Right. I apologize for any of the confusion the previous chapter might've caused you, and, as one of the oh-so-kind anonymous reviewers pointed out, the whole 'I'm a good shinobi at one moment, the next I kick puppies and burn ants' was a bit weird.
Okay, very weird.
So I made a sorta-kinda filler that will hopefully help things run more smoothly and let the real action begin.
Oh, and by the way, I received some comments about people not really liking the tiny bit of NejiSaku fluffiness, and I understand that, but just so you know, in the summary, it says MultiSaku, which basically means, multiple pairings with Sakura in them. So apologies, but if you don't like NejiSaku you'll just have to deal.
Or send me a request for a pairing. I can deal with that.
ENJOY!
"Akatsuki…No…Sakura."
Silence.
"Tsunade-sama… What does that mean?" Kiba questioned.
Tsunade sighed and looked from one ninja to the other. Most looked curious, some surprised, but only Hinata looked worried.
"It means… It means that Sakura of Ame is a cover name. A trick used to gain our trust."
Ino looked confused. "A cover for what though?"
The Godaime rubbed her temples. "A criminal." She levelled everyone with a cold, calculating look in her eyes. "You've all become acquainted with her. Some more than others. You've all fallen for her incredible charm and quick wit. You trusted a criminal. A killer. She manipulated you all into trusting her. Caring for her. That was her aim all along."
Neji and Shikamaru, as well as everyone else stared at the Hokage, dumbfounded.
"She managed to wrap you all around her little finger. She used the trust you placed in her to achieve her own goals. She even got me to take care of her, to trust her. But there's nothing of that left now. She chose her own path as a kille-"
"That's bullshit!"
Everyone froze. Slowly, all heads turned towards the person who had spoken, their eyes widening as they saw the small, fragile Hyuuga heiress, her hands balled into fists, an angry red blush staining her cheeks.
"Excuse me?" Tsunade asked sharply.
"What you were saying…" Hinata ground out angrily, ignoring the shocked looks directed at her. "Was a lie. You know it. I know it. Sakura-chan helped me. She did what no one else was willing to do. She believed in me." Hinata spat. "I will not let anyone talk badly about her. Not after she was the only one who even remotely cared. Even slightly acknowledged me."
Neji stared at his cousin, a mix of shock and pride evident in his eyes.
"I trained with her for an entire month before the Chunin Exams. I know what Akatsuki does. She told me. They want the Bijuu. As well as the Kekkei Genkai. I have the Byakuugan and information about Naruto-kun. She could have questioned me. Tortured me. Kidnapped me as a bait. She did none of that. She. Was. A. Good. Person!" Hinata shrieked.
Silence rang clear as a bell through the small room. Everyone was shell-shocked at the supposedly shy girl's outburst. Hinata hung her head, her bangs shadowing her eyes.
"Show her some respect. Please."
Sakura sneezed.
"Coming down with a cold, I see?" Shiso asked as he crawled out from his tent.
"Nah. Ninjas don't get colds, Shi-kun. Someone must've been talking about me." Sakura replied good-naturedly.
"Yes, yes, because the world revolves around our dear Sakura-chan." Umi replied sarcastically as she too exited her tent, the sleeping bag still cocooned around her small body.
"Not a morning person, are you, huh Umi-chan?" Sakura teased.
"No." Umi grumbled. "But I at least get some sleep, unlike other people." She pointed out.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Shiso asked.
"Well, Shi-kun, did you do guard duty last night?"
Shiso stared at the brunette, a puzzled frown etched on his features. "No."
"What about the night before that? Or the night before that?"
"Uh…" Shiso's eyebrows scrunched together. "No. I did two hours guard duty on the first night. I just assumed that you were switching it between everyone."
"Exactly. So did I. But guess what Shi-kun? Turns out we were wrong." Umi remarked.
Sakura was cursing inside her head. Why, oh why did Umi choose that exact day to be perceptive? Sakura would have given an arm to make Umi stay as the oblivious, happy-go-lucky girl she'd known for the past two months.
