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Sakura was 12 years old when she realized she was going to die in a foreign country. She stood on an incomplete bridge soaked with sweat and the mist that surrounded her. Her nerves were frayed at the seams from fear. She could barely hear anything over the clashing of metal striking metal and her own heartbeat. Tears carved tracks through the grime and dirt on her cheeks showing a hint of her flushed skin.
She held a kunai at an angle in front of her, terrified that she barely knew how to use it. She knew she was holding it too tight, losing blood flow to her fingers from the tension. But the fear that clawed its way slowly up her spine causing her to shake and shiver from its touch wouldn't let her grip slacken.
Sakura saw the man slowly stalking towards her and his target, the bridge builder. His dark eyes felt like they could see right through her into her soul. His slightly slouched form held his long sword slightly aloft from his body and all she could do was shake like the little leaf she was. She was going to die and she knew it.
Sakura was 12 years old when she didn't die. She woke up groggy and moaning from the pain. Her head throbbed in time with her heartbeat. Her entire body ached. She tried to move but her wrists hurt every time she tried. She peeled her eyelids open and knew there was something tied securely around her wrists keeping them behind her. She was laying on her side in front of a tree in a clearing in a random forest she didn't recognize as home.
She sat up and let the tree trunk hold her weight as she tried to clear her head to remember anything at all that happened. She remembered the bridge. She remembered she was going to die protecting a drunk she disliked all for a mission they never should've been sent on by a leader that didn't care. She knew she was going to die due to her lack of skills because her Jonin leader didn't teach her anything of use. And when he did with tree walking he only used her success as a way to make the boys do better. She was used as a tool for their improvement. So why wasn't she dead?
Sakura looked around and noticed the person sitting not too far away in silence observing her. They had long dark brown hair and a beautiful regal face that would've fit right in in the damiyo's court. They wore nondescript clothing that was loose enough for her to not know their gender right off the bat. But she was sure this was the same person who had trapped Sasuke in that ice dome. They worked for Zabuza.
“Good morning. Are you hungry?”
The voice was a little deeper than she expected. She was guessing male but wasn't sure. She nodded her head and the figure came over to crouch in front of her and hand feed her jerky. She wasn't sure if she should feel embarrassed or not but her hands were tied behind her back and she was too hungry to care.
After eating as much as she could she spoke, “Why am I here?”
“We took you. You are ours now, little petal.”
“What if I don't want to be yours?”
They tilted their head to the side like a cat, “Do you want to go back to a team that obviously never trains you? You couldn't do a thing besides stand there and attempt to use a kunai. Is that what you want?”
Sakura didn't want to be useless so she shook her head.
“We will train you to be the best you can be. If you choose to stay at the end of the training then you can or if you want to leave, we won't stop you. Sounds fair?”
Sakura nodded. She would take the training and everything else she could snatch within reach. She would never feel like she did on that bridge again. She would never let fear control her into submission to death. She would no longer be prey.
“My name is Haku and I'll protect you until you can protect yourself, little petal.”
She nodded and he went behind her and she could hear the metal of the kunai being released from the sheath. She stiffened thinking she was going to be hurt but all that happened was her wrists being released and her arms swinging down to drop to her sides. She rubbed at the raw skin where the ropes bit into her wrists.
“Is the guppy ready?”
Sakura watched as Zabuza entered the clearing with his giant sword on his back. She nodded and he nodded back. Haku helped her up and she knew this was where she would be for the time being until she could stand on her own.
–O–
It was a year later when she met Mei Terumi and helped overthrow the Mizukage of Kiri. He had created the bloody mist that everyone in other nations spat about as being lesser. Mei collected the missing nin of Kiri like tools in her pouch. She had a use for every single one and she wanted them all. She even got two of the seven legendary swordsmen to come back.
Sakura came with Haku Yuki, she learned he was a boy a few days after she started traveling with them when they went to wash in a river. That had been an experience. And she came with Zabuza Momochi who still called her guppy. It was an unfortunate nickname that others had picked up. Not a single person called her Sakura anymore. She found she didn't quite mind it. Sakura had been weak. She was prey. Guppy was strong. She was a predator.
