✿Chapter 3: Approach / Departure✿
"Eh?" Sakura said with shock, she had made feel bad the girlfriend of her sensei and he had mocked of her for it, it was definitely a bad start.
"Right, right, the problem of memory" recalled Obito to himself "Sakura-chan she's your teacher of chakra control and medical ninjutsu" he introduced.
"My name is Uchiha Rin and I'm delighted to meet you" she said with amusement in her voice, but with a kind gesture, Sakura felt comfortable with her almost instantly.
"Uchiha?" Apparently it was true that they were scattered all around.
"She's not an Uchiha by blood or birth, she's my wife Sakura-chan" he said obviously funny but proud of it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you" said Sakura apologetically awkwardly, was the second time that offended the medic ninja.
"You did," she said content.
"Well Miss and Mrs. I'm leaving you, I have to go to address some issues respect to the paperwork with Minato-sensei" he said apologetically to leave.
"Good luck" they said both.
"You too" he smiled before leaving.
"Well Sakura-chan tell me where should we begin? Obito told me that your chakra control is well above average and I have seen for myself in previous workouts but maybe you can't remember" she said," but if you want we can prove, something like a test" suggested the brunette.
"I think it's a good idea" Sakura said "but, what I suppose to do?" she asked to weigh the options.
"Well I suggest walking on water or on the trees" Rin said putting a finger on her chin.
"I can do that Rin-sensei" Sakura admitted.
"Then I think we can raise the level a little, don't you think?" She said jolly "this is something I started to try after I managed to master those disciplines and I began to venture into the art of medical ninjutsu" she said excitedly, "we must look for a large body of water in first place, then we will need some leaves"
They did it, Rin took her to a lake near the training camps, the road was short but unhurried. The collection of leaves wasn't difficult because Konoha was a green village and surrounded by trees everywhere so that was the easiest part of the whole plan.
"Well Sakura-chan, I want you to walk on water while holding this sheet in your head" Rin said pointing an oak leaf between her fingers "but without using your hands. The exercise of the leaf on your head is something that is dominated in the academy if I remember correctly, so that part should be simple, you just have to put the two together, I'm sure you could do it if you walk through the trees so we are going to skip that step and you will walk in the water instead" Rin suggested "now take this, do it carefully or you'll end all wet" she said as she laughed.
Sakura did what she asked, first sought balance in the water, it was a strange thing at first but after much practice was almost natural for her, so she stepped on the water without fear and then took another step and then other and another until she was ventured in deep waters of the lake. It was very windy in that area due to the presence of trees around the body of water so if she let the leaf over her head balanced without chakra, this would fly and disappear into the foliage or float in the water, there was no possibility of cheating, but it wasn't like if Sakura would do it, she was always bad at lying.
"Now put the leaf over your head and focus your chakra in both parts of your body, it goes without saying that if you put more care on the leaf you will fall under water and if you put more attention on the water than on the leaf, then you should come to seek a new one" Rin yelled from the shore.
The girl tried to, but found it was more complicated than it seemed, she focus on the chakra in their body parts which were so far apart, it was a little complex. She was worried that her feet lose the natural balance of the quiet stream of the lake, but also must ensure that the leaf was standing firm in her head, were two different controls because in the water she had to change the flow of her chakra for yoked it to the movement of the fluid, while for the leaf, she must maintain static the chakra taking care not to move it from its place, all in completely distant parts of her body, at different ends.
"Now walk towards me" commanded Rin.
That would be more complicated, to be still in a certain place of the lake was one thing, but walking through the water while her feet were creating waves in the water and at the same time, these interfered with waves of the lake, was more complex sync, without ignoring that the leaf in her head should remain in its place. With every step she felt more hesitant to the point that felt she couldn't do it and that everything was going to fail, she was pretty sure would end up losing balance and leaf. She was completely focused on looking into the water, watching her own reflection distorted by the movement and suddenly realized that her reflection was interrupted by small rocks at the bottom, she kept moving and soon touched land.
