Chapter 13: The Real Truth
In her room, Master Tsunade looked out the window thinking about the right words to say. She did not want to hurt Sakura but no matter what, it always looked the same. Tsunade had always known that Sakura did not want Sasuke to remember that she had feelings for him, because if he did remember then he might stay away from her and be annoyed once again. Sakura was contented that Sasuke didn't remember. Besides, she wants to have a new start of her life with the new Sasuke. But now that he hadn't actually forgotten it, Sakura did not know what to do.
Tsunade glanced reluctantly at Sasuke as if she wants some help from him but she knew it would do no good. "Master… tell me the truth! Please… Why does Sasuke remember? Had he really got amnesia? Then that means he never forgot that I have feelings for him? What?! Why do you have to hide this from me???" Sakura cried. She felt so betrayed.
"Sakura… I-I have to explain." Tsunade said, looking so troubled. She breathed deeply before starting to speak. She had to be gentler. "Sasuke really didn't have a complete amnesia. I explained to you that it was a punishment and that's true. I was the one who performed the technique for his punishment. I thought the punishment was going to be successful, but then I did not know enough. It failed… and yeah, Sasuke still remember some memories and what he had forgotten is the most favorable part… his friends and his good life in Konoha." Tsunade explained sadly.
"The main purpose of the punishment," Tsunade continued, "is for Sasuke to forget all about his miserable past – his brother and the revenge in his heart. He had forgotten about the revenge, but he still remembered Itachi and the pain he had caused him. Since Sasuke only remembered a bit about you and Naruto and forgot completely about all the others, we agreed to make everyone believe that he has amnesia."
"I want to start a new life in Konoha. I want everyone to know me not as the old Sasuke who's cold, vengeful and mysterious. I want to be friendly and not someone the others would consider as odd and strange. Sakura, I want to belong…" Sasuke explained miserably. "But Sasuke… you don't have to pretend that you have amnesia in order to belong! We can accept you for whoever you are. You don't have to do this, Sasuke!" Sakura said.
"Sakura, Sasuke needs a new life. Making everyone believe that he has amnesia is also for his own protection. Itachi, wherever he is now, knows that Sasuke has amnesia and I assume that he will leave Sasuke alone knowing that he doesn't remember everything. But of course, that protection is for a little while." Tsunade added.
"Itachi is on the lookout for Sasuke?" Sakura asked stunningly. She thought that when Sasuke came back in Konoha, he really had a new peaceful life without any revenge and hatred in his heart. But now knowing that Sasuke was still in danger, Sakura suddenly felt worried and uneasy for him.
"Yes, and we are preparing for any attack. He still wants to kill Sasuke." Tsunade said in alarm. Naruto nodded along, and that meant something for Sakura. "Naruto… you know everything too?" Sakura exclaimed. Naruto nodded sadly. Sakura looked around the room and saw Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei? You know everything all along?" Sakura asked. Kakashi went into the room and nodded too.
"Oooh… Why do you have to do this to me? Why do you have to keep the truth from me? WHY??? I don't understand. Don't I have the right to know what really happened to Sasuke??? Don't you care that I still care for him?" Sakura cried. She suddenly fell to the floor and cupped her hands in her face. Naruto went to her rescue and hugged her tightly. Sakura really felt like she was completely betrayed by people whom she truly loved and she felt the pain of it.
Sasuke froze right then and there. He did not know what to do. He felt so guilty, that he was the one responsible for all the pain Sakura was going through. First, he left her then now he betrayed her by making her believe and deceiving her that he had amnesia. He knew that Sakura had always trusted him and he did too to her and now, he couldn't believe what he had just done. He walked close to Sakura, who was still embraced by Naruto.
"Sakura… forget about me. You don't want to be in pain, do you? Naruto loves you and he deserves you. Put behind all your love for me. It's past, right? Move on and get a life. Can't you do that?" Sasuke said impatiently.
Sakura struggled out of Naruto's embrace, and stood to face Sasuke. "You know what, Sasuke? You don't understand! You're asking me to forget you? That is not easy! You don't understand how it feels when the person you've always loved all your life betrays you and leaves you all alone and does not care about your feelings. You don't know the pain, Sasuke! How could I forget? You broke my heart into a thousand pieces… and… and… you never bothered to mend it again!" Sakura said. She was feeling weaker and weaker as she spoke those words.
