AN: I precede this chapter with an important Author's note. I am crazy, and so I have updated two chapters in one day. So if you did not read Chapter 10 Eye of Fortune, Eye of Misfortune (Part I), please go back a chapter and read it. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused. The next chapter will be posted on Tuesday, July 3.
Chapter 11
Eye of Fortune, Eye of Misfortune (Part II)
Kakashi couldn't sleep.
This was unusual for him, but he felt like something was squirming around in his gut, something somewhere was amiss. He thought that maybe it was Sakura-related, but not likely. No, this was a comrade-in-trouble gut squirm. He was upset, but there was nothing to be done about it. In the middle of the village hidden in the clouds there were no sparring partners, no ninja he could really trust, and there was no way to make sure that everyone was okay. Even if he sent Pakkun, the dog would get to Konoha just hours before he and Sakura did. And what good would that do him? Maybe it had nothing to do with Konoha. Maybe it was Sakura related. Right on cue, he heard her soft footsteps on the roof tiles behind him.
"Kakashi, you alright?" She whispered as she sat next to him. "It's cold out here. I brought you your cloak." She threw it over his shoulder. "You look lonely."
"Mm."
A few moments of silence passed, and since Kakashi wasn't talking, Sakura broached the topic she thought most likely culpable for Kakashi's mood swing.
"Sasuke?" She murmured.
Kakashi glanced sidelong at her, then returned to his moping. That was answer enough for Sakura.
"Do you really think he would...?" Sakura felt so small in that moment.
"Ah." Kakashi nodded.
"But Naruto will..."
Kakashi sighed deeply.
Several more minutes went by and they just sat there, side by side, looking at the stars together.
"Hey, Sakura."
"Un?"
Kakashi took a deep breath and steeled himself for what he was about to ask her.
"Do you still... do you still have feelings for Sasuke?" The question hung heavily in the air between them. Kakashi tapped his fingers on his bent knee nervously.
It was almost as though he'd thrown a black cloth over Sakura, she suddenly seemed so unreachable, so despondent. Her head hung down, face hidden by her hair. Kakashi ran his fingers awkwardly through his own.
"I'm sorry, I-"
"No. No, it's alright."
Kakashi could tell that her teeth were clenched. He waited with bated breath.
"No. I thought I might still have love for him locked somewhere inside of me once. That love... that ended long ago. Those feelings are gone." She whispered. "After he tried to kill me, you, Naruto... After his more recent actions... After Sai..." Her voice broke as she said her friend's name. "There's nothing there anymore. Just a black hole. It was burned out of me." He could barely make out her pained declaration.
Kakashi's eyes widened at her words. He never suspected she'd been so deeply injured by
Sasuke's actions. He'd assumed the love would have smouldered there, lingering, ready to flame back up at any moment. Or that it would have dissapeared altogether with time, as his love for Rin had. Granted, he still loved her in a way, but it was different. She was gone, and she had only ever been his friend. He recognized this now. What he felt for Sakura was love. What he had felt for Rin had been a deep sense of friendship and comraderie as well as love that only siblings or close friends such as they could share.
"I want to kill him." Sakura said suddenly. "I want to tear his eyes right out of his face." Her breathing quickened. "But I'm the weakest of all of you. I'm no match for him. I'm useless." She held her head in her hands, gripping her hair tightly. "I hate this."
"You're not weak." Kakashi responded immediately. "Hey, you're not weak." He grabbed her wrist and tugged it toward him. "Without you, I'd be dead. Many others would be too. Don't tell yourself crap like that. You are needed, wanted and..." He stopped himself just in time. "Trust me, Sakura. You are so far from useless. You are so strong. Strong where it counts, in your mind and in your heart. And I don't know many people that can level a training ground besides myself and Tenzou."
Sakura looked surprised. "You're right." She conceded as he released her wrist, "I guess I don't suck. Sorry. Just feeling down, you know?"
"Yeah, me too." He admitted.
I have to tell her.
I'm going to tell her.
Before this mission is over.
