Just as Kakashi had predicted, they arrived at Tazuna's house around noon. They immediately noticed how humble the bridge builder's home was, even though it had enough space to accommodate them all without any problems.
When the small door opened in front of Team 7, Goten realized he couldn't step inside. If he did, the old, worn wooden floor would easily give way under his weight. He stood in the doorway, saying nothing, as he watched the rest of the boys walk past, taking off their ninja sandals, leaving them near the door.
"Hey, kid! Don't be shy, you can come in without any problem!" Tazuna said when he noticed the boy wasn't coming, inviting him in with a nod of his head.
Goten bit his lower lip, trying to think of an excuse as quickly as possible. "It's just that... I'm sorry, I think I have to go to the bathroom."
"All the more reason! Go in and use the bathroom at the end of the hall on the left," the old man replied a little more rudely, losing his patience.
"You see, it's just that... I'd rather do it outside, in the forest! I'll be right back!" the Saiyan finished, running to some trees near the area.
"This kid is a real savage! He probably lives in a mountain somewhere and doesn't know what it means to live a civilized life!" Sakura said, arms crossed and standing at the entrance, watching somewhat indignantly as Goten hid behind the thick vegetation of the forest.
"If you're really keen, you should try writing your name!" Naruto yelled as loudly as he could, making sure his message came through loud and clear.
Unable to bear his idiocy, Sakura hit the unsuspecting genin hard on the head. But then, she got even more annoyed by Goten's unpleasant response.
"I'M DOING IT!"
"―IF YOU DARE COME CLOSER TO ME WITH YOUR DIRTY HANDS, I WILL GIVE YOU THE BIGGEST BEATING OF YOUR LIFE!" The kunoichi was enraged, so much so that she scared the little Saiyan and made him lose concentration, ruining his particular work of art.
Once he finished, Goten began to rummage through his pocket, hoping to find the object that would help him out of his complicated situation. "I got it!" he exclaimed, looking at the small capsule. Trunks was the one who always carried them with him, but this time, he let him have the one containing his sleeping bag.
He took off all the heavy clothes he was wearing, carefully laid them out on the floor, and tossed the capsule away to store it next to the sleeping bag.
"He's taking a long time, and his name isn't that long," Naruto said, somewhat puzzled. Sakura wanted to give him another one of her violent reprimands, but when she was about to do so, Goten appeared from the bushes, running quickly with his boots in his hands.
"I'm done! It took me a while because I was really eager," he replied with his usual smile. Then, he carefully placed his boots on the patio floor and prepared to walk barefoot.
"Look, Goten, I know you're not very smart, but shoes go inside, not outside, do you understand? Inside!" The kunoichi complained, quite exasperated, her hands on her hips, and her foot tapped the wooden floor incessantly.
"I prefer to leave them outside, that's how we do it at my house," he answered almost defiantly, but it wasn't to provoke Sakura or anything (he wasn't crazy enough to do that), but rather he wanted to avoid at all costs the pinkette from exposing him.
"Well, I don't care what you do! I hope they steal them, or it starts raining and they end up getting wet!" she finished furiously, turning around to go back into the house and up to her room.
Naruto waited for his friend to enter. That way, they would both choose their own room apart from the others and could do whatever they wanted and talk about whatever they liked, without having to endure Sasuke's complaints or Sakura's scoldings.
"I see you've also taken off the shirt you were wearing underneath, haven't you?" Kakashi asked once they entered, looking the boy from head to toe and also noticing the absence of his wristbands.
"Uh... yeah, it's really hot, so I decided to keep it in a capsule," he answered hastily as he ran after Naruto.
Suspicious and not entirely convinced, Kakashi decided to leave, using the excuse of taking a short walk to get some fresh air. It wasn't entirely a lie. After tidying up his things, he planned to wander around the area, looking for a suitable place for the boys to train.
When he reached the small courtyard of the house, he saw Goten's boots on the ground, left exposed to the elements for no apparent reason. Struck by curiosity, the jonin bent down to pick one up. His eyes, wide with shock, couldn't believe what he was seeing.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't lift the heavy boot. He only managed to lift it when he applied a significant amount of force, and was forced to let go after a few seconds.
"This guy wears ultra-heavy training clothes, just like Gai! Only one of these boots must weigh as much as his famous leg weights together... now I see why he left them outside. He'd break the floor of the house just by stepping inside. He also took off his shirt and wristbands. They must also weigh a ton. Just when I think I've seen it all, these guys continue to impress me."
Kakashi stood up again, casually running a hand through his messy silver hair. The simple task of thinking was tiring him out. He needed a few hours of sleep to fully recover. But first, he'd assess the terrain and return later with his team, ready to teach them a small but very useful trick.
