Hello again! I'm back with another chapter, a little long to compensate for the absence.
I hope you enjoy them!
Letters in bold mean the person is speaking another language
The rhythmic sound of their footsteps echoed in the darkness of the night as they ran with a united, urgent purpose. They had responded to the distress call from their troops ambushed in the southern part of the Land of Iron by traitors who had joined Madara's side. Betrayal always hurts more when it comes from those you trusted.
Sakura knew she shouldn't have joined this mission. Her skills were needed at the base, attending to the constantly arriving wounded allies. But when she found out where the request for help came from, she couldn't stay behind. Despite the warnings and refusals, she remained firm in her decision to accompany the rescue team. She would go no matter the risks.
Sai was there...
He and his squad had the delicate task of infiltrating Madara's base in search of information. Sakura had a bad feeling from the start; it was too risky. What if Madara himself was there? What if they were discovered? They would be too far from the base to get quick help. Everything suggested that nothing would go well.
She tried to ignore the knot of worry forming in her stomach as they sped toward the conflict site. Every passing minute increased her anxiety, but she forced herself to focus on the path ahead. She adjusted her pace using her chakra methodically to optimize her performance while reserving enough for whatever they might face.
"I'll be fine, ugly. I'll just go in and out without fighting" Sai had said with his usual fake smile.
'Lies' Sakura thought angrily.
What she feared inevitably came true. They were discovered and now had to embark on a day-long journey at full speed to help them.
'Stay calm' she repeated to herself, though the uncertainty gnawed at her insides. The idea of what they might find upon arrival terrified her, but she had to hold onto hope. If there were injured to attend to, it meant there was still hope that Sai and the others were alive. She prayed to all the gods known and unknown for that small light of hope in the midst of darkness.
After hours of exhausting marching, they began to encounter the first bodies lying on the ground, accompanied by the unmistakable and unpleasant stench of decomposing white Zetsus. The scene was grim; among the fallen lay allies and enemies alike.
"There's no one alive" Sakura murmured with a lump in her throat as her eyes swept across the battlefield. The only consolation in the midst of the desolation was not finding Sai among the lifeless bodies.
With her heart pounding in her throat, she increased her speed, delving further into the chaos. The pile of corpses grew around her, but she still didn't see the familiar figure of her teammate. A sigh of relief escaped her lips upon noticing the absence of extremely pale skin among the inert bodies.
An hour later, the characteristic sounds of battle began to resonate around her; the clashes of powerful jutsus filled the air. They had arrived.
Her eyes frantically scanned the battlefield, desperately searching for Sai among the dozens of ninjas fighting. She still couldn't see him. Before launching into indiscriminate attacks on any ninja without the characteristic headband with the kanji 'Shinobi,' symbolizing belonging to the Alliance, she decided to concentrate deeply on her surroundings. With almost atomic precision, she expanded her chakra around her, seeking any sign of the disturbing presence of the Zetsus. She knew that her ability to detect them gave them a crucial advantage. That was why they couldn't prevent her from coming.
And there they were; she felt it in her core, a repugnant alteration in the energy that betrayed their presence among the enemy ranks.
"The one in the red vest, the one with blue hair, and the man with dark glasses," she informed the ninjas accompanying her, pointing to the infiltrators. With gestures of understanding, they launched into the battle without hesitation.
The confrontation was brief but intense. Their enemies and the disguised Zetsus quickly fell under the combined power of their abilities. Sakura hurried to attend to her wounded allies before setting off again, driven by urgent information that the real battle was being fought further north. And they were right.
The battlefield was a chaos with dozens of bodies engaged in combat and even more lying lifeless on the ground. Amidst this sea of violence and desperation, she finally saw him. Sai was there, fighting with all his might, and Sakura couldn't help but feel a surge of relief seeing that he showed no signs of serious injuries. She took a deep breath, letting out her last sigh of tranquility. He was unhurt.
However, she didn't immediately rush to him. She first needed to identify the Zetsus and warn her comrades. There were many, far more than she expected. She transmitted all the information she had gathered, knowing they couldn't remember all the details as she did. But there was no time for doubt; they had to act.
She charged her fist with determination and smashed it into the first enemy that crossed her path, knowing it was one of those repugnant creatures. In a matter of seconds, it began to disintegrate into a viscous, black mass.
She advanced with fluid and precise movements, dodging attacks and striking with surgical precision. She focused especially on the Zetsus, knowing that eliminating them would be crucial to protecting her comrades.
Finally, she got close enough to Sai for him to hear her without needing to shout. She didn't want to distract him in the middle of the battle; she trusted he had sensed her presence. She watched how he handled himself in Taijutsu, a clear sign that the situation had become really complicated.
With synchronization acquired after hours of training together, they positioned themselves back-to-back.
"Ugly" Sai greeted her with his typical fake smile as if they weren't in the middle of a battle. A complete idiot.
"I told you this would happen" Sakura growled as she threw a kunai with overwhelming force and speed, piercing through the torsos of two traitors.
"You did" he responded with surprising calm as he unleashed two ink lions with inhuman speed that pounced on two more enemies.
"You're a complete idiot. But I'll get you out of here alive" Sakura promised with determination.
"I know, ugly. I always knew you'd be here."
His words hit her hard, and for a moment, she felt the threat of tears, but she held back. She couldn't afford to be distracted. She needed to stay focused to ensure they both made it out alive. The blind faith he had in her was a responsibility she couldn't fail.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion sounded to her right, accompanied by the blast of a bomb. Several of her comrades were hit by the explosion, lying wounded on the ground. Without hesitation, she ran to the nearest ones, quickly applying her healing skills to ease their suffering in a matter of seconds.
But while attending to the wounded, a new wave of enemies emerged from among the trees and rocks, an innumerable horde of humans and white Zetsus.
"Damn it" she cursed to herself, feeling the gravity of the situation. There were too many, too many to warn everyone. She understood that she had to face them alone for a while, or they were doomed to failure. She observed the faces of her comrades, marked by fear and distrust, aware that even among them there could be traitors.
Sakura plunged into the vortex of battle, eliminating the creatures one after another. Every punch, every movement was a fight against exhaustion as her chakra reserves slowly dwindled. However, she remained steadfast, determined to keep fighting.
It was then that she saw him out of the corner of her eye. Sai was engaged in a desperate battle against three traitors, combining Taijutsu with his rapid ink drawings. Behind him, a supposed ally approached quickly, urging him to move aside so he could launch his attack on the enemies.
