Hindsight's 20/20
Sakura
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Disclaimer:
Still don’t own Naruto.
Author’s
notes: Well, I’m still not done with the editing of the first three chapters
but I finished the 4th…so I figured I’d just post the full version
chapter 4 with the original chapters 1-3 so as to at least give you guys the
continuation of the story seeing as it took me so long to write it. Thanks to
everyone who have reviewed the story and helped me out with it, this chapter is
going to leave you all with a lot of questions but I promise that they’ll all
get answered as the story goes on. Hope you enjoy ^_^
~~~
Hindsight’s
20/20: Chapter 4
By: Tea
Leaf / Banana Soap
~~~
Haruno
slouched in the thin window frame of one of the stained windows of her
apartment. The ledge she sat on was thin and the paint was peeling but the wood
was holding. Her back leaned against the frame, her shoulder rested against the
window itself, and the leg on the windowsill was raised and bent at the knee,
the foot resting on the ledge. A thick, slightly tattered sketchbook rested on her
raised knee as her right hand sketched idly.
Her heavy
eyelids hung over her faded green eyes; slight smudges under her eyes
emphasized the pallor of her skin. Her legs were sore from standing for the
past nine hours and running around the coffee shop. She was exhausted.
Her vision
was foggy, unfocused, allowing her vague lines to blur together. She blinked to
clear them and stared at the rough outline of a crouched man. She sighed and
ripped out the page, crumpling it in her hands and tossing it into the
wastebasket beside her. Try as she might, she kept messing up.
She leaned
her head back against the window frame and closed her eyes briefly, relishing
the fact that she was momentarily one step closer to rest. With effort, she
pried her lids apart again and stared past the discolored glass separating her
from the night and tried to distinguish a star or two from within the blazing
city lights and obscuring smog. Even the sky was filthy.
She hated
this place. But soon she would be able to leave; she could feel it in her
bones. Her bank account had slowly been swelling over the years of backbreaking
labor and her diploma was almost in her grasp. Just this one last year and
she’d be long gone. They would be long gone.
And they
could finally start over.
She heard
the lock of the door shift and turned her head to watch the doorknob turn
before the crooked plank swung inward.
“You’re
home early…” she remarked softly as she recognized Itachi’s dark form in the
doorway.
“Work was
easier than anticipated tonight.” He answered vaguely. For which she was
vaguely grateful. She’d decided a while ago that she didn’t want to be privy to
the details of gang business anymore.
He moved
slowly, mov movements as tired as she felt. Languidly, the long katana that had
been strapped to his back was detached and set to lean against the doorframe.
The long coat was next, the leather lazily releasing its grip on his hard
shoulders, before being hung on a hook beside the door near her similar coat.
“Did it go
well?” She asked as she watched him move to the old refrigerator in her
kitchen.
“Yes.” He
answered simply, as he pulled open the door by its only half attached handle.
She studied him in the fridge’s flickering light.
His one
good eye was dark black again, proof that he’d let his guard down as he always
had with her. There were deep lines panning out over his cheeks, testament to a
lack of sleep that he would never be able to recover from. His dark hair was
tied loosely at the back of his neck. Several stray strands had fallen from it
and hung in disarray around his face, shadowing it even more than the faulty
lighting. The long red scar that ran down the left side of his face looked
black.
“What are
you working on?” he asked, no, not looking at her as he pulled out a carton of
milk and set it on the grungy but clean counter.
“My next
art project…but its just not working.” She answered with a sigh as she looked
down at her blank page.
“What are
you drawing?” he asked as he pulled a chair up to the windowsill and sat on it,
staring at her intently and sipping his glass of milk.
“Someone I
used to know…but I’m having trouble remembering them.” She admitted, her eyes
landing on the full wastebasket on the ground beside her.
“Do you
still see them?” he asked her in a dispassionate tone, his eye having never
left her face.
“Sort of…”
she answered evasively.
“Then ask
them to model for you.” He stated simply as he finished off his glass of milk.
She blinked
in surprise at him as he stood and walked slowly back over to the kitchen,
setting his empty glass in the chipped sink.
“You think
so?” she questioned as she swung her leg off the ledge and closed her
sketchbook.
“Might as
well.” He answered her over his shoulder as he headed towards her bedroom.
“Its late.
Tomorrow’s Monday.” He reed hed her.
She stood
and followed him.
<
~~~
Mondays
were always the hardest, she found. She always felt heavier on a Monday
morning, like weights had been set on her stomach and tied to her legs. It
always took an extra effort to push herself out of bed for the dawn training
lessons Itachi had always insisted on doing with her. This particular Monday
was even harder seeing as she had the added dread of asking a favor of someone
today. She hated asking favors, they made her feel indebted to people. And if
she had debts to pay, she was tied to them, tied to that person, tied to this
city, tied to this life.
She groaned
and groped slightly for the edge of the bed so as to push her body upwards. A
strong calloused hand grasped her groping one and pulled, helping her up.
Her heavy
eyelids finally opened and her hazy gaze focused on Itachi’s deep black one. He
was watching her intently. Finally his eye softened slightly and his dark
eyebrows drew together fractionally. He tried to lay her back down but her
other hand reached up and grasped his shirt, holding herself upright.
“You need
more sleep. We’ll skip training for today.” He told her in his deep, monotonous
voice.
“No” she
said, her voice rough and husky from sleep, as she pushed him back slightly as
he subtly tried to bodily force her back down to the lumpy mattress.
“If I lay
back down, I won’t be able to get up again.” She told him, her hands still
feebly clutching him for support.
He sighed
inaudibly before grasping her hands and helping her to her feet.
