Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Author's Note: I am sooo sorry I havn't updated in awhile, I had been planning to do so during the holidays but honestly I got sidetracked by getting ready for winter session and trying to lose weight. I'm one of those people where I literally gain weight no matter what I eat…I blame genetics…lol.
Comic X Arena: Itachi so smexy, isn't he… =)
Hirochick: I will try to take into consideration what you want. I will allow you the two votes on Itachi and Lee only because rarelt does anyone consider Lee and he is adorable…atleast his personality. He's such a hardworker…I think I have plans for him…hehehhe. Also Kimmimaro….hmm, I will definitely consider a one sided affection for sakura and maybe he'll later be paired with Anko…we shall see ;) Hope that's okay for you! I try to please most of my readers.
Bloody Crystal Black Rose: Okay..Okay, Another one for Itachi…wow he is so popular…lol but then again he is smexy as hell. Thank You, I'm really glad you enjoy my story!
Vampire Huntree72095: lol, yup…I wanted her Inner to slowly make her feel some emotion, they'll be random but the whole non emotion demon thing…yeah, it'd be kinda hard to pair her up with someone if she couldn't feel… **sigh**, inner is so cool, don't we all wish we had one to make our monotonous life a little bit more exciting. Got you, Garra…good choice, I really like him too… sorry for the delay… I will try to update as fast as I can but I'm on a diet and taking classes so my life is hectic.
Jpi: Woot Woot! One for Kakashi, personally I want him too…He's number one for me..hehe, I wish Author's could vote on their own poll..lol.
Analelle: Aww…thank you soooo much, I love when people compliment my story! I was trying to do something original that many people havn't done before. And yeah, my story does get confusing but most of the minor characters will go away soon, I just need them to die out to give Sakura some emotional sentience without any of the major characters getting killed. I also want her to not just see the going back in time as saving Konoha but also saving the elemental countries. And…lol, I probably overdid it a lot, I admit it…hehe. I will try to take into consideration what you have said as they are really good points. I promise by Chapter 11 or 12...most of the non major characters will get killed off mysteriously unless I have plans for them and then I shall build on that…and try not to go into descriptions or character personality too much. I also admit this is kind of hard to write only because English is my worst subject, I'm a math person so writing stories is sort of vexing for me but thanks for the clear up…I can only get better from your tips. Ooops, lol…hehe, yeah, sometime this week I'll go change that word mix-up. Lol, Okay, Itachi it is although I am partial to Kakashi, we will see who wins! And yes, you may go back and vote in the past chapters for Itachi and I will add the votes you made in the past reviews but please tell me you made new reviews for past chapters so I don't miss them and not add the correct number of votes. So, If you did go back and make reviews for the old chapters saying itachi and this is your first review…that'll be 8 votes plus a vote for this chapter if you vote again. Again please review this chapter and state you went back and reviewed for past chapters to vote for itachi…they don't have to be long reviews just write the word itachi...Thank You. Your review was really helpful!
7darkangel7: Yay, KAKASHI!
Orochimaru's cherry blossom: Hehehe, Thanks! I think I just got a puff of euphoria. I'm really happy you enjoy my story.
Angel1897: Thank you. And I know…KAKASHI is number one… and there will be numerous points in the story he does try to get to her…Hope you like this chapter.. =)
Spring Cherry Blosson: Haku…wow, don't really see that coming, lol…just kidding, But seriously, you may want to review either in my old chapters and tell me you did so I can give you multiple votes for Haku because I don't think many other people vote for him although he is awfully attractive in that girly-but-is-a-guy type of way…Okay, one vote for Haku!
Crimson Yume: Thank You…I feel giddy…and wow, Itachi is sure popular!
Hellcleaner: Thank You…it's readers like you who give me the inspiration to continue writing…seriously if I didn't get reviews where people say they like my stories, I'd have quite like after the first chapter…lol, ^.^
AnimaniacXOX: Okay…I'll count your vote as Sasuke because seriously the amount of votes on Itachi this past chapter review was like incredible…lol.
