For Shisui time seemed like a foreign concept at the moment. Not because he couldn't age in his ghost form merely because things now seemed so different since the massacre. Often times he had wondered why exactly things ended the way it did, if only the nine tailed fox attack didn't occur, then everything would have been fine. But then again knowing his clan they would have wanted more power all of this he couldn't really blame his clan nor could he hate them. In fact he still loved his clan very much, love truly was a strange notion which came in various forms.
Parental love, familial love, platonic love, friendly love, romantic love and puppy dog love. Speaking of puppy dog love...
He glanced up from his meditating position on the table to see Sakura still reading the book, it's almost been two hours. He recalled when Itachi and him would do the same thing back in the days. Though he had to wonder what sort of book Sakura was reading. Was the plot any good? Squinting his eyes slightly he mouthed the tittle of the book, "Spring to Winter..." it sounded like a romance novel to him, like something Itachi's mother would read.
A grin broke out of Sakura's face as the girl turned to the next page. Shisui observed the girl in amusement watching as her expressions varied from happiness, sadness, hopeful, embarrassed and then finishing up with something else which made him blink, but then the look was gone.
"So what are you reading?" he asked seeing as it was a good time to ask before Sakura gets that intense look on her face again
"Spring to Winter by Miyoki Tsuraga" Sakura answered with a small smile
Shisui didn't say anything and Sakura took it as her cue to elaborate "Rei-san is a highly skilled kunoichi who comes from a clan whom serves the samurai family Akechi and she's appointed as the body guard of the current heir Tatsuya who's quite the charmer," here she blushed a bit probably remembering a scene "But Tatsuya had someone he loved whom he had rescued when he was younger which happens to be Rei-san whom doesn't remember. Now they have to struggle to control their growing feelings in order to maintain their respective moral codes. Ninja and samurai, nindō and bushidō, two different worlds and one ever lasting bond."
"Sounds like a typical forbidden romance to me" Shisui noted
"So? A life with love throughout!" Sakura exclaimed pumping one fist in the air and at Shisui's questioning look she added "That's m-my favorite phrase cha..."
"Oh, though I still don't get what's so interesting about that book" Shisui noted
"Never judge a book by its cover" Sakura chided bringing the book to her chest with a wistful look "Besides it's like opposites attract, a match made in heaven...it gives me hope, you know?"
Shisui didn't need to ask to know that she was talking about his cousin and her, though he had to wonder if her feelings for Sasuke were genuine. Somehow he suspected something else was the root to Sakura having feelings for Sasuke. "Do you really have a crush on Sasuke-chan?" he blurted out, no use in tact anymore.
Sakura seemed a bit peeved at the question quickly declaring "Of course I like Sasuke-kun! In fact I love Sasuke-kun!" her voice held no tint of doubt only confidence
"You're only seven Sakura" Shisui pointed out
"So?! People become ninja by the age of twelve and are considered adults then, some graduate earlier and are still considered adults!" Sakura argued and though it was a valid statement Shisui wouldn't back down, he just needed to take a different approach.
"Then why do you love Sasuke?" Shisui questioned "Is it because of his looks? Because he's skilled? Because he's an Uchiha?"
"While I admit those are part of the reasons, I'm just attracted to Sasuke-kun! Does someone really need a reason to love someone else?!" Sakura yelled crossing her arms in a defensive manner which made Shisui knew he was getting closer.
"If you really love him would you be able to kill for him?" all hint of playfulness was gone from his tone
"K-kill?" she stuttered out stunned
"Don't you know? Sasuke wants to kill Itachi to avenge our clan. So what I'm asking is that if you truly love him would you be willing to do whatever it takes to help him? Would you be able to abandon your own village? To kill others? To manipulate people?" the way he asked it the question made it seem as if it was from experience
Sakura was stunned. She didn't realize that Sasuke might want to avenge his clan. If her mother murdered everyone she knew, she wouldn't be able to hate her no matter what. But maybe it's because she isn't Sasuke. She doesn't know how he's feeling. Her face quickly grew pale at the foreign idea of killing someone, though she knows killing comes with the job description she had never placed any thought on it. She thought she'd cross the bridge if, no, when she gets there.
