Okay guys here is chapter 4, I am so sorry if there are any mistakes in here cos I had a bit of trouble editing lol. First off I had to fight with mine and Haru's cats over the laptop lol they are little buggers, I had to baby...well cat-sit Haru's cat that is named after her, my cat and hers are brothers so yeah ciaos and then I was listening to music and watching a really cool movie called Trick 'r Treat which is a horror. But let me tell you don't watch it at home alone cos it is really cool but freaky lol. The starts a doozy... ooh he's gonna get it now lol somehow I don't think that tree will grow there -.- Okay I have to stop watching this movie and get this updated for you guys lol
Anyway we hope you guys enjoy the chapter and thank you again to everyone who has reviewed, favourite'd and alerted it means a lot to Haruai and I that you enjoy our story.
Disclaimer: I tell myself time and time again but it doesn't mean you will be mine oh sweet lovable...Sasuke, ah who am I kidding you'll never be mine but you are lovable...DON'T KILL ME!
Chapter 4
"Sakura are you okay...wake up"
She could hear voices but her eyes were too heavy to open.
"Wake up!" her body began to violently shake.
"Ow! What was that for teme" it was Naruto's voice 'what is he doing...and whose teme?'
"Teme?" that was Sasuke "If you shake her like that she won't wake up...dobe"
'Did I miss something...what's going on?' then the memories from the man in the forest attacking her came back in a rush.
Sakura bolted up into a sitting position so fast that her head collided with another person's head, causing her and the person to fall back.
"Ow"
She looked to the sound while rubbing her head to see the blonde doing the same. "I think I just got hit with a speeding train...Sakura your awake!" sore head forgotten Naruto bounded over to her and hugged her tightly. "Na...Naru..to...get...off" Sakura got out while being squeezed to death. Sasuke helped by pulling him off when it looked like he was staying and because Sakura had started to turn blue.
Sakura regained her breath again only to once again be reminded of what had just happened before she lost consciousness. "Where is he" she shot up onto her feet, and frantically looked around for him.
Naruto was a little confused "Who...Kakashi-sensei, he we..." Naruto got cut off "No you idiot the monster that attacked me!" Sakura yelled. Naruto looked shocked at the way she spoke to him "B..but Sakura n..no-one attacked you, y..you didn't get attacked" he backed away from the deadly aura.
"WHAT!" She was beginning to sound like him "What do you mean no-one was there...he was there along with my mo..." a look of total fear crossed her face, "Where's my mother...oh Kami please let her be safe" Sakura took off into the direction of where she had been, hoping her mother was safe and sound.
Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other totally confused before Sasuke spoke up "Come on dobe we better go after her before she goes completely mad" Sasuke began walking towards where the pinkette had just run off to with his hands in his pockets.
Naruto stood there for a moment longer looking at his dark haired team-mate and the direction his pink haired team-mate went in "What is going on...I thought Sakura's mum died...hey, HEY! I am not a dobe, you are teme!" Naruto yelled as he ran to catch up to his team-mate.
Sakura ran into the forest looking for the spot where her mother had been "Mother!" the only thing she could hear where the birds chirping "Mother where are you...MOTHER!" there were no traces of hair nor hide of her mother not even her chakra. Sakura started to panic "Not again...please Kami don't take her away from me again" she whispered as tears threatened to fall free.
Kakashi was checking out the area where he had found Sakura a few minutes ago because something didn't feel right to him...and for the fact that he had found the pinkette under a genjutsu, a strong one at that.
"MOTHER!"
He looked behind him to see the girl come into the area, a sigh of relief exited his mouth when he saw that she was awake and moving 'Good she seems fine...although' Sakura ran up to him "Have you seen her?" she asked Kakashi was confused but also worried at the panicked state.
Sakura looked around "Where is she" she turned back to Kakashi when a memory popped into her head "Did you catch him please tell me he didn't get away...I need to find her"
Kakashi grabbed a hold of her shoulders "Sakura stop" he said sternly "Who are you talking about?" Sakura looked at him as if he had lost his marbles. "Who was I supposed to catch and who is she" he asked, the look she gave him didn't faze him one bit.
"the monster that took my family away from me and my mother...they were here" Sakura didn't understand why he didn't know who she was talking about "He was there when you found me...she was there" the tears finally fell "I was so close...I had her in my arms" she said as she sobbed. Kakashi pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around the braking girl. "I let him take her away from me again...a..and I was too w...weak to st...stop him"
Kakashi's heart went out to the girl as she cried into his chest 'You have been through so much' Kakashi pulled her away from him and lifted her chin so she had to look at him "Sakura...there was no-one there...when I found you, you were under a genjutsu" he said as he wiped the tears away from her cheek with his thumb "It wasn't your mother...none of it was real"
Sakura looked at him with wide eyes "N...no if it was a genjutsu I would have seen it...I would have" she whispered "She was here...she was" it felt like she was desperately trying to convince Kakashi that her mother had in fact been there but he could tell that she was realising the truth in her words. He felt so sorry for her and couldn't help but remember the conversation he had with the Hokage yesterday afternoon.
FLASHBACK
"You know when I said I wanted a challenge after ANBU I didn't mean impossible" Kakashi said as he poofed into the room. "So you've met them I guess" the grey haired Hokage said with a smile on his aged face, Kakashi just glared.
"You gave me the last two remaining Haruno and Uchiha clan members and the kyuubi Jinchuuriki as students" Kakashi didn't hide his displeasure of the choice, "I gave them to you because I knew you and you alone would be the one to help them Kakashi...no matter how you look at it you four are all the same"
Kakashi looked at him a little confused "You are all alone and all your precious people have been taken from you...granted two of your students have lived through a massacre, and the other has no idea what his parents did for him...or who they are for that matter" Kakashi looked at him with a calm exterior yet inside he was taken aback at the explanation.
"They need each other...believe it or not but Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were best friends before...the events of the Haruno massacre" Sarutobi was a little reluctant to talk about that event in history.
