Chapter 8 - Arc Iii: Comrades- Chapter 1

Sakura and Sasuke stood across from each other. The ground was cracking with chakra, and it was already pockmarked from battle. The sounds of battle continued. Naruto continuously clashed with Kabuto, while Ryouko was fighting to the hilt with Orochimaru.

They were both in over their heads. But they did this to give Sasuke and Sakura time. Ryouko and Naruto both loved Sakura. She loved them, too- but in a different way. She had to know if Sasuke was the only man for her.

“Sasuke…it’s been so long…” she began, her words coming out soft. She wanted to scream at him, and hit him, and tell him how stupid he was. But she couldn’t do that. Not yet. There HAD to be a reason.
“Just tell me why you left us, Sasuke. Why?”

Sasuke could only think of his brother. In his daze, he told Sakura the last words he ever thought he’d hear himself say:
“To test the limits of my own abilities.”
--

Ryouko and Orochimaru were now sword to sword, each struggling to gain an advantage. They pushed at each other, teeth barred in pure hatred. Their swords canceled each other out. It would be the wielder, not the weapon, that dictated the outcome of the fight.

“You…won’t win! You’re not even of shinobi blood!” Orochimaru crowed.

“You won’t win! I may not win, but I won’t lose! I’ll take you with me, if it’s the last thing I do!”

“Your little girlfriend is over there, talking to Sasuke. What happens when he kills her?” Orochimaru sneered.

Ryouko pushed harder, giving a fierce kick to Orochimaru’s leg. It wasn’t enough to topple the Sannin, but it made Ryouko feel better.
“I’ll kill you, then I’ll kill him. Then I’ll pray to God my soul be saved for murdering you both. But I think he’ll forgive me. Because by killing you and him, I’ll have saved countless lives!”

-

Naruto and Kabuto locked kunai, each pushing furiously.

“You’re good, Naruto! I’m surprised! But you still can’t beat me!”

Naruto responded by hitting Kabuto with a Rasengan. Then, before he could get up, a second Rasengan was buried in Kabuto’s stomach.

“Guess I proved you wrong, you four-eyed freak! And your sensei’s all tied up! Now…Sakura!”
--

Orochimaru grinned nastily for a moment, then opened his mouth. Out of it came a second Orochimaru, with another sword! It popped out behind Ryouko and stabbed forward. It was all Ryouko could to duck under the strike. The Orochimaru’s swords kept stabbing at him, and he kept moving. But all the same, he kept them contained.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryouko saw Naruto make it to Sakura’s side. Team Seven re-united.

Good. Now I just need to keep Orochimaru busy while they sort themselves out. I’m pretty sure my life is forfeit here, but if it makes Sakura smile…even just once more…

The Orochimarus bobbed and weaved. It was all Ryouko could do to follow them and dodge their strikes. They didn’t give him time to weave signs, and he couldn’t get his eyes locked one either one long enough to put a genjutsu out there. But there was the answer!

“False Surroundings Jutsu!”

Ryouko put the jutsu on the area around himself, rather than on Orochimaru’s senses. He released it almost instantly, but it gave Ryouko time enough to pull a quick Shadow Clone jutsu to even the odds.
--

Schunk!

My clone was skewered instantly, from both sides. The swords of both the Orochimaru’s met in the middle of my clone. As they were shadow clones, I sustained a measure of the damage, too, just below my right shoulder. Blood spilled out of my mouth as the Orochimarus both twisted their blades violently.

Something was wrong- my clone wouldn’t disappear. It just stayed there, trapped between the blades. That meant I felt each twist of the swords to some degree. I was going to die, unless I did something!

I rushed one of the Orochimaru’s. But from his sleeve poured snakes, forcing me back again. I didn’t dare use another clone of any kind. So I was virtually powerless.
--

“Sasuke! You’ve got to come home! Ditch this guy!”

Naruto was urging almost frantically, even grabbing Sasuke’s sleeve. But Sasuke tugged his sleeve away from Naruto. When Sakura stepped forward, she was slapped across the face. She dropped to her bottom, stunned by the gesture. As she fell, she saw Ryouko fighting out of the corner of her eye.

Ryouko met her eye, and shook his head once, firmly. It meant ‘do your thing, forget me!’

Sakura did, but kept glancing at the battle. She had just forced Sasuke out of her heart, and now here he was in front of her. It was all she desired…but not now. She had two other boys she loved. She had no room in her mind to sort through feelings for an old crush. Especially one that would just slap her.

“Sasuke…I don’t know what Orochimaru can give you that we can’t. But it can’t be good enough to forget us…” Naruto looked his old friend in the eye, almost desperate. “Come back with us. Make things like they used to be!”

Sasuke regarded Naruto with silence. After a moment, though he gave a hard statement: “Things can never be that way again. Instead of chasing me, chasing the past…go become Hokage. Chase down your future. I won’t come with you. Not now, not ever. If I return to the Leaf, it will be on my terms.”

“Damnit! I’ve had it with you!” Naruto growled, the nine-tailed fox welling up inside him. His face started to become feral as one tail emerged. Then two. Then three. “I’ll bring you back, even if I have to destroy you to do it!”

With a growl of rage, Naruto attacked Sasuke.
--

I looked from one Orochimaru to the other, trying to decide how to proceed. My options were limited, because I had to go face Sasuke next- at least, I felt there was a good chance I would. Right now, I was buying time. I either had to kill Orochimaru, or keep him distracted. I knew which was more likely. So I began to think of what I could do to rescue my clone.

