Summary: Run. Faster, faster; lungs burning, sides cramping. Keep going. Faster now. Don't stop. Run, find the end, search for it. Strive for it. Catch it.
… what am I running for again?
The Abysmal Heart
Chapter 1 - Awakening
The sun beat down, humidity hanging in the air. A cool wind swept her long light pink tresses about her form. Tickling her face, bangs sticking to her sweaty forehead. Her sun kissed skin glistened in the light, gleaming with a faint sheen of sweat that defined her hard earned muscles.
She sat atop a scalding hot rock, ignorant of its blaze. Staring out across the steep cliff before her that seemed to endlessly flow down, into a deep, dark abyss. The heat waves seemed to illuminate the village, which served as a deep contrast to the lush dense foliage that surrounded it.
The woman seemed to be lost in thought, eye's closed and shoulder's relaxed. Her eye lids languidly peeled back and eyelashes caressed just below her brow. Eyes filled with a deep green flecked with some gold and brown hues where revealed. Devoid of the blissful ignorance of youth, hardened with the truth of reality. She cast a longing glace across the tranquil landscape laid out in front of her, looking past the village and into the horizon of the sun in its blazing glory among the light blue skies. The ray's of light allowing a clear view of the tree's that appeared to stretch infinitely beyond.
She sighed and tossed her head back, leaning on her hands flat against the rock on either side behind her. She slowly stood up and stretched out her arms above her head, feeling her muscles stretch. With one last glance tossed behind her into the horizon, she strode away into the depth of the forest.
Beep Beep, Beep Beep, Beep Beep
"Guaaaaaaa" Sakura rolled over, none too gracefully and unceremoniously dumped her palm on top of her alarm clock to silence it. Her arm flopping down, hanging over her bed.
She scrunched her eyes closed further, staying completely still just a moment longer. Her long pink hair was splayed in every direction imaginable, sheets twisted about her slender frame.
Exasperated, she took her sweet time sitting up and rolling off the bed to get ready for another typical, boring, uneventful…. just miraculous day.
After slipping on a jogging attire, she grabbed a quick breakfast and locked up her apartment. She fell right into her typical routine of jogging around the trees just outside of Konoha. Sometimes she would hike over to the cliff, when in the mood for a challenge. Today, she opted for the easier route down to a lake where she would stop and watch the swan that seemed to take up residence there.
She sat beside the cool waters, sitting right down in the dirt. Hair plastered to her face, panting heavily. Silently observing the pretty swan dutifully protecting her eggs. The swan has a purpose, Sakura thought. Something to love and nurture. As she continued to observe the swan Sakura began to wonder what her purpose was. To rescue Saskue… maybe. Maybe not.
Saskue Uchiha was her former teammate, crush, and friend. Wielder of the powerful sharingan, a kekkei genkai. Saskue use to live within the village of Konoha along with his clan, the Uchiha. His older brother Itachi massacred his entire clan and fled. Leaving Saskue, as a mere child alone in the world. All of his pain, grief, misery and emotions from that single event impacted Saskue from that moment on. Saskue had one purpose in life, to avenge his clan. On that note, he set off to murder Itachi. A great deal of her younger years had been devoted to chasing after him. She had made her best friend and other teammate Naruto Uzumaki promise to bring Saskue back to the village for her. A promise she now greatly regrets making. Even if they did manage to bring Saskue back to the village, what would come next?
What would she do if she succeeded? If she failed? What would be her purpose then? Her dream… I guess only time could tell. Take one step at a time and hope for the best. At least that's what her mother would say.
After her jog she took a shower and went along to the hospital where she would make her rounds. Today she took some time out of her exhausting schedule to have lunch with her friend Yamanaka Ino at a local café. Ino had really matured over the years, they both had. No longer were they the obsessed Saskue driven fan girls, but older independent women.
Sakura worked at Konoha's hospital as a doctor, remarkably as a side job. She was a Konoha Ninja first and foremost, a jounin at that. She enjoyed her job thoroughly and was able to work as a doctor in such circumstances because she was the hokage's apprentice and working up to be Konoha's second best medic nin right behind the hokage herself.
Sakura didn't have much of a social life. Ever since Saskue left the village and Naruto went on a journey with the legendary sannin Jiraiya, Sakura had focused all of her time and energy studying under Tsunade; the present hokage of the village. Tsunade rigorously trained her to be the medic nin she is today, as well as teach her how to use the inhuman strength she possesses. All this training wasn't enough for her though. She had to be stronger if she wanted to pursue her 'goal' of retrieving Saskue. She had to have another trick up her sleeve, an array of powerful jutsu that would take him by surprise. She had been pestering Tsunade for some kind of technique to achieve her goal. Tsunade, being the hokage hadn't had much time to grant Sakura her wish.
