Ice cold petals

The spirit of the moon eagle flies,
High above the skies,
It dives into my heart,
And rips it apart,
Now I have nothing left inside,
I'm just an emotionless shell,
Not feeling too well,
I used to feel plenty,
But now I'm empty.

Chapter one: An assassin from Snow

There was a scream…

Then there was silence.

A pink haired girl by the age of twelve walked emotionlessly through the mass of corpses that lay littered on the meadow. She looked at her once shiny katana – now soaked in blood – and placed it back upon its case. She gazed once more at the bloodied trees, and sighed softly before disappearing in a whirl of cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms all floated gently to the ground…and exploded in a perfectly synchronized firework display.

The pink haired girl smirked impassively from her perch on a tall tree as she caught glimpse of the burning bodies. The burning bodies of rogue ninjas that she was assigned to assassinate, they were pretty powerful. But they were too caught up in their greed to actually work in teams. If they had, they would've defeated her…then again, they may have not.

Her smirk faltered when she saw the trees that burned with the bodies. The trees that are still covered in blood. Her mouth settled into a scowl as she saw a great oak come crashing down.

She had no problem with killing. Oh no, she loved to kill, if she had her way, she would kill everyone she hated and everyone who bossed her around when she was younger.

But on the other hand, she loved trees. She had loved it when she was little, and she still loves it now. She feels peaceful, almost happy. As if all her troubles had gone and dissolved away. Still, as much as she loves trees, she hates that they can't bring her one thing. Just the only thing she wants…

Emotions

She didn't grow up in a cheerful, lively house. She didn't grow up with a loving mother and a protective father by her side. Instead, she grew up in a lonely, abandoned house that she fixed all by herself. She grew up surrounded by blood, death and wars. She grew up to be an assassin

She did not feel lonely. No, she welcomed solitude with open arms. She did not feel lonely because she wants to be alone. And because she can't feel emotions.

Ever since she was a child, she looks at the playing children from her bedroom window and wonders what it feels like to smile, to laugh, to love…

She saw something in their eyes that she didn't see in her own. Theirs had a certain sparkle in it, a shine that twinkles merrily when they smile. Hers was just blank. She tried smiling but it was strained. Her cheeks hurt because of the forced action. But she kept practicing until she perfected a small fake smile. She hadn't bothered to make it seem real, because she knows that people will just see through it easily. When she smiles her eyes are still dull and flat. No shine to light them up, just darkness.

Overbearing, endless darkness

Her thoughts were altered when she felt someone's chakra coming up behind her. She quickly acted, grabbing the persons arm and twisted it painfully, not too strong lest the bone would break.

" Ow! " The person said "Ouch! Sakura-chan, it's just me, Akira "

That was when she noticed the spiky white hair on the persons head. She dropped his arm like it was ridden with a disease ( She hated skin contact after all )and said coldly

" You should know better that to sneak up on me "

Akira rubbed his bruised arm sheepishly " Sorry " He said " Just wanted to check up on you, you're leaving for Konoha tomorrow right? "

" Yes " Answered Sakura as she looked out at the vast meadow engulfed in flames

Akira stayed quiet. Sitting beside her, he looked at the flames too and tried to hold back his tears

" You…might never come back again…ever " He stated, clenching his fists " Orochimaru might kill you…And I'll never see you again. "

Sakura looked at her only friend and sighed as she saw tears running down his face. Her hand found it's way to his and curled around it. Emotionless as she is, she hadn't been deprived of humanity completely.

" I'll make you a promise Akira " She said in a soft tone, her eyes showing emotions for the first time in her life. A smile settling on her lips. " I promise you that I will always be there for you. I'll promise to protect you as long as I shall live…and if I die, then I'll just watch over you from heaven…or hell. I don't really know where I'll go, but I'll watch over you "

She looked at the full moon hanging from the sky and shook her head slowly

" Look at me. I'm finally learning what emotions are. But only little of it. I think I can feel a little bit of sadness, "

Akira laughed lightly and swiped his eyes with his sleeve. Squeezing her hand " That's too bad…I was aiming for happiness. Guess the wrong words came out of my mouth. " He said sadly " Sakura…You know that I love you right? "

He didn't look at her, fearing that if he did, his emotions would betray him and he wouldn't be able to let her go

" I fell in love with you the moment I first saw you, Sakura. I know I sound corny, but I have to tell you this. Even if you don't feel the same way, I'll be waiting. I'll be waiting until you open your heart completely and decide who you love…whether it's me or someone else. I'll understand. "

There was a rustling of leaves as a breeze passed them by. Sakura got up, releasing Akira's hand. She smiled at him sadly and ruffled his snow white hair.

" I know, I just wish… " She paused for a second to ponder her thoughts " I just wish that you fell in love with someone that's not broken… "

" I want you to be happy, Akira. I want you to be with someone who can give you the happiness you deserve. "

Tears started brimming at the corner of her eyes, begging to be let go

" I'm too far in the darkness to be saved. I killed too many to feel. The only emotion I ever felt was sadness…Face it, I'm never going to be saved "

Akira stood up angrily, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her gently

" Don't say that! Why are you always saying stuff like that! "

She gently pried his hands off her shoulders and took a step back

" Akira… " She whispered, letting the tears run down her face " I'm sorry "

Without warning, she suddenly disappeared. Akira's silver eyes widened as he felt her presence appear behind him.

