This was not how it was meant to be. There was nothing about this that fit in her plans at all. At twenty four she should be enjoying her life, going out to the bar with friends, possibly enjoying being the head of the hospital, taking missions here and there, and perhaps finding some one to settle down with and thinking of having children. None of that was possible now. Not since the fall, not since the world turned upside down. Everything that she had worked so hard for evaporated in the course of a few weeks, what EVERYONE had worked hard for was gone. She should not be sitting in a cave with Sai, hiding, scavagening just to live, but that is exactly what her life was.
Sakura sighed to herself as she cut the leg meat of the deer into strips. She dropped the slices into the pot of salt before continuing the butchering process. "Do you want to get a fire going? We might as well cook some of the meat while it's fresh," she looked over to Sai who was working on his quarter of the deer. He looked up at her, his eyes flat and lifeless and nodded. She fought the frown that wanted to show on her face, she should be use to that look by now. They have been together in this for... Four? maybe Five years. Though she just hoped to see something in them, a flicker of life that showed something, anything. It didn't matter if it was anger, frustraion, sadness, just some type of fucking emotion would be nice. Maybe that was too much to ask for. What right did she have to want him to show something? It was just a selfish want to have some type of normal human contact. If this is how he handled it, then it is what it is. "Oh, and be sure to put the fat aside. We are low on salves." She mumbled as she turned her attenton back to the muscles of the leg.
"There isn't that much. This was a young buck, he was pretty lean," he grunted as he stood, rubbing his hand over his right thigh. She looked up and watched as he kneeded the muscle in his thigh. There was a time when she would have scoulded anyone that would have done that. Smearing the deer blood on his pants, it was unsantiary. Though, that was the world that they lived in now, unsanitary. There was no longer soap for washing hands constantly, and any alcohol they came across they would rather drink it away. No it was not the fact that he was filthy that was bothering her, it was the fact that he was in pain.
"Do you need me to make adjustments?" She quirked a brow as she looked up into his stoic face. He looked at her for a moment, still nothing showing on his face, and shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. It just aches when there is a storm coming. I'll just chew on some willow bark when I take the prostetic off," He robotically said as he walked to the wood stash and pulled some over to the pit. Sakura followed him with a lazy gaze but nodded at him when he looked over at her. She couldn't help her eyes lowering down to his lower leg. It was a simple wooden prostetic, almost primative. She had created it quickly but had since offered to make a new one or make adjustments with the springs they had scavanged over the years. He always refused and if he didn't sleep so lightly she would have done it while he was slumbered. She had tried once and wound up with a kunia to the neck. After that she mearly began to build an extra one when she had free time, which there honestly wasn't alot of. She sighed and continued on with her task.
She never though that she would ever end up with Sai. Not that she wasn't happy that he was there, she was greatful that he was around. Even if most of the time he was no better then a walking rock. Atleast she had some one. That, and they worked well together. Having lost the lower part of his leg had slowed him down a little, but he worked for their survival just as hard as she did. Sometimes it seemed that he was working for her survival more them anything.
"I think that I need to get my haircut again. How about you?" She asked as she blew a stray piece of hair out her face. Sia looked at her and cocked his head.
"No, I am not bothered with the current length. If you want yours cut, you will have to wait until we find a clean pond or stream. I don't like cutting filthy hair," He said as he looked at her. She just hummed at him. He didn't mean to mean anything mean by his comment. They were both filthy and grimy, it had been a week or so since either of them had a proper wash, and it far longer since they had ran out of soap. She would need to use some of the fat to make some.
They finished with the break down, putting the meat in the curing jars, the fat simmering down and the skin being salted. They wordlessly moved their attention to cooking the remainder of the meat for the evening. She smiled at Sai as he just stared blankly at her.
