I looked up into the twisting purple and pink colors of the sky. The dying sun cascaded its colors across the sky painting it as if it was a glorified canvas. I truly believed this was one of the last beautiful things this world had to offer. In the next two weeks of returning to the leaf village and getting injured saving my ex team mate's life the leaf village was in training to learn my technique's. Classes were being held day and night by people I have personally trained to train others so if there was an attack, the leaf village would be left standing. At this rate, I truly believed the Leaf village had a fighting chance. I looked down into my hands, then back to the class. I remember the countless hours it took my to create and master what they were doing. I remember the sweat and tears I poured into it. I looked up, her face flashed into my eyes. The light purple strands of her hair. Those crystal blue eyes of hers. Her pale skin. Her sweet honey voice. I closed my eyes and looked down with the heavy pain in my chest. Amethyst...
"Hey Sakura!" Naruto called, I looked up and turned around shoving the pain into its box and throwing it in the corner of my mind for another time.
"Hey." I carelessly responded.
"What are you doing?" Naruto asked, peeking around me to see I was watching a new class start their training. Naruto watched my face for a long moment. He saw the retreating thread of pain being dragged from my eyes.
"Sakura...are you not happy that other people are using your technique?" I shook my head.
"I am fine with it."
"Sakura if you are not I can-"
"I am fine with it." I cut Tsunade off. "Look it's just..." I said looking back to the class trying to carve the words that would help them understand how I was feeling. "It is like I discovered this whole new world and I am the only one in it, I am the only one making noise, it is so quite..." I said looking at them "Now that other people are using it it's not so quite, it is nice to hear other people. And I am happy to help out the village."
"But doesn't your other village know how to do this?" Naruto asked.
"No."
"What?" Tsunade blurted, "I am sorry." She blushed looking away,
"No shes right." Naruto said, "Sakura this technique could save our ninjas lifes in battle, why have you not trained the other village? Does anyone else no about this?"
"Not really, a few people besides you all. In the waterfall village the army is a kill or be killed battle ground. You dont share your advantages with other people, you dont share justus, you do not have friends there. You do what you have to do to survive."
"It is one of the strongest armies around." Naruto whispered.
"I know."
"I still can not believe you run it like...its insane!" Naruto laughed. "Come on tell me! How are you guys so strong?! If you tell us the leaf village could-"
"The leaf village could never be like the Waterfall village." I cut him off. He looked at my stone face for a long moment, then I could see the urge to defend his home kick in his eyes. He opened his mouth but I once again cut him off.
"The people in the Waterfall Village are soldiers they are not shinobi, they are machines Naruto." I stated coldly, "There are no friends or families. If someone from your team dies they will not stop, they will keep moving forward and will do or kill anyone it takes to finish their mission." After a long pause I sighed. "That is why the Leaf village will never be like the Waterfall village. You guys have emotion, your entire world will stop if your friend dies." I looked down. "We were trained to keep going, no matter what."
"That sounds dreadful." Naruto muttered, "Why would you stay there?"
I looked up at the sky. It was a warm day, the air wrapped around my skin kissing it with its warmth. I looked back at the two who were looking at me, they were trying to peek around my cracks and scars. They were trying to puzzle me back together, the only problem was...the pieces that they were using to try and put me back together were pieces I lost of myself years ago. They were using pieces I could no longer fit inside and when the bitter truth comes out to them, when they figure out that I am not the person they once knew...I didn't know what they will do.
"I have to go." I said vanishing into thin air. I opened my eyes to see the apartment given to me by Tsunade to stay in. I looked around. If I was going to be forced to stay here I was going to have to get a few things to make this place livable. I walked out of the apartment and to the store. The store I was in hasn't changed in the slightest. The walls still cracked with their fades blue paint. The isles were still to close together, there still was no AC and the door had to be propped open to cool the burning store. I grabbed the old rickety shopping cart that was so small you could only put a few items inside of it before it was to full to hold anything more. I walked down the store looking around. No one else was around me, it was a slow day for them. I tossed in small things I could eat on my own in a flash. I grabbed water bottle and a litter of soda. I haven't had soda in a long time. I glanced over at the frozen food section and saw the large crack in the clear door where they kept the frozen pizza. I remember that day. Naruto, Sasuke and I were here after a mission. Kakashi made us chase a cat around the village for hours. I remember how hot it was that day, I was sweating through my makeup and clothes. I felt sticky and gross. For some reason after Kakashi dismissed us we went here together, I was so thirsty. I grabbed a bottle of Coke and jugged it. I was addicted to Soda when I was younger. I never thought much why Naruto followed us into the store. I followed Sasuke who had his own water bottle. Watching the crack in the glass I remembered the Coke in my hand, it was cold against my hot skin. I was laughing at Naruto who got insulted by Sasuke again. Of course Naruto got angry and tried to go after Sasuke, who at the time was stronger than him. Sasuke was able to push him away with a careless effort. Naruto slammed into the glass door, leaving a crack in it. I remember feeling scared that I would get into trouble so once I saw Sasuke run away I followed him leaving Naruto to deal with the pain in his back and the owner who was yelling. Shaking the unwanted memories I walked away from the door. I tossed in items I could normally live without since I was always on the road all the time I had to go without a lot of things. I got home a few hours later. After cleaning the place up and putting the food away I started to unpack the one bag I had to my name. I put my clothing away and stopped when I came upon a picture. My heart clenched. Sadness filled every cell in my heart. But I smiled at the memories that were attached to that piece of paper. I looked at all the faces I had come to love. There were nine people in that picture, including myself.
They were my team. Once I had finished my training with Kagyua I was placed on a team with other soldiers. We were the special forces, we were the go team, we were the the ones to do the dirty work. We were the best of the best. They were my friends..my family. After my parents were killed, apart of me died. They were the ones to pick me up and helped me glue the pieces back together. Out of the nine of us, there were only three remaining. I closed my eyes and placed the picture inside a picture frame and placed it on the end table next to the couch. I took one last look at it. I missed them very much. Once the five died in battle, the remaining three members and myself disbanded, to pained to continue on with seeing each other everyday, we went our separate ways and rejoined different teams, protecting the waterfall village in memory of our fall friends. A year ago the sixth person from my team died in battle, leaving me and two others left.
There was a knock on the door. I looked over at the door and for a long moment, I thought about not answering it. I sighed once I heard voices in the other room
"Sakura!" Naruto yelled, coming through the hole in the wall. "You took to long answering the door!" He laughed walking in as if I never was claimed dead all these years and as if we were still a team.
