A/N: Wow, I sure felt the love for that last chapter. Ok, so some of you liked it, and others of you want me to burn a fiery death now. Well to console all of you, I burned my finger the other day on the stove. I take that as my punishment.
I hate to ruin everybody's fantasy, but our dear Sasuke-kun is dead. Jaaku killed him. Sorry.
Please don't stop reading the story though, I hope to redeem myself.
G.G: I'm glad you liked the story, thank you for the review.
Sagitarious Devil: Thanks for your review. Sorry about Sasuke.
Brittany: I promise to keep writing, but I make no promises about Sasuke. Thank you for the review though.
Fhhjyruj: I'll answer your review at the end of this chapter.
Mksanime: Thank you for the review. Here is a speedy update.
Hao'sAnjul: Sorry about Sasuke but I'm glad the twist was good. Thanks for reviewing.
shinobi-Sakura: I agree that I can't ever kill Sasuke. He could so kick my ass in a fight. But Don't worry, I will redeem myself, I promise. Also, I take no offense to the death threat. I'm aware that it comes with the job, lol. But my neighbors are beginning to complain about the angry mob outside. Anyways, thanks for the review.
AnimeManiac09: I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter even though I killed Sasuke. I felt bad about it but it was all for the story, you'll understand why in this chapter. Thank you for reviewing.
Krista: Hey, imaginary pet turtles are notoriously fast at typing. Also, I fear their attacks. I hope this chapter made the deadline, dear lord. Thanks for reviewing.
Txxme: I sorry. Sasuke died, but I know what you mean about the whole SasuSaku thing. I guess you'll have to keep reading then huh? Good. Thank you for your review.
Niebezpiczny Ksiezyc: I'm glad you liked the fic. Thank you for reviewing!
kyoharu-chan: I'm glad you like the fic. This chapter has a bit more action in it. Thanks for reviewing!
Joy-girl (2 lazy 2 sign in): I've never been called a fiend before, neat! Anyway, sorry bout leaving a cliffy, but I'm updating super fast so hopefully the wait wasn't too bad. Thanks for your review.
Crasiness: Sorry bout cliffy, I'm glad you liked it though. Thank you for the review.
kimono princess: I'm glad you like the story so much. Hope this update was fast enough. Thanks for reviewing.
Shinobi Darkbeak: Sorry about the evil ending but it had to be done. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you enjoy this next chapter.
Little Minamino: Sorry, I kind of rushed he end there. Sasuke's death didn't go exactly as I planned. Thank you for reviewing!
Only Secret: Sorry, I don't mean to be so evil. It just kind of happens. I hope the wait wasn't too long though. I felt bad about the cliffy so I decided to try and speed up the update. Thank you for reviewing.
Sakura-Girl 2005: To clear things up, Sasuke is dead. Sorry about that. It wasn't just to make an cliffy. But Don't hate me just yet. Read this chapter before you decide to kill me. Thank you for the review and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Wow, that was a lot of reviews. I think that's the most I've gotten so far. Also I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and helped me reach my goal of 100 reviews. Seriously, I would have given p on this story if it weren't for you guys.
Disclaimer: You would all kill me if I owned Naruto now, wouldn't you. Don't lie.
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Sakura held Sasuke's body in her arm as hysterical tears fell down her face in streams. The love of her life was dead and it was all her fault. She cradled the rapidly freezing body close trying not to allow the heat to escape him. "No, no, no," she chanted.
Around her, Kakashi and Naruto shared her pain. Kakashi clenched ad unclenched his fists, not sure weather to break down like his female student, or go ballistic and kill everything in sight. Though their last few days together had been awkward, Kakashi felt as if he lost part of himself. Sasuke had always been a tough student and fierce opponent, and Kakashi never expected him to go down like this.
Naruto was crying wildly pounding his fists into the earth. He pulled up blades of grass and howled in sheer pain. Uchiha Sasuke, his best friend and rival, could not have been killed. He Didn't care how much power Jaaku had now. He would pay for what he did to Sasuke.
Kaori shook and her teeth ground against each other. Fingers twitched at her katana's hilt. She may not have particularly like the brooding genius, but her first concern was Sakura and she would have had to been a fool not to notice the girl's attraction to him. It would be a wonder if she could tap into any of her power anymore. The loss of his boy would effect her desperately.
The whole group felt the loss of Uchiha Sasuke, but none more then Sakura herself. She blamed herself, and no one else. She was the one who lifted the seal and gave Jaaku all the power. Sasuke was dead now because of her. His blood stained her hands. The blood of the man she loved.
"It's a pity he had to die," Jaaku said breaking the silence. "He would have made a great demon for my army." Jaaku laughed at the thought. "No, he's to headstrong to take orders from me."
"Shut up you bastard," Naruto hissed. The familiar reddish orange chakara began to swirl around his body as the nine tail fox's power started to awaken. Kakashi pushed his head protector up to reveal his sharingan as he got into a fighting stance. Kaori held her katana up, ready to attack in a moments notice.
"I wont let you get away with what you've done. First you attack one of my students, then kill another. You will pay," Kakashi snarled. The blue lights of the chidori appeared in his hand as he focused all his chakara into it.
