Lost Year

Traveling!

Sometimes the right person for you was there all along.
You just didn't see it because the wrong one was blocking the sight

Sakura sighed, staring out of her bedroom window. It was just like any other night. Bright lightings and numerous stalls lined up down the streets, selling all sorts of delicious food and toys. It was actually the night where Ino had suggested to have a ladies' night, but Sakura declined. She was still Ino's friend of course, just that she wanted to be alone.

Laughters, smiles, laughters, smiles. She really need a break from acting it too much everyday.

She stared at a few kids running about with sweets and toys in their hands, while the adults were chatting happily around small tables outside the China shop. She gave a sigh again.

"Sasuke..." Sakura muttered softly.

"Sakura. Thank you for everything."

With those words and he just left her at the bench out in the cold and disappeared for about three years. They only managed to find him with some information given by Sasori after she had finally beaten him.

Beaten him? No, she didn't, neither did Chiyo too.

She and Chiyo were sure that Sasori didn't take that blow because he was careless. He was just tired of this battle and wanted to die; perhaps in his parent's embrace.

Before he died, she gave him the mightiest punch when he had cursed his grandmother. But it didn't make much sense when he was still kind enough to help Sakura and gave her the needed information when he could ignore her existence.

She shook her head. Why on earth was she thinking about that redhead again? He was dead, and that's it. The battle was over!

"Look! Shooting stars!"

The shout broke her line of thoughts as she glanced down after hearing the shout and noticed a couple of kids pointing at the sky with their lollipop. She swiftly looked up, and noticed a couple of brights stars and a shooting star flying across the sky, followed by another one.

There were curious gasps and claps as another one came by. Sakura couldn't blame the kids for such excitement, she herself had only seen shooting stars for the first time too. Konoha always had thick clouds hovering above, seeing only stars was already difficult. So basically, seeing shooting stars was the luckiest thing that happened today.

She heard several legends about making a wish when you see a shooting star, and the wish would come true if the stars heard them. She looked down at the streets and a few kids had closed their eyes and seemed to be making a wish too.

It wouldn't hurt if she sort of try it out, right?

She clapped her hands twice as she silently brought them to her chest. And as the last shooting star flew past the sky, Sakura spoke out her wish.

"I wish, things could be different."

0o0

"Then, I hereby assign you the mission of locating and capturing Uchiha Itachi!"

The two teams; Team 8 and 7 swiftly disappeared in a second after Tsunade had ordered the two teams to do their mission.

"Everything will be fine." Tsunade muttered to herself while Jiraiya glanced at her. She whirled around and walked back to the Tower as her heels clacked in the drizzling rain.

Tsunade had received information on where Itachi was and ordered Kakashi and his team to discuss over it. Even though there were uncertain feelings and doubts, they still obeyed. They were planning to find Sasuke's brother to get on more information about Akatsuki, and furthermore, they could use this chance get back Sasuke as well.

Sasori's defeat didn't really manage to help Sakura to get more information to Akatsuki. Although it did helped to get a little closer to Sasuke and helping Team 7 to unite again only for a few minutes, she still managed to see him ever since he left her on that freaking bench three years ago.

Kakuzu's death didn't help much either, neither did Hidan being buried in that hole. They didn't get much information, other than realizing that Akatsuki wore rings and paint their fingernails for some weird reasons.

However, adding Sasori's puppet form, Hidan's immortality and Kakuzu having five hearts, they knew Akatsuki would be filled with one hell of tough and powerful S-ranked criminals.

But even if they knew their life's were at risk, they could not afford to fail this mission, they had to capture Itachi and bring him back to Konoha before Sasuke could manage to reach him.

0o0

It was about 2am and the dark forest was silent, except for the crickets chirping in order to find its mate.

They had been searching for the whole afternoon and they totally deserved a break. The girls slept in a tent while the guys split themselves into two groups and settled in their tents as well.

"It's about time my shift is over," Kiba yawned, trudging towards the tents while stretching with all his might. His loyal companion licked its paw as it followed quietly behind its owner, knowing that if it barked in response, it would wake everyone up.

"It should be Sakura's shift now," Kiba squinted his eyes and stared at the couple of tents that were pitched up in the clearing. He started sniffing for her scent, but there wasn't one. His big fluffy dog sensed its owner's discomfort as it started sniffing for Sakura's scent too.

