Note:

" talk " - The characters are speaking in Japanese.

" talk " - The characters are speaking English.

' talk ' - The characters are thinking.

More notes at the end of the chapter.

This chapter is unedited. (04/06/2020)

Eternal

Part One: Genesis

Chapter Nine

Fate

Two years ago...

Kakashi was not one to enjoy such events, however, in his line of work, often times, such events were necessary to attend. It didn't mean he looked forward to going to them, though. But tonight was different.

He was standing, wine glass in hand, by the gilded windows overlooking the enchanting garden that was situated outside the mansion the event rented for the occasion. The white marble walls glowed with the bright lights that illuminated the space, showing off all of the luxurious splendor the event stood for.

Walking to the railings, he viewed the event over head, as he was on the second floor in order to be able to find who he was looking for with more ease than he would have below where the main event was currently taking place. A large space was left in the middle of the large banquet hall where people could move more freely. Tables and chairs were resigned to the spaces below where Kakashi stood, just behind the tall pillars that met through arches that made the space feel more open.

He took a sip of his drink as he inspected the space until finally he spotted the man he was looking for.

Itachi Uchiha.

And with that, he made his way to the stairs, passing by a waiter holding up a tray and leaving his glass on it. Maneuvering around the many bodies that he had come to pass, he walked towards the chakra signature he knew belonged to the young CEO.

His back was to him, speaking to who he assumed was an associate, but he noticed the way his shoulders had suddenly tensed. It was not obvious, just a small and short movement of his shoulders before they relaxed again. He doubted anyone else noticed.

Knowing that a presence was heading his way, Itachi looked to be ending his conversation, and the man he was speaking to walked away with a giggling woman in his arm. Turning, he spotted a head of grey belonging to someone who looked too young to have such a shade of hair.

Kakashi could tell by the subtle look of acknowledgment that the Uchiha could sense him, his chakra. He silently was thankful for that. It would make things easier for him.

Stopping in front of the younger man, Kakashi gave a short bow as a greeting which he was also returned with. As he straightened up, he met cautious eyes. "Uchiha-san," he greeted.

Itachi studied the man before him, the hair and the mask giving away who he was. "Hatake Kakashi. You're not one to attend these functions."

A shrug. "I was invited."

"Even then, you don't usually show up."

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I thought this one was slightly more important."

A curious brow raised. "How so?"

"I think we both know why I'm here."

Silence between the two grew, the sounds of the event around them the only noise.

Itachi folded his arms. "I suggest we speak somewhere more private."

Nodding, Kakashi followed Itachi's lead as they left the populated area and walked towards the tables beyond the large arches.

Feeling they were safe enough, Itachi spoke, "You have it."

"Straight to it, huh?" Kakashi grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter. Based on that reply, he had gathered that he did not regain his memories yet. If he did, he would have known what 'it' was called. Erring on the side of caution, Kakashi decided to answer vaguely. "Yes, and so do you."

Itachi looked the same as he did in the past, although with a new set of stresses bothering him, no doubt. Based on his words, though, he still had not regained his memories which was gonna make this more difficult than he anticipated.

After what had happened to the Uzumakis and what they had warned him about, Kakashi had tread more on the path of caution. He was going to have to find a way to lead him to answers instead of telling him outright. It was safer that way.

"How long have you been aware of it?"

"A few years now."

Itachi looked to be thinking of what to say next, obviously wondering if he could trust Kakashi. "Any idea of what it is, exactly?"

He took a sip of his champagne. "Perhaps, but I suggest we save that for another time. Right now, I think it's only fitting to discuss something I think would need your attention."

"And that would be?"

"Ito Shimura has been hounding Uchiha Corp. for years now, hasn't he? Why do you think he has such an interest in your family's business?"

From curiosity to wariness, Itachi narrowed his gaze. "Whether or not that is true, that is private information."

"You have your sources, I have mine. Yours, though, have done pretty well assuring that he or anyone he's closely affiliated with won't be able to purchase any stock from Uchiha by issuing more stock to current investors." He looked at Itachi. "Such faith in these investors of yours?"

"Quite."

"I'm not trying to be hostile, Uchiha-san. I'm just admiring how you can fend off someone like Shimura for so long."

"Uchiha Corp. is a thriving company and does not need to stoop so low as to let ourselves be associated with someone like Shimura." His voice sounded leveled, but Kakashi could hear the undertone of contempt within them.

"Which just makes it even more admirable considering Shimura doesn't play fair."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Shimura has set his eyes elsewhere."

Intrigued, Itachi relaxed. "Oh?"

"He still has an interest in Uchiha Corp., however right now he's laying focus on a little town in Northern Japan."

"He wants property?" Itachi still wasn't sure if speaking to this man or taking any of the information he's been providing without even mentioning a price for them was safe. But why would he divulge so much without him even asking?

"Maybe. Who knows?" Another sip. "What I do know is that he also wants something from a small village called Maiso."

Hearing the name made Itachi uneasy, though he did good in hiding it.

