EDIT 8/27/21: Removed a scene and put it in the previous chapter. Some dialogue has been changed, as well as a few additions of new paragraphs and revisions of most of this chapter. This one, so far, was the one that needed it most.

[ This chapter has been edited/ fixed as of 8/27/21 ]

Eternal

Part One: Genesis

Chapter Five

Green

Focused eyes breezed through the information displayed on his phone. It was a new article, one of many released with most of the world's eyes on Hokkaido. While these publications mainly focused on informing the public of every change within the quarantine zone, watchful eyes and curious ears waiting on any sign that may shift the tranquility, a new type of piece has begun to circulate through news outlets amidst the condolences and medical papers.

Ito Shimura doing everything in his power to prevent the disease from spreading.

Who is Ito Shimura and why his leadership in Hokkaido is the best Japan has to offer?

Ito Shimura, the people's politician.

Sasuke quelled the urge to scoff. After every single faux pas he'd committed in the eyes of the public, it should shock him just how quickly one event can shift public perception. Even if the information being pumped out were blatantly false, propaganda.

The young man had met the man on numerous occasions, both during public and private events, his presence due to the fact that he was training to be his brother's right hand in the company. Having seen him in both instances, he knew of the clear distinction between his public face and the other. Even in a more private affair, there was much that man was hiding, that much Sasuke could tell.

He looked back at his internet searches, the history showing him pages upon pages of articles all relating to the same thing. Common words popped up frequently in these articles. 'Flu', 'quarantine', 'in control', and the most frustrating to him, 'thoughts and prayers'.

He wasn't the religious type, but back then, he wasn't bothered with the phrase. However, that changed just three years ago when his parents had died in a plane crash, and he had to hear that phrase repeated over and over again. He didn't want thoughts and prayers. He wanted answers.

The plane had no issues to be concerned of before the crash. The black boxes that could have given them pertinent information were never found. It just suddenly dropped from the air and crashed into the sea, debris and lifeless bodies rising to the top while so many parts of the plane have yet to be found from deep beneath the waters. The cause of the crash was never confirmed, so eventually, investigators, the airline, and the government deemed that it was due to human error.

It all felt too convenient an answer to him.

With no answers and in the midst of their grief, Itachi had to take the reins of the company, just twenty-four years old and fresh out of university, and Sasuke's silent rage continued to burn for the both of them.

His brother was a genius, a prodigy. Finished high school early, hence his early college acceptance. Sasuke used to feel like he had to run to catch up to him, to make him and his parents proud. But Itachi sat him down one day, told him that he didn't have to feel like he had to do or be anything just because he didn't want to disappoint anyone or feel less than.

Itachi noticed, that although Sasuke had drive and was also very intelligent, that at that time in his life his little brother was wearing himself out trying to be just like him, especially with their parents' absence. Sasuke heeded his advice. Although he didn't graduate from high school early just like him, he did graduate with a high ranking and had gotten accepted to Japan's best business school.

The car's abrupt stop broke Sasuke out of his recollection. A brief look outside the window showed him that they had arrived at their destination. The heliport.

"You were deep in thought," Itachi observed, back on the plush leather of the car seat.

Sasuke didn't say a word as he opened the door, but before he could exit the vehicle, the ever energetic Naruto leaped out of the car before him.

The hot beams hit his sun-kissed skin as the warm summer air enveloped him. As he raised his hands up, stretching a bit while also taking in the heat, he could hear Sasuke's sigh behind him. He was grouchy in the mornings. And afternoons. ' Meh, he's always grouchy.'

The Uchihas walked out after him, Itachi with his phone in hand as he nodded his head to the direction they were to go.

