Underneath the Underneath
Summary: One of the many rules of being a ninja is "A ninja must be able to see underneath the underneath." The problem is: none of them ever seemed to scratch past the surface.
Chapter 1: The Request
Heavy panting can be heard in the area beyond the Haruno mansion, somewhere in the forest. A girl was lying on her back, sweat glistening on her porcelain skin. Waist length bubblegum pink hair was sprawled on the ground and jade eyes were staring at the now gray clouds in the sky. She couldn't help but think that the heaven's condition somehow reflects her mood.
With a groan, she forced herself not to think about it. No matter how much her father opposes her idea of becoming a ninja, she'd go through with it. The very reason she was well-known throughout the Fire Country was for being the feudal lord's daughter, but her stubbornness runs a close second.
Tears began to gather in her eyes when she remembered the earlier events at dinner, when she went through with her plan.
Flashback:
Sakura stood in front of her mirror. She kept fidgeting and smoothing out invisible creases on her kimono. She was nervous, that much was obvious, but she was actually trying to calm herself down, she needed to be prepared for tonight. Not only for her sixteenth birthday, but also for her birthday wish that she hoped will be granted. It wasn't an easy one, after all.
All of her previous birthday wishes had been granted-toys, dresses, and even her own mansion!-without having to bat an eyelash in her father's direction. Apparently, asking permission to be a ninja was going to take more than just that. Much more than that.
A knock on her door stopped her fidgeting. "Sakura-sama, your father wants you to join the guests downstairs. They're already in the dining hall waiting for you."
A pause. "Tell him I'll join them shortly."
"Hai." With that said the maid left to entertain the guests.
Sakura took one last glance at her appearance in the mirror. She wore an elegant kimono, blood red at the top then fading to a lighter hue at the bottom of the dress, where it was now a beautiful yet dark shade of pink. It was designed with a cherry blossom tree with petals falling at the hem of her dress. Her hair was put into a tight bun at the top of her head, with few tendrils of curled hair framing her face. Sakura put on light make-up, less is more for her. Satisfied, she walked out of her room.
People greeted her everywhere she went. She replied with her own smiles, 'Hello's and 'Good evening's. Eventually, she came to the dining hall. Her father really prepared for it, that much she could tell from the number of people inside and the extravagant decorations in the hall. She walked inside and sat down on one of the chairs in the nearest table she could spot. She didn't bother going to the main table, still thinking of ways to tell her father.
'You idiot, you shouldn't be thinking so hard! It's our birthday for God's sake, and you're moping in one corner. Sheesh, talk about emo.', said Inner Sakura. Sakura was different from people in this sense, she has a second train of thought in her head. She wished that wasn't the case.
Sakura groaned inwardly. 'Shut up. I prefer it when you're brooding and silent in your corner. And I am NOT emo. Where have you been anyway? It was too quiet earlier.'
'Oh. Well, actually I was thinking too. How in hell do we get Dad to allow us to be a damn ninja?'
'Wow. Didn't know you had a brain. And watch your language, Dad would flip if he heard us talking that way. Though you do have a point. '
'Haha. That was so funny I forgot to laugh. Not to burst your bubble, but even though we're two minds, you're still me and I'm still you. Ha. In your face!'
'Argh! Forget it! You're not helping. Just shut up and brood in your corner!'
'But-'
'Now, Inner!'
Her inner reluctantly went into a corner of her mind, mumbling something about 'killjoy' and 'brooding in our birthday'. Finally, some peace and quiet. Sakura never seemed to have that whenever her inner self's ranting.
After her inner self retreated into her corner, Sakura thought really hard. See, her situation was something like this. Ever since an accident when she was 5, her father acquired a mild sense of dislike and discomfort around ninjas. He told her that ninjas are cold, ruthless killers, but Sakura believed otherwise. She thought that ninjas were protectors, but she never told her father that. Now, she was old enough to be a ninja and actually wanted to be one, but the problem was telling her father and getting his approval.
Not an easy task.
So, after about fifteen minutes of thinking about a plan and coming up blank, she finally decided to just blurt it out during dinner.
Just when she was about to head to the main table, her father approached her, "Sakura-hime,"
With a warm smile, her father enveloped her into an even warmer hug, full of happiness and love for his daughter. "Happy birthday, honey."
Sakura replied with one of her own bright smiles, "Thanks, Dad."
"Now come on, there are a few people I would like you to meet."
She obediently followed her father, mindlessly offering 'Hello's and 'Nice to meet you's to every person she was introduced to. When dinner came, she and her father headed to the main table.
Food was served, and Sakura decided it was now or never. Everything went by slowly. Chatter from all around them was blocked out.
"Dad?"
"Hmm?" Her dad was picking at a lobster.
"Can I ask you one big request?" Sakura suddenly felt hesitant.
"What is it, hime?" Dad stopped poking the lobster and turned to look at her.
"I want to be andfhfugaskdhiu," The last part turned gibberish.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Dad looked at her weirdly.
"I said, Iwanttobeaninja." She said in a too-fast-way-nobody-could-understand.
"Honey, could you speak clearer? You know I-" He was cut off by his own daughter's voice, louder and clearer than before.
"DAD, I WANT TO BE A NINJA!"
Everything suddenly went back to normal; the chatter resumed, then stopped altogether at hearing Sakura's words.
Sakura was now standing, her hands clenched on the table cloth, and eyes looking intently at her father. She started this, she couldn't, wouldn't, back out now. Said father, however, wouldn't look at her.
Then he spoke quietly, "Excuse us for a moment. Sakura, come with me."
He left the table, Sakura scurrying after him after a while. He turned a few corners, walked a few hallways and ended up at the garden just outside the mansion. It was beautiful; it never seemed to loosen its hold on Sakura. She never gets tired of seeing this garden, especially because her mother personally attended to these plants when she was still alive.
Haruno Sakumo finally spoke, "What made you say that, Sakura? You know how much I feel about ninjas.I thought you would have hated them after that incident… Why would you want to become one anyways?"
"I… want to protect everyone I love. So we don't have a repeat of that incident."
The rest of the conversation was a blur to Sakura. All she remembered was her father's last statement before he walked away, "…I don't ever want to hear anything about being a ninja. You will never enter their world."
End of Flashback
Sakura swiped at her eyes, clearing away the remaining moisture. She wasn't sure how long she sat there brooding, but eventually decided to get up and head home, no matter how much she didn't want to. She didn't know how to deal with the guests, so she decided to just get in through the back door.
A maid stopped her on her way to her room, "Sakura-sama, your father has been really worried. You were out for hours, and it's almost midnight. He wishes to speak with you in the library."
She was exhausted, from what she couldn't recall, so she just nodded and went to the library. Her mother was fond of books, so that place held a special place in her heart since they spent hours upon hours there reading fairy tales.
Sakura opened the door and braced herself for what was to come.
"You wanted to see me, Dad?"
"Three years."
"Huh?"
Sakura was confused. Three years? What about three years? What was her father talking about? He didn't make sense. Did he just call her there to say that?
Sakumo sighed. "Three years is all I can give you, Sakura. Promise me you'll take care of yourself."
Sakura still didn't get the message, "I promise, Dad, but what are you talking about?"
"You're going to train in Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, under the Godaime Hokage for three years."
xOxOxOxO
A/N: So what do you think? Sorry if it's still messed up, I'll fix everything in the next chapter. Reviews are welcome! And I will forever love those who review :P maybe. HAHAHAHA, just kidding. Anyways, flames, praise or whatever are accepted, just tell me what you think :D
