Rekindled
The next day, Grandma took Sasuke out into a clearing, and summoned a wood clone.
"Do chidori?" he asked.
"Precisely."
He charged his hand and charged at the clone.
The impact caused a small explosion.
"Now, the move I am about to teach, cannot, I repeat, cannot be fueled by hatred or anger, unless the anger stems from concern. What I want you to do, is charge the same amount of energy that you use in chidori, to the tip of your blade. Once you have done that, swing your sword. This attack is both distance and close range. If your enemy is at a distance, then you can launch your chidori in the shape of anything you want. From a wave to a ray. Now, concentrate, and fire."
Sasuke concentrated his thoughts on the time when Hanone used her Tsukyomi on them, and his desire to help Bara when she was feeling the full effects.
The tip of his blade glowed brightly as he did this.
He concentrated on a small twister and swung his blade.
A bright twister made of lightning shot from his blade and plowed through the clones.
Sasuke looked on in shock.
"As strong as that move is, it barely takes away any chakra. You can use it as many times as you want, if it is for the right reason." Grandma said.
"Why are you teaching me this? I thought your goal was to get me away from that path."
"Because, you are the one who will protect her the most."
"From what?"
"That's all for right now, come back later on, and I will help you and the rest open the first seal."
"First seal?"
"Why yes. Have you ever wondered what made Bara, Sarah and Shawn so strong? They are working on unlocking the fourth seal. Every seal is like a level. When you unlock it, you unlock more power. But you need someone with my experience to do it."
"Why can't you do it now?"
"Because I want you to relax and go enjoy this beautiful day. Bara is by the river right now, you can go spend time with her. Or find Naruto and the others and 'hang' with them." she said quoting 'hang'.
Sasuke left to go find Bara.
He found her by the river, practicing her Bajiquan stances.
Sasuke stopped to admire her form.
He noticed that every blow she made was quick and direct, and when she moved, it was with graceful and light.
Her kimono flowed behind her like an elegant sheild protecting her back.
She finally stopped and turned around. "It is polite to announce your prescence you know." she said with a smile.
He closed his eyes and smirked. "I didn't want to interrupt your training."
"Oh it's not training, I just love doing it. It's like dancing."
"So what are your plans for today?" he asked leaning against a tree with his arms folded.
"Well, today I planned to walk through the forest for a while before I go to grandma for more training. She seems distracted lately though."
She turned her gaze to the river.
"She just taught me a new move." Sasuke said trying to keep a conversation going.
"Oh cool!" she said clasping her hands together,"maybe you could show it to me later."
Sasuke closed his eyes, pondering why he was standing here.
When he opened them she was standing right in front of him.
"Still questioning yourself?"
"No."
She raised an eyebrow. "Okay." She then continued her dancing.
Once again, Sasuke observed her movements.
"Hey Sasuke!" he heard a familiar voice yell.
He opened his eyes to see Naruto grinning back at him.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked as politely as his personality would let him.
"I was about to ask you the same-" Naruto paused and looked at Bara.
A small grin formed on his face as he looked back at Sasuke, "Soooo, is she your new girlfriend?"
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
"Why are you here?"
"To find out why you're here."
Sasuke, alittle irritated now, took a deep breath, and quietly said, "I like her alittle."
"Then ask her out."
Sasuke hesitated.
"Come on it can't be that hard. Hey Bara!"
"Naruto! No-"
"Yes?" Bara said walking up.
"C'mon." Naruto whipered nudging him.
Sasuke glared at him before turning back to look at a confused Bara.
"I was wondering if," he hesitated, rubbing the back of his head, frustrated and embarrassed,"If..."
"Ramen shop, let's go." she finished for him.
Still blushing he agreed and as they both headed back towards town Sasuke could hear Naruto holding back laughter.
They arrived at the Ramen shop, ordered, then ate.
Sasuke checked the time, "Looks like it's time for more training."
"Hurry up and go...Grandmama will be in a foul mood if you're late."
Sasuke paid for the meal and rose to leave.
"Wait!" she said walking up to him.
"Thanks for the date." she said and planted a kiss on his lips once more.
Before he could get into it she stopped and ran off, giggling and looking back, her cheeks red with embarrassment.
Despite his reluctance for it, he felt pleased that she liked it and made his way to Grandma.
He opened the door to see her sitting in a chair.
There were two cups of tea on the table.
"Come sit Sasuke, there is somthing I feel I must discuss with you."
Feeling uneasy, he obeyed.
"You are the only one unaware of the calamity about to befall this village."
"What do you mean."
"I have seen that he is sending his own small army here to...kill Bara."
"What! Why didn't you-"
"Let me finish. I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want to make you lose hope again. I taught you that move because I knew you would need it if you want to keep her safe."
"Why does he want to kill her."
Grandma closed her eyes and looked down.
Angry now, Sasuke stood up, "Answer me!"
"Because...through her willing death can she kill Him."
Time stopped for just a moment as Sasuke adjusted to the shock.
"Then being with her is a waste-"
"No, it is not."
"What's the point of being with her if she's just gonna die?"
"That is why I stress the importance of letting me finish. I know she must give her life to kill Him, therefore, I have been working on a unique jutsu to solve that problem. I call it 'rebirth'; for a large piece of my life she is revived, only within a fraction of her life, which is enough."
"What if you die?"
"Highly unlikely. But if I were to expire, I have also left instructions on the locations of seven relics that symbolize the seven of eight gates. If I am unable to do this justsu, then I will guide you all to each relic. Sasuke," she said, her blind eyes looking at his furious ones, "you have my word, that I will not let her be taken from you. Even if it means she cannot fulfill her part in this. Your need for others as well as each other is more important to me than what she is supposed to do. She knows of her fate as well, but accepts it."
Sasuke left and ran straight to the apartment where Bara was staying.
It was raining hard. The perfect setting. he thought absentmindedly.
He got to her number, soaking wet.
He banged on the door, panting wearily and in panic.
She opened the door, suprised that it was him.
"Sasuke what-"
He silenced her with a deep kiss.
He let go and she asked, a bit confused, "Maybe you should come in out of the rain."
He walked inside and she closed the door.
"Take off your shirt and hang it on that wire right there so it can dry."
As he did this she walked into her bathroom and came back with a towel.
"Here." she said.
He took it as she looked outside.
The rain had gotten worse.
"Guess you'll be staying here tonight." she said briskly.
He didn't smile, instead he asked, "Did you know of what you had to do to kill that thing?"
Her smile vanished.
She looked at the ground in guilt, "yes."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I wanted to, but you've already lost so much in your life. I didn't want to add more."
"What about when the time came?"
"I'm sure Grandmama told you what she plans to do about that. I have complete faith in her about it."
He sat on the bed and hung his head a little.
She sat next to him, and turned his head towards her own.
"Listen to me, Sasuke, everything will be alright. If you don't believe me, then in time you will. Know that even if you want to stop what we're doing, because of what you don't want to feel when the time comes, I understand."
Sasuke looked in her eyes; eyes that seemed to smile back at him.
He closed his eyes and held her close before letting go.
"So, where am I sleeping?"
"I totally forgot! Let me change first."
She ran into the bathroom and closed the door.
Some minutes later, she came out, wearing a silk tank-top, and white silk pants.
Sasuke stared in awe.
She walked up to him, and lightly pushed him back. "With me." she said with a smile.
In the male depths of Sasuke's mind, a little voice yelled 'YES!'