#*|* lost beneath the shadows of war *|* :: fourth shinobi war

[of-sand-and-leaf]

@desertgourd asked :: [ scared ] sender scares receiver

A kunai was launched in his direction, before she had registered who exactly had scared her. Only Nara Shikamaru had known where to find the struggling jinchūriki; the result of a promise to Tsunade before she joined the Fourth Division. This week hadn't been the best and it had pushed her control to it's limit, hence the reason she was out here. Alone.

"Commander."

Ami didn't turn to face him. Instead, she closed black eyes streaked with silver and rested her head against the trunk of a tree. Although she knew from experience that ignoring Gaara never actually worked. Especially since he had become Kazekage - her senses simply wouldn't let her ignore him.

[onihitokuchi]

moments (K. H.)

A/N: Hello, everybody. I know, I said I needed some time off of Tumblr until the end of my exams. But I guess life had other plans! If you´re curious about the circumstances, and how I found my inspiration for this, you can read my little rant at the bottom of this post. It´s just a little short something my mind came up with. Please don´t expect too much.

(I don´t own Naruto nor the characters in this story except for my own characters.)

Words: 693

TW: blood, death, loss of a loved one

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･.･ﾟ: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆:*⋆.*･ﾟ⋆*･:*⋆.*:･ﾟ: .⋆:*

He knew life had been hard on her for the last few months.

The war had ended and Konoha was on its way to being rebuilt. It was a time of something new, of something unknown, but something exciting nonetheless.

And as Kakashi strolled through the broken village - welcoming the warm evening sun that kissed his face - he could practically feel the relief and happiness of all the citizens that littered the streets to clean and repair the shops on both sides.

The loud chatter and laughs seemed to get carried with him as he walked out of the village center. A small smile hid beneath his mask. Even his own contentment had been unmissable in the last few days. He knew that everything would be ok in the end, he always had known.

But as the Shinobi finally reached his final destination for the day, his happy thoughts vanished from sight. His shoulders fell and a sigh escaped him as he saw the familiar silhouette of the small woman in front of the memorial.

The new memorial that had recently been put up, for all the lost lives in the fourth war. And as he watched the woman, her back hunched over and her eyes fixed on the grass below her feet, the memories from the day the end of the war was declared rushed back into his mind. Every single moment.

He remembered that exhausted but grateful smile that had graced the woman´s face while she looked at him. He had stood next to her in the final moments - both had promised to protect one another at any cost. And he still remembers how fast her heart had been beating against his chest as she engulfed him in that bone-crushing hug, as the realization had finally settled in.

A hug that had shown so much emotion, a hug with so much love. He´ll never forget that one moment. The moment that had shown him what he really wants in his life - what he needs.

Yet, everything had to crumble down once more.

He was bewitched, he knew that. Kakashi was followed by death - he had been all his life. The feeling of loss and grief and everything in between had been a standard for him in all of his existence. He thought he was used to it.

But he couldn´t quite explain why it had hurt so much worse, watching the woman break down in front of him, the blood of her family coloring her face as she cradled the body of her little brother in her arms. He still can´t explain where the woman had found the force to let out such a blood-curling scream that haunted him at night.

The only thing he had been capable of at that moment, was to watch her weeping in agony. His lung felt empty, his heart heavy, and his eyes burned. And he didn't want - no, he couldn't think about how she felt at this exact moment.

Because he knew, that this was nothing anybody had ever felt, or thought, or seen before. Nobody had nor would ever feel like she did at the point where she lost everything. Just how nobody would ever feel the same as him at the time his fist had rushed through Rin´s chest, or as he had to leave Obito behind. Alone.

The fallen leaves crunched under his feet as he strode over to the lone woman. Kakashi now understood what someone meant when they would say that people become only a shadow of what they used to be when they lose someone dear to them.

No greeting from either side could be heard as both silently stood next to each other. Still, he understood her even without any exchange of words.

His arm wrapped around her side, his hand only ghosting over the woman´s waist. He knew that now was the time, that he would have to offer his comfort to her. Just like she had done all these years now.

And as her hand found his one, their fingers interlocking, he knew he would be there for her.

Every single moment.

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･.･ﾟ: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆:*⋆.*･ﾟ⋆*･:*⋆.*:･ﾟ: .⋆:*

Soo... These last few months were really hard for me. I had a lot of stress because of all the learning I did and then I sadly also lost a dear person. It was not immediate family, still, it hurts. I needed some time off from learning and everything that went around, so I decided to write a little something in hope of it helping me grief.

And it helped. At least a little bit. It will be better someday, I know it will. But things, especially things like this, need time.

For anybody in a similar situation: I feel for, and with you. And if anybody needs to talk about anything, I always have an open ear.

Love to you all. <3

[love-sapphirerose]

15 Naruto Characters Who Were Completely Abandoned

https://screenrant.com/naruto-characters-completely-abandoned/

Akira Toriyama has taken a lot of abuse for forgetting various characters in his Dragon Ball manga series. He would often create characters, set them up to be important, and then never use them again.

Toriyama's forgetfulness can be attributed to the intense workload that comes with creating a weekly manga series, as the constant encroaching deadlines make it harder for the author to come up with long-term plans.

Masashi Kishimoto is just as guilty of forgetting characters in Naruto as Toriyama was in Dragon Ball. The numerous interviews with Kishimoto that have taken place over the years suggest that he was often forced to prune his plans due to timing.

This meant that a lot of story ideas were planted that never came to fruition and a lot of characters were introduced, only to be forgotten later on. There were also a lot of times when Kishimoto would pawn characters off to the anime staff, where they would appear in subpar filler arcs.

We are here today to look at the Naruto characters that were forgotten by the series and have yet to even make token cameo roles in Boruto.

From Naruto's first true opponents to the living zombie that sleeps beneath the soil of Konoha, here are the 15 Naruto Characters Who Were Completely Abandoned!

