[ Chapter Seven: Role of the Avenger ]

She was born on March 28. Her eyes were a clear bright green, just like mine. On the day she was born, I looked into them with such pride and joy... And her hair... A very soft and very feminine tone of pink... Her distinct hair and eye made her name an obvious choice... Haruno Sakura... A beautiful flower generally known for belonging to spring... But the Sakura I held in my arms on March 12 would be one that would bloom all throughout the years...

The low rumble of thunder rolled through the rainy distance as Mrs. Haruno sat before a mirror silently weeping to herself. In her hand was a picture of the missing Sakura... Or, the now officially dead Sakura. It had been three years since Sakura first disappeared. After three years and no progress, Haruno Sakura was declared dead. That day had been the day of her "burial", or, more precisely, her ceremony. A group of friends and family gathered together and set up a small monument since they had no body to bury. It was a gloomy day. The dull summer of that year was long gone, and the fast approaching winter left they weather in gray gloom, a perfect compliment to the mood of the day. The day was long, gray, and heavy. Many people already accepted Sakura's death, but the loss was still as heavy as if it were the first time they realized the young woman's demise.

Mrs. Haruno kept the light of her room off while sitting before her bedroom mirror. The occasional flash of lightning would light up the room momentarily. She cried a mother's grief. A ceremony was done, but it's just a novelty for the mourners. According to religious rites, Sakura's spirit would remain restless until her body receives a proper burial. As a mother, Mrs. Haruno wanted at least that much for Sakura. Also, because no body was recovered, she didn't even get the chance to say good-bye to her daughter's face. It hurt her to be deprived of that. Mrs. Haruno knew her tears would continue to fall until she was able to give a proper good-bye.

A faint rustle could be heard behind her. Mrs. Haruno turned around to see who was there, but she saw nothing. Turning again to look at her mirror with sad, unfocused eyes, she thought she saw cherry blossoms falling outside the window in the reflection. She turned around again. A silent gasp escaped her mouth.

-----

Sasuke stood next to Kakashi and Naruto as they watched the body of Mrs. Haruno be buried into the ground. On the night of Sakura's ceremony, the Haruno's neighbor, who had been lingering in the house for moral support, was walking through the hallway when she heard Mrs. Haruno's voice and a faint thud coming from the room. The neighbor entered and found the body of Mrs. Haruno with a clean and carefully placed slash around her neck.

The news of Mrs. Haruno's death did not spread quickly. The news was too devastating and too tragic for it to spread around like a common rumor. The official death of Sakura, followed by the death of her mother spelled a grief so deep and so heavy that it couldn't move about. It's a sadness friends and family of the now deceased women kept to themselves.

The cause of death was unknown, but many suspected suicide. Of all that knew Sakura, Mrs. Haruno was hit the most with the young woman's disappearance. As the days passed since Sakura first disappeared, Mrs. Haruno grew more and more weary. She slowly lost her energy and zest for life. All hope was gone on the day of the burial. It violently ripped opened a wound that had been bleeding for three long years. It made sense to many that Sakura's mother would simply end it all.

As the crowd moved away, Sasuke leaned against a nearby tree looking at Mrs. Haruno's grave. His eyes narrowed with skepticism. After a few moments of looking ahead, Sasuke walked back to his apartment.

-----

Why do you do these things?

I am an avenger...

----------

(a few weeks later)

Sasuke stood before a nondescript area. It looked like it could have been any street in any given village, except it wasn't in a village; it was just a long road that ran for about a mile. He stood at the beginning end of a long dirt road lined by various vendors and two inns, each inn was located at opposite ends of the road. At the end opposite from where Sasuke stood was a somewhat closed-off path to a small mountain forest which held a few abandoned homes. The end he stood on ran into another road, the main road for travelers, which was lined perpendicular to the road on which the vendors and lined. This road ran parallel to the mountain and was where most of the passing travelers came and went. Sasuke couldn't recognize the area; it was not within the boundaries of any country or district he knew of.

Sasuke was traveling alone on an unofficial mission. At this point, he was an Anbu member, but he was given a lot of slack as to what he does. Since the burial of Mrs. Haruno, Sasuke thought about making some use of himself. It was thought that Sakura's mother committed suicide, but Sasuke wouldn't buy it. No one bothered to look for the blade left behind, and more suspiciously, the window was open. Sasuke took it upon himself to look for Mrs. Haruno murderer, whom he believes is connected with Sakura's disappearance. It was the least he could do for the two, he figured. He and Naruto were both looking for this killer, or killers depending on the situation. This unofficial mission was unofficially approved by the proper authorities. The mission was considered unofficial because affairs concerning the Haruno's were considered finished; Sakura was already dead and Mrs. Haruno killed herself, most believed. The authorities concerned knew Sasuke and Naruto were acting for personal reasons and decided to allow them to proceed. Also because it is an unofficial mission, the two worked separately. They had a number of different official missions that had to be accomplished as well. Because of this, it was easier for them to work separately.However, although they worked separately, they were on the same trail. Although Sasuke was alone, he knew Naruto would end up in the same area eventually simply because the clues lead them there.

