Mistyfire's code is secure: Here is your update! lol Good to have you join the bunch.
HikariZaichuYami: Yes, YOU are the one who got me that double digit status! THANK YOU!!!!!
Kaydreams: Work on it! Just remember- BE PATIENT! It WILL be updated! =D
Animeartist17: It's good to have you join the bunch too! Here's the update!
TheBLOfSH: You make me laugh! You shall see!
Alayneni: Yeah, Loud mouth...but he's a good friend...and helpful...
KurenaiBara-chan: More questions...answers needed....and still= You must way a little longer! Mwahahaha!
Tiger Priestess: Sasuke will get emotions eventually.....right? *flees in fear as Sasuke comes by* uhm...Itachi! YOU be nice!!! And way to ruin your chances with Harumi! DOLT! And who said he didn't like the outfit? Maybe he liked it...too much? *nudge nudge* And you ARE getting closer to the secret! *Grabs unsespecting Sakura and tosses her at Sasuke* They make such a cute couple! *Skips away in satisfaction as both behind her blush at one another* It feels good to successfully match make them!
To Everyone: ENJOY!!!!!!
-Lady-of-Laughter
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As the days sped by Shizune made sure they stopped to rest for the night. In the morning everyone was surprisingly well rested and calm. After a quick meal everyone once again started out, they had gone quite a ways the day before, farther than Shizune had anticipated, all three were faster than most, meaning they had gotten farther than Shizune thought they would. Guessing at where they were, Shizune determined that they would arrive at their destination in only five days time. Even with three stops for meals and stopping to sleep for the night.
It was amazing that they were going to cut off two days of traveling! As before, the times spent running was quiet with only one rest for lunch each day. One of the nights they stopped by a small waterfall, and each took turns bathing. Grabbing her towel, Sakura slipped into the bushes as Shizune settled herself by the fire to dry her hair. After Sakura the men would take turns, so Sakura knew to quickly bathe and not waste time, they all had an allotted amount of time.
Scanning the area and deeming it safe, Sakura slipped out of her clothes and into the cold water. Standing under the rain of the waterfall, Sakura shivered. The water was freezing! She didn't plan on staying in long, now she just wanted to get out and dry! Shivering as she hurriedly washed, Sakura rinsed and hurried to the bank.
Grabbing her towel, Sakura found herself frustrated. She had grabbed her largest towel! Wrapped around her it fell to her knees, so she did what she always did with this towel. Flipping a portion of it over, Sakura wrapped it around her. With the folded portion falling from the fold over her chest down to just under her chest, the bottom was still at her lower thigh.
Going to the bush that held her clean clothes and her dirty ones, she let the last rays of the sun dry her as she plunged her dirty clothes into the water, vigorously scrubbing them clean. Standing up after she was satisfied, Sakura hung them on the bush again, so that the setting sun could partially dry them. Bending to rummage through her bag for a brush, Sakura pushed weapons out of her way. You'd think the medic wouldn't have so many weapons, maybe more medical supplies though.
A twig snapping had Sakura spinning around, a kunai in her hand. Relaxing Sakura saw Sasuke, towel in hand, staring at her as if he had caught her doing something she shouldn't have. His smirk as his eyes scanned her towel clad body made Sakura's hands rise to clutch the cloth more tightly to her body. Like this was all she needed right now!
Clearing her throat Sakura motioned with her hand for him to turn around. Her glare told him that disobedience would result in immediate and severe pain. He turned, but as Sakura waited, he took a quick glance over his shoulder, as if he couldn't help himself. And at that Sakura narrowed her eyes, and decided that she needed to teach him a lesson. And the first part of that lesson started with an insult. "Don't peek at me, you pervert. You're not Kakashi and I'm not one of the characters in his books. Stop being a peeping tom and grow up!"