15. The Demon Brothers

Naruto's first battle against non-Konoha ninja happened at the start of the Land of Waves Escort Mission arc. Two allies of Zabuza waited outside of Konoha in order to ambush Tazuna, who was being escorted by Team 7.

These were two former Hidden Mist shinobi, known as the Demon Brothers, who had defected from their village in order to join Zabuza's coup.

Kakashi and Sasuke were able to easily dispose of the Demon Brothers and keep Tazuna alive. They were then tied up next to a tree and left to be arrested.

We never actually see the Demon Brothers being arrested in the manga and escaping from being tied up is one of the most basic parts of ninja training. Were the Demon Brothers able to escape? If so, did they choose to abandon Zabuza? Why did they never reappear in the story afterward?

14. Seven Of The Tailed Beasts

The Tailed Beasts of the world of Naruto were once believed to be evil, with their presence being treated in the same way as a natural disaster.

Naruto is able to learn the truth of the nature of the Tailed Beasts and is able to befriend them near the end of the story.

Obito attempts to use the power of the Tailed Beasts for his own ends, but they are freed from his control and disappear from the story.

By the end of Naruto, two of the Tailed Beasts were accounted for-- Gyuki was inside of Killer B and Kurama remains inside of Naruto. This leaves seven other Tailed Beasts that remain unaccounted for, that seemingly have vanished in the time skip between the defeat of Obito and Boruto's era.

What happened to the other seven Tailed Beasts? These are giant monsters made of chakra, so it's not as if they can keep a low profile.

13. Homura & Koharu

The position of Hokage was never as powerful as we were led to believe at the start of Naruto. When Naruto returns to Konoha after the time skip, he learns how powerful the other elders in the village are.

When the truth about Itachi's past was discovered, it was revealed that the Third Hokage opposed the plan to wipe out the Uchiha clan, but the three village elders (Danzo, Homura, and Koharu) had the ability to outvote him and sanction the massacre of hundreds of villagers.

It seemed as it Homura and Koharu were being planned for something big, as they were always opposing Tsunade's rule and deemed Naruto to be a threat.

Sasuke also had plans to kill the two of them, as they were involved in the destruction of his clan. None of these plots came to pass and they are last seen planning for the upcoming war against Tobi.

12. Mizuki

Mizuki was the first ever antagonist in Naruto. He was the one who tricked Naruto into stealing the forbidden scroll so that he could dispose of Naruto and leave the village with the scroll in his possession. Naruto is able to defeat Mizuki with the aid of his new Shadow Clone Jutsu and he is never mentioned again.

Mizuki did make another appearance in a terrible anime filler arc, where he was revealed to be a servant of Orochimaru and turned into a tiger monster. He is captured at the end of the arc and sent to prison.

If this is considered canon (and it really shouldn't be, considering how bad it is), then what happened to Mizuki when Pain attacked Konoha?

Was he killed? Was he brought back to life at the end of the arc? Was he able to escape when most of the buildings in Konoha were flattened?

11. Yugao

It really seemed as if Masashi Kishimoto had something big planned for Yugao at one point. We likely will never learn what those plans were, as she never followed through on her vow of vengeance.

Yugao Uzuki was a member of the Anbu and the former lover of Hayate. When Hayate was slain by Baki during the Chunin Exam arc, Yugao visited his grave and swore to get revenge for his death.

Baki would later make a second appearance during the Gaara Retrieval arc, but Yugao was nowhere to be seen. Her revenge plot was dropped totally from the story of the manga.

It took an anime filler episode to explain why she had given up her plans, which involved Hayate being brought back as an undead soldier and the two of them fighting each other. Nothing like this happened in the manga.

10. Ebizo

The Gaara Retrieval arc involved the history of the Hidden Sand village being revealed. This was partly due to the presence of Sasori, who was one of the most powerful shinobi to have ever been created by Sunagakure, yet he had defected and now sought to destroy the village.

Sasori's grandmother, Chiyo, played an important part in this arc, as she was one of the few people who were familiar with his equipment and techniques. Chiyo's brother, Ebizo, was also introduced during this arc and held similar views about how the Hidden Sand village had grown weak over time.

Ebizo never took part in the mission to stop his wayward grandnephew and never involved himself in the war against Tobi.

Ebizo was introduced as being one of the few people with the knowledge to fight Sasori, yet he didn't do anything. He may as well have not existed.

9. The Great Sage Toads

Jiraiya was fond of summoning large toads that could help him in battle. It was during his fight with Pain that he finally broke out the big guns and summoned two of the most powerful toads in existence -- Fukasaku and Shima.

These weren't much bigger than regular toads, but they could help Jiraiya enter Sage Mode more easily and possessed their own range of powerful techniques.

Naruto later became a student of Fukasaku and even used the power of the two Toad Sages during his battle with Pain. Once he became familiar with them, he possessed the ability to summon them into battle like Jiraiya did.

The Two Great Sage Toads were two of Naruto's most powerful allies, yet he never bothered to summon them again in battle after Pain invaded Konoha.

8. Samui & Atsui

The Fourth Shinobi World War was essentially a glorified Boss Rush Mode for the world of Naruto, where previous foes could be brought back for one big chain of battles. It also allowed some characters to resolve their personal issues with deceased comrades and enemies.

The Fourth Shinobi World War also gave Masashi Kishimoto a chance to give fights to the numerous characters that had been introduced and hadn't received any combat scenes yet.

Samui and her team were an example of this, as they seemingly existed just to move the plot forward.

Samui and her brother, Atsui, took part during the war. They were captured in the Benihisago and were later freed by Darui. They have yet to make any other appearances in the post-war world of Naruto or Boruto.

