A/N: Let's do this! We are in the endgame now kiddos. As a reminder Italics means a flashback, there is a point at the end of the chapter where it is spaced throughout non flashback so just wanted to bring it up.
Chapter 15: I'd Get Him To Swap Our Places / If I Only Could I'd Be Running Up That Hill
They made strange companions, her and Iruka, but since he was never the strongest fighter and she was a lead medic they were chosen as part of the clean up crew for the village. The student teacher dynamic had never quite gone away so she found herself listening to his stories quite raptly and today was no different. They were taking a small break, eating a nice picnic on top of the crumbled remains of the monument while the remaining villagers were gathering their final belongings to make the journey to the war front the next day.
There was too much damage for anyone to truly thrive in the wreckage and everyone had agreed in safety in numbers.
"I have personally seen this village survive three major attacks," he started, his voice wistful and far away, an odd counter to his normal scholarly speech. "The Kyuubi, Orrochimaru, and Pein." he continued, counting them on his fingers like she was some child. "Yet we always rebuild, we always persevere."
"Not this time" she said with a sad tone that her voice carried in the wind. Her companion nodded in agreement. "What was it like after the Kyuubi attack?" she found herself asking, the question surprising even her. She felt a strange desire for knowledge, in the wake of all the current carnage, of what was before.
"It wasn't as bad as when Pein attacked, but worse than when the Sandaime died. See over there?" he started pointing to a grove of trees outside the stone wall, one that had always seemed thinner than the lush forest that hid the village. "That whole portion of the forest burned for days. I remember the chunnins and jounins would take shifts using every water jutsu they knew of to keep it contained."
His eyes turned misty as he continued, "Over there in that section was my childhood home, it along with a couple of apartment buildings were crushed by the tails." she felt guilt seep into her bones and ashamed for prying when she noticed his face. Her eyes were drawn to the scar that swept over his nose like a great gash and she found herself focusing on it instead of the turmoil that lurked in his dark eyes.
"It was one of the nicest non clan neighborhoods, and my mother had the most beautiful garden in the back." She could tell he was lost in memory now and decided to keep silent as he continued, pulling her eyes away from his face to stare towards the wreckage and towards the area he was pointing too. It obviously no longer resembled anything neither she nor him recognized but she did notice that the area he had referenced was what she had known as one of the poorer districts, with tall apartment buildings that had tiny studios in them.
She felt her breath catch and tears start to well up in her own eyes when he reached deep within his backpack and pulled out a worn book, flipping to the midpoint he gingerly lifted a single dried and pressed rose. It was weathered and discolored with age to a point she wasn't sure what color it may have been when it was alive and thriving. "This is all I have left of them, and my home, a measly flower." he stated before putting the precious cargo away carefully.
"And yet after it all I can't imagine how those people down there feel," he said gesturing to the rest of the rubble down below. "There isn't enough left for anyone to have something, we only have memories now."
She plastered what she hoped was a convincing smile upon her face, a painful farce, and stood up dusting the back of her apron off as she did so, "That's not true," she started, pausing to catch his attention and pull him from the fathomless depths he had fallen into. "We have stories and stories will always last longer than memories."
He returned her false smile with a tiny real one of his own before standing and joining her, it was true after all. Memories only lasted as long as those who had them, stories were passed from generation to generation and lived lives greater than anyone had known.
-xxxxx-
Everything was going according to plan. Well almost everything, then again she hadn't exactly thought to plan for dealing with the birth of herself. She definitely hadn't planned for the havoc it was causing her current self. She had been dealing with the crazed chakra fluctuations for the better part of her mother's pregnancy and they had only increased tenfold since the actual birth of baby Sakura to the point that she felt she had to reach out to someone, anyone.
Which was why she was currently sitting with her mentor, as a patient, feeling sorely out of place and uncomfortable. The chair was cold on her legs and she felt ridiculous sitting in the dressing gown that Tsunade had forced her into but had acquiesced to do so out of necessity.
The feeling of the busty blondes chakra searching and mingling with hers was comforting, a small reminder of home and the time that was before but the edge of nervousness that she could feel rolling off of the Senju was grounding her into the here and now in an almost painful way.
