Shinri "Truth"
Chapter Ten - Lessons in Strength and Love
Truth - the state or character of being true.
Sakura was falling. Or maybe she wasn't. She felt far away, but she remained exactly where she stood. Standing came as a surprise to her. How was she even able to stand anymore? Were her legs acting of their own accord, or was it her white knuckle grip on the bars that was keeping her upright? Or maybe it was the sheer and utter shock that had shattered the connection between her mind and body, leaving her rooted, frozen, to the spot.
Desperately, Sakura searched for an answer, or just a question, anything to solidify into a coherent thought. But her mind was such a swirling turmoil that stringing together anything of sense and forcing it past her dry lips was impossible. She just stared, hollow eyed, at Tsunade.
The Hokage had been focusing her attention on recollecting herself, and having finally chocked the tears back far enough, continued to explain the gravity of the situation to Sakura.
"The Daimyo doesn't have anything against you personally, I promise you. This isn't about you anymore Sakura. It's just the jutsu, and the fears of what they can do."
Sakura still couldn't speak. She only stared.
"Konoha has suffered great loss over such things, like the death of the Sandaime Hokage at Orochimaru's hands. And with all of the enumerated threats outside of the village, the Daimyo and the council are just doing what they think will prevent another threat from arising within the village. I know they're wrong, but they think they are saving the village. I'm sorry."
Sakura sunk to her knees, her legs finally giving out as her body turned to the same mush as her mind. Tsunade stood by silently, giving Sakura the space and time to gather herself, if she was able to at all.
Sakura's mind finally strung a thought together.
"Doing what's best for the village. Saving the village from…me? Hah!"
Sakura only realized that her incredulous huff had been aloud when Tsunade looked down at her expectantly.
"It is out of my heart, out of the love and compassion I feel for the people of my family and my village that I will stand before them and be judged as a criminal. I meddled in affairs forbidden to women. I discovered powers forbidden to all."
Sakura's life was beginning to resemble her ancestor's. Maybe the scrolls were cursed.
"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."
Was Sakura prepared to die at the hands of her loved ones, just as Miharu had? It didn't seem she had much choice in the matter. She was going to be killed, whether she was prepared or not. The least she could do, was go to her death with dignity, just as her Great, Great Grandmother had.
Before Sakura could reassure her Shishou that she was going to be fine, someone approached from the hall. Sakura recognized the chakra as the woman who had interrogated her, and then recognized the face of Utatane Koharu, the council member, as she rounded the corner.
"Haruno Sakura," the old woman addressed Sakura formally, "I see Tsunade-hime has already given you news of the Daimyo's decision. As you can see, we do not take matters of village security lightly. I apologize for the harshness of the decision. I have come to hear you final request, if you have one, before the private execution tomorrow morning."
"Private? So they are keeping it under wraps? Does that mean that the rest of the village is unaware that I have even been arrested?" Sakura decided that it was most likely a good thing.
She mused silently over her final request. She eventually decided that if she was going to go to her death with dignity, it would help to not be starving. She cleared her throat and tried to lick her lips, but her mouth was still dry and uncooperative.
Eventually, Sakura choked out, "Just a decent meal, thank you."
The council woman nodded curtly, and left to make the request. Tsunade crouched down on the floor next to Sakura, but remained silent, still respectfully waiting for her student to clear her thoughts.
"I never thought…" Sakura's voice was still a weak whisper, "it would…end. Like this."
A crushing silence filled the room again as Sakura struggled to continue speaking.
"I…never amounted to…anything."
"Don't say that," Tsunade interrupted Sakura's self destructive thoughts.
"It's true," Sakura's voice had found some strength in anger. Anger at herself for her perpetual weakness.
"I'm still so helpless! I've always been the weakest one on the team!" Sakura clenched her fists in frustration, "I'm still just some weak little girl! I'm no Shinobi." The last sentence came with a tone of defeat.
It was Tsunade's turn to be angry, "Weak!? Compared to what!?"
