Kakashi steps out of the apartment, secure in the knowledge that the woman inside is properly settled and will most likely be asleep within the next twenty minutes. Taking brisk steps forward and out into the village, he allows his mind to roam freely over the many revelations of the past few hours.
Firstly, his mind lingers on the thought that this young woman, his student, has travelled through time and into the past. Not only is that utterly incomprehensible - and he does feel a thrum of pride for the youngest on his team - but the fact remains that Sakura was born with neither the innate chakra levels of a Jinchuuriki or the Uchiha power. For his most nondescript student to evolve in this way quite surprised him; that, and it makes him wonder what Naruto and Sasuke became.
And speaking of Sasuke, he thinks, passing through the innocent streets of Konoha, her response to the very mention of him is worrying. The Sandaime has entrusted him with Team Seven because he believes that Kakashi could stop him from seeking revenge. Had he failed? What happened in their lives to make her react to him in such a way?
He doesn't know, and it bothers him more than he would like to admit.
For now, however, he has a bell test to prepare for; not only does he have to think about future events (and isn't that stressful), he has to mentally prepare for teaching his Sensei's son.
Idly, Kakashi realizes that his steps have once again led him to the memorial stone. He knows that one day he should stop mourning, move on with his life - but today, that can wait.
Sakura peers at the door her teacher left through scarcely a moment ago, giving her mind another chance to accept her current reality.
Now that she's alone, her status in the village somewhat established, the gravity of her situation hits her like a wave. She doesn't panic, she doesn't break down; she simply sits on her new bed and sighs. She's dealt with enough in her lifetime that she knows she can deal with this.
Still, the thoughts of Naruto, Kakashi, Ino - everyone, hang over her like a fog. Her friends are functionally dead. The Rookie Nine she knew are now gone forever, their personalities, their personal journeys, all erased within moments.
However, they still exist within her. Their memories live on through her, and using that knowledge, the knowledge of her friends - she can build an even better future for them. She can teach them, train them, save them. She'll make sure of it.
Silently locking away her feelings on her friends, and determined to create a better future, Sakura allows herself to drift off into sleep.
Who the hell invented sunlight may not be a common first thought upon waking up, but as Sakura's eyes flutter open to the bright morning sun reflecting through her window like a signal mirror, she can't help but feel as if she's been struck blind.
Quickly, she blocks the sun's rays with her right hand, her left tossing aside her blankets as her legs swing over the side of the bed.
It's really amazing what a day of rest can do, Sakura thinks, as her legs hardly complain even when she stands and begins walking to her flat's little excuse for a kitchen. Grudgingly, she eyes the empty shelves and checks the barren cabinets, silently cursing the fact that ninjutsu can make you travel through time but it can't do something as simple as materialize food. Turning her head away from the dismal emptiness of the kitchen, she checks for a clock; the time reads ten thirty AM and the date as two days from her arrival.
Out for two days, huh, she notes, understanding now why her body feels so much lighter and her mind so much clearer. Ignoring the growling in her stomach, she quickly starts a shower, relishing in the fact that it's probably the first real one she's had in weeks. Battlefields don't exactly make for prime bathing grounds. She lets the water cascade down her back, soothing the faint remnants of stiffness; however, she has a Hokage and an old sensei to speak with. Briefly turning the water to scalding, she readies herself before turning the water off completely. Just as she begins to step into her old and grimy clothing, she notes that someone has left a sleeveless black turtleneck and grey sweatpants, along with what she guesses are gloves packed underneath the pile of clothes.
Unfortunately it seems that her gift fairy forgot that she needed to eat, but she's survived on soldier pills for much longer periods of time, anyways. After slipping into her new clothes, crunching a soldier pill between her teeth, and sliding on her boots, she finally makes for the Hokage's office.
Opening the door to her apartment and walking into Konoha to breathe the crisp fresh air, Sakura realizes that this simple action is something she has sorely missed. On the battlefield, the smell of smoke and blood had settled into the earth as if seared into it. Not to mention that Konoha didn't even exist anymore - merely seeing people stroll along the streets and browse through shops was surreal. Konoha is alive and thrumming with life, even if a little too lazy and comfortable for her liking; their relaxed mindset and confidence in their own peaceful status alone had been the cause of many preventable deaths.
