I never thought detention could last for eternity…
Hi there! My name is Sakura, or Pinky, or Pink-Head... Really, you can call me whatever you want.
I was once a student here at Konoha High, a prestegious high school built right next to the city hospital.
I was fifteen when the accident happened, the one that changed my life forever. Or more correctly, ended my life.
You see, I'm a ghost. Not the type that flies around in white cloaks, chasing people out of the school, but a ghost none the less. I've been sentenced to reside in these school halls until... Well, until forever.
And we all know that is far too long for me to stay anywhere near sane!
Maybe things wouldn't be so bad if I could find that damn silver lining to this dilemma. But how optimistic could you be if your friends and family are unable to see or hear you while you helplessly watched on? I hated this halfway there crap, this 'between' worlds.
At the time of my death, there seemed to be only two people who understood me, Obito Uchiha and Rin Kurama. The two of them are also ghosts, though they are that way by choice.
A few years ago, the two of them had decided to make a dreadful deal.
Obito and Rin decided to make a suicide pact. They decided that if either of them failed their oral math exam they would choose to leave this world. They were both already doing poorly in math, and unfortunately neither managed to pass Equations of Second Degree Functions. The morning of the discovery they walked solemnly to the roof, hand in hand, staring over the edge of the seven story building. Knitting their fingers together, they shared their last kiss, and walked off the edge.
But this was back in the day when Kakashi-sensei was still student (I know, we're talking centuries ago!)
My death was a little more recent than that, and much more accidental.
*Flashback*
"Ino-pig." I said, acknowledging the girl walking towards our chemistry class.
"Billboard-brow" She responded, not even glancing in my direction as she spoke, "I'm copying your homework from yesterday."
"Again? Will you please do your own work for once?" I asked, exasperated. I was amazed this girl even passed enough classes to get in to high-school considering she had yet to do her own homework.
"Over your dead body." She said smirking.
"Isn't it supposed to be over your own body?"
"But if I die, how am I supposed to do my own homework? But if you die I'll have no one left to copy off of. Therefore, over your dead body!" She said, a confident smile on her angel like face.
I sighed, dropping the subject. There was no arguing with Ino when she thought she was right, regardless of how incorrect she was.
We slipped into the classroom just before the bell rang, and seated ourselves at the lab table at the back of the room. Ino was already in my bag and pulling out my binder before I could even utter a word of argument, so I settled for a frustrated glare instead.
I resigned to listening to the teacher when I realized my antics was to no avail, she was going to copy my work whether I wanted her to or not. I was easily distracted by the movement to my right though, and turned to see just what Kiba was doing. It seemed he had wiring tangled together, and was trying to untangle the mass of metal before reattaching it to the charger for his phone. Hinata, his partner, was trying to convince him to tape the wire before he plugged it into the outlet next to his desk, in hopes of saving the boy from a very uncomfortable shock.
I decided to return my attention to the teacher before I caught something about a homework check at the end of class, and about a titration assignment before the whole class stood up and started collecting materials.
I followed suit and started gathering the flasks, pipettes and beakers needed for the experiment. Ino was too deep in texting to concern herself with helping me, so I settled for finishing the experiment myself.
I grabbed the bottle of diluted hydrochloric acid from the front of the room, and brought it back with me to the lab bench, placing it next to Ino, the only open space left in the area. This was probably my first mistake.
"I can't believe it, he finally asked me out!" The blonde yelled before dramatically swinging her arms out, coming into direct contact with the container of acid.
The sound of shattering glass could be heard across the classroom as container made contact with the floor, spilling acid and shards everywhere.
Movement in the classroom ceased, and all eyes turned to our lab bench. I froze, waiting for one or both of us to be scolded for what happened.
"Ino. Office now. Sakura. Clean." The teachers abrupt language told me that they were doing everything in their power to not yell at us for what happened, so we quickly followed orders.
