Yours
"Do you trust him Sakura-san?"
"Yes, he's back on our side. I trust him." I smile back at Sai but I can tell by the way his eyes narrow that he can see the smile is forced.
I want to trust Sasuke. I think I did… but just now he shouted with such malice and evil intent. He's getting so worked up. I haven't seen him like this since he fought Naruto on the roof. He went at the blond with killing intent. Just now I heard Naruto shouting a plan to Sasuke but he bluntly ignored him and attacked with Ameterasu. The Juubi shed its skin in a matter of a second and virtually no damage was done. If those two don't work together, they don't stand a chance. As soon as Katsuyu is done using my chakra to heal the injured that aren't already being tended by the medical unit I'll join them. I don't honestly know if my presence will make them cooperate, but if one of them attacks the other, I'll be able to put a stop to it this time. Kakashi isn't around to push me out of the way, but that's alright. I'm stronger now. They won't kill me that easily.
"Sakura-sama, Tsunade-sama and the other Kage are on their way." Katsuyu says.
I look down at her in surprise. "I thought you said they were too injured to fight any longer."
"Orochimaru-sama showed up with a girl who healed Tsunade-sama and I gained back my healing abilities when Tsunade-sama was no longer so weak." Katsuyu explains.
I turn and wave a hand in the air to get Ino's attention. Soon I feel myself connected to Shikamaru and I share this new information with him.
Good. Alright Sakura, I think everyone is healed. Go to your teammates. They won't listen to me so it's up to you. That thing's weakness will be your punches and razor sharp attacks that will do more than damage the outer layer like Sasuke's fire. Make sure they don't waste any more chakra. Communication is cut off between Shikamaru and I and I wave my hand in the air signaling I'll be going.
"Katsuyu-sama, are you ready?" I ask.
"Yes ma'm. I shall summon my clone in Shikkotsu Forest now." I feel her tap into my chakra and a large clone appears in front of us. I jump up on to its head and cross my legs as I sit down.
"I shall begin the transfer now Sakura-sama."
I feel the strange chakra flowing into me and close my eyes to retain my focus. If I let my concentration slip in the next minute I risk turning into a slug myself and eventually stone. Naruto faces the same danger every time he activates his Toad Sage Mode. I don't know the Shadow Clone Technique and was worried I'd have to meditate every day for hours to absorb the natural energy from my surroundings. Katsuyu is the one who suggested she have one of her clones absorb the energy for me and transfer it to me whenever I needed to use Slug Sage Mode. I've trained in Shikkotsu Forrest with this technique, but I've never used it in battle. I have no choice though. Even with my White Strength Seal I'm still not on the same level as my teammates. With Slug Sage Mode I'll be able to keep up with them finally.
"Katsuyu-san, can you take me to Naruto and Sasuke?" I ask the slug.
"Of course Sakura-sama." All of her clones converge to the one I'm standing on and she grows to her full size.
She slithers in between the two men and I thank her silently. She must sense the tension between the two. I can feel Sasuke's chakra swirling wildly in my Sage Mode state and Naruto's is starting to flow faster too. They're both pissed off, but for different reasons.
"We need to attack together." I say. Naruto turns to look at me and I sense Sasuke glancing at me.
"Sakura-chan, you're using natural energy!" Naruto gapes at me.
I nod. "Katsuyu has been teaching me for years, but I just recently mastered my control over it." I turn my attention back to the Juubi.
"Sasuke you're fire won't work because it will just shed its skin. We need to use attacks that will have a deep impact." I sense him turning to glare at me, but I ignore the heated gaze.
"The Bijuu are inside of the Juubi." Naruto tells me. I nod, sensing them myself. "What should we do about them?" Naruto asks. "I can fight them for a while, but it's impossible to kill a tailed beast."
"We'll have to seal them." I state bluntly. I turn to Sasuke. "And you'll have to control them with your Sharingan until we can find seven volunteers." I look back at Naruto. "Can you get your father to seal them?" The blond nods and I turn back to the Juubi. "Well that's our plan then. First we'll have to shred that apart to get at any of the tailed beasts. Katsuyu take me closer to-"
"No."
I turn to look at Sasuke. He has his arm extended up to the sky. I look up to the clouds above us and notice how they've darkened. "What are you doing?" I demand. The chakra gathering in the sky sends a chill down my back. I shudder when I realize it's all Sasuke's.
"You'll kill us all!" I shriek when I notice the clouds beginning to crackle.
"Then get back." He keeps his hand in the air and turns to glare at me. "And hurry." I can see the strain it takes to keep his attack from being unleashed.
Katsuyu doesn't even wait for my order, already knowing what I'll say. I leap over to Naruto and Gamakichi just in time as Katsuyu's clones rush off to usher everyone away. "Should we get out of here too?" I ask Naruto. I look up to the clouds. "That's too much chakra for my liking. Sasuke might injure himself. He's too close to the Juubi."
"He won't get hit by his own technique. Just to be safe, we'll move over behind him." Naruto assures. "That way if he really is stupid enough to hit himself you'll at least be close enough to heal him."