He glanced at Sakura again.
I promise.
Kakashi and Sakura were running through the cold, quiet forest of Hot Water back towards Konoha. One more day of travel and they'd be home, they'd camp as soon as they crossed the border, then they'd just have another eight-hours' worth of ground to cover before they got to Konoha. Kakashi felt much better, relieved even, after his talk with Sakura the night before. Both of them had slept soundly after their heart-to-heart. Even though they'd started out a little late, it was alright. Kakashi felt that they had resolved something, though what it was he couldn't put his finger on it quite yet, and Sakura seemed even closer to him somehow. He couldn't stop thinking about her, it was unusual for him (especially on an important mission like this one), but in essence the mission had been completed and they were returning to Konoha empty-handed.
But with Kakashi's luck, things wouldn't be that easy. No.
The pair stopped abruptly and jumped down to the ground as the four ninja surrounded them.
Missing-nin.
"Two Konoha ANBU, huh?" One nin twirled a kunai around his finger lazily and smirked, faking an interested look on his tanned face. "Let's see, you'll both be in the bingo book then, and fetch a nice, hefty bounty... The copy-nin and the Hokage's apprentice I assume?"
Neither masked nin said anything in response.
"No need to clarify really, with hair like that..." The stranger laughed. "Really it goes for both of you. Why do you even bother with the masks?" He caught the kunai in his grip, knuckles tightening. "Well, allow me to introduce us. We should at least exchange names, after all, you should know your killers." He grinned toothily. "I'm Tomo, these guys are Ao, Takeshi, and Shinji."
"Formation A. We'll take these guys out together." Kakashi muttered, barely audible, but Kakashi saw her hair move out of the corner of his eye and knew she'd heard him. Damn, distractions, distractions... Damn I'm stupid. For how long have they been following us?
The four ninja slowly began to circle Kakashi and Sakura. "Well, we are going to collect the bounty on your heads, and not only that I'm going to sell that sharingan of yours for a load of money. And I see you, like a couple of scared, trapped rabbits, trying to plan a way out of this. Not going to happen." He chortled haughtily. "We're ex-cloud ANBU. So you guys don't stand a chance."
All four ninja attacked at once, two to a leaf-nin, and Sakura's first move was to break up the ground beneath them and throw them into confusion. Kakashi anticipated her move and as soon as she made her move he leapt from dirt clod to dirt clod. Within seconds his chidori was alight and he ran the biggest nin through easily with the technique. With a poof the enemy disappeared. When did they have time for shadow clones? Kakashi instinctively struck out behind him with a spinning kick, drawing his ninjato and following through with a deadly slash through the throat of the slower ninja. The hit was good, a torrent of blood gushed from Takeshi's neck. He glanced over to check on Sakura who seemed to be holding her own against the smaller, faster nin, Shinji as well as the lanky masked one, Ao.
"Can't really afford to be checking on your girl, can you?"
Kakashi turned and held up his arm to block just as Tomo's sword neared him, and his metal guard stopped the blow from connecting. But as soon as the sword hit, Tomo swung it upwards and around toward Kakashi's middle in a circular, sweeping motion. "Let me hit you once and you won't escape the second." Tomo smirked darkly. Kakashi struggled to block the incoming slash with his ninjato, but the enemy's sword was strong and Kakashi's short sword broke under the force of the blow. Shimatta! He cursed as the blade touched his side. His vest was cut through instantly and he felt the pain and the chill of his blood wetting his shirt. He leapt away before any more damage could be done, but he was seriously injured. Kakashi grabbed his side instinctively, trying to hold it together. He didn't know how deep he'd been cut, but the blood was running through his fingers already. He felt faint and sluggish as he watched Tomo run towards him, blade in hand, a huge smile on his face. Kakashi lifted his headband as a last resort and as Tomo made eye contact, Kakashi pulled him into a genjutsu that would buy him some time. Kakashi stumbled over to the enemy and knelt by him, pulling a kunai from his pouch.
"You were fast. But not fast enough."
