A/N: New Story Announcement!
Haruno by Name, Hoshigaki by Blood is back!
... Sort of.
If you didn't already know, it's being rewritten as Hoshigaki, so check it out! <3
Sakura grew up in a world of rain and gray, never knowing what the sun looked like and always wondering why it was never there. When she asked her Papa, he laughed and patted her head and said that "God" had a bit of a complex. But he promised he'd show her the light one day when she was older and stronger and could fight with her own sword.
He promised.
::
Four days had passed since the siege.
The village was currently in the state of rebuilding and the Uchiha were trying to find out what exactly had been done to them and why Orochimaru had decided to attack them—with the Intelligence sector assisting in the investigation. A third of the shinobi force had been assigned to help with construction, but when Hiruzen dutifully informed them that Akasuna no Sasori saved his life, some were spared in researching the missing-nin's information, affiliation, and last places seen.
Taking in everything left a bitter taste in Kakashi's mouth as he weaved through the rebuilding in search of his students.
He tried the Uchiha compound first, the guards letting him by with reluctant grace. Tensions still ran high through the clan and he couldn't blame them, but it was his duty to check the status of his team. But before he had the chance to step up to the main house, Fugaku met him at the end of the path and stopped him short.
"Sasuke isn't taking any visitors," he said. Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
"He's injured?"
"No," the clan head replied smoothly. "He's been barred from leaving the compound and seeing anyone outside the clan until the investigation is over. He won't be attending any training sessions until the end of the month, so your concern is unnecessary."
He eyed the man's jounin uniform.
"You may leave."
Kakashi didn't even get the chance to reply before Fugaku turned on his heel and disappeared into the house. It wouldn't be until later that Obito would somberly inform him that the true capacity of Sasuke's mangekyo had been awakened and he'd become a true prisoner in his own home against Itachi's and Mikoto's apparent displeasure in the situation.
Personally, he agreed with them— Sasuke didn't deserve what his father decided was best, but he had no say because clan politics would always be something outsiders could never be a part of.
He left the compound with an unsettling feeling slowly crawling up from deep in his gut.
Next he tried the hospital where he knew for sure Naruto was healing from the Kyuubi's influence. Kakashi's lips curled downwards as he remembered the circumstances surrounding his transformation and berated himself for not getting the boy out of the stadium quick enough so he wouldn't get to see his step-dad in such a state.
"I said you can't be in here!"
"Why not?!" a familiar voice growled. "You let everyone else in but me?! That's not fair!"
"You're a hazard, Uzumaki, that's wh—"
"I just want to see my dad! What's wrong with that?"
Kakashi's frown deepened as he rounded the corner and approached the room Mari was supposed to be in. The door was closed, and outside, Naruto was arguing with one of the attending nurses. The boy was dressed in a hospital gown and was completely covered in bandages and his IV tube dangled at his feet, but his expression was growing angrier and angrier the more the nurse refused his request.
"How could a man like him be a dad to something like you?"
Naruto faltered. And Kakashi intervened.
He set one of his hands in the mess of short, blond hair and leveled the nurse with one of his coldest regards.
"Apologize to him," he demanded. Naruto's breath caught in his throat as he stared up at his teacher, and the nurse sputtered at the killing intent that wound around the hallways like thick vines slowly rising up from their graves.
"Ex-Excuse me? He's causing a disturbance and I won't allow for—"
"I didn't stutter," Kakashi sneered. The nurse sucked in air through her teeth. "Apologize to him. Now."
The nurse pressed her lips together in a tight grimace before looking back at Naruto, displeasure flaring at the edges of his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he grit out. The boy nodded and watched in awe as Kakashi jerked his head and the nurse dismissed himself to 'attend to another patient'. His shoulder moved and he was edged into Mari's recovery room. He looked up.
"Sensei...?"
"I'll wait for you out here," Kakashi said. "Go."
Naruto hugged his middle before running into the room.
The last student he had to check on he couldn't find anywhere in the hospital. She was awake for one of the three days since being transferred with all the patients allocated form the tents, but on the fourth day, her records showed she left under the council's official jurisdiction.
That added more questions than answers, and he headed towards T&I against his better judgement. It was the one place he could hope to find any sort of explanation.
"Kakashi!" Anko crooned the moment he walked into the building. "Coming to visit me? Aw, you shouldn't have. I'm flattered."
