Disclaimer: I don't own nothing okay… nothing – well maybe the plot but that's it.
Chapter 4 – Meeting Old Acquaintances
The real form of Shin really made Sakura gasp. Who would have thought that Shin was actually a—a—
"—a mouse—so I was wasting some of my valuable time for a mouse." She said looking at Yuki with a very unreadable expression on her face. He could see that she was astonished, nervous, angry and confused at the same time.
Shin's real form was a—well, a sky blue-colored, two-foot mouse. It had blue eyes, and a tail as long as its whole body. The end of its tail was bent.
"You've got to be kidding me." She continued.
"You make it sound bad," said Yuki with Shin ridding on his shoulder. "And the mouse has a name, which you know already. Right… Shin"
Shin gave a high sounded Eek—which would be adorable if anyone would be in a normal situation, which Sakura was not.
Yuki was looking for a sign if she had lightened up, but in this case—that won't be happening anytime soon.
Well, what can he expect, she was climbing that damn big, long, never-ending cliff with a complaining kid (well, she thought was a kid), wasting all her chakra, and now getting up here with a news that still confuses her, while her so called parents are having the time of their lives, DOING NOTHING (well, what she means is that they were not suffering like her).
But the thing that ticks her most is that all her hard work was just to help a damn mouse—a mouse who could have done climbing much easier than her. Still… they said it was a test, like who cares. She could have done something else for a test, but no, she just had to do the test with an animal no less. That arrogant, no good lying animal, but she can't deny that it looks really cute at this form, even… innocent.
Wait a second… arrogant, lying—damn this guy. "Hey you, don't tell me that he got his attitude from you?" She said glaring at Yuki quite intently—dangerously too.
"Actually no."
She was quite shocked that that attitude didn't come from him of all people.
"I just told him to imitate me, but deep down he's a very nice guy… like me" He continued proudly.
On second thought, she was right about her first impression on this guy. He just cannot be trusted.
"But he was entertaining to be with isn't he?" He asked, with Shin giving one of his little cute sounds again for encouragement.
Turning her attention to her mother, Sumire, "Mother, please tell me that he is not the only kind of person I'm meeting?" Sakura asked, ignoring Yuki.
"No—not really," Sumire was quite nervous for Sakura. She didn't quite like Yuki very much for their first meeting, then how will she like the others. The good thing is that the rest of them are girls, which Sumire was hoping would be a good environment for her.
Suddenly, a girl just jumped in the middle of the clearing, which made everyone notice her presence. She looked like the female version of Yuki. She had the hair color of reddish-brown, pulled back into a bun and fastened with arcane magick. She had the same chocolate orbs as Yuki. She had emerald earrings with two long dangly bits. She was wearing a sexy black dress with the white of the collar extending down her right side and across her back in an omega fashion. Flowers cover the design, and a large gold outline was across her chest to the full color vine snaking around the hip area of the dress. She carries plain black elbow-length sleeves puffed around the shoulder and ending with a gothic lace trim. She had chunky black wristbands to finish it off. On her legs, she had thigh-high laced stockings, which terminate in familiar anklets. Her shoes were simple black pumps with sporty white ankle straps. On her neck was a silver necklace with the sun dangling on it.
She walked over to Sakura and introduced herself, "Hi my name is Yukino. Its very nice to meet you."
She was very polite introducing herself, but the name sounds very familiar. "Do you happen by any chance—" Said Sakura while pointing at none other than Yuki.
"Oh him, oh yes—we are related with my ever lasting regret." Said Yukino cutting her off.
"What was that?" Yuki started.
"Are you deaf? I can't believe you are much older than me, even though you're my twin." Yukino said, mocking him.
"Why did you come here for anyways?" Yuki asked.
"If you weren't so slow with the task you were suppose to do then I didn't need to come here and you annoying me with your presence." Yukino said bluntly.
Sakura saw Yuki twitch with the remark that his sister gave him. Well, these two siblings sure love each other very much.
