“Sakura…”
“Just go.”
But that gave me an idea. Hinata never made it to the final round, and Shino and Kiba weren’t always there either. So I started to make a point of talking up my interest in genjutsu with Kakashi at the start of each loop, and laying on a little guilt trip about not teaching me anything that would keep me alive in an actual fight. I had an Ebisu loop and a couple of medic-nin loops while I worked on my performance, but eventually the odds came up my way.
“Sakura, this is Kurenai, the jounin sensei of team eight and one of Konoha’s finest genjutsu experts. She’s agreed to give you genjutsu lessons twice a week…”
“Yes!” I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm. “Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. I knew you’d listen eventually.” I turned and bowed to Kurenai. “Thank you for agreeing to teach me, sensei.”
A couple of hours a week isn’t much, but I took a page from Naruto’s book and practiced like crazy between lessons. By the time the tournament rolled around I could cloak my presence and call up all sorts of basic sensory illusions, and I had that Hell Viewing Technique down cold.
To be honest I was expecting to lose anyway, but apparently Temari had some pretty serious fears. She dropped to her knees and started screaming when I tagged her with the technique, her fan falling from nerveless fingers. I flickered in behind her before she realized it was an illusion, and knocked her out with a quick blow to the head.
She’d been screaming about Gaara.
Well, I suppose that made sense. Growing up with a psychotic monster like that would affect anyone.
For the first time I was actually awake and healthy when the invasion began, so when Kakashi sent Naruto and Shikimaru off to chase down Sasuke and Gaara I went with them. We actually tracked them down a few miles from the arena, and I found out the hard way where the giant sand monster came from.
That was Team 7’s best fight ever, for all that we’d been apart for a month. Sasuke was fast as lightning, Naruto’s clones were everywhere, and for once I was actually contributing something to the fight. I couldn’t seem to affect Gaara directly, but my illusions were great for distracting him while the boys set up attacks. I even managed to give Sasuke a chakra transfusion that let him get off another Chidori against that monster. When I pulled him behind a tree to feed him chakra there was a moment when he almost seemed impressed.
But of course it wasn’t enough. Eventually Gaara caught Sasuke in a Sand Coffin and crushed him to death, and then he pinned me against a tree with one giant fist of sand while he taunted Naruto. The last thing I saw was Naruto flying towards him surrounded by that strange red aura.
Then the sand crushed me, and the loop reset.
I threw myself into my training, determined to at least learn enough to come through the invasion alive. Who knows? Maybe that was all I really had to do to get out of the loop.
So I studied medical techniques, and taijutsu, and occasionally genjutsu. I talked Ebisu into getting me scrolls on Underground Move and Inner Decapitation, and read everything the library had to offer on the theory of technique construction. After a dozen resets I was actually surviving the Forest of Death on a regular basis, and I could usually beat Shikamaru or even Kiba in the arena.
I also died fighting Gaara four times, got eaten by Orochimaru’s giant snake once, and found out the hard way that Kankuro’s puppet used poisoned weapons. The only way I could even survive the invasion was to stay out of the major fights, and the one time I did that there wasn’t much left of the city.
Sure enough, the next day the loop reset.
I tried not to let it get me down, but it wasn’t easy. I wasn’t sure if it was even possible for me to get strong enough to stop something that big alone, and even if I could it would take a lifetime. I pressed on with my training, but I wasn’t optimistic.
Then I hit a new round of obstacles. First Ebisu started telling me that my skills were too far ahead of my body, and made me spend more and more time on strength and stamina training. Since I started each new loop back in my original body that was a complete waste of time. Then the medic-nin pronounced me ready for advanced techniques, which excited me until I discovered there was a mandatory year-long academic course I’d have to complete first. By then I knew it was only a matter of time until Kurenai decided I knew all the genjutsu a genin could be trusted with.
I blew off the test a few times to try to relax, but it didn’t help much. I’d lived through those first few days so many times they were like a too-familiar movie. You can only to the same shopping trip or lunch date so many times before it gets old.
“In a way I’m actually glad I’m crazy.” I said to myself. “At least I’ll always have someone to talk to.”
We’re not crazy, dummy. There’s just two of us.
“Yeah, that makes me feel so much better. Want to take over for awhile?”
Are you going to get pissed if I seduce Naruto?
“Never mind.”
Then something different happened. One day at the start of the loop Naruto breezed into the exam center holding hands with Hinata, and walked right by Sasuke and me with a casual wave.
“See you inside, guys.”
What the hell? That’s never happened before. What did we do different?
“Beats me. Come on, Sasuke.”
Naruto somehow managed to get a seat next to Hinata, and spent the time before the exam whispering in her ear instead of having the usual conversation with Kabuto. He even kissed her on the cheek once, which left me speechless. I wanted to investigate, but to be honest I was so stunned at having something new happen that I wasn’t sure what to do. Then Ibiki showed up and gave his menacing little speech.
“Hey, Sakura.” Naruto called. “I bet you’re going to shout or hit me or do something to get us thrown out of the test.”
I blinked. “What, because of Hinata? Hardly. You two make a cute couple.”
He opened his mouth to reply and then stopped with the most befuddled expression I’d ever seen on him, and considering this was Naruto that was saying something. He looked as confused…as confused as I’d been when he walked in with Hinata!
I felt a thrill of hope I hadn’t felt in months. But Ibiki was telling us to shut up and take the test, and if I was right I needed to make damn sure this was a full-length loop. Usually I’d just doodle or something while I waited for the tenth question, but this time I actually wrote down the answers just to be sure.
“I’m done!” Naruto called as he finished his paper. “Hinata, if you’re done too let’s make out.”
The shy girl flipped her paper over so fast I could barely follow the movement. “I’m done!”
Come to think of it, there was no rule against that.
They kissed. They necked. Hinata giggled, and moaned, and squirmed. Naruto was apparently a hell of a kisser. Ibiki looked like he couldn’t decide whether to be annoyed or impressed.
God, she’s cute when she makes those little whimpering noises. I told you we should give Naruto a try.
By the time Anko made her flashy entrance Hinata was about ready to pass out in her chair, and I was squirming a bit myself just from watching. That was one lucky girl. Then Ino came over to needle me.
“So, Naruto and Hinata. Who would have thought. Sure you’re not jealous after all?”
I laughed. “Maybe a little. But I think Naruto just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t freak out too much, since they’ve apparently been keeping it secret. Isn’t that right, Naruto?”
It was funny how confused he looked. “Um, yeah. Pretty much.”