Yay, another chapter~ Continue~ -bows- By the way, the genre for this fanfiction is changing. From Pein x Sakura (sibling love) to Itachi x Sakura (Reeaaaalll Luuuuv)
Chapter 10: The Aftermath
Sakura stood in front of the memorial stone.
"Sarutobi..." She muttered to herself, tracing Sarutobi's name in the stone.
Now what will happen, since Sarutobi is gone?
-o-
In the hospital was Sasuke, who was still trying to regain his strength. He was due to check out of the hospital in two hours, so he didn't have much longer to wait. In the time that he was doing nothing but laying down and trying to rest...he only thought of one thing.
Sakura...
"...ha Itachi is nearby?"
Sasuke tensed up.
"Shhh, the boy may hear you.."
"Nah, he can't hear me..."
"Che, if you think so..."
"So...do you think it's true?"
"I don't know, if he is here...where..."
"...heard he's in the Old District of Konoha..."
"Really? Why?"
"...Naruto."
Sasuke growled before throwing the covers off of himself. He slid the window open silently and slid out, making sure no one knew where he was going.
-o-
"W-What do you mean he's gone!"
"P-Please miss, calm do-"
"Calm down? Did you really just tell me to calm. Down!"
"A-Ah..."
Sakura seethed before she punched the closest wall to her, which, thankfully, wasn't a patient's room.
"You let my damn teammate escape?"
"Well...we can't exactly watch them every second of the day..."
Sakura growled and narrowed her eyes on the nurse before ripping her hand from the hospital wall. "Whenever the new Hokage is chosen...I will be having a discussion with them about this damn hospital." The nurse cowered as the girl stalked out of the hospital, a dark, evil aura spewing from every pore on her body.
Damn it, did he hear that Itachi is here...? Sakura thought to herself, thinking back to how the ranks of ninja were told, via messages from ANBU, that Uchiha Itachi was nearby and to be very careful. Of course, the lowest rank that was able to get this message were the Chunin, so the Genin didn't know of him being here.
Sakura cursed to herself again.
-o-
"Itachi!"
"Foolish Little Brother."
"Teme? What're you doing here?"
All three things were said at the same time, which caused a dark aura to arise from Sasuke, although the other two only felt an awkward silence. Only one prepared for a fight, while the other two stared. One stared with annoyance and boredom, and the other stared with confusion and worry.
-o-
"Oh Sasuke...I hope Naruto and Jiraya-sama hurry up..."
Sakura whispered to herself, brushing back Sasuke's bangs. The boy looked really pale, and every once in a while, his fever would spike.
The first time Sakura came to stay in his hospital room, the fever spiked up. The nurses had rushed in, although it had been late and so they needed help. Since Sakura was still there (although she should've left, but she'd already punched some of the nurses, just so they wouldn't drag her out...) they got her to help as well. So, whenever his fever spiked, Sakura didn't have to call the nurse—especially if it was night time. They had more important things to do...at least in Sakura's opinion anyway.
Sakura sighed and laid her head down over his head, resting her forehead onto his forehead.
"They say that you may or may not ever wake up." Sakura opened her eyes, staring at the part of Sasuke's face that she could see. "But I know you'll wake up." Sakura smiled before climbing up onto the bed and softly scooting Sasuke over. She climbed under the covers and fell into a dreamless sleep.
-o-
The next morning, the door was opened softly by one of the nurses.
"S-Sakura-san?" The woman murmured, taking in the sight of Sakura at the head of Sasuke's bed with his head on her lap.
Sakura looked up at the nurse. "Yes?"
The nurse looked to the floor for a few moments. "Would you like us to bring you some breakfast? Since you won't leave, and we can't have you starving yourself..." Sakura smiled.
"If you wouldn't mind."
-o-
It's been two weeks now...
Sakura sighed to herself. She brushed his bangs. "I need to cut your bangs sometime soon, don't I, Sasuke..." She muttered to herself.
Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke's finger twitched towards her direction.
-o-
The nurse came in a week later with some visitors. "Good evening, Sakura. I assume Sasuke's been well? I haven't had to check on him in a while, which is why I'm asking." Sakura ignored the nurse for a few minutes.
"He's doing..." her voice trailed off as she looked down at the comatose boy.
The nurse understood. "I see. I came to tell you that there are visitors for Uchiha-san. Can I bring them in?"
Sakura nodded softly. "Sure.."
The nurse nodded and walked out. The next time Sakura saw the nurse, she came back with Shikamaru and Ino.
"Sakura..." Ino muttered to herself, seeing Sakura's pitiful form. The nurse bowed and fled, finding her cue.
Sakura's eyes, that once held that joyful shine, were dull and were almost the color of gray. Her hair was greasy and her bangs were pulled back with a bobby pin. She was wearing the clothes from a few days ago.
"Here." Ino said, placing a few pairs of Sakura's clothes onto the nightstand. Sakura didn't even glance at them.
"More of my clothes, I assume?" Sakura asked coldly, causing Ino to sniffle lightly.
"Y-Yeah." Shikamaru grabbed onto Ino's hand and squeezed, trying to comfort her. Ino squeezed back and let go.
"Thank you." Sakura said, surprising Ino.
Ino was silent before she walked up to Sakura and hugged her softly. "I'm sorry."
Sakura sighed and looked to Shikamaru, Ino still on her shoulders. "Shikamaru, can you...leave us for a minute?"