His family has had a long history with that town. In fact, it wasn't all history. They had a cottage in the mountains nearby, passed down for generations. For some reason, the family never wanted to part ways with the place, and that included him.

When his parents had passed, he and his brother had acquired almost everything from them, the company, their money, and their properties. One of them being the said mountain abode. His parents never took him or his brother to the home, so once he had learned about it, he took it upon himself to check on it.

The moment he stepped foot on the mountain grass, he felt something within him stir. It was unnerving. Stepping foot on the cottage itself felt like he was about to unearth some of his parents well hidden secrets. He knew his parents had kept things from him, but he had no idea as to why they'd never mentioned a house in the mountains.

He spent the day there, wandering about. It looked like it had been cleaned just recently. How, he didn't know. The news of his parents' deaths had made waves all over Japan as well as some news outlets internationally. And based on the receipts he had obtained, nowhere did it say something about housekeeping.

He had never stepped foot in the cottage again.

He looked at the man he was speaking to. Kakashi was definitely more than what the public had said about him. Itachi was just unsure as to why the man was telling him anything. "What are you here for?"

"I'm just here to help."

Before Kakashi could elaborate or Itachi could press for more, the two had felt a surge of energy enter the room, as if it had just come out of nowhere. If it was approaching, they wouldn't have been caught so off guard, but it just appeared, as if materializing out of thin air into the body of a man in a black suit. It was no surprise to either of them that Ito Shimura was going to appear at the event.

However, the energy didn't belong to him.

It was coming from the man behind him.

Long dark hair. Wicked gold eyes. The palest complexion either of them had seen.

Itachi didn't know where the immediate feeling of repulsion and dislike had come from, but it was very present.

Kakashi just stood beside him, glaring at the man he had once known.

Despite the fact that in his later years, he had been somewhat of an ally, the feeling of his chakra was exactly how it was like when he had decided to kill his own sensei.

Sensing his glare, the man met his eyes and stared back at him with a slimy, snake-like grin.

Orochimaru had also been reborn.

Present

Deep, dark blue was the sky, covered by thousands of glittering diamonds that surrounded the large silver full moon that reflected the sun's light. Nothing by the sky illuminated the dark forest, the stars seemingly creating a path for the lost, the moon, their beacon of hope.

But those lost wouldn't be able to see the set path, their eyes covered by their very own lids, a punishment, it seemed, bestowed to those who didn't deserve to be punished.

And yet, those who stood awake, weren't aware of the path that was set. They knew there was one, but they weren't aware of just how close it was.

Two eyes stared wistfully at the dots of light that twinkled above as he stood on a tree branch, hidden within the darkness, his left side leaning on the large trunk. He had a hunch something like this was going to happen. Knowing them, they were bound to go off on their own.

Back then, he'd leave them be because he knew they were more than capable of handling themselves. But this time was different. No one knew what cards were being dealt, what exactly was at stake. So he'd have to be more vigilant, treat them as if they were younger than they were.

In a way, they were. They had a naivete that resembled their genin days before anything was truly at stake. Well, before they were aware anything was at stake.

At this moment, though, they did know something was on the line, but they weren't ready for it. Far from it.

Perhaps this was a chance to fix his past mistakes. Look after them better.

He thought of it that way.

He saw light coming from below him, illuminating a new path.

Squatting down, he made sure he wouldn't be seen as he witnessed his three former students making their way through the forest.

The darkness surrounded them, two flashlights the only things illuminating their way, the moon half covered by the night clouds. Nothing but the soft rustles of leaves and the occasional snapping of twigs beneath their feet could be heard as the group made their way to their destination. Despite the nighttime view, the air remained warm and became warmer as they moved closer to the research site.

"Naruto, what are we doing?" Sakura asked the man leading the way, his hand firmly on the flashlight and face forward, focused on what was ahead.

"You said the authorities couldn't find Nekobaa-chan's home. Well, I call bullshit! We're heading there ourselves!"

Toma, the black cat right next to Naruto, meowed his agreement.

"Don't you think we should have told someone we were heading out? What if something happens?"

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'll protect you!" Naruto turned back and beamed at her.

"That's not exactly going to make her feel better, dobe," Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing at his best friend.

Naruto turned to face him, an annoyed pout gracing his lips. "We have magic energy thingies, now. I'm sure we can take on whatever might happen."

"Energy we don't exactly know how to use." Sasuke retorted. Although beneath his ire, he did agree with the whiskered young man. Something was up, and if no one had answers, they might as well get it themselves. Still, it would have been nice to have an actual plan, instead of running off without one.

Naruto waved it off. "I'm sure we can figure it out!"

Sighing, Sakura shook her head. "Please don't let that jinx us."

Following closely, Kakashi leaped from tree to tree, shielding his chakra from being sensed and making sure he was as quiet as possible. He had the urge to chuckle hearing their conversation. So nostalgic, so fitting.

He didn't, though, because the closer they had gotten to the research site, the more vigilant the former ANBU became. It definitely did get warmer, though not to an alarming extent. Yet. He could tell they noticed, too.

"Sakura-chan, was it always this... hot around here?"

