UPROOT||SASUSAKU||COMPELET

chapter 12 the end

The stench was horrible.
It smelled of death, tasted of copper, and twisted Sakura’s stomach in knots. The pain within her curse burned, scratched at the cream skin of her neck, begged to be released; she fought it, fought the feeling to kill and destroy. The pinkette pushed on though, leading her team through the winding halls, directly towards Orochimaru. She felt the low growl in her throat vibrate through her body, the hate that stored up in her mind for the Sannin.
“And where do you think you’re going, Sakura?”
The voice that echoed through the halls stopped Sakura in her tracks and her skin began to crawl. She hated the owner of the voice.
Kabuto.
With narrowed eyes, she turned to face the white haired shinobi. He sat atop on one of the archways in the room that lead to another hall. His nonchalant attitude angered Sakura more, making the seal on her neck weaker and less resistant to her emotions.
A loud scream ripped from her throat as the curse transcended through her body, pulsating with rigged jolts of electricity and fire, burning from the inside out, “where is he?!”
Kabuto smirked at the girl, noticing the amount of pain she was withstanding. When he looked up from Sakura, the flash of light against his lenses reflected onto the wall. He finally turned his attention towards Naruto and Kakashi, “you think you three will be able to beat Orochimaru and I? Sasuke was meant for Orochimuaru, and he won’t be leaving with you three. It’s a shame, really.”
Naruto glared in the medic’s direction, completely out of patience and rushing towards the man.
“Kabuto, we’ll kill you if you don’t tell us where he’s at!”
Sakura could already see the chakra building up in Kabuto’s hand, ready to slice at Naruto and deactivate his chakra points, “Naruto, stop!”
It was too late, though. Kabuto had vanished from his spot atop the archway, and appeared behind Naruto, crushing his fist into the blonde’s back and sending him flying into the wall. Sakura and Kakashi each gasped at the scene, watching the chunks of wall hide Naruto’s body within in, leaving Kabuto to face the last of the contenders. The chakra scalpels that his hands possessed flickered with a blue glare.
“Who’s next?”
His cocky voice riled Sakura up more, and she was ready to pounce, to end his life here and now.
“Sakura, go. Look for Sasuke. Bring him back!” Kakashi yelled before uncovering his Sharingan and weaving the hand signs for his Chidori. The chirping of a thousand birds filled the small room, and before Sakura could look back, more of the building began to fall in on itself. She clenched her teeth at the scene unfolding and made her way down the nearest hall.
Even if I’m going the wrong way, I’ll break through these walls and I’ll find you!
Inner Sakura was ready to fight, while Sakura herself fought the urge to resort to her cursed seal’s power. She refused to tap into that mode, refused to lose herself and harm the one she loves.
-
When she reached the end of the hall, she was faced by two more halls, each heading in opposite directions. The pinkette was close enough to Sasuke that she could sense his chakra signature. But he wasn’t alone - Orochimaru was near him and his chakra was flaring with wild intentions. With chakra burning into the soles of her feet, she took off down the hall way to her left and continued to run.
Scenes of her and Sasuke in the forest took over her mind. His lips against hers, hot and wild. The memory soothed her thoughts and her body, and it began to fight off the effects of the curse mark. Her body became lighter, faster, and before she knew it, she was in the entrance of the corridor and facing the man she hated most.
“Ah, Sakura, my child. It’s nice to see that you’ve returned.”
His voice only aroused the curse mark, but Sakura refused to fall victim to his games. Behind the man laid Sasuke, motionless and covered in blood. Her heart faltered at the site and she felt her eyes narrow, fighting off the tears that welled up behind them. His chakra was flickering like a dimly lit candle, barely alive, yet breathing softly.
“What’d you do to him?” The room echoed her voice. It was much shakier than intended, but she fought off the nerves and clenched her fists.
I won’t be weak.
“Come and see, won’t you?” Orochimaru invited her, standing to the side and lifting his arm with an inviting gesture.
