askerian | ... I don't know. Sakura

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... I don't know. Sakura - AU ficlet

I dunno. I was trying to write one of my multiparts. Teamwork!Sasuke, maybe, or Sephiroth? Instead, this happened. 550 words of post-apocalyptic!AU Sakura. And no, I'm not writing a sequel! D:

edit: managed to con

phoenix_melody into writing a sequel instead ohohoho.

The axe, she had found on a wood pile beside Mr. Sarutobi's house.

She was at his house because he was a good teacher, and because sometimes Ino babysat for him and she hadn't found her yet. She'd found the wood pile because when she walked inside the house to check for survivors the smell of rotten meat caught her by the throat and after that she had to run out through the kitchen door. And she needed something to climb, and there were only trees with high branches and smooth trunks, and the chopped wood pile, which wasn't high enough.

It wasn't high enough. It wasn't even quite steep enough, apparently.

But up there was the axe, still stuck in a half-splintered log, where Mr. Sarutobi had left it. When Mrs. Sarutobi started crawling up the edge after her it was like the axe's handle just appeared in her hand. She swung without thought, log and all. Sort of like tennis. The strain didn't even hurt right away.

On the upside when Mrs. Sarutobi crashed to the ground, jaw smashed, head askew, the log flew off as well. The shock almost jarred the handle out of her hand, unbalancing her. She jumped off the pile rather than drop it, landed a little wrong and ended up on her knee.

Mrs. Sarutobi's fingers skittered on the ground, reached for her ankle.

She still had the axe in hand.

It was a good axe -- the most basic log-splitter, and adapted to Mr. Sarutobi's imposing size -- heavy. But recently sharpened. She swung it down.

A second time. A third. Until the pieces stopped crawling.

Then she went back inside the house, because Ino had loved babysitting that kid, and someone needed to chop him up before he managed to crawl his way out of the baby pen.

When the car screeched to a stop in front of the house a half-hour later she was sitting on the porch, a backpack of stolen food and random odds and ends at her feet. She watched her classmates burst out -- Naruto first, with a baseball bat. Sasuke snapped at him and hung back, tracking her with his competition rifle.

She nodded a greeting. "Hey."

If Ino had been here they would have both grinned and jumped up, bypassed Naruto entirely, raced to him. Told him how they'd been so scared, thank god he was there, they felt so much safer now. Asked since when did Sasuke drive and oh, such a cool car, can we...? She couldn't bring herself to go through the motions right now.

Ino wasn't here.

Sasuke's rifle went down. Naruto was in her face, staring at the dry blood splashed all up her arm and cheek, paler than she had ever seen him.

"Are you okay? Were you bitten?"

"Damn it, we were supposed to stay all together for a reason!"

She watched them. She'd worried them both, silly little girl running from the group alone, with no protection. She could have died. Or worse. Did she understand that?

She'd understood from the start. Now she understood it even better.

She'd do it again. Ino wasn't here.

She kept tracing her hand back and forth on the axe's long handle, where it rested across her lap. The wood was warm under her hand.

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...Holy Fuck, that was a whole new level of awesome and incredible and ow, ow, ow. Wow. Just, wow.

#u.u# Thank you muchly~ muahaha.

Oh dear God, Sakura. Yanno, Every time you say there won't be a sequel to a fic like this I die a little bit inside. And then I remember that Locker Room Therapy was supposed to be a one-shot too and can hope for more fragments of this awesome AU. ~~Why do you always write the most awesome AU's?~~

That said, I really loved this. I love when fics make me love Sakura's character, because I remember how much I hated her when the series first started because she was young and a sorry excuse for a Shinobi and then how much I fell in love with her because she got so BADASS and how now I'm sort of indifferent because in recent chapters she's been disappointing me a little. But I loved this! She handled herself so well. And though I'm beyond glad that all three of them made it part of me is intrigued by the line Sasuke snapped at him and hung back, tracking her with his competition rifle. because I mean, what if she had been a zombie? I mean, obviously they would have taken care of that, but imagine how much worse it would have been for them to kill HER and how horrified they'd have been if she was just sitting there and then she'd moved and they realized what she was.

And part of me wants to see the fragment where she comes across Ino. Y'know, as a zombie. Sorry, I've been obsessed with "what-ifs" in fics lately.

