Disclaimer: I know nothing.

Chapter 3: Pale Blonde

The City of Prath. Unpleasant Reintroductions. Backlash.

Sakura could remember the Prath gates. The combination of wood and stone, scalable walls (if one tried hard enough), and an entrance archway just tall enough for easing through horse-led carriages.

But standing here, six years later, it seems her memory is for naught.

The gates have either been demolished or integrated into this new barricade that they call a 'border', though it's a protective blockade more than anything. The walls stand as high as lookout points, connected by towers with waiting guards and heavy artillery, and what was once a small archway entrance is now replaced by a large wooden drawbridge, hoisted to the walls by sturdy chains.

The transition from the once-pitiful and measly fence to this proud fortification is boastable, and even Sakura has to stand in awe of it. It's not even the entrance alone – she observes that this fortress extends well past as her eyes can see, encircling and encroaching the entire city into one large district.

To say that Prath has improved their defences is a large understatement. Sasuke was putting it lightly because all she can think of as she wraps her head around these new fortifications is 'Well, shit'.

After recovering from the marvel that is Prath's new stronghold, she recalls her initial objectives and ventures forth.

The entry process is long and arduous, to say the least. After travelling on horseback for nearly two days, she arrived here at early dawn – just in time for the start of her supposed 'internship' – but by the time she was verified 'clear' to step foot on the other side of the gate, it's already the afternoon.

The guards were uptight and rigid, adhering to strict rules and step-by-step processes like operated contraptions. She was questioned, interrogated and forced to explain the entirety of her document portfolio to a guard who demanded every detail. That was easy enough, but then she underwent a physical assessment. If the guards were suspicious enough of her dagger (what is an intern medic doing with a dagger?), one can imagine their reaction to her collection of home-brewed poisons. Thankfully, she was able to pass it off as some sort of special cultural herbal medicine used in her home country.

Once she was finished with that, she was told to wait. They needed validation, approval, papers signed and so much more than she will ever care for. And at the end, just when she thinks it's over, they had her review, memorize and recite a visitor's oath where she needed to 'vow' her devotion to comply by Prath's rules and regulations. Just to appease them, she delivered the pointless, scripted words.

Finally free to roam now, she glances from right to left. The first thing she notices is the sky. It's uncharacteristic of Prath to have such a cloudy day – the atmosphere is so dreary right now – but with her arrival, she supposes that today is unlike any other. Gazing at the foregrounds before he, it's safe to say that Prath is just as unrecognizable on the inside than it is on the outside.

She doesn't remember these tall merchant buildings, and she surely doesn't remember this many people living in this city. Even when the sky is so bleak, the place is so much busier now. Much more bustling. And – she grudgingly admits – certainly more aesthetically pleasing (though she supposes that's how the city is hiding the corrupted, foul stench lingering underneath). Although her mind wants to take a gander at what's here and there, she stops herself before getting too far. There are far too many distractions here, and she'll receive her comeuppance from Orochimaru if she spends too much time dawdling.

Though… it's not as easy as she thinks. This city is her birthplace. Her origin. It was once a place she called home. And she can't suppress the part of herself that's eager to scope out the new city. To see what other changes have been made. And to discover how life has been for the people she once knew.

Sakura shakes her head. No. She refuses to do any 'checkups' on past and previous friends – she might revolt at the sight of them.

Nonetheless, she allows herself to gives in just slightly. Looking every bit like a tourist, her feet start moving, taking a familiar path down the road. Despite the novelty of it all, Sakura knows where she wants to go. And she's thankful that the streets are getting more familiar as she traverses further. Roads get narrower, streets become quieter… it seems the more inward she travels, the more she gets a nostalgic taste of 'old' Prath.

Taking a shortcut through a claustrophobic alleyway, she finally finds herself in familiar grounds. It isn't long before she's getting closer and with each step, her heart thumps loud in her ears and thoughts run wild of what could be and what has been.

When she finally reaches her destination, she can't help but be disappointed.

The dingy apartment building that was once her home – it's been demolished. Of course. Replaced by some eat-in restaurant. She's confident that this is the place – she knows because her home was always just two blocks north of the loud and bustling marketplace, which, to this day, remains the same.

