Thankies for reading!

Disclaimer: Sadly I own no part of BLEACH or Naruto… but I do own cat toys! XD

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Chapter 7

She cracked the skull mask, with a pained roar it disintegrated into the air turning into the spirit particles that supported the Soul Society. From her left she heard a shout, and she looked to toward the source tensing at what she saw. Cursing under breath, she leaped toward the defenseless and quivering child who was about to get eaten by the nearby Hollow, poor kid must have been lost in all of the confusion. Despite the fact that she was there to divert their attention, if there was easy prey like that lying around they would forget all about her and attack whatever was there.

Acting quickly she snatched the child out of harm's way rolling with the sniffling tyke in her arms. "Hold onto my neck as tight as you can." She told the kid not minding the runny nose that came in contact with her skin, as gross as it was now she didn't have the time to worry about that. Right now first priority was getting the kid safely out of the way. Leaping in the air she missed a down swipe of a long arm only to get nailed in the back with a flying object. She grunted as she hit the ground cushioning the child's fall, and conversely breaking a rib bone. She hissed in pain as she rolled away again remembering, the hard way, never to stay in one place for too long. It seemed that her cushy life as a towns master had considerably diminished her skills. Again she took another blow to her fighting prowess. If she had been in Konoha she would have never broken something to this, the only ways he would get injured or pushed back was if there was an Akatsuki there to try her skills.

Taking a bit of chakra she stretched it out to heal the rib, her internal pain disappeared but she didn't heal it enough for the bruising to go away. "Are you ok?" she asked the small child who had become silent breath still ragged. He/she nodded into her neck, Sakura couldn't tell if it was a boy he was certainly effeminate if it was a girl she had awfully short clipped hair and was dirty from head to toe. "Don't worry I'll make sure they'll never touch you." She made sure to reassure the child, she didn't want the kid bawling in her ear when she needed to keep all senses alert. Hugging the child to her bosom with one arm Sakura pulled out some kunai with her right. Like any seasoned fighter she ignored the battle wounds.

She had to hold out at least until shinigami help arrived, although normally a hollow like this wasn't a big deal, but it became a problem when she had someone else to protect, again she berated herself for letting herself go like this. Charging full force her chakra sharpened kunai met the clawed hand of the hollow. It roared when she sliced off its arm, releasing the other one she was holding she let it sink deeply into its skull mask, pained it torn at the small thing embedded in its skull, and conversely recoiled from her as she waved the other one in front of its face, but she didn't have time to celebrate yet, she jumped away once again to avoid another attack from the other hollow.

All of this running and no action reminded her of her genin days. A bad thing, rolling again out of harm's way she threw the other chakra charged kunai at the skull mask, this time putting enough in it to purify. She watched as it went up in a flare of chakra, it seemed she had put too much chakra in the blow but, seeing how this was a new tactic she had only put to test now, it got the job done quite well, she would have to conduct further tests on what she should and shouldn't use. Now, however, was not the time to ponder what equation she should use to measure such a thing. She had one last hollow to take care even now in the spirit particle full air she could see the Hollow regenerating itself.

One thing she had learned quickly, and it was never to let the enemy get their bearings. With chakra filled legs she kicked, manipulating her chakra to stick out from her limb like a blade sinking it into the hollows neck. Flipping with her arms still wrapped around the child she landed on the ground with a little thud before moving to a more strategic place like a nearby rooftop to watch her work. In that last blow she had let her chakra disperse in the hollows neck like shrapnel and watched as her chakra effectively beheaded the being. Surprisingly enough even though the blood splattered it disintegrated upon almost immediate contact with the air. Although she didn't know what hollows really were yet she would be sure to look it up.

There had to be a reason why zanpakutou swords had a purifying effect on them. She surveyed the area and calculated the damages, it wasn't too bad, she had managed to contain them in one area, and she knew she could get the Seventh division to pay for damages, although she would soon join the shinigami, she would put this town at top priority. The shinigami had promised her that they would be safe from hollow with a shinigami was here, it was unfortunate for a soldier to die but she didn't intend to let that little detail alter what she felt. They had made a promise and lacked the means to remedy it.

