A.N.

Bless all of those who have reviewed, faved, and followed my story. I really, truly appreciate it!

If you have not kept up with the manga from here on out there may be spoilers.

Disclaimer: Naruto does NOT belong to me.

Sayuri and any characters that have not and will not appear in the manga and/or anime are completely original.

Please Review!

Itachi? Inoichi walked towards them to get a closer look.

"Sayuri, you should be sleeping." Said the teen who sat down beside her.

"Well I was but then…" she trailed off brown eyes landing on the red stains on his person. "What happened? Did you get hurt?" she reached to touch him only to have Itachi grip her hand tightly. "Itachi?"

"I need you to listen to me." Sayuri frowned in concern. She had never heard him so serious before. "I did something bad," he covered her mouth to keep her from speaking. "I'm going to go away for a while now and I need you to do something for me."

Hesitantly she nodded. "O-ok."

Itachi smiled and reached one hand to her head. "I need you to forget." His dark eyes suddenly turned Sharingan red, the coma like marks around his iris began to spin. "I need you to forget all the bad. From now on you will not remember anything from the past. You will stay sane. You'll help Sasuke…understand?"

Inoichi watched how the seal had come about. He watched as Itachi instructed Sayuri to keep her memories hidden to make sure no one saw them and then he looked on as he tucked her in bed before disappearing into the dark.

The image disappeared he was left standing alone in the middle of the void.

"Sayuri?" he called out. "Sayuri?!"

"Inoichi sensei?" he turned around to see the Sayuri he knew standing before him.

"Sa…" he trailed off, feeling as if something was amiss. Something about Sayuri had changed.

Change

It was five in the morning, he and Moriyo had been looking after Inoichi and Sayuri the entire night. Moriyo had lost the battle against sleep and had her head on the desk; Kakashi who had kept himself awake was now having trouble keeping his eye open. The two were abruptly startled back to consciousness as they felt something around them shift.

With a gasp Moriyo stood up followed shortly by Kakashi who looked around the room in a panic.

"It's her." Moriyo's voice caught the silver haired man's attention. He turned to Sayuri and narrowed his one eye before bringing his hand up to his headband.

"This is Sayuri?" He asked Moriyo who straightened her posture. The dark haired woman only gave him a stiff nod as an answer.

XXX

She looked the same, Inoichi gulped. Same hair, same eyes, same voice, same stature…but something was off.

"Sensei…" she frowned and took a step forward and he unconsciously took a step back. She stared at him then looked down at her hands.

"Sayuri," Inoichi called out slowly.

"Get out." When he made no move to leave Sayuri looked up at him, right eye a ruby red while her left a sapphire blue. "I said get out!" she ordered, the wave of fire shooting out from her feet was enough to startle him into releasing the jutsu.

XXX

When the two jounin watched the Yamanaka stumble back and away from Sayuri, they knew something was up. In one fluid movement Kakashi pulled his headband to its upward position revealing his Sharingan eye while Moriyo rushed up to the blonde ANBU and helped him up.

"What happened?" Moriyo asked but received no answer from the shocked man at her side. Orange eyes turned to Kakashi who visibly stiffened. "Scarecrow?" she asked before turning to Sayuri whose hands were clenched at her sides.

The silver haired shinobi stepped closer and placed one hand on Sayuri's forehead before pulling back abruptly.

"Her chakra is out of control." He hissed. "She's burning up."

"Burning up? What do you mean burning up?!" Moriyo demanded as she reached for Sayuri's hand only to be stopped short by Kakashi who kept his eyes fixed on the brunette's sleeping form. "Kakashi!"

"Listen to him, Moriyo." Inoichi ordered the konoichi. "Her chakra has broken free from its restraints…she must not be able to control it." Moriyo looked down at Sayuri, she was flushed, her jaw clenched, a pained expression on her face.

Sayuri hissed as they felt a sudden heat wave emanate from her body. The three ninja stepped back at the sudden heat, the room starting to feel like a sauna. The brunette gasped and opened her eyes and gripped the bed sheets below her.

