Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto—but that doesn't stop me from dreaming about some fluff between Sasuke and Sakura. SQUEE!
Chapter 25—Goodbye, Sakura
Flashback
Her jade orbs watched pitifully as Uchiha Sasuke embraced Sakura protectively from afar. She always heard from Sakura that Uchiha Sasuke didn't return her feelings—that it was a one sided love… an unrequited love. Looking at him and seeing him sighing in relief made her realize that Sakura was greatly mistaken. She wasn't supposed to judge things, but maybe this man… Uchiha Sasuke… maybe he was just denying his feelings… that he just might feel more for the woman in his arms than as a mere teammate.
Suddenly, two figures appeared at the shore of the lake. One with a smug expression plastered on her face and one with a blank expression on his face. The strangers' attentions were soon focused towards Uchiha Sasuke and the unconscious Sakura in his arms.
Kimiko unconsciously walked closer to the four with Hatsuko trailing slowly behind her with an amused expression on her face. When Kimiko and Hatsuko were close enough to hear and understand what everyone was going to say, the woman who just arrived spoke.
"Ah, I see we're all here." Asuka stated amused.
Kimiko balled her hands into fists that weren't left unnoticed by Hatsuko.
"She failed, huh, judging by the looks of things." Asuka said to herself, audible enough to be heard by everyone around her. Asuka's attention immediately focused on Sasuke's figure, which was holding Sakura's unconscious frame. So he managed to break through her, and bring her back… interesting. She thought, smirking in amusement.
"Was it you?" Sasuke asked abruptly in a low voice.
Asuka merely gazed at him blankly before replying. "If you were able to get through to her, maybe we should have tortured her more."
Torture? Sasuke thought in disbelief.
Asuka smirked at the reaction she received from the Uchiha.
Sasuke's facial expression darkened. She's playing with me… somehow.
"If that method doesn't work, then we can't drag it all out, now, can we?" Asuka stated calmly. "We'll just go to the next phase. You see it don't you—how one single person easily beat all of you Konoha Shinobis. This was just the beginning. A test run to be exact." A sly smirk grazed her lips. Her smug expression only grew as she noticed Sasuke glaring at her intently. "Don't worry, there's no need for us to abduct her and turn her against you anymore. We've got other plans in store for you anyway if she had failed."
Other plans? Seiji thought suspiciously.
Asuka turned around to leave with Seiji following right behind until she stopped, not bothering to turn around. "Let's go Hatsuko… Kimiko."
Kimiko? You mean that woman was a part of this! Sasuke thought, as his anger started becoming uncontrollable and his onyx orbs altered into his Sharingan, burning with pure hatred.
Hatsuko followed with no questions asked; however, Kimiko was quite different. She… hesitated. She didn't move from her spot, nor made her way towards the three residents of Amaterasu.
"No…" Kimiko said with her voice breaking.
"No?" Asuka parroted. "You mean you're staying here—with these vile creatures?" She scoffed. "Suit yourself. But remember, this decision of yours will affect your entire future. Staying with them would mean that you're now a traitor in Amaterasu. There will be no turning back."
"I'm sure." Kimiko stated with confidence brimming in her.
"I see." Asuka said simply before disappearing without a trace. Seiji left without exchanging another word.
"I'll see you in the battlefield. Enjoy your precious life while you can." Hatsuko taunted concluding their conversation as she too disappeared from their sight.
A moment of silence engulfed Kimiko and Sasuke as they tried to adjust from what had just happened. After a couple of minutes, Kimiko said. "I'll help you… go back to Konoha, that is."
But Kimiko knew that right at that time, Uchiha Sasuke had been glaring at her intently, observing her every move.
End of FlashbackRelief washed over each of them as they first arrived at Konoha. It took a few days before all the team members involved in the mission regained their consciousness.
When Naruto had found out that Hyuuga Hinata had finally regained consciousness, he was extremely glad. He even used this emotion as an excuse to hide the pain and sorrow that he felt in the last battle.
Shikamaru hadn't changed much. It was like his 'troublesome' mission didn't happen at all. He acted like nothing ever happened. He was still the same, lazy Shinobi as ever. Then again, who knows what goes through his head.
