Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction dedicated to the anime/manga Naruto, I do not own Naruto.
Hidden Seed
Written by: Wa, edited & Revised by: Ai
Chapter 2: The Broken Seal
They arrived in Hidden Seed during the evening. They were expected to be late, but they were three hours early and so they decided to tour around the village. People on the street stared at the four of them, especially at Sakura. Her pink hair stood out the most, and it was not just that. Her face looked just like her mother.
"Why are all these people staring at us?" Naruto asked. He was feeling uncomfortable.
"Ignore it." Kakashi felt it too, but he couldn't understand the reason why people were staring at them like that.
Then an old woman was pushed around and into Sakura. Sakura held on to the old lady to prevent her from falling. The old lady was surprised to see Sakura's face.
"Oh Hanae, you are back! You don't know how much the village missed you! The village needs your protection."
Sakura was so shocked that the old lady called her by her real mother's name. She hadn't heard that name after she left the village for so many years. Recovering from the shock, Sakura faced the old lady and told her that she wasn't Hana.
"You are not? But you looked exactly like her! Your hair and your eyes, even the way you move! You can't trick me! I was the one who looked after Hanae since she was young. If you are not Hanae who are you?"
"I'm Haruno from the Hidden Leaf village." Sakura just gave the old lady her last name because she didn't want anybody to recognize her.
The old lady looked a bit disappointed, but Sakura left with her team anyway. She wanted to ask the lady if she was really the person who looked after her real mother. But she didn't want anyone to know her secret.
"Gees, that old lady there was truly mad. Who is that Hanae person anyway? Is she that popular here? Is she that strong? Hey, maybe she is a ninja like me!" Naruto asked.
"It could be, but she is probably far more powerful than you." Kakashi teased, while reading his Come Come Paradise book.
"I'm going to be recognized by Konoha someday!"
Sakura stared at Naruto. He is always getting so excited towards these things. She looked over to Sasuke's side he was just being cool as always.
But that is weird, that old lady. If she watched over my mother since she was little, she should be able to tell that I'm not her. My real mother used to tell me that I have the colour of my father's eyes. Even our age is different…maybe she knows who I am already.
After that little walk around the village, they settled down at an Inn. That night Sakura couldn't sleep. She kept on thinking about that incident of the old lady running into her. There must be something that she wants with me… Sakura was changing into her pajamas. As she folded her Chinese dress, a bracelet fell out of her dress. Round little crystal stones were put together to form that bracelet and within each crystal stone there was a symbol of some sort. Sakura widened her eyes as she recognized each symbol that was flowing in the crystal. Those were the symbols that her mother used to make her memorize when she was young. She put the bracelet on, and at the moment, she could feel power flowing within her.
The seal was broken.
She changed back into her normal clothes and ran out of her room. She didn't know why, but she felt an urge to meet the old lady again. She must have been the one who put the bracelet in her dress's pocket. Sakura was confused…
After she left the building, she found that the old lady she met a couple of hours ago was standing outside the inn, under the tree waiting for her. The old woman smiled at Sakura as she walked towards her.
"It looks like that you have already figured out that I know you are not Hanae. And it looks like the seal has been broken already."
"Who are you? And what seal has been broken?" Sakura asked.
"My name is Kicha. I was the one who trained Hanae in the years of her priestess learning. The seal I was talking about, I believe that your mother gave that to you when you were born. Unzip your zipper on your shirt and look at your back." Kicha took out a small mirror from her pocket.
Sakura unzipped a bit of her dress and put her hand on her back, it was a bit similar to the position where Sasuke got the cursed seal, but hers was more on her back. She turned her head and saw the seal that was on her. It was the shape of a flower with four petals.
"It wasn't there before…" Sakura said, surprised to see the tattoo like seal on her back.
"It was invisible before, but it appears right after it's activated by the calling of the bracelet."
Sakura zipped back her dress.
"You know my mother…then tell me! Why did she leave me there in Hidden Leaf and gave me that seal you were talking about?" Sakura asked.
