A/N: Ehhh, I just decided to continue it. So, I hope you enjoy it :)
Currently, it is going to be a time skip to 16-17 years old for Sakura and 21 to Itachi, so Sakura is a chunnin (slightly upcoming jounin) and Itachi is currently in akatsuki now. There will be some parts of different ages, but the main story will be with these ages.
Enjoy :)
"You're home!" An innocent, little voice rang erratically through the small home as footsteps were heard as well. A small, chime-like laugh was heard before she jumped into the arms of her father. Kizashi Haruno greeted her with a warm chuckle and his startling stern wife showed her soft side and laughed as well. The two parents had just returned from their mission and they were at Kizashi's sister's home to pick up the small girl.
"Yes! Sakura-chan, we missed you so much!" Kizashi said to his 7 year-old daughter as he tightened his hug. He really was obsessed with the little pink girl. From her shy interior to her mother's growing temper, Sakura Haruno was a special little girl and Kizashi was proud to be her ever-loving father. He smiled largely.
And of course, Sakura was a daddy girl. Much to Kizashi's wife, Mebuki's, chagrin.
"Did you have fun with auntie?" The older man asked. "She wasn't a bore was she?" Hearing this, said woman gave Kizashi a good 'pow' on the back. This was his little sister and the childish way she punched made he laugh under his breath before returning his attention back to Sakura, who was currently held tightly snug in his arms.
The little girl smiled.
"No, daddy." Her green eyes looked over to auntie's and they flashed with something unknown. "We had fun."
"Well, what did you two do then?" Mebuki cut in and stroked her daughter's short pink hair with a smile. Being home was a relief to both of the shinobi and having time with their daughter was something to relish.
Hearing this, Sakura averted her eyes away from her mother's and ignored the question completely. Both of the parents glanced warily at each other than at Kizashi's sister, Mari, with curious eyes.
"Aa, yes. Something did happen." The dull red-haired woman said as she crossed her arms and sighed. "You might not like this though."
The two of them quirked an eyebrow before waiting for her to continue.
"Sakura here...she..." She paused as she watched Sakura completely shift around in her father's arms then still. She did feel slightly guilty for telling on the small girl but what she did that night was completely dangerous since that was the night of the...
Mari paused.
"I must tell you something first before I tell you what she did... it's an important key in her tale." her sharp brown eyes looked over to the bundle of a little girl in Kizashi's arms and softened. "It's much more important that you know... Sakura, can you go please wait in your room?"
Said girl muttered something as her father set her back to the ground and she trotted away with a small skip. When the three adults heard the door click, Mari spoke in a ghostly tone as she returned her attention back to Mebuki and Kizashi.
"... About a week ago from today something had happened." She paused. Mari decided to just spit it out. Say it to their face bluntly without any cushions to soften the impact of the words she was going to speak next.
The two Harunos waited patiently with confused expressions. Mari sighed lightly before looking down to her feet.
"The entire Uchiha clan was eradicated by their heir Itachi Uchiha." She didn't stop or pause afterwards but continued speaking in a firm voice. "I still don't know why he did... they're actually still investigating some parts of the compound and around the Anbu corps, but I... just don't know. The only survivor was Itachi Uchiha's little brother and the rest of them..."
Mari paused.
"All of them are dead."
Mebuki's frown did not stop increasing. Her genin teammate, whom she was best friends with, was an Uchiha. His name was Tasuki and she couldn't help the deep pit in her stomach from forming. Losing a friend, a teammate... This was... much too disturbing to take in at the moment. Especially since the clan was told to be the strongest clan of Konoha, and Mebuki completely supported that statement; the Uchiha really were. But the fact that only one man... no, actually only a mere teenager killed the entire clan with his own two hands was something hard and almost disgusting to think about...
But what did this have to do with her little daughter?
The woman's bright green eyes slowly started to harden as she looked back up at her sister-in-law.
"Mari..." Said woman looked to her slowly. "What does this have to do with Sakura?"
Both Kizashi and Mari flinched slightly as their widened eyes sharply averted to the blonde woman. After a moment that seemed like an hour had passed, Kizashi slowly turned to Mari for an answer. What happened?
