A/N:..you know, I think the setback with this story is the fact that I write it chapter by chapter, meaning I don't have this huge plan for how each chapter is going to go or how the whole story is going to end, at all. So I honestly don't know how long this story is gonna be, and what I'm typically shooting for for a finale. And so I have to think through each chapter on what I should put, making sure it doesn't screw up anything for the future events, and all this and that, I just write as I go along, and gah. It's insane, and I think that's why I have the tendency to take a hella long time with each chapter, call it writer's block, but I just have a hard time deciding what I want to do for each chapter, and finding the motivation to write it the best way I can, details everywhere. And so I take long breaks thinking that when I come back to this story that all will be well, well..doesn't happen.
Disclaimer: If I owned the Naruto series, I'd be tied down the the new chapter of manga a week thing, aand I wouldn't have a life because I don't have things and future events organized.
Warnings: Like always I never put a song into any of my chapters that can't be found in youtube. So, I have a song later in the chapter, that I of course motion for you to play at the specific time in parenthesis, from the Naruto Shippuden OST. It's the first song for the OST, labeled 01, so if you type 'Naruto Shippuden OST 1' or any form of the sort into youtube, it should be one of the first choices. Hopefully for those of you who like to listen to music to improve teh quality of the reading experience hope it works out!
Behind The Smile
Chapter 39: Reason for the Future
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A world of darkness, the deafening resonance of the complete absence of sound its only happening. In its complete form it was like this, and for quite some time it was; no thoughts, no dreams, no feelings, no sensations - only the absence of color in the dark, black world of unconsciousness.
A heart beat. Cessation to a continuous rhythm of thumping. Slow, calm.
A second heart beat, separate from the former source. Cessation to a continuous rhythm of thumping. Faster, stressed.
A sudden intake of breath.
A slow, ragged exhale.
A brief moment of bated silence ensued after the unexpected interruption; which sounded yet again in the uncannily same, paralleled tenor as before. It continued now without hesitance, drowning out all other sound.
Warmth, in the otherwise cold state of unawareness.
Light.
This was the final anomaly to disrupt the indifferent, thoughtlessness, whist haven of darkness.
Emerald orbs slowly fluttered opened, eyelashes acting as a small protection from the immense light that instantly invaded them. Eyelids retreated further back, a blurry view casting sight to incoherent figures as they remained stationary in their positions; as well as the blurred image of something immensely large, darkly black.
Emerald orbs were sheltered once again as her eyes closed, darkness consuming her sight for a small moment of time before receding as they opened once again.
Sight was once again caught on the same image, however this time at a less blurred caliber than before; the heavy background noise of heavy breathing continued as her gaze transitioned away from the sight ahead.
A slow-timed blink closed her eyes yet again, reopening to gaze upon the strong, defined arms surrounding her. Her gaze continued to ascend upwards along the path the well sculpted arms provided, continuing past the toned chest slightly protruding through the black material clothing it, finally halting her eyes rested on a blurry face.
Her eyes closed one last final time before reopening; sight was almost impeccably clear as her emerald eyes followed more closely the chiseled face that bore foundation to dark obsidian orbs.
And the two pairs of eyes clashed.
"Sakura." He said this calmly in greeting. His eyes had already transitioned away from her to look on at something intensely. "Are you hurt?"
"I-I'm fine." She murmured as she let her clear sight follow his averted gaze to meet Orochimaru..and a wound-free Kabuto next to him. Her head had slightly tilted up in surprise before something a distance away from the two caught her attention; the immensely large, cat-like body resting motionless a few spans ahead of them; its size doubled the height of any of their buildings, even on its side. Her wary eyes widened as they looked on in silent confusion for a long while.
From its horizontal position she could not see all of it, just as she could not imagine who would have been able to take it down.
She slightly swallowed before letting her silent gaze transition around more, observing the destruction all around her – the destroyed buildings, broken up streets, the black staining the remnants of what had been alit in flame . There was a low level of water blanketing the streets that was not able to be absorbed by the already oversaturated ground and cracks. It was in her observatory that she found Naruto; only half of his body faced them as he was completely focused on Orochimaru and Kabuto- his cerulean eyes were burning with an intense anger, yet his facial expression was calm even in its sternness; although the continuous twitching of the corner of his mouth hinted to him trying to contain a disgusted snarl.
Opposite from him on the other side of the battle-ravaged street stood Itachi. It was discernable even from the large distance that separated them that he was focused on Orochimaru as well. Her head slightly lifted up in surprise as she recognized him; she would have never expected to see him here, and it only made her more eager for information as to what was going on. How long a span of events she had missed.
"I can stand." She softly addressed Sasuke, her eyes still on Itachi as she brought a hand up to grasp the fabric of shirt on his chest, placing her other hand against his shoulder for added support as she tried to raise her upper body.
