A/N: Ah, I'm sorry it took so long to post this. I would have yesterday, but a friend was
over and he needed to use the computer. I'll try to be more prompt next time.
Here's Part 2.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, never have, never will. I only own this story and its
specifics.
ARCHIVE: Go ahead, just drop me a line.
GUIDE
"Blah" - spoken
Blah - thoughts / emphasis
Blah - emphasis in a thought
-Blah- - sound effect
- scene change
..::::.. - not in this chapter
Part Two: Realization
"Grandmama! Are you here? Grandmama!" Sakura called out, entering the old
house. It was only a few blocks down the road from her own, but Sakura left early,
knowing that she would be up.
"I'm out back, dear!" Sakura walked to the back of the house and out onto the
porch. Her grandmother was turning the soil in her garden. "Hello, dear! Why aren't you
with your team?"
"We just came back from a mission, so Kakashi-sensei gave us a few days off,"
she replied. Well, it's the truth. Mostly.
"I see. So what brings you out to your old fogey of a grandmother?"
"Grandmama!" Sakura scolded. "You're not an old fogey!"
"I'm not? Oh no, I'll have to send back my membership card," she said. Sakura
laughed and her grandmother joined her on the porch. "So why are you here, then?"
"Well, Mama and I was talking last night, and I told her I wanted to become
stronger. She said if I was sure I wanted to do it, then to come her. She said you could
help me," Sakura explained. Her grandmother smiled wistfully and sighed.
"I had wondered if this day would ever come," she said. "Come on inside, dear,
it's much cooler." Sakura followed her into the kitchen and accepted a glass of cold ice
tea gratefully. "Now, tell me everything."
"I want to be stronger. I'm tired of having to be constantly protected by my
teammates because I'm unable to defend myself," she said.
"Oh? Is that all?" Sakura shook her head.
"No. I didn't tell Mama this, but I don't just want to be a competant nin, I want to
be a good one. I know I'll never be any where near Sasuke or Naruto's level, but I want to
get as close as I can. I want to strive to be the best I can possibly be, and even if that
means I only make it to chuunin, then so be it; but I want to try for jounin. I want to... I
want everyone to respect me, not protect me."
"Well, then, dear, if what you have told me is true, and I believe it is, the time has
come to learn about the origins of your clan."
"Origins? What do you mean?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Have you ever been to the attic?"
"Er, no, I haven't. I didn't even know you had an attic."
"Well, come child, there's some things you need to see." Sakura followed her
grandmother to the guest bedroom. There she took a picture off the wall and tapped the
wood beneath it. Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin when a stair case fell from the
ceiling. Her grandmother smiled at her reaction. "I did the same thing when your
grandfather first showed me. I swear he kept trying to give me a heart attack."
Sakura smiled and followed her grandmother slowly up the staircase. It creaked,
but appeared sturdy. I've should've known. Mama always said her father was good with
his hands, Sakura mused. The attic was pitched, and was only tall enough to stand up in
at the center. It wasn't overly large, maybe thirty feet long and about twenty feet wide. It
was musty, and Sakura sneezed.
"Whew! I haven't been up here since your grandfather died," her grandmother
said.
"But that was before I was born!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Oh, it's been fourteen years at least," she replied. "Now where is it...? Oh, there
it is!"
Suddenly light flooded the previously dark room. There weren't any windows, or
at least none Sakura could see, since the walls were packed with old chests and trunks.
Everything was so dusty that it looked like it all had been painted brown. Sakura started
to sneeze again, but it stopped. She shook the tingling after-feeling. I hate it when that
happens.
"Much better," her grandmother said. "Now, which trunk was it?"
They spent the next ten minutes opening trunks. Sakura came across clothes,
trinkets, even her grandfather's old ANBU uniform, but none of it was what her
grandmother was looking for. Eventually, there was only one trunk left.
"It's always in the last place you look..." she commented as they opened it. Sakura
looked inside and was confused by what she saw. "Armor? Old rusty kunai? Grandmama,
I don't understand. What does this junk have to deal with the clan origins?"
"It's not junk, dear. It's the armor and weapons of our founder. Here, help lift it
out," her grandmother told her. They set the ensemble out in front of the trunk.
"It's so small; he must not have been a very large man," Sakura said. To her
surprise, her grandmother laughed.
