Chapter 32

"At least they are breathing easier now, but they still have a high fever." Sakura says touching Sasuke's face before turning where she sets to look down at Kira. "You... Tried to save him when I couldn't even move. You were even covered in blood and hurt pretty bad. You really are a ninja worthy of his attention.." 'But now it looks like it's up to me for the time being.' She thought as she sets there looking down upon her three comrades. I just wish I knew what to do.'

-"By the way Kira, what's in the bag? You don't usually carry that around." Naruto asks pointing at Kira's travel bag and she gives a small smirk as she runs her thumbs along the straps.-

-"When I heard where we were going to meet next I couldn't shake the need to pack necessities. Like emergency provisions so to speak. Protein, medical, extra tools, etc."- Looking to Kira's bag she had set a short distance away from them Sakura begins to wonder what sort of medical stuff she had in there. "It could be their only chance." She says to herself. Talking herself into looking in Kira's bag as she pulls it onto her lap.

Her fingers pause on the zipper as she wonders briefly if Kira would be mad. "I have to do this there could be something we could use right about now in here." She says before finally unzipping it. Finding a white box with a blue medical cross on the cover of it she pulls it out and sets the bag to the side. Opening it Sakura takes in the sight of all the emergency medical equipment. "What the.." The little box within was filled with pills. Above each pill were the names of what they were. Pain killers, Chakra boosters, Healing, different kinds of antidotes, Fever reducers, etc. The fever reducers would come in handy but with both of them, unconscious Sakura couldn't really think of a way to get them to take the medicine.

Closing the medicine case Sakura pulls out two cooling pads as she sets the emergency kit aside. After removing their headbands she places a cooling pad upon both Sasuke and Kira's foreheads in silence. Please... Let the three of them be alright.

*Kira*

Staring into the darkness I look around at a night that is so black I see nothing around me. As if all that is there is darkness. At first, it had reminded me of when I meditate yet, the feel to it was… not so welcoming. Where is this? I silently ask myself before finally seeing a girl whose long hair cascades around her balled-up form. It looked like she was setting down hugging her knees as tightly as she could. As if she was trying to make herself as small as possible. She was silent and her breathing was light. It was almost as if she was asleep but, I could feel the pain radiating off of her in waves. The very pain I carry around with me every day.

I could feel my heartbreak at the sight before me and was about to go to her to console her before she finally stands. Taller than me she looks down at me, her dark eyes soulless and lifeless as if she has nothing left to live for. She was wearing a light crème colored overshirt left unbuttoned to leave a full view of her red bikini top. Her tight dark jean shorts rode high on her legs so that the hems just barely completely covered what was needed to. This is me. Who I really am. I silently realize as I look up at her. "Mother and Father don't care about me. They leave me alone in that house because they can't stand the sight of me. Light is dead. He shouldn't have died. I should have had enough power to save him. To keep him from being ripped from my arms by time itself. To keep him from leaving me all alone again!"

My eyes widen as I feel the pain beat within my chest, threatening to stop my heart. "He's dead because you weren't strong enough. You were too weak and self-absorbed!" She snapped at me before turning around causing the scene to change. It was the first day I had met Light and I watched as he deviated from the sidewalk. Crossing the grass to where I had been laying.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asks but I was unmoving. He then knelt next to me placing his hands on my shoulder and began to lightly shake me. It was then I seen my hand brush his own away from me causing a brief smile to show on Light's face. He shook me again when I made no further movement and that is when I saw myself stretching. Coming to in the new reality. "Are you alright?"

The scene which should have been pleasant but only served as a reminder as it ignited the pain deep within my soul faded until that day on the balcony of our home. I watched him give a slight shake of his head before finally speaking again. "You have noticed it haven't you? I have aged whereas you still look the same as you did when we first met nearly a decade ago." I felt my eyes widen before against my own will, which screams to be as close as possible to the man in front of me, I step back away from him. Looking down I felt myself shake as I fight not to release tears with the thought of him growing old and dying in front of my eyes. "You can make it possible can't you?" His question breaks through my painful thoughts causing me to shake my head.

"I explained to you once before. I do not have the power to take away your humanity.."

"If only you had the power back then." My older self before me said as she turned back around to look at me. "If only we had more power." It was then the scene changed showing me laying over Light's body, wrinkled and lifeless from age. The screams echoing around me were so full of pain I fought to block them out by covering my ears. But that only made them louder. It was then I realized the screams weren't replaying around me. They were actually coming from me. Tears rolling down my cheek I fall back on my butt just staring at the last day Light and I had before fate stepped in.

"I'm too weak." I mutter to myself when my sobs finally slowed. "Almost a decade has passed and I'm still no closer to my goals."

"If you feel that way, Get stronger! Don't stop until you've accomplished everything you need! Don't stop until Light is by our side for eternity! Do you think Mother will just tell us how? That anyone will just be nice and come forth with that information? That Damen would just unlock this world so we can leave? We need more power!"

"Power, I need more power." I say finally standing and feeling a smile cross my face. "The power to kill those in my way, to do everything necessary. Break the locked doors before me so I can see him again."