They were lies, but Sai didn't know it. The ally was a disguised Zetsu.
"Sai! Watch out!" Her screams were lost in the roar of the battle, barely audible amidst the clash of combat.
Her pale friend moved aside as instructed by the false ally, positioning himself exactly where the traitor wanted him. There was no time for Sai to react before the traitor drove a trident-shaped spear into his body, piercing him in three critical points.
"No! Sai!" Sakura screamed in despair as she ran towards him, her heart pounding in her chest with overwhelming pain.
'I can save him, I can still do it, those wounds are nothing to me, I can save him' she desperately repeated in her mind, clinging to hope as she approached the place where Sai lay wounded.
Just a few meters away, she watched as everything unfolded before her eyes in slow, painful motion. Sai lay on the ground, his body inert, his gaze fixed in her direction as blood flowed from his mouth in a crimson torrent. However, what impacted her the most was his smile, the most genuine she had seen in him, his eyes still bright, directed at her.
Her attention shifted to the explosive tag resting in the middle of her path towards him. It was a deadly trap, modified by Madara's hands to be even more destructive, ten times more lethal than a common tag. And before she could react, it exploded.
She was thrown through the air in the opposite direction, her body hurled dozens of meters away, hitting the ground hard and rolling to a sudden stop.
She felt her seal activate immediately, a wave of healing energy coursing through her body, instantly healing all her wounds and burns. The smell of burnt hair and the pungent aroma of sulfur filled the air.
She stood up shakily, her mind confused and her vision blurry, but with determination still burning inside her. Despite the chaos and devastation surrounding her, her only objective was clear: she had to reach Sai.
With effort, she forced her eyes to focus, only to be greeted by a desolate landscape stretching before her.
"So many dead..." she murmured to herself, her heart heavy with sadness and sorrow. Was all this death necessary?
But amidst that sea of desolation, one face stood out in her mind: that of her teammate, with his last look directed at her.
"No, no, please..." she begged in an anguished murmur, though deep down, she knew it was futile. The explosion caused by that damn tag at that distance, without his healing abilities, had left little chance of survival for him.
Despite the despair threatening to overwhelm her, a faint hope pushed her to move forward, to return to where his body had fallen. But when she arrived, he was not there.
Desperate, she searched among the debris until her eyes finally landed on his scroll. It was made of a durable material, resistant to water and fire. A cruel irony that its owner could not be.
She saw him a few meters away from his tool, recognizable by his bare torso, but his body was unrecognizable, wrapped in skin charred by the flames. She approached quickly, examining his face distorted by the fire, desperate to find any sign of life.
"I just need one heartbeat, just one" she pleaded in a desperate whisper to the universe, clinging to any hope she could find.
But there was no heartbeat, there was nothing.
The void in her chest became unbearable when she realized it was too late.
"No, Sai" she whispered with a lump in her throat, falling to her knees in front of him, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
She remembered his last words, words that echoed in her mind with heartbreaking bitterness. "I know, ugly. I always knew you would be here," he had said, trusting her until the end. The promise she had made, the promise she had broken, weighed on her shoulders like a slab.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please forgive me" she begged his body, guilt consuming her alive.
She knelt completely, her forehead touching the ground, her hands clutching the earth in a desperate attempt to find some form of redemption. Her sobs echoed in the desolation of the battlefield, drowned by the overwhelming weight of her failure.
And then, in a moment of despair and indescribable pain, she let out a gut-wrenching scream to the sky, venting all the anguish and regret consuming her soul.
"SAI!"
The night air was filled with a mix of freshness and humidity, enveloping the clearing in the forest where Sakura usually trained. The stars shone brightly in the clear sky, but she barely noticed the beauty around her. She was immersed in her own world of frustration and regret.
She was drenched in sweat, her breathing heavy. She had been hitting the ground with brutal force, leaving enormous craters in the earth. Each blow echoed in the silent night, a reflection of her pent-up rage.
Sakura delivered another devastating blow, causing a small earthquake that shook the surrounding trees. The ground trembled and cracked, and a cloud of dust rose into the air. She stood staring at the large hole, her breathing heavy, and her heart pounding uncontrollably.
Another nightmare had invaded her sleep, another memory she would carry with regret and remorse for the rest of her life. The nightmare of Sai's death was still fresh in her mind, his last moments burned into her memory. She had woken up in the middle of the night with his name on her lips, the pain and guilt threatening to overwhelm her. She couldn't go back to sleep. It was fortunate that today was her day off.
Her frustration and despair were reflected in every harsh movement, in every fierce blow.
She remembered Sai, his pale and emotionless face at first, an intruder in their lives, a substitute who seemed to have no feelings beyond indifference, hiding his true intentions under a layer of mystery and distrust. But over time, he had become one more of Team 7, learning to open up and trust them. He lived the life that had been stolen from him since childhood because of that damn Danzo.
The guilt for his death still weighed on her. It always would.
Sweat ran down her forehead, mixing with the tears she hadn't noticed until that moment. She paused for a moment, her fist still resting against the mutilated ground. The feeling of emptiness and hopelessness enveloped her, an oppression in her chest that she couldn't shake.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. But the calm didn't come. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Sai's face, his fake but comforting smile. And every time she opened her eyes, the image of Gojo and his damn offer haunted her.
It made no sense. Sai's death should be a reminder of why she made the decision she did. So why did she still feel this way?
"You know why, you just don't want to admit it" Inner spoke in a soothing whisper, completely contradicting her own movements and feelings.
"It's for the best," she replied.
"If it were, you wouldn't feel this way."
"Shut up!"
With a frustrated cry, she charged her fist with energy and slammed it into the ground with all her might. The earth trembled again, and another immense crater formed at her feet. Sakura stared at the remains, her breathing heavy and her heart pounding uncontrollably.
It was so annoying that her subconscious had a life of its own. A normal person would simply ignore the voice in the back of their mind telling them the truths they didn't want to hear or admit. Sakura knew she could repress it; she had done it once when she started training with Lady Tsunade. To become strong, she needed to stop listening to the voice that only repeated Sasuke's name.
And for a long time, she kept it that way. She believed that Inner was only there to say her most embarrassing thoughts.
It was a mistake; the subconscious is like instinct that also warns you of the possible consequences of your actions, whether you choose to listen to it or not. She made so many stupid mistakes as a teenager by ignoring her instinct, by ignoring Inner.
