Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters created and trademarked by Masashi Kishimoto in the Naruto universe. They belong to their respected owners. I am not making any money off of this story. I do, however, own the plot of this story and Ryoku Uchiha. Please do not use him or any of the written work as shown below without my written permission.All the lyrics at the beginning of each chapter are written and produced by OTEP. They are not my own

Warnings: Violence, coarse language, suggestive themes, dark themes, genderswitch, SasuFemNaru, major spoilers

Paragraphs in italics- flash backs, dreams, and thoughts
normal- present

Enjoy :)


I am an orphan
I am broken
I am not a mistake
My ancestry is a ghost story
I'm a prophecy
My love life is a crime scene
I'm an omen
My self-esteem is a string of unsolved murders
The radio is brainwashing me filling my head with these
Self conspiracies
I am an emotional nightmare
I can't hide the pain inside
Builder of my own mythology
Just tell me
You're listening

Ghost Flowers

Chapter 11: Drowning

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She often had this peculiar dream…

It was one of the main nightmares that stalked her relentlessly throughout the last couple of months…

Of course, all her nightmares revolved around Sasuke, Ryoku, and death.

Always death.

She had never once dreamed of anything happy and pleasant when those three entities were in the equation. Yet this dream left a certain bitter taste on her tongue.

She would be falling, falling just like she has been since she met the damn Uchiha.

She would free fall for what seemed like hours; soaring in the kingdom of the sky, until the deep blue ocean came into view. In what seemed like exactly below her there was always a whirl pool. It would always spin rapidly with its destructive force manically. It was as if the demonic water was going to swallow her whole at any moment. As she neared the deadly vortex, she would see him.

The raven who she longed for would be in the very eye of the cyclone, his animalistic sharringan twisting at her, taunting at her, daring at her to try anything; anything that would prove something to the Uchiha heir.

She would then dive in head first with determination, the water filling up so fast that before she knew it, she could no longer see the Uchiha. After a moment or two, she would finally be paralyzed; faced with those twisted evil eyes, ripping her apart shred by shred with just one look.

She would meet the glare on of course, until he would suddenly disappear from her vision; she lost him again.

Then she would always start to drown.

She would reach for the sky, screaming and pleading to be saved while the hands of the ocean would drag her down to the very depths of hell, strangling her body to death.

After that she would wake up…. But this time was different.

She wasn't waking up. The hands become harsher and harsher, throwing her around the watery chamber as if she were a mere marionette. She tried to scream as loud as she could, desperately fighting for not only oxygen, but freedom as well.

She still wasn't waking up – why was she still drowning?

Was she really dying?

Her body became limp. No air, no energy, and no hope of fighting off the sea; floating even deeper into the dark depths of the unknown. It really was the end.

Looking up one last time, she desperately reached out, hoping to touch the sky one last time. One last time, before it was all over…

Then suddenly, a pale hand grabbed hers firmly, pulling her through the demonic water and out to the surface.

She was breathing again. Oxygen, sky, and freedom…

She was going to live.


Bursting through the dirty sewage waters of her soul, the blonde kunoichi coughed harshly; the remaining water from her lungs exiting her mouth rapidly. She looked around, embraced with the familiarity of the dirty walls of her soul.

Too familiar for comfort.

She glared ahead, the demon in the cage glaring right back at her.

"What are you doing here!" she yelled, still on her knees in the filthy water.

"After I took your chakra your chamber became different."

The gigantic fox let out a deep growl that vibrated the entire place, bits and pieces of the sturdy structure crumbling.

"You're dying foolish human. And so, your heart and soul have reacted, filling with regrets and hate once again. Although I would usually heal you for my sake, this time I will not".

She sneered, walking right up to the cage.

"As if you could, Baka, I took your chakra."

The demon hummed, bringing his face closer to cage.

"Praised for being so smart yet still too much of an idiot to understand things beyond her control. You have only taken the light part of my chakra - yin. The dark still resides within me… within your soul… as your father was unable to seal it. You have yet to understand insanity and how yin and yang work together. Since you sealed the accessible part of my chakra for yourself, there is no way I can help you.

Unless, that is...

...You surrender your soul to me".

She glared, raising an eyebrow before smirking, "this again? I rather die by Sasuke's hands than give up my body to you. You should have learned this by now fox, I never give up."

Walking away, back to the entrance of where she would resonate with reality again, she called out,

"Death is not the end, Kyuubi. I do not fear the unknown."

