AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey. I don't normally write author notes on these, wishing not to distract/clutter around the chapters, but I wanted to extend a couple of things; a question, and my gratefulness to those of you reading this now. I appreciate you, whether you comment or not, if you're lurking, if you've faithfully returned to read this every two weeks, if you're just arriving from a very long read up to this point. It takes trust and patience as a reader to get this far through any story, and I earnestly hope that you will continue to stay as invested as you must be to have gotten this deep into Clone Gambit.

Either way, even if you lose interest and depart; thank you for reading, anyway.

This story is far from over. As the horizon of its events looks to me, it will be continuing for enough future chapters right now that the proper end is not quite in sight. Hence my question, if any of you are willing to toss a comment this way and give me feedback; do you long for it to end? Or does the length of its journey not bother you? I want to give this the solid, loose-ends-tied ending it deserves, but I also don't want to make readers feel it's dragged out or that you are getting bored. I'll be cautious not to rush things either way (also doing my best to stay motivated and stick with the every other Tuesday schedule without fail), but it would help me a lot to hear what you think.

Let me know, or any other thought you have that you're willing to share, if you're still here. I value your opinions; I consider and appreciate each one. This story will be my last huzzah on this website for this pair and likely the Naruto world for a long while... so I'm giving it my best.

And - please enjoy the chapter.

Sakura was the target at the very center of the vast judgement panel, and a thousand stares shot down at her from all directions, piercing their mark. With her head respectfully inclined, she kept her eyes on her folded hands, trying not to let her anxiety show.

She was utterly surrounded. The building was circular, accommodating dozens of rings like pews that spread out high above. Paper lanterns illuminated the space in shadowy amber, and silver light fell over the countless present for the trial from the skylight carved into the highest center point of the ceiling. At its heart, the moon was embedded in a velvet speckled sky.

Sakura closed her eyes to the setting around her, overwhelmed. Judging even just by the dull roar of voices, there had to be over a thousand present in and around the place; their many conversations blurred into white noise was deafening already.

Sasuke's warning had been truthful. In her few nervous glimpses around the vast trial chambers Sakura had recognised that there was representation from every village present along with their respective Kage, excepting the Sound village. Each host of shinobi was mixed with civilians as well; councilmen, elders, jōnin and chūnin, and likely the wealthier civilian guests that had bought themselves seats at the internationally famous trial. With their Kage seated in the innermost circle, all who had come from each village were seated in the rows behind them.

It was no civil trial either: every single person present was visibly armed. Beneath the mingling voices rising through the wide space was the shuffling of bound-up shinobi garb, sheathed weapons rustling, armour plates scraping on some, with all the tension bound between each person readied for battle.

As the seconds ticked by with all settling in their seats, Sakura tried to lessen the frightened adrenaline rushing through her veins, taking a deep breath in a thin attempt to calm herself. Keeping her eyes shut, her sweaty fingers tangling, she tried not to think about all the eyes shooting through her where she was seated at the center of so much unwanted attention.

She needed to be calm and collected. Sakura's brows pinched in frustration as she shoved away anxious thoughts reporting to her endlessly of the countless shinobi staring down at her, of all of Konoha's attendees seated in the rows behind her, all the Kages staring at her as each waited for her trial to begin. She couldn't let herself panic… or she would fail in her goal to tell her truths as best as she could.

How did some of the people she admired remain so calm no matter the situation? Sakura took in another deep breath, steepling her fingers and pulling the anxious look from her expression, feeling well aware of curious stares watching her every movement. With studious, fierce focus she made herself list surrounding details she could sense in a neat list, drawing her mind away from her terror of this trial.

Sakura could smell the fresh-cut wood of this building, like it had just been constructed. There were hints of sawdust beneath the odours of countless sweaty, impatient onlookers, the tang of steel and armour and leather and cloth. Wood Style? she wondered, and she swallowed heavily upon noticing the intimidating presence of the First Hokage himself seated near her, his skin cracked and flaking from so long as an Edo Tensei reanimation. If she glanced a little further back, she could see Yamato seated a few rows away, glancing admiringly at him.

Sakura had a passing thought that it was very possible he had given Yamato some lessons in using Wood Style; perhaps this building was a combination of their efforts, and the idea warmed her a little.

She felt the First Hokage's gaze shift to her as if he'd felt her brief attention, and Sakura kept her head respectfully bowed, her heart thumping like a warning drum. She continued to look around a little more beneath the falls of pink hair shielding her face, keeping herself distracted as she knew it was all about to begin.

Beside the First Hokage (Hashirama, Sakura decided to think of him as, even if she'd never dare address him as such; she was used to Madara speaking of him and his brother by name rather than title) was Tobirama. He was somehow even more intimidating, and his gaze was much colder, like a pair of red blades digging into Sakura's skin when he looked her way. Keeping her eyes away from him in both respect and subtle nervousness, Sakura recalled old conversations with Madara about Tobirama. Some of his more colourful witticisms about him had her lips briefly quirking before her expression was solemn once more.

