Bundyangel: well people here's chapter 7! Its long overdue and I know that and I'm really, really sorry! Gomen! Gomen! Gomen-nasai!
Here are the reviewers I got since my last update! HOSHIT I got 7 reviews!!! 7!!!!
Bluewaterstarfire (who reviewed TWICE!!! Score)
Bee-Leaf86
Sequha
Chronos Spirit
SCREAM-jessamy
And public.enemy128
Squeal! You all have no idea how happy that makes me! Cause they weren't just 'update soon!!' they were actually you know like helpful. Opinions, ideas what I did wrong, you know.
THANK YOU SEQUHA! Finally! She finally told me the name of the headband; hitai-ate.
I'm gonna dedicate this chapter to Chronos Spirit because she's going through a rough time right now and even though she felt like crap managed to squeeze out a chapter just for us fans! Neon-Pirate-Taru this ones for you!
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DISCLAIMER:
Me: Okay apparently Gai-sensei and Lee-san scarred people mentally for life so I've locked them in the box again. Why? Because I CAN. Yes people, being an Authoress has its perks. Anyway on to my disclaimer! I've dragged-… err… I mean I've brought in Kiba and Akamaru!
Kiba: You Skank! GO DIE!
Akamaru: Eeeruff!
Me: Nani?! YOU GO DIE!!! I offered you a chance to be awesome and entertain your fans! BUT FINE! I'll get NARUTO to do it! He gladly did it last time AND without swearing at me! Bastard!
Kiba: What?! Oh no you don't! You're not getting the blond idiot to do MY job! Right Akamaru?
Akamaru: RUFF ruff!
Me: Oh then for god's sakes just DO IT! –Bashes head against nearby wall-
Kiba: Psychopathic crazy woman! Anyway! Bundyangel-baa-chan doesn't own Naruto the character or the series. She doesn't own the plot, the backgrounds, the catch phrases, and sure as hell she doesn't own Akamaru or me!
Me: Fuck you dog breath! Minor boy! I'm older and cuter then you'll ever be!
Kiba: You had me injured! Before I even got to kick anyone's ass!
Me: Its Orochimaru grass for brains! You couldn't take down a Sannin if your life depended on it!
Kiba: …
Me: Thought so. Now go scratch your ass, lick plastic squeakers, and bite wood dog-boy. Cause this is my story and you're lucky I paired you up with Ino already or you would go die alone… oh dear god what have I punished Ino to?! And she was so nice too…
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"Baaaka"- regular speech
'Baaaka'-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics
'Baaaka!'- Inner self's
The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III
Part 1 - Running from the pain
Chapter 7: Realizing you're alone
By Bundyangel
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(Normal point of view)
Sakura sat at the edge of the bed her hands clasped in her lap as Tsunade gently ran a chakra covered hand over her, checking her over one last time.
It had been almost a week since the encounter in the forest and her talk with Neji. Sakura breathed evenly as the memories of the past week swamped her again.
Naruto and Ino both came several times to see her. Hinata, Kiba, Lee, Shikamaru, and Tenten had all came and seen her a few times.
Neji hadn't shown once since his first visit, but Sakura expected that. Neji wasn't the social type he went where needed and if he wasn't needed then he wasn't around.
Sakura sighed as Tsunade finished and lowered her hands away from Sakura and sat down in a chair going over a clipboard.
This past week had been hell for Sakura. At random times her curse mark would spring up and stab her with pain sharply before settling down for a dull ache that gave her a headache and forced her to deny visitors. Luckily no one was ever around when this happened except for one time with Naruto. But Naruto understood and told no one after Sakura's request not to.
Tsunade stood again and pinned Sakura with an intense gaze that softened into a smile. Sakura tentatively smiled back and relaxed somewhat. Tsunade wasn't scowling that meant she could finally leave! Score. Sakura paid more attention when Tsunade began to speak,
"Sakura. I'm going to allow you to leave now, but I must warn you. Neither I nor any of the elders have ever seen that type of mark. Be extremely careful. You've dealt with the curse mark before with Sasuke. But this is different, if the story I was told is accurate then this mark is so much stronger and even more deadly." Tsunade interlocked her fingers and leaning forward rested her chin on it,
"That's why the elders and I have decided to not try any kind of seal on it. It could at any time during the process spring up and either; kill you or one of us. Don't let your will waver and don't put yourself in a situation where you are stressed." Tsunade stood and took a few steps away not looking at Sakura,
"We'll observe how it reacts over the next couple of weeks and then I'll decide if you are able to be a kunoichi anymore."
Sakura gasped and jumped up from the bed her eyes wide and her fists clenched,
"You'd strip me of my ninja status and rank?! Shinshou you can't do that to me! I've worked too hard and come too far to become a civilian again! How would I function there?! I don't know how to be a bystander! What would Naruto and everyone say? I'm a great medic-nin! I can't just stop doing my job!"