Mei Terumi became the new Mizukage and Zabuza and the other swordsman, Kisame Hoshigaki, swore themselves to her and to Kiri. They were no longer missing nin. They were home.
Sakura stayed with Zabuza and Haku in their apartment. She trained with both of them daily as well as Kisame a few days a week. She had a long thin blade that was used for speed and striking. She was becoming known as Thousand Cut Swordsman. Her last mission she has interrogated a target in field by slowly and systematic cutting his body until he could no longer take it. She made it to three hundred and eighty six cuts before his heart stopped. He didn't look human afterwards. Her mission was a success.
–O–
Three more years had passed and the forests no longer smelled like home. Home was gray and foggy with humidity that kept her hair slightly frizzy but never dry. Home was the sound of crashing waves and metal against metal clashing on training fields. Home was a beautiful boy who took her from her team and kept her safe even after she could do it herself. Home was a gruff man who trained her in swords and passed all his knowledge onto her. Zabuza and Haku were her family and were her home.
She was sixteen when she found the sword that replaced her original given to her by Zabuza when she was thirteen. This sword called out in anger and rage at being left behind. It called out in fear of never being wielded again in its lifetime. It cried out hoping someone would save it and take care of it, wipe the rust from the steel, rewrap the hilt, clean and oil it to perfection. It screamed and Sakura answered. The sword was somewhat sentient like all seven legendary swords of the mist. This one was named Kiba or Fang. It was a long double edged blade with two upward curved prongs coming off the main body. One near the top on one side and one near the bottom on the opposite side. Almost like branches forming off the main trunk of a tree. Sakura thought that was fitting since she was originally of the trees. The blade was able to be either one thicker blade or be separated into two thinner blades. Either form was devastating to her opponents. The blade preened under her adoring hands as she worshipped it through taking care of it and then using it to rend flesh from bodies soaking it in their blood. Kiba usually was wrapped in bandages on her back.
When Zabuza and Kisame saw the sword they laughed and smiled with their shark-like teeth. Her teeth became sharp with them and their swords. She became the next legendary seven swordsmen of the mist. Now there were four including Chojuro who was two years older than her who wields Hirameikarei or the Twinsword.
Her body was muscular, especially for a woman, but her sword demanded speed and strength. And Sakura would be damned if she didn't give Kiba everything it wanted. Her body became streamlined with too sharp edges and too quick movements that flowed like the water but struck like lightning too quick to grasp. She mastered the water ninjutsu their country and both her teachers were known for. But she also mastered lightning that her sword was known for and demanded she wield with expertise. Between Zabuza and Kisame she became a monster in her own right. Zabuza was known as the Demon of the Mist. Kisame was known as the Monster of the Mist. Sakura entered every single bingo book on her eighteenth birthday as the Shinigami of the Mist. She was the grim reaper that entered battle and was only seen for a second before her opponent was dead. She was unmistakable dressed in all black with glowing jade eyes and ethereal pale pink hair that looked like a halo around her head. She loved everything she had become.
She was six months past her eighteenth birthday when she received news that a Konoha delegation would be coming to Kiri for trade negotiations. All four of the current seven swordsmen were required to be there as guards for their Mizukage. Sakura was not looking forward to this. She had a feeling deep in her gut that she would know at least one if not all of them since it was now a known fact that the Shinigami of the Mist was a Sakura Momochi formerly a Haruno. She was adopted by her teacher as a teenager as a formality for becoming his heir.
“You cannot be serious.”
Mei laughed showing her sharp teeth, “Oh Guppy, I don't envy you. This is going to be quite amusing. I hope they send someone entertaining.”
Sakura twitched, “At least someone will enjoy the drama.”
“You love drama!”
“When it's not mine!”
Kisame laughed sprawled out on a sofa to the side at her misery.
