Hello!
Note to all that this is a flashback chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Sanguine
def. 1. happy, hopeful; 2. crimson, blood-soaked.
Chapter 5
Memory
Konoha's manpower consisted of two factions.
With Uchiha Fugaku as the commander general, he was entrusted the royal army by the queen herself. Majority of the soldiers enlisted in the royal army were posted within the castle, to patrol the vicinity and guard the queen and the castle's inhabitants. If they were not part of the castle guards, then they were sent outside of the country, where they would partake in wars against enemy nations. These soldiers generally wore uniforms that were colored green, with the Konoha insignia embroidered on their left sleeve. These soldiers also carried regular battle swords with them.
Then there was the small selection of talented men and women, all of which were hand picked by the queen herself.
The ANBU operated very differently compared to the royal army. They moved in the shadows, carrying out dangerous dirty work that most foot soldiers would not dare to do. From poisoning, to cold blooded murder, majority of their work happened to fall into the category of assassination. In order to blend into the night, these men and women donned black armored suits, with weapons hidden all over them. A common trait of the ANBU was the porcelain animal masks that each assassin wore, along with a distinct red tattoo on their arm.
Ever since she was ten-years-old, imperial princess Sakura did not wish to simply sit and play dress up with her maids in her room. Instead, she wished to fight for her mother, and for her people. Her mother on the other hand, had insisted that she didn't partake in such dangerous activities, for she was too young. However, the princess herself had put her foot down and fought back with her mother.
"This is for you," Sakura had softly said. "I wish to protect you, my mother, and what you stand for."
Upon recognizing the courage and passion within Sakura, Tsunade conceded. Thus, the young princess was taught how to fight, along with many things that normal princesses her age would never dare to learn.
Her combat teacher was a famous man, well known for having fought and detained over a thousand criminals. Yet, upon meeting him, Sakura's first impression of him was rather... lackadaisical.
Despite his reputation, Hatake Kakashi was an aloof man that was always late to their training. He wore a black cloth mask that covered three-fourth of his face, including his right eye. Wrapped around his forehead, was a black bandanna that kept the front of his hair out of his face. Some say that his right eye was taken during a war between Konoha and another country. Others say that he had been sleeping and an assassin had snuck into his quarters, taking Kakashi's right eye instead of his life. Sakura however, did not question it.
Asides from herself, Kakashi was also entrusted two other children to personally train.
Uchiha Sasuke was a rather confident boy, being the second son of the royal army's commander, along with being the little brother of ANBU's star soldier, Itachi. However, because his father and elder brother were so busy with their own duties, they were unable to train the younger Uchiha in the art of battle. For some peculiar reason, Sakura found herself drawn towards the Uchiha boy. She had a feeling that he was interested in her too.
On the other hand, was Uzumaki Naruto, a hyperactive blond boy who had lost his parents in the previous war. Now he was under the guardianship of Umino Iruka, a close companion of Kakashi's. Even though he was overly happy and was very lacking in terms of brain power, she quite enjoyed his company as a friend and as a brother.
Every day, the children were taught hand-to-hand combat, along with how to handle certain weapons. During the evening, they had lessons on battle tactics with Iruka, and every other night, Sakura would learn about medications and healing from her mother. Sometimes, she would watch as her mother met with ambassadors from other countries, occasionally spying a red-headed boy that often accompanied his grandmother.
The training was brutal, but to the Konoha princess, it was worth it. Everything was for her mother, for her friends, and for her people.
Three years after the three children started training together, Kakashi had suggested they continue their training outside of the castle.
"Survival training," The silver-haired instructor had smiled at them, "Perhaps on a secluded island?"
After gaining Tsunade's permission, the four of them departed for an island located distances away from the Fire Country's port city. There, the twelve-year-olds had learned how to prepare fires, how to find their own food, along with fighting on uneven terrain, or under serious weather conditions.
"Expect the unexpected," Kakashi had wisely told them. Afterall, death could come at them when they least expected it.
Once in a while, the lazy instructor would allow them to travel back to the port city to have some fun. He had reasoned that restricting the children from life's pleasure for such a long period of time was just plain wrong. For that, the children were grateful towards him.
After a year of training on the island, and another year spent traveling the nation, they decided it was time to head back home. From then on, fourteen-year-old Sakura had insisted that she partake in royal army activities, with Sasuke and Naruto in cohesion with her. Tsunade was of course against the idea, but in the end she caved in once more to her only daughter's wishes.
Despite being the imperial princess, she was spectacular on the battlefield. As if she was dancing a graceful waltz with her enemies, she would twist and turn, before stabbing her enemies left and right. She was also rather impulsive and sassy, yet she was well respected among her peers. She didn't take royal treatment, nor did she treat her comrades unfairly.
