Please read AN for important information regarding the future of this fic.
Author's Note: Welcome back to the newest chapter. I really hoped this wouldn't happen, but I regret to inform everyone that this will probably be the last chapter for a while. Most probably don't know, but I am a recent college graduate, and I recently landed a full-time job within my field. This means that the time on any given day I typically dedicate to writing will now be taken up by work.
I just want to be clear that this does NOT mean the story is abandoned. However, it is very possible that there will be several months without a new chapter as I settle into the next phase of my life. I want to continue writing if I can make time, but I can't promise anything. In truth, I haven't written anything for this story in over a month. That fact alone makes me sad since this has easily become my favorite hobby.
My PMs are always open if you want to inquire about my writing progress going forward. My profile will also be updated accordingly if I make any headway on subsequent chapters.
Thank you in advance for understanding, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 41: The Broken Promise?
"I'm sure it's nothing, Sakura," Ino said as she walked around the shop to spritz all the flowers on display. It was a menial task that livened up the product and gave prospective customers a good first impression when they walked in. "You know how busy that boy has been recently; something probably came up with the Hokage, and the whole thing slipped his mind."
Sakura leaned forward in her chair. With an elbow propped on the edge of the register counter, she rested her cheek in her palm. "I don't know; something just doesn't feel right." She said with the same downcast expression that frequented her features the entire day. "We were supposed to get ramen two days ago, but I haven't heard from him since the last time I saw him. Naruto isn't someone who would skip out on plans like that and disappear." In her mind, the blond was someone who always came through on his words, and that was doubly true when ramen was involved!
"Did you try to find him so the two of you can talk?" Ino offered. Now done with her task, she put the watering can behind the counter and gave her friend her full attention. "That is, if he's still even in the village. Has anyone seen him around?"
Team 7's medic brushed a stray lock out of her face and sighed. "I've already stopped by his house a couple of times, but he wasn't home." Her emerald eyes betrayed the sadness she felt for the boy. "I'm just worried about him; I don't think he's processing what happened to Shizune in a healthy way, so I wanted to be there for him."
"Oh… I see." At the mention of their fellow medic, Ino's upbeat demeanor quickly turned somber. The pain from the loss of a close friend and mentor still caused her heart to burn. "If Naruto's not home, then there's a good chance he's out of the village on some sort of mission." This kind of behavior was commonplace amongst Shinobi after the fall of a comrade. A difficult mission didn't give you time to think and feel, which was a perfect way to cope with great loss or sorrow. "You should go ask Lady Tsunade directly. If anyone knows where he is, it would be her."
Sakura was able to manage a small smile with the help of her childhood friend. "Thanks, Ino. You're right; I'm going to go do that right now!"
…
…
…
That was how she got here.
The kunoichi's conversation with Ino brought her to the Hokage Tower. It was the only place that had the answers she sought. There she stood, on the opposite side of the door that led into her teacher's quarters. Just as her fingers lightly brushed the brass knob, a slight twitch of her ears caused her to reflexively pull back. It was faint, but a faint voice could be heard from inside the office. The nosey girl hesitantly leaned forward in hopes that she could catch something of note. A part of herself was mortified that she would eavesdrop, but Naruto's strange behavior didn't feel right, and she wasn't about to leave it to chance.
"I n..v…r ex..ec...d th..t k…d wo…ld c..m.. b….k ..o …he vi…l…ag… l…ke th…s. N…ru…o h…s p…t us i… a to…gh sp…t." Without the infusion of chakra to improve the senses, no one outside of the Inuzuka Clan could make out even a single word that was said.
'That sounds like Master Jiraiya…' His voice, even as hushed and incomprehensible as it was, was very recognizable. 'When did he get back to the village?" She thought. 'Does Naruto know? That might explain why he never showed up…' It made sense to a certain extent; Naruto and Jiraiya shared a bond so strong that it bordered on a familial level.
Just when she was about to concede and come back another time, convinced she found the reason for Naruto's absence, something the Toad Sage said caught her attention.
"…Sas…k…e Uc…i..ha…' What had they said? It couldn't possibly be about her former teammate gone rogue; certainly, she heard incorrectly, right?
At that moment, as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, every shred of apprehension expelled from her body. Without a second thought, Sakura pressed her ear to the door and closed her eyes in concentration. With a little bit of chakra and precise control, the medic enhanced her auditory perception just enough to distinguish the conversation between the two Sannin.
"Where are they now?" Tsunade's voice came in much clearer. The Fifth Hokage sounded quite irritable, which further added to Sakura's confusion. "Still at the inn?"
Sakura then heard Jiraiya let out a raspy and tired sigh. "No, I think they're headed to the gates as we speak." The Sage responded. "Their mission has officially started."
"I hope you were able to talk to him about what you learned in the Land of Frost." The Slug Medic forcibly exhaled. "He seriously needs to tone down that reckless behavior before he gets himself into even more trouble."
It didn't take a Nara to realize that Naruto was the focus of this discussion. And yet, Sakura found herself more interested in the other name that was briefly mentioned.
"They'll be fine; that team is more capable than it looks. And I spoke with the brat just before coming here." Jiraiya answered firmly. "He knows about the Mist Village, and he was able to mark the spot of the Three-Tail's location on a map for me."
'What are they talking about?' Sakura couldn't help but think to herself. 'Naruto, the Mist and Frost, the Three-Tails… what is going on, and how does this have anything to do with Sasuke?' All this conversation did was open up more questions that the pinkette wasn't entirely sure she wanted answers to.
"Are you going alone?" There was a bitter taste in the Senju's tone, like she didn't want him to go.
There was a short pause in the conversation; Sakura began to worry that her presence was detected, but that was quickly quelled when Jiraiya opened his mouth once more.
"No, I'm assembling a team to come with me to scout out the area. Naruto and I just promised one another that we wouldn't go on any dangerous assignments on our own; I'm holding up my end of the bargain just like he is."
