The Sakurazaki Chronicles—Tsubasa
By Emi
MC: Setsuna, Sasuke, mainly Konohagakure ninja
MS: Feudal Japan; the pre-Shippuuden period of Naruto
MT: Romance, Adventure, Angst, Friendship, Fantasy, Death
Rating: 13-18 year olds (Teen-Mature)
Disclaimer: The author does not own Naruto in any way, shape or form. However, she does own her OCs, including a small amount of their jutsus. The author also does not own the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Mahou Sensei Negima! by Akamatsu Ken, Chobits by CLAMP, Tsubasa by CLAMP, xxxHolic by CLAMP, Love Hina by Akamatsu Ken, the manga edition of Romeo and Juliet by Yali Lin (her wonderful art instructor and the woman who autographed it for me.), the .hack// series by various authors, and other manga or literature references used in the making of this fanfiction. All rights belong to their respectful author(s) or company.
A/N: Please review… I won't update if you don't!
Book One: Sora
Chapter 3
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"This sucks! This sucks!" Naruto took a big bite of his lunch and kept cursing. "We're stuck with that jerk Sasuke!"
"What're the odds?" I replied sarcastically, already knowing that I would be on this team.
Naruto looked right at me. "I thought that a cool princess wouldn't want to be a ninja."
"What! I would never! I love fighting... it's exhilarating..."
Suddenly Naruto's face lit up with evil mischief. "Hey Setsuna, how much free time do we have left?"
I consulted my watch that was strapped conveniently to a necklace around my neck. "One hour. Why?"
"Never you mind. Later!"
He sprinted off, ready to cackle. I shook my head and finished my meal, wanting to be very far away when his plan backfired. He was going to tell Sakura that he liked her in Sasuke's form. After eating I decided to take a leisure walk towards the school. I walked for about six minutes when I saw something that made me gasp in shock-- not. It was Naruto, in the form of Sasuke, talking to Sakura.
I got behind a tree and listened to every word, wanting blackmail material for later usage, even though I had watched the episode a countless number of times. Sasuke complimented Sakura on her 'noble brow' - I retched silently; I wasn't romantic in any sense, as I had spent half my life in an all-girls boarding school.
"That's what Naruto would say."
"Oh, the gods are very kind to me today," I snickered twenty minutes later. "First a cheesy soap opera scene in real life, and now this. I wish I had a camera. This moment is priceless."
I had finally tracked Sasuke down to where I saw him eating his lunch. If you don't know what had happened, Naruto caught him off guard while the boy was eating, ambushed him and borrowed his form. Tied and gagged, he glared at me with hard black eyes as I laughed at his situation.
When I regained my composure I ripped off his gag, making him wince a bit. "Untie me," he ordered shortly, wriggling like a caterpillar.
"No chance." I leaned against the wall and stuck my hands in my samurai pockets. "And no, I've no idea what Naruto is doing now. Not like I'd tell you anyway."
"Damn you," was the reply.
I slid to the floor, bringing my knees up to rest my chin on them. I glanced sidelong at Sasuke. "Y'know Uchiha, you and me haven't talked in a while. Since this morning. Noticed?"
"You can just untie me and shut up," Sasuke snapped, not looking at me. I sighed and complied, working fast. Soon he was stood up, flexing his wrists.
"You can say thanks at least," I said wearily, sliding down the wall. "Y'know, polite manners and all."
"Hn." He jumped out the window and strode off. I glared at his back before remembering that Kakashi was supposed to be here. Oh, well. He would be late anyways. Besides, who was I to glare at Sasuke? I ran for the classroom anyways, met Naruto on the way, and arrived to see Sakura and Sasuke waiting. We all sat far from each other while we waited.
.::x::.x::x::.
I was bored extremely easy. Seeing as I could not wait for more than an hour at a time, I exited the room, going out to the marketplace to buy some food. I also bought a sketchpad while there.
While returning back, I noticed that Kakashi still was not there. Sighing, I placed the grocery bag on the floor, taking out a pencil and my new sketchbook. I opened it to the first page, ignoring the many stares from Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto.
Taking out a pencil, I decided to sketch the first thing that I could think of- my favorite animal. A few minutes later, after the shape was done, Naruto conjured up enough bravery to walk over to me.
"Hey, Sakurazaki-hime!" He yelled, abnormally close to my ear. I cringed. He was even louder in person than in the manga. "What're you doing, dattebayo?" I turned around, smiling sweetly, but stern-faced.
