"Are you going to keep your nose buried in that book the entire time" Hidan asked frustrated they'd left the Rain Village behind almost 2 days ago and Sakura had stuck her nose in a book both of those two days "Hidan it's a book about fire jutsu's that I can practice" Sakura spoke without looking up "I'll hold you to that" Hidan told her as he speared the fish she had caught and set them over the fire to cook "I would expect no less" Sakura announced turning the page of her book when she had finished with the page she was on.
When Hidan called out that the fish was done Sakura set her book down just as Midori padded into the clearing they had made camp in "Mistress" Midori called in her soft voice making Sakura pause in reaching for a fish "What is it Midori" Sakura asked her eyes landing on Midori's "Someone approaches I know not who but they are strong" the wolf answered her white fur standing on end as she geared up to attack, opening her senses Sakura felt the 4 chakra's converging on their little clearing until a white and brown blur flew into the clearing.
"Raikage-sama" Sakura jumped up seeing Cee, Darui and Bee behind the huge muscled man "Brat" Ay greets looking around the massive chakra he felt until he settles his eyes on the huge white wolf feeling her chakra he prepares to attack when Sakura the little brat moves in his way "Outta the way kid that wolf is dangerous" he ordered and Sakura shook her head "She's my companion she won't hurt anyone" Sakura patted the wolfs head before climbing Midori and sitting atop the wolf to prove she was harmless.
Relaxing just a little "Fine, brat I'll believe you" Ay sighs out as they gather around the fire "Hidan we're going to need more fish" Sakura laughed, called Midori to her side and went back to the river Darui trailing after her to help "So when did the wolf happen" he asked casually "I have a name boy it's Midori" the wolf growled out letting her crystal blue eyes rest on Darui "Oh no offense its just you weren't with Sakura when she was in the hidden cloud village" he raised his hands to show he was harmless.
"I found her in a shop in the grass village a couple weeks after we left" Sakura explained as they reached the river and Sakura waded in after taking off her shoes and socks "What are you doing Sakura" Darui asked in confusion "It's a quicker method to catch fish" she explained again as she concentrated on forming her chakra strings shuriken attached to them as she started swinging them around her head and making the fish jump out of the water several passes later she has at least 5 fish.
Doing this again and again until she has at least 10 more fish Sakura finally walks out of the river smiled at Darui who felt pretty useless at that moment gutted and scaled the fish then strung them all up as they walked back to the camp where Cee was chatting with Hidan and Ay was scanning his surroundings "I've got more fish Hidan" Sakura threw the fish at the silver-haired man giggling as they smack his face ignoring the glare he threw at her and sat back down while shoving her nose in her book again.
"Sakura, I swear you spent to much around Konan and Pein" he sighed sulking "Well at least I didn't let the title they gave me go to my head" she laughed reading further about the jutsu "Isn't that one of the books I got you" Darui asked when he spots her reading it "I got this one from the Rain Village, I already read all the ones you got me Darui" Sakura admitted unashamed "Have you practiced all the jutsu's in them" Darui raised an eyebrow in question and she shook her head.
"No some of them were a little to difficult so I'm saving them to practice when I get stronger" Sakura looked up briefly to sprinkle some herbs on the fish "In the meantime I have plenty of things to practice until then" she finished with a bright smile sat her book down again and grabbed a fish and took a small bite "They are done" Sakura mumbled around her bite prompting everyone to grab a fish and start eating "Midori we'll practice after dinner" she assured the wolf that was restlessly pacing.
"Thank you Mistress" Midori howled in joy laying down in the grass to munch on the fish Sakura gave her when Sakura stood put away her herbs and books everyone stared at her as she moved further away so that they could practice "Watch this it's awesome" Hidan laughed as Sakura took her stance and then "Snow Style: Snow Field Jutsu" Sakura poured her chakra into the ground as it started forming snow changing the landscape before she called out another "Snow Style: Snow Jet" Sakura called.
