Ch. 13
Trouble
(Let's fight)
For the next several weeks, Sakura would walk to the training grounds to meet her friends. They would train from dawn until dusk trying to think of anything they needed practice in until their moves were perfect. Almost every day either Sasuke or Iruka would come walk her to the training grounds because she would always wake up late.
Everyone had the suspicion it was because of her increase in nightmares (Iruka was informed by Kakashi of what had transpired earlier on in the day from the first 'training day'). Today was the end of the third month of training which mostly dealt with medical and genjutsu techniques.
All in all for the past couple of weeks Sakura gave nothing away about the Sharingan to either Sasuke or Kakashi who were continuously trying to get her to let something slip out about how the Sharingan didn't affect her.
Of course she would never give it away and therefore, reluctantly agreed upon by her teammates, she could continue on with her next month of training without the need to work at the hospital unless Tsunade deemed it necessary.
Sakura sighed once again. The unsettled feeling she had, had grown to its peak today and she was definitely worried. She hadn't told anyone about this feeling but she knew if something were to escalate in the village she would need to tell her friends.
"Sakura!" Sakura suddenly turned to see that Iruka was waving her down. He didn't look happy, she noticed, but smiled anyway to his fake one.
"Hello Iruka-sensei, are you going to walk with me again today?" Sakura asked kindly noticing Iruka's sensitive mood at the moment.
"If you don't mind, it's in the same direction as the store" Iruka asked nervously.
"Well of course you can walk with me! I enjoy your company all the time –it takes my mind off of things." Sakura smiled widely at him only to have Iruka return her smile with a smaller one. Their walk, for some reason, had grown awkward. Sakura thought it had something to do with what Iruka was thinking about since he normally talked with her on their walks.
You've got enough things to worry about girl!
He would ask me what's wrong no matter what he's dealing with!
"Iruka-sensei…are you alright? You seem a bit down." Sakura said quietly, looking up at her blushing teacher. Yup, he was upset and apparently thought he was hiding it well.
"I-It's nothing Sakura. Don't worry! Everything is okay" Iruka said softly scratching the back of his head.
"Please tell me. If there is anything I can do to help…" Sakura said kindly. Iruka smiled softly at the girl before giving a sad sigh at the thoughts that plagued his mind.
"Kakashi and I had an argument. Things were said and I've wanted to apologize but…he keeps avoiding me." Iruka said sadly staring at the ground they were walking on.
"Kakashi-sensei cares about you a lot! Just give him some time to cool off and everything will be alright." Sakura said gently smiling again.
"But it's been three days, and I've wanted to apologize for some time now. I know that what I said was kind of mean and I don't mean to upset Kakashi, but I really miss him." Iruka looked down at his hands; it was a horrible thing to be lonely, but worse when you cause the loneliness yourself. "I hate it when we fight." Iruka spoke softly.
"Everyone fights Iruka-sensei, its normal in relationships. Not everyone's partner will agree with them on everything. But the love two people have for each other will out-weigh whatever things they dislike in the relationship. I know for a fact that you two have more positives than negatives in your relationship then probably half the people in the entire village. So relax! Everything will end up how it's supposed to be when the time comes." Sakura gave him a wide and encouraging smile.
Iruka gave her a more relaxed smile (which was still a little nervous) but was happy that he had told someone about his problem. It felt like a little bit of pressure was released from him now that he talked to a friend, and someone who understood (to an extent) what he was feeling.
They were almost to the edge of the training grounds, several groups of ninja were near their anyway. Sakura guessed it was the beginning of their planning for the up and coming war.
"Well Sakura, I guess this is where I'll take my leave." Iruka said giving his ex-student a hug.
"Thanks for talking with me, it really helped" Iruka smiled at her kindly.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to. You can come see me train or help me train if you like –considering you receive most of your information from Kakashi anyway." Sakura smiled at her sensei already knowing he'd refuse, but asked him anyway.
Iruka shook his head 'no' saying, "I like hearing the stories from Kakashi himself. He makes them sound more interesting than if I were to see what he's talking about." Iruka softly laughed along with Sakura.
