Mearad: Okay, so if people are confused why this story is continuing when I said it will be ending, it's because it is ending.
Sakura: T_T That...didn't make any sense at all...
Mearad: I'm thinking of creating a new story for part II of 'A Second Chance (For Boys) Shut Up Kura!'. But at the same time I'm not sure whether I just want to continue the chapters on this story rather than a new one. Please review your thoughts (or I'm just going to put my hand in a box and pick out one choice).
Sasuke: T_T. Mearad, he's at it again.
Mearad: Damn it! I though Jiraiya was guarding the place.
Sasuke: Yeah, but he used a perverted jutsu on him.
Sakura: Oo That snake knows perverted jutsu?
Mearad: *sweat drops* Please don't tell me that's him...
*Everyone turns to look through the window. Orochimaru is grinning manically at Sasuke while wearing a top that says 'I love Sasuke!'*
Sakura: Yep, I'm scarred for life. Mearad doesn't own Naruto or any of the Naruto characters!
Sakura looked at her unconscious teammates and at Gaara. Casting a few clones, she picked them up and took them towards the middle of the exam stadium.
Sarutobi, I hope you're not too beaten up…There's a big problem and I need your help as fast as possible…
As Sakura moved from one tree to the next, she noticed the battles were beginning to die down already.
Looks like the clones helped out a lot…
As Sakura moved over the fallen corpse of the snake she killed, her face filled with worry.
Will we be able to pull it off though…? We have to keep all the bijuu protected so Akatsuki can't get any of them. But it's a really big thing and the other hidden villages may protest against it…Not to mention, Akatsuki may get wind of it…
She jumped over the houses, looking back at the unconscious forms of Naruto and Sasuke.
We have to do it…This is my mission. To protect Konoha…my family...Naruto and Sasuke…Kimimaro, Haku…Kakashi, Ino…Everyone…
As she landed in the middle of the arena, she saw people running around healing whoever needed healing. She saw all her friends, some more wounded then others, and felt a sigh of relief. They were safe.
But she froze as she caught sight of her old timeline mentor. This was the first she'd seen of her since…
Tsunade was bending over a genin, by the looks of it. Her face was concentrating with determination.
She looks much younger…
Sakura turned away from her, intent on finding Sarutobi.
"Sakura."
Sakura turned and looked at Kakashi, smiling tiredly. "Everyone's okay. Naruto and Sasuke are just exhausted."
Kakashi nodded, quickly taking Naruto and Sasuke off her clones and putting them on the ground. "They can sleep here then."
Sakura smiled slightly at his crinkled eye smile, feeling a wave of nostalgia. She turned to where the rest of her friends were, and Ino saw her first.
"Sakura!" Ino beamed and hugged Sakura tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay! We got your message and started helping the wounded-though Choji's knocked out from an attack."
"Is he okay?" Sakura asked worriedly, looking for him.
Ino nodded. "Yeah, he's just getting healed now. It's nothing life threatening."
"So troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered as he looked at Sakura. "It seems you're fine."
Sakura nodded, despite the worry still nagging at her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sakura smiled. "It seems you're fine.
"Sakura-chan!" Haku smiled, coming up to them with a bandaged arm and a limp. He had a bandage over his head, but still seemed unfazed by his injuries. "You're okay!"
Kimimaro followed, his eyes tired.
Both of them were getting weird looks from everyone. This was strange, considering they didn't have blue skin or were half a plant or something. That was what usually got people staring. Why was everyone staring?
"Did I miss something?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow.
Haku's smile faltered a little. "Everyone knows we have bloodline limits now…"
"Oh." Sakura said, before smiling confidently at him. "Don't worry about it. They'll get used to it."
Hinata, Kiba and Shino slowly came up to them. Hinata looked pale and scared and Kiba looked worried at Akamaru who had a injured paw. Shino still looked the same, but he gave off a slightly negative aura.
