The Return

Chapter 53

Mist

Shikamaru and Temari prepared to leave the Sand with the rest of the Leaf shinobi. Temari looked nervous to leave her homeland permanently, but Gaara and Kankuro were there to see her off.

"Good luck in the Leaf" Matsuri smiled. "And don't worry about things here. My generation survived the Third Great Ninja War after all."

"Well, that's reassuring" Temari smiled nervously. Turning to her brothers, she shifted nervously in place.

They looked away awkwardly, unsure of how to say goodbye.

She blushed, then gave in and enveloped them both in a bear hug. "Be sure to visit me! I'll miss you both so much" she cried.

The two brothers wrapped their arms around her and gave Shikamaru a melancholy yet approving glance.

He smiled sympathetically, knowing how hard it must be to say goodbye to her family. Glancing up at the sky he considered how much he missed his own family as well. He looked back as a hand clasped his shoulder though.

Choji smiled back at him. "Ready?"

That's right, I still have a family right in front of me. As his wife turned towards him, he extended his hand. "Shall we?" he smiled genuinely.

Together, they led the band of shinobi onwards through the scorching desert.

Naruto paused at the gates to the Sand after giving a farewell to his friends. "So, this is it," he sighed as the wind blew softly around them.

Sasuke stood motionless in the desert, feeling guilty for leaving but knowing there was no other option.

"Be sure to write or text me with updates. You know I'll be there if you need anything, right?"

"Yeah."

Sakura sighed. Her husband was a man of few words even after all these years. She smiled looking at Hinata though and took her hands. "Let me know when Boruto is born, okay? I can't wait to see him. I'm only due a month after you so I'm sure I'll get to see him when he's still small."

Hinata nodded. "Same to you. I can't wait to meet your little one either" she giggled.

Sasuke looked on with a sense of melancholy. He wanted nothing more than to see their children grow up together but knew that it wasn't in the cards for him. Still, perhaps if he gathered more information about Momoshiki early, he could at least see them grow into their toddler years. What a blessing that would be, he thought.

Naruto frowned at his friend. Why did he have to be so committed to his missions all the time? He knew that wasn't the entire truth though. He witnessed it firsthand...the curse of the Uchiha. The more Sasuke's love grew, the more dangerous their situation became. He looked at Sakura who was smiling brightly, conversing with Hinata. She'd been through so much and yet; he knew that her love never changed for her husband. She was more committed to him than anyone else. Naruto could only hope that Sasuke understood her incredible sense of loyalty and devotion.

As the two couples went their separate ways, Naruto and Sasuke glanced back at one another across the desert. This wasn't the end. They would meet again soon. In just a few months their lives would change forever.

***

After an hour of walking, Sasuke teleported himself and Sakura to the Land of Waves where there were rumblings of Kaguya's followers. They landed on a familiar path they'd walked once before as genin in Team 7. Sakura smiled remembering those days fondly.

As Sasuke glanced at his wife, he thought back to the moment when they fought the Demon of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi. He was the first enemy jonin they'd ever encountered in battle. In those days, he protected Sakura against the chunin that targeted the bridgebuilder, Tazuna. He smirked, remembering how his body moved on its own. If warranted, he would have risked his life for her at that moment. And in a way, he knew she'd do the same. In fact, she'd saved him more times than he'd realized. She was there in the Forest of Death when he thought he would die with Orochimaru's curse mark, she was there when he fought Gaara and she saved him after his fight with Naruto as well. If only he could have returned the favor all those years ago. Still, he was a new man now and he was determined to watch over his wife and child, even if only from a distance.

Sakura glanced up in surprise as Sasuke grasped her hand gently, interlacing their fingers. She blushed slightly, remembering the first time they'd held hands. So much had changed since those days in the Forest of Death. If only she were this strong when she was a genin. Somehow, she appreciated the effort it took to get this far though. She persevered against all odds. Despite being ordinary compared to Naruto and the Uchiha clan, she'd forged her own path. She knew that from this point onwards, she wouldn't watch from the sidelines. She'd walk side by side next to her love and her teammates.

They emerged onto the Great Naruto Bridge shortly after their arrival and immersed themselves in the nostalgia of their shared past. After all that they'd been through together, their shared memories seemed to be the most precious to them now.

"Ah, Sasuke, Sakura!" a familiar figure waved towards them.

"Inari?" Sakura smiled. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since you stopped by to help rebuild the village!"

He smiled in the same way he did when he was a boy. Only now, he was a tall sixteen-year-old. As the years passed, he was beginning to look more and more like his grandfather. "We're all doing well here. We decided to rebuild some structures of our own. Come and see!"

As they wandered past the docks and thick mist, they found themselves in a cityscape. Instead of a secluded area built mostly of wood, a rise of buildings dotted the landscape in a sea of multicolored lights and blue reflecting buildings that mirrored the sea below.

"Inari" Sakura gasped. "This is incredible."

"I hardly recognize it" Sasuke stood beside her.

Inari grinned. "We've been busy since the war. Lord Chojiro and the former Lady Mizukage made some major changes after the Leaf discussed expansion. My grandfather and I put our ideas to good use as technology advanced."

"I'll say" Sakura stared above them.

"Now, now. Inari, don't brag" an elderly voice commented.

"I know, Grandpa. I'm not a little kid anymore" he quipped.

"Mr. Tazuna" Sasuke glanced at the tall elderly man. He aged since the last time they saw him. His wrinkles were more defined, and his hair was now pure white. He still looked to be in good health though.

"It's been a long time, you two," he commented. He smiled as he glanced at the couple. "I see...so you finally ended up together, eh Sakura? I'm glad to see you're both doing well."

She blushed slightly. "It took a little while, but we made it. Right, Sasuke?"

"Yeah" he nodded.

Tazuna clapped him on the back. "It's about time" he laughed. "Though I always knew you were meant to be. I could tell the moment Sakura shed tears for you despite the shinobi code."

Sasuke looked away uncomfortably. He hated that he made her cry, even if it was years ago. "Let's get down to business" he indicated, changing the subject. "We heard that there were incidents here, mysterious deals, and indicators that Kaguya's descendants are still present in this area."

Tazuna sighed. "It's true, the Hidden Mist has always been a place of turmoil. Still, we were enjoying relative peace until those weird plant guys attacked. They seemingly came out of nowhere. Now, no one knows who to trust anymore."

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged glances. It seemed that the dangers of their world hadn't dissipated after all.