Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Yes, a new story, one that I've done by myself. ^^ So please go easy on me, alright? It's been a long time since I've written anything by myself..so yeah...^^;;
I hope you enjoy!
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Ch.1.
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It was morning. The birds were chirping their little songs and the people within the village of Konoha were just waking up. People began opening up their stores, and the Shinobi of the village were up, guarding the gates of Konohagakure with sharp eyes.
It was the same chirping and bustling of the village that woke a strawberry-blonde Kunoichi. Sakura groaned, turning on her side before rolling on her stomach, grabbing her pillow from under her head and placing it over, trying to block out the sounds. But the sounds persisted even through the blockade that was her pillow. She was falling back asleep anyways. The sound of the door to her room creaked open, and bare feet slapping slightly on the hard floor came towards her, getting slightly louder with each step, even though that it was pretty quiet.
"Come on Sakura-chan...it's time to wake up..." came the lazy droll of a male. Sakura continued to hold the pillow over her head, twisting under the warms covers that laid over her body, trying to make herself comfortable.
"Piss off..." she snapped in an annoyed tone, clearly showing her dislike at being woken up. There was a small chuckle, then the sound of footsteps retreating away from her. Sakura instantly relaxed, letting out a sigh. Just as she was about to fall back asleep, she was rudely snapped out of her lull when the covers and pillow was snatched away from her. Sakura sat up quickly, desperately trying to reach for them, only for them to be held just out of her grasp. She glared daggers at the figure, her vision slightly blurred, her usual bright green eyes misted over from sleep. Her chin length cherry-blossom colored hair stuck out in all directions.
"Kakashi you idiot!!" she snapped at him, only to get another chuckle as Kakashi looked at her with amusement shining in his only visible eye, which crinkled while she quietly fumed.
"Oi...It's time to get up..." he said lazily, walking across the room and towards the window. Sakura continued to glare at the back of the silver-haired jonin, before grumbling and promptly laid back down on her side, wrapping her arms around herself, visibly shivering. It was usually chilly in the morning, and wearing sleeping shorts and a white tank top wasn't helping much.
"I don't feel like it..." she mumbled, closing her eyes and trying to go back to sleep again. Kakashi didn't answer, instead he opened up the shutters, and the light of the sun hit the twenty-year-old. Her brows furrowed and she turned away, but the light persisted. She curled into a ball, hiding her face from the blinding lightly.
"Come on...It's a nice day out." Kakashi said lightly as he looked outside of the window of his apartment,leaning forwards slightly off of the ledge. Sakura groaned.
"Besides...we have a mission." he finished in a serious tone, cutting off anything that Sakura might have said.
Sakura pushed herself off of the bed, running a hand through her disheveled hair. She rested her now clear green eyes on the jonin, questioning silently, and he looked back at her passively, still leaning forward on the ledge.
"S-Rank..." he stated, pushing himself off of the ledge and turning to face her fully. It was routine by now. He would tell her they had a mission, and then he would tell her the rank. Sakura sighed.
"I'll get dressed then..." she said, eying Kakashi as he walked out of her room, already dressed in his standard ANBU uniform. He shut the door, and Sakura began to change. She slipped out of her sleeping shorts, pulling on the formfitting stealth pants. She pulled off her tank top, slipping on a sports bra. Even though she was Tsunade's apprentice, it didn't seem like she bloomed physically like the Godaime. She had little to no chest, and slim hips, but, to tell the truth, she didn't care about that. She stopped caring when they left. She paused, slipping on her black sleeveless top, biting her bottom lip in thought. She lowered her eyes down to her bare feet.
"Sasuke....Naruto..." she whispered softly, raising her eyes only for them to land on a photo which rested on her dresser.
It was the photo that they all had taken together, back when they were genin, and they had nothing to really worry about except for exams. Sakura's eyes held sadness in them, and she tore her gaze away from the picture of her past.
