Welcome back!, I hope you had a good week and here's my newest chapter to make it a little better. I hope you enjoy it since it's my longest chapter yet :D.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Naruto or anything related to Naruto. If so Sasuke would have never ran off with the snake pedo and Itachi would still be alive.
'text' means thinking
Chapter 7: The aftermath
"Tsunade! Tsunade I need your help" yelled Itachi clutching at his brothers still body.
In the center of the room two women were talking while looking at a clipboard. The first woman was a young blonde woman who wore the robes of a healer. She was of average height, slim and had very large breasts. The woman next to her had black short hair and was about the same height as the blonde woman. She wore normal clothes with a white coat over them. At the banging of the door both women looked up to see Itachi holding his brother in his arms. Quickly the blonde walked up to the entrance of the door while the black haired lady ran to prepare a bed.
"Itachi over here quickly" she said as she ushered the prince to the empty bed
Itachi did as he was told and moved aside to let Tsunade get to work. She took Sasuke's pulse and vital signs before removing the rest of Sasuke's torn shirt.
"Will he be ok" asked Itachi worried
"Shizune I need some bandages and disinfectant quickly" barked out Tsunade
"Patience Itachi, now what happened to him" asked Tsunade
"He was wounded in battle, he fought Orochimaru during the raid on the palace" answered Itachi
"Orochimaru?" asked Tsunade while reaching for the things Shizune brought her
"Yes we don't know exactly what happened in all of the chaos," he answered rubbing his temples
"Well he's been deeply wounded and has lost a lot of blood and for now he's unconscious," she answered while cleaning Sasuke's wounds
"So he'll heal fine right?" asked Itachi peering over Tsunade's shoulder
" Yes it will take some time but he'll be fine" she answered
Kurama who up until that moment had decided to keep quiet for Itachi's sake stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I think we should leave Tsunade-Sama to her work now" he said looking at Itachi
"Of course we need to get going and see to the repairs of the palace," said Itachi squeezing Kurama's hand before letting go.
Both men walked out of the great hall leaving Tsunade to tend to her patients. A few minutes after both men walked out she had closed and bandaged all of Sasuke's wounds and left him resting in his bed only disturbing him to change his bandages.
"Suke"
"Suke look at the pretty horses"
Flashes of colors and laughter could be heard echoing around. Blurry images of people were surfacing and slowly becoming sharp enough to show the Uchihas and Namikazes. Both families having fun and smiling at each other as they enjoyed each other's company. The golden smears of color that were reoccurring in every image and the source of the voices and laugher, turned out to be Naruko Namikaze.
"Sasuke this is Naruko Namikaze your new play mate," said Kushina pushing a shy Naruko forward.
"Suke I'm here where are you," yelled a pouting Naruko at the palace entrance.
"Sasuke you'll always be my friend right?" asked a shy Naruko looking up from her lap.
"Suke help me I'm scared" cried a desperate Naruko running from an angry dog.
"Look what I got you Suke," giggled Naruko holding a stuffed rabbit.
"Sasuke who are you gonna marry when you grow up" asked Naruko hiding behind her stuffed rabbit.
"Sasuke, son, Naruko has gone missing," said a sad looking Fugaku.
"Suke! Help me suke, please,"
"Sasuke I love you," said a young smiling Naruko.
Shizune was making her usual rounds around the great hall while taking note of how along the patients were in their healing. She wrote down each patient's progress on the charts hanging at the foot of their beds. She worked diligently and quietly to not bother the patients. As she turned towards her last section of beds she saw Sasuke Uchiha standing in front of his bed. A gasp escaped her lips as her clipboard dropped to the floor with a dull noise. This caused Sasuke to turn around and look straight at Shizune.
"Sasuke-sama what are you doing up." said Shizune as she scrambled to his side.
" Why am I in the great hall?" he asked as Shizune seated him.
"You were injured in battle and had to be treated." She responded while checking him over.
