Not sure what to say here, just... thank you for the support for the people who reviewed, favourited and followed this story so far, it means a lot to me.

I could say more, but I don't really want to, so let's just begin this chapter.

"Cheer up, guys! No one died and you completed the mis-... the job, right?"

Sakura tried to cheer them up, but the trio didn't respond at first, and aside from the train engine, the compartment occupied by them quickly fell silent again.

It was no unexpected behaviour, of course. After learning that he'd almost killed both his sisters, Elfman thanked Sakura for arriving on time to save them and didn't speak another word ever since, nor did he look any of the girls in the eyes. At the moment he was looking outside the window of their wagon.

Mirajane was a little better. At least she was willing to talk, though mostly when spoken to. Other than that, the eldest of the siblings did not do much. She looked at Sakura when she heard the kunoichi's voice and tried to smile, but didn't say anything. Not much later her gaze went down again, as if something on the floor was very interesting.

"Don't worry... we're just tired. Thanks, Sakura"

Just as Sakura was starting to feel like hers had been a failed attempt, Lisanna finally broke the silence. The youngest Strauss was not taking it the way the pinkette expected her to. She would stay silent, but mostly because she was too busy looking around. Half of the time she seemed curious, and the other half she seemed confused, as if she was saying everything for the first time. It was particularly the case whenever she saw someone perform 'magic' — Sakura still found it difficult to refer to their abilities that way, but they actually did feel different from ninjutsu somehow. At first the medical-nin thought it was nothing to worry about. Some patients did act strange after going through a near-death experience. But now the ninja was beginning to feel a bit suspicious something was going on.

When Lisanna spoke, Mira looked up again. Elfman did not, but it did not go unnoticed by Sakura how his head moved slightly, which meant he was listening to them. Deciding it was worth another try, the kunoichi went on.

"Tired? Really? You guys slept like logs, I mean - except for the snoring"

That got a reaction from them. Lisanna and Mirajane blushed, and though she couldn't see Elfman's face, Sakura was sure he was trying not to laugh.

"I-I do not snore"

The two sisters spoke almost at the same time, and now their brother definitely chuckled, though he managed to stop it quick enough for it to go unnoticed.

The kunoichi did her best to keep a nonchalant demeanour, as if she was just saying it out of her mind, but there was a faint smile on the corner of her mouth. She had actually grown fond of them to some extent. After healing Elfman and Mirajane from their wounds, since she had nowhere to go and her money seemingly had no value there, the girls agreed to share their room with her at the inn of the nearby town.

Of course, Sakura did not forget she should get back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves as soon as possible, but the kids didn't know where it was located (in fact none of them had ever heard of the village, which Sakura found to be pretty odd), so they suggested that the pinkette go with them to Magnolia.

"Someone in Fairy Tail must know about it" Mira had told her the previous day. "And gramps should be able to help you"

Apparently, 'gramps' was the master of their 'guild'. Sakura didn't know exactly what a guild was, but from what Mirajane told her, it sounded a bit like an organisation. It unnerved the medical-nin a little given her experience with a certain criminal organisation two years ago, but from the description these were legal and far less sinister than the Akatsuki.

"Might've fooled me. Perhaps it was just an earthquake technique, given how the walls shook"

Sakura chuckled at the way the two girls blushed even more. This time the three of them noticed as Elfman chuckled too, but once again the boy managed to stop. That's when the kunoichi decided to stop teasing them and actually tried to initiate a conversation.

"Anyway... you girls told me how guilds work, but you didn't tell me how is your guild. I mean, not the way it is organised, just... you know... do you like it? How are the people? Is it fun?"

It didn't take long for her to realise she'd asked the right question, for now even Elfman looked at her. Mira's expression immediately changed, and so did Lisanna's, though hers was one of pure curiosity. Needless to say, that compartment didn't fall as silent anymore for the next few hours, not until the kids eventually fell asleep and left Sakura to think about everything she'd heard.

But nothing of what she heard could've prepared Sakura for what she saw when the train arrived at the station. As far as she knew, there were no cities of that size or that technologically advanced nowhere in the Five Great Nations, which also worried her a lot... that meant she'd been transported even further away from the Hidden Leaf than she'd previously thought.

"Hey, quit stopping!"

Mira demanded angrily. Sakura just couldn't help it. Everything around her was so different from what she was used to. It made her wish that she could show it to Naruto and Sasuke. Well, maybe one day she would be able to, if she managed to find a way back home.

"S-sorry, it's just that..."

Sakura interrupted herself and caught up to the trio. At least Lisanna also seemed to be curious, though to a far lesser extent. She even seemed a bit... disappointed? Perhaps unimpressed would be a better word. No matter what was going through her mind, the pinkette felt very different about it.

The walk up to the guild was mostly uneventful, except for the kunoichi staying behind a few times because she wanted to take a look at random things. But nothing matched her reaction to Fairy Tail.

Saying the building was big would be an understatement. It was huge, and very beautiful. All manner of sounds came from the inside of Fairy Tail, where people laughed, singed and fought. The pinkette didn't know how long she stared at it in awe until Elfman brought her back to reality. The boy was still very quiet, but opened a bit after their conversation at the train.