"Go ahead and rest. I got dinner," He nodded at her than turned and slid down the wall of the cave to sit down. She tried not to watch as he removed his leg and rubbed the knob of the stump. Instead she busied herself with skewering the meat and placing it over the flame. She sat down on the otherside of the cave finally letting herself look at him. He sat staring at the floor, worring his hands on his lap. She watched as the light of the flames licked his pale skin casting deep shadows on his lowered brow, making the dark lines that he placed on his cheeks under his eyes vanish and reappear. She tore her gaze off of him and began to remove her makeshift armor. Slowly she detatched Kakashi's cracked ANBU mask from her shoulder. She gingerly placed it on the stone floor next to her. Next she moved to the three hiate that she wore on her left biscep under the mask, placing them with as much care next to the mask. She pushed her pile of treasures to the side as she pulled off the belt that was made of human vertibres. That piece she had little love for. It was just for show anyways. Before throwing it to the side she untied the small frog purse that hung from it. She sat and stared at the worn green letting her fingers gently stroke the soft material.
"I don't see why you keep that junk," Sai drawled as he watched her. Her eyes snapped to the boy, no man, as she scowled. There he sat with his sketch book in his lap. A book that he had long ago filled. Now all he did was stare at it every night. Occassionaly his fingers would trace the lines of whatever dipiction was on the page.
"I keep it for the same reason you keep that," She snapped as she pointed to the book in his lap. The moment the words left her mouth she regretted them. The only time Sai would get snarky was when he was in pain. This was his way of showing his discomfort. She ususally would let it pass, but she couldn't stop herself this time. His eyes grew wide for a moment before he schooled his expression and let his attention drift back to the sketchbook. She knew why he kept that one. There was a reason that it was the one thing that he refused loose.
She watched as his once vacant expression dropped in to sorrow. That was the one emotion he displayed everyday. Though it was never directed to her, it was always when he was looking at his book. His book that was filled with pictures of Ino. Ino sleeping, laughing, smiling, staring off in the distance, her looking sexy, her just waking up. Sai had drew her in every light. Sometimes when he looked at it she wanted to scream at him. Tell him that she knew her first. She was her best friend. She lost her too. But, it was different for him and she knew it. Ino was not carrying her child. Ino had not pledged her heart to her. Ino didn't give her a glimpse of true happiness. Sure she had lost everything also. She lost her friends, her family and her village, but atleast she had grown up with all that. For nineteen years she had known love, and true connections with people. Sai. Well, he had only a glimpse. He and Ino were together for two years. During those two years, Sakura had never seen him so happy. He became social, he took an interest in forming relationships and worked harder to understand people. He was vastly different from the boy that was assigned to her team. The moment Ino had fallen, Sai lost everything. After he had reverted to being emotionless. Well, it probably didn't help that he was stuck with the one that killed her either.
"Sorry," She mumbled as she walked to the fire to flip the meat. He didn't make a sound or looked to her for acknologment, not that she expected him to. Her mouth pulled into a tight line as she checked their meal.
"I think we should get moving once the meat has dried," She said as she tended the fire. Sai grunted as he carefully turned the page of his book. "I know that it would be nice to stay around here. I mean, we haven't seen any reapers or raiders, but if we want to get to Iron before winter we will need to leave soon. Otherwise we will need to find clothes or make them," She shrugged as she looked up at him. He furrowed his brow for a moment before looking up at her.
"We should stop." He clipped. Sakura stilled at his comment and looked at him with a raised brow.
"What?" She asked carefully. "You can't mean..."
"Yes, I do mean stop. Stop looking, stop wandering, stop this life. Find somewere to settle and set up something that represents some type of life, not just surviving," His word were still flat, and his face showed no emotion. Sakura stood and looked down at him with her brows drawn and a deep frown on her lips.
"How?" Her voice shook. "How do you expect us to do that? The only quazi settlment are with the raiders, and you know how pleasent they can be," She inhaled deeply as she looked at him. What he wanted was not an option. Not now. Even if that was, how could he just give up? There were others out there. There had to be. They just had to keep looking. Even if they couldn't find them, there were other things that they... that she, needed to take care of.
