In The Name of Life
"Never take counsel of your fears." ~Stonewall Jackson
Chapter XX
The sun started to light up the forest. The new rays of light infiltrated through the leaves of the trees, marking a pattern on the ground and on the bodies of the four shinobi who had set camp in the premises. Sasuke finally rolled the 'Resurrection' scroll, taking in all the information he spent that night reading. It was a lot, it was complicated, and it was difficult to manage. Nonetheless, the information could be vital to stop Akatsuki's attacks. Only that he didn't care about them. He'd already gotten what he needed from Madara –the eye transplant—and whatever his ancestor wished to do with the world was none of his concern.
Sasuke would only focus in killing those who crossed his path, whether they belonged to Akatsuki or the Shinobi Alliance.
Sakura's absence caught his attention. He had been so immersed in reading the 'Resurrection' scroll that he didn't notice her departure until now. Juugo and Suigetsu were still sleeping, on the other side of their set up camp. Sakura had stayed awake with him, in silence, studying the 'Replication' scroll in order to study Zetsu's origins. Sasuke's mind kept debating back and forth if it was necessary to have her as an ally or not, seeing how they had never really fought together against an enemy. Back then, it had always been him and Naruto while she stood in the sidelines.
He needed to think his plans more thoroughly.
But the jolt of chakra that came from the east took him out of him thoughts. He quickly rolled the scroll and placed it inside his robe, beside Sakura's hitai-ate. The girl hadn't gone too far, perhaps she had just left. His two companions were still deep in slumber, and Sasuke didn't bother in waking them up.
He stood up and walked eastward, where Sakura's chakra was. He passed many tree trunks, following her noticeable trail. She failed at hiding herself if she wanted to escape from him and his team. The forest was still very dense, making the sky barely visible amidst the leaves. Sasuke's right hand still rested on his sword, for precaution. A shinobi should never let his guard down, and Sakura could be stupid enough to try and attack him like she had always done since their first reunion.
Physically, he was ready to take her down. It wasn't hard; she was still weak compared to him. She was just an average shinobi who excelled in the medical field. Someone who needed constant protection. Suddenly, Sasuke was more aware of her hitai-ate against his skin. He wondered if it was necessary for him to still carry it, alongside Itachi's Konoha hitai-ate. Was there any reason? He could easily just drop Sakura's forehead protector here, in the middle of Sound's forest, and let it fade into oblivion.
It carried no meaning, it was just a burden, he thought. But his will was going against his action. Something told him that he shouldn't dispose of it, just like he shouldn't dispose of Sakura.
And then, he found her.
The soft breeze was going against the sounds of the leaves as Sasuke walked to where the girl was standing. She could've blend in with the scenery surrounding her, due to her pink hair. If it wasn't because she was still wearing that oversized flak jacket, and that her chakra signature was so familiar to Sasuke, he could have confused her with the colour of the petals that fell from a certain tree.
Sakura stood in front of a cherry blossom tree. Not just one, but rather a lot. It was like a small field of cherry blossom trees, and Sakura was about to enter it. She didn't turn back when he was three feet away from her, but it was clear that she had noticed his presence because of the shift in her stance.
Her feet started to take steps towards the field of cherry blossoms. Sasuke followed her, not really understanding her intentions, but still keeping constant watch.
Pale pink petals fell from the trees, landing on the ground, covering it as a soft carpet of wilted flowers. Sakura watched with amazement, remembering the several times that her parents had taken her to watch the cherry blossom trees in Konoha. She was aware that Sasuke was behind her, following her trail.
Her mind was too busy taking in the sight. It was... almost surreal. It brought her back to a time when peace was within her, when Team 7 laughed, when Ino became her first friend, when she first noticed that Sasuke was the cutest boy in her class. And there he was, standing behind her, after experiencing more pain that joy. He could kill her in that moment, seeing how vulnerable she was at the sight. The silence of their voices was muffled by the sound of the soft breeze.
