Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Crash World ❯ Proceedings of Inquiry ( Chapter 2 )

Note: Okay, I should be accurate on ages. When Sakura and the others graduated Academy, they were 12, and Kakashi was 27, Kamizuki Izumo 24. So, don't go throwing up a fuss. I don't care. Which makes Sakura now 16, Kakashi 31, and Izumo 28.

Chapter 2- Proceedings of Inquiry

Sakura had tried to understand. She'd tried to reason with them. She hadn't understood why they were doing this to her. Betrothal? She'd known it was quite commonplace, but had never expected to find herself in that situation.

“We've narrowed it down to two candidates. Kamizuki Izumo, or Hatake Kakashi. The choice is yours.”

But the choice wasn't hers! She didn't want an arranged marriage! How could her family do this to her? They knew perfectly well she still loved Sasuke-kun very much.

“That's what we're afraid of, Sakura. That boy betrayed Konoha once; he very well may do it again, and we don't want you to be hurt again or corrupted if he does.”

She was a proud kunoichi of Konohagakure! She was the apprentice of the Godaime! She had become Chuunin, and was preparing for the Jounin exams! Wasn't she good enough for them? Wasn't she satisfactory?

“We've had to face the facts that you are weaker than the other kunoichi your age, Sakura. We've also had to notice that you're irresponsible in missions; too many times have you unnecessarily put your life on the line.”

Her dreams were chipped away piece by piece as she tried to understand her parents' reasoning. By the time her father had shouted to argue no more, and that the conversation was over, the pink-haired girl could no longer stand. She was weakened, lacking will to move, all energy so far gone she hadn't even the ability to cry. But as she was lifted by strong, somehow vaguely familiar, arms, all she could do was hold on for dear life to that presence, though her grip was pitifully weak, and stare into empty space, a horrified brokenness resting painfully on her features. That presence, she didn't want it to go, but it laid her on her bed, removed the outer layer of her kimono top and her sandals, tucking her in gently. She vaguely heard a familiar jutsu cast over her, but before she could even register the gentle hand that tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear, she was oblivious to the world and all her problems.

 

Sakura woke up to an excited twittering of birds and warm sunlight flowing through an open window. A movement registered to her right, and she shot up in bed, and watched as her mother set out a nicer set of clothes for her than she was in the habit of wearing. Were they going somewhere? What had happened? The woman looked over at her, a frighteningly blank look on her face.

“You are to meet Izumo-san this morning. Remember, we told you, only two weeks to choose between them, Sakura,” she stated flatly, walking out of the room without a sound. The air that had felt so light and wonderful now felt oppressively hot and heavy, and her limbs felt like dead weights on her body as she moved to take a shower and dress herself. Her mind was numb; the perfunctory motions were performed with no supervision from a conscious self. It was as though the day before was repeated; her hands subconsciously tied her hair back, again, in that same cute, short little ponytail, re-tying the white bow around it as though in a show of sweet and childish innocence. “Sakura! Hurry up! You have to meet Izumo-san at the Korean Barbeque place in fifteen minutes! You'll be late if you don't get a move-on!”

Unseeing eyes glanced at the clock, mind refusing to register that it was nearly noon. She did not respond to her mother's coercive tone, but simply walked out the door, habit being the only thing that did not let her forget her purse and weapons. She walked slowly and heavily, and a greeting from her old friend Ino fell on deaf ears. The blonde watched her pass by, the kunoichi's shoulders straight and everything looking perfectly normal, save the estranged, lost look in her beryl eyes. The mind-walker called again and asked if she was alright, but again, the kunoichi did not realize she was present, and continued walking to her destination, a place she had been often with Ino and the rest of Team 10 in the past few years since Sasuke and Naruto's departures. The bell rang rather loudly as she entered, and that, coupled with the bright greeting given her by her… date… finally pulled her out of her stupor. She greeted him quietly, taking a seat in the secluded back booth he'd reserved for them.

“I haven't kept you waiting long, have I?” she queried politely. He shook his head, the cascade of chocolate brown hair that hid his right eye shuffling softly against his skin, his smile friendly and open.

“Not at all, Sakura-san. I only just got here a moment ago myself. What would you like to drink?” he asked politely, noticing the still slightly-distracted look that plagued the corners of her eyes. She looked out the windows pointlessly, her eyes merely wandering, unthoughtful.

“Water, if you please.”

That, though, had taken a little conscious effort. This place carried some of Konoha's finer sake, and she was forever and a day being sent here to order it for her teacher; she'd nearly done the same thing again, but had managed to refrain. She almost laughed a little at herself for the mistake she'd threatened to make. The waiter brought them their drinks, the mugs frosty from the freezer they were kept in. She took a sip, the last of the fog clearing from her mind as the biting cold liquid eased down her throat.

“Sakura-san, I'm sorry for the shock this… must have given you,” her comrade said gently, his brown eyes softening sympathetically. She smiled sadly.

