E.H.
Thanks to all of your reviews! Each one is appreciated and smiled at. I have another prompt here! This is from SilverIcy. Prompt: "Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable."- Bruce Lee Enjoy!
Rated T For Language and Descriptions
From Friendship Into Flame
"You wished to see me, Tsunade-sama?"
"Ah, Sakura." Papers shifted filling the air with the sound. "Yes. I wanted to inform you that I've recommended you for jounin. The exams are coming up next month."
"Y-you did?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I recommend my own star student?!"
"W-well…when you put it that way…"
"You deserve it. You've not only caught up to them, but in many ways surpassed them."
Silence settled over the room. Sakura inhaled deeply. "I'm flattered by your praise, shishou. Demo…I'm afraid I don't see it myself."
"To quote our favorite blonde knucklehead, 'believe it' Sakura. I'm proud to say that I've watched you grow by leaps and bounds in the last seven years. You're nineteen now and an outstanding kunoichi as well as medic. You've become fairly famous throughout the five nations; you're also in quite a few bingo books. It's really not that hard to see." The busty blonde leaned forward on her desk, resting her chin atop her steepled hands. "To be quite honest, Sakura…I need you out there. Your highest potential is as a field medic. Your team has been broken up mission-wise for three years now. You're being wasted."
Sakura shifted uncomfortably. "Granted…there isn't much influx at the hospital, but don't you think it best if I—"
"Sakura…" Tsunade stressed, leaning back and looking at her. "The war is over. Naruto is safe now! He's going to be starting his apprenticeship under me shortly for Rokudaime Hokage. He'll be exceedingly busy with politics, mission assigning, team-assembling…even economical discussions. He'll be under my watch constantly. There's no need to continue worrying over him!"
"…I…I know that…I just…he's my heart's brother, shishou. I already lost one. I can't lose another."
"And you won't. God only know, Sakura, I know how you feel. Losing Jiraiya was…hard on everyone who knew him. But time moves forward with or without us. Are you going to keep living like a hermit, wanting the past so badly that you can't see the future? Or even taste it?"
"…" Sakura ran her teeth over her bottom lip and let out a soft sigh. "All right. Should I start training for the exams?"
"It would be best, yes. It'd be in your best interests to ask a jounin to train you."
"Most of them are busy aren't they?"
"Most doesn't mean all. If it makes you more comfortable, I'll assign you a jounin."
"Arigatou, shishou!" Sakura bowed deeply.
"Dismissed."
…..
Heeled boots clacked lightly on the soil, lightly kicking up a small cloud of dust. A frown etched into pale feminine features while green eyes focused on the ground. Jounin? Her? How was that supposed to work out? Not to mention the fact that Tsunade-sama was going to assign a jounin to help prepare her for her exams. Needless to say, Sakura felt concerned. Who would train her? Her mind spun through all the jounin in her head.
Starting from the least likely, there were Genma, Kotetsu, and Izumo. She only knew Genma in passing and he didn't seem the type to want to teach her; unless it was an awkward lesson. Izumo and Kotetsu were reliable, but they had duties at the gates. There was a reason they were first in line for defense. Next was Kurenai. She had retired her status as kunoichi due to the well-being and parenting of her three and half year old son, Asami. After that was Shikamaru; he would bother with teaching her anything. He was too lazy and occupied with his duties and his long-distance relationship that was 'secret'. Then came Yamato-taichou. He could teach her, sure. However he was on assignment with Anbu and had been out of the village for over three months now. Highly unlikely that he'd be assigned to her. Iruka-sensei was a possibility. But then again, he'd be more likely to be assigned to Naruto. After that was Gai. She shuddered at the prospect. Surely Tsunade-sama wouldn't be that cruel? Worse yet would be Lee. He'd reached jounin last year. As had Hinata, Kiba, and Chouji. No. They were too inexperienced to teach her. Basically, Gai-sensei was a large possibility. A thought occurred to her however. Gai, no matter how diligent a shinobi, would throw a fit at teaching her! She was his rival's student! Haha! She was out of the woods on that one. Her feet halted and her eyes widened.
"No way…" She breathed as she looked up and blinked repeatedly. "Would she…?"
"Sakura-chan!" She turned and couldn't fight a smile as her overly zealous and boisterous orange-clad team-mate bounded up to her. "I've been callin' to ya for five minutes now! What's gotcha so deep in thought?" He fell into step beside her as she continued her trek toward home
"Tsunade-sama recommended me for jounin exams."