Once she knew that there was no other hollow danger left she jumped to the ground and set the child on her feet pulling out a white handkerchief to wipe the poor things face. She was surprised to be face to face with an unruly little boy. "Do you know where your parents are?" She asked, the beautiful child looked up at her and shook his head. "No. Mom and dad stopped moving a long time ago." It meant that they were dead. Sakura sighed, it looked like this one would become a new addition to the Orphs. Gently she picked him up again, he couldn't have been older than five years old.

Right on cue, a small group of shinigami landed in front of her. "You're unfortunately too late." She told them, "Please be aware that I will contact the seventh squad to pay for the damages. I will also submit a formal report to the superiors. My only wish for you now though is to try and help find any surviving townsmen, it would save me a lot of trouble." She nodded to them respectfully talking to them as if she were their leader, and the way she said it made it so that they couldn't resist what she had asked. They were part of the seventh squad they were supposed to take care of Rukongai affairs and they had no choice but to help. That however didn't stop her from telling them too. This was one of the least things they could have done for not replying immediately.

Cradling the child, she ran with chakra filled legs toward the orphanage, she had to drop the kid off and then see to the townsmen herself. Even though there was a perfectly working police force on her side. She knew that criminals and such still existed and the last thing she wanted was close knit friends from disappearing from under her nose only to be found in a brothel somewhere else, or in some smut or snuff video sold on the black market. There were a lot of perverts out there after all and she didn't intend for any of them to even touch one of her beloved citizens. A moment later they were in front of the gate, people were here, it was were the townsmen would flee if there were an attack it was one of the only places with six foot barriers around them.

Sakura had made it that way, children were precious and they were the future. It didn't matter if they were all dead here. They could all die again, and who would take their places? The children of course, in a specific pattern and quietly enough she knocked. The door swung gently open to show her friend Makino. Handing the child to her Sakura told her, "It isn't safe yet and I'm going to do a preliminary check of the town alright? Don't let anyone out only the people that you know may enter. If anyone forcibly tries to get in you know what to do." Silently she nodded and took the scared child away who glanced at Sakura every now and then. Half relieved to be someone he knew and half scared to leave his protector. She waved her fingers and closed the door, listening to it lock soundly before taking off to do a search of the town.

Destruction was everywhere, but it was thankfully to a minimal, the damages looked bad but nothing that couldn't be easily fixed. A lot of things could be salvaged and a lot of things could be mended with a little tinkering. She listened increasing her internal radar to pick up any citizens. She stopped for a moment as she heard a cry out and a weird flare of chakra. She followed the direction of the sound and landed in a clear area, to see a red headed woman kneel over an injured woman Sakura had come to know as Hanabi the magic fingered masseuse. Sakura was about to attack the red head but when she looked closer Hanabi's hands were going from scorched to pretty pale like they used to be.

Sharply her gaze zeroed in on the two small creatures who made the oval shield-like projection. It was a strange way to heal to say the least, but it also meant that this girl wasn't an enemy. "Is she hurt badly?" Sakura asked the strange girl, when Sakura looked closer she realized that the girl was very much alive, her chakra seemed more vibrant than most. Like the many Sakura had seen when she was still in the realm of the living. The girl looked up her big doeish and dark blue eyes. She was dressed in a short skirt and white shirt with a ribbon hanging from the front. Although it wasn't skin tight it left little to the imagination. Like a lot of people in this place she was extremely curvy. However she seemed a bit more comely than the happy go lucky Matsumoto, or the blazing Kukkaku.

"No, she'll be fine in just a few moments." On cue the yellow sphere popped and Hanabi got up stroking her hands. "They aren't scorched anymore!" Sakura smiled, those hands were important to Hanabi they were her livelihood and her connection to people. Sakura helped Hanabi up, her pale blonde hair that reminded Sakura of Ino flashing in the sun. "Thank you for your assistance…" The girl blushed and stammered, "Uh, ah, It's Inoue, Orehime." Sakura smiled gently not to cause alarm, "Orehime-san, do you think you can go to the orphanage up the street there will be more injured there. Hanabi will be sure to show you the way." Sakura let Hanabi go and urged them along to return to her own search of the injured.

She watched them until they reached the orphanage and then Sakura returned to her prowling, she would like to get to know the Orehime girl better, she had interesting abilities, and she was nice, not only that but Sakura also wanted to know what a being of the living was doing in the realm of the dead.

