Thank you very much for your reviews: Shadows55, Guest, MeMyselfAndZafir, pink-ninja-malfoi, Maria Winchester! I am very glad you seem to have found this story interesting and funny.
A/N: To those of you that did not immediately realize; This is based on the Disney movie Mulan. You will soon found out though, that it's full of my own twists.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto characters, nor the Disney Magic that gave me inspiration for this.
.:Meyio:.
~Chapter 2~
"And the name is Hozuki Suigetsu. Nice to finally make your acquaintance"
Many long seconds elapsed for this particular sentence to sink in. Words echoed infinitely in a certain pinkette's mind. Confusion colored Sakura's eyes. Hozuki Suigetsu. Hozuki Suigetsu. That name…is so damn alarmingly familiar it almost hurts.
"You are Haruno Sakura, correct?" the creature lifted a tiny, little -nearly invisible- eyebrow.
Hozuki Suigetsu. Hozuki Suigetsu. Hozuki Suigetsu. Why does this name ring a bell? It almost sounds like th-
Oh. Dear. Kami-sama.
She was now dead pale, her jade eyes terribly inane due to this horrible and sudden assault aimed against her logic and senses. Sakura dug her front teeth at her lips and tried to swallow her seemingly dripping with acid saliva. This name was supposed to be forever abolished from her memory. It had to. She so greatly strived to forget this name, that could only bring forth great ail to plague Haruno Sakura's already troubled mind. Is that supposed to be a trick? At this rate she will definitely turn demented any minute now.
"You- you." Sakura, clearly distraught, pointed a trembling finger at the creature, appalled beyond comparison. The being's gaze was ever unfaltering.
"It's impolite to point like that, you know." he noted flatly, supremely deadpan, refusing to budge an inch.
In an unexpected -and frankly quite uninvited- act of shame Sakura surprisingly enough retracted her finger, only to crack her knuckles indignantly. How dare he!
"Did…did y-you just say you are Hozuki Suigetsu?" she choked out, after finally locating her -momentarily lost- ability to speak; eyes glistening with deep contemplation as she vainly tried to calm the avalanche of feelings now desperately threatening to surge out of her body.
"That's right." That blank and flat stare of his only put poor Sakura-chan in a beyond awkward state of self-consciousness.
"Am I dreaming?" she wondered out loud.
The dragon miniature tapped his finger against his mouth for a moment. "Not really." His voice came so impossibly calm and certain that Sakura had to gulp twice.
"I am awake.?" Sakura half asked-half stated, clouded in a state of denial.
The creature furrowed his eyebrows."Yeap. It seems to me like you are indeed awake."
Sakura heaved out a deep breath and blinked repeatedly, before she found the volition to speak."You are not a kappa."
Eyes widened at the blatant insult as frustration mirrored on his face."Of course not."
"Then what are you?" Sakura asked again without missing a heartbeat.
The peculiar being clicked his tongue and groaned in annoyance."You are using the 'what' again." he scowled and huffed indignantly. "Well, maybe you are not entirely to blame." he muttered, lost in a short moment of contemplation. What was supposed to be the perfect word?
"I suppose I could be classified as... a Water Dragon, perhaps?" he finally said, voice full with question. "I kinda look like a dragon and I still can somewhat manipulate water like the olden days so…"
"Water Dragon?" Sakura echoed, measuring the being's size again and again.
Do Water dragons normally appear like this? At this size? Do Water Dragons normally posses alabaster white colored scales with a few purple designs here and there? Do Water Dragons have deep purple eyes and abdomen? Do Water Dragons really freaking exist?!
The so-called dragon only responded with a frigid glare at her close scrutiny. Well, quite frankly it was kind of rude to stare like that, even Sakura herself could admit it.
"And you said your name is Hozuki Suigetsu?" she dared clarify. Again.
The dragon rolled his eyes in indignation and frowned. "Are you mentally disabled? I already made that clear."
Suddenly mustering what little resolution and determination, what vestige of logic she still had in her, the pinkette chuckled mockingly and crossed her arms over her chest."No. You aren't." she reached her infallible conclusion.
The Water Dragon lifted an eyebrow. "I am not?"
She unconsciously gulped again. Was it just Sakura or was his tone extra derisive? Hn. It matters not. He cannot be the man he claimed to be. That at least is obvious enough.
"No. You aren't. I am sure of it." She hardly repressed the urge to smirk. Sakura knew she was right this time.
"Because-?" he sneered and pressed further, tone still quite derisive.
"Because I know Hozuki Suigetsu."
After blinking twice, purple eyes narrowed into slits. "Really?"
Sakura nodded confidently. "Yes."
"Where from?"
The pinkette had to tighten her closed fists and bit her bottom lip. She could not snap now; it would be utterly unproductive to get angry or depressed again. Nevertheless, no one could ever deny that it demanded a great deal of courage to utter those few next words.
