The invasion of Kyuubi -the beast's name- had damaged Konoha seriously. Half the village was crushed, one third of the population became dirt and dust, both combatants and noncombatants. Like it was not bad enough, Death rose it's s scythe, stole the Fourth and his dear wife away from Konoha. They were the heroes, people talked to each others, sadness painted their voice, they sacrificed themselved in that fateful night. The Third, who once again had carried the burden of Hokage on his head, spent 3 days just to search and collect all the corpses, no matter how... disgusted they looked. After that, one big funeral had been provided for those unlucky people. Blood smeared the wall and death carved the name on the hard face of Memorial Stone.

Not just affected them badly, mentally and emotionally, the events slaughtered Konoha's economic. If not for the support of the merchants, the Great Clans and the outside companies, Konoha would had fallen down to pieces and could never return to it maleficent glory.

Yound and old, women and men, they all knew that it would be a long journey for Konoha to heal all the wounds Kyuubi created (Not in the heart. Never the heart. Grief is such a complex creature), but they would get through it.

Tomorrow will come, and life will be better.

Everyone in the village held the belief in their heart, an eternal fire, and leaned on it to continue, to grow strong, to build up their soul and home. Days go by, and they come back as the strongest village, again.

Isn't it wonderful, how belief can make people cross the sea, break mountain, fight against storm?

Just 3 years, Sakura thinks, her eyes scans the new house Kizashi bought 1 month after that day, a very lovely apartment with minty wall, traditional furnitures, a whole big green garden, 3 years, and things have already changed so much. Humans are so unbelievable. Enigmatic. Tricky.

(Belief is powerful. Pearl says. So powerful that it also can break you forever.

I know.

Sakura remembers it, after all. But it's the past of Pearl. She is Opal now, she has to focus on the present. On her curent Masters, not her (Pink Pink Pink Amazing Pink) luxurious Diamond. )

She changes too. All the small scratches, bruises she got in that day has gone now, not leaving behind any scar on the sensitive young skin. (Large, deep crack ran down where the gem used to be) Her hair is long now, reaches the lower back, a pure pink sheet like the beautiful flower which she is named after. The baby fat's still there, but only a little, causes Sakura's cheeks to look chubby and adorable.

"A chipmunk." Kizashi jokes sometime. "A

pink baby chipmunk. The most adorable one. So cute that it bake my happy~"

She disagrees, because chipmunks don't have green eye. She can't bake him into a cake too. Humans don't eat humans. But she likes her eye. To correct it, it's the second feature of her face that she adores deeply. More than just plain green, it's the kind of green that stands out in a whole white field, that brings life back to the boring, blank view and shines like a beacon of hope. Not to mention the Opal. The Gem is a weird sight to look at, if you really pay attention to it. There is an iris in the middle of the gem, a drop of color surrounded by white, looks more and more like a real eye when Sakura grows up. But it is so clear, like a mirror, and the white parts of her Gem still slightly pink.

At least it's enough to fool humans, so she's fine with that.

(Pink Pearl's eye was not pink. Not like other pink gems.

It was green. The kind of green you only saw on Emeralds or Jade. Stood out in the sea of pink color.

It was different. It was wrong. Defective.

She loved it.)

This body is like a better version of Pink Pearl, Sakura thinks, still, there are some touches of an Amethyst and a…human's baby. Round nose, pinkish lips, soft warm skin…..

She wonders when she grows up, how will she look like? Tall or short? Human-like or gem-like? Musular or thin or both? Will she be like the Opal of Pi-Crystal Pearl, or she will be an unique version? Sakura doesn't dare to hope.

Deep down, she really wants to be human, like the gem who called Renji, even if she knows she can't. Renji is human-like, but Sakura isn't. She wants to be something….extraordinary. Something that's.….wonderful.

(Not like White Pearl. Never, ever like White Pearl. Never White.)

Time will tell.

Right now, Sakura's priority, is to become the good daughter her Masters ask for.

"Sakura-chan~"

"Yes mother." Responce to them with respect.

"Baby, comes here to Mama." Mebuki waves her, cheerfully. Sakura does like she said dresses her up in a cream rose ballet dress, red roses details sewed along it. She braids her hair with ribbon, keeps it in space with a beautiful silver hairpin. Soft, silver shoes hug her small foot, make her steps light and her dancing adroitly.

Do humans always love playing doll?

(Maybe humans are no much different than Gems, both want to show off their fancy and fame through an object.)

