6th July

Sakura was angry.

Because Kakashi-sensei had left a note on her window telling her he was going to train with Sasuke-kun and that she should take the month off. He hadn't even bothered to find her in person to tell her that! A note! How could he leave just like that?! Even Naruto left this morning with one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya-sama! Both of her teammates were off training for the third part of the chûnin exam and she was left behind. Like always.

Her shoulders dropped. It wasn't Kakashi-sensei's fault but hers. It was her who didn't pass the second tour so of course she didn't require any training like her comrades who both passed. It was her fault she was weak. That's what she is after all: powerless, frail, coward, annoying. So it was no surprise she couldn't do anything in the forest of death when faced by Orochimaru. She had been so useless, standing there frozen by fear, if it hadn't been for Gai's team interference who knows what would have happened to Sasuke-kun.

Why did she even thought she could become a kunoichi? All she had was a big forehead, her brain and chakra control. Her shoulders dropped even further. Why was she even placed on a team with the famous copy-nin, the last Uchiha and the Uzumaki? She didn't belong there. Maybe she should quit?

And throw away all our efforts? Don't even think about it.

Efforts? It wasn't like she did anything until now.

She frowned. What had she done until now apart from studying and trying to please Sasuke-kun? Right. Nothing. That was probably why Kakashi-sensei hadn't bothered to arrange some kind of tutor for her or even an assignment. No, he had just told her to take the month to rest. She gritted her teeth. Like she could spend a month doing nothing! She was going to prove Kakashi-sensei wrong, she will train. Even if it was all by herself, it wasn't like there weren't any scroll in the library that couldn't help her.

Smiling, she looked up to the sky. Only to find that it was already dark and glancing right and left, she found that she was alone in the street. Which meant it was way past the time she should have been home, her parents were… She slowed down her pace. Her parents weren't home, like most of the time they were travelling and seeing as they had departed this morning –funny how everyone left this morning- they probably wouldn't be back before the third part of the chûnin exam so it wasn't like there was anyone to tell her what she could or couldn't do.

If only the library was open at this time, she would have gladly went there but it wasn't so she had two options: go home or train. She didn't want to go home. She didn't like being alone. But she didn't really want to train either. Should she go star gazing? Maybe she could pick a book at home and lie down on her roof to read? She shuddered. It was more of a Kakashi-sensei thing to do than her.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a noise. She quickly looked behind her, expecting some drunkard but found no one. Maybe she should just go home.

Wait, can't you feel it?

Feel what, Inner? I'm not in-

She froze. That sound again. Like a metal clashing against another. There couldn't be anyone training at this hour and they weren't even close to the training grounds so that left only one option possible. What should she do if there was really a combat going on? Why no one was coming to check what was going on? Weren't there supposed to be shinobis doing rounds? It was weird, it wasn't normal and her mind was screaming at her to not go see what was going on and just flee from here and alert any person she comes across but she wouldn't do that.

Canceling her chakra the best she could, she jumped on the roof and ran where she could feel two presences. She had promised she wouldn't be weak anymore.

Crunching down on a branch, she looked at the fight that was going on and suppressed a gasp when she saw the faces of the two men. One of them was the proctor of the exam, Hayate Gekkô and the other one was the man who was accompanying Gaara's team. Why were they fighting? What was going on? She winced when the shinobi from Suna delivered a blow to Hayate. It was bad, he was going to die at this rhythm if she didn't do something but what? She was powerless. If a Tokubetsu Jōnin can't win against him, there was no way, she, a genin, could even deliver a blow. She had to alert any shinobi but by the time she found one, it would be too late.

Think, Sakura, there has to be a way- Ah!

There was a way to alert any decent shinobis in the surrounding without moving. She just had to flare her chakra. It was easy. But by doing so, she would give away her position and he would be on her in less than a second.

Another blow. Oh god, Hayate was going to die and it would be her fault for not having done something when she was a witness of the scene. Her conscience will never let her live in peace if she lets him die without even trying to help him. He was already losing so much blood.

