"Gaara!" I wave my hands at the redhead before tackling him into the tight hug. He blushes before putting his arms around me, too. "How are you?" I ask with large grin plastered on my face as I beam at the redhead in front of me. "Oh, hello." I smile and greet the girl, that is standing beside him.
"Sakura." Gaara shakes his head and smiles softly, smile that I missed so much. "I am fine, thank you." He says politely before turning towards the girl."This is Mitsuri." I smile at the girl and greet her once again. But my eyes are still on Gaara and the way he looks at the girl. The soft gaze he used to give only to me.
"Y-You a-are H-Haruno S-Sakura!" The girl, Mitsuri says with amused glint in her eyes, large smile forming on her lips. I nod my head to her, a bit creeped out. "P-Please t-to m-meet you, Sakura-sama." She bows to me as I take a step back.
"You d-don't have to bow t-to me, Mitsuri-chan!" I yell at the girl, awkward that someone is acting like that. "P-Please stand up." I whisper in a lower voice, blush creeping up on my face.
"It seems you are famous, Sakura-chan!" Shisui chuckles at me, ignoring my glaring. "Come on, Kakashi is waiting." I nod and jog behind Shisui.
"Don't be ridiculous." I shake my head nudging him slightly. "She knows me because I trained Suna Medics several months ago." I roll my eyes and Shisui chuckles. "Ne, Shisui." He looks at me. "What's wrong with Itachi? He has been acting weird lately...And he told me about the marriage... Isn't he supposed to be happy?"
Shisui does not say anything, his eyes casted down, as if he is hiding something from me. He sighs, finally looking at me. But his orbs are filled with sadness, guilt.
"Well..." He starts in a low voice, whispering. "Itachi... Yes, he likes Izumi and was always fascinated by her, but..." Shisui bites inside of his cheek before continuing talking. "But... He always had deeper feelings for someone else." I look confused at him. I have never imagined Itachi with someone else. "I have noticed it long ago, but chose not to comment on it. He had not even told me about it, but I did notice, so he saw no point in hiding it from me." Shisui starts blabbering.
"Does the girl know?" I ask confused. Shisui looks at me with raised eyebrows. "Does the girl know about Itachi's feelings? Or does even Izumi knows what is going on?"
"No and no." Shisui shakes his head. "It seems that the girl does not feel same about Itachi. Never did and we doubt that she will ever do. She has someone else special in her heart." I nod. "While... I don't think telling Izumi-chan that he loved another would be wise. Itachi thinks that he will manage to completely and utterly fall in love with Izumi-chan and learn to love her, like he loves another girl, who can never be his." Shisui looks down.
"But..." I whisper in a low voice. Confused. I was like Itachi once and then everything clicked back into places. Nearly. If I did not try to move on, if I had not started having feelings for Gaara, and after his death if I had not been engulfed into guilt and shame, I might have given him a chance. And he might not have waited till last moments to tell me that he loved me. Yet, he did and even when he tried to tell me about his feelings with actions, I have always dismissed it. Dismissed him. And in the end, I was regretting it with my whole might.
"Sometimes it is better to let go, Sakura-chan." Shisui smiles sadly at me, ruffling my pink hair. "Sometimes, it is better to move on and find the one for you." He states again. "I know that Itachi might never completely fall in love with Izumi-chan, or forget about the girl, but at least, he will have some happiness in his life." Shisui smiles again.
***
"Haruno Sakura?" Raikage asks surprised as soon as I step inside the meeting hall. It is large and beautiful. I nod my head to him."I am surprised that Konoha has sent its legendary Shinobis all at once." He states bewildered.
"Hokage-sama could not come." Kakashi starts in deep, loud and respectful tone. "Due to recent attack on the village she was injured." He is too careful not to slip additional, unneeded information. "Thus, we are here instead of Hokage-sama." Kakashi finishes.