"SILENCE!!!" Sakura drew back sharply at the loud hard tone of her mentors voice,
"You are MY apprentice and you WILL do as I say. If not as your teacher then as your HOKAGE! Don't think you can talk to me like that Haruno!" Tsunade turned around and strode back across the room, her usually warm honey colored eyes hard like Amber,
" Remember you are only a Chuunin and I am your boss! If I say that you are unfit to be a kunoichi I will do my duty and not hesitate to strip you of your rank and shinobi status! Listen to me when I talk to you Sakura! I said I would observe you for the next few weeks! I didn't say I was going to take away all your worldly possessions, drain you of chakra, and dump you in the lower part of Konoha! I already made you my apprentice for a reason Sakura! It does have more worth then being a pretty title!"
Sakura bowed her head and squeezed her eyes together to stem the stream of crystalline tears that threatened to pour down her face as the meaning of her teachers words sunk in and left a hollow feeling and sharp sting like a back hand every other word. Sakura clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head lower,
"I'm sorry Tsunade-Shinshou. I should not have spoken so free and rudely. Please forgive me!" Sakura's voice cracked on the last sentence and she stiffened in shock as Tsunade stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the younger girls trembling shoulders,
"Sakura. This is what I was talking about. You overreacted to my words and put yourself in a stressful situation. You need to avoid that. If you continue to flip out like that throughout the observation period I will unfortunately have no choice but to remove you from the shinobi ranks. Understand? I'm not doing this to hurt you, I'm doing this because I care and worry for you."
Sakura took a shuddering breath and nodded into her teachers shoulder. Tsunade gave Sakura one more squeeze before releasing her and stepping back. Tsunade gave her a kind smile and turning walked to the door,
"Remember Sakura, don't stress. Now scat. You've got friends waiting for you out in the town."
Sakura gave Tsunade a small smile before nodding again and giving a small murmur of thanks. She followed her teacher out of the room and down to the ground floor before they split ways; Tsunade to her office and Sakura out to walk and look what was going on in the city.
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(A hour or three later)
Well Sakura felt sufficiently out of place. Its not that she wasn't wanted but it was that she didn't want to interrupt. Apparently today was couples day of some kind because everywhere Sakura went there were couples or small groups of even numbers. Lets list them shall we?
Naruto and Hinata – At the Ramen bar eating Ramen with one hand and holding each other's with the other.
Lee and Tenten – Walking and training out in the fields.
Ino and Kiba – They were sitting inside Ino's family flower shop. Ino was giggling because Akamaru had somehow managed to spill fresh dirt over Kiba and he was turning different shapes trying to get it out of his hair and out from inside his shirt.
Shikamaru and Temari – Okay, Sakura hadn't exactly seen them because they were in Suna, but Sakura knew they were doing something cute and romantic. Shikamaru may be lazy but no one could say he wasn't the perfect romantic sweetheart to Temari.
Neji – hidden away in the Hyuuga compound Sakura wasn't even going to go near.
Shino and Choji –Don't even think it people. They are out on missions, not that Sakura talked to them a whole lot to begin with. Being on different teams and all, you know?
Feeling maybe it was better to follow her Shinshou's words, Sakura held her head up higher and walked back to her apartment. Entering and locking the door behind her Sakura sighed and became aware of the throbbing in her shoulder again.
Walking into the bathroom Sakura pulled down the shoulder of her shirt and looked at the mark.
Sakura gave a harsh bitter laugh
A little black cherry blossom. How completely ironic. Leave it to Orochimaru to make her curse mark a play of her name. Do evil perverted snake-geniuses have any imagination?
Sakura sighed and pulled her shirt back up trudging out the bathroom and for her bed,
'Stupid curse mark! Thank god the headaches went away. I have no idea what I'd do if those kept coming back.'
'Cha! We should go kill the snake-bastard for it! Oh and bring Sasuke-kun back as well of course! But really kill the snake perv!'
'Inner. Do the words 'legendary sannin' mean ANYTHING at all to you?'
'Nope. They mean jack shit. Does that count?'
'No, Inner, It doesn't.'
'Well that's a load of crap!'
'Inner self?'
'Yeah?'
'Shut the hell up?'
' 'Kay.'
'Thanks.'
Sakura sighed after the mental conversation as she slipped off her shinobi boots and quickly changed into comfortable flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top.
Sakura slipped into bed and snuggled down into the pillow intent on instant sleep and had started to doze when a dark chuckle rang through the room and dark voice called out,
"Well Sakura, Lovely idea with the lock on your front door. Too bad it didn't work."
Sakura's eyes sprang open and bolting strait up in bed swung her head around to meet sultry onyx eyes that stared at her form the window with a flat intense gaze and a smirk from a luscious mouth to accompany it.
Sakura's emerald eyes widened and then narrowed as she whispered out,
"Sasuke-... Kun."
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Bundyangel: I'm a dirty evil skank I know it. Anyway reviews/reply's are loved and appreciated.
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Hope your enjoying it so far!