A/N: I am so thrilled with the last chapter's reception! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who reviewed and commented! Your encouraging words and you keyboard smashes truly inspire me to keep writing and to write to the best of my capabilities! I adore you all!
Sakura stared out at the group of a dozen strangers standing at the shadowed edge of the forest, adrenaline from her battle still surging through her veins. The man, apparently their leader, said that they had been called upon to defend the village but Sakura was unsure of whether or not to trust them.
The group slowly strode out of the shadowed part of the forest, revealing themselves to her. She tightened her fighting stance, prepared for the worst, and Tora mimicked her tension with a low, throaty growl.
When the leader of the unknown group revealed himself, Sakura somehow knew that she should recognize him. He looked so incredibly familiar but she couldn't place where she knew him from for the life of her. His eyes were intense and the weight of his gaze was directed entirely at her. She could tell just from their eye contact that he was a shinobi of great skill and someone who would be far more of a challenge than the broken corpses surrounding her.
His tightly muscled body was hidden beneath layers of warm cloth but Sakura didn't need to see his form to sense the power she could feel from his presence. His chakra was leashed but, with the adrenaline of the fight still coursing through her veins, she could still sense the unbridled power barely concealed behind his careful control.
Her eyes flicked to the equipment strapped to his back, not recognizing the strange looking weapon secured to him and one that was chained to a kama as tall as she was no less.
She felt a thrill run up her spine as she bore the entirety of his focus, something that was not helped by the fact that the man standing before her was incredibly attractive.
Sakura was finally distracted from her thoughts when the shinobi who stood next to the leader of the group emerged from beneath the concealing shadows of the treeline. When the kunoichi's eyes fell upon the newest stranger, she gasped softly.
'Sasuke?' Sakura thought in disbelief as she stared at the dark haired man, her guard slipping.
No, there was no way that was Sasuke.
While this stranger looked nearly identical to her old teammate, there were slight differences between the two. This man looked older and his hair was much longer, tied back in a ponytail similar to Itachi. He didn't have the menacing stare Sasuke had and he held himself differently, more proudly.
She quickly amended her defensive posture as her eyes flickered between the other members of their party, taking note of the weapons they carried and plotting a strategy should they decide to fight her.
Just as the group of dark haired shinobi stopped a safe distance away, the sound of someone sprinting across the frosted grass met her ears. She glanced to her side and saw Nobu running towards her, his face the picture of panic.
"Lady Sakura!" he yelled from across the field, nearly tripping over the uneven ground created by her strikes in his sprint.
As Nobu approached, distracting the group of heavily armed strangers, Sakura backed up and canted her head towards Tora. She didn't allow the strangers out of her sight, not trusting them in the slightest, as she addressed her companion.
"Are you okay, Tora? Do you need healing?" the kunoichi asked in a low voice.
"It's just a scratch, cub. I'll be fine" the tigress responded, her expression softening at Sakura's concern for her.
The feline's gaze returned to the group of strangers just as Nobu skidded to a stop in front of Sakura. He shot a terrified glance at the massive summon towering above him, taking a half step back, before he looked to the war party of dark haired men and women.
"Thank you for coming, sir and lady Uchihas," he greeted quickly, giving a hurried bow before turning to Sakura.
Sakura nearly sputtered when Nobu said Uchiha, her eyes widening and her mouth popping open as she stared at the group of shinobi with understanding. She quickly schooled her expression, not wanting to so openly display her alarm to the Uchiha. They may be the enemies of the people she had killed to defend the Nakano family but that didn't mean that they were her allies.
She could hardly believe how spectacularly she had messed up. In her blundering, she hadn't just broken the vow she had made to avoid the major clans who would one day found Konoha, she had annihilated it. Along with the fourteen dead Senju strewn across the decimated battlefield.
And now, on top of that extraordinary failure (one that could have such far reaching consequences that she couldn't even consider them at that moment lest she lose her composure), she was standing face to face with a group of Uchiha shinobi.