Two years after Sakura had joined the royal army, Tsunade had ordered a gathering. It was a rather small gathering, with approximately twenty people in total, including Sasuke, Naruto, and herself. Just like the trio, majority of the people inhabiting the chamber were either sixteen or seventeen years of age. Judging by the hushed, confused whispers, no one knew the reason why they had been summoned.
"Sakura!"
The pinkette turned around, in search of the owner of the bubbly voice that called out to her. From across the chamber, she could see a blonde girl wave at her. Sakura smiled and waved back. "Ino!"
Yamanaka Ino was one of the most beautiful girls within the royal army ranks, her long blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail, while her baby blue eyes shined with mischief. She was also the only daughter to Yamanaka Inoichi, a leader of the interrogation unit that worked deep within the castle prisons.
Asides from that, she was also Sakura's best friend.
The two had known each other since they were little. Inoichi had brought his daughter to the castle every day for them to play together, while he was working in the prisons. At the time, while Sakura was simply interested in Sasuke, Ino had developed a crush on him at the same time. They had talked to each other about their feelings, and came to the conclusion that they would still be friends regardless of whether or not Sasuke courted one of them.
Ino pushed past several other soldiers while moving towards Sakura. Once she reached her pinkette friend, the two girls quickly embraced each other.
"How's your father?" Sakura asked, gently patting Ino's back.
Ino rolled her eyes as the two girls separated from each other. "Same old, same old. He still won't let me enter the underground prisons." Then with a pout, she added, "He said it's too early for me."
Sakura giggled, "Again?" She patted Ino's back again.
"Better safe than sorry," Chimed a voice.
Standing behind Sakura was Naruto and Sasuke.
With a bright grin, Naruto continued on, "I'm sure he'll let you join soon."
Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Just be patient." He muttered.
Ino's lips twisted in disdain. "I suppose," She said with another pout.
The large wooden doors of the chamber began to open. Seconds later, Tsunade stepped inside and swiftly made her way to the center of the chamber, Shizune and Fugaku following her steps. The young warriors immediately straightened up, their attention on the three adults that stood before them.
Tsunade's hazel eyes scanned over each and every warrior that she had summoned to the meeting. Spotting her pink-haired daughter, she held her gaze for a few seconds, before moving onto the next lad. The blonde queen cleared her throat. "Today I have called all of you here," Tsunade began, "To offer you an invitation to ANBU."
Confused stares and curious murmurs erupted within the chamber.
Nudging Sakura a few times, Ino excitedly whispered to her, "ANBU?! Isn't that amazing?!"
The pinkette agreed. After all, you had to be talented and strong, with an equally strong devotion for the nation in order to be invited to ANBU. Sakura was also surprised at the fact that she was on the list to become a potential ANBU warrior, despite being the imperial princess. Perhaps it was a test from her mother to see how far she would go to serve her country. Perhaps it was a test to see whether or not she would stop being a warrior, and start being a proper princess. Sakura's gaze lingered on the figure of her mother. 'What are you thinking?'
The two girls perked up as they heard Naruto utter to Sasuke, "Isn't your brother part of ANBU?"
"Aa."
"Aw crap," Naruto grinned, "How cool is that? We get to see the famous Uchiha prodigy in person!"
"Itachi has been gone on a mission since two years ago." Sasuke coolly said, his arms crossed against his chest. "He won't be back any time soon."
At that, Naruto's grin was quickly replaced by a disappointed pout. "Oh."
Sakura let out an amused huff, and Ino giggled.
Upon noticing the irritation that grew on her mother's features, Sakura quickly motioned to her friends, her finger placed on her lips. "Shh."
"Excuse me," Hyuuga Neji raised his hand, catching the attention of his peers. He was a boy with long brown hair and pearl eyes, and was also known for being quite cold to his peers.
"You may speak," Tsunade nodded.
"May I ask," He started, "What ANBU is, and what the purpose of ANBU is?"
Others around him began to chatter between themselves again, all of them very curious to hear more detail about the famous, yet mysterious organization.
Soon enough, Tsunade cleared her throat, catching the attention of the rest of the chamber's inhabitants. Once the mass settled down, Tsunade's began to speak. "ANBU is an organization created for the sole purpose of carrying out deeds in the shadows," She explained, her hazel eyes carefully scanning through her audience. "Majority of these deeds will be assassination and espionage."
"You will be trained for these missions," Her voice echoed around the chamber. "But there is a much higher chance of you losing your life while working within the ANBU."
"I chose you all because you are the best of the best within your generation," Tsunade continued slowly and firmly, "However, I will not force you to join. Whether or not you choose to directly serve me and carry out these bloody missions, is entirely up to you."
In the end, a total of twelve people accepted the invitation to join ANBU, including Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino. The other eight soldiers had decided not to join ANBU, and thus resumed their regular duties within the royal army.
A month later, Sakura and Sasuke began to court each other.