"Well, I have not actually seen him in person. But...he…he was supposed to be my fiancée."
The animal only smirked impishly. "Ow…Fancy that…" Sakura silently nodded affirmatively. "You said was supposed to be?"he inquired further, referring to the use of past tense and she nodded again. "What happened?"he probed.
"The engagement was cancelled." Sakura stated, voice empty of any emotion.
"Why for?"
The girl only shrugged as an answer. But the reason was kind of obvious. To her alone.
Hozuki Suigetsu probably had caught word of the beautiful adjectives the women (and men alike) of the village used when referring to her. It was no surprise that he broke off the engagement. Well, to be honest, it was a grave surprise for her parents, who lamented and wailed for weeks after the news reached the Haruno Compound.
For Sakura it was just an expected price to pay for her so sinful dreams and wishes. After all, willing to become something you cannot be must come hand in hand with the appropriate repercussions. Isn't that right?
"You cannot be him." She finally spoke with confidence she was unaware she could house inside her body. "Hozuki Suigetsu is a shinobi. A shinobi from Konohagakure, raised in Kirigakure. I don't know who or what are you but you are not Hozuki Suigetsu. I would never dream about Hozuki Suigetsu."
"Dream?" he repeated incredulously. "You still think you are dreaming?"
"Of course." Sakura responded with no hesitation whatsoever. The first and most plausible possibility, the best way to explain this maddening situation was that she was still technically dreaming, despite the fact that she was reassured otherwise. Water Dragons? Please…this must be a dream.
For a split second the creature looked pensive."Well then, let me see if that could convince you." was the last thing Sakura heard before a cry of pain hammered against her head from the inside. Her very own cry of pain.
"Hush! Stop being so noisy, woman!" The dragon reprimanded while wiping his mouth suspiciously.
Sakura stared at the creature. Then at her hand. Then at the creature. Then at her hand. The creature. The hand. The creature.
"Did- did you just ..bite me?" she stuttered eyes blinking, refusing to accept that the bite marks on her palm indeed belonged to the being before her.
"Did it work? Are you awake?" he only asked back and sneered without practically answering.
Oh hell. He bit her. And it actually did freaking work. In a very bizarre way, but it did work, because now she was listening very very carefully and the gears in her mind responsible for her train of thought roared into a merciless hunt of action.
"I am Hozuki Suigetsu, Pinky! In the flesh! Now that you are finally alert let's-"
"But you are a…" she interjected, mouth threatening to open in disbelief.
"Water dragon?" he offered again his self-proclaimed title, sighing in exasperation. "Oh yeah. About that... A jutsu went terribly wrong, you see, and-" he averted his eyes and a very incriminating hue of red registered on his snow-white face-scales.
Silence. For many long moments ruled awkward and pregnant silence. Until Sakura finally mustered the power to speak and break the stifling quiet.
"And?" she encouraged.
Purple eyes abruptly snapped to glare at her furiously. However, this time they were clouded with something Sakura could not actually fathom. Was it anger? Was it indignation?
"I screwed up, okay?" he cried out. The small dragon stomped one tiny foot against the ground and kicked some pebbles away, straight into the rivulet, in the same manner Sakura previously had. "It was supposed to be a new summoning jutsu, ya see, enhanced with some kind of water element. It was supposed to freaking work perfectly. Only it did not! Damn it! I was tricked!" he continued darting out insults and profanities towards gods, demons, spirits and men alike.
"-and when I freaking woke up from the blast I was like this!"he sputtered, clearly irritated while slapping his hands against his forehead with every apparent intention to decapitate himself. "And no damn jutsu! I could use nothing, except maybe manipulate water from time to time! And YOU cut me some slack, will ya! I came here from Kirigakure using my little legs and those damn ferocious birds were about to-"
"You…you were made like this?" she dared interrupt in order to ask.
He only turned to shoot a very pointed and beyond acute glare. "Are you even listening to me? I already said I am Hozuki Suigetsu. And I obviously don't look like a human being. Do the freaking math!"
Sakura needed some more moments to finally properly register what was actually happening, what was unfolding before her very eyes. And thus, she was unconsciously caught in a storm of contemplation.
This small water dragon claimed to be Hozuki Suigetsu. But Hozuki Suigetsu is a shinobi. Right? Right. This small water dragon claimed that a jutsu defected and his admittedly bizarre appearance was a product of this failure. Therefore, the creature was not born like this. Right? Riiight. It was probably an accident, at least according to what he said. Right? Right to that, yeah!
As for jutsu. Jutsu can only be used by shinobi. Right? Damn right. So, to cast a jutsu you had to have at least the basic knowledge of the way of the ninja. Right? Hell right you are! And for a jutsu to go badly wrong, you have to be a ninja- No no. That last was not right. For a jutsu to go so wrong you must be a freaking idiot. Or a useless shinobi. Or maybe the technique was extremely demanding and grueling even for shinobi to handle. But wasn't it a ninja's duty to know his limits and not proceed into careless actions? Damn right it was!
