Yay! A new chapter. We're gonna get deep in ch. 4 + 5 and then there will be A LOT of action after that. hehehe I can't wait ^_^. Remember that the brackets mean inner sakura. I just want to say thank you to all of the people who read this. Thank you so much for all of the reviews! It really means a lot to me.This is my first fanfic ever and I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying it. Ok here we go...
' TEXT '= Thoughts
Chapter 4: The Word is Spread
After a long day, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto decided they needed to get away from the hospital. After Sakura woke up, Kakashi and several other jounin ninjas had to question her about the attackers. They needed to know what they looked like, what they did, how many of them there were... it was frustrating. It brought back to many painful memories. They headed over to the ramen stand for some late lunch, and after that they would do some training. Kakashi said they could take the week off (because of Sakura). Surprisingly, Sakura said that she thought they should train. What would she do anyway? She wanted to get out the house. She couldn't go into the living room, because she would see the image of her parents bodies laying on the floor.
As they were heading to the forest for training, Ino came running up behind them. It appeared that Team 8 had been on a mission, so they probably didn't know.
"Hey Sasuke-kun!" Ino screamed. " Did you miss me? Oh I see you're going to train! You're so great Sasuke-kun!"
Sasuke could care less. Ino was hoping for a reaction... then her eyes fell on Sakura. Ino was jealous of Sakura being on Sasuke's team. They were rivals for Sasuke's love.
"Oh well if it isn't the big forehead. Aww and I see you have some scratches... did your forehead get in the way while you were training? Or did it weigh you down and you fell? Haha. Sakura you are so weak compared to your teamates."
Sasuke glared at Ino and shot his eyes over at Sakura. He could tell she was going to cry. He and Naruto were trying to get her mind off that. He looked at Naruto who was fuming. Ino was giggling, but she seemed a bit shocked that Sakura wasn't insulting her back. She figured Sakura was just being weird, so she preceded in talking about how large Sakura's forehead was. Naruto and Sasuke were annoyed and worried about Sakura. Finally, they couldn't take it anymore.
"WILL YOU SHUT UP??!!" They said together.
Ino jumped backwards. She was shocked that they yelled at her like that and Sakura was just standing there.
"Sakura's family was attacked last night... her parents were murdered," Naruto said. "She was able to make it out alive."
Ino's eyes widened. Sakura couldn't take it anymore, she ran home.
"Sakura?" Sasuke yelled after her. "Damn you Ino! We were trying to comfort her, and it was working until you came along."
"Sasuke-kun..." Ino said. Sasuke and Naruto were heading over to Sakura. Sasuke stopped and turned his head.
"Ino... I never liked you... and I never will. Will you just get out of my face..." Sasuke said coldly. Ino was shocked. She hadn't expected that, but she felt like she deserved it. Just because she was Sakura's rival, didn't mean she forgot they used to be best friends. She didn't know about Sakura '... poor Sakura...I didn't mean it.' She knew how fragile Sakura could be. Ino had rescued her from being teased in the past. She gained confidence after that, because Ino gave it to her. But... after Sakura found out Ino liked Sasuke...they didn't like each other anymore. Ino would now tease the girl she used to protect from being teased. Sakura always yelled at her, calling her names like Ino-pig.
'I have to find a way to make this up to her...I still hate her... or do I??' Thousands of thoughts were going through Ino's mind. Sakura used to be her best friend...but they were rivals now. But, I decent friend would comfort her... but they weren't friends anymore!
'THIS IS TOO CONFUSING!' Ino decided she needed to make sure Sakura was ok and apologize. The Haruno's funeral was to be held the next day, so Ino would attend it. She ran to her family's flower shop to get some flowers for Sakura.
After the run in with Ino, Sakura ran home. She couldn't bare it... she felt alone. Naruto and Sasuke had knocked on the door, but she told them she just didn't feel like training anymore. She held no ill will against Ino... she didn't know. She was just upset when she thought about her parents. She realized... she was weak like Ino said. She couldn't protect her family. She couldn't do anything.
"Sakura-chan! Who cares about training? We want to know if you are alright!" Naruto was still at the door screaming. They refused to leave.
"Thanks for the concern guys, I'll be fine," Sakura said. " I'll be fine."
"If you're sure Sakura-chan..." Naruto said calmly. "We'll see you tomorrow at the funeral."