I walked to the sink, grabbing a roll of paper-towels to clean up the spill. I was gathering the shards into a pile when movement started in the classroom, interest slowly fading. I sighed, feeling better that all eyes weren't on me.
I quickly apologized to Hinata and Kiba for spilling over their station as well, and started soaking up the slightly corrosive liquid with the towels.
I was approaching the other table when Kiba finished his tangled project from earlier. There was a little tape on the wire, thought not enough for his lab partners liking. The boy, being the bright person he was, decided to plug the wire into the socket before he attached it to his charger, giving him an immediate shock. Kiba dropped the painful object.
Regretfully, he dropped it right into the conductive acid beneath him.
Pain shot through the hand holding the soaking paper towel, causing me to scream out in anguish as my other hand grounded the charge.
Then everything went black.
*End Flashback*
According to Jiraiya, another ghost that resides within the school, I died of an electrical shock. He said that the charge was passed through the acid, into my hand, and in it's attempt to quickly ground itself, it raced to my other hand planted on the dry floor. However, the only straight path through was right across my heart, frying the nerves, and ceasing all heartbeat.
Though there was no white light at the end of the tunnel, or a godly figure standing before me, there was just a flash of light, and then it was all gone.
I remember it felt like falling asleep, and opening your eyes when you woke up. I saw everyone in my class staring at my lifeless body as it lay crippled on the floor of the classroom. I tried to get the attention of my classmates, yelling, shaking, shoving, but no one would respond. The best I got was a small shiver from Hinata, but she shook it off.
I was yelling exasperated at the teacher when I finally became aware of the book that was resting on my lifeless body. I turned away from the oblivious people in the room, and scrambled towards my shell of a body on the floor.
I couldn't move as I stared at the book.
The Ghost Handbook
My emotions ran rampage as I read the title. I remember being startled, angry, sad, I remember that I started crying on the spot, blurring my vision and weakening my knees.
I didn't respond to anything until I heard a voice from behind me, the voice of Rin.
"Get your book sweetie, before they lift your body away." She said, her voice soft.
At first I was taken aback, but after what I had experienced, talking to a ghost was the least of my worries. I walked towards my body and gingerly lifted the book from the shells' clenched grasp, and backed away quickly as if it were to suddenly reanimate itself.
Curiosity got the better of me as I delicately opened the leather-bound book, almost as if I believed it would shatter. If I thought the earlier situation was confusing, this merely topped the cake.
The first page of the book was set up as if it were to be a chart, but it was incomplete. Only one section was filled out, Level 1.
The next part of the chart read description, and underneath 'The one with a new start' was written.
I remember reading that line over and over during my first year of haunting. For the first month, I absolutely refused to accept the fact that I had died. Day in and day out I would try to talk to the people who were once in my class, all of which were distraught by my death.
Kiba took it especially hard. Had Hinata not been there, he just may have committed suicide himself. And while I wouldn't mind the company, I wouldn't wish this fate on anybody, regardless of the circumstances.
Anyways, after the first month, I gave up on trying to get anyone's attention, and essentially curled up in a corner, hoping this was all some sort of twisted reality. I moped around the school for several months after my death, looking for some kind of hope, some kind of light.
It took me approximately a year before I finally accepted that I was indeed dead, and that there was no going back. I was a ghost.
This revelation made me feel amazing inside, like something was finally changing. Turns out, it was.
When I took another look in the handbook, the chart seemed to have magically grown another level.
Level 2 was written below the first entry, and it said 'The one who haunts'. I personally didn't like the sound of that, but I read further to the addition of another column in the chart.
The new column's title read 'reasoning'.
"Progressed to the next level as she accepted her death.' The sentence is permanently etched into my mind as my first accomplishment as a ghost.
I spent the next few days attempting to achieve more levels out of curiosity. Because the title for a Level 2 was 'The one who haunts' I thought fulfilling my title would move me up again.