"you did it excellent Sakura-chan, I must admit I'm a little jealous, it took me some time to adapt both controls of chakra" Rin pouted "but I think your chakra control is superior to mine after all, I'm sure that if you train enough someday you will become as good in medical ninjutsu as Tsunade-sama is" Rin said, Sakura wasn't stupid, she knew that Tsunade was the world's strongest kunoichi and one of the three legendary Sannin and Rin was comparing her tiny being to her, it was a bit overwhelming and mostly somewhat misleading, so far the only thing she knew to do well was control her chakra and she wasn't so sure now that had completed the recent exercise, it consisted much more she thought at the beginning and Tsunade-sama was another scale of achievement completely different.
"Well, all these leaves were not for nothing" Rin said breaking the silence that was formed.
"What?" Sakura couldn't help it, she asked in shock, she thought that the additional leaves were intended to serve as spares in case she failed the exercise.
"Because you can keep the leaf in your head, I think we will move faster by adding other, the more leaves you can keep on your person without falling into the water, the better you will be in control your own chakra" Rin smiled.
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"While you dry, would you accompany me to watch my rounds Sakura-chan? After all, I think it would be suitable to train you in medical ninjutsu soon, I can't wait" the woman with brown eyes said very excited.
Sakura got wet after more leaves were added, a part of her knew it would happen sooner or later, but the demanding part of her was disappointed to have fallen overboard, she could do it better.
"You should go to see Shisui, he was worried when he left you here, didn't want to leave but had a mission to do" Rin said as Sakura kept the scrolls and medical supplies.
"Obito-sensei told me about it, but I do not remember" Sakura admitted.
"Anyway I think it would be good if you meet him, he looked scared as he walked through that door" she said with a serious look, pointing to the entrance of the room.
"I guess I could" gave the young girl with spring hair, it was true that she couldn't continue to deny her reality and perhaps contact with people she used to know would help her to adapt more quickly to all this "but don't know where I can find him" she added.
"If you want to see him you just have to stay here until appears, today is the day when he'll return from his mission and I'm sure this will be his first stop" Rin smiled.
So she did it, she waited in the hospital and accompanied Rin to make her rounds. Sakura realized that Rin was chief of medicine at the hospital of Konoha and was much loved by her patients for her kind treatment, although she was stubborn and authoritarian when she had to be, especially with the most difficult patients.
It wasn't long time accompanying her mentor when she suddenly felt something warm bumped into her, wrapped its arms around her and lifted her from the ground, spinning.
"You're alright!" Said the person, fact that was discovered recently.
"Um" Sakura merely mutter still spinning.
"Shisui, now you checked that she's alive and safe could you put her down please?" Rin asked, laughing.
"Sure, sure" he said apologetically and leaving her on the floor. Sakura looked up and saw the person who had taken her to the hospital, he was tall, almost as much as her sensei, could bet they hadn't more than two centimeters apart, he seemed to be in, or near twenty years. He had black, wavy hair, his eyes were dark as those of all Uchiha blooded that had known so far and wore the uniform of Jōnin of Konoha, although it had a symbol on his jacket that resembled a shuriken with the Uchiha crest in its center.
"Hello" she greeted awkwardly, how it was supposed to greet someone she didn't know, but that also seemed to be close to her?
"Are you okay?" He asked with a warm smile and gently pulling her pink hair "aw you cut it" he said disappointed and pouting "although I like you more when you don't hide your face, by the way" he said.
"Um, I..." she turned to look at Rin and ask for help, the medic seemed to understand and approached them.
"I think it's necessary to establish some things. Sakura-chan has been subjected to a very powerful genjutsu that caused her to lose some important memories, at least that's what we think might have happened" she reported with professional tone, Sakura saw how the characteristics of the young man in front of her got dark with what Rin just said.
"Do you know who was?" He asked seriously to her.