Their attention was heavy, but not nearly as heavy as that of Tsunade, sitting a single seat away from Sakura's central place in the innermost ring. She only glanced at Sakura once, and she'd known better than to meet Tsunade's eyes right now — but even without locking eyes, she'd felt the burden of her silent resentment and anger.

Sakura forced herself to draw another slow, measured breath, finding that Tsunade's judgement swayed her thin calm more than anyone else's. She wanted badly to mend the rift between them; but the only way she had to do that had been through completing the mission she'd just failed, the impossible task of killing Madara a redemption she could not achieve with Tsunade.

She pressed her hands over her lips, trying not to cry. I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade. Sakura ached to say it to her, though she knew she couldn't. I wish I could have told you everything from the beginning. Perhaps you would still be on my side now, if I had.

But Tsunade would never have allowed Sakura to get as close to Madara as she had; she wouldn't have let her entertain any ideas that she could change his mind about his cause, and she'd still have wanted Sakura to either attempt to take his life or otherwise turn against him, should their relationship still have been forged in some capacity. Tsunade's hatred for Madara ran too deeply, down through her Senju family roots. It was never possible to be fully honest with Tsunade before now; and though Sakura understood this, it still wounded her deeply to feel her mentor's disappointment in her, tangible even through her silence.

The other Kages were staring at Sakura as well. Their attention was more curious than hostile, though their sharp looks didn't affect her as much as Tsunade and the two reanimated Hokages did.

Sakura felt calmer, now. Even with the hyped-up tension of the audience all around her stringing tighter with the trial nearing its start, she'd found some peace in her introspections, had dug her feet back in to the solid foundation of her previous resolve. She hadn't come here unprepared, at least in her heart. She was strong in her convictions no matter how she was immersed in the most intimidating, dangerous situation of her life, and with nearly everyone she knew and loved watching.

Nearly. Sakura exhaled steadily, her fingers gripping into fists. The best possible scenario, disregarding whichever sentence she might receive, would be that Madara did not make an appearance. Better that he heed her warning… better, that he avoid the unsubtle goading trap this public trial was. She pressed a hand over her chest, near where his wrapped-up eye rested beside her pounding heart underneath her qipao; just as it had at the start, a year before. She was careful not to look over at the false one floating in the tank beside Tsunade and Hashirama a couple of seats away.

Angry whispers behind her reminded Sakura of how all of Konoha's shinobi and some of the civilian host were present and watching her. Her team was in the row immediately behind her, just out of reach, and though she couldn't quite distinguish the conversation, she got the gist that Naruto was not happy this trial was taking place. Sasuke was, as usual, trying to keep him quiet; Kakashi was keeping an eye on them both. Behind them still were all the other Konoha teams and their leaders — everyone Sakura had grown up knowing, followed by the rest of the titled shinobi Konoha possessed. Sakura could sense their probably hostile curiosity… their judgements, their rumours.

Every one of them was well-rested, well-armed, and prepared for battle. Every single one was as ready as they could be for both Sakura's trial and for the arrival of the one who had caused her to be on trial.

Sakura drew her shoulders up tightly, feeling the impossible burden of her entire host of friends and comrades staring down at her back. The tension and weight of it all felt like a mine collapsing upon her; and this time, with no one to act as her shield but herself.

Breathe. She pressed her hands over her nose and mouth, willing herself to focus on the simple intake and release of air before anything else. It wouldn't do for her to pass out at her trial; not if she wanted to fight for herself and for what she believed in. She couldn't let herself panic no matter the terrifying circumstances she was in.

Sakura heard the hush starting to spread over the many present like a cloud: it was finally about to start. Her heartbeat kicked up another notch into a dizzying, rapid thrum; she tightened up against herself further, trying not to be utterly terrified.

Someone cleared their throat, the vast hall settling into a restless silence. Slowly, Sakura's hands fell from her face; her breathing slowed. Hair fell around her face as she released a long, gradual breath, and it was with an unbreakable, smouldering look of resolve that she opened her eyes once more, facing the panel before her.

Hashirama had risen to his feet. Solemn brown eyes set in unnatural dark scleras swept around the panel in a slow, watchful circle as he spoke, his gaze resting in finality upon Sakura. "We are here for the trial of Haruno Sakura, a kunoichi of the Leaf Village. As you all know, the weight of her accused crimes affects not just Konohagakure, but all of our villages; all of our lives, and all of our futures, as her mission and her choices concern the very fate of this war."

