Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Sakura felt herself shift into existence within the Uchiha Fortress and slowly rose to her feet. Nearby Madara stirred, still exhausted from the journey home. Both children still smelled faintly of ash, despite the baths they’d taken and Sakura hid her sadness behind false calm. The weight on her shoulders grew heavier with every year that passed. As her mind matured, she slowly came to realize the true scale of her travels through time and the responsibility that inherently came with. She was only twelve, had she not met Madara it was likely she’d only just have graduated the academy, likely behind Sasuke and even Naruto due to how restrictive the Haruno clan had been.
‘I don’t want Tajima to die. I love him.’ Inner spoke the words playing in the back of their mind. Sakura felt her eyes burn, her sharingan spinning to life briefly before she blinked away the tears threatening to form. She knew, ever since Shisui’s death her chakra had been burning hotter then ever. The intense emotions of the Uchiha had been dulled temporarily by Root’s indoctrination and Inner made things easier for her but the curse could no longer be denied.
‘We need to talk with him. I know he asked us to remain silent but…’ Sakura couldn’t do it. She had to speak with Tajima, give him the chance to say his goodbyes. The exact date of his death wasn’t recorded but this was the year and it was already spring.
“Madara I’m going to go talk to chichiue, I’ll see you at breakfast alright?” Sakura said, earning a groggy nod from the boy who was clearly still exhausted. Sakura smiled as he slowly wobbled to his feet and began to walk towards the baths. The sight eased some of her pain, though it couldn’t erase it entirely.
The Uchiha fortress was quieter then it had ever been before. The upper levels were practically empty with most of the clan deployed throughout their territory, fighting constantly to maintain the front lines or training up ashigaru to reinforce their strength. The homey feel the castle town once had was gone, with many homes empty and slowly gathering dust.
‘We have to end this.’ Sakura knew they would but in a way they would also fail. Konoha had been the death of the Senju and Uchiha both, though at least the Senju survived as a people even if their clan had been quietly disbanded by the Sandaime.
“Chichiue,” Sakura pushed the door open and didn’t bother to hide the chaotic emotions burning in her chest. Her eyes stung as tears blurred the edges of her vision and she hesitated only briefly before closing the distance between her and Tajima, hugging him tightly.
“What’s wrong Sakura?” Tajima’s voice was surprised, his chakra spiking with a mix of worry and foreboding. He knew Sakura’s truth and yesterday she’d been weary but calm so he could put the pieces together fairly easily. Something from the future had shaken her, badly and by the pain burning within her heart he knew it involved family.
“I know you told me not to share anyone’s fate. I know I cannot alter it, not until the loop is closed.” Sakura sniffled and tried not to cry. It was difficult, but her emotions were simply too intense and she could hear Inner wailing in the back of her mind, her usual stoic, controlled partner unable to devour the sadness that lined their very bones. “I want to though, I wish I could.”
“Is Madara going to die?” Tajima asked softly, fear in his voice and Sakura quickly shook her head no. Tajima paused, Izuna’s chakra just beyond the door. Sakura felt it as well but when Tajima said nothing she ignored the younger Uchiha brother. She knew he didn’t like her, didn’t trust her but he was clan and so she loved him anyways. “Is Izuna going to die?”
“No, it’s not them. Father I don’t want…” Sakura’s voice caught and an ugly sob ripped its way from her lips. It was a pained sound, forced from her lungs despite her best efforts and Tajima knew who she was crying for as her fingers tightened on his kimono. “I don’t want to lose anyone else.”
“I know,” Tajima stroked the girl’s hair and slowly eased her down to one of the sitting cushions. She stayed nestled into his chest, crying softly into his yukata. “I knew this day would come Sakura. Everyone dies eventually, no matter how hard we fight against it. Only the gods are immortal and even then, they too can fall prey to death on occasion.” Tajima knew that this was a gift, in a twisted way. He wouldn’t be leaving any loose strings untied. His affairs would be in order, he would have to move quickly because he didn’t know when his time would come, only that it would and soon.