Snatching three kunai from her pouch, she exhaled and took a second to calm herself before tossing them and flared her chakra. Now she just had to hope that someone would be alerted by it and would come to see what was going on and as for her, she had to flee. Get away from this place as fast as she could.

A kunai passed right by her head, leaving a small cut on her cheek. Great, just great. The Suna-nin was following her. She flared her chakra a second time, a third time, a fourth time. Why was no one coming!? She riposted by sending two shuriken, hoping to slow him down but he just easily dodged them. She let out a small cry when one of his kunai impaled in her shoulder.

She suddenly found herself paralyzed and dropped on the ground. Her members refused to move. What was happening? Poison?

"Baki-san, it would be wise to return to your room and treat those wounds of yours"

That voice. She knew that voice. Glancing up, she saw the same man who had helped them during the second tour, Yakushi Kabuto.

So he's with him? What kind of jerk is that, isn't he a shinobi of Konoha!?

"Haruno-san, I'm sorry for this inconvenience but don't worry, you will soon fall asleep" He looked at her with this fake smile of his.

"W-Wha.." She couldn't even speak!

"Good night, Haruno-san"

And just like he said, her eyelids closed. She should have just gone look for someone instead of trying to- To what exactly? What had she tried to do there? Play the hero?

What an idiot.

Would Kakashi-sensei be proud of her if he saw her right now? Would he? Because she hadn't abandoned a fellow shinobi behind.

Dying in her own village, how pathetic…

/

"What I wouldn't do for some Tonkatsu or even Tempura… Damn, I'm dying for a nice hot meal!"

Iwashi Tatami could only agree with his partner, Tsuzumi Sarugaku, seeing as they were both coming back from a week long mission and hadn't had the opportunity to have a decent meal for the past three days because of some rogue-nin pursuing them. And they couldn't eat now, seeing as they were in the middle of the night and no restaurant was open so all he could do for now was to go home and see if there was anything edible in his kitchen.

He glanced at his partner, to ask him if he had any cup of ramen or anything of the likes in his cupboards because he was sure that the only thing he'll find in his were probably spider webs but stopped short when he saw that Tsuzumi was a good teen feet behind him.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Ah, I just felt a pike of chakra… Maybe I'm just-" Tsuzumi stopped mid-sentence and turned his head toward the left area of the village.

Iwashi could feel it too, someone was flaring his chakra and judging by the way he was doing it, it looks like there was trouble. Without further notice, they both dashed off. They were soon joined by Aoba and the tree of them arrived at the place where they found an unconscious Hayate suffering from multiple wounds, the biggest being on his torso.

"The two of you, go report to the Hokage. I'll take him to the hospital" Aoba disappeared with Hayate and they ran off to the Hokage tower.

/

7th July

Sakura felt like throwing up as soon as she opened her eyes. By reflexes, she tried to use her hand to shield her vision from the light only to find it bound to the cold hard stone she was currently lying on. In fact, both of her hands and foots were bound. This was not good. Why is she still alive? Where was she?

No doubt that Kabuto took us with him. For what reasons, I ignore.

Sakura closed her eyes and rested her head back on the cold stone. She had to calm down first before trying to decipher what was going. She wouldn't just wait for someone to come save her anymore. She had to get strong, be strong. So why could she feel her tears? Why was she crying?

"Good morning Haruno-san" It was that boy again, with his fake kindness and smile. "Oh, no need to cry. I'm not going to do anything to you. At least, not yet"

What did he meant by that? Was she going to be tortured? Why? It wasn't like she was a high-classed shinobi or possessed any clan secret or anything. She was a mere genin so it wasn't like he was going to get anything from her.

"You're probably wondering why you're here" He moved to the table on the far end right of the room and she felt her inside twist now that she was paying some attention to her surroundings. Oh god, he was going to dissect her insides to display them in some jars next to the ones he already had.

Wait, is that a human body opened in two I see over there!?

