otw

by FicReader21

only to me

2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 9

Chaos.

That's all that zipped through her mind. All around her, sand surrounded and coiled and struck while bombs rained from the sky, and somewhere in the distance she could hear the masked Akatsuki member cheer for his senpai.

Another onslaught of bombs disguised as tiny white insects fell upon them just as Gaara split his sand to strike all four of them. Beside her, Kiba spiraled away in a Gatsuuga, tearing up the arms of sand that reached for him while Sasuke unleashed a giant fireball toward the explosives, setting them off high above them.

'Deidara is too far up and a long distance fighter,' Sakura thought, leaping to dodge Gaara's sand. 'Gaara it is.' She exchanged a look with Sasuke, who caught on and formed the seal for another fire attack, which he sent into Deidara's direction.

Her adrenaline started to pump—Gaara, dressed in reds and blacks contrasted stark against the forest backdrop. Though he was by no means a large man, he seemed to loom over them, eyes burning with a cold fire as the wind whistled every time he whipped with his sand. He looked the embodiment of disinterest, arms crossed as he toyed with them like rats caught in a trap.

The sand made serpentine came for her next, lashing and writhing, her blood pounding in her ears as she banked sharply to the left to avoid being caught. Another whirl of sand came upon her, and Sakura sprinted past it, cocking her fist as she accumulated enough chakra to level a small village and punched.

A barricade of sand formed between her and Gaara, powerful enough to repel her assault and crush her knuckles as she slammed right into it. She cursed and sent a wave of healing chakra to her hand, sidestepping his counterattack while Obito stepped in and blasted Gaara with a gargantual stream of fire.

An incandescent wall of heat washed over her, searing her eyes and boiling the blood in her veins. She held up an arm to cover her eyes from the dust and sand that whipped up, catching a glimpse of a sand shield that appeared between Gaara and Obito. When Obito ceased his attack, Sakura lunged forward, feeling the spray of sand hit her legs as she stepped into the miniature desert Gaara had created.

Sakura shifted her weight, enhancing her speed with bursts of chakra , and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks, but the swift safeguard thwarted every attempt to reach Gaara. The Akatsuki member watched her with the intensity of a predator stalking his pray, his brows pulled tight over his black-rimmed eyes. As she gritted her teeth at him, Sakura stared at him, drew her kunai, and dug it into the bulwark of sand he had forged, only to feel the steel give a harsh twang before slipping from her grip.

Sakura pushed herself off one of the sand blockades and skidded backwards to where Obito stood. She landed a few meters from Gaara, mind racing as she worked to formulate a plan of attack with all the information she had gathered, but came up with nothing. 'Listen, Sakura,' Tsunade's voice resounded. 'First, you attack to understand. Then, you attack to kill. Every attack can be dodged. Every move has a weakness. No hesitation. No doubts. No mercy.'

"Sakura, you alright?" Obito asked her, black eye trimmed firmly on Gaara.

"That Sand shield is troubling." She panted. "I can't get through, even with my chakra-fueled attacks."

"Fire is ineffective against it," Obito said, Sharingan turning to Sasuke, who seemed to hold his own against Deidara. "Looks like Deidara is using an Earth-chakra bloodline limit for those bombs of his. He's drawn the short straw against Sasuke."

"That's a relief," Sakura said, hopping backwards as Gaara came in with another attack. Kiba had figured out they were strategizing and was now surrounding Gaara with a flurry of high speed Gatsuuga attacks, razor-sharpened claws boring into the sand shields as Obito observed.

"That's problematic," Obito said.

"What is?"

"He's not using hand seals."

Raising an eyebrow, Sakura continued treating her palm as she watched Gaara. Sure enough, his hands were still firmly crossed over his chest and the sand looked to be acting independently of him. How was that even possible?

"A bloodline limit?" Sakura questioned.

"Even those require some handseals," Obito pointed out. "But if I were to guess, he's probably using some kind of combination between Earth and Wind... Which means..."

"Lightning?" she guessed

"Correct," Obito said, giving her a brisk nod. "Normally I'd ask Sasuke to go at it but he's a little preoccupied. Think you and Kiba can keep him busy for a while? I have a technique which should break through that safeguard, assuming I'm correct, but it's going to take me a while to get ready. It's still in an experimental phase."

'Obito-sensei using a Lightning jutsu?' she wondered, but nodded nonetheless. "Understood."

"Counting on you," Obito said, forming a rapid sequence of seals that looked familiar to her, before grasping his wrist and pointing his palm down to. A spark ignited from the top of his fingers.

She charged Gaara, slamming her fist into the ground to collapse the soil beneath his feet and hopefully catch him off-guard. That caught his attention—he turned his black-rimmed eyes to her, jade narrowing as he caught himself and soared away just as the ground crumbled. Kiba gave her an appreciative grin and settled beside her. "Plan?"

"Keep attacking him and distract him from Obito-sensei," Sakura said, bashing her fist into the torrent of sand coming toward her. "Obito-sensei is going to finish him with this next technique."

"Lightning, huh?" Kiba said. Sakura wondered how penetrating the ozone smell had to be for him. She could virtually taste it on her tongue and neglected her base impulses that screamed for her to look at Obito—if she looked at him, Gaara would catch on and block it with whatever crazy sand attack he still had hidden. There was no doubt in her mind that this wasn't the extent of his capabilities; not by far.

They laid into Gaara with all they had, but no matter how hard they struggled, getting through his shield was futile. The gourd on Gaara's back distintegrated, dissolving into thousands of grains of sand that circled ominously round Gaara himself, like a grand whip waiting to reel them in. Kiba swore beside her and scrunched his nose, growling something to himself about the scent of death, when Gaara's attack came.

It struck lightning fast, binding around Kiba's leg within an instant. "Fuck," Kiba let out, trying to claw himself into the ground to keep Gaara from pulling him in. Sakura cursed and shot forward with a blast of chakra, kicking at the sand, hoping to break it, but another string of sand jabbed at her and attached itself onto her knee, slithering up her body like a viper.

"Sakura!" Kiba called out, struggling with all his might against the iron grip of the sand. It had coiled its way up Kiba's body, wrapping itself around his neck. She watched as it convolved tighter and tighter, strangling the air from Kiba's lungs, and she screamed as she realized she was watching Kiba suffocate to death.

A spark ignited the air.

Then another.

Then there was a sound she had heard once before in her life—the harmony of a thousand singing birds. The surrounding air darkened, Gaara's grip on Kiba's neck forgotten as the Akatsuki member turned to Obito, who stood behind him, holding what looked like actual lightning in his palm.

'It's Kakashi's technique,' Sakura realized, eyes wide as Obito raised his Sharingan toward Gaara and cocked his arm back. He began sprinting with a speed she had seldom seen before, except perhaps in Rock Lee during the Chuunin exams. Gaara released Kiba, the sand tendrils shooting at Obito to block him, but the experienced jounin eluded all of them while propelling his hand forward.

Sand and lightning crashed in a profound clash that shook the very ground on which they stood. Blood spattered close to her, but Sakura couldn't determine whose it was. Obito stopped in front of Gaara, eye clouded by shadows as he retracted his hand. Even from this range, Sakura could see the skin on his hand had decayed and stripped away, baring his tendons and sinews to the world. She struggled to free a hand and tugged at the sand, freeing herself before scrambling over to Kiba to check on him.

He had regained his breath and clenched his teeth as he clawed his way free, eyes wide and animalistic as he looked to where Obito and Gaara stood, both of them silent for a protracted moment, before Gaara let out a wail.

"Suna no Danna!" the masked Akatsuki member—Tobi—called from his place between the trees.

Gaara grasped at his arm and stumbled back. He twisted into Sakura's direction, enough for her to see Obito had slashed through the muscles on his arm, the smell of burnt flesh penetrant. Gaara held on to his arm and roared as a towering tsunami of sand began pooling at his legs.

"Obito-sensei!" Sakura shouted. Obito leapt out of the way just in time to avoid the onslaught of sand Gaara unleashed upon him. He jumped back in a zigzagging fashion, fatigued from the substantial amount of chakra he had expended to use Kakashi's signature technique.

"Is he trying to be cool or something?" Kiba asked, frustrated. "What the hell is he using Kakashi's technique for? Did he copy it?"

"Probably at the Valley of the End," Sakura thought, recounting the first encounter with Kakashi. He had been able to form the attack much faster than Obito and looked much less depleted than Obito looked now. "But Kakashi has an affinity to lightning and Obito-sensei doesn't. He possesses an affinity for Fire and Earth. Using Lightning chakra like that is asking for trouble."

"So why?"

'Because Obito-sensei thinks we don't stand a chance against these two,' Sakura realized, squinting at Sasuke and Deidara. 'Or at least, not against this guy. Deidara drew the short straw against Sasuke; with both a Lightning affinity and the Sharingan, Sasuke could keep him at bay, if not defeat him. This guy—the Lord of Sand, was the real trouble.'

"He doesn't think we can win, does he?" Kiba said, voice soft as he grasped what she had. "He went all out hoping to take this one out. Fuck."

"It's not hopeless," Sakura said, shaking her head as she thought of Tsunade's lessons. "Every attack can be dodged. Every move has a vulnerability. This guy—Gaara—has to be using an exceptional amount of chakra just to keep that shield going."

"Gaara-sama! Are you alright?" Tobi called out.

"And what the fuck is his deal?" Kiba grumbled. "Not joining in on the fun? Coward."

"I heard that!" Tobi called to them. He waggled his finger at him. "Rude!"

"Fuck you," Kiba roared back.

"Konoha shinobi are really without manners," Tobi tutted. "But you have some skill, at least. This is the first time I've ever seen Gaara-sama hurt."

Kiba laughed at that. "Sure, kid."

"What?! It's true! Don't you believe Tobi?"

"You expect me to believe this guy has never been hurt in his life? Not a single scar? Not a broken bone? Not one kunai mishap? Fuck off," Kiba said, turning back to Gaara. Sakura, however, narrowed her eyes. She could see little of Gaara beyond his face and arms, but he looked remarkably void of scarring, even on his hands and forearms.

"How?" Sakura asked aloud, knowing Tobi was listening.

"How what, Pink-san?"

Inwardly, she fumed at being called Pink. "How has he never been injured?"

"Oh," Tobi chuckled. "Well, he's a monster of course."

"A monster?" Sakura questioned, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Yep, a real monster," Tobi said, holding onto the tree as he peeped around the trunk. "I think your sensei might have angered him. Gaara-sama always did like a challenge. Whoops."

"Uh... Sakura?" Kiba said.

She spun back to the battlefield just in time to see Gaara grasp his head and let out another wail. It sounded distinctly inhuman. He shrieked and shook back and forth, yelling something about 'mother'.

"If this is really the first time he's ever been injured, it means that our attacks won't be effective," Sakura spoke in a hushed voice to Kiba.

"So we need Obito-sensei to hit him again? He'll just dodge this time."

"Not if we hold him still," Sakura said. "We'll have to work out a pincher move and coordinate with Obito-sensei, but if it works, we could take him out." She stared at him. "Where is Akamaru?"

"Deeper into the forest," Kiba answered. "Waiting for an opportunity."

"We'll need him for this next part," Sakura said.

Kiba nodded and stood upright, rubbing his throat. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a white case that held several soldier pills. "I'll take his right and have Akamaru attack his left. Be careful. If Obito-sensei hits you with that thing, it's over."

"Let's just try to see if we can grab Gaara or if the shield stops us," Sakura said grimly.

Kiba nodded and whistled for Akamaru just as Sakura rushed toward Obito. Making the handseal for a kage bunshin, she passed Gaara with a long bow, noting the demented look in his eyes as he continued to clutch his head and whispered a single word repeatedly, voice too low to hear.

"He's saying 'mother'," Obito said as she approached him. He was breathing heavily but looked alright for now. "At least he stopped attacking so we have some time to think."

"Can you do another one of those lightning attacks?" Sakura asked, straight to the point.

Obito gave her a long look that frightened her more than the mumbling coming from Gaara. "I have one more in me," Obito said, looking over her head to where Gaara stood. "Then I just about have enough chakra left to transport us all back to Konoha. We're unprepared for these two."

Sakura nodded. "Pincher," she announced, signaling the words 'Kiba' and 'Akamaru' to him with her fingers. He caught on, crimson Sharingan dropping to her fingers before returning to her eyes. He shook his head.

"Too risky. I don't have full control over the attack."

"We know and we're not going to take chances. But if we hold him still, you could end it," Sakura said, biting her lip as she observed Gaara. He had now lifted his head towards them, jade eyes blood-shot while a chilling grin formed on his face. Just as she watched, a crack appeared over his face. Sand, rather than blood, dripped from the opening. A chill passed over her spine, as though the marrow in her bones was suddenly replaced by ice. "This isn't good, Obito-sensei. If this guy is out here..."

"Alright," Obito said. He proceeded to form the seals but Sakura stopped him, snagging his hand to release a wave of green chakra over the open wounds and exposed skin. She watched in satisfaction as it knitted together, leaving his arm as good as new.

"Be careful," Sakura said.

"That's my line," Obito said, clutching his wrist with his palm once more. Blue sparks formed instantly this time—it seemed he had gotten a stronger grasp of the technique. He lowered his hand as he began accumulating chakra to the tips of his fingers and gave her a look.

She stepped toward Gaara, ignoring all the alarm bells that went off in her head as he lifted his head to meet her determined gaze. "That will not work again," Gaara said. Despite the wails and demented look in his eyes, his voice was soft and quiet, as though speaking to a lover.

"Your colleague said you a monster," Sakura called out, hoping to distract him for a little while longer while Akamaru made his way over and Obito prepared his technique.

"He's right," Gaara said, a laugh splitting his lips. "I was born into this world a monster."

"Nobody is born a monster," Sakura retorted, even as all the hairs in her neck and arm raised at the sight of his crazed grin. There was something seriously wrong with him.

"You know nothing. Born a monster. I only exist to kill every human beside myself."

'Is this Akatsuki?' Sakura wondered. 'Is this how Kakashi feels? Chosen to betray his own village and people and kill everyone who stands in their way?'

"Why?" Sakura questioned, compelling herself not to watch Akamaru as he reached the bushes in the periphery of her vision. A poof later, a second copy of Kiba stood, clinging onto the trees as he sought for the right moment. Tobi had noticed Akamaru, perking his masked head up at him, but the Akatsuki member didn't speak. It seemed he was keen to see what would happen to Gaara. 'No sense of team play, is there?'

"Killing my enemies and feeding their blood to the sand feeds the monster within me, and thus I grow stronger," Gaara said, dropping his hands from his head. He looked wide-eyed towards the forest floor, like reciting something he had been told over and over again. "I am the incarnation of sand itself."

"Sakura!" Obito yelled just as a tendril of sand came shooting at her. With a burst of her chakra, she jumped out of the way, rolling on as it came after her, slamming into the floor over and over in an attempt to pin her down to the ground. She landed on her back and cocked a fist, smashing it into the forest floor to create a fissure that ran directly beneath Gaara.

The penetrant scent of burning wire reached her nose and the darkening of the sky and whipped up dust told her Obito was done. They shared a look, then Obito began sprinting.

Akamaru and Kiba each appeared to Gaara's sides in an instant, their coordination perfect as per usual. Sakura watched them as they attempted to grab Gaara, who immediately threw up his shield. But they side stepped, ensuring he could not move out of the way without running into either of them. The tendril of sand that stalked her now reached her and slammed into her chest, robbing her of air as a searing pain spread throughout her body just before she poofed out of existence.

From the fissure her clone had created, Sakura burst out, snatching the Akatsuki member's leg and pulling him in deep enough to be stuck in the forest floor. He looked down, astonished to see her, then back up just in time for Obito to strike him square in the chest.

Gaara let out a gasp, the sound of chirping birds right over her head masked by the intense wheeze of his breath as he struggled to inhale. Kiba let out a subdued cheer while Akamaru opened his mouth and barked. Obito dragged his hand out, staring at the crimson that stained his fingers just as Gaara coughed up blood. Sakura pulled herself out of the ground, aided by Obito, who took her by the armpits and watched as Gaara tried to remain upright.

"Take that, asshole," Kiba said, taking a triumphant step back. He turned to Obito, eyes excited. "Damn, sensei, that's an awesome technique."

Sakura peered at Obito from the corner of her eye. He was still staring at his blood-stained hand, a myriad of emotions dancing behind his sharingan as he mechanically moved his arm to his pants and wiped the blood from his fingertips.

Gaara began laughing.

It started off as a slow chuckle, but grew in volume and intensity until he dropped his head back and laughed as though there wasn't a giant hole in the middle of his chest. Then, as they watched, it began closing itself.

"What the fuck is this guy?" Kiba ground out, fear coloring his voice.

"A monster," Sakura whispered.

"Step back, you two," Obito said. He turned his eye to Sasuke, catching his attention. The younger Uchiha returned to their side, sweating and bleeding from a cut on his cheek, eyes widening a fraction as he noticed Gaara and the rapidly closing hole.

"I can finish him," Sasuke said, nodding toward Deidara who hovered closer on his bird.

"That's all good but we can't finish this one and neither can you," Obito said. "Akamaru, stay in human form. It'll be easier to transport you." With that, Obito closed his eye and focused all of his remaining chakra on his eye while Gaara watched them, the enormous grin still plastered over his face.

"They did a number on you, Danna," Deidara jested as he came within range, observing Gaara with a look that spoke of thinly veiled disgust and perhaps even fear. "Tobi? You around, hmm?"

"Here, senpai!" Tobi called, running toward Deidara with a waving hand. "I'm here!"

"Get on," Deidara instructed. "If Danna gets like this, I don't think we should be anywhere near here, yeah."

"Tobi doesn't like monsters," Tobi said.

Deidara glared at him. "Stop talking in third person."

Tobi jumped at that. "Are you upset with me, Deidara-senpai?"

"You know what? Walk." Deidara turned the bird around and flew off. On the forest floor, Tobi gasped dramatically and rushed after Deidara, waving at him and begging for him to return.

"What a fucking clown show," Kiba said, hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

"That clown show is about to decimate us unless we make it out of here," Obito said, eye still closed. When he re-opened it, his Sharingan had changed into something resembling a pinwheel, the outer edges all connected in the pattern. Sasuke stared at it in amazement—from what she understood, Obito had a form of Sharingan that was extremely rare, even within the Uchiha clan.

"Hold on," Obito said, allowing the four of them to grab his arms.

Just as they were ready to transport though, Gaara let out a howl and charged at them.

Faster than she had ever seen anyone move, he reached them and punched Obito square in the face, launching him from where he stood, right into a tree. Sakura gasped and ducked as Gaara made for him, Akamaru behind her just a step too slow. He skidded across the ground and crashed into a shrub, poofing back to his canine form as he drooped down. "Akamaru!" Kiba shouted, scurrying to get to his best friend.

Gaara made for Sasuke next, whose blazing Sharingan gave him the edge to dodge just out of arm's reach. Something fell from Gaara's face. Upon reaching the floor, it fell into thousands of sand grains. It took her a long moment to realize it had been a piece of his face. In front of her, Sasuke inhaled sharply, eyes widening as he stared at Gaara's face.

Drool dribbled onto the floor as Sakura looked up, scared to see what she would find there. Instead of Gaara's jade eye, his left eye had changed into black except for the small gold ring that was his pupil. His skin had turned to brown fur with blue lines, but it only reached half of his face. The other half was still Gaara.

"Monster," Sakura breathed.

Gaara whipped his face to her, mismatched eyes wide as he took her appearance in. "Do you see, now? This is my existence."

He grinned, mouth pulling down on the side where his inner monster had come out. Sakura dropped to the ground, scrambling as she tried to get away from him. The look in his eyes spelled nothing less than a horrific death. Behind her, Obito climbed back to his feet, wheezing as he struggled to catch his breath. 'Collapsed lung,' Sakura realized, knowing she had to reach her teacher. He was able to stand, but not much more that. Fear had taken hold of her legs, numbing her as she willed herself to move forward—if they lost Obito, they were all dead.

She rolled to her front and scrambled up, making her way to Obito, who had sagged down against the tree, eyes wide as he observed Gaara. "Stay still, sensei," Sakura said, gingerly pressing her hand against his chest. "Slow, short breaths. We need to fill your lung with air again." She allowed her chakra to pool within him, mending the broken rib and assisting him with his lung, all the while keeping her eye on Gaara who had now turned to Sasuke and began assaulting him.

"Sasuke is fast, but not strong enough for that," Obito groaned. "Kiba and Akamaru?"

She looked over her shoulder. "Akamaru is unconscious. Kiba is fine, he got out of the way in time."

"They weren't kidding about Gaara being a monster," Obito said. "I haven't seen anything like this since-"

He bolted upright, Sharingan spinning as he observed Gaara with wide eyes. "This chakra pattern. It's not his own." A quiet, long moment, and then he said: "Jinchuuriki."

"Jinchuuriki?" Sakura asked, the wheels in her head turning as all the information fell into place.

"I'll explain later. We're leaving this place—the Sixth needs to hear of this," Obito said, scrambling to his feet.

Gaara stood in the middle of the clearing, still drooling and looking back and forth to each of them, as though seeking out his next victim, face filled with glee. Sasuke kept his eyes on them, hoping for an opportunity to distract Gaara, but something else had caught his attention.

Kiba was dashing toward Obito and Sakura, carrying the still unconscious Akamaru in his arms. Gaara's mismatched eyes were upon them, even as Sasuke unleashed a flurry of lightning attacks on him. Before she knew what was happening, the sand at Gaara's feet surged up and grabbed hold of Kiba's foot.

"Fuck!" Kiba exclaimed, dropping Akamaru as Gaara pulled Kiba in.

She sprinted forward, prepared to send chakra to her hands and free Kiba, but Gaara lifted a hand and closed his fingers into a fist.

The sand around Kiba's leg contracted and constricted and for one horrible second in time, it was silent. Then, Kiba let out a cry that raised the hairs on her arms, the horrible snapping of bone resounding throughout the clearing as Gaara pulverized Kiba's leg. Blood splashed from the sand, littering the battlefield with crimson. It sprayed over her as she blindly dashed to Kiba, needing to get to him and heal the damage. Sasuke reached them first, cutting through the sand with his lightning-charged blade and then Obito was there, grabbing onto Kiba and shouting for them to hold on.

Sakura rushed forward, clutching Obito's arm. Somewhere around her navel, she felt a pull as Obito manipulated time and space around them, Gaara's distorted face shooting toward them as he did a last attempt to stop them from leaving, but Obito's jutsu was too fast.

A second later, they landed in the middle of Konoha's hospital, clutching a bloodied and unconscious Kiba.

Itachi folded his hands together, listening to his mother report the situation in Rain to him. Shikamaru stood between both women, eyes a million miles away as Mikoto regaled them with the story of how they knocked out a chuunin to gather information and infiltrated the largest tower in Rain.

"While I sealed the three Akatsuki members, Asuma was retracing our steps to the entrance of the tower. He was to contact Aya and Shikamaru and return to me." Mikoto fell quiet. "It was no longer than five minutes."

'Too quick for someone of Asuma's caliber to be killed,' Itachi thought.

"I can confirm the timeframe. It took us four and a half minutes to find Asuma; he was a little while away from the tower, in a hallway that led into another building. It was scorched—no doubt he used his fire jutsu to fend off his attacker," Aya supplied through clenched teeth.

"He left a clue," Shikamaru spoke then, voice soft. "L. E. G. There was more, but that was all that remained legible."

Itachi crossed his arms. "Do you know what it means?"

"No."

He nodded, mind reeling. "Shikamaru."

Shikamaru looked up, brown eyes dull. "Lord Sixth?"

"He was a good shinobi, but more than that; he was a good man. I'm sorry for your loss. His is a loss all of Konoha will feel."

The Nara clan member opened and closed his mouth, averting his eyes.

"The Akatsuki members?" he asked Mikoto.

"At the morgue. As is Asuma."

"Anything else?"

Mikoto looked at him. "I saw something in God Tower. I doubted myself at first, but now with Asuma... It looked like a massive source of chakra, but it was gone before I could properly assess it."

Itachi lifted an eyebrow. "I see."

"There was something dangerous there," Aya affirmed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I could smell it, but nothing tangible. Like a presence, but unseen."

"Any scents you recognized?"

"Something vaguely familiar where Asuma was—but nothing that stood out." Aya frowned.