Kakashi sat in the chair in front of the desk "Speaking of which...I know what happened to Sasuke but nothing about Sakura...and she seems like the type of person to tell me 'It's none of your business so back off' rather than actually talk about it"
Sarutobi chuckled "You only just met her and you already know her well"
He looked out the window and began to speak "When I first met her she was the sweetest loving but very shy child I had ever had the pleasure of meeting...so much like Sasuke. But just like him the events of her family turned her into what she is today...a shinobi with great potential to be a highly valued shinobi but is wasting it on her thirst for revenge " Kakashi understood what the man was saying as he had witnessed that look in both the young ninja's eyes.
"She didn't regain consciousness for two days after the events and for a few weeks after that she hid herself in her parent's home not wanting to be around anyone let alone talk to anyone, so I had Itachi Uchiha look into her mind to find out what had happened" he turned back around to face Kakashi.
"He said her mind was full of chaos pain and fear that it would take him a while to decipher what happened...as it happened it took him three days to do it and when he came to report his findings...Kakashi I have never in all my life seen someone so shaken up even after a battle" Kakashi didn't make a sound but the look on his face told the greying man all he needed to know.
"Yes he was very shaken up from that and you are wondering why he in turn did virtually the same thing to his own clan two years later" Kakashi slightly nodded his head "We still don't know why he did what he did, the same as why Noki did it as well...but I'm sure the truth will be revealed to us one day"
"When I was finally able to get the boy to tell me what he found he said that there were two of them...as you know one was her cousin Noki Haruno" Kakashi scowled 'What a bastard, to do that and leave a six year old child on her own' "And the other Itachi couldn't identify...something was blocking him from the identity of the other" Kakashi nodded his understanding and Sarutobi continued.
"The child heard her cousins being slaughtered while she hid in a closet, and when she got outside she saw her father being stabbed. Her mother was being held by the unknown person, Itachi said at that moment in her mind it became very difficult to look into it. He was pushed out of her head three times by an unknown force before he was able to see what happened next, he said it was like something was protecting her mind from the memory"
"He said he watched the scene as if he were there on the sidelines but was unable to understand what they were saying only murmurs. But as he dug through the child's mind one thing was very strong...the man holding her mother wanted her to choose between her mother and father"
Kakashi felt sick at that little bit of information "The bastard asked a child to choose between her mother and father...how sick could he be" he growled and bald his fists up until they were white.
"No Kakashi...that isn't the part that distress's me, what does is that he told her to kill her father in order to save her mother"
Kakashi was unable to say anything as he looked at the old man with a wide eye.
Kakashi had to let this sink in before he could speak "What did Noki do?...she didn't...do it...did she?"
Sarutobi shook his head "No she couldn't choose, Itachi said that part of her memory had the most conflict. And as for Noki he stood by with a smirk according to Itachi's report"
"After that the pair left with Aki Haruno, leaving Sakura with her dying father and that is when they were found...but you need to know Kakashi" Sarutobi said looking at the man "The Haruno clan was the wielder of the famed tomokugan" a gasp.
"I had thought it was a myth...a bed time story my father told me"
"It is in fact a reality and it was found later after going through the Haruno records that every Haruno clan member had it...but none as powerful as the tomokugan of Saburo Haruno who defeated Madara Uchiha many years ago...that is until that day"
"Noki" Kakashi said with a sigh, Sarutobi shook his head "No Sakura" Kakashi looked at him with wide eyes "When we found her she was protected with a shield of wind surrounding her father and herself, Itachi had approached them and was thrown backwards and the shield was then joined by lightning" he explained.
"It was at least three hours after the interaction that we were able to get the child away from her father but only because she had drained her chakra...if I hadn't been there to see it I would have been very sceptical of the thought of a six year old being able to keep ANBU back for three hours as well"
Kakashi sat in silence again letting the information sink in before a question popped up "Were you able to find Aki?"
A sad look appeared on the Hokage's face "Yes we did...she was found three days later not even a mile away from the village" Kakashi knew the answer but he had to ask "What was her condition.
Sarutobi looked to him with fierce eyes "What I am about to tell you must never leave this room and especially not to be told to Sakura under any circumstances understood?"
Kakashi nodded.
"As you may already know she was found deceased but what no one else knows is that she had been tortured and raped countless time but that wasn't the cause of her death...when the ANBU team found her she had been cut around her abdomen and her organs were visible" Kakashi paled "She was also two and a half months pregnant when she was killed"
"Did Sakura know?"
"I believe she was told the night before...Shiro and Aki had come to me and asked permission for Aki to go on maternity leave that very day, and I granted it and asked how Sakura had taken the news and they told me that they were waiting for the right time to tell her. But I'm not sure if they got the chance to tell her"
Kakashi closed his eyes and sat back into the chair 'So if she knew about it she lost more than just her clan...she lost the sibling she will never get the chance to meet' he couldn't help but understand the anger the girl had inside of her...the same anger that is inside of his dark haired student.
But something else bothered him "Why didn't she get taken into a home where she would be cared for?" he asked and Sarutobi gave a sad smile "She refused any help from everyone...Mikoto Uchiha was brought into my office" he chuckled "Well dragged in by Sasuke and said that her family had talked about it and because she was Sasuke's friend they offered her a home with them...but Sakura refused to accept it and withdrew herself further from interaction with people and trained every hour and day she could"
Kakashi knew how much training she did because he often saw her heading to a training ground in the early hours alone, sometimes he would tag along without her knowledge to make sure she was safe and to take her home when she passed out from exhaustion.
"Those two have a loving caring nature inside them that needs to come back and all of you need each other to get it back for them" was the last words Sarutobi said before Kakashi left the Hokage tower to decide what he could do tomorrow to show them he was there for them.
END FLASHBACK
"Kakashi sir" a ninja said as he and another ninja jumped down to the front of him "We checked the area and couldn't find any sign of an enemy in the perimeter" Kakashi nodded his head in understanding. The ninja looked to the girl in his arms with sad eyes before he and the other one disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Okay come on Sakura we need to go back to the others and work out what we are going to do now" Sakura pulled away from the man and started walking back to the others silently cursing herself for allowing her emotions to show and at how stupid she was in falling for the trap.