"A-asking t-that question i-isn't fair..." she managed to breath out
"Alright," Shisui nodded, he knew he had gone a bit far with that but he still wanted to get his point across "Then let me ask you something easier. Aside from the fact that Sasuke Uchiha is skilled, has good grades and has good looks what do you personally know about him?"
Sakura's eyes widened and Shisui knew he finally got his answer
"I..."
"Let me answer for you. No, you don't know anything about him" blunt and indifferent, very different from his usual persona
"You...are right" Sakura admitted
"Don't deny...what?" Shisui blinked, had she really just admitted that? Surely she would be more stubborn?
"But," ah, there's that stubborn attitude that was missing "I'm willing to get to know Sasuke-kun better and then I'm sure that I'll love him even more than I do now" the determine look in her eyes would have made Shisui smile if it wasn't for the goal she was determined to reach
"You don't love Sasuke" Shisui stated
"What would you know?" Sakura retorted with a glare, she didn't want to hear Shisui lying to her about how her feelings weren't real.
"More than you" Shisui assured, "And want to know what the truth is? You don't love Sasuke. You love the idea of being in love with Sasuke"
"ShutupShutupShutupShutupShutupShutup!" Sakura quicky yelled repeating the two words as if they were a mantra, how dare the ghost say that "Stop lying! You don't have any prove that my feelings aren't genuine!"
"I do and you do too, you're just acting oblivious. Remember earlier when you said you weren't perfect but Sasuke was? Isn't that why you love him? Because in your head you can cover up your imperfections by being with Sasuke whom everyone else think is perfect. In fact if there was anyone else your age that was perfect in other people's eyes you would have 'loved' him too. Because anyone who is considered 'perfect' would have been okay, right?" at the end of his speech Shisui was standing in front of Sakura
"N-no. T-that's not true..." Sakura whimpered in protest
"I didn't think it was at first either, but then I saw the look you had when you were reading that book. You were staring longingly at the page as if you wanted to experience what Rei was feeling too, right? You want someone like Tatsuya to look at you like that too and that someone won't be Sasuke, I assure you. Sasuke doesn't have time for love so you shouldn't waste your time chasing him right now and instead focus on something else." his tone was gentle as if trying to be helpful but Sakura didn't see it that way
"I don't want to see you right now, you big idiot! Get the hell out of my sight!"
"Hey..." Shisui tried to coerce seeing tears of rage well up at Sakura's eyes, maybe he went too far? Should he have kept the last part to himself?
"GET OUT!" Sakura yelled at the top of her lungs
Shisui cringed, yep, he definitely went a bit far with the kid.
When Shisui left Sakura was all alone, when Sakura's alone with nothing to do she has a tendency to overthink any and every single thing. Befittingly she was thinking about her outburst that had just transpired. She felt immensely bad for letting her impulsive and irrational emotions free driving a potential true friend that knows things about her that others don't away and yes, she did want someone like Shisui in her life, as a friend of course.
But then she frowned at herself, 'Get a grip! It was his fault that I yelled at him!'
And yet she felt guilty for lashing out on him like that despite knowing he surely had good intentions.
"You're only seven Sakura"
Yes, he was right. She is young, but does age really matter in love? Surely it's only the feelings that count.
"Then why do you love Sasuke? Is it because of his looks? Because he's skilled? Because he's an Uchiha?"
Here she faltered slightly, there wasn't really a specific reason she likes Sasuke. What isn't there to like about Sasuke? He's cool, skilled, smart and a bad boy of sorts. The fact that his clan was massacred only served to turn on girls who think they can fix him, including Sakura. She cringed at her own thoughts, now that she thinks about it, her crush does seemed based on superficial reasons. But she was sure that if she gets to know Sasuke better she'd fall for him for sure.
"If you really love him would you be able to kill for him?"