Itachi nodded and rolled his chair away from the desk. "Shikamaru, would you like me to inform Chouji and Ino?"

"No, I'll tell them, Lord Sixth."

"Very well." With a last worried look to Shikamaru, he clasped his hands behind his back. "Dismissed."

Aya and Shikamaru departed from the office, but Mikoto dallied a little longer. She closed the door behind them, glancing over her shoulder at Itachi. A frown curved her lips, brown pinched in that special way that told him he wasn't going to like this. "Itachi... What I sensed in Rain... It reminded me of that night."

Instantly, a barrage of memories came over him—the hallways scattered with kunai, blood seeping into the wooden floors and the rumbling earth in the distance—he shook his head as though that would help force the recollections back into the farthest corner of his mind.

She closed her eyes. "It's not the same, of course, but similar."

"You are sure?" Itachi said, laying his hands on his desk.

"I couldn't get the measure of it, but there's no mistaking that kind of raw power."

"Understood."

Mikoto gave him a smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep them all safe."

"We weren't prepared for this," Itachi said, looking her over. "Thank you, mother."

"Anytime."

With that, Mikoto slipped from his office.

He let out a sigh, mind reeling as he considered the information Team Deer had collected at such a massive cost—The Lord Angel, the three Akatsuki members in the shrine, Asuma's death and the clue he had left them.

"Genma," he said out loud, knowing his ANBU guard was listening. "Please ensure Sarutobi Daisen reports in before duty."

"Yes, Lord Sixth," the disembodied voice of Genma sounded.

Itachi sighed. "And Genma… I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

A knock came to the door. "Enter."

Izumi poked her head in. "You wanted to know when Team Obito returned."

He tried to ignore the way his heart sped up. "Status?"

"One wounded. Inuzuka Kiba was caught in an enemy jutsu and his leg..." Izumi shook her head and stared at a specific point on his desk. "The medics are saying he won't ever be able to use it again. Sakura-san is currently assessing the situation."

His eyes fluttered closed. "The others?"

"She is fine," Izumi said, a strange tone coloring her voice. He raised an eyebrow at Izumi. "Sakura-san, I mean. Sasuke is unharmed. Obito-san is low on chakra and has a broken rib that the medics are looking at."

"The team we sent out as back-up?"

"Sent our fastest message bird to recall them."

"Thank you," Itachi said. "Please tell Obito and his team to report to me once his rib his healed."

"Yes, Lord Sixth."

A scant twenty minutes later, a knock came to his door.

"Enter," Itachi called, seating himself as Team Obito stepped inside.

His eyes fell on his younger brother first, finding Sasuke unharmed. Though Izumi had already reported as such, the sight of his younger sibling unscatched if not for a few scratches quelled the fear that had taken hold of him. Next, his eye settled on Sakura. She had cried—her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed, no doubt because their enemy had crippled Inuzuka Kiba. Obito looked etiolated, face waxen, but he held himself straight despite his recently treated injury.

"Team Obito reporting for debrief, Lord Sixth," Obito said.

"Go ahead."

"The mission was a success—Sakura found the list and the names, but was intercepted by Hatake Kakashi."

Itachi turned to her.

"I ate the list, Lord Sixth," Sakura said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I thought it would be best for it not to fall into Akatsuki's hands."

"I see. So the names are lost?"

Obito grinned. "Not quite. Sakura has an eidetic memory."

This was news to him. A smile formed on his lips. She would never cease to surprise him. "I see." He nodded to Sakura. "Please."

"Yugito Nii, Cloud Country. The second name was crossed through and illegible. Roshi in Iwagakure. Han in Iwagakure. Utakata in the Water Country. Fuu from Waterfall. And the letter 'B' in Lightning Country."

The last one caught his attention. "B, you said?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Sakura said, cocking her head at him."

'Seven names,' he thought, mind collecting the tidbits he had gotten from Sasori along with one of the legendary stories regarding Namikaze Minato—the one time he battled A and B from Kumogakure during the war and had stalemated with the Eight-Tailed Jinchuuriki. He looked up to see Obito's reaction—evidently he hadn't heard the list of names until now—but Minato's student knew about the encounter, even if it had been after they presumed him lost at Kannabi. The whole of Konoha had been buzzing with the story. 'And Gaara of the Desert... The One-Tail jinchuuriki, part of Akatsuki... They're looking for the tailed beasts.'

"We battled a Jinchuuriki on the way back," Obito said, voice monotone as he pieced it all together along with Itachi. "Gaara of the Desert."

"The One-Tail Jinchuuriki," Itachi said. "We'll have to check with our intelligence department to see if we know anything about the remaining names."

Both Sakura and Sasuke frowned. "B—Killer B, as our Fourth Hokage named him—is known to be the Jinchuuriki of the Eight-Tailed Beast," he explained.

They caught on together, Sasuke's eyes widening as Sakura's mouth dropped open. "They're searching for Jinchuuriki? Why?" Sakura asked.

"To weaponize," Obito answered for him. His eye was far away, no doubt recalling another medic from a different time. "It's been done before—Jinchuuriki have always been treated like weapons in times of war. Akatsuki's plan must be to threaten the entire world by collecting all of them."

"I'm afraid you're correct," Itachi said, leaning back in his chair as he thought it over. It looked like the only logical conclusion. He should've known that one day, someone would attempt to do this. He looked to Team Obito. "Tell me about Gaara."

"He had formed a team with Deidara from Iwagakure—no doubt this was the team behind the bombing of Mist. There was another with them; a member who wore an orange mask. He didn't fight us."

'Five members, including Hoshigaki Kisame and Hatake Kakashi,' Itachi thought, waving for them to continue.

"Deidara is an Earth-style user. Sasuke was plenty to keep him distracted while the three of us attempted to neutralize Gaara," Obito continued, teeth clenching as he named Gaara. "We failed. Gaara can operate at close, medium and long range and used a sand attack that requires no handseals, no doubt because he holds a sand spirit within him. He has a barrier that seems to work independently of him and guards anything and everything. I got through it with a lightning attack, but there's a second barrier over his entire body that isn't easily seen—when I hurt him, he lost it."

"Lost it?" Itachi interjected.

"Clutching his head, asking for his mother."

"The Kazekage informed me that the Jinchuuriki for the One-Tail face chronic insomnia," Itachi shared with them. "They become quite instable."

Obito nodded in affirmation. "He became unpredictable afterwards. Once we broke through his shields a second time—" Obito struggled for words here—"something happened..."

"Yes?"

"His face fell off," Sasuke supplied.

Itachi arched a brow at his younger brother.

"It just... fell off and turned to sand," Sasuke said, looking visibly troubled. "Half his face turned into—"

"A monster," Sakura whispered. "His eye was different and there was fur and drooling, like the Tailed Beast was trying to break its way out."

'Well,' Itachi thought as he considered the three members of Team Obito. All three suddenly looked harrowed. 'That sounds like it's enough to put the fright into anyone.'

"If we stayed, they would have annihilated us," Obito said then, meeting Itachi's gaze head on. "We fled the battlefield."

"A sensible decision," Itachi answered. "Kiba?"

"Caught in one of Gaara's attacks," Obito said, glancing at Sakura.

"His leg has been shattered, beyond anything I can heal right now," Sakura whispered. "His bones haven't just been broken, they're crushed, fragments of them lodged in his tendons and muscles. We cleared them from his nerve system, but..." She shook her head. "I need to read up on this."

A familiar presence suddenly made itself known to him, climbing the stairs on the side of the administration building. 'Fortuitous arrival,' he thought, nodding at Sakura.

Itachi folded his fingers together and leveled Obito with a look. "I have unfortunate news."

Obito looked apprehensive.

"Sarutobi Asuma has been killed during a mission in Amegakure."

For a long moment, Obito looked like he had heard the words, but could not comprehend them. Sakura had placed a hand over her mouth in shock while Sasuke stared hard at the ground. "H—How?" Obito uttered.

"I sent a team to seek the Akatsuki members that attacked Team Eight. They followed the trail into Rain and began investigating. Asuma was separated from the rest of his team and found dead."

"Fuck," Obito mouthed, pressing a hand against his forehead. "The team with him?"

"Itou Aya, Nara Shikamaru," Itachi said, eyeing Sasuke. "Uchiha Mikoto."

Sasuke took a sharp inhale of breath, but before he could ask, Itachi held up a hand. "All safe. It seems whoever killed Asuma was careful not to be seen or attack the entire team. The team reversed-summoned themselves from Rain shortly after discovering Asuma." He gave Obito a look. "Asuma left a clue: L. E. G. Does this mean anything to you?"

Obito thought hard on it, but shook his head. "No. I didn't speak much to Asuma these last years, both of us busy with—" he shrugged. "No. But I'll think about it."

"Please do." Itachi leaned back in his chair, considering the team. "I think the time has come for us to take the threat of Akatsuki seriously. Team Seven, I hereby appoint you to take point in Konoha's defense against Akatsuki. Report to my office tomorrow at ten to be briefed on all the information we have." He focused—the presence was now making her way through the hallway, beelining toward his office.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the three of them said in unison. Then, Sakura's nose wrinkled as she frowned.

"Yes, Sakura?" he asked, wondering if she would notice the warmth in his voice.

"It's nothing, Hokage-sama," Sakura said, a little abashed. "I was just hoping to read in on Kiba's situation."

"If that's the case, I don't think there's anything to be worried about."

As if on clue, his office burst open with a bang, startling Team Obito and spurring his ANBU team into action. He held up a hand with a small smile, stopping his guards before they entered the room and watched as Senju Tsunade stomped into the room, Shizune hot on her tracks as she bobbed her head in apology for the destruction Tsunade left in her wake.

"Alright kid," Tsunade said to him, placing her hands on her hips. "What or who needs fixing?"

A/N: And with that, we're one chapter away from the close of the first part! Sorry it's taking me so long to actually get to the romance. I'm sure you're getting impatient, but there's a lot to work through here haha. I promise we'll be following Sakura a bit more from now on. Can't have Team Seven on all the important missions. ;-)

If you're a shy reader or don't know what to say, please consider leaving an emoji:

❤ - Loved it

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? - Team ItaSaku

Chapter 11: Chapter 10

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 10

It was night again.

Sakura peeked outside and exhaled, wrapping a strand of hair behind her ear before returning to the thick tome of modern medicine she was currently wrestling her way through. In a room close by, she could hear the signature grinding of teeth and rush of obscenities that Tsunade liked to let out when she focused on a single task.

She settled in her chair, foot twitching as she skimmed through the text, eyes flitting over to the big stack of books on the corner of her desk. She had already ploughed through most of them, but found little that would aid them with Kiba's operation. Sakura swallowed thickly, repressing the surge of panic that threatened to claw its way from her throat and placed a finger on the sentence she had read thrice by now. Allowing herself a moment, Sakura let her head fall back and took three deep breaths.

When they brought Tsunade to examine Kiba, Sakura had been convinced her former master would take one glance at him, snap her fingers and mend him in no-time. After all, that was who Tsunade was—brash, loud and competent. However, Tsunade had clicked her tongue, furrowed her brow and let out a sigh before announcing to Team Seven that there was nothing she could do for him. The look in Kiba's eyes as the renowned healer told him he would have to find another profession propelled Sakura right into the library to see if there was anything she could unearth.

A day after she began her search, Tsunade had strode into her office, stole half the books Sakura had found and set up in a room across the hall, where Shizune would bring her tea or sake. Sakura smiled at the thought. Tsunade never stopped caring about her patients; even when she believed it would be impossible to heal them.

Sakura chewed her pen, looking out over Konoha as it shimmered with hundreds of little lights glittering everywhere in the village just as the sun sank beyond the horizon. The main street was brightly lit and bustling with activity. She yearned to go outside and eat fresh dango and have some tea, but every second she procrastinated meant another second in which Kiba lay in a hospital bed, thinking his shinobi career over. She scooted back into her seat and leaned over the textbook.

"How fares the search?"

The Sixth stood in the doorway, giving her a kind smile. She returned it and shook her head. "Nothing yet, I'm afraid."

"I'm sure you'll be able to find something," Itachi said as he entered the room. Sakura nodded at him, eye falling on a compact bundle he was carrying in his arms. "The medic uniforms are done. I thought I'd bring you yours."

Sakura beamed at him and stood from her chair, accepting the bundle. The new flak jacket were simple chest-guards that would cover her torso and lower groin. "Are these clip on?" Sakura asked, fingering the shoulder pads of the armor between her fingers.

"Yes," Itachi said, leaning against the desk, arms crossed as he watched her look her uniform over. "The cloth is thinner than those of the former flak jackets, but reforced by a special material imported from the Wind Country. As a sign of our alliance, Suna has implemented these uniforms as well."

Sakura lowered her shirt and looked at him, eyes wide. "So...?"

"It seems at least Suna and Konoha will know lasting peace," Itachi said. "A small step, perhaps, but two countries wearing the same uniforms and forming a united front was unthinkable a few years ago."

"At least there's some good news," Sakura said, observing her Hokage. He looked much older from time to time—like the office and function itself wore him out. But today, he seemed lighter, as though he carried less of the world on his shoulders now that he had shared his burden with the Kazekage. She sagged into her chair, hugging her uniform to her chest. It smelled of embers and forests. "Was this one of the hard decisions?" she questioned, voice quiet.

Itachi looked surprised. "No."

"Wind has always been a double-edged sword. Even when the Third trusted them... they still stabbed Konoha's back and invaded us during the Chuunin exams," Sakura spoke, leaning forward as her eyes darted back and forth between Itachi's. "Isn't it hard to trust them now?"

The Sixth tilted his head in contemplation. "We lost the Third, and many others during their attack. But in the same vein, Konoha is responsible for a fair amount of losses in the Wind Country. The White Fang killed the Fifth's own parents." Sakura's eyes widened at that tidbit. "But a line must be drawn and we must make overtures of peace. If not, this cycle of hatred will perpetuate until the earth is scorched and only devastation is left in its wake."

Sakura considered that. "But, is it right for us to forgive the Sand for attacking our civilians, even though they never apologized or made amends? We secured an armistice but nothing beyond that for years. The Sand still refuses to acknowledge what they did that day."

"To the Sand, we are the ones who assassinated the equivalent of their village elders. We lost the Third, but the Fourth Kazekage lost his life trying to take over Konoha—for us, it was a sign of war and one we could not tolerate. For them, the Wind Country is barren and poor and Konoha stole their contracts or otherwise reeled in their prospective clients by offering more manpower and resources." Itachi hesitated. "Where Konoha thrived, Sand withered. Konoha Crush was a last-ditch attempt to turn the tides and save an ailing village."

"I guess perspective changes all," Sakura concluded.

"Correct," Itachi said. He paused for a long moment. "People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define reality. But what does it mean to be 'correct' or 'true'? They are vague concepts—their realities may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?"

She thought long on it, fingers following the seams of her new flak jacket. "Everybody lives within their own subjective interpretation of reality," Sakura said, peering up to see if she understood him correctly. The slight smirk and encouraging nod told her she had. Sakura ducked her head shyly. The smile faded as she considered the next logical conclusion. "Does that mean that, in Akatsuki's eyes, we're the bad guys?"

"Possibly. We know too little of them to understand what drives them—for them, Konoha may be a neutral, but strong party they need to eliminate. Or perhaps they plan to threaten us into submission. But then, they may hate us for unknown reasons," Itachi posited.

"So, what about Hatake Kakashi?"

Itachi arched an eyebrow.

Sakura laid her uniform on her desk. "He grew up here, with all of Konoha's ideologies and in relative wealth. We've never been scared to run out clients or food or shelter here since the village formed. So what can cause someone to change like that and betray a village?" She frowned. "What drives someone to do such a thing?" She paused. "And what of Jiraiya? If we assume correctly and he killed Asuma-sensei... How can a shinobi of his caliber decide he suddenly becomes judge, jury and executioner and kill a fellow Konoha shinobi?"

Something flickered behind Itachi's eyes, but it was gone with a blink, his dark eyes impenetrable. "I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that question, Sakura. Sometimes, we cannot grasp what is in another's mind, no matter how hard we try."

"I couldn't imagine," Sakura mused, looking out over Konoha. "This is my home."

"I'm glad to hear that."

The warmth in the Sixth's voice soaked through her skin and into her heart, reminding her of the day he sat beside her at Nakano River after crying her heart out over Kurenai. There was something about the way he spoke to her, his deep voice a magnetic resonance to her nucleus. It drew her eyes to his, a smile on his usually impassive face and the hint of a flush of pink across his cheeks. He was blushing. Suddenly all she heard was the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears, butterflies fluttering wildly inside her.

Itachi pushed himself off the desk and straightened. "I'll leave you to your studies. Thank you for the talk."

"It was my pleasure," Sakura said, ducking her head to hide the blush across her face.

The corner of his lips lifted in the same kind smile he seemed to reserve exclusively for her, before he walked out of her office. He knocked on Tsunade's door next, who barked an 'enter' at him. Itachi slipped through the door and it closed with a soft click.

Sakura glanced back at the dusty tome, trying to turn her attention back to her work, but the Sixth's tender smile and rich voice fueled her pounding pulse. 'He can't... No...' she thought, peeking at the locked door across the hallway. 'Was he?'

"I work a lot better with sake here," Tsunade said without looking up, tapping a finger on her desk. "That's how you could help, if that's what you're here for."

"Noted," Itachi said. "It is good to see you again, Tsunade-sama."

She trained her eyes at him. "Those clothes look good on you, kid."

His lips quirked in an ironic smile. "Thanks to you."

Tsunade waved and nodded to the door with her chin. "How is she?"

"Tired, but determined."

Tsunade huffed at that. "She has her master's tenacity."

"And skills."

The legendary healer lifted a brow. Itachi chuckled and took a seat across from her. "I gave Shizune-san permission to perform the autopsy on the Akatsuki members and Asuma."

She folded her hands together under her chin. "You think it's Jiraiya."

"The woodblocks, the connection to Rain, the skill to take out an experienced jounin in such a short time-frame," Itachi summarized. "It all points to someone gifted."

"I remember those three kids," Tsunade said, mouth twisted in displeasure. "They grew up, sure, but they're the same ones that we met that day." She clicked her tongue and pinched her brow, fire smoldering in her honey eyes as her gaze met his. "For what it's worth, I think you're right. He did care for those three and intelligence reported he went straight back to Rain after defecting. Orochimaru even followed him there."

That was news to Itachi. "Orochimaru did?"

"Out of sentiment for the old man," Tsunade shrugged. "He never cared for Jiraiya much, though I suppose he was Orochimaru's only friend for a long time." She let out a lengthy sigh. "If it is him, you'll have a tough time dismantling Rain. They laid the rest of the country to waste, but Amegakure is a fortress. That bastard Hanzou did a superb job building it."

"He's dead now."

"Supplanted by Jiraiya or another powerful shinobi," Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair. "Who was with Asuma?"

"Nara Shikamaru, Itou Aya and Uchiha Mikoto."

"Sending your own mother to the frontline?" Tsunade let out a laugh. "I say that, but if anybody was coming back from there, it was Mikoto. That woman is clever like a fox and as unkillable as a cockroach, and I mean that as a compliment."

"I'll be sure to tell her."

"How is Fugaku-chan? Still upset?"

Itachi laid his hands on her desk and dusted away some motes. "Fugaku is... Fugaku."

"Bull-headed, intransigent and cantankerous?"

He looked up to her. "I have missed your candor."

"Kid, I may look like this, but I'm over sixty. Being too diplomatic means I'll die before getting my point across," Tsunade laughed. The smile died on her lips. "The Inuzuka kid. If we perform the surgery on him, he has a fifty-fifty percent chance."

"That's fifty percent more than he currently has."

"Fifty percent chance he dies."

"Ah." He was quiet for a spell. "That changes things."

Tsunade leaned her head in her palm and stared at him. "I won't deny him the surgery if he decides he wants it. The Inuzuka clan are shinobi through and through. The kid wants to die before we force him into a civilian life."

Itachi nodded, staring out the window behind her. "And if the surgery is successful?"

"A long rehabilitation period. Team Seven won't have him for at least six months, depending on how fast he recuperates. You might want to prepare a replacement."

"I have a team in mind."

She arched a brow. "A team?" Then, catching on, Tsunade nodded approvingly. "They'll be an excellent addition."

Tsunade yawned, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, and waved at him. "Let me return to this."

"I'll make sure someone routinely comes in to top off your drink."

Tsunade huffed another laugh at that.

Feeling notably lighter, Itachi stepped out of the office and shut the door. Just as he was about to retire to his own, his eye fell on Sakura, who had fallen asleep on top of her book. He stalled for a moment before walking in without making a sound, closing the door behind him.

She had folded her arms beneath her head and was in deep enough a sleep that she hadn't heard his approach, nor did she stir when he shed himself off his cloak and draped it over her, tucking her in with the same gentleness he reserved for cats and Sasuke. She was lightly drooling over the tome, but there was little he could do about that without waking her, and something told him this was the first sleep she was getting since returning from her mission days ago.

He watched her sleep for a long moment, fingers gingerly reaching out to brush the softer than silk strands of cherry-colored hair from her face, enjoying the feel of it against the tips of his fingers. The urge to kiss her forehead seized him then, curious to feel her skin against his lips and to take in the smell of her hair, but he drew back and away from her, heading out before he would do something foolish.

Sakura woke to a distinct banging sound.

She shot up in her chair, a white fabric falling off her shoulders as she looked toward the source of the sound.

Across the hallway stood Uchiha Izumi with a tray carrying a sake bottle. She gave Sakura a peculiar look, eyes settling behind Sakura, before tapping on Tsunade's door and entering as soon as she gave her permission.

Bleary-eyed, Sakura turned round to where Izumi had looked and discovered a white and red coat emblazoned with the kanji for 'Sixth Hokage' slipped from her shoulders. It was heavier than she had expected and still smelled faintly of cinders and woodlands. Simply the thought of Uchiha Itachi and the smile he had given her before she had fallen asleep caused her heart to quicken, a grin tugging at her lips. Resisting the urge to bury her face in the fabric, Sakura checked the clock above the door and found it to be four in the morning.

"Shall I return that to him?"

Izumi had exited Tsunade's office and tucked the tray under her armpit, striding toward Sakura with a stretched arm to take the coat from her. 'What is her problem?' Sakura thought as she extracted the cloth from her body and folded it into a neat package. "Thank you."

"It seems Tsunade-sama has a breakthrough," Izumi said, voice clipped. She let her eyes roam over Sakura's face before turning from her.

"Thank you. I like your new haircut," Sakura said in response. Izumi's hair came to her shoulders now, same as Sakura's, though Izumi's chestnut hair was thicker and glossier than her own. Sakura stayed still, nibbling her lip as she watched Izumi stop in her tracks and hold the ends of her hair between thumb and finger, before giving Sakura a bow.

"Thank you, Sakura-san."

"You're welcome," Sakura said, rising from her chair. She followed Izumi out of the room and knocked on Tsunade's door.

"Enter!" Tsunade barked.

"It's just like the old times," Sakura said as she poked her head through the door.

Tsunade gave her an amused glance, her red lips tilted in a grin as she filled her sake cup and poured a second one for Sakura. "Come here, drink with me," Tsunade ordered, beckoning for her to come closer.

Sakura joined Tsunade at her desk. "I suppose I'm old enough now."

"And a better drinking companion than Shizune, I wager," Tsunade said, lifting her cup to Sakura's. They met with a shrill clinking sound. Sakura took a discreet sip while Tsunade slammed hers back and poured a second one. "Sixty-three percent," Tsunade said, looking Sakura over.

Sakura jolted in her seat. "Really?"

"I'll explain it to you in the morning, but yes, really," Tsunade said with another sip. "I would have preferred it to go up to at least seventy, but we'll have to take what we can get."

Sakura nodded and drank, giving Tsunade a smile as she sat down her cup. "I'm glad to see you again."

A fond expression painted Tsunade's face, one she only displayed when she was at least three bottles of sake in and she caught Sakura saying something that endeared her. The former Hokage tapped the diamond shape on her forehead. "How is this coming?"

"More than enough stored for now, but I'm still storing chakra away on a daily base," Sakura replied.

"Good. You never know when it will come in handy."

"I... actually wanted to talk about something with you."

"Aha," Tsunade said with another refill of the cup. When Sakura remained quiet, Tsunade gave her a look. "Well? Spit it out."

