DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS BELOW AND MOST DEFINITELY NOT NARUTO

P.S. THIS STORY WAS INSPIRED BY SEVERAL STORIES I'VE READ IN SO, THANK YOU TO THOSE AUTHORS.

CHAPTER ONE: IT BEGINS

As the thunder battled out in the dark sky, a cry erupted and pierced through the loud clashes. Lightning struck at the perfect moment and flashed through an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing to be seen through that short burst of light, granted by the gods above. Nothing was there. There was no proof that a voice had cried out. And this incident was left as an illusion as the rain continued pouring. After all, there was no one there, nor anyone nearby. And because of this as well, no one would ever notice a piece of paper floating down, as if brought upon by a strong gust of wind. No one...

A few years later...

"Oni-chan! Stop! Onegai! Mummy!" a cute voice bubbled.

"Itachi! Stop bullying Sakura!" a stern voice boomed - most probably a mother's.

Yet, that order went on deaf's ear as the little girl's plead didn't disappear but instead got louder. Sighing, the mother could only watch the innocent and peaceful occurence as her son, Itachi, would never stop unless ordered by his father. The birds were twittering and chirping as the sun was just rising across the horizon, its beautiful beams shining through the quiet cottage. The bamboo stick by the pond created a cluttering sound as water filled it, causing it to tilt downwards and hit the rocks to pour the water into the pond before going up and getting filled again. The process repeated: the bamboo stick tilt downwards to pour the water away, tilted back upwards to get filled with water, then tilted back downwards. It was seriously a serene sight, accompanied by the mother's quiet humming and... the loud screaming of the little girl.

Finally the little girl couldn't stand the weight of her brother's on top of hers and not to mention, his hands which were tickling up and down her sides. Tears poured out of her eyes and she started gasping, struggling to breathe as the continous laughter had hurt her stomach alot. Flashes rushed through her head but before she could even make them out, they were gone. Itachi finally stopped the torture as he watched his little sister heaving in deep breaths. Clutching her stomach, Sakura pushed her brother off her with the last bit of strength before standing up, putting pressure onto her small tiny feet. Glaring at her brother, she turned the other side and stomped her way into the house, trying to breathe evenly as every breathe hurt her like crazy.

As she walked away, her brother couldn't help but notice something on the sole of her feet. Racing to question her about it, he got up but was stopped upon a calling. He brushed off the little suspicion about her sister, convinced that it was just dirt as she was barefooted. Quickly he ran to his father at his call as he knew better than to upset his great almight father. Walking stiffly, he reached his father, saluted him with respect and together they walked off to the field. It was his training time again. Gathering up all his chakra, Itachi blocked out all other nuisances and only concentrated on his father's teaching. He was going to be taught of a new jutsu and learning a new skill is not something he would give up on.

"Okaa-san, oni-chan is practicing with otou-san again! Why doesn't father let me learn too?" questioned Sakura.

The mother looked at Sakura, at her outstanding pink hair and sparkling green eyes. Sakura was innocent now. She would not be introduced to the harsh world once again. She had suffered enough when she was young and the marking on her sole was a reminder. A price was paid and it was not cheap at all. Sakura must never touch the training ground once again. Her chakra must never be bothered or used again. Sakura might not be able to handle it, neither could she. Tempering with her chakra could only cause disaster, unlocking the banned memories. Sakura would only be brought up by one thing - love - and nothing else. But yet, as she looked at Sakura, she felt great regret, wondering if her past decision was correct or not. Maybe, just maybe, by 0.1 that if Sakura could once again master up the arts of genjutsu, ninjutsu and taijutsu then... NO! She couldn't do that, hasn't she learnt?

"Sakura... One day, perhaps... maybe one day... but for now, go and bathe," the mother lied.

Yet, the mother had lied so much in her life that one more white lie didn't bother her at all. She already don't believe in Gods. She had foolishly prayed and prayed last time for the help of Gods but none were replied. If she entered hell or heaven, so be it. She doesn't regret her actions... or does she? With that tiny doubt erased like a virus in a hard disk, she turned away from her daughter and watched through the window, at her son - Itachi - training with her husband. The past will reveal itself, she knew. But that time will be a long, long time if she can prevent it. Unconsciously, a tear slipped out of her eyes and she whispered the forbidden word - Sasuke...

The little girl tossed and turned in her sleep as flashes burned and entered her mind forcefully. Nothing made sense to her but everything seemed so vivid, so real, as if she had taken part in it. Sweat trickled down her face as she thrashed up and down her bed but none of this was noticed as she was pulled way, way back into her mind, playing a real character in her dream... Sakura... Sakura... Sakura...