The truth? No, she probably wouldn't kill for him randomly. Meaning that if Sasuke was in a life or death situation she'd kill to make sure he lives but if he wasn't in a life or death situation she wouldn't.
"Don't you know? Sasuke wants to kill Itachi to avenge our clan. So what I'm asking is that if you truly love him would you be willing to do whatever it takes to help him? Would you be able to abandon your own village? To kill others? To manipulate people?"
No she didn't know that. But now that she thinks about it, it was obvious. She feels kind of stupid right now. She'd do anything for Sasuke within reason.
"Then let me ask you something easier. Aside from the fact that Sasuke Uchiha is skilled, has good grades and has good looks what do you personally know about him?"
No, she doesn't know anything about Sasuke, but she's willing to learn new things about him each day and she's sure that she'd fall for even his less than pleasing aspects.
"You don't love Sasuke"
She cringed realizing that Shisui was right all along, she didn't love Sasuke. Her feelings are just a superficial crush. And yet she's willing to hold on to her crush and hopes it becomes something more.
"And want to know what the truth is? You don't love Sasuke. You love the idea of being in love with Sasuke"
In her mind Sakura admitted that it was the truth. She's in love with love almost to an obsessive degree, but she's willing to change that aspect of herself.
"I do and you do too, you're just acting oblivious. Remember earlier when you said you weren't perfect but Sasuke was? Isn't that why you love him? Because in your head you can cover up your imperfections by being with Sasuke whom everyone else think is perfect. In fact if there was anyone else your age that was perfect in other people's eyes you would have 'loved' him too. Because anyone who is considered 'perfect' would have been okay, right?"
No one is as perfect as Sasuke in her eyes. And yes, she would shamelessly admit that she loves perfection. Perfection is a wonderful thing.
"I didn't think it was at first either, but then I saw the look you had when you were reading that book. You were staring longingly at the page as if you wanted to experience what Rei was feeling too, right? You want someone like Tatsuya to look at you like that too and that someone won't be Sasuke, I assure you. Sasuke doesn't have time for love so you shouldn't waste your time chasing him right now and instead focus on something else."
No, she didn't want someone like Tatsuya. She just wanted someone to look at her in longing, to look at her as if she was their world, as if she was the most important person to him. She hopes that one day Sasuke will be that someone, but the way Shisui told her Sasuke wouldn't be the one made her waver. But what else could she focus on? To her, love was the most important thing in life. Even though it could be considered a weakness sometimes, love opens your eyes to things you didn't know about before.
Regardless, now she knows that she was in the wrong and she is a reasonable girl so she'll have to find and apologize to Shisui tomorrow. But will he forgive her? That question made her reluctant in seeking out her ghost friend but if she's not willing to try how will her future blossom? Besides Shisui didn't seem like the type to reject a sincere apology.
Yet she couldn't help but doubt him, not because he was a bad person or anything but merely because one of her fears that developed during the time she was being bullied. The fear of rejection. Rejection was something she feared the most.
"Sasuke-chan go out and socialize, this is really damaging for your health" Shisui chided to no avail, after all the boy couldn't see him. A part of him was glad and yet another part of him wasn't.
He stared at Sasuke who stood up with a bowl full of cereal
"No, don't. You have to eat if you're going to grow up into a healthy ninja" the ghost sternly said crossing his arms as he stood in front of Sasuke.
Sasuke merely passed through him not making him shudder, the feeling of someone passing through you was unnerving. Especially since your mind knows that it's impossible, it's like someone defying a natural law and you had to suffer because of it. In short the feeling was unpleasant.
He sighed seeing his second favorite cousin throw away his food before vomiting in the trash can.
"Did you really have to use Tsukuyomi on the poor boy?" he asked aloud knowing he wouldn't get an answer before sending Sasuke a pitying look, even he wouldn't want his enemies to meet the world of Tsukuyomi
"I'm here for you Sasuke-chan, you're not alone" even though he couldn't hear him it was okay, Shisui would be there for Sasuke for as long as possible. He preferred this over seeing how much Itachi is breaking as a missing-nin.
