Me: food no jutsu!
Sakura: Mearad, what are you doing?
Me: silence no jutsu!
Naruto: hey, that seems like fun! Ramen no jutsu!
Me: WORK NO JUTSU!
Naruto: ...
Sakura: It didn't work...
Me: Well, maybe next time-
Everyone: AHHHHHHHHHHH *mountains of food (mostly being ramen) fell on top of them*
Me: Why didn't we hear this before?
Sakura: Are you stupid?! You cast a silencing jutsu!
Me: Whatever. I don't own Naruto or any of the Naruto characters. Otherwise I would've tried have Sasuke in a dress!
Sasuke: Oo
The next day, Naruto was still in bed from completing his training from walking up the tree. Sakura smiled at him as she saw his sleeping face. She walked downstairs, saying she had to do something before they left. Her fever had passed and now she felt fully refreshed.
Sakura quickly ground up the herbs and roots, adding a little chakra to quicken the effect of healing. Then, she carefully put the healing cream in a jar, sealed in her scroll along with her soldier pills. She put them in her backpack and Sasuke, Kakashi, Tazuna and herself made their way to the bridge.
As they arrived at the bridge, the builders who were working were unconscious. Inner Sakura summoned a group of shadow clones and took them to safety. The real Sakura stayed with Sasuke, surrounding Tazuna, as a thick fog covered the area.
Kakashi stood in the middle of the unfinished bridge, alert for any sound. The fog surrounded them, blocking Kakashi-sensei from view. It wasn't long before Zabuza made his appearance. He was as menacing as before.
"Heh" Zabuza said, as he faced off with Kakashi. "Your brat's still trembling"
Kakashi glanced at Sasuke, who only smirked as Zabuza's clones were beaten easily by him. Zabuza laughed.
"Your kid sure improved since the last time we fought. I guess Haku has an opponent" Zabuza said, as Haku appeared beside him, his face covered by his anbu mask.
Damn, I didn't know Zabuza could act so well. Inner blinked, surprised.
Haku and Sasuke moved further down the bridge, and soon Sakura saw the ice mirrors surround them. Sakura shot a look at Zabuza. He nodded slightly to her and then resumed the fight with Kakashi.
Good. Zabuza was going to keep to the plan.
Sakura felt Kimimaro move in front of her, but the fog made it hard to see. Using a wind jutsu Naruto had taught her in her timeline, she made the wind blow the fog away. Kimimaro stopped in front of her. Sakura called out inner and inner stood neat Tazuna, protecting him. Sakura and Kimimaro moved to the other side of the bridge. Sakura got into a fighting stance, as did Kimimaro. Sakura could see his emotions conflicting within him through his eyes.
Sakura sighed. Haku and Kimimaro didn't know the plan. She would have to keep him busy so she would have to make the first move.
She ran to him, swiping her leg to trip him. He jumped back but still wouldn't attack her. Sakura moved fast, appearing in front of him. She aimed a punch to his shoulder, with no chakra enhanced strength. She didn't want to kill him. He grabbed her hand and flipped her over so that she slammed into the ground. Sakura poofed out of existence. A replacement.
She appeared behind him, and their attacks began getting faster and faster, the fog surrounding them once more. They hit, dodged and kicked, each trying to not hurt but at the same time hurt the other with their blows.
Sakura could vaguely hear inner telling her how Naruto had just shown up and Kakashi had summoned his dogs. It wouldn't be long now. Sakura went into offensive mode, aiming for an opening. As she reached for his exposed arm, Kimimaro used a bone in his arm to block her attack. Sakura jumped back, landing on the bridge railing. It was really hard to hold back her attacks to that of a genin.
Inner began talking.
Sasuke's down like before. Naruto's kyuubi chakra is leaking. Kakashi is going to use the chidori soon!
It was weird, in a way. To listen to inner talking through her mind, yet Sakura could sense she was on the bridge, watching the whole thing too.
"Are we going to fight seriously?" Sakura asked Kimimaro. She could always knock him out.
Kimimaro shook his head. Kimimaro and Haku, without realising it, were so important to her.
Kimimaro flickered away into the trees. Both Sakura and Kimimaro couldn't hurt each other. Sakura headed back to inner as inner spoke.
Sakura! Inner said.
Sakura was immediately there in a flash, eyes narrowed.