She felt hot…no not hot, she felt like she was burning alive. Her eyes darted around the room, no fire…so then from where? Then she felt it, a pulse at the center of her abdomen that made her cry out in pain and twist the white sheets in her hands tighter.

"Sayuri!" The teen turned to her right where Kakashi hovered over her, his eyes meeting hers. When had he uncovered his left eye? "Sayuri, breathe." He instructed, taking note of the very visible color change of her eyes.

Where was she? She looked away from him only to meet a pair of blue ...Interrogation…it was coming back to her, Kakashi had brought her over to Inoichi-sensei so that he could probe her mind.

Mind, consciousness, childhood, mother…She felt another pulse and again she cried out in pain. The heat she felt increased as she felt herself begin to sweat. Her mother was dead. Tobi killed her, another pulse and another cry. Tobi…Tobi killed her mother because she didn't leave with him. Her mother died because of her. It was her fault

"Ah!" Her back arched as another she felt another pulse. Her body felt as if it was on fire. Eyes shifted to worried orange ones.

Danzo ordered her aunt to be killed. The Root killed her and the clan. The old man ordered Itachi to kill his own. Then Itachi...Tears began to roll down her flushed cheeks. Itachi murdered his clan and sealed her memories. Itachi had left the village and joined Akatsuki. Itachi had died at the hands of his brother.

Her mother's death was her fault, her aunts death was her fault, her father's her, her clan, Itachi, Sasuke…everything was her fault. If she had simply never talked to Tobi her mother would still be alive, if she had never agreed to train with her aunt then she would still be alive. If she had told her father that something about the bandaged old man made her feel uneasy then her entire clan would still be alive. If she had acted sooner, and told Sasuke the truth then Itachi would be alive and Sasuke would not have joined Akatsuki.

Another pulse rippled through her body and she finally realized what was going on. The chakra she had been suppressing had finally broken free. No, she didn't suppress that chakra; Itachi did that when he sealed her memories. He had done it because her chakra had been directly tied to her past.

Her chakra had been a strange combination of both her parents. It was not only fire based but water based too. Her affinity was to both elements not just one. She had not been able to use Zenshihai because the two contradicted, and not because her mixed blood.

"Focus, Sayuri." Eyes turned to Kakashi. The man was sweating as were the other two shinobi in the room. "Rein in your chakra. You can do it, take control."

Control…? Sayuri cried out when the pulse in her core turned more intense. The heat was taking over her entire system. She could literally feel her chakra flow though every inch of her body, burning everything in its path. The room suddenly shook, the three ninja around her suddenly being pushed by a strong gust of wind.

"W-what the…?" Moriyo asked dumbfounded as she stumbled back.

"She hadn't been suppressing only her fire nature…" Kakashi began as the coma like marks of his Sharingan began to spin. "She had been suppressing the full extent of her entire chakra. It's all trying to take over her network."

"We need to get her to rein it in." Inoichi stepped forward. "If she doesn't she'll die. It'll destroy her entire chakra pathway." Determined the three ninja approached the stiff girl once again.

"Hold her shoulders." Kakashi instructed Moriyo who quickly went to the head of the bed and did as she was told, ignoring the burning sensation she felt as he hands made contact with the girl. "Inoichi hold her legs."

Sayuri clenched her eyes shut, she grinded her teeth while her hands pulled at the sheets. This chakra, although hers, felt foreign so how could she gain control over something she never really knew she had? Maybe if it hadn't been sealed she would have been fine. Maybe if she was stronger she would have been fine. Maybe if Itachi had never killed his clan she would have been fine. Maybe if she had only received one chakra nature instead of two very opposite ones she would have been fine. Maybe…

"Breathe!" the voice of her former sensei caught her attention. "Breathe, concentrate Sayuri." She felt someone press her shoulders down and keep her legs on the bed as she arched her back as the new onslaught of pain came and went. "Remember when we did our climbing tree exercise?"

Sayuri gave him a stiff nod as the burning sensation became stronger.

