Okay everyone, first off I want to say thanks for the reviews. I haven't been able to write even though I was on a break because I've been out a lot more than I planned to be but I am determined to get chapter 12 and 13 up before I go back to university.
Also with this chapter up I have posted some art on Deviantart you can check out after reading this chapter.
READ AND ENJOY!
Leaning back against the pillows, Sakura yawned. "I can't believe Lady Tsunade has me confined to the hospital until she decides to discharge me. Knowing her; it's going to be after I give birth!"
Sai, who on was the left side of her, was holding up a book with his good hand and reading. "Perhaps you should've considered that before you acted reckless."
After the attack on the village, Sakura had fallen unconscious for three days and when she finally woke up, she found herself in a hospital room with Naruto and Sai and machines attached to her. Almost immediately after she woke up; Tsunade appeared to give her an examination to make sure she was healthy. Then she hit Sakura on her head and scolded her for being reckless and going to the front lines when she wasn't supposed to. That went on for nearly an hour. So an entire week went by, with the three members of Team Kakashi in the hospital.
"Like you're one to talk." Sakura grumbled, resting her elbow on her knee. "You snuck out early just to join everyone."
"Yes, but I'm not the one that's pregnant. Lady Tsunade probably thinks you're going to do something like that again and injure yourself worse. Aren't you worried about a miscarriage?"
Sakura's blood ran cold; she put her hand on the bump of her stomach. "Don't say things like that." Sakura's face softened; she didn't think he was wrong though. If she had been hit in her stomach with that chakra tail from the Kyuubi; who knows what could've happened.
On the left of Sakura in another bed, was Naruto snoring soundly and mumbling in his sleep about Sakura feeding him. He was covered in bandages around his chest. His face had been healed at least, the same case for Sakura.
"When I think about it," Sakura snickered, looking back and forth from Sai to Naruto. "I'm kinda glad to be in here and in the same position as you two."
"I don't understand why you'd be glad to be in a hospital bed."
Sakura smiled, "It just….gives me this feeling of satisfaction."
"I still don't understand."
"You don't have to." Sakura taunted, looking over to her metal vessels on the small nightstand next to her bed.
Naruto yawned, stretching out his arms before wincing when he felt his injuries as he shifted to sit up. "Good morning."
"It's already passed twelve Naruto." Sakura deadpanned. Couldn't blame Naruto for sleeping most of the day away when there wasn't much for them to do in bed aside from read books.
The door to their hospital room slid open and Kakashi came in, he waved to the three. "Hey guys. How are you three?"
"We're all hospitalized." Sakura stated, laughing softly. "Back from your mission already?"
"Yes and from what I heard, I missed quite a bit."
Kakashi had been away during the invasion of the village, but after reporting in with Tsunade on the information he gathered about the Akatsuki; the Hokage told him everything that happened while he was away. From the monk Sora, possessing remnants of the Kyuubi's chakra and the battle that had taken place; the village nearly getting burned down by lightning; the corpses of the bordering villages and the masked girl who defeated them. A lot could happen in a week.
"I heard from Lady Tsunade about the rumors as well."
"What rumors?" asked Naruto.
"Is it the one about that cat masked girl?" asked Sai.
Sakura made no sign of movement or any abnormal reaction to the question.
Kakashi nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, she had an incredible power that completely wiped out the corpses resurrection technique."
"I didn't hear anything." Naruto said.
"From what I gather; everyone who saw her were curious as to who she was. There was a defensive barrier already set in place. That would mean the person came from inside the village." Sai told them.
"That was Lady Tsunade's assumption as well." Kakashi told them, "It could become a problem."
"Why?" asked Naruto. "She protected the village right, that makes her an ally and if she's from the village isn't that even better?"
"Not exactly; if there really is someone with that kind of power amongst us, it can cause a disturbance merely by the fact that they don't want their identity to be known. People will begin to come up with conspiracy theories. Which is why Lady Tsunade wants to keep this quiet from civilians."
Sakura internally grimaced and glanced at her metal vessels. She knew the kind of commotion that she would cause if she was discovered like that. Too much power; a power that other's couldn't understand would without a doubt raise suspicion and in her current predicament Sakura decided it was best to keep her identity hidden so as not to draw unnecessary attention.
"Oh by the way," Kakashi took on a much more causal tone, releasing the tension in the room. "Sakura; you're supposed to go for your check up now."
The pinkette groaned softly before moving to get herself out of bed, when Kakashi came over to give her a hand.
"Hey, I'm not immobile yet." Sakura joked, but took her sensei's hand to help her up.
"Just helping out." Kakashi said, smiling behind the mask.
When Sakura was barely out of the hall way leading to her hospital room; she was met with Asuma coming around the corner; he was carrying a basket full of apples and a candy bar tucked in.
"Asuma-sensei, hey." Sakura waved.
"Hey, what are you doing out of bed Sakura?" the ninja asked with concern in his voice.
"I'm just going to the maternity ward for a checkup; Lady Tsunade's ordered me to go at the end of every second week-no exceptions."
Asuma chuckled, patting the girls head. "I suppose this is her punishment for you going out into battle?"
Sakura nodded grudgingly, "Yeah; by the way are you here to visit someone?"
"You, Naruto and Sai actually." Asuma said, holding up the basket. "There are for you three; though the chocolate is for you; in case you're craving."
