When she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that it was raining.
Dark massive, angry clouds covered the moon and grumbled in its wake. Several flashes of light appeared and streaked across the sky, splitting it in an assortment of fragments. A crack resonated from the lightning and reached down to strike the ground. Booming from the blow, the earth quivered and shook the floor her body rested on.
Hot pellets of water relentlessly poured from the clouds and drenched all that it touched. The air whipped violently at the trees around her, making them groan as they swayed, and forced the barrage of rain to come down even harder. Her half lidded eyes looked away from the sky and sluggishly roamed its surroundings.
Where was she?
The ground under her was broken, and any remnants of greenery in the vicinity were blackened and burnt to a crisp. A few distance away she could make out the charred portions of trees that exposed a gaping hole in the forest, leading her to believe it was from an explosion of some sort, but she was unable to remember what exactly happened.
The second thing she noticed was the sharp throb that pierced her skull.
Her arm shook as she strained to reach up and touch her temple, her mouth letting out a weak hiss from the contact. She brought her hand in front of her face and regarded the thick layer of blood that coated her fingers. Her hand went back to the wound and sensed more blood continuing to seep out, mixing with the rain that fell onto her face. Teeth gritted together, she pushed her torso up, digging her elbows into the wet dirt for support, and gasped at the sight of her damaged figure.
What happened to her?
Unable to take the exertion she was putting it through, her arms gave out from under her and she collapsed back into the position she was once in. She closed her eyes and tried to assess the extent of her injuries. Her cold body shivered from the harsh storm taking place above her. She attempted to bring forth chakra to heal herself, but when the small glow of green appeared for just a second before dimming from her hands, knew that she had exhausted her reserves. She barely had enough to stay conscious, much less perform medical ninjutsu. Though if she didn't do something soon, she knew she would end up dying from blood loss.
Another bolt of lightning flickered in the clouds, momentarily providing some sort of light for her to see clearly, followed by a roar of thunder. She waited a brief period before deciding to push herself up again, this time trying to stand. Eyebrows furrowed in concentration, she turned on her side and braced both palms against the soggy floor. A cry escaped her lips as she lifted her upper body and used her knees to stabilize herself. The rain continued to fall and soak through the clothes she wore, adding additional weight she could scarcely hold up.
A deep huff of air was sucked into her ragged lungs and her eyes snapped shut. She propelled her form upward, ignoring the pain that rippled through her body, and stumbled to her feet. Her knees threatened to buckle beneath her, but she willed them to stiffen. The world around her blurred for a minute when she reopened her eyes, and she could feel herself grow faint but was able to stay standing. Chest heaving to regain her breath, she leaned heavily on one side.
She applied pressure to the gashes on her body to repress the amount of blood she was losing, disregarding the way her shoulder screamed in protest, and took a step forward. She whimpered out loud but kept walking. Her feet splashed in the small puddles that littered the forest floor and a deafening clap of thunder was heard once again. The ache she felt crushing her brain earlier was replaced with an immense pressure building in the middle of her forehead and resulted in her steps to falter.
She spotted a broad tree that would act as shelter and trudged toward it. Her arm reached out to steady herself while she maneuvered to rest against the trunk. Wet strands of tangled hair stuck to her cheeks when another sporadic blast of wind occurred.
How did she end up here?
The bleeding persisted to flow from her wounds despite the pressure she place on them, and the large portion of blood she had lost was starting to affect her. Numbness began to gradually work its way up her legs, her vision blurred into a dizzy, unfocused haze, and breathing was now a conscious act to perform if she wanted to stay alive.
On top of it all, her skull felt as if it was being torn apart, successfully drawing her attention from her more critical injuries. She slumped against the bark and shoved her wet bangs away to clutch her pounding temples. The pain that traveled throughout her body was insignificant compared to what her head was going through now. It angrily pulsated in a whirl of torment and distress, demanding to be heard, and confusion was laced in each thud.
Since she woke up, she tried to make sense of everything. She was lost. She was hurt. But most of all, she couldn't recall how she was placed in this predicament. How did she get herself in this position to begin with?
Question after question assaulted her. Where was she? What happened to her? What was she doing? What's going on?
Her subconscious would reach back to grasp any sort of evidence that would help but came up short each time, leaving her puzzled and matters worse. She tried over and over again until an unsettling feeling appeared, looming over and seizing her like a predator would to its prey. It forced its way inside, settling in the pit of her stomach, and made every tremble in her muscles to freeze. Her eyes widen in horror and panic clawed itself way up her throat. She finally realized.
She couldn't remember.
She couldn't remember anything.
Without warning, she doubled over and heaved, letting her stomach lurch and expel a combination of bile and blood. Black spots danced across her vision and more red liquid was coughed up. The degree of her injuries was becoming overwhelming, and because she could not lessen the strain it placed, her body was shutting down.
She tore herself away from the tree and into the current of rain that persisted to descend, seeming more brutal than before. Her numb legs dragged as she staggered forward and wandered aimlessly in the dark, having only occasional glimpses of lightning to see. She didn't know where to go, and she didn't know how much time she had left or if every effort she made was in vain. She didn't know, didn't know, didn't know.
With each second that passed, the more she grew frantic. Her hands grabbed at her locks, fisting the saturated, entangled hair there and pulling hard. Did she know anything? Did she even know who she was?
Above her, thunder crashed and she froze.
In a merge of stress and pain, tears abruptly streamed from her downturned face, mingling with the rain, and dripped off her chin. Her arms dropped to her side and loosely hung there, letting the question echo in her head.
