Shadowed Truths
by Dark Lady

Summary: All Sakura every wanted was to be useful. She knew she was weak. She saw her teammates, working side-by-side, defeating enemies. She felt left out. She was determined to get power, to show everyone that she wasn't worthless, even if it meant going to Orochimaru. Sasuke and Naruto made an oath. They promised that they'd protect Sakura, no matter what. So when she is whisked off to Oto, it's only rational that they'd follow her...right?

Features: A Dark, Intelligent, Powerful Team 7; Team 7 Friendship; Slight Konoha Bashing; Oto Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura; Evil, Male Kyuubi; Possible Akatsuki alliance; Possible Jinchuuriki Alliance… and that's all I can think of for now.

Pairings: None, possible SakuraOC pairing. Other pairings that may come up in the future that aren't Canon (e.g. Kushina/Minato, Fugaku/Mitoko – mainly the elder generation) will not play a big part in the story.

Note: Yes, I know what you're all thinking. "You've started another fic?" Sorry, but I just couldn't get this one out of my head. It's a combination of a lot of the ideas that have picked at my brain (Teamwork; Going to Orochimaru; Dark/Intelligent Naruto and Sakura and all that) without the overbearing influence of cliches (Fem Kyuubi; Bashing Everyone) and pairings. So, I hope you like it! It's my first novel-length Naruto fanfic! Enjoy!

Timeframe: After the Wave Mission.


Chapter One
Sakura: For My Goal

I wasn't pretty. I tried to pretend I was. I put on the most expensive clothes I could afford, grew my hair out, and walked out of my house, strutting down the street. I shouldn't have let myself be like that, I should've stopped my silly ways the moment I first attempted them. But, I didn't, because, walking in front of all those girls, I felt important. For a second, I wasn't Haruno Sakura, the ugly, bookworm with a huge forehead. No, I was Sakura, the awesome, pretty, loveable and talented Kunoichi-in-training.

Ino was my friend, back then. Later, as I looked back on my now rival, I told myself she'd only befriended me because she was jealous, and she saw me as a threat. I was too proud. I see the truth now; it was never a matter of prettiness. She wasn't even being nice. She just pitied me. But, I despise being pitied.

The academy teachers would always look at me, sympathetically. "Oh, that Haruno girl," they'd say, "She's the only one from her class that doesn't come from a ninja clan. Normally we'd have a lot more civilians, so it's odd that this year's batch is filled with clan heirs, even the ones with civilian parents have some sort of Shinobi ancestry. But, it'll be dreadfully disappointing for her, when she turns out to be the only one in her class who hasn't passed. She has potential, yes, but it's sad that it just won't be enough."

I would cry. Tears that I didn't let anyone see, not even Ino. I knew I wasn't particularly special, not like everyone else. They all seemed to come from high-ranking families, and they all knew all their clan techniques. Even Ino was more of Kunoichi than me! She was set up to inherit all the Yamanaka fortune, and she was gorgeous to boot – not like me. Not like me, at all.

I didn't like that.

My parents would tell me, always, about how everyone was equal. I didn't believe that. Equality depended on where you were born in, which family had the honour of standing over you. I was born in a small, tight room in the hospital, under the eyes of my mother and my father – a mere villager. I wasn't born in a fancy, luxurious room, with maids and clans folk fluttering about everywhere. I wasn't interesting. My class was one of the lowest.

I hated that, too.

That day, after I'd wiped the tears of my face, I told myself I'd work harder. I'd be a Kunoichi, no matter what! And, I'd show them that even a little civilian girl like me could be the greatest ninja ever!

It was ironic, how my thoughts once mirrored Naruto's. He fights for acceptance – though I do not know why – just like I do. But while he worked towards it, with wide eyes, I blinded myself. When I was given an opportunity of popularity, I took it without looking back. I can now vainly justify myself, I was young and naive. I believed that higher status, better friends and beauty were factors in how strong you were. Now I see how wrong I was, and I feel horribly foolish.

But with fame, comes attitude, and cliques. I was immediately told what was cool, what was just ugly, how to dress, how to think, what to say and how to live my life. I was expected to be the perfect, stereotyped princess. I hated it, at first. I had a good reason too. I liked my life the way it was, but I told myself, it would be worth the prize.

I was transformed. I thought it was good. It wasn't. I grabbed onto anything shiny. Sasuke, the mysterious, powerful boy, was the shiniest thing there. I didn't like him. I thought I did. I deluded myself into thinking that I loved him. He was the 'thing' everyone wanted, so naturally, I should want him too. Maybe, if I had looked a little closer, I would realise how fake my life was becoming. But it was impossible for me, because I was already so enamoured by the wonder of being known, that it became a part of me.

I still love Sasuke, I think. After telling myself, and everyone around me, that for so many years, it's hard for me to think otherwise, but whether it is the sort of caring a sister shows her brother, or it is something bordering a fanatic obsession, I do not know.

