Quick Authors note here pertaining to the AU that this is set in!
This story will take place roughly seven years after the original Naurto series ended. Naruto returned, as he did in Shippuden, but many things have not happened in this AU. Without spoiling too much, just know that the Akatsuki had gone into remission, and this also has something to do with Sasuke and why the new team 7 has not found out anything about him. I might write a short piece explaining more of the detail later on, I just don't know what to and to not give away at this point.
I am a slave to my dear Sakura, so she is the focal point of this story. I'm really going to try and make this as balanced as i can with the action and the romance, and im going to try my best to not rush into anything, but at the same time i dont want it to be too slow.
As far as pairing, I'm not entirely certain yet. I think it will be an Akatsuki member, but im not 100% sure.
And without further ado, enjoy!
Chapter One
The day started out like any other for the young Sakura Haruno, she awoke a bit late, rushed to get ready, and sprinted off towards the hospital. The pink haired ninja usually walked with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face, and today was no different. She greeted all the staff as she passed them on the way up to her office.
Life had treated Sakura quite well, or so she thought. It seemed that nothing would ever be right when Sasuke left them and then Naruto went off to train, but a determined Sakura had other plans for her life. What was the point of living if your world would just fall apart when the men in your life left you? This was Sakura's exact reasoning as to why she should become the best ninja she could be. To live by ones own accord instead of that of her male partners.
Lucky for her, the great Tsunade took the young woman in. Under this amazing healer, and fighters, watchful eye, Sakura bloomed into the beautiful kunoichi she was today.
Once finally reaching her office, Sakura sat in her big comfy chair with a sigh. She climbed the ranks of this hospital quickly, and was now just a few spots away from the top. The perk of her position was, of course, having her own, real, office, but there was little other than that. Of course there was better pay, but she earned that, it wasn't like it was just some privilege.
Soon after sitting down, Shizune knocked on the door and made her way into the office without waiting for an answer.
"Oh, Sakura-chan~" the woman's voice rang as she pushed her way in with a stack of papers. It wasn't totally unusual for Shizune to be cheery, but unusual enough for Sakura to raise a pink brow at the woman. Upon seeing the woman's expression, and placing the papers down, Shizune gave the pink haired woman a large grin.
"Tsunade-sama awoke without a hangover this morning." The short haired woman giggled, earning a surprised look from Sakura.
"Well," Sakura started, taking in a deep breath, "that would be something to celebrate, but now it seems she's in the right mind to pawn off all her paper work on me." Although slightly annoyed, Sakura ended with a light smile and a small giggle.
Sakura's thoughts drifted to her sensei, she wasn't doing so well anymore, and this worried her.
Tsunade had stepped down from her position as Hokage, despite her jutsus, her age, and habits, we're catching up to her. She was a great Hokage, but with the way things were going outside of the village, they needed a more level headed Hokage to take the chair. That is when Kakashi was picked to be Hokage, yet another of Sakura sensei's took the seat as the most,politically, powerful ninja in the village, and Sakura was proud to have been so lucky to be their students.
Another giggle brought Sakura back to reality, and the stack of papers on her desk.
"Well, good luck Sakura-chan!" Shizune ducked out of the office before Sakura could even respond.
Sakura just sighed as she stared down the work ahead of her. Paperwork was definitely a down side to her position. She was pretty sure she had done more paperwork than she has ever even healed people. Which someone not in her position might consider a good thing, but it was frustrating.
Another sigh escaped the woman's lips as she got on with another usual day.
A white haired mad sat at a large desk with her hands folded in front of his face. One deep black eye peered out at the three ninja who knelt before him. The trio had just appeared at his office door, just after a carrier pigeon showed with some bad news.
The blond of the three was the first to rise.
Naruto Uzumaki. The famous ninja had been sore about his sensei getting the seat of Hokage instead of him, but that anger and jealousy quickly faded as he saw how capable his teacher truly was.
