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Chapter II: From Bad to Worse

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Itachi's words slowly lost their effect with each step. What did the Hokage want by summoning me to such a last-minute meeting? Had the peace agreement finally broken down? Were we on the brink of war again?

My thoughts wandered as I reached my second stop: the flower shop.

Ino was standing there as beautiful as ever. Despite her occasional sharp tongue, I really loved her company, especially after the war. Inoichi's death had forced her to grow up quickly, and her sarcastic personality now resembled mine. We both shared the bitter taste of a victory that felt more like defeat.

I glanced at the vibrant, blooming flowers in the small store. It felt like an oasis in the midst of the ongoing construction chaos. A little light amid the rubble.

- "I was wondering when you were going to show up," she remarked without looking at me, continuing to arrange a bouquet of violet hydrangeas.

- "Why do you keep doing this? Flowers are for decorating houses. News flash, Pig, there are no houses to decorate." - I playfully teased her.

Of course, I never truly questioned her part-time job. I actually loved flowers. They added a touch of color to our otherwise dismal town. But I always found pleasure in needling her. She turned to me, arched an eyebrow, and smiled.

- "Flowers also serve as offerings for the dead," she replied.

"Well, she had me there, smart ass." I thought.

- "Good point. We have a lot of that around here," I added with a hint of humor.

- "That we do... So, how boring have you been these days? Are you done hiding? I feel like I hardly see your face outside the hospital," she scolded me. I leaned back against the counter, letting out a long sigh.

- "I'm not hiding" I lied. "Some of us have a real job, you know."

Of course, Ino had a job as well. She now headed the intelligence and interrogation squad as the heiress of the Yamanaka clan, and her skills were highly valued in the village. Her flower shop was nothing more than a hobby.

She let out a snort and ruffled her hair, turning to face me. Her eyes widened slightly at my disheveled appearance.

- "Good god Forehead! you look awful. How can you be a doctor and take so little care of yourself?" she yelled with her annoyingly high pitch voice. I glared at her, and she looked back at me. "So, are you heading to your meeting in the tower?" she asked suddenly, shifting the subject.

Of course, she knew. Ino might not have known what the meeting was about, but protocol dictated that she was aware of everything happening in high places.

- "Do you know anything about it?" She asked.

- "Nothing yet. I'll let you know as soon as I do, if you have clereance, of course," I replied, pretending to be above her level. She laughed and waved me off.

As I turned to leave, she added, "You've never answered my questions." I looked at her, puzzled. "How have you been doing?" she asked again, this time in a serious tone, her eyes filled with concern. Ino knew about my night terrors, the ones that haunted me in my sleep. She had them too.

- "Oh, you know," I replied, unable to lie. She smiled sadly at me.

- "I do know," she simply said.

I returned her smile and left the flower shop before the mood could darken any further. I no longer did tears, but I held a soft spot for Ino. She had a way of bringing to the surface the girl who had drowned long ago. As I reached the Hokage tower, Shizune greeted me with a frown and a disapproving look.

- "Good afternoon to you too, sunshine," I responded to Shizune's disapproving look with a touch of irony.

- "Seriously, Sakura, you need to stop this," she said, exasperated. "This is a serious matter. You can't show up late for a direct order."

- "I got held up. I'm here now, okay?" I replied, not in the mood to hear it.

Poor Shizune had been trying to mend my relationship with the Fifth Hokage for a while, and I could tell she was growing weary of my behavior. But I was tired too.

I approached the door and knocked three times before it creaked open, revealing a drunken, raspy voice. "Fucking great" I thought. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Tsunade, and her drunken state made the prospect even worse. I entered the room, and her gaze narrowed at the sight of me. I was so focused on her that I failed to notice the high-ranking officials lining the left side of the room, including Kakashi, who looked at me with concern. What was going on here?