Another two years had quickly flown by, and Sakura was now at the ripe age of eighteen. Her reputation exceeded her, not only as a blooming imperial princess of the country, but also as a well-known and brave warrior. Many have heard of her good deeds; from saving traveling peddlers from greedy bandits, to preventing a notorious band of pirates from looting an entire port city. In the shadows, she was a deadly assassin. Hidden behind a beautiful fox mask made of white ceramic, she poisoned noblemen after uncovering their treachery against her mother, and murdered adversaries from other nations.
At the same time, she was also being courted by Sasuke, who was also quite famous for his prowess with the sword, along with being quite handsome.
They were always seen together or near each other, either enjoying a day off in each other's presences, or fighting back to back on the battlefield. Many men were jealous of Sasuke for courting Sakura, who they had thought was unattainable. Many women were jealous of Sakura for being in a relationship with Sasuke, yet they could not raise their hand against the royal princess. However over time, these people came to realize that the two were quite beautiful together.
As Sasuke and Naruto sparred with each other in the open field behind the castle, Sakura and Ino were resting nearby under a large oak tree, having just finished their own bout.
"You're so lucky," Ino sighed as she slouched over, her elbow on her legs, and the palms of her hands underneath her chin.
"Lucky?" Sakura repeated, chuckling lightly. "For what?"
With her other hand, Ino pointed at Sasuke, who had successfully landed a kick against Naruto's right side. "That." She continued on with a wistful sigh, "It's been two years and you're still going strong."
Sakura's lips moved as she silently repeated her friend's words again, her eyes slowly travelling from Ino's finger to its target. After her emerald eyes landed on her beau, she blinked several times before exploding in a fit of giggles. "I suppose." After a thought, she smiled teasingly. "You know, a few weeks ago he gave me an emerald necklace for my birthday."
Ino's eyes widened in horror. Her hands flew up and slammed against her ears. "No!" She shrieked, "I can't hear you!"
At her friend's display of outrageous behaviour, Sakura's giggles turned into hearty laughs.
"Don't laugh," Ino whined. "At least you have a sweetheart. My sweetheart is still nonexistent!"
"That's because you're picky," Sakura rolled her eyes. "Beggars can't be choosers, Ino." She stretched her arm towards Ino, patting her blonde friend on the shoulder. "Just be patient." She said wisely.
"Be patient about what?"
Sakura and Ino both blinked at the newly arrived presence. They both turned around, only to meet a smiling Sai, who was standing right behind them. "What are you being patient for, Ino?" He curiously asked.
"Nothing!" Ino spluttered, her hands frantically flying around. "I'm just..." Ino paused, as she tried to think of what to say next. 'No way in hell am I letting other people know I'm waiting for a sweetheart.' A beat later, she said, "Hungry. Yes, I'm just hungry!"
"Hungry?" Sai echoed. "If you're hungry, why are you being patient? Should you not go and get something to eat right now?"
"I'm on a diet," Ino replied confidently, "That's why I'm being patient."
Sai's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I don't think you should diet," He said slowly. Ino's eyes narrowed, and her mouth opened. But before she could say anything, he continued on, "I believe you are already beautiful enough."
Ino gaped at him, her already open mouth dropping even further, and her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink. Sakura on the other hand, had her hand over her mouth in mild surprise, her eyes shifting back and forth between her best friend and the straightforward and socially-awkward warrior.
Remembering the purpose of his visit, a quiet "ah" escaped Sai's lips. "The Queen has called for us," He said, his eyes wandering over to Sasuke and Naruto, who were still sparring with each other distances away. "All of us."
Sakura frowned lightly. "All of us?"
Sai nodded, "It seems she has a rather important mission this time if she's calling all of us."
"I see," Sakura sighed. "Thanks for informing us."
"Not at all," He smiled. "I still need to inform the others, so I will be on my way first." With that said, Sai bowed lightly and turned on his heels.
An hour later, Sakura and her friends had found themselves in the meeting hall together with others from their generation. Light chatter and laughter circulated around the chamber as they all waited for the Queen to arrive.
"It's weird seeing all of us in one room," Naruto commented.
Sakura nodded in agreement. It honestly was odd seeing all of them in one room, despite seeing each other on a day to day basis. ANBU warriors worked in groups of twos or threes, never more than that.
Standing beside her, Ino's head tilted to the side as she thought to herself. "When was the last time we were all gathered like this...?"
"When we got invited to ANBU." Sasuke muttered.
Sakura's brows shot up in mild surprise. "You're right," She murmured to her sweetheart. "I wonder what's so important enough for her to gather all of us?"
Sasuke shrugged.
The wooden double doors creaked open as Tsunade entered, with Shizune following behind her. The Queen and her assistant made their way to the center of the meeting hall, just as they had done two years ago when Tsunade had invited them to ANBU. After a quick head count, Tsunade smiled gently at them. "I'm sure you're all curious as to why you've all been gathered here."