"Copycat Ninja Kakashi." Tsuchikage starts in ancient, irritating voice. During the war, his voice had changed and it was not irritating at all. He acknowledged us. Now, we have to go over it once again. His eyes are trained on Kakashi, before shifting to Shisui. "Shunshin no Shisui." Shisui bows a little, smirk plastered on his face. "Uchiha Itachi...ANBU Captain Weasel." Itachi stays stoic. He does not really have any nicknames, which I think is just sad. But it still better than the ridiculous nicknames I have been given. "ANBU Head Rabbit." Tsuchikage looks at me. My ANBU status was only disclosed to Kages and their personal guards. Because I was coming here and it was important. "Pink Beast of Konoha. Deadly Blossom. Haruno Sakura." His voice becomes deeper when he states my nicknames and lastly my name. Voice, that reminds me so much of the one, he used during the war.
"Is Konoha expecting any threats?" Mizukage chuckles lightly. I awe at the woman in front of me. She is beautiful with her long auburn hair.
"We are not sure, Mizukage-sama." I start politely and carefully. "We think that remains of Akatsuki might want to attack the meeting."
"And you think we can't handle ourselves?" Tsuchikage starts in loud voice, laughing maniacally. "Girl, I have been in war. We all have been and survived the far greater threat than Akatsuki." I sigh.
You are right. You have seen in previous timeline. But you have not survived it.
"We don't want to risk it, Tsuchikage-sama." I start in irritated tone, which I am sure everyone can detect. "I don't doubt your abilities, but I know what the enemy is capable of, so I don't think taking unnecessary risks is a wide idea."
He does not say anything, but I can see in his expression that even though, he does not want that, he agrees with me. We have seen how strong our enemy is, they have lost their tailed beasts.
"We have common enemy, Tsuchikage-sama." I say with soft smile resting on my face, giving me innocent look. "We have to unite powers against them, that's why we are here today, is not it?" I tilt my head lightly, tapping my chin. "We don't have to mistrust one another."
***
"What the hell, Sasuke?!" I shout loudly as I avoid yet another lightning. Itachi and Shisui with others are fighting with Tobi, who declared himself as Madara, and Sasuke's teammates. While I am stuck with duck butt.
"You don't understand, Sakura." Sasuke shakes his head. "You brought in the whole Akatsuki to the village, traitors! What are you doing?!" Sasuke yells back at me, agitating me.
No one calls my friends traitors and gets away with it.
"You are a moron." I mumble as I jump on him, punching him directly in the stomach, sending him flying away. "You think you are better, Sasuke?!" I taunt him, punching him again and again, sitting on his stomach, while punching his face. He is coughing up blood, but I still don't let him move. I can feel tears streaming down my face, droplets falling on his exposed chest. "It was Itachi's mission to leave." I whisper in a low voice, punching him once more. "And you left because you chased powers." I cry out once again, sobbing loudly.
I put my head on his chest, listening to blood oozing from his lip, falling in taps on the floor. I know that he can even kill me now if he wants it. But I don't find power in me to finish him off. I never did, I never could.
"Sa-Ku-Ra..." I look up at him as he slowly whispers my name. His eyes are trained solemnly on me, his face blooded and bruised. "I...am...sorry." He whispers before putting his hands around me. He winces from pain, but he hugs me tightly. As tightly as he can in his state. "I...am...sorry." He whispers once again.
***
"Give me Sasuke." Madara/Tobi states in cold tone. His eyes are fixed on Uchiha behind me. I know about his abilities. I know what he is able to do. And I will not let him take Sasuke away from me. Now, when he is with me.
"No." I sneer the word out, barely standing on my feet. He starts disappearing and I turn around, punching his hand just when he was about to touch Sasuke. I hear a loud crack and smile proudly as his hand lies broken. "Fight me, Uchiha." I smirk at Tobi in front of me. "Itachi. Shisui." I whisper the names and without needed to be told anything, they grab Sasuke and drag him towards others.
"You will die girlie." Tobi cackles. "You are no match for me." He states bluntly, shaking his head. I smile, staring directly at him. I have been fighting against Tobi for eight years and alongside him for the whole year, before he died protecting Kakashi. I know him, I know his style.
"I am willing to take a risk." I whisper irritated. I jump away just a second before kunai flies in the place I stood. I grit my teeth, adrenaline pushing in my veins. I start running to him, ready to punch him, but I end up punching the floor as he disappears. The floor cracks up, creating earthquake.
"Maybe we will meet another time, Sakura-chan." Tobi cackles in my ear as he pushes kunai in my stomach, but I jump away before he is able to do anything else. I take kunai out, letting my body heal itself. But he is already gone. Declaring the war.