Somehow no matter which world Sakura belonged to she was always surrounded by Uchihas. It didn't matter who she ended up with because her ties to the clan were so deeply embedded that it almost made no difference. Not that she herself knew any of that and certainly not in this one world.
Imagine one Sakura from one world interacting with another. Well this is completely what happened. Her inner had to come from somewhere, right?
Her inner did not come out of nowhere and she has not always been clinically insane. That's just insulting. Though both could not exactly remember when they started to speak with each other, they were both inner and outer. Yeah it's as simple as that. They knew it was abnormal. They just didn't care.
So about the Uchiha...How did their world diverge? Well because of the interference of one messed goddess if we want to remain polite or the f-world would've described her perfectly.
In one world Uchiha Madara was still alive and messing with the timeline. In the other he was quite dead and remained so. Well…he did for a while.
What did that change? Everything. Sakura was known to be a fangirl in her misguided youth. Before being a fangirl she was known to have Ino as her best friend. Even before that she was known as a shy girl getting bullied for being different. She always buried herself in books too complicated for her age and did not have friends. Always alone and lonely. She did not seem like a bitch during this period. That was past Inner.
Past outer Sakura was the one in the messed up line. And as Sakura from this timeline she was weak. So weak that she had to take the role of the Inner and Inner became Outer, the one from the original timeline.
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"Inner can't you shut up?! I'm trying to sleep!" She couldn't hold out her frustration and screamed it out loud.
No I can't! Sasuke-kun looks so yummy!*squeal*Aahhh! He crossed his arms! Oh! He's looking at us!
Spare me from this shit! I don't care about this flirty brat!
You're so lucky with yours and you don't even enjoy him!
Enjoy? Enjoy what?
Well…
Argh! My eyes! It burns! Stop those images! Stop corrupting my mind! And how do you know how that looks like?! No, don't answer!
Why do you act like that? It's not like you're a prude.
And because of who!
She did not reply. Her usual clash with Ino had to have started otherwise she would have continued on her endless rant.
Inner went to school early through the pain of lacking sleep just to see her precious perverted fantasy on live before Ino. There's a limit to how much one girl can think of a boy but those two had no such thing. Pheromones were one of the most dangerous weapons on earth. Witnessed and approved. None rivaled its damages.
She wasted 30 minutes of extremely appreciated but totally not respected sleep. She stifled the urge to destroy everything in her path and beat her pillow. She stopped doing that because she knew once she exceeded a certain amount of time she wouldn't know how to stop.
She banged her hand against her alarm clock to keep it from beeping and got up with her duvet trailing behind her. Her flat was small but it was enough for her. She did not waste space and she kept it clean without fail. Her kitchen did not lack equipment, just her fridge that could do with more food.
She yawned and took out a yogurt and some fruits. She knew better than to keep milk in there. She dreaded ever making the same mistake as before and drink expired milk. That was deadly.
She glared at the window, expecting something to burst it and enter her household but nothing happened. Deeming it to mean she would have a calm morning she contently sipped her juice. She finally noticed the time and hurried to get changed. Her outfit was like Inner's dress except it was a two piece and she had black leggings beneath her skirt. She also had bangs and braided her waist length hair. The duvet did not survive and let her go near her bed like every other morning.
She took an apple for lunch since having lost adoptive parents at a young age, and no one to cook for her. The money problem was just obvious. Yes, Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno are her adoptive parents. Only 4 people knew. Her parents, the hokage and her. Now it was only 2. Inner did not know.
"Hmm...why do I feel like I forgot something?"She tapped her finger against her chin. "Well it shouldn't be important if I forgot."
She quickly took the road to go to the academy while sighing during the entire time it took her to get there. A big crowd could be seen from afar. It did not bode well. She hated having to get along with her fellows. Give her a big book on the theory of chakra manipulation and she won't complain but dump her into a room full of people and she'll plan your death. It's not like she hated them, she would just feel better without the noise they always bring with them. Especially Sasuke and his bunch of obsessed fans. She could not believe he had males fans chasing after him. It was a disturbing image.
"Hey Sakura!" She heard a voice calling her from behind. She painstakingly turned her head.
