounding area with your Choju Giga jutsu. When there is no danger and we have pin-pointed the exact location of Itachi, we will attack." Sai nodded in recognition. "Let's go!"
With the plan formulated they leaped into the Konoha woods to start the mission.
"We're pretty close now; his scent is all over this part of -" Pakkun barked
"Stop everyone!" Kakashi halted everyone on a large limb of an aged tree. He could sense Itachi's presence, yet his chakra seemed vaguely depleted. "I can sense him but he feels weak, unless-" Kakashi's eyes widened 'Has he already been attacked?!' "Sai perform the jutsu!" He commanded.
Sai pulled a scroll from his belt and began painting inscriptions on it at an immaculate speed. Planting his hands together he performed the hand signs and with it, the words came to life. The small ink creatures scattered out of the paper and off the tree branch into the woods silently. Only to return a moment later bounding back into the scroll and shifting into words.
"No one is in the surrounding area and Itachi is 200 yards away, under a large dying tree, North West from here" He read from the scroll, "He has not noticed our presence..." Sai concluded.
"Well done Sai. Naruto do not attack until I give a signal, which will be my hand raising in the air" Kakashi demonstrated "I will hold him in a genjutsu and hopefully immobilise him so you can deliver the final blow" He looked at Naruto who returned a concentrated nod. "Sakura I want you to stay hidden 100 yards away, do not come out of hiding unless I call you. I may need you to heal if something goes wrong" She nodded as well to her instructions. They carried on whispering a plan until…
"Kakashi-sensei, what about Pakkun?" Naruto asked.
"Good luck team 7." and with that said, Pakkun disappeared in a flurry of smoke.
"Everyone ready?"
"Hai taicho!" they all replied.
"Then let's begin!" They shot off the limb of the tree to their designated positions, silently awaiting a command.
Sakura slowly watched as Naruto, Sai and her sensei advanced on the prey, hoping with all her might that the lives of her friends would not be taken.
'Please stay safe' she begged in her head, although she knew she was there to help.
Kakashi could now see Itachi, he was lying against a dying oak tree in the middle of a woodland clearing. His eyes were closed and his breathing was short and rough, like he had just ran a great distance. Kakashi slowly removed his headband from his left eye revealing his sharingan. Concentrating as much chakra as he could, he performed the hand signs for the genjutsu that would surround the enemy. Quickly he thrusted his hand into the air to call out the other team members. But as soon as they moved in next to their Taicho they became motionless.
Kakashi's head shot up in horror and he looked at the spot that Itachi had been laying in a few seconds ago. Immediately the three were startled by a mass of squawking black crows flying over their heads. 'Shit…He's caught us…' He cursed in his head 'Sakura I hope you know what to do.' And with that he snapped out of his thoughts and looked ahead to where the figured of Itachi slowly began to form within his genjutsu.
About a mile away, dashing threw the trees of the fire county woods; a raven haired shinobi was pursuing his enemy. His brunette team member chasing closely behind him.
'I'm coming to get you brother and you won't disappear like last time. I will kill you and avenge the clan!'
Sakura was getting worried. She heard nothing but the rustling of the trees with the wind – nothing. Peeking from her hiding place she could see her three comrades standing stock still and Itachi 20 feet away, his eyes closed and his hands locked in a hand sign. 'They're caught in his jutsu, I have to do something!' she quickly thoughtof a strategy. Placing her hands in the correct signs, she recited her jutsu: 'Sakura keshitobu no jutsu'. Abruptly her body transformed onto a gathering of cherry blossom, swiftly disappearing to reappear behind Itachi a couple of feet away.
Concentrating her chakra until her hand glowed a bright green, she intended to reach his retina nerves through his spinal cord, hopeful rendering him blind. Rapidly she charged at Itachi from behind, but just before contact he caught her arm. It wasn't what she had hoped for, however the break in his concentration broke his genjutsu surrounding her comrades.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled as he saw that she was in his vice grip. Not a second had gone by and Sakura had already scattered into a mass of Cherry blossom, disappearing out of sight and from Itachi's grasp. Everyone watching in awe as she vanished, even her own comrades were surprised.
Unexpectedly three senbon needles flew from thin air, embedding themselves into the base of Itachi's neck. His sight was entirely cut off, as he felt a crushing blow to his lower abdomen. Sakura had rematerialized and was now punching the living daylights out of him. 'This is for Naruto. This is for Sai. This is for Kakashi and this is for me!' She screamed in her head as she punched him again and again with her super human strength.
Blood was now dripping violently from his mouth and he gave a small cough, which sounded more like a laugh, before Sakura forced a glowing hand to sever the arteries to his heart. She let his lifeless body slump forward hitting the forest floor as she sighed.She gleefully rejoiced in her head 'Thank kami-sama it's over…yatta!'
However her happiness was destroyed when she felt the presence of two extremely high quantities of chakra. She slowly turned round to see two new people who certainly weren't her companions.
