Chapter 10: Lying game

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A/N: Hello everyone! Please Read and Review!

I had rewritten this chapter four times. Thank you for reading this and helping me realize that I can actually write.

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"Wha-?" was Sakura's response.

The woman before her was about 5'4" and was wearing a loose, white, long sleeved blouse with the first couple buttons unbuttoned exposing some rather impressive cleavage and a dark mini skirt meant to show off her legs and smart black heeled shoes. Her hair was worn up in a loose pony-tail with a slight shagginess to it and what looked like rather carefully applied make-up. She looked really pretty and really nice.

"Your roommate. You do want a place to live, don't you?" Anko asked was a slight pout. "I was brought up to date with your genetic enhancements by Dr. Yakushi to be your care giver."

Sakura sat back frowning and nodded her head but never took her eyes off Anko. Something was off.

"Very well. Thank you for coming to care for me." Sakura said politely. "May I ask your profession?"

Anko snorted but immediately covered her face. "Um…sorry about that… I am a member of the Tracking Department of Konoha."

"My…My mother told me the Tracking Department were more of a… rough group." Sakura said tilting her head. Sakura caught herself however blushing furiously. "Not to say you are rough! You are very beautiful miss."

This seemed to make Anko smile. "And you are adorable. So, tell me, is your blood really black? I mean you blushed grey…"

Sakura froze ice clutching her chest. Ms. Anko just said that she had just said that Dr. Yakushi had just updated her on her condition… if he really did that 'Anko' would already know that! Her hand tightened on her pencil. Enemy.

Anko seemed to catch this however and took a relaxed stance. The woman's face had gone from smiling to carefully blank in an instant. "Yeah... I can see how you could think I'm an enemy, but thankfully Dr. Yakushi has already informed me about your PTSD and paranoia. You attacked a couple doctors already. Do you really want to attack your caregiver on your first meeting?"

Sakura felt like she had been slapped. She nearly attacked this woman for absolutely no reason than she…Sakura shuddered as she felt a wave of sadness but quickly put that under wraps. Setting her face carefully blank as well she tried her best to smile. "Sorry…still…jumpy…"

Anko relaxed but noticed Sakura had not dropped the pencil. Slowly she sank into a visitor's chair. "Look…sweetie…I was made your caregiver because I have been where you are and came out on top. Despite having a healing factor, you are far from done healing. To be able to be a ninja you need to learn to be able to trust people, as counter intuitive as that may sound. As you are right now you only trust Ms. Yamanaka, possibly Dr. Yakushi and maybe the Hokage. You will be put on a team later, if you still decide to have a ninja career, whom you will need to trust with your life and they need to be able to trust you. I am going to help you with that as a contact person and councilor. If you have a panic attack like you did your first day or you have a hyper depressive moment you come to me alright? Your contact person previously technically was Ms. Yamanaka. This was fine when you were living here at the hospital but since you are going to be slowly reintegrated into society you will need to let go of Ms. Yamanaka's hand and learn to become your own person."

Sakura sat stock still and staring at the hospital covers. "Does this mean I can't be friends with Ino?"

"Yes! I mean no! Look you can be friends okay? You can even be besties!" Anko quickly explained with hands raised. Seeing Sakura didn't react Anko coughed. "Sorry, I had been told that, that might be one of your triggers…as I said before…yes, you are still able to be friends with Ms. Yamanaka. You will just be taught not to say…hang on her when going into town, or not need her as a snuggle partner so you can get to sleep at night."

Sakura flushed. They knew about that? Sakura had once had a series of nightmares that kept her awake for a full three days. Ino had come in and let Sakura use her as a teddy bear and had spent her whole visit letting Sakura finally sleep. When she had woken up Ino was gone but she had been told the next day that Sakura had been extremely cuddly and Ino had needed to be pried lose from the splotchy girl's grasp.

"Um…to answer your question...from before…yes…my blood is black…" Sakura waited for a reaction like Mr. Inoichi's or Ms. Tsubaki's. They seemed scared of her. Anko however smiled.

