Chapter 14: A Nostalgic Crossing

"It is strange how we hold on to the pieces of the past while we wait for our futures."

― Ally Condie, Matched


Sasuke & Sakura

"I can't thank you enough again for coming. If I lost Natsuki next, ah well I don't want to even think about such an option after her parent's deaths. On top of losing my husband Kenji just last month, I wasn't sure if my heart would've been able to handle it; I swear death seems to follow me around like a shadow."

Mikiko talks mostly in whispers or mumbles and Sakura nods along, sees in her sandy brown eyes the years of pain she's been going through. Her pale white skin glows in the flicker of the candlelight, blue veins prominent against the orange glow. She knows these last few months haven't been kind to her and she intends to do her best to lessen some of her burdens as much as she can.

Sakura rubs at the row of calluses and wrinkles that line her hands. "Of course! I'm sorry I couldn't be here any sooner."

She's traveled these past 4 days with little rest, only stopping to eat a quick bento here and there and sleep for 3-6 hours max before moving again.

It's hurting her body and Rumi and Ryoja are angered by the little chakra she's leaving them, but she can't stop now while her red thread is still visible.

Mikiko shakes her head, eyes roaming towards the dance of snowflakes outside. "Oh, no need to be sorry Dear! I wasn't sure if any village or medical nin was going to take the assignment with winter setting upon us like this. That's always a slow period for missions; isn't it?"

Sakura nods, recalling the questioning of her long time patients, Shizune, and Kakashi-sensei on why now? Why this far from the village?

"At least have one of the Inuzuka clan's tracker nin dogs with you incase things so south.'" Kakashi advises.

Sakura nods, not seeing any reason to argue with his recommendation.

It will be nice to have the company too, even if Akimaru can't talk back.

Mikiko moves to stand. "Oh, where are my manners? Let me get another pot of tea boiling!"

Sakura starts to motion with her hands that isn't needed before hearing Rumi and Ryoja's buzz they need the heat, that come spring they'll need the energy to mate and grow her cluster of wasps and she returns her hands to her sides with a nod of gratitude.

The Aburame clan believes in her, she needs to prove that wasn't a mistake.

She watches Mikiko head for the kitchen before gazing back to Natsuki, brushing beads of sweat from her dark locks. Her cheeks remain sunken and flushed, unable to keep anything down since she arrived.

A cough erupts out of her mouth a moment later, tiny hands fisting at her sheets, nails tearing at the seams.

"It hurts Grandma, my throat is too hot and itchy!" She whimpers, watery cerulean eyes opening briefly.

At 5, she's seen more war and devastation than some shinobi have in their entire careers.

Sakura trails a finger against old scars and burn marks. All wounds bandits and rogue shinobi left behind while she had been gathering firewood with her parents during a small skirmish over resources with the nearby Land of Snow...

'And then I'm sure there were Otogakure shinobi looking for fresh bodies to take too.' Sakura assumes while restraining her scowl, focusing her healing towards Natsuki's neck.

Her tensing soon calms, Sakura looking closely at her neck to check for lymph node swelling.

Good, the infection/inflammation doesn't seem to be spreading beyond her throat area.

Mikiko returns back the room, hands her a cup of ginseng tea.

"Here you are Fusae, I hope you enjoy your stay here in The Land if Honey despite the weather!" She smiles.

Sakura nods, pleased with the way her fake name rolls off her lips. She intends to keep using the name for as long as she's here, to bring blessings and hope to her home and life.

Heat trails up her fingers as she brings the cup to her lips, brushes her newly created long brown locks from her face. In the liquid's reflection, rust colored eyes gaze back at her.

Akimaru yips beside her and she calmly scratches behind his ears, thoughtful of his cues of when he notes a strange smell or hears a strange presence nearby them.

Nobody in this village should know what she truly looks like or her real name.

"Natsuki's fever doesn't seem to be breaking with traditional medicine options, though I can create a mixture using white willow bark, elderflowers, lemon juice, and raw honey." Sakura advises.

Mikiko nods, biting her lip.

"I'm sure I have some honey and lemon juice in the fridge, but the herbs have been harder to come by." She admits.

Sakura shakes her head, tomorrow's forecast suggests mostly wind and no snow.

The next morning she ventures out early before Mikiko and Natsuki awaken, boots crunching along layers of snow and ice.

Sunlight crisscrosses against iced over trees and Sakura pauses to admire the scattered fragments of orange and gold light along the frozen landscape.

She wiggles her fingers and toes to keep generating heat, following other sets of footprints heading into the epicenter of the village.

Her fingers thrum, match the pulsing of her heart.