Maybe it was about a wrong person found at the wrong place the wrong time, which situation required some crazy kind of perfect coordination and lots of bad luck to happen. Thus, it was not as likely. Right?
Pondering and pondering made Sakura's brain scream in protest. But…this could not have happened. Right? Ri- 'Oh stop that!' an inner voice reprimanded.
Shaking her head to achieve more clarity, she started contemplating again. Did this creature actually want Sakura to believe that this was Hozuki Suigetsu? The Hozuki Suigetsu? And that he was reduced to this state because a water jutsu or something had failed miserably?
Obviously she was inexplicably and viciously hoaxed.
Then again, on the other hand, all this was too damn crazy not to be true. Who could have thought such a lie and for what reason? Therefore, she decided to…let's say research some more.
"You…you are actually you?" The words left her mouth before she could measure their actual meaning. Ha. Much of a research that was.
The water dragon only shook his head and raised his left hand in the air. "Trying to pretend I did not just hear that incomprehensible choice of words, I must tell you, one more freaking time, that I indeed am Hozuki Suigetsu. You may call me Suigetsu, Sui, hottest man on earth, best ninja of all times, Dragon-sama, Suigetsu-sama if you prefer. I answer to all those titles, Pinky."
Last resorts to test the verity of the situation: She pinched herself as hard as possible. Still no change. She rubbed her eyes to the point of turning nearly blind. Still nothing. She crawled over to the rivulet and splashed her face with copious amounts of cold water. And the feeling still lingered there…and the water dragon still held his unwavering gaze fixed at the pink-haired maiden.
"And I did cancel our engagement." He also added seconds later. "Sorry about that, Pinky-chan." Sakura's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. The…the- he what?
"Sorry?" Sakura echoed incredulously as she continuously blinked. "SORRY?" she cried out again. Stunningly enough, the dragon seemed as unperturbed as ever. "Are you playing with me? You are Hozuki Suigetsu and y-you." she swallowed her saliva. "You canceled our engagement." Sakura stated more than asked. "Wh-why-?"
He only released a groan. "Pff excuse me that I did not want to marry a pink-haired –according what the rumors claimed at least, which I can see now is obviously and crazily true- girl, after being continuously pestered by idiotic old men that wanted me to marry a woman so soon, even though I really wanted to live my youth without any obstacles and annoyances." He blabbered almost incomprehensibly for many long seconds. "Which woman-" He eventually pointed an accusing finger. "-by the way is royally awful at everything womanly possible and all that in my springtime of youth? I don't think so Missy!"
"Wh-what are you saying?" she asked, eyes wider that dinner plates. Eyes that soon sharpened again in comprehension."And I am not awful at everything womanly possible!" she yelled in protest.
Ok. That last statement was a blatant lie. But there was no need for him to know that.
"Suuure. Whatever you say, Pinky."
"And my name is not Pinky! It's Sakura! Haruno Sakura! Use it!"
'Deep, deep breaths, girl' she inwardly commanded herself.
Before anger could finally entirely prevail in her system and deprive her of every remaining sense of sanity she still had reserved intact, an unbidden smirk crawled onto Sakura's lips at a hidden sudden realization. If that was indeed Suigetsu –she was still entitled to have her doubts about his identity, thank you very much- and he has indeed been a victim of a defected jutsu… Damn right he deserved it! Bastard!
He only waved his palm dismissively. "Ok. Ok. Now let's just leave all engagements and such to the past. I need your help, Pinky."
"I told you the name is freaking Sakura!" she pointed again.
Blink. Blink.
Help? Did she hear correctly? Help? The audacity! Does he have any idea what kind of torments she had to go through after he cancelled the engagement? After that incident everything went from bad to worse! If that engagement was not cancelled things would have been so much easier for the poor daughter of the Haruno Household.
She had been utterly pillaged and stripped of her pride because of him. And he actually expected to be forgiven? He was being boorish enough to actually entertain the thought that he was even in position to ask for her help? What an impudent pig!
In any case, deep deep down, somewhere in her subconscious, Sakura had a hunch, an inkling that this so-called Suigetsu did not come here to just apologize and ask for help all of a sudden. Men (male creatures in this case) do not ask for women's help without a plausible excuse. There must be something, something important and urgent enough to warrant such behavior. Well, there was also always the possibility that Sakura was miraculously being delusional inside a delusion. Did that even make any sense? Damn! Damn this crazy world!
"And no." she resumed. "I most certainly won't leave anything to the-"
"You do know there is a War coming to our borders, right?" he interrupted slowly walking closer to the pinkette, who was still glued on the ground.