She swayed
slightly as a sharp pain shot from her left hip and knee and her leg gave out
beneath her weight.
Her grip on
him tightened as his did the same, pulling her against him and supporting her
weight.
“Take the day
off from school and sleep.” He told her.
“It’s not
just school, I have work too.” She said feebly, her voice still raw.
“I’ll tell
your boss you’re sick.” He countered.
She smiled
slightly, her boss certainly wouldn’t argue with an Akatsuki member.
“But I’m
not sick. You know I hate lying.” She told him, giving him her rare soft look
and smile.
“You will
be if you keep this up.” He answered, not showing any reaction to her softness
if it even affected him at all.
“I’ll cross
that bridge when I come to it.” She told him, her voice starting to smooth out.
She tested
her leg again, carefully setting her weight on the overused and abused limb and
biting her cheek against the wave of pain that shot up from her worn joints.
She straightened and released her grip on him. He scrutinized her again,
holding onto her for a second longer before releasing her with another of
in
inaudible sighs.
“So what
are we doing for training today?” she asked him as he stepped back from her and
turned away.
“Physical therapy.”
He answered flatly.
She smiled
softly again.
~~~
The day
wore on with Haruno fighting valiantly to stay awake during her classes and
trying just as valiantly to hide her limp from her teammates during training
with Kakashi second period.
She was
pretty sure she fooled Naruto but she had caught Sasuke going easy on her and
Kakashi watching her movements intently. Thankfully they had the tack to not
mention it.
Finally
last period rolled around and she sat at her desk by the window of her art
class. The room was still buzzing with comments about the strange poster that
had been posted on the art board. The main speculation was what had been used
for the splatter marks covering it. At first it was believed to be paint but as
time had gone on, the red had steadily gotten darker and darker as it aged and
dried out. Now many suspected it to be blood. But why would there be blood on
it? The second speculation was of whom the portrait depicted. The rumors
centered on it being a shady character from the city’s underground due to his
sinister look and the blood, but no one knew whom in the underworld and if they
did, they kept it to themselves. Lastly, speculation ran on whom the artist
was. It was generally assumed that it was the same anonymous artist who had
been leaving disturbing and even controversial works of art on the board for
the past three years but no one had figured out their identity yet. No one had
any idea about it and that was how she liked it.
It was one
thing to pour your past, your life, your emotions, your very soul onto a
canvas, it was quite another for other people to know it. There were things
about her that she preferred to keep buried and hidden from the general public.
Such as who
the people who had influenced and shaped her life were.
And so she
decidedly ignored the low buzz of the art room as students chatted away as they
worked, choosing instead to concentrate on her next project. She stared out the
window, her gaze unfocused as she concentrated on the images in her head. Try
as she might, she still couldn’t quite formulate the image she needed. Page
after page in her book were covered in failed sketches. No matter how she
tried, they never looked right. It had been too long since she’d allowed
herself to watch him for them to be right.
She sighed,
finally caving to the inevitable. She needed to look at him. She needed him to
model for her. There was just no way around it. And now was as good a time as
any to bite the bullet.
She stood
from her seat and closed her sketchbook, tucking it under her arm before
grabbing her pencil and eraser and stuffing them in her jeans pocket.
“Going
somewhere Haruno?” her sensei asked her as she rose.
“I just
can’t concentrate. I’m going to go for a walk to clear my head.” She told him
as she walked to the door and left the room, ignoring the curious stares
Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji sent her.
Once
outside of the classroom, she vis fav favored her left leg. She’d abused the
joints by working two twelve-hour shifts over the weekend and was paying for it
today. The pressure point work Itachi had done on them this morning had helped
for a bit but the effects longlong since worn off.
She hobbled
slowly through the first floor hallways, heading towards the stairs. She passed
by the library and saw Tenten, Lee and Neji working at a table together. She
didn’t know whether to be glad for the opportunity or not. If those three were
in the library, it meant that Kakashi had given his last class of the day free
study time and so wasneacheaching right now. Which meant that she would be able
to catch him alone and ask him to model for her sketch. She was dreading it.
Her already
heavy feet suddenly felt heavier and her steps up the stairs were harder than
they had been when she’d walked them earlier that day. Finally she reached the
second floor and was facing the hall to his classroom. Her heart was pounding.
It had been a very long time since she’d spoken with him alone. Was she
nervous? She took and deep breath and firmed her resolve, then started walking
forward again.
She slowed
as she approached the door. Was that…giggling she heard? She frowned and set
her sketchbook to lean against the lockers by the class door as she crept
closer.
“Hatake-sensei!”
came a disgustingly high voice in a teasing tone from inside the class.
Haruno’s frown deepened even more.
She crept
closer to the not quite shut door and cautiously peaked in through the open
crack. Her frown blackened into a murderous glare as she saw some stupid blonde
bimbo clone of Ino’s climb onto Kakashi’s chair, straddling the obviously not
protesting teacher.
The girl’s
hands reached up to run teasingly along the edge of upraised sweater that hid
his face.
Her vision
went red as she lost control of her body.
The door
was suddenly shoved open violently and the two in the room looked up in
surprise. But her body didn’t stop. She slowly prowled into the room. Kakashi
was saying something but she couldn’t hear him over the blood rushing through
her ears. The girl gave her a terrified look that she relished as she reached
out and grabbed her by her no doubt prized, brittle, bleached tresses and
yanked hard. The girl flew across the room.
Haruno
shook out her hand freeing it from the clinging fistful of blonde hair.
A dark
smirk spread across her lips as she looked at the cowering girl that huddled
weakly at the base of the wall she’d crashed into.
“Run.” Came
her voice in a cold, cruel tone.