Today her red thread glows with promise, she's sure she'll be crossing paths with Sasuke today.

But the first person she runs into isn't Sasuke or even a vendor trying to offer her horrible deals on expired medicine or moldy foods, gazing a few feet ahead seeing dark maroon hair patrolling the center square.

'Gaara?'

He notices her too, striding forward.

"It isn't safe to head this way ma'am, they're rogue ninja in this area." He starts.

He pauses though, taking her in with a closer inspection and Sakura stiffens, wonders if her disguise has slipped in some way giving away her verdant eyes or coral pink hair.

"Wait, you're Naruto's teammate. Sakura; wasn't it? You're a long way from home." He starts.

Her chest tightens, quickly realigning her transformation, murmuring to Ryoja and Rumi to hide her trademark scents again.

Akimaru lowly growls, sensing the rising tension coming their way.

Still, Sakura can't help the mix of a grin and scowl that cross her face. Her disguise is far from perfect if Gaara can see through it from a second glance.

'Practice makes perfect.' She reminds herself.

"I could say the same to you!" Sakura replies.

He gestures then to the forests in the distance, Sakura bristling at a thin trail of smoke among the blue sky.

"I was with Kankuro as part of the investigation team into Sasuke's defection from Konoha. We split up in order for him to check on Temari and the others." Gaara explains.

Sakura nods in understanding, of course the retrieval team would be here as well. Though that doesn't matter, won't stop her current goals.

"Why didn't you go with him?" She pursues.

Before Gaara can answer he puts up a veil of sand, stops a pair of shuriken from striking at them both.

"I knew one of them would be here." He answers as his sand starts crumpling down.

Kabuto scoffs, gaze solely on Gaara as they look his way.

Sakura purses her lips, Orochimaru's right hand man.

But this time he pays her little mind. She's a nobody to him; the bystander in the wrong place and wrong time.

"That all seeing eye of yours should've seen this coming Gaara of the Sand Waterfalls. You've made it quite difficult for me to do my usual trades with the black markets of this region." He smirks.

"Are you playing the role of a civilian? You need to run and hide if so." Gaara mutters to her.

Sakura nods slowly just as Kabuto starts to step forward, stare moving to her.

"Nothing personal, but I can't allow any witnesses here to survive. My face is wanted in the bingo books you see, across too many nations to count." He mentions, raising up his hands.

"Water release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

Gaara instantly blocks the torpedo of water from striking her, sand turning a sticky brown, Sakura herself pausing to level the earth at seeing other civilians and vendors trying to get away.

'I'm going to be of some help if he's going after innocent people!'

"Earth release: Earth Flow Wave!"

The ground quakes from the sudden surge, cement and ice rising up in jagged spears momentarily blocking Kabuto from sight making him grunt.

"Oh, so you're a kunoichi? Hmm, that makes things much more fun! I'm sure Master Orochimaru could use another body for experimenting." Kabuto beams.

"Go." Gaara gestures with his head in the opposite direction and Sakura twists away before Kabuto can trap her here.

She twists herself through dark alleyways, gritting her teeth at a sudden sting to her leg, pushing past the pain.

Footsteps crackle along the cobblestone and grass behind her, she's being followed.

At the outskirts of the forest she finally glimpses backwards, Sasuke stepping forward.

"For once, you're running from me Sakura." He notes.

Sakura cocks her head in confusion, keeping a mask of calm.

"I'm sorry, you have me mistaken for someone else. I was just trying to get away from the commotion at the market." She begins.

Sasuke's eyes narrow, so she's going to keep up with her fake identity.

"I know it's you, stop it. I sensed you here in this village via our thread. Kabuto paid you no mind really, but I won't let you interfere in any of my goals."

Sakura shakes her head. "I don't have a red thread and my name is Fusae."

Sasuke clicks his teeth. Fine, he could play her game too.

He bends his fingers back, pass the point of popping watching her face for any flinching.

But 'Fusae' remains unfazed, no twitch or tremor of her fingers displaying unease.

'Maybe she's learned to bite past her pain too.' He considers.

His fingers reach up to his hair next, pulling at the ends hard enough to yank out a few pieces of his dark locks.

And still 'Fusae' looks at him in confusion and worry, auburn eyes darting between him and the forest trails.

"I'm truly sorry, but you have me mistaken for someone else." She murmurs.

"No, I don't! Sasuke snaps, losing his patience.

This woman is Sakura, despite her change of appearance, despite looking at him no longer with warmth and affection...

He holds up a kunai, jabs it straight into his palm drawing a rush of blood.

"Done pretending?" He questions.

