Author's Note: I wanted to say that this story was partly inspired by SilverShine's amazing story Scarlet Scroll. The darker tones and exploration of a Danzo ruled Konoha really struck a cord in me and made me want to explore similar themes. Thank you Silvershine, for inspiring me so. That said, this story will be slightly AU, so please don't eat me for any changes I make. I love the manga to bits and pieces but I really wanted to experiment with this set of events.

Also, I do not own Naruto.

Rain was almost always depressing, but it was especially so on gray, dreary mornings. There was no hint of sunshine, or green life outside the window to give hope that the clouds would part and the rest of the day would be bright and enjoyable. It was getting towards winter now. What green life that was left in Konoha was now brown and dying. Each day the temperature had dropped lower and lower, causing the populous to break out their winter clothing earlier than expected. All signs pointed towards a hard winter ahead of Fire Nation. As if times weren't hard enough?

Sighing, Sakura turned away from the window and snuggled up closer to her silver-haired bed fellow, enjoying the warmth and comfort his body offered her. The cherry blossom had developed a deep, almost irrational hatred for rainy days. It was a day just like this, two years ago, that everything had changed. Now all gloomy and wet days did was remind her of the past and the day Konoha had begun to change from a land of fire and life, to one of darkness and slow decay.

Naruto's triumph over Pain had spread hope through out the devastated village of Konohagakure. Surely, with Akatsuki defeated the village could regain it's former glory. No one had any doubts about their future, nor did they have any doubts that Tsunade would recuperate and their great Hokage would lead them once again into a time of peace and prosperity.

How foolish it was for them to hope.

The council had waited three days for Tsunade to recover and when she reminded in a coma they began discussing potential new Hokages. Yes Tsunade was still alive, but how could she lead a village while in a coma? The Leaf Village needed leadership now! Especially considering the crisis they currently faced. When Hatake Kakashi had been brought up as a potential candidate, no one despaired. Surely the council would see him as a man worthy of the position and they would have a good, if not slightly lazy and perverted, leader to help them start towards a new future.

So when it was announced that Shimura Danzo would be the Rokudaime, the village was left stunned. Few outside of ROOT had expected such an outcome and with it came a loud cry of protest. But argue as the Jounin may, the elders were unyielding for it had been the Daimyo to choose Danzo for Hokage and they were powerless against such a decision. So with great reluctance the Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf accepted Danzo as their new leader, even Naruto who knew of the old war hawk's grudge against him simply for being the fox's host. Naruto's recognition of the new Hokage encouraged others to accept Danzo too and perhaps it was for this reason that Danzo didn't immediately make any attempts on his life.

The Rokudaime's first decree was the rebuilding of Konoha, a task that all people of the village, civilian and shinobi alike, took part in. Even with the help of Yamato and the aid of their allied villages the reconstruction of their home took them over a year to accomplish. In that year, Danzo appeared to be a fairly decent Hokage. He was fair, he helped with the rebuilding and he kept in constant communication with the jounin, considering their opinions on important matters and even enacting some into policy. Some of his decisions even made him quite popular with the civilians. After all it was he who suggested that civilian homes and Shinobi lodgings be built separate from each other to to help avoid loss of civilian life. He assured them that their businesses would still received shinobi customers as well, for the two halves would be connected by a grand market street in which all places of business would be rebuilt. Though the suggestion could have been viewed as segregation, very few rebuked the idea. It was reasonable many said, even logical. Danzo was gaining their trust.

Through out the rebuilding of Konoha, Tsunade remained unconscious and unresponsive but Danzo had made sure she was under constant medical attention by top medics, including Shizune and Sakura themselves. They would take shifts with the other medics to watch over the Godaime while they too helped rebuild the village. They lovingly tended to their master and friend, positive that any day now she would awaken. On the day that marked the grand reopening of the Hidden Leaf village, the duo decided to trade their morning shifts with other medics so they could attend the festivities and return later in the night to tell Tsunade all about them.

