NOTE: YAY! THE COLTS WON!!!!! Ahem. I'm very, very, very sorry. After this entire story is over, you will all want to kill me, so I'm apologizing in advance. If you've read any of my other fanfics at all, you can guesstimate how this one will end. But on the other hand, you won't have to worry about me writing more Naruto drama/romances for a while, because I've decided to write a Dharma & Greg fanfic next. ENJOY!
Sasuke sat in the corner of his cell. His lips still tingled from where Sakura had kissed him. She was so beautiful… Could she have been the one the prophecy was talking about? Well one thing was certain, he had to show her the prophecy. Before he had any more time to think, Sakura appeared again.
"Oh, hey…" he mumbled, a blush starting to show on his face. She either didn't notice the redness or ignored it. A concerned look was on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"The execution form. It's been signed."
Sasuke leaped up.
"No way! Naruto… That traitor!"
Sakura shook her head.
"No, it wasn't Naruto. I'll explain."
She told him the whole story that Ino had told her. From her being summoned, up to the current point and why she was here.
"We have to escape," Sakura told him. "I refuse to let you die."
Sasuke looked hesitant.
"Sakura… I want to escape, but I think it's destiny that I don't. Here," he handed her the prophecy.
"Is this that weird prophecy that was made when you were born?" she asked skimming it.
"Yes."
"It makes no sense! Why should you have to die? It's stupid!"
"It's my destiny."
"Well it's stupid."
"Sakura, read the second to last part out loud to me."
"Love shall find him. Whoopdie doo."
Sasuke took her hand.
"Sakura, I think it's talking about you. The first three parts have come true already. There are only those last two left."
"It's just a load of crap! If we run away now, then you can't die!"
"Sakura, I'm not running away. Maybe I haven't done anything wrong, but I'm going to face it like a man. If I run away, I'll only be a coward. Can't you understand?"
"No, Sasuke. I can't. No if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get Kakashi sensei and help me find Naruto," Sakura said coldly as she left him.
-----
"Sakura, that makes almost no sense at all," Kakashi said when Sakura told him what happened to Naruto.
"But just come on! You'll see!" Sakura pulled him through the streets to the Hokage's office.
"It'll probably be locked, so you'll have to teleport in," Sakura said as Kakashi fiddled with the doorknob.
"Well, it's not locked now," he said and pushed in the door.
"Well that's odd."
The two walked in to see Naruto signing a bunch of papers.
"Ino? Do you think you should be doing Naruto's paperwork?" Sakura asked.
Naruto gave her a puzzled look.
"Get your eyes checked, Sakura. I'm Naruto."
"Ha ha, funny. Now come on, Ino, stop acting."
Naruto looked to Kakashi sensei for help.
"Is she alright?" he asked.
"I dunno. Personally, I think she's acting like a nutcase."
"OK, so you really are Naruto! Where were you? Did you know that Sasuke's execution form had been signed?"
Naruto set down his pen and looked her square in the eyes.
"I haven't left my office all day except to go to the bathroom, and of course I know about the execution papers because I signed them."
Sakura landed a punch in his face.
"How dare you sign those papers?!? Something bizarre is going on here, and I demand to know what it is!"
"OW! Sakura, that hurt! I really don't know what you're talking about!"
"He's telling the truth, you know. He really doesn't know what all is going on," said Homura, as he stepped into the room.
"You! I'm gonna kill you, bastard!" Sakura shouted as she charged toward him. Kakashi grabbed her just in time.
"No, Sakura! You can't possibly take on someone who was trained by the 1st and 2nd Hokages! Besides, the punishment for killing a top rank shinobi is death."
Homura smirked.
"Heh, he's right you know."
"Never mind that! What did you do with Naruto?!?" Sakura demanded fiercely.
"Why, that is Naruto!" Homura pointed out. "He's just been brainwashed into thinking everything he did while Ino was in his body was his own doing, and he signed the execution papers out of free will."
"You're evil. Pure evil."
Homura tossed his head and cackled. "I'm so glad you noticed! Now, be a good girl and don't tell anyone, OK? Or if you do, I shall have to wipe out your family and little friends as well!"
Sakura froze.
"Why don't you just wipe out the village instead?"
"Are you crazy? I wouldn't be executing Uchiha if I didn't think it was for the good of the village! Ever since Sarutobi died, I've been watching over this village from the shadows! But every time, every SINGLE time the Hokage retires, they chose someone else! Tsunade happened to choose this bumbling idiot!" Homura ranted as he gestured toward Naruto. "If it weren't for me, all these Hokages would be totally lost! Totally lost!"
"Naruto may be a bumbling idiot, but he's still the Hokage!" Sakura managed to squeeze out of Kakashi's grasp and ran to Naruto. "RELEASE!"
Naruto began to shake uncontrollably. His eyes darted around and his head rolled back. After a few minutes, his head jerked back up and he gasped for air.
"Wha-what's happening?" he asked.
"You've been brain washed! And Homura's tricked you into believing you signed Sasuke's execution form, but really Ino signed them because she was in your body at the time, but now that you're back to normal, you can just unsign them-"
"Wait a minute," Naruto cut her off. "I signed the papers?"
"No, Ino did in your body."
"Does it have my signature on it?"
Sakura looked at Homura. The elder reached into the sleeve of his robe and presented a piece of paper with Naruto's signature on it.
"Yes, I guess it does. But what does that matter?"
Naruto groaned and smashed his face on the desk.
"Damn it! Damn you, Homura!" he muttered.
"Naruto… What is it?" Sakura's voice trembled.
Naruto lifted his face and sighed, but refused to look Sakura in the face.
"If it has my signature, the signature of the two elders, and it's an official document, then it cannot be undone. I'm sorry, Sakura."