"That's the problem these days, founders and leaders are always men! Well,
except for our newly appointed Lady Hokage," she said. "Our founder was no man,
Sakura. She was a strong, powerful woman who led entire armies into battle. Her name
was Inutsuge, and she was of a clan so ancient that no one, not even in her day, knew
from whence they came."
"Wow," Sakura said, knowing it sounded lame, but it was all she could say.
"She was the pride of her clan, whose name is not known, and they treated her as
such a powerful heir should. Until one day, she was cast out of the clan."
"What happened?"
"Why, she fell in love, of course! With a handsome local man who smart as well
as strong. He was perfect, except for he was of a lower class. You see, back then, one
didn't marry outside their class-- no exceptions. Some clans still practice that, like the
Hyuugas. Others, like the Uchihas, have gotten over it and allow their children, for the
most part, to marry whom they choose. Your teammate Sasuke, for example; his mother
was not of high birth, but his father was."
"I see. So what happened to her?"
"Well, as the legend goes, she had run off and secretly married the young man.
When her father found out, he was furious, and banished her from the clan. She, however,
did not regret her actions in the slightest. Instead, she worked her way up to commander
the hard way, and soon had quite the reputation of a warrior in battle. She had several
victories under her command, and soon the men were begging to be led by her. Such a
strong woman was rare in those days, if they existed at all.
She lived a full life under the name Haruno Inutsuge, taking the name from her
favorite season; the same season in which she was cast out of the clan. It is said that she
often called it her rebirth, much like the spring is the rebirth after winter," her
grandmother explained.
"Wait, why didn't she take her husband's name?"
"Back then, those of the lower class didn't have clan names usually. Occasionally
one would be taken if they were traveling peddlers, but most didn't bother. They couldn't
read or write them anyhow, and there would be little point to do so."
"Is there more? To the story, I mean."
"Oh, of course, that is only the beginning. Inutsuge had several children, all girls,
who also grew up to be strong women, though not all on the battlefield. One became a
famous doctor in her time, I believe, and another served a position in the Emperor's court,
an unheard of thing then.
It is also noted that these women inherited more from their mother than just their
strength; they also were blessed with the peculiar abilities of her clan. You see, her clan
had been as prestigious as the Hyuugas or the Uchihas in their heyday, but they were also
greatly feared for their almost supernatural abilities.
Each member of the clan, no matter how far up or down the scale they were, had
mysterious mental capabilities. They developed in different ways; some could predict the
future, other could see the past, and a few could even read minds," she said.
"Woah," Sakura replied. It was a lot to take in. "So your saying I have the blood
of these women flowing through my veins?"
"That is what I am saying, but I'm not yet finished. There is more."
"Tell me!"
"Each of those women also married and had children, creating a large clan rather
quickly. Inutsuge, rememebering her own prejudiced family, allowed her children to
marry any man they chose on one condition-- they had to agree to take their wife's name
as their own, instead of she taking theirs."
"Did Papa?"
"Yes, child, he did, as did your grandfather and great-uncles. Your aunt never
married, but it wasn't because of that. She was just too headstrong for her own good," she
said. Sakura smiled. Her aunt had been, if anything, headstrong and stubborn. It would've
taken a strong man to handle her.
"So, just what does all of this mean?"
"It means, Sakura, that if you truly want to become stronger, you have the blood to
do it. The legend also says that before she died, Inutsuge said that she would return one
day, her spirit reincarnated into a descendent, born on her birthday one thousand years
later. There is a possibility, child, that you have her spirit within you."
"What?! Are you saying I'm her and she's me?!" Sakura asked, amazed at this.
"Not quite, but yes. You have not the same soul; you are two very different
individuals. It is her spirit, her will and determination, that resides within you. I have seen
you at times, when you let that spirit shine through, and it is an absolute wildfire. You
have the will, child, and now, you have the way," her grandmother said.
"The way? To becoming stronger, you mean?"
"Yes. There are more than a few things about this clan that the rest of world
doesn't know and probably couldn't even begin to understand. We are a matriarchal clan,
our blood, passion, and strength passed from mother to daughter. We have strengths that
few others are privy to, and we are known to surmount great odds by sheer force of will
alone."
"Funny, I don't feel that strong," Sakura said, bitterly.
