FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM
~7~
"Goodbye To You"
Sakura moved robotically towards the Hokage tower, shock still surging through her system. Her stomach wasn't crying out for food like it had been when she had woken up; instead, it felt like it was full—full of butterflies. She traced her eyes over the contents of the letter again as her feet pressed against the gravel of the dirt path, the walkway relatively full of citizens due to it being the middle of the day.
Naruto had given her a lot of grief as soon as she had told him three hours ago, and he refused to believe that he wasn't chosen. He had gone home several times to check his mail, just in case there was a mistake. Even offering to pay for his meal wasn't good enough—the end was near if he refused ramen—and somehow made his mood even more sour than before. He wasn't blaming Sakura, just disappointed that he hadn't received the letter—yet; he was adamant that the postman must have lost it or something. He had actually dragged her to the post office just before she was meant to leave to meet at the tower at ten.
Now alone—as her teammate was busy doing something else—she felt smaller than ever as she approached the tower. The building itself wasn't ominous, just the knowledge that she was going to be even further involved in the shinigami business was.
What a privilege though! Her parents had been surprisingly happy about it, having believed the shinigami as heroes for saving Konoha, so they were more than eager to let Sakura attend the debrief.
Pushing open the front doors, the pinkette stepped into the lobby, none of the ninja within glancing in her direction as she swerved through the desks and made her way to the staircase. It seemed to take forever and no time at all as well before she found herself out front of the Hokage's office. She hovered her fingers over the silver handle, swallowing.
Why was she hesitating? It was a great opportunity and would give her the chance to learn more about a different culture.
Furrowing her brow in confidence, Sakura opened the door, feeling cool air flush against her warm, sweating brow and coming face to face with several people she knew.
Tenten, Neji, Kiba and Akamaru, Ino and Shikamaru.
They sat to the right side of the room, with a certain number of shinigami to the left, facing them, not even glancing in her direction as she slowly and quietly took a seat beside Kiba, the letter still clutched in her hand. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she looked down the line, seeing some very different expressions on each of the faces beside her; many looked confident and she wondered why the hell they weren't nervous. Tensing her legs and forming a fist with one of her hands, she attempted to relax into her seat, ready to hear what the debriefing was about.
Tsunade, who had been watching her as soon as she opened the door, closed her eyes and sighed. Things were finally getting underway.
The council had been informed of every ninja allocated for the mission, as well as the consequences of the training, and how it would affect the rest of Konoha. That's why only recently released ninja were nominated. However, there were other reasons that went along for why these ones were chosen.
She stiffened her laced fingers before she opened her eyes, revealing the warm colour of honey. "We'll begin." The room suddenly became even tenser as the ninja side waited in anticipation for their role in the program. "As you already know due to one of our jounin mishap about spilling the beans of this operation, for the passed two months, the council, myself and the shinigami have been attempting to create an alliance. With this alliance, is a new program; ninja training in the arts of shinigami." Neji and Kiba shifted in excitement, the former able to contain his joy a little more skilfully than the latter. "You seven have been nominated by shinigami who believe you would do well in this program."
Pride swelled in Sakura at those words. For once, since she started as a genin, she felt as though she could make a difference, a good one, and not be left behind like so many times before. She clenched her hands, feeling anxious about the topic now. Despite this having a lot of consequences to it—which she knew was going to be explained—she just wanted to leave already and start training. The thought was beyond thrilling.
"What their reasons are for choosing you have been disclosed to myself and the council. Chouji Akimichi and Shino Aburame were also nominated but both of them are unable to participate. Chouji due to his clan and Shino due to his ability and the inevitable progress of the training, they were both removed from the program."
"What?" Kiba whispered, though his words were heard clearly; Akamaru yipped as well.
