Danzo's reign over the village of Konohagakure was merciless and often times viewed as unjust but no one could argue the fact that under his rule Konoha was flourishing. Financially the village was stable and this was thanks to the mission quota all ninja were required to fulfill. The Hokage was indiscriminate in regards to what missions the village would take, often selling the services of the top shinobi to the highest bidder. Many of the more naive ninja of the land of fire had been forced to come to terms with what they were truly viewed as: tools.
Regardless of what the contents of the mission scroll were, the receiver could not reject their mission on any foundation. Doing so resulted in sever and swift punishment. At first many of the younger ninja tried to refuse their missions on ethical grounds. Danzo had these shinobi drug into the bowls of the Hokage tower and when they returned it was with an obedient attitude and a distant gaze in their eyes. Fear had forced the once proud ninja of the fire village into compliance, it was not only their own lives at risk but the lives of their loved ones and family. The Rokudaime had shown no qualms about taking innocent life to inspire obedience in his people. Each day the hope of release from Danzo's strings grew dimmer and no one dared speak of rebellion anymore. Besides, who would lead them? Naruto had left the village behind him and Kakashi, once the prime candidate to become Hokage, had bent his knee to the old man.
So in the face of adversity they did the only thing they could: adapt. Slowly the shinobi began to fall into a rhythm, they would rise with the sun and collect their mission scrolls, complete their missions and return to collect another. They could return to their homes to bathe and sleep between missions but aside from this the only time off the shinobi were granted was a one day leave given at a random point in the month. If one ignored the grueling work schedule, discrimination, and threats of torture, the stability was almost enjoyable. By behaving within the letter of the new laws attention from wandering ROOT members could be avoided. So with no other choice than despair the shinobi began to conform to the standards of their new society. Emotions were further repressed, opinions no longer voiced and they all fell into a mechanical grind.
Exhaustion was a common symptom among the fire ninja these days but being a medic-nin had it's advantages. Sakura was often able to stave off her fatigue better than most in her field without having to resort to solider pills. Such a skill was useful on days when she promised Kurenai to pick up her daughter from school. The kunoichi had worked out a strict pattern with her missions to help aid the struggling single mother as often as she could. Trotting through the civilian district had been uncomfortable for her at first, it was almost like walking into a completely different village. People would smile and wave to her, often stopping her along the way to engage in idol conversation. It was unnerving for the cherry blossom that these people could be so happy in such dire times. She often had to remind herself that the civilians experienced none of the hardship of the shinobi. Ignorance truly was bliss.
The school house was a large, almost church like building on the edge of the district. It was surrounded by a large field filled with wild flowers, half of which had been converted into a playground. Children were running rampant through the field, laughing and rolling through the grass in care-free abandon. No matter how depressed Sakura was feeling, this sight always lifted her spirits. Even if her world was burning at least some good was being born from it's ashes.
"Sakura-neesan!" cried an excited voice, belonging to the raven haired three year old running towards her.
"Akiko-chan!" Sakura replied, kneeling down and spreading her arms wide. "I missed you!."
Akiko plowed head first into the kunoichi's arms, giggling and babbling excitedly. "Me too! Me too!" she exclaimed.
Scooping the girl up, Sakura hugged her tightly, letting the child sit on her forearm as she entwined tiny arms around the cherry blossom's neck. "I made you a picture! Mama will give it to you!"
With a nod of acknowledgment to the girl's teacher, Sakura started off down the street while the child rushed to tell her everything that been going on while she was gone. "I also broke Schmellow's tail. Mama was so angry. I no mean to! But Sakura-neesan can fix it! So Schmellow won't have a crooked tail! Then he'll let me pet him again. Yeah?"
"I'm sure he'll forgive you in time." Sakura smiled reassuringly at Akiko. She would never understand why the girl had named her skinny, black short-haired cat "schmellow." He looked nothing like a marshmallow.
"Where are we going Neesan?"