I nod and crouch down to hold on when Gamakichi leaps to Aoda and Sasuke. I look back and sigh in relief as I watch the last of the shinobi who had entered the Hokages' barrier filing out of the opening Hashirama created. "Alright Sasuke they're out!" You better not get yourself killed with this.
As soon as I give the all clear Sasuke starts stirring his hand in the air. A great crash of thunder seems to shake the ground. The noises continue and I notice how they almost sound like a mighty roar. I pinpoint where Sasuke's chakra is gathering and make out a shape moving above the clouds. Suddenly it dives down when Sasuke brings his palm down. The flash is so intense that I look away. Strong shockwaves berate my body and I lay down flat on Gamakichi's head. I feel Naruto's elbow press into my side as he drops down too. I cover my eyes and squeeze them shut, but they still burn from the flash. I use healing chakra to get rid of the burns inflicted on my cornea and reach out blindly until my hand finds Naruto's face. I heal his eyes too and by the time I'm done the flash has subsided. I crack open an eye and gape at the utter destruction in front of us. Aoda is curled up on the ground and to my relief I see him curled around Sasuke. There is a large puff of smoke and the snake is gone. I jump off of Gamakichi and hurry to Sasuke's side. He isn't injured, just drained of chakra. He had half of his chakra reserve left when he used that.
I summon one of Katsuyu's clones and use her to transfer my chakra to Sasuke. I tap into my White Strength Seal and fill his reserves a fourth of the way. "This is the one and only time I'll do this." I warn him. I offer him a hand to pull him up but he rudely brushes me aside.
I bite my lip and clench my fists, but say nothing. Hopefully it's just adrenaline making him this way. I look back to the clearing smoke and reach out with my heightened Sage Mode senses. The Bijuus' chakras are more prominent than before. I can't feel the Juubi's at all. "It split itself up into the tailed beasts." I observe.
"How long can you control them?" I ask Sasuke.
"Only five minutes with this little chakra." I roll my eyes. I bet he didn't even think about that before using that attack. It would have taken longer, but Naruto and I could have taken it down while he conserved chakra.
"Naruto go find your father and explain that we need him to seal these. We'll need seven volunteers as well." I look to Naruto and fix him with a stern look when he tries to argue back. "You've been fighting for two days straight. You're Sage Mode is already weakening. I'll handle this until you're back."
"Sakura-chan that's insane! They're too strong for one person to fight!"
"Well you'd better hurry then." I counter.
He takes off, seeing my unwillingness to budge on the matter. Sasuke starts to unsheathe his sword but I shake my head. "You'll need all of your chakra."
"You're too weak." He says bluntly.
I clench my jaw. "I used to be." I concede. "Even ten minutes ago, I was still too weak. But I'm using my White Strength Seal and Slug Sage Mode now. As much as you might hate it, I'm on par with you for the moment."
Before Sasuke can try to belittle me again, I run forward. I just need to keep their attention on me for a few minutes. I weave around the monstrous beasts and dodge their different attacks. When they begin to lose interest and attack the barrier, I land a devastating blow to their turned backs. I lead them back to the main group and continue to weave around them until another breaks off. It's like herding sheep, only the tailed beasts retaliate when I attack and can kill me with a single blow if I slip up.
I leap into the air to dodge the two tails when it leaps at me and the one tailed beasts launches sand at me. There's too much for me to contort my body around and I can't change my direction since I'm in midair. The attack hits and I fly back. I cry out in shock but it's cut short when the wind is knocked out of me from crashing into the ground. Before I have time to blink the two tails is pouncing at me again.
"Susanoo!"
I spring to my feet using chakra and jump over Sasuke before Susanoo even manifests. I meet the two tails in midair and pack as much chakra in my leg as I can. I spin in midair and slam my foot down on the beast's head. It's slammed into the ground hard enough to force it off its feet and create a large crater around it.
"I told you to conserve your chakra!" I shout to Sasuke. "I can take care of myself!"
The chakra that was building up around Sasuke dissipates and goes back into his body. He dodges when the four tails charges at him and I use my enhanced speed to reach them before Sasuke tries to attack. I catch the monkey's fist as it slams down at Sasuke and throw it off me. I jump up and push off its chest sending it flying towards the two tails which was staggering to its feet.
Just as I'm falling into a rhythm of fighting them, Naruto shows up with not only his father, but all of the Hokages and Kages. All of the Kages but Tsunade-shishou takes over for me. Katsuyu appears next to me to inform me that Tsunade-shishou has very little chakra. I run to her intent on giving her some of my reserves, but a man stops me just as I'm about to begin the chakra transfer through Katsuyu.
"Allow me."
Shishou gasps and I look up to the man towering over me. I can feel his immense chakra presence is even greater than mine even with the White Strength Seal and Slug Sage Mode activated. Who is this guy?
"Ojii-san." Tsunade-sama breathes.
