So if everything goes according to my plans, there should only be about two, maybe three chapters left in this story. It's almost over!
I have a poll on my profile so you guys can help me pick what to write next. You can go there after you read this chapter, or you can just leave what you want in the comments. I'll put the choices at the bottom of the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Some scenes from this chapter and the next are adaptations of episode 113 in Naruto Shippuden.
The Next Day
Sasuke brought the hilt of his sword down on one of his opponent's collar bone and lashed out at another with his foot. Thousands of injured shinobi were scattered around his feet.
He was in a giant field outside of Orochimaru's base. Orochimaru had brought him thousands if his "experiments" for him to train on. He was down to the last ten. He knew it wouldn't be long now; Orochimaru was getting weaker and weaker. Pretty soon he'd be weak enough for Sasuke to finish off with little trouble, and desperate enough to try to take Sasuke's body, making him even more vulnerable.
Sasuke punched his last opponent in the gut then kicked him in the chest. The man in front of him fell over in pain and exhaustion. He smirked, "It's almost time," he thought.
He heard clapping behind him and turned around to see a grinning Orochimaru. "Very good, Sasuke-kun. You're improving greatly, but," he frowned "You didn't kill any of them. You're too soft. If you want to have power you have to be heartless."
Sasuke turned and started walking away, as he did, he said, "Don't worry, when the time comes, I will be."
Orochimaru's eyes became steel as Sasuke walked away, "Soon," he thought, "Soon it will be time, and then your eyes will be mine."
Itachi felt like his world was ending. All he'd been doing since he found out that Sasuke defected from Konoha, he'd just been lying in his hospital bed and talking even less than usual. He'd worked so hard to come back home, to stop the heavy burden of the clan from falling on Sasuke's shoulders, and now he'd completely lost his brother. Not only that, but now that his father was taking him out of Anbu, he was going to lose the…something he had with Kimiko.
He felt overpowered with all the different emotions he was feeling. Despair over Sasuke and his father's decision, relief to be home, excitement that he'd be able to see the world again, not that he'd ever admit it and confusion over Reiko and Kimiko. He didn't even know what it is he has with Kimiko. They knew each other too well to just be friends, but he didn't have "those" kind feelings for her, did he? "Do I still love Reiko?" he wondered, "I've been with her so long, I just-"
His thoughts were interrupted when Fusa came into the room. "Kimiko," she said, "You're able to leave now. Tsunade wants you to go see Ibiki and debrief him on what happened. She said you're to go straight there."
Kimiko got off her cot, "Thank you Fusa," she said as she looked around for anything she might have had on her when they were rushed to the hospital.
Fusa nodded and walked out of the room.
Kimiko looked hesitantly at Itachi and the door, decided that Itachi still needed time after the news he got yesterday, and moved towards it.
Itachi's heart picked up speed, "My eyes are scheduled to be worked on later this afternoon," he said as calmly as he could.
Kimiko broke into a small but genuine smile, understanding exactly what he wanted, "I'll be there," she promised.
Orochimaru had gone to his room, and Sasuke had retreated to his training room. He was practicing the old shuriken jutsu Itachi had taught him so long ago. Itachi.
He had heard that the reason Itachi was dead was Orochimaru. Sasuke was sure that the mission would have gone off without a hitch if it weren't for Orochimaru. He must have sent his best ninja. Not just any ninja could defeat Itachi or make Shishui run away.
Sasuke's eyes hardened, He wasn't going to wait any more. Orochimaru was going to die today. He unsheathed his sword and sliced through the wooden training wall in front of him. "The next thing Orochimaru sees will be my Chidori Sharp Spear," thought Sasuke darkly.
Kimiko ran towards the hospital. Ibiki had kept her longer than she expected. They kept asking her the same questions over and over and even used the Time Reversal Technique on her to get small details she might have forgotten. Now she was running late.
She skidded to a halt at the front desk. "Where is Uchiha, Itachi's surgery being performed?" she hurriedly asked the receptionist. The girl stared at her blankly, then shook herself, "Um, room 213, but-"
Kimiko had already started running off towards the stairs.
"Mam!" yelled the receptionist, "You aren't allowed on that floor!"
By then Kimiko was already down the hall and halfway up the stairs. As she rushed through the halls, several weird looks were shot at her.
Itachi had been put under five minutes ago and Tsunade was feeling around the occipital part of his brain to find out what was wrong. Several medic ninja were on standby in the room in case something went wrong.
Shisui and Tobi were put on missions specifically so Tsunade wouldn't have to work on Itachi with them being distracting. Fugaku was busy with clan affairs, so the only two others in the room were Mikoto and Reiko. They stood on the other side of the operating table watching every move she made.
Kimiko finally found the right operating room, her hand was on the handle of the door when she was stopped by the receptionist from earlier and several members of the security team.
"I'm sorry but you aren't allowed to go in there," said the receptionist.
"Look," said Kimiko gruffly, "I was asked to be there, and I'm late, so if you'd just let me in-" she went to open the door, but one of the security men gripped her arm with his big hand."
"Only Medic ninja and family members are allowed inside that operating room," said the receptionist determinedly as she put a seal on the door to lock it from the inside, "Now, according to your attire, you are neither an Uchiha nor a Medic-nin. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait in the lobby."
Kimiko sized up her opponents, but decided that she still didn't have enough energy to take on the hospital security. "Fine," she snapped as she yanked her arm out of the big security man's grasp, "I'll wait." With that she turned and strutted down the hall, but instead of going to the lobby, she went up to the roof. It she had to wait around then she'd at least do it on her terms and where she could soak in a view of the village she'd missed so much.
She stepped into the sunlight and went over to the chain-link fence bordering the roof, laced her fingers in the green wires and looked over the city. It was even more amazing now that she knew what it was like to think she might not ever get back to it alive. It really felt like home now.
Here are the choices on the poll (You can vote for up to 2 choices):
Young Justice story (challenge)
Harvest Moon story (Claire x Doctor Trent)
Romeo x Juliet the anime (Oc centered, possibly Oc x Tybalt)
Xiaolin Showdown story (Oc centered/ Oc x Chase)
Naruto story (I'll Come Back Soon I Promise oneshots/scenes that never made it into the story due to length problems)
W.I.T.C.H. (Oc centered/ side story Oc x Phobos)
Young Justice story (Oc centered)
Dragon Ball Z (Oc centered/ side story Oc x Future Trunks)
Thanks for reading! Please Review and Vote if you haven't!