When Sasuke's head turned to glare at her, Sakura was standing just behind him. Turning, Sasuke looked down at the tiny, but strong and imposing woman next to him, and smirked. This could be fun right? Too bad for Sasuke he was very wrong. For the second time, Sakura used her femininity on him, smiling sadistically at the poor sad sap that had no idea what was coming.
Holding her towel with one hand, and placing one hand gently on his chest, Sakura gave a small laugh as his body tensed. Tapping her index finger on his chest, Sakura pushed away from him and moved back to her clothes, making sure her hips swung more than was necessary to walk. Thankful that her towel went down to her lower thigh, Sakura bent down to grab her things, bending slightly more than was needed to best showcase her assets, yet unable to be seen because of the long towel.
Turning back to leave the small clearing they stood in by the river, intent on leaving him in utter stupefaction, Sakura was upset that he wasn't fazed. Instead he seemed to be ignoring her, he had taken his shirt off, and placed it on a bush away from her. Angry that her plan hadn't worked, Sakura froze when Sasuke turned. Working not to stare, Sakura pushed from her mind the well muscled arms and chest, as well as the washboard abs and lean hips. His training had done him well in the physical department. Not that she noticed or anything.
Letting an evil grin creep onto her face, as she slipped a kunai into a hidden pocket of her towel. Putting her clothes back in her bag, Sakura slung the bag over her shoulder, and moved to stand in front of Sasuke. She watching in glee as his eyes again skittered over her hidden body. If he was going to die, he might as well die happy right? Circling him as she had done in the cemetery, Sakura again grazed her fingers over his shoulders, chest and back.
The contact of skin against skin let Sakura feel the tensing of his muscles as Sasuke reacted to her touch. But this time, with her touching him, it went both ways. Repeatedly forcing her mind away from his nicely developed body from hours of training, Sakura savagely shoved all thought aside. Coming to stand at his front once more, her hand resting on his chest again, Sakura regulated her thoughts to her hands only, which were cold from the water and night breeze, while his chest was warm and firm.
Slipping the kunai out of her towel, Sakura let her fingers graze over his warm skin yet again, delighting in the twitch of muscle beneath her touch. Ignoring that she liked how firm his chest was under her hand, Sakura repressed any pleasure that touching him might bring. Standing on her toes, to get closer to his ear, Sakura smiled when he leaned slightly towards her, foolish boy. Bringing the kunai up behind him Sakura attempted to shove the metal into his spin.
A hand on her wrist stopped her movements, looking into his eyes, Sakura saw amusement there. Giving him an seductive smile, Sakura moved her hand away and put the kunai away in its special holder. All her towels had pockets for weapons, one could never be too cautious. "Just because I'm not dressed for battle, doesn't mean I can't do anything. It would do you well to never underestimate me." His smirk only made her smile grow, she still had one comment to toss at him if he chose to push her.
And true to the 'Uchiha's always win' attitude, he pushed her. When one of his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her to and anchoring her tiny body to his larger one, Sasuke leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I know your tricks now, don't think I'll fall for something twice." Smiling maliciously, Sakura whispered back. "Then stop making it so easy, and stop undressing me with your eyes."
His head moved back to look her in the eye, his eyes narrowing at her. "Hn, as if I ever would." Sakura could only think that he was making this much too easy for her. "Oh but you already have. Don't think I didn't see the way you looked at me when you came to the river, and don't think that I lost track of time. I know I still had ten more minutes to bathe. Someone came too early, and I've very sure that that someone came early on purpose."
"I did not." Smirking, Sakura laughed at Sasuke's retort. Weak at best. This time Sakura let both of her hands rest on his chest, trying to ignore the feel of his abs through the towel. "Hoping to see something were we?" He simply grunted, but Sakura could tell that he was trying to think of a way out of this mess, whether he meant to come early or not, Sakura could see Naruto telling him to head to the river early on purpose. She would kill Naruto later, after she killed Sasuke.
