DISCLAIMER: All rights belong to it's rightful owner/owner's. No copyright infringement intended.
Artwork by: Maria Suhanova
Hello all! :) This is my very first FanFiction!
I've been reading Naruto and FanFiction since I was a young teenager and I finally worked up the courage to write my own! Please write a review and tell me what you think and where I could improve. I'm still working out the kinks in the story! :)
I've always wanted to read a SakuSasu story with a strong, independent Sakura because her character evolution was so badass and underrated! I always felt the way Sasuke and Sakura came together was SO unsatisfactory and left everyone feeling like there was a lot missing. I always looked up to Sakura as a kid but, I was also so frustrated by her lack of independence from her obsession with Sasuke and I always thought that was her downfall.
This story presents a thoughtful, witty, independent Sakura in Post-war Konaha. Sasuke has left the village for 4 years now and Kakashi is still Hokage. This is a semi-AU but still following the canon!
Anyways, I hope you'll enjoy! Thank you! :)
Sakura opened her eyes and braced herself against a mossy statue. She looked up at the ancient stone wolf, a protector, looking out astutely at the small fern covered clearing. Sunlight dappled beautifully through the oasis on the forest floor and a small white butterfly skimmed through the light peacefully as if nothing had happened. Sakura steadied her breathing and tasted a metallic twang in her mouth. She spat out the blood that had pooled by her tongue and grimaced.
Sakura closed her eyes concentrating to calm her next breath as she looked over at her motionless companion. The dead Kunoichi's body had fallen into rigor mortis, Sakura noted with unease. Cursing Kakashi under her breath, she should never assume any mission was easy these days. Sakura hated killing without necessity. Not that protecting her own life was not a necessity, but unnecessary slaughter was against her core being.
In her exhaustion Sakura instincts kicked in as a strange black wave of chakra was slowly approaching. A familiar prick went down her spine and her fingers felt like electricity was being pumped through them.
The raven haired man who she hadn't seen in four whole years was nearby. Sakura's mind began racing with the ever approaching meeting.
"Sasuke-"
(Earlier that month)
Sakura slowly closed and turned the key to her office door. Her secretary went home hours ago but Sakura remained finishing as much paperwork before her vision blurred and her head throbbed. She loved when she reached that point of exhaustion because she didn't have to think. Her body went on autopilot and her thoughts slowed from breakneck speeds to a soft lull in the back of her mind.
Sakura walked down the white washed walls of the Konaha hospital, antiseptic in the air and a sense of orderly chaos hung around. She lived for it. The hospital provided a place for life, death and renewal. Since peace time, it was a sanctuary, where nothing couldn't be fixed or fastened or pieced together. The will of Fire had pulled it out from an overrun hell hole where there weren't enough medic-nin, limited chakra and not enough time to save them all.
The sodium vapor street lights hummed in harmony with the cicadas as Sakura slinked down the street. Her shadow danced under the streetlights as she made her way through the summer symphony. It was her favorite time of day, the solitude brought her peace. The stars shown brightly as the concrete cooled from the sun's penetrating rays, as if letting out a sigh. Sakura didn't have to worry about running into her fellow shinobi. Their constant bombardment of questions about her wellbeing was far too much for her these days. Her extraordinary achievements in her field should be enough, she always cajoled herself. But the dark circles always raised Naruto's eyebrows. You couldn't hide anything from him. He was a thick knucklehead he couldn't keep his concern to himself. Sakura continued to her apartment in a dreamy numbness.
Kakashi idly stared out the window watching a few sparrows swoop down to the roof outside his window. They fluffed up their feathers and pecked at the red wooden shingles, twittering amongst themselves probably talking about the days berry finds, Kakashi mused to himself.
The sun was just starting to break over the mountain, and it's warm golden rays shot out. Kakashi weathered another overnight at his desk. He'd grown accustomed to the sheer volume of work. Naruto was studying closely with him the past three years. His role as Hokage was coming to a close and his heart swelled with emotion thinking of Naruto taking over.