"Thank you for telling me." Anko said. "I personally think it is pretty cool it turned that color."

Sakura shifted. "You don't think I'm a freak?"

"Yes, I do, but let me explain." Anko said seeing Sakura's panicked look. Thinking about it for a moment she finally looked down. "Well, you are going to find out one way or another so why the hell not? I…I was on the tracking team that retrieved you. Some of my good friends died trying to get you back. I personally was the one to find you and helped save your life. I was also the one who…" Anko put on a brave face. "I was the one who used what was in the lab to try and save your life. What happened to you was my fault… Now I am trying to make up for it by being there for you if you need me and help you come back one-hundred percent. There are other reasons but not ones I feel I need to share at this moment. So yes…I think you're a freak, but not in a bad way…it's more because I know what happened was my fault in the end. If you're a freak, it is my responsibility."

Anko paused to see the kid's reaction but was met with silence.

Sakura was trying to hold herself together.

She was a freak now. It was all this woman's fault.

But she was going to take care of her to make it better.

But it was still her fault.

But didn't she say it happened to her too?

But it is still her fault.

She is not like the kidnapper.

She is EXACTLY like the kidnapper, SHE made her into a freak!

She saved her LIFE! She looks like she feels really bad about it too…

She is hiding something.

She is being super open right now…she didn't have to tell us.

She wished this woman had let her die. At least she would have been with her parents again…

But she didn't want to die! She was so scared and wanted to live!

But what was life without those who loved you?

But Ino would still be alive and she would be very sad if we died and she loved her.

But now Ino was leaving too.

But we can still be friends…

This continued until Sakura finally found the words. "I…don't think I… hate you…I…want to though."

Anko took a deep breath and released all her tension before flashing a bright smile. "I'll take it! You are also free to hate me if you wish. Right now, I am not going to push it. I am here to help you right now. Okay?"

Sakura took a deep breath like Anko did. "Okay. Thank you…for saving me…"

Anko's eye watered a bit at that. "No problem kiddo. Sorry for the other stuff…"

"Okay." Sakura said quietly. She really didn't want to forgive this woman but remembered Ino's conversation with her. It hurt her not to be able to receive forgiveness or trust again…

This thrust her into a whole new slew of questions and self-doubts. Eventually she came to a decision.

"Ms. Anko… I… forgive you… and I want to…forget." Sakura said slowly trying to find the words. "How… do I do that…exactly?"

Anko carefully wiped her eyes so as not to smudge her make-up. "I…Um…I'm still working on that myself…but I think doing this…really helps…"

"Okay…" Sakura said trying to think of anything to say. "My Dad liked knock-knock jokes…he said they made people feel better…do you want to hear some?"

Anko chuckled. "Sure kid."

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Anko shut the door to her apartment behind her and just breathed. That had been the hardest thing she had ever done…

The girl was a mess, but she would recover. Eventually. Anko slowly began to strip out of the monkey suit she had bought. The Hokage had sat her down and explained Sakura needed a stable environment and a healthy role model. Anko had panicked and more or less copied Ms. Prissy McBitch-bitch's look. Without the heavy eyeshadow making her look like a slut she would be what they guys called 'classy'. Anko had thought it would be easy but she had taken at least an hour on the make up alone. How the hell does Kurenai do this shit every day?!

But it was worth it. She needed to change to help Sakura. Her normal brash attitude and clothing choices would have made the girl more reserved and more inclined to hate her. She didn't need that…she needed healing.

Though Sakura was only nine and most likely didn't fully understand the meaning of her words Anko had a heavy burden lifted off her heart when Sakura forgave her. It felt like she had been wearing a millstone of worry and self-hatred, now…she could begin her own healing…

Anko needed to make sure she was completely packed. Her apartment was barely big enough for one, not one and a small kid. The Hokage had found them a larger not too shabby apartment. It was owned by a nice Xing fella. Rolling up her sleeves she began to clean up her apartment.