"Well look who it is. The Freak and the Fag!" A group of ninja had been walking past them, apparently the same ones from the hospital Sakura noticed. They were the ones that did not like Iruka in the slightest and from their previous comment, they liked her even less.
Both Sakura and Iruka ignored them, waiting for them to pass by, but they just leaned up against the trees that led to the training grounds instead. Sakura noticed that there were now four of them (instead of just the two same men from the hospital) and that both her and Iruka had clenched fists and jaws from the comments.
"What should we do Sakura? Their blocking your path and I'm sure they'll probably follow one of us, or both of us" Iruka whispered quietly making sure he was out of ear shot.
"I'd say kick their asses, but no one else seemed to notice what they said." Sakura said quietly. Apparently what they said was only for them to hear.
"Were you talking to us? I don't think we heard you" Iruka said to the four men who seemed to have frowned slightly.
"Yeah, I called you a fag and the bitch next to you a freak" the man said callously. Sakura noticed that he said it this time a bit louder which caused a few groups of ninja to look their way. It seemed that they were talking to each other about what could possibly be going on.
Let's kick their mother fucking asses! Her inner burst out angrily.
"Sakura, why don't I walk you the rest of the way to the training grounds? Maybe you could show me a few of those moves you were talking about" Iruka smiled mischievously.
Iruka-sensei definitely knows how to not get caught Sakura smiled at her former sensei nodding while he led her by the shoulders, closer to the entrance to the training grounds.
This way everyone will think that those four idiots are the assholes and we're the victims. So it's definitely a win-win for us. Her inner gave Sakura a 'thumbs up' before she heard something whooshing in her direction.
As if in slow motion Sakura saw a rotten tomato heading for her, she didn't really know what to do considering it was harmless, but saw that Iruka sensei stepped in front of her to take the blow.
The rotten tomato was on the top right corner of Iruka's vest having its juices go the rest of the way down the jacket.
"I-Iruka-sensei" Sakura said shocked.
"I didn't want your outfit ruined" Iruka said bashfully. "Besides mine needed to go to the cleaners anyway, so what's a little bit more damage going to do to it?"
Sakura hugged her sensei happily thinking that it would probably suck smelling like tomatoes while training.
I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't mind in the least if you smelled like tomato…maybe he'd even try to eat you her inner gave an evil smile which Sakura mentally scowled at.
"Why the hell are you two so happy for?" One of the men said coldly. That snapped Sakura's attention back to the matter at hand. Every other ninja was now paying attention to the scene. Some had shocked faces either for: what the men had said to Sakura and Iruka, or that the men actually had the guts to throw something at Sakura and Iruka.
Sakura now had a rumor going around about her possessing frightening power; Iruka was said to be the lover of one of the best and most elite ninja in the village. Those two combinations put together were just plain stupid to go up against.
The men suddenly pulled out their kunais prepared to attack the two the malicious intent.
"What have you done to my Iruka" a cold voice shot out from the trees. It sounded like Kakashi. In fact it was Kakashi; a very pissed off Kakashi to be exact.
The four men grew shocked that their plan to embarrass and hurt Sakura and Iruka might not go as planned.
"No one tries to harm Iruka…no one." Kakashi said darkly. He lifted his headband revealing a whirling new Sharingan that Sakura had suddenly noticed had formed.
Is that a new Sharingan! Sakura thought shocked.
It must have occurred considering Kakashi is standing up and protecting the person he loves… and lost his temper in doing so her inner said quietly.
Once the Sharingan had fully formed into its new form, the four men suddenly began choking. They scratched at their throats as if they couldn't breathe; as if they were on fire considering the red streaks that were forming from their scratching.
Every single person watching the scene before them froze in terror.
"Kashi…stop. Please?" Iruka said quietly, boldly walking up to the infuriated Kakashi, tugging on his sleeve. Kakashi slowly closed his eye breathing deeply. Everyone thought that at the moment, Iruka was probably the bravest of them all to even walk up to Kakashi.
"Sakura" Kakashi said quietly. "Please look at my Sharingan later." Sakura gave a slight nod. She had told Sasuke and Kakashi that since they wanted to train as well (along with everyone else) that she could help them figure out how to go step by step through the Sharingan in order to make it stronger. She would always check a few days after their training to make sure their eyesight and nerve endings were still okay; and also make sure their eyes were in perfect vision and health.
