In the UWUAmixx x FriesWithThat wedding party chat....

[Wedding Party] Maid of Honor UWUKasumixx: You had better give Ami an explanation, Fries!
[Wedding Party] Bridesmaid UWUFukixx: Yeah, what's your ex hanging like a bad smell for?
[Wedding Party] Maid of Honor UWUKasumixx: I thought you guys were just friends!
[Wedding Party] Groom FriesWithThat: Just ignore her. She was probably just in the area
[Wedding Party] Bride UWUAmixx: I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding, lay off guys.
[Wedding Party] Bride UWUAmixx: It's my wedding. Don't cause trouble
[Whisper to UWUKasumixx] UWUAmixx: Don't let him off that easily
[Wedding Party] Maid of Honor UWUKasumixx: She can't be so shameless as to want a red pocket from this wedding?
[Wedding Party] Maid of Honor UWUKasumixx: You can't be regretting this.
[Wedding Party] Maid of Honor UWUKasumixx: If you are, forget about dating our Ami!
[Wedding Party] Maid of Honor UWUKasumixx: We won't approve of you!
[Wedding Party] Groom FriesWithThat: Fine, I'll clear it up with her.
[Wedding Party] Groom FriesWithThat: I'm sorry, Ami
[Wedding Party] Bride UWUAmixx: Kasumi doesn't mean it, she's just being overprotective
[Wedding Party] Bride UWUAmixx: Darling ❤
[Whisper to UWUKasumixx] UWUAmixx: GJ
[Whisper to UWUAmixx] UWUKasumixx: I gotchu

( > . > )

Horrified, Sakura stared at the world chat whizzing by and the ongoing conversation. Wait... Do they want me to kidnap the groom? Shannaro! I just went to the bathroom! All of a sudden, a whisper popped up on her chat

[Whisper] FriesWithThat: SakuraBlossom, what's going on?
[Whisper] FriesWithThat: I thought we were OK
[Whisper] FriesWithThat: My girlfriend is very upset right now

"What's wrong, Sakura-chan?" Tenten asked her, breaking through her frantic thoughts.

"World wants me to do a groom-napping," Sakura replied absent-mindedly as she sat down to respond to him. She winced when she read the whispers and hurried to type back.

[Whisper to FriesWithThat] SakuraBlossom: I'm so sorry, I just had to redownload the game and I ended up afking here since no other maps were available.
[Whisper to FriesWithThat] SakuraBlossom: I'll come up with something
[Whisper] FriesWithThat: OK Thanks

"The what wants you to do a what?" Tenten repeated, baffled again, "Can you actually do that?"

"I think it's a mechanic, but I've never looked it up. All I know is that it's expensive, hard, and requires the kidnappee's consent," Sakura said as she quickly scrolled back through the world chat.

"Who's the kidnappee, anyways?" Tenten asked.

"My ex-husband," Sakura said and missed Tenten choking on her water, "Be quiet, I gotta figure out what to do."

"What do you need to figure out, just leave!"

"If I leave now, people are going to think that I'm running away crying and heart-broken!"

"Why do you care? Let them think what they want."

"I don't care about my reputation, but I don't want Fries' girlfriend to feel bad or awkward."

"He has a girlfriend? What was he married to you for?"

"I told you, we were married in-game for quests, and he just got one, hence the divorce. He's a good guy, I don't want to make things awkward for him." Sakura pondered, then had an idea. "I got it!" She opened her inventory.

"What are you going to do?"

"Just watch me," Sakura grinned and clicked a couple buttons. In the game, a new title was added under her name, and a couple of bottles floated in front of her

[Map] Merchant SakuraBlossom: Come one, come all! For sale, one-time-only, max level Exotic potions and chakra elixirs from a max leveled medicine maker! In honor of today's happy couple, 20% off!
[Map] Merchant SakuraBlossom: Limited stock!
[Map] TeaSpiller: Holy ****! Max-leveled exotic medicine?
[Map] DownshoeAbbey: Score! These never get sold on the open market!
[Map] ReCOGNigtion: This is my first time seeing them!
[Map] Gamermama: What a lovely thing to do to celebrate a wedding.
[Map] Gamermama: What a nice ex-wife
[Map] ForeverA10ne: My ***
[Wedding Party] Groom FriesWithThat: Let's get on with it, Ami.
[Wedding Party] Groom FriesWithThat: She's buying us a bit of a goodwill with this as an apology for causing a scene
[Whisper to FriesWithThat] UWUAmixx: you promised you'd call me Honey :(
[Whisper to FriesWithThat] UWUAmixx: It'll make us more likeable, Darling
[Wedding Party] Bridesmaid UWUFukixx: Don't be shy on our account, Fries.
[Wedding Party] Groom FriesWithThat: Yes, Honey
[Whisper to UWUKasumixx] UWUAmixx: What a *****!!
[Whisper to UWUKasumixx] UWUAmixx: Good will my ***!
[Whisper to UWUKasumixx] UWUAmixx: She probably just wants to get back with Fries
[Whisper to UWUAmixx] UWUKasumixx: He's yours now, girl
[Whisper to UWUAmixx] UWUKasumixx: Now go bedchamber him!