She stopped repressing her in the final days of the war when she increasingly felt they were heading towards defeat after the deaths of so many of her friends, and she could barely see the few who remained. She felt as alone as that 5-year-old girl who hid from her bullies and whose only friend was a voice telling her to confront and hit them.
She was surprised when she wasn't met with a shrill, screaming voice but a calm, serene one. Inner had matured just as Sakura herself had. It was as good as it was bad, good because it kept her company, as sad as it was that, in the end, her only company was herself. And bad because she now told her with reasonable arguments the things she didn't want to hear, like right now.
She didn't want reasonable arguments; she just wanted someone to tell her that what she was doing was right, that it was the best, that she was foolish for yearning for something that would only hurt her more.
Each punch and kick she threw was a manifestation of her frustration. Every time her fist hit the ground, the impact echoed as a reminder of her decisions. The earth trembled under her feet, and the craters multiplied around her.
Gojo's words echoed in her mind, mocking and persistent. The offer she had rejected seemed to haunt her every step. "You would be contributing to a greater cause," he had said, his tone nonchalant but laden with truth.
"You can heal whoever you want, whenever you want, without needing to hide."
Sakura closed her eyes tightly, trying to drown out those thoughts. But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't escape them. The image of Gojo remained, reminding her of what she had passed up.
She dropped to her knees in the clearing, her body trembling with exhaustion and emotion. The tears continued to fall, but this time she didn't try to stop them. She allowed the pain and frustration to flow freely, letting each tear carry away a bit of her burden.
There was a promise, a promise made to Naruto. To live.
Fear gnawed at her, the fear that if she joined the academy, she would find too many opportunities to break that promise. Occasions where sacrifice would seem like the only option, where letting herself die would be easier than facing loss again. She knew that if she accepted joining, there might be moments when she would simply give in.
She was already struggling against it even with the life she led; she didn't want to imagine what it would be like in a life where it would be so easy to pretend that a curse was simply more powerful than her. No one would suspect. And finally, she could be with her friends. So easy.
But Sakura knew she couldn't rest in peace if she did something like that. Just imagining the expressions of her friends in the afterlife when they found out she had simply chosen to give up after all they had fought for was unbearable.
She preferred to live with this dissatisfaction than that.
Inner was right; she wanted to work with the sorcerers, she longed to use her full capacity freely. She yearned to make a difference. But she was broken, and someone broken would eventually shatter completely.
As the first ray of sunlight began to appear on the horizon, Sakura stood up, feeling only a little lighter. She looked around the clearing, at the craters and marks from her brutal training, leaving a terrible landscape.
She sighed in resignation, not really wanting to fix it. She would do it the next time she came, probably tonight.
Looking more closely, she noticed the sunken trees with roots sticking out in all directions. As well as those split into pieces with clean cuts that would be impossible for her punches to have made.
Concern grew in her chest.
She had used her ritual again without realizing it since that time with Getou, and every time she trained with anger, it happened. That wasn't good; she needed to control herself more; she couldn't lose control like that.
Just another problem on the list.
The morning light streamed in through the windows, illuminating the space with a warm and comforting glow. She had decided to spend the day cleaning and organizing, an activity she always found therapeutic and that helped clear her mind.
With a cloth in one hand and a cleaner in the other, she moved methodically through the living room. Every surface, every corner received her attention. Her mind was still full of thoughts she preferred to avoid while she continued her work. She moved to the bookshelf, where she had a small collection of books she had accumulated during the short time she had been here.
Tora, her faithful feline companion, followed her closely, watching her every move with curiosity. Sakura crouched down to clean the bottom of the bookshelf, and at that moment, Tora decided it was the perfect time for a little mischief. With an agile leap, the cat jumped onto the dining table and started playing with one of the decorative vases she had left there.
"Tora, don't do that," Sakura said in a gentle warning tone, not looking up from her task.
But Tora, with her playful spirit, ignored the warning and pushed the vase with her paw. The object wobbled dangerously on the edge of the table. Sakura looked up just in time to see the vase fall, and with quick reflexes, she lunged for it, catching it before it could break on the floor.
"Tora!" she exclaimed, holding the vase with one hand while looking at the cat, who watched her with big innocent eyes as if she had done nothing.
'It's time to set some boundaries' she thought with some frustration as she placed the vase in a more inaccessible spot for the four-legged destroyer.
She continued cleaning, moving now to the kitchen. While washing the dishes, she looked out the window and saw the sun shining brightly. 'What a beautiful day' she couldn't help but think. She loved days like this. The daytime sky was one of the few things that wasn't different from her own world. It might have been nearly impossible to see a sky like this in her last years there, but before everything went to hell, before she had to face battle after battle, when she walked the peaceful streets of Konoha, she could appreciate this same view.
And so, for just a fleeting moment, she could pretend she was still there, at home.
What a sad thought. She looked down again at her task, scrubbing a greasy plate with more force than necessary.
"Damn filth, why won't you come off?" she growled, her vision blurred, only focusing on her erratic movements, ignoring the small salty drops falling and mixing with the foam.
It was only when she felt the brush of something furry against her leg that she snapped back to the present. Sakura looked down, seeing Tora rubbing against her before sitting and looking at her, letting out a small meow.
Surprised, she noticed the plate she was washing, already completely clean for a while. Only now did she feel the wetness on her cheeks, which she quickly wiped away herself.
"I'm fine, Tora, don't worry" she said, directing a small, trembling smile at her furry companion, who stayed close until she finished her task.
She finished cleaning the kitchen and paused for a moment, looking around with a sense of accomplishment. The apartment was spotless, and although her thoughts were still complicated, the act of cleaning had been a balm for her restless mind.
She plopped down on the sofa, Tora settling on her stomach immediately. Sakura smiled and closed her eyes, allowing herself a few moments of peace.
Until her phone rang.
Sakura grimaced in annoyance but ignored it. After a minute, it rang again, this time more persistently.
"That damn idiot! Can't he leave me alone?" she shouted at the ceiling, waking her companion, who lifted her head with wide eyes. She began petting her, calming both her and herself.
That man really got on her nerves. It was naive of her to think that simply telling him she wasn't interested and not to look for her again would be enough for him to give up.
She didn't even know how he got her number! Everything was so easy to obtain here! He had only waited a day after their last encounter to send her a text message.
"Hey, Dango girl, still don't want to accept the offer? Come on! It will be fun, I promise."