Tsunade paused, shifting her gaze to the Inuzuka. "You got a problem with that?" The brunette closed his mouth abruptly, anger flaring in his eyes as he relaxed into his seat like before. "Good. Now—"
The door suddenly flung open and two vibrantly coloured people tumbled in, the green squishing the orange. It was Naruto and Lee. Grunting in pain, the blonde hoisted himself up—with the help of Lee—and grabbed his head then rubbing it better. "Granny Tsunade! What's going on here?! Why wasn't I chosen?! Or Lee?!" His voice shattered the eerie silence that was there moments before like a glass breaking under heavy contact; it was loud, deafening.
Tsunade's eyes twitched at the knucklehead's voice and she gingerly pressed a fingertip to her temple. "If you keep quiet then it would be explained." Naruto instantly closed his mouth, though it was obvious he wanted to say much more. Beside him, Lee remained obediently silent, his posture straight as he was in the presence of high stature.
Byakuya rose from his seat fluidly—leaving Sakura and Ino almost drooling—and took a step forward. "You have all been watched and studied by us, but, as mentioned before, only certain ninja could be given the chance to accept the offer to be in the program." His penetrating onyx eyes kept Naruto's lips sealed. "You two," he gestured minutely to the two brightly coloured genin, "have a lot of energy within you already; your chakra."
"So?" Naruto finally burst out. "Wouldn't that make us good in being a shini-whatsy?" Hitsugaya snorted in his seat beside Aizen, his arms and legs crossed. "Ya got a problem shorty?!"
The tenth shinigami Captain's eyebrow twitched at the name and he glared venomously in Naruto's direction. "For starters, I'm older than you, boy, and the fact that you don't even remember our race is more then enough reason not to accept you."
Naruto propelled back slightly in shock at the words, having not hearing such harsh things against him in a while now. Anger fuelled him quickly, his expression morphing to anger as he took a stand. However, Sakura was soon in front of him, her hand on his forearm, holding him back. "Naruto," she soothed.
"On the contrary," Byakuya continued as though the little spat before never happened, "the fact that you have too much chakra within you is a problem. This involves the science of the program. Listen carefully." His tone was dominating; everyone went silent in seconds as he turned to the rest of the ninja waiting in anticipation. "The energy used in shinigami practises is different from yours. At first, it was thought that it would not be possible for a ninja to be trained, but after analysing the components of your energy, we found hints of our own in yours. This will be enough to harness more reiryoku—our energy—from you.
"Adult ninja were not chosen specifically because they have both too much skill and too much chakra. The training program intends to convert your chakra into reiryoku; therefore, the more you have, the longer the process will take. You two have too much chakra and we have too little time."
"Wait, wait, wait," Sakura shook her head, waving her hands in the air; Shikamaru, beside her, nodded, seeing the predicament.
"Is there a problem?" Byakuya asked. His voice sent shivers down the pinkette's spine and she found it difficult to find her voice when he locked his gaze on her. He was watching her, waiting for her to talk.
Don't stuff it up, Sakura! "Uh. Converting chakra to reiryoku… would this affect how we perform jutsu's?"
Byakuya paused, the silence thickening in the room. The shinigami behind him, Shikamaru noted, seemed to smile as soon as she asked. "Yes. It would."
All seven of them—not including Naruto and Lee, who had taken a seat by the door at some point—sagged their shoulders; Neji did his more delicately though. "How much?" Shikamaru queried, his lidded eyes narrowing.
The shinigami—Hitsugaya, Aizen, Ichimaru and Soi Fon—seemed to stretch their smirks a smidgen. Byakuya took in a breath, predicting a destroyed room as soon as he would finish his sentence. "It's a decision… between ninja and shinigami."
There was literally a moment which was the calm before the storm.
"What?" Neji, the only one who seemed to have regained his senses, hissed, baring his teeth much like Kiba would when riled up—the Inuzuka would no doubt go nuts as soon as he soaked in the situation.
"It's as I said. It's a one way trip. Decide: ninja or shinigami."
Ino suddenly burst out into tears, burying her head into her hands as she wept away, raising her legs to press them against her chest and hug them tightly. Sakura felt her eyes prick as well, tears threatening to break the dam. "What?" she whispered, choking back a sob as she tensed in her seat.