“I love you father,” Sakura whispered and Tajima took a shuddering breath. He loved his children, more then life itself.
They were his pride and joy and he’d already buried his eldest. He wanted them to live in a world of peace, where they could be happy and free from the chains of the past. Even if the Uchiha and Senju stopped fighting though, it wouldn’t be enough. War was more then just the curse of hatred or past grudges. It was greed, it was famine driven desperation, it was reckless ambition and religious fervor. It was the end result of disagreements too extreme to sort out with words, a child’s scrap but on a societal scale. War would exist for as long as humanity divided itself and even then, the specter of civil war would never quite vanish nor would the dangers of genocide and oppression.
Humanity was imperfect and peace could be attained but it had to be guarded. There was no silver bullet, no guaranteed solution. Peace had to be worked for, maintained and defended, sometimes with force. Violence was a tool, just like diplomacy and both were necessary to bring about a better world. Sakura knew that, instinctively. She was of the Isles, war and peace was her inheritance and the burning passion of the Uchiha ensured she would always give her all to both pursuits.
“I know Sakura and I only wish I could have given you more time to be a child, even if your village wouldn’t.” Tajima had many regrets, too many to count. He’d done his best by his children, ensured they had every tool and advantage he could give them. He worked hard to arm his clan, prepare them for war and ensure that as many as possible came home. He hadn’t accepted that to be a clan leader you had to make hard calls and always sought a better way, inventing new tactics and strategies rather then sending his kin to die. It didn’t always work, but it was better then just accepting the worst.
“I want to save you. I want to change fate.” Sakura could feel the fire in her chakra. Her determination was an inferno, burning white hot despite knowing it was futile. Tajima’s death was written in stone but even so, she wanted to try.
“Promise me something,” Tajima gently moved Sakura back slightly, holding the girl’s shoulders so she could catch her breath.
The rosette’s sharingan were alive and spinning in her eyes, while tears tinted slightly pink trickled down her face, proof she’d already experienced enough pain and hardship for her mangekyo to begin forming. She just needed one final push and they would blossom, the crystallization of her determination to carry on even in the face of everything she had experienced. The Senju called them the crimson eyes of misery and they weren’t wrong, but it wasn’t right either. The Mangekyo were unique mutations, the embodiment of the determination blazing within the heart.
“Promise me you won’t let anything break you. That you’ll carry on. You’re a part of this clan, never forget that. You’re not separate, you’re not some guardian whose happiness and contentment don’t matter. You are Uchiha Sakura and while you have a duty, your well being is a part of that responsibility.” Tajima knew it wasn’t possible to always be happy.
He wouldn’t ask Sakura to lead a happy life or find peace, that wasn’t fair. Instead, he could only remind her that her own well being mattered, that she wasn’t a tool, that no Uchiha was just a soldier or a warrior. They were family and they all mattered, even the heirs. Truly great leaders often forgot to take care of themselves, putting their people ahead of their own well being and leading ascetic, lonely lives. He saw that potential in Madara and Sakura both and wished he had more time to teach them how to balance their lives. There was so much wisdom to pass on, things to teach, he’d have to commit it all to writing.
“I promise,” Sakura sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes, the smell of blood and salt tickling her already irritated nose. Determination and love warred with the knowledge of coming loss as she rose to her feet. With one last exchange of looks, the two quietly parted, Sakura leaving to wash up while Tajima sat considering his impending doom.
***
“Izuna,” Tajima’s call startled the boy who thought he’d gotten away with eavesdropping. Izuna had always known there was something off about Sakura. She was a youkai or perhaps a special kind of summons, though as he’d gotten older he realized she wasn’t a threat. He still didn’t like her, she stole Madara’s attention and affection, though he’d learned he could trust his brother’s safety to her. She was strong, kind and her hands could heal and kill with equal ease. She had saved countless lives at this point and he knew countless cousins who would be dead if it weren’t for her cool emerald chakra that felt of mint and forests.
