All rights to Naruto belong to Hiro Mashima.
IMPORTANT: I know a lot of you guys are disappointed that she ended up losing her first match. Please keep in mind that Sakura started her journey only three weeks before the exams, so that is not a lot of time to improve her skills. I hope that this does not give you a bad impression of the story because there is a specific reason that I decided to take Sakura out of the exams, which will be revealed later.
Also, I decided to change the name because I realized that I didn't want to use that title in the story anywhere. I felt that this title much more befit.
She could not tell how long she had been asleep, but she definitely would not mind if it could have been a little longer. As the blinding light came into her vision, she wished for the darkness to return. Sakura groaned and tried to turn herself over, only to experience a searing pain in her chest that rendered her immobile.
Sakura slowly opened her eyes, cursing their sensitivity as they shut once again. As she adjusted to the sudden brightness, she took in the sickeningly white walls that surrounded her that just seemed to reflect the sun coming into the room through the window. She may have thought she was in heaven if it were not for the uncomfortable bed and the sharp smell of sanitization.
Sakura coughed a little bit and felt an acrid metallic residue resurface in her mouth. She grimaced at the taste, and wanted to spit it out. Slowly, she tried to bring her body into a sitting position, ignoring the pain she felt. It was then that she realized the wires that were inserted into her body and pumping some substance into her blood to get her to heal. She looked at her bandaged arms and wondered how much damage she had taken in her match. From the pain she was feeling, she could guess that it was quite severe to land her in the hospital.
Her head shot up when she began to hear talking in the hallway, from some very familiar voices. Of course, the boisterous one was hard to miss, but there seemed to be two others that were trying to quiet it down.
Suddenly, the door opened and a blonde stepped through, his shoulder turned to her. "…pissed because you didn't get to see her fight, teme. Stop being such a little broody jerk all the time!" Sakura shook her head and laughed at the blonde's actions, smiling at him even though he had not noticed her yet.
"Stop being so annoying, dobe." Sasuke said as he pushed Naruto, who was blocking the door, into the room. Naruto tumbled into the room, his back still to her, and was about to pounce on Sasuke. Sakura decided to halt her amusement and put a stop to his antics before he got in some serious trouble. She forced a cough, immediately making Naruto turn around and forget his earlier frustration.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled as he ran up to the injured girl. He was about to encase her in a bear hug, but was pulled back by the collar by a taller, and slightly peeved, male.
"Be civil, Naruto. We're in a hospital and Sakura-chan is injured. One touch from you will probably send her into unconsciousness again." Kakashi scolded. Naruto grumbled and crossed his arms with disdain, instead trudging over to Sakura and sitting on the foot of her bed. Kakashi came up to her and settled his hand on her head. "Very well done, Sakura-chan. That was an amazing fight." Kakashi said sincerely.
Sakura looked down at the bandages around her hands, clenching and unclenching her fingers to wake up her nerves. "But…I lost, didn't I?" Sakura asked as she closed her eyes with a shake of her head. She expected nothing more from herself. Of course she would still lose her match, no matter how much she trained.
"No, Sakura-chan! You and Hinata ended in a draw!" Naruto exclaimed as he started bouncing up and down where he sat.
"In fact, both of you were quite relentless to give up. It was incredible to watch, if I do say so myself." Kakashi added with a masked smile.
"Hinata…is she okay?" Sakura asked her sensei.
"Ah…I'm not so sure, I haven't checked on her. From what I hear, she sustained multiple broken bones from the attacks you gave her." Kakashi said.
Sakura nodded, and then looked at the phantom in the room. Sasuke leaned against the back wall, his look aloof but his eyes focused on her. When she caught his gaze, he left the wall and stood next to Kakashi, looking down at her injured form. One might have thought that his gaze was condescending, but Sakura understood the Uchiha well enough to know that his stoicism was just his natural aura.
Sakura smiled at him, but his face remained the same. It took a few awkward moments for him to speak, but he finally did, almost shocking Sakura. "You fought well." He acknowledged, nodding.
Sakura raised her eyebrow. "You saw?" She asked.
"He came towards the end." Naruto said. He then got closer and whispered loudly, "He's really moody because while he was off doing who-knows-what, he couldn't see your match." Sakura rolled her eyes.
"I can hear you, idiot." Sasuke chided. He then turned to Sakura. "Most of the battles have already been fought. There's just two left." He informed.
"Wait! Naruto, have you already-" Sakura asked, cutting herself off.
Naruto grinned exuberantly. "Yup! I won my match against Kiba!"
Sakura mouth dropped wide open. "What? And I missed it!?" Sakura groaned in disdain. She then sighed deeply and smiled. "Congratulations, Naruto. I had no doubt in my mind you would win." She said as she pinched his cheek and pulled it a little. Naruto swatted her hand away playfully. "Who else did I miss?" Sakura asked.
