Full SUMMARY

A girl who was supposed to die young survives to see adulthood, and thus the Third Shinobi World War rages on with the odds stacked against Konoha.

Sakura, on the other hand, is one of the many children placed in the Academy's new "Accelerated Program" under the reign of the Yondaime Hokage—and she grows up to be really fucking angry.

OR: Like the war plaguing her childhood, Sakura rages on, ensuring this time that the odds are stacked against Namikaze Minato, who is a man that cannot possibly be human.

「 Part ONE
Birth 」

❝ The Third Shinobi Word War is still raging on, and for Haruno Sakura, everything is happening so fast, and it is happening all the time. ❞

Chapter ONE
Sweet Things

The winter snow has been melting, and Haruno Sakura is turning three-years-old in a few months.

Currently, Sakura's nose is twitching because something prickly is scratching it. As a result, she's slowly waking up from her nap, vaguely recognizing that she's been sleeping in someone's arms. She doesn't know whose arms she's been sleeping in, because the person isn't talking.

However, Sakura is automatically assuming that she's in Papa's arms, because as he's holding her close, she's feeling a man's pointy facial hair colliding against the skin of her nose, and then against the rest of her face. His rough and spiky stubble is having a distinct touch; it's rubbing across her cheek with every bob of his head, and with every tremble of his arms. And he's trembling and shaking so much, that it's almost as if he's convulsing.

Everything about her father is annoying Sakura right now. Nonetheless, Papa's enormous arms are also feeling familiar, safe, and warm. His warmth is fighting with the cold of the wet weather. As she's hovering in the realm between dreams and reality, Sakura is wondering who will be winning the battle. She's believing that Papa is (and will always be) the victor.

It's raining harshly today. At first, it was merely drizzling, but now the storm is becoming violent. The downpour is making Sakura's hair wet. Numerous water drops are proceeding to fall from her bangs, and soon they're resting on her eyelashes.

Then, they're trickling down her cheeks like tears.

Suddenly, someone else is cradling Sakura, and their skin is feeling a lot softer than that of Papa. Muffled sounds are escaping this person's mouth, and instinctually Sakura is groggily opening her eyes, and she's seeing Mama's yellow hair.

Mama is the one making these pained noises, Sakura is realizing with distress filling her heart.

"What's wrong?" Sakura is trying to ask, but her developing speech is being muted because Mama is grasping her with a lot of strength, smothering her against her chest. Mama is holding on for dear life; clutching so tightly, that Sakura isn't breathing for a moment.

Then Mama is abruptly handing her daughter to another woman. This woman is standing at the engawa of a house, and she was just previously talking to Papa.

Immediately feeling alarmed at the turn of events, Sakura is starting to fuss desperately and vigorously, twisting and turning and screaming. "M-Mama!" she's shrieking, her lungs burning with a foreign, yet innate sense of hurt, loss and sorrow. "Mama!"

Sakura's vision is turning blurry. As the seconds are passing, her crying is becoming more hysterical. Slippery tears are starting to trail down her face, and they're mixing with the raindrops falling from her pink eyelashes.

"Don't go!" she's bawling, fully ignoring the woman who's holding her as she's uttering soothing words.

Sakura is watching her parents' figures as they're disappearing into the distance. They're exiting from a wooden gate, not looking back at their daughter even once.

"Come back! Don't go!"

With all her might, Sakura is wanting to start running after Mama and Papa. She's hopelessly kicking the woman who's holding her, trying to break free of the firm grip. But she isn't capable of breaking free, and before Sakura is realizing it, her parents are no longer disappearing.

Rather, they've already disappeared.

After a short while, Sakura is being transported to the traditional-looking blue house nearby, where the rain isn't falling on her anymore. She's finally calming down as the woman who's holding her is placing her on a tatami mat.

Although Sakura is no longer crying—she's merely hiccupping periodically—the grief is still showing on her reddened face as she grasps the hem of the red dress Papa was making her wear.

However, she's finally getting a good look at the lady her parents have left her with.

The lady is possessing hair that's brown like chocolate. She's tying the silky locks into a high-ponytail that's meticulously neat, as if she had been painstakingly gathering each individual strand of hair and elegantly combing it into a sleek bunch.

She's also having wrinkles at the corner of her mouth and eyes. They're looking more noticeable because she's frowning.

"My name is Sarutobi Biwako, and you may call me Biwako-obāsan," the woman is saying as she's adjusting the sleeves of her haori.

