A/N: I hope this is a bit more prompt. ::grin:: I'm glad so many of you liked this!
At the end, I will once again answer reviewers, plus I have a little info you might like.
Here's Part 3!
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 Three: The Awakening
"Grandmama? I have decided," Sakura said. She was in her grandmother's
kitchen, drinking hot tea. It was the morning after her talk with Kakashi.
"Yes, dear?"
"I will walk the path of my ancestor. I know what it will mean, but I have weighed
it against the strength I will gain and found it lacking. I will succeed as the descendant
and reincarnated spirit of Inutsuge." Her grandmother looked at her through old sly eyes.
"Very well-spoken. How long did you practice that?"
"About three hours."
"Not bad. Not bad at all," she said, smiling. Her expression then grew serious. "I
know that you are honest in your decision and have no doubt of it. I know you understand
the long, hard road that you must travel in order to reach your goal. However, I also know
if anyone can do it, then you can."
"Thank you," Sakura whispered, trying to hide the blush from receiving such
praise.
"Come, we shall begin today. I will teach you a few simple mental exercises--
depending on how fast you master them, we will see just where to begin."
It had started with that. A few simple mental exercises. It was almost hard for
Sakura to grasp, but of course, she did.
She may not have been the most avid supporter of the stress it involved, but she
was dedicated and did not stray from the rigid schedule she imposed on herself. She
would spend her days meditating, focusing her mental prowess, and her nights at the
library or in her grandmother's attic, trying to discover everything she could about her
ancestry. She ate it up and, surprising even her grandmother, memorized every single
detail she came across. She learned absolutely everything she could her hands on, feeding
her intelligence and thirst for knowledge, not just about her ancestry, but about anything.
That schedule had lasted the first few months. By then, war had broken out, and
she knew that it would a long time, years possibly, before she would ever lay eyes on her
teammates again. It made her heart ache, but also made her even more determined. She
would prove to them and to herself that she was not weak.
After that, her schedule slowly began to include physical aspects. She pushed
herself to the limit every day, often to her mother's chagrine. It wasn't that she didn't like
what her daughter was doing, Sakura knew, it was because she was worried. Sakura
would often stagger in the door, late at night, completely exhausted. More than once her
mother had discovered her fast asleep on the couch, still in her training clothes.
And it was over that first year she first began to realize just what her mental
ability was. She knew things. No rhyme, no reason, she just knew things without
question. It wasn't a constant thing, but she kept practicing at it, and soon was able to call
on it almost whenever she needed it. Or didn't; sometimes it would come to her
unbidden. She had tried to find out what ability Inutsuge had, but it was apparently lost to
history.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at some of the ironies of her clan. All members
had the name of a flower-- her grandmother, Neguiri; her mother, Yuri; herself, and of
course, Inutsuge. 'It is a tradition in an untraditional clan,' her grandmother had said.
Another thing was that jutsus and other things pertaining to the clan all had something to
do with flowers or nature.
It was halfway through her second year that two things happened: she began to
create her own jutsus, and she discovered an old scroll stuffed in the satin lining of one of
the trunks. The scroll was old, older than other ones she had previously come across. She
carefully unrolled it, mindful of its brittleness, and read. It was a pivotal moment; in the
scroll was the handwritten account of battle led by Inutsuge by one of her soldiers.
"And like a hawk after its prey, she fell screaming from the sky at the enemy,
slashing her katana through their flesh..." she read. She blinked and read it again, just to
make sure she was reading it correctly. She felt an urge to run and show this to her
grandmother, but something told her not to.... The same something that often gave her the
hidden knowledge of the mind.
Carefully, she folded the scroll and placed it back into its hiding place. She tried
to put it out of mind, but those words had stirred something within her, and for once, she
didn't know what it was.
Scroll or no scroll, though, her training continued, intensifying. Her grandmother
told her to go to a field and there remain until she could feel the breath of everything
around her; hear the beating of everything's rhythm. A moment of incredulousness passed
by her, but she obeyed.
She walked the farthest away from the village proper as was allowed, choosing a
secluded meadow near a stream. She found a comfortable place and let herself drift into
her state of meditation, recalling her grandmother's words: You have gone far in this
state, child, but you must go further. Don't try and force yourself, just let yourself flow in
the stream of subconsciousness. Let it take you to where you wish to be. Don't force it,
just let go...
And slowly, it began. A low, long -tha-thump-tha-thump-. She wanted to dig
further, but she restrained herself. She let it come to her, easing its way towards her.
Soon, she could hear it distinctly. It was almost like a heartbeat, soothing and warm. She
let it surround her, envelop her in its waves. It was flowing around her, but something
was missing. She began to worry, and slowly the stream slipped away. She was panicking
now, but she heard grandmother again: Don't force it, just let go...
Sakura did. She banished all fear, worry, and panic from herself, mind and body,
and let all of it go. The stream came back, and this time, it consumed her.
When Sakura next awoke, she was laying down in the meadow. The sun shone
brightly overhead, birds where singing, and the wind whispered in the trees. She blinked
slowly, still under the effects of the meditation. After a moment, she pushed herself up
from the earth onto her knees. She felt pulsating, like breathing in and out, and looked at
her hand rested upon the earth. She pulled it away and the pulsating lessened, but she
could still feel it... hear it...
She looked around and where the meadow had once been grass, there was flowers.
