"I killed her. She's dead. I murdered someone," I chanted, rocking back and forth, my eyes wide with horror.
"Naruko..." Kakashi whispered. A lone tear streamed down my cheek, turning red as it passed through the blood splattered across my face.
Kakashi grabbed my shoulder, looking down at me. "It'll be okay," he whispered. I shook my head violently.
"No! I killed her, Kakashi!" I snarled. Kakashi sighed.
"I've had to kill people too, Naruko." He answered. I relaxed a little bit, not watching as the medics carried her body away.
Suddenly, there was an explosion where the Hokage was sitting. I jumped up, eyes wide. "What's going on?! The old man!" I yelled, nearly forgetting about the previous events.
A bunch of ANBU rushed over to the explosion area. And all the spectators began to slowly pass out. I jumped into the stands, following Kakashi. I stood by him and Gai as they yelled at an ANBU for staying behind.
Suddenly, a bunch of Sound ninja jumped out of random places, lining up next to the fake ANBU. All the spectators and Genin were passed out, and I started to feel woozy myself. I quickly put my hands together and said, "Kai; Release!"
The genjutsu cast on me dispersed and I regained my composer, glaring at the enemies who were standing before us.
"Quite a lot of them, huh." Kakashi said.
"We've been careless. And now even Lord Hokage!" Gai added. He looked up and gasped.
"Look, there! Inside the barrier!" He said. We all looked there, and saw Orochimaru holding a kunai to the Old mans neck.
I gasped as a sudden pain rolled through my shoulder. The curse mark... I hissed, grabbing it and clutching the cloth laying above it. "Orochimaru..." We all growled.
Suddenly, behind us, two ninja threw kunai at Sakura. Before I could help, Kakashi was already there. He blocked the kunai, and smiled down at Sakura. "Sakura, Naruko, stay there while we trim the numbers down. Especially you, Naruko...." He ordered.
I scowled but nodded anyways, sitting down. I clutched the curse mark and watched the Jounin fight the Sound nin. Sakura looked at me, worried. "Is it the mark?" She asked. I nodded solemnly.
"Sakura, release the genjutsu. Wake Naruto and Shikamaru. Naruto will be delighted, but be careful. This is the first A rank assignment since the Land of Waves," Kakashi ordered. A rank mission?! Jackpot! I screamed mentally, smiling.
"Sasuke's after Gaara. Wake them both and follow Sasuke." He ordered. He cut his thumb, and summoned a tiny pug. I sweatdropped.
"Huh?" Sakura asked.
"Pakkun here will track down Sasuke by scent," Kakashi said.
"Wait... Our 5th member is seriously a puppy?" Sakura asked. I giggled as he jumped up to Sakura's face.
"Listen here, girl. Don't go around saying I'm just some cute puppy," Pakkun ordered. I sweatdropped. She never said cute....
"Alright, now go!" Kakashi ordered us. We nodded and crouched down, crawling through the seats past our unconcious friends. We got up to Naruto, and Sakura released the genjutsu that was cast on him.
Sakura crawled over to Shikamaru. His eye started to twitch. Me and Sakura sweatdropped. "You were awake... The whole time..." I muttered.
Pakkun sniffed Shikamaru's leg, then bit it. I laughed as Shika sat up, rapidly trying to shake Pakkun off. "Why were you sleeping this whole time?!" Sakura growled.
"I didn't want to get involved," Shika answered.
"Baka." I muttered. Pakkun went and bit Shika's hand, and Shika had to shake him off again. I laughed again, watching Shikamaru pull Pakkun off of him.
Naruto looked around, confused and dazed. Suddenly, a ninja came charging at us. Gai quickly reacted, pushing him into the wall. The Sound nin went straight through the bricks. Kakashi landed in front of us. "Now I'll explain the mission," he said, since the enemies were cleared.
"First, track down Sasuke and stop him from getting Gaara. Then, find a safe location and await further orders." He said.
"Did something happen to Sauske?" Naruto asked. Sakura crawled over to him. "I'll tell you on the way. Now lets go!" She grabbed Naruto, and we jumped off.
As we were running, Pakkun sniffed the air. "This way!" he ordered, jumping off. We followed him in response. We all started talking, but I was zoning out, thinking about how Sauske was doing right now.
"There's 9 ninja following us!" Pakkun said.
"Oh come on!" Shika whined. I rolled my eyes. Pakkun stopped.
"Whats the deal?!" Naruto yelled.
"Zip it and follow me!" Pakkun growled, "We're going back in our footprints," he said.
We all started backing up, jumping into the trees. We started to head off again. I was zoning out, not really focusing on the current conversation. I snapped back to reality when Shikamaru started describing our team.
"A kunoichi with no particular talent, a fool, a mutt, and me, the shirker who doesn't wanna be here!" Shika yelled.
"What about me?!" I yelled.
"Well, you're the one with actual talent here!" He answered.
"Wooh!" I pumped my fist in the air.
I started to zone out again. Shocker... That is, until I heard Shikamaru say, "One of us might just...." [Dramatic Pause] "Die." He said finally. We all stopped, debating on who should go. "I'll go," I said quickly.
Shika shook his head. "I'll go. I can hold them back with my Shadow Possession jutsu." He explained. After some debate, we finally agreed.
"Good luck, Shikamaru!" I whispered.
