EDITED VERSION! See if you notice the differences! Hope this helps - esp. for all those who may or may not have noticed the mistakes and errors and plot holes of the previous version!
THANKS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED AND REVIEW AND WILL REVIEW!
PLEASE REVIEW! IT HELPS ME KNOW IF THIS FIC IS WORTH IT! (and also to make sure I'm on the right track!
Daineandnumairareahotcouple: Wow! I'm glad you enjoyed this!
Zelha: Sakura is getting a creepy feeling!
Lotisflower: Hopefully this clears everything up even more!
Gotnkat: How does it happen? You'll have to keep reading! LOL!
JamieGlasgow4: Thanks a lot!
Jennjennr: Thanks again! As always, your reviews are a great encouragement! I'm glad you liked the Izumo, Kotetsu, Genma part. They are so cute! Did you read the newest manga chappie? Squee! It's a really fast fic – at an alarming pace (you'll feel it even more so in this chappie) Totally opposite from Gl which is large and slower! Ha! But I think it's a nice change of scene, ne?
Kittydemon18: How does it work? Sakura explains in this episode… without knowing it…
Lanse: I'm glad you enjoy this reworking of a plot. I wonder how 'X' feels – considering his past changes with every letter Sakura writes… heeee… but that will be covered… all in good time…
Kokis: I know… the irony! It's going to kill us all! (it gets better/worse in this chappie!) So fun to write…
MK: Thanks! Hope you enjoy this update!
Intelligent-idiot-17: I'm glad you think it's awesome! Hope you like this newest installment!
Perscripto13: Thanks! This is what I call my more humorous side – quirky and bizarre!
LambSam: It's a Mys-ter-y… bwahahahaha! Hope things get more clear for you!
Eyeline0tears: It's okay to babble. Especially late at night…
Kioji: Hope you enjoy the further tangles happening! I sometimes wonder… why do I put myself in this hole?
Shadowinu14: Glad you enjoyed it!
Eralda: hahaha! Yeah! I should write a fic just for Zuzu and Kote. They're just too cute, ne? Of course, in the latest manga, I was like… wahhhh! Don't die!
I don't own Naruto.
Letters of Yesterday
Chapter 3
Jounin Pain
"Broad horizon as I walk from your embrace
What I feel is nothing"
Fall For You by The Whitlams
Two years passed by. On the bright days, when the sun shone, when puffy white clouds drifted lazily by in the baby blue sky – and the young Chuunin of Konoha gathered around Shikamaru's favorite cloud watching seat – Sakura felt as if time was flying. Filled with busy days of tough missions, training (especially before her Chuunin Exam) and medical research.
Walking down the busy streets chatting with her mates -
"Kotetsu – no – no – Izumo! Pull. Him. Off. DAMMIT!"
"You can do the job yourself," laughed Izumo. "Show him your scary eyes. He'll run away."
"Not!" Kotetsu winked. "I'm training for Jounin. It's a good way to -"
"SHUT UP, DAAMMMITTT!" Sakura slammed the womanizer into the wall, steaming coming from her ears.
Izumo backed away. Slowly.
But there are days, Sakura sighed, looking out from her small balcony. Some days go by so slowly.
Below her Chuunins, Genins, Jounins and civilians went about their business. A myriad of lives she could never fathom.
It's sometimes such an overwhelming thought... Feels lonely...
"Ahh... Kakashi-sensei!" yelled Sakura, waving down at her sensei as he walked by with a large paper bag full of groceries.
"Yo, Sakura!" Kakashi smiled, his one eye crinkling.
Sakura looked down critically at what she could see – an uncombed grey bush of hair.
Geez... no wonder he's a bachelor at his age. A guy like that... sure he's cool and different... but...
"What's the matter?" asked Kakashi. "Bad hair day?"
"Like you should talk, sensei..." Sakura rolled her eyes.
She watched him walk away, chuckling, and sighed again.
Listlessly, she walked over to her table and reread the scroll opened there.
I'll be gone for a couple of months... it's because Sensei thinks I should start getting a higher profile for the Jounin nominations. IF there is going to be nominations this year, things are really tense around here. Oh! So how did your date go with this un-named man of yours?
Damn. I wanted to talk to him... ahhh... I guess it's the ramen shop tonight with Ino... Still... I might as well start a new letter.
Dear Scarecrow,
I remember thinking on the first day "Now that Naruto is gone, it sure has gotten quiet around here." I guess I didn't realize how much I'd miss his rather idiotic smile.
"Sakura!" Her mother called up the stairs. "Ino is here for you!"
