Hidden Seed

Written by: Wa Edited by: Ai

Chapter 4: When Sakuras Bloom

"The Nine Tail Fox demon had appeared in history twice. The first time, he was defeated by the Origin of the Hidden Seed. The Origin was the one they called 'Legend' who had a four petal seal on his back. Many generations of Hidden Seed were powerful people. They were called the Hidden Seeds because their powers were unknown; it grew with them through lifetime. Most of them had more then one petal on their seal. Around thirty years ago, the power of the Legend was passed down to a priestess."

Sakura flipped the page.

"She was very powerful and she was the only one who had the same seal as the Legend. She had four petals on her back. It was mentioned that the Hidden Seed with three petals needed ten strong priests to defeat. Four petals hidden seed required more than a hundred priests to defeat. As for the five petals…"

Sakura put her hand on her back and touched the place where her hidden seed seal was.

It had been two weeks since Sakura's team's visit to the Hidden Seed village. Her parents were surprised to hear from her that she found Hanae there. It was a day off from missions. Sakura tied up her hair into a short ponytail. She was wearing a sleeveless white top and the traditional fishnet top underneath. She sat on her balcony, leaning her arm on the balcony railings and supporting her head. She was reading a book about priestess again.

"As for the five petals…they are undefeatable." She closed the book and sighed.

Her knowledge of priestess has grown so much. Although she wasn't going to be a priestess, the last time she went to visit Hanae, Sakura learned to do new hand seals. She held out her hand to the sun, her mother's crystal bracelet was shining under the sunlight. Sakura smiled. She had learned so many things that were important to her future and she was having new thoughts about her strength.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was walking to the direction of the Ramen shop. He saw Sakura on her balcony and he thought back to that night when she told him about her revenge for her father. It was similar to the goal that he had for his life which was killing his brother. He never doubted himself before. However, the idea of Sakura taking revenge on someone was what struck him. He had never thought of Sakura being physically strong. She was pure and innocent to him. The idea of her killing somebody gave him doubts.

"Sasuke-kun!?" Sakura said from her balcony, her surprised expression turned into a frown as she remembered what she found out yesterday.

"Wait I'm going to come down." She said in a hurry, she ran down the stairs and slipped into her sandals. She opened the door and Sasuke was still standing there.

"I'm glad, you are still here."

Sakura's casual wear made him blush but he distracted his thoughts of her.

"What do you want, Sakura?" He still managed to be as cold as before.

Sakura gave him a faint smile as she held out something to him.

"What is this?" He asked.

"Hanae, she taught me a little trick last time. And this is just a safety and good luck charm that I've made for you. Keep it, you'll need it." She said, handing him a little bag that has Japanese traditional sewing patterns on it.

"Hn." He took it.

She watched him leave, her faint smile disappeared from her face and she slowly walked back into her house. She remembered the fortune telling trick Hanae had taught her last time. The special fortune telling was for family and friend's safety and health. She was practicing the special jutsu last night. However, the result shocked her.

The result she got was that Sasuke was going to leave the village and join the sound ninjas a month later. She knew that she couldn't stop him so she prayed luck and safety for him and gave him the little bag.

She has discovered so much after the lessons Hanae had given her. She was not the same girl anymore, and from the moment that she found out Sasuke was going to leave, she thought about so many things. She discovered that the "love at first sight" she had for Sasuke was already gone. She didn't know if the feeling she has right now for him is a deeper kind of love or just care for a friend.

But as mother said, everybody has their own destiny. Sasuke's departure would be a chance for him to learn about himself and what true strength is…but the mistakes that he made…he maybe not be able to withstand the consequences after. Someday, Naruto may leave to explore the world too. And I would be the only one left in this village, protecting it…that is my destiny and my dream.

After that day, everything went by very fast. And tonight, just as Sakura had estimated, was Sasuke's departure. She knew very well that, now, she had to see him one very last time. Since it would be long years after she could see him again. She walked on the street alone and she met him on his way to the gate. They were now standing in front of a bench, the lamp light near the bench cast sinister shadows on Sasuke's tired face.

"You are leaving." Sakura started.

"Hnn."

"You know that very well, there would be consequence to suffer after."

Sasuke didn't bother to answer, but Sakura continued, even if it was destiny.

"And you know that you are going to be all alone again. You know very well what true loneliness is…why are you still stepping into the darkness? Once you leave, there's no turning back."

"I already know."

"You are still going to risk it?"

"Sakura, you know that you are not capable of fighting me. And you don't want to fight me either."

"Why are you risking your life just for revenge?"

"You don't know one bit of it."

"I saw the future already… what you really desire is power. You want to kill your brother because you were afraid ¾ you were so afraid that night. You were afraid of death. From that day on you craved for power just so you could show off to Itachi and kill him. In the chuunin exam, you saved me, only because you wanted to show your power, because you didn't want team seven to be a disgrace for you. You beat up the Sound enemy...not because you were angry that he hurt me, but because he hurt the reputation of team seven."

"So you are trying to understand me now?" Sasuke said in a dangerous voice, the curse seal was moving on his body now.

"Sasuke, you know very well that I can do anything if I'm determined to." Sakura said, looking at his seal…and a face that belonged to a monster.

"I warn you for the last time, stay out of my way. If you interfere, I won't hold back."

Sakura held out her Shurikens already, she death glared into Sasuke's dark eyes.

