The moment she opened her eyes, darkness engulfed her vision. Long, thick lashes fluttered against cold cheeks, blinking once, then twice, confused by the immense black that greeted them. Hazy mint orbs widened in alarm, rapidly darting back and forth in an attempt to piece together their surroundings. Little specks of white shone above her, sprinkled randomly across the infinite darkness. She tilted her head slightly to the side, catching sight of a luminous sphere that put the rest of the stars to shame, its celestial glow resembling an angelic halo. Only then did her mind emerge from the depths of confusion, greeted unpleasantly by the chill of awareness.
What...what happened to me?
With excruciating slowness, Sakura managed to push herself up onto her arms, her fingers curling around the cool grains of sand beneath her. Her stiff muscles ached and throbbed like an old woman's, crying out in protest as she attempted to stretch them outward. As her body shifted upwards into a sitting position, a piercing pain sunk into her ribs like a dagger, prompting a startled gasp from the medic. Instinctively, her hand rose to clutch over the wound, greeted by the feeling of something warm and wet trickling onto her fingers and soaking the fabric of her shirt.
Another stab of pain erupted from her ankle, although this one felt significantly less intense. Her medical side taking over, Sakura's attention honed in on her untreated wound, pursing her lips as she struggled to examine it in the darkness. A broken rib, Sakura diagnosed with a frown, clenching her fist as another stab of pain shot through her chest. She grit her teeth, taking small, shallow breaths in an attempt to ease the pain. It must have broke while I was fighting Orochimaru. Her frustration only increased when she realized how diminished her chakra reserves were at the moment, a direct consequence of the encounter Team Seven had with the Sannin.
I'll just have to ration the amount of chakra I use to heal the wound. Placing her hand across the area of the injury, Sakura poured her chakra and concentration into her work, slowly mending the broken rib. Once that was finished, the medic stopped the flow of her healing chakra, choosing to treat the flesh wound with the healing salve that she kept in her medical pouch. After she applied the salve, she peeled off her shirt and bandaged the wound, goosebumps erupting across her arms at the tickle of the frigid breeze. Luckily it didn't pierce any lungs or blood vessels, the kunoichi reflected as slipped on her shirt once more, moving onto her ankle. Fortunately, her ankle was only sprained, something that her minimal healing chakra could easily fix.
Lifting her head to observe her surroundings, Sakura noticed her raven-haired teammate laying beside her. Sasuke looked just about as she had expected after battle- his raven locks were completely disheveled and sprinkled with grains of sand, no longer appearing in the stylish-messy look that he preferred to keep it as. Scorch marks stained his navy shirt and white shorts, the fabric clearly ruined and torn at the edges. What caught Sakura's eye was that his features were twisted into an expression of discomfort, his brows drawn together in distress and his shoulders shaking slightly as they rose and fell. His breath was shallow and rapid as it left his body, something that triggered the medic's sense of alarm. He doesn't look right, she noticed with a frown as she scanned his form. His face isn't relaxed and his breathing pattern is irregular. Her heart clenching in worry, Sakura untied his Konoha headband and laid her hand across the pale skin of his forehead, gently brushing aside his inky strands of hair. Sasuke's skin was warm to the touch, sweat streaking down his forehead as he shivered. He has a fever, Sakura observed, her brows drawing together in concern. His body must be trying to fight off the invasive chakra of the curse seal.
At the thought of the seal, the kunoichi clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palm as her chest squeezed almost painfully. Don't think about it, Sakura. You have to focus on Sasuke. She wouldn't let herself be dragged into the current of her conflicting emotions. After all, she had more pressing things to attend to at the moment.
Forcefully restraining her tumultuous emotions, the calmer, more rational side of Sakura took over, quickly calculating her next step. Not wasting another moment, the medic swiftly gathered some dried shrubs and tumbleweed, thanking her lucky stars when she found a lighter hidden in the depths of her travel pack. Soon enough, she had nursed a brilliant blaze to life, setting up a sort-of campsite where they could hunker down for the night. As she attempted to move Sasuke towards the fire, her lack of strength forced her to half-carry, half-drag his body into its shelter of warmth.
Damn it, this is bad, Sakura thought as she bit her lip in frustration. I barely have enough chakra to pick up Sasuke, much less to fight if anyone decided to attack us.
Silently cursing her precarious situation, the kunoichi wasted no time to line the border of her campsite with simple booby traps, using some of the wire in Sasuke's pouch when hers ran out. I just have to hope that everyone's asleep and that no one decides to attack us.
Once she had Sasuke and the rest of her campsite settled, the medic made her way towards her other teammate, who she had spotted a little ways away from where she and Sasuke had passed out. Naruto's body lay where he and Sasuke had exploded out of Orochimaru's summon, although the snake's carcass was nowhere to be seen. Like the Uchiha, her blond teammate's mind had long ago slipped away from consciousness, the only difference being that his sleep seemed much more peaceful. In fact, the only way Sakura could tell from a distance that he was still alive was by the steady rise and fall of his chest, as his face remained expressionless and his normally tanned skin was slightly paler and colder. He didn't look like he had a fever, much to her relief, and she swiftly hoisted him onto her back and traveled back to her makeshift camp.
She laid her teammates beside each other, close to the fire's warmth, before scanning them with a trained eye for any injuries. Most of their injuries were harmless scratches or bruises, although Naruto seemed to have some more severe wounds from being clamped between the snake summon's mighty fangs. Sakura spared whatever chakra she could to heal the worst of his bruises, unfortunately nearly drying up whatever reserves she had left. Once she finished, her attention shifted to her other teammate, whose shoulders shook almost violently as his breath came out in shallow gasps.
Sakura's eyes widened in alarm as she crouched over the Uchiha, her brows drawing together in concern. Oh god, he's getting worse! The medic hastily rummaged through her medical pouch, pulling out a pocket-sized, scruffy towel. Dipping into her own water supply, she wet the towel before laying the cool cloth across his pale forehead, paying close attention to the pattern of his breathing. Her teammate shuddered from the cold towel's touch, his expression still twisted tightly into one of uneasiness. Please be okay. Please be okay, she prayed in her head.