Sakura muttered under her breath about easier to kill.
Mei pointed to her, “I forbid you to kill anyone from this delegation unless they are a threat to our lives. You can't solve all your problems with killing.”
“Works every other time.”
Sakura looked pleadingly at her adopted father but Zabuza just shrugged, “Sorry, Guppy. You heard the woman. No killing unless they're an actual threat.”
Sakura hung her head in depression feeling the sword at her back doing the same. He wanted to kill to solve everything too.
Over a week later the delegation arrived by boat being escorted by Kisame and Chojuro. Mei was being guarded by her and Zabuza. Not to mention Ao who never left her side as her advisor and personal guard.
They stood to either side and slightly back from Mei and Ao who would be greeting the delegation. Kisame laughed at something a dark haired man said. She knew of him. It was Itachi Uchiha. He used to be a missing nin and an old friend of Kisame from his own missing nin days. She heard he had gone back to Konoha. She was thankful it wasn't a different Uchiha she had been on a team with. But that was where her luck ran out.
The other members she recognized immediately. In the front was Shikamaru Nara though she didn't personally know him besides his supposed genius, her old teacher Kakashi Hatake, her old teammate Naruto Uzumaki and three others she didn't recognize. She could see one of them, a woman with purple hair, was carrying a katana at her hip. Maybe she could get a spar to entertain her. The other wore a bandana with a senbon in his mouth. She wondered if he ever hurt himself with it. The last had brown hair and a blank face and a happuri holding the metal plates with the Konoha symbol.
She saw the moment Kakashi and Shikamaru clocked eyes on her. They didn't say a word but both of them tensed just a bit and held themselves a little bit straighter.
She heard Mei start to speak and welcome them to Kiri. Sakura didn't really listen. The pleasantries weren't for her. They were to put their allies at ease when on foreign ground. Allies they were but trust was rarely given.
“Sakura?”
She heard her name whispered in disbelief and hope. It had been a long time since someone called her her actual name and not Guppy unless it was an enemy. Naruto interrupted Mei and walked towards her on Mei's left side.
“Is it really you?”
“Naruto. Welcome to Kiri.”
“We thought you died in Wave on that mission. Zabuza said he killed you.”
Zabuza coughed covering a laugh off to Mei's right. She knew this story. He had told her everything even before the Kiri revolution when she was thirteen.
“Guess I'm hard to kill.”
“Have you been here this whole time?”
Sakura looked at Mei and knew from the smirk she wasn't getting any help from her Kage. Bitch was enjoying this.
Sakura sighed, “On and off. I followed my old man around for a while training,” she gestured to Zabuza.
“Oi! I'm not old!”
Mei was hiding her smile behind the long sleeve of her robe now.
Sakura rolled her eyes. She looked back at the delegation, “You will begin talks tomorrow morning after breakfast. Let me show you to your accommodations for your stay.”
Sakura didn't wait and started walking knowing they would follow. She knew her other swordsmen were covering the right, left, and rear of the party and keeping an eye on them. She also could feel her sword, Kiba, on alert waiting to unleash lightning on anyone not carrying a fellow sentient sword.
She dropped them all off with meaningless pleasantries and a blank face. She didn't have time for this shit.
–O–
Kisame thought this whole reunion, if one could call it that, was hilarious. His Guppy was obviously uncomfortable and wanted to get away from the entire situation. His Kage was lapping it up like it was milk and she was a cat. Kisame enjoyed seeing Itachi again. It was also on better terms now that both of them were no longer missing nin and they were ally nations. He saw the way the Konoha team tensed when they realized who one of the swordsmen was. It was the genin they thought they lost over six years prior.
After she deposited them at the ambassador suites and left he stuck around with Zabuza who was talking to Kakashi. Chojuro had followed Sakura to, he assumed, the training grounds. She would need to let off steam. And only another legendary swordsman could stand up to her without fear of one of them dying in a simple spar.
Naruto was quiet when he asked, “Does she hate us?”
