Prologue: Scatterings of Cherry Blossoms and Blood Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! However, the children displayed in this story are the product of my own imagination. Everything else is compliments of Masashi Kishimoto. Arigato.
Sakura walked up the path to the Uchiha complex, her pink pack slung carelessly across her narrow shoulders so it wouldn't catch her hair. She couldn't help but feel some pride in the work she had put into it: Before Sasuke's proposal, it had been dead--a place where hollow echoes reverberated off of the walls that she knew were stained in blood. But then he had asked her:
"Sakura...I think its time we talk" 'Hard to believe its only been a month...' Sakura thought as she climbed the final hill--more of a bump in the road that obstructed her vision. But to her tired legs it was more than enough to make her hesitate before gathering the energy to continue.
The pink-haired medic swallowed: This was it...it was over. She had expected it. Despite the fact that Tsunade had told them...told them that all of the children were his. It had only made sense, of course. Why mass produce dozens of potential hosts if they all lacked what he so desired: The Sharigan. So, genetically Sasuke had fathered all of them. But how could she blame him for leaving her? I mean, she was so busy they didn't even get to talk maybe but once a week. And she was a ragged mess. Attempting to raise almost three dozen kids when not only seven months earlier she had been a single bacholorette hadn't left much time for anything but missions--to pay the exorbiant food, water, and electric bills--and shifts at the hospital. And after all...he hadn't chosen to be a father... His body had been under the control of a madman. A madman who had raped her. Her very face probably disgusted him...
"Will you marry me?"
Sakura blanched. The way he said it, he might as well have been asking her to pass the milk. He hadn't knelt down and read her poetry he had composed on long night when the moon shone thorough his window or declared his love for her on her birthday...and it didn't matter. He had taken the plunge. And that was a big deal for the Uchiha.
"Ye...Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sakura yelped happily as she threw herself into his waiting arms.
Then the shinobi had pressed his lips to her's, her tears salting the sweet lock.
"I promise, Sakura," He said as they broke apart, "You will never want for anything. Any of you."
By the next day, the Uchiha complex was filled with the laughter of children and the cries of babies who wanted not Sakura's arms but Sasuke's--the loving embrace of their father.
Shaking off the reverie, Sakura looked across the now visible yard. Sasuke was sitting on a bench, a faint smirk playing on his lips. The kids old enough for the Academy--Amaya among them--numbered only three but it was apparent they had just gotten out of school because, as was tradition, after school, all of the kids old enough to play outside of their cribs, went outside.
Not more than a few seconds later, they were swarming their mother. Patiently, she paid them all the attention they desired, bending to kiss and cuddle the smaller ones. And as she stood up, she found herself pressed against Sasuke's chest.
"How was the mission?" He asked, letting the kids return to their play.
"It went well." Sakura replied in a sigh.
"You're tired." He observed in his usual monotone.
She nodded, her eyes already growing heavy as she rested against him.
Sasuke smirked, slinging Sakura effortlessly into his arms and carrying her towards the complex. She grumbled some unintelligable protest but he quickly reassured her she wasn't weak--merely tired--and her protests died away. Opening the ajar door with his foot, he carried her down the dimly lit hallways. It was late in the evening, sunset bathing the village in an orange glow, but not yet time to light the torches the would illuminate the cooridors. With another quick movement, the door to their bedroom opened. Crossing the room in three smooth strides so as not to jostle her, he laid her down in their bed. Gently removing her shoes, he pulled the blanket over her slender shoulders and kisses her forehead. As he left, he closed the door, pausing to glance into the room catty corner to their's where a gold plate was affixed to the wall. And carved into that plate, glistening with the peach colored halo the candles there provided, sparkled her name among the names of all his clan.
Uchiha Sakura.
Three days later.
"Now, please be good." Sakura smiled as she knelt in her kimono to say good-bye.
"We will." The younger ones chorused back as she stood back up.
"I love you." She smiled as she slid through the door, Sasuke holding it open for her before passing through it.
"We're late." He stated. He wasn't angry; just stating a fact.
"Yeah." Sakura smiled nervously, "Naruto is probably freaking out."
