Haruno Pride - Chapter One
Hokori

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Being born to great ninja within a village was a rarely found sight. Since a ninja's lifespan was considered significantly shorter than the lifespan of a normal villager, one never found a child being born to two great ninja who consistently went on missions. It was much more common to see the man heading out on missions while the wife stayed at home to take care of the children and house, but with Haruno Sakura and her parents, this was not the case.

Both the Haruno's were considered to be of the strongest of ninja within Konohagakure. Haruno Katsu was the last surviving member of the once proud Haruno clan who had originated from the Land of Waves. During the Kyuubi attack, nearly all of his family had been killed or injured severely to where they didn't live long afterwards. He always thanked the stars that his wife had at least survived the attack, along with their daughter who wasn't even old enough to comprehend what was happening. Haruno Momo was a strong healer alongside her husband who did most of the fighting. When Sakura was born, they were both dismayed to find that she was weaker than she was supposed to be.

By the time Sakura had turned five, she could barely walk, much less talk. Each night, Momo said prayers over her daughter and asked the deities to watch over her and make sure that she survived another day. Finally, Katsu could stand no more. He requested a leave of absence with his wife so they could find the famed Lady Tsunade. Momo was good at her healing, but not even she was up to par with the famed Sanin. The Hokage didn't even hesitate to agree that Sakura needed to be healed as quickly as possible.

With the permission granted, her parents traveled, taking her along wherever they went. Both Katsu and Momo were devastated as they visited each village in search of the Sanin, only to find she had moved on days or even a week before they had gotten there. Finally, from a reliable source, word had reached the Haruno's ears that Lady Tsunade was in Sunagakure. They eagerly set their course straight for the sand-filled village, thanking their lucky stars that they were within the town's range by the time the sun had set the same day.

Both the village guards who had been standing watch bowed their heads as the Haruno's passed. It was easy to tell who they were; Katsu's reddish-pink hair that was a trait of the Haruno clan members [with other main colors being white, light blue, and lime green] was as noticeable as the plain circle symbol branded on his arm that marked him as the surviving sole member of his clan. If his tattoo wasn't a dead giveaway, then the Haruno circle on the back of Momo's ninja attire would have sufficed.

Requesting one of the rooms at the nearest hotel they could find for the night, Katsu and Momo talked over a plan of action quietly. They debated on whether they should enlist the help of the Kazekage, and while Sakura was being carried on her father's back, she thought she saw some of the shadows shift behind them for just a second. Blinking her eyes slowly as she struggled to breathe a bit, Sakura put it down to her tired eyes and closed them while a wave of dizziness passed over her.

While most people looked at Sakura with pity and sadness wherever she went with her parents, no one would ever truly understand how she felt. When the young girl woke in the morning, it took her nearly ten minutes to just open her eyes to wake up. She barely lifted her head most days, but she had the rare moments when she could sit up on her own. When her parents' eyes brightened at her efforts, Sakura succumbed to the pain and weakness in her arms and joints and always fell to the side where one of her parents had to move her gently to get her to stay somewhere.

Finally entering the hotel room, Katsu sighed and with the help of his wife, laid his daughter down to rest on the bed. After arguing quietly with his wife for a few moments, Katsu went over to his daughter and kneeled by her bed. Taking her hand, he laid a small kiss in her palm and smiled at her. "I'm going to go look for Tsunade first while your mother watches over you. It's best if we find her as soon as possible, but I'll be back within the hour okay?"

Sakura wanted to tell her father not to go because she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. It had something to do with those odd shadows she saw, and the deep red clouds she thought she witnessed slipping past. Struggling to swallow, she opened her mouth to speak when Katsu shook his head. "No, please do not speak my chīsana ichi. I know how much it taxes you, so please rest. I will be back with Lady Tsunade soon, I promise."

Getting up from his kneeling position, he kissed his wife on the forehead and smiled over at Sakura once more. "Watch over her Momo and may the Gods watch over me as I try to find the Lady. I pray she's still in Suna."

"Just be careful Katsu," Momo murmured. "I've been hearing rumors about the Aka-"

Katsu shushed his wife with a look before smiling gently. "We're plenty far away from such things as them. I do not think they would be in Suna of all places, especially when there are so many guards out now. The whole country is wary, but I will be careful my love." Sakura watched in dismay as her father stepped outside the door to their hotel room, and for just a moment, she felt like she would never see him again.

Slowly shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, Sakura's fingers twitched slightly as she itched to sit up on the bed. Seeing her daughter's struggle, Momo moved over and helped her daughter to sit up with the help of some fluffy pillows. "How about a small story while we wait for your father, Sakura?"

"Yes," she answered slowly as her lips formed around the word that was so hard for her to say.

"Well, let me tell you about how the missions go with your father sometimes. It's known that he is the fighter when it comes to the two of us, since I'm the healer within the group, but rarely has his true potential come out of him when he fights. It only happens when he sees that one of his teammates is barely conscious, or even if he is barely conscious himself. Your father is a powerful man you know." Momo said winking at her daughter.

