During the Timeskip//; At Fourteen

[Tenko]

So there was this story, and it started with ‘once upon a time’, and guess what?
It Never. Came. True.

Was there a point to believing in them, anymore?

Fairy-tales were so romantic, the sort of thing you’d think little girls and sunbonnet-ladies clung to with the breath of a whisper, wishing, hoping, dreaming of them; it was such a shame that little girls got married at twelve and were shipped off to their husbands, or thrashed to working, or maybe – just maybe – they became kunoichi.

It was stupid to be a dreamer, anyways.

Anyone who knew Yamanaka Ino would guess that that wasn’t the case; she seemed flirtatious and tenacious, and thoroughly vain about lovers’ fortunes and so forth. The summer prior to her fifteenth birthday brought in an unbearably lovely weather with it, demonstrated by how the kunoichi of Konoha seemed taken to shedding off layers of clothing as the days passed by; her own father had come down the stairs, glanced at her exposed stomach and halter, and warned her bluntly of wandering too close to anywhere serving alcohol in order to prevent someone groping her fourteen-year-old ass.

Ino had merely pecked him on the forehead, offered Inoichi a cheeky smile, and dashed out the door, quite certain that while not looking properly lady-like, enough of the girls were wearing that sort of thing to make it fashionable enough, and at least she was still relatively decent.

Bangs cut in layers, a curtain of platinum obscured the training medic-nin’s face as she sipped delicately at a wooden-up, fingers stroking the surface of the table she sat at and bright turquoise eyes still examining everything within eye-sight; shifting her hair from her face comfortably and not looking anywhere akin to the maniacal thoughts dashing through her mind. After all, Ino was stereotypically one of those vapid blonde types, and it was easy enough to seem like the part; she’d played the role of a princess before, and so many others, so acting wasn’t exactly too hard anymore.

Tapping a rhythm on the table-top with her fingers, she glanced out the window into the street beyond.

“It’s a good thing we figured that much out, at least.”

[dagora]

Ever since that one night, one which a child remembered clearly, everything had become different. The way of a girl and how she would spend up her days. This was the Way of Shinobi...? To be left behind, was it?

----------

"I really, really like you!"

Tears were pouring from those bright green eyes, which were slammed shut. Hands were close to her chest, the pale face already stained with tears. Despite the emotion, that one person in front of her hand not much to show.

"Thank you..."

Before any other action could be taken, everything went black...

----------

"Sasuke-kun..."

In the soft bed that was normally slept in, Haruno Sakura was sitting up, blanket covering up her body from the waist down. The girl was hugging her knees to her chest, quite tightly, forehead gently settled on her knees. The dull pink hair had fallen on bother sides of the face.

"Another day to pass..."

The head was slowly lifted off the knees, watering eyes sparkling with the morning sun that streamed through the window. The blanket was pushed off Sakura, now cluttering up the foot of the bed. The green eyes blinked wearily, causing fresh small tears to roll down her face. Slowly, Sakura hung her legs over the edge of the bed. When her feet came in contact with the cold polished wood floor, Sakura had winced very slightly. However, she stood up, slumping over very slightly. Sakura felt a bit sore...

"She has been a bit rough. Hopefully that woman could let me off for one day." the girl mumbled, with a tiny yawn.

Sakura, of course, was referring to her trainer, Tsunade-sama. Hokage, blah, blah, blah...That woman was quite serious about training, giving Sakura a bit of a reality check.
After taking her first step of the morning, Sakura wobbled. She stopped without any hesitation, swaying on the spot. Heh. Sakura obviously did not get the right amount of sleep that she was in need of. It had been a busy week, and usually Sakura would take the advantage of all the sleep she could get. However, sleep failed to come by last night.

----------

"Hey, Sasuke...Maybe we can do more personal things! To improve our teamwork and all!"

It was when everything was clearly new. Sakura had that lovely, long bright pink hair, with a strange attitude to come with it...When her life was dedicated to get Sasuke to fall head over heels for her...

"Maybe if you spent less time flirting and more time working on your jutsu, the team would become stronger."

That boy...With the dark coloured shirt...Dark coloured hair...He was clearly turning down Sakura's offer.

"Let's face it. You are as bad as Naruto."

----------

The pale hands were gripped onto the sides of the long mirror, eyes tightly shut. Her forehead was pushed against the mirror as Sakura's mind raced. Despite all the training, Sakura was almost sure she had gotten nowhere. She was most likely still unable to keep up with Sasuke or her other hyperactive friend. But, how was she to know? Both boys had departed from the village...Both having goals in mind. That left Sakura, practically alone. Those boys...Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto were the two whom completed the team in which Sakura was once on...Team Seven. It was remembered well that these three did not always get along, but...They managed to stay together before Sasuke's ambition had pushed him...

----------

That sensei, Kakashi, always managed to arrive late when the team was suppose to come together for missions. It was even worse when Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were instructed to come early.

"He sets the time and we wait for hours for him! What about my time?! I didn't even have the time to blowdry my hair!"

Sakura's hair was cluring up, slightly. She did not have time to do what she had to get done today. Alright, so, all it was was damp hair. But, Sakura tried her best to keep clean and orderly. She did not want to look all disgusting in front of Sasuke.
The shorter shinobi, in the orange had punched a fist into the air, stating, "And I didn't have the time to brush my teeth or change my underwear!"