Sakura gave herself a mental shake, bringing the entirety of her focus back to the situation at hand. She could berate herself for being such an idiot later. For now, she needed to focus if she wanted to live.
If anything, at least their revealed heritage explained why that strange man looked nearly identical to Sasuke...
The kunoichi's eyes snapped back to Nobu as he turned to face her once again.
"Lady Sakura! I need help. It's Akane, she's been injured. Please come," Nobu explained in a hurried tone, his expression betraying his fear.
Sakura shot one last glance towards the Uchiha before she nodded curtly. "Show me."
As Nobu began his run back towards the village, Sakura turned to face Tora. She incrementally canted her head towards the group of Uchiha, silently asking for the tigress to keep an eye on them. Tora nodded in response and Sakura took off after the blond civilian, wiping off her blood-drenched hands on her already gore splattered kimono.
Madara watched as the mysterious woman he had heard so much about recently ran off with the Nakano.
Sakura was it? A fitting name, certainly. At least in regards to her fascinating coloration and her beauty. He would be hard pressed to believe there was any other comparison that could be made between the fascinating warrior before him and the fragile spring flower.
The Uchiha's eyes drifted away from the retreating kunoichi and scanned the decimated battle field before settling on the enormous tigress lingering nearby.
No wonder every merchant seemed to chatter on about her. She was a force to be reckoned with at the very least. He remained curious about the tales of her medical prowess, however, although he had gotten a glimpse when she removed the swords piercing her abdomen.
Madara briefly wondered if she was a Senju, considering she utilized a technique that was eerily similar to his rivals, but reevaluated the thought as he glanced at the bodies strewn across the field. If she was, she certainly had no alliance with her clan.
He had never met a kunoichi of her caliber before. The women of his family and those of the Senju's were fighters of incredible skill and on par with the men of the clans, certainly. This Sakura, however, was on a completely different level.
To see a woman who was at home on a battlefield as he himself was was… curious.
Madara found himself fascinated by the enigmatic kunoichi and, when his gaze met Izuna's, he saw his interest mirrored there. He tilted his head towards where Sakura and Nobu had run off to, a silent question, and his brother nodded in response.
As they began their trek towards where Sakura and Nobu had been heading, Madara addressed the rest of the strike force. "All of you, remain here and keep an eye out for any enemies that woman may have missed."
"And try not to upset the tiger," Izuna tacked on, the majority of their clan mates giving the massive summon a wary glance as it growled deeply in warning.
The brothers reached a small crowd of people who had gathered at the outer perimeter of the town. At the center of the group, seated on the frosted grass, was the fiery haired guard Akane.
The rouge Uzumaki was hunched over, breathing raggedly, as her hand fluttered over the katana piercing through her chest. Her armor, which signified her place as the guard captain, was torn and stained in blood. She was covered in a variety of small cuts and a splattering of bruises but all those injuries were insignificant in comparison to her mortal wound.
This woman was destined to die and Madara was incredibly curious to see what this strange kunoichi would do.
The elder Uchiha watched as Sakura placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, his sharp gaze observing as the thick black lines which decorated the kunoichi's skin traveled to Akane's. The tattoo like markings snaked across the red head's pale flesh before disappearing beneath her tattered armor.
He watched, fascinated, as the cuts which dotted the guard captain's skin began to seal themselves, steam emerging from the wounds as they closed. The splattering of bruises scattered across her flesh faded away, leaving behind nothing but filthy but undamaged skin.
Steam flowed from around the sword embedded in her chest and Madara watched, shocked, as Sakura reached down and wrenched the weapon from Akane's chest in one smooth motion. The red head hissed in pain, hiding her cry behind clenched teeth.
The Uchiha expected blood to come pouring out of the wound, as was the norm for a critical injury such as this, but was surprised when none came. Instead, the gouge continued to billow steam, the torn edges of the runaway Uzumaki's flesh neatly knitting back together until nothing remained but blood.
