Hikarru: Another Birthday Present for Gaby-Tan! If it wasn't for her birthday, I wouldn't of finished this. So I thank her lots! ^^ Hope you guys like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Emerald Eyes

A hundred years ago, there was a war over a new gemstone called Cerise. Cerise was a gem that was the same color as its name. This gem was known for seducing the eyes of all who saw it.

The first to discover this enchanted gem was a woman named Minako. She fell in love with the gem and used it as a gem on her ring. When she showed it to people, however, the fell in love with the gem too. The people who saw her gem brutally murdered her and took the gem. Eventually, everyone wanted the gem.

People mined for them and found them deep in the caverns. They had to hide the gem from others because they feared death. Then, a greedy man named Gato had began selling this gem. People began paying fortunes for just a small gem. Gato became richer and richer until a group of people broke into his house and murdered him, stealing all the Cerise he had.

This went on for several more years, but then a simple assassination of the queen for her Cerise dress and the whole world went into an all out war. The war lasted around one whole year.

A witch that lived in a cottage on the hill, her name being Edea, used her magic and said, "If you war over something as silly as a colorful stone, then the world should do without some color." Her magic made the colors melt off of the warring people. The whole world fell into a gray spell. The people looked at the Cerise and saw that there was no color. They flung the Cerise to the ground and began apologizing to their neighbors, comrades, and to total strangers.

The people begged Edea to bring the color back, but Edea refused. She told the people that they should bring all their gems to the river and throw them into the waters, Edea then promised that she would bring back the color. Desperate for their colors back, the people threw every gem they owned into the river.

The only one who didn't throw the very last gem was the king. King Uchiha. He had kept the last Cerise gem from his wife's Cerise dress. It was the only thing he had to remember her by. Edea told everyone that there was one final gem to be thrown left. When no one confessed to having it, Edea swore that no color would return until the last gem was thrown into the river.

People searched for years, but to no avail. Eventually, everyone gave up, even though Edea told them that her offer would be there until the last gem was thrown.

Around ninety years later, a baby girl was born into the gray world. The mother, named Noriko, was cradling her baby girl. There was a knock on the hospital door and Edea walked in, however, she was disguised as a commoner. She told Noriko who she really was and Noriko believed her. Edea had a small bottle of a colored substance. She told Noriko that she wanted to put the color into her child's eyes. Noriko agreed and let Edea put the substance into the little girl's eyes. The baby girl closed them as soon as the drops went in. She opened them and her eyes were emerald green. Noriko began to cry as she hugged her child.

Noriko thanked Edea and asked Edea to name her as a blessing. Edea already knew the perfect name. Sakura.

…

"Sakura!" a five year old boy called to her, "Let's climb this hill!"

"Ok, Sasuke!" the also five year old Sakura blinked her emerald eyes as she ran up after him. When she got to the top, Sasuke grabbed her hand and led her over to a big cherry blossom tree.

"You know," Sasuke began, " 'Sakura' means 'cherry blossom'."

"Yup." Sakura smiled, "My mama tells me everyday."

There were footsteps behind the two and they looked up to see two men.

"Here's the little Emerald Eyes." one man said.

"Hey, kid." the other said to Sakura, "We have been looking for you. Can you please give us your eyes?"

Sasuke pushed Sakura behind him, "Leave her alone!"

"Oh?" the men smirked, "So the little guy thinks he's tough?"

"Tougher than you!" Sasuke pulled out his firework poppers and began throwing them. They snapped painfully on the men.

"Ouch!" the men backed up.

"Sakura!" Sasuke grabbed her hand, "Let's run!"

Sasuke pulled Sakura as they ran down the hill and back towards town.

When they were finally safe, Sasuke looked at Sakura, "Why do your eyes cause so many problems?"

Sakura shrugged, "I'm sorry."

Sasuke smiled, "It's ok. Just promise me, even if they force you, never give your eyes to anyone but me."

"I promise." Sakura said.

"Good." Sasuke gave her a peck on the lips, "Let's go to my house for some snacks."

"OK!" Sakura followed the boy to the castle.

…

Sakura's thirteenth birthday was in three days. And Sakura was ready for Sasuke to ask her out like he said he would.

"He said that on my thirteenth birthday, he would ask me out." Sakura gossiped to her teddy bear, Karin, "Do you think he'll really ask me out, Karin-Chan?"