She's speaking to Sakura like they're both adults, her tone sounding very, very professional.

"I'm your temporary guardian, meaning I will take care of you until your parents have completed their wartime duties. And so it is."

Pause.

"Do you like sweets?" Biwako-obāsan is inquiring as she's handing Sakura candies, that perpetual frown never leaving her lips.

A few months are passing, and fall is quickly approaching.

Sakura is already three-years-old, and yet, she still hasn't been adjusting to life with Biwako-obāsan and the other children in her temporary home, something the guardians are often referring to as "the Hostel" amongst themselves.

Every night, Sakura is crying herself to sleep because she's missing Mama so much. Her roommate, who's a purple-haired girl called Ami, is therefore hating Sakura because she's "acting like a baby, all the time" and whatnot.

Since Ami is hating her, the other girls, Fuki and Kasumi, aren't playing with her either, mainly because they're liking Ami too much.

One morning, after Sakura is done eating breakfast, she's sneaking outside to sit under the dead, faraway cherry blossom tree, because she's wanting to be alone. She and the other children are living near a pond, so Sakura is taking the opportunity to gawk at the beautiful view.

Recently, Sakura has been spending a lot of time outside, near the trees, because she isn't having any friends to play with in her temporary home.

So, she's often getting lonely.

An hour is passing, and Tsubaki-obāsan, who's the temporary guardian of Fuki and Kasumi, is coming outside and she's finding Sakura.

Tsubaki-obāsan is then screaming at Sakura because she isn't supposed to be leaving the Hostel alone. She especially isn't supposed to be wandering this far away.

"The war's still going on!" Tsubaki-obāsan is ranting as she's pulling Sakura's collar. "What if some sort of invasion happens, and I can't find you?! Then I'll get in trouble for your idiocy!"

Sakura is quietly thinking that even if an invasion is happening, it's not like Tsubaki-obāsan will be doing much to protect them. After all, she's the type of person who'll be running away and saving herself, uncaring about Fuki and Kasumi and Ami and Sakura. But Sakura is knowing better than to be saying such things out loud, so instead she's standing up and following the woman as they're walking back to the Hostel.

In the garden, Ami, Fuki and Kasumi are playing kunoichi. When Sakura is nearing the house, she's staring intently at the grass as she's nervously messing with the sleeves of her light green yukata. She isn't wanting to be the one causing trouble while she's passing the group of girls.

Nonetheless, Sakura is getting too curious, so she's looking up for a mere moment.

However, this tiny mistake is giving Ami enough time for her cruel actions; she's throwing a pebble, and it's hitting Sakura square on the forehead.

A roar of laughter is escaping Ami's mouth as Sakura is rubbing the inflicted scratch, acting completely dismayed.

"Look, guys!" Ami is exclaiming. "Look at what a big target her forehead is! I could hit it from all the way here!"

Sakura is blinking with shock as she's thinking, There's something wrong with my forehead?

"It's totally huge!" Fuki is agreeing with Ami, turning red in the face from her cackling.

"Forehead-girl!" Ami is giggling loudly. "The name fits her well, yeah?!"

"Forehead-girl!" Fuki and Kasumi are repeating in unison, grinning broadly. "Forehead-girl!"

Tears are gathering in Sakura's eyes, and soon they're spilling down her cheeks. The fact that she's openly sobbing is making the other girls laugh even harder, and Sakura is hoping that Tsubaki-obāsan is going to start standing up for her. But Tsubaki-obāsan is only rolling her eyes at their antics, and then she's going inside. Sakura is quickly feeling so very helpless and vulnerable.

Suddenly, however, Biwako-obāsan is standing behind Ami. She's literally appearing out of nowhere, from within a puff of smoke, and Sakura is feeling so shocked that her mouth is hanging open.

Then, Biwako-obāsan is pulling Ami by the ear.

"Ouch! Ouch!" Ami is yelping as her eyes are widening, and she's looking completely bewildered.

"Bullying will not be tolerated in this household, Ami!" Biwako-obāsan is warning, voice noticeably hardening. "I've told you already that young girls should be helping each other, not hurting each other!"

The woman is pausing for a second. Then, she's sighing.

Her voice is going super quiet as she's remarking under her breath, "Goodness knows that men already hurt us enough."

Then, Biwako-obāsan is letting go of Ami's ear and she's making her way to Sakura. She's crouching down, and lively green eyes are meeting tired brown ones.

