Chapter 15: Oki's Blessing
(Sakura's eyes slit open as she lay in her bed, safe and sound. No one was in the room when she first looked around. She sat up, it was late afternoon.)
Sakura: "What happened?"*she put her legs over the side of the bed and turned to her bedside table. Her clock read 5:30 pm and a black kunai sat next to it. she's surprised to see it* "Did I-"
(It begins to ring.)
Sakura:*picked it up and stared at it* "Hello?"
(The otter from before appeared out of nowhere. It gave a quiet chirp.)
Sakura: "Oh, it's you."
Otter:*nodded prideful. The only thing different about her now is that there's a seaweed ribbon tied around its neck and that her eyes had turned a brilliant sea green*
Sakura:*smiled* "Where's Lei and the others?"
Otter:*shrugs*
Sakura: "Hmm."*turns the kunai over in her hand, on the other side of the knife is an etching of the name 'Oki'* "Oki? Is that your name?"
Oki:*nodded prideful again. Her head turned to the door*
Sakura:*looked up as Lei came in through it*
Lei: "Oh good your up."*there's a spirit behind her, but it is difficult to make out who it is until she steps out from in front of it. It's her father.*
Sakura: "Seiraiya-sama?"
Seiraiya: "Aye. Nice to see you too Sakura."
Lei: "About damn time too. I'm kinda getting tired of everyone looking at me like I'm a psycho-path because I'm talking to my spirits."
Sakura: "You talk to them in public?"
Lei: "Sometimes. It depends on the situation."*turns to Oki* "Did you learn her name?"
Sakura: "Oki."
Lei:*her eyes widen* "The Sea Otter, Oki?"
Oki:*nodded prideful*
Lei: "Blessed Phoenix feathers. I never knew she even passed away."
Oki:*looks a little sad and chirps in a tone to match*
Seiraiya: "She said she was murdered."
Lei: "By who?"
Oki:*shrugged. And gave a quick chirp*
Seiraiya: "It only happened recently. This is probably why she warmed up to Sakura so quickly."
Oki:*shook her head and chirped*
Seiraiya: "Oh."
Sakura: "Eh?"
Seiraiya: "She said she lost the trust of the living men. Especially since the person who killed her was her summoner."
Lei: "That's a disgrace. Going around and killing your summons for the hell of it. Who in their right mind would do something so heartless?"
Seiraiya: "Aoi and Mizuki."
Lei:*shivered* "Don't remind me. They were creepy."
(There's a sudden rush of wind even though the doors and windows are closed.)
Sakura: "What the?"
Voice:*ringing in Sakura's ears* "Do not be afraid. I am here for you and you alone Haruno Sakura."
Sakura: "Who are you?"
Voice: "It is me, Oki."
Sakura: "You can talk?"
Oki: "Of course I can, but only to you. Seiraiya may understand otter but he cannot hear me when I talk to you through telepathy. By gaining the ability to use the Second Sight you can now see what many others cannot. You can see the spirits of the dead and those of the sleeping. Abuse this power and I can strip you of the sight. However, it is not in my nature to be rash. So go with my blessing, and the blessing of the sea."*her spirit returns to the kunai, saying* "Call upon me when I am needed."
Sakura:*blinks, confused* "Okay."
Lei:*sighs* "He was the same way; confusing as hell."*referring to her dad.*
Seiraiya: "Shut up."
Lei: "I don't have to."*pulls a green strip out of her pack* "Here, tie this around the kunai so I know it's yours and so Kyo doesn't accidentally pick it up and use it in battle. She won't like that because it's not you, her original capturer."
Sakura:*takes the ribbon and ties it around the handle. She rests it on the bedside table again* "How am I suppose to summon her to get her help in battle?"
Lei: "That is all up to you Sakura. Every person has a different way of summoning the spirits. You have to come up with your own unique way to do it. This phase I can't help you with."