She opened her mouth to protest for this sudden change of subject, but in the end different words surged first."Who doesn't? What does that have to do with-"
"Then you must also be aware that young males from every Noble Clan -or otherwise- are being called forth from every Allied nation to fight for the Village against the Otogakure Ninja."
"Yes…" she dawdled hesitantly. "Again, what does that have to do with-" but she was interrupted again.
"Well, the Hozuki Family is…" he paused and clicked his tongue, rubbing the nape of his snake-like body. Sakura blinked in confusion. Where the hell was this going? It certainly felt like a bad farce.
Oh… That's it! Why did she not think of it sooner? What if that particular gang from the village is responsible again? That brat Konohamaru has been torturing poor clumsy Sakura for ages now. If that's what this is all about, then extreme measures have to be immediately taken for this situation to be effectively dealt with.
"Konohamaru sent you?" she blurted out without thinking, but the dragon only blinked in confusion. Only if he did... Sarutobi Konohamaru has to be prepared to face Haruno Sakura's mighty ire.
"What Kono-? Look, Pinky, I am confessing my problem here. Pay some attention to the man, ok?" he seemed to roll his eyes. "Correction: Pay some attention to the dragon. Better this way?"
Sakura was too appalled to say anything on the matter.
"As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me-"
"I did not-" Before she could finished he pointed accusingly again. Oh yeah. She just interrupted, didn't she?
"As I was saying…" he started again and paused for a second, testing if the pinkette was about to stop him again and promptly resumed. "the Hozuki Clan consists only of me."
Silence. Stifling heavy silence.
"So?"
The tiny dragon groaned."Every man of age will be enrolled. I cannot ask that from anyone else. You are perfect for it!"
Sakura flatly shot a blank, scrutinizing -and at the same time quite puzzled- look at the water dragon.
Perfect for what? What can he possibly ask? What can he possibly ask from the very same woman he so beautifully ruined in the past? The nerve of him!
"For what reason?"
"I want you to show up at the authorities and-"
"No. I cannot. I am a girl." She stated without missing a heartbeat, half-aware that she just voiced out the most obvious thing. Whatever he was meaning to say obviously had to do with the Village's authorities. Those men do not even glance at the lowly race of women, except if the females in question are unfortunate enough to be their wives or just willing enough to lie on their beds for many lecherous nights of debauchery. Hence, Sakura –even if she actually wanted to help- was unable to offer assistance.
"That is beside the point." He dismissed her so well grounded doubts away. "For the most part." he added. Sakura only lifted her eyebrows incredulously.
Well, the 'Hozuki Suigetsu' of the myths may descend from Konohagakure, but he was raised in Kirigakure. Was the system different in Kiri? Please note though, that here in Konoha everything is precisely determined the moment of your birth. All things revolve around one specific thing. Were you honored by the gods to become a man or cursed to live as a woman? As far as Sakura is aware the same patriarchic system applies to all known Lands. If not she would have easily escaped to the land willing to accept women as equal.
The only other plausible explanation was that- He was drunk.
Is the river's water full of alcohol, perhaps? It must be, since this man- dragon or whatever- is definitely drunk. Scratch that. Sakura must be the one who is drunk. Or this is indeed a nightmare, as she had suspected at first. A nightmare specifically designed to haunt her and remind her of the terrible place she attained in the society. And of course the dreadful situation she found herself in after a certain man destroyed her parents' dream to give their daughter away to a Noble Shinobi and bring honor to the Haruno Clan.
"You want me to go and report that you cannot go." she stated confidently without asking, voice unfaltering. "They will not listen to me. I am a woman. Our word does not count even in matters simple as that. I am sure you know that."
"No." he only said back.
"No?"
"No."
"No to what may I ask?"
"No. I do not want you to report anything. Not in the conventional way."
Sakura's face contorted with doubt. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Look…Pinky." He rubbed his neck again. "You really are perfect for the job." he paused and blinked once, taking a long and deep breath. "I mean you sort of- a little bit- in a kind of far-stretched way look like me and such- I can help you too. I will be there I mean…during the whole thing. I can provide perfect assistance and you-"
"Whoa!" Sakura lifted her hands, successfully stopping his blabbering. "You really are drunk as I suspected. I do not have a clue what you are blabbering about."
Suigetsu's eyes widened. "Isn't it obvious?" Sakura shook her head with furrowed eyebrows.
Poor thing. He must be in quite a bad state. Maybe Sakura can show some kind of lenience and be kind enough to prepare him a beverage and salvage him from the horrible hangover. On a second thought. Awh…let him rot! He rightfully deserves it! Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!
"It is not?" Suigetsu blinked repeatedly again in complete incredibility.
"No. Not to me." Sakura crossed her hands over her chest.
"Okay, let's rephrase." He decisively exclaimed and leaped dexterously in order to land at Sakura's knee. The pinkette hardly resisted the urge to swat him away again. But that would sadly only bring insufferable yammering she was currently disinclined to deal with.