"Eh?" Sakura was a little taken aback by her Shishou's outburst. She tilted her chin up so she could study Tsunade's enraged face as she continued her tirade.
"You can't compare yourself to that traitorous prick with his kekkei genkai!" Sakura presumed she meant Sasuke, "Or that loud mouthed idiot with his demon chakra!" and that must be Naruto, "You aren't giving yourself enough credit!"
Tsunade threw her arms in the air in annoyance, "Hell! Compared to them even I come up short in some arenas, and I'm the fucking Hokage!"
She stood with her hands on her hips, and towered over Sakura who sat mesmerized on the opposite side of the bars, "I trained you to be the best medic-nin we have! I trained you to be one of the best Shinobi that we have. I trained you! And if you ever belittle yourself like that again, I will take it as a personal insult!"
Sakura was flabbergasted. She would have been flattered, and beaming, if not for the impending doom that hung over her like a thick fog. Tsunade sighed, finally calmer, and nodded curtly at her stunned student before leaving.
"I'll bring you your food this evening, just try to rest until then."
"Sure," Sakura answered blandly, finding irony in the advice to rest up for her execution.
Tsunade turned to add a final thought before disappearing down the hall, "You're going to need it."
"What?" Sakura was thoroughly confused by the Hokage's last cryptic statement. Going to need what? Rest?
As Sakura's luck would have it, she most likely did need rest for some unforeseen reason, since no matter how hard she tried, rest eluded her. Her mind kept trying to wander, but Sakura shut it up. What mattered anymore? She would be dead soon. Nothing mattered.
Her attention turned to the mess in her mind. Her once meticulously organized thoughts and memories lay scattered across her mind's floor, or carelessly smooshed up in one corner. What did it matter, if she organized her thoughts now? Nothing mattered.
But out of boredom, and restlessness, Sakura found herself finally pondering issues that had been troubling her for the past few days.
"I'm going to get stronger! I'm going to bring that bastard back! You'll see! Just you wait Sakura-chan! Just you wait!"
Naruto. When she had found out he was leaving, she had been angry. More angry than was logical. Maybe, even then, she had a premonition that it was going to be the last time she would ever see him. What would it do to him, when he found out she was dead? Would he be able to keep on fighting, knowing that he had failed to save both of his most precious people?
"I could get in trouble," he nodded his head in emphasis as he spoke, "but I'll do it for you… Sakura-chan."
Lee. Stubborn, determined Lee. Peculiar. Downright…weird. But Sakura realized that for all of his shortcomings, he was someone who deserved her respect. Maybe even her love. Why did it have to take her impending death to make her see that maybe, just maybe, she could have loved him back? Maybe she really should have just given him the chance. What would he do without her now? Would he mourn, or would he just find someone else to harass. No, he would miss her. Lee was someone who really and truly cared. One of her precious people.
"It's OK, forehead," Ino chided, "We just started without you."
"What's new on the grapevine today, oh great gossip pig?"
Ino. They were best friends once. Then worst enemies, it seemed. But they had never really grown apart, and soon realized that they had never stopped loving each other, even as they fought over boys. Who would Ino bicker with now? There would be no more lunch time gossip. No more tea with Hinata and Tenten. What would they talk about after she died? Would they keep holding their meetings without her? Would they move on and try to forget, or would they continue on in her memory?
"I just want you to know," Sakura looked up as her mother spoke, "That I love you, and I support you."
Mother. She had sacrificed so much, and it would come to nothing. Her mother had put up with so much harassment from her husband's family, and had stood up to them, consequences be damned, all for Sakura's sake. What would her mother do now? How would she feel when she finally realized that she was completely and utterly alone?
Her grandmother shot a glare at Sakura, "May you be cursed! Cursed with… eternal loneliness!"
Maybe the curse hadn't been meant for Sakura after all.
"Uh…yeah…. Love you too," he gently patted her shoulder.