It had been years since she had seen any of them, Sasuke, who had left Konoha for more power. She remembered the night he left very well; she remembered how he said that the village had been holding him back, how he stated that he would be going to Orochimaru.
She closed her eyes, frowning. The snake man had been right, he had told her that the Uchiha would come to him, that he would thirst for the power that Orochimaru had possession of. He had been right, and she hated him even more for that. Then there was Naruto who had left, left because he couldn't stand the village anymore. She remembered it as if it had been yesterday, when in reality it had been three years ago.
~Three years ago~
~Naruto was silent as he walked to the dirt paved street, his eyes focused on his feet. He had grown over the years, his short spiky blonde hair was now long, his deep blue eyes had more slant to it, giving him a more foxy appearance.
His eyes still held that some form on innocence in them, but you could see that he had seen the dangers of the world, that he had aged mentally besides his youthful physique. His skin practically glowed in the dimming lights of the sun, his hands shoved into his pockets as he walked.
He had gotten rid of the loud orange jogging suit, opting for one that was completely black, except for the shoulders, they had an that same orange color that he liked. He wore black cloth hitai-ate, his sandals were black as well.
Sakura walked beside him, seeming to be off in her own little world. Her eyes were still as green as ever, showing the deep intelligence that she held in them, her skin was a little pale, but there was some small hints of a sun kissed look to her flesh for being out in the sun.
She wore a red Chinese top, and form fitting shorts. She had let her hair grow throughout the years that Sasuke had been gone. It was held up in a tight bun, and some bangs rested on her jaw. She glanced at Naruto, blinking, a look of concern showing in her jade-green eyes.
"Naruto? Is there something wrong?" she asked him with a curious tone in her voice, showing her slightly worry. Naruto looked up, blue eyes landing on her.
"What? Oi…I'm fine Sakura-chan, nothing to worry about." he said softly, smiling weakly at her before looking forward again. Sakura was silent for a moment.
"…What's on your mind…?" she asked him, looking forward as well. Naruto didn't answer for a while, and just as Sakura was thinking that he wasn't going to say anything, Naruto opened his mouth.
'I've been thinking about leaving…" he trailed off, and just when Sakura tried to speak Naruto interrupted.
"For good." he finished. Sakura looked startled, not expecting Naruto so say such a thing. She shook her head slowly, looking at Naruto with wide eyes.
"N-Naruto...heh...you can stop joking now..." she said, smiling weakly at him. Naruto frowned, lips thinning into a line.
"I'm serious." he stated flatly. Sakura's footsteps came to a halt in the middle of the street, and she looked at Naruto with a searching gaze.
"B-but....Why?" she asked him softly.
"I'll never be treated normal...I'll only be seen as a jinchuuriki....the Kyuubi...I'm tired of it."
Sakura's eyes held brief hurt in them as she took a step towards him.
"But...I thought...Hokage...-" she trailed off.
"Never going to happen...." Naruto stated, looking away from her and frowning.
"I mean..."who" in their right mind would choose a demon as their Hokage?" he asked her, face wrinkling in distaste, as if the very thought disgusted him as well. Sakura took another step towards him.
"Naruto...they can change...they'll-"
"-Never treat me like a human being...people hate and fear what they don't understand, and seeing how this has been going on for seventeen years, I know that they won't...'[ he finished. Sakura felt tears welling in her eyes. She took another step forward.
"Naruto..." she whispered, reaching out to touch him, to tell him not to go, not to leave like Sasuke. Naruto flinched when her hand landed on his shoulder, backing away from her.
"No!" he growled, eyes flashing red. "Don't touch me!!" he hissed at her. Sakura gasped, backing away from the blonde. Naruto growled lowly at her, walking closer to her.
"What...Why are you backing away Sakura-chan...?" he asked her slowly with a purr, his canines elongating from his mouth, his pupils mere slits. The whisker marks were darker on his face, his hands curling, fingernails forming into claws as he mover closer to her. Sakura felt fear pass through her.