The girl
didn’t think twice and scrambled out the door, running as fast as her
over-exposed legs would take her.
Haruno
sneered at her retreating form.
“SAKURA!”
She finally heard Kakashi yell as he grabbed her shoulder.
She
shrugged him off violently and spun to face him.
He’d been
about to say something but froze when he saw the dark look in her eyes. He
recognized that look.
She ran her
eyes slowly, appraisingly, from his head to his feet and back again.
Slowly she
sneered, whether and him or herself, she wasn’t sure.
“Why her?”
she spat at him.
Kakashi
blinked at her, taken aback by the question.
She glared
at him contemptuously before spinning on her heal to leave.
As she did,
her eyes finally noticed the fistful of hair that lay on the ground beside her.
Her vision cleared and her eyes widened slightly. Her breathing quickened as
she looked at it then back to Kakashi. He looked nervous, like he expected her
to explode at any second.
It had
happened again.
She took a
step back.
Kakashi
frowned.
“Sakura?”
he questioned her.
She shook
her head slightly.
“No…” she
said softly as she took another step back.
“Sakura?
Are you all right?” he asked her, taking a step towards her and reaching out to
grasp her shoulder.
“Stop
calling me that” she said in a small, almost scared voice as she scrambled away
from him.
“Sakura” he
said again, frustrated by her reactions.
“No!” she
exclaimed as she raised her hands to grasp her head.
“Sakura?
What’s wrong with you?” he asked her, a little harsher than he’d intended as he
took another step towards her.
“No!” she
cried before tearing out of the classroom. Kakashi tried to follow but she was
already flying down the stairs by the time he reached the hall.
He sighed
and frowned. Then his gaze fell on the forgotten sketchbook leaning against the
lockers.
He picked
it up and opened it, his frown deepening as he flipped through a long series of
morbid drawings only to clear as he came to the recent sketches.
They were
all of him.
~~~
Haruno
plowed through her night shift, for once glad for the mind-numbing work. A mind
numbing was just was she needed. It was Monday night though and so not nearly
as busy as she would have liked it to be.
And so she filled her free moments with giving the shop the cleaning of
an era, scrubbing the tables and counters until they were raw, scouring the
coffee pots until you could finally see through the glass again. She couldn’t
allow herself to stop for a second. If she stopped than she’d remember that
afternoon.
It had been
a long time since she’d slipped like that. She’s thought she fiy hay had it
under control. She’d been wrong.
She
scrubbed the counter harder.
Finally the
owner came up and grabbed her by the shoulder.
“Kid, we’re
closed. Get lost.” He told her brusquely.
Resignedly
she tossed her rag back into the basin of the sink she’d been scrubbing.
“Fine.” She
answered as she pushed past his large body to get into the back room and grab
her coat and school bag. Normally she would change out of her uniform before
leaving but she couldn’t be bothered to tonight.
She left
through the front door with a slam and heard the lock slide home behind her as
the owner turned his keys from the inside.
She debated
her route home. She could take the street but it would take more time and would
let her mind wander. Or she could take the alley and get home hopefully before
her mind latched onto her lack of control.
She turned
away from the streetlights and headed down the damp alleyway between the coffee
shop and the dry cleaners beside it. The temperature dropped in the shadows and
she loosened her coat a bit, hoping the cold would hold her concentration and
occupy her mind.
She was
trying so hard to stop her mind from thinking that she didn’t sense the
presence of the other occupant of the alley.
“Haruno, so
good to see you.”
She started
at the sound of the cold deep voice that seeped out from the shadows of the
alleyway.
Her eyes
narrowed as her muscles tensed.
“What are
you doing here?” she asked suspiciously. She was not in the mood to be harassed
by Uchiha Sasuke.
“What do
you think I’m doing here?” he asked sarcastically as he tilted his head to the
side and gave her a piercing look. The hair on the back of her neck stood on
edge.
“What do
you want?” she asked cautiously as she subtly shifted so as to be in a better
defensive position should she need it.
“What every
man seems to want from you.” He answered with a fake lightness as he stepped
out of the shadows, allowing some of the light from the streetlamps at the end
of the alley to hit him.
Haruno
resisted the urge to take a step back as his expression became clear. She had
seen that look before. She’d seen that intensity, that malice. She’d suffered
it for years. She’d immortalized it on paper. Her gut reaction was to run but
her mind knew there was no point, he would catch her without even breaking a
sweat. She was trapped. She cursed herself for taking the alley even though she
knew that even in the street, with him she’d be trapped.
Instead she
focused on his words and frowned at them. What did he know about her
relationship with men? She’d told him nothing about herself.
He stepped
closer again and Haruno fought down her mixed emotions. One part of her was
terrified, too busy reliving and reminding her of every event that had
transpired after she had seen that look. One part was flustered as she again
recognized his features but had yet to allow herself to believe the association
her mind chose to make with them. Another part was angry, angry that she’d let
her guard down and allowed him to surprise her, and angry that he seemed to think
he could intimidate her.
She watched
him with her hard eyes, waiting for him to continue, trying to read his intent
in his twisted eyes.
“I want
your skills.” He continued.
She
bristled slightly; another asshole wanted her as a weapon.
that from me and none of them have it. Why the hell would I change my policy
now?” she asked him, squaring her shoulders and standing up to his attempt at
physical intimidation as he moved closer still and towered over her. Her mind
began to put the pieces together. He knew where she worked and when she worked
as well as where she lived if he knew this route was a possibility for her. And
he knew that she was sought after for unmentioned skills. He’d been
investigating her.
He smirked
and leaned close to her.
