10th Century Japan
Sakura stood at the foot of the Fuji River. Its fast currents had always intrigued her. She glanced up at Mt. Fuji. It's peak snow covered almost resembling powdered sugar. It was the middle of winter. The cold whether made Sakura's nose look like a juicy cherry, and the gusts of wind sent the sleeves of her furisode flying. Her furisode was a light green, it had white flower petals and was tied with a white obi. She sighed and looked around for her guest. He was supped to be here. He knew she had to hunt. She was hungry and was going to leave soon. An hour is long enough she thought to herself. I have to go or else I'll be to tired to hunt- Her train of thought was broken by the rustle of leaves behind her. She gripped her gunpai and turned to face her visitor. She relaxed when she saw the samurai walking toward her.
He removed his helmet to reveal ebony hair and obsidian eyes. He looked at the women in front of him and frowned. "Why do wear a furisode if you are mine?"
Sakura blushed 3 shades of red "No one knows except for you and your servants."
"Well, the war is over. We have won, so know I will tell my clan of us, and you will tell yours."
"Will we tell them what we are?"
"Why wouldn't we?"
"Well, they won't believe us for one, and they might shun us."
"Then we'll run away and elope, with the servants of course."
"Oh Sasuke-kun."
"What? You don't want to?"
"No! I do… It's just… well… Where are we going to go?"
"Does it matter? As long as we're together who cares."
"Ok… I suppose."
"You're hungry." Sasuke said as he looked into the water. "Why didn't you eat?"
"I was waiting for you."
"Hn. I'm returning back home, I'll tell my parents of our engagement. And of what we are."Sasuke turned and begen to walk away."Sakura, go hunt." And with that Sasuke was gone.
Sakura began walking to the forest. They won't ubderstand She thought. No one ever does. She walked into a the outscurts of a small village. There she sat and took out a a flute of gold. She put the flute to her lips and began to play a melody. Slowly the tune became faster. Soon a young man stumbled out of his home. He looked almost hypnotized as he swayed toward Sakura. She smirked as he stood before. She stood up and slowly took off her furisode. Don't want to get it dirty. With it off she was only in her undergarments. She ran her fingers through the mans tresses of brown hair. She pulled his head back and kissed his neck. She could feel his pulse from his jugular vein. She licked it, and began to nibble. She heard him moan and knew that her little spell was wearing off. She realesed her fangs bit down into his neck. The feeling of the blood running down her own was wonderful. The warm liquid tasted fantastic, much beter than that putrid animal blood.She sucked and bit until the young man was as dry as a raisin. Sakura then dragged him into a clearing where she burned his body. She walked back over to the river and cleaned herself off. Putting on her furisode she closed her eyes. Seconds later the only sign of life in the clearing was a tuft of feathers.
0o0o0o0o0
Sakura woke up to sounds of her village screaming. She bolted up and ran outside to se a scene of pure pandemonium. Children, adults, and even elders were running rampant. Buildings were on fire and livestock was every where. Sakura looked up to the palace in the center of their village to see it a blaze. She bolted towards it. Sasuke-kun…She kept runnning until she reached the stairs and then stopped. It stunk of burning flesh. She looked around to see the guards sprawled across the steps. Naruto…
She ran into the main entrance and saw the palace grounds in disaray. She also the archers that sat along the palace walls scattered everywhere. TenTen…
BOOM! She turned to see the main guard tower explode.Neji…
Then she remembered her true purpose. She started for the main room in the palace. She busted through the double doors to bodies. But not just bodies, Uchiha bodies. Her eyes drifted up to the front of the room, there she saw the emporer and emporess.Fugaku, Mikoto…She continued to search the palace for Sasuke. She had to find him. If she didn't she would surely die.
"SAKURA-SAN!"
Sakura turned to see a pale beauty in a tsukesage. Her long black hair reached her waist, and her eyes wer the color of the moon.
"Hinata? I…What…Why…?"
" No time, we must leave." Hinata demanded grabbing Sakura by the sleeve of her furisode. Together they ran out of the palace at the front gate they saw Naruto, and Tenten standing waiting for them. Both of them looked beaten and tired.
