Disclaimer: I don't own the series.
Summary: What was Sakura's purpose as a Shinobi? Sakura-centric
A/N: For years, I've contemplated about writing a fanfic about Naruto and was greatly disappointed in the writing of certain characters. As a long time fan, I felt compelled to write out what I felt could've been strengthened.
*This starts from the Chunnin Exams then loosely follows the main plot. This story will have around 3 chapters.
Chunnin Exams Arc
Quietly and proudly she rose.
"I may not have special techniques that set me apart from my team. I may not dream as big as the other two do", as she looked at her opponent square in the eye,"...but that doesn't stop me from wanting to be a shinobi."
Clumsily, she slammed her hand on her wound, a green glow emitting chakra to cauterize the deep laceration atop of her right thigh. She felt the blood clot enough to stop the bleeding. She only learned medical ninjutsu in a very short amount of time from the teachings of Anko and Kurenai. Sakura even remembered observing Kabuto's skill in manipulating his chakra back in the Forest of Death. Everything she learned in a couple of days she trained her hardest.
She glanced down at her right thigh. It was messy work and was sure to leave a scar but this was all she could do. Appearances didn't matter anymore.
The crowd atop of the circling pews grew silent with awe. A young genin doing basic medical ninjutsu. It was unheard of.
Then she sensed something. It was subtle but her opponent emitted a low frequency sound that she almost missed. Tendrils of vines weaved around her but she knew they weren't really there. She braced herself and focused despite the illusion enclosed around her. She caught her target's presence a few times, like a strobe light in a dark room revealing the person in quick flashes. It was difficult to see because it felt like an invisible hand seized the front of her face with intense wrath. Sakura barely beat Ino, only by dodging at the last moment to deliver a roundhouse kick to Ino's face. But this opponent was far more skilled.
The genjutsu dispelled in small cracks until she was able to see most of reality, right before her opponent lunged her spear right into her abdomen. Sakura evaded but couldn't defend herself against the clone behind her that swung her leg downwards, hard, on the nape of her neck. Sakura blacked out to wake up to ninja medics hoist her onto a stretcher.
She lost her fight against an opponent from the Village of Sound.
Sakura felt aches in her body and a terrible migraine. But she was thankful. She silently thanked Kurenai and Anko for the training and guidance that they could provide. In the stands she barely spots Ino and Tenten cheering her on despite the crowd getting distracted with the next round. She saw Naruto last before her sight was interrupted as they carried her on the stretcher inside the halls. But there was someone that was missing. Where was Sasuke?
Shikamaru was the only one to pass the Chunnin exams, she heard later on after the attack on Konoha. She was walking in a clearing, peering at the debris from the assault. She knew it was tense between Naruto and Saskue right now. She knew they were training to get stronger.
She felt insecure, like the weakest link between them. Kakashi wasn't available so she needed to find someone to help her train.
"YES MY SWEET CHERRY BLOSSOM. I SHALL HELP YOU IN ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED."
Sakura sweat dropped, scratching her jaw sheepishly. "Lee, please don't take this the wrong way…"
She just needed a sparring buddy specifically for Taijutsu, since, admittedly, she lacked in skill. A lot. Rock Lee's wounds have fully healed since the Chunnin Exam.
"NONSENSE. IT IS MY DUTY TO AID A COMRADE IN NEED. A BEAUTIFUL ONE AT THAT."
Ignoring his comments, they headed to the nearest training field to start right away. Rock Lee was exceptional in all types of Jiu jitsu. He praised her for her strength but added that she needed to work on her reflexes. He showed Sakura the basics of grappling, throws, & joint-locks, advising it to diversify her fighting style. Sakura quickly realized that her skill in Taijutsu was so low, that it was no mystery as to why her teammates and sensei always defended her. She felt abashed.
"It's okay Sakura. I know you're training with me because you want to be a better teammate to those two, not because you wanted to hang out with me."
"Again, please don't take this the wrong way. I did choose you as a sparring partner because you're exceptional at Taijutsu. Which is something that I lack. I acknowledge and praise that of you as a fellow shinobi."
Sakura couldn't see Lee's face. His shoulders slightly shook and quake. She felt bad and reached out her hand to his shoulder...
...and never got a chance to because he snapped around so quick and fiercely that she flinched back in almost fear.