Sakura shook her head. "It was always warm, but it definitely feels different."

Sasuke extended an arm, stopping the two from continuing forward. "Wait, the lights are on."

Where the site was located, lights were bright, illuminated when most of the people residing there were either on night shift or asleep. Sakura found it odd. The lights would usually be on in the medical tents, but the resting cottages looked to be bright, as well.

The group hid behind a large tree trunk when they got close enough, hearing the commotion. People were already leaving the site. Doctors and researchers with their belongings waiting for the trucks that were taking them back to the helipad. Sakura could only imagine their shock and disappointment at how things ended.

Sakura's mind went to how her mentor was managing in such a tempestuous situation. How was everyone else dealing with the sudden end? By the looks of the people she did see, they didn't look too happy. Some wore fatigued expressions, others disappointed. And then, there were those that looked obviously angry. That certainly must not have been fun to deal with.

She expected this trip to be a learning experience of the medicinal sort. Though it had been enlightening, it wasn't in the area she was expecting. Maybe it was a wake up call, she thought. All her life, she always felt as though she was just going through it, investing everything she had into her future, to a calling she was certain was her choice, instead of actually living in it.

But maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was a beacon calling her to relive a life that belonged to her. To say she was conflicted was an understatement. The security she felt just a few weeks ago had started chipping away and completely left her bare in just a week. Was everything she had strived to achieve, her advancement in her classes, the fact that that was what allowed her to even go to this trip to begin with, all because of whatever life she had lived? Did she even have to struggle as hard as she did to get where she was now?

It was all too much to think about. She didn't want to feel like she had just been handed the chances she did just because of a life lived that she didn't even remember, but the thoughts, the insecurities kept piling into her subconscious.

She felt a shoulder lightly nudge her upper arm and turned to it's owner.

Sasuke nodded to the back of them, signalling her to follow as they try to hide from the crowd. Naruto was already a little farther back, Toma now on his shoulders as they both stared at her, waiting.

Sasuke... Naruto...

The connection she had felt with the two young men was too real to deny. Their presence made her realize something had been missing. Naruto, with his easy going nature and tenacity, made her feel like he was a long lost brother, someone she could rely on and someone she could talk to, a warm, inviting force that knew what to say to lighten the mood. But she had a sense that there was an underlying seriousness to the man she hadn't yet witnessed in its entirety.

Then, there was Sasuke. She couldn't deny that the connection she felt towards Naruto was different to what she felt with Sasuke. He wasn't as open as Naruto, but she couldn't explain how when his eyes stared back at hers, she could understand what he wanted to say, what he wanted to convey, even without speaking a single word. It sounded preposterous, but that was the sensation of when onyx met emerald.

Even in her dreams, her past memories that trickled into her subconscience that were trying to wake the soul that rested within her, she felt the intensity of when their eyes met. She had yet to figure out whether or not that was her dreams telling her to be wary or to dive in and trust him. Because a pull that strong could either light a fire within her or absolutely, devastatingly break her.

Sakura turned to the commotion in the site once more, the dread filling up in her throat as she focused on the tents that the comatosed patients still occupied. There was a way to help them, there had to be, and even though it unfortunately had to come to a turn, all hope was not lost. She had to bury away her fears, if not for her, then for what was at stake. She'd worry about everything else later.

Turning to the two men, she caught Sasuke's eyes. A silent questioning look she answered with a determined one of her own. Nodding he begins to walk and so does she, looking at the backs of the two men before walking faster to walk alongside them.

For a second, she thought she saw a faint outline of crests embroidered on the backs of their shirts.

Tsunade stood just before the makeshift anteroom and stared at the movement of people beginning their leave. The entire situation was all kinds of fucked up in her book, but there was no other way. Apart from the newly formed group of people based at the Uchiha cottage, there was no one else she could trust with this situation.

Rubbing her hands on her face, she let out a groan of exasperation. Things weren't going as she had originally planned. Though, a lot of questions about herself and what she now knows as chakra have been solved to an extent, more questions have popped up and to top it all off, the patients she'd looking after for months are being forcefully taken away from her care by a man who she knew didn't care at all about what would happen to them.

How he got the power to oversee her private study in the first place, she didn't know. The first month of the mission was free of the vermin, but somehow he had taken the reins via government meddling, something she was promised wouldn't happen. She should have known better than to believe that.

She didn't know what was behind his fixation on Maiso to begin with, but now, after some puzzle pieces have returned to their respective places, she wondered if he had a hand on what had transpired with the people of Maiso.

Before she could think more on it, she heard a cough making her turn towards the woman standing behind her.

"Villanueva." She greeted.

The doctor had her arms crossed. "I'm not going to continue my hounding on what in the world the government here thinks we can't do because that'd be beating a dead horse." Her eyes narrowed, studying her. "And I do appreciate wanting to mentor Haruno, but I do want to know how you got the okay from the university so fast."

"She has shown the drive, and I think she's a very promising young medic." Tsunade answered truthfully, although it was not the whole truth of Sakura's staying in Japan. She was perplexed as to why Villanueva looked distrustful of her answer.

