Kuroi Hellebore
Summary: It was said that medieval witches harvested hellebore on moonless nights, using it to curse those around them. Hellebore has another meaning, one less known to the world. Hellebore can mean hope as well. After all, this deadly plant blossoms from beneath the snow. It blooms in dark winter days and reminds us all that spring is on the way.
Author Note: This is my first fanfiction. Its also my first story ever. There will be a lot of mistakes and errors and I may not be consistent with my entries at first, but I hope you all enjoy! Rated M for later chapters.
I do want to apologize to anyone who is following this story that saw it was originally SasuSaku. I've fallen in love with KakaSaku and feel like this story would be better suited to play out with them. I apologize to anyone for getting your hopes up. Also, to notate there will be no underage relationship between Kakashi and Sakura. They will be of age both if and whenever anything occurs. This is a slowwww burn with multiple chapters planned out. So be forwarned.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.
"Sakura's thoughts"
"Memory"
"Talking"
Chapter One
Sak…
Sakura…
It's time to open your eyes Sakura…
Small viridian eyes slowly fell open. Peering into the small dark enclosed space. A beam of moonlight splashed everything in an ethereal light which came from the cracked window in the corner. Unaware of her surroundings, she froze up. Not moving a single muscle or limb.
"Where am I…?"
She quickly closed her eyes, hoping that she hadn't made it known that she was awake. She slowed her breathing. Listening for anything that would give her a clue as to what was going on around her. She heard soft breathing to the left and right of her. She wasn't alone… She scanned her immediate surroundings with her chakra. Trying to determine if the bodies were friend or foe. Expelling her chakra was harder than normal. She could do it, but it was like she didn't have enough, harder to draw on than normal. She was concerned just pulling the little bit required to scan the area had felt like such a draw on her reserves.
Even through the struggle she felt the two chakra signals beside her. The one on the right was warm and bright. Like a sunny day with a nice breeze to cool the back of your neck. The other to the left of her, close to the door was reminisce of a blazing inferno, one where you would burn to ashes if you got too close. They felt familiar…. It was like it was on the tip of her tongue.
The person to the right of her suddenly flipped over, making her freeze up, ready for the attack. When the person suddenly mumbled out.
"Mmmmm…. Iruka-Sensei… Ramen."
She knew that voice. It was higher pitched then when she last heard it ages ago. It was still the same person though no matter the tenor or vibrato. She would know it anywhere. That voice had given her hope in the darkest of times. She opened her eyes, tears pooling in the corners but not falling. She peered over to the body on the right, knowing she was safe with him around.
"Naruto…."
It was hard to see with the little bit of light blocking her view, but she recognized the silhouette. He had one arm draped above his head on his pillow and the other arm was scratching his stomach, sleeping bag pooling at his thighs.
"Oh Kami… Then…"
She turned her head slowly to the left. The moon illuminating a body of similar stature to the one behind her. Their back was turned toward her. The Uchiha symbol on the blue shirt was illuminated by moonlight.
"Sasuke…"
Raking her eyes up to his head. She could just make out his black spikey hair laid out on the pillow. He had small even breaths, barely noticeable if you weren't paying attention.
She looked back up toward the ceiling. A sudden rush of relief, and joy ran through her. Her eyes still pooling with tears had finally fallen slowly down her cheeks.
"Oh my Kami, it actually worked..."
She only gave herself a moment to relish in the sudden rush of emotions she hadn't felt in a long time. She let herself feel for the first time in forever. Just a moment. Then it was gone. Her eyes turning to steel with her resolve. She had a job and a mission. She couldn't let these feelings deter her from the whole reason she was here. She couldn't let her emotions control her, not again. This time needed to be different.
"I need to figure out when I am and where I am."
She needed to collect information in order to figure out what her plan of attack was. When it was decided that she was to go back in time to save the world they hadn't known when she would come back to or how she would come back. They predicted many outcomes and in order to know which plan she was to implement she needed those answers and fast. The clock could already be ticking.
She sat up slowly as to not wake the sleeping bodies beside her. She roughly wiped away her tears. Telling herself this would be the one and only time they were shed.