"Iruka…what happened to your vest?" Kakashi asked quietly, picking off pieces of the rotten tomato.
"It's…nothing serious." Iruka said bashfully.
"Let's get it cleaned shall we?" Kakashi said quietly taking Iruka's hand into his before leading Iruka off in the direction of the dry cleaners…or was it his apartment?
Iruka looked nervously back at Sakura who had given him a 'thumbs up' and an encouraging smile to let him know that he should apologize like he had planned to.
Now off to the training grounds! I'm so late…again. I think Sasuke is going to smack me…
Maybe you should have him smack you in the-
I don't want to hear it! Now let's just go before I smack you! Sakura said blushing madly while running into the forest.
(Things get a little dirty…no pun intended :P )
Iruka had taken off his vest, a request made by Kakashi, who had then placed it into his washing machine. Iruka took a deep breath, while Kakashi was turning the dial turning on the machine.
"I'm sorry!" (Both said at the same time).
Iruka looked down at the floor while Kakashi chuckled softly. Kakashi looked at the wall in front of him, scratching the back of his head, not sure on what he should do.
Suddenly, a pair of arms encircled Kakashi's waist while Iruka rested his head onto Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi took Iruka's hands causing him to release them from around his waist before Kakashi kissed his knuckles. They both fully faced each then smiling at each other lovingly.
"I missed you" Iruka said softly hugging Kakashi tightly.
Kakashi kissed him gently, holding him close. He placed his hand on Iruka's hip dragging him closer up against his body. Iruka pushed himself against Kakashi causing them to slam against the washing machine. Kakashi grinned against Iruka's mouth sneakily sliding his hand up Iruka's shirt. He felt the smooth abs underneath his shirt and the tightening of his muscles in reflex to Kakashi's wandering hands.
"Kashi…what are you…doing?" Iruka asked in between kisses.
"Your shirt is dirty too" Kakashi said against Iruka's shoulder who was currently leaving several small read hickeys against the tan skin.
"Liar" Iruka said quietly, gliding his hands through Kakashi's hair feeling the soft, thick pieces in his hand.
"It's about to be," Kakashi said evilly, suddenly lifting Iruka's shirt off of him. Iruka blushed smacking Kakashi on the arm. Suddenly, Kakashi lifted Iruka off of the ground causing him to wrap his legs around Kakashi's pelvis. They both smiled at each other while Kakashi carried him off to their bedroom.
"You'll probably have to do your laundry too then, Kashi" Iruka said currently kissing Kakashi's muscular shoulder.
"You're so thoughtful Ruka" Kakashi winked at him. He then carefully placed Iruka onto the bed removing his own vest and shirt. It was very difficult not to ogle at the finely toned chest before him.
"It-It's morning you know!" Iruka burst out bashfully trying to push Kakashi's kissing away from his abdomen.
"So? It's good to do it any time of the day don't you think?" Kakashi said smirking.
"N-No!" Iruka said trying to quiet his moan.
"W-What about your Sharingan? Didn't it ware you out?" Iruka said between a gasp and a moan hearing Kakashi make a gruffled 'no'.
"But you asked Sakura-san to take a look at it for you!" Iruka said biting the back of his hand to muffle the sounds from his throat.
"Ruka…I'm perfectly fine. But I'd be even better if you could assist me" Kakashi said deviously to the panting man.
"W-With what?" Iruka asked. Kakashi took Iruka's hand placing it on his growing need. Iruka blushed madly, gulping quietly, before boldly kissing Kakashi happily knowing he wouldn't get away from this 'devious man.' Of course who would when one of the finest of men wanted you?
"There's going to be a lot of laundry today" Iruka said grumpily while trying to silence his moan.
"More than one load if I had to guess" Kakashi smiled diabolically at Iruka who made a whimper/groan sound at the words.
"Now…how about we get started" Kakashi said deviously before unzipping the younger man's pants.
"Can we get started yet!?" Naruto said for the fifth time that morning. Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto, annoyed, before Sakura walked out of the trees onto the rendezvoused training grounds.