"Unfortunately no, but if you want to know more about it you have to talk to Minato-sensei, he's taking care of the whole thing from now on" Sakura felt strange as other people spoke about her as if she wasn't there, but everything changed when the newcomer turned to face her again.
"Hello Sakura-chan, I'm Shisui Uchiha, your self-appointed protector" he said bringing his hand for her to shake it, she turned and greeted "I think we have a lot of things with which to catch up" he continued.
"Go slow, we don't want to overwhelm my student" Rin said jokingly.
"Did she agreed to be your apprentice?" He asked surprised, that caught her attention, but opted for let it go.
"Well yes, but enough of that, I need to get back to work" the brown-haired woman said.
"So it's okay if I steal Sakura from now?" He asked.
"Ask her" she spoke back.
"Sakura-chan, would you be willing to walk with me?" He asked, she knew shouldn't say yes to strangers, but guessed it really wasn't a stranger after all, also seemed reliable.
"Yeah, okay" she said now more convinced.
They left the hospital when the evening shadows began to appear on the horizon, they walked at a slow pace and mired in uncomfortable silence. She never had seen this person in her whole life and felt a little strange being at his side. Bored of the tense silence, she ventured to clarify some of her doubts.
"Shisui-san" she began capturing his attention, he turned to her forming a smile on his face, apparently she was the one who was in an uncomfortable silence, because seemed as if he had just finished thinking about something.
"What's wrong?" He asked kindly.
"I was wondering why you seemed surprised when you heard that I accepted the medical training with Rin-sensei" she really had no urge to know that, but supposed that was better than silence.
"Well, I don't know if you remember, but Obito told me one day that you asked him to learn medical ninjutsu, but he told you he didn't know about it so you begged him to intercept with Rin to see if she could make someone teach you, or accept to do it by herself" he said casually without stopping, she just nodded to let him to continue.
"The thing is that after she said yes you were absolutely excited, but after a day or two you declined the training and you said you didn't want to continue" he said now more serious and this time he stopped, turning to look at her.
"What's wrong?" Asked Sakura without understanding much, he had a serious look and that was giving anxiety to her.
"Are you okay?" He asked softly, as if he feared had said something wrong, she looked at him blankly "forget it, I think you'll tell me when the time comes" smiled and dismissed the issue, turning again to take the course of their stroll.
"Then I declined the training?" asked Sakura returning to the previous topic.
"Seven times, but Obito it's so obstinate that it was convinced that you just were denying because you hadn't enough confidence in yourself or something like that, so he kept asking you to try it, you always said yes when he asked, but then changed your mind. You are a whimsical person" he added the latter with a timeout.
"I have another question, Obito-sensei and you told me the same about my hair, what about that?" she asked this time, it was a mundane topic and knew it, but the tension seemed to increase after the last question.
"You see, before you woke up in the hospital, you used to wear long hair with bangs, I personally liked the long hair because I could play with it as I used to do with my cousin's, I have to admit, but the bangs you wore was something long and covered part of your face and your eyes. Rin onee-chan offered to cut it for you many times, but you refused saying something about your forehead, you also had enough of us on your side, for the long hair, not for your forehead" This time the ambient itself was lightened "I personally think you had nothing to be ashamed for, certainly you have changed more than your appearance, your personality seems different" he smiled "I like that" said ruffling her hair gently.
She couldn't help it, he projected the aura of familiarity, similar to which had Naruto and Obito, she smiled.
"By the way, you should go back to the territories of the clan when you can, we miss you there" he said casually "I don't say you must do it now, I know it's better to take this issue of your memory slowly so you won't overwhelm yourself, so anytime you can tell me and I'll take you there"
"Thanks, I guess," she replied, still felt that her answers were clumsy, but it also seemed as if she was improving, and things weren't as tense as in the beginning.
"You returned to training?" He asked conversationally.
"Yes, although it has been very hard, I will not lie" she complained "but I like it, it's different from what I used to do" she said happily.
