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Chapter twenty two – Fight for your life Sakura.
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"Aww man… This is so stressful." spoke Naruto as he ran in circle around the group of busy med nins.
"Come on Sakura you can make it." whispered Kakashi.
For the last twenty minutes, Tsunade and her group were trying none stop to heal their comrade, but all attempts were vain. Nothing was working and it was starting to enrage the Gondaime. What was going on with her?
"Neji?" asked Tsunade as she completed a first healing session.
"It's not completely heal, try a little more to the left." replied the Hyuga as he scan the pink haired girl chakra system.
"TSUNADE!" suddenly yelled Ino in panic.
"What Ino?" asked Tsunade.
"We're losing her! It's like she's giving up." said Ino as tears welled up in her eyes.
"NO WAY! THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE UP! COME ON SAKURA FIGHT IT!" yelled Naruto as Kakashi put his hand on his shoulder in understanding.
"Don't give up." whispered sadly the Uchiha.
"Okay. Keep up with the lungs, I'll take care of the rest." ordered Tsunade as she switch place with her.
"Okay."
"Her vital chakra is starting to disappeared." advised Hinata.
"Her natural healing cells are receding." added Sumi.
"DAMN SAKURA! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!" yelled Tsunade in frustration as she performs a series of signs with her hands.
"What is she doing?" asked Kiba not too far away.
"Oh my god!" spoke Temari in fascination.
"What?" questioned Shikamaru.
"She's about to do her most powerful healing jutsu. Wow. I never thought I would see that one day." explained Tenten, in admiration for the Gondaime.
As told, Tsunade apply her healing jutsu on Sakura and channelled her chakra into her. For a split second, the jutsu begin to work its magic before being ineffective despises the increasing of her chakra.
"What the..?" asked the blond-haired woman.
"It's the chakra system, it's not taking it." explained Neji.
"You're kidding me." added Tsunade as she looks at the Hyuga with a serious look.
"No." answered the young man with sad eyes.
"So there's nothing we can do?" asked Ino as she starts crying.
"No way." whispered Hinata in horror.
"Lady Hokage. Please, I can help you." finally spoke Karin as she looks at the Hokage with pleading eyes.
"What are you saying?" asked the woman.
"Please, thrust me. I can help." insisted Karin as she tries to advance in front of the guards.
"Karin… Maybe it's not the time." tried to interrupt Suigetsu as he senses the guards' aggressiveness rising up.
"Why would you want to help her?" asked Tsunade clearly not understanding the girl's motives.
"Because she saves my life, I owe her this." replied honestly the dark-haired girl as Sasuke looked away in shame.
Debating whether or not she should let the unknown girl approach her student, Tsunade stand up and begin to walk toward the Uchiha with serious eyes.
"Karin has a special chakra and she's probably you're only hope." spoke Sasuke, understanding the silent question of the Hokage.
"Alright. Unchained her." ordered the Gondaime, not looking away from the dark-haired boy.
"What are you doing? It's an enemy!" spoke some ninjas in indignation.
"Thrust me, if she tries anything…" advised Tsunade, turning toward her student.
"Don't worry. I told you. She saves my life." assured Karin.
As she let her approach Sakura, Tsunade looked at the girl with curious eyes. What could be so special about her chakra? Reaching Sakura, Karin bend down and look at the girl with a genuine smile on her face. Lifting her right sleeve, she approaches her arm toward the pink haired girl's mouth.
"What is she doing?" asked Shikamaru.
'Oh my god! There is so much bite marks. Orochimaru you bastard what have you done to this girl.' thought Tsunade with anger.
"It's difficult on my own, can you help me?" asked Karin to Ino.
"Y-yeah, what do I do?" answered the blond-haired girl in surprise.
"Make her bite me." spoke Karin.
"Humm okay."
Doing as asked, Ino took hold of Sakura's jaw and made her bite Karin's arm. Suddenly, the pink haired girl engulf a wave of chakra and her body begins to heal.
"It's working!" said Hinata with enthusiasm.
"It's restoring the chakra path." added Neji.
"WOUUUHH! NICE JOB KARIN!" yelled Suigetsu as he starts moving from side to side before being caught by a guard.
After two minutes of healing, Karin asked Ino to remove Sakura.
"Sorry, I can't continue. I don't have enough chakra." explained the dark-haired girl while panting.
"That's okay. Thank you Karin. We'll take it from here." replied Tsunade as she puts her hand on the girl's shoulder.
Scanning the body of her student, the Gondaime begin to heal the most threatening external wounds that weren't completely closed and ask the medics to finish the job at the medical camp.
"What does it mean?" asked Naruto.
"She's okay for the moment, but she still needs to pass the night." explained Tsunade as she approach the boy.
"If she's okay, why isn't she waking up?" inquired again the blond-haired boy.