"Well, the other winners besides us have been Shino and the guy with the puppets. Hyuuga-teme just finished fighting Choji and won. So there are…" Naruto drawled out, putting his fingers out to count how many people were left.
Sasuke just sighed. "There are four more people left. The next match is about to start soon." He said.
"You guys should go. You never know if you may have to fight the winner of those battles in the future." Sakura said.
Naruto whined. "No, Sakura-chan! We want to stay here with you!" He complained childishly. Sakura looked over at her sensei for help.
"She's right, Naruto. Let her rest." Kakashi said. Sasuke nodded, sparing her one more glance before Sasuke yanked Naruto out of the room by the collar.
"Why do I have to deal with them?" Kakashi asked himself as he rubbed his forehead. Sakura offered him a sheepish smile in condolence. "Send for us if you need anything, Sakura-chan."
"I'll make sure to." Sakura replied as she looked at Kakashi's retreating figure. "Hey, sensei?" She called before Kakashi left the hospital room. Kakashi turned immediately, going back to her side. "Do you think…Neji was right?" Sakura asked, looking down at her hands.
Kakashi pulled up a chair and straddled it from behind. "Why would you say that?" He asked.
"Because I lost, that's why! Neji predicted that I would lose because it wasn't my "destiny" to win, and that's what happened. Am I…just too weak to be a shinobi?" She asked.
Kakashi was silent for a few moments, and Sakura was afraid that he was going to give her a very unclear and vague answer like he usually did. However, that was not what Kakashi intended. "Sakura, do you remember the advice I gave you before you took your written exam?" He asked seriously. Sakura did not have to struggle to remember.
"You told me to not be hung up on trying to prove anything to anyone; I just have to be focused on myself and not worry about what other people think." Sakura replied.
"Exactly. It seems to me that you are preoccupied with proving Neji wrong. Remember this," Kakashi said as he looked her in the eye, "everyone loses from time to time, but it is from our failure that we grow into better people and into better ninja. Your failure is not a representation of who you are. The conviction and drive you showed on the field, is." Kakashi said, reaching over and resting his hand on her shoulder. "I could not be more proud of the way you have grown up in these few weeks. Don't let something like this make you believe in the fate that another preaches. Instead, take it as a driving force to make you try harder."
Sakura took some time to process all of his words. "Thank you, sensei. I can't believe I would even think of agreeing with that pompous ass. It makes me feel rotten inside." Sakura said as she crossed her arms with a look of mock disgust. Kakashi chuckled at her actions.
"Rest. We'll see you after the two matches are done." He said. Sakura nodded in affirmation and waved at him as he left.
Sakura decided it would probably be best to lay her head down and rest again. It did not take long for her to fall asleep because her pounding headache and her body's wish to recover overpowered her consciousness. Before she knew it, she had drifted off.
She was awakened immediately once again by a knock on the door. Sakura did not know how much time had passed between the time she had closed her eyes and then, but it felt like no more than a fleeting second.
"Ah, yes. Come in." Sakura said as she brought herself into a seated position once again. She expected it to be Kakashi, since Naruto would never in his life knock on a door, but she was surprised to find Gai entering her room, a warm smile on his face. "Oh, Gai-sensei!" Sakura said in surprise. She bowed a little, but stopped when she felt an excruciating pain in her abdomen.
Gai immediately dismissed the action. "No need to do that, Haruno-kun." He said as he took the seat that Kakashi had been in previously. "I must say, your battle was very impressive. Your youthfulness had shone greatly through your effort. Lee was more than proud of your accomplishment." Gai commended.
Sakura gave a half-smile. "Even though I didn't win?" She asked.
Gai shook his head. "You must understand, Lee has faced more losses on his youthful road to greatness than he can remember, and he has grown from each of his experiences. The improvement that you have shown is exceptional, even on our standards. So indeed, he is more than proud to call you his student." Gai said.
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Even if Kakashi said that she should not gain strength for anyone's favor, Lee was the one person who she never wanted to disappoint. "That makes me glad." Sakura said with a smile. Her head then snapped towards the man next to her in realization. "Hang on, has Lee had his battle yet?" Sakura asked.
"No, it is just about to start. I could tell that he wished more than anything that you can be there. I have cleared it with the infirmary, if you would be so inclined to join us." Gai said.
Sakura's face brightened. "Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" She exclaimed happily. "But," she started as she stared at her legs beneath the covers of her bed, "I don't believe I can walk." She said sheepishly.
"Yes, the nurses told me that as well. It will take some time for your chakra network to begin working again. If it is alright with you, I can carry you on my back." Gai offered.