She had only responded that once by sending an emoji she hoped was offensive (it wouldn't be the first time she sent one she thought meant something, only to find out it was something else). When the messages continued, she asked Emi how to block him or stop him from bothering her.
Her boss had looked at her strangely, probably unable to understand how someone so young didn't know something so easy about technology that even the older woman knew how to do. Sakura swallowed her embarrassment, and Emi ended up taking pity on her, explaining how to block him.
The peace lasted a day when she received another message from another number.
"That was cruel, blocking me like that. Still not accepting? You'll earn enough to buy all the dango you want."
She blocked him again, with a bit more difficulty at that last part.
But he continued with another number that she blocked again. This would be the fourth one. Did he really have so many numbers, or did he get more just to annoy her?
The characteristic sound of a call began to ring in her apartment. The shrill melody was irritating her to astronomical levels. He dared to call her!
Now, this would be the last time she answered. She would tell him where he could shove his offer and not to bother her again, or she would kick his damn ass.
Quickly and without getting up to avoid waking Tora, she extended her cursed chakra in a long tube, wrapping it around her phone on the kitchen counter.
Without bothering to look, she answered the call.
"Listen, you stupid idiot, stop bothering me, or I swear I'll rip your damn bo-"
"Whoa, whoa, what a mouth, girl! I didn't know that side of you, eh, I like it" interrupted a familiar, playful voice.
"Yuki?" Sakura asked, hardly believing it was really her friend.
"The most beautiful, yeah."
"Ugh, sorry, I thought you were someone else."
She heard Yuki's hearty laugh. "That was pretty obvious! Seems like you have a lot to tell me" she said, alternating between English and Japanese as usual. At least now, Sakura could keep up with her rhythm better.
"Maybe a couple of things" she replied simply, not wanting to discuss it over the phone. "How were your travels? When are you coming back?"
"Meh, the usual," Yuki responded nonchalantly. "And actually, I'm back. Open the door or I'll knock it down."
"What?" Sakura jumped up, apologizing to Tora in the process. It couldn't be. Was she really here? She hated not being good at sensing cursed energy. She quickly walked to the entrance and opened the door.
"Surprise! Bet you missed me, right?" The imposing blonde woman had a big smile on her face, dressed in her usual travel attire: a tight, sleeveless dark blue blouse, light blue pants, and black boots. Her shikigami, Garuda, hovered around her, its serpentine and skeletal form approaching Sakura without touching her with its sharp spines.
"Oh, Garuda! I missed you!" Sakura exclaimed, intentionally not mentioning her owner as she petted the head of the friendly shikigami.
"What about me? Ungrateful wretch, do you want me to hit you?" Yuki snapped irritably.
She glanced at her friend with a smug smile. "You can try."
Yuki's brown eyes gleamed, and a mischievous smile returned to her face. "Oh, I look forward to it."
Sakura invited her in and went to prepare some tea. Yuki sprawled out on the couch, occupying all the space. She winced when something poked her.
"Your damn couch is a killer. Why do you want to stay here? I've told you a thousand times I can give you one of my many apartments."
Sakura rolled her eyes, used to her complaints, and continued preparing the tea. "I like it here."
"Do you like living in a place that's falling apart?" Yuki asked, observing the dampness on the walls. "Come on, I have an apartment not far from here that I haven't been to in years. Someone could make use of it," she offered again.
With the tea ready, Sakura sat on the couch and handed a cup to her friend, who made a face but took it anyway. She knew Yuki preferred alcohol, but there was none, so she would have to make do with what was available.
"I already owe you enough to keep taking advantage" Sakura replied.
Yuki rolled her eyes and huffed loudly. "Again with that? I already told you it's not free. Your payment is what you tell me about yourself. And..." Her gaze shifted to a point beyond Sakura. "What's that?"
Sakura turned and saw Tora standing at the door of her room, not seeming to want to come closer.
Getting up excitedly, she grabbed Tora, who crouched down, trying to resist her fate but failing. "I want to introduce you to someone." She extended her arms, showing off her feline companion in all her glory. "This is Tora!"
Yuki stared at the fluffy white thing, not quite sure what to say. "You have a cat?"
"It's a she" Sakura corrected.
"Of course... Is that heterochromia?" Yuki asked, noticing the mismatched eyes.
"Yes! She's a very special kitty, don't you think?" Sakura asked as she brought Tora close to her head in a strange hug, considering the furry creature was writhing vigorously.
"If you say so," Yuki responded doubtfully. "Why did you want to have a pet?"
"I found her injured in an alley, a curse attacked her. I healed her, fed her, and she never stopped following me after that. She manipulated me cruelly, and in the end, I adopted her," Sakura explained simply.
That made more sense to Yuki. "Of course it would be like that," she shook her head, amused.
Sakura tilted her head slightly in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Yuki waved her hand while reclining fully on the couch. "Nothing, nothing," she said with a smile. It was funny and made sense, in a way, that someone as unusual as the pink-haired woman would have a pet just as unusual as her.
Finally, Sakura put Tora down, who ran off to her room.
"Seems like you've been busy" Yuki commented cheerfully.
Sitting down and resuming her tea, Sakura remembered all the troubles she'd had since they last spoke. "You could say that."
Now much more excited, Yuki said, "Oh, now I see. I feel like I'm going to get a good payment. Tell me, who is the idiot you wanted to rip the balls off?" she asked with clear excitement in her eyes.
She seemed more like a teenager looking for juicy gossip than a special class sorcerer aiming to rid the world of the curse threat.
Sakura sighed, took a big sip of her tea, preparing for the long conversation.
"If that's how you put it, then this will be worth three months of rent."
Yuki remained silent for a few moments after Sakura finished her story, taking in everything she had heard. Her eyes were wide open, reflecting a mix of surprise and disbelief. Even her mouth was slightly open.
Sakura would have teased her if everything she had recounted hadn't put her in a bad mood.
"Holy shit, Sakura!" she finally exclaimed, full of astonishment. "You're joking, right?"
Sakura shook her head, smiling weakly. "I wish I was."
"You," Yuki said, pointing at her with a finger, "why the hell didn't you tell me all this before?" she questioned with wild eyes.
So dramatic.
"I didn't want to worry you, besides, I knew you'd drop everything you were doing just to satisfy your gossipy self," Sakura replied casually, sipping her tea.
"Of course, I would! This is pure gold!" Yuki exclaimed, waving her hands in the air, somewhat irritated by her friend's calm attitude and high betrayal. This was much more entertaining than her travels! Imagine depriving her of something like this.