They had backpacks with them, prepared to spend a weekend within the lush greenery that covered the mountains where they were headed. Sasuke and Itachi's family had owned a cottage within the Hidaka Mountain Ranges for generations. Stories about the Uchiha's humble beginnings living in the rural area were passed down, adding a rags to riches charm to their image. Though with how wealthy they had become, many began to doubt that fact. Sasuke, himself, wasn't sure about it either. The Uchihas had been a wealthy and powerful family in the country for a long time, so the truth about his family history was something he thought no one could be truly certain of. And he wasn't the only Uchiha who felt that way.

There were stories, albeit not very well known stories, that the Uchiha were 'cursed' with bad health. The family was prone to having family members with faulty eyesight, some even so bad that they had gone blind. There were also accounts of family members falling deathly ill as children and perishing shortly after. Sasuke's parents never thought much of the eye issue, since it was probably just in the family's genes and since it could be easily treated with today's medicine and treatment. However, when Itachi fell ill during the period in his childhood, their doubts of the old tales of sickness dwindled. But Itachi lived.

There were moments in his memory where he remembered them laughing off their prior wavered doubt, thinking themselves silly. Thinking back on it, he wondered if it was because they were in front of guests, in front of people who weren't as close to the family as they believed themselves to be. He did recall his mother's laugh not sounding like what he's used to. In fact, it felt hollow to him when she'd laugh those memories off in front of those people.

As they walked through the entrance building into the airspace, the three talked about their trip, what Naruto wanted to do while he was there, and the rules Itachi had given them regarding the area. Technically, the place they were headed to was not within the quarantine zone, but it was close, so he had to lay some ground rules.

"Damn, Itachi, you're making me feel like I'm eight again," Naruto made a face. "I'm twenty-one now. An adult!"

"Shocking," Sasuke remarked, hands in his pockets.

"I know. My secret to young looking skin?" Naruto placed his hands on the sides of his face. "Long hot baths and ramen."

"Yeah, you don't look a day over infant."

His hands fall back to his sides, eyes narrowed. "Who pissed in your tomato juice this morning?"

"Now, Naruto, Sasuke stopped drinking those when he was twelve. He prefers eating it like an apple these days." Itachi smiled, eyes crinkled in amusement.

His little brother shot a glare at his direction while Naruto stuck his tongue out in mild disgust.

The two continued the conversation without the older Uchiha as he studied Sasuke. Though it seemed like nothing was wrong, Itachi knew his brother better than that. Sasuke had something on his mind, something that was distracting him. The way he went silent with his eyes set in fake concentration, pretending to listen as Naruto continued speaking was a big sign to him. Something had happened. What was weighing on his brother's mind so heavily?

Then, he recalled the short but strange conversation the two had the other night about meeting someone in a café.

"Sakura," his brother had confidently called her. To his recollection, they didn't actually ask for the girl's name. Naruto also mentioned her hair.

' I knew there was something about that girl, but to think her path collides with theirs...' Itachi thought.

Sasuke and Naruto stopped walking suddenly, eyes trained on what was ahead of them. Itachi stopped as well, confused by their reactions. Though, following their line of sight, he supposed he would have been as shocked as they were too. Instead, he was more intrigued.

'Speak of the devil…'

Naruto looked surprised, which wouldn't have made him question too much. His black shirt was moved with the wind, making it look loose behind him as its front wrinkled in close proximity to his skin. His eyebrows shot up, his mouth slightly open. Naruto wasn't one to shy from his emotions and that showed in his reactions, always genuine.

But it was the way his brother looked that made his curiosity explode into full on fascination. It was almost like the day they picked him up from the airport. He was staring at her then.

That was unusual. It looked like he was deep in his thoughts, his mind having drifted away from his body for a few moments. He had noticed his haste in getting in the car afterwards. Then, when he and Naruto got in, his eyes were shut, his hand on his temple before opening them to the two, a fleeting look of something he couldn't quite explain. That look was present again right now.

Most would think Sasuke wasn't as emotional as his usual companion, but as someone who truly knew him, Itachi knew that he wasn't at all different in that respect with Naruto. He was just better at playing it off. With the knowledge of his brother's inner workings, he was aware that once his little brother was truly in the heat of the moment, he could burst. A passionate one, he was.