All kinds, all colors, and the intensity of those colors was overwhelming. All of the color,
everywhere around her, was so pure and so vibrant. She felt the air murmur in her ears,
laughing and telling her secrets. She couldn't help but laugh with it. It sang, calling her to
her feet. She stood and began to run and dance through the meadow, laughing. The world
was singing to her and she sang back, laughing and singing her joy.
She danced over to the stream, and the water was so pure and clear, shining
brilliantly in the sunlight. She took some into her hand and drank, she was so thirsty! It
was absolutely wonderful! She stood and returned to the meadow, singing as loudly as
she could.
What is your name? the wind asked.
Sakura! My name is Sakura! she sang back.
The wind began to blow slightly harder, and suddenly she was surrounded by the
pink cherry blossoms she was named after. They whirled around her, as did she them,
continuing to sing and laugh until she felt herself drawn back down to the earth. She laid
down in a bed of blossoms, feeling happy and at rest.
Sleep, the wind said. Sleep, Sakura.
And she did.
The next morning, she awoke, and the lovely vision was gone; but she could still
hear the whispering of the wind and the beating of the earth. She smiled. She would go
home now, but never would she forget her experience here.
On the way home, she realized she always felt the earth and its rhythm. Mother
Earth and her rhythm. She found it in everything-- nature, man, and beast. It called to her,
like her favorite song playing gently; a soundtrack of life. When she reached her house,
she opened the front door and walked in.
"Mama?" she called out.
"Sakura? Is that you? Oh, Sakura!" her mother said, rushing into the foyer and
gathering her daughter in her arms.
"Mama... I need to breathe," she said, laughing. Her mother let her go and looked
at her, tears in her eyes.
"Oh Sakura, it's so good to have you back again! We were so worried!" she said.
Sakura was hugged again, this time by her grandmother.
"See, daughter? I knew she would make it! She has the spirit!" her grandmother
said, giving a slightly smug look at her daughter.
"Oh, you were as concerned as I after she didn't return!" her mother replied.
"Didn't return? I've only been gone a day," she said, confused at all of the
emotion.
"Nay, child, you haven't. You've been gone almost six months," her grandmother
said.
"Six...? Are you sure?" Sakura asked, dumbfounded.
"Quite sure, dear. I don't forget six months of sleepness nights worried about your
safety. I was afraid that you had been captured or..." she trailed off, then smiled. "But you
are back, safely, and that is all that matters, now."
"And she can resume her training!" her grandmother said firmly.
"But Mother, she's only just returned!" her mother said, but Sakura knew it was
no use. Her grandmother was stubborn, especially about training. For some reason,
though, Sakura wasn't upset about it.
Her training did, indeed, continue. Her grandmother later confided to her that her
adventure outward had actually been a test, and she passed with flying colors. Had she
not, and nature had rejected her, she would be forced to stop and forget everything she
learned, as several of her ancestors had found out the hard way. But she passed, and thus
began the last part of her training.
She had conquered the mental half; now was time for the physical. Granted, she
had been concentrating on the physical aspect for quite some time now, but it was merely
the basics, so said her grandmother. It was now time to exceed beyond that. At first,
Sakura was worried that she wouldn't live up to the standards her grandmother set her,
but soon, she found that she met them consistently.
It had finally sunk in. She was no longer weak.
And while most nights she was positively exhausted from her training, she began
to take interest in a few hobbies. Namely, some 'occult' hobbies. She bought a Tarot deck
and studied astrology. She was, as in most of her subjects, a quick study, and soon was
doing readings for her mother and grandmother. They were uncannily accurate and soon
she trusted her deck as much as she did her own innate knowledge.
Six months later, halfway through her third year, her grandmother told her she had
learned everything she could possibly be taught by her. As a gift for completing her
training, she signed Sakura up for the jounin exams.
"But-but-but... you need a jounin backing you to do that! And you have to be a
chuunin!" she protested. Her grandmother raised her hand, silencing her.
"I am aware of that, however, in lieu of the war and decrease of jounins, the
chuunins-only rule has been lifted. And you have not only a jounin backing you, but two
jounins and a sennin."
"Two jounins and a sennin...? You mean Kurenai, Anko, and Lady Hokage?!"
"Yes. I informed them of your will and determination; all three of them are eager
to see what you've got," her grandmother said, the smile reaching her eyes.
"When is the exam?" Sakura asked, eager to finally show everyone-- and herself--
her newfound strength.
"Oh, today," her grandmother said offhandedly. "At noon at the same arena where
you had your Chuunin Exam."
"NOON?! THAT'S LESS THAN AN HOUR AWAY!" Sakura nearly screamed,
getting ready to bolt.
"Oh, Sakura?"
"Yes?" she asked, in a hurry to get down the arena.
"Go get 'em, girl!" her grandmother replied, winking. Sakura smiled and ran to
the arena. She arrived, breathing heavily.
"Cutting it close a bit, aren't we?" Anko asked.
"You're wearing that for your exam?" asked Kurenai, raising an eyebrow at
Sakura's torn sweatpants and old tanktop.
"I didn't have to time to change... my grandmother just told me about this ten
minutes ago..." Kurenai and Anko exchanged a look of understanding.
"Well, c'mon, girl! You need to show these hotshot men what you're made of!"
Anko said, nearly dragging her inside.
