It was the final battle. After years of separation, heartbreak and wounds that would never heal properly. The rookie nine were together again, mowing a path through the twisted monstrosities born of a centuries old hatred and envy. Team seven stood back to back, on equal footing at last and with their newest addition. Sakura clutched Sais' hand briefly and gave it a squeeze.
Poor, adorable, awkward Sai, who found a heart and a family. As one, they charged, the shinobi revived by Katsuyu dealing with the smaller juubi offshoots, while the teenage powerhouses charged forwards.
Approaching the 10 tails, the shinobi unleashed their most devastating attacks. As the shockwaves of the attacks combined and melded together, including the eruption of power from the yin sealed Sakura, the force threw them outwards like so many dead leaves.
Most were caught by the dissipating energy of the Shodaimes' energy barrier.
However Sakura was not so fortunate. Positioned as she was between Sais' blood-dragon, Sasuke's Kagutsutchi and Narutos' Rasen-Shuriken combined with the titanic destructive power of her own punch, the recoil was too much for her to recover from.
Sakura was flung outwards, so fast she became a blur shooting like a star away from the field of destruction she and her peers had created.
"Sakura!" Sai's hoarse cry was lost as the earth screamed, a rumbling cry of destruction, stone shrieking and soil rising to patter down like the aftermath of a hurricane.
Many miles away from the desolate plains of battle, A small body clad in Konoha fatigues splashed into the surface of a river with the same force as crash landing into a stone wall. Jarred nearly to unconsciousness and almost delirious from pain, punch-drunk on the feeling of the kage-level technique keeping her alive Sakura barely had the presence of mind to charge a kunai with her chakra and fling in to the riverbank before the current dragged her deeper.
At least they'll know where I died…
There was no question in her mind that she would die. Although the hyaku-gou seal meant her injuries would heal almost immediately, the current was too fast and the water too cold. In the quiet, indigo space of her own mind she accepted death.
I have done my duty, served my Kage and village, defended my teammates and eliminated the threat to that which I hold dear. I just wish… I could have stayed with them for a little longer. Naruto will be so happy so have Sasuke-kun back, and Sai has changed so much already, and Gaara is so very loved …Kakashi will still be late, and Shishou will be drunk… live long and happy lives everyone…
The lack of oxygen was weakening her now fully healed body and black spots peppered her failing vision. Suddenly a strong feeling of suction came from below and immediately in front of her. Blearily, Sakura observed an acidic green light edged with a golden soft-ness , like sunlight over leaves. Then she was wrenched from the river and down the shining vortex inside a-well shaft?
I will try to update this every saturday, although may be a day earlier or later depending on how knackered I am from work ;p
Anyway, enjoy the first chapter!
xoxo