She looks adorable, some will say spoiled or too much pink. Sakura doesn't care. She can't never be too much Pink.

"It's time to go out now. Are you excited?"

"Yes mother." She answers, head down, hands clasped in front of her lap, voice soft and lyrical. The mother, believes it's just her daughter's adorable quirk, doesn't think about the fact that her treasure always walks behind her or never calls her Mama, simply smiles proudly and begins the walk to Konoha Park.

A servant is just a servant. Don't overstep your limits. Sakura reminds herself, carefully keeps the distance between the woman and her.

(Walk with grace and sing with beauty)

Mebuki walks to the somewhere called park near their houses, a green space with lots of trees and children. Noisy. Loud.

Sakura likes this kind rumpus.

"You will meet a lot of friends. Be nice ok?" The female pushes her daughter to a bunch of young children, who look just as her's body age (No one can be as old as her mind). "Now go. I will be there with my friends. Don't go too far, ok? Have fun, Sakura-chan."

"Yes, mother."

Sakura watches her mother's back until it blends in with other adult. She, very reluctantly, turns around, looks at the cheering group with a scowl on her cute face.

…..What is fun, actually?

No opinion. The voice, Amethyst, very helpfully singsongs.

Sighs at her lack of knowledge, Sakura decides to just sit down on a swing nearby and observes the baby humans playing around. From their bratty behaviour to their expression.

If she wants to be human, she has to know how human acts and feels. So what can be a better way to learn it rather than watching her objects on their daily routines.

She will be what Mebuki and Kizashi want. And they won't get rid of her.……

Like how she did.

Because I was not good. I was a failure. Disaster. An insult to the Diamonds' names. I have to be punished.

But she promised.

The air is warm, a pleasant temerature, wind is singing a wordless melody of the nature. Trees rustle, whisper quietly, cloaks her in the safety of shadow and the specific scent of the forest. Wet dirt, sweet floral, old leaves……..

("You are so amazing Pearl!! So cool!!"

"I love you!!"

"I will never let them take you away, Pearl! You are my Pearl, my only Pearl."

My Diamond…….

I trusted you. So I would wait for you.

"Pearl!! No!! What have I done?! I am sorry Pearl please Pe-"

Forgave me for screwing up my duty. But…but…You would come back for me right? You told me that, and I trusted you. I promised I would be good, be better, be the best servant ever. White Diamond fixed me. She said I was the image of what a Pearl should be now, so would you come back?

"Hm….You are wrong. A beautiful Pearl, but not the best one. Such a dissapointment."

Long fingernail tracked down her form, blinding light took away the color, leaving behind an empty shell. She cried, she begged. Useless. Useless Pearl.

"Now now, worry not, little Pearl. Soon, soon, you will be perfect under my hand."

Please My Diamond…. PLeASe…

Her mind was dull, blank, broken, a white mist wrapped the pink world tightly, tearing it apart. Her form changed into a robotic pose, fuchsia tears streaming down her face, lips twisted into a smile.

Pearl was smiling. Pearl was crying.

PLeaSe…….caMe bACk..….P-PiNK…WouLd be….GO..o…d………)

Her eyes are open, but her mind is nowhere in this world. People never notice the little pink girl sitting there, alone, on the swing, with too old eyes and dreamy face. If they do, they won't believe she is real, though, for her body is blurring in the shadow, trembling slightly. Sorrow tainted her aura, the agony from eons of torment choking her painfully, so much that a tiny body can't not contain it all.

People can't feel it, but nature can. The trees weeps, bless their merciful heart, for her scars, for her lost. Fallen leaves kiss her with their torn side, fresh air caresses her dried-tears strained face, calming the chaos that is her heart back to their peace.

Again, Sakura lets the forest leads her to a world where there she is free and the gem is whole. A world she builds in her mindscape, with roses and ice and fire and shadow and color and shattered pieces. She makes it all up, her safe place, so that she can escape from this cruel reality and hope for a better tomorrow.

(All just a sweet illusion.

Never true to begin.

When will she be free?)

The wind roars, again, this time, full of rage and paim. It has heard something from the Ancient Tree, and it's crying for the future ahead the little Opal path.

Sakura closes her eyes. Her gem burns, for no reason. The Pink on her feels so light and un-Pink.

(White)

She smiles, again, tired and cracked.

There is no Happy Ending, for a bleaching gem.

There is no Happy Ending, for her.