"He'll be fine." Sasuke replied.
Sakura nodded, fumbling with the kimono. As a kunoichi, she didn't usually wear anything formal--it just wasn't practical when even an ambassadorial meeting could turn deadly in the blink of an eye. So the kimono felt awkward draped across her body.
Sasuke stopped in front of her suddenly, grabbing her shoulders gently. "You look amazing." He told her, uncharacteristically complimenting her. Well, he complimented her all the time, actually--just not outside of their home.
She glanced down, glimpsing the dress: It was the same shade as her hair, slit to her knee with sleeves that belled flatteringly over her slender wrists. The collar was slightly lower than most but it didn't show even a hint of her clevage--it was the obvious difference that made it so alluring to her personally. Her waist was exentuated by an obi that was turquoise and of such a fine quality it looked like water in the moonlight. Across the kimono were hundreds of intricate designs woven in golden thread: Dragons, kanji, and flowing patterns that blended together in a seamless tapestry. Stitched into the obi were flowers and leaves in a delicate silver that was almost invisible until the light struck it at the right angle. Her feet were clad in simple, comfortable, but tasteful shoes.
"Not nearly as amazing as you." She replied more throatily than she intended to.
Sasuke was dressed in a traditional formal robe of deep blue. Across it was emblazoned the Uchiha clan in a shimmering red--literally, the threads colors were layered so that the entired top half appeared to be constructed of hundreds of rubies. The bottom of the insignia was filled in with white cloth that was a clean, stark contrast to the upper half of the symbol. Along the rich navy folds were sewn gradient red designs that moved seamlessly from a light orange red through to a blood red and back in color and design. Naturally, his sword was fastened to his back, the ebony sheath freshly polished.
He gave an amused smirk, "You seem hungry."
"Nothing the vendors can satisfy." She replied.
His smirk shifted ever so slighly as his hand moved to her thigh--where beneath the folds of silk was a dagger.
They were shinobi, after all. Weapons were extensions of their very bodies and without them, they themselves were incomplete--vulnerable.
"Hey, you two! We've been looking everywhere for you!"
Sasuke turned and Sakura--although the voice was distinctly familiar--saw Naruto running up behind Sasuke, waving with an almost child-like glee at them. And as was his custom, he was dressed in formal robes of a blindingly loud orange.
"We?" Sasuke questioned.
"Yeah!" Naruto stepped aside to reveal a rather crimson-faced Hinata.
"Hey, Hinata!" Sakura greeted cheerfully as she embraced the silver-haired heiress gently.
"He...H...ell...He...ll..o...Sa...ku...ra-san...Sas...Sa...Sasuke-s...san..." She studdered as she hid behind the blonde Jinchuuriki.
"Let's get going already!" Naruto whined.
"Alright, alright, dobe." Sasuke muttered, taking Sakura's hand and leading her down a path that was laced with lights.
It was the Spring Festival in Leaf. But of course, their Suna allies would be attending--Sakura knew that somewhere in the crowd, Temari was flirting with Shikamaru as Gaara unwound with Tsunade over sake and took time to discuss ideas outside of their usual political restraints. And of course, Kankuro would be good-naturedly terrorizing troublesome genin.
The streets were lined with vendors, villagers, and shinobi--all just looking for a good time. Already, the smells of the various foods were wafting around them as they wondered the latern-lit streets as the noises washed over them. Games were set up around them with signs that outlined the rules meant to put shinobi on an equal playing field with the villagers.
Sasuke veered slighly to the left rather suddenly. Standing before a very happy older gentleman, he ordered two rice balls. These were of course prepared specially for the festival and wrapped so they could be carried while one wandered the streets without worry over any mess. Handing one to Sakura, he paid the man and took her hand again.
"It's so nice out." Sakura commented as she gazed momentarily at the full moon over them.
He nodded, giving his customary, "Hn." in response.
There was a sudden cry behind them and even though they were well aware it was probably just some chunin who had overindulged in sake and was now getting riled up, they turned instinctively towards the noise. But then the small knot of people surrounding whatever was causing the disturbance gave a collective cry and began shoving their way through the crowds in a desperate attempt to escape.
