Chapter Text
Chapter 38
“Hey Sakura?” Naruto asked as the group made their way towards a small fishing village. Sakura looked over at the blond, wondering what exactly was on his mind as he played with the ends of his sleeves. The action was decidedly childish and it struck Sakura once again that she was the same age as her two genin friends. They hadn’t seen war, though Sasuke had an unfortunate glimpse. They were innocent in a way she wasn’t and she’d taken that, from Naruto at least. Perhaps Sasuke wasn’t so innocent anymore, but he certainly wasn’t jaded.
“Yeah?” Sakura asked, feeling the storm that was Naruto’s chakra waver and shift. He was nervous, his eyes glancing towards her before darting away. There was a brief sadness in his expression before he turned and she frowned, wondering what exactly was eating at him.
“Um, why do you never talk about your parents?” Naruto’s question caught her off guard but Sakura quickly recovered. The question was clearly about the Harunos, since Naruto likely didn’t realize she was adopted. He was perceptive about emotions and social dynamics but details weren’t his strong suit, which wasn’t all that surprising considering his personality.
“The Haruno do not much care for me. I was adopted and…” Sakura’s lips pursed together as she tried to explain her relationship with her adoptive parents. There really wasn’t a bond there, she’d been adopted in hopes she could become the family’s heir but when she’d become a shinobi, that plan had gone up in smoke. “Well I haven’t had a conversation with them since I moved out a few months before I turned five.”
“You moved out that young?” Sasuke asked, head snapping to her and his eyes wide. He knew Sakura had been ANBU since he’d met her, she hung out with Itachi after all and he’d looked into her missions. She had none, well she had border patrols and hospital shifts but those were usually cover for ANBU missions.
“Had to, the home was deemed inappropriate for my development.” Sakura answered carefully, because the truth was someone had handled her parents. Naori had spoken with them at some point and it was likely others had as well. They hadn’t interfered with her training, never reprimanding her for coming home dirty or sweaty or dressing in pants and form fitting shirts. She’d seen the way Mebuki had eyed her, all disproving haughtiness but the woman hadn’t said a word.
“Oh, uh, sorry ‘ttebayo.” Naruto deflated slightly and Sakura waved off his concern as they reached the village. Tazuna lead them to a fisherman’s hut and soon enough they were aboard a small sampan, crossing the narrow straight between Nami no Kuni and the mainland.
A mist settled in as the group traversed the ocean and the silence grew tense as they neared the shore. From the mist, a looming shadow slowly took shape, their approach revealing it to be a massive bridge that towered over the gray waves. Naruto let out a quite ‘wow’ of appreciation while Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly at the sight. Even if the straight was narrow, it was still well over a mile and this bridge would be the longest in the world when it was finished. There was no doubt that Tazuna was a master of his craft to accomplish this on such a shoestring budget.
“I can’t let you off at town, y’all will have to walk from here.” The fisherman said softly as he beached his vessel among the roots of a mangrove swamp, letting them out onto the marshy ground. A road cut through the trees, wooden planks and heavy stones reinforced the wet soil, allowing the road to keep its shape this close to the water, though as the road leveled out, the reinforcements faded and were replaced by simple packed earth.
“Thanks for the ride, get home safely.” Tazuna replied, giving the man a firm handshake. He hadn’t touched sake since they’d reached the coast and the haze of intoxication had lifted to reveal hard eyes and a grim face. Naruto and Sasuke had judged the man for his drinking but Sakura hadn’t. She knew what pain did to people, how it broke down the soul and left them as little more then hollowed out shells of rage and misery.
“Lead on Tazuna-san.” Kakashi gave the man a small smile and Tazuna briefly looked to Sakura before taking the lead. The group clambered ashore and were soon walking along the path with eyes peeled. Naruto nervously gripped a kunai in his hand, eyes searching their surroundings. Sakura focused on her chakra sense, reaching out into the world around her and feeling a well masked presence ahead of her. It was subtle, nearly imperceptible but whoever it was had made a mistake. They had hidden among the trees and while Sakura was still experimenting with turning iryo-ninjutsu into mokuton, she was intensely attuned to plants and nature in general.
“Kakashi-sensei, do you think we’ll meet anyone interesting? I hope there is a cute boy in wave, maybe even two!” Sakura chirped, earning a silent look from Kakashi as he pieced together her words. He knew her well enough to catch the hidden meaning and his eye quickly arced into a smile.