Everyone stopped talking and watched him. He was still looking at the door where she had stood.
“She doesn't hate any of you, kid. She doesn't feel anything. She doesn't know you.”
“But she knows us! She was our teammate!”
Kisame let Zabuza answer, “I took her from you when she was barely even out of the academy. She became my second apprentice. She became my daughter and heir. She hasn't been your teammate in a long time. Don't take it to heart, brat. She's not the same girl you knew.”
Kakashi whispered, “I failed her.”
“She doesn't see it that way. Talk to her and ask if you want. But don't expect it to not hurt either. She's one of us now. She has been for a long time.”
Zabuza left shortly after that. Kisame didn't stay too much longer. He would give them the night to come to terms with one of their own coming back from the dead and no longer being the same girl they knew. She was all sharp edges now like the rest of them in Kiri. As sharp as their teeth.
–O–
Sakura was six months past her eighteenth birthday when her old village and old teammates learned she was alive. The moment she entered the bingo books everyone knew her name and face. Except her name was now Momochi and her entry went alongside her adopted father's in the S-rank shinobi section for threat level. She was entered as flee on sight and she was damn proud of that. But she knew this day would come either against them on a battlefield or alongside them as an ally like today. She was slightly relieved she didn't have to kill them. Though she knew she would if it was an order.
Sakura let her muscles strain and ache as she went toe to toe with Chojuro in the training field the next afternoon. They weren't on the delegation detail today and she was glad for it. She grunted as her fist met his shoulder instead of his chest. His forearm swiped it away but not quickly enough to avoid. She wanted to ache and hurt. She wanted to be so exhausted she had no choice but to sleep the rest of the day away. There was no chance of a mission while the delegation was in the village.
Chojuro panted heavy breaths forcing air in and out of his lungs. His moves became sluggish as did hers. She was working off of willpower and spite and she refused to back down. This was a taijutsu spar only and their swords had to stay on their backs. They needed to train as if they lost their swords and ran out of chakra.
She got in a lucky kick to the side of his knee and it buckled allowing her to pin him to the ground straddling his hips. She smiled with all her teeth breathing the same air as him.
“Yield.”
She felt his entire body relax as he sighed underneath her, “I yield. What's the score?”
Sakura got off him and sat next to him instead, her thigh against his thigh.
“Hm… I think it's 53 to 48 with this win to me.”
Chojuro sat up, him facing the one direction and her facing the opposite. His thigh to her thigh and his upper arm to hers. They always sat like this after every spar now matter what. They watched their surroundings while they were both weaker after the fight. The wielders of a legendary Mist sword always had a target on their backs. Their bounties were always ridiculous since it meant taking the sword.
Chojuro nudged his shoulder into hers, “We've got an audience. Judging by Zabuza's face he was here for a bit.”
She looked over her shoulder to see Zabuza with Kakashi, the purple haired woman, the bandana guy, and Naruto. The rest must be with Kisame.
She pulled herself up and then pulled Cho up with her. They walked over to the group. She felt her sword wanting to eat. But these were not the people to feed to her sword.
“How long have you been here?”
“Long enough to see you get your ass beat by my kid! How many losses is it now?”
Cho blushed, “She's now five wins ahead.”
“Your taijutsu is very advanced for a swordsman,” the purple haired swordsman said. She seemed more curious than anything so Sakura chose to not take it as a backhanded compliment.
“There have been times when I have nothing left except my body to fight with. It would be stupid to assume I would always have Kiba on hand.”
Zabuza ruffled her already messed up hair. “That's my girl.”
Sakura pushed his hand away and smiled. She secretly loved it.
“Sakura, can I spar with you?”
Sakura looked Naruto up and down assessing whether she wanted to. She shrugged, “What're the rules?”
Naruto scratched his cheek, “All out?”
Sakura laughed, “No, I'm not trying to kill a delegate from another nation. Try again.”
Kakashi held up his hand, “I could be witness so you both can go all out? It would be allowed within the terms of our alliance without resulting in a war.”
