-Yeah I found internet on the beach. xD
-Thank you so much for the reviews! I had a booming amount in such a short time, I'm so happy I could cry. xD Your comments actually inspire me, y'know. I get ideas (whether you mention one or not) thus I can update faster :D (*more hints*) Oh yes I know people put my story on alert and favorites, and I know your usernames D (mwahahaha!) So, leave a review please? :3 Don't be shy now D
-Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
-I'm warning you all now, I'm going to be following and screwing up the events in the anime. xD Also I'm not sure if it's an interesting read. Tell me please if it is or isn't.
-I'm experimenting with my style, so for the next 5 (or less) chapters it will be all letter-chapters (epistles) like this one. I'm sorry, but I needed a way to give off emotions that connected the Sakura here and the Sakura in the anime. XD So if it turns out a little boring, tell me. Because then I'll add a lot more effort on the rest of the story. xD Right now, it's still a little amusing because, with a little twist in the timeline, I was able to insert some deep thoughts. (woopie? XD) I'm hoping the rest would be better though.
-minniemousemom: Kakashi? O.o Who is the 'who' you are referring to? Kakashi hasn't made an appearance yet. . Did you mean the shinobi who took Sakura to konoha? (if it is the shinobi, then actually I thought about making that shinobi Kakashi at some point. Then I thought…well…I didn't really think. I just crossed it out from my mind xD)
XxxxxxX
Chapter 6
~Letter from an Angel~
(Well Spring Genesis)
Sakura fiddled with her pencil, twirling it between her fingers. A finger was pressed on her temple as she searched for some sort of muse. She heaved a sigh while the pencil was tapping noisily on the table.
"A name…to who…" For the past few minutes, she had been wracking her head for a name. Green eyes stared at the partially blank piece of paper. At the top of the paper was a word scribbled ornately: "Dear " Then everything else was blank. The problem that had been frying her head since she woke up at dawn was the fact that she couldn't think of a name—someone to address the letter to.
It had been days since she returned—was taken back—to Konoha. Her letter writing was meant to be some sort of release for the emotions that bubbled inside of her because she didn't have a nii san to talk to.
With a frown on her face, Sakura lifted the pencil and began scribbling on the piece of paper. The name can wait.
XxxxxxX
"Dear _,
My name is Haruno Sakura. I am currently 10 years old and today, I entered the pre-academy for shinobi. My life is peaceful. I have made acquaintances in my class (we're all girls), and we're currently learning flower-aranging and origami. When I heard we were working with origami, I remembered Konan okaa sama. If she was here, she would've taught me, wouldn't she? But that's the thing: she's not here. And that's what I need to place here.
What I want to tell you right now, are my emotions, thoughts and memories. I have no one to talk to, no one to express myself with. Right now, despite the smiling faces of my aunt, classmates and neighbors, I still feel alone. I know it's wrong to enclose myself while they are desperately trying to get in. I know it's wrong that I am shutting the door and they are opening it. I know how very wrong I am.
But I can't help it.
This place, Konoha, I never imagined coming back here. I didn't think/want to come back here because it held too much: memories, emotions, and pain.
And here I am, writing a letter early in the morning. I'm sleepy, I WANT to sleep, but I can't. My head is spinning with the faces of people. These people, would you like to know them? Well I'll place them as they come into thought. But, no matter how many times I write them or mention them, know that I love them equally well. I shall reiterate them in order and in the way you can understand.
XxxxxxX
It was around noon. Akane oba san encouraged me to explore the village, so I did what she said and took a stroll. I passed through several stores and befriended some of the storeowners there. They were all nice stores, but among all of the stores, my favorite store was the bookstore. Yes, I probably sound like some nerdy bookworm especially since I had three favorite spots in Konoha:
The bookstore—it held the newly released books.
The library—it housed some of the best classics and had older books.
The bridge—it was a good place to think.
So what do you think of me now? Probably a nerdy bookworm who likes to spend her time reading and standing on the bridge for long hours just thinking, am I right?
It's funny how that was her first impression of me too.
Who was 'her'?
This 'her' was my first and current best friend in the village: Yamanaka Ino. She's amazing! She knows her flowers very well—her family owns the Yamanaka flower shop—and she's really nice.
I met her on that afternoon Akane oba san asked me to go around the village (I mentioned that earlier, ne?).
I entered Konoha Park unconsciously and found myself standing below the tree where Itachi nii san saw me. I stared at the tree for a few good moments reminiscing before someone snickered behind me.
I turned and saw Ami. That malicious grin, the purple hair, it was definitely Ami. She was a classmate in pre-ninja academy; that's why I knew her. She was smiling evilly at me—at ME!
She pushed on me so hard that I felt mysekf tumbling over. I felt a sharp pain on my back as it hit the tree. The girl gave another snicker then flicked my forehead. I gave a muffled 'ow' before she roared in laughter. I suddenly found myself glaring at her and thinking what I had done to offend her.