~East Edge of Fire Country: Port City - Kakashi's Pov~
Kakashi sat down on one of the docks as he waited for the main ship to undock it's passengers. Then in about 15 minutes, they would start loading, in about 20 minutes he would be on the ship about to head off back into Water Country, and he should arrive in 6 hours to start his search for her.
He was wearing a simple brown traveler's cloak that covered his Anbu ensemble. His traveler pack was shouldered which contained supplies, his Anbu mask, his identification, and money. In his right hand, he clutched the ticket that would allow him to get on board as well as start his journey to find his teammates daughter.
Just thinking that somewhere out there, Obito's and Rin's daughter could be laying in filth, starving, out in some side alley like common trash was tormenting him.
'Soon. I'll be there. I promise Obito…Rin, I'll find her and take care of your daughter.'
He could almost see a small toddler with black hair and dark eyes staring up at him with sad eyes ready to be rescued.
As he pictured himself taking the child into Konoha for safety, the horn sounded on the ship signaling it was ready to start loading. Getting up, he looked down at his ticket and was about to start moving, when he saw something out of the corner of his eyes.
There was a tall dark haired man holding a young girl with bright pink hair. She was unconscious and he may not have looked twice if he didn't feel something strong pulling him to her. He felt like he should know her or that she was important to him.
But he didn't recognize her. She had sharp features for a toddler, like those kids from prestigious clans. Her hair was also startling. A pale pink going down to the girl's shoulder. The child was bundled in a brown blanket but he could see tattered black shorts peeking from the bottom as well as small feet with small sandals. From what he could see of her tiny feet, they were slightly blistered but the smell of dry blood emanating from her was too strong for the tiny scabs on the child's feet.
She looked about two, and was cute for a kid but there was nothing extraordinary about the toddler to look twice at. She was just a kid who was born into poverty. The blisters were probably from walking with her guardian when he couldn't carry her. And yet the smell of blood was strong. Was she abused?
'It's not my problem. I don't have time for this. There are probably thousands of other kids in her situation.'
About to turn back, it was then his shinobi senses were screaming at him. His eyes widened when he realized the man holding her, who he might have thought was her father, was adorning a henge.
Spreading his senses, he examined the man holding her.
He was suppressing his signature that if he wasn't paying attention to him, he might have not sensed. In fact, he knew this chakra signature, it belonged to the traitor sannin.
He knew as Konoha nin he was obligated to investigate this. Oroichimaru hadn't been seen in a long time. But he needed to get on the ship. He was on a time limit and the ship was the last one for the day. He was on a schedule and he only had 58 hours left to find the daughter of his teammates. If he didn't get on the ship and find the girl, she would be hunted down by the council, and after that he would not be able to protect her.
Biting his lips, he forced himself to turn away from them.
And as he started on the ship, he absently wondered what was so special about that girl that the traitor sannin would take her.
Shaking his head, he contented himself that his mission was more important.
'Then why do I want to save that girl? This mission is important! And….yet…deep down, I want to save that girl. I want to abandon this mission with all my heart. Why do I feel like I'm making the biggest mistake of my life?'
~Within Sakura's Mind~
Sakura stared at the two figures in front of her.
The first one was small girl. She was tiny, maybe only coming to stand 3 feet and some inches tall. She had golden skin, and wore a black kimono. She had bright pink hair like she had in her past life with pale grey eyes,
The second one was a small boy who was the same height and frame as the girl. He had pale skin and wore a white kimono. He had brown hair and pale grey eyes.
Both of them spoke at the same time.
"Are your sure about that?", they asked her in strong voices, adult in sound unlike their appearances.
"Am I sure about what?", she asked them.
"Are you sure you are willing to sacrifice, manipulate, and murder in the name and honor of Konoha?"