"No. I would not join with raiders," He sighed as he looked back down to the book. "Sakura, it has been five years, maybe more maybe less, but we have not found anyone. Not one friendly person in all this time. It was four winters ago that we lost Yamato. We are all that is left," Slowly he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the stone wall. "I am tired. I am so tired," his voice had lost the bored tone as it took on one of exhaustion. He may have been growing weary, but his words had ignited anger that she could feel down to her bones.
"I will not give up. We have not looked everywere. We can't be the last ones. We can't," she growled out with a trembling voice as she felt tears burning her eyes. Sai opened his eyes and stared at her. They stayed frozen in thier position for what felt like hours. Finally he broke the staring contest by looking away.
"A year," He drawled. "A year is all I have left." She bit her lip as she looked down at him. Should she push him? Does she have the right? She had took the option of death away from him once, could she take away what he called a life?
"Sai..."
"Do you feel that?" Sai asked as he straightened his body. Her muscles immediatly coiled at the question. Her skin pricked as he hair began to stand on end. She felt her surroundings, being careful to keep her chakra tightly bound in her body. She quickly pivoted her body to the enterance of the cave. Her eyes flicked to Sai, he looked to her as he began to reattatch his prostetic.
There was someone there. Was it reaper or raider? The one thing that she knew for sure was that she was not leaving this cave. No, fuck that. They had just bagged a deer and they were not going to lose all that meat. She would fight whoever was out there, hopefully it was a raider. She really didn't want to deal with a chakra user. Not when she couldn't release her own. She grimaced as she got another reading from the stranger. Damn it they were leaking chakra, though it didn't feel like the erratic spiking of a reaper. It felt controlled, a slow and steady stream. It was either an evolved reaper, or a foolish traitor who was working with the raiders. Though, how was that possible? How could they just let it out and not attract the reapers? Sai looked at her with a furrowed brow.
"I can't tell if it is a reaper," She hissed as she looked at him. He looked as confused as she was.
"But, you feel it?" He whispered. She nodded at him then looked back to the entrance. Who ever it was that was out there seemed to be slowing and moving back and forward close to the entance, but not close enough to see it. No, no way this was a reaper, it would would have been destroying everything around them to find them. This showed control and intelligence. Though if they kept leaking out chakra like that they were going to draw all the reapers within twenty miles, but if they fought them it would draw them in faster. Damn it, they couldn't just leave them out there.
"They can either sense us or they smell the food," Sai said as he stood next to her tossing her a tanto. She grasped in mid air.
"We can't leave them out there," She frowned as she unsheathed the short blade. Before she could step forward she felt the presence take a sharp turn to the entrance.
"Seems like they found us," Sai said as he also brought his blade up. They stood shoulder to shoulder, muscles coiled as they prepared themselves for the invaders.
"Fancy finding people out here," A deep voice drawled at the entrance of the cave. The sound causing both to lower themselves down into a defensive stance. A low chuckled echoed on the stone walls. "Now, now. I thought that we made it crystal clear that your kind is not welcome in this territory." The sharp sounds of shoes hitting the ground made them raise their blades.
"And what kind is that?" Sakura growled. Sai shot her a glare she just shook her head and shrugged.
"What kind? Really? Raiders. Raiders are not allowed in these parts, you understand." There was a soft whizzing sound that made both dart to the side. A sharp sound of metal hitting rock made both turn to see a senbon lodged in the wall. Sakura's eye widened at the action. Who was this?
"We aren't raiders," Sai said as he turned back to the voice. He looked at Sakura and nodding his head in the direction of the enterance. She nodded to him then silently made her way to wall of the cave. More footsteps fell as who ever it was chuckled again.
"Sure you arn't. I would say the same if I was one of them, I mean I know you all don't like to tangle with us," Sakura frowned as she listened as he came closer. Just a few more steps. "So I will tell you what is going to happen, you will leave here and leave what ever you took from this land. No harm no foul. You get to leave and we get what you took from us." There! Sakura darted out to the enterance of the cave. She shoulder checked the man, using a minimal amount of chakra as she made contact. The man made an oomph sound as he hit the side of the cave hard. Sakura quickly landed a jab to the stomach, causing him to double over. Before she could land another hit, she felt a sharp pinch at the nape of her neck. She cursed as she lost feeling to her arms. She pushed him back with her foot to his chest, grateful as Sai grabbed the mans wrist and placed a chakra restrant cuff on him.