"Listen here and listen good. I would've done so if she didn't complain so much."
"And you end up fighting."
Yuki couldn't speak. He certainly didn't want to say yes because with his sister here, he wouldn't look good, and if he said no, she would know that he was lying. He was silent for a couple of minutes until he tried to change the subject. "Let's go then." He started walking away from everyone, but was stopped when Yukino talked again.
"So you did end up fighting."
"No, I didn't say that."
"Well, silence means yes doesn't it?"
"Can you be serious for once?"
"With you around, thing cannot be serious."
Yukino turned her attention towards Sakura again, "Did my brother try to molest you or anything?" She said with a concerned voice.
"What!" Said Sakura and Yuki both at the same time.
"My brother can be quite a pervert and a show-off so you know."
"I didn't know." Sakura said believing every word Yukino had said.
Yuki was getting very pissed at the situation. He was supposed to be one of the good people, but then they were making it sound like he did something wrong.
"Don't worry, while I'm by your side he cannot do any harm towards you." She said with a bright smile, which cause Sakura to sweat drop.
Is it me, or does she change personality when she's talking to me and when she's talking to him? Sakura thought in confusion and suspicion.
"Yukino, I think it would be better if we don't get delayed any longer, don't you?" Said a sweet voice.
Everyone turned their attention to the new stranger, which was another girl. She looked really young, even younger than the two people she had just met before.
"Well, I followed you just in case you fight again with Yuki-kun here." She said glaring at Yuki. It definitely looks like he was the bad guy.
"Who cares about that, now that you're here, let me introduce our missing link, the person we've all been waiting for, Haruno Sakura." Yukino said with a proud smile on her face.
The expression on the new girls face was very astonishing. She looked as though she'd just met the guy of her dreams and flung herself at Sakura giving her a squeezing hug. "Sakura-chan it's so good to see you again." She said happily.
Sakura was just nervous at the sudden greeting, "Uh, do I know you?"
The new girl stopped hugging her realizing that she hasn't yet introduced herself, "Hi, now that you know the twins Yukino and Yuki, I think its good to introduce myself also. I may look younger than my age but I am also 18 years old.
"Tsubasa by the way," She extended her hand, which Sakura gladly took, and gave her a bright smile.
"Nice to meet you," Said Sakura, releasing her hand.
Tsubasa had aquamarine hair, pulled back in two thick ponytails, which are held with similarly thick gold bands. She had hair loose on her face, short enough not to cover her chocolate orbs. Her clothes were somewhat revealing. She had a tiny green tube top that makes up the entirety of her torso coverage, with a red cord hopefully keeping the rather loose fabric up. Half sleeves of white fabric with green trim and a red cross design cover her upper arms, held tight near the elbow with a red band and flared at the shoulder. Green wristbands complete the upper half. She had a dashing pair of white shorts, folded over at the top to create a little red cummerbund effect. She wears tall green and white boots with red tops. Underneath are knee-length green socks, the left of which is pulled over the kneecap. On her neck was a thick gold choker from which hang two long necklaces, and a large tribal sun-and-moon design piece of jewellery. On her wrists were somewhat two golden silver bracelets; each has the moon to complete the style.
Man this girl knows some style…but the clothing still looks weird. Was the only thing that Sakura thought gazing at her clothing.
"Now that we're done our introductions, we might as well be off, ne?" Said Yukino.
The place of their destination shocked Sakura. When they arrived at their destination was an old style well kept castle. It looked old styled but somehow it looks brand new (Japanese styled mansion—like in the movie 2 of InuYasha—what I mean is the castle, also the castle in Fushigi Yuugi). Going inside you could see the marble floors, polished pillar and the nature free surroundings. Just by going inside the gates you could see that the place is very nature friendly. Cherry blossom trees were present at the opposite sides. Going further in was a hall leading further inside the castle with more of nature for scenery. It really was a wonderful place.