She would make sure Sakura was safe, happy, and healthy! Believe it!

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Oh shit…she was starting to sound like the Jinchuriki brat…

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A few days had past since Anko had introduced herself when the Hokage came to visit.

Sakura had been expecting him and had done her best to look presentable. Still she was wearing her father's shorts with the draw string pulled as tightly as they could and one of her mother's blouses that could honestly could have been used as a dress. Her condition made people avoid her, so she didn't have to deal with it much but now she was feeling self-conscious.

"Good morning Sakura." The Hokage greeted as more people she knew filed in. Dr. Yakushi, Anko, and the Hokage were now all sitting down in one of the visitor chairs or perched in the case of Dr. Yakushi. "Well no need to beat around the bush…Sakura how are you feeling?"

Sakura looked down. "I feel fine…I mean I'm not sick or anything…"

"That is good…" The Hokage said. "Sakura…it has been nearly two months. Are you planning on returning to the academy?"

Sakura felt conflicted. "I…I don't know… I kinda look weird…"

"Then just wear a Transformation jutsu like Patient 477…" Dr. Yakushi interrupted taking the attention off of Sakura for a moment. "It would even help her increase her chakra pool with time."

"With respect Dr. Yakushi, her appearance is going to be with her the rest of her life." Anko said. She was still dressed in 'Classy Mode' or as Ibiki had teased 'Responsible Adult Mode'. "If she tries to hide her looks that can lead to a whole host of mental issues. I'm sorry if it is harsh but the fact of the matter is she is special, and she is going to be bullied. If we can help her overcome these insecurities and give her tools to cope with it, she will have less of a chance of developing a self-esteem problems. Just look at the poor Hyuuga girl! She can't look anyone in the eye because of what happened-."

"Enough." The Hokage commanded and Anko became silent. "Anko is correct that hiding your appearance will only cause problems, but exposing too much will cause problems as well. Sakura this is your choice. To hide your appearance or not, you don't even have to be a ninja. You could probably live a perfectly happy life as a tailor or fulfil some other role in the village. However, if you do decide to become a ninja please know it will be dangerous even with your abilities and you will face hardship as every bloodline user does."

Memories flooded Sakura's mind.

'So please…please give up on up on this stupid dream and stay with me.'

'Sakura! Life isn't fair! Get over it! You were shafted just being my daughter!'

'You have to promise me okay? You aren't allowed to die!'

'Never measure your worth as a person against someone else and never depend on another's happiness to make yourself happy. That can only lead to heartache. Stand tall on your own two feet and pull the rest of people around you up while you reach for the sky!'

Sakura took a deep breath and finally opened up on her emotions. There was a fire in her green-turning hazel eyes.

"I will become a shinobi. That is what I want." Sakura said. "It is what I always wanted…Even before everything happened. If you'll have me then I want to go back to the academy whether I look weird or not… and if they pick on me…" Sakura took a deep breath and channeled Ino for a second. "Then screw em! They can't hurt me more than I already have been! Plus, if they beat me up Dr. Yakushi says I heal fast! I'll be able to take it!"

"About that…" Dr. Yakushi said still perched on his chair like some demented raven person. "You are correct in the fact that you do have a significant healing factor…however you do not have a high pain tolerance. This means you will end up in extreme pain, heal, then be in more pain when they decide to hit you again. You also only have a certain threshold before your brain sends the auto shut off signal to your body to protect you from insanity. Let me make this very clear to you Miss 476…" Dr. Yakushi's whole being radiated killing intent to emphasize, making Sakura shiver as he fixed his cold dead unblinking eyes on hers like he was peering into her very being. "You. Are. Not. Immortal. You can and will die one day. You have limits. As a ninja you are expected to push yourself but if I see you pushing yourself past that of a normal human and you end up in my office without acceptable cause you will have hell to pay from me."

There was a deafening silence as the others let Dr. Yakushi's words sink into the young girl.