She could recall the several times that her parents had told her the significance of cherry blossoms. It was tragic, yet beautiful. It marked the impermanence of life. Hanami was her favourite activity back in Konoha, knowing how she could enjoy seeing the petals falling on the ground and feeling like she belonged. They also came during a certain time of the year, an important time for her.
Sakura's steps halted at the thought. Sasuke imitated her, a few feet behind. She took a second look at the field of cherry blossoms, realization dawning into her.
"Sasuke... what month is it?" she asked.
Her words confirmed that she knew he was there. Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the question. Did it really matter? She had almost blended in with the field of cherry blossoms, but the sound of her voice brought back her humanity.
Above all, she wasn't afraid of him standing behind her vulnerable form. And he wasn't willing to make a move to attack her, either.
"The cherry blossoms always bloom at the end of March in Konoha," she continued.
Sakura finally turned around and looked at him. Sasuke was seeing her differently. She was no longer the annoying teammate who needed his protection, or the tool he used to know about Itachi. No. This... this Sakura was another one to him. She was transparent, she was a person who had flaws and who was overtly emotional. This Sakura crawled inside him, entering his mind and changing it. She had suffered a lot, making her different. Yet, it still felt like the same Sakura.
"It's the beginning of April," Sasuke informed her.
Despite his distant attitude, he still sensed the different tone of voice that came out of his mouth. The change he was now seeing in Sakura was affecting him, yet he didn't know why. She still had the same qualities he had taken notice before. She was one of the best medics in her village, hence Kabuto taking her as hostage.
She had suffered, like he had. Maybe not to the same level, but she reminded him of how hurt, how vulnerable he felt after his clan's massacre.
And it confused him, how he felt. It wasn't that he wanted to shield her away from the pain, because shinobi needed to feel pain to know their nindo.
"Oh... my birthday passed and I didn't even realize," she said, "I'm seventeen now."
Perhaps this Sakura had always been there, in front of him, but he never took notice. He never realized her true self, always focusing on his own revenge. This was the first time he truly saw her, not the ghost of a memory from the past, or the reminder that kunoichi were always complicated. Now, Sakura was no one but herself.
Sasuke continued contemplating her unmoving stance. Sakura looked at his eyes, not entirely understanding what could be found in them. She hadn't expected him to answer her question, but then again, Sasuke had surprised her lately. She had quietly formed an alliance with her, even though it was probably temporary. She had lost hope in bringing him back to his old self, knowing that there was no turning back for him. Nonetheless, he showed no sign of the boy who almost killed her in the Land of Iron, or the boy she talked to in the Mountain's Graveyard.
Instead, his mere presence made her think that she had to make sure that he stayed alive. Itachi's words pounded in her mind, reminding her that she and Naruto could bring him back. He wouldn't be the same boy she fell in love with, but neither would he be the cold-blooded avenger that could kill on a whim.
"Happy birthday to me..." she muttered.
"Yes, happy birthday to you, little kunoichi."
It was that voice again, the one that haunted her.
Zetsu.
In the span of five seconds, she felt a dark, negative aura surround her. Sasuke was still a few feet away from her, but the change in his expression only showed her that they were no longer alone. In fact, the recently arrive third party decided to trap her with his arms. One arm was white, the other one was black. Sakura felt shock from head to toe, constricting her movements. It was unnecessary anyway, because the arms that had trapped her were now sucking her into the ground.
She wanted to scream, but was paralyzed. All she could see was Sasuke's frightened expression as he sped up to her side, holding on to the sleeve of her top. He was also sucking into the ground, while Zetsu let out an evil chuckle that deafened her ears. They were going down the ground, unsure of where Zetsu was taking them.
Sakura's eyes stayed open and kept contact with Sasuke's tight grip on the sleeve of her shirt. He was still there, with her.
Thump!