As Kakashi and Sakura made their way back to the training ground, meeting Naruto and Sasuke on the way. They didn't see the figure sitting in the trees "Soon my little cherry blossom...soon" Madara said as he disappeared into nothingness.
When they reached the training ground the three sat at the posts and Kakashi looked at each one as he or she sat silently knowing that they had failed and would be sent back to the academy, Naruto looking at Sakura every now and then with a worried look crossing his face. Even Sasuke was glancing at her but without the worry, on the inside Kakashi knew he was also worried.
"Okay so I guess you guys know you failed at getting the bell...right" there was three nods as his answer "Well instead of sending you guys back to the academy" the three genin looked at him with hope in their eyes "I don't think you should even be ninja in the first place"
The looks on the kid's faces went slowly from shock all the way past the emotions to fury "WHAT!" Naruto screeched "Y...you can't do that!" his fists clenched into fists.
"I won't let you get in my way of completing my goal" everyone turned to Sakura who had her head down and her bangs covering her face, "Even if that means" she lifted her head up to look at the man in front of her.
Kakashi gasped at the sight, he had wanted to see what it looked like but he never would have thought he would get the chance in his lifetime but there it was...the tomokugan right in front of him and a thirteen year old girl was wielding it.
Naruto and Sasuke both backed away from Sakura as she crouched ready to attack.
"Even if that means I have to...well you get the idea" and she lunged for him with a kunai in hand.
Luckily for Kakashi that she couldn't activate the full tomokugan or he would have had a lot of trouble subduing the angered kunoichi, who found herself tied to the post not even a minute after she had attacked, "I won't let...you stop me!" she yelled as she struggled to get free of the wire keeping her in place.
Kakashi shook his head "You don't deserve to be a ninja...none of you do" Kakashi said looking sternly at all three "You think like babies and when it doesn't go your way you chuck a tantrum" Naruto lowered his head and Sasuke glared at Kakashi for a moment before he looked away, "None of you actually stopped and looked at the people around you...instead you went after the bell on your own"
Kakashi was angry now "Did any of you even stop to think what this test was about?" "What do you mean what the test was really about?" Naruto asked scratching the back of his head, Kakashi sighed "Think about it...why would we go through all of the trouble of putting on a team of three for?"
"Team work"
It was said in a whisper but it was heard, Sakura had her head hung in shame "It was about team work" she said raising her head to reveal her normal emerald green eyes that held all the emotions from shame, fear hatred, abandonment and even anger in them as she looked at Kakashi.
"Exactly it was about you three working as a team but you couldn't look past your hatred" he said looking from Sasuke to Sakura "To your solidarity" he said looking to Naruto.
Naruto clenched his fists again and anger bubbled up in him "You expect us to instantly work as a team when all we have ever known is ourselves" he growled "You have no idea what I...or any of us have been through and lost" he said motioning to the other's. Kakashi was tempted to set him straight there and then but from the looks on Sakura and Sasuke's faces he was having an effect on them.
"All I have ever had was myself to trust and not one single villager was there for me except for Iruka-sensei, I never had the chance to have a real family or friends...and you expect me to forget what I have learned and be able to lean on others in an instant" Kakashi was impressed at the speech "And when I get it wrong you punish me and want to take my dream away...how does that teach me to depend on and trust others, believe it!"
Aaaand impressed feeling gone.
"You know that would have sounded more profound if you left the 'believe it' out" Kakashi said.
"He is right how can I trust someone when the one person I trusted the most in the world took everyone away from me" Sasuke said before looking to Sakura who stood there silent.
Kakashi waited a moment for her to speak and when she didn't he spoke "When you are a ninja you have to deal with loss...that's a fact of life and no-one can change that...and you depend on your team-mates and work together no matter what your past has been like" he said moving over to a large grey stone with plaques on it.
"A team depends on team work and trust amongst the team for a successful mission...when a comrade only thinks of themselves, the mission is jeopardised and can fail and that is when lives are lost" He knew this would hurt the girl with a tough strong exterior but fragile crumbling interior but he had to show them that death was a part of ninja life.
"You see this stone?" he asked referring to the stone he stood beside, there was two nods and a head turning away. "All the names engraved on it are considered heroes in our village" his voice held a sombre tone as he spoke "They are all KIA"
It was a few moments before anyone spoke "KIA is that some sort of ninja thing like ANBU...oh oh I want to be in KIA, I'm gunna have my name on that stone and be a hero as well" Naruto said with a big grin as he bounced around from one foot to the other. Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes while shaking his head, Sakura glared at him 'He is such a fool, he doesn't get the meaning behind it' "Idiot" she said, just as Sasuke wacked him on the head.
"OW! What was that for teme!"
"Naruto these people who are KIA are all dead" Kakashi said as he turned to look at the boy "They were all killed in action hence the KIA"
"Oh" was all that came from the boy as the atmosphere became silent "This is a memorial stone...some of my closest friends are on this stone" Kakashi said looking back to the stone. Five names called to him.
Saburo Haruno
Shiro Haruno
Aki Haruno
Minato Namikaze
Obito Uchiha
The three Haruno's memory was honoured with their names being put on it along with other clan member's. the fourth one was the fourth Hokage who gave his own life when the village had been attacked by the kyuubi thirteen years ago, Naruto didn't know it but he held a special bond to the fourth and he looked a lot like him as well.
The last name was the most painful to remember and he was his team-mate and friend that taught him a lesson about what a team-mate and friend should do to help his comrades when they were in danger.
'I'm sorry...I couldn't keep my promise'
The funny thing about it was Kakashi had interactions with all of his student's families, Obito Uchiha was his team-mate and became a best friend and rival all in one. Minato Namikaze was his sensei and encouraged him to do his best, and Saburo Haruno and his father Sakumo had been team-mates and best friends up until his father committed suicide.
The four stood in silence for a moment, before Kakashi turned around. "Alright I'll give you another chance" he said releasing Sakura from the wire, Naruto was so happy and relieved that they could do it again that he was almost crying "Eat first but Naruto is not to eat"
Happy moment over
"WHAT!"