On a whim, Sakura gently weaved her fingers into his raven locks, stroking his hair as she sought to ease his distress. Her touch seemed to soothe the tension knotting Sasuke's shoulders, his features relaxing ever so slightly. Eventually, his breathing fell into a steady calm, the fire's warmth chasing away his violent shivers. Her viridian eyes softened as she ran her hand through the boy's damp locks, an unknown warmth blooming in her chest. She gazed at the Uchiha as the firelight flickered over his sharp features, a slight smile pulling at her lips as flames danced across his face. She didn't know why, but something akin to peacefulness descended upon the atmosphere, a cozy feeling enveloping Sakura as she played with her teammate's inky black hair.
However, her smile slipped when her gaze wandered over to the three tomoe embedded into Sasuke's neck.
The Cursed Seal of Heaven.
Sakura's gut twisted violently as she stared at the dreadful symbol, her eyes unable to rip themselves away from his neck. Once again, she felt a powerful wave of emotions rise within her that she had fought hard to suppress earlier, but now she no longer had anything to distract herself with. Out of the corner of her mind, she registered that her shoulders had started trembling, despite her proximity to the fire. Lightly, her shaking fingers untangled themselves from Sasuke's hair and gradually reached out towards the seal, the tips of her fingers pausing just centimeters before they could make contact.
It happened. The words echoed dully in her mind. It's done.
Her eyes refused to tear themselves away from the seal, as if trying to find a way to convince herself that it wasn't there. The three tomoe spiral seemed to trap her in a mindless trance, the very symbol that haunted her nightmares now bared before her. Frigid, icy numbness spread throughout her body, filling her with nothing but the cold, hollow sense of dread.
It's done.
A pair of amber eyes danced through her vision, their serpent-like pupils glinting with amusement.
I failed.
All of a sudden, the full weight of what had been done slammed down upon her. Before Sakura knew it, warm drops of tears trailed down her cool cheeks, smearing the colors around her and blurring her vision. Waves of hopelessness and heartbreak dragged her into their depths, their icy waters filling her senses to the point where she could feel nothing but cold. A muffled sob ripped from her throat as she brought her hands up to cover her tears, her body nearly collapsing onto the dark sands beneath her. The tears from her eyes grew and grew, the weight of the earlier events finally crashing down upon her as she realized what exactly those symbols meant.
"I failed..." she whispered through choked sobs, her voice shaking and crumbling to pieces. He's going to leave. He's going to join that evil snake, and he is going to leave Konoha behind. He is going to leave Team Seven behind.
He's going to leave me behind.
She should've been prepared. She knew that this was going to happen. That Sasuke was going to get the curse mark, fight with Naruto, and leave the village. Heck, she had lived through this once before! As soon as she saw Sasuke when she came into this world, she knew he would leave and was prepared to accept it. She couldn't allow herself to become entrenched in her own emotions and feelings, especially because her goal in this world wasn't just saving Sasuke: it was about saving the entirety of her village and making sure Konoha flourished as a whole. If Sasuke's path had stayed the same and he joined Orochimaru, so be it. This timeline would simply be following the same course as the previous one, and in some ways, it would make it easier for her to predict the following events.
But, somewhere along the way, she had become so attached to this timeline's Sasuke. In her previous life, her interactions with the Uchiha had been fairly limited and had usually been initiated by her in an attempt to get closer to the cute, mysterious boy who was every girl's dream. In this world, however, it struck Sakura how much she hadn't known about the boy she had been chasing after for years. She had fought to gain his respect and looked at the boy, not with the eyes of a girl in love, but with the eyes of a teammate and an equal. Sasuke proved time and time again that he did care for her and Naruto, contradicting his actions in the previous timeline and puzzling Sakura entirely. All of a sudden, he wasn't the cool, aloof boy who she could barely reach, but the person she trusted to have her back in battle and support her. Sasuke was the person who always seemed to know what she was thinking, the person who had comforted her when she was feeling guilty about Haku, and then again when she was distraught over her nightmare.
Sakura no longer looked upon this Sasuke as a younger version of his past. Somewhere along the way, the two had become very different people, at least in her eyes. Though they had similar personalities, there was something inexplicable that she had formed with this timeline's Sasuke. It was that bond of teamwork, that bond of friendship, that she yearned for with the previous timeline's Sasuke. He had destroyed any semblance of that the moment he left her unconscious form on the bench that night. This is why she couldn't bear the thought of losing him, or any of her teammates, from this timeline.
This is also why her tears refused to stop pouring onto her cheeks, her hands pressing over her mouth to prevent her sobs from spilling into the Suna night. But now that he has the curse mark...Sasuke is going to leave once again. Pangs of sadness and the painful, haunting feeling of loss resonated through her hollow heart as her tears leaked past the gaps of her fingers, falling onto the dark grains of sand. I could have prevented it, she berated herself, clenching her teeth in frustration. For god's sake, I was sent back here for the specific purpose to change things! I'm a jonin of the Hidden Leaf, for crying out loud! I should've been able to stop him!
But Sakura knew, somewhere deep in the back of her mind, that there was no way she could've won against the Sannin. Despite her mental age, her chakra reserves were that of a genin's, and she couldn't even use her enhanced strength at its full power. Orochimaru was not only more experienced than her, but vastly more powerful, and she would have to be at least Tsunade's level of power to stand a chance against him. At the moment, she is merely at the level of a highly advanced genin, or even a mid-tier chunin.
"I'm still not strong enough..." she mumbled softly, the sound of her sorrow leaking into her words. Her tears had lessened from mighty rivers to meek droplets, her sobs sinking into quiet sniffles drowned out by the crackling of the fire. "Even when the world is on my shoulders," she whispered tearfully, the painful ache in her heart nearly stealing her breath away. "I've failed."
Brushing a few drops off of her stained cheek, Sakura lifted her tearful emerald orbs and regarded her sleeping teammates, the flickering firelight dancing over their features. It physically pained her to see the two of them so battered and bruised, not only because of that evil snake, but also because of her inability to protect them. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't let them get hurt, and yet here they were- with her being the one awake and healed while her teammates remained unconscious and were stranded battling their own separate demons.