"Come on. We must leave." Neji said as he ran over with three horses.
"NO! I can't! Sasuke-kun…He…I…no…" Sakura fumbled for words as she watched the palace crumble.
"Sakura-chan,"Naruto started, "They know what we are. They want us dead. We have to leave."
"But Sasuke-kun! He can't be…"
"Does it matter?" Tenten asked. "Do you think he wants you to burn to death like he did?"
Sakura shook her head.
"Then lets go."
Tenten got onto her horse and rode off. Neji and Hinata followed on their horse. Naruto mounted his steed and helped Sakura up. She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked back at their village. It was destroyed. Gone forever. She felt the engagemant ring on her finger. Tears soon followed.
21st century United States.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Sakura groped her alarm and read the time. It read 4:30. She sat up and wiped her eyes. Today she was going on the big senior trip to Japan. Oh how she didn't want to go! She wanted to stay home and mope. But no, Hinata had to go back home! Stupid girl. And here she was at four in the fucking morning packing for a trip she was being forced to go on.
She opened her closet and stared at her clothes. She grabbed 4 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of shorts, 6 skirts and 2 sundresses. Underclothes and socks were carelessly thrown in her bag as well. Then she saw it. The furisode she had worn the night before the massacre. The silk was undamaged and still shimmered like new. She hadn't worn it since last, but then again she hadn't been to Japan since that night. No, Tenten and Neji left to Italy where they led happy lives. Of course when you're a vampire life can only be so happy. And they were soon found out and burned alive. That left Hinata, Naruto and herself. All of which had fled to England and stayed in hiding until they left on the Mayflower to America. There they lived in the colonies and went to live on the west coast during the gold rush. There they had stayed until 1980 where they moved to West Virginia. Which was where they presently lived.
Sakura looked at herself in the mirror. God did she look like shit in the morning. She stomped into her bathroom and took a short shower. After brushing her teeth and drying herself off Sakura grbbed her outfit for the day. A red tube top and a pair of ripped and tattered blue jeans. Her hair once flowing and reaching her waist was now shoulder length and held out of her face by a white hair band. She laced up a pair of white Converse and checked the time. 5:30. Naruto should be here any minute, she thought. She shoved all her toiletries into a bag and threw on some eye liner, mascara and lip gloss. Finally she stared at her engagement ring. She put it on her right hand, grabbed her bags, and trudged out to the front of the house. One month in Japan, I never thought I'd be going back. I wonder if the cranes still dance as elegantly before, or-
"Sakura-Chan! Let's go. The plane leaves at 7:00!"
Sakura looked up to see Hinata yelling out of the passenger side window of Naruto's car. "Okay, I'm coming." Sakura walked over to the car and was barely able to stuff her luggage into the trunk. Sometimes having the sleekest BMW in town had its downfall. After that she jumped into the back of the car and they were off.
"So are you excited?" Hinata asked.
"No. I told you I'm only going because you two are." Sakura replied bitterly.
"You know, you never saw his grave." Naruto nearly whispered.
"Yeah…But…I…Well…It's…"
"We're going to see it when we get there."
"You may be, but not me."
"Why not! You were his fiancé."
"Yes, but I don't think I can handle it."
"You gotta do it sometime."
"I'll think about it."
Naruto just shook his head.
0o0o0o0o0
There were 3 things Sakura hated in this world: Werewolves, Barbie, and traveling in groups. Right now she was experiencing the latter of the three. Not just traveling in groups, but with people she didn't even know! I mean of the amount of money they paid for this trip and they couldn't rent like a private jet! And here she sat with her carry on bag in her lap and some old lady next to her. At least she had the window seat. After the plane took off Sakura reached in to her pocket took out her iPod. Maybe music would calm her down. Well that was the plan until a flight attendant asked her to put her carry on away. Sakura shook her and pulled it closer to her. The flight attendant looked at Sakura and simply shrugged. There is no way in hell I'm putting this down. She unzipped her bag and looked inside it. There folded elegantly was an Iromuji. It was all black with a red obi. On top of that was her gunpai. And under it was her white Uchikake. Finally, in the very corner of her bag was her gold flute, now lacking its luster No way in hell.0o0o0o0o0
When they arrived in Japan the students were sent to their hotel rooms, and then were free to roam around Tokyo until 8:00 for dinner. The hotel had supplied kimonos for the dinner. Sakura was sharing her room with Hinata. Their room number was 23.