'I really have to gag this kid' Kakashi thought as he took his finger out of his ear again. "Naruto while the other two were off doing what...they...were doing, you were the only one to think of your stomach and eat everyone's lunches...which is why you fell into yet another trap"
Naruto laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head when he got two glares from the others "Hehe...I...it's not like that...I was getting it for you guys too"
"Sure"
"Yeah right"
Okay so they didn't believe him...well fine then 'Okay so maybe I wasn't going to bring them any but...I thought about it' Naruto thought as he pouted and crossed his arms against his chest "I don't need anything to eat any way I can go a whole d..." he was interrupted by a loud gurgling sound. As the three looked at him with raised eye-brows and looks that said 'Yeah right' his face turned beat red.
"Anyhow" Kakashi said turning to Sakura and Sasuke "If either of you break the rules...all of you instantly fail and you won't get another chance at being ninja...understood" Kakashi said ignoring the gurgle of protest, he would have laughed at the boy if it hadn't been for all his training in ANBU.
After two nods Kakashi disappeared...or so they thought, he was actually sitting in a tree not far from them watching 'let's see what they do now'
Sasuke and Sakura opened their bento boxes and began eating while Naruto watched. He tried hard not to drool but the smell and look of the food were causing his taste-buds to freak out in his mouth 'It looks and smells so goooood' he didn't know how much longer he could take it for 'No! Get a hold of yourself Naruto' he scolded 'I can do this...i am strong and food won't stop me. Believe it!'
He turned his head away and closed his eyes ignoring the protests his stomach was making in order to be fed. The smell of the bento boxes came closer 'Oh come on already, it's not enough that I am starving but the smell has to tor...wait a minute' his eyes shot open to find the two bento boxes almost shoved into his face.
He fell back in shock, before looking at his team-mates who were holding the food out to him "Here" Sasuke said shoving the food into his lap, Sakura doing the same. "B...but you guys...you can't...I can't...and won't let you get into trouble"Sasuke sighed "Just eat it" he said in an annoyed tone.
"In order for us to get the bells we have to all be at full power as a team" Sakura said as she put her hands behind her to lean on and stretched her legs out in front of her. Naruto had tears welling up in his eyes "B..." he didn't get a chance to finish before Sasuke cut him off.
"She's right dobe we are a team and if one of us is weakened then that will affect the outcome of our task...and who could eat with all the noise"
"Maybe it's time to start learning to relay on others" Sakura said in a whisper looking away from the boys, both looked at her with shock. That was not something they would have guessed would come from the girl sitting in front of them...sure maybe in another life where she still had her family and was a happy cheery girl but not the Sakura who was here now.
Kakashi heard what they had said and he felt an emotion close to pride well up inside him as they made their choice 'I guess you were right lord Hokage...they do need each other'
"Th...thanks guys" Naruto said as he picked up the chop-sticks "Hn" and "Whatever" were the answers he got from the two that would soon become the most important people in his life. He was about to put the food in his mouth when a kunai came flying straight for him and knocked the chop-sticks and food out of his hand, than the sky turned dark and menacing.
"YOU!" Kakashi appeared in a cloud of black smoke "You broke the rules"
All three genin got to their feet Naruto backed away a little in fear while the other two stood their ground, "Yes we broke the rules, but we are a team" Sasuke said "Yeah, yeah we are a team and that's why they gave their food to me" Naruto stepped forward back into line to join his team-mates.
"We won't do anything to jeopardise the strength of the team so...if that means breaking the rules then so be it" Sakura said glaring at Kakashi.
Kakashi looked at them with the most threatening look he could muster and he could tell it was working on at least one of them "Is that so...then you leave me no choice but to..." they tensed at what they knew was coming, the silence beginning to torture them to no end before Kakashi spoke again "Pass you"
"Even if you kick us out of the program I will make my wait...what?" Naruto looked as confused as the other's.
"What do you mean we pass, I thought you..." Kakashi cut Sakura off "You are the only team to not fall into my trap and do as I said" he smiled at them as the sky turned back to normal "The other teams couldn't think for themselves and fell straight into the trap and their team was weakened and ultimately failed" Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto let the relief wash over them as Kakashi spoke.
"It's true that a ninja that breaks the rules is considered scum" he said remembering the way his father had been treated after failing a mission because he broke the rules to safe his comrades "But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum...a good friend of mine taught me that the life of your friends and comrades are more important than a mission...before he died sacrificing himself to save the life of our team-mate and myself" he looked to the memorial stone.
"Okay this test is now over" Kakashi said lightening the mood "Tomorrow we have our first mission...as team 7"
Over the next few weeks and months team 7 grew and a powerful bond was formed between the four members. They became to understand they needed each other when they had to do a simple escort mission to the land of waves with the bridge builder Tazuna who had lied to them telling them that he was only worried about bandits and robbers on the way, but in actual fact he had a assassination nin hired by a man...well half a man name Gato who controlled the village with fear to kill him to stop the completion of the bridge.
They had to fight Zabuza Momochi or Zabuza of the bloody mist as he was known to be called, and his team-mate Haku. It had been a successful mission in many ways but also a failure, they were able to protect the bridge builder and his family and the bridge was complete and named 'The Great Naruto Bridge' of course Naruto got a kick out of that.
Naruto was able to help Tazuna's grandson Inari who had so much anger towards them and told them that the village didn't need any of their help, when they didn't listen he said to Naruto that he had no idea what it was like to be alone and that he should stop playing the hero because hero's didn't exist. After Tazuna explained them what had happened to Kaiza, the hero of the village and father figure to Inari, Naruto went out of his way to show Inari that heroes did in fact exist and that Inari himself was a hero. This caused Inari to rally the villagers and they helped defend their home against Gato.
Team seven had finally became a team and defended and helped each other when they were needed, Kakashi's kids created a special bond between them when they had thought they lost Sasuke. Zabuza of the bloody mist had been stopped but his life ended shortly after turning on Gato and his hench-men, but the young boy Haku had lost his life after saving Zabuza from Kakashi's chidori attack.
At first Zabuza didn't care that Haku had given his life to save him calling him a tool, but once again Naruto stepped in and turned him around and Zabuza died next to the most important person to him.
