Seven • The Uchiha

"Sakura, you can head home now. We're sorry for calling so suddenly when you're supposed to be at home already." Shizune smiled apologetically, holding a box of medicine on her hands.

The pinkette shook her head, giving the older woman a tired yet understanding grin. "Don't worry about it, Shizune-san. It's our duty. Though, I kinda feel bad for Sarada. I wanted to eat with her tonight."

"And Sasuke-san, too, right?" She laughed, making Sakura blush slightly. "Anyway, you can go on now. I'll be the one to return these medicines to the stock room."

"You alone?" Sakura frowned. "I'll help, then."

Shizune immediately waved her hands dismissively. "Oh geez. You're still the same old Sakura. It's no big deal. Go ahead and spend time with your family."

"It'll be quick. About five to ten minutes, right? I also wanted to check that vaccine I'm making."

"Hm?" Raising her eyebrows, Shizune gave in. "Alright then. Let's get going."

The two of them went up to the second floor of the building, going towards the east wing. Opening a door labelled as the stock room, Shizune entered first followed by the pinkette.

"How's Sarada doing, by the way? I heard the Chunin Exams are near." Shizune inquired as she placed the box down on the small table in the center.

There were huge racks around and hundreds of chemicals and set of pills were placed and neatly arranged. Shizune grabbed some medicine from the box and started to place them carefully on the vacant rack.

"She's doing good, actually. Though I don't really think she has the best relationship with Boruto." Sakura laughed at the last statement, helping the older woman.

"Boruto? Why? Aren't they in the same team?"

"I don't know much. They just have big differences, I guess. They aren't too bad though. I mean, they fight occassionally but I can see that they're good comrades." The pink-headed woman replied with a smile.

Shizune's lips curled up as well. "Those two remind me a lot of Naruto and Sasuke in the early days."

"Hmm." Sakura nodded in agreement. "Both are pretty stubborn."

Both of them laughed lightly until Shizune looked back at the box. "Wait, I left some more down. I'll just go and get it."

"Oh, alright. You need help?"

"No, I can manage. Thanks."

Sakura nodded as she watched Shizune exiting the room. She finished arranging the pile of medicine in the rack and decided to take a look at the liquid she's been experimenting on the past few weeks.

It was a clear liquid placed in a small vacutainer. It was to made to be a sleeping vaccine. It was still an incomplete creation and it's not adviced to use yet. If it's used in its current state, it will either be disregarded by one's body or have strong side effects due to its components.

Sakura blinked a few times, feeling tired and sleepy. She was used to this, but it doesn't mean that it's already bearable. She has been getting short naps for a few days and the lack of sleep is starting to show its effects.

Her vision suddenly spun and she held onto her head. Maybe it's best if she goes home now. She's way too exhausted and sleepy.

She was about to bring the experiment back and leave until she heard the door opening.

"Oh, Shizune-san." Sakura smiled. "I was wondering-"

"Sakura, it's late, aren't you going to leave?"

"Yeah, about that-" She abruptly stopped when she noticed that there was nothing on Shizune's hands. Her heart pounded against her chest.

Keeping her act, she smiled. "I'm actually going to eat dinner out once I leave."

"Oh, you're not going home?" Shizune raised an eyebrow.

"No..." Sakura shook her head, placing her hands behind her back.

This isn't Shizune.

She was prepared to attack until her vision spun again. Sakura internally groaned. Not at this time.

"You know, Sakura..." Shizune walked towards her, smiling jubilantly.

A frown passed by Sakura's face as the older woman unexpectedly held out a kunai at her, threatening to slit her neck. In a blink of an eye, she grabbed the metal rod on the table, holding it against the ninja tool.

"How dare you even copy Shizune..." Sakura hissed in disgust, her eyebrows furrowing in anger. "Show your real face now, you coward."

A wide smirk was painted across Shizune's face as she slowly morphed into another person. Sakura watched clearly as the opponent turned into a man; hair in a light color and eyes as dark as the night without stars.

"Now you don't want to get too loud," he smirked. "Or else everyone's going to know what's happening here. If this floor blows up, my subordinate down stairs with harm your friends."

"Don't try me," she spat, ignoring her unbearable headache and body pain. "Tell me who you are."

He applied more pressure to his attack and Sakura did the same as they glared at each other. His white hair fell into his pitch black eyes as he spoke, "I'm nobody."

His words seemed like a trigger to Sakura. She suddenly applied another huge pressure and pushed his kunai aside with the metal rod.

And he didn't falter at all.

Sakura stayed in a safe distance after that. He smirked, laughing lightly as he grabbed his sword which he kept on his back.

