"Orochimaru! You're mine, you bastard!" I shouted, sliding three kunai knifes between my fingers that were hidden underneath my coat sleeves. I told Sakura to hide and I watched run to the bushes for cover. "Lets end this." I placed one kunai in my mouth and the blade cut my lip. The blood tasted marvelous. I itched for Orochimaru's blood. I will kill him, even if that meant risking my life. He kidnapped Sakura just to bring me out of hiding, and it worked.
I heard his low, evil chuckle that filled the air in the dense Forest of Death, but he was no where to be seen. "You underestimate me, Anko. How could you do that to your former sensei? You know my power, and I know you want it." As soon as he said that, that damned cursed seal glown and I felt the most excruciating pain I ever felt. It had activated. I gripped my shoulder, and winced. I glanced around the area, looking for any sign of him. I knew Sakura was watching me from the bushes. I told her to run, but she didn't listen to me.
"Anko, watch out!" I heard Sakura scream. Orochimaru came flying down from the top of the canvas trees, but I dodged him. He smashed into the ground, and when the dust parted, I saw a grin on his face. "Can you feel it, Anko? Can you feel that power?! Ahhh, it's so amazing." He licked his lips with that long, slimy toung of his. It was really disgusting. But I wasn't falling for him. He wasn't going to control me. I felt the curse starting to take over my body. The charred burns continued to grow on me, but I held them back. I became furious.
"Damn you, Orochimaru." I threw the kunai knives at my former sensei, but the black haired man caught them right in mid air before they struck his face. He was the man who taught me everything. Taught me how to fight and about genjutsu and ninjutsu. He taught me martial arts. He's the one who lied to me, but I'm not running away anymore. I felt my hands clench and my arms were pinned to my side.
I quietly built up my chakra, and quickly formed the hand signs, "Hidden Snake Jutsu!" I threw my hand in front, and seven or eight green snakes came from my sleeve and attacked Orochimaru instantly. The snakes pinned him to the tree, their fangs in his shoulders. I jerked my shoulder back and slung him to another tree. The snakes returned to my sleeve. Orochimaru chuckled again and disappeared.
"What? Can't face me?" I was amused with his little game. He's holding back way too much. "Come on!! Show me what you can do, Orochimaru!" I threw my arm out again, and the same snakes came out. I repeatedly smashed every inch of the area with the snakes strong muscular body. Just when I thought I thought he was gone, a huge serpent came from down below. It peered over the hedges and looked directly in my eyes and it thought, 'dinner'. I smiled up at the snake. "You wanna play rough now, huh? Alright. Fine with me."
I built up my chakra once more, carefully enough not use all my chakra. I jumped into a run and ran up one side of a tree and jumped on the back of the serpent. I took out another kunai and stabbed the beast in the top of the head and blood poured from the sides of the wound. It screamed, and threw me off it's back. I landed on a tree branch and it had messed up my shoulder. I glared up at the serpent who had turned around to see me in pain. The curse mark becoming more in dept with my soul and there was a purple chakra forming around my body. A chakra that could be seen. I felt the power becoming more in sync with me... and I liked it. I looked at my hand and saw the chakra, and clenched my fist hard. Another glare up at the snake.
It hissed at me and flickered it's long toung. What was it waiting for? Suddenly, another snake of the same size came up from behind me. Ah. That's why. I saw Orochimaru on the back of that giant snake. "You like the power don't you, Anko? You see, it's genius." I had enough of this guy. I cracked my knuckles and prepared myself for the last battle. I bounced off the tree next to me and flew through the air, and landed on top of the giant snake I fought a few minuets ago. I stuck my hands through the beast and poured my chakra through the entire snake body. It was in my control now. "Clever." Orochimaru said.
"Stop talking." My voice was rough and evil like his, except Orochimaru's voice was soothing and innocent. "Lets finish this now. You and me." Sakura was watching from down below, and she was scared for Anko. She was worried that Orochimaru would eventually take over Anko's soul, but she continued to keep out of the way.
"You first." Orochimaru said. "Be my guest."
"Of course." I said, and forced his own creature after him. The Orochimaru guided his snake and evaded me. Back and forth we attacked each other. We stopped for a brief second to catch our breaths, but we didn't take our eyes off each other for one minuet. "What's.. the matter, Orochimaru? Tired yet?" I said between gasps for breath. He was feeling the same. "Nope." He grinned and attacked me once more. I didn't see that coming and he knocked me off his serpent and I fell through the trees. I tried my hardest to stable myself, but I was too weak and I smashed into the ground.