"To the park, your mother said she'd meet us there before sun set." They were passing through the market square which served as the only connecting bridge between the two separate districts. It was always teeming with life, be it civilians shopping for groceries, ninja acquiring new armaments or tourists looking for souvenirs. Akiko loved to visit Ino's flower shop and sit in the large window, watching people and making up back stories for them as they walked by. Today however Kurenai wanted her daughter to engage in more physical activities, so they left the square behind them and started down the large, wooded path that lead to the community park.
"Aww, I wanted to see Kaka-san!" Sakura's lips twitched into a smile at her lovers nickname.
"I'm sorry, but he's away on a mission right now."
"Awwww." Akiko sulked for a few moments but her disappointment was soon forgotten as she squirmed uncomfortably in the medic-nin's arms, hiding her face against Sakura's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Slowing her walk she looked down at the child, frowning in confusion.
"I no like those kiddies.." Peeking out over Sakura's shoulder, she stared behind them for a few moments before hiding her face again.
Still confused as to what had caused the usually bold and outgoing girl to become so timid, the kunoichi stopped walking and turned her head following Akiko's line of sight.
Yards away from the path was a field lined by low, thick hedges on which rows of young shinobi practiced, instructed by a masked ROOT captain. They moved through their drills monotonously with blank expressions and unblinking eyes. Looking into their small, pale faces sent a chill up Sakura's spine. No child's eyes were meant to look so vacant. Trying to shrug off her discomfort the medic-nin resumed her walk towards the park but the empty faces of the young children followed her. A few months ago she heard Danzo had resumed classes at the new ninja academy but she had avoided the new school as if it were diseased. The sight she had seen today appeared to indicate as much.
"They make me nervous.." Akiko said softly. "They look at you...but they no see you. They stand in the rain and you can see their goosebumps but they no feel the rain. Mama told me ninja used to be honorable people but not anymore. She said I should no trust any ninja I dun know, that most fire shinobi are just dogs now."
"Your mama is right Akiko, but be careful who you say that around." She rubbed her nose against the girls. "Now, put it out of your mind and let's have some fun!"
With a brilliant smile Akiko jumped down from her arm and dashed off towards the playground, waving excitedly to a friend she had spotted on the seesaw. Sakura however couldn't quite let go of what she had just witnessed. As she watched Akiko tackle the boy off the seesaw and hug him tightly, the cherry blossom was suddenly thankful of the discrimination against female's in the field. Kurenai's daughter would never have to experience the horrors of the shinobi world and the Hokage's new training procedures. Though if she had been born with a blood line limit...not even her gender would have saved her.
The fingers on her right hand gave a sudden twitch, drawing jade orbs to her digits. Blood was splattered across her pale skin. The sight made her eyes widen, caused her breathing to hitch. Closing her eyes she shook her head.
"Easy Sakura...It's not real." Slowly she forced her breathing to a normal pace. Clenching her fist a few times she opened her eyes and looked down at the offending appendage. The blood was gone. With a sigh of relief she looked back to the playground. Akiko was playing happily on the seesaw with her boy friend, no doubt chatting about her misadventures with Schmellow. Idly she scanned the playground, looking over the other children and the parents watching them with pride and amusement. Sakura recognized none of the faces here, so when her eyes caught sight of one that she did, it took her by surprise. What startled her even more was who it belonged to.
Standing at the very edge of the grounds, almost hidden by the shade of the trees was Anko. There was no sign of her usual daring demeanor however. Her shoulders were hunched while her features where set in a pained expression and she seemed to be staring off into the distance. Immediately anxiety welled up in Sakura's stomach. The medic-nin had seen the snake-wielder like this only one other time, when she had left the Hokage's chamber with her title of Jounin and locked eyes with the woman for a brief moment as she was summoned into the same room Sakura had just vacated.
Fueled by curiosity Sakura decided wait for Anko to return from Danzo's chamber. When she did it was with her head held high in pride and a swagger in her step, it was nothing but a front however. Her eyes reflected all the pain and suffering she was truly experiencing.
"Anko...what did they-"
"So we're the only ones huh? Make sure to keep your chin up squirt. We've got reputation's to uphold."
She attempted to brush past Sakura, but the cherry blossom reached out and touched Anko's shoulder softly. When their eye's met again, the jounin's brown orbs were shining with unshed tears.