"Oh hey Kira!" I replied.
Kira was a girl her age who went to the civilian school. She wasn't an important figure among their age but she had enough influence to annoy you for a long time if you ignored her. Let it not be said that children are lazy. Hence she took the time to talk to her, a little bit. Just the strict minimum to get her off my back.
"I heard Sasuke-kun asked you on a date. How was it?"The civilian eagerly asked.
"What?"
"The date."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Was that what she forgot?
"Hm? Was it a false rumor? What a shame." She whined like her favorite toy got stolen.
"..."
"Well see you later!" She waved and left.
"I will never understand girls."
You're a girl.
Shut up.
The bell rang and she rushed to class. The teacher was still not there when she arrived but they all heard a 'Naruto!' being yelled out. She had a few minutes before Iruka-sensei barge in with Naruto in his hold.
She took a seat at the back against the window and went off to lalaland. She was gonna fall asleep when an ear shattering scream was heard just next to her sensitive ear. She moaned in agony and clutched her ear in her right hand. She raised her whole body and got ready to lash out in front of the world when she noticed who was seating next to her.
"Ah Saku-tan! Good morning!" He grinned and winked at her like the player he was. He's 12 and already on his way to be the ultimate playboy. Wait, was he the one who obliterated her eardrum?
"..."She ignored him. Nope, it did not happen. He did not scream like a little girl.
"Sakuuu-taan." Yep, it did…
"Sasuke-kun! Don't talk to her!"One girl spat at her. Why her? Why not him?"She doesn't deserve your attention!" Another one of his fangirls cried out. Ah...it was her. Freaking banshee.
"Now now girls. Every one of you are too good for me. I'm not worthy enough for you to get angry."
"Kyyaaa!"And with that last word or sound or maybe scream, or code, he went back to his paramour.
Sakura let out a huff and sat back down. She shift her head to the window too early to see his not so secretive glance and unreadable expression.
She resisted the urge to leer at him and surveyed the rest of the class. She hissed at the girls still glaring at her. Iruka-sensei entered the room with...was he covered with...was that peanuts? How did he get stuck with peanuts? How did Naruto make the nuts hold on? She guessed the feathers were getting boring. She snorted. Sasuke watched the scene with something akin to anger? Why would he be angry? May Naruto rest in peace. No, she couldn't give up on him just yet.
"Dammit! Naruto, go to your seat!" Iruka-sensei screamed. Naruto looked sheepish but victorious if his smirk was anything to go by.
This morning was as interesting as usual meaning not at all. You do not make a bunch of prepubescent angsty teenagers endure a morning of lectures about things like history or how to calculate the range your kunai could go at what strength and speed. It can be useful. Well maybe not. She did not slack off but she also didn't try to take the first place for this. She didn't really try to take the first place for anything. Any unwanted attention gave her shivers.
Iruka-sensei was gone as fast as the wind. She was startled by his speed but merely buried her head in the crook of her arms and waited for the silence to set back.
"Yata!" She recognized Naruto. Ah, it had to be lunch break. Goodbye notebooks and hello apple that will not fill her stomach. And they say she's on a diet. Pff, what a joke. Paying electricity, water and rent was expensive and she was not old enough for a part time job. How did Naruto get to eat so much ramen? He shouldn't have the money. Anyways, she would finally get an income as a ninja. She only had to wait one more month. An extremely excruciating very long month.
The class was soon deserted except for a few exceptions such as Shikamaru and his best friend Choji. She bet he was too lazy to move his ass out of the chair. She salivated at the sight of Choji's chips. Barbecue flavored ones. Her hands were moving without her consent towards the target. She slapped herself. It was time for her to relocate.
As she exited the building, the sun rays beamed right into her eyes making her spin too quickly and get dirt in them and she let out a grunt before slipping to the ground while blocking her eyes from the light. It wasn't until the pain ebbed away that she moved and fell again by bumping her toe against a pebble. Her shoes needed to be replaced. On top of a tree nearby the scene, an anbu guarding Naruto was silently laughing.
"There's no justice in this world." She grumbled under her breath. She flipped her long braid over her shoulder and dusted off the dirt.