The raven haired shinobi watched the pink haired kunoichi obliterate his brother – the brother he couldn't defeat only a matter of days ago. The same brother he had spent eight years trying to kill, to avenge his clan; had just been killed by another. Not just any other person, but a female, the female he left behind. The scene was all too aberrant for him and he could barely process what he had just seen with his own eyes. 'How could she have made it look so easy?' He watched as Itachi's body hunched to the floor, and from behind he could see her sigh. 'Simple…she's stronger than me…'
All of a sudden he opened his eyes and saw her for the first time as she slowly turned round to meet his stare. Her slender curves and now large bust were held tight in a blood red dress that fell mid-thigh. Two long slits ran up the sides of the dress, giving her room to move - and him access to view her full creamy thighs, and shaped bottom, in her pair of black shinobi pants. The top part of her dress allowed a slight bit of cleavage to show, most likely giving any male enemy a nosebleed. Her back held her clan symbol – a prominent white, hollow circle.
He gazed into her blazing emerald orbs that held the same fire he had once tried to obtain. The fire of victory. But now as he stood there, he realised she had helped him like she said she would, those many years ago…
"I'm different from you all…I can't be following the same path as you guys. Up until now we've done everything as a group. But there is something else…I must do…" He faced away from her as tears welled in her eyes. "Deep inside my heart, I've already decided on revenge…For that reason only, do I live. I'll never be like you or Naruto."
"Do you really want to go back to being alone? You told me how painful it was to be alone! Right now I know your pain!" She cried back. "I may have friends and family…But…If you were to leave…To me…To me…I would be just as alone as you…" she cried as she broke down into sobs, the tears falling to the cold ground.
"From here on out…We all begin new paths."
"I…I… love you with all my heart!! If you were to stay here with me…There would be no regrets…Because everyday we'd do something fun, we'd be happy…I swear!! So…I would do anything for you! Please just stay with me…"
"…"
"I'll even help you with your revenge…I don't know what I could do…But I'll try my best to do something…"
"I'm foolish…" He said quietly to himself. Yet this did not go unnoticed by the brunette who was standing stock still next to him.
The stunned face of his companion soon turned to a grimace…"She ruined it all for you! The bitch killed your prey!" She screeched "I'll destroy her for you Sasuke-sama – I'll show her your revenge!" Karin leapt forward to attack the pink haired kunoichi, but was stopped when the cold jagged metal of a kunai was swiftly drawn across her throat and stabbed into her ribcage - where her heart existed. Time seemed to slow as her body too took the endless plummet towards the harsh woodland terrain. Blood now heavily gushing from her wounds, pooling and running towards deep cracks in the dry dirt. Her eyes stared off blankly to one side.
All four Konoha shinobi screamed in their minds to move. For what they had just seen had only taken place in a few split seconds, and the now attacking ninja had just vanished. Yet all Kakashi could do was curse, as the raven haired ninja appear directly behind Sakura.
Sasuke pulled Sakura into his chest, encircling his arms around her waist as he buried his face into her pink tresses. 'She smells so good…Better than how I remember' He thought as he took in her scent.
All Sakura could do was stare forward, her mouth hanging open at what was happening. She was paralysed from moving, unknown to whether it was a jutsu or her own body not responding. Suddenly she felt the man slowly drag his lips across the skin of her neck; softly kissing the pale fresh – the feeling almost caused her legs to buckle beneath her and then she heard it - his voice. Deep and calming like the wind in the trees…
"Sakura…I'm sorry…" Was all she heard before she fell unconscious.
Sasuke felt her body go limp in his arms as he slid to the floor still holding her and sat there stroking her hair and caressing her skin. 'So beautiful…' Being so fixated with the beauty in his grasp, Sasuke had not become aware of the overly protective figure approaching him.
"What have you done to her you bastard!" Naruto yelled at his former best friend and rival. He held a kunai to Sasuke's throat, as his anger started boiling over; his eyes red like the kyuibi's.
"She just fainted, and-"
"Don't touch her!" He growled at him.
This was Kakashi's cue to enter the convocation. He appear alongside Naruto, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, loosening the tension that the usually hyperactive ninja was emitting. "We're taking you back to Konoha, and if you resist we may have to-" He was cut off by Sasuke who looked up at his old sensei.
The deep onyx orbs searched from reassurance in the copy-ninjas face. The sight of the last surviving Uchiha appearing so guilty, wrenched at the tight fist around Kakashi's heart. It had been a long time and he had missed the kid. But now as he looked back at the matured features of that once child, he realised they really had all grown up. "It's ok…" Sasuke breathed out "I'm coming home".
"Well that was quick" Sai stated, cutting in as well, as he too appeared beside Naruto and Kakashi.
Sasuke looked back down at the kunoichi in his arms and sighed. He hoped she would forgive him.
Sakura woke to the lullaby of nature and blur of trees rushing past. She realised she was in the arms of the man that had appeared after she had killed Itachi. Her team mates had surrounded her and the rogue, obviously keeping a close eye, as they sped threw the woods towards the village. They were clearly oblivious to the fact she had awoken. Averting her gaze back to the man, she studied his features – taking this opportunity to steal a few glances. He had short raven hair that was still a little longer than Naruto's and deep obsidian eyes. An open white hakama tucked into some loose fitting pants, encased his body, tied into a bow with a large rope-like, violet obi. She could see his defined chest threw his hakama, causing the heat to rise to her cheeks. Looking back up at his face, their eyes connect and something in her chest jumped.
"Who…are you?" She asked faintly, before her vision went from blurry to black again.
"I'm Sasuke" he whispered back, whilst pulling her closer "Uchiha Sasuke".