Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the Naruto characters. I also do not own the song Sunday Morning by No Doubt. Also, this chapter will be slightly gory and angsty and contain some swears. Just warning you.
Author's note: Thank-you all SO much for reviewing! They all really made my day! Also, thank-you all for being so helpful! Okay, so here's chapter 2!
Chapter 2: Back to the beginningTwo years later…
" Sad, poor, pathetic little meThat was the girl I used to be
You had me on my knees
I'd trade you places anyway
I never thought you could be that way
You looked like me on Sunday
Well you came up with the breeze
On Sunday Morning
You sure have changed since yesterday,
Without any warning.
I thought I knew you;
I thought I knew you!
I thought I knew you well…
So Well.
You're trying my shoes on for a change,
It looks so good but feels so strange.
I'm fashioned so I can't complain
Oh, I'm no one's wife but;
How I love my life
I never even think of you these days
You sure have changed since yesterday,
Without any warning.
I thought I knew you;
I thought I knew you!
I thought I knew you well…
So Well.
Oh, well."
Applause roared so suddenly and violently that Sakura would be surprised if she didn't go deaf. But, luckily, she had built an immunity to it over the past two years or so. Besides, this was her job, or at least part of it. Singing. Not like it bothered her any. The more she sang the more she got tipped, so there were no complaints there.
" Sakura." The stern, cynical voice quickly lulled Sakura back to the world of reality. After singing, she always tended to drift off into her own little paradise. To tell the truth, these moments in paradise, when she felt loved and adored, were probably the happiest times she'd had in two years. And it was all because of a certain somebody.
"What?" she replied equally as cold, having no affection for her boss. She liked it that way, anyways. Hating people was easier, safer. Love was a foreign word to her now. And she preferred it that way.
" I have a new mission for you." Sakura stepped into her boss's office, a slight feeling of anticipation growing in her stomach. This was the second part of her job. Killing. And nobody was better at it than she was.
When she had first arrived in the city of Kamugana, Sakura had had a rough time. People were meaner here than they were in Konoha. It was only after practically starving to death, and living on the streets that Sakura found any type of job at all. An assassin. Perfect. Not only was this a way to improve her skills, but it also offered work singing at the club, her boss's headquarters. This way she got to do what she loved to do, what she needed to do, and what she wanted to do all at once. In fact, Sakura considered herself pretty lucky.
At first, as she had to admit, the job had made her queasy. Sakura had never beaten, much less killed anyone before, and it used to make her sick. Before, when she was given a briefing for a new mission, she would almost hurl just thinking of what her job would require her to do. However, now she would just sit, waiting in silent anticipation before saying:
"Who, where, and when?" with a slight smile. Though she was too scared to admit it to herself, Sakura found that she actually enjoyed her job. She actually enjoyed murdering. It made her feel… powerful, and mighty. Like she was… invincible. Yeah, invincible.
This is what Sasuke had done to her.
Nobody would even recognize Sakura anymore, and she knew it. She was no longer skinny, having filled out in all the right places. Her face was no longer so childish; it now carried the grace and maturity of a full-grown woman. Her hair was no longer pink. It was now a deep ebony, blacker than the midnight sky, and fell gracefully to her waist. But the most noticeable change in Sakura was her eyes. Sure, they were still an emerald green, but they had lost the life and happiness they had once held. They had the appearance of eyes betrayed by things long ago seen.
But even still. Even cruel. Even as a murderer.
She was still beautiful.
" Mr. Hatsumoto. He's been ordering hits on several members of our… corporation ever since he started up his own business. I want him dead, Sakura. Today. Before midnight. And try to make it quiet, we don't want anymore damn ninja's after us again."
" How much?" Sakura was talking about money. Her damn boss still hadn't payed her everything she was supposed to get from the last hit. Quite frankly, she was getting pissed.
He smirked. Sakura hated that smirk of his, it always meant trouble. " We'll work it out after Mr. Hatsumoto is dead. Got it?"
Sakura didn't even bother to reply on her way out the door. She was too busy thinking of what she'd do to him if he didn't.
" Mommy, are you leaving again?"
Sakura looked down at Kyoko with a small smile. It was this girl, her girl that had kept her sane. Kyoko pulled at her pants leg, her big, hazel eyes locking onto hers begging for her to stay. " Are you?"
Sakura sighed and turned to face Kyoko. "Yes, but I promise it won't take long this time. Now let go of me, I have to finish getting dressed."
Kyoko silently obeyed. To tell the truth, Sakura wasn't Kyoko's real mother. It was during one of her first missions that she had found her, tied up and beaten, forced to work as a slave for a bunch of jerks who had thought they were tough. That was the first night that Sakura had killed without remorse. The first night that killing had actually felt well… good.
Normally assassins were supposed to get rid of all witnesses, but Sakura couldn't bring herself to do it, to kill this innocent young girl. And so, she had come to adopt, maybe even love this child. That was the great thing about kids, she had concluded long after adopting Kyoko. They loved you no matter what it was you happened to do for a living. Getting up, Sakura quickly exited her small apartment after giving Kyoko a small peck on the cheek.