"You're the new girl right?" She was a bit taller than me, and probably older. Her eyes were a dark brown—typical eyes—and her lips curled into a smirk. It wasn't like Itachi nii san's, it held a sinister intent to it. Oh, I believed she embodied the pain I wanted to avoid in this village. It occurred to me that she was giving me pain because she just wanted to—because she enjoyed it. And I believed that was the worst kind…
When I didn't answer her, she slammed me against the bark of the tree, "OY! Answer me! Or…don't tell me…you don't talk?" Her hand grabbed my bangs up and tugged them up. I squirmed in her grasp, tears forming in my eyes.
"Oy, you have a big forehead!" She laughed. Two other laughs echoed the purple-haired girl's. Two girls, about her height and age, had come to her side and were now laughing with her. "Oh yeah she does!"
I felt tears well up in my eyes. I didn't want to cry anymore, but they really embodied evil. With their mocking laughter, the piercing stares…too painful. She tugged my hair higher and I whimpered, much to my own frustration.
"Let go!" I clawed on her arms trying to get away from her grasp. If only nii sans were here. No, I shouldn't call out to them. They weren't there, and I would have to live it. Live with this torture? Would I be able to?
"Or what?" She gave a dark chuckle.
She thrust forward then slammed me back. The bark of the tree had scarred my backside. I could feel the sharp hinges pierce my skin with scratches. I gave a muffled shriek, and pulled my hands to grasp my own hair. "You're protecting your hair? What, you think you're cute or something? Well, you're NOT cute."
My eyes were watering from the agony. My hair was being pulled so hard that I thought it would rip from my skull. I squirmed some more. I bit my lip; I was trying so hard not to let her get to me.
She was going to get tired of me, that was what I believed, and I would be free from her grasp…
…But she didn't.
She kept throwing words at me to dampen my hopes. She called me 'weak', 'big forehead', 'not cute', and more painful words I didn't want to remember.
As I write, I realize that the word 'pain' is very redundant, isn't it? I've written it so many times in the span of when I began and am currently writing, and I believe you'll be seeing more of that word. I start to wonder if Pain otou sama's name is embedding itself inside of me seeing as I've been writing the word over and over. Chances are, it was embedding in me. I'm unconsciously writing his name for kami's sake.
I felt hopeless, whimpering and cowering beneath that purple-headed girl. I thought I would endure a day's length of that torture—I knew she would get tired, but it hurt so much. I wanted it to go away already.
That's when she came.
With her big blue eyes and short blonde hair, she came in, bold and ready to strike. She scolded them, something along the lines of them not being cute, them being bullies and having no life. I don't really remember because my head was spinning with the heat. I do remember seeing the blond throw in some flowers into her mouth and saying she looked like a vase.
The next thing I knew, I was thrown down and the three girls left muttering inaudible words to me. Then I cried. I cried because I was powerless. I cried because the pain on my forehead, scalp and back stung. I cried because I realized what they had said were true. I WAS weak, I WAS not cute, and I WAS all those other words. I tried my best to wipe my tears away, but they just kept coming.
I felt a quick brush on my shoulder. I turned and I saw the blond girl, who I later learned was named Ino, smiling at me. I watched her for a while before her smile saddened. She placed a hand on my head to soothe me. "Stop crying, what they said isn't true." I doubted her because I strongly believed their words were true.
I felt her brush my bangs up. Unlike the purple- headed girl, Ino's was just a gentle touch. "Hey…you're cute."
My hiccupping and sobbing was done by then. I stared at her in disbelief. "Is that why you keep your bangs down? To hide your forehead?"
Then it dawned on me, I subconsciously let my bangs settle down and cover my forehead. I had forgotten all about the headband Itachi nii san gave me. So…being away from Itachi nii san caused me to do this? Caused me to unknowingly hide my forehead like I did before?
I gave her a small nod before she giggled and pulled out something. It was a maroon headband. I gazed at the thing for a few seconds. I was so sure I lost that. "Here, you can have it." Ah so it was hers. Hold on, it was hers? Why was she giving it to me?
She raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "I'll put it on you."
Her hands made their way to my nape. Then, she stretched the band over the top of my head, brushing a few strands of my hair away, and then knotted the fabric. I felt my hand graze the top of the knot. "I'm Ino!" She chirped with a friendly smile.
For a second, I thought that I couldn't trust her. But, she did save her and that was worth her name. "Sakura." I told her. It made her grin wide. Later, I found out that we took pre-ninja academy school together. From then on, we've been the closest of friends.
XxxxxxX
That was when I met and made my first friend in Konoha. Don't get me wrong. Before I went with Itachi nii san, I had friends. But they were those without faces. The ones you would play with for an hour, remember their name while you played, then forget their names the second they went home. But Ino was different. I would always remember her face. How could I not?
The blond and I stuck together after that incident. Ino told me that she often saw me in the bookstore or on the bridge and thought I was some kind of brooding nerdy bookworm. Haha!
Ino then served as my bridge-way to several people. I got to know them, got to play with them, talked to them, and before I knew it, my pensive self was gone. I had returned to the same cheerful girl I was. For the first time, in a long time, I felt like I belonged to the village—belonged with the cheerful children that ran with me. I had Ino to thank for that. She reached into my closed up shell and pulled me out and taught me things.