"Amazing, right?"

"I... yes. It's certainly different from any I've seen"

Before Elfman could speak again, they were interrupted by Mirajane.

"Aren't you coming?"

The two of them looked at each other, then at Mira again. They did not need to share another word to understand both agreed to go through.

"Well, then... let's go!"

And just like that, Mira stepped through the door alongside her sister. Elfman entered soon after. As for Sakura, she stopped for a moment just to take another look at the building. From what Mirajane told her, this place was very dear for the three siblings. She only hoped someone inside would be able to help her. But what if they don't? What if she was stuck in there forever? But that was a stupid thought, she realised.

'Even if no one in there can help me, I'll find the way back myself.' She told herself.

The kunoichi inhaled deeply and closed her eyes just for a moment as she stepped forward, crossing the door. And like what happened when they arrived at the station, nothing could've prepared her for what came next, though for a very differente reason.

"Who are YOU calling an idiot?!"

Someone yelled. Just as Sakura walked through the door, the pinkette was forced to duck in order to dodge a flying chair. The whole place was nowhere as convidative from the inside, mostly due to the huge fight raging through it. A pink haired boy ran around with his fists covered in fire, exchanging blows with a half-naked one. A girl who definitely didn't seem old enough to drink took a long sip from a barrel, while three older men set at a corner of the bar, drinking and playing cards. One of them was smoking. They were suddenly interrupted when another table smashed onto theirs, and soon enough the angry trio joined the fight.

It took Sakura a few seconds to locate the Strauss siblings among that chaos. Lisanna was just looking around in utter confusion, while her brother and sister were at the counter talking to an extremely short old man. He vaguely reminded Sakura of Ohnoki, the Tsuchikage, but didn't seem as headstrong.

The kunoichi managed to hear just a piece of what they were saying as she approached, but figured out Mirajane was telling the old man about the job.

"-came out of nowhere and helped us. If it wasn't for her, we..."

Mira stopped. Elfman looked away in shame, and the master looked at Sakura for the first time as she got close enough. That's when the two siblings noticed her as well.

"I suppose that's her?"

The old man asked, getting a nod from Mirajane in response.

"In that case, I'm deeply grateful for what you did. I don't want to think about what could've happened if you didn't help them"

"I... it's okay. No need to thank me, really. That's kind of my job"

Sakura answered. It was true, she was a medical ninja after all. The master smiled in response.

"I see. So, what brings you to Fairy Tail, then? Wanna join us?"

It probably was pretty common to have people there trying to join, Sakura figured out. Mira did tell her the guild was the biggest one in their country, though at first the ninja thought she might've been exaggerating the description. Now she definitely believed it. Still, she didn't have time to join them if she wanted to get home.

"No, I'm sorry. You see, I'm kinda lost and trying to find the way back home, and they told me someone in the guild might be able to help"

"I see. Maybe I can help you, miss..."

"Sakura."

"Sakura. I'm Makarov, the master of Fairy Tail. Maybe I can help you. Where are you from?"

For the next few minutes, Sakura proceeded to explain to Makarov everything about the Village Hidden in the Leaves, but it was just a vain hope and she knew it immediately from the master's reaction to hearing its name. Still, the pinkette went on to explain it the best she could.

Mira and Elfman said nothing. They did not know much about their saviour, so it was quite interesting to hear about her home and how she got there, but the more she said, the more weird her story got.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know where that is. Never even heard of it"

"You're kidding, right?"

The medical-nin stared at the old man in disbelief. Sure, maybe children didn't know where the Leaf was located, but there was no way in hell that old man had never even heard of the village.

"I'm afraid not" Makarov responded. Still trying to be helpful, the old man leaned forward as he heard the pinkette sigh. "How did you end up there, though?"

"I..." Sakura stopped. She wasn't sure, but figured out it probably was due to the collapse of Toneri's space-time ninjutsu just as she was trying to cross. It must have sent her to a random place. She was only lucky that she didn't fall right in the middle of the ocean or something like that. "I'm not sure, to be honest. It was a space-time technique. It must have collapsed when I tried to cross it"

Now was the master's turn to stare at her in complete disbelief.

"A space-time technique?"

"Not sure. It must've been. Damn it, I must be on the other side of the planet. I-... AHA!"

Mirajane and Elfman both jumped in surprise as Sakura raised her voice. The pinkette looked around for a few seconds, them at the door of the guild.

"I've got an idea, but probably should try it outside."

Something in how Sakura said that had Makarov immediately feeling he'd made a mistake by inviting her to the guild. As if everyone else didn't cause enough damage already!

Makarov frowned as he watched the pink haired woman bite her own thumb with enough force to draw blood from it. He was not sure what she had in mind, but in his experience anything that required blood sacrifices was not safe. Despite that, the old man did not say anything or try to interrupt her. Sakura had saved three of his children and so far didn't give him any reason to distrust her, so the master didn't intervene.

