Author's notes:
It's been a while since my last update, and I can only apologize. Do not worry, this story will not be abandoned. No matter how slow my updates are, they will come. I'm not very used to writing fight scenes, so feedback will be greatly appreciated. ^_^
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Asuma would actually get to know his kid. Wait, maybe I should be given ownership rights!
"Hajime."
As soon as she heard the word, Sakura cocked her fist and slammed it into the ground, simultaneously releasing the chakra she had been storing in it.
The results were instantaneous.
Naruto watched in what could only be described as shock when a veritable wall of dirt rapidly made its way towards him, tearing up the ground as it progressed.
'I…don't recall her possessing that ability.'
Recovering from his surprise almost instantly, the blonde hastily channeled chakra into his legs and waited for the wave to approach him.
At the last moment, he made a chakra-empowered leap that took him over the wall of dirt, feeling the vibration beneath his feet at the apex of his jump.
Landing gracefully, the blonde whipped his head towards where the pink-haired girl was, once again channeling chakra into his legs in preparation to pounce.
Only to find her missing.
Even as his icy cerulean orbs swiveled around in search of his opponent, Naruto felt a grudging respect rise within him for the girl he had previously seen as weak.
'Her attack was actually a diversion from which she could launch the real assault. Impressive.'
Banishing all useless thoughts from his mind, the blonde continued his search for Sakura, twisting his head from side to side.
'She's masking her presence, and I can't see her anywhere…' A drop of sweat trickled down the side of hin ais face, and Naruto impatiently swiped it away with the back of his hand.
'Could she be underground?'
He cast his gaze downwards, noticing almost too late the rapidly growing shadow in front of him, indicating that Sakura had managed to get into his blind spot while he had been disoriented.
"…"
The blonde grimaced as he hastily dived to the side, managing to evade the incoming heel drop by a hair's breadth.
Her movements graceful and feline, the Kunoichi dropped to the ground and executed a leg sweep to knock her opponent off balance. When the Jinchuuriki displayed inhuman agility by leaping right over her leg despite being caught off balance, she launched three kunai at him.
Thrown at such close range with the target in midair and unable to maneuver, the kunai should have been nigh impossible to evade.
And yet…
With ridiculous ease, the blonde casually plucked all three kunai out of the air in one swift motion, before landing gracefully.
'How…absurd…'
Without allowing the shock she was feeling to show on her face, Sakura leapt at the Jinchuuriki with a Chakra-filled right fist, hoping to catch him off-guard…
Only to have her arm caught in a vice grip by her opponent, his eyes glowing a deep crimson. Without giving Sakura a chance to react, the blonde mercilessly drove the heel of his palm into her chest, causing a resounding crack as a brief lance of pain cut through her.
The following palm to her stomach would have signaled the end of the match, had she not pumped Chakra into her legs and executed a desperate leap backwards.
Standing a safe distance away from her adversary, Sakura found herself breathing hard as thoughts ran through her mind.
'His Taijutsu is far superior to mine…not only that, his reflexes are unnatural. Is this what it means to be ANBU?'
It was then that she noticed something was amiss.
Despite the fact that Sakura was taking deeper breaths than usual, none of the air seemed to be making its way into her lungs.
"It's over."
The disinterested words confused her for a moment, before realization struck. Desperately attempting to suck in air to no avail, the pink-haired girl collapsed onto the ground
"Wh…what…"
The blonde watched apathetically as his opponent gasped for air, holding her hands over her chest. Her defeat had been imminent the moment she had decided to engage him with Taijutsu.
"I have temporarily sealed off your windpipe. As long as your body continues to function, you will be unable to take in oxygen. The effect will only undo itself when you lose consciousness. This match is over."
The vigorous movements Sakura had been executing only served to increase her body's need for air. This had worked in his favor, as cutting off her air supply would result in unconsciousness in a matter of seconds.
"As we agreed, do not approach me without reason ever again. I have no time to humor your pathetic attempts at reconciliation. Sasuke is gone. I am now an ANBU Captain. Kakashi is part of my squad, as much as I dislike the fact. Team Seven no longer exists, and it would be in both our interests for you to realize that."