As Sakura was unpacking she heard Hinata walk into the bathroom. Hinata had arrived before Sakura and had unpacked already. Apparently she was getting ready to go somewhere with her "honey" Naruto. Once Sakura was done unpacking she shoved her carry on bag under her bed. Just as she did this Hinata came out of the bathroom. Her waist length hair was down and curled at the ends.
"So where are you to lovebirds headin'?" Sakura asked with a smirk.
"Oh, around. Ya know, to look at how our home has changed. You?"
"I think I'll sit and wait for dinner, I mean we do have cable."
"Well, Mt. Fuji is not to far and you could always-"
"Hinata", Sakura was glaring daggers to the pale maiden, " How many times do I have to tell you!? I won't go see Sasuke's grave! You can beg and plead until the cows come home! I won't go! Okay?!"
Hinata stared at Sakura in pure shock. " Um…well…o oh- okay. I g-guess. M-me and Na-Nar-Naruto will b-be b-ba-back by 7:30. Bye!" And with that Hinata bolted out of the door.
Sakura chuckled to herself. Hinata is so gullible. I mean why wouldn't I visit Sasuke's grave. I just want to go alone is all. The clock read 5:30. Perfect I have plenty of time.
0o0o0o0o0
It took Sakura exactly of hour to get ready. Dressed in her black Iromuji and red obi. Her was down but not held back by her signature ribbon, she always hid her huge forehead from Sasuke. Even if it was only his spirit. Oh how she had yearned fo long hair in these times. The way she could put it up in buns and how everytime Sasuke hands ended up running through the rossete tresses, but that time was gone and her was a testament to that time. Which is why it's all gone, stupid ass. She looked herself up and down one last time and made sure her flute and gunpai were present. Even in his death I feel obligated to look my best. Oh how stupid I am. Sakura walked out of the hotel and down the streets of Tokyo dressed in her strange attire. People shot glances at her and sh smiled though on the inside she was beginning to cry, but not one tear would be shed in public. Not even in the presence of her friends she would cry since the night of massacre. Only in front of Sasuke would she cry or alone. That's why I want to go alone. I can't be weak . Not in front of Naruto or Hinata.
Sakura continued until she found a clearing on the outskirts of town. Then she closed her eyes and left the clearing as a dove. Yes. It was her animal, a dove with feathers white, but when the sun hit them just right they showed the slightest pink, and the eyes were an emerald that glowed like a latern in the darkest night. Naruto's was a fox, Hinata's was a black panther, Sasuke's was a onix wolf, and Sasuke's older brother was a Weasel, oh the irony. Itachi was a weasel. When she first saw him transform she laughed for hours. Itachi was not at the palace the night of the massacre, he was out at the neighboring village discussing a peace treaty. She did not know of his location but was sure he was still alive. She secretly hoped he was still alive. He had been that sort of older brother ther and he would be more than welcome to stay with them.
Lost in her thought Sakura nearly flew over her old village. She dove down and landed soundlessly onto the gorund back in her human form. She took one step before stumbling to her knees. Her head was spinning and she felt sick to her stomach. She stood up only fall flat on her face. Her veins burned and felt as though sand was coursing through them. Her fangs were throbbing and were liquid hot pain. Stupid, you should have eaten. Now you're about to pass out because you're so lazy. Maybe Hinata or Naruto will find you and give you the blood you need…
SNAP! A branch broke not to far away, Sakura turned her slowly to see a jet black weasel with blood red eyes scurrying toward her. Wow, what luck…She then succumbed to unconsciousness.