Work Text:
“Aaaaaaah!!!”
“Hang on,Sasuke!!”
Sasuke let out another painful scream. Sakura grabbed his cold,shaking hand. She tried her best to keep her composure,to contemplate the impact of Orochimaru’s bite on him.
But she sob. For it did not matter;she just had no method to ease Sasuke’s pain. She...really needed help.
“Naruto...Naruto...Sasuke is…”
But as Sakura turned around,she only saw Naruto’s unconscious body,perhaps would perish without her pinning him on a tree.
Tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks. Sakura held Sasuke tightly as a breeze abruptly fell on them. Usually it should not be threatening but this time Sakura felt it was the final thing to come and destroy her team.
What should she do? She,alone in the Death Forest…
…
She’d managed to retrieve both of the guys back beside her. With only a towel and little water left,Sakura hoped it would cool off Sasuke’s high fever.
Sakura was so exhausted that her eyes grew heavy… She quickly shook her head. No! She must not fall asleep. The enemy could come at any time. She must be cautious as she was the only one remaining to guard them all. Although she admitted...she believed more in the chance one of her teammates would recover.
Sakura looked around;her spirit was splitting to all corners of the forest,probably about to tear apart. The enemy could already detect them. They must be waiting when she let her guard down. They must bring their whole team. She was reminded by the confrontation with Orochimaru how common killing intent was in these kinds of tests. Not only she but Naruto,Sasuke...her teammates would… Sakura clenched her fist to hold back the tears;it would never happen!
Suddenly,something invaded Sakura’s vision;she was startled and raised her arm. Then she realized the object: It was her pendant previously hidden behind her clothes. It worked like a charm that she felt much calmer and less afraid when she looked at it. Her mental strength was returning to her…
She remembered: The necklace was gifted to her by the foreigners living in Konoha. They spoke of a time of eternal peace and tranquility. They assured with the grace of their god,one day there would be no more death or mourning or sorrow or pain;and all the tears would be wiped away,like the ones from her eyes.
Their ideals so appealed to Sakura she’d listened for a bit and was given this pendant. She recalled the young man who presented her the item. His hair shone the halo of the purest gold. His amber eyes flashed both kindness and a strong will. He even said he sensed in her the virtues of a saint,which made her cheeks bloom the blossoms of her namesake.
Sakura silently stared at Naruto and Sasuke. She heard the god reached out and called people to take care of ‘the least of them’. Perhaps, if that was the case,her teammates needed god’s blessing,far more than she did,given their backgrounds.
Sakura turned her gaze to the pendant. Its jade color was so similar to her eyes. Its shape was like the word ‘ten’ in Kanji. Somehow,the foreigners called it a ‘cross’ and considered it the symbol of salvation…
Sakura knew it could be foolish but...she wanted to pray to this god. Just this time...she desperately needed the divine help. For the guys had devoted themselves to protect her,yet she had nothing to treat their terrible wounds. Just this time...Sakura urgently asked for healing power.
Sakura’s right hand gripped tightly to her kunai while the other held the cross. Her eyes were kept open without any blinking,still keeping her guard up. She let out a heavy breath before the prayers began.
First Sakura needed to call on this god’s name,but...she did not even know his name. If only she’d paid more attention to the foreigner’s speech. Would titles be okay? Oh how should she call this god? Was he ‘The Father of Heavens’,’The Supreme Ruler of Heavens and Earth’,’The Ruler of the Cross’?
Also,Sakura should pray to a certain man,who perhaps was this god’s representative,who had saved the world through his death and resurrection. Once again,she couldn’t remember the name;but she could imagine who he was. He must be ‘the Crucified Lord’,’the Resurrected One’ and… ‘the Son of Heaven’.
Sakura gently caressed her teammates’ cheeks as she invoked the intercession in her mind: The god,please...help them awake and recover,not for her but their sake. For they were worthy to become pillar shinobis of Konoha;for they were pursuing their great dreams and in need of a place they belonged to. “For I’ve valued them more than my own life…” Sakura carelessly whispered;as if it was a confession she could only speak to the divine.
…
Sakura was back to her cautious stance,this time without shaking in fear. She must have faith;everything would be alright,as long as she focused on her work. Four hours had passed…
...
“You’ve been up all night standing guard eh?”
Sakura gasped and turned back. These three ninjas… They were the team from the Sound and Orochimaru’s underlings. Sakura held her kunai tightly. She must fight them;even alone,she had to…
“Hold on,Zaku!” The one with his face covered in bandages warned the spiky-haired guy. “Why,Dosu?”
