Paths of Divergence

Restitution

Chapter 23

-Restitution

The battle was over. Sakura, Lady Chiyo, and Shizake were successful although barely scraping by with their lives. Lady Chiyo heaves over, sweat dotting her entire face. The jutsu she had used to heal Sakura required a decent amount of chakra from the elderly woman. Sakura stands up, walks over, and crouches down by the sand ninja, thanking her. Chiyo nods her head, silent as she continues to regain her strength.

Shizake rests on the ground, the scorching pain from a full force fire jutsu still seeping into his every nerve. Even though it was just two attacks, the young Uchiha had used nearly all of his chakra in those brief moments of battle. The knot around his headband unties itself, landing on the dirt with a soft clang. His eyes shift down, the burnt and frayed cloth having been the cause of it unknotting. As he reaches his hand out, he looks into the reflection of the metal plate, seeing a smile shining within it. Shizake looks up, noticing a bright smile coming from the pinkette. The boy returns the smile with one of his own, a confirmation of the regained piece he had been missing. He grips the headband in his hand, securing it safely in his pouch.

"Are you okay to move?" She asks.

Shizake begins moving his muscles, testing them out while slowly standing up and nodding. Sakura looks around at the destruction then back at the group, "We need to find Kakashi sensei and Naruto."

Shizake, dusting himself off replies, "You're right. We need to head out, they could need back up... as much as we could give in our current states."

Sakura nods, putting one of Chiyo's arms around her shoulder, "I'm sorry Lady Chiyo, we'll have to push on for a little while longer."

"Heh, I'm not that old," Chiyo responds with one eye open and a coy smile.

As Sakura and Chiyo stand up on their feet the ground booms with a low hum. All three look in the direction of northeast, feeling faint traces of dense chakra.

"At least we know which direction to go," Chiyo jokingly states.

The three press forward, heading to the unknown source of the disturbance.

***~~~***~~~***~~~***

After having met up with Naruto and Kakashi, the team brings the Kazekage's corpse to an open field. Within minutes they find their selves surrounded by sand ninja as well a Guy sensei's team. A dull sadness fills the air as everyone looks upon the lifeless body, unsure of where to go from here. Without saying anything Lady Chiyo crouches next to Gaara and begins preforming a healing jutsu. Everyone looks on with confusion before Chiyo begins explaining the jutsu she's using.

"A healing jutsu that can breathe life... in exchange for the user. Naruto, I need your help," She says.

Naruto does as she asks, placing his hands next to her. His chakra joins with hers, supporting the jutsu. Several minutes of pure focus go by as sweat drips from both of their foreheads. Just like a gust of wind that comes and goes, Gaara sits up. The vivacity in his eyes return to normal as he stares shockingly at Naruto. The blonde helps him up with a bright smile stretched out across his face. Within that moment, Lady Chiyo's body slumps over, lifeless. Everyone's gratefulness swarms the air as a few sand ninja pick up her body carefully. She preformed the ultimate selfless act, exchanging her life so that the young leader of the sand village may live once more.

"Chiyo..." Sakura mutters, replaying the recent events in her mind while also expressing her gratitude toward the deceased sand elder.

Shizake remains silent, unsure of what to say but also out of respect as to let Sakura make peace herself. As Gaara rises up and exchanges words with Naruto, Sakura rises from a crouching position, approaching the Uchiha boy.