"No way! Seriously?! The Hokage recommended you?!"
"That's what I said, dope." She smirked and shook her head.
"Holy crap! That's awesome! But what happened when your parents said they'd recommend you?"
"…a fight…then it never happened. It's okay. I'm glad I didn't go for it then. That would have been…too much at that time."
"I suppose…" He stretched up and hooked his hands behind his head. "So?"
"So what?"
"Are ya gonna do it?"
"I can't exactly decline the Hokage's request, can I?"
"True…"
"I heard you were going to start your own training here soon, too."
"I know! Crazy…I never…I never really thought it'd happen so soon or like this. Ya know? I figured maybe in a few years if I proved myself and all that—"
"You have proven yourself, Naruto. Time and time again. The whole war is a testament to that."
"Yeah, but—"
"Ah, ah! I don't want to hear any more!"
Naruto snorted and chuckled. "Ahhh…Sakura-chan…you're too sweet!"
"Stop that."
"But you are! You are such a kind person!"
"I said stop." Sakura growled lightly in warning. Naruto threw his hands up in front of him in a placating gesture.
"All right!" He chuckled. "I guess I'll let you get home now, eh?"
"Probably for the best. I'm sure I'll need a good night's rest. Who knows? Maybe I'll be awoken by Anbu." Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes. "Night, Naruto!"
"Night Sakura!" Naruto waved and turned down the nearest street. Sakura also waved and continued down the block.
…..
Sakura kicked off her boots and paused mid-step to glance at them. Old habits did die hard. She turned and rearranged them so that they sat nicely, side by side in the entryway. Her bare feet padded across the old wooden floorboards. They led her to the kitchenette where she grabbed herself a glass of water and dumped a few ice cubes into it. The clinking sound of the ice hitting the sides of the glass while she lifted it to her lips was comforting. The cool water was refreshing against her throat. With a sigh, she set the glass down on the counter-top and leaned on her hands against it.
"Always sneak into young ladies' apartments, Sai?"
"Not any pretty ones. So I guess that leaves just you, Ugly." Sakura turned to glare at the fake plastered smile on the man's face. He'd learned to smile…a little bit more normally. But it was still too easy for him to revert back to his old irritatingly unnatural one.
"Gee, lucky me." She drawled and carried her glass across the room with her to plop onto her couch. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I was asked to deliver this." Sai crossed from the shadowed area beside the window to hand her a scroll. She took it and nodded for him to sit. He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure I'm supposed to—"
"Oh just shut up and sit." Sakura snorted and gestured to her glass. "Water?"
"…sure…"
Sakura rose and crossed to the kitchenette and fetched a glass of water. She returned to the living room and handed him the glass. "I heard you were out on a month long mission. How'd it go?"
"It went…interesting."
"Interesting?" Sakura sipped the water while raising her brows.
"Most of it is classified."
"Then don't tell me the classified nitty-gritty."
"We had to infiltrate a small faction of rogue ninja hiding in Grass."
"Which affiliation were they?"
"None. The rest is heavily classified."
"Classified beyond the Hokage's apprentice finding out…?" Sakura leaned forward eagerly with a grin.
"…" Sai snorted and rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to have hell over telling anyone? Including you?"
"It's you. You'll find a way out of it."
"Thank you, Ugly, for your concern."
"Don't mention it."
"I'm sure you'll hear about it soon." Sai stood with a sigh, he hadn't touched his water once. He bowed slightly before moving for the window and disappearing in the night. Sakura crossed her legs and sat back with the scroll in hand. She stared at it before she flicked the seal open.
"Obviously nothing to do with Sai's mission…" She grumbled as the scroll rolled open. Her eyes flitted across the creases in the paper and the ink scrawled over it. As she read she mumbled the words aloud, "Five am…seventh training ground…meet jounin for training…blah, blah, blah. Formal mumbo jumbo of annoying crap. I miss missions like Sai's."
Laying her head back, she closed her eyes. Maybe if she passed her jounin exams, she'd finally get to go on some more missions. After all, didn't Tsunade-sama herself say she was being wasted? She hated to admit it, but she felt the same way. She had for three years now. Maybe she'd been spending way too much time trying to protect Naruto then actually living. She yawned and stretched, setting her glass down. Maybe it would be best to hit the hay early. After all, she had to meet her jounin 'trainer' at the seventh training ground at five in the morning.