He sneered and sidestepped around her attempts to sling an arm over his shoulders.
"Mitarashi. Have you seen Sakura?"
"Huh? Last I checked, she was recovering in the hospital. I just visited her yesterday," she said. Kakashi blinked at the genuine confusion in her face.
"She was signed out by the council."
"The council?!" she sputtered. "The fuck does the council have to do with anything? She's under T&I and Ibiki's her guardian—what business do they have with her?"
Her not knowing was probably a sign that things were far worse than he first anticipated. Anko growled an when Genma stepped through the foyer, she grabbed his vest and yanked him into their little group.
"Anko, what the hell?!"
"Did you have something to do with this?" she hissed. He looked back and forth between her and Kakashi.
"What are you talking about?"
"Sakura! Who else?! What's the council have any concern with her?"
"Meddling?"
"They signed her out the hospital and she's gone!"
"Signed her out—shit, are you sure?" Genma asked. Anko looked like she wanted to wring out his neck for asking such a stupid question and Kakashi's prolonged presence around her any time meant he wasn't here for shits and giggles. He scrubbed a hand over his eyes and sighed. "Of course you're sure or you wouldn't be asking me. Right."
He sighed again.
"Look you two, I've got kind of an idea what's going on, but I've got to keep my mouth shut."
"Why?" Kakashi pressed.
"I'm not saying anything, alright? I'm not about to spread rumors about something like this and you guys should keep it down, okay?" he said. "I don't like it either, but we have to see where this goes. Now just... calm down. We'll wait 'til she gets back and go from there."
Genma silently thanked the interruption that came as Ibiki strode into the lobby with a Fire Temple monk just a step behind him.
"—our thanks. All you need to do is sign some forms before you take your leave," he said. The monk tipped his head and smiled.
"I'm glad to be of help, Morino-san."
The monk was a welcome distraction that allowed Genma to slip further into the building and away from more questions and accusations from the two downstairs. What was happening with Sakura... Kakashi already knew too much from finding out the council had a hold of her. He wasn't quite sure what for, but she killed Orochimaru and sent his body to the bowels of the building. Not only had she done the village an enormous favor, but she got herself in trouble by doing it.
Genma plopped onto the couch in Ibiki's office.
She better get back safe.
::
Realizing that he was ending up nowhere with his own search, Kakashi left T&I intent on finding out what exactly happened to Sakura. The more dead ends he hit the more concerned he grew; he already red her file and knew she was one of those special cases to keep an eye on, but what had she done to warrant the council's action?
He was pulled from his musings once he saw green spandex in front of the Jounin Standby Station.
"Gai," he said. Gai spun around, grinning brightly at his old companion.
"Good morning, my rival!" he greeted. "I heard about the burns you sustained from battle! Should you really be out and about so soon?"
The bandages shifted against the sensitive skin that covered most of the front of Kakashi's body. While a majority had been classified as second degree burns and were easily treatable by medics, some were third degree and required more extensive attention. He rolled back a shoulder.
"The hospital let me go without issue," he replied. His eyes were their normal cold depths. "Have you seen Sakura?"
Gai's grin wavered for a split second, and that was enough of a signal for Kakashi to take suspicion. He glanced to the side and sobered up some, his energy transfusing into wariness as the natural boom to his voice dimmed.
"Sorry, old friend. I can't help you."
"You know what happened."
"Sorry."
Kakashi crossed his arms. So this incident went higher up than what he first expected for Gai to turn into Quiet-Gai. Very little made him lose his steam enough to knock him off his center. Though secrecy wasn't a new aspect to the shinobi culture, the type of secrecy that sunk its fangs so deep it showed was discomfiting.
"I see," he said. He began his walk away. "Then I'll be on my way."
He was mildly surprised when Gai merely waved a hand instead of shouting an enthused goodbye.
Kakashi's lips tightened as he walked down the street towards the Hokage Tower. There probably was no use in trying there anyways as Dan would more than likely turn him away without an answer, but the worst the could happen would be just that. And if he really tried, he could sneak into the archives to try and find out if—
He stopped himself both mentally and in the middle of the path.
Sakura was Sakura and she'd be fine.
Why did he care so much?
