Five years old
I stared at the small little girl in front of me as she stared back, dread clear in both of our apple green eyes. Every move I made she mirrored perfectly, it was abnormal but not completely somehow, and I knew deep inside of me something was questionable from the beginning. I ignored it like an idiot all because I was scared. Everything was bigger and taller for me, my skin color was tanner then before as I was much paler due to lack of sun in my life, a different language was being spoken too. Not English, or any other I know that's for sure, but I'm not completely sure what language everyone was speaking.
Additionally the people who I guess are suppose to be my mama and da, look different then their personality's are... I don't know its just wrong their not my mama and da. The man is more childish and has more of a pinkish starfish hair with blue eyes instead of a wild fiery mane of my da's and emerald green eyes with a fiery attitude to match his look. The woman has blond hair with forest green eyes with a strict standpoint on how a little lady should act, not my mama who would be stern but loving me with every fiber of her being with her thick raven tresses and ocean blue eyes. No matter how much I ask they never tell me their given names, they just keep telling me that there mama and da but their not.
Heaving a great sigh I ran my small hand through my short pink hair desperately, trying to ignore the harsh stinging in my eyes, plopping down on the hard wood floor of my room I stared at my ugly door filled with what looks like tiny little demons coming for my soul. I don't know which would be any better, tiny little demons coming for my soul or being stuck in a child's body...I think I would prefer tiny little demons in stead of this. Flopping my body on the ground I contemplated on who I may have pissed off too much to get me in this situation in the first place, when nothing came to mind I rolled sideways and eyeballed my hideous pink room filled with frustration and gloom.
Picking myself up I shoved my emotions into a locked room in the deepest pits of my mind, like they say out of sight out of mind. Letting out another sigh I muttered a faint 'troublesome' and walked towards my kiddie desk, that was sadly not spared from the color pink, and pulled out my wooden chair whilst plopping my tush in it. Putting my fingers on the top drawer I pulled the drawer towards me.
As my eyes spotted a few new notebooks placed neatly into the small storage area I felt slightly relived that not everything in this strange world was completely different then mine. Picking up a black notebook with red splatters on it, that honestly looked like somebody died near it, and placed it on my desk as I grabbed a pencil from my pencil cup. I began to write down everything I remembered from my world and compered it to this one, taking serious caution and writing in Russian, German, and French.
Six years old
So..It turns out I am kinda screwed, like undoubtedly pissed some sort of god off screwed, because I'm in the Naruto world? Universe, maybe? I dunno know what the correct terminology is but I'm here and I'm so screwed. Like how badly did I piss someone off seeing that I am in no way a hardcore fan or special in any way so that god would look at me and say "yes her she is the one to save them all." None of this honestly makes sense, why me? Why not somebody else that could oh I don't know DO SOMETHING!
Taking in deep breaths I tightly gripped my black oversized long sleeve shirt in an attempt to stop the nauseated feeling filling up my stomach. Slowly sliding down the bathroom wall of the two story house I live in, I rested my head on the wall behind me turning a blind eye to my shaking body. Slightly touching my throat I furrowed my eyebrows at the feeling of tightness surrounding it, murmuring about how done I was with this, I shakingly picked myself up. Taking slow and steady steps towards the bathtub my ears could faintly hear the woman talking to the man, finding no interest in what they were doing I focused back to my task at hand and slowly eased myself in the tub. Relaxing as much as I could I closed my eyes briefly and promptly started to shove my anxiety into a box and then dropping it into a deep pit in my mind. As the darkness slowly started to ease its way into my vision there was an unexpected knocking on my bathroom door startlingly me out of my sleepy daze. Staring at the door with an inquisitive look I placed my chin on the top of the bathtub side making no move to answer the door.
There was a few more knocking sounds before a concerned male voice started to talk,"Sakura, sweetie is everything okay? Your dinner is getting cold, did something happen?"
Pulling myself out of the tub I briskly began to rub my face out of habit whilst making my way towards the lock door, putting a content smile on my face I unlocked the door and gazed at the mans face.
"Hmm I'm fine," I said, giving him a closed eyed smile "I'm sorry I took so long."
Feeling his rough hands running through my short hair lovingly, I felt my heart clench in pain at the familiar action before shoving that too in a box. Grabbing his free hand I began to pulled him towards the dining room rambling about how cool grandpa was for being a ninja of the leaf, and the food was tasty all the while I ignored the guilt of doing so.
Seven years old
I'm Sakura Haruno, but am I really though? I'm not a shy fan-girl that could eventually become a smart confident woman that can punch holes through mountains. I'm just me, someone who has a hard time showing what they feel, someone who is paranoid beyond belief, that would grab as many college courses as she could handle. Whether she passed or failed didn't matter because in the end she learned something new; A lot of the things I learned stuck in the end though.
I may act like Sakura sometimes and started to address the woman as mother and the man as father, but I'm still no different from the past me? I mean I'm still socially awkward, apathetic, and straightforward to name somethings, I merely just hide it under a mask. 'Cunning just like a snake my mama would say with a soft proud smile. An enigma my pa would declared with a wide grin whilst bumping shoulders with his wife.'
