AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.
UPDATES! Just finished Chapter 42, finished editing Chapters 40, 41 and 42 and I'm gonna start writing Chapter 43. Chapter 43 onwards will be the initial start of the SASUSAKU part. Chapter 44 will be the second climax, entitled, Unstoppable. Let me give you a little teaser: Sakura decides to finish off Sasuke's pain and misery and gets herself in danger.
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(From the last chapter…)
"Suiton: Suiryodan no Jutsu!"
A water dragon immediately tailed Sasuke, but then, due to the shortage of water from a stream nearby, the dragon collapsed into droplets of water. Sasuke was already at a distance.
Kashime looked at the Anbu squad… they were all wounded and exhausted. Even she, was exhausted. They could no longer have enough strength to chase Sasuke and even attack him to get Sakura back.
"Now Kashime, I want you to go to Konoha, go in my office and search for a scroll wrapped in a black silk cloth." Sakura's words rang through her ears.
Kashime closed her eyes and said, "Team, let's go. Let's not follow him anymore… it's hopeless."
(Chapter 36 – Doing the Will)
It was nighttime. Kashime sat beside the bandaged Shio in a hospital room. She was crying. She was so close to bringing Sakura back to Konoha… but all her hopes failed: injuring her best friend and killing one more elite Anbu, Sasuke… that man is invincible.
Kashime had apologized to the team… for almost killing their platoon leader and for one individual who died in the fight with Sasuke. They lost what they came there for. It seemed like all those sacrifices, all the energy they used…. were all so useless because Sasuke had Sakura back in captivity again. They were so close… They already had Sakura with them but Sasuke was just too hard for them to handle.
Then, a hand wiped Kashime's tears away. She looked to see who the owner was and there, she saw Shio, awake and smiling at her.
"Shio…?" she muttered.
"Don't cry." Shio lifted Kashime's chin up, "It hurts me a lot to see you crying… I guess… by the looks of it, we failed the mission, huh?"
Kashime bit her lips and said, "… I'm going to Konoha tomorrow."
Shio's eyes widened, "Why?"
"If I can't return Sakura to her home, than I'll just do what she wants me to do… To atone for my sins…" Kashime sighed, "Shio, we didn't retrieve Sakura and one member of your team died fighting Sasuke… and you… being the platoon leader, you're badly injured and-"
"It's okay." Shio gave her that comforting and loving smile, "It's not your fault."
Kashime clenched her fists and broke down, "No, it's not okay! It seems like my sins are getting bigger and bigger by the second! I just can't take it anymore, Shio!"
Shio's smile disappeared and replaced it with a look of pity for the woman weeping beside him.
He ran his left hand through her hair and said, "You'll get over this one, too. I know you will. If you managed to keep yourself altogether when Igatou died, then I guess, no, I believe that you will get through this."
The next day…
Tenten knocked on Kashime's door. It was the day that Neji, Lee and she, would leave Kirigakure and return to Konoha. She felt uneasy… would she or would she not see Sakura? She hoped that she would.
The door opened and Tenten smiled, "Good morning. So?"
Kashime carried a duffle bag with her and sighed, "I'm going with you. I… failed to retrieve Sakura."
Tenten wondered, "… But why are you going to Konoha?"
"I'm going to explain everything to the Hokage." Kashime denied her true intentions, "It would be better if I do it."
Tenten moved back a bit so that Kashime could go out. Kashime locked the door of her house and when they were walking, Tenten said, "But before we leave the Mist, we'll pay a visit to the Mizukage first."
Then, they arrived at the park. There, they saw Neji and Lee seated on the bench.
Lee had a disappointed look on his face, not seeing Sakura with Tenten. Neji and Tenten had told him the whole story yesterday.
"Guys, this is Haruno Kashime, Sakura's cousin." Tenten introduced, "Kashime, this is my husband, Hyuga Neji and the person who was with Sakura and the one who also saved her from the tragedy, Rock Lee."
Kashime smiled a bit and bowed, "Glad to meet you all."