"Oh, I see…" Sakura could hear the relief in her mentor's voice even through the other side of the wall. "I never thought I would see the day where the Great Jiraiya would ask us mere mortals for assistance." She quipped, her voice laden with sarcasm.
"Hmph; more shocking than seeing those two working together after all this time?"
There was a loud creak, which Sakura recognized as the sound of Tsunade's chair when she leans back in thought. "There might be nothing more unexpected than seeing Sasuke Uchiha in the village again."
That was all it took.
Sakura moved fast, so fast that her surroundings blurred as she went by; she passed a startled Kae at her desk, went around the corner at the end of the hall, and down the stairs. In just a few seconds, she was out on the street and immediately bolted in the direction of the village gates. The teen was so caught up in her own head that she ran into a crowd of people and knocked a few of them over.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" An angry man shouted.
"What the hell was that for?!" Another said.
"Be careful; there are children out here!" A concerned mom warned as she shielded her child away from the wide-eyed kunoichi.
Sakura didn't even hear a single word of it and, instead, took to the rooftops to avoid another collision that would only impede her progress. Her mind raced with infinite possibilities as she bounced from building to building.
'Naruto and Sasuke… are going on a mission together? How? When? Why? I don't understand.' There were so many pieces she didn't have to this equation, which made the mere thought of it give her a migraine. Was the Uchiha no longer under Orochimaru's thumb? Had her two teammates contacted one another to join forces for some unknown reason? Since Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade were privy to this information, did that mean the raven-haired boy was permanently back in the Leaf Village's ninja ranks? Were they finally going to be a family again…?
This whole situation was so incredibly bizarre, and yet it made perfect sense; it explained Naruto's strange behavior and why there was so much on his mind as of late. An image of an older Team 7 together again appeared in her mind, which only reinforced her desire to make it in time. She pumped chakra into her legs and darted from across the residential rooftops at a breakneck pace.
'If it's true, and he really is back in the village, I have to get there before he leaves again! I have to see him!' With each step, her heart ached a little more. This all felt like a sweet dream, and the thought that it could just be one big nightmare terrified her to death.
'Almost there!'
With no buildings left to traverse, the only option was to run the rest of the way there. Still, it didn't take long for her to reach the village's entrance at the speed she traveled. Sure enough, just like the Sannin said, Naruto was with a small group just inside the Leaf's walls. Next to him were three people; a woman with red hair, a teen boy with white hair with what appeared to be Zabuza's sword slung across his back, and…
Her breath caught in her throat as she stopped just short of the quartet. The only one to notice her presence was the redhead with glasses, but none of that mattered. That back of his head and familiar black hair was unmistakable.
"Sasuke…" The kunoichi breathed out in utter disbelief. "No way… is that really you…?"
The two boys noticeably stiffened up at the sound of her voice. They glanced at one another as if to urge the other to turn around and confront the predicament. There was a long, awkward pause amongst the five Shinobi. While Suigetsu was amused and intrigued by the reunion, Karin seemed annoyed and slightly agitated at the arrival of the mysterious woman.
'Who is that, and how does she know Sasuke?' Team Hebi's sensor wondered to herself. The arrival of a pretty girl instantly made her territorial and defensive. Unfortunately, she was another helpless victim of the famous Uchiha charm.
'I'm almost out of water… we're gonna have to stop somewhere on the way so I can get more.' Well… not that intrigued. Suigetsu, on the other hand, was in his own little world as he stared down at his water bottle with a look of sorrow.
Sasuke, on the other hand, couldn't help but think back to the night he left the village behind; they were currently in the exact spot where he last saw her when he laid her unconscious body on a nearby bench. "Sakura, it's you." Despite the memories, Sasuke didn't bother to turn around. "What do you want?" He asked coldly.
"Sasuke…" Naruto prodded tentatively. This encounter could go one of two ways, and there was a good chance it wasn't going to be good.
"S-Sasuke, what are you doing here?!" There was both relief and fear in her voice. She seemed to shrink slightly under his harsh tone, but it didn't stop her mouth from moving. "Did Naruto bring you back? Are you finally coming back home to us?!" While naivete told her everything would be alright now and that they'd be a family once more, the more rational part of her mind wasn't as convinced. There was something about these circumstances that seemed off; from Naruto's expression to the tone Sasuke used, it all felt like she wasn't supposed to be here.
The Uchiha's next words would confirm the fears that Sakura carried.
"You should really get out of here, Sakura." Their former cellmate warned. "We aren't staying. I'm just here for Naruto; this doesn't concern you."
"I-I don't understand…" It looked as if the kunoichi was struck by a blow o the side of the face. She took a disheartened step back and defensively tucked an arm close to the front of her body, with a loosely balled fist just in front of her mouth. "Why would you come back after all this time just to leave again? Why…?" Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes, but she willed them not to fall. Sakura was fully aware of the reason Sasuke left, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
No more tears; it was a promise that she had made to herself.
"That's the point. You've never understood anything about me; you couldn't, even if you tried." Finally, the rogue teen looked over his shoulder at his teammate; his eyes were stone-cold and filled with hatred, though none of it appeared to be directed at her. No, there was something else in his gaze meant for her; it was annoyance. "Even after all of these years… you're still as annoying as ever."
"Sasuke!" The Jinchuriki finally snapped. "You're going too far; cut it out! Sakura is here because she cares about you; there's no reason to say such hurtful things!"
"Hmph, if you say so." The avenger took one last look at the now wilted cherry blossom, then at the blond. "The three of us are going on ahead. Don't take too long, Naruto."
That seemed to snap Sakura back to reality. She reached out that hand that was pulled against her and try and grab ahold of the Uchiha. "S-Sasuke, wait!" But it was too late; Karin, Suigetsu, and Sasuke went on ahead, which left Naruto alone to pick up the pieces. The pinkette's extended arm dropped limply to her side and slapped harshly against her thigh.