Creepiest thing, I woke up about 2 hours ago from the most frightening zombie nightmare I've ever had and was ridiculously scared to read this. Cause yanno how sometimes when you wake up you aren't really sure if you're still in the nightmare. Well, it's kinda been like that, because the busy street outside of my house has been nearly completely deserted and the lot next to my apartment suspiciously bereft of the sounds of children playing. So creepy vibe plus creepy zombie fic = even more freaked out Heather. I don't even know.

Teamwork was supposed to be three chapters long as well, see how that turned out. XD;
~~#.___.# ♥~~

because I mean, what if she had been a zombie?
It was indeed a possibility! *ponders* Actually I don't think in this 'verse they're especially close to each other. they're all classmates, but they're not a trio, there are other people they're closer to than each other. Still, killing a classmate...
I wonder how they'd grow closer together as a trio despite not starting out with a ready-made excuse to bondAAAAAAAAA NO BUNNIES DAMN IT YOU TRIED TO TRICK ME DIDN'T YOU DX

Whoa, that sounds freaky indeed, both the dream and waking up to find the street deserted. brrrr. *sends hugs*
I've never had a zombie dream for some reason. Hmm.

*snicker* Really? Teamwork was supposed to only have three? Wow, that one REALLY got away from you and wrote itself!

And I totally did not try to trick you into plot bunnies but if you got some than I TOTALLY do not regret it. All kidding aside, I really wouldn't mind more of this verse, but you have enough lengthy projects that you're working on. I didn't even consider that they wouldn't be close yet...

And yes, it was really freaky. I have zombie dreams at least 3 or 4 times a year, but I chalk it up to the fact that I am simultaneously completely terrified of them and incredibly intrigued by the idea of post apocalyptic zombie AUs. Annnnnd I blame that on reading World War Z. Question! Is this part of the apocalyptic AU NaruSasu thing you wrote a little while ago or a stand alone?

Yeah, "wake up in bed and learn uncomfortable truths about each other", "run away from the village while WTFing about it all", and "decide to stay together/do the seal thing and go back home ready to fight." oh, I was so adorably naive.

You tricking trickster. I don't believe you. >:(

Ahh, second time someone mentioned that book, i'm gonna have to find it at this rate! It sounds so fascinating. And no, this is a different AU, the other one was pretty much just "95% of people fall over and die!" epidemic -- the zombie thing in the comments was mostly an afterthought, they were college-aged, and they were going to meet Sakura for the first time later down the road in that sequel I am so not planning to write. In this one they were all in high school together and it's zombie attacks from the start. But that's all my headcanon, and they both draw from the same big idea, it's just the details that change, so if you want to imagine them all in the same 'verse then who am I to stop you. XD

*de-lurks* HEE~RE BUNNY-BUNNIES, HERE BUNNY-BUNNIES!

Also, wonderful characterization, as always.

Cuz she is Asuka! And it is what she does. She always makes us want more >.>

Ow, so temporarily broken. I like the practical, detached feeling here, how it blankets so much chaos. I mean, Sakura is a smart girl but she feels things very deeply, or so I've always thought; her obvious shock is very striking. Also, her strength in having a coping mechanism is good. No flaily little whiner girls here, just damaged people clinging to the things important to them. This whole situation is just icky in a deeply understated way but you make it good reading. You're very talented like that.

I'm having trouble finding the right words, so hopefully I'm expressing myself properly. Anyway, thanks.

noooo not broken D:

ohoho, yes, she's still kinda floaty-shocky here. When it hits it's really going to hurt, but so far it's not the right moment so she's not letting it go. XD;; I wonder what will happen when she AAAAA DAMN IT NOT AGAIN YOU WILL NOT TRICK ME.

you are indeed expressing yourself properly! u.u-b thank you, lovely.

This is perfect, exactly how I think Sakura should be, finding inner strength because she has to.
I'm sad that there will be no sequel.

Yes! No sequel at all! Ever!

(we all know how determined I am about not writing sequels. >__>;; sometimes the bunnies don't give much of a damn. I dunno, so far it feels very complete and I have nooo clue what happens next that's worth telling ~~and wouldn't turn into another friggin' epic~~, but maybe something will hit me. XD;; )

Oh Sakura. I couldn't do that, couldn't even though I knew my friends and neighbors weren't THERE anymore, oh god, there is no more terrible thing then zombie babies. I can't detach myself like that, it's going to be HELL for her once she de-copes. Oh god, INO.

I couldn't live in a world like this, I'd just off myself so my friends don't have to deal with killing me. Shows how Sakura's just so much stronger. Oh, practical Sasuke, tracking her 'til you know she's HER.