“Maa, Sakura-chan we’re on a mission and besides you’ll make Sasuke-kun jealous if you go chasing after some local boy.” Kakashi replied casually, his words meaningless other then a general acknowledgment and orders not to pursue. Sakura read the subtext beneath that though, she was to keep up her harmless act unless there was an emergency.
Chakra slowly began to seep into the air as the fog grew heavier. Sakura could feel the chakra signature remaining motionless, in a perfect ambush position at ground level. They were slowly approaching it when Naruto’s twitchy eyes landed on the bush in question and his kunai left his hand before Sakura could redirect his attention. A pulse of chakra flashed across her senses as whoever it was substituted, leaving behind a terrified domestic rabbit, its fur still white from winter.
“Oh! Damn, I thought…” Naruto huffed as he walked over to the terrified rabbit and grabbed his kunai which had lodged itself into at tree. The rabbit was frozen in place for several seconds before it bolted and Naruto turned back towards the group. Killing intent along with a subtle rush of chakra had Sakura grabbing Naruto and pulling him to the ground as Kakashi shouted a warning and dragged Tazuna and Sasuke to the dirt.
A massive blade, the size of a fully grown adult spun through the air where their heads had been moments before, lodging itself into the tree Naruto had just been standing under. Sakura dragged the blond away the moment the weapon passed over their heads, clearing the area as Momochi Zabuza appeared adopt the weapon’s handle, crouching and looking at their group curiously.
“Hatake Kakashi, the copy-nin.” Zabuza drawled, killing intent still just barely leashed and Sakura’s instincts began to scream in the back of her mind. Inner’s teeth started to chatter, barely able to hold back their own killing intent as they met another child of the Isles. This was fellow predator, another shark and he was strong, stronger then Sakura was, yet she wanted to fight him. It was an all consuming urge that set her blood on fire and her chest fluttering with excitement as her cheeks flushed.
“Dragging around a bunch of brats? Oh how the mighty have fallen.” Zabuza chuckled as the bandages around his mouth shifted. Sakura knew he was grinning that perfect, shark toothed smile. The kind her instincts told her was normal, not the blunt, harmless things she was so used to seeing in Hi. She could feel her whole body beginning to shake with the force of holding herself back, her lungs heaving air as her pulse raced and her chakra roiled within her core, still suppressed but her self control was hanging by a thread.
“Momochi Zabuza, Kirigakure no Kijin, looks like I’ll be needing this.” Kakashi replied as he lifted his headband to reveal his ever active sharingan. Sakura’s teeth began to chatter now, joining her trembling limbs. Sasuke shot her a concerned side eye while Naruto prepared to shout out a challenge, still brash despite her tempering influence. “Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, manji formation.”
“Seeing the sharingan so soon? I’m honored.” Zabuza let out a rasping chuckle as the fog thickened and his killing intent blanketed the area. Sakura wasn’t sure how she was managing to keep her head screwed on straight at this point but it wouldn’t last. She was going to lose it, very, very soon. She had never had to hold back like this in ANBU. This wasn’t an undercover mission, she wasn’t trying to infiltrate a guarded area.
Zabuza began to list off eight different vital spots, though in truth there were many, many more. Simply cutting off a thumb could bleed someone to death if they were truly unlucky, and infection could fell even the strongest warriors if they couldn’t get treatment. Sakura focused her mind on the idle thoughts, distracting herself from the all consuming urge to attack Zabuza as he appeared behind her. Her eyes shifted to him as she turned, painfully slow towards the threat.
Kakashi intercepted Zabuza well before he could attack, driving a kunai into the man’s stomach. Sakura had felt the chakra pulse but without her sharingan, she hadn’t been able to tell it was a clone until water spilled outwards. Zabuza’s chakra suppression was perfect, she couldn’t sense him within the mist filled by his chakra, not without using her eyes or going to active chakra sensing which would paint a massive target on her back.
“Bad move,” Zabuza growled as he came flying from the mist, his sword ramming through Kakashi’s back. Sakura grabbed Tazuna, dragging him away from the fight while Sasuke and Naruto followed her, both with wide eyes and pale faces. Kakashi melted away into water, appearing like a wraith behind Zabuza and slicing the man from hip to collar, revealing the Kiri-nin to be yet another clone.
Even with their superhuman senses, neither Sakura nor Kakashi could detect Zabuza and he clearly knew that as he tried to catch Kakashi off guard. The slight whistle of steel parting air was the only warning as Zabuza tried to cut the copy-nin clean in half. Kakashi ducked the attack and kubikiribouchou cut into the earth, its inertia redirected into a kick as it came to a sudden, violent stop. Kakashi took the attack in the side and was thrown clear from the dirt road, crashing into a nearby lake.