"I have no doubt in her abilities, however considering the timing, I find it odd. You're a revered doctor, Tsunade, but I do wonder about how easy that came to you. If you're teaching that young girl anything, it better keep her hands clean."

A vein popped on her forehead. "Just what are you insinuating? That I cheated my way to where I am today? Never took you as someone who'd resort to name calling and baseless accusations."

"Money and power can get you anywhere, Senju. You and I both know that." She didn't say anything more and walked away.

She didn't let the harsh words bother her. God only knew how many times she's heard that accusation. But the way she said a single word made her pause.

Power.

The venom in that single word.

What did that woman know?

"What-" Toma stood on his paws, staring at the empty patch of grass hidden within the forest, his voice quiet and pained. "This is where Nekobaa's house was! This is..."

"It's like it never happened..." Sakura stared wide eyed at the seemingly empty space, but she felt it. She knew this was the place. But there was nothing there. The rangers were right. But how could they clean it up so fast? And out of nowhere?

"Shimura definitely had it cleaned up real fast to avoid something." Naruto scowled as his feet walked over the grass. Despite it being empty, he sensed the remainder of fear and terror that lingered.

He had met Shimura once, when he was a child with his parents. His parents didn't seem too fond of him either. And even at that young an age, he already knew not to trust someone who just brought forth such discomfort. And it wasn't just that, he swore he heard whispers in his mind not to ever speak to the man again.

He didn't think too much of it then, but then it occurred too him, was it the fox trying to talk to him?

He'd have to ask once he knew how to actually bring him up again.

"What did that guy have against Nekobaa?"

Toma shook his head, a silent answer as the cat continued looking around in despair.

A rustling of leaves caused Sasuke to turn to where he heard the source. "Someone's here!"

A gunshot broke the silence as the group had hastened to be closer to each other. Sasuke tried to grab something from his side, only to grab at air. It was involuntary, as if he just expected it to be there in a situation like this. He scoffed. This is the first in this lifetime he had ever experienced something of this nature.

Two figures emerge out of the shadows, both in clean and crisp tuxedos. One of them had scratches at the side of his face, the scar seemingly new.

"I knew we missed one." They eyed the black cat that had climbed back onto Naruto's shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure that's animal cruelty," Naruto stated, wary.

The man shrugged. "A job's a job, kid."

Then, he aimed. His finger on the trigger.

All of a sudden, out of the trees, a familiar head of grey appeared in front of them, grabbing the man's wrist and aiming upward as the bullet shot out of it.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto exclaimed in shock, the other two frozen as they had just witnessed the man appear out of nowhere in a speed they hadn't thought possible.

He didn't look back to them, his hand still on the assailants wrist. "Stand back," he warned them.

Grabbing the gun, Kakashi throws it out of reach, proceeding to twist the man's arm and pulled it behind him making him bend forward and scream in pain. Kakashi used his elbow and hit him in between his shoulder blades, causing the man to fall to his knees, his breath now coming in short gasps before his consciousness left him.

The man's partner now had his gun aimed at Kakashi.

With incredible speed, he had showed up behind him and with his palms flat, striked both sides of his neck and used his right wrist to twist it slightly before striking with the side of his left palm. The man slid down to his knees and fell face first onto the ground, unconscious.

Just before he could relax, his head turned to his left, feeling the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar energy, unfamiliar heat.

"You four, get behind me, now!"

They didn't move immediately, still stunned from his entrance, but as they had recognized the unfamiliar signature of heat, they quickly followed.

"Quite interesting..."

It was a man's voice, one vaguely familiar.

Emerging from the shadows, half of his body shown through the reflection of light from the moon, was a man in a black coat, his face covered by a white mask. From where he was standing, Sasuke could see two small holes where his eyes should be, but in the lack of light and from their distance, he couldn't see them.

Something inside him told him to stand his ground, absentmindedly hoping to grab a hold of something that was not with him. He glared at his left hand, not understanding why it'd assume something would be.

Then, like a flash, appearing in his mind for just a brief moment, an image of his hand grabbing onto the hilt of a sword. A katana.

He clutched his forehead, a sharp pain breaking him away from the image. His eyes were wide as they focused on the grass beneath his feet. A katana, that's what he was hoping to grab onto.

It was a trivial thing, but it was something else about his past that could maybe clue him in to the rest of his memories.

Kakashi didn't let his brief moment of shock show. He knew who the man was.

Gritting his teeth, his mind let out a curse. 'Of course, this was never going to be easy.' He looked at the masked man. 'He must not have regained his memories. He wouldn't side with them if he did.'

"You three, don't get within five meters near him."

Naruto could feel the masked man's chakra and couldn't help but feel like he knew him, like he wasn't going to hurt them. But he heeded Kakashi's warning. Nodding, he walked backwards to get behind his professor. Sakura and Sasuke followed suit.

Sakura thought about why Kakashi was so specific with how far they should be distanced away from the masked man but put that thought away for later. She knew, if anything, it was a question he'd refuse to answer due to their predicament.