7. Tsume Inuzuka

Naruto and Sasuke both lost their parents before the series began, while Sakura's didn't show up until much later. Many of the other Genin of the same generation belonged to huge clans and had relatives who were active ninja of the village. We got to see most of the parents in action during Orochimaru's initial attack on the village.

Tsume Inuzaka is the mother of Kiba and the matriarch of the Inuzaka clan. Kiba claims that she is so fierce that she managed to scare off his father, which suggests that she is a powerful ninja in her own right.

Tsume was seen fighting off enemy forces during the invasion of Konoha and would later fight Pain alongside her son during his attack on the village. Tsume was not present during the Fourth Shinobi World War, despite the fact that the other family members of the cast were involved in the conflict.

6. Baki

Baki was given the difficult task of acting as the leader of Gaara's squad, as well as acting as a secret agent during the preparation for the attack on Konoha.

He slew Hayate in order to keep his plans a secret, which prompted Yugao to swear vengeance for the death. Baki took part in the battle but fled when it became apparent that his village had been caught up in Orochimaru's machinations.

Baki would later be seen during the Gaara Retrieval arc, where he would assist Naruto and his team in enlisting the aid of Chiyo and her brother in rescuing Gaara.

Despite all of this screen time, Baki didn't take part in the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Also, no resolution was ever given for his killing of Hayate or his role in the invasion of Konoha.

5. Nekobaa

We generally didn't have scenes in Naruto where we would see the characters buying their equipment for each mission. It was assumed that Konoha provided supplies and weapons based on the ranking of the mission, which would be factored into the price.

Those ninja who had defected from their village were forced to rely on the black market in order to acquire weapons. It was revealed that members of the Uchiha clan maintained their own black market suppliers, in the form of a woman named Nekobaa.

Nekobaa was an old woman who kept two talking cats as pets. She showed sadness over the fact that Sasuke was hunting Itachi... and then never showed up again. This interesting character was introduced and then never used again.

Nekobaa did appear in some flashbacks in the filler episodes of the anime and her granddaughter would end up with Kiba, but she had no role in the story after Sasuke visited her shop.

4. Shiho

Naruto has the second-biggest fan fiction community after Harry Potter. A great of deal of this fan fiction concerns the potential romantic relationships between every possible group of characters that you could imagine.

Masashi Kishimoto seemed to be aware of the popularity of this aspect of the series, as he kept feeding the speculation over which character would end up whom.

It seems like Shiho was introduced for no other reason than to annoy the fans who expected Shikamaru and Temari to get together.

Shiho was a geeky girl who acted as a member of Konoha's Cryptoanalysis Team.

It was clear that Shiho was attracted to Shikamaru, even though he seemed blissfully unaware of the fact. Shikamaru would later break his leg protecting Shiho. She would only make brief appearances in the filler episodes of the anime after that.

3. Team Oboro

The second portion of the Chunin Exam arc took place within Konoha's Forest of Death. This was a massive location that was filled with all kinds of dangerous animals and poisonous plant life. The purpose of this part of the exam was to steal a scroll from an opposing team and make it to the center of the forest.

Team Oboro hailed from the Hidden Rain village. They battled Team 7 and Kabuto during the Chunin Exam, as they were trying to take out stragglers on their way to the center of the Forest. Naruto's team triumphed and Team Oboro was never seen again.

Team Oboro briefly appeared in one of the anime filler arcs, but they never showed up in the manga again, despite the fact that the Hidden Rain village became important during the second half of the story.

2. The Other Members Of Team Kabuto

Three members of Kabuto's team during the Chunin Exam arc had defected to Orochimaru. It's also possible that the leader of the team was also a traitor, but we saw no evidence of this during the story.

Kabuto's teammates were Yoroi and Misumi. Yoroi possessed the ability to drain a person's life force with his touch, while Misumi could dislocate all of his joints in order to squeeze into tight places.

The last time we saw these characters in the Naruto manga happened during the Chunin Exam, where they were both injured and knocked out of the tournament.

The idea of their being Genin in Konoha who were loyal to Orochimaru was an interesting one, but it never came up again.

Yoroi and Misumi would only ever show up again during a poor filler arc of the Naruto anime.

1. Hidan

Hidan was one of the weakest members of Akatsuki, due to how situational his powers were and how easy it would be for a team of coordinated ninja to take him down.

Despite this, Hidan is the only surviving member of the Akatsuki lineup that appeared before the time skip in Naruto. This is due to the fact that he is immortal and even severing his head isn't enough to stop him from living.

Shikamaru buried Hidan beneath the soil of Konoha, where he still exists. Kabuto reveals that he is unable to bring Hidan back as a zombie, which suggests to him that Hidan is still alive.

This led many fans to speculate that he would arrange for Hidan to be freed during the Fourth Shinobi World War to act as a distraction during the conflict and do as much damage as possible.

This never happened. Clones of Hidan appeared in a filler arc of the anime, but the original remains beneath the ground. Hidan is presumably still there underground, eating passing insects, and hoping that the writers of Boruto remember that he exists.

Can you think of any other Naruto characters who were completely abandoned? Let us know in the comments!

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Fifty-Eight: Human Spirit ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

There are few things stronger than the human spirit.

And few in their world have to find their strength sooner than children born to prominent  shinobi bloodlines.

Though no longer quite as vulnerable as their recent ancestors during the Warring States period, those born beneath banners of ninja clans - especially those with powerful reputations - have great expectations thrust upon them from an early age. While clans of Konoha have, for the most part, found a happy medium of pushing their children, but also nurturing them in the new safety of the hidden villages...few take the former to more extremes than the two dōjutsu clans: the Hyūga, and the Uchiha.

The first to have an heir of the most recent generation were the Uchiha: a son, named for the cunning and wily weasel. From an early age, he’d proven to be just that, and more: frighteningly intelligent, mature, and wise for one of his years. Next born was his younger brother, Sasuke. Then the Hyūga had their first: a girl, named Hinata. And like the Uchiha siblings, five years would separate the daughters of the Hyūga.

