“He has the most dazzling eyes like chocolate crystallized earth in a sea of tranquil raindrops,” said Keira from next to me. I rolled my eyes. So in other words brown.
“Why are you even still here? You delivered that scroll an hour ago?” I asked, and she grinned her rain village headband glinting a little. It was my mission to escort her around the village in case she decided to stay for the night from her mission of delivering some scroll from the rain village. Sasuke had been in the hospital for two days now, not showing any signs of waking up or so I heard from Sakura. I'll visit him in a week... Maybe.
“I wanna stay in a nice hotel, so I don't have to head back so suddenly,” she answered. I honestly didn't think I'd see her again after the Chuunin Examinations.
“What kind of hotel? I need more information than just, nice,” I said, giving her a smile so she won't complain that I was impolite.
“Um, how about one with cute boys,” she finally said. Oh yeah, cause cute boys just love to hang out in hotels all the time... “I like boys with beautiful waves and crooked bangs.” So in other words, guys with curly hair. Geez why can you just say that...
“Anything else but the guys?” I asked, walking past a few buildings, people we passed seemed to smile and wave nicely. If I was here on my own I would have happily bought stuff or food from the stalls. Sadly I can't do that now.
“How about one with a hot spring?” She asked and I made a left turn her following obediently. Finally a request that was normal. “One with guys in it though.” Never-mind.
“Konoha doesn't have coed hot springs,” I said simply. You won't ever be able to men and woman bathing in the same spring... That's disgusting. What if a girl catches cooties. Ew. “Anything else?”
“Um, food, food would be good. One with no fatty food just vegetables, wait, these hotels do have room-service right?” She asked, I continued to keep the smile on my face despite how annoyed I was.
“Yes,” I stopped at a bright looking building that said “Kosuraka Resort Inn” in big bold letters. She stared up at it innocently. “So far this has all your requests for a hotel. Except the coed hot springs....”
“It has boys?” I nodded. “With beautiful waves and crooked bangs?” I sweat-dropped, but nodded again. “Hot springs.” Nod. “No fatty food?” Nod. “Cute rooms shaped with decorative beds.” Shut up already. I gave a nod. “Cute Konoichi robes.” I don't even know what that is... But still I nodded. “Does the sun go into the windows from the East?”
“You never said anything about that,” I murmured.
“It's a given,” she retorted.
I sighed, “Let's find a different hotel.”
¥❁¥
Stupid Rain Ninja and her stupid mouth. Stupid picky woman... I so agree with Shikamaru that women are troublesome.
“Oh, Sana-chan, I expected you to get back four hours ago, what happened?” Iruka-sensei asked as I gave him the mission report. I was tempted to throw it at the man but decided against it.
“She took a while finding her dream Konoha inn,” I answered simply as he looked over the mission report. He nodded and looked back up at me.
“Yeah... Sorry about that,” he murmured, I shrugged.
“That's okay,” I said, standing up straight.
“Okay, you're excused,” as soon as he spoke I turned on one foot and walked out. I could finally go home. I can't believe I did that until night time. That is so messed up.
I looked at the moon as I walked not wishing to look at anything else. I really needed to get home, it was getting late and I don't do the dark... Stupid day light savings time and getting dark at five...
As soon as I got home I got a document shoved into my hands, I like to call it a book though. This one I could see was about some of the strongest ninja clans. I sighed and drank a bit of my water, my eyes scanning over the words rather quickly slightly drooping. My father always had me read this kind of stuff, documents about other clans, villages, Kekkei Genkai's, animals; so getting bored while reading was a given.
¥❁¥
The walls around me weren't familiar, in fact, I don't think they were even real. They seemed to almost shimmer with a weird color I couldn't describe. I turned my head to examine them, my hand reaching out to touch. The wall was soft, a feeling I couldn't describe, like silk, but softer, like glass maybe. Just by looking at it I could conclude that this was a dream. It seemed to peaceful to be real.
Of course usually I couldn't tell whether or not it was a dream so that made this whole situation strange. I turned my head again, looking ahead of me, examining the room in which I stood in. It was actually quite pretty, the floor made from the same material as the walls. If I had to put a word to it I'd say it was ice. This whole place was constructed in pure ice. How eerie.
My eyes trailed upward to find a throne, a single person sitting down made me roll my eyes. Of all the things that I could dream up this was just … weird.