A few weeks ago, Sakura may have shaken her head, disturbed by his rather unique appearance and favoring the idea of rest. Sakura resented those times. Instead, she smiled fondly at Gai and nodded her head, allowing him to carefully pick her up and place her and his back. He was a great deal larger than her, both in build and in stature. Yet, there was something about him that was so comforting. From the way he treats Lee and teaches his students, she could tell that he understands the strife that people have to go to on their journey to improve themselves. The only thing that she respected more than this was his drive to work harder and motivate others to do well.
When Gai and Sakura reached their destination, Lee and the red-haired boy from the Sand – Sabaku no Gaara – were already on the field. There was something about the latter that gave Sakura a bad feeling. She had never seen the boy fight before, but the look in his eyes was one she could read. She saw the look of hate, as Sasuke showed when thought of his revenge; he showed apathy, a look she had received from Neji more than once; and most of all, she saw bloodlust, something that even her own conscience was a victim too. All three of these things made a dangerous combination, and she just prayed that Lee would not succumb to any of these factors.
Sakura shook her head seriously. No, she thought, Lee would never lose due to fear. She reassured herself.
Gai led her to her team, who fussed for a little about her being there. She said that she wanted to be there to support Lee and she felt fine. Naruto insisted on picking her up and dragging her back to the hospital, but one menacing glare from Sakura shut him up for good.
Kakashi looked at Gai, and Gai nodded tacitly at his rival. "It is alright, Kakashi. Lee would want me to do this." Gai said. Sakura told him that she should be able to stand if she held the railing. Gai complied and set her on the ground, and waited until she was supported by Naruto and, surprisingly, Sasuke.
"Come on, Lee!" Sakura cheered. Lee immediately whipped around to see that his protégé smiling at him, safe and sound. That took a large burden off of his heart. Lee clenched his fists in excitement. He would fight with the power of youth on his side!
The red's passive expression did not faze him in the least, and he stood in front of Gaara without even a slither of fear on his face. Gaara looked at him blankly, indifferent to Lee's show of exuberance.
Hayate coughed to get the crowd's attention. "The next match will be between Gaara and Rock Lee. If there are no objections, then the match may proceed." He then jumped back.
Lee was quick to make the first move, using his speed to his advantage as he charged at Gaara. However, before he could land his powerful dropkick on Gaara, a wave of sand shielded him from the attack. Gaara remained motionless.
"Whoa…he didn't even move…" Naruto said in disbelief. Sakura bit her lip. She knew that she had to have faith that Lee would win, but there was something so off about the Suna shinobi that she could not deduce.
That did not discourage the Green Beast, for he simply deflected off of the sand before moving over to Gaara's other side and trying again. Gaara's pupil seemed to move with him, but he never flinched. Lee attacked once more, at an unimaginable speed, yet Gaara's sand was able to protect him once again as if the sand was actually alive.
Lee began a barrage of attacks on Gaara, each one being deflected by the sand. Finally, with Gaara's growing agitation for the match to be over, a large sand wave appeared in front of Lee and threatened to bury him under it, but Lee quickly flipped back to safety before it could do so. Sakura saw Gaara's eyes widen, but not from surprise. She did not know what the emotion was, but she could tell that it had something to do with the speculation she had earlier. The one about Gaara's bloodlust.
"There isn't enough…" Gaara said as he weaved his hands through his bloody hair, "there isn't enough…" He kept mumbling. Lee looked at him in curiosity.
"…blood." Gaara finished before the sand zipped towards Lee and grabbed him by the leg, flinging him around before it crashed him into the ground and tried to consume him. However, although Lee was hurt, he still had the strength to pull himself out of the death trap and flip away. It was only then that he felt the strange sensation on the back of his head. He reached behind his head with his hand and retracted it only to find that the bandages around his hands were covered with blood. Lee refused to let this discourage him.
However, his opponent seemed to be drawn to the red liquid, looking at it as if it was the key to his ecstasy. Gaara ran his tongue across his lips as he signified a yearning for the sight of more blood – more pain.
Lee prudently decided that his chances of winning had decreased since Gaara attained that look on his face. Lee knew that Gai had only told him to do what he was doing when it was to protect a large group of people or in a dire situation, but it seemed as though this circumstance befit the consequences. I the next moment, Lee had pulled down his leg warmers and stripped off the weights that encumbered his legs, letting the weights fall to the floor with a large crash, cracking part of the arena floor. He hopped around from one leg to the other, as if it was a foreign experience.
Sakura's eyes widened. She had never seen Lee without his weights; not through the entire time he had trained her. She could not imagine how fast he would be without the weights holding him down.
"Heh. Does he think some measly little weights will-" The guy from Gaara's team started before he was abruptly cut off by the sight of Gaara being flung into the air by a lightning-fast kick to the jaw. It was not long before Lee was in the air with Gaara, kicking him higher and higher until they were almost at the ceiling. Then, she saw Lee's bandages wrap around Gaara like vines before both of them went tumbling into the ground, emitting a large crash. It was the lotus technique that she had Lee train for before.