Just the thought of the funeral made Sakura feel sick. But, she needed to say goodbye... she had to go. Sasuke wasn't convinced she was fine, so without her knowing, he jumped into a tree in her backyard. He kept an eye on her house, to make sure the attackers didn't return. He kept asking himself why he was doing this? He just felt like she needed to be looked after. He felt closer to her now. Suddenly, Sasuke heard rustling in the bushes. He pulled out his kunai and aimed it at the bush, but he stopped as he saw who was there. Naruto was sitting in the bush watching over Sakura's house too. But, he had fallen asleep and tipped over.
" Idiot. " Sasuke said, but he couldn't help but smirk.
The day of the funeral came. The rest of Team 7 came to escort Sakura. To her surprise, over half of the village came. All of the rookies and their family came. A lot of ninjas from the Chuunin exam came as well. Gai and his team were there, and Rock Lee came over to Sakura.
" I'm sorry Sakura-san," Lee said quietly. She gazed into his...unique...eyes.... but didn't care. She didn't see that "unique" guy in front of her, she saw a friend. He motioned to give her a hug, and she decided to accept it. Lee blushed. All of the rookies, their senseis, everyone came by her to say "I'm Sorry". Then, Ino waited after they were all through to speak.
"Sakura..."
"Ino..."
"Sakura," she began." I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss and to apologize for my rudeness yesterday."
"Ino I'm not mad at you for that," Sakura replied. " Don't worry about that."
"I know we're rivals, but I would never stoop so low." Ino said. She shook Sakura's hand and placed some flowers on Sakura's parent's grave. Everyone had left, except her team. They stood by her side.
"Will you be alright Sakura?" Kakashi-sensei asked softly.
"Yeah..." she replied." I think I'm going to take a walk, I'll see you all later."
She walked off, feeling the cold autumn breeze sweep by, and began to think. Naruto and Kakashi walked off, but Sasuke couldn't. For some reason he had this horrible feeling of concern for his teammate.
'What is this feeling?' Sasuke asked himself.
Kakashi looked back with the corner of his exposed eye. Sasuke was walking into the forest. " It seems both of them have feelings to sort out." He smiled... then gave an even larger smile as he pulled out Come, Come Paradise. =)
_____________________________
Ok, I know some of you probably thought this was a boring chapter... like I said... this was another just keep the story going chapter. It showed some emotion and I just had to get some other characters involved. We have the real emotional chapter next Ch. 5! It may take me a bit to sort out all of my feelings for it. Yikes! Then we have ACTION that will happen. Hehehehehe, and then some emotion at the end. *Cool Ending* well I still have to think about what it will be. OK well it is REALLY late or should I say early now. So, I'm going to bed night night!
' TEXT '= Thoughts
Chapter 4: The Word is Spread
After a long day, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto decided they needed to get away from the hospital. After Sakura woke up, Kakashi and several other jounin ninjas had to question her about the attackers. They needed to know what they looked like, what they did, how many of them there were... it was frustrating. It brought back to many painful memories. They headed over to the ramen stand for some late lunch, and after that they would do some training. Kakashi said they could take the week off (because of Sakura). Surprisingly, Sakura said that she thought they should train. What would she do anyway? She wanted to get out the house. She couldn't go into the living room, because she would see the image of her parents bodies laying on the floor.
As they were heading to the forest for training, Ino came running up behind them. It appeared that Team 8 had been on a mission, so they probably didn't know.
"Hey Sasuke-kun!" Ino screamed. " Did you miss me? Oh I see you're going to train! You're so great Sasuke-kun!"
Sasuke could care less. Ino was hoping for a reaction... then her eyes fell on Sakura. Ino was jealous of Sakura being on Sasuke's team. They were rivals for Sasuke's love.
"Oh well if it isn't the big forehead. Aww and I see you have some scratches... did your forehead get in the way while you were training? Or did it weigh you down and you fell? Haha. Sakura you are so weak compared to your teamates."
Sasuke glared at Ino and shot his eyes over at Sakura. He could tell she was going to cry. He and Naruto were trying to get her mind off that. He looked at Naruto who was fuming. Ino was giggling, but she seemed a bit shocked that Sakura wasn't insulting her back. She figured Sakura was just being weird, so she preceded in talking about how large Sakura's forehead was. Naruto and Sasuke were annoyed and worried about Sakura. Finally, they couldn't take it anymore.
"WILL YOU SHUT UP??!!" They said together.
Ino jumped backwards. She was shocked that they yelled at her like that and Sakura was just standing there.
"Sakura's family was attacked last night... her parents were murdered," Naruto said. "She was able to make it out alive."
Ino's eyes widened. Sakura couldn't take it anymore, she ran home.
"Sakura?" Sasuke yelled after her. "Damn you Ino! We were trying to comfort her, and it was working until you came along."
