Hi everyone!
Sorry I took so long to update! I've been so busy with school and work!
But I think you will enjoy this chapter a lot! Things are gonna gets interesting ^_^! I had fun writing it! And I want to thank those who told me on the last chapter that it's suppose to be an S-rank instead of A-rank. I was typing so fast that I didn't notice. All right! On with the story!
CHAPTER 7:
Race Against Time
After delivering the letter to Shino, Sakura decides to head back to the Hokage's Mansion to figure out what was going on with Nariko. She could still remember how Nariko's voice sounded just like Sasuke. Cold, dark, and completely emotionless. Because of that, Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. She was also worried about Naruto. She went to his apartment to look for him but he wasn't there. That didn't surprised her to say the least. He was never really home that much anymore. It would be really late at night whenever Naruto did return home. She knew that because he would sometimes be sleep deprived some days and sometimes on his missions.
She didn't understand his behavior anymore. Why was he always so gloomy, sad, and distant? That's not the person she knew and loved. Something was gnawing him in his very soul and it's causing him not to be his happy and cheerful self.
"Naruto, where are you?" Sakura asked no one in particular. She was getting frustrated from having no luck of finding him. Sakura thinks about it for a minute and comes up with an idea where he might be...
The tress rustled and the cool wind carried a calm breeze with the leaves following its every movement fluently. Naruto was sitting under a tree, resting his back against it. He was currently doing something that he shouldn't be doing. He was thinking about Sasuke again and even more so, he was thinking about his late teacher, Jiraiya as well. Every now and then, he would glance over at the Memorial Stone. Yep. Jiraiya's name was engraved on there along with Asuma Sarutobi. Jiraiya was always there for him whenever he had a problem that he couldn't solve but now he wasn't and had to figure this one out on his own. He would talk to Sakura about it but he didn't think that would be a good idea. She still has feelings for him and to add insult to injury, talking to her about something like that would be like pouring gasoline on fire and at that very moment, he remembered when Sakura confessed to him that day...
On that snowy day in the Land of Iron, Sakura had just told Naruto that she loves him and he remains somewhat impassive about her sudden confession. She embraces him gently but he quickly breaks it, grasping her shoulders and pushing her away.
"Stop this already, Sakura-chan...I told you that this isn't funny." He said clearly upset about the decision that she made.
Naruto was very serious and hurt about what she said and Sakura exchanged him a confused look but forced a smile.
"Why the angry face...? I've just decided that it's you I care about about, not Sasuke-kun, that's all...You know what they say - a woman's heart is a fickle thing..." Sakura explained.
Naruto grips her shoulders tighter and declares in anger,"I can't stand...people who lie to themselves!"
His own words echo in his mind. He said that but he knows at one point, he's gonna have to tell her sooner or later...
"Ero-Sennin, I don't know what I should do. I've never been so lost..." He pleaded in dire need for advice.
"Naruto?" a voice called out to him.
Naruto quickly turns around and he noticed a familiar face. "Sakura-chan..." He said astonished.
Sakura carefully sat next to him. "What's wrong? You seem a little depressed..."
Naruto wasn't expecting Sakura to show up here like this but he really needed someone to talk to.
"Sakura-chan, I'm at a loss. I don't know what I should do anymore. I mean..." Naruto wasn't putting his words together well on account of his mind was a complete mess.
"You're still concerned about Sasuke-kun, aren't you?" Sakura guessed scooting closer to Naruto.
Sakura gave up on trying to bring Sasuke back. Along with some of the other ninjas in their year. She still couldn't understand why Naruto was so willing to fight and try to save someone he couldn't possibly save. Sakura felt sorry for him because after all this time, Naruto was still willing to call Sasuke his friend. It hurt her to see Naruto destroying himself over something he couldn't have. She had to get through to him quickly and what better time to do it than right now?
"Naruto, you can't keep torturing yourself like this. I understand how you feel but we have to face reality. Sasuke-kun is not the man we once knew..."
Naruto doesn't answer her. He just remains silent and continues to listen to her.
"As much we want Sasuke-kun to come back, he's not going to come back. We tried our best and did everything we could, but it still wasn't enough to stop him." Sakura said filled with sadness.
Sakura, the woman who once loved Sasuke was now telling Naruto to give up on trying to save him. These words were not very comforting to the two young shinobi and she felt even worse for having to be the one to tell him that. It was the only way she could think of to try to ease the pain in his heart.
Instead, Naruto lowers his head to hide his face from her, "Sakura, I can't give up on Sasuke...I just can't. I tried but I just can't do it. My heart is telling me to not give up and keep pushing forward."
Sakura's eyes widen slightly from Naruto's determination, "Naruto?"
"I know. It must be foolish and insane to keeping fighting for something that seems so...unattainable. I know that but I have to keep trying, because I..." The last words froze in his mouth. He was so close to saying 'I love him.' Thank god he stopped himself from doing so.
