Chapter 3: Losing Everything
March 28.
Such a big date for the people of Konoha.
Firstly, it's because it's also the day of the big Sakura Festival.
Second, it's because it's the birthday of a certain known pink-haired kunoichi.
Blue birds perched on a tall cherry blossom tree, chirped near the girl's window. She was currently resting under the covers of her white bed. The sun's rays reflected on her porcelain white face, thus waking her from her delicate slumber.
Yawn...
She stretched her arms and did her usual routine. The girl dressed herself in normal clothes, since their sensei told them they won't be having any training for today.
She found it reasonable because it was the Sakura Festival today. Strange how she forgot that ONE special detail occurring at the same date.
Sakura gleefully wore her pale yellow sundress with matching sandals. To finish the look, she also wore a yellow ribbon on her head. At first, she had doubts on removing her forehead protector, but thought that there was an occasion, so she was permitted to wear anything.
"Sayonara, Okaa-san!"
Waving goodbye before leaving, she dashed out of the house.
"Sakura, do you want strawbe –"
Her mother wanted to ask her which flavor she wanted for her cake, but didn't get to finish her question seeing Sakura already gone.
She decided that she should be using strawberry, because it was Sakura's favorite, and need not to be asked again.
The forty-year-old lady shook her head in amusement for missing that info about her daughter.
"Oh! Sakura-chan good morning."
"Ohayou obaa-san!"
Sakura was walking around the village with a big smile on her face and her hands intertwined on her back.
"Um, do you need any help in decorating your store?"
"This? Don't worry I can handle this by myself. You go and enjoy the festival, alright?"
"Will do. See you!"
She then continued on her way to the Godaime's office. Unknown to her was the presence of another being lurking near.
…kukuku…
At the Godaime's office…
"Hokage-sama, reports show that an unknown nin has gained access to the village."
A shinobi, wearing a mask representing an animal reported to the Hokage.
From the door, a timid knock was heard and a lady with the name Shizune, peeked through it.
"Tsunade-sama, excuse me for intruding, but Tonton is really pestering me to get you to walk him around the village to join the festivities there."
"Tonton?"
"Hai."
The blonde-haired lady sighed and faced the ANBU in front of her.
"Continue to scout the area for that nin. Make sure several nins are positioned around the village. Don't let anything interfere the festival, and before I forget, don't let the villagers know of this. It would make them panic and cause more trouble. Understood? You are dismissed."
The lad disappeared suddenly, leaving Tsunade and Shizune alone with their 'obligations' to their sweet pig Tonton.
Nighttime overcame Konoha and the different-colored lights were finally visible over the pool of black and blue in the atmosphere.
Sakura trees were decorated with white and blue lights. Houses, brightly lit.
Hatake Kakashi:
ex-ANBU Current teacher of a group of shinobis, Team 7 Current position… At the comfort of his home reading the latest Icha Icha Paradise book or in other words, the obscene, perverted and disgustingly orange book.
Kakashi-sensei of Team 7 was there, lying on his bed, chuckling and mumbling stuff to himself with words like 'how smart of you' or 'you're good'. He apparently said a stupid excuse to his students, telling them that he didn't feel well and needed to stay at home to rest.
Of course, you'd say that they would've offered to help him, but he was just too quick of a thinker for them and told them that he would be fine by himself, saying that he had stocked up a lot of medicine in his house.
Sakura and Naruto were outside of their own homes enjoying the festival, but not together. Naruto was up and about, running around the village looking for Sakura, but unfortunately, every time he left a place after searching for Sakura there, Sakura would appear there. Thus, they don't meet.
If you're thinking of Sasuke, well you know him and his loner attitude. He, again, stuck his stupid butt in his stupid room, stupidly doing nothing at all.
The lights were off, and his wallpaper being dark blue, made the atmosphere a LOT more darker than ever.
…I wonder where Sakura got that pendant of hers…
At least it seemed that someone actually noticed something different about her.
Sasuke lay on his back on his bed, staring at the unlit room's ceiling. He was thinking so hard, that he didn't seem to blink anymore, while boring a hole through the wall with his hard gaze.
WOW! It seems like everyone in the village is here…well, except for Kakashi-sensei. Poor him getting sick at a time like this! (A/N: Ooh…if you only knew…)I wonder where Naruto and Sasuke are? Well, Sasuke's probably staying at home, while Naruto's probably eating ramen at Ichiraku.