The festivals were grand indeed, though a few of the older jounin were left to wonder exactly how the village could have afford such extravagance. Such thoughts were not dwelled upon however as the celebration served as a much needed outlet for a year of frustration, depression and difficulty. Later in the evening, Danzo stood upon a modest stage and called all people of the village to him so he could deliver a speech unto the people about their future. Before he could begin however, a shinboi dressed in black attire and a porcelain mask darted up to the Hokage and whispered a message. For a moment Danzo said nothing before straightening his stance.

"Would Shizune and Haruno Sakura please meet me in B-wing of the hospital." With that he left the stage much to the shock and curiosity of the people.

Many faces quickly turned towards the two woman, who had been enjoying the festival together with members of Team 7. Having lost a bit of color in their faces the pair regarded each other with concern. B-Wing was where Tsunade was being cared for.

"Better not keep him waiting then." Kakashi's voice broke over the pair, pulling them from their stupor.

"But...what if..?" Sakura worried her lip as she looked up to her sensei.

Smiling softly through his mask, Kakashi placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "I'm sure everything is fine. Now get going you two."

Kakashi's words were comforting, but deep down Sakura couldn't help but worry. Why else would they have been singled out like that if not for some urgent purpose pertaining towards Tsunade?

With chakra enhanced bounds, they covered the distance to the new hospital quickly. They dashed pasts stands of sparkling trinkets and children playing games. They leapt up the side of a building and hastened across the roof tops, refusing to stop until they had come skidding into B-wing, gasping for breath. Sakura's stomach did a flip, Danzo was standing outside of Tsunade's room. Dread consumed her and no thought went into her actions, before the cherry blossom realized it she was running down the hall with Shizune on her heels. Seeing them, Danzo stepped to the side but held out his arm out, as if to dissuade them from entering the room.

"Ladies please...perhaps it would be best if I-" they ran right past him. Usually no one dared show such insolence towards the Hokage but their hearts were too consumed with fear to give a mind about proper conduct.

Halting in front of Tsunade's bed, Sakura swayed and grabbed the foot board for support. Behind her she heard Shizune gag.

Before them laid their master, their leader. Only her skin was ashen and there were purple and green patches all along her body. Some of them had even begun to split, weeping blood and puss onto the sheets. Suddenly the room was far too hot, far too small. Over come with dizziness, Sakura fell to her knees but even then she couldn't tear her eyes from the body. This wasn't real. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be Tsunade laying dead before her.

With her eyes locked on the body of her mentor, her second mother, she missed Danzo enter the room. But Shizune didn't. She had whirled around the second she saw the body. Perhaps Danzo had not been expecting that. When he entered she spotted the smallest of satisfied smirks on his face. Immediately she leapt at the man.

"I knew it you bastard! It was you. IT WAS YOU! It's been a scheme this whole time, hasn't? I'll killed you. I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Suddenly the room was full of masked ROOT members, who seemed to materialize right out the walls, grabbing Shizune by the waist and arms, hauling her away from the Hokage. Sakura jumped to her feet but found herself softly restrained from running to Shizune by another ROOT agent.

"Shizune..what...what are you saying?" She didn't struggle against the hands on her shoulders, she didn't think she could have even if she wanted to.

"Sakura, it was him! I saw it! I saw that damn smirk! YOU KILLED TSUNADE-SAMA! I'LL TELL EVERYONE! NO ONE WILL FOLLOW YOU NOW!" A hysterical pitch had leaked into the older woman's voice and Sakura realized with a start that she crying.

Looking from her friend to her Hokage, the kunoichi did not know how to react. She knew Shizune, she was one of her closest friends and she was certainly not prone to fits of hysteria. Sadness, Grief. Those she had seen but no matter the situation she had never once observed this woman become anything close to hysterical. Looking again to the body of her shishou, Sakura worried her bottom lip. The pain helped her think a bit more clearly. In her heart, she believed Shizune with every fiber of her being but if she reacted as the other woman now she would only find herself being restrained by a herd of highly trained ROOT ops.