Ino had also tried to act as normal as possible; however, she failed miserably. She seemed to be glum for the past few days. It was very difficult to talk to her, since she would always daze off.
Tenten had somewhat changed. She had been depressed since she got back to Konoha. She would only step out of her house if it were really necessary. She stayed home as much as possible, making people wonder with curiosity what had happened during the mission to retrieve her.
Sasuke had also been the same as ever. He pretended like nothing happened—not even the incidents that had happened when Sakura fainted. But still, nobody couldn't help but notice that he had been more distant than before.
All of the sudden changes in their actions proved that something must have happened, and everyone was sure that it wasn't a good thing either. Things were much easier for them that the public didn't know… yet… that Hyuuga Neji had been KIA or in other words 'Killed in Action'. It would cause a great riot if the public knew, knowing that Hyuuga Neji had been quite popular with the—female population.
They didn't need to know that…
… not yet.
The problem became worse when the team members that the Hokage picked to go on the mission of rescuing their fellow Shinobi were called into her office one day. Not only that, but Tsunade also invited the three women who were the residents of Amaterasu to join them. She needed to get things cleared out, and she wouldn't be able to if she didn't have her Shinobis and the residents of Amaterasu in the same room.
However, things didn't turn out as planned for it only ruined a couple of friendships for each of them.
As Naruto, Sasuke, Ino, Tenten and Lee came in the Hokage's office; confusion was plastered on their faces. They didn't know why they were here, or why she called for them in her office.
"Ah—baa-chan! Why did you call us all of the sudden!" Naruto asked, trying to act as cheerfully as possible.
"Can you shut up even for just a moment, Naruto?" Tsunade asked with her temple throbbing in irritation.
Naruto gaped to respond only to get cut off by the sudden knock on the door, earning everybody's attention.
"Come in," Tsunade said, allowing the person from the other side of the door to enter.
The wooden door creaked open to reveal the three strangers from Amaterasu. As Tsubasa, Yukino and Kimiko entered, the Konoha Shinobis puzzled expressions disappeared and immediately altered into cold, piercing glares.
"Why are they here?" Ino asked with her voice becoming louder than before.
"Hey, what are you talking about? Is it so bad for us to be here?" Tsubasa asked ignorantly.
"You can stop being so ignorant." Shikamaru started.
"It was your entire fault that all these things happened!" Ino yelled.
"What are you talking about?" Tsubasa asked unknowingly.
"Konoha was almost destroyed. Since you people came to our village, disaster struck one after another. It was all your fault!" Ino shot towards the three women furiously.
Tsubasa took a step backwards, taken aback by Ino's rage.
"Its not only the three of them… there's one more person who is to blame for all this." Tenten's unusual cold voice interrupted Ino from her ranting.
One more? I'm getting a bad feeling that I know who she's referring to. Sasuke thought warily.
"There's no one else to blame except these three. Their other companion died, right? So, they're the only ones left." Naruto reasoned.
Yukino's hand twitched as she heard Naruto mention her brother without any sense of respect. It irritated her quite frankly.
"Then… whom might you be referring to… Tenten?" Tsunade inquired carefully watching the said Kunoichi.
Tenten's mahogany orbs pierced through them with a cold gaze. Her mouth twitched as she slowly said, "…Sakura…"
She didn't know why or how she got back in Konoha. Suspicion rose through her when she realized that she was at the Hokage tower. Shouldn't she be in a hospital or something? Why was she here in a place like this? This wasn't the best place for a weak and injured person to be—not that she was injured or anything.
Getting rather impatient with the eerie silence around the room, Sakura decided to go out of the room. She turned the knob of the wooden door slightly, checking if the door might have been locked. Luckily for her it wasn't.
She opened the door slightly and poked her head out, trailing her emerald orbs through the horizontal corridor, checking if anyone might be outside. Finding and sensing no one outside the corridor at the moment, Sakura decided to leave the room.
She slowly shut the door closed and made her way to the Hokage's office. Fear and doubts flooded within her as she recalled all the things that she had done for the past days. She was afraid of what they might think about her, now that they witnessed a very horrible side of herself. She didn't want that. Her heart wouldn't be able to take the pressure… but that wasn't the issue right now. She needed to talk to her former sensei, the Godaime first.