"I need you to calm yourself down. You're losing control because you're letting your emotions get the better of you. Gain it back." The jounin instructed. "Clear your mind."

She yelped as she felt a sharp current flow through her system.

"Sayuri!" Kakashi sounded frantic. He never sounded like that…at least not that she could remember.

This isn't working! Kakashi gritted his teeth.

He looked down at the girl who looked up at him, sharp red and blue eyes asking for help. He allowed the Sharingan to take action as the comma like markings began to spin rapidly. Sayuri's grip on the sheets loosened, her body suddenly relaxed as did her pained expression. He knew that putting his student under genjutsu was bad but at the moment he could care less. If he allowed her to keep going further she'd destroy herself.

The room became white with Sayuri standing in the center. Alarmed she turned to her sensei before turning back to the room. "What happened?"

Kakashi crossed his arms. "Genjutsu." He answered. Comprehension soon showed on her face. "Since you can't calm yourself out there, we'll do it here."

"I can't…" she shook her head sadly. "It's too hard…That chakra doesn't feel like mine."

"It's yours. Just because you were never aware that it was there, it doesn't mean that it isn't yours. You need to take control, don't let it rule you." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

With a firm nod Sayuri made a single seal. Taking a deep breath she tried to find her rampaging chakra. She almost recoiled at the feel of the hot fire based energy. Concentrating she tried to make it flow instead of allowing it to spread rapidly around her body. Gradually her body began to feel cool as her chakra began to circulate in a steady manner.

Moriyo and Inoichi felt the difference almost instantly. Both pulled back as the room suddenly felt cooler. The woman looked at Sayuri's eyes as the red and the blue left only to be replaced by a dark and light brown color.

Kakashi stepped back as Sayuri sat up and held her head, feeling a migraine coming on. She opened one eye to look at the three ninja before her and gave them a sheepish smile, before her body slumped forward out of exhaustion.

XXX

Wavy brown hair, short stature, dark and light brown eyes, Sayuri. Sasuke turned on his side. He couldn't get the image of her out of his head. How had it come to this? When had she become important to him?

Maybe it was back when he first met her, when she introduced herself. He remembered liking her eyes back then. Or maybe it was because she didn't compare him to his brother. Perhaps it was when she flat out ignored him, never drooling over him like so many others did. Or was it because she could careless as to what his surname was and put him in his place. Was it when he felt that she could understand him, and stand silently beside him as he mulled his life over? Or was it her determination when she stood for something she believed in.

He touched the bandages around his eyes. He could still see with clarity the way she looked up at him when she told him that he was wrong, and if he really tried hard enough, he could still feel her arms in his hands, and her lips against his.

Sasuke growled in frustration and sat up in his bed. He swung his legs over the edge and felt the cold hard floor. He hated not doing anything. Not only because he felt as if he was wasting time, but because he would let his mind wonder into unwanted territory.

"Where are you going?" Asked white Zetsu as Sasuke made his way to the door.

"For a walk." He bit out and slammed the door behind him.

XXX

"She's only exhausted…" Shizune sighed as she looked over Sayuri who sat on Moriyo's bed, arms crossed.

"I could have told you that." The Marihasha said between mouthfuls.

Ignoring Sayuri's last comment she turned to Kakashi and Moriyo, booth looking worse for wear. "You should have told Lady Tsunade before doing this." She scolded. When Moriyo turned to glare at Kakashi who looked down in mock shame, the medic shook her head and walked to the door of Moriyo's apartment. "Just keep feeding her."

"Bye Shizune!" Sayuri waved. A pair of chopsticks still in hand before turning back to the rice.

"I told you it was a bad idea!" Moriyo hissed as she brought the girl a plate of cooked chicken. "Here…" she shoved it in her hands before taking the now empty bowl.

Sayuri rose a brow watching as her teacher went to the kitchen muttering under her breath. "Is she going to be ok?"

Kakashi eyed her before turning back to the kitchen. "Yeah, she's just sulking."

"Ah…" she nodded before offering Kakashi the empty plate. "More please." She smiled as his one visible eye began to twitch.