Sakura kept her head down as she walked on the streets of her village. Why? She couldn't tell who was a ghost and who was a real person. She was a bit peeved that she could now suddenly see ghosts, the only ghost she really wanted to see was Shisui. But why was she seeing more ghosts now? She'll have to ask Shisui, he did after all seem to know the answer to everything.
Of course she couldn't see well with her head down so she ended up bumping into someone,
"Sorry!" both she and the person said at the same time
So Sakura ended up looking directly at the girl she bumped into, her green eyes meeting the girl's dark brown eyes. Both sheepishly smiled at the other albeit Sakura did it more shyly in fear of this girl being like most of the other girls she met, a.k.a a bully.
"Hey, have I seen you before? You look kind of familiar" the girl asked her with a frown
Sakura looked apologetic "No, I'm afraid I've never seen you before"
"Alright, but I swear I've seen you somewhere before. Pink hair is rather hard to forget..." the girl muttered mostly to herself, "Maybe at the academy?"
"Maybe, I do attend there after all" Sakura answered
"That solves the mystery! Anyways my name's Tenten, maybe I'll see you around at the academy..." Tenten trailed off
Sakura got the hint and smiled widely "I'm Sakura" she introduced herself to a potentially new friend
"Okay, see you Sakura!" Tenten waved walking pass her
"Right!" Sakura called out, her smile getting bigger.
She hoped to see Tenten around, but for now she has to go apologize to a certain ghost boy.
Shisui sighed looking up at the cliff where he gave his best friend his eye. He left Sasuke about an hour ago out of guilt, he couldn't stand looking at the Sasuke who didn't openly smile and ask for his brother. Most of all he couldn't help but feel that it was all his fault, if only he had been stronger. If only he had been able to avoid Danzo tearing out his other eye, he could have used his ultimate genjutsu to prevent a massacre.
Danzo said that the coup would happen sooner or later, but Shisui only found that Danzo was wrong. As long as he could have prevented one coup the village would have been able to prepare for another or the third would devise a plan to make sure his clan didn't feel bitter towards the village thus preventing the coup. A one-sided massacre wasn't the solution to the problem, it only made the village seem weak to the other villages.
Shisui gave it his all, he tried so hard and he almost accomplished what he set out to do but in the end it didn't matter. He lost. He couldn't keep Itachi and Sasuke together as a family, he let not only the clan's schemes destroy that but also Danzo's schemes. He had failed his two favorite cousins.
He snorted, so much for being "Shisui of the Body Flicker" he didn't deserve that tittle, not by a long shot. Sighing he decided to let his thoughts go to other matters that didn't make him loath himself. He thought about his grandfather Kagami Uchiha, the reason why Shisui thought so highly of the will of fire. Would his grandfather be disappointed in him?
And there he was thinking about unpleasant things again!
He needed something to take his mind off of those things. Like as soon as possible if not faster.
"Shisui?! Are you here?!" Sakura's voice echoed through the clearing
He blinked in surprise having not expected the girl to come to him so soon, he observed her through her spot on the branch of a tree seeing how she was desperately looking around.
"Come on, I have something to tell you!" she yelled still looking everywhere except where he was
'What could she possibly have to tell me?' Shisui wondered "I'm up here blossoms!" he called purposely using a nickname that could gather an amusing reaction, instead he got a relieved smile
"Come down here, I have something to tell you!" Sakura informed him
Feeling like causing a bit of mischief Shisui shook his head "No way, it's too much of a hassle. Besides it's comfortable up here."
"B-but I have something to tell you" Sakura tried but Shisui merely have her a smirk "Then come up here and tell me"
Sakura frowned studying the tree, the lowest branch she could use to climb was being used by Shisui. In fact the lowest branch had to be about thirty meters high and there was no other small branches to help her climb "How?" she asked directing the question to Shisui
"Concentrate your chakra to your feet and it'll help you as a means to stick up unto surfaces against the pull of gravity. Be careful not to add too much chakra or you'll be pushed away from the tree and not too little or you won't stick" Shisui easily answered going into a small lecture, he wanted to see Sakura fail a bit and get a good few chuckles before going down there to hear what she has to say.