Murmurs trickled across many seated in the outer rings. All of the Kages were watching Sakura now as Hashirama turned to her, his expression calm but grim. "You are accused of treason against Konoha as well as treason against all of the other villages, by way of working with and for our shared enemy, Uchiha Madara. You are also accused of disobeying direct orders from your Hokage and multiple incidents of willful noncompliance to your other superiors. We have already reviewed all of the evidence against you…"

Sakura belatedly noticed a thick spread of scrolls and papers before Hashirama's seat. Through slightly bleary vision she recognised a year's worth of her mission reports as well as the file she'd given Tsunade declaring the glass-kunai attack idea as useless. There were reports written by others there as well, no doubt relevant to Sakura's activities over the year. There were letters; likely stolen Union-stamped reports; the false research copy stolen from the gala night… photos, newspapers, and many other pieces of evidence that had been looked over by the panel before Sakura's arrival.

She took in a slow inhale through her nose, refocusing her attention upon Hashirama as he went on.

"Now; we will hear what you have to say for yourself before we make our final judgement."

Sakura's eyes lowered, and she released a breath, briefly shutting her eyes. Hashirama nodded to her, settling back into his seat. There was a ripple of whispers across the thousands watching as Sakura slowly rose to her feet, lifting her head.

Before she spoke, she looked around at the main panel members, all of her senses on alert. It was difficult to withstand the full force of all the Kage's attention at once; and their attention was not kind. She could feel from their steely tension as they awaited her words what their judgement of her was, already.

It didn't matter. Sakura let go of her clasped fingers, settling them flat along her sides and regarding the panel with a sense of calm. She was in the eye of the storm; she wouldn't give up now. She would do her best, and then the rest was up to fate.

"When I began my mission at the crux of this war a year ago," Sakura spoke, keeping her tone steady and strong, "I was motivated to protect those that I love. I was willing to sacrifice my life; to die in order to save them, mission or no mission, and to do whatever it takes to make sure they aren't enslaved in the infinite dream either." Her expression hardened, green eyes shining as she addressed the panel. "The weight of everything was on me at the start of it. Not just my teammates, but the fate of all of us. I was able to move forward with confidence under such pressure only because I was driven by my love for my friends and comrades."

Sakura's gaze slid down to her hands, wide and remembering; the whole of the vast panel hall was silent so that her voice was able to carry to all who listened. "And I was driven by hate. What gave me the strength to damage that Rinnegan in the start," she glanced at the tank resting beside Hashirama where the Rinnegan floated still, "was hatred. Fear and resentment from my memories of those eyes, belonging to Pein of the Akatsuki back then, when he utterly destroyed Konoha." There was a ripple in those seated behind Sakura in the Konoha section of the audience; grimaces drew between terse faces as they too remembered that fateful day. Listening as intently as the rest, Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi watched Sakura with solemn, unwavering attention.

"My home… destroyed," Sakura was saying, her words higher from the tightening of her throat, her fists clenching over her heart. "My family and friends, killed. Slaughtered without mercy. Hatred." Her fists tightened so hard her knuckles were white, her pale fingers like icicles digging into her palms. "Hatred, that this war was happening at all. Hate from loved ones killed in battle."

Hinata was bowing her head somewhere behind Sakura as she spoke, Neji's name whispered among several around her; Ino covering her face with tears glimmering down her cheeks, Shikamaru bowing his head. Arms appeared around shoulders; comfort shared among Konoha's present shinobi, offered among all of those who had suffered heavy losses in the most recent war as well as previous.

Sakura's expression was brittle as she lifted her head again, standing tall at her place within the judgement panel. She looked around the room slowly, her heart pounding with beats deep and gradual. "I don't know how much you all remember of that day. If you're not from Konoha, I don't know if you've heard the truth of it; of how Pein, or rather Nagato as he was really called, was defeated." She turned, glancing at Naruto in a visible gesture towards him. "And it was not through such hate, as I would have, as any of us would have. It wasn't through violence or vengeance, but Naruto defeated such a great enemy through something as impossible and unlikely as through extending love."

Eyes narrowed among the panel members as Sakura leaned forward with her hands splayed on the railing before her, her bright eyes sparking. "How unlikely is that? That you defeat your enemy with such a weapon? It hadn't been done before. It was unheard of. I'm sure stories of this – of the great empathy as well as power which Naruto wields… These things brought us all to believe in the peace he tells of, that we've come to believe in as well. He is one of our inspirations to unite as one Allied Shinobi army."

This said, Sakura stood back, her hands drawing to her chest as her voice softened. "I had no intention of battling with that, a year ago. I'm not…" She drew a breath, persisting through her hesitation, "I'm not persuasive, or charming. I'm not patient, or kindly, or so full of incredible empathy that I might look my enemy in the eye and forgive him even when he's just killed my loved ones." Sakura glanced back at Naruto once more before continuing. "So I fought for months in my first mission with hate as my weapon like the rest of us do. The old way; using cunning, determination, power, and plotting to work your way towards the goal of killing your enemy when it's time. I knew I could do it." She gripped her fists tightly, her lean muscles rippling beneath her pale skin as she paused, smouldering with her passionate conviction.

