Chapter 1: "Adaptation"

The Akatsuki are well known in the Shinobi world. They were S-rank criminals who show no mercy. Until that fateful day...

~ 14 years ago ~

The Akatsuki attacked Konoha, planning to destroy the powerful hidden village. Many lives were lost, making the 5 year old pinkette, Sakura Haruno, an orphan. Because of the day, her life changed forever. She saw her own parents die right before her eyes.

Sakura's POV

I heard a loud scream from my living room. Curiously, I went to check if everyone was ok. I was told to stay under my bed or table in my room, because word got around that invaders entered Konoha. As I went to check it out, I saw my mother and father, lying on the floor, covered in crimson blood from head to toe. I was hyperventilating. "Mo-mother? Father! Wake up! Come on! Let's leave!" They didn't budge. "Mother? Father! Wake up! Come on!" I was being denial.

I started to shake my mother's shoulders back and forth, hoping to get some type of reaction out of her. "Come on guys! I need you!" I noticed my father was trying to mumble something, but he couldn't get it out loud enough. I let go of my mother and scooted next to my father, attempting to hear what he was trying to say. He looked up at me with his cold, dark eyes.

"Father? Hang on just a little longer ple-"He then looked up at me and said shakily, "Sakura. I love you, and I know that you will become a strong kunoichi. We love you, Sakura." With that being said, his eyes were starting to go to the back of his head. "No…no you're going to live!" I got up from my current position, and ran to the bathroom, hoping to find anything that could help my parents.

I looked in the cabinets only to find nothing, because we were going to the market tomorrow. I ran back to the living room when I found both of my parents out cold on the floor. I was only 5, but because my mother was a high ranking medical-nin, she got me to train with Tsunade-sama, one of the best medical-nins around. I attempted to heal my father, since he had a faint heartbeat, whereas my mother had none.

I attempted to bring back my father's faint heartbeat, but it never came back. "PL-please don't die! I don't want to be alone! I need you!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I hated being alone. I couldn't stand it. I felt like someone was watching me when I'm by myself. I looked around the house to find a window. When I did, all I could see was destruction. I heard people calling out for lost loved ones, glass breaking, and animals on the loose. I saw fire everywhere.

I ran back to my living room, and ran out the front door. I had to get out of Konoha. But before I could, I was stopped by the back of a tall man. I prayed to Kami that he wasn't an enemy. I started to cry profusely. The man was wearing a black cloak that had red clouds across it. He had crimson hair, similar to the blood on my hands. In front of him was a lean blonde, with long hair that covered one of his eyes. He too adorned the same cloak. The man with crimson hair spoke up," Hey Deidara. I think I found something." He turned around and glared at me. "Oh really? What, un?" The blonde turned around and started to glare at me too. "A girl? What should we do Sasori, un?"

The man I think named Sasori bent down to my level. "She looks like a sad little doll." I could tell that the blonde was getting impatient. 'They are going to kill me, aren't they Inner?' 'Let's hope for the best outer.' Deidara walked up to me, "Our orders were to kill all citizens so…"

Sasori's POV

"I know, but I just have this feeling that something is different about her." She looked so unique. Adorned with a large red bow, which must help her feel at ease with her abnormal forehead. Pink hair, emerald green eyes, and porcelain skin, she was indeed different. I could sense that she nearly perfected her chakra control as well. Which was quite impressive at her age.

"Different or not, we always follow Pein's orders." Deidara was right, but still. "Hey Deidara ~ didn't we need help around the house?" I mentally slapped myself, knowing that made no sense whatsoever. "Well yeah, but why would we need her? She's just a little kid." I was completely shocked, because I think Deidara was actually buying it. I knew he was idiotic, but I totally made that up.

"Hmm- Let's go ask Kakuzu. He has the whole plan figured out already." With a quick nod, Deidara left to go find Kakuzu. I prayed to Kami he would agree, because if we killed her, it knew for sure it would reprehend us later, and we were in dire need of a medic. Deidara and Kakuzu came running back to us, and the little girl was still crying. I knew I shouldn't care about her, but I felt like this was my fault. I could see how lonely the little girl was. Kakuzu looked at me with no emotion whatsoever, "I guess we can take her. She's not really a threat." I could tell just by looking at his face he thought I was going to turn her into a puppet. But he was wrong, dead wrong. "Just hurry up and get out of here. I'll tell Pein the details." He ran off before I could even say anything.

Deidara nodded at me. I decided I would break the awkward silence. "So what's your name little girl?" She looked up at me with tears still springing from her eyes. Quietly she said,"Haruno. Sa-Sakura." She looked back down at the ground. How ironic. Her hair matched her name. I took her hand and grinned, "Well let's go, Sakura." We walked away from her dilapidated house. WE didn't run, because she was holding back. She stopped to look back at the recently demolished Konoha. I thought to myself, 'Konoha isn't worth your time anymore.' "Are you sure this is ok Sasori, un?" Before I had the chance to reply, Sakura interrupted," Sa-Sasori?" I looked down at her, she wasn't crying anymore.

"Yes, Sakura?" I could tell she was frightened by us. "Wh-where are we going?" She was quite hesitant to ask. "We're going home Sakura." Her beautiful emerald eyes widened. "Oi! Don't give her false hope, un." "I'm sure she'll be ok. Right, Sakura-chan?" She looked up at me when I said 'chan'. She nodded and continued to walk with me. She made me feel so at ease, like I had emotions again. Deidara knew this might backfire on us, but I didn't care. I wanted to take that risk. He mumbled to himself, "This is a horrible idea, un." He continued, "She's gonna get ripped to shreds! S-criminals aren't really the friendly-type, un.""Don't worry, I'll take care of her." Sakura looked up at me again, "S-criminals? Aren't those bad?"

"See, I told you, un." "Shut up baka! I got this!" I bent down to her level to tell her eye-to-eye, "Sakura-chan, I promise that nothing will happen to you.""You mean that?" Her innocence was like a magnet to me. "Promise." I could sense she was lonely and only wanted someone to trust. But why do I feel the obligation to take her in?