Chapter 8: Foreign Blood
Six years ago
It was early autumn, and Neji and Sakura once again found themselves on a mission for an errand ordered by Tsunade, this time with Ino and Naruto in tow. It was simple enough: deliver packages containing medicine for children in Tanzaku, a Fire Country town bordering Konoha and Iwa. It was just their luck that Tsunade forgot to mention that there was an upcoming festival and that the town would be buzzing this time of the year. All the same, the mission was standard: deliver the packages, check on the clinic's supplies, catch up with local doctors for updates, and return home. It was an easy in-and-out mission. It would be over before they knew it.
But for some reason, Tsunade was being extremely generous and gave the team three extra days for travel. Ino and Naruto suggested that they should stay for the festival to see what the buzz was about. The townspeople immediately noticed them as Konoha shinobi or the heroes of Konoha, so most of their accommodations were covered as they wouldn't allow the four to pay out of pocket to enjoy their hotel amenities. This extremely pleased the two blondes, and they immediately latched onto the idea of enjoying the perks. If it were only up to Neji and Sakura, who value efficiency above all else, they would be back home by nighttime or another six hours at least.
As soon as they were done with the mission proper, and just as Sakura was wrapping up her meeting with the local doctors and nurses, Ino immediately asked for recommendations on the best places or attractions to see during their stay.
"You're in luck," one of them began with a smile. "You're just in time for the Moon Festival. It's the most popular event during this season. Foreigners flock here to witness the spectacle."
"In fact," another chimed in, "there's a lantern event where you can light your own lantern and make a wish. According to legends, wishes made during this festival have a special magic."
"There will also be public performances," the third one added, "such as poetry readings, singing, and dancing. But the most anticipated event is the play about the Moon Goddess Kaguya."
Upon hearing the mention of Kaguya, Naruto and Sakura exchanged wary glances, memories of their encounter with the monstrous Kaguya during the war still fresh in their minds. However, they quickly reminded themselves that this was likely a different portrayal of the mythological Kaguya, the Moon Princess.
As the doctors continued to describe the exciting festivities ahead, Ino practically bounced with enthusiasm, eager to hunt for the perfect festival outfit. Meanwhile, Naruto's stomach rumbled audibly, his mind already wandering to the plethora of new and delicious foods he could try.
Ino wasted no time in pulling Sakura out of the clinic, leaving Neji to handle their farewells in his usual composed manner. Naruto, not one to be left behind when food was involved, piped up with excitement, "Hey! Wait for me! How about we find something to eat first? I'm starving!"
"Oh, come on, Ino! Can't we just relax for once?" Sakura complained as they hopped from store to store in the hunt for the perfect kimono and accessories according to Ino's discerning taste.
Ino rolled her eyes, a mischievous glint dancing in them. "Relax? Sakura, we're at a festival! There's fun to be had, sights to see, and outfits to show off!"
They found themselves now at the fifth store, still no luck in finding the right outfit for the meticulous blonde. Naruto had vanished after the second store, claiming he caught a whiff of something tantalizingly savory and had to follow his nose, leaving Sakura to navigate the shops with Ino. She couldn't help but wonder if Neji had opted for a break back at their hotel. Lucky guy.
Their previous stops had offered either overly modern or excessively traditional pieces, the latter clearly way beyond their budget for this spontaneous shopping spree. They had politely declined any more freebies from the locals; Sakura didn't want to seem like they were taking advantage of the villagers' kindness. Plus, the thought of Tsunade's wrath, if any gossip reached her about her shinobi team taking liberties with freebies, was enough to keep them on their best behavior. And so, here they were, stranded in this vibrant marketplace, the buzz of the festival surrounding them with its colorful stalls and lively music.
"I swear, Ino, I think we've checked every store in this whole place," Sakura remarked, a hint of exasperation in her voice as they browsed through yet another rack of kimonos.
Ino chuckled, flipping through a rack with practiced ease. "We'll find the perfect one, don't worry. It has to be just right for the activities tonight."