" I'm so sorry… " She repeated. Akira remembered feeling something hit the pressure point in his neck. He remembered falling towards the cold, hard ground…And he remembered feeling a pair of slender arms catch him before he was plunged into the darkness.

Sakura smiled softly as she slung him over her shoulder, heading for his house. She mentally shook her head when she found the door unlocked and went inside, Sakura gently laid him on his bed and wiped his tears away with a handkerchief she always brought.

She caught glimpse of a picture on his bedside table. A picture of her and Akira when they were younger. It was the day when they first met each other, Akira was grinning widely as he put an arm around an emotionless Sakura. Bruises and fresh wounds can be seen on various parts of Akira's body and a pile of what looked like beaten up bodies lay on the ground behind them.

Sakura stared at it for a minute, before picking it up and putting it in Akira's hand along with a piece of paper. She kissed him lightly on the cheek and gazed at him for the last time. Taking in every detail of her only friend's peaceful face.

She looked away and once again the emotionless mask was put up. The once liquid emeralds softened by sadness, hardened into a cold, piercing green. Sakura jumped out of the window, landing on the branch of a tree nearby.

She was taught that emotions are weakness. A Shinobi musn't let any emotion show, She severed all ties for that. But just this once…She let her guard down and let the memories invade her mind.

Flashback

" Stop, please! " A white haired boy by the age of five cried as a group of boys about the same age as him kicked and punched him until blood flowed rapidly out from his wounds.

" Who do you think you are?! Stealing all the girls from us! " One boy yelled at him as he threw him to a wall.

" Yeah! Mayumi-chan doesn't even pay attention to me anymore! " Another shouted as they watched him slid down the wall and cough up blood.

" I-I didn't mean to! I don't even know who she is! " Akira pleaded " Please, just stop! "

" Stop denying it! " A kunai was thrown at him. He froze and stared at the incoming weapon helplessly, unable to move.

' This is it… ' He thought ' I'm going to die! '

Suddenly, chakra strings appeared and latched itself to the kunai. Effectively stopping it before it punctured his body. The kunai momentarily shook, and flew to a pair of pale, feminine hands.

Akira looked at the group of boys that was tormenting him earlier, only to find them looking at the tree above him, stand-still in fright. He followed their gaze, only to have his eyes widen and cheeks redden because of the sight that greeted him.

Sakura Haruno was sitting on the highest branch of the tree, leaning at the trunk as one leg dangled below and the other propped up to her chest. She was twirling the kunai in her right hand, looking at them with cold, lifeless eyes.

She may be five, but she was well known at the land of Snow for being ruthless, merciless and emotionless…

" Four against one? " She asked, her voice piercing through them like a knife " Isn't that unfair? "

She jumped down from the tree and landed gracefully in front of Akira. Blank eyes regarded him for a moment before turning away.

" S-Sakura-san…W-we were ju-just fooling a-around " A boy chuckled nervously as he swallowed the lump in his throat. Cold sweat dripping down his face onto the snow covered ground " Y-you see he deserv- "

He was interrupted as his own kunai whizzed past him, embedding itself to the wall behind him. He flinched slightly when he felt blood trickle down his neck.

" He would've died…That kunai could have pierced through his heart or sliced his neck, "

" I-I'm sorry, Sakura-san! We di-didn't know that you were acquaintances, please forgive us! "

" We aren't " She said as she suddenly disappeared

" I'm just in a really bad mood "

Sakura appeared above the boy and kicked his head, sending him flying into a nearby fence. Akira stared at the girl with admiration shining brightly in his eyes as she continued to beat up the other three boys in the gang.

She inhaled deeply as she dumped the last one into a neat pile. Rubbing her knuckles, she gazed at the unfamiliar boy and walked off without a word.

' I wonder who he is… ' She thought ' He looks weird '

End Flashback

He followed her after that. Introducing himself and begging her to be his friend, she had agreed only because he wouldn't stop pleading and crying for her to accept. As the years passed by, she came to accept him truly. But every time she looks at him, she can't help but feel a pang of sadness and guilt in her heart, because she knows that she will never be able to trust him and love him…even if she wanted to.

She knows…because all the people she ever loved died.

On a distance, a wolf howled. Sakura's eyes flashed dangerously as she stood up. The chilling wind blowing her hair in every direction.

" Orochimaru…You're going to die soon. "

Tada! ^_^

I know it isn't the best thing out there but I like it XD

I'm really sorry but, the other Naruto characters will show up in the next chapter. I promise!

I'm proud of myself 'cause I think I improved my writing skills! It may still suck, but atleast I improved =D

Sorry about the OC ^_^' It's just that I need a friend for Sakura in Snow Country! There'll be only two OCs in this story. Akira and a mystery person. They won't be too major though. Just side characters.

Review please! I really want to know what you guys think about it.

Constructive criticisms are okay too! I love to know what I can do to improve my writing, Um…If you're gonna flame it's okay but please put some tips on how I can improve.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! I'll answer all of your questions.

I don't own Sakura or Naruto. Just my OCs ( that are not so important -_-' ) and this plot! If there are any stories out there that have the same plot like this one, I'm sorry, but I assure you that I didn't steal their ideas!