❀︎𝑰'𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒌...⚤ (𝖭𝖺𝗋𝗎𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗇𝖿𝗂𝖼) (𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝖽)

6~

Sakura shivered as she stepped into her room. "Sensei?" she called tiredly. Her muscles trembled with fatigue and she had to work to keep her eyes open.

"Yes, Sakura? You're two minutes late," he said from his spot on his "bed".

"Two minutes?" she scoffed. "It's only two minutes." He looked at her with a frown.

"Two minutes can mean the difference between life and death, Sakura. You must not be late," he said sternly.

Sakura hung her head. "Hai, sensei. I understand." Slowly, she gathered her sleeping clothes and went to change in the bathroom. When she came out, she hesitated before telling him what she'd done to Sasuke.

"You want to know if there is a way to take it off," he said; it was a statement looking for confirmation and not a question in need of an answer.

"Yes." She nodded sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I lost my temper."

"Don't lose your temper," Itachi warned. "It blinds you. I think that a simple dispel would get rid of it - but only you can have any effect on the jutsu. I pity my otouto, should he try anything."

"Eh... Itachi speaking?" Sakura mumbled sleepily as she tried in vain to get into bed. She squeaked as he slipped down to the floor and wrapped his arms around her, gently lifting her up so she could climb into the web of ropes that served as her bed. "A-ano, are you sure that the ropes can hold me and four hundred kilograms of weights?" she asked doubtfully.

Itachi nosed her pastel hair and murmured softly, "They will hold. They may look weak, but they are stronger and much more flexible than lengths of steel." Sakura got the feeling that he was talking about more than just ropes. "You need to learn to balance the weight evenly, or you will fall."

"Hai, sensei," Sakura yawned. Itachi returned to his rope, his feet making no sound across the wooden floor.

"I'll be Itachi for now," was all he said. Presently, Sakura's even breathing could be hear throughout the room - beyond that, there was absolute silence.

The Next Morning

Saku-chan, wake up! It's six already, and you still haven't told sensei that our former sensei wants Team 7 to meet at seven!

Sakura sat up quickly, blinking the sleep out of her emerald-colored eyes. Scanning the room, she noticed that Itachi was watching her emotionlessly.

"What is it, Sakura?" he wanted to know. The newly awakened kunoichi literally tumbled out of bed and sat up, rubbing her head.

"Eh... Yesterday, Sasuke said that Kakashi-sensei wanted us to meet him on the bridge where we usually meet at seven," she explained hastily. "May I go?"

He regarded her calmly for a second before speaking. "Very well. I shall follow you and watch you from the shadows. Give your full attention to your training - pretend that I am not there."

"Un!" Sakura answered cheerfully, leaping up (with some difficulty, due to the weights) and running to the bathroom to change (also made difficult by the weights).

He's babysitting us, Inner Sakura grumbled unhappily. You could have just told him no...

And do you think he'd take no as an answer? Sakura snapped back. Stop whining. He's helping us get stronger.

You still have to go see shishou for that jutsu, Inner Sakura reminded her.

Oh! Right! Thanks for reminding me, Inner!
Inner Sakura pouted. Any time, Saku-chan.

Five Minutes Later

"Ano, sensei... Wheat should I do about the weights?" Sakura asked, fidgeting. "They're shiny, and - "

Itachi cut her off, having anticipated the problem. "Wrap your arms and lower legs," he ordered; Sakura sighed with relief and dug out a roll of bandages. "That will do, but take care not to overdo it. You don't want to weigh yourself down"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "And wearing a hundred kilograms on each arm and leg isn't weighing myself down?" she remarked sarcastically. Itachi chuckled in thinly veiled amusement.

"Do it tighter," he told her. Sighing as she attempted to obey, he took the white strips and her arm and began wrapping. When he let go, she snatched both the limb and cloth from him and proceeded to finish.

"Arigato, sensei!" she chirped. He nodded in acknowledgement and stood, gesturing to the door. She also rose and followed him. Once outside her front door, he disappeared, thought not before giving her instructions for the day:

"Take it easy today - practice your punches and kicks, run around a little, maybe a few sit-ups, and I want you to do fifty push-ups. Tomorrow, the real training begins."

At the Bridge

As Sakura neared the bridge, a familiar, loud, obnoxious voice greeted her. "Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" Naruto called.

Sakura waved at him happily. He was the one member of Team 7 who had not called her weak - and for that, she respected him.

"Hn. Urusai, dobe," Sasuke grunted. Sakura lifted an eyebrow as she observed his position he was sprawled all over the railing instead of keeping his limbs together as he usually did. His arms hung heavily above the water.

"Oh, did you managed to crawl home?" she taunted. His forehead twitched. "Let me feel." Walking over to him, she lifted one of his arms and nearly dropped it onto the railing, which would've broken the bones in his arm. (A/N: Remember, she's carrying a hundred and ten kilograms - 242 pounds! Yipes!) "Ow..." She rubbed her wrist, just above the weight bracelet.

"Is ten kilograms too heavy for you?" Sasuke smirked smugly.

Peh! Inner Sakura snarled. Ten kilograms is nothing! But you should try a hundred and ten kilograms! Teme!

"Hello!" Kakashi called out, poofing in right in front of them. "I'm sorry I'm late! You see, there was this old lady, and she - " Naruto didn't even let him finish; he'd used the same excuse the week before.

"Liar!"

Kakashi held up his hands in defeat, his lone eyes twinkling. "Okay, okay. You caught me. Now, I want you to walk or run five laps around Konoha. Go!"

Naruto glared at Sasuke and declared, "I'm going to beat you, teme!"

"Hn." With this... erm... pleasant exchange, the boys were off in a cloud of dust. Sakura stifled a grin and started her own laps.

"Sakura," Kakashi called. "Why don't you run?" The words stung her , but a rustle in the leaves of a tree nearby reminded her that Itachi was watching; she would not break down in front of him. Instead, she lifted her chin and turned her back to Kakashi. Slowly, she began jogging.

A leaf fluttered to the ground in front of Sakura, and she stooped down and picked it up gently. Etched on the smooth green canvas was the sentence: Take it easy. Smiling like a chile who had won a petty argument, she slowed her pace to a walk, albeit a brisk one. She tucked the message into her pocket.