Pain in Human Form

Chapter 1: Pain

The leaves rustled in the gentle yet restless wind. One black cape swayed as it sailed through the trees in the dark, musty night. Green jaded orbs switched its wistful gaze to stare at the empty sleeve where her left arm used to be.

Sakura Haruno remembered the day so clearly when "it" happened. Pink locks of lacy hair dropped in strands from her pure black hood. She stopped on a branch, realizing that she was surrounded. Quietly and subtly, she shut her eyes, as if nothing was wrong.

'Five…there are five golems.' A moment passed as dark figures, as black as coal and ranging from seven to ten feet in length. Tall dark creatures that only come out in the night for obvious reasons; they were created from soil and ashes of people by demented monks. They still were being made often, in large hoards at a time. These creatures had no self control, were quite slow, bulky, and used their weight to attack. Very hard to kill for they had no weakness. 'One demon is fifty degrees northwest, another thirty degrees east. One will close in from the sky, two hundred degrees to my right while the other two seem to be closing in from my sides. Figures, these creatures have the mind of an insect. Pathetic.'

Green orbs flashed open. Five figures were outlined by the full moon; all in the place Sakura predicted. In a quick, easy movement, Sakura removed her silver knife from her thigh pouch. The pine trees and weeping willows stopped rustling, staying as still as possible. Shadows covered the grassy soil were uncovered as the cloud moved ever so slowly away from the moon. Crimson covered seemed to cover the moon's sheet of white. Five figures, lying on the ground, simultaneously burst into emerald flames. After the green fire disappeared, nothing was left but a speck of ash which was abducted by the eager wind.

Sakura's gaze shifted to her left sleeve, covered by her black trench coat, much like what the reaper wore himself.

Without her left arm, she was as good as dead. Useless, fading, no jutsu, and no comrades. Naruto and Sasuke were a distant past as was the Leaf Village. Sasuke, her love never came back and hope was lost. She betrayed the Leaf two years ago for a high position in the Shadow. Satsuki, a living legend trained her quite well. In no time, Sakura gained the Angel Seal, allowing her angel-like powers and friends. Bubbly Hanon, the mermaid princess of the South Atlantic, Sanosuke, an older swordsman that Sakura considered as her older brother, Elda, the two hundred year old, non aging, vampire who could always lift the mood of her teammates, and Satsuki, her caring trainer all died. Even Arina, who helped her start the group New Wings with high hopes, was dead. Stella, Mel, Drake, Hina…all dead. Sakura helped in the battle for the Peruvian Statiers where the Shadow Village perished under Gothom's rule. Sakura was alone…in pain. Her heart was shattered, beyond repair

In the Shadow Village, she gained much success. Access to all seven realms, new medical ninjutsu, owner of an ancient relic, admired as a saint, and ruler of the Shinigami world. Ryuk, a very disturbing Shinigami followed her all the time, eating apples and acting as a soul retriever whenever needed, he was a good tool. Sakura told him to get lost shortly after the Blood War, in to which he did. On occasion, he'd visit but Sakura would straight out tell him to go home or bug someone else.

Her medical ninjutsu became legendary as well. She passed Lady Tsunade herself, the Fifth Hokage. Broken limbs, poison, and even Thorn, Sakura healed all of it. Thorn- a disease that slowly crystallizes the body, eventually making the person go into cardiac arrest and soon, quick death afterwards. This disease would claim the lives of many on the battlefield. Sakura healed a few with that particular disease and learned about it, creating an antidote besides plus type blood from man-made individuals. It was said that only one remains in the world but that was never proven. Sakura mainly focused on re-growing bones so she could rebuild her arm from scratch. So far, she'd not any closer than she was last month. But everything and her power were gone. The only thing she thrived on, gone with the valley winds.

Flashback

'Lately, dead human beings have been returning to their families, as if nothing happened. How is that possible?'

"Hm, you put up a good fight but you must face the inevitable, you're weak," an evil voice said with pride, a toothy, fanged smile forming on the Maiden of Hell's lips. Snake eyes the color of crimson blood, shortened brown hair, she looked like her twin, Shararie, the Crusakage, but Fexis was so much different. Shararie was a saint to the people of the Shadow, Fexis was a figure of terror who claimed her sister's life and drank her blood in the war.

How could Sakura let this demon serpent overpower her!?

"Urg!" Sakura groaned, clutching her left arm even tighter. The sleeve was torn, showing every vain slowly surrendering to the poison. Fexis unleashed her snakes from her palm and they took a hold of Sakura's left arm, injecting her to a deadly poison. Her veins throbbed under her purple skin. Death would surely follow.

"Ha, give it up Cherry Blossom, this is the end."

Sakura tilted her head down, hiding her eyes. Slowly but steadily, her hand made it's way to her back to remove her katana from its sheathe.

"I will never give up, not until I see your demise!" Sakura gripped the katana in her right hand firmly and pointed it at her left arm.

Fexis' eyes widened in amazement as crimson blood spilled onto the ground.

