Chapter Three -What To Change?-
Sakura opened her eyes, wondering idly why her arm didn't hurt anymore.
'Oh right... I freaked out and saw everyone young again...'
Sakura's eyes widened in shock.
"N-no way...I...this must be a genjutsu..." Sakura whispered.
'But that would not be to That Man's taste. Sadistic, yes... but.'
Sakura sat up looking around her old bedroom. Pail white walls, Pink curtains on the window that overlooked the neighbors small garden. Her closet was full of red dresses she had not worn since she started training with Tsunade.
'And now that I think if it, they're ugly as all hell too.'
'There's just no way He can get these details. Unless its one of those complicated Jutsu where my mind supplies everything...'
Sakura rose her hands up into a seal and focused the right amount of chakra.
"KAI!" Sakura watched as her chakra pulsed around her, nothing changed. There wasn't even a ripple.
Sakura pushed the bed covers off her body and swung her legs over the side only to freeze when her feet didn't touch the ground.
"I...Impossible." She whispered. Feeling panic rip threw her body. She slid off the bed and stumbled to the bathroom, flicking the lights on; coming to a crash at the sink. Sakura stared down at the white porcelain bowl, watching a drip of water from the faucet hit the drain in a calming rhythm.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Sakura slowly looked up.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Long pink hair. Wide green eyes.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Plump childish cheeks, and flawless skin.
DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.
The sound of the water seemed to echo and scream at her. Sakura could feel her self breathing harder, her mind unable to grasp just what she was seeing.
'Calm down. I'm hyperventilating.' her mind reasoned, however her body wasn't listening. Sakura's heart was beating wildly, and her pupils were dilating irregularly.
"Genjutsu... genjutsu... genjutsu" Sakura whispered hoarsely, choking back a sob. "Its not real. Calm. Down." She commanded, slowly calming herself down. Sakura shut her eyes and replayed her last memory. Fighting That Man.
"Some sort of rip in space... that could lead me hear... or I could be dead and this is all a dream..." Sakura whispered to herself reluctantly looking at her reflection.
It just seemed so... real.
"Lets see..." Sakura tore her eyes away from the mirror and instead took a closer look at her small bathroom. Everything was plain and in pale pink colors with splashes of mint green here and there. Just as she remembered.
Sakura said nothing and just stood up straight, making her way back into her room. She grabbed a book from her desk, It seemed to be a romance novel she didn't remember reading, or one bad enough that she never finished. In any case Genjutsu and dreams could never recreate words. Sure big words such as titles were easy, but small text tended to blend together.
Sakura took a deep breath. This would tell her. Genjutsu or dream. Genjutsu wouldn't let her open the book, while the dream would but she wouldn't be able to read anything. A simple but effective way to tell reality and dreams apart.
Which was why Sakura felt a tinge of fear course threw her body.
What if she could read the words?
'Shut up and just open the book. No use worrying.' Sakura thought cracking the book open to a page in the middle of the book.
"I could read it... I don't remember what it said, something about Kate never leaving her husband. I was too... shocked to really remember.." Sakura trailed off and laid her head in her hands, her elbow's propping them up.
"I wish it was a dream... at least than none of this..." Sakura took a moment to gesture around her, "Wouldn't have happened. I mean aren't second chances meant to fix everything?" Sakura asked Ibiki, who had no change of expression.
"I thought so... once I woke up from my faint of course...And then everything seemed to move so fast. Next thing I know-"
"I am Rock Lee!" Konoha's future green beast said brightly, standing in a large Dojo like room. The academe students used it train in when it was winter, or if it was raining. Sakura had been in a daze all day, remembering things seconds before they happened. Actually to tell the truth she didn't remember much about before the forest of death. Everything seemed to be faded compared to that.
"I have introduced myself now, who are you?" Lee asked staring at Sasuke.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke said it in that insufferable voice, holier-than-thou, the voice that had a faint echo of That Man behind it... It made Sakura what to punch him in the face a few hundred times, heal him, and then do it again.
"As I suspected. I would like to challenge you! This years Rookie of the year!" Lee yelled going into his stance.