Kakashi turned back to his desk and pulled out a scroll from the Hidden Valley Village, the name instantly catching his curiosity, he unraveled the contents. Villages were more frequently been sending in requests for help to rebuild or quell small uprising of bandits or thieves trying to take charge of war torn parishes.
The Hidden Valley Village was the first village Konaha had helped establish a medical clinic after the war. Tsunade wanted to create a joint clinic because the healers of this village were renowned. There was a large number of medicinal herbs that grew on the surrounding hills and valleys. They had exceptional reserves of these herbs and occasionally supplied Konoha. Tsunade sent a delighted Sakura to help establish the clinic 3 years ago.
Why were they requesting medical aide, and an antidote at that? Kakashi mulled over the questions.
Kakashi leaned back in his chair, he knew Sakura was the person to ask. His concern for her health wasn't as vocal as Naruto but it was all too obvious that it had deteriorated over the past few years. She used to have this warm and vivacious energy about her, now she seemed jaded and exhausted. She knew how to make the antidote and she knew the village well. He would occasionally have Sakura go out on missions but she usually declined as she preferred her consistent hospital grind. This mission was not an option, it would look horrible politically if Konaha, a leader in the medical world, didn't help.
Kakashi cleared his throat and an ANBU with a bear mask appeared in front of his desk. Normally Kakashi would send a more formal request to give Sakura a debriefing but from the message from the Hidden Valley it sounded urgent. Three children were seriously ill and needed treatment immediately.
Kakashi wrote out a small memo of the mission and handed the scroll to the ANBU. Kakashi nodded and the ANBU disappeared out of sight. "I hope she takes this as a break." Kakashi sighed to himself.
Sakura awoke in a groggy daze as her alarm went off at 5:30AM. "Ugh" she groaned and sat up. Just push past it she chided to herself and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Didn't I just fall asleep?" The days were melting into weeks and months and years. It felt like one never ending graveyard shift, her body screamed in protest and she roused off the bed.
She had worked, fighting tooth and nail to receive recognition in the Shinobi world. The world renowned gifted healer would not submit to exhaustion. The villagers needed her.
A cold prickle in the back of her neck sent her mind reeling out of sleep. She knew she was being watched. Not willing to confront the visitor yet she went about her morning routine. She dressed and went to the bathroom and avoiding her reflection splashed water on her face to wash. "I have to wake up." She roused herself. Making her way to the kitchen she sidestepped the fridge and pulled out a nutritional cracker, something she had developed.
A bad habit.
Adjusting her headband and opening the door, "Good morning" she spoke flatly to an empty doorway. The ANBU jumped down from a nearby tree. "A mission from Hokage-sama" the ANBU deadpanned. "Kakashi-Sensei couldn't give me a brief himself?" Sakura remarked. The ANBU wordlessly handed over the scroll, bowed and slipped out of sight.
Sakura quickly scanned the contents, she was to leave before the afternoon sun. "There isn't enough time!" she furrowed her brow in frustration. Sakura's stomach did flipflops thinking about leaving the village, the Hospital was her life-line, her savior. "How can he just throw this at me! He of all people knows how busy I am."
In frustration Sakura dashed off to the Hogake's office. She was not letting everyone meddle with her life.
Sakura knocked sharply on the Hokage's door. The sun had just fully come up over the mountain pass and Kakashi was still at his desk sorting through papers. "Come in." He said curtly. Sakura marched up to his desk, "Kakashi-sensei this is completely inappropriate." Kakashi didn't look up from his scroll. "Good morning Sakura." Kakashi retorted.
"You can't just send me off on an c-rank mission, I'm not a genin anymore. I'm the head of the hospital and I have an important surgery on Tuesday."
"I'm sure one of your other doctor's can handle the surgery. This mission is important for Konaha and the Hidden Valley's relationship."
"That's not what this looks like, it looks like a poor attempt to get me out of the village." Sakura retorted fiercely.