Several warriors nodded, others returning a sheepish smile to their monarch.
"I have just received a report regarding the whereabouts of a man that has been causing quite a problem at the border." She explained.
"My Queen," Rock Lee spoke up, "May I ask who this vicious man is?"
Tsunade smiled at the adolescent clad in green and nodded. "His name is Murakami Seizo," She continued, "Town-wide arson, genocide, narcotics and human trafficking," She listed off the top of her mind. "These are some of the crimes that he and his band of criminals has committed over the past three months." Her eyes scanned left to right as she took in the faces of her warriors. "It is believed that he is working under another man, and I want him captured alive for questioning."
Ignoring the mild whispers emitting from her warriors, Tsunade continued on, "I will also designate a leader," She said. Her hazel orbs landed on a particular young man. "Uchiha Sasuke," She called out. "Come forward."
Sasuke straightened in alarm, his eyes on his Queen. Slowly, he separated himself from his companions and began to pace towards her.
"You will lead this operation," Tsunade instructed. Then she smiled at the young Uchiha prodigy. "I trust that this mission will be successful with you at the helm."
Sasuke bowed his head. "I will make sure it happens." He murmured.
Tsunade nodded in approval before focusing her attention on the warriors behind Sasuke. "You are all to leave immediately." Then she added, "This is a good opportunity to work as a whole," She said firmly, "Capitalize on it."
The young ANBU warriors saluted their queen and she dismissed them from the meeting hall. It was now time for lunch, and Sakura and her friends were now walking together towards the banquet hall within the castle.
"Isn't this awesome?!" Ino beamed at Sasuke, "If this mission is successful, she'll hold you in high regards!"
"Don't jinx it," Naruto snickered. "There's a chance that he could fail miserably."
Sakura rolled her eyes at her two friends. She snaked her arm around Sasuke's and gently pulled at it to catch his attention. The stoic man looked down at her, a curious glint in his eyes. "I'm happy for you," She smiled. "I'm sure you'll do great."
"Thank you," He murmured, a small smile on his features. "In the near future, perhaps I will lead the royal army by your side."
Sakura blinked several times, before looking at her sweetheart in surprise. Never before, had he told her of his dreams of the near future, and it surprised her to hear from him that she would be a part of it. "Perhaps," She shrugged, a coy grin plastered on her face. "We shall see what happens."
Sasuke chuckled in reply. "We shall see."
"You guys are so gross." Naruto rolled his eyes.
Over the next few days, Sasuke had called for several meetings with his fellow ANBU warriors, to discuss the mission planning and several tactics that could lead to the success of his mission. Fugaku had heard of the news, and had told him, "To be a great leader, one must also listen to the worries of his men." Then he said, "I expect great results, my son."
So together with Nara Shikamaru, a well known tactician within their generation, and Hyuuga Neji, an equally well known prodigy compared to Sasuke, the three of them spent days and nights carefully planning out each and every move that they would make.
"It seems Murakami is also well-known for," Shikamaru drawled, "Being quite the lecher."
Neji raised a brow. "Lecher?" He repeated. "What do you think we can do with that information?" He flatly asked.
The lazy tactician shrugged, "No idea," He replied, "But-"
"Actually," Sasuke suddenly murmured, interrupting his comrade's speech. "We can do a lot with that piece of information."
Both Shikamaru and Neji both turned to face Sasuke, curiousity written on their faces. "Elaborate," Neji inquired.
"We can use his qualities against him and lure him out with a bait," Sasuke began to lean back against his chair. "While we clean out his hideout, that bait will be right by his side. Then, with that bait, we corner him and capture him on the spot."
As Shikamaru listened to Sasuke's proposition, he hummed to himself. "I suppose it could work," Then he frowned lightly, "But who would be that bait?"
Silence overcame them as they tried to think of the perfect person for the job. Seconds later, Sasuke spoke up. "I will find that person," He said, "So let's focus on the other details."
The other two agreed and they began to brainstorm once more.
Later on that day, Sasuke traveled across the castle grounds in search of one girl. Upon finding her, he quickly made his way towards her and tapped her on her shoulder. "Let's talk."
"This will be the plan," Sasuke's voice echoed through the small meeting hall. It had been a week since Tsunade had assigned them the mission. He was now standing at the front, together with Shikamaru and Neji, with a big board positioned behind them. Before them, were their comrades, ready to hear what the three young men had to say.
"Murakami is a syndicate, with his own crime organization behind him," Sasuke started, "However he is working under another crime lord that we do not know of." He paused, his eyes scanning his audience to make sure he had captured their attention. "His hideout is located at the border between the Fire Country and the Lightning Country."
"We will send in a bait beforehand," He explained, "And then at nightfall, we strike."
"Bait?" Inuzuka Kiba echoed, his animal companion Akamaru beside him. "Who's the bait?"
Before Sasuke could reply, Ino spoke up, "Me."
