(Tim Seltzer, seltzer@seltzerbooks.com) Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own Wedding Peach.
I do not own any great quantity of money or property. I'm a STUDENT; that's
why I'm poor, okay?
The pink-haired kunoichi pulled away from the god's arms.
"No, thank you," Sakura said.
"I beg your pardon?" the god of memory asked. It was so bizarre that
there was a look of hurt on the face of Sasuke — further proving that he
wasn't Sasuke.
"I said, no, thank you." Sakura backed away. "As the god of memory,
you should know that life always brings suffering. If you erased my memories
of the Shinobi World... it's not a guarantee that I'd be any happier. I
would live in this dimension, which — you are right — is more peaceful.
But I would eventually fall in the depths of sorrow again. Just like what
I'm doing right now." She heaved a sigh. "...But I guess that's what life
is about."
"About being sad?" he scoffed. "Sounds damn depressing."
"That's not what I meant!" she yelled. "What I'm saying is, expect it
to happen SOMETIME in your life. You experience both suffering and happiness
when you truly live."
She glared at him. "Thanks for your offer. It sound great, really. But
in the end, it probably won't make any difference. Nobody can create a
life that is pure pain, or pure happiness. Nobody."
The girl breathed, and looked straight into his eyes. "Not even YOU."
Sakura was glowing a faint blue during the entire conversation. But
as she firmly gave her resolution to the god's offer, she felt two new
wisps of energy touch her. They were very weak, but new nonetheless. The
kunoichi looked down at her body. The sky-blue aura was still there. But
waving in the blue sea of energy were two thin and fragile-looking strands:
a pink one, and a green one.
The god slowly faded away. Brightness overcame Sakura's eyes.
Sakura blinked. She was back in the dojo hall. Scarlett smiled.
"Wonderful," the angel murmured. "You are truly wise for a girl your
age."
"That... that..." the kunoichi stuttered. "Was that a genjutsu... an
illusion? Because that was DAMN good!"
"It was no illusion," Scarlett said. "The person you met was indeed
was the god of memory. When it comes to students, he is always happy to
help me."
Sakura did not know what to say. She trembled with horror, digesting
what kind of power she had for just a minute or so. "What would have happened
if I had said 'yes'? I really could have... changed my destiny?"
"Yes. I knew perfectly well what you were getting into. If you had complied,
you indeed would have lost your memory of the Ninja world. And any record
of you there — whether it be papers, pictures, or people's memories — would
cease to exist. Like he said, start over."
Sakura was too shaken to be mad at Angel Salvia. Instead, she asked:
"Why did you allow me to... What was that FOR?"
"It made you admit that you experience pain, as well as joy. What was
important is that you admit to yourself that you experience them. Emotions
can make you powerful. Very powerful."
The red-haired beauty sighed.
"...I myself drowned in hate and vengeance once," she continued. "I
became a strong and ruthless warrior because of that."
'She was... just like Sasuke?' Sakura thought.
"My best friends died right in front of my eyes in the first part of
the Great War... and I swore to kill all demons. Even Viento. I almost
did it — fully aware that he was the lover and a close friend of my leader."
Sakura trembled. 'I can't take much more of this... Yousuke could have
died... and I wouldn't have been born...'
Scarlett continued. "I'm glad now that I didn't succeed. I could have
lost everything — the few friends that I had, and my essence. Compassion,
anger, depression, confidence, hate, love — feel whatever you want to feel,
and use it to your own advantage. As long as it's a specific emotion, and
accept that it exists. But know what it could do to your own soul."
(( Sasuke stood up, the curse slowly covering his body.
"Sasuke-kun... That body...!?" Sakura's eyes widened in shock.
The raven-haired shinobi looked at black pattern on his skin. The power
he felt was amazing. "No need to worry..." he said. "Because of it... more
and more strength is flowing through me. Right now... I feel good. He gave
it to me."
"What?" Sakura was confused and frightened.
"...I have finally understood. I am an avenger... Even if I let myself
be possessed by the devil, the strength I need lies in this path..." ))
'Sasuke knew... he knew...' She fought hard to keep back the tears.
"Maybe I should have taken up the god's offer..." the kunoichi mumbled
quietly. She desperately wanted to forget Sasuke. "Maybe... maybe..."
The love-angel's face turned sympathetic. "Maybe, yes," Scarlett said
as she embraced the pink-haired girl. "Maybe not. I wouldn't know. But
either way, you can now use those feelings for battle."
Scarlett got up, and walked over to a nearby closet. She took out a
long, wooden box. She carried it over to Sakura, who sniffed quietly.
"I have a present for you. Open it."
Sakura took the heavy container and lifted its cover. Resting inside
was a beautiful katana. Its blade was perfectly folded, with a graceful
and deadly edge that any samurai would admire.
"This...for me?!" The waver in the kunoichi's voice was evident. 'HOLY
CRAP THIS IS AWESOME!' "I...I can't accept such a valuable gift!"
The redhead angel smiled. "This will make up for all the birthdays we
missed. Besides, you'll need it for bringing out your ki."
"...Um, Scarlett-sensei?" Sakura said hesitantly. "I'm not supposed
to kill anyone in the junior tournament... and this is too sharp."
"Didn't I just tell you?" Scarlett huffed with irritation. "It's for
bringing out your ki. Take the blade out and hold it."
"Like this?" Sakura asked. She had learned a few things about kendo
in Ninja Academy. Any shinobi was required to be knowledgeable in a wide
variety of weapons. But this was Sakura's first practical lesson. In Konoha,
only those preparing to be part of the ANBU learned how to use a katana.
