Sakura sat on the branch of a tree, watching as the pointy-eared people went about their day. It had been four nights and three days since she left the pretty woman with the shortie. She had tailed them as they made their way to where she was now and since then Inner had receded into the back of their mind. Her other half was probably taking a nap and the rosette wasn't surprised. Inner had been dormant for many years before the war, Sakura had regained her confidence and made peace with who she was but ever since the battle started with Madara and .. Obito- she thinks that's his name- she had to put on a façade again. It was slightly annoying and very exhausting but when Inner formed again Sakura just realised how much.. comfort her second half brought her. She wasn't sure if it was because having Inner was like having someone you could vent to and trust not to leave you but all she knew for sure was the utter relief she felt when Inner awoke with a shout of 'Shannaro!'.

She did know that Inner wouldn't be with her forever but it was times like this, when she felt like she was alone in the world with no one to rely on. It was times like this, when she was stuck in an unfamiliar world with a language barrier and no way of getting home that she was relieved to have Inner. She had noticed that Inner was beginning to fade again but being in this foreign land seemed to strengthen Inner's existence and the pinkette noticed just how peculiar her second half was.

Inner always was.. there when she felt lonely or when she wasn't being 'herself'. Inner faded when she was becoming more confident with herself. It was odd yet fascinating how her Inner was connected to how she felt.

'So.. once I gain more confidence and become more familiar with my surroundings she'll leave again?' Sakura's brows pulled together as she pursed her lips. 'But.. but I don't want her to leave.. she's the only thing keeping me sane...' Tears formed in Sakura's eyes but she blinked them away and sniffed.

'I shouldn't be crying about this!' She thought, frustrated. 'I'm a shinobi! I've fought in a war! I shouldn't be crying about something my mind created going away!' She punched the branch she was on angrily.

Her eyes widened when it cracked loudly before snapping. The kunoichi leapt onto the roof of a nearby building and watched silently as the branch fell to the ground. Some of the people down below paused in what they were doing and rushed over to inspect the tall plant's broken limb. They conversed amongst themselves, wondering about what could have happened. The trees in this Wonderland of a place were the tallest she'd seen in this world and they had many branches.

'..I should probably stop harming trees..' Sakura thought as she remembered the kind trees whom had helped her when she first got to this world. It seemed like it had been ages since then and the pinkette froze for a moment when a thought hit her. 'How long has it been..?'

~{*.*}~

After spending a long while questioning her age and her ability to count, the ninja decided that she wouldn't age until she returned to her world.

'A simple solution to a stupid problem!' She thought as she climbed up the side of one of the walls of what had to be the biggest building she had ever seen. 'The people in this world sure know how to build a village.' Sakura thought as she stared at the view behind her. Multiple waterfalls were bursting from lushes mountains and all the plants were healthy and vibrant. Everywhere seemed to glow golden in the ethereal light of the sun. The village had a sense of calm to it and Sakura closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She had forgotten how pure the world could be. She took a moment to reminisce in her memories, remembering her life when she was a genin.

Konoha wasn't anywhere near as peaceful as this village was but it had a similar feeling to it and to Sakura it was perfect. A small smile made its way onto her face and the pinkette daydreamed about missions that in the past she found tedious but now found herself aching to do. Pulling out weeds; walking dogs; babysitting; and chasing after that pesky cat Tora. Her heart throbbed in her chest and she was suddenly overcome with the urge to complete these tasks.

'Soon.. soon I'll be back home..' She sighed, 'I just need to be patient.'

The seventeen year old was snapped out of her musings by voives coming from the room she was outside of. She blinked owlishly before hugging the side of the building tighter and leaning one way to pear into the room where two men were conversing.

One was old with long, white hair and an equally long beard. His skin was wrinkled and his eyebrows bushy, he donned dark robes and was holding a pipe in his hand.

The other had long brown hair, with two small plaits framing his face. His face was set in a frown as he talked with the older man and Sakura really wished that she could understand what they were saying.

~{*.*}~

"His strength returns."

"That wound will never fully heal." Gandalf said, turning away from the window to face the Elven King. "He will carry it the rest of his life." Elrond turned, his back facing the wizard as he walked away.

"And yet to have come so far, still bearing the Ring, the Hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil."

"It is a burden he should never have had to bear." Elrond poured himself a drink whilst listening to Gandalf talk. "We can ask no more of Frodo."

"Gandalf, the enemy is moving." Elrond turned to face the white haired man. "Sauron's forces are massing in the East, his eye is fixed on Rivendell. And Saruman, you tell me, has betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin."

"His treachery runs deeper than you know. By foul craft, Saruman has crossed Orcs with Goblin men, he's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight and cover great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for the Ring."

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves." The Elf King spoke. "We have not the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard."

Gandalf walked back over to the balcony he had been at previously. He knew what the brunette was going to say next and he most certainly did not like it.

"Gandalf. The Ring cannot stay here."

The old wizard watched as different species of creatures arrived in Rivendell.

"The time of the Elves is over. My people are leaving these shores." The King approached the older male. "Who will you look to when we have gone? The Dwarves? They hide in their mountains, seeking riches. They care nothing for the troubles of others."

Gandalf thought for a moment before facing Elrond.

"It is in Men that we must place our hope."

"Men? The men are weak. The race of Men is failing. The blood of Numenore is spent, its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of Men the Ring survives. I was there, Gandalf. I was there, three thousand years ago. When Isidur took the Ring. I was there the day the strength of Men failed." As he talked images of the past ran through his mind, telling a tale that he would never forget.

It was a tale where he and the one named Isildur ran up to the heart of Mount Doom, where the Ring was forged. The one place the dark object could be destroyed. He had told the man to 'Cast it in the fire!' however Isildur did not listen. The dark haired man's heart had already been corrupted by the evil of the Ring, its promises of power ringing in his ears.

He had yelled at the man to destroy it. Isidur refused and the twisted look on his face would haunt Elrond for the rest of his immortal life. He had called after the man, though Isildur did not turn back.

"It should have ended that day but evil was allowed to endure." The King turned around, looking at Gandalf. "Isildur kept the Ring. The line of Kings is broken. There's no strength left in the world of Men. They're scattered, divided, leaderless."

"There is one who could unite them." Gandalf spoke up. "One who could reclaim the throne of Gondor."

Elrond swallowed thickly, "He turned from that path a long time ago. He has chosen exile."

Both the wizard's and the Elf's minds flashed with the image of a certain dark haired man and Gandalf turned to leave. Before he could, however, Elrond spoke.

"Before you leave, Gandalf, Evenstar has brought another matter to my attention." The old man turned around, looking curiously at the brunette. "It would seem we have yet another complication."

A/N: Hello! I know that some people probably aren't a big fan of Inner being in this fanfic but don't worry the start kind of hints at something.. I don't know how to explain..

I may add in a few things later on however I don't have an endless amount of time to write this hehe..

IMPORTANT: So if any of you read The Haruno Clan's Blossom you may know this but I have decided that when I, for whatever reason, am unable to publish a chapter of whatever fanfic is due I will update a chapter of a new story I have been writing. It will probably pop up somewhere on my account when I do start publishing it and I hope you understand! This is just in case I get bored of writing one of my fanfics and find myself uninspired. I hope this is clear.. I will try to explain it better if not but yeah..

Sorry for any mistakes!

Hope you enjoyed!