The guard rolled her shoulders and touched where the wound had once been with a baffled expression, smearing the fresh blood that remained splashed across her skin. Madara shared in the woman's shock, surprised and impressed that this pink haired kunoichi had healed yet another fatal injury so effortlessly. He had never before seen such a feat except from his rival and, even then, he had never witnessed the Senju extend his healing jutsu to others in such a way.
"How are you feeling?" the mysterious kunoichi asked in a concerned tone, the black tendrils returning to her own flesh as she pulled back her hand.
Akane laughed aloud and grinned at the healer before responding, "Much better, thank you. It appears we all owe you a great debt."
Sakura smiled warmly in response as she helped Akane to her feet. Sakura, having noticed Madara and Izuna's presence, gave them a wary look. The guard, noticing her stare, followed her gaze to the two Uchiha brothers looking on curiously.
Akane briskly nodded in greeting. "Ah, it's you two. I suspect my lady will want to speak with you both."
"I would imagine so," Madara replied smoothly, meeting Sakura's gaze head on.
He suspected that there would be much to talk about with Lady Nozomi in regards to the woman standing before him.
Sakura finally broke her stare as she looked back to Akane, her expression morphing into one of determination. "Are there any more injured?"
Akane frowned before nodding sharply in response. "Yes, let us help them."
When Madara and Izuna reached the main household where the head of the family resided, Lady Nozomi, as well as one of her attendants, was already waiting for them outside.
The blonde appeared to be worse for wear, adding weight to the rumor that she had fallen ill. Madara suspected that her recent illness was the reasoning behind the Nakano's rival family hiring the Senju to attack Lady Nozomi's holdings. They considered the merchant family to be weakened without the matriarch's guidance.
Apparently they hadn't been expecting the appearance of the kunoichi Sakura or they would have hired more Senjus.
"Greetings, Sir Uchihas," Nozomi greeted with a bow to which the brothers returned, "From what I hear, my summons was unneeded, although some quality landscapers may be in order… I apologize for you both traveling all this way for naught."
"From what we've seen, it's likely that this trip could be fruitful…" the elder Uchiha's eyes pointedly flicked over to where he could see Sakura in the distance, tending to some injured guards. "What can you tell me of Sakura?"
Nozomi nodded. "Of course. Please, come inside. We'll speak privately."
As Nozomi turned and entered the warmth of her house, both Uchiha noticed that the matriarch struggled to walk, her pace slow and her gait weak. Neither sibling commented on her recovery, instead silently following the blonde into the main house. The young servant who waited on the Nakano family leader quietly closed the fusuma behind the shinobi, preserving the heat of the house.
The Uchiha removed their shoes at the entryway and stowed their weapons before further entering the house, passing through open shoji doors until they reached Nozomi's study. As they sat upon cushions which surrounded a low legged table, the attendant lingering outside after a subtle gesture from the Nakano family leader, a noticeably more comfortable Nozomi began speaking.
"As you may have heard, I fell prey to an unknown illness about a few weeks ago. It progressed quickly and became rather severe," the blonde explained, the two Uchiha nodding simply.
"My brother fled the village and traveled out to the merchant cities in search of a doctor. During his search, he came across a few people who sung Lady Sakura's praises, calling her a miracle healer as well as a skilled kunoichi. He located her in the city of Kiso and brought her here and, as I'm sure you can tell by the new renovations and the fact I am speaking to you now, she lives up to her reputation."
"An interesting gamble, bringing an unknown ninja to your village. Especially one with her reputation," Izuna commented with a quirked eyebrow.
Civilians were distrustful of ninja to a fault and willingly inviting one into their holdings was an startling decision.
Nozomi chuckled softly. "Ah, I've been told that Akane was very displeased with that discovery. Along with Nobu leaving in the dead of night to search for a healer after being told to stay. Lady Sakura appears to have earned her respect, however, a feat in and of itself."