“Yes chichiue?” Izuna stepped into his father’s study, chin set in a defiant tilt. He had heard the entire conversation and while questions raced through his mind, he didn’t give voice to them. Instead, he looked at his father and saw a man who had aged well beyond his years. The weight of war and death had not done Uchiha Tajima any favors and yet he still seemed invincible to the ten year old’s eyes. Izuna couldn’t even imagine how his father would die, yet apparently his doom was set and Sakura somehow knew.
“I did not intend on you hearing that but I suppose in a way you needed to. As you are aware, Sakura is not ordinary.” Tajima spoke slowly and Izuna swallowed, suddenly far more nervous. Tajima had quietly silenced conversation on Sakura’s origins and true nature within the clan. Her actions earned the clan’s trust so there wasn’t resentment over his decision but the curiosity remained and nobody knew the truth besides the girl in question and the clan head himself.
“I have said before that Sakura’s presence is a divine gift. Her arrival was the will of the kami.” Tajima reiterated and Izuna listened in rapt silence. “Such words are commonly thrown around. The gods blessed us, we have the gods on our side. I understand why few took those words literally.”
“I was not exaggerating. The gods literally transported her to your brother. The Kami bound them, their chakra and possibly their very souls together. I am unsure how deep the connection truly goes but their meeting was truly ordained by the divine.” Tajima finished and Izuna swallowed. He had never considered that possibility. He’d thought, perhaps Sakura was Madara’s summons or a kitsune that had fallen in love with his brother. He had eyes, he could see how they looked at each other even if they didn’t notice.
“When she arrived, I looked into her mind. It is the highest art of the sharingan, only accessible to those who have mastered both their eyes and Ninshu.” Tajima rose to his feet and slowly walked over to his youngest, placing a hand atop Izuna’s head. “I know you’re jealous of her. The war has made you wary of outsiders but do not let anger and hate rule your heart Izuna. There is so much more to the world, you just have to open your eyes and look for it. Yes there is pain and misery. Yes humans are cruel, callous and untrustworthy but so to are they kind, compassionate and loyal.”
“Who we meet and how those interactions spiral outwards often determine our world view. It is easier to assume and build prejudice. To assume the best or worst, rather then view everyone around you as complex creatures, fully capable of vast internal worlds all their own.” Tajima let out a tired sigh as he withdrew his hand from Izuna’s head. Izuna didn’t quite understand his father, but he knew what he was getting at. Izuna had been too quick to judge Sakura and that at least, he could change. “I think that’s quite enough lecturing for one morning though. Go on, get washed up and ready for breakfast. You’ve got a day of training ahead of you.”
“Alright chichiue,” Izuna whispered, still unsettled by everything he’d just overhead. His father’s words had further shaken him. The Kami always seemed distant, a thing of stories and legends, not something that effected his life but Sakura was here at their behest. She spoke of fated death and Tajima had seen the truth in her words. Izuna didn’t know what to make of any of it, though his chest hurt whenever he thought about his father’s foretold end. Tajima was the only parent he’d ever known and he would do everything he could to protect him, even if it meant defying fate.
***
Chakra conductive ink glistened on the fine white tipped brush, staining the fibers a dark black as a small, deceptively delicate hand traced slow, graceful patterns on spirit wood. The seal slowly taking shape was a masterpiece, years in the making. Sharingan whirled in Sakura’s eyes, enhancing her coordination and sight to superhuman levels, while her chakra spread out over the room, allowing her to both see and feel her seal taking shape.
Sakura had been working for hours, since the moment Madara had woken up in fact on the two gunbai. They would become weapons of legend, capable of returning a foe’s jutsu or conjuring a storm of scything wind to bolster the Uchiha fire release. It was the most complex seal Sakura had ever attempted, capable of performing calculations on the fly without the user’s input. It couldn’t nullify a jutsu, but it could reflect them if the user and seal matrix could draw upon enough chakra.