"I can see that." I saw Sasuke fallowing him in. Normally Kakashi was with them, where was he? I looked down at the floor, why did I care where he was?
"What are you doing Sakura?" Naruto asked looking around.
"I see you are moving in." Sasuke commented looking at the many empty plastic bags.
"For the time being." I answered.
"Cool!" Naruto yelled walking over towards me.
"Hey we are going to a picnic in an hour, you wanna come?"
"A picnic?" I asked, I wasn't twelve anymore.
"Yeah! The Jounin plan one every year now. Hinata is the one to plan it this year. She asked me to invite you for her. She was really busy planning the picnic that she forgot to text you and ask if you wanted to come."
"I dont-"
"The others from our class would like you to come." Sasuke cut in looking in my eyes, challenging me to decline. "They would like get to know you again, since you are going to be living here, protecting the village and all." I matched his glared for a long moment.
"What is going on?" Naruto muttered, looking in between us.
"Fine." I sighed making Naruto cheer, I rolled my eyes at his unchanged ways.
"I am going to change! I will be back in an hour Sakura!" Naruto yelled, running out of my apartment. I looked at Sasuke, annoyed as he stood there for a long moment. He cleared his throat.
"I will go get ready as well." He said and walked out. I rolled my eyes as I walked into the bathroom to take a shower. These people, they act as if nothing changed. That thought by itself made my muscles tense and put me on edge. I didn't want to go to a damn picnic, I wasn't apart of this village anymore, this wasn't my home and I damn sure didn't want to see people who I watched grow up around me.
Just as they promised Naruto and Sasuke were back in my apartment in one hour. Naruto was wearing blue jeans, a black shirt and an orange zip up hoodie over it. Sasuke was wearing dark blue jeans a park purple shirt and a black zip up hood over it. I watched the to look at each other for a moment.
"I think we are hanging out to much." Naruto laughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes. He met mine as I walked out of my room. I was wearing blue jean shorts. Black leggings under them. A white baggy shirt and a black jacket over it. I had my hair half up and half down. Naruto tilted his head.
"You look nice Sakura." His voice cracked. Why would his voice crack? Did he finally see that I was not the team mate he once had? How was he going to cope? Seeing the one he lost all those years ago standing in an office only to find out he can't recognize her...
"Thanks." I muttered, picking up my phone taking it off it's charger. I noticed Naruto had picked up the picture I had just put out of my team. He put it down and walked over towards me. He smiled picking up the necklace that rested against my skin.
"You still have it." He said looking at the necklace team seven had given me for my seventeeth birthday. It was a metal cherry blossom tree made out of thin shiny silver.
"I never take it off." I said looking him in the eye. He looked down as he let go of that necklace he picked up the one that fell a few inches below it.
"What is this one?" I said nothing as he looked at the three spiral necklace made out of thin silver as well.
"Three spirals huh?" Sasuke said walking over towards Naruto. "That is from the wolf culture. Am I right?" He asked looking at me. Why the fuck would he know that?
"Yes." I said, taking a few steps back. Naruto allowed the necklace to slid out of his hand.
"It is the same necklace that these people are all wearing." Naruto said as he walked back over towards the picture. He picked it up. "Even in this picture..." He trailed off, he looked up at me. "You are still wearing the necklace we gave you." He looked back down at the picture. "This is your team?" He asked looking at me.
"Was."
"Was?" Sasuke asked, "Why was? You get bored of them too?" I glared, feeling rage bubble in my chest. I walked over and took the picture out of Naruto's hands.
"They died." Was all I said.
"Oh..." Sasuke was taken back a little. He looked down at then back to my glaring eyes. "I-I am sorry, I didnt know." I placed the picture away from them on the island which had three back bar stools resting in front of them.
"Come on." Naruto said, breaking the silence. "We are going to be late."
We were walking towards the picnic. I didnt know where we were going I was just looking around, at the pretty little trees all around us. This village appeared like it has been stuck in a time bubble the last six years. Nothing had really changed. I looked around at all the streets I use to run through. It felt like a life time ago.
"Sakura?"
"Yes?"
"Why three spirals?" Naruto asked looking a head. I was silent for a moment.
"The symbol was chosen because it holds many different meanings."
"Like?" Sasuke butted in.
"In the wolf symbol as you mentioned Sasuke, it means that it symbolizes that possibility that any wolf can rise or fall to any status. Which means that we are not stuck in the rank we were born under. It can also stand for competition, action, revolution, progress, power, spirit, the past, present and the future. The symbol's meaning are vast, varied and diverse in many different cultures. But in every culture the three spirals mean to keep moving forward. No matter what, keep moving forward."
"Wow..." Naruto muttered. "That is...beautiful." I looked down, when I looked up we were at the picnic. The entire village was there. I followed Naruto until I seen everyone from my old class sitting around talking. They waved, seeing Naruto and Sasuke. Hinata smiled and waved once she saw me. I smiled back and waved weakly. I sat beside her and Naruto.
"Sakura! I am so glad you came!" She smiled.
"Me too." I felt stale.
"I am so sorry I forgot to tell you about this!" Same old mink Hinata.
"It's fine. I get it, you were busy and your picnic has turned out amazing." She lit up.
"Thank you!" I looked at her hair.
"You hair looks nice. I like it long." She blushed.
"T-Thank you. I know you couldn't see it last time we talked. It was up in a bun." She smiled wide. I looked at her glancing at Naruto, who was talking to Sasuke. I elbowed him in the side. He whipped around.
"Ow! What did I-" He cut himself off seeing Hinata. "Oh, hi Hinata! The picnic is amazing, great job!" I watched her turn bright red and studded a thank you to Naruto, who had already jumped up to run towards the free food.
Three very long hours had past. The sun had gone down a while ago tiki torches had been lit to give us a nice glow. I was talking to old friends who I have not really seen in years. Ten Ten was making jokes. I laughed at every one, even though they sucked.
"Sakura." Sasuke called my name, I looked over.
"What?"
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" I shrugged, seeing know one pay any attention to us.
"Fine." I said standing. I followed him until we were away from the glow of friends. We stopped at an old bench, the same one Sasuke left me passed out on when he left the village. I haven't seen Sasuke since then and I could see he grew up and found a respect for this village. Why did he return? Did Naruto fulfill his promise to me when though I had died in his eyes?