"What do you know of her history? Who she is or where she came from? If she hails from a clan? A ninja such as herself isn't created overnight," Madara pressed.
Nozomi's eyebrows furrowed as she thought. "I don't know anything of her past, in all honesty. I only know of her through rumors and the little Nobu has told me."
"And what has your brother told you of her?"
"Nothing to do with her past, unfortunately. Just things such as her incredible strength, her determination while healing, that she is kind… That she can summon cats. The massive tiger sitting on the outskirts of my village validates that tale… And that he located her at a bar, halfway into a bottle of sake." Nozomi frowned. "That's all I know. You may have better luck speaking with Nobu."
Izuna and Madara shared a look. They could have better luck speaking with the matriarch's brother, but they would find answers speaking to Sakura herself.
"Thank you, Lady Nozomi. We'll take our leave now," Madara decided as the two brothers stood.
"About your compensation…" the Nakano family leader began.
"No need to concern yourself. We didn't take part in the battle so there is no compensation necessary. The information you've given us is plenty."
Nozomi frowned uncertainly. "Very well then. Safe travels, sir Uchihas."
"And a swift recovery to you, Lady Nozomi," Madara finished as the two brothers turned and made their way towards the door.
The siblings slipped on their shoes and secured their weapons to their persons before stepping back out into the cold. The silent attendant opened the fusuma for them and closed it behind them. The Uchiha slowly walked the stone path leading away from the main household until they were a far enough distance to converse privately.
Izuna was the first to speak. "What are you thinking?"
Madara's eyes scanned across the villagers before he spotted a head of pink hair a distance away. "I'm thinking that she is a formidable kunoichi who is obviously not aligned with any clan but who we may one day face in combat should she continue to remain unaffiliated. Her battle against the Senju was incidental. If she were called to the village ran by the Nakano's rivals, it very well could have been us she faced."
Izuna nodded thoughtfully.
"I agree. We've heard the rumors about her, but it appears that they've all been based on the truth. I wasn't so certain about the rumor that she destroyed that bridge with her bare hands, but I can see it now…" he commented, both of them glancing over to the destroyed battlefield in the distance and the summoned tiger that still stood guard there.
"But what are we going to do about her? Like you said, if she remains unaffiliated, we could be forced to fight her in the future," the younger Uchiha continued as they paused at the edge of the stone walkway, hidden beneath the still full branches of a pine.
Madara's mind immediately returned to his two family members dying at their village. The two members of his clan who had trusted him with their lives and who he sent on a mission that would have them dead by morning.
"If she's the miracle healer they say, which I'm convinced is true after she healed that guard's undoubtedly fatal wounds as well as her own… She could be an asset to our family."
Izuna's eyes narrowed as he growled, "She's an outsider. We don't even know of her past and you're so willing to allow her into our home?"
"She could be capable of healing Katsumi and Katsurou," Madara shot back, glaring at his brother, before gesturing towards the battlefield, "And look at what she did to protect this village. To protect people she hardly knows. And against the Senju, no less. If she counts our family among her allies, I doubt she would do any less to protect our own home."
The younger Uchiha's eyebrows furrowed as his lips pressed into a thin line. He sighed deeply through his nose, recognizing the sound of determination in his brother's voice.
"Would you rather leave and run the risk of our clan facing her one day? Let our own family die?" Madara continued, eyeing Izuna, "While I doubt she would side with the Senju after this, a client may very well have no need for them with her on their side. It would be better to have her working for us."
Silence reigned for a long moment as the two stared out at the squad of Uchiha lurking on the perimeter of the village.
"You have a point..." Izuna finally grumbled.
"I always have a point. I thought you would have learned this by now," the elder teased, stern faced, drawing a exasperated grin from his younger brother.
"I will conceed that you always have a point. The issue I'm concerned with now is whether or not it is a good one." Izuna shook his head.