"She's in a coma." answered the Hokage.
Preparing the pink haired girl for being moved, the medics placed her on a stretcher and begin to lift her from the ground before carrying her away.
"Can I go with her?" asked Naruto.
"Unfortunately, no. We still have some creatures to take care of. Let's finish this so we can get some rest before the trial." answered Kakashi.
"The trial?" repeat the blond-haired boy.
"The trial for Sasuke and his friends is tomorrow." stated the Hokage as he pushes Sasuke toward Sai.
"What?"
"Until now, they'll be incarcerated in the medical unit by the anbus. Sai? Please escort them." ordered the grey haired man.
"Yes sir." answered Sai as he took the Uchiha away, while Tenten took Karin and Neji, Shino, Shikamaru and a group of ninjas from Kumo, the other two.
"Come on let's finish this." stated Kakashi.
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In the medical Unit
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After a good twenty minutes of walk among the stupefied ninjas from the medical units, the group of Shikamaru reaches the main medical tent. Trying to ignore the looks and whispers, the brown-haired boy hurriedly pushes the Uchiha inside as the others followed. The large tent was quite simple. A bunch of lockers were aligned on one of the wall, a desk and a chair were on the right side and in the left corner, there was an imposing cell.
"Get in there please." asked Sai with one of his infamous smile.
"Could you stop smiling, I'm humiliated enough as it is." replied Suigetsu as the dark-haired boy push him inside de cell.
"Silence." ordered Shikamaru clearly annoyed as he push Sasuke inside.
"Yeah! You heard that?" added a ninja from Kumo as he hit Juggo in the back to throw him in too.
Reacting upon instinct, Shino use his insects and push away the aggressive ninja while Neji help the tall Juggo back on his two feet.
"Listen, I don't want this kind of shit here. Don't you dare touch any of them or else I throw you alone in there with the Uchiha over there. Got that?" spoke Shikamaru as he lit himself a cigarette.
"Y-yes." replied the now terrified ninja from Kumo.
Looking at each of them one last time to make sure they were really in there, Shikamaru close the door of the cell and activate the chakra draining cell. Joining the other boys and Tenten, the brown-haired boy looked back at the Hawk team as he took another puff of smoke.
"You all look like shit…" said Shikamaru with a serious tone.
"Wow. Thanks that sure help my mood." growled Karin as she sat on the cold floor.
"Ha, ha! I'll be back later with new clothes and food. Try to take some rest." replied the brown-haired boy as he quit the room and left Sai behind.
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On Sakura's side
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Walking among the numerous medical tents that were neatly aligned with each other, Ino and the group of medics were carrying the limp body of Sakura. Spotting a space, the Yamanaka girl enters in one tent.
"Alright. Put her there." spoke Ino with a trembling voice.
"We'll install her on the bed. Bring the stuff over here." ordered Sumi to the others medics.
In less then a minute, the girl was lying in a bed, tubes connected to her to help her breath and being feed and many nurses were attending her wounds.
"She should be okay now. All we have to do is wait for morning to come." spoke a medic as she looks at the broken Sakura with a sad smile while putting her hand on the blond-haired girl's shoulder.
"Yes, I hope you're right." spoke the blond-haired girl as she took the lifeless hand of her friend in her hand.
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On Sasuke's side
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Walking around in the cell as the others sat calmly on the ground; Suigetsu was clearly showing his annoyance about the situation to Karin great displeasure.
"Awww… Damn. When are they coming to help us? I can't bare the smell in here anymore and I'm so damn thirsty." whined Suigetsu as he lean on the bars of the cell.
"Would you stop whining? It's annoying. We're all in the same situation here." spoke Karin in an annoyed tone.
"Okay, but if we're so alike, how on earth are you able to stand that smell?" spoke Suigetsu as he pointed in the Uchiha direction with a disgusted look on his face, "Sorry Sasuke, but you smell like shit."
"I'm covered in dry blood, sorry to bother you…" replied the dark-haired boy with sarcasm and an angry look.
"Yeah! Hope they'll shower you; it's hard to recognized you under that red skin. OH! No, it's great! Maybe with all that dry blood they won't recognize you and you might be able to escape your death trial. Ha, ha!" continued the shark like boy.
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BANG!
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"Thank you Karin." said Sasuke as Suigetsu lie limp on the floor.
"I didn't do it for you, ass hole." replied Karin as she replaced her glasses.
Turning himself fully toward the girl, the dark-haired boy look at her with sad eyes. He really had been an ass to her. She didn't deserve what he did to her. She was infatuated with him and he used this weakness to his advantage. She was just an innocent, well not exactly innocent in every sense of the word, but anyway. Sensing that his gaze was probably intimidating for the girl since she was nervously replacing her glasses every five seconds and sitting with her legs close to her chest in a stressful way, the Uchiha decided to make a move.
