I thought I knew her better than anyone in the world. I thought this was not how things supposed to end. I thought I would stand beside her when everything collapsed. I thought we would start things anew after this war. In the end, I had it all wrong.

The sterile air greeted me as I breathed. The familiar scent of sickening hospital. Disinfectant. I hated it. I still do. Perhaps I would never get used to it no matter how long I used to be here.

"Chief Haruno, we require your assistance immediately."

"Chief Haruno, there is something wrong with the stat."

"Chief Haruno, we need you in sixth emergency chamber."

I breathed the stale hospital air. At least it was familiar, a constant in my life.

My eyes opened slowly at the lulled conversation. Familiar voices. I knew, or so I thought, the one I recognized. A pang of regret. A tint of heartache.

Welcome to the land of living.

Shut it.

The chuckle was no stranger anymore; the one that had entered my life for the past years ever since I could remember.

Quirky much?

I scowled. My muscle face ought to be tense since I was having difficulty to form a single word. How long I was here again? It did not feel like the nowhere land anymore.

Open your eyes.

I said, shut it.

Look around.

Why?

Do not be stubborn, child.

Meh…, and here furry bunny speaking.

It will not hurt you, you know?

Shut it.

My eyes opened, iris adjusting to the lights.

A man was smiling at me. "Sakura-chan, how are you feeling?" He said.

No fucking way.

"You're dead."

The ghost of Jiraiya was still smiling.

0000000

0000000000000000000000000000000000

The Wind is Whistling

Absolute Zero

0000000000000000000000000000000000

0000000

42 minutes earlier.

Chamber 66.

Patient: Haruno Sakura.

-

The sun chirped peacefully in the sky. Birds shone beautifully at the whistling clouds. And Santa Claus sung merrily, riding a bunch of exhausted reindeers who grunted at their owner's mistreatment.

While then, a group of strange people with equally strange clothes popped suddenly in the high sky, and started falling to the ground with medium plus accelerated speed.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU STUPID USELESS WIZARD!!"

"But, but...., Kuro-piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!"

"AND STOP CALLING ME KURO KURO SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Err..., Syaoran-kun, shouldn't we stop them?" Asked a nervous brown haired girl.

The mentioned boy (who secretly despised to be called 'boy') sighed in exasperation. "Who the hell care about them anyway?" He wished he got wings, but the ground only got closer and closer...

And apparently this occured in far far land (a thousand seven hundred and thirty miles from Konoha), which had no connection with this story after all.

The weather was just fine.

BOOM!

"Nooooooooooooooooooo! Baka Yuta!!! Don't you suddenly release your chakra like that!"

A little bit warm, perhaps.

"Yuki-chan, if I die...., will you have a date with me?"

A pregnant pause, and then...

"No."

"Yuki-chan, how cruel......" Yuta collapsed in agony. Yuki sent her prayer and finished his un-finished job.

A tepid check in temperature showed a clear twenty seven Celsius in a room with white coloured wallpaper.

Honestly, what the use of wallpaper if they just painted it with nothing? A blond grumbled inwardly as the last medic left the room with relieved sigh. One pulled the leg of the other medic who still had burn in his crispy-electrocuted hair. Sakura, her sight soon averted to the pink haired girl who slept almost peacefully on the patient's bed.

"Wake. Up. You. Foooooooooooooll!" Ino shook Sakura's gown collar back and forth. Ino kept shifting between sobbing and scowling. She didn't know what's wrong with her; between relieved, happy, sad, mad, or...., she might just had gone insane from dropping back from hell and back to the cruel earth.

She was relieved that Sakura was fine, that they were supposed to be fine.

She was happy that nothing happened to her precious Sakura...., hers.

She was mad because Sakura made her worried over nothing, except the wound that was caused by her.

She was confused because she had just to think these unnecessary things.

And she felt stupid from banging her forehead against the bed, which she thankful for it didn't hurt.

There was knocking which she assumed as her further hallucination.

"Go ahead, say something, what else that I did was stupid?" Ino muttered.

There was shifted of wooden sandal against the floor. "Err..., no. Except if you still want to continue your monologue."

Ino turned her head to the side. "Kakashi-sensei? Are you some imagination from my head too?"