Something was wrong...
Sasuke reached for the hilt of his katana--but before his fingers could so much as graze it, all hell broke loose: The first explosion tore through only the immediate area but the concussive blasts it triggered ripped apart entire shops around them. The force of the blast threw Sakura to the ground. Consciously, she knew she would get crushed if she didn't get up...but there was no WAY to get up...the villagers were swarming in panic, trampling each other and the shinobi who ran to their aid. And then she was in Sasuke's arms.
Shoving her back, the Uchiha pinned her between a concrete wall and his body, using himself as a shield against their attackers and the panicking villagers. His katana was held defensively against his chest, the blade outward against any possible assault as his arm held her in place against his back.
The entire block was on fire now...the paper laterns disintegrating and eating into clothing boutiques and paper art shops.
"We're going...now!" Sasuke ordered as he grabbed her hand and dragged her along. Literally; Sakura's kimono kept catching on her legs, tripping her up and pulling her to her knees before she could right herself. Sasuke pushed her, as gently as he could given the situation, into an allyway. Grabbing the edge that fell highest on her leg, she yanked, the fabric tearing free in a perfect ring that freed her legs up to her thighs.
"The children!" She cried, attempting to run in the opposite direction--against the rapids of the crowds.
Sasuke grabbed her, pulling her close against his chest, and saying, "Anko will take care of them!"
And even though he knew it was true, it hurt to pull her in the other direction because even as her legs moved, her heart moved against them.
They ran, things flying around them as blasts turned harmless objects into deadly projectiles. Sheilding her eyes as best she could against the burning ash in the air, Sakura slammed into Sasuke--who had suddenly stopped, his sword drawn offensively.
Squinting into the blinding wall of fire before them, she saw the flames give way to a shape--a shape that was cloaked in black and adorned in red clouds.
Suddenly Naruto leapt in front of them, a kunai held in his hand so tightly that Sakura could see his knuckles were white even from her position nearly thirty feet back. Sasuke, now moving forward, past her by twenty feet.
"Itachi!" Naruto spat, the tension in his voice making it deeper than it was.
Sasuke stood up, his eyes crimson and the tomoe already spinning.
"Itachi." He said, his voice calm but his eyes blazing and his body coiled.
And as he drew his katana, ready to meet his elder's Sharigan with his own, he realized Itachi wasn't looking at Naruto. The one Sasuke assumed would be his objective. Nor was he looking at Sasuke...No, his eyes were fixed on something behind him.
His eyes were fixed on Sakura.
"Run!" Sasuke yelled, his hands forming seals instinctively.
'Katon! Dragon's Breathe Jutsu!'
The flames tore past his lips, adding to the inferno before them but shielding them from a far greater danger. Pivoting, he lunged at Sakura, his hand finding her's as he ran.
He realized Konoha was falling--it had been too quick, too precise and too deadly. They needed to get out of there...if they all died, no one could come back to claim Konoha--to rebuild it. Glancing at Naruto, he knew by the blonde's nod, that he agreed. And he felt Sakura's overwhelming sorrow at her own agreement.
Motioning to Naruto, he let him fall in before him. The Jinchuuriki flew threw the splintered and limply hanging gates as he followed, his hand loosing Sakura's as he went.
The kunoichi slowed slighly, turning over her shoulder to cover their retreat. And that's when her viridian eyes met a bloody crimson. And her world wobbled and dissolved and was swallowed.
She felt the blades piercing her and heard her own pained screams echo into a darkness and the pain was as real as any she had ever felt. It tore through her, consumed her. The blood rose in the back of her throat, laced in gile and catching on her tongue sickeningly. And no matter how often she told herself it was a genjutsu--the second that passed was three days to her. Three days that stretched into an eternity that was agony itself.
She never fell, her legs kept moving forward, carried by her gained momentum even as her mind was trapped and she escaped after them. As she ran into the forest, she stopped one more time, Sasuke and Naruto perched on the tree limbs above her...
Just in time to see one final explosion destroy everything she had ever known. One more wave that threw her to her knees while a scream escaped her blood-tinged lips.
"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!"
TBC