…..
Bloody red hands shook in front. All that could be seen was darkness all around and glowing, vibrant red. It coated everything. Trees, grass, hands, feet, bodies…everything. The water even glowed eerily rouge with it. Something wet and hot burned trails into cheeks. It hurt. It hurt so much. Hollowed out from the inside outward. Nothing but pain, agony, grief, sorrow…it left such long trenches in the soul. Marks to show the story from beginning to slow, torturous end.
A slow numbing feeling began to tingle throughout. It started at the center and worked its way out in spider web tendrils. Calm, almost taciturn silence settled. Peace was coming. It would all be over soon. It was a comfort that was long coming. Something that was so longed for yet never satiated. A yearning that ached deeper than the pain.
Then, out of the darkness they came. Satan's very fallen angel. Two pinpoints growing steadily in size. They went from being two pin pricks out over the horizon to large, overpowering pinwheels of despair spiraling in the sky overhead. They would have blotted out the sun were it visible and dwarfed it in size. Side by side they glared down. Fear. Unmitigated, unadulterated, pure in all forms, terror took place of calm and comfort. It was coming again. It was coming back for her. She wouldn't survive it a second time. Oh, Kami…save her. Help her! He was coming back to finish the job! And he'd drag her back to whence he came; the fire filled depths of hell itself! She didn't deserve this! She'd done good in her life and never even gave up her virtue to some piss ant! Why must she suffer so?! What had she ever done wrong?!
Sakura shot upright in bed, gulping air and holding her hands to her chest trying to force some form of heartbeat to regulate. When her heart began to pound again, it was too quick. She flopped back on her bed with arms out to her sides and took deep, even breaths. It took far too long to calm her pulse. Once it was back under control, she rolled over and looked at the clock. She had another heart palpitation. This time, it was due to reality and not a horrid nightmare. She was late! How could she be late?! She cursed foully and threw her covers off. She flew around her room throwing her clothes on and brushing her teeth. As she ran out the door with her boots unclipped, she tied her hitai-ate around her hair and finger combed the tangled the best she could. She clipped her boots haphazardly as she took to the rooftops. She flew like a bat straight out of hell toward the training grounds. Once she reached the gates, she didn't stop until she skidded to a halt in the middle of the seventh grounds. Looking around, she tried to catch her breath.
"If I recall correctly, I thought it was I who was usually the late one…"
Sakura spun and looked at the tall figure approaching her. One hand was behind their head, rubbing their neck while the other was raised in a nonchalant greeting that was lazier than anything. The all too familiar mask over half of the male's face and the slanted hitai-ate weren't needed to identify this person. His low, smooth voice was all it took. She took a cursory glance around just to be sure she wasn't imagining anything or this was coincidence.
"You're training me Kakashi-sensei?"
"So it would seem." Kakashi's signature eye crinkle that signaled his smile was in place. "To be honest though, I'm a bit shocked Sakura-chan."
"Oh? By what exactly?" What was it about this man that could raise her hackles so quickly yet still soothe them just as rapidly? She crossed her arms defensively over her chest.
"Well, I would think you'd reach jounin by now."
Sakura blinked at the odd, back-alley version of a compliment. She honestly wasn't sure how to take it so she chose to take it well and loosened her arms to hang at her sides. "Yeah, well…I had a lot on my mind."
"Mm…I see. Even though Hinata-san, Kiba-kun, and Lee-san passed you by already?"
"…Again…a lot on my mind…" Damn him for making her arguments all seem so juvenile.
"Ah. Would Naruto's safety and the fact that you were the one to bring him back from the other side have anything to do with what was on your mind…?"
"…" Sakura glared and sighed heavily. "Are we going to train or not?"
"That answered that."
"Oh shut up."
"I'm sorry?" Kakashi held a hand to his ear with that infuriating smile. "I didn't hear that well…"
"I said shut up."
"Still didn't quite catch that, Sakura-chan…"
So that's what he was playing at. She ground her teeth. "I'm not saying it."
"Ah, well, good luck then!" He turned and waved over his shoulder. "I heard there's a barely two percent chance of untrained chuunin to pass the jounin exams. Tsunade-sama will be most pleased to hear it too."
Shaking and wanting nothing more than to smash his head in, Sakura shoved her pride aside. "Fine! Senpai."
Kakashi halted and spun around with a smirk. Walking back over to her, he pulled his book out and opened to wherever he last left off. "First thing's first, one hundred laps at half chakra strength around the fifth, sixth, and seventh training grounds."
