Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

WITH Kakashi AND SAKURA/A MONTH LATER:

"Alright, let's take a break."

Sakura and Kakashi pulled away from each other, both dripping in sweat. Kakashi shook his hair, causing Sakura to wrinkle her nose as drops of sweat hit her face. Wiping them away, she grabbed two bottles of water and handed one to her sensei. Kakashi caught it, holding it in one hand while he dragged his headband over his exposed Sharingan eye. Both dropped to the floor, sitting in a meditative pose, drinking their water.

"Good job Sakura. Your tijutsu is doing well."

"Training with Gai's team can do that. You shouldn't have used your Sharingan."

Grasping her hair, Sakura began to pull it into a long ponytail, braiding it and wrapping a band around the end to keep it in place. She wore a simple black sports bra under a fishnet shirt. Black ninja pants hung loose on her legs and she was shoe less. Kakashi wore a black t-shirt and black ninja pants, his mask and sandals ever present.

"Sensei?"

"Hm?"

"Can we take a break from tijutsu and do something different."

"Like what?"

Sakura sighed, reaching into her nearby pack and pulling out a scroll. She handed it to him, waiting for him to grasp it and read the seal on the outside of it.

"Sakura…I thought we talked about this."

"Not recently."

"This hasn't been activated in over 100 years. What makes you think you can use it?"

"I already have."

Kakashi watched her in surprise when she stood and bit her thumb, quickly trailing the blood over clear skin on her right bicep. Immediately slamming her hand on the ground, she grinned.

"Ancient summoning technique: Tsuyoi Fuuga!"

Her tattoo began to glow and Kakashi lifted his headband, studying the glowing kanji's. A soft rumble was heard and as the smoke cleared, Ai lifted her head. She seemed to grin, lowering her huge head so it was even with Sakura.

So this is your sensei hime?

"Yes."

Kakashi looked at Ai in awe, bowing low when she turned to look at him. Her soft laughter echoed through the surrounding forest.

"It is nice to meet you…Kakashi."

Sakura grinned and stuck her tongue out at Kakashi.

"Told you I could."

He chuckled, coming to stand next to her. Ai lay down, resting her head on her clawed-feet delicately.

"Sakura-hime, do you wish to know anything?"

"Hai. You are aware of my memory loss."

"Yes."

"I want to know what happened before that."

Ai sighed. She turned to Kakashi.

"This will cause her harm. You will not be able to travel for many days."

Kakashi rested his hand on Sakura's head, nodding slowly to Ai when Sakura looked up at him with pleading eyes. The two sat in front of Ai, resting their backs against to nearby oaks.

"Have you met the Snake Summoner, hime?"

"Orochimaru? Hai, I have."

"Perhaps he has removed the seal."

Ai reached out with a glowing red claw, tapping Sakura's forehead gently. The kunoichi tensed, clenching an eye shut at the sudden pain emanating for her mind. Ai sighed, removing the claw slowly.

"He has. All that is left now if for you to let the memories flow through your mind. I cannot force you to remember."

Sakura's brows furrowed.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Focus on them, hime. Meditate."

Sakura nodded, sitting up and settling into a meditative position. She closed her eyes, taking a breath through her nose and letting it out through her mouth. Kakashi watched her quietly will Ai murmured soft words under her breath. The sun began to set and Kakashi stood silently, heading off to get some firewood. It seemed they would be here for awhile.

WITH SAKURA/HER POV/IN HER MIND:

I looked around, seeing nothing but black.

"Where am I?"

A soft glowing to my left alerted me to a presence. I turned, looking at the person next to me in awe. She had to be a goddess. Her skin was pale and she had long red hair that cascaded down her back in waves. Easily 6 feet tall, her gown trailed along the floor and was the color of the darkest night, small glimmers giving the appearance of stars sewn into the material. Her eyes were red, fox-like and stunning in every way.

"You are in your mind Sakura."

"Who are you?"

She laughed. The sound echoed through my ears and around me, sounding like the gentle ringing of bells.

"I am who you deem you're Inner. Though, that is not who I am."

"Then who are you?"

"Who am I? That is for you to find out. Come."

She turned and began to walk off. I followed, looking around the black space surrounding us curiously. Eventually we slowed down and I looked forward, only to find a giant door. It was made of metal and was seemingly hovering in front of us.

"Go on. Open it."

I reached for it, wrapping my hand around the handle and pulling. It opened effortlessly and I walked in, the woman following me. The door shut behind me and suddenly I was in a room, everything lit by a soft orange glow. Turning slowly, I took in all the floating panels.

"Memories?"

