Cold Light
Cloudy Skies 77
Hokage-Sama,
It has been five days since we reached Motainsu. There has been no sign of the inhabitants of the villages surrounding Montains nor are there any signs of the invaders. We are proceeding towards the rendez-vous as instructed. We should reach the point in three more days.
-Haruno S.
Sakura signed her name with a flourish and tucked the scroll into her bag. She stretched and exited her tent. "We are heading out. I want everything packed and ready to go by the end of the hour."
"Right." the rest of the team nodded and set off to dismantling the camp.
Sakura started to walk out of the camp but a hand clamped around her wrist, "Where are you going?"
Sakura starred into Shikamaru's coffee colored eyes, "No where." she wrenched her wrist from his grasp, "Now if you'll excuse me." She stalked off out of the camp.
"Neji!"
"What?"
"Where is Sakura going?"
Neji snorted, "Concerned are we, Nara?" Neji cut Shikamaru off before he could speak, "It doesn't matter where she is going because she is captain for this mission and you should trust her judgment. Now give me a hand with the tent."
Shikamaru began to help Neji deconstruct the tent, though all the while his eyes were fixed on the trail Sakura had taken.
"Ouch!"
"Oh sorry Tenten." apologized Shikamaru.
"You know I don't get you Shikamaru. Seriously which role are you the overprotective vice-captain, father, or boyfriend?"
Shikamaru flushed at the mention of the last option, "Yeah Shikamaru," piped up Naruto, "you've been looking at her all funny too! What do you want with my Sakura-chan?"
"Nothing…" he muttered, "Can we just finish putting everything away."
Neji sent a smirk in Tenten's direction which she returned with a wide grin as she began to pack up Sakura's tent.
'The terrain is bearable, too many crevices and ledges to hide behind. We'll have to keep our defenses up just in case there is an ambush along the way. I definitely hate the narrowness of the trail...' Sakura tapped her forehead thoughtfully as she racked her brain trying to remember anything else she was supposed to check before the team headed out to Suna. She stood up with a flourish from the top of the peak she was sitting on. She moved stretched her arms cracking her neck and shoulders in the process. "Alright probably should head back now." Sakura jumped down and run back down the trail unaware of the pair of eyes trained on her retreating back.
"When are we gonna move?" an impatient voice sounded from a tree. The dark eyes trained on Sakura's back didn't more. "Soon. Soon." They left Sakura's back and focused on the woman speaking. "Have a little patience Venichi." The woman let out a growl of frustration in response.
"Alright are we all set?" called Sakura as she jumped down into the camp.
"Ready as ever Sakura-chan." cried Naruto as he bounded up to her with her pack in hand.
"Okay then. We need to reach the far peak by nightfall. Then proceed to Suna. The terrain is alright but it's perfect for traps and ambushes so I want everyone to be on guard. Neji, I need you in the lead with Tenten. You are our eyes and ears."
"Understood" A curt nod followed.
"Naruto you have the middle. Shikamaru and myself will bring up the rear. Now that is settled, let's move out now!"
The team set off on the trail and fell into a steady stride. Shikamaru shot a glance over at Sakura's stiff posture. They hadn't really spoken to each other since that morning on the lake shore. He shot another glance at her. Shikamaru couldn't help but look at her; there was something about Sakura that he was just drawn to. It was a sort of sick attraction—maybe it was because they were the same. Maybe it was because they were. No matter how many times they tore themselves apart, they always would try again.
"You know it's impolite to stare." she said not glancing over at him, her eyes trained ahead on the dirt road.
"I wasn't…"
"I can't expect you to understand and I don't think you will. You're probably holding on to this because you don't get it." Sakura's voice was strong but it wasn't harsh. It sounded worn out and tired. She turned to face Shikamaru, "When the time is right you'll have all your answers, but until then forget you saw anything."
