Disclaimer – Sorry, but I don't own Naruto...no matter how much I wish I
did.
"" = dialogue {} = thoughts
INO'S CRUSH IS...SHIKAMARU. NOW, IF YOU DIDN'T GET THAT...I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.
CHAPTER 10 ~ Secret Training ~
Every day after training and missions with their own teams, Ino and sakura met at the field to do extra training. Sakura spent that time memorizing the area by dimensions and by observing any unique features like large dips in the ground. She needed to know the area well enough so that no one would suspect her of not being able to see properly. The rest of the time, Sakura got Ino to spar with her. Sakura tried doing this blindfolded in order to develop her other senses. Over the new few months Sakura got much stronger, but it still wasn't enough. She was losing her sight too fast. Now, she even had trouble walking without tripping and falling over things. Something needed to be done.
One day Ino finally spoke up.
"Sakura...we need help. At this rate they'll find out."
"...I know, but what can we do? If I tell anyone..."
Hey, wait. I have an idea that would involve telling anyone else."
"How can I get help from someone without telling them?"
"We could ask Tsunade-sama to train you. I bet she knows some jutsu that might help. She could even take you out of your normal training and pretend that she's teaching you to become a member of her medical ninja team. Everyone would believe her and you're smart enough to be a medical shinobi anyways. No one will suspect anything."
"...you know, that sounds like a great idea...but she's way too busy to bother with me. I'm just a weakling."
"Sakura, Tsunade-sama adores you. Everyone can see it. Don't you remember that she's the one who kept your secret? If it had been anyone else she wouldn't have done that. I know she'll want to help. Let's go right now."
"Okay, if you're sure."
Sakura was quite surprised to find out that before she could even ask the Hokage for help, she offered her expertise.
"Sakura, your training starts tomorrow. Don't worry about anything, I'll notify Kakashi for you and I'll make sure no one knows about the true nature of the training."
"Thank you so much."
"No problem. I'm actually very surprised you didn't give up. That's the main reason I decided to do this. Your determination is so strong that I know you can survive my training. Now, go home and rest. I'll meet you here at 6 a.m., okay? Also, I know it was Ino who has been helping you. Thank her and tell her she can go back to her normal schedule and not to worry about you. It's my job to worry now."
"Sure. I guess I really need to thank her as well. She's been a great friend through all of this. She's helped me more than she knows."
Sakura then said goodbye and walked out of the Hokage's office to tell Ino the good news.
The next morning Sakura woke up, got dressed, ate, and headed out the door. She found a familiar raven-haired boy sitting on the steps to her house.
"Ohayo, Sakura. Are you ready for training today?" Sasuke questioned.
"Gomen, Sasuke-kun, but I'm going to be doing special medical training with Tsunade-sama starting today. I guess no one knows yet. I hope she didn't forget to tell Kakashi-sensei."
"Oh...well that's great! You'll learn really useful techniques."
"...you have no idea," Sakura whispered under her breath.
"Did you say something?"
"...nope. I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier, but it was only finalized last night."
"It's okay. Anyways, I guess I should get going or I'll be late to wait for Kakashi."
"haha," Sakura let out a small chuckle. "I should go too. I don't want to be late. I hope training goes well! See you later, Sasuke-kun!"
"You too...just...be careful I don't want you to get hurt. I've heard Tsunade can be very ignorant when it comes to knowing her own strength. She might hurt you accidentally."
Sakura looked slightly concerned, but then shook it off.
"Thanks, for the warning...but it's only medical training."
"...I guess. Is there something you're not telling me?"
"No, why?"
"It's just...I...nevermind. I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Sure, bye then."
Sakura quickly glanced at her watch and saw that if she didn't leave now, she'd be late. She turned down the road and slowly jogged towards the Hokage's office.
When Sakura arrived at Tsunade's office she knocked. No answer.
"Hokage-sama?"
Still no answer. Sakura quietly turned the knob. She didn't believe what she saw. Tsunade was asleep at her desk. Before Sakura was concerned, but now she was angry, very angry.
"Hokage-sama!!!" Sakura screamed.
Tsunade jumped out of her chair and quickly was in fighting stance.
"What's wrong?!...Sakura?"
"T-S-U-N-A-D-E—S-A-M-A...I thought I'd be late so I ran here. I fell on the ground at least ten times. Look at all the cuts on my hands and knees! I'm all dirty and sore because I tried to be here on time...and you were asleep!"