Sakura was a partial mirror of Tsunade in this moment, her figure poised with strength and fiery will. She also possessed a razor-edged power in her presence much like that of Madara's at the same time; calm, intimidating, dangerous. Some of those watching were able to recognise these influences painting Sakura in potent hues, their stares wide-eyed with mixed awe — the rest transfixed by her sheer intensity as she spoke, a thousand moths drawn to her brightly burning flame afire in the heart of the hall.

Sakura's fierce eyes caught the lamplight in sparks of amber. "I am not weak. I am not afraid to fight, just as I'm not afraid to die. Even an enemy as great as Uchiha Madara was not going to scare me out of fighting for all of those I love."

"But…" Sakura drew a breath, her eyes lifting to the silent crowds, "but then I saw it; perhaps what Naruto saw when he forgave Nagato, or what brought Obito back from the brink to us. What all of us have seen in our enemy's eyes; perhaps right before you kill him, or in a reflection long after." She shut her eyes, her voice fervent and strong. "That he is like you, or like me. He is a fellow human. A fellow, with different passions, different motivations, a different past, but in his flesh and bones and heart and blood he is just like you." Her brows furrowed, her green eyes fierce as she cast her gaze among the seated Kages and audiences behind them. "Not a god. Not a demon. It's so easy to objectify your enemy, to reduce him to nothing so you feel better about his death; it's the weak way. It takes strength to do as Naruto did. To recognise your enemy's humanity, and to extend beyond and understand — that you and your enemy are cut from the same cloth."

Sakura glanced away, her hair falling over her features; murmurs rippled across the hall in her pause before she continued. "Not all shinobi can be redeemed. I'm not so naive that I'll claim that every soul that lives has good within. Some cannot be brought back from corruption and darkness no matter our efforts." Her gaze settled upon her fists that slowly unfurled, her memories settling across her mind's eye in a stretch of capricious sensation. "But violence, in the end, will only bring more violence. Death will only call for more death, no matter how justified you might claim you feel in killing, and I found that what Naruto has said to all of you only continues to ring true. Yes, even in the case of the feared, hated, reviled and infamous Uchiha Madara… Hate is still the wrong answer."

Silence, a drawn, tense pause across the thousands of eyes upon her, and Sakura didn't falter, her head held high and her voice steady and strong. "We must break the cycle of hatred. As shinobi, and as civilians; as a people, if we truly wish for peace, it is the only way."

She sought the moon high beyond the roof skylight, her gaze settling across its untainted silver glow; her heart pounded in her chest, quickened and light. "And he… he is not lost. The more I let go of my hatred, the more I recognised the human beneath the demon he shows to you all." Sakura shut her eyes, feeling the cool touch of the moonlight caress her skin with silver-white. "Over time, with empathy and love rather than through hatred, I found that it is possible to bring him back. Just like Sasuke… just like Obito; like Nagato, and so many others. It's never too late."

Sakura bowed her head. After a moment, she brought her levelled gaze between the Kages, her expression hardened and resolved. "Madara can and will be reasoned with. Neither side needs violence to end this war. With my actions, I have opened a new path out of this, a chance to break the cycle of hatred and give us all the peace we long for." She leaned forward with a new intensity, her fingers digging into the railing before her seat. "I fully believe we can continue in the way Naruto has succeeded in before. Let us progress as a people to a stronger, better way of life. Let love be our weapon now… not fear and hate."

A long silence followed Sakura's words — and then a vast, conflicting cacophony of noise: people rising to their feet, shinobi arguing — Kages whispering amongst themselves, many audience members cheering or slinging curses her way; there were groups shouting praise, some already shouting at each other, and some were laughing, Tobirama shaking his head, Ōnoki chuckling bitterly, some of the crowd doing the same even through the angry protests of others enraged by their opposite reactions. Laughter, and Sakura sunk back into her seat, her eyes wide with disbelief. She was deaf to the many in the crowd that roared in support for her in the wake of those who thought her soul-poured words were funny, her head bowing low.

She barely registered the rising voices around her anymore. Naruto was shouting at someone how dare you?!, Hashirama was arguing with Tobirama; Mei was giggling, Ōnoki growling something to A brandishing his fist. The noise among the Konoha audience was some of the loudest; had Sakura been listening harder through her despair, she might have recognised how their vast majority fought in support of her, demanding respect and silence from those who didn't with increasing passion and anger. More arguments broke out in the thousands rising to their feet in the fallout of her speech, and the hall was shaking with so many voices clashing between those divided against each other. The cacophony worsened, almost as if the whole of the Allied forces was about to turn against itself over what she'd had to say.