Shikamaru watched as the smoke rose up into the dark sky. He let the breeze play against the back of his neck as he sat on the edge of the mountain. He glanced back at Sakura's sleeping form. Her pink hair seemed blonde in the fire light; she looked at peace with the world, something which he had yet to see. Shikamaru had to admit that he was shocked when Sakura had agreed to explain everything to him. Something about it was just so out of character it made him want to laugh. He took another long drag on his cigarette inhaling the smoke. The numbing sensations ran through his body alleviating the visible twitch in his hand. "Only if we could be as free as the clouds." he said letting a low chuckle. "If only… If only…" He considered it ironic in a way; the two best and brightest were the most self destructive.
Shikamaru felt it, the unmistakable spike in chakra. There was a loud crash and he watched in horror as the mountainside began to fall around him.
There were rocks flying in every which direction. Chaos was descending over their little camp site. Naruto dashed out from underneath the crumbling ledge only to be nearly hit by a boulder. Tenten had to tackle him to a ground to prevent him from becoming a pancake.
"Thanks Tenten." wheezed Naruto as the wind started to come back into him.
"Any time little guy." Tenten dashed away to join Neji who had just slumped to the ground, a kunai logged firmly in his leg.
"What the hell is going on here, Nara!" Sakura yelled as her black fisted gloves hit with another boulder causing it so shatter into a million smaller pieces.
"I don't know! I don't know!"
"You bastard! I told you to keep an eye out." Sakura's anger was boiling out of control. Her team was being separated and spread across the mountain. The thing that was upsetting her the most was Shikamaru was clearly high. His pupils were dilated and his eyes seems glazed over and not in the lack of sleep sense. She had warned him. She had told him. Now they were all in danger because of his mistake; the mistake that she had to now fix. The bodies of the enemy-nins went flying in every which way. They all crumbled before Sakura's super human strength. "Couldn't they have at least sent some guys worth fighting?" she grumbled as she sent one flying off the cliff.
"Well… Well… The great Nara Shikamaru… It is quite an honor," sneered the man as he made a mock bow.
"And I take it you aren't anyone of importance otherwise I would have heard of you at some point."
The man's sneer changed into a scowl. "I think it's time to blow this scene. Okay. Three… Two… One… Let's rock!" (1) he came running his hands flying through hand symbols. There was a loud crash from behind Shikamaru. He was barely able to dodge the spiked rock that came flying from the mountainside.
He rolled on the ground to avoid the spike, only to find about a hundred more spikes above him. "Oh shit…" he cried out as the spikes came hurtling down towards him. He dodged and weaved through the forest of raining spikes but his movements were sluggish and he was having difficulty getting through the waves of attacks unscathed.
"Look at how the mighty have fallen." the man laughed, "It's time to end this game Nara-san." He started to perform a new series of hand signs.
Shikamaru braced himself for the next attack. 'Left? Right? Above? Below!' He watched in horror as he was engulfed by a strong crystalline barrier. "What the hell!"
"It's my own special jutsu. Don't you like it? It's a barrier made from superheated carbon from the earth and its infused with my own chakra. The only way out is if I die. So it is just a matter of waiting and watching as you run out of air." he let out a laugh and brushed his black bangs out of his eyes.
"Not if I can help it."
He turned and his blue eyes widened in shock, "Haruno Sakura! It truly is a honor." he bowed. "As I was just explaining to your little friend over here," he jerked his thumb towards Shikamaru, "Unless you kill me Nara-san will die."
"I understand…"
"Asu, Asu Rokku."
"Well Asu-san, shall we begin then?" Sakura asked as pulled out on of the long stone spikes.
"Ladies first, Haruno-san. Ladies first."
"Here I go!" Sakura charged forward using the spike like a katana. She deftly struck and managed to get a small cut across his cheek.
"Clever. Not many have tried that before."
"En garde." he pulled a much larger spike from the ground and proceeded to attack Sakura with a flurry of strikes. "You are quite good." Asu panted in between strikes.
"I learned from one of the best."