She decided that it was time for her to reveal who she was. She wanted the Godaime to know. Now that all her friends might hate her, the last option left was to tell the Hokage everything. She couldn't keep it hidden any longer. She had been a part of this village for almost 20 years, and she couldn't help but love the place. If she wanted to save Konoha, she had to make a few sacrifices… even if it meant risking her relationship with the people she cared so much about by revealing her deepest and darkest secrets.
"Sakura is a Kunoichi in Konoha. She wouldn't betray us as simple as that. And how can your accusations be true?" Tsunade asked solemnly. As Hokage, it was her responsibility to make sure that the information that she was given was true.
"You're defending her just because she's your precious student." Tenten taunted coldly with dry humor.
"This has nothing to do with my own relationship with Sakura!" Tsunade retorted as she slammed her fists angrily on her desk.
Tenten gave a pained look as she slightly gritted her teeth. "You want proof. I'll give you proof."
Proof? Shikamaru thought.
What proof? Ino thought, puzzled about what she said.
What is she talking about? Naruto thought baffled about what she said.
She balled her hands into fists, unable to control her rising anger. She had tried to keep all of the negative feelings inside of her, but these feelings just wanted to burst out. Thus, she did. "She killed Neji—that's why!" Tenten screamed, with pure depression. "She killed him without even hesitating. She killed him without even having any doubts about it." Tenten continued with tears forming on her chestnut orbs as she sobbed the words out.
Tenten, Ino thought with great concern and sympathy.
"She didn't care at all. She struck him with her arrow with that blank expression on her face." Tenten continued ranting her overwhelming feelings inside, as she cried her heart out. Uncontrollable tears streamed down her face as she spoke each word into a sob. She didn't care if she looked bad or mean. The only thing that she wanted was to tell them—let them know what she felt.
Ten… Tenten-san, Lee thought miserably.
The room was silent with Tenten's sobs of sadness the only thing heard around the room. Maybe it was because they didn't want to say anything… or they just didn't know what to say.
The baffling thing was that Yukino, Tsubasa and Kimiko didn't take any offense for Tenten speaking badly about Sakura. After all, they also hated her once before.
The Godaime sighed, breaking the eerie silence. "Did you just say that… Sakura… killed Hyuuga Neji?" She needed to know if it was true. She didn't want to make a reckless decision without even confirming that what she heard was true.
Nobody in the room could speak. Even though some of them knew about the depressing incident already, it was still a shock for them to hear about the news again. The ones who didn't know about it just stared in space in utter disbelief.
"He's… dead?" Ino reluctantly asked. When their team got back from the mission, her teammates didn't tell her anything that had happened after she was knocked out during the mission. It was like they were refusing to tell her something that she should know. It seems that there was no exception for her other teammates who were also knocked out… or anyone—even the Hokage for the matter. There was something that Naruto, Sasuke and Tenten were keeping from them, and she just couldn't believe that this was it.
She nodded slowly with her sobs also dying down. As her sobs faded, she murmured something that she shouldn't have. "I… hate… her. I wish she was dead." She forced laughter as tears still kept streaming down her mahogany orbs. "That… liar."
The Godaime's chocolate orbs gazed at the ground sadly. She didn't want to do this, but she was left with no other choice. It has to be done. "It can't be helped. It seems that the Retired Counsel was right all along." A deep sigh escaped her lips, cutting herself off for a brief moment.
"From this day forth, Haruno Sakura is banished from Konoha. If she is found in the borders of Konoha again, she will be killed at that very spot."
Little did they know that there was someone outside the Hokage's office door that heard their entire conversation. The conversation that would have been best left unheard by that person.
Jade orbs stared at the concrete ground, a tint of sorrow and hopelessness evident in them. She was too shocked to move. It pained her heart when they said that. They hate her. They really hate her. Even though she knew that they had all the right to because of all the dreadful things she did to them… still, she couldn't dismiss the feelings of rejection and sorrow that she was feeling right now.
