Memoirs of Sakura

Chapter 4: The Reality of Death

NOTICE: I only just noticed that there was a significant portion of the chapter missing. Wattpad glitched or something so the vast majority of the chapter was gone. It is now fixed.

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us as we live." ~Norman Cousins

(Warning! Slight Swearing!)

As Sakura was waking up, flickering lights distorted her vision, and the smell of antiseptic drenched her nose, her ears were about the only thing working correctly. She could heard what was said by the nurses, albeit hazily.

"She has third-degree burns! It's messing up the chakra network in her hand, we need a specialist here now!"

"The smoke's blocking her lungs! Get an oxygen mask here now!"

Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open, after multiple tries.

"Who's the dim whit who gave her anaesthesia! She's waking up! We need more Diprivan now!"

All she could feel was a direct poke in her vein, and she lost all consciousness.

While Sakura was unconscious from anaethesia, the Hokage was informed of the incident.

"What??! What were the ANBU doing? The other nations had a field day with the Hyuga Kidnapping Incident, and now something similar happens?" spoke Hiruzen

In fact, it wasn't just Sakura's parents that were subjected to this, pretty much all of the civilian families that sent their kids to ninja school were killed. Only Sakura's parents were covered accidently as a fire, the rest were killed in broad daylight. The Anbu reacted fast and covered all signs of murder. Although, the fire was just a criminal arsonists doing, not Anbu. But if the other nations caught wind of this, If they did something just as minor as informing the civilians about what transpired, they would probably lose trust in Konoha, and move. Taking a large portion of the economy along with it. In the first place, the main reason why they lived in Konoha was because of the protection it offered.

"Hokage-sama.. There were multiple disturbances throughout the village. Although they were relatively harmless, the Anbu were all tied up." 

"We really do have a traitor huh?" Hiruzen let out a deep sigh, it was one thing to have a traitor among the genin, chunin or even jonin forces, but one that knew about the distribution of Anbu was a different story. "Inu, arrange protection for the remaining civilian parents."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Before you leave, Inu, did anything else happen that I should be informed of?"

"There is one currently in the hospital called Sakura."

"What happened, didn't you say you were sure that they were only targeting the civilian parents?"

"There was an arsonist in the area that plunged the area into flames. The girl was outside the house when the fire happened, and moved to save her parents, not knowing that they were dead."

"Haaa, I'm getting too old for this.." sighed Hiruzen

"Dismissed."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen raised slowly but surely rose from his seat. And took a meandering walk towards the hospital. As he walked, he enjoyed the recognition and respect from the civilians and ninja alike, before thinking of a blonde fool, and this girl named Sakura. He thought, 'I hope it didn't break her.'

Sakura was slowly, truly waking up this time. After taking a moment to assess her surroundings, no fire, no collapsing building, no paren-. Her parents! T-they didn't make it out! That was the only thing ringing in her mind.

'If I was faster, stronger, or smarter I could have saved them! I-it's all my fault that their dead!'

[Outer... It's not your fault, Sakura!]

'No, it is! Everything is my fault!'

{Outer, they were dead way before the fire!]

'What??!'

[I heard the animal mask guys talking about it, they said there were signs of foul play!]

'B-but..'

{Inner's right, Sakura.}

[What we need to do now is get revenge on those bastards!]

'I'll personally send give them a fate worse than death.'

{You two.. Whatever you do, promise me, truly promise me, that you will never put revenge as your ultimate goal in life.}

'Why??!'

{Because this is what revenge does to people;}

{I.. Was a person who was too obsessed with avenging my brother that I... Let's just say that the end result was the few people who still cared about me died in cold blood.}

'O-okay, I promise you.'

[Y-yeah, we were kinda going down the dark route, thanks..]

{It is no problem whatsoever.}

{But Sakura should get back to reality, the Hokage is coming!}

At that exact moment, a knock resounded from the door, and out walked the Hokage in the flesh.

"H-hokage-sama!!" 

She started moving upwards to bow, but could only fall down in a painful heap.

"Child, you shouldn't be moving right now. Let's save formalities for when your better, ne?"

"Yes!"

"I'm sorry to ask you so soon, Sakura-chan, but are you still going to be a ninja?"

"Yes, I plan to."

"You don't ha-??! You are aware that you are under no pressure to be a ninja, correct?"

"I must become stronger, so that I'll never lose my precious people again!"

"Ok Sakura-chan, I'll insure that you stay in the academy. Your a very brave girl."

"Thank you.. Hokage-sama."

"I'll leave now, get well soon, Sakura-chan."

With a small clink, the door closed, and the Hokage continued along his way, fully intent to keep the truth from little Sakura, as it was better if some things were left in the past. But no-one, not the Hokage, not Navi, not even Inner, could tell that it was all a facade. For Sakura is a broken shell of what she once was. Something had died inside her that day, and no-one truly no-one could tell if this aching chasm would grow.