People often spoke of the color of the eyes as if it were of some importance, yet his would be beautiful in any shade. What made him Sanosuke – kind, compassionate, brave, beautiful Sanosuke – came from deep within him; from the intensity, and honesty, and gentleness of his soul. It made her want to feel how his lips moved in a kiss, and how his hands would follow the curves of her body.
He put his arm around her shoulder, and in the way he moved there was something of the warrior in him combined with a gentleness that made her heart reach out.
"Come," he whispered, his voice low and filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place, "Let's get you back before you catch a cold and before Hijikata comes looking for us."
She nodded against his side. "Sano-kun? Will you bring me back here again?"
He pressed a kiss to her hair. "I'll bring you back tomorrow night. I'll tell you something important then, I promise."
"I'll hold you to that promise."
The walk back to town was silent, but Sakura wasn't willing to break the peace and quiet. It was the kind of silence that nourished the soul, the comfort of being held by the chosen of one's heart that left little room for words.
She felt almost disappointed when they reached the marketplace, and she had to untangle herself from his embrace. With blushing cheeks and eyes downcast, Sakura squeezed Sanosuke's hand.
"Thank you for showing me that-"
"Harada! Sakura-chan!"
They both turned at the sound of that voice to see Shinpachi running towards them.
They frowned at his distressed tone and the frantic look in his eyes.
"Shin-kun? What's wrong?"
"The attack!" he almost yelled, panting. "It was never planned to be on Kyoto. It was on us! They are laying siege to the Shinsengumi headquarters as we speak!"
Sakura's eyes widened. "We need to warn the people. They need to take cover!"
"Don't worry about that now, Sakura-chan. We have already sent men to evacuate the shops and tell them to bar their doors. We need to head back to headquarters right now."
They didn't need to be told twice. Picking up the skirt of her yukata, Sakura started sprinting after the two men, praying that she wouldn't find corpses when they got there.
"How many enemy soldiers?"
"A bit over a hundred. One hundred and fifty tops. Sakamoto was compromised. Turns out they found out long ago that he was a spy, but they kept him to feed him false information."
"Is Ryouma ok?"
Shinpachi nodded. "He managed to escape and reach us before they killed him. The General never intended to attack Kyoto. The Shinsengumi were the target from the very beginning. Hell, the man isn't even in the area. He never intended to be. They fed us false information, they dangled him in front of our eyes as a real threat as a diversion, a ruse to throw us off. Make us spread our forces out, and leave our headquarters unprotected."
"Why didn't the scouts send word?"
Shinpachi clenched his fists. "Harada, this was an inside job. Someone let them in."
With his spear already in hand, Sanosuke cursed. "Who the hell did that?"
"Shin-kun, the scouts…What division were they from?"
"The ninth division."
Immediately, her eyes narrowed to slits. "Miki."
XxxxX
The sounds of battle reached them before they stepped through the headquarters' gates.
"Kondou and Hijikata are holding the north side. Last time I saw Souji and Heisuke they were holding off the ronin from entering through the gardens," Shinpachi said, drawing his sword.
Sakura nodded. "We mustn't let them enter the compound. It's crucial that we keep the fight out here." Taking out a kunai she had hidden in her sash, Sakura sliced the lower half of her yukata, tearing off the fabric to a little above the knee. She didn't have the time to go change into more battle-appropriate attire, so she'd have to make do.
Much better now. Sorry, Akemi. I'll make it up to you after things have settled down.
"Damn it, I don't have my weapons with me."
"Sakura-chan, catch!"
She held up her hand just in time to grab the katana Shinpachi tossed, realizing that it was one of the two swords he usually carried around.
"Are you sure, Shin-kun?"
He smiled widely at her. "One sword is all I need to take down a few Choshu bastards."
She nodded, smiling widely. "I promise to give it back once all this is over."
He waved her off. "Don't worry about a piece of metal. I'd rather have you back and in one piece once all this is over, Sakura-chan."
Moved by his words, Sakura hugged him around his neck and squeezed. "You be careful, Nagakura. Watch your flank and come back alive, you hear me?"