"Sigh, sorry about trying to kill you Karin, I wasn't myself back then." apologized the dark-haired boy.
Surprised by the declaration, the girl's head snap up and look at Sasuke with wide eyes, uncertainty evident on her features. Even Juggo wasn't sure he had heard correctly.
"…"
"…"
"Do-do do you mean it?" asked the girl not believing what she had heard.
"No." immediately answered Suigetsu with a grin on his face as he sit on the floor near the two.
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BANG!
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"Of course. I would never have wanted to kill someone for free if I was myself." answered Sasuke with a serious expression after he had punch Suigetsu with all his might, "Sorry about that. Honestly."
"T-Thank you Sasuke." replied the girl while blushing.
"Well, now that we're all okay with everybody, can we find a way to get out of here?" asked Suigetsu as he tried to get up from the floor.
"No." answered seriously the Uchiha.
"Why?" asked Juugo, curious.
"We'll get into much more problems than that." replied Sasuke.
"Besides, I'm tired of running; I want a place to call home. I've been with Orochimaru for far too long, I need a place for myself." added Karin as she leans on the bars of the cell.
"Same here." said the dark-haired boy as he raised his right hand in a lazy manner.
"And if they kill us?" asked Suigetsu.
"Then so be it." replied sternly the Uchiha.
"Are you out of your mind Sasuke?" asked Suigetsu.
"It's time for me to pay for my mistakes." answered Sasuke.
"Is it because you think that Sa-Sakura is going to die?" inquired Karin.
And then the room became silent. Sasuke knew he was discovered, but yet he wasn't sure himself, was it because of her state or something more?
"Maybe." answered the boy as he looks away from his team mates.
"…"
"I wouldn't worry if I were you." spoke a foreign voice.
Turning around toward the voice, the group looks at their guard with uncertainty as Suigetsu stand up and walk toward him. Leaning against the bar, the shark boy scan the dark-haired boy, who was currently drawing on a huge drawing book, with calculating eyes.
"What are you saying?" asked Suigetsu.
"Sakura is a strong girl. She hit like a man. She can easily survive this." answered Sai as he continues his drawing.
"Wow! What an opinion..." replied Karin as she rolls her eyes.
Ignoring their trivial conversation, Sasuke concentrate his interest on the drawing that this 'Sai' guy was doing.
"Why are you constantly looking at me?" inquired the Uchiha.
"I'm drawing for when Ugly wakes up. I think she'll like it." answered Sai with a fake smile.
"Ugly?" asked Suigetsu, clearly not understanding the reference.
"What are you drawing?" asked again Sasuke.
"A portrait of team Kakashi." answered Sai.
"Hope you're not drawing a portrait of Sasuke looking like this 'cause it might scared your audience." joked Suigetsu as he glanced at the red Uchiha.
"I can see beauty through any facade…" replied Sai with a fake smile as he glances at the group.
'That's it, he's guay… No wonder he said that Sakura was ugly…' thought Suigetsu with a stupid nervous smile on his face.
'I knew Sasuke was attractive but I didn't know it was working on guys too…' also thought Karin as she blushed.
"Well, humm… Thanks… I suppose." replied Sasuke not sure about the compliment.
"Sakura often said that complimenting someone is a good way to start a friendship or a relationship." explained genuinely Sai with a small smile which only creep more the others.
"Well… when you're a guy and you're trying to start a conversation with another guy, it's not exactly working like this…" tried to explain the Uchiha as he starts feeling quite uncomfortable.
"Really?" asked the boy, losing his smile.
"Yes…" answered Sasuke, unsure.
"Oh! Sorry. I'm not quite familiar with that. I'm still working on my social skills." explained Sai with an apologetic smile on his face.
"I see. Anyway, can we see your work?" inquired Karin with enthusiasm.
"Huh! Yes, of course." replied Sai as he shows them the portrait.
And what a portrait it was. Team 7 was all there. In the back of the image, a smiling Yamato and Sai were standing behind a bored Kakashi who was trying to ignore the situation with one of his infamous book and they were all looking at two bickering teen. One had black hair and a smirk on his face, the other had blond hair and an angry and fierce look on his face. Friendship. That's what it was. On the right side of the painting, a beautiful and delicate girl was looking at the scene with a true smile on her face. It was what caught the Uchiha's eye. She was magnificent. Her green eyes were entrancing and her beautiful features were highlighted by a beautiful white sundress.
"Woah! You're good." replied Karin in admiration.
"Thank you." thanked the dark-haired boy with another fake smile.
And at the same moment, someone enter the door.
"Hi Sai." spoke a feminine voice as she walks toward him.
"Hello Beautiful." replied Sai.
"Damn that guy is weird." said Suigetsu as he recalls the boy calling Sakura ugly.
"What can I do for you?" asked again the dark-haired boy.