The three landed on a hard, cold ground. Zetsu instantly disappeared, leaving the two shinobi by alone. Sakura placed a hand on Sasuke's, gesturing him that it was time to let go. Both of them stood up and quickly scanned their premises. They were inside a large cave, even larger than Mountain's Graveyard. However, instead of having the several passageways that dug deeper into Madara's hideout, Sakura and Sasuke stood on the edge of a cliff. They were far away from the surface, judging by the height of the cave's top. It was carved with several large, pointy rocks facing downwards.
With his Sharingan activated, Sasuke walked over to the edge of their location and his eyes widened in shock.
Below the cliff, there was a large group –no, a herd—of White Zetsu clones. He couldn't count the number of clones, but there were roughly more than a thousand white bodies, all shuffling their feet unaware of his presence. Sasuke instantly began to create a plan in his mind, looking at the advantages and disadvantages of the cave.
The large stones that hung from the top could be of his advantage, it would eliminate most of the herd. However, he needed to reach them without getting the clones' attention. Also, there would still be a large number of clones that would dodge his attack.
He glanced at the sides of the enormous cave but couldn't find them. It was clear that this underground cave was larger than expected. He would need to use Amaterasu to erase the rest of his opponents without getting Sakura caught up in the fire.
The constant shuffling of the clones signed that they hadn't noticed his and Sakura's arrival yet. They were letting out low murmurs, making wordless sounds. Sasuke tightened the grip on his blade, realizing that the only rock wall that was within his reach was the one behind them. It was a disadvantage; he and Sakura were in between a large herd of White Zetsu clones beneath the cliff and a rock wall without knowing how deep into the ground they were.
Sakura's sudden gasp caught his attention. She had arrived to his side and was also taking in the scenery of the thousands of similar faces. She became paralyzed, as if the sight of Zetsu's clones brought her into a state of terror.
Cold sweat dripped down her temple. There were hundreds –no, thousands—of them. Standing, moving, alive. The first Zetsu clone she encountered was the one who took her to her nightmare. To the horrors of working against her loved ones, the torture sessions, Kabuto's hissing demeanour, Madara's overpowering cold heart. Her latest memories flashed through her mind, from her reunion with Sasuke to C's tragic death.
C didn't deserve to die like that. He had been strong, giving her hope, giving her the sudden wish of finding peace outside the ninja world. Sakura's heart felt heavier at the thought of her fallen friend. She had to leave her own fears behind, knowing that Zetsu would only use them to his advantage. She had sworn to avenge C's death, and this was the right time and place.
And somehow, Sasuke's presence comforted her.
Their dysfunctional dynamics would be a disadvantage, but they would have to work through them in order to defeat this herd of clones.
It was time to put her fighting face on.
She recalled her fight against Sasori with Chiyo-baasama. How she had to fight against a hundred puppets, against Iron Sand –Sunagakure's most feared weapon. Sakura was truly grateful for all the sacrifices that the elder woman had made in order to save the future generations.
They'd been strong together, albeit never having trained along one another before.
She looked over at Sasuke, ensured that she would be able to coordinate with him. His Sharingan eyes flickered to the top of the cave for the split of a second before looking back into her eyes.
She already knew what he was planning.
"Kukukukuku, so what do we have here?"
Zetsu's black and white form re-emerged from the ground. He was standing behind the two shinobi, who quickly turned around and faced him front. The Akatsuki member was in his original form, wrapped on the two giant carnivore leaves, wearing the same disturbing smile that he often gave Sakura.
The girl frowned, looking defiant against Zetsu's towering persona. She was beside Sasuke, ready to fight. This time, he wasn't going to protect her nor shield her away from the fighting.
This time, they were going to help each other, fight together.
"It's the last Uchiha and the little kunoichi. How nice."
"Yes, agreed. She still looks skinny from when we last saw her."
The two halves where talking to one another. Sakura tightened her fists, waiting for the right moment to attack.
"She's still feisty, even after all those long sessions with us. I guess she liked them."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. What was Zetsu talking about? Long sessions? He was aware of the Akatsuki member's masochistic characteristics, and the threat that Sakura and C received when they first arrived in the Mountain's Graveyard. He quickly flashed his eyes at Sakura before returning them to Zetsu. She had tensed up at the conversation.