Sakura looked at all of her teammates as they prepared to avenge Sasuke's death.
'Sakura, help them'
The voice, it was Michiko's. Sakura knew she had to help her friends, but the will to do so had escaped her. Right now all she could do was watch.
Naruto attacked first, landing a firm blow to Jaaku's stomach. The demon looked more or less bored with the boy. Kakashi fallowed up with his chidori. This one effected Jaaku. He flew a few feet back before catching his balance. Before he could retaliate, Kaori slashed at his neck, effectively nicking in. Jaaku swung at the girl, but Kaori was able to dodge it by flipping backwards just in time.
Naruto preformed a few hand seals causing many more of him to appear. The kage bunshin no jutsu, one of Naruto's specialties. A group of Naruto clones attacked wail the real one and another clone stayed behind. The two formed the rasengan in Naruto's hand. By the time it was ready, all the clones had been taken out. Naruto ran full speed at the demon with murderous intent. He landed the blue orb right in Jaaku's face, sending him flying backwards again.
"Not bad," Jaaku sneered. He wiped a thin trickle of blood from his lower lip. "My turn."
Jaaku punched Naruto in the jaw causing the blond boy to stumble back. In his moment of weakness, Jaaku grabbed one of his flailing arms and spun around before removing his grip. The force sent Naruto flying straight into a tree.
Kaori attacked while Jaaku's back was turned, but Kakashi made it before her. He slammed a kunai between Jaaku's shoulder blades eliciting a scream of pain from the demon.
Sakura looked on in awe as the three worked together to fight for Sasuke. In that moment, Sakura realized she would be a part of this team. She would do something for them.
The stronger her resolve became, the more she noticed a white light that surrounded her and Sasuke. She wasn't afraid of her power anymore. She would control it, no one else.
The fighting ceased when all four noticed the state Sakura was in. the pale white light became so bright that none of then could make out her or Sasuke's shape. Not even Kakashi's sharingan could. The light burned Jaaku's skin. It was so pure, so benevolent, it was painful for him. While the others were distracted, he made his escape knowing there was nothing he could do now.
Jaaku smirked as he ran from the fight knowing exactly what was happening.
Naruto, Kakashi, and Kaori watched with anticipation as the bright light slowly faded. At first, the two leaf shinobi could hardly believe what was there in front of them. It looked like a shield of soft white feathers had encased Sakura and Sasuke. What was even more astonishing was what hid behind the feathers.
As the feathers parted, Naruto and Kakashi realized what Kaori had already figured out. They were wings. Sakura's wings. And behind the majestic downy wings was Sakura and Sasuke.
Sakura smiled softly.
Sasuke smirked.
"Takes more then a demon to stop the great Uchiha Sasuke I suppose," Sakura said warmly.
Naruto broke down once more, now to overwhelmed with joy to move. Kakashi stared in disbelief at his two students, one of which was dead two seconds ago. Kaori just smile.
There would be questions later, but now was not the time. As the feathers dispersed and the light faded, reality slowly seemed to come back. Jaaku had managed to get free, but at least Sasuke was ok.
"Sa-Sakura-Chan. How did you do that?" Naruto asked. He wiped away the tears but more came.
"I'm not sure exactly," she admitted. "But I think it had to do with the wings." Sakura grabbed one of the feathers from the air and looked at it lovingly.
"So Sasuke, what's it like to die?" Kaori asked teasingly. Sasuke smirked.
"It's…enlightening. I met some people while I was gone," he said. He glanced at Sakura quickly. They both smiled, though hers was confused.
"I think we should be finding a new camp site. We have a lot of things to discuss now that we know Jaaku is full demon. That was one thing he needed, and now that Sakura's wings have appeared he'll be tracking us even more." Kakashi pulled his head protector down to cover the sharingan. His mask hid the relief he felt for Sasuke, but Kaori noticed it in his voice.
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Sakura clung to Sasuke's arm despite his attempts to free himself from her. "Sakura, I'm not going anywhere," he promised. Sakura considered this loosening her grip slightly.
"Nuh uh," she decided gripping the Uchiha's arm more tightly. "Not worth the risk," she said smirking at him. Sasuke rolled his eyes but couldn't hid his own smirk.
"Sasuke bastard, you haven't told us anything about what its like to be dead yet!" Naruto cried angrily. Sakura shot him a deadly look.
"Leave Sasuke-Kun alone. Would you want to talk about dieing if it were you?" She asked bitterly. Naruto just pouted.
They had just finished making the camp and setting a fire and were now enjoying the peace they had. They all knew it wouldn't last however.
"It's really amazing," Kaori said. "I've watched them from a far since Sakura's birth and I thought I knew what they were like." Kaori turned her gaze to Kakashi. "But they are so much more then I pegged them for."
"I see them grow every day right up close and they still manage to surprise me." Kakashi chuckled. "But no matter how much they grow and change," he continued, nodding his head towards the bickering group, "something stay the same."
Sakura managed to hit Naruto upside the head while keeping her grip on Sasuke's arm. Truly she had mastered the art of multitasking.
"Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, I think we need to talk," Kaori said standing up. The trio looked up and nodded in unison.
"Were do we begin?" Naruto asked.
"How bout Sakura's new ability to bring people back from the dead?" Sasuke suggested.
"No! Sakura can never do that again," Kaori shouted in a rush. She received a few odd stares. "If you ever do that again you will be powerless against Jaaku. I have never heard of any other being with wings that brought someone back from the dead and I don't want Sakura making a practice o it. We have no idea how this effects her powers."
"I know what you mean," Sasuke said, his voice grave. He shot Kaori a "we-need-to-talk" look. Kaori narrowed her purple eyes. She had some idea of what he had to talk to her about.
Sakura raised an eyebrow at the duo but that went unnoticed. Something weird was going on and the secrecy was annoying her. So far it had only caused trouble and she would stop it.
"Kaori, did you notice how Jaaku looked?" Kakashi asked, reverting the group's attention. "It was as though he was more human."
"That his demonic powers working again," Kaori said. "When he was cursed with humanity, his body began to decompose. At a slower rate then normal humans, but still. Now that he's a full demon again is body returned to the state it was in before."
"That makes sense," Naruto said thoughtfully.
Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's pathetic attempt to sound like he knew what was going on. However he could understand the confusion. Only after he died to he fully understand what was going on.
Sasuke, during the short time he was dead, saw Jaaku's origins. The way he killed Sakura's grandfather. How his wife reacted to the news. The destruction Jaaku and his demon army destroyed Tengoku, and ho he waited for Sakura. He wanted her wings to appear.
Sakura looked up at Sasuke and smiled. She had been ready to die the moment she felt Sasuke's life completely drain from his body, but watching her teammates fight for him had inspired her. Without them, Sasuke might have stayed dead.
"Sakura, I think you should go to bed now," Sasuke suggested. Sakura wanted to protest but Sasuke insisted. Naruto was already fast asleep by the fire.
Once the pink haired konouchi had been securely settled into her tent, Sasuke went to Kaori.
"We need to talk, now," he said. Kaori nodded. "Sakura's grandmother tried to kill Michiko?" He blurted out.
Kaori was taken back by the Uchiha's bluntness. Kakashi also seemed shocked, though more about the news then Sasuke's way of mentioning it. "You saw that much?" Kaori asked, not bothering trying to hide it.
"Yes. Now I want to know why," Sasuke said. There was something in the tone of his voice that suggested he was angry.
"I think you should explain this," Kakashi said.
Kaori chewed the inside of her cheek before explaining. "Chihiro, Sakura's grandmother, took Shouta's death rather hard," she explained.
"So she tried to kill her own daughter?" Sasuke yelled in outrage.
"Shh," Kaori pleaded, shooting a glance at Sakura's tent. "That isn't what I said. After Shouta died, Chihiro wanted to die as well, but se didn't want to leave Michiko alone in the world. That was one reason." Kaori could tell that Sasuke nor Kakashi truly excepted that as a good excuse. "Besides that, she knew what they were going o do to Michiko. She knew they were going to use her to breed a winged child. Chihiro didn't want that kind of a life for her daughter."
"I see," Kakashi said leaning back into a tree. "She thought of it as a mercy killing. Shouta's death must have messed her up quit a bit."
Kaori nodded in agreement. "One night she slit her wrists and tried to drown Michiko in the bath. Before Michiko died, Chihiro suddenly stopped. Michiko watched as she slowly died. Some of the neighbors had arrived after hearing Chihiro's cries and found Michiko crying, soaked in bloody water."
Sasuke sat back. He was aware of all this, yet hearing what happened was different from seeing it. He was torn between pitting Sakura's grandmother and hating her.
"I think you should tell Sakura about her Father," Sasuke suggested.
Kaori agreed. The three separated to go to sleep, however Kaori stopped Sasuke. "I'm sorry," she said. "I had an opinion of you before we even met and I now know how wrong it was. I was just so angry with you for always hurting Sakura, but I think I understand now," she said.
Sasuke held her gaze for a moment before smirking. "Well, I understand you a bit better as well." Sasuke turned to walk away. "I know why you don't want to tell Sakura about the alternative. I agree with you judgment on that."
The two went to their respective tents, neither realizing that Sakura had been listening in on the whole conversation. She reminded herself not to run away again. The new about her mother was shocking, but somehow it made sense. The woman that cried in her dreams was Chihiro. It all made sense. The one thing that bothered her now was this "alternative". Tomorrow she would ask. She had a right to know.
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
A/N: Please, did any of you truly believe that I was going to really kill Sasuke. Yeah right, this is a SASUSAKU! can't have one of those if one of the characters dies halfway through the story. Besides, I love happy endings! But I hope you all understand why I had to kill Sasuke and bring him back. It was somewhat pivotal to the story and will prove so later on as well.
Which brings me to this.
Fhhjyruj: Are you a freaking psychic? Seriously, you had the whole idea I was shooting for pegged. Get out of my head! That crazy how you knew what I was going to do. Creepy. Thanks for the review!
Hope you all enjoyed this chapy!