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A single drop of water had splashed onto the blue rivers of the midnight moon. The pink-haired kunoichi suddenly woke up with her eyes wide open as she sat up. She slowly looked around the surroundings, filled with wonder and awe.
"Where am I?" She asked herself in mind and stood up on her feet to walk ahead in the middle of the mountain forest. "I've never seen this place before. Gosh, please don't tell me I'm dreaming."
Then, a white light appeared in the sky and was descending like a speck of dust. It was pure gold and spoke out its voice of an angel.
"You're not. You are in a world of trance. I'm Crystal, by the way," she introduced gently and said. "Come, follow me. There's someone who wants to meet you."
"Who?" Sakura asked blankly in puzzlement.
"Hehehe. You'll see once we get there. It's only 1.5 kilometers away from here to there," Crystal said giggling happily as they both were crossing the bridge, passing by the river lake and continue to head through the forest.
"So... I'm just in a hypnotic state, then?" The pink-haired kunoichi asked confusedly.
"Yup. But don't worry, it's just like experiencing between consciousness and unconsciousness," Crystal explained shortly with a smile.
"I see... Am I going to die?" Sakura asked softly.
"Hah. Don't be silly. Of course not, you are here because your soul has subconsciously traveled here. You are seeking for answers, right? Then, you've made the right decision," she said as they were strolling on the path they were following.
During that time, everyone else was still trapped inside the barrier while they were eating extra food and drinking water bottles on the ground. The rest of them were sleeping on the ground since they don't have beds to sleep on.
"Jeez... This sucks. If it wasn't for that girl, maybe we wouldn't be having this problem," one of the young teenage girls remarked.
"Yeah, honestly," her friend agreed and sighed tiredly.
"Ugh. Stop whining and complaining. We will be getting out of this cage. We just have to wait for the other shinobi to figure this out," the young man pointed out as he placed his hand upon his right cheek.
On the other hand, Baki and the rest of the jounin leaders were planning a strategy that can break the walls of the barrier. He was writing down and highlighting the ones who will be in the position to perform their techniques effectively.
"Now, I know this is going to be a lot of work for all of us. But I believe that we are able to defeat them," he said reassuringly.
"But, sir! They are from the Akatsuki. Certainly, that Sakura Haruno is..." the jounin trailed off of his words as he thought about what happened.
"Never mind that. The fifth Kazekage and his siblings will take care of her. We don't know how she ended up joining with them. But after this, we will find out," Baki said and continued on, ordering. "Okay, you know where you guys are, right? Head out to your positions, immediately."
"Right!" They saluted in unison and quickly flashed out of his sight as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Shikamaru met up and they were both running inside the tunnels to head towards the cave where their friends are.
"Are you sure we're traveling-" The blonde-haired asked in doubt but got interrupted.
"Yes, I'm sure. Look, we should've been aware by the fact that Sakura's going insane. But we can't blame her for her loss of self-control," the jounin leader said.
"Just why... Why is this happening to her? More likely, the Akatsuki are after her. That's bullshit," Naruto sneered.
"Well, it's not just that. The girl also claimed herself to be the new 'Sakura Haruno,'" Shikamaru said quietly.
The blonde-haired ninja's eyes widened in shock and said angrily. "What...?! That's impossible. How could someone say that? She must be a fake."
"Yeah. It's hard to be convinced that she's the real one. But as a matter of fact, I think we both know that Sakura would never join the Akatsuki and threaten the whole village. Besides, she's far different from them."
"Absolutely. Sakura is the kind of friend that other people need. She's helpful most of the times and smart when it comes to answering questions," Naruto stated while thinking about the thought of her.
"No doubt about that. Anyway, we better hurry and find Gaara and the others," the jounin leader noted.
"Yeah," the blonde-haired ninja nodded in agreement as they both were running a quick pace without stumbling on one of the rocks on their sides.
Back in the world of trance, Crystal and Sakura were still walking through the forest and almost see the essence of nature in front of them.
"Yay. Just a few more steps," the magical golden dust squealed in excitement.
The pink-haired kunoichi gasped in surprise as they've finally arrived, saying. "Wow... This is amazing..."
"Yup!" Crystal said in delight and continued on. "We have to wait here until she responds."
Sakura nodded in silence and stood in the edge of the ground near the bright blue rivers with galactic stars all over them.
"Just in time," the tree spoke when a blue flame sparked.
"M'lady, I did what you asked. She's right here now," Crystal said as she introduces Sakura in front of her.
"Um, hello. My name is..." The pink-haired kunoichi got cut off when she paused herself.
"Sakura Haruno. Yes, I've heard about you. Crystal always talks about you every day while you were away for 17 years. Remember me, I'm Serulata," she stated softly.
"Really? Oh, I guess I haven't heard or traveled here for those decades. I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't been making any connections with you," Sakura bowed her head down with an apology.
