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.Heaven's Gate: Princess.
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Two: Pink and Green.
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She was sitting on her bed, a futon, with a white, opened scroll on her lap. Her eyes were staring straight into Sasuke and he felt a slight chill running down his spine.
He quickly knelt in front of her and she smiled.
"What is your name?" she asked but he dared not raised his head.
"Uchiha Sasuke." He said. She narrowed her eyes and he felt another gush of chill running through him.
"I see," she said. "Are you a relative to a shinobi named Uchiha Itachi?"
Sasuke froze as the name of his brother was mentioned. He bowed deeper.
"Yes," he said. "He was my brother."
Sakura smiled and sighed, she took a brush and dipped them in the ink and then she started writing on the scroll.
"He's a good man," she said, sadness in her tone. "The best bodyguard I could ever ask for."
Sasuke remembered the day his brother was sent to guard a princess from a country. He had no idea it was this princess and this country. He nodded once and Sakura smiled again.
"You can raise your head," she said. "It's okay, I won't bite." He knew she must be smiling.
He nodded and looked up and saw her, really saw her. He tried not to gasp. But he was sure; he was now looking at an angel. Her hair was pink, and he couldn't help but wonder how on earth can it be pink? Her eyes were the ones that attracted him first. Two perfect orbs, he could see different shades of green in her eyes: dark green, light green, peppermint, emerald. It, somehow, reflected the power she had on her country. Her skin shone brilliantly under the sun's light. She was, as he had predicted, smiling. Her lips were pink as well, but not the kind of pink with lipstick on, it was just the natural color of woman's lips.
"It's really nice to meet you," she said. "You and your brother are alike."
He bowed again and heard her sigh.
"Thank you," he muttered.
"I am sorry," she said suddenly and he raised his head. "For the death of your brother, it is not my fault though. I am just sorry that you have to lose a member of your family."
He stared at her, shocked. Even he had no idea what had caused the death of his brother. She looked at his expression and placed her brush down. And then she looked at him again.
"Would you like me to tell you how he died?" she asked him. He was unable to answer so she just stayed quiet. After a while, he nodded.
"May I ask you a favor though, your Highness?" he looked at her and she raised an eyebrow, curious. She looked at his expression and nodded. "Tell me the good stuffs."
He could see she was surprised by his request, her eyes widened slightly and she laughed. A tinkling laugh that sounded like a bell, he can't help but rolled his eyes at this. She just kept on impressing him minute by minute.
"It's all good," she composed herself after a while. "Don't worry."
He nodded and she started.
"He died a noble death, protecting me," she said. "His body is buried on the royal cemetery. Let me show you." She stood up, and he saw how tall she was. Slightly shorter than he was, her hair was let loose and it fell gracefully behind her back. He looked at it once again and it was indeed pink. Her kimono was white with pink Sakura petals and he looked away to roll his eyes.
Sakura sighed and he followed her, they didn't exit from the door he came in earlier. There was another door behind her and she walked into the darkness.
"I know the Uchiha clan is able to control the fire," she said, she was somewhere in front of him but it was too dark to see anything. "I would like some light please."
He nodded in the darkness, feeling stupid knowing she wouldn't be able to see his head bobbed, and did as he was told. The dark room was lit and he could see that it was actually empty. She walked toward a dark hall and he followed. At the end of the hall was a dead end.
Sakura raised her hand to the wall and a pattern was formed on her palm. The wall groaned and moved aside. Behind the wall, was a garden, again it was filled with Sakura trees. But there were tombstones on the ground. Three of them, two on one side of the garden and the other one just the opposite. Sasuke knew the one alone was his brother's.
"Come," she called out to him and they walked toward the two tombstones. Sasuke looked at the other tombstone confused. Sakura stopped in front of the one on the left side. She knelt and closed her eyes; her hands were in front of her chest. "You should pray for him too." She turned to Sasuke and stood up, making place for him. He looked at the name carved on the stone, his brother's. He did what she did and prayed.
"Who's that one?" he turned to the one tombstone standing alone. Sakura turned to the stone and frowned.
