AN: the title has nothing to do with the chapter it's based on the superstition of the unlucky number. Oh, and as of my posting of this I have exactly 2000 hits! I give my thanks to you, my loyal readers, for making this my best received story.
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Chapter 13: Unlucky
Sakura burst through the doors of the Hokage's office, it had been two and a half weeks since she left for her mission, since she had seen Naruto, and now she could get her answers.
"Have you found anything yet?" she asked, slightly out of breath, she had obviously run through the village to get here.
Tsunade leaned back and looked at her, "before we can get to that there are two, more pressing matters. First being your mission report," she said.
Sakura sighed, angry 'this mission isn't nearly as important as Naruto,' "I met with the client at the scheduled time and escorted her to the Wave Country. We had a few bandits show up, but nothing really worth reporting. She made it safely to the Wave Country, and I made sure she was back with her family before leaving and returning here," Sakura said.
Tsunade nodded and wrote something down. She could feel Sakura's eyes on her, waiting for the other pressing matter.
"What is the other important matter?" Sakura asked irritation in her voice, and a want to get it over with on her face.
"Sasuke's punishment," Tsunade said once she finished writing.
Sakura's face immediately changed to one of worry and concern, "they, they've decided then? What are they going to do?" Sakura asked worry clearly in her voice.
Tsunade smiled inside, 'at least she still thinks about other things, but this situation with Naruto, it's bound to tear her control to shreds,' "yes, they've decided on a punishment, it's a probation. He can't leave the village for three months, and his ninja status is suspended for six. If he gets through the probation with no problems his leaving will go on his record as a mediocre violation of orders on a mission, which won't hinder him in any way. He'll be constantly watched during his probation, though not to his knowledge, to be sure he behaves," Tsunade said.
"Is he already released?" Sakura asked.
"No, he gets released in about three days, when his probation will be announced. It will be your job to help him get settled back into a house and living here. You are the only one, aside from the ANBU, myself, and the elders that know about him being watched, and are to tell no one. You only know because you will be reporting anything unusual to me," Tsunade said.
Sakura nodded, wondering if Sasuke's old house was still there, or even available, or if he'd have to get a new one, living with her until he does. She was snapped out of her thoughts by Tsunade's next words.
"And about Naruto…yes. We have found something," Tsunade said.
Sakura's head snapped up, eyes wide, "really, where, what do we do?" Sakura asked, eagerness overflowing from her.
Tsunade leaned forward, elbows on her desk, hands folded and chin on her hands, "in the store room of Kage level scrolls. It was kind of tucked away, my guess it that either the Fourth or Sarutobi though it best not be found. And I can see why," Tsunade said.
"What kind of jutsus are in it?" Sakura asked.
"It's a scroll of regeneration jutsus," Tsunade said.
"Regeneration? Like lost limbs and stuff?" Sakura asked.
"Exactly. Most of the jutsus in it are for regrowing lost body parts, however, the last four jutsus are for resurrection," Tsunade said Sakura's eyes widened.
"Then we can do it. We can bring him back! Which one do we use?" Sakura asked a huge smile in her face.
Tsunade didn't return it, "none, we can't use any," she said.
"Sakura's smile vanished in an instant, "why not?" she asked completely confused.
"The first is the one that bought Gaara back, the user is sacrificed and I won't allow anyone to do that. The second is the one Orochimaru knows, it also requires a sacrifice, though no the user. And the one brought back is a slave of the user. The third requires several people, all of whom must know several forbidden jutsus, though it can resurrect the person with just a trace of their body, a strand of hair or something. The last requires a very high level medic ninja with a vast store of chakra and unflinching control. It has a time limit of one year from the time of death; otherwise the body is too decayed. It also won't work if the body was damaged to far in battle," Tsunade said.
"So none will work, we don't want to sacrifice someone, we won't teach several people a bunch of forbidden jutsus, and Naruto's body was damaged to far in death," Sakura said downcast.
"Well, his body was restored; I was able to seal the wound before burial. If we did any, it'd be the last one. The problem lies in getting a medic ninja," Tsunade said.
"You mean, you couldn't?" Sakura asked.
"You, me and Shizune are the only ones I know of that could even try it. However, Shizune's chakra reserves are far to low, she'd die before it was finished. You, though you have more chakra, also don't have enough, though you may manage to bring him back before you die, but you control is in horrible shape at the moment. And me, though I hate to admit it, I'm too old, I wouldn't make it to the end either," Tsunade said.
"How much chakra is needed?" Sakura asked.
"The only two I ever heard of with enough to do it were the Fourth and Naruto, and Naruto might've only been able to do it because of the Kyuubi," Tsunade said.
Sakura's eyes widened, "If the Kyuubi gave Naruto enough, does that mean… Sakura asked.
"I thought the same thing, but he's not a medic ninja, and it would take more than a year to train anyone enough to be ready for it," Tsunade said.