“Suiton, suirou no jutsu,” Zabuza’s words allowed him to further focus his chakra as water wrapped around Kakashi as he tried to pull himself to his feet atop the water. In an instant, Kakashi was trapped and Sakura’s self control snapped. A deep rumbling growl reverberated in her chest and Tazuna took a step back, terrified of the little pink haired girl even as Zabuza’s eyes shifted to faze her. “What’s this? A tiny little genin throwing a temper tantrum?”
Sakura ignored Zabuza as her hand went into her pouch, retrieving her scroll with her scythe. The weapon was in her hand in a heartbeat and Zabuza looked over it curiously. His eyes were still condescending as Sakura met his gaze, her emerald eyes narrowed with rage and her razor sharp teeth bared for all to see.
“Interesting, what’s a Kiri brat like you doing with a bunch of tree-huggers?” Zabuza asked as Sakura flickered forward, her chakra spilling out of her as her sensing shifted from passive to active. Zabuza felt the sudden surge as the girl’s killing intent exploded to life and he barely caught the blade of her scythe with his sword, the water below him buckling under the impact but he managed to keep his feet above the surface.
“Let’s dance,” Sakura shifted her grip on her scythe, driving the blade through the hole in Zabuza’s sword and yanked it from his grip, her perfect chakra control and years of working towards Tsunade’s strength making it possible despite her small stature. The executioner’s blade flew away, splashing down into the water as Sakura spun her scythe around her body, preparing to bring it around into a vicious close ranged slash. Zabuza was faster and his fist thundered into Sakura’s cheek sending her world spinning.
Snarling, Sakura continued with her attack, pulling it off despite her ringing ears and ruined balance. Zabuza cursed as he was pushed back, his arm forced from the water prison, freeing Kakashi. Nausea welled up before Sakura could stop it and she emptied her stomach into the lake. Kakashi didn’t say a word, surging forward to attack Zabuza as Sakura fell back, her concussion forcing her to retreat.
‘Heal! Use green chakra!’ Inner slurred and Sakura brought her hand up to the wound, years of practice allowing muscle memory to do the heavy lifting. A flash of chakra split the skin on the side of Sakura’s head along with the bone underneath and she pulled out the blood that was rapidly pooling against her brain before sending her chakra in deeper, healing the damaged neurons, stitching together the burst blood vessels and soothing away the swelling before she closed her skull and skin. Pulling her hand away from her head, she threw the globule of blood to the ground, her vision clearing just in time to process the tidal wave now coming her way.
‘Fucking Hound!’ Inner shouted as Sakura flickered backwards, grabbed her teammates and moved them to a tree before doing the same for Tazuna.
“The hell?!” Naruto shouted as he realized he’d been relocated. Tazuna staggered slightly, Sakura’s hands grabbing him and steadying the elderly man as the tree they were on shook violently, water slamming into its trunk and rushing underneath them. Tazuna looked down at her, realizing what had just happened and the old man gave Sakura a nod of thanks as Kakashi unleashed a second, larger water jutsu, another monstrous wave crashing through the trees and ripping up the underbrush.
“It’s over,” Kakashi’s voice reached them from their position in the trees and Sakura turned just in time to catch that other chakra finally making its move. Two senbon pierced Zabuza’s neck, sending him tumbling to the dirt. Sakura flickered to Kakashi’s side as the hidden chakra revealed itself to be a hunter-nin with a very familiar presence. It was cold and windy, a frozen glacier under a brilliant sun. Sakura knew that chakra, or rather the family it belonged to, she had met them on Uzushio.
‘That’s a Yuki and Kiri is in the midst of a bloodline purge. We’re not the only sensor in the world.’ Inner noted dryly as the Yuki took in a breath. The world was still moving in slow motion for her, her senses still strained and ready for battle. ‘Whoever they are, they aren’t a real hunter-nin.’
“It seems you were right shinobi-san.” A smooth androgynous voice came from the fake hunter and Sakura could feel their lack of intent. Whoever this was, whatever they were here for, they weren’t a threat.
‘Not directly, if they’re here to rescue Zabuza though, they are still a threat however indirectly. We’ve studied senbon and medicine enough to know what is possible.’ Inner reminded and Sakura’s eyes slid to the unconscious shinobi. ‘Kakashi is too weak to fight, we also have to protect Tazuna, Naruto and Sasuke.’