Shikamaru stiffened but nodded and walked out of the room. Ino clutched harder onto Sakura.
Sakura stood up, having been sitting on the side of Sasuke's bed, and hugged Ino back.
"I'm sorry, Ino. I'll go home after Sasuke wakes up. Please tell that to Anko-chan as well." Sakura said, petting Ino's long pony-tail softly.
Ino didn't say anything for a while. "You love him, don't you?"
Sakura stiffened. "I do." Her voice cracked, and she cursed herself mentally.
Ino jerked back and looked at Sakura shocked. Sakura had tears in her eyes. I can't...cry...not now.
"Sakura..."
"I can't love him, though!" Sakura almost yelled, though she managed to keep it quiet. "I...I told myself that I wouldn't love anyone until I got my memories back..." Sakura said, her voice cracking even worse. Her throat seemingly closed up and she knew she had tears rolling down her face. She wrapped her arms around herself, which means that she had to let Ino go.
"Sakura..."
"I just...I just couldn't stop it. I feel like I'm losing him now, Ino." Sakura looked at Ino, her eyes red and slightly puffy.
"Oh, Sakura. You won't lose him. You know he's too god damn strong for that." Ino said, patting Sakura's cheek before grinning and flicking a hand away from Sakura, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Billboard Brow, he's got you to look after him. He'd be in for hell if he even thought about leaving you."
Sakura laughed and patted Ino's shoulder. "I think you're right, Ino-pig. Thanks." Ino laughed and the girls hugged again.
A knock resounded on the door, before the door slid open to reveal Shikamaru.
"Uh...are you two done yet?"
Sakura and Ino looked at each other before erupting into laughter.
-o-
"Hey, I heard they finally found our Hokage!"
"What, really?"
"Yeah!"
"Who is it?"
"I don't know, but I heard rumors..."
"Oh really? Well, do tell!"
"I heard that it's..."
Sakura cursed. Damn it, I wanted to know who it was...
"Sakura-chan." A voice said behind her. She gaped at the voice, although she didn't turn around. She was sitting on Sasuke's bed, still.
She slowly turned around and gaped.
"N-Naruto-kun?" She called out before slowly climbing off of the bed. She took her time getting to Naruto, who was grinning at her.
Whenever she was finally in front of him, she reached out and touched his face. Tears sprung to her eyes the moment she touched skin.
"N-Naruto!" She exclaimed before hugging him tightly, basically choking him.
"Hey now, I don't want someone else to heal." A woman's voice called out behind Naruto. Sakura let go of Naruto and looked behind him.
"Ah, this is Tsunade-baa-chan." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head.
Sakura gaped at her before looking at Naruto. She narrowed her eyes and backed away. Naruto's eyes widened whenever she cocked a hip and put her hands on her hips.
"Uzumaki Naruto, just what have I told you about being disrespectful?" Sakura said, a growling undertone in her voice. Naruto clambered to come up with an excuse before Sakura nearly snorted at him, basically telling him that he'll be beat later...
"Tsunade-sama." Sakura said before bowing slightly to the older woman.
Tsunade looked at her amused. "Why're you bowin' to me, girl?" She said, giving Sakura a observing look.
Sakura stood up and smirked at her. "I know exactly who you are. So I don't have to say it later, I'm telling you thank you in advance."
Tsunade looked at her with a confused but confident look. "Thanks for what?"
Sakura's good mood then dropped and her face returned to the pale, drawn back expression. She turned around and basically ghosted towards Sasuke.
Naruto gaped at the expression on her face.
"S-Sakura-chan..." He began, going to ask her what was wrong, but Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and she had a sad look on her face. She shook her head and he shut his mouth.
"Please leave us alone, Naruto." Tsunade said softly. Naruto tensed but slowly walked out of the room.
"Can you help him, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked the woman softly, hoping—praying—that she could help Sasuke.
Tsunade, usually, would have smirked and asked why she was being questioned...but now..
"Of course I can, Sakura-san." Tsunade said softly before putting a hand onto Sakura's shoulder.
"I don't want to lose him." Sakura said, her eyes widened at the mere thought of it.
Sakura didn't catch it, but Tsunade did. After Sakura said that, Sasuke's hand twitched.
Tsunade's eyes widened and she moved Sakura over softly.
"Keep talking about your feelings for him, Sakura." Tsunade ordered, causing Sakura to blush and stutter.
"W-Wha-I-uh-"
"Don't question me, Sakura, just do it!" Tsunade ordered, her hand glowing green as she placed a hand onto Sasuke's forehead.
"I...Tsunade-sama, I think I love Sasuke." Sakura said softly. Tsunade nearly jerked in shock at what she saw.
"What in the..." Tsunade muttered.
"W-What is it, Tsu-"
"Keep talking!" Tsunade ordered.
"Alright then..." Sakura muttered before sitting on the bed and grabbing onto Sasuke's hand. She lightly brushed her fingers over the back of his hand before flipping his hand over and brushing her fingers over his palm. After a minute, she began to just mess with his fingers. Tsunade was shocked at this.
"I...I don't want to lose you, Uchiha Sasuke..." Sakura said softly. She gaped and jerked whenever she felt Sasuke's hand tighten on hers.
"Almost there..." Tsunade muttered to herself, taking note of the two kid's relationship.
"But...I can't love until I get my memories back, damn it." Sakura said harshly, wishing that she could remember what she had lost.