"I don't think so," Kakashi scratched the back of his neck, "but I can come back later if you're still busy."

"No, it's okay," came Ino fast response, "You can come in. She is your student after all."

"How is she?" Kakashi asked without another preamble.

"As you see it," Ino answered, too tired to give further complex details.

Kakashi only nodded in affirmation. He walked toward bed where Sakura was and watched her. Soft breathing Sakura made, stray pink locks strayed across her forehead, all little things that formed a kunoichi that was his student. Kakashi gently shifted her pink hairs to the side, took a damp cloth from nearby basin on the table and wiped perspiration on Sakura's face, chin, neck, her hands. The dust and sweat soon gone and he sat on the bedside table, and Kakashi looked at the duo, really looked at them. The way Ino's eyes closed slowly, but not letting them closed completely, watching out for Sakura. Ino's folded hand; she released it and took Sakura's hand with her, as if she was checking if Sakura's pulse was still there.

Kakashi smiled.

Kakashi was just came back from the main arena, hearing his female student being escorted to the medic wing with Ino. Checking after Sasuke and taking care few things that was Kabuto and Orochimaru and he went straight to Sakura's room, fearing for his last student life. Even if Sasuke was Orochimaru's main priority at the moment, there was no guarantee that his female student also safe from the snake sannin clutch.

Now, seeing them both here, being together like this, Kakashi thought that he did not have to worry that much. At the very least, Ino would protect her from harm long enough before a needed help arrived. His worry was based well enough, and his relief was now laid before his eyes.

You have a good friend, Kakashi's lips made an upward curve as he watched Sakura breathed in and out.

"Kakashi-sensei." Ino's voice snapped him out of his train of thought. He looked at the blond. Black lines below her eyes was visible, marking Ino's exhaustion. "Is she going to be alright?" A question Ino debated within herself.

Ino knew that once medics had gone from that room that neon green sign switched on, there was no more danger to Sakura. That was the fact, but she kept having doubt about herself. She was the one who caused Sakura to be here, she was the one who stayed with her the entire time, watching Sakura being tended carefully by people in white garbs while she was sitting on the sideline. Sakura was fine, going to be fine, and part of her kept telling to stay, if anything happened to Sakura...

Kakashi patted the blond's, his eyes crinkled in smile.

"It's okay," Kakashi said. "The only pink haired genin I know is not going to die just by a simple wound."

"Huh?"

"I heard the story," Kakashi said, "If anything, she is going to be pissed...., a lot. From defeated by you."

Ino smiled. "Yeah." She turned her gaze toward Sakura and spoke almost inaudibly to Sakura's ear, "Hear that? You're going to be okay, forehead."

"I'll be back soon after the match is over. Wait for me?" Ino said, caressing Sakura's pink locks and kissed her temple, a gesture that made Kakashi's eyebrow rose a notch.

"Kakashi-sensei."

"Hmm?"

Ino hugged him.

"Thank you."

Is Kakashi was startled, he didn't show it. He hugged her back.

"Hmm."

000

Naruto Artistry of BullshittingTM.

Never averted your eyes from your opponent. No matter how your feeling and emotion inside, keep it in check. (And that's why Shinobi Handbook s.25 state: Shinobi must not wear emotion on the sleeve)

Keep your poker face on the front and never mess with the rule. Taunting and torturing are important in attempt to keep your foe under your feet. Trick them into your game play is a must, flee from the scene afterward if you must. There is no win-win situation in negotiation with traitor and enemy, exterminate them. Hit first, question later.

Keep smiling, attack when the time is right. Keep calm, find loopholes in your opponent movement.

Look for opportunities.

000

55 minutes forward.

Chamber 66.

Patient: Haruno Sakura.

-

Emotional baggage.

That would be the correct phrase for what she had right at the moment.

She did not have time for games or mind tricks. She did not have time to play innocent and good little kunoichi liked she supposed to be. She did not own a cherry wonderful smile at the moment. Blank impenetrable mask like clouds surrounding her very core. Deep, deep, inside that one had to dig so far to find the truth of her heart.

Disgusting.

