Many, many thanks to softball91, TheRoseAndTheDagger and Illegitimi for the incredible Reviews and also thanks to TheRoseAndTheDagger for the ideas of the storyname^^ it helped my a lot^^ and I have finally a name^^
The poem used in this chapter is the beginning of "Winter Days", written by Basho, Yasui, Kakei, Jugo, Tokoku and Shohei.
Enjoy!
Her wounds from the morning had already healed when she finally arrived at the training grounds. She smiled as she took in the familiar landscape. It wasn't the same with the stick-up-his-ass-Sasuke and the loudmouth-Naruto, she remarked a bit solemn but it would do nevertheless. Kurenai had taught her on how to get herself into an easily releasable genjutsu, in which she was able to fight herself.
Kura was already waiting for her on the other side – grinning menacingly at her. Sakura only looked at her. Kura was the perfect image of what she wasn't. Her inner self was a strong woman, a nice bust, long hair pinned up in a high ponytail with several thin tresses, gleaming green eyes and an incredible figure.
"Kura … sometimes I wished I would look like you…" Sakura sighed. Her inner only giggled.
"Be glad you don't … people would know what you can do."
And the fight started.
"What the hell is she doing?" Neji asked his friends as they observed the lonesome pink-haired girl that was fighting a viscous battle against no one.
"If I don't confuse myself it's one of Kurenai's genjutsus … you fight against yourself." Tenten evaluated.
"Pch …" Neji stuck his nose up. "Weak…"
After an hour or two Kura finally let her go. Sakura was smiling all over, she had been able to fight in every way, use all the tricks she knew … because if she personally didn't, well then Kura did.
Smiling satisfied she went to the hospital. Shizune was already waiting for her … she chewed her lip anxiously.
"Sakura-chan…" she began.
"What is it Shizune-san?" the pink-haired medic asked smiling.
"We have a special patient … he came back yesterday. Master Tsunade was able to heal him … but he refuses to take his medicine and … refuses to stay here … I … could you talk to him?"
Sakura was curious by now. There was no such patient who was to be looked after only by Sakura. Shizune was completely fine to tell them all and yell at them, bind them to their beds and – when needed – bump them into unconsciousness, to make them stay. But she only shrugged and took the small container with medicaments.
"Which room?"
207. Sakura looked at the door. Yup, this was 207. She sighed. There were some possibilities of patients that didn't want to stay – especially ninja … and even more especially jonin. That generation really had it with hospitals. And god … she knew what she was talking about. Being taught by almost every jonin had shown her, how they all detested the hospital. Couldn't smell it, were too 'blinded' by the light, were afraid of needles – who the fuck would have thought that of Genma … And among those jonin there was exactly one who wasn't like all the others, though he looked a lot older than all of them. She opened the door.
"Kakashi." She sighed and smiled warmly. "I see you came back from another A-class mission."
The jonin lazily turned his head into her direction and fixated her with his onyx eye as she made her way slowly to him and sat down on his bed.
"A punctuated lung, two broken ribs, a double broken shin and a completely wasted wrist … and you already want to go out. Sit up for me, big man." She ordered softly and helped him to sit up.
He hadn't said a word, but she already knew him. Not only had she been under him in her genin days, but she had treated him often enough in hospital to know that one had to give him time until he decided to talk. She gave him the time … and showed him that he was loved even if he came back from a mission as nothing but a living corpse.
"Nice jaw, Kakashi." She pointed out and carefully grazed the black spots on said body part. "Now open up that mouth of yours … then the medicaments will vanish and you won't have to discuss with me where to throw them."
Astonishing enough … he opened his mouth. She blinked once before carefully giving him the container and watching him swallowing it all. Then he lay down again, and she did too – cuddling close to him.
"You know … Morino is a freaking giant … a tree giant." She began. "I mean … come on … already 'Morino' means 'from the forest' … but please, oh please tell me why I shouldn't laugh over a man who's first name is 'snore'." She ranted on and felt his chest softly vibrate under her. "And then his so called soft torture … god … makes me ready sometimes how he just 'plays' with kunais, while I have to analyze a text out of nothing. But you know, Kakashi … I think that shishou was right … that man will be able to use me … I will be able to be useful, with or without the boys."
He grunted lowly.
"Hn. Of course you are one of my boys." She smiled. "But you are always away … just like them." She sighed. "I don't care though … no … that sounds wrong. I do care. But … it's not like I'm totally hurt. You all gave me space to develop myself … and I am proud of myself. And you know Kakashi … I love you. Not like love but like … someone who had always been there for me when I needed him. You were there when the boys were gone, and you always come back … more or less."
He grunted again … this time a bit amused as it seemed.
