Alright! Here's the first official chapter of Worlds Apart, Yet So Close! I hope you all like it! I had a lot of fun writing it! :D Anyways, I'd like you all to know that I am NOT discontinuing any of my stories. I'm still writing them. So, uh, yeah. That's it.
I don't own Naruto or Death Note, but someday the REAL owners will go missing and have strange heart attacks...
Everything happened so suddenly. Flashes of black, white and silver 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.
That was how it felt, at least. Sakura wasn't sure if she screamed; her mind was completely frozen over. Sakura was falling, and fast.
Invisible flames seemed to envelop her, greedily licking at her skin. Her internals were burning, almost as though her stomach acids had spread throughout her central nervous system.
Her body twitched and jerked violently, and her eyes glazed over. The rosette couldn't even gasp in pain. No sound would come.
Bright white light appeared out of nowhere, and suddenly, it was everywhere. Sakura's eyes began to close, and the last thing she heard before the blinding light swallowed her was her Inner's scream.
.
.
.
A bright portal tore itself a hole and deposited Sakura's limp body. She fell, slamming against a wall before hitting the ground with a dull 'thud'.
Sakura struggled internally to awaken.
Ugh...what happened?
S-sakura...chan...oooohh...
I-inner? You alright?
Yeah...oh, god, my head...
Finally, her eyes cracked open. She was momentarily blinded, forcing herself to blink multiple times to clear her vision. When Sakura could see–albeit, not completely rid of the blurriness–she stared in shock.
Sakura had absolutely no idea where she was.
Sakura slowly looked around, her lips parted slightly in disbelief. She recognized that she was in an ally, but that was about it. The two walls surrounding her were made of metal, much like those in Amegakure, but extremely tall. Late afternoon light poured in through the opening of the alleyway, dying Sakura's hair a brilliant dark pink.
Loud noises from the entrance of the alley attracted Sakura's attention. With a frown, the kunoichi realize that she didn't recognize the sounds in the slightest.
She stood carefully, bracing herself against the wall as she stumbled.
Damn. she thought, wincing slightly. My arm is killing me. She brought a hand to her left arm, flinching in pain. Sakura glared when little-to-no chakra swirled at her fingertips. Shit. I used it all up.
Sakura didn't need chakra, however, to inspect her condition; it would just make it easier and less of an annoyance. Her Inner could do that, herself.
Inner Sakura searched their vitals and checked for damage, thoroughly investigating any slight tinge of pain or ache. A moment later, she reported.
Freak'n great news, Sakura. she retorted. We have a broken arm and severe chakra depletion. I'm officially the only thing keeping us conscious.
Well, that's just wonderful. she thought dryly.
Sakura jumped as a loud siren-like noise split the air, but it only lasted for a moment.
W-what was that?
I don't know...
Sakura crept cautiously from the small alley, peering around. What she saw shocked her.
She realized that the ground before her was a road, simply because there was nothing else that it could possibly be, but it was covered in hard black stone. All the roads she had ever seen before were made of dirt and/or gravel.
Suddenly, a big metal thing–for lack of better words–tore past her, making Sakura yelp and hide in the alley. Her heartbeat racing and the hairs on the back of her neck rising, the rosette popped her head back out. Sakura's eyes widened. They were everywhere!
The things only stayed on the road, thought. With a shock, Sakura realized that there were people inside them.
That's it! she exclaimed in realization. They must be wagons made of metal! She smiled to herself, proud of her deductive skills, but frowned a moment later. But where are the horses and bulls that pull them?
Maybe they pull themselves. her Inner suggested, though not entirely believing it herself.
Sugoi! That's genius! Perhaps that people inside power it with chakra. Her Inner quickly shot the idea down.
No. That's not it.
Hm? What do you mean?
Those people are civilians. They don't have the capabilities.
Curiously, Sakura reached out with whatever chakra she had left, discovering that they were, in fact, civilians.
Hm...but then how are the wagons powered? Surely they can't run on air alone.
Dunno.
Sakura decided to let it slide, making a mental note to look further into the matter later. She looked around in awe.
Look! The signs light up!
Just like in Tsuki Country! Maybe this is a civilian-only nation.
Maybe...oh, wow! Look at the buildings! They're huge!