...unlike the Uchiha, the second child cost the Hyūga their matriarch. The blow was an emotional cripple for Hinata, who’d been far closer with her mother than her father. If anything, it was a signal of what was to come.

A set of boys, and a set of girls: both with relatively large gaps between them. And in yet another opposite reflection, it was the younger Hyūga who proved to overtake the elder. Hinata struggled in her training due to her softer nature, and a massive loss in confidence without her biggest supporter: her mother. And rather than try to bolster her, Hiashi instead tore her down: as though thinking ripping open her wounds would help them heal. Instead, she slowly bled out...until Hanabi - her beloved baby sister - finally bested in what became the deciding match. Hinata was stripped of her title, and practically abandoned.

Her genin instructor had more custody than her own father, in many senses of the word.

In the opposite vein, Sasuke struggled to be noticed. Itachi had Fugaku’s full attention due to his natural ability...and advantage in age. Left to the wayside, a spare, a second thought...Sasuke was made to feel as unneeded as his Hyūga mirror. It was only once Itachi began to distance himself that their father gave Sasuke the time of day.

And Sasuke knew why. As proud as he was - as determined - it still stung, knowing this chance came upon him only due to his brother’s apparent malfunction. His beloved brother.

In similar ways, the people they loved most came to take everything from them...but admittedly, one in more extreme measures than the other. Itachi took the clan. Took the family. Took the home. Sasuke was left with nothing but memories and nightmares.

If only they’d had the chance to notice each other...perhaps they could have seen those parallels. Maybe, in some strange way, knowing they weren’t as alone in their circumstances as they felt could have helped them. Sasuke got Naruto, who handled their similarities with rivalry and challenge. It pushed Sasuke, sure...but it wasn’t the support he really needed.

Hinata...had no one. Not until becoming a genin. Her team was a help, as was her sensei. But there was little missing the sting of her family’s absence...or in some cases, hatred. Her idol gave her no time of day, too focused on his so-called best friend.

The person whom she so closely resembled, and yet...in many ways, opposed.

The chūnin exams were exceedingly stressful. Hinata was put face to face with her cousin, who bore a burning hatred for her...and all she represented. That hate nearly killed her...but in the end, she couldn’t blame him. Couldn’t be angry. Still she pushed on, trying so hard to emulate her inspiration...only for him to best what she could not.

Sasuke saw the tests as the next rung on the ladder to his ascension toward revenge. But his too were plagued with challenges beyond the typical: the covetous snake Orochimaru - with a single bite - undid months, if not years of the boy’s progress in regards to overcoming his hate. Instead, it propelled him forward.

By the end, they both knew one thing: they had to get stronger. But how…?

Sasuke took to leaving, and seeking power elsewhere. Hinata sought it at home...from the person who had nearly ended her life. He wanted it for vengeance. She wanted it to grow. As the nearly three years passed, they each did just that.

The time leading up to the fourth war saw them each fight their own battles. By the time it was over...neither was the same. Sasuke, admittedly, more so. His journey had changed him...and in many ways, not for the better. Simply...to survive. Hinata had grown up, but also grown weary. He no longer sought revenge, and she no longer sought her title...nor her idol. Both, instead, contented themselves to guiding what they could not come to lead: Sasuke the village, and Hinata her clan.

And then, only then - after struggling so far apart - did the two finally manage to meet. Two human spirits tested, battered, and nearly broken...so similar, and yet so different. Driven together by both clan circumstances, and mutual affections. With Naruto and Sakura - both giving and receiving silence from the other pair - now a duo, Hinata and Sasuke were often left at the fringe.

And what better to do there but talk in turn?

Between the two forces pushing them together, it was inevitable. Slowly, they opened up to one another. And slowly, they discovered just how close their paths had been. How easily they could have made the same choices in one another’s shoes. And they lamented only knowing this now, when it was far too late to give two lonely, struggling children a friend that would have understood. Truly understood.

But it does mean they can make up for lost time.

Outside responsibilities and reasons, they begin...running into each other. Talking beyond what’s expected. Even finding themselves in the same line of work as the police are rebuilt and reformed. Acquaintances become partners, partners become friends...and friends become something just a little bit more.

Finally, after losing so much, and being so alone...two souls finally find completing pieces in each other.

     *flops* Welp, another late night, but at least I'm feeling a little better? Aha~      This is rather...bland, more narrative than a scene or anything...but I'm very tired and a bit museless today so it's the best I can manage. I can go on forever about the parallels between Sasuke and Hinata, and how GOOD they'd be for each other, even if just as friends (which we STILL don't get in canon...I feel so robbed). So, here's me waxing about them and how strong they each had to be: in both similar and different ways.      Yes, in the long run Sasuke suffered a lot more (imo), but Hinata's struggles are still nothing to sneeze at. A lot more than many other of the Rookie Nine (*coughs* Sakura *coughs*), at any rate.      But...I'm getting rambly, so best to stop there, aha~ Thanks so much for reading - be back again tomorrow!

[inopinion]

For Fanfic Trope: 74(huddling for warmth)-96(scars) ♡MareCal♡

A long time ago this came to my inbox. I wonder who still wants Red Queen Fanfic? I’ll tag the old list just in case, but feel free to request to be removed.

Please remember to reblog to share with a friend.