What's the point, anyway? The hopeless thought planted itself in Sakura's mind without resistance, both her mental and physical state exhausted from the intense emotional pain she had just endured. A wave of nausea rose within the kunoichi, her stomach dropping low as thoughts of self-loathing plagued her mind. If I can't protect them, there is no way I can protect Konoha. Tsunade-sama made a mistake sending me back for this mission. She should've picked someone stronger, like Naruto or Kakashi-sensei. Someone like Sai or Shikamaru would've known what to do. So why did she send me? I couldn't even save Sasuke from getting the curse mark. How am I ever supposed to save the future of my village?
The medic's eyes traced over her teammates' forms, lingering once more at the black marks that marred Sasuke's skin. I need to become stronger, she told herself, her eyes narrowing with purpose. I need to trust that Tsunade-sama sent me back for a reason. It doesn't matter what Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Shikamaru, or anyone else would do in this situation. Shishou trusted me with this mission, and that means that no matter what, I have to succeed. I need to become stronger so that I will be able to protect Naruto and Sasuke in the future, along with the rest of Konoha. I won't fail again.
Though the feeling of dread lingered at the pit of her stomach, Sakura forced herself to ignore it, instead focusing her full attention on the rising spirit of determination that once again filled her limbs with renewed energy. I won't stand back and watch this time, she vowed to herself, refocusing her gaze onto her teammates. I won't only become as strong as myself in the previous timeline. I'll keep training until I'm powerful enough to stop Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, and save Konoha.
Jade eyes hardened with resolve, her spirit refusing to be dragged down into the pit of self-loathing. She wouldn't fail again. On this, she swore.
"It was a mistake?" Hiruzen repeated his student's words, a challenge rising in his aged voice. "Are you questioning my decisions, Jiraiya?"
"No, Hokage-sama," the Sannin reassured. "I'm not questioning your decisions. I'm simply bringing to light an issue that has been plaguing my mind for a while now. I certainly agree with your decision of retracting the jonin in order to defend the village from the Akatsuki threat, but in doing so I feel that Konoha has made itself vulnerable to an enemy without knowing."
Hiruzen's dried lips frowned at this, and he fell silent as he contemplated his student's words. "Sunagakure is no enemy," he finally replied, carefully choosing his next words. "The five Kage voted unanimously to allow Suna to host the exams, and so they shall host the exams. Suna has given us no trouble in the past months and is grateful for our assistance in dealing with their recent sandstorms. What would they have to gain by turning against us?"
Folding his muscular arms across his chest, Jiraiya met his former sensei's gaze, any trace of his usual lightheartedness gone from his eyes. "I'm not saying Sungakure is the enemy necessarily- but my instincts are telling me that something is off about the situation. We've left our genin- our youngest and most promising shinobi- in a foreign nation without jonin supervision, completely vulnerable to attack. Konoha cannot risk its future generation of shinobi being wiped out-"
"Who said they were to be wiped out?" the Hokage interrupted abruptly, impatience clear in his voice. A scowl was etched deep into his features, wrinkles bunching at the corners of his eyes as he glared at his student. "Listen to yourself, Jiraiya! You are making baseless accusations against our neighboring nation at a time like this? You have essentially contradicted yourself. You bring to light the fact that Sunagakure wouldn't be able to provide resources for the Chunin exams due to their sandstorms, yet accuse them of masterminding a plot against us as if they would somehow be able to pull that off as well. I am not capable of protecting Konoha and babysitting a few genin in Sunagakure at the same time. I will focus my efforts and keep the jonin in Konoha, and that's final!"
A fragile stillness befell the office after the Hokage's sharp words, though the atmosphere was swollen with tension. The unexpected outburst left the Sannin stunned, although he quickly schooled his shocked expression down to one of bitter acceptance. Recognizing that he had overstepped his boundaries, the toad-summoner didn't pose any further questions to the Sandime, instead lowering his gaze with respect. Hiruzen narrowed his dark eyes at his student, his features hardening with silent anger.
"I understand, Hokage-sama," Jiraiya nodded, clenching his fists as an outlet for his vexation. "I apologize." With those words, the Sannin bowed once before picking up his scroll, his sandals clopping against the wooden floor as he silently slipped out the door.
Sakura's tears had dried up long ago.
Around two hours or so had passed since she had woken up, most of which she spent checking up on Sasuke and Naruto and going over whatever supplies she had left in her travel pack. Her spirits had briefly dropped when she noticed the absence of both the earth scroll and the heaven scroll from her and Sasuke's packs, wiping out all of their progress and setting the three of them back significantly. However, the kunoichi bottled up her vexation, telling herself that it was to be expected of the cunning Sannin to steal their scrolls while they were unconscious. Just another reason to hunt him down and defeat him, Sakura thought to herself, releasing a frustrated sigh as she closed her bag.
One benefit of her time alone, though, was that it gave her a chance to analyze and contemplate the encounter Team Seven had with Orochimaru. Though she wasn't too keen on digging up the vivid, unpleasant memories, her shinobi training encouraged her to review the details of the battle while the memory remained fresh.
He figured out that Tsunade-sama is my teacher, Sakura remembered, suppressing a shiver as she recalled the disturbing glint in his eyes. Unconsciously, she scooted closer to the fire, finding a semblance of safety in its warmth. But he didn't know that until he saw me fight or use medical ninjutsu. So why was he so intent on isolating me from the start?
Maybe he actually meant to isolate Sasuke first, she considered, her brows furrowing in thought. But he decided to change his plan because he thought I was interesting. That doesn't make sense though- he also found out about Naruto's nine-tails during that encounter, but didn't bother to talk to him or kidnap him at all. So why would he try to target me, when his main goal is Sasuke and he wasn't deterred by Naruto?
Sakura stared at the pattern of shadows created by the carmine flames on the dark desert sand, her mind fumbling as if trying to fit together two pieces of a puzzle. He also mentioned my chakra signature, she recalled with a growing sense of confusion. Perhaps that's why he is interested in me. The way he had described her chakra deeply unsettled Sakura- the similarities between his description and the way the old woman from the Land of the Waves described it were too prominent for her to ignore.