Sakura bent down to heal Akamaru, who barked in thanks. Accepting the nod from Kiba, they stadium suddenly became deathly quiet.
"What happened?" Ino asked.
Hinata slowly pointed to the slowly gathering mass of people around a body and Sakura froze. Jiraiya was standing over the body, his face pained.
Sarutobi lay pale and unmoving on the ground.
Sakura's head was bowed almost instantly, and she felt her heart crush.
How many…? HOW MANY MORE ARE GOING TO DIE UNDER MY WATCH?!
Sakura felt the burning in her eyes as she stared at the ground, clenching her fists tightly.
…ura…Sa…kura…
Sakura's head snapped up, her face revealing tears falling down. Her heart was beating irratically.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Inner? Where are you?
Sakura slowly stood up and her friends looked at her as she walked in the direction Tsunade was.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her face was blank and unreadable, and though Kakashi turned to stare at her, Sakura had eyes for nobody except the genin Tsunade had been healing earlier and continued to heal. Tsunade's face was grim as she stood over the body and Sakura walked passed her, looking at the pale and dying face.
Kura smiled weakly at her.
No…NO!
Sakura quickly went into their mindscape, seeing Kura standing near her. Sakura walked towards Kura, her eyes filled with horror.
Flashback
Hey outer, what should we do after this is all over?
Never really thought that far. You know: act now, cry later?
Yeah, but we're acting now and we will be rejoicing later! By the way, do you mind if I have my own time to come out and explore? I mean, sometimes it gets really boring in your head-no offence.
Heh. None taken Inner. But of course you can. We'll always be together, no matter if you're in your outside body or not.
Yeah! Of course we'll be together!
End Flashback
"It looks like I majorly screwed up Outer…" Kura said slowly as Sakura walked towards her, before Kura fell to the ground, unable to hold herself up.
Sakura caught her, trying to say something but she couldn't find her voice. Sakura was trembling as she brushed a hand across Kura's face.
This isn't happening! I did not-I did not come all this way for you to…No…NO!
Kura's breathing was laboured. "I'm sorry. I didn't think Kabuto would get…Get the best of me…"
"No." Sakura said in denial, a numbness spreading throughout her body.
This was Inner she was holding in her arms. Inner! The one who's been with Sakura her entire life! The one Sakura depended on the most!
Her brain was a haze, as if she was trying to suppress the pain. Sakura desperately looked left and right, but they were in her mindscape, where nobody gave her the answers she needed.
"I'll heal you." Sakura decided, summoning the green glow but Kura's body was rejecting her chakra-a sign of death. "I'll heal you."
I am not losing you. I can't ever lose you. You're the other part of me. You're the one who understands me and has been there for me. I…
"Outer…I managed to…take a limb off…" Inner chucked painfully, tears at the corner of her eyes. "Why…are you looking…so sad?"
I…I was meant to protect you…I WAS MEANT TO PROTECT YOU!
A pain was erupting in her chest-the pain of lose, of despair-guilt. Why was Sakura so weak? Why did she-Oh God-she sent Inner off on her own to fight Kabuto. She is the one who sent Inner off to die.
Inner, the bright and often humorous part of Sakura…who had been there to teach her to pick herself up…the one who had given her confidence to train harder under Tsunade-shisou so they could bring Sasuke back…the one who alerted her to ninja in the area while Sakura could sleep…the one who was her support mentally after they time travelled, and the one who understood her the most and would always understand her…
I've failed. I've failed to protect my precious people.
This wasn't happening. Her legs turned to jelly and Sakura sat on the ground, with Inner cradled in her lap. Her face was blank, but cracks were appearing. Sakura's mask was falling off.
"You won't do this." Sakura whispered in disbelief, her eyes never leaving Inner's, afraid that if she looked away, Inner's eyes would close. "…Why aren't you accepting my chakra?"