"I desperately need you to take my place. There I said it." he blurted out looking everywhere but Sakura's eyes. Jade eyes locked on the Water dragon in search of tiny little inkling of logic. Maybe rationality is somewhere buried in there. Who knows? Hope dies last.
"The gist of it is that I need you to go to the Training Camp impersonating me. Present yourself as Hozuki Suigetsu. I am holding my hopes high by saying that I intend to have this problem sorted out before the time comes to go to War against Otogakure. So you don't need to worry. Much. It will be a cinch, really."
It was Sakura's turn to blink. "You- What?" she stammered again.
Suigetsu turned to fix his violet eyes at Sakura's green ones."I need to buy some time to fix this goddamn jutsu! I absolutely cannot allow to be branded as a traitor. As the last of my Clan I have no right to do that. I must not."
"Wh-what?" She blanched slowly and dramatically as her mind slowly took a firm mental grip of the offered words.
"Still not clear enough, Pinky? I had measured you as a quite clever person. That's why I chose you." He gave a thumbs-up full of haughtiness. That must have been a lie. Surely.
After many failed attempts, Sakura was certain she was utterly and impossibly unable to understand the meaning of those words. Her nervous system had suffered a break down. No message could be delivered. Nada. Until it finally-
"ARE YOU INSANE?"
Suigetsu was so startled by the sudden cry and the sheer intensity of the voice, that comically ended up head-first at the ground, body bend in a position hard to be accomplished even for serpent-like creatures.
"Oi! What the hell is your problem?" he demanded, while trying to stand up, murmuring. "Damn vixen. Taking advantage of my small size and feeble physique."
"My. Problem?" Sakura parroted incredulously. "Are you out of your mind?"
And she dared think that being a woman was a problem concerning the option of going to just freaking report.
There must be something seriously wrong with the water of that rivulet. Or was it the food served in Kirigakure?
Heaving a sigh to calm her hitched breath and frantic heartbeat Sakura closed her eyelids for a second before claiming the courage to speak composedly. "Why don't you just explain the situation to your superiors?" she brought back the first –and frankly most rational -suggestion."It is the easiest thing to do. I am sure that many ninja must have-"
"ARE YOU INSANE?" he exclaimed using her previous words and sharp tone. "Are you kidding me? I will be gloriously laughed at! My honor will be-"
"And having me-" she pointed a finger at herself. "-impersonate you will not get you laughed at?"
Suigetsu gulped visibly and theatrically. "Hopefully not."
Sakura placed her hands on her scalp and pulled some of her – partly styled in a bun- hair indignantly. She drew her knees to her chest one more time and rested her chin on her knees.
"Why me?" she murmured almost inaudibly. Finally she cleared her throat and spoke properly."You are asking me, a woman, and not a man because-?"
Suigetsu coughed lightly and rubbed the back of his dragon-head nervously. "I already told you, Pinky! Every male of my age will be enrolled. They cannot help me even if I could ask them to, which is not going to happen. I am not going to indebt myself to someone like those people. As I said you are perfect for the role." He beamed at her.
"Again. Why me?" she insisted. "There are other girls around as well." Suigetsu looked pensive for many long moments. Sakura's lips inadvertently tilted up into an arrogant and devious smirk at his silence. Could it be that finally her supremacy is recognized!? Ha! But of course...He chose her because she was a genius! And gallant and capable and good-looking and talented and a stupendous fighter and-
"Because you -" Sakura's breath was caught in her throat, awaiting to hear the words "-are amazingly flat-chested."
Blink. Blink. Hands in haste need to cover and protect her assets from shame.
"I AM GOING TO INCINERATE YOU!"
"And because of other particularities as well." He rushed to rectify, lifting his hands to calm the intimidating woman. "Look, I will prove to you that I have done my own fair share of research."
Sakura placed her hands at her hips stubbornly, waiting to hear him out intently.
"Just think about it, will you? You are awful at sewing clothes, is that correct?"
She heaved a weary sigh." Yes."
"You cannot stand wearing proper kimonos, right?"
"Right." She reluctantly replied. What uncanny perceptiveness! How the hell does he know those stuff? He couldn't have been watching her, right? "Have you been stalking-?"
"You cannot wash a dish without breaking it to save your life." Suigetsu did not hesitate to continue, unperturbed. It was more of a statement rather than a question.
"Oi!" she shot him a ferocious glare, that soon lost its supremacy in the regrettable truthfulness of his words. "Well…that's…mostly right, I guess."
"In a few words, you are awful at anything you do."
"You-" Sakura blinked twice."YOU BASTARD!"
"But!" he raised an all-too-knowing index finger."Well it's true that you suck at all those aforementioned dexterities, but you" he used the raised finger to point at her. "can hold a kunai, right?"