"Would you rather face her and that tiger in the field one day? Or perhaps one of our clan mates should in our stead?"
They watched as the summoned tiger in the field yawned widely and as three of the younger Uchiha skirted away defensively. The clan heads both grimaced in embarrassment. Even the gargantuan summon eyeballed the nervous shinobi in a way that appeared disappointed from this distance.
"Ah, a... fairly good point, I see," Izuna sighed, his expression pinched, "You go speak to her then. Perhaps… I should go check on them."
As Sakura healed the last injured guard, plucking out the kunai embedded in his torso as she did, she heard footsteps behind her. Ignoring the approaching stranger for the moment, she focused on her patient once more.
"Are you feeling any pain?" she asked the man seated on the ground next to her.
He shook his head, shyly smiling up at the medic. "No, I'm fine now. Thank you, Lady Sakura... For everything."
The kunoichi smiled warmly and helped the man to his feet just as the purposefully loud footsteps she heard behind her came to a stop. The guard bowed to her deeply before turning and jogging away, leaving Sakura alone with her new guest.
The kunoichi sighed wearily, finally deactivating the seal on her forehead. She felt as the hum of power faded away, the black tendrils stretching across her skin and the buzzing sensation of chakra both retreating back into her forehead. As she carefully reformed the seal, storing all of the chakra she hadn't used once again, she reevaluated her supply.
Only to be immediately concerned with the paltry amount of chakra she had remaining. All of the months she had spent funneling chakra into her seal had been erased in the span of one battle.
Sakura hadn't wanted to use her seal before it's completion but knew that, with her life in mortal danger, she had had no choice. Even so, she regretted having used it so carelessly.
When one utilized the seal before it was filled to the point where it would be stable, the chakra that was drawn from it would be erratic and the seal would be drained in little time. A battle that would have taken perhaps a hundredth of a stable seal had taken nearly all of her incomplete version.
After drawing upon the seal so much during her battle by summoning Tora and by healing her own fatal wounds, Akane's mortal wound, and then the injuries of a dozen guards, her incomplete seal had been decimated. She knew that if she tried to draw upon her stores once again so soon, she would be drained dry once more.
On the bright side, an additional and quite useful benefit of having used her seal was that her natural chakra levels had been fully replenished. When she worked to once again funnel a small amount of chakra into her seal, an unconscious action that constantly fed her stores, she hardly noticed the draw.
Sakura turned to face the stranger and was surprised to find the leader of the force of Uchiha patiently waiting for her to finish with her patient. His curious gaze lingered on the purple diamond on her forehead for a moment before his eyes flicked down to meet hers.
She greeted him with a hesitant nod. "Hello. How can I help you?"
"I find myself impressed with your display today. Not an easy feat," the man started, further confusing her by his strange greeting.
"Er... Thank you?" Sakura returned with furrowed eyebrows, unsure of how to react in the face of one of the few compliments she'd ever received from an Uchiha.
"I've heard a lot about you in these recent months. You made quite an impression with your battle on Samurai Bridge," the wild haired man continued, drawing an embarrassed cringe from her, "I find myself curious, however, as to why a kunoichi of your skill appeared so suddenly. Where are you from?"
"That's a bit of a forward question, don't you think? Especially from someone whose name I don't even know," she replied cautiously, eyeing the stranger as she perched a hand on her hip.
"My name is Madara Uchiha. I am the current leader of the Uchiha clan," he introduced simply, crossing his arms across his chest.
Sakura's jaw fell in surprise as she recognized the name immediately. The name of the man who she had read of in the history books. The name of the man who would eventually become one of the founders of Konoha. The name of the man who would one day leave the village and battle Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, at the Valley of the End.
No wonder why he had looked so familiar and why she hadn't been able to place him. The only image she had ever seen of him was his statue, erected at the battle site between him and the First.
Her shock must have shown on her face because Madara immediately raised his one visible eyebrow in response. "Have we met before?"