‘Don’t engage.’ Sakura agreed, watching the fake hunter carefully. Beside her Kakashi was putting on an admirable display of strength despite his utterly depleted reserves.
“So it would seem. Why are you here?” Kakashi asked, pulling out a kuni but not throwing it. The fake hunter shifted, picking up Zabuza and their chakra filled with concern.
“I have been hunting him for quite some time, as you know he is a nuke-nin from our village.” The fake hunter lied, his chakra telling an entirely different story. Sakura didn’t say a word as she held her scythe in a low guard, ready but not obviously threatening. “Now then, I must dispose of the body. If you’ll excuse me Shinobi-san, Kunochi-san.” With that, they flickered away and a moment later Kakashi collapsed.
“Sakura-chan, you’re in command.” Kakashi managed, his tone faux cheerful as he passed out. Sakura let out a sigh as she resealed her scythe and picked him up, turning her attention to her teammates. Both were shaken but ready, kunai held in white knuckle grips and eyes fixed on her.
“Naruto make a bunch of shadow clones and have them carry Kakashi-senpai.” Sakura ordered, bringing her thumb to her mouth and biting down. She quickly ran through the hand seals for the summoning jutsu and placed her hand on the ground. With a puff of smoke, a messenger tiger appeared before her. She quickly explained the situation to the tiger then ordered it to deliver the information to Kuma, along with a request for further orders. The tiger shot off, vanishing into the underbrush, on its way back to Konoha.
‘That’s going to drain a lot of our chakra today.’ Inner grimaced at the expenditure but it was a necessary one. She couldn’t kill Gato without at least warning Konoha. Nami no Kuni was without a ruler and it was valuable real estate. If the bridge was built, the small island nation would become a trade hub between the mainland and the islands further out to sea. The people of the Isles were often insular but Nami, much like Uzushio, was close enough to the mainland where the peoples were a blend, halfway between the two, a natural bridge between the two cultures.
“Tazuna, please lead the way.” Sakura asked as she returned the man to the thoroughly soaked road. Tazuna looked at the devastation surrounding them and then down to the little pink haired girl now in charge of protecting him. He’d seen her kill two men without blinking and while she clearly wasn’t as strong as her sensei, she had engaged Zabuza without dying, which he knew was quite the achievement.
“Very well ojou-san, follow me.” Tazuna gave the girl a slight frown but still nodded respectfully and lead the way. Sakura could feel his unease, the feeling of wrongness pervading Tazuna’s chakra. She made him uneasy, that a child like herself was so inured against murder she had taken two lives easy as breathing. He was a civilian, he didn’t know that the hidden villages, or at least Konoha, had been founded on the ideals of peace and protecting children from harm only for the Nidaime and Sandaime to twist and corrupt the village until its formative promises were nothing but empty words.
‘We’ll fix this.’ Inner whispered and Sakura’s chakra briefly purred at the thought of murder, because that is what it would take. Hiruzen, Danzo, the elder council, the Hyuga main branch, they would all need to die. Inner devoured the anger before it could turn into full blown killing intent and then nudged Sakura’s mind back on track.
“You alright?” Sasuke whispered as they came up on Tazuna’s house. Sakura had taken a nasty blow to the head and his eyes kept tracking her bloodied hair.
“Yes and the moment I can sit down, I’ll do a more thorough scan to make sure of it.” Sakura promised, because head injuries were no joke. Even the lightest of blows could cause permanent damage and while you might not notice it at first, it would build up steadily over time, turning geniuses into idiots and ruining potential. Most prodigies that burnt out, did so due to accumulated head trauma after all and it was only the miracle of Konoha’s medical program, even as gutted and undervalued as it was, that kept people like Kakashi functioning.
Tazuna’s house was set out on the water with three walkways spanning a small waterway. The place was beautiful and the home itself was large and clearly very well made. It was two stories tall and had a commanding view of the surrounding area. There were plenty of places to tie up small personal boats and even a few births for larger craft though none were present currently. A windmill spun lazily next to the home, no doubt generating electricity for the workshop beside it.
“I’m home!” Tazuna called out as he unlocked the front door to reveal a woman with long purple hair so dark it appeared black and with matching onyx eyes. Her skin was lightly tanned and somewhat rosy, while her eyes were large and round. To Sakura’s mind, she was an interesting mix of Isles and Mainland, uncommon in Konoha but quite normal along the southern coast and northern isles.