"I think that means he likes you." Anko said with a smirk. Dr. Yakushi sent her a disapproving glare but said nothing to refute it.

"Thank you for worrying about me." Sakura said after a minute before her brow furrowed. "What is the normal human limit?"

Dr. Yakushi thought for a moment. "If you ever have the… pleasure… of meeting a man named Might Guy, just try not to exceed him… I am not saying don't push yourself just remember you have limits. You can still die of overtraining and lack of nourishment. Just don't overdo it."

Anko blanched at his statement. Might Guy was a known Gates user…if Sakura could train as hard as he could…Anko wondered if she should help her train…

"No need to go that far." The Hokage said with a smirk before becoming serious once more. "Sakura because you have chosen to remain in the open about your abilities you will need to pass the Bloodline Defense class along with your original classes and you will also need to make sure you stick to the story we provide you. You have not been genetically modified. Your parents were rouge ninja from the land of Mist who opposed the brutality that has been shown bloodline users and had spirited you away here to hide from the wrath of the Mizukage. During the abduction your bloodline activated in self-defense, but you became weakened after it's use and needed to be hospitalized. You now live with a person who was one the mission, who took you in because of the kindness of their hearts and hope to one day repay them by using your talents to earn respect in the village and become an integrated member of the village."

Sakura felt cold. "I have to lie again?"

Hiruzen sighed. "All ninja must lie. They must be willing to do whatever it takes to defend their village and complete their mission. I can understand your distaste for it, but it is necessary. If people find out about there being a recent genetic experiment that happened within the village, whether to save a life or not, there would be hell to pay. Now this story will require some precision lying. You must make it seem like you don't want to answer and only give aloof hints at the original story. When they finally ask you and you trust them you must give them the story I have provided you without variation. Without the story behind it many ninja would be liable to look beneath the underneath and make a big stink. Those who would know the truth are going to be Miss Ino as you have already told her everything, Inoichi because he is her father and the head of the Information Department, your caregiver who was on the mission, Dr. Yakushi, the council and myself. When the time comes you will be allowed to tell your Jonin Sensei. They will be able to help you further your abilities and give you someone you can trust with the secret. This must be kept under wraps."

"Does this mean I can tell Ino what I can do?" Sakura asked. "I mean…she's been asking but I always have to tell her that the results are pending still…she knows I've been lying so…"

"You may tell Miss Ino but not the full extent. That information is only known by me, Dr. Yakushi, the council and your caregiver. What you are allowed to say is you believe you have the ability to heal yourself and your blood looks black, but it is actually a trick of the light. You must phrase it that way." The Hokage warned sternly. "I cannot stress this enough. Saying you have a healing factor, regeneration, or even 'self-healing' is giving away too much. You can say you are durable, have the ability to heal yourself which implies you know medical ninjutsu, or you can say that you think your blood clots faster. Do not mention broken bones healing quickly. Do not mention heavy internal injuries. If you break a bone you will be forced to wear a cast for the next three to five weeks as punishment. If you experience heavy internal damage you must either stay down until your teachers get you to Dr. Yakushi or you get up immediately and wait until your organs repair themselves. This will prove you are durable as well as dispel many doubts."

Sakura had been looking down at her hands for a while. "So, I have to lie to Ino…"

"I know it is important to you to be truthful, but this is a matter of security." Anko said but seeing the way Sakura's body language became tighter Anko sighed. "Lord Hokage, would it be possible that either we give Ino clearance or have her learn it at a later date?"

The Hokage thought for a minute. "I would prefer the latter. If Little Ino keeps asking you questions just say it is a village secret and you need clearance before you can give it to her. Her father is the head of T&I, she'll understand."

"Alright…" Sakura said. "So, I need to go back to the academy right now?"

"You still have a few days. They are having next week off to celebrate the Rinne Festival since we are already in February*." Anko said. "We can get you moved in and get everything settled before you start the academy again."

Sakura just nodded. This is what they would want. Her parents would want her to reach her dreams… so for now… she will become a ninja. She would be the best ninja on the force!