"I'm here to escort the prisoner called Karin to the change room." explained Ino.
"Oh sure! No problem." replied Sai as he stands up and unlocked the cell.
"Thank you. Karin?" asked the blond-haired girl.
"Yes."
"Don't try anything funny." warned Ino as she took hold of her right arm.
"Don't worry." replied Karin as she follows the girl out of the cell.
"Where's Shikamaru?" asked Sai as he locks the door behind the girls.
"He's coming in a minute. He's taking Sasuke. Neji will take Suigetsu and Choji the tall guy named Juggo." answered Ino.
"Alright, I'll wait for them."
"Thank you. Come on." said the blond-haired girl as she got out of the medical unit with Karin in tow.
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On Naruto and Kakashi's side
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Jumping across the land into a group of enemies, Naruto was unstoppable. He and Kakashi had fought for a good hour now and there were still many enemies to take down.
"Damn, those creatures are tough." complained Naruto as he punches a replica of the first Hokage in the ground.
"Don't worry we're almost done." replied his ex sensei as he slice another one's throat.
"Kakashi…" suddenly said the blond-haired boy.
"What?"
"Look over there… It's the reincarnated soul!" explained the boy.
"Huh!"
As he gazes in the direction the blond-haired boy was pointing, Kakashi was surprised by the view. Even if most of the reincarnated ninjas had been destroyed during the explosion of the dome, some of them were still alive. On their right, Itachi was lying on the floor, half dismembered, while Asuma was still trap in a piece of the dome that hasn't been destroyed during the explosion. On their left, the fourth Kazekage was cut in two and some other ninjas parts were scattered all over the place.
"Kakashi…" whispered Asuma as he spots his old friend.
"A-Asuma…"
"You think you can handle him Kakashi?" asked Naruto in a concern tone.
"Naruto, I'm not your sensei for nothing…" replied the man with an annoyed tone.
"Hey! Don't get mad at me! I was just wondering…" explained the blond-haired boy as he back away, "I'll take care of Itachi then."
"Be careful." warned Kakashi.
"Yes… "
Advancing toward the piece of wall, Kakashi couldn't help but smile through his mask. It was him, it was really him, Asuma, the son of the third Hokage.
"I never thought I would have had the chance to tell you goodbye, my friend." spoke the grey haired man.
"I wasn't expecting this either, pal. To me it felt like yesterday." explained Asuma with a smile.
"And yet, so much time had passed." added the grey haired man.
"…"
"…"
"I know what you have to do Kakashi, but please before I leave again, tell me, what did I miss?" inquired the brown-haired man with a smile.
"A lot… No one as been the same since then… Konohamaru had lost his uncle and your team had lost their sensei. You know the kids have taken it hard…" explained Kakashi as he lean on the piece of dome.
"Yeah! I knew it was going to be like that." replied Asuma.
"Sure Ino and Choji have taken it hard, but it wasn't as hard as it was for Shikamaru. That kid considers you as much as his own father. He even starts smoking…" added the grey haired man.
"What?" asked in disbelief the Third Hokage's son.
"You heard me right." continued Kakashi.
"Please tell me you'll make him stop!" replied Asuma in an exasperate tone.
"Ha, ha! I'll try but this kid is just as stubborn as you." explained again the grey haired man.
"My god…" added the brown-haired man.
"He said he would stop smoking if I could beat him to shoji. As you know, I'm not bad at that game, but not brilliant." said the sixth Hokage.
"Yeah! Shikamaru is a genius at this." acquiesced Asuma, knowing his student would probably continue smoking.
As a small silence installed itself among the two friends, Kakashi couldn't help but smile sadly at the situation. It was probably is last chance to talk to him and yet, he didn't know what to say.
"…"
"And… Kurenai?" asked the brown-haired man, shyly.
"Huh!"
"…"
"Well, hummm… She's expecting your baby in two months… But I think you know that..." answered Kakashi with a hidden smile.
"Yes, I feel so ashamed of leaving her like this…" replied Asuma.
"It's not like you had the choice…"
For a long moment, neither Kakashi or Asuma dare to speak, both submerge in their own thoughts. But as the grey haired man was about to speak, his friend beats him to it.
"Do we know the gender?"
"It'll be a boy…" answered Kakashi.
"A boy?" replied Asuma in surprise.
"Yes. Congratulation! I'd like to shake your hand, but the circumstances are not on our side." said the grey haired man as he gives a pointed look at the dome that was separating them.
"Ha, ha! It's okay. I'm glad to know it though." added the brown-haired man with a sad smile.
"You seem troubled." stated Kakashi.
"I just hope he's not going to give her too much trouble. I wasn't an easy kid when I was young." replied the other.
"Hope you're wrong, last time I talked to her, she was going to name him after you… Ha, ha… But seriously I think she'll be fine, Shikamaru said he would be there for the kid as a father figure like you ask him to…" spoke the Hokage.