Eyes widening in surprise, she could have sworn she had thought that and not said it out loud.
Furthermore, who were these kids inside of her mind. Were they ghosts like Ranmaru who visited her a second ago?
"We are your zampakutos."
"How do you know what I was thinking?", she questioned.
The kids in front of them snorted at her.
"Zampakuto. Reflections of a shinigami's soul and power. Sentiment beings not born from the shinigami but past spirits. We now share your soul. Are you not aware of what the Kyubbi really offered you over 2 and a half years ago?"
"Shinigami? I'm not a shinigami. I am Demon."
"No. You are not a demon. You have no idea of what you are, do you? I am sure, the Kyubbi did not tell you either. You must understand, you can not trust Kyubbi. Kyubbi is Kitsune Yokai…tricksters, the lot of them."
"Your not making sense. How am I shinigami."
"Not shinigami either. Zampakutos are wielded by shinigami but there are exceptions. Sit. We do not have a lot of time. And you do not yet have the power to wield us correctly. You have just enough strength to call us but understand that is not the same as wielding us."
Sakura was growing frustrated. She had undergone the merge. Kyubbi had explained she was going to become a demon. He wouldn't have lied. She knew more than anyone else, the Kyubbi cared about Naruto, maybe not Konoha but he would have wanted to save Naruto and that meant Konoha. When she voiced this, the two spirits in front of her just shook their head as if she were a child.
"The Kyubbi does not have the power to make anyone a demon. You must first understand his creation.
He was created from the ten-tailed demon. Long ago, a young sage became the first true jinchuriki. He housed the ten-tailed demon, and upon his death, feared for the elemental countries and so split the soul of the demon. 9 minor demons were born from the split.
The ten-tailed demon was like no other of his brethren. He long ago left the lands of demon for this world but even in his world, he was the only kind of his own and often times would ponder why there were no others like him. Unlike the Inu Yokai or the Kitsune Yokai which were both strong in numbers back in his world, he had been created with no equal. And so, when the sage split his soul, the pieces took the forms of his unconscious desires, the forms of other Yokai, in hopes that they might find the portal back into the Yokai lands and live with their kind. This has never happened.
When the Kyubbi told you of how long ago before his creation, a human tried to become demon and lost their mind, he was not wrong. You see, The ten-tailed beast tried to create a mate. When that human failed, and became something else, the shinigami king came and struck the foul creation. In his rage at losing what could have been, the ten-tailed demon ravaged the lands of the elemental countries.
The foul creation which was created started out as demon-like but was really hollow. A human who died with negative emotions, imbalanced in spirit. They hunger for the death of others so they may consume souls. They are driven by an eternal and insatiable hunger. They like demons are able to procure the use of abilities like accessing reitsu and senshi abilities, albeit twisted forms of them, and transform into a beast, Yokai-like in appearance.
Why do you think he never made Naruto into a 'demon'. Because he knew it wasn't in his abilities to do. When he offered it to you, you accepted a worse fate than being Yokai. Know this, we are not the only spirits within your inner soul. Your only hope is to beat the hollow inside of you when it appears. You were lucky that during the change to the altercation of your soul, you concentrated on the task of saving Konoha rather than on your failure to save them. In that, your soul won the fight from twisting more than it could. But you are on borrowed time.
Train, when you are strong enough, we will judge you. Should you prevail, we will help you to become vizard instead of hollow."
Before she even processed the information, she was thrown out of her mind.
~Rice Field Country: Village Hidden in the Sound - Oroichimaru's Pov~
Oroichimaru stood in front of the gates that lead into the compound. Quickly walking through the traps, careful to not disturb them, he used chakra to form a seal, and touch the middle of the gate. A seal came to life where there was smooth stone before. As the door rumbled before sliding open, he walked through.
Walking down the halls until he came to the main living area, he quickly informed a lower sound shinobi to call his two commanding officers Yoroi and Musumi as well as the Sound Four.