Leaning back, Sakura let out a tired sigh, her reserves low from hours of keeping her sharingan active. Sweat covered her brow and pink strands of hair were plastered to her forehead, having escaped the hair tie she’d used to hold them back. ‘I did it.’ Sakura thought, admiring her work before pulling her hands together in a quick seal chain, a pulse of chakra rushing through the ink and setting it in place.
A knock on the door pulled Sakura’s attention from her work and she saw Madara leaning on the frame, a curious gleam in his eyes. He still wasn’t quite sure what she had been making, but he’d trusted her and set aside his share of spirit wood until now. Onyx eyes roamed the inked wood, taking in the two gunbai.
“War fans? They can produce futon jutsu then?” Madara asked, having suspected that was Sakura’s intention yet he’d never quite seen fans like these before. They were solid wood and would require immense physical strength to wield. Strength he’d only just begun to develop with Sakura’s help, though the process was slow and agonizing. He didn’t have the time or intention to match Sakura’s brute strength though, he simply needed enough to kill, anymore then that was excessive and unnecessary though he wouldn’t say a word of that to Sakura.
“And reflect enemy jutsu, or at least most justu. It wouldn’t reflect, say, a chakra blade, just block it.” Sakura explained and Madara hummed, noting the ink trailing up and down the handle. The wood looked almost alive, and perhaps it was. Fuinjutsu was capable of miracles after all so why shouldn’t it be capable of revitalizing wood and keeping it in peak condition?
“You should eat and go to bed.” Madara replied, offering Sakura a hand. She wobbled to her feet, her legs having long ago fallen asleep. Sakura’s cheeks flushed the color of her hair as she struggled to stay standing, gripping Madara for support as the pins and needles passed.
“Help me walk?” Sakura asked, her sharingan fading to emerald and a playful yet begging look glittering in her eyes. Madara huffed but smiled despite himself, it was impossible to say no to her after all.
***
The members of Team 7, or at least the genin members gasped for air as they leaned against trees for support. Even Naruto’s famous stamina had been cracked by Sakura’s weight seals as she forced them to run laps around the village. Without the kyuubi’s extra chakra powering him, he was in fairly poor shape, his body overly reliant on the demon’s gifts. Sasuke wasn’t any better off, he had never trained with weights before. His clothing and hair were immaculate as ever, a benefit of having an up and coming fuinjutsu master with an eye for fashion as a sister, but he was still covered in sweat and his lungs were burning.
“Tora, er, Sakura-chan can we take a break? I think I just gasped up a lung.” Naruto managed between massive gulps of air. Sasuke nodded beside him, the Uchiha’s cheeks tinted pink from exertion and the skin on his arms slowly turning red as well. “Teme looks like he’s about to pass out.”
“I do not usuratonkachi.” Sasuke snapped, resting his forehead against a tree and fumbling for his canteen before unhooking it from his belt and guzzling several mouthfuls of cool water. Naruto, instead of responding mimicked the raven haired Uchiha and Sakura watched them slowly recover.
“Here, eat this. We’ve got a mission in…” Sakura trailed off as she felt the incoming pulse of a guided shunshin. Kakashi was no Shisui and couldn’t use the jutsu like the deceased prodigy or his pink haired student, which made predicting his destination a breeze for anyone with a doujutsu or chakra sensing. “Now.” Sakura said as Kakashi appeared in a burst of smoke.
“Yo,” Kakashi waved, his eyes half open and looking bored as ever. “Sorry I’m late, I ran into a squirrel and decided to take the long way round. Can never be too safe after all.” Kakashi’s eye crinkled into a fake smile. Sakura still had trouble reconciling ANBU Hound with the face Kakashi showed his genin. He basically ignored them, leaving the entire team to her, which somewhat ruined the point of him being the official jounin-sensei.