Using her index fingers to rub small circles over his skin, Sakura watched as Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. Smirking at him, Sakura leaned up to rub her nose against him neck. His shiver, which he failed to suppress, made exuberance spiral through her. Pulling back enough to look up at him, Sakura licked her lips, bringing his attention to her them she bit the side of her lip. In response, Sasuke quickly licked his lips, as his eye gave a very slight twitch.
Pushing away from him, Sakura felt his arm tighten around her, pulling her against him again. Letting a soft laugh out, Sakura ran her hands up his chest, over his shoulders and down his arms. Taking a strong grip on his biceps, Sakura basked in the splendor of knowing that she affected him enough to cause him to lose the ability to control some physical movement. His shiver told her enough to make her realize she had a fraction of power over him.
Moving back away from him, forcing his arm to fall away from her body, she smiled. "Have a good bath Sasuke." Stepping back Sakura gave him a small chakra pumped shove, sending him back a few feet and into the freezing water. Letting her laughter float to him as she walked away, Sakura congratulated herself of a job well done. Still aware of his furious eyes on her, Sakura swung her hips again as she walked out of the clearing.
Torture was always a fun thing when it involved getting back at the Uchiha. What she didn't know as she walked away, her hair swinging behind her, was that Sasuke caught a glance of her tattoos as she moved away. He couldn't see the top halves of the team tattoos or the portrait of Katsuyu. But he had seen, and recognized, the tattoos of her parents and her two mentors. He was intrigued, angry, attracted, and very cold, and very wet.
As the days went by, everyone suddenly found themselves in the last leg of the journey, the pink haired woman and the black haired man trying to forget the night by the water. As they approached on the fifth day, the sun on its way to setting and the grumbling of their stomachs let them know that dinner time was quickly approaching. As they neared the ocean, they surveyed the area as they stopped at the last of the strands of trees. Just as Naruto opened his mouth, probably to complain or ask to stop, Shizune gave a signal to stop.
Landing on the ground below, all in the party looked to Shizune, confused. Looking around, Shizune shook her head, then told them they had gone too far. Confused at the statement, because they hadn't passed anything, all followed her back a ways and to the right. They could see the ocean from where they stood, and once they were at the right distance Shizune smiled. Dropping to the ground and forming hand seals, Shizune touched her hand to the ground.
At the release of the Genjutsu a wall came into view with an arching gate just ahead of them. The words on the sign read 'Hanayo' with the fire country symbol and a cherry blossom on either side of the sign. Something inside Sakura was being pulled towards that gate. What she didn't know, but that force was there. An inner drive to understand what connected her to this village that no one knew about, kept her going forward.
Arriving at the closed gate, Sakura stopped dead while looking through the metal bars. Naruto almost fell over her and Sasuke, as emotionless as ever, couldn't suppress the glimmer of surprise in his eyes. The village people of Hanayo boasted heads of white, black, brown, blond and even a few purple that dominated over the many shades of pink. Eyes of brown, blue, grey, purple, red and black dominated over the many shades of green. Although Sakura could see that not one person had the exact shade of pink hair or green eyes that she had. They were all lighter or darker than hers.
"They use a special Genjutsu to hid the village. Very few know of it, and almost none ever figure it out. It's another reason the village has been hidden for so long. This particular Genjutsu makes the traveler move around the village without knowing it's there, and releases them from the Genjutsu once they reach a certain point far enough for them not to see the village." Sakura couldn't breathe, and this information clouding her brain didn't help. But she continued to stare in dumbfound disbelief.
Even though most of them had different eye and hair colors, everyone had similar features, like a relatively good sized clan. And for the very few with pink hair or green eyes, Sakura felt as if she were looking at family members. This looked like a clan of Haruno's! What did this all mean? She didn't have a clan! Finally as the need for air overcame the shock, a gasp came out. Only an instant later nine ninja's, all wearing fire nation forehead protectors were surrounding them.
