The practical usage of sadness
It starts with failure. Team 7 does not pass The Bell Test and the three genin go their separate ways. But instead of returning to the passive life of a civilian, Haruno Sakura is drafted into the dubious and treacherous world of Konoha's undergound, all-female military unit. Sakura will not let it end with failure, not if she can help it
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Good morning, Iruka-sensei." Sakura politely intones as she stands across the schoolteacher's desk. Despite her somber mood, her manners have been ingrained to the point of autonomous response. That and the reflex to greet the the brunette chuunin still in place.
"Hello, Sakura-chan," A wan smile plasters itself on the older man's face, "I'm sorry about that jounin teacher you had. To be honest with you, he hasn't passed a single team to date."
Sakura cynically thinks that Hatake Kakashi's track record for failing genin did not matter so much as her obvious lack of skill but she keeps it to herself.
Instead she opts to say, "I'll get over it, Iruka-sensei. If it's no trouble, I wanted to know what my options were now that I've, uh, returned."
The older chuunin goes down a list of options, the first one being that she could return to The Academy for another year and try again with graduation and secondary exams with another team. The second being that she could simply drop out and return to her previous civilian life where she would then be redirected to the civilian schools to get further guidance.
While both options were safe and sound, Sakura just felt that they were too textbook for who she was right now, who she was becoming; she would have to go through the same motions, studying and chugging along the same monotonous routine until what? For her to hit a wall that she would inevitably be unable to conquer and thus go back to square one? The pink haired girl would have likened herself to be able to plan ahead but those plans were ruined when she realized that she would not be a ninja, would not marry Uchiha Sasuke, and would continue her miserable mediocrity unless she did something about it.
Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, her psyche transforming too quickly for reason to catch up to because the next thing she knew the words were already spilling out from her mouth, "I don't want any of that, Iruka-sensei. I'm sick and tired of being a nobody from no clan and- And I want to get stronger. I don't want to be that weak little girl ever again."
"W-Well-," Iruka stammers out, surprised by the normally placid girl's confession. He had assumed she would return to a civilian school, perhaps if she was steeled enough, would try The Academy again, but this was something else entirely.
The look of determination on the young girl's face however told of her sincerity; a blaze in her eyes he's never witnessed before, not even when he'd caught the other children bullying her or when she was in a spat with the Yamanaka child. In fact, if he looked closer he could see the makeshift wrap around her knee that was dotted with dried blood and the lackluster way she had thrown on her usual attire. As a ninja he should have noticed all these minute changes, for it is the smallest causes that create the largest effects.
"That's very inspiring, Sakura-chan," As the shock fades, the wan smile fixes itself again on his face, albeit more genuine, "if you return to The Academy, with effort you can try again-"
Knock.
"Actually, I think Haruno-san will be coming with me." A blonde woman wearing a dark red kimono interjects. Surprise fills both the chuunin and girl in question at the stranger's sudden appearance.
Wondering who the woman is, Sakura notices that despite her lack of hitai-ate, Iruka lets out a nervous nod. Deferring politely to another means superiority in rank, but what position could this apparently-civilian woman hold over a chuunin? Added to that, the sensuality pouring out of the woman in waves reminds Sakura of the Red Light district she had passed by once with her father for a business meeting.
"Sorry, Sakura-chan, I'll hand you over to her now and she'll talk with you more." Always the peacemaker, Iruka ushers the girl towards the blonde woman with an apologetic smile.
"Follow me, Haruno-san." The woman says, voice low but meant to be somewhat friendly.
Sakura speaks up when Iruka closes the door behind them, "Where are we going? Ah…"
"Mion."
"Mion-san, sorry, I just want to know where we're heading."
As the two continue down the hallway, Sakura makes a few observations of the woman, Mion. Her blonde hair was styled perfectly into an updo and there seemed to be no folds or creases on the silk kimono she was wearing. Sharp, hazel eyes with various other pointed parts about her shone in contrast to Sakura, who was soft and still a bit round in the features due to baby fat. All in all, Mion seemed like a woman that could intimidate most men with her striking features.
After no immediate reply, the pinkette wondered if she had said something wrong before Mion stopped walking and suddenly grabbed her arm in a vice grip, the action causing Sakura's eyes to widen momentarily before trying to pull away.
"Hold your breath." Is the last thing she hears before she disappears alongside the woman.
In an empty hallway, only two slowly falling leaves could be found.
.
.
.
Despite heeding the warning, Sakura still ended up gagging a bit when they reached their destination: a dimly lit tatami room with a single table in the center. The room was plain with no other decoration other than the tatami that lined the floor and walls.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." The pinkette chokes out, doubled over.
"No, you won't." The reply came like a command.
Irritated by the woman's tone with her, Sakura forced herself upright to glare at the blonde though keeping any nasty retort to herself. She had read about the shunshin technique while studying up for a jutsu assignment and so she also knew only high level ninja could pull off something like that.
"Where are we? Who even are you?" Sakura spat out, backing away from the woman who was not what she seemed, "I don't even see a hitai-ate on you or anything! I can't trust you!"
And then, faster than she could blink the woman was bent down in front of her, hazel, moonish eyes staring down at her.
"Trust? The only thing you can trust in this life are your own abilities and if you don't know that yet, you'll soon find out, girl." The previously light voice, although deep and sultry, turned ice-cold and held no inflection.
Sakura had thought she knew fear- the fear of being bullied, not being accepted, of failing The Bell Test- but the ice coursing through her veins at that moment proved to be the truest kind of fear she had ever felt. Every pore on her body shrieking at her to get away from that woman with the unblinking eyes who will hurt you and teach you about trust.
"I-I-" The girl stutters out, scared beyond her mind.
And if she thought the woman's eyes were large, the smile that crept slowly upwards and outwards across her face grew to be even bigger.
"Welcome to the Hyakka, Hanami."
.
.
.
.
.
.
A/N: Taken great liberties (cough) from Gintama for inspiration on Mion and the current situation.
SPOILER BELOW…
Hanami will be the codename given to Sakura by the Hyakka. Similar to the animal names from ANBU.