Author's Note: Thank you for reading this. This is my first attempt at a suspense/horror story. Anyways I apologize in advance if you find this chapter rather uneventful. That will change because things are going to start moving faster next chapter. That will be posted very shortly: this afternoon most likely.

Again, thank you for taking time out of your day to read this. And I don't own Vampire Princess Miyu or Naruto. Happy New Years!

Forest of the Dolls

Kyoto

Stretching Sakura languidly slid out of her bed, wincing as her feet settled on the cold floor. She quickly hopped onto the thin green rug that covered most of the floor. She glanced on at the clock on the bedside table. She had at least an hour to shower and eat before she needed to return to the clinic to finish what herb gathering she could. She pulled a brush and a spare change of clothing from her pack. The bathroom was small, but clean. There was a small tub with a faucet and a showerhead. She turned the water on, knowing in the cold weather it would be slow to heat up.

The shower curtain draped over the rod, the towels and the counter were minty green. It seemed that the inn liked its green theme, because the bedroom was dark wood and mint green accents the same as the lobby. She reached over to grab the small bottle of green shampoo the inn had so kindly provided. She snorted. The rich sent rising from the unscrewed lid was mint.

Rosy and smelling of fresh cut mint Sakura quickly strapped her kunai holster around her leg and clipped her medic's apron around her waist, before stepping out of her room. Smells from the bar attached to the inn permeated the air as she descended the last stair into the lobby. A fire played in the hearth warming up the open, dark brown, and mint green space. The inn keeper sitting at his desk eating a bowl of soup nodded at her as she passed him.

She stood at the bar looking at the food menu. She could just as easily wander the village combing the market for other sources of food, but she had decided to save her trip for her leisure time, which she would have plenty of after visiting Sakana.

"Ah, your back," Sakana greeted wide smile. "You needed a few herbs, right?"

"Reishi, Fo-ti, and lobelia, " Sakura nodded. The doctor smiled. "I've already gathered them for you." Sakura blinked. "Thank you."

"Oh no problem at all," Sakana waved her off. "But um, I know it's pretty quiet around here usually, but if I needed you would I be able to call on you?"

Sakura nodded, "Of course."

"Thank you," Sakana beamed. "I'll be sure to send for you if I need you." Taking that as her cue to leave, Sakura headed to the door, her pre-packaged herbs in hand.

Having the entire day not to mention an entire two weeks to hang around she decided to explore. In the highly unlikely, but still possible event that enemy shinobi could show up, it would be good to have a home field advantage. She meandered down the main road because that really was the village's only road and wound up in the market square. It was more of a circle in actuality. There was the general store she'd peeked in the windows before, the inn with its bar, the doll shop, and a small tea house built on the bottom level of a house.

The general store carried a various assortment of northern winter clothes all of which were thick wools and heavy coats; impractical attire for any shinobi. There was a rack of magazines with a few books thrown in the mix. The magazines were either catalogues for various civilian supplies or 'How To' knitting books which she glanced at for good measure but found rather uninteresting. Glancing at the covers of the books she smiled coming across a romance novel and a collection of poetry deciding to buy both of them.

Sakura tugged her cap down lower over her ears as she stepped outside. The temperature had dropped a few degrees since she was last outside. She passed underneath a leaf barren tree and shuddered when a chill leapt down her spine. Glancing up at the sky she scowled at the cloud darkening sky. There was a faint rumble of thunder in the distance.

She looked in the window of the doll shop, smiling down at the perfectly sculpted faces. They were dolls made in a style unique to a tourist village in Crescent Moon Kingdom. Or so she'd been told by the prince during her break while Kakashi had been recovering from a battle. Perhaps the doll maker was from there. It was strange that someone from the richest nation in the world would travel to a desolate civilian village in Lightning country. The situation bore investigation.

A small bell chimed as she stepped inside, freezing as a young man about her age with dark hair and dark eyes looked up from a doll he held in his hand. Sakura blinked and willed her heart to slow. He looked so much like Sasuke, only his hair was different.

"I'm Takumi," the young man said either not noticing her behaviour or just being too courteous to say anything. "Oh-um, Sakura." He nodded and looked down at the doll in his hand, gently adjusting the porcelain girl's obi. He set her on a shelf.

"Sorry, my father wanted me to make sure her clothing was up to standard. Is there something I can help you with?" Sakura fought the sudden urge to blush. So much like Sasuke: aloof, but nicer in a way. With a sigh she knew she had always wished Sasuke would be like that around her.

She looked up to find him watching her. "Um, no. I was just passing by and I noticed your dolls and I had to know if-are they Kyoto dolls?"

Takumi blinked surprise written across his face. "They are, how did you know?"

"Oh well I went to Kyoto once. It's the only place in the world where dolls like this are made, or so I've heard." Takumi nodded. "That was true until about six months ago. My father made all these and he wanted to leave Crescent Moon, but loved the art and felt the need to share it with the world." Sakura frowned. "But why here? You come from a rich tropical county. Moving to Lightning: a frigid poorer shinobi nation is pretty big change."

