The Not So Troublesome Blossom

Chapter Four

It had taken a while for Shikamaru and Choji to get Sakura to move from the sparring circle so they could go home. It was obvious that Iruka had made the pinkette feel guilty, having prayed upon her caring nature. The Nara seethed at that.

'What kind of sensei guilt trips one of his student's into regretting that they defended themselves?'

A terrible one, the boy concluded. One that picks favourites and is oblivious to anything else.

Tonight they were staying Choji's house , having spent the previous nights at Shikamaru's. 

As the trio walked to the Akamichi compound Sakura struggled with her conflicting feelings. Iruka had made her feel increasingly guilty for having beaten Ami. But the logical part of her brain screamed: It was a spar, he was the one who had pitted you two against each other. His reaction was unfounded. He's biased against civilian students. 

That didn't stop her from thinking: What if I broke one of her bones? What I really really hurt her? What if she has to stay at the hospital? 

But she still felt proud, proud that she had beaten a clan born kid in a spar. Proud that she had finally stood up to Ami, her long time bully. 

Shikamaru looked over at her pink haired friend, whos emerald eyes shifted with different emotions as she remained deep in thought. Her mind obviously thinking over what had happened today. She was going to need some cheering up. 

The Nara nudged her with his elbow, whiched snapped her put of her trance. 

"What?" she said as she blinked. 

Shikamaru sighed, "Forget about what Iruka said, you did nothing wrong."

"But-"

"No buts," The brunette spoke, "I am right, and he is wrong. End of discussion." His tone leaving no room for argument. 

Sakura pouted, "Shika, that's not exactly fair."

"Being fair is troublesome." 

And, surprising both him and Choji, the pinkette began to laugh.

=

When they arrived at the compound, Sakura had stared at the clan symbol that represented Choji's family name longer than normal. 

She knew that out of all the kids in her class, she was one of the few who didn't belong to a clan. Many had scrutinized her for it and she had done her best to ignore it. But after spending nights at the Nara compound and now would be intruding on the Akamichi family, she felt like a fake with her white circle on her shirt.

"You? A ninja? Don't make me laugh! You're not even from a clan!"  Ami had said to her, laughing along with her friends. 

And for once in her life, she wondered if the purple haired girl had been right about. If her dream to be a ninja was just that, a dream and nothing more. 

'Maybe she was right, how could I live up to something this? Maybe I was just being dumb, maybe I'm nothing like uncle Saburo...' 

"Hey," she felt someone nudge her elbow.

She looked and there was Shikamaru, his eyebrow arched in question.

"You okay?" he asked, "You've been staring at that symbol for a while now." 

"Why wouldn't she?" Choji asked, a proud smile on his face "We Akamichi are pretty great," 

Sakura and Shikamaru looked at each other before looking back at Choji with a sweat drop.