Sakura gave a big grin in return. "Thanks."
When Sakura reached the door to the room she was supposed to be in for her check-up, she heard voices and figured to wait a moment for the doctor to finish up before going in. However, Sakura couldn't help from hearing what was said.
"Congratulations again mommy; I'll see you back here in a few weeks alright."
Sakura paused, waiting as the door opened to reveal a raven haired, red-eyed women with pale skin. She was one of the female jonin, Hinata, Kiba and Shino's squad captain and (knowingly to all despite attempted discretion) Asuma's lover.
Kurenai stared at Sakura like a wide eyed doe. "Sakura…"
Pointing at Kurenai, gaping wide mouth, Sakura chocked out. "K-Kurenai-sensei….are-are you-
"Ah-Sakura, wait a minute this is um!" Kurenai held her hands out, waving them rapidly, there was a visible blush on her face. She looked down and then back to the pinkette. "Don't tell anyone yet okay?"
Sakura had to cover her mouth as she squealed in excitement, then taking both of Kurenai's hands in her own. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you." Kurenai smiled sheepishly. "Are you here for a check-up?"
Sakura nodded, pulling away; "Yes, Lady Tsunade's orders."
It was actually a little early for Sakura to be having another doctor's appointment and she was already looked at while unconscious and according to all of the results from the examinations; Sakura and her two unborn were perfectly well. This was just Tsunade's over protective precautions. She was still on edge about the fact that Sakura refused to give the identity of the father to anyone, on top of having disobeyed her orders to stay away from the battle field.
'Imagine the kind of reaction she would get if I told her I was the girl in the cat mask.'
It was another week before Naruto, Sakura and Sai were all finally released from the hospital. Naruto immediately went to resume his training and Sakura returned to the hospital to work. Naruto had mastered the first part of his training and was moving on to another. This time instead of splitting a leaf, he had to split a waterfall in half using his shadow clones. Doing this kind of training was rigorous though and required a lot of chakra; which was why Naruto was the only one eligible to even be able to do it.
Mebuki knocked on her daughter's door to her room, "Sakura, what are you doing in there? Something smells funny."
"I'm just making something for a friend." Sakura called back. She was sitting at a small table, on it and scattered around her were bottles of liquid and dry herbs. With Naruto training the way he was, Sakura figured he could use something to replenish himself. She was replicating one of her own recipes she had discovered while working for Sindria Company.
Sakura grinded the mix of herbs together into a powder, using a small stub and bowl, then poured it into a pot with boiling water. She didn't want to make it in the kitchen because without a doubt, her mother was going to have a fit if she did.
"This scent," Sakura inhaled deeply, taking in the herbal aroma that burned your nose and made your throat itch. Yet for her it was nostalgic, taking her back to her department in the company.
After wiping his mouth, Sinbad looked at Sakura with a playful and wicked smile which had the pinkette slowly back away to the other side of the table. Sinbad started running after her, the two were running around the table.
"Stop it." Sakura laughed, coming around the corner of the table, Sinbad following in pursuit
"Only when you stop running."
Sakura was on one side of the table then and Sinbad on the other, when they stopped.
"Good, now stay there." Sinbad started coming around the table, when Sakura quickly dashed to the other side where Sinbad had been, their positions swapped.
"Uh-uh, you're not coming anywhere near me with that look in your eyes."
Sinbad smirked, "Well I can only do that when I'm near you."
They started their routine again, Sakura and Sinbad running around the table of medicines and herbs. One attempting to catch while the other continued to evade.
Finally, realizing that she was playing cat and mouse with one of the most persistent, arrogant and determined men she had ever met, Sakura halted, holding up her hands in surrender as Sinbad charged towards her. "Okay-okay-okay. I apologize."
"Not good enough." Sinbad chimed, wrapping his arms tightly around the pinkette's waist. "You know what I want."
Rolling her eyes, Sakura pushed up on the soles of her feet, throwing her arms over Sinbad's shoulders. "Guess I owe you this much."
She gave a quick peck on his lips, but Sinbad held the back of her head to keep her in place and kiss her again, with fierce demand and wanton passion. When he did pull back, Sakura made sure to lean back and keep her head to the side. Flustered and short of breath.
"Geez, when I said I owe you, I didn't think you were gonna charge interest." Sakura said jokingly, moving back to the table.
That had been one of their better memories, before the bitter ones. They were always playing along like that with each other and it made them happy. She wouldn't have moments like that anymore. It didn't matter that she was in control of her decisions; not when her feelings were beyond such simplicities.
Arriving at the training grounds where Naruto, Yamato and Kakashi were hung up at, she found that there had been a large water fall, extending far with a wooden bridge that held over a hundred shadow clones of Naruto. Naruto hadn't been satisfied working with only ten clones and the degree of his training since he felt the results were taking too long to appear.
Sakura could hear the echo of grunting, a tone dipped in frustration and she laughed, looking to the plane basket under her arm "He seems to be doing alright; perhaps I shouldn't bother making him my solider pills after all."
Sai came up behind Sakura from the forest, "I wouldn't be too sure about that."
"Sai, how long have you been there?"
"Since before you came."
"Sorry." Sakura stuck out her tongue sheepishly; her mind was elsewhere these days. "I'm a bit out of it lately. So rather announce yourself instead of waiting for me to notice."