She cleared her throat, uncertain where to begin. "A while ago, I met Orochimaru-sama."

"He doesn't know his parents, but we're confident they were human," Tsunade said with a heavy sigh. "Honestly, a white skin and purple marking does not mean someone is half-snake."

Resisting the compulsion to giggle, Sakura shifted in her chair. "That wasn't my question."

"Oh." Another wave of the hand. "Continue."

"I read about him a few years ago and the reports suggested he was a Sage."

Tsunade's eyes darkened at that as she placed her cup on the desk. "Sakura."

"I know it's a challenging and complicated path, but you know me. I'm ready to work and work hard at it and my control is excellent," Sakura continued, daring to interrupt her former master. "And... Akatsuki is strong. Too strong, perhaps."

"Do you know why I never made the trip into Shikkotsu?" Tsunade asked, leaning back in her chair. "It's because it's dangerous—not just physical. Shikkotsu isn't the physical realm; Shikkotsu is of the spiritual realm. Whoever goes in there needs to be a conduit for natural energy, but a conduict needs to be unobstructed."

Sakura blinked, not comprehending.

"It means that you'll have to face every last fear," Tsunade said, soft, vulnerable. "It means being confronted with every decision you ever made, every person you lost, every drop of blood you spilled." Tsunade lifted her honey eyes to her. "And you have to make peace with it. Accept it all. Only then can you begin training."

"Every person I lost?"

Tsunade let out a long breath. "Becoming a Sage means—" For the first time in her life, Sakura noticed Tsunade was searching for the right words. "Sakura, I won't stop you from going into Shikkotsu. But know that becoming a Sage is nothing like regular training. It isn't something you can do together with your team, or where I can assist you. Konoha has known three Sages; the First, Jiraiya and Orochimaru. That's it. It will take you time to become a Sage and it is a path you need to walk alone. There are no guarantees for success. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Sakura turned her answer over in her head for a moment, a little lost and uncertain. She had combatted the novelty that was aimlessness for weeks now, ever since Obito asked her about her goals at the Valley of the End. She had thought herself a strong enough kunoichi, but the battle against Gaara had revealed to her exactly how powerless she was to stop him, sending her into an endless spiral downwards into darkness, one she hadn't traversed since Tsunade took her on as an apprentice. "Yes," Sakura said, feeling so sure of herself that she could taste the relief in her mouth. "Yes, I want to do this."

Her master smiled at her, a kind and warm smile as the drink flushed her cheeks with red. "You had better ask the Sixth for permission then. The trial itself will take you from Konoha for a few days, depending how fast you go through it."

"What is the trial like?" she asked, scooting to the edge of her seat.

Tsunade took a swig and shook her head. "There are multiple parts. I didn't make it past the second part." The finality in her tone prevented Sakura from asking more.

"You can do it, kid," Tsunade said, pouring the last of the sake into Sakura's cup. She stared at her protege for a long while, eyes inscrutable. Then a smile broke over her features as she leaned her cheek against her hand and looked at Sakura. "You're my student, after all."

Touched by the trust Tsunade had in her, Sakura blinked at the tears and finished her sake.

A knock came at his door.

"Enter," Itachi called out, laying aside the case file on Inuzuka Kiba—it seemed the surgery was a success. He smiled as Sakura stepped into his office. "Sakura," he said in warm greeting.

"Hokage-sama," Sakura replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I understood the surgery was successful. How is Kiba?"

She beamed at him. "Recovering and chatty. Tsunade-sama thinks it will be a few weeks before we can start rehabilitation and a few months before he'll be back on his feet, but Kiba will make a full recovery."

"Excellent news." He watched her as she clasped her hands behind her back and fidgeted, briefly worrying him he had scared her off after leaving his coat with her. Izumi had returned with it a few hours later and failed to mention if Sakura had said anything about it. He hadn't seen Sakura since that night. "Is there something you would like to discuss?" he ventured with care.

Her eyes darted over his face and there was no mistaking the blush that dusted her cheeks now, but she cleared her throat and stepped closer, a glint of determination setting in her gaze. "I would like to formally request a leave of absence."

Of all the things Itachi had been expecting, this wasn't one of them. Panic set in as he doubted himself and his small gestures of kindness, considering the woman standing before him. Had she seen through him during their conversation and realized he was harboring feelings for her? Was it because he had left his coat? Was it unrelated altogether? It was hopeless trying to define the concerns and doubts that shook him, so instead, Itachi manned up and asked: "Why?"

"I would like to train in Shikkotsu Forest."

'Yes,' Itachi realized, the tension draining out of his shoulders. 'She will never cease to amaze me.'

"Shikkotsu?" he asked out loud. "To become a Sage?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

A self-assurance she hadn't displayed when she entered his office permeated her voice. Did she think he wouldn't permit her to leave? He considered the situation and the risks—from what little he learned of the three realms, Shikkotsu was the unknown quantity. The realm of the slugs had produced zero Sages for centuries; even Tsunade herself was forced back. But there was a quiet determination to Sakura that told him she knew all of this and she was still committed to go.

He was careful lest his expression changed with the whirlwind of concern and protectiveness that raged through him. Suddenly, irrationally, he longed to be anywhere but here, trapped in the red and white robes he wore, far away from where he could be; he could be by her side as she attempted this dangerous venture. The notion—one that belonged to a younger, love-struck man—fled his mind. "How long?"

Sakura dropped her eyes to his desk, shaking her head. "Tsunade-sama mentioned a trial first. That could take me anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how fast I make it through."

He smiled at her confidence. No 'if' she made it through, but 'when'. "And after?" he continued.

"After, I'll return to Konoha and summon myself to Shikkotsu during my free time to continue training," Sakura explained. She gave him a shy smile. "It might take me years to master it, so I'm not sure of how much use it would be in the upcoming battle against Akatsuki, but—"

"Permission granted," Itachi interrupted her. He rose from his chair and circled around the desk, leaning against the edge as he observed her. "You're Konoha's most capable kunoichi. I have no doubt you'll return from Shikkotsu and I will assist you in any way I can with your growth."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Sakura said, the warmth in her voice coursing through his veins like wildfire. Beneath his chest, his heart stuttered as Sakura smiled at him and he realized that this was a different smile from the ones she had offered him before. Before he was the Hokage and someone untouchable, and now she regarded him differently, like she was seeing the man inside the robes for the first time.

Hope bloomed within him, and before he could stop himself, he reached out to her. The tips of his fingers touched hers, a soft gasp escaping from Sakura's lips while their fingers slid together. Their eyes met at the same time, electricity crackling between the two of them as they held each other's gazes, tentatively questioning whether this was really happening. Sakura let out a shuddering breath, wetting her lips with her pink tongue and he suddenly felt the overpowering urge to take her into his arms and kiss her—to taste her and thread his fingers through her hair and touch her skin to see if she was as soft as he thought she would be.

She didn't withdraw her hands from his. Instead, she mapped out his fingertips with hers, tracing over the long scar that ran on the inside of his middle finger. He nearly came undone as she traced the ridge of the scar into his palm. His skin was scorching beneath her soft fingertips and for a moment he thought she would burn him. She bit down on her plump lip. Jade eyes locked with his as their fingers curled together.

A knock on the door startled both out of their reverie. He slipped his fingers from her and cleared his throat before calling out 'enter' to Izumi, while Sakura averted her eyes to the floor.

Izumi stepped in with a bright smile that fell the instant she spotted Sakura. "Ah, my apologies, Hokage-sama," Izumi said, halting mid-stride. "We have news from the Kazekage and an answer from the Raikage."

"Thank you, Izumi," Itachi said, making his way back to his chair. He glanced at Sakura, which she shyly returned, a blush still dusting her cheek. "Sakura—return tomorrow morning at nine to be briefed. Now that Kiba is temporarily out of commission, and you'll be taking a leave, I believe it's time to introduce you to the team that will assist you against Akatsuki."

"Of course, Hokage-sama," Sakura said. "Would you like me to inform Obito-sensei and Sasuke as well?"

"Please." He flashed her a smile, trying to quell the storm within. "Dismissed."

"You're taking time off from Team Seven?!" Kiba shouted, wincing in pain as he shot up in his bed.

"Shikkotsu?!" Obito asked, jaw dropping.

"You're training to become a Sage?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow arched.

"There's a trial first," Sakura explained eyes on the apple she was busy peeling for Kiba. "I'll need to pass it before I can begin training. Tsunade-sama said it would take anywhere between a few days to a few weeks." She was quiet, fiddling with the apple in her hand before meeting her team's incredulous faces. "Gaara could have killed us all and I've been thinking about how to progress from here for a long time now. I—I need a challenge and I think this is it."

Obito blinked a couple more times, then a smile tugged at his warped face. "I see you've found your new purpose."

"Thanks to you, Obito-sensei."

The tips of his ears turned bright red. "When will you be leaving?"

"Tsunade-sama is going to send me to Shikkotsu after our briefing," Sakura said, looking down her body. "She told me chakra doesn't work in the forest, so I haven't geared up."

"What will the trial be?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura shook her head. "Tsunade-sama was vague. She only made it part-way before turning around. I don't know what to expect."

Sasuke nodded. Midnight eyes narrowed as he turned to look out of the window in thought.

"Damn," Kiba whistled. "Do you think there are dog sages?"

"Nothing sage about a dog, idiot," Sasuke spoke up.

"Sasuke, you asshole," Kiba growled, only to flinch in pain as he shifted in his bed. "You're just jealous. Hawks are overgrown messenger birds, anyway." He returned the glare Sasuke sent his way with a crinkle of the nose.

"Boys," Obito warned with a deep sigh, pushing a hand through his hair. He turned to Sakura. "Is there anything we can do to help?" Obito asked.

She shook her head. "This is something I need to do by myself." She cut the apple and handed it to Kiba with a smile.

"You got this," Kiba grinned. "I'll be back on my feet and ready when you return!"

Sasuke made an amused sound at that, drawing Kiba's ire. She listened as they bickered back and forth while Obito massaged his temples, but there was no mistaking the relief look in his eyes. A few days ago, they thought Kiba would never return to the shinobi life, even if none of them, least of all Kiba, wanted to acknowledge that. She let out a shuddering sigh as she fought against the tears that threatened to spill and looked out the window to distract herself from the two men.

Kiba's room looked out over the main street. It was busy as always—housewives doing their groceries, shinobi traveling up and down the streets to the gates, Academy student skipping class, civilians shopping around. In the distance, she could see the administration building and wondered how the Sixths' day was going so far.

As if on cue, her fingertips burned with the memory of his skin on hers. The butterflies that had gone rampant since the intimate moment in his office returned with a vengeance, and she ducked her head to hide the blush that crept along her cheeks. The last thing she wanted was for Sasuke to ask her why she was blushing like a school girl. She marveled at how high she felt just from that brief touch. The thrill and heat spread through her body even now. She wondered if he was thinking about her and how they might have kissed if Izumi hadn't knocked on his door.

She had to stop herself. If she continued on this train of thought, steam would blow from her ears in a few seconds and she would have to explain why she looked like Kiba after he accidentally walked into the women's side of the hot springs during a mission. Sakura balled her fist at the memory and turned back to her team to find Obito and Sasuke embroiled in a protracted discussion regarding Sages. As she listened with a half-ear to the merits of becoming a Sage, a thought occurred to her.

"Why do you suppose people abandon their villages?" she said without thinking.

"What?" Sasuke and Kiba asked in unison. Obito's eye darkened.

Fidgeting beneath Obito's intense stare, Sakura licked her lips and looked at Sasuke. "I discussed this with the Sixth a while ago. He said that people live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define reality. So, if this is our reality, and this is our village and the people close to us and the country we grew up in... why would we ever decide to desert it?"

"Dunno," Kiba said, scratching his neck. "Money? Fame? Maybe they're just sick of being shinobi?"

"That doesn't make sense," Sakura said. "It's easier to live here and do missions to earn money, and plenty of shinobi are infamous. Plus, they don't stop being shinobi—they're just... not aligned with a village anymore."

"They want something that can't be found in a village," Sasuke suggested, pushing his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall.

"Like what?"

"Freedom."

"Freedom?" she asked.

"Everything we do here serves Konoha. Perhaps some people don't want to serve it. If you desert, you become master of your own destiny."

"You make that sound like it's a good thing." Kiba scrunched up his nose.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's not for me. But no one chooses 'evil' or the dark path because it's dark. They only mistake it for happiness."

Kiba's jaw dropped. "You can be surprisingly deep sometimes, asshole."

Sasuke shot him a dirty look.

"Sasuke is right," Obito said. She met his stare, dark and focused on her. "Few choose to desert—family, friends and the town they grew up are here. But this life is hard and we are damaged in the end. It can't be helped. Minato-sensei once compared humans to glass." Obito's lips quirked up at the memory. "Born perfect and pristine, but every thing that happens to us in life takes a toll. Glass gets smudged, cracked and sometimes shatters. Those who shatter beyond repair are the ones who often take to a dark path in search of what they want."

The three of them were silent.

"For what it's worth," Obito continued, "In the ninja world, those who don't follow the rules. But, those who abandon their friends are even worse than trash." He glanced at the clock. "Sasuke, Sakura, time for us to go. Kiba, I'll come back later to inform you."

"Got it sensei," Kiba said. He attempted to grin like he always did, but Sakura could spot the pain that flickered over his face. He gave her a thumbs up. "Go kill it in Shikkotsu, Sage Sakura."

"Not yet," Sakura laughed and waggled a finger at him. She stopped halfway to the door, turned, and rushed up to him, wrapping an arm around him with care. He remained stunned for a second, then returned her embrace. "I can't wait to see you walk again," she whispered in his ear, releasing him.

Kiba fought to keep his face straight, lips twitching as he bobbed his head. "Alright, get out of here. You know how Obito-sensei gets when we're late." He squeezed her hand. "Be careful there Sakura."

"Always."

With that, she followed Obito and Sasuke out of the hospital.

They traveled down the main road in relative silence, Obito trudging ahead of them as though he held the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Do you think he's angry with me?" Sakura muttered.

"No," Sasuke answered, midnight eyes flitting to Obito's back. "He just struggles."

"Could you ever imagine leaving Konoha?"

Sasuke nodded at one of his clan members as they passed by, dressed in the Konoha police uniform adorned with the Uchiha crest, and considered her question. "Perhaps, in a different life."

"If your brother wasn't Hokage?" Sakura joked, hoping he wouldn't notice how her cheeks colored as she thought of Itachi.

"Hn," Sasuke said. A long pause ensued before he added: "I think my mother would kill me herself."

She erupted into giggles loud enough to shake Obito from his mood. He looked over his shoulder at them, shrugged and continued along the path, this time with less of a thundercloud hanging over his head. "Aunt Mikoto would," Obito said after Sakura's laughter abated, drawing an amused sound from Sasuke and more chuckles from Sakura as they climbed the stairs to the administration building and walked down the hallway toward Itachi's office.

Obito knocked twice and entered as the Sixth called out to them.

They stepped through the threshold to find Team Gai waiting for them. Gai himself grabbed Obito's hand and congenially clapped him on his back, white teeth sparkling. "Obito!" he boomed. "I heard about your student! All good now?"

"Gai," Obito said, stunned. "Er—yes, he's doing fine now."

"Tsunade-sama is a miracle worker." Gai balled a fist and gave them both a radiant smile. "Good to see you again."

"Gai-sensei," Sakura replied. Hyuuga Neji, Tenten and Rock Lee stood behind Gai. Neji and Tenten looked as uncomfortable as ever around their flamboyant teacher, but Lee had balled both his hands into fists and nodded as Gai launched into a speech directed at Obito on the virtues of keeping the faith in Kiba while he traversed the path to a healthy body once more.

Sakura peered past them to find Itachi in his chair, looking vaguely amused by Gai's passion. His eyes met hers and she resisted the urge to sigh and smile like a giddy child, wondering how on earth it was possible she missed how handsome their Hokage was and how she had only noticed when he started paying attention to her.

'That's a lie. You noticed,' Inner Sakura said, crossing her legs over another. 'You just thought you didn't stand a chance. And here he is, looking like a snack.'

'Okay that's enough of you,' she groused, pushing her inner persona into the depths of her mind.

"Gai," Itachi spoke then.

"Ah, Hokage-sama, please excuse," Gai said, stepping to the side.

The Sixth folded his hands together. "Team Gai—Team Seven under Uchiha Obito is in charge of Konoha's Akatsuki division. Sand and Cloud have also begun their own investigations and will report these to Konoha. You're to assist Team Seven while Kiba and Sakura aren't out in the field." He looked at Obito. "I have briefed team Gai on your battle with Gaara and Deidara. I'll leave the rest up to you."

"Gaara of the Sand," Lee spoke, punching his fist into his palm, eyes burning with enthusiasm. "He sounds like quite a challenge."

Gai boomed a laugh at that, despite the three members of Team Seven standing dumbstruck by Lee's bold statement. "Yes, well... He was a challenge," Obito ventured.

Itachi held up a hand as Obito peered at him. "I've heard your debrief and seen your report. I believe a fast taijutsu user could circumvent the shield. In that case, both Gai and Lee are excellent match-ups against him. With your aid, and Neji and Tenten, I'm sure we can come up with a strategy to beat the One-Tails. Furthermore, Gai is, like you Obito, uniquely trained to match against Kakashi. While Kiba and Sakura are gone from the team, you'll need taijutsu users."

"Understood, Lord Sixth," Obito spoke.

Itachi nodded and pushed his fingers together. "I've spoken to the Raikage—he has confirmed that both Yugito Nii and Killer B are Jinchuuriki. They have sighted multiple Akatsuki teams throughout the Lightning Country. We believe they'll make a move soon, however, Cloud is hesitant to work with the Leaf. As such, we'll be providing no support."

"Headstrong, as always," Gai said with a laugh.

"Indeed," Itachi spoke. "Instead, we'll be investigating the clue left to us by Asuma. Rain is an impenetrable fortress now and it would be unwise for us to enter." He paused. "Your mission is to prepare and gather information. I am assembling multiple teams to search the country for any sign of Akatsuki—so far the Fire Country is remarkably empty of threats. Should anything change, I'll inform you."

"Understood," the five of them said in unison.

Itachi's brow furrowed. "Make no mistake. Our enemy is crafty and has amassed a force right under our noses. They've recruited a jinchuuriki and they're going to do it again. Tread with care." He nodded. "Dismissed."

Sakura turned to leave with the others, but Itachi's voice calling her name caught her attention. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

He smiled. "Good luck."

She returned it and tried her hardest to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat. "Thank you," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear before following her team out the door.

"I look forward to working with you, Obito!" Gai said, clapping him on the shoulder one more time as they departed from Itachi's office.

"Same as, Gai," Obito said. "I'm seeing Sakura off. Can you come to the office on the sixth floor in an hour from now? I'll debrief you."

"Of course!" Gai boomed. "Sakura—good luck!" He laid a gigantic hand on her shoulder and gave her an encouraging squeeze before turning to Lee. "Lee! Let's see how many push-ups we can do before Obito returns to us, shall we?"

"Yes, sir!" Lee called back, dropping onto the floor to start his sets while Neji and Tenten gave her a self-conscious look.

"Interesting choice," Obito said as they walked down the hallway with Sasuke. "Though I suppose I understand why." He looked at Sasuke. "Was he always like this?"

"He is good at thinking outside the box," Sasuke answered with a shrug.

"First, he sent Aunt Mikoto to Rain, now we have Team Gai to back us up," Obito mused, shoving his hands into his pants. He was quiet for a spell. "I understood Gai learned how to spar with Kakashi without looking at his eyes but at his feet." That drew Sasuke's attention. "Interesting. I should test that out."

"By looking at his feet?" Sasuke asked.

"Gai is unconventional, but that also makes him unpredictable," Obito explained. "I have to admit I didn't see this coming, but I'm reassured."

They continued talking about Team Gai and their specific traits until they reached the gate that led away from Konoha. Tsunade awaited them there, holding a scroll in her hand as she pushed herself from the gate, arms crossed over one another. "Ready?" she asked, looking Sakura over.

"Ready."

"Good."

Tsunade pulled the string loose from her scroll and unrolled it in front of her, smoothing it with the back of her hand. She bit her thumb next, drawing blood before creating a flurry of seals. "Into the circle, Sakura," she instructed, looking up at her former student as Sakura stood on the scroll.

"You got this," Obito said, warmth touching his sole eye.

"Turn back if you need to," Tsunade said, honey eyes strict. "Listen to Katsuyu's instructions."

"Be safe," Sasuke said last, voice soft.

"I'll be back soon," Sakura said with a smile. Then the jutsu took hold and sucked her into another dimension, Konoha fading from her vision as she tumbled into the dark.

Hatake Kakashi stood atop the statue in the dark cave and rolled his shoulders. It was still early in the morning, too early for his liking, when the summons for a meeting had come. As always, Leader had requested Kakashi to come a little earlier.

A faint buzzing sound in the distance alerted him, the Sharingan concentrating on something in the dark. He blinked with Obito's eye, trying to focus. A pair of rippled, lavender eyes swept over him.

"How is your eye?" Leader asked him.

"The sight is lessening with each use," Kakashi answered honestly. If he closed his own eye, Obito's would see only smudges and colors. As the process was gradual, no-one except Akatsuki's leader and Kisame had noticed, but there was no doubting the fact that it prevented him from reaching his full potential.

Leader blinked. "How is Obito's?"

"Obito can see," Kakashi reported. "I wasn't sure until I ambushed him at the Valley of the End, but there was no sign of deterioration."

"Interesting." The shadow moved. "That would suggest Obito uses his Mangekyou far less than you do, or—"

"He has someone heal them."

"Hm," Leader said, the shade nearly disappearing into the shadows of the cave. "Haruno Sakura is a student of Senju Tsunade, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"A woman no doubt familiar then with the grey areas of morality, and a medical prodigy in her own right," Leader said, humming quietly in the dark. "It would be advantageous for us to have someone present in Konoha's upper ranks and we could use a medic. A little bird in Konoha told me she is up to something very interesting. What is your assessment of her, Kakashi?"

"Highly intelligent and capable." Kakashi remembered how she had eaten the item they sent her to collect when he last encountered her. "Quick-witted."

"Can we use her?"

He blinked. "Of course."

"Keep me appraised. It shouldn't be too hard stealing her from her team." Leader turned his rippled gaze elsewhere, as if drawn to one of the other fingers. "The others are coming. Ensure she heals your eye and see if you can recruit her." He chuckled. "You always were a smooth talker."

"Understood," Kakashi said, just as six other shadows blinked into existence.

"Where is Gaara?" Leader asked, eyes focused on the shade that belonged to Deidara.

"Suna no Danna won't be able to make it," Deidara hummed behind his lips. "He's reeling that beast back in."

"Why? What happened?" a voice came from the dark.

"We ran into a team from Konoha, the one with the Uchiha Kakashi used to be in a team with." Deidara laughed. "First time I've seen danna get hurt." A blue eye peered at Kakashi. "He copied your technique, you know."

Kakashi closed his eyes at that. 'I know,' he thought, shaking his head. When he re-opened them, a pair of crimson, feral orbs peered at him before moving on to Deidara.

A scrape in the dark, then Naruto stepped into the light. The stripes on his cheeks widened, and paired with the crimson slitted eyes, he looked almost otherworldly. "What did they do to my friend?" Naruto growled.

- END OF PART I -

A/N: Come now, I could never kill Naruto off the bat.

For those of you who read 'Veritas', the Sage bits might look familiar; I did want to continue that two-shot story but then I realized I wanted a full story with Sage!Sakura, so I'm incorporating parts of Veritas into Otherworld here.

I've noticed a couple of you are going back to read theories of other commentators and responding to that and oh my heart. You have no idea how much fun it is to see you all speculating and every single one of your comments brings a huge smile to my face. Thank you!

Finally, Otherworld will go on a short hiatus after next week's chapter—because this is such a plot dense story, I like to write a couple of chapters ahead and make sure it's good before posting again on a weekly base. I'll also be revising some (light) things in previous chapters. I think we'll be returning to Otherworld around the beginning of July. Next chapter will be an interlude with a new viewpoint character. Anyone like to take guesses who we'll be following?