"You're scared...are you...I can smell it..." he frowned deeply. Sakura felt something solid hit her back. A wall. She looked at Naruto with wide eyes.
"N-Naruto....this...what's...' she trailed off, trying to form words but failing miserably. Naruto gripped her shoulders in a painful hold, pressing her against the wall tightly. she bit her lips in pain, the rough rock rubbing uncomfortably against her skin. It was completely dark outside now, the streets were empty.
'I refuse to stay here....I've had it with this village and it's stupid rules...I'm so tired of taking shit from these people." he growled.
"I'm leaving Sakura, and you won't be able to stop me...' he stated. Sakura felt hot tears gather and then fall down from her eyes, leaving trails on her cheeks.
"I'll....I'll scream...' she said in a trembling voice. Naruto let out a bark of laughter.
"Scream...that'll just be another reason for them to hate me....look at me Sakura....look...I'm changing before your eyes...I'm a demon...' he whispered. Sakura felt more tears trail down her cheeks, dripping off her chin.
"Please...please Naruto...please don't leave...don't. I don't want you to leave....not like Sas-"
"-Like Sasuke?" Naruto cut her off, brows furrowing a little.
"Sakura...I'm leaving for a different reason...I have to do this...for my sake...' he said quietly. Sakura bowed her head and let out a sob. Naruto's crimson red eyes softened.
"Gomenasai...' he whispered to her softly.
"But...I have to do this..." he said, slowly releasing her. He backed away from her, red eyes fading away to show crystalline blue.
"I have to..." he whispered.
No longer being supported by the blonde, Sakura didn't have any strength to hold herself up. She slid to her knees, hunching over slightly with a sob.~
She hadn't seen Naruto ever since, and the blond had been right. No one had missed him. They were happy, so happy that it made Sakura sick. She remembered the apartment, the very apartment that Naruto had lived in for almost all of his life, go up in flames. She had fallen to her knees, staring up the the roaring flames, burning away everything. No one had moved to stop the fire, some even helped make it worse.
"He's tainted that building...it must be purified."
That had been their reason, and Sakura couldn't help but feel hate and disgust for the village people she'd known for a long time. To see how twisted they really were. She never really realized how bad it was, how much the villagers had despised the very presence of Naruto. She frowned, pale pink lips thinning into a line as the memories flashed into her mind.
She silently pulled on the chest plate, slipping on the forearm protectors and shin guards. She had become ANBU at the beginning of her eighteenth birthday. Most people applauded her achievement, not many female nin's became ANBU. At least, not at her age. When she had received the promotion to ANBU, she had felt...nothing. Nothing at all. She had wordlessly nodded her head. Kakashi had been there, his eyes crinkling slightly when Tsunade had told her the news.
Sakura had smiled, but it had been empty. It was when Tsunade had dismissed Kakashi from the room, that the Hokage's eyes held hidden concern. She remembered the conversation vividly.
"Sakura...are you alright..?" she asked her, and Sakura nodded her head.
"Hai Godaime-sama...why wouldn't I be?" she asked in a light voice. Tsunade frowned. She knew something was going on with the Kunoichi, but she couldn't determine what it was. Sakura had always been able to lead people into a false sense of security, putting up a mask that couldn't be broken. Tsunade's eyes still held concern as she watched her.
"Your actions...you seem different...are you sure you're alright?" she asked. Sakura smiled at her, eyes shutting as she did.
"Hai. Is there anything else you want to ask Godaime-sama?" she asked. Tsunade shook her head, smiling faintly at her, before picking up a scroll and handing it to her.
"You have a mission..." she said to her, and handed her a mask. A mask made for Sakura. It was white porcelain almost, the design showing a dove. Sakura smiled weakly, looking up at Tsunade.
"Domo arigatou gozaimasu...' she said softly. Tsunade nodded her head with a fond smile.
"You're welcome...you will be working with Kakashi, he will debrief you on the mission...dismissed." she said. Sakura headed toward the exit out of the room.