"She never really told us anything, which only made her suffering more pleasing."
He was ready to unsheathe his sword at Zetsu, while Sakura only wished to be wearing her leather gloves and crush his skull.
"Neh, little kunoichi, do you still remember the taste of Kabuto's special poison?"
The burning sensation of Kabuto's poison came back to her throat. It destroyed her insides, piece by piece, engulfing her stomach in invisible flames. The reminder came along with Zetsu's usual chuckle when he saw her suffer. He had taken pleasure in her pain, and it infuriated her.
Sakura didn't want this to happen. She didn't want to freeze on the spot and let the horrible memories fill her head. Yet, there she stood, allowing Zetsu to infiltrate with his words, to make her relive those memories inside her head.
No.
"Or how we had so much fun in making you scream while we took away every little bit of sanity left in your brain?"
No!
She snapped out of her trance when black flames appeared out of nowhere. Sasuke had activated his Amaterasu, engulfing Zetsu's White half in the endless dark fire. The Akatsuki member let out a loud scream before he split in two, letting his White part burn into oblivion as she flames continued to ignite.
Sasuke's right eye was bleeding.
He didn't know what had come to him, but all of the plans that he had come up in his head were suddenly thrown out when Zetsu started speaking. His words, telling them how much he tortured Sakura, stirred something inside his gut. Sasuke felt anger rushing through his blood. Next thing he knew, Amaterasu had activated and black flames had appeared around White Zetsu's half. It had been an unexpected move, one he didn't really think about.
But the thought of Sakura suffering because of Zetsu's masochistic manners caused him to act on instinct. And his instinct told him that he had to protect her. Because that was what one did for a comrade, an ally.
Wait, where had his mind gone to?
He reached his bleeding eye with his hand, feeling the blood staining his fingers. Itachi's eyes proved that he could resist the side effects of Amaterasu and in fact made him stronger. Sasuke already knew the full extent of his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, but it still amazed him of how much power he held with his eyes. It was overwhelming; it was taking over his chakra and increasing his abilities tenfold.
"He's mine!"
Sakura's voice brought him back to reality. While White Zetsu was burning in front of them, dying, Black Zetsu had once again sucked into the ground. He was out of reach –for now.
Sakura gathered enough chakra on her feet to let her jump up to the cave's top. Once she reached her destination, she was hanging upside down and was able to view more of the insides of the cave. It only made matters worse, or more troublesome. The cave wasn't filled with thousands of Zetsu's clones, but rather tens of thousands.
Zetsu had brought them right to his nest.
The shuffling of feet stopped. Sakura looked at the white mass of clones shooting their eyes upwards. They had noticed her presence, and in less than a second, they all began to scatter around the cave in order to surround her.
Shit!
She gathered chakra on her fist, letting the blue energy empower her strength, and ran as fast as she could until she reached one of the large rocks. Sakura's fist crushed the base of the pointy rock, and it fell over a large group of clones that hadn't dodged her attack as fast. She continued to run, punch, and crush the rocks as they all fell on the deep and dark ground, eliminating her opponents by the dozen. Blood was rushing to her head because she was hanging upside down, but the determination of defeating as many clones as she could was more important to her at the moment.
Sakura's fist was still glowing. She could destroy more rocks and let the debris crush Zetsu's clones. She could do it, she knew it.
Sasuke was nowhere to be seen, but his chakra signature told her he was still standing on the edge of the cliff where they had landed.
"Sasuke, use Amaterasu now!" she yelled and waited for a few moments.
There was no response.
Sakura narrowed her eyes, not entirely understanding why her ex-teammate wasn't doing anything to kill off the clones. It was their best option, for him to use his black flames and extinguish all of the clones that came his way. She decided to step down from the top of the cave, and landed beside Sasuke. He was looking ahead, not acknowledging her presence.
"Why aren't you fighting?" Sakura demanded. She was about to touch his arm when he decided to direct his Sharingan eyes at her.
