Wow, I can not say how happy I am that so many people have enjoyed my first chapter! I am so thankful to everyone who commented!

I really hope I disappoint for this one!

Re-Awakening

The first sensation she felt was a warm breeze on her skin. Was she finally dead? She felt as though she had been sleeping for years, her body was heavy and her limbs felt as though they were weighted. As she lifted her heavy eyelids she was convinced she must have passed on. She was in the middle of a giant grove of Cherry Trees. All in full bloom and towering over her. The ground was soft and bright moss and flower petal covered the ground, a tear fell down her cheek. All she could think of was how beautiful it was. The air around her smelled so fresh and clean and it was as though her own chakra filled everything around her. Then as she slowly

Began to grow feeling in her limbs, she tried to get up.

She immediately realized she was completely naked, and about two sizes too small. Even so, the towering trees and the chakra in the air made her forget her discomfort. Her seal was still there but empty, she couldn't remember why but she was so entranced she didn't want to bother as to why. Her chakra stands were the same. Though they felt as though they were buzzing with the energy of the place. As she turned around she saw the most magnificent Cherry tree she had ever seen. It was giant and its branches canopied over her and many of the other trees connecting them to make the sky a stained glass of pink flowers and bright green leaves with the sun shining through. She walked up to the tree and placed her hand on it. It was as though she could feel its pulse, she closed her eyes. The wind blew her as her hair floated around her body, it was long again and the blossoms flowed with it.

"There it is" she whispered with a small smile of satisfaction, lit up her face like it usually did when she figured out something new. She had found the flow of chakra in the tree. It was like hers, or was hers more like the trees? She could not tell. She closed her eyes feeling the pulse of the tree once again breathing in the peace that surrounded her.

She was so calm, more than she deserved to be. She removed her hand looking at it as memories began flowing back to her. Where was everyone? Their faces flashed through her mind and like a punch in the stomach she remembered what she did. Her heart rate increased and the limbs around her began to whip with the wind, and then as the wind died tears fell from her face. She wasn't there for her comrades. Naruto flashed in front of her face, his stark blue eyes matching the blue in the sky above her. That was never his ninja way, he may have been a dumbass, and he may have put her into more dangerous situations than he helped her with. But he always, always tried his best to help his friends.

And she had run. Because of what? Sasuke? Was she really that weak still? She shook her head. Looking around again she counted her breaths claiming under the canopy of Blossoms. She was an odd mix of sad and glad that they were not there. She wouldn't know what to say to them. Sorry, would never be enough no matter how many times she apologized she could never take back her actions. How did the gods forgive her?

Gods… Kaguya… wh…. What happened with, Sakura squatted as she tried to remember. There was such a heavy fog in her brain filled with hate and guilt and sorrow, none of which she wanted to feel. Then the words floated into her head, Another season of blossoms? What had she meant by that? Think. Think. Think!

There must have been some reason. But for now she was tired, her limbs were still heavy. She let herself fall to the ground as she rested her head to the soft soil she prayed for a dreamless slumber.

She was not so lucky, the war may have been over but her mind still remembered it. And as night came a chill entered the air, Sakura shivered. Were there supposed to be nightmares in heaven, was she supposed to get cold? She questioned as she wrapped her arms around herself. Unable to sleep she decided to investigate her area. She was in the center of about a half mile of just Cherry trees, they all seemed to be connected to the large one in the center. At the edge of the grove was what looked like a forest. It smelled oddly familiar yet different, and she was not sure how that made her feel. "What is this place?" she questioned into the air. After surveying the area she went back to the main tree she put her hand to it and it was warm she decided to rest in the trees warmth, and as though answering a thought she saw the perfect place in its roots to rest.

She rested like this every day for a full 3 weeks, she never grew hungry and she restored her chakra seal at an astonishing rate the life around her flowing through her constantly replenishing what was lost as though she was connected to an IV of chakra. She wondered if this was what Naruto used to feel like?