The jonin couldn't help but laugh when he remembered the words Sakura had said a few minutes ago. "I don't think anyone would be able to steal these shoes."
"So what are you going to teach us, Kakashi Sensei? An awesome new jutsu?" Naruto asked, his hands fisting in excitement. "I hope it's huge, like Zabuza's Water Dragon! That would be awesome, really!"
"I don't think they're ready for something like this, especially you, Naruto," the jounin replied in his monotonous voice. "The exercise we'll do today is to teach you how to better control your chakra."
"―The gatra, understood!"
"It's called chakra, Naturo..." Kakashi said, putting a hand to his face. "Anyway, what you'll have to do is climb one of these trees." He instructed them, pointing at one of the trees behind him at random. He had chosen the clearing in the forest so the kids would have more space to carry out the activity.
"Climb a tree? That's too easy, that's stupid!"
Sasuke looked at his sensei seriously, his hands in his pockets. He wasn't in the mood to argue or start chatting about it, but oddly enough, he completely agreed with Naruto.
Climbing trees was completely ridiculous.
"Yes, they'll have to climb them, but with one rule: They won't be able to use their hands."
"Without hands? But that's impossible, Kakashi-sensei! How do you expect us to climb without using our hands?" Sakura asked, completely bewildered.
"This is a basic but very effective exercise for learning to control the chakra. What you should do is focus on the soles of your feet, which, according to experts, is the most difficult part of the body to focus the chakra on."
With that, Kakashi made a small hand seal and concentrated his chakra in his soles. Then, he began walking toward one of the trees. What was incredible was that, instead of stopping, he continued walking as if nothing had happened along the trunk, his hands in his pockets. At no point did the jounin stagger or make any attempt to fall; instead, he continued his calm and leisurely walk, even completely upside down on one of the tree's branches.
"Wow, that's incredible, Mr. Kakashi!" Goten shouted with a big smile. The other side of the coin was the three Leaf genins. Were they impressed? Yes, only they were speechless and open-mouthed instead of excited like the Saiyan was.
From his headstand position, Kakashi threw three kunai at his apprentices' feet, where they buried themselves in the ground.
"You'll have to do the same, although it's not as easy as it seems. This is difficult even for some advanced ninjas, so you'll have to gain momentum on your first attempts. The kunai are so you can leave your mark on the trunk each time you manage to climb a little higher."
Having imparted the rules of the game, the copy ninja began his slow descent on foot down the tree, once again standing in front of his surprised pupils.
"This is the first step to begin using jutsus properly, making the most of your chakra reserves, as it will help you maintain and master your energy levels. You should make this exercise second nature, so take it seriously."
"I want to try it too," Goten said, only instead of chakra, he focused ki on his feet. When the boy placed his boot on the trunk, all he managed to do was break the surface into pieces, peeling the bark with his powerful energy.
"I almost forgot. You shouldn't use too much chakra to avoid damaging the bark; that won't allow you to adhere to the tree properly; it will actually repel you. But don't use too little either, otherwise..."
¡PAAAAMMM!
It was the sound of Naruto's head crashing hard into the ground as he failed in his first attempt to climb the immense tree.
"Well, let's just say they'll end up falling like Naruto..." The jonin concluded, watching the blond genin writhe on the ground in pain.
"Hey, Mr. Kakashi, that trick doesn't work with ki, does it?" Goten asked after laughing enough, noticing how he placed his foot on the trunk, concentrating both intermediate and small amounts of ki, and despite this, he was unable to feel it sticking to the wood. And yet the boy had been an expert for years at concentrating energy in any part of his body and with the intensity he desired.
"I'm afraid not," the jonin replied, surveying the scene with interest. "That's why ki became completely obsolete. It has very few uses, unlike chakra... that is, assuming that absurd legend is true. Although if Goten is capable of using it, even coming from another dimension, nothing indicates that it would have been impossible for us to have used it in another era..."
"Kakashi Sensei, what is ki? Why is Goten able to use it, and we can't?"
Sakura's question managed to capture Sasuke's full attention, as he began to look at the copy-nin seriously, demanding an answer with his intense, jet-black gaze. He had the same question in mind, but the kunoichi anticipated it and obliged.
"You see, how do I explain it? Let's just say it's another form of vital energy, completely different from chakra. It's said that humans were once capable of using it, but upon learning to wield chakra, we forgot about that other form of energy that... How do I put it?... had very few uses, not to mention the limits its user faces."
"So how is it that he can wield it?" Sasuke asked immediately, barely letting Kakashi finish. "Could I do it too?" The boy's interest was focused on finding ways to become strong as quickly as possible, learning everything he could, and thus fulfilling his long-awaited revenge.