Nonetheless, standing here reels back snapshots of largely unvisited memories of her backstory (Karin would cringe if she found out that Sakura had done this) and she just thinks to herself 'Why should I even care?' And the answer is that she shouldn't. There's no one here left. Her Mother moved out not too long after her exile. She wasn't in the best condition the last time Sakura saw her, and it's not like they're in the best of terms right now. Her Father, on the other hand…

A frown settles on her face. She doesn't hold as much resentment for him as she does with others. And for the first time in these six years, she explores the possibility of a visit. Although she feels indifferent about the decision, she realizes that she might owe him this much. He has, after all, has been there for her the majority of her life.

Sighing tiredly, her morality wins her over this time round and she treks another familiar path towards a shop that she hopes was not destroyed in Prath's rebuilding process. Thankfully, when she gets there, the structure still stands. Again, the flower shop incites such a nostalgic feeling, one that she can't decipher as joyful or dreadful. But despite this mixed response, she walks in anyway, the floral scents assaulting her senses and the bell atop the door dinging brightly and optimistically above her as she enters the shop.

Thinking more clearly now, she remembers now that her Father did pass away around this time, completely justifying the appropriateness and purpose of this visit.

"I'll be right there in just a second to help you out!" a female voice from the back room emerges.

Sakura shifts her weight on her other foot while she waits, taking to admiring the selection of carnations and peonies of various colors displayed by the front counter. Considering the upcoming winter season, the shop still carries quite an impressive assortment.

Out from the backdoor, a blonde woman turns up, tying the back ties of her purple apron behind her as she comes to stand the front desk. At first glance, Sakura has to do a double take. No way. Is that…?

"Ugh, sorry for the wait. I was organizing pots and bins in the back. You know how it is," the blonde woman explains, appearing bothered as she gathers her hair up into a high ponytail. This sight, unfortunately, incites even more nostalgia. "…now that that's over with. My name is Ino. Can I help you with anything, ma'am?"

Sakura blanches. By instinct, she's about to make a run for it in panic, escape this place before anyone can realize her identity, but then she remembers her new skin. Right. She won't recognize me. Sakura hasn't seen her reflection in a while, so it's actually been quite easy to adapt to this new body. But still, the downside is that she also hasn't got used to remembering her new countenance either.

She stays in place, this new identity doing a good job of calming her nerves and reminding her that pink-haired Sakura remains out of sight. Now able to appreciate Ino more clearly, Sakura eyes her up and down. She's gotten curvy now, her hair now reaching her knees and the counters of her face have aged a bit. Despite this, Sakura would still regard Ino among this city's most pretty girls. She can still remember their younger days, when they would compete over the pettiest things, and if Sakura hadn't left, she wouldn't be surprised if that ruse continued.

Damn. I still remember living in your shadow.

Realizing the silence has gone on for longer than appropriate, Sakura snaps back to her original intention. "Umm… I'm looking for lilies? White lilies, if you have them."

Ino gasps lightly, a hand reaching up to cover her mouth as her expression turns somewhat saddened. "White lilies? Oh no. Don't tell you're going to…" she trails off.

It seems like Ino is just nosy as before. Having alike thoughts in her head, Sakura just nods her head. But to alleviate the darkening mood somehow, Sakura puts on a small smile. "Don't worry about it. He died a long time ago."

Ino gives her an empathetic smile and nods at the reassurance. "...Alright, sweetie. Just wait here a second, I'll wrap some up for you. How does a dozen sound?"

Sakura nods her head. "That'll be fine."

As Ino disappears into the back room again, Sakura leans against the counter and glances around. As she scans the room, her eyes find the bright and obvious sign written on a hanging post along the front door. Yamanaka Flowers. She rolls her eyes – how did she miss that when she entered the shop?

If she remembers clearly, Ino's parents were the owners of this shop. But when they were young, Ino never mentioned planning to take over the family business. Sakura just always assumed that the blonde would have either joined the Prath's corps system or have become an infamous socialite if the former plan had failed. Then again, no one would have guessed where Sakura had ended up, right?