"Okay." Sai nodded. "Anyways, that training is much harder than it looks. It's something only Naruto can do and it's different from normal training methods right?"
"Yeah." Sakura's face softened sadly.
Sai dug into the back of his pocket and brought out a small book. "At least; that's what this book says."
Sakura smiled then, "Oh really? Well aren't you a good study?"
"Sorry." Sai looked down, lowering the book as well. Something in his expression resembled disdain; he felt something uncomfortable settle in him when he thought back to reveal to Sakura he had only said what was written in a book instead of generating reason with his own mind.
"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, stepping closer to Sai.
"It's just…I don't know why I suddenly feel uncomfortable about telling you what I've read." Sai admitted. There was that discomforting shift again. "Even after I made that miscarriage comment at the hospital."
"It's okay; I told you to talk to me about these kinds of things. I won't judge." Sakura promised, holding up her hand splitting her fingers at her middle and ring. "I think you're starting to feel….self-conscious."
"I am?"
Sakura grinned widely, putting her hands behind her back she leaned forward. "I think it's cute."
Sai could feel his heart starting to beat at an abnormal pace at the statement Sakura made but he couldn't figure out why.
She placed the basket down on a tree stump a little ways from the three males. Sakura slipped a note into the basket as well. "I don't want to disturb him while his training."
"Yeah…."
Kakashi had seen Sakura and Sai leaving as well as the basket Sakura left for Naruto, full of solider pills. He gave it to Naruto after telling him to take a break; which he reluctantly did. While he was able to summon over a hundred shadow clones; he still couldn't feel much results from the learning methods and figure out how to split the water fall with wind chakra. Of course, Kakashi wasn't expecting this to happen in the blink of an eye and believed Naruto was making good progress-but the blonde thought something else.
Naruto was slumped forward, breathing heavily; every muscle in his body was tense and aching from spending hours in the same position and he was also physically drained from it. Yet he didn't want to stop. He was determined to get stronger. So that he would be able to finally bring Sasuke back.
He had been thinking this for a while now, since he found out about Sakura's pregnancy. He was going to have to do this alone and that was something that pushed him and kept him standing through this. Even though he was also pained.
Kakashi held up the basket in front of Naruto.
"What's that?"
"It's a gift from Sakura. There are solider pills and a note inside." Kakashi said, handing the boy the basket. It was filled to the top with brown balls. Naruto read the note inside.
These are my special Sakura solider pills. Take them and keep training hard!
YOU CAN DO IT.
Love Sakura
Naruto could feel his face growing hot, he quickly folded up the note before Kakashi could see it, placing it back in the basket. He took one of the pills, with an uncontrolled grin on his face as he tossed one into his mouth.
Naruto's eyes widened, he swallowed heavily. Looking back to the basket. "Wow these are great!"
"They are?" Kakashi asked, scratching his cheek. Usually solider pills were either flavorless or bitter.
"Yeah; it's sweet." Naruto said, taking another one. "I've got to thank Sakura for this."
"Maybe we should give some to Yamato then." Kakashi suggested, rubbing the back of his head. The poor anbu was obviously also being pushed to his limit from keeping the nine-tails under control.
"Hey!"
Another week went by; Naruto hadn't left the training grounds. Sakura and Sai still came by from time to time to check on him and Sakura continued to make her solider pills for him; with every basket she gave him a little note. Sakura had also passed into her three-almost four month pregnancy range and was really starting to show now. Her morning sickness and fatigue was starting to calm itself; which was something Sakura was relieved about.
Sakura continued with her work at the hospital and assisting Tsunade. That particular morning when Sakura came over to help her with some paper work, she heard a familiarly hostile toned voice on the other side, speaking with her master. Danzo.
"You still haven't figured out who was the culprit on that night, princess Tsunade?" Danzo asked.
"It is none of your concern, Danzo."
"When endangering the village's safety, it is." He retorted. "You should have interrogated the witnesses more thoroughly."
"There have been no further sightings; this person probably isn't even in the village anymore."
"You cannot be certain. That barrier was already up when the person appeared; it leads to believe that she was from the village."
Sakura decided to enter at the moment; she doubted her presence was hidden in the first place and it wouldn't look too morally appealing for her to be leaning against a door-as someone who has been on the other side of that door.
"Lady Tsunade; I have the reports."
The girl could feel the tension in the air when she stepped into the office and decided to keep a distance. Danzo had the appearance of a frail old man; he had shaggy black hair, and his right eye was bandaged, there was an x-shaped scar on his chin. He wore a dark grey robe covering his right arm-but Sakura knew it was concealing more than that. She also knew not to let his appearance fool her.
"Ah, princess Tsunade's apprentice. You were there during the invasion correct?"
"Yes." Sakura answered.
"Hey!" Tsunade called Danzo, but he kept his back turned to her.
"Did you see that cat masked figure that night then?" he asked.
Sakura shook her head, keeping her posture stiff and didn't dare avert her eyes or take a moment to glance at her master. Ja'far once told her that a way to pick up lies was through eye movement; people's tell was that they would look left when they were about to lie.
"No, I was ordered not to go out onto the front lines." Sakura stated calmly, although she was finding it a bit challenging when her djinn's voices were starting to buzz in her head. "I'm expecting and was supposed to be on leave from duty but I insisted on acting as part of the support."
