Started: Thursday, July 07, 2005
Finished: Monday, July 11, 2005
Disclaimer: The characters and names of Naruto characters are own by Kishimoto Masashi-Sensei. The plot belongs to me.
Anime: Naruto
Pairings: Naruto/Sakura/Sasuke friendship, slight SasuSaku
Genre: Angst/Romance
Fiction: One-Shot (Sequel to "Forever Longing.")
Rated: PG-13
Summary: We are all different from one another. We have different lives to live and people we care about. We were all different. But different as we were, we were on the same team. Team 7, that was what we were called. Now look at us. It's funny what fate has in store for us. Standing here, I only had one question running through my mind: Who are . . .
"We?"
'Damn it, Sakura. Where the hell did you go?' The blond thought as he raced around the forest for any signs of his team mate. She had been missing for more than a day now, and they haven't even gone through their mission when the tension had started to arise. He doesn't even know what pisses him off the most: Missing the chance to kick the soon-to-be-sorry-bastard-of-an-ass Sound Nin, or that his female petal haired comrade was missing. Either way, he was missing something and that was the least of his worries. Naruto knew that he had nothing to worry about. Sakura was a smart girl and can take care of herself. She even surpasses Shizune as a medic nin. Surely, she was tough enough to handle herself. He knows she can. Naruto can never forget the numerous bruises he had from Sakura. She was a jack-in-the-box. If you wound her long enough, the prize to see is her brute force on the top of your head. Her unnatural strength scares him sometimes, but it doesn't hinder her from her duties or being who she is. Sakura is still his friend and team mate, and right now, she was missing.
'I better find her soon or 'Baa-san will get to her before I do.' Increasing his speed, Naruto swiftly jumped from branch to branch, searching for his lost team mate. The ground had dissolved of the snow fallen the night when Sakura went missing. Instead, the earth was muddy and the air was humid of the melted ice crystals. The clouds in the sky were like the day before: gray and dark. The rest of the time, Naruto occupied himself to find traces of Sakura. Footprints, torn fabric, or even a snapped twig would help, but it was useless. He had been gone a good two hours searching in the god forsaken forest, and still couldn't find anything. Carefully, he stepped off the branches and head out the forest. The Chuunins and Jounins might be wondering where he went, yeah right. They don't give a damn weather he was gone or not. They had to keep an eye out for themselves. Their life was on the line and many had died already. The only able medic nin was gone and it was either life or death for the remaining shinobis. Death was an option and it was not going to be the first thing they wanted to face. Formed in a circle, the members of the Konoha ninjas waited for the next upcoming attack. No one takes a day off from a war, no one.
Blood. The red crimson liquid trickled down his the corners of his mouth. The figure stood in front of him, chuckling at the site of his pupil. Golden eyes glimmer in the brightness of the full moon. The wind howled fiercely in the surrounding area. Dead branches lay on the ground, wet from the moisture in the air. Blades of grass peaked from the muddy earth and the sound of crickets chirped in the silence of night. Two silhouettes, both male, stood before a crouching figure. A click of metal could be heard as Kabuto pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He smiled arrogantly at the sight of Orochimaru's apprentice. He knew that this was going to happen. Sasuke had let the pink haired kunoichi go, and now he was going to pay for his actions for disobeying his master's order.
"Sasuke-kun, you should know better." Orochimaru said to the Uchiha, who was on the ground. Raven bangs covered his eyes while one hand supported his weight and the other was over his stomach. Kneeling to his student's position, the snake user gripped tightly on his shirt and pulled him closer. He could see the anger in his dark eyes and the shallow breathing from his frowning lips. His pale skin was covered with droplets of sweat from his 'lesson.' Though in pain, Sasuke didn't dare make a sound of agonizing pain that shot from his stomach. It would show that he was weak and he wasn't. He was anything but weak. The scars from the many battles and assassination, prove that. No matter how much it hurts, he will not complain because this was just an obstacle that would lead him closer to his goal. He can only keep in mute as his master stared at him with the golden eyes of amusement.