Letting out a soft chuckle at the thought of the amusing antics my pa would pull, I gently rubbed the area where my heart was at the numbed pain I felt at the thought of my parents. Pushing back tears I quietly put on a pair of biker shorts and a tank top, stopping I stared at my reflection in the mirror with skepticalness shining out of my eyes. I can never be The Originally Sakura Haruno nor will I ever be, but I can be me, after all a name does not define the person.
Pulling my thoughts away from the somberness of it all, I quickly put my black oversize long sleeve shirt on over my tank-top and made my way out of my room towards the kitchen. Nearing the kitchen I stood by the doorway and stared at my mother and father chatting away contented with the way their life was, at that thought something inside me twisted unpleasantly at the scene. Pushing those thoughts away I leisurely made my way into the kitchen, and made myself at home in an empty chair.
Eight years old
Feeling the suns rays' on my closed eyelids making them a bright red I let out a forlorn groan at the absurd thought of getting out of bed. Huffing I turned around and faced the wall pulling up the blanket as I went. Closing my blurry eyes I slowly waited for sandman to drift me back to sleep for a few more minutes, my gaze now black, I silently waited for some more lovely sleep but nothing came. Waiting still for few more minutes for sleep to come, I listened to the birds chirping outside my window, I impatiently cracked one eye open and stared at my cream wall when nothing happened. Frowning I rolled on my back and attempted to figure out why sleep wasn't coming, was there something I had to do today? No, mother and father hadn't planed for us to go any where today and there's no holiday. Double checking the calendar on my wall I nodded to myself seeing that I was right and went back to my thinking, A book maybe?, but I wasn't reading anything before going to bed so that couldn't be it. Humming to myself I bit my lip in thought, was there something I had planed for myself? I think, so? Wasn't I going to ask mother for a book on herbal healing, psychology, and some new fairy tales? Feeling something click in my head I knew I was right.
Groaning I attempted to burrow myself deeper into my bed, no desire to leave the comfortable nest of it. Swallowing some built up spit, I cringed at how dry my throat felt. Like drinking a glass of sand and washing that out with some lemon juice. Smacking my dry lips I sighed and lifted myself upwards and slowly but surly made my way towards my black dresser. As I reached it I notice how my body just felt wrong. Confused I could tell it was nothing like how I felt realizing who I was, but more off-putting. As my body put it self in autopilot my mind was determinedly sifting though all the information drifting in my unorganized mind trying to find what I felt was.
Snapping out of my daze I stared at myself in the mirror, a twisted sense of humor was bouncing around inside me at the semi familiar scene before me. A mini-sized child displaying a deadpanned face, wearing a black oversized sweater and baggy sweat shorts; engulfing her form making her seem even younger then she was. Shaking my head ridding myself of my musings I placed my hand on my stomach, deciding to head to the kitchen to eat something not liking how my stomach felt like a cave-in.
Entering the kitchen I was aware of the befuddlement swirling around inside me as I spotted my grandfather sitting in one of the spare chairs we had for guests, instantly on guard I tried to think of any special occasions that would bring grandfather here. As my brain came up with no reason as to way he would be here my eyes subtlety began to observe my surroundings hoping something would clue me in. Glancing at grandfather more carefully my brain reeled at his smug grin, making a particularly gruesome scar stretch wider, and froze when contented shimmering brown eyes stared straight at me.
The feeling I felt earlier came back at full force making me weak in the knees and experiencing a sudden wave of nausea. I wanted to nothing more then to run like an alien was chasing me with a bloody knife that wanted my kidney. My brain abruptly pushed my current thoughts away and rammed it with the word forbidding, screaming this is what I felt and I should screw it and flee.
Hastily agreeing I tensed my leg muscles preparing to run towards my rooms' bathroom and never leave, when my grandfathers eyes sharpen with warning but his grin never falling from his face. Seeing that and knowing that if I left now there would be hell to pay, I stilled decided running would be a better option, bolting I managed to get to the bottom of the stairs before my grandfather suddenly appeared before me.
"Now, Cherry-tan where do you think you are going?"An amused guttural voice asked.
Letting out a nervous chuckle, I replied,"Oh, you know places grandfather. Although you might want to run along, mother and father didn't look to pleased."
Grandfather let out an amused snort whilst positioning his elbow on my head,"I don't think so Cherry-tan."
Before I could reason with him my world unexpectedly began to distort around me causing my already sick stomach to lurch up to my throat and out my mouth. Landing on my knees I began to dry heave, all the while I frantically tried to push away the nausea before I actually puked, vaguely noticing a calloused hand rubbing circle's on my back and a heated argument above me I took in a deep breath.
Exhaling and Inhaling is what I did for a while to abide the nauseated feeling clouding my stomach, as a couple of minutes passed by I aware of the receding sick feeling. Pulling my eyes away from the tile floor I moved my gaze to the arguing people above me, watching as they threw heated sentences back and forth I tuned into their argument.
"I told you Father-" Mother started to yell waving her hand about.
"Oh don't give me that bullshi-" Grandfather rebuked as he continued to rub my back.
"There is a child here grandfathe-" Father exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air when they ignored him.
