AN: I do not own naruto or any of Mashashi-san's other characters or settings. I only own the OC's.

Chapter 1: From Wild to Child

As the gatekeepers stretched in the beautiful spring morning, a small figure emerged from the night shadowed forest. The child was starved thin with oversized rags bound about his body. The waif's long hair was thick and matted with filth. Strapped on his back was an old basket. It was clear to the gatekeepers that the pack was very heavy for the kid. As the child shied closer, the keeper's saw that his right cheek was marred by 4 dark tracks from the low corner of his eye to the jaw line. The scars looked years old but told of a harsh beginning. The undamaged eyes were dark and fearful. Yet, closer and closer, the kid came forward. The teenage gatekeeper noticed that under the dirt and despite the scars, the kid was a major pretty boy. If he wore a dress, he would be mistaken for a girl. The wounded traveler opened his mouth, closed it, then after a moment, a hoarse soprano said

"Excuse me, can you tell me where the hospital is?" The younger gatekeeper was dumbfounded. The kid WAS a girl!

The older guard said kindly to the girl, "You need to sign in, and then Eri can take you".

The girl looked down, ashamed "I can't write".

"That's alright. Just tell me your name and I will write it for you."

"I'm Yoko and my brother is named Sho".

"Brother?" asked the elder keeper having not seen another child emerge from the forest.

Yoko carefully knelt down and slid the large basket off her thin shoulder with a groan of relief. She stood and pulled off the lid. The guards came around the desk and looked inside. The younger keeper, Eri, was heartbroken. A tiny boy was inside, wrapped in many rags. He was much cleaner than Yoko, but his face was a mottled, feverish red. Little Sho gave a horrible coughing gasp.

"My brother is very sick. I need to hurry. He has been like this for three days." Yoko pleaded.

"Eri, take them to the hospital. I'll watch the gate."

The teen carefully picked up Sho and walked quickly away. Yoko put the lid on the basket and threw it its now easy burden over her shoulder, running to catch up with Eri . As soon as the three reached the hospital, Eri shouted "I need a doctor here S.T.A.T!" The receptionist took off.

A stretcher came and Sho was swept away from his sister. Yoko raced after him only to collide with a door that swung open. She toppled to the floor. Yoko covered her eyes as she saw red. Eri came up behind her "Sorry Sakura-chan, I shouldn't have let her run off. Are you okay Yoko? Do you have a black eye? He asked looking at her face just after the red faded from the young traveler's eyes.

"I'm fine. Where are they taking Sho? I need to stay with him".

She scrambled to her feet only to have her light, emaciated frame picked up by Eri."I think you should be looked at too. Most people don't limp when they run."

"But Sho…"

"I'll take a look at you both. Eri, bring her in here." said the woman who opened the door as she walked down the hall into the room her brother had been taken into. Yoko was too tired to struggle or say she could walk. Besides, she liked the way Eri smelled like cinnamon and ginger and something else she couldn't put her finger on. She hadn't been held like this since her parents died.

"Set her on the second bed, while I look at her brother," the doctor said as she opened the curtains; Yoko got her first good look at the woman doctor. Pink hair. Just that shocked her. This woman called, Sakura, had pink hair that was not just any pink, but the same pink as the fairy floss her Mamma had given her once on a festival nights. She is beautiful, this doctor, and gentle too, Yoko thought. As Dr. Sakura unwrapped and examined her baby brother.

The doctor examined the boy with a sad heart. It had been a long time since she had seen anyone in this kind of shape. The child had pneumonia and was malnourished, but both could be fixed with time and care. She looked at the orderly. "I need him bathed and put on antibiotics, and cough medicine".

"Yes doctor."

"No! I'll bathe him" said Yoko. "He doesn't like strange men." Dr. Sakura looked at her, and then looked at the orderly. "Have Nurse Yuki come and bath him in here, behind the curtain." She glanced at the girl, who nodded as the orderly left.

"Eri, please step outside but stay until I notify you."

The gatekeeper bowed and exited the room. The doctor turned to Yoko. "I haven't introduced myself. I'm Sakura." She held out her hand "And you?"

"Yoko Sato and my brother is Sho Sato," Nodding towards where her brother lay on the bed, "I would shake your hand but my hands are…well, I'm dirty"

"You can take a shower in the bathroom, if you like, but can you answer some questions first? I'd be very grateful."

"What questions?"

Sakura noticed the girl glance at the door."Just some general questions, like your birthday, your age?"

"Um, what's today," and Sakura informs her that the date was March 3rd," Well, I was born June 5th, and…. I guess I'm around 13 now." Yoko relaxed. "Sho will be 4 on March 9th."

"Okay". As she jotted down the info on a paper,"Where are you from?"

"A small village near the ocean in the land of Snow." Yoko said, suddenly looking very sad.

"And your parents?" the woman asked, gently.