"Are you alright?" Biwako-obāsan is asking, wiping away Sakura's tears.

Sakura is nodding slowly as she's sniffling, and suddenly, a new emotion is building in her heart.

She's liking Biwako-obāsan a lot more now.

The woman is gently stroking Sakura's back as she's saying, "Come on. Let's go inside."

Biwako-obāsan is then leading them inside as she's taking off her white lab coat, and Sakura isn't needing to look back to see that Ami is glaring intensely at their vanishing forms. Sakura is easily feeling the hatred being directed at her because it's burning like Fire, and consequentially, she's tensing up.

She and her temporary guardian are eventually entering the house together, and they're taking off their sandals at the genkan, "like proper ladies do" as Biwako-obāsan is often telling them. Then, they're sliding open multiple fusuma panels, and soon Sakura is sitting on the floor at a chabudai table.

Using her rough and worn-out hands, Biwako-obāsan is placing a stack of papers neatly at the edge of table. Afterwards, she's wordlessly leaving to the kitchen, and Sakura is left watching her blue-tinted and shadowy figure through the shōji door separating them.

Many, many minutes are passing, and Sakura is feeling very bored. She's getting a little restless, but because she's having good manners, she's politely sitting with very fine posture.

But then curiosity is getting the better of her. She's looking at the documents Biwako-obāsan was leaving behind. Sakura is staring at the text, trying to decipher its meaning.

However, she's soon frowning because her efforts aren't helping, since she isn't knowing how to read yet.

Nonetheless, she's fruitlessly leaning in to get a better look at the papers, rudely placing her elbows on the surface of the table—

At that exact moment, Biwako-obāsan is re-entering the room, and this time she's carrying plates. Yelping, Sakura is instantly correcting her posture, grinning nervously with all her teeth.

Instead of scolding Sakura, however, her temporary guardian is watching her curiously. "Do you like to read?" Biwako-obāsan is asking.

After a brief pause, Sakura is shaking her head. "I can't read," she's explaining shyly.

"Ah, yes, of course. You're still very young, after all."

Biwako-obāsan is then setting the table.

Meanwhile, Sakura is not-so-subtly stealing glances at the stack of papers, because she's really wanting to know what the documents are saying.

Surprisingly, however, after Biwako-obāsan is done setting the table, she's abruptly offering Sakura the papers. Although Sakura is initially taken aback, she's soon carefully grasping and examining the pages, staring at the strict vertical lines and precise curves. It's someone's very neat-looking handwriting, apparently.

"The first page says," Biwako-obāsan is interjecting, "'REPORT: Impact of the Allied Mothers Force's Group Homes and Hostels Upon the Welfare of the Child During Wartime.'"

Sakura is blinking, and then she's trying to disguise the fact that she isn't understanding many words. So, instead, she's asking, "What's the Allied Mothers Force?"

Biwako-obāsan is humming as she's sitting down next to Sakura. "The Allied Mothers Force is a very old organization that I'm in charge of," she's revealing, familiar frown remaining in place. "We protect the village during emergencies and during war. But, most importantly, we protect the children."

"Is Mama a part of the Allied Mothers Force, too?"

"Yes. And so is your papa."

Sakura's eyebrows are furrowing, and her forehead is scrunching up in thought. "But Papa isn't a mother...?" she's trailing off, confused.

Suddenly, that perpetual frown is leaving Biwako-obāsan's face. Furthermore, she isn't merely looking ahead stoically, because she's abruptly smiling and trying very hard to not laugh, her sunken cheeks puffing up with air.

Sakura is feeling completely and utterly baffled at the atypical demonstration of happy emotions from a woman who's always looking so jaded.

"Yes, it's true that your papa isn't a mother," Biwako-obāsan is agreeing. "But, you see, men can still join the organization as supporters."

Sakura is nodding, before selecting another random paper at the end of the stack and timidly showing it to her temporary guardian.

This paper is covered with beautifully patterned text, illustrated skillfully with black ink.

"And what does this one say?"

Suddenly, Biwako-obāsan is grimacing. "It's a poster," she's claiming. "It says, 'NOTICE: Sandaime Hokage Authorizes ROOT's Re-stationing at Front Lines as Suna Allies Itself with Iwa and Chigiri.'"

The more Sakura is mulling over the complicated words, the more her head is spinning.

So, she's continuing to ask questions:

"What's ROOT?"