"Gomen, Sakura-chan," Tsunade said yawning. It's hard work being Hokage, you know." Tsunade walked past the glaring Sakura and pointed to a door down the hall. "Let's go Sakura. Don't waste your energy now. You're going to need all of it."
This became Sakura's normal morning routine for the next three months. She woke up, ran to Tsunade's office, and yelled at her for being asleep. Then they'd train leaving Sakura completely exhausted each time. By the end of the training, Sakura had learned a few medical techniques so that she could fool any suspicious people, but she also learned a jutsu that involved covering her body in a thin layer of charka. This jutsu is used to detect any movement around the body. She was one of the few that could use this technique because it required such a high level of charka control. She had become far stronger than she was before and she could now also fight blindfolded against Tsunade without getting too beaten up. Tsunade was very proud of her student. She now believed that if she kept training on her own that she'd be able to remain a shinobi and maybe even become on of the strongest in the village.
"Sakura-chan."
"Hai, Tsunade-sensei!"
"We're finished. There's nothing more that I can teach you. You have come far and I see no reason for you to stop pursuing your dreams and goals. I don't see any need for you to break any promises that you have made."
"You really think so? Thank you so much. I'll never forget what you've done for me. I'll never give up on my dreams!"
"Now, I won't tell anyone about your situation, but I think you need to tell them soon...Anyways, have fun training with your team again!"
"I will!"
"One more thing, I have a present for you." Tsunade handed a small parcel to Sakura. "Open it!"
Sakura unwrapped the package and found a thin piecof cloth. It was a beautiful green blindfold that had designs and the markings of a special seal upon it.
"It's one of my own seals. It will help you 'see' more clearly in battle if you wear it."
"How can it do that?"
"Once you activate the seal, it will give you an extra power boost as well as help you concentrate all of your charka using less effort. I hope it will protect you."
"Thank you." Sakura gave Tsunade a hug who then returned the gesture.
"Now, get going," Tsunade said pushing her towards the door, trying to suppress her tears a bit longer. "Go have some fun with your friends. You deserve it."
"Hai! Bye Hokage-sama!"
Sakura cheerfully skipped out of the office leaving her proud teacher behind.
"I know she'll be just fine...but I'll still iss her. I t was nice to have a student again."
Then, Tsunade let out a large sigh and returned to her desk to fill out paper work.
did.
"" = dialogue {} = thoughts
INO'S CRUSH IS...SHIKAMARU. NOW, IF YOU DIDN'T GET THAT...I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.
CHAPTER 10 ~ Secret Training ~
Every day after training and missions with their own teams, Ino and sakura met at the field to do extra training. Sakura spent that time memorizing the area by dimensions and by observing any unique features like large dips in the ground. She needed to know the area well enough so that no one would suspect her of not being able to see properly. The rest of the time, Sakura got Ino to spar with her. Sakura tried doing this blindfolded in order to develop her other senses. Over the new few months Sakura got much stronger, but it still wasn't enough. She was losing her sight too fast. Now, she even had trouble walking without tripping and falling over things. Something needed to be done.
One day Ino finally spoke up.
"Sakura...we need help. At this rate they'll find out."
"...I know, but what can we do? If I tell anyone..."
Hey, wait. I have an idea that would involve telling anyone else."
"How can I get help from someone without telling them?"
"We could ask Tsunade-sama to train you. I bet she knows some jutsu that might help. She could even take you out of your normal training and pretend that she's teaching you to become a member of her medical ninja team. Everyone would believe her and you're smart enough to be a medical shinobi anyways. No one will suspect anything."
"...you know, that sounds like a great idea...but she's way too busy to bother with me. I'm just a weakling."
"Sakura, Tsunade-sama adores you. Everyone can see it. Don't you remember that she's the one who kept your secret? If it had been anyone else she wouldn't have done that. I know she'll want to help. Let's go right now."
"Okay, if you're sure."
Sakura was quite surprised to find out that before she could even ask the Hokage for help, she offered her expertise.
"Sakura, your training starts tomorrow. Don't worry about anything, I'll notify Kakashi for you and I'll make sure no one knows about the true nature of the training."
"Thank you so much."
"No problem. I'm actually very surprised you didn't give up. That's the main reason I decided to do this. Your determination is so strong that I know you can survive my training. Now, go home and rest. I'll meet you here at 6 a.m., okay? Also, I know it was Ino who has been helping you. Thank her and tell her she can go back to her normal schedule and not to worry about you. It's my job to worry now."