Guilt, irritation, and embarrassment clash around Sakura's stomach. If Sasuke wanted to test the limits of their thread; he's proven his point.

'This pain is nothing.' Sakura keeps a neutral look, ignores the flash of shock, annoyance, and maybe hurt in his eyes that none of his attempts have spurred a real reaction out of her like he maybe wanted or hoped.

She's endured hundreds of stings from Rumi and Ryoja from head to toe, had wasps, beetles, and bees use her body like a hive.

"You shouldn't injure yourself like that." She mentions as she tentatively steps forward to close their distance, bandaging up his hand without using her medical ninjutsu.

Sasuke's eyes bore into her watching her work, voice turning low and insistent in her ear.

"You know nothing about me Sakura. This pain is nothing compared to what I've seen, what I still must endure to get strong enough face Itachi one day." Sasuke scoffs, tone resigned at this game she's playing.

Sakura blows out a breath. He's right, painfully so.

The tightness in her throat drops to her chest, swirling and dizzying all at once.

She knows nothing about Sasuke personally before their days together on Team 7 or from even back at the Academy where she fawned over him from afar.

And aren't red thread matches supposed to be the ones who know each other best? Know all of each other's secrets and dreams?

"You must be enraged. Sidetracked here to this small village." Sakura finally finds her voice.

Sasuke nods, curt and to the point.

"You have no idea. Kabuto is only here to get chemicals and herbs he needs to lock up my red thread again. Then we'll be gone; don't look for me." He grunts.

Grief claws at her stomach, Sakura moving back from him.

Sasuke grips at her arm before she can get too far, obsidian eyes nearly swirling red until Sakura finally meets his gaze.

"You're being difficult for no reason Sasuke. I wanted to see you yes, but did you honestly think you were the reason alone I came the Land of Honey? I'm on a mission!" She confesses with a hiss, nails jabbing into his arm in return.

Sasuke says nothing, recalling her closeness to the Sand jinchuriki earlier, the way the protected and helped each other. It's for the best she interacts with other guys who could make her happy, shinobi stronger or on par with her level even if it leaves something of a foul twist in his chest that he might have to standby and watch it happen.

Sakura isn't with his retrieval team as she left the area despite knowing he was close by. She truly has other objectives, other business here that doesn't involve him.

He wants to feel relief, but confusion circles him on what other reason she could have to be here besides having tracked him via their bound thread.

A mission wouldn't keep her in the area this long he figures, but Sakura gave him no details beyond that and he's getting too intertwined with her again he realizes...

'Damn this stupid thread.'

They silently watch each other, wait for the other to attack or react.

Sasuke looks her over, she's gotten taller since he last saw her, her body a bit more mature like the older women he used to observe her envy while people watching getting mochi.

Finally, Sakura grins slowly and Sasuke feels that annoying twitch rise in his stomach. She's covered up her distinct scent of lilies, only the smells of moss and dew surrounding them.

"I'm serious Sakura. If you or Naruto try to get me back to the village-"

"And we will, someday soon. Next time. Next time we meet I'll be able to tell you what I learned about you." She promises, interrupting him.

She ignores his stinging glare, the growing bruise on her arm as she steps back from him blending with the shadows of the trees, pursing her lips. The Yamanaka clan is one of the few clans that was there the night of the massacre to help identify the dead, worked alongside the officers to obtain reports of what was seen and heard.

One man that was there that very night, a man who still lives with his memories of that bloody event goes by Akio Takita now from checking old hospital records. It's possible his memories have been sealed, wiped out, or he's been forced to remain tight-lipped on the subject...

He's who she has to seek out to know for sure.

'Though to get those answers I'll need to do some unethical work.' She knows.

Ino. She wonders if she'll agree to this budding plan of hers...


Naruto

"It's not that bad Kid! Hurry up so we can get back to training already!" Jiraiya slaps his back.

And just like that, half-eaten caterpillars and worms slide and wiggle their way down his esophagus.

"Water, water! Get me water!" Naruto gurgles out a minute later.

Jiraiya rolls his eyes playfully, pouring him a glass he immediately gulps down.

"Sorry I'm not used to eating insects for breakfast like you! It's only been 2 days, you know!" Naruto gripes.

Jiraiya shrugs, he had less time than him to get acclimated and accustomed to the Toad's dietary practices and habits. Naruto should be happy he's still letting him sneak the emergency ramen he got before they came to Mount Myōboku. If Fukasaku and Shima saw him, they'd definitely question what manners he's been teaching him.

"Sage training is going to require more concentration than any of the past lessons we've done." Jiraiya relates.