"I guess so." She shyly admitted as she sighed. This was true after all. On contrary to many many others –frankly every female in the world- she can proudly announce that she is in the pleasant position to know which end of the kunai you are supposed to grab and which one to throw. But-
"But that's where my abilities meet their end. I cannot throw the kunai in precision. Throw it around..." she twirled her finger meaningfully. It was unbelievable that she was actually having this conversation with a living breathing being, by the way. "That I can do. but-"
"That is of no importance, Pinky dearest." He snickered and then gave a wide grin."This is a training camp after all. I am sure there will be more losers like you there beside the shinobi prodigies!" he darted a wink at her side.
"Whoa…fancy that!" her voice was dripping with sarcasm and irritation. "Now I feel a lot better."
"See?" He smiled enthusiastically but shriveled the moment Sakura's glare made connection with his own eyes (one more time this stupendous and frankly peachy evening). "What do you say?" he inquired after many silent beats. On the other side of the spectrum, Sakura was getting quite irritated. Not to mention extremely apprehensive.
"Tell me, Suigetsu." She finally mustered the courage to call him by name. "Do you, by any chance, know any recipes to cook one impatient, small water dragon that has repeatedly annoyed the hell out of me in a span of few minutes and that apparently is the very same person that had already ruined my life once?" she blurted out in one breath.
Suigetsu paused to think for a moment, before his eyes widened in realization. "Oi!" He then, snorted and crossed his tiny arms. "I did not ruin your life. Not intentionally at least. Oh and a fair advice from me to you. If you are going to make threats, make sure they are based on reality. We both know you can't cook without burning everything to a crisp. As a matter of fact, Pinky?" he set his questioning eyes on her again. "Do you know how to boil water?"
Twitch. Twitch. Screw boiling water! Her blood was now boiling in fury and her muscles ached to deliver one of her favorite punches directly at his face. Pummel him until the end of time.
She had to breathe very cautiously in order to succeed into calming herself down, while being careful enough not to send too much oxygen to her own brain and die. (Ha…private sessions with Tsunade-sama finally gave out some fruits, ne?)
A very impish and questioning smirk had settled itself on her lips when she finally spoke again."Say…Aren't you a ninja?"
Suigetsu arched an eyebrow."Your point?"
"Can't you just use a jutsu to regain your human appearance? Fix your own blunder?"
He inhaled."Firstly, Pinky, a jutsu gone wrong is quite a predicament for one to find himself into. Why? Because generally, in most cases, you cannot know what the problem was and with that in mind, you cannot fix what you don't know how it came to be in the first place and in my case, I already said that I cannot use any decent jutsu except occasionally manipulate water, yes indeed lately this has been improved greatly, but it's not nearly enough for me to prove my worth as a shinobi and reverse the effects, so obviously this is presently quite impossible for me to do. Secondly…" he paused his -painful for Sakura's poor ears- blabbering dramatically for a second."YOU SILLY WOMAN! If I could fix this you think I would be here pleading you right now, ha?"
Eye twitching in irritation she decided to pull out her trump card."Yes, yes, please do continue to insult me, Hozuki-san. I am sure you-"
"No. No. No! Listen to me, Pinky."
"It's SAKURA!"
"Ok then. Sakura-Pinky." The girl glowered intently but the self-proclaimed ninja did not hesitate to continue."Look. If I do not present myself to the Training Camp, this will bring utter dishonor to my family. The Hozuki Clan will be forever tarnished. My family tree will be uprooted because of me. This plan, though, will suit us perfectly." he paused upon seeing a now surprisingly deadpan Sakura.
"I need some time to accumulate the chakra I need." he explained. "My powers have been steadily increasing bit by bit as time goes by from the moment I turned liked this. Little by little. Yes, it may not be nearly enough now, but I am confident that I will be able to cast proper jutsu again soon, if you buy me enough time. I haven't shown up in Konoha for a while, so it is acceptable if some of my traits are not exactly the same. That's where you come in and-"
He abruptly stopped upon seeing the pink-haired maiden rising to her feet, while dusting away her kimono and readjusting the pin on her hair.
"Going somewhere?" Suigetsu asked with waggling eyebrows.
Sakura's head jerked to meet his eyes."Do you actually expect me to believe, let alone do something like this? It does not make any sense whatsoever. Find someone else." she decisively exclaimed before veering towards the village's direction.
Why on earth did she feel such a strong force pulling her back, though?
"Sakura." Unconsciously, she froze in her tracks upon registering the unexpected use of her first name. (As if she needed more to stop) Due to the effect of an unfathomable power, she turned to face him.
"If this jutsu is not fixed and if I don't present myself to train and fight as I am ordered to, my Clan will be forever stained and frowned upon. Not only the Hozuki name will be defiled but I will not have any chance to make amends for this. How am I supposed to correct the wrong-doings and continue the Clan's heritage like this?"