The teddy bear said nothing.

"What if…" Sakura looked at herself in her vanity mirror, "what if he doesn't like my huge forehead?"

Still, the bear said nothing.

"Maybe he only likes me for my eyes." Sakura sighed as she stared at her emerald eyes, "Oh, my emerald eyes, why can't my body and clothes have such vibrant colors like you? Why must they all be gray, dull, and boring?"

"Sakura!" Noriko called from downstairs, "Sasuke-Sama is here!"

"Sasuke!" Sakura jumped out of her seat, "Karin-Chan! Make sure mom doesn't come into my room and mess with my stuff while I'm out!"

Sakura ran down the stairs, her long hair flowing behind her with grace.

"Sasuke!" Sakura stood in front of him, "Do you like my outfit?"

Sasuke smiled and looked at her flowing short dress, knee-high boots, fingerless arm gloves, and bow in her hair, "You look cute."

"Thanks." Sakura grinned, "Ready for school?"

"Yup." Sasuke walked out the door, "Bye, Noriko-San."

"Bye!" Noriko waved to them.

Sakura followed Sasuke out to the bus.

"Why do you ride the bus when your chauffeurs can drive you?" Sakura asked.

"Because then I couldn't see you." Sasuke said, "Besides, you know how I don't like flaunting my richness."

"True." Sakura smiled, "That's because you are a good guy. Isn't the fieldtrip to your house today?"

"Yeah." Sasuke sighed, "Not really looking forward to it."

Sakura would of asked why, but the bus interrupted.

…

"And this is the throne room." said the tour guide. Everyone looked at the two throne chairs at the far wall.

"Sakura!" Sasuke called to the dazed girl, "Look there!" he pointed to a painting of Sasuke's great grandmother, "See her in that dress? That dress was made of Cerise, a gem that made people fall in love with it. The people of the town assassinated her for that dress. Did you know all that?"

"I do now." Sakura stared intently at the painting and saw a small glimmer of light on the painting. Sakura was sure that paintings didn't glimmer.

"Sakura!" Sasuke called once again, "Come on!"

The girl averted her eyes and ran after him.

What happened next would spring a string of events, one after the other. Guards had ran into the castle and open fired.

"Everyone! Get down!" the teacher instructed the students.

The General spoke, "We aren't here to kill. We just want the Emerald Eyes."

Everyone turned to Sakura. Sakura looked up at the men.

"Let's go, Emerald Eyes." the General gripped her arm firmly.

"Sakura!" Sasuke got up and pulled her away from him, "She's not going anywhere!"

The General growled, "If we sacrifice her to Edea, we might get the colors back, stupid boy!"

Everyone began whispering quietly things like "Maybe he is right…" and "Poor Sakura, why her?"

Suddenly, Sakura ran out of the castle, with Sasuke at her heels.

"After them!" the General yelled.

…

The two of them were out of the city limits in no time at all. However, Sasuke stopped when he saw Edea's Forbidden Forest.

"Sakura!" Sasuke warned her, "Don't go in there!"

Sakura didn't hear him though. She kept sprinting through the Forbidden Forest.

"WAH!" Sakura tripped over a rock and fell in front of a lake, her hand falling into the water.

"Ah, Emerald Eyes. I knew you would come here one day." came the voice of Edea.

Sakura got up and took her hand out of the water. She gasped when she saw that her hand was now the color of peach. Color? Color! Sakura looked at the water suspiciously.

"Yes, child." said Edea's voice, "That is the Lake of Colors. Years ago, the townspeople came here to throw their gems into this lake. Whatever touches this water will get its color back. Go on, Emerald Eyes. I will permit you, and only you to go into it."

Sakura was a little hesitant, but she began taking her clothes off to get into the lake. She set her clothes aside and gently began treading into the water. She slipped on a rather slippery rock and fell straight into the water. Sakura opened her eyes underwater and saw the colors that ran through the lake. They were certainly breathtaking. She saw strands of her gray hair turn to pink, and her skin turn to peach.

She popped her head out of the surface and took in air. The air felt cleaner than before and Sakura felt so great, so alive at that moment.

"Colors." Sakura looked at her hair and skin, "No wonder people want them so much. They are so wonderful."

"Emerald Eyes." Edea's voice came again, "I have a task for you. If you wish to accept it, you can bring back all the colors."

