Wee!! I'm happy and upset at the same time… you see… my reviews went up to 29! The reason I'm upset with that is because…
I'MONLY1REVIEWAWAYFROMGETTING30REVIEWS!!!
Ugh… so close, yet, so far…
But then again, I'm lucky to get any reviews at all, so I shouldn't be complaining, ne?
I made a new friend! Yay! TwilightRaver is really fun to talk to! Ha-ha… ILY my frequent reviewer!!
Mood: Well, how would you feel after you feel into the crap-colored pond at the mini-golf course, attacked with frosting, and went into the men's restroom at the park with a bunch of guys as well (Lilium's female people!)?
Status: Going through FFs and thinking how much some of them suck nowadays…
Soundtrack: When September Ends – Green Day
Disclaimer: Seriously, the only thing I own is a laptop and a flashdrive… oh, and two color manga art books (Naruto and Bleach)… and a sketchbook… and pastels… and brush-markers… Ok, so I own a lot of things… but Naruto is not one of them.
Flashback
Sakura sat alone at a lunch table by herself, humming and staring at the vase that was sitting in front of her. She didn't mind that she was alone this time. Sasuke and Naruto were both going through tough times so didn't really want to talk to anyone. She understood that more than anyone.
Even though that was a year ago…
They were her only friends. She was willing to look past all of that. She just wanted her friends to be happy.
That's all she wanted.
Sakura felt like today was something special. Well, of course it was something special.
She made a new friend.
Even though her friend wasn't the type of friend that could go to the academy with her or she could talk to and get a response. In fact, her new friend wasn't even human or could even talk.
"Arf, arf!!"
Sakura's eyes widened as she walked over to the window and put a finger to her lips, giving a small brown puppy that was hidden in the bushes and scolding look, "Shh… if they find out about you, they'll do mean things to you like me…"
"Talking to yourself again, Forehead?"
She turned about to come face to face with Ami and two other girls.
Sakura never understood. Sasuke always told her that people would like her if she tried to reach out more. Why was Ami so mean to her? Why did she always bring Sasuke-kun into every meeting between them? Maybe she hated Sasuke…?
But how could anyone hate him?
He was so nice…
But then again… the keyword is 'was'.
"Hey Forehead Girl, pay attention when I'm talking to you!!" the purple-haired girl screamed as she pushed Sakura backwards.
Sakura stumbled, not being able to catch herself in time and then skidded across the linoleum floor.
Ami glared at her for a minute and then flipped the long side of her hair over her shoulder, "That's what freaks like you get. Sasuke deserves better. That's probably why he never talks to you anymore."
The trio of girls headed towards the door before their so-called leader stopped to stare at the contents on top of the table.
Ami pushed the rosette girl down pretty hard. Sakura had burning ground burns from sliding. The girl blinked back some tears of pain. She wasn't going to cry. Not in front of Ami… Sasuke and Naruto wouldn't want her to cry.
She had to be strong for Sasuke…
"Oh freak~!"
Sakura turned her head towards the direction of the sickeningly cruel sing-song voice.
There was Ami, smirking, in her hand, Sakura's carton of milk getting poured all over her tan shoulder-bag.
Sakura watched as the girl and her friends laughed as Ami let the rest of the white milk trickle and soak into her bag with all of her jutsu, shinobi history, and hand-to-hand combat books.
Ami finished off the rest of the carton and threw it to the side. Snickering along with her accomplices, getting ready to make a dramatic exit when…
A blonde-haired girl burst through the door, blocking Ami's way.
The trio was not expecting anyone to come in.
"Get out of the way, Yamanaka," Ami growled.
Yamanaka Ino did not budge. She stood in her spot, looking at Ami's facial expression, then to the dripping book-bag, and then to Sakura, who was clutching her elbows, which were bright red.
Ino's face pulled up into a scowl. Then, the blonde-haired girl yelled down the hallway, "Iruka-sensei! Ami and her friends are picking on Haruno again!"
Ami hissed as Ino as she heard their teacher's steps approaching, "Kuso! Yamanaka, you're gonna regret that!"
Ino simply giggled and flicked the purple-haired girl's forehead, "Hai, Ami-chan!"
She was just about to pounce on that Yamanaka girl when Iruka arrived.
He frowned at Ami's furious face and the other two girls' growling, "You three girls come with me. Ino, can you take care of Sakura and then take her to the nurse?"
"Hai, Iruka-sensei," Ino nodded.
Iruka thanked her and then led the trio out of the small room to meet their face. Ino couldn't help but stick her tongue out at Ami as she sulked by. After all, Ino couldn't miss that golden opportunity.