"And Sakura...if you want to talk to me about, anything...anything...please do.." she said. Sakura walked out of the door.
That was two years ago.
Her abilities had strengthened over the past two years. She had the insane strength and knowledge of Tsunade, even succeeding the Sannin in medical abilities. She even had special abilities. She remembered one mission, when she had actually came face to face with the ill-willed Uchiha. Itachi. She remembered he had tried to use mangekyou on her, and it hadn't worked. The Uchiha had been surprised, and he complimented on her mind, saying.
"You're mind is interesting...it's almost as if there's another person in you.." he had muttered, before retreating. Sakura already knew that though. Even when she had been a genin, and doing the exams and went up against Ino in combat, the other kunoichi's "Mind Transfer Jutsu" had been proven ineffective on her. Sakura was just special in that aspect.
She pursed her lips as she turned to wards her door, pushing it open and walking out into the hallway. She turned to her right, going to the bathroom at the end of the hall. Picking up her toothbrush, she began cleaning her teeth, setting the ANBU mask down on the side of the sink gently. She used her now free hand to pick up a brush, running it through her tangled hair. She grimaced a little, feeling some strands pull out. She set the brush down, then proceeded to washing her mouth of the toothpaste. Her eyes landed on another toothbrush, and a hair brush similar to the one she had. Silver strands were in the brush. It was Kakashi's.
She had been living with Kakashi for approximately two years. There had been a vicious attack from Otogakure, but Sasuke had not been there. Sakura wouldn't have really known anyways. She had been off on a mission with Kakashi when it had happened. She remembered coming back, finding bodies of enemies and comrades alike. She was still living with her parents then, and when she had went home, she knew something was wrong. The house was clean, but her parents were nowhere to be found.
Usually by this time, both her parents were home, cooking up dinner, welcoming her back with open arms. But, nothing. There were dishes in the sink, and that was surprising, because her mum always had the dishes cleaned. She started up the stairs. A smell reached her nose, a stench that made her insides turn, the hairs on the back of her neck sticking up. She rushed up the rest of the stairs, feeling a creeping feeling up fear climb up her spine.
"Mom? Da-" she had trailed off at the sight. She was standing just in front of her parents room. The stench was coming from in there. There was blood, blood everywhere, it coated some of the walls in splatters, the mirror hanging over the dresser was cracked and hanging crookedly. Her eyes landed on the floor. A foot was all she could see from where she was standing. Her eyes went wide, and she ran over.
"Mom!" she cried, her voice catching, her breath stopping. She fell to her knees. Her mother was there, there were multiple stab wounds in her chest, her throat slit. Sakura covered her mouth, falling to her knees numbly. Her hand shook as she gently rested it on her mother's cheek. Her skin, which at one point was full of warmth was now deathly cold, her lips blue, skin pale. There was a puddle of blood under her, which was already thick from sitting out, staining the floor. Tears fell down her eyes and she let out a sob. She found her eyes catching sight of blood, it was smeared on the ground, trailing into the bathroom, almost as if someone had been dragged in there. Sakura didn't want to see. She already knew what she would see. With hysterical sob she quickly stood to her feet, almost drunkenly as she ran out of the room, down the stairs desperately and out of the house. She was on her knees next, vomiting, gagging, tears in her eyes as the images were burned into her mind, there to remain and not go away. She bowed her head, sobbing silently.
Sakura frowned at herself in the mirror as she remembered that day. She had been devastated. She had no other living relatives. She remembered how it began to rain, how she was still on her knees head bowed as she had stared at the ground numbly. Kakashi had found her that way as he headed home. He found out what happened, and knowing that she had no relatives, he offered her a place to stay. Clinging to the silvered haired Shinobi, she had helped her moved her belongings to his apartment, and she's lived with him ever since.
Sakura saw Kakashi more as a close friend than her teacher or comrade, and Kakashi saw her the same way, Even thought many years had passed, Kakashi still looked like he was in hie early twenties, when the truth was that he was roughly thirty- two years old.