"You've already eliminated eight tenths of the herd," he informed her.
Black Zetsu's head re-emerged once again from the ground, cocking his face upwards to catch the attention of the two shinobi. Sasuke was ready to slice his blade across the Akatsuki member's sadistic grin, but the arrival of a small herd of White Zetsu clones diverted his actions. His Kusanagi extended in full lightning towards the clones, eliminating them in one swift motion. Sakura had to duck her head to avoid his attack, and she was left unharmed.
"Catch me if you can, little kunoichi," Zetsu requested before sinking back into the ground.
Sakura readied herself to chase after the Akatsuki member, although not entirely sure where he was going. Sasuke had already eliminated one half of him, though it hadn't been a difficult task judging by the power the Uchiha boy possessed. But this was Sakura's fight, her alone.
"Now just use your eyes, Sasuke!" she yelled again, and then sprinted up to the top of the grave and ran towards darkness.
Sasuke never took orders from anyone. He was a shinobi who belonged to no village, whose kin was already dead. He was accustomed to being the leader, but even then, when his teammates had asked him to do something, he had struggled in listening to their opinions.
Now, Sakura was an exception. And so, he listened to her.
Black flames filled the cave as the screeching sound of thousands of voices deafened his ears.
But... why was she turning into an exception?
Her feet couldn't let her run faster. She had to catch up with Naruto and Sasuke in terms of speed –it came in handy. Zetsu's challenge was followed by his chuckles, which resounded from the rocks of the cave. He was guiding her far away from Sasuke and the clones. Although she knew that she was going into the wolf's mouth, Sakura didn't stop running. She was determined to end his damned life and avenge those he had killed.
Kukukuku
Sakura grabbed a kunai from Kakashi's pouch, readying herself for the attack. Her head was hanging upside down as she ran on the top of the cave, but the rush of blood that came into her brain was ignored by her determination. There were no clones on this side of the cave, she noticed. Perhaps Sasuke had eliminated the majority of the leftovers.
Kukukuku
Adrenaline was travelling through her body, and accompanied with her controlled amount of chakra, she directed it to her feet and it let run as doubled as fast. Sakura was still engulfed by darkness, though she could make out the cave. Another rock wall appeared in front of her, showing her that she had reached her destination.
Kukukuku
Zetsu's disturbing chuckles became louder, cleared. He was near her, waiting to start the fight. A part of Sakura told her to skip the planning and all the information she had gathered about Black Zetsu and just straight up attack him. Nonetheless, she knew that it would be unwise. That strategy only worked for one ninja –Naruto—and he was miles away from her.
"Ah... you've made it to our little reunion."
Sakura's feet separated from the top of the cave and she landed gracefully on the ground. Zetsu blended in with the darkness of their surroundings, but she identified the one yellow orb he had left as an eye. Gradually, he became clearer amidst the darkness. He was no longer surrounded by the carnivore leaf, as his only remaining half stood unclothed and unprotected. Sakura wouldn't underestimate him for not carrying any weapons. Based on the information she had read, he was still as dangerous.
Zetsu showed a sadistic grin, like the ones he always did when he tortured her. It brought memories to Sakura's mind, but she blocked them from affecting her emotions. There would be time to mourn for the loss of her old self after she was done with the bastard.
"We have a few guests here, kunoichi," he continued.
Sakura's grip on her kunai tightened.
"This is only between you and me," she said menacingly. Her mind did a quick review of all the abilities she found in the 'Replication' scroll.
But everything froze inside of her as more figures appeared from the darkness. It was a pair of two grown adults. A woman with blonde hair and striking features. She wore a white tunic that sported red circles on its skirt. A man with a beard that connected to his hair. His pale, pink hair.
Sakura's eyes opened in shock and panic when she felt her parents' familiar forms approach her. Her brain paralyzed.
"Tou-chan... Kaa-san..."
Sakura dropped her kunai as her parents walked towards her.