A glance at Sasuke showed that even he was moderately surprised by their appearance, although only his eyes gave it away. And it was agonizingly subtle, so much so that Sakura noted how neither Shizune or even Naruto seemed to see his surprise. But she had always been good at reading him, no matter how subtle or veiled his emotions were. It was in his eyes, always had been, even when they seemed dead a spark could be seen.
Although the ninja's surrounding them were ready for battle the look on the face of an older looking warrior gave a quick signal to the others, who all warily assumed a more relaxed stance. Only until the woman, who seemed to be in charge surprised the Konoha group, did the others completely relax and follow her example.
"Hello Shizune, good to see you again. Who have you brought to us now?" This lady was the leader, and the fact that she greeted Shizune in that friendly manner told Sakura that the story about Tsunade coming to this village was not a lie. Shizune only smiled at the woman and gestured to Sakura. "I've brought the one you've been waiting for Kiyoko." There it was again! What was with everyone? Waiting for her? Nonsense, there was nothing special about her to warrant being waited for by anyone!
Smiling and bending at the waist, the woman bowed before Sakura with her head down in respect and spoke a few short sentences that stunned the life out of Sakura. "So you've come at last Princess Sakura! We've been eagerly awaiting your visit, although we have been informed that you knew nothing of us, as the rest of the world, we welcome you Princess to the home of your family and clan."
Would the surprises of the day never end? Sakura could only wonder, even as she pondered about the title given her. Why was she being called Princess with the utmost respect from this person? Standing the woman motioned for the ninja to open the gate, which they did swiftly. The opening of the gate was obviously a big thing, the people still out and about all stopped to stare.
Until they spotted Sakura, every eye color met hers, and just like that every few people looked towards a building blocked from view then back to her. And once again Sakura was faced with people bending before her as if she were royalty! What was this place? "Follow me." Only the sound of the warrior's voice commanding them to comply with her wishes, made Sakura snap out of her daze.
As they moved through the gates Sakura saw a man remain and knew from that he was setting the Genjutsu again. Convinced that she was dreaming, Sakura was sure that if someone walked up and called her a panda she wouldn't dispute the fact. She was also pretty sure that if someone walked up and said she was a Yak, she'd probably believe them and maybe even start eating grass.
But mostly she thought that she had to be caught in some very messed up Genjutsu. With Shizune, Naruto, Sasuke and Kiyoko surrounding her, Sakura soon found herself walking up to a large building with a cherry blossom sign over the door with an obviously added fire nation sign above it.
Standing in the street, gazing at the building, Sakura felt her chest tighten as a lullaby drifted on the wind. It wasn't her mother's special lullaby, it was just another little lullaby played and sang to her by her mother, although she remembered her father playing his flute along with her mother's Biwa. As the soft strains of the lullaby floated around her, a Biwa lifted in harmony with a flute.
It was the lullaby she was remembering, and Sakura knew that this mission was going to be very hard on her. Tsunade hadn't lied, that much was now very clear. A question, asked a little too loudly than necessary, brought her from her musings. "Is this the Clan chief's house?" Naruto, loud mouth that he was, was currently making Sakura want to hug him. For some obscure reason she didn't have the nerve to ask.
"No, this is the council house. The Chief's house is to the immediate right of it, the only building directly linked to the council house itself. And my name is Kiyoko, I'm the senior leader of the two teams that met you today." Kiyoko had a short ponytail of dark pink hair, so pink it was almost red.
As they walked a woman rushed after her child, her hair was such a pale pink that it was almost white. The child she chased was a boy with brown hair and light emerald eyes. Behind the lady and the child stood a teen, probably about sixteen, one of the rare males with pink hair. He looked as if he was bored beyond reason, while he tossed a Shuriken lightly up and down.
Sakura couldn't help but think of the embarrassment and jokes about his hair color. But as Sakura stood, still waiting for the council house door to open she saw a nightmare coming. Fangirls walked rather quickly towards him as he stood looking at his mother and sibling, totally oblivious of the crowd of girls heading his way. De ja vu anyone?