“What so you're a king in my mind?” I asked, and Sasuke stared at me boredly his head propped onto his wrist. His face looked older slightly, not the same Sasuke from before. What he was wearing was different too, a king's outfit of some sort. That's just strange.
“Perhaps,” he answered, not moving in the slightest. I took a step closer, not knowing what else too do. A small smile came up to my face. “Or perhaps I am real and you're not dreaming.” As he said this I tried to remember why I knew this wasn't real. I couldn't think of anything, everything I once remembered was hazy in my mind. I couldn't remember my friends, or anything that Sasuke used to look like. All I could tell was that this was a dream and Sasuke didn't normally dress like this. I think it was a dream... I don't even know anymore.
“No,” I said uncertainly, but still trying to act certain, which was hard considering I was starting to consider this wasn't a dream. “You're just a figment of my imagination. The real Sasuke wouldn't allow me this close to him,” to prove my point I sat on his lap despite my increasing fear I could be wrong and could be embarrassing myself. “See, you're not real.”
He turned his head slightly to me as I quickly attempted to get off his lap in fear of cooties of some sort. A small action with his lips, showing them turn upward only slightly, but other than that he made no such move to stop me.
“Perhaps that's just what I want you to think. Maybe I'm just fucking with you,” he said simply, I shook my head disapprovingly.
“Don't say bad words in my dream,” I scratched my head trying to remember the details of why he couldn't be real. A dream can mess up the mind I guess. Sasuke's hand reached out touching my hair, it was only a small act but I still looked at him confused. “So if this is a dream does that make me a pervert who would dream about boys?” He looked at me for a mere second, as if what I had said was weird.... Maybe it was. “If this is a dream, I control it right, so if I imagined you in woman's clothing, would you be in woman's clothing?” I closed my eyes and opened them again, Sasuke merely stared at me amused as if he were actually thinking it over.
“It takes a lot of self control to be the master of things you dream about,” he said simply, it made me slightly frown before huffing.
“Why did I dream about you, I don't think I was thinking about you when I went to bed,” I mused lowly to myself. “That doesn't sound like me.”
“Would you like me to explain the process of dreams to you?” He asked monotonously. It made me frown. It sounded like he was mocking me... Sasuke does mock me a lot... I think. I can't remember...
I looked around a second, contemplating what was going on. Everything was so fuzzy in my mind, I could barely register who he was let alone where I was. I took a few more steps closer to the boy, bending down, examining his face. Everything in my head started to get more cloudy, maybe I was starting to wake up.
“It's been... fun, but I'm going to wake up now...” I paused. “Will I dream of you again?”
“Yes,” he sounded so sure.
“How do you know?”
“Because I've intrigued you.”
I cocked my head to the side, perfectly capable of denying what he said, but as soon as I opened my mouth to retort I felt my mind go completely blank. I couldn't even remember my name or his.
¥❁¥
I held my temples picking up the glass of tea by my bed. A small little pill right next to it. I slipped it in my mouth without questioning what it was. The maid waited patiently for me to finish my morning tea, something I had grown used to. Her hands were behind her back and her eyes were closed. As soon as I set the glass down she was at my side, moving the tray away from my bed before she carefully took my blanket off of me.
I didn't say anything as she dressed me. I was a doll in this house, to be dressed, fed, and bathed. I never actually have done any of those things myself and had no interest to. I felt her brush my hair as I stood stoney and unmoving, flinching only the slightest when she pulled my hair. I felt my arms be brought up, she dusted off any amount of lint from my skin, just being thrall.
It was then she started powdering my face as if I were a doll. In this household, I most likely was. The Itadori's personal doll.
“I am finished, Sana Itadori-sama,” she said, curtsying before leaving me in my lonesome. I sat down on my bed with a bored sigh, not knowing what else to do when I heard a small peck on my window, like a scraping sound drumming in my ears. I turned my head swiftly, my eyes connecting with that of a bird's, a hawk to be exact. I got up quickly, my bare feet sliding across the hard wood floor. With a small glance at the bird, I brought up my hand to open my window only to remember it was barred.
I tried to put my hand through the metal that separated me from the window. It wasn't set there to stop me from opening it, but to keep me from getting out. As soon as it opened the hawk pecked at my finger making me instinctively try to retract my hand, only to have it be caught on the bars. I huffed in annoyance taking my hand out from the metal for only a second to stare at the small amount of blood that seeped from a very small wound.
Giving the hawk a small heated glare I brought my hand down lower through the metal bars. He seemed to allow me to move it slowly towards him merely blinking at me with his wide and beady eyes. I brought my finger out towards him reaching for a small note that seemed to be tied to its leg.