Sakura raised a thin pink eyebrow, looking a bit disturbed with her teammate's comment.

"You...Didn't? That's really disgusting, Naruto..."

----------

Sakura was standing in front of the mirror, completely dressed for the day. Same old thing for the most part...Nothing special. Red dark, dark bottom, those black pants; things Sakura did not bother to indentify to herself anymore.

A pair of dark coloured gloves were now being slipped onto the pale, thin fingers, "That wasn't really like me at all. This training is not pointless!"

Now, the gloved fingers were in the short pink hair, trying to tie the dark and shiny material into the hair. Sakura continued to stare into the mirror, or was it just a blank stare...? Either way, she was blinding tying the hitae-ate in her hair, but, had managed it perfectly. This had become a routine that had been going on for quite a while...

Sakura blinked, seeming to snap back to life, "...This is gonna be a long day."

The girl sighed, stepping away from the mirror. Her sandeled feet were dragged gently across the hard wood floor as she had done so.

Sakura turned slightly, slowly heading over to her dresser. Standing on it was a small lamp and next to it, was some sort of picture, that was picked up by Sakura. The photo was taken quite a while ago; back to the days when Team Seven was…Well…Team Seven. Kakashi wore an amused expression, one of his hands being pushed into Naruto’s blond hair. The other hand was squishing down Sasuke’s dark coloured hair. Sasuke, whom was on the left, was not bothering to smile. Naruto was on the right, with an annoyed expression, most likely caused from Kakashi-sensei’s hand in his hair. In between the two boys, standing in front of Kakashi was Sakura herself, whom was smiling.
The present Sakura managed to smile very slightly, setting down the picture. However, the smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. Why could things not be like that once more? Was this what was meant to happen…Team Seven splitting up into four different people instead of the one small happy group that they all once were? Now, this caused Sakura to frown, wishing, more than anything, she could return to the past and be able to change certain things. She would have used a different method in convincing Sasuke not to leave…And change her horrible attitude towards Naruto at the beginning---

“Alright, here I go!”

Sakura punched a fist into the air, trying to get herself motivated. She was going to have a fine day, even if she would have to train with old Tsunade-sama, living in torture for the rest of the day. Sakura begun to feel confident, now believing she was going to actually eat breakfast for once, instead of skipping it. Those calories would easily burn off from all the work that she would have to do…However, Sakura suddenly slumped over, groaning. Oh, whom was this child kidding? Sakura felt tired and truly lacked in energy. Nor was she exactly excited with training with that woman…Hopefully it would be one of those days when Tsunade called off training, just so she could sleep on the job. This would give Sakura a free day just to sit around…

While on her way to leave the house, Sakura passed the kitchen. There was a shout of a greeting, obviously from her mother. All Sakura felt she could reply to her mother was with an ‘”eh”, heading to the door. Breakfast was to be skipped, due to the short-lived confidence. It was not too much like Sakura to easily give up on the good things in life. It was going to be one of those long days.

However, Sakura muttered a small farewell to her mother, slowly opening the front door. She took a quick step outside, only to strangely slam the door behind her. Yep. It was going to be one of those days...

( Eh. The introduction is finally done. Yey? o-0 )

[Tenko]

“Arigatou, Yoshino-san –“

“Yare, yare, quite the appetite you have there, Ino-chan…”

“The four-headed beast I associate with must have an appetite, I assumed – it’s not all for me.”

Charming statements like that caused old women like Yoshino-san to chuckle or scold depending on their disposition, but the woman - being familiar with the Yamanaka girl – merely waved her off with a grin.

“Say ‘hello’ to Sakura-chan for me, my dear.”

“Hai – of course…”

The blonde had discarded her place at the café table for juggling a set of take-out boxes down the street; feeling cloth flutter behind her, Ino settled her packages as best as she could before scanning the crowd for the route she ought to take; that pink-haired idiot had more than likely set out without breakfast again, and – if Tsunade-sama was anywhere near coherent – that wouldn’t be so good at all.

So, someone remind her – why the hell was she wasting her morning to ensure that bill-board brow had breakfast? I mean sure, it wasn’t like they were still such spiteful brats against each other, but really.

I guess it’s motherly instinct. Or… something.
Why the hell does it matter again?

And so, armed with said ‘motherly instincts’, the kunoichi took off into the crowd, calculating the best way to cut her friend off.

---

“Damn it, Sakura, stop where you are!” The harassed shout escaping Ino was a combination of irritation and relief; she’d gone down to the Haruno household only to be told that Sakura had left her house not long after Ino had escaped the flower shop. Tracking down said roseate was much more difficult in a crowded street than elsewhere, but finally uncovering Sakura’s route the first glimpse of her child-hood had caused Ino to shout out for all the world as though being thoughtful had been Sakura’s poorly thought out idea.

“I’ve wasted a precious half-hour trying to find you and give you food, so you god-damn stop right there, forehead!”

So much for friendly ‘hello’s’, though the nicknames weren’t so much insults anymore.