Although she expected them to horde all over Sasuke once they saw him, the girls continued on towards the boy. She thought it almost comical the way they didn't even bother to glance at Sasuke as they ran around him. Down the road the boy casually glanced up, his face contorted into a look Sakura had seen often on Sasuke and Neji's faces. With that the boy ran into his home and slammed the door shut behind him.
Why it made her want to laugh was unbelievable to her, but she had the urge to do just that. Confused Sakura looked to Sasuke and Naruto who were either laughing or smirking, depending on the person of course. Looking at Shizune, Sakura was met with a skeptical look, as if Shizune couldn't see the purpose in chasing down a boy. Then she turned as the door to the council building was opened Sakura's gaze found Kiyoko's.
With a smile Kiyoko explained, "Males rarely having pink hair, they are rather sought after by the ladies. Women with green eyes are just as rare, mostly because they show more of a resemblance to the two founders of the clan and their daughter Ayame. Especially when they have a color very close to that exact shade of pink or green as Ayame."
She now understood, but she still didn't see how the girls didn't stop to at least stare at Sasuke. How could you walk, or run, by him without stopping? Honestly, wouldn't they at least stare for a moment at someone as gorgeous as Uchiha Sasuke? How could they not see his beautiful face and not stop? So she fought her feelings, but she couldn't stop herself from admitting a few things.
She loved his hair, no matter how unusual his style was. She loved his regal face, the wide eyes, high cheekbones, elegant eyebrows, and her favorite, his strong square jaw. She didn't mind that he stood a head taller than her, it only made her feel more girly, which didn't happen often. She loved how, in those rare times when he held her, that his strong arms around her made her feel protected and safe, as she had felt when her father held her.
She loved his voice, even if it was monotone most of the time, how it reminded her of childhood days. Even if those childhood days hadn't been fun with his scorn, at least he had been there and cared if she was killed by Gaara. She loved his wide shoulders and chest, how they boasted his strength, strong enough to hold her, and wide enough to support her when he had to carry her.
And she loved his abs and hips, his hips because they were so slender compared to his wide chest, giving him that lean look. And she loved his abs because, well they were perfect abs, who wouldn't love that? Not that she ever noticed! She couldn't do this to herself again, and she wouldn't admire his body if she could help it. Yet she couldn't help loving everything about him, even as she fought and denied it.
Images from the river rose up in her mind, before she clamped them down into a small corner of her mind. Now was not the time. Just because she loved the way he walked, and could tell when it was him from the way he stood or walked from a long distance meant nothing. Just because his presence put her on edge, and calmed her meant nothing. Just because the knowledge of him leaving again would probably kill her this time, and the knowledge that if he stayed and married another, she'd probably die of depression, meant nothing. Just because he meant nothing and everything to her, didn't mean a thing! Right?
Kiyoko smiled at Sakura as she continued to look confused, her brows furrowed in thought. Although Sakura's thoughts were on Sasuke, she came back to reality to hear Kiyoko's next comments. "You, for example are so much like the daughter. So much like Ayame in so many ways, ways not even you know about yet. You will in short order, but your hair and your eyes only announce to the world, but mostly to the Haruno clan, that you are a Haruno. And more importantly, that you are the one Ayame said would come."
Kiyoko gave Sakura another smile of understanding as Sakura's face paled. "You're the one that will spare the world from those that would see it destroyed. We have waited for you, Princess Sakura, for much longer than you can imagine. No one but you and Ayame will ever have that exact shade of pink hair and green eyes. Everyone else will be off by a few shades, except you and Ayame."
Sakura was sure that her face must be whiter than untouched snow, because she could feel the blood draining from her face. Not until now did Sakura even think about how they knew her name without an introduction first. But before she could so much as move to take a step towards the small staircase to the council house, a group of men about her age came around the corner talking and laughing. They stopped abruptly on sighting her, and then all of them ran towards her.
