A/N: It was brought to my attention by one of my readers that Sakura was a bit out of character in the previous chapter, especially with her reaction to the news of Sasuke's death and Naruto being the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki. The reason Sakura was portrayed in such a manner is because she was putting on a brave face, while she was internally shaken just as much as Naruto. The previous chapter was more meant to have Sakura acting as a pillar of strength for Naruto, considering he was the one who had to fight Sasuke in the Final Valley and was having to deal with loss of his best-friend the most. While Sakura may not have acted the way some of you were expecting, I hope that this chapter will help explore what Sakura is going through after losing the person she thought that she loved along with the painful revelation from Naruto.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of its characters, places or original plots. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Chapter 2
Sakura was leaning against the rail of the bridge where Team 7 normally met up. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night after being dealt a considerable blow twice in the same day. First came the news that her former heartthrob Sasuke had been killed in an intense clash between himself and Naruto. While Sakura did have feelings for Sasuke, she didn't miss him for that reason. Sakura wanted him to come back because he was a friend and fellow teammate.
What really shook Sakura to the core however was the startling revelation that Naruto had shared with her of being the Nine-Tailed Fox jinchuuriki. After visiting him in the hospital yesterday, she felt incredibly selfish and guilty for making Naruto promise to bring Sasuke back when she saw him covered in bandages. Once again, she had to depend on Naruto to do things for her because she wasn't strong enough. All she had done for years during the academy and after forming Team 7 was worry about getting Sasuke's attention when she could have been focusing on growing to be an effective kunoichi. She now began to understand why Sasuke had called her annoying.
Even despite Sakura's best efforts to distance herself from the fangirl she once was, she was still nothing more than a burden to Naruto. She had treated him like dirt and belittled him as just about everyone else because she wanted to fit in. As Sakura spent more time around Naruto after being placed on the same team, she came to realize that her initial impression of Naruto had been wrong. They both had more in common than Sakura was willing to admit. Whether it was being bullied as a child or just wanting someone to acknowledge them, Sakura could honestly say she didn't know the real Naruto.
Letting out a deep sigh, Sakura now began to regret being one of those people to cause Naruto pain, when he had already endured so much hardship on his own. That's why Sakura had come to a decision. She was going to be there for Naruto and support him in any way she could. The only problem was; she didn't know how.
Sakura was interrupted when she heard a poof of smoke next to her. Her sensei, Kakashi Hatake, appeared next to her whilst reading a page from his Icha Icha book. Kakashi turned to Sakura and gave her a lazy wave. "Yo!"
"Hey Kakashi-sensei. What brings you here?" Sakura inquired.
"I just came to see how you were holding up after hearing the news about Sasuke. Judging by the glum expression on your face, I can tell that you aren't taking it well. Want to talk about it?" Kakashi asked.
"Hai. I heard the news about Sasuke yesterday, but it's hard to put into words what I'm feeling right now. One part of me is heartbroken because I lost the boy that I had feelings for. The other part however feels at peace to some degree knowing that he is now free of any pain and misery. I can't even imagine what Sasuke had to go through on a daily basis, reliving the painful images of seeing his clan members being slaughtered right before his very own eyes. I just feel so powerless. No matter how much I tried to reach out and help him, even going as far as to profess my love for him on the night he left, Sasuke still saw me as nothing more than an annoying fangirl." Sakura said as tears began flowing from her eyes.
Trying to gain her composure a bit, she continued. "His last words to me before he left were 'thank you' and then he knocked me out from behind. I was desperately clinging to every last thread of hope that Sasuke would one day reciprocate my feelings for him, going as far as to ask Naruto to make a once in a lifetime request to bring him back. When I visited Naruto in the hospital yesterday, I felt so guilty for having him make that promise. Naruto told me I shouldn't blame myself, but I disagree. No matter how much I have tried to improve myself to become a better ninja, I'm still nothing more than a burden to Naruto." Sakura said while looking down to the water flowing below.
"Naruto is absolutely right Sakura. While your intentions may have appeared to be out of selfish reason on the surface, but underneath it all I can tell that both you and Naruto truly meant it when you wanted to help Sasuke take down Itachi together as a team. Besides, if there is anyone who should be held accountable, it's me." Kakashi said.
This caused Sakura to lift up her head in shock.
"On the day of your Genin test, I spoke of how important teamwork is yet I'm the hypocrite now. I saw so much of myself in Sasuke that I wanted him to succeed where I had failed. Because I was so focused on training Sasuke, I failed to be there for you and Naruto." Kakashi said in a sad tone.
"Don't say that sensei. You tried to teach us the best you can." Sakura said.
"I appreciate the kind words Sakura, but this is a failure that I cannot overlook. From now on, you have my word that I will be there to train both of you the way I should have been from day one." Kakashi said.
"Thanks sensei." Sakura said.
"You're welcome Sakura." Kakashi replied humbly.
