Yo! I'm sorry for killing off Naruto first, but I guess that's the luck of the draw. I've been watching Battle Royale about three times a day every day now for the past three or four weeks! XD!! ANYWAY, I got a few more deaths coming up and everything is organized now, since I found the list in my folder of sheet music (what it was doing there I'll never know).
Well, enjoy this chapter, minna-san!
CHAPTER 3
My Rival, My Best Friend, My Tears
BGM: Kasumi (Dir en grey), Dearest (Ayumi Hamasaki) [during ShikaIno scene], Open Up Your Mind (Mirai) [same thing]
Day one. Two hours into the game. Sakura tried keeping up with Sasuke, who was nothing more than a dark blue blur among the green foliage. "Sasuke-kun! Wait up!" Sakura cried, watching the blue dot get tinier and tinier until she could only see the green leaves. "Sasuke-kun…" she heaved, dropping from the high branches of the two-story tree and landing on her backside. "Itai…" she groaned, rubbing her bottom.
Exhausted, she leaned against the trunk of the tree and dug out her water bottle from her survival pack. "Why can't you slow down?" After downing half the bottle, Sakura twisted the cap back on and tossed the bottle back into her bag. Why did you leave me here? She looked up to find azure reflecting on crystal. "No…"
"Yes, Ms. Haruno," smiled Kabuto. "Gomen ne… You won't ever get to see you're precious Sasuke-kun now…"
"No…it's not gonna end like this," Sakura whimpered. "Sasuke-kun…"
"Sayonara, Sak--" Kabuto was cut short by a shrill "Sakura!" nearing closer and closer. "What the…?"
"Sakura! You're so helpless sometimes, ne?"
"Ino!" Sakura cried happily. Never was she more glad o see her childhood friend and rival in romance as she was at this very moment.
"Doushite? Daijoubu? (What happened? Are you okay? [Basically speaking])" Shikamaru asked, barely looking concerned about Sakura's well being…that was, until kicked the genius shinobi in the shin. "Ah! I meant; are you hurt?" Shikamaru simply did not like Ino's controlling ways. But could he help it? He was lazy and he loved his blonde teammate. That was all the reason he needed.
"I lost Sasuke and…eh…" Sakura trailed off, leaving Ino fuming.
"Sasuke left you here and didn't even turn around to get you?! The nerve!" Ino exploded. "Shika-kun! Go get Sasuke-kun and hurry back!"
"Roger…" Shikamaru took to the trees and vanished, leaving Ino and Sakura to fend for themselves.
Branch. Step. Jump. Branch. It was all just a simple pattern, really. Sasuke saw a branch; he landed on it, and then jumped off toward another branch. That was all it took. He had been running like this for the past five minutes, an hour and twenty minutes after the sick game had commenced. He was in such a rush that he hadn't had time to rest or stop. "I wonder where the next danger zones will be? Ah well, I've got about forty-five minutes or so to kill…not that way." Dash.
As soon as he reached a secluded area of the forest, finding a large tree to burrow under brought him comfort. Without question, Sasuke dove in, allowing the shadows of the tree's massive roots to conceal him. Three minutes had passed by, and nothing had happened. It was then Sasuke realized what had happened. "Where's Sakura?" He panicked. Heh, some warrior I am…I left my comrade to die…what's worse, she's the one I… Flash! The underbelly of the grand tree concealed nothing more than shadows.
This is stupid. Who knows where Uchiha is now? This'll take a while… Shikamaru pondered the thought as he continued his search, on behalf of Ino. Damn Sasuke. If he didn't ditch Sakura, we wouldn't be in the predicament. Upon the thought of Sasuke, Shikamaru collided with the familiar raven blur. "Itai! What the hell are you doing, Nara?" He heard Sasuke cry. He pisses me off.
"Looking for you, dumb-ass. Sakura and Ino are in trouble, thanks to you," Shikamaru said as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Shit…" Sasuke mumbled. If it wasn't enough that he left Sakura, his guilt skyrocketed as he felt that he left her to die. "Where are they?"
"Follow me."
Ino and Sakura facing off against Kabuto equaled definite bloodshed. Both girls stood, armed with their kunai and readying their jutsus. Of course, Kabuto tried not to laugh. "Why do you think I'm in Akatsuki? I know all of your techniques, your likes and dislikes, even your dreams and thoughts that haven't even been expressed yet. Simply put, you're done for."
"Urusai! (Shut up!)" Screamed Ino. "You don't know anything! You and your stupid cards can go to hell--"
"You've fallen for Nara Shikamaru, you enjoy your private garden where you talk to your tiger lilies and your bed of posies about your problems, and you often sleep with the Shikamaru doll you've sewn yourself.
"You, Haruno Sakura, deeply love Sasuke and would give your life for him. You often sputter at the slightest taste of cinnamon gum, gouge slash lines on your wall when you're angry or extremely depressed and cover it up with posters and pictures of Sasuke and various chibi sheep, and you cry every night as you embrace your hand-made Sasuke doll while listening to 'Endless Love, Endless Road' because your love for Sasuke is that strong. You do whatever it takes to make him happy, yet you get nothing in return, so you've become more distant and cover it all up with a happy mask." Kabuto recited. "Also, you've begun cutting yourself the nights he yells at you. You quickly rush home after Kakashi dismisses you, dash up the stairs to your room, and weep bitterly as his stabbing words ring through your head; feeling the sting burn more as tears drip onto your silent punishment." Kabuto pushed up his glasses, pleased with himself for releasing the truth about Sakura. What delighted him even more was the fact that Sasuke had stopped right above him on a high branch once he began talking about Ms. "-Love-Sasuke."