Tsunade cursed and briefly glared at the girl. "Damn it...I was almost there to..."
"Talk to him again. But this time...Don't talk negatively." Sakura looked at her sheepishly.
"Sorry."
Tsunade snorted but dropped it.
Sakura reached up and began to caress Sasuke's cheeks. Every once in a while, she'd accidentally brush against his bottom lip, which made her heart and stomach to backflips and spring butterflies.
Tsunade nodded, saying that it was enough. Sakura was glad she didn't have to talk again. Otherwise...
Sakura noticed that Sasuke's eyelids were twitching like crazy.
"What's happening, Tsunade-sama..."
Tsunade remained quiet as she concentrated.
"Almost...Almost..."
"What..."
Sasuke's eyes flashed open. He looked around confused for a moment before he looked straight in front of him.
The moment Sasuke's eyes began to twitch open, Sakura and Tsunade took their hands off of him. Sakura stayed on the bed and leaned over him. She had her left hand over beside his ribcage on the other side of the bed, so she could lean over him comfortably.
"Sasuke.." Sakura said softly to herself.
Sasuke watched her for a moment, his eyes soft and seemingly to take in Sakura herself. Tsunade watched as the two seemingly were drew to each other.
Oh how love lingers...She thought to herself, thinking of...
Dan...
Suddenly, Sasuke's eyes became harsh and he glared at Sakura. "Why are you in my face, Haruno?"
Sakura jerked back alarmed—she felt like he had just slapped her. She looked at him horrified.
Tsunade slapped her hand onto her forehead.
"Oh for Christ's sake..." She muttered to herself
-o-
An hour later, Tsunade assured Sakura that it was fine for Sasuke to eat, so Sakura cut up and apple and placed it onto a small plate. She traveled to his room and took in a large gulp of air.
"Sasuke?" Sakura called into the room.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted out, basically ignoring her.
Sakura sighed and pulled up one of the chairs to be closer to his bed. She bit her lip and held out the plate of apples.
"Here. You haven't ate any solid foods in almost a month. The nurse said that she'll get you some more food later, but for right now-"
"Annoying." Sasuke grunted, not bothering to look at his "source of annoyance" as he thought of her.
"W-What?" Sakura asked, taken aback.
Sasuke glared at Sakura, the three tomoe in his Sharingan spinning full force. If Sakura hadn't been so emotionally drained, she would have smacked him in the face for even flashing his Sharingan at her.
"You're annoying, Sakura."
Sakura gaped at him, the plate still slightly held out towards him. Sasuke glanced at the apples, turned his Sharingan off, then went back to staring at his hands.
Sakura sat there shocked, whenever Sasuke's voice shook her. "Leave me now, Sakura."
"B-But, you need..." Sakura froze when she saw the fury on his face. He hit his arm on the plate of apples, sending it to the floor and the apples onto the wall.
Sakura's face closed up then.
"Itachi showed me exactly what I need." Sasuke growled, glaring at her even harsher than before.
"Itachi..." Sakura muttered, a distant look overcoming her face. Her eyes narrowed then. "God damn it..." She said before standing and gathering the apples onto the plate. She stood behind her chair.
"Leave, Sakura. I won't repeat myself." Sasuke said coldly, looking out the window. Whenever he didn't hear her leave, he whipped his head around only to come to a disturbing sight.
Sakura was visibly shaking, and her eyes were down shadowed, although he knew she was pissed. He tried not to look scared—he really did.
Her fists shook at her sides. Blood trickled down her fist and her knuckles were snow white.
He heard her teeth grinding and he felt her dark aura. She used her right fist and punched the wall, causing a hole the size of her head to form.
"God damn it!" Sakura yelled out before she turned towards Sasuke. Sasuke tensed, awaiting what she would do. "What the hell, Sasuke! I waste away a damn month of my life, and all I get for thanks is you being a bitch to me?" Sakura growled out before she was suddenly beside his bed. She growled in his face and pulled him closer to her via his hospital gown. "I cannot believe you—and I love you? FUCK. YOU." Sakura yelled in his face before she threw him down—nearly throwing him off of the bed—and stomped her way to the door.
Sasuke's face was pale as he basically cowered. She...She loves...me?
-o-
Tsunade stood outside the door of Sasuke's room. Whenever Sakura came stomping out of the door, she stopped Sakura. Sakura growled at her and asked her what she wanted. Tsunade smirked.
"Do you...want to spar?"
Sakura only gave a feral smile as her answer.
-o-
For hundreds of yards, you would probably see nothing but either gigantic holes or trees punched down by small hands, smashed rocks...
The two girls were panting and tired whenever they were done.
"So, what'd he do to piss you off so bad?" Tsunade asked her hoarsely.
Sakura chuckled. "What didn't he do?"
"Well...think about it from his point of view." Tsunade suggested before laughing at Sakura's confused expression. "Sasuke just got his ass handed to him from his older brother—who he wants to kill, no less. So, his pride is killed there. Not only that, but he wakes up to a girl trying to help him. In a hospital. He isn't going to be a happy camper when he wakes up."
Sakura stiffened and she collapsed to the ground, her knees finally giving out.
"God damn, Tsunade, you have some awesome techniques."
Tsunade smirked. "Why thank you, Sakura. How about I teach you some of them?"
Sakura looked up at Tsunade hopefully.