"Sakura..." He trailed off, turning around to look at me.
"Yes?" I asked annoyed.
"Do you still love me?" He asked. My mouth dropped open. I was taken back for a moment.
"What?" Was all I could come up with.
"Answer the question." He spat. My mouth hung open in shock, seeing the arrogant boy I had grown up with.
"No." Was all I could spit out through the rage that was building inside my body. I wanted to wrap my hand around this throat and show him where his place was.
"What?" He asked, looking up at me with widen eyes. I ignored him, he wasn't worth my time. I turned around to walk back to the picnic he grabbed my arm.
"How can you-" I spun around, hitting his arm away.
"Do not touch me." I glared. "I don't have time for this." I snapped walking away.
I sat back down next to Hinata and Naruto. I picked up my glass and drank the dark soda that was held inside the class. Naruto was telling a story about him when he went off to train on his own for two years with this teacher. I looked around and noticed Kakashi was standing over where Guy was along with Tsunade and a few other of his friends were standing around talking and drinking beer. He more dark pants, a dark blue long sleeve t shirt that he had pushed up to his elbows. I felt my eyes trail up and down his body. My heart skipped a beat as I snapped my eyes away from his figure. I stood up, about to get another soda until my body was spun around and by habit I reacted. It was a repeat of history. I pinned Ino's arm behind her back.
"OW!" She screamed, breaking the atmosphere of the party.
"Ino?" I asked. I sighed letting her go. "I told you not to do that." I stated about to walk away, feeling everyone's eyes on us.
"How could you!?" She screamed running at me, trying to punch me. I moved to fast to where she just fell on her face. I rolled my eyes as she stood and turned towards me.
"What are you doing Ino?" I called.
"I am going to kick your ass." She yelled, causing Kakashi and his group to look our way. My heart pumped faster, feeling his gaze, my body felt warm and it started to tingle at the thought of him looking at me. I shook off the imprint of his gaze and focused on Ino, who has gone off the deep end.
"What is your problem now Ino?" I asked annoyed at her 360 spin. She wanted to be friends not to long ago yet here she stood, changeling me.
"How could you!?"
"How could I what?" I snapped back feeling to old for high school drama.
"When Sasuke asked if you still loved him!" I felt my own eyes widen at her comment, along with everyone's else's, I was not going to tell anyone about the convention I had with Sasuke, but Ino through it out in the open for all to see. "How could you laugh in his face? How could you hurt my Sasuke?!" I rolled my eyes.
"Are you kidding me? Is that what this is about?" I laughed lightly. "Ino how are you still not over that asshole?"
"Watch your mouth you bitch!" She screamed. I narrowed my eyes.
"If I don't allow the great Ootsutsuki brothers to speak to me like that why the fuck would I allow a two bit flower shop owner too?" I spat feeling something surface.
"Because I am the one who is going to kick your ass!" She yelled running at me with a kunai in hand. I moved quickly. This needed to end. It was ruining Hinata's hard work. I took her kunai and pinned her to a tree, kunai resting against her throat. I could hear people gasping.
"Lets get one thing clear here." I spoke to her. "If you hold a weapon towards me you better be ready to kill me with it. Because if you don't, you will be the one losing your life." I said, stabbing the kunai in the tree next to her head. I walked away. But she just would not stop. She throw another one at me, but missed. It flew passed my head. I caught it before it could hit Ten Ten who as in shock. I looked back at Ino glaring.
"We fought over Sasuke for years!" She screamed, "Finally he comes to you and asks you if you loved him and all you could do is laugh in his face! How could you do that!?"
"Because I grew up!" I announced. I felt the power, authority, the demand for respect in my voice. "By now you should have too. We were children. I did not know what love was. It was a stupid mean less crush that blinded me for years and held me back. I got over it, I guess you didn't." I shook my head, disappointed in her.
"But- You-" She did not know what to say, I watched her for a moment. Why did she care so much? It dawned on me.
"You slept with him." I stated, creating a wave of gasps around me. From the corner of my eye I could see Sasuke with a mask of hidden emotion on his face watching from the trees. I shook my head again and looked away from her.
"I-Y-..."Ino was beat red with embarrassment.
"What a pity." I said looking at the kunai in my hand. I tossed it at her feet. "You could have been something great."
"What?" Ino gasped looking at my face. I shrugged,
"Instead you choice to be a fan girl all these years. That's your fuck up. Not mine. You were hoping I would hook up with Sasuke so I would be in the same boat you are. I am sorry to tell you hun but your precious Sasuke is not good enough for me."
"W-What!?" Ino breathed, "How could you even-"
"He aint man enough for me hun." I laughed. "I do not know how to break it down any more for you to understand. Are we done with this now?" I asked looking at Hinata, who was in shock. "You are running all of Hinata's hard work on this picnic."
"Sakura is correct." Tsunade said stepping in. "Ino, you are way out of line."
"Oh shut up you old hag." Ino snapped, once again creating a line of gasps in the crowd. Even I was taken back a little. I do not think Tsunade knew what to do, she just glared at Ino. "You are a shit of a leader. How can I follow your leadership when you randomly kick out your own student?" She spat, creating whispers in the crowd. I snapped. I was officially pissed off, maybe it was the solider in me, the commander watching a subrogate talking down to their leader that just really pissed me off. I didn't know. I walked up and elbowed Ino in the nose. She fell backwards on her ass.
"Don't you dare speak down to your superiors. You do not have the right too."
"What the fuck Sakura!? Why are you defending her!? She kicked you out of the village! How could you-"
"Because it was the right thing to do!" I snapped. I glanced at Tsunade for a moment. "She did it to protect your dumbass. I could not control my power. I was the one who destroyed the training grounds without even looking! She may not have done it in the best way possible, actually she handled it the worst way possible. But I was a danger to the village, she had to protect you all because that is her job. It was a shitty job but she did the right thing. It was a hard choice but that is what being a leader is all about, making the hard choices to protect the people who follow you and she did everything right, and I respect her for that."
"What has happened to you?" Ino said standing. Tears in her eyes.
"I grew up. It is time you did as well." And with that Ino ran away. Silence fell on the crowd. I rubbed my shoulder glancing around for a second. I walked over and grabbed a coke out of the tub.
"Naruto you never finished your story." I said siting next to him again.
"O-Oh Yeah...W-Well you see..." Through Naruto's story could hear people around whispering things like
"Sakura is not a fan girl anymore."
