Blossom & Ashes


Chapter 1: Let Me Live the Fantasy


"This has gone way too out of hand, we have lost our village and failed every attempt of getting it back." Paused Danzo glancing at Kakashi, Naruto and Tsunade who were not too far from him wondering why he called them just to say that. It was something all of them knew, something that went without saying.

"Was that why you called us here? To tell us something we already know?" Asked Kakashi confused but most than anything annoyed having no idea where this conversation was headed, but not really wanting to know. Anything that had to do with Danzo was bad news.

"No, not just that; I actually called you three here because I have a plan to get our village back." He paused, a grin spreading on his face before finishing. "If we can't defeat him in battle –even though we have a strong set of ninjas– then we'll have to defeat him from the inside. We'll have someone infiltrate." He finished proud of his plan and waited for a reaction from the three in front of him. He knew they would never agree with his plans, but that didn't worry him in the least.

"He was once a ninja from our village he lived here for years. Who could infiltrate without him noticing? He would kill whoever it was on the spot." Tsunade said, thinking his plan couldn't be more ridiculous, but knowing there was more to it.

"A team-mate of course, someone he used to trust and someone who trusted him back without a hint of doubt." He finished with a chuckle amused that they still hadn't figured it out.

"Naruto can't infiltrate, that would mean a fight that Naruto alone can't–" Kakashi said but he was cut off by Naruto himself.

"He wouldn't fall for it, you dumbass! He's not that dumb, and I won't infiltrate 'cause next time I see him I'll definitely try to kill him!" Naruto finished with his fist clenched in front of him already furious.

Danzo sighed. "You still don't understand do you, I was never referring to Naruto, I meant Sakura Haruno." He said, more than pleased with the reactions he got, the three of them hadn't expected it at all they were more than shocked.

"No! You can't send Sakura to him, not in her condition." Tsunade argued looking scared and shaken at the thought.

"You can't be serious, look how she ended up from the last time he saw her, and we don't even know what happened yet. Sending her to him would be a grave mistake. Plus…he thinks her dead." Said Kakashi trying to convince Danzo that his plan was flawed, he then glanced at Naruto whose chakra was flaring at his side.

"Exactly why it can work, the girl can't possibly be his enemy. Plus the surprise of seeing her alive might just work to our advantage, I seriously doubt he would kill her. We have nothing to lose." Danzo grinned and clapped at his brilliant plan.

"You bastard! It might work?! You're betting Sakura in a game of chance, as if her life didn't matter at all! She's my team-mate, my friend! I won't let you hand her over to him, I'll kill you!" Yelled Naruto ready to strike Danzo, Kakashi didn't hesitate to aid him.

They both took their chance at hitting him, but when their fists made contact with Danzo he vanished repapering behind them, the smile earlier in his face gone. "How dare you try and strike your leader?!" He exclaimed. "Capture them both." He ordered, as two ninja came and took hold of them. Tsunade could do nothing but watch, shocked.

The ninja who took them where no other than Neji Hyuga and Shikamaru Nara, and as soon as the three of them noticed they felt betrayed; especially Naruto. "What should we do with them?" Neji asked.

"You traitor! How dare you side with him?" Yelled Naruto at Neji and Shikamaru, who had one been his friends. Neji ignored him waiting for Danzo's orders while Shikamaru flinched at Naruto's words.

"Lock them up in different cellars." Ordered Danzo ignoring Naruto's outburst, then turning to Tsunade he asked, "Do you want to join them?" gesturing with his hands toward Kakashi and Naruto who were being dragged away.

Tsunade felt powerless as she looked at the new leader of what remained of her village, she turned and watched the direction where they had taken Naruto and Kakashi. She knew that in part all of this was her fault; it was her fault that Danzo was now their leader, just as it was that she could do nothing to stop him now. She turned away accepting defeat for the moment and walked away. Danzo laughed under his breath and she clenched a fist beside her, anger swelling up within her. She willed herself to calm down.


Later that night Tsunade had felt the need to sneak into Sakura's room to see her. She opened the door and was surprised she was awake at this late hour. "Can I come in Sakura?"

"Tsunade." She said cheerfully, smiling. "Sure, come in. I can't sleep." She told the blonde woman with a sigh.