"Naruto?" Sakura was now very confused. What was Naruto trying to say? She wanted to asked him but she decided against it. "What about Nariko?" she asked changing the topic quickly.
A small smile formed on the blond's face and he chuckle quietly before he said, "Why do think I agreed to help Nariko find her sister without a second thought?"
"Hmm...How come?" The curiosity sunk deep within Sakura.
"Because Nariko has a strong, beautiful bond with her sister and she's willing to do anything to try and see her again. I could tell the two are very close just by talking with Nariko. She loves her sister and I want the two of them to continue to have that special bond. If I can't help myself, I want to at least help her." Naruto answered clenching his necklace tightly.
Sakura was completely speechless. She didn't know what to say and didn't want to say anymore than she already did. Naruto was truly hurting and Sakura could sense that. She places a firm hand on his shoulder to try to comfort the young man.
"I apologize...for what I said earlier." Sakura spoke with remorse and and she hugged him from behind.
Naruto gently placed his hand on top of hers and rests his head on it. "Thank you, Sakura-chan..." He answered gently and rested his eyes for a second from his earlier tears.
Sakura nuzzles her forehead against his beautiful blond spikes, 'Naruto, if Sasuke ever comes back...no when he comes back, he's gonna have to deal with me...I could never forgive him for all the hell he put you through...' She thought and and hugs him tighter. 'I promise...'
This was a nice setting for the two but something important just dawned on Naruto. Sakura offers him a orange handkerchief and Naruto smiles sweetly towards her as a show of thanks. Sakura helps him up to his feet and he wipes his face clean from his earlier tears.
"Sakura, where's Nariko?" Naruto asked once he was feeling a little better.
"That's the main reason why I came looking for you."
"What is it?" Naruto asked.
"There's something wrong with Nariko." Sakura's voice suddenly became very serious.
Naruto paused for a minute before he panicked, "What do you mean something's wrong with her?"
"After you had left, Nariko's necklace started to react very strangely. It was fluctuating wildly."
Naruto was puzzled about this situation, "But necklaces can't do that, can they?" he convinced himself.
"I don't know exactly what it is, but she went to the Hokage's Mansion to see Tsunade. Naruto, I'm really worried. I can't help but feel that something terrible is about to happen. We should head over there immediately if we want to find out anything." Sakura explained and Naruto agreed.
Nariko was now in Tsunade's office, waiting for Naruto and Sakura to come so she can tell what was going on. The tension in the room was so thick and suffocating that it was hard for her to breath properly. Soon afterwards, Naruto and Sakura came into the office.
Naruto quickly rushed over to Nariko, "Nariko are you all right?" he asked with full concern.
Nariko smiles from her dad's concern, "I'm fine." She answers.
"Nariko, I want some answers and I want them right now! Why are you here and what is your purpose?" Tsunade said, clearly not happy at the moment. She hasn't had any sake as of today and she was in a foul mood.
After everyone had settled in the office, Nariko's smile soon fades away and she takes a deep breath. The time has finally come for Nariko to tell them the reason why she and her sister was really here. She didn't expect this to happen so soon, but she knew that deserved to know.
"Naruto, Sakura-chan, Bijin baa-chan, please forgive me." Nariko apologized before she bowed.
Tsunade felt a vain formed on the right side of her temple from the name she was called. "Bijin...baa-chan?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Naruto asked confused.
"I am not the person you think I am." Nariko explained.
Sakura looks at her in concern, "What do you mean, Nariko-chan? You haven't done anything w-"
"I've lied to all of you." Nariko cuts in, feeling guilty for deceiving them.
Naruto tilted his head slightly and looks at her with a baffled look on his face.
"Nariko, something's wrong, isn't there?" Sakura asked.
Everyone quickly glanced over to Sakura before turning back to Nariko, who had lowered her head from Sakura's assumption.
Nariko sighs, "Me and my sister Miyuki came here from the future to complete a very important mission. A mission that could possibly save lives from a natural disaster."
"A natural disaster?" Naruto and Sakura repeated in shock and disbelief.
"That's right."
Tsunade looks at Nariko with a puzzled look. A natural disaster? "If what you say is true, what is the rank of this mission of yours?" she inquired.
"It's an...S-rank mission, Tsunade-sama."
"S-rank?" Naruto and Sakura yelled again in unison.
"Will you two please stop repeating everything she saids? You're giving me a headache!" Tsunade bellowed.
An S-rank mission? That IS serious. What could Nariko and Miyuki possibly be here to prevent from happening? Just before Tsunade was gonna ask her mental question, the sound of someone knocking from the outside interrupts them.
Tsunade lets out an exasperated sigh, "Come in!"
Shizune walks in with paperwork full in her arms making her way to Tsunade's desk.
"Shizune, can't the paperwork wait? We're discussing something very important right now."
