She was always pretending, she was not who she said she was. She was now a different woman, a different girl. She was now Sakura Haruno.
But it was her choice, from her own willing self, and it somehow calmed her racing mind at nights. She never used to sleep, now it was necessary. She had to pretend, and it slowly killed her.
-*-*-*-*-*
She woke up to a bird singing in her window. She smiled and got up, she did not just sleep, she was in a state of quick hibernation. She regained her strength by going on a sort of pause, and she was now used to it.
Her pale pink hair flowed and her green emerald eyes scanned everything and everyone around her. Her physical was probably the only thing she had kept, besides her power. She had thought about it, and decided it was a part of her, something she couldn't change, and it was well know up there she had tried.
Her red dress fit her nicely and the apparently-14-year-old teenager was developed. Though her body was hidden under layers of clothing, she was taught to never flaunt her figure, it was proper and she respected that.
She walked down the wooden stairs and greeted the adults downstairs, they were the Haruno's. She was now Sakura Haruno, but those were not her parents. It was harsh to know you're parents could never be near you, and even worse when it was for your own safety.
"Hello, Yuri-San and Kikuyu-Chan. Good morning." she greeted and bowed with a smile, she had learned to love these people and that could never be forgotten.
"Hello, Sakura-Hime" they both chorused and bowed, they were always polite, no matter the situation.
She ate a quick breakfast and ran to her meeting, it was team training, and if there was anything she love the most, it was the people of Team 7. Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi.
She has always played her part well, she was a mere human in love with the stoic, young Uchiha and annoyed endlessly with the demon holder Uzumaki and Kakashi-sensei.
She was a great actress, she could keep her emotions in check too. Only on very rare moments, she would lose that temper of hers.
She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize she was already at the bridge. She smiled at the memories she had of this very same bridge. So many thoughts came to her mind, and her ninja side warned her there was a presence coming closer.
She recognized as Sasuke. "Good morning, Sasuke." she said in an automatic voice and then kept on thinking. It was quite a shock for Sasuke o be greeted to casually by her. By Sakura.
They waited and waited, and a knucklehead ninja with sun-kissed hair grinned his way towards her. She smiled and then realized her mistake, but it was too late. Sasuke had seen it, and so had Naruto. She sighed, great, just great.
She smiled when their sensei came, and she knew. Something was surely to happen today.
-------
She wasn't disappointed when Kakashi-sensei told them they would be doing some 2-on-2 combat. She was quite powerful, but she never intended on using that power, she knew it would cause problems.
She was against Sasuke-kun, and she concentrated hard on not letting her power show. Sasuke beat the living out of her, she was now muddied, bruised and hurt. How could he be so cruel? Ever since he got that mark from her Orochi-oji-san, he was like this.
Then it hit her, people were right, she was naïve. She couldn't believe it, and her distraction led her to a state of pause, everything slowed down, and it hurt. She belt betrayed.
Kakashi looked at the pinkette, now sitting on the ground. Her body was healing itself, and he was surprised, Sakura didn't seem as the medic Nin. He shrugged, guess I was wrong.
Something was off, the copy-nin noticed, and then froze. A huge chakra was coming and he recognized it. "Stay back! We have company. Bad company" he emphasized.
Sakura was still in shock when Kakashi flew by her. He was hit by Orochimaru's snakes. She snapped out of it, only to be greeted, face to face with beaming, yellow, snake eyes. She shuddered and stepped back.
Sasuke and Naruto took this as a sigh of fear, instead of shock. They tried to get to her, but failed when the Sannin's snakes shield the two Nins. "Ssssakura-hime." he said, his voice deep and his tongue slipping.
"Orochi-oji-san." she greeted with a smile, true, he was evil and he had been send to hell for his actions, but he was still family. The snake-man/uncle-God-of-hell smiled in a crooked way and his snaked went for his original prey. Her.
She had always been scared pf reptiles, well, more like disgusted, and it was horrible. He knew, and now he used this as a weapon. She was his niece, daughter of his idiot brother. Anger rose and snakes grew anxious.
"SAKURA!" "Sakura-Chan!" and "MOVE!" were heard by her ears, but fear paralyzed her. A sudden flashback came and it rooted her to the ground.
-Flashback-
"Momma! Momma! Look at me!" young Sakura yelled as she flew through clouds
-
"You sseeee, Sssakura-hime, my petssss are harmlessss when they are told to." her uncle said, and she winced.
-
"Sakura, he is evil. He tried to kill you once. You simply cannot get close to him." her father had explained.
-
"I'll get you ssssome day, sssstupid brother." the Sannin had said.
-
"Momma, I want to live in Earth." she had said, and her parents looked at her with sadness, they understood her decision, though they weren't happy for it.
Days later, two faithful angels were set as the Haruno's and their "Daughter" Sakura was introduced to the ninja world. How much it had hurt her to leave, but she wanted freedom. And she just couldn't have it up in heaven.