After drawing blood, the kunoichi quickly weaved through several hand signs. Although he'd never seen it before, Makarov could feel how the energy inside of her changed after each of these signs, so he assumed they were meant to improve control. Speaking of, her energy felt different from what he was used to. It somehow didn't feel like magic at all, as if-...

"Summoning Jutsu!"

The pinkette yelled and touched her palm on the ground. As soon as it happened, a smoke cloud suddenly popped below her hand... it was disappointing, to say the last. When it disappeared, there was just a slug. But not the one Sakura was expecting to see. It was not gigantic in size. Actually, it was the size of her fist.

"Yo"

Just as Makarov was about to express his disappointment, the slug surprised him as it spoke up. It was an improbable mix of cute and disgusting. Disgustingly cute.

"W-what?" Sakura's eyes widened as she saw the little slug. "Hey! What the hell just happened? Where's Katsuyu?"

"Mom's busy! Geez, I feel weird, where did you learn to summon like that?"

The kunoichi facepalmed and fell down to her knees in disbelief. How was that even possible? The last time she'd summoned something that small was during her training with Tsunade, when the Fifth Hokage was teaching her the summoning technique. There was just no way that she fluked that bad, her chakra control was probably the best in the world. So what the hell was happening?

"I can't believe it..."

She muttered and shook her head.

"Anyway, I'm Katsuya. And u..." The slug continued curiously, then suddenly gasped. "Wait, your Sakura! Mom told us about you"

"I-... wait, did she? What did she tell you?"

"You know, the basics. That ur the greatest medical-nin in the world, and surpassed Lady Tsunade, and helped save the world, and-..."

They would've continued their talk, had Makarov not decided it was time to remind Sakura of his presence there.

"So... I take it was not what you intended to do?"

Sakura blushed. She had forgotten about the old man.

"S-sorry. No. Well... not exactly. I meant to summon her mother. Katsuyu is much bigger than the Fairy Tail building, that's why I wanted to come outside"

"Wait!" Katsuya raised her voice again. "Now I remember! Mom said ur missing!"

"That's it!" Sakura quickly turned her attention back to the slug, excited to hear that. "Listen, I don't know how long I can keep you here, but I need you to take a message to your mom, okay?"

The slug nodded in agreement. Can slugs even nod?, Makarov thought. Well, this one could.

"Thanks. Look, I don't know where I am. Tell her the Moon passage collapsed when I was crossing it, so I ended up here. I tried to summon her, but there's something blocking my chakra"

"Wwwwwhhaaaat?" The slug asked, seeming confused. "Passage. Lost. Okay"

Sakura sighed. Katsuya was apparently a toddler, she wouldn't be able to give her mother a detailed message. But suddenly a new idea occurred to the kunoichi.

"Ahn... sir" She looked at Makarov. "Do you have something I can write with?"

The master of Fairy Tail nodded and quickly summoned a piece of paper and a pen. That display got Sakura curious about his technique. It certainly was a space-time ninjutsu of some kind, but didn't seem like Obito's Kamui.

After thanking the old man, Sakura quickly wrote a message on the paper, folded it and gave it to Katsuya, who watched in curiosity to see what the medical-nin had in mind.

The message read: 'I'm Sakura. Toneri's space-time jutsu collapsed and sent me somewhere. Not sure where I am, but probably very far from the Leaf since no one here seems to know where the village is located. Stuck here. Please, reverse summon me'

"What's that?"

"A message for your mom. Do you think you can take it back with you?"

The young slug stared thoughtfully (How can a slug look thoughtful? Makarov thought) at Sakura for a few seconds, then nodded in agreement, which got a smile from the pinkette.

"Thank you. Can you go now?"

"Buuuuut I came here to play"

It was cute in a strange way to see the little slug pout when asked to go back home. Sakura sighed.

"Look, you'll have time to play. I promise I'll summon you later, okay? Just take it back, it's really important"

Once again, Katsuya thought for a while before answering her.

"Sure. But u promised"

"Yes! Yes, I did"

"Okay"

"Right"

They stared at each other for a few seconds, then the little slug waved her tail at Makarov, which the master figured out was her way of saying goodbye. The master was still curious about the little creature, but waved back. Seeming satisfied, Kasuya then disappeared in another smoke cloud, returning to the Shikkotsu Forest.

"Thank you. If I suddenly disappear, please don't freak out. It means I'm back home" Sakura explained as she returned Makarov's pen.

"Er... I see" said the master. He was still confused about everything. "In the meantime, do you want to come inside and have a few drinks? Maybe eat something? No need to pay."

"I... sure. No drinks for me, but I could use something to eat. Thanks"

Sakura knew she would be reverse summoned to the Shikkotsu Forest at any moment now, so she was not worried anymore. At least she'd managed to make contact. She would eat something and wait, and soon enough would be on her way back to the Leaf. Well, at least that was the plan.

If only things were that simple. Many hours later, the pink haired kunoichi was still there. Something odd was clearly happening, and to fix that was not going to be an easy task.

Thank you for reading it so far, please let me know what you think of the chapter. Next update anytime from here to 2325. Just kidding, I won't take that long. I think.

See ya.