Biwako-obāsan is smiling tightly. "Don't worry about it," she's stating as she's tenderly removing Sakura's overgrown bangs from her face.

Biwako-obāsan is then standing up to start going back to the kitchen, and so Sakura is putting the documents back on the table.

When Biwako-obāsan is coming back, she's carrying a dish in her hands.

"You like sweet things," Biwako-obāsan is noting, "so I made anko dango."

Sakura's eyes are widening. She's wanting to start jumping up and down with delight, and she's having to stop herself from screaming because this is all so very exciting. She's feeling overjoyed, because she's getting to eat one of her all-time favorite foods!

She's staring at the dish and watching as her guardian is placing the dumplings on her plate. Soon, she's hovering directly over the mouth-watering treat.

"I..." Sakura is beginning to murmur, before aggressively shaking her head and using her utensils to grasp the dumpling.

There's a carefree grin on her face, baby-teeth on full display.

"Itadakimasu!" Sakura is exclaiming as she's diving in, eating noisily to show her appreciation.

The yummy flavor is exploding on her taste buds, and the entire time, Biwako-obāsan is smiling sincerely; she's looking so earnest, in fact, that her sad-wrinkles are turning into happy-wrinkles.

The seasons are coming and going, and Sakura is four-years-old. She's sitting on Biwako-obāsan's lap, who's sitting on a zabuton cushion.

Biwako-obāsan is reading a book to Sakura. She was naming it the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi.

The book is about this boy who's calling himself Naruto. He's a ninja in the village named Shuku, which is a word that is meaning Suddenness.

At age six, Naruto is suddenly graduating from this school called the Shuku Academy, and then he's suddenly being placed in a three-man squad under a ninja called Shū.

Biwako-obāsan is confidently quoting the novel, stating:

"...It was already past midnight and Naruto couldn't sleep. He got up, got dressed and went for a walk. He dragged his feet down the street; the street which the cloud-enveloped moon had covered in a grim light. The many leaves that had fallen from the cherry blossom trees danced silently in the light spring wind..."

Speaking of cherry blossom trees—Biwako-obāsan and Sakura are facing the Hostel's garden. It's springtime, and the faraway cherry blossom tree is blooming. From across the pond, Sakura is sleepily watching the lone tree because it's currently peaking.

It's looking beautiful, she's thinking, standing tall and proud with pink snowflakes on its thick branches, the color reflecting on the glassy surface of the water below.

Biwako-obāsan's voice is reverberating in the air as she's continuing the tale:

"...Even though it was deep into the night and the whole village was asleep, Naruto could feel the presences of the shinobi. They stood still and watched like quiet guards in the pitch-black night, protecting the dreams of the sleeping villagers..."

Sakura's ear is resting against Biwako-obāsan's collarbone, and she's comfortably leaning into her guardian's chest as she's feeling the thumping of a heart against her cheek. The sound of the consistent beat is lulling Sakura to sleep, but she's desperately fighting to stay awake, so she can continue listening to her guardian's story:

"...Naruto walked through the darkness and stood before Renge's house. He hesitated for a moment, before he opened the door and went in. The room was organized and clean. The moonlight that shone through the window lit the floor dimly. There was no trace of Renge. Seeing this made Naruto realize that Renge really had to have left the village already..."

Sakura's heart is clenching in her ribcage, because this is the most painful part of the book.

Naruto is having two teammates. The author, Jiraiya, is calling his teammates Tsuyu and Renge.

Tsuyu is a medical ninja who Naruto is in love with. Sakura is greatly admiring Tsuyu because she's very strong, putting that pervert Naruto in his place...

But that's beside the point.

The point is that Tsuyu is in love with a boy they're calling Renge, Naruto's rival. Renge is always acting very strange, and at this part of the book, he's deserting the village because he's believing that his comrades are severely weakening him.

His departure is probably hurting Naruto and Tsuyu, Sakura is thinking sadly as Biwako-obāsan is continuing to read:

"'...Renge, what are you planning?' Naruto whispered. Suddenly, there was a stabbing pain in his back. He spun around and heard a rustling sound. He threw a kunai in the direction of his attacker. Naruto couldn't believe his eyes: it was a giant centipede..."

Sakura is being pulled out of the story when she's hearing heavy footsteps behind her.

She and Biwako-obāsan are turning their heads, and they're seeing Ami entering the house.