If you enjoyed the chapter but are a shy reader, or don't know what to say, please consider leaving an emoji! Chapters for Otherworld especially take a lot of time to write and I appreciate you all commenting 3

❤ - Loved it

? - Thank you

? - I'm so glad Kiba is going to be alright!

? - what is happening this next arc?!

? - KAKASHII

? - SLUG SAGE!

? - They held hands!

Chapter 12: Interlude 1

Chapter Text

E

Senju Tobirama

82 years ago

Senju Tobirama stood on the mountain that overlooked the fledgling village hidden in the leaves, awash with gilded pale gold from the early dawn sunlight. The air was fresh and bright, but there was something filling him with feelings of discontent—a darkness he recognized as anxiety stirring and adrenaline pumping just before a battle. He closed his eyes as the sun reached the mountainside and showered him with its warmth.

"I wonder," Hashirama mused.

He cracked open his eye. "Yes, brother?"

"I wonder: if it's possible for three men to create all of this, then surely it's possible for three men to dismantle all of it as well."

Tobirama crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at his brother. "How so?"

Hashirama didn't speak for a long moment, his dark hair whipping in the wind while he focused on the tiny village below them. Tobirama turned his eyes back down, observing as the Senju clan worked together to construct the homes nearest to the mountain. In the distance, he identified the Akimichi clan building their own compound. Was his brother referring to the clans? Or something else altogether? The feeling of unease spread through his body, like insects crawling beneath his skin.

"This village is like a bud—latent, folded, asleep and so very fragile. Waiting for spring. Easily crushed underfoot by those who don't mind their step."

Tobirama mulled his brother's words over. "No winter lasts forever, and no spring skips its turn, brother. Konoha will bloom and the fears you have won't come to pass."

Hashirama let out a hearty laugh. "Even trees in full bloom can be toppled over by those who know to weaken its roots."

"We'll be here to ensure that doesn't happen."

His older brother turned to him and laughed, grabbing Tobirama's shoulder. "Indeed, Tobirama. Indeed. This village was my dream—a place for my brother and everyone else in our clan to be safe, forever."

"How fare the negotiations with the other clans?"

Hashirama's face fell. "The Uzumaki refuse to join us. There is talk of them establishing their own village on Whirlpool Island." He scrubbed his eyes with his palms and stepped closer to the ledge. "The Uchiha, the Akimichi, the Aburame and the Hyuuga have united with us. The Nara, the Yamanaka and the Sarutobi are uncertain, but I'm confident we can bring in the former two soon. The Sarutobi will need some convincing, but they're on good standing with the Hyuuga." Hashirama gave him a look. "If we convince the Sarutobi, we'll have secured the entire Fire Country."

Tobirama nodded. "What of the Hatake, Shimura, Inuzuka and Itou?"

"Hatake will follow us—they're pragmatists and they understand the turning of the tides, especially since the split from the Itou clan. Shimura have suffered great losses during the last years and will seek refuge. Inuzuka and Itou are pack animals. They will join the alpha when they see it."

He noted the frigid tone in his brother's voice, but made nothing of it. Hashirama was always protective of his dream—it was only natural for him to feel even stronger about it now that it was coming to fruition right beneath his very eyes. "So, what is it you fear?"

"Uprisings, dissension, strife." Hashirama sighed and passed a hand over his forehead. "A council will do good but we need a leader."

Tobirama arched an eyebrow. "Of course. And you should be it."

Hashirama laughed. "I have a feeling the Uchiha won't appreciate that."

Tobirama took a step forward, fists balling. "Those Uchiha should be grateful they're allowed in this village. For all our talk of unity, they bring little to the table other than hate-filled eyes and scorn on their tongues."

"Enough," Hashirama warned, glancing over his shoulder. "We brought Madara and his clan into the fold to create peace between our clans. I'll not have you speak ill of them, brother."

Unconsciously, Tobirama cracked his knuckles, the sound loud and sharp in the morning air. Hashirama seldom colored his voice as darkly as now, and Tobirama knew well enough when to take his brother's warning seriously. For all his kind smiles and boisterous laughs, there was a man not to be trifled with beneath those layers of magnanimity and congeniality. He swallowed his hatred away, a bitter taste on his tongue, and shook his head. "Who would you make leader of Konoha if not yourself, brother? It was you who planted the idea in Madara's head, your diplomacy that brought these clans together and established the truce between Senju and Uchiha. It isn't a matter of who any longer, it is a matter of when."

Hashirama turned and gave him a long look. "Perhaps you're right. But this place is of all of us. A sanctuary for not just the Senju, but all those who inhabit the Fire Country. We cannot select our leaders based on nepotism. If I become the first leader, someone from another clan—another founder—should become the second once I am dead."

"Don't speak of that," Tobirama said with a shake of his head.

Hashirama laughed. "Everyone dies, Tobi."

Tobirama's mouth twisted with displeasure. "So, who do you have in mind?"

His brother raised an eyebrow. "I thought you would be more opposed."

It was Tobirama's turn to be amused now. "I am not meant for leadership."

"I know," Hashirama said, and Tobirama pretended not to be hurt by the quick admission. "But the person who should follow me in my footsteps should be an Uchiha."

A cold pit formed in his stomach. "Absolutely not."

Hashirama looked unconcerned. "They're founders of this village like you and I. The first ones to join us, might I add. And despite their dwindling numbers, the Uchiha remains the strongest clan after the Senju. It is only natural."

"Are you asking me to kneel and pledge my allegiance to them?" Tobirama hissed.

"Yes," Hashirama said. "In the same way I bade Madara do the same to me. This isn't the time for pride, or hatred, or bad blood. This village is a bud and I have just informed you I have zero tolerance for anyone who would crush it underfoot, even by accident. That includes you, brother."

Hashirama's words burned like magma flowing down the inside of his spine. Tobirama suddenly yearned for the ability to turn back time—to a time before the day Hashirama happened upon Madara by the waterside, to a time before he had lost his brothers and his father and the world seemed infinitely simpler, despite the losses and wars and brutality that surrounded him. His head hurt, blood beating against his skull with the force of a thousand wild beasts clamoring to break free, but all he could do with acquiesce, as he would always do. "I oppose your decision to name an Uchiha the second leader, but I will always support you, brother. Even in this."

"Good," Hashirama said with another clap on Tobirama's shoulder. He ducked his head, and Hashirama's dark eyes met his for a moment. "We are all children of the Fire Nation. We possess the Will of Fire—all of us. That means we are all family, even if we have forgotten that while swept away in history's restless tides. The desire to protect this family builds thicker and stronger bonds between each and everyone in this village—Konoha—and that in turn means that if everyone embraced the Will of Fire, this village will be alright no matter what happens."

"I understand, brother."

"I know. But I need you to feel it."

Something burned inside of Tobirama—but whether it was the Will of Fire or the hatred of a clan that had robbed him of all he loved, including his older brother, Tobirama did not know.

Senju Tobirama, now twenty-six, looked upon Uzushiogakure and marveled at it.

The village was verdant and towered into the sky. A single tower that twisted and turned like a spire, overgrown with plants and vegetation, dominated the front of the village—a red wooden bridge that spanned from the mainland to the island ended in several large crimson gates at the base of the tower. More high-rise buildings dotted the landscape behind the tower, though notably shorter—they were at least ten stories tall, covered with green moss and white flowers. And beyond them stretched a thick forest rife with woodland creatures that sprang away every time a shinobi traversed the paths into the forest, small wooden buildings erected against the ancient trees. A vast river ran through the city, intricately built wooden bridges closing the gap between the west and east side of the city.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Hashirama laughed as he noticed his brother's reaction. The two Senju brothers leapt down from the mountainside toward the bridge that led into the city and landed with a quiet thump. "The Uzumaki clan is brilliant, and they're hard workers." Something caught his attention, and Hashirama lifted an arm in greeting. "Ah, here's Ashina now."

Uzumaki Ashina, patriarch of the Uzumaki clan and leader of Uzushiogakure, neared them. "Hashirama, Tobirama," Ashina greeted, voice energetic despite his wheeze. "Welcome."

As Hashirama took Ashina's hand, Tobirama observed the man. Though he was well in his sixties by now, Ashina remained powerful beyond his years. His hair had turned from crimson into the purest white, tied up with a forehead protector that bore the Uzumaki crest, twin swords strapped to his back.

"This village has grown into a fine jewel," Hashirama said, pure adoration lacing his voice. Tobirama resisted the urge to snort at his brother's theatrics, fascinated as ever by Hashirama's ability to sweet-talk anyone.

"My thanks, Hashirama," Ashina said. "Shall we step into my office?" He gestured toward the tower and glanced at Tobirama. "You're welcome to either join or explore the village," he added for Tobirama's benefit. "Your brother told me you're a man of science."

Hashirama gave him a smile. "Go explore, Tobirama. Meet me at the base of the tower in three hours."

"Brother," Tobirama said, cautious. Hashirama's smile tightened. "Thank you. I'll meet you there."

He watched Hashirama and Ashina's retreating backs for a moment, suppressing the feeling of his stomach plummeting into anxiety. Tobirama forced himself to stand straight—to be a proper missionary for Konoha as his brother had instructed him to be—and followed his sibling and Ashina through the tower as he dealt with the wave of solitude and resentment that washed over him.

Hashirama and Ashina veered left into a large room—Ashina's office, no doubt—and one of the shinobi who stood guard waved at the other side of the tower with a cordial nod. "Please enjoy Uzushiogakure, Senju-sama," the shinobi said.

"Thank you," Tobirama said gruffly, striding into the city.

They built Uzushio around the same time as Konoha, though it looked infinitely better developed. An amused sound escaped his lips; they were shinobi, not builders. Hashirama had plotted out the land they would use for Konoha and laid the foundation with Mokuton, building houses from his jutsu only. The result was a quaint town, but it was not as logistically sound as Uzushio.

Tobirama stood in awe as he reached a crossing point, noting how neatly it had been laid out into a cross. Thinking back on the structure of the city from above, it looked like they had built the entire city into a grid. Electricity poles criss-crossed in Konoha, but they followed the streets here, giving him an unfettered view of the azure sky above.

A group of shinobi passed him by, wearing green flak jackets. He noted the stripes on their collars—some wore three, some only had one. "A moment," Tobirama spoke, striding toward a red-haired woman. "What do those lines on your collar mean?"

"Oh, this?" the woman asked, pulling at her neck-guard. "It's our rank."

"Your rank?"

"Our newest shinobi have a single line, the most experienced three."

"Fascinating," Tobirama spoke, raising his eyebrows. "And how does one gain another rank?"

The woman giggled and for a disconcerting moment, Tobirama felt laughed at. "We hold exams—spar matches against higher-ranked shinobi, theoretical testing and field tests. If one succeeds, they're promoted."

"Thank you," Tobirama said with a polite nod. She returned it and then hastened to join her comrades. He made a mental note of the system, wondering if they could implement something similar in Konoha. Most children when they reached the age they could fight were sent into the field, even now, and a frighteningly sizeable amount of them failed to return. What if they made up a system in which the contracts offered would be ranked and only shinobi of the highest rank could accept the most dangerous missions? And the children who had barely learned how to stay afloat on water spent their time guarding no-bodies and deliver messages?

He roamed around the village, taking in the various inventions he had never seen before and devising ways to bring them to Konoha, until he found a teahouse.

It stood near the edge of the woodlands, old and weathered. Dappled sunlight fell over the moss and vine-covered roof and plants had crept up the facade, thick tangles obscuring the wooden walls from his eyes. But the smell of roasted tea that came from inside lured him closer, as did the two people on benches outside, eating freshly grilled dango.

A blonde woman heavy with child carrying a tray with two cups of tea emerged from the teahouse and waddled to the couple, placing the cups down beside them. She turned and gave him an inquisitive look, cheeks dimpling with her smile. "Welcome," she spoke, offering him a bow. "Table for one?"

"Please."

"Outside or in?"

"Outside."

She gestured to an unoccupied bench with a tiny table and slid a menu toward him when he sat. "I'll be right back. Take your time deciding. I can recommend the hojicha and the baked dango. They're our specialty."

"I'll take those," Tobirama said, closing the menu.

"Coming right up," the woman smiled.

He nodded distractedly, eyes drawn to the brook that circled round the teahouse. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the familiar clap of a bamboo fountain while cicadas buzzed all around him. His fingers tapped restlessly—how he wished he had the foresight to bring an empty scroll to jot down all his thoughts and ideas for Konoha. He would have to memorize them all and spend a good day speaking to his brother regarding these innovations.

"You're not from around here, are you?" the woman returned with a steaming cup of tea and two sticks of dango that had his mouth watering. He studied her, eyes narrowed for a time to determine whether she posed any danger, and shook his head.

"I'm from Konoha."

"Ah," the woman clapped her hands together in delight. "I have heard so much of it! What is it like?"

"Much like this place," Tobirama said, before taking a sip of his tea. The liquid coated his tongue with a sweetness and a smokiness that he immediately found appealing. He drank another sip, then picked up a skewer. "Lower built, more open, but it has a similar feel."

The woman clasped her hands in front of her. "I'd like to visit someday. Now that the country is developing into a safe place, it's a wonderful opportunity to see the world we were born in."

"Indeed." Unable to stop himself and decorum be damned, he ripped a section of the dango from the skewer with his teeth and chewed on it, savoring the sweetness and the springy texture of the rice dumplings between his teeth.

"How do you find the tea and dango?"

"They're truly excellent."

"I'm glad," the woman says. "Most people who visit here always return for our tea and dango. We have a name, but people always refer to us as the teahouse near the edge of the forest. Personally, I think that's a much more romantic name than 'Chiba'."

"I agree."

"Well, enjoy," the woman said with another dimpled smile.

He ate his dango and drank his tea in silence, enjoying the relative quiet along with the good meal. As he stood up and dug into his pouch for coins, the woman made a reappearance. She smiled at him and collected his empty cup and tray. "My name is Mitsuha."

He raised his eyebrow at her name but didn't comment on it. "Tobirama."

"If you're ever back in Uzushiogakure, do stop by," Mitsuha said. He laid the money on the table and gave her a quick nod before making his way to the giant tower at the entrance of Uzushio. Hashirama awaited him there, arms crossed as he leaned against a pillar, perking up as he noticed his younger brother.

"Tobi! Enjoyed yourself?" Hashirama asked.

"Yes, brother," Tobirama said, a rare smile pulling at his lips. "This village is quite something."

"A jewel, correct?"

"Indeed."

Hashirama gave him a look. "Good. Then I'll probably be able to persuade you for a little hunt."

"A hunt?" Tobirama asked.

"Let's talk while we walk. I'm eager to return to Konoha."

They quickly made their way through the tower and over the bridge. It was then that Hashirama explained: "Ashina has no intention of joining Konoha. He and his clan are happy with what they built here, and that is quite understandable."

"But disappointing nonetheless."

"There are other ways to forge alliances," Hashirama said. "Ashina has a daughter, Mito. She is lovely, my age and unwed and unpromised. I asked for her hand."

"You what—" Tobirama stopped in the middle of the road, eyes wide. "What of those already living in Konoha? The other clan leaders have been eager to marry their daughters off to you."

Hashirama waved at him. "They'll understand."

"What did Ashina say?"

"Oh, he refused."

"Oh."

"He acknowledges the Senju are strong and, considering the fact that we are distantly related, he would like to strengthen our ties. But the Uzumaki were always about big gestures and I've been thinking about how to enhance our position and bring them to us."

This didn't sound good. "And your plan?"

Hashirama grinned and grabbed Tobirama's shoulders. "We capture the Nine-Tails and offer it to the Uzumaki clan for Mito's hand in marriage."

Senju Tobirama, now thirty, watched as the battle of the century concluded.

He stepped from behind the rocks where he holed up with Mito, who was still catching her breath after sealing the Kyuubi within her, and hastened to his brother's side.

"Anyone who threatens to harm this village, whether they are my friends, siblings or even my own children... I won't forgive them."

The words caused Tobirama to halt in his advance, a shiver chilling his spine as he noticed his brother's chakra for the first time. Where it normally burned fiercer than the sun, it was cold now—so cold and foul that he could scarcely recognize it. "Brother..." he whispered, too quiet for Hashirama and Madara to hear.

'This village was my dream—a place for my brother and everyone else in our clan to be safe, forever.'

Hashirama pulled his sword out of Madara and allowed the Uchiha to droop to his knees. Madara coughed up blood, the crimson mixing with the steady flow of water from the Valley of the End. "You're got your priorities backwards," Madara muttered, a sad smile on his lips. "Ultimately... It shall someday lead the village to darkness."

Madara keeled forward and landed face-first into the water.

Senju Tobirama, now thirty-five, closed his eyes in brief satisfaction as he drank his favorite tea in the world and inhaled the fresh scent of Uzushio.

"I heard you're a Senju," Mitsuha said, cocking her head at him. "Aren't you all supposed to have black hair and dark eyes?"

"Hm," Tobirama said, pushing a hand through his silver hair. "I've always been an irregularity in the family. I'm the only one with red eyes, and most of my brothers had at least some dark hair."

"I can emphatize," Mitsuha smiled. "I don't know my family well..." a somber look came over her, "but I know they all have dark hair and dark eyes." She let out a soft sound that could have been a chuckle or a sob, then a blinding smile formed on her face. "How is your tea and dango?"

"Excellent as always," Tobirama spoke. "How is your little one?"

"At school," Mitsuha said, nodding at a point somewhere in the distance. "She's growing up fast." She hummed behind her lips. "Too fast, if you ask me."

Curiosity clawed at him, begging him to ask where the father was, but he knew better than to ask such questions. Villages and unity notwithstanding, the world was still a perilous place and many people didn't return from even the shortest trips.

"What of you?" Mitsuha asked him. "Do you have children, or a wife?"

"No," Tobirama said with a drink from his cup. "I have devoted my life to defending my clan and now my village."

Mitsuha looked sad. "Everyone deserves to find love, Tobirama-san."

"Do they?" he mused.

"Mm-hm."

"Then I simply haven't found it yet."

"It can be quite elusive sometimes," she nodded. After a pause, she continued: "I heard Mito-sama gave birth to a girl a while ago."

"Kaede," Tobirama said, thinking of his tiny niece. It was rare these days to see a Senju child born. To tighten the bonds between the Senju and Uzumaki, Hashirama had married off most of their relatives and allowed the Uzumaki to adopt them into their household. Only a handful of them remained in Konoha and while Tobirama had been vehement against it, Hashirama only welcomed it. 'One day, we'll have to think beyond being clans, brother. One day, we're all just Konoha citizens.'

"That's a lovely name! The First and Mito-sama must be so happy."

"It's a lovely girl," he replied, but he doesn't mention the fact that Hashirama barely spends any time with her or Mito anymore. His brother sequestered himself in his office, obsessed with diplomacy and molding Konoha into the utopia he had dreamt of as a young boy.

'You've got your priorities backwards,' Madara's last words echo in Tobirama's ears, souring his mood and suddenly, even the sweetest dango tasted bitter in his mouth.

Senju Tobirama, now forty-eight, sat at the desk across from Hashirama's and studied his brother's face. "What?"

"I said, I think you should be Hokage next."

Tobirama blinked. "What about your plan to make an Uchiha the next Hokage to reaffirm our bonds?"

Hashirama leaned back in his chair, rearranging his red and white robes. His dark eyes flickered to Tobirama for a moment, before settling on a bird just outside their window. "I was planning on naming Madara Second, but—" Hashirama sighed. "The Uchiha are a hard lot to trust, don't you agree?"

"They're a cursed clan," Tobirama replied.

"All that capacity for love and how quickly it can turn into hatred," Hashirama smiled. "Therefore, I can't name one of them Hokage. What if something were to happen? A loved one lost? An attack? Would they lose themselves to their hatred?"

"I'm glad you came to your senses."

Hashirama laughed at that. "It won't be an easy road, brother. I'm sure Madara told his clan members of my plan to make one of them Hokage. They'll see this as an oath broken, a sign that we are not to be trusted."

"Then placate them with something."

His brother lifted an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Tobirama considered it for a long moment, massaging his bottom lip between thumb and finger as he looked out the window and toward the Uchiha District. "Police."

"What?" Hashirama laughed. "We haven't needed police here."

"Konohagakure is growing day by day. We're sending shinobi on missions and resolving problems ourselves, but that in turn means we're establishing something that resembles a dictatorship. The clans will think us supreme rulers, and even more so if I become Second."

"So, to defuse their suspicions, you suggest we hand over policing control to the one clan that hates us most?"

"To keep the peace you so desire, you need to outmaneuver them," Tobirama said, rolling his neck. "The Uchiha will know we're trying to manipulate them, but there is no graceful way to decline a position that for all intents and purposes is a sign of trust and comaraderie."

"And yet it isn't."

"A policing force is redundant for the most part. Even with more citizens, we can handle it with our shinobi. By turning the Uchiha clan into Konoha's police force, we'll be removing them from high ranked missions and minimize their involvement in Konoha's core business while marginalizing their influence."

Hashirama grinned at him. "You always were a smart one, Tobi."

The compliment caught him off-guard, as did his older brother's benevolent smile. The tips of his ears burned as he ducked his head and returned to work on the proposal he had planned to create an Academy for all shinobi children.

"Implement it."

"What?" Tobirama looked up, eyes wide.

"Implement it," Hashirama said, the smile still present on his face. "I'll leave the details up to your discretion... Lord Second." With that, Hashirama stood from his seat and approached Tobirama, laying a hand on Tobirama's head. "I have faith you'll be a better Hokage than I am."

As Hashirama departed from the room, Tobirama stared at the scroll, finding his pristine handwriting blurred. He clenched his teeth and angled his face to the ceiling, blinking the tears away even as his smile widened.

Senju Tobirama, now forty-nine, looks upon the new batch of Academy students and spots the silver-haired child the teachers had spoken of with ease.

It was one of the Hatake Clan—one of the last Hatake children. The clan had been decimated in recent skirmishes near the border. Reports had told him Sakumo had been recently orphaned after the battle near the Lightning Country, but the child betrayed no emotions. He simply stared at Tobirama as Tobirama stared at him.

"How old is he?" Tobirama asked.

The young teacher beside him—Niekawa, he recalled—startled as Tobirama spoke and adjusted his glasses, peering at Sakumo. "Five years old. He's demonstrated a profound ability in ninjutsu and taijutsu and ensnared a a faculty member in a genjutsu that lasted three hours before they noticed it was an illusion." Niekawa smiled. "A gifted child, that one."

"Keep me appraised," Tobirama instructed.

"Yes, Senju-sama. Are you interested in the boy?"

Tobirama hummed. "My first team have all become Jounin. It's time for a new team, I believe."

Niekawa nodded. "I believe you'll find Hatake-kun to be an extraordinary pupil. I'll brief you on his progress."

"Thank you."

With that, he teleported from the Academy grounds to the main street and set off toward the administration building. Along the way, he found several Uchiha members patrolling the road, each of them nodding politely. He clenched his jaw and pretended not to notice the overt anger in their eyes.

Senju Tobirama, now fifty, surveyed the room.

The Hokage's office had filled with refugees from Uzushiogakure. Across the room, Hashirama was processing the refugees with a bright smile, handing out papers and assigning quarters to all who wanted to escape. The situation had become dire—shinobi from unknown countries had attacked the village and more and more people escaped every day. Soon, they would have to send people to their allies and save them from whomever was attacking them.

His head pounded with a headache that didn't seem to pass, heart thrumming with anxiety as he looked at all the individual faces and recognized himself in them.

"Next," he called out.

A beautiful young woman with strawberry-blonde hair approached him. She bowed deeply and shuffled into the chair in front of him. Tobirama reached for a new sheet of paper and dipped his quill into the ink. "Name?" he said gruffly, keeping his eyes fixated on the scroll lest he stared at the refugee's alluring face.

"Chiba Yotsuha, Senju-sama. Spelled with the characters for 'four' and 'leaves'."

His quill stilled as he peered up at her. "Interesting name."

Yotsuha gave him an embarrassed smile. "My mother's name was Mitsuha. She liked to continue the naming tradition."

"From the teahouse?"

Yotsuha's eyes widened. "Yes, near the edge—"

"Of the forest," he whispered, noting the use of the past tense when Yotsuha spoke of her mother.

"You know it?" Yotsuha's eyes glazed over with unshed tears. He fidgeted in his chair, not knowing how to act in front of a woman about to cry, and nodded, returning to the paperwork.