The blue-eyed ninja's brows were set in a way that showed his anger and frustration. "Kakashi-sensei," he wasn't supposed to refer to his former teacher as so, but since when did anyone stop this particular knucklehead from doing as he pleased. The blond took a step toward the Hokage's large desk, letting out a deep breath before he began to speak again.
"Our suspicions have been confirmed."
Kakashi's hands clenched in front of him, knuckles turning white at the news. The Kage let out a deep breath that he was unaware he was holding, gesturing for the ninja in front of him to continue.
"On our way back..." Naruto trailed off, glancing back at his team, with first clenched so tight his nails dug into his skin. "We encountered some of them."
With Naruto's words, Kakashi's gaze traveled to the other two ninja before him. Shikamaru Nara and Kiba Inuzuka, minus his faithful companion. One of the two had a very serious looking wound on his right arm. The Kage was unsure how he could have missed it before, along with their labored breathing, he blamed the stress of his position.
An unsettling silence settled over the room as the wheels turned in Kakashi's head. The last he had heard of this threat was well before he took his seat as the leader of the Leaf Village. For them to be back now was more than just unfortunate. They were no doubt more powerful than before, and to be spotted now must mean they are ready to launch whatever plans they have been plotting.
Releasing his clenched fist, the Kage finally spoke up. "Nara, take Inuzuka to the hospital," he nodded to the pair, who stood and bowed. Gritting his teeth behind his famous mask, he stood, moving his gaze to Naruto, "You come with me to speak with the council.
Boring was a lackluster term Sakura often used to describe her work. In reality, it was much more than the simple word could ever convey. The pinkette sighed, dropping her pen on her desk as she stretched her aching muscles. She had been doing nothing but paperwork for the last three hours and the young woman was hoping for anything to spice up her work day, this wish being something she would soon regret.
The light pitter patter of feet could be heard headed down the corridor, peaking Sakura's interest. Running through a hospital was normal, of course, but there were no patients or operating rooms on this floor. The woman instinctively stood from her chair, arching a brow as her slightly ajar door was pushed fully open.
A trainee stood in the door way, panting slightly, one that Sakura recognized. She had tasked this particular person with alerting her if any of her close comrades ever visited the hospital for other than a personal call.
To Sakura's dismay, the young woman just stood in her door way, too busy catching her breath to even speak. Growing frustrated, Sakura rose her voice, "Moto, speak." Her voice was heavy, there hadn't been much trouble in the village for a very, very, long time. Everything had been peaceful, meaning the only people that visited the hospital were civilians, and Sakura had no civilian friends.
The woman in the doorway let out a small 'meep' before speaking up, "Nara-san and Inuzuka-san are here." She spoke hastily, and quickly moved out of the door way and bowed as Sakura raced out of the room.
While not Sakura's closest friends, the too men had become good companions to the woman over the years. And the last she had heard of the two, they were on a mission with Naruto. If they were hurt enough to come to the hospital with Naruto around, it must be serious.
She hastily made her way down flights of stairs and to the emergency ward, her eyes scanning the room of ailing civilians and landing on her friends surrounded by a few nurses and a doctor. Quickly, Sakura made her way over to the group, seeing Kiba laying in the bed, arm mangled. Thankfully the messy bandages kept enough blood in for him to make it this far.
While Sakura trusted her colleagues, this was a different situation, she pushed the attending doctor aside and placed a, now glowing, palm over the arm. Pressing her chakra into the wound, she could see just how bad the injury was. Not only was muscle and tendon shredded to bits, but the bone was also crushed in several places, fragments lodged into the surrounding tissue. She quickly raised her head, eyes landing on Shikamaru, who stoop on the other side of the bed.
"What in the world happened to him?"
"The Akatsuki are back."
A/N: Well, well! We have a peak into our heroines normal day, and a little insight into the way things are. And then! *gasp* We have the big bad introduced.
What are the Akatsuki up to in this Alternate Timeline?!
What will our hero's do in the wake of an old danger rising again?!
Find out next time on Blood Stained Petals!
*cough* im sorry im a corny nerd. Please R&R, ngl praise or criticism is what keeps me writing!
(Also in search of a beta HMU!)