Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Music I borrow!

Music: Welcome to My Life by Simple Plan

"I'll trust you for now, but give me any doubts at all, and your butt is mine!"

"Deal."

An hour later…

"Wow, Julian, you were right, there are temples…" I said breathlessly as we combed our way through the dense forest that appeared to be untamed to mankind.

He just laughed, "You should really learn to trust me, Sakura, it will probably be the only way to survive out here!" But even though that was meant as a joke, I some how saw a hidden meaning to it…or was I just being paranoid?

When we finally made it up to the temple entrance, I was beat. "Cheese, isn't there a short cut to the place?!" as I clasped to the ground, next to Julian's feet as I admired my surroundings.

"No, I'm afraid not young lady. It's meant to keep trespassers out and loyalty in!!"

I looked up at the new voice that joined us. It was an elderly man who had a soft face with years of knowledge and wisdom etched into it. I stood up.

"Sakura, I want you to meet my teacher and foster parent, Lawrence. Master Lawrence, I'm honored to introduce you to Haruno, Sakura of Konoha." said Julian with a goofy grin. Some how I suspected I wasn't suppose to meet the 'master' just yet.

Lawrence just gave him a weary look before turning his full attention to me. "Um...hiya! It's a great honor to be here and to meet you." I stated as I bowed.

"I believe it. Julian, you found the next Dragon."

I then looked up to notice the proud look on Julian's face and Lawrence's look of relief and happiness.

"Um...excuse me?" I inquired.

The old man looked at me and said, "Child, you come from a well breed line of great shinobi. You are the last remain heir. You are the Dragon! You are the chosen one. You will break the curse. And it would be my greatest honor if you allow me to help you in your training to master it."

I just nodded my head in false understanding and past out. So much for a first impression!

Later that Night…

When I finally came too, I found myself in a very prestigious room that looked to be out of usage until just recently. All over the walls were draws/ painting of women and dragons. It was surprisingly peaceful and calming. Like the two creatures were one and the same; almost like the two were in an eternal dance against evil.

'How strange' I thought, 'That two unlikely of creatures should share the same bondage.' Unfortunately I was so caught up in my thoughts that I some how missed and old man from coming into my room. No, not Jiraya you pervs!!

"I see that you are awake." said Lawrence as he sat down some tea for me on the night stand next to my bed. He then pulled up a chair and sat across from me.

"I'm terribly sorry about this afternoon. I'm afraid that this old bag of bones just got too excited over this greatness, that I didn't even consider your welfare. So allow me to explain my excitement and what you've got to do with it."

He then looked to me for approval before he continued. This time when I nodded my head, I didn't faint.

"Very well." He cough, "It all started along, long time ago in the clan of Tatsuya, the Dragons. It was said that this particular clan was so great that they could not only wield the power of dragons, but control them as well. But this was considered a myth to most because so few of the clan members had such power, but the ones that did, concealed it from outsiders in fear of persecution. And this would continue on throughout the generations, up until Tatsuya, Meiyo.

"Tatsuya, Meiyo was the grandchild of the head of the clan. Her beauty was beyond comparison, envied by most girls, wanted by some suitors, feared by all, wanted by few villains, and only loved by two.

I interrupted here. "What, dragons, as in the real things? Loved by two??" He shook his head, "'Dragons were like chakras in a way to the people, but with more power and more specific at which element the user could control. And I was about to get to your next question."

"Yes, she was loved by two; her grandfather and her best friend, Taku. See her parents died during a battle that was going on between their clan and another's, but that comes up later.

"So young Meiyo was raised by her grandfather and she grew up with Taku. All was good for her, except for her unnatural ability to control actual dragons. She could tame them all: water, fire, earth, air, wood, metal etc. Never was it known for a Tatsuya to control all beast, but she could. The clan lived in constant fear of her, believing that she would terminate the all for more power.

"Meiyo, knowing their thoughts and always in ear shot of their rumors, spaced herself out from them in hopes of one day of acceptance. But until that day, she would always have her grandfather and Taku.

"Later, some time around Meiyo's eighteenth birthday, a young girl moved into the village and caught Taku's eye. Mieyo was happy for Taku for finding love, but sad as well, because over a course of time, Meiyo had fallen in love with her best friend.

'Oh, I hate this story already. It's too damn familiar.' I thought to myself.

"As time went on, Taku spent more and more time with this young girl and eventually proposed to her." 'Jerk!' I thought of Taku, and then a raven- haired boy back at Konoha, 'Damn them all!'

"When Meiyo heard the newest, she was devastated. She locked herself up in her room and cried for days." 'Why does this story have to be so much like mine?' I whined to my self.

"Finally, fed up with her constant crying, Meiyo performed a jutus to stop her true emotions for showing. Unfortunately, she was unable to perform the last seal before Taku came to see her, and she messed up. True to the jutus, her emotions stayed hidden, but from her face, but if you noticed the weather, it would follow her mood."

"Huh?"

"If it rained, it meant Meiyo was trying to cry. If it was sunny, she was happy. If it was cloudy, then she was more than likely pissed of by some dobe"

"Oh, I get it now! You can continue." Lawrence coughed once more and took a quick sip of his tea that he brought in.

"finally, the night before the big wedding for Taku was to take place, true intentions were revealed. The mysterious girl that Taku was so in love with, was actually an enemy from a feuding clan. She had tricked poor Taku into loving her in hopes to get Meiyo to lower her defenses and to steal her dragon power. And it was all going according to her plan.

"As for Taku, he was under a jutus that made him see only the good of his fiancé and the non-existing evil in Meiyo. 'Soon' thought the woman, 'Meiyo would die and so would Taku.'"

"BUT THAT'S EVIL!!" I shouted. "I know that, but that's not the end of the story. Now calm down so I can finish it and get to the part where you come in."

"As I was saying, Meiyo was soon to die…by Taku's hand…" Lawrence held up his hand so I couldn't interject this time.

"Remember, he was under the woman's 'spell.' So that night, Meiyo was going to meet Taku by their tree, one that held so many precious memories for them. That was where he was to kill her.

"But it never came. Before he struck, Meiyo saw his true intentions and knocked him out. Then his fiancé appeared and the two fought until the peek of dawn. There, those two finished it out.

"But before Meiyo could kill the witch, she in turned killed Taku; it started to rain, hard. The witch was shocked to see Meiyo's reaction (none, since she couldn't have one; were you paying attention??) and then she realized what Meiyo had done.

'You gave up your emotions for him. What a waste. From hince forth, it will be all of your generations' down fall. They will crumple from love given that could not be returned. That is my curse for you, Lady Meiyo!' with that said, Meiyo killed the woman and fell between the tree and Taku.

'No, the curse will befall my generations, but they will be prepared. They will receive my power to fight it and my emergence as warning.'

With that, she died."

By now, I had tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. Lawrence then looked at me and said," Do you understand why I told you this story?"

I just nodded my head numbly, "Yes, because I'm the next generation, aren't I?" and I fell into his lap and he rocked me back and forth in hopes of comfort.

Well, here's the next chapter. I finally found most of my notes on this story, though I'm afraid that I did lose some, but nothing too important. So b/c of that mess, this story will be shorter than expected. Oh well, enjoy!