The massive chakra beast narrowed his eyes, hissing in her direction.

"How foolish you have truly become. You will taste my wrath human. You have yet to realize, that you will become insanity. After all, you've already begun."


Opening her eyes slowly, the blonde looked up, cerulean meeting crimson. She was too exhausted to say anything other than cough.

"S-Sasuke?" she whispered in disbelief, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Idiot," he whispered hatefully, pulling her even closer. "You big fucking moron!" he spat, closing his eyes in hopes of containing the bubbling emotions inside of him.

His hands were trembling like crazy and his stomach lurched at the sight. He's seen blood before – lots of blood.

His own blood as well as the countless liters of other blood that he had spilled himself. Still, there was something specific about her blood, especially in the present amount, which made his stomach lurch unpleasantly.

The scene in Itachi's Tsukuyomi kept replaying in his mind; the sight of those dead grey eyes – no longer blue; no longer a blue so breath-taking that it made the heavens jealous. He felt liquid burning his eyes as it drizzled down his face. The raven knew it was blood, just from the pain that came with it.

Whether it was from exhaustion or from emotion he did not know… All he knew was that she was dying by his hand just like he had always wanted; but like all things in life, once you do something unforgivable you realize the severe mistake behind it.

First Itachi and now Naruto.

Why did these things always happen to him?

Feeling soft hands brush his face, his eyes shot open, staring down at her. That dumbass was still smiling, despite the kusangi lodged in her stomach. He pressed down around the sword, hoping to stop the bleeding as much as possible. It was difficult to keep her immobile while making sure that his sword did not move any more than it had.

He cursed allowed to himself, knowing that if he took out the sword she'd bleed to death even faster than she already was. Also, it could rip the delicate tissue of her organs even further; that is, if her squirming wasn't ripping them more already.

She coughed again, lurching forward before whispering,

"It's only a flesh wound, Sasuke, I'll be fine".

He glared at her even more, tempted to punch her if it hadn't been for her condition.

'"Only a flesh wound', you dobe!" he mocked, angry that she was still caressing his face with a softness that envied his mother's, at was unnerving.

"What are you smiling so brightly about! You're dying". She didn't stop, her hand trailing to up to his eyes.

"Can't you see, Sasuke?" she whispered full of joy. "I finally did it. I finally saved you; the hatred is starting to leave your eyes".

He shook his head, unable to accept what was happening. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. If Itachi had never showed up, then he wouldn't have to care. He would just continue on with his goal and destroy Konohagakure. He would then finally be calm and at peace for the first time in his life since the massacre.

Instead, that damn weasel brother of his had fooled him once again, forcing him to feel things he had not felt in years; forcing him to experience emotions that he had locked away long ago.

So now, now instead of leaving her for dead and continuing his rampage, he was kneeling; cradling the blonde woman in his arms, hoping – no wishing with all his heart for some kind of miracle.

Because now, now that the insanity was leaving him, he couldn't bear to have someone else leave him behind.

He refused to have another precious person leave him.

Standing slowly, he shocked her with his speed and precision. She had always admired how fast he was. He was able to run against the wind while keeping her as still as possible – making sure that nothing came in contact with her body to disrupt the sword lurched in her body.

If she were to die right at this very moment, she would die happy.


After all seven ninja swordsmen where caught and sealed, Kakashi looked at Sakura with familial pride. She had done exceptionally well; beyond what he had expected. It seemed that whatever Naruto had whispered to her earlier that day had truly done the job necessary to motivate the pink haired medic.

Looking around the rest of his battalion, he couldn't help but have the feeling that something was wrong; out of place. All his men where either guarding the sealed seven ninja swordsmen, or where resting, awaiting the next wave of attacks from the opposing side.

Looking farther into the barren land, he couldn't help but think of Naruto. He had felt an early disturbance in chakra and had no doubt that she had found Sasuke. The true question was, had she succeeded in her goal?

Suddenly, he heard Sakura screaming at the top of her lungs. Feeling the dark and choking chakra in the air, he whipped around, being faced with the image of none other than Uchiha Sasuke.

He was glaring down at all of them with a sinister air around him. He had the unnerving feeling that the Uchiha was treating them as trivial under his despairing gaze. What truly caught his attention was what he was carrying – a bloodied Naruto in his arms, his infamous kusangi sticking in her unceremoniously.

But that wasn't what disturbed him.

