A faint breeze entered a hospital, tossing the curtains out of the way. If someone was to walk inside, they would have to cover their eyes. The sunlight reflected of the white tiles of the room. The room was nothing but white. The only hint of colour was a small flower upon the table by the bed. However, to the girl laying on the bed, it didn't matter.

I sighed faintly as I turned on my side. The Hokage sent me straight to the hospital after out meeting. I wasn't that bothered… but there was nothing physically wrong with me.

It was Alix I was worried about, and even though the Hokage had told me several times that he was being looked after by the best of the best, I couldn't stop feeling guilty.

He was my reasonability, and I let him get himself get injured. All because I was foolish enough to try and rely on someone who had abandoned us.

I sighed and placed my head on my knees.

Each time I even thought about… him… it hurt. I couldn't think about him. Not if I wanted to keep the rest of my sanity.

I had became close to making myself forget, from the small things to the large and extreme. From attempting to jump out of the window, to banging my head against the wall.

After all, if I managed to forget my entire past in one incident, why couldn't I do it again?

Maybe that was the real reason the Hokage had me in here. He was afraid I might try something.

I growled and stood back up. I needed to forget, and if he wasn't letting me repeat my amnesia, then I'll just have to distract myself.

I pressed my ear against the door and listened. Silence.

Grinning I opened the door and tiptoe down the corridor. Maybe a walk around the village would clear my mind. I wonder how much it changed since the last time I was here…

I found the exit easier than I expected. It wasn't until I opened the door, did I realise how much I missed my freedom. The wind blowing gently through my hair, the singing of birds, the sun's rays against my face. How I missed it all.

I stuck to walking beside the buildings, trying to remember which way I went. I couldn't stop grinning as I finally heard the happy chatting of people around me. The tension was relaxed, and I could feel at ease.

"Is that…"

"It couldn't be!"

All of a sudden, I found myself tackled to the ground. Two cheerful figures beside me, cheering loudly.

"FUKUKO!"

"We heard a rumour you had returned!"

"We thought we were dead!"

I froze as the voices rung with familiarity. Where had I heard them before?

"Izumo?! Kotetsu?!"

"That's right!!"

"You remember us!"

I was pulled back to my feet and squeezed into a tight bear hug than another.

"Of course!" I cried hugging them back, "How could I forget such a crazed out team-mates?"

"This means a special treat!"

"But we can't leave our post!"

"Post?"

"That's right!" Izumo said cheerfully, hitting me playfully on the arm. "We finally got to work for the Hokage, like we wanted!"

"I remember that!" I said rubbing my arm, "I said you would turn out to be the big headed world's best filing ninjas. Looks like I was right,"

"Hey!"

I whined as I was caught in a headlock.

"Let me go!" I cried.

"Only if you say please!" Kotetsu laughed rubbing the top of my head.

"Pretty please!" I whimpered.

They chuckled as they released me. I straightened up and pouted.

"That's not fair. Two against one."

"You should be use to it! We heard you managed to escape from Akatsuki!"

My happiness was swept away at that moment. I managed to smile and rubbed the back of my head. "Well… Not quite."

"Tell us the story!" Kotetsu said.

"How did you manage to survive for so long?"

"How did you find food?"

I hesitated. "It's a rather long story."

"It's not like we have anything else to do," Izumo added. "We just have to stand here and watch everyone who enters the village."

"Well…"

"Please!!"

"Alright," I sighed. "I'll let you know whatever you want."

As I told my story, I felt their attention upon me. I begun to feel like my old self again. In the end I got what I wanted. I was distracted for a moment, and was in the company of my two old friends. Even after my story, we continued to chat. They helped me remember more of my life here in Konoha, and even remember what my brother was like.

"He was over-protection," Kotetsu whined. "Whenever we went on a mission or to a festival, he would always threaten us that if we didn't bring you back in one piece, we wouldn't be able to walk for a week!"

"He was fun though," said Izumo, "When we all managed to beg him to come along with us, we always had tons more fun."

"Remember that time when we all went down to the Sakura festival? He pushed you right in the water cause you tried to get him to wear the kimono!"

"And you were laughing cause you said it looked more like a dress!"

I smiled faintly.

"Hey, isn't the festival tomorrow?"

"Yeah! Fukuko, Wanna come with us? We'll be helping with the decorating."

"Decorating?" I had the mental image of me clinging to a ladder while trying to hung flowers on a pole I couldn't even see. "Umm… maybe not. But I'll be there! See you around… Well you know what I mean."

They laughed and clapped me upon the back. "Well, we'll see you there!"

"Oh…" Izumo said mysteriously. "You have to bring a date."

"A date?" I frowned at them. "What do you mean?"

"Sakura festival is for lovers!" Kotetsu said quickly.

A sharp cry of ow, told me he had stepped on Izumo's foot.

"If you don't find one, we can go together as friends! Like old times."

"Like old times," I smiled.

This was the sort of distraction I needed. If I could restart my life and continue it from before it went wrong, I would be able to live normally.

But…

I glanced behind me into the silence of the forest as I walked on. Would it be enough to make me forget?

A small smirk formed upon the watcher's face. His visible silvery blue eye watched her every moment as he hide himself within the treetop. He had heard everything they said and already came up with a small plan. He opened his fist to reveal a small clay bird. The bird stood up and flew off behind him.


"Festival un?"