"Ugh! Its always about Sasuke! You have to fight ME FIRST!" Naruto shouted sprinting at Lee. Sakura sighed her minds eye already playing out what was about to happen. Lee would kick Naruto's ass, and than Sasuke's.
True to her prediction Naruto flew into a wall after a few quick moves from Lee.
"Naruto you ok?" Sakura asked numbly making her way over to Naruto who ignored her and glared at Lee, his teeth grinding together. Sakura sighed and watched as Lee made quick work of Sasuke who tumbled to the ground with a thump. Sakura wasn't there to break his fall, but he also wasn't the rookie of the year for nothing. He managed to twist and land, skidding, on his knees. In fact Sakura was probably in the way last time.
Sakura gave a huff, "Guys lets go. Exams are going to start." Sakura's voice was empty. It had been all day. She felt numb, everything was real. there WAS no other explanation. Sakura managed to drag Sasuke and Naruto away before Gai-Sensei could arrive and destroy brain cells... and cause people to go blind.
The thing was, Sakura mused, she couldn't wrap her mind around it. The realness. Part of her was thankful, the rest of her wished she had just died. She didn't want to relive everything. It wasn't as perfect as she remembered. Everything had, unfortunately been idolized in her mind.
"Ah, it seems you all entered. Good. If one of you had decided not to come, you would not have been able to enter." Kakashi said, leaning against the door that lead into the exam room. Sasuke grunted and Naruto shouted out "Dattabayo!" Kakashi glanced at Sakura but she couldn't force a smile, she just shrugged at looked away.
"Well don't die!" Kakashi said cheerfully with an eye crinkle, he opened the door and ushered Naruto and Sasuke threw. Sakura paused staring at the crowd of hopeful Genin.
"Sakura-Chan, if you don't want to take the exam..." Kakashi's hand rested on her shoulder.
'If I don't take the exam... no That Man would just attack him somewhere else... at least I might be able to stop it if i take the exam.'
"I made my choice...Kakashi...Sensei." Sakura winced at saying her teacher's name. She hadn't said it for so long... three years at least...
"Alright."
The first thing Sakura noticed, when she fully entered the exam room, was Ino hanging off Sasuke.
"Sakura I am sorry to inform you that Ino Yamanaka has been killed in action."Tsunade said quietly. Sakura just closed her eyes.
"I understand. How... was she killed?"
"Sasuke Uchiha...Team Ten ran into his team, engaged in battle. Ino didn't make it out."
"I see."
Sakura's eyes narrowed at Sasuke. Ino assumed it was her Sakura was glaring at.
"Why if it isn't Sakura, big ugly forehead as usual." Ino sneered, tightening her arms around Sasuke. Sakura didn't even twitch and turned away. Ino frowned at her ex-friend, her cold and unfeeling attitude automatically grating at the lively blond Yamanaka.
"You guys are taking this test too? Don't die..." Shikamaru said walking over with his usual slouch and messy half hearted ponytail.
"Yahoo! Found you!" Kiba shouted, his furry hood up and Akamaru perched on top. Sakura stared at Akamaru for a moment, the small puppy who would later become a large dog.
"You guys too." Shikamaru groaned as Team Eight made their way over.
"I see, all nine of this year's rookies are taking the exam...Rookie Nine..." Shino trailed off as everyone stared at him.
'So that's where we got the name... Funny how one little observation lasts a lifetime.' Sakura mused.
"You guys are just out of the academe right? Screaming like little school girls. This isn't a picnic." Kabuto said walking up.
Sakura saw red for a split second her killer intent rising, causing Naruto and Sasuke to stiffen next to her before she pulled it in and forced it under control.
"I'm Kabuto, but maybe you should look behind you, those Rain Ninja look ready to kill you." Kabuto said nodding toward a team of rain ninja.
"Sakura-Chan are you alright?" Naruto asked ignoring Kabuto's warning, and effectively drawing everyone's attention.
"That killer intent..." Sasuke trailed off, eyes narrowing at Sakura. She didn't blame them for worrying of course, she had used her killer intent as a weapon in the future...past...? It wasn't too surprising it was just as strong as before ..latter? Anyway. Killer Intent was a form of a person's spirit chakra being forced outside the body. Her Physical chakra was...pitiful, but her spirit chakra was just as strong as ever.
