𝒚𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆 - sasuke uchiha

prologue

The stems of the rose were Chibara's least favorite. Unflattering spikes snaking up the length of the green stem, young Chibara never had trouble speaking on her distaste for the pointy thorns.

"The thorns protect the beauty, little one. The roses should be left untouched, only to be looked at. Spikes like that are to guard against the ugly of the world." Her mother would say, plucking a thorn out of her daughter's small fingers.

Harei Sano had soft, but calloused hands. Days of Shinobi life leave lasting impressions on Chibara's mother. And the young heiress wanted nothing more than to be like her. Dressed in a red kimono laced with gold thread; white flowers outlined onto the sleeves and bottom, Harei radiated powerful beauty. Like a goddess. She handled Chibara's wound with grace, a carefulness that the young girl could only confide in.

Once a bandaid was placed onto the pricked skin of the young girl's finger, Harei snipped off the thorns of the red rose, placing it behind the ear of her daughter.

"But," She chirped, smiling at Chibara with warmth. "The rose also amplifies beauty. My dear, the strength of elegance will find you naturally. The rose will come to protect you, like it does the rest of us. Be kind to it, and it will be kind to you, as well."

Chibara hums in understanding, eyes sparkling at the sight of her mother. Who wouldn't want to be like her?

Years later, Chibara is left drowning in unbearable grief. Killed in their own home, Chibara's parents now lay in the Sano clan's compound. Their freshly made graves make home with others. Chibara never thought the clan needed a cemetery.

The word 'Akatsuki' gets thrown around along with the handful of rumors circulating about the reason for the death of Harei and Chihaku Sano: head of the clan. Chibara can't quite connect the pieces, for the Sano clan was respected by most in Konoha — who could possibly want their heads? Not to mention all of the others that died.

One week since the day the clan's head house was set ablaze, along with the favored rose garden. One week, and Chibara twiddles the stem of a rose in her supple fingers. It's all she can remember: shrill, agonizing screams by those she cared about, her paralyzing fear displayed on her face. Black flames.

Black flames.

She remembers finding her parents, after it was already too late. She doesn't think it's something she'll ever forget. The giant gash on both of their torsos is a lasting nightmare. Like someone wanted to cut them in half.

Chibara watches the water in front of her. She's at the lake, waiting for her cousin to come pick her up for the first time. Aato Sano, 18. His parents died during the attack, too. The only thing Chibara remembers when she met Aato for the first time since then was when she apologized to him. She apologized because her parents weren't strong enough to protect the clan. The roses didn't protect them, like her mother previously said.

Carefully, or maybe not, the young girl plucked off the petals of the rose in her hands and tossed them into the water. She knew nobody was invincible, but she just couldn't wrap her head around how her parents died that quickly, that easily.

She made a vow to herself that day, that she'd get strong enough to protect herself and the ones she'd care about. She'd find out the people behind her parents' death.

She'd kill them, no matter what.