"Did you-
"Enough Danzo!" Tsunade stood up from her desk, banging her palms on the wood, causing it to shake. "You have no right to interrogate my student!"
"I am merely asking her a few questions princess Tsunade."
"That counts as interrogation, get out." Tsunade ordered.
Danzo scoffed but none the less left, Sakura held her breath until she heard the door click closed and then walked forward to put the papers on Tsunade's desk.
"Is Danzo looking into that masked person I've heard them talking about?"
Tsunade nodded, sighing heavily as she slumped back into her chair. "He thinks that he can do whatever he wants. Those other old geezers are also on my case about that. The council wants her identity confirmed to decide whether she is an ally of the village."
"She destroyed the army of corpses didn't she?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, and that's the real concern. A power to wipe out a jutsu like that on top of thousands of bodies is a cause for worry to them."
"What would happen if you found out the identity of this person?" Sakura asked, hiding her caution and by overlapping her tone with curiosity.
"She'll be thoroughly interrogated."
"You're not going to tell her are you?" Stolas asked.
Sakura mentally scoffed at the question. 'No way.'
The matter of Sakura's second persona wasn't the only topic amongst the ninja's in Konoha. That same day, Tsunade had sent a team out in search of two Akatsuki that were reported in the Fire country. Amongst the ninja deployed to track them down included Ino, Shikamaru and Choji. In a way it still frustrated Sakura that she was unable to do anything while everyone hunted the Akatsuki but she knew that right now she only had one obligation.
Ensure her children's birth and safety into this world.
That night Sakura returned home; carrying bag of ingredients she needed to make more food pills for Naruto. She was about to switch on the light but then drew her back, moving to the sliding door, she rolled up the blinds and pushed the door open to let in the wind and the light from a crescent moon. Sakura stood still for a moment, allowing the cool air to wash over her before moving to sit on her bed. She reached for the picture on her night stand and held it in her hands. The team seven photo.
From right to left, there was a twelve year old Naruto, his arms crossed as he glared at the person across from him; Sasuke. As usual, the boy was scowling at the camera and Kakashi was in the middle with his hands on both of their heads and right in the middle of the three was a grinning pinkette with closed eyes.
"That is you and your friends?" asked Stolas
"Yeah." Sakura spoke softly, her eyes down cast. "We weren't a perfect team and we really struggled to pull through but in the end…it was one of the happiest times of my life."
Sakura wiped a tear that fell down her cheek, she looked down at her ever-growing belly and then to the bag of ingredients on the table in the middle of her room. "I said I was going to change my world but now…."
"Do no lose hope my king," Beleth said
"That's right; you merely have to be patient." Orias said. "We're here to help you change your world. Do not forsake us."
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Sakura stared at herself in the mirror, she was dressed in all black from her top to skirt but that wasn't enough to hide her protruding stomach. No matter how slimming the color may be; but it wasn't the reason for her wearing these clothes she was going to the funeral of Asuma Sarutobi. He had been killed while on a mission encountering and battling two of the Akatsuki members.
Sakura was just sitting in her room, eating her weight in chocolate covered strawberries dunked in peanut-butter and reading through some files for Tsunade when she heard a knock at her sliding door and went to open it, seeing Ino standing there. Sakura immediately knew that something was wrong just by the look in her eyes.
"Ino?"
"He's dead…." Ino muttered.
"What?" Sakura asked, putting her hands on her friend's shoulders.
"Asuma-sensei!"
The blonde then broke down, sobbing into the pinkette's chest while Sakura just held her closely. Nearly pushing Sakura over as she leaned down over the pinkette slightly awkward on account of Sakura's stomach and cried.
It was cloudy that day, during the funeral rain threatening to pour but didn't dare; as if not to mask the tears that were falling for those who stood in front of the grave stone marked Asuma Sarutobi. When Sakura went home, the sadness of the village was still strong in the air. She lied on her bed, starring up at the ceiling blankly. Every one of Asuma's comrades had been there at the funeral. It was a big group too. There wasn't much said though when everyone came to pay their respects and then left without much conversation.
'Life's, really so fleeting.'
Sakura put a hand on her stomach again, thinking of Kurenai. She was pregnant with Asuma's child but Sakura had a feeling that Kurenai wasn't going to be alone in this, not with Shikamaru and the rest of Asuma's team members. That was reassuring.
But something thoroughly bothered Sakura when she wondered what Kurenai's child will endure without a father and it set a new flame of determination within her, as the weight of her own situation all fell on top of Sakura. She was going to have to do this alone, without a father in her children's lives. There was definitely no way for her to know the kind of consequences that would come with this exclusion, but Sakura made a promise to herself then and there.
"I'll protect you no matter what and I'll always take care of you both."
Kakuzu and Hidan; those were the two Akatsuki members that Team Asuma had battled against in which Asuma lost his life. However, despite the tragic loss, Shikamaru, Ino and Choji didn't wallow for very long and went back out to track down the Akatsuki members while they were still in the country. They were assisted this time by Kakashi. Tsunade had called Sakura in that day and told her to inform Naruto that if he wanted to be a part of that mission as well; he had twenty four hours to master his new technique. Despite how slim the chances seemed of that happening, Naruto did it in that amount of time and was sent out with Sai and Yamato. They all returned that day victorious and that was another two members of the Akatsuki defeated. Although no one really came out unscathed. Having pushed themselves to their limits.