Hearing footsteps, Ino appears again, this time holding a bundle of white lilies nestled in her right arm and some light brown wrapping in the other. Sakura isn't completely engrossed in watching Ino arranging and blanketing the flowers together, but when she notices a shiny little thing encircled around Ino left ring finger, Sakura can't look away.

As the blonde ties the ends with a small white ribbon sash, Sakura continues to observe with interest. "…Hey, I don't mean to pry, but… are you married?" Sakura asks, quickly recognizing how out of character it is for her to meddle in such affairs.

Ino's mouth quirks up to a bright grin as she lifts her left hand, flashing the small gem resting on her finger. "Oh you noticed my wedding band, huh? Yes. I am married. And happily so. What about yourself?"

Mirroring her, Sakura flashes her left hand, gesturing to a ring finger empty of any jewelry. "Nope. Not me. And to be honest, probably not ever."

Ino waves a hand in her direction, as if to dismiss her statement, and puts on a defiant expression. "Oh pish posh. Have some heart, would you? You'll get there. I sincerely believe that love will find us in one way or another."

Sakura suppresses her urge to chuckle, because the idea the product of naïve and ridiculous thinking. She's tempted to retort, but holds her tongue.

"Seriously though. You just have to be open-minded. God knows I was. My husband today is nothing like the husband I'd envisioned ten years ago."

Sakura ponders in retrospect, now curious about the identity of this mystery husband. But looking back, she remembers only two potential candidates. Two of Ino's childhood friends, both of which she trusted with her life, yet disgusted her to no end. Chouji maybe? Nah. Ino swears by her dieting regimens too much. So maybe… Shikamaru? The only way that would happen is if he grew to accept her troublesome tendencies.

"So… still eligible, are you? Would you like me to set you up? I mean, you're not half-bad. I think I can contact a few people," Ino offers suddenly, eyebrows quirked in a suggestive manner.

Sakura deadpans, not knowing whether to shudder or laugh at the proposition. "Eheh… no thanks. You see, I'm a traveler of some sort. My lifestyle isn't suitable for marriage."

Ino remains defiant. "Oh that's rubbish. My husband's a traveler too, you know. An artist, actually. Even though we spend half the year apart, we're still married. And neither of us have regretted the decision one bit." At the continuous talk of her husband, Ino begins to develop a faraway expression on her face, suggesting heavily that her spouse is currently not here. Meanwhile, Sakura picks up on a specific word. Artist. Her memory might be a tad blurry, but in no form does she remember Chouji or Shikamaru ever participating in anything remotely artsy. "Ah, I miss him so much. Being sheltered for most of my life, it gets dull here pretty fast. Sometimes, I wish I was like you. It must be fun seeing the world, hopping from town to town, meeting plenty of new faces…"

Sakura shakes her head. "Oh believe me. It's not as romanticized or magical as it seems. Having a stable home and family… it's better than having none. More often than not, I always find myself alone with nowhere to go and no one to see. And to be frank with you, the solitude can be quite painful," she explains, surprised by her own honesty.

Ino smiles at her insightful words and nods her head. "Well then. I suppose life gives us different kinds of pains."

For once, Sakura actually agrees with her. "Indeed." Out of her pouch, she pulls out a few silver coins and plops them onto the counter. Accepting the bouquet of lilies in return, Sakura shoots Ino one last look of surprising encouragement. "Take care, Ino. It's a tough world out there. I hope you reunite with your husband soon."

"Thanks for shopping! Come back soon."

And with that, Sakura heads for the door, that same bell ringing brightly above her as walks out. Exiting the shop leaves behind a bizarre feeling of sentiment, wistfulness and yearning that she does not understand and will probably ignore. Perhaps it's the oddity of it all: finding familiar faces and realizing how much they've grown and moved on with their lives. Regarding Ino, now that's she's happily married and owning a business, it seems she has avoided a pitfall and made something of herself.

Sakura wonders the same for her own life. Right now, if Ino had known that the brown-haired girl in her shop was actually a friend she once knew, would she think the same?

Sakura scoffs. Probably not.