"But you know he's too young for that…" begin the brown-haired man crossing his arms over his chest and leaning on a wall of the dome.
"Yes." agreed the grey haired man.
Suddenly, the lightness in Asuma's behaviour disappeared and a tense atmosphere grew between them.
"Kakashi?" asked the brow haired man, seriousness written all over his face.
"Hum?"
"I want you to do me a favour." asked again Asuma.
"What is it?" inquired Kakashi with curiosity.
"I want you to take care of Kurenai and our son as if it was your own family." explained the man.
"What?" replied the Hokage in surprise.
"I know you longed for a family for a long time. I want to give that to you and my son. He needs a father and you need a family. And knowing you, I know you'll do a great job. You'd be perfect. And I know Shikamaru will help you with this…" spoke Asuma.
For Kakashi, it was like a bomb had been drop on his head and he was dead. Never once as he thought that his friend would ask him this. What the hell was going on in his dead mind? That made no sense. Sitting down on the floor, the grey haired man looked at the ground with incomprehensible eyes.
"…"
"Please Kakashi, I'm asking you. Take care of my son as if it was your own. Help Kurenai in this and make them happy for me. I know I'm asking a lot but I can't bare that I won't be there for them." continued the brown-haired man, eyes watering.
"Of course Asuma, I'll do it. I'll do it for you and… them. But I don't think it's a good idea. It's a huge responsibility and what if she doesn't want me to be in his life this way." asked Kakashi, now unsure.
"Tell her I ask you to and don't underestimate you my friend. You're a good man, Kakashi." answered his friend.
"Mph…"
"Kakashi?" inquired Asuma.
"Yes."
Taking a huge breath, Asuma took a moment to watch the sky. Night was going to fall on them soon.
"Tell Kurenai that I love her more than anything and that I'm sorry to leave her like this. I didn't plan on leaving them. Tell her to be happy and not to dwell on the past. I know she loves me, but she deserves to be happy. I'll never be disappointed in her… nor you." confessed the brown-haired man.
"Yes… But… Why me?" asked the Hokage in incomprehension as he stands up fully and look at his friend like he had grown six heads in the last minute.
"I know you had a thing for her before we decided to form an item." replied Asuma with a playful smile on his face.
"Wha-aa no!" tried to lie Kakashi as a deep blush formed itself on his cheeks.
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed his friend.
"…"
"Never mind this, it was just too easy. Give her the paper I gave you during our last mission and just be there for her if she needs you, ok?" added the brown-haired man.
"Sure will." answered Kakashi.
"Thank you for everything my friend."
"I'll miss you…" spoke Kakashi as his eyes start watering.
"Don't stay in the past Kakashi, take another look at this life. It's worth the try. Thank you for everything, my friend." concluded Asuma.
"Thank you Asuma, goodbye." replied the grey haired man as he start to do the sealing signs to seal his friend soul.
"No. See you later." added Asuma with a smile before disappearing in a ton of sealing papers.
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On Naruto's side
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Leaving the two old friends behind, the blond-haired boy walked a good ten meters away toward a certain Uchiha. The sight was not exactly pleasant, he looked so dead. His body was lying limp on his back and his left side had disappeared somewhere else.
"Naruto…" greeted the dark-haired man.
"Itachi…" acknowledged the said boy with a serious smile.
"I'm glad to see you." replied Itachi as he tried to place himself in a comfortable position.
"What? You thought I wouldn't make it?" teased the blond-haired boy.
"The chances weren't on your side." added the Uchiha with a smirk.
"Yeah! But I'm so good! Ha, ha!" brag Naruto.
"I understand now his reluctance to gain the Mangekyou Sharingan the way I did. Though I'm glad he did it." spoke Itachi with a smile as he examines the boy with soft eyes.
"Huh!"
"Sasuke is lucky to have you as a friend Naruto. Thank you." reformulated the dark-haired man.
"What?" asked the blond-haired boy, blushing lightly.
"Thank you for what you did with Sasuke. I can't even tell you how happy I am that you saved him from Madara." confessed the older brother.
"Oh! That was nothing, we're friends after all and that's what friends do for each other." explained Naruto as he sat on the floor in front of the Uchiha, "But to be honest, I wouldn't have succeeded without her help… Thank god our other team mate was there too." explained Naruto with a huge smile as he sat next to the young man.
"That girl…" suddenly remembered Itachi, "Who was she?"
"Sakura. Sakura Haruno." answered the boy.
"Sakura hn? Well, she's an amazing and beautiful girl." replied the dark-haired man.
"Yes. She's my best friend. If she wouldn't have been there I doubt we would have been able to win this war and save Sasuke at the same time, even if I doubt he's completely out of trouble." added Naruto now worried.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." tried to reassure the Uchiha.