"Hn that's right, that snake bastard thought he could kill me." snorted Sasuke.
"Sasuke-sama how do you feel?" asked Shizune after reading his chart.
"Hn, I feel fine how long was I out?" asked Sasuke.
" I see, and four days sir." she answered while writing down something.
" I see." he said getting up and walking past Shizune.
"Sasuke-sama where are you going." exclaimed Shizune.
"I've wasted enough time here, I'm leaving," he said as he pushed the entrance doors open.
"But your injured" yelled Shizune.
Her pleas were either ignored or unheard by Sasuke as he strode out of the great hall. The doors slamming behind him cause Shizune to wince as some of the other patients groaned awake.
"Children these day's" she mumbled as she continued to do her work.
Sasuke strode out of the great hall looking the same as ever. He looked around noticing the changes in décor and structure, which were greatly different from the one of the night of the raid. He continued to walk forward while every once in a while nodding in greeting to the palace staff that was happy to see his return. He made his way towards what he presumed to still be his father's study and gently opened it's wooden doors. As the doors opened it revealed his Father and Mother along with king Minato. The creaking of the doors caused everyone to look towards him as he stood in front of the room.
"Sasuke!" gasped Mikoto running towards him.
"Son!" exclaimed a surprised Fugaku standing from his chair.
Sasuke heard his father but couldn't see him approaching from the embrace his mother had him in.
"Mother I can't breathe" he complained.
With a startled jump Mikoto pushed away from sasuke and took a step back to stand where Fugaku was. Fugaku held his wife's trembling had before looking at his youngest son.
"How are you feeling Sasuke?" he asked.
"I'm fine father," he answered looking at Fugaku straight in the eye.
"That's not what your wounds are saying," said Minato from where he stood originally.
Both Fugaku and Mikoto looked from their son to Minato and back to their son. It was then they caught the seeping pink color that was appearing on Sasuke's shirt.
"Sasuke your still hurt you shouldn't be walking around," said Mikoto.
"I said I'm fine Mother and I didn't come here to talk about my wounds," grunted Sasuke.
"Then what did you come here for?" asked Fugaku.
"I remembered now, I have fully gained my memories back," he said.
Minato was the first to react rushing towards sasuke, "Can you find her?" he asked.
Looking up at the Kings distressed blue orbs sasuke responded, "I will find her."
Minato smiled at sasuke for the first time since the kidnapping of his daughter and gave Sasuke a quick hug before releasing him. He rushed towards the entrance of the study room before Fugaku's voice stopped him.
"Where are you going Minato?"
"I have to tell Kushina that we can finally set out and find our daughter," he said.
"We can't" said Mikoto looking down at the floor.
Minato's smile fell of his face as he looked at Mikoto, "what?"
"I will not let Sasuke out on a expedition while still being hurt, I'm sorry Minato but you must understand" she said looking straight at Minato.
" Mother I said I was fine" voiced Sasuke.
"I'm sorry sasuke but your mother's right, we can't let you go out in your condition," said Fugaku.
Sasuke stared in disbelief at his parents before looking at King Minato hovering in the doorway. His gaze was one of understanding before looking at Sasuke with an apologetic look.
"Your parents are right Sasuke, you should rest up before we head out on any search" he said while turning to leave, "I'm still going to inform Kushina" he said before disappearing from the room.
"Mother, Father, I'll go and rest now" said Sasuke turning to leave.
He paused with his back turned to them as he felt them both put a hand on his shoulder. The comforting gesture was cut short as Sasuke continued to move towards the exit. He left the study with a look of determination that his parents had failed to see.
'I'm sorry Mother, Father'
He walked towards the opposite direction of his bedchambers until he reached a closed off room. He looked around and found no one in sight before pulling the door handle. Torches hanging from the walls cast shadows throughout the room obscuring the objects in the room. Picking up one of the torches from the entrance, Sasuke walked into the room illuminating the entire space. The light of the flame bounced of the glass cases that held all types of weapons from swords to daggers to even cross bows. Sasuke walked past the tall cases and stepped towards the trunks that were at the back of the room. With ease he opened the trunk to reveal more weapons but in a smaller size.