'I wonder though, how much closer are they to completing their goal?' Sakura thought.
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The past six months were more than eventful, with Naruto mastering his new technique, everyone getting missions revolving around the Akatsuki and Orochimaru while Sakura had to unfortunately sit quietly by; it was especially hard to hear about the missions where her medical jutsu was needed. The Akatsuki were also growing their collection of Bijuu's.
After her fifth month, Sakura was finding it difficult to walk. The experience of carrying a child was harder than she anticipated, despite knowing all of the upcoming symptoms, it was another matter to experience it. Her cravings had her crawling out of bed in the middle of the night just to go to the store; luckily for her; it would only be a few short months before it would all be over.
Sakura knocked on Naruto's apartment door, waiting for him to open. She leaned against the railing, feeling as if he knees were about to cave in from all the extra weight.
Naruto opened the door, holding a cup of instant ramen. "Sakura, todays an off day right? Why are you…?
"Lady Tsunade's called on all of us." Sakura said, "You should get ready so we can go."
"Sure…" Naruto trailed turning around, "Come on in."
When Sakura got inside of Naruto's small, single room apartment, she saw that his entire place was completely filthy. There was no better way to put it.
"Naruto, you're living in a pigsty." Sakura deadpanned. There were dirty dishes in the sink, half-finished bowels of ramen on the floor, packets all over the floor, there were also garbage bags everywhere.
Naruto gave a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his head. Before, Sakura would have definitely clobbered him for being this untidy, instead she just took to comments and nothing more. He didn't know if he should have been relieved or disheartened at this mellow Sakura. "Sorry about that. You can just take a seat somewhere, I'll try not to be too long."
When Naruto left to take a shower, Sakura got up and started cleaning up, starting with the kitchen. Sakura did the dishes and packed them in the rack. Sakura then started gathering up all of the empty ramen cups on the table and threw them into a black bag.
"Calm yourself my king, you shouldn't be doing housework." Beleth said.
"That's right, it's strenuous." Stated Stolas.
"And this isn't your house." Sitri and Gaap pointed.
'I just can't take sitting here and waiting in this filth.' Sakura replied as she determinedly wiped down the kitchen table, at least this section of the place was clean. She had recently developed this overwhelming urge to just clean every mess she saw; her parents had gone through the trouble of making sure that the house was spotless just so that Sakura wouldn't get up late at night and do late night spring cleaning.
Just then Naruto came back out, zipping up his orange jacket. He stopped when he saw Sakura cleaning his house.
"Hey Sakura, what are you doing?"
"Cleaning." Sakura stated. "I don't know how you can live in this mess, you remind of-
Sakura slapped her hand over her mouth, realizing she was about to mention Sinbad her comparison of Naruto to Sinbad. The violet haired boy didn't really know how to keep a place either, she was always organizing his office.
"Of who?"
"Never mind." Sakura shook her head, straightening up from the table she was leaning on. She rubbed her back, wincing. "Let's just go."
Tsunade was not happy at Sakura and Naruto's tardiness and she made it very clear when they came in. She was behind her desk, with Shizune on one side and Jiraiya standing on the other side.
"What took you two so long!?"
Sakura and Naruto gave nervous smiles, "Sorry."
"Naruto decided to sleep in on his day off," Sakura said.
The white haired male look at Sakura's obviously pregnant stomach with wide eyes. "Wow, Sakura how far along are you?"
"Just a little past seven months." Sakura admitted, scratching her cheek.
"Hey pervy-sage, when did you get back?" Naruto asked.
Naruto and Jiraiya got to talking and the small talk went to Naruto's new Jutsu which almost lead to the two males leaving the office. Before Tsunade and Sakura called them back.
"And, what did you want to talk to us about Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked respectfully. She was sitting own in a chair now right in front of Tsunade's desk.
Tsunade crossed her arms and looked away from the two for a moment, Naruto asked her what was wrong.
"Well….there's certain information that's being spread throughout the region." Tsunade told them. "Orochimaru is dead…It seems Sasuke Uchiha killed him."
Sakura and Naruto gaped at the news. Orochimaru was a powerful former Hidden Leaf ninja that experimented illegally on people and with forbidden jutsu; including one that supposedly made a person immortal. It was the reason he sought after Sasuke; in order to keep living Orochimaru needed a vessel to reserve himself and Sasuke was his next victim. So to hear that he was dead was both a relief and shock.
"Are you sure…?" asked Naruto, still awestruck.
"There's no mistake about it. I heard it from a reliable source." Jiraiya replied.
Sakura felt tears of relief gather in the corner of her eyes; if Orochimaru was dead then that meant Sasuke was…
'He's safe.' Sakura felt a bit lighter now.
Naruto grinned, "Of course there's no way he'd get killed by a guy like Orochimaru! So that means Sasuke will be coming back to the Hidden Leaf right?"
Sakura stopped in her celebration and looked at Naruto who was still beaming. It looked like he had forgotten in his moment of happiness why Sasuke left and sought out Orochimaru in the first place. It wasn't to become his vessel; it was to become stronger; so that he could exact revenge on his brother Itachi Uchiha for murdering their clan.