Stowing her stuff away carefully and closing her balcony doors, Sakura went downstairs.
That night, she tapped her pen thoughtfully, watching the little black dots of ink form a vague shadow on the scroll.
Tsunade-sama isn't sure when he's going to be coming back. If he ever does.
Well… he will, that idiot is too stupid to get killed – he's the luckiest bastard ever. But I wonder how things will be changed. Already I know that things will be different – Baka-sensei and I have been training hard (separately… the late pervert has been kept busy by Tsunade-sama).
Today, I realized that it's been OVER two years since I saw the Naruto – and some days feel like they will last for years and years – it's like time crawls. And you stand there on a balcony or sit on the roof and look over the city and wonder if everybody else is feeling like you – and then you realize you can't ever fathom the whole mass out there – what they think, feel, desire… it's a huge world. And then… you feel –
No. I feel… so small.
Ah. I'm just being an idiot! You said something about nominations for Jounin. That's gonna be hard if people hate you – if they nominate you – surely that means they are acknowledging you? I'm sure that if you try, your teammates will acknowledge you too.
But that doesn't mean you should put the 'crybaby' down so much. You kinda sound mean. In my team, I was the 'crybaby' and because of you and Naruto, I was able to change – because you guys encouraged me and told me I could be strong too. Why don't you do that for your friend?
Geez.
Anyway, things have been good. This evening, I hung out with a whole pack of my friends. It's funny to see how much we've grown – and even older Chuunin like to hang out with us. What's even more weird is that this one guy is ALREADY a JOUNIN! And he's 16!
But that's the Hyuuga for you. They're always so… determined.
Yrs. Sakura
p.s. The date was a failure. Now the guy can't leave me alone! Dammit!
I wonder… I wonder if he'll ever get close to his teammates, sighed Sakura, as she looked over her letter. He's been with them for over a year now – and he's still so… distant… am I the only true friend he has? Pathetic, really! But then… I think that's what happens to geniuses. Expectations isolate them and then… Maybe Naruto is luckier than he thinks.
Pushing away from her desk, Sakura stripped quickly, slipped on her robe and crept into her bed with a sigh.
I think Scarecrow and I need a face-to-face talk. Before his pig-headedness hurts somebody…
The next couple of weeks were busy ones – but somewhere in between, Sakura felt the silences acutely. Like on the weekends – when she would normally be out on a mission with Team 7, or hanging with her two teammates –
Well… sort of… I just followed Sasuke around, and Naruto tagged along to be near me. Idiot.
"You seem to be more meditative these days," a deep voice said behind her.
"WAAHHHHH!" Screeched Sakura, jumping several feet in the air. She turned around, eyes white and scary. "KAKA-SENSEI! YOU IDIOT!"
"Ehhh…" Kakashi leaned back – ever so slightly (after all, he could never be scared by his student, right? Right.). "I was… just… saying hi…"
"It's okay," Sakura sighed, suddenly deflating at the sight of Kakashi's smiling… eye… "What are you doing up here anyway? Don't you have work to do?"
"Oh. Well… you know… I took a short break for – for the weekend only…"
"No. I didn't know. Nice. I'm sure you deserved it."
Kakashi sat down with her on the steps of the white promenade, looking out rather lazily over the cities, reveling in the wind that blew on his face and the sound of trees creaking and leaves rustling behind him.
His dark eye slid downwards past the orange book perpetually glued to his hand (so Sakura thought) and surveyed a scroll sitting carefully on her lap.
"Research?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow with curiosity. "Or your pen pal boyfriend?"
Sakura blushed.
"It's not like that – and yes, it is. So what?""
"If it isn't like that – what is it?"
Sakura shook her head.
"You wouldn't understand, sensei. It's some one who I care about – who needs my help. A loner genius who's always underestimated because of his small size. And there were other things in his life that…"
"Hoe…" Kakashi asked, his eye curving again in a smile. "I was like that once too!"
"Really? But people think you're so cool…" Sakura blinked – then scowled. "Are you trying to pat yourself on the back about genius again?"
"Well…"
"Hmph. Men. That's all they think about. As if it's the only thing to impress the ladies… You can't fool me!"
"No. No. I'm sure I can't," the Copy Nin smiled, stowing away his book.
"Sensei," Sakura called after her sensei as he placed a sandal casually on the metal bar of surrounding the promenade. "What do you say to a boy who's stubborn and won't listen to you?"
"Your pen pal?"
"Well…"
"What are you trying to tell him?" Kakashi twisted around, eye twinkling with amusement as his (still) young student strode, face determined, over to him.