“Because I
know the truth about you. I know who you really are and what really happened to
you that year you disappeared.” He whispered smugly in her ear.
Her eyes
widened fractionally as she stiffened.
{What…?}
Sasuke’s
smirk grew; she was like a deer caught in his headlights. Now was the time to
move in for the kill.
“Because…I
own you.” He whispered again to her ear, unable to keep his smugness from his
voice.
For the
second time that day, she snapped.
Haruno’s
eyes suddenly flared as rage flamed through her blood. Her vision swam red.
Before
Sasuke could react, her hand was around his neck, crushing his windpipe and
slamming him against the brick wall of the alley.
“You think
you’re so smart don’t you?” she mocked.
He gasped
to answer but she tightened her grip.
“I don’t
know what you think you know about me or why but you missed an important piece
of information in your hunting. So here’s a newsflash for you rookie, if you’re
going to know anything about me, know this:” she said her face close to his,
eyes blazing as her grip remained firm despite his hands trying to pry at it.
“I. Belong.
To. No One.” She enunciated carefully, making sure he understood.
And with
that she hefted her knee, knocking the wind out of him as she connected with
his stomach. She let him drop into a curled heap on the filthy concrete that
covered the ground.
“Go ahead
and tell anyone anything you want. I don’t give a flying fuck what they do or
don’t know about me. It’s all irrelevant in the end.” She told him coldly as
she now towered over him, reversing their earlier position.
And with
that she turned and continued her walk down the alley towards her apartment
complex, breathing heavily as she tried to calm down and clear her vision.
Sasuke saw
red as she left. The red of her coat. The red of his sharingan.
~~~
Haruno
pulled off her bandana as she closed and locked her apartment door behind her.
She leaned against the crooked and peeling wood as she ran a hand through her chin
length pink locks, running her hand roughly against the scar on her forehead,
tugging at her scalp slightly.
What the
hell had that been about?
She slipped
down to the floor, still leaning against the door and rested her elbows on her
raised knees.
He seemed
to expect her to understand.
She
contemplated him. Her eyes kept seeing someone else when she looked at him. If
she were to let her vision blur, he became Itachi.
Plus he
used the sharingan…
She shook
her head; she didn’t want to figure this out. She really didn’t. She didn’t
want it to be over already and it would be if Sasuke were who deep down she
already knew he was.
There were
only three people left in the world that could use the sharingan technique. It
was a blood limit, passed down through only one clan. Said clan had been
completely wiped out save two people. Itachi and his younger brother whom he’d
never named. He’d told her she’d know when she saw him.
The third
user was not of the same blood as the clan, his sharingan had been won from
Itachi. She knew both Itachi and the one with his left eye.
And then
there was Sasuho cho could also use the sharingan.
She dug her
hands into her hair again. What a day…
She knew
now why Sasuke wase whe when he had all that money at his disposal. He was here
for Itachi. She’d known this would happen, he’d told her a long time ago that
his brother would come for his head. He seemed to be anticipating the
confrontation. She wasn’t. She’d hoped it would never come. She’d hoped they
could outrun their pasts before they caught up to them. It seemed she’d been
denied.
>
But why had
Sasuke tried to blackmail her? What did she have to do with anything? She’d
only even met him two weeks ago…
She growled She looked ~~~ She heard “Sakura…what “It’s Itachi “How long “Not long.” He looked “Stop.” He She pulled “I can’t “It will “Why?” she “Because She avoided “It’s never “Then “I can’t “Yes you “I’m not “You can go “I don’t “You don’t She was “That you “I can’t “It will “Why not?” “Because She “Our eyes
p>
in frustration and decided she just didn’t want to deal with it right now.
Honestly she didn’t want to deal with it at all. She didn’t want to remember
the fact that Itachi had murdered his clan. She didn’t want to think about his
selfish reasons for doing it. She didn’t want to think about the role she’d
promised Itachi she’d play in it all. She didn’t want to think about why she’d
promised it at all.
around her apartment. It was dirty. So very dirty. Everything was dirty.
the latch click hours later and kept scrubbing. It still wasn’t clean. Nothing
was clean yet. His heavy footsteps sounded on the creaky floorthe the door and
she figured that he was taking off his coat. The steps moved towards her
bedroom where he no doubt noticed her discarded work uniform, school bag and coat.
And now the steps let to her.
are you doing?” came his voice a few moments later from the bathroom door. So
similar to the one she’d heard earlier but with completely different
intonations.
dirty.” She answered, her eyes locked on the stains and cracks of her bathtub
as she continued to try and wash them away.
walked over to her and crouched down beside her before grabbing her hand away
from the rag and inspecting it. The skin was wrinkled from the soapy water as
well as raw from the power of the cleaner she was using. The hand was chaffed
and blistered, even bleeding in a few spots, testament to its abuse.
have you been scrubbing?” he asked her even though he knew the answer was hours
longer than she shouave ave been.
She answered him; she couldn’t have been her long seeing as no progress had
been made. Everything was still dirty.
through her. She hated when he did that.
told her bluntly.
her hand away and went back to scrubbing.
yet, it’s not clean.” She answered him.
never be clean.” He informed her.
asked as her hand dropped the rag, an almost pleading resonance to her tone.
you don’t see cleanly.” He told her almost gently as he sat down beside her.
his eyes.
clean here…I want to leave.” She said; ignoring his words and the sting they
caused her.
leave.” He told her.
yet.” She answered immediately.
can.” He told her straightforwardly.
done school.” She argued.
to school anywhere.” He replied monotonously.
have enough money.” She pursued.
need money, you can make money anywhere as you need it.” He shot her down
again.
silent for a moment. “What are you getting at?” she asked finally, in her
apathetic tone.
choose not to leave.” He answered.
leave until it’s clean.” She admitted softly.
never be clean. No matter where you go, it will never be clean to you.” He told
her, almost sadly.
she asked again, her voice breaking slightly.
you’ll never be clean. Just like I’ll never be clean.” He told her, now with
resignation.
sniffled softly.
are just too stained to be able to see cleanly.” He continued.