"Sakura, you must know that you can tell me anything, and if you didn't know, I want you to know it now, I will not judge so you can always count on me" he told to her with a very serious tone, he seemed to know things she didn't, her confusion seemed to be palpable because soon he added "if all about the illusion it's a lie you can tell me, or if you remember who attacked you, can also tell me, I will do everything possible to protect you"
"I would like to think that the illusion was a lie, but it wasn't, I really can't remember many things right now and I'm not sure if the memories I've lost will return to me one day, I'm sorry but what you ask it is too much Shisui-san, right now you're a stranger to me and I'm a ninja, I know I shouldn't trust you just because you tell me to" she said directly, he seemed hurt by it, but only smiled, a smile that didn't reached his eyes "but that doesn't mean we can't be as you tell me we used to be before" she was forced to say it after seeing that look on his face, the oblivion was a painful harm.
"Okay, I understand" he spoke after a moment. Shortly after he said that a raven landed on his shoulder.
"Apparently there is a meeting on the police department, I'll walk you home" he said, Sakura knew he must have other obligations, but luckily already knew the way to her home.
"Don't worry about it, I can go home by myself" she said smiling "It was nice to meet Shisui-san"
"okay, but don't think I'm giving up, somehow or other I'll teach you genjutsu, thus no one can make you doubt your reality or about me, anymore," he said as he walked away.
That was a strange encounter, she decided smiling, but nothing had been quite normal since she had returned, indeed, didn't know what was normal anymore.
She was walking home slowly trying to soak up with the place waiting for some memories come back to her if it were possible somehow, when suddenly she saw her, she was there, couldn't help it and slowly approached to her.
"Ino, good to see you" greeted Sakura, she really expected that after the Chūnin exams could resolve their differences, after all everything had been demonstrated between them. Truth be told, she hadn't considered the illusion at all when she approached to her, but she guessed it might not be so different, at least her relationship with Ino, she sensed that would be one of the few things she was sure that wouldn't change.
"Sakura right?" Asked the blonde with appreciation, she nodded hesitantly, great, apparently in this world still had not settled their differences "I'm Ino Yamanaka, but I think you already knew that, you need something?" she added, a time awkward silence was stood between them, she couldn't believe Ino was presenting to her, that meant they didn't know each other or that the blonde was being completely unsympathetic, she chose the second option, Ino could be very cold if she wanted to.
"Well I wanted to know how you were doing" she said awkwardly while pretending to be annoyed at how she had been treated, one thing was their rivalry and quite another to pretend she had never met her in deeper terms than simply classmates.
"pretty well thanks, what about you?" said the blonde awkwardly, it was obvious that the blonde wasn't expecting Sakura to approach to talk to her.
"fine, thank you" was now the pinkette who was doubting whether they were rivals, maybe Ino had some problems to start again.
"I will be frank with you, I wish we could have been friends sometime, you seem to be nice" Ino said with confidence that she remembered, but the only sentence left her empty inside, which was supposed to mean that?
"I think I confused you with someone else" she said, not knowing what else to do and retreated hastily, knew it was a clumsy and stupid move, but at that time her only thought was getting out of there. She didn't know for sure if in the real life Ino and her were friends. Although they had their differences in her illusion, knowing that they didn't knew each other, left her quite sad. After all, she was the person who had taught her to trust in herself and to stand on her own feet.
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She shouldn't have been fooled by the friendly smile and affable and friendly attitude of him, her sensei was a sadist. She knew her worst grades were in ninjutsu at the academy, didn't think that was different in this world, or anything else, being realistic all she knew were things that were on the books... academy books, she would die someday if she was out there alone, no doubt about that.
Iruka sensei had told her that wasn't all bad, but the truth is that he was too friendly with everyone, moreover, she was sure he had told her she could have affinity with genjutsu only to make her feel better. She should have known, and believed that deep inside always knew it, but was clearer when her superficiality mask broke after a piece of reality faced during the Chūnin exams. The scariest part of this was that these tests were considered a cinch with what was out there, or compared to wars and her and her team hardly survived those five days.