This is going to be interesting, Sakura thought, and it was. She was up first (her
grandmother's doing, she was sure) and her opponent was not just any jounin, but a
ANBU member and hunter-nin to boot. She didn't catch his name and didn't want to. The
less personal it was, the less personal it would become, and that's the way she liked it.
They started out with the usual basic moves first, getting a feel for the other. This
guy had a scruffy brown hair and eyes that seemed to constantly look bored. He had on a
cocky grin, and Sakura knew he was going to 'take it easy on her'; they all did. An
advantage begging her to take it.
He charged at her, and she began to counter attack, but something wasn't right. He
had no rhythm-- he was a clone. She merely dodged his attack and quickly sent her mind
out to scan and find his hiding place. He must've sensed this, because she was suddenly
surround by clones, all gearing up to charge at her, kunai in hand.
"Haruno Style, Rose Whip!" she said, forming the chakra in her hand.
She spun around quickly, and the whip, full of thorns, lashed out; the clones were
destroyed in various puffs of smoke. When she stopped, the whip snapped back to her. If
she felt the need to, she could use her chakra to keep it in place, but she felt that she had
proved her point this time. The jounin reappeared some distance in front of her. She could
his rhythm, -tha-thump-tha-thump-....
Without warning, she charged, seals forming quickly in hand. Her mind had
spoken to her and she would listen. He was going to try and attack from behind. She
knew he was fast, faster than she was; she understood his plan, and pretended to fall for
it. She focused on his rhythm, and at the last possible second, she felt it vanish. She threw
herself into a 180 and attacked.
"Sakura Style, Bloody Thorns!" she cried out, throwing her hands out. Long,
deadly thorns, similar to acupuncture needles, shot out of her hand at the jounin. He
dodged most, but a few hit him in the arm and side. He winced, but remained standing.
Sakura didn't wait, and had the seals almost finished by the time he stopped. "Sakura
Style, Pollen Dust!"
She had to give him credit-- he dodged that attack completely. There was
definitely a reason he was jounin. If he hadn't, he would've been knocked out or at least
woozy and blinded, depending on how strong his resistance was. He attacked again,
calling up the earth to drag her down. She smiled; two could play this game.
She moved out of the way of the reaching earth and had called out the jutsu before
she even landed.
"Haruno Style, Draining Earth Vines!" she called out.
As she landed, she watched with humor in her eyes as the jounin was trapped by
the multitude of vines that latched onto him, draining a good bit of his chakra. It was only
a temporary fix, though, and took no little amount of her chakra as well. It was worth it
though, in a fight like this. The jounin was absolutely livid by now, and she knew he
would come at her with everything he was worth.
Now is my chance to show you all that I am no longer that weak child, she
thought, her eyes alight with determination.
He attacked again, no jutsu this time, pure hand-to-hand combat. She let her
instincts guide her, and while she wasn't making any progress, she wasn't losing an inch
of ground, either. I need to move beyond this. It's time to pull out all the stops. She
backflipped away from her opponent and cut her palm with a kunai. She formed the seals
and pressed her bloodied hand to the earth.
"Sakura Style, Mother Earth Blood Sacrifice!"
At first, nothing happened. Well, nothing that anyone but Sakura could sense. The
rhythm of the earth had quickened, creating a gentle rumbling. Her opponent looked at
her oddly, crouched on the ground, palm bleeding onto the dirt floor, but she merely
smiled. He glared and began to run towards her, but she didn't move. Merely feet away
from her, the earth tore up beneath him, creating a fissure that ran the entire width of the
arena. It was only his speed that saved him, and he managed to run up the side of the
fissure before falling to far.
"MATCH OVER! CANCEL THAT JUTSU ALREADY!" cried the "referee"--
another jounin designated to watch the match and keep an eye on things. Sakura kept
smiling and lifted her bloody hand from the earth. Just as soon as it appeared, the fissure
vanished, as if it had never been there.
"You..." her opponent said. She didn't fight back as he grabbed her and held a
kunai to her throat. "You tried to kill me!"
"No..." Sakura said softly. "You're own misjudgement tried to kill you. You
thought I was weak. You know better now."
And with that, she dissolved into cherry blossoms in his hands.
She had, to put it simply, aced her jounin test. To celebrate, Kurenai and Anko
took her shopping for everything-- from clothes to kunai-- and then joined her mother,
grandmother, and of all people, the Lady Hokage herself, at Konoha's most prestigious
restaurant for dinner. She remembered thinking it was certainly a far cry from the
Ichikaru, which had been her main staple other than a meal at home.
In fact, as she was informed of that night by Tsunade, she did so well, they were
immediately placing her as commander of a new squadron. Sakura had been barely able
to contain herself then, and now, facing meeting her new squad in a few hours, she
couldn't sit still or even think straight. She kept pacing the floor of her bedroom, and she
wondered idly if there would be a permanent rut or not.
Go to your grandmother's, her mind told her. She walked out, picked up her
house key, pulled on her shoes, and was out the door.
Just as she reached out to open the front door, it opened for her. It was her
grandmother.
"Ah, Sakura! I knew you would be here. Come, child, I have a gift for you," her
grandmother said, holding the door open for her.
"I'm not late for it, am I?" Sakura replied, only half-joking.
"No, dear, you are right on time!" her grandmother told her, and led her to the
living room. There, on the floor, was a rather large package, wrapped in a floral print and
a large, old-fashioned pink bow. "Go on, open it."