The door immediately flew open, making the hawk fly swiftly away in fear as I rapidly hid my hand behind my back not needing father to ask any questions as he stared down at me. I put the note in my back pocket, recomposing my face to be more respectful towards the man that could end me. He didn't seem to actually be looking at me, of course that's how it usually was, he was looking through me, trying to find any sort of weakness in composure that he could point out.
“You have smaller breaths when you're surprised or scared, work on that,” he said simply. He always found one. Other than that he didn't question it as he waved his hand signaling me to follow him out the door as he turned his step to walk. “Come, it is time.” He wore a beautifully designed kimono so I could instantly tell he wouldn't be the one training me today.
My feet immediately started to walk, following him before he could yell at me. My head was bowed down, while his was raised high. That was how it was for someone of the Itadori household who wasn't the head.
We walked in silence part all the walls that held our clan symbol, Kawari Itadori, which represents a Japanese pampas grass. A pampas grass is known as the flower with white color. The symbols were everywhere hidden within the walls, painted into beautiful designs covering the entire inside of the Itadori complex.
The hallways twisted and turned like labyrinth moving in small jagged circles before we came to hard marble stairs leading down. As soon as we entered the torches that lead down the stairs started to light one by one. We walked further in until the stairs stopped and we came upon a dead end, a giant wall that stopped all life. Father pressed his hand up against the wooden wall and it went down sinking into the rock. Father was one of the only ones I knew that had wood type Chakra.
We walked into the now unsealed pathway, it started to close from behind me, like a bunch of little walls going up with a small bang against the ceiling. Father suddenly stopped and turned to me with a cold look. He always did look like royalty, but now the superiority in his look made me pause. Freezing my body my eyes widened as he attacked, his hand gripping my throat and lifting me into the air. I didn't even have time to gasp as he threw me into the opposite wall.
“Rule number fifty-two, always expect a surprise attack no matter the circumstances,” he said, taking a few steps closer, I could hear his steps echo on the hard wood floors. The worse possible place for me to be right now was on wood.
I should have known that it wouldn't matter what kind of close he wore he might still fight in them. I used the wall to help myself up, my eyes going back onto him, the dent in the wooden wall quickly healed itself up. I coughed grabbing onto my throat that seemed to be already sore. Father never takes it easy on me.
“Don't expect any warnings or waiting for an attack, your enemy won't so I won't either,” he said, punching my stomach making me cough again. “Attack back with full force or defend with full force. You can't defend and attack at the same time right now, you have to choose.” A small smirk came to his lips as he punched me again, and then kicked me to the side. “You have to know how to fight if your Chakra is useless.”
I wrapped an arm securely around my stomach trying to steady my breaths before jumping back, dodging his fist that came from above, where it slammed destroyed the ground beneath us, crumbling it to pieces. I difficultly brought Chakra down to my feet and jumped onto the wall running up. Father's eyes scanned my every move before he closed them. As soon as he did the wooden ceiling made a prison locking my feet in one place as a wooden spike raised from the ground heading my way.
I brought my body backwards, bringing Chakra to my hands to hold me in place. The wooden spike landed in the middle of my locked feet just as I felt my Chakra around my feet and hands start to dissipate, proving I couldn't stay there very long. I fell to the ground, landing in a crotched position on the ground. I looked over at the Katana that was tossed my way from father. I unsheathed it just as the giant spikes of wood came my way. I spun around cutting all seven of them feeling the handle of the katana dig into my hand.
The wood kept coming in an attempt to lock me in a wooden cage I couldn't escape from. Before I knew it I was surrounded my bars of wood, that trapped me into submission. I lowered the Katana as large spikes of wood began to come out from every centimeter of the wooden cage, like a porcupine.
Fathers footsteps came closer, I looked over at him with a sigh dropping the Katana onto the ground watching it sink into it like quicksand. A small flick of the finger caught my attention, the wooden cage began to sink into the ground next leaving me standing there in the middle of an empty room. Father shook his head in disappointment before moving past me, exiting the room. I immediately followed not knowing what else to do.
¥❁¥
I bit my bottom lip as I walked into the hospital. I held the flowers in my hand figuring it would be rude to visit if I didn't bring anything. Since there shouldn't be any real missions until Naruto gets back and Sasuke awakes I wore more casual clothes today, a different sight from my usual ninja clothes. I fingers played with the bottom of the pink sundress as my flat shoes hit the ground in light steps. I jumped as I felt an arm slip into mine. Sakura smiled at me, she too was wearing a small pink dress with markings of cherry blossoms and her clan symbol etched on her back.