Sakura raised a pink brow, “Naruto, what are you ranked in the bingo books?”
“Uh… I think A-rank?”
“I am an S-rank with a flee on sight warning. There are only a handful of people who can spar with me without fear of death. We use rules and handicaps for a reason. Cho and I did taijutsu only for a reason. Are you sure?”
Sakura really wanted not only Naruto but the rest of the shinobi present to really think about what they are letting him ask for. What they are going to allow to happen.
Naruto nods his head enthusiastically and gives a thumbs up, “Believe it!”
Sakura shrugs, “Tomorrow morning. 0600 hours. Zabuza will bring you to the outermost training grounds so we can go all out.”
Later on Zabuza finds her in their apartment as she's reading with her feet up on Haku's lap.
“Think this is a good idea?”
“Not at all. But if they want a spar and as long as they sign the paperwork in case I kill him then I don't care.”
Haku looked up from his book, “Who are we killing?”
“Guppy here got challenged by that blond kid, Naruto. He thinks he can take her. I don't think he realizes how strong she is since all he remembers is her at twelve.”
“What are the rules?”
Zabuza answers, “All out.”
Haku sighs, lowering his book to rest on Sakura's feet, “Remember he is the host for the Kyubi and will be able to heal quickly plus have insane stamina and endless chakra. He probably can use it in combat now too. Do not underestimate a vessel.”
Sakura nods, “I won't. I just need to immobilize him. He can heal all he wants but if I fuck up his chakra network he can't retaliate.”
“Lightning?”
Sakura smiles with too many fangs, “Lightning.”
–O–
Sakura is stretching across the field from Naruto who barely tries to do the same. He's in the usual Konoha Jounin attire but with orange accents everywhere. He holds a kunai at the ready. She is in all black with built in metal plating along her limbs and torso. It's a very special metal that enhances her lightning but doesn't let it hurt her body. Kiba also helps. Sakura unwraps the bandages from her sword, feeling the bloodlust slowly leak out from it. She knows by the looks from the audience that they can feel it.
She runs a hand lovingly along the flat of the blade, “Time to go all out, old friend. Try not to kill this one.”
She looks at Naruto and they stare until neither one is there anymore. They move in a dance playing with the other, trying to determine the strength of their opponent. But even with endless chakra and endless stamina no one can come back from her.
The lightning comes quickly, flashes originating from within her body and her sword. She makes knicks along his arms and legs, a small cut to his cheek. They're all healing quickly like she never cut him to begin with. She's too fast for him to even touch. She knows he's rumored to be a Toad Sage so she won't give him the chance to enter that mode. She won't let up. She separates the blades while moving in between strikes.
It ends as quickly as it began. Naruto is laying down spread eagle on the ground with rods of active lightning stabbing him through each limb and into the packed earth. The blood is slowly pooling underneath each wound. Sakura flash steps next to him and rests one blade at his throat and one blade where his pelvis meets his thigh for the major artery and his jewels. She lets the second sword rest its weight against his pants so he knows it's there.
“Yield.”
Naruto's face is pale and his breaths are coming hard and fast. He can't heal his wounds with the lightning rods still being active and pulling on her chakra to keep them that way. And he can't hope to use chakra with the lightning jolting his entire chakra network. His body keeps twitching and jumping making his wounds worse. She still doesn't move her blades.
Naruto grits his teeth in pain barely getting the words out through his teeth, “I…Yield.”
Sakura immediately withdraws her swords and cuts the connection to the jutsu as she flash steps back a few feet. She keeps her swords out with the tips just inches off the ground. She isn't trusting the Konoha nin to not attack her.
Kakashi is instantly at Naruto's side helping him sit up. His wounds are already healing themselves so he doesn't need a medic.
At the same time Cho is at her side watching everyone who isn't one of theirs. She can see Zabuza out of the corner of her eye watching the two standing near him.