Sakura gritted her bloody teeth as she gripped her stub of an arm which by now was seeping blood on her black sweats. Her arm was a few feet away, purple and without a host.

Breathing heavily, Sakura stumbled to her feet and with all her strength, pointed the katana at Fexis.

"Hah!" Sakura cried, lunging at the stunned demon.

"You impress me but that won't be enough." Fexis easily dodged Sakura's attack and prepared her own sword for the kill. "When you die, I'll drink every last drop of blood from your body, making myself even more powerful."

Sakura made a single hand sign with her right hand and in light speed struck Fexis in the forehead with her palm. Her fingers tightened around her forehead, digging her nails under her skin.

Sakura shut her pained eyes. 'Release!'

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Fexis screamed. She fell to the ground a bit but regained her balance and rebound back, her hand gripping one side of her face above her right eye. "What did you do to me you wretch!?"

Sakura said nothing but clutched her arm, smiling.

"Answer me!"

"You will die slowly," Sakura coughed up some blood but continued, "And it will be painful, as it should be."

"What are you babbling about girl!?" Fexis glared her hand still on her face.

"Thorn," she coughed, collapsing to the ground.

Fexis' eyes widened as it clicked. "You…didn't…I'll kill you!" Fexis' hand fell from her face revealing the first sign of Thorn, the pink crack below the eyes.

'So…this is it…goodbye…Sasuke…goodbye.' At tear fell from her cheek, knowing her fate but at least she would die knowing she rid the world of the Maiden of Hell. Her eyes fluttered closed as she found the strength to smile before her death. 'At least I'll die smiling.'

Suddenly, two arms wound around Sakura. She felt the warm air on her cheek; a weightless state took over her mind. And everything went black.

Sakura opened her eyes to see herself on the grass where she had fought Fexis but she was alone. But at least she wasn't dead but her arm and her jutsu were gone.

End Flashback

After that, Sakura heard rumors that Fexis was still alive and likely, she wouldn't die for about another year.

The wind blew, kissing Sakura on the forehead it seemed like. Her jade eyes gazed upward as she tilted her head to gaze into the moon. Suddenly, words just flooded into Sakura's mind and escaped her lips.

My jaded tears

Always in my heart

Can never escape the barrier that is my mind

But one thing is for certain

No one will be hurting

After I say goodbye

The sounds of crickets singing and the owls hooting filled the air.

Sakura set off and found her cabin in the forest. It was dull, yes. The wood was neat and there was enough room to fit six people. The windows were tinted and the lights were always off so no one would know she was there. The only time Sakura would come out would be for herbs or to get food supply from the town of Calday nearby. In that case, she would wear a hood with her coat. But when she picked herbs, she wore a light purple kimono and would stay near the house.

Quietly, the pink haired girl woman unlocked the front door and walked inside, carefully latching the door shut again. As she normally would, Sakura slid off her trench coat and tossed it on her chair. With her fingers, she brushed her hair as she walked to the cupboard and took out a piece of beef jerky. Sakura was thin, not lean, thin, her ribs were visible and it disgusted her but she had to do what she had to do. If not eating was apart of that, then she still did it. After eating a piece of jerky the size of her palm, she decided that was enough for the day and stalked upstairs to shower.

The water on her skin felt like she found a secret hot spring. So soothing, so relaxing, so innocent… After her quick shower, Sakura slipped into her flexible black kimono and walked past her bed. Stepping down the stairs with a creak every time, she stopped at the final step and found pearls falling from her cheeks. Shocked, she frantically wiped them away. One by one, they kept falling, nonstop.

Collapsing on her knees, the wood resembled the coldest ice like that in her heart. She held her arms to her chest and sobbed. Her screams were faint and she could hardly make out her own muffled voice. Sniffling, she stood up and grabbed her katana with her hand and sat by her front door, keeping guard. She hugged her knees with her katana near and sobbed until her eyelids went heavy and she fell into a deep sleep.

Moments have passed as my life shortens with each

Sakura's eyes flashed open and she abruptly sat up. Her katana was right where it was last night and nothing seemed wrong. Sakura sleepily looked at the clock.

'Six ten, I overslept.'

Sakura stood up and took her katana to her room, showered, and put on her purple kimono. The sun lit the living room, even through the stained green curtains and shutters.

Carefully, Sakura opened her shutters slightly and peeked outside. The thick brush was empty but still, Sakura needed to be wary whenever going outside to not be seen.

'Coasts clear.' Sakura took a plain, weaved basket from her pantry and slipped outside without a sound.

Soundlessly, she ambled down her porch and a few yards south to her "backyard." Many plants and herbs were carefully planted and gardened. Sakura's herb garden was top notch and amazingly, never trampled.

With a true, gentle smile, the cherry blossom sat beside her garden and picked a few Lolaries, a part of the antidote for Thorn and placed them in the basket, moving to the Saturn Lilarigous and plucked a few of them as well.

"Phew, all done," Sakura smiled proudly, wiping a drop of perspiration from her forehead. The sun beat down on her pretty hard. A rustle made the leaves on a bush a foot away move a little. Quickly, Sakura's eyes went from relieved to tense as she spun around and pitched a kunai. Out ran a frightened squirrel with its eyes wide. Sakura blushed, embarrassed at her stupidity.