Scarlett came over to shift Sakura's hold a bit, as well as her stance.
"Alright. Now close your eyes, and choose an emotion. It can be anything,
as long as it is something strong."
Sakura decided to choose her sisterly love for Umi. With that, she closed
her green eyes. The blue-haired sprite filled Sakura's thoughts: her cute
smile, klutziness, and sweet innocence.
"Now hold that consciousness in you as you build up your ki," Scarlett
instructed, "and let that energy travel through your hands, and into the
hilt of the katana."
Sakura did exactly as she was told. A familiar, yet slightly modified,
sensation flowed through her arms. The handle began to feel warm.
The kunoichi opened her eyes. The katana was giving off a light, blue
aura. And were she not mistaken, within the blue fluttered a line of pink
— thin and tiny, like silk fresh from the cocoon.
Sakura gasped. "Oh, gods!" The katana stopped glowing, returning to
its original yet still magnificent appearance.
"That was an wonderful start!" Scarlett clapped her hands together,
full of pride with her student. "Although you cannot make weaponry out
of pure ki, you do have the ability to put your ki into an already-forged
weapon. When you're practicing alone, I want you to use that katana, using
both ki and technical skill. You probably won't be able to use your kendo
in the tournament. Your next match is in two days, anyway. But practicing
kendo with your aura will unlock those closed-up doors in your mind."
The angel pulled off two bokken from a nearby rack. "Now I'll teach
you actual kendo techniques. We'll work with these while I'm instructing
you. Ready, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded. She was excited, to say the least.
"Hokage-sama," a chuunin said as he knocked at her door. "You have a
guest."
Tsunade looked up groggily. She had fallen asleep at her desk. A little
drool stained a few documents. She also woke up with an enormous headache.
An empty sake bottle rolled at her feet. 'Did Jiraiya give me sake again?
I've gotta watch my back when that pervert's around...'
She yawned. "Who is it?"
The chuunin called through the door: "The priest of the Shinto shrine
has come to give you a message."
"What kind of message?" the Hokage moaned. "There's not enough in the
budget to help them with the shrine. It's their fault for taking it apart
and rebuilding it every ten years, anyway."
She dropped her head back down on the hard wood. The headache was killing
her, and she was in desperate need of sleep.
"Um, Hokage-sama, he has says that it relates to Haruno Sakura..."
Her head shot up instantly. "Bring him in!"
The chuunin, two members of the ANBU, and the priest walked through
the door. The Hokage straightened her posture and cleaned her face with
her sleeve.
The priest sat himself uncomfortably in a chair in front of her desk.
Tsunade nodded to the chuunin. "Thank you. You are dismissed." He walked
out of the office and closed the door.
The ANBU stayed to guard Tsunade, simply because the situation was peculiar.
The priest had not arranged an appointment beforehand. Neither was it normal
for him to talk with the Hokage except for planning religious ceremonies.
"Hokage-sama, I was looking through the fires these past months, and
I think I know what may have happened to Haruno Sakura."
Tsunade was prepared to do almost anything. Any piece of knowledge would
help in the current situation. She sighed. "How much money do you want?"
"Hokage-sama... I have enough in taking care of the shrine." Rolling
his eyes was out of the question; he was a Shinto priest, and he was addressing
the Hokage herself. He hacked a little to clear his throat, and proceeded.
"I investigated for myself what that meteor incident was, through my fire-reading.
The chakra of that so-called meteor was abnormal, and nothing like I've
felt before, except maybe the Kyuubi."
"I heard a description similar to that," Tsunade said. Naruto had already
told her in private about what Kyuubi thought of that chakra wave: the
fox-demon did not like it, and that was already something to be reckoned
with.
Naruto, Lee and Ino continuously asked Tsunade to let them search for
Sakura, which she bluntly refused. The Harunos were equally persistent
in the first week of Sakura's absence. But the couple started to understand
(earlier than the teenagers, at least) that they had no choice, except
to trust the hunter-nin.
"Hokage-sama…" the priest fidgeted, "through my readings, I believe
Sakura is in another world."
A long pause ensued.
"Explain," she ordered.
"My interpretation skills are far from perfect... But the gods must
have taken her. She may come back, but there's a large chance that she
may not."
"Do you know how ridiculous this sounds?" Tsunade asked.
"I understand, Hokage-sama, but it makes sense to me. I have observed
every child of this village since the Fourth Hokage died. It was obvious
from the beginning of what Uzumak— well, you know about that. But I had
sensed a long time ago that there was something a little strange with Haruno
Sakura. I could tell immediately that she was adopted, but—"
"Adopted?!" Tsunade had not known this. "Ryuu!" she screamed at the
right wall. "Get me Haruno Sakura's birth certificate!"
A loud thud answered from the next room, followed by an alarmed "Yes,
ma'am!"
Notes:
"Bokken" - means 'wooden sword'. (A more archaic word for it is "bokutou".)
These are used for practice in kendo. If you've seen the wondrously-funny
Kuno Tatewaki in the "Ranma 1/2" series, that's what he uses all the time...
even whilst threatening others with death.
"Ryuu" - means 'dragon'. Awesome name, huh?
In Shinto, the rebuilding ceremony symbolizes death and rebirth. Did
I show Tsunade as too sacrilege? Don't worry, that was just a moment of
comic relief. Plus, she was a little hung over.
I'm sorry for those people who wanted Sakura's memory to be erased.
But I decided that it would have made things too easy for her. Sakura has
to suffer, for she is the heroine of this story! (And besides, the plot-twister
of amnesia has been a tad over-used in fanfiction anyway.)
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please tell me! If
I suck, by all means tell me. In an intelligent manner.
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