Well the second chapter is here. Oh and for those who were wondering, the story was set before the time skip. The next chapter should be the last one, and I will have it up in a week or less, promise! And thank you for all the reviews, they were wonderful! I tried to work a little more on grammar and emotions, so I hope those are better. Well enjoy the story, and review as well. Remember no flaming, but constructive criticism is welcomed. Enjoy!
They had never found her, not a single trace. She had vanished, she knew she had. She had used every skill she had ever learned, and it had been a success. She had moved as far away as possible from her home, from him. He couldn't hurt himself if he never found her, and he never would.
10 years later
A girl stood from the small herb garden she had been weeding. She brushed her dirtied hands off on her knee length kimono. It was a dark green color with a pattern of leaves on it that she wore especially for her task of gardening. She smiled as she looked triumphantly at her weed free garden, and then at the small basket of herbs she had picked. She took her hair down from its bun, letting it fly around her as the wind twisted and played with it, smiling more as she relaxed. She quickly bent down to snatch her small bundle of plants as she headed off to her house.
She had come a long ways from the girl she had been before. She had matured a bit, developing some curves, growing a little taller, though her forehead was still slightly large. Her skin was a healthy pale color, and her cheeks were slightly rosy. Her hair that had once been short now fell to her waist in long sakura blossom colored waves. Her eyes were more cat shaped, her face more angular. And along with her appearance she had also grown quite powerful. Despite leaving her home she had pursued her ninja career. She had mastered her medical abilities and the inhuman strength of her old sensei, as well as having learned many other jutsus. She had had ten years to get stronger, and she finally had.
She had settled down in a small town, aiding the people as a doctor. She used her garden to make the herbs she frequently used that were not in abundance here, and she had requests daily for medicines, some of which needed the odd plant that wasn't found in the local area. She was greatly known around the area for her expertise, great friends with the locals, but she could never fill the whole her old home had filled.
"Sakura-neechan!" someone yelled as she walked up to her house, spotting a group of kids that waited for her. She just smiled at them, waving while she walked up to the group of kids, balancing her bundle in one hand. They looked rather impatient, running the rest of the way over to her. "You took so long, we were waiting for ever," a small boy said, waving his arms to emphasize his point.
"You could have come and got me, you knew I was at my garden," Sakura giggled as she walked over to her door.
"Well," the boy that had just spoken flushed with embarrassment. Sakura couldn't help but suppress a smile as she remembered the last time they had come to get her from her garden. Half of it had been destroyed by the freak accident of a bunch of kids slipping and falling into it. Sakura just changed the subject.
"Another story?" she asked as they looked at her, their faces smiling bright with expectance like a certain person she remembered.
"Yes!" they cheered as she shook her head. They even acted a lot like him, so childish. She just sighed and opened her door, ushering them inside. It was almost routine for them. Nearly two times a week they came to her house, asking for stories or whatnot. It made her happy though, they were so cheerful she couldn't help but being happy herself.
They all filed in, the kids taking their respective places in her small yet comfortable living room. They sat on cushions, lounged against the small couch and chairs. Her small kitten was held captive by one of the younger children. They cooed and fussed over the cat while Sakura went about putting her days work away.
"When did you get the cat?" a red headed boy asked her as he patted the cats head. She just looked at the scruffy kitten, all white except for a few blotches of black on the paws. She had named the kitty for the ice blue eyes it had, and she had deemed it a boy with a quick check.
"I found it the other day in my garden messing around with my plants. Do you know of anyone who is missing one?" she asked. She wanted to keep the cat, but if it was someone else's she had to give it back.
"Nope, it's cute though," a little girl said, hissing her s due to the lack of her two front teeth. Sakura noted she had recently lost them; she had had them the other time when they had come to visit not even four days ago.
"So which story today?" Sakura asked as she looked at the kids. They all looked at her, their faces bright with joy as they thought of the stories she had and could tell them. She just giggled some more as she watched their concentrated faces.
