The one story which had gotten me the most amounts of reviews I have never even thought about, is going to be changed. I adore this plot line and how everything works out, but it all seemed better in my mind. So with no further ado, I give you…CHARMS!
Dedicated to Margaret, who gave me the bracelet which inspired this whole thing.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The night cast eerie shadows along the open windows. Gray clouds floated next to a bright moon that seemed to reflect all that five certain girls did not feel inside. It was neither cold nor warm, and a certain mystical feel of the village of Konoha awakened many imaginations. Trees rustled playfully as birds fell asleep in their nests.
A star began shining visibly in the dark blue sky, peeking out from behind a cloud. Just glowing a little brighter than the rest.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
A pale lavender head of hair lay upon crisp white sheets, which were stained with tears. Hinata Hyuuga, heiress to the Hyuuga clan, had had enough. She knew she could not fight well, she knew she could not even beat her younger sister, but the one thing she never knew was that her father could be so cruel.
'You might as well just leave the Hyuuga clan, Hinata. There is no use for you here.'
The words rang in her ear and bounced through her head. Just leave. No use. Just leave. No use.
Nothing had been going right in the last couple of days, either. Her two teammates had been going on a reconnaissance mission for the past month, her sensei was in child labor, and the one person she could always turn to for a glimmer of hope had turned away from her and showered his attentions on another girl, who was much stronger than Hinata.
'Then again, everyone is stronger than me…' she thought bitterly. Chills ran over her arms and she pushed her face into her pillow.
Just leave. No use. Just leave. Just leave. Just leave. No use!
Hinata immediately pulled her head up in fury; at herself, at her father, at her thoughts. A buzzing noise began growing inside her skull as more tears cascaded down from her ivory eyes. The chills began spreading and she looked towards the window, which was blowing cold air in. Hinata blinked furiously and pulled herself out of her cozy bed. She'd rather just lay there and not worry about failing as a ninja or a daughter. She ambled over to the open window and grasped the edge of the pane. Her hand began to pull it down, to block the cold air, but something made her pause. The beauty of the night sky held her attention.
The stars danced along with the moon in an unspoken play. The clouds formed garments of clothing for the large white sphere in the sky. One star shone brighter than the rest, just a little to the north. She focused her gaze upon it and remembered something one of her teammates said.
'Look Hinata! Shino! The North Star! Make a wish…'
A wish…the byakugan-wielder let out a breath, and her whole body shook with a shiver. Gooseflesh appeared on her arms, and she wasn't sure if it was from the cold air or the strange feeling she had. The tears on her pale face sparkled almost as bright as the North Star. Star light…star bright…
"I wish…" she whispered to herself, her voice sounding unreasonably loud in her small room. "I wish…"
Just leave. No use. Just leave. No use. Just leave!
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The only girl of the infamous Team Gai rested her worn body on the bench next to the team's training grounds. The sturdy wood behind her was a relief; she had been flipping and turning in the air so many times today that she just wanted to rest.
But she also wanted to fight. 'How dare Lee and Neji think that?!' Her mind roared, hurt and angry.
'Tenten, you can't keep up! Are you losing your touch?'
'No Lee, she is always like that. Remember?'
'Oh, yeah.'
The weapon expert bowed her head and clenched her fists. Her teammates were supposed to love her and care about her, not insult her! She felt foolish and disadvantaged. Tenten had at least thought Lee would be nicer to her, since they both only had small to no amounts of chakra. But she was misled. A few rebellious tears that Tenten was trying to control slipped past her eyelids and formed small droplets on her pants.
The wind picked up and began making the shadowed leaves on a tree nearby waltz merrily. Tenten languorously placed both hands on her arms, cursing how she had forgot to wear a long-sleeved shirt. Another point for her messing up. The brown-haired girl's head fell back against the bench. A sharp quick pain erupted in the back of her skull before dying away.