What caught his attention was the smile that danced across her barely conscious form and the tenderness that the Uchiha was holding her with.

Unbelievable.

Not only was she still alive but it was his ex-student who was keeping her alive.

Uzumaki Naruto was truly the most incredible person he had ever met.

Grabbing Sakura's arm, he saw the rage in her eyes. She was crying out of disbelief for what she saw. She was going to kill Sasuke and probably harm Naruto even farther – judging from her condition.

"Stop that now, Sakura, Sasuke is keeping Naruto alive do you understand me? You cannot lose your cool here".

She calmed down considerably, a nasty expression still etched into her face.

He immediately ran up to the Uchiha, surprised that although he did not speak a word, he gently placed the blonde into his arms. Looking into his eyes, the elder man couldn't help but hope that perhaps, although he had deemed it as impossible, the jinchuuriki had changed him. Instead, cursed eyes glared back in him – no emotion showing through what so ever.

Shaking his head, the teacher jumped back to Sakura, seeing the shock that now marred her face at the sight of the wound. She pulled out the sword, causing the semi-conscious blonde to hiss out of pain. Kakashi then laid the blonde down, allowing Sakura to begin her work.

The pinkette was silent throughout the entire ordeal, sadness and anger reflected in her jade-coloured eyes. Shaking his head, the silver-haired male couldn't help but hope that he was seeing things; or at least, imagining things.

Turning his attention back to the Uchiha, he noticed that the others had already arrested him, holding the raven against his will. Although, at closer examination, the Uchiha had made no move to resist the confinement. In fact, the brat was smirking right at him.

Frowning, and in no mood to be taunted, he brought his attention back to Sakura who was no longer healing Naruto. Instead she spoke slowly,

"I've stabilized her, but the wound is too great to heal here. Although Kyuubi's chakra has stopped the major bleeding, it's still not pretty. We need to get her back to Tsunade-sama as soon as possible".

Nodding, the man picked up the blonde carefully, looking over to Shikaku.

"Nara, until I come back you're in charge. Sakura, you're completely exhausted and almost out of chakra, you're coming with me to Konoha. The rest of you be on alert and guard those sealed bodies until I return with instructions from HQ."

Sprinting as fast to Konoha as he could, with the members of his squad who had arrested the Uchiha hot on his heels, Kakashi was surprised to hear the blonde moan, blinking open her eyes to look at him.

"Kakashi-sensei," she whispered, looking right at him. "I sent Karin and Ryoku to the hidden chambers inside Konoha's mountain. Please find them – I promised I would but-"

He shushed, her, increasing his pace.

"Don't worry, Naruto, everything will be fine".

Thinking back to the Uchiha he allowed himself to continue, "you preformed phenomenally.

I couldn't be more proud of you".

She smiled again, falling back into a deep and dreamless sleep.


Blinking out her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the white ceiling. The white ceiling and the intolerable beeping of the heart monitor to her right.

The next thing she noticed was the pain in her stomach that made her want to curl up and die.

Moaning in discomfort, she bent her legs, easing the pain. She was about to turn onto her side, when a voice called out,

"You shouldn't move too much. The wound could open again which would waste the hours I spent operating on you".

Looking over to her right, the kunoichi was greeted with the sight of Tsunade, a frown gracing her features. She scoffed in response wiggling her fingers in the air, a light stretch of sorts.

"It's no big deal, I did what I had to do". Tsunade's eyes narrowed further into a 'v' shape, walking over to the blonde, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I can tell. I am an expert after all, Naruto". The jinchuuriki then looked away, knowing exactly what Tsunade was referring too; she knew that it was not Sasuke who had stabbed her, but rather, Naruto who had impaled herself on his blade.

Expecting to be scolded, the blonde closed her eyes but was surprised to feel Tsunade's hand on her head, petting the limp locks of hair. Looking up at her, she saw the tearful smile on the elder's face.

"You did well, Naruto, you did well. You brought him back." The blue-eyed kunoichi smiled back, resting her head back in the pillows.

"I did, didn't I?"

Losing the smile, Tsunade's eyes then turned serious, looking out the window into the city.

"Onto more pressing matters, Sasuke has been taken into prison custody. Ibiki is going to deal with him." Naruto's smile then fell, shock on her face.

"Ibiki is going to torture him," she spoke in a whisper, Tsunade's eyes hardening.

"Despite saving you, Naruto, he's still a world-class criminal and I will treat him like a criminal. I cannot lie to you; the Kages want his head on a silver platter. At least, Raikage does."