[dagora]

Sakura did stop moving, keeping her hand on the door knob. How annoying...And first thing in the morning. Miss Piggy. She had a rough night, without any sleeping and now Sakura had to deal with this annoying girl...
Sure, Sakura had a strange relationship with Ino. These two young women were once best friends. However, Sakura felt the two had to go their own ways because of Sasuke---

----------

That girl, whom appeared to have literally bleached her hair for the heck of it, had her arms wrapped snuggly around Sasuke's neck. This had the other girl, long pink hair, veins nearly popping out of her forehead, quite angry.

"Hands off Ino-pig, he is mine!" Sakura shouted, pointing a thing finger at the teal eyed rival.

"Miss Forehead, they let you in? Still got those long frown lines on that billboard brow of yours!"

----------

Sakura flinched very slightly, the door knob slipping from her fingers. The arm returned to her side, green eyes now landing on the ground. Some of the hair fell into Sakura's face as she also moved her head downward. This day was truly awful...Sakura's mind was too busy running and the girl had no interest to argue with Ino, or be around her for that matter.

"Ino...Listen...Leave me alone. I don't want any crap from you today." Sakura muttered, blank gaze being lifted off the ground to Ino.

Sakura quietly brushed some of her dull pink hair out of her face, not having anything else to say. Why the heck did Ino care if Sakura decided not to eat one meal? Could the girl just go on a day without being bothered? Most likely not, or so Sakura figured.

[Tenko]

Ino took pause for a moment, eyes widening that second, stopping short of the other girl.

So we’re like that today.

Unlike a certain someone, Yamanaka Ino had apparently recovered from the loss of one Uchiha Sasuke – after all, he had been the one to, simply by existing, drive a wrench into their friendship. Or rather, as Ino assumed, the rest of the world figured.

----------

For the second time Ino found her rival in the flower shop, and once again she couldn’t help the mildly mocking comments that escaped her – surely Sakura was aware that Uchiha Sasuke hadn’t been found yet.

“Of course not!” Sakura had responded vehemently, expression softening as she turned away from Ino’s taunting features. “…They’re for Lee-san.”

The answer had surprised her somewhat, though after a moment a quiet smile painted the girl’s face.
“Say ‘hi’ to him for me, okay?’

----------

”Shit.” Was the eloquent reply. “I’m full of it.”

Scanning her bright eyes skeptically over Konoha’s newest favorite – well, wasn’t Team 7 all the news where ninja were concerned? – the ikebana expert could help but sniff with slight disdain at the less-than-pleasant response she’d received. “So what the hell, I wasted my morning thinking about an ungrateful stiff like you? Father was in the office this morning, so I know Tsunade-sama’s sober.” Narrowing her eyes at the blithely rude response she received, Ino calmly walked closer to the roseate, eying her with thinly veiled apprehension. Her voice was curt in the way she spoke but her tone was softer.

“You know she had combat practice planned today; can't you get off that high horse of yours and have some breakfast while you walk? I just figured that, since we’re both up at the tower today, you wouldn’t mind so much - 'cause, I didn't think you'd mind your 'little sister' tailing after you.” It was true that Sakura was her medical senpai - Tsunade-sama favored the other girl, after all, and Ino still had her own sensei to worry about, unlike the roseate-haired female.

[dagora]

The bright green eyes narrowed slightly at the thin blond, Sakura looking a bit exasperated. A thin, pale arm extended toward Ino, Sakura holding out a gloved hand. Her eyes went back to normal state, the pale face going blank. Sakura did not have much to say to the fellow shinobi. Not at all. Why could Sakura not be able to go through a day without having to be bothered? The female was going through a harsh state of mind right now and it was a bit harrowing that Sakura was not able to clean her mind.

However, Sakura was trying to think a little less on her old teammates and how to reply to Ino...What way was there to reply? The pink haired female just was not in the mood to be insulted today. For that matter, Sakura did not even feeling like wasting energy trying to think up of the worst insults in the world. Yet, those pale lips begun to move, meaning the girl must have had something to say.

"If you care so much, shut up and give me the food." Sakura muttered. "I do not care if you took the time to make it, too be honest. I never told you that you had to break that little back of yours to bring me something to eat. At least, unlike you, I actually eat once in a while. So, never mind. Keep the food. You could afford to gain twenty pounds. It won't actually kill you, you know? You aren't going to turn into an actual pig if you eat something with sugar."

The gloved hand closed slowly, making a fist. The arm was brought down to Sakura's side, fist continued to be tightly formed. The green eyes snapped shut, pale lip quivering very slightly. Jesus. Something must have seriously been troubling this girl today. Usually when Sakura found the reason to insult Ino, it was not commenting about something so harsh.

Honestly, Sakura did not care if Ino had brought Sakura food. It was most likely going to end up down the blond's top, anyway.

"So, just eat your stupid food so we can get moving. All you are doing is wasting time. That is something N--"

The brisk sentence was cut off, the deep green eyes opening up, quite wide. Naruto. He did not actually waste time. No, that shinobi had worked until he was passed out, from time to time...Saving lives. How dare that pale brat...Insult Naruto...?

Sakura smiled very slightly, fist uncurling, that hand coming up to her face. She knew it. She was truly a brat. A brat whom wanted some time by herself. That was all.

[Tenko]

Witch. Seriously, would it kill the girl to get out of that rut once in a while?

