It was years ago when I finally reached Anbu. My father and mother were so proud of me because I was the youngest. Never before had a thirteen year old achieved this level but it was expected from me. I mean I was an "Uchiha." Oh how I hated that saying. My brother became very jealous of me though and I hated it. I never wanted to hate me. It was all my families' fault though. They pushed me to become something I didn't really want to be, and so quickly.
A few months went by and I was walking home through the forest after one of my solo missions. As I passed one of the trees I heard cries that were trying to be prevented. I looked to my left to see a dark hole underneath the tree. I still heard the soft cries of pain. A small foot slipped a little into the light and I smirked to myself behind the mask. I kneeled down and placed a hand on the trunk of the tree that was oddly cold and the other into the darkness of the hole.
"It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you. Come on out." I said as kindly and softly as I could.
I saw a hand slowly come into the light as another small one grabbed onto my gloved hand. I tugged on the small limb to help them out of the hole. A small child with pink hair came crawling out from under the old tree. I took my hand off the tree and placed it underneath her chin. Slowly raising it her grip on my hand became tighter. Emerald green eyes that were full of sadness and tears stared at my mask. Red puffiness surrounded those beautiful orbs of hers and matted hair framed her face.
She sat there on her knees trembling with fear. She began scooting back from me. I figured it had something to do with my mask. I slowly brought one hand up and pulled off the falcon mask. I set it on the ground and it looked as if she was more relaxed. I wanted her to gain trust in me so I slowly brought my hand behind me and went into my pack. I pulled out a kunai and instantly she became even more frightened than before. Her tension relaxed when I handed it to her.
I'm shure she had no idea how to use it but it gave her a chance to protect herself. She held it with both hands and pressed it against her chest. Her shaking I noticed was subsiding greatly. I went back to studying her face. Not only was it tear stained but is also had drips of blood splattered around it. I looked to her little shoulders to see more traces of blood and her close were ripped. The dress she wore was completely covered it blood in the front and was ripped in many different places. A few bruises were placed aimlessly on her arms combined with dirt.
I gently brushed some hair from her face. I figured it must have been pretty annoying to deal with. I looked down at my mask and ripped one of the red ties off. I used it to pull all her hair back except for the bangs into a low ponytail like mine.
"Sakura." She said very quietly and shyly.
I looked at her questioningly and then looked behind me. There stood a large Sakura tree fully in bloom.
"No. My name is Sakura."
I looked back towards her. She had a sweet shaky voice that was pleasing to the ears. I had to admit I loved the sound of children's laughter and I wanted to hear hers. I nodded my head and grabbed for the mask. I tied the last remaining red tie to my pants and gently placed my hands under her arms and lifted her while standing. I placed her on my hip. She was a small scrawny little girl that looked about the age of my brother but she was skinner. She had probably not eaten it a while.
Her small fragile arms wrapped around my neck. I could feel the kunai lightly touching my shoulder. Her head was pressed in the crock of my neck. It was then I realized how cold she was. She felt as cold as ice and it worried me a bit.
I guessed she didn't care where I took her as long as it was away from where she was. I came to that conclusion when she didn't ask when I was a great distance away from where we meet. Her tears hade then completely subsided and her breathing was easy. The forest around me was quiet and the moon shown threw various trees.
I caught a glimpse of metal and immediately reacted. I set Sakura down on the ground and stood in front of her to make shure she wouldn't get hurt. A kunai was thrown at me and I quickly blocked it with my own. Two men came out of the bushes. Usually I wouldn't have any problems with them but I was tired and running low on chakra. On top of that I now had someone to protect, someone that was depending on me.
I ran towards them but went past them. They obviously had no interest in a little girl so I wasn't so worried. I turned my head to see them right behind me, and that was something I was grateful for. More kunai's were thrown at me. I pivoted my foot in the ground and deflected them. One of them charged at me as the other waited for his turn. I threw my kunai at him and I hit him right in the neck. The next one came at me and I reached in my pack for another kunai.
There was just one problem though; my last kunai was in the hands of the little girl. He lunged at me and I grabbed onto his wrist to keep him from hitting me with his weapons. I ended up loosing my footing and fell onto the floor with him above me. I felt like my life was going to end. I couldn't get my feet unstuck to kick him off.
Just then his body went limp and worm liquid dripped down onto me. I pushed him off and sat up to see Sakura standing there with a bloody kunai in her hands. Slowly tears rolled down her face. Tiredly I pulled her into my embrace. I wiped away her tears and whispered soft soothing words to her until she calmed back down. I stood up with her in my arms and realized she still held the kunai. I gently took it from her and threw it into a tree. I jumped into that very tree and quickly made my way home.
By the time I reached the front gates of the Uchiha estate she had been asleep for some time. I smoothly walked in as people began setting up their shops for the day. Many if not all stared at me in confusion. I ignored them all and made my way to my home.