"It's a pity though Haruno-san that I have to cut this so short; I was just staring to have fun but unfortunately Gan does not like to be kept waiting." Asu swung around and managed to grab a hold of Sakura's shoulders. He hand several one handed hand signs and Sakura watched in horror as Asu's blade grew and pierced her chest. She staggered a few steps back away from him. "It has been an honor." Asu repeated giving her a wave.
"Heh…" Sakura laughed, "I'm afraid you have underestimated me." Sakura lunged forward and surged the rest of her chakra into her first. Sakura punched him as hard as she could and sent him flying into the spiked stone cliff. She watched as the light left his eyes and Asu died. Sakura slumped forward and fell backwards on the ground.
Shikamaru broke free from the barrier with a small paper bomb and ran to her side. "Sakura!"
Sakura's breathing was heavy and labored; her eyes were dull and beginning to glaze over. She turned her head towards him "Shikamaru?" she coughed and Shikamaru could only stare at the blood on her hand.
"Yeah, Sakura, it's me. C'mon you have to hand in there just a bit longer." He tried to keep his voice steady but it was hard enough to keep a weak smile there.
"I'm… I'm sorry I couldn't help you," she coughed harder this time, "I guess you won't get your answers after all.
"I don't need them Sakura. Just stay with me now!" he grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "C'mon I know you can do that. Just stay with me!"
"Tell everyone that I love them and I was happy to have met them. Tell Kakashi that I'm sorry for breaking my promise to him. He won't be happy with me."
Shikamaru was shaking and he could feel the tears prickling at the corners of his eyes as he gazed at Sakura, "No!" he cried out his voice cracking, "You can tell them that!"
She smiled the most beautiful smile up at him. "Tell him…" her voice trailed off and she began to cough again, "Tell him… I'll always love him." She smiled softly up at him and Shikamaru felt the tears flow as Sakura closed her eyes.
"SAKURA!"
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 'Tank'
NOTES:
1: Yes that is from 'Tank' from Cowboy Bebop. I felt like using it.
AN: Well… I know it has been ages… And I'm so so so sorry for the long update time… I've had a hectic past couple of months… I lost my hard drive not once but twice… So I lost all my progress with Cold Light and the sequel for Book Shoppe. So I'm starting everything from scratch. I was in Italy, I had SATs, APs, Finals, I started working again… My life is currently crazy.
So I'm on a mad rush to update today because tomorrow morning I'm leaving on a three week college tour of the country… I need to figure out where I want to go to school. So I won't be updating for 2.5 weeks. While I'm on the road I'll write the next chapter.
And I haven't edited this b/c I wanted to get it up before I left… So please forgive any mistakes…
And fight scenes aren't my specialty so I apologize for the crappy-ness of it.
OH and Shika/Saku will most likely begin next chapter so stay tuned!
Review Shoutouts:
Thanks to everyone who read and added me! You guys make this all worth-while!
Aloha.Laney: Yay! I'm glad you liked the Neji and Shikamaru scene. I had a lot of fun writing that one. I always pictured their friendship to be kinda like that. Hopefully I can throw in more Shika/Saku moments in the upcoming chapters. Thank you so much for your continued support! It's really encouraging!
Regin: I'm sorry this update was so long and I'm very excited to hear that you loved it that much. Thank you for the support!
Lady of Dreams and Nightmares: Ahh yes I quite agree with you. I don't think anyone would really want to be Sakura in that chapter. Thank you for the review!
riptiderobin21: Well we are getting to the point where both Shikamaru and Sakura will face their problems and solve them… but I won't say anymore… Thank you for your continued support and I'm glad you liked the chapter!
EvilFaerie17: Ok phew… won't worry about rewriting that section. Ahhh you bring up a really really really good question… I am hoping to start the Shika/Saku stuff in the next chapter if not the chapter after that. It won't be all of the sudden "omg I love you" sorta thing but gradual build up.