Dyin' Ain't So Bad

Itachi was by my side in less than a second, quickly laying me down on my back with my face laying down-hill. He tore off the arm of his jacket and formed it into a circle and placed it on my stomach, so it surrounded the tanto, and pushed down on both sides of the wound.
"Wow, look at who remembers the first-aid course." I commented with a weak smile.
"Please save your energy and don't talk." Itachi shot back, his eyes getting teary as he applied pressure to both side of the tanto-wound.
"If I recall correctly, you're supposed to talk with the victim. Make sure they're still conscious and all that stuff." I stated, my sight getting slightly woozy. "And I should warn you that my vision is facing."
"Fuck, fuck, fuck…" I heard Itachi mutter as he pushed down harder. With the world fading in and out of focus I had a hard time making out what was happening, but I was sure I heard him scream out for help. 'But honestly, everyone is inside fighting the Jubi, who can hear him?'

The two six-year-olds children were laughing loudly while running away from the much taller nine-year old. If one did not know the children, it would be easy to think they were all siblings. A set of twins and their older brother playing outside.
"I'll get you!" Shisui yelled playfully after the other two.
"No way, Nii-san!" Akira yelled back happily. "We're
way too awesome for you to catch!"
"We'll see about that!"

"Nii-san? Where did you go?" I wondered, the world slowly fading back into focus, forcing me out of the memory.
"Brat, if you die on me, I will kill you!" a female voice hissed at me, and I felt someone forcing their chakra into mine. 'Tsunade?'
"Did Konoha just gain a new set of Sannin? That's the Three-Way Deadlock!" a voice I managed to place as the Raikage asked in shock. 'Three-way Deadlock? Naru-chan, Sasu-chan and Sakura-chan? They've grown up so well.'
"What are you guys still standing there for? Get going!" Tsunade barked out harshly as the colours started fading into each other again and I felt my conscious slipping away again.

Team 5 had just finished the second round of the Chunin Exams and were waiting patiently for the preliminary matches to begin. Akira was cackling loudly as she watched her Sensei approach them. The ten-year-old was understandably amused by the sight of her neon-pink Sensei, even if he was glaring rather harshly at her. She didn't even pay attention as both Kamiko and Tadashi taking a step away from her, clearly seeing what was coming.
"Aww, my adorable little student! I heard you told on me?" Hayato-Sensei smiled sweetly at her, before pulling her into a thigh hug, effectively covering her in the neon-pink paint as well.
"Sensei!" Akira complained loudly. "Now no-one will take me seriously in the preliminary matches!"
Kamiko snorted at Akira's last complain, while Tadashi chuckled in amusement.
"Akira, you already look like a child who's dream in life is to become a princess. I hardly think this change anything." Kamiko stated with a smirk.
"Kamiko!" Akira gasped in mock-shock. "How can you say something so rude to the ever-awesome Nakamaru Akira?"
"The fact that you introduce yourself as the ever-awesome Nakamaru Akira hardly helps your case…" came the deadpan response from Kamiko.
"Look at my adorable little students fighting again…" Hayato smiled evilly at them. "I think the best way to fix this is with a group hug!"
"RUN!" Akira screamed, dragging her teammates with her.

Someone was slapping me. Said person was slapping me rather lightly, but that didn't change the fact that this person was slapping me. Repeatedly.
"-ira! Akira!" that was Itachi. 'Is that bastard slapping me?' I wondered and found myself to tired to actually get angry or start plotting my revenge prank.
"Hn?" was the only sound I was able to produce.
"Don't fall asleep, you moron!" Itachi scolded and I forced my eyes open. I had a hard time focusing my vision, but I was able to recognize Tsunade working on my stomach – which no longer had a tanto sticking out of it – and Itachi whose lap my head was resting on.
"Tachi…" I managed to whisper out softly. I felt tired, oh so tired. "You need to… you need to help Sasu-chan. Your brother needs you."
"You need me more. Sasuke is doing fine." Itachi insisted while softly stroking my hair.
"Stop being so un-awesome…" I muttered weakly, managing to send him an equally weak smile. His eyes were teary. "Help win this war; I promise that I'll still be here when you're done."
Itachi looked conflicted. I tried to look at him encouraging, though I had a feeling it looked more like a grimace.
"Promise me."
"I promise."