"It wasn't there before," she said.
Sasuke was alarmed right away. He stood between her and the tombstone with his hand on his katana. Sakura's eyes were on the stone and she sighed.
"Good job scaring my bodyguard," she said, Sasuke's eyes didn't leave the stone but he was confused. "Father."
The stone wriggled and a big man came out from it. He had long, spiky gray hair. A wart was on the left side of his nose. He grinned. A red line under both of his eyes all the way down to his jaw, he was, oddly, not wearing any royal clothing. Instead, he wore a kimono that people used for travelling with a big scroll on his back.
"Huh?" Sasuke couldn't help but had his mouth hanged open. The man looked at Sasuke's expression and started laughing.
"Father," Sakura complained, her tone annoyed. "Stop standing on people's nerve. He's an Uchiha, you know how scary they are when they're mad."
"Oh right," the man straightened up and smiled. He looked at Sasuke and raised one eyebrow. "You're proud of yourself, aren't you?" he examined his face. "You realize this Sakura?"
Sakura nodded silently. Sasuke tried not to clench his teeth together.
"But you have talent," the man continued. "Yes… probably you're stronger than your brother.
Sasuke looked at the man confused now. He looked like a type of man who loved to fool around. But he knew in the inside, this King was not someone you want to mess with.
"Good," the King said after a while. "You're qualified, Matsuo Tabi sent a good bodyguard. Send my regards to him." An ANBU jumped out from behind the tree and out from the garden. Sasuke was shocked but he stayed on guard. Sakura saw him tense and touched his shoulder.
Sasuke felt warmth running through his veins as she did this.
"It's okay," she smiled.
"Listen to her, kid," the King smiled. "I'm not the bad guy here."
Sasuke listened and relaxed, he stood next to her.
"My name is Jiraiya," the King introduced himself. A frog suddenly appeared out of nowhere, he whispered something to the King and he nodded, face serious. "I need to go now, Sakura. I came just to check on him." He turned to Sasuke.
Jiraiya walked to Sakura and kissed her forehead. She smiled and he sighed.
"Be careful," he whispered. "Hideyoshi Kuno will try anything to get you."
Sakura nodded and turned to Sasuke.
"He'll be around," she smiled. "And they'll protect me." She clutched her chest.
Jiraiya's face was concerned when she finished her second sentence.
"They can't come out often and you know that," he was now level with her. "As long as this little boy is around, don't call them at all. Only in emergencies. Remember Sakura: twice a week and that's your limit."
Sakura nodded and hugged her father.
"I know," she whispered. "Don't worry."
After a while, Sakura released her father and stood back. "They need you." She smiled. He looked at the frog and sighed. He nodded and patted her head. Then he turned to Sasuke.
"Take good care of her," he ordered, although it sounded more like a plea. Sasuke nodded and bowed once. And then the King was gone.
"He's a good man," Sakura smiled. Sasuke turned to her and nodded. She knelt on the other tombstone and prayed again.
"My mother," she answered the unspoken thought. She smiled at him once again and they returned back in. "She died five years ago."
She stopped when they were back in the room and sat down on her bed.
"That was when your brother arrived," she smiled. "Your brother saved my mom, you know. She was about to be killed by Kuno's men when he saved her. She was sick at the time though, so she died on the same night."
Sasuke sat in front of her.
"Would you like to know the story now?" she asked.
He looked at her, saw her eyes, and then shook his head. Sakura smiled at his response and patted his head softly.
"Why is that?" she asked when she finished.
You know the answer, he thought but he answered anyways:
"Because I know he died a noble death, as you told me. My mission here is to protect you, not searching the history of my brother."
Sakura smiled again and nodded.
"Good answer," she said.
The Sakura petals entered her room from the garden. She closed her eyes, smelling the scent and suddenly her head snapped up.
The next second, a loud boom was heard and the ground shook from the impact.
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Thanks for all the reviews, you guys. I can't believe how much there are on only two chapters.
I'll try to update real soon but I might be delayed.
Again, reviews are appreciated.
~ButterCan'tFly.