Sakura heaved a sigh. He somehow managed to present his reasoning in a very honest-looking and very heart-breaking manner. Deep in her heart Sakura very greatly willed to help this man(?) who was seemingly played by Fate so cruelly. She was even willing to momentarily forget that this was -the forever cursed in her prayers- Hozuki Suigetsu. However, as mentioned before, certain things could not be done. At least that's what she repeatedly tried to convince herself.
"Look. I cannot do this, Suigetsu. I don't know how you came up with this plan," she grimaced. "but I am sure you know it's completely insane."
"Why not? By the way, insane is my middle name!" he joked. Sakura snorted in an unladylike manner. Suigetsu cleared his throat to assume his serious composure and continued. "I promise I will guide your every step. Besides, what's left for you here? Uphold your family's honor by devoting yourself in the culinary arts?"
And right there the perfect string was pulled mercilessly. He knew…somehow…he knew about her deepest and most honest worries and desires. It alarmed her so greatly she almost wanted to scream and cry in despair.
Could she turn her back to this chance and not grasp it? Could she condone this so easily? True, it was the craziest thing she had ever heard of. True, she hated the person named Hozuki Suigetsu with a passion for what he had done to her. But at the same time what he offered was the perfect setting for her to open her wings, hone and unravel her –until then still slumbering- abilities. It was the best possible scenario to sate her feral heart's needs. Strangely, it felt like her inner prayers and desperate imploring entreaties were somewhat answered in the most peculiar and unfathomable manner.
"That's not who you are Sakura. Isn't that right?"
Her heart sank like a heavy rock tossed into the ever relentless ocean. Her eyes opened in shock. Her knuckles turned white due to the pressure inflicted from her tightened fists. Her lips almost bled because of the merciless attack of her teeth.
Those words touched her so greatly, that it was impossible not to succumb into her inner mayhem. At the same time it pained her so dearly to entertain the very likely thought that all these could be a plan to ridicule her, some twisted game of Fate, or a sickening dream that could not be ever reached.
Her head and eyes traveled downcast, locking on the ground. "What do you know?" her voice was almost impossible to be heard by human ears. At the same time she was quite thankful, for her incriminating tears were not eventually shed. "You. Who canceled our engagement and now I-"
"I already apologized for that."
"Again. You know nothing of me."
"Oh but I do." he insisted and jumped at a point where Sakura's eyes could definitely regard him. "As I already told you, I have done my fair share of research and I know as much as to be at liberty to say-" He paused to enhance the dramatic effect. "You, lady, were born to wield a sword, not a casserole."
Her eyes widened, her mouth was held open in shock. Cheeks were blazing hot as they surrendered to an unbidden fluster.
Normally, she would have swatted him away. Normally she would have kicked him or smashed him under the sole of her shoes for his insensitive attitude. For the misery and despair he had caused to her and her family, wounding the Haruno pride so dearly. But those words…were exactly what her so pained heart needed, longed and craved to hear since the day she was born.
"Really? You- you believe that?" she inquired, eyes clouded by a strong sense of humidity that was sure to produce tears alarmingly soon.
Suigetsu hesitated for a second."Eh…mostly."
The pinkette heaved a weary sigh and plopped down on the cold and moist ground again. "Do not patronize me." Her voice was filled with unbidden sadness she was currently unable to inhibit. Taking a sharp intake of breath she spoke again."You know what? I don't care! You rightfully deserve what has befallen you!"
"No I don't!" Suigetsu corrected brows furrowed because of the erroneous statement. He was only granted a glower as a reply.
Drawing one more deep breath, Sakura closed her eyes for another moment. And thus, she decided to play hard to get and somehow salvage some of her partially lost and beaten pride. "What do I gain from all this?"
Suigetsu pouted ridiculously."Adrenaline and adventure are not enough to convince you?"
An inner voice screamed inside Sakura's head. How could she say no to this? She decided to ignore the screaming voice, nonetheless. She would not waver so easily. She must not allow it. She will not go down without a fair and decent fight.
Suigetsu's uneasiness was now finally flashing in his lucid eyes. He could not afford to lose this argument. The negotiations could not end in such a stalemate. Thus, he decided to use his ultimate weapon, one card he knew Haruno Sakura of Konohagakure could not refuse at this point of desperation, no matter how ferociously she might hate him.
"I will even marry you! You don't want to remain a spinster forever, right?"
Sakura's mouth dramatically dropped to the ground, her eyes widened like saucers. "Wh- what did you just say?"
"I said I will marry you." he repeated slowly, accentuating his words as if he was trying to communicate with someone mentally-disabled. "It's the least I can do if you so believe I ruined your life when I broke off the engagement."
Is- Is this a dream? It must be. Did he- did he just promise to marry her?