The two boys exchanged looks as Sakura tossed them energy bars. They scarfed down the Akimichi made snacks as the group left the training field. Sakura could feel Naruto’s anger steadily mounting. He’d come a long way since they’d met, learning how to read and write, figuring out the meaning of indoor voice and generally catching up with his peers even if his grades never reflected it. He still lacked self control though and Sakura knew he was about to lose it.
‘Let him, the Hokage favors him and if we have to go on another D rank, I’m committing Kagecide.’ Inner growled and Sakura answered her with a wave of amused agreement. They didn’t like Hiruzen and with two jounin on the team, they could easily handle whatever the C rank threw at them. Hell, most genin teams could with only one jounin.
“No, no, no! I’m done chasing cats and painting fences! Come on, give us a real mission!” Naruto exploded exactly as predicted after a few minutes of listening to increasingly demeaning missions. Kakashi was staring off into space, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else while Sasuke was doing his level best to hide his own frustration. Of course he was failing, badly.
A back and forth quickly settled in as Iruka and Naruto shouted at each other. Oddly neither of the two were angry and Sakura could have sworn the man had hated Naruto. His chakra had always been aggressive around the blond but now it was fond, worried even. Clearly she’d missed something the night she’d been scrambled. Word in the ranks was Iruka was injured by Mizuki but nobody besides the three involved had witnessed the full events of that night.
“Very well, Team 7 is rather strong compared to most genin teams. Besides, Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun should have a chance to show off how much they’ve grown.” Hiruzen cut in, when it became obvious the argument was circular. The man offered a kind, grandfatherly smile, as if he hadn’t wiped out her whole clan. If he knew about her truth, who Sakura truly was, she knew he’d have her killed or worse, handed over to Danzo for conditioning. “Send in Tazuna.”
“Are these the brats that are supposed to be protecting me? That short one looks like an idiot and the other one is pink.” An old man who stank of sake drawled as he looked over the trio of genin. He showed no diference to the Hokage or other shinobi surrounding him and Sakura silently questioned his intelligence as she slowly smiled with all her teeth. The man’s eyes quickly tracked to her teeth but instead of fear, he was instead obviously confused. Still he didn’t say anything, though the look of familiar recognition was enough. Whoever Tazuna was, he was of the Isles, or at least frequented them.
“This is Tazuna, he is a famous bridge builder, widely regarded as the best in the elemental nations. He has contracted with the village for a C rank escort mission back to his home and for the duration of his current construction project.” Hiruzen explained, looking over the trio with fond pride. It was obvious the hokage had been expecting more of a reaction from them and he was right to think so. Naruto was already plotting, though he wouldn’t give it away by shouting and making his hostility known. Sakura had taught him well after all.
“You sure they’ll be enough?” The bridge builder asked again and Hiruzen nodded.
“Maa, don’t worry bridge builder-san. I’m a jounin, an elite shinobi as is pinky-chan here.” Kakashi drawled, ruffling Sakura’s hair until it was a wild mess. She raised an eyebrow, meeting his eye but didn’t otherwise react. “So cold Sakura-chan.” Tazuna watched the interaction with a blank face that practically screamed ‘yup I’m going to die.’
***
“He’s hiding something.” Sakura signed using standard ANBU hand signals to Kakashi when the rest of the group weren’t looking. They had left Konoha with minimal fuss, mostly because the sealing scrolls she’d given Naruto allowed him to pack his ramen alongside other more necessary supplies. Sakura knew if forced to pick, the boy was still likely to chose his beloved food over kunai or shuriken.
“Observe and gather information for now.” Kakashi replied with a few quick hand signs. The two were being discrete, making sure nobody else picked up on their unease. “I need you to play the child for the moment. Pretend to be just another genin.”