Sakura is guessing that Ami and the other girls are just returning from their trip to the Market, which is a weekly "escape from this wretched place" (as the designated trip supervisor Tsubaki-obāsan is often saying).

It's a trip Sakura isn't actively participating in anymore, partially because Ami is scaring her with her bullying, and partially because Sakura is wanting to spend even more alone-time with Biwako-obāsan, who has quickly started becoming Sakura's favorite person in the whole wide world.

Their bond is getting very strong, it's seeming.

Anyhow, Ami isn't saying tadaima as she's entering the house, because she's too busy glaring at Sakura. She's looking at Sakura while simultaneously sneering, and her nose is scrunching up in disgust.

She's looking disgusted, as if Sakura is the ugliest thing in the whole wide world.

Ami is mouthing the words: "Stupid Forehead-girl."

Sakura is feeling very tiny, so she's sinking into Biwako-obāsan. Biwako-obāsan is running her rough fingers through pink bangs comfortingly as she's chastising Ami for not taking off her shoes at the genkan, before entering the house.

Defiantly, Ami is still wearing shoes when she's running upstairs to the bedroom she and Sakura are sharing.

"That child," Biwako-obāsan is muttering under her breath with disapproval as she's shaking her head.

Then, she's putting down the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. Sakura is pouting and whining her protests, but Biwako-obāsan is laughing throatily.

"Don't worry," she's re-assuring.

Then, she's revealing a book she was apparently hiding behind her. Sakura still isn't able to read yet, so she's merely furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"It's a grammar book," Biwako-obāsan is telling her. "Honestly, it's about time that I taught you how to read. After all, an educated girl will become a powerful woman!"

Sakura is blinking, before she's understanding the connotation of all this...

She's going to learn how to read!

Sakura is wrapping her arms around Biwako-obāsan's neck, squeezing tightly and murmuring "thank you" and "shannaro" many times under her breath.

Biwako-obāsan is laughing, stroking her hair fondly.

Many snowy months are passing, and Sakura is five-years-old when Ami is pushing her down the stairs.

It's all happening so suddenly. Ami is simply coming out of nowhere and shoving an oblivious Sakura after she had been cheerfully exiting the Hostel's reading room.

As she was going down the stairs, Sakura had been carrying three thin picture books and her trusty copy of the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi.

Speaking of the books—she's secretly enjoying the new ones with pictures, because the ones she's picking are very romantic, like the red book in which the (handsome) prince is saving the (kind-of-very-pretty) princess from the super-strong dragon. However, at the end of the day she's loving the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi more, because Biwako-obāsan was gifting it to her, and Sakura is liking Biwako-obāsan very much...

But that's beside the point.

The point is that when Ami is pushing her down the stairs, Sakura is holding four books and not noticing Ami, because the shoving is as soft as a breeze.

But that light touch is enough, and Sakura is losing her balance, and everything is slowing down, and she's looking back only to see this scary little grin on Ami's face. Then she's tumbling down the long set of steps.

She's falling and falling and falling, completely at the mercy of the stairs. They're spiralling and spiralling and spiralling, perfect twist never coming to an end, never ceasing.

Because she's going in circles, she's seeing the world circling around her like the adrenaline and panic circling throughout her veins.

Sakura is trying to grab the baluster to halt her fall, but instead something is going pop! in her right arm, and she's smacking her cursed forehead against the edge of a step—

Right before she's hitting the ground, however, she's suddenly being grabbed by the waist and a woman is cradling her against her chest.

When Sakura is finally gazing into familiar brown eyes, she's hazily recognizing that Biwako-obāsan is the one who was saving her.

At first, Sakura is seemingly too shocked to respond, so she's blinking and letting her mouth remain agape, before the blood from her nose is dripping into her mouth.

Then, a dam is bursting in her eyes as the pain is catching up, and Sakura is bawling.

"Ah ha—" her wailing is sounding kind of like laughing noises, only with more audible pauses.

Suddenly, she's sensing her consciousness leaving, and then coming back, and then leaving again. But she's still crying as Biwako-obāsan is screaming at Ami, and then as she's lying on a soft surface, and then as she's feeling a warm, fuzzy energy that is on the temple of her head. The energy is gradually leaking into her being.

Sakura isn't remembering what's happening afterwards other than an unclear Yellow Flashing she's witnessing from behind a heavy coat of unparalleled drowsiness.

Once her eyelids are fluttering open (for real, this time), she's figuring out that she's watching the ceiling of her bedroom.

