..Chapter Seven..
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Five AM came early for Sakura. Far too early. She'd had to wake up at four to have any hope of being where she needed to be by the scheduled time. A shower, warm (however, quick) breakfast and hastened dressing and she was heading out the door within fifteen or so minutes to get to where she needed to be. She really doubted he'd be there on time. As if Kakashi would be anywhere on time--ever. The very idea of him him being punctual about anything but his own lateness was absurd.
As she traveled from rooftop to rooftop she quickly realized she still needed to pick her mask up from Sai's place. She paused on top of a rounded electric pole and considered her options. If she went to Sai's place now and got it she would chance being late herself. If she went without the mask she would chance Kakashi being a tad perturbed with her. His note had said she didn't have to wear it in Fire Country... But what if they had a mission this morning?
Would they?
She glanced down at the time and muttered a curse. She had about ten minutes left. If she went to Sai's she'd have five minutes left. The boy would surely understand the need to be fast. She only hoped he was done; otherwise, this would be a waste.
She picked up her pase, hastening her leaps with a bit of chakra. She nearly ran into another ninja also taking to the roof and apologized as fast she could manage before continuing on her way. Moments laster a she was knocking on Sai's door. When he didn't answer as fast as she would have proffered she knocked a few more times.
She stopped mid-knock as the door opened to reveal the man half mucked with paint on his face and an apron. He raised a brow at her before smiling. "This is a surprise... "
"I'm sorry, Sai. But, I don't have much time. Tell me, did you finish it...?"
"Yeah, one sec. I was about to call you. The paint finished drying about ten minutes ago."
She breathed a sigh of relief as he went back into the darkened apartment. A moment or two later and he returned, item in hand. She reached for it as he held it out to her. Curiously, she gazed down at it.
Her brow furrowed as she looked the design over. Along the left side, or the mask's right side, began a thin branch. It spread out across the cheek and over the temple to the center of the forehead, just before where the nose would be and the chin area. Tiny pink buds tipped the ends of the thin, erratic branches.
She realized it was the branches of a cherry tree, buds close to blooming. Her lips pursed as she touched the delicate looking flow of colors, blending acrylics.
"I'm not done with it," he replied.
Her eyes flashed up to his and narrowed.
He smiled. "I'll let you know when to bring it back."
She would question him further but she knew she would never get a solid reply. That, and she was running out of time. "Thanks again." Without much else she was tying it in place, cocked to reveal her features, and dashing off towards training area ten.
At least her estimation was correct. She had about five minutes to get there. She grit her teeth as she leapt off the top of the last building before the brush of the training areas came in sight. She sailed over the lone dirt road and into one of the trees just past the chained gateway. Infused with chakra on the soles of her feet she went from branch to branch with the grace of a cat.
Two minutes left...
Branches where pushed aside. She dodged trunks while using them as leverage to gain more momentum. Nary a scratch was left in her wake. She exhaled as she leapt into the clearing and skidded to a stop in the center of the field were a tree stood by itself, tall and lonely.
She resisted the urge to grin as she realized she'd made it with a minute and a half to spare. Although she wasn't too shocked to find the Copy-nin was nowhere in sight. With a lone sigh she allowed herself to lean back into the tree and prepare herself for the waiting game.
Just as she closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest she felt something. Her eyes flashed open just in time to see a blade come zooming towards her head. Swift action and decisive tactics instilled in her since her Academy days had her moving into a crouch to avoid being hit. Gritting her teeth she placed both hands on the ground at her left side and pressed downward for momentum. Her feet drew together and kicked upward toward her assailant's chest as she wove chakra into them.
Her brows rose as she remained in that position. She looked up to see Kakashi, in ANBU digs, pressing the flat of his blade against the soles of her chakra enflamed feet. He could see she was most definitely confused.
"They absorb chakra," he offered before stepping away.
Swiftly, she dropped to a crouch and righted herself before standing. Her hands set onto her hips. "Your on time," she murmured, confused.
"Observant," he shot back, leaning on the hilt of his katana with one hand.