She was my best friend and I loved her very much.
XxxxxxX
Love…what is love? I've read several novels about it. They say you get warm fuzzy feelings when you're around the person you love. People in love kiss, hug, and it all sounds so magical.
I've used the word 'love' a lot of times. I told my mother, when she was alive, that I loved her. I greeted my father in the morning, when he was sane, with an 'I love you' and ended the day with the same greeting to Akane oba san.
But this love that was found in fairy tales and romance novels, they seemed so different from the love I know. They say you blush, get hot and tremble when the person is in the vicinity. Why, I've never felt that way around anyone. Well, there was this one time Itachi nii san leaned close and I felt hot all over my face. But…he's my nii san and sure, I love him. However, it's not in that way. He's my nii san, and I love him as a nii san…
Though, in truth, I didn't know when and what was love. I bet I couldn't tell love when it hit me, or so I thought. I needed to know. I wanted to know—was desperate to know. So I asked myself questions everyday.
More or less, the questions in my head can be summed up to three: 'How do you meet him?', 'How do you know when you've fallen for someone?', and 'How do you know what kind of man you're looking for?'
As I sit here writing, I try to go over these questions and answering them one at a time.
How do you know what kind of man you're looking for? For me, he's got to have looks, smart, cool, and absolutely perfect. Does such a man exist? I don't think so.
The men in those books were described as gorgeous. From all the good-looking men in those novels, I found the "raven black hair, dark black eyes, tan skin, tall, powerful, with a deep voice and stoic" character the most attractive. So I guess I could add those in the 'what do you look for in a man' part.
I moved on to, how do you know when you've fallen for someone? I answered it as that hard hammering in your heart, the way your breath feels short, hot and heavy, the fluttering of butterflies in your stomach whenever you're near him. Just like in those heart-warming novels and shoujo mangas.
And lastly, how do I meet him?
Well…I couldn't really answer that…
…at first.
Because I'll tell you how I methim.
XxxxxxX
Ino had gone home early. It was a cloudy late afternoon. The sky was aglow with different colors ranging in gray and orange. (It was a about to rain)It was a perfect setting, a mixture of darkness and light, merged for one single moment when you found the one.
I was walking down the pathway home and decided to take a detour through the training grounds. The sky was getting darker by the minute and it gave a rumbling sound that I was all too familiar with. I remember the night that shinobi came and disturbed the peace between my nii sans and I.
For a while, I kept thinking about my nii sans. I was unaware of my surroundings and didn't even know that I had taken a wrong turn. As soon as I realized where I was, I found myself deep within the training grounds of the village. I sighed, a little frustrated that I let my thoughts get to me, and turned around. I was walking back the way I came when I heard several thuds.
I quickly hid in the bushes—instincts—and looked around. From the corner of my eye, I saw a fast blur. I turned away in disbelief then I blinked. Then I looked once more and focused my eyesight so I could better see.
Then…there he was, in all his splendor.
Question 1: How do you know what kind of man you're looking for? The boy that stood before me fit my description perfectly. He was tall, tan, and his hair was of raven black color.
He turned to face me as if seeing a presence and shot a Kunai straight at me. I squealed—I don't know whether I should regret doing so—and in an instant he was aware of me (at least the kunai didn't hit me. It hit inches to my right. I think he actually aimed it.) Later, I realized that he shot the kunai and missed me on purpose. So he had sharp skills.
I heard his voice; it was deeper than boys around my age and OH how it lulled me into a trance. He called out to me, "Come out, I know you're there." What was I going to do? Run? He could've just thrown another kunai and kill me instantly. So, I did what I thought was logical to do, I stepped out of the bushes.
I brushed the edge of my skirt and lifted my eyes to look at him. Then my eyes met his. They were a dark obsidian color—like an infinite pool into oblivion. But, it wasn't a scary kind of oblivion. I felt like…like I could've sunk into them and stayed there. Because there he was, my perfect man, right in front of me. I would've thrust a kunai into myself thinking it was a genjutsu.
His eyebrows furrowed then he spoke again, "Oh, a girl, what do you want?" If it weren't for the way his stoic demeanor made me fall into a trance, I could've hit him for the comment.
But his stoic demeanor did put me in a trance. The way his eyes were cold, piercing, and soft at the same time. His face was like a kami-given gift. The way the sides of his face curved, the perfect proportions, the rigid yet smooth way the skin was placed on it—perfect. And his hair, kami, was like it was created from finely made silk.
I stood there gawking at him for kami knows how long. I realized this and quickly snapped back to reality. I felt blood surge through my body. My face felt hot and my knees were getting weak. My heart, while it felt like it rose to my throat, was hammering fast and hard. Then I began asking myself, my heart was hammering fast and hard against my chest? My breath was short and felt hot and heavy? And my stomach churned like a million butterflies were inside them? Then the obvious hit me.
Question 2: how do you know you've fallen for someone? Need I say more? I knew it. I was in love with this boy. And that answered my third question: how do I meet him? My answer?
I just met him.
He looked me up at down before he turned and walked away. Though, it was painful to see his backside fade when I didn't want him it to disappear just yet.