Sakura walked around the village while admiring the beautifully lit lamps and sprayed flowers all over the village.
Suddenly, as she turned to a corner to the right, she bumped into something…or better…someONE!
"OW! Watch where you're going, forehead-girl!"
"Sorry I couldn't, since your big snot was in the way, Ino-pig!"
The two girls rose up from their tangled position and began dusting off the dirt on their clothes. As soon as they stood up, they looked the other way, pissed off at each other's faces.
Sakura and Ino opened one eye and peeked at each other, then smiled.
"Long time no see, forehead-girl."
"Yeah…Ino-pig."
They both greeted each other with an unusual gentleness in their voices.
Ino was currently wearing a light blue turtleneck dress that just ended above her knee.
"Nice dress…weird, since I seem to have never laid eyes on that dress you're wearing right now…" Ino commented with a little confusion in her voice.
"You look good too…but it's really strange seeing you wear something light-colored for once…" Sakura gave back a comment with an expression looking like she was remembering something.
"Yeah…it's the one you gave me before you trained with Tsunade-sama." (I made this up so don't go researchin' XD)
"Hmm…I remember now. Anyway this ribbon was the one from you, since you told me I needed to have other colors in my look…and this dress…I just found it in my closet this morning, I don't really know where it's from, but my mom didn't seem to notice…"
Ino suddenly had that teasing look in her eyes and started bonking Sakura on the head.
"Your so dumb aren't you forehead-girl? You actually forgot what today is! That dress is probably from your mom!"
"Huh? How would you know?"
The blonde shook her head in amusement, not believing any of this.
"It's your birthday stupid! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
The said 'stupid' girl was in utter shock, mentally kicking herself for forgetting that.
"Thanks, Ino…"
Ino glanced at her and just released a chain of laughter all the way to Sakura's house.
"Haaa….she probably doesn't even know it's her birthday." Sakura's mom lay on the dining table, exhausted, after making food and decorating the house.
DINGDONG!
The lady raised one of her eyebrows, wondering who could be at the door. She rose from her seat and went to greet the unknown visitor at the door.
She unlocked the door and turned the knob, "Yes, how may I- " She stood there surprised to see Ino and Sakura at the door.
"Sakura! Ino! Come in! Ino how are you? You haven't visited us for a while. And Sakura how come you-"
"Mom," Sakura bowed her head, asking for forgiveness, "I'm sorry for keeping you."
Her mother smiled warmly at her, "Don't worry about it Sakura. It's your birthday we should be celebrating right now!"
And so, she, her mother, and Ino celebrated her birthday in her own home. After which, they all went outside to watch the fireworks of the festival.
As for Naruto…he unwillingly fell asleep at Ichiraku for eating, well let's say, a hundred bowls or more of ramen.
Because of not seeing Sakura today, he decided on greeting her a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' tomorrow.
Meanwhile, back to Sakura's…
"Bye Ino, dear, come visit again next time!" Sakura's mother waved at Ino by the door.
"Yeah, see you Ino-pig!" Sakura waved goodbye at her too.
The two watched the blonde's retreating form and seeing as she was already gone, they closed the door and went to their respective rooms. Before doing so, they kissed each other's cheeks goodnight.
Sakura slept peacefully in her bed, unaware of the trials that she might encounter in the morning.
Shing…
Shing…
Shing…
Her necklace started glowing green then glowed pink. The pendant stayed pink…
The sun rose and morning came…
"AAHHH…" Naruto ran around a tree near the bridge, yelling screams of irritation and boredom, "I knew I should've come here a little later!"
Apparently, he was the first one to arrive at their meeting place, excited about greeting Sakura. Unfortunately, he came a little tad, too early for everyone's sake.
His eyes lit up as he sees a blotch of dark blue nearing his position. It was Sasuke. Naruto was currently ready and okay for any kind of appearance of a person, as he hasn't seen one for so long…for him, at least.
"Oi! Sasuke-teme!"
"…" (Not even one glance…)
Oooh…Naruto sure is unfortunate, since having Sasuke as company is the same as having no one at all.
Sasuke finally reached Naruto's position, but he just passed the guy's form. His eyes shut and hands inside his pockets, just walked slowly to the bridge and leaned by its railing.
