Because Sakura Had to Go

It had been a year since the young kunochi's death. She was of the age of 13, just starting her training with Tsunade. She was given a D-rank solo mission. It wasn't supposed to be a difficult mission, she was only a Genin.

Everything turned hay-wire when she was intercepted in the middle of the mission by the Akatsuki. Her body was never found. Believing she was taken to the Akatsuki headquarters to be tortured, they dubbed her as K.I.A, or 'Killed In Action'.

Her funeral was held by the Memorial Stone in the middle of the park. No one showed up.

Her death was easy to get over. Konoha had not felt a minute of remorse. Tsunade barely even knew the girl. The day after her funeral, they degraded her from a ninja to a normal civilian. It would have been better that way.

They say a person's death means aa new beginning... but what if the person's death... never happened in the first place?