"Are you living?" a small voice asked.

Sakura whirled around to find nothing.

"Yes, who'd like to know?" Sakura's eyes narrowed as she held out her kunai defensively.

From a weeping willow, a girl peeked out from behind. Her clothes were torn, her long hair was dirty and black, her brown orbs saddened. She looked about fourteen. Tears swelled in her eyes. Fear?

"It's okay, I wont' hurt you," Sakura said softly, holding out her hand. The cautious girl took it carefully and stepped out completely. She was only about 5' and Sakura was 5'5".

Suddenly, a wolf lunged at the defenseless girl and Sakura went into its path, cutting it into two with her katana. Blood spewed from the halves as they fell to the ground.

"Please, tell me your name," Sakura said.

"I-It's A-Aliera," she answered.

"Aliera, where are you from?" Sakura asked as she sat the girl down next to her by her garden.

"America, I'm a refugee," she sobbed.

'So her parents are dead.'

"Do you have a home?"

Aliera shook her head.

"You can stay with me but give me your hand."

For some reason, Sakura felt she could trust her just by looking into her eyes, you can see pure innocence.

Aliera held out her frail wrist and Sakura gave her the antidote to Thorn so that she wouldn't catch it. The young girl winced at the pain.

"That's so that you don't catch Thorn."

Aliera's eyes widened. "T-T-Thorn…" Her voice was shaky as her sobs began to echo through the forest. "T-That killed my parents."

"I see."

"If I stay with you, there's one thing I need to tell you," she straitened up.

"Mm?"

"At night, I turn into a demon."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"When I was four, I was in a terrible accident and they experimented on me as they rebuilt me. But when I'm a demon, I'm faster and I can't die but I have full self-control."

"I see and I should tell you that my left arm is gone," Sakura smiled faintly as Aliera gasped.

"How?"

"I cut it off, I was poisoned." Sakura frowned when she remembered the gruesome details of that event.

"I see." Aliera tore her gaze from Sakura to her knees that she kneeled on. They were scraped various times and bleeding.

"And I'm investigating the whereabouts on re-growing bones and reconstructing muscles," Sakura said, fiddling with a tulip next to her ankle.

"In the lab I was at, I think that they had information on that," Aliera muttered looking up from the ground.

"Please, if you could-?"

"No need to ask," Aliera smiled, "I'll take you there."

"Thank you."

Finally, Sakura had a clue on how to rebuild her arm, finally.

"Let's go inside, I'll get you a change of clothes." Aliera followed Sakura into her cabin, shutting the door. But Aliera would have to show Sakura her transformation soon. At least it wasn't disgusting.

The moments fade as do my memories that I treasure.

The crescent moon glowed and it was time. Aliera was in a golden dress with slits on the sides and it reached her thighs and the flaps stretched to the spot right above the kneecap. She wore a pair of tight, formfitting, black kakis and black sandals meant for ninjas. Sakura also gave her a black coat, meaning that she was apart of a twosome at the moment that would later grow.

"Sakura…" she muttered from around the corner of the empty dining room.

"I see, so it's time."

Sakura made her way to the dining room and faced Aliera. A weird light reached Aliera, outlining her figure as she started to change. White slowly made its way down her long strands of black, intoxicating them with the shade of Christmas snow. Her chocolate gems flickered yellow, then off, and on again when Aliera calmly reopened her eyes after she shut them tight.

"Well…?" Aliera asked with such caution, and fear of being rejected.

"Aliera, that's actually probably the calmest and easiest to watch transformation I have ever seen, you have nothing to worry about," Sakura smiled.

Aliera wiped away a tear and ran to give Sakura a sisterly hug, realizing that she had a friend after so many years of being an outcast at school and in life. The outcast finally made a true friend, after fourteen long, pained years.

Sakura suddenly broke the hug and stared down at the girl. "So, you're human by day and demon by night?" Aliera nodded.

"Do you always ask this many questions?" Aliera asked, letting her inner self show its true colors.

"Yes," Sakura answered. "Let's go to bed," Sakura said with a yawn.

"Okay," Aliera agreed, falling on the couch.

"Sakura, when are we going?" Aliera asked that night from the couch where she slept.

"Tomorrow night," Sakura answered from her guarding position at the door with her katana by her side.

"All right, goodnight," Aliera yawned.

"Goodnight, Aliera, sleep well." Sakura too shut her eyes and fell into another captivating dream that would only cause her more pain. Tomorrow would be the day of truth when she would start her long journey of pain, wellbeing, happiness, and maybe a chance at old friends.

Then again, that would be highly unlikely with the circumstances that unfolded.

Still, America was a long ways away, on the other side of the world. Many boats would be needed, supplies gathered, money required. All that Sakura didn't have and she was certain that Aliera wouldn't have those attributes either, seeing as she was nomadic, a refugee. So Sakura need to formulate a plan to get those, hopefully without the use of violence or brute force. But if needed, Sakura would do it.