"She is a badass."
"She is hot!"
I did not care about any of this. All I cared about was listening to Naruto's story.
I woke up to birds chirping. I rolled over and opened my eyes. As I sat up and rubbing my eyes last night ran through my head. I opened my eyes once more clearing my vision. I got up and took a shower, got dressed and started to eat breakfast. I was leaning over the island eating a bowl of cereal.
I looked up as Naruto came through the hold in my wall. When was that getting fixed?
"Morning."
"Morning." Naruto said. He walked over to the bar I was standing at and took a seat in the seat across from me.
"What's up?" Naruto asked. I looked around for a moment.
"Cereal? " Naruto smiled at my comment.
"So last night was intense." Naruto muttered as he got a bowl out and took some cereal.
"It was a picnic." I stated confused on how it could be intense.
"I mean the whole Ino thing."
"Oh that." I said looking at my bowl. "Eh..." It really didn't faze me and it wasn't on my mind. It didn't really mean anything to me.
"I did not know what to do." He laughed, "No one did. It is the talk of the town right now!"
"I don't know why, it is not that funny."
"No it wasn't but you were so bad ass people are in love with you. We all got to see another piece of the new Sakura and everyone loves it." I rolled my eyes.
"I don't know why."
"Sakura you are like this big new awesome puzzle and we all got a new piece last night, now we can start to build a new image of how we see you in our eyes...and I think we are hoping to get close to how you see yourself now, because you are so awesome!" Naruto smiled, I did not know what to say so I just looked away, after a while Naruto spoke up. "So..." He trailed off. I looked at him.
"Just ask me." I said.
"W-What!? Ask you what!?" Naruto laughed nervously.
"I know you." I said looking at him. "Just ask me what you want to know."
"The whole you being over Sasuke thing."
"What about it?"
"Is it true?"
"Yes. I was not lying." Naruto looked at me for a long moment.
"Wow..." Was all he said.
"Wow?" I asked. "That's it? No twenty questions behind it?"
"Nope. I believe you. I just never thought I would see the day you were over Sasuke."
"Meh." Was all I said.
"I am proud of you." He said after a moment. I looked up at him.
"Thanks Naruto. So what are you going to do today?" I asked him
"I do not know, Tsunade wants to see team seven at 9 am for something. Probably boarder control again." Naruto sighed. "It is so boring!" He whined. I laughed.
"That sucks."
"Yeah...and you are stuck here because you are still recovering so that means you cant go!" Naruto whined again.
"Maybe I will stop by." I winked. He jumped up.
"Really!?"
"Yes." I nodded. "Now get going, it's 7:47." I said taking his empty bowl. "You are going to be late."
"Thanks Sakura!" Naruto yelling running out of my door. That might have been the first time he has ever used my front door. I picked up my cell. It was time to get that wall fixed.
Three hours had past. I looked up from my book, hearing Naruto and Sasuke bickering. I got up and just before I was about to walk out of my room I stopped. They were in Sasuke's apartment, getting ready for a mission?
"Ugh! Why us!?" Naruto whined. "A escort mission? Really!?"
"There are no free teams to go Naruto." Kakashi voice spoke up. My heart perked up, hearing his voice. He was over there. My body was to move my legs to walk into Sasukes apartment so my eyes could gaze at his masked face. Why would I want to gaze at his face? I don't even know what his face looks like. Why was I thinking about Kakashi again?
"Yeah...but still this sucks!"
"It will only a few days Naruto." Sasuke said. I walked back to my bed, placed headphones in and picked up my book. I got three chapters in when I noticed Naruto looking at me. I pulled out a head phone.
"I was to scared to touch you." His face held no amusement, he was really scared to touch me. A quick burst of laughter left my mouth. "I didn't want to get hit by your super reflects." I smiled putting my book down. I looked at his mission bag.
"Going on a mission?"
"Yeah..." He trailed off. "It wont be long." He said looking up at me. "Sakura I-"
"Good luck." He hugged me and I hugged him back.
"We will be fine." He smiled. "We will be home in no time. Try not to go crazy bored without me!" He joked.
"I will try." I laughed as he ran out of my room. I looked out my window after a few minuets and watched him, Kakashi and Sasuke walking away from the building, I leaned against my window and thought for a moment, it had been a while since I had laughed. Naruto can make me smile and laugh and it was so easy almost like breathing. Hmm...Weird. I walked away from my window and laid back onto the bed and picked up the book.
A week had flown by. That freaking wall was still not repaired. I had spent a lot of time with Hinata. I never knew how much I enjoyed having her as a friend. I had been controlling and barking out orders to my army from the leaf village, it was annoying. It was twice as much work. It was high noon. I was walking to the park out of boredom only to be stopped by one of Tsunade's lap dogs.
"The Hokage needs to see you."
"Ok." I said walking around him.
"She said now. It is very important." He called. I sighed, I really did not want to deal with her today. Instead of going to the park I went to her office as wanted. I opened the door to see her looking her computer and she was on the phone. Papers were everywhere. She looked up at me and hung up the phone.
"Sakura." She said standing.
"Tsunade." I copied her.
"How are you feeling?" She asked quickly, to quickly something was going on.
"Fine. Why?" I asked. I looked at her, "What is wrong?"
"I need you do go out on a mission with team 10."
"What?" I asked dumbfounded. "You saw what happened between Ino and myself, no way in hell-"
"Team Seven has gone missing." I snapped my eyes up at those words. Dread set itself in my gut.
"Where and when?"
"Team seven was suppose to go to the land of river, transport their princess to the land of mist. They were suppose to take her to the hidden village of mist so she can sign her first peace treaty. They were suppose to cut through the leaf village as a short cut but...they are two days late...the last thing I heard from Naruto was the word Reapers." I felt my heart stop. My brain made a picture of Naruto and Kakashi up against a team of reapers. I knew they wouldn't last long.
"When?!" I demanded
"A few hours ago...Then they went of grid. I can not reach them, I am worried."
"I have to go now." I said turning away from her, only to be stopped.
"You are hurt Sakura, you are not going to go along. Team 10 is the only other team that is free to go."
"I really don't-"
"Sakura."
"We have to go now." I stated. "Hours with the reapers means they are dead or being tortured."
"Go pack your bags. Team 10 has already been notified, also Shikamaru is the leader on this Sakura. Do you understand?"