She sighed a little, shaking her head before walking out of the bathroom, grabbing her mask as she did. She walked down the hall, and she looked at Kakashi, who was sitting at the table tugging up his mask before she could see his face. He seemed to have just finished his plate of food. There was a plate waiting for her, with sausage, eggs and pancakes. She smiled a little, taking her seat and began eating silently.
"Thank you.." she said. Kakashi's eyes crinkled at her. He was wearing his Hitae-ate over his Sharingan eye, but only for the time being, before they actually left for the mission.
"No problem..." he said lightly.
Sakura smiled a little.
"Mmm...this is really good Kakashi.." she said as she sampled the eggs. She briefly remembered a time when Kakashi couldn't cook. It was almost laughable. Kakashi was never one that cooked for himself, he usually had take out, or went to Ichiriku's when he was hungry. It was after the first month of living with Kakashi. Sakura was not amused and had blatantly told him herself that she was tired of eating fast food, that it wasn't very healthy for the line of work that they were in. That it wasn't healthy at all to indulge oneself in it. It was then that Kakashi tried to cook.
....and failed...
...badly...
Sakura could not believe her eyes when she had been torn from her sleep, the smell of smoke wafting in her ears. She jumped out of the bed, running into the kitchen.
"Kakashi! What's-...." she trailed off to see Kakashi tossing a pot into the sink, grabbing the fire extinguisher, using it to get rid of the small fire he had caused. There was another pot on the stove, smoke coming out of it fast as if it was a volcano. Sakura looked at Kakashi, who grabbed that pot and tossed it in the sink as well.
"Kakashi! What the hell happened?!" she asked him, looking thoroughly confused. He looked back at her, eyes crinkling nervously, laughing weakly.
"Well..heh...I was boiling water and-"
"You can't boil water?!" she asked him incrediously, eyes wide as she looked at him. Kakashi sighed, lowering his eyes. Sakuracovered her mouth, letting out a snicker. Kakashi snapped his head up, eying her.
"What's so funny...?" he asked her slowly. Sakura fell to her knees, laughing. Kakashi frowned a little. After a while Sakura calmed, wiping at the corners of her eyes.
"God Kakashi...why didn't you tell me you couldn't cook?" she asked him. Kakashi looked up at the cieling, still frowning a little.
"I didn't think that it was important if I did or not.." he said with a small shrug of his shoulders. Sakura pushed herself from the floor, still smiling at him.
"Oi Kakashi...I'll teach you how to cook." she said, and so began the day she taught him how to cook.
Sakura closed her eyes with a small chuckle, and Kakashi turned his head to look at her curiously.
"What's so amusing?" he asked her in a lazy tone. Sakura looked up at him.
"Oh...just remembering something.." she said. Kakashi arched a brow before shaking his head and walking out of the kitchen. Sakura finished off her plate, standing and walking over to the sink, washing her plate, then setting it in the drying rack. She walked out of the kitchen and followed after Kakashi. She had her mask on, grabbing it and placing it over her face, tying it on. Kakashi pulled off his hitai-ate, revealing the red sharingan eye. He held his own ookami mask placing it over his face tying it.
"Come on..Tsunade-sama wishes to see us before we go.." he said. Sakura nodded her head and with a handseal, they vanished in a puff of smoke.
Reapearing in the Hokage tower, they stood just outside of the room.
"Come in." Tsunade's voice sounded. Kakashi pushed open the door leaving it open for Sakura to walk through. She walked in silently. Tsunade sat at her desk, hands resting in the desk and clasped together as she watched the two ANBU walk in.
"Dove, Ookami." she greated. Kakashi nodded his head slowly. Tsunade, despite her age, looked as young twenty. Her long blonde hair was held back, her bangs drifting down to cup her peach colored cheeks. Her hazel eyes watched them silently, painted lips relaxed hiding any emotion she held. She had a chest that would make any man happy, and the strength that rivaled no others...except for Sakura's.
"Now this is what we're going to do." she said.