Kakashi plunged the kunai into the man's throat and watched as the life left him. Satisfied and exhausted, Kakashi scooted away from him and sat down, cradling his side and finally taking the time to look at it.
And there's my guts. Oh, this is a bad one. Kakashi quickly replaced his hand over the wound and leant toward that side, trying to help hold it closed with his body's position. He could hear Sakura still fighting, but from the sound of it she was only fighting one, the other was already down.
Good for you. The thought was hazy. Good... Sakura... good. His eyes drooped closed as he heard the final clashes of metal on metal and the gurgle of blood in the last nin's throat. Good.
"Kakashi!" He could hear her running to him, but he couldn't see her... right, his eyes were closed... how did he end up on the ground?
"Kuso!" He felt her warm chakra washing over his side. "Dammit!" He felt her fingers painfully pushing the wound closed, and he could hear the panic in her voice. "Kakashi stay awake. I know you're awake."
"Ah." He managed weakly, his response barely more than a mere exhalation of breath.
"Good, good. Okay." She had been calmed somewhat by his response. "Okay, first aid and then I'm carrying you. It's not safe here. That's the plan, okay?"
Kakashi tried to nod.
"Eat this please. Come on, I know you can."
Kakashi felt the little ball as she pushed it into his mouth. "Bite down. Bite it." He made a strong effort and was rewarded as the metallic taste filled his mouth. "Good, good."
Kakashi felt a little better, and he felt Sakura's fingertips leave his wound, she no longer had to pinch it closed. Now her hands just rested on his side, so warm.
"You're going to be okay. We're almost done. You're not bleeding inside anymore so that's good. And outside is pretty much closed. I'll really button you up in Fire. Let's go, Kakashi, let's move. Slowly, now." Sakura helped him up and he opened his eyes. She smiled at him reassuringly. "You're doing great. I'm going to pick you up now, okay?" Kakashi nodded, he realized he had been clenching his teeth through the pain... The pain was still there, though. As soon as her chakra had left him it had returned.
"It hurts, doesn't it? But I know you don't want the drugs."
Kakashi shook his head. No drugs.
"Up you go." She bent at the knees and although he felt embarassed to do it, he slung himself weakly over her back and Sakura hooked her arms under his knees, hiking him up higher onto her back. "Hold your own hand. Hold on tight, so I know you're still with me."
"Nngh." Kakashi grunted.
"There you go." Sakura whispered, and she took off running. I'm going to use a bunch of my chakra running, but it's so worth it. Sakura frowned. I hate to use it, but I can take a chakra pill. If I have to.
Sakura ran and ran, paranoid. Every second she felt someone's eyes on her, she thought she heard voices or noises. One more hour. One more hour... It was getting dark and the shadows of the forest just darkened and lengthened. Sakura ran frantically now, nearly sprinting in her state of borderline-panic. Definitely going to need that chakra pill. She was breathing heavily and her heart was pounding in her chest. Finally she crossed the border and a little ways in, she stopped.
"You still with me?" She panted. A gentle squeeze from Kakashi's hand was all she got. "Great." She breathed, letting him down gently, then helping him onto his back. "Give me just a second." Sakura started a fire and put the water that remained in her and Kakashi's canteens combined to boil. She then rolled out their pallet and carefully moved Kakashi onto it. Sakura turned her back to him, pretending to check the water and she swallowed the chakra pill. Immediately her chakra pathways were on fire and her gut burned, but she reminded herself that it was nothing compared to the pain she'd be feeling if Kakashi lost his life while it was still in her power to help him keep it.
"The water isn't ready. I'm going to start healing you some more." She brought her hands to his side again and started meticulously mending the hole that had been slashed in the delicate webbing that held his guts together, and the muscles that knitted together along his side. Sakura's brow furrowed through her pain and she bit her lip until she tasted blood, fighting through the terrible pain in her hands. It's nothing, it's nothing. Kakashi felt progressively better and more concsious, though tired. He looked up at her and saw the intense look on her face. What's wrong? Kakashi opened his sharingan eye, now that he was thinking clearly, he had a sneaking suspicion...