Lee jumped back from the site where they had landed, panting as his limbs sagged with exhaustion. There was no immediate victory in Lee's eyes because after seeing an opponent like Gaara, there was no chance that he was done.
Lee's speculation was affirmed when a figure aroused in the dust of the crash. It erected like a rag doll being controlled by strings, sagging and moving its limbs as though there were no bones. It did not even look remotely human within the sandy cover that concealed it.
When the dust cleared, the figure became more visible; however, Sakura would not have minded if it did not. The sight before her was frightening: Gaara's skin was completely covered by his own sand. There was barely even a trace of his own pale skin, only the earthy veil that surrounded his body.
"Wha-what in the world is happening?" Sakura asked as she looked at Naruto, but he could not give her an answer since he was struck with the same level of incredulity.
Even Lee's eyes widened by the sudden change, but he refused to be distracted. He readied himself for another move against Gaara, but before he could even take a step forward, he was halted in his tracks. Sakura saw his muscles tense and his jaw clench, obvious signs that he was in serious pain.
Sakura folded her hands in front of her as if she was praying, looking down at him with worried eyes. It would have to be something serious to keep Lee from fighting, since he had once of the highest pain tolerances she knew of.
Gaara pressed his hands together and released a huge wave of sand that headed straight for Lee. She could tell by his look that he knew that it was closing in on him, yet he did not move. Instead, he had been swept away by the sand until he was finally dropped after reaching one of the arena walls.
"Come on, Bushy Brows, dodge!" She heard Naruto scream from beside her as a whip of sand came crashing down upon Lee's shaking body, imprinting him in the ground below him. "Why isn't he moving!?" Naruto frantically asked as he whipped his head from Sakura to Lee.
"…I don't think he can." Sakura choked out, barely above a whisper.
Kakashi nodded in affirmation. "The Lotus technique is not forbidden for no reason. It takes a heavy toll on the body, since it is a Taijutsu form that is purely based on speed and a person's physical capabilities. The amount of pain that he is going through right now has paralyzed his body. I'm surprised he is moving at all." Kakashi remarked as he took a side-glance at Gai, who was looking down at the battlefield with a serious expression.
"Lee…oh no." Sakura said as she saw Lee struggle to get up. He was gasping for breath, trying to relieve the pain in his abdomen and his muscles, but to no avail.
"Lee told me that you had asked him to teach the technique at one point, Haruno-kun." Gai said from beside her. Sakura did not answer and waited for him to continue. "I hope you can see now why he refused."
"Gai, he's going to-"
"No!" Gai yelled, cutting Kakashi off, "If there is anyone who can master this technique, it's Lee." He looked back at his student, who had somehow brought himself into a battle stance. "He has more grit than anyone I have ever seen."
It was then that Lee crossed his arms before his face, as if he was going to shield himself from something. Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow, waiting for something to come out of the boy in front of him. It was not long before a strong burst of wind whisked through the building, all of it emitting from Lee. Veins started to appear above his large eyebrows as the wind got stronger.
"Gai…you haven't…" Kakashi stuttered as he looked at the sight in shock. He was too surprised to even finish his sentence.
Gai's grin was larger than Sakura had ever seen before. "Like I said, Lee is the only one I can trust to do it." The wind became stronger. "Konoha's Lotus blossoms twice."
"Third Gate of Life…open!" A surge of chakra came from Lee as he finally removed his arms from his face, revealing his red skin and his pupiless eyes. Sakura had never seen him in such a state. She had heard Lee tell her about this technique loads of times, and that was why she had asked him to teach her. However, based on the chakra that she felt coming from him, it was a technique well beyond her reach. It was something that she felt that only Lee was able to do.
"It's not over yet." Gai said as he looked at the progress of his student. Neji's Byakugan was activated, watching the battle with intensity. He could not believe that the person before him was actually Lee, the person who had proclaimed himself his rival and had always preached hard work over destiny – the most talentless try-hard that Neji had ever seen.
"Fourth Gate of Pain…open!" Lee yelled as he crouched down further and allowed more chakra to explode from his body. The next few moments were a complete blur for everyone, Gaara included. Before anyone could react, Gaar was suddenly knocked into the air by a supposedly invisible force. However, Sakura knew better. It was not due to any ninjutsu or genjutsu – Lee couldn't use either of those – it was his speed. It had increased a hundred-fold, giving him almost invincible agility.