Yeah, zombie babies are... gurk. she was thinking of the zombie as "mrs namehere" up until the end, but the baby she had to see as an "it", I think, and even then not think much about what she was doing. because urk urk urk.

*hugglepets*

Is that their grandson, a tiny Konahamaru? I couldn't handle that. First time I ever see a zombie, first time I hear about it if it ever happens, cliff. -does not do well in traumatic circumstances-

ah, no, that was Asuma and Kurenai and the baby she's currently pregnant with in canon. >:D

;_; nuu! I bet Sakura thought so too, and then it turned out she managed fine. Don't despair before the zombie apocalypse even starts! D:

I hated that part!!!! Chopping up zombie babies. ;_; ... Because it was awesome and totally creeped me out more than anything else.

0_0 This = le awesome!

I like Sakura! I understand the average fanficer's need to demonize someone (cuz she makes a nice plot device to get between TWUE WUVE-SasukexNaruto!). But I like her. I think she's a very relatable girl- wee bit insecure, crushing on the popular guy, talented at something, not so talented at other somethings, inner monologue that analyzes everything...and your short just reminds me all the more how much I like her. She's not hacking people strictly because she's all bada$$ (which sometimes she is), but because she has to. And she's worried for her friend. This was coolio.

Yay! a 0_0 face! *hoards it* >3

I think many people hate her BECAUSE she's easy to relate to, as someone human and flawed in a mundane manner, not a dramatic whatever -- she reflects their own mundane fangirl faults and they can't take having to face it. >_____>

thank you for the comment, dear. u.u

The 0_0 face is for the slight level of creepy, that shuddery chill that ran up and down my spine as Sakura sat holding the bloody axe...I can scarce imagine what sort of horrors she's already seen before this scene or what's running through everyone's minds as this whole freaky event began happening. (And a wee bit of worry for Ino and fear that if her friend had/has been bitten, that Sakura just might be strong enough to take her out. Especially after that line about the baby crawling out of the crib. XO [Shudders])

So...people hate themselves and that's why Sakura's always the Evil One? :P Because unlike the "heroic heros" of anime/manga serieses, her flaws are too much like our own?

I wonder if this is true of other serieses- how do you plurarlize "series"??? - I want to take a poll or a compare/contrast graph. Like...for Gundam Wing or Bleach or Harry Potter or any other fandom.

It's certainly true for Gundam Wing. Oh, Relena, that dreamy, "i don't like my perfect liiiife daddy pay attention to me oh wow that boy is so mysterious" girl. What, she grew up? TOO LATE. >___>

Excellent, excellent glimpses of setting in this. I especially loved: A second time. A third. Until the pieces stopped crawling.

Ufufufu thank youuuu~

Oh, zombie apocalypses. So fun. *_*

Wow. I am amazed. That was wonderful to read. The details were really nice, too. Especially the last line.

She kept tracing her hand back and forth on the axe's long handle, where it rested across her lap. The wood was warm under her hand.

That kind of nervous gesture makes everything seem very real.

#^___^# thank you! And hee, I'm especially glad you liked that line, it was the mental image that started it all. ♥

ewweee, but i want more. Like WHERE is Ino

Which piece? 9____9

XD okay, srsly I have no idea.

Good stuff, here.

The way she goes off alone to make sure the baby isn't left zombiefied is awesome - she seems so rational about it, but if you think about it... her head has got to be in a bad, bad place if that seems like a reasonable idea.

-- Guile

yyyyeah, if she doesn't spend a couple days throwing up at random after that I'll be surprised. >___>

*cackles a little bit*

Thank you~

alskfje OMG ZOMBIES!!! You know, watching zombie movies terrifies the everloving shit out of me... but I like reading zombie AUs. Go figure lol.

I somehow love the image of Sasuke sighting down the barrel of a rifle. UNF <3 What am I saying, I always love the image of Sasuke lol.