"Well..." Sakura frowned. "I guess… I want him to get his relationships right with his teammates. He hasn't talked a lot about them, really. He's kinda uncommunicative, you know…"
"Some guys are… some people find it hard to express themselves."
"I don't –"
"I know," Kakashi said dryly. "But put yourself in the other person's shoes. Maybe he wants to keep his identity a secret."
"Hmmm… yeah… he's really strict about that…"
"And then, there's the whole – a guy must be strong and independent thing –"
"True… but… I did manage to gleam a few things… like the fact that the boy in his team is like his rival – he's a crybaby who's always late… and – well… my – er, um…- pen pal get's so angry… but I think he's just trying to distance himself from people who might reject him later on. And he's wayyyy too much into rules and regs… I mean. Rules are important but not more important than people, right, sensei? You said that to us the day you passed us…"
"Hmmm… yes… well… perhaps this, um… pen pal of yours shouldn't be changed by you – but rather… you should be there for him – no matter what."
Sakura nodded.
"I see… okay! I'll keep that in mind! Ja ne, Baka-sensei…"
"Ehhh… no respect…."
Dear Sakura-chan,
I'm sorry that you miss your teammate. I'm sure he's fine and that he'll come back to you with awesome stories. Training and traveling is the best!
Sometimes, you're too cute… although you still need to fix your handwriting…
Well… I don't do it as often because I'm doing more work with my team now.
I tried to keep your words in mind the other day, but – I swear – that kid was born just to try me. He was HALF AN HOUR late! Because "a girl lost her shoe" and he "had to find it"… geez… be more professional, you know? I didn't get to where I am by acting like an idiot!
No, you got to where you are by being an imbalanced workaholic…
Then, while on the mission, he totally screwed up by jumping at the cat too early – so we had to set up a totally NEW ambush for the stupid animal… Even Sensei looked kinda pissed. I think it's cause he wanted to get home earlier so he could take his girl out.
Sensei's kinda cool that way.
He says that when I grow up, all the girls are going to think that I'm cool.
I was just talking about pride…eh…
So… I guess I should apologize for not listening to you… I'll try to be more patient.
And even if I fail, will you still stay my friend?
I guess he doesn't understand unconditional love?
Oh no! I'm going to be late! I gotta run or else I'll never live it down from Sensei and Obito! I'll tell you about my new jutsu next time!
Just like Naruto, huh…
Yours truly,
Scarecrow
p.s. Your sensei… what's his name again? Baka? Kaka? Whatever… he seems kinda irresponsible. How do you live with that kind of a guy for teacher? Wow. You deserve a medal. When I grow up, I'm going to be the best teacher ever!
Sakura shook her head with a sigh.
Hopeless.
Then her mouth turned down in a grim smile.
No. Nothing's hopeless – he needs to know that I'll always be there to support him.
She rolled her eyes at the post-script.
And he needs to understand that there are people who have more important lessons than jutsus.
Glancing at the time, the pink-haired medic's eyes widened.
Damn! It's too late to write anything now… I got that meeting… well… I can write it during lunch break, I guess…
Dear Scarecrow!
Wow! This is going to be one long letter, so you better settle down for a bit!
First off –
NARUTO CAME BACK! WITH JIRAIYA-SAMA AS WELL!
How he has changed – Naruto… not Jiraiya-sama… he looks as old as ever! Hahaha!
But Naruto!
He's grown tall! And smarter… sort of… Of course, he's just as perverted as usual! DAMMIT! Why can't boys grow out of stupid perversion… Not that my sensei was any better. Apparently Naruto gave him a gift – the as yet to be released Makeout Tactics…
Gah! Idiot men and their perversion.
Anyway… yeah… there was this whole reunion thing. He was a bit in shock when he found out that I was a Chuunin… that everyone in the class was – except for him (and Sasuke…) Well… yeah…
And you know what? He didn't even comment on my new look! I'd been trying so hard to look like a lady and what did he say?
"You haven't changed at all, Sakura-chan!"
Is that supposed to be a compliment? GAAAHHHHH!
Then of course, we had to be put through another BELL test. What's up with Bell Tests? Did you ever have to do a bell test with your team? Probably not. My sensei is psycho, that's what.
Well… he's that good, is all. We couldn't get it any other way than Naruto's super surprising idea to pin him down by telling him the plot line of Make Out Tactics. WHICH MEANS NARUTO'S READ THAT SHIT! DAMMMITTTT!
What's with men and that series!
