"RELEASE!" Nothing. "Hn." This isn't right. It must be genjutsu. It has to be. "RELEASE!" Still nothing. This is trouble. The pink haired women sighed in defeat, and silently willed for someone, anyone to wake her up…

Sasuke….

"Where did you send her?"

"Only time will tell..." Orochimaru smirked and simultaneously his tongue peeked out and licked around his lips.

"You have always been so cryptic. Why then?" Sasuke, as emotionless as ever, was in no mood to play around with his teacher. He didn't want to admit it, but he was actually concerned for his former female teammate. Sakura was the epitome of selfless, at least she was now. She had grown immensely in her travels to find him.

"Her love for you will not change anything, in this time period. But, perhaps, in another… She may alter the very reality we stand in. Or, she was simply sent into a long, spiraling vortex. Kinjutsu comes with a lot of trial and error, my friend."

"I'm not your friend." Sasuke turned his back on Orochimaru and sauntered off to the training grounds. This doesn't sit well with him. But, was a former teammate more important to Sasuke than his immense need for power?

She's aware that she is in Konoha, but it's different somehow. Not only that, but she was just face-to-face with Sasuke and Orochimaru. None of this makes sense. She has become very familiar with genjutsu during her training. Even when Sasuke had thought he had knocked her out that day he left, she was actually just pretending. There was no way Sakura would allow the love of her life to walk through those gates alone. The Kunoichi gained strength that day that she never knew would awaken. She crossed the Konoha border and stuck true to her word. She would help Sasuke avenge his clan.

She closed her eyes, and attempted to center herself. She feels different, too… Weaker, perhaps. This just is so wrong, and she can't pinpoint why. She must go to the Hokage immediately. Even if it is just a genjutsu illusion, she needs to cover all steps so she doesn't waste time. She hasn't seen anything extremely out of the ordinary, yet.

Sakura runs down the streets, but she can't help and feel like she's getting nowhere… She looks down at herself, finally, and nearly falls to the ground. Her legs. There are so small… What? The small pink haired child clumsily stands up and runs to a shop that has a window. No, no, no… What is this?

There, in the reflection of the window, was the child replica of Sakura. This wasn't right. She had just turned 14. She retraced her memories for a time she looked like this. The beginning of academy days… She was 6-7 years old, presumably… But, why? What was all of this for?

The streets of Konoha became busier during her sudden realization, and the villagers couldn't help but take notice to her. The pink hair itself stood out, but some grew curious for other reasons. What could have possibly horrified a child that was simply standing in the middle of a Konoha street? Sakura took notice of this, and couldn't help but ponder why this all felt so real. What was Orochimaru playing? Or, did Sasuke put her in a genjutsu without her knowing? Not possible, she hadn't seen him activate his Sharingan at all. She shook her head, composed herself, and continued running for the Hokage's office.

On her seemingly longer journey, in this body, she pondered which Hokage would be there. Sakura assumes it would be Lord Third considering her age. If only she could fully see the mountain from her- just around the corner….

Yep, Tsunade's face is missing; therefore, she was right. She realized, sadly, she did miss her mentor. Sakura was aware she would before she abandoned her life in Konoha, but she also knew that a life without Sasuke was an empty one..

Her thoughts seemed to stop when she realized, with relief on her face, that she made it to the Hokage Tower. Now, she braced herself for the long winding stairs to the office. Did she ever make this trip as a child? It's quite troublesome.

Her minds race just as fast as her little legs. Pink hair begins to stick to her forehead from a slight sweat, but she made it. She is finally at the door of the Hokage's office. She lightly knocks, and waits patiently for a response. A muffled 'come in' comes from the other side of the door. That's her signal, and she opens the door to step in. Only she doesn't step in. She stares in shock from the doorway. She wasn't right.

"Is everything okay?" True concern was written across this man's face, and it absolutely warmed her heart despite her shock…. Wait? What is she thinking? Where is she?

"Lord…. Fourth?"

This was a short chapter. Just a bit of a test run, and a last minute idea! Please, review and let me know what you think! I'm writing the second chapter now, since I'm having a great writer flow. ;D