And mentally he worries they're running out of time. His spies and informants have been giving him more and more news as of late that the Akatsuki have collected more members, are ready to split up into groups of two to capture each tailed beast.

'I just need another year with you Naruto. After that, you should have a good variety of skills should anything happen to me or the village, you can even surpass me...' He determines.

It's the worse case scenario, just one of hundreds that have been running across his mind like ripples on a pond. He counts each night where each decision, each path will lead them both down for better or worse.

Naruto tugs at his arm, dragging him out of his thoughts.

"Will I really turn into a toad if I screw this up?! Wouldn't that break my red thread with Hinata?!" He panics.

He should've snuck in more time with her! Enjoyed her smile and cooked more meals together!

Kissed her showing all the feelings he still has trouble putting into words...

He knows he shouldn't be thinking about Hinata right now or even bringing up her name, especially not when Pervy-Sage is right here about to smack him he's sure. Wherever Hinata is at the moment, he can sense she's training, finger thrumming with a dull ache.

Jiraiya sighs at Naruto's dramatics, ruffles his hair.

"That's why we're not going to let that happen!" He promises.

He leads them up to the Great Toad Sage.

Gamamaru is in and out of sleep as usual when they approach, only startled awake by a gentle, but firm nudge from Jiraiya. Naruto side-eyes him as he goes into a bowing position, reluctantly doing the same when he catches his eye.

"Great Toad Sage, we came to you to get a prediction on the future. I would like to know the keys to Naruto gaining better control of the Nine Tails, about the Akatsuki." Jiraiya states.

"Hmm, yes the bees are more out at this time of year!" Gamamaru smiles.

Jiraiya grins patiently, Naruto pinches his nose.

"Hey, Pervy-Sage, this toad is senile, you know! How sure are you that we can believe his predictions?!" He nudges him.

Jiraiya ignores him, speaking again. "I said keys Great Toad! About Naruto, the Akatsuki!"

Gamamaru tilts his head, blinks slowly in a way that makes Naruto wonder if he even heard him.

"Hmm, oh the time for when Naruto will master the Nine Tails is when he crosses paths with the Octopus! He should travel first with his thread though, the one with moonlight eyes and see the world to understand multiple perspectives. As for the Akatsuki...the Akatsuki they will take from him, from many before they fracture..." He trails off, head drooping down.

'I didn't make sense of any of that!' Naruto frowns.

Something about traveling with Hinata before meeting the Octopus. The Akatsuki will take exactly what before they fall?

Gamamaru drifts off again and none of the toads can be sure when he'll wake up again.

Naruto glances to Jiraiya expecting him to look just as confused only to see him look thoughtful, a wave of sadness in his dark eyes that makes his stomach clench.

"Pervy-Sage?" Naruto asks slowly.

Jiraiya startles out of his musings, nodding with a grin as he moves to stand.

"Well, you heard the Great Toad! Before you meet with this Octopus, you need to start on Sage Training. Let's go get that special toad oil on you!"

Naruto nods slowly, moving to stand and follow him. It's on the tip of his tongue to ask if he knows what Gamamaru is talking about, though he isn't sure Jiraiya will give him a proper answer.

He peers back to Gamamaru over his shoulder, startled to see his gold eyes watching him back with a sleepy grin.

Shima and Fukasaku said his predictions always come true no matter how cryptic they sound and he thinks of the 'taking' part of his message again before pushing the thought away to focus.


Hinata

"Kurenai-sensei, you're doing it again."

Hinata gently grabs at her sensei's hands, stops her from once again spiraling back down into balling them up until they're a hot red, picking at her skin and nails until they start to bleed.

She scoots them out of the way of other shoppers trying to get baskets of fruits, wondering how long her teacher has been bottling her feelings like this stuck in her thoughts.

"Sorry, sorry! You're right! I just can't stop this worry. I can't tell Asuma to not take on missions, but the Akatsuki are beyond any S-ranked assignment he's done in the past." She groans, rubbing at her head.

"You don't know if he's going to take it yet for sure. He's just been reading up on the case and collecting data. The group is very secretive, hardly anyone knows who they are and what abilities they have." Hinata regards, studying the afternoon sky.

She imagines Naruto is worried as well, masking his fears with one his usual cherry grins...

Kurenai nods, ready to switch to a different topic.

"How has training been going with Hiashi?"

Hinata shrugs, her silence all the answer Kurenai needs. They've been walking on glass around each other since his disastrous meeting with Hizono, only speaking to discuss safe subjects of meditation, reading, and latest missions.

At nighttime, she does her own research via the old scrolls, asks members of the branch clan if they've ever heard of Hizono.