"You have the face of a young fawn, but the chakra of someone who has experienced much more."
"Your body is that of a child's, yet your chakra hints to someone who is more experienced."
Almost unconsciously, Sakura's gaze shifted towards the delicate bracelet hanging on her wrist, a memento of her meeting with the strange woman. During Team Seven's mission in the Land of the Waves, Sakura had run into an curious old woman during her search for Naruto, who had disappeared during her and Sasuke's battle with Haku. Overall, the woman seemed to be quite normal, despite her eccentric personality, although there was one thing about her that had caught the kunoichi's attention. The woman, who was clearly a civilian, could somehow see chakra signatures, and to a level of detail that the kunoichi had never encountered among the various shinobi she had met.
This, naturally, snatched Sakura's curiosity, and also made her feel slightly alarmed, especially when the woman had said that her chakra signature seemed older than she was. The woman had explained that after an ambush that had left her blind, a young, traveling doctor had given her new transplants which had somehow given her the gift of seeing chakra signatures to that depth at some unknown cost. When Sakura had relayed this information to Tsunade, the Sannin was baffled as well, only increasing the pink-haired medic's puzzlement.
Neither Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-sensei, or even the Hokage were able to see into my chakra signature at that level. So how could Orochimaru? Sakura furrowed her brow, completely bewildered by the fact that Orochimaru had mentioned the paradox of her signature. The only person who has been able to see it was the old woman, and she was able to because of those transplants by that mysterious young doctor. Could those transplants, or even the doctor, be somehow connected to Orochimaru? Is the old woman working in league with that snake?
Dozens of questions circulated through Sakura's mind, and she dug her fingers into the cool grains of sand around her, frustrated by the lack of answers. First things first. Sakura refocused her attention on the bracelet hanging on her wrist, trying to distract herself from her overwhelming thoughts. I need to get rid of the bracelet. If the old woman is in any way affiliated with that serpent, then I can't take any chances. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a part of her protested that she might be overreacting to the situation. After all, the only link the Sannin and the old woman had was their ability to see the paradox of her chakra signature. But then again, Sakura reminded herself, that in itself is a big deal, since no one else can see it. Solidifying her resolve, she slipped the bracelet off her wrist and laid it on the sand below. She lifted the heel of her boot, prepared to destroy the center stone of the bracelet when an unfamiliar chakra crept into her senses.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Sakura immediately snapped her head around, whipping out a kunai and dropping low into a defensive stance. At first, the darkness of the night bled into her vision, obscuring whoever the source of the voice was. However, when she peered closely through the flickering light of the flames, the shadows of three figures suddenly seemed vivid in the darkness, snatching her full attention.
"Who's there?" Sakura called into the darkness. "Show yourself!"
Her senses could now pick up three electric blue chakra signatures, setting the kunoichi further on edge with the knowledge that she was outnumbered. I really have bad luck, don't I? Her pink lips fell into a slight frown, and she narrowed her eyes at the shifting shadows. I'll have to try and fight all three of them off while protecting both Naruto and Sasuke.
"My, my, what a brave little girl," replied a taunting female voice, one that Sakura recognized was coming from the figure on the right. The mysterious girl stepped out of the shadows and into the firelight, the warm tones of gold and tangerine illuminating her face. She was quite beautiful- with dark, cascading hair and sharp, intelligent eyes. Her body was clad in baggy camouflage pants and a standard flack jacket, with a weapons pouch strapped to her lower thigh. A metal headband wrapped around her forehead and pulled back her hair, the symbol of Otokagure carved into the metal plate.
Sound ninja, Sakura thought with venom, gripping her kunai just the slightest bit tighter. This will be harder than I thought.
"How noble. You're trying to protect your teammates, aren't you?" the Sound kunoichi continued, a mocking smirk adorning her thin lips.
As she spoke, two other shinobi stepped out of the shadows into the fire's glow, their gazes locking onto Sakura's. Both of them wore standard shinobi garb and camouflage pants as well, with the symbol of their village displayed proudly atop their foreheads. The one in the center, and the leader, Sakura assumed, had tight white bandages wrapped around the entirety of the lower half and right side of his face, leaving only his left eye uncovered. He wore an oversized poncho that swallowed up his arms and left the sleeves to dangle close to the ground, along with a spiky, straw coat on his slightly hunched back that gave her the impression of a porcupine. The final Sound shinobi had narrow metal plates stretching down from his forehead protector to cover his cheeks, although the rest of his face remained uncovered. His hair stuck out from the top of his head and was styled slightly to the side, the color matching his dull black eyes. Blood red characters decorated the front of his beige shirt, conveying the ominous message that spelled 'death'. For some odd reason, his face in particular seemed familiar to Sakura, although she didn't bother to read too much into it.
"You're Orochimaru's lackeys," Sakura nearly growled, holding her kunai forward threateningly. "You're here to try and assassinate Sasuke, aren't you? I won't let you get past me."
"Oh, I'm so scared," the boy on the left taunted, his dark eyes seeming to laugh at her. "Oh please, Pinky. We were able to find all of your silly little traps. If you were truly at peak performance, you wouldn't have set those up all around your tiny campsite."
He's right, the medic acknowledged bitterly, a deep scowl settling over her features. I set up those traps because of my chakra-exhaustion. I need to rely more on my taijutsu skills in this battle since my reserves haven't even regenerated to half of my capacity. I can only use my enhanced-strength or jutsus when I need to.
"How about we make a deal, kunoichi?" the shinobi with the face coverings spoke up, his voice ringing unpleasantly in Sakura's ears. "Since you clearly are in no shape to defeat us."
"What are you doing, Dosu?" the Sound kunoichi whispered as she whipped her head towards the shinobi who just spoke, who Sakura assumed was Dosu.
"Hand over Sasuke Uchiha, and we'll let you and your blond friend live," Dosu continued, ignoring his female teammate as he waited patiently for her answer.
"Over my dead body," Sakura replied firmly, preparing herself for the looming battle by regulating whatever chakra she had left into her fists. Dosu seemed to have expected her reply, and he, along with his teammates, dropped fluidly into their respective attack stances.