“Fine, but you owe me for this senpai.” Sakura leveled a glare at Kakashi before skipping ahead, putting on the perfect childish facade. Inner helped maintain the behavior, slowly tailoring a mask for Outer to step into. It wasn’t perfect, but Sakura looked the part in her frilly pink and white dress, pink boots and white stockings. A satchel hung on her lower back but aside from that, there were no visible signs that she might be a shinobi other then her headband which was currently being worn as a headband.
“You’re the one who likes to dress up like a pretty pink princess.” Kakashi teased aloud and Sakura huffed but didn’t deny it. She liked cute clothes and she wore armor and practical clothing constantly in ANBU and the past. She had mesh armor and kevlar woven into her dress and backed by seals. It was practical enough and wouldn’t get in the way during a fight, though it wasn’t exactly stealthy but that was what spare clothes were for. If she wanted to sneak around she’d just change outfits, like a functional human being who had more then one set of clothes.
“Whatever Bakashi-sensei.” Sakura stuck her tongue out in a show of childishness before skipping over to Naruto and Sasuke. She could feel chakra ahead of them on the road, which was odd but wasn’t necessarily a threat. “Enjoying the mission?”
“I’ve never been outside the village before ‘ttebayo.” Naruto admitted, his voice controlled but a massive grin was still stretching his lips. He was radiating innocent excitement, completely unaware of the threats that lurked beyond the walls.
‘And within them as well, though he knows better then most.’ Inner whispered, eating Sakura’s sadness at the life Naruto had lived. She’d done what she could, but she had been bound by countless rules and she wasn’t ready yet to consign Hiruzen to the pages of history.
“The world is a huge place, isn’t it?” Naruto added, his expression lessening slightly, becoming far more genuine. Sakura nudged his shoulder playfully and Naruto looked at her curiously.
“Just wait until you see the ocean. Nami no Kuni is an island, part of my homeland. It’s beautiful, well perhaps not the civilized parts but the wilds.” Sakura knew the history of the Isles was a story of unending warfare and bloodshed. The constant fighting and ancient presence of chakra had changed the people the of Isles until it was almost its own collective kekkei genkai. Naori wore it better then most, as calm as the sea before a storm, at least on the surface but below, the depths raged with power and emotion.
“So we’ll be seeing where you’re from?” Sasuke asked curiously and Sakura shook her head. Nami no Kuni wasn’t where her parents had originated. Bear had provided her with her file upon reaching the rank of ANBU captain and she knew exactly who they had been and where her the came from. Neither were alive anymore, they had been impoverished and when they found the chance to secure her a better life, they had jumped on it, allowing the Haruno clan to adopt her shortly before their deaths.
“I’m from Mizu no Kuni, the Hagoromo clan are from southern Hi no Kuni but they were all but annihilated thirty years or so before Konoha was founded. The survivors fled the Yamanaka clan, their rivals, and made their way to Mizu no Kuni where they rebuilt as a merchant clan.” Sakura was aware she had connections to the Kaguya clan as well. The civilian branch, lacking the clan’s kekkei genkai had interactions with the Hagoromo and she had gotten both her pale skin and green eyes from that side of her ancestry.
“I see,” Sasuke said, eyes moving around before falling on a puddle in the road. He looked at Sakura who could feel the chakra radiating from it and the rosette shifted her hand behind her back as she walked, signing to Kakashi.
“Ignore it.” Kakashi signed back and Sakura followed orders, walking past the puddle with the two boys and Tazuna. The moment they passed, two kirigakure shinobi erupted from the puddle, bladed chains wrapping around Kakashi who substituted away, leaving behind a simple genjutsu to cover his escape. Illusory blood sprayed through the air as the two shinobi faced down the leaf genin.
‘I’m not sensing anyone.’ Inner formed the ram seal in Sakura’s mind, focusing her all on sensing their surroundings. ‘I’ll put up a covering genjutsu to screen the fight. Tazuna knows something.’