Sitting beside her, Sakura looked at her blonde friend in bewilderment, before switching her attention onto her beau. 'What?'
"Yes," Sasuke nodded, "Ino is the bait."
Whispers could be heard between several people among the crowd. Sasuke frowned lightly, before clearing his throat to capture their attention once more. "Ino will go in as a peace offering from a small village, and will act as the daughter of a lesser noble. Once she gains his trust, she will weaken him with a mild poison."
"Just poison?" Tenten curiously asked. "No weapons?"
"No weapons," Sasuke affirmed. "She'll be caught immediately if she's found with a weapon. Poisons on the other hand, are easier to hide." Turning his attention back to the rest of his comrades, he added, "Meanwhile, we will clean out his hideout as a whole, and then capture him alive for the queen."
Once it was clear that his fellow warriors had understood the basics of his plan, Sasuke turned to Shikamaru and nodded. The tactician returned the nod and stepped forward. "I will now quickly explain the details of our positioning," Then he added, "And because it is better to move in small groups, I will also assign the groupings."
"What in the seven hells are you thinking?" Sakura hissed.
After the mission briefing, Sakura had quickly pulled Sasuke to the side and dragged him to a secluded alleyway located behind the castle, near the hilltops where they would always spar at. To say she was a little ticked off was an understatement. The Konoha princess was very ticked off.
"What do you mean?" Sasuke questioned, his brow raised. What could his sweetheart be irked by this time?
"Why would you send Ino in there by herself?"
Sasuke blinked before frowning at his sweetheart. "Why wouldn't I?"
"You're basically telling her to go and risk her life to seduce a mass murderer with only a mild poison and no weapons to fend for herself." Sakura's emerald orbs narrowed and she ranted on, "And what? After she supposedly weakens him, everything will be fine and dandy? We catch our guy and that's it?" With a fierce glare, she growled at him. "Does that make any sense?"
Starting to feel a little irritated, Sasuke pursed his lips. "And what?" He shot back, "What do you suppose we should do then? We leave tomorrow, and the plan is already set." Then he added, "We can't possibly change a plan that took a week to form."
"You don't have to change anything," Sakura interrupted. Before he could say another word, she continued on, "Send me in," She demanded. "Send me as the bait, instead of her."
The Uchiha swordsman narrowed his own slate eyes. "No," He immediately refused. "I am not sending you as the bait."
"Why?" She asked incredulously, her pitch rising at the end. Like a stubborn animal, she insisted, "There's a better chance of me surviving, so why not send me in?"
"Because you're the princess," Sasuke hissed. "What princess allows herself to go on a seduction mission?"
Sakura stiffened as his words registered in her mind. As she looked at her sweetheart, she felt an dull ache in her chest. All these years serving her country as a warrior, she never once heard someone other than her mother tell her she couldn't do anything dangerous because she was the imperial princess. And yet, the last person she had wanted to hear it from, was Sasuke himself.
"So what?" She whispered. "So what if I'm the princess? As the princess, I can't help my people? My friends?"
"Sakura, no," Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose, "That's not it," He sighed. With both hands, he placed them on Sakura's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I'm not trying to hold you back," He murmured, "But you are the princess and you are also my beloved," His lips pursed. "And I don't want to send my beloved into a mission like that."
"And so you send Ino," She breathed out heavily. "Because I am indispensable."
Sasuke closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them once more. "Sakura," He sighed. He pulled her closer and cupped her face in his hands. "Ino will be fine. She's ANBU, just like us. She even said she wanted to do this."
"Regardless," She quietly said, "Anything can happen at any time to her, to me," She locked eyes with him. "And to you." Her gaze fell downwards and she continued, "I don't want to ever think of losing you either. We may be strong, but even the strong will fall one day."
Sasuke pulled her in and gave her shoulders another reassuring squeeze. "We'll be fine," He said softly, "We won't die on a mission like this." When she didn't reply to him, he said, "I will find someone else to send in as bait. Not you, not Ino. I promise." With a small, rare smile that he would show only her, he said, "Okay? Will you please trust me?"
Sakura eyed him carefully, and her lips pursed. Directing her gaze downwards again, she slowly exhaled and nodded. "I trust you," She caved in.
Sasuke's rare smile returned again and he wrapped his arms around her.
A new day had come, and it was time for the young ANBU warriors to depart. Along with the Queen, several senior ANBU warriors had come to wish them luck on their first mission as a whole. "All of you, are the future." One man had wisely said.
As Tsunade embraced Sakura, she whispered into her daughter's ear, "Be careful, my child. Come home safely."
"I'll be fine," Sakura chuckled, "Don't worry."
Tsunade sighed exasperately at her daughter's never ending confidence. "Go on," She smiled, "Your friends are waiting."
After another quick hug, Sakura turned on her heels and jogged towards her comrades. Her emerald eyes scanned the bustling group, in search of one Uchiha Sasuke. Upon finding him together with Naruto, her eyes lit up and her pace quickened.