It was during this time Sakura actually took a moment to look at him. She'd always been so use to seeing him in Jounin wear since she'd been a Genin. There had been rare occasions when he'd forgone the vest, of course. But even that didn't compare to this.
The ANBU uniform was meant to hug and conform to every part of one's body. This she could attest to, having now started wearing one. The Jounin vest, while not heavy, looked bulky and hid your curves. The pale violet of the armor they both donned not only hugged one's figure, but moved and relented as one needed it to when the time arouse.
His calves, thighs and waist seemed so natural in the black pants. The steel about his shin and forearms gleamed in the morning light. His lithe, however muscular frame, toned and primed for anything had her feeling a tad envious and wondering how well she herself made the uniform look.
To top matters, he wasn't wearing his headband. His Sharingan eye was relaxed shut while his other remained lazily open. His hair drooped a tad more than usual to one side of his face. His spandex mask, of course, was ever present.
She'd seen him like this many times before in the hospital. But this was just different. Especially added in with his form tucked into such an enhancing outfit. And the gloves? The dark, opera gloves... It was impossible to see them as Queenish on a man in that uniform. They just looked so right. It left her with feeling of wanting to carefully, slowly, pull them from his arms, digits first.
She swallowed down these feelings as he began to speak.
"We'll spend three hours working on your swordsmanship today. At eight o'clock you'll see someone at HQ about scheduling your medic reviews and testing." He wasn't going to point out that they'd more than likely just ask her to take the first test, since it was obvious she knew all they intended to teach a new trainee.
She nodded.
"I will forgo the Sharingan and you will forgo your chakra enhanced strength. Otherwise, it would completely defeat the purpose of learning what I have to teach you," he began rather coolly. "I won't go easy on you. So don't expect a reprieve."
She frowned at that. Why would she? Geeze, he was cranky, she idly noted and briefly wondered why. The moment of wonder lasted only a second as he bore down on her with his blade. She dodged again, this time stepping back with each swipe of his blade, just barely managing to avoid the sharpened tip.
"Dodging will only get you so far, Sakura!" he snapped out.
Growling, she lifted a hand and deflected his blow with one of her guards. Sparks flew as his katana hit the steel plating. She was glad for those now more than ever. What was he playing at?
Her drifting mind, question filled, had her vulnerable enough that he managed to lift a foot and direct it towards her midsection. A barely quickened thought had her deflecting that at the last possible moment. But it still didn't stop her from falling back with a suppressed cry as she hit the ground below.
She only had a moment more after that to crawl backwards as he brought his weapon down upon her.
Christ! He was serious! This she realized as she watched the tip of the katana dig into the grass and dirt before her, spraying some of it onto her person. He kept coming at her as she crawled back and back and back. He dug his blade into the dirt and grass, trying to hit her.
Was he?
She had a moment to get up and continue dodging his blows with her guards, both on her shins and forearms. She even tried to his him, but the bastard kept her at a distance with that damned blade of his. She'd seen him use kunai, shurikin, windmill shurikin and any other number of weapons before. But he used the katana in his hand as if it were an extension of his body.
He was both graceful and beautiful at once, she realized.
She hissed when it caught her upper arms the first time, drawing blood and cutting deep. It was during this time she tried to reach for her sword. A weapon she had no real idea of how to use. That had been her first excuse for not drawing it; that and a lack of self confidence, dragging her down at his domineering presence. As she did he nicked her hand swiftly, stopping her.
She leapt back, gaining some distance on him, and tried to pull the weapon from her back sheath once more. But again, he was right atop her, striking out and forward towards her face with the tip of his blade. The action jolted her out of her senses as the sharp edge drug, barely, across her cheek. She gasped and side stepped to avoid more damage.
How was she suppose to fight him if he kept her on the defense all the time? There was no way in hell she could ready her weapon if he kept her from doing so. The man had the advantage because he already had his out.
And this went on for a good time. She would dodge, deflect and then try to grab at the hilt. And each time he struck her, drawing blood. The damned game he was playing, cruelly, was starting to piss her off more and more by the minute. To make matters worse because of all the hits he'd laid on her she was starting to weaken. It wasn't just the blood loss either.
Damnit, she need to get her weapon out.