-
"Sakura-Hime, You'll always belong to me. Sweet Cherry Blossom".
-
That voice taunted her at night, it was his way of claiming her. And she hated it.
--End of flashback--
She came back from dream world, just to see the most horrific sight. Kakashi was bleeding, and Sasuke was injured, Naruto's clones were fighting.
She gasped when Orochimaru lunged at her, and a sudden ball of orange came between the snake man and her. Her first thought was. NARUTO!
He was now against the huge tree, injured and gasping for air, cursing between breaths. He was injured! She realized. Because of her, too!
Her instincts jumped and she found herself in front of him, her speed surpassing Sasuke's and Kakashi's. She crouched in front of her harmed commarade and smiled sweetly at him, effectively hiding her anger.
"Are you okay, Naruto?" she asked softly, a chakra barrier kept the danger from them and she took her time to check him.
He was good, but he was so hopeless, her anger came back. This time she didn't think twice. She broke the barrier and Orochimaru and his horrible, slimy snakes went flying back.
"Sakura, get away! You won't stand a chance!" Kakashi yelled and Sasuke continued. "Damn it, you're too weak." she was not herself, at least, she told herself that.
"Don't get in the way. You'll get killed." she warned and they went in complete silence. She looked at her uncle with such hate. "Why, oro-oji-chan?" she asked and stepped forward. The snake man smirked.
"Will you cry, Sakura-Hime?" he teased, and she smiled. "No, you will." and she swept her hand, power lashing out, destroying everything around her, her uncle seemed shock. "You hurt Naruto. I won't forgive you." she completed, and as she had him, the final blow was coming, a hand stopped her.
"Cherry. Stop it. Before you get hurt." the voice said, and her eyes widened. "D.. DAMON!" she said and turned to look the young man. He smiled at her and motioned to some shadows. The rest of team 7 was lost. Who the hell was this guy?
She started to look at the dozen shadows around her, while others where taking Orochimaru. He was doomed, she thought. And so was she.
Damon was quite tall, and his brown hair blew in the soft breeze. Sakura had noticed he had become more mature, and she couldn't help but think he could make some other girl happy. She just didn't feel anything -romantic- for him. And he knew it, yet he tried.
She started to frown, when Damon motioned to the their surroundings. "You left us. Me. For… this" he spat the last word, he was downright angry with all of them. With the angels supposed to protect her, with Orochimaru for trying to harm her, with himself for not stopping her sooner, and lastly, with her teammates, who had taken her precious love. Her love, from him.
"It was my own decision, you know that. And you should not involve my teammates in this." she stated, and said teammates noticed just how mature Sakura seemed at the moment, it was surreal.
She hadn't moved an inch, she was frozen with shock, an one couldn't blame her. Her mind was processing all that had just happened. She took a hesitant step and her voice barely raised a whisper.
"Will they come?" she asked, as if scared. Sasuke couldn't understand anything, and it was infuriating, he was proclaimed a genius, and yet he felt so stupid. What had happened in the last hour that seemed like eternity?
Sakura was slowly breaking apart, and no one seemed to care. Suddenly, others appeared and kept appearing, she was now frickin' scared. And Sasuke saw it, and for once, worried.
"Sakura." a loud, deep voice boomed, and Sakura jumped and bowed as low as she could, sure, she was scared, but she would protect those who she loved. Her teammates.
Two beaming figures descended from the skies and sakura smiled, then she prepared herself and ran, ran into the awaiting arms of her father. The ruler of the Skies and Heaven.
"Father!" was all team 7 could register and then it all went to fast for them. Sakura was beaming, then she was told something, and jumped back, as far as she could go.
"No." was her answer to the unheard question, and nobody could really understand her sudden attitude. Team 7 couldn't even understand what was going on.
Sakura was suddenly pinned to the ground by another white robe. Sasuke was about to go help her, as Naruto was too. When Sakura murmured something like "Don't come closer."
And that's when it all hit the fan.
Sakura threw the angels off, and something changed in her. Wings? Were those fluffy things from her back… wings? WHat the hell? Was all Naruto thought.
"Teme we got to help Sakura-Chan!" and they started to fight, when they all heard sobbing, and there she was. Standing in the middle of the field, crying, her head low, her pink hair covering her face.
"Please… don't fight.. Please." and she sunk to her knees. She couldn't stop them, and she knew it. And thus, she cried. And cried. And cried. She felt useless.
As if by a miracle, the fight stop. Everybody now paying attention to the man, Damon scooping Sakura up in his arms. He turned around and one single order was given. "Protect your highnesses from those mortals. Rid of them."
---*+*+*+*+
Kakashi was out on the floor, and Naruto and Sasuke were instantly on the defense, when a figure came between them and the angels. It was Sakura. "You will not harm them" she said, and it sounded powerful.
They was something she could always count on. Herself. And the fact that she would rather die and go to Hell, than leave her teammates behind, to all dangers.
Of that, she was sure.