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as the tide of public opinion turned favorably once again. As her last exotic potion was bought up, she removed her merchant tag and stood up on the side of the bridge.

[Map] SakuraBlossom: I'm out now, folks!
[Map] SakuraBlossom: Thanks for your custom
[Map] CanonFodder: Awwww I didn't get any
[Map] Beowulf69: I didn't either :(
[Map] DownshoeAbbey: When are you doing this again
[Map] SakuraBlossom: When I feel like it ^_^

When she announced that she was out, the wedding procession had long passed by, probably off to their home instance for the bridal chamber event. Without a good sale or good show, the crowd dispersed quickly, except for one figure who popped up at her side. She smiled when she saw the whisper.

[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Sakura!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: What happened?!?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: You and Fries got divorced?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: No way!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Are you okay?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: He got an IRL girlfriend and she plays
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Of course I was going to give him a divorce!
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: I would've divorced him even if she didn't play
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: It's just a game, don't be so serious
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: It's a pity about the married boost though for clan fights
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: We can still kick butt.
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Of course we can!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Too bad this game doesn't allow same-sex marriages
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Otherwise, I'd marry you so we could get the boost again

Sakura laughed at her reliable in-game friend. CL always knew what to say to cheer her up.

[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: I don't want to get married for a while
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: It'll be good to be able to solo play for a bit
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Fair enough
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: We have the clan fight safe period, for the next bit anyways
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Why were you selling all those exotic potions though, Saku?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: because I have better ones. I was going to drop them off at the guild bank later.
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Wow! You maxed out your medicine making?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: You're really the best, Saku!
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: There's a God-tier potion here for you, CL. Thanks for helping me with grinding the moongrass last month.
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: You don't have to do that, Saku. My herbalist level isn't that high, I can only do so much
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Yeah but you grinded out ****tons
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: It was a huge help. Don't be modest
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Well if you're going to be generous, I won't be polite!

Sakura smiled as she offered her friend the potion.

[Self] System: SakuraBlossom has offered [1 God-tier Max Level Potion] to Chun_Lee. Pending her acceptance or refusal.
[Self] System: Chun_Lee has accepted the offer!
[Self] System: SakuraBlossom has given [1 God-tier Max Level Potion] to Chun_Lee
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: btw
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Do you know who she is?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: No?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Should I?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: I forget that you don't spend much time on the forums
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: She's famous IRL there
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: She's our server angel
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: What the heck is a server angel?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: You know how universities do a "campus beauty" poll?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: That kind of thing
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: except for the server.
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Oh that kind of thing.
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: It's all nonsense anyways
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: If Fries is happy with her, it's fine.
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: It's actually kind of a cute love story. I wonder if they met in-game
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: They must have.
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: I saw them playing together a lot starting a couple of months ago
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: They must have met IRL and love at first sight or something
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Hey, is Fries hot in real life?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: How should I know? I told you, we never met irl.
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: You guys were married for half a year and you never met in-game?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Aren't you both in Konohagakure?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: It's just weird to meet in-game friends IRL
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Like breaking the fourth wall
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: It's not that big of a deal!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Oh c'mon
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: If I wasn't in Iwagakure, wouldn't we meet up?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Sure, but that's different
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Everyone wants to meet you, you know
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Me? Why?
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Because....
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: ...
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Spit it out, CL
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Okay Okay
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Everyone thinks you're a guy playing as a girl!

"WHAT?!" Sakura yelled at the screen, causing Tenten to choke for the third time that evening. "Shannaro! I can't believe even my best friend in-game thinks I'm a guy!"

[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: WTF!?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Girls play MMOs!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: Yeah, but you're so strong!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: and you never ask for equipment from male players
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: And you don't have a face in your pfp
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: So because I like my privacy, I'm good at the game, and I don't beg for equipment, I'm not a girl!?
[Whisper to Chun_Lee] SakuraBlossom: Shannaro! What a load of bull****!
[Whisper] Chun_Lee:.... Uhhhh
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: I g2g
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: I have training
[Whisper] Chun_Lee: cya Saku~

Sakura huffed as she saw CL log off in a hurry. The rumours about her gender identity didn't exactly surprise her. Even though there were just as many female players as male players, the gender bias was alive and well. Look at her in-game outfit, for example - even though she was very high leveled, she was still using very basic skins because she wanted her butt and boobs to be covered by more than a couple of pixels. Still, she didn't exactly like being reminded of the fact, and she was surprised that even players who knew her well, like CL, thought she wasn't a girl.