"If you'd like..I can also train you to be a medic.." Tsunade let her voice carry off. She saw Sakura's unsure but somehow confident expression. "I'll give you a week to think on that, but otherwise, I can show you my secret..."
-o-
That night, Sakura had a visitor...
Itachi slid into Sakura's room, although she kind of expected it. He took in her disheveled figure. She had on loose clothes and there was an ice cream carton on her nightstand. The carton, of course, was empty and there was a single silver fork in the carton.
"A fork?" Itachi asked, sitting at the foot of Sakura's bed. She didn't even glance up at him.
"I..." Sakura didn't know what to do. Should I...just confront him about it?
"What did you do to him, Itachi?" She asked him hoarsely. Itachi looked at her confused. "I am not stupid, Uchiha, so stop acting naïve about it." Sakura said, now looking Itachi in the eye.
Itachi tensed before narrowing his eyes at her. "How..."
"Like I said, I'm not stupid. I figured it out on my own." She stood up and cocked a hip at him and put her hands on her hips. "So, Itachi, just what did you do to my teammate?"
Itachi was silent before he stood up. "He is bent on killing me. What did you expect me to do—just let him kill me?"
Sakura stayed silent before she collapsed on the ground. "Oh god, Itachi...I don't know what to do anymore." Sakura sniffled and pulled her knees up to her chest, where she wrapped her arms around her knees and laid her head onto her crossed arms.
"First of all, there's the fact that I can't remember anything about my life. Then Sarutobi dies. Which brings back the nightmares of the second exams.." Sakura let out a choked sob. "Then I get all these weird emotions and feelings at random..." She let out a quiet sob.
Itachi was quiet. Emotions at random..? Could that be Pein...?
"Do you want me to leave, Sakura?" Itachi asked her softly, seeing her shaking form. She tensed and tried not to look up at him.
"No. Please, dear god Itachi, don't leave me. Don't leave me...Don't leave me, not like..." Sakura muttered before she began to mutter random nonsense.
"Not like who, Sakura?" Itachi asked, before getting onto the floor and crawling over to her. He stayed on his hands and knees in front of her, his head tilting to the side, making his hair spill over his shoulder.
"I...I don't know." Sakura sobbed once more before she finally threw her self onto Itachi. "Oh god!" Sakura sobbed into Itachi's shoulder, which was tense.
"Sakura..."
-o-
"...Damnit!" Pein yelled out, a pout upon his lips. Konan came into the room and looked at him. "Damn Itachi...I wanted to help calm Sakura-chan down..." Pein pouted again before crossing his arms over his chest and turning away.
Konan laughed at him and came into the room. "What's wrong with her?" Konan asked in all seriousness.
"She's emotionally overwhelmed."
"Oh..." Konan said softly before walking back out of the room.
"S-Sakura-chaaaan..." Pein whined.
Distantly, he heard a certain fish man laughing at his agony. "Damn them..."
-o-
The next day, Sakura went to the hospital, hoping to apologize to Sasuke. When she opened the door...she cursed.
Damn it, they let him get away again...!
Sakura cursed to herself. "Damn it, where is he..." suddenly, Sakura got a thought. She disappeared into smoke as she appeared at Naruto's ramen shop. She narrowed her eyes and walked up to Teuchi, who greeted her kindly.
"Well, good evening, Sakura-chan! Have you seen Naruto? He's usually here by now." Teuchi said, his face twisting up with concern. "He's not on a mission is he? Usually he'd at least come by..."
Sakura growled under her breath.
Both of the boys are gone...Sasuke can't leave the hospital, although I guess he's already proved that the hospital has no security or anything...
Sakura's eyes widened.
"Fuck!" She yelled before she waved by to Teuchi and ran to the hospital. Using the chakra in her feet, she climbed up the hospital on her feet. As she got closer to the roof, she heard arguing and what seemed like fighting. Five feet from the top, she heard chirping birds. Sakura's eyes widened.
Shit! They're not...
Sakura finally reached the top, only to see Naruto and Sasuke with their advanced techniques out—the Rasengan and the Chidori.
Sakura's eyes widened and she ran towards them "I'LL KILL YOU BOTH." Sakura yelled out, causing the two boys to look at her. She was too close to them, they both thought. The boys had enough momentum that they couldn't stop.
Once Sakura got into range, everything seemed to slow, and she knew what to do.
Sakura grabbed Sasuke's wrist and she punched Naruto in the face. She was sure that she heard some facial bones on Naruto crack. Sakura held onto Sasuke's wrist until the Chidori dissolved into nothing.
Sasuke looked at Sakura wide eyed.
"Sakura.."
"Don't you dare call my name, Sasuke!" Sakura hissed to him, which made him wince.
"First you act like a total dickwad to me, for trying to help you, and now...now you're trying to kill our other teammate?" Sakura used her other hand to clutch onto his shirt's collar. She pulled him towards her and growled in his face. "I understand that your pride is hurt. Really, I can understand. But this rivalry? I don't understand it. You idiot. There's absolutely no rea-"
"You're mine, Haruno!" Sasuke yelled suddenly, interrupting her rant. He crushed his lips onto hers and, dare she say it, she liked it.
No, I can't...Sakura hushed herself and instead enjoyed the moment before she remembered what had just happened and what she was doing.
She pulled away and pushed him away from her. "Damn it, Sasuke." She cursed at him, before going and standing at the edge of the roof.
Sasuke came up behind her and gently—almost as a caress—moved the hair from around her neck and right ear. "I love you, Haruno." He said before suddenly disappearing.