Target spotted. And he had bodyguards. Perfect. She loved a good challenge.
Sakura was currently in one of the most run-down parts of Kamugana, atop the roof of a grimy building. Mr. Hatsumono was currently walking below her, on the abandoned alleyway, accompanied by two men. Bodyguards.
Sakura swiftly pulled the black cap over her head, hiding her face. Her whole outfit was black. Her boots, pants, shirt, hat. Everything. It was easier not to be seen this way. Walking along the rooftops, Sakura focused her chakra. She could probably kill Hatsumono with one jutsu, the way she figured it. Providing that his bodyguards were useless.
Sakura barely managed to dodge the ice crystals that came flying at her. Damn. These bodyguards were good. And they were ninja's too, judging by the jutsu's that had just practically killed her. Moving quickly, Sakura jamp of the roof of the building and quietly landed behind bodyguard #1.
He didn't even stand a chance.
Before bodyguard #2 and Hatsumono could turn around, Sakura had broken the first bodyguard's neck with a sickening creak. He slumped to the ground, defeated.
" Icicle justu!" the second bodyguard shouted.
Sakura wouldn't let this trick work again. " Reverse jutsu!" the icicles stopped in their tracks, and just as quickly went flying back toward the bodyguard who now carried a look of shock on his face. He was dead before he even knew what had hit him. She was wrong. These guys weren't that tough.
Now Sakura was left alone with Hatsumono. To her surprise, he didn't even look fazed. He had to be forty at least, but he carried his age well. He didn't look like anybody she'd ever been ordered to kill before; he looked, well, normal. Like an average family man. For a moment, Sakura almost regretted having to have to kill him, yet she advanced on him anyways.
" I pity you." These words caught Sakura unaware. He pitied her? Why? Most people just begged for mercy at this point.
"…Why?"
Hatsumono just looked at her with a sad smile. " Look at you. You're so young… but you've already been betrayed by life. Sure… you're strong, but you're solitary. You kill not because you like to do it, but because you're afraid of what will happen if you don't prove yourself. Anyone can see that. It's easy to tell that you'll die alone."
Sakura had heard enough. One moment, and a slash to the throat later, Hatsumo, along with his pathetic little guards, was dead.
" I want my money. Now" Sakura stood in front of her boss, an intimidating scowl on her face. She was not in a good mood.
He only laughed. " Now, now Sakura. You didn't honestly think you'd be paid right away, did you? I mean, you're still a rookie at this. Rookies take longer to get paid…" Sakura didn't need the translation. He was lying. The cheap bastard had thought he'd get away with not paying her. Not on Sakura's watch, he wouldn't.
She didn't waste any time. In a split second Sakura had moved from in front of the boss to behind him, holding the same dagger they she had used on Hatsumono earlier around his throat threateningly. " This is where you end," she murmured dangerously. " Unless you give me my money, now. Got it?"
For the first time in her life, Sakura saw her boss looking scared. " Come now Sakura… we're all like family here…"
That was a lie, and Sakura knew it. Pushing her boss forward forcefully, Sakura Lifted the dagger high above his back, and sent it plunging downwards, much like how her own life had seemed to plunge.
You kill not because you like to do it, but because you're afraid of what will happen if you don't prove yourself.
The dagger stopped mid-air. " That's not true," Sakura whispered.
It's easy to tell that you'll die alone" I will not," she muttered defiantly, although she wasn't sure to whom. She had loads of friends, like… umm…
In the moment that she had hesitated, Sakura's boss had charged and kicked her in the face. Hard. Yet she stood her ground. " You're fired," he spat, malice practically dripping off his words. " Now get out."
Sakura didn't need to be told twice. Yet, somehow, as she was leaving the office, she didn't feel any regret. She felt…freed. Like there was something she had needed to do a long time ago that she would be able to now.
By the time she got home, Sakura knew what it was. Only half-an-hour later, all her possession's were neatly packed into bags. It didn't take too long, especially seeing as how she didn't own very much.
" Mommy? Where are we going? Why is all our stuff packed? Why-"
" You'll see honey," And that was the last thing either of them said before leaving to catch the first carriage out of town.
Twelve long hours later, the first glimpse of the city came into view, and Sakura's breath caught in her throat. Suddenly she wasn't sure if she was ready.
But then she remembered Sasuke. Suddenly she remembered what he did to her. Suddenly she remembered why she was back at Konoha.
She was going to get her revenge. Even if it meant she'd have to kill him.
Authors note: Thanks for reading! What do you think? Was it good? Bad? Plz don't forget to review! They make my day.
P.S. What is Sasuke's last name? It's something like Uchicha right? Oh, and um, do any of you know what Team 7 is, or whom it consists of? If any of you know, Please tell me! Thx!