She heard him chuckle and quickly turned her head toward him. He was holding a syringe in his hand and seeing the green colored liquid that it contained, she could only assume it wasn't something she was going to enjoy if he ever managed to get that inside of her.

"You see, Orochimaru-sama wanted to take Uchiha-san to make him is vessel but his plans got… delayed"

What did it had to do with her? Why was he telling her this?

"He's not really in a good mood right now so I apologize in his place for not being here right now but don't worry, my skills are more than enough for this"

Wait, wait, wait! Sakura! You better not let him get anywhere near us with that!

She was struggling, trying to free even one hand but it was to no use. "Don't! Don't come near me! Get away!"

She was probably bruising her own skin by now but she didn't care. She didn't care that she was crying and struggling like crazy. She didn't care that she was acting like a child and not like a kunoichi. She didn't care. All she wanted was to get away from here.

The needle came into contact with the inside of her elbow and she froze just as he injected the liquid in her veins.

"I've heard that you had a good chakra control for a genin Haruno-san"

What does he-

She let out a scream as she felt her insides burn.

/

13th July

There was a heavy silence in the room as they were all digesting what Hayate, who just woke up after a week of being in the coma, had said.

"Oto and Suna, huh? Who thought they'd make an alliance against Konoha" Shikaku let out a sigh. To know that one of their allies was associating with an enemy against them was something he considered troublesome. Why would Suna do that?

"The third part of the exam start in less than a week, what do we do Hokage-sama?"

"You're going to take his place as the proctor, Genma. As for what to do... Shikaku, I want you to alert every chûnin and jōnin available of the situation and tell them to stay on guard. We're going to continue with the third round as planned, we can't afford to make a fuss about it right now."

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced out the window. Orochimaru was really taking it too far if he was going to attack Konoha, he had to stop him. Jiraiya and Kakashi had to be informed as well. He'd have to make sure his ex-student don't get his claws on the Uchiha. Itachi wouldn't forgive him if anything happened to his brother.

"What happened to the person who… Hm… kind of saved my live?"

Genma glanced at Hayate, the person who 'kind of saved his life'?

"What do you mean Hayate? You were alone at the place"

"No. Just before I blacked out, someone threw a pair of kunai at Baki and flared his chakra, thus distracting him. Otherwise, the Suna-nin would have made sure that I wasn't breathing anymore"

The Nara frowned, it really was starting to become too troublesome.

/

How long had it been? How many days have passed since she was brought here? Why was no one coming? Was this place going to be her grave? Why was he keeping her alive? Was she some sort of test subject? That had to be it. He was making his experiences on her. She couldn't see any other reason for him to keep doing that.

"I must say I'm surprised Haruno-san. I'd never thought you'd survive this far"

Hey Sakura, hold on.

Why… Why are they doing this?

"Shall we test my newest product?"

She wanted to scream, shake her head, tell him to get away from her but all she could do was stare as he injected yet another substance in her veins.

And the pain began again.

/

He dodged yet another attack and stared at his student. He certainly had improved in a month of time but would he be able to compete against that boy from Suna? Just as he was going to return the blow, he felt something coming their way. Holding out a hand to tell Sasuke to stop, he looked up just as a hawk appeared in the sky. He frowned, for Konoha to contact him now must mean that something serious was going on.

Reaching for the small paper attached to one of the bird's claw, he opened it and his frown deepened even more.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the look on Kakashi's face. "What is it?"

"Nothing for you to worry about. Let's continue, there's only two days left before the exam"

Who would deliver him a letter? His lov- Sasuke shuddered. There was no way that Kakashi-sensei had a girlfriend or anything of the likes. It was simply impossible.

It had to be some sort of report, he concluded as he threw another punch.

/

31st July

Naruto was sulking. He was back since yesterday but he had yet to see any traces of his pink-haired teammate. Sakura was nowhere! Even that Sasuke-teme wasn't back from his training with Kaka-sensei. Well, it wasn't really a surprise considering the fact that he was with the copy-nin and the jōnin had always been late to their meetings so it was kind of normal for him.