Tag List: @lilyharvord, @mareshmallow, @redqueenfandom, @anyone-anything-canbetrayanyone, @runexandra, @tiberias-vii, @mareshmallow, @adraxsteia, @wrenskonos, @scarletguardsource, @clarafarleybarrow, @morebooks-pls, @lucid-shinobi, @cordelnight, @redqueenforever, @naercxy, @juggyandbetty, @mom2reesie, @lamemathpuns, @artemishdp, @feeoly, @psychopath-butterfly, @caloresblood, @evngelinesmos, @magicpara-dise, @evangelinesmos

Within the Static

What they knew about the sea past Norta was that it seemed to be endless. Airships had left with extra tanks installed and still had to turn back before they spotted land. And, without much to do besides bankroll an adventure, Cal found the distraction he had wanted. The ship was made with a wide hull lined in thin plates of metal. The masts were strong and reinforced waiting for when the fuel ran out and they’d be at the mercy of the wind. The more-than-worthy crew came with recommendations and experience on small vessels and large bases that all promised military discipline. They all wanted to see the end of the horizon as much as they wanted the handsome pay.

Mare paused her tour around the countryside to watch the ship leave harbor. The vote was coming and notable war heroes drummed support for the act of casting a ballot. Still, time held still for her as she waved an arm with the masses and watched him push past the jetty and beyond the bay. Her chest twinged knowing, in some way, he ran as much away from her as towards anything else.

The ship disappeared as they’d intended and life proceeded on with imaginings of what would be found at the other end of the water. Mare gravitated to the edge of the ocean and sat as the waves came in and washed over her legs more times than she could count. Her eyes looked east so often, they barely looked elsewhere.

As a year passed and the anticipated return flitted by, the papers posted headlines that, at first, scraped optimistic and then carved ominous. From “The Return of Calore!” to “Calore Lost at Sea?” and then bleakly, “Hope Expires.” And each left deep, scouring divots that soon left Mare paper thin.

Raising support for another ship, without the money of a High House, took another year. All along the arguments against were paired with her pert hope that he’d be coming back into the harbor on his own.

“Rescue Launched” and “Chasing Calore” were the primary taglines that came with the news of the second voyage. Dirty details both true and not were spilled across the pages for everyone to gape and jeer. Her seduction. His rejection. Their reconciliation. The end of the war that ended them.

“The Red Queen Sails for her Prince”

The best had already gone and the runners up had more sense. And yet, she managed to pull together a crew that at least feared a sound shock. A few had useful abilities though not a Nymph nor Windweaver bunked among them. Six months after the two year mark, Mare set out on less an adventure and more a folly looking for the heir to House Calore.

Nothing worse than ‘tyrant’ was ever said to her face, but she overheard much worse. Through pin-hole vision she pushed the sailors across the expanse and into the unknown. A radio waved back and forth and all around searching for any signal and sending more than a few in all directions. Only static returned.

From it, her brain pulled melodies complex and lyrical and after hours words sounded more foreign than the white snow that sank deep into her scars. Among the signals of silence, she made the landscape of her dreams where she sifted the sounds and uncovered a foot here and a hand there, though the rest of him always stayed down beneath the muffling hiss.

“Land! I see land!” The boy on the mast called it for the fourth time this week only this time he’d waited extra long for the mirage to clear.

From the front of the boat, she saw land. At the back, the hurricane spiraled faster than they could outrun. The crew continued to secure what they could, to find sturdy flotation devices, and strapping packs with some provisions though still too light to sink.

Land. There was a hope that they could close some of the gap. That they might just make it to shore. The rain began to pelt the deck. Mare heard it as just more static snow.

When the wave took them up, she knew this one would spill them. She, and the crew, all clung to the railings predicting which way it would turn. The game tumbled like dice with some choosing wrong and others right. Mare leapt as far and as clear as she could. And then she hugged her flotation harness and sucked air when ever she could and sucked water at the same time.

Mare Barrow drowned under the crushing waves and amidst the debris of her rescue craft within sight of a new land. She could see the murky surface of the water as the rise of the massive waves cast shadows and pulled her deep. Her lungs kicked her ribs and her vision faded to black. Deep in her ears, the whirl of nothing lived on.

The absence of the rush meant there wasn’t any static in the afterlife. And the sore pulse of her breathing in her ribs meant there was air. No where in her imagination did she predict her survival. And yet, she laid on her side on a soft mat in the darkness of some place subterranean. And a warm rush of air pushed across her ear.

Crooked fingers and a white scar marred the arm wrapped around her. Hairy legs and nothing else separated him from behind her. She should have snapped away from him, naked as she was. She should have sent a shock ripping through her entire length and left him for dead. She would have if it weren’t for the bracelet under the scar.

[jjongasarus]

until then

the fourth shinobi war left everlasting scars in the will of fire. the idle, halcyon days of konoha continued, sunshine filled restless streets and sunsets brought about night-lights and fireflies. the peace in konoha had been paved with the blood of fallen comrades, friends, families, and lovers. tranquility was no cure for the nightmares that haunted the veterans who’d cut their nails and gritted their teeth through the grueling months of war. their blood and sweat fertilized the soil that supported the carefree footsteps of the new generation.

other shinobi were able to assimilate well. their footsteps fell in tune with those of the locals, their stories were light and censored in conversation, and their smiles and laughter blended seamlessly into the threshold of new beginnings. other shinobi had successfully crossed the white line into their new lives, leaving behind the memories of the fallen, leaving behind their shades of black and gray for brazenly stitched patches of white. she, however, wasn’t like the other shinobi.

her feet were rooted at the brink of her future tomorrows, at the sunset of her dreams, and every centimeter forward felt like a lifetime of goodbyes and heartache. crossing that line meant abandoning the memories of the fallen, abandoning the shinobi life she’d worked so hard to be a part of. it had engrained itself in her, it was a part of her now; all the limbs she’d severed, all the blood she’d mopped, all the pieces she was able to put back together, and those that fell apart.

her heart ached, her mind was fuzzy, and her eyes were misty with tears stuck between lashes of pink. one heavy sigh and she was out of bed, two more and she was standing beneath a hot stream of water that woke her from her thoughts and prepared her for her day. even if she was standing still, the illusion that she was running forward with an open heart had to be maintained.