Or you're just plain stupid and not fit to be a ninja. Defeated by a small piece of rock, what a strong person you are.
You do know that I am you, right?
No. You're a version of me. Definitely not an upgrade as I see…
Oh you bitch! I dare you to repeat that!
What? That you're stupid?
Fuck you!
Sorry but I'm not that narcissistic.
You!
Yeah. Me. You're surprisingly articulate these days, Outer.
I shall take my revenge and sing the Let it go song while you stalk him.
…
…
OH YOU WOULDN'T DARE!
TRY ME.
She cut their conversation and headed to the library. It was always quiet in there. Probably due to the fact there always were shinobi reading in peace and when you disturb them, you put your head on a stake.
She decided to change for once and not search scrolls on techniques with her clearance. As an academy student there wasn't a lot she was allowed to read so it was alright. She did not count the times she sneaked in the chunin and jonin section. She settled for a novel with a synopsis that screamed good story. Even the cover looked inviting. It should be a quick read with that length. Finding her usual spot, she sat and flipped open the book.
"So Matsura and landlady, what's it gonna be?"
An hour later.
"Argh! Right in the feeeels!" She flung her hands to her chest. "Onions are everywhere! It's an invasion!" She wiped her tears."Why are you looking at me! No, I'm not crying! You are!" She exclaimed to a guy watching her.
The librarian shushed her but stopped when he saw the book's title. He nodded and gave her a smile."Ah! You read this one!" She saw understanding in his eyes. A lone tear had escaped out of the corner of his eye.
"The cover looked so welcoming…but the story..." She trailed off. Don't judge a book by its cover.
He beckoned her over. They walked back to where she found it and she saw him make a gesture with his hand for the book. She extended it to him and he put it back in its place. He looked proud."Well, shouldn't you be at school?" He asked with that ever lasting serene smile.
"School?" She tilted her head slightly to the side."School." She said like she was testing the word."School...Oh shit! I gotta go!" She ran off.
"I'm so late!"She dived into the sea of people in the streets and jumped a fence before arriving to their training ground.
Sasuke was desperately looking for his prey but saw no pink hair in his range of sight. He was temped to use his immature sharingan but refrained. Meanwhile Hinata was observing Naruto by hiding behind a target. The poor guy didn't understand why he felt so paranoid.
Sakura could finally go back home and relax doing nothing but spy on the other Sakura. She swore to sing that blasted song until inciting the other to slip and reveal herself. One should know when one is being stalked. She felt like a hypocrite for some unknown reasons.
She opened her fridge and closed it. She loved fruits but she was fed up with them. Did she even eat her apple? She peered at her calendar and saw the date marked with a red dot. Did she plan something for today? She hoped not because it would mean she missed it. She missed it…Miss? Missing? Missing the visit. The visit!
"Shisui!" She blurred out and ran to the door.
She raced to the hospital and hoped it was still visiting hours. She greeted the nurses and entered the room without even checking the number. That's how used to it she was. She knew she had forgotten something.
"Hime-chan?" His voice was warm if not a little hoarse by the lack of use.
"Hi! Sorry for the delay!" It made him chuckle. She took the opportunity to sit on the bed next to his arm.
He patted her head."Don't worry. So how was your day?"
"..." Should she tell him the truth? Does she even know whether it was good or bad?"Um...it was...full." The window was not that far. She could jump now.
"What an incredible way to describe your day." He replied dryly.
"Well I can't really describe it." She pouted.
"Yeah I'm sure." He moved his hand up and down, messing with her hair. She let him continue.
"What's so fascinating about my hair?" She asked.
"It's so soft and silky. It almost makes me forget that it's pink." He grinned and she was sure that if he did not have his blindfold his eyes would be smiling. His beautiful eyes...
"How was your check up?" It pained her when she said it because she knew the answer would be the same as the day before like the day before it and so on since his eyes were deemed useless.
"Ah they're still trying to find what's wrong with my chakra coils. They're waiting for Tsunade-hime for further leads."
"I'm sure she will come." They both knew it was a lie but it did not stop them from talking about it because it would be like giving up.
