Gaahina chan: Okay, hate me, despise me, but please give my fic a chance. I know I'm very late so I apologize. I don't' have excuses. I had this huge writer's block and then a few days ago an idea came to me so here it is.
Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of this. Doesn't the fact of writing here makes obvious that I don't own Naruto?
Until you eyes don't shine
Chapter 4
by Gaahina chan
-o-
5 months later
I remember when I was little. People used to get fun out of me. Always looking on the outside, not into the inside. It made me sad that I was alone. I couldn't do anything because I was so weak and helpless. That is until you came. You were beautiful, so carefree and smiling up at me. You gave me the little things I wanted from a person. Care, love, everything I hoped for, you gave it to me.
Each day we travelled large flower fields and we carried them to exchange. You used to tell me the meaning of each flower. You said that pink flowers described me the best. They were delicate, fragile and beautiful. I thought that you were very clever and so you became my best friend in only a couple of days. We used to spend all day long together doing whatever stuff that occurred in our minds. Yet, you said that when you weren't with me, I had to be strong. Because if you weren't there I felt a little weak. I felt scared that people would come again and make fun of me.
So time passed and we grew stronger. That's when something happened. A stupid decision from me destroyed our friendship. All we spent together was left behind because of some childish complex. We weren't friends and so we grew up apart, learning ninja techniques, always competing of who was better than the other one.
We couldn't find the answer to that…
Time went by and then I realized that I was wrong. In the past I thought that people was unfair with me because they didn't see the real me. They judge me by appearance and none of them would comply with my pleadings. Yet you did. That's when I thought that I left you because of the same reason everyone despised me. I couldn't help but feel guilty. I couldn't see through him, inside him, that he wasn't as valuable as you were. He didn't show me care or love like you did.
I wasn't as clever as you…
I came to the fact that I wanted your friendship back. I wanted you in my life as a friend, as a sister that I never had, not a rival. That's when it occurred. War. A bloody and cruel war came to Konoha. Many people died. And many people are still dying. I'm praying that you are alive. I left you there alone again because I wanted to help one of my other precious people.
But it was reckless and stupid. All in vain. As far as I can remember, the last thing I heard and saw was Naruto growling in pain. His body was covered in blood and an enormous chakra surrounded him fiercely. As if eating him, he disappeared into the flames and then I saw black.
-o-
When Sakura came to her senses, she was in a bed covered with many bandages. Her head hurt and her throat was dry. You could feel the intense heat enveloping the few bodies that occupied the place. She turned and saw many villagers. An old woman came to her and told her that she was safe in here. That's when Sakura knew where she was.
Suna.
Sakura pushed herself up and looked at the surroundings. At least she was 2 days away from Konoha. She couldn't go back because of the circumstances. She didn't want to accept it but the logical thing that could happen was that Naruto had died because of his huge chakra and his body injuries. All that power was very harming and without her or Yamato sensei he wouldn't survive one day like that.
Sakura then examined her own body. She was healthy and no severe injuries were present. It seemed that the Suna medic nins were very efficient in this matter. The only thing that was out of place was her huge hunger. She turned to the woman that spoke to her and then she ate some fruits and noodles. At that moment, Sakura felt her world breaking. It was ramen, Naruto's favourite food. It was then that Sakura started crying.
-o-
I wasn't aware of it until a few days later. We were efficiently advancing without problems. She looked very carefree and so happy to me. It made me love her even more, if possible. She said I looked different too. That I smiled more frequently and that it made her very happy. I laughed at the thought that something so simple can make her happy, but then again, I didn't smiled that many times in the past… when she was not with me…
One day, it started to rain so we had to find shelter with a roof. With my byakugan I detected a fine place, but something was out of place. I sensed a very rare chakra that in the past I couldn't see. Yet I couldn't locate it until a ninja attacked us without previous call. It surprised me that it was a woman. A little girl I mean. She was little, and her hair was long and red. She had this sword that looked very fragile but I didn't trust her. Ino took her fighting stance and so did I.