she thought of naruto as she walked through the lively streets of konoha. her feet dragged slightly, making lazy stripes in the dirt, but her vision of him was bold and alive. regarded as the hero of the war, the one who’d burdened all the poisons of their cruel shinobi world, consumed them, and made butterflies out of every drop, he mutst’ve been the furthest from the white line. but his smile was brighter than it had ever been, and his hands were steady, and his stride confident and spirited. he breathed new life into their shattered world, and every step he took forward everyone followed in his brilliance. it was blinding for her, she couldn’t keep up, and whenever he glanced back over his shoulder, she’d pretend that her footsteps were in line with his light.

she’d feel guilty sometimes. naruto had endured worlds more than she had, and yet she was the one dragging her feet every morning to the medical ward. she spent the entirety of her days looking after injured civilians and sometimes her hand trembled when administering medication, other times even the smell of blood would churn something unpleasant in her stomach, and sometimes when it was late and silence welcomed the dim halls of the ward, she’d cry for those already months lost.

it was a never-ending cycle that she walked alone. the tail end of the cycle was the most draining; she’d once again drag her feet back down the road, following the pools of light on the ground from the street-lamps like a map, or better yet, like a night light illuminating a peace in the darkness. four more and she’d be at the corner, six more and she’d be at ino’s flower shop, ten more and—

she was abruptly flung out of her thoughts when her downcast head bumped into something hard, but warm. a tiny gasp and clumsy step back later she was lifting her head to apologize to whomever she’d inconvenienced.

“i’m so— oh, sasuke.”

sakura felt a breeze of relief massage away the worry-lines marking her forehead upon realizing it was her teammate that she’d bumped into.

“you should watch where you’re going.”

sakura’s lips picked up into a weary but understanding smile. she sifted a couple fingers back through the strands of pink filtering into her sight of him and laughed out of embarrassment at the situation. her laugh was just as tired as her smile but her embarrassment was genuine, it was an emotion that was practically her twin when dealing with this particular teammate of hers.

“sorry about that. what are you doing out so late anyways?” sakura’s question ended with her eyes flickering up to the sky. thick clouds covered the stars and only through the cracks between them did moonlight manage to peek through. it was certainly late, and she knew sasuke was the type to enjoy the silence of dusk, especially these days when just the mention of the uchiha made people want to shut their windows and lock their doors. it was a filler question, a complete dud at a real conversation, but sakura felt that it was customary.

“i’m taking a walk. do you usually leave the ward so late?”

she shifted most of her weight onto her left foot, leaning into her hip as her hand brushed by the nape of her neck and her eyes distanced themselves from him to the ground. her teeth caught the right corner of her lip and she fiddled with the rosy skin as she pondered her answer. seconds turned to moments and moments turned to memories as she mulled over her response. her body suddenly felt heavy, exhausted, and goosebumps rose on her skin as the feeling of his gaze resting upon her easily unraveled her neatly tied secrets. it felt like the mask she’d been wearing for months, the one that tried so pathetically hard to emulate the happiness of those whose feet moved forward, the one that she’d so shamelessly pitched to naruto as her reality, was crumbling helplessly. she didn’t want to be vulnerable, but she always so predictably and frustratingly fell victim to his presence.

a simple question and yet it had moved her. she didn’t notice when her shoulders slumped or when the silky tresses of her hair fell into her face, strands haphazardly sticking to the wet spots on her cheeks.

“….sakura? you’re—“

“ah, what’s wrong with me these days?” she lifted her head, misty tears marking her face with long stripes that glistened under the warm light of the street lamp. her smile was forced, her teeth were gritted and she was sinking into the nightmares of her past with every second that her eyes remained in contact with his. there was something about that deep eye of his, something that reached into her and like a magnet, attracted everything she’d been trying so desperately hide. it made her sick, disgusted that she was so easily exposed by a simple glance of an eye.

she could feel the stickiness of the blood of strangers connecting her fingers together, making spider-legs of red when pulled apart. she could hear the distant sounds of final breaths, and the staccato of labored ones fizzling out. she could feel the tightness of her muscles, the pounding against her skull as her chakra depleted with everyone she rescued. there was so much blood on her hands; it caked beneath her nails and stained her fingerprints, and she was certain that even the people she’d managed to save could see it too. she envisioned the battlefield; she could smell soot and decay, she could see impressions of battle worn soles and splintering branches promised to the earth with blood, hollow cracks twisting and contorting between debris from broken homes and broken bodies, mapping the earth like veins. she could hear the righteous battle cries of her companions, and the eerie silence when those cries dissipated into the wind and their bodies laid mangled in the dirt. it was all so colorful and so true and every moment she re-stained her consciousness with the memories of old, that white line got further and further away.

sakura rose a hand to her face and brought a knuckle beneath her eye to wipe away her tears. it felt like hours had passed but in reality, only seconds had. he’d remained quiet, watching her with the one eye she’d so helplessly succumbed to. she took a step back and her skin brushed against the cold metal of the street lamp. she glanced up, noticing a triplet of fireflies dancing in the bright of the bulb.

“you feel it too, don’t you?”

her eyes widened a bit at his words. six simple words but they somehow soothed the wound that her memories had recently reopened. he’d always been able to pull something raw from her ever since they were kids. in the past, it was because all her adolescent fantasies and desires were so easily provoked with just a glance in her direction. now, however, there was something about the abyss in his eye, something about that deep, dark shade of nothingness that sent a shiver down her spine, made beads of sweat gather on the back of her neck, and made her fall in deeper. because yes, of course, he was just as pained as she was, if not more.

sasuke knew pain.

no.

he lived it.

every second of every waking moment, he walked within the shadows of his nightmares. the fabric of his reality had been torn apart at the seams in a single, quiet night. he’d walked among slaughtered memories that day, his dreams of forever stained red, laying strewn apart in the dirt and within those pools of glistening blood he’d seen himself; soft skin, healthy cheeks, his breathing making clouds in the crisp, midnight air. he’d seen himself so clearly that night, his reflection bright and full in the crimson sea of everything he’d ever loved. no one could understand his suffering and he’d suffocated in an abyss of loneliness; his lips taut, hands empty, eyes gazing at his peers playing in the threshold of his dreams, past a white line that he’d yet to approach. and even now as the dull light of the streetlamp circled her, its curve neatly avoided him, and there within shades of black and white they stood, so close yet infinities apart.

