Forgetful Past

The boys lived on the battlefield. Thinking about and losing something which cannot be substituted.
That time. That memories...it is known as a 'Legend'.

Naruto: Chapter 244

Recommended Song: Naruto Shippuden OST: When a friend dies (it seems appropiate)

Naruto stood infront of the tombstone. 'Here lies Sakura Haruno. Great student, great friend'. Naruto sighed then smiled, "Happy birthday, Sakura-chan, you'd be twenty-two today." He said. He stood there like he was waiting on a reply. He then looked up at he cherry blossom tree and as the wind blew a petal landed right on top of the white marble stone. He smiled as he suddenly remembered the time he and Sakura went out on their first date and came to this tree.

Flashback

"Naruto! Come on!" She said smiling and waving her hand in the air. It was the day of the annual festival Konoha had every spring, she wore a white yukata with cherry blossoms flowing from her hip to her feet. Her long pink hair pulled into a bun with ornaments placed in it. Naruto hurried beside her, "You were going to leave me." He said, catching his breath.

She smile became even brighter, "I want to show you the place where I always go to during the festivals." Naruto blushed, he'd never seen her more beautiful when she smiled like that, especially to him. She grabbed his hand and started rushing him toward the direction. As they got farther and farther away from the festival, his heart pounded even more frantically against his chest. Never he been so anxious to be with her, finally alone.

They were both seventeen and better friends then they were back when they were twelve. She ceased her hittings on him and spended more time with him. Naruto always thought she was a shrew, always nagging all time and a bit of a temper. But now that he actually got to know her, she was actually a loving, nice, caring person and that she only cared for his well-being and is angered by his recklessness when he charges out into the battlefield without thinking.

"We're here." She said, gazing up at the cherry blossom tree that seemed to have a pink aura surrounding it. "Itsn't it beautiful." Naruto looked at her, "Yes, she is." She looked at him wide eyed and blushed. Her blush match of the color of her hair and the petals. They stared at each other for several moments until Sakura decided to break it by blushing even more when she found out that she was staring. He gave her his famous grin, he looked down at their hands that was still connected.

He tighten his hold, making Sakura silently gasp then smiled and tighten her hold on his hand and looked back at the Sakura tree.

End of Flashback

He felt a tear slide down his whiskered cheek, and to think it was a month before she died, he'd never got the chance to tell her that he loved her. "Sakura." He whispered. He then he soft footsteps coming behind him. He quickly wiped away his tears and turned around to nobody other then, Sasuke. His face was stoic as he continued to walk toward him...or Sakura. Sasuke stopped beside him, "You came to say happy birthday?" He said. Naruto nodded his head. "You did too?" Sasuke nodded his head. It was silent for a couple minutes.

"Do you hate me for what I did?" Sasuke's baritone voice broke through the peaceful silence. Naruto looked at him, his gaze emotionless, he turned back to the tombstone.

"No, Sakura wanted me to forgive you."

Flashback

Sasuke stared wide eyes into the dull emerald eyes of his ex-teammate. He then looked down and saw his sword penetrating through her chest and the blood that covered it. He looked back up at her face, to see a smile grace her face. She brought her hands up weakly and held his cheeks. She leaned forward, winching a little from the sword being pushed farther into her body. She pressed her blood covered lips over his, his eyes widen even further. She pulled away, "E-ven after...wh-what you did...t-to us, I st-still love you." She said before sliding off his sword and falling to the ground in a heap.

Sasuke followed her as she fell. What have he'd done?

"Sakura!" Yelled a frantic, panicked voice. Sasuke didn't care who it was, the only person that was in his sight was Sakura. As the person came into his view, he knew it was Naruto. Naruto fell to his knees and pulled the nearly lifeless Sakura in his lap. "Sakura! Oh God!" He said taking in her beaten appearance and a rapidly bleeding hole in her chest. He quickly took off his jacket on put it over her wound. As soon as he did that, she cough up blood. His face turned into panic. "Come on, Sakura, try to heal yourself, please! Your losing too much blood!" He said frantically.

He looked up at Sasuke, hate clear in his eyes. "You did this! You bastard!" His eyes began turning into a blood red.

"Naruto...d-don't! Keep your...p-promise!" She said weakly. She brought her hand up and gripped his shirt, "You said...you'd b-bring him back...alive." She said looking up at him with pleading eyes. Naruto calmed down, reluctantly, "Pl-please, forgive him, f-for me." Naruto hesitated then looked up at Sasuke then back down at her and nodded his head. She turned her head to Sasuke. He was still in shock until he saw her look at him, "Sasuke-k-kun, return t-to the village."