Sakura just watched her, part of her face hidden in her cup.
"What the hell? Do you remember all those stories you told me about Naruto and Sasuke? The Team 7 crap and all that nonsense. I always thought you were exaggerating a bit, but now..." She made a broad gesture with her hands, as if trying to encompass everything Sakura had said. "Now I realize you really do have a cloud of bad luck following you everywhere."
In a swift movement, Sakura put her cup down on the small table and now it was she who pointed a finger at the blonde.
"See! I told you!" she shouted. Yuki briefly looked at her with wide-open eyes before bursting into laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, you were right," she said, laughing at her enthusiasm. Apparently, her friend needed someone else to confirm it before she went crazy with her theories.
"It's not funny" Sakura complained with a pout, deflating in her chair.
"I bet it's not. I mean, you'll never win the lottery."
Sakura rolled her eyes, internally a bit disheartened because a little easy money wouldn't hurt. She stared at the ceiling. Now that she had told everything, the frustration of her situation began to bubble up inside her. She felt such an urge to hit everything that...
She turned to Yuki, who looked at her questioningly. "Do you want to train?" Sakura asked.
A manic smile began to form on her friend's face as she jumped up. "It's about time you asked. Hell yes! I could use a good fight."
Without further ado, she got ready. Grabbing Yuki's arm, she teleported them to the clearing where she had been just a few hours ago.
"Damn, how do you stand that?" Yuki's face was slightly green. Sakura laughed. "You get used to it."
Once the damn nausea passed, Yuki looked at the view before her. She expected to find the usual, a forest full of lush trees, then head to the cleared clearing where they usually trained.
Right now... it looked like a damn war zone.
She looked at her training partner, whose face was completely flushed, avoiding eye contact. "I was planning to fix it tonight" she murmured, embarrassed.
Yuki didn't say anything, analyzing her. Sakura hadn't had an outburst like this since the days when she lived in this very forest. 'Her situation is stressing her more than she lets on' Yuki thought.
But she hadn't stopped suppressing her energy; she hadn't felt it since she arrived. She had improved in controlling herself, although, considering the decimated landscape, not enough.
Well, she could work with that.
With a hearty laugh, Yuki walked to her position. "This fight is going to be so much fun!"
Sakura smiled; she was also quite motivated. It had been a while since she last trained with Yuki.
The forest clearing was illuminated by the bright morning sun, a beautiful day with a few scattered clouds in the sky. In the center of the clearing, two figures faced each other, prepared for a fight that would shake the ground beneath their feet. Sakura and Yuki stared intently at each other, each evaluating the other, calculating the movements and strategies necessary to prevail in the match.
Sakura, with her pink hair shining under the sunlight, flexed her fingers, feeling the energy coursing through her body. In front of her, Yuki stretched slightly, her muscles ready for anything. Both were expert hand-to-hand combatants, and this training fight promised to be a display of skill and power.
"Ready?" Yuki asked with a smile, her tone relaxed and mocking.
"Always" Sakura replied, adopting a defensive stance.
"Don't forget to use your weird tricks, jutsus, or whatever. I love seeing them."
With a diva-like motion imitating Ino, Sakura flipped her ponytail back, observing the blonde with determined eyes. "I wouldn't be a ninja if I didn't."
Yuki let out a laugh before everything began.
The first move was simultaneous. Both threw a straight punch, their fists meeting in the air with an impact that generated a shockwave. The force of the clash shook the surrounding trees, sending leaves and branches flying and raising a cloud of dust around them.
Both had huge smiles on their faces; that first punch had become a sort of initiation ritual for them. It was predictable and avoidable, but they did it anyway. As a demonstration of the even level of brute strength they possessed.
The shockwave dissipated, and both retreated, watching each other cautiously. This time, Sakura was the first to move, launching herself forward with impressive speed. She used her agility to close the distance between them, launching a series of quick and precise strikes.
Yuki, anticipating the move, dodged with ease, her feet barely touching the ground as she avoided the punches that grazed past her. With a shout, she launched a kick that seemed capable of toppling a mountain.
Sakura raised an arm to block the blow, feeling the force behind the attack. The ground beneath her feet cracked from the pressure, but she held her position, deflecting the kick and responding with a left hook aimed at her side.
Yuki absorbed the impact gracefully, using the force of the blow to spin and throw an elbow towards Sakura's jaw. The latter ducked just in time, counterattacking with a sweep that knocked her down. But before she could capitalize on her advantage, the blonde sorcerer was already back on her feet, launching herself again with a flurry of quick strikes.
The exchange of blows continued, both bodies moving with a precision and speed that seemed almost superhuman.
This is why she loved training with Yuki; only her mentor had been able to keep up with her in terms of strength, and that was only until Sakura took chakra control to higher levels. There was no one, mostly human or without some regenerative ability, who could withstand her punches. Even Madara, the epitome of power, mostly avoided them.
It's likely that Sakura is the only one who can withstand the blonde's devastating blows, with her innate technique, Stellar Fury, giving her the ability to grant herself virtual mass, a terrifying technique.
It's not like Sakura herself was using all her strength. Neither wanted to demolish everything in their path, but she wasn't sure if she could withstand it if Yuki decided to use her ritual to its full extent; it would be like being hit by a meteor. But certainly, when facing each other, they could let loose much more than they normally did. From the expression on Yuki's face, one full of excitement and satisfaction, she knew she shared the feeling.
Sakura created two shadow clones that launched themselves at Yuki. Without wasting time, Yuki punched one of the clones, which dissipated in a cloud of smoke. The second clone attacked from the opposite side, but she used her agility to dodge it and countered it with a spinning kick that dissolved the clone into the air in a cloud of smoke.
At that moment, Sakura appeared behind her, a kunai aimed at her neck. The sorcerer, however, was ready and blocked the attack with her forearm, quickly spinning and throwing the pink-haired ninja to the ground. But instead of falling, Sakura used the momentum to spin and land gracefully, coming back at her with a chakra scalpel in each hand.
Yuki already knew that technique, so she leapt back with a big jump. An excited grin lit up her face. Although Sakura could withstand her blows better than anyone else, Yuki could continue increasing her mass almost indefinitely. So, anyone would think that Yuki would always have the advantage in hand-to-hand combat and thus, the possibility of winning, given that both specialized in that area. And that was true, until Sakura decided to use her damn weird tricks.