"I did what I had to do. Someone has to give hope to the people." Her voice was strong and unwavering, it contrasted with the tear that snuck slowly down her cheek. "Hope is always worth fighting for. No matter what the cost."
This time she did brush the younger kunoichi aside, disappearing down the hallway.
Why was she here? And in such a state? Squinting slightly, Sakura noticed dark patches on her trench coat that could not be attributed to the shadow of the leaves. Slender fingers peaked out from a torn, dirty sleeve and with a start she realized there was blood dripping from the tips of Anko's fingers. All at once her chest constricted as if she had been punched in the solar plexus, the image struck far to close to home. It also dawned her that Anko was not simply staring into space. Her gaze was steadily fixed across the playground, watching someone.
There was no blossoming epiphany or sudden realization, just the undeniable knowledge that Akiko was in danger. With all the agility expected of a top-ranking jounin Sakura was across the playground and holding the girl in her arms. Pivoting on her ball of her foot, she was ready to make her escape when a hand clamped firmly on her shoulder.
"Don't...you'll just get yourself killed."
"Anko...What have you done?"
"Neesan..?" Akiko's voice quivered with fear.
"Please Sakura...they're already here. Don't fight. Please."
"Please Sakura!...please."
A second voice had imposed itself over Anko's causing Sakura's hand to twitch once again. Whirling around, the pink-haired kunoichi snarled at the snake-wielder in anger but Anko only stared back at her with pleading brown eyes. That chocolate gaze that looked so much like hers.
"Haruno-san." The subject of the medic-nin's glare was switched to a lanky ROOT captain standing in the middle of the playground flanked by several of his lower ranking lackeys. Around them civilians stared and gathered up their children, making haste from the scene of what they were sure would be a battle. Anko's hand remained fixed on Sakura's shoulder.
"You are ordered by the Hokage to turn Yūhi Akiko over to my possession where she will be escorted to speak with him."
"Why?" Sakura demanded. She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, it would only serve to get her in trouble. Anko's grip tightened.
"Neesan, I don't want to go!" Akiko clung to kunoichi, shaking in fear.
"These orders were handed down from the Hokage himself, are you daring to question them?"
Saying nothing she continued to glare at the captain. She could make a run for it, but what good what that do? She wouldn't make it past the gates. Maybe she was over-reacting? Maybe Akiko wasn't in danger and Danzo only wanted to speak with her for a purely innocent reason. Looking down at the cowering child in her arms, Sakura stroked her head softly.
"Akiko.." nausea threatened to over take the medic-nin, "Go with the Captain. Do you know what an honor it is to be summoned by the Hokage himself?" She tried to smile. "You'll be safe with them and when you get back I'll be waiting for you at your house okay?"
Wide, red eyes stared up at Sakura. "You promise...You promise I will be safe?"
"I promise Akiko." She hugged the girl tightly then set her on the ground, kissing her forehead. "Everything will be okay." Sakura affirmed as she patted her head gently.
With only a small amount of apprehension Akiko went to the ROOT captain, smiling up at him even if it was an unsure one. Surprisingly the Captain was gentle with the child, lifting her up gingerly and rubbing her shoulder reassuringly.
"You're compliance is appreciated Haruno-san." With a quick hand signal the squad dispersed from the playground. As they disappeared from view Akiko waved silently to Sakura who could only bring herself to smile in return.
"Sakura.." Anko began once the ROOT squad was out of sight.
Immediately a fist smashed into Anko's cheek sending her to the ground. Sakura's eyes shone with fury, her arms shaking in barely constrained violence.
"Who's blood is it?" the cherry blossom demanded.
"Just let me explain.."
"Who's blood, Anko?"
Looking away, sadness crept onto the older jounin's face once more. "Kurenai's..."
"You bitch!" Instantly Sakura was on her, pinning her to the ground and repeatedly slapping Anko across her face. "She was your friend! Your comrade! You grew up together, she trusted you!" Tears were running down her cheeks without notice as she continued to yell.
Anko made no effort to fight off Sakura's attack. "It was a mission...I had to do it. You know we can't refuse missions."