Who was she?
She started hyperventilating, sobs wracking her chest, and collapsed onto her knees. Holding her aching head, she desperately searched for an answer, forcing herself to remember. Everything. Anything. Something.
She just needed something.
Sa—
The blood refused to stop pouring through her fingers, and she knew she was losing too much. Her view became shaky and so distorted to the point where it only left a sliver for her to see. She forced herself to fight her drooping lids while coldness traveled through and stunned every nerve in her body, causing each motion to be slow and heavy even if it was only a twitch of her finger.
—kura
Then suddenly, a breath was hitched in her throat, and her eyes snapped open, fully alert. Her tears ceased falling, and it dawned on her. The raindrops that fell from the sky halted, and her cracked lips parted to speak against the wind but failed to make a sound.
She touched her throat and shuddered as she exhaled, pausing for a minute. Her mouth opened once more, and her frail voice was heard, just merely a whisper.
"Sakura."
Suddenly, searing pain erupted in the middle of her forehead, and Sakura's hoarse voice screamed aloud. The discomfort that was there began to build to the point where it was now unbearable to handle and flared through her failing body, temporarily shocking her nerves. Both arms wrapped themselves around her midsection while Sakura tightly shut her eyes and groaned. Her skull throbbed from the pressure that continued to increase, and increase, and increase.
Until something clicked inside of her.
Without thinking, her shaking hand reached up to place two fingers on her forehead, and she unconsciously spoke, "Release."
A wave of energy pulsated from Sakura and into the air, prompting the surrounding trees to bristle from the added gust and rain droplets to reflect from her. The tips of her fingers felt the outline of a diamond shaped marking being etched into her mid-forehead, and the tension that was there dulled to a slight ache before completely disappearing. She instinctively leveled her hands with her chest and grasped them together. With each finger specifically tucked and straightened to form a seal, her lips moved on their own accord, "Sōzō Saisei."
On command, the yin seal on her head began to glow and transform, diverging and wrapping around her body in an intricate pattern. Ripples of pain emerged and a hiss was emitted as her cells forcibly divided at a rapid pace, healing the wounds decorating her. Sensation was slowly reworked into her limbs, making Sakura bite her lip at the sharp sting of bones mending and skin being knit together.
A steady burn sprung from the center of her lungs and bloomed outward to the tips of her fingers. She roughly dug her nails into her palms and grunted, attempting to tolerate her discomfort. The strain placed on her intensified for a moment before dissipating and leaving her panting on the ground. Sakura let her hands roam her body, finding smooth flesh, fully healed gashes, and the threat of bleeding out gone. Her eyes turned upward at the night sky, welcoming the cool drops of rain washing her sweat slicked figure.
The seal wrapped around her unraveled itself and retracted to reform the diamond marking on her forehead, glowing an iridescent shade of purple until dimming. Sakura slumped in exhaustion and blinked several times. Her once mangled body was returned to its original state but convulsed in waves of fatigue. She felt lightheaded but pushed herself to stand, seeking refuge from the storm that refused to let up.
The view around her became disorientated, and her footsteps grew heavier with each step forward. Sakura eventually stopped to catch her breath and leaned on a nearby tree. She tightly clutched onto the bark when a strong burst of wind surged past her, almost knocking her unsteady frame over. Taking in another deep breath, she turned away from the tree and stilled.
"Kunoichi."
Sakura's chest heaved, swiftly rising and falling, and her heart began beating in alarm. Her eyes squinted at the dark silhouette, making her doubled vision merge the figure into one, before straightening her hunched body.
A flash of lightning illuminated the individual's shark-like appearance, showcasing the gills on his pale blue skin and his small, white eyes. She took in the black cloak adorned with red clouds he wore and eyed the large, bandaged sword on his back.
"Who," she took a step away, "are you?" Sakura breathed out.
The nukenin took a step in her direction, "You have forgotten?"
Sakura hesitated in revealing her state, unsure if it was wise of her to do so, but the desperate hope that the stranger would have mercy on her won out. She opened her mouth and truthfully replied, letting words spew out, "I can't remember what happened, and I don't know how I got here," she paused to fight the nausea pooling at her throat and carefully looked over at the tall figure, "I can't remember anything… I can't..." She felt her chest tighten from her words.
"How unfortunate, " the shadow of the night hid the grin showing off his sharp, white teeth, and he drawled out his words, "are you in need of help?"
Sakura visibly relaxed at the statement and let relief crashed over her. An ally! An actual person who could be a chance for help. She tried to speak again, but her knees began to shake, and she turned to cling onto the tree to keep from collapsing. He studied the girl, noticing the way she struggled to hold herself up, and questioned her, "Are you injured?"
"No," she weakly shook her head, "but my chakra is completely depleted from healing myself. My body won't be able to handle the strain I'm placing on it for much longer."
"Is that so?" he let eyes traveled to her tired face and rested on the diamond seal upon her forehead, "you cannot recall anything, yet you remember how to use medical-ninjutsu."
"I don't know why," she failed to notice the eager tone laced in his voice, "but yes."
"I see. Is that all?"
"My name too," she softly spoke, "that and my name."
The nukenin mulled at the information and looked at her with newfound curiosity, taking several more steps forward with a gleam in his eyes.
Sakura's vision began spinning while the sound of rain falling and her hand stifling her hoarse coughs filled the air. "Is there shelter nearby?" she paled and shut her eyes, "I need to rest or I will lose consciousness."