XxxxxxX
Uchiha Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke.
Kami, I could've written his name over and over again. He was drop-dead gorgeous! He filled my thoughts every waking moment. And when I was asleep, he would enter my dream world instead. I once dreamt of him holding me close and whispering into my ear with that deep voice of his. Oh kami…
Everything was perfect. I had a best friend that I so dearly loved, and was in love with this boy who was just as perfect.
But sooner or later, this perfection was meant to break because I remembered that nothing is perfect.
And my fears were soon realized when things started crumbling and spiraling before me.
XxxxxxX
A month since I fell in love with Sasuke, I learned something that shook the very walls of my heart.
Sasuke was an orphan. Well, at least NOW he was. I heard from the oba sans in the stores that Sasuke's clan had been slaughtered a year ago and he was all alone in his house. (He moved away from his compound and into an apartment that he paid with his clan's money)
Kami, how can someone, so perfect, deserve that fate? He should be aching on the inside, shouldn't he? But he didn't look to be so. His eyes always held that stoic gaze, and his gait was tall and proud. He looked perfectly normal. And yet, as I watched his every move, I came to compare the Uchiha survivor with one other man who had dark eyes and dark hair like him: Itachi nii san.
I had been so caught up with Sasuke that I failed to notice the resemblance between the two. Odd. The only difference was that Itachi nii san was older, his face and body was more mature, and he was quieter than Sasuke. Where Sasuke was stoic, Itachi nii san was emotionless. If Sasuke had softened features, Itachi nii had rigid features. In all other words, Itachi nii was more of an older, more mature, harder version of Sasuke.
I hit myself. Why should I compare these two? They aren't in any way related. It must've been a mere coincidence—yup, a simple, with-no-connection-what-so-ever coincidence.
XxxxxxX
Four weeks until I entered advance Ninja academy, I found myself with strange feelings rising inside of me. And it struck me as odd because it happened whenever I was around Ino. Specifically, it happened every time Ino did something amazing. It hurt, and I asked myself why.
So I consulted with myself, which even I found strange, and searched the creases of my mind on the answer. Life sure has a way of giving irony, doesn't it? I found the answer after a few brooding minutes, and I didn't like it:
.Jealous.
I was jealous.
I was jealous…of Ino!
Irony it is indeed.
From then on, I spent an entire week deviating myself from her. I was afraid that I would say or do something that would end our friendship. I was afraid to lose her—my only friend. But these feelings were unsettling. I found a reason why I was feeling so. It was because Ino, in all aspects, was better than me—as a woman, as a girl, as a friend, as a daughter, as a being. She was talented in many areas. She was a prodigy when it came to flower arranging, she was demure in her own bold way, and she came from a notable shinobi clan.
So I kept away from her and pretended like I was always busy, praying that she didn't find out about my, er, issues.
But things took a definite toll when Ino found me. I was hesitant at first, but I decided to quit with the act and play with her. She asked me if I was alright, and I nodded. She smiled, her smile always assured me, and hugged me. We always hugged each other when something was wrong. So I hugged her back hoping the disdainful feeling would go away.
For a while, I was fine. We would play normally, she would teach me things, and I would slowly try to pick up what she taught me.
Once, I accidentally let a part of my jealousy slip out. I had opened my big mouth and said she was really good with flower arranging and wished I could be like her. And that, in comparison to her, I was a weed.
I expected her to tell me that I would never be good enough like what the other girls did—and kami knows why I taught she would do that—instead, she gave me a smile. She told me that I, one day, would become like her because whereas Ino would have been the prettiest flower around, Sakura was a bud. A bud that was just waiting for the right moment to bloom into a beautiful flower and Ino said this was so because my name was Sakura. Cherry Blossom. She told me, "A flower has no meaning until it blooms…"
I felt ashamed of myself. I am certainly a bad person. When I had been jealous of Ino the whole time, she felt like I had great potential.
XxxxxxX
Two weeks left until school, and I hated myself.
I thought my jealousy had been cured—and I treated it like some kind of disease—but it wasn't.
I couldn't believe that I was actually succumbing to this jealousy. I started having dark thoughts about Ino—sometimes to the point where I scare myself. I'm scared, really, I don't want to think of Ino in this way. She's my friend, I shouldn't be thinking of ways of how to embarrass her. Yes, that's what my thoughts were about. They were all ways on how to bring the girl down—and it dearly frightened me.
And then, a few days ago, my life started taking an uncontrollable spin. It all started when that morning when Ino, the children and I were playing a game of truth or dare. Eventually, it was my turn. I chose, how I regret it, truth.
This one girl, she was a sweet girl but now I forget her name and face, popped the question that bore a crack inside of me: "Do you like Uchiha Sasuke?"
I froze as a small blush crept up to my face. Then the girl laughed meekly and said, "So you do like him?" I gave no answer and felt my knees buckle beneath me.
It wasn't the fact that they, the other kids, were laughing. It was the fact that out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ino NOT laughing. She was frowning at me with her eyebrows crinkled. I felt my heart stop for a second before it began pumping in a faster rhythm.