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After a few hours of combing and healing, sending up the townsmen who couldn't make it or were to scared up to the orphanage Sakura made her way back, a bit alarmed that she didn't find any mafia, they had been awfully quiet and that worried Sakura. That wasn't first priority right now though. She walked to the gate to find that her barrier was up and shinigami looking at it dumbfounded. "Is there a problem gentleman?" she asked, quietly causing them all to turn to her. "They locked themselves in and won't come out." Said one, he was strange with orange spiky hair that reminded her of Naruto and a big sword. She could tell that this man had plenty of chakra in him.

He took out his sword, "I wouldn't try that if I were you I rigged that chakra barrier specifically to burn anything it touches if the offender means harm. So unless you want to go up in flames I suggest that you don't." He lowered his sword considerably less eager to break through. Sakura pulled out a whistle, and blew it three times paused and then blew again in a more colorful way. Hesitantly a head poked over the wall and she smiled waving. The child nodded and the shield dimmed. She had made it so that the outer portion would only fall if she died or if she released it. Putting to fingers before her face she dispersed the chakra and soaked it back in.

Walking ahead of the shinigami she entered the gate, to be greeted with many familiar and a few unfamiliar faces. It was then that Fuyukusen ran up to her. "Welcome back, Sakura." He said smiling taking her by the hand and then leading her in. For some reason when men her age accompanied her like this he tended to act this way. She wondered if the young boy had developed feelings that a brother shouldn't have for a sister, because a brother was all that she considered him as. "Come on." She told the stunned shinigami as they were let into the compound a more unfriendly gaze turned in their direction.

"Any casualties?" she asked. Very professionally her former apprentice pulled out a clipboard. "No one you know but there were four, a mother and a father plus two of the elderly who had just moved in and were unlucky enough to be in the hollows path." Sakura sighed, "So are you telling me that the shinigami weren't of any use at all?" She turned to those trailing behind them, "No offense meant, but you guys just don't seem to be doing your job." A woman who looked to be new at her job, because Sakura saw the over confidence of a newbie easily, and rank huffed, "At least there were only four deaths."

To say the least that line got Sakura's blood boiling, the child whom Sakura had saved began to cry. "Only four? Only four, you say. Do you want to tell that to the child who lost his parents, because your organization couldn't react fast enough? Do you want to say that in front of the possible, children and grandchildren of the elderly couple? Hell! Why should you even say anything? You haven't done a damn thing, not your now dead shinigami, and nothing for these people, and you have the nerve to say that? When I was protecting this town single handedly against your damn hollow I did a much better job!.. And remember one casualty is too much, if this were a war I would understand, but were talking public safety. Sharply Sakura looked at the girls superior, "Be aware that I will have her court marshaled for those careless words." Gently, Sakura picked the boy up hushing him while shooting a menacing and deadly glare at the woman who flushed as she realized what she really just said.

"Take her out of here, I'm not against my citizens for beating the hell out of her, and if she wants to get out of this place alive she better hightail it out of here." Nodding he ordered the girl to wait outside. Sakura closed her eyes, another thing she would have to work on in this messed up society, and that was the tact in which they said things.

Sakura gently pet the boys head and walked through the crowd reassuring her people with her presence. Walking toward the healing tent where she found the Orehime girl. Many of her townspeople thanking the girl gently, "We thank you for your assistance; please feel free to visit any time." Sakura told her politely still holding the sniffling child who wanted his mother and father. It saddened Sakura that she hadn't come quick enough to save the child from that particular misery. She knew what pains Naruto and Sasuke had to go through in being orphans and she couldn't change the fact that the children who lived here had no caring figure, but her that was.

Even she had the sadness of experiencing the death of a parent. That sudden loss of security, of family was devastating even for her seventeen year old self at the time. Shyly she blushed, like Hinata, she was a gentle girl and the determination that burned in her eyes reminded Sakura of her gentle Hyuuga friend. "Yo, Inoue, looks like the townsmen warmed up to you nicely right?" Sakura turned to see the orange top. The girl blushed, "K-kurosaki- kun, well, yeah I guess." Sakura saw the situation happening all over again. It was just like with Naruto and Hinata. "Kurosaki Ichigo, I presume." Sakura said promptly she had heard of the famous substitute shinigami and his hoolow powers, when she felt more deeply she could feel the hollow in him.