"No. I've just heard of you… One of the more interesting rumors being you can set an entire forest on fire with a single jutsu?" Sakura quickly redirected, trying to change the topic.
"Ah, yes. That... would be me. I suspect that that rumor surfaced after the battle at Biei?"
Sakura easily recalled when she had first discovered how far she had traveled in the past: listening to a couple civilians talk about how an Uchiha had set a forest ablaze following the battle at Biei.
"Yes, actually..." she agreed, "You set an entire forest on fire then?"
The Uchiha nodded before his lips flattened in a way that could almost be construed as embarrassment. "It hadn't necessarily been my intention at the time, but yes."
"That's… Well, hmm," Sakura responded lamely, unsure of how to react.
This time it was Madara who changed the subject. "Now that introductions have been made, would it still be forward to ask of your past? Or your surname?"
"Why do you want to know?" Sakura questioned, leery of his intentions.
"I'm curious about you," he answered easily, "I've never met someone who could single-handedly defeat an entire strike force of Senju and heal fatal wounds so easily."
"My mentor taught me well."
Madara remained silent, waiting for her to continue expectantly. She sighed heavily, reaching up to brush her bangs from her face. "You're a persistent one, you know that?"
"So I've heard."
Sakura was uncertain about sharing her story, even the one she had constructed for herself during her stay here, with the Uchiha leader. She thought back to her vow, the one she had so thoroughly broken when she killed the invading force of Senju, and hoped that her blundering in the past hadn't already altered the future. She hoped that the band of Uchiha would have defeated the Senju anyways and that her influence hadn't altered too much.
She hadn't noticed anyone who appeared to be Hashirama Senju or Tobirama Senju, at least compared to the faces carved into the Hokage monument, in the group of invading shinobi. So, at least she hadn't killed either of the future Hokages. Luckily. Hopefully… More than likely.
And she hadn't ceased to exist yet so she must not have messed up... too badly...
Sakura didn't think she could worm her way out of this one. She was just grateful that she had prepared herself a backstory preemptively, mixing truth and fiction in a way that would be believable. She was glad that her research into her family name had turned up nothing, something that would help her infinitely in this war torn era.
She took a deep breath, her gaze drifting to the ground momentarily and returning to his eyes before she spoke hesitantly.
"My name is Sakura Haruno. The reason you've only heard of me recently is because I'm from… was from a village far to the west. My home… My home was destroyed by a man who thought of himself as a god." Her memories of Pain annihilating Konoha were still fresh and the emotions still raw, her pain coming through in her words and giving them substance. "I believe I was the only survivor although others may have scattered to the winds after the attack. I came out here looking for a better life."
The Uchiha's expression betrayed his surprise. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned as he spoke, "My apologies."
She nodded in response, accepting his apology. She took a steeling breath, struggling to tamp down the flood of emotions that came with the memory of Pain's devastating assault. "Was there anything else you needed?"
There was a long silence as Madara appeared to appraise her, considering something in his mind. Just as Sakura had been about to speak again, he broached, "I was considering offering you a job."
The medic gave him a strange look, her eyebrows coming together in confusion. "A… job?
"Never in my life have I witnessed a healer of your caliber. Two of my kin were badly poisoned during a mission the other day and I was told shortly before I left that they would be dead by morning..."
Immediately, Sakura's inner healer surfaced and urged her to help. Her nature was to help people, to heal people in need. She tamped down the impulsive reaction, reminding herself to be cautious.
She didn't know these people, even if this man would go on to one day help form Konoha. Her face betrayed her struggle but she quickly schooled her features.
"Why should I trust you?" Sakura challenged, her eyes narrowing.
The corner of Madara's lip quirked up, as if satisfied with her distrust. "We share a common foe now. The shinobi you killed belong to a clan which my family has been at war with for centuries. They will undoubtedly come for you after this battle. Your actions today have made you their enemy but could also make you our ally. And we do well to take care of our allies."