Ino couldn't believe that this was the Sakura she knew and grew up with. She slowly lowered her kunai, staring in disbelief at the shaking lump of red. "Sakura…"
"Shut up!" Sakura cried, yelling to no one in particular. "You don't know anything!" Crystal droplets began streaming down her face in rivers, reddening her emerald eyes as she collapsed and curled up into the fetal position before Kabuto.
"I do know this, Ms. Haruno: The whereabouts of Ms. Yamanaka's third teammate." Grinned Kabuto.
Ino's attention was diverted back to the azure-locked man at the very mention of Chouji. "Chouji?! Where is he? What have you done to him? Answer me!"
Kabuto chuckled. "Like the pink-haired one beside you, he…fell apart." He snickered as he tossed Chouji's dismembered arm, directly hitting Ino square in the face. Ino let out a blood-curling shriek as drying, jelly-like crimson fluid oozed down the side of her face. "What'd I tell you? He broke down."
"Bastard! You killed Chouji!" Ino charged at Kabuto, plain fury blinding her eyes.
"Ino!" Shikamaru followed suit, not wanting to see the girl of his dreams die helplessly.
Sakura felt as if time had slowed down, making seconds seem like long hours. She saw Ino fly at Kabuto…She heard Shikamaru scream her name…She saw blood rain…She saw them on the ground, dying. What had just happened? She was planted on her seat in her little spot of the forest and she went numb. "I-…" The next thing she knew, the blue haze collapsed, needles and kunai hammered into his head like a full pincushion. "Who…?" Sakura looked above them and saw the pair of piercing Sharingan stare at her, then disappear. That wasn't Sasuke-kun's…then who…?
"I-Ino-chan…" coughed Shikamaru. Sakura turned to the shinobi, dying on the ground with his blonde counterpart in his arms. He stroked her hair, knowing full well that Ino probably couldn't hear him. "Aishiteru…I love you…"
"Shika…Domou…" Ino sputtered. She rubbed noses with him and whispered, "I love you too…" Ino then turned to Sakura, who sat, crying. "T-Take care of Sasuke-kun and don't hurt yourself anymore…" Her eyes draped closed, collapsing into Shikamaru, who kissed her forehead and soon passed quietly.
"Ino!" Sakura cried, letting the entire world know that her best friend was gone. She felt warm arms wrap around her, and allowed herself to sink into his body. Sasuke, held her tight, letting her melt into him as she drenched his shirt. "Sakura…"
"Sasuke-kun…She's gone! She promised to teach me flower arrangement and everything!" she pounded his chest with one shirt and grasped his shirt in another. Sasuke didn't really care, for the only thought on his mind was, how long would this last? How long until she leaves me alone? Will I be alone after this?
"Good morning, little warriors! It is I, the great Orochimaru! Here is the order of deaths, starting from the early hours! Boy #1: Uzumaki Naruto! Boy #8: Akimichi Chouji! Boy #3: Yakushi Kabuto! Girl #1: Yamanaka Ino! Boy #9 Nara Shikamaru! Not bad, not bad, but I know you can do better! Danger zones for this period are: 6 AM; D-1, C-5, and E-8 and 8 AM; A-3, F-9, I-3. Got that? Good luck and keep up the good work! Ganbatte!"
Sasuke hastily scribbled down the danger zone locations on his map and emptied the deceased's bags into his own. "Sakura, hurry up. We've got less than five minutes to get out of here before this area becomes a danger zone."
"Sasuke…how many of us are going to die next?" She asked emptily. Her tears choked her throat, which explained the hushed voice.
"I don't know. I've got Ino's stuff, so reminisce later. Come on." He supported her; lifting her onto his shoulder and getting her on his back. Though the burden was a heavy load, he didn't care, just as long as they got out safely. "Talk to me later." Sakura nodded slightly. "Good."
Again, gomen. I'm sleepy now, since it's past midnight. Good night. hugs her Sasuke and Itachi plushies
Urusai – it can mean loud or annoying, but in slang, it means, "shut up."
Girls:
#1 Yamanaka Ino – K.I.A.
#2 Ten-Ten
#3 Haruno Sakura
#4 Hyuuga Hinata
Boys:#1 Uzumaki Naruto – K.I.A.
#2 Kisame
#3 Yakushi Kabuto – K.I.A.
#4 Aburame Shino
#5 Hyuuga Neji
#6 Gaara
#7 Rock Lee
#8 Akimichi Chouji – K.I.A.
#9 Nara Shikamaru – K.I.A.
#10 Inuzuka Kiba
#11 Uchiha Sasuke
#12 Uchiha Itachi
Day #1: (Boy #1 Uzumaki Naruto)
Boy #8 Akimichi Chouji
Boy #3 Yakushi Kabuto
Girl #1 Yamanaka Ino
Boy #9 Nara Shikamaru
11 students remaining
2 days, 17 hours left