Tsunade sighed and rolled back on her heels, pulling the chakra from within her and sat across from her with an undignified humph. "Well as far as I can tell whatever happened to your chakra coils doesn't seem like it's going to progress much further." she slouched back into the chair as she spoke, crossing her arms over her ample bosom. "But truth be told I don't know how it could have been caused. There have been reports of twins having weeker chakra systems due to developing at the same time but even then that wouldn't explain the situation."
Sakura thought for a moment, attempting to put her fear into words "Do you think it's because I'm not supposed to be here?" she asked, nearly folding in on herself at the statement. She was too fearful to say it but wondered whole heartedly if she was going to eventually wither away completely. She had certainly been feeling like it lately.
Tsunade in return was blunt, what little bedside manner she may have contained was not reserved for this particular conversation. "Probably, but I think we will have to ask Jiraiya when he gets back, he knows more about obscure chakra things than most books."
The comfortable atmosphere became instantly stilted as Tsunade picked up the patient file and sullenly scribbled a note at the bottom. Sakura felt her heart plummet to her feet at the marks, knowing deep inside what it had meant before the words were spoken aloud.
"That being said, I'm sorry Sakura, I just don't feel safe clearing you for ANBU yet. Who knows what could happen to you in the field if your chakra acts up again." True to her words Tsunade did seem sorry, almost as defeated as she herself felt, but Sakura would deal with that pain in her own time.
For now she simply nodded her head and got dressed back into her uniform before going back to her rounds, thankful that with Tsunade's help she was at least working in a normal rotation at the hospital.
Most things were going to plan. Not all, but this was a hiccup she was willing to suffer if everything else managed to follow through.
-xxxxx-
There was a heaviness to the air, something cloying and wrong but nevertheless Kushina was determined to keep a smile on her face as she lovingly folded the too tiny sleeper. With the finishing touches having been added to the peaceful nursery she had found herself nesting. Unable to rearrange the furniture around and unwilling to call for someone to help her with the heavy wooden pieces she settled for organizing and reorganizing the baby's clothes.
Her baby.
Naruto.
She took a moment to gently rub her oversized belly, it was still a few weeks away but the anticipation of meeting her beautiful baby boy was all encompassing and she wouldn't have it any other way.
She had finished her last tweeks for the moment on the dresser, she was sure there would be more, and decided to grab a glass of water. Sakura was due to be by sooner rather than later with news of her ANBU reinstatement and was keeping a close eye on Kushina's health, down to daily water intake.
She tucked her long hair back, pulled a glass down and gently knocked the faucet so that the water would start flowing, making sure to give it the prerequisite second or two so that it was nice and chilled before a pain rolled through her body so intense that she dropped the glass to the floor.
The sound of shattering glass never even registered as she struggled to catch her breath again.
-xxxxx-
Shizune never swore, she felt that her mentor did plenty for the both of them yet as she ran down the path towards the designated meeting place she let a cry of "Damn it." slip past her lips.
The normally somewhat clear city streets were flooded with the Uchiha police force making sure everyone was being safely evacuated in case the worst case scenario came true. She slid to a stop with her words and decided that this would be too hard to pass through and easily jumped up the nearest building so she could continue on her path.
Her flak jacket and long sleeves were stifling and she longed for the ease of her everyday yukata but as she watched the same scene of frantic evacuations take place all over the village she was suddenly struck with a sense of comfort in the uniform.
Hopefully nothing would go wrong, hopefully Kushina would safely deliver the baby, well as safely as a premature baby could be delivered, and this would all be for naught. But the heaviness of her combat uniform weighed her down, pulling her down to the here and now and the very real possibility that everything would go sideways.
Yes they had planned, and yes they had a forewarning from the girl from the future but already things were off. Jiraiya was out of the village, chasing down his lost teammate when he was supposed to be by the fiery haired woman's side during all of this. He was supposed to look over the seals and make sure nothing would go wrong.
"Damn it." she huffed again at the situation determined to get her doubts and fears out of the way now because she knew that no matter what she may be feeling now Tsunade would not accept those feelings in her operating room.
Coming to the village walls she easily made her way out, having already been cleared and the guards already been made aware, before continuing her trek to the old temple a mile outside of Konoha. They had already scouted out the location a few weeks ago and cleaned it as well as they possibly could before stashing a scroll with any medical equipment the felt was needed inside.
