Chapter 10: Different Circumstances, Different Future
I do not own Naruto. All right to the franchise belong to its rightful owner.
As Kakashi jumped over the ledge, Sakura quickly checked Naruto for any injuries. Kurama would be able to heal the smaller of the wounds on his own, but she would be able to help Kurama heal the larger ones.
She thought back to what Kakashi said before he dove for Jugo, which somewhat irritated Sakura.
"Stay with Naruto; as always." Sakura huffed as she lifted Naruto over her shoulder and looked towards the edge of the summit.
It's not going to be a fun ride down. Sakura thought to herself as she neared the edge. But with difficulty, she carried Naruto down the mountain.
Even with Naruto on her shoulder, the descent down was faster than the climb up. Then again, they were looking for the enemy and had to watch for every angle that their foe could appear from. But with Kakashi engaging Jugo, she didn't need to worry about any immediate danger. Regardless though, she still maintained her lookout for anything that posed a threat.
Once on the ground, Sakura sighed in relief, and pressed forward for their camp. She checked Naruto once and a while to ensure he was still breathing, which he was.
When the Team would be sleeping, Sakura would listen to Naruto's even breathing. Such a life dependent act puts her at ease. It reassures her that her best friend was still alive. It reminded her of his brief coma during the war after Kurama had been extracted from him. At times, that memory plagues her dreams. She wakes up panting and drenched in sweat, and she would think of her teammate. A desperate desire to join his side and ensure that he was okay.
It was one of her fears. And if she were to be honest, one of her biggest ones.
Sakura entered the camp, finding Kakashi having already arrived, battle worn and very much tired, their fire revived with the dry wood.
"Kakashi Sensei!" Sakura said, happy to see her teacher still in one piece. She quickly rushed over to the Hokage's side, putting down Naruto beside the fire and checking Kakashi for injuries.
"I'll live." He said as he rolled his arm. "I'm just tired and feel drained. Jugo managed to take half of my chakra away to supply himself." Sakura healed Kakashi's back.
"So that explains why Naruto had lost some of his chakra." Sakura noted. Kakashi nodded.
"How is Naruto doing?" he asked. Sakura looked to her teammate, eyes softening again when she looked at him.
"He's fine." She said in a soft voice. "Bruised back from the collision between the fist and Rasengan. And he had his chakra drained, so that didn't help." Kakashi shook his head.
"No, but the important thing is that we all made it, and we have the scroll." Sakura hummed in acknowledgement, but quickly tuned her head as if looking for something.
"And Jugo?" she asked. Kakashi didn't reply, giving the kunoichi the answer she needed.
"The scroll is leading us towards the Land of Whirlpools, which I'm not happy about. It means more water."
"You're telling me Sensei." Sakura said as she retracted her hands and went to tend Naruto. "I'm tired of getting soaked." Kakashi chuckled a little.
"Think you'll be able to keep watch while Naruto and I recover." He asked. Sakura nodded.
"Yeah, that's fine."
Night had fallen in the Land of Lightning, but the rain continued its deafening pour, with brief interruptions from the thunder which broke the consistent sound of rain. Lightning illuminated the night for a brief second before darkening once more. But it as consistent as the rain was, befitting the country's name.
Sakura sat at the mouth of the cave, playing with a kunai from time to time to break her out of her boredom. She glanced at her teammates, who were still sleeping, despite the ongoing storm outside their camp. Her eyes lingered over Naruto for a moment, before turning her eyes back outside where the activity continued.
It was a boring job. And not to mention the fact that she was already tired from the running about they did to find Jugo, and then to heal her teammates. But if she were to be honest, she didn't mind being back out in the open, despite the stress her thoughts brought upon from the War. It brought back good memories of the happy times with her Team. Even before Sasuke's defection. As her thoughts ran through her mind, tears formed out the corners of her eyes. She let them fall. At the moment, she didn't care because no one was around to see them.
But that's not the case this time around.