"Fu fu fu, Why don't we visit Konoha for a little reunion," The corners of his white skin curled into a cruel smirk. Throwing his student aside, the Anaconda Sennin walked into the main house with a room full of missing nins waiting in his command. They were spread all over the place. They were on the walls, standing sideways instead of the crowded floor by using charka on their soles. Others, were on the railings and on the columns, staring at one another like enemies than comrades. Large weapons were tied on the backs of the fellow shinobis, along with chains that dangle loosely from their arms.
"Tonight," Orochimaru smiled widely. "We are going to have a bit of a gathering. Your comrades has been waiting near the borderlines of Konoha." Murmurs of excitement and the thirst to kill echoed as the Orochimaru continued. "In a short while, we will join them."
"Baa-san, I know that you were going to yell at me for this, but I-" Naruto started. A curled up fist slammed onto the hard chestnut surface of the desk. The Jounin jerked back from the force inflicted by the Hokage. Standing right in front of him, Tsunade glared a most kill intent at him.
"I knew you were going to mess up this mission, you brat! All I thought you was to do a simple task-"
"Simple task, it was, but I-"
"Stop using 'but'! I know you were there. Neither less, I already have the situation under control. We can't have nins going around searching for others who are MIA-"
"She's your apprentice!"
"I TOLD you that I have this situation under control! You remember the scroll do you? Let's just hope Sakura still has it." Tsunade reached to one of her draws and pulled out a small monitor with small buttons and grid screen that showed a constant blink of red light.
"This is the tracker of the scroll. It seems it is in motion. You have til midnight to bring her back to Konoha." Throwing the device to Naruto, Tsunade went back to her desk and sat in her chair. The piles of reports that were on the desk yesterday seem had doubled since the day he left and the desk was almost invisible from the massive amounts of unraveled scrolls and opened books. Pieces of paper flooded the floor everywhere. Pencils, brushes and pens sprawl all over the room. How many days had it been since the room had been cleaned? It seem so long ago, when Konoha was in peace and all they had to worry about was the mission they were given and the thought of what they will get for dinner if they came home. It was so simple then. Now, it was like a living hell for them.
Naruto looked on the screen bewilderedly. Then he looked back at the Hokage. He saw her bloodshot amber eyes dart from one page to another as she read quietly on her desk. She could really use a bit of rest right now considering the fact that her appearance was like a zombie, only she was fluid by coffee and not by blood. The youthful limps of the elder blond before him was in a grouchy mood. A very grouchy mood. Down right bitchy, if you dare to say. He could see her yawn for the fifth time in a minute since he came here. At first, he thought that this would be the death of him. It took years off his life knowing that the Hokage would rip his head off for his lost team mate. Turning to leave, Naruto could hear faint sounds of scribbling lead on paper as he closed the door in search of Sakura.
She finally reached the gate and proceeded to walk farther into the village of Konoha. She was finally home. The sky was pitch black, but the lamps lit by the villagers helped her see the path. The wet roads splashed with the sound of liquid as she took each step. The cold air didn't seem to bother her, but she wasn't dry either. Fabrics of clothing clung to her skin even though they fitted her loosely. It was the only thing that was covering her and keeping her from being naked. The shorts weren't exactly a perfect fit either, but she managed to keep them in place. Her feet were killing her and she couldn't wait to return to her home. It seem like months since she had cleaned that place. A wave of panic reached her as she stood in front of her own doorstep. She didn't have the keys to her house.
'God, I must have left them-' She cursed mentally while she tried to find a way to break into her house. Lifting the windows to see if any of them were lock, to her dismay, they were. Again and again, Sakura tried to the doors, then finally, with all her frustration, she kicked open the door. The hinges were barely in tact, but she didn't care about it. Stepping into her home, she closed the almost-demolished-door. After turning on the lights she climbed up the stairs and went straight to her bedroom. Not caring if the dirty water from her sandals dripped onto the wooden floors, Sakura turned on the lights in her bedroom. Her bed was just like she left it. The crisp sheets were still smooth as if no one had slept on it. Turning to bathroom, she stripped herself and went to take a bath. She wanted to wash all the nasty dirt off her body from the journey home. Her feet were all sore from the walking and her charka capacity was almost faint. After setting the clothes in a pile and her weapons on her bed, pouring water can be heard as the petal haired girl sat in the tub, washing all her problems away.