"But… That would mean that it was just Kaimei-sensei and Sakura-chan swapping the guard duty between each other." Shiso frowned.
"That's right. And since I don't really think that Kaimei-sensei is the kind of guy who would give up precious hours of his beauty sleep just to make a group of Chuunin feel better, I believe that we'd come to a conclusion as to why or rather how we had peacefully slept for the past four days instead of freezing our asses off in the middle of the night."
Finally understanding what Umi was getting at, Shiso's eyes widened before they both turned their accusing gazes to their rosette friend.
"Well?" they questioned in unison.
You know… I like it much more when they argue and fight…
Yeah… This is downright creepy…
Should we tell them the truth?
I guess…
"Look guys, I've just been having some pretty whacked up dreams and that resulted in temporary insomnia. I don't want to go to sleep. You two were allowed to stay blissfully oblivious to the ugliness of the world and had just recently begun to see it as it really is. Bloody. Deadly. Unfair. I was exposed to that when I was still just a child. So please, just let it go." Sakura pleaded.
Her plea for understanding was met with silence. Just as she thought that they would tell her to get her head out of the clouds, or reject her, she felt two pairs of arms wrap around her middle.
"G-Guys?"
"We're sorry, Sakura-chan." Shiso began.
"We always knew you've seen more than you let on, but we never knew that it was that serious. We were just trying to look out for you." Umi concluded.
Sakura smiled. Their words meant the world to her. The Akatsuki were her family, and she cared for them, but kindness is not the most popular emotion between criminals. Even if she managed to beat Hidan or Sasori in a spar, she knew that she would always be weaker. Even if she could answer Itachi's questions, or persuade him to play shougi with her, she knew that she would never be on the same intellectual level as him.
After a while, she got used to being second-best. And the fact that she was only another piece in the game for dominance her father was playing no longer brought tears to her eyes.
So when she heard someone who she'd only know for a few weeks say what could possibly be the kindest thing she'd ever heard, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
Her mask broke.
"You know guys, I'll never think of you as teammates." She declared.
Umi paled, and Shiso moved to let go of her, taking her declaration as rejection.
But they both froze when thin, but strong arms wrapped around their shoulders and they felt Sakura's hands lightly stroking their backs in a comforting way.
"You'll forever be my best friends. My only friends." She whispered.
As her body shook with quiet sobs, Hinata traced her fingers over the tear-stained scroll. She fingered the small holes in the paper where her friend's pen had pressed so hard that it pierced the delicate surface of the scroll.
Tears rolled down her pale cheeks and landed on the paper with a soft splat, splat, splat, as she reread the letter for the fifth time.
Dear Hinata,
I apologise for my cowardice. I was afraid that if I were to talk to you directly, my barrier would break. I imagine, that by now the news of who I really am had gotten to Konoha. I trusted you with the information, and you cannot imagine how much it means to me that you kept silent for all this time.
However, I am now like the Uchiha. A criminal. It's only a matter of time before the Godaime sends assassins after me. She knows I know too much. It is possible that I'll die before I get the chance to see you again.
Time is running out, so I will tell you what I should've told you long ago:
You are strong. Possibly stronger than me. And as much as I know you will deny it, it's the truth.
Because true strength is not how many jutsus you know, or how big your chakra reserves are.
It's what are you willing to risk for those you love. What are you willing to sacrifice.
You made me see that, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
One last thing – I know you think of me as a friend. Someone precious. But I must ask you to put it all in the past. Because it will make everything easier…
When I ask you to kill me.
-Sakura
Hinata let one last sob escape as she gazed out of her bedroom window and she marvelled at the peaceful, calm, seemingly unhurried sun setting, slowly disappearing behind the horizon.
It's like it has all the time in the world… She thought.
She glanced at the letter, thinking about one particular line that stood out to her in her friend's good-bye letter.