Tenten's jaw was pretty much on the floor and she was scrambling to come to her senses. Shikamaru was pissed, managing to keep his anger in check however, much like Neji was able to do. Kiba, though, looked ready to explode. In fact, he did.
"What?! You expect us to give up our past life?! Everything we've learned and been taught by our parents and teachers?! That's bullshit!" His face was crimson red, his spit flying everywhere as he yelled at the calm and stoic shinigami who had delivered the news. Naruto joined in the row.
The words of anger were tossed at the shinigami from all directions but none seemed fazed by it; they expected it, as did Tsunade.
"You were chosen because you were thought to be good enough to represent your village," Aizen said, his voice somehow managing to slice through all the heated one-sided arguments in the room. "You've been nominated as the most likely applicants to survive and excel through shinigami training by shinigami Captains themselves." He paused, his brown eyes scouring over the many faces that were glaring back at him. "Do not make us go back on our decisions, nor insult us by hinting that who we chose were obviously not to the standards we thought them to be."
Ino, the one who had been spending a good amount of time with him, felt pride begin to swell inside of her once more. She felt confidence bubble within her as she listened to Aizen's words.
There was silence and the moment was taken for the message—and compliment—to sink in; Naruto, however, still looked peeved, and he growled as he pushed Lee out and slammed the door. Sakura and Tsunade shook their heads at his stubborn attitude, knowing that he wasn't going to stop there.
"Any questions?" Byakuya asked. His words rang like a dull throb in the room.
"So, we can't perform any techniques that involve jutsu's?" Tenten muttered. "Is it still actually possible to be a shinigami but still possess ninja abilities?"
"The concept hasn't been properly research, due to certain hounding on our scientist's back—" Aizen answered, casting Tsunade a meaningful glance and she muffled a snort of laughter, "—but you are welcome to find out, if you want to risk it. Theoretically, it might be possible to have reiryoku react the same way chakra can, so all that you would need to do is train your body to perform your abilities with reiryoku."
Tenten, and a few others, sighed in relief.
Aizen shrugged. "Theoretically."
"I am apart of a clan," Neji stated, his arms crossed and jaw tight. "Wouldn't this… conversion… affect my ability?" He spoke with distaste.
"You are of the Hyuuga clan," Byakuya said, his tone creating it as a rhetorical question. "You possess the Byakugan, do you not?" Neji nodded stiffly. "Your Kekkei Genkai is a bloodline trait, meaning it is apart of your body and is, to an extent, a necessary function. Reiryoku is apart of your body as well and would then be able to merge with your ability quicker. However, pain can be inevitable. It's recommended you make the flow to your eyes a slow and steady process."
"That's a chakra-related ability, and requires jutsu. What you're saying is that it can work the same way even with reiryoku?" Shikamaru asked. Byakuya tilted his head slightly, in a gesture of affirmation. "How is this different from a normal jutsu?"
"Because they aren't a necessity of life."
"To you maybe not, but to us they are," Sakura replied hotly. She then cursed herself inwardly for speaking against the man in front of her. He eyed her carefully, as though waiting to see if she'd react again.
"As I said, it can be theoretically possible but the process will take double the time."
"How long does it take to convert chakra?" Tenten asked, resting her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward.
"Several years."
"Years?!" Kiba shouted, shooting up from his seat.
Ichimaru chuckled. "Of course. We never said it was gonna be easy."
"Shut up you!" the Inuzuka snarled.
The shinigami's smile widened considerably at the demand. He did not keep his mouth closed. "There is an easier way to gain reiryoku though, if yer don't wanna train fer, oh, six or seven years."
Neji gave him a suspicious look. Aizen, at the same time, muttered something to Ichimaru, whose smile seemed to diminish a fraction before it widened again. "What is it?" the Hyuuga asked for everyone.
"Ta die, of course."
"Forget it!"