When Sakura is trying to sit up, she's feeling this stinging everywhere, and she's wincing. There's hurting in her chest, back and legs. But the throbbing is most evident in her right arm and in her head.

She's then discovering that Biwako-obāsan is sitting nearby.

"Sakura," Biwako-obāsan is calling out sternly, gently pushing her so she's lying down again. "You shouldn't be getting up so quickly. Your arm is broken, and you had a concussion."

Sakura isn't understanding much of what Biwako-obāsan is saying, but she isn't having the energy to start moving again. The pain piercing her brain is unbearable, and so she's clutching her forehead and she's starting to sob.

Biwako-obāsan is affectionately moving her bangs out of her face as she's speaking. "Now, don't cry," Biwako-obāsan is commanding, in her familiar lecturing voice. "Things won't get better if you show weakness by crying... Don't you know that women have to be strong in order to survive?"

Sakura is trying very, very hard to stop the sobbing, but it isn't working, because her body is aching too much.

"Where does it hurt, Sakura?"

Sakura is weakly pointing to her forehead.

Biwako-obāsan is staring analytically at the indicated area, before one larger hand is hovering over Sakura's eyes.

Then, something extraordinary is happening; Biwako-obāsan's palms are beginning to glow a deep green, and the color is quickly illuminating the dimmed bedroom.

With her mouth ajar, Sakura is watching in awe as the pressure from her head is going away, and she's reveling in the warm particles that are stopping her aching.

"What is this?" Sakura is asking as she's staring at her guardian's rough and worn-out hands.

Her hands; Sakura was always very curious about what was happening to her hands, but she was thinking that it'd be rude to start asking such things, so she never did.

However, apparently, Biwako-obāsan is picking up on the silent question.

"I'm an Iryō-nin," Biwako-obāsan is informing. "So, my hands have been roughened not only by fighting, but also by disinfectant and medical ninjutsu. After all, rough hands are proof of a strong woman. And so it is."

Sakura isn't understanding what "disinfectant" is meaning, but she is understanding the term "Iryō-nin" easily.

Immediately, exhilaration is rushing through her veins.

"You're a medic and a kunoichi?!" Sakura is interrogating loudly. "Like Tsuyu?! From the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi?!"

Sakura is feeling amazed. She isn't believing that her guardian, who's her role model in real life, is acting just like Tsuyu, who's her fictional role model!

Biwako-obāsan is chuckling uncharacteristically.

"Yes," she's claiming. "That's why some mornings, and in the nights, when you're asleep, I go to Konoha for my hospital shifts."

Sakura is nodding along and thinking intently. It's actually making sense that Biwako-obāsan is a kunoichi, because of how physically strong she is, and how she's always appearing out of nowhere, and how quickly she was saving Sakura as she was falling down the stairs earlier...

Sakura is starting to play with the thick bandages coating her arms, noting that the hurting is almost going away, thinking: Apparently, this is all thanks to medical ninjutsu.

Immediately, Sakura is shutting her eyes and yelling her proposition: "I want to learn medical ninjutsu, too, shannaro! Teach me, please!"

Biwako-obāsan is deadpanning. "No," she's saying.

Sakura is starting to whine and protest, but Biwako-obāsan is lightly pulling her by the ear.

"Honestly," she's muttering with false rage. "You got hurt so badly in one of the dumbest ways possible."

And then sincerity and sadness are in her voice as she's saying:

"I was so worried."

Sakura's face is going sad and then she's sitting up. Soon she's tightly embracing Biwako-obāsan, who's in turn kissing her forehead.

Sakura truly isn't wanting to worry Biwako-obāsan, because if her guardian is getting worried, distress will be filling Sakura's heart as a consequence.

Her guardian is suddenly pushing her lightly, so she's laying down in a safe position.

Then, Biwako-obāsan is snuggling into Sakura's futon with her. Admittedly, it's a tight fit, but the mattress is so big, and they're so tiny, that it's working.

Soon, Biwako-obāsan is reading the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, voice booming as she's delivering the text:

"...Feeling helpless, Naruto left the bathroom.

But what was that?

In the middle of the blackness, there was a place much darker than everything around it. It was exactly the place that the centipede had destroyed in the wall. As Naruto approached the spot, he understood what it was.

'A secret room…?'

He squeezed himself through the opening and pulled on the door of the secret room, effectively peering inside.

'What's going on here?' he whispered. 'How can this be?'

From the wall shone the same red pattern that was on his back.