She kept swiftly side stepping and moving as he came at her, slowly focusing more on his movements. She figured if she did that she would have a better chance of gauging where to go next. The more she did the better she got at avoiding him. But, as soon as she assumed this, he came at her again. She side stepped a little too slowly and found another deep gash on her other arm.
How did he change his movement up everytime she thought she had him? This was utterly ridiculous. Sakura was a taijutsu master, second only to her Shishou, Lee and Gai. she panted heavily but continued on. The more she fought him the more bogged down she became, as before.
How was she to overcome him like this?
Had he been toying with them when they were children? Chuunin? Jounin?
This wasn't the same Kakashi. This man was another level in and of itself. She'd never felt so overworked, so exhilarated and so angry all at once.
She wanted to beat him.
If not, then at least come to some even point with the man. Kami, how happy that would make her right then. To at least survive these three hours before dropping to a heap on the grassy earth.
She felt herself panting and losing her footing as he hit her a few more times. She felt herself, despite her best effort, falling to one knee in the grass. Her body shook with blood loss. She felt like she'd been nearly drained of all her chakra as he stood before her, the tip of his blade and his sandaled boots just barely in her line of vision.
"Are you ready to quit?"
His voice was like an echo ion her ears. "...What?"
"I asked," he said more sternly, cruelly, "are you done yet?"
She closed her eyes briefly, but did not respond. She could feel his face twisting in disgust and disappointment.
"You're more of a liability than an asset, Haruno," he snapped. "You're not cut out for this."
His words cut through her like a knife. She felt herself losing a battle with her own confidence. Those words echoed in her mind and wrapped about her heart. She could feel her own heart hammering in her chest as she tried to find air to breath in. She felt smothered and ready to give up.
How easy that would be now, wouldn't it... to just give up and give in like she had always done so in the past. To fall on a comrade's shoulder and let them take the lead... to fall behind. That's what she'd always done before.. right?Was Kakashi right? Was she...
She felt tears filling up behind her eyelids due to stress and pain. Her body felt heavy. Her legs and arms ached. She couldn't find the will to stand just then. She felt physically incapable with his good eye bearing down on her, shattering her nerve and confidence.
Weak, her mind chanted. That's all you'll ever be, girl.
"ANBU is for the elite, Sakura. Do you understand that? It is for those few who can set aside the needs of their own, the idea that they have their own life and come to the realization that they are nothing more than a honed tool for their village.
"For their Hokage."
Her eyes flashed open and she stared down at the grass as her own words came back to her...
"I hold no illusions of what this job requires of me, ANBU or not, sensei. I'm an shinobi of Konoha. I will make any sacrifice I must if my village needs me... or my body."
"I need to grow up and get over my own stupid ideals. I need to change my way of thinking and quit being so damned selfish. I chose to be a shinobi, I chose to be a Chuunin and a chose to be Jounin. I chose to become a medical nin. I accepted that I would have to do things I didn't want to when I achieved these ranks, things I didn't believe myself ready for. And that's how I look at this. That is how I look at this part of becoming ANBU. It's a challenge I must overcome. This is a part of my pride I must place aside for the sake of my friends and myself. I can't go on being that girl anymore... And I think this is the one small part that's left of her."
His sigh echoed in the air as she knelt there. Seconds felt like hours as she heard him bring up the tip of his blade and move to allow it to connect with her brow. Time went on for her as she turned her face towards him. Wrought with seriousness she brought both of her hands up at the same time and locked the blade he had angled at her between her palms.
Surprise showed in his features and she took full advantage of it. Her hands moved like lightening. She reached up and grasped the hilt of the weapon, slamming her fist into his wrist. When his grip loosened she took the blade from his hand. In one fluid motion she stood, with his katana and removed her own from it's sheath.
She said not a word to him yet as she tossed his blade back at him. Her face remained impassive as he caught it easily and leveled his gaze on her. She could see something dark in his eye. Perhaps he wasn't happy she'd overcome him.
She came charging at him, blade drawn. Sparks flew again, but this time she was ready for his blows. Her movements with the katana were brutish no matter how agile she tried to remain. But her anger caused him to him to step back everytime she came at him.