Amidst the normal bustle of the village, a sharp, childish cry startles her from her train of thought. Head snapping to the source of the sound, she finds a little girl with blonde hair and deep brown eyes holding her knee, which was scraped quite badly and bleeding freely. She briskly walks over to the scene, eyes absently flickering to a rock that the girl must have tripped on. Gently, Sakura crouches down in front of the girl, lightly placing her own hands over smaller, much softer ones. Her eyes soften in sympathy.
"Can I help?" she asks, gazing sincerely into the little girl's rich almond eyes. "I know a ninja trick that can patch you up right away," she says sweetly, grasping the girls hands even tighter, inclining her head with a smile.
Surprised by the presence of the grown woman before her, the little girl nods silently, removing one hand from Sakura's grasp and pointing at her skinned knee.
"It hurts right here," she sniffles out quietly, bottom lip quivering. Once she catches the bright green light of medical chakra, however, all traces of hurt fade into an excited and fascinated curiosity.
"Miss, what's that?" she asks brightly, eyes glittering.
"This is called 'medical ninjutsu'," Sakura explains, "it can heal all sorts of injuries! These sorts of scratches are no problem at all," she says encouragingly, watching as the girl's face breaks into a wide smile.
"Can it heal anything?" the blonde asks innocently, eyes alight with childlike wonder.
Briefly, Sakura's mind flickers back, recalling her first brush with death as she held her nearly severed body together with nothing but medical chakra and sheer force of will.
Carefully plastering a smile onto her face, she pulls her hands away as the skin finishes stitching itself together.
"I don't know about that," she says, faking disappointment as she helps the girl stand; tossing her hair back and striking a pose, she confidently adds "but I definitely can!", sending the girl into awestruck admiration.
Inwardly, Sakura smiles; little children are so easily impressed and amused, and she missed that innocent element of Konoha.
Bidding the child goodbye, Sakura turns once again to the streets of Konoha, resuming her trek towards the Hokage's office.
Before she had made it two steps, a low, cool voice calls out from beside her as a flash of silver enters her peripherals.
"So you became a medical ninja?" the copy-nin asks, sliding into step beside her.
"Of a sort," she replies. "Technically I was a frontline shinobi, but I had also mastered medical ninjutsu under Tsunade," she continues, glancing sidelong at her new travelling companion.
Kakashi doesn't miss the implications of 'frontline shinobi'. There was a war, then, he implies, mind heavy with the implications of such a thing.
"What about Naruto?" Kakashi asks innocently, his eyes not missing the immediate flash of an unidentifiable something that briefly entered Sakura's own.
"I suppose you could say he fulfilled his dream, in a way," she says cryptically, face twisted as she tries to find the right words. Technically, Naruto had become Hokage, but the village was destroyed shortly after, reduced into the next bloody battlefield.
Before Kakashi could question her further, she mutters a quick 'We're quite close to the tower'; a clear and clumsy redirect of the conversation but one that Kakashi accepts nonetheless, confident in the knowledge that she will open up when she sees fit.
They fall into a companionable silence, Sakura drinking in the sights of a fully-intact Konoha without the strain of wartime, and Kakashi reading his precious novel while sneaking subtle glances to gauge his (past? present?) student's reactions to various sights and people while considering the woman beside him.
To him, she seems withdrawn. Two days ago when she had first arrived, she seemed for all the world as someone on the edge of losing their mind; that had concerned him, but as he notes the soft smile playing on her lips and the gentle wistfulness of her expression, he marks it down to exhaustion and possibly a temporary emotional overload. Still, the girl he saw in the Hokage's office worried him. Such aspects of one's personality don't just come and go based on mood; that cynicism and weariness is still there. However, as he thinks back to her brief interaction with the civilian girl, he finds himself somewhat reassured. There's still kindness and playfulness, and a subtle gentleness and willing to help others - there's still hope hidden in her jaded eyes.
