My second story so far. Please tell me if something isn't right (like a character being OOC, or something like that.) I also do not own any of the Naruto characters; which sucks!
Princess of Blossoms
Chapter 1
The hokage's eyes narrowed on the report in front of her. She brushed a lock of blonde from her face then sighed. "My day is progressively getting worse."
"How's that lady Tsunade?" Shizune curiously looked to her blonde sensei.
"Shizune, I need sake." Tsunade lazily rattled an empty bottle around to show that she was out. Her brows frowned as she stared at the bottle in her hand. As she saw Shizune leave the room, her expression became one of annoyance. "Well, what is it?" Tsunade glanced over to the masked man behind her with narrowed eyes.
"We've gotten news that Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto are on their way back from sound. We've also discovered…"
Shizune entered the room with a full bottle of sake. Tsunade and the masked man gave her a glance before continuing. Tsunade raised an eye brow. "Has there been any news on Haruno Sakura's ware bouts?"
The man's body stiffened. "That's the problem… We found her camp and teammates but she appears to still be missing. Unfortunately none of Haruno's teammates lived on the way back to the village. They each suffered from blood loss and were poisoned." The man gave a deep sigh. "If we keep working at this rate Haruno Sakura could be dead. We've already searched the near by villages and found nothing."
Tsunade closed her eyes and turned to her desk. "Then she is now a K.I.A kunoichi of the leaf. No one is to speak a word of this to the Uchiha or Naruto."
"Yes, lady Tsunade." The man disappeared out the open window, leaving the hokage and Shizune in silence.
Tsunade stared down at her desk with a sorrowful gaze. Her thoughts went to the pink haired kunoichi she trained for years. Sakura was no stronger than Shizune when she began her training, then after two years Haruno Sakura finally surpassed her master; doing something Shizune couldn't accomplish in such little time, but now Sakura's disappeared. It just doesn't add up.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune mumbled, while she placed the fresh bottle of sake in the center of Tsunade's desk. "Are you really going to presume Sakura as dead?"
The hokage looked to her apprentice sadly. "It's all part of the plan Shizune. There is nothing more we can do for her."
"What plan, lady Tsunade?"
Tsunade held up the report laying flat on her desk. On the front it said top secret. She sat the file down then took a drink of sake. "Sakura doesn't want us involved with her foolish risks. She's even so bold as to write little about the issue. Naruto and Sasuke may be the only ones who can track her down."
Shizune's eyes widened and her mouth slightly dropped. "Lady Tsunade, Sasuke is the leader of Sound you can't send him out into a fight. Besides, he wouldn't really help us would he?"
The hokage sighed. "He's the one who offered." Her head tilted upward and she gave a grunt. "If he wants to be the one to find her then I wont stop him, Naruto gets that pleasure."
"Is that a good idea?" Shizune's brows pulled together. "Sasuke was an international criminal, who betrayed Konoha, Naruto, and Sakura. It makes no sense why he wants to find Sakura."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes and looked to the file on her desk yet again. What does he want with her? She has nothing to do with him… then again… Tsunade opened the file again and scanned the information Sakura had written.
Lady Tsunade,
My squad was attacked and I am being forced to go with the people who attacked them for reasons I can not tell. There is not much I can tell, or about who they are, but I request that you assume I am dead; I may as well be in a couple of hours , unfortunately even that I can not tell you. Please know that Konoha will be safe and if something is to happen tell Naruto I believe in him. Someday he will become a powerful Hokage. That is all I can say… please consider my requests.
Haruno Sakura
Tsunade grunted and held a small knowing smile. Sakura you are truly foolish… her eyes traveled to Shizune. She prepared to speak but when the office door burst open and a blonde haired male dashed in, Tsunade silenced. One of her eye brows rose at the two males now standing in her office.
"Did you hear anything about Sakura?"
Tsunade glared at the boy before looking to the unspeaking Uchiha. "Do you know anything?"
"Not much," Sasuke muttered, before crossing his arms. His cold onyx eyes stared at the hokage with expectation.
"What do you know?"
Sasuke closed his eyes slightly and looked to Tsunade indifferently. "She was on my borders around the time she disappeared and her squad was whipped out."
The hokage narrowed her eyes at the Uchiha. "How do you know she was on sound borders?"
"He was tracking her…" Naruto muttered coldly. His eyes flickered to Sasuke then to Tsunade. "That doesn't matter, because she's not in sound."
Tsunade turned her attention to the file she was just reading. "She gave little information but enough to use. Her plan was to not get us involved; she's afraid of something happening to Konoha and even to you Naruto." Tsunade motioned for the boys to come closer and she stood. Her finger underlined the bolded letters and words Sakura had hinted at.