She rose from her sleeping bag and slowly stepped to the door on the left. She couldn't recognize any identifying details of the room she was currently in. Hoping to recognize something that could tie her to a timeframe, she gently opened the only door in the room. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. Glad the two hadn't heard or woken from the noise. She then looked to her left and to her right. Both short hallways. To the right was two closed doors. To her left was stairs going down. She crept to the stairs. Deducing the other two rooms were bedrooms and not wanting to accidentally wake or disturb any other inhabitants; she went down the stairs quietly.
When she reached the bottom there was a small window illuminating the stairs. She peered out and saw a large body of water. There was an open doorway immediately to the right which opened into a larger room. Running parallel to the stairs was a hallway with two closed doors at the end. Figuring it would be easier to dig around for clues in an open doorway, she stepped that way. The larger room had a small kitchenette to the right and a table in the middle of the room. The left side had two large windows showing more of the water she saw previously back near the stairs.
It looked familiar but she still couldn't place anything with it being so dark out. Even with the moonlight beaming in. There was a door across from her and behind the table that she assumed led outside. Looking around more she tried to find anything that stood out. Personal belongs, furniture, etc. Not seeing anything from where she stood in the doorway she walked into the room. Moving to the kitchenette. Not finding anything there, she walked around the table. Looking to see if anything was left on it. The place was empty, sparsely furnished and fairly clean. Peering to the windows again, she figured she could get a better look outside to figure things out. She took a step forward when she saw a sudden flash of light in the corner of her eye. The flash came from her right towards the kitchenette and immediately drew her attention in. She almost missed the single picture hanging on the wall to the left of the kitchenette if it wasn't for the flash. Pivoting and stepping back towards the picture until she was standing right in front of it. She immediately recognized the people in the picture and the rip in the right corner of the frame. She took a deep breath.
"I'm at Tazuna's house. That explains the boys young ages upstairs. I still don't know what day though. We were here for two weeks…. The first week Kakashi was recuperating from the fight with Haku and Zabuza, the second week after the whole team was recuperating from the final battle."
She glanced back at the ripped photo, knowing that the missing piece is where Kaiza's face was supposed to be.
"It has to be before; they repaired the photo after the fight with Zabuza. I can't figure out exactly what day it is unless I speak with someone."
She couldn't just outright ask anyone. That would be reckless and raise too many alarms. Especially with Kakashi and Sasuke. They would see right through her. She could possibly get away with asking Naruto some probing questions, away from the others prying eyes. He wouldn't think anything of it. She hoped that was who she ran into first, but highly doubted it knowing her luck.
Realizing she was at a roadblock she moved on to the next big issue. Now that she figured out a general sense of where she was in her timeline, she needed to do an internal check of herself. She needed to figure out her power level and what she had in her arsenal to complete her mission. If she was limited to what she had as a genin she would be royally screwed. She could do it, but it would be a long and painful process. One that she didn't want to have to go through again.
Sighing to herself she decided to go outside to complete this next step. Hoping she could get a look at herself in the water's reflection to gauge her physical stature. She quietly and quickly walked to the door that led outside and closed it behind her with a soft click. She walked to the edge of the dock and looked down at her reflection. The first thing she noticed was that she had her long hair back.
"That'll be the first thing to go. I can't do it now; I'll have to do it when I get back home. It'll be too suspicious making a change that drastic."
She loved her hair, but it blocked her vision, even now curtaining around her face while she was peering down at the water. She couldn't let that happen in a fight especially now while she was weak. It would be the death of her, or even worse, one of her loved ones.
The next thing she recognized was the small purple diamond on the middle of her forehead known as the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
"I'm glad I still have this but how the hell am I supposed to cover this… If I henge it, Kakashi and anyone Jonin level and above will see right through it."
She looked back to the reflection and up to her forehead protector.
"This'll have to do until we get home. It shouldn't be too suspicious and if I put my hair up in a bun as well it'll be an even better reason why my hitai-ate was moved. If anyone asks, I'll just tell them the fight made me realize that my hair was weighing me down and hindered my movement."