In a strange moment of quiet in her head, Sakura found herself sitting in Madara's company. Eternally calm, he made a weary nod as he gestured out at the panel with a gloved hand, the other sliding along her knee. I do not believe in these people anymore.

Heartbroken, Sakura bowed her head further. She understood Madara's disillusionment with them all now.

"Silence." Hashirama's voice still retained all his intimidating power, and the crowds hushed as he glared out at them. "I will not have you disrespecting her in such a way no matter the crimes accused. Now…" Sakura didn't look up from where she was hunched in her seat as he glanced at her. "Is that everything you had to say?"

"We've heard enough." Tobirama spoke up as the crowds quieted down, regarding Sakura coldly. "That was the naive ramblings of a manipulated young woman." He glanced with sympathy at Tsunade next to him. "And a waste of a strong kunoichi. I recognise this will be a heavy loss to your ranks."

"Not naive," Hashirama countered him with a scowl, multiple others nodding in agreement with him. He sat up in his seat, facing off against his brother with a deep frown in his cracked features. "She makes fair points; some of which I myself have made in the past."

Tobirama gave a derisive snort. "This 'Pein' killed many, and brought the majority back after Naruto defeated him, as I understand it. Madara…" He brought cold, narrowed eyes over to Sakura in a slicing glance, "...has murdered hundreds, if not thousands, and they can never be brought back. Nor would he, if had the ability; and she simply expects us to forgive that? And to trust that he'll just decide not to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Tobirama leaned forward, red eyes narrowed. "It's worse than naive ramblings. It's a demand we endanger and weaken ourselves, perhaps even an attempt to manipulate. I would consider her treasonous words only more evidence atop the rest to earn her her final conviction." He tossed another glare at Hashirama. "Any echo you heard of your own sentiments in her little outburst was only that; a meaningless echo, perhaps just to draw sympathy for herself."

"I disagree that it was meaningless. Do you harbour some kind of personal resentment, lord Second Hokage?" Mei interjected lightly, causing Tobirama to shift his cold, bladed stare over to her almost boredly. "Hardly. My opinion is based on the facts, and with the mountain of evidence against her, it's more than obvious that this Sakura is just another puppet of Madara's. A toy he's using to get what he wants so he can win the war. Don't tell me you're somehow unable to see that… with all we have reviewed and discussed?"

The crowd's noise began to rise again — voices hushed just enough out of respect that they weren't interrupting those of the Kages, but anger flitted among many faces, just as many as those who looked on with hardened expressions in agreement with Tobirama's harsh words. "Yes, and because of that, Sakura is more of a victim," Hashirama was arguing, his hands folded tightly as he leaned forward with a frustrated expression. "Do not let your bias against the Uchihas or Madara himself affect your judgement, brother. Just because she's arguing for Madara's sake does not mean she should be ridiculed or insulted further. She's been through enough, either way."

Tobirama made a vicious scowl, opening his mouth to speak; but before he could spit more venom, the Raikage A had spoken up, his brother B frowning behind him. "I agree, and it's obvious she's a victim saying whatever she can to save her skin — though that doesn't mean she deserves pity. She has no curse tag. She betrayed us all willingly so her sentence is obvious. But beyond her—" A gritted his teeth, slamming his fists onto the decorating railing before his seat. "There's still a Union army somewhere out there, breathing down our necks. They continue to terrorise our villages and steal our supplies. In some idiotic world where we listen to her demand, she's saying that what, Madara will shrug and let that all go? Why would he ever do that? For this — weapon of 'love'?" His fingers dug into the wood of the structure around his seat with a hateful growl, a vein in his forehead twitching in his anger. "Completely ridiculous. The most absurd and utterly childish thing I've ever heard. Even more so than Naruto's previous blather. I say," his voice rippled through the ranks behind him, reminding all of the tension pulling ever more taut across the many hundreds in all directions, "we move forward with the plan and be done with this trial. We're all ready to fight as it is and we're just wasting time now."

Mei sighed, leaning her head on her hand. Ōnoki was shaking his head, scratching his cheek. "We are wasting time for sure. The judgement we need to pass is obvious; her argument didn't make any sense to me either. How can we take her seriously? This girl fell for Madara's silver-tongued words without so much as examining his actions. Are you certain she's not curse-tagged?"

The uproar worsened, Naruto's shout interrupting the panel above the intensifying arguing of all the shinobi seated in the outer rings, the crowds restless and divided. "Nothing Sakura said is ridiculous. How dare you call her names and say all that stuff?! She's fighting for the same things I have! She means it from her heart or she wouldn't say it. Don't you understand?! I swear, I'm going to come down there and punch sense into—"

More voices clashed. Her teammates fought between pulling Naruto back and joining his argument. Other teams shouting their opinions, and other sections between village members across all the nations disagreeing; Sakura remained still, her eyes dull upon her lap.