Tsunade looked at Sakura, who had once been his student, with pain in her eyes. The innocence that had been taken away from her after so much pain and fighting was once again back. Lately she was the only one who visited Sakura. Kakashi just came once in a while, he was like a father to her, but it hurt him that she will probably never be the same Sakura he had once trained. Her friends stopped visiting her after a while, they gave up on her and eventually so did Naruto.

"How have you been today?" Asked Tsunade walking up to Sakura who was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed under her.

"I've been bored, I don't like being locked up in this room and I don't get many visits aside you." She said playing with her long pink hair. "I want to go outside, but Lord Danzo doesn't let me." She said crossing her arms in front of her. "How are Kakashi and Naruto? They don't visit me anymore." Questioned Sakura as Tsunade sat on her bed beside her.

"They're alright, but you know why they can't visit you, they're always busy." She lied, but how could she tell her that they had been locked up? That Kakashi couldn't bear look at her? That Naruto had given up on her? And how could she even explain it? To Sakura none of it would make sense now.

Sakura has always been like a flower, delicate and beautiful. All she wanted in life was very simple: love; from her team-mates, her sensei, her mentor, her friends, and family. It wasn't that much to ask, yet she lost it all after the incident and even before it, since her family had died and her team-mate never came back. No one really did know what happened the night of the incident.

"What about your dreams?" Tsunade asked putting a hand on Sakura's shoulder, waiting for an answer.

"It's always the same dream…there's a man walking towards me, but I can never see his face." She said shaking her head sadness in her voice and frustration that she probably didn't understand. Tsunade saw the tears well up in her eyes.

Tsunade didn't like seeing her like this, she knew she was confused and that she had no idea why she even felt sad over just some dreams, but it wasn't like she could really do anything more than comfort her. She hoped that Sakura would eventually figure everything out on her own. She took Sakura in her arms and hugged her close wanting more than anything else to make the tears go away.

"Those dreams are driving me crazy…every night…I can't stand it." She murmured softly. Tsunade stayed like that for a few minutes, holding her close waiting for her to feel better.

"What a surprise to see you here Tsunade." Danzo said as he entered the room, causing Tsunade to instantly tense; cursing herself for not paying attention. "Hello Sakura, you know, you should feel special to have Tsunade visit you so often, though you have no idea why, do you?" He asked Sakura, and then he noticed Tsunade glaring at him and just laughed.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked confusion obvious in her face and voice.

"Nothing, my dear Sakura. I have a surprise for you though. I'll give you what you've always wanted, from tomorrow on you can go outside. Or actually you're going on a little trip. So what do you say?" He asked waiting for the obvious response.

"I say yes!" She replied, quickly excited, didn't even think it twice. She turned her attention toward Tsunade. "Hear that Tsunade, I'm finally gonna be able to go outside!" She laughed and hugged Tsunade toward her.

"Yes, I heard…" She said trying to kill Danzo by glaring at him, but all he did was grin at her.

"Great." Danzo's face had a successful smile plastered, silently telling Tsunade he won. "You leave in the morning, with company of course." And with that he just left, his business there done. He had no doubt that Tsunade would try to convince her not to go outside, but Sakura would never agree. Going outside was all she's ever been asking and she would not let the opportunity slide.

As the door closed Tsunade turned her attention to Sakura who was as excited as she could be. "Sakura, are you sure you want to go outside? Do you think you're even prepared?" She asked wanting her more than anything to rethink her decision.

"Why do you ask that?" She looked a bit confused but then laughed. "It's not like anything would happen to me, plus Danzo said I'll have company so I'll be perfectly fine." She smiled reassuringly at Tsunade. She knew that by now there was nothing she could say to convince Sakura otherwise. It wasn't like she could even tell her the truth.

She was angry at Danzo; he knew exactly what to do with the situation so that Tsunade could feel useless. He had made Sakura agree to the plan without her even knowing just because he had offered her what she'd always wanted. Nothing Tsunade said or did would make her change her mind.

"I'm just worried for you." Tsunade said looking away, sadly she could do nothing more at the moment.

"There's nothing to worry about. What's the worst that could happen?" Sakura asked jokingly.

You have no idea… Tsunade almost said but decided to keep the thought to herself. She would just have to let things run its course for now.