The blond let out a sigh. He was the guy who made even the worst situations right; that always seemed to be his job. Why did everyone always look to him to fix their issues? Was he some great problem solver in the eyes of others; if so, since when? As far as the Uzumaki was concerned, all he did was fail and let people down. The only reason he was alive today to be relied on was a combination of sheer dumb luck and a massive concentration of chakra in the shape of an angry fox that was sealed inside his gut. Without those, Naruto Uzumaki was nothing but an ordinary teen gifted with extraordinary abilities. And yet… his village, friends, and loved ones trusted him. Why?
Then again, there was no one Naruto could blame but himself for that. He made it too easy; no matter how hard the kid tried, he felt compelled to extend a hand when he saw someone else that needed help. That was the case even when it was to his own detriment. However, it was for a good reason.
Or, at least, that was how he rationalized it.
Naruto grew up without help from others for a very long time. Some days it all felt hopeless, but he continued to push forward and strived to live his life to the fullest. Then… Teuchi, Ayame, and Iruka came along and opened his eyes to new possibilities. Life alone was bearable at times, but just a little bit of help in the right places changed his perspective on existence. Suddenly… what was simply bearable was now even enjoyable. Could you imagine that? A couple kind faces were all it took to turn a sad little orphan's life around for the better. In truth, Naruto was one of the lucky ones.
Not everyone who needed an Iruka in their life got one. That thought alone made it nearly impossible for the Jinchuriki to turn down those who have needed his help. The odds of someone else would come along and play the role of the savior was incredibly low. In a sense, this propensity to assist others made him weak and easy to manipulate.
That's what Yami will occasionally whisper into his ear, at least.
"N-Naruto, what is going on?" Sakura's depressed and quiet tone seemed to snap him out of his thoughts. Her face appeared noticeably paler than just a few moments ago, not that it was much of a surprise to anyone. "I d-don't understand… why would Sasuke come back to us just to leave again? Please… tell me."
"Sakura…" The look of despair in her eyes made him feel terrible. Their walk together after dinner a couple of nights ago had been the perfect opportunity to prepare her for this moment. And yet, he chose to keep her in the dark. Things would have worked out just fine if Team Hebi hadn't decided to drop by so unexpectantly. The logic behind his choice was that if Sasuke decided not to come back to the Leaf after Itachi's elimination, then the pink-haired kunoichi would be none the wiser; ignorance is bliss, as they say. Conversely, she'd be beside herself with joy if he returned of his own volition after the mission. It was a win-win.
Well, that was the plan, anyway. When would he learn that plans rarely went the way they were intended?
"Sasuke and I recruited one another to launch an attack on the Akatsuki." It would do little for anyone if Naruto kept the truth from her any longer. "He wants to kill his brother, Itachi, and I just want to get rid of as many of those Akatsuki as possible. This isn't us working together as friends; we just happen to have goals that align."
"What about Orochimaru? Isn't he still out there?" Her voice was soft and disheartened, but there was a bit of hope deep within those emerald eyes. Things could definitely be a lot worse than they were. "I can't imagine he would let Sasuke get away without taking his body."
"He's dead; Sasuke got him, betrayed the snake bastard right in front of me." Sakura's eyes shot wide open at the news. The casual tone used as he recounted the seismic events only furthered her shock.
"What?! Orochimaru is dead?" The teen girl blurted out. "And Sasuke… was he really the one to do it?!"
"Yeah, he was." Naruto nodded, though his facial expression and mannerisms did not reflect the supposed good news. "We faced off at the Tenchi Bridge in the Hidden Grass not too long ago. I guess Sasuke had planned to turn on him for some time but knew he couldn't kill him by himself; we gave him the perfect opportunity to get the job done."
"I can't believe it." She whispered to herself, unsure of what to think. While the death of the Sannin was undoubtedly beneficial to the Leaf Village and the Shinobi World as a whole, the fact it was done by Sasuke's hands raised questions. "Do you think that… after this is all done, he may finally return home? I mean, once his brother is gone, there's no reason that he wouldn't come back, right?"
Naruto suppressed a grimace and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know, Sakura. It's impossible to tell what going on in that head of his. I won't try to force him like last time, so I wouldn't count on anything; don't get your hopes up in case it doesn't happen." Those truthful words seemed to crush any good spirits the girl had left. Naruto couldn't hold back his frown any longer. She needed to know that it wasn't as bleak as it appeared. "I just want you to know that despite how he treats you or what he says, Sasuke isn't a bad guy. Orochimaru may have sunk his fangs into him for a time, but I don't think it changed him all that much. Even if he doesn't want to come home, he's still in there."
For what it was worth, that seemed to reinvigorate Sakura's hope a little. "Hope is different than trust. If what you say about him is true, and that's still the Sasuke I know, then I trust that he'll come back to us one day; I really believe that."
The Uzumaki closed his eyes and, with his arms crossed at his chest, smiled thinly. "Heh, I suppose that is a good way to think about it."
Before she could further express her relief at that revelation, a thought occurred to her. "Why didn't you tell Kakashi-sensei or me about this?" It didn't sound like an accusation, but you could tell the girl was a little hurt. "Was this what you meant when you said you had a lot on your mind? You could have told us; we're your friends."
"Do you trust me, Sakura?" He responded to her question with another question.
"What?"
The field-promoted Chunin stepped in closer and looked the girl in the eyes intensely. "I'll explain more when I get back, but I can't say anything right now. It's top secret. Please, just let me know, do you trust me?" A spot in the back of his head ached slightly as red and black imagery flooded his vision.
"Y-Yeah, of course, I do." His stare perturbed her a touch, but she would always trust a comrade, especially Naruto.
His shoulders relaxed as if an invisible weight suddenly lifted off his body, and he turned to face the forest. A couple dozen meters away, a snake with its body tightly coiled around a tree branch eyed the pair intently. When its slitted eyes made contact with Naruto's, it hissed loudly, slithered towards the trunk, and disappeared up into the leaves. "That's my cue to leave." The blond chuckled under his breath. "Seems someone is getting a bit annoyed that I'm taking so long, though I can't say I'm a fan of his choice in animals..."
