A/N: Some characters that should be dead in the manga will make an appearance in this story. And a few facts will be altered from the original plot to suit the following events.
"Evil isn't born. Evil is made."
Prologue - Genesis
"Sakura-chan! Why are you doing this?" The blonde Kyuubi vessel pleaded.
His former teammate stared at me with cold, dispassionate, jade eyes. "I have to, Naruto." The female replied. A monotone voice, with none of the loving warmth she once had.
It sent a chill down the blonde ninja's spine, as well as the two men who stood behind him.
"You don't have to do anything! We would have stood beside you! We would have supported you, as a team!"
The right corner of the pink-haired kunoichi's lips tugged upward. A cross between a smile and a sneer. "Supported me? …. You were never there when I truly needed you. And now that I am strong enough to stand on my own, you want to lend your aid?"
"Please, Sakura, it isn't too late. We can help you!" Naruto screamed, eyes nearly glassy with moisture.
"Sakura," Kakashi cut in, placing a hand on his blonde student's shoulder. "Consider what you are doing. You could get killed."
"There is no other choice, Kakashi." Her words were unshakeable.
"There is always a choice, Sakura."
"Not with this. There is no going back – and besides, whatever doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger."
Kakashi stared at his former student with wide eyes. This wasn't the little Sakura he used to teach, the one who knew right from wrong. The one who always stood for what was honorable and just. The copy-nin tried to search for further words of persuasion but fell short.
When the Kyuubi and the Jonin failed in their attempts, the last man on their side stepped forward.
"Sakura." Uchiha Sasuke's deep baritone voice practically echoed across the forest clearing. "You don't belong with them." The Sharingan wielder stated with such confidence and unyielding clarity that it made his words sound more like a law then a mere statement.
The smile/sneer that played at the edges of the pink kunoichi's rosy lips melted into a vacant expression. She turned around to look at the "them" that the Uchiha heir was referring to.
Her small army of men and women, whose faces were concealed behind white masks. For once, Sakura smiled with genuine fondness as she faced her dutiful followers.
No one in a million years would have foreseen that Haruno Sakura, Konoha's little sweetheart, would ever become the powerful force she was in that moment. Nor would they have envisioned her leading an army of strong, ruthless, analytical killers.
But the looks on their faces as Sakura proved them all wrong was simply priceless! This is what they got for doubting her true worth.
Sakura turned around, but not before she wiped the smile off her face. And gazed upon the three men who, once upon a time, meant the world to her. Each face held a kaleidoscope of emotions; hurt, disappointment, and the last one held anger.
She met the dark eyes of the last man, standing in the far right. In a distant memory, just his very presence used to have a significant effect on the Blossom. But now, she felt nothing.
"Pathetic …" the Kunoichi uttered, loud enough for her former teammates to hear.
But before they could do anything, the rosy haired Kunoichi disappeared in a whirl of dark smoke. Her concealed army disappearing behind her.
Naruto, Kakashi, and Sasuke stood alone in the wooded clearing.
Each one of them wondering in their minds the very same question: "When and how did their Sakura get this way?"
And the exact moment that shaped their young Blossom's twisted fate went something like this ….
Two years ago
The war was over. The enemies were defeated. An alliance between all the nations and the hidden villages were reformed to be stronger than ever.
A meeting was held at the Hidden Leaf Village among the Kages to amend and finalize the treaty between their fellow shinobi. In addition, and with much apprehension, they included the Hidden village of Sound as part of their treaty.
Although no one had any fondness for the Sound's leader, the Snake Sannin, it still put the other Kages at ease to know that he was bound by their accord. Which he has to swear an oath to uphold along with them. And should he break the code he faces war from all the other hidden villages.
Each Kage attended the meeting with two or three elite shinobi members at their side. However, the Hokage, had four very special members flanking her side at the circular table, the newly reunited Team Seven and their poker-faced sensei.
The meeting went with complete ease, and even less objections on the legislations before they were passed for signature among each Kage present.
However, during the course of the entire summit, a certain young rosette-haired Kunoichi felt a pair of eyes practically burning into her form. It was a bothersome feeling that one couldn't shake. Like an itch that couldn't be scratched.
Jade eyes discreetly scanned the room, and to the young woman's immense shock, it was the Snake Sannin himself that met her gaze with his golden severe regard.
Sakura faintly gulped, and tried not to show any effect of the pressure she felt under the Snake's leer. All throughout the meeting she pretended to pay close attention to the Tsuchikage as he droned on and on, and sometime bickered with the Raikage.
And yet, that lingering feeling of burning eyes never wavered in their intensity throughout the meeting.
Once the meeting was officially over, some of the Kages joined the Hokage in her office for a more "social" setting. While the others retired for the night to their complimentary guest rooms.
Sakura lingered behind in the now deserted meeting room as she informed her team to go on without her. At the behest of Naruto, he wanted to get dinner and he refused to eat anywhere except at Ichiraku's stand. And after many days and rounds of ramen, Sakura's taste buds needed a break from the noodle based cuisine.
Her thoughts revolved to her team, as she mused. They were finally reunited after many years, many obstacles, and many hardships along the path. And they were all home, and they were at peace. They all had their closure and they could finally move on and focus on the future.