Gaara was being knocked around like a ball in midair. Sakura's eyes could not even follow how fast his body flew around the stadium as if he weighted no more than a grain of sand. Gaara was finally kicked into the air once more, leaving him to suspend there for a moment as his Sand Shield rushed to protect him. However, it was too late. Lee had already penetrated between the openings of the shield and had gotten himself directly next to Gaara, giving him another swift kick to the chest and sending him deep into the ground below.
There was another loud explosion and dust filled the arena, making everyone cover their eyes. The next thing they knew, Lee had tumbled onto the open ground, completely back in his normal state and barely conscious.
There was no way that Gaara should have been able to survive that without being knocked out. Sakura thought, hope swelling up inside her.
In spite of this speculation, it turned out the be the opposite. While Lee's eyes barely struggled to stay open, Gaara seemed to be quite awake, even in his unfortunate position embedded in the floor. Gaara looked at Lee with such malice that it made Sakura shiver. Lee could not even see it for he was too injured to even move.
Gaara slowly lifted his arm towards Lee and muttered three small, yet deadly words. "Sand Binding Coffin."
Sakura's eyes widened in horror as she saw Gaara's sand attach itself to Lee's limbs, dragging his exhausted body into the air. Gaara's eyes widened with a look of pure mania on his face. He enjoyed the struggle that the boy went through. She saw Lee cry out in pain as Gaara clenched his fist, and in turn, clenched the sand around Lee. Gaara emitted a terrifying laugh as his face started to crack even more. His torture gave him asylum.
Sakura saw as the sand began surrounding Lee's abdomen, crushing it in its process. Tears began to fill her eyes as she looked at her beaten mentor, barely sustaining consciousness. "Stop the match." She croaked out. No one seemed to hear her except Gai. "Stop it! You've already won!" She yelled in a louder voice.
Just before the sand could completely encircle him, it dissipated until just a few granules remained on the ground. Standing between the redhead and the broken boy was Gai himself, his expression downcast as he stared at the shinobi that had brutally beaten his student. Gaara glared at him as though he was about to attack him also. However, he instead retracted his sand until it remade his gourd to its full capacity.
Sakura suddenly got a shortness of breath as she looked at Lee, whose left limbs were severely bleeding behind his bandages. His breathing was scarcely labored and it looked as though it would stop in just a moment. She could not be more relieved that Gai interfered, for if the battle went on for any longer, Lee might not have made it.
"Lee…" Sakura whispered, completely in disbelief. She gripped the steel railing as she felt pain fill her chest. However, she could not bear to look away from the scene for fear that the moment she did would be the last moment she saw Lee alive.
Sakura flung herself onto the railing, only to be pulled back by a pair of arms. "Lee! Lee!" She screamed hysterically as she bucked and struggled against the person holding her.
"Sakura, stop." An authoritative voice said from behind her. She had thought that it was Kakashi holding her until then, but his shorter stature gave away his true identity. Indeed, instead of Kakashi restraining her, it was Sasuke, trying to keep her from hurting herself more than she already was.
Sakura couldn't bring herself to give a damn about who was holding her. The only thing that mattered was that her mentor was on the ground, almost bleeding to death and in an unnatural configuration. "Let me go, Sasuke!" She knew that there were many eyes on her, probably more than were on Lee. She would not let that register in her mind. She didn't care if other people thought she was overreacting or thought that she was being sensitive. She didn't care what anybody thought.
"Sakura, please. Your words won't be able to do anything now." Kakashi said as he tried to place a hand on her shoulder. Sakura shoved it out of the way as she grappled with the dark-haired boy. Naruto stood off to the side, not knowing how to handle the situation.
Sakura refused to say anything. Instead, she gave one final shove against Sasuke, finally shaking him off and quickly jumping off the ledge, out of his reach. Sakura landed on the ground a few feet away from Gaara and Gai, feeling a great surge of pain through her legs and abdomen. She was painfully reminded that her chakra points that had been blocked had not healed yet. Regardless, she limped her way over to Lee's side and dropped herself beside him.
It was then that she saw his eyes, they were half-lidded and turbid, as if he had already passed. She gathered his upper body in her arms, still feeling his faint heartbeat resonating in his chest. She could feel that both of the males on the field were watching her, but she did not look up. Lee winced a little bit and unconsciously moved a little deeper into her chest as a comforting instinct. She took his movement as a sign that he was still with her and immediately clutched him tighter, careful of his injuries.
"We need a medic, now!" Sakura yelled as she looked down at her senpai. Medical shinobi rushed onto the field, extracting Lee's torn body from Sakura. Sakura looked down on the red that stained her rose-colored tunic, struggling to control her own breathing and sanity.
"Why?" A scratchy voice spoke up. Both Sakura and Gai looked at Gaara, who was in a state of confusion at what he just saw. "Why do you care so much about him?" He asked, earnestly. He looked directly at Gai. "He is your subordinate, is he not?" He asked. The cracks on his face had started to heal themselves.