Sakura walked over and kneeled in front of the package. It was wrapped so lovely
that she didn't want to tear into it. Slowly, though, she reached out and carefully undid
the bow; next, she gently pulled the paper away, preserving it as much as she could.
Underneath was a plain white box with a lid. She just stared, finding herself hesitant to
open it.
"Go on," her grandmother urged.
Sakura cautiously reached out and lifted the lid a few inches. She peeked inside,
and saw the light of room glinting of something. She let the lid fall from her hands, the
wonder of what was inside was revealed.
It was Inutsuge's armor, the one they had dug out of the attic two and half years
ago. It had been restored to its former glory, shining brilliantly. Sakura didn't bother to
blink away the tears forming in her eyes. She jumped up and hugged her grandmother,
nearly weeping with delight.
"Thank you!" she managed to choke out.
"You have earned it, child. You truly are the spirit of Inutsuge, and I know she is
proud of you," her grandmother said, letting her go. She smiled at her granddaughter.
"Come, dear, we need to fix your hair."
Sakura couldn't help but laugh.
She smiled as she thought back on that scene from a few hours before. She was
pacing again and biting her nails. She only ever did that when she was nervous or
worried, and she both now.
She was in a side room, waiting for her squad to fully assemble in the meeting
room. She didn't know who any of them were yet, and she wondered if it would be
anyone she knew. Ow, she thought. She looked down at her thumb, where the nail was
bitten down to the quick; she had just tried to take a bite out of her own flesh. She sighed
and began pacing again.
Sakura knew she was probably quite the unique figure. She wore the armor of
Inutsuge, and had been only mildly surprised that it was a perfect fit. She was wearing a
simple black "suit" underneath it all, which included a chest plate; arm protectors; leg
protectors; and 'pelvic' plates, as she had dubbed them. The chest plate was short, as it
ended a few inches underneath her breasts, but being as such it allowed her full mobility
of her waist. The arm protectors were lashed to each forearm with ties, as was the leg
protectors that were tied around her calves. The pelvic plates tied together at her hips,
creating a shield around her more private areas. Each plate was about twice as long as it
was wide.
All in all, the armor was surprisingly light and beautiful. She hadn't noticed it
when it was covered in rust and dirt from the years, but now she couldn't miss it--
intricately inlaid was the design of a flower she didn't recognize, but deemed beautiful
anyhow. She had been worried that it would be loud, something a nin could definitely not
afford to be, but it was silent. The glint had even lessened, as if she had willed it to and it
had responded.
It wasn't just her armor that was different, however. When her grandmother had
said about fixing her hair, she could never have imagined what would come of it. Her
hair, which had grown to her waist, was abstrusely braided; several little braids had been
made around her head, which had been pulled back with the rest of her hair and braided
into a long, thick braid that reached her mid-back. It had been tied with a ribbon her
grandmother had given her as a child. She also had two loose pieces of hair framing her
face.
She was armored, braided, ladened with weapons, and was ready for anything....
Except this.
"Sakura?" She looked up and saw Kurenai in the doorway. "They're waiting."
"I'm coming," she replied. She took a deep breath, banished her worries from her
mind, and walked through the door....
Right into three faces she hadn't seen in two and half years.
A/N: I didn't translate the jutsus because, simply, my Japanese is so very bad and I'm a
bit of a perfectionist. ::shrug:: I hope you guys don't mind too much.
Before I answer the reviewers, here's a bit of info I think you might like.
I gave Sakura's family members all names of flowers, but the flowers also have certain
meanings as well. The format is name -- flower -- meaning.
Inutsuge -- Japanese holly -- foresight, defense, domestic happiness
Neguiri -- allium -- unity, humility, and patience
Yuri -- day lily -- Chinese emblem for mother
Another bit of information pertains to Sakura's jutsus. Most of these I made up out of thin
air, elaborated on, or are a sort-of dedication.
Rose Whip -- my dedication to Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho
Bloody Thorns -- thin air
Pollen Dust -- thin air, though I did have the troll dust from 10th Kingdom vaguely in
mind
Draining Earth Vines -- a sort-of dedication to Naraku from Inu Yasha
Mother Earth Blood Sacrifice -- I figured since Naruto has Rasengan and Sasuke has
Chidori, why not give Sakura a sort of "ultimate" jutsu?
There will be some more jutsus coming up in the next chapter, as well as the truth behind
that scroll.
Also, that meadow sequence was a nod to Wolf's Rain and Cheza, and the armor is
loosely based on Sango's from Inu Yasha.
Now, onto the reviewer answers!
Miszy-Anne: Thanks, really. This chapter, I think, was a bit rushed, but it turned out good.
Cuito: Thanks!
Poison Death Tree: Yet again, thanks. I really appreciate it.
Shiroi Hikari: Here you go! Enjoy!
Destiny1029: Hope you liked this chapter!
Solita: It was, wasn't it? I'm glad you thought it was written well! ::grin::
insert catchy name here: (I like that, BTW.) It is, isn't it? I just hope she does for real.
SamuruSa==> Lazy: Well, here you go.
Sleeping Child: Oh, she shows them alright, but that's next chapter! ::grin::
Maya Amano: 1) Thank you! 2) I really need to update that site, but I don't even know if
the series is still around. 3) Chiru's link is on my site (I'm pretty sure). 4) I'm glad you
like the clan story. And 5) I'm from the United States. Pennsylvania, specifically.
animEvivvErz: Nah, no need to do that! Though it would liven things up around here....