Seeing that the three were now behind him, he shifted his focus back to the newcomer. "What business do you have here?"

"I could ask you the same question." He didn't move. He stayed where he stood, half covered by darkness.

He may not have been able to see his eyes but Naruto knew he was studying him. He did, as well. Studying his chakra and came to the realization that he knew him. He had to have known him.

"You," the man said slowly, letting the word linger. "Who are you?"

"Right back at you."

"Naruto," Sakura hissed under her breath. "Don't-"

Despite the distance, he had somehow heard her. "Naruto, huh?"

It was quiet, no one choosing to say anything. The man broke the short silence. "Leave. That is your last warning."

And as quickly as he came, he walked back into the shadows and disappeared.

Noe one moved for a few heartbeats until they felt it was safe.

Kakashi was perplexed. Why didn't he strike? It seemed like it was his intention when he had arrived. Maybe...

Looking behind him, Naruto was standing in between the other two, his eyes showing the familiar fierce determination. Did seeing him trigger something?

Sasuke, even in their situation, looked the most composed of the three. His eyes studying him warily. "You were following us?"

"Had to look after you three." Shrugging, Kakashi walked towards them. "I thought it was common knowledge that heading out into a dark forest at night was a bad idea."

"So why didn't you just stop us?" His lack of answer told him enough. "You think letting us do whatever is going to trigger our memories?"

Sakura's breath caught in her throat, something Kakashi didn't miss. He raised a brow.

"So," she started. "If you were following us, why didn't we sense you?"

A valid question. "I suppressed it."

"You can do that?"

Nodding, he directed his attention to the entire group. "Once you get your memories back, the things you were able to do will come back to you like muscle memory, but it will take a toll on your bodies because they aren't used to that amount of foreign energy built up to execute certain things."

"Are you sure you should be telling us this? I thought you weren't supposed to say anything but this whole thing?" Naruto had come back to his senses.

"I said we weren't to interfere with the reclaiming of your memories, which I haven't done."

Sakura looked at her hands, her right one specifically, the one that had crushed her phone a few hours ago. She was tempted to mention it, but she knew he couldn't answer it any way. She only could assume that whatever power she had before was what was beginning to show now.

She turned to Naruto. He mentioned speaking to a fox inside of him. Whatever that could mean, she didn't know. Perhaps he could talk to animals? It sounded crazy, but she couldn't rule anything out at this point.

When she had first arrived to the Uchiha cottage and sensed their chakra, she remembered feeling that everyone's chakra felt different to one another. Did that mean that was what their power was? Or did it mean it represented who they were as a person?

She thought back to the short glimpse she had gotten of Shimura when he entered the site earlier in the day and the wicked feeling of apprehension that entered her body momentarily. Whether it was what power it represented or if it represented a person's will, Shimura was definitely not a good person.

"Kakashi-sensei, who was that?" Naruto folded his arms.

The older man thought about how to answer, but every answer he could think of would only add to the list of questions his past students would bombard him later that he would not be able to answer. Instead of an answer, he remained silent instead.

Naruto eyed the man suspiciously. He knew Kakashi knew something but perhaps it was safer not to know for now. He, himself, had too many questions floating through his mind. But the man that had just left, he had to be someone important. Naruto knew, deep within himself, he knew him.

"Now that you guys are here, what do you plan on doing next?" Kakashi asked, finally breaking the silence.

"We just wanted to know if what the rangers that Sakura-chan called said was true," Naruto answered. "And why in hell would they want to kill a defenseless old lady?"

Kakashi folded his arm and rubbed his chin with his thumb. "So you're here for clues?"

Sakura nodded at the man and turned her attention to their surroundings, the two men Kakashi had knocked out still unconscious on the ground.

She couldn't help but stare, a replay of what had occurred playing in her mind, astonished at how fast Kakashi had rendered them defenseless. If that was just an introduction of what he was capable, what were the three of them capable of? What was she capable of?

She lifted her right hand, inspecting the lines of veins on her palms. Her fingertips meeting her palm, she curled her fingers into it, turning it into a fist. She knew she could heal, that she still couldn't fully wrap her head around. Still, it felt more likely considering the size of her hands. But then she thought back to how her phone broke in that very palm.

To heal.

To hurt.

Two sides of the same coin.

While Sakura stood, distracted by her own thoughts, Sasuke walked around the small, open patch of land. It felt too familiar. He's been having the same feeling since arriving in Maiso. Itachi had told them the reason why, but why was Maiso in particular such a catalyst for their lost memories, of lives they had supposedly lived?

Every step he took, inspecting the grass underneath the moon above them, suddenly felt heavier than the last, glitches of stone floors bathed in crimson, wooden walls tainted by the stench of iron. He stopped, clutching his head, now heavy with burdens long thought to be gone.

His eyes were shut as he tasted iron on his tongue and felt a sharp pain in his eyes. A cough escaped his lips as he struggled to keep his balance.

Naruto and Kakashi cut their conversation short, hearing the Uchiha's sudden coughing fit. Sakura's thoughts were cut short by the sound, as well, as she rushed to his side.