"Very well, then," he drawled, adjusting the mechanical device that gripped his lower arm. "We'll just have to get rid of you then, won't we?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Dosu sprung forward. Gripping her kunai tightly, Sakura steeled herself for the incoming attack, watching the Sound ninja sprint towards her with a razor-sharp focus. Sound ninja tend to have abilities related to regulating the air pressure of an environment or sound waves. I bet the device on his arm will manipulate those two things in some way. I can't let him use it!
Pumping chakra into her foot, Sakura burst forward, meeting Dosu halfway. The shinobi reeled back at her approaching form, his body now shifting into a defensive stance as he tried to dodge her punch. The kunoichi followed through her attack with a kick, the base of her boot lightly brushing against the tip of his nose. The two of them exchanged quick blows, with Sakura relentlessly pressuring Dosu and putting him on the defensive.
"Zaku!" Sakura heard the Sound kunoichi shout somewhere in the distance. "Get him now!"
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the other male Sound shinobi, who she had learned was named Zaku, sprint past her towards where Sasuke and Naruto lay. Picking up on his intentions, Sakura gripped onto Dosu's arm with her enhanced-strength, planting her foot onto the sand. Oh no you don't! Twisting her body, the kunoichi had only a second to see Dosu's eyes widen before she hurled his body towards his teammate, waves of chakra pumping into her arms. Zaku turned just in time to watch his teammate crash into him, both of them skidding onto the ground from the force of Sakura's throw.
However, the medic's victory was short-lived. As soon as the chakra escaped her body, her limbs burst into flames, scorching from the intense strain they had gone through. Her feet were barely able to propel her to safety when she sensed someone behind her. Three senbon planted themselves neatly into the ground she had been standing on as Sakura back-flipped away, her breathing heavy and labored from exhaustion.
"Get back here, you little bitch!" the Sound kunoichi spat, her lengthy hair whipping wildly as she sent another round of senbon towards the medic.
Leaping to the side, she dodged all of the mini-projectiles, her movements weighed down by fatigue. I need to end this quickly, Sakura thought as she clenched her teeth, narrowing her eyes at the Sound kunoichi. Once again, she pumped chakra into her feet, although this time she made sure to conserve as much as she could. Swinging a powerful kick at the Sound kunoichi, she began another series of attacks on her, using the same strategy of putting her on the defensive as she did with Dosu. The Sound kunoichi had a sharp eye, however, and seemed to spot this, along with the fact that Sakura was losing chakra- and quickly. Dodging her attack with feline grace, the Sound kunoichi caught the medic off guard by faking a kick towards her leg. At the last moment, she changed course, stabbing her midriff with a kunai.
Sakura bit back a scream as the blade sunk into her flesh, gritting her teeth as the pain disoriented her for a second. Taking advantage of her momentary weakness, the Sound kunoichi slammed her foot into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. The medic stumbled and failed to regain her footing, crumpling to the ground as her hands cupped at her bleeding wound.
"Not so strong now, are you?" the Sound kunoichi smirked, her oil black eyes glinting in triumph as she stalked towards the wounded girl, taking her sweet time. "Sorry you weren't able to protect your little teammates."
"Tch..." The world spun wildly around Sakura, her stomach somersaulting as a sense of vertigo settled over her. Her eyelids slipped closed as she fought against the fiery pain that spread throughout her body, her bloody palms pressing down hard against her wound. No...I can't die here, her thoughts whispered faintly in her head. Naruto and Sasuke need me.
The Sound kunoichi paused in front of her form, swinging a kunai idly on her finger. Her features were settled in a smug expression, basking in her victory against her opponent.
"Any last-"
All of a sudden, Sakura's blood-stained hand shot out from her stomach, grasping at the Sound kunoichi's ankle. Redirecting chakra into her fingers, her hand squeezed and crushed the bones underneath, inciting a scream from the kunoichi.
"Damn you!" She howled in pain, her body swaying as she tried to regain her balance. "I'm going to kill you-"
Before she could finish, Sakura leaped to her feet, fighting through her own pain as she grasped the Sound kunoichi's arm. Using her extremely precise chakra control, the medic redirected some of her chakra into her palm, building it up before slamming her hand into the kunoichi's back.
"Shannaro!"
The brunette's eyes widened as the ground broke beneath her, the force of Sakura's punch snapping bones and tearing her skin. Her form soon went still beneath her fist, and Sakura knew that the Sound kunoichi was unconscious. She wasted no time spinning around to confront the two other Sound shinobi, desperately trying to gather every ounce of chakra she had left in her reserve. One down, two to go...
Both Dosu and Zaku had recovered from their crash by now, although by no means did they emerge from it unscathed. Various scrapes and scratches decorated their skin, with patches of dust and sand smudging their clothes. The medic was willing to bet that their clothing hid freshly bloomed bruises by the way they twitched as they moved and guarded certain areas of their body. However, their apparent injuries gave no advantage to Sakura. Splotches of black hindered her vision, a clear sign of severe chakra-deprivation. In addition to that, she was outnumbered two to one and had to protect her two unconscious teammates, who showed no sign of waking up anytime soon. All in all, the situation did not seem to be panning out in her favor, but that didn't in any way encroach on her determination to win. I can't falter now, she told herself, narrowing her eyes at the two shinobi facing her. I only have to defeat these two.
"I see you defeated Kin," Dosu drawled, although his tone carried a more sinister edge. The white bandages wrapped around his face were torn at the edges, revealing the entirety of his left cheek and the corner of his mouth.
"She was the weakest one of us, though," Zaku added, brushing grains of sand out of his spiky hair. Despite the defeat of his teammate, his face showed no sign of concern, his chapped lips tilted upward in an arrogant smirk. "You won't get so lucky this time."
Sakura frowned at this, her body shifting once more into a defensive stance. She remained well aware of the blood soaking her shirt from her stomach wound, taking subtle breaths to prevent the pain from taking over her mind. Come on Sakura, fight through it. She bit her lip hard, trying to distract herself from the searing fire raging through her midriff. Focus.