Sakura took a moment to consider his words. She had only met two Uchiha's in her life and both experiences had been negative overall. She had nothing to base his claim of his family taking care of their allies.
"And what would I get in return for this alliance?"
"What is it that you would ask?"
The kunoichi considered what she could ask of him, her thoughts rushing to her unfruitful search for knowledge pertaining to space-time ninjutsu. For the past four months, she had uncovered nothing of any value at any of the merchant cities.
She was desperate.
She thought of the book keeper at the bookstore in the merchant city of Kiso and her response when Sakura had asked her about scrolls pertaining to ninjutsu: "You won't find anything like that here. That's ninja clan business".
And here stood possibly her best chance of finally finding that knowledge and returning home. While he may be an Uchiha, he would also one day go on to build Konoha. He couldn't be that terrible of a person if, under his influence, her home would one day be created.
As long as she was careful to not reveal any information which could alter the future, she… should be alright. How else was she supposed to return home? Her search for knowledge thus far had been spectacularly unsuccessful and her indefinite existence in the past could be more damaging than working with the Uchiha for a short time.
Not only that, but Madara did have a point. With her having killed the strike force of Senju, they would undoubtedly hold a grudge against her. While she believed she could defend herself well, she didn't want more people, especially people from the clan that would have such an integral part of the formation of her home, to die. Or for the civilians in the merchant cities to get caught in the crossfire.
"...Information. I want access to your library," Sakura replied, gauging his reaction to her condition.
The Uchiha raised his eyebrows curiously, apparently having not expected her answer, as he continued to stare into her eyes unflinchingly. "To what end?"
Sakura's sharp mind immediately provided her with her earlier idea that she had had after healing Nozomi. The idea of creating a kind of stasis jutsu to assist with her healing. "I've been researching space-time jutsu to assist in my healing. I want to create a kind of stasis jutsu so my patients won't die while I work. The trade cities I have been staying at have no information about jutsus."
"They are civilian cities," Madara pointed out with an odd look, as if pointing out that the snow was indeed cold.
She shot him a glare which caused the corner of his lip to quirk up in amusement. "So I've gathered…"
"What will it be then? You heal my family members and I allow you access to our library?"
Sakura paused for a long moment, considering. She then nodded and held out her blood stained hand. "Agreed."
To his credit, he unfolded his arms and shook her scarlet-tinged hand without hesitation. Sakura noted that even through his leather gloves, which reminded her of the ones she had stashed away in her scroll, his hands were warm.
"Very well then. We'll leave at once."
"Let me inform Lady Nozomi first. I'll meet you at the edge of the forest," the medic replied.
Madara nodded curtly before beginning his walk to the group of Uchiha gathered on the edge of the village.
Despite it being so late, the village was still abuzz with activity. The near invasion had energized everybody and Sakura was certain that Nozomi would still be awake.
She removed her shoes and set them on the ground next to the engawa before hopping up. She approached the fusuma which led to the family head's study, circumventing the main entrance into the house, certain that the blonde would be inside. She knocked briskly before calling out, "Nozomi?"
"Come in, Sakura," came the matriach's voice from the other side of the door.
Sakura opened the sliding fusuma and entered the warm study, noting Nozomi sitting at the low table with a plain wooden box perched the tabletop near her. The room was lit by a handful of paper lanterns set in strategic places across the room. The lanterns put off a soft, comforting glow and one that enabled them to see in the darkness.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, as she closed the fusuma behind her to maintain the heat of the room. She remained standing, not wanting to get any blood on Nozomi's nice furniture or the tatami mats.
"Quite well, thank you. Just a bit tired."
"Good. The fatigue should be gone within the next few days. I suggest staying hydrated and resting frequently."
"Thank you, I shall." The blonde's eyes flicked down to the blood staining Sakura's clothes and hands. "Are you in good health as well?"