"Sure. I guess I really need to thank her as well. She's been a great friend through all of this. She's helped me more than she knows."
Sakura then said goodbye and walked out of the Hokage's office to tell Ino the good news.
The next morning Sakura woke up, got dressed, ate, and headed out the door. She found a familiar raven-haired boy sitting on the steps to her house.
"Ohayo, Sakura. Are you ready for training today?" Sasuke questioned.
"Gomen, Sasuke-kun, but I'm going to be doing special medical training with Tsunade-sama starting today. I guess no one knows yet. I hope she didn't forget to tell Kakashi-sensei."
"Oh...well that's great! You'll learn really useful techniques."
"...you have no idea," Sakura whispered under her breath.
"Did you say something?"
"...nope. I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier, but it was only finalized last night."
"It's okay. Anyways, I guess I should get going or I'll be late to wait for Kakashi."
"haha," Sakura let out a small chuckle. "I should go too. I don't want to be late. I hope training goes well! See you later, Sasuke-kun!"
"You too...just...be careful I don't want you to get hurt. I've heard Tsunade can be very ignorant when it comes to knowing her own strength. She might hurt you accidentally."
Sakura looked slightly concerned, but then shook it off.
"Thanks, for the warning...but it's only medical training."
"...I guess. Is there something you're not telling me?"
"No, why?"
"It's just...I...nevermind. I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Sure, bye then."
Sakura quickly glanced at her watch and saw that if she didn't leave now, she'd be late. She turned down the road and slowly jogged towards the Hokage's office.
When Sakura arrived at Tsunade's office she knocked. No answer.
"Hokage-sama?"
Still no answer. Sakura quietly turned the knob. She didn't believe what she saw. Tsunade was asleep at her desk. Before Sakura was concerned, but now she was angry, very angry.
"Hokage-sama!!!" Sakura screamed.
Tsunade jumped out of her chair and quickly was in fighting stance.
"What's wrong?!...Sakura?"
"T-S-U-N-A-D-E—S-A-M-A...I thought I'd be late so I ran here. I fell on the ground at least ten times. Look at all the cuts on my hands and knees! I'm all dirty and sore because I tried to be here on time...and you were asleep!"
"Gomen, Sakura-chan," Tsunade said yawning. It's hard work being Hokage, you know." Tsunade walked past the glaring Sakura and pointed to a door down the hall. "Let's go Sakura. Don't waste your energy now. You're going to need all of it."
This became Sakura's normal morning routine for the next three months. She woke up, ran to Tsunade's office, and yelled at her for being asleep. Then they'd train leaving Sakura completely exhausted each time. By the end of the training, Sakura had learned a few medical techniques so that she could fool any suspicious people, but she also learned a jutsu that involved covering her body in a thin layer of charka. This jutsu is used to detect any movement around the body. She was one of the few that could use this technique because it required such a high level of charka control. She had become far stronger than she was before and she could now also fight blindfolded against Tsunade without getting too beaten up. Tsunade was very proud of her student. She now believed that if she kept training on her own that she'd be able to remain a shinobi and maybe even become on of the strongest in the village.
"Sakura-chan."
"Hai, Tsunade-sensei!"
"We're finished. There's nothing more that I can teach you. You have come far and I see no reason for you to stop pursuing your dreams and goals. I don't see any need for you to break any promises that you have made."
"You really think so? Thank you so much. I'll never forget what you've done for me. I'll never give up on my dreams!"
"Now, I won't tell anyone about your situation, but I think you need to tell them soon...Anyways, have fun training with your team again!"
"I will!"
"One more thing, I have a present for you." Tsunade handed a small parcel to Sakura. "Open it!"
Sakura unwrapped the package and found a thin piecof cloth. It was a beautiful green blindfold that had designs and the markings of a special seal upon it.
"It's one of my own seals. It will help you 'see' more clearly in battle if you wear it."
"How can it do that?"
"Once you activate the seal, it will give you an extra power boost as well as help you concentrate all of your charka using less effort. I hope it will protect you."
"Thank you." Sakura gave Tsunade a hug who then returned the gesture.
"Now, get going," Tsunade said pushing her towards the door, trying to suppress her tears a bit longer. "Go have some fun with your friends. You deserve it."
"Hai! Bye Hokage-sama!"
Sakura cheerfully skipped out of the office leaving her proud teacher behind.
"I know she'll be just fine...but I'll still iss her. I t was nice to have a student again."
Then, Tsunade let out a large sigh and returned to her desk to fill out paper work.