Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto/characters.

The ( ) 's are flashbacks.

Puppet in Pink

2. My Lovely Childhood

No love for her, now, but nothing could help,

Word nor hand nor sharp-honed blade...

...The pain could find no relief,

She could only live with it, or leave grief and life

Together...

-Beowulf

"Girls aren't strong."

It was one of the first lessons she could remember learning.

(First Day of School, Ninja Academy)

It was Sakura's first day of school. Shy in the new dress her parents had bought her, she hid behind her mother, small hands clinging to the only person she knew. "Don't be so frikkin' shy, Sakura!" her mother hissed, shaking her legs free of the child and throwing her to the floor.

"Oww..." Sakura whimpered, but silenced herself immediately at a harsh glare from Keiko.

"Keep on the lookout for that boy I told you about, dammit!" It was obvious that Haruno Keiko had been drinking earlier. "There he is! The Uchiha boy!" her mother exclaimed excitedly, shoving Sakura savagely towards a solemn-looking raven-haired child standing alone, with his back to everyone else.

Sakura hesitated. Though young, she could sense his aura, and it wasn't a pleasant one. Her mother noticed her reluctance and slapped the pink-haired girl on her cheek. "Now go say hello to him the way I told you, stupid." The words were growled as Sakura was practically tossed at the Uchiha boy. The boy turned around slowly at the presence of Sakura, and looked her in the eye.

"What do you want?" he said in an exasperated tone that was too mature for his years.

The pink-haired girl's face, previously plastered with the smile that had literally been beaten into her, froze and paled at the sight of the boy's eyes. "Ahem..."Keiko was becoming impatient. Sakura shuddered. She knew all too well what would happen if she screwed up this opportunity.

Summoning all of her childish courage, she donned the grin again and said, in a shaking voice, "H-hello, I'm H-Haruno Sakura...nice to meet you..." her voice trailed off to a whisper.

For a moment, the boy just stared back at her, and Sakura felt herself withering under his gaze. She knew at once that she didn't like him, not at all. He snorted in disgust. "I don't especially care what your name is," he said coldly. Sakura could feel her mother staring daggers into her back, so she tried again.

"Ummm...would you-" "Just get away from me," the Uchiha interrupted in a tone that could have turned boiling water to ice. "You are weak. Weak people are disgusting." He then turned his back and sauntered off.

(Later That Night)

"Mommy! Please, stop it!" Sakura tried to shield herself from the blows that her drunken mother directed at her. "It-it's not my fault, I don't want to marry that mean-"Sakura's mother threw a porcelain statue at her cowering daughter, which shattered as it hit her head. She popped open another beer and took a long swig. When she looked at Sakura again, Keiko's eyes were blazing with intoxicated anger.

"It's not your fault, you say? It's not your fault?" She slammed the bottle down on the table. "That excuse doesn't cut it with me, missy. It is too your fucking fault." With another huge gulp, the beer bottle was emptied and thrown at Sakura.

"B-But Mommy..."the pink-haired girl forced herself not to cry. Crying would only bring more punishment, though her face was so covered in blood and bruises that tears would go unnoticed.

"Don't you 'But Mommy' me, young lady. The Uchiha clan is one of the wealthiest clans there is. The Uchiha boy is the heir to that clan, so he's the heir to their money. You hearing me?" Keiko clawed open another case of beer. "Damn you, girl, I've told you this a million times if I've told you once. Marry that boy, and you won't have to worry about money for the rest of your life. You'll be rich. We'll be rich. Your idiot father won't have to put in fourteen hours a day at the power plant just to keep us fed and clothed, and we'll live out our days in comfort!"

Sakura had heard this many times before. Though she was still a toddler, she knew the reason why her mother wanted so badly for her to seduce the Uchiha boy. Money. And not money for Haruno Sakura. Money for Haruno Keiko. But she also knew it was useless to argue.

"Listen, kid," her mother chugged another beer, words slurring under the alcohol's affects. "If you value your pathetic little life, you'll do exactly as I say. No complaints. Is that clear?" Keiko waited for an answer, then threw the half-full bottle at the little girl. It hit her full in the face, and the sickening liquid burst out all over Sakura's brand-new dress, which was already torn and blood-stained. "I asked," Keiko cleared her throat, "Is that clear?"

The pink-haired child struggled to speak as the bruises on her face began to swell. "Y-yes," she managed to stammer.

"Good girl. Now get up," Sakura's mother commanded, reclining in her chair with a beer bottle in each hand. The girl tried to pick herself up off the ground, but her knees gave out and she slumped to the ground again. "Get up already or I'll throw-"Keiko gagged on her drink. "What the fuck did you do to your new dress!" Without hesitation, she grabbed a case of empty bottles and tossed them at her struggling daughter.

(A Few Months Later)

"Sakura, I'm signing you up for a class in flower arrangement and manners. It'll be every other day at 1:30 pm."

"But Mommy, that's my extra training and practice time! I can't get stronger if-"Sakura immediately regretted having spoken up. Her mother grabbed her by her collar.

"See here, missy, don't you dare get all righteous with me. You're a girl, Sakura."

"But I wanna be a strong-" Sakura was slapped on both sides of her head.

"You are an idiot. Listen to me, Sakura- girls are not strong. Get that through your stupid thick head. If you want to charm the Uchiha child right into your arms, you've gotta learn the feminine arts. Being strong will get you nowhere."

"What about when I study scrolls? You don't hit me for that." Sakura knew she was toeing a very thin line. And on the other side of the line was death...

"Numskull! Boys don't like strong girls, I said. Nothing wrong with girls that are smart and cute. But never nerdy. If you wanna marry Uchiha, you've got to always be flirty, always be happy, always be weak. The guy is never saved by the girl, remember. Girls are not strong."

"But I don't want-" Again silenced, by the sound of broken glass.

Try as she might, Sakura refused to accept that, no matter how many beatings she got. However, as long as her mother was around, she was doomed to pretend, watching as she was shaped into a pretty, thoughtless flower-doll, nothing but an airy cherry blossom puppet that could be crushed with one breath. And yet she studied her scrolls with a passion, long into the night, waiting for the day when her strength could catch up to what she knew. Someday when her mother was gone, she would be stronger than them all.

Sakura's smile widened until it threatened to crack her face in half. Her green eyes glowed. Nobody stood in her way now. And now was the time to get stronger.

How ironic, she thought. In molding their angel, they had formed a demon.

What a surprise her teammates would have the next morning.