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Chapter 5
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Enlist
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Monday.
"Forehead girl!"
I just took a step from the school gate and found Ino dashing towards me with her teeth flashing brightly in a smile.
"Ino-pig." I teased as she landed beside me.
She drew out her tongue. "So, thrilled to sign up for Mortis Organization?"
I could barely think about it since the colorful banners and paper laces that were hanging all over the school quickly grabbed my attention. Most were in flashy colors: yellow, neon green, bright red and blue. There were small booths lined up below the banners and dozens of students were there, signing up for different organizations of the school. There were lines of people forming at the sports society and technology organization booths.
"Have you signed up for anything?" I asked Ino as we headed toward the collection of booths. It ranged from cooking clubs to art guilds.
She shook her head. "Nah. I didn't sign up for anything new this year. I'm sticking with only Mortis Org. I just renewed my registration, that's all. This will be our last school year so I think it's kinda weird to start a new membership in other clubs."
There was a pair of gigantic speakers with loud, rock music blaring from it. The music society was next to it and I could see several students with dyed hairs stood around, handing out posters and registration forms. Gaara was there, trying to keep the sounds in tune. There was a whole rack of CDs beside him. I heard he was both a member in the music and art clubs, and was also in Mortis Org. I had no idea how he could manage all those. Perhaps they were the reasons behind his dark eye bags.
Classes would start late today. The school staff wanted to give the students enough time to bond with the other clubs.
In any case, Ino, Hinata and Ten Ten already knew about my awkward orientation with the headmistress and how I had to join the Mortis Organization. They were excited to see me enlist since I was the only fresh member in the senior level. For my part, I thought it was rather embarrassing since I was the only one who had been left behind in our batch.
"Come on, the Mortis Org booth is this way!" Ino yanked my hand and started dragging me farther down the line of booths.
We came to a halt in front of a clean, white booth. There was not much to see in it except a huge white cloth where the organization symbol (the pair of commas swirling around a dot, like the one I saw in the computer screen during my meeting with Tsunade) was painted in black which was draped across its table. Among all the booths present in the event, it was the one which differ the most because of its spotless appearance.
At first, I thought there was no line at its membership table. But, then again, I found the lines of students stood a few yards away from the booth. It seemed there were too many students who were signing up that they could not fit at the given space in front of the booth. I could see Rock Lee, Naruto and Kiba were wrestling their way to give the new students the membership forms.
"AAACK-DON'T GRAB MY ASS!" I could hear Naruto screaming at the middle as he tried to fix the forms in his grip. Several freshmen students were trying to seize it from him. Some of them were even hard to see if it were really the forms they were going after. "I swear I felt someone down there! Keep your distance from ME!"
"Step aside! Don't be too hasty with the forms! We'll give each one of you, okay?!" Kiba was yelling as he pushed a few students out of his way.
Hinata and a blonde girl with short, clipped hair whom I remembered goes by the name Temari, guarded the booth unperturbedly. They were laughing and watching the three boys struggle their way through the horde of students.
"Only a few of them will get through the society officially, though." Temari chuckled.
"Ohayou, Sakura-chan." Hinata greeted me as she slid a membership form carefully across the table to me. "You can sign up here, but don't let anyone notice you." she whispered.
"Thanks." I grinned and hurriedly started filling out the form. Ino was blocking it from the other students' view.
By the time I was finished, Rock Lee was already retreating back to the booth exhaustedly.
"Ohayou, Sakura-chan." he greeted me too with a wide smile. He has been one of the nicest classmates to me since I showed up in the school.
"Ohayou, Lee."
"So, I heard you're going to sign up. You'll enjoy staying here. It would just take a while for you to adjust."
"Seems like it."
He hesitated for a moment before uttering. "If you need any help in training, feel free to ask me." A hint of pink always flashes on his cheeks whenever he talks to me.
"Oh—er—sure, Lee."
It was odd since those students who were at the top ranks in Tsunade's file weren't there at all—and that includes Sasuke and some of the others. I assume they thought they were probably too good to guard the booth, anyway.
"I wonder where Sasuke-kun is today." Ino spoke, looking around us.
Heck, we're almost thinking alike now.
"Well, I think he's probably hiding somewhere where his fan girls can't find him. They go crazy at events like this—tailing him like a bunch of lunatics." she laughed.
And it appeared to be true, since I just noticed a flock of giggling girls ahead of us, at the part where they were serving sweets and beverages. They appeared to be surveying the school grounds eagerly like a gang of tittering vultures.
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I jutted down the last word Professor Kurenai stated before the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. And, like my other classes, I wasn't able to give her the correct answer when she asked me about proper bloodline rules.
