(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?
Potamos dumped three large scrolls in front of Sakura.
"The covers are labeled in the modern writing, but inside I can't read
a thing because its in ancient script," Potamos explained, bouncing on
the bed. "The librarian was really suspicious of me, since I don't check
out things like these. Usually I read about tactics."
Sakura traced her fingers over a roll. "Did you see the librarian perform
any spells on these scrolls, or switch them with anything else?" Sakura
asked. "Some scrolls have calling spells in them. I almost opened one,
and I would have failed an exam if someone didn't stop me..." The embarrassing
incident in the Forest of Death was vivid in her mind, even now.
Potamos took a scroll, and rolled it out on the bed.
A big 'thump' was heard. The water-demon turned around to see Sakura
with her back against the wall, looking very nervous.
"Don't worry, Sacchan! These don't have spells or curses set on them,"
Potamos cheerfully said. Sakura slid down the wall in relief. "The ninja
scrolls which are allowed out of the Mansion aren't dangerous. They don't
even have specific jutsu in them; the masters teach us the jutsu in secret.
The student-library just has background info. Only teachers and advanced
ninja are allowed to take jutsu-scrolls." The lavender-haired girl pointed
to the rolled-out scroll, which Sakura still had not touched. "But look
at this one; I got it from the history section. It has your hand-seals
in 'em!"
"So security is really tight in the Ninja Mansion," Sakura murmured.
"It's just like at home. You can only learn a specific jutsu from another
ninja who already knows the technique or, obtain a scroll and learn it
yourself. I still don't know how the Kage-Bunshin got to Naruto..."
"Fish cakes?" Potamos tipped her head to the side. "Carbohydrates? Food?"
"Naruto is the name of a close friend of mine," Sakura explained. The
kunoichi got up, and walked over to the bed. Her face loomed over the yellow
parchment. She breathed in its sweet, musty smell. 'Thank the gods that
I actually studied ancient script before I came here.'
Her green eyes scanned the text and complex diagrams. Sakura could not
decipher some of the kanji; they were so old and outdated. But she was
familiar with the grammar, and perhaps she could find a dictionary later
to increase her word-power.
"You know, I've never seen anything like this," the pink-haired scholar
commented as she rolled another scroll out. "This gives so much about the
In more than I ever learned in the Academy. A full chapter to each hand-seal.
And then the thirteenth chapter explains the system of chakra flow and
how they relate to the elements..."
"Kinda like that," Potamos chirped. Something clicked in her brain.
"Why does saying that sound so déjà vu? Oh, well, it's fun..."
Sakura ignored Potamos' self-talk, and darted her eyes through the scroll.
The kunoichi seemed deep in thought.
Sakura shot her head back to the water-demon. "Potamos!" she barked.
Potamos jumped. "Yes?" She was a little worried that she did something
wrong. Did she pick the wrong scroll?
"This is just... AMAZING!" Sakura's face was bright. "Even if there's
no new jutsu while I'm here, reading this stuff will make me learn them
faster later. Well, only maybe it might turn out to be completely useless
but still, I have something new to figure out."
"So... you're happy that you have something that could turn out a waste
of time?" Potamos fluffed up her wavy, purple bob. Sakura was weird, even
for a human.
"The material looks accurate," Sakura noted. "Everything I learned at
home matches with what this scroll says. This just has more detail, by
far."
"Where's your home?" Potamos asked. Her yellow cat-eyes looked down.
"Are you going back soon?"
Sakura twiddled a strand of pink hair between her fingers. She was still
wary of telling Potamos too much information about herself. "Well, I really
don't know when I'll leave."
Potamos frowned. "Oh, c'mon, Sacchan! Tell me tell me tell me tell me
tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me"
"Potamos..."
"Can't you at least train me until I become a full-fledged ninja?" Potamos
whined. She was obviously worried. 'What if Sacchan doesn't train me enough?'
"Potamos, I DON'T BELONG here," Sakura firmly said. She sighed at Potamos'
downcast face. 'At least... I don't think I belong here...' the kunoichi
mentally added.