"Facing execution is far better than killing your friends!" she cried.
"If I died, you would be alone in this Sakura!"
"I don't care!" Her fierce blows came to an abrupt end." You didn't want to die, is that it? Why? So you could keep "hope" alive? There is no hope anymore Anko!"
"That's not true! You don't mean that!" For the first time Anko raised her voice in protest.
"It is true. You need to open your eyes and realize that." Slowly Sakura pulled herself off of the kunoichi. Anko's face was a bloody mess, pieces of cheek bone were sticking through the flesh.
"What did he want with her?" a numb calm was settling over Sakura.
"I..I don't know. I wasn't privy to that information.."
Shaking her head the medic-nin wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and started away from the playground, leaving the snake-wielder broken and bleeding behind her.
"I'm sorry..." Anko called after her.
Sakura froze, her hands clenching as anger threatened to consume her once more. "No..you don't say sorry for this. You don't have the right to apologize. You will find no forgiveness, not here."
With every step away from the park the medic-nin's mood grew darker. She wanted to go to the Hokage tower and demand to know what would happen to Akiko but she knew what punishment waited for those who dared question the Rokudaime. Who was she to accuse Anko of being a coward? At this moment she had the power to save a little girl yet she made no deviation in her course towards Kurenai's home. Execution as a traitor was a harder death to face than any that could happen on the battlefield.
Kurenai's home was a modest abode deep within the civilian district. Sakura always had an easier time finding it than Ino's house thanks to the beautiful garden of azaleas growing out front. There were more than just flowers waiting for her. Curled up on the front step was a large, black cat watching her approach intently. When she sat down next to the feline he gave a large yawn and stretch before sluggishly getting up and jumping into her lap where he snuggled against her stomach and began to purr. Absently she began to scratch behind his ear as she stared off into space, lost in her own depression.
As the day wore on, many of the neighbor's came out to inquire about her presence but she gave them no reply and soon enough the left them alone. Time passed slowly but eventually Sakura was left sitting in the darkness of the early morning hours. Why was she not surprised that Akiko hadn't returned home yet? The medic-nin knew that she would not be seeing the child again yet she stubbornly clung to hope. She had berated Anko earlier for still believing in hope, yet here she was clinging to it like a drowning woman.
"Go home, Sakura-san." the voice did not startle her, in fact she had sensed his approach moments before his arrival.
"What do they want with her Sai?" Her voice was gentle, she couldn't bring herself to be demanding.
"I'm sorry. You know I would tell you if I could."
His reply caused the tears she had been holding back since leaving the park to well up once more. Her bottom lip quivered as she pulled her legs to her chest and brought her forehead to rest on her knees. Beside her Schmellow meowed his concern at her suddenly distressed state.
"I hate this..." Sakura choked out.
"So do I." he replied softly. Turning her head she looked up at him, surprised at his admission. It had to be the truth, it was dangerous for a ROOT captain to admit to such things.
"Will I ever see her again..?"
"Maybe.." Sai said. "Only time will tell."
With a sigh the medic-nin rose from the step, picking up the skinny cat as she stood.
"I suppose Kakashi will just have to get used to you.." she whispered to the cat who merely looked at her with a perplexed expression.
"See you around Sai." She started away from the house but a hand on her arm stopped her. Looking up at Sai, she cocked her head. He was full of surprises tonight.
"It only takes one person to inspire change Sakura. The right person, but one none the less."
She gave no reply to his words other than a raised brow and a blank stare. He continued holding her arm for several moments before letting go and bowing to her. Sakura opened her mouth then closed it before returning the bow and disappearing in a swirl of smoke. For a long time Sai remained in front of Kurenai's house, staring at the azaleas. He had wanted to inspire confidence in his former teammate but she had reacted below his expectations. He had never thought Sakura, who had always burned so strongly with the will of fire, would break but it seemed as if this world had destroyed any trace of the girl he once knew. He hoped that one day she would find her passion again and lead her comrades out of this spoiled world Danzo had created. On an act of impulse he reached down and uprooted a group of flowers. It would be a shame to let such beautiful azaleas wither.