“Oh and you’ve brought guests. Is he hurt? I’ll get the spare bedrooms ready.” The woman’s eyes flicked over the group, not pausing despite the blood and grime coating Kakashi and Sakura. Her chakra was level, determined with a hint of nerves and she quickly prepared a space for them to rest. It took her five minutes before Kakashi was safely lowered into a futon to recover and Sakura was able to sit down and scan her brain thoroughly, ensuring no remaining damage was left.
‘We really should invent an emergency healing seal. Like the Byakugou no In, something that can heal us and store up strength.’ Inner suggested and Sakura sent her a wave of agreement. The problem was Sakura didn’t have access to the seal and didn’t know where to begin on recreating it. She did however have Naruto as a teammate and would ask Hiruzen when she returned to Konoha, the man did seem to favor the current Team 7 after all.
“So what’s the plan?” Naruto asked as he sat down with his back to the wall, his eyes looking out the window of the room they had been given. Sasuke sat nearby, makeup smudged from the day’s events and exhaustion clear on his young face.
“First, combat clothes every day from here on out. No point being subtle. We’re going to wait until a reply comes from Konoha, that should be sometime tomorrow evening if they use a messenger hawk.” Sakura explained and the two boys nodded as she pulled out a storage seal. She tapped it and met Naruto’s eyes. “In this storage scroll are a bunch of supplies for setting up traps along with a large number of defensive seals.” Sakura paused, considering her options before looking at the two boys. “Can I trust you? Both of you?”
“You have to ask?” Sasuke snapped, actually offended by the question. Sakura grimaced but met his eyes. “Of course, is Usuratonkachi rubbing off on you or something?”
“You can trust us ‘ttebayo.” Naruto promised and Sakura nodded, calling upon her chakra as she bit her thumb.
“Do not speak of these summons to anyone or by extension anything relating me to them, understood?” Sakura asked as she brought her thumb down on the floor. A puff of smoke and a massive drain in chakra soon followed.
“Imouto, what do you need?” Sana’s calm voice filled the room as the smoke cleared to reveal the beautiful kitsune. Three tails swayed behind her, all inky black except where the light fell directly upon them, revealing a dark, dark blue. The kitsune’s blue eyes took in the room, landing on Kakashi before moving to Naruto. “Oh, another sibling of ours? No, he is…”
“Sana-nee, leave Naruto alone. He is kin, that’s the end of it.” Sakura cut in quickly and Sana gave a slight nod, dropping the issue without protest. Both boys looked at the fox then at Sakura, their reactions jarringly different. Sasuke had a look of understanding, he knew what it would mean politically for someone to have kitsune summons in Konoha. Naruto on the other hand was shaken to his core, his eyes wide and glued to Sana.
“Naruto,” Sakura imitated Hound’s commanding tone, her voice biting and sharp. Naruto’s attention snapped to her, a mix of apprehension and curiosity clear in his gaze. “Sana will help you set up the perimeter. If you are okay with it, I won’t force you.”
“I…” Naruto’s voice caught and he took a ragged breath before looking at the fox. Sana radiated calm confidence, her chakra utterly peaceful, though it was unmistakably similar to the kyuubi’s in that distinctive kitsune way it was also obviously different. Her presence didn’t make skin itch or burn, the world didn’t feel like it was ending and there was no killing intent so thick you could drown in it. “Alright, um Sakura-chan do you…”
“Yes Naru-chan?” Sakura easily slipped into Kagetora’s teasing tone and watched as Naruto’s unease melted away. Silent understanding flowed between them, Sakura knew, had always known, and nothing had changed. The blond’s smile was bright and honest as he moved to the window and pushed it open.
“Alright, just leave it to me. Ain’t nobody going to be able to attack us ‘ttebayo!” Naruto crowed and took off into the night, forgetting the scroll. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and Sakura shook her head slightly as she handed her storage scroll to Sana.
“In time, it isn’t my secret to share. Sana, please make sure he doesn’t make it impossible for the two civilians to come or go as they please?” Sakura asked, her head starting to spin as the sheer drain on her chakra started to finally catch up with her. She knew that she’d need to sleep soon, but first she’d have to cram as much food as possible into her body to recover by tomorrow morning.
“Of course imouto,” Sana brushed a hand over Sakura’s head, subtly checking for injuries, her touch feather light. “Rest, this will not take long.” Sakura nearly nodded off then and there but held herself together as Sana vanished from the room in a silent shunshin.