Turning her head frantically, Sakura tried to search for that familiar and comforting voice. She recognised it, it was... unusually calming. Unexpectedly, people began to form around her and she found herself in some place looking a laboratory. Terrified and pained screams echoed through the whole place but it seems those people there didn't care one bit. The protests were all ignored and little Sakura tried desperately to see what was happening but at 12 years old, she definitely haven't reach her proper height yet. Jumping up and down didn't help either, except causing her untied hair to fall messily over her face. Annoyed, she tried pushing the people away but scared herself when her hand went through their bodies. Gasping like a fish deprived of water, she squirmed out of discomfort and tumbled over her own legs, dropping quite ungraciously onto the floor. Well, at least her initial intentions were answered as she made it through the ' weird and scary people ' as she called them.

Closing her eyes as an immediate response when she fell onto the ground, she didn't realised it and instead mourned and groaned at the pain. Finally, a loud cry reminded her of her surrounding. Taking in a deep breathe, Sakura opened her eyes only to meet with a blinding light. Her eyes burned as her eye receptors couldn't handle such sudden, strong and bright light, closing instinctly in order to prevent further damage to her eyes. Yet in the midst of that occurence, she strongly remembered seeing someone on a table with many ' weird and scary people ' surrounding him or her and... a number on his or her sole.

Trying to reconfirm that what she saw was not an illusion, she opened her eyes again only to be greeted with bright lights once again - this time not painful. Raising her eyebrows in confusion, Sakura surveyed her surrounding and found herself in her own room once again. This bright light was only of the sun, a way of greeting and waking people up. Groaning and scratching her head in confusion, Sakura tried to comprehend what had happened. As innocent as she is, she didn't notice a number on her very own sole as she stood up to wash up.

Her nightmare was soon brought back into her mind as Sakura quarrelled with Itachi again.The father had given up on preventing this as every attempt by both him and his wife only resulted in them wasting their energy. After all, it was a morning ritual for them, to quarrel everyday that is. Yet... today's quarrel caught both him and his wife's attention and their ears perked up to catch and eavedrop of their conversation.

"Hah! You scardy little cat! You were screaming and screaming yesterday! HELP! HELP!" Itachi pretended to be Sakura.

"Hey! I had this really really scary dream! I was at this place where there were many many weird and scary people! And they were like crowding around somebody, and that little poor kid was on the table, begging for help and -

At this, the mother's spoon drop as she heard Sakura's story. The father in contrast, clutched his spoon tighter. The two bickering children stopped their quarrel and look in confusion at their parents' reaction.

"Mama? Papa? What's wrong?"

"Sakura, listen to me girl. Pay very close attention. Those dreams... right... tho...se... dreams...," the mother desperately tried to keep her voice steady," Forget them... they're nothing okay? Listen to me... Do not even think about them. They are fake. Do you understand me, darling?"

Sakura could only nod at her mother's instruction. Yet, she looked at her brother and sent a silent question to him regarding their parents weird behaviour. The answer sent back wasn't very useful as he himself didn't understand a single thing that occured. With that done, the mother quickly left the room where else dad just stood there on his chair, with no movements at all.

"Erm... dad? I'll just go upstairs and play with Sakura, okay?" Itachi asked.

Silence was their answer. The two siblings fidgetted in discomfort and took the silence as a 'yes'. Together, they gathered their plates and left it by the sink, staring at their father as they climbed up the stairs as silently as a mouse. Only when his children were upstairs did the father let go of his tight hold on his spoon. Anguish build up inside him as his heart tore when he heard about Sakura's nightmare. He knew his wife was somewhere, hiding, and most probably crying her hearts out. Yet, now, he couldn't really console and soothe her. He himself had to deal with this new revelation. Steadily, he tried to even his breathing and walked out of the dining room, out of the house. All the while, he was mumbling to himself, " How could this happen again? How come? Why so soon? Why? " His spoon that was bent due to his tight clutch remained on the table. The happy breakfast had turned to quiet solitude and all that could be heard was the sound of the bamboo stick hitting against the rocks.

"Oni-chan... did you know what happened to okaa-san and otou-san just now? They were acting really really funny!" Sakura questioned.

Itachi only grumbled in response, silently agreeing with his sister. What had happened just now? He didn't know that but if he can help it, he would soon! Itachi tried to analyse the whole situation that occured in the dining room just now. The whole house was completely silent now but they heard the door closing as their father went out and also of their mother's sobbing which had quietened down after a while. Rolling onto his back, Itachi looked at his sister at the corner of his eyes. When she had mentioned about her nightmare only did their parents started behaving weirdly. Had what his sister say have any connection to do with it? After all, his mother had instructed her to forget all about it. And trying to pry the information out of Sakura would be hard as his mother gave strict instruction. Ahh... Gods... Itachi felt like banging his head onto the table out of frustation. Why is this happening now? What is happening? Why isn't anybody telling him anything! Feeling like he was going to get a severe headache, Itachi just got up of his bed and went downstairs, leaving Sakura alone in her reverie.