Inner smiled knowingly at her. "You…You know why Outer…"
A wail tore through Sakura's mindscape, and the scenery was starting to change. The Sakura tree was shedding it's leaves, becoming as barren as lifeless as Sakura's soul was starting to feel. The river was now muddy and black, with no signs of life because it was dying.
Because…I…am dying…
"You AREN'T going to die!" Sakura shouted hysterically, as she saw wet droplets fall on Inner's pale face-her tears. "You can't die! You can't leave me! Not after everything we've been through together!"
Inner smiled, as her own tears finally came down. Was this what it felt like when somebody ripped a heart out of your chest?
"Outer, you know….it's funny…" Inner mumbled, as she brought a trembling hand to Sakura's face, the blood-her blood-dripping on both of them. "I…always thought…I would disappear when….you didn't need me…I accepted that…But now…"
Flashback
Hey Saku, can we ever find out how I came to be? Like I know I'm you and I help you but…I want to know how I came to be.
Well, if you want to-sure, why not? But it'll be after our mission of course.
Yeah…
Inner?
Sorry. It's just, I've always wondered how I came to be. I mean, it doesn't happen every day somebody comes across two personalities, right?
You really are worried, aren't you? Don't worry. After our mission, we'll do it. It's a promise.
Of course it is!
End Flashback
Sakura let out an anguished sob at Inner's pained face. "Don't close your eyes Inner! Don't you dare! You're my precious Inner! Remember! The reason you were born! You're my inner self! My stronger self! We're one!"
Inner smiled. "I often…wondered…how I was born…But I'm…so thankful…for being here…"
Sakura shook her head. She refused to believe what was happening.
"Do you think…that when I die…I'll finally be together….with you? I…won't disappear…?" Inner said, as her heart rate got slower and slower.
"NO!" Sakura said, feeling her heart break. "It's my job to protect my loved ones! I won't let you die Inner!"
"I…I always wanted…to search for the answer…the answer to my…existence…" Inner coughed up blood, her eyes dimming with suppressed pain. "But…I don't think…I don't think I'll ever get..get that chance…"
"YOU WON'T DIE!" Sakura cried out, trying harder to heal Inner and shaking her head, her mouth gasping in horror as tears poured out her eyes. "YOU WON'T DIE! YOU WON'T! YOU WON'T! YOU WON'T!"
Inner smiled sadly, her eyes freezing Sakura in place. "We've…lost loved ones before…This time…should be…no different…"
"But you are me! I can't be 'Sakura' if you're not with me! We've been together our whole lives!" Sakura sobbed, agony piercing her like a knife. "I won't leave you to die! I'd rather die with you!"
Inner's hand trembled again as she tried touching Sakura's face, however she was getting weaker and her hand fell onto Sakura's lap. "Outer…You can live…without me…I was originally…apart of you…so that is why…now that you are…strong enough…you can go on…without…me…"
"I won't do that!" Sakura cried out, as more tears fell. "I'd rather die! Let someone else continue with what we started! I would rather die with you, then live without you!"
Kura shook her head, eyes emploring. "Just…one more favour…Kick Kabuto…Kabuto's ass…for me? And…Sakura…protect them…All our…loved ones. …Do it…for…me…"
Sakura's hands were suddenly holding thin air, Kura's body disappearing.
Her eyes continued staring at the empty space where she had been holding Kura. There was no trace of her blood. The Sakura tree was dead, the water dried up. There was no Kura. Her existence was gone. There was silence.
Then there was screaming.
As Sakura realised it was herself that was wailing in despair, she felt her chakra spike.
No…NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Suddenly, Sakura's eyes snapped open in the real world and she saw Kakashi staring at her. She was still standing in the same position in front of Kura's body, but Kura's eyes were glazed over and lifeless.
"Sakura?" Kakashi asked worriedly, putting a hand on her shoulder. This was not like his student at all.
But Sakura shrugged his hand off her shoulder. Sakura could feel the rage bubbling within her as she stared and stared at Kura's lifeless body. Sakura's face was contorting in rage as her thoughts swam around in her head.