She barely heard it as another command from Hashirama had the Kages making their final votes; to condemn her and proceed with her sentence, or to exonerate her of her accused crimes and put faith in her proposed way of peace.

Tobirama made a dismissive wave, his growl echoing across the heart of the panel. "Get this over with. Yes; condemn her."

Gaara spoke up at last from his pensive silence, his gaze solemn upon Sakura. "No. I think she speaks sense. I hear the truth in her words, as I have heard it from Naruto."

There was a pause among the panel; whispers through those present from the Sand in the rows behind Gaara, their murmurs mostly in agreement of his words, some changing their previous opinions to match his out of admiration and respect. The divide of public opinion continued to be an open rift, though the words of their Kages in their final decisions affected them directly.

A snorted, breaking the tense pause. He and Ōnoki lifted their hands in unison, narrowing their eyes upon the others. "Put her to death," Ōnoki growled. "She let herself be manipulated, endangering all of our lives just to amuse Madara and herself. End her suffering already; and ours."

"Three for; one against," Hashirama reported with a frown. He leaned forward as voices hushed around him, his brow furrowed and voice strong. "Make that two against. I, too, believe in what she says." He folded his hands, a thrum of calm, easy power emanating from his presence, almost visibly moving many in the audience listening. His normally kindly gaze was deadly as he looked between the Kages. "Fighting for love is no laughing matter, nor is it childish. I find that such a cause is the most noble one, and a most unlikely declaration from someone you think is just a puppet furthering Madara's goals. I do feel Sakura is, in the end, still a victim… but there is passion and truth in her heartfelt words. She should be given a chance to show us why love might be the right way, even now."

Soft gasps rose around the vast rings surrounding the panel, the many looking on moved by Hashirama's vote. Others looked around uncertainly, as if they couldn't decide anymore what their opinion was; all eyes soon returned to the panel members, most frequently over to where Sakura sat with her head bowed, her hair hiding her face.

Mei lifted her hand, her eyes softened upon Sakura. "I can understand believing in love. I'd thought her ridiculous until I heard what she had to say. I will admit… I'm moved." Mei sighed. "I'm against condemning her, too."

"Three for, three against."

All eyes shifted to Tsunade.

She had been watching Sakura in stony, absolute silence the entire extent of the panel, her scalpel eyes as steady as her hands. Her frown had deepened enough that she looked aged, almost haggard, reflecting some of her true years; and with all the eyes of those present upon her now in her tiebreaker decision, her stare upon Sakura tightened with a barely-hidden wave of pain.

Sakura met her gaze, feeling her heart break into several more pieces as she did so.

"For." The word rang out in the silence afterwards.

Sakura's sharp inhale could be heard, and she drew back in her chair, a hand pressed over her heart; Tsunade finally looked away from her, shaking her head once. "I've been lied to enough times; I've given her too many chances already. Madara has corrupted her too deeply for me to try and trust her again." Her strong voice wavered where it stretched over her audible anguish. "I won't allow her to be put to death; but she should not be let free from her crimes."

Hashirama opened his mouth to speak, to announce Sakura's condemnation — but many rose in protest, and again the hall was a madness of voices, this time with nearly everyone speaking their mind. Naruto and Sasuke shouting behind her, and all the rest of those watching arguing with each other, at war with each other over her fate, and Sakura was numb to the world as she was hurried out of the panel hall, swept back into the dark to be hidden in her cell once more.

She stiffened as she sensed someone approaching the doors to her cell. She could tell they were alone; she could sense the power in their presence, and Sakura shook the hope from her heart angrily. It would be wrong of her to hope he could come for her when she had demanded he stay away.

It was one of her only consolations: Madara had not interrupted the trial; he hadn't come. Sakura slid her face deeper into her hands where she hunched against the wall, the slightly glowing chains around her wrists clinking as she did so.

She had said her peace. She had done her best; and now she was free to despair for whatever sentence they would put on her head — but at least she could take comfort in the fact that she had warned Madara and thwarted the would-be trap.

All harsh words spoken against her during the trial hung heavily against her heart. She could not help the despair that had settled over her like a thick, stifling cloud of darkness.

Sakura's gut clenched with doubt as she peered out through her fingers at the floor, her gaze glittering with worry. She wanted Madara to take her away from here; she wanted him to stay away. She hoped and hoped against the thought that her visitor might be him.

She inclined her head and hid her face once more as the doors to her room slid open.

Tension drew along Sakura's slender frame as her visitor stood there for a moment, regarding her; she knew now it wasn't him. But this couldn't be good, and she willed her heartbeat to slow: was she about to be told her fate? Or be verbally lashed again for the course of her past?