He almost laughed at how, in some twisted situation, she was asking him for help. Walking toward her weak state, he reached out with an eager hand, "Here, let me see what I can do about that."
His soggy footsteps were heard approaching her, and Sakura opened her eyes at his close proximity. All at once, she was roughly pulled forward and into the rain. Sakura could only watch as a broad hand reached out to strike the back of her neck, earning a gasp from the blow. Her body went limp, and Sakura's eyesight went black as her legs lost function. Another arm shot out to catch her falling form before she could collapse onto the ground.
Calmly throwing her comatose body over his shoulder, Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled, "Can't get easier than that."
And with another strike of lightning, he was gone.
"Oi teme, look, the sky is crying."
Sasuke scoffed at Naruto's childish remark but glanced up anyway. He tilted his head and stared at the clouds that were beginning to gather in the night sky above them. The tree he leaned against bristled from the gentle gust of wind passing and he felt the tiny splatter of a raindrop hit his cheek. His hand reached up to swipe it away.
"I wonder what everyone's doing right now."
He looked over and decided to stay quiet.
Naruto laid on the forest floor with his hands placed behind his head and a leg propped up, the other one crossed on top. He rubbed at his eyes and let out a loud yawn, smacking his lips afterward.
A thoughtful look appeared, "Kakashi's probably reading that pervy book of his, Sai's being his creepy self, as usual, I mean, when is he not?" he grinned to himself, picturing the image in his mind, "and Sakura-chan, no doubt, is overworking herself at the hospital."
He continued to talk, steering the one-sided conversation over to how he couldn't wait to get back home to eat at Ichiraku, and waved his hands around to add emphasis. His head bobbed around as he spoke, causing the Konoha hitai-ate he had on to proudly gleam in the moonlight.
Sasuke ignored the blonde's voice and focused on the headband tied around his forehead instead, squinting when the reflection flickered at him. A heavy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, and he instantly fixed his eyes elsewhere.
Small hints of Naruto's conversation worked its way to Sasuke's ear and brought out faint memories he constantly pushed to the deepest corner of his mind, hoping they would disappear. But despite the years worth of persistence to suppress them, they refused to fade. Each memory he had of Team 7, of Konoha, were clear and detailed as the day he experienced them.
Times like these, where he was left in the quietness of his own conscience, would be the times those images decided to recur and remind him of his past life. The life he chose not to live, haunting him with the thought of what if?
"Tch," He scowled in irritation and forcefully shoved the idea away.
It was pointless. If given the chance to go back and choose again, he would choose the same fate without hesitation. He lived for solely one reason, and until he could avenge his clan, Sasuke would gladly go through every obstacle in his way to do so. The thought consumed him. It became the air he breathed, the world he saw, and the purpose of his life.
That is, until a month ago.
He looked down at his hands, recalling how they were stained with blood and trembling. The body of his brother laid at his feet, dead, and Sasuke stood above.
The battle lasted for hours, but his pent-up rage fueled him. Blow after blow was exchanged between the two survivors of the Uchiha clan before only one stood. His chest rose to regain his breath, and his body was heavily pressed against the stone wall for support as he watched Itachi collapse into a bloodied, broken heap before him.
His clan was avenged, and he was victorious.
Sasuke yearned for this very moment since he was a child, imagining the minute where his anguish ceased and peace took its place. But when his dream became a reality, when he finally achieved his goal of killing the murder of his clan, the owner of his torment, none of what he hoped to happen afterward occurred.
The weight he shouldered did not disappear. Though all the anger and hatred he held was gone, he was left empty. Peace never came. There was no joy or relief in what he had done or validation of if every sacrifice and decision he made was the right one. Instead, the weight he carried grew heavier as he stared down at his brother.
Unable to stomach Itachi's lifeless eyes peering up at him, he ran.
He found an abandoned shack away from civilization and holed himself inside. Weeks passed while he was left with himself for company, and for the first time in years, Sasuke let his guard down. The emotions he held back resurfaced and rioted within.
Images of his genin team emerged. Naruto's rambling of never giving up on him and Sakura's annoying habit of confessing her love echoed in his head, stirring a strange feeling inside. He remembered the last time Team 7 was reunited, and a bitter taste settled in his mouth at the memory.
Sasuke was too far into madness to hear Kakashi's voice of reason. At the sight of his old teammates, he convinced himself that they held no significance to him. They were merely strangers who stood in his path. Hearing their cries for him to stop and return home did nothing but anger him. They meddled in issues that did not concern them, and he did what he saw fit.
His forehead wrinkled in frustration, and he fisted his hair. Flashbacks of how he wished to bring death on Naruto and the way he reveled at the sight of Sakura gasping for air, trying to pry his hand from her throat, reminded him of when he felt nothing. But now, he felt everything.
Sitting in the cabin, he was shameful of himself.
Sasuke let guilt eat at him as he replayed each moment in his mind, over analyzing each detail, each bond broken. He thought of the way he thirsted after his brother, itching for his blood to be spilled, and how he felt after the deed was done. Killing Itachi had unsettled him, bringing out emotions he did not wish to feel.
Was it regret?
He didn't know. In fact, he did not wish to know. He had accepted his past and came to terms with the man he chose to be. The man he forced himself to become. The only way to avenge his clan was to kill his brother, to cut off those who held him back. It was his purpose, the reason for every action. It's what he was meant to be. Sasuke was so sure, so certain. But now, why did he feel like this after achieving the goal he long set out for?
"Sasuke."
Revenge was all he was. But now with that gone, what was left of him?