Naruto noticed her making her way towards them and waved at her. "Hey!"
Once she got closer, Sasuke patted her shoulders. "Are you done saying goodbye?"
The pinkette smiled and nodded. "Let's go." After a quick look around her surroundings, she noticed something, or rather someone, was missing. She tugged at Sasuke's sleeve and pulled her beau closer. "Where's Ino?" She whispered worriedly.
"Ah," Sasuke hummed. "I sent her ahead with Shikamaru and Chouji to scout the area."
"Scout the area?" She echoed.
The young raven-haired man nodded. With a pat against Sakura's forearm, he murmured, "Don't worry."
Sakura's lips pursed and her brows knitted together lightly as she repeated his words over and over again in her mind. A few seconds later, she slowly nodded, despite the mild retching feeling in her gut. "Alright."
It took them approximately four days to reach the border between the Fire Country and the Lightning Country. The young ANBU warriors had separated in groups of threes once they had reached the outskirts of Murakami's hideout.
It was fairly large, with fences made of wood surrounding the vicinity. Within the stronghold, were several huts that were made of wood and hay, and in each and every corner of the fortress were men armed with swords and cutlasses.
Hiding within the forest near the entrance of the hideout were Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto and Sai. Sakura pulled a small hand mirror out of her back pocket. With several quick flicks of her wrist, she reflected the moonlight off of the face of the mirror. Across the forest, she saw the same small and discreet flickers of light, indicating that her comrades were ready. She shoved the mirror back into her pocket and whispered to Sasuke, who was crouching beside her. "They're ready."
Sasuke nodded. "Let's go."
Once the dark of the night had finished blanketing them, they pulled their porcelain masks over their face and readied their weapons. Swiftly and silently, they made their way to the stronghold, now illuminated with large flaming torches perched against the fences and huts.
Upon encountering a man patrolling the vicinity, they silently covered his mouth and quickly took his life and left his body on the spot. After successfully infiltrating the hideout, they hid themselves in the shadows behind a hut. From where they were situated, they could see Neji, Tenten, and Lee hiding in the shadows of the rooftops. Behind a hut on the other side of the fortress, they spotted Hinata, Kiba, and Shino.
"It's a little too quiet," Sai murmured.
Sakura frowned as her eyes shifted left and right, spying a few mercenaries standing watch nearby. She had to agree with her socially-awkward friend; it really was a little too quiet. Perhaps these men were too uptight to crack a few nightly jokes here and there.
"I bet these guys don't know how to have fun," Naruto rolled his eyes, voicing the thoughts that she had seconds ago.
Sasuke motioned at a rather large cabin located on one side of the hideout. "I think that's where Murakami is." Motioning with his hand, he whispered, "Let's go."
They left their hiding spot and shuffled from one hut to another. While they moved, they silently knocked out or killed every single mercenary that they came across. Half way through the compound, they happened upon one man, standing nearby under a light post. Naruto dashed towards him and swiftly pulled him into a head lock with one arm, and covered his mouth with his free hand. Beside him was Sai, dagger in hand.
The mercenary struggled against Naruto's hold, his cries muffled by Naruto's hand. With Sai's dagger coming down on him, the mercenary quickly pulled a dainty container made of fabric, held together by a thick string.
Upon recognizing it, Sakura's eyes widened and she shouted, "NO!"
With the last of his energy, the mercenary squeezed the container in his hands as tightly as possible before he was struck by Sai's dagger. Smoke erupted from the container, and a material covered in flames bursted upwards and into the sky.
Naruto dropped the dead man on the ground. "Wasn't that-"
"A flare," Sasuke hissed.
They heard several footsteps from each corner as the mercenaries gathered together to fend off their intruders. The sounds of fighting could also be heard a few distances away, indicating that their comrades had been discovered.
"What should we do?" Sakura questioned, her eyes scanning around in search of their enemies. It was then that she saw a group of men rounding the corner. A few seconds later, they spotted the young Konoha warriors and began to shout.
Sasuke swore under his breath and unsheathed his sword. "We have no time," He hurriedly said, eyeing the incoming men. "We need to kill them and make our way to that cabin." Gripping the hilt of his sword, he yelled, "Go!"
The four of them scattered and threw themselves into the fray. Daggers in each hand, Sakura leaped into the air and slammed the base of her foot against one man's face. Using his face as a booster, she pumped strength into her feet and dashed towards the next man. Landing on the mercenary's chest, she pushed him down to the ground with her weight and slit his throat with one blade. As he gurgled blood, she got off of him and ran at a third man.
After killing what seemed like the tenth man, she quickly took in her surroundings, in search of her friends. Nearby, she could see Sasuke and Naruto fighting back to back. Sai was a few steps away from them, delivering quick stabs with his short sword. On one rooftop, she could Kiba and Akamaru brawling with three men. Positioned on another rooftop, was Tenten who was sniping their enemies with poisoned arrows. Elsewhere, she heard the sounds of metal clashing and fists colliding.