It was then that her emerald gaze removed themselves from Itachi and snapped to the side of Sasuke's face; she noticed his jaw clench on queue to the pressure she applied against his shoulder, signifying it caused him pain. Even so, no sound escaped his clenched jaw - his strong body stood firm, acting as a solid support for her, he did not flinch. Whether he noticed that she noticed, he did not show, his gaze continuing to focus intensely on Orochimaru.
She released the pressure immediately, moving her other arm to instead, reach around his back in a sort of hug, her other hand remaining lightly on his chest; she purposefully grasped the upper area around his ribs as opposed to his lower side, well aware of the wound that still found itself there.
In reaction to both her words and way of movement, he carefully released her legs from his hold, leaving one arm to continue its hold around her waist, allowing her feet to touch the ground lightly. It was then that he released her in accordance to the small space she moved to put between them, to balance herself on her own.
The moment she began to support her own weight, however, a wave of dizziness passed over the Kunoichi, and pain stunned her. Though subtle, her slight waver of a stumble caused Sasuke's gaze to briefly transition towards her, signifying he kept himself very aware of her state and movements, even in his averted attention; His arm immediately but casually replaced itself around her waist, drawing her near him once again.
"I'm sorry." She mumbled apologetically as she leaned her body into him as he voicelessly offered to support most of her weight. Even with the small amount of weight she was supporting the pain started to escalate, the numbing her unconsciousness gave her was beginning to fade away. She couldn't help but let out a small ushered hiss of pain, however barely audible.
"You're hurt." He did not glance at her, his gaze continued to remain fixated on Orochimaru, but the tone to his voice was uncannily soft, affectionate, even in its flatness. Also slightly accusing, implying to the lie she had told moment ago that she was fine. There was an underlying tone as well, a sort of irritation with her condition.
"Not as bad as you are." Her tone was almost haughty in its softness; there was also worry laced with her slight reprimand , signified by the squinting of her emerald orbs with overwhelming emotion as she looked up to his occupied gaze – as she brought an arm around him for more support and in affection. Sasuke said nothing, only leaned her into him more, reducing even more the weight she had to support. She knew it must have hurt him, but he didn't show that it did.
Their close proximity in her conscious state was what brought her attention to his breathing, déjà vu. His ragged, shaky, slow intakes of breath, his inhales pushing his rib cage against her with each repetition. The feel of his rapid heartbeat . She could clearly see the perspiration dotting his forehead in beads, the taught lines etched in his calm face.
"Its nice to see you're well, Sakura." Orochimaru's sadistic greeting sounded their ears, and it only made Sasuke pull her closer as he continued to eye them. "You've missed quite an amount of events. Would you like me to fill you in?"
Sakura said nothing as her wary eyes transitioned to gaze at Orochimaru. As her view of Orochimaru also allowed sight of both Naruto and Itachi, she glanced to them as they had followed Orochimaru's gaze to her, very swiftly, almost in surprise. She could see no visible reaction from Itachi, but Naruto had fully turned towards her, his eyes slightly wide with surprise, evident was the relief.
Her eyes traveled to look back at Sasuke. The brief current of wind that had passed through ruffled Sasuke's clothing, briefly allowing sight to the clenched fist at his side, the one he hadn't moved since he released her from the bridal style hold. It was then that she caught sight of something black detailing his hand. As if he noticed where her eyes lay, his hand buried further into him, and completely out of sight, even as his clothing continued to ruffle.
She flashed back to the brief image of his hand. The black markings decaling it…
They weren't from the curse seal.
Her eyes slightly squinted in speculation as they alertly shot to look up to his face. Her mouth had opened to say something, but she wasn't given the chance.
"Sakura-chan." Her head turned in surprise to their left side as Naruto's worried voice sounded with his appearance next to them – his speed was incredible. She glanced to Naruto before returning her gaze to Sasuke's hand, which had immediately buried itself even more out of sight. Her suspicious and wary eyes traveled to look up at him once again, his gaze still focused on Orochimaru.
She looked back to Naruto who had glanced to Sasuke, almost speculatively, almost warily, yet calmly, before he refocused his gaze on Sakura. "Are you alright?"
"I'm ok."
"Sakura go with him." Her surprised emerald eyes shot back to Sasuke, who did not return her gaze. He started to release her; she said nothing, her eyes slightly wide in a sort of panic as it seemed she would resist.
"Now wait just a minute, Sasuke-kun." Where Sasuke had been removing Sakura from his side as he urged her to Naruto, he brought her closer again, and Naruto slightly stepped in front of them as Orochimaru and Kabuto appeared a few yards away from them.
