Arc XII Chapter 8

Arc XII Chapter 8

XII

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Arc XII Chapter 8

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Asami welcomed her guests with open arms, yet her kindness was not reciprocated. A gentle breeze tickled her skin, leaves dancing in the wind. A sea of stares met her, together with a wall of silence.

...

...

...

Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura scrutinised her, their lips tightly sealed. The Suna girl and the old woman weren't much different. They watched her. They observed her. They studied her. Yet they failed to recognise her. Except for Kakashi. He remembered. His gaze told her as much.

The same could not be said about her former classmates. It was all too apparent that neither Naruto, nor Sakura remembered her. They had all but forgotten her existence. Not that she had expected otherwise. The course of time was inexorable. Years had come and gone. Her memories of Konoha were now those of a life ages ago. Konoha had become a distant place. A distant memory. An unfond memory that she had since come to detest.

Yet, to treat and ignore her like this after all that she had done for the sake of Konoha ... How impolite of them to completely forget her. Wasn't she a kunoichi of Konoha either? Where was the much vaunted Will of Fire? Weren't they all family? Apparently not. Not any more, at least. These days had long since passed, buried deep beneath the sand of time.

“...” Asami giggled with a glint of amusement, her hand placed on her chest, her voice saddened, dejected. She was the perfect damsel in distress. “Oh my, to think that you all have forgotten me, a classmate of yours. I must confess, my disappointment is immeasurable. You hurt me. All these years, we spent together ... All in vain. Oh, what a cruel fate that has befallen me. Tell me, what have I done to merit such harsh treatment, Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun?”

Her words produced the desired effect. The light of realisation dawned on them.

“You ...” Sakura cracked her knuckles, a grin crossing lips, her resolve hardening. Her spirit was commendable. The girl was prepared to fight, although her methods appeared rather brutish, much to her surprise. Sakura had changed. She wasn't the foolish girl any more that she remembered. “Asami, wasn't it? You are that lone girl from the academy. You are that girl from back then from the chunin exams.”

“Now that I think about it, Sakura.” The blonde, surly Suna girl smirked, her hands reaching for her massive war fan. Her fan unfolded, pointing in her direction. “Yes, there was this annoying girl, which means it's time for revenge. Don't think that I will go easy on you this time, little princess! I will beat the shit out of you!”

“Oh my, how combative!” Asami giggled, amused by the girl's passion. Ignorance was truly a bliss. “And what about you, Naruto-kun? Do you remember me? Unless I am mistaken, names and faces were never your forte.”

“...” Naruto narrowed his eyes, uncharacteristically taciturn.

“...” Asami smirked, tilting her head, her umbrella dancing amidst her fingers. “Hmm, I take your silence as a no ...”

“No, Asami. It has been a long time, but I remember you.” Naruto clenched his fists, yet he retained his calm. He controlled his infamous temper despite his irascible nature. How interesting.

Temari scowled, “Enough! Enough is enough! Time to teach you some manners, bitch. You won't stop us! We will get Gaara back!”

Sakura seconded her motion, grinning. “Right!”

“Yes!” Naruto clenched his fist, his spirit burning high. “We will rescue Gaara! No matter what!” The trio was willing to fight. How quaint.

“You think so?” Asami raised an eyebrow. “Who says that Gaara still lives~?”

“WHAT?!” Her words showed an instant effect. Naruto stared at her, his eyes wide.

Asami tilted her head, her index finger caressing her red lips. “Naruto-kun, has nobody ever told you, when a bijuu is extracted, their jinchuuriki dies~.”

...

...

...

Shock. Disbelief. Silence. Only the wind and the rustle of leaves filled the void.

Asami beamed. “Ara~ ara~, did I possibly say too much~? How careless of me ...”

His response was swift. A kunai together with an explosive were Naruto's answer.

The kunai was meant to take her head. Her umbrella deflected the feeble attack, a thin layer of purple chakra protecting her against the explosion. The explosion was a distraction meant to buy time. It worked. The dust settled and revealed Naruto in company of one of his clones.

Naruto glared at her, his blood, his chakra, his aura boiling. The anger. The hatred. The rage. The raw, unconstrained emotion. She could veritably feel them.

Naruto and his clone were gathering their chakra, their hands creating a dense, swirling sphere of blue. It was a jutsu that she recognised.

It was a jutsu that Kakashi recognised. “Naruto, ... wait ...” It was too late.

Naruto charged, head straight for her. “Aaaarghhhhh!!! Rasengan!!!”

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