The blonde then remembered why she was still in that room and took a break from her taunting to turn to the pink-haired girl how was staring in awe at her.
Ino fidgeted uncomfortably under the pink-haired girl's intense gaze, "Err… I think we should get your bag cleaned off."
Yamanaka Ino didn't know Haruno Sakura that well. In fact, Ino didn't think that anyone knew Sakura that well besides Naruto and Sasuke.
She didn't know Naruto and Sasuke that well either to have any idea about Sakura. She thought that boys were stupid and her daddy taught her that all boys had cooties until they were daddies.
So Ino tried to avoid boys. Cooties could be deadly.
Still, the blonde couldn't help but wonder about the quiet pink-haired girl. Sakura didn't really do anything to get attention. All Ino knew was that Ami and her friends wanted something that had to do with Sasuke, which she didn't understand, but she made no effort to warn the pompous girl about cooties. Ami was one of those people that were better off out of everyone's life.
Mostly Sasuke's…
Ino pitied the Uchiha boy… having people like Ami trail after him like a lost puppy must be pretty hard.
"There," Ino sighed as she washed off the last of the milk that was on the tan bag, "I think most of it got off."
Ino stacked all of Sakura's clean books and slid them into her bag then handed them to her. The blond put her hands on her hips, "We should probably get you to the nurse now, ne?"
Sakura made no response. She just stared at the bag in her arms. Ino sighed again and shook her head.
She bent down and gently poked her forehead.
Sakura snapped out of her trance and looked up, expecting to see Sasuke. She was met by clear cerulean eyes instead of deep onyx ones and stumbled back a bit from shock.
Ino frowned and then pouted, "Hey, why do you let Ami pick on you?"
"E-eh..?"
"Really, you shouldn't let a brat like that get the better of someone like you," Ino continued her lecture.
Sakura tilted her head in confusion, "Some… someone like me…?"
She nodded and crossed her arms, "Well, look at you! I know for a fact that you're strong since I've seen you practice with Uchiha and Uzumaki before. Ami can barely get a kunai to hit a target that's one feet away. You have something to be proud about!"
"I… I do?"
Ino smiled and nodded, "Yup!" Her face fell a little as Ino looked at her feet, not being able to make eye contact with what she was about to say next, "I… I'm sorry that Sasuke and Naruto don't talk to you anymore… and I don't know why…"
Sakura's face fell as well, "Th-that's okay… I mean… I understand for them…"
"Well, I'll be here for you!"
Her breathing stopped for a minute. Sakura looked up at Ino's determined eyes, "W-what do you mean?"
"My daddy explained to me that boys have cooties which make them mean and that they'll hurt girls," Ino told Sakura, "Sasuke and Naruto hurt you, so I'll never leave you like they did. Besides, I know some other girls that would love to be friends with you!"
"R-really?!"
Ino smiled and nodded, "Really!"
She looked at Sakura, who was holding one of the burns on her arms. Ino frowned and pried the rosette's hand off her arm, then dragging her out of the restroom down the hall, "We should get you to the nurse!"
"I-Ino, n-not so fast!!"
Haruno Sakura let Yamanaka Ino drag her away…
She left with a true smile that hasn't shown in a year.
End Flashback
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!!"
Kakashi knew. Naruto knew. Everyone in the stadium knew.
Sakura could've easily dodged Ino's attack.
Everyone knew that the Yamanaka's famous Mind Transfer Jutsu. They knew how powerful it was. They knew how slowly it moved.
What they didn't know was why Sakura didn't dodge that attack.
In fact, they didn't understand why she didn't dodge any of Ino's attacks.
"KUSO!" Shikamaru hissed and gripped the railing. He was shaking. Ino had gone mad. She didn't really care was she was doing or really think though anything. She was blind with rage. He saw it and if things go the way he predicted, Ino's life was at risk.
The effect of the jutsu took place on Ino. Sakura still didn't move, even though she had time to dodge. Ino's head limply tilted down.
Shikamaru carefully analyzed everything there was to analyze. Ino was… was dear to him. Of course, he was willing to admit it to himself that. The only other person that saw it was Choji. He remembered when he first met her… she dragged him to his mother by the ear for getting mud all over her.
She was different to him. Well, reminded him of his mother defiantly… but she had this touch to her. The way she was soft on the outside and hard on the inside just intrigued him. She was something that he only came across once in a lifetime.
He couldn't let her life slip away.
But he had no choice.
He was force to stand and watch.
Even though nothing had happened yet, Shikamaru could feel it.
His dear one was in danger.