"Naruto, be safe." He turned to look at her one last time. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you two, so you need to come back no matter what."
The teen understood how she felt and nodded. "I may not be able to keep that promise I made back then, but I'll make you a new one now." Her eyes widened for what felt like the tenth time today. "I'll keep Sasuke alive, and he can choose for himself about what to do after that. Make sure you keep that trust you have in him. I think he's going to need it."
And, just like that, he was gone.
Sakura let out a breath she hadn't realize she held in. This was almost too much to take in at once. "It's no wonder Naruto's seemed so stressed lately." She muttered to herself. "Those two… they're always leaving me behind for one reason or another." And yet, this time, she felt different about it. Instead of discouragement, the medic was motivated to do better. If those two idiots want to test their strength on some dangerous mission, then she would stay back for now and push her limits in training. If she had it her way, they wouldn't be able to recognize her the next time they meet.
"I need to go see Lady Tsunade right away!" It was time to perfect that technique.
'Explain more when I get back? Top secret?' Naruto recited back his own words as he jumped from tree to tree. Once again, his head throbbed in pain as indecipherable images flashed within his field of vision. The discomfort made it difficult to keep his eyes open. 'What the hell was I talking about?'
More importantly, what compelled him to say that?
Before he could dwell on the strange phenomenon any longer, some movement ahead caught his attention. With a burst of speed, he fell in line with his new team, then quickly deaccelerated to keep the new pace. Suigetsu and Karin silently glanced in his direction, then continued to look forward as they traveled.
"It took you long enough, Naruto." The Uchiha said as his eyes remained straight ahead. "Now we can finally go at full speed."
The blond did not like that comment one bit. "Giving a damn about my comrades and how they feel will never be a bad thing; don't try and make it seem like it is."
"That's something you should be worrying about later." The rogue countered evenly. "We have far more important things that require our attention."
"I think you've already established that you can't multitask your problems without running away." Naruto bit back irritably. "I'm not you; I won't abandon those who need me."
"You do the same thing even when someone doesn't need your help." As he said that, Sasuke kicked off a rather thick branch with enough force to splinter the wood beneath his feet. "You would have fewer problems if you just kept to yourself more often."
The blond's frowned deepened considerably at that snide remark in reference to the Sasuke retrieval mission.
Meanwhile, the two silent members of Team Hebi awkwardly shared a look, unsure how to cut the tension. They were like a couple of kids with argumentative parents.
"Who was that girl back there?" Karin made sure to direct her question at the more talkative of the Leaf-born Shinobi. "A friend of yours?" She asked more out of her own selfish curiosity than anything else, but it would hopefully distract the boys enough to deescalate the situation to some extent.
Naruto turned towards the voice, took a deep breath, and did his best to maintain a neutral expression. "She's the third member of our old Genin cell and a very good friend of mine."
By his tone and agitation within his chakra, it sounded like he didn't want to speak further on the matter.
"I see."
The orange-clad Chunin took in a deep breath, then exhaled sharply. "Let's make up for lost time, team." All it took was some additional chakra pumped into the legs for him to get well in front of the others. His tone and emphasis on the final word left little to the imagination about how he felt.
"Yay, go, team." Suigetsu mocked, complete with a weak pump of the fist. The derisive look thrown his way by Karin elicited a toothy grin from the swordsmen. "What? I'm just trying to instill some camaraderie in the group."
"Suigetsu."
"Yeah, Sasuke?"
"Can you shut up, just this once?"
"Okay."
"Are you sure this is what you want to do? You won't have any time to devote to anything else." Tsunade asked while she absentmindedly read over the mission report written up for Team Hebi's assignment. "I was prepared to put you on an important mission since you've been worried about your lack of field experience in relation to your peers."
"I'm sure, Lady Tsunade." Her apprentice confirmed with a nod. "Experience is important, but I need to catch up to Naruto and Sasuke first in strength first. I have to be able to pull my own weight."
Their conversation, while brief, was much easier than she anticipated it to be. Sakura didn't seem too downtrodden by Sasuke's unexpected appearance and sudden disappearance. She assumed that a certain young blond had something to do with that but would keep that assumption to herself. Instead of a hysterical and depressed reaction to the news, Sakura was relatively upbeat and determined. The focus of their meeting leaned more towards plans for training and improvement, things she would be more than happy to help with.
"Okay, I have something that should be of some use to you." Lady Fifth bent over her chair and pulled out one of the many drawers in her desk. "I think you've progressed to the point in your training where you don't need me to hold your hand through every step." She explained. "Hm, not in here." A mumble escaped her lips. Tsunade stood up from her seat and set her sights on a bookshelf in the corner of the room.
"Are you looking for something in particular, Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked, confused by the strange behavior.
"Why, yes I am." Her mentor confirmed as she bent down to search the bottom shelves of the display. "Ah, here it is!" She pulled out what appeared to be a dusty old tome with intricate, hand-drawn symbols on the outside. For whatever reason, the sketches looked vaguely familiar to the teen.
"What is that?" The girl asked curiously.
"This is something that was left to me by my grandmother, Mito Uzumaki; she's the one who taught me how to use the Hundred Healings Mark." She walked back over to where Sakura was and placed it in front of her. "It's an ancient Uzumaki text that details the process of creating one's own forehead mark to store chakra behind. I think you're finally ready to learn from it. I know you've already begun the process of stowing away excess chakra, but this final step will allow you to gain access to that reserve and use it to its fullest extent."
"Uzumaki? I didn't know they were a Clan." Her eyes shined in awe at the piece of history placed before her. "That means Naruto is…"
"That's right. The Uzumaki Clan's history isn't really taught much in the Academy, but they were a prominent group of Shinobi from the Land of Eddies that shared a deep alliance with the Leaf Village."
"But why isn't it taught?" The emerald-eyed kunoichi asked tentatively. "Did something happen to them?"
