A/N I had a bit of a stupid moment last chapter and ended up having to reupload the chapter. Lol.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 21

Four ninja ran through the forests. Kurenai was in front of the other girls, an unconscious, tied-up Akiniko on her shoulder. Behind her, the three genin travelled in a line. Ino and Hinata casted worried looks at Sakura who was in the middle.

The pinkette's face was down. She wasn't paying attention. Her mind only repeated a few words.

All Shinobi do it. All Shinobi do it. All Shinobi do it.

It didn't make her feel much better. How could it after what she had done? She had taken someone's life!

After Akihiko's falling, Sakura zoned out. She could only stare at the body of the man she had just killed. The dead man's brother tried to attack her but Kurenai arrived and trapped him in a genjutsu. Then the leader sealed the older twin's dead body into a scroll. Everything was a blur after that. She didn't remember returning the scroll to the Ash Village Kage. She didn't even remember most of the journey back home.

The Girl Squad made it back to the Leaf Village in the morning. The leader told them to meet at the Hokage's Tower the next day as she believed they deserved a day of rest. Kurenai left with Akiniko still on her back as she was going to bring him to Ibiki.

"Hey, Sakura." Said girl looked at Ino expectantly. She noted that the blonde didn't call her 'Forehead.' Hinata was standing by Ino, still looking worried. "Wanna go get some breakfast?"

"I think I'm just going to go home." The cherry blossom gave a weak smile before walking off.

Sakura found the silence while walking home extremely irritating. She expected Kokuo to say something but the dolphin-horse was staying silent.

"Sakura-chan, you know I can hear you?" The Gobi asked quite dryly. Sakura didn't respond. "Well, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Sakura asked, not caring about the odd look she received from some stranger.

"You've felt what it's like when I give you chakra, right?" Sakura nodded. But sometimes, when you're fighting, you somehow use my chakra without me knowing." Kokuo explained.

"What?"

"Back when you produced that blue fireball, I didn't give you the chakra. You took it yourself. Same with the time you fought the Sand ninja in the Chunin Exams. You enhanced your wind style by taking my chakra."

"Is that bad?" The kunoichi asked.

"Not particularly but..." The beast trailed off.

"What is it?"

"Nothing..." It sounded like it was something. "It's just I've never seen it before..." Kokuo hid what she truly wanted to say. "My last host never did it."

Sakura wanted to interrogate Kokuo about this last host of hers. No, she wasn't jealous. Definitely not jealous. Shut up!

The Team Seven ninja didn't realise she was home until she bumped into the door. Grumbling, she opened it and ran to her room. Oh, the joys of coming home when her parents were on missions.

Sakura couldn't believe that she had actually slept for sixteen hours. It was currently one in the morning.

The pinkette decided to get ready anyway. Maybe she could train until she had to meet Kurenai and the girls at the Hokage Tower.

She found it weird that she had no dreams. Sakura thought that her sleep would be plagued by nightmares and memories of her first kill. But she had only slept. No dreams or nightmares.

"Just like that." Kokuo said once Sakura produced blue fireballs at a dummy made out of straw. The Training Field was quite cold and the warmth from flame attack wasn't helping at all.

"I don't understand." Sakura replied. "What's so special about me being able to take your chakra?"

"I find it unusual, that's all." There was an undertone to the beast's reply. Sakura chose to ignore it.

"And the significance of the blue fire?" The cherry blossom asked.

"Your fire jutsu has been improving, especially because of my chakra." Kokuo seemed proud.

Sakura was about to produce another fireball but she was stopped by the sound of a branch snapping. Looking over at the forest by her, the pinkette saw a black figure. It seemed to be getting bigger. Wait. Sakura observed. It's not getting bigger, it's coming closer.

"Who's there?" She asked, ignoring the slight shake in her voice. The figure moved forward into the light of the moon and Sakura almost screamed at who it was.

He was burnt. He was bloody. And he was supposed to be dead.

Akhiko was walking slowly towards her. "The Gobi..." He said as Sakura began taking steps back. "Extract the Gobi!" He screamed.

I'm a ninja! She screamed at herself. I can take him! But...

He was suddenly in front of her and Sakura shrieked, falling onto the ground. His arms grasped hers and the kunoichi struggled against him. She was trying to get away, and she should've been able to but she was scared.

"Sakura!" It didn't sound like Akihiko anymore. "Are you okay?!"

The cherry blossom opened her eyes slowly to find her sensei staring at her, the same worried look on his face that she saw Ino and Hinata had before. Sakura looked at their position and noticed that she was on the floor of the Training Field. How did I mistake Kakashi-sensei for Akihiko? The girl asked herself.

It was silent as the silver-haired man helped his genin up. Sakura dusted off her clothes, not looking her instructor in the eye. She was embarassed.

"Kurenai-chan told me what happened on your mission." Kakashi said after a few moments of silence and awkwardness. "I'm sorry you had to go through that so early."

"Don't be." Sakura replied robotically. It was like she rehearsed it just in case anyone apologised. "I'm a ninja. It's what we do." She scratched her arm as she tried to think of an excuse to leave.

"That doesn't mean you're not human. I felt the exact same way you did when I had my first kill. Most ninja do." Sakura didn't reply and she didn't voice her shock at his statement. "But..." Kakashi continued. "It's common for a ninja to talk to a professional after their first kill. But I have persuaded the elders to let you talk to me instead."

Why did he do that? Sakura asked in her head.

As if he could read her mind, Kakashi said "I didn't really like talking to a complete stranger so I thought this would be better for you."

Not knowing how to react, Sakura nodded.

"I'll find you tomorrow." The cherry blossom expected her sensei to leave in a poof. However, instead, she felt his hand ruffle her hair. "Even though you feel bad about it, I'm proud of you, Sakura." He smiled widely before disappearing in a white cloud.

Sakura didn't know why, but she felt the over-whelming urge to cry after that.

A/N Sorry it's so short but I wanted to end it there.

By the way, I hope you check out a new fanfiction I'm writing called 'Sakura of the Sharingan.'

-Bit weird that the two fanfictions I'm writing have a Sakura taking after either Naruto or Sasuke. Jinchuriki and Sharingan.