Inner was still protecting Tazuna and Naruto had control of himself again. He was about to finish Haku. Kakashi had summoned his chidori and was so close to Zabuza. Haku flickered in front of Zabuza.
Sakura faintly sensed Kimimaro rushing to stop Haku and save him and Zabuza but he wouldn't make it. Haku closed his eyes but gasped when Zabuza grabbed Haku and switched them around so Zabuza's back faced the Chidori.
Kakashi was shocked and tried pulling his arm away. However, he got Zabuza's shoulder. Zabuza muttered groaning, and Haku looked at Zabuza with tears in his eyes. Sakura, as a trained medic, saw the chidori had ripped through the right side of his shoulder and destroyed his nerves in his arm. His other arm hung uselessly at his side, probably also damaged beyond repair.
"Zabuza-sama!" Haku said, holding him upright. Kakashi moved back a few steps and Naruto came running. He paused as he saw Zabuza bleeding and stumbling. As Zabuza was low on chakra, his mist jutsu disappeared, showing Gato and his henchmen. Zabuza chuckled and got up.
"I'm disappointed Zabuza." Gato said. "You can't even defeat these petty ninja."
The pirate henchmen behind Gato laughed, their weapons ready.
"The deal is off." Gato grinned. "It's a pity you aren't dead yet. Oh well. You'll die anyway"
Zabuza looked at Haku and shook him off. Haku was torn between helping him and doing what he was told. Zabuza turned to Naruto.
"Hey kid, give me a kunai." Zabuza said.
As Naruto threw the kunai, he caught it between his teeth and ran to Gato.
"What are you waiting for?" Gato shouted, clearly scared. "Kill him!"
Gato's men roared a battle cry and attacked Zabuza.
He ploughed through the men and even with weapons sticking out of his back and piercing him, he managed to get to Gato. He shoved the kunai in his chest and blood poured out Gato's mouth. Gato looked into Zabuza's eyes with fear and then he toppled over the edge of the unfinished bridge.
It was quiet for a moment before one of the pirates yelled.
"Well, now that we lost our means of money, it looks like we're going to have to ransack this village!"
Sakura stood with a heavy heart while inner protected Tazuna. Haku watched as Zabuza crashed to the landed in the clearing and his eyes widened momentarily when he saw Sakura had arrived back before him. Then he caught sight of Zabuza and Haku.
Kimimaro flashed next to Haku and his eyes were radiating anger. Haku and Kimimaro moved forward, ready to attack. Kakashi stood beside them, saying he would help.
Naruto cast dozens of shadow clones and they formed a straight line across the bridge. The pirates were getting nervous now but still didn't back down. Then, an arrow stops them from advancing. The villagers, with all their weapons, were coming to aid Team 7. At the front was Inari who grinned at Naruto.
"A hero is always late!" Inari said, grinning with his mother beside him.
With that, the pirates ran off the bridge and into their boat, cowardly fleeing. Others, who were unlucky, fell into the sea. But, all in all, they won the battle without having to do much. Kakashi picked up Zabuza and brought him to where Naruto, Haku, Sakura and Kimimaro were waiting.
Zabuza chuckled quietly, as blood poured from his mouth.
"Zabuza-sama!" Haku said, kneeling next to him. He gets out a bandage and tries wrapping his wounds, the blood pouring over his hands but Zabuza grabs his hand. Zabuza shakes his head, wincing slightly.
Kimimaro got on the other side of Zabuza, clearly tormented. "Zabuza-sama." Kimimaro said quietly, his voice quivering.
Naruto clenched his hands and turned his head away.
"Naruto, don't turn your head away. Here lies a man who protected his comrades. Be respectful" Kakashi said quietly.
Naruto looked as Zabuza addressed Kakashi.
"Kakashi of the Sharingon." Zabuza said. "Please...Let Haku and Kimimaro live in your village"
Kakashi was shocked. When did Zabuza become so caring? But as he saw the man dying before him with hope, he nodded. Haku and Kimimaro weren't from any villages and so, weren't missing nin. It would be easy to let them become Konoha citizens.
"Aye" Kakashi relented. Haku and Kimimaro looked shocked.
"You both have to find your own meaning in life" Zabuza told them. "Being with me, serving as my tool, that is not your own meaning."
"We have no other purpose other than serving you, Zabuza-sama!" Haku said, his eyes desperate.