"I accept." Sakura said without hesitation, "What can I do?"

"At the castle, the king has the last gem of his ancestor's Cerise dress. All I need you to do is find it and throw it into this lake. Then the colors will come back."

Sakura remembered Sasuke telling her something about his Great grandmother's painting and how she had a dress made of Cerise. The glimmer on the painting! That's the gem!

"I'll get it!" Sakura said, "I know where it is!"

"Then go, Emerald Eyes." Edea spoke, "Everyone is counting on you."

Sakura nodded and put her clothes back on. Edea gave her a cloak to hide her color from people so they wouldn't try to hurt her for it. Sakura put it on and put the hood over her eyes, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck, Emerald Eyes." Edea's voice faded.

Sakura then began to walk back into the city.

…

"Where is she?" the General had Sasuke hostage and was beating him for answers.

"I'll never tell!" Sasuke was rewarded another kick to the ribs.

"Leave him here for a few days." the General said, "He'll talk when he gets hungry."

Sasuke spat on the ground, "Bring it!"

The door slammed and Sasuke was alone.

"Sakura. I hope you are alright."

…

"Excuse me. Sorry." Sakura didn't mean to run into people, but it was hard to not show her Emerald Eyes to people. She had to get to the castle. She didn't even know where Sasuke even was either, so he couldn't be of help. This was Sakura's mission anyway.

The castle wasn't being guarded, which was very suspicious, but Sakura went in anyway. She snuck into the throne room and spotted the painting. She walked over to the thrones and stared at the small glimmer of light on the dress in the painting. She got up on the thrones and began to climb up to the painting.

A guard walked in and saw Sakura, "Hey! You! Get down from there!"

Sakura whipped her head around her hood came off.

"E-Emerald eyes!" the guard shouted.

Sakura quickly scratched at the painting and pulled out a small gem that was Cerise. It was beautiful, but Sakura needed to throw it into the lake. She jumped off the thrones and ran towards the guard.

"Get her!" other guards were showing up, but Sakura changed directions at the last moment and ran out another exit.

"After her now!" the guards began to chase.

Sakura was running at full speed. She looked into her hand and saw the small gem. Closing the hand, she focused on her escape.

When she was out of the castle, so many guards were after her, it looked as if the whole city was actually chasing her down.

"Gotta get to the forest!" Sakura said to herself as she picked up the pace, seeing the forest ahead.

"Damn!" the guards stopped, "She's going into the Forbidden Forest!"

The General growled, "Who cares? GET HER NOW!"

Following orders, the men ran in after her.

Sakura saw the lake and was almost there when her cloak was caught by a guard. Sakura ripped it off and continued to the lake. As she was about to throw the gem in, the General himself caught her around the neck.

"You sure are a runner." he laughed, "But now we have you."

Sakura bit his arm and while he let go for a split moment, she threw the gem in. The gem hit the water.

Nothing happened. Did Edea lie to her?

"What was that?" the General held her neck again, "What did you do?"

Sakura was about to speak when the ground began to shake. The lake's water began to rise as if the moon was pulling it. The water sprung up and into the sky, forming clouds.

"What the-" the General was interrupted by a rain drop on his nose. He looked and gasped, letting Sakura go in the process. His nose had turned into a healthy peach color where the rain drop had landed.

Soon, rain was pouring from the sky and color was slowly returning.

People were running outside to see the miracle. They cheered and hugged each other in happiness.

The General looked at Sakura, "Did you… do this?"

"With some help." Sakura thanked Edea in her mind, "But yeah, I did."

"Thank you." the General said, "I'm sorry for chasing you down."

"It's alright." Sakura remembered something, "Where's Prince Sasuke?"

…

"Everyone's so happy." Sasuke looked out his balcony at the rejoicing people, "This celebration is going to go on for months."

"It's only the first day though." Sakura, who stood beside him, "And it's my birthday."

"That's right." Sasuke remembered, "Sakura. Remember my promise?"

"Yup!" Sakura piped, "I'm listening, Sasuke."

Sasuke laughed, "Will you go out with me, Emerald Eyes?"

"Of course, Prince Sasuke."

The End

Hikarru: WOO! I liked this one! One of my best one-shots! However, my next one-shot will be the best because it's like over 10,000 words. So long. T^T Anyway, hope you liked it! Look out for my next one-shot, Albatross! ^^