Team 7 – Myth

The idea for this story wouldn't stop bothering me…so I just had to post it up. I have no idea if it's that great or not…but hopefully, it will be somewhat okay.

-sigh- Here we go.

-One last thing before we get to the story…If you listen to the song 'Carry Me Down' by Demon Hunter or 'Goodbye' by SR-17, it will make a great difference when you read this story. It was that way for me anyways.

Sakura's POV

"Have you heard of Team 7?"

I could hear the innocent children talk about one unforgettable story. Unfortunately, I wish I could forget.

"No…Who were they?"

Trying to make my way around all the people in the crowded street, I could still hear their voices. Apparently, I would have to relive my own story—again.

"I can't believe you haven't heard of them! They were famous," The boy speaking of the story paused, as if looking around incase he might get in trouble. "...well…at first it was like that."

Clenching my hands tightly, I attempted to calm myself in vain. It was just like any other time. Someone would speak of my past and I couldn't deal with it. …I never really could after what has happened all these years.

"What do you mean?" "What happened?" Several others questioned his story curiously, not knowing only a few feet away it was bringing up unsettling memories for one certain kunoichi.

"Well…I don't know much about them. My mother told me the story, but don't tell anyone!" Looking back at the small group of children, I noticed the storyteller was none other than one of Ino's children. I was unsurprised. Ino was the biggest gossiper in town and it was only a matter of time before her son overheard one of her many conversations.

"Just get on with the story!" One girl complained as she placed her hands on her hips in dismay. The boy merely stuck his tongue out in response.

"Fine, I will." My body seemed to stop, without my own permission, in front of a jewelry vendor nearby the children. This always happened. Every time this situation occurred, my body would stop as if it had a mind of its own. A mind that tortured me by forcing me to listen to the story over and over again.

"Anyways, there were three kids and one sensei." A few boys snickered because they knew every team was like that, but the speaker ignored them. "The sensei was Hatake Kakashi and the guy had one Sharingan eye even though the Uchiha clan was the only ones that had the Sharingan!" Most of the kids watched the kid in disbelieving awe and others were having trouble trying to believe this unusual story.

"Where is he?" Someone amongst the audience shouted loudly over all the people in the streets and whispering children. "Why can't you prove this guy actually existed?"

I clenched my fists in frustration. "Kakashi-sensei…" I whispered softly, feeling all the memories of my dear beloved friend and mentor beginning to return.

"I can't tell you what happened yet! It's a long story." Several listeners groaned in disappointment as they glared at the boy. The boy merely shrugged in response. "It would ruin the entire story if I told you now."

The jewelry vendor tapped me on the shoulder, catching my attention briefly. "Buy something or leave." The vendor glared at me as if I was a nuisance that was bothering her by just standing by her small market shop. Politely apologizing, thought not really meaning it, I made my way to lean against the wall closer to the kids.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura were the teammates. They had their own special skills and techniques that they could use well in battle. Especially the two guys of the team. They were the strongest genin in our village at the time or that's what my mom says." The boy spoke proudly as if he knew my team even thought he didn't.

"Wasn't Naruto supposed to be the Hokage?" "I've heard that Sasuke had his clan destroyed by his older brother!" "By what my parents say, they said Sakura had pink hair…" Several voices overlapped each other but the boy managed to silence them.

"What you say is all true!" The boy laughed brightly as he gazed around his entertained listeners. "Naruto was supposed to be Hokage. Sasuke had his clan destroyed by his older brother, Uchiha Itachi. Oh, and Sakura had—" The boy's eyes drifted past me before darting back to stare at me as if I were a ghost. He stared at me and most of the kids noticed his frozen stance as they also turned around to look at me in shock.

"Pink hair?" I finished for him, my eyes narrowing on the boy. The boy nodded nervously, his lips trembling with speechlessness. "It seems you think its funny to tell our tragic past and just laugh."

"I didn't—"

"Don't lie." I folded my arms against my chest as I met the boy's gaze evenly. "It only proves to me that you are very inconsiderate and untrustworthy." Ino's son opened his mouth again, but closed it in silence after thinking over my words.

My anger was fading, but the hurt was still dwelling within me. I could feel the urge to tell my perspective of the story, but that would only make it all end for the worse. Sending the boy one last glare, I stood up straight and turned to escape from the kids.

"Don't go!" A familiar voice called out to me and I glanced back towards the speaker in confusion. "I—I think you should tell the story." The boy looked at me nervously, fidgeting with his fingers as he tried to meet my stare evenly.

My gaze settled on the boy as I hesitated. This could be my chance to tell the story, my story, of the past. All the years that have passed since the tragedy, I never revealed what happened in the forest long ago to anyone but the current Hokage, Tsunade. Should I take this risk, this chance, to finally tell the story of my beloved teammates?

…

…

…

A moment of silence seemed to fall on the group watching me as they waited for my answer. I searched their faces for any thing that could unconvince me to leave, but all I found were sorrowful and sympathy-filled looks directed towards me.

Releasing a sigh, I turned my back to them. I could feel their stares burning holes in the back of my head as began taking slow steps away from the group of kids.

"Aren't you going to tell the story?!" Several members of the audience screamed at me, but I merely ignored them. A few tears fell down my cheeks but I didn't wipe them away.

"Sakura-san, how will we know what happened to Team 7?" Ino's child shouted after me, but I continued on. I know I could share the tragic past of Team 7, but I figured it wouldn't be worth it. It would only cause more pain and I don't know if I could suffer much longer.

"What is Team 7 to you, Sakura-san? Are they dead along with the stories?" Several children were standing to follow me, but I merely ignored their presence. After a few minutes of their constant questions and accusations, I finally stopped to turn around to them.

They were startled to see tears running down my cheeks. My silent tears.

"Team 7 no longer exists. Only theirs memories." I responded, my voice clear yet the hint of pain was there. "I consider them nothing more than myths and you should too."

Without another word, I disappeared into the streets with the busy crowd of people, leaving the children alone to only stare where I had left them.

Yay! I got this…tribute done. (I know, it's more depressing than anything.) I think it turned out okay. I hope someone liked it.

I know this is the second time in less than four days that I have left the rest for your imagination. All we know is that Sakura is the last remaining Team 7 member.

Until my next story or tribute,

SharinganAnbuSakura