' Perhaps Naruto's intuition pulled them to Maisō for this reason.'

"Three other passengers?"

"Yes, miss. We were called a few days ago to prepare for their arrival," the pilot answered.

Sakura wondered if there were more researchers and doctors that had gotten assigned, but she doubted it. She had only been gone a few days, and she didn't remember Doctor Senju talking about more additions. But, it wasn't impossible for them to be called. But to arrive on such a short notice?

While questions simmered in her brain, she felt eyes watching her. Perhaps she didn't have to wait long to get her answers. Still, it was rude to stare.

Turning around, instead of finding experienced doctors, she saw two familiar faces. To say she was shocked would be an understatement. Her feet were placed firmly on the ground, but she swore her knees almost buckled in surprise.

But it was surely just a coincidence. Right? It wasn't as if they had actively sought her out. Those two were just strangers. But she was clearly affected by their presence. First, they appeared in her subconscious, invading her dreams some nights, leaving her to wake with an endless amount of questions and a heavy chest. Now, she was meeting them in person, as if they had materialized from her imagination to… what?

Why were they here?

She began to rationalize it all in her head. Maybe they were heading to a different part of the mountain range. After all, the area where she was going was quarantined. And she was sure they weren't medical professionals, nor were they planning to be, recalling from their brief encounter a mention of an office and a confident announcement of being the future prime minister.

She shook herself out of her distress and took in a deep breath.

'It's just a coincidence,' she told herself. ' I'm overthinking things.'

As she looked at the three figures walking toward her, there was one she didn't recognize, but she imagined there was a vague silhouette that appeared as he sauntered over. She's never met him before. And she was sure she hadn't seen him in her dream like the other two. But his presence , in a way, scared her.

The three stopped walking as they were finally just a few steps away from her and the pilot.

"Yamamoto-san." The vaguely familiar man greeted the pilot. Then, his head pivoted toward her, hand outstretched for a handshake. "Miss...?"

Sakura, swallowing her sudden nerves, placed her hand in his. "Haruno. Sakura Haruno."

Upon closer inspection, he shared the same features as him. 'Sasuke' .

There was a curious smile on his face. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Itachi Uchiha."

Looking at the two side by side, she realized. They had to be brothers. The same dark, raven hair, albeit the man she just spoke to had his longer, and the same onyx eyes. But this man's eyes didn't affect her like his brother's did. Looking at ' Sasuke' was a completely different experience. When they locked eyes, he didn't feel like a stranger to her, his presence didn't feel foreign. There was a part of her, a small part of her, that erupted into warmth when he was close.

Before she could go back into the trap of questions in her mind, she greeted the two familiar faces. "Nice to see you two again." She held out her hand. "Naruto."

Naruto shook her hand, a smile on his face. "You too! Didn't think I'd be seeing you here, of all places."

She smiled back, hoping it hid her trepidation well. "You're not the only one." She let go of her hand and offered it to the man beside him. "And... I don't think I caught your name last time."

He stared at her hand for a moment, almost contemplating the action.

"Sasuke," he said after finally placing his hand in hers.

Her breath hitched as their skin made contact. She offered her hand, and yet, she was not ready for that odd sensation that prickled through her skin the moment she felt him.

She cleared her throat. "Nice to meet you. Again, I mean."

Sasuke nodded as their eyes met.

There it was again. The tug. The same tug, the same overwhelming experience of something he was struggling to rationalize to himself. He was sure now. This was not the first time their eyes held each other's gaze before. And he was certain it wouldn't be the last.

Sakura's hand fell to her side as Sasuke put his in his pocket, an awkwardness growing between them as the seconds passed.

Itachi observed the two. He was almost ashamed that he had. There was an underlying current between the two he had never witnessed before. That brief gaze almost felt too intimate to view. What did this entail?