"They died, years ago." Sakura nodded.

"Why did you travel so far? Do you have relatives here?"

"Not that I know of, but when my Momma died she told me to come here if…,"Yoko stopped, her face shutting down like shutters over a window. Suddenly she was being hugged.

"I understand. Thank you. Why so don't you go clean up and I will find you some clothes. If you need anything just press the button on the wall and I'll be back to look at your leg or anything else that hurts in a little while." She looked the girl in the eyes for the first time and had an odd feeling she had seen them before. "Okay?"

"Hn…Okay" Yoko said and with that Sakura left to talk to Eri.

Yoko watched as the Yumi girl (for she couldn't be more than 15) washed her brother. Then knowing Sho was in safe hands, she slipped into the bathroom and saw herself for the first time in months.

She hoped the mirror lied, but it could was a mess. She quickly got in the shower. At first it was way too hot, being used to streams, in winter, but after a while, it was heaven. All of the muscles in her body let go of years of tension. She let out a groan of mixed pleasure and relief, then grasped the soap and watched as the water at her feet grew black, then grey, and finally crystal clear.

She looked at her arms, not surprised to find that what she thought was a tan, was actually dirt. She shivered when she stepped out into the foggy room. Yoko went to the mirror and swiped her hand across the surface. There you are Yoko, glad to see you. Then there was a loud knock at the door. Panicking, she looked around for her filthy clothes, but they were gone. In their place was a night gown and panties.

Sakura had been gone for twenty minutes. When she got back, she was surprised. Where a filthy toddler once was, there sat a beautiful brown eyed little boy. The nurse in training was cutting his matted blond hair, to a reasonable, bowl cut. She smiled to herself "He looks like a little Lee.

"Thank you, Yuki. Will you see if the kitchen has their food ready?"

Then Sakura quietly took the night gown into the bathroom. The Dr. couldn't see the girl through the mud splattered glass. She set the clothing on a chair. She gingerly picked up the filthy rags Yoko had been wearing for clothes and had them labeled for spent the next half an hour feeding and singing to Sho, and gently placing an IV into his arm. Sho, warm and content at last, fell asleep Sakura heard the water in the bathroom stop, she waited for 15 minutes, and then knocked on the door.

She heard scrambling, then a quiet voice say "Yes?"

"Yoko, it's Sakura, may I come in?" she waited.

"Sure"

She stepped in and stopped dead in her tracks. Sho's transformation was nothing compared to was a beautiful young lady. The mud had hidden her porcelain skin and long dark hair. She was long of limb and graceful in her , her hair was all tangles. She was obviously more starved than her brother, and of course had the tracks on her cheek.

Yoko shifted uncomfortably under the doctor's gaze. Sakura brought her into the other room and she was horrified to see a tube in her brother's arm. Sensing the girl's distress, Sakura sat her down in the next bed and started brushing Yoko's hair while she explained "Yoko, both you and your brother are obviously starving and Sho is sick. The I.V. will help him get better soon."

"I've never liked hospitals" Yoko sighed as she nodded her understanding. "But Sho is so sick that I had to bring him here."

"You did the right thing, but now can I help you?" Yoko turned to Sakura with a puzzled look on her face. Sakura placed a hand on the girl's brow and sent out chakra, recognizing and healing the signs of old wounds throughout her system as she went.

"You have a sprained ankle, but that is easily fixed." The doctor came around the bed and placed her glowing green hand on Yoko's ankle. After a few moments of warmth, Yoko got up and tested her foot. When no pain came, she smiled and said "Thank you".

"Now that you're better, I'd like to talk to you." Sakura said in a serious tone, as she continued brushing the girl's hair. "I need to know what you plan to do when Sho and you are well.

The girl stayed silent. "The village can pay for the hospital bill, but if you stay in the Hidden Leaf Village, you're going to need a place to stay and a job". The girl was shocked "But I'm only 13.

"So?"

"Well….in my home region, girls can't get jobs if they are under 20. Is it not the same here?"

"No, here in Konoha, kids can get jobs as young as 13 if they're civilian non-combatants or they start taking missions at 11 if they're ninja.

"Really?" Yoko asked, surprised by this new bit of information,"That's good because I hope to stay here." Yoko went deep in thought. What if no one wants to hire a monster? Though out loud she asked, "What if I can't find a job?"

Sakura considered the girl, and her words, for a moment before she gave her reply." Well I'm sure that if you do not want to become a ninja and you are unable to find other means of employment, the Hokage will find something for you. He's very kind and loves to help others when he can."

"I thought the Lady Tsunade was Hokage." Yoko said. Even in the far reaches of Snow, Lady Tsunade's exploits, and her temper, were well known.