Sakura nodded at the explanation walking to the base of the tree before closing her eyes, she concentrated on her chakra feeling the energy circulating in her body before willing the energy to her feet. She gave out a hum of satisfaction when she felt the energy at the bottom of each of her feet, she made sure that it wasn't too much or too little before snapping her eyes open to look at the tree in determination.
The tree was after all the only thing preventing her from giving her sincerest apology to the ghost boy she had befriended, at the moment it didn't cross her mind that she could have just yelled her apology from down where she was. She started out timidly placing her left feet and held back a gasp when she felt it stick. Instead she placed her right feet too.
Grinning she started running towards the branch Shisui was on "I got it!" she exclaimed
Shisui looked at her in shock. Not even he nor Itachi was able to get it in under a minute, he knew that civilians had less chakra so they'd catch on faster but even this was unheard of. Perhaps she had underestimated Sakura due to the girl's fangirl tendencies. The only plausible explanation would be that Sakura had.."Near perfect chakra control" he found himself saying out loud in wonder as Sakura got closer to him
Yes, he had truly underestimated Sakura Haruno. He was sure that she would make a fine kunoichi if she puts her mind to it, heck he was sure that she was a prodigy in her own rights. Academically good, perfect chakra control and what else? If Sakura honed her current skills and tried to hone other skills as well he was sure that Sakura could one day give even Tsunade a run for her money.
It was in that moment that something inside of him swell with pride, he had taught someone with great potential such as Sakura her first real lesson. He had to wonder if this is what Kagami felt when he taught him the fireball jutsu, if so he loved the feeling. Sure he loved helping Sasuke out with training back when he was alive, but back then he knew the one Sasuke truly wanted was Itachi so instead he felt kind of envious.
But here Sakura didn't have anyone to teach her besides her academy teacher (and even that wouldn't help much) and look how happy she is being taught something so trivial.
"That was so shannaro!" Sakura declared finally reaching the branch, she was panting heavily as she stood on the branch next to Shisui "Shannaro?" Shisui repeated with an amused look making the girl blush in embarrassment "You're really something Sakura, I've never seen someone master the tree climbing practice that fast" if possible the girl's face only got redder as she shook her head "It was nothing special!" she protested
Shisui let it go knowing Sakura had problems with people praising her when she herself didn't think much of herself, he had to fix that one way or another. "So what did you wanted to say?" he settled on asking
"Huh? Oh, right. After you left yesterday I started thinking about all the things you said to me, how you told me I didn't have feelings for Sasuke or about how I wanted someone like Tatsuya and how you just had good intentions and probably didn't mean to make me mad..Oh, I'm rambling. Annyways what I'm trying to say is that I am so sorry for my outburst" she had such an apologetic look that Shisui knew it was sincere, he saw the way Sakura closed her eyes as if expecting to be rejected but he didn't plan on rejecting such a heartfelt apology over a trivial argument
So she waved her apology off with an easy smile "You're forgiven" because he knew that if he apologized as well she would go off into another rambling session about how he shouldn't apologize, but he knew he was a bit out of line
Sakura looked so relieved as she opened her mouth, but she lost her balance resulting in her falling off the branch.
"Damn, Sakura!" Shisui yelled throwing himself off after her forgetting at the moment that he didn't have a physical body, so when his body reached Sakura's he didn't expect him to be pulled into hers resulting in him taking control.
It was on instinct that he flipped Sakura's body just in time to fall into a clumsy crouch on the ground, he knew that Sakura's ankle was probably twisted but that was better than the girl breaking her neck
'Wow, what just happened?' Sakura's voice sounded from within her mind
"I have no idea..." Shisui responded out loud cringing at the high pitch voice he had
'Well then how about getting out of my body? I don't exactly think having a boy control my body would end good.' despite her sassy remark Shisui could tell she was scared
"I'll try" Shisui said closing his eyes trying to get out, but to no avail. "It's not working" he frowned
'WHAT?!' Sakura shrieked in panic
Please tell me this is a nightmare...' Sakura whimpered pathetically, it was weird seeing things through her own eyes but not being able to control her actions, too weird.