Well, thank you all for your reviews! See you next time!
At the end, I will once again answer reviewers, plus I have a little info you might like.
Here's Part 3!
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? I have decided," Sakura said. She was in her grandmother's
kitchen, drinking hot tea. It was the morning after her talk with Kakashi.
"Yes, dear?"
"I will walk the path of my ancestor. I know what it will mean, but I have weighed
it against the strength I will gain and found it lacking. I will succeed as the descendant
and reincarnated spirit of Inutsuge." Her grandmother looked at her through old sly eyes.
"Very well-spoken. How long did you practice that?"
"About three hours."
"Not bad. Not bad at all," she said, smiling. Her expression then grew serious. "I
know that you are honest in your decision and have no doubt of it. I know you understand
the long, hard road that you must travel in order to reach your goal. However, I also know
if anyone can do it, then you can."
"Thank you," Sakura whispered, trying to hide the blush from receiving such
praise.
"Come, we shall begin today. I will teach you a few simple mental exercises--
depending on how fast you master them, we will see just where to begin."
It had started with that. A few simple mental exercises. It was almost hard for
Sakura to grasp, but of course, she did.
She may not have been the most avid supporter of the stress it involved, but she
was dedicated and did not stray from the rigid schedule she imposed on herself. She
would spend her days meditating, focusing her mental prowess, and her nights at the
library or in her grandmother's attic, trying to discover everything she could about her
ancestry. She ate it up and, surprising even her grandmother, memorized every single
detail she came across. She learned absolutely everything she could her hands on, feeding
her intelligence and thirst for knowledge, not just about her ancestry, but about anything.
That schedule had lasted the first few months. By then, war had broken out, and
she knew that it would a long time, years possibly, before she would ever lay eyes on her
teammates again. It made her heart ache, but also made her even more determined. She
would prove to them and to herself that she was not weak.
After that, her schedule slowly began to include physical aspects. She pushed
herself to the limit every day, often to her mother's chagrine. It wasn't that she didn't like
what her daughter was doing, Sakura knew, it was because she was worried. Sakura
would often stagger in the door, late at night, completely exhausted. More than once her
mother had discovered her fast asleep on the couch, still in her training clothes.
And it was over that first year she first began to realize just what her mental
ability was. She knew things. No rhyme, no reason, she just knew things without
question. It wasn't a constant thing, but she kept practicing at it, and soon was able to call
on it almost whenever she needed it. Or didn't; sometimes it would come to her
unbidden. She had tried to find out what ability Inutsuge had, but it was apparently lost to
history.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at some of the ironies of her clan. All members
had the name of a flower-- her grandmother, Neguiri; her mother, Yuri; herself, and of
course, Inutsuge. 'It is a tradition in an untraditional clan,' her grandmother had said.
Another thing was that jutsus and other things pertaining to the clan all had something to
do with flowers or nature.
It was halfway through her second year that two things happened: she began to
create her own jutsus, and she discovered an old scroll stuffed in the satin lining of one of
the trunks. The scroll was old, older than other ones she had previously come across. She
carefully unrolled it, mindful of its brittleness, and read. It was a pivotal moment; in the
scroll was the handwritten account of battle led by Inutsuge by one of her soldiers.
"And like a hawk after its prey, she fell screaming from the sky at the enemy,
slashing her katana through their flesh..." she read. She blinked and read it again, just to
make sure she was reading it correctly. She felt an urge to run and show this to her
grandmother, but something told her not to.... The same something that often gave her the
hidden knowledge of the mind.
Carefully, she folded the scroll and placed it back into its hiding place. She tried
to put it out of mind, but those words had stirred something within her, and for once, she
didn't know what it was.
Scroll or no scroll, though, her training continued, intensifying. Her grandmother
told her to go to a field and there remain until she could feel the breath of everything
around her; hear the beating of everything's rhythm. A moment of incredulousness passed
by her, but she obeyed.
She walked the farthest away from the village proper as was allowed, choosing a
secluded meadow near a stream. She found a comfortable place and let herself drift into
her state of meditation, recalling her grandmother's words: You have gone far in this
state, child, but you must go further. Don't try and force yourself, just let yourself flow in
the stream of subconsciousness. Let it take you to where you wish to be. Don't force it,
just let go...
And slowly, it began. A low, long -tha-thump-tha-thump-. She wanted to dig
further, but she restrained herself. She let it come to her, easing its way towards her.
Soon, she could hear it distinctly. It was almost like a heartbeat, soothing and warm. She
let it surround her, envelop her in its waves. It was flowing around her, but something
was missing. She began to worry, and slowly the stream slipped away. She was panicking
now, but she heard grandmother again: Don't force it, just let go...
Sakura did. She banished all fear, worry, and panic from herself, mind and body,
and let all of it go. The stream came back, and this time, it consumed her.
When Sakura next awoke, she was laying down in the meadow. The sun shone
brightly overhead, birds where singing, and the wind whispered in the trees. She blinked
slowly, still under the effects of the meditation. After a moment, she pushed herself up
from the earth onto her knees. She felt pulsating, like breathing in and out, and looked at
her hand rested upon the earth. She pulled it away and the pulsating lessened, but she
could still feel it... hear it...
She looked around and where the meadow had once been grass, there was flowers.
