#sensei ro-bow
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cryogeniccrunchbar · 2 months ago
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dug up a year old headcanon and drew it.
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not every day you find out your new coworker was meant to be a doomsday doohickey. that you recognize from a blueprint you stole from your old boss out of curiosity. that would be a little messed up wouldn’t it.
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yourlocaltoad · 10 months ago
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Transperent renders of the senseis for the Skylanders Creator App (Skylanders Creator, 2016) (pt2)
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super-senseis · 1 year ago
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First post y'all what's up skylanders community?
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darklight-phantasm · 2 years ago
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The final Sensei poll is over and we have our (tumblr) fan favorite:
Ro-Bow!
Thanks to everyone for participating!
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bruggle · 1 year ago
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Headcanon time:
Kaos, Aurora, and Ro-bow are a zoomer friend group.
If at any time two or all three of them are on a mission together, they will speak solely in memes and internet lingo to each other and whatever poor soul is with them.
Kaos started it as a way to mess with all the older sensei/skylanders (this little man is petty), but eventually Aurora and Ro-bow got into it as well. They thought it was funny. Then, it slowly morphed into a friendship.
Ambush hates it the most and refuses to work with all three if them on a mission. If it's just one, sure. Two, maybe. But all three? No.
Nobody is sure how it happened. It just kinda did.
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daringdoombringer · 2 years ago
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Colored beast mode Wild Storm doodle cus we love the storm beast thingy. Whatever they are.
AND TAKE SOME HEADCANONS REEEE
🌩They’re Agender/they/them because… yes.
🌩they purr. You cannot doubt me on this. (Maybe along with other catlike behaviors jfgdhdjdhs)
🌩They come off as short-tempered and intimidating at first (witch they are) but they’re very mellow and polite once they warm up to someone.
🌩They’re some kind of dark voidlike creature that possesses the mask whey they swap into their beast form.
🌩They’re also floofy and more fur pokes out when they’re in beast mode. Also some of their armor pops off because they grow to be so large.
🌩This is intertwined with another hc I have, that Ro-Bow was a machine of immense destruction commissioned by Kaos. It’s canon Wild Storm was hired by Kaos before becoming a Sensei, so I like to think they eavesdropped on this, and even pocketed one of the blueprints Kaos got back from the scientist out of curiosity. Of course, they were a little doubtful when Ro-Bow wound up as a Skylander, but quickly saw he meant no harm. Ro-Bow has no idea that he was originally created for evil, and Wild Storm does not have the heart to tell them. :’D
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unofskylanderspages · 10 months ago
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Listed below are the Soul Gem locations in Skylanders: Imaginators:
Air Strike - Gryphon Park Observatory
Ambush - Cradle of Creation
Aurora - Sensei Light Realm
Bad Juju - Fizzland
Barbella - Cradle of Creation
Blaster-Tron - Sky Fortress
Boom Bloom - Enchanted Elven Forest
Buckshot - Sensei Magic Realm
Chain Reaction - The Golden Arcade
Chompy Mage - Sensei Life Realm
Chopscotch - Mushroom River
Crash Bandicoot - Thumpin' Wumpa Islands
Dr. Krankcase - Shellmont Shores
Dr. Neo Cortex - Thumpin' Wumpa Islands
Ember - Scholarville
Flare Wolf - Fizzland
Golden Queen - Sensei Earth Realm
Grave Clobber - Dragon Temple
Hood Sickle - Sensei Dark Realm
Kaos - The Lair of Kaos
King Pen - Sensei Water Realm
Mysticat - Shellmont Shores
Pain-Yatta - The Golden Arcade
Pit Boss - Mushroom River
Ro-Bow - Sensei Tech Realm
Starcast - Sky Fortress
Tae Kwon Crow - Sensei Fire Realm
Tidepool - Abandoned Amusement Park
Tri-Tip - Scholarville
Wild Storm - Sensei Air Realm
Wolfgang - Sensei Undead Realm
Bazooker Imaginators - Scholarville
Bowslinger Imaginators - Dragon Temple
Brawler Imaginators - Mushroom River
Knight Imaginators - Sky Fortress
Ninja Imaginators - Fizzland
Quickshot Imaginators - Abandoned Amusement Park
Sentinel Imaginators - The Lair of Kaos
Smasher Imaginators - The Golden Arcade
Sorcerer Imaginators - Cradle of Creation
Swashbuckler Imaginators - Shellmont Shores
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portaldisaster · 2 years ago
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thanks @/hungry-skeleton for making the list and linking it to me ^^
this is the skylanders ask game, but again i am just gonna answer em as a list. get opinion'd. idiot.
do it yerself here
💙 Who's your favorite skylander?
enigma!
❌ Who's your least favorite skylander?
thunderbolt. awful horrible terrible
💚 Who's your favorite non skylander character?
mags
🚫 Who's your least favorite non skylander character?
the candle head guy in trap team
🖤 Who's your favorite villain?
glumshanks kaos
💢Who's your least favorite villain
dont have one honestly. i barely pay attention to the non trappable villains
😈 Favorite trappable villain
nightshade or chill bill
👿 Least favorite trappable villain
rage mage. his themes good but otherwise sucks ass
❔ Who was your first skylander?
tree rex? ik hes a starter pack skylanders but i dont rember. maybe series 2 flameslinger? or hot dog
🌐 What was your first skylander game?
giants
✨ Which game was your favorite?
trap team
☔ Which game was your least favorite?
superchargers racing. ive never played the actual game but the racing game for the wii which i did have sucked ass
🔥Favorite fire skylander
spitfires design goes so hard but wildfire will always be my boy
❌🔥Least favorite fire skylander
series 2 eruptor hes kinda ugly
🌊Favorite water skylander
zap <3
❌🌊Least favorite water skylander
rip tide and punk shock. sorry their designs r awful
🌱Favorite life skylander
bushwhack
❌🌱Least favorite life skylander
ninja stealth elf specifically
🌄Favorite earth skylander
head rush and i will die on this hill. also terrafin on account of cool shark hehe
❌🌄Least favorite earth skylander
fist bump or smash hit. im very neutral on earth skylanders as a whole tbh
💀Favorite undead skylander
fright rider
❌💀Least favorite undead skylander
bat spin, but only marginally. there arent any undead skylanders i dislike, her design just irks me in some way
💨Favorite air skylander
whirlwind. stormblades cute too
❌💨Least favorite air skylander
thunderbolt no question
🔌Favorite tech skylander
bouncer n drobot. the senseis look cool
❌🔌Least favorite tech skylander
boomer
🌠Favorite magic skylander
enigma. if he doesnt count, trap shadow. another element where the senseis r cool too
❌🌠Least favorite magic skylander
blastermind. fuckign look at him
🌞Favorite light skylander
spotlight. blastertron seems cool too
❌🌞Least favorite light skylander
knight light, aurora and astroblast all suck im sorry
🌙Favorite dark skylander
knightmare
❌🌙Least favorite dark skylander
hood sickle
♫ Favorite song from the soundtrack
the giants intro music or blastertrons theme
🎮 Favorite minigame
skystones smash. im real bad at it i love it
💠 Favorite level
mesmereldsa level i forget the name of it. but that was fun. i rlly struggled on it as a kif
❎ Least favorite level
telescope towers. i have had to redo that level a million times bc it always crashes on me
🔆 Your strongest skylander
enigma. i main him so
🔅 Your weakest skylander
any skylander that isnt a) a trap master or b) a fave. on account of me not using them as much
🔷 Your rarest skylander
i dont have any rare ones, especially not any rare variants. of the base figures, apparently springtime trigger happy isnt super common? idk
⭕ What skylander do you want the most?