She removed it and retied it, so it was covering her seal. Reaching into her side pouch on her leg, she grabbed a hair tie. She tied her hair up into a high bun. Letting her bangs fall over her hitai-ate. She also took inventory of her leg pouch while in there. She had five Kunai, five shuriken and some pocket change. She was embarrassed at how little she was prepared when she was a genin. Knowing her pack upstairs wasn't any better only having hair care products, and a change of clothes.
"I was so pathetic. I need to go shopping for medical supplies and more weapons when I get back."
This also brought her to her outfit choice. This she would keep until after the chunnin exams. Too much change at once will bring too much unwanted attention. She needed to lay low, under the radar and hidden.
Giving one last glance to her reflection, noticing nothing else outlandish besides her being in a younger body, she sat down on the dock. She assumed a Burmese meditation pose, hands falling to her lap in a circle. She relaxed, letting herself feel her body all the way down to every muscle, bone, tendon, and cell. She was physically weak, barely any muscle mass. She would need to start exercising to the extreme when she returned home in order for her body to handle the mission. Maybe she would add body weights to her shopping list as well. She also realized she was underweight. A byproduct of her dieting because that's what all the immature girls did at this age. The ones who didn't know better. She would plan out a nutritionally dense diet when she returned. Knowing she wouldn't have too much here since Tazuna and his family weren't well off, and wave was under Gato's control.
With the external scan of her body completed she then proceeded to do an internal scan. She took a deep breath in for 4 seconds held it for 7 and exhaled for 8. She continued doing this until her surroundings faded to the background. She appeared in a dark black room, recognizing this as her headspace. Everything was quiet and dark.
"Drip… Drip… Drip…"
She focused on the noise and soon what appeared before her was a small pond, barely halfway full of shining bright green chakra. The pond had a little stream that trailed off to the side into an ocean of chakra. She turned back to the pond and looked at the chakra slowly dripping into the middle.
"My chakra production and chakra reserves are the same as when I was a genin."
She glanced to the ocean, knowing that was her seal's reserves.
"At least I have that to fall back on if anything happens. For now, my top priority is to increase my Chakra production. My reserves should follow after naturally. It sucks that it isn't the same as before I went back in time."
She pictured her previous reserves and chakra production, a torrential down pour that fell on an ocean of similar stature to the one presently before her.
"Oh well… beggars can't be choosers. At least Shishou taught me a method to drastically increase my chakra production. I'll practice that every second I have; I should be back to my usual Chakra production and reserves by the time Shishou becomes hokage."
She glanced around. Pulling her gaze away from the sight in front of her. Behind her away from her chakra she saw four tatami doors. All with large seals similar to the Naka Shrine seal. Shrouded in darkness. Untouched.
"They survived…."
She looked away from them quickly, not wanting to dwell too long on what was behind those doors and the pain surrounding them.
She looked back toward her chakra and noticed a Tori gate had appeared next to the pond.
"That's new..."
She took one step toward it and immediately flung in front of it. Slightly jarred from the quick movement She lifted her hand up to steady herself on the gate and was immediately pushed through the gate. She looked around wildly trying to understand what was going on. Before her was a field, with tall grass and a lone cherry blossom tree in the middle. It was quiet except for the soft rustling of the tree branches, not a cloud in sight. Clear blue as far as the eye could see. She walked slowly to the tree. She wanted a closer look as this was never here before. She approached the tree closer, and she could see dark burgundy flowers, almost black, at the base of the tree crawling all over the roots. Almost starting up the trunk. She'd never seen these flowers before. She would have to ask Ino at some point what they were. She was quickly pulled from her thoughts on the flowers when she heard a rustling behind the tree. She quickly glanced to where she thought the rustling was coming from, but she couldn't see anything. She took a step forward peering around the tree and saw a completely black figure asleep at the base. Stark in contrast to the scenery around the figure. Stepping even closer she recognized the Kanji on the persons forehead and realized it was inner Sakura. She was deep asleep. Cushioned and surrounded by the roots and flowers.
"Oh… I haven't seen her since I was younger."
She was fast asleep, not waking even with outer Sakura's words. Outer reached out a hand to wake her. Before she could even get near, everything around her shattered like glass.