By the time the second week began she was getting bored. Inner peace was one thing, but no matter how guilty about it she felt she had already had a break. She needed something to do, see someone. So she decided to explore the woods outside of her groove. Before she left she sat outside and cast not one not two but five high-level genjutsu and other jutsu traps on the grove, she wasn't sure why but she was if nothing overly cautious, she spent about half of her chakra on it except her reserves. They were intricate and time-consuming but not chakra heavy. Her sannin level chakra control was a gift she never truly appreciated until Tsunade took her under her care. She was always so used to being next to the two powerhouses, that she never thought she could compare. But raw power isn't everything, the little details is what truly sets the talented apart from the masters she thought as the last few layers of her genjutsu fell into place the Sakura blossoms fading into a darker green forest.

She turned and braided her hair down her back a few tendrils falling to the sides of her face as she walked forward into the woods. For some reason outside of the grove feeling naked felt a lot more exposed, and her old habits began to kick in. she was sending feelers out and masking her chakra.

She admired the trees, so many felt familiar there was something so familiar about these woods she thought as she jumped to one of the branches and began moving from branch to branch. Then one of her chakra feelers hit something more than a deer or other forest animal, it hit people. She bounded forward confident that her signature was hidden. As she came across them she noticed it was a medium sized group of what looked like traders. But what were civilian traders doing in her afterlife? She kept herself hidden as she followed their movements for a while. They seemed normal, they were talking normally, and about mundane things. It was as though they really were just traders. Finally, Sakura decided to introduce herself, and maybe get some.. Clothes. It was embarrassing but not as embarrassing for some reason if she was fully grown.

She walked from the forest onto the path in front of them as the whole group froze and just stared at the little naked pink haired girl. Sakura scratched the back of her head and bringing her long braid to the front to cover up a bit, "Um excuse me, My name is Sakura and I was just wondering if you had some clothes to spare?"

One of the few women of the group began to move to one of the carts, and an older man stopped her in her tracks, "Stop, you don't know if she is some sort of bandit or worse she could be a part of one of the ninja clans, looks at her, pink hair and alone in the forest. that looks like the definition of suspicious." Sakura couldn't help but feel like the old man was very spot on, if they were in reversed situations she wouldn't trust her either.

"No you look at her" the woman responded angry "She is a little girl and no matter what situation, or how bad this war gets between those idiotic ninjas, it won't stop me from helping a little girl." And Sakura was so happy to hear that the rest, or at least this woman, was not as guarded as the older man.

Sakura's eyebrow went up when she registered what the woman said. War? A part of a clan? What were they talking about? Had she survived somehow? Had she been able to bring herself back? "Thank you" she mumbled as the woman wrapped the dress around her tying the front. She stood and held out her hand "My name is Kon. what's your name little one?"

"Sakura," she said slowly, what was going on? "I'm really confused. Which war is going on?"

Kon looked confused, then worried as she looked back to her group, "Hey Akira could you wake up Sura I think we need to get this girl checked out." Kon then put her hand behind the girls back ushering her towards the group of people.

"Isn't the war over, who is even fighting anymore?" Sakura asked slowly, not liking the pitting looks of those around her.

"Please" huffed one of the drivers, "those clans will never stop fighting, damn ninja making life hard for everyone just so they can practice killing. Insanity."

Clans? "What clans?" she felt herself asking, she could feel anxiety growing in her chest.

Kon looked down at her, "Well clans are like a ninjas family." Kon tried to explain looking like she was having a hard time, not knowing the right terms for a kid, but trying really hard to think of how to explain it, she almost looked like Naruto

"Kon she asked what clans not what are clans." the man said obviously annoyed, "and kid there are different types of em, but mostly around these parts there are the Uchiha, Sejnu, Hyuga….."

The voices began to blur into the background as pieces began fitting, "so then this is the First War?" she asked, but almost as a revelation

"First?" Kon said looking back down at the girl. "Don't worry this is the war for all of them to get the order of power right, then they will stop with all the craziness."