Before long, Naruto jumps up like nothing happened except the blood pools on the ground and the rips in his clothing. He excitedly jumps up and down, “That was incredible! You beat me instantly! You're so strong, Sakura!”
She relaxed slightly as he beamed a huge sunny smile at her. She noticed Cho and Zabuza relax as well. She still didn't put her swords away. She did however put the two pieces back together. Kiba was happy he got to fight and be used. Though he was still thirsty.
“Ma, Sakura, you are certainly one of the legendary swordsmen of the Mist. I noticed you didn't use anything besides your sword techniques and speed.”
“It was the easiest way to incapacitate him without killing him. There was no point using anything else.”
–O–
Sakura leaned against the wall in her Kage's office listening to the end of the trade negotiations between Shikamaru and Mei. He was very good politically. Though she didn't understand why he had a guard of five when four was the norm. She assumed Naruto tagged along since she was now connected to Kiri.
After they were done, Mei and Shikamaru shook hands. A copy of the trade would stay in Kiri and a copy would go back with Shikamaru. Their Hokage would review it and sign it and then send a signed copy back to Mei for her records. With this they should be leaving in the next few days.
Sakura felt relieved. She wanted her life to go back to normal. Mainly being allowed to go on missions again. All four swordsmen were grounded in the village until after the delegates left.
“Sakura, please escort them back to their suite or wherever else they would like to go. They'll be heading out tomorrow.”
Sakura nodded her head as she pushed off the wall leading Shikamaru and his two companions back to the suite.
“Ino mourned you, you know. Your parents did too.”
Sakura stopped walking and looked at Shikamaru, “Tell Ino that I'm sorry but I didn't have much of a choice. And please don't mention my parents again. Zabuza is my only parent.”
Sakura started walking again thinking the conversation was over. She was wrong.
“Do you play Shogi?”
“Yes.”
“Any good?”
“Decent. Not as good as a Nara.”
“Want to play? I brought a travel set with me.”
Sakura snorted, “You would bring a travel shogi set on a diplomatic mission. Sure, I'll play.”
In the suite that was large enough to house at least ten people she sat across from Shikamaru at a dining table watching as he slowly but surely backed her into a corner. He was a tactical genius and this game was just a warm up for him. She lost.
Sakura sighed, “Well that was expected,” She looked around the room. The other two shinobi, the blank face with the happuri and the bandana one, were playing cards at a breakfast bar sitting on stools not worrying about them, “I guess I'll see you tomorrow before you leave.”
Sakura went to get up when Shikamaru grabbed her forearm. She stopped and looked at him not having realized her other hand was on the hilt of her sword. He removed his hand slowly.
Sakura slowly let out the breath she was holding and removed her hand from the hilt to put both back on the table where his were both visible.
“Sorry. Want to play another?”
“But I lost?”
“You're not bad. And it helps to play against different people.”
Sakura started to reset her side of the board. Shikamaru took the hint and did the same.
They played three more games. Sakura won the fourth game right before the rest of the Konoha group came through the door followed by Zabuza and Kisame. She was sure they only wanted to hang out with their friends Itachi and Kakashi.
Shikamaru didn't seem to hear the others enter, “You won?”
Sakura looked at his pinched face as he glared at all the pieces on the board. She didn't understand what was happening.
“Are you okay?”
Itachi came over and looked at the board and his eyes widened slightly, “Oh my.”
Kisame leaned on her and Itachi, “What's everyone looking at? What's so great about a game board?”
Itachi answered, “It is not the board but the fact that the Nara heir has lost a match. He hasn't lost a match to anyone except his father in years.”
Sakura shrugged her shoulders and stood up letting Kisame continue to lean on her shoulder, “It was a fluke.”
Shikamaru continued to stare at the board then looked at her, “We should play again the next time you're close to Konoha.”
Sakura was rarely ever that close to Konoha, “Sure.”
She waved at everyone and made her way out linking arms with Zabuza, “Come on, old man. Walk me home. Haku was going to pick the movie for tonight.”
