Chapter 11 - Sakura's Dreams

Ekyt had decided to wear his shiny new hatai ate around his forehead. The rest of his look was the same, including the black headband covering his mangled eye. He left the shabby apartment.

His day had barely started when problems arose. Linda and Lee. “Ekyt, hello. Congratulations on your first mission.” “Thank you Lee.” Linda stepped forward hard, putting a finger in Ekyt’s face. “I hope this mission cripples you, just so you don’t get killed.” She snarled. Lee was too shocked to say anything. “Linda, let’s get this straight. You are NOT going to stop me from taking missions, you are NOT going to stop me from getting better, and you are NOT going to intimidate me. If you don’t want my friendship, that’s your business. All I ask is that you leave Sakura alone. She’s innocent here. And another thing: I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but I hope you get over it quick. Because, frankly, you are being a dog.” Lee started to strike forward, but stopped himself. He had to admit Ekyt was right. He loved Linda, he just wished she would stop torturing the poor guy.

Ekyt had been told to bring weapons. He had his kunai, his tri-sectional staff, and his sword. He went to the meeting spot. Of course, he was an hour early. He settled in with his white scroll to wait.

Sakura had a dream that night. She was with her cell, and they were on a mission. Sasuke’s curse mark suddenly spread. In one swoop, he had killed Kakashi. “Please stop Sasuke!” Sakura begged. Naruto attacked Sasuke, attacking for all he was worth, the demon fox spirit lending him strength.

Next to her, Ekyt watching the fight, kunai drawn. “Sakura…you’ve got to run for it.” Ekyt’s voice stunned her. “I can’t leave Sasuke!” she blurted out, not thinking about the boy protecting her. She clearly saw his face drop; his mask was gone in her dream. “Then I’ll do what I can to end this.” Naruto fell at his feet, dead from Sasuke’s vicious attacks.

“You’re going to stop me?” Sasuke sneered at Ekyt. “Sasuke, I know that’s not you talking. I know the REAL Sasuke is in there somewhere. You have to control the curse mark.” Sasuke struck hard, knocking Ekyt backward. “Sasuke!” was all Sakura could say. Sasuke thrust hard with a sword, hitting Ekyt’s midsection, pinning the dying boy to a tree. For the minutes he was still living, Ekyt was hit mercilessly by Sasuke. “Sakura…run.” Were his last words before the life left his eyes. Sasuke raised his sword. “Now you can die by your samurai customs.”

Sakura flung herself up in bed, nearly hyperventilating. “No. That would NEVER happen. But this dream…it feels like it means something…but what?”

Sasuke was the next to arrive. “Morning Sasuke.” Ekyt said. No response. Ekyt took that in stride, going back to his scrolls. Sakura strolled up next. “Good morning!” “Good Morning Sakura.” Ekyt said brightly. “Morning.” Sasuke muttered darkly. “Any sign of Kakashi-Sensei?” Sakura asked. “Fat chance.” Sasuke said immediately.

Three hours later, Kakashi showed up. “Sorry I’m late guys, there was this cat and…” “Kakashi-Sensei, if you’re going to lie, at least be creative!” Sakura protested. “Right. Sorry. So…our mission for today. Let me see here…” Sasuke put a hand to his curse mark. “Ah!” Kakashi looked at the mark. “The mission for today has just changed. Ekyt and Sakura, you two head to Jinsei town’s emporium, and pick up all the orders for our village.” Ekyt and Sakura bowed and left. Kakashi turned back to a furious Sasuke. “Why wouldn’t you let me go?!” “Sasuke, you know what that curse mark does. We can’t wait any longer. It MUST be sealed, and there’s only one Shinobi powerful enough to do it. But Sasuke, this kind of sealing needs your cooperation. You have to WANT the curse sealed.”

“So…what exactly are we getting?” Ekyt asked. Sakura seems distracted…it must be Sasuke…I’ll have to see if I can help there. For now, though… “Huh? Oh, sorry. It’s probably weaponry, scrolls, stuff like that.” Sakura answered, her mind clearly elsewhere.