Looking down at the prone form of his former team mate, the boy felt his resolve waver for a moment. Even while keeping any signs of hesitation from showing, he felt a nagging ache in the corner of his heart as he announced the death of Team Seven.
'I'm still too weak…something like this should mean nothing to me.'
Closing his eyes, the Jinchuuriki forced himself to clear his mind. This was what he had chosen, and there was no space for doubt. After all, Uzumaki Naruto never ran away.
'…Liar. Even now, you're still running away. Is this truly what you wish for? '
Ignoring his traitorous mind, he retrieved his mask and put it back in place.
'This might not be the right thing to do, but it matters not to me. All I need is strength…the strength to defeat Sasuke. Everything else is secondary.'
Involuntarily, a single memory surfaced. A memory of betrayal, one that motivated him to move on whenever he experienced doubt.
The cursed pair of eyes drilled right through him, peering into the deepest recesses of his mind, probing and invasive. The contemptuous visage directed towards him by the boy he thought he knew. The derisive words cut through his heart like a knife through butter.
His eyes opened once again, filled with resolve.
'On that day, I discarded my heart. I swore to surpass Sasuke by any means possible. This is the path I have chosen, there will be no turning back.'
Having overcome his momentary weakness, the boy cast a final glance towards Sakura, who was staring at him with glassy eyes.
'She's barely conscious…it's surprising that she's even held on this long.'
Even after a few moments had passed, he found himself unable to look away despite the fact that her presence in his life was merely a hindrance. The girl who lay before him was an enigma. No matter how much he tried to find an answer, the boy simply could not comprehend why she was going out of her way to challenge him to such a pointless duel. Not only was it obvious from the start that victory would be his, she had no good reason for doing so.
Even though he was no longer doing it for Sakura's sake, the fact remained that he still wanted to drag Sasuke back to Konoha. After all, what better way would there be for him to prove his superiority over the Uchiha than to drag him back to the very village he had sworn never to return to?
'Why is she doing this? If what she wants is for Sasuke to return to Konoha, is the method I am currently employing not the most efficient? Why does Sakura insist on standing in my way?'
As he watched the pink-haired girl's eyelids lower and the tension leave her body, Naruto shook his head to clear it of unnecessary thoughts. No matter what her reasons were, the duel was over. If she kept to her word, it would be a long time before the two of them ever met again.
"Sakura…thank you."
With those words, Uzumaki Naruto turned his back on his former crush and walked away without hesitation..
Sakura felt as though there was a stone lodged in her windpipe, blocking her flow of air. Every breath she took brought her one step closer to losing consciousness.
'Nothing's changed…'
Her vision tinged with black, the Kunoichi watched blearily as Naruto looked at her with dispassionate eyes.
'Not one thing since that day…'
Anything would have been better. Anger, annoyance, contempt, hatred, any one of those would have been better than the apathetic eyes that she faced. Even on the verge of collapse, she found herself irrationally wishing that the blonde would suddenly break out into a grin and tell her that it had all been a prank…
"…closed off your windpipe…lose consciousness…unable to breathe…match is over…"
The lack of oxygen was making her lightheaded, which in turn impaired her thought processes. Sakura vaguely knew that, although she wasn't sure exactly what it meant. It was all the girl could do to fix her blank stare onto the boy who looked down at her with eyes devoid of emotion.
'Who are you?'
A memory forced its way to the surface of her mind, which was rapidly ceasing to function. A boy with golden hair as bright as the sun…a dazzling smile which could brighten up a room…and a dream of some sort.
'A precious person.'
Those cold eyes looking down at her…whose eyes were they? He couldn't be the same boy she used to know… For what reason was she forcing herself to stay awake? For a stranger who looked down at her with such cold eyes? Wouldn't it be better if she just listened to her body…?
'Good idea, that's what I should do. Right now, what I need to do is just…close…my…'
Succumbing to the weight on her eyelids, Sakura felt herself drift off…
"Sakura…thank you."