"...Yes, of course I'll tell you." Mari started. "That night Sakura and I had a small bicker. She did not want to stay with me because she wanted you two to return home, so to calm her down, I made her go to bed and I stayed in the living room for a period of time before going to bed myself."
Mari gulped.
"So, when I went to her room to check on her... Sakura was gone." Both of Sakura's parents stayed silent but Mari could read the mixed feelings on their faces. She inwardly cringed, but continued otherwise. "She had ran away and I went to the neighbors, Sakura's friend's houses, the Hokage's tower... hell, I really just took an entire, thorough tour of the entire village but I couldn't find her."
Even though Sakura was safe and sound in her room presently, the two parents of the small girl couldn't help but guess where this story was heading and by the their almost exact thoughts, Kizashi and Mebuki's throats went dry as they waited for the woman to continue. Mari felt the the guilt slowly flood inside her as she crossed her hands in front of her.
"I didn't find her- no, I didn't get her back until two shinobis returned her back to the house that night. They informed me then that the Uchiha clan was killed literally just hours ago and all could I could correctly think about was Sakura and why she was out there by herself. They told me that they found her standing at the exit of the village by herself. An- And I-..." Mari felt her throat tighten painfully as she was almost on the verge of tears. She just kept remembering how scared she was that Sakura could have been killed by that Itachi Uchiha.
The feeling of fear and desperation was returning to her.
"And I deeply apologize for being so foolish and causing you're daughter danger... Mebuki-chan, nii-san." Saying this, Mari bowed deeply in front of Kizashi and Mebuki with pure apology.
A soft hum of her voice strung the air as she sat at her window looking out. The sun had just descended down, to which she did not witness unfortunately, Sakura sang softly to herself as she gazed towards the small river one last time before she would go home.
The moon was full tonight and it reflected off of the small pool of clear water like a mirror. A small breeze flew through the open window she was leaning upon and her short hair fluttered slightly behind her. Her bangs messily fell from their spot as the wind pushed them backwards then gravity doing it's work, fell back forward onto her petite face.
The night of the incident, Sakura had left her red ribbon in the forest and now her hair has been in it's plain bob cut. A very messy one too.
Her friend, Ino, had asked about where it was when she came to school without it in her hair and simply put, Sakura told her sheepishly that she lost it. She didn't say any details about how and where, but just bluntly told her the truth. Ino however was not mad or irritated that Sakura lost the gift she was given, not one bit but the blonde just apologized that she didn't have any others to lend to Sakura.
It was sweet relief for the small pinkette.
But this small thing did not help her thoughts brush away from that night. She continuously thought about that man she met. She did not know his name and he did not know hers. That was what she felt bad about. After their eventful conversation, Sakura beat herself up with mistake of not having common courtesy to tell him her name. Odd for a young girl to even think about considering everything else...
She remembered that night the two shinobi who returned her back to her auntie's home had spoken with her auntie. Even though she was told to return to her room, she did not. Her childish curiosity got the best of her and she eavesdropped on them. From what she collected, the Uchiha clan was wiped out by a man named Itachi Uchiha.
As the little pieced the puzzle together, she thought it odd when someone with the same name as the clan killed the entire population of their family and friends. It was scary and it gave her chills and made her blood run cold when she thought about it. The more she got lost in the train of the thought, the more she realized.
This man had killed a very powerful man all by himself and she couldn't forget the name Itachi Uchiha. It was almost branded into her innocent mind. Yet she named him as bad man or a killer. She didn't know which but for sure, she knew if she were to meet him...
She would hate him for killing his family.
She stopped singing and got onto her elbows as her heart-shaped face rose from it's spot buried in her arms.
Honestly, all she ever thought of was where he went when he left her on the Konoha road. Just how did he leave without a noise or a shuffle? She still did not know, but the little girl did have many questions.
Where did he go? If he did leave, is his family alright? Did he even leave? Where is his family?... But the main question she wondered constantly about was-
If he is okay?
Her emerald orbs sparkled slightly with an unknown emotion that she couldn't quite notice as she looked up towards the full moon. No one could answer those questions but him. No one else, but him. If she talked to her mother, father or auntie about it... Sakura would just receive either lies or no answer at all; or just both. So, really there was no point asking them.