"I'm afraid not," the jonin replied bluntly. "If your body adapts to one form of energy, it's said that it's impossible to learn to use a completely different one. It would be like changing your nature, something that can no longer be modified. You can use other energies coupled with it, like that of nature, but that's another story that doesn't interest you at the moment."
The grimace Kakashi made beneath his mask showed how incredibly annoyed he was at explaining so much in such a short time. If he'd felt more inclined, he would have left to avoid further disturbance. He wanted to return to Tazuna's house and get some sleep; that was all he needed. Only Sakura's scream broke his pleasant thoughts.
"Whoohoo, this way!" exclaimed the kunoichi sitting on one of the highest branches of the largest tree of all, with her kunai stuck in the trunk. The girl smiled, satisfied, happy to have accomplished the task in such a short time. Concentrating her chakra in her feet was easier than she thought. Kakashi realized Sakura's incredible talent for controlling her energy, regulating it, and distributing it precisely to any part of her body.
"―Well, from what I see, Sakura is the team member with the best chakra channeling skills."
"That was great, Sakura!" Naruto shouted excitedly from the ground. "I knew you'd make it, I really did!"
Goten watched her in awe. He was the only one present who managed to see her ascend at all times, so surprised that he remained completely silent. The Saiyan felt a kind of admiration for Sakura. If there was one thing that fascinated Goten about training, it was those people who managed to quickly learn new and complicated techniques. It was a matter of geniuses, geniuses in combat like his admirable father.
And according to what Kakashi had said, Sakura had managed to master something truly difficult in a very short time. Now he saw the kunoichi in a different way, not as a simple, noisy girl, but as someone strong, capable, and determined, with great potential to develop.
From above, Sakura realized the emotions she aroused: Kakashi's comment, Naruto's, and Goten's stupefaction. But she didn't care about that. She only cared about her Sasuke, who, in her opinion, viewed her rather angrily, oozing envy in every expression and body language she uttered. Once again, she felt sad, defeated for not finding a way to win the Uchiha's attention and admiration.
Imitating Kakashi, she began to climb down the tree, trying not to stumble. But the distrust that gripped her due to her dejected thoughts caused her to lose focus, and with it, her chakra channeling, causing her to fall from the top of the gigantic fifty-meter-high tree.
And there she was, helplessly descending into a painful encounter with the unforgiving ground, which threatened to mercilessly bruise every inch of her fragile body.
The girl closed her eyes tightly, hoping it was just a nightmare, one of those where, upon falling, she would wake up in Tazuna's house as normal.
After all, what were the chances that she'd be able to accomplish such a magnificent feat on her own? Just like Sasuke had said, she was just a pain; that's all she was good for. She always felt like the weakest link on the team, the one who never did anything.
This was one of Sakura's flaws: her lack of self-confidence. It was something that reminded her of Ino, when she had advised her as a child not to hide her large forehead behind her hair and to show it off with confidence and assurance to everyone.
"Yeah, it must be a dream. In real life, I'd never be that good at doing it on my own. Besides, what's so ridiculously long a fall? I don't even feel like I'm falling. What's going on?"
Shyly, Sakura began to open her beautiful green eyes, only to find herself staring into Goten's worried face. His gaze was trying to tell her something like, "What happened to you? You were doing so well!"
The girl turned her head, only to realize with terror that she was floating in the air, many meters above the ground. When she paid closer attention to her surroundings, she realized she was in the Saiyan's arms... Flying!
"―WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?! DON'T LET ME GO OR I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!" She screamed, not enraged, but completely scared, wrapping both arms around Goten's neck and burying her face hard in the boy's chest, trying to tear her eyes away from the incredible image.
Listening to her, he tried to hold her as best he could, while still carrying her with an extreme delicacy that made the kunoichi feel suspended in nothingness.
Kakashi was the only one who wasn't too surprised, having seen Trunks float before, when he was explaining about ki and his abilities. What surprised him was how smoothly Goten descended despite carrying a tremendous amount of weight.
But Naturo and Sasuke were a different story. They were going to have a heart attack, at the very least. The boys' faces were priceless. Wide eyes, mouths open, bodies tense.
The light tap of Goten's boots touching the ground seemed to bring Naruto down from the moon.
"HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU FLY?!"
Goten just smiled. The unexpectedness of the situation didn't make him think twice. He could have run across the tree with his great speed, grabbed Sakura, and fallen with her to the ground again, but he was better at acting on instinct, and flew to rescue the scared and defenseless kunoichi in his arms.
"Sakura, you can get off now," Goten whispered in her ear, trying not to startle her.