This was the first time she saw them since... she couldn't even remember. Pein's attack and the war had separated her from her family for a while, and it was hard to remember their last encounter. But there they stood, looking at her, with the same affectionate expressions she had grown so used to.
She suddenly remembered that during her time in Madara's hideout, she barely thought about them. There were so many concerns for her comrades and her own safety that Sakura hadn't even dedicated a small fraction of her thoughts for her parents. Perhaps she tried to block them from her mind so that Zetsu wouldn't use them against her and put them in danger. They were civilians after all, with no experience in the shinobi world. They had left Konoha with the rest of the civilians to the refugee camp.
"It's a family reunion!" Zetsu exclaimed.
And Zetsu had attacked the refugee camp...
"Sakura, my daughter," her mother said with the same soft voice she always had.
"You're so beautiful now," her father continued, extending an arm to hold her.
Sakura was about to accept her father's hold when her head snapped. A passage in the 'Replication' scroll flashed through her mind.
Zetsu clones–able to replicate appearance and chakra signature of any individual they touch.
She grabbed her father's extended limb and twisted it until it was behind his back. Then, she buried him to the ground and landed her chakra empowered fist on his neck. His appearance slowly changed, making his clothes disappear, his hair recede, until he became a lifeless white body. A White Zetsu clone.
Sakura didn't hesitate with the clone that became her mother either. She aimed a roundhouse kick at her mother's neck and it threw her to the ground. The girl's fist landed on the clone's skull, crushing it. Although at first it seemed like she had destroyed the insides of her mother's head, Sakura's anger was lessened when the limp body became a clone as well.
She was breathing heavier than before, letting all the sudden images sink in her mind. Though it hadn't been true, she had felt frightened at the thought of killing both of her parents. Zetsu was playing a dirty game with her.
"My father... never calls me... beautiful," Sakura said in between breaths.
She was furious as she charged towards Zetsu. Her fist was aimed at his head, but he dodged it easily. Sakura let out a battle cry as she kept sending blows towards Black Zetsu until she successfully landed her leg on his mid-section. She sent Zetsu flying towards the rock wall. There was so much power in her kick that the ground started to shake.
And as the ground started shaking, the rock wall where Zetsu had landed cracked. It was very similar as to when she would crush a whole mountain with her fist. Rays of light appeared from the cracks she caused in the rock wall, and it slowly started to crumble. Sakura jumped backwards, away from the crushing rocks that made way to the outside of the cave. It turned out that they were underground, judging by scenery outside of the whole she had made in the rock wall. They were underground, and on the edge of a cliff.
She couldn't venture out to see what was below the cliff, since Black Zetsu had disappeared and reappeared behind her. He tried to wrap his arm around Sakura's neck, but she was fast enough to get a hold of it and send him straight into the ground. It caused another hole amidst the rocks, and the debris that was released distracted her for a moment before she could regain her cautiousness.
However, what now stood in front of her was by far worse than her parents.
"Sakura..."
Because she knew that her parents were alive. Even though they'd been attacked by the Zetsu clones along with the rest of the Konoha refugee camp, she knew that if they had been killed, Kakashi-sensei or Sasuke would have told her.
"...We meet again."
This was by far worse because, coming out of the debris she had caused, C was walking towards her. He was unharmed, uninjured, and alive. His facial expression was just how she remembered it, and the way his hair parted was identical. Sakura's heart was filled with an unbelievable feeling, making her vulnerable in front of C.
"I've missed you," he said, every step advancing closer to her still form.
She couldn't move, couldn't speak. He was her could-have-been and should-have-been. He was supposed to save her from all the horrors that life as a shinobi and as a prisoner had brought upon her shoulders. Sakura couldn't contain the overwhelming sensation that appeared in her eyes at seeing her dear friend. C had been so nice to her, comforting her even though he was in a worse situation. He had given his life in order to save hers.
The memory of C's death in her arms returned to her head, along with all the emotions that came with the loss of a precious person—
"You're not him," she stated.
And with the anger when a deceased person was imitated by a worthless Zetsu.