While their relationship had deteriorated over time, ever since the Uchiha’s departure the girls, despite being quarrelsome, and managed to uphold some joke of a friendship. But at Sakura’s near-slip the blonde’s eyes narrowed, making a small noise of disgust and turning away to watch her companion out of the corner of her eye.

“So what’s your-“

She cut herself off, eyes widening slightly as she turned to fully examine her companion's face.

Naruto.

Aw, hell; was that what was going on? Sakura had always been a bit soft, and doubtless it hadn’t helped that she’d been placed on the most dysfunctional three-man-cell of the age, but the blonde had hoped that tutelage under a personality like Tsunade had been helping the fight against that – and to some extent, she had witnessed that it had.

Sakura was breaking the mold of a weak, useless kunoichi; she was a medical nin after all, not to mention her work mastering Gouwan style taijutsu. The Yamanaka girl could’ve sworn right there, without seeing either of Sakura’s male teammates, that Tsunade had certainly leveled the playing field where ability and power could be concerned…

So what was it? It wasn’t weakness that plagued the roseate’s mind…

Ino looked away as her friend seemed to regain herself, sadder than her usually fiery persona allowed. It’s all emotional, isn’t it? Both her boys are off and she can’t even be sure she’s getting anywhere. Not to mention…

How they left her.

None of these thoughts would be portrayed in her words; mind working, the blonde gazed at Sakura from the corner of her eye, walking slowly ahead and shoulders seeming to sag slightly with lack of apparent care for the burden. “I brought it for you, really, but if you’re so determined to starve, I’ll let it alone.” Voice soft, Ino continued in an absent manner, allowing the other to dwell on herself; however, that didn’t make her response any less smart. “After all, I made a vow to polish myself in the mighty endeavor of dieting – I’m afraid you missed that, but your boy Naruto was there.”

[dagora]

Those bright green eyes found a reason to narrow slightly. The pale dried lips found a reason to curve slightly, Sakura now smirking ever so slightly. She was annoyed more than ever with Ino. It was almost as though that anorexic wannabe was trying to pluck one of Sakura's nerves. That just had to be it. And, what was all this crap about Naruto being her 'boy'?

"You are right, Ino." Sakura said, smirk becoming slightly bigger. "I should just take the food and be grateful. I know you are just trying to help me...I should be mature enough to take that helping hand, you know? So, first off to show how much I am glad you wish to help, I will take the food..."

A gloved hand was swiftly pulled away from the pale saddened face, going foward to Ino. It grabbed onto the food, that strange grin only growing a bit bigger. Sakura brought the food to her chest, staring down at it, her other hand grapping onto it. That smirk was now fading, her eyes closing. How crapped up was Sakura acting this morning...? Oh well, she now had the food and she was not just going to put a stop to just holding it.

"Now...Secondly, to show how much I am glad you are trying to help me...I will dump the food on that pretty little head of yours..."

Sakura took a few steps, closer to that brat of a shinobi, eyes growing quite wide. The food was lifted, Sakura taking no time to think about what she was going to do. The gloved hands lifted the food a bit higher, the girl taking a few more steps foward. The food was now being pressed into the blond hair, Sakura releasing the food after a short moment.

"Third...To show how much I am glad you are trying to help, I am going to walk away." Sakura said, her expression blank.

The shinobi turned on her heal, some of her pink hair hitting her face. Sakura did not bother to rethink her actions, starting to walk away. Her speed was quite slow at first, however, it did not take another minute for the girl to break out into a brisk run. Thos bright green eyes were starting to water as she ran, partly because of the wind and partly because---

[Tenko]

She froze.

Bright teal eyes widened as Sakura overturned the boxing, dumping its contents into Ino’s high-tail of platinum blonde. The kunoichi opened her mouth, limbs trembling as she attempted to find something to say, body going rigid; her gaze flashed upwards, furious and wounded, as egg streamed over her face.

“You… you god-damn brat,” she hissed, and though her teeth were clenched together and her fingers easing into her tied hair, the only real expression on Ino’s features painted some great hurt; perhaps if it had been a mutual squabble, something not so serious, she would’ve screamed back with more vigor, retaliated in a more active way. But that look on her face – on Sakura’s face – that was wrong.

This was all so wrong.

From where Ino stood, she could do two things; she could go to the Haruno household and clean off beneath the eye of her rival’s mother, or she could pursue said rival and beat sense into her; hands fisting up on the sides of her face, the kunoichi watched as Sakura plunged into a run, leaving her with only the retreating back to deal with…

No. No way in hell.
Sakura was going to talk to her, and she didn’t give a shit whether or not she had to beat it out of her, medic nin or no.

Furiously sweeping off her hair and rubbing sauce from her eyes, the kunoichi whirled on her feet, flickering after the other as fast as she could; Sakura wouldn’t just give her what she wanted, and what Ino wanted was an explanation – just a glimpse into those viridian eyes, just a look at that face.

Was Sakura crying?

The yell that escaped her was strangled and hoarse, and Ino’s eyes were fixed with bitter anger and glowering resentment; she reached out desperately as she ran to try and seize Sakura’s shoulder, the words escaping her all the same. “Damn it, Sakura, all I want is for you to talk to me!”