Patting her head, he grinned at her. "You got it, doc! Well, I'm off! See you on the battlefield!"
She turned to Sanosuke, biting her lip.
"Sakura, I-"
She cut him off by throwing her arms around his middle and pressing herself to his chest. "Please, Sano-kun…Please don't make me bring you back from the dead again."
"Who, me? I would never," he said cheekily but his hands still found her waist almost immediately and he squeezed her so tightly, she felt his heartbeat as her own.
"Promise me!" she urged him. "Promise me that you'll stay alive and that you'll take me back to the river."
He chuckled, kissing her hair. "I promise, my lady. Even if it means taking on the whole rebel army, I promise to come back to you."
She nodded against him, pulling back just enough to look up at him. "I'll hold you to that promise." Rising to her tiptoes, she pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek, and smiled at the way his eyes widened. "For good luck."
She stepped back, using her sash to tie the katana around her waist. Taking a deep breath, she made to leave only to stop dead in her tracks when Sanosuke grabbed her arm.
She cocked her head to the side in confusion, watching him questioningly. "Sano-kun?"
He stared at her silently for a few moments, a strange emotion flashing in his eyes of molten gold. "You won't leave, will you?"
A breath shuddered out of her lungs, but she had never smiled a more genuine smile in her life. "Never."
XxxxX
Sakura cursed under her breath when another soldier in Shinsengumi uniform tried to take her head. Ducking, she delivered a swift kick to his side, breaking his ribs and leaving him writhing in pain on the ground. Between the rebels and the turncoats from the ninth division, it was hard to tell who was a friend and who was a foe.
That bastard Miki. Just wait until I get my hands on him…
Wiping sweat from her brow, she looked around her. Noticing the half a dozen rebels trying to surround Saito, she immediately dashed to his side, jumping over a ronin's head to land beside him.
"Hajime-kun!"
"Sakura." If he was surprised by her attire, he didn't comment on it. "Are you harmed?"
She shook her head. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Keep your eyes on the enemy."
Between the two of them, it took them less than ten minutes to dispose of the soldiers. The moment the last one fell, Sakura turned to Hajime to check on him. Noticing a slash wound on his arm, she immediately pressed her glowing hands to it.
"How did the attack start, Hajime-kun?"
"They came from all sides using the night for cover. We have more men, but they had the element of surprise. Considering someone let them in, it wasn't particularly hard to catch us unawares."
"The ninth division scouts."
He nodded. "They let them in. That's how no one saw them coming."
"Those bastards. Have you seen any of the others?" she asked anxiously. "Are they ok?"
"I caught sight of Souji and Heisuke in the gardens a little earlier. They were fine when I left them."
"I'll check on them." The light went out from around her fingers and she stepped back from him. "Last I saw them, Nagakura and Harada were holding the front gate."
Hajime nodded. "I'll get to them."
"Aa. I'll run around to check on the wounded." She made to leave, but his voice stopped her.
"Sakura."
She turned to look at him. "Is something the matter?"
"Stay safe."
Smiling widely, she patted him on the arm. "You too, Hajime-kun. You still owe me a rematch."
XxxxX
"Souji! Heisuke!"
Ducking under a rebel's punch, she jumped to Okita's side just in time to block a blade from catching him in the back.
"Watch your rear, Souji! I didn't spend months taking care of your ass just to lose you to a bunch of blackguards!"
"Your concern is touching, Pinky. What are you doing here?"
Punching a rebel and sending him flying, Sakura smirked at him. "Making sure you're not ruining my hard word. You're welcome."
"Smartass."
"You alright over there, Todou?"
"Don't worry about me, Sakura-chan! I'm just peachy!"
Back to back with Souji, she nudged him in the ribs. "Any news on Sakamoto and Yamazaki?"
Even though she couldn't see him, she felt him shake his head. "Nothing so far. We split up to cover more ground. They ran off to hunt down Miki and Itou."
Sakura cursed as she blocked the swing of a blade. "I should have guessed Itou would be in on this too."
"We'll get them, Pinky. And when we do, I call dibs."