Sasuke couldn't say anything. Every word Sakura speaks shots through his heart. And the pain was very sharp. He felt that he was the one to blame about everything, and he really knew that he was. He wanted to hug Sakura then and there and tell her that he's sorry but he knew 'sorry' wasn't enough to make her feel well again. Sasuke knew all throughout that Sakura's pain wouldn't vanish unless he accepts her with all his heart.
When Sakura saw that Sasuke couldn't answer, she stormed out of the house. She wants some time alone to think about everything. She felt the pain in her heart and knew that it would not go away and has always been there… ever since Sasuke left. But the peaceful time Sakura wants outside has not been what she wanted. As she went out and stood outside, a kunai directed upon her chin. She gasped.
"Haruno Sakura… where is Uchiha Sasuke?" The eerie voice asked. Sakura cleared her tears and took a better look at the person who directed the kunai. She couldn't believe what she saw. It was… Uchiha Itachi…!!! And she felt so helpless and did not know what to do.
"I-I… I… d-don't… don't…know… I don't care… about where… w-where he is right now…" Sakura stammered, being so scared. Her heart was beating faster and faster. "He is in the house, isn't he? I will kill him." Itachi said in a spine-chilling way. Sakura felt even more scared. "Don't kill him!" Sakura screamed. Itachi directed the kunai closer to her throat, and held her on her shirt.
Tsunade heard Sakura's scream and she felt alarmed that she hurried out the house and the others followed. She looked at Sakura's state in terror. "T-this is… This is what I've dreaded to happen." She mumbled to herself. Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi look at them in alarm.
"Let go of her." Sasuke ordered in a very firm voice. Itachi looked at him and chuckled. He loosened his hold on Sakura's clothes. He chuckled even more. "Oh my dearest brother, how are you? Hahaha… How do you feel that I'm holding the girl you are so in loved with?" Itachi said in a teasing manner. Sasuke frowned deeply but looked at the ground. Finally, the truth was out.
Sakura took a glance at Sasuke to see his reaction. He seemed bothered and trouble. "S-Sasuke-kun… I-is… is that… is that true?" Sakura was crying again. Tsunade sighed. Finally, Sakura knows. Sasuke took the courage to look straight at Sakura's eyes and he neared her.
"It's true, Sakura." Sasuke mumbled softly. He felt so ashamed that it was only now that Sakura knew and he didn't have the courage to tell her. He didn't have the courage because he was afraid that even if he knew that Sakura really loves him, she wouldn't accept him because he left her all alone once. But he was wrong.
Sakura sobbed even more. She couldn't believe what she had just found out. Sasuke loves her? Sasuke loves Sakura! "Is it really true, Sasuke-kun? Why have you kept this from me?" Sakura asked, now smiling and crying at the same time. Sasuke smiled too and he felt so relieved that the truth was now out.
"It's no dream, Sakura-chan. I'm sorry if I had to keep it from you. I was afraid to tell you because I thought you will reject me and make me remember the pain I have caused you. I thought you will not accept me anymore after everything." Sasuke explained.
"No, Sasuke-kun… I will never do that. You know that I loved you, right? And I still do and that will never change." Sakura said with all joy. She wanted to hug Sasuke right then and there if only Itachi hadn't gripped her. But what she didn't know was Naruto was hurting too. And he had to accept that Sakura will only love Sasuke and no one else.
"Good acting, dear bro! Now enough about your drama because you two will join each other and I will kill both of you!!!" Itachi said, cackling wickedly. Tsunade got prepared to fight Itachi, and so did Sasuke, Naruto and Itachi.
"Release her now. Fight us if you're not afraid." Tsunade ordered. Itachi smiled fiendishly and released his grip off Sakura. "Are you threatening me, Fifth Hokage? You still have the courage to say that, huh? It's like I don't know that you are afraid of blood!" Itachi said, and with that he struck the kunai to Sakura's arm. She moaned and blood flowed.
Tsunade started to shake. The others felt so alarmed. "Master Tsunade… fight your fear!" Sakura exclaimed out of her pain. Tsunade looked at Sakura, and then she closed her eyes concentrating to be brave and fight her fear. She finally opened her eyes after a few moments and looked at Itachi bravely.