“I’ll go see if I can use their kitchen, you stay here.” Sasuke ordered, rising to his feet and giving Sakura a worried look before walking out of the room and down the stairs. Sakura tracked his chakra the entire time he was out of her sight, focusing on it and Naruto’s burning ball of power, using them as a focus to stay awake. Perhaps she didn’t need to call on Sana but she didn’t regret it. The kitsune would ensure her team was kept safe, she was the guardian of Inari Okami’s temple after all and the choice between maintaining the secret and protecting her team was an easy one to make.
***
Izuna knew he was wasting time but facing her was hard. How did one handle a youkai sent by the gods? He wasn’t going to accuse her, or try to drive her away but he wanted to talk, face to face. After all, they both cared about their clan and loved chichiue and aniue. Izuna swallowed his fears and stepped into the clearing where she was resting, the haft of her scythe laid across her lap and her distinctive bright pink hair tied back by a bandanna.
“Hello Izuna, Madara just stepped away to get lunch.” Sakura’s tone was polite and warm, a bit of hope making her emerald eyes sparkle as she patted the log she was sitting on. Izuna knew normally this was where she’d be disappointed. He had never liked her, because she was different, but now that he was ten he could sort of understand. Of course a youkai would be different but importantly she wasn’t harmful, she was a messenger of the divine or at least a gift from them. She might occupy more of Madara’s time then Izuna would like but she wasn’t a threat even if he was jealous.
“Hey, um can we talk?” Izuna asked, the words sounding better and more confident in his head. His cheeks burned and he felt the overwhelming shame of a child trying and failing to act like an adult.
“Of course we can. What would you like to talk about?” Sakura asked, her eyes still showing a guarded hope that for once Izuna wouldn’t ruin. He knew she desperately wanted him to like her, even if she never said it out loud. Her chakra was cool and minty, a welcoming forest full of foxes and playful mischief. It always amazed him how more people didn’t realize she wasn’t human, or perhaps they did and simply kept it to themselves. Summons were helpful youkai and she was summoned to Madara in a way, so perhaps that was how his kin viewed her.
“Father is in danger.” Izuna met her eyes and saw a moment of shock and genuine pain before it was covered up. Izuna was just starting to learn ninshu. He wasn’t like Madara or Sakura, with their perfect chakra control but his was good and he was a sensor naturally, rather then as a side effect of chakra control. He could feel the pain, loss and defiance in Sakura’s chakra and her eyes hardened instantly.
“We are all in danger, the Senju have brought a new war into being. One unlike anything seen since the age of founding.” Sakura replied, her sharp teeth flashing and her green eyes glowing softly in the gloom. She was so clearly something other, inhuman even but Izuna wasn’t afraid of her, not when her chakra was so open and honest. He knew the feeling of love and Sakura loved like an Uchiha, she was consumed by it. Her fear of losing her family, his father, was burning along her pathways.
“You know of a specific threat. You warned father.” Izuna intentionally dropped the formality. It was the only way he could communicate how serious he was, to abandon the rigid social structure of a clan. He didn’t fully understand what he was doing, how he denied her the ability to retreat or distance herself with familiar language but the results were the same regardless.
“I did, I love him. I love you and Madara and father so much it hurts. I burn with it, constantly.” Tears tinted slightly pink leaked from the corners of her eyes and Izuna’s breath caught. He knew what that signified, how hot her fire was burning. No one was immune to the curse of hatred, not even the clan head and apparently not even youkai. She was teetering on the brink, dangerously close to slipping over the edge and being consumed by her emotions.
“I want to help.” Izuna whispered, looking away as Sakura sniffled and wiped her cheeks clean. He gave her as much privacy as he could without ending the conversation, after all they had to have this talk.
“I do to but…” Sakura trailed off and shook her head. She wasn’t sure what they could do, the history was already written, the ink long since dry. She didn’t want to give up, but she didn’t know where to begin. If she knew how Tajima would die, perhaps she could stop it but if she was foolish and rushed ahead, she could end up being the cause of his death. Endless possibilities spiraled through her mind, Inner and Outer both chasing multiple threads of thought but neither able to hit upon a sure fire solution.
“But you’re twelve and I’m ten.” Izuna grumbled, knowing that for all their strength, Sakura and Madara were still children. Powerful children who had grown up on the front lines, but still children. “We have to do something though.”
“I don’t know where to start.” Sakura gripped her hands together, her nails biting into her pale skin and drawing blood. In truth it would be more appropriate to call them claws, though she kept them carefully trimmed, otherwise she would shred any cloth or fabric she wasn’t careful with.