"Their land was destroyed about thirty years ago in the Second Great Shinobi War." The half Uzumaki's voice seemed numb to the tragedy. "Unfortunately, they became just another casualty to the horrors of war."
"I see." Sakura's face fell at such casually spoken words. It reminded her just how much the Hokage lost throughout her life. Too much. "Well, I'm glad you still have a few things to remember your ancestors by."
"Yeah." It was more like a second home to her, but a home, nonetheless. Hashirama's granddaughter flipped open the cover and trailed her fingers across the words scribbled inside. They were instructions left by her grandmother decades earlier meant especially for her. With a content sigh, now trapped in her own world, she flipped a few pages further to go down memory lane.
However, that was short-lived. 'How odd. Pages twenty through thirty are missing.' She thought to herself. Based on the state of the interior binding of the text, it was apparent that those select pages were roughly and carelessly ripped out. Her eyes narrowed considerably. 'I'm certain that all of the pages were here the last time I looked through this. And, if I recall, the missing sheets focused on the Hundred Healing Mark's history, its uses, applications, and the effects it had on the user's body.' A chill went up her spine, though she was unsure as to why.
"Is everything okay, Lady Tsunade?" Sakura's voice, which seemed to snap her mentor from her thoughts, was a mix of mild concern and confusion. "You spaced out for a second there."
"Ah, yeah, I'm okay." Was her weak response. "Seems I got caught up in the memories I have from when I was little. This book… holds a lot of precious ones."
"Oh, I would understand if you don't want me to…."
"Nonsense, I want you to use it!" Exclaimed Tsunade. To further her sincerity, the book was placed lovingly in her student's lap. "There is no one more worthy of learning my family's Jutsu than you, Sakura." Her apprentice looked down at the tome, then up into those motherly eyes. "Since you already have the fundamentals down, start at page one-hundred and go from there. Just remember, I'm always here in case you get stuck and have any questions; I'd be more than happy to help."
"O-Okay!" The pinkette beamed, her eyes wide with child-like excitement. She shot up to her feet, bowed respectfully, and headed towards the door. "I promise that I won't let you down!"
Lady Fifth let out a long, tired sigh. It felt like such expressions had become regular occurrences these days. It was days like this where she dearly missed Shizune's strength and patience; her presence alone would make this all… so much more bearable.
"It isn't you that I'm worried about, Sakura…." She muttered under her breath.
The day passed uneventfully with Naruto at the head of the formation by himself while the other three trailed at varied lengths behind him. It was tense, but the lack of communication amongst the quartet allowed for efficient travel with minimal interruptions.
Naruto found a nice spot high up on a tree branch, his back pressed firmly against its large trunk. Visibility was low; the only light sources were the dim crescent moon overhead and the orange glow that peeked through the thick foliage of the forest in front of him.
Team Hebi had set up camp not too long ago, equipped with a campfire in a small clearing surrounded by the densely packed woodlands, but Naruto didn't have the patience to be near Sasuke right now. For that reason, he distanced himself slightly from the group for the night.
The sound of rustled leaves to his right caught his attention, but he dismissed the possibility of a potential threat. A second later, an exact copy of him landed softly in front of him.
"Yeah?" The real one asked, still propped up against bark.
"The other me's have set up a perimeter around the camp." Said the copy. "If they see anything suspicious, they'll dispel themselves to alert you."
"Good, that's one less thing to worry about. Did they transform into objects to blend into the surroundings like I asked?" His doppelganger responded with a quick nod. "Since we're not too far away from the Uchiha Clan hideout, it would be stupid to not take extra precaution."
"So… tomorrow is the day? Already?" Naruto's copy looked a bit uneasy. "Do you think Sasori's hunch is right; will Itachi and his replacement partner be there?"
"Who knows? Sasori hasn't been wrong yet with his information, so I'd say this probably won't be any different." The original said with a shrug. "I just hope that Itachi's new partner is that shark guy, Kisame since Jiraiya-sensei ordered me to withdraw if that masked man shows up."
"Will Sasuke listen to the order if that happens?" Faux Naruto asked, though he already was well aware of what the answer was.
"I'll try my best to get him to see reason but, if I can't, that's his mistake to make." Naruto shrugged. "I can already hear it now: 'Hmph, I'm not a Leaf Shinobi, remember? If you want to run away like a scaredy-cat, then go ahead. Hn.'" He finished with a mocking tone.
"Yeah… that sounds just like him, too."
With nothing left to say, Naruto dispelled his clone and sorted its experiences like it was the most natural thing in the world. With his mastery of Shadow Clone Experience Transfer, things like this were second nature to him now. After the process was complete, his gaze shifted upwards to the vast array of branches and greenery above. Along with that, there was a noticeable frown on his face.
"I know you're there," Naruto called out into the darkness. "You just gonna eavesdrop without coming down to say hi? Don't you think that's a little rude?"
"I was wondering when you would notice me." It was the voice of Karin. Unlike Naruto, she chose to lay down on her back and gaze upward; this allowed a pleasant view of the moon and stars. "To answer your question, I didn't want to interrupt the conversation you were having with… yourself. I think that would be even ruder. Oh, and, by the way, your Sasuke impression needs a little work."
"I always knew you were there." Her new teammate corrected. "You may be able to mask your chakra, but that doesn't mean much when you make all that noise. It's like you were loud on purpose to let me know you were here." And, unsurprisingly, that last comment did not make it past him. "And I'll have you know that all my clones say that my Sasuke impression is spot on."
Karin arched an eyebrow but chose not to comment. It might not have been something she wanted to hear, but those words about her stealth were definitely true. In truth, her talents as a medic and sensory type masked any lack of typical Shinobi skill she possessed.
"Do you always talk to your clones like a crazy person?" She couldn't help but ask. "Couldn't you just have dispelled it and gotten those memories without wasting your time with that?"