"Nuh uh."
"No way."
"Too much trouble."
Ino fought the urge to say, 'Came pretty close to dying yourself, Shikamaru,' but luckily retained herself. Granted, she probably would have been able to get away with saying it as he was her teammate, but a joke about that day would definitely have been a bad idea, considering since Shikaku had died, the genius had been showing anger and frustration all the time. However, with his skill he was able to show said anger through his strides and sentences, rather than his fists.
Ichimaru shrugged. "Was jus a suggestion."
"A crap one if you ask me," Kiba whispered to Akamaru on his head as he retook his seat. He grunted as Sakura nudged him to be quiet.
"Six or seven years, then?" Neji mused. His eyes were focused hard on Gin and Aizen before he shifted his gaze to Byakuya. He was contemplating.
"Before you decide," Hitsugaya started, drawing attention to himself. Ino and Sakura's 'boy alert' side of their brains began ringing again, just like when they first saw Byakuya. "We'd like to know, if you accept, why you accepted."
"You mean, we get a choice?" Tenten smiled, sitting upright in her seat at the notion. Hitsugaya put his eyes on her—she shifted—and then nodded curtly.
"It's recommended that you do not have a choice, however," Tsunade cut in. Everyone looked to her this time, and she unlaced her fingers. "Shikamaru." Said chuunin paid attention. "You do not get a choice though."
Ino gaped. Shikamaru, himself, remained to appear unaffected though confusion swam in his mind. He was thinking, trying to figure out why he didn't get a choice, and what it therefore meant.
"Shikamaru, your skills are highly valuable, this the shinigami know, but I've decided that you shall remain here, in Konoha," was Tsunade's explanation.
"No," Ino half-sobbed, latching onto the frowning chuunin's arm tightly so that he couldn't be torn from her. "Please! He has to go! He's—he's—"
"First of all, Yamanaka, how do you know he wants to go? Furthermore, he is of more value here, in Konoha, than in Soul Society."
"So you're using him! And how do you know he wants to stay?!" Ino cried out, rising from her seat; Shikamaru, the topic of the argument, remained silent. "This isn't fair!"
"This was not my decision, Yamanaka, though my vote did go for him to remain here. It is what the council decided just now."
"Well, the council are assholes! Rude! Snobby!" she counter-attacked, looking to Aizen through tears as soon as she spoke. He nodded lightly, as if congratulating her for some reason. Relief flooded her system as Ino gave a crooked smile in return. She had basically repeated what he had thought about the council as well... only he was more formal about it.
"Yamanaka. Reign in your tongue before your chance to join this program is withdrawn," Tsunade replied seriously, anger edging into her tone.
Aizen and Byakuya opened their mouths to respond to that warning but they were both effectively cut off as Ino took control again. "It's too late, Hokage! I'm officially a shinigami trainee, so I don't fall under your jurisdiction!" she shouted hotly, warm tears trailing down her cheeks as she breathed in and out heavily.
There was a stunned silence as everyone else let her words sunk in. She had a point. She, at that moment, as soon as she said it, was not a ninja anymore. Though, based on technicalities, she was not yet enrolled as a shinigami but her point was made nonetheless.
"Ino, I—" Shikamaru started only to be cut off.
"Shikamaru." Ino heaved, her blue, glassy eyes narrowed on Tsunade before she moved them to her teammate. "Shikamaru, I promise I will take your place in Soul Society and avenge the death of your father." Dedication and love towards her friend was embedded fully into her voice as she spoke. So much emotion was in it that it made the dam within Sakura to break and she began tearing; though they were tears of mirth.
Shikamaru was stoned, staring up at the blonde beauty in disbelief. "Ino."
"Please. I know you wanted to—" more hot water slid down her cheeks and she breathed in shakily, "—I know you wanted to go to Soul Society to find a way to destroy the monsters who killed your father. Please. Let me take that goal onto my shoulders."
"It's… too heavy…" he said slowly, his heart rampaging in his chest.