Turning to Danzo, she bowed deeply. "My apologies Hokage-sama, Shizune is clearly in a state of shock over the death of our shishou." Shizune choose that moment to yell loudly "What the fuck are you saying Sakura? Kill him!"

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, the medic-nin reminded bowed. "Please...how did this happen to Tsunade-shishou?"

Danzo watched her carefully, clearly considering his words. Or perhaps she simply had not reacted according to his expectations? After a moment he spoke in his usual soft drawl. "It would seem as if a highly venomous snake found it's way into her room. No doubt placed by an enemy shinobi looking to disturb the moral of the recently uplifted citizens. Resorting to such an old fashioned trick also made the threat undetectable until it was to late. I blame myself entirely of course. I should have been more vigilant." His voice sounded so sincere but while the tone itself was gentle and comforting the words felt hollow. He was lying, and Sakura's fists clenched at the realization.

"You see! He admits it! Take his head off Sakura!"

In truth, she was tempted to do just that but she had no other proof but her gut feeling and the word of a grieving co-worker and those were not good enough reasons to commit treason and kill their Hokage.

"I..see..." Sakura let out tightly. "If you would allow it, please grant us our leave. I think Shizune and I...need some time to come to terms with this."

"Of course Haruno-san, though I'm afraid I'll have to have Shizune escorted out. I do believe she would most sincerely like to attack me and I'm sure you wouldn't want your dear friend locked up for assaulting the Hokage."

"Of course not Hokage-sama." Sakura rose from her bow and looked to Shizune, pleading with her eyes to the woman that she remain silent. By the grace of the Gods, Shizune had closed her mouth but was now fixing Danzo with the most murderous glared the pink-haired girl had ever seen.

They were escorted out of the hospital by the ROOT squad and then left alone in the cool air of the night. In the background they could hear the continued sound of the festivities. For now the village was still ignorant to the death of the Godaime. Every few moments a bright burst of light would decorate the sky, followed by a thunderous boom, bathing the silent duo in reds and golds. Turning to her friend, Sakura opened her mouth to speak.

SMACK!

The slap took her by surprised and Shizune had certainly not held back. Completely taken aback, she stared in disbelief at Shizune with a look of hurt in her jade eyes. Rubbing the tender flesh of her assaulted cheek Sakura could only watch as Shizune gave her dark look before storming off into the night.

It would be the last time they ever saw each other.

News of Tsunade's death spread through the village like wild fire and Sakura refused to leave her apartment for days. Every time she went outside she was hounded with questions about her shishou's death. It was to much for her handle. If wasn't for Kakashi and Naruto bringing her groceries and keeping her company, she wouldn't have survived the week.

There were talks of treachery among many of the Jounin, especially those whose loyalty had always been to the Godaime. But Danzo had worked hard to secure the trust of many of the Shinobi during the rebuilding of Konoha and he was defended adamantly by them.

Slowly, the hurt and despair over Tsunade's murder began to settle and things quieted down once again in the Leaf Village. Summer slowly changed into autumn and on a particularly rainy, gloomy day, all Shinobi of all rank were called to the Hokage Tower to receive an important decree from the Danzo himself. Excitement, curiosity and even nervousness ran high among the crowd of ninja as they waited for the arrival of their leader.

When Danzo came, with him followed the entire council and that alone caused some of the jounin to glance nervously at each other. The younger ninja had no idea how bad of a sign such an occurrence was.

"Greetings Shinobi of the great Konohagakure. I thank you all for your attendance today." Danzo settled himself into a rather ornate looking chair that had been carried onto the stage by four ROOT members.

"I have gathered you here today to announce to you a very important decree the elders and I have decided upon as of last night." He sat in the chair with his legs spread slightly, arms upon the almost tacky arm rests. He looked like a king on a throne.

"In light of the teachings and beliefs of previous, softer Hokages," a murmur ran through the crowd at these words. "We have decided to strip all kunoichi's of their titles." Disgruntled gasps and cries broke out among those gathered but Danzo continued on as if he had not heard them. "All medics may choose to remind in the field however they will be restricted to hospital work only and will no longer be considered Shinobi, as such they will receive only civilian pay. However I am a fair, caring Hokage," he said this faint sneer to his voice, "and as such I will allow all kunoichi the chance to reclaim their titles through a series of new tests."