When Sakura tore her face away from him, she looked at the pathetic scene with shame. She was in a boy's arms on solid ground. Anyone would think it was her boyfriend playing pick-up or something.
Shyly, Sakura let go and stood up on her own. She looked at the others in a mixture of dismay and confusion. She looked down and admired her delicate hands for no reason… and then she clenched them tightly.
¡PAAAAMMM!
"Ouuuch! What did I do this time? Why are you hitting me?!" Goten complained, squatting down and putting his hands on his aching head.
"IDIOT! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU COULD FLY?! YOU'RE ON MY TEAM NOW, YOU HAVE TO TELL ME ABOUT THOSE THINGS!" She reproached him, agitated, breathing almost with difficulty, completely blushed by what had happened. She felt ashamed of herself for having lost concentration and fallen in such a stupid way, and for having been saved by Goten again.
Yes, she had to admit, she was terrified. But when she closed her eyes and buried her face in the Saiyan's chest, she felt safe just listening to the powerful, slow beats of his heart, not to mention the feeling of shelter and protection that invaded her entire being when she felt herself held in his strong arms, when she felt his warm touch.
Perhaps that was the reason why she didn't notice his landing and, in a way, preferred to continue being carried by Goten.
But it was her beloved Sasuke who was supposed to help her, who was supposed to rescue her, who was supposed to protect her! Not the boy with a tail!
"Well, at least now you admit I'm on your team," Goten replied from the ground with his friendly smile and one eye closed in pain.
It's true, she'd said it. It slipped out. She wanted to hit him again for making her look ridiculous. She clenched her fists, wanting to scold him, but with a deep sigh, she gave up. She relaxed her hands, as well as her expression. She turned her back on him, not wanting anyone else to see her pained face.
"Goten... thank you." That was all she said, almost in a whisper.
"That's the good thing about knowing how to fly," Kakashi interrupted, his one eye closed and a smile still visible under his mask. "But since you don't know how, you'll have to learn to climb trees like everyone else, so get to work right away."
"But―"
"No buts, Naruto. Let's get to work." He hoped that would settle the matter. He didn't want them to start asking him about Goten and his secrets. Not yet.
"As for the two of you, you should go to the bridge and keep an eye on Tazuna. You can even help out, if they let you." He said, pointing at Goten and Sakura.
"But Kakashi sensei, I can stay here and give the boys advice on how to do better. Right, Sasuke?"
Uchiha looked at her, very offended. What did Sakura think? A simple trick with a little luck didn't make her better than the others.
"I don't need help from someone like you to do that." It was the helplessness and envy that surfaced in him, unable to bear that Sakura had surpassed him at something.
"Well, you could really use some help. So far, I haven't seen you do anything. But she climbed the tree on her first try," Goten said, to everyone's surprise. "I bet you can't do it the first time."
Sasuke was trembling with rage. He regained his composure and furiously visualized the tree in front of him. He focused his chakra on his soles and began his sprint straight for his target.
The Uchiha began to run quickly up the trunk, but only made it a few meters when, without warning, a piece of bark broke beneath his foot, the result of channeling more chakra than necessary.
With a swift movement, he used the kunai to leave his mark on the trunk, performing an agile somersault and landing safely, unlike Naruto. His performance was much more decent than Naruto's, but much worse than Sakura's.
"Wooow! See? You're amazing, Sasuke! I'm sure you'll make it next time!" Sakura encouraged him with a charming smile. But Uchiha just looked at her, more offended. He knew it wasn't true. He still had a long way to go before he could fully climb.
"It didn't seem like a big deal to me," Goten replied with his harmful naiveté, his hands clasped behind his head.
Sasuke wanted to stab him with the kunai. He couldn't stand the humiliation he was receiving from both of them any longer.
"Goten, would you please shut up for once? You can't even climb trees," Sakura scolded, flustered by his comments that made her look even more perfect in front of the angry Uchiha.
"Don't worry, Sasuke, mine was just pure luck; it's not that big a deal, really. You're the best of the lot, you'll see how soon you'll master it."
"Why are you acting like an idiot?" Goten reproached, again, to everyone's surprise. Sakura was so shocked that she couldn't respond at all. "What you're saying is a lie, I know, because I could feel your chakra. I've met very few people capable of controlling their energy as you have. Why do you continue to humiliate yourself and deny how good you are for him?"
He wasn't as innocent as he seemed. Goten had realized everything and couldn't tolerate the kunoichi's low self-esteem any longer. "I admit it, I felt admiration for you when I saw you do it, but now... now I just feel sorry for you."
The Saiyan turned around, somewhat annoyed, ready to head to the bridge where Tazuna was, leaving Sakura behind and speechless.