Sakura’s left foot stepped forward, but she froze. The look in Orochimaru’s eyes told her lies, and she stopped before it was too late. From his raised arm, a fleet of snakes lunged out at her from under his sleeve. The pinkette dodged his attack just in time, and she was in a defensive stance, “get out of my way!”
The snakes returned to him and he planted his body firmly in front of Sasuke’s, beckoning her with his yellow eyes. The Sannin then crossed his arms, mocking his previous student, “come, Sakura. Quit being foolish and end this. This is still your mission, after all.”
Sakura’s mind was racing now. She couldn’t focus solely on one thing, knowing all too well that Orochimaru had the upper hand in their environment.
“I don’t belong to you. I’m not your toy anymore. I won’t listen to you!”
She finally spotted a point to where she could get to Sasuke and protect his body from Orochimaru. As she began to reach behind her back and to her kunai pouch, Orochimaru sent another attack her way. Like she had seen many times before, his neck elongated, and he was coming at her. The Kusanagi that pushed out from his throat was aimed at her, and just in time, she dodged another one of his attacks and flung the kunai his way. The Sannin reflected the kunai out of the air with his sword and watched it bounce to the ground and towards the remainder of his body. The next sound that escaped his throat was a loud growl.
Sakura threw her body towards Sasuke’s and grabbed him rather roughly, leaving their current spot and retreating towards the back corner of the large room. From behind her, the explosion from the explosive tag took out part of the wall, and much to Sakura’s surprise, Orochimaru. Excitement coursed through her as she held Sasuke against her back, but her face immediately fell when the large chunks mud and earth shot her way.
Fucking clones.
He was standing on the opposite side of the corridor from her now, narrowing his eyes in on her. Sakura placed Sasuke’s body down and out of the way, positioning herself in a defensive stance and awaiting Orochimaru’s next move. She knew this wouldn’t be an easy fight.
“You don’t get that choice, Sakura. Either leave, or kill you,” the loud and atrocious hiss sent shivers down the pinkette’s spine. The yellow eyed Sannin glared at her, and she despised the way he snaked into her mind and soul.
“I’m not leaving without him, Orochimaru,” Sakura spat out, gritting her teeth together. The way she stood over the motionless body was like a mother bear protecting her cubs.
“Fine. Then you’ll die,” The way his eyes narrowed in on the pinkette made her body go numb, and her mind go blank. The second she began to pull another kunai from her pouch, she was taking a swift kick to the ribs, and her back colliding with the nearest wall. A loud gurgle escaped her throat, and blood began to flow from her mouth.
“Don’t touch him!” She screamed out in horror. Forgetting that the Sannin had probably broken multiple ribs, she was hurling her body towards him, kunai posed.
As she reached him and stood a mere foot away, her body stopped; motionless as ever. A horrible screech erupted from her small body, and she dropped to her knees and began to scratch at her neck. The curse mark was scorching hot and tears began to fill the corners of her eyes. As she dropped to her side, the cackle of Orochimaru made her cringe.
“Aw, my poor child. That damn curse mark doesn’t behave for you it seems. Looks like it’s only answering to me. What a shame.”
Between loud whimpers and the throbbing of her neck, she looked to the motionless body; Sasuke lay there in his own blood, mouth partially open, his skin covered in dirt, cuts, sweat and bruises. She could sense the feint chakra flicker within him, and the longer it took her to get him out of here, the more blood he lost.
“It’s a shame I can’t use him as my next vessel. Looks like he’ll just have to-”
Sakura flung her last kunai at her ex-mentor, making contact with his knee. The sharp inhale and curses that fell from the Sannin’s mouth made her smirk.
“Now he’s going to die, you little brat!”
As Sakura watched from her position on the floor, Orochimaru pulled his Kusanagi sword from within his body and held it over Sasuke’s body. As he began the plummet of his sword towards Sasuke’s body, the onyx eyes of the Uchiha opened and made eye contact with Sakura. The tears that had been streaming slowly from her eyes began to flow harder, and she was now screaming and flailing.
“Nooo!-”