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Anko's apartment was immaculate. Everything had it's place and it looked like the walls and ceiling were brand new. Sakura felt like a comic book princess like the ones Ino read about, being rescued from her abusive step parents and is now living in the king's castle. Sakura shook her head. Maybe more like that Little Orphan Anri Ino was always going on about.

Sakura's room was a bit plain but well-lit and felt…homey. Sakura was delighted to see some of her stuffed animals and her bed was her old one all washed and made up even nicer than she was sure even her mother could have made it. Sakura had immediately jumped into the bed and took in the smell of her old home. Detergent and her Daddy's cigarettes.

"Glad you like it." Anko said leaning against the door frame with an easy smile. "Welcome home."

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Anko…was getting used to this… She had thought that dressing up like the Prissy Bitch and being a caregiver might cramp her style, but this was slowly becoming routine for her. Sakura was a little sweet heart, and extremely quite and thoughtful and just plain adorable.

The only downside was how little self confidence she had and how depressed she was. Sakura tended to bottle her feelings in and then explode latter. Evidence of explosions were slowly drifting from tears to anger however. If the Stages of Greif theory was valid the girl was now slowly working up to the anger part, her disbelief having finally been destroyed. She was given hard evidence that her parents were gone when they finally released her from the hospital and they had given her parents a small burial.

They had been given a shinobi burial and there was really nothing left of them. Sakura had erected a small shrine in her room with a picture of them and a vase of flowers. At her 'secret base' there was now a small stone alter like a grave marker. Anko didn't know how to feel about this but the girl had set her sights on training.

This was a good sign. This meant she was channeling the anger into becoming stronger. Her stint in the hospital had nearly undid the work she had done to build muscle, skill, reflexes, anything really. On the other side the girl had become even more distant as she never told her what she was training to do. Finally, Anko decided to follow her.

Anko was currently watching as Sakura seemed to be practicing weaving hand-signs. Hand signs were integral to preforming ninjutsu. Some of a high skill level could use a single hand-sign or even more rare none at all. Anko nearly fell out of her tree when she saw that Sakura began coughing up water. The girl was practicing jutsu!?

Anko watched as when the girl was finally done coughing she focused her chakra again and weaved her signs causing a small stream of water to drizzle against a tree until a small puddle formed and she was left a coughing mess again.

Water style was arguably the hardest to actually damage an opponent with. Fire style you burned stuff, Lightning style you pierced and burned stuff with the nice bonus of short circuiting their nerves, wind style you cut stuff and earth style, arguably the mot versatile, could crush, bury, cut, pierce and even turn the opponent to stone. Water style dealt more with impulse and impact. With water style you could kill without leaving a mark, crushing internal organs, breaking bone, drown, and cause heavy internal bleeding without breaking the skin. Chakra had a strange effect on water. It could make it solid by strengthening the molecular bonds while still not losing the fluidity of the mass. Through this you change the water's density making the water heavier and it can hit with the force to crack concrete or punch like a bullet. Make a freaking tsunami outta that and you are more or less hitting with the force of a massive wall of lead moving at the speed of sound.

Seeing it in action Anko assumed the jutsu was the Water Wave jutsu. This was a low-level water jutsu which could be escalated into the Wild Water Wave jutsu. It was taught to beginners of the style to practice making water from their chakra. From the looks of it Sakura was doing fine creating water but was having a hard time infusing chakra into it to make the impact enough to push someone over.

Sakura was left on the ground coughing again. Anko frowned. This jutsu was beyond her level. She should be building her reserves and training in basic jutsu-

Sakura was suddenly on her feet again and weaving hand-signs already. Sakura was glaring at the puddle of water she had made, and it slowly began evaporating into a thin mist that seemed to swirl around her before it faded, and the water evaporated completely. Anko was staring dumbfounded.