Despite being scared knowing she was out alone in the forest with a bad man on the loose, she knew she was safe back then because that man was with her. As she said before, even to him too... Sakura had said that man was strong and she knew it. She didn't lie.
A sigh broke through the silence as her small hand shuffled through the big pocket on the front of her red skirt. She pulled out the same pink cloth that the man used for himself and he used on her as well and held it in her lap as if it was a sacred item to never be seen.
Sakura now is just waiting for the day she meets him and then she can finally receive simple answers from him to cure her confusion and curiosity. To also help him and to find out his name. To give him her own as well.
The little seven year-old silently vowed to herself that she would find the man she met on the night of the Uchiha massacre.
3 years later...
Long tresses of pink hair fluttered violently as she ran through the dirt pavements of Konoha. Sakura clutched tightly onto her bag so that it's strap would not suddenly slip off her shoulder due to her rapid pace. It's a good thing she was because the top of the strap, which hung off of her shoulder now was currently sliding down to her elbow every time her foot hit the ground. The kunoichi-in-training was on her way to a late meal with Ino.
Her best friend since childhood had invited her to eat out at their favorite dango shop because they both passed their quizzes with flying colors; head of the class. Sakura greedily accepted because Ino had said she would pay for it and who could turn down Masasimi's dangos? Now she was late because one, Sakura had slipped into a deep, muddy puddle and had to go home to change her soaked clothes and second, she was stuck at least 30 minutes late getting lectured by her mother for not cleaning her room properly.
She sighed inwardly as she fastened her pace.
Now that she was almost an hour late who knows if Ino was still waiting for her. Ino was not a very patient person and Sakura knew that from personal experiences unfortunately.
Both Ino and Sakura were climbing their way up to become genins soon and being top of their class improved their chances tenfold of course. These two girls had excess knowledge enough to give someone and still be as smart too and Ino had almost equally enough ninjutsu skills too; she was still training in this one, but unlike Ino, Sakura was still lacking in physical structures and ninjutsu techniques.
Yes, she was only ten but at this age, all of the other girls in her class were already throwing kunai (almost) perfectly in the middle of the target, almost perfecting the art of substitution and also chakra control. And Sakura did not excel in neither three of those, but as I said earlier, she excelled perfectly in pure knowledge and thought.
And that is very important anyways, she thought with an inward huff.
Besides it's better to know the enemy than to fight blindly. You can find their weakness and such and use it against-
"Oof!"
Suddenly everything flashed before her and she felt her rump harshly met the dirt ground in a unforgiving, painful matter. Her pink eyebrows knitted together in pain as she finally gained the strength open her eyes since she was stuck in a dizzy daze, but suddenly the green orbs flashed open as she saw a boy standing in front of her; despite him being a dark blur.
Sakura finally regained her sight.
"Oh... I-I'm sorry. I didn't-" Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened. She felt her skin go cold as she literally froze in her spot and stared into the dark orbs that held something mysterious. The dark orbs that were so, so familiar.
The dark orbs that made her cry that night were right in front of her in the flesh.
"Yo-You...? ...You are-" He looked... so much different than three years ago. Actually he seemed to be shorter and younger too. Was this a jutsu maybe? "Why'd you leave-"
Wait.
Sakura pushed herself onto her feet and while she brushed the dirt off her red dress, she eyed the boy with her sharp yet curious eyes.
This wasn't him...
The boy in front of her had the same features he had. Dark hair and dark eyes that contrasted with pale skin. But this boy had the childish features of a young boy unlike the man she saw in the forest who had more noticeable mature features of an older boy. The boy in front of her seemed her own age considering they were of the same height. His hair was shorter and was more messier than his also.
She couldn't help it and she did not want to think about this, but she thought he was very cute and the small blush that spread over her dainty cheeks were not from the embarrassment from mistaking him for someone else.
"I-I..." She suddenly felt extremely shy as she smiled nervously. "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." Green eyes connected back to the dark orbs in front of her and she suddenly flinched. All those shy and embarrassed feelings vanished as they were replaced with... fear? No... surprise.