“WHADDAYA MEAN, NO RAMEN?!” Naruto shouted at the nurse. “We don’t serve it here, Mr. Uzumaki.” “WHAT ABOUT TAKE-OUT! Ahhh, this sucks! Believe it!” With the cast on his leg, Naruto hopped over to the window, hoping there was something interesting out there.

“Sakura…you okay?” Ekyt asked carefully. You don’t piss of the kunoichi... a sardonic corner of his mind thought. “I just…had this really disturbing dream last night.” As soon as she said it, Sakura felt like an idiot. Oh, what’s he gonna think of me for this? Letting a dream bother me! To her surprise, he stopped walking and asked her “Do you want to tell me about it? Maybe it’ll help you calm down.” Sakura found herself telling him about the dream, even his own violent death. “And Sasuke had lost it. He killed everyone. And the worst part is all I could do was say his name over and over.” She finished. Ekyt put a gently wrapped hand on her shoulder. “That dream is enough to shake ANYONE up. You really care about Sasuke, and you’re worried about him. We could hurry this mission up and get back, and check on him.” Sakura felt so relieved she considered kissing him again. She settled for saying “I’d really appreciate that.” Tenten’s words (From last ish “Who’s to say this boy couldn’t make you happy?” ran through her head. She brushed them aside, not taking the idea seriously.

“Are you ready Sasuke?” “Ready.” Lord Hokage made the complicated series of hand signs and read from the scroll. He placed his hand carefully on Sasuke’s neck. When he removed his fingers, there were five marks around the curse mark. “Sasuke, it is going to be up to your will now. You have to WANT to resist Orochimaru. Do you understand?” “Yes.”

Sakura and Ekyt picked up the order. About halfway back to the village, three ninjas jumped them, trying to take the goods. “Drop the goods kids, we don’t need to hurt you.” “Forget it!” Sakura shouted back. The other ninja gave a laugh. He was wearing a black gi, and a missing-nin hitai-ate from the Village Hidden in the Rocks. “You’ve got one last chance to give me what you’ve got and go.” Sakura looked over at Ekyt. How could such a nervous young man be so confident in a life or death situation, she wondered. “You Rock Ninja rejects aren’t getting our goods. So, pardon the pun, go crawl under a rock.” Ekyt said flatly.

“How is Sasuke, Lord Hokage?” Kakashi asked, lowering his book. “Keep an eye on him Kakashi. You know of his personal mission…he might seek out the power Orochimaru offers…we can’t allow that to happen.” “I understand. Aside from me, the only one who could match him right now is Naruto, and Naruto’s injured…he should be guarded. The rivalry both Sasuke and Orochimaru have with him are putting him in danger.” “Where are you other students?” “They should be on their way back now. I wonder what’s keeping them?” “Knowing your group…anything.” Kakashi couldn’t argue that point.

Sakura performed a clone jutsu. Ekyt followed her lead. “Okay, this is old! Get them!” the lead ninja called out his orders. “Dragon’s Ember Jutsu: Clone Instigation!” Ekyt’s two clones used the jutsu, leaving Ekyt free to try a new jutsu. “Dragon’s Path jutsu!” Ekyt leapt on top of the fire, riding it’s momentum (Picturing it like he’s surfing) to the two enemies huddled up against the flame. Ekyt drop-kicked one, then bounced off his head into the leader. That left one other to Sakura. Thinking quickly, she used her “Full Bloom Jutsu.” That allowed her to focus half of her chakra into a fight-ending attack, provided it hit. With Ekyt’s clones giving her the time by continuing their jutsu’s, she aimed for the solar plexus with a chakra-powered punch.

The leader swiped at Ekyt, who used a Body Transfer Jutsu, trading places with a log. The log was destroyed by the strike. Ekyt grabbed the ninja around the neck, a kunai to his neck. “Call off the attack. Right now.” Ekyt said firmly. “Lay off!” the captured ninja called to his troops. “Good. Now, come with us. If you fight, we will attack. Make no mistake about it.”