“y-yeah..” sakura’s lips dipped into a frown and her eyebrows pulled at the middle, as if she was struggling with something difficult. her pains, her anxieties, and her doubts muddled together in her stomach as if it was reacting to him. it was as if the wavelengths of their despair were talking, no, screaming, and everything she was trying to hide was abruptly, violently boiling to the surface. she wanted to cradle her stomach, wince in agony, anything to help soothe herself but she remained still and so did he.

silence.

her vision became blurred with the sea of her tears, pooling in her eyes almost as quickly as they spilled out over her cheeks. she thought of everything the war had taken from her; her innocence, her spirit, her light, and at that very moment it was as if the clouds had parted through her haze of pain and confusion and something clicked. it was subtle, but it was there, a connection she hadn’t noticed before.

it was silent because no words were needed between them, because standing there beneath the flickering light above her head, her green melting into his black, her scars resonating with his, spoke volumes. then suddenly, as if their darkness was too much for the little bulb to handle, the streetlight flickered off and they were left alone with their demons.

“i’m leaving konoha tomorrow.”

their demons danced with each other, hand in hand, twirling and tumbling through the shadows between them. she stepped towards him, her eyes wide and tears flowing freely, caressing the curve of her cheek and puddling into the corner of her mouth. she understood now, she understood why his eye had evoked such a reaction from her.

“at noon i’ll be gone.”

their demons were parading around obnoxiously now, jumping, twirling, dipping and diving between them. she took another step, and then a third, her lips parting just slightly enough for her tongue to peek through and taste the salt on her lower lip. yes, it was all so clear to her now. her stomach stopped churning, her tears stopped flowing, and her wounds were bared raw and naked.

“i don’t know when i’ll be back.”

the demons made way for her, fading into the background tangled in each other’s arms, watching, waiting.

another step and she stood within his own, personal night. it was thick and unbearable, it suffocated her, made her old bruises ache like new and her wounds bleed, but she understood now. her hand rose, fingers trembling and curling inwards slightly before flattening when she pressed her palm against his chest. her head tilted back, tufts of pink hair rolling over her ears, sticking to the cold sweat on her neck as her eyes peered into his. her lips hesitated, her breath hitched, and her lashes fanned over her eyes for a moment. she finally understood that their pain connected them, it connected them on a level she didn’t know existed. it was true, and it was theirs.

“sakura.”

she felt his heart move, like a rock sinking to the bottom of a lake, slow and heavy. she knew he felt it too, that was why when he said her name it was almost strained, fraying at the end into nothing more than a whisper. he was hurt, he’d been hurting, and maybe sakura’s pain could be the company that would medicate his loneliness. perhaps this was the only way for them to connect, through mutual agony, and even if it was bitter at the core, it was a space that only they knew. it was special.

her fingers curled into the stitches of his shirt when she heard her name. his head lowered slightly, the movement briefly exposing the bright purple of his other eye before it was curtained by his hair again. he looked at her, his stare straight and solid while his hand rose to his chest and grasped hers only to lower back to her side. her hand gave in easily, fingers uncurling the moment his hand touched hers, and it rested limply at her side.

“don’t be late.”

sakura felt her pulse quicken a beat and before she could speak, he’d already turned on his heel and disappeared into the darkness of the night. he didn’t say goodnight or even goodbye, but that was how they communicated best. silence.

it was just then that the streetlight behind her flickered back on, the fireflies resuming their tapping against the bulb. she looked back over her shoulder and no— they were moths now, crowding around the light hungrily, as if feasting on the only thing that would keep them alive.

it was an invitation that he’d extended to her and she’d agreed without words. she was running away, running away from that white line that marked new beginnings, she was running backwards, backwards towards the pain she’d been trying so hard to forget, away from the exact thing she’d scarred her body trying to achieve, backwards into the shadows of her nightmares.

their grief would dance together again at noon tomorrow, and it would continue to dance through the rivers they’d cross, over mountains they’d climb, and through fields of weeds they’d walk. they would even dance between the shadows of pain and doubt, the very place in which they were born. their screams would be loud, horse, penetrating, but eventually feather out into melodies so soft that even a breeze would drown it out. and it would be then and only then that they’d be able to cross that white line together.

but until then.

[dimigex]

Moving On - Sakura/Gaara

Soo, this is a really old request that’s been sitting around waiting on me to write it. I fell so in love with the idea that it might have a full story coming. This is more of a prologue than drabble. I just need to finish some other stories up first. 

Tears spilled down Sakura's cheeks despite her best efforts to hold them in. She’d known that this day might come, but she hadn’t expected it to hurt quite this much. She couldn't draw in enough air, and the shattered pieces of her heart tried to worm their way free of her aching chest. Sakura forced another breath into her lungs, felt them expand to welcome it, even as she sobbed through the exhalation.

You're such a baby, Sakura chided, watching the darkness settle around her. You're still breathing, still alive. Think of all the people who didn't come home from the war.

Though Sakura knew it was true, the cold logic didn’t bring her any comfort. Worldwide destruction had just been averted, partially through her own skill, and that of her team. She should have been celebrating, thankful to see another day. There had been dozens of invitations to do so. Half of the shinobi in Konoha seemed to have gone that route.