Zabuza groaned. “He's going to pick another romance movie.”
Sakura nodded sagely as they left. You could still hear them bickering as they made their way down the hall.
–O–
Sakura was sitting on the roof of the ambassador building in the middle of the night. It was Anbu's job to watch them overnight but she had a gut feeling she needed to be here. So she sat huddled in her thick cloak with Kiba laying across her crossed legs. She sat as if meditating when in actuality she was keeping an eye on each chakra signature beneath her. She kept her own chakra signature small so one could only find her if they were looking.
Kakashi didn't hide his signature as he slowly made his way to the roof. He gave her plenty of time to run if she wanted to. She didn't care enough to.
He sat down next to her with enough space to fit another person between them. They stayed like that for a long time. Sitting there looking at the stars in silence.
“Did Zabuza actually give you a choice or did he take you?”
“I woke up in a clearing in a place I didn't know and was given a choice. I could stay with them and they would train me to be strong or I could try to find my way back to my team. I chose them. They took me and I chose them,” Sakura continued to stare at the stars glittering in the sky, “I was out of the academy for six months and all I'd learned was tree walking. I was a weak civilian born on a team with the last loyal Uchiha and the host of the Kyubi. I never stood a chance. I weighed my options and I chose me. I would be dead if I had stayed. Hell, Zabuza could've killed me back then.”
Kakashi let out a long torturous breath, “I'm sorry. I'm sorry I failed you.”
Sakura looked at Kakashi, “You didn't do too bad with Naruto at least. Sasuke is probably still a prick.”
That got him to laugh. The silence returned and she was content to stay that way till sunrise when they would all leave and she would stay.
“Sakura, I don't know how to tell you this but you should know if you don't already. Your parents were killed traveling by ninja.”
“I know.”
“Oh. Oh, okay. I'm sorry.”
She scoffed, “Don't be. It's better this way.”
Kakashi just looked perplexed and stunned. He would give anything to have his dad or Minato back even for just a day. How can she not care?
“I don't… understand.”
Sakura looked him dead in his single charcoal eye, “They were abusive, Kakashi. Did you not know that from my file? The medical part should've told you something with how often I was being treated for injuries since I was about five.”
Kakashi stuttered, “I-I didn't realize.”
Sakura could see the mortification on his mask-covered face, “Don't worry about it. It all worked out in the end. I was the one who was assigned the mission.”
Kakashi looked shocked. He didn't say anything. He just nodded and clutched his hands together in his lap.
–O–
Sakura stood in her all black attire with the metal plates lining her body. Her Kiri headband around her neck and her sword strapped to her back. She stood, on guard, slightly a step behind Mei. She watched everything around them including the Konoha delegation. She was on edge after last night and wanted them gone.
They said their goodbyes to Mei, Kisame, and Zabuza. She nodded her farewell at them when they tried to say goodbye to her. She needed distance. She didn't want to be touched.
An Anbu and Kisame were the ones to take them back to the mainline by boat. She watched them slowly get smaller in the distance seeing Naruto with his huge smile swinging his arm in a wave to her. She let a corner of her mouth quirk up in amusement. Then there was peace.
She sat on the couch in Mei's office sprawled out like Zabuza and Kisame tended to do.
“So how are you holding up? Regretting coming to Kiri and leaving them?”
Sakura huffed, “I would've died there either by them,” Sakura spit out the last word in hate. She didn't have to explain who she meant. Mei knew everything about her parents, “Or on a mission cause no one was ever going to teach the little civilian born with no clan backing.”
Mei hummed, “Good thing we don't put as much power in our clans as Konoha does.”
“When is my next mission? I need to kill something.”
Mei threw back her head and laughed, “You are too sharp for a Leaf shinobi. You would've ended up here either way.”
Sakura caught the scroll Mei threw at her head. The thing that crossed her face could barely be called a smile. More like you were about to feed a shark. Sakura put the scroll away and bowed to her Kage before disappearing to pack for her assassination mission of some missing nin. She was going hunting.