Sakura was behind following Yuki with quite a distance between them with Tsubasa at her right and Yukino at her left and her parents following right behind them closely. She was quite astonished with the place.
"Like it," Said Tsubasa, who noticed her, glancing at every inch of the place.
Sakura blushed because of getting caught looking everywhere like a child. "Well—yes, it's a very beautiful place. I've never seen quite any place like this. You sure are quite rich, ne?"
Both Tsubasa and Yukino blinked at her comment, "If you mean having servants to clean the place, well no were not." Said Yukino joining the conversation.
"Eh?"
"There are only four of us living here."
"ONLY!"
"There were five of us last time… until he left." Yukino said, with her face full of sadness and regret.
Sakura noticed Yuki who turned to glance at them for a few seconds until turning to look again to where he was going.
Seeing Yukino sad made Sakura feel guilty somehow, "I'm sorry."
"No its okay." Said Yukino who didn't quite like the fact that Sakura was apologizing to her. "Its not your fault… I'm just happy your back." She murmured.
Sakura's brows curled in confusion of what she was talking about, but all she received was a smile from both Yukino and Tsubasa. Sakura noticed that even Yuki was smiling. This is very confusing.
They continued to walk in silence until they went towards the gardens. There were Sakura Cherry Blossom trees at the far right corner. There was shinning blue reflecting pond that was horizontally placed from where Sakura was standing. A bridge was there above the pond to connect one end of the pond to the other end. It was a very big place—much bigger than her own house.
There was a girl who was sitting on the railing of the bridge. She was looking at her own reflection on the water. Somehow she seems deep in thought.
"Oi, Keiko-chan we're back." Said Tsubasa trying to get the person's attention.
She turned her attention towards them, and walked towards them. She had neck length blonde hair and emerald eyes. She was wearing sky blue hair band, which didn't separate her blonde bangs that was covering her forehead. She was wearing a blue and sky blue colored dress with the skirt three inches above the knee. The dress was alternate colored with sky blue to blue to sky blue. There was a pink silk cloth hanging down her neck, which was buttoned to the dress. She was wearing a brown-leathered belt, which causes the curves of her body to be featured. She was wearing silver armor on each of her upper arms, which was tied with the same pink silk cloth to her arms. Sky blue colored gloves finished her arms, also tied by the pink silk cloth. Brown colored stockings covered her legs, and finishes off with elegant sky blue boots. On her neck was a silver necklace with the moon dangling on it, and on her left wrist was a bracelet with the sun to complete the design.
"This is Kimiko by the way." Said Yukino extending her hand to introduce the girl.
Kimiko smiled at Sakura brightly, "Nice to see you again… Sakura."
Naruto was back to Konoha after training with Jiraiya for nearly six years. After failing to get Sasuke back to Konoha six years ago, and promising Sakura that they will get back Sasuke together, Jiraiya asked him if he wanted to train with him—which was an offer that he gladly took. After that they never saw each other until now.
I am back, Naruto thought proudly.
"Gotta go to Tsunade-ba-chan… but first ramen," Naruto said happily and went running towards Ichiraku for ramen leaving Jiraiya by himself.
"That boy sure is something," Jiraiya said chuckling.
Naruto eating ramen for the longest time; he noticed that something was wrong. He wasn't as happy as six years ago. "Sasuke, you bastard," he murmured.
He thought that Sasuke was the one making him feel uneasy, but he would soon realize that another one of his teammates are now gone.
Naruto knocked on the door leading to the Hokage's office. He opened the door without permission thinking that Tsunade was sleeping as usual, but again he was wrong. Naruto saw Tsunade sitting on her chair deep in thought. Something must have happened.
"Ba-chan, I came here to tell you that I am back face-to-face.
Naruto was even more confused on why Tsunade didn't yell at him for calling her that. She was silent for a long time until Naruto became uneasy.
