Chapter 4: Two Sacrifices
Deidara vs. Itachi, Kai, Kiba, and Suigetsu
Sasori vs. The Uchihas
(They all are in far distance for the young ninjas' safety, and they started fighting and ended at the same time)
Battle: Sasori
Sakura was glaring hard at Sasori who was smirking carelessly at her; thus Sasuke, along with his kids, stood close with her. They also held their weapons tightly close. Later, Sasori summoned his puppet of the Third Kazekage and Red Secret Technique; they all looked the exact same she remembered when he fought him. Shina stepped back afraid from the numerous puppets, and Daisuke was nervous. She quickly noticed the Third puppet's mouth opened, and it fired needles straight at them. Shina and Daisuke tensed but got saved by their mother circularly swinging her bao staff, blocking the needles. They were relieved from the saving, but they were confused from their mother's weapon. She had two katanas as they recalled. Before they asked, Sakura said while swinging her staff, "Go! I got this!"
"Hai!" Sasuke respond and ran forward; just then the other puppets charged at him. He used his katana, cutting the puppets around him, and chidori to block the puppets' blade weapons. The other puppets went the sideways of Sakura, but Shina and Daisuke quickly ran beside their mother firing them with Fireball Jutsu. They went on eventually; until all the hundred puppets dropped and burned in defeat. Then, Sasori moved his finger to move his only puppet's head toward Sasuke and firedEight Waves of Needles! He quickly noticed them and used Chidori Senbon, hitting the needles.
The needles clashed; then Sasori created the Thousand Hands Manipulation. Sakura reacted quickly, "Run to me!" alerting her kids and Sasuke. The twins get close to their mother and Sasuke reached them after running, and the puppet arms hit them. Along, Ryosuke cried out for them, and Hana and Mori held him back. They were also worried for their teammate, so they refused to think the worse. Afterwards, Sasori smirked but it disappeared; thus fire burned all the puppet arms.
A fire falcon covered the Uchihas, holding together, protecting them. Daisuke and Shina looked around and noticed fire on them, and they both were confused why it isn't burning them. Their teammates were also confused but surprised from it. "Perfect timing, Sakura" Sasuke commented and Sakura smirked. The twins were surprised from their mother's fire technique; also she has four elements for ninjutsu. Their instincts are telling them that their mother has some kind of power and their father knows about it. Furthermore, they believed that their uncle was part of it, so they will need to ask them after the battle. Sakura swung her arm, vanishing the fire falcon away.
"You belong to me!" Sasori exclaimed as he ran toward them. Most likely, he was running toward Sakura. Sasuke ran toward him and blocked him with his katana. They fought with furious strength; Sasuke angrily used his katana cutting his arms and slicing him; he continued on every time the cuts covered up, but he goes on to keep him away from Sakura. "Get away from me! Sakura belongs to me!"
Sasuke hissed, "Stay away from my wife!" He activated his chidori and punched him back; then Sasori used his chakra strings to pull his puppet up forward Puppet Technique: Prosthetic Arm Senbon. The puppet's arm rotates at high speed, launching the wooden cylinders attached to it. They then opened, and each one released a large amount of senbon toward Sasuke. Just in time before hitting him, Sasuke held his katana close, and fire surrounded him making a fire hawk. (Sakura trained him that fire jutsu) All the senbons hit the hawk but melted away. "I will never let you have her after what you done to her!" he growled as the fire hawk vanished.
Sakura immediately created a Summoning Jutsu after slamming her hand on the ground. Out of the ground, a big green snake popped out and grabbed the Third puppet with its mouth. She used her right hand, guiding the snake; it crawled upward then downward and crashed the ground. Along the crash, the snake disappeared and Sakura extended her left hand at Sasori. He got grabbed on the waist by the snake's tail; Sakura closed her hand to hold him. "Get him!" Daisuke and Shina ran sideways as Sasuke jumped above him, creating hand signs, and each blew fireball at Sasori. They got hit while he was trying to get free; they blew until stopped. Sasuke landed next to Sakura, and they all watched the flames died. He was gone, so they got him.
"I'm not done with you, love!" they jerked in surprise without knowing how he survived. Sakura felt tugs on her wrists and ankles pulling her. She tried to hold herself, but Sasori strongly pulled her toward him. Sasuke tried to catch her but missed, and the kids cried for her. "You are mine!"