“I want to
be clean…” she weredered.
“You can’t
be. Murder stains us forever.” He told her softly.
She looked
up at him, her eyes glowing as held back tears swam in them.
His fingers
reached up and caught the tear that threatened to escape.
“You need
to learn to look through the stains.” He told her before standing.
“Where are
you going?” she asked him as she dropped her rag and stood as well.
>
“Home.” He
said simply, heading out before she could think of a response.
Leaving her
alone in her dark and dirty apartment.
~~~
She
couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken up alone. She lay half awake, half
asleep, lying on her side with her arm stretched across the empty space of her
bed. She was cold.
The sun was
slowly rising, breaking through her stained windows. She didn’t get up yet. She
didn’t feel like it.
She didn’t
know how long she lay there, dazed.
There was a
pounding on her door.
She heard
the lock flip but didn’t react to it.
“Haruno-chan!”
called a familiar voice from the front door.
Steps
shuffled around her apartment until ht tot to her bedroom and looked in.
“You’re
still in bed?” he asked, plainly shocked. Everyone knew she rose with the sun.
“Are you
sick?” he asked, suddenly worried as he rushed to her bedside and sat down,
putting his hand to her forehead, pushing away the hair that had fallen across
it in her sleep.
She looked
up at him, her eyes glazed over. It took her a second to focus on his messy
blonde hair and concerned blue eyes.
“No Naruto,
I’m not sick.” She told him, her voice dry.
“Are you
sure?” he asked her lifting his hand from her forehead and pressing it to his
own to compare the temperatures.
“I’m sure.
What are you doing here Naruto?” She asked him.
“Well, I
got worried when you didn’t show up for school seeing as you always show up for
school.” He told her.
“I’m late
for school?” she asked, not really showing any concern for it.
“Yeah, you
shoulda seen Hatake-sensei’s face when he realized you weren’t showing up.
Looked like he had food poisoning or something.” He informed her
light-heartedly.
“Really?”
she asked idly.
“Serves him
right…” she muttered.
Naruto
frowned. “Did something happen between you two?” he asked.
“Nothing worth
mentioning.” She responded as she rolled onto her back.
The silence
stretched for a moment.
“So, plan
on getting up today or are you going to play hooky?” he asked her playfully.
A smile
tugged at the corner of her lips.
“Well, I
already missed class…might as well just stay in bed.” She answered.
“You sure?
Want me to tell Hatake that you’re sick?” he asked her then, stretching out
beside her on the bed.
“Why do you
need to tell him anything?” she asked, frowning slightly.
“Because
he’s waiting downstairs with that freaky Uchiha kid and he’ll know I talked to
you seeing as I’ve been up here so long.” He informed her easily.
“Oh…why did
you all come?” she wondered out loud.
“Well, I
was gonna come after practice anyway seeing as I was worried. But Hatake seemed
to be worried too, I managed to land three hits on him during sparring so I
suggested that maybe he come with me. And then Uchiha decided to tag along too
using our match against Shika and Chouji’s team this afternoon as an excuse.”
The blonde told her, his tone implying that he suspected ulterior motives that
he didn’t approve of on Sasuke’s part.
She smiled
inwardly at it.
“Was the
sparring match today? I’d forgotten…” she mumbled.
“Yup, it’s
today. But me and Suck-suke can handle it just fine without you. Or we could
reschedule, its no problem Haruno-chan.” He informed her in his usual friendly
tone.
“No…I’m
really fine, I just lost track of time.” She told him as she finally sat up.
“Are you
sure? You legs seemed pretty sore yesterday; maybe you should take the day
off…” he trailed off.
She smiled
softly.
“Thank you
for your concern Naruto, but I was just sore from work yesterday. I slept it
off.” She told him.
“Ok then,
I’ll meet you downstairs in a few then.” He said as he leapt up onto his feet
and disappeared from the room, closing the front door behind him, the key she’d
given him two years ago in case of emergencies jangling in his pocket.
With a last
look at her empty bed, she stood up.
~~~
The lobby
was quiet as she jogged down the last few steps, now dressed in a pair of worn
army pants and a white wife-beater type shirt with her red coat pulled overtop.
She didn’t
look at Kakashi or Sasuke. They both stared at her though or more specifically
on the angry red burn scar that marred her forehead. She hadn’t covered it with
her bandana yet.
“Stop
starring at me.” She told them pointedly as she finger combed her hair back and
tied it with an elastic band.
“Ready to
go?” Naruto asked her.
“Of
course.” She responded as she pulled her bandana across her forehead and
secured it behind her head, hiding her scar.
“When and
where is the sparring?” she asked in general, walking past the guys and heading
towards the door.
“All
afternoon and in the field beside the school.” Kakashi answered her, taking his
behavior cues from her.
“Lunch must
be finishing up right about now…” she said as she looked out the now open door
at the high placement of the sun.
Sasuke
looked at his watch and grunted assertively. Haruno rolled her eyes at his
response.
<
“All the
more reason to get back then. I’m in the mood to kick someone’s ass anyway.”
She muttered nonchalantly as she stepped through the door.
“Alright
Haruno-chan! Me too! Kinda sucks that its Chouji and Shika we’re gonna beat up though.”
Naruto said boisterously as he caught up wher her and grasped her around the
shoulders as they walked towards the car.