Kakashi-sensei. He hadn't thought much of her at first. She hadn't thought much of him either, for that matter. Who would have thought that she would grow to love the tardy perverted ninja? Who would have thought she would have grown to earn his respect? But now, she didn't feel like he would be proud of her anymore. What would he think of her when he found out why she had been executed? Would he react the same way the Daimyo and the Council had, and assume it was for the good of the village? Would he miss her at all after that? Did he really love her back?
"Thank you."
Sasuke. Prick. Sakura had inwardly laughed a little when Tsunade had called him that. But his behavior towards his teammates made sense in light of what Sakura had discovered. It wasn't some nameless man or rogue ninja that had wiped out Sasuke's clan. It wasn't some complete stranger that Sasuke sought for revenge. It was his own brother.
Had they been close? It seemed they may have been. Sasuke probably loved him, and looked up to his older brother. If so, then Sasuke wasn't cold to his teammates because he didn't care. It was just because he had cared for his brother more. And that love and trust had been completely and utterly betrayed in the most awful of fashions. What things had Sasuke witnessed that night? How terrible must it have been for someone so young to be left so completely alone?
"Thank you," his voice at her ear.
"Thank you for what, Sasuke?"
Sakura wasn't sure she'd ever know. But maybe, he was thanking not just her, but Naruto too, for trying to let him know that he wasn't alone anymore.
But now he would be. Would he even care, if he ever found out that she had died? Was he even the Sasuke she remembered anymore?
Was she even the Sakura he remembered anymore?
No, she wasn't. She had made a point not to be, to make herself better. Tsunade had said that she was one of the best Shinobi in the village. But now, she was right back where she stared, worse off even, rotting in a little prison cell, waiting helplessly for her fate to come crashing down on her.
"These scrolls contain jutsu I developed to help me protect the people I love. If you use them, then only use them as I had intended. Keep my sacrifice from being in vain. Sincerely, Mi-chan."
What could she do? She was helpless. If she tried to escape they could kill her.
"Keep my sacrifice from being in vain."
If she didn't escape, they surely would kill her.
"Why the hell not!?" Sakura demanded of herself when she hesitated at the decision that was laid at her feet.
"Escape? Escape and do what, exactly?"
She had no where to run to. She had no where to go. There would be no one on the outside waiting for her, giving her shelter, protecting her.
"Keep my sacrifice from being in vain."
Should she continue to learn the jutsu? Use them, to protect her precious people? Sakura wasn't sure she liked where her thoughts were carrying her.
If she did escape, and got away, it wouldn't be for long. They would hunt her down, and someday, they would kill her. The life of a missing-nin was hard, violent, and usually came to an abrupt end. And for what?
"Not what," Sakura answered herself, "Who."
They were worth it. Her precious people. If there was any chance, any chance at all, that she would be able to do something, anything, to keep everyone, all of Konoha, safe, then what kind of Shinobi would she be if she didn't take it? She was slated to die tomorrow morning anyway, she had nothing to loose, and everyone else potentially, had so much to gain.
It was a risk she was willing to take. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make.
Sakura would make the opportunity for escape later that night, after she had a chance to eat and replenish her chakra levels a little. With her mind in better order, and her goal in place, Sakura found that rest was no longer so elusive and she slowly drifted off to sleep on the cold stone ground.
"Sakura-chan."
The voice was familiar. Sakura felt stiff and heavy, like her limbs had been nailed to the ground. She forced her eyes open.
"Sakura-chan," Tsunade looked down at her gently, with a tray of food in her hands, "I have your dinner."
Sakura bolted upright, suddenly completely awake at the mention of food. She scooted over to the slot in the bars where Tsunade was sliding the tray under for her.
"I gave you an extra napkin, since I know how tidy you are," Tsunade winked suspiciously, and Sakura cocked her head in wonder.
"If I'm tidy, I don't need another napkin," Sakura thought curiously as she studied the retreating back of her mentor for what Sakura feared would be the last time.