Before he knows it, the two of them find themselves at the foot of the Hokage Tower.
"Well, let's get this over with, I suppose," Sakura says somewhat timidly, eyes briefly flashing with trepidation before steeling over with something Kakashi thinks is akin to resolve.
Quickly stepping forward, the two find themselves in Sarutobi's office via shunshin, immediately standing to attention.
"Hokage-sama, I've fully recovered and therefore am of a sound state to answer any and all questions you deem fit," Sakura begins, speaking professionally in an open tone. "I'm ready to begin at any time."
Sarutobi - having already sent his Anbu guards away upon the arrival of the teacher-student duo - nods solemnly, activating the privacy seals. Briefly his gaze is cast to Kakashi, trying to feel for his attitude towards the current situation; however, he remains unreadable as always.
"Very well," the Third states, his aged voice cutting through the silence. "Have a seat and we may begin."
As Kakashi and Sakura settle, the former on a rickety chair and the other perched on a stool, the Sandaime begins the question and answer session.
"You mentioned the Chuunin exams, and Orochimaru's return," he begins, face stony and impassive as he mentions his former student. "What, specifically, were the ultimate outcomes of these events?"
Sakura pauses as she mulls over the question, making a mental list of the important events resulting from the Konoha Crush.
"Ultimately, the biggest resulting factors would be an alliance with Sunagakure, the snake's unfortunate usage of seals on both Naruto and the Uchiha, and your death, Hokage-sama."
Her words briefly hang in the air as the other two occupants of the room digest the information they've been given, the Sandaime looking remarkably unfazed at the prospect of his own death.
After giving them a moment to recover, Sakura continues.
"The alliance with Sunagakure became vital to us in the future, though an alliance could be conceivably forged in other ways. Both Naruto and the Uchiha were changed as a direct result of Orochimaru's sealing, in different ways; these factors need to be avoided at all costs, especially Uchiha Sasuke's sealing," she bites out between clenched teeth. Knowing that this time's Sasuke and her time's Sasuke are different doesn't make it an easier pill to swallow, her mind struggling to separate 'ruthless murderer, personal torturer' from 'fresh genin'.
Kakashi's mind becomes thick with unease. The way Sakura speaks of Sasuke is definitely hostile in nature, and that would be putting it lightly. What precisely happened between them? Just as Kakashi was going to ask - he needs to know, Sakura cuts him off with a knowing stare.
"You don't need to know," she says icily. However, her eyes betray an undercurrent of worry; Kakashi, taken aback by the frigidity of her words, is left wondering why she would direct such an emotion at him. Nevertheless, he concedes the battle of wills with a glance towards the Hokage, who tactfully sets the conversation back on track.
"As for my death," he intones blankly, "what was the result of that? Should we avoid it, or let it happen?"
Sakura blinks at the unexpected resolve in the Sandaime's tone, tilting her head curiously.
Then again, she thinks, it's typical of the Hokage to give their life for the village, isn't it?
Shaking the thought from her mind, she speaks bluntly.
"I don't know whether or not your death was ultimately conducive or detrimental towards Konoha's future as a whole. All I know is what resulted from it; that is, Tsunade becoming Hokage, and Orochimaru losing his ability to perform any ninjutsu whatsoever. You sealed away his arms with the Reaper Death Seal, which ultimately bought Konoha time. However, your death was also a significant loss in stability," she states, gesturing with her hands to emphasize the two factors. Taking a breath, she continues, "Ultimately, I can't say what's more important; though I can say that with the added time, we had the flexibility to become more stable on our own, yet without the initial stability, we remained fairly scattered all the way until Konoha's first destruction," she finishes, mouth slightly dry after her lengthy description of the aftereffects.
Unfortunately, she didn't quite understand why Kakashi and Sarutobi were staring at her with widened, somewhat shocked eyes - that is, until the Hokage finally speaks up.
"The first destruction of Konoha?" he breathes, eyebrows furrowing in worry as Kakashi looks on silently.