"I enjoyed the hojicha, and the baked dango."

"They were the best," Yotsuha breathed. "I actually hope to start a tea house here in Konoha and serve them."

"It would be welcome." He paused and observed her for a while, unsure what the warm feeling was that spread through his chest, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. "Wait here." When she nodded, Tobirama rose from his chair and slipped from his desk, past the waiting refugees to the filing cabinet that held the village planning archives. He withdrew a scroll and returned to the desk, unrolling it and smoothing it with the back of his hand.

Finding what he was looking for, Tobirama tapped a tiny space on the corner of Wisteria Street. "We appropriated this place for a restaurant or cafe," Tobirama said, sinking back into his chair. "You may have it. There is a modest living space on the second floor of the building."

Yotsuha said nothing, her jaw dropping. Vexed, Tobirama lifted an eyebrow, not understanding why she looked so shocked. "If you want a bigger space—" he began, but she began shaking her head.

"No, no!" Yotsuha exclaimed. "This is wonderful and much more than I expected. Thank you, Senju-sama."

He swallowed thickly at the sight of her grin and surreptitously pressed a hand against his stomach, which felt all kinds of light and upset. "You're welcome. The teahouse near the edge of the forest was my favorite place to visit in Uzushiogakure. I am saddened to know it is lost."

"Teahouses can be rebuilt," Yotsuha answered.

In the silence that followed, Tobirama felt her pain as if it was his own.

Death had accompanied him everywhere from the moment he was born; too many of his brothers had fallen to the Uchiha in battle, too many of their allies scattered over battlefields—too much blood stained his own hands. Yet, for once, he wished they weren't, that he had the words to comfort the young woman before him and bring solace to her, if only for a short while.

But they were, and he hadn't, so Tobirama balled his fists in disappointment before taking out his quill. He filled in the rest of her papers and signed it with his name, pushing the small stack to her when he finished. "Welcome to Konoha, Chiba-san."

"Please call me Yotsuha, Senju-sama."

"Only if you call me Tobirama."

The words fell from his lips before he could stop himself, and he quickly averted his eyes as he spotted the light dusting of red forming on Yotsuha's cheeks.

"Thank you, Tobirama-sama," Yotsuha whispered, taking her papers with a smile.

He nodded at her, pretending his stomach didn't do a full flip at the sight of her smile and his name on her lips, and gestured for the next person to come.

Senju Tobirama, now fifty-two, joined his brother on top of Hokage Mountain and looked down at the thriving village.

Hashirama and Tobirama stood in silence for the longest time, following the shadows as the sun slid along the sky. The Academy closed for the day, cheerful bells clanging as in the distance they could see several shinobi sparring in the fields. The main street had swollen with people doing their groceries and though war seemed to come closer and closer, everyone was smiling.

"Do you still believe three men could destroy this?" Tobirama asked.

"Nothing lasts forever, Tobi. That's the easiest lesson we learn the hardest way."

Senju Tobirama, now fifty-three, smiled at his niece as she blubbered incoherent nonsense at him.

"Is that little Tsunade-hime?" Yotsuha said, grinning as she approached him with his customary order. She set down the cup of tea and the plate of dango and crouched beside him, invading his space more than most people would dare, but Tobirama found himself inching closer to bask in her warmth.

"It is," he said, his grin widening as Tsunade gave Yotsuha an imperious look.

"She looks a lot like Lord First."

"Does she?" Tobirama asked, observing the tiny blonde human in his hands.

Yotsuha nodded, leaning in to smile at Tsunade. Her arm was lightly touching his knee, his stomach flipping in anxiety as always whenever she came too close to him, but he didn't move away from her. She raised her eyes to his and bit her lip. The slight gesture stole the breath from his lungs, and he quickly turned his eyes back to Tsunade, who was now watching him with one eyebrow lifted.

He swallowed thickly at the desire that burst through his body like an open flame. She was much too young for him—at least two decades separated them. He was old and weary and had seen too much of the world; there was nothing he could offer to her but himself and Tobirama doubted that would be enough.

"Ah, Sakumo-kun," Yotsuha called out, pulling him from his thoughts.

Down the street, a familiar silver-haired boy slouched over and pushed his hands into his pockets. Sakumo lifted his eyes to meet theirs and Tobirama could see the hollowness that lurked beneath. One of Sakumo's dark days. He had those a lot.

"Tobirama-sama, Yotsuha-san," Sakumo greeted with a half-hearted smile. Tobirama resisted the urge to pinch his brow at him. A shinobi should never wear his emotions on his face. He would have to sit the boy down sometime soon and speak to him about it.

"Is everything alright, Sakumo-kun?" Yotsuha asked.

"Of course," Sakumo answered. He looked past her to Tobirama. "Tobirama-sama, if you have time tomorrow, I would like to continue our spar session. I think I have a handle on that one technique you showed me."

"Training grounds seven," Tobirama instructed.

Sakumo gave him a deep nod and smiled at Tsunade and Yotsuha. "Have a nice day."

"You too, Sakumo-kun..." Yotsuha said, wiping her hands on her apron as she watched Sakumo turn the corner and disappeared. "I worry about that one."

"He's melancholic from time to time."

Yotsuha gave him a look. "I think his moods go beyond melancholy."

"How so?"

"Like his moods consume him and he finds it hard to escape them."

"He will find a way out."

"He's lost his entire family during the latest skirmishes," Yotsuha pointed out. "Grief can be a prison, especially so when someone locks themselves in and throws out the key. It's hard to escape the confines of your own mind when you and all your dreams are trapped in the past."

Tobirama kissed Tsunade's forehead, inhaling the light smell that was uniquely his niece. "Are your dreams in the past?" he asked.

"I used to believe so," Yotsuha said, curling her hair behind her ear as she gave him a long look, cheeks lighting with a brush that was no doubt reflected on his own. "But... not anymore."

Thankful for Tsunade in his hands, Tobirama cleared his throat and sat her down in the baby chair, turning resolutely from Yotsuha. "I'm pleased to hear that," he announced, fighting to keep his face blank.

Yotsuha stood still for a moment, her eyes darting back and forth between his as though she was desperate to ask him something, and he silently begged her not to. They stood on the precipice together, teetering back and forth between their attraction to one another and propriety. She was the kind of woman who needed a man by her side who wasn't afraid to give his entire self to her and he was the man that was to be the next Hokage. Even if he chose her, he could never be hers.

"There is my little Tsuna!" Hashirama's voice boomed.

Startled, Tobirama looked up to find his older brother nearing them, a brilliant grin painted over his face as he greeted Yotsuha and sat down, pinching Tsunade's cheek with all the love Tobirama had expected him to shower his daughter with. Faintly, he wondered whether this was Hashirama's way of making up for time lost with Kaede. The two barely spoke these days.

"Lord First," Yotsuha greeted. "Would you like your usual?"

"Please," Hashirama said. "The finest matcha in town can only be found here."

Yotsuha blushed deeply at that and hurried inside. When the door slid shut behind her, Hashirama turned back to his granddaughter. "She's a beautiful woman, that one."

The bottom of Tobirama's stomach felt heavy. "Indeed."

Hashirama looked up at him over Tsunade's head, eyes serious. "A little young, perhaps."

"She'll make a fine wife to another man some day," Tobirama muttered.

Hashirama gave him a long look and eventually grinned. "Yes she will, won't she, Tsuna-chan?"

Tobirama tried not to think about how that made him feel.

Senju Tobirama, now fifty-four, accepted the robe handed to him that spelled out the words 'Second Hokage'.

As he punched his hands through the sleeves, he tried not to think of his brother, buried in an unnamed plot as to protect him from scavengers seeking his genes to find the secret behind Mokuton and his advanced healing.

A shinobi in a white porcelain mask stood nearby—the first of his newly minted ANBU guards. The monkey mask suited Hiruzen well. Behind him stood the council made up of the four noble clans—Uchiha Shigeru stood amidst them. Though he had carefully crafted his blank expression, Tobirama could spot the darkness that teemed behind his eyes.

He was no fool. He wasn't loved and adored like Hashirama was. People avoided him in the streets rather than talked to him. The Uchiha loathed him for his role in creating the Konoha Police Force and the fact that they had named him Second. He wasn't the glue Hashirama was, and now that his brother had departed this world, every living moment became that much harder for him. 'Damn you Hashirama,' he thought as he wrapped his robes closer to him and walked toward the edge of the Hokage Administration building.

Below, the citizens of Konoha awaited him.

"Starting today, I'll be governing the village of Konoha as the Second Hokage," he announced.

Where people had cheered and applauded when Hashirama made the same announcement, there was a polite clap from only a few citizens—one of them had strawberry-blonde hair and a smile that warmed him even on this cool winter's day.

Senju Tobirama, now fifty-seven, witnessed the start of the First Shinobi World War. He wore his red and white robes wherever he went, hoping to support and motivating all of Konoha's shinobi.

They cheered for him when he raised the dead of their enemies and when he instructed the corpses to massacre their own loved ones. They called him the Silver Thunder when he shot through the forest at a speed unseen before that.

Amidst all that, there is a quiet moment in which he wondered whether he would be accepted as a worthy shinobi, strong in his own right, and whether, as he neared his sixth decade on this world, he could finally step away from Hashirama's tall shadows.

They dashed the hope he held so close to his heart during the war when they return victorious to Konoha to rumors that he is a necromancer and an incarnation of the god of death.

The citizens of Konoha, who had always avoided him to some extent, clutched their children closer as he passed by and made wards behind his back when they assumed he wasn't watching. The Uchiha that patrolled the streets didn't bother hiding their amusement at how far he has fallen in public opinion and the thought of being on a similar footing as them both enraged and sickened him.

And so he locked himself in his study and placed Edo Tensei and the Flying Thunder God technique on a list of forbidden jutsu to ensure no-one else could ever use these techniques. He locked up the scroll containing the information after sealing it with his chakra and took a seat at his desk. At the wave of his hand, the door to his office unlocked and a bright-eyed chuunin walked in with new mission scrolls.

Senju Tobirama, now sixty-three, wasn't sure how he ended up in Yotsuha's arms after a lifetime of denying himself, but there was no mistaking her soft hands over his arms.

Her breath stuttered as she followed the line of his forearms to his biceps, still powerful despite his age, and to his shoulders, where she softly kneaded her fingers into his flesh. He wrapped his arms around her, gathering her close, their hearts beating in unison, so loudly he was sure his ANBU guards would hear.

"Tobirama," she whispered to him, standing on her tip-toes to bring her lips to his. He groaned at the sound of his name without the title, without the honorific, and with extraordinary effort, he pulled himself back.

"Yotsuha..."

"Please, Tobirama," she pleaded. "I've waited for so long..."

He closed his eyes, letting his head fall back as he sucked in breath after breath. "I am old," he said, not daring to look down at him. Her hands rested against his chest, and though he has battled thousands and thousands of times, he's unable to break himself free from her grasp and do the right thing.

"I know," Yotsuha breathes.

"Too old for you."

"You're not."

"I will die soon."

"Everyone dies, Tobirama."

Her words hurtled him forty years into the past when Hashirama said those exact words to him. He was a young man back then, full of passion and ideals and ready to change the world. How quickly he had become disillusioned and embittered by how the world ended up.

How different would his life have been if he had chosen the woman standing before him instead of his brother, who wouldn't even spare him the time of day unless he needed something from Tobirama?

"I love you, Tobirama."

Four words. That is all it took the fell the mighty Second Hokage—to break his resolve, his willpower and his restraint. He reached for her, his fingers finding her cheek, and caressed her. "You're the first woman I loved. The first person I cared for in a very long time." And the last person he'll care for on a deeper level than them being Konoha's citizens. But he doesn't mention that to her.

He doesn't mention that he's cynical and wounded and that he has seen too much war to ever love like Yotsuha needs him to love. But in this moment, he is hers and he comes undone as Yotsuha pressed her lips against his.

Senju Tobirama is sixty-four when his life falls apart.

It started with a giggle in the hospital; meaningful looks thrown at him, two nurses gossiping in the corner of the room, and then he overheard something that sets a trail of icy fire throughout his entire body. Within a second, Tobirama found himself beside the nurse who held the file and snatched it from her.

He glared as she opened her mouth to speak and opened the file, fingers crumpling the manila folder as he found what the nurses were laughing at.

Without a word, Tobirama paced out of the hospital, whistling for his ANBU guards. Saru appears beside him, head cocked as he struggled to keep up with Tobirama's fast pace. "Get her, Saru. Now."

"Yes, Lord Second," Hiruzen said, disappearing into a flurry of leaves.

He reached his office in record time, finding Yotsuha already waiting in front of his door, Hiruzen standing behind her. Yotsuha smiled at him, nervous as she noticed his foul mood and followed him in as he nearly broke through his own door.

"You lied to me."

"Tobirama?"

He closed his eyes at the sound of his name on her lips, so ready to forgive and forget, if not for the pure rage that overwhelmed him. He turned and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to him.

"I know what you are," Tobirama hissed, his grip on Yotsuha's wrist tightening. She gasped, eyes wide with fear as he leaned in closer. "Did you think me a fool? Did you have a laugh at my expense? Get out. Don't ever let me see you again."

"Tobirama—" she whispered, pressing a hand against her stomach. "Please—"

"Leave!" he roared.

Yotsuha ran from him without looking back, the door to his office slamming shut as her footsteps receded in the distance. The idea crossed his mind that this hadn't been a game to her—that she harbored genuine feelings for him. But Tobirama squashed those weak thoughts as he walked back to his office and sat down in his chair.

He stared at his desk, cluttered with papers and plans and diplomatic protocols and swiped his desk clean with one arm, roaring as he tossed over his desk before dropping to his knees, fingers curling around the wood that Hashirama had once made from scratch, tears sliding hot over his cheeks as he cried desperately in his office—knowing eyes were upon him but no-one cared to see his anguish.

After his tears stopped salting his cheeks, Tobirama released a shuddering sigh and straightened himself. He pulled his desk upright and gathered the paperwork he had tossed to the floor. He cleaned the ink and quill that littered the floor and gave the ink splatter on the wooden panels a long look before dropping into his seat with a deep sigh and holding up a hand.

Instantly, a presence made itself known in his office, the quiet poof of a teleportation jutsu breaking the silence in the room. He rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, uncaring who stood before him and said: "Follow her."

"Yes, Lord Second."

As the ANBU member departed from his office, Tobirama buried his face in his hands. "What have I done?" he whispered. "What have I done..."

A/N: I don't exaggerate when I tell you this chapter nearly killed me. I actually had another viewpoint written for this interlude but then decided we needed Tobirama's first and it took blood, sweat and tears (and three sleepless nights) to write this and still I'm not happy. I said in an earlier AN that Otherworld is extremely difficult to write because of the many plot threads and m is that true for this chapter. I'm writing this AN now after editing and I feel like I ran a marathon. And I have so many more thoughts about this chapter that I can't possibly all let out here because you'd be bored to death lmao.

When I do an AU like this, I tend to study the canon timelines and edit from there. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the founding era of Konoha's timeline is absolutely out of whack and I'm not sure what Kishimoto smoked to get there but he sure didn't share any with me. So I'm taking some creative liberties. One of them is that Tobirama died later than the First Shinobi War. As another example, Tsunade's age is canonically given to be 50 in Part 1, but that would put her birthdate at around 38 years after founding of Konoha and that is approximately 8 years after Hashirama supposedly dies even though canon also states Hashirama knew Tsunade before his death.

Yep.

It's a mess. Don't look too hard at it.

As mentioned before, this story is going on a month-long hiatus to give me time to write some chapters and edit them in order to continue posting them weekly. I'll be making some minor edits to previous chapters as well (especially now that I found out how canon timeline doesn't even fit into canon timeline). If there's interest, let me know. I'll probably drop a log on tumblr with the edits I'm making so you don't have to go back and read up on them again.

I'm wondering if I should do an analysis of my own chapters when I'm done. I see so many people dropping theories and reading into small stuff and I really love that so it might be fun to actually do some commentary chapters and show you my train of thought while writing? Idk.

Mitsuha – Three Leaves

Yotsuha – Four Leaves

Chiba – A thousand leaves

Kaede – Maple

Lastly, due to popular demand, we're bringing back the ItaSaku discord! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Discord, it's a free chat app for mobile and desktop. We have a special server dedicated to ItaSaku in which writers and readers and everyone else in the fandom can come together and marvel over our wonderful little fandom. Want to join? Shoot me a message on tumblr, or add me on discord (mitsukishiroi#0879) for an invite.

Comments are, as always, super appreciated. If you're a shy reader or don't know what to say, please hit me with emojis:

? Thank you

? Loved it

? Poor Tobirama

? Wait wha?!

? I really like these interludes

? Thanks for the hard work, FM.

Chapter 13: Chapter 11

Chapter Text

Part II

Chapter 11

It was an ancient forest.

Towering matsu trees had long since choked out all but the most persistent undergrowth. High overhead, the dense canopy of interlaced boughs filtered the sunlight to muted underwater tones. Moss-crusted boulders studded the slope, a whisper of mist gliding into the wood like a beacon, summoning her closer.

In Sakura's opinion, the forest of Shikkotsu—seat of the Slug Sages—was a gloomy sight.

A gate led to a murky path with stone steps that dipped in the middle from centuries of considerable use. The gate itself was built from stone blocks and had a tiled roof, the red color from the panes long faded. Ivy had scaled the sides, covering the carved slugs on both sides of the portal. A light rainfall began as Sakura stood still and contemplated the forest. The drizzle fell down upon the stones and the damp forest floor, its pitter-pattering a relief from the quiet that reigned over the forest.

'I knew what I asked for,' she thought as she sought shelter under the antique gate. 'Tsunade-sama warned me.'

Eventually, a figure approached along the forest floor. A young woman with silver, shoulder-length hair, dressed in a yukata with vertical blue and white stripes—oddly, they reminded her of—

"Sakura-sama," Katsuyu said, her head bobbing up and down in greeting. "It is good to see you again."

Baffled, Sakura stood still for a full moment, her mind trying to grasp the situation. Katsuyu seemed to realize what was going on and gave her a self-conscious smile. "My apologies, Sakura-sama, I thought Tsunade-sama had warned you. Shikkotsu is the spiritual realm, and so I appear to you differently than in your physical world."

Sakura nodded. "Hello Katsuyu," Sakura greeted with a smile. "I understood from Tsunade-sama you were expecting me."

"It isn't often we have visitors in Shikkotsu Forest, and an even rarer occasion when someone comes to train to become a Sage," Katsuyu said reverently. "In fact, you're the very first one since Tsunade-sama, and we hadn't seen a challenger before her in a long, long time. The trials to becoming a sage are harrowing and time-consuming at best, dangerous and life-altering at worst," Katsuyu spoke, before hastily adding: "I am sure you will do well."

She swallowed. "That's reassuring."

Katsuyu let out a tinkling laughter.

"So… What does it entail?" Sakura asked. "I learned from Tsunade-sama that there are trials involved?"

"That is correct. Four trials await you in Shikkotsu," Katsuyu said, bowing her head. "The road to becoming a Slug sage is arduous. As we are of the spiritual realm, it means that we will delve into your spirit, and whether it is ready to hold the power that lies within Shikkotsu. It means you will have to conquer not only your fears, but yourself. Are you ready to proceed?"

'To conquer my fears and myself?' Sakura wondered.

"Yes," Sakura said with determination. "I am ready."

"Journey to the center of the forest," Katsuyu said. "Along the way, you will have to confront Four Truths about yourself in four trials. Your mind will manifest guardians to guide you through each of the trials." She paused. "Now, Sakura-sama, this is very important. If at any time, you feel like you won't be able to go on, turn around and leave the forest. Do not stray from the path. If you get lost, we won't be able to find you again."

"Understood," Sakura said with a frown. "But… The guardians?"

"It could be anyone. Someone you've met or still have to meet, or perhaps never will meet. Or perhaps you'll find someone who you would have met, if only the universe had taken a slightly different turn. Time means nothing in Shikkotsu Forest. Time itself works different here from the physical realm; opaque and non-linear. It converges together, twists and turns and then breaks apart again."

She nodded carefully.

"Proceed whenever you wish, Sakura-sama, and good luck."

Staring up at the primeval woodland, she allowed the rain to fall on her face for just a moment before taking her first step into Shikkotsu Forest.

The path through the forest was long, winding, and really quite boring. She had expected it to be perilous along the way, but apart from the darkness that caused her to slip on the mossy path now and then, there was remarkably little to fear, and even less to hear. The critters she had thought to roam about the forest had yet to show themselves, and the cawing of the birds she had spotted near the entrance had died away. The only sound she picked up was the rustling leaves and groaning trees with every gust of wind. Sakura picked her way across the furrows and along the pathway. She avoided stepping on the blue-hued grass—though she wasn't sure why she bothered.

"Do not be frightened, the grass is just that—grass."

She jumped at the sound of the voice, whirling around as she instinctively grabbed for the kunai that wasn't there.

A man sat on top of one of the moss-covered rocks. He wore a blue armor with a white fur collar over a black suit. He was a handsome man with alabaster skin, and shaggy silver hair, with distinctive red lines running over his cheekbones and chin. His mouth was set into a light pout, brows drawn together over ruby eyes.

She knew this man. How could she not? Every day of her life, Sakura had woken up to his likeliness on the mountain that looked over Konoha—the Second Hokage.

"Are you my guide?"

The Second cocked his head. "Correct."

"And what should I call you?" Sakura ventured carefully.

"A name?" the man asked, the words rolling over his tongue as though he tasted something unfamiliar to him. "Yes." He wavered. "Though it has been long since I last used it... Senju Tobirama. Yes, that is my name."

"Would you prefer Lord Second or Senju-sama."

Tobirama cocked an eyebrow at her. "Lord Second? Then you are from Konoha?"

"Yes."

"What clan?"

Part of her balked at the way he talked to her, but Tobirama seemed the kind of man who had gotten his wishes and desires simply by declaring them throughout his lifetime. "Haruno, Lord Second. A small and insignificant clan."

"No clan is insignificant," Tobirama said. Sakura observed him and his graceful movements as he unfolded himself and leapt down from the rock. He was just a little shorter than Obito-sensei, looking down upon her with a certain intensity in his ruby eyes. Strangely, she had always imagined him to be taller. "Though I must admit, I've not heard of the Haruno clan."

The insecure look that swiftly passed over his features almost caused a giggle to bubble over her lips, which she quickly contained. "It's alright, Lord Second."

"If you're from Konoha... Who is currently Hokage? The Third? The Fourth?"

"It is actually the Sixth."

"Sixth?" Tobirama questioned, placing his hands on his hips as he considered this information, before a smile broke through. "Wonderful. My brother's dream yet remains." He observed her. "And who—" He stopped himself, holding up a hand. "No, don't tell me. There are things the dead should not know for fear of resentment or regret."

Sakura swallowed and nodded, unsure how to treat him. Tobirama was one of the ultimate shinobi in Konoha—as close to godhood as a shinobi could become. Though he wasn't as popular as the First or even the Third—and she was suspecting his less than charismatic person was part of that—it was awe-striking to see him in person and see that he was... just a man.

"Are you dissatisfied with me?" Tobirama asked, seemingly having caught onto the storm of thought boiling beneath the surface.

"No," Sakura replied hesitantly, averting her eyes. "I just didn't know who to expect."

"The guardians are whoever you require to get through your tests."

"Well, thank you, I suppose," Sakura frowned.

"You are welcome."

"So... I think we're supposed to follow the road." She paused. "Or is the trial here?"

"It is farther down the road," Tobirama spoke, lifting an arm to gesture to the winding path that would take them past a weeping willow. "It isn't far from here."

"What do I have to do during this trial?" Sakura asked, tucking away the mental image of her having to fight barehanded with a boar. She started down the road again, finding Tobirama following her without another word.

"It is the Trial of Dukkha. You will have to find the truth of suffering here," Tobirama explained, his deep voice echoing throughout the forest.

"The truth of suffering?" Sakura questioned.

"Correct."

"Very forthcoming," she muttered.

Tobirama looked bemused. "If you have questions, ask them. I will answer what I can."

She carefully made her way through a part of the path that was wildly overgrown by branches, the knotted roots of the towering trees breaking the road itself in places. "What do you mean by 'the truth of suffering'? Are you talking about my suffering?"

