Chapter Text
In the instant of Mei Terumi's response, Sakura felt a familiar, yet strange rush of energy fill her up, her mind told her she had done enough and she had no more need to incommode the Mizukage. Her heart however, just could not agree and before she could stop herself, Sakura found herself chuckling.
Mei Terumi was slightly taken back, as well as those around them.
" Aren't you too old to be doing this? " Sakura asked with a smirk, which wiped Mei Terumi's smirk off her face. " I'm old? " she says perplexed.
" I'm sorry, did I cross the line. You would have to forgive me, Mizukage sama. I thought I was speaking based on facts, I mean, is it so wrong to admit to being old. I'm going to get there one day, so why deny it " said Sakura.
Mei Terumi bawls her hands into fists within her pockets, as her countenance hardened against the renowned young and versatile medical ninja.
' This bitch ' she thought.
" Big sis, I think you should sto– " " why? She's the one here looking for her man in a village that's not her's " said Sakura.
" Where's Naruto? " Mei Terumi asks through clenched teeth, Sakura nods smirking. " There it is, a clear response. Being cryptic would only confuse simple matters. Now I know you're not just here for a man, but my best friend, " said Sakura.
Sakura tilts her head towards Konohamaru whom was observing her perplexed, as to why Sakura was acting out of character.
" Lead our sand ninjas guests to the hospital, I will help the Mizukage out and show her to Naruto's house ".
Konohamaru tried urging himself within his mind to protest.
' It's not good if either of them find out what had happened to big brother and Sasuke... I can't stop them, and big sis as already lost her mind, it doesn't seem she'll be convinced. Neither the Mizukage, whom appears to be quite livid '.
Konohamaru sighs exasperatedly.
" I understand. Just– try to take it easy " Konohamaru says, turning away and approaching the sand ninjas.
" Please, this way " He says, and they followed as he departs.
Sakura turns her attention back to Mei Terumi and her escorts, with a smile.
" Shall we, that alluring best friend of mine should be awake by now " said Sakura.
Sakura turned to a different direction from that which she took to the entrance, and Mei Terumi and her escorts followed.
" Naruto is an early riser, why would he be in bed at this hour? " asked Mei Terumi inquisitively.
Sakura's smile drops, and her face dons a melancholic expression.
" Naruto returned last night, and almost got blown up with two of his favorite people and their ramen restaurant, " " Ichiraku? " Mei Terumi asked anxiously.
" Yeah, how do you know? ", " I've heard about it from Naruto. Did he get injured, he's not, right? " said Mei Terumi.
" You should see for yourself, I heard he passed out– hey, I haven't seen him since last night either. I'm just as curious as you are " said Sakura.
★
" With how things are, I don't think your plan worked boss " said Darui, standing beside Cee in front of A the Raikage whom sat on his office couch.
The fourth Raikage glares at his dark skinned right hand, furious as he clenches his fists. A was barely holding himself back, as he was beside himself with rage over Cee's report.
- Last night -
Cee makes his way into the office of the Raikage, in which was illuminated by the ray of the moon through the horizontally round windows.
" Lord A, I have an urgent report " said Cee, " speak Cee, give me the terrible news! " exclaimed A excitedly.
" It is terrible indeed, the cognitive soul bomb has been dealt with. And the nine tailed fox, has yet to rampage. Our spies say the fox flew away with Naruto and Sasuke " informed Cee.
A at Cee's words had every bit of excitement get sapped from his being.
" The Uchiha? How did he get involved, I thought my order was to unleash the cognitive soul bomb, when Naruto is alone, " " of course you did Lord A, and it was confirmed that Naruto San was alone at the time the attack happened. "
" So, how the hell did the Uchiha get involved. And what is all this about the fox flying away. Are the spies so incompetent, they can't distinguish between jumping and flying ", " I do not think any Shinobi is gullible enough to not know the difference. Boss. " said Darui.
A tilted his head to glare at Darui, causing Darui to refrain himself from saying more.
" Is this even a report, all I have is your words. Isn't there any visual evidence, wasn't our spies supposed to have had the whole situation recorded on those new scientific devices? " asked A
" The whole thing is stored in here, I brought it to satiate the curiosity that you were bound to develop at the report, " said Cee with a laptop held to his right side.
" Bring it over and show me! "
Cee hurried over to the Raikage, and placed the laptop on the table in front of A. Cee opens the laptop and the screen comes alive with a paused video displayed on it. Darui walks over to the Raikage, and stands at his right, whilst Cee plays the video and then went and stood on the fourth Raikage's left.
Before their eyes, they watched as the cloaked figure enters the Ichiraku ramen shop, and sits at Naruto's side. A furrows his brows.
" Who the heck is that? " He asks, " the sensor spies confirm this person to be Naruto san " said Cee.
A decided to believe and watched as the light of the fulmination, filled the screen. The scene changes, and the screen displays Naruto's action in confining the fulmination. With each passing clip of the video, A felt the urge to smash the laptop but tried his best to show restrain. Until the clip ended with Kurama flying off: losing his grip, A smashes his fists into the laptop continuously till the table collapsed as well. . .
" When I think about it, you're still overreacting. And I fear you might break something else " Darui says, " I think you should let it go now boss. With a failed attempt at setting the nine tails off, your plans are busted. "
" Apologies Lord A, but Darui is right. This was our only chance, we could not possibly attempt this again " said Cee.