Sakura let out a choked sob.
"Sakura-chan?" Kakashi asked. She didn't even turn around.
"Take Naruto to one of the advanced doctors. I broke some of the bones in his face." Sakura said before disappearing into nothing. Kakashi sighed and shook his head. Is Team 7 over….?
-o-
Later that night, Sakura was out taking a leisurely stroll. Her emotions were in a total and complete wreck, and Itachi had suggested that she go walking so she could clear her head before training began.
Geez, we haven't trained in a long time...over a month now, I do believe. Sakura hummed out in her mind, slightly worried about how much pain she was going to be in in the morning. Oh god...
Suddenly, she felt a familiar chakra.
She disappeared from her spot and appeared behind the chakra, although not too close.
"Sasuke. Going somewhere?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow but otherwise cold face.
Sasuke stopped walking and didn't even bother to turn around. "Hn." He grunted, before beginning to walk off.
Sakura sighs. "Look Sasuke…" Sasuke turns his head and looks at her, a confused but yet annoyed expression on his face. Sakura keeps her head down as she stares at the ground. "I told myself, a long, long time ago, that I would not fall in love with someone until I got my memories back." She looked up at him, and he saw the softness in her eyes that seemed to be reserved for only him.
Sasuke smiled softly before he disappeared. Sakura's life then went into slow-motion.
Sasuke appeared behind her, moved her hair away…and that's when time sped up again.
"Thank you." He said before hitting the back of her neck. Of course, Sakura could have flickered away, but she knew that Sasuke wouldn't hurt her…and he didn't.
Sasuke walked away that night, thinking about what he had said. Unknowingly to Sakura, Sasuke had finished his sentence in his head. "Thank you" for being there for me and showing me what love really is. His next thought was slightly darker, although the intent was the same. I'll have you one day, Haruno Sakura. And you'll love me back.
-o-
Sakura woke up the next morning on the couch in the hospital lobby.
"W-Wha-" Sakura murmured, trying to raise into a sitting up position with a hand on her head.
"Oh! You're awake!" A slightly cheerful yet surprised voice called out before Sakura saw a black headed woman beside her, kneeled down beside the couch.
"Who…"
"Oh, I'm Shizune." Shizune smiled at the confused girl. "Tsunade-sama went to the hospital to help fix some of the problems there…" Shizune saw a flash of emotion in Sakura's eyes, which Shizune took as either amusement or a look that could only be described as 'finally.' "and so she left me to look after you until you wake up, in which I'm supposed to take you to Tsunade…who we'll have to find, of course…" Shizune sighed.
Sakura giggled and nodded. "Alright" she said, although her mask was crappily placed, if she could say so.
Masks are so convenient. I'll wait to cry until later…first, I have to report to Tsunade-sama. Sakura thought to herself, although once Shizune had her back to her, Sakura felt her eyes burn with that familiar feeling. Damn, what's up with me and my emotions going so out of wack?
Sakura sighed and dragged a hand through her bangs, which seemed to wilt back onto her forehead. Sakura sighed once more, but much quieter. She didn't notice Shizune's glance back at her.
Poor girl…I wonder what happened?
-o-
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune called out, catching a glimpse of the called-for woman in the hallway, rushing towards different rooms.
The woman halted in the hallway. "Shizune, I told you stay with-oh." Tsunade stared dumbly at Sakura before she rubbed her temples and basically trotted up to them.
"How are you feeling, Sakura?" Tsunade asked Sakura carefully, actually quite curious about why she was laying on a bench close to one of the gates.
Sakura shrugged and looked around, wondering why she didn't see any of the nurses bustling around.
"Ok, I guess." Sakura mumbled softly.
Tsunade sighed and dragged a hand through her hair. "Ya' know what? I'm going to be blunt." Tsunade crouched down to Sakura's height, which was just a little shorter than Tsunade's, although not by much. "What were you doing on a bench, almost outside of Konoha?"
Sakura blinked in confusion. He put me..on a bench?
Tsunade raised an eyebrow at Sakura's reaction. Don't tell me she's lost her memory somehow…
Sakura finally answered after a moment of slight awkward silence. "Uchiha Sasuke has left the Hidden Village of the Leaf." Sakura stated sourly, her eyes narrowed into Tsunade's own eyes, although Tsunade knew the anger wasn't pointed towards her.
Tsunade felt a twinge in her heart. Her team and my team are just like the way we were….history really does repeat itself. Tsunade mentally shook her head and put a hand onto Sakura's shoulder, although the girl tensed at the contact.
"Do your best and write me a report on everything. I want everything that was said and every action. I want every single observation, and I do not want anything left out." Tsunade's eyes flickered and Sakura tensed. "Am I understood?"
Sakura nodded and Tsunade grinned.
"Welp, since that's out of the way…how about a spar, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, cracking her knuckles. Sakura grinned and almost cackled her response, which, of course, was a 'yes, if you can handle me.'
Tsunade and Sakura walked away, a sort of rivalry electricity between them whenever Tsunade threw to Shizune "Oh, by the way, since you have nothing better to do, can you man the hospital?"
Shizune nodded, since she knew that that wasn't really a question. "Sure but…where's the other nurses?"
Tsunade sent her a smirk, although Shizune could hardly see it since they were just turning a corner. "Oh, I gave them all a free day."
