Hello everybody! This is first time author Raven here. I didn't put a AN last chapter because I didn't realize how to but it all got sorted out.

So this is a dark Sakura fic and hopefully i will update regularly.

I like to say thank you to all who have reviewed and story alerted my fic. So without further ado ON WITH THE SHOW!


Chapter 2 The Festival

It was the day before the spring festival. It marked for new beginnings and renewing friendships. But for Sakura all it stood for was the day that Naruto left. She saw the villagers putting together some stands and signs. She was walking along when she heard some one call her name.

"Sakura! It is good to see you!" shouted Lee. Turning around she saw Neji and TenTen stand behind him. Lee seemed as energetic as ever. She suspected that Neji and TenTen were dating now. It was about time it happened too.

"Hello Lee. Are you going to help set up for the festival?" she asked in an indifferent tone.

"Yes, Gai sensei has asked us to help out. You can join us too if you wish!" He still had a crush on her obviously. It sort of receded after the first year Naruto left but it never really had ever gone away.

"Lee I'm sure that she is already busy.,,," said TenTen. Sakura shifted her gaze towards her and she immediately noticed that she looked away. Sakura knew that TenTen was one of the many people who didn't know how to act around her anymore. Neji than directed her attention towards himself.

"Sakura I heard you applied for ANBU. " It was then Sakura's turn to look away from Neji's gaze. When ever she looked into his eyes she felt as if he were judging her or trying to find something. Kakashi gave the same look at times and so did some others.

"Yeah I have but I still haven't heard anything."

"Nothing at all?" She knew that they weren't talking about her making ANBU or not anymore. Slowly turning away she replied,

"No nothing at all. I'll see you all later." She then walked away.

"Why did you bring that up Neji, you know how Sakura feels about that."

"I just wanted to know. It seems a little strange for Naruto to leave and not ever contact Sakura. But also Lee it's because I don't know how she feels about it anymore." Lee looked down the path Sakura was walking. He took a deep breath because he was starting to wonder too.

Sakura was on the training field practicing her aim. It would be a lot easier if she had someone to train with but everyone was busy with the festival. Throwing a kunai she hit the bull's eye. She thought about going into the Hokage's tower to see if there were any interesting scrolls she could learn some new jutsus from but still she knew the Hokage was busy. Not that she couldn't break in of course but she didn't feel quite up to it. She then heard a rustle in the tree. She stood very still. Was some one there? No impossible she didn't feel there chakra and she had become a near expert on that. She than heard a caw. What? Turning around she saw a raven on the branch. It was staring at her. Wait was it really? Sakura was somewhat unsure about this raven. It seemed different from regular ones, almost more intelligent. But she soon realized what she was thinking and quickly to test her theory she made some hands signs and said "Revealing Jutsu!" but nothing happened. So it is just a regular bird. She thought. If it wasn't that jutsu would've forced the ninja to come out of their transformed state. She heard her stomach growl. I guess I should eat. As she walked away she could still feel the raven looking at her.

Far away, deep within the forest was a person in a tree holding a raven's feather thinking to themselves, Hmm so she noticed the bird. Still it doesn't matter. It's time to make the next move, the clock is ticking away.

The raven flew off the branch and it flew deep within the forest.

Ino spotted Hinata on the street. "Hey Hinata!!" Turning around she spotted Ino.

"Oh h hey Ino."

"Are you ready for the festival?"

"Yeah I I guess th that I am." Hinata was staring at the entrance to the village. Ino looked at her knowing that Hinata was still waiting for Naruto to come back. Hinata looked like as if she knew that he could walk through the doors any minute. Ino smiled to herself thinking that Hinata would probably faint on sight of him.

"Ino are y you okay?"

"Oh yeah I'm sorry if I worried you." A moment of silence passed "Sakura use to come to the gates and watch them for a little while the first couple of months but it just became painful for her."

"You k know Ino we should tell Sakura to come to the festival tonight." Ino looked at her with a confused face. "Well if you think about it w when was the last time that you saw her out having fun. I m mean I really miss her company and tonight might d do her some good."

"You know what Hinata I think you're right. Come on lets go find her." I should've thought of this myself after all I am Sakura's best friend. I need to make up for all the times that it seemed that I abandoned her.