"Sasuke."
If given the chance to go back and choose again, would he choose the same fate?
"Sasuke?"
The dark haired male was ripped from the privacy of his thoughts and whipped his head to the person responsible for it. Unintentionally flaring his sharingan to life, he snapped, "What?"
Naruto's easy going smile slightly wavered at Sasuke's raised voice and tightened fists. The blonde regarded him uneasily, worry flickering across his face for a second. Realizing his mistake, Sasuke eased back and let his eyes return to their original color. He looked over at Naruto and muttered a low apology, which the blonde accepted.
Naruto let out a small cough to rid the building tension in the air and brought Sasuke's attention to the clouds traveling closer.
"Uh," he looked to the gloomy masses, "I think a storm's coming."
And as if on cue, the sound of thunder could be heard miles away, rolling through the forest and sending slight vibrations to his feet. The heat enveloping them dissolved into a cool breeze that soothed on contact, and the small droplets of water felt earlier turned into a heavy drizzle of rain.
Naruto pulled himself up from his spot in the clearing and jogged under the safety of the trees. He shook the wetness out from his hair and took a seat at the base, sitting cross-legged with a cheek propped in his palm,"well, it could be worse, huh?"
Sasuke turned his head away and remained silent to the attempt at small talk. His lips pursed together to form a thin line while he stared at the ground. The blonde shinobi glanced over and sheepishly scratched the back of his head at the lack of response.
Naruto scrunched up his face, mentally grasping for straws, and perked up. "Oh! You know what this reminds me of?" he tried again, "whenever it rained, Sakura-chan would invite us over and make tea."
Naruto could almost taste the jasmine leaves crinkling on the tip of his tongue, and he smiled fondly at the image. "I'd tell her that she puts too much honey in it, and she'd always say it was fine," he continued, "Even Sai agrees with me, but I guess it can't be helped since she has such a sweet tooth, you know?"
No response.
Shoulders sagging, his mouth opened and closed before settling on speaking again, but the words failed to extend past his lips, knowing not to waste another breath. Blue irises darted over to steal a glimpse at Sasuke, who wordlessly watched the rainfall with a distant look. The expression on his face was a ghost of the day Naruto found him.
Miles away from Yukigakure, Naruto was certain he had stumbled upon a wrong path, but the steady hum of chakra detected told him otherwise. Willing himself forward, the crunch of snow was audible as he walked to the small shelter and approached the door. Rotting wood groaned under the weight of his footsteps, and his hesitant knocks caused the decaying hut to sway.
Wringing his hands, he anxiously waited in the cold. Faint rustling could be caught from inside, following the sound of shoes shuffling and the twisting of bolts to unlock. He licked his chapped lips and swallowed, reminding himself to stay composed.
The wooden door creaked back and opened to reveal the person residing inside. Physically, Naruto prepared himself for the worst, expecting the fury he had familiarized with to lash out. For the assault of callous words or the onyx eyes to bleed red alongside a harsh shove backward and a metal edge at his throat.
Though rather than a threat upon his life, Naruto was met with silence and shock.
Light flooded into the dim room, and a figure with dark hair and pale skin emerge from the frame, exposing himself to the icy breeze outside. Taken aback, Naruto gawked at his friend, noticing the deep red of dried blood that stained the disheveled clothes worn. Sasuke's face was blank, and his body was still, but his glassy eyes betrayed his impassive state. Speckles of dysphoria were woven across the surface, and a thin color of coal restrained the emotional chaos rushing behind like a dam soon to break. Both men stood facing each other, refusing to break the uneasy quietness between them.
Seconds ticked away as Sasuke studied the whiskered boy at his door with a vacant expression. Minutes passed when he then decided to speak.
"Why," his voice was straightforward, a monotone tenor that was low and dead.
Blue eyes locked with the black ones, "Huh?"
"Why are you here."
"I heard about what happened," Naruto began cautiously, "with Itachi."
Sasuke said nothing and only stared with his mouth set to a grim line.
"And, well, uh," he stammered while shifting his weight. "I also wanted to see if you were okay," Naruto rasped with genuine concern coating each word and hesitated "...are you?"
"Is that all?"
A line appeared between his knitted brows, and he let out a weary chuckle while rubbing the back of his neck, "And I figured I could try to convince you to come back with me."
Sasuke merely blinked, "To come back," he hollowly repeated.
The blonde nodded vigorously and brightened, "Yeah! I kno—"
The door propelled to slam shut, and Naruto reactively managed to wedge his foot into the frame before it could slam into his face. Irritation was growled out from the opposite side of the wood.
"Just hear me out, teme!" he begged, voice directed to the gap, "you left because you wanted to avenge your clan, and you got what you wanted now that Itachi's finally dead. Don't you think it's time to come home?"
Weight pressed against the door, Sasuke's jaw was clenched, "Home?" he retorted, "there's nothing there for me."
"You're wrong," Naruto shook his head. "There's me, there's Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan," he placed a hand on the doorknob, "We'll always be there for you."
Flashbacks of his twelve-year-old self crowded his senses and prodded his cold heart. Sasuke's stomach dropped at the mention of his genin team, and he struggled to push away the unwanting feeling of guilt. Why did those words affect him so?
Unaware of the inner turmoil the missing-nin was currently undergoing, Naruto continued, "All of us want you to come back."
Sasuke felt his resolve break at the pure sound of honesty in the leaf shinobi's voice. One brick after another crumbled and fell into a pile of dusty shards from the wall he spent years building. Too exhausted to pick up the broken pieces scattered around, he let them fall and listened to the blonde speaking.