Naruto noticed something, too. He was seeing the slight differences in Sasuke's demeanor during the past few weeks, but it was still something he needed to get used to. Sasuke always had a quiet intensity about him, something their female, and some male, classmates admired all throughout high school. That was his charm, so to speak. That 'so close, but far away' kind of air surrounding him wherever he went. It made people want to be close to him, to be him, but at the same time, it intimidated them. If he hadn't known the guy for as long as he did, he would have felt similarly, jealous even.

But what he just saw was something else entirely. Sasuke was acknowledging her, allowing her into his exclusive bubble. What could it be about her? Did he know her? Were Naruto's own dreams an omen of some kind? Was he destined to play cupid? He asked himself these questions, but he knew he wouldn't get the answers. So, right now, he decided he was just looking forward to egging him on about this later.

' Oh, this is going to be fun.'

Naruto brought his fist to his mouth and faked a cough. "Am I interrupting something, Saucy?"

Sakura felt a rush of embarrassment flood her, her cheeks going warm at the suggestion. She decided not to speak on it, however. Opting to redirect the conversation so as to avoid it entirely.

"Saucy?" She repeated, the nickname one she assumed had a backstory.

"Fits him, huh?"

"As I've said, it's best to ignore him." Sasuke closed his eyes in mild frustration, two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. On the one hand, he was grateful for the change in topic, but he wasn't exactly pleased with what the topic had become.

"Hey, no more ignoring me!" Wrapping an arm around Sakura's shoulder, he whispered loudly, "But you gotta admit, no one can really ignore someone like me, right?"

Her abashedness had quickly abated, now replaced with an entertained expression. He was right, so to speak. His energy was infectious, if not a bit overbearing. Removing his arm from her shoulders, she replied, "If you pull them to you like that with no warning, then yes."

"Man, you're not an anti-hugger like Saucy over here, are you?"

"You'd make anyone against it." Sasuke shook his head.

"What do you mean? My hugs are extra warm!"

"That's because you're like a radiator."

"What can I say? I'm full of love."

"And sweat."

"I don't smell, though!"

Sasuke sighed, pointing his thumb at him while he looked at Sakura. "You see what I have to deal with?"

Sakura folded her arms. "He just kind of runs his mouth, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, I can hear you, y'know!"

During the entire chopper ride to the mountains, Itachi, from the passenger's seat of the flying vehicle, observed the trio on the seats behind him. Based on their easy, albeit loud conversation, mainly due to the boisterous sounds emitted from the helicopter, it was difficult to fathom they were strangers just a few days ago.

Sakura spoke openly about her childhood in Kyoto and her move to America during her teen years. Naruto expressed his interest in politics and his knowledge and intelligent remarks on the state of Japan's current political climate seemed to genuinely and pleasantly surprise her. He also told her about his and Sasuke's long lasting friendship, a conversation in which Sasuke was active in participating, though 'active' in his own special manner.

Unknowingly, he smiled softly to himself. Experiencing firsthand the duo possibly turning into a trio.

Sasuke didn't have many close friends. In fact, Naruto was the only one to get a genuine friendship from him. He had acquaintances at school and didn't push away students in group activities, but they were always at a distance. Lo and behold, a woman with piercing green eyes may finally be able to break through his tough exterior.

' Although... '

Itachi was aware of why she was in Maisō, and what brought her to the research. It was his doing, after all. It all happened by chance. He stumbled upon her applicant form when Tsunade mentioned one of her colleagues sending one in for a student during a phone conversation.

He wasn't sure of it, but hearing her name alone stirred something familiar in him. He had this sensation happen to him before. It happened when he crossed paths with Doctor Senju herself. And this sensation, this hunch, always proved right.

This instance was no different.