"Sakura-chan! It's about time!" Naruto said loudly running up to the girl.
"Do you intend to be late every single time?" Sasuke asked crossing his arms.
"Something came up so it took me a little longer to get here was all…" Sakura said nervously causing them to raise their eyebrows.
"Nothing dire, I swear!" Sakura said, laughing at her protective friends.
"Well then let's finish up the last day of your genjutsu training before you start your medical training" Sasuke said briskly walking into the middle of the field.
"Teme just wants to have more time to spend with you" Naruto whispered into her ear, winking.
Normally what would happen was Sakura would train and practice her genjutsu with Sasuke (most likely figuring out how to get out of it/solve the genjutsu). She would then fight against Naruto and whatever attacks he would dish out. Then Tsunade would come later in the day after most of her Hokage duties were finished, to teach Sakura (and for Sakura to show her) medical moves that each knew.
Of course Sakura would never allow more than half of the dark chakra inside of her out; fearful that she could injure her friends. However, her inner constantly told her that keeping a large amount of the dangerous chakra within herself was not allowing the fullness of her abilities to come out. In the end she could hurt herself and never know her true potential.
Sakura was about to tell Sasuke that Kakashi created another step in the Sharingan; she was going to tell him she assumed that it transformed because he protected the person he loved/cared about the most.
She mostly wanted to see his reaction when she told him that.
However, Naruto grabbed her arm placing her several feet away from Sasuke while he leaned against the tree several yards away from the pair, observing them. Sakura sighed before nodding to Sasuke that they could now begin; now that she's paying attention anyway.
It takes about an hour or two for the group to warm up in between sessions. Right now it was almost an hour of her just concentrating and controlling her breathing.
Sakura honed her ears for the sounds within the training grounds, adjusting her eyes slightly with the strange chakra. When she did this, she could see the movements around her in slow motion allowing her to make her moves quicker than her attackers. She also begun playing shogi with Shikamaru when she could spare the time, and he had taught her how to maneuver and strategically outwit her opponents. Sakura was fairly good at it, but no one could beat Shikamaru at shogi.
Suddenly, Sakura heard a breath on the wind; a whisper through the trees. She could feel a dark presence coming closer to the far grounds of the Land of Fire. Sakura's breathe hitched at the feeling; this was it. The nervousness she had been feeling deep within the pit of her stomach. She had frozen. She could sense something…someone…was planning. Scheming. She didn't know how she knew…but she did.
Sasuke stopped his sudden planning noticing Sakura's open stance. This caused both him and Naruto to walk up to the suddenly frozen girl.
"Is she alright?" Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, Neji, and Tenten walked out of the forest; apparently there to see the fight.
"She just froze" Naruto said waving his hand in front of her face.
"Perhaps she is talking to that thing inside her head" Tenten pointed out. It could be possible. Something similar had happened before when Sakura and her inner had a fight about a move during her training. She sat on the ground clenching and unclenching her fist mumbling curse words under her breathe for a few hours.
"But she isn't moving or saying anything" Sasuke stated angrily, worried.
"No" Sakura said as terrified, unable whisper. It was so quiet it was as if the very wind had said it.
Sakura breathed out the one word before moving as fast as the wind could take her, far past the training grounds and into the densest part of the forest. There she knew she would find him. One of the Phoenix Kings would be there; she knew that something was about to start.
It's too soon! I-I'm not ready for this!
You no longer have a choice. Save your friends, or die trying. Sakura couldn't feel her friend's chakra signatures anymore; she was moving so quickly through the forest she doubted they could follow her.
If I had to guess, he would be near one of the secretive openings the Anbu have. This, I believe, is where we will find him.
Sakura nodded in agreement; she wanted to hurl.
Please…Let something good come from this Sakura prayed inside of her head before landing skillfully onto the ground into a clearing. Dust settled around her. Her hair slowly blew into the wind as she saw the dark cloaked figure standing not more than a playing field away from her.
She looked into the eyes of her attacker making her blood boil. She knew that there were others a distance away from the scene; only close enough to see some of the details before them. Once she looked into those cold eyes did she remember. When she looked into those cold eyes her fear and nervousness left her as quickly as a summer breeze.