"Now, how does this damn thing work!" Naruto asked no one in particular. The blinking red dot on the tracking device seem to have stopped. Though it was still blinking, the movement was still in the same place it was five minutes ago. Walking around in the direction the digital compass was showing, Naruto could see he was getting closer to his target. He had taken so many turns, it was starting to make him dizzy. You should never trust electronics. They just make things even more complicated. Sighing, the blond could see a solid wall right in front of him, again. This was the seventh time it had happened. Growling at the dead end, Naruto jumped over it, and quickly looked over at the small screen. The clock shown on it said he had a good half an hour till his deadline. "Damn," he cursed to himself. No one every told him how to use a compass. 'Screw it!' With that, he went straight to Sakura house. She was bound to be there, he'd hoped.
Tsunade took a sip from her mug. On the mug, the insignia of Hokage are written into two kanji characters, both marked in red. It was the mug that Shizune gave her on her birthday. On what birthday, you ask? She doesn't even remember. Though she looks like a young woman, people know that the Hokage of Konoha is already past her prime. Dressed in a striped yukata that showed her large breast and her bare arms, the Hokage sat in her chair with her legs crossed. Setting down the drink, Tsunade narrowed her eyes and turned to the window. She could feel the eerie of something wrong prickling her skin. This wasn't the first time she had felt it. She could feel eyes on her, watching her every move as she pace around the room or writing something down. The feeling never seems to stop because she knows something was going to happen.
Standing up, Tsunade walked over to the window. Outside, the moon beamed a full circle. The dark clouds move slowly across the night's sky and little stars twinkle brightly. From the Hokage Tower, she could see the entire village, the village she was devoted to protect with her life. Her grandfather was the first Hokage and the founder of Konoha. She was proud to be the granddaughter of one of the most respected man in history. She is the Godaime and one of the first female to become a Kage. Tsunade can never abandon her village even though she ran away from it. It was her home and she would die to protect it. It is her duty as the Hokage of Konoha.
A cool breeze flow in the room from the crack at which the window was open. Her blond hair, tied into two ponytails brushed her arms from the moving air. Tucking a lock of her bangs that covered her eyes, Tsunade shut the glass panels and continued to work as well as keeping her guard up. Something is going to happen and she had a feeling that it was going to be tonight.
Standing up, Sakura got out of the tub and grabbed a white towel off the rack next to her. Wrapping it around herself, she used her hands to wipe the steam that covered the mirror. Looking at her reflection, Sakura could see the dull color of her eyes. Her wet hair was in a dark hue different from when it was dry. After drying herself, Sakura went to get dressed. The empty house was quiet and the only thing she can hear are the footsteps she was making. Strolling over to her closet, Sakura started to pull out something to wear when a knock interrupted her. With a frown, she quickly wore a robe and tied the knot of the slash as she ran down the stairs. Opening the door, she founded herself staring into cerulean orbs.
"Sakura-Chan! You're alive!" she heard Naruto yell as he gave her a crushing hug.
"Naruto, I can't breathe" Letting Sakura go, the blond rubbed the back of his head grinning broadly knowing that his team mate was safe and sound. Sakura had her hand clutched over her chest trying to clear the airway to her lungs from the embrace. After a few moments, she was breathing just fine when the noise of an explosion shocked her. She could see Naruto looking out the door to witness smoke raising in the air. It came from the Hokage's Tower. Not a second later and another burst of fire crumpled buildings not far from here, followed by more.