"Some strengths can be innate, others are learned. I know that you want to become
physically stronger, Sakura, but before you do that, you need to become mentally
stronger. You are a smart girl, and that's great place to start, but you can be much more."
"I don't want to be all brains!"
"Heavens no, child! But once you are mentally ready, you can become physically
ready, and nothing will not be out of your grasp."
Sakura didn't know what to think. She was still absorbing everything that had
been told to her. I'm the descendant of a great female warrior. I have bloodline limits.
I'm the descendant of Inutsuge. I'm... I'm hella powerful! Inner Sakura thought with glee.
Wait 'til the guys hear this!
"You can't tell them."
"What?" Sakura said, looking up. Her grandmother's words echoed through her
head... 'a few could even read minds...'
"I said, you cannot tell your teammates this, not even your sensei. No one can be
told."
"But why?"
"You've seen how this world treats great clans like the Hyuugas and Uchihas;
certain things are expected of them, and they are expected to serve their countries even
more so than a regular nin. We are too willful and perhaps even bear too much pride to
have that happen. You must not speak of your ancestry to anyone."
"I... I understand. I won't. But what shall I tell them when they ask?"
"You're a smart girl, Sakura. You'll think of something. Now, I will give you a
few days to make your decision. Think wisely about it, child; once you start, you can't
stop."
"I will Grandmama. I better get home now," Sakura said, standing. Her
grandmother walked her to the door, where started jogging to her home. "Bye,
Grandmama! See you in a few days!"
Sakura did think about it as wisely as she could. Of course she wanted to jump at
the chance, but she knew better than that. You look before you leap, and this was a big
leap. At first, the only con she could see was hard work. But a trip around the village
observing various people brought another thought to mind. Boys might not like me
because of my strong will, she thought, thinking of her rival for Sasuke's attention, Ino.
She's pretty headstrong herself, and I can't think of any guy that has ever put up with her
for too long, excluding her teammates. Shikamaru is too lazy to care and as long as
Chouji has food, he's happy and could care less. This train of thought didn't appeal to
Sakura that much.
I guess it's a matter of which matters to me more-- attracting the opposite sex or
being strong. In which case, I think the answer is probably obvious, she thought. She had
told herself she would do anything to be stronger; and, it seemed, sacrificing the hope of a
normal social life was included. I want to be stronger, no matter the cost... I won't back
down from this. I've always known that it took hard work to be strong, so I've always
come up with some excuse to tell myself why I wasn't.... I'm a brain, not the brawn... I'm
too smart to fight... I'm... I'm a member of the fairer sex...
Sakura stopped abruptly at that thought. She had excused herself from being
stronger because she was a girl. Girls weren't strong like that, she had told herself. But
it's not true! Inutsuge was a strong woman, in a time when such a thing was frowned
upon. Even now, women like Anko and Kurenai are strong, and I've heard the comments.
She hung her head sadly. I used to believe those comments. Agree with them, even.
Women aren't strong.
She stopped and stared at the sky. It was the most perfect blue sky she had ever
seen; birds flying across it, their wings stretched to the limit, calling out their joy to those
below them. For a moment, Sakura felt as if she was up there flying with them....
I was wrong. Women are strong. I am strong. She looked back down to her path
and began to run.
She reached the bridge that was the usual meeting place of the (in)famous Team 7.
She glanced around, then checked her watch. She wasn't early, so where was Sasuke and
Naruto? She whirled around, hearing the familiar -poof- that accompanied her sensei.
"Ah, Sakura! Good, you're on time," he said, and she swore she could see him
smiling beneath that mask of his.
"Am I dreaming? Kakashi-sensei is actually on time?!" she said, knowing her
voice was reaching a very high pitch. She swallowed, bringing it back to normal.
"Where's the boys?"
"Ah, actually, that's why I'm here. I'm not going to beat around the bush, so I'll
just tell you. Team 7, for the moment at least, no longer exists."
"What are you talking about?"
"Naruto has left to rejoin Jiraiya for further training, and once again, I am going
away from Konoha to teach Sasuke."
Leaving me behind again, are we? Just wait, sensei. I'll have a few surprises in
store for you, she thought, but instead said, "For how long?"