XXX

Pencil scratched paper as a pink haired medic took inventory of all medical supplies. This was the fifteenth time she was ordered to do this. With every Chunin level ninja and up running around the village gathering supplies for the war, there would be no taking chances.

"That should be all of it." Sakura turned to the boy that had been patiently waiting by the door to the storage. "Here take this to Lady Tsunade, tell her that this is what we have so far."

"Yes ma'am!" the teen saluted before running off in the direction of the Hokage's still under construction tower.

Closing the doors and placing a lock, Sakura decided to go and prepare herself. Tomorrow morning was her time of departure to the hidden cloud. She took her time as she walked through the newly constructed leaf village coming to a stop at the new Ninja Academy. Emerald green eyes scanned the new gate and the new structure. Recalling her time in the classrooms, how Naruto always pulled pranks during the class, and how she always fought Ino for Sasuke's attention.

"Sasuke…" Sakura sighed and yet again felt something heavy in her chest, recalling how close he had been to Sayuri just before he…

"Sakura?" The rosette froze and turned to find Sayuri dressed in civilian clothes. She held two sticks of dango in one hand as she walked over to her. "H-hey…" the brunette said awkwardly, suddenly finding that her feet were more interesting that the pink haired konoichi.

"Hey…" the two girls stood uncomfortably next to each other. Neither had really talked to one another since the Land of Iron.

"Listen…" the two started at the same time, both blushed and looked down.

"You go first." Sakura turned to Sayuri who smiled in return.

Green eyes turned back to the academy for a few seconds before turning her attention back to the girl before her. "I know what happened. At the bridge, I mean." Sayuri's brown eyes widened as she suddenly turned very pale.

"Listen Sakura, I—"

"No." the rosette shook her head. "I guess I kind of knew what was going on for some time now." Sayuri frowned at this. "Besides Naruto, you were the only other person he seemed to truly enjoy himself with."

"I hardly believe constant arguing and death threats count as getting along with someone." Sakura giggled and soon Sayuri found herself smiling.

"What I mean is…" Sakura looked down at her hands sadly. "What I mean is that he always looked out for you, he went out of his way to be with you, and at the bridge it was you he sought out to accompany him." She looked back at Sayuri. "Not me. Sayuri he—"

"Oh god, not you too!" Sayuri exclaimed backing away.

"I already had this talk with the crazy redhead. I don't need to have it with you." Sayuri shook her head. "Listen when I saw you I came over to tell you that I'm sorry, ok!" Sakura blinked at Sayuri taken aback. "I shouldn't have screamed at you back there, and I shouldn't have said what I did. Here!" she pushed a stick of dango at the rosette's face.

Sakura blinked at the stick of food and smiled. Sayuri had never been good with apologies. Carefully she took the peace offering and took a bite.

"Were were you going any way?" Sayuri asked after a few seconds of silence.

Sakura swallowed as she followed the new paved route, gesturing at the brunette to follow. "I was going home to gather my things. Sai and I are being deployed tomorrow morning."

"Oh…" Sayuri mumbled as she looked off to the side.

"When are you going?"

"I'm going to be the last to leave."

"Oh…"

The two girls walked quietly side by side as they thought about the impending war. It was a scary thing, not knowing if you'll live to see the next day, afraid that you'll lose a friend or two. It was something that they all dreaded.

The two came to a halt at a tall building. "This is me." Sakura turned to walk into the building before she stopped a few steps away from the door. Sayuri watched as her former teammate suddenly took her in a tight embrace taking her completely by surprise. "Promise that you'll stay alive."

Sayuri slowly returned the gesture. "Only if you promise first."

Because despite the fact that they had always had more than a few differences, that one felt hurt that the love of her life had chosen the other, and that the other felt that she had taken by accident something away from her, the two had still been teammates as Genin, the two still cared for each other at some level.

The two pulled away and nodded before they turned and headed for their respective homes.

A.N.

I know uneventful, but we're getting to the war soon and that'll have more than enough action. Please review :)