Married with one of the Hozuki bloodline... That would be a stupendous achievement! Suigetsu is the last of this Clan. And the Clan itself has always been worshipped as one of legendary fighters. The name Hozuki was part of the reason Sakura's parents were so greatly devastated when the agreement crumbled down into smithereens.
The sheer possibility that she has actually that opportunity served in her plate; the opportunity to finally manage to strike this match… married with the last descendant of the Hozuki Family, the very same person her parents so vigorously strived to persuade into taking her into matrimony. Oh the joy it shall bring to the Haruno Household. It was rather tempting. Perhaps too tempting to ignore.
The fact that she deeply resented this man was of no importance. Love or hate mattered not at this point. She had to put sentimentalities aside for a greater purpose. Sakura owed that much to her family. Emotions be damned! It's not like she was ever entitled to even have a choice on the matter anyway. It should make no difference.
"You would do that?" she hesitantly managed to present her query, titling her head in question.
Suigetsu shrugged leisurely."If you help me, then why not? As hard as it is to admit, I would owe you big time for this."
But doubts came to plague her mind relentlessly once again. "How do I know that you won't kill yourself intentionally? To get rid of me? Or that you won't flee like you did before? Or-"
Suigetsu snorted."Are you being serious? You think I am that dastard?"
Sakura did not reply whatsoever. She only dived deep into her mind, in search for the answers she so desperately needed to find. Crazily seeking the best path to take. Was it wise? Was it what was meant to happen?
What if Suigetsu is ultimately unable to correct the terrible consequences of his failed jutsu in time or unable to fix this at all? What if she is consequently killed, or even executed for treachery against the Fire Country?
At the same time, the – oh too incredible for a mind to register- promise of adventure and adrenaline, called her forth to finally make up her mind by choosing to risk everything she now had in life and sacrifice them in the altar of intoxicating adventure. And of course there was also the exhilarating -for some- promise of marriage at the end of the grueling road. No matter how doubtful or apprehensive she might has been, she was also obliged to measure the advantages and disadvantages very very carefully and wisely, before announcing her ultimate decision.
Fighting means Death. War means grief, sorrow, despair. Yes indeed. But it also means no more stupid kimonos and tasteless brands of tea! No more painful hair pins. Not to mention that Suigetsu promised to have this situation sorted out before the time to finally rampage towards the battlefield. That way, Sakura will be able to live a whole new life, the life of a shinobi, while carefully protected behind the 'Training Camp' stamp. And after all this madness she will be able to eventually wed one of the most sought-out Noble Shinobi of her time.
It ultimately meant her parents' happiness, utter mirth and joy upon finally seeing their dear and quite frankly insufferable daughter married with Hozuki Suigetsu, lone heir of the Hozuki Family. Thus, this offer could never be painlessly ignored.
"So are you in or not?" Suigetsu asked, almost impatiently, after he deemed that adequate time had passed for the girl to reach a definite conclusion.
Sakura could hear her heartbeat drum in her ears. Her heart was hammering against her chest in a vain attempt to escape its confines. Her breathing rhythm was frantic beyond comparison. Her lips and limbs were trembling. Her eyes void of every emotion known to mankind.
Finally she cracked her knuckles before exclaiming."Oh logic be damned!"
An infinitesimal moment elapsed before Suigetsu started chortling triumphantly and snickering wickedly. "I knew the two of us could reach an agreement." He gleefully exclaimed and excitedly extended his little hand to shake Sakura's hesitant one in order to consummate their bizarre partnership. "Glad to do business with you, my Lady." And thus, Haruno Sakura held a tiny little Water Dragon's hand and shook in agreement, praying that this will not fetch forward her very own death.
Soon Sakura slowly rose on her feet as a beyond elated Suigetsu jumped and twirled all around the place.
"Just so you know-"she felt the intense need to point out while folding her arms across her chest."I am not doing this for you. I am doing this for my family's honor."
At those words, Suigetsu finally stopped running around like a four-year old and with a gracious leap found himself on Sakura's left shoulder. The pinkette decided against the idea of protesting at this point. Thankfully for Suigetsu.
"Well then." He rubbed his hands together. "Let's just say, my dearest Pinky-chan, that you are also doing this for the sake of your future husband's Family's honor as well. For your future Clan's sake." Sakura's emerald eyes widened again and an unbidden blush colored her now warm cheeks in a beautiful hue of red.
"So, let's get on to it, shall we?"
Author's note
Poor Sui. Must have had a hard time escaping from the vicious birds on the way from Kirigakure. Tehehe. More details about Sakura's infiltration conditions and Suigetsu's plan coming soon. If my estimations are correct next chapter is the perfect time to gradually start introducing many many gorgeous men of Konohagakure.
Please do not hesitate to leave a review. One word is enough if you prefer so. Please review and I promise to write as fast as possible -without ignoring my other story of course. If you don't review I have no way to know if you liked this chapter, you know. T.T I am counting on you!