Oh god Sakura having to chop up a zombie baby alskfjeifslejsliesie aaaaaaaaaah *horrified and amazed*

*snerk* I suspect i'd be the same way -- for me it's more interesting to get into the head of the survivors than to just watch shambling corpses startling people... >.>

yay rifle!Sasuke is loved! His sharingan could totally translate into sniper-ness IRL. yeah. That's decided. .... AAAA WHY AM I STILL DECIDING THINGS ABOUT THIS AU *beats it with shovel*

*cacklecackle* >:3

lol YOU THINK THE FIC IS DEAD, BUT IT IS NOT. IT COMES BACK, LIKE A ZOMBIEEEE

..but does that mean that Ino is a zombie? Man, the baby line made me flinch, it hurt so much. Is she close with Naruto and Sasuke here? Will they help her cope when the full impact of what she just had to do hits her? i hope so

I have no clue about Ino and i'm trying not to think about which would be most satisfying to write. hey, maybe she got killed by a totally human creep who figured that no one would ever notice, who knows. >.>

They weren't close before this moment, but I suspect they're gonna be right there when she breaks down, so maybe that'll change things. Who knows! I'm not thinking about it. lalalalaaaa not thinkiiing about iiiit~

Oh, jesus fuck. Ow. Ow, ow, ow. *hugs Sakura forever and ever*

She's gone straight through panic into that weird, shocky state on the other side where everything is very clear and rational, hasn't she. Oh, she is going to just fall apart when she gets somewhere safer and has time to sleep and eat. And then she'll pull herself back together again, because that's what Sakura does.

I love how she sees that the boys are trying to protect her (condescending? perhaps. or maybe just not understanding that the silliness she and Ino indulge in isn't anything like all there is to her), and doesn't care, because she was doing what she had to do. I love how Ino's absence is somehow almost more horrifying than the presence of Mrs. Sarutobi and the zombie baby. I love the mundane details of the axe being stuck into a log, so when Sakura first swings it, she hits the zombie more with a log than with the blade.

You're right that this feels complete in and of itself, but if you ever do get a continuation plot bunny, count me into the horde who would love to read it. :-)

Ayep, she sure did. Probably the best thing to do in that situation. I mean denial is nice and safe and comfy, but it would also have gotten her eaten, so...

Well, before the zombie plague she WAS kind of shallow and happy as it was, and if the boys think she still isn't realizing very well the depth of the risks out there they have a lot of examples to draw from. And before she walked into that house and Kurenai tried to eat her, her idea of the risks was still very academic and distant, so they're not entirely wrong either. Just, they never got to see that there's steel in there. Roaarr.

I still have no surprise!plot, so that's all good. *crosses fingers* >__>;; it would likely turn into a road trip/survival/team bonding epic and I have enough of those already.

Damn that's a kick in the gut. Zombie baby is a nice touch, and you don't see that in a lot of zombie fics or movies.

Which is a sad waste of potential horrorness right there! Granted they wouldn't be a very scary predator in terms of actual danger, but they'd have psychological weapons so that should balance out. Strange!

♥

There's a zombie baby in The Forest of Hands and Teeth. ~~Heroine bundles it up in a blanket so it can't bite her and then drops it out of a second/third story window on its head. >.>~~ I detested the characters, but I quite enjoyed a lot about the world. Which is why I'm debating about whether or not I should read the sequel--yay, more world and different characters, boo, still written by the same author. *is torn*

Oh god, the bit about the baby. The resignation and knowledge that it has to be done...
Well written.

Thank you, lovely. ^^
(woohoo, the sad hug icon! >3)

Please more. This is GOOD.

XD Glad you think so. Muahaha.

OMG Sakura. *_* Such a shock. So practical. So easy to relate to. Why do you make me enjoy reading about zombies, I hate zombie movies.

Just when I thought your writing couldn't get any better you add zombies.

Dear gods, woman.

And Sakura. <3

Kay, I gotta tell you, Imma hunt down every single snippet you or any other person has wirtten of this verse, and Imma eat it right up. The writing in this piece is amazing.

I'm shipping InoSaku like crazy for this AU. In my head, they're at the pre- stage, and maybe it never develops beyond One True Forever thing where they're both dating other people, but the one person they love and for whom they'd drop anything and that would make them go into zombie-focused badass axe-wielding detachment if the other disappeared is each other. That wasn't grammatically correct, but whatev, THE FEELINGS BEHIND MY WORDS ARE TRUE.

Already commented on DA, but I'll give another quick one here, because I reread it -

This is utterly chilling. I like how hard Sakura has to make herself here, to kill the zombie woman (Kurenai I'm assuming) and baby (shivers at zombie baby - that's creepy). The tone of this is just wonderful and goes well with the picture you drew for it.

I also like an axe (rather than a knife or gun) for Sakura's weapon. I'm not sure why - maybe because using it requires physical strength, since it's heavy. Also, I love the Akatsuki!Sakura axe, and though this one is different, hey, it's still an axe.

The last line is wonderful. You are so good at writing last lines.

~Sara

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... I don't know. Sakura - AU ficlet

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le awesome

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