"Oh Kami." Kiba wrinkled his nose and stared at the tent to his right. "Did Naruto fart? That asshole." He grunted as he waved his hand in front of his nose in order to get rid of the scent.

"That's weird, Sakura's scent is just, completely gone," Inuzuka sniffed once again and wondered aloud, deciding to approach to all the tents and peeked through the small flap to find the pinkette.

"Not here…" He whispered to himself until he finally approached to the last tent. It was just Naruto sprawling out and occupying almost all of the space in the tent, leaving only a small spot for Yamato and Sai to sleep in.

"Ehhh..." He scratched his head, putting down the flap and glanced around the clearing.

"Where is Sakura?"

0o0

"Where is this place?" Sakura yelled, whirling round and round to see nothing but glowing white.

"Genjutsu?" She muttered, slightly horrified about the thought. "This is bad! There must be an enemy!" She swiftly made the appropriate hand sign and tried to release the Genjutsu, but when she opened her eyes, she was still at this white glowing place that she never seen before.

"Who is this?" She shouted, turning in circles again. "Come on out and fight! Is it you, Itachi?" Sakura screamed in frustration. She didn't like the feeling here, she felt scared and lonely…

'Ah, I'm sorry for the wait.'

Sakura blinked, certainly shocked to hear a voice.

"Who are you?" She hollered, turning rounds again, "and where are you?"

'My little girl, you don't have to shout,' Sakura could make out that it was a man speaking to her. Judging by the tone and voice, he seemed to be an old man.

"Alright. Then show yourself," she demanded, putting her hands on her hip, she felt a little confident after realizing the voice was from an old man. But then, she got serious again. Even though Chiyo was surely old, she still could fight.

This probably served Sakura as a warning not to underestimate old people.

'That would be impossible my dear.'

"What do you mean?" She stuttered, not expecting the answer at all.

'I live at one of the stars you seen at night. I've heard your wish.'

"Haruno Sakura… Just wake up. Wake up…" Sakura started pinching herself a little until she gave a yelp when she did it too painful.

'You are not in a dream.'

Sakura still ignored the voice. I can't be trap here while my other teammates are fighting!

'Have you forgotten? You wished that everything would be different?' He spoke, continuing quickly. 'I'm going to grant your wish.'

Sakura looked up and stared into the white space. She blinked her bright emerald eyes. "How did you..." Her words ended there before she continued.

"What do you mean by grant?" She scoffed. "What are you even going to do?"

'Do you remember the first Akatsuki member you fought a year ago?'

She widened her eyes and took a step back. She could clearly remember the fierce battle that she had fought with him, alongside with his grandmother. It was scary, she had a few nightmares about the fight where she almost lost her life when he stabbed her in the abdomen with the poison sword. But with the comfort of her friends, she easily got over it and almost forgotten about. Almost.

"Sasori? You mean?" She said in a whisper.

'Yes, Sasori.'

"What about him? What does he have to do with my wish being granted?"

'This boy…' There was a few seconds pause before he continued, 'had made a same exact wish as you did 17 years ago before he betrayed his village and left in search for something to forget his loved ones.'

He hated waiting. He hated his grandmother for lying to him about his parents going onto new missions when the fact was they were dead. He hated that he had waited for years just to see them return, only realized he was being lied by his grandmother all along. He hated the Konoha white fang for killing his parents. He hated the war. Basically, he hated everything in this world.

Sakura remained silent, staring at her feet as she recalled the small moments before Sasori died. The pinkette hated him so much for the way he treated his grandmother, but she couldn't put what was her feeling back then into words.

At that point of time, she didn't know whether she was imagining it or was it what she really seen; before he died and fell onto the ground with his first puppet creation, there was small genuine smile craved on his lips.

"What about him?" She repeated the question when his response wasn't even an answer.

'You are responsible in helping him that.'

"What do you mean? He's already dead." She stated.

'You have underestimated my powers, my little girl. I live in the stars. Nothing is impossible for me.'

"What are you going to do then?" Sakura crossed her arms and just couldn't hide the mockery tone she had. "Time-Travel?"

'…'

"…"

'…'

"Are you serious?" Sakura shrieked, her face turned pale and her eyes were just as wide as a dango.