"Ones that have been locked up by Orochimaru. And by your old family."

I reached out to touch one but a firm grasp on my hand stopped me. My eyes caught the woman's and she narrowed them dangerously.

"You must promise not to speak of the ones your family is in. Claim they are still hidden from you. They can only protect you as long as no one knows you are connected to them."

I hesitated.

"Alright. I will only speak of the ones Orochimaru locked away."

She frowned.

"No. You must only speak of the ones I say you may. Understood?"

"…hai."

"I am doing this for your safety. Now…go ahead. Look through your past."

Her iron grip on my wrist disappeared and I reached out, letting my fingers grasp the image and pull. It exploded in front of me, covering everything else and submersing me.

A red-head pushed aside the bush in front of me. Kneeling down, he studied me with chocolate brown eyes. They began to narrow at me and he frowned.

"What are you doing out here?"

I whipped my face, trying to get rid of the tears and dirt. I sniffed and looked at the ground.

"My m-mommy and d-daddy told me to h-hide. They haven't come b-back y-yet."

"When was this?"

Glancing up at him I shrugged. I moved my head to the right, trying to think. My nose twitched.

"T-three days ago I t-think."

The man titled his head in worry and reached into his bag. He pulled out a cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders. I was surprised but smiled at him. He blinked and then offered me a small smile.

"Would you like to come with me?"

Stranger danger, I remembered my mommy telling me. He was incredibly nice though, so I nodded hesitantly. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and under my knees. He stood quickly and began walking. Folding myself into him and his warmth, I yawned softly. I tugged on his shirt softly and he glanced down.

"Yes?"

"What's your name?"

"…Sasori of the Red Sand."

I let loose another yawn.

"That's a nice name Sasori-niisan."

Sasori smiled.

"And yours?"

"Sakura Haruno."

Sasori chuckled. Why was he laughing at me? I glared up at him lightly. Poking his side, I hoped he would stop laughing.

"What's so funny niisan?"

"Sakura means cherry blossom. I just think it's a very fitting name, Cherry."

I felt my cheeks heat up. I had never had a nickname before. Yawning again, I curled closer to Sasori and his warm heat. I closed my eyes, holding back another yawn.

"Goodnight niisan."

"Goodnight Cherry."

The memory shrunk and I stumbled lightly, almost tripping if not for the woman's grasp on my arm. I turned and gave her a small smile.

"Thank you."

"Of course. May I suggest that one next?"

I looked towards where she was pointing and reached for it.

I walked around aimlessly, trying to find someone to talk to. All the other kids sneered at me and turned away, so I walked to the nearby sand box. I perched on the wood surrounding the sandbox. Suddenly, a bit of sand crept up my arm, causing me to shriek in surprise and turn.

"What are you doing?"

In front of me sat a red-head. He had sea-foam green eyes, with a hint of turquoise. He held a teddy bear in his hands tightly, clutching it to his chest. I smiled at him.

"Hi."

He was silent.

"I'm Sakura. Who are you?"

"…Gaara."

"It's nice to meet you Gaara!"

"Why aren't you running away?"

I turned my head to the left in confusion.

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm a monster. I have a demon in me."

Gaara's eyes began to cloud over, unshed tears causing his eyes to shimmer. I frowned, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around Gaara and hugging him. He tensed, obviously shocked.

"You're not a monster. You're just unique."

Gaara relaxed into my hug, wrapping his arms around me in return. Pulling away, I gave him a smile and reached for his hand. A slight pink brushed over his cheeks.

"Let's be friends, okay?"

Gaara smiled.

"Okay."

"So that's how I know Gaara?"

"Yes."

I smiled softly at the memory. I looked around, searching for another one. The woman hit one with her hand and it flew toward me. Reaching out with my fingers, I grasped it and crushed it, letting it pull me into the past.

I lay on a cold table, my arms and legs bound. My eyes were closed and my breathing slow. My body felt light and I realized I could hear everything going on but couldn't move or talk. I vaguely heard a door open. The heavy footsteps alerted me it was a man and I cringed when I heard the voice.

"Tell me, how is your stay Sakura?"

Orochimaru! His hand trailed up my face and I tried to squirm out of his reach. Why was he doing this? I thought we were family! I could hear him turn to another person in the room.

"Is Yukiaka prepared? We must seal her while the medicine is still coursing through my pet's veins."

"Everything is ready my Lord."

"Good."

I heard movement and the sound of Orochimaru giving orders. Soon he was beside me again and that's when the screams started.

"My Lord! Ahhh! Help me!"