She thought that no matter what or who she was, they would still accept her with open arms. She had faith in them… that they wouldn't hate her. Then again… maybe, she was wrong. Did she not deserve friends—true friends that would always be there for her? She didn't want them to hate her… but there was nothing else she could do to change their minds now. Their minds were set, and that was it. What was left for her to do now was to leave this place.
After all, she was banished anyway. The least she could do was to make their job easier by leaving of her own accord.
Leaning her head on the wooden door and trying to hold back her upcoming tears, she drew in a deep breath.
"I… hate… her. I wish she was dead."
She heard that from many people in the past; however, it didn't hurt as much as it did now. Why did it hurt so much? Maybe, because she had become awfully close to them, and hearing the word "hate" coming out of their mouths was too much for her. The friendships that they managed to build up—easily shattered just like that. Maybe… by leaving… at least she might take even a bit of their pain away.
Pushing herself away from the door, she straightened herself. With her jade orbs gazing sadly on the ground, she shook her head and ran away. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her until she was able to get out of the Hokage tower.
She needed to get out of here. She had heard enough, and she didn't want to hear anything else. There was nothing left to do. They wouldn't listen to her explanation even if she tried anyway.
It's hopeless.
After hearing the Hokage's announcement, a low growl escaped Kimiko's lips, earning Yukino and Tsubasa's undivided attention. Ignoring the puzzled looks the two gave her, she made her way towards the door. Her sudden action earned her sets of questions from the Konoha Shinobis in the room, but she paid no attention to them. She opened the door and left the room without any word
"Obaa-chan?" Naruto asked, trying to get permission from the Hokage to go after Kimiko.
Tsunade averted her gaze from Naruto towards where Yukino and Tsubasa were standing with Tsubasa still having the same puzzled expression while Yukino had a blank expression. "Care to explain?"
"Don't worry, she'll be back. She just has some unfinished business that needs to be attended to." Yukino said coolly, still having the same blank expression.
She was snapped out of her reverie when a timid voice called out to her.
"Sakura-chan," the voice said.
She immediately came to a stop to turn around and glance at the person who called her name. All her thoughts were washed away when she realized who it was, "Hinata..."
The said Hyuuga ran towards her, closing their distance before speaking again. "Sakura-chan, what's the matter? You seem pretty down."
Sakura shook her head, trying to dismiss the subject. "Hinata, what are you doing here?"
"Thinking," she merely said as she averted her gaze from Sakura to the blue sky above. A sigh escaped her lips before she spoke again. "I've been asking Naruto-kun since he came back where Neji-niisan is, but all he did was smile at me and dismiss the subject. Then, yesterday, I tried again, and what I found out struck me. Naruto-kun told me that he was dead.
"Now, I don't even know how I'm going to tell Otou-san and the rest of the Hyuugas. They're still waiting for a report from the Hokage to what happened to Neji-niisan because they said that Neji-niisan's team wouldn't even say a word about anything considering their mission." Hinata said with her pearl like orbs downcast.
"Hinata…" Sakura said sadly. "… why are you telling me this?"
Hinata remained silent for a while before she decided to reply. "It felt right to tell you. Did I… offend you or anything?"
"Uh…" Sakura didn't know what to say. She didn't want to torment Hinata more than she already was, so she just reluctantly shook her head.
Hinata merely give a smile. "That's good to hear." She said softly.
Guilt struck Sakura as she saw Hinata's soft smile.
If she only knew…As soon as she thought of this, she lowered her head, hiding her jade orbs behind her bangs in the process. It was then that she decided that she was definitely leaving. There was nothing left for her to linger here any longer.
"Hinata…" Sakura said softly, her jade orbs still hiding behind her bangs. Hinata perked her head up, gazing at Sakura carefully as she brought her hand up to her pink tresses and took the crystallized flower that was tucked behind her ear. With her petite hand holding the crystallized Yuri flower, she handed it to Hyuuga's own petite pale hands.
Hinata merely blinked in confusion as she gazed at Sakura. "Why… are you giving me this?"
Sakura lifted her head up, so that her face would be once more visible. She gave Hinata a small smile. "Can you give that to a woman named Yukino? She's one of the people I traveled with when I disappeared."
Hinata continued to look at her, waiting for her to finish what she wanted to say.