"Hizono? No, we don't keep records of clan members no longer here in Konoha. They lead lives separate from our own duties and responsibilities for the family and the village." Hizami reasons.

Hinata nods, bowing in thanks, about to turn to leave when he speaks again.

"Why the sudden interest? Does Lord Hiashi plan to do something to the jinchuriki after all?" He questions.

There's a lilt of teasing and cruelty in his tone that makes Hinata straighten, gaze back at him to meet his amused smile head on.

"Naruto. His name is Naruto. And red thread or not, you forget who you're talking to." She reminds him, matches the steel of his voice.

Hizami instantly flusters, his sister Hitomi giggling at his harsh reprimand.

He twists on his heel hurriedly to go while harshly tugging his sister along, mutters angrily under his breath.

"I liked her better when she was just a mouse, the girl who couldn't even fight her sister at full strength."

Within the next week she soon noticed Hizami's face bruised with a constellation of red and purple splotches over lunch and dinnertime. Perhaps Ko, Hanami, Hanabi, or even Neji gave him a talking to after hearing his mutterings, but all remain tight lipped when she asked about his change in appearance.

Still, she hasn't learned anything really...

Hizono came to Father for a reason, surely someone within the clan knew they were going to meet at some point in her training.

And to find out, she needs to improve her genjutsu skills, discover what other secrets Father and the Elders have been keeping from her.

Kurenai leads them to an open field, gestures to the icy tundra of nature surrounding them.

"A Hyuga's best sense is their vision, compromising that will typically be an enemy's goal. Of course, any Hyuga knows this and will do their best to counter any attacks that could mess with their eyes." She starts.

Hinata nods, curious to hear what she has in mind.

"In terms of genjutsu tactics, I would say we need to focus on ones connected to hearing, touch, taste, and especially smell. Hearing can always be blown away while touch and taste require getting too close in range to truly be effective knowing the Hyuga clan's proficiency with taijutsu. Smell though can do more than cause illusions, a particularly potent scent can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, even vomiting under the right circumstances. The only thing you'll have to be aware of is that you yourself could also be caught up in the scent if not careful enough." Kurenai reasons.

Hinata straightens herself in understanding, gestures for her to go on as they slip deeper into a sea of frozen grass and bark.

"We're going to start with simple exercises that will put all of your senses to the test. I'm sure you've done similar practice drills with your Father, but these will focus on activating and dispelling illusions." Kurenai's voice comes from somewhere to her right.

A fine mist starts to coat the area, Hinata readying herself gathering electricity into the tips of her fingers. A curtain of petals sweeps around her, activating her byakugan.

If she plans to attack her sense of sight or smell first, then she needs to keep her wits about her.

Kurenai's body dissolves into hundreds of petals and she calms her breathing feeling each one wrap around her, burning her throat with the sickly sweet scent of vanilla and peony. The ground beneath her starts to quake, seems to be pulling her down like quicksand.

'Relax. Counter with your own paralysis!'

She studies the swirling patterns of each petal, waits to find the opening as they encircle her faster and faster before jabbing her finger forward.

"Lightning release: White Lotus!"

Electric white petals bloom out dispelling the coating of flowers to her skin, Kurenai leaping back before the electricity can coarse throughout her body.

She smiles at her from the tree branches above, nodding.

"Good! Now let's try out an illusion that can truly mess with one's mind."


Sakura

Natsuki recovers just as the first stages of frost along the grasslands starts to melt.

Ryoja and Rumi itch to return to back to Konoha now when they fully awaken from their bouts of long hibernation, to participate in the mating season giving birth to the hundreds wasps that will soon call her body home as well.

"Are you going to leave us soon Fusae?" Natsuki questions one morning, padding after her into the kitchen clinging to her leg. Bright ocean blue eyes shine with curiosity, cheeks ruddy with energy for them to play in the snow or head out to the woods to collect firewood.

Mikiko fusses at her to not be clingy, but Sakura shakes her head knowing that Natsuki has been bedridden for months.

"Yes, you've gotten so much stronger in these weeks I've been here!" Sakura beams, twisting back to her to play with her hair.

She huffs with a pout of her cheeks, turning moody in a way that painfully reminds her of Sasuke...

Sasuke. As promised, she left him to his own devices for the short time he was here in the Land of Honey observing only from a distance. It would've been a struggle to escalate a fight, especially with Kabuto at his side for any backup. She'd heard through the grapevine of the older women at the market and at the butcher by the pharmacy that Kabuto had came for some black market goods, done always in the darkness of the night.