The blonde looked down, squeezing her eyes shut. She expected this; she's expected this for a while… but to hear that it is finally happening – it was a totally different feeling.

"You cannot expect him to get off scot free without paying for the consequences of his actions." She nodded, looking out the window.

"I know… at least, I knew this would happen – but still…"

She clutched her heart.

At least, she thought, she was able to take away some of the hatred in his heart.

The elder blonde, looking down at the jinchuuriki as if her own daughter, smoothed back the locks of her frail hair, knowing how painful it must have been for her.

"Ryoku wants to see you; Karin as well". The blonde nodded before looking at Tsunade a small smile playing her lips. The smile disappeared completely at the sight of Tsunade's worried face.

"Baa-chan," she asked slowly, holding the others hand. "Is everything all right, did anything happen to them?" Tsunade looked down.

"Ryoku is a very smart boy, Naruto, I would say his intelligence is equal to that of an eight year old, five years above his current age group. He is not naïve and can put two and two together easily. It's something he probably inherited from the Uchiha side of the family."

The other began to frown, not liking where this was going.

"When Kakashi was escorting them to see me, he told them that you were in an accident, but that you were going to be okay. At the same time, Uchiha was being escorted to see me before being sent to the prison cells beneath the city. They – their party groups collided -"

"- and Ryoku saw Sasuke," Naruto concluded, eyes widened at the statement.

The Hokage nodded, looking towards the door.

"He put two and two together. Ryoku is well aware of how his father looks. To see Sasuke covered in blood from head to toe, knowing that you left early in the morning to fight, knowing that you were in an accident… Naruto…"

The blonde inhaled sharply, before speaking in a barely audible voice, "tell me what happened, Tsunade-baa-chan".

She inhaled deeply before looking right at the panicking mother.

"He had a panic attack and activated his Sharringan. The panic attack was so large that his heart started to fail, again. Luckily, with Kakashi's help, we were able to get him to deactivate the Sharringan and give him his medication. He was resting just as long as you were. Actually, he woke up about ten minutes before you did."

Naruto closed her eyes, clenching the sheets in her hands tightly. She was angry at herself, angry at the world, angry that it had happened. Her innocent little baby – now forever tainted by those cursed Uchiha eyes and then having a panic attack without her.

Ryoku had been born with a particularly weak heart. It had been the result of Sasuke's Chidori running an electrical current through her body at the Valley of the End. The fetus had been extremely harmed.

It was only because of Kyuubi's chakra that it had been healed, although not without consequence….

She had tried so hard to give her child as normal a life as she could, knowing that his heart could fail at any moment. Feeling salty tears prick her eyes, the majority of her anger was then directed at herself, for not being there when her little boy needed her the most.

How could she call herself his mother?

Seeing the blonde be overtaken by sobs, Tsunade rubbed her back soothingly, pulling the young woman close to her.

"It's okay, Naruto, it's not your fault. It was our fault for not securing the area better. Uchiha should have been escorted straight towards the dungeons rather than my office. It was a mistake on the battalion's part that neither Kakashi nor I could control without being there personally.

"I just want to see him," she cried, "I just want to see my baby".

Tsunade nodded, allowing the girl to compose herself before leaving the room.

Moments later, she re-entered with Ryoku and Karin. The cherry-eyed sensor lingered by the door, a monotonous expression gracing her features. The small boy, on the other hand, ran as fast as he could, jumping onto the bed to hold his mother.

The blonde returned the embrace with just as much vigor, littering the boys head with kisses as he buried himself deeper into the warmth of his mother.

"Kaa-chan," he whimpered, holding her even tighter. Understanding, the blue-eyed jinchuuriki brought him even closer, breathing in his familiar scent before whispering into his hair,

"It's okay Ryo, everything is going to be okay. I'm here now, sweetheart, I'm here".

Looking over at Karin, she noted that the sensor looked absolutely exhausted with worry. The blonde kunoichi then let go of her son momentarily, to gesture the red-head over. As soon as Karin was within arm range, Naruto hugged her with the one arm, murmuring, "thank you".

The other did not respond, but wrapped her arms around the blonde as well, the three of them holding each other tightly.

Thinking back to Sasuke in his cell, their son, all her friends and comrades dying out there just to protect her, as well as the red-head in her arms, Naruto vowed that she would never ever allow Madara to touch her precious people.

Even if it meant sacrificing her own life.

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