"OH, HELL NO! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! Sakua-chan! GO!" Naruto screamed, but the sound of his voice was muffled out by the yells of help from the villagers. More buildings were crashing down one after another, and the streets were crowded with shinobis ready to attack. Without a word, Sakura quickly ran back upstairs to change. Konoha was under attack and she wasn't going to stand there to watch the Sound destroy the village. Rapidly, she put on a fishnet shirt with a strip of black fabric that covered her bloomed breasts. Strapping on her kunai holsters with numerous shurikens on her tight, green shorts, Sakura grabbed the jutsu scrolls on her incase she needed them. After tying her hitai-ate on the usual position on her head, she glanced out her window. The village lit up like fireworks with the sound of explosives that were constantly flashing. This was going to one hell of a battle and she wasn't going to miss out on the action.
When Sakura came down the stairs, Naruto was no where to be found. The door was swung widely opened and the debris from the house nearby were on the streets everywhere. Women and children scrambled out the doors of their homes to avoid getting hurt. The clashing of metal to metal from the fights outside echoed into the night like bells. Something was going to happen and she was going to the source of it. Konoha is under attack and there is no way she is going to let Konoha be destroyed. Exerting charka to her feet, Sakura jumped from rooftop to rooftop straight to the Hokage Tower. It was now or never.
The wall exploded as Tsunade covered herself from the flying bricks coming at her. Dust flew everywhere when she opened her shielded eyes. When it cleared, she could see two figures standing at the newly made entrance. Her brows knitted together when she saw the faces of the traitors, Orochimaru and Kabuto. The Snake Sennin stood there with a wicked smirk on his face. Beside him was his right-hand man, with the same look but with innocence. To hell with innocence. The silver haired brat might have some skills in the medic division, but he was a backstabbing bastard just like Orochimaru. Tsunade could see the cockiness in their eyes, thinking that they are victor because they had corner her. How wrong they are. She might be old, but she's still the Hokage of this village.
"Fu, fu, fu. It's been a long time since we met, Tsunade-hime."
"Not long enough, you bastard."
"Always with the bitchy attitude. You should clean up your act."
"And I am going to take that advice from you? Don't make me laugh."
Flames sparked in the back as far as Tsunade can see. She had to do something, or Konoha was going to be in ruins.
"I did say we needed a reunion, so why not have one here."
"YOU don't BELONG here!"
"I was born here! Now I want to see 'here' die!"
"I won't let you destroy Konoha."
"Oh, I won't be the one destroying it, Tsunade-hime."
"Heh," scoffed the blond. "You're gonna let one of your lap dogs do it?"
"Hokage-sama!"
Bursting through the doors was no other than Shizune. Tsunade's assistant ran beside her master, eying warily at the 'company.' The pair stood facing each other and no one dare spoke. The corners of his mouth turned into a cruel smile as he eyed the setting before him. This was a familiar setting to them. It had happened before. He could remember the smashed wall of the Kikyou castle, brought down by Tsunade. Now it was different. They were at no castle and this was not a proposition. The only thing there is to discuss is to destroy Konoha or no to. Thinking about this village makes him angry even more. He became the best of the best, and what did the people do for him? They did absolutely nothing. He was a genius, yet everyone was afraid of him. The people of Konoha are such cowards. They speak of peace and treaties, but all that would do is add more to the matter of wars. War, the power struggle that man can die from. It is certain death if you enter a battlefield. And right now, there was no where to escape to. This will be the final battle. It's winner take all, and all is the destruction of Konohagakure.
Pumping her legs up the roofs, Sakura avoided the fires set by the Sound Nins. The rush of blood flow in her veins as she eagerly reaches the tower. Surprisingly, there was no one there to guard it. ANBU teams, who are usually there, were all over the village, fighting off the intruders near the gates. A light rainfall came down, taming the wild fires set off from the bombs. The villagers fought off some of the missing nins with everything they can. Brooms, mops, and even rotten fruit and vegetables are used to fend off them. This was the fight of their life. The shinobis of Konoha used many water Ninjutsus to stop the spread of the huge flames. Others are using genjutsu to confuse them. The whole Hyuuga clan seems to be the ones who are taking down the troops of Sound nins. One by one, they fall down with the Hyuuga taking the victory. Blood spilled on the roads everywhere with the corpses of the fallen ones laying a few feet from one another. The whole village was in the fight. At every corner and every alley was a fight between two shinobis from each side of the country. While the Konoha nins fought with Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and blood limits, the Sounds fought back with Kinjutsu, compliments of Orochimaru.