Sighing, Sakura pinches the bridge of her nose with her fingers, having forgotten that they had no way of knowing Konoha was destroyed in the first place and how relatively small it was in the grander scheme of things.
"Yes, the first destruction," she sighs wearily, yet again feeling the magnitude of the 'big picture' and its complexity threatening to overwhelm her.
"I know it's hard to believe, but ultimately it was a small stepping stone for bigger disasters on the way," she says finally, eyes still closed and hand rubbing her temple in frustration. "Let's just focus on the current matter at hand," she says with an air of finality, effectively allowing no more questions to be asked on the matter. "We can discuss this later."
"Very well," the Hokage concedes, albeit reluctantly. "I do have one question, however," he continues, hooking his fingers together under his chin.
"You said that Team Seven was attacked by Orochimaru himself. Not as any doubt on your current personal ability, but how did three genin survive against him?"
Sakura's eyebrows furrow as she allows herself to think back on a time she hasn't thought of in years.
Truly, the three of them should've died then and there; it was pure luck that Naruto appeared when he did, convincing Sasuke to fight, thus piquing Orochimaru's interest. In fact, it's a wonder Sasuke survived the sealing - although with the Uchiha's naturally overpowering emotional nature, Sakura supposes that his will to live was simply stronger than the seal.
Sakura still wishes he died instead.
"Sakura-san?"
A quiet voice pulls her from her reverie, effectively reminding her of her current position.
"My apologies," she states plainly, "I got caught up in the past." She shakes her head minutely and takes a deep breath.
"Ultimately, it was the Uchiha's existence that saved us," she concedes fairly. "Had he not garnered Orochimaru's interest, the snake would've killed all of us then and there."
Sarutobi frowns, eyes subtly betraying regret and guilt.
Picking up on this, and not in the mood for the Hokage's self-pity, Sakura quickly directs the conversation elsewhere.
"I think it's best that we leave the students as they are for now. I believe our best option is to let Orochimaru think we know nothing; let him sneak into Konoha, let him enter his genin. However, send out a guard to shadow Team Seven. I can give you all of the early signals of Orochimaru's attack; hell, I could even shadow them myself if you so desire," she states confidently.
"You think yourself capable of taking on Orochimaru?" Kakashi asks, breaking his silence from the corner, eyebrow raised.
Tilting her chin up slightly, she allows herself this moment of pride; even if it's a bit childish, some part of her always wanted to show this time's Kakashi that she is something to be feared and proud of.
"I'm one of the second-generation Sannin," she says, eyes flashing with mild defiance. "I can hold him off."
Kakashi blinks, registering this information; his civilian, nobody student became a figure on par with the Sannin? He definitely picked up on her wording - 'hold him off' instead of 'defeat him', but to even be able to go toe-to-toe with a Sannin - especially the White Snake - for any amount of time and survive is a feat worthy of praise.
"Yes, speaking of," the moment is interrupted yet again by the Hokage, "we will need to do a performance test and figure out where to place you in our ranks," he continues, eyes meeting Sakura's. "Perhaps a spar? Kakashi, are you free for the rest of the afternoon?"
Sakura's eyes light up deviously, eyes sliding to Kakashi as he raises a brow in question, eyes somewhat gauging her response, his mind flashing back to the fight on the training grounds as he catalogues everything he knows so far.
Sakura, unfazed, grins wildly.
"A spar sounds excellent."
A/N: Yo, I'm back. A bit sooner than before.
Also, apparently I can't decide what tense I want to write this story in? It's kind of all over the place, and I want to apologize for that. I've mostly just been writing headcannons and editing them into 'understandable probably maybe enough to get the point across'
Let me know if you have any opinions! Would the story be clearer for you as readers if written in past tense instead of present?
I know this update was uploaded quicker than the last two, but unfortunately I can't promise such a thing for the next one. My work schedule is fairly unpredictable as of now, but I'll hope to write whenever I have the time and inclination to do so. Thank you for all of the new follows, reviews, and favorites! I love you all, lovelies 3
- xAya