Skidding inside and out of breath she was startled by the crazed green eyes of Sakura when she ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders, dragging her towards a faintly glowing circle that surrounded the entire hospital set up they had managed to bring.
"Someone else is one their way here, someone strong enough that Minato can feel it. You need to help Tsunade." Sakura exclaimed, her manic eyes flashing as she pulled her flowing pink locks up into a tight bun. "Do not leave her side." she bit out before turning on her boot heel and running to the other side of the building and crashing through the old wooden door. Through the opened door Shizune could barely see a slip of a white jacket she knew belonged to The Yellow Flash.
Setting her shoulders she strode over to where her mentor was, the blonde standing tall over a pale Kushina in a bed stolen from the hospital. She gave both women a small nod before quickly donning gloves and giving Tsunade a look that she hoped could be perceived as ready.
She had been training night and day for this.
-xxxxx-
He looked so calm when she joined him on the temple roof. He was waiting, one hand spinning one of his special kunai but she could see the nerves when she looked closer. One foot was tapping a nervous rhythm and the free hand was clenching and unclenching at a matching pace.
She cleared her throat gently, maybe just to remind him she was here as well as grounding herself "I'm sorry," she started, pausing when his too blue eyes found hers. "I know this isn't where anyone wants to be, let alone a father to be." she continued striding forward and laying a gentle hand on his arm. "But trust me, she is in the best possible hands, and We. Will. Get. Through. This" she finished, using her other hand to fish a small bit of paper from her pouch. The circular lines stood out starkly against the folded and unfolded creases as she tucked it into her sleeve.
He gave her a small glance and a grim nod, too unnerved to muster much conversation and she plastered a wide fake grin on her face. "By the way, congratulations!" she exclaimed before turning to him quickly and snaking both arms under his jacket to encase him in a hug. She quickly pulled herself from the embrace he was too stiff to return, the small note hidden neatly."I heard you will officially be the Hokage after this is all over"
"Yeah," he choked out, his voice strained and deep, and she felt ashamed at herself for bringing it up even if it was to just calm him for a second. "The chakra signature is getting closer, get ready." he ground out and she gave him a small nod in affirmative before allowing a small bit of chakra illuminate her closed fists, the glow flickering twice before stabilizing.
Their adversary arrived in a swirl of smoke. The mask hiding his true face was similar to the one she had imprinted in her memory so long ago but not quite the same although the crimson sharingan eyes from behind fit the image perfectly. He wore a different outfit, still dark clothes that blended into the night but this was one meant more for combat and not the giant coat and large gunbai that seemed so imposing before.
She felt all of her bravado and bluster leave at once, the glow from her hands flickering once more as she tried in vain to not let the sight of him dredge up the old memories. Visions of him from the future, of his imposing form taunting her as she watched him lay waste to her way of life.
What was she thinking?
Who was she fooling?
They didn't stand a chance.
She didn't make a difference.
She watched uselessly as Minato engaged the man, a swirl of white and black circling each other in a macabre yin yang symbol, she felt weary down to her bones, as if they were made of solid steel and unable to move. There was no way she would be able to match pace with the two, she wasn't some great ninja like Naruto or his father.
"SAKURA!" her companion shouted, jarring her back into the here and now and shaking the cobwebs from her mind. He was furiously attempting to keep up with the man, the two of them going around in circles in a frantic dance of just barely not there before she once more readied herself and ignited the chakra around her fists.
She leapt up towards the pair that had crept higher, taking aim to land a hit on the enemies back but he simply turned away from her and she felt a leg sweep at the air above her head when she dropped to one knee and kicked towards the ankle still standing on the ground. He contorted and twisted into some unnameable shape and slid from her strike before earning a deep gash in his arm from her blond companion.
She was unused to him using any kind of blade so when the sharp kunai glinted in the moonlight she ducked away in just enough time to only receive a shallow slice to the forehead before Minato grabbed the black clothed figure and dragged him away in a flash of yellow light.
Instinctively she hissed and went to heal the damage before settling for merely wiping the dripping blood away and reserving her chakra.