"If you're looking for Haruno Sakura, I suggest you stop your fruitless endeavors," a voice stated. Silent steps came closer from up the path. "You won't find her. She'll make herself known to you once she's finished with what they took her in for."
They? Who was they?
Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the clan head stood before him.
"What did you do?"
"Don't make presumptions, Hatake," Hiashi bit in his frigid tone. "Accusations like yours could get you killed."
His pale face was more pinched than normal and the stress was apparent in the lines on his face. The siege had taken a toll on everyone, but what paved the road to victory was still unknown to all of them. Most, anyways, because Hiashi clearly remembered what had to take place for him to make such a bold decision for Konoha's future.
Hiashi entered a room on the fifth floor: those in recovery and in preparation to be discharged. Haruno Sakura had been taken in the first two days before she woke up on the third, still bright and cheery like she hadn't gone up against one of the three sannin and won.
"To what do I owe you this visit, Hyuuga-sama?" she questioned. He shut the door behind him and inhaled through his nose before he pressed his hands to his side and bowed.
"I owe you a debt that cannot be repaid," said Hiashi. She blinked rapidly at the unfolding display. "You saved my nephew's life, instilled a courage in my eldest daughter when I was not able, and lit a determination in my youngest daughter to strive for the betterment of the Hyuuga. And with that, they will not fall privy to the decisions of the clan elders."
He raised himself up and saw the drawn blankness of her face.
"If there's anything you wish, I will provide it for you," he promised. Sakura's lips pursed at the new sort of power that was offered to her on a silver platter. The word of a clan leader was worth more than all the money in the world.
So she asked only one thing of him.
"I want to be in ROOT."
Hiashi's drifting thoughts returned to the jounin in front of him as his chin held high.
"Things are far out of your hands now, Hatake," he said. "There's nothing you can do about it now."
::
Sakura reappeared at the end of the second week of her disappearances like she'd never left to begin with. She was all smiles, snark, and attitude when she strode into the T&I building and into Ibiki's office. Genma perked up from his seat on the office couch and Anko leaned in from her spot on the windowsill.
"And the kid makes her grand return," she grinned. "Where've ya' been, tidbit? You've been missing all the harpin' on Ibiki."
"Oh, you know, here and there. I'm not one to blab," Sakura responded with a light jump in her step. Anko's hand came down to tousle her hair as the girl hopped onto the edge of the office desk. "Old man! Did you miss me?"
Ibiki grunted.
"No."
"Aw, I missed you too."
Genma let the senbon between his teeth hang out the corner of his mouth, his lopsided grin exhibiting his relief at the sight of her unharmed.
"While all this is nice, I do have to make a run down to the Tower," he said, jerking his head towards the door. "Kid, get a move on. You've shirked your duties enough for the month."
Sakura groaned, but slipped off the desk and dragged herself to the door anyways.
"I literally just got back," she whined. Ibiki shuffled through some papers and files.
"To your job," he reminded. "You have a stack of work left for you that I expect to be done at the end of the week."
She pouted and followed Genma out, shutting the door behind them. A few moments after they left, Anko's face dropped.
"They got her, didn't they?" she murmured. Ibiki pressed his lips together and didn't reply.
::
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"If I weren't okay, I think my body would be burned to ashes by now."
Genma held his hands up in defense.
"Alright, you got me. You're whole and you're good."
Sakura happily returned the side hug he gave her. Speaking of bodies, she'd have to check if Kabuto's burial area was untouched by the siege. She didn't want to do away with his body because people like him had a tendency to come back when they weren't wanted, and if she, Sasori, and Hidan could keep his person under lock and key, they wouldn't have to worry about having the 'Orochimaru Effect' where he'd live through several bodies again and again. Same with the real Orochimaru; keep the body and the consciousness in one place and no one would have to worry.
Genma opened the door to the Tower and let her through first.
"So what are we doing here?"
"Eh, we need to pick up some documents down in the Hokage's Personal Library," he said. "We need to sort through some things, find some past cases that were archived for reference for a recent interrogation, and—"
Kotetsu suddenly paced down the hallway, face pale and lips in a rough line. Sakura and Genma moved to the side to avoid a collision with him and exchanged glances once he passed.
"That was weird."
"I don't think I've seen him look so serious before," Genma mused. "He and Izuma do a lot of work at the gates and surface-level interrogation so they've seen their fair share, but what could've..."