“Ah, here they…are…now.” Kakashi put a hand to his forehead. “They aren’t alone Kakashi. Do you know those ninjas?” Lord Hokage asked. “No, I’m afraid I don’t.” Ekyt and Sakura marched the ninjas up to their superiors. “These three attempted to rob us.” Ekyt said after showing the proper respect. “Do you have the supplies?” Kakashi asked. Ekyt and Sakura produced the supplies. “Very well. Because you were attacked, this would be a C-rank mission. Congratulations on completing it. I’ll need a report from each of you.”

After the mission, Sakura found herself walking the same was as Ekyt. “Thanks for helping me out earlier.” She said. “I know anxiety when I see. Besides, you’re worried for your friend…that’s a good thing.” Sakura could tell Ekyt wanted to say more, but that he had settled for looking at the clouds. “You are a mix of so many people! You’re mysterious like Kakashi, you’re a thinker like Shikamaru, you’re an avenger like Sasuke, but the one you remind me of most right now is Iruka-sensei?” “Oh? Why is that?” “Just the way you handled the situation, and how you calmed me down earlier…it just reminded me of Iruka-Sensei.”

Sasuke felt the curse mark. It was almost hot to the touch. You’ll never defeat me unless you get much stronger, little brother. Itachi’s taunting voice was running through Sasuke’s head again. He clenched a fist. “Strength, brother? You don’t KNOW strength…I’ll do whatever it takes, crush whatever gets in my way, to get to you. And we WILL have a finality to our battle. And I’ll be the one standing…I can never forgive you for what you did…I’m going to make you pay…”

Sasuke was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t hear Sakura coming. “Sasuke…are you alright?” She watched in alarm as the curse mark spread. “Sakura…you’ve got to go…get Kakashi-sensei…” he said, holding his neck. “Hurry!”

“So they jumped us, we managed to capture them, and we delivered the goods, and them.” Ekyt finished his report to Kakashi and Lord Hokage. “Kakashi-Sensei! Lord Hokage! Hurry, please! It’s Sasuke! The curse mark!” Sakura called. “Lead the way.” The Third Hokage said immediately. “Kakashi, you too. Ekyt…I’m assigning you to protect Naruto until we return.” “Understood sir.” Ekyt said crisply.

“Sasuke, it’s us.” The curse mark was spreading to Sasuke’s face. “You have to focus Sasuke. Don’t let it overcome you.” “I…when I think about my brother…it just happens…ahhhh!” The mark had reached his eyes. “Please Sasuke, fight it! You’re stronger than that! Fight it!” Sakura encourage him. Slowly, the curse mark receeded.

Asuma and Shikamaru were already visiting Naruto when Ekyt came to replace Genko Hayate as the guard. “Thanks (koff koff).” “No problem Genko-sensei.” That guy always looks sick… Ekyt thought to himself. Asuma and Shikamaru were in the middle of a game of Go, so Ekyt didn’t disturb them. “How are you feeling Naruto?” “I need some decent food! Hey, how’d the mission go?” “Ah, it was just a supply mission. A couple of rogue’s tried to jump Sakura and I, but” “Where was Sasuke?” Naruto asked. “The mark.” Ekyt said simply. “What? Oh man, is he okay? He can’t die, I haven’t beat him yet!”

Sakura watched Lord Hokage and Kakashi talk about Sasuke. She closed her eyes for a minute. She had a dream (Maybe a vision?), this one as disturbing as the last. In this dream, Ekyt and Naruto were fighting Sasuke and…Chakaro? Sasuke looked different, wearing a hakama and an open gi top. He didn’t have a hitai ate, and was using a sword. Chakaro was fighting Ekyt, and appeared to be winning. Naruto was losing to Sasuke. Sakura was on the sidelines, knowing she should be helping somehow, but not knowing what to do.

Things got worse when Ekyt and Naruto’s chakra was exhausted. They both made brave last attempts to hold off Sasuke and Chakaro. It was then Sakura realized that there were a thousand ninja, wearing the Sound Village’s hitai ate. Behind Ekyt and Naruto was the Leaf Village. They were holding off an invasion while everyone else was being evacuated. They were the last line of defense.

Then they were killed.

Sakura stifled a scream. “I’m going to check in on Naruto.” She said, trying to keep her voice steady. For some reason, she didn’t want Sasuke to know about the dream. That left Ekyt.

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