“Yes… it was a shock…” she murmured, fingering the cup again, watching the paths her warm fingers left in the thin ice that coated the glass's outer layer. She shook her head, deeming to try and make it through this, however… shocking and… earth-shattering… it was. “But it's alright; I'm okay. I'm sure that… I'll… be alright.”

She had tried to sound determined to make the best of her situation, but… she had still ended up trailing off in the end, upset at the outcome her future would face. The elder nin smiled at her sympathetically again.

“Izumo-san… do you know… why my parents chose you and Kakashi-sensei? I'm surprised that they didn't pick a shinobi… closer to my own age. Kakashi-sensei is fifteen years older than I am, for heaven's sake!” she ended, obvious confusion in her voice, though it was a relief for the man that it had gotten stronger at all. For a few minutes there, he'd felt as if he was walking on eggshells. A familiar exercise, and not an easy one. He sighed, cocking his head to the side pleasurably, laughter shining in his eyes just a bit.

“I'm not completely sure, either, Sakura-san. I think your parents wanted an older man who could protect you, and who could keep you better; financially established, perhaps of well-repute, I don't know. I'm closer to your age than Hatake-kun, but even I'm twelve years your senior, so like you, I don't comprehend their choices.” He smiled at her pityingly; her eye twitched, and this was her favorite expression, he had learned from studying her on missions, that heralded her banging her ample forehead against the nearest solid object, putting a dent in whatever it was in the process. At this point, her most likely victim was the table which was, thankfully, covered nearly-completely with the sizzling grill that was currently cooking their lunch. His hope was that the hot thing would act as a deterrent. And thankfully, he was right. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile as he restrained a chuckle at her frustrated look. “But I hope that, whichever of us you choose, if either, that you will do what makes you happy.”

She shot him a grateful look, and together, they ate lunch and learned of each other, spending the rest of the day together and keeping her mind away from the strange behavior of her family.

 

As Sakura wandered in that night, a slightly happier expression on her face, she stopped at the kitchen, and looked at a note on the refrigerator.

Sakura,

You've obviously gotten in very late. I hope you'll be home at a more decent hour next time. Your father and I have been called away on a sudden one-week mission; we will definitely be back in time to hear your decision, so don't avoid Izumo-kun and Kakashi-kun. Do your work, and think over whom you will chose. If you don't choose one, we will choose for you.

Take care of things,

Mom

Of course, the note dampened her mood, and all she could do was fall into bed in a new bout of depression. But upon her pillow was yet another, though more hastily written, note.

PS: You have a date set with Kakashi-kun to meet at your old training grounds tomorrow at noon. Don't you dare be late!

~Dad

She stared at this one blankly, another eyebrow suddenly quirking at it. Amusement? Curiosity? Annoyance? Somewhere in between these emotions was what she felt at her father's harried, almost illegible, handwriting. But still not feeling quite as good as she had when she got home, she tossed the note to the side, burying her head in her pillow and moaning before allowing herself fall into a deep sleep.

 

Beryl eyes shot open, nearly instantly blinded by bright sunlight. Why oh why hadn't she thought to set her alarm? It was nearly 11 o' clock, and if she didn't hurry, she'd be late! She didn't care if Kakashi was always two hours behind schedule, she, Haruno Sakura, was never late. Needless to say, her clothes were off before she hit the floor, and the hot-water heater barely had any work to do after her shower, she was in and out so fast. Her clothes, a pink Chinese top and pair of white cargos, was too girly for her taste, so she opted for the top's near-twin, a dark-green version. She didn't even realize how much green was in her closet anymore; she didn't care; it was the perfect shinobi color. Her black sandals were the only ones handy- had her mother hidden her blue ones again?- and she hopped down the hall on one foot at a time, pulling them on.

Within fifteen minutes from the time she woke up, Sakura was out the door, hairbrush in one hand, hitai-ate in the other. The words “I'm late” had become like a mantra; why on earth did she have to live on the exact opposite side of town from her training grounds? And why did Konoha have to be so friggin' BIG? The chakra generated to her feet in frustration left a hole in the roof of the building she shot off of. At long last, though, she arrived- with barely a minute to spare. Needless to say, she nearly fainted from relief.

“Now-”

“Sakura? I'm surprised you made it after how late you were out last night.”

The kunoichi nearly jumped clear out of her skin; Kakashi was… on time? She turned around and stared at him blankly. Would wonders never cease…

Wait a minute, how did he know she was out late? After the initial shock of him not being late for once, it left her to wonder. And why was he here at the right moment? She could tell he was smiling at her behind that mask.

“I'm not late, am I?” She stood up dazedly and moved to examine him. No fever, obviously not a genjutsu or ninjutsu… what on earth could have happened?

On the other hand, Kakashi was quite amused with her actions. He had known to anticipate some kind of strange reaction, but this one was definitely one of the sweeter things to have expected. She looked so innocent and full of wonder as she tried to confirm that this actually was her sensei, standing before her, exactly right on time.

