Of Ghosts and Cherry Blossoms | A Sakura Haruno AU

Chapter 20

SAKURA ADJUSTED HER ARM, feeling the pain starting to leave.

It's okay.. the pains starting to go away..

I keep the end of my deals. The Kyuubi's gruff voice replied.

...Thank you.

The Kyuubi didn't reply, and Sakura looked over to Naruto and Yamato.

Are Naruto and the captain still at it? Oh yeah.

She looked over at her pouch. Come to think of it, the thing I picked up earlier.

Sakura picked up the picture book from her pouch. Here it is.

Nosy aren't you?

Shut up, you giant fur ball. Inner spat, crossing her arms in annoyance.

Her eyes caught the picture on the back, seeing a black haired boy instead of the blue haired one. It looked like Sai.

Her thumb brushed over the pages before she opened it.

She flickered through the book silently.

"What's the deal.. with this book?" She said quietly to herself, halfway through.

"Both of you, come here a minute!" Sakura called out to Yamato and Naruto. "Hurry!" She waved them over, before looking down at the book again.

"Is something wrong, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Look at this." Sakura replied, gesturing to the book, which was closed showing the back. "That's the picture book we picked up that Sai drew, huh? What's in it?" Yamato asked, crouching down next to her. "If we figure that out, we might be able to find out a little about Sai..." Yamato trailed off as Naruto peered over Sakura's other shoulder.

"Right. That's what I was thinking, so I tried reading it, but..." Sakura murmured.

Naruto turned his head. "What kind of story is it?" Naruto asked. Sakura just shook her head. "Actually.. I don't really know.. " Sakura murmured.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean?"

Sakura opened the book, showing a small picture scene. "There are no words or dialogue at all."

"You're right." Naruto murmured.

Sakura flipped the book over, showing the two boys side by side.

"It's kind of.. looks like a story about the two boys on the front and back cover.. And.. it's got the story of the two boys." Sakura closed it, flipping it upright before opening it again. "starting from both title pages of the book.. and progressing to the middle.." Sakura explained.

She flipped the pages to the right, from the beginning. "When you look at the book starting with this boy with the black hair, the next page.. a,ways has the same boy on the right page." Sakura pointed at the right page.

She flipped the page again. "And there's a different person drawn on each left page. See."

"Huh?!" Naruto said. "This is.. go back!" Naruto ordered. Sakura flipped between the two pages, seeing a few differences.

"I knew it. This kid.. looks a little different when you go to the next page." Naruto said, making Sakura flip the pages slowly to see each difference.

"You're right." Sakura murmured, slightly surprised by Naruto's call.

"And look. He has the same weapon as the guy drawn on the previous page.." Naruto explained.

Yamato sighed. "Hmm, it looks like a story where the boy defeats enemies..."