"I wish I could have gotten my hands on that man. Did you see the way he tossed around Kiichiro like a rag doll?! We're driving those illegal markets and folks out of here! I'm tired of asses like him and those of the Land of Keys using our village as a cover!" Matsubara grunts, punching a slab of ground beef harder than necessary.

Sakura nods in agreement, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood to not add in her own thoughts.

The taste of iron distracts, pushes away asking too much that would give away her identity...

"What you can do is perhaps hire some shinobi from the larger areas to guard this region temporarily. It could at least help break-up/disband the markets and suppliers so bandits and rogue ninja have no reason to come here." Sakura suggests.

Matsubara pauses in thought, looking up to her truly for the first time and beams.

"Not a bad idea missy! Hey, you're Fusae; right? The one helping old lady Mikiko and her granddaughter?" He asks.

Sakura nods and Matsubara's expression immediately brightens, reaching for a wrapped pound of ground beef and chicken.

"Here then! No, no, it's on the house! I'm glad to see actual medical nin here doing some good!" He beams, pushing away her ryo.

Heading out of the store from the corner of her eye she sees Shikamaru and Temari interviewing various villagers having arrived a few days after her encounter with Gaara in the market. She notes their closeness without the pair of them even seeming to realize it she suspects as they walk together pointing out information they've collected and scribbled down.

It's wishful thinking, that she and Sasuke will have anything like that one day...

Because her fingers have started to burn like they've been doused in flames, waking up today no longer able to see her red thread just like before.

It's been a difficult winter for everyone in this village, Sakura creating a pack of fermented kombucha drinks to promote digestive health and energy for both Natsuki and Mikiko after she's gone back home.

Natsuki tugs at her leg to regain her attention from stirring at her chicken broth, stomps her feet impatiently.

"You can't go, you can stay and marry Big Brother Tezuka from the village!" She asserts.

Sakura pauses mid-stir, bristling.

Tezuka, Kadomatsu.

A carpenter who's too good looking for his own good with sun-kissed brown locks and watchful gray-blue eyes that always make her think of midnight thunderstorms and endless blizzards. No, he reminds her too much of Sasuke before Orochimaru corrupted him, quiet but still giving her tours around the village on which vendors to trust and which to avoid. He'd send her a rare smile when she could easily climb up the oakwood trees just as fast as him, even faster if she wanted to show off, could bundle up stacks of herbs and chopped wood without breaking a sweat.

Until he abruptly stopped wanting to be near her.

And she being the newest stranger to the village, she figured his sudden coldness was because one shouldn't share too much with an outsider or perhaps his own red thread became wary of him spending too much time with her. More than once though, she's watched or caught him following her back to Mikiko's home from the corner of her eye, unsure whether to speak up and confront him on his abrupt switch in attitude or just let things be.

"Err...I don't think he likes me very much." Sakura gives by way of explanation recalling their latest encounter where he went out of his way to ignore her in the markets and avoid her gaze during her daily strolls collecting info and gossip from the villagers on what's been happening in the other nations.

Natsuki looks taken aback at her answer, curling her fingers around her apron a bit tighter.

"Nuh, uh! I can prove it!" She supplies.

Sakura shakes her head, gestures for her to sit at the table so she can fill her bowl.

'It doesn't matter what Kadomatsu thinks of me, I'll be out of this village before the week is over.'

Her mind has already moved on to what she wants to do for her approaching 15th birthday, how she will spend and save this extra ryo she's earned. Akimaru yips in approval at she serves him an extra long strip of lean beef.

"You earned it, your nose helped me collect that black cohosh and wild elderberries that I would've missed!" She thanks him, scratching between his ears.

She feels Natsuki watching her and excuses herself to prepare a bath for her and Mikiko once she returns from her doctor's appointment.

'Stupid Sasuke, stupid pain.' He knows she's a healer, wonders if he's spitefully used stronger chemicals this time, formaldehydes, and synthetics for their red thread to ensure she would be put at a greater distance from his mind, that her work will be harder to do until she can adjust.

She treks deeper into the woods to get to the now melting lake to collect more water to boil, pausing when she hears a crack of a stomped on branch behind her.

Tezuka.

He regards these forests as a second home, if he isn't at his workshop, he's collecting supplies here on these trails or in the markets.

Sakura half-turns to him, quirks her lips into an amused smirk.

"You've been ignoring me for days then follow me into the forest without announcing yourself?" She asks, straight to the point.

At least Tezuka has the decency to look ashamed, pink engulfing his cheeks. "It's not...I mean, no, you're right. I've been avoiding you without good reason and for that, I apologize. You're not like the other girls in this village Fusae, you aren't afraid to get dirty, have skills akin to both a kunoichi and healer, bring smiles to even the grumpiest old men of this village."