This particular one, she knew that with the slightest contact, she could end up without an arm. On other occasions, she had been left unable to move, and once, all her motor functions had gone haywire; instead of moving an arm, her elbow moved. How crazy was that!
So no, Yuki didn't have the advantage when Sakura decided to become a damn ninja-medic, as she called it.
It was so damn exciting to face someone like that.
"This is what I meant! Oh yes!" the blonde shouted.
Yuki summoned Garuda, who slithered between them with serpentine movements. Her shikigami launched an attack with its sharp spines, forcing Sakura to retreat and dodge the attacks that left massive holes in the already destroyed ground. Every movement of Garuda was precise and lethal, complementing Yuki's attacks with destructive force.
Sakura, realizing her opponent's intention to keep her at a distance, kicked the ground, creating a large fissure and chunks of earth, which she began to hurl forcefully at the blonde.
Yuki dodged each one, and those she couldn't avoid, she destroyed. Clouds of dust obstructed her view, and it was thanks to her instinct that she managed to dodge the fist aimed at her face. Before it could connect, in a swift movement, she grabbed the arm and pulled Sakura towards her, anchoring her to deliver a powerful punch to her stomach.
Only for it to disappear in a puff of smoke.
'Oh shit' she lamented internally, quickly turning but too late to dodge the blue glow of the scalpel that had appeared behind her, causing a large wound in her stomach.
But Sakura hadn't accounted for Yuki's faithful companion, emerging from the dust curtain like a cannon and too fast to avoid the impact on her leg. She felt her bones break and even protrude. Before Garuda could go for the other leg, Sakura grabbed the shikigami and hurled it at its owner, who removed all its mass so that the impact was like throwing a feather.
Both women backed away, taking the time to heal themselves with the reverse curse technique.
"I can't believe I fell for that again" Yuki complained with a pout.
"Maybe you're getting old" Sakura teased, laughing.
"What did you say?!" Yuki shouted, irritated.
They finished healing at the same time, but that only spoke more of the green-eyed woman's skill because it wasn't the same to heal an open wound as it was to mend broken bones, and Yuki knew that. She was still amazed by her friend's prowess, especially considering she had only been in this universe for about three years. Even if she had her own energy, the skill with which she controlled cursed energy was something sorcerers achieved after many years. And she was only talking about the most skilled ones.
"I'll show you I'm in the prime of my beauty" Yuki promised confidently.
"Oh, really? Will you prove you're up to those gray hairs?" Sakura continued to provoke.
Yuki charged with rage, fist raised. "I don't have gray hairs!"
Sakura met her with equal speed. The new clash of fists unleashed a larger shockwave, strong enough to topple trees, creating a large crater with them at the center.
'Looks like we made her mad' Inner commented amusedly.
Sakura also laughed, knowing that age was a sensitive topic for Yuki. She loved provoking her about it.
They continued the same back and forth, attacking and defending. Sakura alternated between her different shinobi techniques, and Yuki compensated by over-analyzing and staying hyper-alert to surprise attacks, having to use Garuda as defense most of the time.
But something the special-grade sorcerer noticed was that her training partner had yet to use her cursed ritual. What's holding her back? She used it in their previous matches.
Maybe it's time for her to light the fuse.
Sakura saw Yuki draw Garuda in and turn it into a cursed tool. Grabbing it by the tail, she began attacking her as if it were a sword.
Her shikigami was long enough to keep Sakura from getting close, forcing her to stay on the defensive.
"Why don't you accept?"
The random question distracted Sakura for a moment, barely avoiding the skeletal being's spine. "What? What are you talking about?" she asked, confused.
Yuki didn't let up on her assault; in fact, she got faster. "Why don't you accept Gojo's offer?"
Seeing a small opening in her defense, Sakura ducked, dodging Garuda's snapping jaws, and delivered a strong kick to Yuki's chest, sending her flying several meters, landing on her feet after a flip.
"You, more than anyone, know why I don't accept. What's this about?" Sakura questioned.
With a grimace, Yuki sent positive cursed energy to her several broken ribs. "That's exactly why I'm asking. You want it, I can see it."
"I don't want it," Sakura denied, but it didn't sound convincing even to her. "And I already turned him down anyway."
Rolling her eyes, annoyed with her pink-haired friend's attitude, Yuki looked at her, bored. "Please, try that with someone who doesn't know you. So what if you turned him down? I saw your phone when you were getting ready," she confessed, ignoring Sakura's indignant look. "I didn't know that man could be so persistent," she commented, hand on her chin, reflecting for a moment before looking ahead again. "I may not know Gojo Satoru well, and I don't care what those old farts at the jujutsu school do, but I do know that medical abilities like yours are rare. They could use some help."
This conversation was making her uncomfortable; she felt her conflicting emotions resurface. Why did no one understand her? "You yourself said you don't care what happens to them. Why should I care?"
"I'm not you, Sakura. We're different. We want different things."
"You don't know what I want!" she shouted, irritated, tired of all this. A damn peaceful life was all she wanted.
Yuki gave her a hard look. "Stop deceiving yourself. You're unhappy. How much longer can you endure this pathetic life you're leading? You're destined for greater things."
"DON'T TALK TO ME-" she interrupted her outburst, trying to calm down. Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't talk to me about destiny. Naruto was destined for great things, and now he's gone. I'm destined for whatever crap I choose," she started calmly but couldn't help but growl the last part.
Yuki couldn't stand her friend's stubbornness. "You're not living, Sakura. You're surviving. Do you think your friends sacrificed themselves for this?"
"Shut up!"
Sakura charged at Yuki at high speed, starting a series of attacks. Her blows became fiercer, more lethal, but also more careless. The sorceress had managed to wound her in several places, but it was as if she didn't care. Even Yuki was accumulating more and more injuries that the pink-haired ninja wasn't giving her time to heal.
At the first opportunity she saw, Yuki jumped onto a large protruding piece of earth, looking down at her opponent. "Look at yourself. If you really didn't want it, you wouldn't be like this."
"Yuki, enough," Sakura warned in a low, angry tone.
The blonde knew she was provoking her too much, but it was necessary. "You were a great warrior once; you can be one again. You want to be one. The only thing stopping you is fear. You're a coward, Sakura."
The only thing Yuki could see was a kunai heading in her direction, with a seal on the handle, and then Sakura suddenly appearing in front of her. Next was the immense pain of all her ribs breaking and the blood pooling in her mouth.