It stirred and snapped at her and her chakra, he was powerful, in fact she was sure that he could rival an akatsuki, but that wouldn't stop her if he were to attack. Although they had come off on the wrong footing, Sakura sighed to herself softly, and held out a hand giving him a courteous smile. "I am Haruno Sakura, Rukia has told me a lot about you." He stiffened and smiled taking her hand warmly. Sakura smiled internally, this was a man who could win anyone over, just like Naruto a passionate man whose life centered on those he cared about. The townsmen would like him, even Sakura liked him immediately. "Sakura?" asked a nervous Fuyukusen who was coping glances in either direction. Sakura smiled, "Fuyukusen, meet Kurosaki, he is good friends with Inoue here and since they're already here shall we put these shinigami to work? Its least they can do for arriving late." Plus it would make it easier for integration, she watched as the boy had a mischievous spark in his eye, "Of course Sakura, whatever you say."

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It had been another week since that event and Sakura got to know Rukia's friends better to the point where they were her friends too. After the townsmen had come to sort of accept shinigami, mostly due to her becoming one and Kurosaki and his down to earth and infectious smiles they had become fast friends. Nothing romantically inclined of course, he reminded her too much of Naruto a bit more mature but still an idiot. They were a fun group, Rukia kicking the hell out of the much taller man with just a kick, Renji and Kurosaki's quarrels were quite funny too. Mostly though Sakura stayed back with Orehime watching the others with a smile on her face, Sakura was beginning to like being a shinigami, then again what was there not to like? People knew what to expect of her now, her personality, her suggestions, and her abilities above all.

Easily she climbed through the first through fourth year classes, and was ready to graduate in record time. Although she wouldn't call herself a genius, all of the free time given to the students allowed her to run full speed ahead. Being already used to fighting with a sword it wasn't a problem she had learned the art of wielding one through Itachi's patient tutelage, and the many sparring partners she had, had in Konoha. It also seemed that her graduation was just in time, soon she would receive her own zanpakutou and learn it as fast as she could, the tension in the air, told her the events although the leaders of each squad said nary a thing. Trouble was brewing with the missing captains, the betrayers and she intended to stop them. They were hitting to close to home, but she also knew that they were powerful; she knew what she needed to expect.

She automatically assumed that they were greater than the Akatsuki, and their members, if she were to compare, it would be like one of the notorious members with a bijuu within him, which for the longest time had been their supposed goal. For any warrior it was better to overestimate an opponent rather than underestimate one. That didn't make the thought any less frightening. Even so, she had no time to slack. At the back of her mind she could feel what she had learned to be the soul of her sword forming itself, blurring its image but letting her guess its form. She could feel it itching to get out of her mind and form itself and she was itching to form it. She could already feel it trying to come out of her and greet her. She was anxious for it, as it was for her. She looked through the squad requests, and wondered which group would need her help the most. She had narrowed it down to three squads, 13th, 6th, and 5th.

She was interested to see the small scale operations and try to alter it from the 13th squad, it seemed like the 7th with domestic affairs wasn't doing so well. She also wanted to go to the 6th the nobles where she knew she could get a feel of the higher class and try to fix some of their skewed views, if not 5th where the head of the group of betrayer were, it sounded like the vice captain needed help, she had been in love with the man and was devastated. She rubbed her temples, and decided to go visit them and see what they were like and how they interacted; on the other hand maybe she could strike a compromise. She got out of the floor chair by rolling out of it the heavy weights she had put to her legs dragging her down slightly.

She had piled on seventy weights on her legs and fifty on her arms. It was a little drop off from her previous training scheme. Stretching she headed out from the barracks to the 5th squad it was time to do a little snooping. Jumping up on the paneled rooftops she ran along it with ease refusing to let any chakra in, and got there in a matter of seconds. Melting into the shadows she watched, she heard dissatisfaction from the men about their love struck vice captain, she watched as the small bunned girl looked hurt at the words she knew was being said about her. Watching, the girl irritated Sakura. She screamed of weakness, of what Sakura had once been, and was no longer. Sakura knew though that, that sort of thing was meant to solve itself out not something someone else could pull you out of.

It was a situation that could either make or break you; it had been that way with her, with Sasuke and then Naruto's sudden acclamation to fame. Not only that but if Sakura had to look at her former self everyday it would hurt her, and that wasn't something she would willingly walk into. Sakura made her way to the door way of the 6th squad, she had heard that the captain had some form of nin training, she didn't know his talent for it and she wouldn't risk getting caught. She knocked, and was greeted at the door by Renji. He smiled and showed her around; she smiled prettily for him and listened, scanning the area noting the neatly trimmed trees.