As quickly as Sakura grabbed the Uchiha's hand as he fell on his knees, Naruto and Kakashi were by his side, too.

"Sasuke, what's going on?" Naruto gripped his shoulder.

Sasuke tried to answer, but the only thing heard were grunts of pain.

Sakura, worried, thought back to Toma's instructions when he instructed her to heal him. She had to focus. He was in pain and seeing it made her heart wrench.

"Your body knows..."

She focused on her hand, hoping the energy, the chakra, would know where to go. It took a few moments of willing her body to figure it out, but it happened. She felt heat moving towards her palm, like a rush of heat in her veins moving to where she wanted them to move.

Eyes opening, she looked at her palm, now within the green capsule of energy, its glow lighting the space with its color. Calming her breath, she placed her palm on the left side of his face, hoping it would help ease the pain.

She didn't know what she was doing, but it's worked before, and it looked to be working now.

Gradually, Sasuke's breathing steadied, and the strong grip he had on his head shifted to a cradle. A single blood tear ran down his cheek from his left eye, telling her the source of his pain. Or at least, one source.

No one said a word as Sasuke's pain began to ebb. Sakura held onto his shoulder, no longer hovering a hand over his head. As the blood tear landed on the grass, staining it red, Sasuke opened his eyes.

Concern flooded Naruto's face, crouching closer to his best friend, he held his other shoulder, mouth a thin line as he took in the sight before him.

One eye, red and black, similar to Itachi's yet with a different pattern. His other eye, however...

"It's purple?"

Sakura took this moment to study the pattern of his left eye. Six tomoes and rings surrounded his pupil, as if it were Saturn. Itachi's eyes were more similar to that of his right. How important was this difference? Will this cause Sasuke as much pain as it inflicts on his older brother?

With a blink, his eyes were back to their onyx color, no trace of the different hues they were just seconds ago.

Kakashi observed this with interest. Naruto had already began speaking with the Nine Tails and with Sasuke's eyes, it gave him the inclination that Sasuke wasn't too far behind the Jinchuriki in regaining his memories. But that left Sakura.

He looked at his only female student, a face filled with confusion and fret. She was still coming to terms with her healing abilities and her strength had just began showing. Perhaps it was going to take a while, which made sense to the older man. Her body was most likely still trying to save up enough chakra for her Byakugo seal that has yet to appear.

He just hope things don't get too complicated to hinder that because having all three of them regain their full power was more than enough to ensure they'd defeat whatever was coming at them. But knowing all too well who his students were and are bound to be, things were never going to be too easy.

He looked up, eyeing the moon as clouds move over it, dimming its light.

"We should head back," he mutters into the darkening night.

There was much to plan.

As the group wordlessly headed back to the Uchiha cottage, their four legged companion stayed behind, searching for anything that could be of evidence of the grisly murder he knew took place in the now clear, grassy area.

Crinkling of leaves, twigs breaking beneath feet. Someone was coming.

Before the cat could hide, faster than humanly possible, a tall man appeared before the black cat.

He recognized the chakra signature.

Before he could speak, he caught sight of his eyes despite the dark.

"Your eyes," he spoke. "They're cl-"

He was cut off. No more words were heard. No one else would be there to hear it anyway.

Shikamaru never cared enough to overthink. He'd usually let things happen as they did. Sure he'd complain if he thought it superfluous, but he's never go out of his way to prevent what he thought would be inevitable. He'd do the same for his current situation, if only things weren't so unpredictable now.

He sighed as he witnessed the four enter the cottage again from the balcony. They were a colorful bunch, he noticed. Grey, raven, blonde, and, get this, pink, of all colors. He had an inkling as to what they were doing out that late, but decided not to go down there and ask for confirmation. It felt like it was bound to happen with a group like that.

Despite his surroundings, he knew that tranquility was not going to last. The tranquil, serene nature around them was hiding something bigger within its beauty, a beast waiting to be unleashed.

He shouldn't complain. He knew something was bound to happen, and he did come in order to search for answers. He never considered himself one to believe in old folk tales, but the story of Maiso felt too close to home to ignore, too important to chalk up to silly word of mouth passed on from generation to generation.

There was history here. History he was a part of in his past life, a past life he was just made aware of just a few hours ago. It sounded preposterous, but he knew, deep inside, it made sense. His odd dreams, knowing people he just met deeper than just knowing their names. It wasn't coincidence.

If his theory was right, Maiso is the board, and they were mere pieces in a game they didn't know who they were playing against. It couldn't just be Shimura. He was a threat, yes, but he couldn't be the final boss. No, there was someone pulling the strings. Shimura had to be used as the pawn because of his position in the government, that much Shikamaru could deduce because of his too public behavior and sudden appearance in Maiso. He came in himself, to oversee whatever was going on in that research site. It seemed too hands on.

He caught his shadow beneath his feet, catching a small movement that couldn't have been a reflection of his movement.

If the Uchihas had their mystical eyes, he had some sort of power with shadows. Knowing Kakashi and Itachi were the only ones with fully reclaimed memories, maybe they could have a way to go around the memory reclamation clause and train them to further speed up the process.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Kakashi appeared behind him.