"No, it won't be," Neji announced. Sitting on the other side of Ino, he gave the genius a nod. "My reason for accepting this opportunity to go to Soul Society was not only to give honour to my clan and village, nor honour to myself, but to do something of the opposite. I intended to gain the abilities of a shinigami… so I can avenge Hinata. I can help Ino carry the burden, Shikamaru."
The room went quiet. Shikamaru, a lax smile crawling onto his face, made a sound of relief as he looked away, shaking his head. He shaded his eyes with a hand, his shoulders shaking before he grabbed Ino by her own and pulled her into a hug as he rose. His arms wrapped around her small frame tightly, he whispered in her ear, "Thankyou."
"So, Neji Hyuuga and Ino Yamanaka have accepted," Soi Fon summarised, crossing her legs and arms. "Anyone else?"
Feeling powerful at the scene she had just witnessed with friendship, Sakura felt suddenly torn. She longed to go to Soul Society, to make a difference, to be worthy to Konoha, but yet she'd be leaving Naruto behind, who was still recovering from the betrayal of Sasuke. But… she sighed, dropping her head, her fingers scrunching the letter in her hands… she didn't know what to do.
"Sign me up!" Kiba shouted, Akamaru barking in agreement.
Neji smirked. "I was wondering when you'd say that." Some type of unspoken message was passed between the two as they locked eyes.
Tenten perked an eyebrow. "How would that work with a dog?"
Kiba paused, holding up a finger in her direction but found he had nothing to say. "Oh yeah." He frowned, shifting to Byakuya. "So?" He crossed his arms.
"The shinigami who nominated you has plans for you, plans that no one else knows but them and Captain Yamamoto. They are confident that you would still be able to become a shinigami, even with a canine as your companion," was the monotonous reply.
Kiba bared his teeth as he grinned. "Hell yes!" He punched the air then began doing a small dance.
Tenten shrugged, giggling, shooting to her feet and holding up a hand. "Sounds like fun. My reason? Simple. I love weapons."
It was like Sakura suddenly shrunk, or became miniaturised, as every head in the room veered in her direction. She felt like a fly on the wall, or something special on display and that they were inspecting her for any faults. Well, she did. She had plenty of faults. She had no bloomin' idea what to do.
"Come on, Billboard Brow!" Ino begged, her hands together. "Just like old times!"
Sakura cracked a half smile, thinking back to when they were kids, before Sasuke came in between them. It was fun. She was fun to be with. And, if she said a single word, she could quite possibly get those times back. How… attracting. She was tempted. So tempted.
But then Naruto… and Kakashi flittered through her mind. Kakashi already voiced his suspicions with shinigami to the both of them, and while it was true that their arrival put the ninja regions into danger—if the danger got through the front gate that is—Sakura couldn't help but disagree with him.
The shinigami. They were good. They had to be. She didn't doubt her sensei's judgement; she took it on board but…
…she wanted to do something, decide something for herself, and apparently becoming a ninja was a mistake. She was always in the way, always being saved. She thought she had passed that phase during the Chuunin Exams but she guessed she was wrong.
Sakura looked up, meeting Byakuya's gaze and instantly she was reminded of Sasuke's expressions, the ones he often gave her if he was irritated with her. Though, as she looked deeper into this shinigami's eyes, she could see something else. Conflict. Confusion. She blinked and the emotions were gone. Shaking her head, she decided she didn't see it after all.
As she moved her eyes across the row of shinigami, she analysed them closely but quickly. Soi Fon merely raised an eyebrow and Aizen had smiled gently in return. Hitsugaya, however, looked to be getting a little impatient but his eyes, as their gaze matched, seemed to stare down into her. Feeling exposed she snapped her vision to Ichimaru, whose smile only widened.
He was an interesting one; one that she'd enjoy working with, if at all, in the future. Then again, he was also the one she didn't quite trust either—she believed that Kakashi was right to be suspicious of him as well.