Grunting she jumped to follow, the Namikaze was dragging him further away from the temple, further away from Kushina, and further away from the beast that was currently raging against the seal within her. The two were moving too quickly for her to land any sort of hit with enough force so she allowed the chakra from her hands to sharpen and condense, turning the sheer force of her hits into precise schaples. Sliding past one of his legs she quickly sliced, allowing the chakra blade to cleanly cut his achilles tendon and dashing away before any return move could be made.
The move only hindered the man and he instead quickly favored the uninjured leg, using the other to kick out furiously striking her in her midsection with the shin when she next attacked. She was doubled over for only a moment, struggling to catch her breath when the night sky was illuminated a pale blue from a Rasengan that slid across their enemies midsection, enough to injure him but not take him out of the fight.
The two were holding their own against Madara (she still wasn't convinced but had no proof of identity other than what he called himself so long ago) yet the dread filling her stomach like a pit would not relent. She knew this was too easy, something else was at play here. Something she could not put her finger on. This was not the person she had fought before. The man who had easily tossed her aside like some useless toy.
As the three twisted about, landing hit after hit and slowly moving further from the temple the ground gave a great rumble. Minato took the advantage and managed to land a Rasengan firmly in the middle of the ninjas back, throwing him forward with such force that when he landed the mask that hid his face cracked in two, one half lying useless on the ground and revealing a face she had seen on a file from before.
Uchiha Hidari was looking towards the two of them, his sharingan eyes now dark pits of hatred as he glared towards Minato, a gush of blood spilling forth from his lips as he tried to talk only for it to turn into a cough. They only spared him a second, watched the light finally leave his eyes before the ground rolled under them once more.
A great roar ripped through the sky and the world collapsed around her as Minato grabbed her arm and used his flying thunder god technique to drag them back to the temple. Only a moment between the there and here had passed but she felt a great gout of flame rise before her as she took in the scene.
Kushina was bleeding, from where she did not care to know but the crimson was all over the table, beside her Tsunade was working quickly to repair the damage, her eyes squeezed shut as Shizune was at the end of the table keeping an eye on the birth and directing the sannins healing.
The temple was destroyed, only the protective dome they had inscribed onto the floor that was now glowing brightly had saved the three women from the collapsed ceiling and chaos. She gave a moment's breath before turning around to look for Minato, only to find him leaping up through the crumbled roof.
She struggled towards the group, reaching to help only to be cut off as Tsunade bit out a tired "GO!" before following it up with "NOW." at her hesitation. She turned, sparing the trio one last glance and a whispered prayer before jumping from the ruins to see the sight that stretched before her.
She was screaming, her throat raw and blood dribbling from the cut on her forehead. Before her was a hellscape that lit up the night with the amber glow of the flames.
How had everything gone so wrong so quickly. How was this nightmare repeating itself once again despite her every waking moment for nearly a year being spent trying to avert it.
The Kyubbi was free.
-xxxxx-
Minato Namikaze was a man who handled himself well under pressure, it was one of the main reasons he was named the next Hokage. He prided himself in his forethought and tactical mind taking over and never allowing him to falter.
He had gone over Sakura's notes over and over again, breaking down every detail she had and creating contingency plans for contingency plans. However she was but a baby when it happened and she only had the information of history books stored in her brain.
That being said, nothing, not even a first hand account could have prepared him for the hell that was tonight.
They had defeated the Uchiha rebel, but it seemed that the stress of the preterm labor had weakened the seal enough for the Kyuubi to rip its way from the love of his life. He had rushed off to deal with one problem so quickly, that he wasn't there to deal with the problem that he could have actually stopped.
A large part of him wished to do nothing more than crawl back to Kushina, to wrap his fingers into her scarlet locks and whisper sweet nothings to her as she struggled through the labor. It was only the shouting of the smaller part of him, one that sounded suspiciously like his pink haired companion, that pushed him forward. It was that piece of him that was screaming to make a better future for his son that forced his feet to run towards the nine tailed beast that was already destroying his home and not look back.
No matter how much he wanted too.
-xxxxx-
Sakura knew she was nothing but fodder against the great chakra beast. She honestly didn't even think she had it in her to fool herself of the thought at the moment so she simply settled for creating two clones of herself and rushing through the village gate in search of anyone injured from the chaos.