"I think better when I voice my thoughts out loud. With multiple versions of myself, I can brainstorm and make decisions faster than I normally could. That's how I was able to write both of my novels so quickly." Naruto immediately realized what he said, blinked, then shook his head. "I have no idea why I even told you that. What did you come here to say, anyway?"
Karin watched as a leaf detached from a branch overhead and began to flutter down towards her. She snatched it out of the air and rolled it in between her index finger and thumb. "I was just curious about what your intentions are."
"My intentions?"
"You have a village full of friends and allies to fight the Akatsuki with, yet you chose the help of someone who left it all behind... left you behind." The redhead tossed the leaf aside and looked down at her green-stained hand. "Why?"
Naruto frowned indecipherably. "Who knows?" He finally said.
Karin blinked, sat up, and looked over the edge of the branch. Even with the moonlight overhead, his blond hair and blue eyes pierced through the night. "You don't know?" She asked in a confused tone. She expected that to be a lie, but the teen's chakra was as clear and bright as it always was. Unless he was the most deceptive liar she ever met, it was the truth. "How can you not know?"
"I guess, if I had to point to one reason," Naruto felt some pressure from a nasty headache start to build up behind his forehead, but he ignored it. "it would be, so I didn't have to put those friends you mentioned at risk." He looked down and used his bangs to shield his eyes from further scrutiny. "If something were to go horribly wrong on this mission… I'd rather you three die in their place."
An uncomfortable silence fell over them. Naruto awaited the verbal assault he knew he deserved, but, to his surprise, such a reaction never came. Naruto looked back up, only to see that she had already averted her gaze.
"You have anything to say?" Naruto asked tentatively, completely unaware of Karin's inner thoughts. What surprised him even further was her response. "Was that not the response you wanted to hear?"
"Nope." She said with a shrug and a simple shake of the head. "That was it, thanks." Without another word, she chose to lay back down on the branch and resume star gazing.
'Nope?' Naruto thought in disbelief. 'What the hell does she mean by that?' There were multiple ways that could have gone, but such a subdued and casual reaction was not even close to what he expected, not in a million years.
Was it just him, or did women not make any sense at all?
Meanwhile, Karin had unrelated thoughts on her mind. The words out of his mouth mattered little; what was important was what Naruto's chakra told her as he spoke.
'How interesting…' She attempted to rub off the rest of the leaf residue off her palm, but some still remained. 'It doesn't really make any sense, but he was definitely lying when he said that.'
The only question is, why?
Both would remain in the same spot for several hours as they tried to understand each other's thoughts. It was about to be a long night.
Kakashi leaped up onto the top of a tree and scouted the area with his Sharingan uncovered. He stood on the innermost edge of a vast forest that surrounded a massive lake in its center. The entire area was quiet, almost too quiet.
'I don't even hear any of the local wildlife…' Was the thought most at the forefront of his mind. 'Is this entire forest devoid of any life?' A high-frequency pitch in his ear caught his attention, and he pressed his finger just under the ear lobe.
"Ah, is this thing on?" A frustrated voice said through the wireless radio.
Kakashi's light smile showed through his eyes. "I hear you loud and clear, Master Jiraiya. Is everything alright?"
"Define alright." The Toad Sage did not sound amused in the slightest. "Is this really how Shinobi in the field communicate with each other nowadays? I don't know; this thing really isn't my style.'
"Is it because one at your unyouthful age has issues using technology?" Another voice on the frequency interrupted.
"Eh?! Was that Guy's mini-me brat who said that?'
"Lee!" Tenten admonished. "Don't talk to Master Jiraiya like that! He's a peer of Lady Tsunade!"
Neji didn't say anything, but you could hear his distinct grumble through the earpiece over the antics of his teammates.
"Heh, heh." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "No, Lee; he's just not used to working with others, is all." Enough of that; it was time to get serious. "Neji, have you spotted anything?"
The Hyuga in question, just like Kakashi, used his eyes to scour the landscape thoroughly for any signs of unusual activity. "There's nothing within five kilometers of the lake that is cause for alarm." He finally said with some uneasiness in his tone. "However…"
"What about in the lake itself?" Jiraiya seemed to immediately pick up what his fellow Jonin was worried about.
"There is a massive concentration of chakra coming from underneath the water. The levels I'm seeing are almost unbelievable." Neji evened out his tone. The energy that emanated from the water was so great it made the entire lake glow through the vision of his Dojutsu to the point it nearly blinded him. Once the shock at the sight of such massive energy subsided, the sensation made him feel a bit nostalgic. "Seems as though Naruto was right; this has to be the place."
Kakashi let out a sharp breath. "That would appear to be the case."
"The three-tails is still here, so there's no rush to get things done." Jiraiya chimed in wisely. "Let's take this slow and formulate the perfect plan. There's no telling if the Akatsuki has a way to subvert the gaze of the Byakugan; we need to be as careful as possible."
"Right."
Unbeknownst to them, a critical eye watched them high in the sky. Off in the distance, a strange, white bird blended in with the clouds above it. On top of the creature stood a man with long blond hair clad in a familiar black cloak adorned with blood-red clouds.
"One… two… three… four… five… six enemies, and Zetsu said that one of them is a Hyuga," Deidara muttered to himself while he zoomed in on the targets with his trusty eye scope. "Not only that but those two…." His gaze lingered longer on the forms of Kakashi and Jiraiya. "The Copy Ninja and the Toad Sage are here, of all people; just my luck, hm." His assignment has just started, and there were already problems. "To think the Leaf would be able to locate the Three-Tail's so easily..."
"I don't think I've been spotted yet, though I was worried for a second that the one with the bandage across his nose caught sight of me. It appears the Byakugan user is so focused on what's happening below that he isn't concerned with what could be above." The decision to take to the skies was critical in his ability to remain undetected. "At this altitude and distance, as long as I don't make any sudden movements or get within his range, I shouldn't be detected." That was still a big 'if'; he'd be sure to be extra cautious from here on out, hm.