She flew with devastating force, breaking everything in her path. Not even the cursed energy she sent around her body was enough to cushion the blows. She ended up crashing hundreds of meters away against a large rock.
Her whole damn body hurt.
Sakura arrived where Yuki was just getting up and healing herself. "I promised Naruto I would live, and that's what I'll do," she said.
Spitting out the blood in her mouth, a sly smile formed on the sorceress's lips. "I'm sure Naruto would have preferred you to die rather than live like this."
She was in shock at the blonde's words. How dare she? With what right did she say that? Naruto was the kindest person anyone could have known; he would have wanted her to live even if it meant washing damn dishes. She had no right to say that when she didn't know him!
"What the hell is wrong with you, Yuki?! Don't talk about what you don't know. Naruto would never... damn it." When the red mist of rage dissipated from her eyes, the sight before her scared her.
Yuki stood there, eyes wide in surprise, unable to move just like her shikigami. Dozens of cursed chakra leaves surrounded her, pointing with their sharpest edges, creating a deadly dome around her. One movement and she would be sliced to pieces.
Yuki didn't know she could do this with her ritual, that she had perfected it so much. It was the most amazing ritual she had ever seen. But as dangerous as it was, it was unstable when driven by emotions. Now she understood why Sakura didn't want to use it.
The leaves vanished, the sense of impending death dissipating with them.
"Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." Sakura started, unsure how to continue but feeling bad about what could have happened.
Yuki looked at her with a sympathetic smile. "Nah, it's okay. I overdid it too. Sorry about that," she rubbed the back of her head, a little embarrassed.
A tired sigh escaped Sakura's lips. "Yeah, you did."
"Come on, I already apologized! I was upset because I thought you weren't giving it your all."
Sakura crossed her arms in a smug pose, looking at the downcast woman with a smile. "I could have beaten you without my ritual, you know," she boasted.
An angry tic appeared on the sorceress's forehead. "Arrogant bitch..." She approached Sakura brusquely, only to finally drape an arm over her shoulders and burst into laughter. "I'll definitely get my revenge for that, but right now I want a good drink. Let's go to my place."
"It's too early to drink," Sakura said weakly, knowing it would be useless to change habits surprisingly similar to her shishou's.
"Don't be boring. Since when is there a schedule for that?" Yuki questioned as she led Sakura who knows where, considering the pink-haired woman would be the one to transport them.
"By the way, you're going to heal these wounds."
Yuki's house, a modern Japanese residence with American-style influences, was located in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by trees. The facade was elegant, with clean lines and large windows that allowed natural light to enter. The interior was spacious and minimalist, with dark wood floors and white walls adorned with contemporary artwork. A tatami mat extended into the main living room, where several cushions and a low wooden table were situated.
The owner of the place was lounging on the large cushions while drinking from a bottle of liquor.
"I didn't know about that new technique of yours; it's terrifying," Yuki said, with a trickle of liquor escaping her mouth.
With a snort of laughter, Sakura proceeded to thoroughly heal the bones in Yuki's ribs and legs. "I had to come up with something; I don't have your reserves. How were your trips?"
Yuki watched, almost hypnotized, the bright whitish-green light of Sakura's technique, her own version of the reverse curse technique. The light reflected on her face gave a peculiar shine to her focused eyes. "Mmm, the usual, you know," she murmured, a little distracted.
She was right that she didn't have her reserves. In fact, the brown-eyed sorceress knew she could have healed herself and been as good as new in a day, maybe two. Surely the pink-haired woman knew this too and still didn't protest when Yuki asked—ordered—her to heal her.
The only time she had mentioned that she could also use positive cursed energy and therefore heal herself was when, in one of their fights, she ended up with a bone sticking out of her calf. Sakura approached her and with precise, controlled movements, activated her scalpel, cutting the fabric of her pants. She disinfected the wound, set the bone in place, and healed the cut, all in 5 minutes, and most impressively, without any pain. Yuki had been astonished at that moment, and only when she saw Sakura checking to make sure everything was fine did it occur to her to remind her, in a joking tone and winking, that she could heal herself too, but if Sakura wanted to take care of her, she didn't mind.
Only after that did the green eyes seem to focus and realize what she was doing, turning completely red. It was very funny. Who performs surgery without being aware they're doing it? Sometimes Yuki really wished she could see everything the woman healing her had gone through to have such things as muscle memory.
So always, after all their training sessions and without Yuki asking, Sakura would go straight to her to heal her; it seemed like an act she performed on autopilot, without being aware of it. And if she was honest with herself, when she felt her energy inside her, coursing through her body, it was so... relaxing.
It also seemed to have a calming effect on Sakura. That's why she had asked for it now, even though it was unnecessary. The pink-haired woman seemed to calm down when her hands were taking care of someone else, and Yuki wanted her to relax after the stress she had caused her.
Regarding that, a spark of concern flared up in her chest.
"Okay, it's done. Try not to strain yourself for at least half a day." The words and movement in front of her snapped her out of her reverie. The glow of Sakura's ability was gone, and she felt as good as new. Incredible.
Watching Sakura move away towards the kitchen and turn on the sink to wash her hands, Yuki decided to bring up the topic again.
"Hey, girl."
"What's up?" Sakura responded without looking at her.
"You should quit your job," she stated bluntly.
That made Sakura turn to look at her, surprised. "What? Where did that come from?"
"What happened a moment ago, it's happened more times, hasn't it?" Yuki looked at Sakura, analyzing every expression.
"J-just when I train" Sakura replied, briefly avoiding her eyes.
"Considering how the training field looked when we arrived, you weren't in the best state," Yuki raised her bottle completely, drinking to the last drop and sighing contentedly. "Look, I'm not your mom to tell you what to do. Clearly, you manage well enough on your own here, but it would be pretty tedious to have to fight off the boring jujutsu sorcerers when they're after you for killing civilians in a fit of rage."
Sakura watched her friend, who grabbed her third bottle in the last 15 minutes they'd been there. Her words, so true, sparked a fear in her that she tried to hide. She was terrified to realize that the life she chose to live was a ticking time bomb.
She approached and grabbed her own bottle. She drank it all in one gulp. She felt the liquid slide down her throat to her stomach, barely dulling the feelings harbored inside her. She sat next to Yuki, letting out a tired sigh.
"I know, it's just that... it's hard. Everything here is so hard," she confided, feeling the slight sting in her eyes.