He closes the distance between them then and Sakura feels her chest lurch seeing the change in his eyes, the clearing of the haze on his true intentions.

'No. Please don't, I can't accept your feelings.'

His feelings are for Fusae, a woman who isn't even real...

"I intended to ask you out properly, but then I saw you with that guy in the woods shortly after that attack at the square. A guy clearly from your past, who knew you before you came to this village, knew the secrets you've bottled away from us and I admit I became a bit jealous. I thought ignoring you and pushing you away would quiet my feelings, but it hasn't worked. I kept wondering if he was your red thread, an ex-boyfriend, a lover neither of you could fully let go of...

Sakura sucks in a breath, not wanting to discuss Sasuke, relive that painful moment.

"I figured you were keeping your distance because you had your own red thread. My own is um, complicated." She mentions quietly.

Tezuka shakes his head, his red thread having long since moved away to the Land of Stone shortly after their 13th birthdays. The pain of having his red thread being severed a year later made no difference to him except that he'd been unable to work for that week, her face long since having become a blur.

His fingers brush at her cheek making Sakura stiffen too late for him not to notice. Despite everything, his touch makes her toes curl, makes her picture Sasuke and what he would think if he saw them here and now.

Would he even care?

Tezuka looks at her with an arched brow. "I'm not the one you want though, right?"

Sakura nods, voice a cracked whisper, stepping back from him until her pulse finally no longer throbs in her ears.

"No, I'm sorry; you aren't."


Sakura & Ino

The cherry blossoms in bloom is a signal of change; new beginnings.

For the spring of her 15th year, Shoma takes her into the private lands of the Aburame, shows her the start of silvery-brown forming nests among the greenery, pink and white petals being sucked into the growing hives.

"Ryoja and Rumi tell me you've fed them well enough with what you had during your mission, though they missed the insects and fruits that grow closer to home." She relates.

Sakura chuckles, nodding.

"Well, I just hope their children and fellow associates aren't picky eaters like they are. They've been useful in helping in the research study I plan to conduct on other methods to remove necrotic tissue and perform operations for suspicion of infectious disease and removal of tumors for the more invasive procedures. I'm just waiting to get the greenlight from Lady Tsunade to start asking for live participants." She explains.

Shoma nods, hornet landing on the tip of her nail.

"Just remember not to rush into anything Sakura. Shino tells me while you've gotten better at directing and controlling your insects, but that you tend to push when you should hold back and vice versa."

Sakura squirms, feels a blush coming up.

"Yes ma'am."

She thinks a smile curves up her lips, near impossible to tell with how little the clan shows emotions, watching as she fetches something from her sleeve.

"What's this?" Sakura questions.

Shoma pushes the gift forward. "For your birthday. Shibi stated it would be of good luck to you in your further ventures."

Sakura opens the box slowly revealing a dragonfly necklace, wings shining a greenish-blue in the sunlight. It's too expensive for her to keep she immediately knows, her aquamarine birthstone shining in the middle.

"Keep it, it's more than just a shiny trinket. It can ward away enemies with a sweet scent that can cause headaches should they get too close. It represents all the change and transformation you've undergone in this past year Sakura. Many of our brethren did not believe you would make it and have questioned Shibi's decision to let you in, though you've proved them wrong. I'm sure as well you've heard and even believed some of the rumors at our clan's...oddities outside of missions." Shoma hums, adjusting her shades.

Sakura laughs, fiddling the necklace on.

"Thank you again."

Shino approaches up with tea.

"I say this calls for a celebration. Why? Because it was unprecedented bringing you into our clan to learn our techniques and we're glad to see you stuck it through."

Shoma readily agrees. "I can ask Shibi to bring out the Hercules beetles and tiger beetles! They should be as big as the palm of my hand now, if not more so. I'm sure Sakura would like to get their scent imprinted on her as well."

Sakura nods slowly (not sure when she asked for that, but okay!) accepting the glass, does a double take when she sees honeybee getting a sip in as well.

'Perhaps, I can give them some social tips as well after all they've done for me.' She muses.

The Aburame clan is the only one who probably sees nothing wrong with bringing insects to a party.

Later she decides to search out her best friend, tired of delaying what's been niggling in the back of her mind this whole time.

Finding Ino isn't as easy of a task after checking all her favorite stores, she must still be at the Yamanaka Flower Shop working.

It's been months since they've seen each other face to face, each picking at each other's old and new features as soon as Sakura enters the backroom of the flower shop.