"Sakura's clan is who attacked her squad, she's assumed to be dead in a couple of hours, and she tells Naruto she's sorry. That is all she gives us to work with." Tsunade looked to Sasuke with suspicion. "What do you want with her?"
Sasuke's body tensed and his expression goes dark.
"He won't do anything to her or the village, trust me Tsunade. I know what he's doing." Naruto gave a slight grin. He cast a look over to the Uchiha.
"Shut up, dobe,"
All attention went back to Tsunade when she sighed. "There is nothing known about the Haruno clan hide out due to everyone believing they were dead, but if Sasuke goes through his clan's past history he might find something useful to use." Tsunade grinned and placed her chin on her folded hands. "After all several of your family members fell in love with a Haruno."
Naruto and Sasuke's expressions turned to disbelief. "Are you saying I could be related to Sakura," Sasuke spoke with an awkward tone; his words came out strangled and cracked.
Tsunade shook her head and narrowed her eyes to the Uchiha. "The Haruno's can not be involved with Uchiha's. They are sworn enemies; At least to the Haruno clan they are."
"What do you mean by going through my clan's past history?"
"Go through the Uchiha complex I'm sure there are uncollected hidden files on there sworn enemy in one of the houses. After all, No one has cleaned them out, yet." Tsunade grabbed the bottle of sake and took a quick swing. She saw both male's still staring at her.
"Well, go!" at that both men left the room. "Those boys are so troublesome…"
The Uchiha complex was empty and looked just like when Sasuke left it. Sasuke's stomach turned and he felt sick. He left to hunt his brother and years latter he finds out that after Itachi was killed that he hadn't killed the right person. He went after the elders because Uchiha Madara had hypnotized him into believing Konoha was all at fault; when in reality Madara was the reason for everything! Sasuke saw Naruto's head lower and he too lowered his head.
He stood in place for what seemed like forever. At first he was afraid to face the truth that all this time he was blinded to what truly was important, and then he opened up and accepted the reality of his mistakes. He hurt his family years ago… he left one precious person knocked out on a bench and he left the other laying near death in the Valley Of The End. He turned his back on them to protect them and in the end all he gained was distrust and hatred.
Sasuke's eyes lowered and he pushed himself to take a step into the complex. Once he did he continued walking, his target was the first house on the right of him. He would tare the place apart if it meant finding what the hell Tsunade was talking about. It irritated him to no end. What did the Uchiha's have to do with the Haruno's?
"I think it would be funny to see you and Sakura related. That would mean I have no competition with a teme like you."
Sasuke twitch and sent a glare to Naruto. "Shut up dobe. There's more of a chance of you and her being related. You said your mom had red hair, Sakura has pink; your mom was temperamental, and Sakura is too." Naruto's grin flattened in realization. His eyes widened slightly.
"She can't be!"
Sasuke smirked and broke into the house with a powerful thrust of his foot to the door. As predicted the hinges cracked and broke off. Sasuke entered and glanced around the place. Right away he took notice of the empty living room and dinning room. "Look for something suspicious," Sasuke spoke coldly and quietly.
Naruto glanced around and walked into the living room. His eyes lingered across the walls then went to the floor boards. After several steps there was a cracking sound from upstairs. Both shinobi looked to the ceiling.
"What the hell was that?"
All of a sudden the roof collapsed; Papers and pieces of wood flew everywhere. Naruto dogged two boards as they came at his head. As the commotion settled both shinobi gave glanced to each other before approaching the cluster of papers and wood. Naruto grabbed an upturned paper and raised an eyebrow before slyly looking to Sasuke.
"You're related to Sakura alright."
Sasuke's expression turned dark and he snatched the paper. His eyes landed on the picture of a pink haired woman. Her information was typed under the picture. Sasuke's eyes lowered on the name then the red x going over the picture. He looked to Naruto. How could the blonde not know what a bingo book is? He looked to the picture again.
"It's from a bingo book…" he looked to the cluster of paper and saw other shinobi's pictures crossed out. "They're all from a bingo book."
Naruto's eyes widened. "So they're dead…" he scanned the mess. "All of them…" Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. "Tsunade was right when she said Uchiha's and Haruno's are sworn enemies. If this is the entire Haruno clan then no wonder everyone thought they were killed," Naruto said harshly. His hands shook as they became fists. His expression became harsh and he stared at the ground. "Now they have Sakura…" he started to feel sick to his stomach. "The things they could be doing to her right now… all we know is that they could be rebuilding their clan."
"Shut up," Sasuke growled out. His glare pierced Naruto with pure hatred.