Based on the short interaction he witnessed before they boarded the helicopter, his beginning to piece together the puzzle. Just like the moment Naruto and Sasuke had met when they were younger, this felt destined, felt as if it was meant to happen. Just who she was to the two of them still remained to be answered, but he had no doubt the trio of them were meant to meet.

There was something else. Sasuke's reaction to her presence and vice versa. Though short, the moment their eyes met, it seemed like they had shared a quiet conversation, held only by the weight of their stare, not a word escaping their lips.

He knew of Sakura based on what Tsunade had shared on the phone and his brief sighting of her in the airport. Based on her file, she was a capable and ambitious student. She mentioned that she also knew more than her peers were expecting. In fact, she was almost too good. It was almost as if she was born with the knowledge. Some of the techniques and critical thinking she had displayed impressed even the Senju herself in the short period she'd been a part of the Maisō mission.

"We are about to land," the pilot announced. Eyes trained on the sight in front of them, the three at the back stopped all conversation.

Naruto looked to his left where the window was.

The view was breathtaking. The serrated mountains began looking taller as they descended, looming overhead, moving them closer to the forest grass. The vegetation looked healthy. Trees appeared like they could touch the sky, flowers of a variety of vivid colors looked capable of enchanting all eyes that laid upon it. The sky was a soft blue hue and with it, specks of fluffy, white clouds covered half of the sun, it's faraway flames mesmerizing the earth.

It took his breath away.

He had always loved the outdoors. As a very outgoing man, he enjoyed heading out into the city, enjoying what urban life could offer. But he also held a great love for the outdoors. The fresh air, the breathtaking views, and the sense of wistfulness he felt when he was out in nature. It felt more like home than the city could ever be to him.

He was born in the city, but something about the peace and adventure the trees and leaves imprinted into his mind made him feel like he belonged. That's why his parents, and later, his uncle always went on trips with him. Camping, fishing, they did it all. It had been a while since he had been out and about in this type of environment.

Not since he lost them.

He pushed the inevitable pang of sadness present whenever he thought of their absence and made room for the excitement bubbling within him, setting his sights on what was ahead of him.

"Wow." His voice was soft, almost airy as he felt the vehicle finally land. Quickly, he unbuckled himself, took off his headphones and was the first to exit, leaping out of the exit.

This did not go unnoticed by Sakura. "He sure is excited."

Sasuke removed his headphones. "He's the adventurous kind."

"Like you?"

"What makes you say that?" He replied as he began unbuckling his seatbelt.

She did the same. "Honestly? I don't know, exactly. Just a gut feeling."

"Haruno-san," the pilot spoke. "Someone is outside calling for you."

Sakura looked out of the window to see one of the researchers from the site. Carefully, she stepped out of the helicopter. "Yes?"

"Haruno-san, Doctor Senju requires the documents immediately. I was told to fetch you," she said, using a finger to lift up her glasses threatening to slip from the bridge of her nose.

"Oh, yes, of course." She turned to the other three passengers. "It was nice seeing you guys. And meeting you, Uchiha-san."

"Itachi," he corrected her, offering a kind smile.

She nodded. Though her initial wariness of him still remained in fragments, she didn't feel threatened by his presence anymore.

Giving her thanks to the pilot, she waved, signaling a goodbye, and followed the woman to a pick-up truck.

They watched as the truck's engine roared to life, and the truck drove away out of view.

"Doctor Senju?" Naruto asked quizzically.

"It would seem that she is working in the quarantined site," Itachi answered.

"For real? Isn't she our age?"

"Which makes it all the more remarkable. Wouldn't you say, Sasuke?" He tilted his head to his brother, brow raised in question.

Sasuke didn't respond, his mind on what she said to him before they got out of the helicopter.

' A gut feeling.'

Suddenly, seeing himself surrounded by the luscious green, he wondered when he'd see the little specks of silver deep within her emerald green eyes again. He knew it wouldn't be too long. Like she said, it was a gut feeling.

