Wow, okay, I officially suck XD sorry for the ridiculously late update. But it's summer, YEAHHH!!! Okay well, Kishimoto-sama has not been making this easy for me, so many twists and turns!!!! Here it goes guys.
Team No More
Ch.2 She Said "Believe In The Dream"
"Lets begin….."
The statement seemed to hang in the air. The tension increased tenfold. It was surreal, like something in a movie, only in this case there was no super-hero defender. It would play out how the people in charge saw fit, it was their game, or no game. Sakura knew that Tsunade could only go so far.
But that was life, right? Her life had been everything but simple. Sakura turned her eyes as menacingly as she could towards the faces of those who were damn ready to condemn her, bastards. Perhaps it was her hysteria now that was kicking in, trying to lighten her mood by throwing in an attempt of crude, dark humor. She was screwed. She'd sat in that interrogation cell for weeks, if there was a solution, she would have found it by now.
…….
…….
But maybe it was because she wanted to give up. It was good while it lasted right? She closed her eyes and thought about all the times she felt like she had taken for granted.
Sakura adjusted the picnic basket as she rose her hand to knock on Tenten's door. Footsteps answered her as a surprised and slightly nervous Tenten cracked open the door. Sakura saw relief instantly nestle itself in the brunette's eyes.
"Oh, you scared me Sakura! I thought you were Lee with another 'youthful' present" a laugh fell out following her words.
Sakura smiled and let out a small chuckle. "Oh god, I know what you mean, I have about a thousand frog…accessories, from Naruto. I feel for you about being the only girl on the team."
Tenten smiled and looked down towards the basket in confusion, "So then that's…."
Sakura quickly remembered why she was here and held up the basket, "Well I thought since it's your birthday and all that we could bring our weapons, polish 'em up, while enjoying this delicious meal", Sakura gave a playful wink, "and have girl time."
"Sakura…..that sounds perfect."
She'd found out a lot about Tenten that day as they sat there in the open field on Sakura's blanket sharing their own stories and secrets. It was so peaceful that day, with the long vibrant grass swaying in the warm breeze. She longed for that blanket now, or some of that peace.
She looked at the person sitting next to Tenten, it was Neji, of course, she wanted to snort.
Sakura wandered into the Hyuuga compound cursing Ino the whole way. It was all her fault! She had lost a bet with Ino, a bet she still contemplated banging her head against the wall for agreeing to in the first place, but that's what you get when you throw Ino Yamanaka and an extravagant amount of sake into the mix. Bad news. But it was high time to stop thinking about her dubious misfortune, for she was currently looking into the eyes of a completely aloof and slightly impatient Neji.
Sakura looked at Neji. Neji stared back. Sakura made a ridiculous face. Nothing. He changed nothing in his face.
It was time for a different approach.
"Nice weather we're having here today Neji-san."
"It's raining."
"You're to quick to judge Neji-san!"
An elegant eyebrow rose in response. "Clearly you're mistaken."
He was done playing games, it was veryapparent. Time to get down to business.
"Actually Neji-san, I came here because I have a…favor to ask….," she didn't wait for his response, "I think that your technique is amazing, and I was wondering if you could teach me to spin around so….majestically." the sentence trailed off as Sakura noticed that it had become….quieter.
The seconds turned minutes but he still had not said anything, the silence was painful. Then, finally-
"Are you mocking me." it wasn't a question.
'Sweet Buddha!!! He's going to kill me!'
Sakura looked up in utter dismay and started spewing apologies while waving her hands in the air crying about how it was all Ino's fault, and the sake! Especially the sake.
"How very…..humorous." Neji gave a slight smirk and stepped out, closing the door behind him. "Let's go then."
It was the start of a very odd friendship, but one she felt deeply saddened about now that it was shattered.
"Sakura Haruno, do you know why you are here?"
'NO! No I don't know why I'm here!! Why don't you enlighten me, because those weeks of being tortured didn't clue me in at all!!!"