"Speaking of Naruto, I actually just came from visiting him at the hospital. He mentioned that you two had a pretty interesting discussion yesterday. So you know about the Kyuubi now?" Kakashi asked.
"Hai. Naruto was the one who made the decision to share it with me. I didn't pressure him into saying anything, but I could tell that Naruto wanted to get it off his chest." Sakura said.
"And how do you feel about Naruto now that you are aware of the fact that he is a jinchuuriki?" Kakashi inquired.
"To be honest Kakashi-sensei, I was feeling a number of things. Anger, sadness, the list goes on. Nevertheless, it makes me admire Naruto that much more. He's had to put up with all the hatred and abuse that the villagers have thrown at him, yet he doesn't once blame the Kyuubi for the reason his life has been so difficult. Instead, Naruto is taking responsibility for his actions and continues to work his ass off to prove everyone wrong. It makes me proud to say that I can call Naruto my friend and teammate." Sakura replied.
Kakashi gives Sakura an eye smile, but he can tell that something is still bothering her. "I'm glad to hear that Sakura, but I can tell that something is still bothering you. If you'd like to continue talking, I'd be happy to lend an ear and offer a possible suggestion if something comes to mind."
"Sure sensei, that would be nice. Between Sasuke's passing and Naruto dropping that bombshell on me, I feel like a complete and utter mess right now. I spent 3-4 hours with my face planted in my pillow yesterday, crying for a boy that I thought I loved even though he made it very clear that he didn't see me the same way. What's really been weighing on my mind though is Naruto. I put on a brave face in front in him yesterday because I know he needs a shoulder to lean on and help him grieve, but I still feel like there's something more I could do. Despite my best efforts to try and come up with ideas, my mind has been drawing a blank." Sakura said.
"Care to elaborate a bit more?" Kakashi asked.
"I'm just so sick and tired of having to depend on others to fight my battles for me. Naruto and Sasuke always had to step in to protect me. What made things even worse was seeing them get injured on my behalf because I'm too weak and no good in a fight." Sakura said.
"I don't think Naruto would agree with that assessment Sakura. You have made some very good progress since the Chunin exams. Had you not stuck up for Naruto and Sasuke against Team Dosu, neither of them would have lived to see the light of day. In fact, it makes me proud that you took my very first lesson to heart about standing by your comrades and friends no matter what. A ninja is doomed to fail if they try to carry everything on their shoulders alone." Kakashi said.
"Thanks for the pep talk sensei, but I doubt see how that solves my dilemma." Sakura said while giving off a soft smile.
"I think I see what the problem is and have a possible solution in mind. While you were so caught up in trying to think of ways you could support Naruto, you were just making things more complicated than they need to be. Have you ever considered training to be a medic-nin?" Kakashi asked.
Baffled by his inquiry, Sakura tilted her head to the side. "I'm not quite sure I understand where you're going with this sensei." Sakura said.
You just said it yourself. I've noticed the expressions on your face whenever you saw Naruto or Sasuke getting injured during fights in the past. The reason I brought up the possibility of learning medical ninjutsu is because of your excellent chakra control. If you were to seek training from someone skilled in medical ninjutsu such as the Godaime herself, you could help not just Naruto, but any other comrade or stranger by healing wounds. Lady Tsunade also possesses incredible strength and is quite skilled in taijutsu, which would be useful in close-quarters combat." Kakashi replied.
A light bulb lit up in Sakura's mind as all the information her sensei had just pointed out sunk into her brain. She finally knew what to do.
"Thanks for the advice Kakashi-sensei. If you don't mind, there's somewhere I need to be." Sakura said.
"You're welcome Sakura. I'm glad that I could point you in the right direction. Good luck with Lady Tsunade." Kakashi said, giving her another eye smile before he vanished in a puff of smoke.
'How did he know that's where I was gonna go to next? Ah whatever.' Now having a clear goal of what she wanted to accomplish with her ninja career, Sakura took off towards the Hokage mansion in hopes that the Godaime could help her.
XXXX
The Godaime was currently sitting in her office trying to make a dent in her paperwork. She already had a splitting headache after dealing with the nagging old geezers about the news of Sasuke's passing and the stacks of paperwork just continued to make things worse. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." Tsunade said.
"Pardon me for interrupting Tsunade-sama, but I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time?" Sakura inquired.
"Of course Sakura. Please come in. So what brings you by?" Tsunade asked.
"I wanted to ask if you would take me on as your apprentice." Sakura replied.
This caused Tsunade to raise an eyebrow. "And why should I do that Sakura?"
"Well Tsunade-sama, I just got through talking with Kakashi-sensei about some stuff that had been weighing on my mind. After Naruto told me about the Kyuubi yesterday, I had stayed up nearly all night trying to think of ways that I could help Naruto in the future so he wouldn't have to deal with the responsibilities placed upon his shoulders by himself. That's when Kakashi-sensei suggested that I seek out someone skilled in medical ninjutsu. He said that not only would I be able to heal people's wounds, but he also mentioned that you were skilled in close-quarters combat and wield incredible strength. I want to get stronger, so I won't be a burden anymore and have to count on other people to fight on my behalf." Sakura replied.