Shizune paled and almost screamed in anger, stress, and, most of all, annoyance.
-o-Yamanaka Compound-o-
The head of the Yamanaka family, Inoichi Yamanaka, was eating breakfast with his beautiful daughter and his absolutely gorgeous wife. For the past few months, Inoichi has tried to get information out of his daughter's, Ino, head.
The girl witnessed something in the pink-haired ones head. I think her name was Sukaru?...no no no, that's not it…Saku…? …Sakura? Yeah, that's it! Sheesh.
Ino wouldn't tell him, she'd only say "I don't remember, Tou-san." With a blank, almost pain filled face, before she'd return to her old self and act like he didn't just ask her that.
A theory has been forming in his mind since the preliminaries…Could it be some kind of advanced Genjutsu?
"Ino, I'm going to have a conversation with the new Hokage, Tsunade-sama, and ask her for permission to go into Sakura's mind and find out just what the hell is wrong with the girl's head." Inoichi stated casually at the breakfast table.
Ino dropped her cup of tea. "W-Wha-" Suddenly, her face turned into that blank, almost pain filled face that Inoichi had come to know whenever it came to this subject. It was almost like whenever certain words were hit, something clicked on in her mind and caused this… "You will do no such thing, Inoichi Yamanaka." Ino stated blankly, although there was this…weird, male under tone to it.
Inoichi stared at his daughter in confusion, while his wife paled and nearly fainted right there.
"Oh god, our daughter's possessed!"
-o-
In the Akatsuki lair, Pein was very amused at what the Yamanaka parents expressions were. Oh yes, Pein—no, Nagato could see both of them just fine.
You see, whenever Nagato put that Genjutsu onto her mind, he made it so she only had one response whenever it came to the subject: I don't know. But, if Sakura's name was ever inputted into the question, then he would immediately be able to see and hear everything. If he wished, he'd even be able to talk through her lips, which was something completely new to him. It was like their lips were connected through chakra…which was the weirdest and most disgusting thought ever.
"Oh god, our daughter's possessed!" rang throughout his mind and he let out a choked laugh.
"Oh man, that woman's hilarious." Both Pein and Nagato said, which caused Konan—who was doing a check up on Nagato—to look at him, Nagato, funny.
"Ok then.." Konan muttered to herself.
-o-
That evening, Inoichi Yamanaka traveled to the Hokage's tower, where he found Tsunade and Sakura sharing a pleasant conversation about nothing.
"Oi, what-" Tsunade began, but Inoichi's yell towards Sakura interrupted her.
"You demon!" he raged before visibly holding himself back from attacking her. He glared daggers at her, and she looked at him blankly and with slight confusion and, wait, was that…fear?
"Yamanaka, I demand an answer for this rash behavior, now!" Tsunade raved, slamming her hands onto her desk, causing papers to fly and, thankfully—sort of—not go out the window.
Inoichi jerked towards Tsunade and strolled up to her.
"That demon behind me, who I refuse to name, has fucked up my daughter's mind!" Inoichi raved about, flailing his hands into the air at the last part.
Sakura and Tsunade stared dumbly at him.
"What?" Both girls deadpanned.
"In the Chuunin exams, whenever my daughter, Ino, entered the demon's mind, whenever she came back…she was never the same." Inoichi said softly, almost, almost, wondering what Sakura's reaction would be.
Oh….That time… Sakura murmured to herself internally, wincing whenever Inoichi mentioned it.
"I, uh, what?" Tsunade asked stupidly, sitting down in the chair.
Sakura sighed and stood up, only to walk beside Inoichi who visibly cringed away from the slight distance between them. He literally moved over, not caring if either female took offense to it.
Thankfully, neither really cared.
"Can you explain this whole mess to me, Sakura?" Tsunade asked with a wave of her hand towards Inoichi.
"Of course she can! She's the one who caused it!" Inoichi pointed to Sakura and glared at Tsunade and seethed.
"Shut up, Yamanaka!" Tsunade yelled at his outburst. He merely grumbled at her.
"During the preliminaries of the Chuunin exams, Ino Yamanaka entered my mind. Other than that, I really don't know what happened. I just remember being locked in a black room for the duration of her being stuck in my mind. For me, it felt like I was stuck in that room for hours, whenever I was only in there for a few seconds."
Sakura winced at the memory. "I couldn't see anything, but I could hear what seemed like little whispers. I heard screams, but I couldn't make them out. That's probably the closest you're going to get to information, Yamanaka-san." Sakura glanced to Inoichi to see that his face looked confused, as if the information was hard to take in.
"Whenever I came to, Ino was in front of me, drooling from the mouth."
Tsunade looked at Inoichi to see that his anger has diminished, but a dark look was still in his eyes.
"I want permission to go into her mind and look for whatever Ino saw." Inoichi suddenly stated, standing his ground.
Tsunade gaped at him and stuttered. "W-Wait, w-wha-"
"No." Sakura stated suddenly, stopping Tsunade's stutter-fest.
"And why not?" Inoichi asked angrily, wondering why the Hokage was being silent during this ordeal.
"You saw what it did to Ino, what do you think it'll do to you, huh?"
"Oh, so now you suddenly know that it—or whatever it is—is an it?" Inoichi grinded out, causing Sakura to pause.
"Honestly, I can only assume that, since whatever it is shoved me from my own mind and basically locked me up into my own self conscious." Sakura glared at Inoichi who visibly flinched and looked away.