She doesn't know how long she's been here. Maybe one hour? Maybe two? She doesn't know what it is about sitting in cemeteries that somehow stretches and distorts time, but it always does. For one, the sky is such a dreary gray. It's been like this ever since she's arrived. However, as a chilly wind ghosts past her, she thinks that maybe it's time to find shelter.

Running her hand over the inscripted slab, she takes one final look at her Father's gravestone and reads the words written there. 'The memory of the just are blessed'. Indeed they are. Oddly enough, this is the closest she's been to family in six long years and she's standing at a corpse's grave. It really is terrible and pitiful how life can take a dark turn so quickly. Sakura's glad he died before witnessing her life crumbling into a disaster. That he knew her before she got involved in trouble. Right before her deportation.

Tch, What a lousy time.

She doesn't cry either. Instead, she gets up, shoves her hands in her coat and leaves with a determination to find rest at another seedy hotel situated near the Hyuuga residence so she can start her plotting. However, just as she's about to exit the pillared entrance of the gloomy park, she slows her pace when her eyes latch on to someone there.

Before when she encountered Ino, her mind merely scrambled in panic before she collected herself once again. But this time is completely different. She redirects her gaze forward and bears her head down, as nothing can stop the overwhelming feeling of pure danger coursing through her veins. Thoughts running amok, she wills her feet to move faster as the words 'Get out now' swells her mind.

When she knows she's nearing him – even as he's leaning against the post so casually with his nose in a book (who reads at a cemetery?) – she refuses to let up. That is, until he makes a move. Considering there's no one else here, he notices her fairly easily. And she swears that her heart skips a few beats when she hears him shutting his book closed.

As much as she wants to rewind time and take another detour out of here, she knows it's pointless to ignore him, especially now that the masked gray-haired individual has pushed himself off the post and moved to stand in the middle of the pavement right where she's about to pass. Learning from past experiences, she slows down. After all, running away only makes her look more suspicious. And coming to stand right in front of the infamous Kakashi Hatake, it would be best if she avoided any red flags.

Finally looking up, she watches as he tips his head at her and gives her his signature casual eye-smile. She stops within a reasonable and safe distance from him.

"Good afternoon, madam," he greets, adding a loose wave in her direction.

Deciding last-minute that she'll approach this conversation with a friendly demeanor, Sakura nods her head at him. "Good afternoon, sir. Though…" Sakura lifts a hand to gesture to the location behind her. "…being in a place like this, I doubt anything can be regarded as 'good'."

He seems to nod his head in agreement. "Ah, that's correct." An awkward silence follows after, and despite Kakashi's cordial disposition, Sakura still feels tense around him. She just can't trust him. Can't tell if that eye-smile is fabricated or genuine. And it's not just because of his feared and reputable traits, but maybe it's the way he converses as if there's so much more underneath. Cutting the silence, he clears his throat. "…My name is Kakashi and I must say, as a regular visitor here, I don't think I've seen you before. Might I have your name?"

Risking a blunder, Sakura almost forgets (again) her new countenance. "I'm Mira."

"Have you come here recently?" he continues.

"Just today, actually. I accepted a medical internship here in Prath," she keeps up, not understanding how she could be labeled suspicious at this point in time. She hasn't even done anything remotely terrible (yet). How does being a newcomer and stranger automatically signal alarms of terror?

Kakashi continues to look at her inquisitively and she continues to hate it. "Interesting. Well, I work under Tsunade, which as you should know, is the current the council leader. So if you ever need assistance with getting around, finding people… you can probably find me there." And he finishes his proposition with another one of his nerve-wracking eye-smiles.

Inwardly, she's still suspicious of him. She doesn't know whether his suggestion is dangerous or perhaps even perverted, but she has no plans of taking up his offer. So outwardly, she feigns a small smile of gratuity. "That's kind of you. Thanks."

Again, he directs that awful eye-smile at her again before shifting his gaze behind her shoulder, towards the graveyard up ahead. "Well. Nice meeting you, Mira, but I must get going. I, too, have ghosts of my own to visit. Besides, I have a feeling that we will run into each other again." With a final wave, he brushes gingerly past her with nary a backward glance, leaving her utterly perplexed, wary, scared and completely stumped.

