That actually got her a measure of respect from her two team-mates, which would have buoyed her spirits a bit if she'd understood that.
She'd managed to keep her nerve through Naruto's jutsu that had opened a gateway to the spirit realm. The iron-bound doors swinging open caused a twinge of pain in her head, but the light revealing the various ghosts and other previously-invisible horrors had kind of unnerved her. She'd still maintained her position up until that green Thing From Beyond had extruded all those tentacles.
At which point she was aware, now after the fact, that she'd screamed and ran and slammed her face into a closed door.
Sakura looked over her team as they finished another D-Rank mission. This one involving the painting of fences.
Naruto stopped walking, partially turning and looking towards an empty field.
I remember when me and Ino saw Naruto do things like that in the Academy. How weird and stupid. We knew all it was was he was trying to get attention or something like that. What does he see there? Sakura looked out at the field. Just an area where a house had once sat, now a vacant lot. At least to her eyes.
As she watched, Naruto went off to a little bit to the right of the center of the lot. Then he knelt and seemed to be talking to something. He did that a few times too. Everyone thought it was just so weird. Except for Sasuke. Now I know why it creeped us out and why we made fun of him.
Sasuke came to a halt nearby, also looking in Naruto's direction. A brief wind brought her a scent that was like peppermint candy.
Naruto walked back to them, silent and looking more drained.
"Bad one?" asked Sasuke.
"House fire, kid hid under the stairs, they didn't find him until after the house had burned down," said Naruto.
Sakura winced, feeling guilty because she was glad she couldn't see such things.
"Too early to just go home. So what kind of training today?" asked Sasuke.
"Well," said Naruto. "I dunno. Kakashi-sensei says I got to work on chakra control that don't involve the Dead Arts."
Sakura nodded at that. Kakashi-sensei said that Naruto needed to work on stabilizing his chakra. He said I needed to work on increasing my chakra reservoir. He said Sasuke needed more control and capacity. Apparently the Sharingan being active for any length of time is draining.
"Why not that training ground near the dango shop?" asked Sasuke. "Not many people use that one."
"Sounds good," admitted Naruto.
I was so wrong about Naruto, what if I'm also wrong about Sasuke? How much do I really know about him that's verified fact and not something I heard from Ino or one of the others? Sakura glanced at her crush, studying him from the corner of her eye for a moment before he detected it.
What can I do to be useful on this team? Naruto has his Dead Arts, and him talking with Sasuke and Kakashi - there's more there I don't know about. Some kind of secrets they're not allowed to talk about maybe? Sasuke has his skills. When this team was formed I figured I'd be walking along near Sasuke, with Naruto trailing behind. Now I feel as if I'm looking at Naruto and Sasuke, and I'm trailing way behind both of them.
"So, Sakura, you're going to meditate?" asked Naruto.
Sakura nodded absently at him. So strong. When we were dealing with those ghosts he banished them casually. When that Thing with the tentacles attacked - he knocked aside that locker the Thing threw at him. Sasuke attacked with fire and kunai and was very precise. What can I do?
After a few minutes of attempted leaf-hovering exercise, Naruto had fallen asleep again. Sasuke was attempting something complicated with his kusarigama, and Sakura had come to a decision. Naruto's book was sitting near him, partly open from him consulting it earlier. Under cover of taking his jacket and making a pillow of it, then putting it under Naruto's head - she managed to conceal the book and returned to her spot.
She had to wait until Sasuke had gone back to practice before leaving a bunshin behind and she could examine the book. She might be able to get something out of this.
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(Posted Tue, 29 May 2012 17:28)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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