Laying the girl down on one of the couches. He sat down and peeled back the brown blanket. Pulling the oversized shirt the girl wore, he looked at the scabbing wound. He had healed it partially until he could get to the base so he could disinfect it before healing it completely. He had also wanted to keep the girl unconscious till he was back here. Quickly opening one of his packs, he unsealed some alcohol and soaked the small blanket he used to bundle her.
Dabbing her wound, he watched in amusement at the tiny child who hissed in pain. He liked the look on her.
Unfortunately, he wanted some answers to why her eyes were red. Making sure to peel the scab, he finished disinfecting the wound before healing her. The skin knitted itself slowly before there was not even a scar on the girl.
This surprised him, while he was using medical ninjutsu on her, it shouldn't have healed her so thoroughly with a wound that deep. It should have scarred. He figured she must have some healing abilities.
'Fascinating.', he thought.
But while he wanted the child to experiment on, he also wanted a powerful loyal weapon. His experiments tended to hate him. Sighing, he decided he would train this child to be one of his most loyal shinobi. He would have used her as his next body, but he'd rather have an Uchiha. He was already waiting on Itachi Uchiha who he had found out would be joining Akatsuki in the future.
He knew that Jaraiya's old students weren't the real leaders behind Akatsuki. Even with their past, they could never hope to pull this operation without someone else. So when he investigated their base, he had found documents on possible future candidates and apparently, the clan heir was well on his way to joining.
'No, this girl will be the leader of the next generation of sound shinobi. She will learn to fight for me.'
He was pulled out of his thoughts by the arrival of Yoroi, Musumi and the Sound Four.
Looking up at them, he gestured for them to sit down on the other couches. When they were all seated, he spoke. "Anything of interest I should know?"
Musumi nodded, "Hai. You should be happy to know Zaku arrived. He also brought a genin team from mist who would like to join Otokagure. There is also a boy named Kimimaro who was recruited by a lower level sound shinobi. Kimimaro also arrived with another boy named Jugo."
"We've already profiled them. Zaku has no shinobi talents but seems determined enough. The mist genins are comprised of a proficient senbon user, a promising strategist, and a budding kenjutsu specialist. Kimimaro had a unique bloodline involving producing spiked bones from his body. The last one named Jugo has an unknown strange ability which allows himself to transform into a beast. He enters a state…", Yoroi was commenting but was interrupted from the sound of a whimper.
Everyone turned to Oroichimaru's right side where the girl was opening her eyes.
Unlike the red eyes which the sannin had seen, she opened her eyes to reveal pained as well as confused emerald eyes.
~Sakura's Pov~
Sakura was thrown out of her mind. As she was coming into consciousness, she felt the weariness of her body. Shifting, she whimpered when her shoulder moved. The newly knitted muscles and skin which were torn before was still sensitive. Knowing it would only be this sensitive if she was just healed, she wondered who healed her. Opening her eyes and looking around, it was only the shock from the information she received that she wasn't screaming bloody murder.
Thinking back she could remember Ranmaru informing her she needed to merge before she arrived at Sound. So, she was really in Otokagure. Looking toward the left, she smiled at the sannin and decided to adopt a new persona.
Normal two year olds had large range of basic vocabulary but often mispronounced the words. She also knew that they at the stage where they mimicked others around them, were at the age where they started to use logic, and could start understanding situations around them.
Deciding to start acting, she started to get off the couch and walked around while looking around, tearing slightly, before looking back at them and asking, "Where mama? Dada? Do youse knoow mihster?", she asked while walking up to Oroichimaru.
Oroichimaru looked at her. She could feel him trying to analyze her. It was a while before he answered her, "They left you to me. They went on a Vacation far away."
She scrunched up her face before asking, "Vocwasion?"
"Yes. They want you to train with me.", he said.
"Twain? Wads sat?", she asked.