"Sakura …" Sakura freaked out, jumping out of the cave and pulling out a kunai, prepping to defend herself. She squinted to see who was in the cave, and was about to make her guess.
"Look out!" the kunoichi felt a body tackle her to the cold, wet ground. But where she stood, lightning struck. The figure hovering over her looked backwards. "You alright?"
It was Naruto. Sakura sighed in relief.
"Don't freak me out like that next time." She said. Naruto chuckled weakly.
"Not my fault you get scared easily." He said in a teasing voice. Sakura growled.
"I'm a kunoichi. I have to keep my guard up. Otherwise, who's going to watch your butt if I'm taken out?" she asked. Naruto laughed.
"Everyone watches each other's back, Sakura. As I watch yours, you watch mine." Sakura snickered. "What's so funny?" Naruto asked.
"You're checking me out when I have my back turned. I'm touched." Sakura said teasingly. She could practically feel Naruto's grin fade.
"What! You're my teammate! Why wouldn't I watch your back? That doesn't make me a pervert for watching you!" Naruto said alarmed. Sakura laughed.
"I'm teasing you Naruto. I get what you're saying." Sakura said as she tried to get up, but couldn't as Naruto was still hovering over her. Sakura blushed when she realized her predicament. Naruto laughed nervously.
"So, do you check me out when you're watching my back?" Sakura paled.
"Well … how else am I going to keep you safe?" Sakura was lost for words. Naruto chuckled
"I'm just teasing, Sakura." He said as he pushed off the ground and pulled Sakura up with him.
The two walked back over to the camp and Naruto put more tinder onto the fire, revitalizing the flames. Sakura sat down in front of it, her hands up against the heat, drying up from her brief moments in the rain with Naruto.
Her teammate sat right next to her and wrapped themselves in the one blanket they had, relishing in the warmth it provided.
"So what were you thinking about before I spooked you?" Naruto asked. Sakura huffed in annoyance.
"Nothing." Sakura said. "I was just thinking of the Team, and how far we've gone." Naruto hummed.
"It's been eight years since we grouped up. And look at us now, we're still together for the most part." Naruto said. Sakura nodded.
"Yeah. It just makes me wonder what would have been different if Sasuke never left." Sakura looked into the flames. It reminded her of him.
"Well," Naruto started. "We wouldn't be on this mission getting wet. There wouldn't have been a major War. I would've kicked his butt by now." Sakura giggled a little.
"You think so?" she asked, looking up to him.
Sakura watched his expressions change as he thought to himself, going from happy to sad seconds apart.
"We wouldn't be suffering from losing Sasuke. Team Seven would be a happy bunch of shinobi who jabbed at each other occasionally over some trivial mistake. It would have been forgotten quickly as you and I would have a laugh while Sasuke would smirk. We'd have Ichiraku's ramen once a week to hook up and check up on each other. You would have been working at the hospital every day, I would have been Hokage, Sasuke … I don't know what he would've done. Maybe be a regular shinobi and do high ranking missions on a daily basis. Just to say that he's better than I am." Sakura laughed weakly as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"What about Orochimaru? Sasuke's brother? The Akatsuki? How would we deal with them?" she asked. Naruto shifted in his spot a little, making Sakura a little more comfortable.
"We'd deal with Orochimaru after the Chunnin Exams. Heck, it may have been a few years before we actually go on to deal with the slippery Sannin. But after that, we'd help Sasuke get Itachi. Itachi might have even come back to the Village and help us deal with the Akatsuki. Maybe life wouldn't have been as chaotic as it was." Naruto said. Sakura closed her eyes.
"But what about the Bijuu? What about your relationship with Kurama?" Naruto chuckled.
"What do you see Sakura?" he asked. Sakura sighed.
"I'd rather hope that the Villages would change their views on the Jinchurriki if things didn't happen the way they were. Let them wander free from the oppression they have to endure from their Villages. They shouldn't be viewed as weapons. And you would probably fight the Kage on that notion."
