A new attempt at writing another Sakura centric story.
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"This better be important griffin-san" a pink haired girl huffed while leaning against the door, her eyes glaring at what looked like a stripe-less tiger cub. "I need to finish that thank you gift for our host before we leave tomorrow"
After glancing left and right, said animal suddenly sat upright and took out a small devices out of nowhere.
"Hear me out first, Sakura-san. I am logging our request for departure from this world when I notice a request for departure made by bear-san" she rapidly explains. "The origin is one of the worlds that are also approachable from this one" she exclaimed, seeing the wide eyed look on Sakura face.
"When ?" Sakura blurted
"One hour" the animal replied, cringing for the reaction she knew will come.
"What ! But ... but we are not scheduled to leave until tomorrow" Sakura shouted in panic.
"Shh ..." the animal hush her. "I have changed our request to be immediate departure. I should receive confirmation in less than an hour" the animal whisper.
"Where should we depart from ? There is no basement or other secluded place nearby" Sakura whispered back.
"How about the hill just out of town ? It should take us an hour to get to the top" the animal mumbled. "But we have to leave right now"
"All right then, I'll write an apology letter to our host" Sakura decided.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Scene Break -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We have finally reached the top" Sakura exclaimed.
Spotting a jutted rock nearby, she sat down. In front of her and far below the town spread out like miniature city. A mini tiger-like animal next to her calmly proceed to a small clearing a few paces ahead.
"Such a beautiful sight, I am going to miss this world" Sakura smiled.
"Sakura-san, I am ready to begin" the animal called behind.
"Coming griffin-san" Sakura stood up and dusted her jeans before walking toward the clearing.
"Have you received confirmation yet ?" Sakura inquired. "There is no change to bear-san departure plan isn't it". There is a hint of worry on her question.
"Yes, it is confirmed" the animal shouted back. "His plan is unchanged".
The animal have drawn a rough circle on the grassy dirt and currently stood at the center concentrating on a small device.
"How much longer" Sakura ask frantically as she cleared the area inside the circle from harmful debris.
"Fifteen minutes until their departure" the animal started to fiddle with his device. "Ready ?" she ask
"Ready" Sakura return to the center. "Can you get us on the spot where they will depart ?" Sakura pleaded
"I'll try to get us as close as possible" the animal press a button and immediately a globe of light started to flow out, encompassing the circle and everything within. A loud humming can be heard outside of the globe.
"Five minutes until we go" he shot Sakura a questioning look.
Sakura just stood there biting her lips and closing her eyes as if calming her frayed nerves. The animal shrugged and suddenly increases in size.
"Help me put on the saddle Sakura" he nudged the pieces that were suddenly on the ground.
Silently Sakura obeyed his request. With deft hands she put the pieces together.
"Two minute, no going back" the animal glanced back to Sakura who nodded in reply. "You better rehearse that stern lecture for the boy" he smirked.
A gust of wind started within the half sphere and picking up in intensity, kicking up dust from the ground and obscuring them from view. Wordlessly the animal lay still on her stomach while Sakura mounted her and secure herself to the saddle. She lay as flat as possible ignoring the rain of dirt that pelted her body from time to time as the wind becomes a wild vortex. Suddenly a black spot started to appear in front of them and getting bigger.
"We will make it" the animal shouted back to Sakura who gave a small smile but otherwise stayed very tense..
The black spot have reach its apex, encompassing Sakura and the animal, it stayed that way for a few seconds before rapidly shrinking back and disappear completely, taking away the half hemispherical globe of light and its occupant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Scene Break -~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a new world, the process repeated itself, leaving Sakura and the animal on a rocky ground. Both took a few second to look around and evaluate their surrounding.
"Where are they ?" Sakura exclaimed in panic. "Are we too late ?" despair laced her tone.
"They should start right about now" the animal craned her ears to listen. Suddenly a faint humming seemed to emit from above them. "There they are" he exclaimed. "Hang on" she said before leaping ahead.
"Please hurry griffin-san" Sakura pleaded in whisper while hanging tight.
"We made it Sakura" the animal said upon spotting a half hemisphere globe of light with a man strapped on a bear-like animal. "Stop ... bear-san" the animal shouted while running full speed ahead.