"Calm down child, I know that you have many questions, but first I have to give you something that is very important to that seal."
"Hanae must have taught you how to read the priest seal symbols right? Only you could have seen the symbols on that bracelet, because Hanae used her blood to write those symbols there and sealed it so that only a blood related person could see those symbols. Now listen carefully and remember each word that I'm telling you. The symbols that you saw there, is actually a hidden hand seal. It is a very dangerous jutsu and only the heir of the Hidden Seed priestess can perform and learn it. In order to perform the hand seal, you have to know how to read each symbol. Now follow my instructions and perform that hand seal."
Kicha started moving her hand, and performed each hand seal. It was a very complicated hand seal. There were five parts of it, each divided into different power levels. As soon as she finished learning the hand seal, Kicha explained to her about the difference between a priestess jutsu and nin jutsu. A priest drains power not from their chakra in their own body, but rather from the world outside. They used their chakra to seek the powers that were out there, and the powers are divided into the five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Akasha.
"Kicha-san, after all this time, do you know where my mother is right now?" Sakura asked.
"No…she said that she was leaving the village with you. After she left with you that day, she came back to the village in a hurry and gone again. No one knows where she is now."
"So she left me there on purpose…she didn't want me from the beginning."
"Sakura, I believe that you don't know that a priestess is banned from getting married." Kicha expression changed.
"What?"
"They are the symbol of purity in the village. Once a priestess gives birth to a child, they are banned to be a priestess ever again. Hanae knew the rules too well, she was lonely and getting tired of them. Then one day she met this great man that is from a small clan in the Hidden Leaf Village. They felt in love, as if it was inevitable. Unfortunately, your father died in one of his ninja missions…he was unable to see you coming into this world." Kicha said.
Sakura listened silently.
"Hanae knew that the village would find out about your presence after three months, so she moved away and hid from the village for two years. Afterwards she brought you back saying that you were the daughter of a far away cousin that she had. By giving you the seal, she was able to cover the inherited power that is within you."
"Do you know who my father was?" Sakura asked, holding her hands up on her chest.
"He was an Elite Ninja from Hidden Leaf, an intelligent young man dedicating his life to the village. Your mother didn't tell me anything about his family, I only know that his last name is Chiba."
Chiba…my family name. Sakura closed her eyes, trying to imagine him and her real mother standing together. How wonderful it would be, if they were there when Sakura needed them. When she was being bullied around and when she was feeling lonely, she imagined her real father holding her left hand and her real mother holding her right hand. They walked happily home together…but that picture slowly faded in her mind.
"Thank you for telling me about my real mother and father. I remember you telling me that this village needed my mother's protection. But I'm not my mother, I'm not a priestess, I am a ninja from Hidden Leaf." Sakura was determined.
Kicha stared at her for a minute or so, her face relaxed after a second or two, and she smiled at Sakura in agreement.
"But I have just one more question though…why did you call me Hanae on the street even though you knew that I'm not mother?"
"It's pathetic. Even though that I knew you weren't her, I just lied to myself that you are Hanae. You two looked too alike."
"Oh…well, goodbye." Sakura said, she turned and left without looking back.
I've made up my mind already, just like my childhood dreams. I wanted intelligence more than physical strength I want to be a Ninja more than being a Priestess. Even if people doubt me and tell me what I should do¾ I have my own way of Ninja. TBC…
Name meaning:
Haruno Sakura = Spring Cherry blossom
Chiba Sakura = Thousand-leaf Cherry blossom
Chiba Hanae = Thousand-leaf flower-branch
Kicha = Happy tea
Author notes: Sorry for the late update, I finished writing this chapter long time ago. But I needed it to be proved read so I had to wait. Also, I made those priests jutsu up, so if it doesn't sound realistic to you, please don't flame me. Sorry if this story is complicated but this is how my brain works, I like to think of complex things. Thank you for giving me nice reviews for the pervious chapter. And yes, give yourself credit again if you are reading this author note.