After watching the scene in Road to Sakura when her parents are about to head out into battle and certain death, this almost wrote itself. One thing about Mark's general character archetype is his propensity for taking in strays. I envisioned Mark and Kaguya taking in all three members of Team 7 and raising them as their own children. It would have made for an interesting time when it came time for Sasuke to leave the village...
Hall of Records File 2
"Keep in mind I got all of this secondhand from Kaguya. I was out of the village at a diplomatic summit. The invaders were at least smart to attack when I wasn't around. I should have been though…" Mark looked into his cup of tea; Lily took her brother in law's hand to soothe him. Brilliant green eyes imploring to just the tell the story. "The Harunos were two of the bravest people I ever knew. I served with them during the Third Great Shinobi War. Kaguya and Mebuki were good friends, and Kizashi and I went out drinking on occasion. He was alright, if you were willing to listen to his bad jokes."
"I'm glad to see you were so close." Lily smiled.
"They got married when the war ended and Sakura was born shortly after that. Those first few years were pretty rough. We were still rebuilding our forces after the Kyuubi's attack, so they remained on active duty. Kaguya and I would normally take care of her alongside Naruto and Harry. They had just returned from a mission when the attack happened." Mark let his mind sink back to that night so long ago.
"They've made it through our third defense line, Commander Haruno! We can't hold them back much longer!" The ninja rasped, clutching his bandaged arm. "Of all times for the Hokage to be out of the village!" Kizashi assessed the situation. So far the attacking horde had been mostly bandits and common thugs. Not a problem for the elites of one of the Big Five, but still, they were causing plenty of mayhem and destruction. Unless a decisive blow was struck, many more would die.
"I see…Alright, we'll head out then." Kizashi said. Mebuki stood by his side. She had made it very clear that she was going with him. The Haruno Patriarch wasn't pleased but his wife was stubborn. There was no dissuading her at all. Little Sakura ran up to her father, green eyes full of stark terror at the whole situation. Kizashi smiled warmly, He looked down at his little girl, the one who meant the entire world to him. Sakura would be the one reason he and Mebuki risked their lives for the village.
He reached into his flak jacket and pulled out the cherry blossom pendant he bought shortly after her birth. "Listen to me very carefully, Blossom. Mommy and I have something very important we have to do." He gently put the necklace into her tiny hand, closing her fingers around it. "We need you to be brave for us."
"Daddy…I'm scared!" Sakura whimpered, tears starting to form in her eyes. Kizashi looked to over to Mebuki. She knelt down to give her five year old daughter a hug.
"Everything will be okay, Sakura. We're not going to let anything happen to you, sweetheart." Mebuki spoke in her most motherly tone, rubbing her daughter's back to soothe her, Her maternal instincts strengthening her resolve to protect her most precious treasure. She planted a kiss on Sakura's forehead, "You do everything Aunt Kaguya tells you to do. Mommy and Daddy love you very much. You always remember that okay?"
"Okay Mommy." Sakura said. Kaguya put her hands on the little girl's shoulders as her parents departed the Hokage's office, heading out to join the fray. It would be the last time Sakura Haruno would ever see her parents alive…Kizashi Haruno, Jounin Commander of the ninja forces of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, alongside his wife, Mebuki Haruno, would both give their lives in service to the village.