What was he searching for? What information did he want? It couldn't have been nothing, right? He's sworn as one of this continent's most intelligent enemies. And for him to leave the conversation with a simple invitation for help is...

Sakura stops her train of thought and shakes her head. She's overthinking this. Perhaps he was just extending a friendly welcome. Or perhaps, after days of long travel and little rest, she just needs some sleep.

Day 1

Life as a bounty hunter is not as glamorous as it seems. Or at least, not in Sakura's case. Out there, people tell stories of thrilling break-ins and blood-tingling chases all fearless in nature, but Sakura prefers to take a calculative approach. She's careful. She's finicky. And she's particular. Always one to fuss about details, she likes to strategize and strive for quiet efficiency over bold and brash actions. This is probably why she works best alone.

On the first day, she needs a floor plan of the Hyuuga residence. The entire compound is gated with guards standing at every opening and while she does consider simply sneaking inside, she doubts it's a rational decision. And so, that night, Sakura picks out one of the maids with alike features and waits until her shift is over. As soon as she's out of the gates, Sakura moves, stalking and following the worker to her home in a close area of town. Again, the task is not very glamorous or exciting, but she does it anyway. Right now, the need to gain access inside that compound overrides anything else.

Sakura follows the girl until she enters her apartment. Counting for up to five minutes, she allows her target to settle in while she retrieves two specific tools out of her pocket. Noticing the buildup of rust, Sakura runs a fingernail over one of the dusty metals to smooth it out. She also slips her hands into a pair of black gloves and reaches up to tighten her ponytail, deeming herself ready for the first break-in of this mission.

When the wait is over, Sakura bends over the apartment door and arranges her lock pick in appropriate fashion. It requires a few precise twists, turns and proper angling, but eventually she hears that telltale click of success. She smiles. Slipping into the small apartment complex, she quietly shuts the door behind her and notes quickly that the girl has disappeared behind the attached bedroom on the right. She avoids the candlelight and hides in the darkness, prepping a piece of cloth by dousing it chloroform and ether and remembering to hold her breath.

And when the girl finally exits her bedroom, Sakura stalks from behind and wraps an arm around her, firmly holding the girl's mouth and nose in her hand. This method also effectively reduces her screams to mere muffles, but Sakura is fully aware of how distasteful it is. The inhalation of the anesthetic does a good job of hastening unconsciousness and within seconds, the girl becomes deadweight as Sakura gently eases her to the ground.

Thistechnique isn't exactly unheard of, to be honest. It's used in many medical facilities. However, using it for this purpose is beyond reprehensible. Obviously, she doesn't want to kill the girl – no reason to raise suspicion here or incite an investigation – but she can't leave the girl with any trace of harm either.

After ensuring that the Hyuuga maid is indeed knocked out, Sakura hauls her over her shoulder and plops her onto her bed, even making the effort to drape the covers over her. This way, when she wakes up, she'll likely assume that nothing has happened.

Making a quiet dash over to the dresser, Sakura fishes out one of the maid uniforms and stuffs it into her bag. Atop the dresser, she also steals the guard's pass that will guarantee her entrance into the compound. Finally.

Only taking what she needs, she abandons the apartment, even having the courtesy to blow out the candle and shut the door behind her before she leaves. Because as far as bounty hunters go, Sakura isn't cruelest one.

Day 2

She dons the uniform, wears it in like-fashion as the others and when she flashes the maid's pass to the guards, she enters the Hyuuga residence with ease. Restricted compound, my ass.

Unfortunately, she finds out quickly enough that Hinata has left to accompany her Father to a council meeting, which means Sakura cannot trace her. It's not a problem, really. There are other things to do. Instead of performing housekeeping – as she should – she wanders around the compound instead, drawing mental maps of the different houses and schedules of the prided clan. Breakfast is strictly scheduled for 8am, lunch at half past 12, and dinner at 6pm. Aside from that, members of the clan have their own rigid study or training slots for approximately two hours.

Despite the prestige of the family name, Sakura pities the members. The schedules are simply too stringent and rigorous for her liking.