His shoulders dropped as he looked around the crowd. The match was about to begin and still no sign of any of them.

"Oh well, don't worry about it. I'm sure she decided to take this month to travel with her parents, she'll be back before the end of the exam"

That was what Ino had said but would she really make it back before his match against the Hyūga?

"Yo, Naruto! You're ready?" He turned around to see Kiba and Akamaru along with Chôji and Shikamaru.

He grinned "Of course! I haven't trained with the perv-sage for nothing!"

Maybe Kaka-sensei's tardiness was also rubbing on Sakura-chan.

/

2nd August

Something wasn't right. It was itching at the back of his mind but he couldn't remember what. The attack was over, lives were lost and buildings were destroyed but it had done less damage than he originally thought. It was surprising that Orochimaru had retreated so quickly. Maybe it was because he had seen there were no chances for him to win against the Hokage and Jiraiya-sama?

Probably.

He muffled a yawn as he made his way to the headquarters without glancing up from his book but he couldn't concentrate on it. He was forgetting something, something important.

"Kakashi"

He looked up at Asuma and nodded. He didn't like the look on his face. "What's up?"

He slowly put his book back in the pocket. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like whatever the man in front of him was going to tell him.

"Ino's been panicking since yesterday because she still has no news of Sakura and I just saw the list of people that are listed as dead. Haruno Mebuki and Haruno Kizashi are on it. Your student is currently listed as missing"

Sakura.

He had forgotten about Sakura.

/

The Hokage pinched the bridge of his nose as he looked at the scroll in front of him. He already had his hands full with Orochimaru and his obsession over the Uchiha then there was the matter with Haruno Sakura- How could have no one noticed that she's been missing for a month – and now there was Akatsuki.

Jiraiya spoke up for the first time since entering the office "We can't afford to have Naruto running across the world in search for his teammate, not with the Akatsuki after him. The only solution is to tell him that she's dead and in the meantime, send out a team to search for her"

The third dropped the scroll and stood up, turning his back on his office and looking out of the window. Staring at Konoha below him, he let out a small sigh inwardly at the thought of having to tell Naruto and Sasuke about the death of their friend.

He looked behind his shoulder at his student who was sitting in the chair in front of his desk. "I have another favor to ask of you"

Jiraiya replied without missing a beat "I'm not taking your place"

Of course, they had already talked about it multiples times so his answer was expected, the toad-sage preferred to have his freedom and not be stuck doing paperwork all day long.

Sarutobi shook his head before facing him entirely. "I know, that's why I want you to find Tsunade. Take Naruto with you."

/

Sasuke stayed silent, Naruto threw a fit saying it was impossible that Sakura was dead. Kakashi stood there, with a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

/

She didn't move, she didn't scream. She just stared lifelessly at the wall.

"You're not fun Sakura-chan"

It was Orochimaru.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to begin again but when nothing came, she opened them only to find herself staring into yellow ones.

"I must say I'm surprised, you're the first subject to survive so far. But now… Let's try something different, shall we?"

/

A month later, Tsunade was proclaimed as the new Hokage.

Three months after that, Jiraiya took Naruto and Sasuke with him for a long journey.

Two weeks after that, Genma found Sakura's body.

*Tonkatsu, breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, dates to the late 19th Century when Japan threw open its doors to Western influence. But never mind the European origin: the ingredients and attention to detail are thoroughly Japanese. Tonkatsu – especially when it's kuro-buta (Berkshire pork) from Kagoshima – is melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with a side of miso soup and a mountain of shredded cabbage.

*Tempura : Light and fluffy tempura is Japan's contribution to the world of deep-fried foods (though it likely originated with Portuguese traders). The batter-coated seafood and vegetables are traditionally fried in sesame oil and served with either a tiny pool of salt or a dish of soy sauce-flavoured broth spiked with grated radish for dipping.