Sakura was eating her dinner when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in" she called.

"Hello Sakura."

"Hey Hinata, Ino."

"Hinata had this great idea saying that you should come to the festival tomorrow. So you're gonna go!" Sakura wasn't sure on how to take the news at first. It looked like she wasn't going to reply but then she saw Hinata's face and knew she had to go.

"All right I'll come along."

"That's great Sakura we'll have a great time and we will never forget it."

"Are you s sure you don't mind Sakura ?" "Of course not Hinata I'm sure we'll all have a great time." she said. Hinata gave a small smile and blush. Then they left. Sakura knew that tomorrow she would have to give effort to not hurt or be a burden anymore to others.

It night time and Hinata Ino and Sakura were all looking at the village. The streets were bright with lamps and the smell of delicious food filled the air. There were a lot of games and neat stands. The girls were wearing kimonos. It had been a long time since Sakura had worn one she was looking at it with her admiring eyes.

"Hey Hinata looking good." Hinata blushed at Kiba's remark.

Ino then said "Hey TenTen nice kimono." TenTen looked for who had complemented her then noticing Ino she smiled. Pulling Neji's arm she walked towards them. Neji nodded at them and looked at Sakura for a moment more but then turned back to TenTen.

"Lets have a great time everyone!"

They all played games and ate sweets. Sakura mainly stayed with Hinata and for her sake played the games and all the prizes she gave to her. Then out Ino said "Hey I heard that there is a little tent where there is supposed to be a great fortune teller. Let's go check it out!"

Ino and Hinata had already gone and come out. "You go in now Sakura she's really good actually but don't get caught off guard when you see her though just go with it." Sakura just nodded and went inside. There was a table covered by a table cloth and on it was a giant orb the color of topaz. But what surprised her was who was sitting behind the table, a child or more specifically a girl. But her face was not visible. The clothes she wore was of a very fine dress almost eastern style. But she wore a cloth on her head that didn't go over her face entirely but because of her tilting her head slightly downward and having her hair in two buns, the cloth was more like a hood.

"Welcome please sit." The girls voice was like the ones that were very monotonous and calming. She took the chair.

"What will you do? Tell me about a decision I will make turns out bad or that I will have fortune?"

"I can not say for sure now but I will only tell you what you want to and need to know." The child put her small hands on the orb and put it in her lap. It started to glow. "You have a lot of pain in your heart. You also are starting to wonder about you're life." Sakura was not amused. This person was a complete fraud. "You don't know about staying in Konoha anymore. You don't believe that you have a place here. You are starting to despise the things you see around you everyday. You want to let them see all the pain they've caused you." Sakura didn't know how to react. Was this how she was feeling?

"I don't know what you are talking about! I don't feel it this isn't want I want!"

"Don't yell at me for telling you this. It is you who came to me. What I tell you does not come from myself but from your own heart. It comes from all you have hidden deep within." A moment of silence passed.

"Is there anything else I should know? "Another moment passed. "Yes there is something coming that will change you and all that know you. You're decision will affect them all and what you decide will ultimately bring your own death eventually. It is coming soon." Then she put the orb back on to the table Sakura left.

"H How did it go?"

"Fine." Hinata then wondered, did this night help her at all? Sakura then noticed her face. Everybody else came and smiled "Wow I can't believe it's so late already!"

"Come on I heard that there's going to be some fireworks" and as if on they heard the loud explosions of the fireworks. Then deep down inside Sakura, she felt a certainty of events, as if she knew what she was going to do but yet unsure. She then looked to all of them and smiled.

"Thank you." Hinata was happy. She finally saw Sakura smile but little did she know that when Sakura turned away the smile vanished from her face and Sakura held her heart to see if she still felt anything.

After every one went home Sakura went to bed and just before she went to sleep she could've sworn that she heard the cawing of a bird far away.

Wow the creeeepy raven is back again. I wonder who's raven it is?

I know but do you? I bet you guys will never guess : )

So please RxR and any questions you have just feel free to ask. Also I might do a poll sometime in the future to have you're opinion what should happen in the story but I'll tell yo when