The doors of the Tower were opened, welcoming her as she stopped one in front of them. Warily, Sakura eyed the entrance for any signs of a trap. The huge brown frames had nothing on them. Proceeding in, she pulled out her kunai just in case she needed it. You can't be too careful when you're fighting off enemies. Yet, you should. The Sound Nins are murderous shinobis who ran away from their own village in search for power. Orochimaru have sought out those who have unique blood lines and are worthy to be part of his duplicitous, sick, twisted plans to be the most powerful being. Once he used them, he would then throw them away like trash. There is no escape once you are apart of the Sound. No one would accept you back. You are considered a traitor if you were stupid enough to think that Orochimaru would help you. It was a fools' dream. A fool who was desperate to be a lap dog for a bastard.
Her blood ran cold when she felt a smooth sharp blade at the back of her neck. Standing still, she could feel someone breathing down her neck. A chill went up her spine, making her shiver slightly.
"Scared, are we now?"
'That voice!' Sakura thought. Turning around quickly, she could see onyx eyes staring at her. She suckedin her breath and she held it, not daring to move. Silence overtook them while the ceiling lights above buzzed and flicker in the hall. Long strands of black hair covered part of his face, but Sakura could see the smirk. It made her even angrier. She wanted to wipe that arrogant smirk off that bastard's face and the look he was giving her. Without a thought, Sakura ran up to him and gave him a swift kick across his face, but he blocked it. She swung her kunai at him and took out shurikens from her pouch to toss at him. Holding four of them between her fingers, Sakura let them loose, aiming at the figure. The clinking of metal hit the floor, leaving him un harm. The look of irritation on her face deepen as she heard them fall. Knowing him, she knew she can't beat him with Ninjutsus and Genjutsus. She took her stance. Taijutsu, it was something he can't copy with his blood limit.
"Are you done yet?" he inquired. The hardness in his eyes were even colder as he looked at the kunoichi. Taking a step towards her, he stood right in front of the female Chunnin, letting the tips of her fingers brush his chest lightly. In blink of an eye, Sakura found herself standing next to him. Her wrist was now in his hands as he pulled her closer. His raven hair brushed her cheeks while his forehead rests against hers. Sakura couldn't stand it, and looked away. On the wall, she could see their silhouettes close together. Jerking back her hands, she found it was useless. The grip he had on her was impossible to wretch from. Holding both of her wrists in one hand, he used the other to pull her chin to face him. This time, he didn't smell of alcohol. It was his own scent. It was the scent on the clothes she wore for hours while the walked to Konoha. Brushing her pink locks from her face, he caressed the side of her silky face, making her turn away.
"Let me go." The words came out slowly. "Let me go, Sasuke. You have no right to touch me."
"You smell like cherry blossoms," he said as he pulled her closer and buried his face on the nape of her neck. Sakura let out a gasp at the contact andtriedto get away from him.
"Let her go, you bastard!" Tilting his head over his right shoulder, Sasuke saw the loud mouth. In his Jounin vest, Naruto had out a kunai in one hand, the other pointing directly at the Uchiha. "Sorry, I shouldn't have came sooner, Sakura-chan," he said in a serious tone. Green eyes meet his blue ones, giving him a nod that it was alright. Sasuke's grip loosen a little, but he wrapped his arm around Sakura's waist.
"So, we meet again, Sasuke." He didn't say anything, but closed his eyes. When he opened them, there were red with three swirls in a clockwise direction. Sakura could feel the beating of his heart go faster. He was getting excited. Her gaze turned to him and at Naruto. They were planning to fight.
