Sakura's Shell Is Cracked

Chapter 4

Sakura was enraged. Toji? Staying longer? She couldn't stand to even be within a yard to him! But to stay longer? Oh, she was sure by tomorrow she was going to have lost her sanity. Sakura absolutely loathed Toji.

She stomped to her bed, moving it as far away from Toji's bed as possible, and close to the fire so she could stay warm that night. She then began drawing designs in the dirt, trying to calm herself.

Sasuke snuck up and pushed from behind her, causing her to fall flat on her face in the dirt. Sakura growled and went after Sasuke, whom didn't know how bad a mood Sakura was in. He didn't react fast enough and was slapped hard in the back by his sister. It stung, and he grunted.

"Well, look who's in a bad mood tonight. I'm pretty happy, actually." Sasuke said, while rubbing his sore spot.

"Why? I'm about to blow my top of because that idiot is staying longer!!!" Sakura nearly screamed.

"Toji said he was going to show some ninja skills and improve my battle techniques. He's really good, you should see him sometime."

Sakura 'hmphed' and walked away, back to her little corner. Toji, San, Sasuke and Ashitaka started playing a game that Sasuke had recently learned. Ashitaka already knew about it and was quite good. Sasuke caught on quickly, while Toji struggled the most. Sakura wasn't interested and went back to drawing, then started sharpening her weapons, which consisted of her spear, 4 daggers (2 were used for helping her climb trees, the others were for fighting.), and her arrows.

"Why are you way back here, all by your lonesome?" Toji whispered to Sakura.

"What do you want?" Sakura said bitterly.

"To give you company." Toji said, sitting down next to her.

"Well, then you can help me sharpen my weapons." Sakura said, giving him a few arrows.

Toji looked down, disappointment on his face. "This is such poor quality." Sakura felt herself go red. "Well, I'd like to see you make better arrows with only the things I use." Sakura said hotly.

"I will. First, you are using poor quality wood. These are twigs you found on the ground, I suppose? You have to go up trees and find the strong branches, and cut them well. You barely put effort in the actual wood. The tip is made quite well, actually. But you could get better results by doing this." Toji explained, then showed Sakura a technique that really made the tip sharp and very high quality, made in such a way that even if the tip broke it would still be as affective. It could even put a few cracks in a rock, if the user had enough strength. Sakura hated that Toji was teaching her something, but she had to admit that what he was showing her really improved her weapons.

Sakura yawned. "I think I'm going to bed. Good night everyone." Everyone else was already in his or her beds. "Toji, aren't you going to sleep?"

"I'm going to stay up a little longer. Just go to sleep." Toji said without looking up from the arrow.

"Ok..." She climbed under the covers and almost instantly fell asleep.

**************************In the Morning**************************

Sakura awoke with the sun shining into their cave-home. She decided to spend the morning in her favorite spot, a high branch on a tall, beautiful tree. She reached for her daggers, and found them sharpened very well. She looked up and saw all her weapons sharpened, and it was not her work. Toji had sharpened all her arrows, and had even made a few himself for her!  Sakura was very surprised, and didn't know whether to thank him or throw them all away. She decided to thank him; these were too good to just be thrown away. She took the arrows he made and decided to compare them to her own work. She looked at the two, and instantly saw differences. Toji's arrow was strong but slim, the arrow point beautifully crafted. Hers was thin but weak, the point was poorly crafted, and the twig she took had many stubby things pointing out. Toji's was smooth.

Sakura went out to find Toji. She was just going to thank him and then go away, secretly making more arrows just like his. She found him lying in a tree, soaking up the sun, with Sasuke on the ground practicing with some knives that Toji lent him, and going through some moves that Toji had shown him. Sakura looked disgusted at having to climb a tree to get Toji down.

"Hey Sakura!!!" Sasuke yelled.

"What do you want?" Sakura said back.

"Look what Toji did? He made my weapons better! Bet he didn't do it to yours because you're so mean to him!" Sasuke said with a grin.

Sakura glared at him and yelled, "Well, he did. Now go away!!!" She wanted to climb the tree without having her brother watch her struggle. Sakura hated having people watch her struggle with things, and that's why she did most things in secret. Sometimes she would get her mother or father to help her correct something, but usually she would do things alone.

After Sasuke had gone, Sakura decided to yell up at Toji. "Toji!!! Get down here!!!"

"If you want to say something say it to my face." Toji yelled down to her.

Sakura gave a look of disgust at the tree and him, but decided to try and avoid climbing the tree.

"TOJI!!! THANK YOU FOR IMPROVING MY WEAPONS!!!!" Sakura yelled.

Toji looked down and said, "Did you say something? If you really want to say something, then please come up and we can chat." He said it in a pleasant voice, patting the empty branch next to him.

