Naruto Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Clan of the Moon ❯ Vessel ( Chapter 23 )

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been sick and I've been swamped with work. Here's the next chapter, the one that reveals the BIGGEST secret in the story! Hope you like it! ::grins::

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Sailor Moon Series, but the original characters Gala and Amera belong to ME!!!

 

 

 

Vessel

 

 

Sakura's worst fears had been discovered the moment she came back to Konoha after the mission to Suna…

 

Her star seed was losing power.

 

How could this be? It was impossible! She wasn't gaining power, she was LOSING it! The only conclusion she could make was that it was due to the fact that none of the ancestors wanted to train her in fighting techniques. Instead, they all trained her in something that was completely and utterly useless, at least in Sakura's eyes…

 

Princess training.

 

This was utterly ridiculous…Why was she stuck with useless mannerisms that she would NEVER use in her lifetime!? She was a warrior for goodness sake! All of that bowing and pampering, though the pampering was kind of fun, was stupid! Why wasn't NARUTO doing something like this too? Wasn't he a prince!? Hell, he needed it more than her! The crazy idiot…

 

There was something else that was starting to get on Sakura's nerves. Ever since the mission to Suna, those of Hikari started to act…weird…towards her and Naruto, especially her. The girl could barely be alone for no more than five minutes before one of the Hikari members just so happen to pop in and escort her somewhere. Plus, she could see the outlines on the roof tops; ninja were following her, SUNA ninja. Gaara had ordered his ninja to watch over the pink haired girl when he was unable to.

 

This was completely and utterly annoying!!!

 

She knew she was being watched and she didn't really care at the moment. Sakura looked at her hands. Though her star seed was losing power, it was still there, pulsing lightly. She could fell it all the way to her toes. It was calling, wanting her to use it again so…she used it to vent her frustrations on a poor, defenseless wall.

 

The wall crumbled to tiny pieces under Sakura's powerful fists. She stared at it proudly, glad that she hadn't lost her touch, however she noticed something was wrong and that immediately destroyed her good mood.

Normally, when Sakura brought down a wall with her fists, the entire wall would be gone in a matter of seconds using only one punch. Using all her strength, Sakura had to punch the wall TEN TIMES before getting the result she wanted.

 

Sakura instantly fell to the ground, pain shooting up her arms. She had NEVER felt pain after punches before.

 

Looking down, her eyes grew wide. She had worn her gloves of course but the gloves had shredded during her venting, causing delicate flesh to hit the stone wall as she continued her onslaught on the inanimate object.

 

There was blood and there was pain.

 

“Dang it…” She swore under her breath. Why was she getting weaker!? It HAD to be because the ancestors refused to train her. There was no other explanation! Why were they allowing her to get weaker when she needed to get stronger!? She was so angry, so frustrated, that tears fell straight from her eyes. This wasn't fair!!!

 

“Sakura-chan! My Sakura-chan!” The high pitched yell of Lee caused Sakura to look up. Lee, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba were heading her way. Rock Lee was completely distraught at seeing his precious cherry blossom on the ground in a crying heap, thus he raced to her side…

 

That is, until three forms blocked his path.

 

Sasuke took the front while Sai and Neiji stood on either side. The three boys let a rushing Hinata through to look at Sakura's wounds.

 

It was strange to say the least to see everyone acting so strangely. Lee, Shino, and Kiba were even in more shock when Neiji knelt beside his cousin and proceeded to undo his own bindings to wrap Sakura's hands with the material.

 

“What the hell…?” Kiba blurted out. “Hey, what's going on? Did you all hit your heads or something?”

 

Sai and Sasuke spoke not a word as they turned their backs upon the three, their attention on the cousins as they helped Sakura. Even Sakura was amazed at Neiji's kindness towards her; in fact she was speechless at the attention she was getting from some of the most arrogant, annoying shinobi she had ever known. They weren't looking on with distain like she thought they would at her weakened state. Instead their eyes showed concern…pure and utter concern.

 

His task done, Neiji stood while Hinata helped Sakura to stand.

 

“Uh…Thanks…” Sakura managed to say, still in a state of shock and awe.

 

“Sakura! You're alright!” Lee shouted. “Allow me to escort you to the hospital!” He rushed to her side.

 

Only to be smacked away by none other than Hinata Hyuga.

 

Kiba's jaw slammed right onto the ground. Shy, innocent Hinata had just SLAPPED Rock Lee and was giving them all a look that could kill.

 

“She will not require a hospital.” Neiji was the one whom spoke, with a little arrogance in his tone. “I'm sure she appreciates your concern.”

 

With that said the group left with a shocked Sakura guarded in all directions.

 

Shino raised an eyebrow. “If I didn't know any better…that looked rather much like a royal procession.”

 

Kiba and Lee nodded their heads, too shocked to speak.

 

The small Hikari group had taken the road back to the Hino house where the others had apparently gathered. Upon seeing Sakura the girls quickly rushed to her side, pushing her towards the house. Frustrated, Sakura pushed them away and glared at them all.