"Who says I'm afraid of blood? I think you heard a wrong rumor, Itachi." Tsunade said, and threw three shurikens at Itachi, which he simply dodged. She quickly attacked Itachi and did taijutsu with him. They were both skilled and simply couldn't hit each other. And finally, Itachi hit Tsunade. She finally decided making hand seals and worked different techniques on him, including the one that can break the grounds. But nothing worked.
Itachi was too powerful and he survived all Tsunade's techniques. She had to think fast, so she whispered something to Kakashi and Naruto about a plan. She ran to Sasuke too, to simply tell him that he was the last one who is going to attack if nothing worked and had to protect Sakura. He nodded.
Sasuke ran to Sakura's rescue. Her arm was hurting and bleeding so bad. He held her in his arms. "Sakura… your arm is bleeding!" Sasuke exclaimed, unknowing what to do. "It will be okay, Sasuke-kun… Believe me." Sakura assured, smiling. She wants Sasuke to know that she can heal her own wounds and that she is almost a fully-pledged medical ninja. Sasuke watched the bleeding and after a few moments, blood stopped flowing out.
"H-how come, Sakura?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. "Something I learned from Master Tsunade." Sakura said, smiling proudly that she had just used what she learned. "You are so great, Sakura. And you really improved a lot. I always believe that you always had a potential. I believe in you, Sakura-chan…" Sasuke praised. He kissed her on the cheek and she blushed so deeply.
On the other hand, the battle against Itachi was going fiercer and fiercer. The plan was starting to work. Tsunade performed the most perfect genjutu she can do which cannot be dispelled. It worked well and Itachi didn't move. Naruto made an attack to punch the older Uchiha. Itachi wasn't able to dodge it and blood flow from his face. When Kakashi was the one to attack, Itachi was able to dispel the technique. Tsunade felt shocked that he was able to dispel it! What went wrong?
"Itachi has a technique to dispel your genjutsu." Kakashi said as he landed on the ground from his failed attack on Itachi. "You cannot trick me, you fools." Itachi said, touching the bruise on his cheek. Kakashi signaled Naruto to attack. Naruto nodded, and rushed. He used his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, and produced a lot of different clones. All of these clones dashed to attack Itachi but all didn't work. Finally, the real Naruto was the only one left standing.
"You know Uzumaki Naruto? I wonder why you'll still fight for Sasuke. He betrayed you when he left Konoha, right? And now he takes Sakura away from you. Are you blind about all the offenses he has done to you?" Itachi said, wanting to make Naruto regret about a lot of things.
But Naruto stood firm. "Sasuke is my friend and he will always be. I value our friendship more than anything else. He taught me a lot of things and I will not exchange him for anything. You cannot make me break our friendship. Now let's fight!" Naruto said resolutely. Naruto used Kage Bunshin again. Itachi did hand seals and formed techniques to defeat Naruto but he wasn't able to. Finally, Naruto decided to use his finishing technique – the Rasengan.
Naruto formed the chakra on his hand. He closed his eyes to release the chakra of the demon fox. He finally ran and was about to attack, when Itachi released a strong wind from his hands to fight the chakra on Naruto's hand. And the chakra couldn't stand the strong wind. Naruto fell suddenly, being so weak and his chakra all used up. Tsunade ran to him and carried him in a safe place.
"One down. Who's next?" Itachi said threateningly. Kakashi stood in front of Itachi. Both used their hand seals again but all their techniques didn't work on each other. They were both good, using the Sharingan. "You know, great copy ninja? Only the true Uchihas can use the Sharingan well. You have no right to it. And I am going to prove that now." Itachi said.
Itachi made hand seals and formed in his hand a stronger ball of chakra, much stronger than the Rasengan. Kakashi formed hand seals too and used his Chidori. They attacked each other at the same time. Tsunade, Sakura and Sasuke waited as the light that filled the air vanished. And what they saw astounded them. Kakashi was lying on the ground, and Itachi was laughing again.
"Two down. Master Hokage? May I have the pleasure to fight with you?" Itachi said, still chuckling. Tsunade frowned angrily. "I will make this quick." That was all she said. Tsunade was really angry that she grew stronger again and broke the ground and lifted a large boulder from there and threw at Itachi. Of course, he was able to dodge it.
