The Weight of Shadows

Chapter Three: don't tell the gods I left a mess

Life #5000

"Sakura!" Naruto's voice echoed through the trees, far louder than she would have liked, and silently, she cursed the loudness of her companion. It was a gentle curse, if there were such a thing, because even her bubbly blonde friend's somewhat irritating temperament couldn't erase the sheer joy she felt at him being there with her in that cycle. She wished it would last forever, but she was no closer to binding either of them to the fate of Arda.

She shook her head, sighing then. "It's Lothien here, just as you're Anorion," she reminded him. "We can hardly explain where Sakura and Naruto come from, can we? Lest we be mistaken for having gone mad."

Naruto tilted his head then, long blonde locks shifting then. "Y'know, sometimes you sound real smart and wise, Sak"—Sakura glared at him pointedly—"Lothien. Sorry – I'll remember, I swear."

Sakura only snorted. "Sure you will." Naruto had a brain like a sieve when it came to what he considered to be unimportant, and she had no doubts this qualified as such.

"Sometimes, I swear she could be mistaken for an elf," Elentir chimed in then, alerting the both of them to his presence there. "Save only for the ears, my friend," he said, chuckling then, and Sakura laughed along with him. If only he knew... if only... "Though I must say the both of you get along marvellously, considering you were only introduced some weeks ago." Sakura blinked at the reminder of time passed. Truly, it felt like they hadn't been apart long, what with her four-thousandth and nine-hundred and ninety nineth lifetime having been in the Elemental Nations. But this Naruto was different. He was a reincarnate, and he was seemingly travelling down the same path as she. "Should I be expecting an announcement at the end of this expedition, old friend?"

Sakura blinked at the thought, taking a moment to consider it properly. Truly, the idea wasn't as horrifying as it had been in her first life. She had sometimes partnered up with Naruto in previous cycles, on the odd occasion where she had felt like starting a family which had grown rarer and rarer as cycles passed. As those she loved became more akin to children in her eyes.

Red stained Naruto's cheeks, and Sakura only chuckled. He was far younger than she and hadn't learnt to temper his reactions. So no one could use them against her. Nor had he been subjected to Danzo's idealisation of what a shinobi should be. Silently, she prayed he never had to. Though she swore in the next cycle she met Danzo, she would beat him to a bloody pulp before he could even lay eyes on her previous teammate. "No! It's nothing like that, I swear! We're just friends..."

"What he says is true, Elentir," she said, deciding to spare Naruto the misery. "Stop teasing, old friend, unless you wish for me to tell the tale of when you tripped over thin air and planted your face straight—"

"I give!" Elentir said hurriedly, cheeks pinkening at the reminder of one of his many embarrassing moments Sakura had been privy to. "Come now, dear friend of mine, surely you know better than to slander my image with these horrid tales. I do have a reputation to keep, what with our business, travelling north to the Icy Pass as we are..."

"I do not believe that to be our destination's true name," Sakura intoned, raising an eyebrow at him. "The elves have a different name for it—"

Elentir frowned. "It is a close enough translation," he said, shrugging somewhat under her unamused gaze. "Besides, unlike any other name, the Icy Pass tells us exactly what to expect. Sometimes you really do astonish me with the amount of lore you know of... Truly you are wise and more learned beyond your years, and I am blessed to have you both on this travel, and as a dear friend."

"And I see, or hear more aptly, that you still have that silvery tongue of yours," Sakura remarked. "Tell me again, how many ladies have you ensnared with those sweet words of yours?"