One, two, three, four, keep failing and I can't take anymore…
Cold air suddenly shot forward and wrapped around her before blowing upward, the light swaying objects following the path. Her gaze absently followed until she noticed the lovely sky. Stars gleamed and accented the moon. Tenten held her breath and stared at what she wishes she could reach. Another trail of salty water fell from her eyes onto her cheek. A glitter near the North made her turn her head slightly.
Keep failing and I can't take anymore…
The North Star, something that her mother had pointed out to her long ago, was staring right back at her. What was it the her mother had told her? You could wish on that star?
She could really use a wish right now. Maybe a vacation…or chakra abilities…or for her teammates to recognize her as an equal…
A wish…
First star I see tonight…
"I wish I may, I wish I might," She felt foolish talking to herself, alone on a cold night. Once she had decided to become a ninja she had put away childish things. But still…
"Have this wish I wish tonight…"
One, two, three, four…
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Temari Subaku was crouched over on her apartment porch, her hair a mess and large tears rolling down her face. The make-up she only wore for occasions was running down her face. She kept trying to get someone's attention from inside the building, so they could unlock the door, for she forgot her key.
Her small jacket didn't help against the cold winds blowing, and her nice shirt and pants were rumpled as she sobbed into her folded knees.
Temari had moved to Konoha a year ago, so she could be with friends, so Suna would have a representative in the town of their greatest ally, and so she could be with the one person she loved- Shikimaru Nara. They had been dating long-distance for a few weeks before Temari had the chance to relocate there. The two had been going out since, and today was their anniversary.
A hiccup escaped her and she curled further into herself. 'Why me? Why now? Why couldn't Shikimaru see this is a good thing?' The blonde thought desperately, trying to blame someone, anyone, for the unfortunate events that had happened.
'Shiki, I…I need to tell you something…'
How stupid she sounded. She pounded her hand into the wooden flooring and some part of her actually enjoyed the throbbing in her hand.
'I'm…well, I'm…'
'Yes?'
Temari placed her hand on her temple. A headache was forming from crying so hard. She attempted to wipe the snot that was leaking from her nose away, but her efforts were in vain. Everything had gone so wrong tonight. Everything had gone wrong before tonight. The Suna native opened her eyes and scrunched back into the wall. She felt small, hopeless, and weak. She hated it.
'You might want to sit down…'
'Temari, is everything okay?'
She figured that Shikimaru just wasn't ready for it, and hoped that he would come around. Yet somehow, she knew that would never happen. She needed a miracle.
'No, no, everything's fine…I just really need to tell you something…'
'Go ahead…'
She continued to cry silently now, exhausted. In a daze, Temari looked at her surroundings, taking in everything. The dim porch light that was barely illuminating anything, the other apartments, the waving trees, the dew on the grass, and the night sky.
Oh, how amazing it looked. Stars contrasted the black sky and the moon gave off a ghostly light. A small breeze caressed by her face and she hiccupped once more. She began connecting the stars like dots, trying to see what she could come up with, and she let out a small sob when she found a rough pattern of Shikimaru's face. But one of his 'eyes' seemed to glow brighter, and Temari instantly knew that it was the North Star; something she told Gaara stories about when they were both kids.
She needed a miracle, but a wish would be fine too.
"Star light star bright, first star I see tonight…" She mumbled to herself, staring at the point of light.
'You're a genius so you should know how it works, but apparently something had happened or something broke or whatever…'
'Temari, calm down. You're rambling. Troublesome…'
It was troublesome alright. After everything had happened, Shikimaru had deftly got up, and walked out of the room, without a word or an emotion.
"Please grant my wish…" she whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut, as tight as she could. Temari then placed a gentle hand over her stomach and gave the smallest and saddest of smiles.
'I'm pregnant.'
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Ino Yamanaka needed a break. Not just a short break either. Nor did she really need a long break. She wanted a permanent break. Ino wanted to be free.