From the corner of her eye, Sakura saw a cutlass being swung at her. She dodged the blade and swung her own, slashing her assailant's chest. As the man heaved over, she grabbed him by his collar and threw him down.
"Sakura!"
The Konoha princess straightened in alarm, in search for her beau. Spotting him in the throng, she yelled back, "Sasuke!"
"The cabin! Go for the cabin!"
She jammed her blade into the chest of another man before turning on her heels and making a run for it. Noticing a blade aimed for her side, she dropped downwards and slid against the ground. Jamming one dagger into the ground, she propelled herself upwards and twisted her body around. With her other dagger, she slashed at the man before using that very same blade to block another incoming one. She pushed against the blade and disengaged from her foe, quickly rising to deliver a swift kick to his stomach.
It was then that she noticed Shikamaru, fighting just a few steps away from her. From her position, Sakura spotted a mercenary sneaking up behind the tactician, who was busy fending off a man that was armed with a sword. Sakura kicked against the ground and dashed towards him. "Shikamaru!"
With a roar, she threw herself at the mercenary and stabbed him with her blade. Whirling around, she used her other blade and sliced across the swordsman's neck.
"Thanks," Grunted Shikamaru.
"You're welcome," Sakura panted. As she recollected herself, something came to mind. "Where's Ino?" She suddenly asked.
"Ino?" Shikamaru picked up one of his blades from the ground. "She's in the cabin." He replied, "Where Murakami is."
The Konoha princess froze. 'What?'
"Actually, I was on my wa-"
"Say that again."
Shikamaru blinked. "What?"
"Say that again," She demanded, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Shikamaru scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "Don't you remember the plan? Chouji and I were sent first to escort Ino here so that she could act as bait and poison him for us." Motioning to the cabin that seemed so far, yet so close, he continued, "So she's in the cabin right now, with Murakami." With a confused look in his eye, he added, "Don't tell me you forgot about the plan."
"No," Sakura hissed, "I didn't."
Without another word, she turned away from him and sprinted towards the cabin. As she ran, she remembered the words that had left her sweetheart's lips the previous day, along with the words that she had heard not many hours ago.
"I will find someone else to send in as bait. Not you, not Ino."
And,
"I sent her ahead with Shikamaru and Chouji to scout the area."
And,
"Okay? Will you please trust me?"
The more Sakura thought about it, the more her heart ached. He had promised her, and she had placed her trust in him. Yet, he had broken both his promise and her trust by deceiving her. It made her think, 'Is it that easy to lie to me? Am I just foolish, or perhaps just plain naive?' And then, 'Did he ever lie to me in the past?'
Upon reaching the cabin, she casted her thoughts away and bounded up the stairway. She threw herself at the wooden door, breaking it open from the force. She rushed inside, her eyes roaming left and right in search for her friend. "Ino," She called out, "Ino!"
Asides from the battle that could be heard from afar, she couldn't hear a single thing within the cabin. And that worried her. "Ino," She tried again, "Ino!" Still, it was eerily silent. The Konoha princess could feel her gut being churned as anxiety overcame her. Spotting a stairway located at the back, she made her way upwards to the second floor. As she ascended, she detected a faint metallic scent. 'Blood.'
Having reached the second floor, the smell of blood was stronger than before. Sakura slowly swallowed the saliva that had built up in the back of her throat. 'Please be safe,' She chanted to herself as she tread the floors slowly. 'Please, please be safe.' Rounding the corner, she came upon a horrifying sight.
Lying still on the ground, was Ino. Her long blond tresses fanned out against the floor, and her baby blue eyes lifeless. Her skin was pale and covered in cuts and bruises. She wore a purple dress, tattered and covered with dark red stains from the blood that seeped out of her. Dribbling from the corner of her lips, was a thin trail of blood.
Murakami Seizo was nowhere in sight.
Sakura's legs wore out on her and she stumbled. As she stared at Ino's lifeless body, she began to feel lightheaded. Seconds later, she keeled over and began to empty her stomach of its contents. As she puked, her eyes began to burn as tears welled up and blurred her vision.
"I will find someone else to send in as bait. Not you, not Ino."
"I sent her ahead with Shikamaru and Chouji to scout the area."
"Okay? Will you please trust me?"
As she mourned the death of her friend, her lover's words replayed in her mind once more. Then a second time, and then a third. Blinded by her affection for the Uchiha man, she threw her trust at him as if it was dispensable. And yet, that one foolish mistake had cost her the life of her best friend. Sakura felt nothing but despair, yet at the same time, she felt an uncontrollable rage build up within her. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and stood up, her eyes blazing with anger.