"Don't you want to hear another story, Sakura? You missed quite a …beast of things while you were incapacitated. I'm sure you have many questions."
Her wary emerald gaze transitioned to Orochimaru as she placed her hand lightly on Sasuke's chest once again.
Orochimaru and Kabuto were only a few yards away from them, but the tall roof of a building they stoop upon lengthened that distance in a way, and that left the shinobi on the ground to look at a slightly upwards angle towards them.
Sakura looked to Itachi as he appeared next to them, the opposite side from Naruto. She met his gaze as he briefly glanced to her, his silent eyes flashing in a sort of greeting before he returned his gaze to Orochimaru. It seemed he wasn't in the mood to speak.
"Don't waste words." Sasuke flatly addressed Orochimaru, his gaze emotionless, yet stern, serious.
Orochimaru's eyes slightly narrowed before reaching to his waist-line, his fingers resting on one of the remaining scrolls, in a reassurance type of way. "Why Sasuke, I thought you would have liked a bit more time for rest, you must be under quite an amount of strain, exhaustion." All eyes traveled to Sasuke, but he said nothing. "Can you handle taking another biju down? What about after that?"
He..took that down? By himself?
Sakura's surprised emerald eyes glanced to Sasuke, then to the lifeless, black body of the Nekomata before returning to Orochimaru.
Itachi's head was slightly tilted up as his Sharingan eyes glanced once again in the direction of Sasuke's hidden hand. His gaze slowly transitioned away before he very briefly closed his eyes, almost as if a feeling of disappointment, perhaps something greater was seething in his gut. His re-opened gaze had fixated back to Orochimaru.
"Enough." Was all he said.
--
"They just keep on coming." Temari let out a small grunt as she spun with her overly-sized fan, the burst of wind spiraled in a straight line, taking out any shinobi on its path.
"They more than triple our numbers." Kankuro's aggravated voice sounded as he used a kunai to efficiently swipe at the neck of an oncoming Sound ninja.
With their small army of Sound shinobi, they were completely surrounded on all sides, the Sound stretching as far as the eye could see.
Gaara's calm gaze looked on at the endless lengths of the shinobi continuing to move towards them, no second transpired after one fell that he was replaced. "Let me fix that." His emotionless voice sounded more to himself, though his siblings glanced to him as he effortlessly jumped onto a building behind them.
--
Orochimaru's chin slightly tilted up and to the side as he eyed Itachi warily. All amusement relieved from his facial expression.
No moment transpired before the clashing of two kunai echoed throughout the area. Orochimaru jumped back onto another rooftop as Kabuto met Itachi head on – the former Akatsuki member had swiftly appeared before them. The snake sannin didn't waste a single moment before throwing out a scroll, holding on to one end as its lengths unfolded.
Both Itachi and Kabuto jumped away from each other, Kabuto placing himself next to Orochimaru and Itachi descending the long way down from the large rooftop they had been upon. Smoke had immediately flared out in its torrents of clouds, diffusing into all the surrounding area once again. The wind currents were fierce, moving much debris and dirt out with its lengths as it continued to engulf the abandoned part of the Konoha village.
Sasuke swiftly pulled Sakura into him, turning around so that his back was facing the oncoming winds of smoke and debris - Sakura was nestled into his chest and shielded by his body as the wind threatened to push them away; their clothing and locks of hair were flowing madly in the direction the wind forced – and it's currents were so strong that it started to slightly scoot them along the destroyed ground; Sasuke dug his feet into the ground to hold them stationary. Even in his turned position, Sasuke continued to look on over his shoulder, the piercing sound echoing as his Sharingan activated once more.
Naruto put an arm up to shield his face as he slightly bent his knees in opposition to the force of the wind and in attempt to put more weight to the ground before him; he continued to look onwards towards the rushing currents of smoke and debris.
Itachi's hair and cloak thrashed about wildly, though he did not move an inch, his deep Sharingan eyes squinting on in the direction of the currents of smoke and debris; it wasn't long before they transitioned upwards, to look at something as the winds started to subside, as the heavy sounds of rocks and debris falling started to sound the area, the crushing of buildings sounding even louder.
Naruto lowered his arm, and Sasuke looked over his shoulder before standing tall and slightly turning his body, Sakura still against his chest, to face the area in which the large currents of wind had once found their source; all eyes were fixated at an upwards angle as Itachi's was.
The long, high-pitched shriek had sounded long before the vast amounts of smoke had subsided.
--
The intense fighting had paused once again as the second cessation of large tremors and earthquakes rumbled the earth underneath them; all eyes turned to the source, waiting in slight anticipation and worry as the smokes dissipated.
It was the familiar sound of the piercing shriek that accompanied the tremors that turned Gaara's head towards the dissipating smoke a very far distance away – his calm demeanor supporting speculation, slight surprise.