Takumi allowed his lip to curl slightly. "My father wanted a change of scenery: said it was for his health, and he's happier here."

Sakura inwardly scowled feeling that there was more to the story. But she let it slide.

"Takumi who are you talking to?" An eldery man, tall and thin with slicked back thinning grey hair stepped out of a side room at the back of the store. He smiled warmly when he saw her.

"Not a costumer, Father. She recognized the Kyoto style and came in to find out if we're from Kyoto." Something flashed across the old man's eyes, but his smile never faltered. "Three generations of our family were born and raised in Kyoto, but I felt that since I was old I would go out and see the world. Travelling is something I've always wanted to do."

"I know you're not here to buy anything, but feel free to stick around and look at whatever you want. If you're interested I also sell kimonos. They're in back if you want to look and you can try as many as you want on and there's makeup as well. Just because you're not buying doesn't mean I'm going to make you leave." Sakura smiled.

"Can I look at the kimonos?" The old man nodded holding open a curtain that revealed a small room lined with racks of some of the finest kimonos she'd ever seen. "Wow." The old man chuckled. "I'll get a mirror if you wish." He left her standing in a forest of the finest silks she'd ever laid eyes on. She ran her fingers over the soft smooth fabric of a dark indigo sleeve embroidered with peacocks of spun gold.

She found one she liked and quickly put it on drooling as the smooth fabric slid over her arms. The shop keeper chose that moment to wheel in a full size oval mirror with an ornately carved wooden frame. "That kimono is gorgeous on you." Sakura starring at herself in the mirror couldn't agree more.

"Did you make this?" She asked. "I made all of them. A lot of my dolls wear smaller versions of these, but not all of them. There's little call for such clothing in a village like this, except for rare formal functions: Weddings and Such. In Kyoto I sold them, here I lend them."

"They are incredible," Sakura marvelled, fingering the hem her sleeves. This man had such amazing talent, and to waste it here in this poor village in the middle of nowhere, far from any travellers from rich cities who could afford these made no sense to her. Something must have happened for him to have left the sunny beach town of Kyoto to set up shop out here in this poor frigid sedate village.

"Takumi!" his son holding a block of wood with the partially formed limb of a doll protruding from it came in. "How does she look?" Immediately Sakura felt her face flush under the scrutiny of the young man's gaze. "She looks-"

CRASH!

All three of them jumped. Sakura masked her chakra as she gingerly wrenched the kimono off and whipped out a kunai. Taking a deep breath preparing herself for whatever was about to happen she burst out from the behind the curtain. She lurched to a stop staring around her confusedly. No one was there and nothing was broken. Not a single thing was out of place. Everything, was exactly where it had bee. She ducked her head inside the doll maker's workroom opposite his kimono closet to find nothing amiss.

Scouring the main part of the shop, nothing was amiss. Takumi joined her, a frown on his face. "Maybe it came from next door." She turned to look at him, but his face aside from his frown was unreadable. "Takumi, why don't you run over and see if they need any help?" His father asked from behind the curtain. Undoubtedly, he was hanging up the kimono she'd thrown at him in her haste. Immediately she felt bad. "I was already about to leave," he called over his shoulder and then turning to Sakura. "I'll walk you out."

Moments later the curtain rustled open and he stepped out to observe the state of his shop. "I'm glad to see nothing fell. It would have been terrible if the dolls had broken."

"Sorry about your kimono." The old man waved away her apology. "It didn't get hurt, so don't be. Feel free to stop by and try them on any time you like."

"Thank you." She smiled at him. Takumi lightly grabbed her wrist and she followed him out into the cold street. He let her go and rather than turning left and checking the general store as he told his father he would he went right. Sakura feeling a little uncomfortable pointed this out. He stopped and looked at her before deciding to answer. "My mother died in a house fire a little over a year ago. Kyoto reminded Father too much of her so we left. That's the main reason we're here but he does wish to see the world. After the snow passes we're going to go somewhere else."

Sakura frowned. "Why are you-" Takumi shrugged. "I guess since you're a ninja you weren't going to buy the story he gave you. I honestly can't see how anyone believes it." He let out a bitter laugh. "Anyways I've got to head over to the store. Maybe I'll see you around." He didn't smile at her or blush when he said the last part, but his eyes were bright. "Um, sure," Sakura said with a light smile, absolutely sure he would see her again, whether she returned to the doll shop or not.

She gave Takumi a light wave and turned away, heading toward the only other place of real interest. Thunder grumbled on the horizon. The storm was approaching and would unleash its torrent on the village very soon.

The entered the tea house, her nose revelling in the aromas of pastries, coffee, and tea mingling in the air. Feeling in the need for something hot to drink she looked at the menu. The house special was mint tea. She ordered a hot steaming cup to go and a stick of dango to sample. It was early in the day, not even noon yet and even though a storm was coming she didn't like the idea of being cooped inside her room all day. Maybe she could see if Sakana could use any help at the clinic. At the very least Sakura would have somebody to talk to, and if Sakana got called away Sakura had two very good books hanging from her arm.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. The next chapter will be up shortly. Have a great year.