Naruto's expression dulled and he watched Sasuke collect the papers. He loves her. Carefully Naruto crouched down and started to help. He noticed Sasuke's shaking and clenched hands.
"Hey," Naruto whispered quietly.
Sasuke looked over enough to see Naruto's gaze.
"She'll be okay… Its Sakura after all; she's not a gennin anymore." Naruto softly grinned. He saw Sasuke's eyes widen barley a centimeter. Naruto grunted while crossing his arms. About time he gets it.
Naruto and Sasuke finished collecting the papers and left that house in search for the Uchiha clan history. They crossed the street to the next house. Sasuke kicked down the door before entering. The first thing that hit them was the smell of oil. The house was trashed and had slashes in the walls due to a battle.
Sasuke ignored that and walked up the stairs. "I'll look around upstairs." As soon as Sasuke got up to the second floor a large doorway caught his attention. He stood in front of a doorway and his eyes widened. The room was drenched by dried blood. A baby crib was tilted over and bundles of blankets piled across the floor. Sasuke forced himself to turn away and when he did he caught a glimpse of pink flutter behind a corner.
Sasuke quickly skid around the corner with a kunai in hand. He saw a door at the end of the hall jarred from the hinges; also from that room a shuffling sound was heard. Swiftly the Uchiha darted into the room. His heart leapt when he saw a picture lying in the middle of the room. Everything else was untouched. Sasuke carefully walked to the picture and picked it up. A jolt of electricity pulsed through his body.
The picture showed a familiar face; all too familiar to Sasuke. He felt like he swallowed his tong. "Sakura…" his voice became a small whisper.
"Hai, she's dead," spoke an elderly woman's voice.
Sasuke spun around with blazing shringan eyes and a kunai in his grasp. Standing in the doorway was a woman with long pink hair. She looked at least sixty to Sasuke's eyes.
The woman smiled. "You must be the last Uchiha. We have heard all about you." The woman moved around the room with grace. Her long red kimono trailed along the ground. "That female on the picture isn't worth looking for. An Uchiha is a fool to protect his greatest enemy. You know that Haruno's are the Uchiha's greatest enemies, don't you?"
Sasuke didn't reply. His eyes stiffly followed the woman. "Where is she?"
"Can't you tell by the picture?"
Sasuke's gaze became an intense glare. "Where is she?"
The woman grunted and turned toward the window. "I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here to help," the woman said softly. "Us Haruno's are typically peaceful people; however what their doing to your friend- one of our family - is cruelty. I can tell you everything you need to know and more. But it has a price…" her head turned toward Sasuke. "If you kill each Haruno you must kill the last. She may become like you have and that our honor can not risk. It's that or you kill yourself after rescuing your friend. Witch ever one you pick you go through with it."
Sasuke turned his eyes to the ground for only a second. He thought over his options wisely before he chose. Sakura or himself… If he killed every Haruno then he wouldn't have to kill Sakura. Sakura isn't like him. If she ever ended up like him then he would save her. "Okay, then start talking."
The woman raised an eye brow. "Do you honestly find us Haruno's that naive?" she held her hand out for Sasuke's. "Your option will be remembered and honored. What ever you choose will effect who will die in the end. If you picked yourself then you will keep up your end of the deal and die. If you picked her to die then she will. You understand?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Did he even need this woman's help? All he had to do was search every house in the complex then read over the information, and eventually go find where Sakura is. He stared at the woman then glanced to the picture with sorrow. Sakura's face was cut up and beaten in nearly everyway imaginable. Sasuke lowered his head then his eyes. He looked to the woman.
"I'll kill myself after I rescue Sakura, and kill your pathetic clan." His hand touched the woman's. a shock ran through his body and a burning sensation crawled up his arm.
"Deal," spoke the woman.
Black symbols marked up Sasuke's arm and stopped at his shoulder. The woman released Sasuke's hand, allowing Sasuke to stagger backward.
His onyx eyes stared at the strange symbols wrapping around his bare arm. He looked to the woman, ignoring the curse she placed on him. "Where is she?"
"East of the Grass Village; you'll find her in a small village. You might want to hear what we Haruno's are capable of, and how your clan got involved with ours. That could clear up a lot of things." The woman leaned against the railing of the window.
"I don't have all day," Sasuke snapped.
"Hm, well you and your friend might want to make some time to listen."
The Uchiha clenched his hands to fists. "Naruto," he called coldly. His expression became a mix of anger and annoyance. Naruto's rushing footsteps reached the top of the stairs and quickly the blonde burst into the room; a kunai already in his hand. "Relax; she's going to tell us everything we need to know."