"Sasuke-kun..." Ino said. Sasuke and Naruto were heading over to Sakura. Sasuke stopped and turned his head.
"Ino... I never liked you... and I never will. Will you just get out of my face..." Sasuke said coldly. Ino was shocked. She hadn't expected that, but she felt like she deserved it. Just because she was Sakura's rival, didn't mean she forgot they used to be best friends. She didn't know about Sakura '... poor Sakura...I didn't mean it.' She knew how fragile Sakura could be. Ino had rescued her from being teased in the past. She gained confidence after that, because Ino gave it to her. But... after Sakura found out Ino liked Sasuke...they didn't like each other anymore. Ino would now tease the girl she used to protect from being teased. Sakura always yelled at her, calling her names like Ino-pig.
'I have to find a way to make this up to her...I still hate her... or do I??' Thousands of thoughts were going through Ino's mind. Sakura used to be her best friend...but they were rivals now. But, I decent friend would comfort her... but they weren't friends anymore!
'THIS IS TOO CONFUSING!' Ino decided she needed to make sure Sakura was ok and apologize. The Haruno's funeral was to be held the next day, so Ino would attend it. She ran to her family's flower shop to get some flowers for Sakura.
After the run in with Ino, Sakura ran home. She couldn't bare it... she felt alone. Naruto and Sasuke had knocked on the door, but she told them she just didn't feel like training anymore. She held no ill will against Ino... she didn't know. She was just upset when she thought about her parents. She realized... she was weak like Ino said. She couldn't protect her family. She couldn't do anything.
"Sakura-chan! Who cares about training? We want to know if you are alright!" Naruto was still at the door screaming. They refused to leave.
"Thanks for the concern guys, I'll be fine," Sakura said. " I'll be fine."
"If you're sure Sakura-chan..." Naruto said calmly. "We'll see you tomorrow at the funeral."
Just the thought of the funeral made Sakura feel sick. But, she needed to say goodbye... she had to go. Sasuke wasn't convinced she was fine, so without her knowing, he jumped into a tree in her backyard. He kept an eye on her house, to make sure the attackers didn't return. He kept asking himself why he was doing this? He just felt like she needed to be looked after. He felt closer to her now. Suddenly, Sasuke heard rustling in the bushes. He pulled out his kunai and aimed it at the bush, but he stopped as he saw who was there. Naruto was sitting in the bush watching over Sakura's house too. But, he had fallen asleep and tipped over.
" Idiot. " Sasuke said, but he couldn't help but smirk.
The day of the funeral came. The rest of Team 7 came to escort Sakura. To her surprise, over half of the village came. All of the rookies and their family came. A lot of ninjas from the Chuunin exam came as well. Gai and his team were there, and Rock Lee came over to Sakura.
" I'm sorry Sakura-san," Lee said quietly. She gazed into his...unique...eyes.... but didn't care. She didn't see that "unique" guy in front of her, she saw a friend. He motioned to give her a hug, and she decided to accept it. Lee blushed. All of the rookies, their senseis, everyone came by her to say "I'm Sorry". Then, Ino waited after they were all through to speak.
"Sakura..."
"Ino..."
"Sakura," she began." I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss and to apologize for my rudeness yesterday."
"Ino I'm not mad at you for that," Sakura replied. " Don't worry about that."
"I know we're rivals, but I would never stoop so low." Ino said. She shook Sakura's hand and placed some flowers on Sakura's parent's grave. Everyone had left, except her team. They stood by her side.
"Will you be alright Sakura?" Kakashi-sensei asked softly.
"Yeah..." she replied." I think I'm going to take a walk, I'll see you all later."
She walked off, feeling the cold autumn breeze sweep by, and began to think. Naruto and Kakashi walked off, but Sasuke couldn't. For some reason he had this horrible feeling of concern for his teammate.
'What is this feeling?' Sasuke asked himself.
Kakashi looked back with the corner of his exposed eye. Sasuke was walking into the forest. " It seems both of them have feelings to sort out." He smiled... then gave an even larger smile as he pulled out Come, Come Paradise. =)
_____________________________
Ok, I know some of you probably thought this was a boring chapter... like I said... this was another just keep the story going chapter. It showed some emotion and I just had to get some other characters involved. We have the real emotional chapter next Ch. 5! It may take me a bit to sort out all of my feelings for it. Yikes! Then we have ACTION that will happen. Hehehehehe, and then some emotion at the end. *Cool Ending* well I still have to think about what it will be. OK well it is REALLY late or should I say early now. So, I'm going to bed night night!