"To force mother into revealing the secrets of how to take away Light's humanity. So he will be at our side where he belongs, for all eternity."

*

Forcing my body to stand the pain fading away, that sickening voice still dancing through my head telling me how much power I need. "Sasuke! Kira! You're awake!" I hear a girl's voice say. -who is that?- 'Don't worry about it, she is nothing to me.' Taking a step Sasuke and I look at each other. His eyes are full of hate and anger.

"Sakura.." He says coldly. Wait... She's Sakura... The annoying weak girl on my team. My team, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi. They are important to me. Looking towards all who have gathered I narrow my eyes at them. "Who did this to you?"

"Who was it!" I snap when she hesitates to answer, staring them down my hands clenched into fists.

"Sasuke... Kira... 's happened to you?"

"Don't worry, we're alright." Sasuke answers her as we glance from our hands to each other briefly. "It's only the power flowing through us... In fact, I've never felt better. He gave me this gift."

"And he made me understand what I am." I inform her.

"I am an avenger and to follow my path I must.."

"Have power." I complete for him. "At any price."

"Even if it means being consumed by evil." We glance at each other again, finally realizing how alike we actually are. "Sakura, tell me, which one of these people did this to you?!" He finishes finally looking away and causing me to look forward as well.

"That a be me." The tall dark-haired boy in grey and blue pants with a yellow shirt grins at us.

"Choji! C'mon! get out of there! You don't want to get in the middle of this!" I hear another shout after he had run into the bushes.

"I'm coming!" The fat one yells before running over to him. Standing in front of the two, Sasuke straight ahead from the one who proudly proclaimed he hurt Sakura with me in front of the shorter hunched one. They did it, The boy who is hurt on the ground. Sakura whose face is swollen and beaten. These guys. They pick on the weak when they should just leave them alone! Feeling my anger grow the power running through me builds as I glare at the one covered in wraps like a mummy.

"Dosu! What's wrong? You're not getting cold feet are ya?!" The taller lankier one says as he raises his hands in a hand sign.

"No! Zaku you don't understand!" The mummy guy yells.

"Watch this I'll take care of the whole bunch of them in one fell swoop!" Zaku yells holding his hands out at us. "Supersonic slicing sound wave!" he shouts. In that brief moment, I snatch up Rock Lee seeing Sasuke grab Sakura and Naruto. Together we leap out of the way and set them in safety before we glance at each other with a nod. Running at the one called Dosu as he goes after the one called Zaku who was trying to catch his breath after that attack. "Heh, what do ya know, blew them all away!"

"Not quite." Sasuke says catching Zaku's attention as he slams his arm into Zaku sending him rolling towards Dosu.

"And you." I smirk catching Dosu's attention as my fist connects with the side of his face. Sending him bouncing against the ground. Leaping out of the way of Zaku as I hear Sasuke yell.

"Fire style! Phoenix flower jutsu!" In mid-air, before Dosu even stops bouncing I kick him back in the direction of his friend so he was now right in the line of Sasuke's attack.

"I don't think so! Try this!" Zaku yells as he blows air at the fireballs to protect him and his teammate. "In the flames! Shuriken!"

"Zaku get down!" Dosu yells as Zaku makes sounds of pain from the weapons. Seeing Sasuke running in a blur at him I make my way for Dosu. Kicking Dosu to the ground as I make my way behind him and grabbing a hold of his arms.

"I remember you. You are very proud of the weapon you have on your arm. It emits sound waves to the inner ears to disorient your opponent. Meaning all you have to do is make sure you are fast enough to even get your arm close to them!" Placing my foot against the metal weapon on his arm I smirk as he tries to pull away from me. With one last shove of my foot, I hear the bones cracking as first his shoulder dislocates followed by his metal weapon caving under my foot. Causing him to scream in pain. No, I will not break his arm yet. I want to have some fun.

Turning him loose I smirk at his pain before seeing Sakura hugging Sasuke. My eyes narrow at the sight before me. Walking away from Dosu towards them I feel my hands clench. "Stop, please." She whimpers with tears rolling down her eyes. "Both of you please just stop." Watching as Sasuke's marks recede and him collapsing onto the ground in pain I feel my own anger washing away as I reach him.

"Sas…uke" I whisper feeling the power slipping from me before I too land upon my butt on the ground. Pain radiating through me as I try to catch my breath. Why is it… that when Sasuke... Is hurt... Or in trouble, I can't seem to focus on much of anything else...

"You're both strong! Too strong." Looking towards Dosu as he holds out his earth scroll towards us. "We can't hope to defeat either of you the way you are now." He sets the scroll down on the ground. "We'll strike a deal. I give you this scroll and you let us go." The two next to me utter sounds of surprise as I watch him go over to his teammates. "It seems we underestimated you. But at least we found out what we needed to know. For the moment we are even but if it should ever happen again that we meet in combat I promise you, we won't run nor hide." As he finishes I watch him turn and walk away.

"Wait!" Sakura yells causing Dosu to turn and look at her. "Who is this Orochimaru anyway?! What's he done to my teammates?! Why them?!"

