Beyond Konoha - Different Dimensions

Chapter 28 - FINAL CHAPTER.

---28---

Sasuke and Naruto stayed with me all that morning, as I drifted in and out of sleep. We didn't talk much but it was just comfort for them both to be there. I passed out for a while longer and woke up to only Naruto, sometimes, a nurse cleaning my room but no Sasuke. I was confused, it didn't make any sense to me. Where was he?

One lunch-time, a nurse came brought me some lunch. I sat up slowly and ate most of it. My head still pounded slightly and I discovered a bandage wrapped around my head and some other parts of my body that must've been injured during my fight.

After lunch, the nurse returned.

'Kasumi, you have a visitor,' she smiled. My face lit up with a grin.

'Really? Who?' I asked. The nurse opened the door and in walked Sakura. I almost didn't recognise her with her hair short. I smiled at her and she grinned back at me.

'Hey there Kasumi,' she smiled. 'How are you?'

'I'm better, yep. I'll be out soon I'm guessing. And then we can get back to the Chuunin exams,' I said, fixing my pillow. Sakura shook her head.

'Afraid not Kasumi, you've been out for a long time. The Chuunin exams finished a couple weeks back. But don't worry, you didn't really miss much, it went a bit downhill from there. Lee-kun was badly injured in a fight against a Shinobi from the Sand Village,' she told me sadly.

'What?! Lee-kun's hurt? How badly? Is he okay?!' I asked, jerking forwards. Sakura gently pushed me back against the pillow.

'Careful now Kasumi, you need to rest. Take it easy,' she said softly. 'Unfortunately, Lee's injuries were bad enought that he won't be able to become a Shinobi again,' Sakura looked at the floor sadly.

'What?! That's rubbish! Lee is an incredible Shinobi! He can't not be a ninja! Who said that Lee would never fight again?!' I demanded, angered.

'Lady Tsunade,' Sakura said sadly. I looked at her, confused.

'Who's Lady Tsunade?' I asked. Sakura blinked at me.

'Oh right, I haven't told you everything yet. Lady Tsunade is the grandaughter of the First Hokage and is now the Fifth Hokage. Lord Hokage was killed by his former student, Orochimaru in a violent attack against the Leaf. And then,' Sakura sniffed, as if she was unable to continue.

'Sakura?' I asked. 'What's wrong?'

'Kasumi, it's Sasuke. He left the Leaf,' she sobbed. I tensed all over, frozen and sank back into my bed, staring into space. What? Sasuke had left the village? Impossible. Lee-kun was never going to be a Shinobi again. We had a new Hokage. The Third Hokage had died, the Leaf had been attacked and I'd missed the Chuunin Exams?!

I jumped out of the bed, my head racing, my anger rising. Sakura looked surprised and a bit jumped.

'K-Kasumi? What are you doing?' she asked. I pulled on some clothes that I found near by. Some blue shorts and a kimono vest. I pulled on a pair of sandals and stormed towards the door.

'Kasumi!' Sakura yelled, making me stop in my tracks. 'Where on earth do you think you're going in a state like that? You're not well enough! You need to rest or you'll never get better! Storming off ins't going to make anything better, it's hard I know, but you have to stop over-reacting and go back to bed and rest! Do you understand?' she yelled. I felt my lip trembling. She was like Mom, so much like Mom. I bit my lip and turned around.

'Sakura, please, I'm well enough to go out now, even if it's just for a little while. But I have to go. I need to see if Lee's okay, I need to see the damage done to my home, I need to meet the new Hokage, I need to see if my friends are okay and I need to know if my brother is safe,' I told her.