That ‘Dosu’ bent his body and investigated the ground with his hand. “It’s obvious. Freshly turned stones,exposed soil,grass in a place it would never grow… Someone’s been setting a booby trap. But what is the point of laying them if you leave evidence that warns your prey?”
Sakura grit her teeth while Dosu’s eye flashed ridicule on her. “Alright then...eliminate her!”
The three Oto-nins jumped as high as possible to Sakura. Suddenly,she cut a stretched line behind her with her kunai...to unleash the real trap…
Dosu widened his eye as a giant log was falling on their team. He could not expect that. Yet instinctively,he raised his arm in front of the log to cast his jutsu.
This time it was Sakura’s turn to be astounded as the log broke to pieces. Such power! His jutsu must be on par with the ones Naruto and Sasuke used. But her trap did its part to stop their momentum,as they landed just 5 meters away from her.
Zaku smirked. “To be honest,I expect that’s all you got! It’s an insult to think you can stop us with just that!”
Sakura’s heart clenched as her best plan had failed. No! It couldn’t be over! She must have something else to deal with them. Sakura assembled a couple of kunais and shurikens in her hands. “No! Not yet!”
She threw the kunais at Dosu but he blocked them with the weapon attached to his arm without flinching.
Sakura couldn’t give up! She threw the shurikens with all her strength left. Zaku abruptly jumped in,held out his arms then the weapons were sent right back to her and slightly cut her thighs and shoulders.
This was not good. Sakura needed to reposition herself. All of a sudden,Sakura felt...being pulled from behind.
“Ow!!” The force seemed to target what was so sensitive to her and yanked her to the ground.
Sakura looked back;it was the enemy girl. Since when did that woman sneak behind and manage to grab her hair?
The woman chuckled in disgust. “Lovely hair...so much bounce and shine than mine has! What ninjutsu is that? The art of deep conditioning?” She forced Sakura’s head low,as if lecturing a slave. “You are a disgrace to all shinobi… Fussing with your looks when you should mind your training!”
The woman’s voice was filled with venom. “Zaku...why don’t you slay Sasuke or that blonde right in front of this lovesick little pig...before she is slaughtered! The least we can do is to entertain her!”
“Haha!” Zaku let out a gleeful laugh. “Good idea,Kin!”
Their words served as a thousand knives stabbing on Sakura. She knew she had to find a way to break free,but she just felt so...crippled. She couldn’t summon any strength…
Tears started to roll from Sakura’s eyes. She couldn’t...for Kin was right. She only cared for her outward appearance. She had no prowess as a ninja nor she truly understood her teammates. She was just a burden to them...just someone they had to protect. She was always in the way...never helping…
What kind of god would ever help someone like her?
Her own effort to help the friends she cared about...could she try it just one more time? Sakura’s anguished mind urged her to bring out another kunai,while her tears were overflowing,letting the earth receive her laments.
A drop slightly fell on the pendant and the cross miraculously glimmered…
“Not so fast!” Sakura grinned as she raised her kunai.
A slice…
And half of her delicate pink lock...what she was so proud of...was removed from her very soul.
At the same time,the cross shone brilliantly,before the shocked Oto-nins,as an aura so overwhelming and sacred emitted from Sakura.
...
Sakura stood solemnly as she recalled Naruto and Sasuke’s steady stance to fight and protect her. The holy light was a fire burning in her breasts the desire to make her team survive. It was her time to protect them!
“Finish her,Kin!” Zaku’s scream got Kin out of her staggering. The Oto kunoichi charged at Sakura only to realize she vanished out of her range.
Zaku turned to his right to face Sakura rushing to him with seven kunais in her hands. He smirked in confidence as he was about to deflect the weapons thrown at him. While he narrowed his eyes before the light on Sakura’s chest,something unnerving struck the back of his mind. He...couldn’t move!
“Arghhhhhh!!!” Zaku let out a gut-wrenching scream as four kunais hit his arms and legs. Incapable of reacting,he took another kick in the stomach from Sakura that sent him to the ground. This Zaku was then terrified as Sakura approached him with her one remaining kunai. She would likely go for his throat…
Fortunately for Zaku,Dosu unleashed a barrage of needles that forced Sakura to back off. The Oto captain then got Zaku up,realizing his injuries weren’t so serious. “What’s wrong,Zaku? Why didn’t you counterattack?” “I-I don’t know! I couldn’t move that time!”
A female groan heeded the Oto shinobis’ attention. Zaku and Dosu were stunned to see Sakura had stabbed Kin in her shoulder. Even Kin wasn’t fast enough to strike back? Without hesitation,Dosu rushed to Kin while releasing more needles to drive Sakura back. If Kin was petrified like Zaku was,then he had to find out for himself. He warned his teammates. “Stay back! Help me when needed!”