Without a second glance he disappeared from his location.
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The smoke hadn't even completely dissipated before they had to part, performing various dodge maneuvers to avoid the large appendage-like mass that had shot towards them, retracting as it hit no target. Leaving no moment after, they executed a few jumps backwards to distance themselves, however the attacks did not cease.
They all continued to distance themselves in reign of the continuous attacks. The large, fat appendages that would appear through the dissipating smoke relentless and powerful, as well as unpredictable with their swiftness.
Naruto brought out a kunai, slicing at one as he barely maneuvered his lower body to avoid its reach. As soon as it had retracted another took its place. He clicked his tongue in frustration as he was forced to continue jumping backwards in retreat.
Itachi who was moving in same length as Naruto and only a few feet distance away had done the same thing, but as well to no avail.
A lone, single outstretched appendage was shooting for Sasuke and Sakura; Sasuke immediately swung Sakura into bridal position and jumped back to narrowly avoid a swipe. He continued jumping back as the same appendage returned, following them in an ambitious pursuit, bending and curving in parallel to Sasuke's movement; he had sliced at it, only for more appendages to sprout around his point of impact.
"Sasuke!" Sakura hollared in warning as a second appendage came from their right, busting through the surrounding buildings.
Sasuke made no sound, his demeanor calm as he abandoned attacking the former appendage and jumped back, now dodging four appendages. He could do nothing without endangering Sakura , and so he was forced to continue jumping back , stern eyes focused on what was following.
Flashback
His sandals briefly tapped the next tree branch as he catapulted to another nearby tree – the tree he had been at moments before splintered and crashed to the earth as a large, disfigured appendage swung at it in narrow miss of him. He stayed at the new tree, back up against the wide trunk, Sharingan eyes stern and serious and he alerted his senses to the source of his retreat.
"Come out wherever you are!" Gaara's crazed voice amusingly, hungrily called out to him from his deformed state. Half of his body was of his normal attire and state, however the other half deformed, animal-like in it's sandy color and decrepit markings. The deformed half of his face led foundation to the large black eye, sole pupil detailed with the markings of a unique star, hungry in its freakiness.
Sasuke was forced to jump from his hiding place as another appendage shot out, completely annihilating the large tree from which he was hiding.
End Flashback
It's that..thing..
Song: Naruto Shippuden OST- 01
(continue replaying)
When his sandals briefly tapped the ground after a long backwards leap, the Uchiha seemingly disappeared with the increased speed he induced upon himself. When he reappeared, his back was now completely facing the appendages as he was in full sprint. He jumped onto a few nearby roofs, eyes briefly transitioning to the appendages that were coming from all directions, ready to sandwich him and Sakura. The said kunoichi let out a small gasp as it seemed they would hit them. They did not – Sasuke had disappeared with incredible speed, immediately reappearing in the alley that was below them.
Sasuke did not stop as he maneuvered through the tight corridors, running into a very large complex of damaged buildings, swiftly curving through all the streets and narrow passages. Sakura brought her arms to hang loosely around his neck as she maneuvered her upper body to look behind them – it appeared as though they had lost the appendages that followed.
A moment of eerie silence passed, the only sound the rhythm of Sasuke's sandals lightly beating against the intact streets. He continued to run at full speed, making sudden turns that almost seemed unnecessary.
Sakura turned her gaze to Sasuke's calm face, noticing the perspiration that still dotted his forehead, the clenching of his jaw every now and then. Without pause she tightened her hug around him, burying her face into his neck. "I'm sorry." She muttered against him as more guilt seeped into her gut. If he didn't have to carry her he wouldn't have to be running away, tiring himself out more, be in danger.
That's all she was, a burden. Even after all these years.
"Don't be." He responded flatly, however his tone slightly soft. He said nothing else as he dismissed her apology. The young Uchiha made another very sharp turn, bending a knee to sweep his body in the intended direction, and keep a graceful balance while doing so.
The pink-haired kunoichi let out a sigh as she finally lifted her head up, her emerald orbs transitioning to all the tranquility around them, her ears listening to only the light pattering of Sasuke's sandals against the street.
"Did we lose them?" She inquired softly, her facial expression slightly bewildered.
His Sharingan orbs were stern and focused ahead, and he seemed to increase his speed even more – he made another sharp, seemingly unnecessary turn.
"No." Was all he said.
In accordance to his answer and sharp change of direction, a very large rumbling sounded; tremors shook the ground as the tearing and ripping noise of buildings being destroyed echoed around them. One of the appendages had smashed through a building effortlessly, and was behind them once again. Sasuke continued making sharp turns, jumping on roofs and back to the grounds as the paths he would take provided – the lone disfigured appendage right behind him.