I stood at my front door wondering how I would open it. Sakura lay in both my arms and I didn't want to wake her for something so simple. I began trying to shift her to my hip when the door quickly opened. I was surprised to see my little brother awake and then began wondering the time. The sun was now coming out so it must have been around six or so.
"Hi nii-San!" He said perkily.
"Shh Sasuke. Don't be so loud."
I guessed my parents heard us and came walking in the room.
"Why must he be quiet?" Asked my mother in her motherly voice. And then she noticed the small child in my hands. She placed her hands over her mouth as she gasped.
"Whose the girl?" Commanded my father more than asking.
"Her name is Sakura. I found her underneath a tree on my way home."
"What happen to her?" He commanded again.
"I don't know yet. All I know is that she's very scared and was trying to run from something."
"Hn. Take her to the Hokage after she gets cleaned up and all."
"Hai."
I started walking to my room and felt Sasuke on my heals.
"Sasuke go get me a damp wash cloth." I said as I placed her on my bed.
I noted how he quickly ran out of the room. I went to my dresser and took my brush off of it. I picked her up and set her on my lap. I pulled out the ribbon and softly stroked the brush through her long pink hair. By the time I finished my brother was returning. He did return with a washcloth but also with a tuba ware bowl full of hot water. I watched as he slowly walked up to me trying not to spill.
He finally made it to me and slid the bowl onto my side table. I pulled out the cloth ringed it out and took it to her fragile skin.
"What happened to her?" Sasuke asked watching me.
"I don't know. But when she wakes don't bother her about it. Ok?"
"Hai."
My mother then appeared in the doorframe.
"Are you done washing her?"
"Almost."
"When you're done get out."
"Huh?"
"She may be young but she's still a girl. So scoot your boots." She said walking up to me.
"But I'm not done yet."
"That's ok I'll just finish instead. Now go on. Get out of the room." She said pushing the both of us out of the room and shutting the door behind us.
I stood against the wall with Sasuke sitting next to me waiting for my mother to come out of the room. She emerged with the bowl and the clothing Sakura was previously wearing. I began thinking that she was laying on my bed with nothing on. My mother looked at me in confusion.
"You can go in now. She's wearing one of your shirts."
I walked into see her curled up in a ball. The t-shirt she wore fitted like a dress. I figured she still wore her underwear from before underneath.
When she woke up later that day she seemed happy to see me. She immediately crawled out of the bed and ran up to me. She climbed on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. I put my book down and wrapped my own arms around her.
"I'm glad you're awake. How are you feeling?"
"Good." She said with a big smile.
"Come on. I need to take you to see the Hokage." I said getting up with her still in my arms.
"Who's the Hokage?"
"You'll see when we get there."
"Ok." She said jumping down.
She ran up to the door and was about to open it. The door opened before she could garb a hold of the knob. My mother once again stood in the doorframe. She held in her hand a small blue t-shirt and camy colored shorts.
"Here sweetie you can wear these." She said holding them out to her.
When she came back out of my room the outfit kind of looked like Sasuke's only a little different. It was a long sleeve shirt with slits on the upper part of her arms. And the shorts were longer that his.
"These shoes at the door for you. Itachi take good care of her. Don't let her get hurt."
"Yes mom I know." I said while holding out my hand to her. She gladly took it and we made out way out of the house.
I stepped out of the house with her glued onto my hand with both of hers. I had a slight grin on my face as we made our way out of the estate while my brother sat on the porch with a frown. Oh how he wanted to come with us.
"Mister what's your name?"
"Itachi Uchiha."
"Uchiha? Do you know who Madara is?!" She said excitedly
"I know of him. He died some hundred years ago."
"Oh. He did?" She said becoming sad for some reason.
I figured because it had to do with the fact that there was a death. I never put too much thought into it. I decided to stop at the local park before taking her to the Hokage.
"Hay how bout some ice cream."
"Ice cream? What's that?"
"You've never heard of ice cream?"
She shook her head no.
"Well then that means were getting some. It's at that cart over there."
She let go of my hand and ran towards it. I noticed that her hair was pulled back again and it was with that same red tie. I quickly caught up to her and picked her up. She laughed as I held her upside down.
"You know I could have gotten you something better to hold you hair up with."
"No I like this ribbon!"
When I put her down she clasped her hands over it.
"Alright if you want."
I walked up to the small roll away cart with her holding onto the baggy part of my pants.
"What flavor do you want?"
"Flavor? What flavors are there?" She said getting on her toes and holding the edge trying to see the top of the counter.
"Here."
I picked her up and placed her on my hip as she looked down into the freezer.
"What's that one?" She said quickly and excitedly.
"Chocolate."
"That one?" She said slower than the last time.
"Mint."
"Bleeh! That sounds grouse. What's that one?!"
"Rambo sherbert. Not my personal favorite. It looks like it should be good but its not. Well to me any ways."