Thoughts swarmed in her mind so that it was difficult to think. The others… they had something they were fighting for, either that, or they had nothing to lose. She didn't have anything—besides Konoha—to fight for, and in a way she had everything to lose.
It was like she was walking towards a light as she reached a decision. I'm sorry… Naruto. Kakashi-sensei.
"I'll go. My reason…" She shrugged. "I want to… protect… be worth something."
Tsunade nodded in approval at the pinkette, and as everyone went to retake their seats—Sakura sighed in relief at the stripping of limelight—the blonde spoke up again. "There is… one more person that I'd like add to the program, if that is possible." She titled her head to the shinigami.
Aizen answered. "Who is this person?"
"Shizune," Tsunade hinted. Her apprentice ran to the door and opened it, peering out as she spoke words to someone. She returned to her position behind the desk swiftly enough and the door was pushed open entirely.
Danzo stepped through, his large build filling up the entire doorway. He then moved out of the side—several of the ninja-turned-shinigami sighed in relief that it wasn't him—and revealed a young boy behind him, his pale white skin contrasting with his black clothes and hair. He held a smile on his face but one glance was enough for anyone to tell that it was fake.
He stepped in, his black eyes surveying the room. Sakura and Ino both raised their eyebrows in half-surprise and disbelief. "Hello, my name is Sai," he greeted, waving warmly to the occupants in the room.
"Sai. Sai," Ichimaru pondered, his fingers cupping his chin as he directed his gaze to the ceiling as though thinking of something. "Was 'e nominated?"
Soi Fon shook her head, as did Hitsugaya. "No," the second Captain replied.
Tsunade sighed. "Danzo. Explain." It was clear she had not been informed on who the applicant was.
"I believe it would be wise to have someone who I think would do well in the program to be entered."
"That is not you're decision," she hissed out.
"Letting the shinigami decide everything for you, Lady Tsunade?"
She slammed a hand down onto her desk, effectively making everything on it tremble. "Never. They came to us about the list of applicants, and we cleared them. Sai, was not on the list."
"They haven't seen him train."
"Then where has he been? Have you been hiding something from us, Danzo?" Her tone was accusing and he knew it. He glared at her, his eyelashes moving against the bandages over the one eye.
"I believe you thought we had not seen him train," Aizen interrupted before a word-fight broke out. "In fact, one of us has. For one so young, he's quite skilled already in combat, preceding several of these new shinigami in abilities." Sakura felt her heart flutter in excitement as she was referred to as a shinigami.
"Danzo," Tsunade hissed.
"You didn't answer my question, I believe," the council member responded with subdued irritation. "Can he be entered in the program?"
The shinigami, all of them, analysed Sai, who remained completely nonplussed as their eyes roamed over him. The others waited in expectant silence for their new… superiors to reach a decision. "Do you think you will be able to keep up in shinigami study, despite being well-trained prior?" Soi Fon asked.
Sai mutely nodded.
"You will need to start from the beginning again." He nodded again. She sighed, glancing at the other shinigami before shrugging. "As long as he keeps up I suppose. Though other ninja won't be happy about it."
"They won't… if they never know," Danzo replied cryptically.
"N-Naruto."
"Please," he sobbed, falling to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Please, don't go."
Sakura swallowed, a lump growing in her throat as she watched his eyes leak water like a running tap and his nose become runny. His blue eyes, once shining with happiness, looked as though he had never experienced the emotion ever before. It was heartbreaking; especially when he shuffled forward on his knees and grabbed her hips, pressing his forehead against her abdomen and let out a loud sob. She felt his hot tears dissolve into her clothes and her heart clenched, pounding within her body frantically as pain enveloped her. He tried breathing in but they were incredibly short breaths as saliva was blocking the entrance. He coughed, shaking his head from side to side.
"Don't go. Please."
She felt herself begin to cry too as she placed a hand on the back of his head, his blonde, fluffy hair tickling her palm as she curled her fingers into his locks.