i have all the skylanders i want honestly. ive never played imaginatiora and have no figures for it but if starcast or ro-bow scratch that i want a light trap and sunscraper spire. also blackout n spotlight would be neat
💔 How many skylanders are you missing?
no idea
💞 Skylanders OTP?
bushwhack/enigma
whirlwind/drobot or whirlwind/sunburn. ir them as a t4t4t throuple
❗Why did you start playing skylanders?
same answer as below
💙 How did you discover skylanders?
dont remember. i think my mom just bought me skylanders giants and said she thought id enjoy it. and i did
💖 Any skylanders OCs?
sort of? i have ideas for characters that idk if ill do anything with em. i have a portal master sona as well as a mabusona but thats it rlly
😉 Most memorable gameplay moment/moments
flynn dialogue. maybe i have dumb humour but some of his lines r still very amusing to me. also the beginning of the 2nd giants level, mostly on account of how often i restarted my game and played it
😇 Your favorite experience with the franchise
when me and my bestie were playing trap team together. i was enigma and xe was bushwhack and though i dont remember much, i remember we were in utter hysterics the whole time. honestly think it was one of the happiest days of my life. we just roleplayed as them for hours and its the reason i like enigma/bushwhack.
we had to stop playig at telescope towers bc that level was glitched on my wii and the fun came to a grinding halt but god i miss it
💛 What do you like most about skylanders?
the characters. i think they r funky lil dudes
🔪 What do you not like about skylanders?
the cost. they were pricey before for what they were, and now those prices are worse. also, wa snever fodn if hiw fast the gamrs came out. the series needed a breather
💎Do you hope the franchise continues?
yeah! i just dont really want another mainline game, or ar least dont want a game that introduces new characters
💜 What does skylanders as a franchise mean to you?
nostalgia? it means a lot but idk what its meaning to me is tbh. its just a fun game
💗 Describe your dream skylander game
i dont want another mainline game tbh, id want something along the lines of pokemon masters ex. id rather see more love given to preexisting characters than get any new ones. id wanna use toy codes to get characters i have in the game and have some sort of chat system between whatever story mode there is so it can at least somrwhat feel like were friends with these guys.
💯How many skylanders do you have?
i have 112 total figures: 86 skylanders, 87 counting trigger snappy; 7 items and 18 traps
💘 Will you continue playing skylanders if the franchise continues?
yeah - even if i dont like whatever may come next, id want to encourage them to make a better game ig
💝 If you could recommend skylanders to others what would be your points of persuasion?
point them towards an emulator tell them about the diversity in characters u can play. thats always been the appeal to me
🕒 How long have you been a fan?
past decade at least, thought most of that ive been a more passive fan
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chanoyu-to-wa · 6 months ago
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The Chanoyu Hyaku-shu [茶湯百首], Part I:  Poem 20.
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〽 Yu wo kumaba hishaku ni kokoro tsuki-no-wa no           sokonenu-yō ni oboe-shite kume
     [湯を汲まば柄杓に心月ノ輪の、           損ねぬように覺悟して汲め].
    “If [you] are going to dip out hot water, pay attention to [the way you handle] the hishaku so you do not damage the tsuki-no-wa:  resolve to [be attentive] when [you] are dipping.”
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    Tsuki-no-wa [月ノ輪] means the halo around the moon¹, and this term is used to refer to the crescent-shaped hole (which matches a portion of the circumference of a stalk of bamboo) into which the handle of an ordinary hishaku is pushed. 
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    There is no glue or other bonding agent² used, so the host must be careful not to strike the cup against the futaoki³, or the mouth of the kama (when dipping out hot water, or when it is being rested on the kama⁴).
    The point of this poem is to make the host aware that he must protect the hishaku from developing a leak from the tsuki-no-wa when using the hishaku during the temae⁵.
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    According to Iguchi Kaisen sensei, the version of this poem preserved by Urasenke has kumu ha [汲むは] (when dipping) rather than kumaba [汲まば] (if [one] is going to dip), as seen in all of the other sources for this poem.  This has no real impact on the meaning, in English.
_________________________
¹Apparently referring to the partial halo seen around the crescent moon on the third or fourth day of the Lunar Month.
²The Japanese, wary of anything that might be poisonous*, prefer not to use chemical substances as sealing agents -- and, in the case of the hishaku, the craftsmanship is good enough that, with care, the join will not leak. ___________ *This dates from the time of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, both of whom were at war with the Ishiyama Hongan-ji [石山本願寺] (now the site of Hideyoshi’s Osaka castle), and the followers of the Ikkō ichi-nen shū [一向一念宗] (which included virtually all chajin in Japan among its adherents).  The Ikkō-shū was rumored to use poison as the most expedient way of removing their enemies (though there seems to be little historical evidence supporting this accusation).
³Regrettably, most modern schools deliberately hit the cup against a bamboo futaoki with a loud clap at the beginning of the temae -- as a way to attract the guests’ attention for the sō-rei [総礼] (group bow).
    This was one of Imai Sōkyū’s machi-shū mannerisms, subsequently disseminated to the whole tea world by Sen no Sōtan, originally as part of his affectation of crudeness (he also made a habit of dripping water on the mats from the hishaku) -- which behavior was intended to dissuade the bakufu from naming him as their chief tea official (sadō [茶頭]).  Unfortunately, Sōtan failed in that purpose, with the result that many of these ways of acting became a standardized part of the basic temae.
    According to Rikyū, the hishaku must never hit against the futaoki, and never with an audible clack.  Even when the futaoki is made of bamboo, the hishaku should approach the futaoki at an angle (in other words, the end of the handle is lowered somewhat from the way it is held when the cup is full of water), with the corner of the cup (indicated by the tip of the blue triangle in the above illustration) pointing directly into the hi [樋] (the depression that should be present on the upper surface of any object that will be used as a futaoki).  Then the cup of the hishaku should lightly touch the top of the futaoki, and the handle is then lowered gently (and silently) to the mat.  This is how he explained the action in his writings.
⁴During the ro season, the handle of the hishaku (adjacent to the tsuki-no-wa) rests against the mouth of the kama, as seen in the photo.
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    It is especially important for the host to remember not to pull the handle of the hishaku toward himself until the cup is completely clear of the mouth.  Otherwise, it will be easy to loosen the join enough so the hishaku could begin to leak.
⁵In addition to being careful, it is important to dip the hishaku into a basin of cold water when preparing the utensils for the temae in the mizuya.  This will cause the bamboo to swell, making the join more secure.  One of most common reasons for the hishaku to begin to leak is because the bamboo had dried out while the hishaku was sitting in the shop.
⁶This poem was not included in either of the sources consulted by the Sekishū-ryū affiliated scholar Nakayama Sohaku [中山素伯; 1910 ~ 2005].
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◎ If these translations are valuable to you, please consider donating to support this work.  Donations from the readers are the only source of income for the translator.  Please use the following link:
https://PayPal.Me/chanoyutowa
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lemonade-if · 3 years ago
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Update 2/26/22
Chapter 1 is coming along! 
Did a lot of coding study between base writing this week. Lots and lots and lots of choices to be fleshed out after that (and then draft revision and playtesting), but I’m looking forward to it.
I also had to completely revamp my original Cultural Festival Arc, but that’s okay; I’m a lot happier with (and much less intimidated by) the new plan. The scope of the old plan was just not feasible, and I needed to be realistic with myself about that.
There are some kinks in terms of clubs that I’m still working out, which is why I haven’t explained clubs in detail. As for ROs’ appearances, I’m debating whether I want to write text descriptions or draw them out. Ideally, I’d like to draw them...it would make Lemonade feel much more authentic as a “manga experience”. We’ll see.
Ending this post with a longer snippet than usual: reactions from MC’s class introduction scene. Hope it’s fun (and hello, homeroom teacher!) 