"Those three always knew how to get into trouble."

"It's not the least bit surprising." Shikamaru didn't turn. He just stood there, eyes out into the trees, arms folded. "Find anything."

"No, but something found us." This made him curious. "A masked man appeared. I can't say much, but I know he's on the wrong side."

"Wrong side?"

"Things have gotten more complicated," he said, walking forward to stand a short distance next to him. "So we may have to speed things along."

"How so?" He finally turned to face him.

"Tomorrow, noon. It's time to train all of you."

"Hm," he hummed. "I was just thinking of the same thing. Will it do anything considering the fact that you're not supposed to say anything about our memories."

"It'll be tricky to reteach you all things you should know without referencing our past lives, but you all need to train. We can't afford to keep waiting."

Shikamaru heard the underlying message Kakashi was saying. He was hoping this training will speed the process along. He sighed. "This is such a drag."

Sakura stared at the two other people in the room. She sat in the couch in the second floor living room, Sasuke chose to stand by the wall and Naruto had chosen the ground as his seat, sitting cross legged on the wooden floor.

The Uchiha had his hands in his pocket, eyes down as he was deep in thought. Sakura studied his features. She could tell by the way his eyes narrowed that he was upset, about what she wasn't one hundred percent sure. She knew it had to do with his eyes. Her hunch was that he was trying to figure out what exactly they do.

Naruto was probably wondering the same things, his eyes trained on his best friend. All they had were mountains of questions that could only be answered when they regain their memories. A part of her wished that they'd just come back already instead of haunting her in her sleep, but another part of her was glad they were taking their time. She didn't want this to feel like it was only fate that strung them together, only fate that made them friends.

She liked to think that they were becoming friends because it happened organically. Everything felt too foreign to her now that she wished for a sliver of normalcy, despite knowing that that wouldn't be happening, not after everything that's happened.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto broke the silence, noticing the worry written all over her face.

She looked up, surprised evident in her eyes. "Oh, yeah." She forced a smile.

That didn't cheer him up, though. He frowned, as did Sasuke, now looking at the young medic.

"What?" She blinked at their sudden attention.

"You're not a very good liar, Sakura-chan," he said, standing up.

That caught her off guard. "I'm-"

"He's right," Sasuke spoke, his low voice echoing through her ears. "Your face says it all."

She looked down, embarrassed that they caught her discomfort. "Sorry, it's just... It's a lot to digest."

"Tell me about it," Naruto walked over to the opposite side of the couch where she was and sat. "I thought this was only going to be a weekend trip. But hey, at least we all get to hang out!"

As always, he tried to make things lighter which Sakura appreciated, but the heavier thoughts outweighed the light.

Sasuke seemed to have thought the same thought because he rubbed his fingers onto his temples in irritation. "This is not exactly just a hang out. We get here and we suddenly have heavier baggage than we came here with."

"Well, it's better that we're actually finding out what's been going on in our lives now, at least." Naruto replied, a small smile forming on his lips. "It's hell of a lot better than having to guess all our lives what's wrong with us when we break something because we had some secret powers that we could never explain or dreams that feel really weird that I wake up crying because of it.

"I think that even though this is all pretty fucked up and weird and scary, at least we're all here together, right? I mean, I've basically known you my entire life, teme, and knew things even before you told me, which I always thought was kind of weird. And Sakura-chan just fits our group so much that it'd suck not to have her be with us at all. I know things happen for a reason and as crazy as everything is, I'm glad I'm with you two."

His smile grew wider as he continued to speak, filling the room with a brightness it lacked, a warmth that was inviting and familiar. Sakura couldn't help but smile back. Sasuke shook his head, but she knew he agreed with him.

"Anyway, we gotta help each other out now. Whatever is happening, we have to stick together, right, team?" Naruto paused, his thumb on his chin in thought. "What should we call ourselves? Ooh, Wildcats?"

"This isn't High School Musical, idiot."

"Wow, aggressive. Okay, asshole what would you call us, then?"

Sakura tilted her head. "Do we have to have a name?"

"Yes."

"No."

The two men glared at each other.

"You know what, we'll figure this out tomorrow. This guy needs a nap since he's being so mean."

"I wouldn't have to be if you knew when to shut up."

"See what I mean, Sakura-chan!"

"How about both of you go to bed?"

An exaggerated gasp. "Sakura-chan, you're being mean, too."

She shook her head. "You two are the ones bickering over nothing."

"What's all the commotion about?" Kakashi entered from the balcony door with Shikamaru following behind him. Instead of joining the conversation, Shikamaru decided to head to his guest room, not wanting to join in on the banter.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, they're being mean to me."

Some things really never change.

As the night went on, everyone retired to their rooms, getting ready for the day that was to come. Sakura, though, couldn't sleep and decided to head downstairs for some water.

She didn't think she'd see Sasuke doing the same.

"Couldn't sleep?" She asked as she watched him down a glass of water.

"Had too much to think about."