Barring celebration, Sakura should have been weeping over the loss. Ino and Shikamaru could have used the support of her friendship after losing their fathers. Or Tenten and Lee, after Neji’s death. Instead, Sakura was crying because Sasuke didn’t want her, wouldn’t take her with him on his journey of atonement. The foolishness of it took her breath away, but that didn’t stop the tears.

The soft scuff of a retreating foot caught Sakura’s attention. Her head jerked up, fully expecting the culprit to be Naruto. Somehow, her teammate always knew when she needed someone, even when she wished he didn’t. She’d seen the pity in his eyes when Sasuke rejected her, again. He must think she was an idiot for continuing to chase him.  

 Sakura turned toward the eavesdropper; it wasn’t Naruto. Dusk softened the man’s bright red hair, while somehow making his aquamarine eyes stand out starkly. A blush colored Gaara’s high, pale cheekbones. "I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you."

"Kazekage-sama," Sakura greeted primly. She wiped at her cheeks, knowing the tear tracks would catch the moonlight, making it obvious that she’d been crying. "May I help you with something?"

"Gaara, please." The man's lips tilted into a phantom smile, like they were unused to the expression, but attempted the gesture anyway. "I didn't mean to impose, I just needed to get out of my room for a while."

Sakura nodded understandingly. Now that the war was over, the rebuilding process had begun. Even so, there was only so much that could be accomplished in a single day. Exhaustive lists of shinobi killed in action needed to be combed through, the Kages need to discuss their allegiances, then there was the physical restructuring. The task felt overwhelming.

"Me too," Sakura shifted slightly, lifting her feet from the ground. She’d wandered away from the main village, to a playground that she’d known would be deserted this time of night. Something about the soft creak of the swings, and the way the moonlight sparkled off the river in the distance comforted her. "I suppose I look quite childish sitting here. Alone, when there are million things I could be doing."

Gaara raised his shoulders in a shrug as his teal eyes roved over the shadowed equipment. “There are dozens of things that need my attention as well.” The man crossed the pebbled stone and lowered himself onto a swing next to her.

Sakura watched him from the corner of her eye. Gaara’s lips were set in the serious expression that almost always graced his features. Thinking back, she remembered the frantic worry in his eyes as he watched her force Naruto's heart to pump until the Fourth Hokage could save him. There had been a moment of joy when Naruto drew another breath, a true smile of friendship, not just hope for winning the war. The Kazekage wasn’t entirely emotionless.

Naruto is worried about you." Gaara's voice was oddly formal to her ears, but there was an undertone of worry in it.

Sakura forced out a chuckle, then pushed off the ground, swinging backward, and closed her eyes. Gaara didn't say anything, just watched her with khol rimmed eyes. "Naruto worries about a lot of things he can't fix. It isn't his place,” she began, meeting his gaze.

Gaara frowned for a moment, then spoke suddenly. “Why don’t you come to Suna for a few months?”

Dropping her feet to the ground, Sakura raised an eyebrow at the Kazekage. "What? Why?" 

Shoulders dipping forward as he looked at the ground, Gaara considered his words. "I can't claim to have much experience with relationships, but Naruto has taught me a great deal about them in theory. The one thing that I do know, however, is that they aren’t supposed to hurt like this." He half-gestured to Sakura’s cheek, then let his hand fall away. "I imagine love should hurt even less.”

For a moment, shock stilled Sakura’s tongue. The moonlight and shadows made it difficult to tell, but she thought she saw the dusting of pink on the Kazekage’s cheeks. “It’s none of my business--”

“What would I do in Suna?” Sakura interrupted, annoyed that Naruto would put Gaara in this position. “My life is here.” 

“You did amazing things with the poison Sasori used on Kankuro. Even Chiyo wasn’t able to construct an antidote that quickly.” Gaara must have seen the pain that crossed Sakura’s face at the memory, because he hurried on. “And, you saved Naruto during the war, when all hope was lost. You’re an unrivaled medic. Our shinobi could learn a great deal from you.” 

Gaara slid a finger beneath the crimson collar of his coat, loosening it. If Sakura hadn’t known better, she would have thought he was nervous. “Tsunade-sama will stay in Konoha long enough to train Kakashi as her successor, so you’d have a few months to spare, if you want. Then, you could come back to the Leaf and oversee the hospital here.” 

Despite everything, Sakura burst out laughing. “Is there anything Naruto didn’t help you plan?” 

Gaara’s flush deepened. “We’re leaving tomorrow,” he added curtly, ignoring her outburst. “If you want to come with us.”  

The man stood and started to turn away. Realizing the rudeness of her actions, Sakura followed and caught Gaara’s sleeve. He startled at the touch, and she dropped her hand away with a blush of her own. “I wasn’t laughing at you,” she corrected hastily. “I can tell that Naruto put you up to this. You’d have no reason to think of me otherwise.” 

“That isn’t true,” Gaara shifted weight to his opposite foot, not quite looking at her. “I never properly thanked you for helping Kankuro, or me.” 

Sakura paused, realizing it was true. Gaara had publicly thanked Naruto, of course. Without his help, they never would have been able to rescue Gaara. And without Chiyo’s sacrifice, their efforts would have been in vain. The memory was painful enough that Sakura shied away from it. “Anyone would have done the same,” she brushed off his words. 

“Few could have accomplished it,” Gaara argued, then shook his head. “The offer stands if you’re interested. I think our medical nin could learn a great deal from you.” 

“Thank you, Kazakage-sama,” Sakura paused and drew a breath before correcting herself. “Gaara.” 

The man’s lips quirked upward again. “We’re leaving at dawn.” 

“I’ll see you then.” The answer surprised Sakura, but she knew it was the right one. Time away from Konoha, from the pitying looks of her friends, and the reminders of Sasuke, might be exactly what she needed. The decision made the pressure in her chest ease. Sakura had a plan now; she wasn’t worthless, and she could prove that in Suna.