But she should concentrate on her task now, it had been three weeks since she had returned to reality and things were beginning to settle around her, also her training had become part of her, although it was becoming increasingly demanding, there was no day she didn't end on the floor like a piece of a human being.
Her sensei had a tendency to use ninjutsu, he explained that it was because it gave him more time to think about strategies if many enemies faced him, while also keeping them at bay if he needed to, or could wipe them with only a well-aimed blow.
He explained to her that it was inadvisable to rely on a unique style of fighting because there were people who were quicker or had better techniques to use at long distance, besides sometimes those same were weak at short distances. That's why he was good with the genjutsu too, and taijutsu. she had to admit she was envious.
"Sakura-chan pay attention" chided Obito, he had been teaching her ninjutsu for two weeks and in those two weeks hadn't stopped to rest, even if she had no chakra, in that case he said she should practice hand positions to make her faster and faster and more accurate.
Her sensei started with the basic level of the academy, that was easily mastered by her thanks to her training with Rin, she was teaching her to focus the right amount and precise chakra to heal different areas of a fish, so she could calculate the amount chakra needed to make a simple ninjutsu, that wasn't a real problem for her so that was dominated with relative ease, until he insisted that she must explore her nature and affinity. She discovered that her affinity chakra was the earth, but thanks to her medical training, water had also become a kind of nature to her, after all, all living beings with which she had practiced, had water inside, though she couldn't completely cure the fish yet, Rin assured her it was because she didn't trust enough in herself, what led her to falter and fail because she really had the talent.
That's why Obito said he was willing to take action if it was necessary, he told her that his nature was fire, so to make her learn water ninjutsu faster, promised that he would attack her with fire and she should fight his attacks without avoiding them, if that was possible, so she was putting all of herself to capture everything he was saying.
While being honest Obito wasn't going to do that really, talking with Rin both had concluded that when it came to her skills she lacked of confidence and that made to predestine herself to failure, so he was trying to pressure her and so far was working, he knew that dominate a chakra nature wasn't easy. He decided to start with the water because in that way the earth would be even easier, plus the water was more conducive to attacks, while the earth element was more for defense, in most cases.
Despite all that, he wasn't focused only on training ninjutsu with Sakura, he was worrying about all the areas that could cover, but so far hadn't fully entered in taijutsu, he only was physically preparing her for resistance increase and thus her chances to learn the discipline to increase too.
"Ended up today" said Obito and Sakura finally breathed normally "you did it better than yesterday, I'll give you that" he said, always encouraged her after they ended, but not before. In fact, seemed that it worked because Sakura always struggled to hear that, recognition was a nice thing to hear.
"Obito-sensei" Sakura called while her breathing normalized "how we passed the exam to be Genin?" That was a question that came after her first training session, but dismissed in favor of the learning.
"Well that's funny because you were the only one who didn't" her sensei promptly answered.
"I didn't do it? Then why you are training me?" That was something that didn't fit at all, didn't seemed to make sense.
"Because two people told me I would be the dumbest person if I let you go" he replied with simplicity "you have very good allies Sakura-chan and the funny thing is that apparently you didn't know when the test happened" he added.
"But then, you made an exception? What about the rules?" questioned the girl completely confused now, it was assumed that the sensei of his sensei was the Hokage, but that doesn't mean that Obito could be careless and free of the law and rules.
"I'll tell you everything and you will judge it" suggested Obito "Well, first I asked all of you to do the same test that made my sensei to my team, and the sensei of my sensei did to my sensei, is a tradition I guess"
"What test was that?" She couldn't refrain from asking.
the bell test" he would begin to explain what was tested, but she stopped him.
"I know that, it was in the illusion too, I took the same test" she explained to avoid any doubts.