"Er..." the kunoichi muttered as she glanced down at the bloodied and tattered remnants of her clothes, "It's, uh... It's mostly not my blood."
Nozomi's eyes widened.
"I'm fine though! Promise! I'm a healer, remember?" Sakura tried to console, drawing a sigh of relief from the matriarch.
"You save my life and then threaten it with such a statement... What allies I count as my own," Nozomi huffed, shaking her head.
Sakura rubbed the back of her head with an embarrassed laugh.
"Now… It appears we owe you an even greater debt for your help today," the Nakano leader continued, adopting her matriarch demeanor once again.
"Not at all. I'm glad I was here to help. And I, uh… I'm sorry about the damage…" Sakura apologized as she glanced at the floor.
"Nonsense. You defended my village from what would have been a slaughter and saved the lives of Akane and my guards. A bit of landscaping is hardly a price to pay for such gifts," the elder woman explained.
Sakura still grimaced at the word 'landscaping'. They'd need a lot more than just landscaping with the damage her and Tora had done outside. At least she hadn't destroyed any of their houses… Hopefully.
"But, while you're here... There is the matter of your compensation. Here. Your payment for healing me as well as a token of our thanks." The matriarch pushed the wooden box sitting on the table towards Sakura. She gathered up her skirts to keep from staining the tatami mats and approached her. Crouching at the low table to investigate the box, she flipped open the lid.
The medic's jaw nearly dropped at the amount of money within the box. Just glancing at it, it had to be double what she was offered just to heal the merchant family's leader.
"I can't take all this, Nozomi. This is too much…"
Nozomi fixed her with a determined stare and spoke the unwavering voice of a leader, "We all owe you our lives. This is the least we can do."
"But-"
"Please, take it. I can promise you, you're not going to be putting us out on the street. And feel free to stay as long as you want. Our doors will forever be open to you," Nozomi interrupted with a warm smile, folding her hands in her lap regally.
"I… Thank you. That means a lot. I'll be leaving shortly though," Sakura explained as she pulled her storage scroll from her ripped obi and unfurled it to a blank spot. With a few handsigns, she secured the wooden box into the scroll before rolling it up and tucking it back into the stained strip of cloth wrapped around her waist.
The blonde's expression morphed into one of confusion, obviously thrown off by Sakura stating she would be leaving in the dead of night. When she spoke again, the regal tone had disappeared, instead replaced by one of befuddlement. "What? You're leaving? Now? Why?"
"The Uchiha have offered me a job. I'll be leaving with them," Sakura explained, watching as Nozomi's expression immediately morphed into one of alarm.
The Nakano leader quickly schooled her features and spoke before she could comment. "As is your prerogative. Just… take care of yourself."
The kunoichi leveled the blonde with a wary stare, unsure if she should ask what that face had been about. She assumed it was simply because the Uchiha were ninja and left it at that.
"I will… Goodbye, Nozomi. And say goodbye to Nobu and even Akane for me, please."
"Of course. Be safe. And thank you for everything. You're always welcome here," the Nakano family leader replied, her tone warm and a soft smile gracing her expression.
Sakura stood, making sure that her belongings were secured in her blood splattered obi. As she left the main household and slipped on her geta once again, she briefly considered stopping to change her burned, bloodied, and torn clothes. After a moment of thought, she decided against it.
It was apparent that Madara's cousins were gravely ill and that it would behoove her to hurry. Not only that, the squad of Uchiha had watched her crush a man's chest with her bare hand. She doubted they would care that she was coated in a little bit of blood.
A/N: I have had some absolutely incredible fanart made for this story by some absolutely incredible artists! You can find all of the pieces on my tumblr, "Astroavis", under my "Writer's Nook" tab. They are all so amazing and every artist is a blessing sent from the gods. I'm so lucky and I want you all to see the wonderful work they've made.
Katsurou means "victorious son". Katsumi means "victorious beauty". They're named such because they are brother and sister.