Sakura rolled the scrolls back up. "Look, Potamos, you're a friend of
mine. I WILL tutor you. But I won't necessarily be there throughout your
entire training. I have friends and family someplace else, just like you."
"I... think I understand," Potamos answered. Her face brightened back
up. "I have a special person that I wanna see, too."
Sakura rolled on her bed. Tomorrow was the final match of the junior
tournament. She was looking forward to watch Amano Takuji fight.
She set her clock to ring at six. The stands were destined to be crowded,
and she wanted a good seat.
She would have preferred to stay at home and watch the tournament on
television. Watching the live broadcast gave convenient things that a stadium
seat did not offer such as camera close-ups, replays, comfortable seating,
and an air-conditioned room. Yet Sakura felt obliged to go and cheer for
Takuji. After all, he was such a gentleman the other day. And some part
of her felt a little pity for him: she had no idea what pushed him into
getting his ki attack, but it could have generated from a sad past.
A sad past... Just like many in Konoha.
As Sakura thought about it, she realized of how lucky she had been in
Konoha. Naruto and Sasuke were both orphans. Sakura, too, would have been
one or even dead were it not for her adopted parents. Kakashi, Tsunade,
and many others lost friends and family from war, just because they took
up the life of a ninja.
Sakura was beginning to wonder whether she should continue as a shinobi,
once she got back to Konoha. She would be home, true. But otherwise, what
use would she have there? Would she be a genin all her life? She possessed
very few skills that she was truly good at. Well, perhaps her genjutsu
and medicinal knowledge were Chuunin level. But before Sakura dropped into
this new dimension, she had hardly any experience in real combat.
She did well in this dimension's tournament, but it was only junior-level.
Most of her opponents did not use the strategy needed for even B-ranked
ninja missions. Cardella had a good spell, but she had no second plan for
backup. Jura was... a bull in a china shop. Potamos was somewhat there
with ninja tactics, but she had a long way to go. Takuji had the best fighting
skills by far, but he got through because Sakura had not foreseen his Shi
Shi Houkoudan.
If any of them fought like that in the Chuunin finals, they all would
have failed, regardless of whether they won or lost the match. Sakura highly
doubted whether beating them would be proof that she was qualified as a
real shinobi.
'I've been raised in comfort my entire life. Nobody at home expected
me to be anything great. It's true that Tsunade-sama picked me up, but
I am just one of her many medical apprentices. She probably tutoring Hinata
right now; Hinata's healing creams are the best...'
Hinata. It was through Naruto that Sakura first learned of Hinata's
medical abilities. Sakura, pondering further, recalled how Hinata acted
very peculiar when the energetic boy was around.
In fact, it was very rare for Sakura to see the shy girl at all, unless
Naruto was in the same setting. It was as if...
Sakura's jaw dropped. "Oh. My. God. Hinata likes Naruto."
Sakura had to say it out-loud, even if it was midnight, and in someone
else's house. Everything fit PERFECTLY. The numbers added up to only one
answer. The scientific proof was consistent!
'Those glances Hinata gave Naruto, all of the medicines, how she seemed
to brighten up whenever he was around... HINATA LIKES NARUTO.' The phrase
repeated in Sakura's mind for a while. And then the next observation was
directed toward herself: 'Why didn't I realize this SOONER? I am so STUPID!'
Naruto had an admirer. And she was a pretty good catch herself. The
heiress of the Hyuuga clan!
A part of Sakura's heart made a twinge with this realization.
When Sasuke abandoned Konoha, Sakura slowly took a more realistic approach
to love and marriage. It was rather ironic: Uchiha Sasuke, who had a block
of ice for a heart, taught her something important in the way of love.
The young kunoichi subconsciously came to believe that once she was of
proper age, she could wed Naruto or Lee. The marriage might not be a bed
of roses but what marriage truly was? Naruto and Lee were both eligible
to be a good husband, and a good father. Each liked Sakura enough to put
up with her for the rest of his life, to father her children, and most
of all: to create and share memories with her.