Naruto's eyes turned into slits in total anger and his mouth formed into a pout.
"FINE! Be that way! I'll just watch for my Sakura-chan's arrival!"
An hour passed and then…
POOF!
Ta ta rara tara! Kakashi arrived early! AMAZING! (Okay…stop…it's gettin' weird…)
"Yo."
"AHHH! You, y-you," Naruto pointed rudely at their sensei with a horrified expression, "Y-you came EARLY!"
"Really? What time is it?"
Naruto showed him from a watch kept in his pocket that it was only 6:00 AM.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes a bit and looked at his own watch on his wrist and it read…
9:00 AM!
He stood there stupefied. Wh-what? Someone probably set his watch's time differently…I wonder who?...
Then it hit him, Tsunade-same and Shizune borrowed his watch the other day for some unknown reason…
"Let's just wait for Sakura then. We can't really start training without our team complete, now, can we?"
"Whatever!"
"Hn."
It was silent for a few minutes in the team, some scratches and paper flipping here and there, but that was it.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"AAARRGGHH!" Naruto really couldn't stand it. The silence was driving him nuts I tell you, NUTS!
"Where's my Sakura-chan!" He was literally sobbing all the way, seeing as he's with one frostbitten rock and one red-cheeked bookworm.
"AAHHH!"
"…"
"…"
"AAHHH!"
"…"
"…"
"Nobody loves me!" Naruto was pulling his blond hair in utter frustration mumbling some weird stuff to himself. He just lost half of his sanity just being with these two oddities. He really needed Sakura now and I mean NOW!
Just then…a savior has finally come! Pink hair, creamy-like skin, beautiful green eyes and what? black dress? Oh well, she probably just thought of changing her look.
"Sakura-chan! HOW ARE YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
He started at her, as she approached, with his signature toothy grin.
But strange things really do happen…she glanced at him and…
"Hn."
"…"
"…"
"…"
This 'hn' actually caught the other two's attention. They all stared at her with their eyes wide.
"Ahahaha! Funny Sakura-chan! For a minute there I thought you were trying to turn yourself into a weird Sasuke clone! Ahahaha! Good one!"
"Hn."
"Okaaay…Sakura-chan that's not funny anymore!"
"Hn."
"AAARRGGHH!" And so, Naruto got stuck between the worlds of the three '…'s.(KIDDING!)
Kakashi leaped from his comfortable position on the tree and stood in front of 'dear' Sakura. She felt her forehead for any sign of overheating…none.
"Sakura are you sick?"
"No."
Ouch…yeah she changed the word, but it definitely was a hundred times colder. Wonder if she let out a sentence? Would they freeze? …I hope not…
Now, this caught Sasuke's full attention and finally walked over to where everyone was.
"Hey! Sasuke-teme! You try talking to her!"
"Dobe! I'm right here! You don't have to freakin' shout!"
Although it really wasn't Sasuke's style to follow orders from the likes of Naruto, he decided on trying to talk to her. This definitely was out of the ordinary for her to be this emotionless.
"Oi. Sakura…what's gotten into you?" He shot an uncaring look at her face.
"Nothing." She shot him just the same look.
Naruto was in the middle, seeing that the two were now in a staring contest, in which Sasuke lost, since he was the first to break apart from the stare.
Sasuke noticed something different there, though…
She didn't have that gleam in her eyes like before…
A/N: Please forgive me, for this is utterly short (shorter than most at least...). Anywayz, thanks for the wonderful readers who bothered reading this... I'm really, really sorry for the shortness, but I just did this to finally extinguish all forms of emotions in Sakura.
We got rid of, let's see...
Anger
Sadness
Happiness, and
LOVE
Yeah, you heard itright, LOVE!
Just please wait for the next chapter and you'll see what happens during training...(probably more noticing and blushing here and there...he he he >entangles hands together in an evil maniac sort of way XD!)
P.S. Sorry for the late update, my parents brought me to a diff country and sorry no tellies which one. I was dawned to celebrate my birthday in an airplane. We unfortunately got the same flight date as my b-day(March 24).
P.S.2 I only have this teensy weensy thing here...I write this stories with privacy...none of my family members know... AH! Sorry...
Anyway, ja ne! .