The raven-haired girl sighed.
"Oh, Sakura-chan…" she whispered. "I'll never be as strong as you…"
Neji stared intently at the piece of parchment before him, as if his glare would make the message the pinkette was trying to convey clear.
Destiny is no matter of chance, Neji. It is a matter of choice: It is not a thing to be waited for – it is a thing to be achieved.
Then, in a flash, he remembered. The day he lost his first match. The day she beat him.
"That's what you think, don't you?" she asked quietly, "That none of us have a choice. We might be given a destiny to follow, but it's strictly our choice if we follow it or not. I have cheated destiny more times than I can count. Sometimes oblivious to the fact, sometimes purposely. I was destined to die before I even had the chance to live. But I didn't die. I have cheated death and slipped away from destiny's grasp, so don't you dare tell me we don't have a choice! Only those who can't make decisions of their own succumb into the path their destiny sets for them. And it's cowardly to do so."
It was then that he knew what she wanted him to do.
Sakura…
She wanted him to choose his own path.
"Finally!" Umi cheered as they neared the gates that led to Amegakure. "It's so good to be back!"
Shiso laughed at her childish antics. "I can honestly say I missed this place." He looked around. "Even the ever constant rain."
Umi turned to face her pink-haired teammate. "What about you, Saku-chan? Did you miss home?"
Sakura was at loss as to what to say. She had thought that she would feel at least a bit happy about returning, but strangely, she just felt… empty.
Because this isn't your 'home'.
Sakura almost jumped. The voice of Inner was irritating, but having the Sage randomly shoot out questions or comments at her was even weirder.
What do you mean? I grew up here. I should feel at least a bit pleased.
You are a Creator, Kami-sama's own creation, and a shinobi. Your only 'home' is on the battlefield.
Sakura tried to stifle a snort. Kami-sama. Che.
Don't you believe in God?
The rosette froze momentarily. I shouldn't have to answer questions asked by a voice of a man who died centuries before my birth, who, to top it all off, lives in the back of my mind. She thought. But somehow, she couldn't resist answering.
I don't know. I didn't mean for it to sound like I had stopped believing in God. I'd just stopped believing God cared. There might be a God, and there might not, but I don't think it matters. Either way, we're on our own.
"Hey, Sakura-chan?" Umi whispered to the rosette. "Why are people staring at you?"
It was true. When they entered the village many people stopped and nodded to Sakura, while others bowed.
Just as Sakura was about to answer, a young woman stopped before the group and bowed to the pinkette. "It's good to have you back, Sakura-hime." She then stood and walked off.
Umi stared at Sakura. "Sakura-hime? As in, that Sakura-hime? Pein-sama's daughter? The Princess of Ame?" she questioned.
Sakura sighed. "Yes Umi. That Sakura-hime."
Shiso jumped in as he noticed Umi getting ready to fire out another group of questions. "Umi stop! You're scaring Sakura!"
"How can you not be surprised? We spent the past two months with a princess!"
"For me to be a princess, my father would've to have been King. But he's not. I'm Sakura, Umi. Just Sakura."
"You've treated her normally for the last two months. I can see she wants you to treat her normally now too." Shiso added.
"But-! But how did you know?"
"She said that when she introduced herself, remember? Hello, I am Akatsuki No Sakura. If you weren't being such an idiot then maybe you would've remembered!"
Umi stopped. "Oh yeah…" she muttered.
Shiso rolled his eyes and motioned for Sakura to continue walking with him. Sakura smiled when she heard him mutter a 'Crazy kid. How did she even become my girlfriend?' as he walked with her.
They were a good 10 meters away when they heard and unmistakeable sound of thumping feet and a shriek of 'Hey! I'm not an idiot!'
Sakura laughed. Ah, good times…
So, did you like it?
Oh, and yeah, if you want to have any of your favourite pairings with Sakura, and I will try to fit them in. Just remember, I have to keep it T rated ;P
Ja ne!