"You know when your eyes turn red, well, they must do something right?", Oroichimaru questioned her.
Sakura was startled, and genuinely confused.
~Flashback~
Going further down the road, she turned to see a small kid, a little bit bigger than her with glowing red eyes and purple hair. She averted her eyes, not liking how seemingly well concentrated he was on her and started to continue walking down.
~Flash~
She was surprised to see a young boy sitting off to the side. Tensing her body, she was ready to attack the unknown boy. As far as she knew, the only person that could come inside her mind was Kyubbi who left to merge with his past self within Naruto.
Narrowing her eyes, she demanded him.
"Who are you?"
The boy simply smiled at her.
"Wow. Sakura-chan, you look so much older now but then again this is your mind. That was really cool what you did with the swords and stuff. And now that I'm dead, I can see what could've been and now what is."
~End of Flashback~
'Did Ranmaru pass on his abilities to me when he entered my mind? But that doesn't make sense. He would have told me, right? But then again, there's no other explanation for having red eyes. And red eyes are only typical of whatever bloodline that he possessed. I don't even know the mechanics of them.'
Focusing chakra to her eyes, she looked up and noticed she could literally see the insides of Oroichimaru. Looking at the others, she quickly assessed that she was looking at the state of there body. Unlike the byakugan which saw the chakra points of the body or the sharingan which saw the chakra of a person, she was seeing the biology of the person, such as bones, muscles, pressure points, etc.
Deciding to answer Oroichimaru, she asked him, "Youse means dis, Mihster?"
Oroichimaru grinned at her, in what she knew was excitement.
"Yes, exactly that. Your parents left you in my care so you can further these skills you were born with. So you can make one of the best shinobi. Do you know what your eyes do?", he prompted again.
Nodding, she said, "Ah cwan see insihdes."
Sakura turned to the Sound Four evaluating them with her new eyes before walking to the girl of the group. "Nee-chan has boo-boo. Rwight dere.", she said bringing her hand to point at the biggest torn scarring of muscles at the girls side.
"Tayuya, have you been hurt there recently?", Oroichimaru said.
Tayuya looked down at her surprised, nodding. "Yes, I was sparring with the others a week ago and got stabbed there. It isn't life threatening, but is deep enough to have ripped through the muscles of my abdomen."
Oroichimaru murmured "Interesting" before ordering Tayuya to take Sakura to one of the private quarters near the North entrance.
~Normal Pov~
After Tayuya left with Sakura, Yoroi's eyebrow raised. "Oroichimaru-sama. Why is she to stay alone? You know the private quarters can only be accessed by the person whose chakra is added to the door. She can't very well take care of herself."
"I'll have someone stop by to bring her food everyday until she's old enough to cook, perhaps another year or two. Meanwhile, have someone teach her basic skills in reading and writing. She can learn other things by herself. She is to have access to my library as well when she learns to read. I want her knowledgeable. I also want her to train with the other kids for the next year or two and in the future, privately train her in your fields. She is to be the best and will be given the best. I have high hopes for her."
~Sakura's Pov~
She watched as the girl led her somewhere. Pretending she was trying to keep up and having trouble, she was soon picked up by Tayuya.
The redhead seemed to be studying her.
"What's your name little girl?"
"Mah names Sakuwha Hawano.", she giggled as the redhead turned abruptly down a corridor jostling her slightly.
"Sakura Haruno is a pretty name. You can call me Taya-nee-chan. Okay?", Tayuya said before stopping at a door. "I need you to do something. You know how you put that special energy into your eyes, I want you to put it into your hand and than press it into the door, alright. That will make it so only you can open this door and no one else."
Sakura nodded as she tried to appear as if she was concentrating a lot. Bringing tiny bits of chakra to her hand letting it flicker in and out, she tried to appear unsuccessful for a little bit before holding it and pressing it against the door. The door glowed a little bit before a small seal glowed with the kanji's 'An-zen'. She recognized it as a security seal. No one would be able to enter unless she wanted to.