What is that supposed to mean? Sakura thought to herself, narrowing her eyes at him. Her gaze shifted to the Konoha sensei to see how he would respond.
"It doesn't matter that he is my subordinate. What matters is that I care deeply for him, and that he is someone whom I want to protect!" Gai said emotionally. Gaara's face remained stoic; however, his jade eyes held an emotion that Sakura could not distinguish.
It was odd. As much as she felt that she should hate him, she did not. What he did to Lee was inexcusable, but there was a part of her that wanted to care for him. The questions he asked just further exemplified to her the idea that he was lonely. She had not seen much of him, but whenever she did, there was always someone who feared him. It was true that he had a look of a killer, but that did not mean that he was one. Even if he was (which Sakura would not put it past him), the fear that he fed off of other people would only be a vector for his madness. No one can be sane while being feared. Because of this, Sakura willed herself not to hate; she willed herself not to fear.
Despite this, you still fear him. Inner growled. I can feel the beat of your heart. Your mind says not to fear him, but your body says something different. You are really no different than everyone else, then.
Sakura's heart clenched at her words. Inner was her, after all. If Inner thought that, then there was a part of her that thought that also. She could not fool herself with her false idealism. She had to try not to think of her adversities with other people and change her own mentality before she tried to act out her sympathy on others.
Sakura was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she had not realized that Gai had left the field, probably to check on his student. She supposed that Gai thought that she would directly follow, and did not think that she would keep herself on the field. However, her internal conflict had kept her from noticing his absence. In fact, it also kept her from noticing that she had been staring Gaara in the eye for a solid minute.
Emerald eyes widened as the red's jade ones stared into with such intensity that she thought that the room would freeze over. He did not glare at her; his eyes were blank and apathetic. She gutsily kept his gaze as she slowly stood up. She felt the tension in the room rise as they looked at each other. She blocked out all external stimuli as she focused on Gaara, trying to read his eyes as best as she could.
She could tell that Gaara was not used to staring at someone for so long, evident by how she saw sand rise in her peripheral vision. However, she could not bring herself to move. Her eyes remained transfixed on his form. She felt a small sense of bravery as she looked at him. She knew that even if she did get harmed by him, she did not flinch from fear, and she did not give him the look everybody else did.
It was a rare sight for Gaara to not see someone flinch away from him. This girl…someone who lost her own battle, seemed to not look at him, but in him. Her look was a piercing one, but not of hate like he was used to. She seemed almost curious to learn about him. It was as though she tried to understand him better; the girl looked as though she could potentially care for him.
Gaara almost winced at the thought. No, that could not be it. He lived only for himself, he fought only for himself. Some girl would not change everything he had known to be true.
He had gotten over the initial shock of her stagnant stare and decided that he was more than ready to leave the arena. Without moving a muscle, his sand reacted for him, shooting towards her with an amazing speed.
Don't move! Inner ordered, but Sakura did not have to be told so. There was something about the boy that told her that the moment she looked away was the moment she would die. Of course, no one had the audacity she had to look at him straight in the eye in the first place. If she looked away, that meant that she surrendered, and she swore to herself that she would never do that without a fight.
Much to her amazement, the sand shot right past her right cheek, slicing it slightly. Blood slowly trickled down her face and she rose a hand up to touch the penetrated dermis. However, her gaze still never wavered from his.
It was then that his look changed. His eyes reflected a thrill from what he had just done, seeing the scarlet liquid drop tantalizingly down her cheek. A look of derangement overtook his face as he lifted his arm, ordering his sand to turn around behind her. This time, instead of an intention to scare, it had the intention to kill.
This change in objective is what signaled to her that she was actually in danger. Even Inner had not told her to keep put, because if she did, she would surely die.
Sakura did a cartwheel to her side to avoid a spear of sand that penetrated the air where she had just been. She refused to meet Gaara's glare as she prepared herself for another evasion. However, before she could, a piercing screech resonated through the air and a blue flash of lightning appeared in front of her. In the next moment, five different Jōnin, Kakashi included, surrounded Gaara, effectively creating a wall between him and her. Sakura peered into the sliver of vision that she got between Kakashi's and Asuma's elbows to see that Gaara's sensei had whispered something into the redhead's ear. Gaara scowled and shoved him away, making his way out of the examination hall, not even waiting for Hayate to call his win.
Suddenly, Sakura felt her chest start to pain again. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears as it pounded throughout her entire body, as she clutched her chest in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. She knew that she had to get off the field, but before she could pull herself together, she was lifted into the air and placed on the balcony. A sturdy pair of arms stabilized her before letting go suddenly. Then, in their stead, a warmer pair of arms embraced her.