*if (friendlyintro = true)
"…I'm so excited to join everyone, and I look forward to getting along. Thank you!" You conclude your introduction with a quick respectful bow. As you straighten back up, you smile earnestly around the room, taking in the polite smattering of applause. Most classmates are smiling back at you; others flash you a thumbs up. You’re relieved and pleased by their welcome.
“Wonderful, thank you so much!” Nakamura-sensei steps back up with a broad smile, still clapping. It’s clear that he’s very happy with your impression.
*elseif (stoicintro = true)
"…I'll be in your care,” you finish flatly, the words more formality than anything else. An obligatory smattering of applause acknowledges your conclusion. You get a few polite nods; others have already moved on from their curiosity, fiddling with their phones instead. 
“Thank you so much, ${surname}-${mc_sankun}!” Nakamura-sensei steps back up, trying to create a more enthusiastic atmosphere by clapping with unnecessary vigor. It’s quite cringy.
*elseif (shyintro = true)
"...s-so, um…" You clear your throat again, eyes still glued to the wooden tiles of the floor. Your face is burning, but you manage to finish: "I really hope to get along with everyone, and...p-please take care of me.”
A polite smattering of applause acknowledges your conclusion, accompanied by earnest calls of "good job!" (and a joking “I’ll take care of you!” “Me too!”). 
When you shyly raise your eyes, you see Nakamura-sensei stepping back to your side with a double thumbs up. He nods and smiles supportively. You can’t help but smile back.
*elseif (nervousintro = true)
Even though you can’t bring yourself to face the class or utter a single coherent sentence, you hear your classmates acknowledge your efforts with an encouraging smatter of applause. A couple earnest calls of “welcome!” and “you’re awesome!” intermingle with the clapping. Still, you don’t dare to look up.
You can see Nakamura-sensei’s polished brown oxfords click across the wooden tile floor as he steps back to your side. They stop next to you, and a gentle hand offers your tense shoulders a supportive pat.
*elseif (charmingintro = true)
“...anyways, thrilled to be in a class with such good scenery~ ☆” You’re not talking about the view from the windows and your classmates know it. A few of them stifle laughs or exchange eyerolls, but others are already starstuck. You wink at them.
“If anyone wants to get to know each other extremely well, I’m very much available f-”
“Thank you very much, ${surname}-${mc_sankun}!” Nakamura-sensei cuts in immediately. His interruption doesn’t deter your self-satisfied grin, and his obvious embarrassment makes the class snicker.
*elseif (dramaticintro = true)
“...and that concludes your crash course on ${name} ${surname}! Now it’s time for the quiz corner...you!” You jab a finger at a bewildered looking boy with a mushroom cut and big round glasses. “What was the name of my mother’s father’s wife’s grandchild?”
“Mother’s father’s wife’s grandchild?” he repeats, dumbfounded. “That’s just you-”
“Wrong! It’s not ‘you’. It’s ${name} ${surname}.” 
From the side, Nakamura-sensei is wearing the expression of someone clearly at a loss of what to say or do. He settles on confused applause; the rest of the class follows.
*elseif (annoyedintro = true)
“...yeah, nice to meet you all or whatever, I guess,” you grumble. An obligatory smattering of applause acknowledges your conclusion. Some classmates look confused by your attitude; others, wary or amused.
You don’t really know why you’re annoyed. Maybe it’s because you’ve been forced to introduce yourself way too many times in your short life, or maybe annoyance has just become your defense mechanism. After all, there had been times when new classmates were...unpleasant.
You turn to Nakamura-sensei with a huff.
“Can you let me sit down and get on with class already? This is a waste of time.”
*elseif (curtintro = true)
You don't even bother saying anything else; you just let the silence hang and drag.
There are a few tentative claps, but they die off quickly. Some students exchange blank glances and discreet shrugs. A boy with a mushroom cut and huge round glasses looks particularly offended for some reason, as if you had personally insulted him with your lack of introduction. You snort. Not my problem.
"Er…thank you, ${surname}-${mc_sankun}," Nakamura-sensei finally says, taking it upon himself to end the uncomfortable silence. He’s not upset, but he does glance at you with troubled concern.
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snickiebear · 3 years ago
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Hello, snickiebear! Congratulations on your 200 followers! If you have the time, would you mind writing Shisui x Sakura in a nonmass au? I’m actually curious about your take on a time travel scenario with this pairing, but I also understand that a lot of works have been written on time travel already, so it’s still awesome if you don’t do the time travel part!
Congratulations again and thanks for taking the time to read this ask! Your works are really enjoyable to read. Thank you so much for writing and for doing this 200-follower event!
hello lovely anon!!! thank YOU for reading and requesting!!!! this one was so much fun to write! you ask for time travel + nonmass + shisaku? i am helpless to deliver!! this is a bit more angsty than i wanted but are we surprised? (nope, not at all lmao) this is also now on AO3 bc i really liked it!
also, apologies that this took a bit!! lifes been a real fuckin bitch and the wall of writer's block hit me like a train AHAHAHA but i hope you like this one!!! :)))
The sky is sunny and the spring beautiful when the sky splits itself in half with a brillant, blinding flash of light.
Shisui, masked and riding the after mission high, can only stare as a body plummets from that crack, limp and silent.
It is as if the heavens have spit out what they have deemed unworthy.
Or perhaps, the heavens are dropping a gift on their doorstep.
Either way, Shisui is moving before he knows what is happening, catching that body— a woman with shaven pink hair— and holding her close, head tucked under his chin.
She’s breathing, chest rising and lowering feebly.
Shisui catches his breath as the fracture within the sky closes and only then does he notice the mask.
Porcelain and painted. A combination of a snake and fox, a wolf and slug.
His ANBU team materializes next to him, Dog-taicho’s chakra going from lazy to alert at the sight of the woman. “That’s…”
“Yeah.” Shisui says hoarsely. “She- she needs medical attention. I think.” There is a lot of blood, she’s dripping in it. But he can’t see where she’s bleeding from… or if all that blood is even hers.
“Let’s go.” Dog-taicho cuts through his thoughts, voice hard and a bit panicked. Afterall, Kakashi owes his life to this woman, they all did.
Team Ro blurred out of existence in their race to Kohona, their Savior clutched within his arms.
.
.
.
It's funny, really. When she looks back, as she so often does now, it's laughable. The fact that Haruno Sakura, the civilian born, the nobody, the weak one of Team 7 is the only one left.
Sakura was the only one left in the war against Kaguya and she had done what she has always done; what was needed.
So, Sakura was the only one left and she figured out what was left of Naruto’s seals and shot herself through time to fix everything, to save everyone. To take down Danzo, Hanzo, Madara, to save Sai, the Uchihas, Kakashi.
She was the one to heal Obito, to save Rin, to make sure that Itachi’s hands would never be stained with his family’s blood.
And now, now she sits in a T&I room and she laughs, laughs herself hoarse because she succeeded, she won. And now she is in the future, her intended destination, but it is not the same.
In this future, Haruno Sakura does not exist. She is nothing and no one.
Naruto and Sasuke are alive and well and happy. They get to live the lives they could have only dreamed about.
And Sakura. She doesn’t exist.
She laughs herself hoarse, the laughs turning into broken sobs and she drops her forehead to the table, hiccuping and clenching her hands into blood inducing fists.
Alone. As she always has been.
The door creaks open and Ibiki steps in, a folder in hand.
Sakura’s head snaps up, wiping her face as she almost sighs in relief. She loved (loves?) Ibiki, he once was one of her closest friends near the end. She knows Ibiki, trusts him. Or, at least, she had.
Sakura straightens in her chair, careful of the chakra suppressing handcuffs that really do nothing for her, just acting as a hindrance. But, she does not remove them because she is not a threat to Konoha, she never has been, never intends to be.
