Kaika Saisei

Chapter 2: Of Gods and Goddesses

Walking alongside each other, Sakura, Naruto and Yamato talked about all sorts of things. Yamato seemed to be his usual self, scary and secretive, but also open at the same time. Quite a curious combination. Must be due to so many years spent in the Anbu.

But as fine as he tried making things be, Sakura couldn't help but notice the exhaustion in Yamato's spirit.

She truly worried about him so it wasn't long until she broke the ice and asked the man about his general state of being, without taking a no for an answer.

For a moment, Yamato thought about keeping it evasive, but then he remembered Sakura's determination when she truly wanted something.

of secrets. And at the end of the day, those weren't the children he once used to captain. But full-blown soldiers that had just been through a war. It had been only a week and a half since the war ended, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

"I'm fine, Sakura," he finally responded. "Just a bit tired and truthfully I'd need a break from everything that has happened, especially in the war," Yamato ended his response with his signature bored face.

"Taichou, I understood from Tsunade-sama that you were used as a power source for the enemy's army... is that true?" Sakura asked while Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Eeeh? Yamato-taichou is that really true?" he was quick to add right after Sakura. So much had happened in the war and after it, that Naruto still hadn't had the time to catch-up with everyone and everything that occurred. The war ending, the formalities after the end of it, the funerals of Neji Hyuga, as well as Shikamaru and Ino's fathers, Tsunade stepping down as Hokage and Kakashi taking over... a lot had been going on in such a short period of time.

Yamato groaned a bit, after which he looked in Sakura's and Naruto's direction. "Yes, it is. Apparently having Hashirama-sama's cells meant a bull's eye target on my back all along," he shrugged it off at the end.

Speaking of which, that quickly reminded Sakura about what Tsunade was working on and Naruto's hurt hand. Or well, lack of it since his battle with Sasuke.

She quickly turned away her gaze from Yamato towards Naruto.

"Oh, since we're talking about Hashirama-dono... Naruto, listen up! After we're done with the final mantle transferation from Tsunade-sama to Kakashi-sensei, you should come down with us at the hospital," Sakura informed him.

"Eeeh, but why?" Naruto asked in his usual why do I have to fashion. Some things were bound to never change, she thought as her breath slipped a small sigh.

"Because of your arm, you idiot!" she snapped at him in their usual bickering ways. Naruto might have been a walking God amongst mortals since the war, but in certain regards he was just as dense as ever.

"But I don't need it fixed! Sasuke didn't get his either!" Naruto responded back to Sakura in his usual childish ways. For some reason, for him it was enough motive to keep his arm the way it was. So what if half of it was missing anyway?

"Naruto...!" Sakura shouted while her gaze frowned, darkened, and fixated him. It was in that moment that Naruto recalled what he had promised himself in the war: never to talk back to Sakura. Ever again. So, it didn't last long until that gaze was followed by a scolding as well.

"When will you start to think about yourself, you idiot? I've had enough with one idiot who refused to wait to have his arm fixed, I'm not having the other one do the same. Plus, you should really start to put yourself first once in a while, okay? You were about to die in this damn war, then you and Sasuke had to go fight to finally put your differences to the side and like two idiots that you both are, you broke your arms!" Sakura ranted continuously at Naruto with no pause.