She would fight him until even her will was gone.
The onlookers began to remember what the girl had told them months ago about the power within her; only then did fear tingle down their spines and make their hair stand on end.
They all remembered.
Darkening Sharingan eyes bore into bold and angry emerald ones. The onlookers (hiding themselves amongst the trees) consisting of her friends, comrades, and the elite, became shocked at the scene displayed before them.
She had morphed…transformed…changed. The elder of the Haruno clan kept her power and her past a secret. They believe the terrifying power would one day come out (which has recently been proven) due to anger; obscure and twisted anger. But she knew it wasn't. She knew better than that. There was only one thing it could have been that had released the power dwelled up in her mind –regret.
Regret for never having stood up for Naruto all those years ago when he was helpless against the cruelty bestowed upon him and the loneliness he held alone; he needed help and a friend.
Regret for pushing Sasuke away (once brought back by Naruto) so her heart wouldn't fall a second time into the Uchiha's trap; she felt that after the past few months, once Sasuke returned, he was trying to get closer to her and she feared his kind words so much, that she pushed him away.
Regret for making her friends believe that she was weak. That she could never reach the potential of Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, or even Tsunade.
And finally, regret for tricking everyone into believing she was something she was not.
Her yells and her attacks may have been based upon anger (and I'm sure they mostly where) but the root of that anger was regret. The ability to not protect the people she loved due to the weakness not only in her heart and mind but her soul as well. That is why the pink haired, twenty two year old women before them had transformed into her original state of being.
Haruno Sakura was and always shall be, Death's Angel.
They all remembered, and so it began.
The Sharingan user before her was none other than Shinju Uchiha. What she knew from him was that he was born of both Senju and Uchiha clan bloodlines. This meant that his fire techniques were unparalleled and that his Sharingan was one of the best in the world.
"Well if it isn't little miss Haruno, Sakura" Shinju bit out icily.
"Uchiha, Shinju." Sakura said heatedly.
"It seems you realized I was here…impressive I suppose" He smiled mockingly at the girl.
"If you think I am no match for you, prepare to be proven wrong!" Sakura yelled out boldly to him. She saw him stiffen slightly, and then relax giving out a barking laugh.
"Don't be such a foolish little girl. You are no match for me and I know it full well, as do you I'm sure." He said brutally.
"Then you are about to eat your words because I will not allow you to harm my friends or my home!" Sakura yelled out to him moving into a fighting stance.
"Don't worry. Since you're in my way I'll make your death quick. Whether or not it's painless…well actually it won't be painless at all." Shinju laughed maniacally before standing in an open stance before her. Only then did she realize that he would attack with his Sharingan making her death painful and quiet.
When it formed, she only glanced at it for a second before she was pulled into his Sharingan. It looked like an upside down bird, which Sakura remembered reading in the Uchiha archives long ago that it represented a Phoenix; someone who had truly mastered the element of fire.
She was surrounded by darkness and red. She was bound to a post from the ground with Shinju standing several feet from her, blade in hand.
"Goodbye, little girl." Shinju said smirking.
Suddenly Sakura's inner had released itself from her mind as a black mass, allowing Sakura to escape her bindings from the post landing in front of the shocked man before pulling out her own twin machetes that had pink lighting twisting itself around her blades.
"Let's play Shinju" Sakura said coldly pointing the tip of the blade at his chest.
"Looks like someone wants to play with fire then" Shinju said, angered that someone had actually escaped from his trap.
Sakura had predicted his next move of attack to be at her side which she blocked before swinging her own blow at him which he dodged as well.
"Impressive little girl!" Shinju burst out before aiming a blow to Sakura's stomach which she barely missed sending a round-house kick to his side causing him to jump high above her. This continued for another five minutes. Shinju, exhausted from using his Sharingan for so long, was slowly losing his power.
"Are you tired already Shinju?" Sakura sarcastically smirked to the already angered man.
"You should not be able to do this!" Shinju screamed again at her before bounding towards her with his own katana in hand. Sakura became catlike in her movements before getting into her "drunken fist stance" (which needed no alcohol present-which was perfect for the situation). This was going to be a long fight.