I tried every trick I would think of, slamming lockers, or walking into people (really through them). I even tried intensifying my soul for a few seconds so that I was somewhat visible. However, none of these tactics moved me any closer to my goal, only a few good laughs as people wet themselves.
About a week into my attempted terror, I gave up and settled for wandering the school. One of the first things I discovered while wandering was that I couldn't leave the property. I hadn't even considered leaving when I was a Level 1, everything was still so overwhelming.
Through my wandering I discovered that there seemed to be some kind of... force-field, for lack of better words. I also discovered that I could feel pain when I walked head on into the invisible barrier.
However, I did discover a beautiful spot on the roof of our school, where if you wait until just the right time, you can watch the sun set over the horizon. It sets right between two of the tallest buildings in the city, the glass of their windows reflecting a stunning crimson light as the sun slowly slid out of view.
I was waiting for one of those moments when it happened.
I had turned around to glance at the clock tower on the other side of the roof, impatiently counting down the last few minutes to the sunset, when I heard the roof door open.
I abruptly turned towards the source of the sound, to find that one of the students had wandered up to the restricted haven. I turned away, content with ignoring the presence of the other, until I heard footsteps wandering towards me. The light-footed person stopped next to where I was sitting, my legs dangling off the side of the roof.
I cast a side glance at the taller male beside me, only to release a small gasp of surprise.
The person standing next to me was the one and only Itachi.
I wanted to jump up and pull him into a hug, but I restrained myself knowing that it would do no good. The best response I could expect would be a small shiver, one that would quickly be brushed off as windchill.
I smiled up at my old classmate, knowing full well that he couldn't see me. He had changed so much from our sophomore year! Though, I guess everyone in my year would have been in their senior year by then. But still, he looked so much more... mature now.
I was slightly startled when he decided to seat himself next to me, his fingers nearly touching my intangible ones. He threw his legs over the edge of the roof as well, totally oblivious to the danger that it could pose to a living being.
He took a deep breath, his peaceful face mimicking the scenery, but contradicting his solemn statement. "Maybe I should just give up."
I turned an inquisitive look towards the old friend, wondering just who he was talking to.
"If I took this jump, I could end it here. I could end everything." He muttered, resting his elbows on his knees, precariously balanced on the edge of the roof.
"Whatever it is, it can't be worth dying for." I said, trying to comfort the male with unheard and slightly humorous words.
"It's probably not worth dying for." He muttered again, removing his elbows from his knees to lean back on his palms.
"What did I say." I smirked, imitating Itachi's pose as we waited for the sunset.
"First my father is pushing me to my limit, trying to get me to take over that stupid company of his, and now Sasuke hates me..." He mumbled off, releasing a heavy sigh. I was so surprised that the boy had looked to calm moments ago, and now his true frustration was showing through.
I rested a weightless hand on his shoulder, knowing my comfort would do nothing for him.
"He just doesn't get it! I don't want that damned fame and fortune crap, and I sure as hell don't want to have my freaking name posted on the front of some business magazine!" He groaned, throwing his head back in frustration as another sigh escaped his lips.
"Hey, It's going to be okay Itachi. It's going to be okay." I say, my hand still resting on his broad shoulder as I turn to glance at the scenery unfolding around me.
The sun was finally setting, its golden glow quickly transforming into a burning crimson light, casting long shadows across the ground, the parking lot, and reflecting into the windows of the school.
I glanced at Itachi, who was also captivated by the view. Somehow, I seemed to become entrapped by his beauty instead of the nature around me when I saw the vibrant colors reflect on his face.
His beautiful features were only accented further by the red glow of a setting sun, and I almost lost my nonexistent breath.
"So, how is the life of the dead Sakura?" To say I was startled by the question would be an understatement. Though, because he wasn't looking at me, I had initially assumed that he was not talking to me, and simply to the air before him.
"Would you say it's worth it?" He asked, turning his head in my direction, displaying deep black onyx eyes.
With a spinning red sharingan activated.