"A new one, about ninjas!" a boy yelled, jumping up and making odd noises like he was throwing weapons and fighting imaginary enemies. A few others joined him, mimicking his actions as they pretended to fight each other, but Sakura calmed them down before it could escalate into a house wide battle. She took her spot on the couch, thinking of which story to tell. The cat had struggled up to her, and now rested in her lap. She stroked it absentmindedly, thinking of her old ninja days.
"There once was a ninja who was the most hyperactive ninja you would know, but he was one of the greatest. He was extremely eager, and slightly on the stupid side, but he was great. Whenever he made a promise he stuck to it, it was his ninja way. He had always been alone, for the village didn't like him to much, but one day he was put on a team. There were four of them, him, his sensei, and two other teammates, a boy and a girl. They went on many missions, and they always came out victorious. He was extremely strong, and he always encouraged people to do their best. One time they ended up fighting these two bad guys. They had been hired to stop the construction of a bridge. The boy protected the chief builder, and with the help of his team he was able to defeat the two bad guys, and even rile up the villagers of the village that had so long been suppressed. He was a hero to everyone," Sakura looked at the dreamy eyed faces of the kids. She could bet all her money that they were thinking of being ninjas, the glory, the fun! But there was more to it then that. It came with stakes, consequences, and those consequences could be tough.
"Well you all should get back to your homes now, it's nearly dark," Sakura said as she stood nodding towards the darkening sky. They all huffed and whined, demanding another story, but she refused. "Your parents will come looking for you and they might ground you this time," she smiled as she saw the shocked faces. That was enough for them, they were out. Sakura could only sigh after them. Maybe if she could go back in time she could redo everything, to not make those two promises. She could have still been back with him, happy, but she couldn't. This was her life now. This was the path she had chosen. She had done it for him, and that was that.
She made her way to her room and stripped off her dirty kimono, throwing it in a small hamper. She slid on a pair of tight black shorts and a tight tank top, putting on her ninja boots that she kept hidden as well as her gloves and pack that held her weapons. She always did this, almost every night she trained. If the village ever went under attack, she would protect it, just like how she had been protected. She had found some happiness here, she would not lose it. But training also gave her a way to remember. Sometimes if she closed her eyes she could imagine being back home again, being with everyone.
Tying her hair in a bun once more she made her way out the door and into the chilly night. She started off running, heading a ways before stopping in a clearing. She came here every once in a while, and like every night she trained, she started with her stretches before creating some clones. With clones made she went about her nightly routine, not stopping tell the moon was high in the night sky. It was probably around midnight. She walked back to her home, relaxing and cooling down with the chilled night air, as well as healing any wounds she had gotten. It would be odd to explain an excess amount of wounds to the town's people; she couldn't blame it on the cat.
She reached her home quickly, heading straight to her bathroom. She took of her sweat soaked clothes as well as starting her bath. She waited tell it was completely full with steaming water before sliding into it, sighing with gratification as her muscles relaxed under the warm water. It was heaven. She began to scrub away at her body, getting all the grime and dirt off before she washed her hair. She had just finished and dressed in another pair of tight black shorts and a tank top when she heard frantic banging on her door.
"Sakura! Sakura!" someone yelled. She threw on a fresh kimono quickly, tying the obi on as she ran for the door. It was extremely late; it could only be an emergency. She opened the door just as the little boy banged on it again. He looked at her wide eyed, mouth gaping as he sucked in air. He had run here.
"There are these ninja that just got here, they are hurt really bad. They said one of them is poisoned and needs help right away. Some of the other people are trying their hardest, but they need you," the boy panted. Sakura ushered him in and pointed to the counter were some water sat. He hurried over and downed the whole thing in a few seconds. While he did so Sakura ran around, grabbing this and that before she shoved it in a basket.
"Ready?" she asked as the boy nodded. Sakura picked him up much to his confusion, but just silenced his questions. "Hold on tight," she said and she bolted off, using her ninja speed. She heard the boy gasp in wonder as the greenery raced by him. What would have taken minutes took one. She was in the village and following the dazed boy's directions in seconds. She didn't have to, she could hear the commotion from the place she was heading towards. She brushed the doors aside to the building they used as a small hospital. She followed the noise and found a few people out in front of a door. Three of them were ninja, their faces and hair dirtied with blood and dirt. Their outfits were regular black ninja gear. They were probably from some nearby village even though they didn't show any signs of what place they were from.