The most positive outcome of the mission was that Sasuke activated his sharingan but it wasn't the full version, but because he had to fight Zabuza Kakashi revealed that he too had the sharingan hidden under his headband and he was able to help Sasuke control his. Sakura also learned to control lightning with the help of Kakashi on the way home.
He was very careful when she was using both of her elements at the same time...he did not want to have another experience like that again...quite shocking.
After they returned to the village, the bond grew into a family like bond where Kakashi thought of the three student's as his student's and Naruto and Sasuke had become best friend and like brothers...Sasuke wouldn't admit that out loud though...they also shared a rivalry that pushed each other to be the best out of the two forcing them to greatly improve their skills.
It reminded Kakashi of the relationship he had with Obito.
Sakura and Sasuke still had their rivalry and they often were found training together and doing a lot of things together, it was almost as if they had regained the friendship that was lost all those years ago. But if you looked closely they didn't completely let their inner feelings out...Kakashi felt that they were still too scared to get too close to someone in case they were taken away from them.
Sakura and Naruto's relationship had greatly improved, she no longer yelled and glared at him for everything he did...sure she still got mad at him but not as intensely. Kakashi at one stage had actually thought Naruto was in love with Sakura and had confronted him about it but the boy said "Ewww, Kakashi-sensei Sakura is like my sister...that would be so gross. I love her but not like that...ewwwww"
Kakashi doubted him, maybe at first he might have had a crush on her but as he watched he could see the brotherly love Naruto showed for her.
They were all very protective of each other and would defend the others against anyone who offended them, Kakashi could remember having to defend his two troubled teens a few days ago in front of the Hokage and other jounin senseis.
FLASHBACK
"As you all know the chuunin exams are being held in Konoha this year" the Hokage said to all the genin sensei's "I have called all of you here to nominated of your teams who you think is ready to take the chuunin exam"
The atmosphere became tense as Sarutobi looked to a scroll in front of him "Right, first Kurenai?" a tall woman with black hair that reached to her mid back and red eyes stepped forward she bowed her head to him before she spoke "I Kurenai Yuuhi captain of team 8 nominate Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Hinata Hyuuga for the chuunin exams" Sarutobi nodded his head and wrote it down.
"Manami"
A woman with long ocean blue coloured hair and black eyes stepped forward she did the same as Kurenai and bowed before the Hokage before she spoke 'I Manami Manjidani captain of team four do not nominate any of my students...they aren't ready to be chuunin yet" she stepped back with a downcast look on her face. "Okay I understand" Sarutobi said as he wrote it down.
"Asuma...I told you to not smoke in here!"
A man with black spiky hair and a black beard and dark brown eyes stepped forward in a calm manner with his hand in his pocket and a smoke in his mouth accompanying a smirk. "I Asuma Sarutobi" there was a few gasps at the last name.(obviously some people still hadn't caught up to the news that Hiruzen Sarutobi the third Hokage had children, hope they know he has a grandson from his other son) "captain of team 10 nominate all of my students" he said and stepped back still not taking the smoke out of his mouth.
Sarutobi shook his head and let a slight smile mar his face 'That's what I get for having a cool collected son'
"Kakashi"
Kakashi stepped forward in the same manner as Asuma "I Kakashi Hatake of team 7 nominate Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki for the chuunin exam" he stepped back to join the other jounin as the murmurs and whispers began.
Sarutobi sat there for a moment contemplating what had just happened before he looked at the three in front of him, not one of them had ever had a genin team before, well one did but they never got past the bell test. And here they are nominating all of their students for the chuunin exam, which had also never happened.
"Are you sure with your decisions?" he asked and they all nodded their heads.
"WAIT!"
Everyone turned their heads to Iruka who was making his way to the front of the group "Lord Hokage sir I don't think any of them are ready for the chuunin exams" he turned to the three jounin who were glaring at him "I know you may think they are ready but they are only thirteen and most genin get picked for the chuunin exams a year or two after they graduate from the academy"
He turned back to the Hokage "Sir I know these kids and they are not ready...especially Sakura and Sasuke"
"What do you mean by Sasuke and Sakura aren't ready?" Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow. Iruka turned to him "They have both been through some strong emotional things and I don't think that their minds are ready for such a challenge like the chuunin exams"
Kakashi could feel the anger building up inside of him but he kept it under control "Are you saying that they are...mentally unstable because they have been through what most thirteen year olds couldn't possibly understand"
Iruka was about to say something but Kakashi cut him off "You may know those kids from the academy, but they are not the children you taught anymore. They are a lot stronger physically and 'mentally' than what you give them credit for, and as their sensei I say they are ready especially Sasuke and Sakura"
Iruka was stunned into silence as he looked at Kakashi 'take that you know it all' Kakashi thought with a smirk 'don't even think about degrading my kids again'
"Very well it is decided" Sarutobi said earning everyone's attention "The nine rookies will participate in the chuunin exams"
He dismissed everyone but Sarutobi asked for Kakashi to stay behind, when the other's had gone he looked at Kakashi with the proudest look he could muster and knew he made the right choice "I told you that you needed each other" Kakashi smirked at him "Those three are amazing and I can tell you now that they will be the best team the ninja world has seen"
Sarutobi chuckled "I hope your theory come true Kakashi" Kakashi gave a nod of his head and left the room not hearing Sarutobi's next words.
"And I hope you made the right choice in sending them into the firing line"
FLASHBACK END
They had all passed the theory test...even Naruto who didn't even answer a question was passed, and today they were going into the forest of death. Kakashi was nothing but calm collected and encouraging them to do their best on the outside but on the inside he was shaking in his boots and falling to pieces, especially after they had a run in with the three genin from sand. The youngest one with the red hair and aqua green eyes was who was concerning him the most.
He knew they could hold their own in a confrontation but something about the boy just didn't feel right to him.
"Alright you maggots, get ready to enter..." a woman with deep purple almost black hair that was in a short pony-tail that spiked up at the back looked at all the genin with a mischievous glean in her charcoal eyes...or was that amusement at what they were going to face in the forest of death.