"He's right," Kakashi chimed in. "I'm not saying that's the right way to put it, but the bottom line is, it's true. You're very talented and intelligent, Sakura. You don't have to put yourself down; you'll only put up barriers and make it harder to be a better kunoichi. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some rest. There's nothing more I can do for you."
Without further ado, the jonin disappeared in a puff of smoke. He'd had enough of it all and let his students do as they saw fit. If they truly wanted to improve and become true ninjas, he figured they'd do as he'd instructed. There was no point in constantly babysitting them. In a way, this would also be part of their training. And making the right decision, the three genin continued on their way.
"Kid, be careful, don't hurt yourself," exclaimed a stunned Tazuna, seeing how Goten lifted several tons of iron beams that rested on a platform over his head. All the workers watched the scene almost in terror, unable to understand how a human being was capable of such a monstrosity.
"Don't worry, it's nothing." He replied in Saiyan very calmly, even showing a happy expression.
Minutes earlier, the boy had arrived at the bridge and told Tazuna that Kakashi had sent him to keep watch, and if possible, to help with something. The old man wasn't convinced, though he thought the energetic boy could lend a hand by carrying some materials. Nothing complicated.
But he never imagined that the platform that was supposed to be lifted by the enormous crane would now be above the Saiyan's head.
"Where do you want me to leave it?"
"O-okay! My men will take care of the rest!" The old man replied, afraid that the boy would accidentally destroy something. "If you want, take a break. You've saved me a lot of time with what you did." Had he known this, Tazuna would have hired Goten instead of renting the expensive crane that had cost him so much money.
With a sigh of resignation, Goten sat down on the side of the bridge, resting his head in his hands in a gesture of obvious boredom. Standing there, watching and doing nothing seemed very tiresome.
He began to think about anything, just to keep his mind occupied. That's when he remembered Trunks, assuming his friend must already be in Konoha, or at least close enough. Only the presence of a person sitting next to him brought him back from his thoughts.
"Sakura... What are you doing here?" he asked, somewhat puzzled, since she had stayed behind to practice and give the boys some advice.
"It's none of your business!" she replied in an annoyed tone. But in reality, she was just unfairly taking her anger out on him.
When she remained with her team to offer assistance, Naruto happily asked her for a few tips in a low voice. However, Sasuke continued his dismissive attitude, even telling her that her presence was unnecessary and that she should do as Kakashi had ordered. Hurt by the Uchiha's rejection, Sakura left.
Despite everything, she knew the answer she'd given Goten wasn't fair. What the hell was she doing? He'd just saved her! And this is how she thanked him?
"Hey, Sakura, I'm really sorry for calling you stupid. You're actually the smartest person I know. Except for Trunks' mom! She's a genius!" Goten said without warning, bringing her out of her murky thoughts.
His words brought a genuine smile to the kunoichi's face. She imagined that something like that meant a lot to Goten; she couldn't ask much more of him.
"Don't worry, I'm the one who should apologize, and thank you for saving me... again..."
The Saiyan looked at her with his wide smile, the same one he had inherited from his father. Now that she looked at him more closely, Sakura had to admit that the boy smiled quite beautifully, and even somehow conveyed a certain joy and tranquility to her. After all, it was easy for a smile like Goku's to lift anyone's spirits. Without realizing it, her concern for Sasuke had suddenly vanished.
"Hey, Sakura, are you okay?" He asked, waving a hand in front of the girl's lost green eyes.
"Oh, yeah, it's nothing, it's just... I was thinking about how you flew! Yeah, that's it!" She answered, a little halting and nervous. She didn't want Goten to notice her distraction, since she'd been staring at him a little, dazed. Luckily for her, he wasn't very perceptive about that kind of thing.
"Ah, that's nothing. My brother Gohan taught me when I was seven," he replied briskly, completely ignoring the kunoichi's previous stupefaction. "If only you were able to use ki, I could teach you. I'm already very used to it, but when you're first learning, it's a lot of fun."
"Does your brother know how to fly, too?"
"Yes, and also my dad, Trunks' dad, Mr. Piccolo, number 18..." He began to list with his fingers every person that came to mind, but Sakura stopped listening to him almost immediately, absorbed by the calmness with which Goten told her such a thing, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Hey, hey, stop for a second. You're saying all those people know how to fly? But that's impossible!" She interrupted with a confused expression. Goten immediately realized he'd put his foot in it because he'd talked too much. But luckily for him, Sakura dropped the interrogation. Her question was one of those that didn't really require an answer.
