AN: Just a quick thing before I just go straight to the next chapter. When Sephiroth refers to Sakura as 'little sister' it's not because they are related but because they share JENOVA's, or as Sephiroth refers to her as Mother, cells. Sephiroth, just like Kadaj did in earlier chapters, refers all those who share JENOVA's cells as siblings. There was some confusion on that, so sorry about that.

#

Chapter 10: Memories from Once a Time…

"Sakura, come look at this." Tsunade was staring out the window that showed the lab chambers below. Sakura stopped what she was doing and went up to her former mentor. Tsunade was looking on a tablet that displayed some kind of video. She held it out to Sakura, "this is what I wanted to show you earlier…"

Sakura's eyes watched the tall boy in the video struggle against his restraints. His arms were being held down by the Hidden Mist's medical team. "What's wrong with him Tsunade-senpai?"

"He has been infected with that creature's cells. When we pulled that thing out of the ocean we discovered a crack in the vessel. There was a strange liquid coming out of the crack. We don't know just how much got into the ocean but it's shown up again in the Hidden Mist village. Some of the orphan children around there seem to be developing these sores of some kind." Tsunade moved to a picture of a grayish/blackish mark on what looked like a small boy's arm.

"We don't have a name for it yet but whatever it is…" she paused, switching to a video, "…it seems to eat up chakra like a kid with candy."

"You referred to this as that creature's cells?"

"That's what it seems to be. This liquid almost resembles like chakra in a way. The body inside the vessel was filled with it. The body seems to be self-regenerating like ours in a way but much faster. The cells are replaced rather quickly and seem to have their own kind of controllable energy."

Sakura resisted the urge to turn her head to the side, "meaning…this creature has a different kind of chakra based energy but for some reason when in contact with chakra it eats it up like it's some kind of harmless protein."

Tsunade sighed, "That's the gist of it, basically." She turned, staring down into the chambers below. There were several occupied beds with people of all ages and sizes, howling and wailing from the pain that was coming from their bodies. "You can see where the biggest problems lie, however. Our bodies are born with chakra, we need it to survive. If too much of that creature's cells are absorbed by the body; immediate death is forthcoming. We need to find a way to help these people."

Sakura turned to look down at the patients, "can we not just remove the cells from the body manually?"

Tsunade, again, sighed. "Technically, yes, but we can't erase the damage already done."

"…Even with a chakra transplant?"

"Parts of the body that absorb the cells are forever damaged. I had Neji and a few more of the Hyuga clan come down here to examine the damaged chakra points but as expected the information they were able to find was as I expected. Once those chakra points are damaged they cannot be healed; trying to summon chakra through those points only result in intense pain and continued inability to summon chakra to those points. To sum it up, they lost the ability to use Jutsu correctly."

"Is there nothing we can do?"

"Not at this moment. The Hidden Mist has stopped the water connections throughout the city. That's how they think it got into people's bloodstream. The investigation is still open nonetheless. I sent for some samples from the original body that it came from but getting the other kage's to release it to me is a difficult chore. I'm going to be leaving later today to have a meeting with him and report on what I have found so far. I thought I would bring you up to speed on my findings before I went."

"Absolutely, thank you Tsunade-senpai. I know that Gaara will take your information very seriously."

Tsunade crossed her arms and chuckled. "It's not him that I have to impress but I'll make sure that they see things my way." She exited the room with a smirk.

#

Sakura was walking around the patients' beds trying to see if there was something she could assist with. With chakra healing doing more bad than good, the only thing they could really do for the patients was administer pain killers and massaging the blackish marks. Using chakra healing on them only made the patient cry out in pain. Sakura had read some of the recent reports that the Hidden Mist Village's medial team had written up about aiding the afflicted patients but, naturally, wasn't proud of the limited results. During the last ninja war, Sakura had to get used to the idea of not being able to help everyone that came wheeled into the medical tents, and seeing the faces of their loved ones learning of their death wasn't easy to handle either. Walking down the long hallway and seeing all the suffering patients brought two intense emotions out of her: sadness and anger.

'There has to be something more I can do than this' Sakura thought. Her thoughts were suddenly broke with a sharp cry that rang out. Sakura noticed that it came from a nurse instead of a patient. She rushed to the nurses' side and saw that she had cried out from surprise. "What's wrong?"

The nurse took a breath, "I'm sorry, he was asleep but he suddenly woke up when I was giving him some medicine. It can't me off guard." She apologized again with a bow. Sakura looked at the patient sitting in the bed. He was very tall, his feet came off the end of the small cot that was given to him. Sakura removed the sheet that was covering him and nearly cringed from the amount of blackish spots that littered his body. His chest was almost entirely covered; it was nearly impossible to see his skin tone past all the swelling.