She was known as Anko and she loved to see people squirm especially in scary situations like the one all the genin where about to enter. 'You lot have no idea what you are getting into...this is going to be...entertaining' she raised flag because Ibiki didn't trust her with anything else with them.
"remember this a survival test and anything goes in order to get the scroll you need...try not to kill each other" and as soon as she waved the flag, the gates where the teams were waiting opened and they raced in to start the test that would take course over five days and the ones that didn't get a heaven scroll and an earth scroll would fail and the third part would start.
"Let the screaming begin" Anko said with a sadistic look on her face and as if reading her mind a scream was heard deep in the forest.
I was going to end it there but na...please continue lol
In the Forest of Death
"Come on guys, we haven't seen anyone for ages...I'm starving" Naruto whined "It'll only take a few minutes...pleeeeaaassse" he begged, Sasuke shook his head and kept going and Sakura turned towards him with an unamused face "Naruto if you're hungry than eat a bar or something...we are not stopping for you to boil water for your ramen and that's final"
She jumped ahead of the boys to keep a look out with her tomokugan for other genin. Naruto stayed a little behind as he followed them pouting 'All I want is to eat my ramen I brought with me' he was too busy pouting over his ramen that he didn't see the three ninja behind him.
Sasuke was up front close behind Sakura when she froze causing Sasuke to almost collide with her. "What's wr..." he got cut off when she spun around and headed back to where Naruto was, "That idiot isn't looking for enemies and is being surrounded" was what he heard as she passed him.
Sakura raced towards Naruto getting her weapons ready to stop the immanent attack, she could hear Sasuke coming up beside her, before he passed her but they wouldn't get there in time "Naruto, LOOK OUT!" she yelled just as one of the enemy released his kunai and it headed straight for his head.
Naruto heard Sakura's scream and as he moved his head to look at them a kunai came whizzing past and just missed his face but he was cut on the cheek in the process. Naruto fell onto his backside in shock at what had just happened "Get up dobe" Sasuke appeared in front of him as a rain ninja jumped out of the forest and lunged for the blonde knucklehead.
Sasuke blocked the attack with his kunai and the pair were locked together by their weapons and the force they were using on them. Another ninja came from the bushes and attacked Naruto who jumped back and threw a kunai at the ninja who blocked it.
Another rain ninja the same as the one he was fighting came up behind Naruto and threw a kunai at him, Sakura jumped in after defeating a ninja of her own which turned out to be a clone "They're clones" she said as three more materialised in front of them,
Sasuke had gotten rid of the one he was fighting and now found himself in a triangle with the other's, back to back as they were outnumbered five to one "Give us the scroll and we will let you go" one of them said through a funky looking mouth piece that they all had.
Sasuke 'hn-ed', Sakura scoffed, and Naruto said "Like hell we will...if you want it come get it" he got ready to call his most powerful jutsu into action
The fifteen or so rain ninja looked at each other and shrugged before looking back at team 7 "So be it" and they all lunged.
Sasuke blocked a kunai with his arm and threw a punch at the rain ninja who knocked his hand away with the hand not holding the kunai, thus leaving his stomach wide open for a kick to the stomach which sent the ninja back into a tree and on impact he turned to water. "Dammit we need to find the real ones" he said as another clone replaced the one he has just destroyed.
Sakura kicked and punched anything that got in her way, two clones went flying past Naruto almost knocking him over "HEY! Watch it Sakura...stop sending em my...way!" he grunted as a clone kicked him in the stomach but he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"This would go a lot easier if you would just forfeit your scroll and lives to us" a voice said from in the shadows of the forest distorted the same way as the others.
"Somehow I don't think so" Sasuke said his voice was full or annoyance and anger "Sakura" he called the girl looked towards him, "Let's finish this...Naruto" said girl nodded her head knowing what he meant. Naruto jumped over to Sasuke and Sasuke whispered something to him and he nodded his understanding before jumping off into the trees.
Sasuke and Sakura came together in the middle of the group while Naruto's shadow clones kept the other clones together "Okay let's do it" Sakura said when she felt Sasuke's back to hers, the rain ninja stopped what they were doing and looked at the pair in the middle. Sakura crouched down and Sasuke stood tall.
They began to do hand signs
"Fire style fireball jutsu!"
"Water style water jet!"
From their mouths came a steady stream of fire from Sasuke and a steady pressurised stream of water from Sakura' pair moved in a circle around each other, Sakura to the right and Sasuke to the left. The rain ninja that didn't get hit by the fire jutsu got pulverised by the water jet.
After they cancelled their jutsu's nothing was left of the rain ninja clones, "Naruto, did you find them!" Sasuke called into the forest. A moment later Naruto came into the opening with a wide grin on his face "No they ran...but that was...AWESOME!"
Sasuke and Sakura smirked at him "Yeah it was wasn't it" Sakura said with a chuckle, "Come on I think we deserve a break" she said walking off into the forest away from the area. Naruto and Sasuke followed "Aren't you glad Kakashi-sensei thought of that and taught you...I wish I could do that" Naruto said excitedly as he walked along side Sasuke.
As they walked into the forest a shadowed figure walked out of the other side followed by the three rain ninja that had attacked them. "Very interesting" the figure said in a creepy tone "Those two will make a very powerful team" he turned and started to walk away glancing in the direction the three went "They will make a powerful addition to my plans"he said, his tongue sliding out and over his lips before crawling back to the black pit from whence it came.
"I could go another three bowls of ramen" Naruto said as he pat his stomach, putting the now empty container down next to the other five. "I'm sure you could but...You just ate two days worth of food!" Sakura yelled at him. Naruto paled and Sasuke sweat-dropped "S...sorry Sakura I...I didn't mean to"
The adrenaline from the fight was still running through her body and she wanted to pound something...and Naruto looked pretty good right about now. "Sakura you can pound the dobe when we get the heaven scroll and finish this test" Sasuke said as he stood and put out the fire.
"Fine"
Naruto normally didn't like how Sasuke was always wanting to get going but today he was very thankful of that...and the fact that Sakura decided to listen to him today because she has a mean left hook.
Sasuke and Sakura started to walk away when Naruto was grabbing his stuff "Hey guys wait up!" he threw his pack and went to run to catch up to them but when he looked up Sasuke and Sakura were...running back to him.