Taking a closer look she wondered if the nobles here were paranoid she could sense several chakras around the area concealed by the bushes and the trees, like many nin that she had seen here their skills were mediocre at best. Playing a trick on them she flashed her chakra knocking a few startled ones out of the trees, smirking as she watched the bushes ruffle at their movements startling a few people nearby. Renji looked at her a bit questioningly but said nothing, she knew he felt that chakra wave, couldn't have not felt it or she would have questioned why he was a vice captain, friend or not. Walking along she noted the sparkle of the place that the others didn't have. She knew that all of this was attainable by money; leave it to nobles to show off.

The Sakura that were in bloom; and the quality of everything was top grade. From a far end of the garden she heard raised voices and jumped off the wooden hallways to investigate Renji not too far behind her. She stopped short of a pair of male nobles cornering a maid and shouting various things at her. Like any woman who stood up for her own she got mad and interfered. In that very moment she decided that this was the squad she would join if only to right that bigot attitude to those of lower status. Rukia was in squad 13 anyway and Sakura could easily pump her for information, it was good to have friends in many places."It degrades this squad's value when it is said that two full grown men were picking on a servant." said a calm voice that sent a shiver up her spine, although she had felt him coming she didn't expect the captain to get there in such a quiet way.

She turned to see a very stoic male, that sent her mind reeling the very likeness of Itachi minus the red eyes and something about him seemed to be more sober and calm, if that was possible, something also very empty. He resonated with hollowness, something she used to ring with when she had first gotten here in that run down village, and thankfully she had woken from that trance when she realized that the people needed her full attention. Respectfully, she stepped back as was her place, even though this wasn't her squad. He nodded to her just as she did to him, the two men stammered to their captain and scattered the moment that he dismissed them. Gently, he apologized to the shaken woman and sent her on her way face slightly red with fear and a sort of adoration.

"I apologize for their disgraceful conduct," he said rather emptily that made her eyebrows scrunch up. Although he had defended the woman it felt as if he didn't mean it. Something that Sakura was determined to change. A part of her wanted to tell him off for no reason, but diplomacy won over, "Indeed, for their actions reflect upon you, as you are their leader." She said rather calmly, with an underlying tone of stern biased, there was a challenge in her words, although he had apologized and while it had fooled the girl who was now probably hyperventilating about him it didn't fool her. He chose not to comment and turned away his long white scarf flowing behind him, as he looked out across the garden with a blank face but eyes that said it all.

Kuchiki, Byakuya was his name if she recalled correctly, sighing Sakura wondered why was it, that she always got stuck with the highest ranking clan, not only that but a clan that had to do with a police force. On top of that they were always black haired and black eyed. She was tempted to check herself in a psyche ward to see what was wrong with her. Sakura could already see herself setting up for another heart break, then again that was never something to stop her from moving forward, while it had once, she wouldn't let it again, that hesitation had made her lose Sasuke in the first place. If she hadn't had tried to knock him out he wouldn't have gotten to her first. Close to exasperation she rubbed the side of her face to distract herself.

"Oi! Sakura he's really strong ya know." Commented Renji rather blandly, she smirked then turned a bright smile toward the red head, "Really now? Then this will make it all the more enjoyable." The perfect answer! She wanted to fight him, they say you know what your opponent thought when you fought. It was a form of communication that was exactly why Naruto resolved everything with a good fist fight. Her hand wanted a sword to fight him with; she could already feel the hilt in her hand, perfect size and weight. When she clenched down for a ghost of a moment she could have sworn she felt it. Glancing down she knew that she was hallucinating, her hand was empty.

Tomorrow though she would push for her zanpakutou exams, then the next… well her time in this squad would determine that. Following Renji to the door she left, already into phase one of her plan. She didn't have much time as it was to earn their trust she could feel a last battle coming and she wanted to be a part of it. It was only right; this was now her home too.

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Done! In commemoration to my parents anniversary! Sweet huh? Not that they'll read any of this ^.^'… Sorry it took so long… carpel tunnel… ouch and it still hurts… so I might not write for a while… Thanks for reading this story!

I have no anonymous~