"Okay… now that I've told you that—I'll be leaving now to meet with Sakura-chan." Naruto said still nervous of Tsunade's actions.
At last Tsunade broke the silence, "Naruto… you won't be seeing Sakura any more."
Naruto became even more confused, "What are you talking about ba-chan?"
"Sakura and her family disappeared without a trace three days ago."
Naruto was stunned. Sakura disappeared… without a trace… and with her family gone—it was just not possible. "Then why didn't you get the Anbu to find her!" Yelled Naruto.
"There was no note—nothing."
Silence.
"They were just gone."
"But then—"
"I know you might want to find her… but I won't allow it. I can't have you missing as well now that Akatsuki wants you. She has been declared a Missing Nin. The only hope for us to see her again is for her to come back… to Konoha."
Naruto just stood there in silence.
"I'm sorry, Naruto."
Naruto walked out of Tsunade's office without a word. He was too stunned to believe it. Sakura disappeared. First Sasuke now her… it was all just not fair. Why are all his friends slipping away… and he can't even do a single thing about it.
"Sakura-chan…"
An image of Sakura flashed on Naruto's view.
"… you promised…"
He was really hurt. It all hurts too much. He should've learned his lesson on Sasuke that he needed to take better care of his friends, but Sakura's disappearance was still a mystery.
"… you promised."
This was the last straw! These people keep on greeting her like they know her, but she hasn't even seen them her entire life. Are they trying to make fun of her or something? Well, one thing's for sure—it wasn't funny at all.
"No offense—but I don't even know you people. You come up to me—or even say things to me like we've met before. You bring me here, away from Konoha for some lame joke—and why am I suppose to be here anyway. Explain this to me—and explain it good—because if I'm not content with it—I'm leaving!" Sakura said getting irritated.
All of them just looked and stared at her with shocked faces.
"So… you really did do it, didn't you Yuki?" Said Kimiko looking at the ground instead of him. It was more like a statement than a question.
"You wanted explanation, right Sakura? That's why we came here…" Sora said catching everyone's attention, mostly Sakura's. "… we came here because now that the spell is broken… they will come after you—to bring you back."
"W—wh—what?"
"I should suggest you sit down because this explanation will be quite long." Sumire suggested, motioning for them to sit down on the stone benches that the garden provided.
Sakura sat down on the middle of the bench with Tsubasa and Yukino beside her. Her parents were sitting on the other bench, which was facing them. Kimiko was just standing there right at the middle of the two benches, and Yuki was just leaning on a pillar.
A sigh escaped Sumire's lips. It was quite hard telling her this. If they tell her this then she might change forever, but if they didn't then they will still come after her. It would be best for her to know everything now than them telling her about her… past.
"You're not a real resident in Konoha, Sakura. Unlike those kids you've met, you weren't born there.
"You were born in Amaterasu not as a shinobi, but as an… assassin. Amaterasu is a place were people who lives there kills innocent people—mostly because they don't want others to know about their existence."
"Wha—what are you talking about, mother?"
Sumire flinched. She didn't expect it to be this hard. She couldn't even say that… that…
The truth hurts.
Sumire grabbed her clothes, clenching her hands to a fist. "Sakura… Sora and I… we're not your real parents."
"What!" Sakura was shocked, how could they not be her real parents. It can't be true. They were the once who raised her. Took care of her. Watched her grow. What are they talking about?
"My younger sister… she was your mother, but she and your real father died—and before she died I promised her to give you a better life… a new life.
"But you couldn't possibly live a better life because of your old one; therefore, Yuki erased everything—all your memories back from where you were born… in Amaterasu."
"How can I not live a good life there anyway?"
Everybody turned to Sakura with pity and sorrow reflecting on their eyes. This made Sakura feel uneasy and embarrassed.
It was now Yukino who spoke, "Everyone in that place had the feeling of how to take someone else life by the age of 5… and you were no exception. So frankly… that place doesn't have love—it can only bring pain, suffering and loneliness… now that—"
"—it is my elder sister who is ruling the place." Said Sumire cutting Yukino off.