Indeed, Sakura started to feel a little threatened by Hinata. After
all, the blue-haired girl was sweet, pretty, and from the main branch of
the great Hyuuga clan. She was a little quiet and gloomy. But her personality
also had its strong side, as she showed in her fight against her genius
cousin Neji.
If Naruto ever did become Hokage and Sakura was sure that he most
probably would all the girls in Konoha would clamor for his hand in marriage.
And now that Sakura was gone from the Shinobi world, Hinata had Naruto
all to herself...
Sakura brushed it out of her mind, realizing that jealousy was taking
over her. 'Stop being so selfish! Naruto deserves her... more than he deserves
me...'
Sakura hugged her pillow.
'That's enough thinking for tonight. If I do it any longer, I'll never
fall sleep.'
It was seven-thirty in the morning. Minoru sat at a park bench. Potamos
was playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. Neither felt like speaking to each
other.
Sakura came up, panting.
"You are late, Sakura-san," Minoru casually observed. The water-demon's
cheeks puffed out in frustration.
"I'm sorry!" Sakura apologized. "Kakashi's habits rubbed off on me..."
"Scarecrows?" Potamos asked. "I like life-size dolls, too!"
"Never mind," Sakura said. She refused to ponder what the water-demon
meant in some of her offhand comments. "Let's get to the stadium!"
Sakura slumped in her seat.
"Already half-full when we got here..." Sakura sighed in disappointment.
"My fault. Takuji-kun probably won't be able to see me from this angle."
"Don't say that, Sakura-san," Minoru said. "From here, he'll notice
you because of your pink hair and Chinese-style dress."
"Other people have pink hair, too, you know," Sakura said with a tiny
grumble. She looked down to where Momoko was sitting.
"Die, Amano Takuji!" Potamos burst out. "How DARE you beat Sacchan with
your cheap human aura!"
The people around them looked at Potamos as if she had recently escaped
the asylum.
A vein popped out of Sakura's forehead. "Potamos, we're here to cheer
Takuji ON. Not discourage him."
"Oh." The purple-haired girl sat back down.
The tournament music started, and the announcer's voice rang throughout
the stadium. "Ladies and Gentlemen: welcome, to the final round of the
Junior Tournament!"
Takuji and his opponent walked to the center of the arena. The audience
clapped and cheered. Takuji looked up, and saw Sakura waving at him. The
half-angel waved back. He was dressed in the same karate uniform, although
the blood had been washed out and the various holes sewn back together.
His plain attire was a stark contrast to that of his opponent.
On the other side stood a brown-eyed, brown-haired youth. A copper-like
shirt without sleeves covered his upper half, and he wore black pants.
His footwear consisted of leather boots that seemed to have dead vines
twisted around them. Silver jewelry with tiger-eyes encircled his limbs
in various places.
"Our two finalists have arrived!" the speakers boomed out. "Amano Takuji
versus Angel Linton!"
The fighters took their stance.
"Ready...GO!" The whistle blew.
Takuji charged at Linton. In response, a staff warped between in Linton's
hands.
'Big deal,' Sakura thought. 'Takuji can dodge almost any weapon.'
Linton raised the staff, and swung it to the ground. "Catacomb fissure!"
he yelled.
A huge chasm broke into the earth.
Sakura's jaw dropped. "What the hell...?"
"Linton is an earth-angel," Potamos explained. "Strong, and very handsome,
too!"
"I hate him," Sakura resolved.
Takuji kept his cool as he dodged the fissure coming at him. He jumped
to the side, avoiding the crack, and closed in on the earth-angel. He performed
a spinning kick, which was blocked by the staff.
"Amano!" Linton snarled. "Get your angelic powers kicking if you're
really Angel Daisy's son!"
"Mind your own business," Takuji growled. He landed a punch on the earth-angel's
face, and then kicked him in the stomach. Linton flew across the field.
"Yes!" Sakura yelled.
"That's a little too early to say that," Minoru quietly said. Sakura
gave the elf a puzzled look, and he pointed at Linton. As her eyes fell
upon the earth-angel, she saw a circle of sparkles around his form.
