Sasuke's twin sister, But Neji's first love

The Third Hokage Forever...

I lay there, unable to move, my body screaming in protest. The sounds of Gaara and Naruto fighting, their voices cutting through the haze of pain, felt distant, like echoes.

Suddenly, I heard Naruto's voice, full of urgency.

"Come on, get up, you guys! We have to go!"

I tried, my arms shaking as I pushed myself off the ground, but before I could get to my feet, Gaara came crashing toward us. Sakura jumped in front of us, kunai raised, determination in her eyes.

But Gaara's transformed arm slammed down, pinning her against the tree. She screamed, a shrill, heart-wrenching cry that echoed through the forest, and then went limp.

"Damn it... Damn, what are we supposed to do now? We're screwed..." Naruto muttered, his frustration palpable.

I heard Gaara grunt in pain, but I couldn't focus on it—my own body was betraying me. Every attempt to push myself up failed, leaving me feeling more helpless than ever.

Damn it. I'm too weak.

"What's the matter?" Gaara's voice was dripping with malice. "Aren't you about to make a run for it?"

Sakura, still pinned against the tree, weakly whispered, "Sasuke... Naruto... Ryuko..."

Gaara's gaze shifted to Naruto. "Who are these three to you?"

Naruto's response was immediate, his voice burning with intensity. "Who are they? They're my friends! You lay one more finger on them, and I swear I'll pulverize you!"

Gaara's smile twisted into something cruel as he tightened his grip on Sakura, causing her to scream in agony.

"What's the matter?" Gaara taunted. "Weren't you going to pulverize me? Well, come on then."

Naruto's eyes hardened, his voice steady but desperate. "I've gotta save my friends. It's all up to me now."

Gaara's laughter was cold and maniacal. "That's exactly why you can't win. As long as you fight for the sake of others, you'll never surpass this level. Forget your friends. Fight for yourself."

Naruto's voice rang out, unwavering. "I will never forget my friends."

That was the last thing I heard before the pain from my curse mark consumed me, and darkness closed in.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I slowly opened my eyes, the blinding sunlight streaming through the trees. My vision swam for a moment, and then it focused. I saw Sasuke and Sakura—both alive, both conscious. Relief surged through me.

Sasuke caught my gaze, his voice quiet but steady. "How are you feeling?"

I nodded slightly, pushing myself to sit up, groaning from the soreness. "Better. Just sore. What did I miss?"

He paused before answering. "Naruto fought Gaara. I wouldn't say he won, but he didn't lose either. Let's go find them."

I nodded, standing up and following Sasuke. We arrived at the clearing and found Naruto dragging himself along the ground, inching closer to Gaara, who lay on the floor, barely moving. I jumped down to his side, Sasuke following suit.

"Naruto," I said gently, crouching beside him. "Sakura's gonna be fine. She's free. The sand around her crumbled."

Sasuke observed Gaara's still form. "Looks like this guy's chakra is completely used up."

Naruto exhaled, a heavy sigh of relief, and then collapsed onto the ground. "That's a relief..." His eyes closed, and he passed out almost instantly.

Temari and Kankuro landed beside Gaara, their expressions unreadable, but their stance was defensive. For a moment, I braced myself for a fight.

Gaara stirred, his voice weak but firm. "No. That's enough."

Kankuro hesitated. "But Gaara—"

Gaara's gaze silenced him. "All right, Gaara," Kankuro finally relented, kneeling to lift him up. Temari glanced at us before they turned and disappeared into the trees.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I stood in my room, staring at my reflection in the mirror. The somber weight of the day pressed down on me. The Hokage's funeral.

I changed into a long-sleeved black top and skirt, my black ninja sandals quiet against the floor as I moved. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

I opened it to find Sasuke standing there, looking as composed as always. "You ready? We're meeting up with Naruto and Sakura."

I nodded, grabbing my headband and tying it around my forehead. We left the apartment in silence, the sky heavy with clouds, reflecting the solemn atmosphere of the day.

We arrived at the meeting spot where Naruto and Sakura were waiting. Sasuke and I didn't stop walking, knowing they'd follow behind us. We arrived at the ceremony, and the village was gathered—every face solemn, every person dressed in black. Silence blanketed the scene, broken only by the sound of raindrops beginning to fall. It was as though the heavens themselves were mourning.

The speaker stepped forward. "We are gathered here today to remember and honor not only the Third Hokage, but all those who sacrificed their lives in this battle so that our village will survive."

The ceremony proceeded quietly, each of us taking our turn to place a flower on the Hokage's grave. My turn came, and I stepped forward, holding my flower tightly. As I approached the grave, memories of the Hokage flashed in my mind.

*Flashback*

I was in the training grounds, exhausted and bruised. I could barely catch my breath when I heard footsteps approaching. Instantly, I turned, kunai drawn in a defensive stance.

"Well, someone's skills are improving," the Hokage said with a warm smile.

I lowered my weapon, still panting, my heart racing from the exhaustion.

"You know, Ryuko," he said, his tone kind and wise, "You're not your brother's shadow. There's no need to train just to prove yourself. Train for yourself. Don't do it for anyone else."

He patted my head and walked away, leaving me with those words echoing in my mind.

*Flashback ends*

I placed my flower among the others, stepping back into line. I found myself standing next to Neji, the silence between us stretching.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

My face remained cold, unreadable, but I nodded, keeping my gaze fixed ahead.

I could feel Neji's gaze lingering for a moment before he looked back at the ceremony.

Sakura's voice broke the stillness. "The rain... it stopped."

I looked up. The clouds were breaking, rays of sunlight streaming through the sky, casting a warm glow over the gathered mourners.

The ceremony came to an end, and we gathered back with our senseis, ready to face whatever came next. But the weight of the loss lingered, and the village felt quieter than it ever had before.