"Of course, if it's strength we're talking about, you're the sure win." He said, watching her movements. "Your family must be proud of you. A great - no, probably the best medic, outstanding bravery, and a strength which rivals that of the Fifth Hokage."

Sakura clenched her fist. She could easily attack him with a single punch and knock him out cold, but she can't take the risk. He didn't seem like he was joking. And it wasn't logical to come and attack Konoha if he was alone. Of course, naturally, he would have reinforcements.

"Cut it. I'm not flattered." She countered. "Who are you?"

"I told you, I'm nobody." He repeated, looking straight at her in the eye.

Sakura shook her head. "Don't ever call yourself a 'nobody', if you're actually capable of harming another human being."

He rested his sword on his shoulder. "You mean like what I'm doing right now? Whatever you say, it's true - I am nobody."

Silence enveloped the whole room. Sakura sensed the man's incredible chakra and frowned. In comparison to hers, she had chakra as well, but her body was already way too exhausted from physical work to event release those chakra. This isn't good.

"You look tired. Do you want to rest?" He smirked.

"Who are you?" She backfired.

He chuckled. "Fine. I'll give you a name. Call me Kurui."

"Kurui?" She echoed, clenching her fists. Her emerald eyes traveled up to see his forehead protector, not flinching when she saw the wide scratch across it. "From the Hidden Mist, I see..."

Kurui's smirk slowly twisted into a murderous glare. He pointed his sword at Sakura. "Do not speak of that filthy village."

He suddenly launched forward and yielded his sword like a pro; his speed and agillity reminded her of a certain friend. Hyūga Neji.

Sakura tried her best to dodge them all in spite of her spinning vision. She couldn't find a good time to land a punch on the opponent since he was way too fast.

Sakura frowned when she got hit around her arm; it was a deep cut and her blood automatically flowed down.

Kurui smirked in satisfaction. "Remember my warning, Sakura."

The pinkette's forehead creased as Kurui launched towards her again and started to attack her with the use of his sword. Of course, she thought, he wouldn't hit me with any Ninjutsu. His threat was true after all. Once this room blows up or makes too much noise, his subordinates will probably attack as well. She observed but sank deeper into her thoughts. But staying quiet here also means that he's really plotting something else since he doesn't want to attract more attention.

Like before, she couldn't strike an attack. Suddenly, an impulsive idea came to her mind and she stopped dodging, only to be assaulted with the sword around her abdomen. She felt a seering pain almost instantly yet she didn't fall down; instead, she took the chance to punch Kurui around his arm, sending him a few meters away from her.

Sakura, like Kurui, fell to the ground afterwards. She dropped the small sleeping potion that she's been holding on to. She checked her abdomen and her head spun once again.

Kurui cursed under his breath and he felt his shoulder turning numb. Her punch was way too powerful. If she wasn't weak right now, his arm would have broke.

"As expected from you." He slowly got up and walked towards the pinkette.

Sakura couldn't focus anymore. With too much blood loss and her headache like this, she couldn't stand. Once he got near, she thought he would attack with his sword again but all he did was summon a clone to hold her down.

The original one then grabbed the sleeping vaccine and a needle from nearby. Sakura's eyes widened. Before she could call for help, he struck her with the needle through her shoulder.

. . .

"Now that I'm actually looking at you straight, I would have to say you're a miniature version of your mother." Kurui observed, towering in front of Sarada.

With eyebrows furrowed, the young Uchiha hissed, "How did you know about my mom?"

Kurui only flashed a smug look at her. Sarada's stomach turned cold. Did they do something to Mom? She kept asking herself. But that's beyond impossible, right? If they took down one of the strongest kunoichi in Konohagakure, then that means they have more power than what she expected.

"Kurui, enough of that." Yasuda rebuked, clearly irked at his subordinate's actions. "I've already contacted the others. They'll be here soon."

"I'm just having fun here," the white-haired man shrugged. "It's not my fault you're so stiff."

"Shut your mouth."

Kurui ignored Yasuda's side comments and turned to Sarada once again. "I'm kind of curious with the relationship you have with your parents. How is it being the first born of the only Uchiha survivor?"

Survivor? Sarada's frown deepened in confusion. Kurui didn't fail to notice this, causing him to laugh as if he was so entertained by her reactions.

"So you don't know, eh? If you did, you'll probably hate your dad." He emphasized every word that came out of his mouth. And each time he said those words, Sarada could feel anger boiling inside of her. "Your father isn't such a special man. He is the only survivor but that's it. He was only spared."

"Stop talking!" She shouted in aggravation. "Stop speaking about my family as if you know them!"