"It's alright, my dear. I understand what you are going through lately. It must be hard for you and your friends," Serulata said gently.
"Hmm... I just don't know what is happening right now, you know. Ever since I passed out from releasing a huge amount of chakra, I think I've been training so much," the pink-haired kunoichi explained when she gazed off into space sadly.
"I know... That is why you are here. But that is not the only reason why you collapsed so suddenly. It's something else," the white blossom tree noted.
"What is it?" Sakura asked her in puzzlement.
"There's someone else that you haven't seen yet. She's just like you. Aside from that, she also joined the Akatsuki and I've heard that she is planning to take over your whole being. Your whole existence... She's none other than..." Serulata paused for a moment and said carefully. "Inner Sakura."
The pink-haired kunoichi got startled for a moment with a gasp. Her eyes were glistening intensely, then she started to question with a slight stutter. "But how... H-how is that possible...?! Is that why I haven't been hearing her voice for the past two years...?"
"Indeed. She's consumed with hate, anger, and pride. With Sasuke leaving the village had caused her to feel those things, which had an impact on her. Perhaps, she felt abandoned, unloved, unappreciated, and hurt, just like you. But you are the one who controls those emotions," Serulata explained clearly.
Sakura, on the other hand, approaches her and stared deeply, asking. "Now what... What am I going to do...? I've let her take control... I've let her take advantage of me and tried to hurt my friends... I admit..." She trailed off of her words when she closed her eyes, then reopened them to reveal her tears falling from her green eyes filled with emptiness. "I'm weak... I tried to be strong for everybody around me. I act so differently from them... The truth is, I was never strong enough to be where I should be... I just want to be the best kunoichi that they all expect me to be. I want to be recognized as a strong one, just like Lady Tsunade. I feel pressured since my friends are improving ahead of me." She then placed her hand upon her chest where her heart is pounding and continued on. "You don't know how much it hurts that every day I wake up, I always compare myself to the other girls... You don't know how much it hurts when I always think to myself that I'm not good enough. You don't know what it feels like to live with a normal life and not have so many changes... When I look in the mirror, I see myself useless..."
All of a sudden, Sakura began to sob uncontrollably as she dropped down onto her knees while she was holding herself together. Her tears had fallen on the ground until a few soft white flowery petals were shifting against her to look up to the tree.
"My dear, I do know... I do know everything. It saddens me to see you suffer like this and go through these struggles on your own. Sure, your friends and your mentors may have helped you along the way. But you are the only one who is capable and willing to overcome those obstacles. Sakura, dear... Open your hands," Serulata said softly and watches her do what she had told her to do. "I will now give you this gift. It is another pendant, so take it."
"Why?" The pink-haired kunoichi asked in confusion after her tears have dried up from her cheeks.
"Because this will strengthen you... And your faith..." The white blossom tree answered gently.
"Faith..." Her voice echoed through her mind in repeat.
From that point on, Sakura flashed her eyes open, revealing the true sign of renewal strength and determination. That was the moment that she became wide awake. She then gripped her hands tightly into a fist, including her feet as the bright green aura was swirling around her body.
She was finally released from the bonds of chains, much to everyone's astonishment.
Deidara and the white Zetsu didn't even know what to expect, whereas Dark Sakura glared at her in spite.
"What?! How is that possible?! She can't be awake!" The white Zetsu questioned in disbelief.
"Ugh. Very unusual, yeah," Deidara commented in annoyance.
"Argh! You two! Just go and execute her now!" Dark Sakura ordered hastily and vanished in a quick flash out of the area to move into a different spot, then watches the scene in front of her.
Gaara and the others were stunned for a moment and they decided to help their friend out.
"Alrighty, but first. We got to get rid of some pests here," Deidara chided when he glanced maliciously at the red-haired Kazekage and his siblings with a smirk. He pulled out three chunks of clay and automatically transform them into medium sized bombs, which he quickly threw them up in the air.
As the bombs made a loud explosion, an invisible bright green force had gravitated the smoke away from them.
The Sand Siblings were surprised to see the pink-haired kunoichi pulling up a defense that protected them.
"Sakura..." Temari murmured softly.
The pink-haired kunoichi, however, did not turn over her shoulder, except that she only stared at them calmly in the corner of her eyes.
The red-haired Kazekage was watching her taking charge against Deidara and the White Zetsu, using her new ninjutsu.
She activated the pendant on her hand, exclaiming out loud. "White-Blossom Crane! Unleash!"
A huge star appeared through the ceiling, dissolving into pieces of the golden speck of magic dust below her.
Then, it transforms into a giant crane that spreads its wings with a huge cry out the call of a shrill.
The bird was flying in the air as it enters through Sakura's body, which she has now possessed the power of the true blossom's spirit.
TO BE CONTINUED...