Sasuke's silence wasn't abnormal, but Naruto studied the softness of his features, curious about what could have made him look so content. It was a rare sight to behold. Something that he would have asked him about immediately.

But something else had caught his attention.

He felt sweat bead on his temples, a shock to his spine, an electric wave rushing through his veins.

He breathed in. "The air..."

Sasuke and Itachi stared at Naruto.

"It feels heavy."

Sakura arrived at Maisō and quickly followed sterile procedures before heading into the tent area. Glancing around her, she had noticed a few of the people looking less energetic, lethargic even, than before she left. She noticed it in the way they moved, the slower paces they made as they walked from tent to tent, the exhaustion in their eyes, the heavy bags underneath them.

She began to worry. Had they been infected? No, they couldn't have been. Any sign of infection would've been noticed. Maybe they were worn out. But what burnt them out to this extent?

The man in front of Tsunade's tent stopped her from entering. He too looked fatigued. "She's not in there."

"Where is she, then?"

He was quiet, recalling her location. "Critical care."

Nodding, her feet began moving towards the said tent.

Unbeknownst her, a pair of small copper eyes hidden behind a nearby bush followed her movements.

"You know, I don't know why you guys call this a cabin. It's way too big to be one." Naruto grabbed his backpack from the trunk.

"It's been passed down the family as one, so it stuck," Itachi replied as he walked up the stairs towards the entrance. "Though, it has gone through numerous renovations."

"Rich people," he whispered to himself.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and followed Itachi, Naruto behind him.

The wooden home was a dark, earthy brown, the brick columns having red and black hues, mixing the authentic outdoorsy feel with an almost luxurious glamour. A stone path led to the front steps of the home within the forest and shrubs, flowers surrounding it. It was larger than a normal cabin. The two story building had a spacious balcony, wooden chairs and a glass table placed to admire what nature had to offer. Windows were placed all throughout the walls, enabling a great amount of natural light to enter the building.

Opening the front door, Itachi stepped inside.

Naruto scanned the room. "Who keeps the place clean?"

"We have someone come by and maintain the place every month."

Tasteful decor, comfortable furniture, and a homey aroma filled the room. A glass coffee table in front of the light grey sectional couch between it and the TV. Landscape paintings were well placed on the wall. But with all this around him, he found that his eyes were trained on what was beyond the window.

Naruto walked towards the door that led to the back patio. Turning the knob, he felt the warm breeze hit his face as he walked closer to the railing that separated him from the open meadow. He placed his hands on it as he watched the grass tilt to the right as the wind pushed them that direction.

"Damn." He thought the view above the trees was beautiful, but what was in front of him left him entirely speechless.

All before him was green of all shades. A gradient from the light grass to the dark leaves of the trees further from the meadow. But something beyond caught his eye. A small flicker of grey hiding within the trees. And as soon as he spotted it, it grew, overtaking all color surrounding it.

It felt like his head was about to split open.

Clutching onto the sides of his head, he tried to steady himself. His knees buckled. His lungs tightened as he struggled to breathe. It was a static image in his mind, grey, grainy, like TV that lost its connection.

Flashes of destruction.

A giant hole into the middle of a gated area.

Heads sculpted from a cliffside.

A red and black cape billowing with the wind.

Bile piled into his throat, the attack on his senses strong and overwhelming. His mind filled with nothing but these mysterious images as sickness threatened his body.

Dark hair flowing with the wind.

Giant animals.

Paper flying in the air.

He gripped tightly onto the railing to steady himself.

Then, it was all white.

He felt cold, exposed. He tasted salt in his tongue, his eyes heavy with tears.

A plea left his lips, asking for help, but all he heard was an infant's cry. Then, he felt something drip onto his chest. He felt smaller, unfit to be in such a state. But that heavy drop of liquid made him anxious, confused, terrified.

"I said this was a father's duty."

'What?' He thought, hearing someone's voice straining to speak.

