Darkest Before Dawn

Smile

   "Yosh!" Sakura exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air, "I still can't belive you're finally taking me on a mission!"

   Ibiki chuckled as they sped through the trees southwest of Fire Country. River Country was just a few hours away from their grasp, and so far, they haven't been tailed or attacked. It was a pretty decent A-Class mission. All they had to do was deliver a highly classified set of papers to the daimyou of the country. The mission included the risk of running into some bandits that wanted to steal this particular information, but strangely enough, there were no sign of them.

   "So sensei, I think I got a hold of that new jutsu you taught me." she said. They stopped under the shade of a large tree to take a short break. He smirked.

   "Oho, you did? I think you can put it to good use now. We have some company."

   A group of  four crimson-clad bandits appeared around them in a circle. Ibiki and Sakura stood back to back and assessed just what kind of enemy they had on their hands. From the looks of it, they weren't just some D-ranking insects. The leader motioned towards the two silently and the attack began. One made way for Sakura, the other three towards Ibiki.

   The bandit assigned to Sakura looked around. That stupid girl, where was she? Suddenly, a cluster of kunai shot from his right; he skidded left only to be assaulted with more of the short blades. The bandit scoffed.

   "I guess you aren't just a dumb brat, are you? You're pretty good."

   In a flash, he was behind her and her perch on a high branch. He brought his heel down and sent her crashing to the ground.

   "But not good enough, apparently." he sneered. He walked up next to her small body and tapped her with the sole of his sandal. It disappeared in a puff of smoke.

   "What the-?!"

  He didn't even have time to turn around.

~

   Fifteen minutes later, Ibiki stared down at the three incapacitated bodies at his feet. They were standard B-ranks, nothing too big. They were a good fight, but weren't there four...?

   'Shit! Sakura!'

   The interrogator bolted from the scene to find his student. When he arrived, he froze. Sakura had performed the technique he taught her, Doton: Domu, that hardened one's skin into near-indestructibility. Her entire arm had turned dark gray with the jutsu, but it was a pulsing red as it pierced through the neck of the enemy. But that wasn't what caused Ibiki to flinch and stare.

   It was Sakura's smile.

~

   She had killed that B-rank so easily, like he was nothing more than a pesky roach. His life was ended with an arm through the throat- a most gruesome way. The blood spray had gotten all over Sakura's face and upperbody, and he had expected some sort of discomfort or trauma, that bandit being her very first kill. But he couldn't believe what he saw. She had on the maniacal smile of someone who truly enjoyed killing.

   They were on their way back to Konoha when Ibiki asked the question.

   "Sakura."

   "Hai, sensei?"

   "Why did you smile when you killed that man?"

   Her steps slowed to a stop as her eyebrows furrowed. Ibiki stopped as well and peered at her curiously. When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were wide and filled with confusion.

   "I was... smiling?"