Her viridian orbs studied the two shinobi before her, pulling her attention away from the screaming pain and onto the danger in front of her. As she observed them, her eyes snagged on the device that gripped Dosu's arm, the metal scratched and slightly dented from his crash. At that moment, an idea sparked within Sakura's mind.
If I can get close enough to him, I can destroy the device, she considered, a plan slowly forming in her head. That way, he won't be able to use his sound manipulation on me.
The pinkette whipped out a kunai while observing the Sound shinobi, watching their every movement with the intensity of a hawk. Once she had fully planned out her attack, she didn't hesitate to spring forward, her eyes solely set on Dosu. The Sound shinobi immediately lifted his arm to use his device, but she swung a kick at his arm, forcing him to abort and dodge her attack. Despite her speedy attack, he seemed more prepared for her taijutsu blows this time around, and evaded her punches and kicks with equal grace. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura spotted Zaku abandon his teammate and sprint towards the campsite, her eyes widening as she saw him make a beeline towards Sasuke.
"Stay away from him!" she yelled with ferocity, twisting away from Dosu and facing his teammate. "Earth Style: Tearing Earth Turning Palm!"
Her fingers formed a series of signs before slamming onto the ground, the sand rumbling and shaking as she pumped chakra into the technique. The ground cracked and shifted, a mini-earthquake erupting from the earth and throwing Zaku off balance. The spiky-haired Sound ninja crashed onto the sands, his sprint towards Sasuke disrupted for the moment. Unfortunately, in the time she had used to stop Zaku, Dosu had been able to close in on her, his hand roughly jerking her towards his body.
"This has gone long enough, kunoichi!"
Sakura barely had time to react before waves of sound began to pulse from his device, the strength of his grip preventing her escape.
"Ugh!" The high-pitched screech of glass-shattering pierced her ears, making her double-over as waves of pain pulsed through her head. She bit back a scream threatening to rip from her throat, the feeling of warm liquid trickling down from her ears. Come on, fight through it...
She could barely hear her thoughts over the wretched sound assaulting her ears, her eyes burning as tears gathered from the pain. With excruciating slowness, she managed to open her eyelids, her eyes desperately darting around to find an escape. Once again, the device caught her attention, now significantly closer as it deployed high-pitched waves of sound into her ears. Now's my chance! I have to destroy it now!
Summoning every ounce of her will to fight, Sakura reached out her hand, her fingers snatching the metal device that was the source of her pain. Dosu immediately reeled back, attempting to rip his arm from her grip. Before he could, however, the kunoichi channeled as much chakra as she could into her fingers, bending and destroying the metal under her. Not wasting a moment, she tugged the Sound shinobi towards her, taking advantage of his shock by delivering a devastating blow to his face.
"Cha!" she shouted as she punched his jaw, a clean 'snap!' ringing in the air soon after. Dosu's body flew backward from her blow, crashing lifelessly onto the sands a few paces away. Sakura, however, couldn't savor the victory, as her knees collapsed under her soon afterward.
Oh no, I'm all out of chakra. Her arms braced her against the ground, shaking as waves of exhaustion rolled over the pinkette. She blinked as her vision swayed left to right, flickering on and off like a broken lightbulb. Damn it! Her hands immediately flew to her stomach when a fresh stab of agony pierced her body, the pain of her wound resurfacing as the adrenaline wore off. Her body now fully collapsed onto the ground, curling up to protect her midriff as she battled the anguish within her.
"You think you're such a smartass, huh?" A voice called out to her, the owner's footsteps steadily making their way towards her. Sakura's eyes instantly opened at the sound, as if remembering that there was still another person she had to defeat. Zaku, the last Sound shinobi, glared daggers at her, his features twisted into a deep scowl. "You think a little earth attack will defeat me? Do you know who the hell you're dealing with?"
Come on! I need to get up! Sakura slowly pushed herself onto her knees, her arms shaking weakly at the effort. Inky black spots danced across her vision as blood rushed into her head, her mind a little disoriented from the lack of chakra and blood loss. When she finally managed to regain a bit of her focus, her senses picked up a flicker of dark energy, and her head turned sharply to the side. To her alarm, waves of violet chakra pulsed from Sasuke's form, enveloping him in a darkness and cruel energy that almost made Sakura shiver. The spirals of amethyst twisted and whipped in the air, seeming to gain in strength as the frigid chakra suddenly spiked. Oh god, she thought as she observed her teammate, the frigid sense of dread settling over her as her eyes blew up a fraction. The Curse Mark!
Zaku, however, didn't seem to notice the evil chakra consuming Sasuke at all, his sinister gaze directed solely on Sakura's shaking form.
"You know, I think you need to be taught a lesson," he continued, a callous smirk pulling at his lips. At his words, the medic shifted her attention back to the enemy before her, steeling herself for whatever attack he was planning. The Sound shinobi lifted his palms and held them towards Sakura, revealing two circular holes in the middle of his palms. What the hell are those? Sakura clenched her teeth, desperately trying to figure out a way to escape his attack. Body modifications? What is he going to do?
She gathered her strength and tried to push herself to her feet, but her legs stubbornly laid still beneath her. Damn it, I can't get up. All of my chakra is gone. Sakura's eyes darted fearfully from Zaku's palms to Sasuke's unconscious form, her sense of panic growing rapidly. What do I do? What do I do?!
"This'll be fun," Zaku chuckled, his eyes flickering with something akin to sadism. A wicked grin split his cheeks as he stared at Sakura's form, widening his palms in preparation. "Say goodbye, Pinky!"
All of a sudden, a pair of strong arms embraced her, shoving her into a solid chest. Deep indigo chakra danced in the air around her, pulsating with such vivid power that it sent chills down Sakura's spine. What's going on? Lifting her fern-hued eyes, Sakura nearly gasped when she found deep vermillion orbs staring back at her, instantly recognizing her teammate's kekkei genkai.
"...Sasuke?" she whispered under her breath, gazing up at her teammate in complete shock.