"Honestly, I can't say. A few weeks, a year...? We're on the brink of an all-out
war, Sakura. Nothing for certain, any more," he said candidly. Sakura had to admit, if she
could count on Kakashi for anything, it was his eternal bluntness. "Don't worry, Sakura.
Tsunade has offered to train you, if you wish. She thinks you have great potential."
"Actually..." Sakura started, smiling. "I think I have a better idea. Tell Lady
Hokage that I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to walk another path."
"Another path...?" Kakashi asked, cocking his head a bit. Sakura tried not to
laugh; he looked like Pakkun doing that.
"Naruto has his dream; Sasuke has his revenge. And I... I have my will," she
replied. She started to jog away, waving to him. "Goodbye, Kakashi-sensei! You and
Sasuke take care of yourselves! And stay away from that book!" she said, before
disappearing into the village, leaving a very confused jounin behind.
A/N: And that is the end of Part Two. Yes, I realize I made it more fairy-tale like; it was
both intentional and not. This is a girl's story (no offense to the guys), and I just figured
she'd like it a bit more like a dream come true. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how it is.
Now, a word to my reviewers...
Girl-chama: Ah, thanks! ::blushes:: I did try to make Sakura and her mother close, but
obviously it didn't come off like that. Sorry. I'll try to make it better later on.
Miszy-Anne: ::blushes again:: Thanks. I'm not sure why I threw in Lee-kun and Neji-kun,
I just like those two. And Sakura's mother's reaction to Lee is mine. XD
Maya Amano: Don't worry about short reviews. They're all good in my book, even
flames. ::gives MA thumbs-up:: I didn't use to like Sakura, but then I realized that she
and I had more in common than I cared to admit. ::sweatdrop:: Then I started to like her,
and wrote this. It all worked out.
Poison Death Tree: Thanks, 10/10. (Sorry, couldn't resist. ::grin::)
o0oshortayo0o: ::blushes:: Man, my face is gonna be like this permanently... you guys are
too cool. ::grin::
lildevil: Thankies!
Please, keep reviewin'! Remember, I don't mind flames, and if you would rather E-mail
me, then go ahead. It's listed in my BIO. Just mark it 'Review' in the subject so I won't
accidently delete it.
See ya next time!
over and he needed to use the computer. I'll try to be more prompt next time.
Here's Part 2.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, never have, never will. I only own this story and its
specifics.
ARCHIVE: Go ahead, just drop me a line.
GUIDE
"Blah" - spoken
Blah - thoughts / emphasis
Blah - emphasis in a thought
-Blah- - sound effect
- scene change
..::::.. - not in this chapter
"Grandmama! Are you here? Grandmama!" Sakura called out, entering the old
house. It was only a few blocks down the road from her own, but Sakura left early,
knowing that she would be up.
"I'm out back, dear!" Sakura walked to the back of the house and out onto the
porch. Her grandmother was turning the soil in her garden. "Hello, dear! Why aren't you
with your team?"
"We just came back from a mission, so Kakashi-sensei gave us a few days off,"
she replied. Well, it's the truth. Mostly.
"I see. So what brings you out to your old fogey of a grandmother?"
"Grandmama!" Sakura scolded. "You're not an old fogey!"
"I'm not? Oh no, I'll have to send back my membership card," she said. Sakura
laughed and her grandmother joined her on the porch. "So why are you here, then?"
"Well, Mama and I was talking last night, and I told her I wanted to become
stronger. She said if I was sure I wanted to do it, then to come her. She said you could
help me," Sakura explained. Her grandmother smiled wistfully and sighed.
"I had wondered if this day would ever come," she said. "Come on inside, dear,
it's much cooler." Sakura followed her into the kitchen and accepted a glass of cold ice
tea gratefully. "Now, tell me everything."
"I want to be stronger. I'm tired of having to be constantly protected by my
teammates because I'm unable to defend myself," she said.
"Oh? Is that all?" Sakura shook her head.
"No. I didn't tell Mama this, but I don't just want to be a competant nin, I want to
be a good one. I know I'll never be any where near Sasuke or Naruto's level, but I want to
get as close as I can. I want to strive to be the best I can possibly be, and even if that
means I only make it to chuunin, then so be it; but I want to try for jounin. I want to... I
want everyone to respect me, not protect me."