"So don't try to trick me!"
She ran towards C, knowing that it was all a trick. Zetsu was trying to hit her where it hurt the most, and he had almost succeeded. She swiftly sliced his face in half, as it gradually change into one of Zetsu's clones. The feeling that accompanied her actions gave her adrenaline. She was furious. Furious at the fact that Zetsu knew what tricks to play in order to weaken her, and at how she had almost fallen into these tricks. Sakura let out a loud scream as the real Black Zetsu lunged towards her after his clone had fallen.
She was lunging herself towards him as well, preparing her fist filled with chakra. Sakura was not willing to look back at any other option. At this moment, she wasn't thinking critically like Sasuke would have. Instead, she was acting on her instinct; much like Naruto did in his fights.
Although it may be difficult to eliminate an opponent like Zetsu, one must find his weak points. Namely his chest. Once he is separated, his abilities are not as powerful; hence he may retort to using clones before fighting the opponent directly.
The scroll said.
His weakest spot is his chest. Even though he lacks a human heart, Zetsu's main source of power derives from this area due to his human cells. In order to stop the flow of his chakra and to completely eliminate him, one must send a specific amount of chakra towards his chest area in the form of a dagger.
Like a plant, if one cuts its roots from the soil, it will not be able to live much longer. The same rule applies to Zetsu. If one rids him of his source of energy in his chest area, he will perish.
Sakura's chakra control was perfect. She was proud of it. And she hadn't been any more proud than in this moment. She was able to mold her chakra into a long and sharp pointed spear that stabbed Zetsu right in his chest area. Much like the 'Replication' scroll had specified she had ridden him from his source of energy, from his soil.
The shocked expression in her opponent's half face was evidence that she had been successful. After all, he wasn't aware of her and Sasuke's knowledge of his creation. Perhaps that was why he had always protected his body with the two large carnivore leaves. Sakura made a mental note to write that point in the sidelines of the 'Replication' scroll for further studies.
But now, her brain was concentrated on one task and one only. The moment that she had landed her punch on his chest, she knew that it was all over. Zetsu remained still for a few moments, his shocked expression untouched. Sakura's fist was buried inside his chest, with her chakra still molded as a dagger. She felt how every trace of life was leaving his genetically modified body, taking away every last ounce he had of humanity –if he had any. Sakura highly doubted that he was more human than plant at this point.
She wasn't expecting his last attack.
After taking care of the rest of the herd of clones, Sasuke had decided that it was time to check up on Sakura's fight with Black Zetsu. He was readying himself to step in and put an end to the Akatsuki member's life, knowing that Sakura wouldn't be able to do so. She was still too weak from the last few days and it proved how unprepared she still was for the life of an emotionless shinobi. Nonetheless, shock filled his eyes as he watched Sakura land her last punch on Zetsu's chest, succeeding in eliminating her opponent.
Sasuke was aware of her wishes to end Zetsu's life since he had taken his first half with his Amaterasu. Her thirst for revenge might have been a charade, Sasuke thought, but as he witnessed her willingness in ending Zetsu's life, he reconsidered his opinions. He quickly located three of Zetsu's clones lying on the ground, lifeless, and had concluded that Black Zetsu could no longer defend himself against an overtly emotional kunoichi. Sasuke recalled the passages he'd read the night before, and concluded that Sakura was following the instructions written out in the 'Replication' scroll.
Sasuke used to think that she was an average fighter with amazing medical skills. However, watching her fight, devise last minute plans, and understand his indications with just one look, made him look at her as a different person. She was no longer the annoying kunoichi who was willing to give up her life for him, who was ready to end his own life for the sake of others. She was a fierce fighter who could take on a strong opponent without failing. Her mind was focused on her task and nothing else.
Somehow, Sakura reminded Sasuke of himself when he used to hate every ounce of Itachi's blood. She reminded him of how much he'd suffered due to his tragic loss.
And, somehow, he wanted to help her get over the pain, because falling into darkness was not the right answer for her.