Shocked silence proceeded his decree. They were all to dumbfounded to truly process and respond to what the Hokage had just announced.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" a loud yell from the far corner demanded. The voice almost certainly belonged to Anko.

"No, I am quite serious." Danzo drawled. "The elders and I have discussed this issue at length and we have decided that the current generations of kunoichi are much to soft for Konoha's standards. They have forgotten their places and their true jobs of espionage and assassination."

"You're insane."

"These aren't the dark ages!"

"You can't expect us to go along with this!"

"Oh but I do." Danzo spoke in the same, unconcerned drawl. "You see, you have no choice in the matter. The elders have already agreed and anyone who does not agree can take it up with one of my captains here." He gestured with his unbandaged arm to a line of black cloaked, masked men who stood behind his 'throne'. Some were spinning kunai lazily, as if daring some one to challenge the Hokage's word.

There was more shouting and cursing towards Danzo but he simply rose from his seat and left the stage, the elders trailing behind him like the lap dogs they were. It was clear there would be no arguing this change. But just because no one fought during the meeting did not mean they didn't fight at all. For several days small skirmish's broke out around the Shinobi quarters, all of them involving scorned kunoichi. ROOT agents were immediately dispatched to resolve the protests. Those who did not surrender were killed, mercilessly.

The news of the first kunoichi death was only a rumor on the tips of everyone's tongues until a younger chunin dared to assault a ROOT member. In the view of at least a dozen shinobi she was dispatched and killed quite violently, her body left in the street as an example to all.

This did nothing but fuel the fires of course.

Uzuki Yūgao, a well respected female member of ANBU was one of the most vocal of the protesters. It was spread by word of mouth that it was she who had organized and lead the protests against Danzo's decree. Before the eyes some of the most elite to even a few young genin she dared to stand against two ROOT Captains. The ensuing fight was one that became legend among even the Konoha civilians. She fought against the ROOT captains like a lioness with nothing to lose. She proved to all that stood before her that day that she was just as good as any ROOT captain and when she beheaded one it was of no surprise that the crowed cheered for her.

But in a spray of blood the battle ended. While Yūgao faced off against the remaining ROOT Captain, another agent darted forward from the shadows. She sensed him behind her in enough time to turn, but it was to late, his sword pierced her shoulder. As the cold steel bit through her flesh she let out a blood curling cry of pain and frustration.

"You cowards." she whispered just before the Captain behind her swung his sword forward and rent her head from her shoulders. With a sickening thud, it hit the ground and the captain proceed to stab his sword through the skull. For the rest of the day he walked around the shinobi quarter with his sword slung over his shoulder, Yūgao's head skewered upon it.

After that, the kunoichi stopped rebelling. Some, such as Kurenai who had her infant child to consider, faded quietly into the background, having no medical talents they chose lives as civilians. Hinata herself almost walked away from the village entirely and probably would have if it hadn't been for her obligations to her clan. Ino and a number of other medics decided to simply work at the hospital, for they reasoned any tests that Danzo would put them through would be far worse then living off of civilian pay.

Still others, like Sakura, chose to fight to regain their titles and perhaps restore some hope and pride to the kunoichi community. Of thirty-odd kunoichi who applied to become genin, only nineteen of them were granted the rank. As a test of their power, they were put in a ring one on one against a particularly nasty ROOT captain, known to be in several bingo books, and told to survive ten minutes. It was easily harder than any chuunin exam anyone in the group had faced and some did not come away from it with their lives.

As for the rank of chuunin, only four of the sixteen that applied for the rank received it. The test for Chuunin was to fight against Danzo himself and survive for one minute. Though he, being the fair and kind Hokage that he was, refrained from killing any of the participants though one had to be admitted to the hospital and enrolled into intense psychotherapy due to a particular nasty genjutsu.