The girl was quick and with my gentle fist I could get some chakra out of her system, but that wasn't the problem. For some reason, Ino was slower than before and so I had to protect her from the finishing blows of the red haired girl. The little girl noticed my intentions so she turned to Ino and prepared her sword. Blue chakra surrounded the weapon and the girl smirked. Ino's eyes remained focused on her sword but the girl was quicker than I thought. I carried my body to the place where Ino was and performed a Kaiten. The girl came crashing into the ground, dead. I wasn't surprised because she received her attack with double force. Ino gasped and she knelt down. Sweat drops were adorning her forehead and her eyes were unfocused and trembling. She looked as if she was going to faint at any moment. I asked her if she was fine but then she started screaming uncontrollably.
"Why! Why this does happens to me! Why am I so weak?! Everyone is dead and now…" she said tears starting to fall down. I didn't understand her predicament but I couldn't let her feel like that. I gazed at her worriedly. She embraced me and whispered something into my ear.
"Please don't let me fall Neji. You are all I have" she said her head dropping into my shoulder. I started to shake her but she didn't respond. That's when I found it. That rare chakra, was beating slowly all around me.
-o-
"Eat it." Neji gave Ino a very red apple. They were very far away from Konoha. It seemed that the troops weren't chasing them anymore because many days have passed and they haven't seen anybody in the course. Neji came to the conclusion that they were safe, for now. They were now in some region of the wind country. He left his thoughts when he heard Ino chewing her apple. He looked at her expectantly. She ate it slowly and then she felt him staring.
"It's nice. You want some?" she said her mouth covered with the apple's juice. He shook his head and then she ate the entire apple. Her tongue licked her lips and then she savoured the rest of the juices in her mouth. Neji felt his mouth dry. All that little actions made him want to pin her to a tree and kiss her feverishly. He contained his impulses as she sat beside him.
"Ne. Aren't we a bit hot?" she said playing with his hair. He stared at her incredulously and then he felt her soft lips on his neck. He moaned pleasantly and then she moved her tongue swiftly. "You know…It's been awhile since we don't see troops. Why don't we go back and search for more people?"
Neji turned his face and stared at her eyes. She seemed confident enough. "That's very risky Ino. They might be surrounding Konoha." He said playing with her hair.
Ino sat on his lap facing him. "I want to find Sakura and the others. Why not go to some nearby village? We can check swiftly and if we don't find anything within 5 days we can come back. Not Konoha, I promise" She said resting her forehead on his.
Neji kept thinking. Ino seemed very desperate. He also wanted to find more people but he couldn't help but to worry about Ino's safety. Now more than anything she needed rest. "If we come to crash with a troop I might not protect you for very long" Neji said frowning. He didn't want her to think that she was a burden, but with the past few things that had happened Neji knew that she wasn't in the best of her senses. He didn't like a bit the idea. "I won't be a burden Neji. I'm strong too. We are a very good team and also we didn't catch any enemy because of your byakugan".
"But what about your-"
"I'll be careful Neji. I promise. If you sense some kind of danger we will come back to this point. You know I'm very stubborn so please let me do this. I won't give up until you say yes" She said smiling.
Neji sighed... He stared at her body and then he stopped at her stomach. "You should buy new clothes. It might get cold"
-o-
"Temari san! Have you received some kind of information from Konoha? Any message? A bird? "The pink haired kunoichi asked the sand jounin.
"I'm sorry Sakura" she frowned. "We haven't' received anything. We are still sending ninjas to Konoha to find something but they haven't returned". Temari kept walking, Sakura behind her.
"But there has to be something!" The blond turned to Sakura and examined her eyes. She saw that she was at the border of tears and that her soul was slowly dying.