He trailed off as he turned his head to peer down the direction they came from. A few moments passed before he himself turned some shades paler, the clack of heels started louder and louder as they touched the wooden floor.
Izumo appeared in their line of sight, nervous and worried, with one Senju Tsunade striding in front.
Genma held Sakura's shoulder as the sannin approached.
Her hazel eyes were acerbic, warning everyone away and instilling the thought to back off or she'd make them.
Hostility was one word for it.
Tsunade scanned those standing at the sides of the hall that shrunk away from her presence. No one had ever had the opportunity of meeting her, but her reputation had preceded her so greatly that the mere mention of her name made everyone's core go cold.
Genma nearly averted his eyes to avoid the burning stare that directed at him for a split second. The sound of heels stopped in front of them and Tsunade stared right at his student. Sakura stared back at her unfazed, but with a slight upward tilt to her lips.
"A T&I runt, huh?"
The girl shrugged.
"Yes, ma'am."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes and swept past without another word. Once her heavy presence had moved away far enough, Genma stared down at his student wide-eyed and stunned.
"I'm just—I'm not even going to ask."
::
Ibiki sat at the counter in the kitchen as he marked up his agenda for the rest of the week. Some interrogations, some meetings, nothing particularly noteworthy to consider. It was nearing night and Sakura had yet to come home, but he wasn't too worried about it. She'd finally made an appearance after two whole weeks and was safe and sound enough to continue her duties, so he'd wait until she told him of what she endured in her absence.
It would be a while until she'd say anything, probably, but he was a patient type of person. He could wait.
His writing slowed as his eyes raised from his paper. Ibiki glanced over his shoulder once, a kunai taking refuge in the hand he wasn't using, and exhaled through his nose.
"What do you want?" he asked as he turned around fully. An intruder wearing a cat mask stood near the couch with a bundled package in his arms—not one of his subordinates. He would've known if it were ANBU member since he was the director of that particular branch.
It was ROOT.
The operative unraveled the package and displayed a set of white armor, smaller than average set, and a brand new mongoose mask with a single purple triangle extending from the top rim to the center of the forehead.
Ibiki's stomach dropped.
"She was being initiated," the ROOT member informed. "It was last-minute, not alongside other candidates. She was under the complete observation of all others in the organization."
"Why was she alone?"
"We weren't informed of all the details, but we do know her admission was suddenly approved hours after the siege. We took her in as soon as we were prompted, tested her, and watched her pass with one of the highest entry marks in ROOT's history."
Ibiki pursed his lips. If he didn't know any better, he would say that the operative sounded proud at the tidbit of information.
"And you're alright with this development?"
But then he sobered up again.
"... under new circumstances, yes."
Ibiki wanted to ask what those new circumstances were, but it wasn't like he was in the loop of old circumstances anyhow. He took the uniform out of the visitor's hands and paid close attention to the mask, trying to decipher its meaning. The animal was lost to him, its connotation circling around his head but never landing.
He looked up.
"Mongoose?" he questioned. The operative quieted a bit before speaking up. After he had, he soon vacated the premises, leaving the other shrouded in cold understanding.
Ibiki laid out the uniform on Sakura's bed before walking back to the counter to finish writing up his agenda. It wasn't until late night when his warn opened the door, tossed her sandals to the side, and strode straight into the kitchen to swing the fridge door aside and dig through its contents.
"Hey, old man. Don't people you age need to sleep early?"
"I'm not old enough for that yet," he grunted. He observed her bandaged arms that covered the new seal redone to cover the purple diamond on her forehead. "A ROOT came by today."
She took out some leftovers and tapped the fridge shut with the heel of her foot.
"Good. Then Cat probably dropped off my stuff like I asked him to," she said. She popped the plate into the microwave and set it on two minutes then turned to face Ibiki with that smile that always had a hidden meaning. He planted his chin on his knuckles as he leaned on the counter top.
"Do you know what you're doing?"
"Of course," she grinned. "What do I look like, someone without a plan?"
And the ROOT operative's words rang in his head again and again.
"Mongoose. The snake killer."
::
Here's a the link to a poem made by boodied !
https://www.wattpad.com/372801996-miscontrued-sentences-the-afterlife
A cover by -atrabilious- !
And wonderful pieces of artwork by:
And someone who wanted to remain anonymous~