 

“Alright, enough already! I want to know what the HELL has gotten into you all!!! I can barely be alone for more than five minutes, I'm escorted EVERYWHERE I go, but Naruto is free to run anywhere he damn well pleases! I demand to know why the HELL you have to protect me when I don't want your stupid protection in the first place!!!”

 

Hearing her screams, Naruto and Raye rushed out.

 

“Hey, what's wrong Sakura-chan?” Naruto frowned at his distraught cousin. “Are you alright?”

 

Sakura's bandaged hands fell to her sides in fists so tight it caused her hands to bleed again. Her head down, her shoulders shook.

 

“Raye-san…” She whispered. “Why…Why is everyone acting so weird?” She turned her eyes to the senshi of fire. “And why…Why…is my star seed losing its power!?”

 

The senshi in question was quiet as the other ancestors crowded behind her. Sakura was between the past and present courts of the moon. The present ones were intrigued at her statement, so much so that Neiji instantly activated his Byakugon and turned it to Sakura. He frowned.

 

“She is correct…It is dimming at an alarming rate…” Neiji stated as the Byakugon disappeared from his eyes. “Why is this so?”

 

The ancestors were quiet for a brief moment. It was Hotaru who stepped forward to answer the questions hanging in the air.

 

“They act the way they do Sakura because their star seeds command them to.” Hotaru answered the first question flawlessly. “The need to protect becomes so great that even a single drop of blood shed by the moon clan makes a sailor senshi go crazy with rage. They would do anything to protect you and Naruto…specifically you, Sakura…and yes there is indeed a reason for such.” Hotaru smiled kindly. “They don't know it themselves…but the star seeds do…Strange, but it is the truth…The star seeds of sailors and knights know their duty even though their hosts do not.”

 

“I don't get it, Hotaru-chan…” Naruto frowned while scratching his head. “Not that I mind everyone protecting Sakura and all, but why IS everyone acting so funny?”

 

It was Raye's turn to speak.

 

“Do you remember the story we told you of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion? And how Neo-Queen Serenity will awaken someday?” All heads nodded at her question. “The Neo-Queen will not necessarily wake up in the way you all believe she will. In the final battle, her body had been damaged way beyond repair. With her last dying breath, she encased the sliver imperium crystal within her body. Her body is essential dead, but her spirit remains.”

 

A dead body but a living spirit? That didn't make sense but no one moved to vocalize the confusion.

 

“Usagi's spirit is within the sliver imperium crystal, just as other queens of the moon are encased within.” Ami spoke then, pushing her glasses up her nose. “As time draws by every day, her body which has served as a sort of shield, will chip away, revealing the crystal. The body had started to crack the day teams 1 and 2 left for their missions.”

 

“That was when you started to feel strange, wasn't it Sakura?” Haruka spoke next, her eyes showing concern at the pink haired girl. “When you started to get dizzy every time you used your star seed to help someone or fight.”

 

Naruto whipped his head to his cousin. “Is Haruka-chan telling the truth, Sakura?”

 

“Naruto…” Hotaru spoke for the distraught Sakura. “In essence, Sakura will one day lose her star seed completely, but only until the merger takes place.”

 

That turned heads once more.

 

“Merger?” Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. “What merger?”

 

“Sakura…” Raye continued amid Shikamaru's question. “One day you will be a Queen, we know it, they know it and you know it…but you will not only be a queen, Sakura-chan…” She came over, placed her hands upon Sakura's shoulders. “You will be the most powerful woman in the world.”

 

Silence hung in the air as Sakura raised her head to meet Raye's calm eyes with her own shocked ones.

 

“H…How…is that…?”

 

Raye's next words caused the whole group to grow still.

 

“Sakura...the Imperium Sliver Crystal needs a vessel, a host...A woman host…A woman host born into the clan of the moon…”

 

Pause.

 

Big. Serious. Pause.

 

Sakura's body shook while all looked on with wide eyes.

 

“Wh…What…?” Sakura managed to stutter out. The world was starting to spin.

 

“Sakura, in all essence, you are a vessel…” Sakura heard Raye's voice but she didn't see her. “One day you will possess the sliver imperium crystal, handed down to you by your very own cousin, Naruto. For only those of the moon clan can touch it without suffering serious consequences. Once the crystal is within you, Sakura…you will be the most powerful woman on the planet.”

 

“Stars would dim under your light.” Michiru said.

 

“The earth would shatter at your command.” Makoto added.

 

“And all evil would beg you for mercy.” Hotaru finished. “Do you not understand, Sakura? You…will be an immortal…You will not reincarnate like we do…no…you will stop growing once your body has fully matured…you, Sakura…will live forever.”

 

Now all was understood…Sai now understood why Danzo wanted Sakura so badly, Neiji understood the seriousness of the situation…And Sasuke knew just who would help him restore his clan.

 

It was Sakura's final straw. Her mind could take no more. Closing her eyes, she succumbed to the glorious darkness of a faint while the past and present courts of the moon looked upon her as though they were seeing not their future queen fall unconscious…

 

But their future goddess…

 

 

 

Next Time: Perfect