Anyway, we beat our sensei – it wasn't really fair, per se. But as Sensei says… you gotta learn how to manipulate your enemy. Find his weak spot and exploit it.
At any rate, it was a good time. I don't know what we're going to do now, though… without Sasuke, we're missing a teammate… will we have to get a new one? And as for missions – are we going to do mission duty? Or search for Sasuke?
Or train more together?
The future holds so many possibilities.
Which reminds me about you and your predicament with your team. I know that you find it hard to stand your teammate, but if you can, please try – over and over again. At least, stop beating on him. Like… make your first step – I don't know – keep it verbal…
But you know what, even if you never become best friends – if at best you remain rivals, that doesn't mean I think you're a bad, evil person (like Orochimaru). Just somebody who needs me to be there more and more.
I do think you need to sharpen your social skills because they seem to stink – but don't worry. I'll be there for you. Always. I promise.
As for my sensei, he's really annoying and stuff but you know what, I respect him because he taught us the value of teamwork. Teamwork is what matters – because people are more important than jutsu.
Ahhh! Look at this thing! It's super long! I should really stop now – but I just want to make sure you're okay and everything's fine… oh wait…
GAAKKK! You'd not guess! But someone's attacking Sand – I gotta run!
See you and love you always,
Sakura
Dear Sakura,
You had to go to Sand because of an attack? Odd. I don't remember hearing about that… Well… I guess that's not unexpected considering how hectic things have been in the village.
What's odd is you not knowing about the Sand problem… it was all over town…
But then… you're a Chuunin and you probably understand.
It's funny, until a week ago, I was a Chuunin, but now… you guessed it, I'm a Jounin! At the age of 12...
You're just… scary…
Sakura froze.
Wait... a... minute... He lied to me...he said he was young...
Sakura tried to count back the years.
Let's see... I was 11 when I started writing to him... he said he was young... but... if I counted back... he'd be... 6... which is young - but i mean - most kids start at six... or thereabouts... unless he's aging faster than me... creepy... it's like... four years have passed for him - and I've only gotten 2 years older... wierd... scary...
Sakura shook her head and blinked.
Whatever. Too confusing... I'm probably just tired or something. He probably lied. Six is normal... but... still... he doesn't lie as a rule... Later, Sakura, think on it, later...
The pink-haired medic focussed on the rest of the letter.
It's kinda sad though how it all happened – you're a medic, so you probably know how the war has taken a really bad toll on our shinobi ranks. Really crazy.
Rin talks a lot about it – you've probably met her sometime, since she's a medic too –
Rin? War? What the hell… weird…..
But anyway, I don't know what border you were sent to, but we had to travel to this bridge to blow it up – Obito, Rin and I. I was their Jounin leader, just nominated that day. Sensei had to go the largest front to help the people there. I guess things got really bad. We were supposed to cut off the supply lines.
I realize I shouldn't talk about this in detail… but…Well… We were attacked, Rin was kidnapped – and I felt that we had to continue on with the mission – because I thought the mission was all. But Obito said he cared more about Rin (well… he was always in love with her to begin with, I think) and he went after her alone…
And as I was walking along, I could hear nothing but his voice echoing in my head. It was kind of annoying. He said over and over again, "I think your dad's a hero, too."
I couldn't really see how that was possible – to think that breaking the regulations just for a teammate was actually good? But… maybe that's what my sensei (and your sensei) always talked about. He said that there was more to leadership and the shinobi walk… You said the same thing… so… maybe…
Anyway… I can't talk about it in detail – Sensei says it's still under examination… but Obito died trying to save me, and for my Jounin gift, he donated one of his eyes to me. Rin was the one who operated.
That's… very… familiar… creepy…
Because of that, my jutsu became complete… did I tell you about my jutsu yet? Well… I like to keep things secret – but it involves lightning – it makes my arm a blade of lightning – which is great, because I'm still kinda short.
The arm becomes a blade of lightning… why does Gai come to mind?
At any rate, I'm glad you told me what you thought. I'm glad you'll be there forever for me… It's kinda cool that a girl is okay being my friend. What until Sensei hears! Hahahaha!
Impudent brat… no better than Naruto…
Anyway, I gotta go! Duty calls!
Scarecrow
p.s. I'm sorry about slandering your sensei. I guess in retrospect, he seems to be kinda cool in a subtle clever sort of way. Tell me what happened at Sand!
Sakura shook her head.
Irrepressible, huh. And yet…
Her stomach flip-flopped…
So cute…. Arrghh! Geez, Sakura… falling in love with a boy younger than you are! Sick! Sick!