"What are you saying?" Naruto asks angrily, turning to Haku. "Being a tool isn't your purpose! Mask guy sees you as somebody precious. He wants you to meet other people! Make people recognise your existence! I'm trying and I don't give up!"
Zabuza chuckles, as more blood drains from him.
"Haku, Kimimaro. You already have the blond kid, Kakashi and pinkie as your new precious people. Promise me you will both find your own meaning in the world. Protect those precious to you and become Konoha ninja. Make a real life for yourself." Zabuza said, coughing.
Haku and Kimimaro nodded, as Naruto placed a hand on their shoulders.
"I'll protect them, as my precious friends. Don't worry mask guy." Naruto said seriously.
Zabuza chuckled. Naruto really was a funny kid. He stole one last look at Sakura and then closed his eyes as death took him.
Haku got up and picked up Zabuza. Sakura watched as he and Kimimaro, followed by Kakashi walked towards the small hill they were going to bury Zabuza. Naruto grabbed Sakura's hand and asked for her to heal Sasuke who wasn't moving. Inner returned to Sakura's mindscape.
Haku paused and said Sasuke was still alive. Sakura nodded and sent Haku a warm smile, which he returned. Sakura made her way to Sasuke and healed him. She grabbed Naruto's arm and dragged him to the ground. After she healed them both and Sasuke woke up, they went to the hill where Zabuza was being buried. The villagers had returned to their homes earlier so it was silent for a little bit.
Sakura could vaguely hear Kakashi shuffling.
He obviously is trying to find words to comfort us when we saw our first 'kill'.
It's a little bit late for that, don't you think? Inner said.
"It's a ninja's life to see friends and foes alike die. I know it's hard for some, but that is life." Kakashi said, and then he started walking to Tazuna's home.
…Pathetic…
After they returned to Tazuna's home, Kakashi sent some messages to Konoha to tell the Hokage about Haku and Kimimaro. Haku and Kimimaro were given futons and slept in the same room as Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura was thankful it was a big room. She had a smaller room all to herself.
Sakura was also happy because she needed time to herself. She hadn't managed to save Zabuza because he didn't want to be saved. As he looked at her before he died, it brought up memories best left alone. Sakura crawled in her futon, sighing sadly.
She missed her parents. She missed her friends. She missed her memories that would never happen. All her friends she had lost, that she had been unable to save. She would never have the same bond with them in this timeline either. Everything she ever loved was gone. And she felt like all their new fates rested on her shoulder.
As the month flew by, Tazuna built the bridge with his quickly growing crew. Haku and Kimimaro told Sakura that a few years ago Zabuza found them a while after their house was burned. Some villagers learnt they had some bloodlines and tried to kill them. Zabuza found them a few weeks later.
Sakura continued practising summoning inner out of her mindscape. It got relatively easy and Sakura didn't even have to use hand signs or chakra anymore to summon inner out.
As Tazuna finished the bridge, he named it after Naruto. The Great Naruto Bridge went from their small island to the mainlands. After a quick goodbye with Inari and Naruto crying, team 7, Haku and Kimimaro headed to Konoha.
As they travelled back, Sakura was grateful that Naruto kept everyone entertained. She needed some thinking space. The main part of her mission was coming up soon and she had to be ready.
As they were huddled around the camp fire for the first night travelling back to Konoha, Inner asked Sakura to come to their mindscape.
Sakura focused and found herself in the forest.
Sakura's Mindscape…
She completed the steps to open the area to her Cherry Tree. Inner Sakura came out the small cabin and waved her over to the tree. As Sakura passed the memorial stone, Zabuza Momoichi was imprinted on it.
Sakura blinked and shook her head sadly. Another who had died in this timeline. She made it to the Cherry Tree and saw what inner was pointing at. In the pond behind the Cherry Tree, was a pink cherry blossom. It was glowing and as Sakura touched it, something appeared in front of her.
Outside World...
Naruto was discussing if Haku and Kimimaro could become ninja. Sasuke was also thinking it, though he decided to keep quiet. He didn't want the dobe annoying him.
Kakashi went over the rule book of new residents to Konoha, and in the end Naruto fell asleep. When Sasuke kicked him in the head to wake him up, they started arguing about who was the weakest person.
Kakashi looked at Sakura who was sleeping and sighed. The calm one of the group is asleep? Great, now I'm going to have to deal with these two bickering all night. Kakashi thought to himself.