"Yeah." I turned on my heel only to be stopped again.
"Sakura!" I looked back at her. "Be safe, you are still in recovery."
"Always." I said as I vanished. I got home, changed packed my bag and was out my door in seven minuets. I arrived at the gate just in time to see Team 10 make their slow ass way towards me. Ino with her eyes to the ground Shikamaru and Choji waved.
"How much time do we got before Team Seven is dog food?" Choji asked.
"None." Was all I said. We bolted out of the village gates. It was hard...slowing down for Team 10 to keep up. They did their best. We ran fast and far. I knew what the reapers were made of, I knew what they would do to get information out of team seven, and every out come is not good. I glanced at team ten. They would not survive a round with the reapers. Tsunade had just signed their death wish. I looked forward. We ran for hours. The entire trip I could not follow Shikamaru or his orders. My brain no longer worked when it came to being told what to do. I only registered orders from one person and Shikamaru, was not that person. My speed was an issue, they couldn't keep up. I tried to slow down for them but by now it was habit to keep moving it kept you alive. Team Ten was not this way. They hated movement, which I did not understand nor did I care. The fact that I did not want to stop for breaks really pissed off Shikamaru and Choji. Ino kept her head down and she mostly stayed out of my way.
Two days had passed and team ten was barely keeping up with me. Them getting a taste of the pase of my life was kicking their ass. I came to a grinding stop. Ino and Choji could not stop as fast and therefore fell on their asses, panting.
"Sakura?" Shikamaru asked, walking over towards me. I pointed out Naruto's bag that was laying in the bushes, I could see the strap laying out on the dirt path way. Naruto's face flashed into my mind, his dopey smile and big crystal blue eyes. Naruto if your dead, I will kill you.
"This is where they were jumped." I said. We walked in the clearing listening for anything, looking for any clues, then I heard voices. I looked through the trees, there stood two Reapers. They were guarding a cave. There was a clearing about a mile away from here. I could trap team ten there and get team seven out of the reapers grasp.
"This way." I whispered, pointing out the reapers I lead them away from the cave.
"Ok." Shikamaru said kneeling down drawling in the dirt. I rolled my eyes at his game plan. Creating a few hand signs with my hands, I watched as a red dome caved around team ten.
"Sakura!?" Shikamaru's muffled voice yelled out as he banged on the domes wall. "What the hell? Let us out!"
"No." Was all I said
"I am the leader on this mission!"
"It is my job to keep everyone from leaf village alive." I said looking at him. "And that is what I will do. That comes before your right to be a leader on this mission."
"Sakura!"
"You are not fit to lead this mission."
"Sakura!"
"Draw in the dirt some more." I muttered, knowing they can hear me. I could not help by smirk, feeling Shikamaru's glare on my back.
I walked forward through the bushes, taking in the situation around me. I sent in six shadow clones two to drag out team seven and four to distract any reapers in the cave. Reapers do not really hang out together in groups they kind of are loners. I kept walking until I reached the cave. The reapers spotted me. I smiled and waved.
"Good morning." I smirked, seeing them pull out swords. "What? No sweet talking first?" I joked, ducking a kunai, "You at least should buy me dinner first." I taughted.
There were only two reapers in the cave. My clones dragged out team seven into the clearing near team ten. I looked up, glancing away from the reaper I was fighting, my clones had been killed off. Great. I killed off the reaper and took off running. Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi were grouped up together trying to fend for themselves. I sighed. They were getting their asses kicked, they looked like they have been fighting for days. From the looks of how dirty they are the reapers were toying with them playing their games like letting them think they are getting away and trying to hide. I took out a kunai and threw it at the ninja above Naruto who he was trying to kill. I threw two more at the closest ninja near team seven. I jumped up in the air and landed in front of the three men who where on their knees barley hanging on. I blocked a fourth ninja from striking Sasuke with his sword with my own sword. I saw his heart drop in his eyes.
"R-Reaper!" he stuttered.
"Mind if I cut in?" I smirked. He jumped away from me. I felt fire wrap around my body as I created a few hand signs, fire wrapped around me then I threw it at two others who were trying to run towards me. I jumped out of the way. I landed back in front of Naruto.
"S-Sa...-Sakura..." Naruto choked out. I glanced back at him, seeing him and Kakashi trying to move.
"Guys." I called out, kicking a reaper away from me. "You guys did well, better than what I thought you would." I called out, ducking from a sword and a fire attack. "You fought well, now it is time to put your blade down and let me fight your fight." I finished. I placed a shield around them to protect them like I had done to team ten. "It is going to be ok." I said and winked at Naruto, "I got this."
"Sakura! Let us out damnit!" Shikamaru yelled. I ignored them. They were better off in there than out here. They would be killed off in moments.
I released chakra, letting music and sound mix together, then it wrapped around two more ninja, they screamed and begged. I ignored them as the music stabbed them like needles. As they were screaming one more ninja flew up, I blocked him with my sword. We danced for a while.
"I see your standards for reapers has dropped." I said kicking him away, pissing him off. He ran at me and I cut him off, my music chakra dance started to wrap around him. He started to scream, looking at his friend who were now dead, he dropped his sword and he started to run away. I shook my head, that is not how this works. I watched as after more hand signs a ice shot towards him, aiming for his chest. From the corner of my eyes I watch a man fall out of the trees, he must have lost his grip and fell to the ground.
I shot my eyes and then turned my attention to the frozen man, shaking at my image. He held his sword out weakly to defend himself. I smiled fully.
"Joe-Joe!" I called with an evil grin. I faced him. He took a few steps back.
"Y-You are dead!" He called
"Yeah that is why I am standing here." I mocked. I pulled out a kunai and shoved it in the chest of a ninja running up on me. He fell to the ground next to Naruto who was on the ground panting, watching me.
"S-stay back!" Joe yelled as I walked up to his short haired, fat faced skinny body.
"Oh this is going to be fun." I smiled as I spun my sword in a circle in my right hand. "You are a hard man to find Joe-Joe." I called.
"Get back!" He yelled turning to run away. I laughed, throwing a kunai at his leg. I watched him fall to the ground. "I have been looking for you for years now."
"Please...Please! Do not kill me! I beg of you!" I felt my eyes up. He started to try to crawl away.
"You didn't give mercy when you slaughtered my parents." I stated. "You didn't care when you had my team mate murdered." I said looking him in the eyes, sucking him into my bright red eyes. "You are going to suffer until your last breathe."