"Please the girls probably right." again the man's voice was fading in and out as she was putting things together in her mind, "They have been fighting for generations if they ever did finally agree on something they would probably end up fighting again. It is just what ninja are, not humans but monsters those things." He turned and saw that another young man was coming out with what looked like a packet of meds and supplies. the old man signaled for him to put it back. Though Kon sent him a harsh look, she didn't try again to get any supplies. She took her coat and put it around Sakura tying the midsection tighter.

Monsters, a shiver went up her spine. Kaguya. What had she done? Perhaps … I would like to see another season of blossoms… become more….. magnificent than the past …...

Could she really be in the past? She looked up as the woman picked her up and set her in one of the carriages and they continued their way down the road. "We are heading to the city a half a day from here near the foot of a mountain, is that where you are from, little one?"

"No…. I am from…. Where I was from doesn't… exist." Sakura said slowly, unsure of how to proceed. She should get to the town they were talking about and go from there. If she really was in the past then she would have to ….. what, what could she do? She had no country, no land, no money. Faces began to flash through her mind. Naruto, Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru so many of her friends; at one point she probably would have relied on them to know what to do. She felt silly for a moment as she remembered who she was. She was not someone that needed saving. She was the apprentice and aid to not one but two Hokages, and kept a broken group of ninja on the same side and together operating for months on end.

This she could handle, she thought to take a breath, she just needed a little practice getting her story straight, "I came from a small nomadic clan of healers. We were on our way south and I had been sick and drinking only medicine for the past few days with high temperatures. It wasn't until it was too late that they realized that the water was poisoned. It affected their mind fist keeping them drinking then their physical health deteriorated. I buried them and burned everything that could have been infected with the poison as well. Including my clothes." Keep it short and look sad, as she looked up she could tell she was getting the pitying looks she wanted.

"You poor thing." the young woman said eventually, "Well you are welcome to stay with us until we reach the village. It is a large trading village and I am sure we can find a nice family to take you in."

"Thank you." Sakura said, these were kind people it seemed, and she felt a twinge of sadness lying to them, but it's not like she could tell them the truth. That would just make her crazy, and she was not crazy, at least she really hoped that she was not crazy.

Eventually, they made their way to the town and the young woman brought her to one of the ruling families homes, it seemed that the lords ruled over the town instead of a unified government, or the lords worked in tandem when it came to the trading villages, it seemed a big mess to her. "I feel bad just leaving you here, but we have a second leg of our journey to make and you will be safer here ok sweetheart. But here" she said kneeling and giving her a clay tablet with a small seal on it, "This is our companies logo, feel free to say hi if you ever see us coming through!" and with that, the young woman was gone. One day Sakura thought if she ever saw her again she would try to repay her for being so kind.

Sakura was guided into a very official looking room, it reminded her alot of Tunades office when she was avoiding her work. Stacks of paper lining the walls and piled up on the desk and a guard or two at the door. She saw an middle aged man with a large blue beard peering down at here. "So you are the little Sakura?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, the Totori traders told me that they would appreciate if we made some room for you here in our village. We have a nice orphanage that you can stay at until a nice family adopts you. The war has left one two many of our own orphaned and there are always more coming from the surrounding areas. But you are not so young, around 11 or 12? Soon you will be able to afford to work or take an apprenticeship. Now off you go, the woman outside will take you." He waved his large hand to shoo her away, but Sakura planted her feet.

"I truly appreciate your hospitality, Lord, but I do not need to go to an orphanage. I am a trained healer, and if you would allow me to stay in your village I will sustain myself the ways I was taught to."

The man looked down at her a blank face of a well trained lord or merchant, "Are you from one of the clans?"

"No, but I do heal using chakra and can defend myself if necessary."

"So then, you are a ninja of some sort?" he paused and she was not exactly sure of how to respond, she thought back to how the driver of the traders thought of the ninja and she had to make the assumption that that was a commonly held idea for village folk during this time.

"No," she said slowly

"You seem unsure of your answer, perhaps you would like to try again little one." the man said his voice smore stern, after noticing her hesitation.

