J A D E

Chapter Thirty - Six

"Gaara?" I ask confused as soon as I step inside the tent. He is sitting on the chair, his back facing me. But as soon as u call out his name, he turns around, clashing his teal eyes with my jade ones. He offers me a small, sad smile, that clenches my heart. "What are you doing here?" I ask confused as I approach him.

"Sakura..." He holds my hands gently squeezing them. "Am I monster to you, too?" He asks me in broken voice.

"How are you, kiddo?" Genma asks me as soon as I step in the arena. We are early due to preparations. I volunteered to help out, and even though, everyone was against it, they considered that keeping me near them would be a good idea.

"I am fine." I shrug my shoulders and grin at the man in front of me. He nods, worriedly. Ever since the last night, I can sense that people are tiptoeing around me. "Where are others?" I ask confused, tilting my head.

"Shisui and Itachi are guarding Hokage." Genma rolls his senbon. "Fugaku-san put Uchihas around the perimeter, Hyugas are helping them as well." I nod, satisfied with his answer. If we intensify the guard, maybe things will turn out differently than it did originally.

"How is Hayate-san?" I ask with timid voice. Genma looks at me and sighs.

"Doctors said that he should be fine." Genma yawns and rubs his face. "Though, they don't know when he is going to wake up." I nod, waiting for something like that. But if Tsunade-sama arrives this time around, she will help them. All of them. "You did good, kid." I look up at him and nod, small smile forming on my face.

***

"Can't we just promote Sakura-chan?" Shisui asks Third Hokage with irritated tone. "She has helped us various times, she even saved Hayate-senpai yesterday." He goes on talking.

Itachi eyes his elder cousin, confusion swirling in his mind. He knew that Shisui and others were doing everything in their powers to keep Sakura from wet jobs. And now, Shisui was asking Hokage to promote her without the exams.

"Why would I do so, Shisui-kun?" Third smiles at Uchiha boy in front of him. "She is close to receiving her status anyways."

"Um..." Shisui looks down at his feet and sighs. "I don't think she managed to regain her chakra after yesterday. The ninjas they are up against are ruthless. I don't want her on the harm's way."

"Genma will be there, Shisui-kun." Third chuckles, happy that pink haired girl managed to get in the hearts of so many. "I am sure that he will be willing to stop the fight as soon as it blows out of proportions." Shisui nods, not having any other options.

***

I watch as Naruto manages to defeat Neji. Everyone has their partners, but me. The Sound nin, I was supposed to fight, seems to have vanished. So, it happened that I would fight against one of the winners of the match.

I smile at Naruto as he finishes his speech with Neji. He always had the power to change others' hearts. I always believed that it was Naruto's special power, something no one other could have. He encouraged us to move on, to continue walking on the bright side, even when the things could not be controlled. Even if all of our loved one died. He taught me how to move forward. He was the one, who showed me that we are the ones, that forge our fate. And without him, I would not be half as confident as I am today. Without Naruto, I would not be the Sakura, I am today.

My fight is supposed to be the last one, considering the circumstances. Shikamaru and Temari are before me. After them is Sasuke, who is nowhere to be seen. Just Shikamaru is about to win over Temari, he forfeits, much like the last time.