[emi-chan™]

Sakura sped up slightly, her vivid eyes squinting slightly as she tried to make her getaway. What was wrong with just wanting to be left alone for a while? Why could the shinobi not be able to think things out on her own? Did that stupid pig believe that Sakura failed at trying to resolve her own problems? Was Sakura still a foolish child in the teal eyes of her rival...?

The pale girl kept on running, feeling as though it was just the best thing to do at this time. Yet, she only had to gain more anger when she heard running footsteps behind her. That Ino...Why was she not interesting in giving up?! Sakura had her own problems to face and for some reason, people would not allow the girl face them on her own.
Right. Sakura was only just a silly girl, was she not...? Maybe that was just it. People can only see Sakura as someone whom has stood in the background her whole life as a shinobi and that shinobi only seemed to care about one thing; one of those whom had left her...

----------

The thin pale girl was on her knees, mainly mist surrounding her. Settled in front of her was her teammate, the one who seemed as though he had completely failed to make an runaway. No...He could not be dead. Not the boy that Sakura had used her good life upon. Not the Uchiha...

"I was a top student. Aced every test in the academy. Did you know there is over one-hundred conducts a shinobi could break...?"

Sakura's face was shadowed, one of her hands going up to the dead boy's face. She was not talking to herself, but, the one her team was suppose to protect.

"I learned every single one. I used to love it when they quizzed us on them. It used to make me feel smart...There was this one quiz that I remember so well, it had asked us the explain the twenty-fifth conduct. I got it right, of course..."

The girl begun to wince, new crystal salty tears starting to roll down her cheeks--

"A shinobi must not show any emotion! Emotions are a weakness and only clouds his sense of judgement...!"

----------

Sakura came to a hault, feeling a hand grab onto her shoulder. Her eyes were continuing to sparkle with pointless tears...

"Who says I want to talk about anything?! Besides, there is nothing to talk about!"

[Tenko]

“I didn’t ask you, did I?!” Roared the other, reaching out for the front of Sakura’s shirt as though to pull her close.

---

“You always get picked on and get called forehead girl, right?”

“W-who are you?”

“I’m Yamanaka Ino.”

“Sakura…”

“I can’t hear you. Speak up.”

---

A bright, bubbling laugh escaped her as Sakura turned to see anxiously what was going on with her friend.

“Only the roots have poison in them, though!” She winked impishly and made a comical face. “I guess I should’ve told them that!”

The blonde couldn’t help but giggle as the other girl smiled at her, thoroughly amused by the event until she realized the look had faded from Sakura’s face.

“Sakura?”

The other girl ducked her head, twirling a flower absently beneath her downtrodden gaze. “If you’re a cosmos, Ino-chan, am I a thoroughwart?”

Turning away and looking somewhere between riled and thoughtful, Ino leaned back pushing the expression away and smiling in an honest and open manner. “What are you talking about?” Grin widening she commented rather tactlessly, “If you ask me, you’re not even a flower yet! Just a bud.”

The shock on her face at her friend’s answer was wiped away by a pathetic smile, trying to hide her hurt. “Yeah…”

She’d been gazing warmly into the sky when Sakura had prompted the next inquiry, face retaking its timid standard. “Ino… why did you give me this ribbon?”

Blinking a moment to glance at her, the other girl shook her head and returned to her cloud watching. “I thought it would be a waste for you to wither away as a bud.” The smile on her face was genuine. “There’s no meaning to a flower until it blooms.”

A light wind picked up, toying with their hair and sending petals to caress their young faces. “But the last bud to bloom is the most beautiful flower. A flower even more beautiful than a cosmos!”

And she watched, with shock and sudden concern, as Sakura began to cry.

---

They stood in that grove together years later, the wind sending flowers streaming past them like banners, Sakura’s hand extended with the bright red ribbon in its fingers. Both faces were serious, Ino frowning, gazing at her with nothing but a firm blankness.

Finally, she smiled.

“That’s a good idea.”

I can’t protect you anymore, can I?

She reached forward to take the ribbon, but took Sakura’s hand instead.

So I’ll fight you. I’ll make you fight to win, and struggle to loose.

---

Crack.

A strong hand came up to strike the other kunoichi, no sympathy there for her crying eyes and her shrieking. She slapped the girl with all the force she could muster, though looking for a moment as though she were about to face Sakura with her fist –

-’There!’ and the other kunoichi’s fist came speeding towards Sakura’s face as the other was winded, and everyone held their breath as something else came instead. A crack resounded through the room, and everyone stood in shock.

Ino gazed at her hand, her personally shocked expression invaded by the sight of a smiling young girl, and softened with regret, with sorrow –

- but the sound that met the air made it clear that something else had occurred.

“I didn’t ask you if you wanted to talk, Sakura! I didn’t, I didn’t, I swear to Kami I didn’t so stop pretending there isn’t anything to say!”

Those teal eyes were fierce and angry, and had she not seemed so furious the remnants of breakfast in her hair would’ve been comical, but whatever twisted mood Sakura was in swayed her from open call of war. This wasn’t a humorous quarrel – she wouldn't have hit her so hard if it was.