"That doesn't seem to be the case…" Jiraiya said grimly.
"I though as much." Sakura murmured. "Sasuke is still perusing Itachi to kill him."
Naruto frowned, "Well then let's go. Operation 'track the Akatsuki' is still a go right?" he asked Tsunade.
"Yes." Tsunade nodded.
"If we hunt down that Akatsuki member first we'll definitely run into Sasuke eventually." Naruto said strongly. "Itachi Uchiha."
Two squads were assembled, the first consisted of Naruto, Sai, Kakashi and Yamato and the second was Kiba, Shin, Hinata and Akamaru. They were the ones assigned on the mission to track down and capture Itachi Uchiha.
This was cause for concern and it only got worse as the threat of the Akatsuki was looming over them like a storm cloud, growing larger by the day. It was only after one more incident, that they realized just how close the storm was.
Sakura leaned against the comfortable floor chair in her room, her feet in socks warming against an electric heater. It was raining today and felt especially cold for Sakura. While doing so, she was folding a few baby vests.
A couple of weeks ago, Sakura and Kurenai were surprised with a baby shower; it was their friends who set it up; chunin and Jonin alike; Tsunade, Shizune, Tenten, Hinata, Anko and Ino were all there and the women were showered with baby gifts. Sakura also went shopping for a few baby essentials with her mother because she didn't think she would feel for doing anymore shopping when she was this far into her pregnancy.
Sakura looked out to the balcony, the rain was pouring down heavily now and the wind had picked up, rattling shutters and probably blowing off loose roof panels.
It was only two days since Naruto and the rest of her teammates went off with Team eight on a mission and Sakura couldn't ease her worries due to goal of this particular mission. They were going to track down Itachi Uchiha and attempt to capture him; it was a not a comforting thought.
Sakura let out a small shriek when Yunan removed his staff from above her head, it was like a weight had started to pile on her shoulders and finally became too much because she fell to her knees, trembling with wide eyes. Sakura could barely keep herself up, as her arms threatened to give in, but she had this overwhelming feeling of nausea and was worried she might regurgitate whatever was left in her stomach. She couldn't even breathe properly anymore, overwhelmed with what little she saw and even more with what she heard. Yunan had used his magic to show her what he has seen and what he had heard. Everything that he knew, about her world. Yunan had clearly been around for a long time-Sakura was certain of this from what she had seen. He knew; what she was certain had been a sealed passed, the moments that shaped history in her world and she-she couldn't fathom them. What she now knew…
"I'm sorry." Yunan walked towards Sakura, he crouched down and started rubbing her back. "I didn't want to show you all of this but-but if you really are going to stay here; you need to know and really understand. You can't decide while ignorant Sakura, not after all you've done to get back home."
Sakura was still trying to regulate her breathing, she felt her eyes burning but she still tried to hold back her tears, because she wasn't sure if she could stop them once they began.
"T-T-T-That," Sakura inhaled deeply, she couldn't think of anything to respond to what she had just seen and heard.
"I know," Yunan said, still rubbing the pinkettes back. "Your world's history, their truths, it's not easy to comprehend."
Yunan was right about that statement; she couldn't believe the things she had heard and seen. What he showed her. She didn't want any of it to be true but it was and being back in this world was the reality she wanted to change for the better. She had to bite her tongue so many times when she considered telling everyone the truth about the Uchiha massacre and the real reason behind it, however she knew she couldn't do that. On top of that, there was another fact no one knew about the Uchiha Massacre.
'That Itachi Uchiha, did not carry out the massacre alone…'
Narrowing her eyes, Sakura stood up slowly from the floor and went to her closet; sifting through her clothes until she pulled out a rain coat.
"Where are we my king?" asked Beleth.
The stone room felt warm, there was no window and the source of light was the two torches that Sakura had lit after entering. There was mimicking patterns painted on the left and right walls as you entered the room but in the middle one, there was two red and white fans-the Uchiha crest and in the middle of it was a stone tablet on standing upright on the ground.
The Naka Shrine; a shrine in Konoha that belonged to the Uchiha clan. It was a special place, more so than any outsider would ever realize. That was until Yunan gave Sakura the knowledge about the secret room beneath one of the tatami mats in the main hall. She wouldn't even have been able to get into the main hall because of the stone slab sealing it; had she not been provided with the knowledge from Yunan about the hand signs to unlock it in the first place. All to keep secret, a stone monument; which couldn't be read with the naked eye.
'Itachi told Sasuke about this place, on that night of the massacre.' Sakura stared at the table, unable to make out anything. 'I wanted to know what would be worth hiding so desperately but I can't even read this…'
Her djinns were silent for a few minutes as Sakura continued to sit and simply look at the stone tablet, both hands folded over her belly. She wanted to leave, yet there was that pull again, that feeling when she entered this place, a similar feeling to when she was guided by the rukh. She wanted to look closer in this world to. Remove her naivety completely, so that she would be able to change her world.
Sakura sighed softly disappointed, 'There is no way I can see it. I don't have any way to see the truth right in front of me."
"Perhaps you do." Orias interrupted.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked softly.
"Yes Orias, I don't understand."
"Me neither." Sitri said after Beleth.
"Our third eye." Orias elaborated to the djinn.
"Oh!" exclaimed Gaap.
"Yes I see!" Stolas said.