"I want that one! Its pretty!"
"O.K. I warned you. One small Rambo Sherbert, and a small chocolate."
"Coming up." Said the ice cream man.
He handed one to Sakura as I placed the money on the counter and then I grabbed my own. I walked over to a bench and out of the corner of my eye I saw her bite a rather large chunk out of the ice cream. Her eyes went big and then she slapped her hand onto her forehead.
"Ow ow ow. Ice cream hurts." She said as I placed her down on the bench.
"No it's the way you ate it. You're not supposed to bite it especially a large bite. You're supposed to lick it. Because you bit it you now have a brain freeze from the coldness."
"Oh."
I sat down next to her and watched as she licked it this time. A look of disgust was then placed on her face.
"Don't like it."
"Mm mm." She said shaking her head.
"I told you, you wouldn't like it. Here take mine." I said handing it out to her. "Most people prefer chocolate."
"But what about you? If I take yours you won't have one."
"That's ok. I don't need it. So here." I said taking hers and replacing it with mine.
"It looks like poo."
"Hehe. Yes, yes it dose. Just try it."
A kid with his mother was walking by. He was crying because apparently he wanted some ice cream. I slipped the cone in his hand and saw a grin spread on his face his mother completely oblivious. I turned my attention back to Sakura to see her happily enjoying he own cone.
I leaned back and looked to the sky. It was a beautiful blue sky. I closed my eyes and let the sunrays hit my flesh. I seemed to have lost time for I felt pressure on my lap. I looked down to see Sakura curled up with her head on my lap. The ice cream no longer present, except for the small amount on her face. She opened one eye and looked up at me. I pulled out on of the napkins that the ice cream man gave me and wiped her face. When I was done vibrant green eyes looked at me with a great big smile.
"Come on. We have to get going."
"To where?"
"The Hokage remember."
"Oh yeah!" She said jumping off.
I stepped outside of the doors and let them close behind me. Inside Sakura still sat on one of the chairs in front of the Hokage waiting for her new parents to arrive. I remember her smile faded once she found out she was no longer to be living with me. She tried protesting by hanging onto my arm and yelling at the top of her lungs. After some long talking she finally gave in. She sat down in the chair and had a pout placed upon her face. I kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
I remember she had the same classes as Sasuke and he would always tell me that the order of high students was him and then her. I always wondered who she once was and what happened to her, but I never got the chance to ask. I soon joined the Akatsuki and began my life a new.
It was years later, six actually and I was sent on a mission to Konaha to capture the kubii. I sat in a tree with Kisame by my side looking down at the loner boy. He was waiting for something or someone. My guess his team. My brother walked onto the bridge and stod next to the blond. They looked at each other, scoffed, and turned their heads the other way.
Inside I chuckled seeing as Sasuke had a rival. Naruto or Kubii all of a sudden seemed to get excited. He raised his hand in the air and waved it vigorously.
"Sakura-Chan!" He yelled.
My eyes turned round as I turned my head to see a twelve-year-old Sakura walk up to the two boys.
"Ne Sasuke-Kun do you want to do something after our mission today."
"I'll do something with you Sakura-Chan."
"Shut it Naruto!" She said and hit the top of his head.
"Soo…"
"No."
"Oh. Ok."
She turned around and leaned on the opposite side of the bridge. She looked out in front and I it looked as it she was trying to focus on something. I looked in the same direction to see nothing and I started to think she was seeing us. When I looked back at her she began falling over the bridge. When she contacted with the water the two jumped to their feet.
Naruto ran to the edge and started looking for her from there. Sasuke on the other hand immediately jumped in after her. He emerged moments later a little ways down with her draped in his arms. He made his way to shore where Naruto quickly joined him. Her arms were locked around his neck and a look of pain was placed on her face.
"Some help you were dope."
"Gahh! Sasuke!"
There was a cloud of smoke next to them and out emerged Kakashi the copy nin. He placed his hand on her head and channeled his chakra, instantly her face relaxed and her grip loosened to nothing.
"Kakashi-Sensei what's wrong with Sakura-Chan? Why dose this keep happening to her?"
"Its nothing dope. Leave her alone." Sasuke said walking away.
"Hay where are you going with her?!"
"Don't worry about it."
I motioned for Kisame to stay and watch Naruto as I followed the other two. Sasuke entered into an apartment door and continued down the hall. He opened up another door and laid sakura down on the pink covers. He brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. He left the room and let the door shut behind him. I looked into the window next to hers to see him enter the room.
It was another bedroom that was decorated by his liking. He laid down on the bed and pulled a book out of the side table. It was then I realized they were living together and that something must have happened to Sakura's adopted parents. When I left something bad had happened.
I was forced to rejoin with Kisame and we ended up not completing the mission. It's now been ten years since I've seen or heard of her. And to be honest the thought of her hasn't really crossed my mind. Until now that is.