"Sakura, why did you do that?"
"Do what?" Her response was clipped.
"Baka." He whispered.
"I won't let you die. I won't leave you behind." Sakura glanced at his face and then back to her work. "This is my ninja way."
Kakashi didn't fight her. In fact, he was thankful for her. You're not useless... Don't ever say that again, Sakura.
A few minutes later she pulled her hands away. "It's as good as it's going to get with chakra. You should be back at 100% in about three to five days. You'll be okay to run after you've rested for the night and eaten something. We'll take it easy on the way back." Not just for you, but for me too. Sakura leaned back and sat on her backside, exhausted. She wiped her forehead off and sighed. Thank Kami you're alright. Sakura threw a couple of packets of ramen into the water and turned back to him.
"Think you can sit up for a couple more minutes?"
"Yeah." Kakashi croaked. "I'm kind of thirsty."
Sakura nodded. "Be right back."
After she left, Kakashi knew he had only a few moments to work out something... some sort of strategy, some sweet words to tell her how much she meant to him, to convey his feelings to her. Those few moments... they weren't enough. But it was time. Now.
Kakashi took the canteen from her gratefully and lowered his mask, gulping the water greedily. He took his time screwing the cap back on and setting it down next to him. It's now or never...
"Sakura. We need to talk." He spoke softly.
Sakura spoke as she served the ramen. "About what?" She turned and handed him his plate.
Kakashi sighed. "Let's eat first."
"Okay."
She was exhausted, he could tell. But he felt that it was the right time. The tension in his belly only increased as the minutes wore on, but mentally he prepared himself, though he still didn't know what to say. As soon as Sakura set her bowl aside and swallowed her last bite, he began anew.
"Sakura. I need to tell you something."
"If it's about the chakra pill, save it." She sighed.
She really has no idea.
"No, Sakura, it's not that."
Sakura looked at him, really analyzing his facial expression now. He felt a little embarassed as his mask was still down, but no, he had to get past this.
"Sakura, I want you to know that I care about you. That you matter to me, that you're special to me. I feel like... I don't feel the same around you as I do around other people. I can't really explain it, the only way I can tell you... The only way for you to know how I feel..." Kakashi smiled softly now, suddenly confident, the words suddenly clear in his mind. "I love you." He continued to smile at her, the fire's glow gently illuminating his face, and Sakura could see the sincerity in every word he said. All the same, she was shocked.
"Kakashi..." She breathed.
He leaned toward her. "If you don't have feelings for me yet, I understand. I know... I know you've been hurt. So have I. I just... I want us to be happy. I know we can be happy together. Because of that love that I feel for you." He looked her in the eyes, serious now. "Please give me a chance."
Sakura's mouth opened and closed. "Uh... wow." She closed her eyes and sighed, shoulders slumping. "I don't understand. I – how is this possible?"
Kakashi remained silent. He still felt hope in his heart, but it was faint, it was slowly going out like the flame of a candle under a jar. Sakura opened her eyes and saw that reflected in his.
"Look." She moved closer to him, taking his hand in hers. "Kakashi, I've never even thought about anyone since Sasuke. I'm being honest with you. Hasn't even crossed my mind. Neji asked me a few years ago if I'd go out with him, but I rejected him. And you..." She bit her lip again. "You're not asking me out. You're saying you... love me." She sounded disbelieving. "Give me some time to process that, please. Don't lose hope, I'm not upset or anything," she clarified quickly, "I just don't know how to react. But I'm not saying 'no', okay?"
Kakashi put his hand over hers and squeezed. "Alright." The glow came back to his eyes and he smiled again. "Take your time, Sakura. Take your time."
Sakura smiled back, a warm feeling filling her heart. "Thank you so much. Thanks for understanding." Sakura moved closer to him and embraced him gently, mindful of his recent injury. Kakashi hugged her back.
"It doesn't hurt. You did a good job. Thanks."