"What do you say? ...You can start over again," waiting, Naruto's ears perked at the soft sound of a breath being exhaled."Teme?" he called out.
Silence wash over for a pause before a voice answered, barely able to be made out.
"Okay."
Unable to believe what he had heard, Naruto jumped in surprise,"Wait, really?"
Weight was lifted from the wooden door, letting it open, and exposed Sasuke to the radiant light outside once again. With eyes shut, the dark haired male pondered on what possessed him to agree. Maybe he was delirious due to the recent lack of care he held for his health. Maybe it was because he was becoming lonely. Or maybe a small part of him wanted to believe in everything Naruto had said.
"I'm agreeing," he cracked open his eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the bright sun, and looked over.
The whiskered boy's face was frozen before splitting into a beaming grin. Naruto turned to the dirt path winding through the trees, placing both arms behind his golden ruffle of hair, and crinkled his eyes.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
During the timespan of their travel, Naruto happily did most, if not all, of the talking. Annoyance usually worked its way to Sasuke as the blonde chirped on about the Hidden Leaf Village, indulging the scowling male in snippets of his daily life with his companions. Whether Naruto was conscious of it or not, his tone would be lighthearted and in a carefree manner suggesting as if Sasuke was there to begin with. But at the rare times when the irritation from his boisterous voice did not come, Sasuke would voluntarily listen, almost grateful for the easy distraction from his thoughts.
Naruto, who was still babbling, would notice out of the corner of his eye and try to hide the smile on his face.
But tonight, with just hours away from home, Sasuke seemed too tense. Too rigid. Too preoccupied with his thoughts. Was he beginning to doubt his decision? Did he even want to come back? Naruto glanced over at him, taking in his stiff posture and dull eyes staring up at the wet sky, and felt his concern heighten. Sensing blue eyes fixed on him, the dark-haired male dragged his attention over to the figure sitting on the ground.
Naruto took the moment to voice his thoughts. "We don't have to come back tonight," his fingers pulled at the grass beneath him, "it's raining anyway so let's set up camp and wait."
"Are you saying for you or me?" he flatly murmured.
"Do you feel ready?" Naruto's features were solemn, displaying the seriousness he uncommonly exhibited, "Because if you're starting to rethink this we can wait."
Sasuke frowned. It had taken them weeks to arrive at the point they were currently at now, and he was very aware of the fact that it could have been much sooner if it wasn't for the slow pace they were traveling at. The eagerness to return was clear in the blonde, but he was stalling, intentionally taking extra routes to draw out the time before they approached Konoha. He knew Naruto did it for Sasuke's sake, and honestly, the sharingan wielder was unsure how to feel about it.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted to himself and crossed his arms.
Unsure, Naruto raised a finger and scrunched his face, "Is that a yes or...?"
A beat of Sasuke's silence passed until he uncrossed his arms and peeled himself away from the tree. Abandoning the cover of the leaves, large raindrops splashed against his skin and settled in his hair. He threw a glance toward Naruto's sitting form and began walking away.
"Hey!" Naruto cried out to him, "where are you going?"
Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and continued to walk, turning his head to the side, "Come on, dobe."
Naruto gaped for a moment, and a slow grin etched it's way to his face at the sound of the familiar nickname. Scrambling to his feet, he pulled himself up and jogged to Sasuke's side, easily falling into step.
For the rest of the night, no other words were exchanged between the two. The storm had eventually dimmed into a light sprinkle, and dawn started to wash over the night, filling the sky with a swirling array of pinks, oranges, and reds. With only minutes away, both men trudged lightly in the direction of Konoha.
"Why is Sakura not here?"
Naruto peaked over at Sasuke.
The raven haired male question was unexpected, but since Naruto had knocked on his door, the fact that a certain pink haired teammate was absent pressed him. Naruto's chatter regularly involved the girl but the reason for her no-show was never disclosed. Flashes of a hand around a throat and a strangled gasp reached Sasuke's mind, making him want to blame himself. Did she not wish to come? Had the love she profusely gave finally run dry? It wasn't until now that Sasuke asked out loud.
A guilty expression was splayed on Naruto's face and he sighed, "I didn't tell her."
Sasuke raised a brow, "You left her there?"
"I know, I know," Naruto whined out, clearly upset, "It sounds really bad, but I didn't tell anyone. When I heard the rumors about you, I just left."
"You just left," Sasuke deadpanned. Even he knew that Naruto's actions were recklessly stupid.
He slapped his face and groaned, "I didn't think about it at the time."
It was true. The realization of his mistake did not fully hit him until he was days away from the Leaf Village. With each minute that passed, guilt welled up inside of him little by little. Naruto knew how much Sakura wanted to bring Sasuke home, he knew how much it meant for her to be with Naruto when the time came. What kind of friend was he? What kind of person would do that to someone they considered as their sister? Naruto felt bad. No, he felt terrible, awful. The list went on and on.
"Oh man," he ran a hand down his face, "Sakura-chan is going to be so mad at me."
Sasuke shrugged, unconcerned with Naruto's worry. It wasn't his problem.
"But you'll be back! So maybe she won't be so angry," the blonde hoped while suggestively nudging Sasuke's side, "maybe you can put in a few good words for me?"
"No."
Naruto let out a wail, throwing his hands out then burying his face into his palms.
