Naruto Tales: The Next Uchiha | SasuSaku, NaruHina, InoShikaTema, NejiTen +

XXVIII: Bring Me to Life

Sakura, you've bloomed into a beautiful flower.

We're best friends right? Which means we not only tell secrets to each other, but we also make two of the greatest liars on earth.

I'll be right back. Her last words seem to echo on her ears as Ino went limp on her grasp. Sasuke was screaming, yelling something at her she couldn't hear, but Sakura couldn't hear her. The sound of streaming water, like an upcoming tidal bore, filled her ears. She glanced from Sasuke who just plucked his Katana from his waist, then to Obito, who was kneeling in front of Wakana. Sasuke was ordering the girl to run, and Sakura thought distantly that it was strange, for Sasuke, who did not love Wakana the way she did, was doing all the individual deed. But perhaps he was speaking for her precisely because she couldn't bear to say a word. She didn't even know Wakana could talk.

"Such a pathetic waste of ability," Obito said, bending his knee as the girl gave her a long stare. "And you're a monster." Obito laughed. And since Sakura was facing his back he might be smiling, not of crucial judgement, but of a brightful delight for children. She guessed she'll never know, and that she must have imagined it. He placed a hand into her shoulder gently, like an ordinary uncle giving his niece some advice. At some point, Sakura needed to remind herself they were far from being average people.

"You know," said the Uchiha who spoke like a demon, "I'm beginning to think that you and I are a lot alike. We're both castoffs who've learnt to fight when we're backed into a corner."

"If you're going to kill me, kill me."

Obito chuckled. "It'll be too easy, sweetheart. The way your father would have done it with the same person in your age, same look in her eyes, same name."

"W-what are you planning to do with me?" Sakura wanted so much to get to her, to consider herself that what Obito was currently doing at the moment was a trap, but she just stayed there, holding Ino in her arms.

"Listen to me kid," Sakura didn't realize he had activated his Sharingan, and that he was looking at the girl with a desirable covetousness—the sort of look you could have ever given someone you loved, but can never have. "There is a world out there, probbably much more bigger than you could have ever imagined... Places you've never been into and somewhere you'll fit in. Come with me and I'll let you see the beauty in it. Teach you the things Kakashi hasn't taught you. You, me, the two of us—the world never has to see us again."

Will you spare my friends? Sakura was waiting for the little girl to ask, but she knew it wasn't her pathway to take. There was almost this glum dejection she'd detected from him, almost in a tone of pity which she hadn't heard, or seen before. And to her surprise she wasn't going to ask herself why would Obito give up everything he'd lived for, in exchange for a kid's compassion. Because she thought for a moment if she were in the little girl's shoes—then yes, she would have traded a lifetime living with a person wanting to be loved all for world peace.

Rin sounded like a thousand year old when she spoke. "I'm sorry mister, but no. I'd rather die here and rot."

Sakura could imagine him crippling over those words. But she knew him, well enough that the Madara would have barely shown a flick of emotion, and even thinking of it had given him enough lesson than he'd known.

The malaise of being rejected.

"I was right," Obito said as he stood up, gripping over the blade. "As long there was someone left to care, the more pain you ever felt." Wakana had been embracing her death, waiting for eradication to come upon her, and she waited.

When she opened her eyes, Sakura had blocked his path and stood right in front of her. "I'll go with you." Obito laughed gleefully, and given the fact that the show was merely starting to get more engrossing. "You are beyond pathetic, Sakura."

She swung her arm. "Who's more pathetic? The one who sees hope for a young girl? Or the coward who can only see the world through his own fear?"

"I do not mean to be impolite, love, but if I were you I'd step aside."

"For Kami's sake, Obito! She's Kakashi's daughter and she's a survivor and she knows she has something to survive for!"

Obito glanced past Sakura—and said nothing. There seemed nothing else to pry for.

"It's okay to care," she said, "it's okay to want something—but you can't force anyone to love you. She still has a lot of things to learn, lot of person she'd been wanting to meet. You can't take that away from her."

Slowly, Obito dispelled from the real world. Sakura and Wakana were embraced by the six-foot Sasuke as he kissed the tips of their foreheads, letting the little girl's tears fall silently like the heavy downpour of Amegakure.

                                                 ♆тнє иєχт υ¢нιнα♆

                                                 DEMONS LIVE ON 

Sakura stared at Ino for a while, her hair, milky as ever, eyes that were shut amid the darkness and lips that were shaded in purplish reds. She was always peaceful whenever she's asleep... And she just thought of how an odd thing it was; to die in an early age, without having signed up for any commitments, without ever having to age again. There was no good news when it comes to death. Apart from being annointed as a hero, a saint, beautifully a wise ninja. But Yamanaka Ino died being bitten by an animal, and that there was no point of reminiscing of how much she'd gotten into that position.

"Good night, Ino. We did it. We saved Kakashi's daughter." She said, and there she'd imagined her best friend inside a coffin, as she would have closed the lid and the people of Konoha had thrown their white roses. Wakana was already escorted by Sasuke at the hideout, as the Uchiha Prodigy watched her mourn for Ino.

"You know, there is a way..."

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11. 11. 13

AWW kakashi<3

go to episode 191!:)

Guess what's going to happen to Ino!

VERY thankful to all my fans I want so much to mention, but by the end of this story I swear I'm gonna list each and everyone of you:) Also, I AM reaally happy that my superduper idol, Charmaine Uchiha had added my story to her reading list and she's like so nice! (We're both filipinos btww) Really, her stories have inspired me to continue on doing this and she's particularly the reason I've reached this so far.. (And for the future sequels;) Salamat, ate Charmain!:D