Disclaimer; I own nothing.
Sakura didn't know how long she sat their staring into the cracked metal that was once the head band of her teammate. It could have been only minutes or even days, she couldn't be sure. In the haze surrounding her mind the girl wasn't even aware that day had shifted to night.
Coming back from the retrieval mission Kakashi sensei had dropped a bloodied scrap of metal onto her lap. Without meeting her eyes the man had shattered her world with a barely audible "Sasuke killed Naruto." She hadn't seen her sensei leave, nor did care too look.
Time as she knew it had stopped.
Her whole existence had been ripped apart by those three simple
words. Sasuke killed Naruto. Sasuke killed Naruto. Sasuke killed Naruto. The words repeated over and over in her mind. They twisted and blackened all her memories turning them into nightmares. Gone were the happy moments with team 7 replaced with anguish and pain. What were once playful spites between teammates changing into life or death battles of agony and terror. Teammate against teammate, brother against brother, the sharingan against jinchuuriki.
Why? Why had they fought? The two were not just teammates they were brothers. There was no reason that they should have fought. Despite them being constantly at odds, even forgetting the cutting remarks between the two it was clear they cared about the others well-being so why?
Her promise.
He had promised to do everything in his power to bring Sasuke back. Did that mean her words had lead him to his death? By encouraging Naruto was it her fault the encounter had led to a fight?
How had it happened? She wanted to ask. Was it an accident or was it intentional? Had Sasuke ripped apart the bond he'd formed with Naruto all for the sake of revenge? The first instinct she had was too deny the accusation and defend her love. She felt very cold at that moment.
Sasuke had killed Naruto and she was trying to defend him?
Her gut pinched painfully at the thought.
What did that make her? After all that has happened, she was still making excuses. Even with the evidence staring at her she couldn't swallow it. Hell, it had always been there hadn't it? Sasuke had never been a kind person. He was always snide, condescending, and horrible arrogant. None of that had mattered in the end for Sakura because she had always believed there was more beneath the surface but now, cold hard reality had just punched her in the gut.
The ruthless intent Sasuke had for revenge finally came forth ripping their team into shreds. It was all so obvious that she wandered how she had managed to blind herself. The boy had said it day one that his sole intention was to kill his brother. He'd told her on many occasions that he had no interest of being with a team; that his true goal was beyond the walls of the leaf.
The cold wind bristled at her exposed neck leaving goosebumps in its trail.
She could hear the soft 'Click' 'Clock' 'Click' Clock' of sandal scraping against pavement. A looming shadow standing over head but she gave it no mind. Staring into the reflective infinity that was her team mates remains Sakura had no time for her intruder.
"Naruto is dead Sakura. Crying won't bring him back"
Only then did she turn. Her eyes stung with effort as they turned. Hours upon hours of shedding tears had really dealt a toll but she hadn't noticed, only felt the damp tears staining her delicate features.
Hearing the words that her brain had tried to block forced her stagnate body back into reality. It felt like a physical blow had been inflicted hearing the cold detached voice tell her. She felt shock at first but that quickly gave way to anger. Who were they? Didn't they know that Naruto had died? Her teammate and friend was gone, couldn't they just leave her alone?
A mess of blonde hair obscured the woman's face from view but she could tell who it was behind those long locks. Two bulbous breast where spilling out of the front of a green kimono, with a white jacket draped over her shoulders. It was lady Tsunade, the Hokage.
"The way you are now is a disgrace to his memory."
"Why are you here?"
She was shocked. Never, never had she talked to the Hokage like that before. The disgrace she'd shown just then was inexcusable but at the moment she couldn't find it in herself to truly care. Tsunade was provoking her. She wasn't sure why but the anger she was feeling was pilling up inside her making her do things she wouldn't normally do, making her bold.
The woman didn't so much as flinch at the blatant disrespect Sakura had just shown.
"I came here to ask you a question Sakura… What does Naruto mean to you?"
She'd never thought about it before. That single thought burst through her head like a raging bull. She'd never even given Naruto the time of day. The boy who protected her, supported her, loved her couldn't even make a single thought into her head? It made her sick to think but she couldn't not think about it. What had she ever done to deserve his friendship? Why had he loved her?
"Everything…"
"And if I told you there was a chance to avenge his death?"
Her head snapped up so fast it hurt.
"Would you take it?" She asked this time slowly.
Could she? Would she follow Sasuke's lead and become someone willing to kill a friend for their own petty revenge? The answer that immediately popped into her head scared her. The darkness was right there being offered to her could she really do this?
What would Naruto think of her? She knew what that blonde fool would do. He'd walk right up to her and punch her for being selfish. He'd pick her up then force Saskue to come back to the village and everything would be whole again. He always had a way to make things seem so simple when he talked. But…Naruto wasn't here was he?
"Yes." she breathed.
"What was that?" Her Hokage asked. "I can't here you down there Sakura. Speak, Up."
"Yes!" she said without hesitation.
"Tell me!" Tsunade ordered. "What will you do with this power?"
"I will avenge Naruto!"
"This path will lead you down a dark road Sakura. You must be willing to give everything. Me, your friends, the village…Can you do that?"
The look of determination was a good as answer the Hokage ever could've gotten. "Good." She spoke evenly. Turning the Hokage started to stride away. "Let's go. Your training starts today."
Jumping up Sakura chased after the leader of the Leaf. Wiping away at the last of her tears she threw them away in disgust. Vowing to herself to never show that kind of weakness again. She would never be weak again.
She was going to kill Sasuke Uchiha.
A/N; So, I have been entertaining the idea of turning this into a longer story. Though I don't see it happening. Most of my time is spent to my story "the Fairy's Jinchuriki". So if there is anyone with much more talent that would like to adopt the story, go for it.
though, I would like to know. I'd very much like to read it lol.