"You're coming down with me, kunoichi!"
Black Zetsu shrieked before he grabbed a hold of Sakura's torso and twisted it until he left a large bruise that caused the girl to let out a loud scream. She clearly had not expected that move, and neither did Sasuke. His Sharingan reactivated, ready to step in the fight and turn Zetsu into ashes for harming her. However, his eyes caught another move before he interrupted. Black Zetsu threw the girl towards the large hole on the rock wall, the one that showed the outside of the cave.
Sasuke finally noticed that there was a cliff on the other side of the cave, and that Zetsu had thrown Sakura off of it. His disturbing chuckles filled the sounds of the cave as he gradually turned into a bunch of leaves, showing the end of his life.
He rushed to the edge of the cliff and dove himself after Sakura's falling form. In fact, the cave was very high up in altitude due to the distance between the top and bottom. He bit his thumb and made quick hand seals.
Sakura was lingering between consciousness and unconsciousness. She couldn't feel the ground below her feet since all of her senses focused on the side of her torso. It hurt. She was drained out of chakra, unable to heal herself. The wind was sweeping her hair all over her features, and her limbs were free of all controlled movement.
Her bruise stung even more because of the rush of wind that was bringing her down.
She was falling.
She wondered if it was ever going to stop. If she was going to reach the ground and never wake up again.
It didn't matter. Zetsu was dead. Even though he made his last effort in ensuring that she didn't end well, he was gone from this world. And there was no way that Kabuto would revive him with the Edo Tensei since nobody other than her and Sasuke were aware of his death. Relief filled her insides. She wouldn't die in vain, knowing that the being who caused her so much pain and who had killed so many would never come back. There was no need to think of the future since she didn't have many moments in the living world either.
Sakura only wished to have seen Naruto once more, to have told him that she had done her part too. She wanted to thank him for being such a loving friend, for always cheering her up.
She would have said farewell to the rest of her friends and teachers as well. She'd been fortunate of seeing Kakashi-sensei and of dying with his flak jacket on, always knowing that he would guide her to a better path. She had the privilege of training under the best medic in the world and was deeply thankful of all the knowledge she'd learned. Tsunade-sama had been an amazing teacher.
If only she could've seen her parents' faces. Zetsu's clones didn't count; they were cheap imitations of those she truly loved.
She wished to have seen Sasuke once more. And just have enough time to tell him that, after all this time, she still...
"SAKURA!"
She still...
I love you more than anything!
Her eyes closed as Sasuke caught her mid-air on his hawk. The large bird had been summoned just in time for him to rush down towards his former teammate. At seeing Sakura's falling figure, Sasuke lunged his arms forward and took her in his grasp, protectively covering her from any harm that could have hapepened. Sakura's blood splattered upwards as the bruise on her side stained her flak jacket. An unexpected wave of panic took over Sasuke's insides when he saw that the girl was no longer conscious. He had made it in time, as they were about to hit the ground before his hawk dived up to the sky.
Don't leave me...
Sakura rested in his arms. He could have let her go on when she fell asleep, knowing that there was enough space on his hawk to carry more than two people. But her vulnerable, unconscious form forced his instinct to keep her close to him. Sasuke's arms did not move from their protective wrap.
Sasuke-kun...
She didn't wake up as the large bird landed near the same place where they had set camp yesterday with Juugo and Suigetsu. Sasuke's eyes remained on the unconscious Sakura, waiting for her to regain her normal self. The bruise on her side did more of a shocking effect than a harmful one, as he was not so familiar with healing techniques. He would have to wait until the girl woke up and healed herself. All he could do was order Juugo and Suigetsu to look for supplies that could clean her side.
Sasuke knew that she was going to survive. She's had it worse, and so has he. This was nothing. He tried to convince himself with those empty words.
Wow I can't believe there are people who still read this. I really appreciate that, and I shall send you all little virtual hearts n.n The story is going through some reconstruction. Once again, thanks for sticking around darlings.
Sincerely,
MSM