"Is this what you want, Sasuke?" He looked down at her, still not letting her go. "Is this how you want to live your life of bitterness and regret? Look at us," her voice rose. Eyes of ruby and sapphires darted to each other and back at her emerald ones. "Is this what we are going to resort to? Friends killing friends? We used to be friends. We used to be on the same team! I can still remember the day we were assigned as Team 7." A smile tugged the corners of her mouth.
"I was so happy to have you on my team, thinking that Naruto would just be a burden. But it was I, who became that burden." Tears poured out her orbs as she continued. "I was the weak girl who did nothing, but watch you two train and accomplish new things. It was you two who gain strength while I was the one in the back, always watching you two." Her fingers brushed lightly on the salty liquid that came down her face.
"I was foolish enough to think that maybe one day we might be a team. A real team, where everyone pulled their own weights. We could have been something. Something more than THIS! Just LOOK at us! Standing here, I only had one question running through my mind: Who are we? WHO THE HELL ARE WE!" She shouted, her loud voice echoed in the halls.
"Is fate so CRUEL that they would answer my prayers and bring us together and have us FIGHT with our LIVES! What is the POINT of living if you are just destined to kill the people you LOVE! HOW is it possible to live the life you have now, knowing that one day, you will have the blood of your loves ones running down YOUR hands! ANSWER ME!" Unable to hold it any longer, fresh tears cascaded down her porcelain skin. With her hands clutching together in a fist, she wept. "ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!"
His yellow bangs covered his eyes as well as the expression they held. "Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly. "I know who we are. We are the apprentices of the Legendary Senins, the three team mates that became friends. We are the ones who pulled together when the going gets tough. We are the three pupils of Kakashi's team. We are the-"
"Enough!" roared the Uchiha, flinging Sakura in Naruto's direction. Sakura stumbled into Nauto's arms, trying to balance herself as she steadied on the wall next to them. "You two are a joke. Friends? Who needs friendship? Where will that get you in life?" he seethed. "You two speak as if we being friends meant something to you. The only reason I allowed myself to be called your 'friend' is because of self-gain, but there is nothing worth gaining for friends. Nothing at all."
A loud smack echoed into the air as the room became silent again. When Sakura's vision came clear, she could see Sasuke on the ground with Naruto standing over him.
"Is THIS all a JOKE to you, you bastard! Do you think that life is some kind of a game!" The Uzumaki yelled. Sasuke was silent. The limped body warily shook as he tried to stand to regain his posture. With his right hand, he wiped the blood from his lips.
"The Trails of Friendship," the female spoke. The two males looked at her. Her pink bangs hid the sad look in her green orbs. "There are ups and downs in life, but one thing's for sure, it is what we have at the end that counts. Look at us," said Sakura, looking up at them. "We came this far, training under the Legendary Sennins. It is true that we came together through thick and thin. The missions we had together were tough, but we pulled it through. Do you guys remember the first time we were on a mission to the Wave Country? We didn't know what to expect, but we survived it, even though we were fighting against someone who was stronger than us. Do you guys remember what we learned during that mission?" she questioned, but had no response. Sakura continued for them.
"We all figured out that we had different nindos. We didn't want to be used as tools and to die without a cause. It was not the right thing to do, devoting yourself as a thing and not a living being. But now look at us. We are standing here wanting to kill each other when we know it's not right. Is this what we have to resort to? The Trails of Friendship," she repeated. "We may have our differences, but we should all know what is right from wrong." Her hand formed a fist as she held it to her heart. "We all know that this is wrong. Sasuke, Naruto, you two know this is wrong, don't you?"