The words cut through her hazy mind, sending alarm bells ringing in her head. The girl's eyelids snapped open as she forced her heartbeat to slow down, reducing her need for oxygen.
'Those words…they were what Sasuke-kun said to me before he left Konoha…'
Knowing that she had only a few seconds at best, Sakura send her mind to work, taking note of just where all her limbs were positioned. There was a slim chance…just one…
'Naruto, no matter what you say, you've become like him…'
She forced Chakra into her palms, ignoring the burning sensation she felt on them. Even though she had lost the ability to move physically, her hands were already where they needed to be. All she needed to do was use every last shred of her consciousness to pump Chakra into healing her wound…!
'Maybe I'm just being selfish, doing something that you're opposed to…'
It was a Herculean task merely to keep herself awake, much less manipulate Chakra. If Tsunade-sama could see what she was doing, Sakura would be sent back to the Academy. While Chakra might be a Shinobi's weapon, it was a double-edged sword. Trying to heal herself while on the verge of collapse could easily have fatal results if she made a single mistake, something that a Chunnin shouldn't even have considered…!
'But I just can't do it. I can't let you walk away the way Sasuke-kun did, Naruto…'
For the first time in her life, Sakura truly appreciated her talent for Chakra control. It was because of that ability alone that she was able to execute such a risky maneuver. Slowly, Sakura felt her breathing stabilize, and found her bodily functions restoring themselves. There were Chakra burns on her hands where she had forcefully pumped Chakra through them, but there had been no big mistakes. More importantly, she now had the element of surprise.
'Even though it's selfish, I don't want to lose you!'
Fighting back the head-splitting migraine that had resulted from overworking her brain, Sakura slowly got back onto her feet, wincing in pain as her oxygen-starved joints creaked in protest.
'Just a little longer…I'll rest after this …'
It was unexpected, to say the least.
The only thing that had saved Naruto from suffering a concussion was his honed instincts. A voice in his head screamed at him to move, and he executed a swift sidestep.
Not a moment too soon, as a Chakra-powered fist cut through the air where he had been mere moments ago, the backlash slicing a thin gash into his side. Wincing slightly, the blonde hastily put some distance between him and his assailant.
Of course, it was the girl he had assumed to be unconscious. Naruto felt a grudging respect for his opponent as he mentally chastised himself for underestimating her.
"Interesting. I see that Tsunade-sama has taught you well. To be able to heal yourself in such a state…"
All he received in return was a smirk, as his opponent wordlessly charged at him with her fist glowing blue. The recklessness of her action shocked the Jinchuuriki, even as he took a defensive stance.
'Disappointing. Hasn't she learnt her lesson? While it is true that her blows are strong enough to incapacitate me with a single blow, the fact remains that my Taijutsu is superior. Such a tactic will only lead to failure.'
Dodging to the side as the fist bore down on him, Naruto grabbed Sakura's arm as it passed by. In a merciless replay of their previous exchange, he slammed a vicious fist into her stomach, before sending his palm into her chest once again.
He was filled with an odd feeling, as though there was something amiss. From what he could remember, Sakura had not been much of a fighter, but she had been intelligent. Why would she do something so foolhardy?
"…I expected better. You should have known that something which had failed once would not work the second time."
A trickle of blood making its way down her chin, the Kunoichi offered him the one response he had not expected; a grin.
"You are…the one who is…mistaken, Naruto. After all…"
Moving her face close to his ear, she whispered with the last of her breath.
"I am a Bunshin."
Realizing that he had been outplayed as the Sakura before him exploded into a shower of water, Naruto glanced downwards just in time to see the ground crack open and a fist head towards his face.
Even with his reflexes, it was all the Jinchuuriki could do to throw his arms into the path of the blow in a makeshift block, infuriated at the appalling arrogance which had led to him underestimating the same person twice within the same match.
A loud crack echoed through the air as the Chakra-powered fist drilled through his guard and landed solidly onto the top half of his mask, shattering it instantly.