"Heh, in your dreams, Okita."
"Make no mistake, Haruno. Everyone will want a piece."
Sakura chuckled darkly. "Well, good thing there's two of them then. They should produce enough pieces for all of us."
"You're bloodthirsty. I like it."
Her fingers flew through the familiar hand signs, as she glanced at him over her shoulder. "Not bloodthirsty, Souji-kun." She turned her eyes to a group of more than a dozen rebels running towards them with their swords raised. "Just really, really pissed."
Glancing around to make sure Heisuke was out of the way, her fingers formed the snake seal. "Doton: Ganban Kyuu!"
The ground beneath their feet shook as the earth rose up to trap the ronin into domes. The pillars of rock and dirt closed around them, crushing them before any of them had the time to realize what was going on. When the rumbling stopped, the three of them were the only people alive in the gardens.
"That was…"
"…bloody awesome! You have got to teach me how to do that, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura smiled at Heisuke's enthusiasm despite the situation. "That's a bit too advanced, Todou, but I could teach you a thing or two one of these days."
"Didn't know you had a trick like that up your sleeve, Pinky."
She grinned at Okita. "I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve that you know nothing about, Souji-kun."
He smirked. "Is that what you're teaching Yukimura behind closed doors? I'm jealous."
Suddenly, her eyes widened, and her blood froze in her veins. "Chizuru-chan!" She turned to the two men. "Has either of you seen, Chizuru-chan?"
"We saw her earlier. She was running to her room to get her kodachi-Sakura? Hey, Sakura! Come back!"
She took off before Heisuke had the time to finish his sentence. "Okita, Todou! Go help the others at the front! They could use the extra swords!"
"Where the hell are you going, Pinky?"
"I need to find Chizuru!"
Corpses littered the ground everywhere around her as she ran, but she simply sidestepped them, too worried about Yukimura to pay any mind to the losses.
Where are you Chizuru?
She knew for a fact that the girl's room was on the opposite side of the compound. Screw this. Not giving a damn if anyone saw her, she took to the roof. From up there, she could see the upper part of the front gate, and she could only hope that the others would hold the rebels long enough for her to go and help them.
She was ready to head to the northern part of the compound when something caught her attention. Three lone figures that looked eerily familiar stood in the middle of the training grounds with a fourth held between them.
She immediately recognized Yukimura's peach colored shirt.
Unsheathing her sword, she jumped down from the roof, landing a few feet away from them. She bared her teeth in a vicious snarl when she saw the people standing opposite from her holding Chizuru's arms. "Kazama."
Flanked by Kyo and Amagiri, Chikage smiled cruelly. "Hello again, Sakura. We have been waiting for you."
XxxxX
"Harada, Nagakura. Still alive I see."
Glancing to his right at the sound of the voice, Sanosuke smirked at his fellow captains. "Okita, Todou. How nice of you to join us."
"Well, Pinky did mention you might need the help." Unsheathing his sword, Okita took his place beside Shinpachi, covering his flank.
"You saw Sakura-chan?" Nagakura said, as he kneed a ronin in the gut before driving his katana through his heart.
"Is she alright? Was she hurt?"
"Calm down, Harada. The lass is fine. We just saw her."
"Where is she? Now's not the time to keep your mouth shut, Okita!"
"She ran off to find Yukimura. I believe she headed towards the training grounds."
Twirling his spear above his head, Sanosuke brought it down sharply on a rebel's neck. "And you let her go alone?"
"We were kinda busy ourselves, Harada-"
"Damn it, Okita!"
Cursing under his breath, Sanosuke turned around and started running.
"Harada?! Harada!"
"Let him go, Nagakura. He won't listen," Souji said, slicing an enemy soldier's throat. "Let's finish up here and go find them. I don't trust those two idiots not to die on me."
XxxxX
"Let Chizuru go."
Kazama chuckled. "Now, why would I do that?" He grabbed the girl's chin. "You see, I have use for her. You, Sa-ku-ra, have meddled in business that is not yours and that has made a few people angry."