"It would be so easy to just go over there and drop my masterpiece, the C3, on their unsuspecting heads and be done with it, but those eyes will see me coming a mile away. If that were to happen, even I would be in trouble." He spoke to himself irritably. "I'm not foolish to take on a Sannin, Hyuga, and the Copy Ninja at the same time. I'll just have to bide my time and come up with some sort of strategy."
Deidara stuffed his hands into his hip pouches and allowed the palm mouths to eat some explosive clay. "What to do, what to do?" He asked himself menacingly, all while he slowly began to mold and infuse chakra into the volatile substance.
Both Karin and Naruto had fallen asleep in their respective spots after their brief conversation; the calm, cool air lulled them to sleep not long after. Several hours passed, evident by the sunrise that started to peek its way over the distant horizon.
Karin shot upright with a start from her spot on the tree, with Naruto not far behind.
"What is that?!" She blurted out with wide eyes. Both she and Naruto looked Eastward, in the direction of the disturbance. "Something's coming, and fast."
Naruto's eyes narrowed noticeably. "Whatever it is, it destroyed my hidden clones in the area before I got a chance to see what it was." He explained, upset that his security measures were rendered useless so easily. "Do you have a read on it? What are you sensing?"
"I sense two distinct chakras headed for our camp; they're right beside each other, and one of them is enormous." A chill ran up and down Karin's spine as she extended her range to get a better feel for what was on its way. "Whoever they are, they almost have as much chakra as you… but so much darker." The alarm and worry in her voice were evident.
Naruto got to his feet and jumped up to where Karin was. He watched as trees were toppled to the East and a massive cloud of dust made its way towards them. Stealth didn't appear to be a concern for their new guest.
"C'mon, we have to go right now." It didn't take a genius like Shikamaru to figure out who was on the other side of that ghastly chakra. "We're going to have a fight on our hands in less than five minutes. It has to be the Akatsuki."
They just hoped it was the correct pair they were in search of.
"R-Right now?" She squeaked in response. "Are you sure it's a good idea for me to get that close to this fight?"
"We're going to need your sensory and healing abilities," Naruto answered. "Just stay close to me, and you'll be alright, Karin. Now let's go."
"O-Okay." She could only nod in response as they went to intercept the mysterious threat.
They weren't far from Team Hebi's campsite, so it didn't take more than a couple of minutes of silent travel to arrive. Sasuke and Suigetsu were already in wait for the unknown enemy as Naruto and Karin touched down next to them.
"Glad you lovebirds could make it." Suigetsu mocked them with his eyes still trained ahead. His sword was placed defensively in front of his body in wait. "As you can probably hear, things are about to get a little interesting."
Similarly, Sasuke's palm rested on the butt of his sword; his fingers twitched in anticipation. "Karin." It was just a single word, but his teammate knew precisely what was asked of her.
"Two chakras are running in step with one another right towards us." With some time to analyze further, she noticed something else of note. "But… one of them definitely isn't human."
A hush fell over the group; the only audible sound was the path of destruction that occurred in front of them. They all braced for impact just as a bandaged sword emerged from the treeline and rushed them. The way it protruded from the ground gave it the appearance of a shark's fin.
In response, Suigetsu's eyes widened, and Naruto's narrowed.
"Scatter!" Sasuke commanded.
His team did as instructed and retreated in different directions; Sasuke North, Suigetsu South, and Naruto and Karin West. The blade reached where they had just stood, stopped, and none other than Kisame Hoshigaki exploded from the earth beneath it. As always, he sported a wickedly excited grin that helped him receive the nickname 'Monster of the Hidden Mist.'
"Well, well, well," Kisame said in a predatory tone. "it appears that Itachi was right, after all. You were on your way to the Uchiha Clan's Hideout, weren't you?"
"Damn, they anticipated our movements," Naruto grumbled to himself just loud enough for Karin to hear. "Did we fall right into a trap?!"
"Itachi…" Sasuke repeated that name with hardened eyes. The grip on his blade tightened significantly. "Where is Itachi Uchiha; tell me where to find him, and I have no reason to kill you."
"That incendiary attitude of yours hasn't changed much since the last time we met, brat." Kisame slung his massive blade, Samehada, over his shoulder and chuckled menacingly. "But don't worry, I'll let you, and only you, go see him." He threw a thumb over his shoulder to illustrate. "Your brother is holed up in the hideout just up ahead like you thought he'd be, and he's been waiting ever so patiently for you." He finished with an eerie tone. "Go on ahead and have yourself a nice family reunion.
Sasuke shot a look at Naruto, who wordlessly nodded back in agreement. They no longer needed fists to exchange thoughts; instead, they appeared to be on the same wavelength with simple eye contact.
"I'm going on ahead to settle this once and for all."
"Okay, I'll hold down things here. Leave Shark Face to me."
"Sasuke…" Karin said cautiously.
"I'm going on ahead." The tone of his voice changed. It was evident that this was the moment most of his life had led up to, and there would be nothing that would keep him from it. "The three of you will have to handle business here without me."
That wasn't what Karin wanted to hear, but it was apparent nothing would keep Sasuke from his date with destiny.
"Okay."
Sasuke ran past Kisame unimpeded to the fated battle with his older brother. With one last look at his team, he forged ahead.
Never to look back again.
With their leader gone, it was up to Naruto and Suigetsu to eliminate the current threat. Both Shinobi wanted this fight desperately for vastly different reasons.
Suigetsu was the first to voice his intentions.
"Kisame Hoshigaki, wielder of the great blade Samehada," He matched the man's stance and slung his own impressive sword over his shoulder. "I've waited a long time for this day to come."
Kisame looked at the teen confusedly and tilted his head slightly to the side. This elicited a sneer from his opponent.
"Don't tell me you don't recognize me?" Suigetsu did his best to hide the annoyance he felt, but he didn't fool anyone. "The name is Suigetsu Hozuki, the brother of Mangetsu."
