Adrenaline, pumping through my veins; I could hear them, chasing after me. I could hear my ragged breaths and I can feel my heart pumping faster and faster because of the fear. Jumping over fallen branches, trees, I maneuvered around to avoid bumping into something like I have been here before. I could feel the leaves being crunched under my feet. I could hear them coming closer. I made a big mistake by looking back, and then I saw it; those piercing red eyes, looking at me. I grimaced at the thought of being captured and being dragged back to that place, just to escape again and let time repeat itself. I ran faster and faster until I knew that I was only a blur in the forest. After some time of running, I heard the sound of those chasing me grow fainter and fainter in the back. When I was positive that no one was following me, I stopped and collapsed near a river at the farthest end of the forest. I sucked in air hastily and once I could breathe properly again, I looked around to see where I was and what time of the day was it. When I looked up, I saw the faint shine of the stars, and then I knew that it was nearing night time. Looking at my reflection in the river, I can see my eyes staring back at me, my hair was matted to my face, and my clothes torn to the point that it looked like rags being held up by the still okay strap on my shoulder. What horrified me when I looked at my reflection was that there was blood splattered on my face and the remaining of my clothes. I instinctively splashed water on my face, and I stood up against my body's will to cross over to the other side of the river. I could still remember what my kind elderly relative said to me before she was…

I pushed back my tears allowing none to fall; it had just gone all wrong. I looked around to see the deaths of all my loved ones. Screams could be heard in the sky, and the stench of blood was unmistakable. I covered my mouth so that my hiding place wouldn't be discovered.

Kaa-san, tou-san nii-chan …where are you?

I thought. My hand clamped over my mouth to prevent from screaming, and letting them find me. I closed my eyes shut, and crouched down, covering my ears. Suddenly, everything became quiet, I stood up from my hiding place, and peeked out; I was hiding behind a hidden door in the house that no one but my parents and brother knew about. I looked out, and then I almost screamed when a hand was clamped over my mouth to shush me.

"It's me, don't scream, you'll alert them."

I looked up to see my brother smiling at me slightly, but it was still pained. I turned to look at him fully, and hugged him for dear life,

"Nii-chan…"

I shakily drew a breath as he stroked my hair gently; he planted a kiss on the top of my head,

"It's all right now, you don't have to be scared anymore, I'm here…I won't let anyone touch you."

"…I-I saw it, I saw everything, and it was so horrible…"

I sobbed, soaking his shirt that was already stained with blood. I felt him stiffen, and he clutched my form tighter against his, I continued crying softly,

"You saw? We told you strictly to keep your eyes closed."

"I'm sorry…but didn't you tell me that my curiosity would always get the best of me? And that…it would get me killed someday…"

I said, smirking slightly. I felt him hug me tighter,

"Don't say that! Please don't say that…I can't bear the thought of even losing you, so please…"

I was shocked, never has my brother begged for anything, and here he was begging me not to say that I would die. My eyes softened and my tears stopped, I hugged my shaking brother,

"Alright, I'm sorry…"

Just then, the door slammed open, and two…things came in, I looked in horror as my brother held me tighter against his chest; the two things were grotesque; their eyes shone white, and their body was nothing but a pure black something, covered in blood, with a few skin matted on them like they were glued on by toddlers.

"Found pink haired girl…alert others…"

"Capture girl, recruit boy…"

I looked at them in horror. The fear triggered something in me, and suddenly, the thought of any more deaths angered me to the point that I didn't see the two things come at us. My brother carried me away, and ran towards the safe house. I couldn't hear my brother speak to me or the fact that I was torn from his arms when something hit us. I lost my train of thought as I felt the ground come in contact with my lithe form. I groaned and felt a sharp pain at my side. I looked down to see a kunai imbedded in my said, making me gasp, and cough up blood as I saw the blood spread. I didn't hear anything else as I slowly started losing consciousness. I heard my brother let out an angry shout and charge at the two beings. I saw him cut them down easily, and run towards me, carrying me gently and pressing his palm on me wound. He lifted me up in his arms and I winced. After coming in the safe house, I was immediately rushed towards somewhere, my brother in tow, watching over me closely. After that, I lost consciousness and the last thoughts in my head were that of the people trying desperately to heal me, telling me not to sleep.