However, my blood ran cold as I turned to the right. Standing there in all his grandeur was Madara Uchiha, accompanied by Obito and Orochimaru. I suddenly forgot how to breathe. Three of the individuals I despised and feared the most were together in the same room, all looking at me. My gaze dropped to the floor; I couldn't bring myself to meet Madara's eyes. I knew what those eyes were capable of.

- "You're late," Tsunade chided in a harsh tone, momentarily shifting my fear into annoyance. I looked back at her, deliberately ignoring the presence on the right side of the office.

- "You called?" I replied curtly, displaying my displeasure with her orders. The Hokage snorted.

- "Yes, this is an important meeting, Sakura. As my second-in-command, you are needed here. We've been waiting for you," she said, making me feel like a child being scolded in a room filled with antagonists.

- "I had work to do. I'm here now," I responded, perspiring.

- "It seems little Sakura-chan has grown some claws," someone chimed in from the non-existent part of the room, and I recognized Orochimaru's voice.

If there was someone I despised more than Madara, it was him – the snake who changed allegiances like I changed my underwear, the instigator of Sasuke's departure, and the source of many of our problems. He had experimented on children, leaving them to die in formaldehyde tanks at his numerous bases across the country. Now, he served as an emissary for Madara, just like Obito. I loathed that man with all my being.

- "Shut up!" I retorted acidly. From the corner of my eye, I saw Madara smile with amusement, which was enough to send a fresh wave of terror coursing through me. My gaze returned to Tsunade.

- "Why did you call this last-minute meeting?" I asked.

- "The terms of the peace treaty are being revisited," she explained. My heart raced; this couldn't be good. "A new concession has been made to secure the alliance, something that will help prevent wars in the future."

My mind began to tune out as soon as I heard the word 'concession.' They had already taken our lives, our homes, and humiliated us to the point of no return. And now we were making more concessions. I could feel my anger simmering.

- "What concession?" Kakashi asked wearily, sensing my inability to speak. Tsunade remained silent, her gaze reflecting her own dissatisfaction.

- "A reminder, of course," Orochimaru replied. "You see, during our visit to the Daimyo last week, he raised a crucial point. He questioned how we could ensure that all shinobi would respect the agreement in the future and prevent history from repeating itself."

- "Isn't our word enough?" Gemma questioned, his brow furrowed.

- "History is more powerful than man's words," Orochimaru stated. "And history has taught us that the cycle of hatred keeps repeating itself. If we do not act now, I fear that wars will continue to erupt as long as power remains a human desire.". – The snake replied. No one said anything. The tension continued to grow. – "The distribution of tailed beasts among the ladeas as deterrence weapons has proven to be insufficient to fight men's greed."

- "Naruto is not a weapon." I managed to say, my voice growing weaker by the second. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to hear what they were planning. I just wanted to be free from their tyranny.

- "Not an effective one, at least," Orochimaru added, his words like daggers. My gaze bore holes into his skull. Dismissing me, he continued, - "That's why we have come up with a plan to remind everyone of what would happen if history were to repeat itself."

- Tsunade-sama, please… - I pleaded turning my gaze to my former mentor who I once considered a mother.

- "My hands are tied, Sakura. It's already been decided," – She replied without looking at me. I could see the sadness in her gaze as she looked out the window.

"You are the Hokage, do something!" I implored in my head hoping she would hear me. She didn´t. My eyes landed on the most formidable figure in the room, and I summoned all the courage I had left.

- "What are you planning to do?" I asked, locking eyes with Madara. He smiled at me with the cold satisfaction of a predator eyeing its prey but said nothing. Orochimaru was determined to do all the talking.

- "A mitigation and prevention measure. Some might say a bit extreme but no less effective," he continued, his voice dripping with malevolence.

- "What the fuck is it?!" I yelled, reaching my breaking point.

We had gone to war, lost our people, our homes, and been forced to live with the perpetrators. They couldn't break what was already shattered. It couldn't be worse than that. Orochimaru's smile deepened as he relished my despair.

- "A contest of champions, of course. A battle royal."

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Well fuck. I was so wrong.

... End of Chapter II...