"Would I?" Naruto asked. Sakura nodded.
"Please, I'm sure you would be able to convince them of anything. You would win them over on any issue."
"I sound like a great guy." Naruto said. Sakura didn't say anything.
"There wouldn't be any wars while you're Hokage. You'd be working your hardest to win respect from everyone. Sasuke, Kakashi and I would support you every step of the way. And if they didn't, then I still would. Because your dream is the one I believe in most." Naruto was silent. Sakura didn't look up at her teammate. She kept her eyes closed and slipped into the allure of sleep.
"Who do you think would end up with whom?" she muttered. "Among our friends and us in that idealistic world." Naruto was still silent. She would have fallen asleep if Naruto didn't speak.
"You know, that's hard to say. I look at my life and question when I'll meet the love of my life, and then I look at others. Some are easy, like Shikamaru and Temari definitely. You know there's something going on between them. Bushy Brows and Tenten probably would get together. Heck, I think Sai and Ino would be a thing.
"But there are some," Naruto continued. "That are questionable. Like Chouji. He's a great guy, but I haven't seen him with any other women besides Ino, and that's because they're teammates. Maybe they could end up together. Shino is a little creepy. I don't know if he'd fall in love with anyone. But I hope he does. Then there's Kiba and Hinata." Naruto paused for a moment. Sakura listened a little more intently. "They'd make a good couple. Assuming that they like each other." Sakura hummed.
"And what about us?" she asked.
"I don't know." He answered. "You could hook up with Sasuke, or fall in love with any other guy." Sakura didn't necessarily like that answer.
"Am I not good enough for you?" she asked. Naruto chuckled.
"I don't think I'm good enough for you." Sakura frowned at his comment.
"Why do you think that?" She asked. Naruto didn't say anything for a moment.
"I don't think I can live up to your expectations." Sakura huffed. "Sasuke makes you happy, doesn't he? And as I've told you before, all I want is for you to be happy."
Happiness. Sakura thought as she leaned more into Naruto. Maybe my happiness is with you, Naruto. And you don't realize it yet. You are your own person. Why can't you see that?
"I don't like that word, and I'd rather ignore the fact that they are present." Sakura started. "But if I were to acknowledge them, the one thing I dream of is to fall in love with a person who accepts me for who I am no matter the circumstances. Who can kiss me good night and embrace me as we fall asleep. Make me laugh. Someone I can be proud to be their partner. To be wanted by them. That is what I want in my idealistic world. It doesn't have to be Sasuke, it could be any guy I meet, though I'd prefer it be someone I've gotten to know. To have known as well as I've known you." Sakura slowly drifted into sleep, sad that Naruto may or may not reciprocate her feelings for him.
But before she slipped into sleep, Sakura heard Naruto muttered.
"You and I have the desire of being wanted; to be loved. Maybe I can win your love, Sakura. Maybe I can show you my feelings, and you'll love me as I love you. More than teammates and best friends."
Little did Naruto know that Sakura heard that last bit, and it made her smile and heart beat faster than it should. And she reveled in the feeling.
The waves washed against the rocky walls, weathered over time with the repentance. The moon shone on the vast ocean. Karin stood out in the open, waiting for their contact to come through.
"Why do I get stuck with sentry duty?" she mumbled in anger. She scanned the horizon before she heard footsteps. Turning to them, she saw a shinobi bearing Otogakure's symbol approach them.
"Have you come for Orochimaru's errand?" the Shinobi asked. Karin nodded.
"The Sannin is expecting you." She said. The Oto Shinobi nodded.
"Very well." Karin led the man to where Orochimaru and Sasuke were handling their current experiment. They reached a beach where Sasuke was testing his new powers.
"How does it feel?" Orochimaru asked. Sasuke grunted.
"Superior to the seal you had placed on me years ago. But I'm not concerned with its massive power over haul compared to the Cursed Seal of Heaven. I want to know if its original purpose meets my expectations." Orochimaru chuckled.
