Sakura's New Element

Tora

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Hey guys, I am so sorry for my long hiatus so take this chapter as an apology chapter. I love you guys.

Sasuke's POV

"Rabbit cloud", I said to no one as I laid on the former team 7 training ground, staring at the unexciting sky. Today was like any other day. I wake up, pick up trash and return back to the Uchiha compound. It's not like I expected a celebration when I returned, but I do not think that I deserve to stigmatized by the entire Konoha vllage. It was bad enough, that I was already made to feel ashamed of who I am as a kid because I am Uchiha. Now, add being branded an enemy of Konoha for 3 years and no one wants to look at me. I don't blame them. I don't even want to look at me. I am so ashamed of the person I became,  leaving Konoha and joining Orochimaru. 

However, I swear that I am a changed person. After Orochimaru's hideout blew up, I knew I could not go back. The choice was either to join go to Pain or return to Konoha in shame. The latter option was a choice that I did not make myself. It was...

"Meow"

The sound startled me and reacted by sharply wielding my trash stick in combat mode. As part of my punishment, I was not allowed to use my Sharingan or any chakra in general as an offensive or defensive made. It was a good thing that Orochimaru taught me how  to be skilled with my sword. However, it was not a good thing for the poor cat as my sudden movement, although soft and small, had swung the cat against the tree. 

The old Sasuke would have left that cat on its ow and bet on its nine lives that it will be okay. However,  I am a changed man which means that I felt sympathetic to the small cat and went over to help it. Moving closer to where its body laid unconcious, I realized that this was the cat that Team 7 had been assigned to find Tora whose owner was the feudal lord's wife, Madam Shijimi. 

Although, it didn't show in my face,  I was worried. Madam Shijimi had past away a couple of years ago so the feudal lord probably held Tora, the cat close to his heart because he, Tora, would remind him of his late wife. This is not good because if anything were to happen to Tora, I will be put in jail. If this had occurred a month ago, I would have had no problem going to jail. In fact, the normal sentence for a rogue ninja was to be imprisoned for 10 years and the feudal lord had wanted me to be put in jail. However, Lady Tsunade  had argued that I needed to be assimilated back to Konoha society as the village owed a heavy debt to Itachi and the rest of the Uchiha clan. I did not understand the specifics of this problem but I know that it had to do with Danzo and the Uchiha massacre that Itachi had been commanded to execute.

Luckily, Tora was alive as I notice its small furry chest rise and fall. This would have been an amazing sign had its breathing not been weak. After watching the cat for a few minutes and seeing no improvements, I took it home with me. 

***Three Days Later***

TAP TAP TAP

I gently threw pebbles accurately to hit the highest window of the apartment building. I had been doing this for minutes as just as I was about to leave...

"NARUTO IF YOU DO NOT STOP TRYING TO BREAK OPEN MY WINDOW, I WILL...", Sakura did not finish her sentence as she realized that Naruto had not been the cause of the tapping noise. I watched her stare at me for a few seconds before she abruptly closed her window. Not knowing if to leave or stay, I decided to sit on the grass close to the bushes. If I remember anything about the old Sakura that was infatuated with me, I know that she is not the rude kind and is very curious. I wasn't sure if this side of her was still the same, but I realized that this would be a good test to see what about her has changed.