Smiling broadly at her good luck, she was happy she would be able to train in private without Oroichimaru knowing. The security seal would prevent any spying on the insides of her room, even if he bugged them, the seal would dispense around the room and disable them all on their own. It was the highest levels of security seals available.
Tayuya looked at the smiling girl and figured she was happy at her own accomplishment. She gave the girl a tour and watched as she bounded from room to room happily.
~Snowy Village with the Borders of Water Country - Kakashi's Pov~
Kakashi sighed, after going from farm to farm, the villagers were all incredibly tightlipped about anything having to do with Rin's daughter.
As he walked toward the edge of the village, he spotted a rundown shack. He would have walked past it, if it weren't for the steady light coming through the lone window. Knocking on the door, he was surprised to see it open after the first couple of knocks as if the owner had been waiting right behind the door.
An old lady with multiple layers of shabby clothes, thinning hair and a gaunt face ushered him in.
"Took you long enough to get here. Sit down for I have much to tell you.", she croaked at him.
Walking to the dilapidated table off to the side, he looked around at her meager possessions. The table was a simple coffee table too short for chairs. Sitting on the floor, he stared at the small shrine with a single picture of a old man. The only other thing the room was a small fireplace, and bed.
The old woman walked over to the picture who he assumed was her husband, dead he concluded if the singular living space attested to anything.
"His name was Ryoji Wareshi. We were together for 37 years before he got ill. For years his health declined and I despaired over the day he would leave me. Then 2 years and 8 months ago, a woman arrived with medical talents. She helped me nurse him back to health. She died, Two years and a month ago. His health started to fail until he finally died 11 months, 2 weeks and 3 days from the present. Since then, I have cursed this village for murdering her. That woman who helped my husband was Healer Rin."
Kakashi's eyes widened. His anger at the implications of what this old woman was telling her rose. The people he had questioned were all at fault for Rin's death. They murdered her collectively.
"Why?", Kakashi bit out as he tried to restrain himself from going to kill every last villager.
"This village was once prosperous. But after the war, the village fell into poverty and sickness swept these lands. The war had progressed due to the wielders of bloodlines and so, any wielders of kekkei genkai's were instantly hated among these parts. That hatred led to the gathering of villager with one sole purpose 2 years ago: To kill the bloodline users of the Hyoton. Healer Rin tried to protect them and in doing so died."
The old woman paused.
"She had a child though. I have been waiting for you to arrive after the last shinobi left. It is not hard to tell the difference from shinobi's and civilians. I knew Healer Rin was shinobi and I know you are too. I do not have much time left, and I regret the actions of this village."
She stopped, looking at the picture and tearing. "I wish he was still alive. Out of pettiness for what this village cost me, I will tell you about what happened a month ago."
Looking straight at him, she smiled in satisfaction. "One month ago, the very man who led the villagers those years ago which led to the death of Healer Rin was killed. He was found butchered. I have no doubts as to who did it."
Kakashi sighed. "This is welcome news, but Healer Rin had a daughter. I need to know about any information you have on her."
The old woman just continued smiling with an odd gleam in her eyes, "But I thought you would be interested to know, the one who butchered him in his very home is Healer Rin's daughter."
~Rice Field Country: Village Hidden in the Sound - Southern Division, 4th Main Quarter~
Oroichimaru walked into the 4th main living quarters within the southern section of the base. The newly arrived kids all sat up straight as they saw him. For those who hadn't met him, they knew by just looking at him he could only be one person: Oroichimaru, One of the three legendary sannins.
Author's Note: Please review! And don't Forget to Vote!
Poll:
Naruto: 1
Haku: 2
Sasuke: 6
Kiba: 1
Gara: 2
Shikimaru: 1
Neji: 1
Itachi: 8
Kakashi: 10
Lee: 1
Vote for who you want!