Sakura smiled and nodded as they pulled apart. This explains a lot. But... I feel... happy...
Sasuke stood on top of Minato's head on the Hokages' monument, surveying the village. It was getting close to evening time, children were leaving the academy, shops were closing and the air was filled with the scents of different foods cooking as families settled down for dinner. Sasuke's eyes narrowed with contempt as he looked down on the village full of people.
Pathetic.
To him, they were like so many insects that could be crushed at will. They were unsuspecting, unaware, and unprepared.
Sasuke smiled slightly.
But who could prepare for this?
With a great leap, he planted his feet on top of the Hokage's tower and two ANBU immediately jumped him, but he sliced through them easily, silently with Kusanagi. They hadn't lasted a second. And neither would anyone else.
Sasuke jumped down onto one of the window ledges in the Hokage's office. With a solemn face, he looked over his shoulder, meeting Naruto's eyes with his Rinnegan. Naruto jumped up from his seat with a cry of "Sasuke!". Confident that the blonde would not interfere, Sasuke looked out toward the village and extended his hand slowly, his smile widening into another evil, self-satisfied grin.
His eyes flashed in the sunset as he uttered the words that would destroy the village.
"Shinra Tensei!"
"Nooooooo!" Naruto ran to Sasuke, knocking him off of the ledge but it was too late, with the Hokage tower at the epicenter of the attack, a huge wave of energy blasted across the village, demolishing everything in its path and reducing it to rubble in seconds.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, throwing punches and kicks mercilessly into the Uchiha. Sasuke merely shielded himself with his Susano'o, smiling from within his defensive barrier.
Naruto paused and jumped back into the rubble, taking a moment to try and strategize. There were few people left alive in the village, he saw them moving here and there, but then he realized that all along the wall, Sasuke had positioned an army of soldiers.
"Teme!" He screamed, but it did no good. Sasuke's Susano'o flared, suddenly enormous and the soldiers jumped down from the wall that surrounded the village into the rubble, presumably to annihilate any survivors of the Shinra Tensei.
"Naruto. Do you know what this is?" Sasuke smiled. Naruto just stared at him, face grim. "This is the ultimate form of the Susano'o. This... this is your doom."
Naruto shook his head. "If I can't defend the village, then I'll avenge it. And... this is your doom."
A strong chakra began to fill the area, so full of hatred and anger that some of Sasuke's mercenary soldiers turned and fled from the battlefield, but Sasuke merely stood and waited. With a final cry, Naruto transformed and it was not the form of his childhood friend that Sasuke stood against, but the Nine-tailed Fox Demon himself. The Demon Fox growled at Sasuke and instantly began to create a bijuu bomb of massive proportions, but Sasuke laughed, his voice ringing out through what was left of the village.
"This is your ultimate form? This is what you plan to defeat me with? Something so puny and tiny?" Sasuke laughed now, the sound was terrifying and cold. "You are nothing. Just as Madara stood before the Fox Demon ninety years ago, I stand here now. And I will subdue you!"
As Naruto launched the bijuu bomb at Sasuke, Sasuke's Susano'o swung with his sword, batting it away like a moth, and creating a canyon in the wake of his sword's slash.
"You don't stand a chance!" Sasuke screamed at Naruto, who barely managed to dodge the blow. Sasuke followed the sword's motion with a swift arrow aimed straight for the Kyuubi, but Naruto dodged it easily. And so the battle raged on.
They knew something was wrong.
Something was very wrong.
And then, from a distance, they saw the massive form of Madara's ultimate Susano'o appear, right where the village should have been. The only possible thing that could have signified a worse situation appeared moments later, along with a wave of hateful chakra.
Naruto had gone Kyuubi.
Yet Kakashi and Sakura kept on running toward the village.
AN: Thank you for reading and I apologize profusely for this insane cliffhanger. Dx OMG WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? Lol. But really, there will be an update soon and you will find out how arc one ends! Please review and thank you for all of your reviews up to now! Hope you enjoyed the double update!