"Naruto-kun," I said. He did nothing but smile back at me. "Please, call me Setsuna. And, 'what are you doing, believe it,' doesn't make much sense, you know. Also, no 'hime.' I'm just a normal person, as you are. And, I'm drawing a kitsune, you want to see?" Naruto grinned.
"Yeah, Setsuna-chan! Show me, dattebyo!" I smiled at the young orphan who was still not making sense with his words. And the sad thing was, what was I doing pretending I was: 1. A princess. 2. A shinobi. 3. Twelve years old! I was really FIFTEEN for Kami's sake! Why do I look TWELVE! DOUZE! SHI-ER! SA-I! JUU-NI!!
Nonetheless, I showed him the page in front of me, his smile growing even wider, if that was even possible.
"Oi, Setsuna-chan!" He looked at me. I cocked my head sideways, questioningly. "That's really good!" Arigatou, I smiled in my head.
"A-arigatou, Naruto-kun," I stuttered, still not actually used to the fact I was talking to an imaginary cartoon character. I pinched myself. Itai! Okay, I'm definitely awake. "Ummm... ano, do you want it?" He nodded eagerly. Ripping it slowly and neatly, I handed it to him.
He stared at it in awe, then started stroking the paper like it was a real kitsune. "It's so pretty... SUGOI!! OI, SAKURA-CHAN, C'MERE!" The pink-haired girl looked angered for a moment, then saw me. She smiled softly and ran up to us.
"Ohayou, Pr-- I mean, Setsuna-hime!" I smiled at her attempt to call me by my name. However, the Haruno called me princess again, in an endearment. I sighed. I was beginning to consider that phrase as an insult. I mean, I couldn't tell her I wasn't a princess! I could get arrested by the Konohagakure no sato Police Force!
"Ohayou, Haruno-san," She smiled at my calling her -san. After all, it WAS a princess talking to her. Boy, now I'm sounding snooty.
"Y-you can call m-me Sakura." She stuttered, now sounding exactly like I had just a few moments before.
"Alright then, Sakura-chan," I said again. Although I hated her obsession with the Uchiha avenger, she grew out of it and made into a strong kunoichi later on. I respected that-- it was hard to let go of something-- or someone-- that was precious to you. Like Haku, whom we were going to fight in a month or so. We all had someone precious to us that we would die for. Well, I thought as I glanced towards Sasuke's direction.
He was going to avenge the dead, precious ones to him.
As was I.
Since my parents and family were all gone-- some murdered, some crazy and sent to prison, I didn't have a precious person to protect. Maybe, in the Naruto universe, it would be different... maybe I could fell a little... loved?
"LOOK! SETSUNA-CHAN DREW THIS FOR ME!" Naruto shoved the paper in Sakura's face. She shoved Naruto away, but not before gingerly taking the picture in her hand. She scanned her eyes over it, smiling.
"You certainly have a talent for drawing," Sakura smiled. "This is really good, Setsuna-hi-chan!" She covered up her mistake. "Ummm... ano, can you make me... ummm..." I caught on.
"It's okay to ask, Sakura-chan!" I smiled. It wasn't everyday you get to make new friends from a cartoon world. I wanted to be as 'happy' as I could get. Good thing I took those acting lessons back in boarding school... "I'll draw you one, too!" Then I looked over in Sasuke's direction, who, being the arrogant, emo jerk he was, was sitting at his Academy desk, hands folded, head propped up on them. I decided to make him one as well.
"Hey, Sasuke-san!" I exclaimed. Peeved, the Uchiha turned to me, emotionless. He didn't reply. "You want me to draw you one as well?"
"Hn." He replied. I didn't think that that was a no... was it? I decided to draw one for him anyways. I flipped to a clean, blank, page in my new sketchbook and started to draw Sakura trees for Sakura-chan. Fitting, ne? I took out a pastel set, too, and started to color it in, slowly. 30 minutes later, my picture was done and in Sakura's hands. She was admiring it.
"Sugoi, Setsuna-chan," She said, happy that she had finally gotten my name right. "This really is great." I thanked her.
"Why isn't our sensei here yet?" Naruto complained as he was doodling on the blackboard. "It's already 3:00 PM, Iruka's gone, and my ramen coupon expires at 6!" I smiled weakly at the ranting Uzumaki. Kakashi wasn't going to come in another hour or so. He was probably 'lost on the path of life' at the KIA Stone. I shook my thoughts out of my head, and started to draw a teddy bear for Sasuke.