Obsidian marks resembling flames encroached over half of his face, standing out in sharp contrast against his pale skin. His raven locks stuck out wildly, resembling a panther's fur, with the Konoha headband absent from his forehead. Despite his lengthy sleep, the Uchiha looked wide awake, the flickering of the firelight illuminating his alert features. An explosion filled the air behind them, and Sakura instinctively clutched the fabric of his shirt, bracing herself as the ground shook beneath them. Once the earth had begun to ease its trembling, she slowly opened her eyes, peeking over Sasuke's shoulder to see the ground utterly destroyed in their wake. To her surprise, the two of them were in a completely different location from before, now behind Zaku instead of in front.
"Sakura." Sasuke quietly called out her name, the uncharacteristic waver in his voice instantly capturing her attention. His fingers reached out to gently cup her cheek, his other hand lightly resting upon her arm. His crimson orbs were glazed with an undecipherable emotion, searching her own eyes as if trying to read her thoughts. "Are you hurt?"
His words were laced with such gentle concern that Sakura nearly gasped, her heart feeling light and weak within her chest. Should I tell him? Thinking better of it, she silently shook her head, chewing at the bottom of her lip as she attempted to read his expression. He's not exactly himself right now, she reasoned, the black flames plaguing his skin evidence of that. I shouldn't say anything that'll make him angry or worried. Memories of her previous meeting with the Sound ninja filtered through her mind before she shook them away.
At her silence, Sasuke's dark brows furrowed with worry, his intense gaze moving to inspect her for injuries. Before she could cover it up, his sharp eyes settled on the wound across her stomach, the blood soaking her shirt and staining her pale ivory skin. His blood-red eyes darkened at the sight, his grip on her arm tightening ever so slightly.
"Who did this?" he whispered softly, although his tone shook with a deep rage. Sakura's jade eyes widened at his question, the words all too familiar to her. Oh god, he's losing it, she thought to herself, trying to quell her rising panic.
"Please, Sasuke," she spoke softly to him, relaxing her grip on the fabric of his shirt as she raised one of her hands to cup his own cheek. At her touch, the Uchiha's stare immediately snapped up towards hers, their eyes meeting as they gazed at one another. "Please calm down. It's not that bad, I promise."
"How heartwarming," Zaku sneered from behind Sasuke, his voice oozing with contempt. The two genin both whipped their heads around to find the Sound ninja sending them a taunting look, an almost feral grin on his lips. "I'm glad you're finally awake, Uchiha. I don't know how you managed to dodge my attack, but I have a job to do. It's time I kill both you and Pinky over there."
Sasuke's Sharingan glowed a deep red, the solid black tomoe spinning within his irises. A deep scowl graced his features, his dark brows narrowing into a piercing glare as he bared his teeth at the shinobi.
"Was he the one who hurt you?" he snarled viciously, his voice shaking with barely checked fury. The pattern of flames across his skin began to shift and spread across the rest of his face like lava, leaving a trail of dark tattoos in its wake. The wicked chakra surrounding him began to pulse with power before spiking sharply, immediately alerting Sakura's senses. She tensed as he began to stand up, her instincts screaming at her that the boy in front of her was no longer the teammate she knew so well.
"Sasuke-" She called his name, but was immediately cut off by his firm words.
"Stay here," he ordered, now fully facing the Sound shinobi before him.
The curse seal is taking him over! Her heart pounded rapidly in panic, her eyes refusing to look away from the Uchiha standing in front of her. I need to find a way to stop him!
"Please calm down, Sasuke," Sakura tearfully pleaded with the boy, lightly grasping his hand and urging him back. "Don't do anything rash."
The boy turned his head slightly to the side as her words, the evil flames of the curse seal now imprinted over the entirety of his face. "He hurt you, Sakura," he replied with an eerie calmness, gently slipping his hand from her grasp. "I won't let harm befall my precious people anymore."
"How sweet," the Sound shinobi snickered, flexing his palms in front of himself in preparation. "Let's see how fast you really are, Uchiha. Extreme Decapit-"
Before Zaku could even finish his thought, Sasuke had disappeared, as if his body had vanished into thin air. The wind whipped chaotically as the slashes of kunai could be heard piercing the air, a spike of pain shooting through Sakura's still tender ears. In less than a second, the Uchiha reappeared behind the Sound shinobi, his foot pressed against his back while jerking his arms upward. What startled Sakura the most, however, was not the boy's incredible speed- it was the callous smirk pulling at Sasuke's lips and the strangely eager glint in his widened eyes. His features morphed into an expression that captured Sakura's heart in the icy claws of fear, as it resembled the twisted look that the snake Sannin carried as well.
Zaku's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, his mouth stretching into a silent scream as Sasuke's foot pressed harder into his back. Sasuke seemed unfazed by his discomfort- in fact, in a strange, sickening way, he seemed to enjoy his agony, his crimson eyes lighting up in something akin to delight. The whole scene made Sakura's stomach twist violently within her, her breath scattered and halting as the beating of her heart throbbed in her ears.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" the Uchiha taunted, his voice dropping a few octaves lower. "You were so eager to talk a few seconds ago."
"Y-you..." Zaku seethed through clenched teeth, his voice choking on the pain spreading throughout his arms. Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow at this, roughly jerking his arms backward, prompting a broken gasp from the Sound shinobi.
That look on Sasuke's face...Sakura stared at the scene in horror, her heart tightening every time Sasuke pulled Zaku's arms further away from his body. He looks just like Orochimaru did when he attacked us.
"Listen. I'll only say this once." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the Sound shinobi, leaning closer to his ear. "Don't you dare hurt a member of my team ever again."
The pattern across the Uchiha's body glowed brightly once more, spreading onto his other arm like spilling liquid. The look on his face spoke of pure, raw fury, with his Sharingan stabbing invisible knives into the Sound shinobi's back. At the sight of this, Sakura's shoulders started to involuntarily shake, warm tears burning at the corners of her eyes. Her fingers clenched into tight fists, squeezing so hard that blood began to drip onto the sand beneath her. I won't let him fall prey to the curse seal. I won't let Orochimaru take him- not this time. This time, I'll fight for him. A surge of adrenaline overcame her, a familiar, brilliant blaze lighting within her once more. I need to move! I need to stop him!