As her guest knelt beside her, his robes whispering around his tall figure, she recognised who he was. His presence was nothing like Madara's; powerful, but in a tempered way, strong without edges or steel but a kind of warmth.

"Please," Sakura whispered, her voice wavering and soft. She bowed her head, still intimidated to an extent by his visit. "With respect, lord First Hokage, if you have come to rebuke me… I can't take any more." She hunched into herself like she was trying to keep all the pieces of her shattered heart within her chest. "I think — that I'll break."

She startled as there was a cracked hand settling on her shoulder; his tone was gentle. "Sakura. I am on your side."

She lifted her head from her hands, meeting Hashirama's strange Edo-Tensei eyes hesitantly. She was quick to incline her head with respect once more, her hands falling as she hugged herself tightly in favour of hiding her face. He settled cross-legged beside her on the tatami-mat floor, his long brown hair settling in straight locks around his broad shoulders.

"You truly believe in Madara."

Sakura kept her eyes on the floor, and the calm that had soothed her before in the madness of the trial had her shoulders slowly falling as it returned. As if the subject at hand was present with his arm sliding across her frame in old, remembered comfort, Sakura relaxed, her tired stare becoming softened and sad as Hashirama went on. "You believe he is capable and willing to change… enough, that you staked your life on it."

She hummed, and she lifted her head, letting Hashirama see the serious glint in her eye as she nodded once.

He looked taken aback, then somber, a knot drawing between his brows. "Why?"
Sakura paused; she searched Hashirama's curious expression for a moment before looking away. She said nothing, but her sentiment was clear; she felt no obligation to have to explain herself, just as she was deeply resolved in her convictions.

Hashirama inclined his head with a hum and a slight smile. "Hm. You know, in the course of my past life, I had to endure many such arguments like the ones that happened out there." He gestured back towards the hall that led to the trial panel, glancing across Sakura's modest cell with a wistful look. "It seems to always go like that. People are quick to judge and slow to listen and try to understand. And—" he made a face, "like tonight, it seemed those fights were always centered upon Madara."

Hashirama blinked away a reminiscing expression, refocusing upon Sakura. "I found myself making arguments rather like yours more than my fair share of times."

Sakura's features twitched, a medley of conflicts clashing behind her eyes. She hadn't drawn that parallel before — that Hashirama, better than perhaps anyone else, could understand some of what she was going through. As Madara's closest friend through nearly a lifetime, he'd had far more struggles dealing with him than Sakura had; defending him and his actions, and clashing against him for those actions.

But he had also been the one to kill Madara, once, when he'd ceased believing in him and chosen his village over his friend. It might be questionable that they were still friends at all, considering the rift between them in their previous lifetime as well as the current; but Hashirama still spoke of Madara with a kind of affection, if a weary one. It reminded Sakura of how Naruto would speak of Sasuke in the years he was away from the village as a rogue ninja, though with passionate hope for his return rather than Hashirama's sad wistfulness.

Sakura bowed her head enough that her hair hid her face as she spoke, shadowing her conflicted expression. "I'm honoured to have your support."

Her gaze tangled with her flexing, restless fingers in the silence that followed her words, and in a rush of hope that Hashirama really was on her side, she let loose a blur of questions. "Are they really intending to trap him if he comes here? Do they mean to hurt him or just get answers if they manage to ask? Are they going to try and take the Ten-Tails away? And what are they going to do with the Rinnegan?"

Hashirama sat back, his hands settled over his knees as he blinked at Sakura. She lifted her head, searching his face, and his expression was both saddened and kindly as he regarded her. "You could ask me what your sentence is, or any other thing about your fate, with the limited time we have here; but you worry for him, instead."

"I'm not scared about what will happen to me. I've done the best I can." Sakura's green eyes shone fiercely in the dark of the room. "Please; if you can answer my questions, I want to know, before it's too late."
Sakura paused upon seeing a mix of emotions behind the hesitant look Hashirama gave her then. He had seemed resigned when he'd come here; then curious — and now, he guarded the conflicts behind his gaze settled heavily upon her, like he was the one determining her fate and not the judgement panel.

Hashirama's expression became resigned once more. His frown deepened in his cracked features, his brown eyes ever kind upon her, but also shadowed with a hidden resolve that made her heart inexplicably sink to her feet.

Sensing something amiss, Sakura shuffled backwards with the instinct to defend herself — Hashirama's hands were pressed together, weaving signs, and she clenched her teeth, her eyes widening upon him as she tried to break free from her chakra-muting chains. Was he about to attack her? But—

Her head slumped as his genjutsu took effect.