Nowadays, it was normal for me to feel lost. Sometimes I often wonder if I was just imagining things. When I told Sarutobi that I would sign up for Mortis Org, he soon started clarifying to me the whole situation and what the rules were. We started having talks during his coffee break back at home, but there were still some stuff he hasn't mention to me yet. He has a very disorganized schedule since Mortis Guild calls him every now and then. I still wake up to find him gone early in the morning, and my parents had already given up on trying to peek on his private matters.
I headed to my locker to put back my heavy textbooks. As I opened it, I found a small note inside that was written with irregular letters in pen ink:
Meet me at the roof deck of the main building after your class.
-Your training instructor, Kakashi
Under his name was a doodle of his smiling face. I gawked at it for a moment. As far as I know, he was Naruto's and Sasuke's training instructor in Mortis Org. I heard Ino talked about it. And if that's so, then I'll be with those two troublemakers?
I cringed.
I could see myself being whipped my ass for my pathetic performance in my training. And what more could I do in front of that attractive Uchiha boy.
"Hey, what d'you have there?" Ino looked over my shoulders to peer at what I was holding. Her locker was next to mine.
"Oooh. So you're going to start training already?" she yelped eagerly, seizing the note from my grasp and reading it again. She was rocking her heels back and forth with enthusiasm. "And you'll have Kakashi-sensei as your mentor! That means you'll be training with-"
I couldn't imagine myself training with that blonde goofball and that dark snob. I would be a laughing stock.
Ino continued to talk mostly to herself. "Now why did I got Shika and Chouji as my group mates in the org, anyway? All they do is sleep and eat. That's not fair at all!" She sighed and patted my back. "I think you're lucky, if you ask me. You can get to see Sasuke train and sweat and—"
"I doubt it." I groaned.
I only saw Sasuke in class today and never at the grounds were the event was being held. He sits a few chairs away from me during class, but I don't think he ever notices me being there. He looks smart by the way he answers questions which the professors asks him. He speaks sometimes, but mostly to his friends.
I could hear his name mentioned by girls from the corridors to the canteen. And I supposed it was because of it that was why my thoughts drifted towards him at times. We had never really spoken, though. He was quite an enigma to anyone who was not close to him.
But as the day pass since I got here in Tokyo, I was getting more curious about him.
And now, I was on my way to meet Kakashi and I might meet him there too, along with Naruto. It was late afternoon and most of the students were packing up the mess they made at the grounds during the small event.
I pushed the door which led to the roof deck of the building open and a gush of wind met my face. I had never been to a school's roof deck before. I thought it was an odd meeting place for training.
The sky was a mixed color of orange, yellow and purple because of the sinking sun. You wouldn't notice the sky too much here in the city, compared to the province. Dozens of buildings and towers stood everywhere, blocking the scene of the sky from below. Yet you could see widely the surrounding areas of the academy from that spot, being on top of one of the tallest buildings of the school.
I stepped outside and soon saw two figures in silhouettes having a tussle against each other across the wide space. The sun was too bright at where I stood and I couldn't see them clearly. Still, it was easy recognize them. With that spiky hair and that messy blonde one, there were only two people whom I know have that features.
"I see you got my note, Sakura."
My head turned to the corner and saw Kakashi standing at the edge, leaning against a line of metal bars that were made at the edges of the roof deck. The whole set was waist-high.
"Yeah, I did, Kakashi-sensei." I nodded.
"You're dead!" I heard Naruto's voice sounded. I turned back to where I was watching a moment ago and found him diving his fist toward Sasuke from atop. I could see bluish air waves emitting from it. It's a chakra, I remembered Sarutobi told me the other day. He missed and hit the floor instead, giving a round crack on its surface.
"In your dreams, moron." Sasuke taunted as he regained his stance and attacked Naruto from below, his fist hitting his jaw hard. Naruto went flying a few yards away and hit the rough floor.
I only stood there and watched them. Both of them were fast. Too fast for an average student. I remembered the other night when I first saw Sarutobi killed a demi-human. Their movements were just as fast as his. A normal person won't be able to do that.
Naruto stood up from the floor and wiped a streak of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. His uniform was now a mess. His neck tie dangled crookedly around his collar.
"Not bad." he leered with an impish grin. He took a step forward. "I'll smash your nose in my next attack."
"Not if I break yours first." Sasuke's uniform was also ruffled, but his face still looked free from any bruises.
"Okay, fellas, that's enough for today." Kakashi interrupted, stepping between them with his arms folded. "We wouldn't want this to turn into something personal now, would we? And besides, you've got yourselves a new teammate."