Haku and Kimimaro shared glances. Are the boys on Sakura's team always so competitive?
Meanwhile, back in Sakura's sub consciousness…
Sakura gasped as inner shouted "surprise!"
A long, thin sword, pink with the hilt decorated with cherry blossom designs, shone brightly at her touch. The cherry blossom morphed into a sword.
"I made this sword purely out of my own chakra!" Inner said proudly. "I just want you to know I will support you fully in the upcoming part of our mission. This has amazing amounts of power!"
Sakura took the sword and swung it. It flowed with her, as if it was an extension of her own body.
"Even if we are alone and we won't have the same bonds, we are still saving those we love. We can still create new bonds with everybody." Inner said.
Sakura smiled as tears came down her eyes. It had been so hard to hold it in so nobody would suspect anything but now she just let it all out, content that she wouldn't be heard in her mindscape. Inner showed her how to summon the sword to the outside world. It was quite funny.
Because the sword resided in her most heart filled area of her mindscape and near the Cherry Tree, Sakura had to call the sword's name. The hilt of the sword would appear from the left side of her chest in the real world, so it looked like she was pulling a sword from her heart. She had to grab the hilt and pull it out from her body so the rest of the sword would come out. The sword was purely chakra until she brought it out of her body. As she pulled the sword out, the chakra instantly changed to the solid form of the sword.
When Sakura wanted to return the sword to her mindscape, she pressed the sword through her heart, the sword merging with her. It would turn to chakra as soon as it touched her skin, and return to her mindscape, reforming itself into a cherry blossom.
Sakura practised in her mindscape for a while, feeling more cheerful then she had in a while. Sakura smiled at inner and then she returned to the outside world, going to sleep. The next day, Sakura started to go over scenarios for when they got back to Konoha.
She was going to tell Sarutobi her secret.
As they entered Konoha, Sakura looked up at the Hokage tower. As she had healed team 7's wounds, they didn't need to go to the hospital and so they headed for the tower, jumping from roof to roof because Naruto was impatient to see the "old man".
They entered the office, seeing old man Sarutobi puffing his pipe at his desk. His face brightened when he saw Team 7 and Naruto.
"Hello jiji!" Naruto grinned, as he babbled about how cool his mission was.
"Kakashi?" Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. This is Haku and Kimimaro." Kakashi said, as he parted to show them both. Sakura smirked at Kimimaro's emotionless face and Haku's nervous one. Sarutobi sighed and then nodded.
"I'll make you citizens soon. You will both be put into a genin team. I've got to think about who to put onto your team because of how strong you are. We can't put a fresh genin because you will have to wait another six months. Also, the teams will be imbalanced in experience..." Sarutobi kept muttering to himself and Naruto growled.
"Just get on with it, jiji!" Naruto shouted, much to the shock of Haku and Kimimaro.
It would be funny if that's how Haku and Kimi address the Hokage in the future. I can just see it. Everyone calling the Hokage, jiji!
In the end, Sarutobi told them he'd get back to them and gave them an apartment next to Naruto's. Their one was bigger but they would be living together. Haku and Kimimaro bowed and thanked Sarutobi.
After that, Kakashi left the Hokage's office to read his book. Naruto said he'd show Haku and Kimimaro where they would be living. Sasuke went to visit his parents' grave and tell them he returned. Sakura fidgeted nervously as she stayed in the Hokage's office. This was it. There was no more delaying it.
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Sarutobi asked, as he smoked the small pipe in his mouth.
Sakura took a deep breath.
"I'm from the future"
Me: That was an intense chapter!
Sakura: Yeah, but at least we saved Kimimaro and Haku.
Ino: How come forehead brings back two hotties and I've still got nobody like that?
Sakura: They aren't with me like that, Ino-pig!
Me: *picks up a book and reads*
Naruto: *sees Mearad frozen to the spot* What's wrong?
Me: Ahh! My beautiful eyes! Noooooooo! I'll hate you forever Kakashi!
Kakashi: *Comes in and sees the book Mearad had picked up. Picks it up and giggles*
Sakura: D-Don't tell me...
Me: *sobbing hysterically*
Naruto: Don't cry, Mearad.
*Everyone glares at Kakashi who runs away*
Sasuke: We'll get him back...somehow..."