Curious about the training space, she walks to the northern edge of the compound, finding exactly what she expects. She sits on her legs to see clearer what's below her: there are three new recruits, sitting in a semi-circle and listening intently to their mentor. Their eyes trained on him, the trainees listen with such awe and concentration as if missing one word would detriment their future as warriors.

Their teacher dismisses them by lifting a hand, and just like toy soldiers, the new recruits get up and leave in formal fashion. She's about to leave as well, but she pauses when the mentor turns, part of his face revealed.

Hah. Neji Hyuuga. So it is you. She could have guessed as much, considering the long locks down his back all have remained. As it is, Neji is obviously quite the popular figure here. All the lowly guards and younger recruits idolize and worship the ground he walks on. Knowing the majority of the council regard him more favorably than their stuttering heir, he certainly projects a sense of pride that can never be filled. Even when Hinata is successfully removed from the equation, it's still Hanabi that will inherit the future of the clan. She laughs at the prospect that Neji still feels sour about his fate.

Out from the side building, a brunette woman joins the training space and approaches him. Sakura has to narrow her eyes to place her, but with the way Neji gives her a kind smile to welcome her, it becomes obvious. It seems the ill-fated Hyuuga has found solace in marrying one his closest friends. With her hair down, Tenten looks much different here. Much older, just like her counterpart. Again, the sight triggers a bizarre sensation. The thought that her previous peers have grown up and are now 'happily married' is terribly uncomfortable. It will take some adjustment on her part.

Sakura can't hear what they're whispering to each other, but she swears she has never seen Neji that friendly with anyone. When she observes them sharing a chaste kiss, she forces herself to look away. And before their gestures become anymore intimate, Sakura backs away completely from the scene.

She'll honestly admit that she has stalked people in her life, but the last thing she wants to be called is a voyeur.

Day 3

Finally, finally, Hinata is here. When Sakura first lays eyes on her, she admits that she's impressed. The shy girl that Sakura knew once-upon-a-time is nowhere to be found. The blue-haired Princess has grown out of that temperament – amongst other things – and replacing her is a newfound woman, carrying an air of tranquility and regality that only someone with an affluent name can possess.

How ironic it is that the girl who stood in the shadows now commands the attention of the room. On the other hand, she thinks how useless it was in her younger days when her and Ino strived for the least bit of popularity. The tables have definitely turned and she'll give Hinata that credit.

Kurenai, Shino and Kiba also stand in Hinata's present accompany, rendering memories of Sakura's own three-person team that failed to last even a year. And just like Hinata, Ino, Neji and Tenten, it's no surprise that Kiba and Shino grew up in their own particular ways. Although she respects his family name, Sakura is still puzzled by Kiba's rough exterior; he's looking more like a dog everyday. Shino, on the other hand, looks the same; she still does not know what he looks like.

Considering they all belong to their prestigious clans, Sakura makes out that they're conversing about some council meeting of some sort. She's not entirely interested, but she does pick up a clue where Hinata will be going for the next couple of days.

The rest of day is rather uneventful. Stakeouts are fairly sluggish, but they're the most important part of the mission. Because she has time on her hands, she decides to find the pigeon coop and send a coded update report for Orochimaru to find.

Mission is going as per usual. Try to keep your head on until I return, okay?

Day 4

Today, Sakura decides to forgo another day of stakeout; the other maids have started getting suspicious of her presence. It matters not, however; she has all the information she needs.

Map laid out on the floor, she draws mental paths in her head. The way in. And the way out. Both of which are often not the same thing. But just before she gets too caught up in the details, Sakura remembers their conversation. Hinata is representing her clan at the meeting tomorrow night. Independently. And if there were a rulebook for successful abductions, it would be to corner your target into a situation where they are alone.

It's the perfect opportunity, really. Less riskier since it removes her guarded compound from the list of problems. For one, Sakura knows that Hinata is escorted to and from her home using a carriage. Second, since the meeting is scheduled for night, there's no better coverage.

She starts planning.