“Does Aniue know?” Izuna asked and Sakura grimaced before shaking her head. “Is it a threat you can tell me about?” Izuna watched as Sakura let out a tired sigh.
“The Senju, I imagine. I’m unsure where it will come from. Father’s life is in danger and I just, what if I cause it? I don’t want to be the reason things go wrong.” Sakura whispered and Izuna suddenly realized just how real this all was. The gods, Sakura’s inhumanity, her presence here truly being divine in nature. This was a story from the times of legend, a saga like the sage of six paths or Indra the father of the Uchiha. This was a tale of blood and loss, of war and rage, with fates already set and heroes desperately struggling against their destiny as the gods played their unknowable games.
“We’ll be careful then. We won’t put ourselves in danger or get reckless. Just, keep our eyes open and be ready. You’re the greatest medic in the clan, you’ll heal him and whatever is going to happen we’ll be prepared.” Izuna spoke for his own comfort just as much as for Sakura. He knew it wasn’t a plan, it boiled down to they’d try their best. Still, something had shifted between them, a bond they always danced around solidifying within them. The shared goal of defending their father bringing them closer then they had ever been.
***
Sasuke frowned as he looked over himself in the bathroom mirror. Currently, he was wearing a black high collared shirt with matching cargo pants that were tucked into armored boots. Underneath his shirt was a layer of chainmail and a padded undershirt, providing a modest but functional layer of protection. The armor was out of fashion, most shinobi these days wore metal mesh or just their kevlar flak jacket but the older armor was superior even if it weighed a little more.
‘Perhaps just a bit of makeup.’ Sasuke knew it was vain, but he enjoyed looking good and every time someone mistook him for a girl his heart would flutter with excitement. Sakura probably suspected something as did the rest of the old Team 7 though they were content to let Sasuke figure things out without pressure. ‘Fine,’ Sasuke pulled out his makeup kit from a storage scroll and got to work, applying purple eye shadow and matching lip stain. It worked well with the black clothes and Sasuke smiled, putting up his long hair in an artful bun pinned in place by one of his mother’s old sharpened kanzashi.
“You done?” Naruto asked curiously and Sasuke let out an amused sigh and smirked as he pushed the door open. Naruto clearly wasn’t waiting for the bathroom, instead he was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed. “Bought time, I swear girls all take forever in the bathroom.”
“Girls?” Sasuke asked, eyes narrowed in annoyance. Boys often used the term as an insult and it always bothered him. Naori, Izumi, Anko and Sakura were the strongest people he knew. “Is there something wrong with being a girl?” Sasuke asked and Naruto’s nose crinkled as he shook his head.
“No, it was just an observation ‘ttebayo. You and Sakura like applying makeup and that’s fine. I don’t understand it, the girls in my neighborhood practice on me occasionally but I’d never actually apply it myself.” Naruto replied nodding towards the kitchen. Sasuke raised an eyebrow but followed as the blond sat down across the table and started to eat breakfast. “What?”
“You waited for me.” Sasuke replied quietly, earning a look that screamed no shit from Naruto. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke started eating, a pleasant silence settling over them. Sakura was already at the bridge with Tazuna, guarding him and the workers while Kakashi rested in the room overhead. Naruto and Sasuke were nominally in charge of guarding their sensei and keeping an eye on Tazuna’s family though considering the traps surrounding the house that was a rather easy task.
“We need to get stronger.” Naruto said as he finished his food and set his bowl down. He hadn’t eaten like a slob or made a mess of himself, much to Sasuke’s surprise. He hadn’t really shared many meals with Naruto, aside from the occasional team trip to Ichiraku. Apparently Naruto’s behavior around ramen was decidedly different then his normal eating habits, much to Sasuke’s silent bemusement.
“Perhaps I could help with that?” Sana’s calm voice caught both boys off guard and they startled as the kitsune stepped into view. Her tails and ears were hidden to avoid unsettling Tazuna’s family, though her distinctive chakra presence was hard to miss. “Unless you’d rather I stayed out of sight?”
“How can you help?” Sasuke asked, more then willing to trust Sakura’s summons. The woman’s interactions with the rosette were familial in nature. It was clear that Sakura’s summons were more then just a tool or weapons used in battle, they were her loved ones.
“Well fuinjutsu and genjutsu take more then a few days to learn but I could help you two improve your chakra control and make better use of the jutsu you already know. You both understand how to tree walk with chakra, yes?” Sana asked, earning a nod from Sasuke while Naruto frowned.