But there was nothing funny about this anymore, grim realization set in upon her. If she was found guilty, she would be killed. It was simple really, life and death , guilty and not guilty, but she could already feel the impending doom.
"Haruno Sakura is under the charges of leaving her team during a critical mission, meeting with the missing-nin, Sasuke Uchiha, and providing him with information containing the villages security, possible breaching points, and the location of the daimyo with accurate blue prints."
When you think about it, logically, there was no way that she could possibly be proven innocent. It would be completely unethical if they set her free. Sakura dropped her head and felt her throat close and the familiar sting in her eyes. It was a good run, she congratulated herself….just not good enough. It was never good enough. This feeling was not unfamiliar to her, she was treading the oh so familiar ground of helplessness, inadequacy.
She turned her gaze to Tsunade but could only make out her blond hair as her tears streamed down her face. She could tell Tsunade was at her breaking point as well. The mother figure in her life had every fiber in her in her body tensed, ready to jump across the table and kill someone in a second, but her face was contorted in the attempt to not cry.
"How do you plead?"
The voice was plain, there was no care if she lived or died, it was….emotionless, indifferent.
She was tired of emotionless! It was everywhere, constantly hovering her like a bad memory, like a scar. It hurt so much to think that everyone around her had adopted that attitude towards her. It was somewhat understandable thought, they honestly believed that she had betrayed them, their families, and their honor in the worst way.
Sakura took the time to look around the room for the first time and try to calm down. It was bland, paint was peeling in some places, and the table took up over three fourths of the room, but what really caught her eye were four pictures hanging in a row along the bland wall. They were the previous Hokages she realized drearily. She wanted to scoff at them until her eyes landed on the fourth's photograph. The resemblance was striking. She always had a hunch but for some reason it really hit her now.
They were sitting on a dock after completing a mission in mist. Sakura and Naruto watched as the sun slowly set in the distance, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Kakashi and Sai were elsewhere, tying up lose ends.
"I'm still sorry Sakura-chan."
Sakura looked over to see Naruto duck his head and clench his hands into fists. It was never really talked about between them anymore, his promise. She felt like, somehow, it was selfish to let him keep believing that he owed it to her.
She reached out and grabbed one of his fists in both of her hands and gently un curled it. She stared at his hand and vaguely thought about how much he had used them to help other people out, help them reach their own goals, never expecting anything in return. It made her tear up. What had she done for him?
"….You tried…..and that's all that matters, you're just important to me as him Naruto, if I'm stuck with your loud mouth for the rest of my life….then I can't wait." she gave him one of her most heartwarming and truthful smiles through her tears.
"I want to make a promise to you Naruto….I promise that I'll help you anyway I can to help your dream come true. I want to help in the making of the best Hokage their ever was!"
She felt his arms encircle her and felt the moister against her neck. It was one of the most bitter sweet moments she could ever remember having. They continued hugging even after the sun had set.
She stared hard at the 4th's picture, grim determination set into her very bones, slowly overriding her mind.
'This is for your son, I know that he'll be right behind me, all the way, but I don't want it. What I want most….what I want most is to have his dream come true. I want that morons face to be up on that wall too.'
Sakura slowly lifted her head up towards the ceiling, her hands were tied, so she couldn't wipe her tears.
'I won't let these bastards see me cry, I want to be remembered…and not as the cry baby ninja, but as Haruno Sakura damnit!
"Hm," the small sound reverberated across the small room, shocking everyone into silence.
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"Guilty".
Okay yeah cliffy, but that's another word for dedication right?? Ha ha allrighty, I hope that you all get what I mean when Sakura says she's not going to put his dream at risk, cause in this story he's this close *fingers are a millimeter apart* to becoming Hokage. And we all know that he would totally do anything he could to save Sakura, which would of course break all the rules and piss off the Daimyo, and then, well his chances would be…none. So yeah. IT IS YOUR REVIEWS THAT KEEP THIS STORY GOING!! Tell your friends, mom, dogs, even Pete from down the street about this story!!! GAH.
