a/n: Sorry it took me forever to update this fanfiction... I didn't know what to write... Anyway... This is Chapter eight! How you like it! P.S. I'M NOT PATIENT PROOFREADING!

So far and away, see the bird as it flies by
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky
I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings
In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?
Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind
If I should leave this lonely world behind
Your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we'll carry on
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds--forever and beyond

Chapter Eight: The Chase

"Nani?" I exclaimed. "You're sending kids to a top class mission!"

Was this old lady out of her mind? I know that she's the hokage but didn't she consider that the chounin she sent was just a young teenager. And besides, it was the kid's first mission.

"And let me guess who the kid brought with him," I said sarcastically. "His circus of friends, am I right?"

The female Hokage nodded. "Don't worry. I have faith in those kids."

Sure, faith. I said to myself.

I nodded despite that. "I hope that they will succeed in that mission."

"There's a mission I have for you, Hatake-san." She said.

She explained to me what it was.

"Jiraiya seems to be interested with your apprentice." She said.

"Naruto?" I asked.

"Yes, your uncle seems very enthusiastic in training the boy."

"…" I was silent. I didn't know what to say.

"Oops. I forgot. That perverted shinobi told me you didn't want to call him that…"

"And oh," she followed up. "Your student, Sakura, I want her to become my apprentice…"

With that, I bowed and left the chamber.

I immediately finished the 'important mission' she assigned me. What ever it took, I knew I had to do everything I could to stop the two rivals from meeting each other. I knew that the moment the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan and the son of the fourth Hokage would meet, chaos would occur. One of them indeed would die. I needed to stop their confrontation.

I rushed out the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village hoping to catch up with the inexperienced shinobis. I needed to get to where they were badly. Moreover, I needed to stop Naruto from killing Sasuke and vice versa. I had to stop them. Otherwise, I would lose another person I cared for. I didn't want that thing to happen…again! I swear to myself, NEVER!

"Earth Tracking Fang no Jutsu!" I summoned one of my dogs to track down either of the two boys.

We ran as fast as we could. While running I thought of a lot of things…

It was like when I was a child of three years old. I ran towards home not knowing what it would bring me. Also, when I was thirteen years old, I ran towards Obito-san though I didn't know then the fate. This time I also ran. To where? Will I make it on time? Will I save them, even just one of them? Will Naruto get Sasuke back? I didn't know the answer…

Demo, I would find out and face it no matter how painful the outcome is…because what could I do about it. That's just the way things were…

I felt a huge amount of charka not far from where stood. I have concluded it. They had already brazened out each other. The fight to death had already begun.

I knew I was already too late, but I never lost hope. I kept running and running. This time I knew where to go…

Then it suddenly rained. I panicked because if we didn't hurry to find them the scent would be lost and it would harder to find them…

I rushed into an open area where I felt where the intense charka came out and where the scent came from (of course). But when I got there, I was too late…

Naruto was lying lifelessly on the rocky soil while rain was pouring of his beaten up body. I wasn't able to approach him immediately. It took me a few seconds or so before I could react and run to the boy's worn out body.

"Was I too late?" I asked myself. "Did I let Sensei kid die?"

I checked for pulse. Yes, there was a faint one. Breathing? There was breathing. I was relieved. For a while there…I thought…he died. He just fainted from the overwhelming charka that came out of him. Thank goodness I was still alive. I really wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let that instant happen.

While I was carrying him back to Konoha, I heard his whispers.

"Because I always wondered what it's like having a brother…"

I smiled listening to his others murmurs.

"That's…why…I'll…fight…for…a friend…I will…not…give…you…up…to Orochimaru…ne…Ne...Ve…Verrr…NEVER…"

The blonde hair gennin was crying when he said that. I never told him that he did.

"No matter what it takes…" he continued whispering. "I will stop you from going to Orochimaru…I promised…I promised…Sakura-chan that…"

Yes, no matter what it took. Like what always said to myself, no matter what it takes…

Naruto woke up in the hospital a few days after the incident. Sakura was there. She cried to Naruto and told him that she was sorry.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." He said sadly. "I wasn't able to get your Sasuke back. I'm sorry."

Every one from that mission was in critical condition. The team leader was very depressed. I heard he cried knowing that he failed his mission. But I could blame him. After all he was just a kid…

I looked for Akiko in the village hoping to well…I don't know. Tsunade-sama told me she sent her on a mission. She didn't tell me what the mission was all about nor did she told what class it was…I also didn't know why I was looking for Akiko then…

Then, Hokage Tsunade called me again…

"See, I told you they would fail the mission." I teased her nevertheless I showed her respect.

"I was prepared for this." She said.

"Remember." I reminded her. "We only have three years…"

"I am aware that the clock is ticking." She replied. "We don't have much time…Orochimaru is dying to use Sasuke's body as his own. He would definitely use it as possible."

I nodded and she continued speaking.

"Jiraiya presented himself to train Naruto."

I nodded in approval.

I see. So, Oji-san wanted to train the Uzumaki family line…

"And I" she boasted "will train Sakura to be a medical ninja."

"But, what about me?" I asked. "I don't have any more students to train!"

Tsunade-Oba-san smiled. It was a scary smile. I swear I moved back a centimeter on my seat when she smiled like that. I couldn't make out what she had in mind that time. I was afraid. What if she wanted me to be one of the medical experiments she would dissect? Hey, it could happen!

"I will send you on a mission." She said.

Oh, no! What kind of mission would it be? Accompany Jiraiya-san to the hot springs and look from girls so that she can think clearly in the room. It gave me the shivers. It was highly probable…Or would she ask me to sculpt her face on the mountain face…Or maybe (well, just maybe) she wanted me to go solo to the Hidden Sound village and investigate what's going on in there…or probably she wanted me to travel to a far away to retrieve an object that would save the village…

It could be anything, from looking for a lost cat to sail the unknown seas, or even worse…I would have to teach a bunch of inexperienced rookies in the academy. It was bad enough teaching three ill-behaved gennins. What more if multiplied them by ten? It would be very scary. Hey, I didn't know what the mission was about, so my mind thought of mad things. I also didn't want to know what it was…

When Gondaime said that 'I will send you on a mission', I didn't know what that mission would be all about. I didn't know that I would see her again. I didn't know that I would end up underneath these cherry blossom trees. I didn't know that I would be grasping for my life and recollecting all the things that had happened to me for the past twenty-six years…

a/n: hahaha! another chapter completed! Pls do read and review afterwards! P.S. I'm still thinking of another chapter. This might take awhile! MY SORRY FOR MY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND GRAMMAR!