Ocean Of Blood And Fire [Sasusaku]

Chapter Eighteen: Sakura's P.O.V.

We'd been sailing for about four hours, and the silence was getting the better of me. Silence, in my very limited experience, was always foreshadowing that something bad was coming.

However, in this case, I guess silence was what we wanted.

"So far, it seems we've avoided detection." Kakashi whispered, his voice seeming to echo, bouncing off the water and into the foggy haze.

"But just in case, we'll take the route covered in vegetation. We'll be more hidden that way. Any onlookers will be unable to spot us."

"Smart," I said, and filed away the lesson in strategic tactics for later.

"Wow," Naruto gasped as we exited the tunnel, the village coming into view.

All three genin- yes, including Sasuke- leaned over the prow of the boat in awe of the village. I hadn't seen anything like it. Despite the mist covering the village like a blanket, it was still beautiful. The buildings were shaped in tall cylinders, stretching high above the town. There was greenery everywhere, and the village was bustling with activity. Even with the Mist, sunlight was still bountiful, lighting up this sight and giving a sense of life to everything. In fact, this place had so much life to it that it was hard to picture it in poverty.

(A/N: Sorry I suck at descriptions ☠️)

As we got off the boat, we thanked the ferryman before turning to Tazuna.

"Okay, let's get you home," Kakashi Sensei sighed.

We walked in silence for a while, and I was admiring the view. Sasuke and Naruto were on either side of me. Kakashi was on Sasuke's other side, and Tazuna was slightly in front of us.

I reached up to grab the straps of my backpack, and my hand brushed against Sasuke's arm slightly. I looked away and muttered an embarrassed, "Sorry."

I gripped my backpack tighter.

I missed the small smirk on his face, and the way Kakashi Sensei smiled knowingly under his mask.

Thankfully, I was distracted by Naruto nudging my side with his elbow.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! Watch this!" He had a shuriken in his hand and an excited smile on his face.

"Naruto, wait-!"

Too late. He hurled it at the closest bush proudly. "Hah! I got the bad guy, Sensei! Dattebayo!"

Kakashi Sensei brought a hand up to his face in exasperation. "Naruto, please don't play around with your shuriken. They're dangerous weapons, not toys for children." (A/N: May I point out that in the history of Naruto, nobody has ever landed a shuriken hit on somebody, so I don't see how they're dangerous when even the most basic ninja can dodge them, but oh well. And I'm talking regular sized, not Sasuke's massive shuriken thing. Okay, Anygays!)

Naruto looked disappointed in the lack of action, until the bush shivered. We all stopped in our tracks. "Tazuna-san, get behind us," I said calmly as I took out a kunai knife, and Sasuke did the same. Tazuna didn't need to be told twice. He hurried behind me and Sasuke, who stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a defensive shield around him. Kakashi approached the bush slowly, but Naruto ran forward. We all shouted at him to stop before he got hurt, but he didn't listen. We raised our kunai, prepared to throw them at the enemy. My heart was racing as I thought of the possibility of running into a strong opponent. I didn't want another repeat of my life before I came to Konoha. I gripped the handle tighter as Naruto roughly shoved the bushes aside.

He screamed.

"Naruto!" I cried in anguish, the only thing preventing me from rushing to him was the arm Sasuke threw across me.

We waited in silence. I was about two seconds away from flinging Sasuke's arm behind me and going after Naruto, when he appeared out of the bushes, unscathed. He held a trembling white rabbit in his arms, and he was cradling it and apologizing profusely for scaring it. No joke, this guy was close to tears. "I'm sorry lil' bunny-rabbit. I thought you were a bad guy. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me!"

I breathed a sigh, and Sasuke dropped his hand, looking annoyed at Naruto for being stupid. But something didn't feel right.

Kakashi Sensei apparently thought so too, because he stared warily at the rabbit.

"The color's off." I suddenly realized.

How had I not noticed sooner? I saw rabbits every day in the clearing where I trained. I'd go every day, no matter the weather. The rabbits would change colors to match the seasons. The only way there would be a white rabbit is...

Is if it was kept in captivity. The only reason I could think of keeping rabbits in captivity is to have them readily available for any body-swapping Jutsu that one would use for an ambush.

No sooner had I had the thought did Kakashi Sensei yell out, "Everyone get down!"

We hit the deck just in time. Any sooner and we would've been cut to pieces by the ridiculously large sword that spiraled through the air, slamming against a tree and lodging in the trunk. A man flashed onto the handle, which was big enough to support his weight. His back was to us, but he was looking over his shoulder at us, a hard glare on his face. The slight breeze ran through the clearing, fluttering the ribbons of his Kirigakure headband, which had a line through it.

This mystery man and Kakashi Sensei made eye contact, seeming to recognize each other.

"Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan, huh? No wonder the Demon Brothers failed."

I froze. Sharingan? Wasn't that the thing Father was after...?

Sasuke started at the mention of the Sharingan, staring at Kakashi Sensei wide-eyed.

The strange man was talking. "Sorry but... The old man is mine."

For once, Kakashi Sensei looked serious. "You three, protect Tazuna," he said as he slowly raised his hiate (a/n: I most likely spelled that wrong but oh well) to reveal a red eye, more unique than anything I'd ever seen before. I was caught in its trance for a moment before Sensei made eye contact with me and shouted, "Go!"

I snapped into action, grabbing Sasuke's wrist, who was still staring at Kakashi Sensei in shock, and pulling him along with me to Tazuna's side.

I would never admit it, but I was starting to get worried. I'd been in danger before, but this was different. Usually, I wouldn't flinch at the sight of an enemy, but if I failed, I would be hurting someone else.

And I promised myself.

Never again. I will never hurt anyone ever again, I thought determinedly. I took a deep breath and calmed my mind as Zabuza attacked.

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: AAAHHH So sorry it's been a little bit since I updated 😭 I just started a new story called Second Chances and I put this one off for a bit, but it's okay! Also, sorry that it's kinda short, but I've been working on this chapter for FOREVER and I just wanted to post. Anyway, if you'd like to check out my other Sasusaku book, then please do! It only has one chapter so far, soooo ☠️☠️ but I will update both this one and that one, I promise! And my Nejiten one will be back up in a little while. (Idk when, but hopefully soon.) Anyway, have a good day, and please give opinions on what I could work on or what I'm doing good! Or just comment and vote! Thank you, byyyeee! 🫶😘