"But to bring Gaara back, Chiyo didn't have enough chakra, Naruto put his hands over hers and using his chakra she finished the jutsu," Sakura said.
Tsunade's eyes widened, "I never heard of something like that, a non medic ninja supplying the chakra for healing. And the side effects didn't reach him he was just backup chakra," Tsunade said, deep in though. Then she grinned, "well, Gaara will definitely be willing to help, all we need now is you to get you control back as soon as you can," Tsunade said.
"Me? You want me to perform it?" Sakura asked.
"I can't it'll kill me, even with Gaara's help. And of you and Shizune you have more chakra, as soon as your control is back we'll send word to the Sand asking for Gaara's help," Tsunade said.
Sakura was frozen in shock and worry, 'oh no, I only have about ten months left, how long will it take to get my control back? If I don't do it in time… no, I will do it in time, I have to,' Sakura nodded to Tsunade and turned to leave, her hand was on the door knob when Tsunade spoke.
"Tomorrow morning at 8 I want you here so we can start getting your control back," Tsunade said. Sakura nodded and left.
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It was a week later and Sakura had been going to Tsunade's everyday to work on control. Sasuke was out of jail and on probation and to Sakura's relief his house was still there and belonging to him. She got him situated with some food and other necessities.
When she wasn't busy training Sakura spent time showing Sasuke what had changed in Konoha and filling him in on the non visible changes as well as bringing him face to face with the other rookie nine as well as Lee and the others.
Sasuke was now pretty much completely caught up, both with what he wanted to know and didn't want to know and received welcome backs from the others, he had also apologized to Neji, Chouji, Shikamaru and Kiba for what they went through the day he left.
Finally a week after she heard about the chance to bring Naruto back Sakura had completely regained her control, Tsunade said it might even be better than before. A message was sent to the Sand stating that Tsunade had found a way to bring Naruto back and requesting if Gaara would lend his aid in the process.
The messenger hawk takes a day to fly between Konoha and the Sand, a day and a half after the message was send Gaara, Temari and Kankurou were at the gates of Konoha, the hawk had yet to return. Tsunade couldn't help but laugh at this when the chuunin told here the Kazekage was already here, though by the time Gaara arrived in her office she had finished.
After telling Gaara the situation they decided to resurrect Naruto the next day, giving the Sand ninjas the rest of the day to rest form the journey, and giving Tsunade time to have Naruto's body dug up and brought to an operation room of the hospital where they would be resurrection him.
Shikamaru was given the task of leading Gaara and the others to a hotel they could stay at, a task he was relieved to get once he heard what the chuunin next to him had to, 'poor guy, having to dig up Naruto and bring him to the hospital, I don't know if I'd be able to do it,' Shikamaru thought.
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The next day shortly after noon Gaara, Sakura, Shizune, Tsunade, Sasuke, Kakashi and Jiraiya were in the operation room, Naruto's body lying in the center. Gaara and Sakura walked up to his body, the others stayed back by the walls, Tsunade and Shizune were ready incase Sakura needed the help; while Jiraiya and Kakashi were ready incase they didn't make it in time.
'It's supposedly four to five months, but the Kyuubi is strong, I hope he doesn't beat Sakura to the punch,' Kakashi thought.
Sakura and Gaara kneeled down one on either side of Naruto. Sakura placed one had on his forehead and the other on his chest, over his heart, Gaara put his hands on Sakura's.
"Just focus your chakra to your hands, I'll take it from there," Sakura told Gaara who nodded.
Their hands started to glow green as they resurrection jutsu started
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Naruto was trying to juggle kunai when the one he meant to catch fell through his hand. He looked at his hand, or rather, through it, and started to freak out, "CHAOS! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" he demanded running up to the god.
Chaos looked down at Naruto and saw what he was referring to, "ah, finally, they have found your place. You're going where you belong now," he said.
"Will I still be able to help Sakura in Heaven or Hell?" Naruto asked.
"No, Hell is punishment, they don't even have the mirrors, and Heaven wants you to think about this life, not the last. If the mirrors exist there, they do not act as doorways," Chaos said.
"So then, no matter which I go to…" Naruto said.
"Your ties to the living world will be severed and nothing can help you reach between the two," Chaos said.
Naruto looked back at his hand; the transparentness had spread past his elbow. He looked back at the red mirror with 'fear' written across it. "I don't want to leave here, I want to be able to see my friends, to possible help them," Naruto said.
"You don't have any choice in the matter, though I could keep you here, it would be of no benefit to me," Chaos said.
"You heartless bastard," Naruto yelled.
"I am chaos, I follow no laws. When my actions seem to be kind and helpful, it is because that is how I will achieve my goals, the same with my evil acts," said Chaos.
Naruto just stood there, anger spread across his face, staring at Chaos as more and more of him became transparent.
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AN: kudos to any and everyone who saw Gaara's statement at the funeral as foreshadowing, you're better at literary identification than me. I didn't realize it till now, and I had it planed from the beginning.