Chapter 10: Retell

Flashback-Sakura at age 5

A little girl with rosette pink hair hugged her knees to her chest, sobbing. Her pink bangs covered his face but made her forehead even larger looking.

"Billboard Brow!" a group of girls shouted as they left the tree filled park.

Sakura continued to cry, her shoulders trembling.

"Hey, what are you doing?" a girl with short blonde hair asked, peering down curiously. She wore a nice beige spaghetti strap and a pair of sweats. She had a strip of golden hair hanging by her green eyes.

Sakura looked up, sniffling. "T-They t-teased m-m-me about m-my big f-forehead."

"Wow, it is big," the blonde marveled, "And these bangs make you look like a sheep dog." The girl poked Sakura on the head lightly. "My name's Ino, what's yours?" Ino smiled.

"S-Sakura," Sakura said bashfully.

"What, I can't hear you?" Ino said, emphasizing with her hand cupping her ear.

"My names Sakura!" Sakura screamed.

"That's better. Sakura, right? Hey, come to the park tomorrow, I have something to give you," Ino said. Then she too left the park, leaving a curious Sakura to ponder what that was about.

The next day, Sakura came back to the scenic park as promised. The leaves rustled in the wind, the sun shining, making the leaves sparkle in the Hidden Leaf Village.

"There, that's better," Ino smiled. Sakura had a red ribbon tied on the top of her head with a shocked expression. "Now you don't look like a sheep dog."

Sakura laughed and Ino joined in. Just then, a cherry blossom bloomed on a nearby tree, a bright shade of pink glistening wondrously.

End of Flashback

Timid Sakura + Encouraging Ino Sakura, the Kunoichi

Flashback-Sakura at age 12

Ino and Sakura became enemies after a dispute about the boy they liked, Sasuke Uchiha. Shy little Sakura came out of her shell and to the boys, those two were the definition of annoying not to mention scary.

"All right, I'll announce the squads," Iruka, the ninja academy instructor said. Sakura was too busy thinking about her Sasuke to hear the first six squads. She was a just an average love-struck girl.

"Squad 7, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno…"

'I'm doomed.' Sakura sunk in her chair, doom written all over her forehead while Naruto jumped with joy.

"And Sasuke Uchiha," Iruka finished. Sakura took her turn and cheered while Naruto san in his chair.

Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura's brother, not biologically. He had the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within him. The Akatsuki constantly chased him for it but as far as Sakura knew, never succeeded. Knuckleheaded, simple, ramen lover, that was Naruto for you. Over the years, he had a crush in Sakura that evolved into a tight friendship between the two.

Sasuke Uchiha, the avenger. His clan was wiped out completely by his older brother, Itachi, also a member of the Akatsuki. Cold and unfeeling, he grew closer to Naruto and Sakura but a twist of fate broke that bond. He never had much of a heart.

Naruto and Sasuke seemed like brothers before that happened.

"Why does a great ninja like me have to be with a slacker like Sasuke!?" Naruto wailed.

Sakura stopped cheering and sent Naruto a death glare, her inner self roaring with anger.

"Sasuke got the best scores out of all the graduates and you Naruto got the worst. We put the best student with the worst student," Iruka answered, putting his clipboard to his hip as the classroom burst into laughter.

"Just don't get in my way, loser," Sasuke said calmly. His chin was rested on his hands that were propped up on his elbows."

'Sasuke's so…cool!'

End Flashback

Naruto + Sasuke + Sakura ?

"I still remember that quite well. Our team passed Kakashi-sensei's test and we became official Genin. Our first mission was in the Land of Waves guarding Tazuna, the bridge builder. We had to fight the assassins Zabuza and Haku and Sasuke almost died. In the end, the bridge was named The Great Naruto Bridge and his people were brought out of poverty. Zabuza and Haku weren't as lucky as Sasuke and they weren't cold hearted."

"Then what?" I urged on, wanting to hear more.

Sakura smiled and continued. "The Chunin Exams came around and we met many new friends and enemies. Sasuke received the curse mark from Orochimaru. After that, everything changed. The Third Hokage died at the hands of Orochimaru and the Sound Village invaded. We managed to drive them out though. Our team failed the exam and while he was seeking out the Fifth Hokage, was attacked by Itachi and another member of the Akatsuki. Sasuke found out and got to the location and ended up in a coma the next day. Naruto wasn't captured though, Jiraya forced them to retreat. The Akatsuki were after the Nine-Tailed Fox and they made it clear to the entire village. In the end, Tsunade came healed Sasuke and started as the Fifth Hokage."

Sakura paused to catch her breath.

"Awhile later, the Sound 4 broke into our village and persuaded Sasuke to follow them. He left Naruto, his friends, and me. He left for power. Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji Choji, and Kiba tracked him down and Naruto fought Sasuke. He was brought back, empty-handed, almost dead. I told him as soon as he woke up that he looked like a mummy," Sakura chuckled.