Akira had been fourteen years old when she decided that she no longer wanted to live alone. She wanted a roommate. And fortunately, she had the perfect target for the job. Her best friend and practically older sister, Kamiko, was also a typical ninja with a tragic story of how she ended up an orphan. In other words, the older girl also lived alone and was therefore the perfect roommate. Most people had a hard time understanding the friendship of the two girls. Where Akira always needed to be around people to feel happy, Kamiko despised people. Akira had always been considered a possible future Hokage, where Kamiko was considered a flight risk. It was also the fact that Kamiko rarely talked and was famous for her death-stare. Akira seemed to be immune to the death-stare though. And everyone who knew her could testify that Akira could speak more than enough for both herself and Kamiko. To Akira, Kamiko was someone who understood her. They had gone through a lot of similar things in their pasts. From having murderous fathers to being considered prodigies. While it was no denying that the girls could seem as different as the sun and moon, their understanding of each other made them the closest of friends. All of this taken into consideration, Akira decided that there was no other alternative than to force Kamiko to be her roommate.
"Kamiko!" Akira greeted her teammate happily and latched onto her, forcing the older girl to accept her hug.
"Just how much sugar have you had today?" Kamiko complained, though Akira could tell Kamiko was glad to see her. "Get off me, you're bloody annoying."
"I just had the most wonderful realization!" Akira bragged brightly, quickly releasing Kamiko. Akira knew very well from experience that Kamiko would probably kick her off if she didn't.
"Really? Did you finally realize that being a crazy prankster does not make you more awesome?" was Kamiko's snide response.
"Of course it does!" Akira insisted, before forcing herself back on topic. "Anyways! You live alone, I live alone. We should move in together!"
"No." Kamiko deadpanned.
"Why?" Akira whined childishly, pouting slightly. "I'll cook all the food and you can do groceries, we'll split the bills, and everything will be awesome!"
"You'll cook?" Kamiko's eyebrow arched upwards.
"Every day!" Akira smiled victoriously. She had won this one.
"Fine."

Akira was unwillingly being carried on Kamiko's back. The eighteen-year-old had used the Shunshin a bit faster than she was capable of handling and as a consequence managed to twist her ankle. It hadn't really affected the mission though, as Akira had still managed to slice the neck of her last opponent at the same time as Kamiko killed her last two. The two ANBU Agents were covered in blood, but barely any of it belonged to the girls.
"I feel like making Sushi." Akira commented as they saw the gate to Konoha appearing at the edge of their vision.
"The really good ones with mango?" Kamiko asked. "I'll take care of the groceries after a shower."
"I'll write the cursed report then." Akira nodded her head slightly. "And then I'll sleep the rest of the week."
"I support that plan." Kamiko snorted just as they ran into the village. "You good to stand while I let the guards know who we are?"
"Yeah, yeah. I told you I'm totally fine!" Akira insisted as Kamiko let her down. "See!"
Akira took one step forward and almost collapsed. She probably would have fallen, if Kamiko hadn't grabbed her arm just in time to stop her.
"Yeah, totally fine." Kamiko rolled her eyes. "Sit down, kay?"
Akira huffed dramatically and, while looking straight into Kamiko's eyes, slowly slid down to the ground and sat down. "Look how awesome I am!"
"Sure, sure…" Kamiko snorted and walked away. Akira started humming softly to herself as she waited for her friend to come back. Suddenly though, her humming was interrupted by the rushed footsteps of someone running. Akira looked up to see who was coming her way. She only saw a mop of silver before she was lifted into the air.
"Kira-chan!" Kakashi called out frantically. "Oh Kami you're hurt!"
Akira tried to tell him that she was fine, but he was way too busy freaking out over all the blood to let her talk. Next thing the poor girl knew, she was in the hospital and being examined by a medic. Kakashi had smiled awkwardly while the medic glared as she explained that the only damage done to Akira was a sprained ankle and that as such, there was absolutely no need to rush her into the hospital while screaming bloody murder. Akira found the entire thing rather amusing though.