A sword extended that far…it’s breaking point is likely where it’s weight changes…right around the middle, there should be a balance point. If I can just break one…For that, I’ll need a little help…

Ryouko unrolled a scroll as he ran. It flapped behind him as he dipped his thumb into his shoulder wound to get blood to draw with. Letting the scroll fly in the air, Ryouko moved forward at top speed. He hated to do this to a legendary sword, but it had to be done. It was life and death.
--

Sasuke tried to hit Naruto with his sword, the unblockable Chidori-laced blade. But Naruto’s demonic chakra just ate through hit, ripping the sword out of Sasuke’s hands. Naruto’s fist swung in and smacked Sasuke hard across the face. It was a killing strike.

Fhssshhhh.

Sasuke’s cursed seal was activated, and one of his wings had protected him from most of the demonic chakra just as Naruto’s fist was making contact. The same wing tried to hit Naruto. But things went from bad to worse, as a fourth tail grew from Naruto’s body. He now resembled the demon fox more than he did himself.

“No…” Sakura managed to utter, almost mouthing the word instead.
Without Captain Yamato here, there’s no way to seal that chakra! It’s going to consume Naruto!

Risking a glance over her shoulder, Sakura saw Ryouko still battling Orochimaru. Being smart, she began to think rationally.

If Lady Tsunade put him with us, then he must have some kind of weapon against Naruto’s chakra! But that means I’ve got to help him halt Orochimaru first…I don’t know if I’m good enough for that…

Sakura took a deep breath. Good enough or nor, all three men in her life were about to perish. She had to save one of them to save the other two. It was hard to leave Naruto and Sasuke to fight, but Ryouko was the only one with any kind of chance of sealing that chakra.

But as it turns out, she would be beaten to it…
--

Orochimaru happened to look over to check on Sasuke. He didn’t make that a habit- the boy was so ridiculously strong he didn’t seem to need supervision most of the time. But right now, he was in just about over his head.

That four-tailed beast gave even me trouble. Sasuke may have surpassed me, but he’s never fought demons as I have. Without Kabuto here, I can’t get close…

Orochimaru swallowed his clone just as Ryouko’s spectacular counter-attack happened. The scroll he had thrown released a sword. “Ten no Kishootsu”- in English, ‘Heaven’s Temper’. There was one blade stronger than the Kusanagi. Ryouko didn’t have that. He had a blade that could rival the Kusanagi. It was so powerful that, unless wielded by a legend, it had to be sealed away. How Ryouko came to possess this legendary sword is a tale best left for another time. What matters is that he shifted his attack was wasted.

“We’ll finish this another time, child,” Orochimaru told Ryouko. “Right now, we need each other to stop that beast. Surely you know what will happen if he’s not stopped?”

Ryouko reluctantly put away his sword. “Agreed. I can seal it…but you’ll have to give me time. Not to mention get Sasuke to back off. If I can get in close enough, I’ll only need a half-second… Sis Mea Pars!”

(Sis Mea Pars- Latin for ‘You become a part of me’)

Ryouko’s clone, still in tact, disappeared. Ryouko received a measure of his chakra back, having used the obscure jutsu he had created by accident.

“One half-second is all I need,” Ryouko repeated.

I looked to Sakura-Ojousama. It was plain to see by her face that she hadn’t convinced Sasuke. It was a miracle we had even caught up with him. Really less miracle and more accident, I suppose.

It began earlier in the week…
--
--

I had trained every day. By myself; with Naruto-dono and Sakura-Ojousama; at the temple with Asuna-chan; with Gai and Lee; then weapons with Tenten. I had no master, and no sensei could make time enough for me. Kakashi and Asuma were both helpful when they could be, but both had a lot of missions these days. They seemed to envy my position, because I got to stay home.

To hell with that. I was a babysitter. And even worse, I had to watch the girl I loved live with another guy. Even if it WAS Naruto, it still stung.

Then there was my fight with Azami in a couple months time. The burn she had given me had been healed by Sakura, but I could still feel that painful, humiliating moment when Azami declared she owned me. I was ashamed at being defeated, and even more ashamed at enjoying it to some degree. My feelings were conflicted for Azami as well, making things hellish. I simplified that by saying “I’ll win. If I love her, I’ll get her to stay here. If not, then I won the fight and she’ll go away”.
I somehow forgot to tell myself that things are never that simple. Imagine that.

As my manner of service had changed, so had my clothes. I had fallen into a deep depression, as reflected by my choices in clothing. I kept most of my body covered. Long black pants, a short-sleeve black shirt, and black full-finger gloves. I had been told by Sakura that I ‘didn’t look well’. I shrugged it off and continued training. Like it mattered anymore. My appearance didn’t concern me at the moment. All that DID concern me was getting stronger.

A messenger from Lady Tsunade arrived, calling me over to him. Things had changed- we had a solid lead on Sasuke Uchiha!

“Kakashi and Yamato?” I inquired. But the messenger shook his head.

“No. M’lady says this is your problem, Ryouko. Sorry.”

With that, he was gone. And I had the unenviable task of telling Naruto and Sakura that there was a lead on Sasuke. This had happened before. I didn’t know which was worse- investigating the lead to find out it was false, or finding out it was true and having to meet Sasuke himself, likely with Orochimaru, on the battlefield. Either way, I had to tell Sakura and Naruto.

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