"We're counting on you!" Naruto yelled.
Before Shika left, he raised his hand in a stiff wave. "Later!" He disappeared. We turned back around and took off again. The way there was dead silent. We were all lost in our own thoughts as we ran forwards.
And finally, we arrived. I stood next to Naruto, staring in shock at Gaara. He was surrounded by sand, and he looked almost demonic. There was another tug in my stomach. "Damned Ichibi... That's my chakra!" Kyuumi roared within me.
Sasuke was beside me, and beside him was Sakura. He clenched his teeth, groaning in pain as the curse mark spread across his skin. From just looking at him I felt my mark burning. I hissed, clutching the spot on my shoulder where it remained.
I fell to my knees as the pain from both the mark and Kyuumi's rage. I groaned, collapsing next to Sasuke. I heard the sizzling sound of the curse mark as it spread. I stopped it halfway, before it could get any farther.
"Naruko!" Sakura yelled, worried. Gaara ran at Sasuke again, ready to attack. I attempted to get up, but I failed horribly and collapsed again. Sakura jumped ahead and tried blocking him. Gaara paused for a moment, then smashed Sakura agaisnt the tree.
He trapped her against the trunk with his sand, knocking her unconcious. "Sak...ura..." I whispered. The mark was draining my energy, immobilizing me with its immense pain.
Gaara started to laugh like a maniac. "And that's exactly why you can't win. As long as you fight for others, you'll never advance beyond this level. Only one can remain undefeated. And only he will feel what it's truly like to exist."
"Forget your friends. Fight for yourself." He continued.
"You're insane! Forget my friends?!" Naruto answered.
"Trivial things like loyalty cloud your focus, and you'll end up dead." Gaara growled back.
"Yeah yeah, keep talking while you can. Cause I'm gonna shut you up once and for all!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing at Gaara.
My eyes drooped as the pain consumed me, and I fell unconcious.
Once I woke up, I saw Naruto standing on Gamabunta's head, facing the Shukaku. I felt a familiar, painful tug in my stomach. "Damned Ichibi... My chakra... My chakra!" Kyuumi roared again. I coughed, standing up.
The curse mark had thankfully receded while I was unconcious, and my chakra had been restored. I grinned and did some handsigns, deciding to help out Naruto and Chief Toad. "Summoning Jutsu!" I yelled. Before I summoned anything, I jumped out of the way of the others.
I pressed my palm on the ground and there was a giant puff of smoke, and I once again found myself standing on Kentaro's giant head. He snorted. "You again? Damn brat!" He laughed. His attention fell on the Ichibi.
"Shukaku?! Kid, what have you gotten yourself into?" Ken exclaimed. I shrugged.
"Hurry up and help Gamabunta and my bro, Ken!" I yelled. Ken snorted at the nickname, but bounded up next to them both anyways.
They both looked at us, and we looked straight back. We nodded in acknowledgment to each other. Gamabunta lunged forwards and transformed into the Nine Tails. My stomach tugged at the sight, but I ignored it and ordered Kentaro forwards. Shukaku shot an air bullet at the both of us as we charged together.
Ken jumped out of the way and I clutched his fur tightly, using chakra to hold myself to him. Gamabunta went and bit Shukaku, holding him there. "Your turn!" Ken and Gamabunta yelled at my brother and I.
"Got it!" We said similtaniously.
"Rise and shine!" Naruto yelled, punching Gaara in the face. Gaara quickly trapped Naruto in his Sand Coffin.
I uppercut Gaara in the jaw. "Wake up, Gaara!" I yelled. He stopped, turning to me with bitter, angry eyes. Sand quickly engulfed me, wrapping around my arms and legs, rendering me immobile. I growled and something suddenly came over me.
"I order you to stop now, Ichibi!" I screamed in an inhuman voice. Kyuumi's voice. I blinked in shock, coming back to my senses. The Ichibi and Gaara's eyes widened, and Shukaku turned into a pile of sand.
Gaara's POV
"I order you to stop now, Ichibi!" The girl, Naruko yelled in a demonic and overpowering voice.
"There's no way!" Shukaku screamed from within me as he was sucked back into the seal.
Naruko's POV
Naruto, Gaara, and I began to fall as Shukaku disappeared. Gamabunta and Kentaro dissapeared as well, sending the three of us into the trees. I landed next to Naruto, who stood up at the same time as Gaara. Naruto and Gaara suddenly lunged at eachother, and Naruto sent Gaara back with a punch to the face.
They both landed on the ground and I rolled down after them, landing beside Naruto. They stared at eachother, seeming to be sharing silent words. I watched weakly as Naruto crawled over to Gaara. I coughed, growing weaker by the second.
I couldn't even twitch my finger. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my back. I looked up, seeing Sasuke picking me up. I smiled weakly. "Oh, thanks Uchiha," I muttered. He carried me over without a word, kneeling down next to Naruto.
"That's enough. Sakura's fine. The sand crumbled away. It's fine now," Sasuke reassured my brother.
"That's a relief." Naruto sighed, laying his head down. I turned my head slowly and saw Temari and Kankuro standing in front of Gaara.
Kankuro leaned down, picking the redhead up. He turned to us, then quickly dissapeared. I smiled weakly, turning my head towards the sky, and I slowly closed my eyes.
It's over...
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I made it a longer chapter! Hope you liked it :D
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