"What the fuck?" The man howled as he pulled his arm into his body. Sakura smirked as her partner quickly placed the other cuff. Hopefully that will keep the reapers away. "Not fucking raiders huh, then why the hell do you have chakra cuffs?" He spat as he grabbed onto her ankle. It was dim in the enterance and the shadows concealed most of the mans face and probably hers too, so the scowl she had wore had no effect.
"We are not raiders," she growled. "As for the chakra cuffs, well we use them for assholes like you who sit there and leak their chakra about. Hell, that is a fucking calling card to any reapers." She pushed her foot into the mans chest to offset the his attempt to push her foor away. The pressure in her neck began to evaporate as she felt Sai pull the senbon from her skin. She rolled her shoulder as a tingling senation ran down her arms. This man had to be some type of shinobi. Civilians would not know where to jab a senbon to cause muscle failure. She sure as hell never came across a raider that could do that.
"Reapers? There haven't been any reapers in this part for nearly six months." The man snorted. Sakura frowned, there was no such a land. Yeah, there hadn't been any reapers here but they were always around.
"Lair," Sai spat. That had Sakura raise her brow. It had been a long time since she had heard anger in the mans voice and the tone sent a jolt through her spine. "There are no safe zones. Get rid of him Sakura." He growled next to her. Her brows knitted further down at the statment as the man she had pinned against the wall gasped. No, that was not how they were. They did not just kill because they felt like it, they were not raiders. She was drawn from her inner conflict when she felt the chest heave a bit under her foot. A cough errupted from the man.
"Sakura, you say," he coughed. "I wonder if you are a pretty as your name." She stiffened at the line and her eyes narrowed at the shadow formed man in front of her. Before she could even think what she was doing she quickly dropped her foot grabbing onto the mans shirt then threw him deeper into the cave,
"Who are you?" She growled as she walked to the man, who was laying on the ground, his hair covering his face. She glanced at Sai who was watching her with a raised brow. "Tell me. What is your name?" She said as she stomped forward to the man and put the toe of her boots onto his shoulder, pushing him over to reveal his face. The moment she saw his face her eyes went wide.
"Sai..." She took a step back. "Sai please tell me when didn't eat the berries that cause hallucinations," She said weakly as she looked over at the stoic man, only to find that his face was had emotion after emotion flickering across it. His eyes slowly went to hers as a smile spread on his lips. No, it was not a fake smile, no the euphoria that he felt could easily be seen.
"No hag," He laughed. Sakura couldn't help the tears that began to fall. Oh god did she hate that name, but it felt soo good to hear it again. "We are not imagining this." Her body moved before she could think and she ran forward and pulled Sai to her. His arms immediatly wrapped around her and tightened with as much ferocity as she gave.
"Wait.. Sakura. Haruno Sakura." The man next to the fire coughed.
"Yeah Genma. Sakura and Sai." She said as she released Sai.
"Holy shit. We all thought that there was no one left. We thought that you died," Gemna said as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"We?" Sai asked eagerly.
"Yeah, we. There is a whole settlement," He grinned as he stook up. "Now can you get these off, they are really annoying." He said as he lifted his hand. Sai nodded and walked quickly over to the senbon user and took the restraints off. Genma took a step back as he let his eyes roam over the two of them. His intense gaze caused Sakura to fidget. She wondered just how she looked to the man, because besides missing his haiti and a few small wrinkles at the corner of his eyes he looked just the same. Them, on the other hand, had to look drastically different. Dirty, tattooed, scared, dressed in what was mostly rags, they had to be a sight.
"What's taking so long?" A different voice echoed into the cave. "Having problems clearing out the rodents?" Sakura looked at Genma wide eyes as he smirked at the voice.
