CHAPTER RATING: T

Episode 26: Ashes from the Flames

Sakura's eyes snapped open, they glistened with a hint of crimson and held no discernible expression. But the light that entered them seemed to gather, but never dissipate, their brilliance increased exponentially with every passing second, until and aura began to engulf Sakura's entire body, encasing her in a crimson mold that seemed to have a life of it's own.

"Naruto! Get away from her!" The Toad Sage yelled. Naruto's expression changed from fascination to fear as Fukasaku's words entered his ears. He turned and took off, before he could even set his foot down to begin running, an incredible explosion echoed behind him. A burning force struck him in the back, and sent him careening forward towards a cliff face.

He crashed into the rocky mountain side, falling backwards onto the moss-covered ground and felt an immediate pain shoot through his body. Surprisingly, it radiated from his back, and caused his mind to lose focus. His pupils regained volume, his eyes retained their sapphire shade, the orange hue that accented his eyelids faded into air. Desperately, he planted his palms firmly into the ground and brought his face up. Immediate shock tore through his vision and into his mind.

The landscape was on fire.

The tall mushroom trees became foreboding towers of flame. The surrounding moss was scorched jet black. The emerald sky had bled and became a scarlet blanket; everything was being devoured by flames, flames filled with frustration, confusion, and rage. He shook his head and regained his composure, with his eyes, he focused on a small green figure that approached him.

"What happened?" He asked in confusion. Fukasaku hopped his way to Naruto.

"Foolish boy!" He scolded Naruto. "You were supposed to remain calm!" He made is way closer to Naruto, and delivered a web-handed slap across Naruto's aching face.

"You let your emotions take over! You lost your clarity of mind!" Naruto lay before Fukasaku and nodded depressingly, realizing his horrid mistake.

"Is there anything we can do? Anything at all?" Naruto asked. Fukasaku brought his hand to his chin.

"Sakura's Chakra is out of balance. You were supposed to use Nature Chakra to have the energies of the world heal her, but in your blind rage, you used the Chakra of the Nine-Tails!" Fukasaku took a deep breath. "If Sakura cannot fight the Nine-Tails Chakra on her own…we will have to rebalance her Chakra, and suppress the Nine-Tails within her." Fukasaku brought a depressing look to Naruto.

"What happens if we can't stop the Nine-Tails Chakra?" Naruto asked.

"…If we cannot stop it…Sakura will die." Naruto's expression sunk at the thought of losing Sakura…at the thought that he would have killed Sakura.

"Okay." Naruto took a deep breath.

"Now listen! We MUST use the energies of Mount Myōboku to rebalance her chakra. You cannot use your own! If you try, you will lose your own Chakra, and we will have a catastrophe on our hands."

"What kind of catastrophe?"

"You will be taken over by the Nine-Tails Chakra, and we will have a battle between two energies that can barely be contained within one single person. If that happens, this world will soon be entirely engulfed in flames."

"What do we do?" Naruto asked.

"We must do our best to establish physical contact, which is the only sure way to transfer Chakra into her."

Naruto readied himself and faced Sakura. Her possessed body took slow, deliberate steps towards him. They seemed to leave behind tracks that burned deep into the ground, leaving embers that would burst into flames at the swirling winds that surrounded her body.

Naruto charged forward, intent on doing what he had originally came here to do-save the one person that he loved.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Two shadow clones appeared beside him. They took to the red sky and began to fall full force towards Sakura. Without warning, the Chakra that surrounded her formed two tails, shot for the, and grasped the shadow clones' legs. The tails flung them up and slammed them down into the scorched earth. Naruto and Fukasaku sat dumbfounded at the spectacle. Naruto summoned three more shadow clones; two of them launched the third one like a slingshot. He slid towards her with the intent of sending her towards the sky. He slid and raised his leg up, only to be caught by Sakura's hands.

