Never Again: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Traumatic Stress

"Oh yeah? And how can you do that? Magic?" The woman nodded, clapping her hands together. 

"Yes my dear, magic! How about this, if I read your future for free, and I'm able to give you a proper reading, your teammates have to do it too for 5 yen?" Sakura glanced back at her two teammates and shrugged. 

"Alright, what do you need my hand?" The old woman nodded and Sakura gave the woman her hand. The old woman's skinny and wrinkly palms grazed over Sakura's smooth, slightly pale hand, her fingertips sliding across Sakura's palm as her eyes closed. 

"Ah yes, you had quite a nice childhood. No boys in your life, so you were able to focus on something else more productive. You have a nice best friend, though she is a bit of a loud mouth. You have a nice family, though your parents annoy you sometimes. And you future," A small smile appeared on her old face. "You will fulfill all your goals and have a handsome husband." Sakura had a small blush on her face, but also a big smile. 

"That was actually pretty good," She admitted to her teammates. Sayuri sighed. 

"Okay, I'll go but-" She was stopped when Obito basically palmed her face and got in front of her, holding fifteen yen.

"I WANNA GO!" He said childishly. "This should pay for the rest of them, but me first!" The old woman laughed at Obito's antics, but took his hand. 

"Oh?" She got out. "A slightly lonely childhood, but you were always bright. You have a kind heart despite the loss of several of your comrades. You have a prosperous future, though struggle is also on your path, and without the right conviction, you will fall." Obito took his hand back, grinning sheepishly.

"Wow that was a lot darker than Sakura's!" He got out nervously. "Your turn Sayuri!" Sayuri was openly glaring at her sensei, a small red dot on her forehead where his palm had slapped her the hardest. 

"Fine." She growled as she marched forward, holding out her hand. "I want to hear something cool about my future too, but could you leave out commenting on the past?" The old woman took Sayuri's hand and a sigh escaped her lips, earning a small cringe from Sayuri.

"I'm so sorry," The old whispered in a slightly-choked up voice. "But as requested, I shall skip over the past. Your present is filled with content, though you strive for a goal that you believe will only be you at the finish line. Your future, ah, I see great struggle, almost an uphill battle for you. You will come to a crossroads and only one path leads to you being content." 

The old woman then pulled Sayuri closer and put her lips next to the Uchiha's ears. "I also know you have a crush on a boy from your village." She whispered just quietly enough for Sayuri to hear, who's eyes widened to impossible levels as she yanked her hand out of the old woman's, who let out a hefty, happy laughter as Sayuri's face was the color of a tomato. 

"Your turn Naruto," Sakura said, grinning ear to ear after witnessing Sayuri lose her cool. Naruto was reluctant, but sighed in resignation. 

He turned his hand over to the woman, who grasped it gently. "I'd like to request the same thing as Sayuri-" He was cut off as her hand squeezed his own impossibly tight, tighter than any old womans' grip should be. He looked at her face as he went pale. 

Streams of silent tears ran down the woman's wrinkly cheeks. "There's so much pain, so much pain and suffering. I don't, I don't even know how you can still act normal." Naruto tried pulling his hand out of the woman's but to no avail, her grip like iron. "You strive for an impossible goal, placing a burden so great upon your shoulders that your knees are breaking from the pressure, and your future. . ." 

Naruto paused, awaiting her to continue, but she didn't. More tears flowed from her eyes.

"I can't," She whispered, letting go of the boy's hand as he immediately took several steps back. "It's too painful."