“I don’t give a damn if you think that you’ve got it all figured out, or if you think you want to be alone. I’m here, and you're going to tell me what’s wrong with you, because something is wrong with you and life seems to fill itself with shit just to spite you.” She forcefully pushed the other girl back by the snatch of cloth that Ino held onto, instead grabbing hold of her shoulders and giving her a firm shake.

“So maybe you aren’t seven anymore, and maybe you’d fry my guts in hell and be happy, but now you can tell me what so freaking wrong with you, because it's obvious that something in our screwed up lives is bothering you - so you can get over it and act like yourself again!”

[emi-chan™]

Sakura stared straight at Ino, expression blank. If Ino were to slap the sullen girl at any time, Sakura would have clearly taken the time to attack the blond. But, Sakura only found the reason to stare. The green eyes were looking straight into the teal ones, but, her stare did not have much depth. Sakura blinked her eyes, which seemed quite wide as if she were a child who was just saw the 'greatest' thing on earth. But, no, it was all from horror from what was going on in the inside of her.

Her pale face did not appear to be angry, stained with tears. Her eyes were kept foward, lightly tinged with pink. Sakura did not have anything to say about the slap, nor would there ever be anything to say about it. She opened her mouth slightly, slowly beginning to form words. It took sound a few moments to follow with the mouthing. . .

"They were my best friends. We were Team Seven. . .But, now. . ."

Sakura lowered her head slightly, eyes now on the ground. Ino was not the one who was bothering the girl. No, her mind was tainted with the past, but, it was not Ino who had been having this effect on her.

----------

The blond was jumping foward, blue eyes squinted, searching for victory. His sandaled feet begun to leave the ground as he rushed foward. A strange blue ball of flowing chakra was flowing in his head. The opponent was coming downward, his vivid red eyes looking down on the other. He had something flowing in his hand as well. . .

This was all too dangerous.

"NO!"

The pink-haired girl started running foward, eyes tightly shut. It was almost as if she was blindly running. But, it did not matter to her. All she wanted was to stop the boys from literally killing each other. As of now, the other see their female teammate, a bit surprised, trying to manage to move their attack elsewhere but they failed. The girl was nearly there, attacks nearly about to make contact-- But, they were all saved. Both boys managed to be swung by their wrists, directing their attacks away from eachother. . .

----------

"You may have saw nothing inside of Naruto, but, he has got alot of flame inside him. You just don't know that. He isn't the same person he was when we to the academy." Sakura commented, tone quite soft. "And. . .Sasuke. . .There was more to him than I ever had thought. Both of these people made such a great team, just the two of 'em, you know? They were the ones fighting while I just sat and watch."

Sakura bit her pale lip, feeling as though it would be better if she stopped speaking with her own voice. It would turn out that the other shinobi would not care about such 'silly' things and would find a reason to slap Sakura again. Sakura was not interested in violence today.

"I always wonder what those two are up to. I always worry. . .They are going very far for their own goals, but, in complete opposite directions."

[Tenko]

OoC//; So I know it's unlikely anyone will ever come around to read this, buuuut. I did leave Emi-chan hanging. D: Without further ado, the not-awaited and never-to-be-read post of Tenko. x3;;;

---

"They were my best friends."

Ino kept herself from flinching.

The words grated against and impaired the kunoichi's sense of time, and the tear-stained face of Haruno Sakura was suddenly anything but foreign. Like a cradled, coddled child, the roseate-haired girl seemed to quaver in her being as opposed to loosing the strength of her stature; those vivid green eyes turned from their rival's desperately penetrating stare, and yet Ino found herself wondering if there was any shame there. Talk to me, Sakura, the fourteen-year-old found herself pleading internally and urgently. Look at me. Connect yourself to me so I can do something for you.

Sakura was in her own place; somewhere with a dead-last loud-mouth who had suddenly made himself spectacular, and an icy comrade who everyone doted on but seemed to care for his team mates only. The other kunoichi was with her precious people, and her former best friend was hardly invited. But - and Ino reminded herself forcefully, anger slinking back from her tongue - but this wasn't about their friendship. This was about Team Seven.

Ino could understand that.

"You just don't know that."

She found her voice.

"I learned," the kunoichi stated finally, her painfully tight hold on her companion's shoulder loosening as though to become comforting - gentle, almost like a fragile support. "Naruto taught all of us. Who ever expected it of him - to be great? He took everyone else on a ride and showed them all what it meant to be Konoha Shinobi. And I... I had to watch. You can't ignore the sun on your shoulders, and you couldn't ignore a... a loud-mouthed dead-last like him, either." The last phrase wasn't meant as an insult, and it showed in Ino's lightening, almost gracious tone; there was a tentative sort of reverence there, as though to say that such an opinion of the Uzumaki had long been condemned.

"...But then there was Sasuke." It felt odd invoking the shinobi's name, especially after the boys had returned from the attempt at retrieving him; Shikamaru, and Chouji... of course, Hinata - and Tenten, she supposed - watched their teammates go on the expedition as well, but there seemed to be an acquired tenseness about how she mentioned him that had never been there in the days of their fangirl crushes. "And he's the one whose story you couldn't see; and in the end, he left. And that... kind of ended you, didn't it? You as Team Seven. And I suppose Naruto was his rival, but you just love your boys, I guess, and you couldn't do anything.