"A very interesting hypothesis." Beleth said.
"Okay, what are you guys getting at?" Sakura asked slightly worried now.
"Well-
Beleth cut Orias off. "Wait a moment. Is it really wise to be allowing her to do this right now?"
"Mmm, perhaps…" Orias said. "Maybe we should wait-
"Hold up, hold up. What exactly are you all talking about?"
"A djinn's third eye." Orias began, "It is not just there for speculation or aesthetics. It provides a kind of 'sixth sense' in a ways. It allows us to see through the deceptions of the world. Perhaps it could do the same for you."
Sakura touched her forehead, "Third eye….but for that I'd have to-
"Use your djinn equip." Orias finished.
"But we do not know what that might do to you right now." Stolas added carefully. "I wouldn't recommend it."
Sakura leaned forward, touching the stone tablet. "I need to know…Beleth."
When Sakura transformed into her djinn equip, she found that it had actually gone and adjusted to her current body state instead of remaining the same as the last time she used it.
Sakura raised her head, to look at the stone tablet and the encryption which she could not make out before, was actually becoming clear to her but what she saw; it was truly shocking. Coinciding with the knowledge Yunan had passed on to her and filling in the blanks that had been left open and gaping in her mind. Although, the procedure was not easy.
Sakura couldn't even bring herself to blink, her body seemed to tense up and become a solid as stone, unmoving and unfeeling. Shallow breaths were coming out of Sakura's mouth as her heart pounded with what she read….
"Seeking stability, one god was divided into yin and yang, these opposing two acting together obtain all things in creation."
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"When someone who possesses the power of Saṃsāra approaches the moon, an eye will open that is reflected on the moon to grant the eternal dream.
For what felt like hours, Sakura remained in that shrine, in that room, continuously going through what she was reading, over and over again. What she discovered was something that went further than what she knew but now everything had been pieced together for her completely. All this knowledge was like the broken pieces of a puzzle that needed to be put together and now that she has placed the final piece in; she could see the full picture-and it terrified her.
Then she couldn't take standing anymore, her body suddenly feeling like it was viciously struck with fatigue. Sakura released her djinn equip then and fell forward, as far as she could and held her stomach. Moving lower, there was a continuous shifting pain, expanding and then contracting.
"Ah!"
"What is wrong!?" asked Beleth
Sakura felt something trailing down her leg, like a thick fluid and she knew what was happening. Her djinns voices were drowned out by the ever growing pain. Sakura pushed herself to stand and began to make her way back towards the exit of the room.
'Too soon.'
Panting heavily, Sakura started to drag herself towards the staircase, her hand constantly on the flat surface of the wall as her only support. She pulled herself up, each step was like a canyon as she pushed passed her pain that was yet to grow.
She could hear her djinn's frantic voices calling out in alarm but she couldn't respond as there was only one thought she had.
'I have to get out of here'
It wasn't unheard of or untypical especially in the circumstance of multiple babies and yet Sakura did not see this coming. Going into labor when she was barely in her seventh month and in one of the worst possible locations. Luckily for her; she managed to make it out of the shrine and then dragged herself through the village on her way to the hospital. There weren't many people out that day because of the rain so the street she was walking through was cleared. The sole of Sakura's feet had this incredible burning sensation with each step she took and that traveled to her legs, her torso and to the rest of her body.
"My king, you cannot walk all the way there!" Stolas exclaimed.
Sakura didn't respond but it was obvious she didn't have a choice in this matter but realistically she didn't think she would be making it at this pace and she knew that time was not on her side right now.
As she looked up through a blurry vision due to the heavy rain that poured down her face, Sakura could make out something-or rather someone around the corner but moving in the opposite direction of her.
"Hel-
Several steps were taken before Sakura's body couldn't take the strain any longer and she felt the gravel road scrape her knees beneath the fabric of her clothing, then becoming soaked from the rain, sending cold waves through her body.
"Ahhhhhh!" Sakura screamed as she felt another contraction.
Jiraiya was making his way through the village but stopped when he heard a short shriek echo through the streets and turned around; shocked to see a small splotch of pink in the distance and found Sakura lying on the ground with her arms over her stomach, crying in pain.
'Oh no!'
He wasted no time in picking up the pinkette and rushing to the hospital as well as sending a message to Tsunade about her apprentice's condition.
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"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH" Sakura screamed her throat raw; the pain was so bad she couldn't even pass out which she desperately desired at this point. When Sakura reached the hospital with Jiraiya she could hardy hear him yelling orders at the nurse and calling for a doctor as she was taken to a room, removed of her soaked clothing and placed in a hospital gown-which was not easy on account of the fight she had put up while struggling with this pain.
Sweat dripping down her forehead as her chest rose and fell quickly with heavy pants. Her body felt like it was being ripped apart. Her hands clutched the sheet; she was in so much pain she was this close to sending something flying through a wall. Sakura's entire body had nearly become numb to any other sensation around her, including the feeling of her pants being removed and being slipped into a gown. Her body being propped up on pillows.
She was writhing in a hospital bed as the nurses rushed around, tending to her. She found it slightly hilarious at this role reversal she had undergone, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as another wave of pain hit her. The contractions getting closer together and despite her state, she was still well aware of her situation.
"AAAAAAHHHH"
"Where is she?!"