"Minions!" Akira called out loudly. The three thirteen-year-olds quickly lined up in front of her, their eyes showing their intrigue. It wasn't often Akira got to pretend to be their sensei, but when she did, they always seemed to do the craziest things. "We have a very important mission today. In fact, it is so important that we've teamed up with my old sensei, Hayato-sensei."
On cue, her old sensei jumped down from a tree, and greeted the three students of Team 7 with a huge smile.
"Wow! What's the mission, 'ttebayo?" Naruto asked while jumping excitedly on the spot.
"It's called
Operation Suna." Hayato started explaining with a smirk, pulling out a large map over Konoha. "We're going to temporarily turn Konoha into a desert."
"Is that allowed?" Sakura asked, looking rather worried.
"Of course it is!" Akira waved away her concern happily. "It's all part of the field training every Shinobi must go through. We're simply helping them learn to adapt to their surroundings!"
"Oh, that sounds smart!" Sakura smiled brightly again. Sasuke made a non-committed hn and Naruto vibrated in excitement.
"Then here's what we're going to do…"

"I love you." Kakashi whispered softly to his girlfriend. Akira smiled softly up at him, her heart fluttering wildly at his declaration. It wasn't the first time he said it, and it was definitely not the last, but Akira's heartbeat quickly every time she heard the words.
"I love you." She whispered back and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. The couple was returning from their first date since Pein attacked Konoha and it had been the first time they had gotten off in weeks. They had celebrated with a huge dinner and were now heading home. "Stay tonight?"
"Always."

I forced my eyes open. The sky was dark and the battlefield still nosy. My head was resting on Kakashi's lap and my boyfriend was brushing my hair lightly. Itachi sat by my side and was holding my hand. On my other side, Kamiko and Genma was whispering softly to each other. In front of me, though, was what I was pretty convinced was a hallucination. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were hugging each other? It was a very strange sight indeed.
"Kira-chan?" Kakashi was the first to notice that I was awake. I looked up at all the people I loved and smiled softly.
"If… If this is how it goes, then dyin' ain't so bad." I whispered weakly.
"Brat, you're not dying. The tanto didn't hit anything important and I've already closed off the wound." Tsunade stated in amusement. That woke me up quickly.
"Wait what?" I asked and shot up from Kakashi's lap. That's when the dizziness hit me and forced me to lay back down again.
"OI! I said that you weren't dying, not that you're fine!" Tsunade scolded me harshly. "You lost two litres or more of blood! You barely made it!"
"Oh… That explains the dizziness…" I realized with a frown. "So why is everyone standing around me like this? Did I miss the end of the war?"
"Uh, yeah…" Kamiko rolled her eyes at me. "With Madara out of the picture, Obito became the Jinchuriki of the Jubi. But Naruto and Sasuke were able to figure out how to pull out the Tailed Beasts so we did that. Of course he didn't survive the extraction so that was pretty much it."
"Well, that was anticlimactic… I missed like all of it." I mock-complained with a smile gracing my face. "Great job then, minions!"

AN:

Goodness, that was the last chapter! Only the epilogue left! So if it didn't make perfect sense, with Madara gone, Kaguya never showed up. I also changed the canon a bit so that Obito died after the extraction like a normal Jinchuriki would. Since Sasuke knows that Itachi's alive, he also saw no need to continue his "revenge on Konoha" thing and Team 7 pretty much made up. Well, mostly at least. Hope you guys liked it!