Her father had died earlier in the year, leaving Ino and her mother to mourn and try and run the flower shop on their own. The blonde's mother had begun to change things around where she would run it on certain days and Ino would work the rest. She felt neglected and over-worked. But that wasn't her main problem.
Ladies and gentleman, tonight I give you…
Ever since Asuma had died, her team had fallen apart. Chouji was always with his food and father, while Shikimaru took all the missions he could while still trying to spend time with his girlfriend, Temari. Her mother didn't talk to her much since she was so busy, and lately all her other friends had plans. No one was there.
When she broke her leg one day, who had helped her? No one. She had to struggle to the hospital in tears. When she needed someone to help her on a mission, who did she get? Not her friends or companions who she would trust her life with but some new ninja who stared at her all the time. Not to mention all the stress levels she felt trying to juggle the family business, her ninja training, missions, and trying to get a hold of someone she knew.
The most amazing feat in the world…
Ino had cried every night, had slept restlessly thinking about things no one else her ager had to think about. She missed her father, her mother, her sensei, and her friends. She missed being herself.
So, the flower shop girl was there, closing up the shop that had ended up being open late for more business. The heavy bags under her eyes warned everyone of her sleep problem, the thinness she was starting to get showed her problem eating. She wanted Shikimaru to give her some advice on sleep like she knew he would, and she wanted Chouji to share his food and make her eat it, like she knew he would. She loved them but they were too busy for her. Just when she needed them the most.
May I have your attention, please…
The cool night air relaxed her for a second before the stress sprang up again. Ino dropped her keys accidentally. As she bent down to pick them up, her head knocked hard into the doorknob. She shot straight up again, clutching her head in pain before stumbling back and landing on her butt. Having to have put up with customers who put her down, annoyed her, and all the mishaps she usually had at work, this pushed her over the point for today. Tears started crawling down her face, as she cried for her lost family, her lost friends, her lost health, and her lost happiness.
A chilling breeze then whisked up, playing with Ino's now long hair. It wrapped around her face and clung to her wet cheeks. Ino crawled to the grass and laid down, stressed and tired. She spread out and faced upwards at the sky. Clouds began pulling away from overhead, gray masses moving slowly. The teenage ninja cried softly and watched the clouds crawl by and the stars reveal themselves. One of them caught her attention and she vaguely remembered Sakura telling her about it. The North Star.
Tonight I give you…
How did it go? I wish I may….
Greatest feat….
Ino clutched her hands together. I wish I might…
In the entire world…
Have the wish I wish tonight….
Ladies and gentleman…
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Sakura Haruno was trudging down the streets late at night, staring straight ahead, arms at her side. Her large emerald eyes shone with unshed tears and her legs felt numb. She had failed. Again.
Closing her eyes, Sakura paused in the middle of the street and let the sadness consume her. She was no stranger to it now. The medic balled her hands into fists and grimaced, the pain of it all coming back to her.
I'm sorry. Forgive me.
She had been called in around twilight, and had set off immediately, due to the fact that it was a fatal emergency. A group of ANBU had returned from an A-ranked mission in wounds and ill. The medics had no clue what it was but apparently it was contagious.
They had evacuated a wing of the hospital and had personnel wear masks, gloves, and ni some cases a chakra field. Sakura, who was a poison and disease master, was everyone's first choice, and Sakura only gave herself a moment of pride before rushing into the hospital. What she found was worse than they thought. The ANBU team, one she knew because one of the members had befriended all of Team Seven, had apparently been exposed to it when they had broken into a hideout that was using people for poisonous and sickness-related experiments so they could create the greatest mortal threat. The disease had been spread to the ANBU whose bodies had rejected all sorts of medicines to help them.
I didn't mean it…
Sakura could still hear their moans of pain as several medic ninjas worked on a single ANBU, trying to repair blood cells, arteries, tissue, and brain matter. It was in vain.