Ibiki sits down in front of her, eyeing her carefully and it almost feels like coming home. “You say your name is Haruno Sakura.”
“Yes.” She rasps, licking her cracked and bleeding lips. “That’s right.”
Her eyes flit to the glass window, ignoring her own reflection as she narrows her eyes at whoever is behind the wall. An unknown chakra signature, wild and worried. And— and—
Kakashi.
His cool and lazy chakra, almost like a current of electricity. She would know that chakra any where, as if it is engrained deep in her bones. And right now he’s interested, almost antsy.
Swallowing, Sakura looks back to Ibiki, who had been watching her keenly. “You already had Inoichi-san do a mind walk. You know everything I do.” Shoulders back, chin tilted, spine steeled.
The dead man that sits in front of her hums and opens a folder, “We believe you—”
“It is not a matter of believing.” Sakura snaps, eyes flashing. “You know it is a fact. He saw, he showed you, you saw. How could I ever make something like that up?”
“What we know,” Ibiki says too calmly, too pleasantly, “Is that you are severely traumatized.”
And Sakura well, she laughs again. Because. Because what else is she supposed to do? She gives and gives and gives and is given nothing back.
There are no fruits for her labor, no reward for her sacrifice.
Shoulders shaking as she cries and laughs, scrubbing at her face. “We were friends, you know.” She manages. “I made you laugh twice, once after I lost my middle finger,” Sakura holds up her hand to show him, unsure of why she is even talking. “The second when you were dying in my arms.”
Silence rings out as Sakura gathers herself, swallowing harshly. Ibiki is still looking at her, but the way is no longer cynical, no longer studying.
“Haruno—”
“Just Sakura,” She says wearily.
“Sakura-san,” He continues, “When you were brought in you had a mask on. A mask that has been seen countless times saving Konoha shinobi.”
Sakura does not dare mention the fact that she has also interfered with Suna, giving Gaara the childhood he deserves. And with Mist, cutting the head off the snake quickly enough that the caste system would never truly solidify.
So, she nods. “I am aware.”
“And you claim you are the person behind the mask on every occasion.”
Sighing, she runs a hand over what is left of her hair and makes direct eye contact with her once friend, giving a curt nod, “I am the person behind the mask.”
“One last question, Sakura-san.” Ibiki murmurs, jotting something down in his folder. Sakura forces herself not to read the familiar writing. Though, she is well equipped to read upside down. “How did you come to possess the rinnegan?”
The air drops from mildly uncomfortable to freezing and Sakura does not balk at the question. “You saw it for yourself, Ibiki. It was a gift.”
“Yes, but from who?”
Her heart aches, squeezes at the thought of Naruto, of Sasuke, phantom pains. It is as if she has lost a limb, a piece of her heart when they had turned to ash between her fingers. But Sakura does not waver as she says, “It was a parting gift from Uchiha Sasuke before he died.”
The unknown chakra behind the wall erupts into a mess of emotions while Kakashi’s is mildly surprised if not wary. There is tension between the both of them though.
Which is incredibly amusing considering it wasn’t until much, much later did Kakashi ever see anything to be wary about in her.
(It took her flicking the ground and allowing it to split open and swallow any of their pursuers to convince him that she could very well tear him in half without a second thought.
She wouldn’t though. Team 7 and its members will always be a soft and deeply bruised spot for her. A wound she could never quite heal. Sakura cannot remember a time when she has ever been bruiseless. She has come to terms with being wounded.)
Ibiki closes the folder and taps it on the steel table between them, he motions over his shoulder and the door opens swiftly, revealing Kakashi and another Uchiha with curly hair.
He’s just as she remembers him, except not. Her Kakashi had slouched, had a certain energy about him.
This one, he looks the same, has the scar, the slight slouch. But it is clear that ghosts no longer beat on his back, the world's weight no longer bends him to its will.
Pain races through her heart, echoing physically throughout her body. It hurts. It shouldn’t, seeing her old sensei, her once friend, happy. But it does.
Because while she cannot live without Team 7, it is clear Team 7 can live without her.
She straightens, eyes sharp and body tense as Ibiki stands, chair scraping harshly against the floor and then takes her hands into his, calluses and scars scraping against each other.
Sakura could only imagine what Tsunade-shishou would say if she were to see her, riddled with scars and missing fingers. She could have healed them without a second thought, but chakra had been precious then. Every single ounce had been poured into keeping her precious people safe and herself alive enough to keep fighting.
Her once friend produces a key and unlocks the handcuffs, letting them drop heavily into his awaiting hands before standing up, “Sakura-san, this is Hatake Kakashi,” Her former teacher gives her a hard once over. “And Uchiha Shisui.”
Her skin itches and crawls at Kakashi’s look, cold and unfond, nothing like how she remembers him. And of course, of course he wouldn’t be the man who she had come to adore. He is someone else in this carefully constructed future of her own doing.
The blame, as always, rests upon her weakening shoulders. Sakura is crumbling, her sanity chipping away ever so slowly. It is laughable, really. She wants to throw her head back and howl, she wants to bow and allow herself to scream.
But, if she were to begin to scream, she is not sure she would be able to stop.
So, she gives a curt nod, “Hatake-san. Uchiha-san.”
“Shisui, and therefore the Uchiha, have volunteered to bring you into their custody.” Ibiki goes on, taking a step back. Sakura stays where she is, rooted.
A chill runs up her spine and she looks to Ibiki almost pleadingly. “And you can’t simply dump me into ANBU instead?”
“Mah, Sakura-san.” Kakashi drawls and Sakura’s will cracks. (That bruise will never quite heal.) “I can promise that the Uchiha aren’t as bad as they seem.”
Shisui smiles and it is unlike any smile she has seen before.
She cannot remember the last time she had seen a smile.
“Don’t listen to the old man, Sakura-san.” Shisui says and she’s caught off guard at how friendly he sounds, deep and welcoming. Sakura swallows harshly. “We’re a bunch of assholes but no harm will come to you, we can promise that.”
Uchiha men, she thinks with distaste, will always hold a knife to her heart. And they will always know how to twist the wretched blade to get her to bend for them.
But. But perhaps Sakura could bend, bend and lay and rest. Just once. And this time she'll bend for herself. Perhaps.
She finds herself nodding, hands shaking despite the steel in her spine, her shoulders still straight. “You’re going to just let me go.”
Ibiki gives her a hard look and Sakura’s lips twitch. Ah, of course not. The Uchiha compound is just a glorified prison. Then again, it is much better than anything she thought would happen.
Then again, Saura never thought this would happen.
Too desperate, too blind with the possibility of a chance to see them again, to be whole again. She, for all her brains, all her genius, had not even stopped to think of the possibility that her future would no longer exist.
It is laughable, really.
So she laughs, she clutches her stomach and laughs because what else can she do?
Sakura has done what she has always done; what was needed. And once again, like every other time, there is nothing but black at the end of the tunnel. No light exists for her.
She is to blame for her own destruction, her own crumbling.
.
.
.
“You can come out,” Sakura’s voice calls out and Shisui grins.
He steps from the shadows, two mugs in hand as he comes to sit next to her, offering her the drink. She takes it without hesitation but swirls it before sipping from it, Shisui watches as her eyes light up just a little bit.
Hot cocoa with peanut butter. He had noticed, the last time the clan had it, that she’d snuck four mugs worth.
If Sakura was surprised he noticed, she didn’t show it. She was like that, a one way mirror, giving nothing away even as she saw everything.
“Did you want something, Shisui-san?” She twitches as he scoots a little closer, the fireflies floating around the backyard. “Or did you just want some company?”
Shisui smiles boyishly, tilting his head back to look at her, “Heard that Minato-sama called you into the Hokage’s office again.”