Sakura’s mind was blank now, all she could see was black. Except for the small window of light that seeped in, and all she could see was the distinct figure of Orochimaru’s body flying across the room. The amount of power that coursed through her limbs made her light headed, but she still couldn’t think clearly. Finally, the faintest scorch in the back of her mind made it all clear: the curse mark had taken over. She wasn’t covered in the usual black vines, instead, she was in the final stage of her curse mark; gray skin, white locks of hair, and golden eyes.
This can’t be.
Her body moved on it’s own, poisonous spikes releasing from her body and hurling towards Orochimaru, who deflected each thorn and weaved his own hand signs, preparing to attack next. Sakura’s anger got the best of her though, and with her tremendous speed, her hand was already around the Sannin’s neck, squeezing with her great might.
“No,” his words were faint as the pinkette squeezed harder. She couldn’t think, though. Her body was acting on its own, and the more she squeezed, the more delight she got out of seeing Orochimaru squirm. She could sense his chakra dwindling under her hand, but he turned to mud and began to drip from her hand. Sakura’s clenched her teeth in anger, cursing the many natures that the Sannin was capable of.
Sakura’s cursed form was now standing in the center of the room, focusing on where Orochimaru would appear from next, but she couldn’t focus completely. The intent to kill was too great, and she couldn’t grasp her ahold of her body.
Stay calm! She tells herself, but her own body ignores her commands.
Orochimaru is now snaked around her legs, twisting up her body and finally resting his head against her white hair, hissing, “you’ve lost your concentration, my child.”
Sakura fell to her back, intent on crushing his figure, but his soft physique only absorbed her intended attack, and she was smashing her own back into the stones. Orochimaru’s neck elongated again, Kusanagi positioned towards her throat. His eyes glowed with a furious fire, and the corners of his mouth rose. Sakura’s mind was racing now, and she began to panic. Her body, on the other hand, reacted on its own like it had been doing. The poisonous thorns from earlier emerged from her skin, stabbing into his body and injecting the poison that flowed from the tips.
Orochimaru groaned with a displeased grunt and uncoiled from her body, melting into the ground and disappearing from the scene. Air finally returned to her lungs and she pushed back up from the ground. Orochimaru was now across from her again, hunched over in pain and panting.
“When did you learn to do that?” His voice was hoarse and hardly audible, as his cells began to fight off the poison, but Sakura knew this fight was over.
The pinkette flash stepped from her spot in the room and appeared behind Orochimaru, grabbing him around the skull and throwing his face into the ground. The sudden movement to his body made him immobile, and he was now face down in the concrete, chuckling lowly. When he turned his head slightly in her palm, he flashed a toothy smile.
“You’re really going to kill me?”
It’s not something I want to do, but if it’s going to stop you from hurting Sasuke, then I’ll do what needs to be done, Sakura closed her eyes before winding her fist up and infusing it with chakra. The pinkette felt the thorns emerge from he knuckles, and in one fluid motion, it was plummeting into Orochimaru’s throat. The immediate stench of blood invaded her nostrils, and she didn’t bother looking at his form. Her mind immediately traced back to Sasuke, and when she looked up, she saw Sasuke’s eyes on her; obsidian orbs glazed over with exhaustion.
The restraints on his arms finally vanished, and he was on all fours, watching Sakura in her cursed form. The anger still coursed through her body, but when she looked to Sasuke, she felt her core heat up. Her golden eyes flashed with danger when she removed her blood covered fist from Orochimaru’s corpse. Sasuke simply swallowed and watched her slow movements.
The small breeze that blew across the corridor picked Sakura’s hair up from her shoulders; the white strands moved slightly. Sasuke finally pushed himself up from the stone laid floor and moved slowly towards Sakura, cautious of her current form, but ready to take her into his arms. Sakura was now standing and facing him, her eyes narrowing in on his form. She screamed to him in her mind, telling him to stay away. She had no control over her body, and she would never forgive herself is she ever hurt him.