Naruto inwardly cursed as he landed unsteadily on his feet. Although he had managed to avoid being knocked out due to his mask and the block he had managed to raise, the damage he had taken was severe nonetheless. The ringing in his ears most likely meant that he had a mild concussion, not to mention…
Gritting his teeth, the blonde lowered his gaze to the familiar sensation he felt. His left arm, which had taken the brunt of the blow, was bent in an unnatural angle. It was broken, and would stay that way for the next two days or so. If he called upon the Kyuubi's Chakra to heal him, it would mend instantly, but…
'This was the result of my carelessness. It shall serve as a reminder for me not to underestimate any opponent, no matter who they might be.'
Straightening his posture, Naruto's mind raced as he searched for a tactic which would allow him to win with one arm. To him, the match was no longer about the bet they had initially made.
'I have trained hard to eliminate my weaknesses, and yet…'
What was it about Sakura that made him let his guard down without knowing it? Why had he not finished her off earlier when she was lying on the ground before him? Why had he not seen through her simple ploy? Why was it that being around her made him so…weak?
'Very well…this will serve as a test. This girl is a lingering weakness of mine, one that I must cut off without mercy. If I am able to sever our bond here, I will be one step closer to surpassing Sasuke…!'
Panting heavily, Sakura desperately tried to keep all traces of the pain she was feeling from showing on her face. As a result of the emergency healing she had carried out, her head felt like it was being split in two. This, in addition to the fact that she had not fully recovered from the earlier oxygen deprivation meant that she was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
'I have at most…fifteen minutes.'
Casting her gaze towards her adversary, Sakura noted with the precision of a Medical Ninja that his left arm was broken. The trickle of blood making its way down from his forehead also told her that her earlier punch had not left him unharmed.
'Since I'm pressed for time, waiting for him to come to me is not an option…'
Forcing her aching limbs to move, Sakura fought back the nausea rising within her.
'This isn't the time for me to be feeling sick! If I lose here…'
Instinctively, she knew the consequences. If she lost this match, she would lose Naruto with it. If she lost here…never again would she see that cheerful grin she so sorely missed.
'That's why…even if it kills me…losing isn't an option!'
Trying to wash her doubts away, Sakura locked her gaze onto the figure before her, the boy who had lost himself in his quest for strength.
"Naruto!"
The Jinchuuriki met her gaze and she gasped the cold resolve she found within his azure eyes, knowing that it meant he had reached a similar conclusion.
"Don't lose it now!"
Inner Sakura offered her encouragement.
"Don't worry about what will happen if we lose, because we won't lose!"
Her childlike words made Sakura smile. It was just like Inner Sakura to say what she needed to hear most.
'That's right. All this time, losing hasn't been an option for me. What I should be thinking about isn't what will happen if I lose, but what I should do to win!'
Taking a deep breath, the Kunoichi tensed her leg muscles in preparation for movement. Noticing that her opponent was preparing himself for combat, she knew that the next words she uttered would signal the continuation of their match.
'Naruto…prepare yourself.'
Unwaveringly, she stared into the icy gaze of her former team mate, trying with all her might to make him understand the depths of her resolve.
"Naruto! In order to bring back your smile, to help you find yourself once again…I won't lose! It's a promise!"
While I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter, it was certainly the best I could come up with. Hopefully my fight scenes will get better with practice.
Well, that was it. Please leave constructive criticism if you have the time!
Thanks to the following reviewers!
Endros, Reaper, Leneypoo, suzako, dragonshaun9, BOWCHICKAWOWOW!!, Cloud Ex-SOLDIER, justastranger, BookMaster3000, kacame, Itz Rayz, Denim88, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, DemonicLove555, TwiztidOne, Lady Keruri, AlastorGodofVengeance, Dangel29, x.S a n c t u a r y, weixuan18, itzmexD, AgentBEATS, uzukun7, AmiMomo, skytide101, animeflunky, MiseryluvsDeath, ., TuffChick, Death Incarnate, TrueSalvation, Momochikd, viperp5, Gnosismaster, likes a good story, Ratchet McCloud, Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain, Blood Zephyr, Force Storm, magicslifer, Legally Fabulous