"Well, then, dear, if what you have told me is true, and I believe it is, the time has
come to learn about the origins of your clan."
"Origins? What do you mean?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Have you ever been to the attic?"
"Er, no, I haven't. I didn't even know you had an attic."
"Well, come child, there's some things you need to see." Sakura followed her
grandmother to the guest bedroom. There she took a picture off the wall and tapped the
wood beneath it. Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin when a stair case fell from the
ceiling. Her grandmother smiled at her reaction. "I did the same thing when your
grandfather first showed me. I swear he kept trying to give me a heart attack."
Sakura smiled and followed her grandmother slowly up the staircase. It creaked,
but appeared sturdy. I've should've known. Mama always said her father was good with
his hands, Sakura mused. The attic was pitched, and was only tall enough to stand up in
at the center. It wasn't overly large, maybe thirty feet long and about twenty feet wide. It
was musty, and Sakura sneezed.
"Whew! I haven't been up here since your grandfather died," her grandmother
said.
"But that was before I was born!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Oh, it's been fourteen years at least," she replied. "Now where is it...? Oh, there
it is!"
Suddenly light flooded the previously dark room. There weren't any windows, or
at least none Sakura could see, since the walls were packed with old chests and trunks.
Everything was so dusty that it looked like it all had been painted brown. Sakura started
to sneeze again, but it stopped. She shook the tingling after-feeling. I hate it when that
happens.
"Much better," her grandmother said. "Now, which trunk was it?"
They spent the next ten minutes opening trunks. Sakura came across clothes,
trinkets, even her grandfather's old ANBU uniform, but none of it was what her
grandmother was looking for. Eventually, there was only one trunk left.
"It's always in the last place you look..." she commented as they opened it. Sakura
looked inside and was confused by what she saw. "Armor? Old rusty kunai? Grandmama,
I don't understand. What does this junk have to deal with the clan origins?"
"It's not junk, dear. It's the armor and weapons of our founder. Here, help lift it
out," her grandmother told her. They set the ensemble out in front of the trunk.
"It's so small; he must not have been a very large man," Sakura said. To her
surprise, her grandmother laughed.
"That's the problem these days, founders and leaders are always men! Well,
except for our newly appointed Lady Hokage," she said. "Our founder was no man,
Sakura. She was a strong, powerful woman who led entire armies into battle. Her name
was Inutsuge, and she was of a clan so ancient that no one, not even in her day, knew
from whence they came."
"Wow," Sakura said, knowing it sounded lame, but it was all she could say.
"She was the pride of her clan, whose name is not known, and they treated her as
such a powerful heir should. Until one day, she was cast out of the clan."
"What happened?"
"Why, she fell in love, of course! With a handsome local man who smart as well
as strong. He was perfect, except for he was of a lower class. You see, back then, one
didn't marry outside their class-- no exceptions. Some clans still practice that, like the
Hyuugas. Others, like the Uchihas, have gotten over it and allow their children, for the
most part, to marry whom they choose. Your teammate Sasuke, for example; his mother
was not of high birth, but his father was."
"I see. So what happened to her?"
"Well, as the legend goes, she had run off and secretly married the young man.
When her father found out, he was furious, and banished her from the clan. She, however,
did not regret her actions in the slightest. Instead, she worked her way up to commander
the hard way, and soon had quite the reputation of a warrior in battle. She had several
victories under her command, and soon the men were begging to be led by her. Such a
strong woman was rare in those days, if they existed at all.
She lived a full life under the name Haruno Inutsuge, taking the name from her
favorite season; the same season in which she was cast out of the clan. It is said that she
often called it her rebirth, much like the spring is the rebirth after winter," her
grandmother explained.
"Wait, why didn't she take her husband's name?"
"Back then, those of the lower class didn't have clan names usually. Occasionally
one would be taken if they were traveling peddlers, but most didn't bother. They couldn't
read or write them anyhow, and there would be little point to do so."
"Is there more? To the story, I mean."
"Oh, of course, that is only the beginning. Inutsuge had several children, all girls,
who also grew up to be strong women, though not all on the battlefield. One became a
famous doctor in her time, I believe, and another served a position in the Emperor's court,
an unheard of thing then.