Shizune pays no mind and sets the giant stack of papers on Tsunade's desk, "Lady Tsunade, what's going on here?"
The atmosphere in this room was not easy to ignore.
"Nariko was about to tell us before you came in. Continue, Nariko." Tsunade answered.
Nariko nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
Naruto realize what she said earlier, "Wait a minute! You're from the future?" he said in shock.
"Yes I am. 21 years to be exact." was Nariko's reply.
Sakura raised an eyebrow from Nariko's answer, "Isn't time travel...impossible?"
"Yes, it is impossible...but me and my sister found a sacred scroll that consists of time travel techniques."
"I'll ask you again, Nariko. What is the reason why you and your sister are here?" Tsunade questioned trying to keep her cool.
"Me and Miyuki came here to the past to protect you, Naruto." Nariko stated.
"Protect me? Why?" Naruto asked. "I don't need protecting!"
"You don't understand, Naruto." Nariko seethed with anger. "I didn't expect you to understand."
"Then tell me why do I need protecting?"
"Because you have the sacred power of a Jinchuuriki – their element power."
"Element...power?" Sakura repeated.
"A Jinchuuriki's element power?" Tsunade rubbed her chin from the information Nariko has given her. "I never thought in my lifetime...that something like this would actually happen..."
"Actually happen? What do you mean, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune asked.
"Well, from what Nariko has told us, it seems that the legend itself from many years ago is beginning to unravel..."
"Baa-chan, will you stop talking in riddles and tell us what's going on?" Naruto yelled.
Tsunade glared at the blond shinobi, "Shut up, brat! I don't have much information about this on hand right now and this is just as new to me as it is for you!"
"Bijin baa-chan, Naruto, will you please stop it?" Nariko asked. She still find their bickering amusing but now was not the time for it.
The vain on Tsunade 's temple grew slightly, "Stop calling me that! And what does that mean anyway?"
Nariko was gonna answer Tsunade but her necklace started to react again. Naruto's eyes widen with uncertainty from the unfathomable power that was emitting from the necklace.
"W-W-What the hell?" Naruto pointed frantically.
"That's what I was telling you about earlier." Sakura answers.
But there was something was different about the way it was reacting this time. The necklace was pulling itself away from Nariko. It looked like it was gonna ripped off from around her neck. Tsunade kept a calm yet serious expression on her face as she watched this action take place. After a few minutes, the necklace stopped and the energy disappeared.
Naruto took a step towards Nariko and grasp her shoulders. "What is it?"
Nariko grips her necklace. "Miyuki...she's near by!"
"Huh? She is? That's-wait...how can you tell?" Naruto still didn't understand how that even happen to start with.
"Naruto, my necklace isn't just an accessory. It's also a chakra receiver." She explained. "Whenever me and my sister come within a certain range, the necklace will react, letting me know that she's not that far away and..." Nariko became silent...
Sakura gives a look of concern. "Nariko?"
"And it's also telling me that enemies are approaching the Fire Country as we speak."
"WHAT?" Tsunade screams. "What enemies?"
"A group of rogue ninja known as the 'Bakudai'. These enemies are after the element powers of the Jinchuurikis and it's our mission to stop them from taking that power."
"Why are they after the Jinchuurikis' element powers?" Shizune questioned writing down every detail of this matter.
"Because each one carries a unique power or trait as you may call it, which are very strong power-wise."
"Well, what happens if they actually get all the element powers?" Sakura asked.
"Once they get all the element powers, they will combine together, forming a horrible beast known as the 'Infinite Jinchuuriki' and when that happens..."
Everyone in the room got really quiet by this information. They did not like where this was going and the silence was not helping.
Nariko clenches her fists, "The world will suffer from total annihilation and it will be destroyed."
The expressions on their faces ranged from shock to scared. Naruto slumps on the ground, completely at a loss for words about this situation.
Sakura swallows hard, trying to digest the information, "The world... is gonna be destroyed...?"
'I knew it...' Tsunade thought.
That was just a taste. Nariko didn't want to tell them all of that just yet but they had to know something. She knows the horror of what is going to happen and she doesn't want it to repeat itself again. Nariko walks to the window and leaps on the edge of it.
"It's a race against time. I have to find my sister and put a stop to it..." Nariko whispers and jumps down from the window.
Naruto regains his composure, "Wait, Nariko!" he calls out to her but she was running at unimaginable speeds and she was already long gone.
It didn't take long for Nariko to reach the gates of the village and she zooms past Izumo and Kotetsu with great ease.
'Miyuki, hold on...!' She thought as she continued to jump through the trees and towards Konoha Forest where a battle could possibly begin...
* * *NEXT CHAPTER SYNOPSIS* * *
The next chapter of Changing Fate is:
The Battle In Konoha Forest!
Evil shinobi enter the fray, difficult decisions are being made, and one girl fights the dangers alone...