The blond stared at her. His messy hair was wet from the rain. The clothing on him was all soaked down to the shirt under his vest. Naruto could remember the time he fought Haku. That guy, he had a dream, but he was willing to die to fulfil his dream. He threw his life away protecting the one he loved. It was the first time Naruto witnessed death. Red crimson fluid was everywhere as it poured down Haku's face. The look on him was unforgettable. He smiled. He still smiled even though he was on the brink of death. Even with the hand through his heart, Haku managed to stand there without the thought of what might happen to him. It was his dream to protect that one precious person in his life, and he did it without hesitation. That was his nindo.
Naruto had his own nindo. He shared the dream to protect the precious people in his life just like Haku. He would never let harm come to the people he loved. Even though he was despised by the villagers, there were some people who became his friends. People who acknowledge him for whom he was and not what 'he' did. After living in what felt like a lifetime of isolation, Naruto soon learned how it feels to be loved by someone. It is a feeling that will let your heart feel light and your mind all happy. It was the greatest feeling in the world. The feeling in his heart grow as he experienced friendship. It was always something he felt even if he is away from them. It never left him the next day, or the day after that. It still remained in his heart, up to the last second of his life.
Sasuke saw the look in her eye. The look that made him feel of regret. She was one of the precious people he had hope to protect. She was his friend that stood beside him when he collapsed and down for the count. He could remember their first mission together. The day they fought Haku, the day that he almost died. She cried for him as he laid down with needles piercing through his body. Looking back, he could see the three of them together, enjoying themselves on the picnic his former Sensei dragged him to. They all ate and chatted happily on the warm day, joking around occasionally. That was the first time he felt like they have bonded and that memory was still in his mind.
The pink haired medic nin stared at the two figures in front of her. They didn't move, nor speak. They didn't do anything. Though they have gown up, those two meant the world to her. She could never hurt them or bring herself to it. They were her team mates, her friends. Her real friends. They don't make fun of her for having a 'wide forehead' or ignored her like some stranger. They would always do things together. They would train together and sometimes eat together. She could still remember the time when they were in the Chunnin exams. The three of them acted like a real team, protecting one another from enemies and most importantly, they protected her. They were her saviors. No matter what the situation is, they would come to her rescue. With that in mind, she vowed that she will be the one watching over them, because to her, they were the precious people in her life.
"You are annoying." The girl stiffened and looked at the Uchiha. The look on his face was stern just like the look he had in teenager years. Naruto, who was standing next to him, let out a small laugh. The solemn look on his face easied up into a fake expression.
"Shut up, Sasuke-teme," he said, just like when they were little kids.
Sakura's eyes started to water despite the wide smile on her face. "Don't tell Sasuke-kun to 'shut up,' you Baka," she said jokingly.
The three stood facing each other, all with the looks of amusement in their face. There was no intent to kill, no urge to rip out anyone's guts. The feeling was mutual, just like it was in the past. Team 7 was united again, but as time passes, this little memory will be engraved in the threesome's mind. For a brief moment, they all can pretend that they were on the same team. The same team of Genins who were once friends. The same Genins who went on missions together and fought together. In this empty space of time, these three can reflect back the memories that they had shared. They can pretend for one second that they cared for each other and answer the universal question of all of time. Who exactly are they? There is only one answer to that question. A single question could only have one answer, but you should always look underneath the underneath. Who exactly are they? For the time being, in this second of this hour, of this day and year, they are Team 7. They will always be the members of Team 7 because that is who they are. And we can't change that, can we?
A/N: There you are, the sequel to "Forever Longing." I'll like to thank those who reiviewed the'FL' :
dark-griffen
The Gandhara
December Jewel
Yes, I know I didn't finish the war between the Sound and Konoha. I just want to bring 'Team 7' together for the last time and that was the point of this one-shot. It was short, but I guess that is fine. Please excuse my spelling and grammar mistakes. Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Give me any thoughts you might have about my writing. I don't mind concrete criticism just as long it is in an intelligent manner.
Vocab:
Genjutsu: Illusion technique
Kinjutsu: Forbidden technique
Notes: "A ninja must be able to read what's underneath the underneath." -Hatake Kakashi
The title of this story is based on the song "We" by BoA.
Thank you for reading!