"I don't know all I know is that we were told to target Sasuke and we did. I don't know why he sent us to assassinate someone who he bestowed such powers… I don't even know why he chose the girl as well. Or why they even survived the curse mark. There are many things I don't know." He says before he continues walking away from us. Leaving us all to think of his words…

"Don't worry Sakura, I was an accident." I tell her as I fight to stand back up seeing her look at me I turn my head away from her. "I only got it because I blocked Sasuke from him." I tell her the same thing I only wish was true. To be honest, knowing Orochimaru. He noticed my… perks... And now sees he could possibly get his hands on my… immortality… I ignore her next words as I glance around for my travel bag. Seeing it next to Naruto I pick it up and carry it to the downed Rock Lee as the brunet with twin buns shows up. Reaching into my bag I pull out a small baggie from one of the side pockets. Opening it as I watch her shake him, I hold it under his nose seeing him nearly automatically open his eyes.

"How did you… Do that?" She asks looking at me.

"Smelling salts. A simple way to wake up an unconscious person." I tell her as I put the baggy back in my bag.

"Tenten is that you? What are you doing here?" He asks with only one eye completely open.

"I came to help you out. What do you think?" The girl he called Tenten responds to him moving in front of his now sitting form. As Rock Lee looks from her to me then around him. Standing I put my bag on my shoulders and turn away from the two of them.

"Where are those sound ninja guys?"

"Sasuke and that girl took care of them. Don't worry about it, Lee."

"Really?" He breathes in disbelief. I feel eyes on me a moment, yet I act as if I hadn't noticed and walk over to the others sitting down opposite of Naruto, completing the square. Right before Naruto gets up to bother Lee calling him bushy brow.

"Hey! You better not say anything bad about Lee!" Sakura yells as she sprints over to them and punches Naruto in the face.

"Kira…" I hear Sasuke's voice causing me to look at him. He looks as bad as I feel. Which made me wonder if I looked just as bad or worse? "You are a very formidable opponent." He says before he looks at me. "I'm glad we are on the same team." Giving him a smile I nod.

"Since I have met you Sasuke, you have grown from a snot-nosed punk with potential. To someone, I may even want to fight sometime." He smirks as he looks into my eyes.

"Agreed." He says before he stands. Standing as well we walk over to Sakura and the others standing side by side. With Sasuke on my left.

"Lee, thank you. Because of you, I was able to stand up for myself and I've become a little stronger." I watch as Lee nearly cries making him raise his arm to try and dry them before the tears would actually flow.

"Thank you, Sakura, but I guess my efforts were not good enough." He then looks up at Sasuke. "So Sasuke, you are as good as your reputation. Just what you'd expect from the Uchiha clan. To chase off those ninja you both must be very strong." He looks down at the ground as his thoughts weigh heavily upon him. "Not like me, I just got beaten to a pulp." He pauses as he collects his thoughts then looks up at Sakura again. "Sakura. The lotus of the leaf village blooms twice. When we meet again I will have become a stronger ninja. I promise." Sakura smiles at him with a giggle before Ino calls for her to get her hair fixed. Seriously what exactly happened while I was out?

As I raise my arms to stretch I feel my muscles pulling against my movements. I feel so stiff that it hurts. "Kira…" Sasuke's voice came from beside me. Yet low enough only I could hear.

"Hn?" I give him a quiet grunt acknowledging he had said something.

"We need to talk when we have some time." His tone shown he was serious though I am having a hard time grasping my mind around his reasoning.

"I guess, I'll find out why when we have that talk." I shrug brushing my hair behind me.

Walking away from the others as we get to the river I move out of sight and dig into my bag pulling out my spare top and bottoms. Sakura was working on building a fire. Sasuke and Naruto were going to catch fish. Which means I am able to change out of my torn top that was only clinging to my form from dried blood. Setting my clean outfit on the bag next to my retrieved scroll. My hand brushes against the gift that Aphro wanted me to give Sasuke so I pull them out and set his new weighted arm and leg sleeves next to my clothes. Feeling after I clean up I could finally give them to him.

Looking at my scroll that is still in my hand, I couldn't see a time where I would be able to heat tea or make coffee and then be able to slip away with my cup so I had to do it this way for now. I remove the rest of my clothing to slip into the small cove that was still out of sight of the boys, after first retrieving two blood packets from my storage scroll.

Even though on the outside I was of perfect health I could feel that I was still healing internally. I needed the extra nutrition to not only boost the healing but to also fully recover my physical energy and chakra-type energy. I felt like I needed to be at a full one hundred percent before this day is through. I watch as the flakes of blood slide from my form and drift downstream. The flowing water washing away the dirt, sweat, and blood from the fights the first day. I suck away the contents of each packet. There was no denying it. The cool water felt wonderful on my still sore muscles.

Hearing the snapping of a twig. I waste no time and dive under the water to find a good-sized rock. Sliding the now empty packets underneath before remaining at the bottom for a little longer. Looking up towards the surface to see if I can spot my, intruder. Even as I watched I never seen a shadow or even a figure of who had been coming up behind me. Tilting my head in curiosity I push from the bottom of the small cove and slowly reemerging my head from the water. What I saw however caused my eyes to widen in shock.