"…WHAT?!"
"A jounin accepts S-class missions, Sakura-chan. Endurance is a huge part of being jounin. Not to mention in solo mission situations. So, if you wish to be jounin…one hundred laps at fifty percent chakra strength. Trust me, this is easy comparatively."
"…I hate you right now."
"Ahem." He looked at her pointedly.
"I hate you right now, senpai."
"That's more like it. Oh, you have until lunch. No breaks."
"Gee…haven't ever heard that before." She grumbled before setting off to start her training.
…..
Sakura collapsed on the ground. She was panting heavily and sweaty beyond belief. Her heart thundered in her chest as she laid, back to the dirty ground. There was one thing for certain, in only two weeks she'd found out just how lenient and easy Kakashi had gone on them as genin. If this is what faced someone on the battle field, Sakura was absolutely ecstatic that she wasn't on the receiving end of it. She'd always heard of his reputation but never understood fully why the title "Copy Ninja" struck fear into the hearts of many men. It wasn't so hard to see now. He was ruthless!
"Finished, hm?"
She rolled her eyes around to look at him. "All…three…hundred…laps. Chakra…concealed…" She didn't tack on the 'I hope' that flit through her mind. After all, confidence is something all shinobi were taught from the get-go.
"Mm…"
She closed her eyes, waiting for it. He'd done anything but pull punches during this training time. He'd been all too happily blunt if she'd screwed up. In fact, the hummed 'mm' always proceeded a cruel and harsh critique. She nearly grimaced when she heard him inhale to speak.
"Well done."
Sakura's eyes flew open and she stared at him in shock. "What…?"
"I hate repeating myself, Sakura."
Blinking, she finally let the words seep in. A slow smile curved her lips before she grinned happily.
"Not the best, mind you. But well done. I almost didn't sense you."
And…there it was. She deflated and sighed heavily. "How many more…?" She groaned. A chuckle answered her.
"I think you've done well for today. Come on. Dinner. My treat." He held out his hand to her. Sakura glared at the hand.
"Don't you mean on me?" She still took his hand and let him pull her up.
"Aw, come now, Sakura-chan. Does it really matter who pays?"
"…Yes! We always pay!" Sakura snorted and dusted herself off and started to walk alongside him.
"Friends treat friends." Kakashi stated and opened his book. Sakura faltered in her steps and stared at his back as he continued on seemingly oblivious to the impact of his statement. He turned and smiled at her. "Well? Aren't you coming?"
Sakura smiled warmly and jogged to catch up.
…..
"Next, Haruno Sakura!"
She bit her lip to hold back the barely concealed nervous excitement rushing through her. She blew out a breath and moved to cross the stage in front of the entire jounin headquarters of Konoha's finest jounin. She stepped onto the wooden stage and met the honey-colored gaze of their Hokage. She could see the pride and satisfaction brimming in those eyes as she crossed the stage. Several loud cheers erupted as she took the scroll from Tsunade-sama's hands. She held her hand up to take the jounin oath. She honestly couldn't hear herself or Tsunade-sama as she repeated the oath back to their Hokage. But she sure as hell felt the surge of pride in herself as she moved to where Ibiki-san stood beside Iruka-sensei. Iruka-sensei handed her the standard issue jounin uniform of navy pants, shirt, and boots. She then moved passed the grinning jounin to the stoic one who held out to her a green flack vest. She took them with numb, trembling fingers. The rest blurred together until she stepped outside into the hallway. She looked up into that familiar lone dark-charcoal grey eye. Without thinking, she rushed forward, dropping the items in her arms to hug him. He chuckled and returned it.
"Congratulations, Sakura."
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kakashi-sensei!"
"It's senpai from now on, Sakura."
"Sorry…" She pulled back and wiped the stray tears of joy from her eyes.
"No need to apologize. Now, you have an appointment to keep. Naruto and Sai are both waiting at Ichiraku."
Sakura grinned and nodded. "Do I have time to stop off at home really quickly?"
"I think so…why?"
She plucked the garbs from the floor and held them up. "I have some gloating to do!"
Laughing, they walked together down the hallway.
So…this is turning into a Two-Shot. The next one will be with some yummy lemony goodness! Promise! Stay tuned! Let me know what you think, as always! And any more prompts to send my way will be greeted with open arms!
Erika Hearken