"So you went to Tsunade - so that next time they did something half-assed and stupid to each other, you could stop it. But it isn't working out that way."

Somehow, the blonde's voice became angry, raising her teal eyes which had suddenly regained their blaze; she shook her head slightly to get a cluster of egg out of her hair, absently and with annoyance. The Yamanaka girl could hardly know the details, and was speaking with the ground shifting beneath her feet, though Sakura's tears invoked some private sense of protectivity within her; voice rising, becoming louder as though to fill the empty street, she continued.

"You did it because you sat and watched the first time, and you needed a next time where you wouldn't have to, right? Of course you're worried about them! It's always the legends who get their lives fucked up and screwed around with, and Sasuke and Naruto - well, what were they? A prodigy and an element - a fire. They went off on their own paths accordingly; Uchiha Sasuke decided that we couldn't do anything for his skills. Maybe we couldn't. But Naruto - Naruto will come back, because he chose Konoha, and he chose everything old man Sandaime-sama preached about; he chose to stoke his will. But what did you choose? To cry for them?"

Holding her glare for a moment, something flickered in her expression, and suddenly Ino was visibly struggling to maintain it. After a last ditch effort to hide weakness, she turned her face to the side, tracing the walls with her eyes and reflecting a furious sort of aggression.

"Because I might've, too." The words seemed unnatural from her mouth, a harshly spoken admittance. Withdrawing her hands from Sakura's shoulders she straightened, fingers wrapping into tightly clenched fists which hung legitimately at her side. "But then I would remember that Naruto is training with someone who'll teach him not to die, and that he'll come back, and that together you'll go and make sure Sasuke survives. And you probably won't do it for you, or to have Team Seven, but you'll do it for Naruto and Sasuke, and what they need and what they feel, because I know you and that's the way you are. Don't you remember why you're training? So you don't waver when you're protecting them - whatever it is that needs protecting. You're preparing yourself so that you can solve things while there's still time to have a happily ever after."

Look at you, she wanted to say, though Ino bit her tongue to keep from softening her scorn. It was tough love, but it was necessary. Look at you. Look at how strong you are! And you worry about them because it'll be your job to try and stay their hands sometime, because you know your boys can't help but fight.

Silence, then -

"Sakura. I could keep saying this forever and you wouldn't listen, but... this is where you aren't Team Seven anymore. This is where you're, all three, seperate people. This is where you learn, and this is where you think - how can we be stronger as a whole? You couldn't protect them when you were all together, because flowers can't grow without the sun's rays. They can't survive. So focus on taking advantage of this time without them blocking your light, so you can take it and make your worrying matter. Right now..."

Ino paused, thought, and decided.

"You don't have the right to worry. If you aren't strong enough to do anything because you care for your boys, why should anyone care that you're worried about them...?"

I don't understand it, she prompted to herself ruefully. I don't even know the whole story. I wasn't there for any of it, and I didn't hear about most of it. How can I help her? I can help her... can't I?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.
It all depended on who Sakura was listening to.

[emi-chan™]

[Now for the post that has been expected for a bit over two months. Sorry, Tenko-dono. D;
Next post is a bit weird; no yuri intend.]

Being slapped; being yelled at...As if that was not enough. The damn pig was starting to try to reprimand Sakura and go on with a speech as if she truly understood her. Sakura had no interest in talking to Ino-- she would happily settle for anyone other than that pig! All Ino was, was an arrogant brat and a hindrance in Sakura's life. An idiot...A useless wannabe shinobi-- something that Sakura also remained to be. All she could do is flap her damn mouth. What the hell did Ino know about Naruto or Sasuke? Nothing! But, then again...The blonde was right for once in her life. The two boys did not need Sakura-- they never needed her in the first place. They were brilliant as the stars without any need of her useless support and help.

Trying to get hold of her senses, the green eyes fluttered closed and the girl sniffled. A hand pulled off the opposite's glove, the material slipping right off. Same was done for the mate, both gloves being stuck into a pocket. It seemed as though she was going to be delayed for a bit longer and Sakura was not in need of them. The girl suddenly chuckled, a hand going up to her own fair face to rub at a tear stained cheek. A small smile soon came upon the pale face...

"It is strange to hear the boy's name spoken as much as it has been. Naruto. He was the knucklehead back at the academy; you and I know this very well. He went on to fail nearly every single test that was ever given. Eventually he became a Genin, being stuck on a team with me. That moron...He managed to achieve so much! He left the academy as a stupid joke-- a complete and total failure! But, he then left the village as a hero who was trying to extend past his own limits. Naruto may have travled to better places, yet, he will come back to Konoha. I dunno if he will be any different or exactly the same. Knowing him...the spunk will stay."

The green eyes blinked themselves open, hand sliding down to the girl's side. The orbs rested on the blonde, Sakura continuing on.

"And I left the academy as a smartass and a wannabe. Ignored by Sasuke, ignoring Naruto, adored by others. I got put on Team Seven and all I have done was watch, be a barrier, and letting my ninjutsu go for a nonexistent relationship. I am still wandering the village, trying to keep my place as a student to a crazy woman. I am not sure I will make any use; if I will be a better person than before. But, I will try my hardest to see to a change for the better...Be my own person. What about you? Y-you going to watch me and mock me? Are you going to cling onto someone you will never get and put me down? You going to remain to be the flower that I was once envious of?"