Grunting from the kick to the chest that sent him reeling, Katsu flipped backwards to avoid a shuriken to the chest. Spitting out the blood in his mouth, he glared at the two members who were in cloaks as dark as night with clouds as red as the blood that ran through their veins. "Akatsuki huh," he muttered. "What do you want with me?"

"We want your child. Your demon child with the Jinchūriki of the One-Tailed Shukaku." The oddly colored member of the Akatsuki said with a shark-like smile that promised death if Katsu didn't deliver what he wanted.

The last surviving member of the Haruno clan shook his head as he removed his katana from his back. "I have no Jinchūriki child, but if I am forced to fight for my life for something I do not have, so be it. Bring it Akatsuki scum."

"Your father favors his katana more than his own life. It was the last thing his father left him, with the kanji for the Haruno clan written into the handle. On the blade, it says 'Strike quick and true', which is what his father always told him while Katsu was growing up. Nothing has made it past his blade once he comes into his full potential. I've nary seen him use the favored sword, and one day, it'll be yours Sakura. Once Tsunade heals you, then you'll be able to train with us both to become the strongest you can be."

Itachi kicked the leg of the nearly dead Konoha ninja. Tilting his head impassively, he noted the brand on the man's arm. "So. We've rid the world of Haruno Katsu. Looks like there's only two Haruno's left in the world now."

With one eye swollen shut and his body bleeding in too many places, Katsu barely groaned as the oddly colored Akatsuki member he knew to be named Kisame placed his grimy foot on his chest. "Akatsuki scum yeah? At least you put up a good fight for us. I'm sure your wife will be easier to take out than you. Too bad she isn't here to heal you. And I'll just be taking this."

Kisame lifted the katana from the ground and Katsu jerked. "Don't you touch Hokori you bas-" Itachi cut a straight line across the man's throat with his kunai, silencing him forever as Katsu's head lolled back to the dirt. Stepping back a bit as the blood threatened to seep over to his feet, Kisame raised an eyebrow at his partner.

"He was getting annoying. Let's find the woman and get out of here with the child. The more we're here, the more we'll most likely be spotted." Following after Itachi, Kisame shrugged and grabbed the holder for the katana as an afterthought. Smiling at his prize, he slid Hokori back into its sheathe and put on his game face as he tied the sheathe to his waist.

"The katana I've been mentioning is named Hokori which means 'Pride.' It has been passed on from Haruno to Haruno, and it's been the pride of the clan, hence why it is named as such. I hope I get to see you wield it one day because you'll finally be as strong as your father and I want you to be."

A quick rap against the door had Momo going into red alert. That was not the knock that Katsu had said he would use to prove it was him. Acting quickly, Momo placed her daughter under the bed and instructed her to be quiet by waving her hand and placing a finger to her mouth. Sakura nodded slowly to show that she understood, and she watched as her mother readied her own weapons.

Outside of the room was deathly silent as Momo crouched within a corner of the room that gave her a good vantage point to the door. Narrowing her eyes, she barely moved as the door flew off its hinges and in came two members of the Akatsuki she knew very well. Itachi scanned the room, and after he only felt one chakra signature, he flew at the woman who thought she was so smart to be hiding partially in a corner. She dodged him effectively and sliced at him with her kunai, before jumping away, refusing to look in his eyes.

Dodging the quick swing of Kisame's sword, Samehada, that she knew to be dangerous beyond all belief, her eyes widened as she saw the sheathe on his waist covered in blood. She knew without a doubt that it was Katsu's sword that hung from his waist and a pang of sadness crashed into her as she realized that her husband was dead. Both the Akatsuki members had her trapped and she knew it, but if she could just get the sword and keep Sakura safe, it would all be worth it. Lunging under Itachi's attacks and dodging his short burst of fire, she cut at Kisame's waist and retrieved the sword she had been after.

She tossed it under the first bed closest to the door and thanked the Gods she had put Sakura under the second bed in the medium sized room, well away from the entrance to it. Crying out as Itachi stabbed her with a kunai that she had somehow missed, she dropped to her knees as she pulled it out before jumping out of the way and starting to heal herself.

"I don't think so," Kisame grunted, pulling out Samehada again and managing to nick Momo. Feeling some of her chakra leave her left Sakura's mother feeling weaker by the second. She moved more sluggishly, and by this point, Sakura was just watching silently as her mother faded before her very eyes.

Itachi picked up the woman by the throat and stared at her emotionlessly. "I want the Jinchūriki child. Now. We witnessed a red haired child on the back of Haruno Katsu, and we know that you have hidden it. Give us the child who houses the demon, and we will spare your life."

Momo moved her tongue around in her mouth and once she found the pill she had tucked below her tongue, she crushed it with her teeth and swallowed the contents. Sensing what she had done, and knowing they wouldn't get any information out of her when her death was moments away, Itachi threw the useless woman into the wall and turned back toward the door.

"But Itachi, what about my swo-"

"Leave it, Kisame. It is not yours, and the Kazekage has already been alerted to our presence. It won't be long before they find the Haruno's."

"But the child-"

"Is obviously not here at the moment. But don't worry, we'll be back for it. Let's go."