"Explaining is pointless. You will just keep asking infinite questions. Which is why, I think it would be better to just restore all your memory back." Said Yuki speaking after the longest time.
"YUKI," yelled Yukino, Tsubasa and Kimiko altogether.
Yuki took out something from his pocket and threw the object to Sora. "You do need to give it to her, right?" He said ignoring the three girls.
Sora stood up and walked towards Sakura still clutching the object in his hand. "Were not making you restore your memories, but we're only going to if you want to."
"Will it erase all the memories I have now—of Konoha?" Sakura asked looking up to Sora.
Sora shook his head, "No."
"But if my memories was so painful… then—why? Why would you give it back to me again?"
Sora was taken aback by her question. "When we took you away from Amaterasu, you were 18 years old."
"Huh? Ho—how did I get to Konoha as a child then?" Sakura said with her brows curling in confusion.
"We have our ways. We will explain it to you…" Sora stopped. "… when you are ready."
Because now that the spell is broken, your powers are unsealed now, so they will be able to detect you. You won't be as safe anymore as when you were living in Konoha for 18 years."
"Who?"
"Sumire's sister… that is why we want to restore your memory. In the past, you already know all about your powers, and it will be easier for you if you weren't kept in the dark any more." Sora held up his hand clutching the object towards Sakura and opened it.
What Sakura saw was a small necklace that has the sun and a crescent moon on top of each other to make an unusual design. The bottom of the design (the sun) was gold, and the top of the design (the crescent moon) was silver.
"What is this?" Sakura said looking at the necklace.
"It was what your mother wanted to us to give to you. It contains your memories of your life in Amaterasu. It will help you—a lot. Will you take it?"
Why does she have a funny feeling that she actually—trusts them? She's stuck in this situation where they kept telling her things she doesn't even understand or know about and she doesn't even doubt them. Also, another funny feeling is that she wants to take it. It might be some kind of trap now that her so called parents told her that they are not actually her parents.
She didn't notice that her hand was unconsciously moving towards the necklace, taking it. She suddenly noticed what she was doing when she was already clutching the necklace in her hands.
She waited for something to happen. She waited… and waited… nothing exactly happened. She felt the same thing… only incomplete. "Nothings happening."
"Well, you have to wear it." Said Sora.
Sakura was already lifting the necklace to her head, positioning it when a pair of hands held the necklace back, stopping her. She lifted her head to see Yuki.
"You don't have to do this you know," he said.
"I know…" She said taking the necklace gently away from his hands, "… but all of you are here just to do this for me. Sure, I may be confused of what's happening and its like you knew everything that had happened to me. I should be scared and confused, but you know the weird thing is… I just don't feel that I can doubt you. In fact, I actually trust that what you are doing is for my own good, and the best thing that I could do for you is to remember everything… the memories you claim I've lost."
"Sakura…" Yuki said stunned, with everyone looking at them… mostly her.
"Besides… even if it is a painful memory, I have to keep trying to overcome it because if I don't I'll never will. No matter what, my memories will come back to me some day, so I think it would be better if I try to overcome that memory now.
"Memories are very important because it is something that helps us become how we are and what makes it really important is how these memories helps us become closer to someone else… to understand them… and to… love them.
Yuki smiled at her comment. She really is still the same person after all. Sakura just returned his smile. "Then if you are ready… put it on."
Sakura again lifted the necklace to her head, putting it on. After the necklace was resting on her neck, she suddenly felt dizzy, her vision blurring. She didn't see Yuki in front of her anymore, or Tsubasa and Yukino beside her, or Kimiko, or her adoptive parents, Sora and Sumire. Instead, she saw a place of a different time, with her past life flashing before her eyes. Regaining her memories took seconds, but for her it took years. It was like she lives for another 18 years.