"So... how does it feel?" she asked after a few minutes of silence. Goten didn't know what she meant, as he raised an eyebrow in confusion. Seeing his expression, Sakura understood that she should be more specific. "I mean, flying, how does it feel?"
He wanted to start a conversation, simply out of curiosity. She wouldn't be able to experience a similar sensation anyway, since she couldn't even use ki as a form of energy. Instead of answering, Goten stood up, holding out a hand and giving her his cheerful smile.
"If you want, I'll show you."
"A-Are you crazy? Th-They might see us and get scared! People don't just fly around like it's nothing, that's crazy!" He immediately refused, trying to move away from Goten's outstretched hand. "Besides, Kakashi-sensei asked us to stay here and keep watch. It wouldn't be responsible if we abandoned our duties."
"Do you really think Tazuna still needs protecting? Trunks defeated Zabuza, you saw it yourself! Besides, he'll be fast, I assure you."
The kunoichi looked from side to side, as if Kakashi were nearby, watching them at all times. She thought he might be hiding, like that time they tried to feed Naruto while he was tied to a post, and the jonin appeared out of nowhere. But the truth was, her sensei was fast asleep in the old bridge builder's house.
"Okay, but only for 10 minutes! Not one more!"
In about five minutes, the two walked to a secluded area, as they needed to avoid prying eyes and unnecessary questions.
"So, what are you planning to show me?" the kunoichi asked, somewhat exasperated, since they had already wasted half their time. While she looked around with her hands on her hips, Goten laughed mischievously behind her: he knew he would scare her with his demonstration.
Without warning, the Saiyan took her in his arms, bridal style, paying no attention to the confused look Sakura gave him.
"Goten, what the hell do you think... NO! DON'T YOU DARE!" She screamed in fear when she finally understood what was about to happen. But it was too late. With a slight bend of his knees, trying to gain some momentum, the Saiyan took off, quickly entering the skies alongside his unexpected companion.
It was both of their first times. Neither Sakura had ever flown before, nor had Goten ever done so with someone in his arms, which is why the fool overdid it and made a bad first impression on the girl, who was now crazily wrapping both arms around the Saiyan's neck and not daring to open her eyes for anything in the world. She was scared.
Realizing this, the Saiyan slowed down as much as he could.
"If you don't open your eyes, you're going to miss everything."
Heeding his words, Sakura slowly lifted her eyelids, just to see how high up they were. The treetops and the houses below them looked tiny, so much so that she couldn't clearly make out the people passing by. She was about to say something, but Goten got in the way.
"I know, I'm not going to let you go, because if I do, you're going to kill me."
"W-well, I'm glad t-t-that you've got it c-clear!" She stammered, still somewhat terrified.
Goten was thinking of telling her to calm down, but decided that she would start calming down herself when she felt more confident, so he decided to remain silent the whole time. The Saiyan's speed was much more generous, so Sakura began to feel more and more confident and even began to enjoy the ride.
The day was beautiful, the weather pleasant, the view spectacular. Yes, in fact, she had never had such an incredible view of the landscape, nor did she ever think she would in her life. She felt on top of the world, although to be exact, she was at that moment. She even closed her eyes to better feel the soft breeze caress her face. It was a spectacular feeling.
Even though she wasn't the one flying under her own power, she felt a strange freedom that had been denied to her until this very moment. It was as if flying was something she had to do at least once in her life, even though she never thought it could become a reality. Only in her dreams had she ever experienced such an unreal experience. Of course, living it wasn't the same as dreaming it.
Without saying anything, Goten began to slowly ascend so Sakura could touch the clouds. He knew that deep down she would be curious to do so, although he also knew that out of pride she wouldn't be able to ask him to.
When they managed to reach them, Sakura timidly extended one of her arms, noticing that, contrary to what she thought, the clouds didn't even feel the slightest bit like fog, although she noticed that they felt quite cold and wet as they both began to slowly pass through them.
Within a couple of minutes, the two were floating at an incredible height, with a vast and beautiful sea of clouds right below them, stretching beyond the horizon due to its immensity. Yes, Goten ascended so high that they were above all the clouds.
Both of them were so high up that it was impossible to hear any sound other than their own breathing, because no living being lived in a place as inhospitable yet as majestic as this. There they stood alone, above everything else, as if they were the kings of the world.
Thinking they'd had enough, the boy began to descend slowly so as not to startle Sakura. When she looked down, she noticed they were heading straight for the forest, the treetops getting closer and closer. Goten landed in a small, lonely clearing, gently placing the kunoichi on solid ground.
"Why did we land here?" he asked in a trembling voice, still reeling from the incredible, magical experience.
"We have to walk back. They might see us land, and you said people shouldn't know. Besides, you said it should only be ten minutes, and I think I went a bit too far," he replied, his eyes closed and his hand on his head, a product of his carelessness.