"Part of becoming a Sage is to understand the world around you. Understanding the world around you doesn't come without a firm understanding of who you are and what your place in the world is," Tobirama explained. "Being a Sage is being a conduit for natural energy, but a conduit must be unobstructed."

Sakura was quiet, allowing Tobirama's words to soak into her.

"So, why you?" Sakura mused, before quickly adding: "Lord Second."

"Why, indeed?"

She looked up to meet his gaze. "Katsuyu said that my guardians would be people from my past or future, or people I would never meet. I'm wondering how all of this works." Her brow pinched into a frown. "Am I just imagining you and how you would react?"

Tobirama's mouth twitched. "I enjoy academic queries," he declared, as though he had to explain himself for showing amusement. "There are three Sage regions in this world. Myoboku, connected to the physical realm, is the domain of the Toads. Ryuichi Cave, joined to the mental realm is the dominion of the Snakes, and Shikkotsu of the spiritual realm." He crouched to pass under a weeping willow. "It is said in ancient legends that in death the soul returns to Shikkotsu, leaving remnants of all those who walked this earth. Echoes of those who came before."

"And you're one of those echoes?"

"Correct."

Something caught his attention in the distance. She didn't miss the frown that formed on Tobirama's features as he looked at something in the distance. A little surprised, she followed his line of sight and cocked her head as her eyes fell on a small teahouse.

It looked like it weathered years in Shikkotsu—vines climbing up the side, moss covering the roof and a small bamboo fountain she was certain hadn't been there earlier had now appeared, alongside a small stream that seemed to circle the property.

"The tea house at the edge of the forest," she heard Tobirama whisper behind her. In the privacy of her own mind, Sakura wondered why he called it that—they were clearly deep inside Shikkotsu forest by now. But before she could question it, Tobirama sidestepped her and strode over to the teahouse. He took quick steps, long legs taking him to the teahouse quicker than she imagined as she rushed after him.

He circled the tea house, head cocked in both fascination and an emotion too heavy and intense for her to even begin to describe before stepping into the shop. She followed him, the smell of green tea and baked dango wafting enticingly at her, and nearly bumped into him when he halted in his tracks. "Is she here?"

"She who?" Sakura asked, peeking round Tobirama's bulky body.

The tea house was empty except for quaint wooden furniture and a single man sitting in the middle of the shop. The man's face was covered with a mask made of pure silver, its features depicting a laughing person. His long hair was pure white, and combed back neatly. The man dressed in an exquisite kimono and took a steaming cup of tea into his hands, though he made no effort to drink from it.

"She is not," the man answered Tobirama, voice light and lilting. "I believe she is still in the living world." He cocked his head at Tobirama. "Living half-life yearning for something she'll never have."

"That's enough from you, Nopperabou."

The man laughed as Sakura turned her eyes to Tobirama. "Nopperabou?"

"A youkai—an ancient spirit," Tobirama explained, folding his arms over his chest. "Your first trial. You'll note he has no face."

"Please," the youkai spoke. "You're giving away the surprise." The Nopperabou gestured toward the one chair across from him. "Take a seat, Haruno Sakura."

She glanced at Tobirama, who nodded in approval. He looked around the tea house once more, emotions scattering across his face before he reigned them in once more and took a seat at a nearby empty table. Sakura cleared her throat and seated herself across the youkai.

The smooth silver mask was unnerving her—showing her own reflection as he observed her for a long moment. Now that she was close enough, Sakura realized his ears were pointy and long, pierced by a dozen gold and silver hoops, but that was the only distinguishing feature of his face. The mask ended just below where his mouth was, his chin a perfect ovoid.

"Your guardian has informed you," the youkai spoke, "that this is your first trial, seeker of truth. Reveal your truth of suffering to me, and you will be allowed passage to the next trial. Fail, and return whence you came."

"How do I reveal my truth of suffering?" Sakura asked.

The youkai set down his untouched teacup and lifted a long, tan finger with a sharp-looking nail. "I will require three things. It's shape, the reasoning behind it, and the truth regarding it." He produced a thin rod the size of his forearm from one of his sleeves and cocked his head. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Sakura said resolutely.

"Excellent," the youkai said, tapping his rod to his mask.

Instantly, his face turned to that of her mother.

She swallowed a yelp, watching as her mother flashed a smile at her from atop a masculine body. It was something straight out of her nightmares, and she couldn't help but squirm in her chair as she recoiled from him. Her mother's head let out a soft laugh, and continued to say: "How I enjoy these first reactions. But it doesn't seem to be the mother, does it?"

Sound swelled from inside the forest, unintelligible at first, but the voices became louder and louder until the windows of the tea house rattled with the sound and Sakura realized she was listening to herself. Screaming at her mother for tossing away an old picture she had of Sasuke, fighting over the boots she always kicked off and left in the entrance of their home, over the fact that Mebuki never professed how proud she was of her daughter, and a horrible moment in which she confessed to Kiba that she wished she didn't have parents at all. Shame stirred inside her as she listened to herself speak about her mother, even as Mebuki's head smiled benevolently at her. Finally, the voices died down, and the youkai said: "No... Not the mother."

Another tap with the rod on the youkai's face, and Mebuki turned into Kizashi. "Maybe the father..." the Nopperabou mused. "Always fighting for daddy's affections, aren't we?" A coy look snuck into Kizashi's eyes as the youkai looked to Tobirama behind her.

"Very amusing, spirit," Tobirama rumbled.

Kizashi observed her for a long moment as Sakura's voice rang through the forest, shouting insults to her father. Balling her fists in her lap, Sakura listened to herself demean her father over and over until the sound died down. She blinked at the tears in her eyes and forced herself to look up at the youkai.

"Not the parents, hm..."

Deep inside, she knew which face would show her the true face of her suffering, but her mouth felt like ash even as she thought of him. There was nothing left to explore or suffer over anymore. He had rejected her time and time again, and she had made her peace with it. It was fine he didn't love her. It was fine that no matter how hard she tried, he never looked at her that way. He was her friend, her team mate and that was all that mattered.

The Nopperabou cycled through the faces of her childhood, from Iruka to her bullies, from the first person who died on her operating table to Kurenai, switching faces faster and faster as he gauged her reactions. Each face brought back distinct memories and emotions, as visceral as the first time she lived through them.

Obito stared down at her now, the bottomless well that was his eye unimpressed.

"Do not get swept away," Tobirama spoke, startling her. Without her hearing it, Tobirama had approached her, squatting down beside her. "This is the Nopperabou's trick. They never start with what causes the suffering, only open you up to break you down once it comes."

Sakura nodded and braced herself for what was coming next. She squeezed her eyes shut, fists quaking as she forced herself to open her eyes when she heard the telltale tap of the switching of faces.

Sasuke stared at her, the corner of his mouth pulled into the smirk she had always found attractive. His eyes were midnight and fathomless. Even now, even knowing this wasn't him, his face took her breath away, her heart thudding painfully.

"Sakura," the youkai said with Sasuke's voice and mouth, even impersonating that slight lisp on the letter 's', the one most people missed entirely but she spent days reveling over. "Is it me?"

Memories that spanned over a decade slammed into her, leaving her breathless. The first time she laid eyes on Sasuke during the Academy, the time he aced his shuriken training and she couldn't stop staring in awe. The time he told her off when she bad-talked about Kiba, the time in the Country of Waves, when she thought he had died trying to protect Kiba and a piece of her died with him. The time he leapt in front of her when rogue ninja nearly beheaded her before she realized what was happening, the time he announced he was leaving for special Uchiha training and he wouldn't return to Team Seven for two years—the last time she confessed her love to him and begged him to not to go.

Sakura couldn't stop the tears that flowed over her cheeks, wiping at them as she waited for the Nopperabou to cease his attack on all her senses.

"Close, but not it," the youkai spoke.

Her eyes flew open just as he tapped his face again, and this time, Sakura looked at her own likeness.

'Didn't you know?' Sakura's voice sounded. 'Women have to be strong in order to survive.'

Something deep within her broke as her own childish and naive laugh reflected at her—words spoken so callously to Ino one day, but had she known back then what it meant? Did she know now? Fear settled deep in her stomach, both an icy pit and a burning inferno as she wrapped her arms around herself, apologizing to Kurenai and Kiba and all the others who trusted her to mend them, only for her to fail.

"Ohoho," the youkai said in her own excited, girlish voice, dropping his fist in his hand. "I should have known. The shape of your suffering—like teacher like student, correct?" Sakura's own voice morphed away and when she looked up, the youkai had returned to his own form, the little rod stowed away once more.

"Shishou's greatest suffering..."

"Herself," the nopperabou chuckled. "As is yours." He laid his chin in his hand and cocked his head at her, the gesture strangely intimate, though Sakura supposed he did just look into her soul. "Why is that, I wonder?"

"What do you want from me?"

"Why, I wish to uncover the truth."

"How—" she croaked, "how do we do that?"

"Tell me, Haruno Sakura. Tell me about what festers within you."

Sakura remained quiet, looking at the youkai as she searched for the meaning behind his words. Tobirama stirred beside her, causing her to turn to him. "He wants the most painful recollection or truth you have about yourself. Only then can you venture onward."

The youkai waited patiently, hands in his lap.

"I'm scared," she whispered, not daring to look at Tobirama, or the youkai. "I'm scared that I'm not enough, that people see me as Tsunade's apprentice and expect me to be more than I am. I'm not the Hokage's perfect little apprentice, or one of the world's strongest kunoichi. I'm just a talented medic, but I still lose people." She balled her fist, squeezing her eyes shut to stop the flow of tears threatening to spill. "I can't save everyone. I can't make it all better. I'm nowhere near as strong or as knowledgeable as everyone thinks I am."

"You recognize you are flawed, hmm?" the youkai asked. "That the dream you created for yourself is just that—a dream? One that might never come to fruition." He leaned forward. "Shikkotsu Forest is a different place than you're used to, Haruno Sakura. It is a spiritual realm that transcends beyond all other realms. You won't be in danger of turning into a slug, or turning your patient into a slug if you treat someone with natural energy. You'll be playing with someone's life force itself. One wrong move, one hasty treatment and you might tear a soul from its body."

"Their soul?"

"Yes." The Nopperabou laughed. "Imagine not only being responsible for their bodies but also for their souls. If a soul is severed, no reincarnation is possible. The line ends, right there and then. No turning back. Do you have the strength to handle that, Sakura? Because only those who find the courage to accept their actions may journey deeper into the forest."

Sakura's eyes widened as she realized the severity of the question imposed on her—to continue onward would give her power beyond what anyone in Konoha had; the power to heal possibly everyone, to save everyone. But if she made a mistake... if she wouldn't be able to handle the powers properly...

Was this what she wanted?

She wished for anyone to be by her side, anyone but the ghostly remains of Senju Tobirama and the youkai presently laughing at her; Obito-sensei, Tsunade-shisou, even the Sixth. Even as the treacherous thought crossed her mind, Sakura laughed at herself. This was the whole point of the trial. This is why she had to go alone. She always knew it wouldn't be easy. She always knew she would be alone to face her trials. Sages were rare—only a handful of people ever managed to become a Sage. Had she honestly expected it to be easy?

Had she expected to go through it without sacrifice?

'But there is also a reward,' she thought.

She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and wiped at her tears. "I'm not perfect, youkai, and I never will be. But yes, I will have the strength to handle it."

The youkai let out a laugh, took a deep breath from behind his mask, and laid his head in his neck. As he tilted his chin downwards again, the mask had faded, leaving only a smooth surface where his face should have been. Infinitely grateful for Tobirama's warning, Sakura kept her features blank and waited.

"You've passed the first trial, Haruno Sakura. Onward." The Nopperabou stood from his place with a flourish, took a bow and circled round the table and out of the teahouse. His receding back faded into the forest until he was nothing but a shadow, dispersed in the darkness of the woodlands.

Wobbly, Sakura stood and pumped a fist, turning to Tobirama to thank him for his guidance, only to find herself alone in the teahouse.

Sakura stretched on her makeshift bed of moss, peering through the canopy to see a glimpse of the star-studded sky. Time passed at a different pace in the forest, and she was unsure whether it was day or night in the real world, or even how long she had been inside. After her encounter with Tobirama and the Nopperabou, she had been left exhausted, as though all her emotions had been forcibly ripped from her body, leaving her numb and depleted.

Sleep had not come easily; a lifetime spent as a kunoichi meant that she either trusted her companions to watch her back, or that she would summon a bunshin to keep watch while she slept. Now that her teammates were back in the real world, and chakra was non-existent within the forest, Sakura had spent her first night jumping at every sound she heard.

Rubbing her eyes, Sakura took one more moment of reprieve and stood to her feet. The path she traversed led into a darker part of the woodlands from now on, tiny red lanterns scattered intermittently, its light barely enough to illuminate her way.

A rainfall started, more intense than the first. As flashing sheets of cold drops came crashing down around her, Sakura swore and hurried for one of the ancient trees that dotted the landscape. Under its roots, she found cover and huddled for warmth.

It started off as a faint sensation. The hairs on her neck raised one by one, then followed the ones on her arm. Sakura forced herself not to stiffen, keeping her pose relaxed even though she was hyper-aware of the eyes trained upon her. It didn't seem like an enemy, though, nor did she expect one in Shikkotsu.

"Come out," Sakura called out, balling her fists as she looked around the thick woodlands for whoever was watching her.

A rustle came from just ahead of her, and she watched as a lanky figure stepped from the trees. A messy head of silvery hair greeted her, her eyes sliding down to frown at the green and blue of Konoha's jounin uniform, only to find Kakashi's face soon after. But where she had expected a mismatched, cold stare, an intact forehead protector from Konoha covered the one eye he had received from Obito, the slate grey one friendly.

"Yo, Sakura," Kakashi said, lifting a hand like he greeted an old friend. His visible eye crinkled in a smile.

'And sometimes, you may be guided by those you'll never meet, but would have if life had taken a slightly different direction.'

"Kakashi," she breathed.

A/N: And we ar k. Welcome to part 2 of Otherworld!

While I loved the Sage training part Naruto did, I always felt that the three realms should have their own challenges. Admittedly, I think the cave of snakes would be pretty awesome too, but I'm enjoying our little trip down the spirit world. Hope you are too 3 Thanks for waiting all this time for me to start updating again. Sadly, I haven't gotten much work done on new chapters so it's back to pounding out a chapter a week (I hope, please don't hate me if I skip a week lol), but I'm super excited to get this show on the road! Wonder what trial is next for Sakura...

Comments fuel my drive! If you're a shy reader or don't know what to say, please consider using the following emoji:

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Chapter 14: Chapter 12

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

"Missing?" Itachi asked, raising an eyebrow as he surveyed the mortuary.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the diener answer, wringing his hands. The elderly man looked visibly troubled, the lines in his face deepened by the harsh TL-lights, eyes shadowed as he stared at the empty spot. "And what's more... This is the second one."

"The second one?" Izumi piped up from behind him.

"Yes, Uchiha-san," the diener spoke, the wringing intensifying. "A week ago or so, one body went missing. They were meant for disposal... so we handled it." He drew in a shaky breath and met Itachi's eyes. "They were the Rain shinobi you asked us to dispose of."

Itachi closed his eyes at that.

The diener took a step back. "I didn't know what else to do."

"You could've contacted us before," Izumi said, anger lacing her tone. "We asked you to dispose of these enemy corpses after we completed the autopsies. We counted on your discretion. But now you tell us not one, but two of them have gone missing?"

"I was ashamed," the diener stammered. "In fifty years, nothing like this has ever happened to me. But..." He lowered his arms, defeated.

"The third one?" Itachi asked Izumi.

"Shizune-san is still examining the red-haired one, Lord Sixth."

Itachi looked around the room once more—no sign of break-in, no traces of the bodies, only an empty table on which the diener supposedly left the body. He turned to the door, which according to the old man was closed and shut with the key he wore around his neck at all times. 'No windows through which to enter' he noted. 'Shinobi then.'

"Close the mortuary for the day, contact the hospital to keep everyone in the morgue. Izumi, contact the Inuzuka clan and ask for their assistance in tracking this person down," Itachi instructed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Izumi said. She bowed and quickly departed from the room.

"Maruki-san," Itachi addressed the diener.

"Yes Lord Sixth?"

"You are the only one with a key?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Please close the mortuary."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

As the old man shuffled out of the room, Itachi lifted a hand. Within a second, Sarutobi Daisen appeared in front of him, dressed in his ANBU outfit and monkey mask as always. "Set up a round-the-clock perimeter around this mortuary," he instructed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

A thought occurred to him. "Is Orochimaru being surveyed?"

"Yes my lord, he has not left the laboratory in a few days."

"That will be all."

"My lord," Daisen said, before departing with a soft 'poof'.

Lost in thought, Itachi made his way to the table on which they had laid the corpse to rest prior to disposal and stared at the empty metal sheet. Somehow, he was certain this was Orochimaru's doing. Though his ANBU guards were highly skilled, Orochimaru always had a knack to escape scrutiny or get away with things previously thought impossible. It was time Itachi himself paid Orochimaru a visit.

In the distance, he could hear old Maruki locking the front door. With a quick snap of his hands, Itachi formed a teleportation jutsu and ended up at the mortuary's front door, eyes blinking from the sudden flood of sunlight.

"Ah, Hokage-sama, you startled me," the old diener said, hands shaking as he continued to lock up the door. "What will happen now?"

"One of our shinobi with a keen sense of smell will investigate the mortuary. With any luck, we'll find our culprit soon." Itachi eyed the old man for a long moment. "Next time, report this immediately to the administration building."

The old man huffed at his tone, teeth gritting, while a familiar look passed behind his eyes—one of scorn and hate, carefully tucked away, only to resurface after Itachi's admonishment. It was one he was familiar with from childhood on. Becoming a Hokage did not erase his last name, after all. To his credit, Maruki reigned himself back in and bowed his head low. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

Just as Maruki shuffled away, Izumi reappeared by his side. "The Inuzuka are all on missions," she announced, "but I found someone willing to help."

From around the corner, Inuzuka Kiba hobbled their way, leaning heavily on his crutch while Akamaru darted around him. Once in a while, the great white beast let out a bark that seemed to shake the foundations of the village itself, before finally coming to a stop right in front of Itachi and Izumi, and dropped to his hind legs. "Lord Sixth," Kiba huffed.

Itachi looked him over—Tsunade had told him Kiba would need months of recovery and physical therapy before he could walk on his own two legs once more. But that didn't seem to daunt Kiba at all.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Crippled," Kiba grunted, before quickly adding: "Hokage-sama."

"I see you've not lost your sense of humor," Itachi said with a smile. "Izumi explained the situation to you?"

"Missing bodies. I'm supposed to help sniff out whoever took them? Count me in, Lord Sixth."

"Izumi, you may return to the administration building. I'll be there once we finish here," Itachi said, stepping toward Kiba. Without looking to see if she heeded his instructions, Itachi reached out to grab Kiba's shoulder and teleported them both into the mortuary.

"Ugh," Kiba said, nose crinkling. "I hate the smell of dead people."

"This is the table from which the body was taken."

"Hmm," Kiba said, painstakingly making his way to the table. He experimentally whiffed the air. "I don't recognize the scent..."

"It was one of the Akatsuki members found in Rain."

"Aw man, and old Maruki lost him?" Kiba exclaimed. He shook his head and inhaled. "I can still smell them, but its faint... and other than the ones laying here, I can't smell anyone but you, Izumi-san and old Maruki himself."

Somehow, Itachi wasn't surprised. "I see."

"Must be a very powerful shinobi to know how to hide their smell."

Somehow, Itachi was also sure Kiba knew who he was suspected.

"Indeed," Itachi said. "You are sure?"

"Definitely. No other scents."

With a nod, Itachi transported the two of them out once more. "Thank you for your help, Kiba."

"Anytime, Lord Sixth." The Inuzuka member stayed quiet for a moment, chewing his lip with his sharp canine before lifting his eyes to Itachi. "Have you... heard from Sakura?"

"No," Itachi said, mouth feeling like ash. "But it is my understanding it might take a while yet. Tsunade-sama informed me time also works differently in Shikkotsu Forest. What are days for us, may only be hours for Sakura-san as she works through the trials. We just have to wait."

"Yeah," Kiba said with a nod. "Yeah, she's got this."

Instinctively, Itachi looked down at his hand and remembered the way her skin felt as she held onto him, warm and inviting. The smile she flashed him, the way her cheeks colored pretty red and the way she was certain she would return. "She'll be back soon," Itachi said, not knowing whether he said it to assuage Kiba's fears, or his own. "She's a powerful woman."

Kiba huffed a laugh. "Yeah, she is."

"So, what is the second trial like?" Sakura asked, trying to keep her voice steady even as her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. It took everything in her power to keep her eyes in front of her and not watch Kakashi like a hawk—he had no chakra here, no weapons, and what's more, he wasn't her enemy here. She chanced a look over her shoulder.

At least, she didn't think he was.

"Hmm," Kakashi said, and Sakura ignored the way her heart skipped a beat at the sound of it. The Kakashi she was used to made that sound too. How fascinating to find another version of someone she knew and feared in the real world, and to see how different he would have been under other circumstances. What changed for this Kakashi? Was it Obito not dying? Was it the Fourth surviving the Nine Tails? Or was it something small, something so insignificant that she would've never thought of, but that radically changed Kakashi's entire world. Obito-sensei liked to speak of such things; lessons learned from the Fourth, of small things that would ripple out and change someone's entire life.

"I don't know."

"You—" she whirled around, incredulous as she looked at Kakashi. "You don't know?"

Kakashi stared at her with his one uncovered eye, slate grey taking in her appearance from top to bottom, stopping at her hands, which she belatedly realized were balling a fist into her clothes to keep herself from fidgeting. With an exhale, she released her clothes and forced to look at Kakashi without flinching away from him. "You don't know?" she asked again.

"I know something awaits you in the forest, and I'm taking you there. That is my role," Kakashi said matter-of-fact.

"Oh."

"Disappointed?"

"I thought you were supposed to be my guide."

"Hmm."

She sighed again.

"Why are you attempting to become a Sage?"

Sakura lifted her head up and looked at him. "Why not?"

"Most people aim to become Hokage, or the strongest in their field..." Kakashi gave her a long, scrutinizing look. "To ensure they're strong enough in battle so that they won't have to be protected by others. I know of only one knuckle-head who thought to become a Sage, and it wasn't you."

This was surprising. "Who?"

A slight drizzle began as Kakashi observed her for the longest moment. Finally, he exhaled and pushed his hands into his pants, signaling to the road with his chin. "Let's continue. It's not far now."

They returned to their silent trudge through the forest. The woodlands had darkened by now—only the red lanterns scattered along the road gave her any indications of how far it was leading her, the orange glow of light softly illuminating the ancient tree trunks. As they traversed the path, Sakura found herself with a million questions and not enough time or courage to ask them. There was one pertinent one, though. "Did you die?"

Silence greeted her.

"I mean... I understood that everyone who is here are echoes, of those who passed away... Does that mean that you've passed away?" she frowned, peeking at Kakashi from the corner of her eye.

"Did you?"

"No," Sakura said, frowning. "I came here voluntarily."

"Hmm."

'Infuriating man,' Sakura thought, sending a glare his way. He didn't seem to notice, slouching nonchalantly behind her as he followed her close, his one eye wandering from one place to another as he took in the sights of Shikkotsu Forest. But despite the slouch and the disinterest radiating from him, Sakura could tell he was dependable. The slate grey of his eye sparked with alertness and there was a tightness to his shoulder she recognized from the Kakashi from her world—the instinct to be ready for all things at all times.

"Do you know how far it is?" Sakura asked.

"A little while longer."

Sakura carefully made her way down the hilly path, circling round a massive matsu tree. In the distance, she could see the dark lit by red lanterns still, but it felt like they went on for an eternity. "I want to protect everyone," she said eventually.

"Ah."

"Which is why I'm trying this."

"Trying to become a Sage?"

"Yes," Sakura replied tersely, not even knowing why she was telling Kakashi this. But this was definitely not the Kakashi she knew and if he was just a manifestation of her mind, or an echo, she would make the best out of the situation and just talk to him while she made her way to the second trial which had to be close by now. "That's why I'm trying to become a Sage."

"Isn't being a medic enough?" Kakashi asked lightly.

"No."

A silence stretched between them.