" I'm coming for you Naruko," he said with a smirk on his face.
Dull blue eyes stared unseeing at the floor as Naruko sat in silence. She sat unmoving on the small cot she was provided by Mizuki a few days after Nagato had left. His absence did little to sooth her nerves, she was so worried about her loved ones that she had continuously refused to eat anything. Each day she grew weaker and thinner that her once healthy figure now resembled that of a twig. The only thing that reminded her of home was her crimson gown that now kept falling of her thin shoulders. She refused to change out of it when Mizuki offered her a cleaner gown. Everyday she would stay in the same spot and clutch at her dress as if her life depended on it. She was often so lost in her mind that she wouldn't notice Mizuki coming into her room for the day.
"Naruko?" called Mizuki approaching Naruko.
Naruko moved her dead eyes towards the girl standing in front of her. She noticed the brush and hair bands in her hands before nodding slightly. She turned around and allowed Mizuki to sit on the cot next to her. With gentle strokes Mizuki ran the hairbrush along Naruko's long tresses. Her once gold halo had now turned into a dull wheat color from the lack of sunlight.
"Your hair is beautiful Naruko," said Mizuki trying to cheer up Naruko.
"…Is that so" she responded.
"I'll make is even prettier for you" she said braiding her hair.
Naruko didn't respond to Mizuki and the girl visibly deflated. She felt terrible for what was happening to her but could do nothing against it. She could only hope to cheer her up but that didn't seem to be working as each day she seemed more frail and hopeless. After braiding her long hair into one braid she tied it off with a red ribbon to match her gown before placing it over her shoulder. Just as she was about to speak the door of the room burst open and revealed a seething Nagato.
"Get Out" growled Nagato.
Mizuki scrambled to her feet as she ran past Nagato towards the door. She didn't turn back to see Naruko's dead eyes burn with hatred as she looked at Nagato.
Nagato ignored the slam of the door as he advanced towards Naruko.
" I told you you'd never win," said Naruko Smirking at Nagato.
"You think you're so smart don't you little bitch" he growled as he lashed out.
"You don't scare me Nagato" She spit out as she slowly reached behind her to clutch a knife handle.
"A coward like you will never accomplish anything" she said.
Nagato growled and made to lunge at her just at the same time Naruko flung her right arm out. The knife sailed through the air and embedded itself in Nagato's shoulder. The attack was sudden and painful enough to send Nagato stumbling back into the floor. As quickly as she attacked Naruko made a run for it and made it out of the room. Her heart was pounding furiously in her heart as she ran through a series of hallways. She stumbled and had trouble running from her weakness and lack of movement. She continued to run as fast as she could while occasionally looking back to check for Nagato. No sign of him could be found as she neared the door that was the entrance to the building that had kept her captive.
'I'm free, I'm finally free'
She was close enough to the door that she could feel the sunlight on her cold skin warming her entire being. Just as she passed the last vertical hallway and reached for the door, she was yanked back and tossed harshly to the concrete floor. Grimacing at her aching body she quickly looked up and horror flashed across her face. There in front of her blocking her exit to freedom was Nagato looking absolutely livid. The knife she had embedded into his shoulder was still there looking like a decoration. He slowly pulled the knife out of his shoulder not once looking away from Naruko's face as he did so.
"You stupid little girl, you're going to wish you were never born" he snarled as he approached Naruko and brought the knife down on her.
A scream echoed through the building before it went quiet and the sounds or something dragging along the floor could be quietly heard along with an evil cackle.
Aren't I just the worst, and here you thought Sasuke was going to die and now this. I wonder what will happen next, don't you?
Review or Comment please :)