empathy (rewritten 2019)

chapter seventeen

The first few rounds of the Chunin Exams were intense, but not as intense as Sasuke Uchiha's fight. The audience was impatient for the Uchiha's worth, and so they bored through Shikamaru's, Naruto's, and Keiko's match with cries of get the show on already and where's Sasuke?

Keiko's match, though quick and easy to others, was a nailbiter to Sakura from the stands. Keiko's Rain nin opponent was a close match--nearly the same weight, height, and fighting technique. But Sakura knew Keiko was new to jutsus and chakra and her only safety net was the katana in her sheath and the few kunai in her pouch. It was only a quick match because the Rain nin surrendered after the harsh blow to the chest was followed by ten quick, effortless cuts raining down on her skin. Even then, Keiko was merciful, and never went deeper than needed.

Keiko left the arena with a fractured rib and a bleeding gash on her arm and a half-hearted victory cry from the audience, and it was only then that Sasuke Uchiha arrived.

If the audience wanted a fight that brought them to the edge of their seats, it was a fight they would have, and that was just the kind of match Sasuke and Gaara delivered. But maybe, just maybe, they asked for more than they could handle.

The invasion kicked off to a wretched start as half the arena fell into a deep sleep and the other half unsheathed their katanas, tore off their masks and etched out a horrid declaration into the morning sky of murder and war.

Sakura woke with a start and her eyes darted to Keiko, who, standing on the other side of the arena, stared back with the same worried stance.

"Keiko!" She called, pushing past sleeping bodies and drowsy nin. "Keiko!"

"Sakura!" She called back. "Sakura, are you oka--"

"Sakura, you need to wake everyone up, now." Kakashi grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away. "Bring Naruto and Shikamaru over here, okay?"

She nodded and looked back. "Yeah, but I--"

"Sakura, you need to go now. The faster you get them, the faster you can apprehend Gaara."

She broke away from his strict hands and tried to spot Keiko again. "I just need to--Keiko! Keiko, where are you?"

"Sakura, please--"

"Keiko!" Sakura's heart dropped when she spotted the nin running towards the seats, a handful of Sound Shinobi flanking her. "No!" Keiko, hearing her cries, paused, and the flank closed around her.

"Sakura, she's gonna be fine, okay, you need to go now. Go." Kakashi took her by the shoulders once more and pushed her away from the commotion rising in the seats.

Biting back another cry, she ran and she didn't look back.