“You mean you heard from Genma, who told Itachi while on their date, who then told you that the Hokage summoned me for the fourth time this week.” Sakura snorts, taking a long drink from her mug. There's a little foam on her upper lip that he fights to not wipe away. “He and his wife keep trying to convince me to let them look at the seals I used.”
Shisui pauses, eyes trained on Sakura as she looks to the sky, head leaning back. Her hair has grown out a little, more fuzz on her head than anything, she looks more alive, well fed. Deep bags under her one visible eye, three nasty scars dissect her face and the rest of her body isn’t any better.
She is the most beautiful, most terrifying, most devastating thing he has ever seen.
“The seals you used…”
“To go back and hop through time like a jack rabbit to save the entire world?” She asks, a wry smile on her face. “Yes, Shisui, those seals.”
He hums, leaning back on the heels on her hands, “Why don’t you just let them look?”
“They aren’t my seals to share.” Sakura half snaps, shoulders curling in, her body strung tight. “Naru— my friend was the one to draw them out, I just figured out the last bit of it. Plus, there is no reason why they need to see those seals.” Her tone sharp, unyielding almost pleading.
Shisui stays quiet until Sakura begins to slowly relax. She gets like this sometimes, tense and defensive. As if trying to convince herself rather than him of her deeds. He knew better than to push, he knew that she had gone through more than anyone would ever go through.
The way Ibiki and Inoichi look at her with the utmost respect can verify that. The way Kakashi and Rin and Obito have gone out of their way to greet her, to help her speaks volumes.
He takes a drink from his mug, studying the stars winking above them. “Hey Sakura,”
“Yes?” She sounds oh so weary. His very soul aches.
“Thank you, for everything.” He doesn’t dare look at her, barely hearing himself over the pounding of his heart. “You don’t talk much about what happened but I know, I can tell that it was horrible. And thank you for saving us, the world.”
She had lost everything, everyone. In that future that she had protected them from Sasuke died, Itachi died, he was dead. He could only imagine what the ruins of that world looked like. He could only imagine what Sakura had to do to survive.
Sakura’s fingers are cold, freezing as they brushes the back of his hand. Shisui fights a shiver, the trail of goosebumps, the thrill. “Oh, oh Shisui.” Her voice is heartbreaking and full of nothing but steel. “I would never allow anyone to endure that. You will never have to endure that, I made sure of it. Never. No one will. I promise.”
Her hand draws back as she brings her knees to her chest, eyes far away and breathes quick. And Shisui, he doesn’t know what comes over him as he scoots even closer and carefully wraps his arm around her strong shoulders, drawing her closer.
And. And Sakura, she allows it. She moves to his side, not quite leaning but touching.
“Are you happy here?” Shisui finds himself asking after long minutes of silence. Sakura’s breath evened out and she sits with her chin on her knees.
Her eye flits to him, weighing and heavy. She looks at him and Shisui cannot help but see the age, the ancientness that has taken root. He wants to pull out the misery within her, wants to hold her tight enough that she will never fall apart without somewhere there to catch the pieces.
He wants to love her, he wants her to let him love her.
“No.” Sakura whispers, as if her unhappiness in a world that does not know her, that has done nothing for her is such an awful, wretched thing. “I miss everyone.”
Shisui cannot say anything so he does what he does best; what he wants.
He stays with her, arm resting on her shoulders and slowly, Sakura allows herself to lean into his side.
Around them, the night settles and the crickets chirp. The heavens had nothing to do with Haruno Sakura, with their Savior, coming to them. No, Sakura is the catalyst of this, of this paradise they now all reside in.
If anything, she is the heavens themselves. And it is about time someone tells her that, shows her that.
.
.
.
Sakura sees them for the first time in the five months she has landed in this new future. Itachi invited her to meet his genin team. Itachi, the man who had once been a mass murderer, is now a mednin and a jounin sensei.
Shisui joins her because of course he does, he has been the one constant throughout this entire ordeal. The Uchihas are nothing like she thought they would be. The Uchihas are everything she hoped they would.
They are loving, friendly, welcoming, and thankful. Mikoto is nothing but heaven sent sunshine and cloud soft embraces, Fukago is nothing but a deep rumbling laugh and fond looks.
No one is the same, nothing is the same.
Shisui is there though, at her side, at her back. She trusts him, gods, she trusts him. Despite her better judgement, despite everything. Sakura trusts Shisui.
So, Shisui joins her as she takes to the roofs and to training field 7. She’s finally been cleared for the mission roster and given her jounin blues. Though, Sakura has yet to decide if she even would enjoy going on missions.
Maybe with Shisui.
But she does not think she has a taste for violence anymore, for killing. Maybe she'll spend her days with Kakashi's dogs and holed up in the libraries. Maybe she'll visit Gaara or Chojuro.
She had yet to meet Tsunade, who had been hunting for her since Minato (the bastard) had let it slip that Sakura was in possession of the rinnegan and the byakugan seal. Shisui is exceptionally good at playing discractor as Sakura flees to rock in a corner until he finds her. He's good at that, holding her, letting her breathe, allowing her to find solace within his arms and his space.
They step onto the training fields and Sakura freezes mid step to watch as Sasuke, Naruto, and Sai (oh, oh Sai. Sweet Sai, oh.) attack in perfect sync.
They’re fourteen if her math is correct.
They move smooth and swift, nonverbal communication as if they had been working like this for years. It's beautiful, really.
Something ugly claws at her heart, catching on an already scabbing part to rip open a new wound. Simply another reminder that Sakura is not needed. She never was.
It's laughable, really.
Shisui’s fingers massages the sides of her neck with his fingers, the spot where her skull and neck meet. “You’re tense.”
“They have beautiful teamwork.” She chokes out.
He looks at her, long and open, “We can go home, if you want.”
Shisui’s good at that t00, the open ended question, the way of making her not feel trapped. He's too perceptive for his own good, she has yet to tell him anything except what is on record. But, but. He knows. He knows of Kakashi, of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai. It is both a relief and a terror. “No.” She manages, curling her hands. She is Haruno Sakura. She has faced the impossible her entire life. Ghosts are nothing compared to gods.
At least, that is what she tells herself.
“I’ll be fine.” Sakura glances up at him, licking her lips. He watches the movement before his eyes flit back up hers and he offers one of her favorite smiles. The one where his dimples are visible, where she can see the small chip of his front tooth and the way his top canin is a little crooked.
Itachi calls the spar minutes later, the boys slumping onto the ground and breathing heavily. Sakura offers a small smile as Itachi nears them, waving a hand in greeting.
“Ah, Sakura-chan.” He grins, then looks to Shisui, dry amusement clear in his tone, “Shisui.”
“You’ve trained them well,” Sakura praises, watching as Naruto (oh gods, Naruto with his big blue eyes and blonde, blonde hair) pulls a limp Sasuke (a Sasuke who laughs freely, who smiles, and is loved) onto his feet, Sai huffing a chuckle from the ground.
Itachi practically beams at the praise, “They are very talented. And you would like to meet them, yes?”
Shisui’s thumb traces the bumps of her spine and Sakura is reminded that she has forged herself from the ashes of her friends, that she is borne from war and steel. She can do this. Shisui is here and she can do this. “Yes, I would love to, Itachi.”
Shisui’s hand burns through her clothes as they follow Itachi, the boys immediately catching sight and freezing at the sight of them. Sakura will never admit it out loud that she has been avoiding any and all people from her past (present? future?).
One look at Ino, whole and happy and sassy, and Sakura had almost gone insane. And then Shikamaru and Chouji, all together, all smiling. Gods, Sakura had fallen to her knees at the sight. Such grief, such loneliness—
She’s better now. She is.