While being dragged, Sakura made a quick move. "I don't think so!" she strongly restraint herself and forcefully pulled him toward her. "Time for a spin!" she jumped up Wind Style: Twister! Like Kiba and Akamaru's Fang over Fang, she flew around the sky then dived down toward the trees. Sasori tried to detach his chakra strings from her, but his chakra was stuck with hers. Through the trees, branches were hitting his face and trunks hitting his sides. Outside, Sakura passed left-sided of Mori and Hana then between Tenten and Karin. She stopped the twister and lastly swung him up forward. "Never underestimate the Uchiha!" She dragged him down; meanwhile, Shina appeared below him punching and kicking up his back. She gave him the final blow, sending him high up. Daisuke and Sasuke jumped out of the trees and appeared above Sasori, and they blew fireball crashing him to the ground.
After the fire attack, Sasuke and Daisuke landed and stood to see his state. From the burning smoke hole, Sasori slowly crawled out of the hole and stood up, all cracked and burned. Although, his body and clothes were damaged but automatically repairs itself. The Uchiha kids frowned that every time they attack him and his body regenerates; it appears to them that they will have a long fight. He cracked to stand straight and stared again at Sakura, "You're truly something, Sakura." She said nothing back but stared emotionless. "Those kids here should be mine." Sasuke angered how Sasori compliments his kids.
Sakura growled, "You better watch what you say about my kids."
"Our son, our child should have been born years ago," he started taunting her. She grew frustrated from the thing of his, and the painful memory was coming back to her. "Our child with our blood! Our only son…" she wanted him to stop, and she began to breathe hard. Her heart was beating fast, sweating from her forehead; she really wanted to stop. Also, Sasuke gritted his teeth; Shina was shivering with fright; and Daisuke was growing angry. Ryosuke lastly tears from Sasori's psychological torture to his mother. "Sakura, our son!"
She screamed running flashily at him, "URUSAI!" She punched him at the abdomen and kicked him up the chin. In the air, she gave few more punches on the face; she took out all her anger on him. Above them was Sasuke, he strikes Sasori down with Chidori Sharp Spear.
Battle: Deidara
Itachi stared longingly at Deidara without saying anything, for he was speechless to see his late friend again. "It's been a long time, Itachi" Deidara broke the silence. Then, he looked down, observing his outfit.
"Hai," Itachi respond. "I am a Konoha shinobi and have a family with three kids."
Deidara looked to the left and saw the two kids, and straight at the backup to the little kid, "They really do look like their mother and father." He saw the boys' faces resemble Sasuke, and the little kid has long hair like Itachi's. Also, he looked at the girl who strongly resembles like Sakura. A family with three children inherited great resemblances of their parents. He was about to speak more, but his body moved itself throwing Explosive Clay.
Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu! Suigetsu saved Itachi just in time before the clay balls exploded in front of him.
Itachi got surprised from the unexpected attack without noticing Deidara's movement. He watched Deidara summoned his large clay dragon (C2), "Itachi! Whatever you do, don't hold back!"
"Deidara," Itachi winced. He personally doesn't want to attack his old trusted friend, but he was being controlled and forced to attack. "Alright! Let's fight!" Gomen, Deidara he thought. He realized the purpose of the reanimated jutsu was forcing shinobi to fight against his old friends and attack him; thus that was making a shinobi himself hard to do. Although, he was left with no choice, so he must fight and seal him.
At first, Deidara flew on his dragon, opened his cloak, and entered his two hands into his clay pouches. He tried to stop himself, but his body wouldn't respond to him. He was being controlled. Everyone, except Itachi, flinched when he moved and threw his mini clays at them. "Itachi!" Deidara cried out to him, but the clays already exploded on them. Before he reacted, four logs came out of the smoke Substitution Jutsu. Deidara was glad to see that his friend dodged the attack, and he saw them jumped out from their hiding.
On the clay dragon's tail, Deidara created two more clays Detonating Clay: Twin Birds! Kai used his wind technique to hold those clay birds, so they exploded in air. Then, Deidara quickly created his Explosive Clay Minions, and they ran at Kai. For Kai, he was the taijutsu expert fought the minions with his tanto. He swung to cut, but the clay didn't cut. The two clays changed into many shapes for attack, so Kai avoid every hit. When he ducked one, he used his lightning on his hand and successfully cut one down. So, he turned to fight the other. Without notice, a clay thread crawled and connected back to the down clay; thus it grew back up but into two different minions.
"Don't cut them! They can change!" Kai heard the warning, so he must find a way to destroy them. Itachi ran in and helped fighting the clays. "The only way to defeat them is me!" Deidara revealed. Therefore, Suigetsu and Kiba took the chance while the others were fighting; they ran toward Deidara. The clay dragon, however, opened its mouth and sent out another clay bird at them. It flew fast, but they dodged it; then it flew back at them, so they ran away from and jumped when it hit the ground exploding big. All four managed to survive from it and looked up at Deidara. They noticed the dragon's tail was shortening which causes it to send out another clay dragon.