‘Got it, I’ll eliminate the threat.’ Outer replied, letting her hands shake as she drew a kunai and stepped forward. The two ninja charged, clearly dismissing Sakura as a threat. Chakra flowed through her network, sinking deep into her muscles and radiated from her tenketsu, allowing her to see well beyond the limits of her emerald eyes. She didn’t call upon her sharingan, there simply was no need to for them as she flickered, her kunai drawing a perfect half circle as she cut through both Kiri-nin’s throats. The two ran another step past her before they crumpled, bodies slamming into the dirt with a thud as their brains ran out of oxygen and their consciousness simply cut off. Twin puddles of blood slowly began to pool beneath the warm corpses, turning the soil a dark brownish red.
“They were after the bridge builder Hatake-senpai.” Sakura called out as she shaped her chakra over her kunai, cleaning the blood from the weapon and then stowed it back in a sheath hidden under a slit in her frilly skirt. Behind her, the sound of retching caught Sakura’s ear and she turned to see Naruto emptying his stomach on the ground while Sasuke was looking green and barely holding his food down.
“Maa, Sakura-chan so not cute.” Kakashi drawled, placing his hand on the girl’s head. “Go do a perimeter check.” Hound’s voice instantly had Sakura at attention and without argument she vanished into the forest without a sound.
***
“Y-you alright?” Sasuke managed in between large gulps of air. He watched as Naruto gagged but nothing new came up, the blond’s face paler then he’d ever seen it before. Naruto spat, shivering violently and his eyes unconsciously turned towards the corpses only for his vision to be blocked by Kakashi-sensei’s chest.
“Naruto, Sasuke, status report.” Kakashi’s commanding tone instantly had Sasuke’s back straightening and even Naruto seemed to respond in kind.
“Uninjured, somewhat surprised. I can continue with the mission.” Sasuke managed, mind pulling fragmented responses from what he remembered being taught in the academy. He was on a mission, he wasn’t compromised, just surprised. He knew shinobi killed and had seen loved ones come home wounded or covered in blood when they were too exhausted to notice him.
“Naruto?” Kakashi asked again and the blond shuddered, eyes filled with a mix of hurt and shame.
“I’m just…” Naruto trailed off and let out a sigh. “Did she have to kill them?”
“No, she didn’t but it’s what she’s been trained to do. Haruno is a weapon of the village, one of our best. She can be kind to comrades, she’s loving and dresses like a twelve year old but make no mistakes, she understands what it means to be a shinobi. We are soldiers of Konoha and we have to be able to kill when called upon.” Kakashi’s voice was stern but not cruel and Naruto nodded his understanding. Sasuke watched the gears turn in the blond’s head, the sadness and determination slowly crystallizing into an idea.
“Then as her future Hokage I guess I’ll have to teach her not to kill when she doesn’t need to.” Naruto said and looked over at Sasuke. Sasuke instantly understood the blond, they both cared about Sakura after all.
“She killed them because she was worried about us, we froze up.” Sasuke still felt shaky but the certainty building within him kept his voice level. He’d begun learning what Sakura had called Ninshu only recently, but it came to him naturally. He had felt the moment she realized she was standing between her stunned team and two enemies. Her chakra had gone utterly still, a the false surroundings genjutsu erupting from her tenketsu and shrouding the area in an illusion before she calmly and intentionally killed two men.
“Yes, Sakura-chan is very protective. She will fight and kill without blinking if it means ensuring her comrades are safe.” Kakashi respected that about the rosette. She’d never once suggested leaving a teammate behind and even on the rare missions where she’d lost comrades, she’d always come back with the body sealed away. “Those who break the rules are trash but those who abandon their comrades are even worse. Those words were left to me by one of the greatest shinobi I’ve ever met and Sakura instinctively knows them.”