"… Can you do at least that… for me?" Sakura hesitantly asked.
Hinata lowered her head to gaze at the crystallized Yuri, staring at it closely. Slowly, she nodded her head, complying with her request. "I will," she said softly. When she looked up again, she found out that she was once again alone. That Sakura had left without even saying a word.
I don't understand her… these days.
"Sakura!" A person exclaimed, stopping her from her tracks. She was just about to leave completely, now that she was at the forest outside the gates of Konoha. She knew whom that voice came from; therefore, she didn't bother to turn around. She just stopped, facing the trees of the forest.
"Sakura," the voice repeated, "wait". The voice was pleading.
Sakura only kept silent. She knew well enough who the voice was from and she knew that that person would never plead for anyone in her life. Kimiko was never like this. She was stronger than this.
"So… they told you didn't they? They told you about me… and my mission." Kimiko said reluctantly.
Sakura refused to talk. There was nothing to say… really.
"Now you know how Sumire and Sora died. It was my fault! You know why I did it—because you killed my sister! You killed my older sister and took her away from me! It was my revenge to take something precious away from you.
"Asuka-sama told me—no promised me—that if I follow her orders and become a spy, she would bring my sister back to me. She would be brought back to life and things could go back to the way they were before. Asuka-sama wanted me to become close to you and break your heart, but you know something…" Kimiko's voice was breaking and tears were starting to form on her jade orbs.
"The more I got to know you, the easier it was for my hatred to subside. I didn't know why, but the more I got to know you, the more easier it was for me to realize that I couldn't hate you. I just couldn't hate you, but I still wanted to get revenge for what you've done. So, when we left Mystic Valley, I told Seiji about Mystic Valley and about Konoha. It was too late when I realized that what I did was wrong." Kimiko said as tears kept flowing down her pale cheeks.
"I'm sorry…" Kimiko drew in a breath as she sobbed out another apology. "I'm… so… sorry." She was guilty. She never thought that she would become guilty after all the things that she'd done… but she was. She was guilty.
Kimiko stopped sobbing when she heard the woman before her speak for the first time after her confession.
"You know… when Asuka-sama promised you about bringing your sister back to life, you know who she was referring to? She was referring to Seiji and me. Ironic isn't it? The person you accused of killing your sister is supposed to be the one who has the power to bring her back to life." Sakura gave a fake laugh. She wanted to cry. This day had been its worst. She wanted to cry and release all the pain she felt, but she knew she couldn't. It wasn't time to cry. She didn't have time to cry.
Turning around and looking at Kimiko for the first time, Sakura glanced at her and gave her a pained smile. "Sayonara, Kimiko," she said as a tear formed in her eye and fell down her cheek. She couldn't help but shed at least a tear.
Kimiko could only stare guiltily at Sakura as she saw her jump towards the trees in the forest, leaving Kimiko by herself… to sort out all her feelings. What she didn't know was that the feelings of regret would consume her even more for what will happen... soon.
"Seiji," Asuka called out vacantly towards the man standing before her. "Are you ready for the next step of the plan?"
Seiji nodded.
Asuka smirked, "Good, then go and eliminate Sakura once and for all. If she can't be of any good use to us, then she'll never become of good use to anyone."
A/N: Sorry, I was delayed by a week. Well, I can't help it if at least 3 people in my family use the computer. We have to take turns, (sigh), oh well.
Kimiko was a spy! (Gasp) Yes, I knew that from the very beginning. I'm just messing with you people. Hey, don't hate her for that. At least she felt guilty in the end. Yay! That proves that she's human. Each of my OCs have a significant relationship with Sakura, but let's leave that for the explanation in her past… er—reminiscing of her past life. Yeah, that's it! Sakura's leaving—again! I don't know why I have a thing for Sakura leaving Konoha. Don't worry; this will be the last time 'cause the matter concerning Amaterasu will be resolved… soon.
I have a new fic called 'Engagement On Hold'. It's a SasuSaku fic, and a school fic. I hope you guys will have the time to check it out. I decided to cut out from Angst and wrote something that has Humor in it. I hope it's good enough for your tastes.
Well, enough with my ranting. Review please!