With her blades gripped tightly in her hands once more, Sakura hurled herself at the window, shattering the glass into small pieces. However, the impact did not stop her from flying through the window panel. After touching down on the ground, the pinkette kicked against the terrain and began to sprint.
Mercenaries upon mercenaries began to throw themselves at her, each man armed with daggers, swords, and other deadly and sharp weapons. She flew from one man to another, slicing and slashing anyone that came into her field of vision. She kicked against a mercenary and twisted her body upwards, kicking one man at the end of her mid-air twirl and slashing across the face of another man. Landing on her back, she quickly rolled to the side, dodging several knives that were thrown at her head. The pinkette hoisted herself off of the ground and ran once more.
After killing everything and everyone that came in sight, she spotted her target and roared. "SASUKE!"
Before he could react, Sakura lunged at him and hurled him to the ground. Nearby, she could hear Naruto and Sai calling out to her in alarm. Surrounding them, were the rest of their comrades, each and every single one of them donning worried expressions. Sasuke on the other hand, was wincing from his impact with his beau. "Saku-"
"How dare you," She hissed, interrupting him. From her mounting position, she glared down at him, her blade inches away from his throat. "How dare you."
Sasuke's brows furrowed. "What are you-"
"What am I talking about?" She sneered. "Why don't you tell me, you liar."
It took a moment before realization dawned Sasuke. "Sakura," He said, "Let me explain."
"There is nothing for you to explain," She growled. "You told me that you would pull her out of her role as bait. You deceived me, and sent her in there by herself with nothing to defend herself but a mere poison." As she spoke, her voice got louder and louder. "And now guess what, Uchiha Sasuke? She's dead."
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, his lips pursed.
"I ought to kill you." She sneered, eyeing the blade positioned near his throat. Suddenly, she felt strong arms loop around her waist and pulling her backwards. Turning her head back, she saw Naruto, a worried expression plastered on his face. To her side was Sai, yanking her daggers out of her hands. "What are you doing?" She demanded.
"Sakura," Naruto yelled, "At this rate, you really will kill him!"
"I don't care," She shrieked, clawing at the Uchiha's neck. "Let him die! He killed her! He killed Ino!"
While struggling against Naruto's grasp on her, she swiped at Sasuke's neck with her nails, leaving three distinct cuts on the side of his neck. As she watched the blood seep out of the fresh carvings in his skin, she felt Naruto pull her off of Sasuke.
"Traitor," She roared, "Your pride means more to you than the people around you." Her emerald eyes burned with hatred and anger as she stared at his expressionless face. "You are a traitor. You don't deserve friends."
A painful cry escaped her as she felt something collide against the back of her neck. Seconds later, she began to feel dizzy, and her vision began to blur. "You traitor..." She whispered, her eyes slowly rolling back. "How... could... you...?"
Two Years Later
Present Time
"When I woke up, I was in a prison chamber deep within the castle." Sakura murmured. "Later on, I was brought out for judgement. Because of my rampage, it was assumed that I was the one that had killed Ino."
"But you didn't." Sasori frowned. "You didn't kill her."
She gazed at him for a few seconds before smiling bitterly. "I just accepted it. I took the blame anyways, and was sent to the biggest prison in the country."
"Your mother-"
"Couldn't do anything." She finished. "Even royalty can't escape from the law." She softly said. With a small, reassuring smile, she patted his arm. "I'm free now," She said. "I could've been in that prison till the day I died, until you came along and offered me this ridiculous deal." She chuckled.
Sasori didn't say another word. He wanted nothing but to pull her into his arms. At this moment, Sakura was not the witty and sharp-tongued assassin that he knew. At this moment, she was a normal girl, mourning the death of her beloved friend. And so, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.
The Konoha princess did not say anything either. Sakura was glad that the Suna prince listened to her, and she appreciated his lack of words. Since two years ago, she had not said a word to anyone about the incident along with the truth that hid behind it. Yet, this very night, she had told someone and it was liberating.
With a great weight lifted off of her shoulders, Sakura slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep. For a few moments, Sasori watched as she slept in his arms, before falling asleep himself.
A/N: can u hear that heavy bREATHIN...
Ok but forreal, I'm actually so late LOL. I've been pretty stressed out with life the past month, and then it got super busy at work too. Everything's okay now and I'm currently stress-free, thus I was able to finish this chapter.
OK BUT FORREAL, 8000 WORDS THOUGH. I don't know HOW this chapter came to be 8k words, but I did it. I just hope that the chapters don't get longer and longer because that's a little hardcore tbh.
Shout out to my boyfriend aka my bIGGEST FAN!!1!
Anyways, the truth has been revealed now, and we all know how Ino died and how Sakura came to be incarcerated until Sasori came along. Next chapter, we'll be focusing on the current time line once more.
I would really like to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions on this chapter please!
Thank you so much for waiting, and for reading. I'll see you guys next time!
RR!