Will
The first month of summer came and went. During that time the Haruno household seemed to go from its lonely orphanage feeling to a brighter, family like home.
Sasuke's personality changed dramatically too. He smiled more and seemed more excited.
Many times the three would go out on picnics whenever they had the chance. They would sit somewhere near the river, under the beautiful apple trees and have a great time. During those picnics, Sakura and Sasuke would play near the river, or climb trees and scourge what might be delicious looking apples.
On their most recent picnic Sasuke and Sakura were fishing on the river while Seirei was reading some papers.
"Hey Sasuke, is this how you do it?" Sakura lifted her rod and threw the line in the water.
"That's right. Now lock your reel when the stopper reaches the float," Sasuke said. Sakura obeyed Sasuke and locked it when the directions were followed. Sakura watched the float intently, waiting for when the hook would be swallowed.
Suddenly the bobber disappeared under water. Feeling the tugs from the fish, Sakura yanked the rod and started to reel in the line. The fish started to fight back, not real hard at first, then it started to fight harder.
"Argh!" Sakura growled. The fish pulled back very hard, so hard that it almost made Sakura fall into the water.
Quickly, Sasuke caught Sakura before she plunged in the water. Together they pulled on the rod. The pulling made the huge fish jump into the air. As it descended back into the water, it somehow got unhooked, peel the bait away from the hook, and make Sakura and Sasuke splash into the water.
"You alright, Sakura," Sasuke asked.
"Yeah I'm fine," Sakura stood up and looked at her dripping form. "Aww man! What's mom gonna say about this?"
"About what?" asked Seirei. Sasuke and Sakura turned towards Seirei and showed her their wet bodies. " Oh my gosh! What happened to you two?"
"We fell in the water," they said in unison.
Sighing Seirei helped the children out of the water and used one of the napkins to wipe their face dry. "I guess now we go home and get you into dryer clothes." she said.
"Hold up," Sasuke said. He took off his shirt and wrung it his hardest. When he was done he waved the shirt through the air, then he placed it back on and straightened out the wrinkles. "All done," he said.
"What was that for?" asked Seirei.
"My shirt felt really icky inside," he said.
"Couldn't you have waited until we got home?" asked Sakura.
"It made me feel all grimy and itchy,"
"Oh well, at least you'll be able to change back at home. Come on." Seirei took hold of the children's hands with the basket around her shoulder. They went home with Sakura skipping and swinging her mother's arm, while spilling drops of water behind her, and Sasuke feeling the urge to scratch every part of his body.
Finally the reached the house. Sakura and Sasuke cleaned themselves up and changed into their fresh clothes.
They went to the kitchen and worked on what was left of their homework. After that they helped Seirei prepare dinner.
While eating, Seirei flipped open the t.v. to the news. Right now they were doing the weather and they listened to what it had to say:
"'Tonight the skies will be clear and warm,'"
"Ooh! That's perfect weather for stargazing," said Sakura excitedly. "Can we Mom?"
"Sure."
"You guys stargaze?" asked Sasuke.
"Yup. We do it whenever Mom comes home from her missions. So far we haven't done it yet because the sky has always been cloudy. Do you stargaze?"
"Well a little," he replied, shifting in his seat, "back then."
"Oh," Sakura said.
"You two should hurry up," interrupted Seirei, " night has already come, and your bedtime is approaching."
Hastily the children ate their food and placed their plates in the sink.
"You see that star," Sasuke said, pointing to one of the millions of stars. "That star always stays in one place. It's called The North star."
"All the stars are always in the same place." Sakura said.
"Not if you focus on that star. Spin around and focus on that star. You'll see the others move except that one."
Sakura spun around just as Sasuke said, and to her amazement the star stayed in place."You're right," she said. Then looking back at the sky, she looked again at the familiar line of stars. " Look there's Orion's belt, and the curve of those stars makes his bow. Right Mom?"
"Yes."
"What is the legend of Orion anyway?" asked Sasuke.
"Well the legend is about, of course, Orion. But it's also about Artemis and a deadly scorpion." said Seirei.
"How does it go?"
"The story goes that the goddess Artemis fell in love with a giant named Orion, who was a hunter like her.
"Know that Artemis told her family that she will never marry. When her twin brother Apollo found out she had fallen in love, he sent a very deadly scorpion to Orion. The scorpion stung him and he died." she continued.
"Artemis filled with sadness turned Orion into the constellation we see today. But following him is the constellation of a scorpion."
"I wish I knew more legends like that." Sasuke said.