'Remember this, Naruto…' Renge's voice sounded in his head. 'A time will come when you will question your loyalty...'"

A few days are going by, and Sakura is having to spend the New Year in her bedroom because she's having a very high fever from her earlier fall.

The entire week, Sakura isn't seeing Ami because Biwako-obāsan is forcing Ami to sleep downstairs for "an indefinite period of time"—and this claim is evidentially true, because Ami's bedding is missing.

Sakura isn't minding these new arrangements, however, because this is meaning that she can avoid the bullying for a while.

During this week, Biwako-obāsan isn't leaving Sakura's side even once, so Sakura is continually annoying her with never-ending requests.

Sakura is thinking that if she's persisting enough, eventually, her guardian will start giving in. After all, she's only having one request...

"Please teach me medical ninjutsu!" Sakura is crying out on the third day as Biwako-obāsan is helping her eat amnitsu. "I want to be just like you, shannaro! Please, please, please!"

Biwako-obāsan, after multiple days of enduring this torture, is finally giving in. It's so surprising, that Sakura is wondering if this "surrender" is actually a secret joke.

Biwako-obāsan is sighing as she's putting the plate on the floor. She's scowling and then she's pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You don't know when to stop, do you?"

Sakura is nodding as she's wearing an "of course" expression, because she's knowing that she can be stubborn when she's wanting to be. She's vaguely recalling that someone used to be telling her this all the time, but she isn't recognizing the voice in the blurry memory anymore.

The voice, it's sounding kind of like a chair scraping against a floor, all screechy and annoying...

Yet, the supposedly unpleasant voice is also unnervingly comforting.

"Fine," Biwako-obāsan is muttering, pulling Sakura out of her musings. "I'll only show you the theory behind ninjutsu."

Quickly, Sakura is peering ahead attentively as Biwako-obāsan is strolling to a nearby window, and then snapping it open.

A chilly breeze is leaking in as she's reaching for the largely-marcescent tree directly outside of the room, and for some reason, she's plucking a leaf.

Afterwards, while facing Sakura, she's carefully breaking the leaf in half, the split being amazingly precise. She's keeping the gloomy, mature and fading half to herself. She's then handing the bright, youthful and flourishing half to Sakura.

"The base for medical ninjutsu is chakra," Biwako-obāsan is informing her. "Do you remember what chakra is?"

Sakura is nodding. "Chakra is energy," she's reciting proudly.

Biwako-obāsan had been previously explaining everything about shinobi, and kunai, and chakra—and other ninja-things—during the first time they were reading the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi.

Sakura is thinking that she's essentially an expert regarding ninja-things at this point. She's feeling very smart because of this, and even Ami isn't able to bring her confidence down much when it's about her intelligence, because even Biwako-obāsan was saying that Sakura is "the cleverest, most special little girl I know..."

Sakura's attention is shifting back to Biwako-obāsan as the woman is bringing the leaf to her forehead.

"This is the Leaf Concentration Technique. It develops chakra control, and good chakra control is essential for medical ninjutsu."

She's proceeding to let go of the leaf, and amazingly, the flattened structure is remaining attached to her forehead without needing support.

Sakura's already wide, wondrous eyes are flying wider as she's staring on with disbelief.

Immediately, she's trying the technique, and is pouting because her leaf is slowly drifting to the ground. It's eventually landing on the floor with a pat!

Feeling extremely frustrated, Sakura is attempting the technique again and again and again, until she's suddenly remembering something:

"...In Shuku village, it was common to perform such a ritual before an important mission. While they diligently watched the flames, each shinobi would recognize disturbances in chakra flow..."

Flow. The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi had described chakra as something that's "flowing" all the time.

With that in mind, Sakura is searching for something that's "flowing" and she's feeling a wave all the way there, in the depths of her tummy.

The wave isn't feeling foreign at all.

Rather, it's feeling so natural, as if it's always been there, like any other body part. She just hadn't been consciously recognizing its presence, in the same way she isn't consciously recognizing the presences of her arms and legs unless she's really thinking about it.

Sakura is closing her eyes and reaching for that special spot in her tummy, and she's then directing the "flow" to her forehead. She's attempting this slowly, carefully, and with a lot of effort as she's counting to three.