That appeared to trigger something in Kisame's cold eyes. "Oh, of course; I see it now. I barely recognized you after all this time, Suigetsu. I should have realized it the moment I saw you with that brat's blade."
Suddenly, all of the joy drained from the face of Mangetsu's brother. "Are you talking about Master Zabuza?" He said with thinly veiled anger.
For what it was worth, Kisame didn't seem to care. "As much as I'd like to reminisce with you about the good ol' days," He paused to lift his enormous sword off his shoulder and point it straight at Naruto's chest. "I have a mission to accomplish. I must rectify Sasori's failure and capture the Nine-Tails."
Naruto pulled a kunai from his pouch and lowered into his stance. It was moments like this where he felt himself shift into a completely different person. There was no time for jokes or laughter; his existence was on the line.
"Bring it on, freak."
Sasuke's stride quickened as the sight of the mountain that housed his famed clan's hideout came into view. Each step heavier than the last, memories of the past swam around in his mind. However, this time there was no attempt to suppress them. They served to fuel his hatred further and push him beyond the finish line.
"You aren't even worth killing, foolish little brother."
He scowled; his blood-red Sharingan flashed dangerously. Anger rose into his chest, which forced him to take a calm breath to push it back down. This would not be like the last time, where emotions got him to act rash and reckless. Any hopes of victory would disappear if that were to happen again. Instead, Sasuke would take his hatred by the throat, control it, and redirect at the object of his vengeance in one concentrated blast.
"Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me – hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run… run and cling to your pathetic life."
Sasuke closed his eyes but continued down his chosen path. The entire second half of his existence led up to this pivotal moment. Every decision ever made, good or bad, regretful or not, was all for this day. And, after it's over, there would only be a single Uchiha left in the world.
And there was no way he was about to die.
"You are still too weak. You don't have enough hate. And you know something? You never will."
Sasuke snapped his eyes open, now face to face with the monster from his childhood.
"Tell me, Sasuke, can you finally see clearly with those Sharingan of yours?" There Itachi sat on the large stone throne in the hideout's vast meeting hall, cross-legged, one hand casually placed in his lap, the other stuffed into an opening in his cloak. "Are you able to pierce through the illusions of this world?"
"You want to know how well I can see?" Sasuke asked with barely contained malice. "The only thing I can see, Itachi, is you slowly dying at my feet."
That remark elicited a grin out of the elder of the two brothers. "Hm, I expected as much." He said coolly. "That is what your eyes perceive, but what do your instincts tell you?"
"My instincts?" Sasuke nearly spat. "What the hell are you blabbering about?!"
In one swift motion, Itachi pulled his arm from his cloak, shuriken in hand, and launched it at his little brother. Sasuke withdrew his katana to block, but the shuriken morphed into crows, which harmlessly flew past him.
"Starting off with your favorite parlor tricks, are we?" Sasuke scoffed derisively.
Itachi's expression remained impassable. "You went to block with your sword because you felt that it was a threat to you; is that correct? Why do you think that is?"
Sasuke did not humor him with a response and only continued to bore through him with contempt-filled eyes. This urged the elder Uchiha to continue with his train of thought.
"Well, if you have nothing to say, I suppose I'll tell you," Itachi smirked and uncrossed his legs to sit normally. "It is because instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body, hoping to be wrong." He said cryptically.
"What is that supposed to mean;" Sasuke spoke but refused to let his guard down in case it was a misdirection. "just what are you trying to say?"
Itachi rose to his feet but kept his eyes locked on his younger brother. "It means that if you base your expectations only on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality."
Just then, the 'Itachi' in front of him exploded into another flock of crows. Sasuke's eyes widened at the display as he felt a presence appear directly behind him.
'So those crows from before were…!'
"Hello, Sasuke." Itachi said as he stood directly behind his brother.
'It's good to see you again…'
Author's Note: I usually find myself excited as I write this ending note, but I just feel disappointed right now. Not with the contents of this chapter - no, I actually love how it turned out - but where I'm being forced to leave it on this temporary hiatus. I have been dying to write these next few chapters, so it pains me to have to draw a line in the sand here. I know I'm pretty ruthless with my cliffhangers, but it's borderline cruel and unusual punishment to leave you with this ending. My apologies.
To make things worse, I'm on the cusp of hitting 1,000 reviews and won't be able to enjoy that milestone….
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a review about what you thought, and try to be nice even if you're upset that there won't be chapters anytime soon.
Believe me, I'm even more upset than you are.
See you next time with Chapter 42: ? ? ?
TheSoundofThunderingEngines - In my opinion, manga Sakura was better. She hit Naruto a lot more often in the anime.
nirmtheworm14 - I'm glad you liked it! This might be my most annoying cliffhanger yet if I'm honest.
SaiyanEnthusiast - I wish I could say no more cliffhangers… but, as you can see, I would be lying.
Guest (May 14) - My bad, I tried to use it less this chapter.
Ky111 - Sakura wasn't going to let them leave without saying something. You should know this lol.
Lilthug - My Naruto feels similarly about Hokage, but he still does respect those who become Hokage. It's just counterproductive to what he wants to accomplish now.
Passive Person - There was a little of everything in this chapter. I hope you liked it!
TheEmeraldFist - Just for saying that, I'm giving you my biggest cliffhanger yet! /s
It's not your fault.
ThelittleKing - Itachi is very wise.
And yeah, a lot of people forget that Sakura exists.
TrenchcoatMan - Karin isn't aware that she's Uzumaki.
And yeah, Sakura needed to be a part of this interaction since they're all in Team 7 together.
TacoLover1423 - Reading whiplash. The Wave deaths are very controversial, so it's good to hear that you liked it! A lot of people drop after reading that chapter.
s.k.f.f.f - Do you and Choji have unresolved issues?
copet - If you think your review was bad, you should see my chapters before I edit them! So many errors!
Your mentioning of all of my ongoing plot points makes me even more upset that I have to take a break from writing! I'll try to get back to it when I can!