“Are you here to visit Sasuke-kun too?” She asked, I looked at her through the corner of my eyes before shrugging.
“Actually, I was going to visit Lee-san, since I haven't done so,” I said, and she nodded approvingly. “I'm sure Sasuke-san's had enough visitors, but I'll drop off a few flowers into his room real quick,” I mused to myself, she nodded sadly as she thought about the bedridden Sasuke.
“He'll be fine ya know,” I murmured and Sakura's head snapped up to look at me. I bit my lip harder as she stared. “I mean, they will both be alright. Lady Tsunade is a master medic, the best you'll ever meet. She's not a Saunin for nothing. She'll help Lee-san and Sasuke-san. Just you wait.”
A small smile lifted up her lips and her arm squeezed around mine, I bit my lip harder not entirely liking physical contact with well anyone. She blushed a bit as we came upon Sasuke's door. I slightly rolled my eyes opening it, having to practically drag her in. She the proceeded to girlishly giggle as she rushed over to Sasuke's sleeping body, her old nervousness and scared fright, forgotten.
I blinked my eyes and walked over the giant banquet of flowers and get well cards. Rolling my eyes I put the small glass of the large Sunflower surrounded by pink Pampas Grass and Dandelions. I blinked my eyes and turned around to look at Sakura to see he stroking Sasuke's hair. I shrugged and exited the room quickly, giving her much deserved privacy.
I walked silently down the hallway, walking a few lefts and rights before I came upon the physical care center. As soon as I entered I saw Lee about to fall flat on his face. The glass of flowers crashed to the ground as I rushed to catch his fall, which I managed barely. He face fell straight onto my chest my hands holding him up by his shoulders, I quickly helped him to stand straight.
“It's six pm, you should be resting at this time,” I murmured looking down at my watch.
“Thank you, I am so sorry about the flowers,” he quickly apologized, trying to bow but as he did I had to catch him again.
“You should do this only when the nurses are around to help you if needed,” I muttered, and he looked away before walking towards the broken vase with water, flowers, and glass shard scattered against the tile floor.
“I have to work hard to get my body back to normal,” he said quietly, picking up the shards. I quickly rushed down next to him, grabbing his hand in mid air to stop him from picking the glass. “I'm really sorry, they are so pretty and this is my fault.”
“It's okay, really,” I said grabbing the flowers from the ground before he could. “I got it, you sit down and rest, okay.”
“Let me help, I'm not entirely useless,” he said, his wide and said eyes staring at me. I bit my lip and nodded allowing him to pick up the flowers as I picked up the glass. “You're Sakura's friend, right? Sana Itadori.”
“Yes, I figured I should visit you since you did save mine and Sakura's life before. It took me more than a month to thank you though,” I smiled sheepishly up at him, his eyes seemed dead as they stared back at me. My eyes looked down at his arm and leg sadly. “Lady Tsunade is a medical genius, just wait for her to arrive. Until she does relax in your bed until the real training begins to get your body the way it was again.”
Small tears slipped from his eyes, but he quickly rubbed his eyes trying to hide it. I patted his back awkwardly not knowing what else to do. We were both sitting on the ground as I watched him weep not knowing how to comfort someone who was crying except by hugging him lightly, barely getting over my fear of physical contact.
¥❁¥
Sakura looked down at Sasuke once again looking like she was going to cry. I blinked my eyes not knowing why she wanted me here with her if she wasn't even going to say anything. Can't she look at Sasuke-san lovingly sad on her own.
It has been about three weeks since Naruto went off with Jiraiya to find Tsunade, and since then I've had the same cycle of events. Small missions like finding a lost cat, cleaning houses, and picking up trash. It made me kinda miffed to know I got half than minimum wage for these, probably barely a dollar.
“May I come in?” Asked a voice that made me freeze in my skin. I gulped not finding and need to turn around.
“Who are you?” Sakura asked.
“Sakura-chan, he'll be alright now!!” Naruto exclaimed, I bit my lip so happy I wasn't facing the woman right now. “She's a great doctor!”
