The Girl They Never Saw [Completed]

Chapter 9 ~ Maelstrom

      "Only through pain are life's most important lessons learned. Kami, I sound like Leader-sama." -Sakura Haruno

      Naruto put his head in his hands. He'd only been Hokage for a day, and he was already questioning his lifelong dream. What was I thinking!?

      "Having problems already?" Sasuke's voice broke through his thoughts. Naruto nodded, not even bothering to look up.

      Sasuke looked down, what had happened to them? Where was Naruto's cheesy grin and confident 'believe it!'? Where was his own cocky attitude and brooding personality? Sakura had changed them, and he was positive that it was not for the better.

      Naruto began listlessly signing papers, the piles already towering above his head. He knew most of them would be KIA slips for the ones she'd massacred, so he had been putting it off for as long as possible.

      There was a knock at the door, and Sasuke glanced up from his scroll.

      "Enter." Naruto forced a cheery look onto his face.

      A girl with auburn hair and a warm smile nudged the door open with her foot and plopped yet more paperwork on his desk. "That's the last of it, Hokage-sama." She said, once she'd managed to retract herself.

      "Thank you." Naruto sighed heavily and picked up the first sheet.

      The girl nodded, and was about to leave.

      "Wait," Naruto put the paper down. "What's your name?"

      She looked surprised to be asked such a question. "My name is Reika Hoki."

      Naruto nodded. "Reika-san, I need you to do me a favor."

      Reika bowed. "Of course. What can I do for you, Hokage-sama?"

      Sasuke watched their conversation closely, wondering where Naruto was going with this.

      Naruto smirked. "First, stop with the Hokage-sama stuff. My name is Naruto. Second, I need the medical records on a girl by the name of Sakura Haruno, as well as any information on her life that you can dig up. Family, favorite foods, anything."

      Reika paled considerably, her face draining of all color. "Y-yes, Hoka-Naruto-san. Of course." She fled the room.

      Sasuke looked after her. Well, that was strange. I wonder why she reacted to Sakura's name like that.

      Reika didn't know what to do. Sakura Haruno, the girl she had grown up beside. The girl she had dared to call her friend. Served her right. She should be used to it by now. First her parents, then Minako. She would never forgive herself for Minako. And then there was the whole business with Sayuri...no, she couldn't think about that. And now Sakura. It seemed it was her curse, to befriend only people who would abandon her, leave her behind.

      She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. She would push through. She'd done it before, she could do it again. The Hokage was counting on her. No matter that she would be betraying her lifelong friend; after all, Sakura had turned her back first.

      Reika breezed by the nurse at the front desk, ignoring the girl's friendly greeting. She had work to do.

      She ran her finger through the files. Hatake, Sayuri. Hatake, Kakashi. Haruno, Sakura. She pulled out the slip, frowning instantly at how thin it was. She flipped it open, and a single slip of paper fluttered out.

      Reika caught it, and read it quickly. Her eyes widened, and she stared at the all too familiar handwriting.

      You didn't think I would make it that easy, did you?

      Reika had to laugh at her ex-roommate's ingenuity. She had probably taken all her data files. They were most likely burned now, and irretrievable.

      That just made her job that much harder. Her smile faded, and she tucked the note back into the folder. Sakura had undoubtedly removed all her files everywhere, but she could at least check.

      Sure enough, every fact known about Sakura Haruno was missing. There was no evidence but memory that she had ever even lived in Konoha.

      Reika sighed in frustration as she made her way back to the Hokage tower. She pushed the door open, and was surprised to see Naruto deep in quiet conversation with a cloaked and hooded person.

      "Oh, Reika-san!" Naruto saw her and waved cheerily, but she could tell he was exhausted, both mentally and physically.

      "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in the middle of something. I'll come back later." Reika bowed, but Naruto just laughed dryly.

      "No, stay. This is actually perfect timing." He gestured to the concealed person. "This is the person we've hired to take care of Sakura, so she'll need to hear everything you've found."

      Reika tensed at the way he'd phrased it. She'd ask him later, she decided. "I'm afraid there's not much to know." She said stiffly. "Sakura seems to have taken and most likely destroyed all our records of her."

      The hooded person turned to Naruto and murmured something that Reika couldn't hear.

      "If you don't mind me asking, could I speak to the Hokage alone?" The person asked Reika.

      Reika felt her world crumble around her. She recognized that voice. She missed that voice. She hated that voice.

      In one swift motion, she stepped across the room and yanked down the person's hood. Placid ebony eyes stared back at her, silver hair framing a pale face. A scratched Konoha Hitai-ate glinted in the light coming from the large window behind Naruto.

      Sayuri Hatake stepped back coldly, her emotionless gaze drilling holes into Reika's own. "Hello again, Reika-san." She rasped in her quiet, lilting voice. "It's been a long time."

Author's Note ~ Haha I'm so evil! I was actually planning to kill off Reika and Sayuri in the past, but then thought better of it. 

Yes they are OCs. Yes they are and will be main characters. Yes they are copyrighted to my name. Not that I think any of y'all would steal my stuff!

Thank you everyone who has followed, added, commented, and/or voted. You guys make my day every morning!

This chapter is dedicated to @Pinkblossom24 for the follow and adding it to your reading list! Arigato!

-onceuponforeverafter