“Team 7.” Itachi says, “This Haruno Sakura, and you already know Shisui.”
Silence.
Sakura shifts under the wide eyed gazes of the boys, the men she loved (loves?) with her entire being. “It is a pleasure to meet you,”
Naruto recovers first because of course he does. And he smiles at her, he smiles at her and Sakura wants to claw at her skin and cry. Shisui intertwines their hands, as if sensing that urge.
“I’m Uzumaki Naruto!” He’s fourteen and he's alive and he’s happy. He isn’t out of the village, he’s here because he has a clan, he has a family. “Is it true that you’re the Savior?”
Sasuke smacks him in the back of the head with a scowl, “Be polite, dobe.” To Sakura he offers a bow, “It is pleasure to meet you, Haruno-san. I am Uchiha Sasuke.”
Sakura’s lips twitch despite herself. Never, not once, did Sasuke ever bow to anyone. He had always been arrogant, but here? Now? It's laughable, really.
She glances to Sai and he isn’t as pale as he once was, his cheeks are full of color, his eyes brimming with life. “I am Senju Sai, Haruno-san.”
And. Sakura pauses at that. Senju Sai, huh. Perhaps she'll have to face Tsunade sooner than later. The thought added to the dread filled pool in her stomach. But. But, she could do it. Maybe.
“It is very nice to meet you all,” She croaks and then offers a very brittle smile. “And Naruto-kun,” She fights a shiver at the honorific. “That information is S class, but find me when you make jounin, hm?” And for a moment she could pretend that everything was okay and she was teasing her Naruto. Just for a moment.
Much to her amusement, all three boys pout, looking to Itachi who shrugs, “You heard Sakura, now, let’s see formation Alpha but reverse.”
The boys groan and Sakura can’t help the smile, a smile with teeth.
She can feel Shisui’s eyes on her before she even turns to look at him. Her body is shaking, Sakura realizes blankly but Shisui still holds her sweating hands, squeezing ever so slightly. “Ready to go?”
Sakura swallows, staring up at him, studying him. And oh, she is so tempted to uncover her eye, to memorize his face. “Yes. Let’s… let's go home.”
.
.
.
He wakes to warmth pressed against his chest, warm breaths against his neck. Their legs are tangled, her arm thrown over his side and brushes against the bare skin of his back. Both of them are missing their clothes, Sakura preferred being able to feel the skin on him, the brush of flesh between them.
What they have, it is something deeper than any type of physical act. No, what they have… well, Shisui can not put it to words. There are no words. There will never be words.
It is rare for Sakura to sleep soundlessly and through the entire night. Shisui kisses her forehead, above her seal, on one of the many scars of her face. She doesn’t stir except to shift ever so slightly, hugging him closer.
And if Shisui’s heart melts, no one else is there to see the absolute brilliant smile on his lips.
“Sakura,” He murmurs because if she doesn’t get up soon, she’ll miss her lunch with Ibiki (who gets very grumpy when his time with Sakura is cut short), “Sakura.”
She grumbles, limbs tensing for a moment, a single breath before melting once more. “Shisui,” Her voice is rough with sleep, the sound swirls and dances around his bones. “G’mornin’.”
Shisui laughs, a soft push of air, as Sakura leans back to peer at him, both eyes uncovered as she studies him, the look like a physical caress. “Good morning.” He whispers, kissing her forehead once again.
“What time is it?” She murmurs, eyes drooping closed.
“You’ve got about an hour before Ibiki comes knocking.” Shisui chuckles.
Sakura snorts, pulling away to stretch her arms above her head, arching her back in the way that Shisui can admire every muscle, every scar, every part of her. “Then I better get up,”
“Or, you could always stay,” Shisui cajools, to which Sakura only laughs. The sound is beautiful and full and makes his heart beat a little faster.
“The last time I canceled on Ibiki was when I had to help Itachi with his and Genma’s wedding plans, and he sent little Terror Ino after me for a week.”
Shisui cracks an even wider grin, “Well, at least you got some nice clothes out of it.”
Laughing again, Sakura leans down to kiss him, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Go on,” Shisui shoos, making a little gesture with his hand. “Have fun, I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Promise?”
“Always.”
She cups his face, thumbing the sharp of his cheek bone before leaning forward to kiss him again, "I love you." Then. "I am glad that my suffering brought me to you, that I landed here."
"I love you." He returns, barely a whisper as he brushes hair behind her ears. His heart beats for her, cracks and aches and swells. All for her. "There will never be a time that I will not love you. There will never be a time where I do not see you and see everything you are, everything you have done."
The sky is sunny and the spring beautiful as Sakura, the very heavens themselves, mouth splits into a brilliant, blinding smile.
(Sakura has crumbled and broken, she has fallen apart over and over. She has always known how to put herself together, until she couldn’t.
But Shisui, oh Shisui, he has always been readily available with glue and tape. He will always be there to hold her together with his bare hands, ready to bleed for her, with her.
She has given and given and given. He is willing to give everything back to her tenfold.
It is the very least she deserves, the very least the world can gift her. Shisui will always be willing to give more.)
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Note
*Ro-Bow could be seen shooting arrows out if a tree*
Ro-Bow!
Hey it's the speedrunner!
Spy Rise: Blaster-Tron is one of the Senseis here
He's a robot from the future!
Astroblast: I, did? What happened?
“…what is a Sensei-“
“I told ya that I adopted this little one.” Clouds motions to Crypt, who was standing next to her.
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super-senseis · 1 year ago
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Things I love about RO-BOW
- Cool awesome tech element
- Super strong in game
- Has some of the best dialogue compared to most skylanders
- RO-BOW
- Adorable British accent
- Is totally better than Bobbin Rood and he knows it
- Wheatley inspired
- How he says "noobs" in game gives me pure serotonin
- RO-BOW
- His feet are so silly
- Turns into a mf drill
- Samus reference
- Red is so hot on him fr
- His dialogue is not cringe
- Is the biggest gamer
- Did I mention RO-BOW?
All my facts are correct do not fact check me.
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darklight-phantasm · 2 years ago
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skyblue-blazes · 4 years ago
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I just really wanted to infodump about one of my Imaginators, if you all don’t mind
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Name: Loco-bow-tive
Catchphrase: “Brace for my speed!”(Game) / “Chugging along!”(Real)
Element & Battle Class: Fire Bowslinger
Sensei: Ro-Bow
Personality: Loco is highly competitive and energetic, the fire crystal used to create him giving him a burning desire to be the best Bowslinger of all time! No matter how difficult an obstacle is, Loco is willing to push past his limits to overcome it.
Random fun facts (AKA stuff I made up about him):
1. When Loco is angry, smoke comes out of his ears.
2. the buttons on his knuckles make whistling noises when pressed.
3. The crystals in his arms act as his fuel source, without them he is unable to access his fire abilities.
4. The blade on Loco’s back was given to him by a Ninja Imaginator. He uses it as a backup weapon in case he loses his bow.
5. Loco is one of the only Bowslinger Imaginators to enjoy Ro-Bow’s internet lingo.
6. In his spare time Loco has a trickshot competition with the other Bowslingers.
7. Loco enjoys the taste of charcoal
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britishassistant · 4 years ago
Text
But I Like One Piece (5)
Naruto is not being helpful.
At all.
“Make him the orange curry.” He says. “I heard he loves curry, believe it.”
“You mean the chicken tikka masala, which you described as ‘fire in food form’?” She asks wryly.
He points a dramatic finger at her. “YOU ADMIT IT!”
“Inside voice please, Naruto-kun!” Okaa-sama calls from the other room.
“Sorry Mayu’s Okaa-san!” He calls back. “But yeah, you should make him eat the fire curry, believe it.”
She sighs. “I’m not gonna make him eat the ‘fire curry’. I’m not sure if I’m gonna make him any food yet.”
