Sasuke swung his legs idly off the engawa; if he stretched his limb just enough a raindrop would greet his toes. It was gray and dull, the kind of weather that made him want to skip training and melt into his sheets.
"And then?" he said, his attention back on his mother.
"Well then, the Uchiha and Senju became friends. They work together to defeat and take over the Sound Village. In a way, Sound's plans to attack our clans hurt them and helped us because it forced us to join forces," Mikoto grinned down at Sasuke.
"So Sakura's Oto-san was...?"
"He was your Oto-san's friend, more than a friend," Mikoto nodded, "He was a comrade and he recently passed away, which is why your Oto-san decided to take in Sakura-chan."
Mikoto reached out to cuddle Sasuke. He was an affectionate little boy, but Uchiha men had a way of hardening as they grew older. For now, though, Mikoto could enjoy his doe eyes and little giggles.
The conversation lulled and they sat in silence for a while, one was deep in her thoughts while the other was starting to fall asleep. There were only a few times in the head family's life where they could lounge like this, the rest of their moments were filled with shinobi duties and clan expectations.
"Listen," Mikoto said gently, breaking the quiet, "Please take care of Sakura-chan, she has lost someone very dear to her. She's going to be your friend, your comrade, and your partner. You two must always look out for each other."
"Hai, okaa-san. I promise," Sasuke yawned. The pit-pat of rain was the last thing he remembered.
Sakura's eyebrows scrunched at a small lapse of concentration that caused her chakra to flicker, she was more tired than she initially thought.
"All done," she smiled, patting the little girl's head, "Next!"
She had been traveling for a few days now, stopping at each decimated village or wandering caravan and offering her services for free. Sometimes they gave her food or housing as thanks, which Sakura gladly accepted. She wasn't exactly running low on money as unlike her mentor, she was a little more frugal and preferred the stability of saving over the risks of gambling.
After arriving at the village, Sakura immediately began working on the severe cases of unfortunate villagers who happened to be close to the battle before moving on to treat the rest. The village had been decimated by another skirmish that had moved farther into society than intended, leaving many homeless.
"Keep it elevated for a few days and then come back and Haru-san can check on it then," she said to a farmer.
"Will you be leaving soon then?" Haru asked eyeing her.
Haru Sato was the only doctor in town and although he cared deeply for the villagers, having grown up there himself, he was still a civilian doctor and these were shinobi-level wounds. His clinic was small and he only had basic supplies. Luckily, it was still warm out and they could set up cots outside, despite the sanitary hazards, and Sakura packed heavy, with enough supplies to perform more complicated procedures
"I will," Sakura nodded, ushering another patient in and dropping her voice, "I'm sure there are other towns affected too."
He nodded in understanding, helping Sakura with another splint. The Land of Fire was no longer a peaceful nation, it was broken and so were its people with battle after battle and endless bloodshed.
"Sakura-san please, let me finish the rest of the patients. My nurse can keep an eye on the others, there's a small tavern with rooms available I am sure the owner will let you stay," Haru insisted.
Sakura hesitated. She had already let her chakra levels drop low enough to have Shishou yelling about a medic-nin's expectations. Her patients were stable for now and if she kept up this rate she would not have enough chakra for another emergency. And technically it is better to let broken bones heal by themselves...
"Alright," she nodded moving to clean up.
Sakura made her way down the village, noting the makeshift tents and boarded-up windows. It was a common picture she had witnessed in her travels, but at the same time she had seen the other side, like the Land of the Wind and Suna where her mentor's rival lived. The village had been beautiful and exotic and it made Sakura yearn for the long-gone Konoha.
As Haru-san had said the old lady at the tavern was more than welcoming. She led Sakura to a tiny room with a bathroom, which Sakura nearly sprinted into after days of traveling. With freshly washed hair and new clothes, she now came at an impasse of going down for a meal (and possibly a drink?) or just sleeping off the hunger pangs.
"A drink it is," she mumbled, she was more like Shishou than she thought.
The tavern was small and semi-crowded with forlorn faces and heated discussions. She sat down at the farthest corner of the bar, ordering the first thing she saw on the tattered menu and some sake.
"I'm telling you its the future!" a man banged his fists somewhere behind her.
Sakura drowned out their drunken ramblings. It was her first time in the Land of Fire in years and she was already regretting her decision. She didn't know what made her come back, maybe I should see Shishou again.
It had been a while since she had seen her mentor; she had been so busy she had not realized that two springs had passed since she said goodbye to Tsunade-shishou and Shizune. After living for so long suppose, the years have started to merge together; the curse of being a part of the founding family.
"Oi, I'm telling you, it's him," the same man insisted with a shout.
"Don't be stupid. Uchiha Sasuke died during the massacre as did the rest of the clan," the man tsked.
Sakura stiffened, holding her head in her hands. Her first week back and the false rumors had already started.
"No listen to me!" shaking his friend, "He wasn't there that night. He has been training and gathering his forces these years! He can stop all of this!" exaggeratingly waving his hand in the air.