It was only then that Sasuke and Naruto noticed me standing there near the exit door. Both their heads spun to me.
"Oh, hiya Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved gleefully, loosening from his attack posture. He abruptly looked as if he hadn't just been to a brawl with his friend. A dot of blood was still on the side of his mouth.
Sasuke, on the other hand, just stared at me without a word.
"So it's true then. I heard the old hag handed you under Kakashi's supervision for your training." Naruto said as he skipped toward me like a small kid and left Sasuke standing at the other side of the place. His hair was bright yellow against the glow of the sun. "It's kinda getting dull with only me and Sasuke around anyway. I'm glad you're with us now! Hehe!" he slapped my back merrily.
He had been fond of me since my first day in school. I was just starting to get along with him because of his boisterous laugh and silly jokes which also makes me want to punch him sometimes. He was rather childish deep down.
"Likewise." I smiled.
"Is the training over for today?" Sasuke asked Kakashi, his face a bit damped of sweat.
"Well—yeah, I guess you and Naruto can be off now if you want to." Kakashi nodded. "Sakura has a lot of catching up to do so I'll handle her for now."
Sasuke gave one nod. "Right. Then, I'll be off." he said and started walking toward the exit door as he arranged back his twisted neck tie.
"Hey, wait—you're going already?" Naruto called him beside me. "She just got here. Don't you want to stay a little longer as a team?"
"Still need to practice with my guitar. The band competition is next month." Sasuke said as he rumpled his hair with his hand. He took one last look at me, and I couldn't help not to look away from his gaze. I noticed how he looks at me differently. I had never seen him stare at someone like that, even with his friends. "Later." he only muttered before exiting to the door.
Naruto pouted his mouth after the door slammed close. "Hmph—snobbish bastard." He mumbled. His eyes quickly brightened when he turned to me. "Don't worry about that, Sakura-chan. He's not just used to meeting new people, especially if it's in the same team with him. He'll come around." He stretched his arms upward and I could hear his joints cracking. "On the other hand, I'll stay here with you for a moment. I know what it feels like to be a newbie in this sort of thing." he stretched noisily.
He, then, propped himself down to sit on the cemented floor and gave a big yawn.
Soon, Kakashi started explaining to me the basic skills that I needed to master by next month. He said I'd be starting to train without any weaponry first. He told me how to strengthen my chakra and be aware of all my five senses. He would give lectures about demi-humans in the following weeks, too. Naruto only sat there with me, listening to all the things he already knew. He liked interfering with Kakashi every now and then, and I knew he was just keeping me entertained the whole time.
"Just because you're not good with both attack and defense physically doesn't mean you're not good with handling your chakra." Kakashi said to me at one point. "It's vital to know how much chakra you should release in every attack. Some Rogues actually use it for strength. For example, if a five year old kid knows how to control his chakra, he can break a wall by just using it, and not by any muscle strength that you see some muscular dope would do."
"You'll be amazed of how deep you can cut with only a pocket knife with you after you get the hold of it." Naruto whispered beside me as we sat on the floor.
My first session with them only lasted a short while. It was almost night time when Kakashi dismissed us. He asked us to meet him after class the next day for practice. In addition, he asked me to check if my body was in proper condition for physical training.
"So… d'you think you can handle it?" he said to me before leaving.
And thus, my training began.
Tuesday.
Thursday.
Friday.
Back to Monday in school. And then Tuesday again.
One more week slid by.
Nonetheless, the days soon started passing by. I was adjusting with my new life in the city little by little. My one-on-one training with Kakashi had started off, and I had never been this physically active in my life. I met the team after classes, and I started with body work outs.
Small exercises weren't that big a deal, but the real problem began when I started learning attack and defense. And it wasn't much help when your opponent is the instructor.
I hit the ground most of the time.
I hit.
And hit.
Kakashi paid more extra time with me than with Sasuke and Naruto since both of them were good enough to be left alone. I needed the training most. Sasuke didn't show any interest with me being there and only watched me from a distance. Naruto, on the other hand, kept on cheering for me.
However, I soon felt the pressure in the next several days. My body had started to ache and get swollen. Both my parents shortly noticed my discomfort, and asked me once if I was having an extra work after class when I came home a little late than my usual dismissal time, tired and feeling low.
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THUD!
My back was knocked down on the ground once more. I stayed lying there for a moment, breathing heavily. My whole body perspired from the heat of the filthy ground.
"Stand up!" Kakashi ordered. He stood above me with his arms crossed, his pornographic book swayed in his other hand, waiting for my next attack. "Your moves are too predictable. Stand up and do it, again!"