They dodged another explosion. Suddenly, AH! Kiba got his foot underground and Akamaru barked cautiously, and the ground quickly exploded. Deidara looked down, waiting to see if they survived. As the smoke cleared, they all were still there and alive but wounded. Suigetsu saved them by using his Water Barrier around them; however, the explosion cost his chakra. His body was dripping water, and Kiba supported him, thanking for saving him. Deidara again send out another bird and charged down at them, and BOOM! He stunned that they didn't move away, but he saw Itachi's katana flew out and stabbed on the ground. Next, he saw Kai running toward the sword and leaped his foot on it, and jumped high toward the dragon. Then, he used lightning and cut the dragon's wing, making it lose its balance. As the dragon was falling, he used his Great Leaf Whirlwind kicks to force it down. Deidara let himself down, for the ground was filled with Explosive Landmines which could end him. The dragon landed on ground, so the landmines exploded everywhere.
Afterwards, the massive explosions finished. Itachi and Suigetsu were protected by a flaming crow (Sakura also trained him that), and Kai, along with Kiba and Akamaru, landed beside them. They all stared at the down dragon, waiting for Deidara to come up; however, he came out on a clay bird. Up above, he said "I tried to let myself go down, but my body moved itself to survive." That they understood about the reanimation, and how it controls a dead shinobi's will. "Hurry, attack me!" he told them, feeling his hands move for hand signs. Itachi primarily blew fire ball; behind it, Kiba and Akamaru did Passing Fang combining with the fire ball into a fire tornado. It charged up toward Deidara; before he dodged it, Suigetsu in his water form (Water Release: Demon Fish) appeared behind and pushed him toward the fire.
Water and fire clashed together, steaming heat smoke. They stopped the encounter, yet Deidara was burned. Instead, they burned a clay clone of Deidara which they didn't notice him making a clone. He appeared out of nowhere from hiding; to his surprise, Kai flashily appeared in front and punched him on the face (Wind Vortex).Deidara was thrown next to his dragon and backward leaped on it, and he created hand signs to restore its wing back. The dragon stood and flew back into the air; the tail still has those round shapes to shoot out those explosive birds. Early before, Kiba and Akamaru ran and jumped up, and they used their Fang Rotating Fang and cut the dragon's head and tail. Carelessly, Deidara was relieved that his dragon won't throw any more explosives at them.
Water Transformation Jutsu! Suigetsu transformed into water waves; he first caught on the headless dragon and appeared behind Deidara. He swung his giant sword to hit him behind, but Deidara avoided the attack. Therefore, Suigetsu cut through the dragon's clay body; next Kiba and Akamaru using Fang over Fang came behind Deidara. Deidara still avoided their sneak attack making them destroy the clay; furthermore, wind caught holding him. Kai went to him and used his Reverse Lotus, hitting him, and he used his Leaf Whirlwind kick at his chin. Itachi then appeared behind Deidara and blew fire ball, burning him down.
(~~~~~~)
Sasuke strikes Sasori and Itachi kicked Deidara, so they went down. Surprisingly, Kankuro's kuroari puppets appeared and opened their caskets Black Secret Technique: Machine Triple Shot. Sasori and Deidara got trapped after the caskets locked them inside.
Sasusaku and Itachi stood in front the puppet prison, their backs facing the puppets. And their tag teammates appeared beside them, staring at the puppets. Out of them, Suigetsu went to his family joining the backup team.
Inside Deidara was relieved that he got imprisoned, but he moved pulling down his cloak. It reveals a mouth on his chest stitched up, which isn't good news. So, he warned "Oi! Someone stab me before I use my C0—suicide bomb!" Immediately after warning, he got pierced right where the chest mouth located by a lightning-infused sword. It was a disadvantage for his body movement, but it was advantage for his weakness. Outside, Sasuke was the one who stopped him using chidori with his katana; then Kankuro summoned his Sasori puppet from his scroll. He activated the pole out of the puppet and went around then inside, wrapping around Deidara.
(~~~~~~)
"Sakura!" Sasori called her out, but she didn't turn or answer. He started banging to get out and continued yelling. Suddenly, he was stopped by some spears impaling his body. Kankuro used Black Secret Technique: Machine One Shot on him to hold his movement; the stab was the exact same when Sakura stabbed his living core during their battle.
"Like I said before, I will never be yours. You have no idea how I suffered after what you did that night and tried for the second time," she said to him, and Sasuke angrily shocked for hearing that Sasori tried to rape Sakura again. "You should have realized what you've done, and it was during the wrong time."
Sasori was confused what she meant. "Do you still want to know who killed your little 'thing'?" Sasori widened for getting his result of his son's death, and Sakura looked at her friend who was shaking but nodded to tell him. "It was…Karin!"