"Of course. Hence I brought one of my subjects." Orochimaru motioned the shinobi who had followed Karin to the beach. He walked forward and stood in front of Sasuke. "If he can overcome the manipulations of your control, then even the Jinchurriki will over power you."
Sasuke turned to the shinobi, and collected himself. For a few moments it was silent, then Sasuke pointed his finger to the Oto Shinobi.
"Seal; Second Form activate!" he shouted. The shinobi collapsed to the ground, grabbing his head in pain, lurching side to side by an invisible force. The sounds of clothing ripped as bones protruded out of the shinobi's elbows and his vertebrae. Karin was sickened by the recent schemes of Orochimaru. But once the shinobi had finished his transformation, he looked up with his yellow eyes. He didn't move an inch, expecting an order. Sasuke pointed to an island, on which was a ruin.
"Over there is a scroll hidden. Destroy the ruin and bring me back the scroll in one piece." Sasuke ordered. The shinobi didn't hesitate. It ran over the ruins as fast as it could. Sasuke and Orochimaru watched as it destroyed the ruin and looked for the scroll.
"If I had more time, your Seal would have been able to control your friend with no problem." Orochimaru said as he crossed his arms. "But as it is, you'll have to weaken him before you attempt to gain control of his mind." Sasuke hummed in thought.
"That will be of no issue." Sasuke said, as the shinobi ran back across the water to deliver the scroll. "We have both gotten stronger, but we are still equals. The Seal on Naruto will do as it was created to do. Then I'll have no issues with handling him." The shinobi delivered the scroll, and Sasuke dismissed him, opening the scroll and reading it, before chuckling.
"You are amused?" Orochimaru said. Sasuke wrapped up the scroll and handed it to Orochimaru.
"Deal with Naruto's Team. They killed Jugo, no doubt Kakashi's work, and I would expect the same mentality for later." Orochimaru nodded.
"What happens if Naruto succeeds in stopping your plan?" Sasuke turned inland.
"I have a backup plan. It won't matter if Naruto does kill me. He will face the wrath of the Uchiha one way or another." Sasuke looked to Karin. "Follow me, you're not finished yet." Karin blushed a little, but went to follow Sasuke anyway. Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"You focus on the present rather than the future, Sasuke Uchiha. You do not consider the past, which will be your undoing. With my recent discoveries, you'll thank me later for what I have given to you. The same goes for you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Author's Note:
I'm not sure how to feel about this chapter. When I first read through it, I questioned whether it flowed with the story. But when I went back through the story, I thought that it progressed Naruto's and Sakura's relationship slightly (some progression is better than no progression). They went down memory lane and thought of an idealistic world with Sasuke in it. You guys could probably consider it filler which I wouldn't blame you for to be honest, because that was what it felt like to me. The original intention of the chapter was to have Naruto confront Sakura about her fears. But I didn't feel the subject held prominence here, and when I looked ahead on the story board I pushed the subject to a later chapter because I felt that was where the topic of Sakura's fears should have been. That decision will probably make that chapter interesting when I get around to it (after I write the next fight sequence which happens to be the next chapter … not looking forward to it, but maybe I'll surprise myself and enjoy it after I'm done), and hopefully I made the right decision and write it well enough so that it's one of the best scenes in the story. Fingers crossed for that!
Thanks as always to those who reviewed the last chapter!
If you guys have questions, ask them in your reviews, I'll answer them to the best of my ability in my next Author's Note.
Constructive criticism is welcomed, yaddi yaddi ya, I think you guys know the drill at this point. I just hash out whatever I say in the last Author's Note.
Back to the chapter, I think that this isn't one of my best chapters so far. I wanted a break from physical confrontations before I tackled another one, and this is the end result. And that end result … I don't think it turned out too great. If you guys enjoyed it, that's fine, I'm glad you did. If not, I don't blame you. Hopefully next chapter will be a lot more enjoyable and make more progression into the story.
Until next time, see ya!