By that afternoon, Sakura has it all figured out. Her small window of opportunity will come in between the time that Hinata's coachman opens the door for her and hops back to the front of the carriage. She'll knock him out with the same poison she used with the maid and whether or not Hinata hears the commotion, Sakura won't hesitate to repeat the same process on the Princess. Riding on the chance that this vital part goes unnoticed by potential passerby, she'll hijack the carriage, direct it to the quiet farming area on the East edge of town and abandon it as discreetly as possible. From there, she'll haul Hinata's unconscious body over one of the horses and hightail out of town through the East exit, which she observed is usually the least guarded of them all.

It's not foolproof. Nothing ever is. There are always opportunities for improvisation and last-minute handling she'll have to explore, but her main hope is that no one is killed in the process. The fewer the causalities, the lower the suspicion and the best she can keep her trace clear.

She just has to wait until tomorrow sundown.

Day 5 – Dusk

That night, she tries to get a decent sleep since she should be riding on horseback by the end of today, but it doesn't come. It's only a mere few hours after midnight when she's disturbed by the sound the blood-curling screams and chaotic cries.

Her eyes and body immediately shoot upwards from the bed, awake but drowsy at the same time. Leaning over and drawing the curtain open for a peek, she instantly becomes alert when all she sees are douses of red and orange.

Fire.

The Hyuuga residence is on fire.

What the heck?! Jumping out of bed, a train of curse words encircles her mind as she tries to make a coherent decision. At some point in the messy scramble of slipping into her clothes and storing her pack, she questions if this is a dream, but when she hears a boisterous explosion and another tirade of screams to follow, she rules that thought out.

She rushes out of the motel, skipping steps and bypassing the incoming crowd of Hyuugas taking cover here in the building. Expectedly, the smoke and dust assault her senses like a boulder once she's outside and she has to cover her nose as to not inhale the smoke. She doesn't know exactly what she's looking for or why she's approaching the fire, but her ears quickly catch the conversation of two security guards.

"Report! The northern exit is now blocked! Evacuate here as much as possible!" one of them shouts. "The perpetrator exited through the East!"

Sakura freezes up at that statement. East exit? Perpetrator?

The guard giving report gestures wildly to the others scrambling atop the gate walls. "Princess Hanabi was safely evacuated! The other is unconfirmed! Get this to the others!"

She blanches. Are you kidding me? For a brief while, she has a moment of complete recall, and she has to question her sanity whether or not she is the perpetrator. The story is all too familiar to her, and yet, how can she possibly have just woken up? How can Hinata already be abducted? She hasn't laid a hand on her! In the time ticking that the smog and soot are evading her senses, her mind starts becoming clearer. Her plan did not involve a fire. It did not involve this much commotion. And if she really caused this much chaos, she certainly wouldn't be standing here. In this rare circumstance, she's actually innocent.

Feeling an intense need to escape, she bolts back to the motel, fearing that someone has been tracking her and intends to use her as a scapegoat. While it shouldn't surprise her that someone else was targeting the Hyuuga Princess, it angers her that somebody actually beat her to it.

"There! There! That's her!" she hears amongst the angry and noisy crowd inside the building. At first, she doesn't think the voices are looking for her, but soon enough, the mass of people start to give way to the soldiers so they can trap her. She's surrounded in mere seconds and when she mentally scrambles yet again for escape, she comes to a complete blank.

What the hell is going on?

The circle of soldiers open a mere fraction for their commander, and she can't hold in her disdain and consternation once she lays eyes on that familiar figure, eye-smiling and casually strolling towards her.

"Mira, isn't it? We've met before," Kakashi says, coming to a stop before her, tone completely casual despite the loud commotion around them. "As you can probably tell, you're under arrest."

She looks at him in complete astonishment. "I had nothing to with the fire."

The gray-haired man casually tips his head to the side. "Hmm. I made no such accusation. You are, however, under indictment of potential treason. So come on, let's go."

She feels her knees getting knocked from behind, causing her a hard fall to the ground. Soon enough, it's her arms being tied around her back and she's dragged upwards and made to follow the soldiers back towards their station.

She obliges with them for the most part, but as she considers her dim and troublesome circumstance in the next coming days, all she can think is 'Well, shit'.

Thanks for reading. I hope the chapter was decent and easy to follow. Besides that, I hope the rest of your day goes marvellously. - MT