Sakura:*sighs* * "Looks like a harsh day of training tomorrow."*
Lei: "No worries. It will come to you in time."*she turns to leave the room.* "Your next trials are what you should be more concerned about, because they must be given all in one day. Whenever your next vision comes, tell me. Then the trials will begin."*walks out.*
Sakura:* "I don't think I'd be able to take them all at once."*
(Oki rings in.)
Oki: "You must. It is the way of the sight. You have to abide by the rules as others before you have."*short pause* "Hey, for pulling that off the top of my head that sounded pretty good."
Sakura: O_O^ "OKI THAT'S NOT FUNNY!!!!"
(Sasuke and Naruto just happened to walk by.)
Naruto: "Uh, Sakura. Who the hell are you yelling at?"
Sakura: O_O! "No one."
Sasuke:*raises eyebrow* "Doesn't sound like it."
Sakura: "Oh, I'm not. Hehehe."
Naruto: ¬¬. "Right. Who where you really yelling at?"
Sakura: "No one."
Inner Sakura:* "Dammit he just won't give up."*
(The two boys exchange looks and Naruto gave a shrug. The two of them soon walked off.)
Sakura: "Phew. That was way to close for comfort."
Oki: "That's what you get for yelling so loud."
Sakura: O_O^
Oki: "Well it was. Even Lei knows better than that."
Sakura: "You're real encouraging Oki."
Oki: "I never said I was."
Sakura:*groan*
(A little while later, after everyone has eaten and the sun is sinking in the sky. Sakura has wandered off somewhere and her team is looking for her.)(In the forest at the moment.)
Naruto: "Where the hell could she have run off too in that short of a time period?"
Kakashi: "Who knows? She didn't even say anything to Lei."
Sasuke:*looking around with his Sharingan, not seeing much.* * "Damn, where are you Sakura?"*
(There's a red flash just past the trees.)
Naruto: "What the hell-"
Kakashi: "Oh no. Don't tell me."
Sasuke: "What?"
Kakashi:*picks up the pace* "Hurry it up you slowpokes."
Naruto: "Alright we're coming. Yeesh."
(The three of them come to a pond with a waterfall leading into it. Sakura is sitting on a rock in the center of the pond.)
Sasuke: "Sakura."
Sakura:*merely turns her head to them, then turns it back.*
Sasuke: "What's she doing?"
Kakashi: "I'm not exactly sure."
(A column of water suddenly surrounds her. In the column and above her head is a spherical shadow.)
Sasuke:*reaching for his knives*
Kakashi:*grabs his arm* "Hold on. You shouldn't interfere."
Sasuke: "And why not?"
Kakashi: "It's a Blessing."
Naruto: "A what?"
Kakashi: "A Blessing. She's already passed her third trial, and apparently gained a new friend."
(Oki has appeared in front of Sakura again, but is more lifelike now.)
Sakura: "Explain to me again why you have to do this."
Oki: "It's tradition for the spirits to properly bless the capturer. That is if the summoner and the summon had not been previously acquainted, which we have not. This'll also allow me to see what kind of abilities you posses and whether or not we need to assess your skills."
Sakura:*sighs* "Whatever you say."
Oki: "Now then, let's see what you can do."*her eyes turn a startling blue and stare into Sakura's eyes, which also turned startling blue.*
(They stare for several minuets before Oki finally looks away and seems satisfied.)
Oki: "Interesting. Your ninjutsu is fairly normal; taijutsu isn't that great, genjutsu is your best form of Jutsu, a high intelligence, good. Your power is low, you're not very fast, your stamina is poor, but your knowledge of seals is far more advanced than I've seen in anyone your age."
Sakura:*not liking the fact that Oki makes her look weak, but smiles at the compliments of everything else.*
Oki: "I'm just saying. You need to be fairly assessed before you might be able to summon me. It'll take a lot out of you to complete it the first time, but it gets easier as time goes on."
Sakura: "I see."
Oki: "Now, I can't begin your training just yet. You still have to acquire the Second Sight before that will become a possibility. Work on what I have told you to. Don't worry it won't be too difficult. Good luck Sakura-chan."