Ino turned away and I ran after her. I was afraid, so, so, very afraid—of her, of what would happen, but mostly, I was scared of myself. Kami, if I didn't know any better, I felt slightly proud of myself. I slightly felt satisfied that I had admitted my love before her. And I feared what would become of everything.
I raced after her, through the fields, through the shops. Then Ino ran inside the flower shop and closed the door behind her. Kami, I was too slow. When I reached the door, it was locked.
I banged on the door screaming words of apologies. But no one replied to me. I slumped down to the ground and sat there cursing myself. My aunt later found me and took me home. It was only later that I poured out my heart to Akane oba san. She listened intently, and I was glad she did. When I had finished, she asked me if I really loved Sasuke. I nodded in response to her question and she gave me a playful smile.
She then told me about love and how one can find it in the most surprising places. She told me how she once fell in love with a man who she met on the way to a date her parents arranged for her. She also told me stories of how love can uplift many people.
She told me of her story with a fateful encounter in the green hill and how she fell in love with an artist there. (And how she hated artists)
Then of course, there were stories about how love could bring about one's downfall. In this story, she didn't tell me the names or who the people were, but I knew who they were. They were obviously my parents. Why, the way her eyes were distant and they way her smile was sad was enough to give away everything.
Then she turned to me after a long time and said, "Sometimes, you have to fight for who and what you love." A smile graced her lips.
XxxxxxX
There was no mistake that her statement left me to contemplate some more. By now, my head was hurting with all the questions that filled it. But she had point. To fight for the one you love, to protect those who are precious to you, it all sounded noble didn't it?
And I began wondering if I had what it took to protect those I treasure. Then I stopped thinking because my brain was deeply fried and I was terribly sleepy.
XxxxxxX
Finally, Ninja Academy begun yesterday. But, I'll explain it later on. Right now, I needed to sort out everything between us—Ino and I. I sent her a letter, on the first day of the academy, to meet her in Konoha Park—for it held so many memories already. So I stood there waiting and wondering she would even come.
I was dressed in a maroon dress with a somewhat turtleneck (you couldn't really call it that because it parted in he middle). The sleeves were a quarter down my arm with the Haruno symbol on each sleeve.
I waited and waited and time seemed to go slower with each passing second. After a while, I was getting impatient. Now I know why Sasori nii sama didn't like being made to wait.
And then, when I thought she wasn't going to show up, she appeared.
Clad in a purple attire, she stared at me before smiling. "Sakura…" I gave her a downcast smile. "Ino, I'll be sure to win Sasuke's heart."
That's when it began, our friendship turned into rivalry. And from that day on, we tried our to out-best one another in different areas. Whether it was in looks, skills, knowledge, abilities, we were always proving that we were better than the other.
XxxxxxX
Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours, hours into days and days into months. Time was—has always been—truly unfathomable. The cycles continued and it was impossible to really keep track of the time. Sometimes time was fast, sometimes time was slow.
For me, it went in a moderate pace. The only question I had, ever since I had turned Ino's and my friendship into something else, was how to spend it.
And at times when I needed a shoulder, I would stand on the bridge contemplating on my problems. When I wanted to run away, I went to the bookstore and buried my nose in some book I'd taken an interest in. And when I was bored, I would fill my head with knowledge in the Konoha library. Most of the time, I'd bring a newly bought book and read it on the bridge just thinking to myself (and pretending to read so nobody thought I was weird).
It was, during my, er, ruminating periods, that I discovered something in myself. I discovered a hidden personality inside of me. 'She' embodied my inner thoughts—my real thoughts. For a while, I pondered on the advantages and disadvantages of such a separate personality. Later, I just let it be. I thought that having a personality that revealed my subconscious would be a good way to ease the numerous thoughts that were entering swirling inside my head.
I took note of the second personality's disposition. Unlike the usual me, 'she' had a more violent and aggressive nature. I did remember being oddly satisfied at Ino's sadness a while before. I figured it was this second Sakura that made me feel so. Thus, I called her 'Inner Sakura'.
Another thing I realized from the second personality was that she cursed—a lot. I felt that there was a second Hidan nii san in my head. Then, overtime, I was influenced by the emergence of the subconscious personality, the 'inner Sakura'. How so, you ask? For starters, I freely cursed now. Oh how Hidan nii san would be proud of me if he heard me. When I realized that I had cursed, and my lips were tingly with the foreign feeling, I felt guilt pierce my heart.
A memory came to mind, and it was of Kakuzu nii san. I briefly remembered what I told him a little over two years ago, before I was taken to Konoha. I had told him that I wouldn't let myself be influenced by Hidan nii san's cursing. In all its technicality, I didn't let myself be influenced by Hidan nii san. Instead, I let myself be influenced by…myself. Once again, irony finds its way into my life.
XxxxxxX
I'll move on to my academy life. On the first day of school, it surprised me to find the people whom I would be spending my schooling there. The first one I recognized was Ino.
How could I not? She approached me and said she didn't want to be in the same room as me.