Sakura opened her eyes to see that the one holding her was Naruto, while the one who had brought her to the balcony was presumably Sasuke. While worry had shown in Naruto's eyes, Sasuke stared at her with an inquiring intensity. She could not help but feel a little uncomfortable.
Sakura took deep breaths in order to rid of the excruciating pain that her heart experienced. "I'm fine boys…really." She said breathily. She tried to stand up again, and to her relief, Sasuke and Naruto did not argue. However, Naruto still kept a stiff hold on her.
"What was that, Sakura-chan!? You could have been killed!" Naruto said as he looked directly at her bleeding cheek. Most of it had clotted due to it being just a small scratch, but it worried him beyond words when she faced off against Gaara.
"Did you see something?" Sasuke asked. Sakura turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "You were staring for a long time, but not directly at him." Sasuke elaborated.
"…I guess I did." Sakura hesitated. "He looked…lonely for a moment. Like when he asked Gai-sensei why he cared so much for Lee." She said slowly, looking at the adults who were still on the field, discussing something. From time to time, she could see them all taking furtive glances at her. "I don't know why…but he reminded me of you, Naruto. When you were younger, that is." Sakura said, not meeting his eyes. Naruto's eyes widened. He did not know whether he should feel insulted or not. "I could just see…so much pain in his eyes. They were the eyes of someone who had been feared their whole lives; someone who had lived all of his years without any love." Naruto looked down and clenched his fists. Sakura looked at him and took his hand, nodding with a small smile.
Naruto smiled and clasped her hand as well, in a friendly manner. She could tell that he was shaking slightly, for a reason that she could not tell. Just like her, Naruto wore his emotions on his sleeve. She could tell that he was troubled by something; something he was keeping from her. She decided to let him have his secret unless it started to negatively affect him.
"Hn. We should go back to the hospital." Sasuke said as he slung one of her arms over his neck, with Naruto taking the other one.
"No, no, no. Boys, really. I'm okay to go back on my own!" Sakura insisted as she struggled slightly against them.
"Shut up, Sakura." Sasuke said softly as he and Naruto continued to lead her down the hall. Sakura gave an exasperated sigh, yet conceded. However, before they could exit the examination hall, they passed by Neji, who spared her a short glance before turning back towards the conglomerate of mentors on the floor.
Sakura had no idea what his look meant. It was not worry, nor was it care, nor was it hate. It was something alike to vexation. She could not make out what he had been so confused about, but it was those eyes that bothered her all the way back to the infirmary.
Sakura laid in bed for another few hours, just staring at the blank ceiling overhead. She had been thinking about what her teammates would have been doing at the moment. An hour or two ago Hayate might have announced all of the winners together. In that same time, he probably said who they were paired up against for the final match. Sakura smiled at the fact that both of her boys had passed, even if she did not. Her happiness depended on them, and she would just make sure that they got to where they needed to be.
She heard a knock at the door that brought her out of her thoughts. She scrambled to sit up as the door slid open to reveal Kakashi, one hand on his neck and dawning a squinty-eyed smile. "Ma, Sakura-chan. I hope I did not disturb your sleep." He apologized.
"No, not at all. I was awake anyway." Sakura said as she ushered him into a chair. He took the chair and sat down next to her bed. There was an awkward silence for a few moments before Kakashi spoke up. "Sakura-chan…" He started.
Sakura looked at him and smiled. "You're leaving, aren't you?" She asked. Kakashi nodded.
"Yes, to train the boys. I can get you out of here by morning and then we can-" Sakura raised her hand to stop him.
"I won't be coming with you." Sakura said definitively. Kakashi did not look shocked by her response, but his expression looked downcast. "You need to put all of your focus into training them for their next matches."
"But I don't want to leave you behind. We're all a team, and no man is left behind." Kakashi, for once in his life, looked quite insistent. However, Sakura had made up her mind. It was best for her boys.
"Let's face it, Kakashi-sensei. If I went, I would only hold you guys back. You need to put all of your attention on them in order to bring out their full capabilities. I would not hesitate a small separation for their welfare."
"But-"
"Besides, I'm not just going to be sitting on my butt doing nothing. This independence will allow me to understand what it is I want to focus on and hone. When you guys see me again, I'll be a stronger person, and I expect them to be the same." She finished.
Kakashi gave a sigh before standing up. He used one arm to bring her face into his chest, his other arm resting on the side of her arm. Sakura closed her eyes as she sunk into his embrace. He pulled away slowly and squatted down next to the bed.
"You're the only one mature enough for me to trust." Sakura giggled at this. "Are you sure you're going to be okay here? For a whole month?" He asked seriously.
"Yes, I'll be fine." Sakura said. She reached up and took hold of his shoulder. "Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei. You're not abandoning me. I have to leave the nest sometime." She said.