Sasuke suppressed the urge to sigh at the blonde's overdramatics and disregarded him. Naruto's incomprehensible blubbers shifted into background noise as the feeling that pulled at his chest still made itself present. In a sudden moment of vulnerability and openness, he looked up to the trees and let the words tumble out, "She hates me."
Naruto pushed down the surprise he felt at the fact that it was the first time Sasuke had decided to initiate a conversation with him, especially to be open about his thoughts. He stopped walking and stared at Sasuke, "No she doesn't," Naruto was quick to counter with a bewildered face.
"I tried to kill her."
He rolled his eyes and nonchalantly waved a hand. "You tried to kill me too, remember?" fingers tapped his chin, "several times."
Naruto noticed the dark look on Sasuke's face and bumped his fist against his shoulder, letting go of the humor laced in his tone and replacing it with a more serious one, "But if I can forgive you, so can she."
For her to forgive him so easily? Sasuke scowled and brushed Naruto's hand away, "then she's a bigger fool than I thought."
Naruto only shook his head and resumed walking, "As much as she tried," Sasuke stared at the back of his head, "I don't think she ever stopped loving you, teme."
His stomach was pulled down deeper at the statement, and a single pound remitted from his chest. An almost painful pull could be felt tugging at it, startling yet also angering him in the process. Silence relapsed as he clenched his jaw and replayed those words, each syllable acting like salt being rubbed into his wounds. Sasuke grimaced and willed his feet to walk ahead with his mind only able to think, maybe he was the foolish one.
The outlines of the gates protecting the inner village of Konoha came into view as the two leisurely approached it. A tall figure stood alone at the entrance with an orange book held in front of his face and a hand tucked into his pocket. Tufts of silver hair peaked out from the novel, and Naruto immediately recognized the person.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto bellowed and ecstatically waved a hand.
The dubbed copycat ninja perked his head at the noise and snapped the orange novel shut. "Naruto, Sasuke," he greeted, tilting his chin to each of them, "glad to see you back."
Naruto beamed and Sasuke dipped his head in acknowledgment but did not neglect how only two of the three members of Team 7 were present.
Catching on, Naruto stopped to survey the area, "Where is Sakura-chan?"
"Ah, she's been in Suna for a while," he tucked his book away, "two months if you want to be precise."
"Eh? What is she doing there?"
Sasuke stood some feet away from the two and mutely watched the exchange.
"A mission," he simply replied, "don't worry, I hear Sakura's due to return soon."
Naruto pouted, "Oh."
"Cheer up," He lazily patted the blonde boy's head, "I'm sure she'll be happy to see the both of you when she comes back."
Naruto's dismal expression partially perked upon hearing that, and he nodded. Kakashi then turned his attention to the dark-haired male, "And how have you been, Sasuke?"
The corner of Sasuke's mouth dipped into a half frown.
"Very good," the jounin shinobi commented, crinkling his eyes with a covered smile, "glad to hear."
Sasuke casted the jonin's formalities away and gave him a blank stare, cutting to the chase, "You're here to take us to the Hokage."
"Perceptive as always," the gray-haired shinobi met cool eyes with his amused ones, "but yes, and I suggest we do not keep her waiting." And he gestured for the boys to follow with a turn of his head.
The first glimmers of the sun were streaming through the town and illuminated the streets in morning rays. Greetings were exchanged between the commoners who woke and emerged from their homes, filling the barren village with bustling life. Doors to shops were swung opened, footsteps clattered against the ground, and the day began.
But the frightened stares and whispers among the crowd deemed the setting to be anything but pleasant.
"Who is that?"
"What is he doing here?"
"Traitor… Unstable…Corrupt..."
"Kill him!"
Murmurs buzzed from the civilians parted around the walking men, watching with wide eyes and frightened stares. More comments of outrage cried out, growing more vicious and insulting by the minute. And all directed at Sasuke.
He saw the look of terror in their eyes, the look of pure hatred and repulsion for him. But because he had expected this, prepared for such a hostile reaction, his steps did not falter. Sasuke's fist tightened in anger, but rather than lashing out, they stayed clenched at his side. Teeth gnashed together and chin held high, he continued walking. Naruto stood close to his friend, occasionally sending concerned glances over and telling the spectators off in between. Kakashi, regarding the whole ordeal with a lazy eye and silent tongue, pressed the group forward.
Just when the men were a good distance away, a voice caused them to stop.
"That Itachi bastard should have done the village a favor and finished him off while he was slaughtering that wretched clan!"
The elderly man's waved a finger at Sasuke, meeting his gaze and sneering. But instead of the dark haired male reacting, Naruto was the one to turn back and reciprocate.
"Oi!" the whiskered boy shouted, "why don't you do us a favor and shut u—"
"Naruto."
Sasuke, standing surprisingly calm, stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and uttered in a low voice, "Just let it go."
Naruto opened his mouth to protest at the suggestion, too vexed and riled in wanting to defend his friend, but the shake of the Uchiha's head caused him to bite his tongue. With one last heated look at the civilian, Naruto grunted and returned to his spot.
Kakashi, still quiet, resumed on in leading them to the tower. The mask over his face successfully concealed the way his mouth quirked upward when he sent a final glance over to Sasuke.
The halls of the tower seemed void of anyone except for the lone Anbu standing guard outside of the door separating the men from Hokage. Ignoring Naruto and Sasuke's presence, he gave Kakashi a curt nod.
"Go in," he rapped two knuckles against the door, "Tsunade-sama is expecting you," and pulled it open.