This time Midori shot out a stream of snow that projected several meters crashing through 4 trees before finally dropping "Ok Midori" Sakura shouted before jumping on top of the wolf "Snow Style: Snow Armor, Snow Style: Snow Shield, Snow Style: Snow Blade, and Snow Style: Snow Clones" Sakura performed the various handsigns to the amazement of 4 of the men in the clearing as snow wrapped around Sakura formed the armor, and then a shield formed of course a blad made out of snow and the multiple clones.
"Where did she learn that" Darui asked eyes wide in awe "Well that has more to do with Midori than anything by sharing their chakra's, Sakura gained the ability to perform snow style jutsu's" Hidan explained smiling as Sakura and Midori worked in sync, Sakura had jumped off of Midori and now they were tearing apart one of the clones "Did she really find Midori in a shop back in the grass village" Darui asked curiously and Hidan nodded "Yeah and then we got to the Hidden Mist Village and she wanted tattoo's" he sulked while stoking the fire.
"You let her get tattoo's" Ay asked in disbelief "Yeah, you try telling her no and not giving in you'll find it's harder than you think, Ay-sama" Hidan chuckled "So what's up with the piercings" Cee asked this time "That's something she got in the Hidden Rain Village they are chakra receivers it helps Sakura channel her chakra into Midori" Hidan pointed out the earring on Midori's right ear "We've also been to just about every village except for 3" he sighed feeling exhausted just watching Sakura practice with her scythe now.
"Why did she cut her hair" Ay questioned "It was mostly my fault I kept telling her that she needed to cut her hair and she did in a fit of rage you have no idea how guilty I felt about that but at least it's growing back" Hidan grimaced it was true though her hair had reached waist length over the months because everyday she messed with it tugging on it and pulling it in frustration or styling the pink hair "I can imagine" Ay chuckled watching her swing her scythe through a Midori snow clone cutting it in half.
"Since the cloud village Sakura has gotten a lot stronger her speed has increased and her strength along with her chakra reserves, intelligence, well about everything including her medical ninjutsu" Hidan shrugged when Sakura started spitting mini fireballs in conjunction with Midori spitting out snow bullets it was chaos on her little training field as she changed tactics and started using water style it turning to ice in the frigid air and making it that much harder to destroy Midori stomping on one of the snow clones smashing it to pieces.
By now her training session had been going on for little more than 45 minutes and Sakura showed no signs of slowing down or even being tired as she jumped high into the air to dodge the swing of one of her snow clones, snow scythe twisting mid air "Snow Style: Snow Manipulation" she breathed out forming a platform in the air to kick off of and sending her self crashing to the ground, putting her scythe away Sakura pulled out one of her little puppets deciding that she would go all out this time.
Attaching visible chakra strings she sent the little puppet rushing forward spitting out senbon needles from it's mouth before being sealed 5 minutes later as it runs out stopping one of the clones with her chakra strings allowing Midori to rip it's head off with her massive jaws, breathing slightly harder now Sakura switches tactics and forms lightning around her hand as she moves onto taijutsu using earth style in conjunction with this as the ground moves and lifts her up rising and falling destroying half of the left over clones.
Feeling her chakra running low now Sakura pulls out her pink whip and channels her purple and silver chakra into it before swishing the whip and sending it cracking through 3 of the snow clones cartwheeling backwards to land on Midori as they rush through the snow covered grounds destroying the rest of the clones before releasing all of her jutsu's feeling proud that she wasn't on the verge of passing out this time as Midori walks them over to the fire to warm up sliding off Midori as they got close enough Sakura assesses the damage.
Smiling Sakura heals the cuts and bruises finding a lot less than usual it meant at least to her that she was getting better at dodging "Well I see some improvements" Hidan chuckled and handed her a scroll that was filled with her favorite treats "Ooohhh thanks Hidan how did you know" Sakura squealed taking a stick of dango and nearly eating it whole "Well before we left I bought a whole bunch of them along with this" Hidan grinned as he held out an entire package of green tea mixture.