Her eyebrows furrowed.
Still… it's rather odd…. The whole war thing. Rin. Obito. His eye. The blade of lightning… It seems… so… so… familiar… and that weird age gap...
The medic sighed.
Now it's really going to bother me.
"Sakura-chaaan!" Naruto called, running up the medic's side. "What are you doing?"
"Reading…"
"What, what? A novel? Research? Or maybe…" The blonde kitsune leered. "A lover, perhaps."
"Idiot!" Screeched Sakura, giving Naruto a really hard upper cut.
"Who is it?" asked Yamato, dropping down to a crouch beside her. "From Tsunade?"
"No…" sighed Sakura. "It's from a pen pal –"
"NO WAY!" shouted Naruto. "You still WRITE that shit?"
"It's NOT SHIT! He's my friend! DAMMIT!"
"Well… you are a girl…"
"What's THAT supposed to mean? Eh?"
"Uh… nothing, Sakura-chan…"
"Pen pal?" asked Sai, blinking in confusion. "What's that?"
"Pen pals are –"
"A stupid waste of time," Naruto said folding his arms. "Just like this trip to the spa."
"You are criticizing my generosity and desire for teamwork?" asked Yamato, switching on his scary eyes. "Perhaps you prefer punishment…"
"No. No. Not at all," Naruto backed away.
Yamato coughed and smiled at Sakura, completely changed.
Sakura smiled back weakly.
I'm surrounded by freaks. Freaks! Where's Kaka-sensei when you need him?
"What were you saying?" asked Sai.
"Well… back in the Academy, Iruka-sensei set up a pen pal program," Sakura said, eyes glowing with the faraway memories of those golden years. "We had to put our letters into this old post box and then the letters were distributed manually by somebody – I think it Izumo and Kotetsu were roped into it… but then, afterwards, all we had to do was put the letter into the box and it would go to the post office and then from there, out to our pen pals. My pen pal is anonymous… but that's okay. We can be more free with each other that way."
"How… odd…" Sai turning away. "And sort of useless, huh."
"That's probably going to be the only thing I agree with you about," Naruto snorted.
Yamato just shook his head.
"I think…" he paused for effect. "Another bath is in order. You boys will be coming, yes?"
Sai smiled.
"I don't see why I have to see puniness again but…"
"Who's calling who puny – you gay pervert!"
"NARUTO! SAI! You guys are getting ANNOYING!"
Several minutes later, Sakura walked off in a huff, scroll crumpling in her clenched fist. Behind her the two young men were cradling lumps on their skulls. Yamato watched her thoughtfully.
That handwriting…
Dear Sakura,
You haven't written for awhile. I'm kinda worried. Did I say something annoying in my last letter?
How are things going? Life has gotten quiet now that the treaties have been signed. Although… there have been rumors of a giant tailed monster.
How weird is that?
Anyway! I hope you write soon!
Missing you,
Scarecrow
Dear Scarecrow,
Things have gotten really complicated.
My sensei, for example, has been laid up in the hospital for a long time – and has JUST got out. That's what happens when you're a genius and you overdo it!
People sometimes go above and beyond their capabilities for other people – don't they?
Well… that's my sensei. And Naruto, too, is no better.
Yamato-sensei, Naruto and Sensei have been hanging out a lot lately – I think they're training Naruto in something… It has to do about wind natures and stuff like that – but Naruto never makes any sense to start with.
Yamato-sensei can make a huge waterfall? Seriously? I don't believe it.
At any rate, Naruto's left me alone – and Sai has been spending a lot of time in the library trying to figure out how to socialize… he needs help. Seriously. Calling Ino 'gorgeous' – but I'm a 'hag'? A hag! That's what he called me!
I am so not a hag!
He's gonna have to spend A LOT more time in the library if he's going to succeed. We'll ALL have to work a lot harder if we're going to succeed…
We DID meet Sasuke again – but he's so changed! I don't know what to think of him anymore.
Sensei says that 'Sasuke is Sasuke' and that inside he's still the same person. But Sasuke isn't the boy I loved – oops! You know my secret now! Ahh… don't tell anyone… okay? I don't want people to laugh at me for holding onto a crush so pathetically all these years.
At any rate, the future seems really uncertain now. Who knows what tomorrow holds – right?
But this I know – with your encouragement, and the backing of Naruto and Sensei, Sasuke will be brought back. Because with teamwork, we can do anything!
Yours forever,
Sakura.
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
Up next:
Falling into the Dark
War and an ancient Terror!