Sasuke didn't think he (himself) would be around for very long. What he really needed to do was find out where he is so he can leave for the next village.

"Sir." he said grabbing the attention of a fish vendor in a near-by stall.
"Why hello, young man!" the vendor said immediately setting up his sales pitch "Interested in mountain fish?"
"Well, sir..." Sasuke said, not interested in any fish "I'm no-"
"I tell ya," the vendor interrupted "fresh water fish taste like none other. Not a lot of people live here, so the enviroment stays cleaner than most. Because of that, the animals are more fresh and more healthy. They make great meals! What do you think, young man? Can I interest you in any?"
"No, I've already had a meal. You see, I-"
"That's alright!" the vendor said, obviously a talkative one "This stuff is really fresh, I tell ya. They last for days before degrading!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not looking to staying in any one place for very long. I've got a lot of things to do."
"Well, I understand that, son. You do seem like someone important with obligations... Let me guess, you're a ninja of some sort, eh?"
Sasuke looked down at his Anbu garb and then back at the vendor "Yes, that's right."
"I thought so! We've had a few ninja types pass through this village. And I swear some of them even stick around here for quite some time. Of course, I can't really say for sure since they tend to be stealthy. I mean, they are ninjas after all!"
Sasuke gave a faint smile at the vendor's humor. However, he was in a hurry and he had things to do. "Yes, but back to what I meant to ask."
"Oh yes, of course. Go on, go on!"
"Where am I?"
"I figured you'd say something like that. A lot of people don't know what this place, even the locals... Well, I wouldn't say there are locals, just people who pass by. It's kinda funny how that happens, actually. The unofficial name of the area is Feint Village. The area was not officially a village or town; it is an area travelers generally pass through. In fact, the unofficial name was derived from that characteristic. It's unofficial name, created out of novelty by the vendors who sell there. Because the 'village' is the kind most people would simply pass through, memories of that village remain faint. The area was unmarked on the map, no one knows it actually exists, and really no one actually cares. It is, after all, the kind of place most people merely pass through. Take a look at this flyer; see how little emphasis there is on the location?"
Sasuke looked at the flyer and noticed that "feint" was spelled "feint" instead of "faint".
"Sir, why is it spelled 'f-e-i-n-t' when the village is faint, as in 'f-a-i-n-t'?"
The vendor gave a sheepish smile. "It really depends on who you ask. For some the village is feint, and to others it is faint."
"I see... Thank you, sir."

Stepping away from the stall, Sasuke looked up at the sky. There might be information to be had around here, Sasuke thought especially since the people around here are travelers. He looked up the road to assess the area. There was just the road and the closed off path into the mountains; no one appeared to be occupying the homes on them. He decided to stay at least for the night.

...

Sasuke walked along the crowded road, observing the area's dynamics. Most travellers who stop by seem to walk along one side of the road checking out the vendors, and walk back on the other side before going on their way to the main road. People also checked in and out of the inns as they needed. The vendors didn't seem like they lived there. Like the travellers, they came and went as convenient. The only people who seemed to stay consistently were the inn keepers. He observed the crowd move about the area. It was a medium sized crowd walking about the streets. The people walking the streets varied greatly in looks and stature, but the mix was so great that it was hard to tell the difference. It was the same difference, as the saying goes.

The numerous bodies walking busily from one stall to the next droned in Sasuke's eyes, making it difficult to focus. He shut his eyes in an attempt to concentrate. After a few moments, Sasuke walked to the side of a stall where he leaned with his eyes closed in order to clear his mind. He leaned his head back against the wall.

What am I doing here?... he thought It always feels like I'm here for a different reason...

As he slowly opened his eyes, Sasuke saw from the corner of his eye cherry blossom petals caught in the wind. They disappeared as he turned to walk towards them. He stared ahead, and again cherry blossoms appeared in the corner of his eyes. Following them with a little more haste, Sasuke walked back onto the road in the direction of the small mountain. He slowly walked towards the end of the road, not quite sure of where he was heading to. Strolling behind the flowing crowd, a flash of pink caught his eye.

She appeared before him. He made out her figure walking with her back towards him twenty feet away. Something was different about her image, but Sasuke couldn't tell from that distance in the crowd. She disappeared as she neared the end of the road. Sasuke put on an expression of slight realization.

Is this where you want to lead me?

----------

Author's Notes: There are a few things about this chapter, but the only one I'm going to mention is the whole "feint/faint" thing. The problem here is that Naruto takes place in some kind of Japan and the "feint/faint" thing is a play on English words. I apologize for that inconsistency, but I think it's clever, so it's staying.

Other than that, thank you for taking the time to read this. Despite the long periods between chapters (I really have to rack my mind for this fic, really), I promise it will get done.