"Though, I have the training of a ninja, my family never participated in this war." she took a breath,' think on your feet you can do it!' She heard her inner say. "It was why my tribe was nomadic, we used to go from village to village healing both civilian and ninja, I suppose we may have been targeted for that. But we never wanted anything to do with this stupid war!"

The man took a breath and brushed his beard, "I appreciate your forthcomingness, we have to have agreements with many of the clans in the area. Even when they are meaningless in the eyes of most, we generally try and stay out of each others way." she could tell the man had a habit of grinding his teeth when he was thinking. "Are you a good healer?" he asked

"The best." she said firmly

The man let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his beard one last time, "Well, while it is good to hear that you are so confident in your abilities, we can not have you staying in the village. It would be a burden on the minds of the townsfolk to have a ninja living among them." Sakura opened her mouth about to come forward with another reason any reason to let her stay, before she could the man held up his hand. "There is a small dwelling not far from the border gates. It used to belong to an older couple who passed away not too long ago. We can send you food weekly, as long as you treat anyone we send to you. Especially since we can't promise that anyone would go to you for healing."

"Thank you very much!" Sakura said bowing respectively.

"Yes. Yes. now go I have work to do." He gestured towards one of the guards that were in the room to, they then escorted her through the town and past the gates. It was not that far she kept telling herself, only a half an hr from the gates. There was a small home next to a cave and river. It was really quite quaint if she ignored how much work needed to be done to it. This was where the guard left her.

She pushed opened the door, and was pleased to see that though it was bare and untended to for some time it still had the necessary furnishings. She would need to take stock of everything and clean later so that she could have guests there were so many things she had to do, but there was something she had to do first.

Sakura walked out of the house and over to the cave. It went fairly deep but it was small and cool, this was probably where they stored their food, she thought when she reached the end. She placed her hand on the cold surface. "Yes this will do." she whispered. Then Sakura made a chakra scalpel with one hand and cupped the other as she made a nice sized slice in the center. She watched as the blood pooled in her hand. She took her finger and began writing Names on the wall.

"I will never forget you," she promised, as she wrote all the names of her friends and family on the cave walls. "Your dreams, your hopes, everything you loved, and hated." she could feel tears begin to roll down her face as she began to accept the facts of where she was, "All of the good times, and the hell that we all walked through together." She paused after Naruto's name feeling regret pool inside of her, and the same sickening sadness she thought she had let go of months ago came back as she wrote Sasuke's name beneath his. Naruto would have wanted that she told herself, through the pain, the blood pooling in her hand began spilling out onto the floor of the cave but she kept on writing. Then when her tears began to dry and the giant cave wall seemed to be covered she healed her hand. Feeling light headed she knelt to the ground. "I don't know where you are anymore, but I'm still here guys. Kaguya spared me, she sent me back for what reason I do not fully remember," she placed her hand on the drying names on the wall, "But I will make her regret that decision, because she has given me time. Time to grow stronger than I ever was. Time to rewrite the mistakes of our past. Time to create a place where all of you can live, not just survive, but truly live." she placed her bloody finger over her seal on her forehead, "I promise will atone for what I did. So that when it is my time and I do finally cross over to wherever you all are I can leave my guilt in this world and look you in the eye."

Ok so chapter 2 here it is

Please comment below and let me know what you think!

I know it might feel a bit rushed, as this is an in-between project that I am doing, so I hope you will forgive the mistakes :)

I have never done a Shout out before but I thought I might try it!

So...

Shout out to my first 5 comments

Suzululu4moe

thank you for writing the first comment on this story! And though I know as of Rn she will not end up with Hashirama, but tats all, I will have a poll for pairings latter down the line

CherryTheRose

love the use of Holly molly and I hope that I keep deserving it!

Cruisegirl86

I know I am still in the beginning but I'm happy you enjoyed it nonetheless!

kayna96

thanks - I hope I keep her kind of consistent - we shall see!

lyndyloowho

Well I updated faster than I usually do, I think because it is a side project and has less stress than some of my other stories, hope this chapter lived up to the hype