"Go on." Tsunade said, as she listened keenly, eager to hear else Sakura had to say.
"When the door to his hospital room slid open yesterday, it broke my heart to see him wrapped up like a mummy. Knowing that I'm the reason he's there makes my heart ache even more." Sakura said.
"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked, confused by Sakura's statement.
"You see Tsunade-sama, I asked Naruto to make a once in a lifetime request to bring Sasuke back. For as long as I can remember, I had been infatuated with Sasuke like almost every other girl in our class at the academy was. No matter what I did to gain his affection, Sasuke saw me as nothing more than an annoying fangirl who was weak and incapable of taking care of herself. What I came to realize after seeing Naruto in that hospital bed was how selfish I had truly been. In addition, I had also failed to notice the one person who had been standing by my side all along." Sakura said.
"Can you go into a bit more detail?" Tsunade asked.
"Naruto has always supported me unconditionally and would do anything just to make me happy. And what did I do? I treated him like dirt, just as most of the village does. Naruto has done so much for me and now I want to do the same for him. I want to help him in any way I can. So I ask you again Tsunade-sama, will you please take me on as your apprentice?" Sakura said.
"Very well. Be here tomorrow at noon. I'm not going to go easy on you though." Tsunade said.
"I understand. Arigato, Tsunade-sama." Sakura said.
"You're welcome. Oh and one more thing Sakura. Naruto is due to leave on a three year training trip in the next few days with the old pervert. I suggest you spend as much time with him as you can before they go." Tsunade said.
"Three years Tsunade-sama? Is a trip that long really necessary?" Sakura asked.
"Unfortunately yes. While I cannot go into specifics, there is a group of rogue nin hunting the each of the tailed beasts. Naruto and Gaara are among those targeted. That is all I can say. It's up to Naruto if he wants to share any other information with you." Tsunade said.
"..."
"Is everything alright Sakura?" Tsunade asked.
"No m'lady, it's not. Naruto has had to go through so much crap in his life alone. First, the villagers and now this group of rogue nin. It feels as though just when I think I have everything figured out, life tosses me yet another curveball." Sakura said, clearly flustered.
"I can tell you you care about Naruto quite a bit." Tsunade commented.
"Hai." Sakura replied.
"As difficult as the brat's current predicament may be, I have no doubt in my mind he will be able to overcome this latest obstacle too. Though Naruto has had a rough upbringing, he hasn't let it stop him from achieving his ultimate goal of one day becoming the Hokage." Tsunade said.
Letting out a sigh, Tsunade continued. "Every life Naruto touches is impacted in some profound way. That's because he gives people hope; a reason to believe in believe that things can get better no matter how much hardship one might face. He also has this uncanny ability to bring out the best in people, pushing them to make their own lives better. You of all people should know Sakura. I've noticed that as you've spent more time with the brat, you have started to change from that helpless Uchiha fangirl to a kunoichi who genuinely wants to improve her skills. I can see why you've fallen for him."
The Godaime laughed as she watched Sakura's face turned bright red upon hearing that comment.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Tsunade-sama." Sakura replied in hopes that she could get the busty woman to drop the matter.
"Deny it all you want Sakura, but I can tell you care about Naruto as more than just a friend. The way you talked about him a few moments ago is something that only a girl who's in love would say. While you may not see it yet, I'm sure things will become clearer as you two continue to spend more time with each other. Now go on. The gaki is getting discharged in about a half hour. That should give you plenty of time to prepare for your little 'lunch date' with Naruto." Tsunade teased.
Growing more embarrassed by the second, Sakura gave a quick nod and raced out the door to find Naruto.
Tsunade meanwhile could only smirk. 'Hopefully that will give Sakura a much-needed kick in the ass to go after the brat before some other girl does. She's just as stubborn and hot-headed as Kushina was. Naruto and his father sure know how to pick em.' She thought to herself.
End Chapter 2
There you go folks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it helped to flesh out Sakura's character a bit more. I do want to note that I will not be following the events that took place in Canon to the letter. With that being said, there will be divergences along with bits of Canon tied together from time to time. I know that the pacing may be a bit fast, but I plan to have the time skip take place in a few chapters. Before I conclude this Author's Note, I would like to thank everyone who has been kind enough to follow, favorite and leave a review for the story thus far. I would also like to thank one of my readers for acting as a Beta and offering their suggestions/feedback on my work.
I hope to get updates out at least once or twice a month if possible, but please bear in mind that I have a busy schedule as I run a small business from home and am taking care of an elderly Grandmother simultaneously. Thanks again and hope y'all have a blessed day!