"I will give him the medicine." Sakura said suddenly. The nurse didn't argue and handed Sakura the liquid pain killer that would be administered to his IV drip. The nurse moved on to the next patient and Sakura took her place at the man's side. The man had an oxygen mask and was taking half breaths which could only show a little of the pain he was in. Sakura started the treatment and examined the body to see if there was anything else she could really do. Since she couldn't use chakra healing there wasn't much left she could do other than to ease his pain. It was only a temporary solution to a problem that wasn't being fixed.

"…Mother?"

Sakura almost flinched when she had heard the tiny voice that came from beneath the oxygen mask. She almost wondered if she had truly heard it at all. When she looked at the man's face she found that his eyes were open. His irises and pupils had changed, or at least Sakura had assumed they had, because they weren't like any normal eyes whatsoever. They were a mixture an icy blue with some light green scattered around the white of his eyes. The pupils were no longer round but slits; almost like Orochimaru's.

'This is a hidden mist ninja. There's no reason he should have eyes like this.' Sakura went to the end of his bed and took out his chart. There was a picture of what this ninja looked like before his affliction. It was a little hard to make out but Sakura could see that his eyes had definitely changed.

"Nurse, can you bring me a camera?" Sakura yelled to a waiting nurse.

"Mother?" The man asked again. Sakura turned to him, "I'm sorry, you must be in intense pain. I wish I could do more. Please, don't try to move." The nurse came back with a camera.

"Help me hold his eyes open."

#

Sakura stared at the picture that she had sent to Tsunade. Sakura had no idea why this man's eyes would change like they did. "Did it come from that creature's cells?" Sakura wondered aloud. She was sitting on her bed in her given room that was used for mostly sleeping and nothing else. By the time Sakura would get here she would be so tired that she would just crash immediately but on this night she was having difficulty sleeping. She felt exhausted but for some reason she just couldn't go to sleep. There was kind of feeling that was keeping Sakura awake. She tried to walk around the room and examine the picture again but nothing seemed to come to mind as a reason as to why the man's eyes would change other than what she already thought.

She groaned and threw herself back on the bed. 'I need sleep. I won't be able to function tomorrow if I don't.'

She stared at the ceiling for the longest time and finally, it seemed like she was starting to nod off but before she could pass into peaceful slumber there was a knock on her door. She jolted up immediately, waiting for a moment to see the knocking continued, she had debated on whether or not she had just heard things from exhaustion. The knocking came again and Sakura bolted to the door. Behind the door was Tsunade who looked, strangely, concerned?

"…Tsunade-senpai"

"Get dressed. Meet me in the conference room." Tsunade turned without another word and left the hallway.

'What?' Sakura was immediately confused by Tsunade quick demands but swiftly threw on some clothes and jogging to the conference room. She found the other doctors and a few nurses there already. All of them asking each other why Tsunade had come back from the kage's meeting so quickly.

"Perhaps something at the meeting went bad." One doctor suggested.

"Maybe she knows something about that picture." The nurse from before mentioned and there was a brief silence.

"In any case. It's not something we need to get so stressed out over." An older doctor who was seated in one of the chairs replied.

That didn't help Sakura's nervousness or anyone else's.

A long minute past before Tsunade finally entered the room with the head researcher. "I'm sorry for waking you all at such an early hour but something has come to our attention that needs to be addressed. The other kage's have decided to keep it from the villages' ears until we have some kind of solution."

There was a moment of silence. Sakura believed that she was referring to the picture she had sent to her earlier.

"How did the kage's take the information?" Sakura spoke up.

Tsunade paused, seemingly confused, "What I am referring to isn't' about the information that I went to them with. Something else has come up." She paused again.

The tension in the air seemed to intensify as all of them waited for Tsunade to reveal what she knew.

She took a deep breath, "I don't want there to be any kind of panic. There are people here that greatly need our help and we cannot allow fear to keep us from helping them." "

"What is it then?" The older doctor asked.

"That thing…the thing that hit the ocean…"

"Jenova?" The head researcher suggested. Tsunade nodded, "yes, whatever that Jenova thing came from…is now coming as well."

There was brief silence that followed with several questions. Tsunade silenced them by continuing "whatever that thing came from is now barreling towards our planet at a fast rate."

"There's going to more of those things?"

"I don't know. They only thing we know at this time is that…it's much bigger than what crashed already."

A chill went down Sakura's spine. "How big is it?"

Tsunade paused, staring through the windows, down at the patients below, "bigger than our entire nation." She finally answered.

The room erupted in noise. From doctors talking and asking questions to some of the nurses starting to panic. "I don't know anything more at this point." The room became silent once again.