"Na, there isn't a problem here. Actually why don't you come on in Shikamaru," Genma yelled. She didn't know what was happening, her legs were beggining to feel weak as she struggled for breath. Shikamaru. Was it really him? Foot steps echoed in the cave as Shikamaru appeared out of the shadows. He looked so much like his father now. She watched as he stopped and his eyes grew wide as he looked between Sakura and Sai. She couldn't reign it in any longer. A sob excaped her throat as she looked at her long lost friend. She jumped as she heard a cry leave Sai. She turned to look at him and saw his cheeks and eyes glistening from the tears he began to shed. Not taking her eyes off of him she fell to her knees as loud sobs filled the cave.
She didn't know how long both of them cried. She was sure that they had to look crazy, but neither of them could help it. For five, or so, years they had been fighting tooth and nail searching for anyone who was left. Now two people from their village just come walk into their cave. It was like like a dream and she was terrified that she was going to wake up. She had touched every inch of both mens faces to make sure that they were solid and in front of her. After Sai had his break down he just sat against the wall, his eye wide with wonder. He kept his eyes trained on the two men never taking them off of them.
Sakura took a deep attempting regain her composure and stood up. Shikamaru and Genma were looking at them with wary eyes. She didn't know if they were worried about them, or perhaps they worried them. It would make sense. After five years she didn't know if she knew how to act around people that were not Sai.
"OK, you guys good now?" Genma chuckled as he pulled his senbon from the wall and placed it in his mouth and let it flick from side to side. She let out another sob laugh and nodded at the man.
"I thought there was no one left." Sai said as he regained his composure. "I thought I would forever be stuck with Hag, running from raiders." He laughed and Sakura let her smile widen. It wasn't a loud laugh like Naruto had, but it was music to her ears.
"Running from raiders, huh?" Shikamaru drawled as he raised a brow. "Why would you worry about them? The reapers I could get, but the raiders.." He ran a hand over his chin. Sakura frowned at that. Yeah with the reapers there were complications, they used chakra and it was like they didn't have pain receptors, but the raiders were by far a bigger and more dangerous beast. Sure, if there was only a few they were easy enough to deal with, it was when they moved in mobs is were their power laid. She looked over to Sai to see the same look of confustion on his face.
"We can talk about all this later. Lets get the two of you packed. It's nearly a four hour trek back to base, we should get going ASAP," Genma said flicking his wrist dismissing the previous conversation.
"Wait, you want to leave now? During the night?" Sakura stiffened as she looked at the senbon wielder. He looked as her wearly and nodded his head.
"Yeah, we have been out here for three days. I just want to get back and sleep in my bed." He said slowly.
"But it is night." Sai said slowly back.
"It's not safe to travel at night. That is when the reapers are the most active," She swallowed thickly trying to cover the panic that she was feeling. That was one of the first rules they learned in this new world, never travel at night. Find shelter and hide until the sun came up.
"Kiddo I wasn't lying when I said that there haven't been reapers here in a while. We also keep the raiders off the land. That's what we are doing out here, patrol. You two are the first people we have come across this time out." Genma sighed as he leaned against the wall. "I mean, don't get me wrong. Sure this place could be thought of as... cozy. Though I hate to break it to you, it reeks in here. I am sure that both of you would benefit from a shower," He smiled then winked at her. She frowned at him. Yeah, she would be willing to name her first born after him for a REAL shower, but he didn't have to bring up the fact that they smelled. They both knew that. They were covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. It was not a signature scent that she enjoyed. She looked over to Sai who leaned against the wall and took a seat.
"Even if it is safe, there is no way that I would be able to make it tonight," He frowned and looked to the ground.
"Why are you injured?" Shikamaru sighed as he leaned against the wall.
"Yes." Sai hung his head down further.
"No, he isn't. His leg just hurts, we did a lot of traveling and then hunted. He needs time to rest." Sakura growled at Sai. Damn him if he was going to throw a pity party. He was strong even with out his leg. Sai just sighed and proceeded to remove his prostetic.