"Well Forehead, you're still flat as ever!" Ino remarks as she twists in her seat, looks at her up and down.

"And those fat thighs of your haven't changed either Pig!" Sakura answers without missing a beat.

A silence overtakes them, Ino moving to stand holding out her arms.

"Okay, how long are you going to just stand there without giving me a hug?!" She questions.

Sakura snorts but bounds over to her eagerly, giggling. "It's my birthday, incase you forgot! Geez, I thought you would have more free time to hang out and catch up!"

Ino leans back from her, blue eyes bright. "Ooh, now that sounds like gossip! And there's so much to talk about like Choji's red thread possibly being in the Land of Lightning, Shikamaru's change in behavior when Temari is brought up. Even that teammate of yours Naruto I've heard has been having secret meetings with Hinata! Ugh, though my Dad has me here manning the shop until he comes back from one of those Analysis team meetings with Lady Tsunade."

She pats the open stool beside her, Sakura plopping down taking in how the greenhouse has grown in her absence, fauna stretching out a few extra feet. Yellow daffodils and blue iris sit on display to her left, orders ready to be picked up or delivered out.

"So, what's up? You have that look in your eyes of something big." Ino asks between snipping at thorns of a bouquet of red roses. This could be another gift for Kurenai-sensei from Asuma-sensei she imagines, or perhaps something more scandalous going by Ino's happy hum to herself.

Sakura watches her for a moment, grabbing at an extra set of scissors to help.

"Don't...Don't think less of me for what I want to ask you." Sakura whispers.

Ino pauses, sets down her shears to meet her eye to eye.

"...What happened in the Land of Honey?"

Sakura blinks, stomach twisting at how much she should say, but Ino knows her so well and lying won't help her to get to agree to this.

"Sasuke. I met him again before he dampened his red thread once more. He said I don't know anything about him and he's right, so I want to change that."

Ino's brows furrow, looping their arms together heading for the front of the store.

"Mom, going to take a 5 minute break with Sakura to grab some lunch!" She yells out, tossing off her apron. In the distance they hear he shout back an "Okay. 5 minutes young lady, not an hour!"

It's been raining Sakura notes as they move along the cobblestone streets, patches of gray clouds intermixed with the blue sky. It does little to quell the churning in her gut, perhaps this is a bad idea.

"Spill it! You want me to do something dangerous, right?" Ino murmurs once they're out of the crowds.

Sakura nods, stopping them in place.

"There's a man named Akio Takita who received mental health treatment a few years ago from both the best doctors at Konoha's central hospital and the Yamanaka clan for what he saw on the night of the Uchiha clan massacre. As far as I know from looking at his file, he retired from the police force and completed a few sessions with an assigned therapist, attended two PTSD meetings before abruptly stopping with no explanation to anyone. He didn't return phone calls from the nurses or doctors assigned to his case, but it's believed he still lives here in the village from speaking with a cousin of his." She starts, licking her lips, recalling how she spent over an hour scouring over his file.

"I want...I want to tap into his memories, the ones he's forgotten and kept locked away." Sakura finishes.

Cerulean orbs sharpen, Ino digging her nails into her palm creating a scattering of crescents. "Sakura! Are you actually asking me to use the mind transfer jutsu on this guy? It's extremely dangerous to attempt to pry open locked memories without reason or authorization, especially ones caused from extreme stress or trauma!"

Sakura nods, squeezing her hand back.

"I know, I know! If I can see what he saw that night somehow though, it could give me an idea of what Sasuke has been dealing with all this time. It could even possibly give me clues to why his brother Itachi did the massacre in the first place."

Ino clicks her tongue, weighing with the idea.

"You'll have to find Takita yourself to see if he'll even agree, but if you can get him on board then yes, I'll help you."

Sakura breathes a sigh of relief, the hardest part is upon her now.

He is one of but a few men still alive who may know the full truth about the Uchiha massacre.

But she can't be sure he'll ever want to or even be willing to break open long kept secrets from that fateful night...

-x-


My thoughts on Sakura this chapter is she's being both helpful and selfish, I'm curious where people think she's leaning more towards right now and moving forward. It's the catalyst for all her future interactions with Sasuke! Anyways, enough about them for now!

Back to more Naruto/Hinata in the beginning stages of the time skip next chapter! I'm excited for the few missions they'll be on before the Akatsuki start to slip more into the story. Let me know your thoughts as always!

I saw I got nominated for NaruHina month on Tumblr from BornOnTheBreakOfDawn telling me! Thanks to everyone who did that, that made my vacation lol! Happy Holidays as well! We're almost at 300 follows!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!