Obviously, Sakura didn't care about that in the slightest. They could have flown for two hours, and she'd barely notice. She almost regretted saying such a thing to Goten, because apparently the boy took things literally.
"Why the hell did I say it was only for ten minutes? CHA! You're an idiot, Sakura!" She mentally scolded herself, while her Inner circled her head for her idiocy."You're right, it was time to end the walk anyway. We should return to the bridge." She answered with her arms crossed, trying to appear indifferent.
Once again, her pride wouldn't let her admit how wonderful everything had seemed. But inside, she was thrilled to have lived such an experience, and all thanks to the boy with a tail.
Goten just laughed. He knew very well that Sakura didn't want to admit it, but flying had seemed incredible to her. He knew this because he could see it on her face during the walk. Clasping his hands behind his head, he just walked beside her in silence.
They had barely taken a few steps when they noticed a girl crouching on the ground in the distance. She was wearing a beautiful, long pink dress and carrying a basket in which she collected herbs. When the person noticed them, she turned sharply, fearing they were a threat.
"Don't worry, we won't hurt you. We're good people," Sakura said, using her hands to reassure the young woman.
When she got close enough, she noticed it was actually a boy, only his features were very fine and delicate. Even Sakura was impressed, even feeling a little envious, because from her perspective, the boy seemed more beautiful than her.
"I see you're ninjas," he said, smiling and pointing at Sakura's headband, though his expression changed when he noticed Goten's presence. He knew the kunoichi wasn't a threat, but the boy was a different matter entirely.
"That's right, we were just strolling around. By the way, are those medicinal herbs you're collecting?" Sakura asked, pointing at the small basket.
"So, besides being a kunoichi, you're also very intelligent. Do you have any medical-ninja skills?" the mysterious boy asked, still wearing his friendly smile.
"No, not at all! It's just that I read something about it in some books. You know, it never hurts to know a little bit about everything." She replied, somewhat flattered by the comment. "If you want, we can help you. What do you say, Goten?"
"No problem for me. I preferred that to having to go back to the stupid bridge to watch."
With a gesture of deep gratitude, the mysterious boy nodded. He politely introduced himself to them as Haku, after Sakura and Goten did the same.
At one point, Goten started talking about Sakura's morning workout and how amazing she was at channeling her chakra and climbing trees thanks to it. His argument made Sakura blush slightly.
For the first time, she felt like her efforts were genuinely appreciated and admired by someone else, even if it wasn't the person she desired.
"Why don't you show him, Sakura? He'll be impressed!" Goten encouraged her to perform her trick. She didn't want to; she felt embarrassed, but after so much insistence, she ended up accepting his proposal.
Sakura stood up, closed her eyes to concentrate, and focused her energy on the soles of her feet. Then, she walked on the surface of one of the nearest trees, much smaller than the one she had fallen from. Since no one interrupted her, she managed to perform her exercise perfectly, both up and down.
"See? I told you it was great!" Goten exclaimed right in front of Haku. "And she learned it in just a few minutes."
Despite his experience, Haku was somewhat impressed by Sakura's excellent chakra control. It took him longer to learn that lesson, even for him. He thought that perhaps in the future, the girl would have the opportunity to learn the skills of a medical ninja.
"So tell me, Sakura, what motivates you to improve and move forward? Are you doing this for someone else? Someone you love?" Haku asked, completely disconcerting the pinkette.
"S-someone I love?" She repeated, blushing, while the image of Sasuke formed in her mind. "Well, the truth is, there is someone, although that person doesn't seem to be interested in me in the same way. I only try to improve and become stronger to get his attention, to earn his respect and admiration... but no matter how hard I try, I can't do it..."
There was a deep silence, after which Sakura continued with her speech. "But there's something else. I also want to get stronger to be useful to my team, to not be a hindrance, and to not be the weakest link. Maybe that way I can better protect my friends or at least help them on missions."
"That's an excellent answer," Haku replied. "When you fight to protect those important to you, those you love, you undoubtedly become stronger, and there will be no obstacle you can't overcome. There is only one person I care about and appreciate. I live to protect and serve them. That is my purpose, and it is what gives me strength."
His words were immediately echoed by Goten. "You're absolutely right. That's why I haven't stopped training. I know my father pushes me a bit sometimes, but even so, I want to be prepared when a threat presents itself and not let my friends down by being too weak."
Now, the kunoichi knew a little more about Goten. She understood some of the motivation behind his training and how he had managed to become so incredibly strong. She assumed Trunks' case would be somewhat similar. If so, they both took protecting their loved ones seriously.
