By the Clock

Setting: The village setting is on a misty mood.

"State your business!" said one of the guards of Konoha to an approaching figure. By features it was a female and dressed in black clothes: it draped from her head to her knees.

There was no reply and the figure did not speak a word. Her head was faced down and the only facial expressions you can see on her face were shadowed.

"State your business!" he repeated, but still no reply. He was frustrated and looked at the other guard; he was middle aged and more mature in these situations. He raised his hand by his light brown, beard looking down the figure. It was tough, not knowing what to do, but he had no choice.

"Do it," he said to young partner.

As commanded the younger guard shifted a kunai from his weapons pouch. He held the end of it, and flung it to the air, until it landed on his fore finger. He took aim at the figure with his right eye. He threw it aiming to the feet. The kunai slowly flew into the misty air and it landed…

……………………….

Sakura's POV

'There's something wrong with me I've lost something. I woke up this morning, finding myself in a misty forest. It was strange for I didn't where I was, and why I, was here in this location. It was secluded, except for a little opening, which I exited. Then I saw it, my home… I was scared, so I ran to it, losing most of my stamina. I'm right now so close to those gates that …

The kunai flew straight into her direction and she sensed it. She quickly dodged it and looked up to see who threw it. She saw two guards that were yelling, but their voices were mute to her ears. Then she look down to her legs and her knee was bleeding red. The wound wasn't serious but where was the sting, the pain, and the reaction.

She touched the blood and didn't feel the liquid touch of warm blood. Then she looked back up at the guards and they were still yelling at her. The voices sound waves didn't reach her ears.

'What's wrong with me?'

……………………….

The two men were getting more angered and their patience was driven down. They disappeared from the post, and reappeared 12 inches of Sakura's body. A dead stench reached their noses that could make you throw up.

"Dammit, you stink! Have you ever taken bath?"

As the words were spoken Sakura could slowly make it out by lip reading, now that she was closer to them. She took her arm to her nose and the smell wasn't there?

"…I can't smell," she replied to the angry guards.

"To hell you can't smell!"

But it was true, all her senses: smell, touch, hear, maybe even taste, were gone, except for one, sight. She could communicate and she just found out she could lip-read. She didn't want to see there trashy words any more, so she closed her eyes and hoped for the best

"She's ignoring us!" said the young sentry, so he threw another kunai at Sakura with absent-minded rage. The kunai wasn't reaching at her feet, no, at her neck.

The other guard was surprised and screamed,

"You fool, you can't kill her!"

Sakura sensed it, but did not move. She was so confused and scared that she would rather have it kill her. Besides no pain would reach her, she would die slow. She tightened her eyes shut waiting for the kunai to hit her.

"…"

20 seconds, 40 seconds, 60 seconds, the presence of it was gone but a different presence was sensed. She opened her eyes and saw man behind her. He was taller than Sakura, and wore an orange jump suit. The jacket was open so you can see a black shirt. But no headband was located on the forehead but he had a very handsome face.

'Naruto..' Sakura thought, 'is that you?'

"What's the meaning of this?" yelled Naruto.

"She won't give us identification, sir. She has the attire of a drunken hobo!"

"That doesn't mean you can kill her!" Naruto turned back to Sakura and approached her. 'She does smell like a hobo,' thought Naruto.

"Who are you?"

'Baka, don't you know its me, Sakura.'

"Who are you?!"

No reply from Sakura, who refused to answer.

"See how much trouble she gave us, sir!"

"Shut up! He came closer to Sakura and tried to hold his breath trying to avoid the stench. He then quickly shook off the hood from her head and yelled "

Answer me when I speak to you, who are …"

Sakura's dirty pink hair and face shown at Naruto's eyes.

"…Sakura…" he softly said then yelled," Guards go back to your post and open the gates!"

The curious guards did as ordered.

He then gently led her in the Konoha streets. Sakura stared like a curious child and was wondering where he was taking her. Children were playing and several boys stole a little girl's doll. Sakura then gently released his grasp and ran to the boys. She slapped the one with the doll and gave it to the crying little girl.

"Thank you," she said hugging tightly the doll.

"Misaki! Drop down the doll, you don't how many germs came from her!" said one of the boys, who stole it.

As told she dropped it and ran away into the crowds with the rest of the boys. The doll was primarily homemade and had pink hair. The eyes were solemn and were now, draped it sand.

She gently picked it up and shook the sand off. Naruto saw this, but took grasp of her arm again, and led her to his house door. He took out his key and placed it in the slit of the center of the knob. He opened it and led her to couch. He gave her a motion to sit and he took the doll, and placed it on the coffee table.

He sat away from her and spoke,

"It's you isn't, Sakura"

Sakura read his lips and replied with a simple "yes"

"I think you should really take a shower, Sakura. Take a very long shower.

And put you clothes in the trash, I'll go back to town, to get you some decent clothes. The bathroom is to the right of the room. And Sakura don't leave again"

'Don't leave again?'

Naruto exited the house, gladly gasping for air. Meanwhile, Sakura was in the shower. She closed the shower curtains, turned the cold-water knob clockwise and the water pressured reached her body and hair. The drops of water trickled on her hand and no feeling was felt. It was supposed to freezing to cold. Nothing. She then turned the water all the way to its ending point and the water pressure increased.

'What's wrong with me? I can't feel anything.' It streamed like pebbles thrown on her face. Then she sensed a presence.

A deep knock was placed on the bathroom door.

"Sakura remember to take a long shower. I'm coming in to leave your clothes. We'll get more later, since I don't know your size. I'm going back to town," Naruto yelled over the water pressure not knowing Sakura lost her sense of hearing.

Naruto left the clothes on the bathroom counter and left.

Sakura opened the shower curtain and saw the clothes placed. She then closed back the curtains and continued on the shower.

……………………….

After Sakura finished she dried up and put on the clothes Naruto gave her. She wore a pink shirt that perfectly fit her and brown cargo shorts that went to her knees. She then combed her hair and tied on her headband. She had the seal face the left of her neck, while the securing bow faced the right of her. [The seal had a deep slash, diagonally across. ] She opened the door and went to the couch, just collapsing. There she slept.

……………………….

I know too melodrama!

.