"It's not that it's not enough," she kicked at a piece of debris on the road as she considered her feelings, "it's that, as a medic all I can do is heal someone when they're already in pain and broken. I want to prevent that from happening. Using my medical skills should be a last resort kind of thing only."

"How about relying on your team?"

"I want them to rely on me."

"And you think they can't?"

"They can-" she wavered before stopping in the middle of the road. This particular patch of forest looked familiar. Brow pinched, Sakura looked around, identifying a crooked lantern post she had seen earlier, and the peeling paint on the side. "Are we... walking in circles?"

"Nurikabe," Kakashi said pleasantly. "It seems we're led astray."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you always this nonplussed?"

"Only on Wednesdays."

Sakura stood still, baffled for the longest moment at the pleasant tone and the calm way Kakashi told her they were absolutely lost in a mythical spirit forest, like he was describing what he had for breakfast that morning. And was that a joke? Did Kakashi—Hatake Kakashi—just crack a joke? If this is who he turned out to be in whatever strange alternate reality Shikkotsu plucked him from, she shuddered to imagine whatever Sakura herself turned out to be like.

'Maybe he's your sensei there,' a thought bubbled to the surface, unbidden. 'Or a friend.'

"Is today Wednesday?" she asked out loud.

"Hard to say."

Part of her wanted to laugh at her situation, but a larger part of her was now beginning to worry. The path ahead looked the same as always, complete with a dip into the darkness in the distance. "Nurikabe?" she asked.

"It's a youkai that likes to misdirect travelers." A pause. "I myself encountered one many times."

Incredulous, Sakura turned to find Kakashi tapping his chin in consideration, head tilted to the sky. "Is that so?" she mused, putting her hands on her hips. "And how do we get past the nurikabe?

"Find the end, or an exit."

"There's an end to it?"

"Maybe?"

"Ka-ka-shi..." she said through gritted teeth. Kakashi crinkled his eye in response and shrugged. "You're a horrible guide."

"You sound upset with me, Sakura."

There it was again—the familiar way in which he uttered her name. No honorifics, no hesitation at the utterance of her name, but spoken in the almost exactly same way the Akatsuki version of him had when she encountered him during her last mission. Of course, the Akatsuki version of him had been more menacing, while this version was nothing but pleasant. "Are you always like this?"

Kakashi gave her a long look. "What am I like?"

That surprised her. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. "Strong. Intelligent." She chewed her lip. "... And scary."

"We aren't friends in your world, are we?"

She huffed a laugh. "No. No, we're not."

"I see."

"... Are we in yours?"

"I would say so."

"Oh."

"Hmm."

A world in which she was friends with Hatake Kakashi. The thought seemed almost absurd to her, but there was something about Kakashi's demeanor that instantly soothed her. Not unlike talking to Kiba or Ino. An easy-going conversation, not hampered by long awkward silence or towering expectations—like Kakashi knew exactly who she was and what she was about.

"Who is your sensei?"

Startled from her thoughts, Sakura dropped her hands and turned to him. "Uchiha Obito."

That rattled him. Kakashi stared at her, his eye widening fractionally, the tension in his shoulders tenfold for just a moment before he relaxed again. "I see." He smiled behind his mask, but unlike the earlier crinklier ones, this one was purely to hide his sadness. "Obito, huh."

'That confirms it, then. Obito in his world died at Kannabi, didn't he?' she thought, considering Kakashi for a long while. "What about-?" she asked, knowing the answer deep in her bones.

"I am."

"Thought so."

"You were always the smartest of the three."

She scoffed. "Compared to Kiba, everyone is smart."

He frowned at that. "Kiba is your teammate?"

"Yes?"

"And the third?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Hmm."

"Who is the third one where—where you're from?"

"Konoha's number one hyper-active knuckle-head ninja."

Sakura guffawed. "Are you sure it's not Kiba?"

"Kiba has some sense."

She giggled at that. "So who is he?"

Kakashi pushed his hands further into his pockets. "If my description of him doesn't ring a bell, suffice to say he's not in your Konoha. You would know."

Somehow, the thought of missing out on this person caused a twinge of sadness within her, but she quelled it quickly. She didn't know her third teammate and never would—perhaps he died early on, perhaps he never was conceived in her reality, or perhaps his parents had simply packed their bags and move to the Wind Country for some sunshine. She would never know.

She stared at the endless road ahead of her. "Is the nurikabe a metaphor?"

"Why would you think that?"

"My first trial was to identify the truth of suffering, which turned out to be me," she contemplated out loud. She eyed Kakashi. "What is the second trial for?"

"To find out the truth of the cause of your suffering."

She cocked her head at him. "I just told you—it's me."

"You identified yourself to be behind your suffering, which is step one," Kakashi said with the patience of a teacher. "This trial is for you to identify the cause. What caused it? Why are you insecure? Why are you scared of being exposed as a fraud?"

She balked at the word 'fraud', even though a ball of ice formed within her stomach at the same time. Shame clawed at her throat, pulled her eyes from Kakashi, and sent them furtively down the path, searching for a space to hide from his knowing eyes. She crossed her arms and shifted her weight from one side to the other, shaking her head as she considered his questions. "It's normal for someone to be insecure from time to time," she said, watching the blue glass sway lightly.

The light rain intensified at that exact moment, falling from the canopy in thick raindrops that splashed over her face and clothes, and before long it came down in sheets. She cursed and hurried to take shelter under a tree just off the road, Kakashi coming to stand beside her as he turned his face to the sky.

"It is normal," Kakashi admitted. She peeked at his lanky form. "This is a strange place. It makes me think of all the mistakes I have made, and I have made a lot."

Kakashi's voice was soft and kind, a deep understanding underscoring the poignant remark he made. "Is the Sakura you know insecure too?" she asked.

He chuckled. "She's always insecure and scared."

"Why?"

"Because she thinks there are people around her who are much stronger than she is. That they—we-don't need her. And no matter how strong she's become, no matter how often she has saved us, she's always afraid that she'll be left behind."

Sakura exhaled and sat down on a branch. That description matched her—the person she was when she was years younger. With a smile, Sakura closed her eyes and thought back to the day she begged Tsunade to take her on as an apprentice. "I know I'm strong," Sakura said, voice quiet but firm. "And that I'm needed."

"Then what is it?"

"If it was this easy, I would've told you long ago," Sakura snapped.

Kakashi chuckled infuriatingly at that. "Let's try a different tactic. Who are you, and what do you want?"

Sakura listened to the rain patter into the foliage as she considered the question. "I... want to become stronger."

"Why?"

"To save those who need me. To be strong enough to protect everyone?"

"To what end?"

"To what—they're my precious people, why wouldn't I protect them?"

"Can't they protect themselves?"

"Of course they can."

"Then why?"

"Well... Maybe not always. They're strong but..."

"But?"

"Dammit Kakashi, let me think!"

"No. That is how you got here in the first place—lost and trying to consolidate who you are and who you want to be. Why did you become a medic?"

"To protect-"

"Is that all you do? Protect others?"

Tears jumped into her eyes as she leapt off the branch and into the rain. Seething with rage, Sakura turned around, eyes widening as she found a dark road leading to a new point in the forest. In the distance, she could see a campfire and a single silver-haired person sitting on a log.

"Who?"

"He's of no concern to you," Kakashi said, clasping his hands together as he looked at her, slate grey eye strict. "Is that all you do?"

"Of course not."

"Answer the question Sakura."

"I don't even understand what the question is!"

"What do you want?"

"I want it to end!" she yelled, tears streaming over her face. Frustrated, she wiped at them and bared her teeth at him. "I don't want anyone to get hurt ever again. I want to stop fighting others and seeing people-" she choked, remembering Kurenai and her unborn child, and the feel of Kurenai's heart in her hand as it stopped beating. "I want missions to be fun, every day. I want to guard people from robbers or find lost items or help research cures." She dropped to the forest floor and clawed her hands into the mud as she sobbed. "I want children to go to the academy and not be forced to fight other people when they graduate. I don't want to see my friends leave on a mission and not know if they'll return. I want this entire world to change."

"Why?" Kakashi asked, voice quiet.

"Because this isn't what I expected life to be like," Sakura said, knowing he would hear her even over the rain. "I memorized those shinobi rules, but never knew what they meant until I was confronted with losing my teammates when I was twelve... I never understood that being a shinobi meant I would have to do this." She punctuated her remark with a wave of the hand. "I thought my life would be different—I wanted it to be different." She swallowed hard and looked up at Kakashi. "I've been pushing myself to let go of what I want and become the kunoichi my team needs to stay alive... And I've been doing so for a very long time." She smiled at him and tasted her tears. "I've always tried my best to please others. Everything I do and decide is for others first."

"Is that what caused you suffering? Is what why you are the source?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded. "I can't blame anyone else. Nobody is responsible, except me."

"Well done," Kakashi said, flashing her another crinkly smile. He stood from his place and brushed a stray leaf from his pants, turning to the mysterious dark clearing behind him. Kakashi watched the campfire, and the man seated there for a while before turning back to her. "You passed your second trial and may progress onward."

Sakura smiled and pushed a wet strand of hair from her eyes.

"Oh, and Sakura?"

"Yes?"

He reached for her and, instinctively, she closed her eyes. A large, warm hand landed on her shoulder. "The three of you saved me," Kakashi admitted in a quiet whisper. "If there is another me running around and acting against Konoha, he's a very lonely, angry and sad man."

The weight of his hand lifted from her, and when she opened her eyes, Sakura found herself leaning against a tree—the rain finally stopped, and Kakashi and the mysterious campfire had vanished.

And so had the road.

A/N: So I have to admit I was a little fried last time after writing and editing and totally forgot to share some interesting tidbits regarding these trials until a few readers asked me about it, so here we go!

Sakura's trials are based on the Buddhist Four Noble Truths. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering (or the path to spiritual enlightment). As we're in Shikkotsu, I found these to be great representations of the various steps Sakura will have to go through.

This trial's youkai was a nurikabe-Its name translates to "plaster wall", and it is said to manifest as an invisible wall that impedes or misdirects travelers walking at night.

To put less of a strain on myself as Otherworld is a hard story to write, I've decided to to and update it every other week! Just to give myself some more time and not be stressed out, and for you to still have regular updates 3 I'm sorry guys, it's just an incredibly hectic period for me.

I'm curious: who do you think the next guide is?

If you are a shy reader, or don't know what to say, please consider using an emoji:

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Chapter 15: Chapter 13

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

"Okay, I know I've seen you before," Sakura said to the giant mushroom that grew on the side of an oak tree. She waggled a finger at it and burst into laughter. It was a good thing no-one else was here to see her lose her mind. Not that it mattered, anyway. "I'm going to die here," she whispered conspiratorially to the fungus. "Lost in Shikkotsu."

How long had it been since she had seen Kakashi from another world? Surely it had to be days; she had taken rests whenever she felt like she couldn't walk any further, curling up under the trees. Though it had been a while, she hadn't felt hunger or thirst, leaving her to conclude that she didn't actually need sustenance during her foray into the woods.

Sadly, not needing food or drink meant nothing if she were to spend the rest of her life wandering around a mythical forest.

She had been wandering aimlessly in search of the road, but it had vanished entirely, as though someone had taken an eraser to the forest and wiped it from existence. Even the lanterns that had dotted the road were gone.

A crow cawed nearby.

Part of herself was still irrationally angry with herself. Katsuyu had warned her not to stray off the road, and instead of listening to the warning, she had thought it wouldn't be so bad to step off the road to seek shelter from the rain. Kakashi hadn't stopped her either—but then again, she wasn't sure whether Kakashi had been a guide or trial, or perhaps a strange combination of both.

The crow cawed again, the sound of it almost like laughter. Frustrated, she gritted her teeth and eyed the blackbird perched on a nearby branch. It cocked its head, observing her with keen interest as it called at her.

Then a realization struck her.

"Wait," Sakura said, scrambling to get up. This was the first bird she had seen since she entered Shikkotsu. It hopped back and forth on the branch before stretching out its majestic wings and soared off deeper into the foliage. "Wait!" she called after it, giving chase.

The bird was faster than she was without chakra. It flew with grace under the boughs of the trees, cawing whenever she lagged too far behind, as though it was calling for her. She wiped at a line of sweat as she struggled to climb over a curled piece of root that belonged to a humongous oak tree, frantically scanning the forest canopy for signs of the crow, but it had vanished.

Instead, a meticulously manicured path began right behind the piece of root, lined by the same red lanterns that adorned the main road. For a moment, Sakura stilled, afraid that if she were to move or blink, the path would cease to exist. Then, very carefully and excruciatingly slowly, she blinked once.

It was still there.

"Shannaro!" she roared, pumping her first as she hurried to the path and fell to her knees. The yellow, smooth pebbles felt like the grandest treasure to her fingers as she convinced herself that they weren't an illusion. She leapt to her feet and traversed down the path, careful not to stray as she followed it into a deep part of Shikkotsu.

In the distance, she could hear the faint sounds of a shakuhachi flute playing a light melody. It soothed her as it grew louder with every step she took, until finally, she circled along with the path past another gigantic tree.

Not too far from her stood an inn. White paper lanterns were strung up by strings that spanned from tree to tree, the path leading directly to the establishment. From all directions, shadowy figured trod toward the building, each holding their own lights. In the door opening stood a fish the size of a man, dressed in a blue and white kimono, his mouth raised to the sky. He welcomed every of the shady figures with a flourish, sliding open the door as he beckoned for them to come inside.

Sakura stared at the fish with revulsion, recoiling as the fish's gigantic eye focused on her, glossy and unblinking. "A human?" he bellowed at her. The shadows halted in their approach, turning to her. Though they had no eyes or mouths, Sakura could feel the judgement in their stares. Gathering her courage, Sakura cleared her throat and stepped up to the fish-man.

"I am on the road to become a Sage," Sakura announced. "I was told to follow the road to the center of the forest."

The fish-man remained quiet for the longest time. She forced herself to look into his eye, which was larger than her vanity mirror at home, and waited for him to speak. "You had better ask the boss for a room then," the Fish said. "But touch nothing with your human hands. The gods know how long it will take to remove the stench of you."

Insulted, Sakura took a step closer, which prompted him to back away with an odd, squelchy noise. "Excuse me?"

"Humans," the Fish roared, opening the door. "You all smell like death and decay!" He flapped a fin at her and signaled for her to step inside. "Disgusting," he added, before slamming the door shut behind her.

"Lunatic fish!" she bit back, knowing he would hear her through the door. She had half a mind to break it down and teach him a lesson, were she not so distracted by what awaited her inside.

A reception area with wonderful dark wooden floors and a beautiful ikebana arrangement on a single table greeted her, the branches of the sakura tree blossoming white flowers. The rest of the interior was delicate and refines, a place that she would have loved to explore on her own terms—if not for the behemoth that stood behind the reception desk.

The man—if she could call him a man—was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a crimson kinono and a black hakama. A chain of large purple beads across his chest from shoulder to hip, his long white hair gathered over his shoulder. A white and red mask that depicted a crow covered his face, but the most stunning feature about him were the two colossal black wings. They bridged the entire room, blocking off the doors to the other side of the establishment.

The receptionist—or was he the owner the Fish spoke of?-planted his hands on either side of his desk and leaned forward, his head turning into an unnatural angle while his feathers rustled as he observed her. "A human?" he spoke. Despite his size, the man's voice was soft and dulcet.

"Yes," Sakura said, rooted to the spot.

"Name?" he asked, a long, clawed fingers running down the page of a stuffy looking tome.

"I was told to ask for a room," Sakura said, daring to take a step toward him. Somewhere deep inside her, recognition fluttered as she thought of the ancient fairy-tale books her mother used to read to her as a child. This wasn't a man—he was a Tengu, a spiritual guardian of the mountains. As long as she treated him with respect, he wouldn't harm her.

He looked up to her and let out a long sigh. "Name," he urged.

"Haruno Sakura."

The Tengu lowered his face, beak almost hitting the paper as he moved down the list. "Haruno Sakura, room 112," he said, tapping his nail beside a scribble that looked to be her name. Confused, she watched as the Tengu straightened himself and walked away from the desk, his geta sandels clicking on the floor with every step he took.

She dodged his massive wing as he turned without warning, but he folded them back in, the midnight-colored feathers lying flat against his back. He slid open the door with practiced grace and ducked into the corridor it revealed, waiting for her to follow.

"Were you waiting for me?" Sakura asked as she trailed after him, passing room after room.

They turned a corner and entered an area adjecent to the inner garden. A large pond occupied the center, lotus drifting in the middle while shadowy figured sat on benches around the water, reading books or making little hushed noises to one another. In the far corner sat another shadow, playing the shakuhachi she had heard earlier.

The Tengu didn't reply to her. He strode purposefully to a room near the end of the porch and waited beside the door for her to catch up. "Haruno Sakura," he spoke, voice melodious. "Your room. Touch nothing beside the floor. Do not disrupt the other guests." He paused. "You have one night."

"One night? For what?"

The Tengu opened the door for her and waited for her to step inside. "Your third trial."

"Wait! What do I have to do?" Sakura asked, turning around to face the Tengu. He slid the door closed behind her and just as she was about to tear it open, the warning about her not touching anything but the floor resounded in her head. She withdrew her hand and sighed, turning around to observe the room.

A large shoji screen blocked her path, ornately decorated with the picture of a murder of crows in the middle of an emerald forest. She admired it and circled around it, stepping into the main room where she found a familiar face reclining on the windowsill, a cup of tea in front of him.

"Hokage-sama," she breathed, relief and warmth a potent mix that swirled through her entire body for a long second, until she realized that this couldn't be her Itachi. Not unless something went direly wrong in her absence. As with Kakashi, Sakura lifted her eyes to find Itachi meeting her gaze, onyx eyes observing her for a long moment as she took in his appearance.

He looked younger, but older at the same time. His face was gaunt and his skin looked like paper. His hands, which she remembered to be large and warm, looked almost frail, but it was his eyes that drew her attention the most. Instead of the warmth and softness she had gotten used to, there was a hard edge to this Itachi. Though her heart yearned to take a step closer to him, Sakura kept at a safe distance.

"Hokage-sama?" he asked, almost to himself, voice soft. He left out a sound—though whether it was a scoff or simple amusement, Sakura couldn't tell—then lifted his eyes back to hers. "Haruno Sakura," he said by way of greeting.

"Are you my guide or trial?" Sakura asked.

A smile broke out on Itachi's face then, though it looked near foreign on this Itachi, as though it was something unpracticed. "Guide," he answered. "Though I gather I am not what you expected."

"My previous guides were Senju Tobirama and a Hatake Kakashi I don't know," Sakura said. "I don't think any of the guides are who I might expect in a situation like this. Besides..." she eyed him. "You're not real."

"I am as real as anyone else in this realm," Itachi said, sipping from his tea.

"Is that why you're allowed to touch anything but the floor?" Sakura questioned. "Because you don't smell of... death and decay?"

Itachi lifted an eyebrow. "That sounds morbid."

"Fish-man said I smell like that," Sakura said, pointing a thumb in the direction she came from. Another smile came to Itachi's lips as he placed his teacup down and turned to her. For a moment, it was hard to remember this wasn't her Itachi. A blush heated her cheeks at the thought of the Sixth being 'hers'.

"Umibouzu," Itachi said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The Fish-man, it is an Umibouzu," Itachi clarified. "Though they are creatures of the sea, it seems this one is indentured to Karasu-Tengu for reasons unknown to me."

Sakura nodded. "And the shadows?"

"Shadows?"

"The ones in the courtyard?"

Understanding dawned on him. "They are more than shades to me. Possibly because I inhabit this realm together with them and you..."

"Are here temporarily," Sakura said, wanting to find out what had happened to this Itachi for him to have died so early in life. His gaunt appearance suggested an illness—but if he was ill, why didn't Konoha—why didn't she—save him? Was it impossible? Would her Itachi be susceptible to the same illness? Had he been sick and did he win his battle against it? She swallowed at her questions and forced herself to focus. "So they're people of the spiritual realm?"

"Indeed."

"And my trial?"

"The trial of Nirodha," Itachi explained. "The truth to the end of suffering. You have gone through two trials. Do you know what they represented?"

She thought of the Noppera-bou and Kakashi. "Fear... of not being enough, and self-sacrificing to the extent that I'm not being true to myself."

"You have unveiled your suffering—that which holds you back, and combated those with the truth behind them. Now, it is time for you to confront the suffering and understand that which lies in store for you as a Sage. These next two trials are for you to find the path to being a Sage—a natural conduit—and to accept that the person you will become."

"What does that mean?"

"It differs from person to person," Itachi said. "For some, it means they need to let go of their attachment to the living world, or particular people, in order to achieve spiritual awakening. Others simply need to shed that which holds them back. This trial will show you what your requirements are."

Sakura nodded carefully. "And how do I do this?"

Itachi drank the last of his tea and gestured to the center of the room. "Sit."

She sat down and folded her hands in her lap, watching Itachi work. He brought out three smaller shoji screens, but unlike the one near the door, these screens were plain white, devoid of any illustration. He set down the first one in front of her and placed the other two on each side, boxing her in. Finally, he seated himself behind her.

"Close your eyes," Itachi instructed, voice quiet. "I will count down to zero. When I'm done, open your eyes. Your trial will begin."

She peeked at him over her shoulder and gave a curt nod, eyes fluttering shut while she listened to him counting down from ten.

Suddenly, as Itachi's countdown reached six, an overwhelming fear struck her. It snaked up on her, tendrils wrapping around her and around her neck, constricting until she felt like she could not breathe again. 'Wait,' Sakura thought, squeezing her eyes shut. 'To accept the person I will become? What does that mean?'

"Five."

'What will I have to do or become to become a Sage?'

"Four."

'Am I going to be myself when I walk out of this Forest?'

"Three."

'Do I need to let go of my attachments to the world?'

"Two."

'Do I need to let go of people?'

"One."

In a flash, all the people Sakura had ever loved filled her mind—from her kindergarten teacher, to Ino's smiling face as she talked about Cosmos flowers, to Sasuke's rare smile, to Obito's kind words, to Kiba's stupid jokes, to her mother and father who never understood her drive to become stronger and stronger, to Tsunade passed drunk on her desk, to the Sixth holding her hand and telling her he believed in him.

"Zero."

Sakura opened her eyes.

The shoji screen in front of her had changed. An intricate design was forming from a single black point, flowing over the paper like wet ink. It painted the canvas in dark lines, forming three standing children and one that crouched between them. She didn't need the intense splash of color that followed to know that the crouching child was her, and the three others her bullies in youth. Detached children's laughter rose from all around them in a crescendo, raising the hairs on her arms and neck. It vanished just as soon as it appeared, Ami-chan's jeering voice resounding: "Forehead, forehead," Ami laughed. "Always crying. Always such a weak baby. Are you going to run to sensei again?"

"Why am I seeing this?" Sakura whispered. She was proud of the way her voice remained calm, though her insides filled with dread. It was nonsensical at best; she had seen Ami in the village throughout the years. Unlike Sakura, Ami had never made it past genin, and that had been gratification enough for all the years she had made Sakura's world a hell. She scoffed. "My childhood bullies?"

"They have left their mark on you."

Humiliation sat deep in her stomach. "They were just kids."

"That doesn't mean it wasn't a painful experience, Sakura," Itachi reproached. "When a glass breaks, we can often, if not always, trace back the cracks to the first fractures. You cannot advance to the end of suffering without understanding and accepting the beginning."

She turned to him. "Tsukiyama Ami was not the beginning of my suffering."

"Then why are you so hesitant to face her?"

"Because this feels like a pointless effort."

Itachi remained quiet for a long spell. Sakura swallowed at the dryness in her mouth and turned her eyes back to the shoji screen, taking in the likeliness of Ami and her two cronies and the cowering child she was. What had she been thinking? Why wasn't she like Ino and just told Ami off from the start? Why didn't Sakura do anything for years? Why did she let Ino take care of the mess and why didn't she stand up for herself? Why was she so weak?

Unbidden, tears burned as she looked at the painting, gritting her teeth as she admonished her younger self over and over for not taking action.

"This doesn't work like that, Sakura."

"What?"

"You can berate yourself, but you need to accept your actions and inactions and move on." There was a hint of something else in Itachi's voice and as she glanced at him, she found an ironic smile on his lips. "You did the best you could. Sometimes, that is the right decision. Sometimes, it is the wrong one. Now is the time to accept that decision, right or wrong, and forgive yourself."