A woman shoved past Sakura rudely, talking obnoxiously to herself. Sakura glared at her, having been thrown from her muses, but then blinked in confusion. The woman was talking to herself?
"-and so I said, 'Seriously?', and he was all like, 'Psh, yaah!' And then-"
Sakura stared after her.
Jeez. And people call us weird.
Hey, what's that thing she's holding?
Sakura's eye zeroed in on the thing. The woman was holding a small silver rectangular thing to her right ear.
"Really?!?"
Sakura's eyebrows shot up. The talking just came from thin air. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the voice was actually coming from the silver thing.
"That is SOOO cool! I wish I could have been there!"
The woman laughed snobbishly.
"I know, right?" she giggled.
"So, like, did you two go anywhere?" the second voice asked eagerly.
"Yeah," she replied, rolling her eyes in a 'duh' manner. "We went to the movies, and guess what! He KISSED me!!"
"Like, NO WAY!"
"WAY!!"
They both screamed excitedly, the woman blushing and giggling.
My GOD.
Sakura stared at the thing for a moment longer.
Where...are we?
I...I don't know...
o o o O O O o o o
"NOOOOO!! SAKURA-CHAAAAAN!!"
Naruto leapt desperately at the space where his best friend and sisterly-figure had disappeared, but crashed into the ground.
"NO NO NOOO!!" he screamed, punching the ground so hard his knuckles split open.
The blond's eyes flickered red and he watched stiffly as a couple drops of his own blood splattered on the cracked ground. He gritted his teeth furiously, revealing slightly-more-sharp-that-usual canines. A growl ripped from his throat as he flew at the Akatsuki Leader, eyes blazing crimson with rage.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!" Naruto snarled, skidding in the dirt as Pein leapt gracefully out of his way. "YOU TOOK HER AWAY! AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA PAY!!"
Pein's eyes narrowed as he easily avoided another anger-driven attack. Naruto's fury was blinding him and making his moves sloppy.
"No," the auburn-haired man disagreed evenly, almost as though he wasn't dodging blows from a seemingly-rabid Jinchuriki. "The girl is the one at fault. She interfered, and therefore suffered the consequences."
"Shut up!" Naruto shrieked, attempting to crush his skull with a particularly vicious punch. "You did this, so just SHUT UP!"
"Annoying little brat," Kisame growled, swiping his over-sized blue hand at Naruto to try and grab his bright orange jacket. The blond whirled away, kicking the Kiri missing-nin in the jaw.
Kisame stumbled back, growling as he rubbed his chin. His arm was barely a flash as he swatted Naruto in the direction of his leader. Naruto landed awkwardly on one foot, fighting to regain his balance.
"Naruto!" Kakashi called, jumping up to aid his former student. His path was blocked by a smirking Deidara and an almost-pissed Sasori. The silver-haired ANBU cursed, his visible eyes narrowing.
Almost as if on instinct, Yamato clasped his hands together, his face grim. Large, thick tendrils of wood burst from the ground, speeding towards Naruto. The Akatsuki Leader and Kisame–who were standing closest to the Jinchuriki–leapt out of the way as they wood-vines latched on the him, pulling him to safety.
"We have to retreat," Yamato reported, his tone leaving no room for argument. Naruto, of course, chose to object anyway.
"No!" he yelled, struggling to free himself from the offending 'tentacles'. "They have Sakura-chan! We can't leave without her!"
"Naruto-"
"No!" he interrupted, nearly ripping the wood from his body. "NO!! I'm not leaving Sakura-chan! I won't! I won't, I won't, I WON'T!!"
"Stop it, Naruto!" Yamato hissed, jerking his head as an indicator for Sai to knock the blond out. "There's nothing you can do! She's gone!" Naruto cried in outrage, fighting even harder against his grasp. Flickerings of red-orange chakra tainted the air around him. "If Sakura's still alive, then we'll organize a platoon to retrieve her! But not now! We don't stand a chance!"
"Why can't we simply get Ugly now?" Sai asked, almost as though he didn't understand the concept of 'capture'.
Yamato and Kakashi backed away slowly, dragging Naruto with them. Sai copied their movements.
"Our medic has been taken," Kakashi explained, his voice hardening. "Without a medic, there is a very real chance that we could all die. And with Naruto in his state of anger, he is reckless and out of control. The Akatsuki will take advantage of this and capture him instantly. We must retreat."