"But, I wanted all of you to know before it is heard through ear to mouth from someone else. The kage's have decided that finding a way to stop this calamity is more important but we cannot just give up on our patients and leave them to suffer. I will keep you all posted on what the kage's have decided." Without another word, Tsunade left the room.

#

'It's so good to be home.' Sakura thought as she past the gate into her home village. Despite the news from months ago about the large comet that was coming towards their planet there was still children playing outside and villagers making errands, laughing was heard often rather than crying. The recent news of Sasuke's solution had already calmed down their hometown.

About a month after the discovering that Jenova's calamity, as the kage's called it, was headed straight for our planet, there had been many ideas thrown out about how to stop it. It came as a shock to Sakura when Tsunade had returned and told her that the kage's had decided that Sasuke's plan seemed like the best one and the other kage's were already giving him everything he needed to act on it. To be perfectly honest; Sakura did not trust Sasuke in the slightest. Even though they had joined forces during the ninja war, that didn't mean they were friends again, much less anything more. Sasuke still hung around Orochimaru's group and treated them a lot better than he treated the people he once called 'friends'.

Sakura stopped walking, 'friends? We were never friends. He never looked at us as friends.' Sakura thought sharply and pushed the thought of Sasuke completely out of her mind.

"Sakura."

Sakura turned towards the person who called her name and found Shikamaru coming up to her. "Hey, Shikamaru, it's good to see you." Sakura greeted with a smile.

"Um…yeah, you too, I'm sorry Sakura but I really need to speak to you. It's important."

Shikamaru looked serious enough so she simply nodded and followed him.

#

Shikamaru took Sakura to the hokage's office. "I'm sorry for bugging you the moment you got back but I've tried to talk to the others and they just don't seem to take what I say seriously enough."

"Don't worry about it Shikamaru. What's up?"

"I brought you here because, despite the fact that I've told a few others, I don't want a lot of people to know that I feel this way. I wish I could just chalk it up to paranoia but I know myself better than that." Shikamaru was definitely nervous. Sakura stepped forward and rested a hand on his arm. "Just tell me what you need to say."

"Yeah, sorry, I was rattling on wasn't I?" He took a moment to collect himself. "I don't think Sasuke's plan to stop the comet is as legit as he's telling us."

Sakura didn't feel any type of shock at Shikamaru's reveal; guess that said a lot to how she felt about Sasuke.

Shikamaru sighed and pulled his hands down his face. "Finally, someone who takes me seriously."

"I'm honestly not surprised. It wouldn't be the first time after all."

"I know and that's what I was hoping everyone else would think but they're all on the idea that Sasuke is being truthful this time. This isn't something we can just take chances on."

"You obviously know something Shikamaru."

He paused, "I do. I had the suspicion the moment Tsunade informed us about Sasuke's plan. Technically, it's a good plan, don't get me wrong, but that's not what I think he's going to do at the end."

"What do you think he's going to do? Use his weapon against the other villages?"

"Thankfully no, I think he intends to blow that thing out of the sky and save us all but…I think he's also going to use that gun to absorb all of Jenova's cells from it before he stores what's left of it."

"Shikamaru, you realize that if you go to the kage's meeting with this kind of suspicion without any type of evidence to prove it, you could start something far worse than what we need right now."

"I know that. That's why I asked Genma for a favor."

"You sent him undercover?"

Shikamaru nodded, "I did indeed and he was able to find things that confirm my suspicion. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want it to be true but despite the fact that he's still helping us out in the long run. He's still taking all of that power for some kind of unknown purpose and as shinobi it would irresponsible of us just to ignore that possibility."

"It's not that I don't agree with you but if what you're saying is true that still leaves us without a solution for the calamity. With the kage's full support of this plan…I hate to say it, I really do, but we need his plan. It's the only one the kage's have agreed on and the only one that seems like it could work." Sakura turned away.

"If I had to be honest, I could think up some other plans but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll work. I do agree with you Sakura that we need Sasuke's plan but that doesn't mean we can just sit back and let him do what he wants."

"I think I understand what you're leading to. You want Sasuke to finish building that gun and finish testing it but when the time comes we swoop in and make sure that gun is ready to fire to destroy and not absorb."

"More or less. If push comes to shove I'd rather destroy his chances than to let it happen that way." Shikamaru paused again, "…I don't know how to approach this honestly but we don't have much time left to act."

"Then I wouldn't even bother with convincing the other kage's. Just tell us what you want to do and we'll do it. The others will take you seriously enough if you press them with it. I'll help you with that."

"…So will I." Another voice said.

Shikamaru and Sakura turned to the person who had just entered the room.