The door flew open; Shizune and Tsunade entered the room quickly; she rushed towards the pinkette. Tsunade stared barking orders at everyone.
"Sakura, how are you feeling?" Shizune asked, on the verge of taking the pinkette's hand but then withdrawing as she recalled the super-human strength she possessed.
"I-I can't take it! Make this…make it stop!" Sakura called out, despite wanting to cry she couldn't bring herself to form tears. It was as if her body was distracted dealing with the physical pain.
"She wasn't due for another two months," Tsunade hissed, putting on some plastic gloves.
"She's already a bit further than expected; Jiraiya-sama said she appeared to have tried to walk here on her own before he found her lying in the street." One of the nurses said.
"SHE WHAT?" Shouted Shizune and Tsunade.
While Sakura was usually the one standing in the labor room wearing the rubber gloves; she never really understood the painful screams and reactions that the women had during labor and childbirth; but right now as she felt her blood rushing and the excruciation of what seemed to be her insides twisting into unspeakable shapes; Sakura had spent most of her labor hours screaming apologies in her mind.
"I CAN SEE THE HEAD!"
"Sakura take deep breaths; it's almost time. You can do this" Tsunade said.
Sakura sobbed, "I can't do this Lady Tsunade-I can't!"
"Yes you can, come on Sakura!" Tsunade's eyes hardened, "On the count of three get ready to push. One….two….three…..PUSH."
"NNNNNNGH" she groaned panting; every time she heard someone tell her to breathe, she felt like retaliating with a chakra coated punch just to give them a sliver of the pain she felt and tell them to breathe then!
On top of that she wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for a certain someone! Her pain converted to anger.
"DAMMIT STUPID SI-AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH" Sakura screamed again, forgetting that she was about to curse Sinbad's name.
Tsunade studied the pinkette; her face contorted in pain as she lied on the bed; her stomach swelled. She was very close now.
"Okay Sakura, you know the drill. Again on the count of three, push." Tsunade said, peaking upward form the pinkette's raised legs. "One, two three, push!"
Sakura screamed as she felt herself expanding to a length she thought wasn't possible for her body. For what felt like an eternity to Sakura, that was the cycle of her first child birth. Pushing when told and feeling like she had been struck in the gut with bat.
"Okay, last push for the first." Sakura was already breathing so hard, it was like air didn't even have time to gather in her lungs before she was releasing it again.
"Shizune, get ready to take the first one for examination…" Tsunade had her hands held out carefully.
"Right." Shizune said standing beside Tsunade.
"Here we go Sakura; one, two three…Push."
Sakura clenched her jaw so tight she thought it might break and despite how tight her moth was shut, the scream still managed to echo through the room. Sakura was barely about to feel the temporary relief when her first born left her body because there was still another following right after. She could hear the distinct loud crying though; but that was a good sign.
"Now it's time for the second one." Tsunade said firmly. "Are you ready Sakura?"
"HELL NO." The pinkette cried as the pain started up on the same level as the previous.
"Last one come on Sakura you can do this." Right now no matter how much encouragement and praise she was getting from her teacher, Sakura wasn't even placing it in her memory right now. Everything; including what she read on that stone tablet became nothing more than a speck of dust blowing in the wind of her pain.
"Come on Sakura, you're almost there." Tsunade said after the fifth push; the baby was nearly out now but this one seemed to be putting up a bit of a fight. Almost like it didn't want to leave.
Sakura swallowed heavily, secretly hoping that she was going to just pass out already. All of her medical training becoming null and void as she rested as the patient.
"Here we go…" Tsunade said, listening to the pinkettes rapid breathing. "One, two…three-PUSH."
"AAAAAAAHHH" Sakura screamed again, causing everyone to jump back a bit.
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It was only after her breathing started to regulate that Sakura began taking note of everything around her again. She could heard the nurses, Tsunade and Shizune's voices now. Both women came to her, their arms holding a wrapped blanket.
Tsunade walked over to her apprentice with tears in her eyes. "Sakura...you worked hard."
Shizune smiled, already crying. "Congratulations. You have a healthy boy and girl."
Sakura's eyes watered as she looked at her children' two new born babies wrapped in bundles. They were carefully placed on her chest. Her heart clenched when she saw the small splotch of purple hair on their heads.
"They're perfect,"
She saw their eyes begin to open, Sakura saw that her son had small green eyes and her daughter had deep golden colored eyes and she felt her heart stop.
'Sinbad….'
Sakura began crying; sobbing loudly as she thought back to the past of the man she had cherished so dearly. She could already see him, in them.
There was a sharp knock on the door before Jiraiya peeked into the room, "Is it safe? Things have been quiet in here for a while."
Sakura smiled, nodding a little vigorous before Jiraiya entered. He peered onto the bed where Sakura laid, holding her children for the first time.
"I sent a message to your parents, they'll be here soon." Jiraiya told Sakura.
"Thank you." The pinkette murmured, her throat sore from the screaming.
Jiraiya looked over the children and then back to Sakura, "So, have you thought of any names yet?"
"Yes…" Sakura replied almost immediately, she looked down at the infants and spoke in a near whisper, going from boy to girl.
"Badr…..and Esra."
There you have it everyone. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I promise that you will not have to wait long for the next chapter because it will be up within the next forty eight hours. In the meantime you can go to check out the art for this story and-
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