"Awesome-sauce" Sakura smiled gave Hidan a quick hug and then made her a cup of the green tea as she ate a few more sticks of the treat "When did you get a love of that stuff" Darui asked not once during the entire time that they had been in the Hidden Cloud Village did he ever get the idea Sakura loved dango and green tea if he had, he would have taken her to the shop down the street from his apartment complex and treated Sakura to tea and dango's "My sensei back in the Leaf Village" Sakura muttered feeling full.
"How come you never mentioned it back in cloud" Darui stared at her with a questioning gaze and she laughed softly leaning her head on Midori as she got comfortable "Well, I'll admit it's only been in recent months that I've truly gotten into the snack" Sakura admitted closing her eyes and yawning widely "You got to used to having Shikamaru around" Hidan rolled his eyes chuckling when she stuck her tongue out at him childishly before letting out another yawn a few minutes later her breathing evened out signaling she had fallen asleep.
"Does she do that often" Cee asked worriedly "Yeah, she'll be fine when she wakes up" Hidan settled down in his own sleeping bag after throwing a blanket over Sakura as Midori curled around her mistress "You sure" Cee asked again "Definitely Sakura will be just as hyper and full of energy tomorrow as she was today, we've just settled into a routine were we go to sleep early and wake early" Hidan shrugged violet eyes popping open to stare at the three men signaling to be quiet before closing his eyes and drifting off himself into a light sleep.
Standing silently Ay gestures for the 3 to follow him once they were far away Bee spoke in a confusing rap "Pink has grown, she still has her destiny to discover yo" he did his signature rap moves then fell silent "What did you mean by destiny Bee" Ay asked suddenly after mulling over the words "She doesn't know who she is yo, giant moths and bee's to go yo, her destiny is not of this world yo" Bee rapped again making the three even more confused "Are you saying Sakura isn't completely human" Darui finally asked.
"Another personality she has inside it will help her find her true heritage yo" Bee says instead of answering the question as he looked towards Sakura who had purple and silver chakra surrounding her body as a cloak reminiscent of a tailed beast cloak each of the men that had gotten close to the girl stared in horror before running over to Hidan "Hidan" Ay hissed and the silver-haired man jumped awake in alarm "What is it" Hidan asked his heart pounding in fear "Do you know who or what Sakura is" Ay snapped harshly while dragging Hidan to a different area.
"I have my suspicions but until she can correctly summon Rora then I can't say for sure" Hidan sighed seeing the chakra it was something Jashin had taught him to protect Yukina his silver chakra cloak mixed with her pink chakra "What is Sakura" Darui asked the question they all wanted to know "Like I said I can't say for sure but if my suspicions are right then she's the child of a god and mortal woman" Hidan scratched his head whispering the words out loud, if he was truly right then he'd finally found his godchild.
"That's impossible gods don't exist" Ay waved the "I wouldn't be so sure of that" Shikaku dropped out of a tree he'd been looking for Sakura and Hidan for months "Why do you say that Shikaku-san" Darui looked to the scarred man "For weeks I watched Sakura do her rituals, I even watched her sacrifice someone Orochimaru sent after Lady Tsunade each time firmly implanted the thought that gods really do exist otherwise Sakura would be dead by now" Shikaku explained pulling out a book he had found in the library.
"I found this book from ancient times about the god of slaughter Jashin before humans walked the earth God's did until they retreated into their own individual realms, Hidan when you speak with Jashin do you end up in a dark garden with a red moon" Shikaku half explained and half asked "Yes" Hidan nodded seriously "There's a tale from about 15 years ago that Jashin met a human woman and fell in love with her, they had a child that was stolen away" Shikaku peered into Hidan's purple eyes.