To both of their surprises, Goten continued with something extremely shocking. "Tell me, how are you feeling? Is he feeling a little better? Because I think my friend overdid it a bit..."
"What do you mean?" Haku replied nervously and alarmed. He didn't understand how, but apparently, he'd been discovered.
"I mean Zabuza. Those herbs you're collecting are for him, but it'll take him too long to recover from that. Trunks gave him a real beating."
He knew it all along. Goten was able to identify Haku's chakra, which was exactly the same as the boy who appeared wearing the ANBU mask and took the jounin with him. He also assumed that the important person he was referring to was none other than the Demon of the Mist.
Embarrassed, Haku attempted to draw his senbon needles to attack them, but anticipating the matter, Goten avoided it with a blinding move that no one could foresee.
The Saiyan was already firmly grasping Haku's wrist, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free. The boy was monstrously strong, though his words only served to confirm this.
"Don't try it. I'm as strong as my friend Trunks, and I'm sure you must have seen him fight Zabuza."
Haku was terrified. He never imagined he'd be discovered so easily. It was all over, until for some incomprehensible reason, Goten released him from his grasp without warning.
Sakura watched everything with wide eyes, not understanding much of what was happening. What she did understand was that Haku worked with Zabuza, and she even suspected he was the same masked boy who had appeared that day.
Taking a closer look at his physical build and black hair, she began to dispel her doubts about the young man's identity. Now she was scared. If she hadn't been with Goten at that precise moment, she wasn't sure what would have happened to her.
"Here, take this to him. It's the only one I have left," Goten said with a kind smile, handing him a Senzu Bean he had in his pocket. Trunks carried the rest with him.
"What is this?" Haku asked, taking it with extreme distrust.
"It's a seed capable of healing the most serious wounds. With it, Zabuza will recover instantly, I assure you."
"And if that's true, why would you give me something like that?" the mist hinobi asked, still stunned. "We tried to kill the bridge builder and you. Why do you want to help me?"
"Because I see that you're not a bad person. On the contrary, I feel that your energy is pure and without malice. I even think you'd be able to board the flying cloud without any problem," Goten said naturally, although those present still didn't fully understand his words and looked at him as if he were crazy. "Zabuza is indeed evil. His energy is perverse. But if he's someone so important and beloved to you, surely there must still be a bit of goodness in his heart. There may still be hope. If Trunks' father could change, surely he could too."
Despite never having met Lord Vegeta during his years as a race-killer and planet-destroyer, he knew from stories that he hadn't been a very good man, but quite the opposite. But over time, the Prince of the Saiyans gradually changed and was able to start a family on Earth.
"A simple seed, even with medicinal properties, couldn't heal someone with such serious injuries! And even if it did, you can't help them, Goten! They're the enemy!" Sakura tried to persuade him, taking him by the arm and gently shaking him from side to side, as if she wanted to make him see reason. But he remained indifferent, firm in his decision.
"If you want, bring him the medicinal herbs, but you won't need them, trust me."
With those words, Goten was about to leave, but before doing so, he wanted to clear up one last matter. His expression changed to a very serious one, as he gave Haku a stern, hard look that even made him shudder a little. Even Sakura was surprised by his sudden change in expression, something she hadn't seen before.
"With the Senzu Bean, Zabuza will recover immediately. But if they dare to come back to attack us or Tazuna, I will have no choice but to defeat them both. I also fight to protect my friends and the people who are important to me, and right now, they are. If Zabuza is so important to you, it would be best if you convinced him to leave us alone."
Haku was paralyzed. Sakura even more so, to the point where she stood frozen in place. When Goten started to continue back to the bridge, he had to take her hand, as she simply stood there.
She couldn't understand Goten's strange compassion and generosity, if you could call it that, because it wasn't typical of a normal, reasonable person. Rather, she believed he was completely crazy, a complete idiot.
All the thoughts that ran through the kunoichi's dull mind plunged her into a deep state of obsession, from which she only woke up several minutes later, when they were already reaching the bridge.
She looked down and noticed Goten still holding her hand. He'd led her back that way, as if she were a little girl. Some of the townspeople looked at them with pleasure; many thought they made a cute couple. Neither of them noticed. It was the only way to bring her back; otherwise, she'd still be lost and bewildered in the forest.
"Goten, why did you do it? Do you really think it was the right decision?" was all she said when she finally came down from the clouds and was once again in control of her own conscience.
She wanted to pull her hand away, but there was no need. When Goten noticed she'd regained consciousness, he let go of himself. Surprised by the gesture, Sakura looked up, only to find the Saiyan giving her that pleasant smile that made her forget her troubles.
"Yes, I think so."