The second I recognized was my drop-dead gorgeous Uchiha Sasuke! I was so happy to be in the same class (I was squealing on the inside and my inner Sakura was outrageously straightforward on taking advantage of this). I approached him and asked if he remembered me. His eyes just fixated themselves on me (oh those wonderful dark gray-almost black eyes) and gave some throaty sound that sounded like a 'hn'. I didn't know what to make it of it so I just giggled like mad.
After that, I realized it wasn't just Ino and I who were after Sasuke. (For they were crowding outside the room) Hundreds (okay so I'm a little exaggerating) of fan girls were outside our room just to steal a look at Sasuke. My Sasuke! I gave a huff before I heard other male voices.
I turned to them and I remembered that the class was co-ed and Sasuke wasn't the only guy. I just sighed in relief that there were little fan girls in our class (Just 5-10 more girls had their eyes on him, no big deal, ne?) Those boys were hardly attractive. The one who had spoken and said 'troublesome' was named Nara Shikamaru, and the one next to him eating a bag of chips, Akimichi Choji.
Bark!
I actually thought that I had to check my ears because there was no way in hell that dogs were allowed into the school. Yup, I was wrong. Inukuza Kiba, part of the clan that bred ninja dogs, was holding his dog Akamaru.
Then when I thought that our class couldn't get bizarre enough, it did. There in the corner of the room was a guy who looked utterly creepy. He had black glasses on and hid half of his face with the collar of his shirt. I learned that creepy guy's name was Aburame Shino, part of the clan that used insects (gross).
Now when I said there were 5-10 fan girls of Sasuke, I meant that the rest of the females in class were fan girls of Sasuke—except one.
This girl was safe because she didn't have any feelings what-so-ever towards my Sasuke. She was shy, timid, and quiet. This girl was named Hyuuga Hinata. It was amazing! An actual Hyuuga in my class! I just heard of them from the villagers. They said the Hyuuga was just next to the Uchiha clan in terms of prestige and power. Now, with the Uchiha clan, er, gone, they were the leading doujutsu-user clan.
Oh yeah my class was weird, with all the mixture of different clans and types of people. But, they were an okay class. We'd somehow get along—at least I get to study in peace.
"NARUTO!"
Again, irony strikes in my life.
Blonde, blue-eyed, and an absolute idiot: Uzumaki Naruto. He was the number 1 troublemaker in all of Konoha. Well, I can understand. He was an orphan but unlike Sasuke, he grew up without parents. Sure I pitied him, but his stupidity took that away.
Oh how that guy pissed me off—sometimes the rest of them did to. Shikamaru complained a lot, Kiba was so damn noisy, Choji kept munching away, Shino was…creepy, and Ino, she was just Ino. I didn't want to admit it, but now I know what Kakuzu nii san said to me before: This room is full of idiots. Of course, even then I had excluded some people from his comment. Back with my nii sans, it was Itachi nii san who I defended. Here, it was my Sasuke-kun.
Oh my, I compared them again. I should really stop doing that.
Academy life, overall, was a smooth sailing. My continuous battles with Ino and efforts to attract Sasuke, allowed me to have the top grades in class (second to Sasuke, of course, he was a genius. The called him a prodigy you know) I was so happy when they handed out the test results because my paper was always under Sasuke's!
But, despite my happiness, there was always someone who ruined them. Knucklehead Naruto, the failure, announced that he had a crush on me. Who announces their crushes? Oh right, I did that.
So yes, this was my life for the next months (until I graduated). Get the high grades, avoid Naruto, beat Ino in everything, avoid Naruto more, attract Sasuke, and avoid Naruto. Oh life was fun. (I'm being sarcastic, in case you don't get the hint)
XxxxxxX
Today, I am heading to my last day of Ninja Academy. I'm really nervous, despite my cheerful façade, because today is also the picking of genin teams. We had our final tests yesterday and now Iruka sensei is going to be announcing who will be on what teams.
I entered the academy and took my usual seat and did my usual morning routine: Stare at Sasuke. I can't say I'm a stalker (at least I don't have volumes of albums of Sasuke doing random things. Those other girls had a volume separately for pictures of him sitting, standing, brooding and walking. There was even sleeping, eating, training, running, fighting and taking a shower). I'm more of…an avid fan.
Iruka sensei walked into the room, holding a sheet of paper. He was grinning from ear to ear; his usual smile. Everyone waited for him to begin. Of course, he started off with the usual: congratulations! You've graduated from Ninja Academy! Then he went on to announcing the teams.
I got the biggest shock of my life because these were the teams: Ino-Shikamaru-Choji (ha in your face Ino-pig!), Hinata-Kiba-Shino (good luck Hinata! Though I wonder why she was glancing Naruto's way when she was called). So, do you notice anything? Hm? Did you notice that certain people weren't called? Yes that's right! (And my inner just said Shannaro!)
This was my team: Sasuke-Sakura! Yes I'm teamed with Sasuke! I glared at Ino who was gawking at me, but Sasuke didn't even glance my way. He's so cold, yet that coldness just added to his sexy being. Ah but it was a 3-man team, so I bet you're wondering who's the third? Gah who else was left? Uzumaki Naruto—much to my dismay.