A future they could all share together …
"They will not accept you as an equal." Someone spoke from the entrance doorway to the meeting room.
The Kunoichi whipped around and, with a stunned gaze, saw the legendary Sannin stand there at the door.
Orochimaru stepped further into the room. It was just her and him; Sakura thought with much dread.
His words sunk into her comprehension and Sakura asked, "Who are you talking about?"
The Snake smirked, showing one of his needle-like fangs. "You precious team, of course."
"You don't know what you are talking about."
"I know more than you think I know, Sakura-chan. No matter how much you work hard you will always be the weakest link."
"You saw what I did on the battlefield. I am an equal and I will never stare at their backs again!" The Kunoichi pressed.
"Never? That's a strong word, little blossom. But I am afraid you are living in a fantasy. For you are so easily expendable from their so called 'team'."
Sakura clenched her teeth. "Lies."
"You don't believe me? Even when it is happening as we speak? – Then go to them and see the truth with your own eyes."
Without so much as another thought or word, Sakura made her way out of the meeting room. As she left she barely caught Orochimaru's final words before she descended the spiral staircase.
"If you wish to prove me wrong, I will be here awaiting your epic return."
As soon as she exited the building, Sakura sprinted as fast as she can with the help of her chakra boost.
Within minutes she was at the Ichiraku stand where her teammates said they would be. But instead of going in, Sakura lingered at a distance. And with an unimaginable hurt in her green eyes, she witnessed something which she most dreaded to see.
Oh her teammates were there alright, but there was also that redheaded woman that tagged along with Sasuke when he was a missing-nin. Karin. And the other two men, Suigetsu and Jugo.
But what really twisted the knife further into Sakura's chest was seeing the red-head sit in the seat Sakura has always sat in for many years for as long as she remembered. The seat that was always meant for her, between Naruto and Sasuke.
She always believed that place meant such significant to those two, that no one could ever possibly occupy such a special place reserved only for their pink-haired comrade.
But now she saw the truth. With deep bitterness Sakura realized that special place was only special for her – it could just easily be grabbed by anyone so long as it was convenient. Its significance and memories be damned!
Before she could be discovered by the occupants of the ramen stand, or the people passing by. Sakura departed from the location.
She didn't think, she just simply allowed her feet to take her away, for her mind was too busy trying to process all the mixed emotions she was experiencing.
The young Kunoichi didn't realize she had returned to the same meeting room at the Hokage tower until that familiar nefarious voice jolted her out of her brooding state.
"Are you here to gloat about my wrongness … oh, it appears not." Orochimaru stated before he took in the anguished expression on the pink-haired girl's face. Slowly, the Sannin approached the desolate Kunoichi. "Did your pretty little eyes see what you have been in denial about all this time?" he asked maliciously.
Words couldn't even express a proper reply. So the girl simply nodded, casting her gaze to the ground in shame.
"No need to fret, Sakura-chan. With every bad news there is always good to follow suit." The Snake chuckled.
"What?" Sakura whispered, unsure of what he was getting at.
"Your weakness can be vanquished. All you have to do is make a choice."
Sakura clenched her hands into fists. "What kind of choice?"
"One that cannot be undone once it has been fulfilled." The Sannin replied.
"Tell me!" Sakura shouted.
But it only caused to make the Sound leader further amused. "Such an energetic little blossom, aren't you? – very well, if you wish to know then we shall meet at the outskirts of the village. There is an abandon tower at the Forest of Death. Go there alone at exactly midnight tomorrow."
"How do I know this isn't just one of your fiendish tricks?"
Orochimaru smiled wickedly and walked towards the skittish girl. Sakura held her ground as the Snake Sannin approached her. He leaned forward and met her wide and semi-innocent gaze.
"That is a risk you have to be willing to take. You can always change your mind before then. And if you decide not to show up, then you will forever live in the shadow of your teammates. And always wonder that if you had taken my offer, would you have a chance at a better future? A brighter future? – a future worthy of proper admiration and awe from your superiors and fellow peers."
The Snake Sannin rose to his full height. Very pleased with how the little blossom was tempted by the prospect of a better life.
"You have until tomorrow at midnight to make your choice, Sakura-chan. But I must warn you, I won't be waiting longer than the aforementioned time. So if you do decide to take my offer, and I hope you will, I would appreciate a sense of punctuality."
And with that, the Serpentine-like man disappeared in a puff of smoke. Leaving the rosette Kunoichi alone.
Despite the newly formed treaty with the Hidden Sound Village, everyone knew that Orochimaru was many things. But a reformed man, as he claimed to be, he was most certainly not.
A righteous person wouldn't even consider an offer from such a black-hearted man. The same man that took Sasuke away from them and lead him down the path of darkness and vengeance.
But at the same time, the curiosity was too great. For whatever reason, the Sannin made his offer to Sakura of all people. And a part of her wanted to know why. However, she feared that if she were to hear such an answer then it will only lead her to the side of temptation.
The same temptation that wanted to offer her power beyond her reach.
Power that her fingers were itching to grasp.
Haruno Sakura was never a selfish person. But perhaps that was her mistake. If she had focused more on herself then she could have been much much stronger!
The real question was, should she start being selfish now?