A/N: YAY FOR MY FIRST ONGOING NARUTER FIC:DDD I wonder if any of you care, buttttttt OH WELL. XD I'm proud of myself. -puffs out chest- I love KakaSaku, and the song 'Moonlight Shadow' by Groove Coverage...So I decided to kinda put the two together...Rather haphazardously. XDD;
Basic summary of this story: Kakashi Hatake has been accused of betraying Konoha, and selling them out to an outside enemy, and as a result has been banished. Sakura refuses to believe the lies she's being spoon-fed...Especially when her ex-sensei visits her one night, begging her to assist him in clearing his name, claiming he was framed. Along the way, though, they discover a dark, bloody trail surrounding Kakashi's framing...
SO PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. :DDD
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Moonlight Shadow
Chapter 1: Carried Away
by SNIPER SUZUME a.k.a. Mary
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As those words wafted through the air, in through the tunnels of her ears, Haruno Sakura felt her lungs twist amongst each other, choking her ability to breathe. Had she heard correctly?...Of course she had, the words were so bluntly-put and said with such a lack of remorse, that it had to be true. Her emerald eyes were wide with shock, and gazing unfocusedly at her messenger's face. It was as if some balloon within her chest had been popped, and all of the air and other gas contents were released, free to leak out in a sickeningly slow fashion... She trembled, quivered and quaked, lips parting unsurely. What was it that she had wanted to say? Hell, what COULD she say, in a time like this?
"Th-That can't be true!" She blurted out, her words beginning to sink into and drown within the tears that threatened to mar her pretty face. "He would never-!"
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I know that it's hard to believe...But, you have to trust me. No one wants to face this truth...It's too gruesome, I know." The gentle, reassurance-attempted face hooked before her eased a pained smile onto his face. Sakura stared - no, GAPED at said face, feeling an uncontrollable force tear at her insides, as if they were as disposable as paper or trash.
"Iruka-sensei..." She managed, voice shaking with uncertainty. "He...I know him! He couldn't...He..."
Iruka placed a hand on top of her head, his smile weighed down by the sadness of the situation. "But Sakura-chan...He DID. We have to face it...Together, we will. I promise, we'll find some way to make him pay for his treachery."
Sakura slapped his hand away. "He was my SENSEI! He wouldn't do such a thing! He...He wouldn't betray Konoha!"
"You don't know that, Sakura-chan. All of the evidence is pointing against your beliefs, and you'll just have to deal with it on your own. Hatake Kakashi is a traitor."
She recoiled at his words, and hot tears leaked from her clenched eyes. "He..."
Iruka heaved a sigh, and then his presence gradually faded away, along with his footsteps. Sakura gnawed on her lip, and a squeaky, choked sob was emitted from her petite body. She sank to her knees, and beat the ground with hands balled into fists.
"GOD-DAMMIT!" She screamed.
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At noon, he was publicly banished. Sakura had not attended, but instead had taken to the lonely confinement of her bedroom, to contemplate this nagging feeling within her chest. Oh, how quickly all of these events had unfolded, and forced themselves upon her...They stole her breath, and attempted to brainwash her into falling under the spell of their lies. At least, SHE believed they were lies. Most of the village was convinced that those occurences had been actual, after all, if they hadn't then why had they cast him off?
It wasn't fair! They claimed to have heaps of evidence against her ex-sensei's plea of non-guilty...But in Sakura Haruno's heart, she felt the answer make itself prominent. There was no way in HELL that Hatake Kakashi would sell his home village to the enemy...No way he would sell his ex-students...His friends...Everybody...He was too good a man. Sure, given that he WAS quite mysterious when he wanted to be...But he was also quite trusted, wasn't he? So...What could have caused everyone to turn against him so easily?
Sakura refused to acknowledge the possibility that Kakashi just might have done the deed, and condemned them all to being easily expendable...To being slaughtered, raped, stolen...Just like her breath.