"Yeah, well…"
"If you really want to, though, then I won't stop you. After all, it's your own experience. I doubt you'll be able to remember whenever you come out , though. So…your choice." Sakura shrugged and Tsunade eyed her.
"You're getting all this from assuming?"
Sakura paused and thought for a moment. "Half way. I just get that feeling. I can't explain it—maybe a gut feeling?" Sakura shrugged and Tsunade eyed her.
"Honestly, I'm against it, but, Sakura, if you're ok with it—" with this statement, Sakura shook her head and muttered 'I am completely against it, but he'll fuss about it until he's able to, so whatever.' And Tsunade continued. "then I will allow this, but it has to be done the Yamanaka way, not the ANBU way." Tsunade said darkly, looking directly towards Inoichi who tensed.
"Of course, Hokage-sama." Inoichi then glared at Sakura briefly before turning his back to both of them. "I will give her an half hour to prepare. Until then, I shall be in the interrogation room."
Tsunade and Sakura tensed at the slam of the door and it remained silent in the room for a few minutes until Tsunade finally found her voice.
"Are you really going to go through with this?"
Sakura sighed and slouched in the chair that she just pulled up closer to the desk. "Of course I am, Tsunade-sama. I have to. You know he'd only bitch and complain until he finally got his wishes. He is Ino's father, after all." Sakura went silent after this, reprimanding herself for insulting Ino in such a way.
Tsunade snorted. "You got that right. So, what do you want to do for half an hour?"
Sakura shrugged. "I dunno."
Tsunade sighed. Well, there goes our conversation topics…
Meanwhile, in Sakura's head, she was almost having a panic attack.
Shit, if he's going to look through my memories, then he'll find out that I know Itachi! Sakura inwardly bit her lip. Shit. I'm boned.
An amused chuckle echoed through out her head and she stiffened. Wha- She thought to herself before a voice interrupted her.
You leave that to me. I'll make sure he forgets.
You! Whoever you are, you're the one who made Ino like that, aren't you!
Perhaps…
Sakura sighed outwardly and Tsunade followed her example.
"Welp, I think it's time for some sake for the new Hokage." Tsunade said happily, causing Sakura to sweat drop.
-o-
Half an hour later, Sakura was led to the interrogation room by the laughing, drunk Hokage.
"A-And then he said-"
"Hokage-sama, it's only your first day, and you're already drunk on the job?" Inoichi jabbed to Tsunade, who glared at him.
Sobbered up, she cracked a grin to the man. "Why of course, having to deal with irritations such as yourself tend to do that to me."
Inoichi narrowed his eyes.
That was a really, really bad mood, Tsunade-sama… Sakura thought to herself, her fists twitching ever so often by her side.
Ibiki—Sakura hurried to remember his name, since she'd, kind of, forgotten it…— was in the corner of the room and was over seeing the interrogation, as asked by Inoichi, Sakura guessed.
"Hokage-sama, you don't need to be in here at the time of the interrogation." Ibiki said coldly, although that was his normal voice…
Tsunade shrugged. "I don't need a lot of things. Being told what to do it one of them." Tsunade replied coldly and Ibiki tensed up, apparently just remembering that he's talking to the new Hokage.
"Yes, my apologies, Hokage-sama." Ibiki muttered, bowing his head slightly. Tsunade let out a snort and Inoichi let out a scoff, but didn't say anything else.
"Sit down, Haruno." Inoichi said coldly, which made Sakura's eyebrow twitch.
No one ever calls me by my last name, only…the memory of Sasuke sprung into her mind and she had breathe in extremely deeply and bite her lip hard in order to not cry. She hadn't been given a chance to go home, and she hadn't even seen Naruto the whole day…
Sakura's eyebrow twitched. Apparently, before she had woken up, Tsunade had sent Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, Chouji, and Kiba onto the mission of getting Sasuke back, since she assumed that's what it was.
How she knew, Sakura will never know.
"Well, shall we begin?" Inoichi said cruelly, as if asking a pig if he was ready to be utterly slaughtered.
Sakura's only response was a gulp before Inoichi began his jutsu.
Sakura's head was thrown back once Inoichi was flung into her mind, and she only let out a strangled gasp.
-o-In Sakura's Mind/With Inoichi.-o-
W-What the… Inoichi thought to himself as he was bombarded with sudden memories of Sakura. He held onto his head. It isn't usually this hard to adjust…
Suddenly, all the memories abruptly stopped and he only saw a man—a very sick looking man—on what looked like a throne.
"How peculiar, that's exactly what your daughter said." A man said, making Inoichi twitch.
"So it was you who did that to my daughter?" Inoichi yelled, fury coursing through his veins.
The man chuckled and appeared at the bottom of what appeared to be a pile of…of bodies? Corpses? The man began to walk towards him, although as he did so, his form filled out and he became what Inoichi assumed he used to be—a very unique, lean, handsome man. Or, at least, in women's minds Inoichi thought to himself.
"Of course it was. She entered my sister's mind, and I couldn't let her out with that information." The man was suddenly in front of the gaping Inoichi. "Of course, now that you know as well…I'll have to do the same."
Inoichi fell to his knees, as if his body was ordered by someone else—he didn't voluntarily fall to his knees.
"W-Wha-"
The man's eyes narrowed, the rings in his eyes suddenly causing a shiver down Inoichi's spine.