"Enough," Sakura said standing up, her front slightly turned to them but her anger was coming off in waves enough for her fists to shake and the man to quiet down.
The mans eyes widened, "M-miss?."
This is why she had never came back. The Land of Fire was filled with ghosts and false hope. It had been years since that night, when another family of hers had been destroyed.
Sakura walked away, ignoring the stares penetrating her back as she left. Her appetite was gone and she wanted to go to bed; her bones felt weary and suddenly the years she had lived felt heavy on her shoulders.
"Wait!"
She sensed him before he shouted, but did not make an effort to slow down.
"Miss, I know you- you're the healer," the man said calling after her, "You don't believe me, but please their camp is north of here. Follow the river and go east after the fall."
For years upon years she had followed these rumors around like a dog chasing its tail. It was useless, all imposters using the Uchiha name, her family's name, to claim land or wealth. It was able to trick the villages and it was able to trick her.
Sakura got back to her room, tears pricking the corner of her eyes. Suddenly she was a little girl again waiting for Sasuke-kun outside the academy after his class, latching on to him every second she got, begging Oka-san to brush her, and Itachi-nii to carry her on his shoulders.
Her memories were filled with ghosts.
"Thank you again for coming Haruno-san!" The nurse exclaimed, with a pile of dirty sheets in her hand.
Sakura smiled at the nurse sweetly and patted her elderly patient's hand. Another village filled with devastation, although this one had been spared overall. Since the fall of the Uchiha clan fifty years ago, the Land of Fire had turned into a war zone of small lords and random uprisings preventing peace.
But Sakura was not after revenge, after all no one knew who exactly caused the fall of the Uchihas. The only thing she had left from that bloody night was her tattered engagement kimono and the heirloom Oka-san had thrusted in her hand before knocking her out.
"I should head out," Sakura smiled, getting up from her seat. After once again fixing broken bones and tending to some of the elderly, she had much of her day left to her. She could go to another village, or perhaps she could stay and take a break.
"Oh, sorry Haruno-san, just one more!" The nurse rushed over, indicating the teenager in the corner. He must have just come in and was holding his arm limply while he animatedly spoke to his friend.
Sakura nodded and walked over, noting how every cot in the ward was filled but healed. If there was one thing Sakura was it was competent.
"Good afternoon! I'm Haruno Sakura, what's your name?" she said as she reached his bed. Sakura took a seat on a stool by the young patient and his friend causing the boys' faces to light up.
"Kenji" He said red as he inadvertently brought his arm closer, "I hurt my wrist training, its not so bad though," he stated proudly.
His friend grinned devilishly, "Not so bad huh? You were balling your eyes out," he said purposely trying to embarress friend, "I'm Shin!"
Sakura tsked, but smiled anyway, reaching her hand forward to scan his wrist. It was a simple sprain that she healed in a few seconds; if she hadn't been here, however, it might have taken a week with the meager resources and skills available in the village.
"Woah," Kenji said fisting his wrist and rotating it. He examined his wrist like it was a novelty.
"How does that feel?," Sakura nodded, gently grabbing his wrist as well and ensuring it had restored its mobility.
"All good, no pain at all!" The boy explained with a grin.
Sakura giggled, "I'm glad, please be more careful. How did you hurt it in the first place?"
The boys friend gave him a side glance, "We were training..." Shin spoke hesitantly, clearly their parents had forbidden it.
Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Training for what exactly?"
Kenji jammed a thumb into his chest, "We're joining the resistance! The true leaders of the Land of Fire to stop the war and take back our lands."
Sakura's eyebrows shot up the her forehead, "The resistance?"
"Of course," the boys nodded their head simultaneously. Sakura's heart dropped almost as if her brain had been expecting what they would say next.
"Uzumaki-sama and Uchiha-sama will train us, we can be shinobi!" Kenji exclaimed, but then dampened down, "We don't have any chakra, but they said anybody could join."
Sakura felt the wind knock out of her. Uzumaki-sama could only be Naruto. Sakura nearly frowned, the last time she had seen Naruto was years ago when Tsunade and Jiraya had "accidentally" bumped into each other once again. The blonde boy was energetic and wild and had built quite the reputation for himself; there was no way anyone could impersonate Naruto. But then that would mean...
Sakura jumped up startling the boys, "Haruno-san?"
She rushed out of the clinic without saying goodbye. She might be making a fool out of herself again, but she had to know.
Sasuke
Sasuke
"Sasuke!"
The black haired boy jerked awake, his nightmares of soft pink and biting red plaguing him once again.
"Oi Sasuke-teme! I've been calling you forever!" the blonde said agitated, whipping the blankets off.
"Shut up Naruto," Sasuke growled standing up and shoving the blond boy away.
"That's enough beauty sleep," a man spoke through his mask, his messy silver hair framed his crinkled eye, "It's time to train."
This is completely unedited and unplanned. I put my thoughts down and went with the flow. I'll probably come back and edit later, but I'm impulsive and excited and wanted to post. I love a good reunion story :D