"And I told you! Shes going to-" Grandfather added, tsking in annoyance when his daughter bulldozed over him.
"NO SHE WON'T!" Mothers shrilly voice declared, her face red.
"Yes she will! She told me tha-" Grandfather countered, a frown on his face.
"SHE WON'T I DON'T CARE! Kizashi tell him!" Mother fumed, turning to face her husband.
"Dear, please don't brin-" Father tried to appeased, before mother turn backed to face her father.
Perplexed on why they would be arguing about me of all things I tilted my head and decided to moved my body into a sitting position, the arguing instantaneously vaporized into the air as soon as I moved. Feeling awkward I pressed my lips together before opening my mouth.
"Sooo whats up?" I asked leaning back on my hands.
Father moved closer to relaxed form and hastened to say something before mother proceeded to make her way towards me, with a strained smile in place. Moving behind me she firmly placed my body on her lap and began to stroke my hair lovingly, father scooted next to me to and placed his hand in mine. Grandfather stood there staring at us with an emotionless face, taken aback at the weird actions of the people surrounding me, I began to wiggle out of mothers hold.
Managing to get out of her hold I hopped in place trying to gain back my blanch before I interrogating them on why they were arguing and their weird actions.
"Can you tell me whats going on?" I questioned, dusting myself off. Worried when no one answered I continued my sentence,"Did I do something?"
Silence continued to ring about the air, suffocating my airways, feeling my anxiety spike to unmanageable levels my brain frantically searched my head for answers. My body froze with terror, they couldn't know could they?, Did I do anything to give myself away? The terror must of show on my face for Mother was looking pityingly at me along with father. Grandfather steadily stood there but with a shimmer of doubt in his eyes.
Panicking I did the first thing that came to mind, placing a smile on my face, bottling up my emotions, and innocently asking "What?" Mother and father bewilderingly blinked at me causing something inside me to snap, but I made sure that didn't show tucking it away with the rest of my feelings. Grandfather eyes suddenly filled with resolve as he stepped froward.
"You did nothin wrong Cherry-tan," He began, placing his hand on my head,"Your parents and I just had a disagreement."
"Really?" I mockingly asked. Seeing my mother affronted with my tone I hasten to correct it when grandfather interrupted me, patting me on my head.
"Really," He teased back, crouching down to my height he looked me in the eye."But in all seriousness Cherry-tan, we were talking about your education." He revealed, making sure I was listening.
I felt the tenseness and worry lift up off my shoulder hearing his words 'So they didn't find out.' I felt so relived they don't know, 'I'm safe.' Although the thought of school wasn't too pleasant, I love school I really do, its the people I don't like. Mean, rude, and demanding. Especially the little ones, the little hellions, which I would have to learn with, oh joy.
"That doesn't mean you have-ta argue about it." I chided, waving my finger at him like one would do to a misbehaving child.
Throwing his head back he let out guffaws,"HAHAHAHA! Oh god kid you crack me up! I can't breath!"
I felt myself smile at his words,"Don't worry. It's treatable. Being old, though, nothing we can do about that."
Hearing mothers shriek of outrage I turned my head to look at her, her face started to look purple replacing the red from earlier. Father eyes betrayed his outer emotion of displeasure of my words, shining with humor. As grandfather guffaws died down he stood back up and stared at me, feeling his stare I turned back to look at him. Not knowing what grandfather wanted me to do I stared back.
"Sakura," Grandfather began.
Blinking back the shock, I felt myself tilt my head inquisitively, grandfather never uses my given name.
"They didn't like how I signed you up for the ninja academy." he explained, observing me.
My thoughts came to an abrupt stop along with my body, my breath was knocked out of me in shock, it felt like someone punched my abdomen and whacked my head with a cinder block. Before everything started to work again I was aware of how much dryer my throat had become.
"What?!" I asked, my voice an octave higher, setting my throat a flame.
Mother took this chance to come up to my side and placed her hand on my shoulder, I flinched at the sudden movement, running her other hand threw my hair, trying to flatten it.
"You don't have to, sweetheart. Mommy and Daddy can pull you out if you wish." Mother assured.
"Your mothers right," Father voiced, coming up behind me, "Just say the word."
Glancing back at my parents, who seem over joyed at my shock, then to grandfather, who seem displeased. I pondered grandfathers word, ninja academy, why did he sign me up? I showed no real interest in fighting, I never left the house for that matter. What in the blazes was he thinking!, unless it was all the advanced books I read? Could that be it? I suppose so, some were meant for doctors others not. Contemplating the thought of joining the academy, I rubbed my neck. Grandfather did go though the trouble of signing me up, I should go even if I don't become a ninja, 'but he did it with out your permission' a voice whispered.
Yea but he's a busy man and he took time to sign me up but then again you have a point there, think of all the time he wasted to sign you up and your thinking of not going, what a brat another voice whispered.
Maybe, I guess? I dunno know. Maybe I should go? I mean the worse that would happen would be failing the graduation test and not becoming a ninja, not really the end of the world. Sighing I said the words that sealed my unknowing fate.
"I'll join. When you I start, senpai?"