"For now, all you can do is wait. We still can't afford to attack if we don't investigate the situation. Your friends are smart. Pray for them and prepare for the worst"
Sakura's eyes closed and then she stared seriously at Temari. "Then I'll go search for them. I can't wait. I want to find my friends and make sure they are alright." Temari remained patient and then she smiled. "Then let me help you with your equipment"
"Thanks Temari san" Sakura smiled.
-o-
2 days have passed after Sakura left Suna. She had all the necessary medicine for poison, open wounds, fractures and many other basic supplies for long time missions. She had her chakra at its full capacity. And her mind was focused on her friends.
With efficiency, the pink haired kunoichi travelled the large desert. Her legs were silent, so her breathing. Her eyes examined every part of the scenery. She wasn't scared, yet she was a vulnerable prey. Temari had to go arrange some terms with her brother so she couldn't come, and so Sakura didn't want to wait.
All those years training in the academy, with her sensei and other battles were about to consume in this final mission. She was preparing for the worst now. All she had to do was go back to Konoha to check if there were people nearby. Yet, she knew that the enemy was concentrating there. She knew it because it was there were Naruto stayed. She knew that behind that entire massacre there was an objective. The logical thing would be to obtain the large clan's techniques, Naruto, or the Hokage's murder. By now, she was very sure that the families' heads were far stronger than any normal jounin, so she didn't worry about them. The Hokage's murder was a very disturbing thought. Tsunade was like her second mother for her, but she knew that she wasn't an easy prey. She would be fine. But then, it was Naruto who occupied her thoughts. Although the most probable thing was that he died, she still had her hopes. Maybe he controlled his chakra after that, or maybe Yamato sensei came after and freed Naruto from Kyuubi. How should she know? She didn't. She just kept reasoning with her mind the possible causes for this attack. She wouldn't know until this ended. Or maybe not.
I'm strong. I can live. I can save my friends. I can't give up now.
She kept repeating the little mantra in her head. All those days being alone with no one to help her made her very fearful. It was a miracle that Suna saved her. She thought she would die. Her forehead was getting wet because of the unbearable heat. She wiped the sweat and then she smiled.
"Hey forehead girl! I won't lose to you ever!"
"I might lose this one Ino. I hope you are okay." Sakura thought as trees came to the view, sensing an abnormal chakra.
-o-
"Neji, where are we?""Shh… I can feel something, let me check."
Byakugan!
Black and white images appeared before his eyes, the constant beating of his heart pounding in his ears. He scanned every corner, every small bit of image that projected his unusual eyes. There was something wrong. He knew that the sand village was near but he couldn't sense any chakra. At this time, the night lights had to be turned on but the entire land was covered with darkness. "What the hell happened here?" he thought. He focused his eyes to farther places and all he could see was emptiness. No people, no sound, no anything. All there was in the village were empty houses and a furious sandstorm covering them.
"Neji I feel bad" Ino said from behind. Neji turned and saw Ino's pale face. She looked weak and something was wrong with her chakra. It flowed in a very fast speed all along in her chakra system. He took her hand in his then he applied pressure on some points, without hurting her. Slowly but successfully, the chakra slowed its pace. She then gave Neji's hand a light shake. She smiled and then she kissed his lips.
"Thanks babe" she said as she closed her eyes and started breathing slowly. Neji shook his head. Ino was in a very strange health state. She seemed like drugged or something; her system was crazy and now she was sleeping. He lifted her and then he began running towards Suna. There had to be some doctor in there to check on her.
-o-
In the distance, two shadows could be seen running. Furious sand waves were crashing with the raging winds. Neji had some difficulty seeing through it but he couldn't let Ino be like this. He knew that this was a bad idea but he was desperate. With long fast paces he arrived at what seemed a hospital. He began checking all the rooms but no one was there.
"Is someone there?" a weak voice whispered. Neji activated his byakugan and saw a woman in a weak state not too far away. Her arms lay limply beside her, her head resting on the wall and her eyes were half open.
"Miss, what happened here?" Neji asked in a low tone.
"Be careful, they are nearby…" she said before her eyes closed.