A springs up, a startled Cee steps back slightly, whilst Darui just remained as he was unaffected by the Raikage's well known tantrums, which he was beginning to really get sick of.
" Do you think i'm just going to give up, never! " says A glaring at the two, " I think you should. There is no point in trying to discredit a man who has done nothing but good. We can't go around accusing people of evil intentions, just because you are paranoid– " as the words left Darui's mouth, he felt a punch connect with his gut.
The fourth Raikage's punch sends Darui flying into the wall of the office; Darui falls to the floor and though several seconds passed Darui made no attempt to get back up. Just sat there, and stared at the floor.
" Lord Raikage! " Cee cried out in protest, " that pain you feel! That! Is nothing compared to the pain and humiliation I faced in the hands of that fiend, Madara Uchiha. And while I live, I will not have the world revive Madara " said A with a palpable fury.
" Whatever you say " said Darui. " What do we do now, Lord A " said Cee with equanimity.
A sits back down, heaving a strong sigh. " We will just have to wait, and see whether the Jinchuriki resurfaces or not... " A clutches his fist, " I should have been successful in vaporizing him with the moon back then. The Uchiha would have turned his fangs to us, and we would have been able to deal with him the way we should have the moment the war ended " said the Raikage.
' Lord A has become consumed with hate– we shouldn't have believed all the devices we were creating was to protect the Ninja world and the alliance ' thought Cee.
As they both departed from the Raikage's office, Cee and Darui conversed.
" I told you, we would regret obeying his order " said Darui, " I thought it wouldn't be that bad to have contingencies against another attack, I mean the moon almost fell apart. It seemed creating the moon destroying cannon was perfect, and I thought seeing how his proactive orders helped us combat that situation, it would aid us in another crisis "
Darui scoffs. " And then you naively accepted his new order against Naruto Uzumaki. Despite knowing Lord Raikage sent Lord B away, so that he wouldn't know what he was up too ".
" Well I didn't see you stopping him. It's all done now, what's the use in reflecting on it... Should Naruto San survive the cognitive soul bomb, and discover it was our village's doing– – I don't even want to imagine it " said Cee.
" It's not that hard to imagine, we know what will happen " said Darui.
★★
" What are you going to do about the Mizukage, are you going to tell her what has become of you? " Sasuke asks as they both stood looking up at the morning sky, from the terrace.
Naruto (Sasuke) wore a blue v neck long sleeved shirt, blue boxer shorts which reached his knee. Sasuke (Naruto) wears a black high collar shirt, and white shorts.
" How can I, looking like this. I'm already not sure of my odds with her, and now with this. What do you suppose she'll think of me, approaching her in your body and say. 'Hey, Mizukage sama. It's me Naruto, will you be my girlfriend?' Does that make sense to you... I'm not doing it, never " said Naruto.
" Then what are you going to do, we can't just sit around waiting for Kurama to figure something out. I'm also dealing with a crisis, which is worse than yours. Because Sakura was already my girlfriend, " " was? " says Naruto looking at Sasuke (his face) befuddled.
" I found Sakura here last night when I arrived back, I proposed marriage to her, and instead of a yes that I was expecting. What I got instead, was a resounding, 'Lets break up'– –her words still haunt me " Sasuke admits.
Naruto chuckles softly. " No wonder I found you looking all pitiful, " " how could you find this amusing? " asked the Uchiha.
" How could I not, when I saw this coming. I just hoped that wouldn't be the case. Why did you think I held you back from screaming at Mrs Haruno's face that you were her daughter's good for nothing boyfriend " said Naruto humorously.
" Hey, that's kinda harsh " said Sasuke, though knowing it to be true. " I told you, you had to make it up to her. You should never forget, just how much she's been hurt by you... I know Sakura might appear strong now in your eyes, but there remains in her that little girl that dotes on you and that teenage girl whom cares deeply to not want me to suffer chasing after my promise to bring you back ".
Sasuke puts the hands into his pockets, and hearing as every trace of humor faded away from his cold piercing voice. And it urged him to ask.
" Is that really how I sound like? ", " oh you mean maniacal, fiendish and sickly? Yes. I intentionally tried mimicking your emotionless tone of voice, but it seemed I didn't even have to try. It was just natural " said Naruto.
" I think I ought to change that, and fast... Can you say something for me, in that same emotionless manner? " asked Sasuke, " what do you want to hear "
" I'll be returning soon, Sakura " He said, Naruto furrowed the brows, he wasn't sure what Sasuke was getting at but he decided to do it anyway.
" If it will help, here I go... 'I'll be returning soon. Sakura...' "
At the cold crescendo of his voice, Sasuke discovered it to be almost repulsive as it sends shivers down his spine. After hearing himself say it, Naruto was stunned.
" You spoke to Sakura with that tone, wow. You're really f*cked brother, royally f*cked. And our souls switching into each other's body's doesn't really help the matter, so we are both royally f*cked. Because I still don't know how to go about conveying my feelings to Mizukage sama, looking like you! " said Naruto.
Sasuke was lost for words, but his train of thoughts came to an abrupt stop when the gate opens up, and Mei Terumi and Sakura with a few mist ninja escorts behind them walked in.
Thank you for reading.