"Is there any hope for this shallow and vain world?" Sakura muttered, making Tenten snicker.

"If there's none for you, there's even less for the rest of us," Tenten responded teasingly. Sakura only stuck her tongue at her roommate.

I just got divorced, did a bunch of grinding, and then nearly pissed off my ex-husband's second wife, plus it's getting late. What else can happen today? Think so, Sakura was just about to get up and log off, when she saw a whisper request from someone not on her friend's list. Instead of ignoring the request like she normally would, something urged her to actually look at who was sending it. When she saw the name, her mouth actually dropped open.

Holy crap!

Holy shit!

Shannaro!

[Self] System: Sm1rkMeister would like to whisper with you. Accept his request Y/N?
[Self] SakuraBlossom: Y
[Self] System: You may now whisper with Sm1rkMeister

Sm1rkMeister?! She recognized the handle. But to see it here of all places?

Back when she just started playing Way of the Ninja, she'd been really excited to roll her bloodline limit when she finished the academy tutorial stage at level 10. She hadn't expected something super rare, but she'd hoped for more than the utterly mediocre "improved" chakra control she'd gotten. Depressed, thinking about restarting, she'd seen a forum post of the Sharingan in action.

The Sharingan was a legendary bloodline limit so rare, there were maybe only five users across the millions of Way of the Ninja players. The bloodline limit not only gave the user detailed information on any incoming genjutsu or ninjutsu with a cast time so they could copy or counter it easily, but it also gave them access to an insane unique genjutsu skill tree that was a real grindfest with the stupidest arbitrary events to unlock them. So after her own disappointing kekkai genkai and when a forum post touting the Sharingan this amazing one in action appeared, of course she had to click on it.

It'd been Sm1rkMeister in the video, fighting some long-forgotten opponent, as he fought for his first tournament title. She'd expected him to be a mostly genjutsu user because of the Sharingan. Instead, he was one of those rare, strong all-rounders. Normal all-rounders were too mediocre at all things to be useful in group content, which was most of the end-game. Sm1rkMeister was one of the exceptions. Not only did he flawlessly use both unique and recognizable genjutsu, he used his lightning and fire release techniques effortlessly. He was fast, his taijutsu was polished and precise, and he carried an armory that he deployed brilliantly. With his other number one titles like Most World First achievements and highest account value, he truly deserved the title of Server best.

He'd inspire her to carry on despite her own terrible bloodline limit. Watching him and his variety of techniques, she realized that the game was so vast and flexible she could still make whatever she wanted out of the game, so long as she had the imagination, skills, and creativity. So she'd kept her mediocre bloodline limit - besides, she didn't want to have to think of a new username...

However, just as she was getting good enough to actually join the same tournaments he fought in, he'd disappeared. Poof, as if he'd never been there. In the end, she'd been bitterly disappointed that they'd never been able to meet. Who'd have thought they'd randomly meet here, in a lonely corner of the busiest place on the world map?

[Whisper to Sm1rkMeister] SakuraBlossom: It's an honor to meet you
[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: Hn.
[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: What did you think of the wedding?

Sakura blinked at the question. Wedding? Did he mean Fries and Ami's procession? She sighed. So that's what had gotten his attention. She rolled her eyes. Even the former server best wanted to gossip?

[Whisper to Sm1rkMeister] SakuraBlossom: It was a spectacle

She was totally bullshitting. She hadn't even had her camera pointed towards the procession - by the time she was back to her computer, they'd gone to the old man under the moon's workshop for the red thread, crossed the bridge to ask for the lovers' blessing, bowed at the feet of the mother goddess, and were in the process of heading to the home instance for the bridal chamber event. Still, judging by the number of people on the bridge and the value of the red packets to celebrate the union, it'd been a spectacle.

[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: Want a bigger spectacle?
[Whisper to Sm1rkMeister] SakuraBlossom: ???
[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: When you get married again
[Whisper to Sm1rkMeister] SakuraBlossom: To who?
[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: To me
[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: Let's get married

Sakura stared open-mouthed for a solid minute as the thoughts and questions whirled in her head. When she still couldn't figure out what was going on, she asked the only reasonable question in her mind.

[Whisper to Sm1rkMeister] SakuraBlossom: Were you hacked?
[Whisper] Sm1rkMeister: No
[Whisper to Sm1rkMeister] SakuraBlossom: Prove it
[Self] System: SakuraBlossom has challenged Sm1rkMeister to a PVP Match!

( ^_^ )

Hehehe! Sasu vs Saku next chapter? Look forward to it! Long time drama watchers will have noticed some deviations from the original story, and that's what makes this a fusion fic, and fun. What can I say, I put the characters in the world and they wander. Thank you to Reglee and Ax for Betaing and reading through. As always, reviews, comments, favs, kudos, bookmarks, and flying messenger pigeons all make my day. There'll also be a more in detail AN about the various characters and events in this