Gah why couldn't irony leave me alone for once? Well, at least I was with Sasuke, and that was enough for me.
XxxxxxX
We met our teacher today. He was an odd one. He was mysterious, strong, a little handsome (though he cannot compare to my Sasuke) and perverted. I justified this with the book he was always reading, Icha Icha Paradise. Our gray haired, mask covered mouth, headband covered, Kakashi sensei.
He was always late, even in our first meeting when Naruto played a prank on him—the poor guy. Then he'd always make up some excuse like he was helping some pregnant woman cross the street or he got lost on the road of life…but no one falls for that.
Yeah but my sensei was way weirder than I thought. He made us take this 'bell test'. We had to take the bells in his hands which we all know would've been hard seeing as he was a former anbu and we were freshly graduated genin.
In the end, we passed. Hard to believe? It all had something to do when I pitied Naruto and gave him my lunch. I was on a diet so it was alright with me. Sasuke followed after me then our sensei appeared out of nowhere and said we passed. He explained to us that teamwork was an important factor and thus with the display of kindness (pity), we passed. It makes sense though, no matter how odd it was.
XxxxxxX
After I found out about our teams, I met up with Ino. I told her that I wouldn't lose her anymore, especially since Sasuke was in my team. Ino was smirking at told me she wouldn't lose in everything.
I dug my hand in my pocket and pulled out a maroon ribbon. Whereas my previous one was lost, I was giving this one freely away. She stared at it before her brows curved down and the ends of her lips tugged to a bigger smirk.
I declared our official rivalry and we both went our separate ways. In some ways, it was painful, in some ways, it seemed right. My aunt told me to fight for my precious ones and this was my way of fighting for her—by fighting her.
How can I protect her when I'm living in her shadow? No, I won't let that happen. I was going to rise, be better than her, and then protect her like she did long ago.
XxxxxxX
My heart felt broken, somewhat. But I'm glad, because I saw a side of my dark prince. Sasuke appeared and sat next to me, one morning. He asked what I thought about Naruto and I said what I thought of him: Annoying. I just wanted to let Sasuke know that I had no interest in the blonde, if ever he thought that.
Oh but this was a chance given to me. I leaned into him and puckered my lips, eyes closed. I asked him to kiss me, but he blushed and ran away. I never thought Sasuke was such a shy person.
Later, Sasuke passed by. I quickly ran up to him, thinking he had returned from his embarrassed flight, and tried to continue what we were doing earlier. But, I let my mouth slip and said Naruto was annoying and said it was the result of having no parents.
Then he turned to me, after a while of trying to ignore me (or so I believed he was trying to ignore me) and told me that I didn't know what the solitude felt like. I didn't know what it was to lose parents. And…I was annoying.
The latter struck me the most. He was acting so weird. One moment he was nice and a softie, and now he was all cold and uptight again. Then he walked away. For a moment, I wanted to scream and say that I too knew how he felt, too lose parents, though I had my aunt. But I kept it myself. After all, he had lost everyone, and I still had my aunt.
XxxxxxX
For a while, Team Kakashi did various D-class missions such as finding lost cats.
Naruto was getting noisier. He was raving about not being challenged at all (even if he had gotten in tons of trouble in the low missions because he tried to out-best Sasuke. Doesn't he know that no one could out-best Sasuke!)
Thus, we were sent on an C-rank mission to protect a VIP in the land of waves. Setting out, we brought the old man, Tazuna, to his house with a little side disturbance that didn't last too long.
Kakashi sensei took the opportunity as training time, so we did some chakra control exercises. We had to focus chakra onto our feet and climb the tree without hands. I got it in one go. It was fairly easy you just had to feel power in your feet then try to keep that power in place. However, it turned out that I was the only one who found it easy. Sasuke (oh my gosh!) and Naruto (figures) were having a hard time.
After a while, Naruto came to me. He asked me how to do it and I gave him some pointers. After that, Naruto started climbing higher and higher on the tree. I didn't know what happened after that because I headed back to the house with Kakashi sensei. It was only later that the two came back beaten up but satisfied. It seems that the two had reached the top and were now exhausted with chakra loss. I thought they would rest after that, but the two started getting competitive and had a contest on who could eat more rice.
I thought that we could return safely the next day, but I was wrong. Turns out that 'little side disturbance', wasn't so little after all. Two rogue ninjas named Zabuza and Haku appeared. Our C-rank mission became an A-rank mission.
As a stood in front of Tazuna san, I watched Kakashi sensei, Naruto and Sasuke fight the two. I felt so helpless. I couldn't do anything. And even when they were defeated, the rogue ninjas, I felt so weak because I could do nothing but cry. I cried because for a moment, I thought Sasuke was dead. Until he woke up and told me I was heavy. (I need to go on another diet)
XxxxxxX
After a long day, we returned back to Konoha. When I came home, I received a hug from my aunt and asked how my mission was. As I told her about it, she had a mixture of emotions. Though, she settled to another bone-crushing hug.
Days seemed to pass by quietly. I trained with Naruto and Sasuke almost everyday. And in my small periods of free time, I would read.