I never thought of fighting you Sasuke… But… if you leave the village and join Orochimaru's group. I will fight you.

She threw out the Shurikens but Sasuke easily dodged them. Sasuke smirked, just as he expected. Sakura was using common ninja jutsu, which would have no effect on him.

"Sakura, didn't you learn from the fight towards the sound nins that you have no chance using common jutsu."

"Fine." Sakura held out her right hand, Sasuke saw the bracelet glowing on her hand.

"I've seen your jutsu before Sakura, and I can find a solution to defeat that jutsu." Sasuke said closing his eyes, and opening it again. But now his eyes were red.

Sakura used the hidden seed no jutsu on Sasuke, tree roots sprang out from the ground and attacked Sasuke. He jumped up and dodged all the roots. He smirked. Sakura then used the second level of hidden seed jutsu, which was Air. Sasuke widened his eyes as he saw a tornado coming towards him, slashing up all the dust and mud from the ground. He didn't know that there would be a second level in this jutsu. He used Lighting Edge to blocked it.

Why is she fighting me like this? Why is she so determined? Why is she risking her life over me?

Just before Sakura's tornado was going to break through the barriers of Sasuke's lightning edge, her seal started to burn. She felt great pain on her back. She withdrew from the fight. However, Sasuke's couldn't stop, chakra kept on being sucked out from his palm. He must have been pushing himself too hard. The big round lightning chakra he formed on his palm went out of his control and went towards Sakura by the wind, which was sucking it into her direction.

"SAKURA!" Sasuke ran towards her, trying to push her away from the attack. Fortunately he was on time, he pushed her down and dodged the attack. He backed up and saw the painful expression she had on her face.

"…….." Sasuke recalled what had happened, he felt stupid to attack someone when he tried so hard to save her from his attack.

"Why?"

"Why do you try so hard, why are you fighting me?" Sasuke asked, he held Sakura in his arms.

"Orochimaru ¾ you know what his ambition is…you know it but you think about your power. Then if you desire it that much, I'll be your first victim. Then you will truly become cold and emotionless."

Sasuke stared at Sakura, he leaned down to her and did something that she thought he would have never done. He kissed her on the lips. She tried to push him away, but he was holding on to her so tightly that she couldn't escape. Then suddenly the painful burn that was coming from the seal happened again. Sakura fainted, and that was the reason why when she woke up, she couldn't remember if the kiss from Sasuke was only a dream or not.

The next day, a Ninja on patrol found Sakura sleeping on the bench covered with a blanket. And this is how it all began.

She woke up from the hospital bed and saw the rose that was put into the vase near her bed. She felt her back, that painful experience of the seal burning was gone. She went into the bathroom and look at her back, the four petal seal turned into a five petal seal. The seal that was white before turned into pink. It looked just like when a Sakura bloomed.

Sakura stared in the mirror…

¾ As for Five Petals Hidden Seed, they are undefeatable ¾

"Sakura! Where are you?" Sakura heard her mother's voice.

"I'm here." Sakura came out to the bathroom and faced Mrs Haruno.

"Oh how are you Sakura? I was so shocked when I heard that you were in the hospital this morning. I thought you were on a mission last night when you didn't come home." Mrs Haruno said.

"Mom, I have to get to the Hidden Seed village right now." Sakura said.

"Oh…. But I think the 5th Hokage wants a word with you." Ms Haruno said, thinking about Hanae.

"I see, well I'll get to her first. Don't worry mom, I'll explain everything once I get back." Sakura waved.

Her mother sighed, she stayed in the room, helping Sakura to pack her things.

Sakura walked down the hall to the fifth Hokage's office, she knocked on the door before she went inside. The fifth turned to her and greeted her with a very serious tone.

"Sakura, how are you?"

"I'm alright, do you want to see me because of Sasuke?" Sakura asked, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, I just want to know what happened last night." The fifth said.

Sakura nodded and started talking about her taking a walk at night and the whole incident of Sasuke's departure.

"I see…he must be joining with the Orochimaru group."

"What action are you going to take?" Sakura asked.

"You are very edgy about this aren't you?" The fifth told Sakura. But she sighed when Sakura just glared at her. There's no point of not telling her at this time, the fifth thought.

"I'm going to send a group of Chuunin mixed with Genin to find him."

"Sasuke, is probably with lots of powerful people right now. I've observed the previous attack tactic of Orochimaru. He usually would use his best four bodyguards to help him. And those four people are probably the ones that Sasuke's with right now." Sakura was telling the Fifth of her analysis.

"I see, but I don't think that the chuunin would let the village down either. After all, he is Shikamaru." The fifth told her as Sakura stared at her.

"As for you Sakura, I've been informed by your teacher what happened in the Hidden Seed village. You'll be heading back there as your mission right now."

TBC

Author notes: Sorry for this late update again, I finished writing this chapter long time ago, but I had to wait for Ai to finish up the editing. Then when my Dad was cleaning up my computer, he deleted all the html files because there were viruses. But he didn't let me clean up the files first so all my html got deleted. I was very depressed about it, luckily Ai send me back this file so I didn't lost this. Another thing is that I read this fanfic on Fanfiction.net and just realized how similar the petals seed was…sorry but I never knew that there was that fanfic out there. But I guess that the topic that we were talking about is different so there should be no conflict. Thanks for reading the author notes, and for sending me great reviews!