Sakura glared at him, and decided to climb the tree. For some reason she was driven to thank him. I guess it's sort of an apology too, for being so cold to him. Not like I'm going to stop though. I'll just take it down a notch. Sakura thought as she began climbing. After a few minutes she came to the spot where Toji should be, and found an empty branch. She looked up and saw Toji in a higher branch.

"My my, you're very slow at this." He said with a smile.

"TOJI!!!" Sakura yelled. She was boiling. She climbed the tree faster, as fast as she could without freaking out at height. She stopped as she realized that Toji was just going to climb higher and higher.

"Oh come on, Sakura! Are you really that weak?" Toji yelled.

Sakura straightened up. "I am NOT weak! Don't you even DARE say that again!!!" She hated being called weak. To her it was the most disgusting word, next to Toji.

Sakura gained new strength from this, and found herself hopping from branch to branch with almost no fear.

"Toji, I'm going to get you!!!" She yelled as she reached the last branch. She slipped and found herself hanging from her fingers.

"Ah! Toji, don't you DARE help me!!!!" She said as he offered his hand. Sakura struggled. She had very bad arm strength, and it didn't help that she was exhausted from all the climbing.

Sakura struggled for minutes. She was just too tired, and she wanted to prove her strength to Toji. But secretly, she wished Toji would just help her up, and then she could hit him for helping her. Sakura felt herself losing her grip. She was too tired to re-grip the branch. She felt like sleeping, and despite the dropping feeling in her stomach, she closed her eyes and let herself drop. She loved the feeling, but suddenly felt herself being held, and practically flying through the air. She instantly woke up and found herself in Toji's arm. It was a pleasant feeling. She was enjoying it, but didn't want to show it.

"Toji!!! I told you not to help me!!!"

"Well, I didn't want you to get hurt. That'd be pretty tough to explain to our parents." Toji grinned at her. Sakura felt herself blush, and she didn't like it. She ordered herself to stop blushing, but she just blushed even more.

Toji was jumping down from branch to branch. She liked being in his arms. She felt safe, and relaxed. They finally reached the ground, and Sakura's ride ended. She looked up at Toji. He was taller than her, if she hugged him her head would fit nicely on his chest...WHAT AM I THINKING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Sakura thought, mentally punishing herself. She felt herself blush once again.

Toji smiled a little. "Toji. I'd like to thank you for improving my weapons." Sakura said.

Then she decided to add more. "And for saving me, I guess. If there's a way I can repay you, please tell me." Then she turned and began to walk away, hoping Toji wouldn't ask for anything.

Sakura felt Toji's hand on her shoulder, and stopped. He had a serious look on his face.

"Yes, there is a way you can repay me." Toji said. Sakura put her back on a tree.

"Well, what?" Sakura asked. Toji's face was close to hers. She looked into those gray-blue eyes. They were so beautiful...And his face was incredibly close!!! Is he going to ask for a kiss?! Sakura thought. She felt herself blush once again.

"I'd like you to..." -Sakura got ready for the kiss- "I'd like you to be nice to me from now on. Stop giving me dirty looks. That's all I ask of you." Sakura nearly fell over.

"Th-that's it? All right." Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, what'd you think I'd ask for? A kiss?" he said slyly.

"Eh? Th-that's a stupid idea. Why would you want to give me a kiss? Why would I want to give you a kiss? Jeez, I'm only 14 you know!!!" Sakura said, blushing furiously. She hated how she was blushing so easily.

Toji grinned, and looked her in the eye. "Come on. We better get home before anybody gets any wrong ideas." Then he started walking, and Sakura followed. They walked in silence for a while, Toji periodically looking back at her. Sakura's heart was thumping in her chest.

"Hey, Toji? How old are you?" Sakura asked.

"Um...I think I'm 15 or 16." Toji replied. Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"You think?"

"Yeah, I think. But does it really matter? I'm definitely older than you, and you should listen to your elders." Toji said, flashing a grin at her. Sakura pouted and walked a little faster to be right next to him.

Sakura remembered their first encounter. He had been calm, and looking for someone...but when her father explained to them why he was there he said he had 'business'...

"Toji? What are you really here for?" Sakura asked.

"I'm here on business." He answered plainly.

"No, no. What kind of business?"

"I'm going to New Iron Town."

"For what, though? I remember when we first met you asked if I had known about a man named Masashi..."

"Oh, he's the man that I needed to talk to."

"But why not Lady Eboshi?"

"She...she didn't want to talk to me, she was too busy."

"Oh..." Sakura didn't believe him. Lady Eboshi always had time to talk. She was starting to get suspicious...

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Well, there's a very LONG chapter 4! Hope you enjoyed it!!! ^.^

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