Stony hazel eyes that were normally warm stared unflinchingly. Tracing the stare, a young woman stood before the Hokage. Tsunade sighed and her tense shoulders slumped as if she was giving up. "Are you sure Sakura?" She bit her lip before continuing, "That line of path is not an easy one. You do not have to do this. No one is ordering you to take the burden yourself."

The long pink tresses shifted across her back as Sakura shook her head slowly. Hard eyes revealed nothing as she said softly, "I know. But it's my decision. I've done it once already and I don't want the others to ever witness it themselves." Pain entered her emerald eyes as she stared into her mentor's bleakly. "I'm tainted," she whispered, looking down at her hands that were curled into fists. "I'm tainted," she repeated, "and I won't let the others ever go through what I had to."

Tsunade was silent, knowing that her former apprentice wouldn't go back on her word. She didn't like Sakura's decision but she understood. If she had her way, no kunoichi would ever have to through that pain. Tsunade understood because she had undergone it herself; the 'kunoichi missions.' Being a part of an esteemed Clan had its advantages though. She had been pulled out of the program before she had to do another mission. But one was enough to scar you for a lifetime. Tsunade's thoughts traveled back to the pink haired ANBU operative in front of her. Sakura had only been 13 when she had gone onto her first kunoichi mission. The client had liked the young ones.

Bile rose to Tsunade's throat before she swallowed it back down. "You know –"

Sakura's hand cut off any words that would have followed. She nodded. "I know."

Tsunade's mouth flattened into a firm line. "I'm working on the Council, but you should know that you'll be taking the brunt of what would have gone to Tenten, Hinata, and Ino too." Out of the kunoichi's of Sakura's age generation, all four of them had been required to take on kunoichi missions too. Normally, only Tenten and Sakura would have had to do them – due to Hinata and Ino being part of the Clan's – but because of the decrease of kunoichi in the past years, part of the Council had taken it upon themselves to issue missions behind the back of the Hokage and the other Council members. That was why Sakura had only been 13 when the required age was 16 with an agreement consent form signed. Tsunade was gathering proof of the many deeds they were suspected of doing, but it seems she hadn't been quick enough about the matter the kunoichi missions.

Shimura Danzo. Mitokado Himura. Utatane Koharu. Age had weathered Danzo, Himura, Koharu into far different people than the ones that the Sandaime had once known.

Sakura nodded – a motion that she had done many times in the past minutes. "Yes, I am well aware."

The Godaime sighed again, stress lines making her look her real age than the one she appeared to be. With a tone laced with regret, she said quietly, "There's nothing else I have for you. You will be informed of the missions in the normal way."

Sakura hesitated a bit before leaving. She met Tsunade's sad eyes with her own. "It's not your fault. It was going to happen eventually; I just stepped up before it could affect more than just me."

She was gone. The only hint of her presence was the faint smell of vanilla and a single cherry blossom floating slowly until it hit the floor and withered to ashes.

It's not your fault.