However at that time, the same vortex of wind and dirt began to form obscuring the couple from further identification. Sakura's mount put out a burst of speed
"NARUTO !" Sakura shouted as to overcome the sphere's noise. In record time she dismounted and sprinted towards the circle. "STOP ! ... PLEASE !" she cried, slamming her fist against the sphere. "Griffin-san, do something" she pleaded to her companion when there is no response from within.
"The sphere can only be canceled from inside, Sakura-san" He shook his head sadly.
"Damn it" Sakura cursed. Turning back toward the sphere to prepare another round of pounding, she gasped as a black spot started to form inside the circle and rapidly expanding.
"NARUTO !" Sakura shouted as she spotted the dreaded dark sphere. In desperation she raced away from the sphere and stopped about twenty meters from it. "I WILL STOP YOU !" she raved, cocking her fist back.
"Sakura, don't" the animal shouted in alarm and tried to catch her.
However Sakura put a burst of speed and rammed the circle head on.
"SHANAROO !" Sakura screamed while giving the circle all that she had in that one punch.
A rattle shook the ground as both forces met and Sakura is thrown back several meters, skidding and rolling on the uneven ground. In record time Sakura got up and ran ahead again for a second try. However the dark circle has reached its apex and now rapidly decompressing.
"NO !" Sakura howled while still careening ahead.
Fortunately the animal stood on her path and able to catch her midway as the circle disappeared with a whoosh.
"That's enough" he sternly pushed her down.
"ARRGHH !" Sakura shouted while struggling against her hold.
"Stop it Sakura, They are gone" the animal mildly reprimand her.
"God Damn it !" Sakura roared as she gave the ground a series of mighty punches.
A heavy dust enveloped them before setting down, revealing a tear soaked and bloody knuckled Sakura being hold back by the animal
"One minute ..." Sakura growled. "All these time jumping between worlds and I am still too late" she howled.
"We will get them, be patience" his partner nuzzled affectionately.
"We don't have time" Sakura persisted. "You said it yourself, with every vial he collected, a piece of his memory will also be gone" she bawled. "It's been a year and we are never this close".
"I agree. We have been lucky. We will be lucky again" he nodded. "Come on, lets find shelter and prepare for our next jump" he gestured for Sakura to re-mount, which she did reluctantly. Griffin then set a course and began to search for a temporary shelter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Scene Break -~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a small peak of rocky hill, a stripe-less tiger-like animal can be seen surveying the surrounding valley. There are several steep peaks that could offer more protection but climbing them at night would be suicide.
"This place would have to do for now" he sighed.
Satisfied that there seemed to be no dangerous predator lurking nearby, he trekked downhill. A minute later he reached the opposite side, where there is a small cave that is invisible to anyone below it. Luckily the cave has a clean smell, indicating no recent inhabitant and good airflow. A few steps inside the cave, faint glow of charred sticks on a makeshift fireplace illuminated single bedding.
Sakura sat on said bedding, cradling her knees against her chest. The burned fire illuminated one side of her face, showing fresh tear marks and judging from the way her shoulder shook every now and then there were those marks won't be dry anytime soon. A glint from Sakura hands attracted his attention. With a squint, he can discern the layout of a necklace.
With a sigh the animal lay down on the entrance of the cave, orienting this sight outward. That necklace ... the blue and green tear shaped blobs that are fastened by a circle of small black beads. Sakura's most prize possession, a reminder of the man she chase after all this time ... her fiancee, the mark of their engagement.
Sakura never speak much about her past but that is all he know from what little she shared during their trip across worlds. He knew that every night Sakura would take out that necklace and gently rub her fingers along those tear shaped blobs. It is her way of remembering, of resolving her will, of casting her doubts. For the odds were against her, time were against her and yet she persist.
"I'm sorry ... Naruto" her whisper sound particularly loud on his ears. "I failed you again ... too late ... I am always too slow" Another series of sob indicating a fresh batch of tears being unloaded.
The animal sigh deeper. In a year of their journey so far, Sakura never cry, not in front of him or even behind him. Until now that is ... and he wonder if she can stop crying now.
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This is inspired by largely Tsubasa Chronicles and I am trying to portray Sakura's desperation in "catching" Naruto and her disappointment when she failed. I don't think that I am successful in that regards, though.