I imagined he would be stricter in training than in class. I sat up, feeling my arms and legs throbbing with fatigue. My knees quivered as I tried to stand on my feet again. I could feel scratches and bruises on my skin underneath the cloth. I was panting and couldn't speak clearly.
We had been training for hours now, that sunny Saturday afternoon. There were no classes and we were practicing at the small court behind the back building. I was relieved that we were training here, and not in the huge court at the middle of the school. At least here, not much people could see my weak attempts in a small fight.
As if I could win at this point. I irritably thought.
It was also a good thing that both Sasuke and Naruto weren't there today to see me fall over and over again. They had seen me knocked down on the ground countless times before. I supposed they were off somewhere, chilling out contentedly. Kakashi didn't give them extra training for now.
I stood straight and swiftly charged toward Kakashi once again, aiming at his neck. But before my hand could strike the side of it, he had vanished from his spot.
"Too slow." I heard his voice from behind me.
And the next thing I knew my face was smacked down on the blistering ground. He hit me behind my back. I started coughing afterward. Kakashi observed me for a moment, scratching his head. He wasn't in his usual school staff uniform: he was wearing a pair of T-shirt and brown pants. He sighed after seeing me cough even more.
"Okay then, that's enough for today, Sakura." he said to me gentler now, removing his stern approach after seeing me looking all worn out. He offered me his hand to help me stand up. "You've been practicing all week."
I stood up and began sweeping dusts off my clothes.
"I hope this isn't pushing you to quit. I know it's... well… hard. But it's just the beginning." he said as he watched me arrange myself, even if I know it won't make that much difference to what I really looked like at that moment. "You have to get used to it."
"I'm trying." I spoke in a gruff manner, my throat dry. I felt my vision blurring a bit.
"Can you keep on standing up?"
I nodded. I have a huge pride.
"Well, you can go now and clean yourself up in the washroom." he said, still looking at me as if I was about to faint any second. A part of it was pity. "I'll give you a break tomorrow. I'll see you on Monday."
-000-
I felt numb as I stepped out of the washroom. It was like in a daze. I had never felt this lifeless before. I didn't speak nor smile at anyone on my way back to my locker room. There were only a few people in the corridors that day. My towel hung on my shoulders and my dirty clothes were placed inside a tiny bag which drooped on my hold.
At least the cold shower eased the throbbing pain of the bruises on my legs and elbows. I changed into a pair of pastel shirt and jeans. I walked slow and only stared down at the floor on my way to my locker, not noticing what was going on around me. I could feel my hair still soaking wet.
I felt so… weak.
What have I gotten myself into?
I didn't feel the whole pressure of my situation… until now. Things were not the same anymore.
Now I'm lost. Very lost.
My whole body was throbbing in pain. It had been like that ever since I signed up for Mortis Org.
Since I signed up, I had been feeling sore and pressured. I couldn't even do my homework and assignments properly anymore. My parents had started being suspicious of my actions. Grandpa was the only one who was there to cover for me. He was helping me ease my body pains by giving me some ointments to lessen the pain.
I was lacking of exercise, after all. I was never the type to be good in physical activities ever since I was little. But what stings more, was the fact that a lot of my classmates were able to surpass this. A lot of them were official members of Mortis Org. Even the shy Hinata was part of it. Ino and Ten Ten were still both improving themselves to be officially admitted, but even so, I knew they would become members of it sooner or later. Their only advised to me was to keep my mind focus. And that body aches were just normal.
But where will I place myself, then? It wasn't that bad for them since they knew about Mortis Org and demi-humans since the beginning.
And I didn't…
My grandfather was a well-known Rogue, and I was far from being like him. I'm his granddaughter and I couldn't seem to grasp this whole thing at all. And it had been more than a month since my orientation. Since the weird introduction about this other world.
I shortly arrived in front of my locker, and instead of opening it, I only leaned my forehead against its cold, beige-painted surface. I dropped my petite bag onto the floor. I sighed and just closed my eyes exhaustedly, leaning my forehead against my locker.
I had a lot more things to worry about other than this blasted training. We'd be having short tests next week and I hadn't even read my textbooks yet. I was in my fourth year in college and I wouldn't want to be dropped.
"Planning to quit already?" a male voice suddenly spoke far from my side.
I leaned away from my locker and my eyes met a pair of onyx ones. Uchiha Sasuke stood several lockers away from my right. His own locker was opened and he was strapping a thorny, leather bracelet around his left wrist. He wore a white shirt and black khaki pants. Compared to my state, he looked clean and smelled good.
