Title: Way of the Cherry Blossom
"So, Sakura-chan, why did you decide to be a shinobi?" Tsunami asked, her hands deftly braiding the younger girl's hair. Tsunami was the only one around that Sakura felt would really know hair – while she still wanted to figure it out better, this would do for now. All of her hair braided in the back was still a handhold, sure, but it was shorter than her current hair, and she didn't plan on keeping it that way.
Just until she got back home and could talk to Mom.
As it was, the girl sitting on the chair blinked, surprised. "Why I became a shinobi? Well, my parents are both shinobi." Both Mom and Dad – it was simple enough. Most of the time, children of shinobi became shinobi, even if their parents never really got anywhere. It was what was done.
Tsunami, however, didn't seem to understand that, and smiled down at her. "Is that the only reason, then? Did you have to be?" Her question was tinged with a bit of concern, but Sakura… was more contemplative.
No, she didn't have to be. If she had truly not wanted to become a kunoichi, her parents would've let her do whatever her heart desired. Becoming a teacher, a writer, a hairdresser… they would've just been happy for their little girl. She knew she was loved – her parents had always wanted a big family, but there were complications in her Mom's pregnancy with Sakura, so she was the only child, the cherished child – and she knew they would support her.
So, no, it hadn't been expected of her.
Sakura's immediate answer was because of Sasuke-kun – but that wasn't true, either. Sasuke-kun came after she began attending the Academy, after Ino-pig happened. What happened first, then?
"Sakura-chan?" Tsunami's concerned question broke Sakura out of her remembering, and the girl had to forcibly stop herself from shaking her head and yanking on the braid.
"Sorry, Tsunami-san, I was trying to remember." And remember she did, biting her lip. "I… When I was very little, I met Hokage-sama. My Mom had been on a mission, and my Dad was taking us up to go see her. The mission wasn't confidential, so we were let into the debriefing." She had never told anyone this – not because it was a secret, but because no one asked, and she didn't think about it much.
"Hokage-sama likes kids, I think. He took me in my arms and he talked to me, like I was a real person and not just a little kid. He… told me I was the most important person in the village." Sakura let out a small, slightly breathless laugh. "I was so confused! I was just Sakura, you know?" Especially back then, when she could barely talk to anyone. "Hokage-sama thanked me for letting my Mom help protect the village, protect important people like me and my Dad. Then, he handed me back and we left."
It was a longer story than Tsunami-san had maybe anticipated, but she was good-natured and kind. She tied up the end of Sakura's braid, and gave her a pat on the head. "And that's why you decided to be a shinobi?"
Sakura nodded, reaching up to feel her new hairstyle, a better hairstyle for a shinobi. "I wanted to help him, too."
A/N: Long time no see! I've had this sitting in my folders for too long, and decided to finally upload it. Dunno when the next chapter will be out - we'll see when I have time + muse. I either have muse but no time, or time but no muse, alas... Anyway, in case anyone's curious, this is officially a For Want of a Nail fanfiction. Chapter 3 was the even that changed things - Naruto and Sakura talked and decided to get stronger to protect Sasuke (whereas they didn't discuss that in canon), and thus things are changing.
I look forward to showing you the repercussions.
In the meantime, if y'all want a good Sakura fanfiction, The Eyes Have It and its sequel Now You See It by Shana the Short are absolutely amazing. Basically: Sakura gets a dojutsu. No, there's no super-powered magical dojutsu! and it's honestly really, really great. Read it for the team dynamics alone. (There's also like. Absolutely no romance which is always something I prefer.) Check it out!