She knew it was selfish but she let her copies handle the first two injuries they came across, choosing to continue her path towards a certain flower shop, the meeting place she had set up between her and the Yamanaka she would easily now call a brother.
Pausing at a crumbled wall she took the time to roughly grab the largest slap and toss it like paper, making sure no one was trapped underneath before turning to run on, passing several uniformed Uchiha helping rush survivors to safety. Her eyes caught the fan emblazoned on the specialized flak jackets glinting in the fire light and she was happy that Hiruzen had chosen to utilize the military police so brazenly, hoping it would help pave the way for a better view of the socially distant clan from the villagers.
During her trek through the city she felt a bit of relief, she hadn't come across many civilians, and even less injured. The thought was blown away in a ember filled breeze when she turned a corner and nearly tripped over a child huddled near a food cart. His chocolate hair was standing on end and he was dirt smudged with a nasty cut digging its way across the bridge of his nose.
Slipping her worn jacket from her frame she knelt down to the boy and draped it around his shoulders before catching his scared brown eyes in her gaze. "Hey," she spoke, keeping her tones gentle and soothing. "Let's get you somewhere safe, do you mind if I heal that?" she asked, gesturing towards the weeping wound.
He nodded, no words could seem to find their way past his lips and she let the cool green chakra wash over his face, melding the torn flesh together and encouraging new growth before picking up the boy and jogging down the street.
She wasn't far when the frantic cries of "Iruka!" caught her attention, a frenzied brunette woman running towards her following after the sounds. Sakura looked down at the boy before setting him down and letting him run towards who she now knew to be his mother, who quickly enveloped him in a desperate hug. The woman sobbed thankfully in her direction but she paid them no heed, instead instructing them to get to safety and turning to continue her run.
Skidding through the door of the flower shop she quickly found herself in her own desperate embrace as pale blond hair tickled her nose and strong arms wrapped around her fully.
Perhaps for the first time tonight she let the tension loose and sighed in relief.
-xxxxx-
Inoichi didn't think he was going to survive the stress of the night. First he had made sure Midori was safely tucked away deep in the caves before finding his way back into the village and helping with the rest of the evacuation.
There was an uneasiness to the air but it wasn't until the skies lit aflame and the towering form of the Kyuubi filled the sky that the panic truly took hold. He had quickly made his way to their meeting place, hoping and praying to any Kami that listened that she would make it there as well.
When he finally saw her run through the threshold he didn't hold back, wrapping strong arms around her quaking form. She was once again that rubber band pulled too tight and about to snap that he had met so many months ago.
"It's all so wrong," the words fell jumbled from her lips as he kept her in a tight embrace, frightened that if he let go she would simply blow away.
They had precious little time together as a distraught Shizune crashed through the door soon after. 'Sakura!" the woman yelled determined to relay her message. "Minato came back and took the baby." she finished before stabbing herself in the thigh with a sharp kunai, quickly dismissing the clone and disappearing as fast as she had appeared.
His companion gasped and went rigid in his arms before a wail left her lips. "No," she cried, tearing herself from his embrace and sinking to the floor, her eyes glazed with welling tears. "He's going to do the ritual." she stated, voice suddenly devoid of the emotions that previously colored her tones.
"He's going to make the same mistake" she said, once more standing and looking at him in the eyes with such painful clarity that he felt rocked to the core. "I have to stop him."
"Wait," he cried before she had a chance to take off through the doorway. At her pause he quickly grabbed a box that had been stashed underneath his counter for only a few days. Inside was a pristine flak jacket he had made for her, her real full name across the breast pocket. "You don't need to hide who you are anymore."
She took the green vest and slipped it on, he could see the tears threatening to fall from her veridian eyes. "Thank you," she whispered back, voice hushed and raw from her earlier emotions.
"Go save the world Sakura Haruno." he called as she left, the bell above the door giving a tiny jingle with the opening and close of the glass pane. Inoichi watched her turn to run, eyes transfixed upon the Haruno symbol he had stitched onto the jacket, the white circle glinting eerily in the raging flames.
-xxxxx-
The city was burned and devastated, the smoke was swirling and cries of pain and chaos echoed off the walls. Up high on the hill were two forms, dominating the skyline, standing tall over all of the destruction that surrounded. The Kyubbi's tails were weaving a mesmerizing pattern as the great toad kept the fox demon in his grasp. High atop Gamabunta the Namikaze was easy to spot, his white cloak billowing around him like the hero of some fanciful fairytale.