“But at
least I can beat some sense into that damn Yamanaka he phe process!” she
responded, warming up to the idea.
Naruto grinned.
Kakashi and
Sasuke both fought down their glares.
~~~
“Damn…This
is so troublesome…” Shikamaru complained as he stared across the football field
at Team 7 doing their warm up. He himself was loafing under a tree.
Chouji, who
was also loafing with him, nodded his agreement.
“I think
Haruno and Naruto will go pretty easy on us but that new kid scares me…” he
admitted.
Shikamaru
agreed wholeheartedly.
“Oh would
you two worms stop complaining! We’ve gone over the plan countless times! All
we have to do is trap one of them and hold them hostage and we’ll win. It’ll be
a sinch, all three of them are too dense to see think with strategy anyway!”
Ino yapped at them.
The boys
winced at her voice; it was just so grating.
“Alright
teams, lets get this started.” Kakashi said reluctantly as he moved towards the
center of the field.
The two
teams stood at their respective goal pos
“Well…I’d
say the rules…but there aren’t any really. It’s pretty much just a
free-for-all-beating-fest…so go nuts. When someone says I quit, stop hitting
them and let them leave. tea team left standing wins. And we reserve the right
to stop the fight whenever we see fit.” He told them in his trademark, lazy
way.
Asuma-sensei,
team 8’s trainer and math teacher, coughed slightly. When put that way, the
exercise seemed really pointless. When Gai had explained it to him, it had
seemed much more worthwhile…maybe it had been the flash cards…
He took a
long drag on his cigarette, half grateful for the excuse to be outside which allowed
him to feed his nicotine addiction.
With a
reluctant sigh, he pulled the stick away from his lips and flicked it to the
ground.
The second
it hit they sprang.
Haruno
disappeared from the field. Knowing that Shikamaru was a master of tactics, they
had decided in training that the best way to gain an advantage would be to
watch how the other team worked and devise and break their strategy. She just
happened to be the best suited for the job, which was why she was the one doing
it.
Sasuke had
gone straight for Ino, he seemed to judge her as the weakest seeing as her
special techniques were dependent on aid from her companions.
Naruto had
gone after Chouji, deciding that his jumbo jutsus would be easier to conquer
than Shikamaru’s shadows.
&nb![en![endif]>
Shikamaru
was biding his time, much like herself.
Ino was
playing purely defensive, she knew because she’d fought the girl often over the
past several years. She was leading Sasuke backwards.
She saw a
shift in the shadows. Ino was luring him into Shikamaru’s range.
Haruno let
fly a quick senbon needle, landing it in the shadows right before Sasuke’s
feet. He read their agreed upon symbol and jumped back just before Shikamaru’s
shadow could latch onto him. She could hear Ino’s curse from across the field.
Good she
was angry; she’d start to act impulsively.
Haruno
switched her attention back to Naruto. Chouji was chasing him around using his
meat tank technique. Naruto was laughing; he was goading him on. Good, that
meant Naruto was leading the combat and as she watched, Naruto lead Chouji
further and further away from Shikamaru and Ino.
Now was her
first opportunity to take Shikamaru out.
She shifter
her eyes to him again but landed on nothingness. Her eyes widened and snapped
around the field trying to find him.
There, a
shift in the shadows of the trees where they ate lunch.
Right where
Naruto was moving. She let her senbon fly but she was a second too late, Naruto
was trapped.
Chouji
abandoned him immediately and rolled towards Ino and Sasuke, who were now
sparring viciously with tai-jutsu, Ino keeping her self too close to Sasuke to
allow his hands the spare moment they needed to form nin-jutsu and gen-jutsu.
“Shit.” She
muttered.
Sasuke was
so caught up with Ino that he didn’t notice Chouji until he was hit. The larger
boy crushed the Uchiha, Ino having performed a kawarimi jutsu with a nearby log
before she too was crushed.
Now Sasuke
was out of commission and Ino was free to use her mind-body-switch.
Haruno
cursed again, she needed to take Ino out but where the hell had she disappeared
to after her kawarimi?
“See Shika!
I told you it would be easy!” her grating voice came from across the field.
{Fuck!
She’s too far from me!} Haruno finally spotted her in the key pose of her mind-body-switch near
the trees where Shikamaru had been when the battle started.
She moved
with the speed of the wind. The last thing Naruto needed was someone inside his
head with access to everything which would be exactly what Ino would have.
endiendif]>
Ino was
smirking in that way that made Haruno’s lip curl as she finalized her jutsu and
projected her spirit towards her target.
Haruno fell
back from the power of the impact.
Naruto
blinked in surprise, as Haruno suddenly appeared five feet in front of him only
to fall down as if she’d been hit.
~~~
It was
black. Who would have expected that stupid blonde’s mind to be black?
Ino
shrugged, dismissing the thought. She had to threaten this body and get this
damn fight over with, finally proving that she was better than damn Haruno
Sakura once and for all. And avoid breaking any more nails than she already had
sparring with that damn sexy ice block Sasuke-kun.
First
things first, she had to open his stupid blue eyes.
She
mentally commanded the eyes to open.
The space remained
pitch black.
Ino frowned
{what the hell…}
“Open your
eyes.” She commanded, now vocally.
Still
nothing happened.
“What the
fuck Uzumaki!” She screamed. “I’m in charge here so do as I damn well say and
open your eyes!” she commanded again.
“Shut the
fuck up Ino.” Came a slow, lazy and definitely feminine voice.
Ino started
and spun around, searching for the source of the voice.
“Who said
that?!” she demanded, trying to hide her sudden fear behher her overbearing
attitude.