I shifted in my bed, trying to sit up straighter.

'Sakura lost the love of her life.'

"I proceeded to be trained by Tsunade and Naruto left soon after to train under Jiraya. Two years passed and Naruto returned. He was wiser, taller, a little more mature, and ready. After a few missions, a new Squad 7 sought out Sasuke and… Sasuke almost killed Naruto," Sakura finished in a whisper.

The image of Sasuke aiming his katana at Naruto's back burned in her mind, at least that's what Sakura told me.

"Sasuke didn't come back and the war between the Cloud, Rain, Leaf, and Sand began thanks to the Akatsuki. My friend, a spy from the Cloud named Rei, was killed on the battlefield. She was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. Blinded by rage, I charged into the battlefield and almost died. I met Satsuki that day. That was the day I started as a Shadow shinobi. I wouldn't be surprised if the Leaf Village thinks I'm dead," Sakura said, a sad tinge in her voice.

"The Shadow Village was plunged into war over the Peruvian Statiers and…lost…" I finished quietly, almost in a whisper. Sakura gave a heartbreaking nod.

"Aliera, you can have hope…I cannot. I'm sure Moses had reason for what he did, like Sasuke," Sakura said. Her face softened and eased into a smile.

"Yes," I agreed quietly and halfhearted.

"Well, I'm going back to my room, patch things up with him. Here, this might be of some help." Sakura dropped a silver key in my hand. "He's in room 206." With that, she disappeared down the red, dimmed hallway.

Revenge is a powerful force…

The sky was a bright shade of plum and the stars were shining in the sky. My courage had renewed itself after talking to Sakura. I even wrote a list of things to do.

Make up with Moses

Apologize to Lulu

Thank Sakura

I slipped on my newly cleaned cloak and stayed in my pajamas. Carefully, I went out the door, checking the red walled, dimly lighted hallways.

'Clear.'

Like a little kid, I scampered down the empty halls and ran around, not knowing where the heck I was going. For all I knew, I could be going to the Chicken Parade.

My legs felt like they would give out at any given moment. Like jelly if you will. I stopped, putting my hands on my knees, arching my back, panting. I had to hold back the urge to throw up. It felt like I ran a marathon. The white locks I possessed fell down most of my back, spreading to my sides. My eyes took a glance up at the brown door I was in front of.

'Room 20…6…wow, God is on my side for a change.'

I took out the key from my pocket and gazed down at the silver.

'If I enter without permission then isn't that a felony… I'll just knock. I mean, he never sleeps.'

After placing the key back in my pajama pant pocket, I mustered up the courage to knock. A few moments later, my fist leveled higher with the door and took a few light taps.

Knock. Knock.

No answer.

"Moses, it's Aliera, open up," I said, a tinge of irritation filling my tone.

A few moments later, the lock moved to the side and the door opened. A large figure emerged, hood down, dressed in his black cloak. Moses.

"Aliera…" Moses managed, giving me guilty eyes. He moved over and allowed me in. His room was just like mine, quite plain if you ask me.

"Moses" I started.

"You should be resting," he interrupted calmly, guiding me to sit on the bed. I sat down, a bit reluctantly, and noticed that Moses wasn't making eye contact with me.

"If we're going to talk, at least look at me or am I that grotesque?" I darkly said.

Moses turned his gaze from the white wall to me.

"Look, I can understand if you don't like me but can we at least stay friends?" I asked, my face softening.

"…Sure." Moses answered with a small smile, closing his visible eye for a few moments.

I smiled too. Just then, a pain filled my back and I groaned in pain, falling forward.

Soft, black fabricated hands caught me and I saw Moses' beautiful face, filled with worry.

"Don't push yourself," he said, laying me down on the pillow and pulling the covers over me. He pressed his hand lightly to my forehead, lowering to my cheek. My face burned and I tried my best to not ripen into a tomato.

"You're hot," he said in almost a whisper.

"Mm." I rolled over and closed my eyes. A hand lightly pressed against my head and brushed through my snowy locks with his fingers, running through them like silk.

He sat down quietly on the mattress, next to me, shaking the bed a little. His hand slowly made its way to my face and stroked my cheek.

"M-Moses?" I opened my eyes when his finger lightly traced my bottom lip. His hand pulled away quickly as he tried to look away sheepishly.

I sat up as Moses stood up, about to leave. My hand reached his sleeve and gripped to it lightly.

"Wait…don't leave me," I said desperately when Moses turned around. His eye widened but mellowed out a few moments later.

"Alright," he said with a gentle smile, returning to his sitting spot on the bed. I eased back into the pillow and I felt my eyes grow heavier by each passing moment.

'Moses, I will always love you.'

Then everything went from a blur to black.