"I don't have to risk my life and time travel! Naruto and I are going to hunt Itachi down, and then we will get back Sasuke!" She bellowed, not understanding why she was shouting. Perhaps it was the fact that she had to meet the redhead again was a little frightening for her.

'Fine. I will respect your decision, and you can just do it by your way. But let me tell you something before you decide your final decision.'

Sakura didn't reply, indicating for him to continue.

'Who were you meeting at the Heaven and Earth Bridge?'

"Sasori's spy," she muttered, following by another answer that was more specific. "Kabuto."

'Exactly.'

Sakura tilted her head, still not understanding what did Kabuto being a spy might affect her decision in the end.

'Who is Kabuto, what has he done?'

"He infiltrated the Chunin exam and pretended to be a weakling when he wasn't. He was a talented medic who helped Orochimaru a lot." She spoke, not understanding why she was talking so much.

'Such as?'

"Such as healing him?"

'And?'

"And what? How would I know?" She muttered through clenched teeth, slightly irritated already.

'Have you forgotten, my poor girl? Kabuto had assisted Orochimaru in the jutsu; The Living Corpse Reincarnation, which was the jutsu that allows Orochimaru to take over Sasuke. Kabuto had been with Orochimaru for so long, if it weren't for Kabuto's healing techniques, would Orochimaru still be alive?'

Sakura gasped.

'And with Orochimaru alive, it was actually the cause of most problem, although it would not directly stop Sasuke from wanting revenge, many people wouldn't have the need to die anymore.'

She should have… She should have rejected and said no from the start. Now her decisions were wavering and she don't know what to do anymore.

This weird old man living in the stars was so damn right, and she didn't know how to argue her way out anymore.

Sasuke wouldn't have left her side and seek for power, leaving Konoha for three whole years if Orochimaru wasn't alive. Perhaps during the time, she could change him, someone could change him, and made him turned into another person instead of someone who only wants revenge.

For Naruto and Sasuke-kun, she's willing to take such sacrifice, even if she had to see that person who she dreaded.

'You have all the time needed to stay with Sasori and change him. However, at that point when you had changed his heart and ensured the future to be different, you'll be automatically time-traveled back to this exact date and time. However, the time in the current time will stopped completely once you enter the past, no one will ever notice your disappearance.'

"Sasuke…" She whispered before looking up confidently and nodded her head.

The old man didn't need to ask her if she wanted to do this mission anymore or not, he knew her answer already.

'I'll be in your mind anytime, and I'll communicate with you when necessary. I'll make sure you change your future and everything would be different'

Glows started surrounding Sakura's body as her legs began to disappear, slowly followed by her waist and then her body.

'And last reminder...'

Sakura didn't feel pain or anything when half of her body was gone. Sakura just felt amazed that there was such power as time-travel in the world. Still captivated by such unique ability in this world, she didn't really bother hearing the last reminder by her fairy-god father.

'Never fell in love with him.'

0o0

Everything happened so suddenly. Flashes of black, white shot through her vision, and Sakura felt as if she were dying. Her body seemed to be pushing itself far beyond her natural limits; it was tearing itself apart.

The past events started appearing before her. The image of her returning to Konoha after failing to seal the third-tails, then afterwards, she could see herself and Naruto defeating Kakuzu, who was one of the Akatsuki members, and then she was about to back up Shikamaru but he had successfully defeated Hidan.

Then again, Chiyo's funeral, aferwards, it was the harsh battle with Sasori which she could still clearly remembered what happened.

Other events flashed across her eyes too, like it was replaying her whole, life, just that it was backwards. Her mind hurts, her head hurts, her eyes hurts. She closed her eyes, wishing that all the memories she didn't want to remember to go away. But it was still playing in her head.

The night where she confessed her love to Sasuke.

The battle with the sounds in the forest of death, where she was helplessly trying to protect both of her unconscious teammates, only to be saved when Sasuke finally woke up, unleashing his curse mark.

Then shortly after, it was her profession to Ino about liking Sasuke.

Then, celebrating her 5th birthday with Ino.

Her parents bring her to the newly opened amusement park when she was just two years old.

And then, the last second during the time she was born to the world, March 21.

Her mind was aching, invading all the memories she had forgotten, or was planning to forget. She didn't want to remember. In the end, she gave a loud peircing scream.

Everything turned black.