Sakura's voice was beginning to crack, the shinobi continuing to hold up that pitiful smile. She felt like dropping onto the ground and having that emotional breakdown and possibly slapping herself. Sakura sniffled, tears starting to spill over-- they just wanted to come through. To show the world how pathetic she truly was. Without much of a further thought, Sakura took a few steps forward, she seemed to be doing a lot of this today, to Ino. For a quiet moment, Sakura looked upon her 'rival'. The smile was then wiped off the face...Sakura soon grabbed onto Ino, in an embrace, silent tears racking her body.

She musy have been desperate for a shoulder to cry on all this time.

Possibly, that is all she wanted.

Something to lean on.

[Tenko]

Reminiscing as though she were passed her prime certainly made Sakura a shocker, inclining the Cell Seven kunoichi towards the embittered styles of the identity Tsunade had long redesigned. It was a battle in itself to save any face in this moment, raging at one another, scolding like women far older than they were, sobbing and shrieking and slapping with food in Ino’s hair and tears down Sakura’s face, and the show of hysterics would have raised the brow of any sane person and doubtless attract the awkward, lingering attentions of their peers. It was hard to discern whether or not they could be thankful for not meeting in a busier place – while it likely would’ve kept them from acting so outrageously, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of the whole ordeal? Letting alone, of course, that neither had seemed entirely sure what the problem was as they blindly felt for the truth of the matter down their own amateur experiences and overemphasized emotions.

It was hard for Ino to say what exactly her objective was, but as her friend finally cracked, speaking coherently now, the wavering of her harsh expression – the almost relieved interference that softened the edges and made the Yamanaka’s expression flicker with the taint of anxiety or worry – signified the crash of a tirade and though she stepped back unsteadily as though wary of Sakura’s initial approach, the kunoichi made to catch on to the other girl and hold her, shock, condolence and hesitant affection marking the distant grasp of their friendship. It was a messy business as she hugged supportively to her on-and-off companion and let her speak and weigh down her top as though it were some sort of handkerchief, and though Ino might’ve preferred the easy banter and taunts to watching Sakura break down it was only necessary – and she lived for necessities, after all.

“You’re still a smart-ass, still adored, an idol for the academy kids closer down to their age.” The mumbled words were given a soothing tone, made to comfort with the blonde’s own half-witted charm as she finally resigned to a tired little smile while Sakura couldn’t have seen it, feeling as though the weight of her crying rival had somehow lifted the oppressive weight of being ignorant about the green-haired menace. “But look at you. You haven’t even spread your petals out, hey, and already you’ve wiped the floor with us! That lazy-ass Nara’s always complaining about what a trouble you are, always making medical inquiries, and why I can’t be half as determined or at least nag about that sort of thing instead of being a pain, and for Godaime-sama’s sake – aren’t you her taijutsu disciple? You’ll be able to break that pretty Uchiha face with your left pinkie. Could you really be anything like a want-to-be right now? The only time your head’s not on right is when you’re talking like this about things, as though all you are is a tag-along to some fairy-tale heroes! And really, Sakura, when was the last time you looked like a damsel in distress? Grinning sadly and stroking the other girl’s head in a sisterly gesture, she turned her head slightly to look into the mane of vibrant hair but was unable to catch a glimpse of the sobbing face. “You may be Haruno Sakura, but you’re anything but a tragic loss. You’ll be epic, you idiot, just like Naruto – you’re growing, you’re becoming better as the days go by! And the longer things stretch on, the larger the hero you’ll be called, saving lives on the field and hauling those team-mates of yours to level-ground, and maybe they’ll even learn how to be sane off of you.” Of course she couldn’t help the small amount of cheek, and Ino turned her head back and gazed almost demurely to a distant spot on the ground, waiting for her friend to regain herself.

“Me?” The thought came distractedly, as though finding herself unimportant amidst Sakura’s turmoil, but answering the other inquiry anyway as though to console the regard of her fellow student. “I’ll cling to whoever I please because I want to, but don’t think I’ll let it get in the way, Billboard-brow! I’ll make myself happy however I like but I won’t forget that I’ve always got better things to do. I’m not crazy, Haruno! I’m a kunoichi, and I'll always be getting better and evolving just to spite the opposition, and I’ll take care of my boys in between. I'll mock and banter all I want, hide Asuma-sensei’s cigarettes and taunt him about Kurenai-san, and chide Chouji about dieting even if he never will, and yell at Shikamaru until he walks away with his ears plugged, pick at flowers and bring dinner over to your mother and deliver scrolls for my father, and you I will torment endlessly until you realize that I do it because I want to make sure you’re fired up enough not to be left behind, and because I don’t have any intention of watching your back either.” And, with a delicate sniff she added, “So I’ll be the same always, because I know how I am and who to be, but maybe I’ll even be nicer about it someday, but I’ll bring you breakfast sometimes because you’ll go grey earlier skipping it all the time, and you can cry on my shoulder and I’ll even pay you compliments if you’re good about remembering I’m not the torture-master of the century and that I actually care about you, you insensitive witch. Same old, same old, and that better be all right with you, Forehead.”

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