A/N: Welcome to the sequel of The First Seventy-Two Hours! If you haven't read the prequel yet, I suggest you read that first. I will be referring back to the first series a lot.

Responses to Non-Member Reviews (From: The First Seventy-Two Hours' Last Chapter)

To Guest: Thank you so much! :)
To onyxemeraldninja: Thank you for your compliments! That's alright! I'm very happy that you finished reading the first season!
To Sam: Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it! ^^

Thanks for reviewing!

Warning I: This is a tragedy. I'm sorry. :(
Warning II: Character death. Yep. In the first chapter.

Standard Disclaimers Apply

After Hour I (Prologue)

Hurry...Hurry!

"Sakura-chan! Wait up!" Naruto called, sprinting to catch up.

She raced through the forest, clumsily breaking branches and cutting her skin on twigs in her haste.

Damn it, faster!

She could sense two chakra signatures a short distance in front of her, and she knew pretty damn well who they belonged to.

…There!

Standing in the middle of the forest opening were two people she recognized all too well.

She launched herself off the branch and landed roughly in between the two men.

One of them spoke up. The younger one. Sasuke.

"Sakura," he acknowledged, a rare thing for the ex-Konoha nin. "Good timing. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

She ignored him, something that would have been considered rare back in the days. But it wasn't "back in the days" anymore. No, right now, there was someone who mattered even more in her life –and this someone was dying.

"Itachi!" She turned her back to Sasuke and dropped to her knees beside the cold, pale man. "You idiot! Why?"

There were just too many things on her mind. She had so much she wanted to say to him, so much she wanted to ask him.

"Why are you dying?"
"I thought you were strong!"
"What about the kisses you promised?"
"What am I supposed to do from now on?"

It was all just so frustrating, but a soothing yet fleeting touch from Itachi and the nostalgic yet stern expression he gives her manages to calm her. The next moment, she freezes.

Realizing what had paralyzed Sakura, Sasuke froze as well.

Itachi had put Sakura under a genjutsu –under the Tsukuyomi.

Sasuke can't grasp the reason why his brother would do such a thing. He barely had enough chakra left, so why waste it on Sakura –little old Sakura- in his last moments?

He hardly had enough time to pity Sakura before the Tsukuyomi ended. Shortly after, Sakura slumped onto Itachi's body.

He smirked. Of course, Sakura can't handle it. He was about to go check up on the medic nin –she is necessary in order for his plans to go smoothly- but then, to his astonishment, she lifts herself up and places a hand on his brother's cheek in a gentle, yet mournful, manner. His brother, of course, was dead.

But he was smiling.

He doesn't think it possible for his brother to waste his precious chakra on a genjutsu and not cause any harm. More than the victory of his long-term goal, he was more immersed in his curiosity of what had just happened.

The sound of two pairs of feet landing brought his attention away from the kunoichi. He saw them, both his previous friend and teacher, but did not acknowledge them. His attention returned back to the girl.

She was standing, facing him with a fist offered in his direction. He braced himself for what appeared to be her revenge, but there was no attack. Instead, she patiently made her way over to him, hand still outstretched.

When she got to him, she turned her hand over and slowly opened her fist. His eyes widened when he saw what she was holding.

In her hand was a symbol.

The symbol of the sharingan.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I know a lot of you might hate me right now orz. I'm sorry! While the first series was more focused on humour, the sequel is more serious. I hope you guys are okay with it. If not, I'm super duper sorry! I'll try to make it work out! I promise! Please tell me your opinion on this! Thanks!