They came upon a dead end as the street neared its end; without pause Sasuke jumped in through one of the windows of the buildings next to them. The very large house was in perfect shape, the floors and walls glossy. As his sandals tapped against the hard-wooden floors, a new hollow pattering sounded, inducing a moment of sound harmony. This moment lasted not long as crashing and explosions sounded behind them, the appendage completely destroying an entrance into the house.
Sasuke and Sakura had already made it out of the house through another open window, and onto yet another alley way of maze-like streets. This only lead them to a four way intersection in the paths, where Sasuke made a sudden halt, eyes calmly yet alertly transitioning to all sides as the other appendages finally made an appearance – they had flanked in all directions, zeroing in on them in an ambush. It was too unproportional for him to jump up in one great leap, and the height was an added obstable; they seemed to reach up several times their height. However there was a lone balcony and a few outreaching parts of the buildings that could be used as leverage. He made instant note of this.
"Sakura hold onto me." Without pause or consent he swung Sakura around to his back, not faltering when she almost lost grip, and automatically wrapped her arms around his neck in a choking grip. Before her legs had even finished swinging around Sasuke had leaped upward, grasping a lone window's outward edges before bringing his feet to push against it in another jump towards the balcony on the opposite wall.
The four appendages had barely missed them as they crashed into the intersection, destroying the foundation to the buildings surrounding. However their collision was a somewhat meek one as they instantly combined into one appendage, continuing its curve upwards after Sasuke and Sakura almost gracefully.
The moment Sasuke bore footing on the balcony it was already falling apart from the tremors and collapsing of the building it was attached to, he wasted no time and made one final leap to the top of the crashing building. It was then that he hooked his arms back around Sakura's thighs so that she was piggy-back, and jumped across a few of the roofs, making his way back out to the open area. There they found Itachi and Naruto only a few feet behind him in full sprint as they continued to dodge and somewhat attack following appendages.
There was complete wreckage behind them, all caused in the wake of the disfigured appendages, by the thing still concealed within the dissipating smoke.
They all looked to each other in brief recognition and assessment of health before returning their gazes to what had been occupying them before.
Itachi and Naruto now focused on the appendages in unwavering pursuit of Sasuke and Sakura, their priority of attack changing. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them as Itachi brought up his hands in a seal continuing his same-path retreat, and Naruto flanked towards the continuously out flowing appendage in pursuit of Sasuke, large shuriken at hand.
Immediately a few of the pursuing appendages followed in pursuit, while some stayed in pursuit of Itachi.
"Katon: Goukakyou no Jutsu."
Itachi's chest heaved as he continued to jump backwards before his upper body slightly threw forwards, fire bellowing out of his mouth. It immediately engulfed the appendages after Naruto and those following himself.
There was a large, piercing shriek from behind the curtain of smoke as the appendages retreated. None returned after to replace.
Naruto continued towards the sole appendage remaining and in pursuit of Sasuke. As he neared its straight column, he was caught off guard by more appendages that shot out from its lengths and toward him.
"Kage Buunshin no Jutsu!" Immediately a group of Naruto clones appeared, some taking the brunt of the blow, and the rest jumping towards the appendage and halting its progress after Sasuke in a bear grip. They all let out accompanying grunts as they struggled to hold it stationary.
Naruto dived forward to avoid the part of the appendage that was still able to swing at him, hands briefly tapping the ground before executing next a flip to the side, finishing up in a jump; when he neared landing he brought the large shuriken in a downward powerful swing to the appendage – a slicing sound accompanied yet another large shriek. The last of the appendages took a long retreat back into the haven of the smoke.
Sasuke was finally able to stop along with Naruto and Itachi as they looked back to the dissipating smoke, waiting for it to clear, and reveal their already assumed foe.
There was only a slight pause before a large tremor shook the area.
"You guys!" Sakura hollered out the warning as her wide emerald eyes looked on towards the dissipating smoke. Their eyes followed in transition.
"Chikuso!" Naruto solely cursed as they all had simultaneously turned, all in full sprint away from the dissipating smoke.
The light from the sky that had once been illuminating them began to get engulfed by darkness, a very large shadow reaching towards them, right on their heals. It was caused by the very humongous appendage that was starting to tower over them in the form of a wave, its lengths stretching out the entire width and more of the area they occupied.
The moment the large shadow it created shaded them, the appendage began to fall down towards them in a guaranteed land.
They all stopped as they realized retreating was futile, all eyes focused on it as it loomed over them.
"Damnit, our only choice is to go underground." Naruto's calculated cerulean eyes stern as they transitioned to the pink-haired kunoichi in Sasuke's arms. "Sakura." He seemed to be implying action from her. She merely nodded her head in agreement, ready for Sasuke to release her so that she could pave the way.