Kakashi chuckled at this. "I guess so." He said as he placed a hand on her head. "I know you'll do well. We'll come check on you in the morning." He said, detaching his hand from her head and moving towards the door. "Sakura," He started before he exited. He turned to look at her with an intense, but kind expression, "I believe in you. Never forget that." He said before he finally left.
Sakura looked down at her hands and smiled; that smile slowly turning into a grin. That was all she truly wanted: for someone to believe in what she stood for.
The next morning, Naruto smashed her into the biggest bear hug that she had ever been given and begged her to come with them, claiming that he would not be able to survive a whole month around Sasuke without his head exploding if she wasn't there. Sakura gave him a light pat on the head and told her to deal with it.
Then Sasuke gave his regards. He nodded to her simply and asked her if she was sure about staying back. She was surprised at this; if anything, she would think Sasuke wanted her to stay back. But in the end, she just smiled and nodded. He gave a sigh of acceptance and a small grunt.
Kakashi said goodbye to her one last time, not trying to convince her anymore because he knew that her decision was made. She thanked him for that, because it showed that he accepted her resolve to become stronger on her own.
Kakashi had also mentioned that they would be traveling with another person; someone by the name of Jiraiya. Sakura did not have to contemplate the name for long before she realized that he was one of the legendary Sanin of Konoha. Naruto looked at shocked at this fact, giving him the denomination of "Ero-sennin" instead of the respect that he deserves.
With that, the males of Team 7 left to attend to their own work, giving her reassurance that they would be back soon and that they would be ready for the last part of the exam. Naruto told her that he would write to her as often as he could, which made Sakura cringe a little since from her experience at the academy, she knew that Naruto had absolutely terrible grammar. However, a word from him would be more than worth it.
Sakura was released from the hospital two days later, after the nurses making constant checks that her heart would not abnormally stop from the blow it took. Sakura thanked them for taking care of her and left promptly, happy that she would be back with her parents and the comfort of her own bed. However, before she left, she insisted that she saw how Lee was doing. The two receptionist ladies at the front looked at each other and prohibited her from doing so, no matter how much she persisted. When she asked when she would be able to see him, they told her that they would let her know.
So currently, Sakura was taking a run through the village, trying to clear her thoughts. She could not say that she was not just a little disappointed that she lost her match. Of course, it could not be helped. There was nothing she could do to change the past, so it would be best to just give her all into her training.
She felt Inner nod her head in satisfaction. That's the attitude I like to see. She said. Sakura smiled to herself as she continued to run in the direction of the setting sun, a warm orange glow settling itself on her face.
You know you're talking about yourself, right? Sakura asked jokingly. Inner snickered along with her. You've started to become a lot nicer, Inner. I thought you would just be a complete bloodthirsty nuisance.
That would mean that a part of you is a bloodthirsty nuisance. Besides, I was like that because you yourself were too confused with everything that was going on. Like I said before, I evolve with you.
Sakura dismissed her with a simple knowing thought and focused on the road ahead of her, not minding that the sky was starting to turn from its bleeding red to a deep blue. Sakura stopped near a tree next to the academy. She huffed as she tried to get some air back into her lungs, but kept her eyes focused on an old part of her childhood. She moved around the tree to where a lone swing was hung, swinging slightly in the evening breeze and making a small creaking sound as it did.
Sakura took a seat on it, using her feet to create movement in the rope. She smiled to herself, since it had been a while since she had been connected to anything remotely infantile for a few weeks. No – it felt like longer than that. She had felt that she had just been through a full lifetime before returning back into an adolescent body. She had learned more about herself in three weeks than she had in her entire life, mostly because she was not trying to be Sasuke's "perfect girl" anymore; she was her own person.
Despite her feeling of growth, she knew that she still had a lot to learn before she was able to call herself a true shinobi. However, she knew that she would achieve her goal if she tried her hardest, and gave it everything that she had. That was what Lee would have told her; what Naruto would have told her; and even what Kakashi would have told her. She had a feeling that her loss was not going to be in vain, and that there was something waiting in store for her – a surprise that would allow her to shine to her full potential.
That something might have just come in the form of the messenger hawk perched on the branch above her.
Hi everyone! I really hoped you guys enjoyed this extra-long chapter.
I just want to tell you guys that I am so grateful for the support that you guys give me, because it truly makes my day. Please note that I am not planning on sticking directly to the canon. As you will see in the coming chapters, there are going to be certain plot twists that completely diverge from the main story.
Special thanks to: Aztrel, zafnak, Ace Clover, Hikaru1023, Ann, H, and quinn . cruise for reviewing! You guys truly made my day and I really appreciated your feedback! It is from your guys' reviews that I've crafted the rest of my story line, so I could not thank you enough.
Please review! It really helps me get motivated to write more!
And, as always, I hope that all of you are having a fantastic day wherever you are. See you guys next time!