“I did.”
Answered the voice. Ino pinpointed it as coming from her left and so she faced
that direction.
“And who
are you?” she questioned impetuously.
<:p>
“Oh
Ino-chan…I’m disappointed that you don’t remember. Well, I guarantee you that
I’m not that Uzumaki you were cursing a moment ago.” The voice answered, a
vague shape now forming in the distance in front of her.
“What?
But…but I’m in Naruto’s mind!” she argued.
“No doll,
you’re not.” The voice stated. Ino could swear she saw a cigarette butt being
flicked away from the form.
“Then where
am I?” she asked haughtily.
“You’re in
my mind. Or at least, my other half’s mind.” The voice responded, the form
moving closer to her now.
“What the
fuck does that mean?” she demanded, she was starting to get really creeped out.
“Come now
Ino-chan, do you really not recognize me?” the voice asked again.
The form
was moving closer still, and slowly becoming clearer as if it was drawing its
substance from the darkness surrounding them. The figure was distinctly female
though it was the way it moved that gave it away; there were no real curves to
speak off. As she moved closer, Ino started to make oulor.lor. More
specifically, the pink of her shorn hair.
“Ha…Haruno?”
she asked hesitantly, something inside her starting to shake as the other girl
moved closer.
“Not quite
doll…” the voice told her, a vaguely sadistic smirk now visible on her lips.
“Haruno’s
the one on the outside.” She continued.
Her face
was clear now, a bright red burn scar blazed on her exposed forehead. Her pink
hair had been shorn to within an inch of her scalp. Her green eyes burned with
something Ino couldn’t recognize yet. White bandages that flattened what small
distortions her breasts might have made covered her chest. Her dark blue
drawstring pants were tied below her sharp hipbones, allowing the tip of a
large, angry, freshly stitched slash across her abdomen to show. Her feet were
bare, her pants ending just above her ankles. In her left hand she held a long
white coat with flames along the bottom over her shoulder. In her right, she
held a long steel pipe that she was using almost like a cane as she walked
towards the blonde. As she got closer, bloodstains began to mar the steel.
“Figure it
out yet?” the pink haired girl asked again.
“You’re
Haruno!” Ino stated.
The other
girl paused a few steps in front of her and Ino fought against the trembling
that started in her spine.
A finger
rose from the hand that draped across the end of the pipe, balancing it against
her shoulder.
“Tsk tsk.”
She uttered as the finger ticked slowly from side to side.
“I just told
you I was not Haruno. Haruno’s the nice one. The one that goes easy on you
instead of beating your sorry carcass into the ground like she should.” She
responded.
“Me on the
other hand…” she flexed the arm balanced along the steel pipe and Ino suddenly
noted that there was a tattoo there, a swirl with an elongated side line…
Her eyes
widened.
“You…you
were with ANBU…” She forced out as she finally allowed herself the step back
she’d been fighting. ANBU had been the most notorious and violent gang in the
city for years until its leader had been brutally murdered and they had
disbanded. Many of the members had gone on to form the Akatsuki.
“Getting
warmer.” The ANBU told her.
Ino was at
a loss for what to answer.
“Come on
Ino-chan! Don’t you recognize me? You’ve known me for years! You used me to get
wheedle your way into my father’s bed and in doing so, his pocket book. Don’t
you remember?” She pressed, taking a step towards the blonde to reform their
original distance.
Ino frowned
more but didn’t move back, it was pointless.
US'>
“And you
used to tell me that it was such a pretty and feminine name too…” the ANBU said
with mock disappointment as she raised her eyes upwards.
“Sa…Sakura-chan?”
Ino stuttered, tripping on the name that she had been banned from uttering.
“Bingo!”
Sakura exclaimed brightly.
“So glad
you finally remembered! What was it that made it so hard? I suppose I don’t
really look the same as I used to, the hospital had to cut off my hair so they
could stitch up the slice on my skull that I got while Father was drunk and
toying with his kunai. And I know this burn would normally have been hidden
from you because of my bangs. And I certainly never showed off my tattoo or my
brand new reason for visiting the hospital…” she rambled with a dangerous
pleasantness as she indicated the cut on her belly.
“But still!
Oh well. No matter really.” She finally said with a shrug.
“Enough
talk, you came here for a fight didn’t you? You came to prove you were better
than me, right?” she pressured, that gleam in her eyes intensifying.
Ino finally
recognized it for bloodlust.
“Tell me
I’m right Ino-chan.” She cajoled her, her voice cold and cruel, her excited
grin warping her face, her eyes narrowing and glowing eerily.
Finally she
snapped beneath her fear and her hands rose to form the seal to release her
jutsu.
Before her
hands could meet completely, Sakura’s steel pipe smashed down on them with a
force Haruno had never used against her, crippling her fingers.
Ino cried
out in sudden pain as she felt the bones snap. She looked down to see splinters
stabbing through her skin, blood flowing from the wounds.
“Leaving so
soon?” Sakura asked her, eyes widened in a fake innocent look.
“Get away
from me…please don’t hurt me…” Ino pleaded as she stumbled backwards.
“Come now
Ino…you wanted to be better than me. Show me that you can be.” Sakura told her,
coldness returned, twisted smirk back in place.
Ino’s eyes
just widened more and Sakura sprung, swinging her pipe in a large arc. Ino
turned away, raising her arms to protect herself from the blow.
The pipe
caught her behind the neck and sent her flying across the space.
~~~
“Sakura!
Sakura, are you all right?” Kakashi yelled at her as he shook her comatose
body. Naruto was chewing his lip and kneeling beside her also.
Asuma was
beside him doing much of the same in an effort to revive Ino.