Her friends were not too far away from her, amongst the trees, looking at the two stilled people before them. Each saw and realized that Shinju had Sakura in his Sharingan and that there was a mental fight going on. Sasuke was about to intervene in order to help Sakura before Naruto grabbed his shoulder shaking his head 'no'.
"I want to see what this new power of hers' can do" Naruto said quietly, looking back at Sakura along everyone else.
"As do we." It was the entire Anbu squad present to their own meeting grounds. Tsunade suddenly jumped to their tree giving them a hard glance ("Tsunade-talk" for don't do anything) before moving her attention back to her pupil. Sasuke, Neji and Shikamaru already knew of these grounds considering each was in Anbu part time (Sasuke newly added). Naruto did as well but was training under Tsunade as the Hokage's apprentice. They now focused on the invisible battle before them praying for two things. That Shinju loses the fight and that Sakura does not lose control.
Time stood still.
They had been fighting with everything they had –it was unknown to Shinju that they were actually inside Sakura's mind– for what seemed to be hours (in actual time about 30 minutes). Both were bloodied and bruised and worn out entirely. But Sakura still stood before her enemy; not even close to giving up.
"I'm tired of playing with you little girl! This is where you die!" Shinju yelled at her. He appeared so quickly before her, slicing at her throat which she evaded before sending a powerful punch to his stomach yelling out as she did so.
This is it! They were both released from his Sharingan and for that instant, Sakura ran at Shinju faster than anyone could see. She kicked him under the chin, back flipping do to the force behind it. This caused her entire appearance to change once she had touched him in reality.
Her normal training outfit had changed entirely. She now had thin high heels with red ribbon around her ankles. She wore black tights that stopped a few inches above her mid-thigh, each with red bows on their sides. She wore black shorts that had fish net stocking going straight up her torso (a sliver that was a few inches past her belly button on both sides). The fish net went straight up through her breasts and up her throat. Her chest was covered with a black material that stopped at her sternum and had the top of the shirt folded and hanging off of her shoulders. She had black gloves and mask. Her hair gently flew up putting itself in a messy pony tail which was held by two long, square needles which in Japanese red characters wrote "Death's Angel."
She had morphed into this new style (in a matter of seconds), while Shinju was currently heading to the ground before Sakura pulled out her machetes from the air 'magically,' before pink lightning erupted from them. She swung them down at Shinju, in an X-shape, releasing the lightning at him which roared across the field in a blur. As he landed, he became bound by the lightning, unable to move and was barely conscious.
Kill him
Sakura, for one moment, saw Shinju's darkened soul; it was unbelievable. She slowly and carefully made her way to Shinju who was currently screaming in frustration. Sakura's back tingled and the strange chakra was leaking out of her seal; growing as if forming a cocoon around her all by itself.
Do it quickly before you lose control!
Sakura lifted her blade to his face before cutting both of his eyes; he gave a brutal scream.
Now girl, before-
Sakura screamed grabbing her back which now felt like it was on fire.
No! No!Her inner screamed before the power released itself.
A tunnel of black and pink twisting power that reached towards the heavens encircled both her and Shinju. This immediately caused his screaming to increase into that of agony before being destroyed piece by piece; till nothing was left. Sakura was in darkness until she saw a shadow of a hand pull two bright orbs out of nothing. Her eyes went back to seeing up into the chakra encased vortex. She slowly fell backwards before the orbs landed several feet away from her onto the field. She slowly closed her eyes realizing what her actions had caused, and smiled, before passing out.
"No-No way!" Naruto couldn't believe it. They all couldn't believe it. It was all too much! Sakura had defeated Shinju yes, but now two people that were once dead were now unconscious and fully alive before them.
A few of the ninja began crying while others fainted. One word escaped from both Naruto and Sasuke at the same time before they both looked at each other shocked; tears streaming down their faces.
"Jiraiya"
"Itachi"
This was indeed, impossible.
Wasn't expecting that now were you!? Sorry that took me so long, but here it is! I feel like my chapters just keep getting longer and longer…oh well! Lot's to say and do! I just like surprising you guys (: Any way, the next chapter will be coming soon so don't fret, REVIEW, and have an awesome reading day!