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about and I don't bloody care. Let Chizuru go."
Chikage sighed. "You do though. That alliance with the Shogun, the amendments regarding the Rasetsu. That was your doing, was it not?"
How the hell does he know that? The medic cursed inwardly. Those bastards…Itou and Miki told them everything.
"What is it to you, Kazama?"
"Make no mistake, I consider those…Furies, an abomination. Cheap imitations that constitute an insult to every Oni alive. However, I have struck a deal with someone. Someone who is furious at you for convincing the Shogun to outlaw the making of the Rasetsu."
It suddenly clicked. "Yukimura Kodou."
"Aa. You're a smart woman, I knew you'd figure it out."
Clutching the hilt of her sword, Sakura glared. "So what? Kodo somehow convinced you to do his bidding? How very disappointing, Kazama. You've been reduced to a mere pawn."
The man's crimson eyes flashed dangerously, but a moment later, his expression shifted back to his usual haughty arrogance. "A pawn? Hardly. It is simple. My debt to the Satsuma is paid by helping them take care of this thorn in their side called Shinsengumi, I take your meddling self out of the way and Kodou helps me pursue my own interests. It is a bargain, really. Killing two birds with one stone."
Chizuru whimpered in his hold, making Sakura growl. "You coward! Fight me like a man instead of using a kid to get to me!"
"Get to you? I've already gotten to you, foolish woman." He tightened his grip on Chizuru's chin, making the girl cry out in pain.
"Chizuru! Let her go, you sorry excuse of a man!"
He smirked. "I will. But first you have to do something for me. Kyo, if you will."
The gun-wielding Oni cackled and threw something at her feet. "Put those around your ankles."
Sakura frowned at the pair of cuffs. "If you think these will keep me from slitting your throats, you're sadly mistaken."
"We'll take our chances, little pet. Now put those on, or I might decide that your friend here is disposable."
Sakura cursed inwardly, but she just couldn't take her eyes off the pained expression on Chizuru's face. Kazama was a wildcard, and she wouldn't put it above him to hurt the girl just to get even more under her skin, especially if it worked in his favor somehow.
I can't…I can't have her blood on my hands. I won't let any harm come to Chizuru-chan on my account. She was a medic. She had taken an oath to protect life at any cost. Even if that cost was herself.
Gritting her teeth, she picked up the cuffs and secured them around her ankles. She realized the gravity of her mistake the moment the link closed, and she felt the energy sucked out of her. Her eyes widened in horror.
Chakra drainers?!
"Ah, I was told the effect would be immediate. How interesting." Kazama chuckled darkly. "You see, Sakura, you did not heed my warning. I told you that I have allies inside your villages. Allies who were more than willing to provide me with that pair of special cuffs. You see, you have made quite a name for yourself, little pet. My contacts knew exactly who I was talking about, Haruno Sakura, disciple of the Fifth. They acted accordingly."
This is bad. This is really bad. She'd seen such drainers before when some rogue Iwa nin had tried to use them on Naruto during a mission. The drainers were specifically designed to target the largest chakra source, and the more chakra they found, the more they drained.
Which means these things are eating away at the stores in my seal, regardless of it being an external source. Shit…
Feeling the effects of the drainers, Sakura fell to her knees with a grunt, barely catching herself. She gritted her teeth, trying to push herself to her feet, but every movement seemed to accelerate the draining.
"You see now, little pet? You should have joined me when you had the chance. I'm afraid that offer no longer stands." He glanced at one of his companions. "Amagiri. Make it quick."
The red-haired warrior Sakura remembered from the day in the woods walked up to her and bowed his head.
"Forgive me but I must kill you."
Refusing to show weakness or fear, Sakura glared at him. "Tell your master that I will haunt him for the rest of his miserable life."
I'm sorry, Sano-kun. I won't be keeping that promise-
Something whoosed above her head and Amagiri barely had a second to jump back. Sakura stared wide-eyed at the spear lodged in the ground in front of her. A spear she knew all too well.
"Touch her and I'll tear you to so many pieces, no one will remember you even existed."
"S-Sano-kun!"