He knew this voice.

"Then all the more since I'm his mother," he heard a woman reply, panting in between words.

He knew this voice, too.

A loud, grizzled roar charged into his eardrums.

He wanted to yell, scream, but nothing but cries escaped him. His vision unclear, his body writhed trying to escape whatever was tying him down.

He felt helpless.

He wanted help.

He wanted to help.

But no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened. All he could do was lie there crying, hearing two poor souls lose their lives.

And although he didn't know who they were, he wanted to break down and let the tears escape. So he did.

That was all he could do.

Naruto inhaled a deep, heavy breath, begging air to fill his empty lungs, like a fish that had just gotten back into the water. He felt his heart race, the beating reverberating through his ribs and into his stomach as the pain came rushing in.

It took a few minutes for him to reel himself back into reality, letting the pain slip away until he felt a semblance of normalcy returned.

' What... What was that?'

He slowly straightened his back, his hand held its grasp on the wood. The grainy asphalt no longer clouded his vision, but the salt in his mouth remained. It was then that he realized tears had fallen from his eyes.

He was crying.

Naruto took one last look at the vegetation beyond the wooden railing and turned around, slowly walking back into the walls of the cabin, his back on the vibrant green leaves that began to fall, wondering why his initial excitement in coming here faded away, replaced by an unshakeable helplessness.

"More dead animals have been appearing around the area."

"That's concerning. This could mean whatever disease we're facing is beginning to affect the animals."

The man sighed. "We have to get that old lady off the premises at once. It isn't safe."

"We've been trying, but whenever we even catch a glimpse of her, she's running off."

Sakura listened in on the two nearby doctors' conversation.

That didn't sound good. They did not need another person to get infected, especially not the elderly. She continued walking, and the two were no longer within earshot. She stopped, looking around for the person who was supposed to be in front of the tent, but there was no one.

She hesitated for a moment, contemplating on whether to enter and give Tsunade what she asked for immediately, or to wait for the okay to enter. It was mentioned that she wanted the files immediately, but wouldn't it be rude to just barge into the tent? What if she was busy? If that was the case, why wasn't anyone outside to stand guard like usual?

Weighing the pros and cons in her head, she decided to enter. It wouldn't be the first time she was yelled at by Dr. Senju. With a tentative hand, she opened the tent's front covering and took a step inside.

Curtains covered each patient's section, the only sound that could be heard was the beeping of the monitors within the tent.

"Hello?" Sakura called out. "Doctor Senju?"

Gaining confidence, she walked through the middle aisle of the large tent, eyes looking around if she could see someone inside.

Then, there it was.

The familiar pounding, the familiar sensation shooting up her spine and clouding her judgment. But this time, the pounding, it was inside of her.

Her feet stopped. Her heart rate increased. Her eyes looked around frantically and stopped when it spotted the curtain entrance to the last section of the tent. She slowly began walking towards it. The pounding within her grew stronger with each step, and when she walked through the curtain, it began to steady.

Was she being led to this particular section? By who? By herself?

It was a woman. She was comatose, her body laid on the hospital bed and connected to many medical devices to keep her alive. Sakura looked her over, and a gasp fell from her lips.

A wound.

Blood escaped through her skin, crimson red spoiling the perfectly white sheets, her white hospital gown. Before Sakura was aware of her actions, her body moved before her mind could react. She quickly went to the woman's side, hand up and instinctively hovered over the presumed injury.

She surprised herself. She had no jurisdiction whatsoever to care for a patient. But she had no time to run and find someone to help the woman.

Then, she felt heat.

The heat captured her attention, her eyes wide open at the sight before her, at the feeling within her. The wound stopped bleeding. Skin began to renew, and as quickly as it appeared, there was no longer any sign of the gash on the patient's ivory skin. Her hand was still hovering above where the wound used to be.

And her hand was glowing.

It was glowing green.

Note:

Things are happening!

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