"Excuse me, if you don't mind me asking," Neji got straight to the point, "where is Sakura?"
"I uh…" Kashime looked away, "I'll explain everything later on."
"Okay everyone," Tenten smiled, "let's just think about that later. We'll have to go to the Mizukage first."
Later on, in the Mizukage's office…
"Mizukage, here's our report of our mission here." Tenten presented the written report in a folder.
The Mizukage looked at Lee and read the contents of the folder.
"It seems like the people we've been looking for have survived the tragedy." Neji explained, "Here, we have Rock Lee."
The Mizukage looked at Kashime, who had a sad look upon her face.
"I see you have taken one of my students, why is that?" Mizukage said as gently as he could – Kashime, after all, was his best student… that is, after Igatou died.
"We have not taken her, Sir." Tenten replied, "She volunteered to be with us. And I guess she has all rights to do so because she is indeed, a first degree cousin of the other person we've been looking for-"
"And has not Haruno Sakura been found?" the Mizukage interrupted, looking at the copies of the records the couple took out from the hospital, "According to your evidences, she was hospitalized there."
Tenten didn't know what to reply, she turned her eyes to Neji who looked like he was thinking of what to say. Obviously, Lee can't speak up because he knows less of the situation.
Kashime stepped forward and bowed before her mentor, "Mizukage-sama, allow me to leave Kirigakure."
Then, she got a scroll from the inner pocket of her clothing and gave it to him. He opened the scroll and read on, "Mizukage-sama, I, Haruno Kashime, am leaving Kirigakure for a special purpose. I shall talk to the Hokage regarding her missing student, Haruno Sakura, who is my first degree cousin. I will return once this task is over. I volunteered to do so, so as not to make matters worse. I have a full understanding of the situation, Sir. Signed, Haruno Kashime."
The Mizukage noticed that there was a rolled paper folded into the thinnest form it can take up and tucked tightly inside the lock of the scroll. Mizukage knew that this is very secret and it might contain something that will save him from saying anything true but wrong.
He lowered the scroll, low enough to get the tucked letter without Neji, Tenten and Lee noticing. He unfolded the carefully rolled paper and read: "Mizukage-sama, I'm going to Konoha to search for a cure. I think this cure is for that Orochimaru's curse seal. I know Shio had a curse seal from him before, but he also told me that a hermit cured him, even giving him another bottle, of which, he did not use because he was already out of the seal. According to what Shio told me, the bottle given to him indeed contained the cure but he had forgotten what the hermit told him to mix with the cure. The cure was extracted from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. I think it's powerful enough to subdue the curse. I know that Shio gave it to you for safekeeping. I suggest that you give this to them. And one final note, Shio told me that the hermit died a month after he left him, due to his old age. I know, if he had been alive, then we could've asked him what other ingredient/s are needed to mix with and complete the cure."
The Mizukage crumpled the letter and placed it in a drawer in his desk with the scroll. Kashime knew he had read that letter she made.
The Mizukage opened another drawer and there was a small vault in it. He had enough chakra on his hands and turned the dial of the vault to the right combinations – but chakra was needed so that he could pull the lid of that small vault open.
And when it did open, he got a small vial of liquid inside. He then handed it to Neji, "If you think I don't know anything about the situation; then be corrected – I have been informed that they found the mastermind behind the tragedy. And this man has a curse… Take this vial with you on your way back to Konoha and give it to the Hokage."
Neji and Tenten were utterly surprised by his sudden change of mood.
"What is this?" Neji asked as he took the vial from the Mizukage.
TBC…
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A/N: the second climax, Chapter 44 (Unstoppable) will be a songfic. The song will be Humanda Ka performed by Sandwich. This is actually the official theme song for Tantra Online Philippines. It's a really nice song, kind of dark, rebel light rock. If you want a copy of this song, just include it in your review. If you're an unregistered member, just leave your email ad and I'll send it there. If you're registered, I'll just go to your page.
I will also send the lyrics to those who will want the copy of the song.