"Is Sakura that child" he finally asked "I believe so" Hidan sighed not sure how he should be feeling about this 'Wait till Jashin hears man he will so blow a gasket' he grimaced patting Midori's head as she came over and sat down with a huff "Oh now that your here, how are those 6 idiots doing back in the village" Hidan asked scratching Midori's ear now "The ones that defected from Orochimaru they have fully integrated into the village now" Shikaku grinned fondly in Sakura's direction.
"Inoichi once told me that he met a person inside of Sakura's head that called herself Inner" Shikaku suddenly remembered "Did you just say Inner" Hidan swirled around eyes wide in fear "Yeah kicked him out of Sakura's head when he finished searching through her memories" Shikaku narrowed his eyes in concern "Oh my Jashin an Inner persona is something that only forms in Jashinists when they can't handle the burden of their current life style" Hidan hastily explained to the men.
"But there is one serious side effect the more she performs her rituals the stronger this inner persona gets until they are strong enough to take over their outer selves body and do whatever they want including destroying everything that their outer self loves" Hidan whisper yells "I don't have one because I thought I lost everything I loved long ago and plus I would know how to control this being" he breathed out struggling to not run over to Sakura and pull her into her arms in panic.
"Calm down Hidan is there anything that can be done to stop this from happening" Shikaku tried to calm Hidan down "One thing only a battle between the two the one that wins gets to keep or takeover the body they are in" Hidan announced "Do we get to watch the battle" Shikaku asked feeling useless when Hidan shakes his head "No it will be a mental battle of wills" Hidan rubbed his tired eyes "Does Jashin know about any of your suspicions" Shikaku spoke up and by Hidan's instantaneous reaction it was clear the god of slaughter didn't know anything at all.
"Tomorrow explain to her what's going on we'll be here in case something goes wrong" Shikaku places his hand on Hidan's shoulder in a move to comfort the obviously distraught man "Thanks it's going to be so hard" Hidan sighed 'Maybe it would have been better if I never told Sakura about any of this then she wouldn't be out here with me, no I can't think like that I have to believe' Hidan was having trouble keeping his thoughts straight as everything spiralled out of control.
The next morning Sakura woke up and felt multiple stares sitting up she blink and tried to smile but it came out as a grimace "Hey Shikaku-san what's going on" she tried to lift the depressive mood in the air without much success "Sakura how long have you had an Inner Persona" Hidan called out to her drawing Sakura's attention to his purple bloodshot eyes "Uh since I was 7" Sakura admitted stoking the embers and throwing more sticks to start the fire again "Sakura there's something I need to tell you" came from Hidan again worrying her even further.
"What is it Hidan" Sakura felt her heart speeding up in fear when she witnessed for the first time Hidan cry "Sakura you're very precious but the girl who calls herself Inner doesn't have the best intentions, she wants to take over your body eventually and if you don't deal with her now then you'll lose everything you love" Hidan gave her a watery smile that was supposed to reassure her but only made her own eyes well up with tears that quickly splashed onto her cheeks as a loud sob rips through the air making the others wince feeling guilty.
"It's ok Hidan" Sakura cried harder and wrapped shaky arms around Hidan for a hug that he easily returned a few minutes later Sakura pulls back swipes the tears from her cheeks and eyes smiled widely at Hidan who stared in concern knowing exactly what she was doing as she set her face into a firm mask "What do I have to do" Sakura asked in determination shocking everyone in the clearing "Your to young Sakura it doesn't have to be now" Hidan hurriedly tried to dissuade Sakura from doing this.
"You said that if I don't deal with her now then I'll lose everything" Sakura scowled deeply making Hidan gulp nervously as his words come back to bite him in the ass "Sakura are you sure you want to do this" Shikaku spoke up from behind her "Yes, I'm sure" Sakura nodded seriously while folding her arms "There you go Hidan just tell her what she has to do" Shikaku announced wishing that this didn't have to happen but knowing that it was going to anyway 'Sakura you just have a way of getting into trouble' he sighed in his thoughts.