“Next time I won’t freeze, so she won’t need to, to do that again.” Naruto managed and Kakashi ruffled his hair before turning his attention to Tazuna. Sasuke watched the drunk squirm and focused on the weak chakra signal the civilian was giving off. There was horror and surprise, mixed with fear but below that there was guilt and resignation. The man had known this would happen, or at least something would happen and he hadn’t said a word.
“I always kind of knew Sakura-chan killed people.” Naruto said quietly as Kakashi and Tazuna spoke, leaving the two boys out of their conversation. Sasuke looked over at Naruto who was clearly upset but instead of horror or rejection he just looked worried for his friend. “I mean, she’s an awesome shinobi and she’s, well, Kagetora you know? Like I know that means dangerous missions and fighting bad guys and just because I failed the academy exams doesn’t mean I didn’t know how fights often end.”
“You’re rambling,” Sasuke wasn’t sure why he did it, perhaps it was some remnant of his childhood or just a conditioned response. Either way, he met Naruto’s eyes as his fingers slowly retreated from the blond’s forehead, having poked him gently. “I understand, I’ve seen her fight before. When…” Sasuke took a steadying breath as the sudden urge to cry rose up within him. His heart was racing in his ears and he needed to run but he knew logically it was all just panic so he fixed his feet in place and forced his pulse to settle.
“I’ve seen her at her worst, angry and really trying to kill. She’s still Sakura though.” Sasuke could remember it clear as day. Sakura’s chakra, broken and splintered, guttering from her like blood and her mind shattered by whatever Itachi had done to her. Blood lust oozed from her small body and her eyes had been crazed, yet she still stood between him and his brother. She knew she couldn’t win, she might have been able to run, yet she didn’t even consider it and gave her all to protect him.
“We can’t act different towards her, she’s still Sakura.” Sasuke reiterated and Naruto nodded, still downcast but clearly in agreement. The blond looked at his hand and made a fist, his fingers tightening until his knuckles went white.
“I’m never going to freeze up again. I don’t want to be a burden that makes Sakura think she has to kill to protect me.” Naruto’s hand was painfully tight as he held it out to Sasuke. The Uchiha nodded in recognition and raised his own fist, bumping his knuckles against Naruto’s.
“We’ll get stronger together, as a team.” Sasuke promised and for once Naruto actually smiled at him. They’d had a one sided rivalry in the academy, with Naruto constantly chasing after Sasuke. Now that they were on a team though and forced to actually get to know each other by their pink haired mutual friend, Sasuke could honestly say he didn’t mind Naruto and clearly the feeling was mutual. “Don’t mess this up usuratonkachi.”
“Heh, try not to fall behind teme.” Naruto replied playfully, the last of his nerves falling away as Kakashi and Tazuna finished up their conversation. The bridge builder was still pale but he didn’t look like he was about to break down into tears. Sasuke waited for the jounin’s decision as Sakura reappeared beside him, casually giving the all clear.
“The mission continues, stay on your guard there will be more coming.” Kakashi informed them and resumed walking, herding Tazuna down the road passive aggressively.
“You two alright?” Sakura’s voice was carefully calm, too calm. Both boys recognized the worry behind it and Naruto gave her a small smile while Sasuke huffed.
“Fine, just startled. You were super fast Sakura-chan! Like I didn’t even see you move dattebayo!” Naruto boomed and if his smile was a bit forced and his voice louder then it had been in years, well Sasuke knew he was just trying to cheer up his friend.
“Yeah, I had a good teacher.” Sakura replied softly, a small sad smile briefly gracing her lips. “You would have liked him.” Time hadn’t dulled Shisui’s loss, Sakura’s chakra still burning painfully whenever she thought of him but Inner had grown stronger and the sadness was always joined by fond memories. “Come on, we’ve got a mission to complete.”
“Lead the way taichou,” Sasuke bumped his shoulder gently into Sakura’s earning, a small shark toothed smile. Naruto crowded her from the other side nudging her as well and Sakura rolled her eyes before taking the lead. Team 7 would be heading to Wave.