Pairing: MeiSaku
Prompt: Soulmate AU - The one where you can take away each other's pain.
Rating: PG-13
The first time Mei feels a large spike of pain, she's in the middle of preparing for a mission to infiltrate Iwagakure to obtain a summoning scroll for her master (though, she hates calling him that). It's a sharp, sudden pain in her hand that has her pausing in packing her supplies. She stares at her hand for a moment, knowing what this means for her, before accepting the pain as her own.
She's going to be 12 soon which means her soulmate is probably a young child. The thought doesn't settle well with her and she pushes the thought to the furthermost part of her mind. She has a mission to complete.
Occasionally, there are small bouts of pain here and there.
The second time Mei feels a large spike of pain, she's in the middle of a fight, 3-on-one, and she's winning. The pain is so sudden that she stumbles to the side and nearly has her head sliced off. Her entire chest aches in such a way that it feels like it's close to caving in. The pain increases as if she's being squeezed by a large hand.
She sends a massive wave of lava to cover her ass, satisfied with the screams of agony even though she didn't necessarily want to resort to that, and distances herself from the leftovers before accepting the pain once again. It fades to an ache soon after and then she breathes deeply, thoughts wondering to what the hell her soulmate is doing right now.
Occasionally, her soulmate accepts her pain too. Sometimes, large amounts that she holds for several minutes to several hours. Sometimes, it's only brief. Either way, her soulmate tries and she is grateful.
Then things start to changes drastically. Her soulmate is obviously being beaten up on the daily for at least a year. Pain associated with punches or full-body aches. Plenty of times, it's smoothed over. A healer probably cares for her soulmate. Mei finds herself grateful. She doesn't want her soulmate to die before meeting them.
There comes a day when she feels such a sharp pain in her lower stomach, the breath is knocked out of her. She's in the middle of berating one of her chunin for accidentally misfiling an important report regarding the Kazekage's recent abduction when it happens. Only, this time the pain subsides almost immediately. Either her soulmate refuses to share the pain or they have a healer on standby.
War is declared two months later.
A Kage Summit is called.
A foolish boy tries to kill her.
She leads her shinobi to war.
Her soulmate is among the allied forces. Mei knows this to be true because they switch back and forth when it comes to taking away each other's pain. It's almost like a game. In cases of which she is sent flying into a large rock, the pain is gone mere seconds later. In return, she takes all sharp stabs at the shoulder from her soulmate.
Things come to a stop when she sees Tsunade's apprentice dash forward and let herself be impaled to aid her comrades in attacking Uchiha Madara. The pain explodes on the right side of Mei's stomach in the same exact location Madara's pole goes through the girl's stomach. It's as gone as it's there and the girl is gritting her teeth and moves to punch him.
Even from her location, Mei can see the wound heal as if it were nothing.
Within a few days, the war is won and over 40,000 shinobi are lost to it. The Kage meet to discuss resources and rebuilding and both of Tsunade's apprentices join them. One on each side of her friend. The meeting goes as usual, demands are made and some are satisfied, and throughout it all, Mei keeps glancing at the girl.
Her pink hair is pretty although it needs a good wash (not that she really has anything to say, her's is equally as filthy). Her eyes are stunning green and stick out even more than her hair and the diamond in the center of her forehead shows her strength and skill. In reality, she really lucked out in the soulmate department. When the meeting is called to an end and Kage start filing out, Mei makes a choice.
Pulling out a large senbon needle, she slices her own cheek and watches, with narrowed eyes, as the girl cups her cheek and looks back at her. "I'm not healing that," she calls out simply, but the pain vanishes.
"We have a lot to discuss," Mei replies.
"That, we do." She gets up and moves closer. "My name is Sakura, Mizukage-sama. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but you cut your cheek just to make a point."
Mei only smiles.
She likes this girl already.
Sakura's, like, 17 or 18 in this dabble and Mei has 8 years on her (as far as this dabble is concerned). Just assume that they become good friends for the next few years before even considering any sort of romantic relationship. If you have the time, please review.
~i-just-really-love-sakura