Orochimaru chuckled and I tried to move my body again but found I still couldn't.

"Five pronged sealing spell!"

Though I thought I couldn't feel anything in the state I was in, I did feel the sudden pain in my stomach. Orochimaru's fingers connected with my stomach and the next second, I felt as though something was being pulled inside me and I tried to scream but found I couldn't. Soon that pain ended and a pulsing pain took its place.

"It is done. Kukuku."

I pulled out of the memory, gasping for air. I looked down and realized my hand was grasping my stomach. Pulling up my shirt, I looked at the strange seal that had appeared. Next to me, the woman kneeled in front of me and traced the seal lightly.

"I suppose the seal's hold is weakening if the seal is appearing."

"What-"

The woman stood, wrapping me in a hug.

"I never meant for this to happen."

We stood silently and I wrapped my arms around the woman.

"Orochimaru…what did he seal in me?"

The woman pulled away. I couldn't bring myself to think of her as Inner because she wasn't in my opinion. She was completely different.

"He sealed me in you. My name is Yukiaka."

"I don't want to seem rude but…what are you?"

"The 9-tails elder sister, the 12-tails."

My eyes widened and she smiled softly.

"12-tails? I thought that the tailed beasts pulled back into one body created the ten-tails?"

"Merely a myth. I will explain."

Two chairs appeared and we both sat.

"Long ago our creator, a god beyond any imagining, created me. I was lonely you see, having to keep the human world in balance by myself. So he created 9 others. He refused to make a 10-tails or 11-tails in fear that they would be able to overthrow me. He wished that one could overthrow the others so in case they were ever corrupted, chaos wouldn't destroy your world."

"Then why did we start sealing the tails into humans?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"They began to let the power go to their heads. I had been gone for many years before I heard of what was happening in the human realm. The god had died and with him gone, I had been left to care for our realm. I sent my most trusted brother, the 9-tails Kyubi, to take care of the problem. He arrived too late and was so transformed by sadness and anger at what had happened to our siblings, took to evil."

"And that's how he ended up getting sealed in Naruto."

"Yes. By the time the news had come to me, I could not save him. I traveled to your world and was promised by Orochimaru help receiving my siblings. I followed him and was sealed in the body of a dying child. I was then transferred to you."

She smiled and me softly, catching my hand in hers.

"You are a great protégé Sakura. Do not think it is my chakra making you so. I could not help you beyond talking to you in your mind. The seal prevented it."

I smiled and stood.

"I am missing something though, aren't I?"

"Yes. The Akatsuki."

My brow furrowed.

"They are not yet a huge threat, so it is no surprise you do not know of them. You lived with them when you were a child. Sasori, from Suna, found you and took you with him when he joined. You grew up surrounded by them."

"Will I be able to remember them?"

"Bit by bit. Over the next few months. Sakura…"

"Yes?"

"You must not tell anyone about them. What they are doing may seem evil, especially from your point of view, but they are doing this to make the world a better place."

"I will not mention them."

"Good."

Yukiaka smiled.

"Come. You must leave. You will have time to look into these memories later."

WITH Kakashi:

Kakashi sighed, glancing up at Sakura from the top of his book. She had been meditating for a little over a day. He stood when he saw her eyes open. Stretching like a cat, she accepted his hand and let him pull her up. She glanced around.

"Where is Ai?"

"She told me that she would return when the time was right."

Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes. Taking a step forward, she stopped as an odd pulse ran through her body. Falling to her knees, she grasped her stomach tightly. Kakashi dropped beside her, moving her hand and then her shirt. Standing, he disappeared. Sakura fell back, staring at the clouds as she tried to keep from screaming in pain. Vaguely, she heard Kakashi return and murmur under his breath.

Grasping her elbow, he hauled her into a sitting position and stuck a small sealing paper on her stomach. The paper fizzled as the writing on it melted into her skin. Shortly after she collapsed and Kakashi pulled her into his arms and headed to the cabin he had found the day before. Once he got there, he placed her on the bed and placed a small towel on her forehead to cool her fever. He summoned Pakkun, the small dog looking at Sakura curiously.

"What's up Kakashi?"

"I need you to find Jiraiya and tell him Sakura and I are headed after them. Also, have him prepare a sealing spell."

"For what?"

"A Jinchūriki."

END OF CHAPTER

And now Sakura knows. And we know that Orochimaru wanted her so he could seal the 12-tails in her. Yes, I know this is not how the anime goes but blah. I like this way better. ;D This didn't turn out how I expected it to…hm. 2nd chapter of my promise.

Review please? I'd love to hear your opinion.

Eris-R-Renee