The cherry blossom remembered standing over her friend; someone loved by many and had a child and wife. She remembered trying to repair his heart which was failing due to the virus. She also remembered him looking up at her and telling her to tell his family he loved them. At that moment she had pushed harder, pushed herself more.
Nothing anyone tried worked. Two of the ANBU died within two hours of entering the hospital while the other two had slowly deteriorated, agonized. Sakura recalled finding something within one of the blood cells, a parasite. She had taken the parasite and quickly researched it, and found something that could have either killed the ANBU or saved them. Actions were quickly taken and the parasite was removed from a blood cell, crushed into a liquid, mixed with several herbs, and then presented to the remaining suffering ANBU.
Never wanted it to happen this way…
Sakura shook her head as she stood absolutely still. The tears had overflowed and left glittering trails down her frost-bitten cheeks. Her heart clenched as her memory brought up the image of the ANBU she knew suddenly sitting up, coughing, choking and wheezing. The screaming came next and then finally…silence.
Sakura hadn't lost a patient in so long that she had forgotten how it felt. And it felt horrible. She immediately broke down in her office, some of her nurse friends stopping by to try to console her, their efforts unrewarded.
Help me…
The female member of Team Seven had then tried turning to a friend. Naruto was first on her list, but he was out of his apartment somewhere, probably with his new girlfriend that he had started dating a few weeks ago. Her next choice was Sasuke, but he was still not over killing Itachi and still so cold towards her. He just stared at her as she tried explaining through her tears. Then he just closed the door on her.
She never could find Kakashi and Sakura knew Ino was overloaded with work, stress, and ninja training. The pink-haired teen couldn't think of anyone else to talk to about it, so she had ended up trying to amble back to her own place. The darkness matched her mood.
Suddenly, a cold wind started up and raised her jacket hem. Her short hair danced around a bit, a few tears following after. The clouds were pushed out of the way of the bright moon, which gave off a supernatural light. She stared in awe and a certain longing for a few minutes before she noticed that the North Star was seen tonight. She found it and stared. Sakura remembered reading about the legends and myths about the North Star, how you could find your way home and you could wish upon it.
She needed this. She longed for wishes to come true, she longed for people to not still see her as the weak Sakura she once was, for people to get along, for no more illness, for the happiness of her friends, and she longed for true love. But one thing she needed…
I'm sorry…
"Star light, star bright…"
Don't die…
"First star I see tonight…"
Please don't hate me…
"Have the wish I wish tonight…"
I didn't mean it!
"I wish…"
Forgive me…
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The wind suddenly turned warm, and whipped about their faces. It picked up their hair and played with their clothing. It let them know it was there.
Just leave.
One, two, three, four…
The most amazing feat…
You might want to sit down…
I'm sorry…
Star light…
No use…
Is everything alright?
May I have your attention…
One, two…
I didn't mean it…
Star bright…
You should leave…
Three, four, keep failing…
In the entire world!
No, no…everything's fine…
Don't die…
First star I see tonight…
No use for you here…
Can't take anymore…
I…I need to tell you something…
Presenting…
Never wanted it to happen this way…
I wish I may…
For you here…
She's always like that, remember?
In this ring…
I'm…well, I'm…
Help me…
I wish I might…
Just leave the Hyuuga clan…
Tenten, you can't keep up!
The one, the only…
Temari, calm down. You're rambling…
Please don't hate me…
Have the wish I wished tonight…
"I wish…"
"I wish…"
"I wish…"
"I wish…"
"I wish…"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"For something better."
"To escape."
"For a new chance."
"To runaway."
"For it to all change."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Five girls, with one destiny. Five girls, with one hope. Five charms, one legend. Five new chances, and more than one new life.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The star grew brighter, and brighter…
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Twinkle, twinkle, little star…
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I hope you guys like this one better than the last one. Oh, and if anyone thinks my take on Ino is iffy, well then, you'd be correct. I can't quite get into Ino's character, but whatever. Forgive all typos please! Review!
P.S. I hope you got chills. I know everyone I showed this to does.