"Sasuke!" she cried out her teammate's name, immediately grabbing his attention.
Gathering the last of her energy at her feet, Sakura flashed towards the two shinobi in front of her, using her strength to rip the two apart. The Uchiha reeled back from the force of her push, the tomoe of his Sharingan spinning like a pinwheel as he tried to regain his balance. Zaku cried out when she yanked his arm back, his shoulder still tender from Sasuke jerking it backward. I've got to end this now! Sakura thought to herself, her jade eyes honing in on the back of the Sound ninja's neck. Before Zaku could even think to react, her hand slammed against the nape of his neck, striking the pressure point like a viper. The boy crumpled to his knees, his eyelids slipping shut before his body dropped lifelessly to the ground.
"Sakura!" Sasuke nearly yelled, stumbling back as he glared at her in confusion. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"You're not acting like yourself, Sasuke," Sakura stated firmly as she spun to meet his glare with one of her own, tears building up in her eyes like a dam about to overflow. "You're letting your anger and power consume you."
"That's not true," the Uchiha defended through clenched teeth, shifting his gaze to his hand while he flexed his fist. "This power...that man gave me this gift. For the first time, I understand what I need to do. I'm an avenger, Sakura...I need to gain as much power as I can, no matter the price. Even if I have to be consumed by evil."
"Don't you understand what you're saying right now?!" the kunoichi cried out, her voice thick and heavy from her barely restrained tears. I can't let him become consumed by evil- not again!
Gathering her courage, she cautiously stepped closer to the Uchiha, watching his movements carefully as she moved near. The boy seemed to tense up as she moved closer, his Sharingan tracking her movements as he shifted into a defensive stance. Despite this, however, Sakura continued her steady approach to her teammate, reaching out hand to lightly rest against his arm. When he didn't move away, she reached her hand out and gently cupped his cheek, his vermillion orbs watching her with mild bewilderment and curiosity.
"Please, Sasuke..." she whispered softly, a lone tear trickling down the side of her cheek. "I don't want to lose you."
Her tearful viridian eyes locked gazes with his own, silently pleading and conveying her heartbreak. Their noses were barely a few centimeters apart, so close that Sakura could feel Sasuke's dark bangs brush against her skin when a weak breeze blew past them. Sasuke simply stared at her for a few seconds, his own eyes betraying his inner conflict as they flickered in the warm firelight. After a couple of moments, his dark crimson irises receded into the shade of soot, his expression softening into a slight frown. His muscles seemed to relax ever so slightly, his body slowly easing out of a guarded stance as he unclenched his jaw.
"Sakura..." he spoke her name with care, lifting his hand to brush the warm drop off her cheek.
On a whim, Sakura moved to close the distance between them, sliding her arms around and enveloping him in a small hug. She buried her nose into the fabric of his shirt, her heart fluttering as she squeezed him tighter, as if afraid to let go. At first, Sasuke seemed startled by her course of action, his body going completely still at the contact. However, the kunoichi soon felt two arms hesitantly wrap around her midriff as well, bringing her closer to her teammate. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the inky black flames trailing his arm begin to recede, leaving his skin as pale and unmarred as it had been before. The wicked chakra consuming his form gradually weakened until it diminished entirely, replaced by the familiar blue flame that was Sasuke's own chakra.
She felt Sasuke's head lean against her own, the smell of firewood and dust filling her senses. To her surprise, he held her closely, showing no sign of pulling away as he settled his chin on her shoulder. The steady drum of Sasuke's heartbeat filled her ears as her cheek pressed against his chest, the warmth of his body chasing away the chill of the night. A small smile pulled at Sakura's lips which she quickly hid by turning her head into Sasuke's chest, her fear and desperation from earlier ebbing away into a peaceful calm. There the two of them stood, whether it be for minutes or hours, just savoring each other's warmth and listening to the sound of each other's heartbeat.
Kabuto shifted his circular rimmed glasses further up his nose, his calculating mind trying to process what the Sannin had just told him.
"She's Tsunade's apprentice?" he clarified, a rare instance of shock overcoming him.
"Yes," Orochimaru chuckled, running his stitched tongue over his sickly pale lips. "And that orange brat has the Nine-Tails."
"I didn't expect this," Kabuto mused, furrowing his brow as he weaved his hands together.
"Yes, it certainly makes things more complicated," the Sannin drawled, settling back in his enormous arm-chair. The citrus flames of the torches flickered in the darkness, creating shadows that danced across the stone walls. "I also believe that the woman is right."
"That old hag?" The medic's tone was skeptical, although he knew better than to question the Sannin's judgment.
"Yes," Orochimaru nodded, "it seems so. When I mentioned the chakra signature, the girl seemed to understand what I was referring to, or she at least knew something more of it. But we'll revisit that in time. What is the current estimate of our guest's arrival time?"
"Actually, he has already arrived," Kabuto smirked, the glow of the torches reflecting off his glasses. "He is currently waiting for you at the entrance."
"Is that so?" the Sannin hummed, standing up from his colossal throne. "Then we best not keep him waiting. After all, it is not every day when one gets to meet with the Kazekage."
Hello!
Sorry that this chapter took a bit longer to post, but I had to make sure that it was just right. This chapter mainly focuses on Sakura and her current relationship with Sasuke, or her thoughts on Sasuke getting the curse mark. Sadly, Naruto was unconscious for the entirety of the chapter, but I promise we'll get more Team Seven moments in the next one!
What do you guys think Sakura will do differently now that she knows Sasuke has the curse mark? What do you think she'll do to prevent him from leaving (and to defeat Orochimaru)? Also, tell me your thoughts about Sasuke and Sakura's interactions!
It looks like the Hokage finally snapped at Jiraiya! What do you think Jiraiya will do next about Sunagakure? Do you think he's right about his theory? Or do you think Hiruzen is? Could something totally different be going on?
And finally, the last scene with Orochimaru and Kabuto! What were they discussing and what business do you think they have with the Kazekage?
Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this story! It really encourages me to continue it and write more :)
Don't forget to tell me your thoughts about this chapter! I love reading about your theories, ideas, or just anything else you find interesting about it.
Wishing you all the best!