A/N: I adore comments-all of them! While I do not want anyone to sugar-coat their opinions this is only my second fanfic, so please, be gentle with the flames. -wimpers pathetically-
Disclaimer: I got my opening idea from The Addams Family movie. I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY RESPECTIVE NAMES/CHARACTERS AFFILIATED WITH NARUTO. (Sakura wouldn't be quite so pathetic if I did.) That credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Therefore, please don't sue me.
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Chapter 1: Optimism Isn't Practical
Naruto kneeled before the grave to read the inscription on the headstone.
Hyuuga Tenten
Executed for attempted murder
And just a week after being married to Neji… He thought. How could she… why would she want to kill him? Sure Neji was a human ice-block but he wasn't that bad. He loved Tenten, and Tenten loved him, didn't she?
"Poor Tenten, she was sick." A sympathetic frown filled his eyes as she leaned over to place a white chrysanthemum on the edge of the stone tablet.
"She wasn't sick. She was sloppy; If I wanted to kill my husband I'd do it and I wouldn't get caught." Sakura corrected.
"Oh really?" Naruto questioned sarcastically. "And how would you?" A pause enveloped the two. Sakura looked up examining the darkening clouds. It would rain before the day was through...
"…I'd scare him to death." Her words caused Naruto to flinch."No you wouldn't… " Naruto replied shaking her head. "Deep down you're not cruel."
A dry chuckle escaped Sakura's throat. The hairs on the back of Naruto's neck rose at the sound and his body stiffened, not from fear but from anger.
"My darling, you have no idea how cruel I can be…"
Sakura had taken to calling those who she once cared for that. As superficial as the pet-name was, it marked those once close to her. People like Ino, Kakashi, Naruto… Sasuke…
Naruto stood abruptly to face his friend. "You act so dark and mean but I don't think you are!"
"Then you must not know me very well." Her tone was calm and emotionless.
"No, I know you better than anyone else. I've been your best friend for years now and not once have I seen you do something completely heartless!" It was ironic, even pathetic in a way, that he considered himself her friend, much less her best friend. Sakura wasn't worthy of the title 'friend', nor did she have friends... not since then...
"You hardly ever show you feel anything anymore, much less smile and you've lost your compassion, but you are not cruel." Naruto's arms were taunt and his fists were balled.
She didn't deserve Naruto's friendship and she knew it.
"…Like I said, you must not know me very well."
Sakura took her gaze from Naruto and left, barely ghosting his shoulder as she walked past him. The blonde only stared strait ahead, his cerulean eyes unmoving as unshed tears glistened against his lashes.
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Sakura sat on the roof of an old, abandoned apartment complex staring at the now angry storm clouds. "Yes, it most definitely will rain today" the wind seemed to echo as it swiftly tussled her bangs. The slicing 'wisk' it made was the only sound to be heard. No one ever came to this part of Konoha anymore, well, no one but her. It was comforting, the silence. It closed her in, encasing her within herself as if to prevent a fragile doll from falling apart.
Naruto's words echoed in her head. "I've been your best friend for years now and not once have I seen you do something completely heartless!"
Just because you haven't seen it, darling, doesn't mean it hasn't happened. She thought as images of a tiny girl covered in blood flooded her mind.
(Flashback, 3 years earlier)
"Suki, come here. I want to show you something." A 14 year-old Sakura called. The light blue color of her yukatan was turning a dark maroon from the bloody katana she held behind her back.
A pretty little girl about the age of 10 stuck her head around the corner. A happy smile reflected throughout her face.
"Yes Onee-san(1)?" She asked. Her hip-length, rosette locks swayed with her almost skip-like gaunt. Wide green eyes peered out from behind her silky bangs with curiosity.
She looked so much like her older sister.
"Have you seen Okaa-san(2) and Otou-san(3)?" Suki asked, coming to stand square in front of Sakura.
"No, I haven't… perhaps you will see them later." Replied Sakura, knowing full well that their parents now lay dying on the floor of their bedroom.
She hadn't hesitated as she stabbed them. She had watched as their eyes, frozen in shock, slowly closed from the blood loss. A crimson pool had formed around their bodies, their blood, blood that was on her katana, blood that she had spilt.
Sakura reached out and cupped her sister's face, her eyes slipping into a somber state. Suki, confused by the nostalgic show of affection from her sister, asked "What-"
"Shh… " Sakura interjected. "I just want to look at you like this one more time."
"What do you mea-"
With a swift, upward stroke Sakura slashed the katana through the girl before her. The blade sliced from the top of her left thigh up, severing through her ribs and slicing through the length of her jugular.
The bloodied metal sent a splatter of red across Suki's face as it exited the inches deep crevice it created in the child's danty form, cutting through the right side of her tiny jaw bone.
Hot blood erupted from the child's body flowing past her clothes and sliding down her skin to the floor. Suki's eyes widened in pain and confusion.
"Wha- what's happening? B-big sister?" No. This isn't real. It's just a dream! Yeah, this is just a nightmare!
Blood began to pour into her throat choking her. The thick liquid started to fill her lungs, demanding the residence of the much needed oxygen. She tried to form words but they came out as gurgled gasps. It hurt so bad!
… N-no. Not happening- Suki thought in shock. How could her onee-san do this?
The lack of blood felt like needles were being shoved into her body from the inside out, starting from her chest. Her severed ribs and jaw screamed in pain as the rest of her mauled body gave into the piercing torture.
The pain was too much and she fell to the floor. A resounding crack filled the room as Suki's scull hit the tile. Tears poured from her eyes in agony.
"I'm sorry, little sister; Please… find a way to forgive me." The words were spoken almost absent-mindedly, as if they were an emotionless attempt at remorse.
Suki's tears ran like silver rivulets through the crimson droplets, splattered on her face. Her blood now completely encompassing her body in a warm, scarlet pool.
It was all Suki could do to stare at her onee-san. Sakura only stood there… her eyes blank, face emotionless.
Dark spots appeared in Suki's tear flooded vision blotting out the sight of Sakura's relaxed face.
"Onee-(gurgle)-san..."
Then her vision went black.
Sakura watched as a lifeless look drowned out the confusion from Suki's eyes and she stopped moving. Her last flicker of life left her body with a jerk.
She didn't care. Her face was completely indifferent, yet, a single tear slipped off her chin.
I'm sorry, little sister… I'm so sorry.
(End Flashback)
She had to do it. It was the only way to kill all her emotions.
No one ever suspected her of their murder, not even the ANBU. She was careful not to leave any evidence of her presence. After all, everyone believed she was still out on her solo mission.
Although, even if everyone knew she was in Konoha and the ANBU had found incriminating evidence, no one would ever believe that the sweet, little Haruno Sakura could have murdered her own family…
But then again, she wasn't that Haruno Sakura, the bubbly girl everyone knew, at least not anymore.
A sudden drowsiness interrupted her musings. Her eyelids began to droop and she realized how cool the stone tiles were beneath her palms.
Sticking out her hand to brace herself Sakura shook her head trying to clear it.
This… doesn't feel… right…
Instinctively the hand supporting her came up to brush her forehead.
That was a mistake. She fell over on her side hard, the sharp edge of one of the broken tiles cutting her cheek. A drizzle of maroon colored blood dripped onto the tile.
…a… genjutsu?
That was the last thought she had before slipping into an unnaturally dreamless sleep.
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- TBC
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(1) onee-san : big sister
(2) otou-san: father
(3) okaa-san: mother