Beyond the Boundary | Haruno Sakura | DISCONTINUED

ZERO - ❝ To Die ❞

Memories are dangerous,
Emotion is pain,
To spend your life in peace,
Is the path only a fool would take.

Rain pattered down like tiny drums upon the mushy soil beneath their feet. Scarlet mixed with brown as the scent of copper was washed away like the love she held so dear to her heart. She had been so foolish to believe something like this wouldn't happen; simply because she loved the boy with blazing crimson hues. The young kunoichi faintly registered someone calling her name through her kneeled position.

The voice was raspy, friendly and familiar. Where has she heard this voice before? Blood trickled down her chin through the corners of her mouth as images flashed before her eyes. A head of blonde, bright orange jacket, the faint smell of ramen. Naruto.

Ah... So that's who it is. Gomen, Naruto. I should have treated you better.

The girl who had once owned hair a brilliant shade of pink, now matted in red, tried desperately to keep her heavy eyelids from closing. Lightning chirped down below her collarbone—where her heart should have been. Now it rested in the hands of the boy she had so stupidly given it to.

A hollow laugh unwillingly forced itself out her mouth, causing her to cough up an outrageous amount of blood. In front of her stood the twenty four year-old Uchiha Sasuke, his brows furrowed while his hand rested comfortably in his teammate's chest. A thought crossed his mind; why is she laughing?

In truth, she didn't know why she laughed either. Perhaps at the irony of it all , no amount of medical ninjutsu could save her now, she knew it.  Maybe it was the fact that she was really and truly going to die this time with no close calls.

Unfocused eyes tried their hardest to stare at the ravenette as she coughed up more blood. Was any of this worth it? Were all her efforts wasted on someone who clearly didn't give a damn about her or the people he left behind? Perhaps. The young kunoichi felt something bubble in her chest—no, not the hand. Her vision became sharper even though all she wanted to do was close her eyes. Blood would have rushed through her veins if they had a heart to pump it.

What is this feeling?

Naruto had finally arrived, only to skid to a halt and stare wide-eyed. Kakashi was next to him, a look of sadness and rage within his single eye. Before them sat the girl they both had come to respect. Naruto tried talking, but his mouth made no sound as he watched the scene unfold. Why didn't they make it on time?! Why were they too late?

The girl furrowed her brows as she tried to figure out what exactly she was feeling. It was like a volcano getting ready to explode, like the steady boiling of water as it sat on the stove. Was it anger? No... It was something stronger. Rage? Close...

Was it hatred?

Ah, yes. Hatred was running through her veins along with rage. But to whom was this feeling directed to? Well a lot of it was towards Sasuke, but a majority was at herself. War changed her, it molded her from a happy little girl obsessed with a boy to a shell of what she once was. It was at that moment Sasuke finally noticed the bags under her eyes and the pain that etched into her emerald hues. She wasn't made for this, for war. But it's what she endured for her village, for her friends.

Tch, it was a waste because now most of them were dead. In all honesty she was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of losing everything she loves and so damn tired of living. All of her friends had dreams, especially the ones that died! Ino wanted a family, Choji always wanted to try out that dish up in the Land of Iron and Sai wanted to be human!

Now they would never achieve those dreams because she wasn't strong enough to save them all. She never was. Her teeth clenched as she tried to stand, but to no avail. Everyone watched in sorrow as their teammate desperately tried to hold onto the little life she had left.

But in all honesty, she didn't mind dying. It wasn't something she was afraid of anymore, not after the war where bodies reached the sky. She even craved it at this point; the sweet release of death. Maybe she would see her friends again and tell them about everything she has learned! She just wished she could change this outcome. It was a stupid wish, but hers nonetheless.

❝ y...o....u wi...ll re-regret this. ❞

Sasuke raised a brow as she choked out the single sentence. A frown tugged at his lips as he looked down upon the dying girl.

❝ Why haven't you died yet? Are you trying to convince yourself that I didn't do this? You're nothing but a lovesick fool. ❞

The Uchiha sneered at her, his sharingan still blazing. Naruto wanted to scream and rip Sasuke away. He could save her...right? He was Naruto! A hero! He was about to charge forwards and save her when a hand held him back. The blue eyed boy stared at Kakashi as the copy nin shook his head. ❝ Why?! Why are you holding me back when we could save her! ❞ he demanded. The silver haired ninja didn't answer, but his eye said enough. He wanted to save her too, but it was too late.

The scene reminded himself so much of when he killed Rin and it pained Kakashi to see his own students repeating history.

The girl chuckled as she shook her head weakly.
❝ I g...ot o-over yo-u a long t...ime ago. I...want n-nothing more than t..o di...e. ❞ her emerald green eyes were fading into a darker hue as she slowly started slipping away. She hated Sasuke with everything she had, but she couldn't bring herself to express it in her last moments.

❝ I wish...it could have...turned out differently. I haven't even...gotten my revenge yet. ❞

Something pulled at Sasuke as he watched her die slowly. Did he really want her dead...? He quickly pushed the thought down and smirked. But as soon as it appeared, it wiped of his face. The dying kunoichi brought her gloved hand up to his heart, clenched in a fist and intending to punch him.

It was weak, but made contact slowly as she opened her mouth to say her final words.

❝ Sha...nnaro. ❞

The rain suddenly seemed louder as it pounded on his figure. Slowly, Sasuke pulled his bloody hand out of her chest and caught her as she fell to the ground, lifeless. Naruto screamed in agony as he ran up and took the girl from Sasuke's hands, glaring at him through blood red slits. The boy cradled her bloodied form as he sobbed. How could such a sweet and strong girl deserve this fate? He couldn't believe such a thing could happen to her, his anchor. No one could. But one thing was for certain:

Haruno Sakura was dead.