Suddenly she collapsed on the grass, with tears starting to form on her eyes. She felt her body went weak from the shock. When they said that it would be painful for her to regain her memories… they were right—it was indeed painful. She was feeling many different emotions all at once. She thought that she was just a normal kunoichi form Konoha without any special bloodline or any special talent, but she was wrong. She thought she had a wonderful, loving and happy family while other people didn't have any parents (Naruto), or their parents and loves ones died by the hands of the ones they admired and loved.
Tsubasa dropped on the grass, kneeling and putting a hand on Sakura's shoulder, trying very hard to comfort her.
"So… it was my fault… I was the one to blame… for my parents… death..." Sakura tried to say while crying. "… it was my fault." She continued, looking at Tsubasa.
Tsubasa felt sorry for Sakura. She knew if Sakura regained her memories back, then this would happen. But she can't deny that Sakura, nor anyone deserved what they did to her in the past. "You know… " Tsubasa started in a comforting voice, gaining Sakura's attention. "… I can imagine how it feels that it was my fault that the one I love died, but people are different, they have their own point of view of things. You may think that it was your fault that they died, but they might have been happy that even before their life was taken away, they had the chance to protect someone they love. They might have been happy to have done something good before they died." She said.
Seeing that Sakura was crying a bit less now, she continued, "Besides, you should be happy—" Sakura swiftly turned towards her with a are-you-crazy-my-parents-died-and-I-should-be-happy look. "—that at least now they won't feel pain anymore… right." Tsubasa continued, smiling at Sakura.
Sakura blinked her eyes, not expecting to feel comforted in such a way, but after a while she resumed crying... but she didn't feel as sad or upset anymore.
"Did she stop crying now?" Yuki asked his twin sister who just closed the door of Sakura's room.
"Yeah," Yukino whispered, trying not to disturb Sakura inside her room.
"Okay then," Yuki said walking towards Sakura's door with Yukino watching him.
Yuki opened the door of Sakura's room. It was pretty dark inside, no lights were coming in; therefore, when he opened the door, the moonlight came in the dark room. He came in leaving the door open so that it wouldn't be too dark. He walked to the other end of the room towards the side of a bed horizontally placed so that the person sleeping on it isn't facing the door. On the bed was Sakura sitting, deep in thought with her forehead on her knees and her arms surrounding her legs, putting them together. You couldn't see her much because the light wasn't reaching her or rather she wasn't where the light is.
"What are you going to do now?" Yuki asked.
Sakura turned her head to look at him with a serious expression on her face. "Don't you ever know how to knock?" Sakura retorted back.
Yuki just raised an eyebrow as a response.
A sigh escaped Sakura's lips. "I think," she paused thinking. "I'm going to train here for two years and then… I'm going back to Konoha."
Yuki blinked his eyes and curled it in confusion. Why the hell does she want to go back to Konoha for? What's her reason? "Why?"
Sakura walked towards a window and opened it, letting the moonlight in the room. She turned around and faced him, "To fulfill a promise to a friend." She turned back and looked at the moon again.
I promise Naruto, we'll bring back Sasuke… together.
I promise.
A/N: Well, there is now Chapter 4. The first four chapters might be a bit boring, but from the next chapter will be when Sakura goes back to Konoha, and when she goes back will start the suspense so please reader, do not give up on this fic. I promise you that it will get better at the next few chapters. All I want is a review from readers… please… give me more reviews. Pls vote again on the side pairings.
Naruto/Hinata
Kiba/Hinata
Shikamaru/Ino
Shikamaru/Temari
Neji/Tenten
Lee/Tenten
P.S. Sasuke will make an appearance next chapter as well as all the people in Konoha… well the important characters that is.
Oh ya… about the speeches of the characters in this fic. Don't flame me for that. If you will review this fic… I would accept constructive criticism, suggestion and uh…. just no flames ok. THANK YOU TO THE FELLOW REVIEWERS OF LAST CHAPTER. ARIGATOU