The pinkhead slowly regained consciousness, due to the fact then her ribs were constantly being poked at. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, thinking all of that weird incident was a dream and her best friend Ino was in her room, demanding her to go out shopping with the blonde.

But… no…

She couldn't see clearly, but she knew she's definitely not on her bed.

Sand?

She blinked, trying her best to accommodate to the blurry surrounding, something immediately caught her eyes when she opened it. It must have been the sand when a wind blew by.

After rubbing her tired emerald eyes, she blinked a few more times, finally able to see the figure standing over her, his legs were jabbing unceremoniously into her ribs again.

"Are you dead?" A cold and uncharitable voice spoke.

Yet, the voice was so similar to her.

She slowly sat up, not bothering to answer the stupid question back. Sakura began rubbing her tired butt that was sore from lying onto nothing but sand. Her arms and legs felt numb too.

"Where am I?" She mumbled like a three years old child just waking up from her nap.

The figure stopped nudging onto her abdomen finally, which she was very grateful for. All that person did, was walking off and not answering her question.

"Wait!"

What on earth happened?

She gradually stood up, dusting her pink shorts and her attire. Was she alone in the middle of this gigantic desert?

However, she remembered someone alive had actually poked her ribs rudely.

"Wait!" She cried out again, whirling around and trying to spot the same figure before her a few seconds ago. Finally, her eyes set upon a man that was wearing nothing but normal Sunagkure clothes she seen Gaara and the others wearing when she visited them. The scarf around his neck was covering his face from the harsh wind that was starting to brew in the desert.

"Is he from Sunagakure?" She wondered aloud, sprinting towards him.

"Wait! Mister!" She started choking, having some sand in her mouth as she spoke. She spat them all out, and still trying to catch up with him, but in a matter of time, Sakura managed to run up to him and blocked his path as she continued to pant.

Has my stamina weakened? She thought.

"Excuse me." She finally stood up straight, prepared to face the man that had woken her up. Even though she was slightly angry about the way he woke her up, she was still grateful for it. If he didn't woke her up, she might be dead in the middle of the desert, and this was the last thing she ever wanted.

However, that wasn't important now.

She glanced up, and the first thing that caught her attention was his hair.

Red hair. Crimson red hair. She slowly glanced down from his hair and noticed the familiar wide, emotionless, chocolate-brown eyes that were staring back at her. There was that sharp nose she observed when she battled the puppet master a years ago. And also that mouth that always appeared as a smirk when he gave some sort of sarcastic remarks.

"Sa-" Sakura's mouth opened wide, her tired arms lifted from her side as she pointed at him, rather accusingly at the redhead when he didn't do anything.

The redhead narrowed his eyes, his gazed turned to focus on the shiny headband around Sakura's head and he sneered.

"Konoha." He drawled.

The man, who had killed his parents during the time of war was from Konohagakure, which he exactly remembered when he overheard his grandmother talking to the few counselors at the meeting room.

He rolled his eyes at the weird behavior given by Sakura as he slowly continued his path and he walked around her. He had a lot of things to settle in the next country he was heading to, and he had no time to deal with brats that would be meddling in his business.

"Saso-" Her eyes widened just like the size of a dango. Her gaze still not leaving the redhead who was already ahead of her, she raised her hand even higher and cupped her mouth with both of them, only letting both of her arm down to scream that certain word that was still stuck in her throat.

"Sasori!" She yelled out, her voice echoing in the middle of the desert. No one could ever hear her cries, but she was definitely sure her voice must have traveled at least a kilometer.

The man finally stopped, turning around and stared back at her.

His eyes only widened by a fraction, but it was not obvious for Sakura to see based on the small sandstorm and the distance between them.

"How," he spoke, having a small pause in between.

"How do you know my name?"

Author's note:

This happened during the Itachi Pursuit Arc, let's say Sakura's age should be around 16-17. And since this is 2011, it would means she was born in 1994/1995. Sasori's age would be 19. Everyone's fine? Okay!

Goodbye Apathy is ending in one more chapter. ( And I'm uploading it lastest by Thursday or Friday- which is the lastest.) Yes, I'm stuck in that story for the past month. All I can do is to finish editing it and post it up soon. Well, I've prepared this one during my writer's block, so I hope you enjoy this new one here!

Reviews are very appreciated!:D