This girl…this girl would be the death of her…

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"You sure you saw her using the Hidden-Mist jutsu?" The Hokage asked. This was not good. He knew that Sakura's parents were rouge, but this was a whole new bundle of worms if they were from Mist. Mist had one of the most aggressive hunter-nin programs in the entire world of Shinobi second only to the Land of Lightning where many died in an instant for even crossing someone like the Fourth Raikage**.

"Yes. The jutsu was underpowered and sloppy but the foundation was there. Her guardian must have taught her before she got taken out…" Anko said. "Sir, this is bad. What if the kidnapper was a under wraps Mist hit? But if so this means- "

"It means the Mizukage is sending us a message. 'We know about Orochimaru and we can enter your village without a trace and not only take your children but kill all your civilians.'" The Hokage said sinking his face into his folded hands in front of him. "I need this cleaned up. Anko keep watching the girl and see if you can't find out more about her family. Inoichi tells me that what she told Ino but short of setting Inoichi on her to do a full mind walk I have nothing on her. I need to know what they were a part of. If these were truly rouge ninja, then they could possibly be a strong-arm attempt to get us to join the resistance as a set up thus getting them support against the Mizukage. If it is the Mizukage who ordered this, we may be on the brink of war."

Anko was silent for a moment. "Do you think-?"

"It wasn't Orochimaru Anko…He is dead, and his crimes have been buried***." The Hokage said voice becoming a whisper. "I killed him myself… he…he's gone… If it was an outside interference, then what do they want? In the world of ninja there is very few men that want to watch the world burn like that…"

The Hokage had seen the monstrosities his student had committed. He paid for his crimes with his death and his secrets destroyed so no other would follow in his footsteps. If the Mizukage knew of what his old student had done and outed him…he could very well be saying goodbye to his seat as Hokage…

"I will figure something out." The Hokage said. "Keep an eye on her. Keep her safe. Try to dissuade her from using water style ninjutsu or find some way to change her style…"

Anko nodded and was dismissed.

The Hokage brooded. This…this was not good… he hated it… he needed the one man he could trust on matters like these…but he nearly put him behind bars a few months ago… he needed Danzo…

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Elsewhere is a dark cave somewhere a young woman was writhing as the injection had started making it's changes. Her blood screamed in her veins, but it would be worth it if they were going to take a monster like Yagura down.

She just hoped it would be enough…

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*The Rinne Festival or the Festival of Rebirth is a made-up holiday (I think) occurring somewhere in the winter months+. I made this the during the week of February 14th because Kishimoto originally wrote the whole story as a love story for Naruto and Hinata and there was even the whole 'red string of fate' narrative. Despite what I think of the movie myself I think that the concept of a holiday that has lost it's meaning and can be used for more world building is a great thing.

+For those of you who have been looking for a bit of a time line for the previous chapters I am going to say that it has been around 1 year and 4-ish months since the first scene in chapter one. I have tried to do this subtly such as bumping up Sakura a year in age but realized I never clarified this. Sorry. Sakura had been training with her mother for about a year before the kidnapping incident happened. This is why she can use some elemental jutsu to a limited effect.

** There are no rouge Kumo ninja in cannon that we know of… at least no living ones… I took this as a way to make some world building. The only ones who even come close to this are the Gold and Silver Brothers, but they are also dead.

*** This one was a bit of a weird one. Nobody knows Orochimaru even though the photograph has been invented, people know of Jiraiya and Tsunade, he most likely invented techniques and was a big deal back in the day yet nobody outside the ninja community knows him. That cannot happen if Orochimaru is still alive. There would be search parties like there is after Sasuke leaves. There would be people who become nervous at the thought of his name. There would be taught as a boogey man figure for naughty children and the like. Either the knowledge of Orochimaru is restricted or there is no knowledge about the man. I saw this and thought why not both? He is still alive though, just deep undercover. I think it would be better for the story if the Legendary Sanin have been out of the public eye for a long time.

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A/N: Thank you all for reading and I will do my best to answer questions.

-No Mrs. Aburame did not ruin their friendship. Things going on just happened.