Kakashi looked up from his scroll. His eyes saddened at the sight of his former student. He noticed she'd lost a considerable amount of weight and he'd heard enough from Naruto about how avoidant she'd been. "You read the memo, there are about four days before those three children-"
"Where is Sana-san?" Sakura demanded. She felt attacked by his prying eyes.
"Sana-san passed away a year ago. There's no one left of the village elders that knows how to make the antidote. You studied under her."
Sakura averted her gaze guiltily, her resolve disintegrated. She didn't know that Sana passed away. Was she being selfish?
"You need to leave by high noon. It's a two days journey. I'll tell Shizune that you'll be taking leave for a week. Maybe you could take some more time there? I know the villagers must miss-"
"No." Sakura replied cooly regaining her composure. "I'll return in five days. Shizune shouldn't have to take my place that long."
Kakashi's voice softened, "Sakura..."
"I have responsibilities-"
"You need to take better care of yourself." Kakashi replied cutting her off. He had never addressed her about her health before, but she almost looked unfit to travel. She had lost most of her lean muscle and the shine in her hair had all but disappeared.
"I appreciate your concern, but I'm perfectly healthy. You can tell Naruto too. I don't need anyone worrying about me... I'm fine." She almost hesitated on the last two words.
Kakashi caught a glimpse of the hesitation in her eyes.
Kakashi let out a sigh. "Sakura, you are the head medic of Konaha, if you're saying you are healthy and fit for travel I'll take your word for it. But please. Take your time coming back."
Sakura didn't want to make eye contact with her sensei again, "We'll see." and she turned to head out the door.
Sakura's heart twinged thinking of the Hidden Valley children. Their village remained untouched by the war, protected by Shun valley. The village children still had the blind loving innocence that many of the other children had been robbed of.
She had learned a great deal from the local healers. They were expert botanists, and provided rare remedies to illnesses thought incurable. They mended her war weary soul with wholesome kindness and knowledge, especially Sana-san.
Sana had taken Sakura under her wing during her stay in the village. She taught her everything about the local plants in the Hidden Valley and the Land of Fire. Tsunade herself had studied under Sana back when she was a young woman. Sana was a fountain of knowledge and unlike Tsunade's brazen attitude, she was gentle and patient. Sakura was endeared to her the second they began working together.
According to the message sent from the other village, three children had been accidentally poisoned by a variety of Nightshade. This particular variety only bloomed every few years and sometimes decades. Thankfully Sakura had a chance encounter with the flower's rare bloom upon her last visit. Sana taught her how to harvest and properly use the flower without poisoning oneself. Sana had lived to about 95 but only witnessed 5 blooms of the Nightshade, they were extremely rare.
Sakura sealed away her supplies to make the antidote with unease. The circumstances in the Hidden Valley were very unusual, why had the children brought home a flower notoriously known to be harmful in a healer village? Sakura groaned as black dots began to cloud her vision. She sat down and leaned against the wall until the dizzy spell passed. She hadn't had water today and couldn't remember the last time she had a real meal. Her work binge was costing her health. Composing herself, she stood slowly and ate some more of her crackers and tried to down some water. This was going to be a long week.
Sakura reached the gate. She didn't have time to let anyone know she was leaving, Sakura was alone. The sun was almost at high noon and she felt a small trembling thinking of her vow to leave only when necessary.
Leaving felt selfish. The hospital needed her and she needed it.
Sakura had mixed feelings about Konaha's gates. They always brought fear, excitement, heartbreak.
"Sasuke..." she thought to herself idly. She didn't like when he crossed her mind, it just brought out the pain of abandonment. But whenever she left Konaha's gates he always rolled through her mind, like a wave pushing through the sea.
She had wanted more and he could never give himself to her.
Sakura had accepted that with heart aching grace.
She rationalized that she was better off.
Better not to be taken advantage of.
Better to not waste time.
Better to not love.
Sakura took a step out the gate. "How stupid" she thought, "I can't keep digging up the past. What's done is done."
With that, Sakura dashed through the trees.