He caught her shoulders just in time to stop her from collapsing to the ground. With a soft sigh, Hashirama carefully set Sakura back against the wall, her head lolling to the side; her eyes had fallen shut, and she breathed slowly and peacefully in what appeared to be a deep sleep.

Hashirama rose to his feet, looking over to the shut doors to the cell with a grim twist about his mouth. He didn't like that this was necessary.

He set a hand over his heart with a long, weary sigh, and he looked back to her after a pause, pensive. His gaze upon Sakura was curious, once more; after all, she was the first he knew of since Izuna to have such fervent, selfless and apparently genuine love for someone as difficult and unanimously hated as Madara.

Hashirama's brows furrowed, his long dark hair falling in a wave around his shoulders as he leaned over, setting a gentle hand on the top of Sakura's head. The poor girl. Her love might be genuine, but it was extremely unlikely such love was requited. Knowing Madara, the theory that he and the rest of the judgement panel shared was the most likely one by an extreme margin — that he had used and manipulated her for the sake of furthering his power and goals in the war, closer and closer to casting his Eye of the Moon plan.

Hashirama sighed, his years showing in his frown as he gazed down at Sakura's slumped figure. Madara was a master manipulator, especially of people. With Sakura's former possession of the very key he needed to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, he had every motivation to gain her favour in order to persuade it out of her hands and into his, even through the more unconventional way of through her heart.

It was no debate in his mind: Sakura, knowingly or not, was Madara's puppet. Not one among the Kages doubted this; the idea that the bond between them was genuine had not been considered even for a moment. It simply wasn't a factor that Madara might have any sort of love for this doomed kunoichi in turn.

Yet still, it left a foul taste in his mouth to have to cast her into genjutsu like this, something not his forte nor inclination but also something he felt was his duty in this situation. Hashirama turned away, rubbing his temples with a cracked palm and sighing. It was the right thing to do; the best for her sake as well as everyone else's. This way, she wouldn't have to choose between defending Madara or her friends. This way, when it was done, she'd be free to live the rest of what should be a long and peaceful life, her conflicts settled and over with for good.

It would have been senseless to ask her to participate in her sentence as the Kages had determined in the end. Her teammates and other loved ones had passionately argued with the panel to the point that all agreed she should not be condemned to death; Sakura's participation in this trap was the compromise tersely agreed upon instead. No one liked the idea, but the vast majority had thought it fair enough, with Naruto being the exception. Even now Hashirama had no doubt he was still arguing to change the terms of Sakura's sentence.

But it was for the best that it was this way, her stressed mind set at ease in a genjutsu now. She would never have agreed to such terms herself: she was in too deep with what Madara had spun her into. Hashirama had seen in Sakura's eyes just now that she would never turn against him, even if it meant the cost of her own life. Her loyalty to Madara was as deep as her loyalty to her teammates: she would die for any of them, selfless to the end.

It would also be senseless to force her to participate, at least consciously. If any of Sakura's feelings for him were genuine, it would be an unforgivable torment to make her watch as Madara was killed in front of her.

No. She would complete the terms of her sentence while under the merciful genjutsu Hashirama had put her under, and then she would be able to live freely afterwards. She would be upset, but then she would move on from whatever Madara had convinced her was between them in the wake of his absence, thus not wasting her future upon a falsehood and being free to have a second chance at a better fate. She would be bitter… but someday, she would be grateful.

Hashirama's gaze returned to where Sakura slumped against the wall. He was deeply saddened as he watched her, his comfort only that she would be at peace while unconscious. Soon, with the results of the trap to come, he and everyone else would learn the truth of whatever there was between her and his old friend. He could make his final judgement call then.

It was overwhelmingly unlikely that their relationship was anything other than manipulator and victim… but it would give him peace to know for sure.

Bending down next to her, Hashirama slid his arms beneath Sakura's skinny frame, shifting her into his grip and lifting her up. Carrying her carefully, he turned towards the doors.

Wood-Style branches parted the way for him, branches securing them open. The shadowed hall beyond was lined with shinobi awaiting him in silence — all the solemn, stress-wrought faces of her friends and comrades, their eyes glued to the unconscious woman in his arms.

For the sake of them all, Hashirama wanted to feel certain that Sakura was merely a victim, soon to be cut free with the imminent end of the war. He awaited the confirmation of his regretful sureness this was so. But as he strode forward, leading her towards where it would all take place just outside this building, he couldn't help the terrible feeling that she was Madara's last chance rather than his last victim.

Hashirama's expression settled into a determined, grim one as he nodded to the Kages outside the doors. He knew by their tense postures and gritted teeth that the time had come.

I'm sorry, old friend. He stood at the precipice of the doors to the outside, all the rest lined up behind him, his troubled thoughts directed towards the one he knew awaited with his army beyond. This is the best I can do for the both of you. This — is for the good of everyone.