Disclaimer
I don't own Naruto.

Her Wielder
A new ability divides everyone into either a wielder or its weapon. With Sasuke's return, things are becoming more hectic than ever. Inspired by Soul Eater.


1

You have to be the weapon.


The timing of Sasuke's return was almost a miracle. For Naruto, it was a miracle. For Sakura, she was just glad to have him back… At first.

The week Sasuke returned to Konoha was the day the "abilities" were awakened. In a shinobi world, a mysterious force came upon everyone, transforming them into either a weapon or its wielder. Of course, the weapon wielders had to be able to synchronize their souls with their weapon.

. . .

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan! What are you? A weapon, maybe?" Naruto's eyes were glowing with excitement at the thought that his teammate could be a weapon. After a short test, the blonde had, after all, been determined as a wielder. As a wielder, he would need a weapon.

"Too bad for you, Naruto, but I'm a wielder as well." Sakura grinned with relief. She hated the thought of being a weapon – wouldn't she have to slice through enemies and become drenched in their blood? That was way too gross.

"Aww, then who do I pair up with? There's no one better than you, Sakura-chan." Hesitantly, he added, "Maybe, if Sasuke-teme was still here…"

Casting a sharp glance, Sakura bitterly spat out, "But he's not." Her cold face fell to one of grief, however, betraying her strong front.

"Hey, guys, did you hear?" Tenten ran up to them, breaking in their solemn silence. "The bloodlines can be both a weapon and a wielder! So they don't need a partner, apparently."

Sakura suppressed a giggle. "That's too bad, Tenten. I thought you'd have Neji as your weapon."

"Actually, Sakura… It turns out, I'm not a wielder. I'm a weapon."

Naruto yelled out disbelievingly, "What?!"

Tenten grinned. "It's actually pretty cool. See?" In an instant, her left arm turned into a blade.

"Wow." Naruto gawked at her transformation. "I wish I was a weapon…"

"Care to be Naruto's weapon, Tenten?" Sakura smiled lazily.

"No way! Plus, I haven't told you guys everything."

"Everything?" The two chimed to question.

"I told you that bloodlines, like Neji or Hinata, don't need a wielder or a weapon – they're both. But if they do partner up, the harmony between the wielder and the weapon can strengthen their powers dramatically."

"You don't mean…" Sakura questioned, though she already knew.

"Yep!" Tenten smiled proudly. "Neji's going to be my wielder."

"No fair! Isn't that totally against the rules?" Naruto pouted.

"You're just jealous, Naruto! Come back with your old teammate – he's a bloodline, isn't he?" Tenten teased.

"Hmph!"

In the distance, a black messenger bird flew toward the group.

Instinctively, Sakura reached for the message first, sure that it had to do with either Tsunade or the hospital.

An unexplainable icy chill spiraled down her body when she read the note: "Hokage Tower. Urgent."

For a fracture of seconds, Sakura looked at Naruto. Then, without further ado, she yelled, "Got to go!" leaving behind the two confused.

. . .

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura whispered as she knocked on the Hokage's office.

"Sakura, come in."

"Kakashi-sensei?" The room was empty save for Sakura and her old teacher. The Hokage was nowhere to be found. "Where's Tsunade-sama?"

"You'll see. Where's Naruto?" Kakashi was leaning against a wall, looking calm and bored. However, his fingers tapping on the wall told Sakura that something was definitely wrong.

"What is it, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura pressed with reluctance.

Kakashi sighed, discarding Naruto's absence, and wordlessly, his hand slowly reached for his mask. Sakura's heart accelerated with the anxiety and excitement of the dark truth she was about to find out.

Delicately, the silver-haired man peeled off the part of the mask that hid his Sharingan eye. For a second, Sakura averted her eyes in reflex, but willed herself to look back. Kakashi-sensei wouldn't harm her.

And then, Sakura understood. It was way too painful for Kakashi-sensei to put into words, she realized. 'He's back.' His eyes told her. The Sharingan is back.

He is back.

Her heart stopped and her feet rooted to the ground. When the shock passed, however, Sakura ran for the door.

"Not so fast, Sakura." In an instant, Kakashi stood before her, trying to stop her tracks.

"But I have to see, I have to –" Sakura sputtered out helplessly, but what did she have to do?

"Tsunade-sama ordered for you to stay here with Naruto." Kakashi firmly held her shoulders, trying to calm her frantic desire to see the return of her teammate.

Sakura lowered her head, as if to resign, then punched her teacher with her chakra-infused fist so suddenly that she was able to run away.

"Thank you!" She called back as she headed blindly to the hospital. Kakashi could have still stopped her. He chose not to.

Kakashi sighed with a tired smile. "Guess I'll have to get Naruto myself."

. . .

In the hectic rush of the newly discovered abilities of wielders and weapons, the return of Uchiha Sasuke passed quietly. During the week when everyone took tests to find their nature of the ability, Uchiha Sasuke, after much debate, was allowed to stay in Konoha without punishment.

There was, of course, a condition.

As a bloodline, Uchiha Sasuke could be both a wielder and a weapon, and thus either a great danger or a helpful asset to Konoha. If he were to partner up and synchronize his soul with a Konoha ninja, the possibility of a second betrayal was highly unlikely. After all, his partner would be able to sense his dark thoughts.

The problem was finding the partner.

"I'm the wielder" Sasuke coldly stated.

"Sasuke, you have to be the weapon." Kakashi sighed wearily. Both Naruto and Sakura were wielders, and even if Sakura was a weapon, she was out. Kakashi knew Sasuke wouldn't allow himself to be partnered with her.

That, for Sasuke, would be more humiliating than being Naruto's weapon.

"Come on, Teme!" Naruto barked with a mix of sneer and annoyance. "We'd be the best combo out there!"

Sasuke only glared.

"Well," Kakashi said thoughtfully, "Sai is a weapon, isn't he?"

"No way!" Sakura blurted out. "He's my weapon!"

"Hn," Sasuke sneered darkly. "I wouldn't want your weapon either. It's too degrading."

Sakura felt her fury bubbling inside of her, but balling her hands into fists, she kept calm. Ever since his return, which was only a few days ago, Sasuke had been so cold. She expected that much, but he also looked down on her. That much, she could tell. Years ago, that wouldn't matter, but now, it hurt her pride.

Gritting her teeth, Sakura walked away.

. . .

Kakashi clapped his hands. "So it's decided! Sasuke, you'll be Naruto's weapon."

Sasuke glared at the two, unable to confess the truth of his state. Having sensed this already, Kakashi continued with a lazy smile. "Of course, that's how it'd look like for now."

"I never knew, Sasuke-teme, that you can't transform into a weapon!" Naruto, with no meaning to tease, wondered out loud. "Even though you're a bloodline! A bloodline!"

"You won't have to transform into a weapon to show that you are one. I'll just deal with the paper works, but the problem is time." Kakashi concluded. "How long can this go on before you're found out, Sasuke? Maybe you should just get Sai as your weapon."

"No." Sasuke's dark eyes sharpened with intimidation. "She'll find out, then."

"Can't you just let Sakura-chan know?" Naruto whined, unable to understand his teammate. "I notice the tension between you two, you know. Just tell her the truth – tell her you can't transform and she'll understand."

"Understand what?" Sasuke growled.

"Uh… why're you're being so mean to her?" Naruto blindly guessed. "I mean, you can't just hide your weak sides, ya know? We're team seven!"

Sasuke's glare only deepened.


tbc, hopefully.