"But—"

"Those who forgive themselves, and are able to accept their true nature, are the strong ones."

Sakura closed her eyes and turned her face to the ceiling, willing her tears back as she thought back on her earliest memories—how scared and alone she had felt in the world. Back then, there was no Ino, or Hinata, or Tenten. Just Sakura. Not even her parents understood. She passed a hand over her forehead—now perfectly in proportion to the rest of her body—and allowed Ami's taunting to flood over her. She thought of all the insults Ami had hurled at her throughout the years and all the anger and tears. 'She was just a kid. An insecure kid,' Sakura thought, striping away at all the insults. 'She did worse than me on the exams. She always missed her shuriken training. Her bunshin looked horrible. Just an insecure kid picking on an easy target.'

As Sakura released a breath she didn't know she was holding, Ami vanished from the shoji screen. The ink turned from dry to wet, and deliquesce into the black fluid, returning to the singular point in the middle of the shoji screen.

"Well done."

"Was that all?" Sakura asked.

"I'm afraid not," Itachi said, amusement tingeing his voice. As he finished speaking, the dot expanded once more, becoming a vision of a tiny Sasuke denying her advances for the first time. Faintly self-conscious knowing Itachi was behind her, Sakura forced herself to confront the dream she had once had of becoming Sasuke's wife, and let it go.

They worked throughout the night—Itachi praising her with every step she took, from shedding Mebuki's harsh lessons on life to the paralyzing fear she had felt during her encounter with Zabuza. Every encounter left her more and more tired, but also lighter the more she exuviated herself, peeling away the layers of pain and disappointment and sorrow to find the person she was.

The skies outside were showing signs of first light when the shoji screens illustrated her most recent and most painful memory. She knew it was coming and had prepared herself all night for it, but the sight of her illustrated self, arm deep within Kurenai and screaming for her heart to keep beating, took her breath away. Silent sobs wracked her body as she took her lip into her mouth to keep from crying, looking away from the composition, hoping to regain her composure. Behind her, Itachi stirred lightly, and although he was not the man she knew, there was a certain solace in knowing he was there with her.

"I made a mistake."

"People are prone to make mistakes," Itachi said.

Sakura shook her head. "I broke the first rule Tsunade-sama taught me. Scout out the field and take stock of the wounded. The more dire wounds get treated first..." She forced herself to stare at the artwork. "I was so distracted by my childhood friends that I forgot about Kurenai."

"Did you save your friends?"

"Everyone who was alive when I got there, yes."

"Would you have been able to do so if you saved Kurenai?"

Sakura thought about that day in the clearing—Kiba's shocked face, Sasuke's attempts to help her out and Asuma's howl as he found his wife and child. "No," she whispered.

"Sometimes, one is forced to choose between two bad choices," Itachi said. "And sometimes, there are no perfect outcomes. You saved those you could."

It was the most he had said since they had begun the trial, and Sakura could almost taste the pain lurking behind those words. She turned to find him looking at her with the same blank expression, midnight eyes tranquil as his head cocked ever so slightly, before turning his gaze back to the canvas. She did the same and followed every line that portrayed Kurenai's body and the bump in her stomach as she gathered her thoughts.

"Is it strange that I feel like I can't let go?"

"Over time, pain becomes part of us. It grows on us and defines us until it is part of our identity and comfort zone. By letting go and forgiving yourself, you're choosing to not carry that burden of pain with you in the present and the future, but to leave it in the past." He was quiet. "Holding onto pain and living in it is easy. True courage is the willingness to leave it behind, and fill the void it leaves with something else."

"Something else?" Sakura asked.

"The hope for something better."

She nodded and wiped at her tears, taking in a deep breath as she allowed herself to feel all those emotions over again—the fear, the anger at herself and whoever did this to Kurenai and Genrou, the realization she had failed, the all-consuming sadness as she sat at Nakano River, waiting for time to swallow her whole, and then Itachi's comfort.

'Fifty-nine seconds might not have made a difference.'

Sakura wept in silence, fists balled in her skirt, as she said her goodbyes to Kurenai and her unborn child in the past, and stepped into the future.

The ink returned to the single spot where it remained steady for a moment longer, before it flowed into a depiction that was unmistakable to her and filled her with dread even before it was fully formed. Behind her, Itachi let out a sound of surprise.

Itachi had appeared on the shoji. Instead of looking gaunt and younger, he was his healthy self. A smile tugged at his lips. His hair—half hidden by the Hokage hat—lay curled over his shoulder, the robes which she knew to be white and crimson billowing behind him.

"Why?" she asked the screen, heart beating loudly in her chest. "Why?"

"How..." Itachi asked from behind her, voice awash with emotions. Startled, Sakura looked over her shoulder to find him looking at his own likeness, eyes wide as he took in every detail, searching for answers on the black and white shoji screen. "How did he do it?"

"Do what?" Sakura asked, climbing to her feet.

Itachi looked at the portrait as though he saw a ghost—something impossible manifested before his very eyes and he desperately took in every minute detail of the work even as she approached him and sat down in front of him.

"Itachi?"

"How did he stop it?" Itachi whispered.

Out of instinct, she placed her hand on his knee, and Itachi immediately recoiled from her, sliding his leg out of her grasp as he tore his eyes from the portrait.

It was then, and only then, that the warning they had given her resounded in her head just as sound seemed to stop. 'Touch nothing but the floors,' the Tengu had said.

All around her, it seemed like the walls and Itachi himself were pulled away from her, or perhaps she was being teleported to another space—the world turned white, the walls and doors vanished as she landed in the middle of emptiness. She blinked once, searching for Itachi, but finding only emptiness.

After the second blink, the world turned pitch-black.

She blinked against the immense darkness, searching for light anywhere, but found none.

"Haruno Sakura," a voice sounded, startling her. She remained rooted in place, realizing it was the Tengu's. "You broke the rules of my establishment. You touched that which is not of your world. For this, we have taken that which is valuable to you."

"Wait..."

"We will return you to Shikkotsu."

"Wait!"

A second later, Sakura felt herself fall into the grass. She clawed at it and lifted herself up, looking around, only to find that her vision was still pitch black, despite her eyes being open. "No... No, no, no, no!" Sakura whispered, pressing her palms against her eyes—no chakra came forth. "No!" she yelled, scrambling to her feet, frantic to find a source of light, for her eyes to start functioning again, but to no avail. Sakura dropped to her knees, screaming and sobbing as she wished for that which was valuable to be returned to her.

A/N: Well... it's not a trial without difficulties, is it?

And that was trial number 3! Seems Sakura found herself in a little pickle.

Karasu-Tengu (crow-tengu) is a youkai or shinto kami (either interpretion is alright) and in Buddhism origins they're seen as the harbingers of war or disruptive demons. Their image gradually softened, however, into one of protective and even manifestations of buddhist deities, if still dangerous, spirits of the mountains and forests. The Umibouzu as a giant fish is an interpretation from the Mononoke anime series. Little is known of the origin of the Umibouzu but it is a sea-spirit and as such has multiple sightings throughout Japan. Normally, Umibouzu appears to sailors on calm seas which quickly turn tumultuous. It either breaks the ship on emergence or demands a bucket or barrel from the sailors and proceeds to drown them. The only safe way to escape an umibōzu is to give it a bottomless barrel and sail away while it is confused. Which is cool. I have to admit just using it here as a strange gate-keeper and I like imagining scenarios in which an Umibouzu becomes indentured to a Karasu-Tengu (maybe I'll do a side-story about it one day lmao).

nirodha (cessation, ending) of this dukkha can be attained by the renouncement or letting go of this taṇhā (desire, attachment, craving).

A MASSIVE thank you goes out to Swanehilde, who posted an amazing comment about Buddhism on the previous chapter. Seriously, read it. It's amazing.

While my plan was to update bi-weekly, it's been a month since the last update-whoops. I wish I could promise I will be better from now on, but this remains a difficult story to write and time is not on my side right now (country opening up again, work turning hectic like crazy). I'm trying to keep up the bi-weekly updates but I'm super sorry in advance for missing them. 3 But oh boi I can't wait to share the next chapter with you and reveal THE FINAL GUIDE -dundunduuuun-

Lastly, thank you for all your amazing comments, theories and thoughts. I literally teared up reading through all the comments on the last chapter and hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! If you're a silent reader, or you don't know what to say, please feel free to use an emoji to express yourself!

? Thank you

? Loved it

? Loving the Slug Trials

? OMG SAKURA

? Awww Itachi!

? So curious about the final trial!

Chapter 16: Chapter 14

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

— Day One —

"Shit," she exclaimed, as she tripped over what felt a loose branch and plunged headfirst into the muck. Out of instinct, she cleared the mud from her eyes first and blinked, only to find an unrelenting and impermeable darkness to be her constant companion. Resisting the impulse to lie down and cry, Sakura gritted her teeth and pushed herself from the mud to her feet and straightened out.

Feeling vulnerable in the middle of the forest without her sight, Sakura reached out and found a tree. Her fingers traced the bark, shaking with shock as she contemplated her next move. Should she proceed to press on to the center of the wood and try to find her way there even without her sight? Or should she return from where she came, having failed the trial?

'No. The first step is survival. You need to survive. And how do we do that?'

"Obito-sensei taught you to listen," Sakura whispered, comforting herself with the memory of her teacher and his crooked smile. "Kiba taught you to smell. Sasuke taught you to plan ahead. Listen, smell, plan ahead." She let out an amused scoff, despite the tears burning in the corners of her eyes. "Listen, smell, plan," she recited like a mantra, breathing in while taking in all the sounds Shikkotsu Forest offered her.

'Think, Sakura, think,' she thought to herself, focusing on the rustle of leaves. 'Is this what Shikkotsu does when failing a trial? Take away your sight and leave you to wander forever? ... It can't be. Katsuyu would have warned you.'

'Except she did,' Inner Sakura piped up. 'She said the trials would be dangerous and life-altering.'

'I can't be blind.'

'Plenty of people are blind.'

'But not me. I'm a medic.'

'You can't fix everything and everyone with your chakra, Sakura,' Inner said, laughing mockingly. 'You can't even use your chakra here. What are you going to do? Will life back into your eyeballs?'

Sakura clutched at the tree, nails digging into the bark as bile rose in her throat. Her heart thumped in her chest, blood pounding in her ears as she sucked in a breath and exhaled. "I'm getting out of here, and I'll fix this," she swore. "I don't need any food or drink here. I just need to find a way forward or backward." Her chest grew tight as she considered both options—even when she still had her sight, Sakura had found herself lost in Shikkotsu. There was no chance in hell she could find her way back with sheer luck alone.

'Can't wait to see you pull this off,' Inner said.

"Me neither," Sakura sighed, before squashing the dread that threatened to wash over her.

— Day Three —

'How many seconds in eternity?'

Sakura, too busy measuring the size of the root that hindered her way, didn't respond. She ran her fingertips over the bark, seeking an opening at the bottom, or whether it would be better to circle around the tree rather than scale it.

'Sa-ku-ra.'

"What?"

'How many seconds in eternity?'

"There is no way to measure that."

'You think you'll be trapped here for eternity?'

"I will if you don't stop bothering me."

'I wonder if time passes the same here as it does outside,' Inner contemplated, pacing back and forth. 'Do you think Kiba and Sasuke are still alive? Obito-sensei? Maybe Akatsuki got them.'

Sakura pushed down the wave of fear that accompanied Inner's brash questions and refocused on the task at hand. "They're alive."

'Tick-tock.'

— Day Seven —

"I'm tired."

'You've been walking for a while.'

"I don't have to eat or drink while I'm here. It would stand to reason I wouldn't get tired either," Sakura said, seating herself against a tree trunk. She angled her head upward, listening for sounds, but it seemed like the forest's noises had diminished here. The sounds she heard when she just entered Shikkotsu—rustle of leaves, the singing of birds and even the creaking of trees—all vanished. "You think this is more of the Tengu's punishment for failing his trial?"

'Did you?'

"I touched something other than the floor."

'Your trial was to confront those shades on the canvas.'

"What are you saying?"

'You know what I'm saying. You're just working it out now.'

Sakura sat upright, fingering the cloth of her shirt as she went over the events of the third trial, as she had done over and over since the Tengu dropped her somewhere in Shikkotsu and left her blind and lost.

'Touch nothing beside the floor,' the Tengu had said.

'These next two trials are for you to find the path to being a Sage—a natural conduit—and to accept the person you will become,' Itachi had said.

'You touched that which is not of your world,' the Tengu had said.

'How did he stop it?' Itachi had asked.

The image of Itachi—not the gaunt guide, but the strong Kage—came to her, so vivid it felt like it burned her now defunct retinas. "I never confronted him," Sakura whispered to the foliage. "I was too busy with the guide."

'Why would the Sixth be part of your suffering?' Inner questioned.

Her chest tightened. "It differs from person to person," Sakura quoted the guide. "For some, it means they need to let go of their attachment to the living world, or particular people."

Inner guffawed. 'Well, that's just your luck, isn't it?'

"Be quiet."

'Tick-tock, Sakura.'

— Day Twenty —

"How can I let go of someone I never had in the first place?"

'You have him. He's not the kind of person to hold hands with all his shinobi,' Inner said, braiding a strand of hair.

"That he might have feelings for me does not mean I have him."

'You think of him as 'yours',' Inner laughed. 'Your Itachi. It's not like you haven't given it any thought at all. I know you. I live here. I've seen your little fantasies and hopes and dreams and even those flashes of dark-haired, green-eyed children. You haven't changed since Sasuke at all.'

"Enough."

Inner didn't speak again.

— Day Twenty-One —

"If I need to let go of Itachi... Does that mean I'll never be able to care for someone? Is that what he meant when he told me I needed to accept the person I'll become?"

'Maybe.'

— Day Thirty-Seven—

The forest was constantly changing, Sakura realized. She had taken days to familiarize herself with this little stretch of forest, touching the trees and the stones and memorizing the moss and pebbles. Her eidetic memory could serve to create a mental map of the forest which she would fill out the further she explored, but it was all in vain, she understood, as an ancient tree suddenly stood where there was a circle of stones just days earlier.

Desolated, Sakura stood in the thicket, swallowing her tears and misery. "Listen, smell, plan," she soothed herself.

'Little good those advises do in a place where you can't hear or smell anything anymore,' Inner noted. 'Or haven't you noticed your hearing is going too?'

"It's just quiet."

'Or maybe the Tengu is torturing you. Taking you apart piece by piece until nothing remains. What do you think he'll take after your hearing?'

"He's not taking my hearing."

'He is. You're just too afraid to admit it.'

— Day Forty-Five —

There were two realizations when Sakura stepped into the small brook and ended up with a wet foot.

The first was that she was not thirsty and that even as she brought her hand down to the water and drank from it, she did not feel quenched or relieved, despite not having water for weeks.

The second was that she almost hadn't heard the stream. Even as droplets of water slipped from her fingers back into the water, she could scarcely make out the sound. Ignoring the growing feeling of panic and how her chest constricted, Sakura dropped to her knees into the water, and brought her ear to the stream, relishing in the sound of running water.

Then, for the first time since she found herself blinded and lost, Sakura allowed herself to cry.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she cried. The sound of her own sobbing dulled, like someone held a pillow against her ears. She allowed the brook to catch her tears and take them away from her, until no more came, until her throat was sore and she reluctantly dragged herself out of the stream, collapsing on the water's edge into the thick moss.

Unbidden, the moment she had shared with Itachi before she had left came to mind.

How long had it been since she held his hand and felt warm? It felt like it had been an eternity ago that she stepped into Shikkotsu, fresh-faced and ready to face herself and her fears.

"How many seconds?" Sakura whispered.

'Three million eight-hundred eighty-eight thousand,' Inner said. Even Inner seemed weary—gaunt and fatigued as she sat in a corner of Sakura's mind, her finger tapping the floor diligently with each passing second. There was a tiredness to her that Sakura felt in her bones, synchronously dull and throbbing. She rolled onto her back, trimming her useless eyes to where she supposed the sky was.

"What if I didn't fail the trial?" she asked.

'Didn't you?'

"You implied that earlier."

'Did I?'

"I confronted all that held me back or caused sorrow."

'But Itachi also said some need to let go of their attachments to the living world, or particular people. Why else would the Sixth appear at the end?'

"Part of becoming a Sage is to understand the world around you. Understanding the world doesn't come without a firm understanding of who you are and what your place in the world is. Being a Sage is being a conduit for natural energy, but a conduit must be unobstructed," Sakura said, remembering Tobirama's lesson. "The fewer attachments I have, the easier it becomes to become unobstructed." She thought of Orochimaru—were the Snake trials the same as the Slug? Did he have to be unobstructed to become a Sage?

'Your point?'

"Sasuke, Kiba, Obito-sensei, Ino, Tenten, Hinata, my mother and father, Shishou, Shizune-san," Sakura listed. "All people I am close to. Why was Itachi singled out? Why not my team? My parents?"

Inner remained quiet.

"Itachi said... It was time for me to confront the suffering and understand that which lies in store for me as a Sage," Sakura said, bolting upright. "He said the trials would be for me to find the path to being a Sage. Trials. Plural. What is this isn't punishment, but the Fourth Trial?"

'And the Tengu?'

She fell silent. "I—I don't know. Maybe if I can find him again..."

'You won't.'

"I need to try."

'Three million eight-hundred eighty-eight thousand three-hundred and fifty seconds, Sakura. How much longer are you going to keep on?'

"Until I find a way."

— Day Sixty-One —

'You know you can't bargain your way out, right?'

"I'm not bargaining."

'Yes you are. You're doing everything possible short of the logical thing, which is accepting Itachi isn't going to be a part of your life.'

"Sasuke, Kiba, Obito-sensei, Ino, Tenten, Hinata, Mebuki, Kizashi, Shishou, Shizune-san," Sakura replied.

'None of them showed on the canvas.'

"All are more important."

'Are they?'

She thought of Itachi's warm hand, his kind smile and the way he had kept her company at Nakano River after the loss of Kurenai and her baby.

'Fifty-nine seconds might not have made a difference,' he had said.

'Time means all the difference in the world sometimes, Hokage-sama,' she had said.

'I know,' he had answered.

"Yes."

— Day Eighty-Six —

"Was this a mistake?"

'Yes.'

"I'm not going to find a way, am I?"

'No.'

"How many?"

'Seven million four-hundred thirty-thousand four-hundred seconds.'

— Day Ninety-Nine —

"Why did you ask me about the amount of seconds in eternity?"

'I knew we wouldn't escape.'

"I hate you."

'You hate me because I tell you the truth and you're unwilling to accept it.'

— Day ? —

Sakura sat in the middle of a mossy patch and screamed as loud as she could.

No help came.

No sound penetrated her ears.

— Day ? —

'Happy birthday.'

'Which one?'

'You don't want to know.'

'Tell me.'

'If time passes at the same rate in the real world as it does here, congratulations, you're twenty-five.'

Sakura stopped in her tracks, body swaying back and forth as she staved off her fatigue while calculating the days. 'No,' she said, shuffing a foot forward.

'Ready to let go now?'

Something slipped from her lips—a sob or a snort—and she wiped at the tears that would not come as she dragged her foot forward. 'What is there to let go of? This is where it ends. I'm never going to see anyone again.'

— Day ? —

Sakura crawled.

At some point, she had stopped asking Inner how much time had passed. Stopped converting the seconds to minutes and then hours and then days and then weeks and then months and years. She had stopped talking to Inner altogether, knowing that the more she talked to her subconscious, the closer she got to laying down in the moss and never getting up again. She had stopped hoping she would find the Tengu, blind and deaf as she was, her only hope to forge a path forward without end in hopes of one day finding either salvation or obliteration.

And so Sakura crawled.

— Day ? —

She crawled.

— Day ? —

She crawled.

— Day ? —

She crawled.

— Day ? —

'I hate you,' Inner spoke up one day, after what seemed like an eternity of silence. 'You had to reach out and touch him. You already got lost by stepping off the path after being warned, and instead of heeding the Tengu's warning, you touch Itachi?'

She remembered how her guide had looked—wide-eyed and shocked and saddened, even though a hope it seemed he had long lost sparked in his eyes. What had the Sixth stopped that happened to the younger Itachi? His illness? Something else?

'I know,' Sakura simply responded, too tired to even continue berating herself. In a forgotten corner of Shikkotsu Forest, Sakura rolled against a tree and let her weary body rest. 'But I don't regret it.'

'What?' Inner snapped.

Sakura smiled as tears rolled over her cheeks. 'I don't regret it. I could never ignore someone else's pain. That's not who I am.'

'You're going through all this because you patted someone's leg. Not even someone you know. Someone wearing a loved one's face. Was it worth it?' Inner sprang up and paced around her mind. 'All this? Was it worth it?'

She searched her feelings, imagined how it would have played out if she had left Itachi sitting behind her, stupefied and longing for something he would never have, alone even in the afterlife, and realized she would never have been able to confront the Sixth. She could never have turned her back on someone who needed her. If staying true to herself meant she would have to wander this forest for the rest of her life, then that was what she would do. 'Yes.'

Inner seemed to calm down, ceasing her incessant pacing. 'Yes?'

'I don't blame myself for the choice I made. I don't regret it. I know that it was the right one, even if things ended up like this,' Sakura let out a tired, noiseless laugh.

'You told Kakashi you caused your suffering. You did everything to please others first. How is this any different?'

'Because I decided to comfort him. Even knowing the consequences, if you would turn back time, I would try to comfort him a thousand times over. I decided. I am responsible... And I forgive myself.'

With a smile on her face, Sakura continued to sob in her hands as she repeated the words over and over in her mind. Despite the situation and the endlessness of it all, Sakura suddenly felt relief.

A rustle in the grass alerted her to a presence nearby.

Sakura shot up, unseeing eyes attempting to locate the source of the sound—sound!—as she whipped her head back and forth, her ears flooded with the sweet melody produced by singing birds and the nearby splash of a river. "Hello?" she asked, and the pitch of her own raw voice brought on another wave of tears.

"What are you doing in a place like this?" a voice said, closer to her than she expected. Old age roughened the voice, but there was a soothing timbre hidden beneath the surface.

Something within her broke as she heard the man's voice, instantly reaching out for him. He knelt down in front of her and let out a sound of gruff surprise as she wrapped her arms around his neck, thankful for the presence of another being after spending all this time by herself. She cried in his shirt for a long while, not allowing him to disengage until her crying turned to sobs and then quiet hiccups. In return, he patted her head almost uncomfortably. Embarrassed, Sakura released him and wiped at her tears.

"The Tengu left me blinded in Shikkotsu... He took my hearing too, but it just returned," Sakura explained, dazed and delighted by the sudden return of sound after... No, she didn't want to know how long it had been, even as Inner whispered of hundreds of millions of seconds in her ear. "Where am I?"

The old man let out a sound, which may or may not have been amusement. "My arm, it's in front of you. Take it."

She stretched out and came in contact with his arm. His skin was warm, soft and loose, as though it wasn't as attached to the muscle as it used to be. Even so, she could feel he was still strong for his advanced age, muscle flexing as he steadied her with his other arm—which she could feel had been cut off just above his elbow.

"You've entered the inner ring of Shikkotsu Forest. This is Samsara—the final destination for those seeking to become a Slug Sage."

A/N: IT HAS BEEN FOREVER.

I am so sorry.

Life just swallowed me whole somewhere in August and didn't spit me back out until a few weeks ago. The good news is, I'm fine and doing well and I appreciate all your concerned messages and check-ups so, so much. Writing is normally what keeps me sane, but I was simply too busy and not in the headspace to write, especially not Otherworld which takes an extraordinary amount of effort to write.

Some of you guessed it—the Sixth showing in the Third Trial had nothing really to do with Sakura, and everything with rattling her guide. In the end, Sakura had identified and accepted herself as the root of her suffering, now it was time to accept and forgive herself.

Samsara: Buddhists conceive of the world as a suffering-laden cycle of life, death, and rebirth, without beginning or end, known as 'samsara'. The escape from Samsara is 'Nirvana' or 'enlightenment'. Obviously I took some artistic liberties here.

The quote 'How many seconds in eternity' is inspired by the Heaven Sent episode of Doctor Who. Listening to 'The Shepherd's Boy' from the Doctor Who soundtrack is an excellent way to re-read this chapter.