She gave him a secretive sad smile. It's not like he could comment on it. She told him before to just give up on his eyes and get advantage of what he had now but his clan was not as lenient. She grabbed his hand and tightened her hold on him. They chatted until sunrise and she slept next to him. She really did forget something important.
The days passed each one not diverging from the other. Sakura conversed with Shisui everyday and she managed to miss being introduced to the famous Itachi every time. If she had arrived one moment earlier on the day she was late she would have seen him. Unfortunately it was just not meant for their path to cross for now. Her last month at the academy was slowly coming to its final day with the exams.
Her classmates were lamenting over their paper exams right and left and a few were preparing for the physical aspects of them. She found it slightly ironic how it was the ones at the top who stressed over their results while the ones at the bottom were relaxing. The probability for the civilians to pass were low. They were more worried about their appearances and popularity than learning how to be a ninja. It was downright pathetic that the fangirls were somehow above the average of the class.
"Oiroke no jutsu!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs.
She felt her jaw go slack at the girl being replaced by Naruto. Her private parts were only covered by a thin layer of smoke.
The bitch! As if a woman would have those big breasts and look at that butt! I bet she can't even wear pants!
It's Naruto…not for much longer but it's still him.
The girl henge was winking provocatively. The teachers were no better with their reactions. A vein popped out of her forehead and her fists tightened at her sides. Her feet were ready to jump over and pummel him to death but she was interrupted by the teacher getting up from the attack on his male instincts. She released all the profanities coming to her mind. The poor boy in the seat behind her was cowering at the death threats. If she could not beat him up, she could always imagine it at least. The girls showed the same behavior.
It was soon forgotten by the onslaught of classmates trying to achieve their best at performing the jutsu that needed to be mastered.
The exams were tomorrow and she had a bad feeling about it. There was a sense of doom in the air. Ignoring it would only leave you unprepared from unexpected situations. She took a note to be careful on this day.
The next day was normal. After completing all that was asked of her she was given her hitai-ate but she surprisingly felt no pride in having it after so many years of waiting. She wanted to be on a team with Shisui but it was not possible. She was still too weak. She had promised herself that she would find a way but she came up with nothing. Shisui was off duty for an unlimited period and he was still unable to freely move like how he used to. It dampened her spirits.
Sasuke had also passed but she expected no less from him. A lone figure was waiting for him near the gate and he took off after it. It had to be a family member like his brother because no matter how much he seemed to care about his lambs *cough*obsessive freaks*cough* he never shared anything private with them.
She wasted too much time lost in her thoughts. The last thing she saw before leaving the academy was Naruto without a hitai-ate being approached by Mizuki the Asshole. Hum, Mizuki-sensei. She had to finish reading about the theory of unblocking chakra coils.
She slept before sundown with unease and tossed in her sleep. She could not stop feeling like something horrible was bound to happen.
Meanwhile Naruto took two forbidden scrolls and read the techniques.
"You've gotta be kidding me! I'm shitty with the bunshin!" He still took half an hour to read the instructions on the kage bunshin no jutsu and proceeded to try to execute the next one. He hissed when he cut himself on the paper.
"Argh! I'll need the other jutsu to do this one!" He scratched his head."I need a test subject!" He arrived to a random graveyard and put the scroll across him. He overloaded his chakra to the point of straining himself from inexperience and performed the first technique.
"Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Four clones popped and he let out a victorious cry. "I did it! I did it!" After letting the dizziness pass, he quickly prepared for the second. He ordered his clone to place themselves at a specific place.
He formed the signs. "Edo Tensei!" He slapped his hands to the ground and four coffins were dug out from under the ground.
They stood stall and solid in front of him. The first one from his left slowly opened. A guy with long hair and a red armor came out. He looked imposing from his height to the aura he seemed to exude from his very being. He heard a feral growl and jumped at the noise. He squinted his eyes in the darkness to detect where the sound came from. The first corpse looked confused until the second coffin opened. Before he even had the time to see the person, the coffin next to him trembled. The seal encrypted on it exploded and he coughed at the smoke. Before he had the time to react a shadow flashed behind him and a hand gripped his throat.
"Don't move;" The voice was calm but held a stoic coldness that froze him over.
He was in deep shit.
TBC