He ran to her side, kneeling beside her, and taking her face in his hands. "Sakura, are you alright? Are you hurt?"
She shook her head and tried to push him away. "You need to leave. You can't take all three of them all on your own!"
"Gee, Pinky. I know you're happy to see Harada and all, but a little appreciation would be nice. We're here to save your ass too."
Stunned, the woman glanced over her shoulder to see familiar faces. "Souji! What are you guys doing here? You should be holding the gate!"
Nagakura flashed her a grin. "No worries, Sakura-chan. Yamazaki and Sakamoto managed to catch Itou and Miki. Their men surrendered. The compound's safe."
Saito nodded. "All that remains for us to do is get rid of these guys."
Heisuke fell into a battle stance. "Preferably for good."
Kyo's cackle shifted their attention to the Oni.
"We meet again, Harada. I hope you're ready to play!"
Grabbing his spear, Sanosuke shielded her with his body. "I will kill you, Kyo. Even if it's the last thing I do."
"Why, let's get to it then!"
With a determined look in his eyes, Sanosuke jumped forward. "Nagakura, watch over her!"
"Sano-kun!" Sakura turned to Hajime, Souji, and Heisuke. "You guys need to help him and Chizuru. We can't let these guys win!"
The men did not need further encouragement. Brandishing their swords, all three of them jumped into battle, the sounds of clashing steel creating a cacophony of clangs around them. Heisuke immediately engaged Amagiri while Hajime and Souji went after Chikage.
Turning to Shinpachi, Sakura motioned to the chakra drainers. "Shin-kun, you need to break these. As long as I have these on me, I'm useless."
He nodded. "Hang in there, Sakura-chan." Taking his sword, he started hitting the cuffs with the pommel, rattling her bones all the way to her shoulder blades.
The woman's eyes shifted anxiously between the fighting men, trying to keep track of what was going on despite her swimming vision. While Sanosuke and Heisuke seemed to be holding their own, Saito and Souji seemed to be having trouble with Kazama.
At least Chizuru managed to escape. Damn it! I have to help them.
"Hit it harder, Shin-kun!"
"But Sakura-chan, I could break your ankle!"
"I don't care," she barked. "Take the damn thing off me!"
She gritted her teeth as each hit sent painful jolts up her leg, but she kept her eyes open. I have to. Their lives depend on it.
"You're starting to bore me. Very well. I suppose I should show you the true nature of an Oni and put an end to this farce."
Chikage's voice reached her and she gasped when she felt the energy build up around him. A bright light engulfed him, pushing Saito and Okita back. When he came into view again, Sakura's breathing hitched.
His hair was pure white, much like the Furies she'd seen that night, and his eyes looked almost yellow. Two pairs of horns sprouted from his forehead, one smaller than the other.
He smirked tauntingly at Hajime and Souji, his fangs showing. "Shall we?"
His energy permeated the atmosphere around them, and Sakura cursed. He's strong. Stronger than I expected.
Turning to Nagakura, she bit her lip anxiously. "Come on, Shin-kun. Don't go soft on me now!"
She felt a flutter of hope in her belly when she heard a crack. "That's it, Shin-kun! Give it everything you got!"
Finally, what felt like hours later, the cuff fell away from her ankle with a resounding clang. Cut off from its link and chakra supply, the second cuff fell away too, and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She made to stand, and only managed to stay on her feet because Shinpachi caught her.
"Take it easy, Sakura-chan!"
She shook her head, taking a deep, steading breath. Untying the scabbard from her sash, she sheathed her katana and returned it to Shinpachi. "Here, I believe this is yours."
"But, Sakura-chan, the fight isn't over yet."
She smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm not gonna need it anymore, Shin-kun. Thank you for trusting me with it."
"Sakura-chan, what are you saying-"
She cut him off by patting his cheek. "Let's go out for drinks once all this is over, yes? I'll be my treat."