She immediately became aware of her surrounding's, realizing she was back on the dock. Eyes still closed; she felt the presence of a chakra signature that had emerged from the house behind her. It was hidden but she would recognize this chakra anywhere. It felt like a storm, with sparks of lightning, and a crash of thunder. Encasing her in warmth.
"Kakashi…"
She immediately pushed her hands together, as well as the rise of feelings welling up inside her. She didn't want him catching her in her meditative stance. That's not something 12-year-old Sakura would normally do. He walked closer to her standing a couple feet back. She opened her eyes and noticed the sun was starting to rise.
"It's probably approaching 6am. Maybe now I can start figuring things out."
She pretended he wasn't there. At this age she wouldn't be able to catch him sneaking up like this. She would have to wait for him to make the first move. He stood there for 15-20 minutes before he said anything or even made his presence noticeable. He stepped closer and leaned in behind her, warm breath ghosting over her left ear. His voice was a whisper when he finally spoke.
"Sakura, behind you."
She jumped, faking surprise with a loud gasp and a hand clutching her chest. She turned around to face him and put on an overtly annoyed expression on her face. Hoping he wouldn't recognize how fake it was.
"Kakashi-Sensei! Don't sneak up on people like that." She then pouted a little to put emphasis on the childlike manner. "You scared me half to death!"
She then quickly took note that he was on two crutches.
"That means this is the first day after the attack. The second day he had only used one."
She then looked at his covered face noticing how his one visible eye portrayed how amused he was but then his eyebrows slanted down. Portraying a look of disappointment.
"Sakura… we talked about this. A ninja must see through deception. What if I was an enemy Ninja sneaking up on you."
She frowned and looked down away from his prying eyes. Hoping he would believe her facade. She even turned back around and slumped her shoulders for dramatic effect.
"Hai, Sensei."
She heard him audibly sigh and then a few moments later she felt a pat on top of her head.
"You'll learn over time Sakura, it gets easier. Every shinobi has to start from somewhere."
He patted her head one more time and then removed his hand.
"What are you doing out here anyway?"
She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, giving herself a little time to think of an easy excuse. She decided to go with a half-truth.
"I like watching the sunrise."
While she does love the sunrise, she was normally too busy to notice it. When she was still in Konoha back during her time she spent most morning's either getting ready for her medic duties at the Konoha hospital or sleeping in. After it was destroyed, she couldn't think of silly things like that, her only thought was of survival. Her eyes hardened with that thought. Glaring at the water.
"Ahhh."
This Kakashi probably considered her to be a weak link on the team and the one who had the least potential.
A sudden memory came to her then of better times.
"I'm so proud of you Sakura, have I told you you're my favorite student."
An image of her and an older and worn out Kakashi appeared in her mind. Hugging her. Arms wrapped around her shoulders while hers were wrapped around his waist. Speaking the previous words softly into her hair. The memory her giggled and said, "A hundred times, Sensei." She closed her eyes leaning into his warm embrace. The image slowly disappeared from her mind.
"It's okay, this Kakashi may not believe in us, but he will. "
"Well don't stay out here too long, Tsunami is cooking us breakfast, and we start training immediately after."
"Okay Sensei." She replied back immediately.
He slowly hobbled back to the house. She waited until he was in the small house to breath a small sigh of relief.
"Ill give it a few moments and then run in and help Tsunami prepare breakfast. He also cemented where we are in the timeline. That's good. Todays the day we learn to walk up the tree. I don't remember if I got it on the first try or not…"
She frowned, eyebrows furrowing. Thinking of the best course of action.
"I have perfect chakra control. It's in my file. I'm sure Sensei read it or was told by the Hokage what my skills were. Even if I walk up the tree first try, I don't think it'll raise any suspicions. It'll also give me time to work on speeding up my chakra production. Away from his knowing eyes."
By the time she decided to head in the sun was fully above the horizon line. Letting her know an hour had passed since Kakashi first walked out. Putting the time at roughly 7am. She stood up and turned to the house, head bowed while she walked to the front door. She never noticed the eyes peering from the window in the house she was walking to. Watching her every step as she got closer to the house.