Everyone, except Sasuke, gasped from it. Her friends never knew or heard that Karin killed Sakura's first unborn. Aimi was more shocked; however, she wanted to believe that it wasn't true and her mother would never do anything like that. However, she saw her sad face indicating that it was true. Sasori finally got his answer of his child's murder, but he wanted to know why she did it.
"Do you remember how she was before and who did she wanted?" Sakura asked him. "We both assumed that the little thing belonged to the same person, so she killed it out of jealousy. However, when you confessed it was yours, I never felt so relieved. Also, I forgave her because that attack unexpectedly saved my life and gave me the chance to be with the person I deeply love." She glanced back at Sasuke who smiled at her; he was pleased from hearing what she said at the end.
Inside the puppet, Sasori was silent for some minutes but finally got answer of the person who killed his unborn child. "Soka…I understand," he admitted himself and Sakura tensed from his words. "The honest truth of my obsession for you, Sakura, was that I wanted to have a family again." She widened a little for understanding what he implied. "You and I suffered the same pain, so I wanted to have you in my life. The first time I met you, you were the very one for me; I managed to make the Kyuubi kid break up with you but tried to separate you from Itachi." Daisuke and Shina received another shock that their mother had second relationship with their uncle after Naruto. "But I accept your wishes, your heart has only been set on Sasuke. So, I can't challenge him for you anymore since your future has already been shared with him." Sasuke looked at him, feeling pride that Sasori has finally given up on Sakura. "I can't fight any more for you to love me since you have loved him for all your life."
Kankuro interrupted the moment, "Sasori, after your death, I took your self-puppet to my collection."
"The puppet 'me' is no use to me anymore," Sasori said carelessly. "But I leave it to you, Kankuro." Then, he crossed his arms on his shoulders with a smile. "I shall leave this earth to reunite with my family. I poured my heart and soul into my creations, my puppets and techniques were what immortalized me." He remembered his childhood making two puppets for the memory of his parents, so he could see them and be with them again. His whole body turned white and cracked into ashes, "Kankuro, I entrusted my Mother and Father puppets to you, and passed them down to generation."
Kankuro accepted his word, "Hai!" Sasori fully deconstructed into pile of debris and dead corpse.
Sakura understood that Sasori suffered from a family loss; however, she still won't forgive him for what he done. She clutched a fist, "Kankuro?" He looked at her, "Promise me that you will never summon that puppet in my presence." He understood her solution she had from Sasori, so he promised her.
(~~~~~~)
Deidara sensed Sasori's chakra disappeared, "He's gone." Sakura relaxed with relief for hearing that, and Sasori was gone for good leaving her alone with her family in peace.
"Dei-chan, gomen" Sakura said sadly and Deidara eh-ed questionly. "You died protecting me and Itachi." She apologized for the cause of his death, and she still wouldn't say onii-san after Itachi (it was their remaining secret from him).
"No, I'm glad I did," he exclaimed telling that he has no regrets for his death. "I wanted to thank you both." Sakura and Itachi turned with curiosity. "Sakura-chan, when Itachi brought you to us, you changed me and taught me how to care about others; I fall in love with your pure heart, it was full with warmth of a glowing light." She grew tears with sadness; her kids and Kai caught him saying Itachi brought you to us meaning that Itachi-san was originally part of the gang. "Also, arigatou for calling me 'Dei-chan'." He loved her calling him that short nickname during their time together and after becoming friends.
He next said, "Itachi, you were my first friend I ever had and trusted. I am glad to see you still remain alive and you found the cure for your disease." Itachi clutched a fist sadly, and Sakura was surprised that Deidara knew about Itachi's disease. "I never lost hope for it, for I knew I was right that a cure was out there." The Uchiha kids grew confused that their uncle had a disease.
"I can finally rest in peace after seeing my two friends again and with a happy life," he close-eye smiled and turned white. "One more thing, I had known your secret , so I acted believing it for your sake." They jerked that Deidara had secretly known that they were fake lovers.
"The memories of our friendship will always be with me and it will never be forgotten," he started shredding, "I will always be around. And don't forget 'Art is an explosión!'" Sakura cried and Itachi shook, shakily gripping their katanas. "Arigatou…" Deidara fully faded into pile of debris and a dead corpse.
The two caskets opened, dropping the two corpses on ground, which made Shina shriek terrified. Sakura and Itachi looked down at the corpse (which was Deidara) and had flashbacks about their time in the Akatsuki—full of laughter and connection. Sakura moved close to Itachi and placed her face on his chest, and he hugged her tightly. Sasuke went to them, embracing with comfort, and the kids joined in with them. A moment later, they toughed themselves and assured their family they were alright.