“Naruto...!” Sakura exclaimed getting up from her seat to greet the three new arrivals. Shizune, Naruto, and Lady Tsunade herself. “Please... Please help Sasuke-kun!” I looked at the flowers Sakura brought to distract me. The ones I had brought before were dying, while hers were fresh since she always would bring new ones everyday when she would visit.
“Alright! Leave it to me!” Tsunade smile cheerily, before she turned her hard gaze to me. “Sana-chan! Where's my greeting.” I quickly turned to her bowing in apology.
“Hello, Lady Tsunade, it's been awhile,” I said, and she pat my head with a grin that seemed twisted. This woman really frightened me.
She quickly put her hand on Sasuke's forehead, a green light eliminating in a puffy circle. Tears seeped out from Sakura's eyes. Tsunade looked at the girl with a smile. “He'll wake up soon,” she said, taking her hand away from Sasuke's forehead. Before ruffling my hair and exiting the room.
Sasuke raised himself up shakily, his eyes slightly lowered, dizzy and confused. Sakura quickly attacked him in a teary hug that made me smile slightly at Sasuke's confused look. Naruto paused for a second, “Sasuke you...” Naruto seemed to stop the insult from coming from his lips as his eyes softened and he smiled.
“Sooooo...” I murmured turning to look at the blonde haired boy. “Did Lady Tsunade scare you at all.” He turned to look at me with a small flinch.
“She beat me into the ground with just one finger,” he muttered looking down at the ground in the memory as a small smirk fell onto my lips.
“Oh the old, one finger trick,” I said simply as the room fell silent with only Sakura soft cries. I liked this silence of only reunion of a fallen team. I couldn't help but break it. “Shikamaru's a Chuunin now,” Naruto froze as soon as the words left my lips.
“What! Why does Shikamaru get to be a Chuunin and not me!?” Naruto yelled, I smirked slightly to myself. Cause he's smarter than a calculator and you're dumber than a goldfish with a brain tumor.
¥❁¥
I get it Naruto, you're amazingness has touched my heart.
“And and! I used my new ultimate move, the Rasengan, and it was awesome! All the bad guys went flying and I...” I toned off as Naruto told his story again. How many times have I heard it, fifteen, seventeen times.
“Naruto, don't talk with your mouth full,” I murmured, glad I was one seat down from him instead of next to him as he slurped his noodles too loud for my taste while I eat them like a normal human being and at a normal pace...
Freak.
“Oh, Jiraiya and I found this pretty hair clip you might like, here you go Sana-chan!” He happily handed me a flower hair clip that seemed to sparkle in the sun. It was a light pink and simply adorable. I smiled as I grabbed it.
But an awfully kind freak.
¥❁¥
“Knock knock,” I muttered, my fist pounding against the wooden door softly as soon as I entered a plate of cut apples knocked against the ground, Sakura was standing up in shock as the glass laid broken in shattered bits on the ground. Sasuke's hand was in a position that made it obvious he was the one who knocked the plate to the ground. I frowned wanting nothing more than to just close the door and leave, but I couldn't considering that would be stupid. Sasuke looked at me with wide eyes.
Those eyes completely narrowed hatefully as Naruto came into the room next. Naruto looked at Sasuke confused, not sure why he was getting scowled at. I quickly set the plateful of tomato rice-balls on the table, stepping over the glass. Sasuke's eyes didn't leave Naruto.
“What? Why are you staring at me like that,” Naruto asked confused.
“Hey, Naruto...” Sasuke voice trailed off slightly.
“Wha... What?” Naruto asked.
“Fight me...” Sasuke said simply before his voice slightly raised. “Now!”
“Huh?! What are you babbling about...” Naruto asked with closed eyes. “You're still recovering...”
“Sasuke-kun...” Sakura murmured.
“Shut up and fight me!” Sasuke's Sharingan activated as soon as he spoke, his angry gaze on Naruto shut up anything that was about to be said. “You thought you helped me? That foolish fifth Hokage or whoever... Butting into other people's business.”
Is he talking about Jiraiya?
“What?!” Naruto hissed, as Sasuke lifted himself up off the bed getting face to face with Naruto their eyes locked on a death hold.
“Guys, this isn't the place to fight, you should go somewhere more open,” I murmured, Sakura glared at me quickly.
“You're supposed to tell them not to fight,” she hissed, I simply shrugged.
“Do they look like they're going to listen anyways,” I asked monotonously.
“Well then, I was thinking about it too,” Naruto said with a heated glare.
And so the final peaceful quietness will now be broken by the two who always waited for the battle of rivalry.
It was long expected.