He unconsciously nodded his head, she smiled at him. Naruto picked her up bridal style, "Sakura, we need to get you back to the village for Tsunade-baachan can heal you." He heard her weakly laugh, before he jumped into the trees in a rush. Naruto turned his head and saw Sasuke close behind him. He narrowed his eyes dangerously at him then sighed in defeat. Sakura had told him to forgive him and he was going to respect that from her. He also was grateful to Sasuke, because he respected her word and was coming back to the village.

He then heard Sakura coughing and hacking, he pumped chakra into his feet, he was starting to panic at the way her eyes were opening and closing. "Damn!" He cursed, Sakura wasn't going to make it.

"Na-naruto, stop." He heard her say. He stopped and stared confusing eyes at her. "Why do you want me to stop? Sakura, your dying!" He yelled.

"I know, Naruto. There's no point." She said coughing. She then looked around, "Sasuke-kun?" She said desperately her eyes darting around the forest rapidly. Sasuke instantly appeared in front of them. "I'm here." She grabbed his hand and smiled at him, "Just making sure." Sasuke stared at her bloody form. He couldn't believe that he had done this to her. She was the one who he considered listening to when he was leaving Konoha. She was the one who always stayed beside him when he was in his sad moments, comforting him. She was one of the important people that he never ever wanted to...lose.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. He felt her grip his hand tighter. "Thank you. Both o-of you." She said her eyes slowly closing, "Thank..." Naruto suddenly felt her body limp in his arms and her hand loosened on Sasuke's. Naruto felt tears wail up in his eyes.

She was gone.

Forever.

End of flashback

Sasuke sighed then looked up into the sky and closed his eyes. After they came back, everybody was shocked and hurt seeing Sakura lifeless in Naruto's arms. Once word got out, every detested him for what he had done. They gave him the same similar treatment they gave Naruto when he was younger. He smiled, he deserved every last bit of it on what he'd done. He was so blinded by anger that he killed one of his bestfriends, even Sasuke could admit that if Sakura was still alive, right now, they would of been lovers.

But after about a month, Naruto told them that Sakura wanted everybody to forgive him for everything he's done. Naruto even hated him for quite a while but that changed when they started up with their old ways again.

He opened his eyes back up and looked down at her grave. It stayed silent until a gentle breeze blew by, it was out of the ordinary, in fact it felt as if there was a presence around. Naruto shot his head up. "Sakura?" He whispered. He looked up at him. "Did you feel that?" Sasuke nodded his head. He looked around and saw nobody. He looked back down. Was it Sakura?

"Do you think its Sakura-chan?" Naruto said. He shrugged his shoulders. Kakashi appeared on the branch above them, "We've got a mission. We have to leave immediately." He said before jumping down the branch and landed behind them. They both nodded their head and started following him. They both looked back at her grave, that presence was still heavy in the air. They would just have to find out later just what that was.

~O~

Sakura opened her eyes for the first time since seeing both her beloved teammates. She looked around, seeing nothing but white. She looked down at herself and noticed her body was also glowing a white. She lifted up her hand, she opened it and closed it, noticing that she could feel. "Where am I? Aren't I dead? Am I in heaven?" She said to herself, dreamingly.

"Your in my Purgatory, my dear." Said a almost Godly voice. Her green eyes darted around, trying to find the source to the voice. "Who's there?" She said. Before she knew it, it felt as if she was flipped upward into a standing position. Her eyes widen slightly when she saw a image of something slowly appearing in front of her. As it came into shape, she noticed it was the shape of a dog with eleven tails.

It finally came into full view, the animal was beautiful. It was a white wolf with eleven long white tails. Its eyes was a fiery, mesmerizing ruby that covered all of its eye, no white visible. It had a magenta crescent moon on its forehead and jagged marks on each cheek, the same color. "What are you?" She asked out of pure curiousity.

"I am the eleven-tailed okami, Kurayami, Sakura-san. You have been chosen to become my new container."

"Your new container? Why me?" Sakura said. The okami closed its eyes then opened them back up. He walked toward her and began circling her.

"Well, as you see. I'm a spiritual Bijuu that chooses its container. My last container died eighteen years ago on March 28 and you, dear, you were born on the day. Your destiny is to become my new container an if you resist, you will remain in my Purgatory until you agree." Sakura stare at it her eyes widen. She thought about it.

"I could be brought back to life?" It nodded its head.

"Yes, you will return to the living world the exact age you died." Sakura smiled then nodded her head.

"Okay, but promise me..."

"You want to see Sasuke and Naruto and all your friends again?"

"Yes."

"Your wished is granted." With that, the body of the wolf glowed. It walked forward and entered her body. Sakura's eyes glowed red, the markings of the beast appeared on her arms and leg and the magenta crescent moon appeared on her forehead and disappeared. Then everything turned black.

~O~

Under the cherry blossom tree and bright light erupted from the ground then a body appeared. As the light disappeared, she began to stand up. She opened her eyes, they were blood red.

"But its a shame you won't remember them."