"Wait." Itachi said, his eyes still focused on the large appendage as they were. He seemed to have realized something, his tone calm and expecting.
It was then that they all noticed the miniscule particles of sand that were floating all around them, seemingly coming from the ground. A brief moment passed before the particles dashed away from them, all migrating to the area ahead and above them – mass amounts of sand continued coming from all directions and in much larger currents. The growing mass danced about, forming very quickly as its size grew outwards, mimicking the length of the looming appendage before it.
The floating barrier of accumulating sand floated stationary above them, becoming more solid by the second.
All too suddenly the wave-like appendage came crashing down onto the quickly forming barrier of sand, the impact creating very strong currents of wind and a large tremor to everything around it. A few of the nearby buildings were destroyed by both the gushing amount of forced wind, and by the part of the appendage that had made contact with the ground yards away. Much of the sand barrier had been pounded away, exploding out of its stationary state. As it seemed to exploding sand would hit Naruto and the group, it halted, and along with much more elsewhere accumulating sand, returned to fill the large holes that had been created from the impact.
Tremors continued to sound until the falling wave-like appendage finally came to a near halt, the large mass of sand keeping it stationary. There was a sort of croaking sound as the opposing forces had neutralized, the dense sand still slightly shaping underneath the pressure. It didn't seem that the sand would continue to hold the enormous weight and force being applied, as the croaking started getting louder.
Itachi's, Sasuke's, Naruto's, and Sakura's eyes were all focused intensely on the sand barrier that shielded them.
"Amazing." Sakura muttered in awe.
They all glanced to the figure that had appeared in front of them.
Gaara said nothing at first as he wasted no time in bringing his hand up in a seal. Immediately the sand supporting the wave-like appendage shifted; much of the barrier disintegrated, the particles of sand quickly conforming around the now-falling anomaly like a ring.
"Move." Was all Gaara said to them, his attention focused on the task before-hand.
They obeyed, disappearing before reappearing on rooftops safe from the halted forces.
The Kazekage of the Sand himself let a foundation of sand carry him away from underneath the clashing forces, then did a few barely noticeable hand seals before reaching a single hand outwards, clenching it tightly. In accordance to this action, the sand around the large appendage constricted tightly and swiftly, completely severing the massively large appendage from its source.
Smoke burst out from all around as the severed, motionless appendage fell upon a large expanse of area before it, decimating the buildings, flapping out before finally remaining motionless. After the last quake that subsided, all became still.
It was the high, piercing, monstrous laugh of sorts, like that of a giggling raccoon or hyena, that broke the silence.
--
Gaara slowly lowered his hand before letting his emotionless gaze transition to the area of dissipating smoke, as Itachi, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto had. The last cloud of debris had finally subsided, revealing the gigantic biju a half mile away – it's size tripling the height of the surrounding forest's trees.
"It's been too long!" The high-pitched sound of the Shikaku's voice was piercing as its echoes rumbled the area. It's lone, immensely large tail slowly moved from side to side. As the biju's raccoon eyes settled on Gaara and Naruto's group, it was unsure to whom, and of what it was referring. However Gaara responded, his eyes cold and stern as the former jinchuuriki looked upon what had once been inside of him.
There was a brief, eerie moment of silence before his lips parted.
"Shukaku." His utterance was almost of a whisper, biting in its cacophonic pronunciation.
--
"Sasuke, I'm fine now. I can stand." She seemed to be in a hurry, tired of burdening him, and in preparation for the biju before them. Sasuke crouched down, allowing her to slowly gain a footing on the ground. After a slight moment of misbalance, she pushed herself away from Sasuke, and stood tall.
As everyone else's, her gaze remained fixated on the raccoon-like beast, however soon followed Sasuke's back as he walked ahead of them. Without a word he stepped up to Gaara's side. They did not spare each other glances.
"I do not need its power again, when I have always had my own." Gaara's cold eyes remained focused on the biju. His words were flat and to the point, implying that Sasuke didn't need to spare its life, seal it inside him once again.
"Aa." Sasuke responded.
Without another word he calmly started walking ahead towards the tailed beast.
Gaara's gaze briefly transitioned to the Uchiha, before traveling to look at his hand - the one with the fabricated markings upon it, a maroon-type color bruising his hand in a seemingly stain, on top rested the black markings. He had noticed this strange anomaly much earlier, and its danger was something he knew all about.
"Uchiha." Sasuke stopped at Gaara's call, looking to him from the corner of his eye. "..Why do you let your life slip away for this village?"
Sasuke placed his hands in his pockets as he returned his gaze to the Shukaku.
"It's not for this village." He started, his stern Sharingan gaze seemingly intensifying. He said nothing in follow to his thesis, having no intention to do so.
