Disclaimer: Naruto© belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
A/N: My first attempt at a multi-chapter fic, *fingers crossed* the idea came from reading too many dystopian novels, and that's when I realized, there aren't too many fanfics based on a retarded and rotten government system. Anyway enjoy and do leave a review.
Reality
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
― Philip K. Dick
The scent of crisp air seeps in through her nose and she welcomes the feeling of excitement and freedom in her system. The sound of running water sends throbbing sensations throughout her body as she and her trusted companion make their way towards the village's river.
"I'll be on the other side now Sakura-chan." a blond and tanned young man enthusiastically says as he crosses the rushing currents of the shallow water.
"Hey, don't forget the bucket Naruto!"
Delicate and long fingers wrap around the handle of the metal container before a monster-like throw sends the rusty metal container flying across the river. The waiting receiver catches it effortlessly right after he makes it on the opposite bank. Short, pastel pink tresses dance in the gentle waltz of the wind as bright and striking, pale emerald orbs watch with high level of concentration every minute movement in the rapids.
Sakura stealthily draws a knife from her messenger bag and expertly positions her fingers on the steel handle. She takes in three deep breaths before setting her stance, waiting patiently for her first target.
"Hey Sakura!" a loud and irritating call shakes her out of concentration, making her lose a medium-sized trout that jumped out of the water.
"What?" she yells apparently frustrated that the moment she relaxed, the trout had disappeared right back into the rocky river bed.
"You just lost that one!"
"Well obviously!" she rolls her eyes in utter frustration and tolerantly waits once more for the next fish. This time a bass leaps into the air and the pinkette swiftly maneuvers her hand, ready to hit the target when another obnoxious sound drains her adrenaline. The bass flops back into the water, showing no signs of surfacing for the second time around.
Sakura remains frozen in place, still not managing to accept the fact that she just lost her second fish for the day.
"What now?" she growls at her friend on the opposite side, waiting for a valid excuse.
"Uh, I was gonna tell you to, uh…do your best?"
Naruto stumbles to the ground when a silver metal swishes through, missing him by a couple of centimeters.
"O-Oi Sakura-chan you could've amputated me! You could've killed me! You could've sliced and diced or—"
"—Or so help me I would really add a fourth whisker on your left cheek! Permanently!" Naruto whimpers silently, ridding himself of the mud that stained his gray cargo pants.
"Sheesh, this is why I think about going out with you in the first place." he runs his muddy fingers through his blond locks and smirks arrogantly. She suddenly rolls her eyes at the shallow gesture.
"Don't make it sound weird Naruto," she intently scans the water and skillfully launches another knife into the air, hitting a trout by the lateral line and planting it deeply on the tree trunk on the other side. "Besides, you're like a brother to me." she carefully watches his face for any grim lines, but finds nothing besides a healthy dose of sunshine and smile on his sun-kissed face.
She gladly returns a smile of relief. In the past, Naruto was one of her loyal suitors until she told him she didn't see him that way and that she's in love with their other best friend. Although he found it hard to let go of his feelings, he eventually did when he found happiness and love from a certain dark-haired female friend.
"You know Hinata tells me a lot about you." she smiles devilishly when she sees him fidgeting to retrieve the fish.
"R-Really? What does she say?" Naruto is beaming from ear to ear, eager to hear more details concerning him from the said female.
"Well for starters—Naruto the trout!" Sakura points to the now swimming fish that somehow escaped her best friend's clutches.
"Oi! Come back here fishy!" he dives hastily into the water, earning horrified screams from the female when she hears a series of bones cracking.
Kakashi Hatake stares into the empty pail then glances to the face of a hurt young man, wincing in pain when his female companion applies ointment on his wounds.
"So," he clears his throat, hoping to catch their attention. "What did I miss?"
"Besides not having any catch for the day and this idiot," she plasters a band aid on his broken nose making him howl in pain. "Kissing the river bed? Gee, nothing much at all!"
"Well the fish jumped outta me, and you technically didn't stop me!" said idiot childishly pouts at Sakura right after finishing the treatment.
"So it's my fault now you—!"
"Okay, that's enough for now. Why don't you two spend the rest of the day with your friends?" Kakashi sets the bucket aside and the two teenagers exchange confused looks. The silver-haired man gives off a sigh before adjusting his face mask.
"Tomorrow's the day remember?" he quietly says.
Naruto's face goes grim while Sakura on the other hand, shows no signs of emotion.
"This is hard, I know. But like I've said, they won't give you a chance to say goodbye when you get picked." Kakashi glances at his apprentices and holds each of their hands in his. "So tonight, we're going to have turkey and bread."
Naruto smiles heartily at his teacher and Sakura just averts her gaze, suddenly feeling the need to explain things to his buddy.
This is his way of saying goodbye… but she decides to keep that thought to herself.
"Hey Sakura," the blond nudges her shoulder to get her attention.
"What?" she busies herself with cleaning her knife with a damp cloth, ridding it of the trout's dried blood.
"Why do we have to have the Annual Treaty?" Sakura stops momentarily at the question that came out of the blue.
"Long ago—" she begins, but is only interrupted by his manly voice.
"Don't give me that crap story we all know of."
He doesn't let his ocean blue eyes wander off from her jade orbs as he waits for a diplomatic answer. Sakura lets out a weary sigh and ponies her shoulder-length locks to keep them from framing her face.
"I don't know Naruto," and for the first time, the smart and wise girl of the Leaf Village doesn't seem to have an answer for this. She starts walking away from him before muttering something he fails to hear. "Maybe some shitface thinks we're guinea pigs."
The Annual Treaty is an unbreakable law that the State—the country that leads the five divided villages—implemented. Yearly, five people from five different nations are randomly picked and experimented upon. This serves as a fair warning and punishment for the people who will try to go against the State and meet the same fate of the Uchiha clan who dared to rebel against the tyrannical leader, Shimura Danzo. And with the five villages—having been separated and apparenly lacking in resources and manpower, wouldn't even scratch the walls of the State, much more breach their impenetrable forces, so they have no option but to comply.
Sakura knows how their once quiet lives turned into a living nightmare when an unknown killer massacred the said family. She and Naruto will never forget how their parents got murdered for trying to help the Uchihas. Ever since then, Kakashi served as their friend, teacher and father who taught them how to live and survive.
"Naruto," the petite young lady tugs the sleeve of her friend's black jacket and speaks ever so softly. "Do you think if Sasuke were still here with us, things would be better?"
He stiffens at the mention of a familiar and beloved name that he hasn't heard for a long time.
"Maybe," a long pause and a deafening silence follows. He holds her hand tightly before knocking on the door of the village's hall.
"But he's dead now."
A/N: So this is how the first chapter ends. If you have questions feel free to ask. :) I hoped you enjoyed reading this one, cause I really had fun writing this. And yes this is a SasuSaku fic XD