"Hope so." concluded the blond-haired boy.
Standing up on his feet, the blond-haired boy made a sign for Kakashi, who had just seal Asuma, to come and join him for the sealing procedure, when the voice of the Uchiha interrupted him.
"Naruto, I need to ask you something…"
"What?" asked the boy, curious.
"Keep an eye on him." spoke Itachi, clearly referring to his younger brother.
"Of course, no problem." replied Naruto with a serious look on his face.
"And when the time comes, tell him to go to the third Uchiha shrine and collect the box I left there." explained the dark-haired man with a huge smirk, "And tell him that our mother would have approved his choice. He'll understand…"
"Huh! Alright… If you say so." replied Naruto as Kakashi joined him.
"Thank you again, Naruto." said Itachi as he let the two seal him away.
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On Tsunade's side
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On the other side of the field, a small group of ninjas were fighting some reincarnated souls that had survive the implosion of the dome. But unfortunately, the situation wasn't under control. As the fight increase, many fall on both sides until two reincarnated souls remained and end the last ninja of Kumo. As they were about to run away for another slaughter, a swift shadow ran behind them and kill one of them in one swift action. Surprised, the last man turn around and look at the intruder with wide eyes.
"I was hoping to find you…" spoke a feminine voice.
"Tsu-Tsunade?" asked in shock the white-haired man.
"Dan…" acknowledged the Gondaime with a soft smile.
"You haven't change one bit." said Dan with admiration as his eyes took a soft look.
"Tch. A jutsu, fortunately." replied Tsunade in shame.
"Don't say this. You'll always be beautiful no matter what." spoke the white-haired man with a happy tone.
"I miss you so much." confessed Tsunade as she approach him.
"I do too." replied Dan as he attacked her against his will.
Easily jumping away, the blond-haired woman land on her feet and remain at a safe distance as she let go of her tears despise the smile that plagued her lips.
"I'm sorry for failing you, to have failed healing you." spoke Tsunade full of remorse.
"Don't be, you did everything you could. It was my time. That's all." tried to cheer the man.
"I know, but it was so unfair. If I would have been there earlier, you'd be with me now. You wouldn't have missed so much." spoke the woman as the tears rolled down her cheeks freely.
"Tsunade. Even if you would have been there earlier, it wouldn't have changed anything. The second I got hit, it was too late. I wasn't focus enough on my situation, my comrades were my priority. But I'm glad you came. I'm glad that I had the chance to see you one more time before it all end. And even if I haven't been alive with you, I never left your side." spoke Dan with watering eyes.
"I know, but…" insisted the woman as her lover attacked her one more time.
"Don't worry Tsunade, you haven't failed me. I failed you my love. I'm sorry for everything I put you through." apologized the white-haired man as Tsunade push him away.
"..."
"…"
"I heard you realize your brother's wish." spoke Dan with a smile as he tried to change the subject.
"Yeah, I'm Hokage now and if you would have known the job you wouldn't want to do it, ha, ha!" joked the Hokage.
"Ha, ha!"
"You know I love you with all my heart. No one had ever taken your place." confessed Tsunade changing the subject again.
"Oh Tsunade! You didn't have to do that. You know I would never wish for you to be miserable because of me." reprimand Dan now upset.
"But you're the only man I ever and will ever love." replied Tsunade with sadness.
"I love you too." said the man with an exasperate sigh, "If only I could hold you."
"I wish you could… I wish you could stay with me." spoke the slug princess as she sliced the nerves in his shoulders with her chakra scalpel and block the influx of chakra down his legs.
"Sigh, but that is impossible. You know I don't belong here." tried to reason Dan as he falls to the ground in front of her.
"Y-yes." said Tsunade sadly.
Looking at the woman of his life with a serene smile, Dan tried to remember every details of her person. She was so beautiful. He had missed her so much. And to think he would have to wait for another long moment was almost unbearable for him. But he was right, he didn't belong there. He had to leave even if it breaks their hearts.
"Let's do this now." concluded Dan with a resigned look on his face.
"Alright…" replied Tsunade as she sat down next to him with her sealing parchments.
"I'll be waiting for you, my love. Take your time." spoke Dan with a genuine smile.
"I love you Dan." spoke Tsunade as she bent down to kiss his lips one last time.
"I love you too Tsunade. With all my heart." replied Dan as he begins to fade away.
.
On Sasuke's side
.
After a good five more minutes of waiting, Shikamaru appeared in the medical unit and open the door of the cell. Taking Sasuke by the left arm before putting some chakra draining shackles around his arms, he shoved him out and drag him toward the outside. The night was almost settled and strangely calm compare to the previous hours.
"I never thought you would be so docile. After the fight you put up against us every time we have tried to catch you." spoke Shikamaru as he walks among the tents toward a change room with Sasuke next to him.
"Hn." replied the boy walking slowly.
"Despise some of my resentment toward you, I'm glad you're back." confessed the brown-haired boy as he looks at the dark bluish sky.
"What have I done to you exactly?" asked in incomprehension the Uchiha as he stops walking.
Taking a deep breath, the Nara stops walking too and took a moment to study the other boy. It was clear that he was choosing his words carefully.
"When you left the village, you broke something in everyone's life. You broke Sakura's heart, you back stab Kakashi, you betray Naruto and all of us. And when we tried to get you back, I almost lost my best friend." explained Shikamaru seriously.
"Choji?" inquired Sasuke, not following the conversation.
"He fight against the big guy from Oto that kidnapped you and almost lost his life. Neji too." answered the brown-haired boy.
"…"
"And…" begin Shikamaru as he glance at the suddenly agitated medics that were running around them.
"And what?" added the dark-haired boy, suspicious.
"I hurt Sakura." confessed the Nara with dull eyes.
"What?" quickly replied Sasuke as the forbidden name was spoken.
At the reaction, Shikamaru let a knowing smile grace his lips as he pursued with his explanation.
"I convince her to let us kill you. I know I broke something between me and her and that it hurt her… A lot." begin the boy before taking another deep breath, "Sigh, anyway. What is done, is done."
"And you're still glad to see me?" asked the Uchiha not understanding.
"Yes." answered Shikamaru while friendly slapping his friend on his shoulder.
"You're weird." spoke Sasuke, smirking.
"No, I'm just a dreamer." replied the other boy.
"A dreamer?"
"I believe in you. You'll make the right choices." said Shikamaru with determination.
To say that it didn't strike a chord would be a lie. Sasuke never really realise that before, but he had more friends than he first thought and more friends that he had hurt. Shikamaru wasn't one to hold grudges, but not everyone is like him. He never thought that his actions would have had such an impact on everyone. Indeed, his way to rehabilitation would be harder than he first thought.
"Now let's get to that changing room. You stink like a wet dog." added the Nara as he pushes Sasuke forward.
"Hn."
And as told, Sasuke followed the brown-haired boy into the camp and enter in a tent not too far away. It was a small tent used for the injured people who need to stay clean to avoid infections, there was only a shower and a table.
"So the shower is there, your clothes are on this table at your right and here's some soap. You have 15 minutes, starting now." explained Shikamaru as he unshackled the boy and walk outside of the tent.
"Hn." grumbled the boy as he closed the curtain panel.
"Some things never change." added the brown-haired boy with a smirk as he lit a cigarette.
.
On Naruto's side
.
Silence… After days of sweat, blood, death and rude battles, the battlefield was finally silent. No more clashing sounds of metal against metal, no more yells of pain or fury. The devastated land was drop dead silent.
"THE LAST ONE IS DOWN! VICTORY IS OUR!" yelled a member of the alliance as he ran on the highest cliff to announce the great news.
Not too far away, the blond-haired boy stops running and looks at the man with incredulous eyes.
"It's over?"
"Yes." replied Kakashi, landing gracefully next to him.
"EVERYONE GET BACK TO YOUR RESPECTIVE CAMP!" added the same man as he disappeared from the cliff.
"I'll go check on Sakura and then Sasuke." announced Naruto as he packs away his dirty weapons.
"Alright!" replied the grey haired man with a sincere smile under his mask.
"Are you coming with me?" asked the jinchuriki.
"No thanks Naruto. I have things to do. I'll see you tomorrow for the trial." answered back Kakashi recovering his serious expression.
"Ha… Yes." replied none too happily the blond-haired boy as he remembered the trial.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." tried to reassure the Hokage as he watch Naruto walks away.
.
On Sasuke's side
.
Fourteen minutes and a half later, the Uchiha emerges from the tent and shoved his hands in Shikamaru's face with an annoyed look on his face. Despise the facts that his wet bangs were almost glued to his face and that the clothes he had receive, which consist of a black pair of pants and a black long sleeves shirt, were clearly too big for him, Sasuke was nonetheless more presentable than before.
"I'm done." stated the boy.
"Good." replied Shikamaru as he puts back the shackles.
"…"
"Let's go back." spoke the Nara boy as he starts walking.
"Yes." replied Sasuke.
As they started walking and turned at a corner, the two young men spot Ino crying at the entrance of a tent.
"Hey Ino! What's wrong?" asked Shikamaru as he walks a little faster toward his team-mate with worries, followed by the nonchalantly walking Sasuke.
"Oh nothing! I'm just too stress right now." replied Ino with surprise as she starts wiping her eyes furiously.
"Sakura?" asked Shikamaru now worried.
"Yes I'm scared for her and it seems that time had stop. If only this stupid night could be over with so that I can see if she'll make it. Dammit." confessed the blond-haired girl as she stands up.