"Dammit! What now?!" Neji yelled as he stared at the now dead nurse. That's when he noticed. A small amount of chakra was surrounding her. It was the same strange chakra that those men used in their fight. He saw that there was a space where the chakra wasn't present around the woman. "What's this?" He thought as he touched the strange chakra. Neji jerked away form the chakra as he noticed that his fingers were slowly disappearing.
Neji surprisingly gasped but when he touched his fingers with his other hand he knew that it was a type of genjutsu.
"So this is why. I didn't know that such a technique could exist. Making disappear things with a so low chakra level. It is very amusing. But then, there has to be many people in here." He then placed Ino on a nearby bed. By now, her breathing was shallow and her mouth open. He kissed her cheek and then he walked to the hall.
"Hello!! Can anyone hear me?! Please! If there's someone alive in here please yell!"
Neji's ears heard nothing. A not very silent breeze came form a window and now he knew that they were alone. Maybe in the Kazekage's office he could find something, he thought. Neji put Ino on his back and swiftly began to run towards the Kazekage's office.
When he arrived, he noticed that all the building was in complete darkness. He travelled the long halls that lead to what seemed the principal room. When he was about to touch the doorknob, he heard someone.
"Who's there?! Don't even try to make a move, I've installed a special barrier that destroys everything when it's touched!" a woman said.
"Please! We came from Konoha. We need help. This is Hyuuga Neji and Yamanaka Ino" he said.
"Ino!" The woman ran towards the door and saw Ino laying in Neji's back. She looked like she was about to collapse. Neji looked at the agitated Temari. She had this huge bruise in the side of her abdomen with a gash covering it.
"Oh my god! Is she alright?" Temari said letting Neji pass.
"She is very weak and I don't know why. She just fell asleep and hasn't recovered" Neji said putting Ino on the Kazekage's desk. Temari looked at her. Her breathing was normal but she had this strange pale colour on her skin.
"I think I know why." Temari said as she opened one of the desk's drawers. "Here. Open her mouth and give her this" Temari said as she handed him a bottle with an orange liquid. Carefully, Neji made Ino swallow all the beverage. She then opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. When she saw Neji, she smiled and then she looked at Temari who smiled at her.
"Temari san! I'm glad to see you!" Ino said as she sat and hugged her. Temari responded and smiled at the kunoichi. "You make me worry very much Ino" Neji said interrupting the affectionate gesture. "I'm sorry Neji. I don't know what happened. I just remember falling asleep on your back" Ino said. She then directed her gaze towards Temari and saw the deep wound in her side.
"Temari san! Let me help you." Ino said already accumulating chakra in her hands. Temari nodded and lay down on the desk. Ino removed the clothing and then she cleaned the wound with her gash. "Who did this to you?" Neji asked as Ino continued the procedure. "Some strange ninjas. They had this weird style of fighting but I was able to survive. I saw many people dying. I survived because I concealed my chakra and locked myself in the closet" Temari said. "So that's why I didn't saw you. Still, we can't let our guard down. They might be close" Neji said. "Yeah, but I'm more worried about Sakura" she said. "She's alive?! Where did she go?!" Ino said abruptly. "Oi calm down Ino. She left 2 days ago to Konoha. She left alone so that's why I am worried" Temari said standing up.
"Neji! We have to go for her! She can still be alive!" Ino said grabbing Neji's shirt. "Please Ino. Calm down. I f we go now, in your condition, we might not survive" Neji said reasoning. "But I'm fine now! I feel very powerful. I won't be a burden. I promise!" Ino said already welling tears. That's when Temari confirmed her thoughts. What she gave to Ino was a special potion that revitalize woman in her condition. And considering her abnormal chakra along with her strange shape, she concluded something.
Ino was pregnant.
-o-
Gaahina chan: I know I put a lot of drama in Sakura's memories but hey, I'm very dramatic. Please review. I don't know when I will post the next chapter, but you can be sure that I will post it. See you next time ;D.