Chapter 16 – Reckoning
Chapter notes:
This chapter is definitely transitional. The theme is taking the good thing that is left over, pulling it from the wreckage, dusting it off and claiming it as your own. Being able to see the good in the bad: The little flowers, the dango, her experience with Katsuro, her scar as a memento of survival.
• This chapter concludes a few loose threads. The story about the park in her recollection was so the reader would understand her feeling of loss when she returned. Katsuro teaching her to punch like that was specifically for her to knock out Sasuke in this chapter.
• A few things are set in motion. Sakura draws on her experiences to make her stronger. From now on she will be a self-assured kunoichi, and her future decisions will reflect that. It’s important to show this transition so it’s not such a jump from scared girl in the chapters before to battle-ready ninja in the chapters ahead. Also, she is getting some minor positive attention from ANBU. Won’t be overt, but the recognition of her strength and determination will wind through the chapters.
• Since her return, Sakura had thrown herself into the reconstruction efforts — So Orochimaru’s attack here was quite deadly, with lots of losses (more shinobi than civilian) and quite a few areas of destruction. The clean-up would take about six weeks.
• “Dango?” he chirped, whipping out three skewers of dumplings he had kept hidden behind his back. — Kakashi’s speech to Sakura, then bringing dango to the whole team — Kakashi’s speech and gift of sweets to cheer them all up is meant to be for all of them, not just Sakura, although she doesn’t realize it. All three are in the same boat, they just don’t recognize the hardships the other teammates have faced. But their good sensei does.
• “What happened to your arm,” Sasuke’s gruff voice cut across her thoughts. — Coming on the heels of Kakashi’s inspiring speech to survive, Sasuke decides to ask Sakura about her arm. It’s the first time he’s spoken to her about her ordeal. The effect is like a train wreck. So, it’s a reasonable intention but delivered by someone who is not in the habit of caring about anyone but himself. He’s looking past his suspicions about what happened to ask about the harsh reality that someone hurt her. This is one of those things that is to be read between the lines, more or less. His character will evolve into one that’s a better teammate, so stilted attempts like this one will wind through their interactions.
• “So ANBU really think you’re something, huh?” Sakura stopped, blinking at him in the darkness. He walked a few paces ahead before he stopped too. “But we know different, don’t we?” He turned back slowly to face her. — Sasuke is deeply angry so far in this story, but he’s not a villain like he’s often portrayed. He will remain an unlikeable character for a while. But even when he’s at his worst, it will always be rooted in his complicated background.
Spoiler Notes:
• “Yes. There are people more powerful than you and I can imagine. And more powerful than the one who did this.” —Kakashi making an oblique reference to Naruto. Introduces the concept of power trapped inside to Sakura. Another aspect of shedding previous beliefs, becoming a more aware shinobi, is learning just how powerful others can be.
• “If he was looking for someone else,” Kakashi flicked a glance at Sasuke, who stilled his hands on the shovel, “then he didn’t fulfill that goal.” — Because Team 7 never made it to the chunin exams, then Orochimaru’s attack on Sasuke never happens. There is some vague knowledge that Orochimaru was interested in Sasuke, and Kakashi makes reference to that, but his defeat makes him just another threat that never pans out. Hence, Orochimaru doesn’t make another appearance.
• ‘Katsuro,’ she thought with a small sigh. Her fingers traced the crescent of pink skin that permanently marked the inside of her forearm. — Sakura still thinks of Katsuro positively, even though she’s vowed to never tell anyone about him for her own reasons as well as her promise to him. It’s not lovey-dovey — he abducted her, for pete’s sake — but it sets the stage for a true friendship later on.
• Sakura scanned down the edge of the debris past Sasuke, to where Sai stood expectantly. The ANBU stopped next to him, speaking in low tones. — small reference to his character having double-duty as in the manga. Don’t know if that will go anywhere or not. He’s not plotting anything against them. But Sakura and Sasuke are aware that their teammate has other commitments.
• Kakashi about Sasuke: Kakashi began to wonder which he was going to choose. Was he going to follow orders and go with them? Or would he resist? Kakashi would give him time to come around, give him a chance to make his choice….
Kakashi about Sakura: He already had his suspicions that there was more to her story. He could wait for her to come around too. Then one day she’d share her story about what really happened out there.— Kakashi is showing his stripes as a good sensei. He gives them space to make their own choices, in their own way, in their own time. He’s different from other team leaders or those like the ANBU captain, who would have forced answers immediately and stomped out disobedience. Kakashi’s hands-off approach is rooted in trust, not neglect, not in inherent meanness. Like all the characters in this story, he is capable of change too.