Without waiting for his reply, she steeled her resolve and stepped forward, taking careful steps towards Kazama. The drainers had done a number on her, sucking a great deal of the chakra out of her seal. After all, the greater the chakra source, the more they absorbed. If she were to be frank, Kazama's plan had worked quite well, though she had no intention of ever telling him that. Still, a year or so of storing chakra was a small price to pay for the sake of Chizuru's safety. She sincerely hoped the girl had slipped away to hide.
My reserves are dangerously low, so I only got one shot at this and I have to time it perfectly.
Keeping her eyes on Saito and Souji, her fingers went through the hand signs at a slower speed than usual as she waited for the right moment.
She found her opening when a swing of Kazama's sword pushed both captains back. Sakura's eyes flashed. There! Forming the right seal, she put two fingers close to her lips.
"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!"
The stream of fire that flew forward was bright enough to blind her momentarily, but she managed to put the fire dragon under her control. The beast dove down, curling its impressive body around her and Chikage, leaving them both trapped inside a ring of fire.
"Sakura!"
"Pinky!"
She mentally apologized to both Sanosuke and Souji for ignoring them, but she could not afford any interruptions. Not when their lives were at stake.
"Huh, impressive. I didn't expect you'd have it in you. The drainers did a number on you, didn't they?"
Sakura snarled. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Kazama. Most importantly, you have no idea to what lengths I'm willing to go to protect those I love."
Time to do the one thing Tsunade-shishou ordered me never to do…
He laughed cruelly. "Oh, but I'm seeing that right before me, silly girl. You are willing to throw your life away for the sake of a bunch of pests. You cannot possibly expect to land a hit on me in your condition. How disappointing."
Sakura smiled cryptically, cracking her knuckles. "Kazama? You talk too damn much."
Forming a snake seal, Sakura directed every last ounce of chakra that remained in her reserves to her diamond.
Please, let this work.
She felt the familiar rush of adrenaline course through her veins as she forced the Seal of a Hundred to release, despite her severe lack of adequate chakra to keep it activated for long. Judging by the expression on Kazama's face, she knew that the inky coils had already appeared on her face.
You can only keep this up for a minute at best so, make it count, Sakura.
Alarmed by the sudden change in the air that followed the release of her seal, Kazama positioned his sword to strike and lunged at her.
"Pinky! Watch out!"
Keeping her eyes closed, the medic ignored Souji's shout and focused her attention on the rhythmic tap of Chikage's footsteps as he ran towards her.
40 feet…
30 feet…
"Sakura-chan!"
15 feet…
"Haruno!"
7 feet…
"Sakura! No!"
3 feet!
Her eyes snapped open, and she pulled her arm back, angling her body just enough that his sword tore through her shoulder instead of her chest. She grabbed the front of his yukata in an iron grip with her other hand, smirking at the expression of shock on his face.
"You see, Kazama, you didn't heed my warning either." She cracked her knuckles. "Shannaro!"
Her fist connected with his chest with a resounding crack that was only drowned out by the sound of the earth exploding from under them. Among the breaking of stone and the falling of debris around them, she took a sick kind of pleasure in listening to Kazama's bones break one after the other.
Sakura panted hard, the chakra depletion and exhaustion taking their toll, but she smirked triumphantly. Even if Kazama managed not to die, it'd take him a really, really long time to heal.
I did it. Tsunad-shishou, I did it. I beat the odds.
She staggered back, barely able to keep her eyes open as the dark lines receded back to her diamond. Her vision swam and she felt her knees buckle. She braced herself for the impact, having just enough strength to raise her arms to protect her head. However, that never came as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her before she hit the ground.
"Sakura, it's alright, I got you. I got you now."
Through the haze of exhaustion, she smiled, and her eyes cleared a bit at the sound of that voice. "Sano-kun. Are you hurt? Do you need me to heal you?"
He chuckled, flicking her forehead affectionately. "Oi, stop it. For once in your life, think of yourself first, you insufferable woman."
His presence was enough to comfort her, and she found herself smiling widely. "Never."
"Heh, I should have known not to challenge your stubborn head."
Sanosuke helped her to her feet and she clutched his arm as if her life depended on it. He wrapped his arm around her waist to support her, and she laid her head on his shoulder, thankful for his warmth.