Tsunade formed hand seals. She was going to perform the best technique she could ever think of. In her right hand, she formed a ball of chakra together with red wind and other substances. It was a technique only a medical ninja can perform. Itachi used his strong ball of chakra again, which he used with Kakashi. Itachi attacked first in front of Tsunade but she had a different thing in mind. She rushed to Itachi and attacked him on his back. Itachi whimpered in pain. He felt like his bones were breaking. Sakura smiled courageously. She had seen that technique before, only it had consequences. "Enough, Tsunade!!!" Itachi whined. He twisted and squirmed in soreness.
Tsunade fell to her knees. She was getting weaker and weaker and that was the consequence. And she wouldn't be able to fight again. "Sakura… I could fight no longer… J-just… fight till the end…" Tsunade fell to the ground. Sakura rushed to her and checked her pulse. Sasuke finally stood. Sakura looked at him, feeling so frightened for him.
"Sasuke-kun… be careful… But I believe in you…" Sakura said, supporting him so much. "I will be careful. But Sakura-chan? I want you to remember that I will always love you no matter what happens. If I die today, I hope you do not forget our memories together and that I will love you till the end. I will fight for our love, Sakura. And I hope you do too." Sasuke said. Sakura was so touched and tears began to fall from her eyes again.
"Oh, Sasuke-kun… Don't talk like that… You are not going to die. You will live and after on, we'll live a good happy and peaceful life together. We will never part again, Sasuke-kun… I will always love you and that will never change… I will fight for you, Sasuke." Sakura sobbed. Sasuke nodded. "I will fight now." He spoke firmly and courageously.
"Uchiha Itachi… I cannot forgive you for all you've done for me. I am going to fight you till the end." Sasuke pronounced. Itachi chuckled. "Until when are you going to be lost in your dreams that you can kill me? You'll die first, Uchiha Sasuke, before I die." Itachi said. They began attacking each other. First it was plain taijutsu. They didn't hit each other. Then, they both started forming hand seals. Sasuke used his Fireball Technique while Itachi used a so-called Waterball Technique, a reverse of Sasuke's technique.
Itachi and Sasuke seemed to be equal in power. Itachi couldn't believe that somehow, Sasuke could equal his power. He was so great now and Itachi thought that Sasuke was getting his strength from his love for the people around him, especially for Sakura. When Sasuke's heart was still filled with hatred, he was blinded by it so much and the revenge covered Sasuke's true strength.
After more techniques Sasuke decided to use his most powerful strength the Chidori. It was the greatest Chidori, even stronger than Kakashi's. Itachi also formed a ball of chakra on both his hands, but with strong heat and wind. They attacked each other at the same time, and both were deeply harmed. Sasuke fell to the ground but Itachi was left standing weakly.
Sakura ran to Sasuke and held his hand. "Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-kun? Don't die, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed. She was crying so hard now. Sasuke looked at Sakura and smiled. "Sakura… Sakura… remember what I said… I-I will… I will always… love you… Fight for our love… till… till… the bitter end." Sasuke managed to say. Sakura hugged Sasuke's body and cried even more.
When Sakura recovered, she took the courage to stand and face Itachi. She was the only one left standing, and the weakest among all of them. Itachi was bleeding badly. "How is that? You're the only one left standing. That's easy, I don't even have to lift my finger to kill you. You're very weak, Haruno Sakura." Itachi pronounced.
Itachi's words seemed to anger Sakura so much. "Me? Weak? I guess you no longer know me. Haruno Sakura doesn't run from her challenges! I will fight for Sasuke till the end. I will never forgive you for what you've done to him." Sakura stated firmly. And with that, she formed hand seals now applying what she has learned.
Sakura performed genjutsu, another technique Tsunade taught her that was hard to dispel to. She succeeded in doing so, and performed another set of hand seals. She concentrated some purple chakra on her hands, a type that harms the inner organs. When Itachi didn't move, Sakura put her hands on Itachi's chest. The chakra harmed his heart directly and badly.
Itachi groaned and fell to the ground. He coughed out blood. Sakura concentrated more purple chakra and touched different parts of Itachi's body. And he was bleeding so badly. As she was attacking him, the other ninjas ran to her. Finally, they heard her screams. Why had they only heard now? They all scurried and prepared to fight Itachi.
But as most techniques of medical ninjas, the purple chakra has a big consequence too. Sakura felt strength being stripped from her. She felt like she was feeling dizzy and at the same time her head aches. And she felt like her body parts were melting. She suddenly started falling down and falling down to the ground… And felt nothing.