All kinds, all colors, and the intensity of those colors was overwhelming. All of the color,
everywhere around her, was so pure and so vibrant. She felt the air murmur in her ears,
laughing and telling her secrets. She couldn't help but laugh with it. It sang, calling her to
her feet. She stood and began to run and dance through the meadow, laughing. The world
was singing to her and she sang back, laughing and singing her joy.
She danced over to the stream, and the water was so pure and clear, shining
brilliantly in the sunlight. She took some into her hand and drank, she was so thirsty! It
was absolutely wonderful! She stood and returned to the meadow, singing as loudly as
she could.
What is your name? the wind asked.
Sakura! My name is Sakura! she sang back.
The wind began to blow slightly harder, and suddenly she was surrounded by the
pink cherry blossoms she was named after. They whirled around her, as did she them,
continuing to sing and laugh until she felt herself drawn back down to the earth. She laid
down in a bed of blossoms, feeling happy and at rest.
Sleep, the wind said. Sleep, Sakura.
And she did.
The next morning, she awoke, and the lovely vision was gone; but she could still
hear the whispering of the wind and the beating of the earth. She smiled. She would go
home now, but never would she forget her experience here.
On the way home, she realized she always felt the earth and its rhythm. Mother
Earth and her rhythm. She found it in everything-- nature, man, and beast. It called to her,
like her favorite song playing gently; a soundtrack of life. When she reached her house,
she opened the front door and walked in.
"Mama?" she called out.
"Sakura? Is that you? Oh, Sakura!" her mother said, rushing into the foyer and
gathering her daughter in her arms.
"Mama... I need to breathe," she said, laughing. Her mother let her go and looked
at her, tears in her eyes.
"Oh Sakura, it's so good to have you back again! We were so worried!" she said.
Sakura was hugged again, this time by her grandmother.
"See, daughter? I knew she would make it! She has the spirit!" her grandmother
said, giving a slightly smug look at her daughter.
"Oh, you were as concerned as I after she didn't return!" her mother replied.
"Didn't return? I've only been gone a day," she said, confused at all of the
emotion.
"Nay, child, you haven't. You've been gone almost six months," her grandmother
said.
"Six...? Are you sure?" Sakura asked, dumbfounded.
"Quite sure, dear. I don't forget six months of sleepness nights worried about your
safety. I was afraid that you had been captured or..." she trailed off, then smiled. "But you
are back, safely, and that is all that matters, now."
"And she can resume her training!" her grandmother said firmly.
"But Mother, she's only just returned!" her mother said, but Sakura knew it was
no use. Her grandmother was stubborn, especially about training. For some reason,
though, Sakura wasn't upset about it.
Her training did, indeed, continue. Her grandmother later confided to her that her
adventure outward had actually been a test, and she passed with flying colors. Had she
not, and nature had rejected her, she would be forced to stop and forget everything she
learned, as several of her ancestors had found out the hard way. But she passed, and thus
began the last part of her training.
She had conquered the mental half; now was time for the physical. Granted, she
had been concentrating on the physical aspect for quite some time now, but it was merely
the basics, so said her grandmother. It was now time to exceed beyond that. At first,
Sakura was worried that she wouldn't live up to the standards her grandmother set her,
but soon, she found that she met them consistently.
It had finally sunk in. She was no longer weak.
And while most nights she was positively exhausted from her training, she began
to take interest in a few hobbies. Namely, some 'occult' hobbies. She bought a Tarot deck
and studied astrology. She was, as in most of her subjects, a quick study, and soon was
doing readings for her mother and grandmother. They were uncannily accurate and soon
she trusted her deck as much as she did her own innate knowledge.
Six months later, halfway through her third year, her grandmother told her she had
learned everything she could possibly be taught by her. As a gift for completing her
training, she signed Sakura up for the jounin exams.
"But-but-but... you need a jounin backing you to do that! And you have to be a
chuunin!" she protested. Her grandmother raised her hand, silencing her.
"I am aware of that, however, in lieu of the war and decrease of jounins, the
chuunins-only rule has been lifted. And you have not only a jounin backing you, but two
jounins and a sennin."
"Two jounins and a sennin...? You mean Kurenai, Anko, and Lady Hokage?!"
"Yes. I informed them of your will and determination; all three of them are eager
to see what you've got," her grandmother said, the smile reaching her eyes.
"When is the exam?" Sakura asked, eager to finally show everyone-- and herself--
her newfound strength.
"Oh, today," her grandmother said offhandedly. "At noon at the same arena where
you had your Chuunin Exam."
"NOON?! THAT'S LESS THAN AN HOUR AWAY!" Sakura nearly screamed,
getting ready to bolt.
"Oh, Sakura?"
"Yes?" she asked, in a hurry to get down the arena.
"Go get 'em, girl!" her grandmother replied, winking. Sakura smiled and ran to
the arena. She arrived, breathing heavily.
"Cutting it close a bit, aren't we?" Anko asked.
"You're wearing that for your exam?" asked Kurenai, raising an eyebrow at
Sakura's torn sweatpants and old tanktop.
"I didn't have to time to change... my grandmother just told me about this ten
minutes ago..." Kurenai and Anko exchanged a look of understanding.
"Well, c'mon, girl! You need to show these hotshot men what you're made of!"
Anko said, nearly dragging her inside.
This is going to be interesting, Sakura thought, and it was. She was up first (her
grandmother's doing, she was sure) and her opponent was not just any jounin, but a
ANBU member and hunter-nin to boot. She didn't catch his name and didn't want to. The
less personal it was, the less personal it would become, and that's the way she liked it.