They were filled with... pure hatred. She didn't have to be smart to notice that. You could have been completely stupid to notice the deep emotion trapped in his eyes and the way he stood too gave it away.
He slouched forward slightly but somehow look tough and mighty while he did, his fists were clenched even though he wasn't fighting and his expression... looked so empty but he radiated off something Sakura couldn't even name. Something scary.
Something that made her just stare at him with confusion.
"...I... I'm sor-" Then he blinked, stepped slightly to the right and dashed forward completely ignoring her. In a second he turned a corner and was gone, leaving Sakura just to slowly wonder who he was and to wonder blindly on why he seemed so... empty.
6 and half years later...
The last thing she needed right now was her best friend yelling in her ear. Both of them at the same time.
It was hell and her temper was bouncing off the walls in her mind as she tried to calm herself down inwardly. Of course, it wasn't working when her two blonde best friends then continue to yell but instead at each other with Sakura literally right in the middle of them. Today already started with a rough beginning. Due to the rain from last week, her apartment's roof had developed major leaking issues and the leak was right over her bed. So... Sakura was awaken by water dripping down her face and all over her cherished bed covers.
Second, the hospital didn't need her presently because it was so slow today, even though that is a good thing, but Sakura was a workaholic and at some points through work-free days, she was nothing without chakra running freely from her veins and doing something productive with the it. Unlike now... now she wanted to use the chakra that ran freely through her veins to punch the living crap out of both of her friends.
The vein in her forehead throbbed dangerously as she stood up from her seat and cut off their argument and somehow concealing her erratic temper at the same time.
"Naruto, Ino. Please." Sakura picked up her books and pushed the chair in. Two sets of bright blue eyes were on her in confusion. "Please at least take your conversation somewhere else. At least somewhere 100-feet away from myself. I'll you two later at the barbecue, ne?"
Sakura didn't wait for an answer, but instead continued towards the exit door of the library. Yet it seemed as if her harsh sarcasm didn't reach the two blondes because from behind her, she heard the two continue to argue as if their lives depend on this one conversation. A sigh of frustration left her lips as she walked home.
Inviting two of you're loudest friends to the library was the worst idea ever thought of by herself.
Walking in a relaxing pace, Sakura emptied her thoughts since the headache beginning at the right side of her head was slowly taking over. She could just return home and sleep, but Sakura felt like she should do something today. Something productive.
But as she finally calmed down and became somewhat mellow, a white and green slug popped onto her shoulder and she immediately knew what it meant. The little thing shifted on her shoulder and despite the slime slightly oozing from under it onto her shoulders, Sakura smiled at the small slug, whom she named Nagisa.
"Yes, Nagisa?" She responded in a small tone.
"Mistress Sakura. Tsunade-sama orders you to come to her quarters immediately. "
Sakura quirked an eyebrow, but did not question the slug any further. "Of course..." The pinkette said almost wearily. "I'll be there in a moment, thank you."
With that, Nagisa vanished with a cloud of smoke in her wake and left Sakura confused. Today was her day off...
What did Shisou need?
A/N: Hello!
Sorry if I cut it to abruptly but y'know... that's how fanfics are. Anyways I have wanted to continue this story cause after the messages and some reviews I've received, you guys wanted me to continue this story at least. I was just going to make a small sequel where Sakura is a genin and meets Itachi somewhere (I'm not telling where) and that's that, but after rereading I thought of a plot and I believe I can make a somewhat decent story out of this!
I just hope you're up to it cause who knows... I hope I can make this 20+ pages hopefully.
SO. When Sakura meets that 'dark-eyed stranger' while going to meet Ino... I hope you know who it is because I am going to say it now... It's Sasuke! I just wanted to explain that Sakura there developed the small infatuation with him because canonically she had a crush on him, remember? ahaha, of course you do and so I tried to knit that in there... but please don't ask if it's going to be ItaSakuSasu because it won't be; I'll assure you that. I'm just trying to stick to Sakura's character.
Anyways... I apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes! I tried my best to reread it and such but...
/I Hoped you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!
Reviews are extremely appreciated and so are favs/follows! :)