"Don't worry I'm sure she'll be fine." tried to reassure Shikamaru as he patted her shoulder.
"Is she… Is she in there?" tentatively asked Sasuke trying not to interrupt them.
"Y-Yes." answered Ino with incredulous eyes.
"…"
"Would you like to see her?" asked the girl.
"I don't think it's a good idea." interrupted Shikamaru.
But the look on the boy's face was enough proof to him that he wasn't going to do anything.
"…"
"Sigh, okay. But I'm coming too." granted Shikamaru.
"Sure." spoke Ino with a smile.
And as the three enter the tent, a wave of worry took place. Sakura wasn't looking good. The girl was plugged to several machines that were checking her vitals, she was covered in bandages and her skin was as white as the snow.
"She looks so vulnerable." stated the brown-haired boy as he look at the girl with incredulous eyes.
"And she is." replied the blond-haired girl with sadness.
'Sakura…' thought Sasuke as he approaches a little.
"Don't get too close Sasuke, there's a lot of tubes." warned Ino as she grabs his right sleeve.
"Yes." replied the Uchiha as he recoiled.
Sensing the despair and turmoil that was going on in the head of the Uchiha, Shikamaru decided it was time to go.
"Let's get back to the medical unit." spoke the brown-haired boy as he patted Sasuke's shoulder.
"Hn."
"Good luck for tomorrow Sasuke." spoke Ino as she watches them leave.
And then both young men quit the room, Sasuke not looking away from the girl until he was completely out of the tent.
.
Ten minutes later, on Naruto's side
.
Running at full speed toward the medical unit, Naruto turn a corner and charge someone in his wake. Realising what happened, the blond-haired boy stop his running and turn back toward the person he had thrown on the floor.
"Hey Shikamaru!" greeted the blond-haired boy with a sheepish smile.
"Sheesh, Naruto! Be careful. You're so damn troublesome sometime." replied Shikamaru in annoyance as he raise from the ground.
"Sorry pal! I was in a hurry and didn't saw you. But… Hey? Can I talk with Sasuke?" asked Naruto.
"Yes, but you only have ten minutes. It's almost midnight. The prisoners have to sleep before the trial." answered the brown haired boy.
"I see." said the jinchuriki before resuming his ran.
"Goodnight Naruto." said the Nara as he walks away.
"Goodnight!" half yelled back the boy.
Finally reaching the medical unit, the blond-haired boy walk inside and immediately spot Sai sitting on the floor, not looking at all at the cell.
"Aren't you worried that they could try anything to escape?" inquired Naruto in exasperation.
"No Dickless. And it's said in my book that greeting someone is the most polite way to start a conversation." answered Sai as he looks at the boy with a fake smile.
"Aww man. I'm glad is not calling me dick less." spoke Suigetsu with a grin as the blond-haired boy begin to fume.
"Would you stop calling me that in front of people?" growled the blond-haired boy.
"What? It's says in my book that giving people a nickname is a way of showing that we are friends." replied Sai showing the lines written in his said book.
"That's the weirdest thing I've heard." said the shark boy as he looks incredulously at the dark-haired boy.
"So, that's why you're Dickless and they are Emo, Weirdo, Slut and Birdie." explained Sai in a serious tone.
"What did he say?" immediately asked Karin in fury.
"Why am I weirdo?" also asked angrily Suigetsu.
"And why is the big guy called birdie?" inquired Naruto, ignoring the new stab at his masculinity.
"Since he is here there's a ton of birds in the building." explained the boy.
"I see." replied the blond haired boy troubled before exploding again, "RAWWH! I don't have time to talk to you, I'm here for Sasuke and I only have five minutes left now. Damn!"
"What do you want Dobe?" asked the Uchiha, curious.
"I want you to know that I won't let anything happen to you tomorrow. I know you're an idiot, a jerk, an ass hole, a …" begin the jinchuriki.
"Get to the point, right?" reminded Sasuke, fed up with the insults.
"Oh! Ha, ha! Yeah!" laughed the boy.
"Hn."
"But you are my friend and I know you're ready to come back." concluded Naruto with a sincere smile.
"…"
"I gotta go. Try to get some sleep. I see you tomorrow. Bye! Goodnight Sai."
added the blond haired boy before leaving the tent.
"Bye." replied Sasuke in a pensive tone.
"Goodnight!" said Sai as he continues drawing.
"Let's get some sleep too. Tomorrow will be harsh." spoke Juggo as he lean against the cell in a comfortable manner.
"Yeah, you're right." replied Suigetsu as he threw himself on the ground.
As Karin was about to find a comfortable way to sleep, she spots the Uchiha looking at the ceiling pensively. It was clear that something was on his mind.
"Something's wrong?" asked Karin softly.
"No." replied Sasuke as he places himself on the ground, his back to the floor.