The imposing man's serious look cracks and he smiles at my Shisou. "So it is true. They really did let you become Hokage." He laughs as he crouches down next to me. He brushes my hands lightly from Katsuyu and begins to transfer chakra to Tsunade-sama.
I saw him when he first arrived and I saw him put up the barrier with the other Hokages, but I didn't have Slug Sage Mode activated at the time to sense just how vast his chakra pool is. It's probably the same as combining my reserves with Naruto's and Sasuke's chakra pools. It's an unfathomable amount.
"Shishou what happened?" I manage as I move around Katsuyu to examine the ring of blood around Tsunade's waist. When I reach out I discover that the shirt is cut right in the middle of the red line. When I lift the material I gasp when I see the bright red scar going all the way around her torso. "You were cut in half!" I cry in horror. "You shouldn't be moving around, let alone in the middle of a battlefield! I'll get you back by Shikamaru and Ino and she can-"
"Sakura, I'm fine." Despite the sternness in her voice, she's smiling at me. "When did you surpass me?" She smiles even wider as she examines my appearance. "Judging from the way your eyes are glowing almost completely white except for the faint green of your irises and the green lines running across your face and neck, I think it's safe to say you've been up to something."
I smile at her praise, completely forgetting about the war going on around us, trusting in the power of those around me.
"When you were busy with paperwork I would go with Katsuyu to Shikkotsu Forest. I just recently mastered senjutsu after training for the past three years. I wouldn't be able to use it though if it weren't for this seal." I tap my finger on the White Strength Seal on my forehead. "I don't think my chakra pool would be large enough otherwise."
Tsunade opens her mouth to respond, but the only thing that comes out is blood. I stare in shock and flinch when it covers my face.
I look down in confusion to see an arm protruding from Tsunade-sama's chest. I look up and just gape at Obito Uchiha. Under his arm is Kakashi-sensei. He throws my mentor to the ground and wrenches his hand out of my shishou's chest. Shock clouds my mind and I stare at him unfeeling.
"This world will all be gone soon." I look up to the middle-aged Uchiha. "You won't even remember this soon enough." He's looking down at me with sympathy. "It won't matter when-"
Rage courses through my body. It feels like I was just lit on fire and my blood was replaced with hot oil. I plant my foot in front of me and the ground cracks around me. Before Obito can say another word with his filthy mouth I spring up catching his chin with my fist. I grip him around the neck and squeeze. "How can the most important people in my life be killed by such filth?" I squeeze even harder waiting for the fear in his eyes. I want him to suffer for what he's done. I want to be the one who makes him suffer.
He reaches out with his hand to push on my face, but I stomp down on his foot and am rewarded with a satisfying crunch. I press down on a chakra point in his neck and through my Sage Mode I'm able to see the halt of his chakra. This fucker won't be able to teleport away this time. I grab the hand he tried to strike me with and break all of his fingers with one swift twist. He cries out in pain and I cry out too in a different kind of pain. I look to Kakashi-sensei, then Tsunade-shishou. The first Hokage is crouched over my Shishou healing her but there's no one around Kakashi. He must be dead because the First Hokage doesn't even glance his way. I cry out in agony again as I go back to strangling this awful, awful man. He can't be killed by being stabbed or ripped apart limb by limb. His body is made of the same material as Zetsu. If I cut off his oxygen for long enough though he'll die. If I rip off his head with my bare hands he'll have just enough time to scream before-
"Rin." He whispers.
He doesn't have time to scream and I throw his head from me in fury. I fall to my knees and crawl away from that monster's body. I crawl to Kakashi-sensei to find him barely breathing. I frantically prepare to heal him, but I notice the seal on his stomach before I start. I've seen it before while working with Ibiki in interrogation in one of the books on torture. It's forbidden in Konoha, but some use it for getting information from injured targets. Healing chakra has the opposite effect on whoever the seal is on. If the seal is deactivated it kills the victim immediately. It wears off after a few hours, but Kakashi-sensei only has a few minutes left.
"I already know." Kakashi-sensei chokes out.
I finally begin to cry. The rage from earlier has gone just as fast as it came. I collapse over Kakashi and bury my face in his chest. I clutch at his flak jacket and hold on desperately.
I feel him start to stroke my hair. "He wasn't Obito any longer." He says quietly. "That Obito died a long time ago. He died with Rin." He strokes my hair for a while before continuing. "But I went on. I didn't start a family like that or anything, but I didn't have to." He weakly tugs on my hair and I look up to him. "You three let me into yours." He smiles sadly.
I hug him tightly as I hold on to every one of his words. "You were like a father to us." I whisper. "You will always be like a father to us Kakashi-sensei."
He kisses my forehead and his arms fall weakly to his sides. "I was always ready to die." He says, barely loud enough for me to hear. I move my ear by his mouth so I don't miss a single word. "I was ready to see my Team 7 again." I think back to the picture I saw of him when he was younger with his teammates. "But you're my Team 7 now. I can't believe it took me this long to realize that."
I fight back the sob and whisper back in his ear as his eyes close and he draws his last breath. "We'll always be your Team 7 Sensei. We'll always be yours."