She looks up when he scoffs, but continues, “...I don’t know if he needs it or not—whether he’s going have a live-in caretaker, or go into the Orphanage with Lee or what. I’ll wait until he comes back to the Academy and then we’ll see.”
“S’not what it sounded like last week, believe it.” Naruto grumbles.
He’s sitting on the countertop and banging his heels against the cupboards behind her. Loudly.
She tries counting to ten in her head.
She makes it to seven.
She turns and grabs his ankles. “Look, what’s this about?”
“Nothin’! Leggo!” He scowls and tries to tug his legs out of her grip.
She wraps her arms around them to prevent his escape, scowling right back.
“You weren’t like this when I fed Sakura and Lee, or shared food with Kiba and Chouji.” She points out, tightening her grip to stop him from kneeing her in the chin on accident. “What’s so special about Uchiha?”
“Everyone thinks he’s special!” He yells, going red in the face. “They’re all like ‘oh, isn’t it sad he’s all alone’, like I wasn’t alone too!! I’m sorry his family died, but I never knew mine!! I never had mine!! And no–nobody e-ev-ever told me ‘sorry your parents are gone’ or c-c-cared about—about me being all on my own, except Jiji an’ Teuchi an’ Ayame an’ you an’ Okaa-san an’ Otou-san, an’—a-an’—”
She watches, horrified, as fat tears slide faster down his face. “An’—an’ now you’re gonna make food f’r him, and you’re gonna like him better’n me, jus’ like Jiji does, an’ you won’t wanna be my friend any-any—”
She pinches his arm sharply, ignoring his pained yelp.
“Don’t.” She threatens, swallowing around a lump in her throat. “Don’t you dare spout that nonsense around me, Uzumaki Naruto, do you understand?! How could you—how could you even think that?!”
“You were gonna give him food.” He sniffs, glaring reproachfully.
“What—you think—you think I just feed people because I wanna be their friend?!” She asks, incredulous and insulted.
Naruto nods, hesitantly.
She drags her hands over her face, ignoring that they come away wet.
“Right. You listen to me Uzumaki, and you listen good. I. Will. Always. Feed. The. Hungry. Even if I hate their guts.”
Naruto blinks, looking slightly alarmed as she rants. “I didn’t even know Sakura’s name when we made that cake together! I just cooked with her because she was hungry. Shit, if my worst enemy were trying to kill me, and couldn’t finish the job because they were starving, I would feed them. Maybe with foods they hate, but I’d still feed them. Because I am a bloody professional and those who let people go hungry are scum.”
He startles back as she grabs his knees again. “You are not my friend because I fed you. You are my friend because you stuck around and took me to Ichiraku’s and defended me and you’re nice and funny and gave me a drawing of Luffy and Habu-san and I like you, you little shit. You’re my best friend. I am not replacing you. Not now, not ever. You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not.”
Naruto gulps, eyes shining bright again and lower lip wobbling.
She sniffs fiercely, ignoring the trembling in her hands.
“Ketsugi Mayu.” Okaa-sama’s voice comes from behind her, and her blood runs cold. “What have I told you about using profanity?”
That’s how she ends up on another week-long ban from cooking.
Naruto tries to make it up to her with a stream of too-tight hugs.
It partly works. Partly.
Otou-sama clicks his tongue at her when he gets home and Okaa-sama tells him what happened, and musses up her hair.
Then he picks up Naruto and spins him around like he used to do to her when she was small, and carries him into the entrance hall to sit on the stairs, the one place in the house where there are no nearby windows.
She tries to listen in while she’s setting the table, standing closer to the door than she really needs to.
“...not for that, you’d be wearing a pelican...” is all she hears before Okaa-sama grabs her shoulder and steers her back into the kitchen.
Naruto’s eyes are swollen again when her father carries him back in for dinner.
Hers and Okaa-sama’s ramen still isn’t as good as Teuchi-sama’s at Ichiraku’s. But Naruto eats it just as quickly, eagerly gulping down the shoyu broth and pouting over-dramatically when there aren’t seconds.
Okaa-sama insists he wash his face before he leaves so his eyes aren’t sore tomorrow.
It’s cutting very close to his curfew when he finally leaves, twisting around to look back at them as he walks down the street.
Okaa-sama and Otou-sama hug her before she goes to bed that night and tell her how proud of her they are.
She returns the embrace greedily, whispering she’s proud of them too.
Sasuke Uchiha doesn’t return to school for another two weeks.
During that time, Kiba managed to insult Shino by repeatedly asking if he was sure his bugs weren’t fleas.
She didn’t understand the comment, until literal insects begin pouring out of Shino’s sleeves and chasing Kiba and Akamaru.
Well, that explained the buzzing.
Ino added to the pandemonium by shrieking so loud she thought her eardrums would burst and swatting a load of the insects in one swipe. Which made Shino howl in pain and turn his wrath on her as well.
The teacher had given them all detention, on the grounds that none of them stopped the incident from happening or went and snitched to him.
She sat between Shino and Sakura and doodled Usopp on the worksheet they were supposed to be working on.
Ino was sandwiched somewhat unwillingly by Chouji and Shikamaru, who were whispering furiously to her. Kiba was in a similar position with Hinata and Naruto.
“That person cannot be real, or you are bad at drawing.” Shino said, peeking at her paper. “Why? Because his nose is impractically long.”
“Shino!” Sakura hissed from her other side. “That’s not very nice!”
“He may not be real, but I like him anyway.” She replied, tapping the pencil against the paper. “His name is Usopp. He’s a pirate sharpshooter who can hit anything with a slingshot.”
“Unlikely. Why? Because a slingshot does not have half the accuracy or firing power of a bow, a shuriken, or a firing arm.”
“For him it does.” She says fondly. “He’s also a coward, but he’s brave when it counts and he loves insects. It’s funny, because they’re just about the one thing he doesn’t run away from.”
“Ah.” Shino says. He takes another, longer look at the drawing.
The next day, Ino and Kiba apologize to Shino with a wounded air.
He nods stiffly, but still flinches away from Ino.
At lunchtime, he sits in between Shikamaru and Chouji, and Ino switches places with her to be at the end of the table, away from him.
She offers him half of an egg and watercress sandwich. He accepts it with a nod.
He lifts his sleeve onto the table.
While everyone else draws in a wary breath, insects, shiny-black and dull brown, crawl out onto the table.
They crawl around and settle down and hold still in a certain pattern. Black ones mimicking waves of curls and dark eyes with long eyelashes. Brown ones outlining a bandana, a jawline and an impractically long nose.
It’s Usopp.
Or the not-very-good drawing of Usopp she showed him yesterday. But still. Usopp.
She grins widely, darting a pleased look up at him.
Shino nods again, the insects breaking formation and trundling back up his sleeve. He begins eating the sandwich.
She looks up to find Ino looking...strangely elated?
Sakura wiggles her eyebrows at her, mouthing ‘we are going to talk’.
She rolls her eyes and tucks into her own lunch.
“Mayu-chan, is it true you’re in love with Shino?!”
Naruto bursts out with this question just as Otou-sama takes a sip of his orange juice at breakfast.
Otou-sama chokes on his juice, and Okaa-sama leans over with a concerned “Anata!” as he coughs, going red in the face.
Gai-sensei stares at her, lower lip wobbling.
Lee just tilts his head at Naruto and goes, “Who is Shino?”
“He’sh the bug guy.” Naruto says with his mouth full, the traitor. “He did Mayu-chan a pishture with bugs.”
Rice falls from her chopsticks and splats onto the table.
“HOW YOUTHFUL!!!” Gai-sensei wails. “Mayu-chan is experiencing the blossoming of ROMANCE!!”