I gasped, and woke up. I looked around and found that I was still in the clearing, but on the other side of the river. I looked down to see my wound slowly opening. I pushed down on my wound with my palm, and shakily stood up.

Slowly, I started walking towards the village my brother instructed me to go to. The walk towards the village through the forest was rough. I leaned against a tree to keep from falling, as my wound was opened already. The warm wetness of the blood pouring from my side awakened me and urged me to go faster. After a few hours, the sun had already set, and the moon and the stars were my only source of light, and after tripping on the ground, I fell, coughing up blood, staining the ground with its clear crimson color. I felt my eyes start to close, but I kept them open. Gripping the soil in my hand, I pushed myself of the ground, and leaning at the trees, I kept on walking. A few minutes later, I saw a distant light with my slowly failing eyesight because of the severe blood loss. Hope swelled in me as I pushed myself of the tree, and started staggering towards the light. Tripping at a branch, I collapsed face first in the ground, and upon hearing shouts, two men approached me, and one of them carried me, while the other one called for help. I started closing my eyes, and then the accelerating heartbeats of the person who carried me lulled me to darkness.

I awoke to the sound of medics trying to heal me. My vision was still blurry, and I could only see the faint outline of the people who were helping me. Though their forms were fuzzy, I managed to hear them speaking,

"…vitals are severely damaged"

"It's a miracle she's still alive…"

"This girl…that pink hair…"

"…move aside, it's the Hokage…"

"Found injured…front of the …gate"

"Make sure no one knows that…"

"…is here."

I felt a hand brush my forehead as I saw the faint outline of a kind looking elderly man. I struggled, but was stopped when he petted my hair softly,

"Shhh…sleep child, you are safe…"

His tone of voice made me feel comfortable, and when I heard distant shouting, I tried to crack one I open, but it was useless,

"…Where is she?!"

"Finally arrived…child is sleeping…"

It was distant, but I recognized that voice, I opened my eyes to see the worried blue eyes of my brother,

"…alright?!"

I managed to croak out a small call for him

"N-Nii-cha-"

"…rest…rest now, Sakura."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out the window and sighed in contentment; it was another peaceful morning in Konoha. The streets was lined with grocery stands like usual, while a small amount of people walked around to get things done or to buy groceries. The Hokage of the village sat himself comfortably in his seat, drinking hot tea until there was a knock at the door to his office. He let out a gruff 'come in' and a masked ANBU member bowed before him,

"I apologize for my interruption, but Haruno Sakura requests to meet you."

The Hokage smiled and waved at the ANBU to let her in,

"Let her in, I was the one that called for her."

The ANBU bowed then disappeared in a poof. Shortly after the ANBU's departure, a figure cloaked in black, wearing a white porcelain mask was at the door, the figure bowed low and said in a feminine voice,

"You called for me, Hokage-sama."

The elderly Hokage smiled and waved her over to sit with him,

"Take a seat and have some tea."

The figure nodded and stiffly sat on the cushion that was across from him,

"Is there something you need from me, Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage smiled and shook his head,

"Nothing in particular, I just wanted to know how things are going at the Academy. Did you make any progress?"

"Yes, the teacher said that I had the highest grade in the whole Academy, and he also said that we will be getting our new teams today."

Sarutobi smiled and nodded his head sipping his tea,

"Ah so, so many years have already passed since the night they found you, I could still recall you throwing your first kunai, and it unfortunately almost landed in one of our teachers legs. How many years have passed since then? I remember that you were still 4 years old when we found you."

"Nine years have already passed Hokage-sama."

The Hokage laughed and nodded. He looked at the quiet girl and almost sighed. After that incident where they found and after recovering she became quiet and aloof, opting to stay cooped up in the library to study or stay at the training grounds from morning till dusk to train. He looked at the girl, who was sipping her tea, sliding up her mask to her nose to drink. Such a waste of a beauty like herself, he thought. Sakura then stood up and bowed to him,

"I have to go now to prepare, thank you for inviting me, Hokage-sama."

"It's no problem, now go so you won't be late."

Sakura nodded and left through the door. Sarutobi looked at the spot where she had been sitting, and gave a sigh,

"Kami-sama, help that poor girl to fix her heart again, since she's already been through so much."