Everything was peaceful, and I was content. Yet, every once in a while, my thoughts would drift back to my nii sans. I wonder, how were they? I bet Deidara nii chan and Sasori nii sama are arguing about art again. Kisame nii san would be drinking sake, Kakuzu nii would be counting the money, Hidan nii would be cursing. But Itachi nii san… what was he doing? Probably reading on his bed. I believe I picked up my love for reading from him. Itachi nii san, if he wasn't reading, is probably training.
I sigh thinking of those days and wonder if…I'll ever see them again. I wonder if they think of me as much as I think of them. I wonder if they'll come for me...Probably not. I wonder if they worry about me especially since…
…I'm entering the Chuunin Exam two weeks from now…
XxxxxxX
A week and a half until Chuunin exams (because Kakashi sensei recommended us). I'm just really glad to be back home. That C to A-rank mission gave us hell. But, despite the wounds, I'm quite thankful that our C-rank became an A-rank. It gave me a wake up call. Also, because of the need of working together, Team Kakashi has grown closer than ever. In truth, I've gained better respect for Naruto, and Sasuke's just proven how perfect he is. (As if I didn't know that already).
After that mission in the land of waves, the third kept giving us lower class missions. (Of course Naruto was unsatisfied, but he didn't have a choice). Naruto and Sasuke would be training right now. They both started training on their own the second they got back. Well, Sasuke anyway. Naruto trained the next day because the first thing he did was get ramen. I swear, that boy's obsessed with the thing.
And what did I do when I got home besides get a bone-crushing hug from oba san? I headed to the bookstore. Ever since that time Sasuke called me annoying, I have been studying harder on ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu. I didn't want to be annoying, but I wasn't good in terms of skills. So, I did what I did best—I read.
XxxxxxX
A week until the Chuunin exams, Kakashi sensei proposed training us. Well, it was mostly on teamwork. I noticed that skill-wise, we were able to synchronize with one another and strengthen our weaknesses. However, social-wise, we were terribly lacking. Naruto and Sasuke were annoyingly competitive. Though I now thought better about Naruto, he still annoyed me. (I'd give his empty head a few whacks once in a while for his stupidity) Oh but most of all, Sasuke.
He didn't talk to me, he didn't ask for help (I wish it was him asking instead of the blond), he doesn't even act like I exist! His coldness is appealing, yes, but this isn't the cold shoulder, this is far worse! This is a cold body! (If something like that exists)
Just a few days until the Chuunin exams. I'm a little nervous because I read that the Chuunin exam is a real hard exam! I read the probability of a fresh genin graduate to become a chuunin is—do you want to know?
…0%
Dear kami! Now I understand why Akane oba san gave me a tight squeeze earlier dinnertime when I told her I would be participating in the Chuunin exams.
Nii sans, if you can hear me, please wish me luck!
XxxxxxX
-So yes, the first installment in the Letters from an Angel arc. xD I apaologize if it's hard to 'digest'. xD My brain was wrecked? I actually tried creating another version, but this was better (the original). So, my dear readers, here you have Letters from an Angel. :D For better understanding: The letter starts out with a 10 year old Sakura. I hope that you understand that as the letter goes on, she is aging along with the events that she writes. So if you're confused with the fact that at the beginning she's young then she starts talking about being a genin (which she was 12) it's because she has aged already. I tried putting some time hints (like a week before…) so you could estimate where and when in the series this was.
-Please tell me if it's boring or something.
-I just want to say why I chose this kind of telling the time skip. For one, I wanted a way where Sakura's emotions were shown and what better way to do that then to make it in her point of view. Also, notice that she contemplates a lot. And, I also wanted to point out that Sakura's not so innocent (Oh the irony, ne?). While everyone thinks she is, she herself doesn't. She thinks that she is actually the exact opposite and with no one (ahem akatsuki) to keep her innocent, she starts changing into the personality she has in the series. :D Because if you look closely, sakura with the akatsuki is not the personality sakura has in the actual series. I use this opportunity to transform sakura. So, does my justification please you? XD
-This took so long to make. O-o Usually I'd spend an hour or two on a chapter, but this…holy crap this took 3 days! 2 for typing it and 1 for beta-ing. (I slightly have a life so…xD) I'm going to start taking long in updating from now on xD because from this point on, I need to blend the anime's reality with my fiction. xD God, 9000 words. O-o; I couldn't believe that I had typed that much. And I couldn't believe that I had to beta it. xD I read this thing 3 or 4 times. Hahaha. Oh well, I guess it comes with the 'job', ne? Well, I just hope you all enjoyed it in some way.
-The title: Well Spring Genesis. Wellspring is a literary form of beginning. It means source so it's like: source of origins. :3 I hope that explains it if you're wondering about it hehe.
-I notice I have avid readers who have been reading and commenting/reviewing since the prologue. To you guys, THANK YOU! :D You know who you all are :D Love you guys! :D
-Madam Obscurum "People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define 'Reality.' But what does it mean to be 'correct' or 'true'? Merely vague concepts... their 'reality' may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?" (Uchiha Itachi)
