A/N: To everyone who is groaning about another revision to this story after a four year hiatus from its sequel "Descent", I'm sorry. However, I have changed a lot since I originally wrote this story and when I tried to reread it in order to continue Descent I cringed, groaned, and made "wounded animal noises". Whatever 12/13/14-year old me was thinking when she wrote this story, she didn't go about it well. It's not as bad in later chapters, but the initial premise is flawed... badly. So here is a revision attempting to right the flaws and add more substance to the original story.
I again apologize to everyone who is waiting for a continuation of "Descent", but I feel that I need to write the wrongs with "Mark" before I can continue the sequel.
I will also be posting updates to AO3, find the link to my AO3 profile on my profile.
Her green eyes were bright with tears as she fled towards her home. The taunts of the children at the playground echoed through her mind - mocking her for her the size of her forehead, for the color of her hair, for being so shy.
Sakura burst through her door calling out for her father and then launching herself at him when he stepped into her field of view.
The man lifted her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Sakura buried her face into the side of his neck and finally let the sobs that she had been holding in come out.
Her father kicked the front door closed and moved to the living room to sit and hold his distraught child, knowing that she had once again been teased on the playground.
He glanced up at the clock. When Sakura had entered the house, he was getting ready to leave for his business trip to Sunagakure where he was responsible for negotiating a trade agreement for materials that were readily found in the area around the village. His wife had left earlier in the week to begin negotiations while he completed urgent, last minute assignments for their store. He really didn't have time to comfort his daughter if he was to leave today, but he had no other choice with circumstances as they were.
During his musings, Sakura had finally calmed down enough to realize that her father was in his traveling clothes. She realized that her father was supposed to leave today to meet her mother in Suna. The realization that she was going to be without either of her parents brought fresh tears to her eyes.
"I don't want you to go, Daddy!" the girl cried, her green eyes fly up to meet his matching ones. "I don't want to go to Grandma and Grandpa! I don't want to be alone!"
Haruno sighed, his heart breaking at his little girl's tears. He briefly considered taking the easy path and dropping her off at his parent's house. The thought was immediately replaced with him trying to figure out if it would be possible to petition the Hokage and Suna to let him bring his daughter with him – and how long it would set him back. Taking Sakura shouldn't be too difficult; villages rarely cared about the comings and goings of civilians, as long as they had the proper paperwork. However, because of the support behind him for the trade agreement, it was best for him to get proper authorization.
"How about we see if we can petition the Hokage to let you go with me," he finally told his daughter, trying to keep any frustration out of his voice.
A watery smile formed on Sakura's face. "Please Daddy!"
While the Hokage had seemed bemused by the last minute request, he saw no problem with allowing Sakura to travel with her father to Suna. However, he did require that a messenger hawk be sent informing the village and the Haruno matriarch of the change in plan, no matter how small it may be.
During the week long journey from Konoha to Suna, Sakura learned much about wildlife and traveling. The genin group she was traveling with was more than willing to impart any knowledge about edible plants and travel-safety information they could to the six year old – much to the amusement of their jounin sensei.
In that week, Sakura also decided that she wanted to be a kunoichi- especially after watching Team 12's sensei take out a group of bandits single-handedly while her genin protected Sakura and her father.
When the group finally arrived at Suna, the Konoha genin team were lead to loggings for foreign ninja while Sakura and her father were lead to the hotel housing Sakura's mother.
"Mama!" Sakura cried at the sight of her pink-haired mother.
The woman wrapped her arms around her child while giving her husband a look of disbelief.
The man looked sheepish, at the very least. His wife had had to deal with the change in plans on her own - at the very least, having to convince all included parties that the presence of her six-year-old daughter was neither a manipulation tactic nor an excuse to stay longer than necessary.
Regardless, that night, the Haruno family settled into their hotel room, oblivious of the changes that were to come.
Sakura was temporarily entrusted to a blonde-haired man named Yashamaru while her parents were busy discussing trade agreements.
Sakura was readily told by Suna ninja that Yashamaru was also responsible for the Kazekage's youngest son, so she had better stay out of trouble. The man had his hands full with one child and couldn't be expected to easily take care of two. So Sakura vowed to do her best to behave and obey the man's commands.