They started out with the usual basic moves first, getting a feel for the other. This
guy had a scruffy brown hair and eyes that seemed to constantly look bored. He had on a
cocky grin, and Sakura knew he was going to 'take it easy on her'; they all did. An
advantage begging her to take it.
He charged at her, and she began to counter attack, but something wasn't right. He
had no rhythm-- he was a clone. She merely dodged his attack and quickly sent her mind
out to scan and find his hiding place. He must've sensed this, because she was suddenly
surround by clones, all gearing up to charge at her, kunai in hand.
"Haruno Style, Rose Whip!" she said, forming the chakra in her hand.
She spun around quickly, and the whip, full of thorns, lashed out; the clones were
destroyed in various puffs of smoke. When she stopped, the whip snapped back to her. If
she felt the need to, she could use her chakra to keep it in place, but she felt that she had
proved her point this time. The jounin reappeared some distance in front of her. She could
his rhythm, -tha-thump-tha-thump-....
Without warning, she charged, seals forming quickly in hand. Her mind had
spoken to her and she would listen. He was going to try and attack from behind. She
knew he was fast, faster than she was; she understood his plan, and pretended to fall for
it. She focused on his rhythm, and at the last possible second, she felt it vanish. She threw
herself into a 180 and attacked.
"Sakura Style, Bloody Thorns!" she cried out, throwing her hands out. Long,
deadly thorns, similar to acupuncture needles, shot out of her hand at the jounin. He
dodged most, but a few hit him in the arm and side. He winced, but remained standing.
Sakura didn't wait, and had the seals almost finished by the time he stopped. "Sakura
Style, Pollen Dust!"
She had to give him credit-- he dodged that attack completely. There was
definitely a reason he was jounin. If he hadn't, he would've been knocked out or at least
woozy and blinded, depending on how strong his resistance was. He attacked again,
calling up the earth to drag her down. She smiled; two could play this game.
She moved out of the way of the reaching earth and had called out the jutsu before
she even landed.
"Haruno Style, Draining Earth Vines!" she called out.
As she landed, she watched with humor in her eyes as the jounin was trapped by
the multitude of vines that latched onto him, draining a good bit of his chakra. It was only
a temporary fix, though, and took no little amount of her chakra as well. It was worth it
though, in a fight like this. The jounin was absolutely livid by now, and she knew he
would come at her with everything he was worth.
Now is my chance to show you all that I am no longer that weak child, she
thought, her eyes alight with determination.
He attacked again, no jutsu this time, pure hand-to-hand combat. She let her
instincts guide her, and while she wasn't making any progress, she wasn't losing an inch
of ground, either. I need to move beyond this. It's time to pull out all the stops. She
backflipped away from her opponent and cut her palm with a kunai. She formed the seals
and pressed her bloodied hand to the earth.
"Sakura Style, Mother Earth Blood Sacrifice!"
At first, nothing happened. Well, nothing that anyone but Sakura could sense. The
rhythm of the earth had quickened, creating a gentle rumbling. Her opponent looked at
her oddly, crouched on the ground, palm bleeding onto the dirt floor, but she merely
smiled. He glared and began to run towards her, but she didn't move. Merely feet away
from her, the earth tore up beneath him, creating a fissure that ran the entire width of the
arena. It was only his speed that saved him, and he managed to run up the side of the
fissure before falling to far.
"MATCH OVER! CANCEL THAT JUTSU ALREADY!" cried the "referee"--
another jounin designated to watch the match and keep an eye on things. Sakura kept
smiling and lifted her bloody hand from the earth. Just as soon as it appeared, the fissure
vanished, as if it had never been there.
"You..." her opponent said. She didn't fight back as he grabbed her and held a
kunai to her throat. "You tried to kill me!"
"No..." Sakura said softly. "You're own misjudgement tried to kill you. You
thought I was weak. You know better now."
And with that, she dissolved into cherry blossoms in his hands.
She had, to put it simply, aced her jounin test. To celebrate, Kurenai and Anko
took her shopping for everything-- from clothes to kunai-- and then joined her mother,
grandmother, and of all people, the Lady Hokage herself, at Konoha's most prestigious
restaurant for dinner. She remembered thinking it was certainly a far cry from the
Ichikaru, which had been her main staple other than a meal at home.
In fact, as she was informed of that night by Tsunade, she did so well, they were
immediately placing her as commander of a new squadron. Sakura had been barely able
to contain herself then, and now, facing meeting her new squad in a few hours, she
couldn't sit still or even think straight. She kept pacing the floor of her bedroom, and she
wondered idly if there would be a permanent rut or not.
Go to your grandmother's, her mind told her. She walked out, picked up her
house key, pulled on her shoes, and was out the door.
Just as she reached out to open the front door, it opened for her. It was her
grandmother.
"Ah, Sakura! I knew you would be here. Come, child, I have a gift for you," her
grandmother said, holding the door open for her.
"I'm not late for it, am I?" Sakura replied, only half-joking.
"No, dear, you are right on time!" her grandmother told her, and led her to the
living room. There, on the floor, was a rather large package, wrapped in a floral print and
a large, old-fashioned pink bow. "Go on, open it."
Sakura walked over and kneeled in front of the package. It was wrapped so lovely
that she didn't want to tear into it. Slowly, though, she reached out and carefully undid
the bow; next, she gently pulled the paper away, preserving it as much as she could.
