Sakura Channeling [Genshin/Naruto One-shot]

Sakura Channeling

"Once upon a time, there was a fox spirit that fell in love with a Senju Princess," Mebuki told her three-year-old daughter.

"A princess?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, she was the daughter of Uzumaki Ashina, the leader of Whirlpool Country. Her name was Uzumaki Mito and she later became the wife of the first Hokage."

"But what about the fox spirit?"

"Well, they turned into a beautiful young woman and became the princess's best friend. It is said that those who are born with hair the same shade as the cherry blossoms are blessed by the fox spirit with strength and beauty."

Sakura gasped, "I have hair like cherry blossoms!"

"Exactly," Mebuki laughed, "That's why we called you Sakura."

"Does that mean I'll be really strong like the fox spirit one day?"

Mebuki pulled up her daughter's blanket and tucked her into bed properly, "I'm sure you will."

—

Sakura entered the academy when she was five years old. She had begged her parents to allow her to attend, who had not originally been too fond of the idea but gave in eventually.

To her delight, Sakura was classmates with her best friend Ino.

She had met Ino when she was four and had followed her lead ever since then because Ino was really smart and really pretty and grown-ups often listened to her because she was important. Sakura wanted to be like her.

Then one day it all stopped.

"Who do you have a crush on?" one of the girls they ate lunch with asked.

In all honesty, Sakura had never even considered anyone she knew that way. Most of the boys she knew were pretty weird. There were those two loud blondes that always got in trouble for breaking things and a boy who always ran around with a dog on his head. Not to mention the guy who had literal bugs inside him.

But everyone had a crush, right? Sakura didn't want to be the only one without one so she thought quickly and pointed at one of the more normal boys in her class, "Him," she told the girls determinedly.

The girls exchanged glances, "Uchiha Sasuke?" one of them asked.

"Yeah," Sakura nodded and with another look at the boy added, "He's cool."

"But don't you know that Ino has a crush on him as well? She won't be happy to hear that."

Sakura's eyes grew wide, "You can't tell her!"

"Of course not. I promise I won't tell."

—

Sakura was buying a snack at a street vendor on her way home when Ino showed up next to her.

"I guess we can't be friends anymore," the blonde told her.

"What?"

"Well seeing as we'll be rivals now."

Before Sakura could answer, Ino gave a final nod and stalked off. Sakura forgot all about her snack as she walked home.

"What's wrong honey?" her mother asked.

"Ino doesn't want to be my friend anymore," she told her as her eyes started to sting with tears.

Mebuki hugged her crying daughter, "I'm sure the two of you can make up."

But Sakura did not believe her. She went to her room to work on her homework but her head kept spinning about the loss of her best friend.

"If she wants a rival so bad, she can have a rival," a voice in her head said.