"Oh yes, I'll have to do much worse things to you than I did to your daughter, Inoichi-kun." The man basically purred, making Inoichi's eyes widen.
"W-What'd you do to my daughter? And h-how'd you know my name?" Inoichi asked fearfully, suddenly aware of the choking feeling he was suffering.
He didn't have to wait long before the feeling no longer was a feeling and became his current reality. The man's hand wrapped around his throat, the silver ring glinting in a light that neither man could grasp.
"Why, I know everything that my dear sister knows." The man's eyes darkened whenever they took in Inoichi's fearful but angry face. "I'm through with talking. Now, you will suffer. And you will forget."
Forget is exactly what he did.
-o-
When Inoichi woke up in front of Sakura's chair, he nearly let out a girlish scream.
"G-Get away from me!" He yelled out in agony, fearful of what the creature in front of him might do.
Sakura sighed as she began to readjust being in the outside world. She stared at Inoichi with a twitching eyebrow. "I told you this would happen." She muttered before suddenly Inoichi just totally shut down. He slumped to the ground and drool slithered it's way out of his mouth. Sakura sighed and began to walk out of the room.
"Sakura…" Tsunade muttered, now wondering what was in Sakura's head.
Meanwhile, Sakura merely walked away, the wind blowing random bits of her hair.
Unknown to everyone, at the moment, her emerald eyes had very light rings of black around them, although in the next second, they changed back to emerald.
It seems some things have….Changed.
-o-
A/N Squeee! Ding ding ding! Prepare for the next arc! Boo-yeah, we're in arc three!
I have a few things that I need to clarify. I feel like people may be confused about them a little bit, so I'll go ahead and explain them, even though no one has asked me a question about them…
Firstly, in chapter 8, I gave Sakura a cloak. We'll say that she only wears it out on missions, which, as you can tell, she hardly does(any missions, I mean). I usually skip missions, which is why you never see any….
Anyway, that cloak is kind of significant. It isn't significant to the plot line or anything, but it's significant to the Akatsuki. Do you remember now? -smirks- That's right, that's the cloak that she would have to wear around the Akatsuki if she was with them now. She's still a potential member, and whenever the Akatsuki see that cloak, they know not to kill her. So that's why she wears it on missions, although she doesn't see it that way. But the Akatsuki do, and so she will never be killed by the Akatsuki. Yay~ -clears throat-
I seriously feel like I gave something away, but I really don't know why…hm…anyway.
Next, I noticed that Sakura doesn't really react about Sarutobi's death. She really does, and it's a major reason why she broke down in front of Itachi. In fact, she still needed to. We'll say that once she got home from being "interrogated by Inoichi" she begins to sob and to break down again. Just this time, it's without Itachi. =(
Uhm…there were a lot of things I wanted to explain, but I've forgotten them all..except for one.
Uh, the reason why I bolded the word "Changed" at the end is because it's basically the title of the arc. Well, it's a tense of it…the real title is Changing, but still. Lol. If I didn't show a lot of changing, sorry. Lol. But that's what it was supposed to built up to or whatever.
Oh, I remember something that I wanted to explain!
Ya' know, I'm being really nice to you guys. I mean, I could totally just not explain anything and just explain it all in the story (although I have a feeling that I'd forget it all…) but still. You guys are lucky.
Anyway, the voice in Sakura's head is, in fact, Nagato. That's what it sounds like to her whenever he speaks. And that's what it sounds like for Nagato whenever Sakura speaks. I kind of gave off hints that pointed to that, because I said something along the lines of him hearing voices in his head, which was the Yamanaka's…he cast the Genjutsu and made the effects of it a lot like his Rin'negan connection with his sister. Uhm…that should, actually, explain all of that. The voice that whispers in her head is Nagato speaking out loud. I'll repeat. OUT LOUD. So they can't talk telepathically. This is just some new Rin'negan ability that no one's known about—not even Rokudou Sennin. -grins-
Ok, I hate long paragraphs. Anyway…
OH MAH GOD. I HAVEN'T HEARD THIS SONG IN FOREVAAAHHH. It's Believe by Cher. Oh mah gawd. AnyWAY.
Let's see…what now..oh yes, the review replies~ for Chapter 09
TDI-Ryro-Eclares: Ahaha, I thought it was to. ;D Did I do the fight scene good? …Any advice on it, or…is it fine the way it is? o
Sakuraloveblossom: Yeah, me neither…lawl. And same to you: Happy New Year!~ lol.
Nao-chi: You're welcome!~ lol. And thanks, I actually like the Gaara vs. Sakura battle as well. O.o and yes, Kaka-sensei is rather adorable, although I have no idea where that came from….lol. and, uh, as you can tell with this chapter…it wasn't exactly a cliffhanger..because I decided to just…cut it there, so yeah. Lol. Sorry if anyone else was really wanted to see that. DX
LilithiaRW: Thanks! And, uh…honestly, I have no idea either. Ahahaha. I'd love to make this ItaSaku…b-but…it..just doesn't fit. D= You'll see what I mean later, but for right now, there is no pairing, even though I REALLY want it to be ItaSaku…..No pairings can really happen right now, so…yeah…I can see what I can do though…V_X
…Really guys? Only four reviews…? …T_T This makes me sad. Oh well…lol.
I don't really have any rants of my own, so yeah…
I love you all, and thanks everyone for reading and at least attempting to review a decent amount of times…lolol. I love you all!
~/Takai-sama\~
XOXOXOXO