Suddenly
blood started to spill from between Ino’s lips.
“What the
hell is going on?” Asuma questioned in an almost awed tone.
No one
could answer.
~~~
Sakura sighed
as she stared down at the blonde girl. She was barely recognizable.
“Really
Ino, you really don’t have any skills after all. I’m so very disappointed.” The
pink haired girl admitted as she looked down at the beaten body at her feet.
Blood was
oozing from her broken jaw, her cut lip, her swelling eye…from the rips on her
limbs. Blood was flowing so freely. The blonde was barely breathing through the
weight of the sticky liquid.
Sakura
crouched down beside her and dipped her fingertips into the blood spilling from
her lips and pooling around her head.
She raised
her fingertips, a few drops fell and splashed onto Ino’s cheek. She winced.
Sakura smirked sadistically.
She ran her
blood-coated fingers along her left cheek, leaving four dark crimson stripes.
“Remember
this Ino. I win. Your life, your blood, is mine to collect whenever I so
choose.” She told her coldly, her face an inscrutable mask now.
“Do you
understand me?” she questioned.
Ino didn’t
react.
“Do you
understand me or do I have to work a little harder to beat it into your skull?”
she grated cruelly.
“I…”Ino
gasped then coughed up more blood.
“Nod if you
understand.” Sakura ordered.
It took all
she had, but she managed to nod once.
“Good. Now,
get out of my mind.” She commanded, flaring her battle aura with such intensity
that Ino was expulsed and forced back to her own body.
~~~
Ino shot up
with a gasp, eyide ide as her instinct to flee took over immediately. Asuma
caught her and held onto her as she struggled.
“Let go of
me!” she screamed.
Haruno
remained still. She didn’t want to move yet.
“Ino! Calm
down!” Asuma told her sternly.
Ino slowly She pushed “Oh thank Ino spun The men Haruno Next Ino Finally she Everyone “Ne, The tattoo, “It really Haruno “Sakura! She winced “Don’t call “You don’t Haruno Ino “You’re a “Ino.” “Don’t come “Ino, “Did you Haruno “You’re a “Ino, I—“ “Don’t Haruno “Haruno-chan?” She shook “Not now He nodded She pulled Ino was She drew in “Sakura.” “Don’t call “Sakura “Don’t call She almost “Sakura!” “Don’t’ Kakashi She climbed The two men The man on Sharingans There was Itachi’s “Please, He smiled Sasuke
stopped struggling as she realized that she was back in her own body and that
her real body wasn’t nearly as broken as she’d been convinced it was.
p>
away from Asuma and ran her hands over her flesh, checking it for the injuries
Sakura had inflicted upon her with her weapon of choice.
god…” she uttered with relief as she buried her face in her hands. Suddenly she
pulled her hands away and stared at them. They were covered in blood. There was
blood dripping from her lip. That was the blood she’d marked herself with.
suddenly and her eyes fell on Sakura who lay beside her in the grass. She
jumped at her and ripped off her bandana and stared at the burn scar there.
were so surprised by the move that no one stopped her.
resigned herself to Ino’s examination.
pulled down the hem of her pants by an inch and stared at the scar there and
the still visible stitch marks. Ino stared at it for a long moment.
moved to her coat and pulled down the left shoulder, staring at the skin
exposed on her upper arm.
frowned at the sight of the tattoo.
Hatake-sensei…don’t you…” Naruto questioned but he trailed off at the look on
his sensei’s face.
or any of Haruno’s scars for that matter didn’t surprise him. His face was
perfectly calm, maybe even sad. Like he’d seen them before…
was you…” Ino whispered as she backed up.
winced.
Are you alright?” Kakashi asked as soon as he saw movement flicked in her face.
even deeper.
me that.” She whispered.
deserve a name like that.” Ino spat at her.
opened her eyes to look at the blonde.
stumbled back.
monster!” she accused.
Haruno started as she sat up.
near me, you psycho!” Ino screamed at her.
please.” Haruno pleaded with her as she stood up.
listen when I said please?!” Ino threw at her.
froze.
monster Sakura, a horrible fucking demented monster!” Ino screamed at her.
Haruno tried again.
speak to me! Don’t ever come near me again!” Ino screamed as she backed away
from the other girl.
stayed rooted to her place and lowered her eyes.
Naruto questioned as he set his hand on her shoulder.
her head.
Naruto…give me a moment…please.” She
whispered so that only he could hear.
and backed up a step.
her coat back over her shoulder and raised the hem of her pants back over her
scar. She bent down and picked up her bandana then straightened again and
pulled it back over her forehead.
watching her from behind Asuma’s back, as if she expected her to attack her
again.
a shuddering breath as she looked away from her.
me that.” She answered as she started to walk away.
wait.” He called after her again.
me that.” She said again, walking faster. She heard a motorcycle rev on the
other side of the chain fence that ran along the field.
collapsed with relief.
Kakashi called again as he jogged and caught up with her grabbing her shoulder.
call me that!” she yelled at him as she broke free off his grasp and broke into
a run, speeding for the break in the fence and slipping through.
followed her easily but froze as he saw who was waiting for her.
onto the back of the motorcycle with ease, she’d been riding on them since she
was a child.
stared each other down.
the bike raised the tinted visor of his helmet. Kakashi raised the bandana that
covered his left eye.
stared each other down.
the jangle of the fence as again someone followed.
eye shifted from Kakashi to the new arrival, widening slightly as he recognized
him.
just drive.” She pleaded in his ear.
slowly behind his helmet as he lowered his visor and they pair took off.
watched the back disappear, his sharingan focused on the blood red circle on
the back of his brother’s black coat.