Gaara's eyes slightly squinted in speculation, however only momentarily as his eyes glanced behind him to a certain pink-haired kunoichi. He then briefly closed his eyes as he crossed his arms, letting out a small grunt of both amusement and acknowledgement. Sasuke still kept his gaze ahead of them.
"And you?" Sasuke countered.
There was a brief pause as Gaara made his way up to Sasuke's side, his gaze on the Shukaku.
"Like you, for a future."
His answer was broad, at the same time that it was specific. A future was something everyone wanted, no matter what it had in store . They could rebuild whatever they had wanted, eat whatever they had wanted, bewith whoever they had wanted. And be, whomever they had wanted. There was room for change, there was room for hope.
A future meant the possibility of everything and anything.
A future meant peace.
"C'mon now! I want to play." The high-pitched, piercing voice of the Shukaku interrupted their thoughts. It's large raccoon body was waiting idly by as it's large tail slammed down onto the ground in proportion to it's regular wave-like movement behind it, signaling to its eagerness to start battle.
Gaara and Sasuke's gazes still remained on the beast as they spoke amongst one another.
"I can use my sand to aid and partially shield you, though it might be a bit slow – neither I nor the sand can predict your movements."
Sasuke slightly nodded his head in acknowledgment.
"And getting close is another matter." Gaara finished.
"That's what we're here for." Naruto's light, yet somewhat stern voice sounded their ears as he, Itachi, and Sakura had already come from behind the two, overhearing Gaara's last words. "We'll take care of the getting in close part."
Both Sasuke and Gaara glanced to them.
--
"Doton: Yomi Numa." Itachi held a single hand up in a seal, his Sharingan gaze focused on the Shukaku.
Soon a very large area starting from a few feet ahead of him warped into what looked to be a very large pit, opaque. As the swamp-like anomaly outstretched towards the Biju, everything in its path started sinking into its limitless depths, slowly dissapearing. Immediately, to accompany the still outstretching pit, particles of sand shot above its lengths in a path that would allow access to the tailed beast. Sasuke and Naruto had shot ahead of Itachi as he stood stationary completing the technique, each of their strides barely supported by the still forming sand path they ran upon.
The Shukaku let out a surprised, piercing shriek as the black hole reached it- its size and its power was too large for it to be swallowed, however it had slightly sunk into the pit, momentarily keeping the immensely large biju stationary. As it looked upon the duo traveling towards it, it immediately took what action was available.
--
Sakura kept her emerald eyes on the battle as she held a blue-glowing hand over her thigh – where her cracked bone was located.
She was a large distance away from them as instructed, however she was in a hurry to heal herself, in anticipation to lend some help.
"Please be careful.." She muttered.
--
"Fuuton Renkuudan!" The beast's stomach briefly enlarged and heaved before a burst of air shot out of its mouth towards Sasuke and Naruto.
Immediately a barrier of sand shot in front of them, taking the brunt of the blow.
In a next attack the Shukaku outstretched its large, deformed arm in a swing towards them.
"Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A countless number of Naruto clones had appeared in front them, already in jump towards the arm that was swinging towards Sasuke and Naruto. They all collided with it, covering the entire arm with their amounts, and causing it to dive down off it's intended course.
Sasuke and Naruto continued past it, jumping onto the same arm, and running along it.
Gaara did a few more hand seals before raising a lone hand up in a seal by his forehead, taking the opportunity that Naruto had provided. A dot of perspiration had fallen in a line along his face as he did.
All of the sand that had once occupied itself as a path above the slowly dissipating swamp-like mass below it had shot up towards the Shukaku's arm. While this was happening, there was a large occurrence of exploding smoke all around its arm, as the Naruto clones were being destroyed by the appendages that must have been shooting upwards from the arm itself.
By the time the last mass of clones had been destroyed, Gaara's sand was encompassing the arm in a constantly moving ring-like circle.
The raccoon-like beast let out a large shriek as half of its arm was severed.
Sasuke and Naruto continued running up along the part of the arm that was still attached, however an obstacle presented itself as a few appendages formed from a part of the Shukaku that was head of them, instantly shooting towards them. The duo glanced towards eachother as they kept on running right towards them.
One last clone appeared next to Naruto, running along with them as it moved its hands quickly in a pattern like movement above the blonde-haired ninja's outstretched hand. A blue, revolving chakra started to form immediately, swirling about like a wind. As soon as it reached the peak of its formation, the Naruto clone disappeared.
It was then that Sasuke jumped to the side, completely off the arm; as he did so a few stray appendages had followed in pursuit. They were stopped as Naruto shoved his Ransegan-filled fist forward into the foundation of the appendages. A large, blue-colored explosion ensued.