Kurui's crooked smirk evolved into a cold and dark expression. He kneeled in front of the Uchiha and positioned his sword across her neck, making her breath hitch. He pressed it against her neck and she screamed in pain, blood streaming out.

Yasuda watched from a distance with folded arms. He cared less for the child but he didn't want her dead. She was the bait and she must stay alive - or well, at least half alive.

"Don't speak about your family as if I know them?" Kurui echoed her words, scoffing in the process. "No, you insolent brat. You don't even have the right to call them your family since you know absolutely nothing about them!"

He stopped and settled his sword on the ground while watching blood flow onto Sarada's shirt. Tears formed around the young one's eyes. The pain was extreme and she was absolutely petrified.

"I... know them," she breathed out, glaring at the man. "I know them. I have a strong connection towards them. We're a family."

"Your dad's a mess." Kurui shook his head, standing up and looked down at Sarada. His face was illuminated by the wood fire as he spoke. "He was the worst of the Uchihas. Your father is a disgrace!"

"Stop..." Sarada hung her head low, a few tears escaping her eyes.

"Connection, you say?" He laughed humorlessly. "What kind of rubbish is that? He hasn't even been with you for so long!"

"Stop talking..."

"You really think you know Uchiha Sasuke? And do you ought to know who he is?" Kurui crossed his arms. "He's a sinner who-"

"I said stop!" Sarada shot her head up, eyes glowing in a crimson red color.

Yasuda frowned at the sight of the Sharingan. Kurui only continued to stare down at the child.

Unbeknownst to her kidnappers and to herself, her right eye achieved its second tomoe once the Sharingan activated. Her heart clenched in anger and sorrow upon listening to Kurui's dishonest words. Her emotions drove her insane.

"Stop opening your filthy mouth! You know nothing! Absolutely nothing about him!" She yelled, sending Kurui a sharp glare.

Instead of smirking and laughing like he usual does, he kneeled down once more, grasped Sarada's hair and made her look at him in the eye.

"You don't believe me?" He uttered slowly, red Sharingan eyes clashing with pitch black ones. "I'll tell you everything. Everything that happened years ago."

"Kurui..."

"Let me be, Yasuda." He shot his teammate a side glance. "We'll enjoying reminiscing."

Sarada stopped herself from crying but her heart was violently beating against her chest. Kurui stared at her intently, spoke, and Sarada swore that this man in front of her was a sinner who disgusted her so much.

"Your father, Uchiha Sasuke, was a criminal."

Sarada's lips trembled upon hearing his accusation. "Stop speaking nonsense! Get off me!"

Kurui gripped her hair tighter. "No, you listen to me, little girl." He spat in a cold voice. "Your goody-two-shoes father was an international criminal years ago. Like us, he had gone rogue-"

"Stop! Stop it! I don't want to hear your lies!"

"The only lies are the ones they fed you in Konoha, Sarada! They toyed with your mind! They made you believe in things that are merely fantasies!"

"My family, my friends, my village - they're not fantasies! They make me who I am and I'm not just going to believe a liar like yourself!" Sarada vigorously jerked her head away to escape Kurui's grasp.

The man's forehead creased in annoyance, ignoring her sentiments. "He had gone rogue at the same age as you are right now. He became a known criminal while he was in his teens, did you even know that? He had killed more than your fingers can count!"

Sarada shut her eyes and refused to listen. No way. That can't be possible. They're just trying to make him look bad. It's part of their strategy, right? Right? It can't be. That's absurd.

"Uchiha Sasuke had murdered all kinds of people: sinners, leaders, the innocent! He killed anybody who got into his way! He didn't care about their names, their background, or their families. He cared only for himself and for his goal!"

"No!" Sarada screamed, a new set of tears streaming down her face. "My papa isn't like that!"

Yasuda only listened in silence. He had nothing more to do. As long as Kurui keeps her alive, then he's fine with it.

Kurui shook his head, white hair falling into his dark eyes. "His brother, Itachi, slaughtered the whole Uchiha long ago. And your father was the only survivor. To seek vengeance, Sasuke killed his own brother! The whole Uchiha is a clan of monsters! You'll eventually become one!"

Sarada sobbed, heart clenching in pain and sorrow. No. It can't be. He's making up stories.

"And here's the climax: not once but twice," Kurui's voice turned silent and deadly. "Uchiha Sasuke tried to kill your mother."

. . .

A/N;

I'm genuinely sorry for posting this so late! Actually, I had this in my drafts for a long time already but there were a lot of errors then so I couldn't publish it.

Also please don't come at me and spit fire for giving Sakura such a stupid fight lol believe me I didn't want that as well

There's a lot more to come though so don't worry about it! I hope you guys are enjoying the story and I really want to hear your reviews!