"Well then I think I will not need to tell you about it" he said "Well, first I asked the three of you to take the test, but as you know, there were only two bells, you looked at me and I could tell by your expression that you already knew the objective of the test "
"But that means I already knew the test's purpose, right? So why did I lose?" She asked, this was meaningless and apparently the more she know about it, the less sense it had.
"Yes, that's why you gave up" he finished.
"I what?" She asked, couldn't believe it, she wouldn't give up if Sasuke-kun was there to see it, that would be embarrassing.
"You said that there was no way someone from a nameless clan and also a civil one, could win against the son of the Hokage and a representative of the Uchiha clan, especially knowing that both were best friends since they were quite young, so you retired and thanked me for taking hassle. I must admit that I didn't know what to do, all I could think was staying there standing, until I finally reacted and asked you why didn't want to try it, you answered you knew that the purpose of the test was to work together and there was no way that both wasted their time with you, that it was likely that both of them would try to win the bells as they possibly didn't trust you" she was shocked to hear that, that didn't sound anything like her, also Sasuke and Naruto were friends? Since when? She thought about ask, but she considered stupid because her reality had been removed from her memory, so it was a very possible scenario.
"Then just I gave up? just like that?" She asked dumbfounded.
"Yes, I was impressed too, that never happened to me, I have to admit that I had rejected teams before because they refused to work together, especially because it was presumable their first time interacting with each other, but you just went away by yourself" he said .
"But then that means... I still don't understand who convinced you about training me, I assume Rin-sensei knew me because of you and I don't think I know anyone else that would support me in that aspect" she reasoned, after all her parents didn't wanted her to be a ninja.
"Well, one of those persons was Shisui and the other was-"
"Obito-san there's a clan meeting" said a person who had arrived recently.
"thanks" replied the alluded and then turned his attention back to Sakura "I'm afraid we'll have to leave this conversation for another day, you're free for today, see you tomorrow" he said leaving the training camps.
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"Ino, I'm sorry about the other day, it's just-" she didn't know how to continue the sentence without appearing socially inept, so she chose to tell the truth disguised, because all about the illusion was a secret under Hokage's decree "I've had a lot of things in mind, that's all" she apologized.
"No hard feelings, I think I can understand, with all the stress of the Chūnin exams and all that stuff I think I feel a little deluged" the blonde said smiling, "but I'm still a little disappointed with myself for not winning or at least have given a better fight" appended her illusory friend.
"I was wondering why we never were friends?" Sakura asked out of the initial discomfort that was between them.
"The truth is that I wanted to talk to you at a beginning, I found you crying once because some girls from school were jealous of your hair color and your green eyes, I'm sure" said the blue eyed girl a little pissed out "my father told me that I must treat everyone with respect, and what you were through wasn't fair. He taught me to defend the injustices so I thought I could go near to you and offer my help, but then someone else appeared, this guy of the Uchiha clan" Ino said as if she was remembering the event as if had happened just two days ago "I think he was patrolling and stopped to offer his help, he looked nice and I thought there was no place for me because the problem seemed to be solved and he was a ninja so there was no place to me. After that we didn't talk anymore. Well actually we never talked" Ino admitted" but we could if you want, I think we could get along" Ino said more confident now.
"Sure, I'd like that" Sakura said smiling.
"Shikamaru is waiting for me, Asuma-sensei said we should help him as a team for the next phase of the Chūnin exams, see?" Shikamaru was there waiting for the blonde.
"Hello" Sakura greeted.
"You're different" said Shikamaru, she had never spoken to him, not really or on a personal level, but that was a rare thing to hear.
"Don't be annoying Shikamaru" Ino scolded him "do not worry about him, he's just being a lout, he does often, that's all, you know, there are only two days left for the final phase of the Chūnin exams" Ino said.
"True" the dissociated girl replied coasting, but soon came to realize that meant the meeting with her teammates again, or in this case, for the first time since she realized that her life was a lie.