With a swift twist, she broke his ankle and lifted him towards the sky, holding him high, she forcefully slammed him down once he reached the apex of his height. Sakura was still advancing slowly towards Naruto when the other shadow clones attacked. The same scenario occurred, two tails sprouted from the blood-red aura, it wrapped itself around both of them. They let out intense screams of pain and anguish as the tails slowly crushed them until they disappeared into the air.

Naruto took a deep breath, it seemed impossible to stop Sakura at this point. He personally charged and threw a punch; Sakura caught his fist with her palm, and began to close her hand around his fist; he could feel his bones disintegrating and his muscles tearing in her grip. Sakura held him in place and delivered a right to his ribs.

He felt a huge shockwave rumble through his body, a pain the he had never felt before. Sakura lifted her right leg, and kicked him in the midsection, propelling him back towards Fukasaku; he landed with numerous crashes on the ground. He felt his ribs crack with the impact. His broken ribs began to move with every fall. A severing pain assaulted his body as they moved against one another..

He held his ribs with an injured hand, blood dripping down his chin through his mouth. Gasping for breath, he looked up in despair.

I can't do it…Sasuke was right…I can't save her

He opened his eyes and saw Sakura's legs directly in front of him.

This is it.

He slowly shut his eyes again, and prepared for the worst.

But nothing happened.

He took a deep breath; it was almost as if he could hear droplets landing on the ground in front of him. He looked up and saw Sakura, with a raised fist, and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Naruto…I-I'm…I'm sorry." She whispered. Naruto jolted up and caught Sakura, who closed her eyes and fell forward. Naruto caught her and held her in his arms as the Red Chakra subsided into nothing. Naruto's eyes filled with tears as he held her close.

The droplets fell down and streamed onto her face, washing away the blood that stained her skin. Fukasaku hurriedly hopped towards Naruto.

"Quickly now, Naruto! We must reach the mountain top immediately! The Nine-Tails has healed Sakura temporarily, but is also doing grave damage, we must reach the summit to harness the pure energies of Mount Myōboku!" Fukasaku commanded.

Naruto stood silent for a few moments, slowly taking what he had just seen. He took a deep breath and nodded. He slipped his arm under her legs and picked her up. He stood with wavering confidence with Sakura in his arms.

"Follow me!" Fukasaku shouted as he began to hop his way towards the summit. Naruto took a slightly annoyed breath and set his foot underneath Fukasaku, holding him steadily; he kicked up and sent Fukasaku onto his shoulder.

"Just tell me where to go!" he commanded.

"Forward!" Fukasaku replied.

Naruto reached the mountaintop within minutes, pain still tore at his ribs, and his hand seemed to be shattered. He saw a familiar sight; an elaborate seal embedded on the ground. Naruto acted on what he had done before, he gently set Sakura in the middle of it, and closed his eyes.

Regaining his focus, his Sage attributes returned. He focused his energy into his hands again and began the same healing process. A green aura cloaked his hands again.

"Remember, focus! Keep your mind clear!" Fukasaku commanded. He smiled with reassurance when he noticed Naruto's hand that kept a steady green glow, Naruto's eyes were closed, and his breathing was regular. The healing process seemed to be working very well.

Sakura began to move, her eyes began to twitch and her eyelids lifted to reveal that her eyes had lost their scarlet hue and regained their emerald color. She sat up as her body began to heal. Naruto's eyes filled with tears as he saw her move. He leaped forward and held her closer than he had ever before.

"It worked…" He gently whispered. "It actually worked." Sakura regained her wits and looked around.

"Naruto…Where are we?" She asked.

"You are currently located in…or, at…Mount Myōboku, young woman." Fukasaku answered. "I personally welcome you." He said with a smile.

"Thank you." Sakura replied with a bow. She looked over at Naruto. "I'm okay now, Naruto. We should head home." Naruto tightly hugged her again.

"Everyone will be happy to know that you're alive." He said quietly.

Away from his sight, he missed something.

A flash of fire still remained in Sakura's eyes.

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