"NO!!"
The Akatsuki advanced. Pein's eyes narrowed.
"Now is our chance," he declared. "Get the kyubi."
"Run! We'll have to get Sakura later!"
"NOOO!!"
o o o O O O o o o
Tsunade sighed.
No more sake...why is there no more sake? "Shizoo-ne," she mumbled, lifting her head from her desk.
Her pale blond hair was messy, strands of hair sticking out from her twin pigtails. Her amber eyes were hazy and glossy, signifying that the Godaime Hokage was once again drunk all to hell. A thin line of drool stuck to her chin, a matching wet pool on her desk. Marks that were suspiciously consistent with one of the many papers on her abused desk stained her cheek, suggesting that Tsunade had been sleeping on the job–yet again.
There was no reply.
"Shizoo-ne," she slurred a bit louder, both arms crossing lazily on her desk as she hunched over slightly.
Quiet footsteps sounded in the hallway, gradually becoming louder. Then, the door opened.
"Yes, milady?" the dark-haired woman asked, taking in the Hokage's condition. She scowled. "Lady Tsunade! Have you been sleeping again?" Her tone was reprimanding.
"Neva mind thaht," came her fuzzy reply, swaying slightly to the side. "Wher's mai sake?"
Shizune sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe you, lady Tsunade," she scolded, making her way through the mountains of paperwork that littered the floor. The medic-nin grabbed her from behind, heaving her up higher in the chair. "You're the Hokage! You can't sleep on the job!"
Tsunade ignored her.
"Wher's mai sake?"
"And you can't be drunk on the job, either!" Shizune snapped. She snatched up the empty sake bottles and marched over to the trash can, throwing them in as hard as she could.
"Hehy. Thaht's mai sake."
"Lady Tsunade, get a grip!" Shizune said hotly. "Now sit up, and do your work!"
"...wher's mai sake?"
She groaned. Of course. Why did she even bother thinking that she might be able to make Tsunade do her work?
"Hehy, Shizoo-ne..."
She sighed, running a hand through her short hair.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade?"
"...wher's mai sake?"
Shizune's eyebrow twitched. "You drank it all."
"Nuh-uhh."
"Yes, you did."
"Nuh-uhh."
Shizune groaned again, about ready to rip her hair out. She threw her arms into the air in exasperation.
"Okay, fine!" she growled in irritation. "I threw it in a lake!"
"...wha'dja do thaht fohr?"
"Ugh!"
She just couldn't win.
Shizune yanked a drawer open violently, ripping a pen from the clutter. She slammed it down on Tsunade's desk.
"Here!" she practically yelled. "Take it! Sign the stupid documents, already!"
Tsunade stared blanked at the pen as though she had never seen one in her life.
"Shizoo-ne?"
"What?"
"Wher's mai sake?"
"AAGHH!!"
o o o O O O o o o
While the Akatsuki high-tailed it after the Jinchuriki and his comrades, Pein stood quietly. He turned his head slightly and glanced back coldly.
"How is she?" he asked, his voice deep and quiet.
"She'll be fine," an equally-deep voice replied. "She might have a concussion, but it's nothing serious."
Pein frowned slightly and turned his head back forward, clenching his fists. He watched the spot where his subordinates had disappeared.
"Deidara will be punished for this," he said lowly, the small breeze carrying his words to the other figure that loomed over Konan's body.
The figure's head raised to look at the Akatsuki Leader, the shadows obscuring everything except a single crimson Sharingan eye.
"Don't be too hard on him," he said. "I don't think sempai meant to hurt her." His tone was sarcastic and almost amused.
Pein shot him an icy glare.
"I will punish him as I see fit, Madara," he growled, challenging him to object.
The figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees–or, at least, what was left of the trees–and revealed himself to be Tobi. He raised his hands in a mock-surrender, signaling that he had no intention of stopping him.
"But of course, Pein," he sneered. "You are the Leader, after all."
Pein glared over his shoulder at him.
"Don't test me, Madara." His voice was dark and dangerous. "I have no qualms about taking you out. Remember that."
Madara chuckled darkly, disappearing via teleportation jutsu.
But remember this, Pein. I am the stronger of us.