I looked down at the dead body at my feet then to the trees, feeling the eyes. I turned to them.
"Are you going to come out?" I asked and as soon as the words left my mouth they vanished. I then walked over towards the three on the ground panting. It did not take long to heal them. I let out team ten. I heard them run over towards us. They looked around at all the bodies.
"Sakura!" I heard my name being screamed. I rolled my eyes as Shikamaru came running out of the bushes. "You are in so much trouble! Just wait-" Shikamaru was cut off by a reaper, hiding in the trees, he stabbed Shikamaru in the shoulder, I bolted forward slicing his throat before he could touch Choji. Naruto healed Shikamaru. Shikamaru kept his head down, his jaw locked.
"How are they so strong?" Shikamaru asked after a moment, he looked up at me. I looked around.
I walked over to where Shikamaru was on the ground and I offered a hand towards him. He took it, as I pulled him up I started to heal his arm. "I am sorry." Shikamaru looked at me shocked. "I should not have over stepped my place. You were the leader on this mission and I trapped you in a box instead of respecting your game plan. But I-"
"I know Sakura. Any plan I came up with would have just gotten my team killed. I thank you for protecting myself and my team. But for now on can we work together?" He asked I nodded.
"Of course."
"Ok?" Naruto asked off trailing off looking around. "Why are you guys here?" He glanced at Ino then to me. I shrugged.
"I am still in recovery. Tsunade did not want me to go out alone and Team Ten was the only team that could go in such a short time frame. So...here we are..." I trailed off as I picked up my bag. Choji handed Naruto his bag.
"Thanks!" He laughed taking it. Naruto turned to me. He high fived me. "Great job Sakura!" He smiled making me smile.
"How do you feel?"
"Sore." Naruto laughed once again. I smiled, happy for them to be alive. I pulled out a disinfecting rag and started to go retrieve my kunai's. I pulled out the first one listening to the two teams talk. After a bunch of bickering they decided to call Tsunade. I was almost done collecting and cleaning off my kunai.
"Hello?" Tsunade asked.
"Hey granny!" Naruto yelled, the phone being on speaker we all heard her insult Naruto. I just shook my head with a smile. They had an odd relationship.
"It is nice to hear your voices Team Seven. As you can tell I was so worried I sent out our village protector after you."
"Thank you Tsunade." Kakashi spoke up.
"Do not say I never do anything for you!" Tsunade yelled. Making Kakashi chuckle. His laugh was music to my ears. I found an urge in the put of my stomach to want to be the reason he makes that wonderful sound. I shook my head clear and went back to cleaning off my kunais.
"Back to work then." Tsunade said. "I do not care which one but one of your teams will continue on with the mission. Sakura-" I looked up at the sound of my name. "You will escort which ever teams continues on through our their mission." I nodded, knowing she couldn't see it, I know she understood it. "And the second team needs to return back to the village. Be safe everyone, come home alive." Tsunade then hung up. I rolled my eyes as the two teams looked at each other. Naruto glanced back at me. I rolled my eyes as the fighting began.
I was finally cleaning the blood off my last kunai. It has been a half hour and Team Seven and Team Ten were still going at it. Each team thought they should go and the other go home. I yawned. It was annoying that they were wasting so much time. I put my kunai away and looked around. Since I was stuck on this mission now I wanted to get into a town before dark.
"Sakura!" I was snapped out of my thoughts by Naruto.
"Huh?"
"Answer the question."
"What question?"
"Ugh!" Naruto groaned. "What team should go with you on this mission?!"
"That is not up to me." I said shrugging. "You all heard Tsunade. She said it was up to you guys. Which means it is up to the Teams leaders who does what." I said looking away. Why was I being brought in to this?
"Sakura has been assigned to our team!" Naruto yelled at Choji. "So we should go with her!" I sighed bored.
"For what its worth!" I cut in, having everyone look at me. "Team Seven you all survived longer than I have ever seen anyone do against a group of reapers. I am impressed you all stayed alive for so long." Naruto smiled and looked down.
"Aw thanks Sakura!" He laughed.
"Team Ten your leader was attacked by a sleeper cell and yet you all think you can continue on." I said looking at them. "Do you really think you all can handle that? Do you really think I want to have to babysit a princess and watch out for you three as well through the entire mission?"
"Sakura." Kakashi called, I snapped my eyes towards him. "Who would you rather go with?"
"You cant ask her that she will-"
"It is not a popularity contest. We are going to have a girls life in our hands and I will not leave until I know that we are giving her the best team possible to protect her life. Besides, a person from both our teams has made a fool out of themselves in front of Sakura. At this point I am pretty sure she would have any other team than us so I don't think she really cares who goes"
"Team Seven." I said, ignoring team tens faces. "I need a team who I don't have to babysit. I can not be worried about five different people."
"Fine. We will go home."
We were held up in a clearing. A peaceful river was a few yards away. Trees were all around us. A camp fire was dancing in the night time air. The four of us all sat around on top of sleeping bags. I leaned against my bag. Waiting for the questions.
"Sakura..." Naruto trailed off. "I...We didn't know that your parents...I am so sorry..." He looked at me, pain filled his eyes. I just looked down. "Who was that guy?"
"Joe." I answered. "Fourth in command of the Reapers." Silence. I sighed, knowing the words they wanted to hear. "He was the one who gave the orders to kill the village my parents were in. He was the one who gave to word to murder my parents three years ago." I looked into the twisting embers. "I was deep under cover at the time..." I sighed running a hand through my hair. "I had just recovered all their information, I had everything they knew, where their camps were, what their targets were what village was next, one of my team mates called me one night, she said the Reapers were burning down the village where my parents were at. She tried to protect them...she failed and it coasted her her life. I made it to the village in time to watch a reaper shove a knife into her chest." I looked into the flames. "After that...after I buried my parents and my best friend I went hunting. I hunted down every reaper that was there that night and I slaughter them. Joe was the hardest to find. Always being in a hidden camp I could never trace where he was. Until today which tells me the reapers really are moving their hideout if he was out in the open."
"What was her name?" Kakashi asked.
"Amethyst."
"Beautiful name." Kakashi said. "If she was your influence then I am sure she must have been an amazing person." I nodded at his comment.
"She was." I bit back the emotion bubbling inside my chest. Memoires of my fallen friend flashed into my eyes. Making it harder to sit here.
"Is that why you are going after the reapers?"