Looks like you really did have a real body after all…Inner…You had…a real…
Her chakra started swirling around her and she could no longer hear Kakashi or anything else. Everything faded to the background. The blood rushed in her ears as she spread her senses out for the one man she would kill. The one man she would hunt down to the ends of the earth and end his existence. The one man who had taken so much from her-so much of her.
Found you Kabuto.
Sakura's eyes swirled with a promise of violent and bloody revenge and she sped through the stadium, her eyes locked on the signature of Kabuto three miles away. She didn't know whether anyone else followed her. All she knew was that she'd massacre Kabuto when she saw him.
Tear each of his limbs off one by one…Rip out his eyes….Watch him beg to die…
The trees were being blown away from the chakra swirling around her, so she had a clear path towards the man she would destroy. When she finally caught up to him, he looked surprised. But that was before he was coughing up blood from the chakra infused punch she sent his way.
She'd just ruptured his internal organs and he was probably feeling excruciating pain right now. Still, Sakura continued, hurling a few genjutsu at him and watching his already pain filled eyes become filled with overbearing agony.
"I'll make you pay…!I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!"
Later…
"Sakura."
Sakura looked up from her bloodied hands to stare at the man.
"Kakashi…-sensei…?"
Kakashi kept his face blank as he held out a hand. Sakura's trembling and bloody hand took it and Sakura's eyes couldn't help but travel to the body that was no longer recognisable.
She felt sick.
"I…I did that…?" Sakura put a hand over her mouth as her stomach threatened to spew out it's contents.
Kakashi just stood near her, comforting her just by being there.
"I…I was so angry…" Sakura muttered, not feeling the satisfaction of seeing him dead like she thought she would. "I wanted to kill him so bad…But I didn't want to kill him this way…This is evil…I'm evil… I'm horrible…"
Kura…Don't go…Come back…I…I can't do this on my own…I..I want to die too…
"Sakura. Naruto and Sasuke are waiting to wake up to see you there." Kakashi said suddenly and Sakura looked up at him.
Kakashi looked off into the distance, and for once he didn't have his orange book.
That's right…Naruto wouldn't give up…Kura wanted me to continue the mission…I'll be there for Naruto and Sasuke…I will….
Sakura swallowed, getting up and keeping her eyes trained on the ground, away from the gory mess of what was left of Kabuto. She stopped herself from thinking about Kura. Kakashi cast a fire jutsu, burning all the trees and evidence of Kabuto.
I don't have anyone else who knows my secret.
Sakura felt the fear run over her as the thought struck her.
Without me, nobody would know of Uchiha Madara's evil plans. I can't give up now. Or everybody's deaths will have been for nothing…
Kakashi and Sakura made their way back to Konoha, words unspoken but spoken between the two of them that what happened to Kabuto will never be mentioned to anybody else.
Mearad: Okay, I have been debating this for a long while but I decided to go with it.
Sakura: *teary eyed* I don't understand. Why?
Mearad: I'd like to say first off, I don't like my story being the 'she returns to the past and fixes everything' type of story. I try and make my story as realistic as I could possibly go. Hence, why everything is not all good. Sakura is not a 'God like person' just because she knows the past. She is still strong but people like Kakashi or somebody could still beat her if she wasn't careful. I have tried to make my story realistic through the whole thing (mostly-^_^).
Sasuke: For example?
Mearad: For instance, Haku and Kimimaro were not friends and in my story 'by chance' or just because I wanted them to be (that was part of it but not all). Somewhere in the anime, they did meet before the were recruited by different people so it is plausible they could have ended up together.
Naruto: Please review on this chapter! It will make Mearad very happy! You have NO idea how happy it makes her.
Mearad: *blushes embarrassed* Really...Thank you everyone who was stuck with me through this story. If you want part II to be continued on as a new story, please tell me your thoughts. ^_^