.::x::.x::x::.
Another thirty-or-so minutes later, I finally put the finishing touches on the bear. I drew tiny stitches on the mouth into a smile, then made it say 'Smile." I snickered at it, then secretly showed it to Naruto.
"Is that for him?" Naruto pointed to Sasuke, who was once again, brooding and quiet. I nodded. Naruto chuckled. "Oh my Kami, you should give it to him! See what he does!" I nodded, and strode over to where Sasuke was sitting. He didn't look up. Jerk.
"Sasuke-san, look!" I tried to sound as cheerful as possible. "I drew you something, since Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun both got one."
"Hn." I offered it to him, and he reached out a hand and took it, not even bothering to glance at me when he did. Then, the Uchiha looked at it, sighed, and then went back to staring into space. Now, I was completely confused, and feeling utterly pathetic.
"Ano... Sasuke-san?" I asked him. He didn't reply. "Do you... ano.. like it?" He looked up and glared at me.
"Who said I'm not happy?" He snapped.
"I wasn't implying that you weren't," I smirked. he growled, taking out a kunai and swinging it at me. Itai. Anger issues.
I took out my first katana and brought it to his neck before he could hurt me. He stood there, shocked that ahem a PRINCESS could move so fast. "Don't move or you die."
Meanwhile, Sakura and Naruto were at the door, not paying attention to us.
"Naruto-baka," Sakura's face was red in anger, clashing with her pink hair. "You can't do that to our sensei!"
"Watch me!" Naruto put the eraser on top of the door, then stepped down from his ladder. "Once he goes through the door, BAM! He's going to get hit by the eraser!"
"That's not a good idea!" Sakura warned. However, her alter-ego was thinking completely otherwise.
.::x::.x::x::.
We were both completely silent-- one move and we'd both die. His kunai was at my neck, my katana at his. Total silence reigned, us glaring at each other.
"Make your move, Uchiha," I hissed, not bothering to put an endearment at the end. After all, all friends could be enemies at one point. So, enemies could be even worse. If enemies could try hard enough... they could kill.
"Ladies first," He smirked at me. I smirked back, and focused my chakra evenly throughout my body. Envisioning Kakashi transporting away like he usually did, I used the 'tora' hand sign and, before the Uchiha could sense it, I disappeared, leaving a faint chakra trail that nobody without a special technique could track. The kunai and the katana clattered noisily onto the ground.
Sasuke cried out in surprise, Sakura and Naruto finally noticing and looking over at him and where I was a moment ago. He looked around for me, grabbing the kunai off the floor before I could make a move. Unknown to him, I was hanging upside-down on the rafters, watching his every move. I had learned to use the hid-and-seek analyze trick when doing filed combat during practice.
His movement was fast, I'd give him that. If I had watched his moves in the anime and manga correctly, then his moves were also dangerously accurate. I would have to pinpoint his attacks from my 90 degree angle and dodge all that was possible. he was standing approximately 4 feet 11 inches away from me, so...
"Ohayou, Sasuke-san!" I hopped from the rafters as I felt his chi stiffen. training in Tokyo had a great effect on me, so I felt confident-- confident enough to attack him straight on. I pulled my other katana out, landing on the floor and going for his ankle.
I wouldn't attack fatally, just enough for him to slow down a little. Not fast enough, Sasuke-san, the emo lord finally defeated, watched as his blood seeped out of his wound. As he was distracted, I put my katana to his neck.
"You lose, Uchiha!" I smiled, having defeated a... cartoon character that was supposed to be stronger. Oh, well. Maybe after he got the curse mark he would be a better opponent.
Poof We all turned our attention to the sudden noise-- even Sasuke-san, who was wriggling around in the sword's grip. Kakashi-sensei was here! With an eraser on his head! I guess Naruto-kun did it while Sasuke-san were fighting.
"My first impression of you all is..." He made a dramatic silence. "I hate you! But not Setsuna-hime, she can't be hated." He smiled under his mask.
"Kakashi-sensei," I said casually, letting go of Sasuke-san. he fell to the floor and scrambled back up, glaring at my back. "You can't stereotype us all. And, do you remember what I said earlier?"
"True," Kakashi-sensei admitted. "Seeing as how you beat the best Academy student there. Somehow, you with the least training, may be the strongest of them all."
I blinked, taking in the compliment. Bowing, I thanked my new teacher. "Domo arigatou gozaimasu."
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