--
"Itachi." Sakura called out as she made her way towards him. The said Uchiha had been standing stationary and watching the excursion ensue. He glanced towards her, as she paused at his side. And as if he sensed her eagerness to join the battle, his lips parted.
"It is already over."
--
When it seemed that Sasuke would fall due to the open space he had just jumped towards, a blanket of sand appeared underneath him, stopping him from falling. He was eye level with the Shukaku.
Wasting no moment he reinforced his Sharingan. Time seemed to stop completely.
Inner Depths
With each of his casual footfalls, the barren, cracked and extremely arid earth beneath him would moan, result of the various cracks continuing the enlarge with each passing moment; the waterfalls of sand slightly in the distance acted as the adjacent sound to the whistling wind that stirred his raven-colored locks of hair. He kept his hands out of his pockets as he progressed.
He halted in his footsteps when all too suddenly a wave of sand came rushing among the arid earth before him, completely blanketing it with a layer of deep sand. It was then that he bolted from his position, his footsteps causing the sand underneath to almost sizzle with each pounding. His Sharingan gaze focused on the large mass of sand that was a distance before him, an enclosure or sand, boxlike in its shape that rested stationary, outstretching on all sides as far as could see - seemingly hiding something within its depths.
The chirping of birds sounded in tune with zapping as electric currents started to spark around his hand – the one with the unique fabrications among it. He brought his other hand to grasp his upper arm as he continued, supporting the weight and sensation that accompanied the large, staticky ball of chakra that started to form.
As he neared the spherical structure of sand, part of it started to shoot out towards him in spikes. He narrowly dodged them before outhrowing his arm.
"Chidori." His calm voice was nearly drowned out by the chirping sound that accompanied the explosion of sand.
Sasuke stood tall before the large opening that he had blasted into the wall. Complete darkness rested inside, limitless in its area. He placed his hands in his pockets as he stepped him, Sharingan gaze illuminated by the darkness he walked. He was aware of sudden movement that would happen countless times as something seemed to stalk him, prey on him. And he stopped the first moment he caught glance of the star-pupiled eye.
His mark-covered hand shot out before him, a clearly audible noise echoing as his hand clenched onto a the Shukaku's face, its nose denting in and twisting around his single-handed grasp. Its body form was smaller as it had appeared, nearing a size slightly larger than Sasuke's own. It's enlarged eyes represented its surprise and dismay at Sasuke's awareness. The wind had severely picked up, leaving every stitch of Sasuke's clothing and locks of hair to follow in the directing of the currents; the image of the Shukaku was almost ghost-like, appearing as a sort of mist, greatly declining and starting to flare out in all directions, greatly distorting the intact form it had appeared as.
And the piercing sound of the Sharingan echoed throughout the space as the Uchiha reinforced his Sharingan.
End Inner Depths
--
Sasuke's landing provided no noise as the soles of his sandals gracefully asserted themselves among the ground – the large swamp-like anomaly had since disappeared, leaving nothing but a barren portion of dirt to accompany the part of the abandoned part of Konoha village that was still intact.
The Shukaku had completely frozen in movement, it's body starting to crack and dry. A few moments past before it's cracked countenance exploded into shards of sand. A large pile of sand was left in its wake.
It was then that Sasuke greatly staggered from his position, bending a knee out before him to catch himself. His chest heaved greatly with each slow and ragged breath, his eyes were slightly squinted with pain.
A paired shadow appeared before him.
--
Naruto had just finished landing on the ground, his surprised cerulean orbs alertly shooting to Sasuke. Orochimaru and Kabuto stood before younger Uchiha.
--
Sasuke's stern Sharingan gaze had shot up to look at the two figures that had appeared before him. He let out a small grunt, and next a scream of pain as a sensation that shot through the Uchiha caused him to fall to his knees - he grasped the area by his neck where the curse seal lay.
"I say it's about time your fun ended, and mine begun, neh, Sasuke-kun?"Orochimaru's, calm, sadistic, anticipating voice sounded his ears as the snake sannin looked at him greedily.
His hand was already held up in a seal.
--
"SASUKE!" The blood-curling scream that ripped from Sakura's throat echoed across the whole area.
Itachi's eyes were wide as he immediately disappeared, sprinting towards Sasuke from his position. It seemed it would be to no avail.
--
Sasuke's Sharingan eyes widened.
Thanks For Reading!
Ah, finally! Whhooo. Hope you all aren't too angry with me. Sorry for the super long delay! Now that it's summer that shouldn't happen again. At most I'm shooting for two weeks before each new post.
But yeah, i made this chapter a wee bit longer to try and accomodate my failure as a writer haha, hope it was ok.
Again, I promise that I will finish this story all the way through, despite how long it may take me to update. thanks for the support!
Anywhos! Hope ya enjoyed it!