She said nothing. she had nothing to say to him. She'd said it all that night he'd tried to prove a point to her. When he'd tried to show her she wasn't ready! When he tried to scare her with his mouth and his hands! She used her body and her weapon to show her anger and emotions.
Would he ever accept her as a woman? An equal? Would she ever be anything more in his eyes aside form that little girl he'd save when she couldn't move? Would she forever, to him, be that girl who Sasuke had to pick up slack for, that Naruto had to back up and move out of the way when the heat of battle became too much for her?
She wasn't the best with the damned tool, but in all the time he'd been hitting her with it she'd been watching him, following him and learning. She'd picked up on some of it and anger allowed her to let go of her lack of confidence with the katana. She felt like she was running on auto piolet as she danced, shifted and moved. She even managed to hit him a few times, drawing blood, although it had taken everything in her to do just that.
She was rushed with adrenalin and endorphins. Her body ached and she was sweating like a pig. Oh, but she didn't care, not with the way she nearly met him toe for toe. It gave her drive and direction. She wanted to be like that. Like him.
So aloof.
So withdrawn and unfeeling to the world.
She wanted to be able to protect someone instead being the one protected.
She wanted to be an asset instead of a liability, as he'd said.
"Teach me," she breathed, between strikes.
His good eye narrowed on her, telling her he'd heard her words.
"Teach me how you do it," she ordered again, trying to get a response out of him. Something aside from the bloody cold shoulder he was delivering. "Teach me how you can remain so impassive to it all. So, withdrawn, Kakashi. If I had even a touch of what you had... even now."
He grunted, deflecting her blow and striking again. "You're delusional, Sakura."
She panted, trying to keep up with him. She hissed as he nicked her again. As he opened himself up during that blow she took advantage of it and cut him in return. "You're wrong," she retorted. "If I were like you this would all be easier."
His only response was to block her downward blow and hold it there she pushed up against his katana with her own. Their arms shook with the force behind both trying to overcome the other; with both trying to break the other down.
Her face was so close to his between the crossed swords. She could feel his breath fanning across her features. "Tell me I'm wrong," she ordered. "Tell me I'm wrong, Taichou," she spoke again, sternly.
At her final word his grip loosened and his footing shifted. Before Sakura knew what was happening she was falling onto him and towards the ground. She barely managed, as did he, to drop the katanas to their sides to avoid serious injury. Her hands fell to either side of his head and his own were placed just above her breasts to keep from colliding her head onto his own. As she hit her body finally weakened and this caused her arms to drop. Her hands slid from under her and her elbows were now supporting her, just barely, above him. In response his hands fell to her upper back and she quickly found herself a few inches from his face, her eyes locked with not just one, but both of his two.
Heat shot though her body at being so close to him. Her legs rested just barely atop his own. She could feel his thighs and calves against hers. She could feel her breasts flattening against his solid chest. She could feel his breath, panting and fanning across her face. His exhales mixed with her own.
She wasn't sure what to do.
"What did you call me," he whispered softly, his voice seeming lost and airy to her ears.
She couldn't form a reply. How could anyone in this predicament? She had to admit... her body was reacting in a way to Kakashi that it never had before with any other man--even Sasuke. She could feel that well known itch starting to form in gut, telling her this attraction wouldn't go away until she had a taste of him, her fill of him. She wondered if one night would help it go away...
"Sakura..?" he questioned, saying her name in a way she'd never heard before.
She found herself drawing close to him...her eyes drifting half closed. Her lips tentatively connected with his through the cloth of his mask. She barely brushed his lips, as if seeking a response or trying to find a way to stop herself mid movement.
She felt him tense up beneath her and stopped. "Kakashi..?" she breathed across his half opened mouth, questioning herself now.
"No," he breathed, hoarsely, as if to himself, sounding weak. His hands gripped her upper arms tightly, half causing pain.
"No," he said it again, but didn't move. Not yet. "No," he breathed, pulling her back a few inches a looking into her eyes. "No.." he said weakly before pulling her flush against him.
"No..." he murmured one more time before slanting his mouth against her own and full on kissing her for all it was worth.
Yes, her mind shouted.
Yes.