"Hey what's..." he got cut off.
"GIANT!"
"SNAKE!"
Naruto dropped his pack and his hands fell to his side "Come on already...what's next a giant toad" Both of his team-mates ran past him and sure enough a humongous grey snake was close behind them.
"Don't just stand there you idiot!" Sasuke yelled.
"RUN!" Sakura screamed right before they disappeared into the forest, but what they didn't know was that Naruto wasn't following them. He ran the opposite way and the snake was now following him away from the others.
~O~
They couldn't feel the snake following them anymore so Sasuke and Sakura stopped to catch their breaths "I don't know why we didn't just fight it back there" Sakura said as she sat on the ground. Sasuke looked at her with a raised eyebrow "Do you not remember our kunai and shuriken bouncing off its skin?"
"..."
"Thought not"
Sakura huffed and crossed her arms and looked away from the smirking boy "Whatever" she mumbled. Sasuke looked around the small open area that they were in and something was missing, he couldn't put a finger on it but it was too quiet and he didn't like it.
"Hey, where's Naruto?"
"Shh" he placed a finger over his lips, there weren't even any bird's calling 'What's going on...a forest shouldn't be this quiet' he activated his sharingan to see if there was anything that wasn't supposed to be there but...nothing.
Sakura stood up and went to Sasuke's side she too could feel that something was off about the forest, so she activated her blood-line and looked around as well.
They were both silent for a moment when "It's a genjutsu" they both said at the same time. They were about to release the jutsu but someone started to laugh. "Ah my dear children I have been waiting to meet you both for a very long time...oh and it's not a genjutsu" a slimy voice said from the shadows, Sasuke and Sakura stiffened at the voice. "What do you want!"
A chuckle was Sakura's answer before a man with long black hair reaching to his mid back and covering half of his face, his yellow eyes penetrating into their very souls as he looked at them. But what made him all the more foreboding was the slits as pupils making his eyes look like they belonged to a snake and his pale skin that looked like death was leaking from him stepped out of the foliage with a dangerous aura circling him.
Sasuke unconsciously stepped in front of Sakura with his kunai raised ready to strike if need be, Sakura pulled shuriken out and was ready to throw them.
"What do you want?" Sasuke growled repeating Sakura's unanswered question, the man chuckled again "Why to see the last two members of the Haruno and Uchiha clan's." Sasuke and Sakura glared at him "I was wondering who was stronger, you and your team-mate" He said motioning to Sasuke "Or...your brother and cousin?"
That did it, almost instantly Sasuke and Sakura were racing towards him with their kekkei genkai activated and ready to kill, the man's tongue came out and licked his lips with a smirk that just sang danger. It was no mistaking that this man was very dangerous and he was known throughout the ninja world as one of the legendary three sannin and an s-class missing nin...but these two obviously weren't paying attention in the academy, or they would have known that standing in front of them waiting for the attack was none other than Orochimaru. One of Konoha's sannin turned rogue, ex-team member to the Akatsuki and a man who experimented on and tortured human being for power...and boredom and finally leader of the hidden sound.
Sasuke was the first to reach him lashing out with his kunai, but Orochimaru was too fast for him and disappeared, Sasuke looked around with his sharingan to find him. 'There you are' he spotted him in the trees, Sasuke moved to follow him unaware of the trap that was being set.
~O~
Sakura stopped her advances when Sasuke went for the kill only to have the slimy bastard get away, she looked around to where he could have gone and when she found him...in the opposite direction to where Sasuke was heading.
Sakura jumped in front of Orochimaru and he had a pleased slimy smile on his face "Ah Sakura Haruno...you look just like your mother...but your eyes...they are like your father and grandfather" Sakura growled and lunged for him releasing her shuriken and pulling kunai out to stab him.
Orochimaru dodged all of the shuriken and kunai swipes as he continued to taunt her "But from the looks of it you and your cousin didn't inherit the harmonious peaceful side of your clan" he could see the sparks flying in her eyes and it excited him more.
"YOU BASTARD!" Sakura screeched, her power increased as another line formed in her eyes and began the wild dance with the other three.
'Interesting...it seems the more angry she gets the more control over the tomokugan she has' Orochimaru thought to himself.
Sakura jumped back and started doing hand signs "Water style lightning wave!" a giant sparking wave rose from the ground and raced towards Orochimaru at an unavoidable pace.
The water was too high for him to jump over and it was coming at him too fast to avoid but he was impressed at the power the girl already held 'Yes she will make a very powerful addition' he braced himself for the attack, and when it hit he could feel nothing but a blinding hot pain as he was both being drowned and electrocuted.
Sakura stood back and panted as she watched the snake die slowly from her jutsu, she had used a lot of her chakra for that attack and ended up falling to one knee as exhaustion started to set in 'I...wonder h..how Sasuke's doing'
~O~
Sasuke caught up to the man and had engaged him in a taijutsu fight after his ninjutsu didn't work, one plus from it was he was able to go from the first stage of his sharingan to the second and his sight had become better.
He managed to kick Orochimaru in the stomach and the man went flying into the ground, Sasuke landed on the ground not far from when he sent the man flying and waited for the dust to clear. There was no movement as the dust started to settle, Sasuke moved over to the hole in the ground to finish off the man.
A piercing scream was heard from the direction where Sakura was in and Sasuke whirled around and headed back to her as fast as he could not even noticing the man that stood up chuckling at the foolish boy.
Sasuke jumped down beside a kneeling and panting Sakura and looked to where he could see a body laying on the ground burnt and still smoking, he was about to speak when Sakura spoke first "I..it's not h..him" she said as she panted. Sasuke helped her to her feet and placed his arm around her waist and held her arm around his neck taking most of the weight of her exhausted body off her feet.
"Th...thanks" she whispered as he moved them away from the charred body "Hn" was her answer. He made his way over to a tree and gently set her down "I'll be fine in a few minutes" Sasuke sat down beside her and kept an eye out while they rested.