The Anbu waved a hand for them to enter, and the three men shuffled inside. With a head rested in her palm and legs tightly crossed, Tsunade scrutinized Naruto and Sasuke with a harsh gaze as Kakashi positioned himself to the side, casually pulling out his book. The Sannin sharply clicked her nails against the desk in agitation, observing the two boys standing before her.
Beats of tension filled silence passed. Nails continued to tap against wood, and nervous beads of sweat rolled down Naruto's neck while Sasuke stood indifferent. Kakashi contently hummed to himself from the corner of the room as he read and flipped a page.
The Godaime's brown eyes regarded Naruto before settling on Sasuke. A muscle in her jaw twitched and her hand stopped tapping, "You have a lot of nerve to come back."
Naruto stepped forward, coming to Sasuke's aid, "Tsunade-baachan!"
"And you," she turned to Naruto, further peeved from his use of the informal title, "I will deal with you and your incompetence later."
"But—"
"You will stand there and stay silent unless I tell you otherwise."
Sensing her threatening aura, Naruto gulped and uneasily jerked his head in affirmation.
Tsunade disregarded the boy and returned to the impassive Uchiha, "Several people want nothing more than your head on a stake. I'm sure many of them would do anything to kill you right now."
Sasuke pursed his mouth to a grim line, watching as she cleared her throat.
"But luckily for you, I am not one of those people."
Kakashi's uncovered eye wandered from the novel's text to the composed Sasuke, and Naruto stilled with a dazed look, unknowing how to react to the unexpected statement.
"Your ancestry deems you valuable to the village," she said with a wave of her hand, "you've exterminated one of our major threats, Orochimaru, and although you have tried, you did not kill any of my leaf shinobi."
Unable to control himself, Naruto impatiently blurted, jumping from his spot, "So Sasuke's clear?"
Tsunade shook her head, "Despite what I say, it does not excuse the fact that you are a missing-nin." She stood from her seat and stepped away from her desk, coming face to face with the dark haired boy, and asked, "Did you wish to come here?"
Onyx eyes bore through brown ones. Sasuke paused before answering, "Yes." It was curt, clear.
The Godaime gave him a once over and questioned again, "Does it imply that your loyalties lie with Konoha?"
Sasuke slowly breathed in, closed his eyes, and exhaled, "My loyalties are now with Konoha."
Tsunade mused over his words, leaving the room to return to an uncomfortable quietness. The three men continued to stand, awaiting the words she would say. Her hand reached up to rub her forehead, and she sighed.
"I will allow you to stay," she finally revealed, "you will be reissued as a leaf shinobi and reside in the Uchiha compound under strict Anbu watch until further notice." Tsunade pursed her lips together, an action that contradicted the positive news she was proclaiming, and narrowed her eyes, "But if you began to pose as a threat, I will not hesitant to kill you."
"I know," he admitted with a tired voice that cause her to lift a brow.
Tsunade glanced at him and turned to lock eyes Kakashi who was equally surprised. Using this moment, she chose to dismiss the two.
"Now leave," she said, "both of you."
And immediately, Naruto leaped up and began to vomit from his mouth, "Tsunade-baachan! I knew you wouldn't hold out!" he ran over to engulf her into a grand hug, making her loudly groan. He pulled away and beamed, "Man, do I owe you one."
She rolled her eyes and swatted the boy away, "Then get the hell out of my office."
Naruto fisted a hand into the air and looked to Sasuke, pure joy engulfing his face, "C'mon teme, Ichiraku's on me!"
"No."
"You can brood later," Naruto puffed, "let's go!" And he dashed out of the room.
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered at Naruto's childish antics but deliberately followed anyway.
Tsunade raised both brows at male's behavior and turned to the quiet gray-haired shinobi. "What do you think?"
Kakashi's eyes went back to his book, "I think Sasuke's being truthful."
"Really?" she returned to her desk.
His eyes scanned over a sentence."Something about him seems different," he explained, "changed, almost."
Tsunade said nothing as she lowered herself into her seat and stared at the papers strewn across her table. She ignored the documents and Kakashi turned another page in his book.
"Maybe things turned out the way it was meant to be after all."
Silently, Tsunade agreed.
The male's instincts perked at the presence of a chakra signature steadily approaching the room, causing him to direct his attention away from the window's view and to the door. Feeling the individual hovering at the thin wood, he stepped away from the tall glass and commanded the lurking being.
"Enter."
The door opened, allowing the towering frame of Kisame to set foot into the bare room. Sprawled over his shoulder was a pale, unconscious girl who seemed physically unharmed despite her torn clothes and matted hair. The Mist-nin huffed and dumped her comatose body onto the hardwood floor where she landed in a listless heap on her side. He kneeled on his knees and lowered himself to a bow.
"I have returned Pein-sama."
The orange haired male neared him, placing himself in the center of the inn room, and peered at the pink haired girl then at the blue man. "That was quicker than I had expected," Pein said with roaming eyes, noticing the how the missing-nin bore no injuries, "But I see you have the item you were tasked to obtain."
Kisame pulled himself up to stand and glanced at her still body, "It went much easier than expected."
He nodded in approval, "Then we will begin the healing session tomorrow."
The shark swordsman shifted his weight, "Pein-sama."
Pein rose a brow at the movement and pressed him, "What is it?"
"When I found the leaf shinobi," Kisame started, shifting again, "she was disoriented and could not recognize me." He observed her mangled attired, "She also seemed to have been attacked before I retrieved her."
"Your point, Kisame?" the orange haired male quickly grew bored, unconcerned with the unnecessary information.
"She suffers from amnesia."