Yuki reclined completely, placing both arms behind her head and looking at the ceiling. "I know, it must be shit hard. How long have you been having those outbursts?"
"Since my fight with Getou" Sakura replied, receiving only a hum in response.
Recalling this last part, the pink-haired woman adopted a more serious expression, looking at the sorceress beside her, who had a bad feeling about what she would say next.
"You know, Getou didn't just want me for my healing abilities," Sakura began, expecting a question from the woman next to her, but when none came, after a tense silence, she continued. "It seems that two members of his family were from the village where I supposedly was born."
At this, the blonde's eyes widened slightly, but she still said nothing.
Now irritated, Sakura got to the point. "That idiot monk questioned me about why I didn't save those two girls from the obvious abuse they were suffering! And I couldn't say anything! Yuki, why didn't you tell me it was him who massacred that village? Don't you think it would have been important for me to know, considering it's part of my fake life story?"
Yuki grimaced at the question, finding it quite valid. "You know, your bad luck was funny until now. Really? Two girls from there? What were the chances?" she asked herself, incredulously.
"Yuki"
"Alright, alright. Damn." Grabbing another bottle under the piercing gaze of the woman beside her, she continued reluctantly. "You're right, I messed up. I should have told you."
"And why didn't you?"
"I don't know, okay? Maybe guilt?" Yuki responded with a hint of doubt.
"Guilt?" Sakura asked, somewhat puzzled. "Why would you feel guilty about that?"
Sighing, Yuki drank the entire bottle in one gulp, mimicking her companion's action.
"I met Getou when he was a teenager. I had gone to the school to look for Gojo, but I didn't find him; he was the only one there," she began to recount, her eyes distant as she remembered that time. "The guy looked emaciated; it was clear he wasn't having a good time. And I don't know why, maybe it was his tired eyes or his unmotivated attitude, but I stayed to talk to him."
Sakura listened attentively; it was the first time she had seen Yuki show any kind of vulnerability. She was always so energetic, cheerful; her extroverted personality made the worst moments more bearable.
"We talked for a while. Somehow, I felt he was going through the same thing I went through at that age. The doubt, the exhaustion, the frustration of not knowing what to do or if what you're doing is worth it."
She grabbed another bottle but didn't drink it, just stroking the neck with her thumb.
"I explained my motivations to him, why I didn't like what the school was doing. I told him the two options I had come to for achieving my goal, and he seemed interested. And I have to admit, I took advantage of that. I mean, it's never too much to have a bit of help, right?" she said with a half-smile, devoid of real joy.
Her gaze returned to the front, and she took another big sip before continuing.
"He proposed a third option: eliminating the non-sorcerers." Sakura's eyes widened slightly at that but didn't interrupt. "You know, I'm not the type to tell people what to do, and if there's one thing I've learned in my life, it's not to discourage people's ideas, no matter how crazy they might be," she continued in a solemn tone.
"That option was something even I had considered once, right in that stage of my life. But as I told him, I wasn't crazy enough to carry it out. I thought he wouldn't be either; I mean, we're talking about the whole damn world."
Sighing, Yuki leaned her head back against the sofa. "I guess I underestimated him," she finally admitted.
"Anyone would have," Sakura said in an attempt to cheer her up, but she really thought that in her world, someone with Getou's behavior would have already been investigated. Nobody wanted another Uchiha massacre.
Sakura looked at her friend, feeling a wave of sympathy for her. "You know it wasn't your fault, right? You were just trying to help him."
Snorting, Yuki looked at the pink-haired woman with hard eyes. "My help cost a whole village their lives."
There wasn't much to say to that, beyond a grimace.
Suddenly, Sakura remembered the day she lost everything. "That day you found me... was it because of this?"
"Mmm, something like that. It was just one of those typical days when nothing goes right, I wasn't making any kind of progress. I went there to remember why Getou's method is crap. No matter how easy and direct it was," she confessed sincerely, then looked at her with amused eyes. "And I ended up finding a crazy alien."
"Hey!" Sakura gave her a light shove, laughing.
Both fell silent after that, absorbed in their own thoughts. The sound of Sakura's phone ringing pulled them out of their reveries and sorrows.
It was a message from an unknown number.
"Hey! Isn't it a great day to heal sorcerers?"
Sakura frowned, annoyed. Yuki's laughter echoed through the place; from her position, she could easily read the message. "What a persistent man! I like him" she exclaimed, amused, taking advantage of the distraction to forget the boring feelings.
"He's an idiot" Sakura snapped.
"I don't doubt it," Yuki admitted but looked at her friend with mischievous eyes. "But he's the kind you like."
"What the hell are you talking about?! I don't like guys like him" she shouted, agitated.
"What kind of bad friend do you think I am? I remember your tastes perfectly: tall and handsome" Yuki said, pointing at her with her hand in the shape of a gun and winking. The amusement was evident in her.
Rolling her eyes, Sakura huffed, exasperated. "You still haven't forgotten that? I couldn't even think straight at that moment."
"Of course not! It's the most important thing to know about a person. And I couldn't ask at a better time. The dying and children always tell the truth," she declared very satisfied.
"I'm pretty sure that's not how the saying goes."
"It's still true" she said, shrugging.
The blonde's eccentric attitude could get on her nerves sometimes. Sakura remembered that moment perfectly. She really expected anything but that question, but she was so tired and weak that she didn't even analyze it and just answered.
She looked at the message again, already thinking about blocking the new number.
"Sakura, really think about what you're doing. I'm with you. But once I didn't question a crazy idea from a person at their lowest point, and it went wrong. I really hope you're not another one," Yuki said seriously. "I could never be a psychologiAst!" she cried dramatically, lamenting a possibility she was sure she'd never considered in her life.
Snorting with laughter, Sakura shook her head at the blonde's antics, while a genuine warmth of appreciation grew for her. It hadn't escaped her notice that Yuki had declared she would fight the jujutsu sorcerers for her if she lost control.
Really, that day three years ago when she met her, her bad luck decided to take a vacation.
"Thanks, Yuki" Sakura said sincerely, watching the sorceress continue her theatrics.
At the sudden gratitude, Yuki stopped her act. "Why? For being so beautiful and letting you have the pleasure of seeing this walking beauty? You're welcome," she said, tossing her hair back like a diva.
Both ended up laughing, but Sakura could see in Yuki's brown eyes that she understood the depth of those two words.
They ended up passing out from drinking, and Sakura arrived late to the hospital for the first time in her life.