"One of the reason." I said looking at Naruto. "The Reapers have killed hundreds of villages, thousands of people. They have to be stopped and my team and I we..." I cut myself hearing the emotion, hearing the pain of loss, the anger laces in my voice.
"Your team?" Kakashi asked.
"The people in the picture." Naruto answered, forgetting Kakashi never seen the picture.
"You were on a team?" Kakashi asked, "You must have been an amazing leader. I can see the traits of being an amazing captain inside you." Kakashi smiled through his mask.
"We were." I said, not lifting my eyes from the flames.
"Were?" Sasuke asked. "You said they died. How?"
"Sasuke!" Naruto snipped. Shooting him a dirty look.
"The Reapers." I answered. "We were on a mission...to take down one of their camps. It was a trap. There were nine of us...including me there is only three left."
"I am so sorry Sakura." Naruto whispered in disbelief, his eyes were so heavy with pain for me. I looked at the stars. "If my team was all killed...I don't know how I would go on."
"We should all get some rest." Kakashi spoke up. He dimmed the fire and we all laid down. I kept my eyes open, looking at the many stars.
Are you up there Amethyst?
I watched my chakra dance all around me. I was a few yards away from the others, trees shielding me from them, I sitting by the river on a rock. It danced to an old song, Amethyst's favorite song.
Sadness filled my heart as I watched as my chakra made a image of her. She smiled at me and waved.
"Amethyst..." I breathed her name as her image smiled at me. She danced at the beat of the music as I have watched her do so many times in the past. I would always laugh and wave her off thinking nothing of it.
"Amethyst." I breathed out filling the crushing pain in my chest. If I could just look into her eyes one more time, if I could just see her looking back to me one more time I would give anything to have just one more conversation with her. I looked down at the flowing water. I looked up at the smiling image of my friend as she danced around in the river. I smiled, remembering how much she loved to dance and swim. The image in front of me couldn't dull the sharp blade that death brings to the living. The image in front of me was just an imprint I pulled from somewhere in mu brain. As I watched the image I couldn't see my fallen friend, the kindness, the joy and love I use to see when I looked into my friends eyes was not there. It was just a copy of a memory I had locked away. It broke free and I was to emotionally weak to lock her away. "I got them." I whispered. I got them...I should have taken them down a long time ago. If I had more people would be alive and I would have dug less graves. Everything is different now. Everyone is gone...Everyone is either dead or in hiding. I looked around in the night sky as the weight of the world adjusted itself on my shoulders. After an hour of staring off into the pit of my existence I snapped around hearing a twig snap. I sighed, seeing it was only Kakashi.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He said walking closer.
"I wasn't startled." I muttered.
"So this is Amethyst?" He walked over and sat beside me on the rock.
"You should be resting Kakashi." I said annoyed, "We have a long trip ahead of us in the morning."
"I know...you should be resting as well." He looked over at the dancing image. "What's this?" He asked looking at me.
"Nothing." I said as I waved my hand as the image of my once friend vanished before us. I could feel Kakashi watch me.
"I am sorry." Kakashi said after some time of us just sitting on that old rock. I looked at him.
"Sorry?"
"I know how much it hurts to lose people you loved."
"Yeah." I didn't know what to say to him, I didn't know where to put my hands or where to look with him being so close. I was staying inside the leaf village for to long. I glanced over at where Naruto was sleeping.
"They are fine." Kakashi promised. I turned only to make the mistake to lock eyes with Kakashi. I got lost in the vortex he called his eyes.
"It is good to see you." Kakashi smiled through his mask. "It is going to be ok." He said, "You will recover from the heartache you are-"
"What?" I cut him off.
"I was just saying-"
"I will recover?" I spat. "What is wrong with you?" I asked. "You look at me as if I was still a child. I am not a little kid anymore Kakashi, I don't call you Sensei and I don't follow you around. I grew up without you and team seven. I have learned many things since I left and one of them is that you will never move on from the death of a loved one. You will grieve for the rest of your life and all that you can do it learn to live without them. I am strong enough to stand and rebuild myself around the loss that I have suffered. I have learned that there are moments in our life's, moments when you realize nothing will ever be the same and time is divided into two parts, before this and after this, you will never be the same as you were before and you shouldn't want to be the person you were before because I am damn grateful I met my team. Don't ever look at me or to anyone else and tell them that they will get over the death of someone they loved because your a damn fool if you believe that." I glared.
"You have grown." Kakashi smiled
"No shit." I mocked only to have him laugh, something inside my chest lightened up and the knots loosened for a moment hearing his laugh. Kakashi looked at me but a strange emotion fell over his eyes as he looked away.
"Almost six years you have been gone." He whispered as he reached out and touched his hand to my cheek "You are tired."
"I am fine."
"No I mean you look tired." His eye swept me up and trapped me in a frozen glaze. I couldn't move. "Ever since you have returned you have not stopped moving, you haven't stopped putting up the wall that you have surrounded yourself in." I watched him for a long moment feeling confused for a moment.
"There is no wall." I said, this confused him I could see it in his eyes. "What you see is not a wall I put up to try and hide from the world. I don't have walls anymore, you cant in my line of work. I go from mission to mission, there is no stopping it. What you see is years of non stop battle. You see the remains of war." Kakashi did not know what to say. His hand dropped from my cheek, his warmth vanished from my face feeling me feeling a bit cold.
"That is not healthy Sakura...and if your friend made you think that was then-"
"She is not healthy for me I figured that out a long time ago. Amethyst was a basket case. She was loud, colorfully crazy, she was a fire cracker. But she kept me grounded." I said looking at him. "She kept me glued together. She was...is my best friend and she always will be. Amethyst saved my life I don't know how many times. She was a huge part of helping me construct the person you are looking at today. And no I can not let her go yet, I do know if I ever will be able to and I am ok with that. Because with out her I can not see myself being where I am without her. She was my little fire cracker and she is gone. And this-" I gestured to where Amethyst image was."Is just a way so I can feel close to her again. She was in my life for only a few years but the impact she made on me will be with me for a life time."
"I am sorry if I insulted your friend Sakura." Kakashi said looking down. "She appears to have been an amazing role model on you." I nodded in agreement. We sat there not talking for a long time.
"I am sorry Sakura." Kakashi said.
"For what now?"
"For not giving you the same treatment I gave Naruto and Sasuke during our training. I should have treated you as an equal but I did not. Seeing you today, seeing how strong you have become I see I failed you has a teacher and for that I will always be sorry for."
