Darkest Before Dawn

An Invitation

   The body fell at her feet with a near-quiet thud. Sakura clicked her tongue and flung the body over her shoulder. B-Class Kirigakure missing-nin. Eight million ryo. He was well worth the money even if he didn't give much of a fight. For about a mile, she carried the dead shinobi through the trees. At the end of her trek, she arrived at a small tea shop on the side of the road. She nodded to the shop owner as she entered the empty store and entered the back door.

   The cozy interior didn't continue into the basement. She walked down the stairs and into a morgue that was dark gray with two walls completely covered with morgue shelves. The body collector greeted Sakura and motioned for her to lay the body on the examination table.

   "You've got another good one, Sakura-chan." he said, "This guy... definitely Dai Takashi. Let me get your money and you'll be on your way."

   "Thank you, Arata-san."

   Arata walked down into the cellar to collect the bounty money. Sakura propped her head up in her hands and heaved a large sigh. Drowned in her thoughts, she barely noticed the soft footfalls that echoed behind her.

   "I'm... curious." a new voice said lightly. Sakura looked over her shoulder to see a beautiful blue haired woman with a labret piercing.

   "Oh? Of what?"

   "Of you. What is someone as young as you doing in a place like this?" the woman asked. Arata walked back into the room with a black suitcase. He handed it to the fourteen year old.

   "It's all there, Sakura-chan." he smiled. He turned to the newcomer, "And for you, Konan-san, I have your information. Please give me a moment to retrieve it from the back."

   Arata went back into the cellar.

   "You've been given all that money... why?" Konan question quietly. Sakura opened the briefcase and began to count everything.

   "What makes you think I'm not one of those rogues? I may be a child, but that doesn't mean I should stay glued to my village like a lapdog." she replied. She snapped the briefcase shut and slid it off the table. "Thank you, Arata-san!"

   The girl nodded to the older woman before walking out the door and back onto the road.

~

   Not even five minutes into Sakura's walk to the nearest, the woman from the collection office had caught up with her.

   "Sakura-chan, right? I mean, if it's alright for me to call you that."

   "No one's stopping you." Sakura grinned, "So what is it that you need me for, Konan-san?"

   "Like I said before, I'm curious. If you don't mind, would you tell me exactly what you're doing cashing in bounties?"

   "Well... long story short, I handed in my hitai-ate last year. I asked the Hokage for a five year leave of absence." the girl said, "I wanted to get stronger and my village had nothing more to teach me. My sensei agreed to it, I took the opportunity."

   Konan wouldn't lie, she found this young kunoichi very, very interesting. To be strong enough to take down a missing-nin and to be allowed receive such large amounts of money like that... This girl was one of a kind.

   "Say, Sakura-chan, are you happy with what Konoha had to offer you?" Konan asked. Sakura cocked her head to the side in thought.

   "I guess so. It's nothing too extraordinary, but I'll live with it." she replied after a few seconds, "I have lived by it for quite a while, so I've gotten used to it."

   "You don't have to put up with it, you know. You could always come to Amegakure."

   Sakura stopped walking and looked at Konan incredulously.

   "W-What?"

   "Come to Amegakure." she repeated, "You're young, strong, and have a bright future ahead of yourself. It would be a great honor to have you as a shinobi for the village. I happen to be the leader's right hand and I'm able to put you into the system if you accept."

   The girl was at a loss for words. After actually considering for few seconds, she bowed in respect.

   "I appreciate the offer, Konan-san. I really do, but people are waiting for me back in Konoha. I hope you understand, but I have to decline."

   A gentle smile made it's way onto Konan's face as she patted the top of Sakura's head.

   "They say wherever someone is still thinking of you, that place is your home, and a home is something you cannot take away from anyone no matter how hard you try. I understand completely, Sakura-chan, but if you ever decide that Konoha is no longer where you belong, the gates to Ame are always open to you."

   Konan waved and walked off in the other direction, leaving Sakura to continue on to the next town. Once again, she was interrupted about five minutes into the quiet walk, but it was someone she recognized.

   "Are you Sakura Haruno?" he asked. Sakura nodded.

   "And you are Ao-san, correct?"

   "Yes, and I'd like you to come with me. please. The Mizukage has requested to see you."