"And I love seeing you patched up and I love having these monologues with you. Because … you listen … and because I know that you are alive and under good care. When I have these monologues with you, I can feel your heart beating just under my right hand that is resting just over your heart. And it keeps me going … it keeps you going … and a part of my heart is beating for you as well. And this is why you can never fail, Kakashi. And even if you may leave one day, you will not have failed, because … lord … I know that you gave your all to keep those save that you love. And you know Kakashi … they all know it, that you love them and that you want them save. They all know … you can't fail those."
She cuddled close to him once again.
"Tree-sensei made me remember countless poems … incredible long ones, ballades, haiku, outlandish ones … a whole load of them. It's to keep my memory … fresh. The newest one was from Matsuo Basho, On love and barley. It's beautiful I think … then again, Basho wasn't one of the masters for nothing." She shrugged.
"You know, Sakura … I got him … but the damn jutsu backfired somehow and fried me."
In this tree-withering wind
it's Chikusai
that I resemble!
who is that, his rain hat sprayed
with sasanqua petals?
getting the Master
of the Crack of Dawn
to build a brewery
a chestnut pack-horse
shakes dew from off its mane
the narrow grass
of Korea,
its colourlessness
harvesting rice in the fields
beneath diffracted sunlight
He stopped reading and looked at her. "Which poem is it?" he asked.
"The first page of Winter Days. Authors are Basho, Yasui, Kakei, Jugo, Tokoku and Shohei." She answered immediately.
He nodded. "Good."
What the …?! Was that just a COMPLIMENT for the tree-sensei?! What was going on? Who had switched him out?!
Sakura, honey … listen, that's NOT and I repeat NOT our tree-sensei
"Who are you?" she asked immediately.
Ibiki looked at her, quirking an eyebrow. "What … am I not allowed to compliment my student?"
"Cut the crap. Whoever you are … you are NOT the snoring tree-giant."
The wanna-be-Ibiki in front of her first looked at her ridiculously before breaking out into laughter. That was it … this was not her tree-sensei. In a flash Sakura had risen from her seat.
"Well maybe you are …" she began. "It's only been three weeks, no one can know an iceberg like you in only three weeks, ne Morino-sensei." She chatted sweetly.
And in the same moment, where he looked at her – he was trapped in her genjutsu. She looked at him as he stared directly ahead and watched her genjutsu. He would have no chance at all … poor child who wanted to play. She pulled his hands together with chakra strings before sliding behind him and thinking of a way she could threaten him with his life … the liver. She put her hand just over his liver, before concentrating again on the genjutsu.
"Who the fuck are you?"
"Haruno, we already sorted that out. I'm your sensei, so cut the crap and let me outta here." He sneered.
"Wrong answer Kotetsu." She smiled.
"What the hell?"
"See … Morino-sensei doesn't use the same … jargon, we could say. You have all your unique, little spleens that make me notice you … since I know you." She smiled and released the genjutsu.
Kotetsu dispelled his disguise and looked to find her, but she was able to press her hand to his liver first – immobilizing him immediately, before she let him go with a sigh.
"Che …" she smiled. "Good to see you too, Kotetsu. Where's the tree-sensei?"
"Haruno, I expect more discipline." She heard the thundering words of her sensei, she bowed to him as he entered through the door.
"Hai, sensei." She obliged and smiled.
"Kotetsu, thank you. We won't need you anymore."
The subordinate in the gray suite bowed to his boss as well, before winking at Sakura with a sly smile and vanishing through the door.
Taking a deep breath Ibiki crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked down on the – still bowing – Sakura.
"You can stand straight, lollypop." He ordered and the candy-hair-colored woman stood straight, looking directly into his eyes without flinching back.
There were few people with the guts to do so. Even in the small group of his subordinates there were few. And there was only her who talked back and called him names. But it was funny. She had talent, she had wits and she had definitely the strength to make it.
Tsunade had come to him, asking him for a successor – which he did not have – and had proposed Sakura. At first Ibiki had thought of it as a joke but had soon found out why the Hokage had suggested her. She had the guts and the strength to survive in this filial.
"Time to make the game funny … don't you think so, lollypop?"
"Whatever you mean, tree-sensei."
In that head of hers were countless techniques, saved for her to know and use. She was practically 'unkidnapable'. Her thirst to know all the links was what drove Tsunade to suggest her to him, and he had to say that she was incredibly efficient in finding information and building up theories. She was also radical about throwing them away once again, if there was a detail that didn't fit … only to pick them up again, and see if the changed detail fit – like a puzzle.
"I mean, lollypop, that your snoring tree-sensei will take this all a level higher." He smirked menacing – not surprised when she only quirked an eyebrow and shrugged; that kid wasn't easily impressed.
It's beginning ... it's beginning ... well ... this is only the second chapter, we'll see how it'll continue, ne?
Peace and love,
*~chuppa-chupsz~*