"You'll hear more," Sakura said. "Mom always brings new stories when she-" Sakura was cut off when she yawned.
"I think it's time for two people to sleep," said Seirei.
"But I'm not sleepy." His body, however, replied with a little yawn.
"Oh yes you are," Seirei said. "Now go inside and brush your teeth. I'll tuck you both in when your done."
"Fine," they said. The two went inside and did as they were told. When they were done, Sasuke and Sakura went into their room and climbed into their bunk bed. Since Seirei came back, there was no place for Sasuke to sleep, so they placed the children together and they slept in a bunk bed.
When Sakura was on her bed, she pulled out from under her pillow a photograph of her, Seirei, and Sasuke. She kissed it and said "To my family," then placed it back under her pillow before Seirei came in.
"Time to sleep," she said. She came up the bed and tucked the two in with a kiss on their cheeks. "Good night," she said.
"'Night Mom," replied Sakura.
"'Night," Sasuke said. "Mother."
Seirei smiled at her new title and close the door gently. She went back downstairs and took out the same papers she had with her in the picnic. Adoption papers.
At thirty minutes passed midnight, a knock came upon the door.
Startled by the sudden sound, Seirei stood up and opened the door. There stood on the door an ANBU captain.
"Seirei Haruno?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I have a message for you," he handed her a scroll. She took the scroll and said her thanks. But just as she was about to close the door, the captain slammed his fist against the door. "And I need your response."
"No! This will has to be a fake!" Seirei's voice rang out. It was so loud that it reached Sasuke and Sakura's room and woke them up.
"Why is Mom so angry?" asked Sakura, sticking her head towards Sasuke's bunk.
"I don't know but whatever it is she's mad about, she shouldn't shout while we are sleeping," said Sasuke.
"I agree. I'll go tell her she woke us up."
No, no. You go back to sleep. I'll tell her."
"Okay," then Sakura pulled her head onto her bunk.
Sasuke got off his bunk and tiptoed quietly through the door. As he descended down the stairs, the voices of Seirei and the ANBU captain became louder.
"Are you sure you checked?" came Seirei's voice.
"Yes and there's no mistaking that the handwriting is that of Fugaku," replied the captain.
Puzzled by the mention of his father's name, Sasuke crept closer to kitchen and stopped at the kitchen doorframe.
There he saw Seirei sitting in her chair at the table with on hand on her temple and the other holding a scroll. Every time she looked at he scroll her face would turn distraught.
"Why?" moaned Seirei. "Why does it have to be like this?"
"Look. I know this is hard for you ta take in," the captain said. "Especially for the fact that your own son died seven years ago is hard too. Even if you adopt the boy, there's nothing else we can do if a will comes out."
"Isn't there anyway to get around this?" asked Seirei.
"I'm afraid not," the captain replied. "The Hokage himself even looked for a way out, but there is no other option," the captain sighed and took a deep breath. "Sasuke Uchiha will be removed from Konoha and sent to a convent for the remainder of the year."
Sasuke gasped. Hearing the voice of Seirei full of anger was hard enough, but to hear from a stranger that he was going to be taken away by a mere piece of paper written on by his parents, he felt even more betrayed.
"Why?" he said
Seirei and the ANBU captain looked towards Sasuke's direction. They didn't see anything at first but Sasuke eventually came into view, with his face still in the shadows.
"Ah Sasuke Uchiha," said the captain. "Now that you're awake, I would like to talk to you." The ANBU captain reached his hands towards Sasuke, but before he came close, Sasuke slapped his hand away.
"Why do you have to take me away?!" he screamed. Then he started crying. Seirei reached out towards him, but when her fingers were on his shoulder he turned around and ran into the falling rain. Just before he went outside he bumped into Sakura, but he was so distraught that he didn't care and so he ran on.
"Mom, what's wrong with Sasuke?" Sakura asked with worry.
Seirei turned her attention towards the captain and said "Get out of here," with disgust.
"Yes ma'am," and the ANBU captain disappeared.
"Sakura, put n your shoes and raincoat," Seirei commanded. "We are going to look for Sasuke."
"Right!" and Sakura did as she was told.
I'm really sorry about the late update. I know I promised you guys either Sunday or Monday buyt I was so busy. and with school around, it's going to be hard to make up a chapter and submit it every week. That's why I update my stories weekly so that it gives me time to make up the chapters and deal with my life. I need a break.
About the poll I think I might extend it a little more but maybe not.
The story seems good. And the random story of Orion is there to represent a bedtime story for the two characters.
The next chapter: I don't know.