It is also noted that these women inherited more from their mother than just their
strength; they also were blessed with the peculiar abilities of her clan. You see, her clan
had been as prestigious as the Hyuugas or the Uchihas in their heyday, but they were also
greatly feared for their almost supernatural abilities.
Each member of the clan, no matter how far up or down the scale they were, had
mysterious mental capabilities. They developed in different ways; some could predict the
future, other could see the past, and a few could even read minds," she said.
"Woah," Sakura replied. It was a lot to take in. "So your saying I have the blood
of these women flowing through my veins?"
"That is what I am saying, but I'm not yet finished. There is more."
"Tell me!"
"Each of those women also married and had children, creating a large clan rather
quickly. Inutsuge, rememebering her own prejudiced family, allowed her children to
marry any man they chose on one condition-- they had to agree to take their wife's name
as their own, instead of she taking theirs."
"Did Papa?"
"Yes, child, he did, as did your grandfather and great-uncles. Your aunt never
married, but it wasn't because of that. She was just too headstrong for her own good," she
said. Sakura smiled. Her aunt had been, if anything, headstrong and stubborn. It would've
taken a strong man to handle her.
"So, just what does all of this mean?"
"It means, Sakura, that if you truly want to become stronger, you have the blood to
do it. The legend also says that before she died, Inutsuge said that she would return one
day, her spirit reincarnated into a descendent, born on her birthday one thousand years
later. There is a possibility, child, that you have her spirit within you."
"What?! Are you saying I'm her and she's me?!" Sakura asked, amazed at this.
"Not quite, but yes. You have not the same soul; you are two very different
individuals. It is her spirit, her will and determination, that resides within you. I have seen
you at times, when you let that spirit shine through, and it is an absolute wildfire. You
have the will, child, and now, you have the way," her grandmother said.
"The way? To becoming stronger, you mean?"
"Yes. There are more than a few things about this clan that the rest of world
doesn't know and probably couldn't even begin to understand. We are a matriarchal clan,
our blood, passion, and strength passed from mother to daughter. We have strengths that
few others are privy to, and we are known to surmount great odds by sheer force of will
alone."
"Funny, I don't feel that strong," Sakura said, bitterly.
"Some strengths can be innate, others are learned. I know that you want to become
physically stronger, Sakura, but before you do that, you need to become mentally
stronger. You are a smart girl, and that's great place to start, but you can be much more."
"I don't want to be all brains!"
"Heavens no, child! But once you are mentally ready, you can become physically
ready, and nothing will not be out of your grasp."
Sakura didn't know what to think. She was still absorbing everything that had
been told to her. I'm the descendant of a great female warrior. I have bloodline limits.
I'm the descendant of Inutsuge. I'm... I'm hella powerful! Inner Sakura thought with glee.
Wait 'til the guys hear this!
"You can't tell them."
"What?" Sakura said, looking up. Her grandmother's words echoed through her
head... 'a few could even read minds...'
"I said, you cannot tell your teammates this, not even your sensei. No one can be
told."
"But why?"
"You've seen how this world treats great clans like the Hyuugas and Uchihas;
certain things are expected of them, and they are expected to serve their countries even
more so than a regular nin. We are too willful and perhaps even bear too much pride to
have that happen. You must not speak of your ancestry to anyone."
"I... I understand. I won't. But what shall I tell them when they ask?"
"You're a smart girl, Sakura. You'll think of something. Now, I will give you a
few days to make your decision. Think wisely about it, child; once you start, you can't
stop."
"I will Grandmama. I better get home now," Sakura said, standing. Her
grandmother walked her to the door, where started jogging to her home. "Bye,
Grandmama! See you in a few days!"
Sakura did think about it as wisely as she could. Of course she wanted to jump at
the chance, but she knew better than that. You look before you leap, and this was a big
leap. At first, the only con she could see was hard work. But a trip around the village
observing various people brought another thought to mind. Boys might not like me
because of my strong will, she thought, thinking of her rival for Sasuke's attention, Ino.
She's pretty headstrong herself, and I can't think of any guy that has ever put up with her
for too long, excluding her teammates. Shikamaru is too lazy to care and as long as
Chouji has food, he's happy and could care less. This train of thought didn't appeal to
Sakura that much.