"Thank you, Shishou!" Sakura exclaimed happily and she began to examine the contents of the tray.
Sakura had asked for a decent meal, and she wondered who's idea of decent the meal represented. There was hot tea, for which Sakura was grateful. A small lump of cold white rice sat adjacent to the mug of tea, which in turn sat next to a greasy looking pile of fried tofu wrapped in nori. The vegetable at the bottom of the tray, upon suspicious inspection, Sakura decided used to be green peas, until someone carelessly cooked them into oblivion. The extra napkin Tsunade had given her sat underneath the one the cooking staff had provided.
Wasting no time, Sakura devoured the rice. She washed that down with some of the tea, pausing a little to appreciate how the hot liquid soothed her throat which was raw from crying. She tested the tofu, and decided that despite appearances, it was actually quite edible, and downed it as quickly as the rice.
She poked at the peas, and some liquefied under the gentle prodding. Eww. Sakura resigned herself to her tea, it would do for now. She wiped her mouth with the top napkin.
Tsunade's odd behavior and cryptic words had made Sakura curious. She picked up the extra napkin to examine it. As she lifted the folded fabric, a heavy metal key came sliding out and crashed loudly against the food tray.
Sakura scurried to snatch the key up and tuck it into her shirt, praying that there was no surveillance that she was unaware of. The napkin itself, began to emit a tiny chakra signature as it absorbed and reacted to the chakra in Sakura's hand.
"Eh!?" Sakura was taken aback. Tsunade had been up to something.
She unfolded the napkin, which revealed Tsunade's handwriting hidden inside. The characters appeared slowly, reacting to Sakura's chakra as it spread across the napkin.
"Sakura-chan. I simply cannot accept that this is your fate. This is my last ditch effort to fulfill the promise I made to you when I assured you that everything would be okay. The key will open your cell, giving you the opportunity to escape. In addition, during the nightly shift change, I will be calling an ANBU meeting to discuss an Akatsuki sighting during a recent mission. This will minimize the number of patrolling ANBU that may hinder your escape. If you run into trouble, and have no way out, this napkin conceals a Corpse Scroll, which will react to your chakra and create a lifeless body in your likeness. If they think you are dead, they will stop looking for you. I have done all I can, the rest is in your hands. Good luck."
Sakura hurriedly tucked the napkin into her shirt next to the key. It was as if Tsunade had read her mind. Now, her escape seemed promising, and she may even be able to continue helping Konoha from the shadows if the Corpse Scroll fooled the ANBU like Tsunade had hoped.
In a short amount of time, Sakura's mood had gone from miserable, to excited. She was no longer mourning her own death. She was ready to accept her new challenge.
Sakura scanned the room for something to pass the time until the shift change. All she had was the food tray of brown green peas. And a spoon. And the stone wall. That would do.
Sakura used the spoon to poke around in the soupy mess of peas until she found one firm enough to be a suitable projectile. She loaded the once vegetable onto the spoon, bent the flimsy metal utensil back and sent the pea zooming towards the far wall.
"Splat!"
It was a gross, if not slightly satisfying sound.
Several dozen pea splats later, Sakura felt the ANBU guards around the perimeter of the building move. Most headed to Hokage tower, none were immediately replaced. It was time.
Sakura bent the spoon back and took aim at the stone wall, now peppered with a brown green rash. She focused her chakra and let the pea fly.
"Ninpou, Fukappatsu na Jikoku no Jutsu."
A/N: That's two extra updates in one week! I'm on a roll! A shorter chapter, mostly introspective, that's why. Only two chapters left! I want to thank everyone who reviewed, especially my anonymous reviewers, since I can't respond to them personally. Muse monkey is getting fat! We have a contest winner, and the synopsis for their prize request is posted on my profile. Since it will no longer be a one-shot, since I'm overzealous like that, I can only work on one of my other two stories before things start getting neglected. So I posted a poll, so everyone else can help me decide which one to write first, since I love them both equally. Thanks for reading!