She nodded, feeling the same. Seeing the pitcher of water on the kitchen island, she grabbed a glass from a cabinet and proceeded to pour water into it.

"It's weird isn't it?" She asked. "This whole reincarnation thing."

He shrugged as she takes a sip of her glass. "Yeah. But it makes sense."

She raised a brow. "Does it? Even though I know it's true, now, it still sounds like a fairy tale to me."

"What else could explain the weird dreams." It wasn't a question.

"You're right. It's just..." She set the glass down on the island. "I don't know, it's just confusing."

He nodded but didn't offer a reply. He didn't have one.

"Do you think if this wasn't all," she paused to look for a word. "If this wasn't all just because of some weird twist of fate, that we'd all actually get along, that we'd be friends?"

So that was what was eating her. Sasuke had noticed her hesitance and confusion through this all. She had a lot to think about: her patients left at the research site, the murder she witnessed, a past life she was not aware of until today.

He had no idea why she was so uncomfortable with the past life aspect of this whole ordeal, so instead of saying something, he stood and he listened to her woes.

"Like I feel like I've known you for forever, which turns out, is kind of the case. But I don't want to just feel that way because I have to, you know. What if we're completely different people from who we were back then?"

He knew she meant in a general sense, but he sensed an underlying meaning beneath them. He knew it, too. There was something between them, it was obvious in his dream where he would see glimpses of her and feel the warmth she made him feel within himself, something that he had never felt before.

They had history. But he could understand her hesitance. She didn't want to feel like the friendships she was forming was all because they had to happen, that whatever was between her and him was only because it was supposed to happen. He understood it, but he didn't necessarily agree with her worries.

Call it whatever, but Sasuke just knew that whatever this was, it would have happened regardless. He scoffed at the thought. The dobe was rubbing off on him.

He found himself walking towards her, inching closer until they were inches away from each other. "Whatever happens now, it happens regardless of the past."

Her breath hitched. Though he wasn't too close, she could feel him, his heat, his entire being. She looked up at him. Eyes that have been etched in her mind, eyes she's already memorized looked right through her. "What makes you say that?"

"If anything were to happen, it inevitably falls on us to decide it."

They didn't move. They didn't speak. They didn't need to. All they needed was emerald and onyx.

Even though she still had her doubts, she knew he was right. It was up to them. It didn't matter that they were all bound by their pasts. What they do now was their decision.

Still, the uncertainty lingered within her, but for now, she was aided by the onyx eyes that somehow calmed her nerves.

He looked at himself in the mirror.

For years he thought what he was doing was right, but one look at the people he had seen in his dreams and all his certainty went out the window.

He had begun questioning himself for a while now, but one name, one set of blue eyes had triggered something within him.

Eyes he thought were an abomination that formed his childhood stared back at him, a cacophony of emotions within them.

He never liked his reflection before.

And he certainly didn't now.

It was his back again.

She was staring at him walking away, his back towards her. Again.

She felt her teeth dig into her bottom lip, tears threatening to flow as she recalled that painful night.

The moon was full, like it was then. It seemed to always watch over them when he would walk away. Why did he feel so far away when he was only a few feet away from her?

She had to stop him. She can't let him leave like this again.

"I know in my heart there's nothing I can do!"

She felt the tears relentlessly flowing down her cheeks. His feet stopped, keeping him in place.

"I can only whine and beg and cry like this again." She scoffed. "It's so pitiful, isn't it?"

Her heart physically ached. Her chest tight, her lungs fighting to keep her breathing. Everything just hurt.

"If there's even a little corner of your heart that thinks about me, please don't leave again!"

She can sense her teammates' eyes on her, witnessing her breaking down, begging him to stay, hoping a part of him would stop and remember who he was, who she knew was still there underneath all the pain and the torture he had to endure.

He turned around slowly. She caught sight of his new Rinnegan, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You're..."

The small pause already hurt. She knew the words were coming.

"Really annoying."

It was painful, even moreso than the first time he had said it in this setting. But she felt something new, pulsing, enveloping her in a different, more deep cutting pain.

Will she ever be enough?

Her chest ached even more, her mouth was dry, her mind went blank.

His hand went through her chest, an electrifying pulse went through her body.

She knew he would always have her heart.

She just never thought he'd end up having it this way.

Sakura sat up, awake from her nightmare. Beads of sweat rolled down her face, as did the tears from her eyes.

She shivered, the cold overwhelming her as she sobbed into her hands.

'Sasuke... He-'

She didn't stop crying until the rays of the morning light invaded her room.

Note:

And she updated!

This is it for Genesis, so we now move on to the middle part of the series: Thallo.

Hope y'all are doing well in this time in the world. Sending love to all of you.

Now we get to the meat of the story and huhuhu Sakura gets the genjutsu dream. How do you think that's going to affect SasuSaku going forward? I told yall there was gonna be angst.

Also Naruto being a ray of sunshine i love him so much.

I also wanted to do a reversal in this story. In Naruto, Sakura was always the one doing the waiting. Here, I wanted Sasuke to be the one to do the waiting.

And Kakashi just wants his kids happy yo.