I didn't think he was in school today. I thought he was with Naruto and the others, having fun somewhere else.
What the hell is he doing here…
There was an airy smirk on his face, as if he was having a good time seeing me all messed up and looking wretched. No one was there in the locker hall except the two of us. I was getting used to seeing him everyday in class, but never this alone with only me in the area.
I swallowed and steadied my voice. "No."
"Huh." he grunted with his egotistic smirk he was rather famous of. He continued to fumble with his wrist and didn't even meet my eyes when he spoke. "You know, it would be easy for everyone if you'd just quit. That way, the school staff and the students could get back to their typical lives. That idiot Naruto and I could have Kakashi instructing us with more advanced weaponries if you'd just stop and leave everything where they were."
I felt one of my eyebrows arching. I knew from my first day in this goddamn school that he was never the friendly type. But I didn't know that he was this rude and straightforward.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not planning to quit." I said.
"That sucks, then." he mocked, still paying attention to his stupid wristlet. He couldn't seem to put it neatly around his wrist. But I suspected he was just doing it so he could have a reason to stay there longer and mock me.
I turned back to my locker and hastily open it so I could leave before I lose my temper. I had no idea what this guy was up to.
"I bet you won't even last 'til next month." he continued to say, tilting his head to the side. "Isn't it obvious that the school doesn't usually accept students in their senior years? That's because it would just be a waste of time for the transferees to catch up with the other seniors. They would only be a hindrance to those who're experienced enough to learn advanced skills. They should just go back to being freshmen. It's worthless."
I shoved my towel and small bag back inside my locker and slammed it close with a loud sound that echoed around the quiet hall.
"What's it with you, then?" I asked in a louder tone, my eyes glowered at him. I wasn't this short-tempered before.
My sudden fuming caught his whole attention. He finally stopped fastening his wristlet and looked straight to me with his eyes. He closed his locker with a weak sound.
"What's it with me?" he repeated and faced me entirely. "I wouldn't want anything to do with you except you're messing my training. I don't know why the hell they gave you to our team. Mortis Org doesn't need any more members."
With that statement, my tongue finally got loose.
"Oh—and just because you're top of the society means they need you?" I spoke furiously. "I've never ask them to give me to your goddamn team. I didn't even know they have such teams! And it's none of your business whether I'd quit or not. It's easy for you to say that because you've been here for what—a decade?" I scowled at him from head to foot disdainfully. "You may be good with your skills, but that doesn't mean you'll always get your way. Not all people are as conceited as you." I blurted it fast like shooting bullets.
I was amazed of how much I could say when most of the time I didn't speak that much.
With four swift strides he closed the gap between us, and the next thing I knew he was gripping my chin and his face was inches from mine. My back was pressed against the locker and he stood tall before me, blocking my view from anything other than him. His eyes were piercing and mine widened in surprise.
It was the first time I had seen him this close. His skin was smooth and perfect. I could see the pupil of his eyes from there. It had dark brown and gray tinges, almost black. I could feel the edges of his bangs against my forehead, and smell his scent.
He really looked handsome. He looked threatening, with his spiky hair and lean figure, but his face was carved flawlessly. His eyebrows were drawn together in a glare, but there was a trace of innocence in it. Along with anger.
"Don't talk so big, newbie." he snarled, his eyes never left mine. He tightened his hold around my chin and I could feel it getting sore. He stood inches taller than me and my face was looking up at him. A tiny gap only stood between our lips, where I could feel his breathing. He was intimidating. "For all you know, you might already be gone from here in the next few days."
"What makes you think that? It's only the beginning." I kept my feet on the ground even if I could barely speak with his stiff hold on my jaw.
A part of me was in shock, because I didn't know that this guy could be so dark and menacing. He didn't falter nor look away from my gaze. The corner of his lips twisted in a mocking smile. "We'll see about that."
I only stood straight between him and the locker.
"You've got some will for someone who doesn't really know anything about the underworld." he scorned, surveying my whole face with his dark eyes. I could feel his warm breath against my face. I tried to break free from his grip, but he kept my face still with his fingers. He gave one intimidating chuckle before mumbling. "You won't make it in the society. You will just be the same transferee like the others who didn't make it. That's all you are. And I'll be keeping my eyes on you from now on."
He let go of me in a flash after that, and left me staring after him as he walked away from the locker hall. He disappeared as I tried to recover my posture. I touched my chin and could still feel his firm grasp around it. It was still warm and flushed. I blinked a few times. I cursed.
It was Uchiha Sasuke...
Big trouble.
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(To be continued…)