"I don't mean to ruin your moment or whatever, but we still have to deal with those two pricks."
Souji's voice brought them back to reality, and they focused their eyes on the two Oni still standing. Amagiri had gathered Kazama in his arms, and though she had to squint, Sakura could somehow tell that Chikage was not really dead. She wasn't too surprised, considering the regeneration abilities Naruto possessed due to Kurama. It was highly likely that Oni were similar.
"I believe it's time for you two to go and never return. Your leader is gravely hurt, and you are outnumbered." Saito's voice was stoic, and his blue eyes had never resembled ice more than in that moment.
Kyo gritted his teeth, his violet eyes flashing. "This is not the end."
"It certainly isn't ours, but if you want it to be yours, I volunteer." Souji smirked, falling into a battle stance.
Sakura straightened her shoulders. "There is nothing left for you here. We're doing you the courtesy of giving you the chance to flee with your heads on your shoulders. Don't waste it."
"Kyo. We're leaving." Amagiri's voice was stern as he turned around and jumped on the roof, Kazama still in his arms.
"A wise decision if I ever saw one."
"You wouldn't know a wise decision even if it hit you in the face, Nagakura."
"Shut up, Souji!"
Though her throat was dry, Sakura laughed at their bickering. It was an element of normalcy, a familiar kind of scene that gave her hope that despite the losses they had surely suffered, things would be ok in the end.
"I'd kill for a plate of food and some sake right now," she said as Sanosuke guided her away from the destroyed training grounds.
He ruffled her hair with a grin. "Well, technically, the festival still has another day before it's over. How about I take you for some sweets before we go back to the river tomorrow night?"
The kunoichi sighed dreamily. "That would be perfect-"
A flash of silver in the corner of her eye was all the warning she got. With strength fueled by her desire to protect the man beside her, Sakura put her hands on his chest and shoved him away harshly.
"Sano-kun! Watch out!"
Three bullets tore through her body, and she immediately dropped to the ground like a broken doll.
"Sakura! No!"
Through the fog slowing clouding her mind, Sakura frowned at the sound of Sanosuke's scream.
Sano-kun, why are you screaming?
"Sorry, Harada. Nothing personal. Just had a job to do. I told you it wasn't the end. Well, not counting her. See ya!"
Job? What job?
She vaguely registered hands picking her up and cradling her close to someone warm.
"Sakura! Can you hear me? Sakura!"
She fought to open her eyes, but she was just so damn tired.
"S-S-Sano-k-kun…"
The last thing she saw before darkness enveloped her was Sanosuke's horrified, blood-splattered face.
TBC
WAIT!
Before you start demanding my head on a spike, please allow me to explain myself.
Did I nerf Sakura a bit here? I sure did. Let's face it. She's way too strong for the Hakuoki characters, and way out of their league. No one would ever be able to stand opposite a full-power Sakura, hence the nerfing. Let's be honest, when you're not at least a little afraid for the life of a protagonist, when they don't face a near-death situation, what's the point of reading a story?
Moving on!
Did I stretch the Seal of a Hundred thing? I sure did. However, this was simply the activation of the seal so that she may use the strength boost. You know the black coils that appear only on Tsunade and Sakura's face, not their whole body? Yeah, those. She did NOT, and I repeat, she did NOT use Creation Rebirth here.
Artistic freedom, people! Let me use it! XD
Do I regret doing the aforementioned things? Hell no!
This is one of the coolest scenes I've ever written, and I loved it!
I sure hope you enjoyed it too. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it so please drop me a review to let me know. Reading your opinion always makes my day.
Other fics in my HakuōkiXSakura one-shot series:
"Fire and Silk" – (ChikageXSakura)
"Komorebi" – (SoujiXSakura)
"Jasmine Blooms" – (HajimeXSakura and rated M)
I have a ToshizoXSakura one-shot in the works so that's coming next. Also, I've decided to write a multi-chapter SoujiXSakura drabble fic, so if you have any prompts, feel free to share them in a review or a PM.
Until next time,
Lots of love!