"You did not fail me as my teacher." I stated. "You were a shitty teacher yes, but...you did not fail, without the training I had from you I would have been killed for sure in the waterfall village."
"I still do not understand that."
"Understand what?"
"How cut throat that army is."
"Because-"
"Because freedom is not free...yes I know...but Sakura how you have been acting it is like all the color has been sucked out of your sight. You only see and talk in black and white now."
"I know."
"What?"
"it is true. I know that is how I see things. It makes things much easier in battle."
"How?!" Kakashi asked. "If a kid killed a person-"
"If I child killed a person and did not mean it, then fine the child gets a warning. But if that child killed someone and planned to do it, how is he not in the wrong?" Kakashi and I watched each other for a long moment.
"Keep searching." I said. Taking Kakashi back a little bit. "You wont find her."
"Who?"
"The Sakura you trained. She is not in here. I am not her anymore. I am sorry, but you wont find any trace of her."
"I over heard your conversation with Naruto and Tsunade." Kakashi started. "About how the leaf village will never be like the waterfall village because we have emotions, because we care about our team mates, because that is our weakness. But you yourself had saved Naruto's life. You almost died to protect your friend. And you still morn for your fallen friend...Sakura I do not understand." Kakashi searched my eyes for the answers he needed to try and piece me back together. I sighed and looked down.
"I was that way."
"What why?"
"Nothing but a solider. I did nothing but follow orders, eat, sleep and train. That is the only life you will ever have being apart of the waterfall villages army. I did this for almost three years. I did what I was told and that got me to be the head of an army."
"You do not sound very proud of that."
"It is something to be proud of. In all my time of fighting since I have been gone I have never once killed an innocent person."
"So what changed? The death of a person who did not deserve it did not snap you out of it, so what did?"
"I was placed on a special ops team. We were called the nine. We did what even the waterfall soldiers wouldn't do. We slaughter villages of rouges, took down countless reaper camps we were the best of the best. We could handle anything that was thrown our way. We protected the village, no matter what tried to get through the gates." I looked into my lap, "In the waterfall village, if your teammate went down we were suppose to step over their body and finish the mission, and I did that I stepped over a hundred dead bodies and kept on walking without ever looking back...but...one night.."
"You all got close?" Kakashi answered.
"They were my family. They became the people I could trust, they always had my back...no matter what, one night a mission one of the nine went down and I just couldn't step over them..."
"What happened to them?"
"I wasn't there. I was under cover at the time and that made our team weak. I let our team be weakened and that put a chip in our armor. Amethyst died trying to protect my parents, I should have been there by my teams side but I wasn't. Soon after Amethyst died the others fell and before I knew it there was only three of us remaining."
"I am so sorry Sakura."
"I know you have lost others as well you know the pain, how cold it is." I breathed, leaning back. "You never do get use to it."
"That is true." I looked over at Kakashi. He was watching the stars. I felt my chest start to warm up. I looked away feeling strange. I could feel Kakashi looking at me.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah..."
"Sakura..."
"Just gotta keep moving forward." I said looking at him, he smiled through his mask. Kakashi stood up from the rock and held out his right hand towards me, waiting for me to take it.
"Lets get some rest. We have a long walk in the morning." Kakashi smiled still holding his hand out towards me. I took it. We walked back towards the others at camp. I could not ignore the burning fire crawling up my arm from Kakashis hand holding mine. Why am I not letting go of his hand? What is this fire? Why do I care? Why cant I just let go of his hand? Once Kakashi did let go of my head once I was near my sleeping bag, I felt cold and odd. What the hell? I laid down inside my sleeping bag trying to ignore the amount of coldness I felt on my right hand. I just stared up at the sky, watching all the stars. There were no street lights, no hustle and bustle...out here in the open I could never get tired of looking up at the bright dark sky, with all this lights for us all to see. It took my breathe away every time. I looked over at Kakashi. He was a few feet away, back towards me hands in his pockets looking around for anything. I did not realize I watched him until the sun came up and smiled at me. Every now and then he would glance at us, I would look away not wanting him to see me watching him. I looked away from him rolling up his sleeping bag and watched Naruto fall out of his sleeping bag and jumped up freaking out due to the cold morning due coating the grass. It was to early to deal with a Naruto.
"Morning Sakura!" Naruto cheered, sliding on his shoes.
"Good morning." I said standing up from zipping my bag up.
"How are you already packed and ready to go!?" Naruto whined. "Did you even sleep?" He asked, I shrugged and distracted him buy handing him a protein bar and a bottle of water.
"Thanks!" Naruto smiled.
"You guys are loud." Sasuke muttered sitting up.
"We are not!" Naruto defended. I rolled my eyes and looked at my phone, turning it on. I looked through the messages and voice mails. I was out here in the open so charging a cell phone was hard. I had to make sure I saved as much battery life as I could. I stopped at one message and clicked the call option.
"Commander." I heard my second in command ask through the phone.
"What attack?" I asked bluntly.
"There was an attack on the village." She answered.
"When, who?"
"Last night around three in the morning. We do not yet know who they are. They were not reapers. They carry no village symbol."
"A group of random rouges attacking the strongest village around?" I asked looking at nothing really.
"Yes I know, it is strange. Maybe they are trying to make a name for themselves?"
"No, a random group of rouges would not attack the village for no reason. How far did they get into the village?"
"Not far at all, they never made it near the gates of the town. They barely got passed the soldiers grounds."
"If they wanted to start to earn credit they would go after smaller villages first, they were put up to this, figure out who hired them."
"Of course."
"I will call tomorrow."
"Yes Commander." I hung up and turned around to see team seven watching me.
"Everything ok?" Naruto asked.
"Yes." I said.
"I heard there was an attack?" Naruto said trying to find out more.
"It is nothing that my soldiers cant handle." I said picking up my bag. "Lets go." And with that we set out to finish this mission. I looked back over at them, they were laughing and joking around, I couldn't help but smile at them. I looked at my phone, at the messages my second in command were sending me. I looked forward at the path we were walking down. Someone had the balls to attack the waterfall village. I narrowed my eyes at the road in front of me. That fact alone really pissed me off. I felt like the people who attacked us were personally changeling me and my soldiers. I felt my right arm twitch, feeling the need to grip my sword. If they wanted a fight I will give them one, and I never loose.