The earth was blackened and obliterated. A maelstrom of ache and fury raged on and in the center loomed two figures. One stood tall and imposing, his swirled mask revealing nothing. Facing him was a man in a long crimson coat. His sunny hair jutting up every which way with reckless abandon, a whiskered face sat set in steely determination, and orange rimmed eyes narrowed in defiance.
Sakura Haruno barely suffered the destruction around a glance, her booted feet pushing off the ground with every harried breath she took. She had focused on so many other people, tried to save every single person she could, that in the end she lost sight of her one true goal.
Her fingers almost itched to help the remaining dying, the healer within her very core almost weeping with sorrow at the situation. She wished to aid, to patch up her many allies, but he had needed her.
She was too far, almost half the village away and she felt her reality collapsing all around her again. Had she truly wasted all these months only to fail at the end. Every step she had taken was leading up to this moment, to avoiding it happening and yet somehow fate dictated that everything was to go so wrong.
She felt herself slump in defeat as she listlessly watched the pair converse and combat. Naruto was tiring, that much was obvious, her weary lips curled into a grin as he yelled some inane peaceful desire towards his opponent.
Her strength was waning, she was splitting all of her reserves between her baby self, and the two clones that were healing and evacuating civilians, but she trudged ever closer. Whispering a tiny kai she dismissed the two healers, feeling more than ashamed at herself with the actions, but a quick assessment of the flooding memories led her to believe that anyone she left would still be in capable hands.
Her eyes narrowed in grim determination as she sluggishly strode forward towards the two powerhouse opponents. A hand reached for a half broken energy ration, her soldier pills having run out a long time ago. She choked the pill down, and adrenaline starting coursing through her limbs without the added benefit of chakra.
Even with the added energy from the dismissal she was flagging, her steps becoming unsteady and smaller, her momentum nearly gone, yet she was close enough now to start seeing the grand gestures Minato was making and knew that now was her time. The prominent door of the shinigami was forming now, the black tendrils reaching towards the night sky in a demented grasp.
Time slowed.
The seconds turned to hours as she watched him charge forward. The red chakra that was bubbling up was making him inattentive and he wouldn't be able to dodge whatever impending attack the man was orchestrating.
She had done all she could to the past, and knew in her heart that she would never be able to do much more, her body was failing her too quickly. Sakura was a medic and researcher at heart and had been keeping a journal on the changes happening to her now that there were two Sakura Harunos in the world. If only she had more time, but honestly she was lucky to have what time she did.
This though, this final act was one thing she definitely could do.
Time stopped.
Naruto was weakened, but she knew him well enough to know he still had more fight in him. She however was bloodied and broken, nothing but inadequate and in the way at this point.
She unzipped her torn jacket as she ran, grabbed a stray shard of glass and neatly sliced down her dirty palm. Hissing gently at the new sting she reached for her ribs, touching the ink that was inscribed upon her skin and felt for the matching tag she had hidden on the back of Minato's shirt, tucked safely under the jacket, when she had given him a desperate embrace earlier.
It was easier this time, the feeling of being shifted and compressed now comforting and the all together feeling of the pull from one place to another no longer gave her pause.
Time flew.
She vaguely wondered if she left behind a pink flash.
She was looking into those impossibly blue eyes she fell in love with oh so long ago when she finally stopped moving. Her gaze shifted upwards from the infant to Minato and she gave a gentle smile and a calm tranquility take over once she felt those cold hands of death touch her back.
His mouth twisted into a gasped "No!" yet she couldn't hear the words. She tore her gaze from his horrified eyes and looked towards the seal on Naruto's stomach that was now emanating a gentle glow.
Minato reached one arm out to grasp her shoulder but she was frozen, transfixed as the seal was quickly gaining brightness, the contract having been fulfilled.
She took one last glance at the baby and looked deep into her companion's tearful face, hoping to convey how right she felt in the situation. It was the final step, now Naruto would get the life he had always deserved.
She closed her eyes at the sudden flash and knew no more.
She closed her eyes at the sudden flash and knew no more.