“You mean like walking with your feet on buildings and stuff? Tora, er, Sakura taught me that two years back. It took a while to learn though.” Naruto scratched the back of his neck and gave an awkward smile. Clearly it was an embarrassing memory and the boy’s cheeks pinked slightly. “But I can do it now! No problems.”
“And walking on water?” Sana asked and Sasuke gave a curt nod. He’d learned how to do that as well though clearly Naruto hadn’t.
“You can walk on water teme?” Naruto asked, before his competitive spirit ignited. “Fine, I’ll get it down in a day, just you watch!” Naruto jumped to his feet and rushed outside, leaving Sasuke alone with Sana.
“Go help him, I’ll give you an explanation on chakra strings if you do.” Sana said softly, catching Sasuke off guard. The fox’s eyes were utterly fond and loving as she looked out the door towards Naruto. It was the way a mother or aunt looks at a beloved child. Why a kitsune who had clearly never met Naruto before would view him so warmly was a mystery, though Naruto was rather surrounded by mysteries. For example, why had Sakura been assigned to guard him? Why did the village hate him? Sasuke didn’t know but he wanted to find out.
“Alright, it’s a deal.” Sasuke agreed and followed Naruto outside, right as the blond pulled himself back onto the wooden walkway, dripping water all over it. The warm sun overhead kept the experience from being unpleasant and the little patches of water started to evaporate almost immediately. “In a day?”
“In a day teme! Just you wait.” Naruto grinned, no heat in his insult. Sasuke chuckled and shook his head, causing Naruto to freeze. Sasuke caught the blond staring at him and arched an eyebrow in the way his adoptive sisters all did. “You sure you’re a boy? I mean, there’s nothing wrong if you are but you could be a girl to you know? And that would be fine as well…” Naruto said and Sasuke frowned, sitting down on the wooden walkway. Sana hadn’t come out yet, likely giving them some privacy or perhaps just lazing about. Kitsune were prone to sleeping in, if Sakura was any example.
“What I mean is, you can be a girl if you want. I’ve just been wondering is all, because I know some people, in the akasen…” Naruto shrugged but he had caught Sasuke’s interest. “I’m being stupid right?”
“No, I’m curious.” Sasuke replied, looking out over the water before them. At first, he’d been happy letting Sakura teach him how to put makeup on and enjoyed dressing androgynously but as he’d gotten older, slowly but surely he’d been growing more jealous of his pink haired pseudo-sister. She was just starting to approach puberty while his own voice was soon going to get deeper and his body would begin getting hairy. The thought sent a shiver of disgust racing down his spine.
“Why, are you like that? A girl but like trapped in your body? That’s how Setsuna described it, she’s a bartender ‘ttebayo.” Naruto looked surprisingly thoughtful and Sasuke genuinely had no idea how to answer. This was the first time he or perhaps she had ever even given the question the time of day. Sasuke wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain, it was time for some serious soul searching. Right after mastering chakra strings of course.
“I don’t know, but right now let’s get you walking on water.” Sasuke stepped out onto the river and motioned for Naruto to sit down and watch. “The water is constantly changing, so you know how for tree walking you can just use a constant amount of chakra?” Sasuke explained and Naruto nodded along. “Well for this, since the water is trying to flow away and you’ve got to kind of cling to enough of it to stay on the surface or you’ll fall through. Sit on the dock and just lower your foot to the surface and play with your chakra until you start getting resistance.”
“Huh, that’s really helpful I think.” Naruto sounded genuinely surprised and Sasuke shot the blond a sharp look. “What?”
“You might be a dobe but you’re still my teammate. Why wouldn’t I help you?” Sasuke snapped earning a sheepish look from Naruto who scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Sorry, I just, I thought you hated me in the academy and I have this idea of you in my head but that’s not who you are, is it?” Naruto looked guilty and his chakra was full of self reproach, far more then was necessary. Sasuke hesitate before shaking their head and waving the blond off.
“Don’t worry about it, we’re still getting to know each other. Apparently I don’t even know myself.” Sasuke grumbled as Sana walked out and took a seat nearby. Naruto lowered his feet into the water, trying to figure out how to stand on the water without risking falling in while Sasuke looked over at the fox.
“Well I suppose no time like the present.” Sana said happily as she got to work giving Sasuke a quick lesson on chakra strings and setting the Uchiha to work while she stood guard. It wouldn’t be enough to catch up to Sakura, not yet, but one day it would be and then they could stand beside her as equals.