It was too much for her. And she hated everything in the moment. Everything, every second, everyone, including herself. She despised them all.

How do you know that you have done what you have to do or what you think is right?

How revolting.

She stared down at her milky hand. White, creamy, no callousness as she remembered before then. She also despised her hand.

Stupid, lumpy thing. Useless, damnit.

And then she glared at her hand. If a hand could speak, then it would have died instantly from the loss of vocal chord. She frowned deeply. She really wanted to bash her skull to the wall afterward. Made it double.

"We need to talk, brat."

Made it triple.

Ah shishou, how nice to see you.

"Hello, how can I help you?" Sakura greeted disinterestedly, still staring down at her fully five fingers. Did she mention how she wanted to puke at the floor? Nope, no time to contemplate things quite apparently. Hospital gown sucked. And since when it had collar? Sakura felt her body yanked to the side.

"I really, really hate you at the moment. My. Beloved. Apprentice," Tsunade gritted her perfect teeth, smiling deadly at every syllable spoken.

Sakura's eyebrows made a mad dance and an odd smile surfaced on her rosy lips. "I loved you too, shishou," Sakura said with such conviction that her eyes sparkled at the sun reflection on her cheek.

"Don't kid with me, brat. Do you think this is funny?" Tsunade gave a feral grin.

Sakura watched her long lost mentor before this time, examining the jagged lines on those calloused hands. She really, really despised her hand at the moment. Her infatuation with her outer organ became almost unhealthy. Sakura felt what can be considered as the beginning stage of her daily migraine. First stage was always helpful. Always. The throbbing sensation in her head. Oh yeah, it feed on her emotion. First stage, and she could hear her own beating heart. First thing first; she really, really wanted to break something in that so called cozy hospital room.

Bed might be good. Sakura caressed the wooden side of her bed. Yes yes, easy to break. Damnit. It was as if she was a trauma, schizophrenia patient in some mental institution ward. It was maddening. Sakura shook herself inwardly. Am I going crazy? Her breathing came in and out harsher than she intended. She needed Ino. The blond would know what to do. Sakura needed her more than she realized.

Breathe in, breathe out. Inhale, exhale. Slowly, slowly. Sakura closed her eyes, balancing herself; and when she saw the light again, earthy brown glowing orbs were focusing its gaze on her without rest.

Knowledge. Sorrow. Power. Empathy. Wisdom. Remorse.

Those earthy brown orbs of Tsunade told Sakura so; each cycle without fail. Sakura own mind was spinning and her headache only worsened. She needed to get out from here. Fuck pride and self preservation. Why should she care anyway? It did not make things better for her in any means possible.

I like her.

Shut it, Bunny.

She took a deep breath; looking deep into her mentor's eyes.

"Start talking."

000

"How much do you know about him?" Gaara questioned.

"Who?"

"Yakushi."

Shikamaru stroke his imagination beard. "Not much, I'm afraid." His eyes was sweeping below at the main arena. "Just that he was an offspring from some dead med-nin in the field." His eyes narrowed. "Then again, everything about him scream shady, eh?"

"Inconspicuous."

Shikamaru nodded thoughtfully.

"As much as I want to confront him, we have better things to do," Shikamaru concluded, knowing the redhead shared his sentiment.

Shino and Zaku were trading blows. The missing hand did not lessen Zaku's hot-headed punches. Repeated punches, with a single hand. The winner was apparent. There was nothing else left.

Genma raised his hand.

Medics scrambled into the arena.

There was murmurs around them, but Shikamaru did not seem to care. His eyes were still fixated to the chocolate ground. Thinking.

"Butterfly is going to dissipate."

"Yes," Shikamaru responded.

"Think you're going to do something about that?" Gaara glanced at pineapple's remaining team-mate.

Shikamaru gave an actual nod. "I think so."

He walked off to Akimichi junior, whispering to his ear. At first his team-mate was looking at him like he was crazy, but nodded resolutely at the equally insane offering.

Not a seven minutes later, double knock-out surfaced on the gigantic notice board.

To be continued in chapter 4...

Notes:

Chou: Butterfly. Hinted to Akimichi Chouji.

I was going to post this much later on after my studies. Guess my hands were itching to write.

Review please.