"Kakashi-senpai"

"I agree with you Shikamaru. Just like the both of you I had my suspicions and did some undercover work myself. There is a way that we can make sure that both problems are dealt with correctly. I also agree with Sakura that getting the kage's involved at this point is a waste of time. We need them to think that Sasuke has good intentions. Once that gun is ready to fire we'll go to it and do whatever it takes to make sure that that calamity is destroyed. Also, I think I can fill in a missing piece of information."

He paused before continuing, "He wants to create more of Sephiroth."

"What? He wants to create more of those 'super soldiers'? Who the hell does he think he is? After what Sephiroth did to the Hidden Mist Village…what he did…to us?" Shikamaru paused, a pained look on his face. "…after what he did to Choji?"

"—and Naruto?" Sakura interjected. Kakashi looked down, "I'm afraid so. I've known for a long time now that Sasuke has no care for any of us. Which is why I think we should act instead of waiting. Even with the geo-stigma affliction…" Kakashi flinched a little "…creating a bunch of mindless drones that only want to bring Jenova to this planet is not something that anyone needs to worry about. Sasuke thinks he can control Sephiroth but all three of us know better than that."

"You have a plan Kakashi-sensei?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'm more curious to hear yours first, Shikamaru."

"I thought about waiting until the chosen date that Sasuke has to fire the gun but before that happens we get into the control room and make sure that it's ready to knock that thing out of the sky."

"You do realize that Sasuke will have that entire place heavily monitored."

"I realize that, that's why I think we should all go, we can't take any chances. The kage's have seen that gun fire off and destroy things as big as that comet. That's not a feature that Sasuke can remove. He has to destroy that comet or we'll all be destroyed so it's obvious that he has a plan for destroying it. We just have to make sure he can't absorb its power first."

"Then we have the general idea of what we need to do?" Kakashi asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, I will inform Genma of what we have decided. Sakura, if you could talk to Neji about this for me, I would greatly appreciate it."

"Consider it done. Should I talk to Ino?"

"Leave Ino to me. I was going to ask if I should bring this up to Temari."

"I'll leave that up to you. If you want to mention it to her, I do think it'll help if Gaara knows ahead of time what's going on. He can keep the peace with the other kage's." Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"What about Tsunade-senpai? I think she would help us if she knew."

Kakashi chuckled nervously, "I'll leave that part to you Sakura."

Shikamaru straightened and seemed more at ease. "I feel much better now. I don't think I need to mention that this mission will be at top risk?"

"It has to be done. No matter what. We can't let Sasuke create more people like Sephiroth."

"Alright then, let's gather everyone we plan to include on this so we can discuss it further." Shikamaru left the room. Sakura turned to leave as well but Kakashi stopped her by putting his hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"You think Sasuke will have Sephiroth there to stop us?" Kakashi asked, Sakura wasn't surprised that he had read her mind.

"It wouldn't be a surprise" Sakura admitted. "You know something that you're not telling me" Kakashi stepped closer. "I think I know a way to stop Sephiroth…"

"But…?"

"I need to make a few tests first. Don't worry about it Kakashi-senpai…" Sakura shrugged off his hand and proceeded to the door but Kakashi's words stopped her. "I hoped you would've been more honest with me. Sakura, you're my last student left. I don't look at Sasuke as my student any more than you look at him as a comrade. I know there is a possibility that we all may die but I want to make sure that I protect what I have left to me. I need to know what your intentions are."

Sakura didn't answer for a long time. "Do you trust me sensei?"

"That's not in question. Don't try and avoid this."

"If you trust me sensei then you know that I wouldn't do something stupid or not thought out."

"You're not going to tell me are you?"

"You wouldn't like it."

"I figured."

"But trust me Kakashi-senpai when I say: I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm going to do will be for everyone's sake, not my own."

"I didn't doubt that."

"…Sometimes…when people fight with fire…you have to learn a bigger fire to stop them."

"What are you planning?" Kakashi closed the distance between them.

"You know it…but you're not going to stop me." Sakura opened the door out and left the room.

Kakashi stared at the closed door for a long moment before slamming his fist into the wall. Despite the anger he felt, he also felt pride.

'I'm going to trust you on this Sakura. At this point, there's not much else I can do…' Kakashi sighed, 'Man, if the fourth hokage was here…he would be scolding me right now' Kakashi thought bashfully. He took a long breath. He felt a twitch in his arm from the stigma but his confidence shrugged it off.

TBC…

A/N: I made this chapter a little longer than the last one. I have written chapters much, much, longer than this but chapters will come out faster if I keep it at this length. Also, I will try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. It's two weeks away from semester Finals, ugh, but I'm not going to just shrug this off. Until next time, have a great day, everyone.