Linton got up from the dusty ground. The bits of light around him turned
out to be jewels. A large number of them burst out of the earth.
"He can pull crystals out of the ground?" Sakura asked weakly.
"No just any crystals," Potamos said in glee. "Diamonds. They're really
hard and sharp!"
'What a waste, SHAAANNAROOOO!'
"Diamond Missile!" The earth-angel gave his command to the projectiles.
They flew at Takuji.
The boy screamed as the sharp crystals danced around him, slashing his
gi. A few jewels imbedded themselves in various places. Blood started to
appear on the clothing.
"Come on, Amano-kun!" Sakura hissed under her breath.
Despite being wounded, Takuji gave another go, preparing to land some
more hits. Linton's staff spun, and aimed for Takuji's stomach.
Takuji's hands caught its end. He raised Linton into the air, using
both a twist in the staff and a rising side-kick. Linton was forced to
let go of his weapon, and Takuji performed a series of kicks and punches.
Linton gritted his teeth as he guarded himself against the assault.
'Damn, he really is getting better,' he thought.
Takuji finished with a throw. Linton yelled in pain as he slammed on
the ground.
Now was the time to end the match: Takuji crossed his fisted arms around
his chest. He started to radiate green.
Sakura's fists clenched in excitement. This was it. 'GET 'EM, AMANO!'
A ball of green energy grew between Takuji's palms. "Shi Shi Hou"
"Level Three, Ground Slam!" Linton shouted.
A large chunk of earth burst out in front of the glowing Takuji, and
flew right into his stomach. A look of surprise passed through the youth's
face. Blood spurted out of his mouth as he took the hit.
Linton's projectile crumbled apart within seconds of impact, but Takuji
kept moving. His body painfully scraped against the diamond-studded ground.
Takuji's body halted to a stop.
Sakura could not believe it. She was shaking inside. This was the power
of an earth-angel?
"You lose, Amano," Linton scoffed.
"Amano-kun!" Sakura screamed.
Takuji slowly got up. He clutched his stomach, panting heavily. He faced
his opponent.
"Hmpf." Linton picked up his staff, and leaned on it. "Amano, show some
common sense."
Takuji spat out red. "Like YOU would know any meaning of it."
Linton scowled. "You're hopeless."
Takuji glared in return, the brown eyes flashing angrily over the rim
of his glasses. He noticed, aside from the pain, that his eyelids started
to feel heavy. 'No, I can't give in now!' he screamed inside.
The raven-haired boy fell into a heap on the ground. The whistle blew.
"Winner: Angel Linton!"
The medics shot towards Takuji, and lifted him onto a carrier.
Sakura got up from her seat.
"Sacchan, where are you going?" Potamos asked.
"I'm going to the hospital ward," Sakura answered. "Minoru-san, which
way is it?"
Minoru pulled Sakura down. "Sakura-san, I understand your concern for
Amano-kun. But right now, the awards ceremony is taking place, and everybody
in the stands must watch. Your early departure would give people ideas
about your manners, whether or not you are aware of it."
"I don't care!" Sakura exclaimed. "Amano-kun could be dying right now,
Minoru-san! What Linton did was... argh!" She was starting to become very
irritated with the applause ringing around her.
"Put your confidence in the medics," the blond elf soothed. He gently
put his hand on top of Sakura's. "Amano-kun will be fine, Sakura-san."
Notes:
"Naruto" - fish cakes, of a much higher quality and density than your
average fish stick (which is 'surumi' in Japanese). They're sliced and
eaten with other dishes, especially ramen.
"Kakashi" - means 'scarecrow', which is very ironic, considering that
Kakashi is supposed to be very hot underneath that mask. (If you've ever
seen that Naruto omake, you would know what I mean.)
"Kinda like that" - in the Wedding Peach series, Potamos has a little
quirk of saying this at the end of every sentence.
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please tell me! If
I suck, by all means tell me. In an intelligent manner.
Book
collections on CD and DVD. A library for the price of a book.