Ghosts of Konohagakure (Sequel to Shadows of the Village)

Chapter 1: Sakura

A deafening scream echoed throughout a midsized house in a civilian housing district of Konohagakure. The lights of the down stairs bedroom immediately flicked on and two sets of foot steps could be heard rhythmically thudding, ascending the staircase.

"Darling, wake up. It's Sakura again."

Lights were flicking on, illuminating their pathway to the upstairs bedroom where heavy breathing could be heard. The door was cautiously pushed open by the parents, who were unaware of the state of mind of their only child. Nightmares plagued her sleep for years, leaving her erratic, frantic and often unable to calm herself down.

"Honey, are you okay?" Called the sweet female voice from the doorway, hands balled up in her chest as she peered into the darkness. Light flooded into the otherwise pitch black room, and the silhouette of a girl sitting up in the bed could be seen.

The scream had torn from Sakura Haruno's throat as she woke up in a cold sweat. Her chest heaved up and down. She reached up to wipe the sweat from her face, as her mind comprehended what she had envisioned. She could still feel Imori's convulsing body as she held him, begging him to stay. To live.

But every time she woke, Sakura became increasingly depressed knowing he never stood a chance. They couldn't find Imori's real body to heal him, to comfort him in his dying moments. Though Kakashi had reminded Sakura the clone's memories would be transferred to the real Imori upon its death. It did little to quell her doubts or help her mourn.

"I'm awake," was all Sakura could respond with. She pulled the sheets off her and asked her parents for the time. It was 4am. She hummed quietly as her parents footsteps could be heard leaving the room and descending the stairs. She flicked her bedside lamp on and grabbed a pen to write down the time and a brief description of the nightmare on the half filled notepad beside her bed. One of many she had filled over the years.

She changed from pyjamas to her training uniform, brushed her teeth and told her parents she would be back later. They could only remind her to stay safe before the wooden door shut, leaving them in silence.

Sakura's fingers brushed over her ninja pouch as she walked, feeling relieved with having it on her at all times. It was mornings like these where she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep and instead, her feet trudged along a quiet path to a secluded part of the village. She passed a few shinobi heading out on missions, street vendors setting up for the morning rush and a drunken couple stumbling and giggling on their way home.

The sight of the happy chattering vendors, who greeted her in their cheerful morning voices, made Sakura's mood improve a little. They were always kind to her on these early morning walks. From the street, she ventured through a quiet path where she found the river that started it all. The place where she first met Imori and one of the last places they were together before his untimely departure.

She crouched in front of the river and dipped her hand into the cold water. It sent a shiver down her spine but that didn't deter her from splashing the water on her face. The cool water helped her snap out of whatever state she had been in since she abruptly woke up.

It brought her back to the days following Imori's death, where Sakura Haruno was a mess.

She vividly remembered her sensei dropping her off at the family house after witnessing the death of her close friend. Her mum and dad had been nervous when she hadn't come home like normal, and became utterly horrified when she did come back, distraught and covered in blood.

It was then Sakura had come clean to her parents about the boy she met in the training ground many years ago. The boy who couldn't speak about what he did. The boy who didn't know who he was outside of puppet he was told to be. And she told them about the boy who was forced to fight his brother to the death.