"This situation isn't that bad" Shisui pointed out as he checked his, err, Sakura's ankle
'For you! Me? I have a total stranger stuck in my body' Sakura screeched in annoyance
"Ouch, I'm hurt Blossoms, I thought we were friends" Shisui said in mock hurt as he used Sakura's hands to clutch Sakura's chest
'Not to mention how you could take advantage of my body' Sakura muttered completely ignoring Shisui's previous statement
"Relax, I'm not a pedophile. Besides I wasn't even thinking of that, but you did. Tell me, are you secretly a closet pervert?" Shisui asked in amusement
'A-am not!' Sakura cried out horrified at what Shisui was implying
"What now Blossoms?" Shisui questioned
'I don't know, you're the adult here!'
"Actually I was only seventeen when I died" Shisui pointed out
'So? You were a ninja. Ninjas are adults. There you have it' Sakura gritted out
"Hmm, not really a good enough explanation but good for now. Anyways, this didn't happen before back when you stabbed your hand right through me to see if I really was a ghost." Shisui muttered with a contemplating look
'Oh, yeah. I forgot about that...' Sakura sheepishly admitted before also going into a more contemplating mode 'So this means that if you count me being able to see other ghosts now and probably ghosts can possess me it means that my abilities have developed ever since I met you and rather quickly. But the problem with that would be that before I met you I was never able to see a ghost or anything like that. Which means one of the keys to figuring out this mystery would be to find out why I could see you'
Shisui had to bit down that grin he had at Sakura's deduction, he knew the girl was bright academically due to seeing her grades but this? Being able to analyze the situation after calming down and coming up with possible solutions to the problem? He knew Sakura was going to go far. If only the girl would get her mind out of the gutter.
"I think I know why you could see me" Shisui suddenly said, after all he had been thinking possible reasons as to why Sakura of all people could see her and after seeing that Sakura had near perfect chakra control one of his theories seems more likely
'Please do tell' her desperation was covered by sarcasm
"Remember what I told you about Yin Release?"
'Yin Release are techniques based on the spiritual energy that governs imagination, that's the only thing you said along with the fact that Genjutsu falls under it' Sakura recited
Shisui nodded pleased that Sakura remembered "Well to keep it short, you have amazing chakra control and chakra control plays a huge factor in Genjutsu which falls under Yin Release. So technically you have a natural affinity when it comes to spiritual energy. I was a spirit made out of only spiritual energy and your natural affinity played a complex role in letting you see me" he explained
'But that doesn't explain why I couldn't see other ghosts before'
"My theory on that was because aside from yourself there was no one else here when we met, but when you're somewhere else like on the streets the spiritual energy gets drowned out by everyone else's Yang." it was a lame theory but the only one that matched
'Which brings us back to why I can't take control back' Sakura pointed out
"Right.." Shisui agreed before giving out a sigh "Your body's so stiff, are you sure you're a future kunoichi?"
Sakura mentally glared at herself, err, the boy controlling her body? (it was really confusing to her) 'So? I'm still the top of the class'
"Academically, right? Being smart is a good thing but it won't help much in a battle when you're surrounded by more than one opponent" Shisui pointed out remembering a mission he once took with Itachi where both ended up surrounded by enemies
Apparently he didn't notice that Sakura would be able to see his rather disturbing flashback and clammed her mouth shut 'I'll work on it.' She stiffly replied starting to have doubts on becoming a ninja
"Anyways, I think the reason why you can't take control back is because your spiritual energy is in conflict. It's as if you keep on instinctively pressuring the other half of you spiritual energy." it was too complex to explain
'I don't get it, but how do I fix it?' Sakura asked
"Travel your mind and resolve the conflict" Shisui offered purposely pushing Sakura to the back of her own mind, "In the meantime I'm going to enjoy having a body again"
In the back of Sakura's head he could hear a cry of outrage which he ignored.
Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through