I guess it's a matter of which matters to me more-- attracting the opposite sex or
being strong. In which case, I think the answer is probably obvious, she thought. She had
told herself she would do anything to be stronger; and, it seemed, sacrificing the hope of a
normal social life was included. I want to be stronger, no matter the cost... I won't back
down from this. I've always known that it took hard work to be strong, so I've always
come up with some excuse to tell myself why I wasn't.... I'm a brain, not the brawn... I'm
too smart to fight... I'm... I'm a member of the fairer sex...
Sakura stopped abruptly at that thought. She had excused herself from being
stronger because she was a girl. Girls weren't strong like that, she had told herself. But
it's not true! Inutsuge was a strong woman, in a time when such a thing was frowned
upon. Even now, women like Anko and Kurenai are strong, and I've heard the comments.
She hung her head sadly. I used to believe those comments. Agree with them, even.
Women aren't strong.
She stopped and stared at the sky. It was the most perfect blue sky she had ever
seen; birds flying across it, their wings stretched to the limit, calling out their joy to those
below them. For a moment, Sakura felt as if she was up there flying with them....
I was wrong. Women are strong. I am strong. She looked back down to her path
and began to run.
She reached the bridge that was the usual meeting place of the (in)famous Team 7.
She glanced around, then checked her watch. She wasn't early, so where was Sasuke and
Naruto? She whirled around, hearing the familiar -poof- that accompanied her sensei.
"Ah, Sakura! Good, you're on time," he said, and she swore she could see him
smiling beneath that mask of his.
"Am I dreaming? Kakashi-sensei is actually on time?!" she said, knowing her
voice was reaching a very high pitch. She swallowed, bringing it back to normal.
"Where's the boys?"
"Ah, actually, that's why I'm here. I'm not going to beat around the bush, so I'll
just tell you. Team 7, for the moment at least, no longer exists."
"What are you talking about?"
"Naruto has left to rejoin Jiraiya for further training, and once again, I am going
away from Konoha to teach Sasuke."
Leaving me behind again, are we? Just wait, sensei. I'll have a few surprises in
store for you, she thought, but instead said, "For how long?"
"Honestly, I can't say. A few weeks, a year...? We're on the brink of an all-out
war, Sakura. Nothing for certain, any more," he said candidly. Sakura had to admit, if she
could count on Kakashi for anything, it was his eternal bluntness. "Don't worry, Sakura.
Tsunade has offered to train you, if you wish. She thinks you have great potential."
"Actually..." Sakura started, smiling. "I think I have a better idea. Tell Lady
Hokage that I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to walk another path."
"Another path...?" Kakashi asked, cocking his head a bit. Sakura tried not to
laugh; he looked like Pakkun doing that.
"Naruto has his dream; Sasuke has his revenge. And I... I have my will," she
replied. She started to jog away, waving to him. "Goodbye, Kakashi-sensei! You and
Sasuke take care of yourselves! And stay away from that book!" she said, before
disappearing into the village, leaving a very confused jounin behind.
A/N: And that is the end of Part Two. Yes, I realize I made it more fairy-tale like; it was
both intentional and not. This is a girl's story (no offense to the guys), and I just figured
she'd like it a bit more like a dream come true. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how it is.
Now, a word to my reviewers...
Girl-chama: Ah, thanks! ::blushes:: I did try to make Sakura and her mother close, but
obviously it didn't come off like that. Sorry. I'll try to make it better later on.
Miszy-Anne: ::blushes again:: Thanks. I'm not sure why I threw in Lee-kun and Neji-kun,
I just like those two. And Sakura's mother's reaction to Lee is mine. XD
Maya Amano: Don't worry about short reviews. They're all good in my book, even
flames. ::gives MA thumbs-up:: I didn't use to like Sakura, but then I realized that she
and I had more in common than I cared to admit. ::sweatdrop:: Then I started to like her,
and wrote this. It all worked out.
Poison Death Tree: Thanks, 10/10. (Sorry, couldn't resist. ::grin::)
o0oshortayo0o: ::blushes:: Man, my face is gonna be like this permanently... you guys are
too cool. ::grin::
lildevil: Thankies!
Please, keep reviewin'! Remember, I don't mind flames, and if you would rather E-mail
me, then go ahead. It's listed in my BIO. Just mark it 'Review' in the subject so I won't
accidently delete it.
See ya next time!