"Please." His voice was muffled as he sobbed again, this time wrapping his arms around her waist entirely and pulling her even tighter against him; her knees banged against his chest and Sakura fought with all her strength not to cry out. She bit her lip, snapping her eyes shut as water played with her eyelashes.
"Naruto," she croaked out, her volume quiet in fear that the dam within her would break.
She was an idiot. She should have told him earlier—as well as Kakashi—but she didn't want him to stop her, so she opted not to tell either of the two. It was an idiotic and foolish thing to do. She should have known that he was going to find out and therefore track her down to beg her not to leave.
At least this time he had a chance of not making her leave, unlike Sasuke.
She hiccupped as that thought traipsed through her mind. She could be convinced so easily that it was painful.
Sakura felt his fingers begin to dig into the small of her back. "S-Sakura. Don't leave me," he whispered hoarsely against her stomach, his knees getting sore.
She felt exposed. As she scoped the entrance to Konoha, she felt silly when she noticed that everyone was watching the scene; though some did have the decency to look away. Ino caught her eye, and Sakura saw pain in her eyes as well as she gave a short, distracted hug once more to Chouji.
That's right. There were others that were going to be in pain. But none of them were as desperate as her teammate attached to her.
"Naruto," she gasped out again, her skin becoming clammy from where the tears were soaking into her clothes. He froze, as if awaiting her reply. She contemplated quickly again, thinking back to why she had wanted to leave in the first place.
To make a difference.
She had friends here, sure, but she wasn't able to fight to save her life and it was scary how much of that statement was true. She just wasn't cut out to be ninja, so perhaps a shinigami life was more suited.
She tensed her fingers that were weaved through his hair as she whispered out, in a mournful tone, "I'm sorry."
Naruto went spastic, clinging to her like a leech. She lost all air in her lungs as pressure was forced heavily onto her stomach as he held onto her for dear life. "No! Please don't! I've lost Sasuke, I don't want to lose you too!"
Sakura knew he was going to bring that up, and she felt an ounce of anger flare in her. She wasn't betraying him for Kami's sake! "Naruto." It didn't matter how hard she tried. Even though she was angry she couldn't muster that emotion into her voice. Not now. Not when he was so... vulnerable.
"No!" He shot up, his face smothered in tears. Growling, he flung his head in the direction of their teacher. "Kakashi-sensei! Help convince her she can't go!" The silver-head jounin merely shook his head, pain echoing in his eyes as he looked down.
"It's her decision," he added quietly.
Naruto hissed, his eyes wide in anger as he tightened his hold on Sakura's shoulders. She winced when his nails began to dig into her skin and she grasped at his orange jumpsuit, tugging on it. "N-Naruto!" She was scared. Why was he so... dramatic about it? There was still the chance of seeing each other again. But... even then she knew it wouldn't be the same. She would miss him; would miss waking up to his cheery face. There would be no one in Soul Society who could have that affect on her ever.
"Tch." Sakura flinched, closing her eyes in pain as she looked to his tanned face. He was breathing heavily, his nostrils flaring. She was startled to see the lines on his face beginning to thicken. "Naruto!"
Whatever happened next was just too fast; she could hardly see what happened. The end result of what had occurred was what she saw in front of her. Kakashi was holding Naruto to the ground by wrapping an arm around his shoulder and he was glaring venomously at Hitsugaya who had his katana pointed down at Naruto; said boy was thrashing. "Let me go! Sakura!"
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "You can put that away." Hitsugaya paused, green coloured orbs watching Naruto struggle. Interest must have piqued as he didn't sheath his blade. "Put it away. I've got things under control here," Kakashi demanded again, his tone hostile.
Hitsugaya switched his gaze to Sakura and she felt herself freeze suddenly. She watched in return as he stared at her for a dozen very long seconds before finally putting his blade into its case. "She's a shinigami now, and we must protect our cohorts."
Naruto let out a strangled cry at his words, whacking his clawed hands on Kakashi's back. The jounin didn't flinch one bit as he was too busy glowering at the child Captain.