Dosu carefully observed Sakura from a safe distance. He slowly moved toward her without a sign of recklessness. Sakura threw a kunai and he merely flung it away with the device on his arm. After that,he sprinted toward her,only to realize...the closer he approached her,the slower he got. The closer he approached...the light on her,the slower he ran,until,he was frozen…
Dosu widened his eyes as another kunai aimed at his head…
Blood flashed as Kin tackled Dosu out of the way. Only Dosu’s ear was struck as he felt the injury from the part he often damaged his opponent’s. Signaling his teammates to move back,he announced them. “I figured it out! If that light is close to you and shines directly at you,you’ll be paralyzed!”
“Then surround her!” Zaku suggested.
Kin and Zaku hurried to get behind Sakura while Dosu kept her occupied. The two Oto-nins fired their sound jutsus they thought would tear her apart. Until...Sakura disappeared in a smoke and a log replaced her.
The Oto-nins grunted in frustration as Sakura appeared a long distance in front of them. Three kunai quickly thrown forced them to dodge rather than to deflect.
They’d lost their best chance,for Sakura was more alert. Whenever they moved,she moved accordingly to avoid them getting her back.
Dosu went for the last resort. He charged at Naruto and Sasuke,still knocked out. Sakura glared in realization and dashed like a whistling arrow. Kin and Zaku unleashed all their remaining weapons. The kunais and needles moved at sound speed,yet the pink-haired kunoichi was faster than sound. None of them hit her as she made it in time to block Dosu’s way. Sakura knew she was putting herself in a precarious situation,but for her friends…
Sakura was about to stab the petrified Dosu until she groaned from a back-breaking pain as Kin delivered an elbow behind her. Then the same back was delivered a kick that sent her high into the air. Zaku carefully aimed and the wind jutsu,while not lethal,cut a thousand cuts on her flesh and blew her away. With a loud smash,Sakura fell to the ground and rolled over.
The Oto-nins furiously gritted their teeth as someone like her dared to damage them like that. They would finish her and her teammates once and for all!
The light from the cross extinguished. Sakura tried to lift her bloodied body up but she couldn’t. She thought: Was this how far she could go? Was this the end of her team?
Suddenly,Sakura heard footsteps,not from the Oto-nins. She took a look and recognized…
Sasuke and Naruto stood by Sakura’s side. Unlike her,they emitted a very dark aura. Sasuke was covered with strange black marks and his Sharingans were more bloody than ever. Naruto’s eyes also turned a crimson color of Kyuubi,which was a sign of his demonic wrath. The more the guys looked at their dear girl,injured and withered while they were absent,the more their blood boiled. They didn’t know how long they had stayed unconscious and what exactly had happened. They only knew there was full darkness in their dream,until a light appeared,called out to them to come closer and urged them to be out of their slumber.
Sakura let out a faint yet apologetic smile,for this was all she could do,including her prayers that helped them awake.
Sasuke and Naruto were like two devils awakened,when their beloved shrine maiden had fallen.
“Sakura...did they do this to you?” “They shall pay for this!”
…
Naruto grabbed and completely locked Kin’s arms and legs,while Sasuke did the same to Zaku. Dosu watched in horror as his teammates were under his opponents’ mercy. Just one move and all of their limbs would break. Sakura found no need for such brutality. She pleaded to her teammates. “Guys...please...please stop!”
The guys glanced at her then eventually released their prey,nevertheless threw them harshly to the ground,as if dumping detestable rag.
“Please,we surrender!” Dosu put the scroll down to the ground. “In your current state,we have no chance of defeating you people.” He carried his knocked-out partners on his shoulders. “Please accept this as a token of my admiration and allow us to leave in peace. Next time,I will ensure we will not cowardly run away!”
As the Oto-nins finally fled the scene,Naruto took the scroll in his pocket. The two guys turned to Sakura,as she slowly stood up.
All of them had a lot to say,but then they preferred a moment of silence after such a stormy journey,trying to connect what was in their minds.
All of a sudden,Sakura’s cross glinted once more. The light was a purifying force reaching her teammates. Sasuke’s black marks faded out and withdrew,as his Sharingans were deactivated. Naruto’s eyes returned to its peaceful sea color. The guys just felt the unexpected pleasantness the light gave.
They felt an even greater,invaluable warmth,of their treasured girl. Sakura hugged them tightly,this time crying out the tears of happiness. Sasuke and Naruto were here,safe and sound,with her. Nothing could describe how grateful she was to the god.