She saw one of them look up and regard her with wide eyes, almost like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She just brushed it off and entered the room. Two more dirtied ninjas stood around one that lay on the small table, his chest heaving with the laborious task of breathing. Sakura ran over, dropping her basket down and looking at the two villagers present.
"Get me water and the ointment I stored here in those cupboards," Sakura said. She had figured something like this would happen someday. She looked at the two shinobi, about to ask them some questions when she noticed their eyes widened as well. She just ignored it, her temper flaring somewhat. It was probably cause of her age, that's why most people starred at her while she treated them. They couldn't believe how skilled she was at this age.
Sakura checked the man over, figuring out what type of poison it was. "It's not too far along, but it can be deadly depending on how long he's had it. When was he injected with it?" Sakura asked, her eyes trained on the hurt shinobi as the nurses ran in with pots of water. They mixed in her ointment as she continued to look over the injured man.
"Not to long, half an hour maybe," the voice almost seemed defiant to give up the information. She looked up into the dark ebony eyes of one the men, starring at him before she brought her attention back to the poisoned one.
"It's attacking his organs mainly, nothing else. It's what this poison is meant to do. You must be more careful next time. I can get all the poison out as there isn't much, but I'll make an antidote just in case," she said as she gently cut through the shirt he wore, exposing his chest. She brought her hand to the bucket near her, putting her hand in it as she gathered the water. "Hold him," she ordered as she brought the hand down on his chest and started the process of getting rid of the poison.
It was fairly quick; afterwards she had looked at each and every other shinobi, checking them for any signs of major injury. They each had regarded her the same way though, eyes wide and slightly startled. She almost growled at them. Just because she was young didn't make it a world wonder because she knew so much. She just ignored them, going about getting the antidote set up. It took most of the night, but by morning she was completely done and each ninja was cleaned up and ready to go, they looked sparkly new.
"Well have a safe trip back to your village," Sakura said as she handed them a few viles of a green liquid. "If you are hurt again take this, you don't need much, that poison isn't to strong when it's first injected," Sakura smiled at them, letting her sakura blossom colored hair fall free around her. It had been up all night, she enjoyed having it down to flap around her. It was a prop of not being a 'ninja'. She didn't have to worry about someone grabbing her by the hair anymore.
"May we have a word," one said to her in particular. It was the man who had been poisoned. His eyes were dark, but whatever emotion he held hidden behind his façade she couldn't figure it out. Maybe they wanted to ask her how she knew so much.
"Sure," she said as she led them into another room. She sat on the stool that was near a desk, looking at the six ninja that filed in after her. They seemed so tensed, it sort of worried her. "Is anything wrong?" she asked as she stood, not bothering to take a seat. She was wary, they all looked at her oddly. Maybe she shouldn't have saved them.
"Sakura," it wasn't a question, more like a statement of relief. She just looked at them cautiously. What in the world was going on? The ninja that had asked her to come in the room walked over to her and hugged her, squeezing her tightly to his chest with his arms. Sakura just froze. Bringing her fist up she punched him away, making him stumble back towards the wall. The others looked startled, but walked toward her, their hands up.
"Wait," they said but Sakura shook her head, running out of the door and out of the building. They followed her, their speed was incredible, but she hadn't trained for nothing. She flew, she swore her feet had wings at the moment. There was no way they could catch her, but of course that didn't count if she tripped. Something was thrown at her feet, and she stumbled, falling towards the ground. She brought her hands out in front of her, using them to flip her over, landing on the ground with her feet as she slid a few meters. Ironically she had ended up in the clearing she had used to practice in a couple of hours before.
"Hold on a second," one said, his hands raised signifying he wasn't going to try anything. Sakura just glared. She wouldn't give them a chance to do anything.
"Binding Jutsu," she yelled as she created some hand signs. Their eyes widened as they stood, frozen. They couldn't move at all, well some of them. Sakura turned to find the three that had escaped just in time, but was stopped from her search when someone grabbed her, crushing her to their chest once again.
"Stop Sakura, it's me!"