22 Aug 2010 No Comments
Chapter 16 notes
Chapter 16 – Reckoning
Chapter notes:
This chapter is definitely transitional. The theme is taking the good thing that is left over, pulling it from the wreckage, dusting it off and claiming it as your own. Being able to see the good in the bad: The little flowers, the dango, her experience with Katsuro, her scar as a memento of survival.
• This chapter concludes a few loose threads. The story about the park in her recollection was so the reader would understand her feeling of loss when she returned. Katsuro teaching her to punch like that was specifically for her to knock out Sasuke in this chapter.
• A few things are set in motion. Sakura draws on her experiences to make her stronger. From now on she will be a self-assured kunoichi, and her future decisions will reflect that. It’s important to show this transition so it’s not such a jump from scared girl in the chapters before to battle-ready ninja in the chapters ahead. Also, she is getting some minor positive attention from ANBU. Won’t be overt, but the recognition of her strength and determination will wind through the chapters.
• Since her return, Sakura had thrown herself into the reconstruction efforts — So Orochimaru’s attack here was quite deadly, with lots of losses (more shinobi than civilian) and quite a few areas of destruction. The clean-up would take about six weeks.
• “Dango?” he chirped, whipping out three skewers of dumplings he had kept hidden behind his back. — Kakashi’s speech to Sakura, then bringing dango to the whole team — Kakashi’s speech and gift of sweets to cheer them all up is meant to be for all of them, not just Sakura, although she doesn’t realize it. All three are in the same boat, they just don’t recognize the hardships the other teammates have faced. But their good sensei does.
• “What happened to your arm,” Sasuke’s gruff voice cut across her thoughts. — Coming on the heels of Kakashi’s inspiring speech to survive, Sasuke decides to ask Sakura about her arm. It’s the first time he’s spoken to her about her ordeal. The effect is like a train wreck. So, it’s a reasonable intention but delivered by someone who is not in the habit of caring about anyone but himself. He’s looking past his suspicions about what happened to ask about the harsh reality that someone hurt her. This is one of those things that is to be read between the lines, more or less. His character will evolve into one that’s a better teammate, so stilted attempts like this one will wind through their interactions.
• “So ANBU really think you’re something, huh?” Sakura stopped, blinking at him in the darkness. He walked a few paces ahead before he stopped too. “But we know different, don’t we?” He turned back slowly to face her. — Sasuke is deeply angry so far in this story, but he’s not a villain like he’s often portrayed. He will remain an unlikeable character for a while. But even when he’s at his worst, it will always be rooted in his complicated background.
Spoiler Notes:
• “Yes. There are people more powerful than you and I can imagine. And more powerful than the one who did this.” —Kakashi making an oblique reference to Naruto. Introduces the concept of power trapped inside to Sakura. Another aspect of shedding previous beliefs, becoming a more aware shinobi, is learning just how powerful others can be.
• “If he was looking for someone else,” Kakashi flicked a glance at Sasuke, who stilled his hands on the shovel, “then he didn’t fulfill that goal.” — Because Team 7 never made it to the chunin exams, then Orochimaru’s attack on Sasuke never happens. There is some vague knowledge that Orochimaru was interested in Sasuke, and Kakashi makes reference to that, but his defeat makes him just another threat that never pans out. Hence, Orochimaru doesn’t make another appearance.
• ‘Katsuro,’ she thought with a small sigh. Her fingers traced the crescent of pink skin that permanently marked the inside of her forearm. — Sakura still thinks of Katsuro positively, even though she’s vowed to never tell anyone about him for her own reasons as well as her promise to him. It’s not lovey-dovey — he abducted her, for pete’s sake — but it sets the stage for a true friendship later on.
• Sakura scanned down the edge of the debris past Sasuke, to where Sai stood expectantly. The ANBU stopped next to him, speaking in low tones. — small reference to his character having double-duty as in the manga. Don’t know if that will go anywhere or not. He’s not plotting anything against them. But Sakura and Sasuke are aware that their teammate has other commitments.
• Kakashi about Sasuke: Kakashi began to wonder which he was going to choose. Was he going to follow orders and go with them? Or would he resist? Kakashi would give him time to come around, give him a chance to make his choice….
Kakashi about Sakura: He already had his suspicions that there was more to her story. He could wait for her to come around too. Then one day she’d share her story about what really happened out there.— Kakashi is showing his stripes as a good sensei. He gives them space to make their own choices, in their own way, in their own time. He’s different from other team leaders or those like the ANBU captain, who would have forced answers immediately and stomped out disobedience. Kakashi’s hands-off approach is rooted in trust, not neglect, not in inherent meanness. Like all the characters in this story, he is capable of change too.
by tricksie in Chapter Notes