Early the first morning of Sakura's stay, she was entrusted to Yashamaru's care by her mother before the woman hurried off to do her own duty. Hidden behind the man was a red-haired boy who looked to be about her age. Behind the man was a blonde haired girl and brown haired boy who were older than her
"Hello, Sakura-san," the man said. "My name is Yashamaru. I'll be taking care of you while your parents are busy." The man nudged the child hidden behind him out into the open. "This is Gaara-kun," Yashamaru said pulling the red-haired boy out from behind him. "This is Temari-chan and Kankuro-kun," Yashamaru gestured to the blond-haired girl and the brown-haired boy behind him. "They are the children of Kazekage-sama and also my charges."
Sakura nodded, staring at the shy, red-haired boy that seemed to match her age. "It's nice to meet you, Gaara-kun, Temari-san, Kankuro-san," the pink haired girl said hesitantly.
Temari and Kakuro gave hesitant smiles, but all Gaara had to offer was a cold look of distrust that made Sakura shiver.
"I was thinking that we could go to the park today," Yashamaru said, ignoring the brewing tension between Gaara and Sakura.
The pinkette offered a hesitant smile to the man as she remembered the bullying she encountered at the playgrounds in her home village. Maybe this village would be different?
"Let's go!" she finally declared, willing to at least try to face what this village offered.
When they arrived, Temari and Kankuro spilt from the group to go play on the play equipment. Temari quickly took charge and organized a game of hide and seek amongst the interested children. Gaara slunk over to the sandbox, which had been quickly vacated when the group had arrived.
Sakura stayed by Yashamaru as she watched the different groups interact, trying to decided which to join. Temari and Kankuro with the majority of the playground's children, scattered groups of isolated children, and Gaara by himself.
The conversation of two passing children finally cemented a decision in Sakura's head.
"I want to go to the sandbox," one girl said quietly.
"We can't go there," her friend replied, just as quietly. "The monster is there." Her eyes flashed to Gaara as the words left her lips.
Sakura, the subject of bullying by many of the children of Konoha sent a glare at the two girls. She squared her shoulders and marched her way towards the sandbox. If the children of Suna thought that Gaara was some sort of monster and ignored him because of it, she would play with him.
When she was almost to the sandbox, a group of older children stopped her. None of them fully turned their back towards the red-haired boy studying them a short distance away.
"You don't want to go there," one of them warned, his eyes warily flicking towards Gaara.
"He's the jinjuriki for the one-tailed racoon demon, Shukaku," another said. From Gaara flinch, it was clear that the red-head heard what was said.
"He kills anyone that gets too close to him!" A third child said.
Sakura frowned at them. In their walk to the playground, Gaara handn't killed anyone- even though they had all been walking fairly close to them. From that, Sakura was more willing to believe that they just didn't like the red-head and didn't want him to have any friends. She had heard some of the horrible things that the Konoha children had said to others about her to prevent them from interacting with her. Although they hadn't said she killed anyone, they had still said some pretty mean stuff. Sakura also thought that even if Gaara had some kind of demon sealed in him, he looked so lonely and she hated that. She saw that look in the mirror almost every day and she never wanted to see it on another person- jinjuriki or not, whatever that was.
"I don't care what you say!" Sakura declared loudly. "I want to be Gaara-kun's friend and you won't stop me with your bullying!"
With that, Sakura stomped the rest of the way over to the sandbox.
"Gaara-kun," she said somewhat roughly, still angry with the other children. "Can I play with you?"
Gaara's sea-green eyes, so like her own in how they were shadowed with loneliness momentarily lit up as he nodded and offered her small smile.
Sakura grinned back at him and sat down in the sand. Together, the children chatted at the formed a sand castle with their hands.
Temari watched from a distance as the pink-haired girl that had been temporarily entrusted to their care taker approached her brother. For a moment, she considered interfering and warning the girl about the very real danger that her brother posed. However, after watching the girl stand up to a group of children who did the same thing, she realized that any effort on her part would be useless.
Watching her brother smile at the girl, and allow her to play with him, Temari wondered if the girl would change him. Maybe it was for the best that the girl didn't fear her youngest brother, that she was willing to ignore common sense and warnings.
"30!" was shouted out, drawing Temari's attention away from the two red-shaded children.
Whatever happened would happened, Temari finally decided several minutes later as she dashed away from the brown haired boy who tried to pelt her with practice kunai.