A/N: Okay, I think there's only going to be one more chapter after this one, and MAYBE an epilogue. But I'm not really sure yet. P Thank you for reading this far! And thanks for the reviews!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.
Shikamaru and I didn't talk much after that. There wasn't much else to say.
It wasn't long after that, when I started to lose control. I didn't understand it at first, one moment I would be running an errand, the next I would be standing in the middle of a smoking, crater-sized hole. With no one in sight.
"It's probably just stress." Tsunade said, "Try taking some time off."
"How can I do that?" I argued, "When Sasuke's in trouble, Akatsuki's after Naruto and I, and..."
"Shikamaru still isn't talking to you?" Tsunade offered, unsuspecting.
I'm not really sure what happened next. Something, a hatred so strong that it made my lungs ache, rose from somewhere inside of me.
"Kill."
I screamed in agony, it felt like my head was about to burst. I could hear faint screaming, was someone in danger?
When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Sakura was standing over me, letting chakra leak from her hands into my body.
"What happened?" I murmured, "How did I end up here?"
Sakura smiled wearily, "I heard you lost control for a moment there."
The back of my eyes tingled, "Yeah." I said, "The monster inside of me tried to escape."
Everyone knew that I was like Naruto in a way, but they never really mentioned it that much. I didn't talk about it either.
I guess I was ashamed. Being a container for a demon had never been a good thing in my eyes.
I stopped going on missions for awhile. I had heard from Sakura that Shikamaru had finally avenged Azuma. Two more Akatsuke members had been killed.
"That's good." she said cheerfully, "Less people to deal with."
The "attacks" (as Tsunade called them) only grew worse, and more common. I couldn't understand it.
One moment I'd be talking with someone or running an errand, and then the next moment I'd be on the ground, in the center of a huge crater-sized hole.
Even though I hadn't been improving much, I was still able to do one thing.
I was there the last time we tried to get Sasuke back.
A thick bolt of light shot out of the ground about five hundred yards away.
"That's where Sasuke is!" someone shouted.
"What are we waiting for?" said Naruto, "Let's go!"
Our efforts were in vain. There was no way to reach him. Tobi -- that strange guy with the pumpkin mask -- ended up blocking our way.
And when the battle was over, Sasuke was no where to be found. It was as if he had destroyed his only brother, and then left.
When we finally returned to the villaged, Naruto was faced with some bad news.
Jiraya had died. But with his death, he had left clues. To what, I never had the chance to figure out.
My "attacks" kept coming. Every time I experienced one, they became worse, and more often.
Finally, I decided to leave the village. I had decided a long time ago, that when the time came that I was destroying things -- hurting other people, that I would leave.
I shouldn't have to cause other people problems.
Tears streamed down my face as I packed. I had only a few belongings: a picture of my friends, some senbon, the few coins I had saved up, a necklace that Sakura had given me for my birthday last year, and my headband. Before I left, I scrawled a quick note, and left it on Naruto's doorstep.
I hoped I wouldn't become a wanted ninja. That would only complicate things.
The tears came down harder as I walked out of the gate, turning the dust to mud. I would never see my village again. My friends.
It was for the best.
I wandered around for awhile, going from town to town. Only stopping long enough to get some rest, and maybe earn some money.
But one day, I found something that changed the way I thought.
My feet ached.
I had been walking around for what seemed like days. Finally, I found a large cave that I could sleep in for the night.
I stepped inside. It was a bit damp, but I could manage. I traced my hand along the wall, the cold rock felt nice on my hand. Suddenly, my hand traced over something different. When I decided to take a closer look, I found something interesting. Wedged into a crevice of a stone cave I was passing, I found a note:
Dear stranger,
I'm about to die. I know that much. Akatsuki has kidnapped me, and has taken me here. I'm not really sure what's going on, except that they want the demon inside of me.
You see, my name is Saki, and I'm the seven-tailed jinchuuriki.
I'm sure those who have heard of jincuuriki cringe at the thought of us "demon containers". I've been called a monster many a time in my life.
I'm writing this letter to break the stereyotype.
We're people too. Just look at Gaara of the desert, he was able to become Kazekage because his people finally accepted him. I hoped to become like Gaara, but since it's clear now that that future is nonexhistent, I guess that's okay too.
If you know someone named Rin from the Village Hidden in the Mist, please tell her "thank you". She has proven to me that there is hope for us.
Thank you for reading.
Love, Saki
As soon as I finished reading it, I broke down. Homesickness flooded through my body. I couldn't stop thinking about Saki. What kind of girl had she been? What had this "Rin" done to make her see meaning in life?
My heart ached for the girl.
That morning, when I woke up, something didn't feel right.
I ignored this feeling. It would pass with time.
I hoped.
Before I left, I folded the weathered note, and slipped it into my bag. I would have to get this to Naruto somehow.
Sadly, I was unable to get it to Naruto. That day, I was captured by Sasuke. And Akatsuki.
"It's..." I trailed off, Konoha was in pieces, it was even worse than when the Third Hokage died.
I watched silently as familiar ninja defended the village with their lives.
Soon, I would be part of the battle.