It was a few moments before the silence was broken "What happened?" Sasuke asked looking to the pinkette, Sakura glanced at him and gave in a small sad smile before she turned away "He was talking about my clan as if he knew them" She could feel the tears building in her eyes and she closed her eyes to keep them back "Then he mentioned that creature and I..." she opened her eyes and looked to the sky.
"You lost it...right"
Sakura locked eyes with Sasuke and she could see the same emotions in his eyes "Yeah" she whispered as she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them and placed her head on top. Sasuke watched her for a moment before he placed his hand on her shoulder "We will find them and make all pay for what they did to us"
Sakura gasped and looked at him with wide eyes, Sasuke looked at her with calm yet fierce determined eyes "I promise we will make them pay if it's the last thing I do" a single tear escaped Sakura's eye as he said that "You and I are the same and we share a bond that no-one will ever understand"
Sakura smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck "Thank you Sasuke" the said boy was in shock at the reaction for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back "I promise" he whispered again.
"Sorry to interrupt a very touching moment but...we have some unfinished business to attend to" came the slimy voice of Orochimaru. Sasuke and Sakura shot to their feet and weapons in front of them in a defensive stance as they watched the man before them.
"I will make this quick so..." he looked up and they followed his line of sight to see a huge snake coiled around the tree they were backed against. They tried to get away from it when it dropped down but they weren't fast enough and now found themselves pinned against the tree with the snake's body keeping them moving an inch to even summon a jutsu to get them out of there.
In the next instant Orochimaru's head split into two and they both darted for Sakura and Sasuke latching onto their necks and biting into them, both teens screamed at the pain that was inflicted on them by the bite as he injected something into their bodies.
"Hey snake face, get your ugly face off my team-mates!"
Okay I'm going to be mean and leave it there lol, we really hope you guys like this chapter and don't find it boring.
I should clear up a few things that may confuse you guys.
First is when Kakashi was remembering the conversation with Sarutobi and Sarutobi was telling him about the Haruno clan and he couldn't believe that the tomokugan was real. Well that is because the Haruno's rarely used their kekkei genkai except for life and death situations and not many people have seen it and for the fact that in the first chapter Sarutobi said something like 'We have lost a great number of jounin and ANBU'.
Well a majority of the clan was in the ANBU so the one's that used the blood-line around other's had their identity a secret...Shhh -.- okay I'm a dope lol
Second...also when they were talking about the clan and Sarutobi said that it was revealed that every clan member had the tomokugan. Again the Haruno clan was a peaceful clan that didn't use their power and so not many of them were found to have the tomokugan in the eyes of the village but the clan kept records of the clan's powers and abilities that was found after the massacre.
Okay the water jet thing I don't know if they can actually do it but we made Sakura have the ability same goes for the lightning wave jutsu.
Next would be the body Sakura over cooked, if you watch the Shippuuden episodes you'll remember the fight with Itachi and team 7 and Kisame with team Gai. Well it's the same as that cos we were thinking Oro was in the Akatsuki and he may have learned that jutsu as well...if not he knows it now lol
I hope that answered some of the questions you guys might have had.
And I hope that we did an okay job on the fight scenes...that's not our best area T_T I want a good fight scene lol
Okay down to business
lol I still can't believe I am reading both yours and WhatChuuKnowBoutMe's stories and she's your beta lol very small world, it's very true Sasuke is still a jack-ass but he will learn lol. Haru is still jumping up and down over your review lol and we thank you very much (Blush) and as for inner she will be making an appearance in the next chapter and she plays a big role in later chapters and I hope I'm doing a good job on the bonds that they have between them.
WhatChuuKnowBoutMe thank you so much for reviewing I am so happy that you are enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying yours lol, we thought we'd add my own spin to Sakura's family considering that they are not even talked about much in the anime and that's how I pictured them going off of Sakura's personality in the anime. And you were right about the genjutsu lol, and as for your idea thank you very much Haru has been inspired by it and is adding something like that in the next chapter so you'll have to read to find out lol.
animefreaklizzy Haru and I are glad you're enjoying the story and we hope you enjoy this instalment
cowgirl137 here you go another chapter and yep Madara is behind the Haruno massacre...but who else...na only kidding he's the only one and yeah Madara is a freak but the freaky ones are cool lol
caga2007 Thank you very much and there will be more Madara creepiness in later chapters as well, and thanks for promising not to tell but Haru caught me lol so she's watching me like a hawk so no more secrets T_T
bittersweetmusicgirl thank you very much I...I mean we're glad you are enjoying If Not For You (glares at Haru) anyway we were actually thinking of changing the drama subject to suspense lol there's more suspense then drama at the moment
christiansrose so how did you like it, we didn't think to have Sakura get bitten as well but when you suggested it. It had our brains running on overdrive on how to incorporate it into the story and I hope you found it okay, throw all the idea's you think of at us...well Haru cos she deserves it lol and we'll see what we can do with them.
ellenloveforever I'm glad you liked the SasuSaku moment and I hope you really like this one cos Haruai won't tell me if it's good or not lol
Your Hoshi thank you a lot we're very happy that you love it and Sakura is only going to get stronger lol
Thank you everyone for reviewing, it means the world to Haruai and I and it's so fun to answer your reviews...it really is. And sorry if we've forgotten anything or anyone.
A question for you, how do you guys like the length of the chapters cos I tried and Haru tried to get the length down but they seem to be getting longer lol so do you prefer long or short chapters.
Any ideas you have that would make 'If Not For You' don't be shy and let us know and we'll try and incorporate them in.
As always any questions don't hesitate to ask and they shall be answered
Oh and before I forget Haruai has made a one-shot called 'Too Late To Love You' and is putting it up, but I have to warn you there will be a character death in it so if you don't like reading that stuff don't read it but I think it's pretty cool so yeah.
And we may take a bit to get the next chapter up cos I can't stop giving you guys long chapters and we kinda ran out of writing lol so yeah and my laptop's word and stuff is going to expire at the end of the month so we have to sort that out before we can do anything else. I'll try and get it posted before then if we finish but if not it shouldn't take too long after that...Don't kill me it's Haruai's she threatened it lol. So anyway...
Thank you for taking the time to read.