Everyone was silent waiting for an answer.
"You, Kabuto was it?" at his node Sakura glared at him. "Go away." Sakura's blunt request was met with shocked eyes.
"Excuse me?" Kabuto asked looking offended.
"You heard me. This test is every team for themselves. I don't need you messing with my team and getting us disqualified." Sakura sneered, killer intent leaking out once again.
Kabuto... That Man's vessel for what? Half of the Third Ninja War? Kabutomaru or whatever name got tagged on him.
"I just want to help you rookies. I remember my first time-"
"This is your seventh right? What help can you be, when you have failed seven times." Sakura snapped, failing in keeping her emotions in check. Kabuto's eyes widened then narrowed.
"And how would you have known that?" Kabuto asked suspiciously.
"I'v heard about you. Your constant failure is something people like to talk about close to the chunin exams." Sakura scowled taking a step forward as the rest of the rookie nine stared in shock.
Kabuto rose his hands in the air in a, I give up, gesture.
"I'll just get out of your way than. I guess you won't have any need of my ninja info cards than." Sakura scowled as she realized he got Sasuke's attention once again.
"Ninja Info cards?" Sasuke asked stepping in front of Sakura.
"I have information on every competitor in this competition." Kabuto pulled out his deck of ninja info cards. "Any one in particular you would like to check up on?"
"Rock Lee. Sabaku No Garra." Sasuke said. Sakura stepped up next to Sasuke.
"Naruto Uzumaki." Sakura said crossing her arms.
"Oi! Sakura-Chan why are you checking up on me?! We're on the same team!" Naruto yelled.
"I want to see if his information is realistic or if he's pulling our chains." Sakura lied smoothly, not even blinking an eyelash.
Kabuto shrugged and pulled out three cards, surrounding them in chakra he took the first one.
"Ok, first we have Rock Lee, he's a year older than you guys. Mission history: 20 D-ranks and 12 C-ranks. His Sensei is Gai a taijutsu master and so Lee's taijutsu has improved greatly in the last year, other than that there's nothing impressive. Next is Sabaku No Garra. Mission history: 8 C-ranks and 1 B-rank! Wow a B-rank as a genin that's impressive. Since he's a newcomer from a foreign country I don't have much... but it seems as if he has returned from all his missions without a scratch!" Kabuto said handing Sasuke the two cards.
"And last we have Naruto Uzumaki. Mission history: 10 D-ranks, 1 B-rank, and 1 A-rank! Wow that's even more impressive."
"You guys already got a B and A-rank!?" Kiba shouted. Naruto smirked and Sasuke shrugged too busy studying the two cards about Garra and Lee.
'An A rank? Must have been that issue with the scroll of forbidden techniques or whatever. That wouldn't be on are cards anyway...'
"Sensei is the famed copycat Kakashi!" Kabuto whistled. "This team is loaded, if it wasn't for Naruto being dead last. Two team mates were graduated top of class." Kabuto moved to slip his card back in his deck, but Sakura snatched it before he could.
"Hey!" a tinge a fear slipped in Kabuto's voice, and for good reason.
"I think I'll keep it if you don't mind. It doesn't feel right that you have information on my team mates. I would like mine and Sasuke's too." Sakura said sweet as honey. The card disappeared hidden in the folds of her clothes.
"Which reminds me Ibiki-San. Naruto Uzumaki's ninja card." Sakura said flipping the red card on the table showing Naruto's grinning face.
"Naruto Uzumaki: Nine tails" Sakura read the tittle. Ibiki frowned and took the card.
"That's an S-class secret."
"Exactly."
And CUT! Not much of a cliffy, and I ended up betaing this one myself... so that is why the grammar leaves something to be desired. But I figured you guys wouldn't mind too much. Thank you Kimber for being my first Reviewer! I'm very sorry about the grammar. But I'll take your tip to heart.
And to everyone else... sorry about it being confusing. I am experimenting with something confusing... talking about the past in the past, when shes from the future... yeah...
Thanks to those who alerted, and even just clicked on this story of confusion. Remember I don't get payed writing this so reviews make my days shiny! AND HAPPY NEW YEARS~
Crazy nin out~