A few days ago an ANBU had appeared before her at the hospital requesting her presence at the hokages office. There Sakura had finally been given a mission she could pursue her goal on. She had a mission to go to the Tea Country. A village in the mid east peninsula had broken out in a devastating virus that was rapidly spreading to neighboring villages. With deaths at large and no cure found, it was only a matter of time before the virus spread up the Tea Country into the Fire Country. Sakura was the ideal candidate to send on this mission. Word had also had it that Eiji Samurakami was sighted in the Tea Country. Tsunade had meet Eiji while traveling and she had learned that Eiji was a unique medical ninja. The old man had discovered a way to use of medical chakra to his advantage on the battle field. This could be the break Sakura had been looking for. If Sakura could complete her mission and find a cure for the virus as well as find Eiji, Tsunade had given her permission to train under Eiji and send the rest of her team back to Konoha once the virus was taken care of.
It was a high chance Sakura would run into Eiji on this mission. A traveler med nin spotted in the Tea Country as a virus broke out could not be a coincidence. With a new mission assigned Sakura was to lead a team to The Tea Country in two days time from today. Sakura had been given the day off tomorrow to get some well deserved sleep in preparation for the long trek ahead.
"Forehead! Over here!", Ino shouted to Sakura as she entered the café.
Sakura sighed, but none the less sauntered over to the opposite side of the booth her friend Ino currently occupied.
"Geeezzz, Sakura! I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!" , Ino gushed
"It's really good to see you, pig." Sakura replied. "I've just been so busy at the hospital, and with being Tsunade's apprentice and all, I just haven't had much free time." The waitress then stopped by to take their orders.
"What's with the frown Forehead? I thought you would be bouncing off the walls around this time of the month!"
"I'm not sad! And why would I be bouncing off the walls?"
"Have you forgotten? Naruto is due to be returning any day now"
Sakura's eyes lit up "Really! Oh geez, time really has flown by!" It's been quite a few years since Naruto left the village to train with one of the legendary Sannin. He had left with a smile and a promise of returning stronger then ever before.
"Way to be Forehead", Ino replied taking a sip of her soda. Not that Sakura heard her, she was too busy imaging how Naruto would have changed while he was gone from Konoha.
"… and then, I just told him that if this relationship is going to work, he's going to have to…Sakura are you even listening to me?" Ino stopped her prattling and jarred Sakura out of her retrieve with the sound of her name.
"ahhh, yes of course!", Sakura nervously replied, racking her brain for any recollection of what Ino had been blathering away about.
"No, you weren't" Ino accused. "I know you were daydreaming about Naruto coming back and sweeping you off your feet, but their's no use in dwelling on it. When he returns you can give me all the juicy details; of course. For now though, I have a more pressing issue with my boyfriend at hand."
"I wasn't… ahh; Shikamaru? What's he done now?" Sakura decided to let it drop, and turn the subject back to Ino.
Sakura couldn't stop thinking about Naruto, now that Ino had reminded her, he seemed to consume her every thought. Naruto, her teammate and best friend. She had felt so alone and useless after he left. Moping around for a few days until she decided to take matters into her own hands. She was going to train, get stronger. No longer be a burden for anyone ever again. Naruto wasn't going to have to go after Saskue alone.
She was going to go with him. Find Saskue, and beat the shit out him… then bring him back. Over the years Sakura's crush on Saskue dissolved. She got smarter, stronger, and matured out of her childish ways. Even though she realized Saskue was a bit of a jerk, he was still a good person deep down inside. He was their friend; and Naruto and herself were determined to bring him back.
She had thrown herself into her work. Training hard everyday, working at the hospital till late, and studying until she fell asleep.
Sakura missed Naruto terribly, and was anxious to see him once again. Maybe he matured out of his childish antics too? I bet he's gotten tall, maybe even handsome…
"Dr. Haruno… Haruno-san…. Sakura?"
"ahhh, yes?" Sakura snapped out of her thoughts, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Light footsteps echoed down the cobblestone road. Lamps slowly flickered on, illuminating the darkened sky. A steady melody of crickets playing their nightly song, rang through the soft breeze that traveled through the still air.
Sakura was beat. Languidly dragging her feet along as she journeyed back to her apartment. Previously, she had performed a taxingly long surgery. The task had taken a lot out of her.
A heavy step somewhere behind her suddenly alerted her to another's presence.
What kind of ninja was she? Sakura spun around and stood on the defensive. Her gaze penetrating the night in an attempt to identify the source.
"…Sakura-chan?", a smooth deep voice emitted from the intruder
Authors Note: This is my first fanfic, so give me lots of constructive criticism if you can! I'm open to any tips on how to improve my writing. Feedback is always much appreciated.
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto