Disclaimer: I don't own Tobi, Sakura, Naruto, or any of the anime's characters!
Title: Ultimate Betrayal
Summary: Sakura is sentenced to death after unintentionally killing a fellow ANBU member. Betrayed by her friends and her village, Sakura escapes and becomes a missing-nin, only to be found by Tobi. TobixSakura
There isn't much romance in it until later on- I needed to have the events that led up to Tobi finding her.
"No... No!" Sakura croaked, tearing her eyes away from the gore-filled scene. She looked down at her filthy, blood-soaked hands.
Their blood...
... She choked back another sob. She had been the one to kill them. She could feel the bile rising in her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it down. Once she was sure she would not vomit, She looked back up at the field before her, but couldn't believe what she was seeing. She forced herself to turn away from the horrifying sight and up at him. It couldn't be true! How could she let this happen?
Suddenly realization hit her...
... It was all his fault. Her entire body started shaking horribly as she realized what had happened.
"How could you do this to me?"
"What do you think you're doing, Ichiru?" Sakura asked, glaring at the man in front of her. Her face was covered by her white and red ANBU mask, but her identity was given away by her short, bright pink hair. She watched as her teammate let go of the innocent man he had just killed. She had been watching him from afar- about thirty feet away. She had seen him threaten the harmless man, demanding all his money. When the man refused, Ichiru had driven his katana through his gut, reached into his pocket, and taken his wallet. "You know I'm going to have to take you back to Tsunade." Sakura declared.
"Sakura, please, don't tell her. It was an accident, I swear!" He exclaimed, raising his hands in defense. Sakura scoffed. She wasn't going to believe any of that bullshit. Abusing ANBU authority was not something that was tolerated in Konoha. She shook her head, telling him to come back with her peacefully- maybe his punishment wouldn't be so harsh. Sakura started walking away, expecting him to follow behind her. When he didn't she turned around to look back at him. He only laughed at her. "Oh, please. Everybody does it, Sakura. Not just me. Lighten up, will you? It was just a civilian. He wasn't even from Konoha!" Ichiru exclaimed.
If her face hadn't been covered by a mask, Ichiru would have seen the harsh glare she was giving him. Just a civilian? Who did he think he was? That man could've had a family to feed. He could have had a wife and children that loved him, and were, even now, still waiting for him to return safely back home- except he never would, thanks to Ichiru here. "I'm sorry, Ichiru, but I have to report it." Sakura exclaimed, stiffly. She hoped he would be punished severely, contrary to what she had just said earlier. Sakura continued walking, when suddenly a kunai was placed against her throat.
Ichiru chuckled, again. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but I'm afraid I can't let you do that. I've only recently been promoted to ANBU, and I've been enjoying this job immensely. I wouldn't want to lose it so soon." He whispered into her ear, and Sakura's fists clenched. Was that supposed to be a threat? "Now, be a good girl and promise me you won't say anything to Hokage-sama." He exclaimed, placing an emphasis on the 'sama' as a way of mocking her.
When Sakura refused to speak, Ichiru pressed the tip of the kunai deeper into her throat, drawing a small amount of blood. "Sakura. You wouldn't want to know what would happen to you if you don't-" Before Ichiru could finish his sentence, Sakura had elbowed his gut, causing him to loosen his hold on the kunai. Sakura took advantage of this and punched his cheek, sending him stumbling back a few feet. He touched his cheek with a flinch and glared at Sakura. "I guess I'll have to take that as a no. Prepare to die, bitch." Ichiru exclaimed, lunging at her with the kunai gripped tightly in his hands.
Sakura blocked his hits, knocking the kunai out of his hands, but she didn't dare try to harm him. He was still her teammate, a fellow ANBU and leaf nin. She had to at least try and settle the conflict in a non-violent matter. "Ichiru, calm down. It doesn't have to be like this." Sakura suggested, continuing to dodge every swipe made at her. Ichiru laughed again, stating that it wasn't a choice, and that it would be so much easier if he killed her right away. He'd just burn her body, and destroy all evidence that a fight had ever taken place.
He explained the rest of his idea to her. After all, she was going to die- what harm could it do? Ichiru stated that he would make up a quick and simple story that would make sure nobody suspected him. Besides, they couldn't arrest him if there was no evidence to support the fact that he was the one to end her life. He was ANBU, meaning he was trained to be able to hide all evidence of being there. "Don't underestimate me, Sakura." He exclaimed, irritated that Sakura had done nothing but deflect the blows.
"Ichiru, stop! It's never going to work. Just go back to Konoha and apologize! Your punishment won't be too bad if you apologize!" Sakura pleaded. She didn't want to have to resort to force just yet. They had been getting along so well, too. He didn't seem like the type to mug innocent men for their money. Sakura had been shocked when she watched him plunge the katana into the defenseless man.
"That's the thing, Sakura." Ichiru muttered, jumping back a few feet. "I don't want any punishment." He finished, and suddenly he was behind Sakura. Before Sakura could turn around and fend him off, he had already sliced a deep gash into her leg, causing her to stumble onto her knee. He lunged at her again, this time aiming for her throat, but Sakura rolled away just in time, summoning her chakra to the wound and healing it.
She knew it was useless trying to persuade him to come back peacefully- she had to use force, now. Ichiru merely chuckled, stating that Sakura didn't have a chance against him. "Don't be too full of yourself, Ichiru." Sakura replied, getting into a fighting stance. All she had been doing was dodging, so she figured Ichiru must already be pretty tired. It wouldn't be too hard to knock him out and carry him back to Konoha.
The two fought each other fiercely, and to Sakura's surprise, the man had incredible stamina. It was going to be harder than she thought it would be. "Kage-Bunshin!" Ichiru exclaimed, and ten clones appeared, charging at Sakura all at once. She barely had any time to defend herself as the armed clones came at her, kunai drawn. One of them had managed to break her mask. With Sakura distracted, Ichiru prepared himself for the final attack that would kill her, once and for all.
Once the second last clone disappeared, he lunged at her from behind, shoving her to the ground and pinning her down with a binding jutsu. "Die, Haruno!" Ichiru wildly exclaimed as he raised the kunai in his hand. He intended to plunge it into her throat- but he didn't have the time, to. In an act of self defense, Sakura had summoned chakra into her fist, and used her strength to break free of his jutsu and punch him straight in his face.
A sickening crack was heard, and Ichiru let go of the kunai. Sakura watched as he collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood forming underneath his head. She gasped in horror- she immediately took off his mask, examining his head. It was too late, though. He was already dead. Her chakra infused fist had cracked his skull, killing him instantly. Sakura placed her hand on her mouth to muffle her scream. She hadn't meant to kill Ichiru- she only wanted him to back off of her.
"Sakura?"
Sakura turned around to see two more ANBU running towards her. She was opened her mouth to speak but they interrupted her- "Who killed Ichiru?" Sakura looked down. The entire scene probably didn't look that great for her at the moment. She looked over at the man Ichiru had killed just moments before, and then back at Ichiru, who was currently lying on the ground in a bloody heap. "Well?" The ANBU exclaimed, impatiently.
"I can explain." Sakura exclaimed, standing up. She couldn't see their faces, but the two were probably suspicious of her at the moment. Here she was, in the middle of the forest, surrounded by two bloody corpses and damaged trees. "Ichiru, he- he killed the man over there!" Sakura exclaimed, pointing at the corpse. "I said I'd have to tell Tsunade, and he attacked me. I was trying to defend myself- I didn't mean to kill him!"
One of the two ANBU headed over to inspect the man, and he pulled out Ichiru's katana from the man's stomach. "Haruno, would you mind telling me why your katana is lodged inside the victim's stomach?" The ANBU exclaimed, showing both Sakura and his partner the katana. It had her clan symbol engraved on the hilt. Sakura started sputtering- how had he obtained her katana? The ANBU shook his head, grabbing Sakura's arm and roughly pulling her up. She was tired from the fight, and couldn't resist against him, superstrength or not.
"But I didn't do anything wrong!" Sakura exclaimed, desperately. They had to believe her. She had been trying to do the right thing from the start, and it wouldn't be fair if she had to suffer for it. Killing Ichiru was an accident, anyways. The ANBU scoffed, telling her that it would be the Hokage's decision whether or not she was innocent or not. Sakura nodded, sadly. She hoped Tsunade would be able to find a way to get her out of this, even though it seemed as if all the evidence was pointing to her as the guilty one.
One of the ANBU stayed behind to gather said evidence, and the other bound Sakura's hands behind her back and lead her to the Hokage's tower. Sakura didn't struggle at all, convinced that Tsunade would realize she was, indeed, innocent, and that Ichiru was the guilty one. The ANBU knocked on the two large doors, waiting for the Hokage to reply. "Come in." Tsunade exclaimed, from the inside of her office.
At this, the ANBU opened the door, pushing Sakura in front of her. "Sakura? What's going on?" Tsunade asked, wondering why her ex-apprentice was standing before her, covered in dirt and blood. Sakura opened her mouth to explain herself, but the ANBU retold the story for her. Tsunade nodded, looking at Sakura. "Please leave, I would like a word with Sakura myself." Tsunade exclaimed, and the ANBU bowed and quietly exited the room. "Sakura, tell me exactly what happened out there."
Sakura did as was told, explaining everything in the finest detail. She told Tsunade about watching Ichiru threaten and eventually kill the man, about how she suggested that he turn himself in, and how they had fought. Tsunade nodded- she trusted Sakura. She knew she wouldn't lie to her. Hell, Sakura was like a daughter to her. She'd do anything in her power to prove she was innocent- the only problem was the council. It wasn't completely the hokage's decision as to whether or not Sakura was set free.
"I'm sure we'll find a way to set this straight." Tsunade declared, and Sakura smiled at her. She knew it! She knew Tsunade would be able to fix things. Tsunade smiled back and dismissed her from the office, and once the sound of her retreating steps faded away, she sighed, taking out a bottle of sake. "I'm going to have to talk with the council." She muttered to herself in dismay.
After a couple of hours, Tsunade decided to finally go to the council and discuss the matters. When she reached the meeting place, she was surprised to find that the evidence had already been examined and was lying in the middle of the table. "Tsunade..." One of the men started, his voice low. "You're not going to like what you are about to hear." He said, and Tsunade rose an eyebrow. She never liked what they had to say.
"We've examined everything thoroughly," A woman exclaimed, and paused for a second before continuing. "And the evidence clearly suggests that ANBU Sakura Haruno, is indeed guilty of killing both Ichiru and the civili-" Tsunade banged her fist onto the table, causing it to splinter slightly. She glared hard at the woman, at everybody in the council. She knew what the woman was going to get at, and Tsunade was not going to tolerate one bit of it.
"ANBU Sakura Haruno, is a valuable asset to our village. She's an extraordinary medic and skilled fighter- we cannot afford to lose her." Tsunade declared. She refused to let Sakura get punished for something she obviously didn't do. Tsunade believed, with all her heart, that Sakura had killed Ichiru on self-defense, and that she was innocent. She knew Sakura well, and killing a civilian for money was very unlikely for someone with such a strong sense of justice. Sakura valued human life, she knew was certain, and she would never kill another human being unless it was completely necessary.
One of the elders shook his head, muttering something about Tsunade's stubborness. "Tsunade, you must understand. There are many other medics in the village, and with time, they will be just as skilled as your ex apprentice. Aside from that, killing another from the same village is an act of treason, and can be punishable by death." He exclaimed. "And a teammate, no less." The others around him nodded their heads in agreement. Tsunade clenched her fist in anger. She hated the council. They were always meddling into every affair, even when it wasn't necessary. They caused her unwanted problems, and gave her tons of paperwork every day. And now, they were trying to sentence her ex apprentice to death! She would not stand for it.
"She has told me her accounts of what had happened," Tsunade exclaimed, looking over the evidence. She read over the notes made, and came to a conclusion. "And her story is entirely possible." She exclaimed. Ichiru could have gotten ahold of Sakura's katana on another mission before, and used it to kill the civilian. If Sakura had, as she had said, been watching from a distance, then it made sense for her to approach him cautiously and suggest that he turn himself in. Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows, trying to picture the situation in her mind. Her suggestion could have triggered Ichiru to attack her, and Sakura obviously would have reacted in self-defense.
"Ichiru stealing his teammates' katana is highly unlikely." Another council member spoke up. The others again, had nodded in agreement. Tsunade gritted her teeth this time- it was as if they had already decided beforehand that Sakura would be sentenced to death. What was their problem? She felt the urge to break something, anything. The council was being completely unreasonable! They refused to even consider the possibility of leaving Sakura free of charge. Konoha laws be damned! She was not going to let Sakura die.
"It may be unlikely, but it is still possible." Tsunade argued. The council members shook their head, stating that the chances were too low to even be considered a possibility. "I had been her teacher, her master for years. I know her better than anybody in this room and I, as the Hokage, know she is not guilty!" Tsunade stated, slamming her fist into the table again. The council members' eyes flashed, and many looked down with frustration clearly evident on their expressions.
"Tsunade, you cannot let your emotions towards her affe-"
"How can you expect me to sentence her to death? You all know, very well I might add, of our strong relationship. Doing that is like killing my own daughter." Tsunade interrupted her, her fists clenched so tightly it was hurting. One of the council men sighed, stating that Tsunade is unfit to have any say in the matter. "I'm the Hokage. Of course I have say in the matter!" Tsunade exclaimed, her eyes ablaze. These people were impossible to deal with!
"Tsunade, calm down. We have to discuss this prope-"
"Calm down? Calm down?" Tsunade nearly screamed, she was furious now. "Do not tell me to calm down, when you have no idea what its like in my position." She exclaimed. "And what about Naruto?" She asked, and the council members whispered amongst each other. They knew of his close relationship with Sakura, and had wondered about the possibilities, about his reaction to her death. "What do you think he'll do when he hears that Sakura is sentenced to be killed?"
"This is why we have Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Yamato to keep him in check." One of the women replied, folding her hands together. Tsunade could have punched her in the face. Did she really believe that the three men could actually control the Kyuubi residing within the boy? That if the kid lost control, the three would be able to simply seal it back in as if nothing had happened? It didn't work like that.
"What makes you think that they will be able to stop him when he loses all control? Jiraiya had almost been killed, and it wasn't even half of Kyuubi's real strength." Tsunade argued back, heatedly. They replied coolly back, stating that with the first Hokage's DNA in Yamato, it would be quite easy for him to detain Naruto if any problem should occur. With Jiraiya and Kakashi there to help him, it should be even easier. "And do you really believe Kakashi and Yamato would agree with this? They were Sakura's former teammates and I doubt they are willing to see her die." Tsunade hissed.
"They will understand that the decision made was for the better of Konoha." Another council member replied. Tsunade gave her the most vicious glare she could muster, and the council member cringed at the intensity of it. Tsunade was beyond furious. For the better of Konoha? That was complete bullshit and they knew it. They were insane for even thinking that losing Sakura would be better for Konoha.
"How is it better for Konoha? Why throw away one of the most skilled kunoichi we have here?" Tsunade asked, through gritted teeth. The council... They were simply intolerable! If it were in her power, she would have gotten rid of them long ago. They were nothing but a nuisance, making a big deal out every situation, no matter how small and insignificant it may be.
"We cannot overlook the law just because she is an exceptional fighter." A councilman replied, and the others nodded with him. He continued, looking somewhat sadly at Tsunade. "Our decision has already been made, Tsunade. The girl will be executed tomorrow. This discussion is over." Tsunade stood up so fast that her chair had fallen behind her. She looked at every person on the council with eyes that expressed pure loathing.
Without a word, Tsunade walked briskly out of the room, slamming the door as she exited. It was so hard that after a couple of moments, the entire door came crumbling down. Tsunade marched to her office, her eyes burning with tears that threatened to spill out. She couldn't let Sakura die. Once she sat down, she buried her head in her hands. She wasn't joking when she had stated that she saw Sakura as a daughter figure.
What was she going to do, now? They were planning on executing Sakura tomorrow. She fought the urge to reach into her drawer for her largest bottle of sake and drink until she couldn't think or feel anymore. She thought for a moment, about how she could fix this. There was no possible way she'd let Sakura be killed. She wrote a couple of ideas down, but she knew most of them were too risky, and probably wouldn't end well.
She had even written, 'eliminate the council members', and as much as she wanted to, she knew that the village of Konoha would be unhappy with her. To them, the council was a group of elders with infinite knowledge, people who were respected and trusted. Tsunade scoffed. Respected? She didn't respect any of them. They were useless, ignorant fools.
Suddenly an idea formed in her mind. If Sakura could just escape, if she could leave the village- she'd be labeled a missing-nin, but at least she'd be somewhat safer. She knew Sakura could take care of herself well, and she'd find some way to communicate with her. She'd have to tell Naruto, and possibly a couple more of her close friends but no more than that. It would be too risky.
She summoned Sakura down to the office and she came within five minutes, a huge smile on her face. Tsunade felt a tug at her chest- Sakura really didn't have anything to smile about. When Sakura noticed the guilty expression on her face, she rose an eyebrow up in concern. "Tsunade-sama, is something wrong?" She asked, and Tsunade looked away for a moment.
"Sakura... You have to leave."
There was a long pause, and Tsunade closed her eyes, not wanting to see her face at the moment. She knew her heart would tear and twist and simply break if she looked at Sakura's face. "... What?... Why?" Sakura asked, confused and bewildered. She thought Tsunade had been able to fix everything already- why would she need to leave? Had she done something wrong? Did they really believe she was guilty for such a crime?
"I'm sorry, Sakura. The council... The council had already decided. I didn't have a say in it." Tsunade replied, and she forced herself to open her eyes and watch as Sakura's frown deepened. Tsunade's prediction had been correct- her heart had simply crumbled. The pained look in Sakura's face made Tsunade want to reach out to her, hold her like a mother would comfort her daughter.
"But... But you're the Hokage!" She exclaimed, immediately stepping back. She was still in shock. She was being forced to leave the village, her friends, her family- everyone she loved. Tsunade's eyes watered with even more tears, waiting to spill. She couldn't bear to see Sakura in this state- she looked so hurt, so pained, so betrayed. She hadn't been like this since Sasuke's abandonment, and it hurt her now, knowing she was part of the reason Sakura was like this.
"I know I am, Sakura, but I can't do anything about it!" Tsunade exclaimed, banging her fist on the desk in exasperation. Sakura jumped in surprise- just a second ago, Tsunade had nearly been in tears, and now she was just so angry. Tsunade let out a suffering sigh, "The council aren't listening to me, and they plan to execute you tomorrow." Tsunade stated, and Sakura gasped, sharply. Executed? "That's why you must leave tonight! Sakura, please understand. This is the best idea for now." Sakura nodded, sadly. "I'll meet you by the gates at midnight." Tsunade exclaimed, and that was the last thing she said before Sakura ran back to her home.
When she was finally inside her house, Sakura collapsed on the ground crying. "Sakura-chan? What's wrong?" Sakura looked up, surprised to see Naruto sitting on her couch. He must have been waiting for her to return home. She shook her head, her throat was so tight she could barely utter a sound. He immediately got up and crouched beside her, swinging an arm over her shoulder in comfort.
Sakura quickly attached herself to his shirt, sobbing until her eyes became red, bloodshot, and puffy. Naruto could only pat her back and hold her in comfort, silently promising himself he would find out what caused Sakura so much pain and eliminate it. Sakura's sobbing eventually died down to mere hiccups, and Naruto asked her what had happened. Sakura let out a sigh, and started explaining everything- from Ichiru killing the civilian, to what had happened in Tsunade's office. It was too much for her to handle in one day.
It took a couple of moments for everything to sink into Naruto's mind, and when it did, all hell broke loose. His whiskers became more visible, his eyes started to change, and his teeth- they were growing. His hands started changing in to claws, and Sakura could only watch as he transformed. The Kyuubi's chakra seemed to surround him, and a tail emerged.
"I will kill them." He growled. Sakura shook her head, wrapping her arms around his torso. She squeezed him tight, trying to calm him down, but Naruto was having none of it. "I will kill them." He growled again, and Sakura immediately started crying again. She couldn't let him do that- it would only cause more trouble. He might even be killed for harming the elders.
"Naruto, you can't! I'm... I'm going to become a missing-nin. I'll run away from Konoha, and I'll be okay! Naruto, please don't! For me... Don't kill them for me." Sakura exclaimed, trying to control her broken voice. Naruto looked down at her shaking form and felt even more angrier. How could they do this to Sakura-chan? She didn't mean to hurt anybody! Why were the council trying to hurt her? Another tail emerged.
Sakura started to panic at this. "Naruto... If you kill them, I won't forgive you! I'll, I'll... I'll never speak to you again!" She threatened, but it didn't sound as effective as it had in her head. Naruto's eyes widened and he slowly, but surely calmed himself down. He took an excruciatingly long moment to transform back into his normal self. He couldn't let his anger control him. If he lost control, he might have ended up hurting Sakura-chan even further. Naruto couldn't have that- he needed to think clearly.
"You don't meant that." Naruto replied, now fully back to normal. Sakura, through her crying, told him that he just couldn't kill them. "Then I'll come with you." Naruto stated, and Sakura's eyes widened. "I mean it." He urged. Naruto was willing to sacrifice his dream of being Hokage just to stay with her. Sakura was touched, but she knew she couldn't let him do it. He was so close to his life-long dream. She couldn't take it away from him now. With a heavy sigh, she told him her answer.
"No."
"What? Why not?" Naruto asked, incredulous. He would do anything for Sakura-chan, even abandon the village with her, as long as it made her happy. Sakura shook her head, biting her bottom lip. Naruto's expression softened- it must have been so hard for her right now. She was being forced to live the village, and for what? Because she killed some worthless jerk while trying to defend herself. It wasn't fair. Sakura-chan deserved so much more than this!
"You can't come. You have so much here, and I can't take that away from you," Sakura exclaimed. Naruto was about to argue back but Sakura interrupted him. "If you did leave, the elders would brand you as a threat to Konoha, and possibly even try to kill you. I have to go alone- and don't worry about it. I'll find a way to keep contact, and I'll be fine. I can take care of myself." She finished, looking up at him. She desperately hoped he'd understand.
"Don't you want me to come with you, Sakura-chan? I thought I was your friend!" Naruto exclaimed, sounding hurt and betrayed. Sakura's heart clenched- of course he was her friend! He was so precious to Sakura, and like Naruto, she only wanted the best happiness for her precious people. It's not like she didn't want him to come, she just knew that it was in his best health and interest that he stayed in Konoha- away from Akatsuki and Orochimaru. She refused to let another one of her teammates get killed.
"Of course I'd want you to come with me, it's just that-"
"No buts, Sakura-chan! I'll run away with you! Just please..." Naruto begged, his voice cracking slightly. "Don't leave me. Don't leave me like he left us." Naruto exclaimed, tightening his hold around her waist. She knew life wasn't fair, but why her? He had already suffered enough, why did his friend have to be the one forced into this difficult situations? "You're the only one I have left." He murmured, and Sakura's heart literally crumbled at how helpless and vulnerable he sounded. It was as if he was going to break into pieces with just one wrong word.
"Naruto, don't make this any harder for me. You know I can't take you with me." Sakura replied. She tried smiling at him, to comfort both Naruto and herself, but her lips only twitched slightly. "And what are you talking about? There's Kakashi, Kiba, Hinata, Ino- everybody! They're all here in Konoha, and they'll always be here for you." Sakura said, softly. Naruto shook his head stubbornly, saying that she was different, that she was the closest. Sakura sniffled, looking up and locking eyes. "I'm sorry." She exclaimed.
"You don't have to be sorry, Sakura-chan. None of this was your fault!" He exclaimed, and Sakura shook her head. It was her fault for being careless, for letting Ichiru steal her katana and for accidentally killing him. It was her fault that she was choosing to leave without him, even though he was willingly offering to run away with her. It would be her fault for hurting the poor boy. As if he didn't have enough pain in his life. She felt like a horrible person for going through with this. Suddenly Naruto's already tight hold, tightened even more and he let out a growl. "It's not your fault, Sakura-chan. It's the elders. The stupid council!"
"It might, but what is done is done. They've made their decisions, and I've made mine. I'll be leaving at midnight... Will you... Will you come say goodbye?" Sakura asked, her voice cracking when she said the word, 'goodbye'. It was so much to take in after only one day. Naruto nodded into her hair, completely speechless. When the council was gone, he promised himself he would go find her. He would take her back to Konoha and she would live happily, with him, and Kakashi, and everybody else. "And please, Naruto. Promise me one thing."
"Anything, Sakura-chan." He replied. Sakura asked him not to look for her when she left, not until she could come back peacefully without the council trying to execute her. "Of course." He replied. Anything for Sakura-chan. Whatever made her happy, made him happy. If this was what she truly wanted, then he would have to let her go... For now. He was too selfish to let her go forever. He would eventually find a way to fix things, no matter how long it took.
They stayed there for a couple of minutes before Sakura finally decided it was time for her to pack her things. Naruto reluctantly let her go, wondering if that was the last time he'd be ever to hold her like that. What if something happened to Sakura-chan when she was away? He wouldn't be there to protect her and... And he would never be able to forgive himself if something did happen. It was so hard to just let her walk out like this- out of her home, Konoha, his life... No, she would always be a part of his life.
Sakura quickly looked through her belongings, stuffing only the things she deemed necessary into her pack. She couldn't have something heavy weighing her down. Sakura sighed, looking at the pictures on her nightstand. There was one of the former Team 7, the one with just her, Naruto, Kakashi, and of course, him. She looked at the other pictures. There was one of her parents, and another of all the Konoha Rookies- well, they weren't rookies anymore. There was even another picture of Team 7, except this time it consisted of her, Naruto, Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai. Her heart gave a wrench at the thought of leaving them all behind.
She took a deep breath and marched out of her room. It may be the last time she would ever be in it. She walked out of her house, locking the door. She looked down at her key- would she really be needing it, anymore? She decided to place it in her pack anyways, just in case she ever came back to Konoha, again. She stepped back and sighed as she stared at her house. "I guess this is good bye." She murmured to herself.
It was late, and nearing midnight. There was approximately half an hour before she had to be at the gates. She wondered whether or not it would be a good idea to go and say good bye to the others. To Kakashi, or Ino- but she didn't. She'd let Tsunade and Naruto deal with it when the time comes. "It took you long enough." She heard a voice, and turned around to see Naruto leaning against a tree. How come she hadn't noticed him before? She thought he had left and gone back to his apartment when she didn't find him in her living room.
"Naruto..." Sakura murmured. She had finally been able to stop the crying and the hiccups. He walked up to her, they both headed towards the gates, where Tsunade would be, soon enough. Sakura felt the urge to collapse and burst out crying again, but she forced herself to stay upright. She was finished with crying- for now, anyways. She had to at least appear strong if she wanted Naruto and Tsunade to believe that she'd be able to take care of herself as a missing-nin.
"Naruto, if Tsunade says you're allowed to tell them, will you? Let them know that I loved them?" Sakura asked, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Naruto nodded, his lips thin. It took him all his self-control to fight the urge to find the council members and kill each one of them for forcing Sakura to do this. He was so tempted to follow her, even though he promised he wouldn't. He was tempted not to just hide her in his apartment for the rest of her life- as long as she stayed.
The half an hour that passed by seemed like an eternity, but at the same time, it was just too short. Tsunade walked up to the two, tears evident in her eyes. "Sakura, Naruto..." She greeted them. She handed Sakura a scroll, saying that it was a list of many jutsus that would probably be able to aid her in the future. "Some of them are forbidden, so please use them carefully." Tsunade added, and Sakura thanked her, grateful.
There was a sad silence, and Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She bit her lip, but a sob escaped her, anyways. Tsunade wrapped her arms around the young girl, who hugged her right back. Her grip was so tight it was as if she was afraid to let go. "I'm going to miss you so much!" Sakura exclaimed, between hiccups. Once she broke the hug with Tsunade, she turned to Naruto, who had tears streaming silently down his face as well. She gave him a tight hug as well, saying she'd definitely miss him.
With that said, both Tsunade and Naruto watched as Sakura walked away from them, from Konoha. And they didn't move until an hour after she had been out of sight. When the realisation that Sakura had finally left sunk into Naruto's mind, he collapsed onto his knees. Sakura... Sakura was actually gone.
Sakura looked up at the sky and screamed. The birds in the trees fluttered away, leaving Sakura all by her lonesome. "Stupid council!" Sakura yelled to no one in particular. Nobody could hear her. She had been travelling for days, now, and she had stumbled upon a deep looking forest after crossing a couple other villages. She decided it couldn't hurt to let out all her anger, all her pain, all her guilt, so she had walked into the heart of the forest. "What the hell is wrong with you sick bastards?" She screamed, again, punching the ground with a chakra infused fist.
She jumped out of the way as the ground shook and crumbled beneath her. Destruction. The way everything just folded into each other, the way it was simply destroyed. She needed this, she needed to let everything out. She wanted to let out all her thoughts, and the experiences she knew she'd never be able to share with her friends. It was just so frustrating keeping everything locked up inside her. She had so much to say, but she never had a chance to say it.
This was her chance.
"Ichiru, I'm glad your dead." Sakura muttered, punching a tree into splinters. "Councilmen, I hope Konoha realizes how utterly worthless you all are." Sakura threw a kunai so hard it had sliced through the tree it was aimed at. "Kakashi, I think you're awesome even though you were a really crappy sensei." Sakura uprooted a large tree. "Yamato-taichou, I'm grateful for all the times you've saved Naruto." She swung the large tree against another tree standing in her way. "Hinata, I hope Naruto will finally notice you." The tree crashed through three more before Sakura finally let go of it.
"Neji, I want you to take that stick out of your ass and ask Tenten out." She sent a flurry of punches towards a large boulder. "Tenten, I wish I'd been able to ask some weaponry tips before I left." The boulder cracked. "Lee, I've always thought you were creepy," The boulder crumbled. "But I think you're really sweet." Sakura panted, she was getting tired, and was running out of things to destroy, but that wouldn't stop her.
She continued on with her other ramblings, mainly about her friends and the things she had always thought she'd be there for. Things like Ino being asked by Shikamaru- if that ever happened, she wouldn't be able to know. She wouldn't be able to be there listening to Ino's detailed description of all the events that led up to it. Sakura was nearly in tears- she wanted nothing more but to be in Konoha at the moment. She continuously pounded the ground with all her strength. Her arms and fists were burning, but she refused to stop.
"Tsunade-shisou, I hope I've made you proud." Sakura suddenly stopped slamming her fists into the ground, and grabbed onto a branch, barely able to hold herself up. She was exhausted, suffering, and hungry. "Naruto, I'm sorry for causing you so much pain." Her fingers slipped and she collapsed to the ground, her tears spilling. She laid there, crying her heart out. She felt so weak, so helpless. Crying never helped anyone, yet she was still doing so.
Sakura heard some footsteps, and from the sound of it, the person was currently approaching her- but she didn't care. She felt so hurt, so pained, she couldn't bring herself to even open her eyes. She waited for the person to leave. Who would want to assosciate with some frail woman crying on the ground? She figured that whoever was approaching would soon get the hint and leave her alone.
"Oh no! Why is Miss crying? Is there something Tobi can do to help?"
She opened her eyes to see a masked man standing before her. A masked man in an Akatsuki cloak.
With her pain and exhaustion forgotten momentarily, Sakura sprung up and attacked him without a second thought. The only thing that registered in her mind was that the man in front of her was Akatsuki. Akatsuki was an enemy of Konoha. Konoha was where her precious people were. If Akatsuki was an enemy to her precious people, then Akatsuki was an enemy to Sakura and must be eliminated.
"Please stop! Tobi doesn't want to hurt you, Miss! Tobi only wants to help you." He exclaimed, dodging her weak blows. She was obviously too tired to think properly, let alone fight properly. With this in mind, it didn't take much effort to pin Sakura to the tree by her wrists and legs. "Please, Miss, would you tell me what's wrong?"
"As if I'd tell someone like you!" Sakura hissed. "You're part of the Akatsuki! You all are evil, despicable beings!" Sakura accused, and behind his mask, Tobi's eyes widened, hurt by her words. "And why are you even pretending you care? I don't need this bullshit right now!" Sakura exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly. Now that she was slightly calmer, thoughts of the others had leaked into her mind again.
Even with her screaming and yelling at him, Tobi kept his grip. He knew she didn't really mean it- She was too tired, too upset to think properly right now. He had, after all, found her crying only moments before. "Tobi does care. Tobi cares about everybody!" Tobi argued back, and Sakura suddenly started crying again. "Oh no! Miss, please don't cry anymore! Tobi will make you feel better!" He exclaimed, immediately unpinning her. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.
By then, Sakura had enough of everything. She couldn't take the stress, couldn't take the overwhelming emotions about the past events that had all happened way too fast for her. She needed someone to clutch onto, someone for comfort, and if the man in front of her was willing to give it, she would gladly take it. As long as she wasn't alone. She didn't want to be alone anymore!
Sakura gripped onto his cloak with all the strength she had left, sobbing loudly into his shoulder. Tobi whispered comforting words into her ear, patting her back at the same time. He couldn't just leave such a pretty girl all by herself when she was crying. He was a gentlemen, and one that was slightly chivalrous if he might add. He wasn't heartless, and when he saw how hard the girl was sobbing, his heart had clenched painfully.
"I-I want t-to go back s-so badly!" Sakura wailed, and Tobi sat there, listening quietly as she poured everything out to her. Sakura sobbed even harder as she recalled everything that had happened. "Th-the only way- th-the only w-way was i-if I became a m-missing-nin!" Sakura exclaimed, moving her arms into a more comfortable position. Instead of clutching the cloak, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and she laid her head at the crook of his neck.
"I n-need to s-see my friends a-again! I-I don't w-want to b-be alone!" Sakura sobbed, and Tobi patted her back comfortingly. Sakura didn't give a damn whether or not he was in the Akatsuki at the moment. He was obviously not going to hurt her anytime soon, and she was willing to take whatever she could. If she wasn't alone for even a few minutes, she'd gladly accept comfort from Tobi. He even seemed friendly.
Tobi looked down at the girl, sadly. She was obviously hurting so much, but she looked so beautiful, so angelic as he held her so tightly in his arms. He didn't even know her name, but he already liked her. "Miss isn't alone. Miss has Tobi!" Tobi murmured, trying his best to comfort her. Sakura nodded, wishing he was serious about it- but she knew she couldn't get her hopes up. He was from the Akatsuki, after all.
Sakura's sobbing soon died down, and the two stayed in the position for quite a while before Sakura took in a deep breath. "My name is Sakura, by the way." She murmured. "Thanks for... For this. You have no idea how much I needed it." Tobi nodded his head, speechless. She looked so vulnerable in his arms, with her pink her hair astray, and her face flushed from all the tears. When she looked up at him with her sparkling, jade eyes, he had found himself leaning closer to her.
He tilted his mask to the side, and Sakura looked up at his handsome face. He looked like a normal boy, with dark, wild hair and onyx eyes. His eyes so captivating. They looked so innocent, so sweet... She knew he was leaning in, and they were so close she could feel his breath tickle her skin lightly. Her thoughts and emotions were a wreck, and she figured, what could it hurt? It was only a simple kiss...
Tobi's lips briskly touched hers, in a short, chaste kiss. Suddenly something inside of him snapped- he stood up, letting Sakura tumble to the floor. She looked up at him with confusion evident in her eyes, and Tobi took a couple of steps back. "Tobi... Tobi can't be here right now." Tobi exclaimed, turning around to run off, but Sakura grabbed his arm, preventing him from moving any further.
She didn't want him to leave. She felt so alone, so isolated- she wanted him to stay. He was the only source of comfort she had and she wasn't willing to lose it just yet. "Will you come back?" Sakura asked, almost pleaded. Tobi didn't reply, and Sakura's heart clenched in fear of being left alone again. Suddenly he was only millimetres away from her, his dark eyes staring into the depths of hers. He bent down to capture her lips in another short kiss.
"Tobi will come find you, Sakura-chan."
With this, he finally ran off, leaving Sakura alone in the forest again. When her shock finally died down, she sat on the ground, wondering exactly what had happened between the two. She brought her fingers up to her lips, where his had been only moments before. She could feel it tingle slightly, and she felt like smacking her head. What had she done?
She was so confused. There were too many things going on in her head. She was still mourning the fact that she was basically banished from Konoha, and that she would now have to live completely alone for who knows how long. And now, she had just received comfort from an Akatsuki member and had kissed him. She let out a cry of frustration. "What is wrong with me?" She asked herself. She let out a huge sigh, there was no use contemplating about it any further. What was done was done, she couldn't take any of it back.
Sakura missed her friends too much- she decided she'd need a distraction for the time being. She still hadn't figured out a way to keep in contact, and she knew that the probability of finding one was quite slim. She couldn't risk getting any of them in trouble, either. She sighed, she would come back one day, hopefully. Besides, Naruto would probably end up finding her when the council was, well, dead.
With that small hope in mind, she got up from her spot and started walking towards the city only miles ahead. She looked up at the clouds rolling by- it was peaceful. She understood why Shikamaru loved watching them float by. She wondered if Tobi had been serious- was he really going to find her? She hated to admit it, but she really did want him to. She was still scared of being left alone, and he really didn't seem that bad.
Unless, of course, he really did know who she was. Maybe he knew that Sakura was friends with Naruto, the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki. Maybe he just wanted Sakura to trust him so she'd turn against her friend. Her eyebrows furrowed at this possibility. Maybe he had simply taken advantage of her confused state just to make her think he was her friend. Sakura's heart dropped.
Why couldn't he have been someone normal? Someone who wasn't part of the Akatsuki? She had actually been looking foreward to seeing him again, but unfortunately her theory was quite possible. She would have glady invited him to stay with her, to be her comrade, her friend. It meant she didn't have to be alone as she travelled around as a missing-nin.
Eight weeks passed by slowly for Sakura, and she eventually forgot about Tobi. She had now convinced herself that the man had only tried to take advantage of her pain to get closer to the Kyuubi. She had been slowly getting over her homesickness, and getting used to the new lifestyle. She didn't wear her hitai-ate, hoping to pass off as a civilian. When she was in a village, she usually henged her hair brown as well, pink was too uncommon and she was bound to get recognized at one point. Her clothes looked more casual, though she always kept a kunai or two hidden somewhere.
To make sure she was in top shape, she would always leave the village and find an isolated spot, usually by a river if she could fine one. She'd heal fish like how Tsunade had her do when she first started, as well as other hurt animals she found on the way. It was good medical practice, and although it wasn't much, she figured it was better than nothing. As for chakra control training, she'd practice by walking on the water or up an insanely large tree.
Since there was no one to spar with, she settled for throwing kunai and other things at targets she made herself. She punched at the ground as well as the boulders around- basically the things she had taken her anger upon just weeks before. She hadn't heard any information about Konoha at all, and hadn't met any ninja, either. She still felt lonely, isolated. Being someone who was used to attention all the time, she found it quite difficult to cope with. How could Naruto live his childhood like this?
Sakura no longer cried about Naruto and the others, but she still did think about them often. She missed them, yes, but she had come to accept the fact that she couldn't return. She started heading back to the nearest village, when she felt a presence behind her. She pretended she couldn't feel it and continued, noticing that whoever it was seemed to be staying back only a certain distance away from her. She was too far to attack properly, but too close to start running. Any ninja would be able to catch up with her from that distance.
"Sakura-chan, is that you?" She turned around to come face to fa- mask, with Tobi. "Tobi had finally found you!" He exclaimed, jogging to catch up with her. She watched him warily- she still hadn't forgotten her theory about him. "Tobi wasn't sure if Sakura-chan was really her but Tobi only knows one person with pretty pink hair!" Sakura wasn't buying any of it.
"Leave me alone, Akatsuki." Sakura replied, brushing past him to continue walking. Bewildered, Tobi scratched his head, asking why she didn't use his real name. Sakura continued walking, but replied, "Because you're part of the Akatsuki. I'm not stupid- I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work." She spat, but Tobi caught up to her again.
"B-but, Sakura-chan!" He exclaimed, sounding almost desperate. Sakura's eyes widened- he sounded exactly like Naruto. She mentally shook the feeling inside her head and pretended she heard nothing. "Tobi doesn't know what you're talking about! Tobi just really really likes Sakura-chan." He continued, and Sakura decided she'd had enough of him. She stopped in her tracks, glaring at him.
"Don't play stupid with me! I know you're after Naruto!" She hissed, and Tobi took a step back, cautious. He had seen the damage she had made in the forest, and he was quite impressed. "You're just trying to use me to get closer to him, aren't you?" Sakura demanded, angrily. When Tobi didn't reply, she clenched her fist, thinking she was finally going to get him to admit it. She felt a pang of hurt as she did so- she knew that she had been carrying a sliver of hope. Hope that he really hadn't been using her.
"Aren't you?" Sakura repeated, her voice softening only slightly. Behind his mask, Tobi gaped at her. He hadn't realized that this girl was the imfamous Sakura Haruno. From the information he had found out, she was the Hokage's apprentice and good friends with the Kyuubi. He had never met her before, which explained why he didn't realize it was her right away. Tobi, unsure of what to do, reached out to her. Sakura flinched back, slapping his hand away. "Stay away from me." She hissed.
Tobi lowered his hand. He never had to deal with these kinds of situations, before. "Sakura-chan..." He started, but Sakura interrupted him, telling him that 'chan' was inappropriate for their relationship, that they weren't even friends. Tobi was deeply confused by his words- of course they were friends! He had comforted her when she was crying, and... They had kissed. It was more than just a kiss, though, it was Tobi's first kiss. Well, ever since he could remember.
"But Tobi and Sakura-chan are friends!" Tobi replied, and Sakura shook her head, backing away. "Tobi would never intentionally try to hurt Sakura-chan. Tobi wouldn't! Tobi won't use Sakura-chan to get to the Kyuubi." He stated, but the look on Sakura's face told him that she didn't believe a single word he'd said. Why didn't she trust him? Did she really think Tobi was that evil?
He only followed orders from the Akatsuki because Zetsu-senpai was in the organization. Zetsu-senpai had saved Tobi. Zetsu-senpai had taken Tobi under his care, even though he had forgotten all his memories. He would be eternally grateful for Zetsu-senpai, and what other way to repay his kindness than to listen to him? To obey his every order? It was only the least he could do, after all. Tobi wasn't evil. Tobi was just being a good boy.
"Don't bother." Sakura said, harshly. She started to walk away when Tobi grabbed her wrist, this time making sure she didn't go off any further. Sakura tried to pull away, but his hold was too strong. She looked up at him, and Tobi could see the hurt in her eyes. Had he caused this? Had he been the one to hurt his new and precious friend? Sakura's expression stayed angry, but her eyes... "Please, Tobi. Just let me go." She pleaded, her voice cracking slightly.
"Tobi... Tobi can't." He said, as he pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Sakura, already tired from her training, tried struggling but did not succeed in escaping his hold. She did, however, succeed in knocking the two onto the ground- but Tobi's grip hadn't ceased. After a couple of moments, she relaxed into his arms. She knew she probably wouldn't have anybody hugging her like this anytime soon. Tobi buried his face into her hair and inhaled deeply.
She smelled so nice, and her skin was soft. She looked so delicate in his arms, but Tobi knew better. He had heard stories of what she was capable of, and he knew she was strong. Not only was she strong, but Sakura-chan was also smart and skilled in medical jutsu. She was also so pretty, like an angel, or a blossom blooming in spring. He felt a funny feeling in his gut. Something he'd never experienced before, but it wasn't unpleasant, so Tobi didn't mind.
"Tobi wonders... Why Sakura-chan is all alone?" Tobi asked, innocently. When he had been comforting her, he had heard her mumble things, but none of it really made sense to him. If she was such good friends with the Kyuubi, as he had heard, why was she wandering so far away from her village? Tobi was curious, and he wanted to know in concern with his friend.
Sakura pondered whether or not she should tell the man. He was part of the organization that was planning on taking over the entire world, after all. Would they be able to use this information to their advantage? She still didn't fully trust Tobi yet, and for all she knew, she could be kidnapped and used as bait for Naruto. If Tobi already knew of her and Naruto's close relationship with each other, that probably meant that the other Akatsuki did as well. "I was exiled from Konoha." She decided to say.
"Sakura-chan was exiled?" Tobi asked, not bothering to hide the curiousness in his voice. Sakura nodded, leaning deeper into his embrace. She hated to admit it, but she felt a sense of security just sitting there, with Tobi's arms wrapped tightly around her as if he didn't want to let go. Even if it was fake, even if it was all just an act, she still wanted it, needed it almost. "Why would Konoha exile Sakura-chan?"
"Because... I accidentally killed my teammate." Sakura replied, her voice sounding stronger than she felt. She still felt guilty about Ichiru's death, even though he himself had tried to kill her that day. She figured it didn't matter if she gave away the information about why she was exiled. It didn't really have anything to do with Naruto or the Kyuubi, so what could it hurt?
Tobi nodded, as if he understood. If it was by accident, then it didn't mean she was bad. He felt angry at this. Was Konoha really that stupid? Why did they have to abandon poor Sakura-chan and hurt her so much? The thought of her crying in the middle of all the destruction she'd caused made Tobi's heart wrench. If it was an accident, then they should have overlooked it, and let her stay and be happy. He felt anger bubble up inside of him. Look what they did! She was so miserable without them. The village didn't deserve her devotion, or her affections. She deserved so much better than that!
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, Tobi won't push you away." Tobi said, and Sakura looked down. It's not that Konoha had pushed her away, it was just the damn council that forced her to leave. Suddenly grumbling was heard from the bushes and trees behind the two, and out appeared a very pissed Deidara. "Deidara-senpai? What are you doing here?" Tobi suddenly asked.
Deidara glared at him, but when he noticed the pink haired girl in his arms, a wicked smile splayed on his lips. He decided to ignore his question and instead, ask one of his own. "Well looky here, yeah! Who is this, Tobi? Your girlfriend?" Deidara laughed as Tobi sputtered. The pink haired girl seemed unamused and simply glared at him. "Who are you, yeah?" He asked, looking down at the girl.
"Sakura Haruno."
Deidara's eyes widened. Sakura Haruno, friend of the Kyuubi? Finally, Tobi had done something right for once! He furrowed his eyebrows- the girl looked quite different than when he had first seen her in that cave. It was no wonder that he hadn't recognized her instantly. She'd grown out of her childish features and looked more like an actual woman. Her pink hair was still short, and her eyes were still shining brightly- but something was obviously wrong. Why wasn't she struggling to escape Tobi's hold? He was in the Akatsuki, and the last time he'd checked, Konoha and Akatsuki were sworn enemies.
"Tobi, come speak with me for a minute, yeah." He demanded, and Tobi sighed exasperatedly. What did the blonde want this time? He wasn't even supposed to be interrupting his time with Sakura-chan, anyways. Tobi pleaded to Sakura that she wait for a moment as he and Deidara left to talk. She merely nodded- it's not like they wouldn't be able to catch up with her if she tried to run, anyways. Tobi unwrapped his arms from Sakura and stood up to follow Deidara into the woods and out of Sakura's earshot.
"This is great, yeah! We can use her as bait for the Kyuubi!" Deidara exclaimed quietly to Tobi, his eyes wild with excitement. Tobi shook his head furiously, stating that he didn't want to hurt Sakura-chan. "Tobi, you idiot! Don't let your feelings for the girl make you forget where your loyalties lie, yeah! What do you think your precious Zetsu-senpai will think when he finds out that you-"
"Okay, okay! Tobi understands." Tobi replied, obviously distraught. He liked Sakura and all, but Zetsu-senpai was always first. As Deidara explained his new plan to him, Tobi couldn't help but feel guilty. He felt like he was betraying Sakura-chan, and right after he had told her that he wouldn't push her away! He had even told her that he wouldn't use her to get to the Kyuubi. Tobi felt horrible- he wished he didn't have to choose.
Luckily Deidara's plan wouldn't be taken into action until a few months later, so Tobi was able to spend more time with Sakura-chan. When Deidara left, Sakura asked what the two had been talking about and Tobi told her the truth- well, most of it. Tobi left a few things out because he didn't want to hurt her too badly. He stated that Deidara was talking about the current Akatsuki plans, and that he just couldn't tell Sakura at the moment.
Sakura was still a little wary about Tobi, but she decided to give the guy a chance. As long as she was careful, she figured she would be able to stay out of trouble and handle everything herself.
Too bad she had no idea that the plans involved her.
End of chapter!
Goddamnit, I didn't mean to make it this long! I was originally planning to make this a one-shot, but it ended up way too long so I decided to split it into two chapters. I'm currently working on the last part of the story, which, I hope won't be as long as this one.