"ANKO!" Sakura squealed.
I sat up, and pulled out a kunai, but Orochimaru hopped off his serpent and pinned me to the ground once more. He gripped me by the coat color and I winced. The charred marks began to cover my face. "I won't let you use your power against me, only for me. Got it? But you don't." Orochimaru sighed. "How disappointing. Here I thought you could be useful for me. Oh well, no matter." He sighed once more and took out his kunai and licked the blade and held it to my neck. I couldn't move. I was frozen solid, he must of used a paralysis jutsu on me without warning. Damn him. "Any last words, Anko?" I stared at him straight into the snake-like eyes. "Yeah. Three. Go fuck yourself." It really ticked him off when I said that. He took the kunai and instead of slicing my neck, he stabbed it into my stomach right through a fatal point. The charred burns on my body went away and my skin returned to normal, but the pain was unreal. The paralysis went away too, and that was my chance to strike back. I took the kunai and stabbed Orochimaru straight in the heart. and Orochimaru was instantly killed. I turned over and held myself up with one hand, holding my stomach with the other, blood flowing from it quickly. "ANKO!" Sakura ran over to me and placed a hand on my back. "Oh, Anko..." She said. She took me and carried me to a shaded part of area and laid my head down on her lap.
"Sakura.. I have to tell you something." I turned to her stomach to grip her dress and coughed up blood. "Anko please, don't move. I'll be able to heal you." I shook my head. "Don't heal me." Sakura was bewildered. "What? Not heal you? What are you talking about? And what are you going to tell me?" Sakura said, and I pushed myself up to her face and stared in her eyes. "I... love you, Sakura Haruno. I always have ever since I met you in the classroom when you passed the first Chunin Exam. I couldn't believe how incredibly cute you were, and still are now." Sakura had tears in her eyes.
"Anko... why?" She said softly, looking down. "Why would you love someone like me and sacrifice yourself?" I smiled up at Sakura and laughed softly. "I don't know. It was something I felt like I should do. It was instinct." I sighed deeply, "but, I care about you, Sakura. I really do." I reached up and placed a hand on her soft, pink cheeks. I winced again from the pain. "Anko.." Sakura leaned over and she kissed me softly, and she didn't care I had blood on my mouth. She pulled away from me. "Sakura." Tears fell from my eyes now. Why did I wait until now to tell her? She actually liked me back. Sigh. I could take on Orochimaru a thousand times, but when it comes to talking to a pretty girl like Sakura, I'm a total coward. "Go on and live life with happiness. Don't mourn over me. 'Cause when you mourn, I mourn for my own loss." Sakura took her hand in mine. "I love you, Anko." She kissed me once more. I closed my eyes, and cherished this final moment and I felt my body go weak and numb. I couldn't feel anything now. Sakura knew that I was gone, but she continued to kiss my lifeless body.
She finally pulled away, sighed and looked into the eyes of her dead friend. She placed her hand over the eyes and closed the eyelids.
"Anko...Anko..." She cried. Suddenly Ino Yamanaka appeared before her with Shikamaru and Chouji. "Sakura?! What the hell?" Sakura looked up at Ino. Continuous tears fell from her eyes. Ino hurriedly ran over to her and the dead body. "What happened, Sakura?" Ino said getting on her knees. Sakura turned away from Anko's dead body and buried her face in Ino's breasts. "She's gone, Ino. She's gone." Sakura cried even more. Ino wrapped an arm around her, and looked at the dead body. How creepy, but sad indeed. Ino's face lowered. "Anko Mitarashi?" Sakura nodded her head, but didn't budge from Ino's chest. Ino sighed deeply. "Alright. Shikamaru, Chouji." The two boys looked at their team leader. "Carry Anko back to Konoha. I'll take Sakura back myself. Anko's too heavy for me to lift." They two boys nodded their heads, and carefully picked up Anko in their arms. Sakura turned to look at her one more time and saw Anko's arms fall from her side. Lifeless. The two boys disappeared and Ino helped Sakura's shaking body to her feet.
"Come on. We can take it slow, if you want." Ino said, holding her close. She thought about what it would be like if she saw someone she cared about die in front of her. She felt sorry for, Sakura and they continued on, finding their way out of the forest.
A crowd of people stood around one grave. A headstone that read 'Mitarashi Anko. A true heroine of Konoha'. It was a sad day and to top it off, it was raining. Lord Hokage stood in front of the grave and was talking about how great Anko was and what she did for the village. Sakura glanced from Lord Hokage to Anko's resting bed. A coffin that was made of mahogany. Ino was standing next to her, holding a flower in her hand. Sakura was also holding flowers. They watched as Kurenai, Tsunade and the rest of Anko's close friends place a flower on her coffin. A Hidden Leaf symbol was engraved on the top of the coffin. Ino stepped up with Sakura by her side. "You okay?" She asked. Sakura didn't say anything or respond at all. The pinkette placed a single flower on her coffin. Naruto and the other guys watched Sakura. "She seems to be hurting the most." Lee said. Naruto nodded. "After all, she saw Anko die." Naruto clenched his fists and tears fell from his eyes. Even Sasuke shed's a tear or two.
Sakura and Ino stepped back into the crowd and Lord Hokage stepped up again. "Would anyone like to say something?" Ino looked at Sakura and nudged her. Sakura sighed and rose her hand. "I would." She said and walked up to where the Hokage was. She cleared her throat and was hesitant. She stared at the coffin in front of her. Thousand eyes were laid upon her.
"I'll do my best." She started, "Anko was indeed a hero. I saw her fight Orochimaru for her life.. and my life in the Forest of Death. She was brave, even though she can be rash sometimes. Every time one of us saw her, she had a smile on her face and she lived life with happiness." Sakura stopped until she realized what she said. An image of Anko came into her mind, 'Go on and live your life with happiness' Anko's voice echoed through her mind. A smile curled up on her lips. "Anko taught me something. Smile. No matter what happens, and be happy, because you only live once and how could you go through life and not feel that kind of emotion? I thank you, Anko." She said looking down at the grave.
The crowd was silent and amazed at such wise words. Even Lord Hokage was impressed. "Very good, Sakura." He said stepping back up. He let out a deep sigh, trying to hold back tears himself. "Alright. Even anyone doesn't have anything else to say. Lets go back in and remember Anko." He said. Everyone departed from the grave after it was lowered into the ground. Sakura didn't leave the site and Ino stood by her. Ino placed a hand on her shoulder. "Want to go back in?" Sakura shook her head. "No. I want to stay out here for a while." Ino nodded. "I'll stay with you. The two people who were burying Anko had finished and bowed to the two girls. They left.
Sakura walked up to the headstone and got on her knees. She fell over the headstone, wrapping her arms around it, balling her eyes out. Ino looked down, not trying to cheer her up, because now even saying something thoughtful, could be even hurtful sometimes. Ino kept quiet.
"Sakura." A familiar voice said. Sakura looked up and peered through the rainfall. The voice sounded hallow and... dead. Sakura and Ino both saw what it looked like to be a ghost, or a spirit. It was indeed, Anko. Sakura shot up quickly. "A-Anko? Is that you?" I, the spirit, walked up to Sakura smiling. "Yeah.. " I looked down at myself and grinned back up at Sakura. "It's me." Sakura sobbed. "Don't cry my little cherry blossom." I said lifting up Sakura's chin. Even though she was a spirit and she was transparent, she felt solid to Sakura. "Orochimaru's dead, and my soul's finally free. Thank you, Sakura. Thank you. I owe you a lot." I said, holding the girl in my arms.
Sakura couldn't say anything. She gripped onto the transparent spirit of myself and sobbed. "But, Anko..." I placed a finger on her lips and looked past her at Ino. "You be sure to take care of her, won't you?" I asked. Ino blinked. She was frozen solid with fear, but somehow she felt safe too. It was Anko, after all. Ino nodded and I smiled. "Good. I'm counting on you." I looked down at Sakura again. "And I'm counting on you to be strong. Will you be strong for me? That's all I ask." Sakura looked up into my eyes and nodded. "No more crying over me. I want you to be happy." I looked at Ino once more and smiled then back down into my beautiful Sakura's eyes. I leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I'll always be with you." I kissed her on the cheek and pulled away from. "My time is over. I must be going. I only stayed to tell you that every thing's okay now."
"I love you, Anko." Sakura said and I smiled. "I love you too, Sakura. Take care of yourself." A bright light formed behind me and I turned to peer inside. I smirked looking down at the ground. "Sakura.. your great-grandmother says hello." Sakura blinked and let out a soft chuckle. "Goodbye, Anko." I stepped into the light and it disappeared. Only my voice filled the air.
"We'll meet again, so never say goodbye."