"I HUMBLY ACCEPT YOUR PRAISE SAKURA-SAN. I MUST TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT YOU VIEW ME AS AN EQUAL. AND SINCE YOU"RE AN EQUAL TO TWO OF MY GREATEST RIVALS, IT IS THE UTMOST HONOR AND I WILL BE THE BEST TRAINING PARTNER I CAN BE."
She watched him as he hailed his speech with waterfalls of tears and his fist clenched so hard it can break a bamboo stick instantly. Unconsciously, she moves away slightly because she can feel his passion radiate off of his body like a fiery explosion.
It was the nicest rejection she's ever given. She was afraid of how he was going to take it and it turned out way better than she thought. And she has gained a great camaraderie and friendship out of it. It got her mind off of Naruto, who was traveling vast distances to training harder like he's never had before; Kakashi-sensei, whose aloofness and motives were never revealed until time permitted; and Sasuke…
Looking downwards and defeated, she didn't know what to think about him. It started out as a puppy love to an infatuation. But seeing how many times he showed her appreciation and respect was too few and too far in between. Thinking about him brought more thoughts of forlorn and abandonment. Maybe this was the time to forge new bonds in new people that saw the good and potential in her.
If she couldn't find support in her team then she had it find it elsewhere.
"Next week yeah Lee?"
Sasuke Retrieval Arc
Battles are shockingly easier than these kinds of battles. Seeing blood, ferocious enemies, and unnatural disasters were common for shinobi. But inner battles were a different story. Emotions were far more complex than jutsus and drive to make Shinobis make rash decisions. In the heat of a battle, shinobis were to taught to ignore emotions so as to not endanger others. But for Sakura, every ounce of her being as a kunoichi ran on emotions.
"Sakura, you have to let him go."
Sakura narrowed her eyes at Ino through her bangs. She was hunched forward on her chair lost in thought about the whole situation. Her other teammate and 4 others, beaten and almost dead in a hospital. It's a miracle that they survived all those battles with Orochimaru's followers.
They were two figures alone in the rest area in a clinic. Ino with her arms crossed standing in front of her broken friend. The sight of her made her remember the Sakura she knew when they were young, when she stood up for her against bullies. But she couldn't help but feel...disgust? No kunoichi should have to cry this much over others. Especially men. Ino clenched her fingers into her arms, hard.
"Look," Ino's tone was hard, "I'm not dumb to not see that you're obviously still attached to you-know-who. His actions pained me too but face it. He's a criminal now. This obsession is ruining you."
Sakura was quiet, too quiet. The tension grew so thick it could be sliced with a knife.
"You don't know what he's been through."
"Yes, I don't...but I've known you way longer than he has."
Ino furrowed her brows together, arms still crossed. Her expression, a mixture of worry and pity. It was no surprise to Ino to see her best friend resort to even defending Sasuke's actions.
Admittedly, Uchiha Sasuke, was, and still, a source of motivation in their time being kunoichis. More so Sakura, than herself. Sakura had to be physically around him, endure his rejections, his distance, his ultimate betrayal. Sakura's deep empathy for others is what drew her to Sasuke. His invulnerability; like a towering fortress where he stands at the top, in self solitary. His unquestionable drive to escape his own tragedy to spiral into more tragedy in the name of revenge was what propelled Sakura to want to be his savior, his light only. But this dark fascination also spiraled Sakura. Pulled her down and blinded all reasoning because she felt his emotions and almost followed him.
And here she is, defeated and worn. Ino can see through her hands covering her tear soaked face that Sakura still held on to Sasuke.
Sasuke was the person Sakura wanted to heal. But she couldn't and that thought broke her.
More time passed. No one spoke up. Sniffles and soft wails filled the room.
"We just became best friends again. I don't want to lose you."
The crying stopped and Sakura looked up.
Ino continued. "...but I can't stop you if that's what you want. I'm here for you." Sakura was taken aback at her words. For a moment Ino felt like a different person, older and a bit wiser.
Ino held out her arms and embraced her. Ino didn't like seeing her friend like this. As if a latch was lifted on a gate, Sakura let out another long cry. Her teammates were too tragic and her being on such a powerful team was even more tragic. She was glad she had Ino that she could open up to about the thoughts that haunted her since the Forest of Death. From the moment she saw Naruto and Sasuke broken and damaged from Orochimaru, she felt something click inside of her. Something that made sense.
It was only getting harder from here on out, she felt in her gut. She had to be resourceful and careful who to trust. But for now, she just needed to mourn the loss of her team. They were never going to be the same again.