Naruto looked to Sasuke and immediately saw the black design going up the Uchiha's arm. "What did you do?" Naruto found Sasuke's eyes but saw no reaction to his question. He tore his eyes off Sasuke and to the old lady. "Does she know where Sakura is?"
Sasuke slightly nodded. "Start talking," he commanded.
"It starts with your ancestor Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha. Madara was born of manipulation and Izuna was born of loyalty. Both brothers fought desperately to be the first to gain the Mangekyo shringan. However both brothers also fought to get Haruno Aika. When Izuna had nearly won the fight at getting Haruno Aika Madara ordered his younger brother to take her life away and kill her to gain the Mangekyo. As you can see Izuna's loyalty was to his brother and he did so."
"When Izuna gained the mangekyo Madara took it from him. Unknown to them both, Haruno Aika was the daughter of the founder of the Haruno's, so when the leader found that his daughter was killed by an Uchiha he attacked. For years the Haruno clan used their woman to get close to the Uchiha's. They killed many but the Uchiha's started to serve under the Hokage and they settled. The Haruno's and Uchihas have made a treaty. They set a law that no Haruno is to be involved with an Uchiha. The law prevented many deaths and many miss happenings of clan combination. They managed to survive up until the fourth hokage took place."
"During the war the Uchiha's massacred the Haruno's because too many of their men were falling in love with the Haruno's unique beauty. The treaty was broken and all Haruno's were assumed dead. Unfortunately for the Uchihas they missed the whole other half of our clan, who were expecting the betrayal. The Haruno leader, Yasushi, waited a couple of years until he sent Haruno Makoto and Haruno Tamotsu to Konoha. They had a daughter and were allowed in because the forth believed that they were the last of the Harunos.
After your clan was massacred your friend's father, Tamotsu Haruno, killed his wife on accident. He was aiming for Sakura but instead killed his wife. He killed himself shortly after." The woman looked to the ceiling then to the two shinobi; both were speechless and shocked.
"That's so messed up…" Naruto trailed off quietly.
Sasuke rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "What are you clan's bloodline limits?"
"We get the bloodline limit at random times but they accrue between ages 3-16 your friend must not have got the kekkei genkai if it hasn't accrued yet. Anyway, the technique allows you to use unheard of jutsus, unique to the user. They are based on whatever element you posses. Luckily for us, we have hundreds of different elemental users." The woman pressed herself off the wall. "Is that all you need to know?"
"What do they want with Sakura?" Naruto tilted his head and glared at the woman.
"You don't know who the Princess of Blossoms is, do you?"
Naruto shook his head and looked over to Sasuke. "Who's that?"
The elderly woman smiled softly. "A ledged, a survivor, and a sacrifice; She is the one who will bring back the peace of the Haruno's by marrying a god. A god of such power, he will rid this world of all chaos. Therefore the one dearest to your heart will turn against you. She will be the consumer of the madness to come. That is the Princess of blossoms. Haruno Sakura will be that princess." Behind the woman the window slammed open. "If you want to save her then you should hurry. She will become the true harvester of death. Just remember our deal Uchiha. You will take your life once you have killed all of the Harunos."
Sasuke stiffened and watched the woman escape out through the window. The room fell silent.
"Sasuke," Naruto whispered. His eyes met Sasuke's and found a surprising result. The Uchiha was pissed. His teeth were clenched together and his hands clenched to fists. He let a sly smirk cross his lips.
"I'm going to kill them…"
A spine curling shiver rolled down Naruto's back, taunting him. He's lost his mind! Naruto twitched as he stared at Sasuke with an awkward grin. "Y-eah you can kill them… sure Sasuke, just stop grinning like that you're freaking me out!" Naruto swallowed his pride when Sasuke's eyes flickered to him with amusement.
Sasuke's grin turned pure evil. "Let's go." He chuckled slightly and walked toward the door. When Naruto didn't follow him he looked over toward the blonde now with an indifference expression.
"What the hell are you planning?" Naruto glared at Sasuke with a twitching eyelid. He felt that same shiver roll down his spine. "What did she mean that you'll kill yourself?"
Sasuke turned his head away and shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows…" he left the room and lowered his eyelids. That whole clan is dead. Sakura is his and no one else's. She's been his ever since the genin years and there is no way in hell was she going to marry some god of death! His fists shook and he aggressively slammed one to the wall beside him. A whole caved into the wall due to his forced power. Sasuke growled harshly before giving a small smirk. How strange… He fell for the Princess of blossoms and a Haruno. He's no better than his foolish ancestors. He let out a grunt followed by a slight chuckle.
She belongs to me…