Sakura smiled brightly," Yes, she was. Tsunade-shisou retired 2 years ago and now Naruto, one of my best friends is Hokage. Naruto is like a brother to me and I know he will do what he can to help you if you need him to." Yoko wondered briefly at the title and familiarity that Sakura had for Lady Tsunade but her wonderings were quickly pushed aside at the mention of Naruto.

"Naruto? As in Naruto UZUMAKI? THE Naruto who defeated Madara Uchiha and ended the great shinobi war?" Yoko exclaimed, panic seeping into her voice at the thought of HIM.

Sakura, mistaking Yoko's panic for awe, tried to reassure the girl. "Yes, but don't let that fool you. He's really a great guy if not a bit of a goofy idiot; I've known him for years now. And he knows what it is like to be alone in this world. And he loves kids. You two will get along famously I imagine," she said while petting the girls now tangle free hair. It really was a beautiful color, a brown so dark it was almost black with a burnished red color in it when the sunlight struck it in a certain way. Yoko was silent for a long moment as she processed this new turn of events even though her mind and emotions were still in turmoil.

"What is it like here in Konoha?" She asked Sakura, changing the subject to something a bit safer. Sakura began telling her about Konoha and eventually Yoko drifted off to sleep.

Sakura spent her lunch hour for the next several days with Yoko and Sho, telling them all about Konoha, herself, Naruto, and whatever else they were curious about. Then, on Sho's birthday she came in with a cake and presents for Sho. Sakura's actions touched Yoko so deeply that tears fell from her eyes before she could stop them. Wiping them away before Sakura saw them, she smiled at the obvious joy on Sho's face. He had never had a real birthday party before. Their parents had died before he had had the chance. Yoko knew then that Sakura was someone that she could trust, but she was not ready to let herself get firmly attached to the mednin. The trio had a wonderful time eating cake and watching Sho open his presents, and listening to Sakura tell stories from when she was a young genin. Before Sakura left, she caught Yoko's attention, "You know, I've been thinking about what you guys will do when you get out of the hospital; about where you might stay until you get on your feet as it were. And I talked with my husband and we decided that, if you were okay with it, you could come and live with us for a while."

Yoko sat there on her hospital bed stunned. How could she not love this woman, who without even the slightest hesitation offered her hope for the future? For the second time that day, tears fell from her eyes. She sprung up off of her bed and squished Sakura into a humongous bear hug. "I would … I mean Sho and I would be honored and grateful to come and stay with you for a while." And they stood there holding on to one another for a few minutes more before Sakura had to get back to work.

The weeks pass and Sho is getting much better. Sakura says that he will be able to be released in just a few short days. Over the intervening weeks, Yoko has been released from hospital care though she still shares a room with her brother while he is recuperating and Sakura has ascertained that there are no suitable clothes for the children in the basket that they came to the hospital with.

"We are going to have to get you and Sho some decent clothes for when he is released from the hospital." She said to Yoko." How about you and I go out into the village and go shopping for something decent. That way you'll both have clothes and you will get a general feel for the life in the village. What do you think?"

Yoko paused and unconsciously her hand drifted to the ragged, dark scars on her cheek. "No I don't think that's a very good idea. What if something happens to Sho while I'm gone, "she says, though she knows nothing is likely to happen in such a short span a time.

Sakura notices how Yoko's hand touched her scars. I wonder if I could…. Lightly she touches Yoko's arm,' Yoko would you let me try something? I promise it won't hurt you at all. Will you trust me?" After a minute or so of silence, Yoko nodded her consent. Sakura began emitting her healing chakra and ran her fingers slowly down the girl's scars starting just below her eye and ending just under her jaw line. Yoko stiffened and just as she began to speak, Sakura cut her off, "Just trust me, okay?" Sakura continued making passes over the scars with her fingers glowing green and gradually Yoko relaxed under the touch. When she stopped, Sakura took Yoko's hand and lead her to the bathroom. "Look."

Yoko gasped at what she saw in the mirror. The scars were almost non-existent now. The only part of them that you could see was right beneath her eye and they were so faint that you could mistake them for birthmarks if you didn't already know the story behind them or that they were really scars. Yoko looked up at Sakura, her mouth almost brushing the floor ."I noticed how you touched your face when I mentioned going out into public. I figured I could remove the scars pretty easily so that maybe you wouldn't be as self conscious about being seen by people." At Yoko's continued silence, Sakura hurried on." Are you angry with me? Should I have just let them be?"

"NO," Yoko shouted. Sobbing, she threw her arms around Sakura. "No I'm… I'm not angry. Thank you. Thank you so so much."

So Sakura brought Yoko some clothes to go shopping in and they had a great time. A few days later, Sho was released from the hospital and in new clothes, walking hand in hand with Sakura, they made their way towards Sakura's home and a new life.

AN: Please read and review. I have lots more to the story but i will only post more if i have positive feedback. Honest opinions and constructive critisism welcome. No flames please! :)