“No.” She says desperately. “I’m not. Really, really not.”
Shino is seven years old. She’s mentally twenty (most of the time) and not a pedophile.
“Ah! Congratulations, Mayu-chan!” Lee beams. “I hope your love is as passionate as the Will of Fire!”
Nami give her patience.
“Naruto, who did you hear this from?” She asks.
Her chopsticks creak in her grip.
“Sakura-chan!” He chirps, pointing an accusing finger at her. “She said you showed him a picture of long-nose-guy who likes bugs after Ino squished his, and then he did the picture in bugs, an’ you were really happy! She called it suuuuuuper ro-man-tick, believe it!”
“He’s not ‘long-nose-guy’.” She seethes, plotting Sakura’s demise. Or not demise. Inconvenient disappearance due to her hair turning green, maybe. “His name is Usopp.”
Okaa-sama kneels in front of her. “Mayu-chan...would you like us to send a request for marriage negotiations to this boy’s family?”
It goes so silent one could hear a pin drop.
“Marriage what.” She wheezes.
Okaa-sama squeezes her hands. “I know it may seem sudden.” She says. “But...with the Ketsugi clan being what it is...”
“What your mother’s trying to say Mayu-chan,” Her father cuts in, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Is that clans are required to do things certain ways, or else they risk dissolution. Even branches like us. But we want you to be happy. And if you think that you l-love this boy, and that you would enjoy living your life with him...”
Her mouth works soundlessly. Naruto and Lee just look extremely confused.
Gai-sensei has stopped crying, at least. But he’s frowning, bushy brows furrowed.
“Your father and I...we were very lucky with each other.” Okaa-sama smiles softly. “We want you to have that same luck, or better, if you can.”
“You did not have a choice in your love?” Gai-sensei’s voice is strangely soft.
Her parents immediately fluster, going redder than beetroot.
“That’s, um—” Her father stammers. “We, ah—” Her mother squeaks.
“HOW INCREDIBLY YOUTHFUL OF YOU TWO!!!” He yells, tears springing anew to his eyes as he somehow sweeps both of her parents up in a hug. “TO MANAGE TO FIND LOVE IN EACH OTHER WHERE OTHERS ONLY CARED ABOUT OBLIGATION!! I AM OVERWHELMED WITH ADMIRATION FOR YOUR DEVOTION!!”
She can practically see the steam coming out of Otou-sama and Okaa-sama’s ears. That much blood in someone’s face can’t be healthy.
She shoves the last of her rice into her mouth, shooting Naruto a look that has him eating his double-time and helping to feed Lee the remnants of his breakfast while he’s left starry-eyed by the adults’ display.
She scribbles a brief note explaining that no, Shino’s just a friend, there’s no need for any marriage arrangements until she’s at least twenty.
Then she grabs Naruto, Lee, and their bentos, and runs like her life depends on it.
Sakura makes the mistake of waving when she sees them come in through the gate.
Her expression goes from smiling to wary when she sees Mayu drop the two boys and zero in on the pink-haired girl
“Haruno.” She growls. “Run.”
Haruno Sakura runs.
And escapes up into a tree. Which she’s never been very good at climbing.
She scowls and kicks the trunk, wishing it would break.
“Get down here so I can punch you in the shins.” She tells the tree grumpily.
“What?! Why?! I didn’t do anything!!” Sakura’s voice emerges from between the leaves.
“You told Naruto I was in love with Shino.” She hisses.
The tree is suspiciously quiet. “...No I didn’t.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Yeah, pray to Usopp to make you better at lying. Because that one’s awful.”
The tree’s leaves rustle indignantly. “But I didn’t! I was just talking to Ino about how you two would be cute as a couple, and Naruto was eavesdropping!!”
“You told INO?!” That’s it, her life here is over, time to run away to become a pirate before the engagement can be arranged.
“Sakura, I’ve just barely convinced my parents to stop planning marriage negotiations!!” She seethes. “Ino will tell everyone and set back all my progress!!”
There’s a moment of quiet.
Then a strange, high-pitched noise begins emanating from the tree. Across the schoolyard, Akamaru whimpers and buries his head in his paws. It sounds a bit like a dentist’s drill, so it takes her a moment to place it.
“NO!!” She roars, red-faced and pointing an accusing finger at the tree. “STOP SQUEALING! THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO SQUEAL ABOUT!!”
Sakura does not listen.
She ends up squealing and kicking her little legs so hard she falls out of the tree.
Luckily Lee dives under her, and she considers the expression Sakura makes at realizing exactly who caught her adequate punishment.
It takes her an entire day to sort this mess out.
Ino and Sakura take sadistic joy in her suffering. Lee is confused but supportive. Hinata and Shikamaru stay out of it as much as they can.
Kiba and Naruto exploit it to tease her and Shino for all they’re worth. So does the rest of the class, once they realize they now have prime taunting material.
Hell, even the teacher gets in on it by telling Shino he doesn’t know what he sees in her, and that a kunoichi who wasn’t afraid of hand signs would be a much more suitable match for a clan heir like him.
She gets detention for flipping him off.
Only Shino and Chouji seem to be as upset as she is.
She never realized what a loyal and true friend Chouji was before this.
She needs to appreciate him more.
She brings extra pork belly for him in her lunch the next day, to thank him for not betraying her.
His eyes light up when she gives him the food and a hug, and he eats eagerly.
Shino spends all of that morning with his head on the table. He only turns it to the side when Shikamaru finally pokes him.
“I am contemplating running away.” He says solemnly. “Why? Because my father spent all of yesterday evening trying to reassure me about the rumors surrounding Ketsugi-san and myself and telling me I will be a catch when I am older.”
She grimaces in commiseration. She finally got through to her parents and Gai-sensei, but they had then insisted on telling her similar platitudes all throughout breakfast.
She thought she knew embarrassment. She was wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spots a dark-haired head where there isn’t one normally.
She does a double take.
“Wait,” She asks, throughly confused. “When did Uchiha get back?”
The table freezes. Most of them twist around to confirm that, yes, Uchiha Sasuke is sitting at a desk at the far end of the classroom, glaring at them darkly while eating a tomato slice.
“Yesterday.” Shikamaru says dryly.
He then winces at Ino’s ear-piercing shriek, berating him loudly for not saying something earlier.
That people forget (mostly) about her and Shino is about the only good thing to come from Uchiha Sasuke’s return.
She vaguely remembers him pre-massacre. He seemed alright enough, but he hung out with a different group of people to her and Naruto, so they never interacted much.
Those people appear to be gone now though, given how alone he is now.
This suggests he never had any friends outside of his relatives, which she’ll admit is a bit odd, given how large that group was.
Guess there were more Uchiha in the class than she thought? But that doesn’t feel right...
Point is, he was an okay kid with friends.
Now, he’s...not.
Not for lack of trying of course. She finally understands what Naruto meant by “special”.
Even outside the well-wishers who repeatedly try to convey their condolences, half the girls in the class seem to lose their heads over him as the weeks go on.
Ino in particular begins to sing his praises endlessly, going on about how “aloof” and “cool” he is, to the point where Chouji, patient, kind Chouji, begs her to talk about anything else.
This is why she should’ve been reborn into One Piece. She wouldn’t have had to deal with this romance bullshit in a series where the main character’s asexual.
Sakura just sighs and stares at him, ignorant of how Naruto droops every time she does so.
(She tries to console him with extra food and too-tight hugs. It partly works. Partly.)
Even the teacher uses him as the standard against which all their work is judged, praising his stance in the Academy katas, his precision with throwing weapons, his answers on tests.
To hear others say it, Uchiha Sasuke is a prodigy who’s overcome his trauma through sheer determination and talent.
So why does he keep glowering at their lunchtime group like they’re somehow part of his tragedy?
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