Underneath was a plain white box with a lid. She just stared, finding herself hesitant to
open it.
"Go on," her grandmother urged.
Sakura cautiously reached out and lifted the lid a few inches. She peeked inside,
and saw the light of room glinting of something. She let the lid fall from her hands, the
wonder of what was inside was revealed.
It was Inutsuge's armor, the one they had dug out of the attic two and half years
ago. It had been restored to its former glory, shining brilliantly. Sakura didn't bother to
blink away the tears forming in her eyes. She jumped up and hugged her grandmother,
nearly weeping with delight.
"Thank you!" she managed to choke out.
"You have earned it, child. You truly are the spirit of Inutsuge, and I know she is
proud of you," her grandmother said, letting her go. She smiled at her granddaughter.
"Come, dear, we need to fix your hair."
Sakura couldn't help but laugh.
She smiled as she thought back on that scene from a few hours before. She was
pacing again and biting her nails. She only ever did that when she was nervous or
worried, and she both now.
She was in a side room, waiting for her squad to fully assemble in the meeting
room. She didn't know who any of them were yet, and she wondered if it would be
anyone she knew. Ow, she thought. She looked down at her thumb, where the nail was
bitten down to the quick; she had just tried to take a bite out of her own flesh. She sighed
and began pacing again.
Sakura knew she was probably quite the unique figure. She wore the armor of
Inutsuge, and had been only mildly surprised that it was a perfect fit. She was wearing a
simple black "suit" underneath it all, which included a chest plate; arm protectors; leg
protectors; and 'pelvic' plates, as she had dubbed them. The chest plate was short, as it
ended a few inches underneath her breasts, but being as such it allowed her full mobility
of her waist. The arm protectors were lashed to each forearm with ties, as was the leg
protectors that were tied around her calves. The pelvic plates tied together at her hips,
creating a shield around her more private areas. Each plate was about twice as long as it
was wide.
All in all, the armor was surprisingly light and beautiful. She hadn't noticed it
when it was covered in rust and dirt from the years, but now she couldn't miss it--
intricately inlaid was the design of a flower she didn't recognize, but deemed beautiful
anyhow. She had been worried that it would be loud, something a nin could definitely not
afford to be, but it was silent. The glint had even lessened, as if she had willed it to and it
had responded.
It wasn't just her armor that was different, however. When her grandmother had
said about fixing her hair, she could never have imagined what would come of it. Her
hair, which had grown to her waist, was abstrusely braided; several little braids had been
made around her head, which had been pulled back with the rest of her hair and braided
into a long, thick braid that reached her mid-back. It had been tied with a ribbon her
grandmother had given her as a child. She also had two loose pieces of hair framing her
face.
She was armored, braided, ladened with weapons, and was ready for anything....
Except this.
"Sakura?" She looked up and saw Kurenai in the doorway. "They're waiting."
"I'm coming," she replied. She took a deep breath, banished her worries from her
mind, and walked through the door....
Right into three faces she hadn't seen in two and half years.
A/N: I didn't translate the jutsus because, simply, my Japanese is so very bad and I'm a
bit of a perfectionist. ::shrug:: I hope you guys don't mind too much.
Before I answer the reviewers, here's a bit of info I think you might like.
I gave Sakura's family members all names of flowers, but the flowers also have certain
meanings as well. The format is name -- flower -- meaning.
Inutsuge -- Japanese holly -- foresight, defense, domestic happiness
Neguiri -- allium -- unity, humility, and patience
Yuri -- day lily -- Chinese emblem for mother
Another bit of information pertains to Sakura's jutsus. Most of these I made up out of thin
air, elaborated on, or are a sort-of dedication.
Rose Whip -- my dedication to Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho
Bloody Thorns -- thin air
Pollen Dust -- thin air, though I did have the troll dust from 10th Kingdom vaguely in
mind
Draining Earth Vines -- a sort-of dedication to Naraku from Inu Yasha
Mother Earth Blood Sacrifice -- I figured since Naruto has Rasengan and Sasuke has
Chidori, why not give Sakura a sort of "ultimate" jutsu?
There will be some more jutsus coming up in the next chapter, as well as the truth behind
that scroll.
Also, that meadow sequence was a nod to Wolf's Rain and Cheza, and the armor is
loosely based on Sango's from Inu Yasha.
Now, onto the reviewer answers!
Miszy-Anne: Thanks, really. This chapter, I think, was a bit rushed, but it turned out good.
Cuito: Thanks!
Poison Death Tree: Yet again, thanks. I really appreciate it.
Shiroi Hikari: Here you go! Enjoy!
Destiny1029: Hope you liked this chapter!
Solita: It was, wasn't it? I'm glad you thought it was written well! ::grin::
insert catchy name here: (I like that, BTW.) It is, isn't it? I just hope she does for real.
SamuruSa==> Lazy: Well, here you go.
Sleeping Child: Oh, she shows them alright, but that's next chapter! ::grin::
Maya Amano: 1) Thank you! 2) I really need to update that site, but I don't even know if
the series is still around. 3) Chiru's link is on my site (I'm pretty sure). 4) I'm glad you
like the clan story. And 5) I'm from the United States. Pennsylvania, specifically.
animEvivvErz: Nah, no need to do that! Though it would liven things up around here....
Well, thank you all for your reviews! See you next time!