The Akatsuki leader pondered to himself. Memory loss? It was unheard of for a shinobi but not quite impossible. His interest was somewhat drawn by the news and he sized her up, "And how did you come to this conclusion?"
The shark-nin's answer was immediate, "When I approached her, the girl disclosed her state about not remembering what happened and easily believed I was an ally."
"Is she still usable?" That was the main concern running through the heavily pierced male.
"She still knows how to use medical-ninjutsu."
Pein hummed to himself and directed both of his rinnegans to Sakura's forehead, noticing the fresh diamond seal residing there. Deep in thought, he used a hand to rub the bottom of his chin, "Anything else?"
"She said she remembers her name," the blue ninja shrugged.
Kisame did not blink when the orange haired male suddenly cackled, shaking the inn's walls with his booming roar. He laughed and disregarded the sleeping girl, "How pointless, a useless information such as a name is remembered of all things."
The shark-nin briefly paused, choosing his words carefully, "Will we continue as we originally thought?"
Pein paused, considering the question, and walked over to Sakura's body. He silently watched the steady rise and fall of her breathing and smirked. "I believe this will benefit our overall objective."
"How so?"
The edges of his lips curved into a full smile, "She will join us."
Kisame held back his frown, "The plan was to use her services while also using her as bait to lure the jinchuuriki," he restated the idea, "we agreed to leave her once the boy was deemed easily attainable."
"The plan has slightly changed," Pein said, "we will still use her abilities, however, I suppose her condition can be of some use to us."
Kisame inclined his head, curious to listen.
"Akatsuki has been in need of new members for quite some time, especially with recent events concerning Itachi," Pein began to stride around the room, "and having a definite healer will provide an advantage for us."
"She will become an official member," Kisame stated more than asked.
He tilted his head in a nod, "Being the Godaime's apprentice, her skills are not questioned. Even one of our own was killed by her hand."
"And her memory loss?"
"Will make her membership much easier," he chuckled, answering, "for what we know, her ties to the Hidden Leaf Village are severed. She knows nothing of the nonsense she was fed."
"You plan to manipulate her," Kisame set his mouth to a hard line.
"A lie or two will not hurt the girl," he replied, "think of it as a relearning method."
"What if she refuses to join?" Kisame proposed.
"She will not."
"But if she does?"
Pein stilled, patience dwindling and voice as thin as ice, "then I will simply do away with her."
Ignoring the growing tension, Kisame opened his mouth again, "And what will you do if she begins to remember?"
Pein sharply turned to Kisame, inches from his face, and uttered in a menacing voice, "Are you opposing me?" he seethed, "Why are you suddenly so concerned with the girl?" A hand reached up to clutch the shark-nin's collar, "Has the downfall of your partner caused you to go soft?"
Kisame narrowed his eyes at the Akatsuki leader, nerved struck by the taunt, but shook his head. "No, Pein-sama."
"Then cease your meaningless interrogation."
"My apologizes, Pein-sama," Kisame gritted out as he forced himself to step back.
Pein heaved out a breath, regaining his composure, and loosened his grip on the blue male. Wordlessly, Kisame watched as he strolled over to Sakura and swiftly formed a vast amount of hand seals. With a small exhale, Pein crouched down to her frame and placed two fingers onto her temple.
Sakura unconsciously frowned and drew her eyebrows in from the contact. The diamond etching on her forehead began to glow, reacting from the jutsu, and a groan passed from her lips. Her seal continued to brightly gleam before being restored to its original flat color once he removed his touch. Sakura instantly relaxed and returned to her sleeping state.
"This should do for now," Pein announced, "It is a simple mind block, but I have altered it to target her instead. Her past memories should not resurface."
Pein straightened and walked away from her unconscious body.
"We are done here, Kisame," he returned to his spot next to the window and fixed his eyes to the scenery outside, "Place the girl in an unoccupied room and notify me when she wakes."
Kisame leered at him but obeyed nonetheless. With a scowl on his face, he plucked the girl from the ground, heaved her onto his back, and left. He was quick to find an empty room and drop her limp body onto the small bed there. The door slammed shut and he strode over to the room that was down the hall. He didn't bother to knock as he roughly twisted the knob and push the door open.
A woman of short blue hair turned to face him, unperturbed at his abrupt appearance. She set the rolls of gauze in her hands down and onto a table littered with various pills and medicinal creme. An incense was lit to mask the musty odor with a faint soothing aroma, and blinds were pulled to cover the windows. The room was encased in a dim darkness that provided just enough light to see.
"Kisame."
He turned his head to the bed, allowing his eyes to linger on the fresh stains of blood tinting the sheets, and grimaced. Kisame walked deeper into the room and stood by the bedpost.
Konan sighed and glanced over her shoulder, "There is only so much I can do."
He grunted and directed the conversation to a different subject, "I left the girl down the hall for you."
She peaked back at the bed and nodded, "Then I will go." Konan moved away to leave, giving Kisame a final glance, and reached to pull the door back. It creaked open, and she strode out.
Kisame felt his expression hardening as he leaned down to the figure lying in the bed. He peered at the bandaged body that could be heard shallowly breathing, gasping with a life barely present yet still there, and let the door behind him softly clicked shut.
And there Kisame stood.
Left alone with none other than Itachi Uchiha.
A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my story! I really wanted to get a chapter out before school started, and here it is. There may be some slight errors since I was rushing to finish this on time, so I apologize. This is just the start of things, and there's plenty more to come. I hope you enjoyed and feel free to leave a feedback!