Biwako-obāsan is shaking her head. "Don't worry about it," she's re-assuring, as if she isn't expecting Sakura to get it. "It often takes a lot of training for even clan-kids to discover their chakra in a proper, instructional setting. You also don't even know how to use hand seals. Moreover, you aren't going to become a kunoichi, so this is irrelevant—"

Biwako-obāsan is having to cut herself off, because when Sakura is letting go of the leaf, it isn't falling on the floor as predicted. In actuality, it's remaining attached to her forehead.

Sakura's eyes are snapping open. Excitement is washing over her, and suddenly, she's positively brimming with confidence.

"Look! Look!" she's exclaiming with childish excitement. "I did it! I used chakra!"

However, soon Sakura's broad and shiny grin is falling completely, because she's seeing Biwako-obāsan's face. Sakura isn't sure what she was expecting, but it definitely wasn't a look of horror.

Biwako-obāsan is wearing an expression that's going from being dismayed to being alarmed. Panic is etching itself in the shine of her frightened irises, and in her scrunched-up nose, and in her slack jaw.

Then, she's narrowing her eyes as she's grabbing Sakura by her wrist. In response, a high-pitched squeak of surprise if bouncing off the walls.

"Listen, Sakura," Biwako-obāsan is sibilating.

Her voice is very, very loud, as if she's scolding Ami or something. Her grip on the thin wrist she's holding is harsh and Sakura is wincing as well-maintained nails are digging into her skin. She hasn't ever seen this intense of an emotional reaction from Biwako-obāsan, and it's honestly scaring her.

"Under no circumstances are you to use chakra again," Biwako-obāsan is continuing. "Not alone, and especially not in front of someone."

Pause.

"Promise me," she's demanding.

"I-I," Sakura is stammering. "I promise..."

Her wrist is being released, and then Biwako-obāsan is turning around.

She's walking to the door, leaving Sakura alone.

"Bathe quickly. Lights should be off in an hour."

There's a moment of tense, uncomfortable silence.

"Goodnight."

"...Goodnight," Sakura is replying quietly.

Then her guardian is gone, and before Sakura is eventually going to sleep, for hours she's stiffly staring at the loose floorboard in which she's hiding her copy of the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi.

Terminology:

Engawa: In Japanese architecture, this is something that resembles a porch running around the rooms, on the outside of a building.

Tatami: Flooring material in traditional Japanese rooms.

Obāsan: Japanese word meaning "aunt" or "older woman".

Haori: A traditional Japanese hip or thigh length kimono-style jacket, worn over other traditional robe-like clothes.

Yukata: A Japanese garment; a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton or synthetic fabric, and unlined.

Genkan: Traditional Japanese entryway areas for a house—something of a combination of a porch and a doormat. Similar to a mud room.

Fusuma: In Japanese architecture; vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors.

Chabudai: A short-legged table used in traditional Japanese homes.

Shōji: A door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo.

Anko dango: Dumplings commonly sweetened with red bean paste.

Itadakimasu: Literally meaning: "I humbly receive"; comparable to "thank you for the food"—an essential part of Japanese mealtime culture.

Zabuton: A Japanese cushion for sitting.

Tadaima: Meaning, "I'm back home." This is often considered to be the "polite" thing to say when returning home.

Iryō-nin: Meaning a Medical-nin.

Futon: Japanese traditional style of bedding.

Amnitsu: A Japanese dessert.

Major inspirations (from Ao3):

✕ Control by Dragonist
✕ Find Your Place (whatever it takes) by Dovey
✕ your move, instigator (draw your weapon and hold your tongue) by Laysan_albatross

Some of the elements/relationship dynamics are heavily inspired by the amazing fics above. I did, however, add my own twists to them.

Other resources used:

✕ Naruto Ultimate Timeline by Seelentau on Narutopedia
✕ Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi novel translation by r/MuseAreGods

Notes:

✕ So Biwako is kind of brainwashing Sakura and the girls with her feminist agenda... and I love it!
✕ If possible, I would suggest reading this on my Ao3 account; it has a lot more information in the tags and notes due to its formatting.
✕ I cannot stress this enough: MAJOR character deaths will regularly occur. It will get dark.
✕ This story will be broken into four different parts: birth, life, death, and rebirth.
✕ I'm trying out present continuous for part 1 (the longest part) of this story... is it too distracting? It's meant to build continuous tension and create a child-like voice for Sakura, but I honestly don't know if it's working.
✕ This is all from Sakura's POV. Remember: she is a mere child, so don't trust her POV to be the only complex "truth". Everybody around her is equally as complex ;)