Before he could reach her, his onyx eyes widened in horror. Sakura’s body collapsed to her knees, he head jerking back. From Orochimaru’s body, was another that had emerged from the back of his dead body. He had Sakura’s white hair clenched in one hand, and his Kusanagi piercing through her body. Her gray skin began to return to the usual cream, white stands of hair fading to pink, and golden orbs melting to a sea foam green.
Sakura could hardly make out Sasuke anymore. A wave of nausea overtook her mind, and bile began to rise to her throat.
She could hear it, her blood pattering against the stone floor. The sudden heat that rose to her face, along with the vomit that escaped her lips. It was coated in blood, and fell to the floor, along with her body that glided off of the Sannin’s sword, but Sakura never felt her body hit the floor. Instead, she heard Orochimaru’s blade plummet to the ground, and the clinking of metal made her more aware of her surroundings. Instead of her corpse hitting the floor, it was Orochimaru who lie motionless. His own body, cut in two, lying in both his and Sakura’s blood, while she was recovered from the scene and pressed against Sasuke’s chest.
Small coughs escaped Sakura’s throat, and the pain in her abdomen pulsated through out her body.
“Sasuke,” her voice is quiet and drowned out by the liquid in her lungs and throat. He pulls her closer to his chest, pressing his head into her blood and sweat covered hair. Her clothes are tattered from her cursed state, and her hair is now short. The white locks still clenched in Orochimaru’s hand, and Sakura doesn’t even care. Sasuke had cut straight through her hair with his kunai, while he blasted through Orochimaru’s body with his Chidori.
“Don’t speak,” he hushes her. His eyes melt into a deep crimson as he lies her down on her back. The cold floor feels relaxing against the skin on her back, and she closes her eyes. “Sakura, keep your eyes open.”
She doesn’t listen, instead, she concentrates on the quiet hum that now vibrates through the room, concentrates on the feeling of something warm against her stomach, and delves into the sensation of how comforting and warm it feels. While it isn’t as comforting as Tsunade’s, it’s repairing something inside her, and she no longer feels the constant pain surging through her.
When she opens her eyes, she sees Sasuke’s hands trembling, but glowing in the faint green light that she’s familiar to.
“What’re you doing?” She moans out in a hushed whisper.
“I’m trying to heal you. You won’t survive unless I try.”
Sasuke’s face is hidden by his obsidian hair, but Sakura can hear the pain in his tone. She can see the small drops of liquid drop from his eyes, and it breaks her heart. She recalls his countless visits to her training sessions. He would watch from the corner with his Sharingan activated; here he is, now, coping her technique using the mystic palm on her own dying form.
Sakura gulps down the copper tasting liquid once more and then feels the cold air blow over her body once more.
I’m going to die.
Her skin crawls, then descends under goosebumps. Her mind is growing hazy now, and she looks to Sasuke once more before reaching to cup his face with her blood covered hand, “you can stop, now. There’s no use. I can feel it already.”
He doesn’t look at her, only applies more chakra to his hands and proceeds to carry on with his work. Sakura could sense the distraught emotion from him, the will to continue healing her, to save her, “you’re not going to die.”
She drops her hand from his face and smiles. She can feel the way her lips are dried and cracked, coated in her own blood, yet she still smiles.
“I’m happy we’ve been reunited, Sasuke.”
She grows quiet, and it isn’t until Sasuke sends another large pulse of chakra through her body that she closes her eyes for the last time. She feels the hairs of his head against her face, and then her mind grows blank. She’s no longer conscious, and she leaves Sasuke.
-
“Sakura, wake up,” he calls to her. He feels her heart is longer beating....
''I SAID WAKE UP DAMMIT!"he called again...."sa-sasuke...please...listen dont give up on life...im sorry I'll leave you...but I'll always watchover you...."
"Sakura?!"no sound.........

Its the end

She left him

but

He'll do as she said....

Never give up for her