For a second Sakura was scared stiff. So this was what it was like to see a horde of people running at you full speed! She didn't like it much, she wouldn't laugh at any boy every again for running away. If her legs would have worked, Sakura would have been running away also. Taking a step back, Sakura's eyes widened when the first guy to reach her took her hands and went down on one knee. "Princess! It's so good to have you home, please be my bride!" Choruses of "No, be my bride!" and "No, you must be my bride!" even one "Bare my children, be the mother of my children!" came from the group.
Before she could say or do anything other than lean away in horror, another guy pushed them all away and turned his back to her and spoke to the crowd. "No, Princess Sakura is above all of you, she will probably be given to a heir of another clan or to someone higher than all of you!" Turning to her, Sakura was about to thank the guy now smiling at her. Until he spoke to her. "If you go to anyone in our clan, and I will ask, then you will be my bride and bare my children!"
What was it with these guys and making her bare children? Having gotten over the surprise Naruto was doubled over laughing, Sasuke on the other hand showed no emotion other than a slight scowl. With her face red, Sakura lifted her fist to pummel the fool into next year. But thankfully Kiyoko stepped in. With a punch that sent the guy down the street, making Sakura proud, Kiyoko turned back and bowed.
"I'm so sorry Princess! He was always a forward one, and being the son of a higher up family in the clan he thinks he can do anything. But don't worry Princess, your cousin, the chief, will choose who you marry and will not listen to ones such as him. " At Kiyoko's speech Sakura froze, she would marry who she chose, not a cousin or be given to some baka in any village!
But as she opened her mouth to speak her mind Kiyoko and the others started to walk down the hall, and all previous questions about everything were silenced. Lining the walls in every direction were portraits. All looked like family. Sakura stopped when she saw the portrait of her mother and father in formal attire. It was family!
Standing before it she felt tears leaking out of the sides of her eyes as her hand reached up to meet the paper. The smiles and sparkling eyes looked at her with the familiar loving expression of her mother, and the proud smile of her fathers, making her heart twist. And in those expressions came Sakura's undoing. With her hand still on the wall and tears flowing freely Sakura let herself slid to the floor to sit on her knees with the hand holding onto the bottom of the frame. Could she never get away from those memories of horror?
She'd missed her parents more than anyone would ever know. And now in a village she, let alone anyone else, hadn't even know excited, was her parents picture smiling at her. Which could only mean that Sakura did have a clan, and they were not all killed, they were simply hidden. This was her clan, her family…she had a family! Looking up again at the portrait, Sakura looked to both sides of it, to the others around her parents picture.
To the left, closer to the center where a door opened into a round room, was a picture of her mother and another of her father further down, side by side. It had been so long since she'd seen their faces, untainted by Kisame's torture. They were still the loving ones she remembered, the dark green eyes framed by brown hair, and light pink hair above blue eyes looking down on her with a stern look, but both pairs of eyes, even in a portrait smiled at her.
Choking back tears Sakura looked to the right, a portrait of her at sixteen stopped the flow for a second. She remembered sitting for that portrait and wishing to kill the artist. It took so long and all Sakura wanted to do was train. Tsunade never did tell her why she had to sit for the portrait, but when Tsunade was just a drop away from passing out after so much sake, no one disputed her words.
Then next to it, was one from last year when she was twenty-one, she didn't remember much about that sitting, only that the smile in this portrait had faded from her face after only half an hour, thankfully the artist had kept the happy smile instead of painting the tired, hurt look that she had adopted after a short time. After her picture, the wall held no pictures, she assumed for the portraits of the family she would hopefully have one day.
Looking back to her father's, then her mother's portraits, the tears came again. Only this time the memories came and threatened to choke the life from her as pain washed over her body like a current of electrical waves. Devouring her mind, taking her back to that night, the night she had tried for so long, so many times to burry. The mental scars still reminded her of the day that she could only wish was a nightmare. The portrait was done so well, her parents looked so realistic, as if they could just step out and hug her. She wished they would.