EVERY HEART

New life. Old Strangers

Three days had passed and the sky was still crying. Though the umbrella I held shielded my body the ANBU outfit I "borrowed" from Kakashi masked my identity from any pitying glances. Chiyo helped by growling or barking at anyone who stopped to stare. Me I kept going until I made it to the Kohana stream. Once I was sure I was alone, I removed the mask to watch the rose haired girl staring back.

Sasuke's funeral was only a couple of days before. The day the village buried him in the Uchiha estate graves I couldn't look Naruto in the eye. I knew it was not his fault Sasuke was dead, but the demon the blond housed. Yet the thought only seemed to make things worse.

Tears welled in my eyes blurring the sight of the pup pawing at my leg. Though he was my best friend, my childhood teammate I knew in my heart I would never forgive him. Even if it was save me.

The back of my hand swiped at the drops threatening to spill over their boundaries. Crouching down I picked up Chiyo who snuggled closer to my breast. Smiling sadly, I whispered to the into her fur. "I wish I had a different life"

All of a sudden, something pushed us in the stream. We started swirling around and around in a whirlpool. A whirlpool that wasn't there before.

After trying to hold my breath for while I gave up.

Sky blue hair was the last I saw before a woman's words filled my ears. "Dearest Sakura your wish has come true"

I blacked out.

I awoke coughing and shivering but I wasn't wet. After blinking a few times I sat up, rubbed my arms, and looked around.

"This is definitely not Kohana," I whispered. When was there ever snow and ice in Kohana in the summer?

Chiyo was still out cold cuddled to my chest.

I breathed out relieved to see she hadn't gotten lost. Then looking down at my body I saw I was still in Kakashi's ANBU attire. No shoes.

I shivered again. Though I was happy that we weren't wet, where were my shoes?

"Hello little girl," a voice said deeply almost growling. My head snapped in the other direction (ouch. whiplash) to see a tall brown haired man. His eyes were glowing blood red against the darkness of the forest. Sunlight peeked through the canopy above allowing me to catch a glimpse of him. His bare chest was stained in blood same as his slacks, but the two horns protruding through the top of his skull were glowing an eerie green.

Using a tree for support I stood, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is none of your business. As for what I want..." He chuckled darkly then manically freezing my spine. "I want your blood!" With that he lunged at us.

Quickly and easily I dodged the attack by jumping to the nearest branch.

"Get down here!" he shouted indignantly.

I stuck my tongue out. "Forget it ugly! We're out of here!"

As I went to jump to the next bough I slipped on a patch of branch ice, right into the man's arms! They began tightening, squeezing the life out of me. "You're going to die, girl. Any last words?"

"Yeah, eat this!" Focusing a good amount of chakra into my fist I slammed it into his jaw. The guy staggered back so stunned from the attack he dropped me.

I almost dropped the sleeping pup trying to catch myself. As I hit the ground, something cracked! While the man rubbed his abused jaw, I cried out in pain.

Dame! It was broken! I couldn't move my only free arm!

Apparently the man heard it as well because he grinned wickedly and advanced on my form. With my good arm I clutched Chiyo closer to my breast glaring at him. Just as he kneeled down, no doubt, to take his first sip of blood I heard someone shout.

"Rose whip!"

The man's obsidian eyes widened as he fell to pieces. Literally! Blood at least that's what I thought it was spurted out over my body in a gush.

Looking back behind the jigsaw puzzle guy I saw fire red and black hair.

My forest greens met sage green and blood red and I suddenly felt frightened. Sage loomed over us and I held Chiyo tighter. It must have been too tight because she woke. After the grogginess cleared she began to growl and yipped protectively.

The two looked to each other then back at me. Red eyes snatched the pup from my arms and seemed to be examining her.

"Typical fire fox." He grunted. "Let's take them to Genkai. She will know what to do."

Who was Genkai? And what was a fire fox? Where the heck was I?

Sage eyes lifted me off the ground and into his arms holding my body to his chest. It was hard to believe anyone could remind me of Sasuke and Naruto at the same time but with these two it was very possible. The feel of tears threatening to stream down my cheeks only made me want to push pushed them down further.

All of a sudden I felt tired. My eyes fluttered closed as everything went dark for the second time today. Though I didn't know where I was or how I got here. But one thing was clear. This wasn't the Shinobi World any longer.