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"Sakura-chan! Wake up!"
The persistant nudging, prodding, and whining finally drove the pink-haired girl to open her eyes, and acknowledge her nusiance visitor. "What," she uttered flatly.
"Hehe! 'Morning, Sakura-chan! Guess what!"
"What." Boy, did it annoy her how each of Naruto's sentences mostly ended in exclaimation points.
"I'm taking you out to Ichiraku for a late breakfast!"
"Says who."
"ME, duh!" Naruto smirked. "Now, wake up...Before the breakfast special ends for today! It only lasts until 11:30, you know!"
"How can a RAMENYA have a breakfast special?" Sakura grunted, before using her elbows to hoist herself up into a sitting position.
Naruto shrugged. "It's Ichiraku...You can never tell with them." He grinned. "So, will you get dressed and ready to go?"
"I never said that I was going." Sakura cocked an eyebrow at her long-time friend.
"Aw, c'mon, Sakura-chan!" Naruto pursed his lower lip in a makeshift, unconvincing pout. "We never hang out anymore! Especially since Kakashi-sensei got-"
"I know, I know." She sighed. "I've just...I've been doubting the whole situation."
"Well, Sakura...There's a ton of evidence against the guy."
"How can you SAY that?" Sakura's eyebrows arched. "He was our SENSEI! Of all people, I figured that you would be on my side!"
Naruto looked hesitant, then pursued a sigh. "I know, Sakura-chan. But still...He had been acting strange lately...I'm not the only one who noticed. I just think you should give up this whole topic, and accept it...ya know? So what if the dickhead tried to sell our souls to an enemy devil? We're alive, aren't we? We caught him in the act, didn't we?"
Sakura twitched. "...Yeah."
"So! Go put on your best, peppiest outfit, and let's blow this popsicle stand!"
Sakura couldn't help but crack a smile. "Leave the room, please."
Naruto saluted, and slid out of the room, pulling the door ALMOST closed. Sakura's eyes darted to the crack that the door allowed to be viewed, and flung her foot out, kicking it shut. Naruto's whines of defeat followed.
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As they awaited their late ramen breakfast, Naruto engaged Sakura in a peppy account of his date with Hyuuga Hinata from the previous night. And boy, did that guy emphasize little details.
"It was WONDERFUL! She was dressed in this nice, black silk yukata...With a magenta obi...And and and--"
"Enough, Naruto." Sakura held up a hand as a signal. Naruto looked defeated.
"So, Sakura-chan..." He recovered. "Have you been seeing anyone lately? If so, I gotta meet the guy, and make sure he's right for you!"
"No, Naruto..." Sakura smiled forlornly. "I'm still single. I've been focusing too much on my medicnin training to get involved in a relationship with someone. But don't worry, once I'm finished, I'm sure I'll find someone..." Yeah right. After years, she had finally willed herself to give up on Sasuke, leaving her alone and...Without someone to obsess over. Of course, there were boys who would kill to go out with her...Namely Lee...But she didn't want to allow herself to enter such a bond. Not yet, at least.
She would wait...After all, she was only a freshly-turned 17 year old, so she had plenty of time, right? At least, that's what Tsunade-sensei kept reassuring her.
Naruto grinned. "And when you do, I'll be sure to drill him on the proper way to treat a lady. AND I'll make sure to give him my fool-proof heavy-duty mental test...To see if he cracks easily under pressure. If he does, then he's definitely not for you."
Sakura laughed softly. "Naruto-kun...You're such a good friend." She reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately. Naruto resumed grinning goofily.
"Anything for you, Sakura-chan."
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That night, hidden in the shadows, silver hair glittered in the moonlight, with a beauty that could match, and maybe even surpass, that of the stars above. A smooth, pale-skinned face caught in the light, expressioned with a distinct frown. He had to make sure his voice was heard. As he moved on through the bushes steadily, a flame was alight in his heart.
And it wouldn't burn out.
END CHAPTER ONE.