"Ah I see," Genma said as he looked down at Sai then turned to Shikamaru. "You know how Habani gets, we'll give them time to rest before we move out." Sakura sharply inhaled as her whole body stiffened.
"Hanabi? Who else? Who else is there?" She couldn't help the shock that flickered through her voice. Genma just smiled lazily at her.
"Well now, that would ruin the surprise. Would it not?" The man winked at her. She fought the annoyance that ran through her veins. Suprise? Really she didn't need any more surpises, no the past five years had been filled with those. She could feel her eye twitched as she looked between the smirking males.
"Hanabi... She lost her leg?" Sai asked softly. The question wiped the smirks from the two's faces. Both averted their gazes from the long lost shinobi.
"Yeah, she lost both her legs and most of her fingers on her right hand," Shikamaru sighed as he took a seat against the wall. Closing his eyes he leaned his head against the cool stone. Both Sakura and Sai's mouth dropped open as they gawked at the shadow user. Slowly he cracked open his eyes and looked at Sai then his prostetic. "Though I have to admit that your leg is superiour to the ones that she has." Sai looked down at the prostetic and frowned a bit.
"Yeah, none of us really knew how to make a proper one. That is one thing that people are going to be rather excited for, having a proper medic. We have some nurses amongst us, but no one in your league," Genma said as he took a seat. "Even with the fake legs she has a hard time keeping up," He shrugged.
"If the prostetics are not properly fitted they can cause pain. I know that Sai's need some work to them still.." She frowened as she looked away from the men. She hated that he was in pain and wouldn't let her do anything about it.
"Well, the two of you rest up. We leave at first light." Shikamaru drawled. "Mind if I have some? We haven't eaten since yesterday," he pointed to the fire with the skewers of meat. Sakura just nodded as she sat and leaned against the cool wall. Food was the last thing that she wanted to think about. Her nerves were officially shot and her emotions kept simmering then boiling. Life was going to change. They were no longer alone, there were survivors. Sure, she had gone on and on about it to Sai that they would find them but deep within her soul, as the days passed, her hope was fading. She had told him, and herself, to have faith because what else was she to do? If there was no one left in this new world, just them, then they might as well lay down and die. She shook her head and looked back to the two old strangers. It was all in the past, there was no need to dwell on those thoughts. Slowly she closed her eyes and tried to will herself to sleep.
The night passed with fitful sleep. When Sakura felt herself drifting to sleep she would jolt awake to make sure that Genma and Shikamaru were still there, and that she wasn't dreaming them up. So once the sun began to rise she didn't feel rested at all. She stiffly moved around the cave gathering their meagre belongings.
"Don't!" She nearly ran over to Genma who was beginning to release a travel scroll. Before she could reach him the parchment was already open and he was looking at her with knit brows. The ever present sebon falling from his lips.
"What?" He asked stunned as she grabbed it from his hands swiftly.
"Damn it! You can't use chakra. Where the hell have you all been?" She growled at him. The look of shock was still plastered on his face as he watched the almost feral glint that was in her eye.
"Sakura," He said slowly stooping down to pick up his sebon. "I told you there are no reapers around here. We would know. You can use your chakra here without a problem." She flinched as he reached out to grab onto her shoulder. He paused just as he was about to touch her passing his tongue over his dry lips before frowning deeply.
"What the hell have you two been through?" He asked quitely. She glared at him but before she could respond Sai spoke up.
"Exactly," Sai said as he finished attaching his legs. "We have been through hell."
ok, this isn't going to really update regularly.. that is until one of my other stories reached completion. I will warn that this is going to be gritty, traumatic, and graphic. I really wanted an apocalyptic story that wasn't because Madara had won or Sasuke went nuts. I am aiming for Mad Max meets 28 Days. I really wanted something that I could write when I was in a bad mood and could go all Martin with the characters. That being said, no one is safe. There will be massive character deaths. So if it's not your cup of tea just go ahead and pass on this one.