Sakura was slowly brought back into reality. She felt pain in her shoulders and as she looked to both sides, she saw that her green shirt was now ripped with blood soaking into it. It stung but nothing she couldn't handle. What she couldn't take or understand was why Naruto reacted in such a violent way. It scared her, terrified her, especially when Hitsugaya—her new superior—had spoken in a cold tone that she was no longer a ninja. He said it as though she wasn't even able to be friends with them because of it, and this angered her.
She furrowed her brow and clenched her fist, ignoring the dull throb in her shoulders. Who cared about the audience? She didn't. And she didn't give a rat's ass if the child Captain did. No. She didn't. That's why she approached him and lifted a hand, swinging it towards his tanned face.
A gasp escaped her throat as her wrist was caught and squeezed. His fingers were tightly enclosed around her limb and his gaze was cold as he glared at her. Panic bubbled within her as she looked at him. He was scary. And she only realised then—oh, the naivety—that shinigami were different. Very different.
Air lodged in her throat, as did saliva as she attempted to swallow. "I'd recommend not doing that again, Haruno," Hitsugaya responded, his brow furrowed deeply. Sakura nodded stiffly, feeling chills crawl into her body. He let her go suddenly, pushing passed her and stalking towards the rest of the shinigami grouped at the entrance of Konoha, below the massive vermillion wooden doors.
She hadn't really doubt her decision, Sakura realised. Sure, she had briefly wondered whether it was right but she knew deep down that this was what she wanted; she knew that all along. And it was only now, as they were about to leave, did she think back on her choice. Sakura looked over her shoulder, lips parted as she watched Hitsugaya's back recede. There were some things she'd just have to get used to, and he was one of them.
"Sakura." She turned back to Kakashi, who was still pinning Naruto down; her heart lurched once more. "Go." He nodded towards the gate, his eyes then squinting so that she knew he was smiling—but was it real? She doubted it. "I have faith in you. You'll be an excellent shinigami."
That was all she needed to hear nonetheless. All she needed to hear from her teacher, her old teacher now, was that she'd do well at something. He had said once that she had good chakra control but this was different. He never told her she had the potential to become a ninja, considering Sasuke was always on her mind, but now...
Sakura nodded, confidence filling her. She smiled. "Thankyou, Kakashi-sensei. I'll... miss you." She turned around, feeling Naruto's stare on her back as she walked away from her team and towards her new future.
"Sakura!" The pinkette looked up, feeling a strange sensation flutter in her chest as she saw Ino waving at her, a grin on her face though concern was evident in her eyes. "Let's go!" She nodded, jogging up to her old friend.
The five shinigami headed under the gates, their robes dancing in the light wind that passed by. She felt admiration for them by just looking at them. They were great fighters; each of them. And she knew she wanted to be just like that.
She looked up at the arch of the doors, feeling confident as she stepped out of her home. It was only then that she realised that she was starting a new life; a new life full of different opportunities and friends and relationships. Filled with new training methods and skills, and techniques and knowledge. She was starved for this type of information.
And as she walked side by side with her fellow ex-ninja, she wondered who the shinigami was that suggested her. She wanted to know. She wanted to meet them and just thank them for giving her a new option.
Goodbye, Konoha.
Goodbye…
…Kunoichi, Sakura Haruno
I'm in different about this chapter but… yippee! We're out of Konoha! =D Flowers for everyone! *tosses flowers*
On other news… *whips out reporter costume*… I have my forum up now, for about a week or so. With the addition of this new chapter, new threads will be posted as well. It's a BLExNAR forum, and if you're interested, head to my profile and click on my forums at the top. Easy enough. :D Oh yes, please check the 'Updates' section, as I'm asking whether anyone wants to be a moderator too. On that note, Contests should hopefully begin soon.
Now, didja enjoy da chapter? =D Please review + give support + opinions, etc! You have all been so fantastic already! My biggest thankyous.