"Tch. That was a good sword too."

Once Momo was certain that both the Akatsuki members were gone, she slowly crawled her way over to the first bed and removed the sword from it. Coughing up blood, some of it dribbled down her lips as she made her way over to her daughter. "Take the sword, Sakura. It's yours now. With Suna patrolmen coming, they'll no doubt find the carnage and Lady Tsunade will take you in. Remember what your father and I have told you. Remember that we will always love you, and that we're proud of you."

Sakura laid there as the tears fell down her face, she struggled to breathe as she hiccupped and sobbed at the same time. "Please…don't leave…mom…"

Momo smiled at her daughter and closed her eyes as she drew breath for the last time and finally laid still. Sakura swallowed painfully as she clutched the bloody sheathe to her chest. It was the last thing she had of her parents. This katana. I will always take care of you, Hokori. It's just me and you now.

Sakura closed her eyes as she gave into sleep moments later, while her mother's last moments were engraved into her mind where they would stay for all time.

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Opening her eyes and blinking at the harsh light, the pink haired girl sat up easily for the first time in her life. Looking around the room, she thought it to be a small clinic of some kind. Moving her arms and crossing them across her chest, she finally realized that she was moving. A wave of fatigue washed over her as she had to lay back against the pillow for a moment. It was tiring just moving that little bit.

"How are you feeling?" A rather busty blonde woman asked as she came into the room.

"You are Lady Tsunade aren't you?" Sakura asked quietly, surprised at the strength in her own voice.

"Ah, I see you're feeling much better. What do you remember about what happened?"

The light died in Sakura's eyes as she remembered that she had lost both her parents in a matter of an hour or even less. "The Akatsuki. I heard Itachi and Kisame. Hokori! My sword, where is my sword! You have to give me my sword!"

Holding her hands up, Lady Tsunade called for someone named Shin as she tried to calm the pinkette down. "Hey, chill out Sakura. You'll just injure yourself after all I did to heal you up. We found you clutching that sword for dear life, in fact, if it wasn't for the sword slightly poking out, I don't think we would have found you. Your chakra is very weak, and it will take some time to build it up, so please try not to injure yourself until then."

A brown-haired man with a scar down his cheek entered the room holding the bloodstained sheathe that Sakura knew well. Holding her arms out for it, he placed it with her as the young girl hugged the katana. "Thank you for returning Hokori. It's all that I have left of them…" She trailed off as tears swam in her vision again.

Shin bowed to Lady Tsunade, cast a sad look over at the small girl on the bed, and left the room as quickly as she had come. Tsunade came over and placed a hand on Sakura's head. "Hey, Sakura. C'mon now, buck up and look at me."

The young girl lifted her head as Lady Tsunade wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. "Let's do this, kay squirt? We're gonna strengthen you up real good, and then when you're as tough as your parents or even more so, you can get your revenge on those who have taken them out. Sound like a fair deal?"

Sakura nodded her head vigorously before deciding that it was a bad idea as multiple Tsunade's moved within her vision. "You got a guardian to live with in Konoha?"

"Kakashi-san. But I think he might be busy with the ANBU that mother and father have told me so much about. I think he was surprised to learn that they had made him my godfather." Sakura murmured with a giggle. "After all, he had saved my mother's life during the Kyuubi attack, and in return, that saved mine as well since she was with me."

Tsunade's eyes softened at the poor child. She wasn't even six, and she had seen so much. "You're smart for your age, squirt. You know that?"

Sakura nodded. "Mother always read to me and when she and father were out, I surrounded myself with books and read them until I fell asleep. It was all I could ever do."

"Well I'm giving you a choice then. As you can probably tell, your body will need a lot of resting, but you'll also have to learn to walk since you've never done that before right?"

"I wish I could walk," she whispered, looking up at Lady Tsunade with determination. "Will you teach me?"

"You can go live in Konoha with Kakashi, or you can stay here with me in Suna. If you stay here, it'll be a slow pace to learn how to walk. I'll supply you with some crutches, but even those won't sustain you if you try to move too quickly. Your body needs to learn a little at a time, and it might take weeks, even months. Are you prepared for that?"

"If it helps me to walk and become the ninja that my parents wanted me to be, then I'll do it. After all, I'm the last living member of the Haruno clan now. It's up to me to carry on my clan name with pride."

Tsunade looked down at the pink haired girl with a smile that said she was very impressed. I'll have to check the IQ on this kid; I swear she's a certified genius. Clapping her hands together, Lady Tsunade nodded. "Good, then we start tomorrow. Try and get some rest today, okay Sakura? I'll be by tomorrow to see how you're doing."

Sakura nodded as she clutched her katana tighter to her chest. Watching Lady Tsunade leave, Sakura nestled back into the pillows and blankets and closed her eyes. She was ready for the challenges that faced her in the future, and she would meet them head-on like a true Haruno did.

'Strike quick and true.' It was the Haruno way.

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Updated August 3, 2013

-Added more about Sakura's parents and filled the chapter more

-Added a key component [see Hokori]

-Chīsana ichi means 'little one'

Thanks for reading!

Nat