One of the biggest things I regret, though, isn't Sasuke. At least with him, I can once again amend my depressions, by telling myself, it weren't for my approaches I probably wouldn't have gotten as close to him as I was now. Well, as close as you can get to Uchiha Sasuke, that is. I think, one of the things I wish I could back-pedal on, is how I treated people.

I developed a superiority complex. Believing myself to be the best, I put down anyone who I thought weren't good enough to be near me. It started with Naruto, and then Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, Chouji, Shikamaru, and eventually Ino – just about anyone who so much as disagreed with me, or spoke against my wishes, was put onto my black list. I teased them relentlessly, insulting them, yelling at them, belittling them and bullying them.

I remember when I was on the receiving end of it. It was horrible. I still remember hiding under my covers, sobbing myself to sleep, because the tall girl said my forehead was yucky. I feel horribly hypocritical. I'm not much different from them. I'd thought better of myself. I thought I was above it. I wasn't. But, I'm only human.

Still, I can't help but wish, that the goal, the one I'd had from the start, didn't seem so unreachable now. It is almost like a blurry dream, a claim I made when I was a child, so long, long ago. I've changed so much, now, I can't even imagine myself in that position. But, maybe, one day, my dream will be fulfilled. But, I fear it may be too late for it now.

I paused, trembling slightly.

No. I wouldn't give up. I may not be as strong as Naruto or Sasuke, and they may always leave me behind, but that doesn't mean I'm not redeemable. I swore I'd show them all how powerful one girl can be, and I would do exactly that! With a new goal in mind, I spun on my heel, determined to do my best.

Maybe, just maybe, by the time our next mission rolled around (the Hokage had given us two weeks off) I would be a bit more of a Kunoichi, and I could show my team that I wasn't to be underestimated.

As I walked down the lane, with a new confidence burning under my skin, I almost didn't notice Naruto's frazzled goodbye, as several little children latched onto him, in admiration. Fighting back the tight insult that lingered on the tip of my tongue, I gave him a lopsided smile, before trotting along the street.

It was time for a change.


There were so many books to look through in the Shinobi Library (because that was the first place I looked, and it had always been a sort of guiding figure to me, when I was young) but the ones that caught my eye the most were the stack of techniques used by Medic-Nins and Genjutsu Specialists. This was mostly because, I knew that there was no way I'd beat Naruto and Sasuke in the Nin/Taijutsu aspect. Catch up to them, maybe, beat them? No way.

But I knew, for a fact, that neither Sasuke nor Naruto practiced Medical Jutsu or Genjutsu. It needed near perfect chakra control (which meant it was definitely out of Naruto's reach, and it would even cause a bit of trouble for Sasuke) and the user had to be fairly intelligent. I was ecstatic when I read through the descriptions. It was practically made for me!

Within minutes, I had checked out all the beginners scrolls, and I had heaved them into my room (ignoring Mother's loud calls, I didn't have time to do the cooking today.) I scanned through the words, but to my disappointment, as each of the techniques were revealed, I was getting more and more depressed. Half of the Jutsus needed years of human body study or complex Genjutsu construction training, something that I'd never be able to attain within a few days!

I was on the verge of tears. I had hoped, so, so much that my answers would lie in this scroll, but…no! I was at a dead end. My lower lip was trembling, but I forced myself to calm down. You've gotten this far. Don't be a baby. Just try.

My Inner Self was being eerily quiet.

I looked back to the first jutsu, on the Medical Scroll. It looked simple enough. It healed small bruises and cuts, and could heal any minor bleeding. I nodded to myself. Start easy, and make your way through. You can do it, Sakura! Don't give up.

I flicked through the hand seals, and after practicing it twice, I took a deep breath, and pulled out my kunai. As I dragged it across my pale skin, the blade tearing though, I winced. (I made a mental note to check out senbon in the weapon shop. They would probably hurt a lot less than this!) Blood coated my palm, and I felt a horrible stinging trickle through my veins. Tears bubbled in the corner of my eyes, but I forced them down. If I am going to go through with it, I might as well go all the way.

As a hazy green aura surrounded my right hand, a small hiss escaped my lips, but I forced myself to remain still. As the wound slowly closed, albeit painfully, I winced, and as my breath caught in my throat, the words came tumbling out of my mouth. I made a vow. A vow sealed in blood.

"For my goal," I gritted my teeth, "I will be strong."


Author's Note:

Here we go! The first chapter of "Shadowed Truths"! It isn't what I wanted it to be – somehow, first chapters are always better when you imagine them – but it's okay, I hope? A bit focused on angst, and there is a lot on Sakura, but I think the chapter is okay.

I was going to put vocab in, but I took it out because a) it took too much space, and b) you should know most of the terms by watching Naruto, and if not, then you can Google it. I can still put up the vocab list if you want, though. (All Jutsus will be translated, though, so you can sigh in relief now!)

Review if you liked it! Since I have so many stories to continue, the more reviews, the quicker the updates! I've already written the next chapter, I just need to start editing it. It's two whole pages longer than this one, so you're in for a treat.

Anyway, more information about what will be coming up:
Sasuke confronts Naruto about what happened in the battle with Haku!

Stay tuned for more,
Dark Lady x