“Sakura.” She looked up at him, emerald eyes wide. Even if she was sixteen, he was still a full head taller than she was. “I reserved a table for us at Ryuuzaki's for 12:30; we should get going if you don't want to be late.”

And of course, the last comment left her even more dumbfounded, as it usually seemed the Copy Nin never cared whether he was late or not. But as he took hold of her arm and tugged her lightly, and her feet simply followed as though it were her only option at all, and as though it were simply the perfect thing to do, besides. He walked slowly, however, his pace leisurely, and soon she found her arm linked comfortably through his. They remained quiet as they went, Sakura out of shock, Kakashi out of familiar ease. There was no strain in the air at all; it was casual, just like the silver-haired Jounin himself, and once her surprise wore away, she found him rather pleasant company, even in silence.

“Kakashi-sensei-”

“Sakura, I'm not your teacher anymore; you're Tsunade-hime's apprentice, and no longer my subordinate. Just call me Kakashi,” he said, smiling down at her a bit as they entered one of the busier thoroughfares of their hometown. She nodded hesitantly.

“Kakashi… do you know why my parents chose you and Izumo-san?”

“I have my guesses. But I think I'll keep them to myself for now.”

There was a enigmatic glint in his visible eye, one that left her only to wonder. They were right on time to their appointment, and the server led them to a secluded booth. Sakura half expected him to pull out a certain, familiar dirty book (which she had made a point of stealing from him more than once), but it was no-where is sight, much to her pleasant surprise. But where to start a conversation? He was definitely a quiet one. A wry smile danced across her lips for a moment, catching his attention.

“What is it?”

“Introduce yourself.” The curious look only intensified. Sakura laughed a little, sarcasm dripping from her words. “Introduce yourself, Kakashi. You never told me anything but your name, remember?”

The Jounin laughed, suddenly realizing the amusing implications of those two little words. She shot him a look. “Don't you dare try and dodge this time, or I'll beat it out of you just like Tsunade-shishou. I am licensed to kill, and have the right to know, this time.”

For a moment, she could've sworn she saw him look unnerved.

“Fine, fine. So, you know my name… I like to read, I dislike lack of teamwork, my hobbies are reading and sleeping, and… hmm, dreams and aspirations… don't really have any, other than to stay alive until retirement.” He was grinning behind that mask; obviously, Sakura had known most of that before she even asked, and he had, by answering, still avoided telling her much of anything. She massaged her temple; it was too early in the morning for this.

“You're hopeless… Kakashi-sensei.”

She had meant the “sensei” remark to be playful, but she could've sworn that a brief moment passed when he looked upset, but she blinked, and it was gone, back to his usual lazy smile.

Those looks were getting a little too confusing for her taste.

“What about you?” She startled, looking up to see a curious little light in his eye. “What's changed since the last time I asked you to introduce yourself?”

The roseate-haired kunoichi hadn't expected such a question. Hadn't really expected a question at all. But as she looked at him, slightly bewildered, she could see him finding humor in the fact that simply returning her question had left her lost for words. Slowly her thoughts finally began to process again, and she answered him.

“Umm… well, I like to read Tsunade-shishou's medical journals, and whatever other technique books I can get my hands on, I dislike Naruto when he's being a pest, and Ino when she's had a fight with Shikamaru again… Hobbies… training, practicing my medical techniques and… oh, you don't need to know that last one…” she trailed off, thinking better of her other, recently acquired hobby, not noticing the intrigued glint that passed through the man's eyes at the hint of something hidden. “Dreams and aspirations… oh, that one's tied to that hobby… eheh… well, I guess it's to make it through this betrothal thing without going absolutely insane.”

She shrugged, fiddling a bit with a buckle on her pants. She really hadn't thought about herself like that in a while; it was kind of surprising she could answer him at all! Nearly her entire life consisted of training with the Godaime, the very occasional sparring session with Kakashi, work at the hospital, and sleep, wherever she found the time to get it. Half her nights were spent picking up the slack for Tsunade-shishou on the minor reports that she as a Chuunin could handle, and even some of the other work that was left to be piled around her superior's office. Kakashi, on the other hand, was still stuck on that mysterious “hobby” and the dream connected to it.

When their meals arrived (how had he known her favorites, she'd asked him, and he replied that it was “his job to know”…), they ate with a gentle continuing of friendly small talk- a little about her work and his, an interesting procedure that Tsunade had recently conducted, a new technique Kakashi had copied. After a while, the words flowed easily enough, though there was a nagging sensation in Sakura's stomach after a while that she didn't know what was. It was no familiar illness, so she wrote it off as a simple stomach-ache telling her that she'd eaten more than she was supposed to. As they stood to go, she couldn't help but notice that her “date” left a rather nice tip. And why I thought to watch and see how much he left, I have no idea… it's not like I care whether he's a good tipper or not, right…?

But it means he's generous! inner Sakura teased. But this wasn't even half of what caused her to go a very deep scarlet a few minutes later.

“Sakura-chan! What're you doing here with Kakashi-sensei?”