If the test for Chuunin was surviving against the Hokage himself...what could they possibly have expected of the kunoichi to become jounin? When Sakura found out, she almost considered fleeing the village. Upon applying for the rank of jounin, the cherry blossom found herself whisked away to the Hokage Tower by a squad of ROOT members within hours. She was nervous and even a little bit scared, but she had to do this. She had to succeed. What would Tsunade think of her if she didn't?

Silently she was escorted into the Hokage's chamber. It was so different from the days when it was occupied by Tsunade. Before had it been a warm, if not slightly intimidating place. Now the barren room was strewn with nothing but maps and folders making it feel cold and uninviting. It almost made the medic-nin want to shiver. Sitting behind a desk much to ornate for the blandness of the room sat the Hokage whose single eye seemed to gleam with amusement at the sight of her. Reaching into the drawer off to the side, Danzo withdraw a rolled bundle of paper and with a cocky smirk, handed Sakura a seemingly ordinary mission scroll. " I'm not sure if you were informed," he spoke, as she curled her delicate fingers around the rolled up parchment. "But this mission much be completed upon pain of death." Sakura's eyes jerked upwards to meet his as a cold shock ran through her. Quickly remembering her manners she directed them to the floor once again.

This only made Danzo smirk wider. "We can't have everyone thinking they can apply for jounin, fail and get away with it, now can we?" The cherry blossom's sweaty hand tightened around the scroll. So that's how this game was going to be played?

"Of course Danzo-sama." she choked out.

Once again Sakura was left the feeling that she had not reacted as Danzo had expected and was excused from his presence. As calmly as she could manage the cherry blossom left the audience room. She didn't want that crippled git to see how upset she was, but as she marched down the stairs of the tower her blood began to boil. Who did that old badger think he was? How dare he treat her this way! Sakura Haruno, the Sannin's own apprentice! She had half a mind to stuff this scroll in a trash can and tell him to fuck off. Actually, she was tempted to do just that. Upon sighting the first trash can, she marched right up to it and almost threw the scroll in the bin until she became very aware of the fact the she was being watched.

"No.."she thought to herself. "I can't let him win. I can do this. I HAVE to do this." After a few slow, even breaths the medic-nin took a seat on a nearby bench and allowed herself a few moments to enjoy the feel of the breeze and the sounds of the children playing in the park. Once her mind was settled she unrolled the scroll and began to read. At first her face paled and then it turned a bright, furious red and her fingers itched with the temptation to tear the scroll to pieces. She should have just thrown the damn thing away!

Printed in black ink, as if it were any other mission, were the following words:

Haruno Sakura;

Your mission to achieve jounin rank is to seduce one Hatake Kakashi. DNA evidence will be collected by a ROOT appointed medical professional upon the completion of this mission to prove the legitimacy of your success. If you do not complete this mission or disregard it, you will be executed in full view of the village.

While on this mission, you are not to inform the target of your intent, as this is meant to be a test of your skills in the area of seduction and espionage, two skills all future kunoichi of Konoha will be required master.

You have one month to complete this mission.

With a fierce growl of frustration she shoved the mission scroll into her back pocket and began to march furiously towards her apartment. She had heard Suna was great this time of year.

A soft yawn pulled Sakura from her memories and suddenly she realized at some point she had started crying. Quickly dabbing her eyes with the bank of her hands, she fixed a smile on her face as her companion rolled onto his back, looking up at her with a sleepy charcoal eye.

"Sakura?...is the roof l-l-l," he gave a great yawn "leaking again?"

A softer, more real smile graced her lips as she ran her fingers slowly through his wild, silver mane. "No Kakashi, you must be imaging it."

He looked slightly confused and almost as if he didn't believe her but he was to tired to argue. "Shouldn't we get up now?" Though as soon as he asked the question, Kakashi turned and snuggled his head against Sakura's chest, letting out another sleepy yawn.

"You're the birthday boy, so it's your choice."

But he had already chosen because within moments he had fallen back to sleep. Continuing to run her fingers through his hair, Sakura hummed softly to herself. She hated rainy days, but at least she had someone to share them with.