Then, Sakura's head drooped down as well… then only to slowly rise up again with Sakura's eyes smug and her pink lips with faint trances of dried blood pulled up into a triumphant smirk.
"Looks like this is the end Sakura," Ino chuckled as she raised Sakura's arm, "The only thing I regret about this is that you didn't do your best. I wanted to see what you had in you… Forehead Girl…"
Ino-bitch… wrong move…
"WH---!"
Shikamaru yelled, "Ino!! Ino return to your body NOW!! INO!!"
"What are you doing, Shikamaru?" Choji grumbled, chewing on some chips, "I thought you would be the happiest out of everyone that Ino beat Sakura."
"Kuso…" he growled, his fingers growing white from his maniac grip on the metal rail, "She's gonna get hurt… I need to stop it… I…"
Ino screamed.
Her voice pierced everyone's ears, leaving a ringing in their ears. Gekkou was about to take a step forward, but then debated whether or not to stop the match. It was the Haruno girl's first move and he should watch for a minute before finding it a threat.
Ino found herself trapped in an abyss of darkness. There was nowhere to run… nothing to see. The chilling air in the space added to her fear. It reminded Ino of a cave. She didn't know what was around the corner. She couldn't feel anything. She wanted to escape as quickly as she could.
Music…
The abyss was filled with the music that sounded like it was from a music box. Ino turned her head to the sound of soft sobs.
A little pink-haired girl in a white t-shirt and shorts was crying, her face buried in the palms of her hands.
Ino kept her distance, but listened to the mumblings of the girl.
"There's a bad person in here… the bad person will hurt me…"
All of a sudden, the girl stopped sniffling.
"And the bad person… is right there!"
One palm slid down, reveling an eye socket missing the eye with glowing red from the darkness of the hole. Blood ran down her cheek. The little girl giggled.
Ino screamed.
Sakura's hands were clutching her head. The fabric of the back of her shirt ripped open, not shedding any blood, but exploding out darkness.
Shikamaru still saw everyone, but all auditorium disappeared.
The giggling of a little girl was heard.
One by one, he watched as everyone's head sliced off spontaneously and plopped to the floor along with their body. He listened and watched… soon enough, Asuma's head flew off, blood exploding out and his body fell along. He wanted to scream, but then had to watch his dearest friend experience the same thing, the bag of chips falling out of his hand in what seemed to be slow motion.
Ino.
Ino exploded.
As if a bomb was implanted in her.
Her blood splattered across his cheek.
Giggling…
Sakura, her body black, her features outlined with white, stood in front of him… giggling.
On her forehead, glowing, words that described the scene in front of him… the pain swelling inside of him…
Spring of Crimson Tears
Sakura stared at him, eyes full of bloodlust. He saw what seemed to be millions of transparent arms come out of her back, palms facing him.
Shikamaru saw his fate, like everyone else's, but before Sakura could lay one of those hands on her, her face filled with shock, and soon enough, she fell face forward.
The black surrounding faded away. The auditorium scene slowly reappeared and everyone faded back to normal, though their faces looked like they experienced the same thing Shikamaru did.
Cold sweat ran down everyone's faces. Their eyes were stretched out as wide as possible. Heavy breathing filled his ears.
Four bodies were left on the ground, but in full shape. Naruto and Gaara seemed to be knocked out as well as Ino and Sakura.
The Sandaime stood in front of Sakura, his hands up in a seal that Shikamaru didn't even recognize.
He yelled out to the jonin, "Take Haruno away with the Uchiha and Yamanaka to the infirmary. The Sand boy and Uzumaki can recover in the halls."
Gekkou and the other breathless jonin managed to squeeze out a weak response before disappearing with the four students.
"This is your break," Sandaime announced, "The exams will continue on as soon as get back."
With that, he disappeared as well.
The students all sighed a sigh of relief, satisfied that Sandaime let them have a moment to forget everything. Choji picked up his bag of chips and continued his munching.
Shikamaru was not satisfied.
He wanted explanations, not distractions.
R
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I have to admit that this chapter took forever to get out, maybe because everything was nuts with graduation and everything.
Well, I lied. I said that I would draw a picture for Ch4 but instead, I drew something for the later chapters, which will not be let out till I get out the other chapters.
I really wanna get the new Green Day CD, but Wal-Mart doesn't have it and B&N would be really expensive, so let's see how that works out! Ha-ha…
Whew, summer's finally here, but that doesn't mean chapters are gonna come out faster. If anything, they'll come out slower! I have so much to do! So… sorries!!
Hugs and Kisses,
Lilium :X