While he was thinking Hidan was giving Sakura the run down "What you have to do is call out to her much like you would if you were praying to Jashin, once you have her attention challenge her, and for Jashin's sake don't fucking lose" Hidan stressed squeezing Sakura in another hug "I promise" Sakura took a deep breath then released it, leaned against Hidan before closing her eyes "Inner come out, come out wherever you are" Sakura called in the abyss of her mind until the purple haired, forest green eyed girl started forming.
"What is it Saku-chan" Inner stared at her long time companion not noticing that she had been figured out "Inner, I Sakura Aburame challenge you to a battle, I won't let you take over my body" Sakura shouted harshly angry that she had been deceived all these years "Oh looks like I've been found out" Inner sneered "That's right you traitor" Sakura snapped angry tears falling down her cheeks as the landscape changed to Inner's favorite place it was much darker and more dangerous than she remember.
"Traitor huh, who's the one deceived their Hokage right up until they died hmm" Inner asked causing Sakura to wince as the words hit home "I didn't deceive Lord Hokage I wanted to protect him, he was so kind to me" Sakura yelled back determined not to let Inner win this battle of words "You really believe that, who was it that cried over Sasuke and then murdered an innocent man in her rage" Inner bared her teeth "Dosu wasn't innocent, he would have killed me" Sakura snapped back.
"Ahahaha then what about that person you killed before you left on this journey" Inner gave her a scary smile "He would have killed Lady Tsunade, none of the people I've sacrificed were innocent" Sakura fought back feeling confident in herself that she could win "Did you know that those so called friends of yours, Kimimaro, Sakon, Ukon, Tayuya, Kidomaru, and Jirobou previously worked for Orochimaru" Inner smirked as Sakura stared at her "You don't think I already know that" Sakura shook her fist.
"But, it's the fact that they left Orochimaru that counts" she finished as Inner wavered "You've won this round Sakura-chan" Inner smiled causing the hair on the back of Sakura's neck to rise at the malicious smile "But you haven't won the war" Inner tsked waving her finger teasingly "Maybe not but if you think I'm going down with out a fight Inner your dead wrong" Sakura shouted straightening her back in confidence as her emerald eyes hardened in sheer determination.
Inner was angry if it hadn't been for that damn blonde questioning her then she would have had a few more years to gain strength, smiling Inner forms an idea and changes tactics "Saku-chan, are you really going to believe those people over me, I've been your friend for years helped you get stronger" Inner fake cried "That won't work on me Inner maybe you've been my friend, and maybe you've even helped me get stronger but there is no way in hell I'm going to believe your lies any more" Sakura pointed her finger right at the other girl.
Taken aback at the vehemence in which Sakura had spoke Inner was furious "You won't win" Inner disappeared using Sakura's favorite tactic in battle letting a hiss of frustration out as Sakura spins out of her path and she is sent careening to the ground "That also won't work Inner" Sakura scowled "You bitch" Inner flew at her fist raised high only to miss as Sakura tripped her "How this is my world that I created I should have full control over you and this place" Inner snapped tripping on the grass.
"You forget Inner this isn't just your mind, it's my mind to" Sakura stared sadly down at the girl, on the outside almost a full hour had passed Sakura growing pale and cold then growing warm as the two fought within "How do you think she's faring" Darui asked pacing his hands were shoved deep in his pockets, Midori was restless as well as she walked alongside Darui while the others just stared down at Sakura in concern "I believe she's winning if only" Hidan breathed out as her cheeks regained color momentarily before paling again.
Back on the inside the two had started a taijutsu spar each of them getting several hits in until both knocked each other back Sakura was crying tears as they fought it was so hard forgetting how much this girl had helped her over the years and then to face her as the enemy 'Now I know how Itachi felt all these years' she thought feeling clueless on what to do 'What would Hidan do' Sakura asked herself when the idea came taking a deep breath Sakura dodged Inner's next attack then let the breath out slowly before switching off all of her emotions so she'd feel nothing.