Sakura on the other hand, wasn't doing much better than him either. She was really confused but didn't dare to disturb her brother as she saw him concentrating very seriously. Actually, Sakura was really really curious at her dream now that her mother have told her to forget all about it. She wanted to think about it and start digging through her mind in case of any details that she had missed out but she was scared that mother would be furious. Her parents' reaction to her story wasn't really very pleasing to say the least. Her mother was crying somewhere and her father has gone to god knows where. Her curiousity was killing her but she was an obedient child. If her mama doesn't want her to remember anything, then she won't. The dream would be buried deep inside her mind if it will make her mama happy. Yes, this is her final decision. She will listen to her mama as a good child.

As Itachi reached downstairs, the first thing that came to sight was the abandoned and stale food that was still on the dining table. He had already knew his father was out when he heard the door close just now. But it was his mother that he was scared for. Her crying had subsided but why was she crying? Knowing that his mother would probably be very tired after her emotional outburst, Itachi cleared up the table. He was soon helped by Sakura when she finished her thinking. They looked at each other and shared an understanding. What had occured just now would not be mentioned anymore. They don't want their parents sad anymore and silently they worked together to wash and dry the plates.

It was long after sunset only did their mother appear again. At that time however, Sakura was lying on her bed, deep asleep again. Itachi however was outside, practicing his new jutsu that his father had just taught him the other day. Quietly, their mother joined Itachi, watching him train very hard to master that jutsu he was just taught recently by his father. If she was in her normal mood, she would be really really proud of him and clap her hands at her son's hard work. But she was not. She was tired and very uneased. Currently, the only thing she wanted to do was sleep and that is what she did. As everyone was minding their own bussiness, no one noticed Sakura entering the realm of her dreams again...

I'm here again... Those were the first thoughts on Sakura's head when she saw the laboratory and its people there. Sakura... Sakura... It was that person again. He was calling for her. It was then, did Sakura notice a slight difference between this place and the place she was at yesterday night. This place was larger, about 10 tens the size of the other laboratory. It was just a large spacious room without much decorations but blood spots and stains could be seen staining the walls. There were many beds with a child in each of it. Machines hook onto them, digging harshly into their pale skin and tubes supplied their required nutrients. Yet as Sakura stared at their bodies, she knew that they were starving. Their bodies were stick thin, bones sticking out obviously and many of their hairs had fallen out. People - probably scientists or doctors - were checking up on each child, recording their observations on those boards attached to the beds. The stench there was really revolting as sweat combined with blood and those chemical substances found there.

Yet it was at the other end of this room that caused her to puke the little amount of her breakfast out. Experiments were done on life subjects: humans. Sakura saw it, how they cut through the bodies as they ignore the screams of pain from the kids. Snipping here and there, stitching back, then cutting another area, inserting weird chips into them, then stitching them again - over and over again. Tears strewn down Sakura's eyes as she witness the whole thing, puking out everything until she was as pale as a ghost. Suddenly, she saw the face of the person, it was a girl... As the scientist move out of the way, she saw it, she saw the number on the girl's sole: 4176. And beside the girl, she saw a guy, beside her, also being experimented on. Tears and screams poured out of them but they were all ignored. They both looked at each other and found some comfort. Clutching and squeezing their hands together, they desperately helped to soothe each other. Yet the girl suddenly turned to her direction as if she noticed her. At that moment, Sakura faced a seizure. The girl... looked... she looked... just like... her... Memories rushed into her head, slamming and implanting themselves into her head. Flashes flew through her head and Sakura's eyeball started dilating. Nothing made sense... What was she doing there...

Those memories started to contradict with her very own memories of her past. Wasn't she a happy little kid living with her mama, papa dan Itachi? Who was that other boy? He looked strangely familiar... Sakura... Who are you? What are you doing in my head! Screaming in agony, Sakura's head temporarily shut down itself and all that was left was silence, once again. She didn't know when she woke up, nor when she was taken away from the dream. Her mind hurt so much that she felt like she was living hell. With shaky arms, she grabbed her feet and seen through blurred images, her sole : 4176... It was confirmed... She was that girl... Or maybe... maybe... it was just coincidental. But what the memories had shown her just now... She didn't know what to think anymore. She didn't know who to believe anymore but one thing she did know was... someone lied to her. And that someone could be her parents...

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note

Hey! Tell me if i should continue it or not kays? Thanks for your support. And remember! Leave a review! Sorry if my stories were offensive to some.

-midnightjewel-