Opening her eyes Sakura stared blankly before running through a set of handsigns unknown to Inner "Psshhh you think that'll work I know all of your jutsu's Saku-chan" Inner laughs only to be cut off as she gets trapped "Not all of them" Sakura stood there "Water Style: Water Chains Jutsu" she whispered before forming more handsigns "Water Style: Water Sword" Sakura called softly holding out her hand as a blade of water formed grasping the sword Sakura swung it side to side walking forward slowly.
"Wait a minute Sakura you don't want to do this if you kill me you'll never get out of here" Inner blurted but Sakura didn't pause in her movements as she raised the sword high and struck true right through Inner's chest "Inner even if I'm stuck here at least I know I ended you" Sakura spoke emotionlessly taking the water blade out causing blood to pour down Inner's chin as the girl coughed up blood "It looks like you've surprised me Saku-chan" Inner smiled one last soft smile 'I wouldn't have taken over her' she thought closing her eyes as Sakura raised her blade again.
"At least I'll know when I die you'll be strong enough to handle your new responsibilities" Inner coughed wheezing as blood poured into her lungs from the puncture wound Sakura had made "What do you mean" Sakura finally paused in her attack but held firm with the water chains to make sure this wasn't another trick "You'll find out Saku-chan" Inner smiled again "Go ahead, by the way I was lying about you getting stuck here" she finished as Sakura raised her blade high and struck Inner through the heart.
Feeling dizzy as Inner starts fading and the girls chakra merges with hers Sakura sits down in the mindscape as black dots fill her vision falling over Sakura lets out a scream of agony as her stomach feels as if it was just set on fire a moment later the pain faded and she woke up on the outside "You won" Hidan breathed out running a hand through his silver hair in relief.
"Of course I won you dolt" Sakura patted his cheek affectionately tears gathering in her eyes and dripping down her cheeks as a purple and dark green butterfly flys overhead "Well now that Sakura is fine we'll be taking our leave" Ay stood gestured for his men and Bee to follow and disappeared, Shikaku followed a few minutes later waving at the 3 left in the clearing "She tried to make me lose confidence in myself" Sakura whispered softly sitting up and feeling extremely sore not to mention exhausted that's when she notices that the sun was high over head.
"You've been in there all night" Hidan chuckled as Sakura's stomach rumbled in hunger before pulling out the scroll full of dango sticks "Eat, I'll make you some tea" he offered setting a kettle of water over the fire to let the water boil before mixing the green tea mixture into a cup "You can't imagine how tough it was to beat her" Sakura admitted leaning against Midori as the wolf settles behind her "I'm not sure I want to imagine what you went through" Hidan glared at Sakura who missed his expression as her eyes were shut in exhaustion.
"Why don't you rest for a little bit Sakura and then we can travel to my old village briefly and then move onto the last 2 villages that are connected together the Hidden Stone Village and the Hidden Rock Village" Hidan suggested leaning against a rock himself as his own exhaustion catches up with him setting a genjutsu around the area both fall into a deep sleep when they wake it's nearly 4 in the afternoon so they pack up and set off in the new direction Sakura jumping onto Midori several hours later once again feeling exhaustion set in.
When it hits night time they waste no time in settling down eating a light supper before simultaneously falling asleep after setting up another genjutsu the next morning they eat another light meal before packing up once again wanting to go as far as they could for the next week or so they travel quickly gaining more and more distance Sakura feeling stronger each day still mulling over the last words Inner had spoke to her it was weird not hearing a voice inside her head anymore but at least she was no longer in danger of being taken over.
Another week passes and then another until finally the three travelers crest over a hill reaching the village Hidan had long left behind steam was rising from the natural hotsprings and tourists were coming in from all over looking down at Sakura who was staring in awe he reaching up ruffled her hair though she was no longer the sweet innocent 13 year old "And this kid is where I grew up welcome to my village Sakura the Village Hidden in Hot Water" he boasted semi proudly, Sakura giggled "It's amazing" she whispered as they set forward into the village.