Sakura couldn't help but smile at Ino's enthusiasm, despite her own growing fatigue. "I hope so. I don't think my feet can handle much more of this. Who are we dressing up for anyway?"
"I don't know about you. But I'm definitely dressing up for myself. It's rare that I get to leave the village these days, let alone attend a festival. Being clan head is a busy job, you know."
Sakura understood completely. Ever since Ino lost her father during the war, she had witnessed how Ino quickly matured and took on the mantle of the Yamanaka clan head, as well as her father's old position at the T&I under Ibiki's guidance. Ino still went on missions when her exceptional skills were needed, usually at Tsunade's personal request. However, these missions were few and far between. It was clear to Sakura that her best friend was relishing this rare moment of freedom.
As they continued browsing through the vibrant array of kimonos, Sakura couldn't help but feel a swell of pride for Ino. Despite the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, Ino had managed to retain her sense of adventure and love for life.
"You know, Ino, you will look stunning in any of these," Sakura remarked, a genuine warmth in her voice.
Ino's eyes lit up with a mix of gratitude and excitement. "Thanks, Sakura. I know."
"Clearly complimenting you was the wrong thing to say," Sakura scoffed.
"Forehead, I'm not just looking for an outfit for me. I'm looking for the perfect one for you too so you could knock a certain Hyuuga off his feet. It's about time he realized what he has within his reach," Ino smirked slyly.
"Shut up, Pig. Let's just look for that dress of yours," Sakura said, annoyed. Ino merely grinned at her friend's developing blush.
As they continued their search, Sakura's thoughts drifted to Neji again. She wondered if he was resting or perhaps exploring the festival on his own. It was rare for their team to have a break like this, and she hoped he was making the most of it.
Suddenly, Ino let out an excited squeal, holding up a beautiful purple kimono for Sakura to see. "I think I found it! What do you think?"
Sakura's eyes widened as she took in the intricate embroidery and elegant design. It was perfect, exactly the kind of balance between tradition and style that they had been searching for.
"It's amazing, Ino! You have to get it," Sakura exclaimed, her tiredness momentarily forgotten in her excitement for her friend.
"Maybe I will, but only if you get this red one so we can match!"
With a grin, the two headed to the fitting room, eager to try on their newfound treasure. The thought of twinning with Ino in their stunning kimonos added an extra layer of excitement to the festival night ahead.
Sakura tried not to squirm at the butterflies that suddenly invaded her stomach. They were currently on their way to meet Neji and Naruto at the hotel lobby, with the intention of attending the festivities together. Ino had convinced Sakura to wear some light makeup and mascara to highlight her eyes. On their way back to their hotel, with their kimonos in their hands, they chanced upon a stall that sold hair clips. Ino insisted that they also get matching ones, and they found the perfect clips with lotus designs, completing their ensemble. Trust the blonde to go all out when it comes to dressing up for an occasion.
When they finished dressing, Sakura couldn't fault Ino for dragging her everywhere once she saw the results of their afternoon errands. Sakura found it hard to tear her eyes away from her reflection in the full-body mirror of their hotel room. Vanity aside, she felt like royalty in her outfit. The kimono was simple yet stunning, thanks to Ino's skilled touch. And that brought Sakura to her current predicament. She didn't know why, but she was suddenly nervous about seeing Neji see her like this. She couldn't recall the last time she wore something so formal after the war, and she wasn't used to her young adult body in something so feminine. What would he think? Did she even care about that? But the bigger question lingered: why was she feeling this way? Her brows furrowed, and then, an ugly frown took over her expression.
"Hey, cut that out. You're ruining my masterpiece," Ino's voice suddenly cut in. "Relax. We're going to have a blast!"
Soon enough, the hotel lobby came into view, and they spotted their two teammates waiting for them. Even Naruto and Neji had changed into attire fitting the festive atmosphere. Naruto, for a change, wasn't wearing his signature orange jacket. Instead, he had on a white shirt topped with a blue kimono cardigan adorned with crane patterns and black trousers. Neji, on the other hand, sported a maroon haori over his usual attire, trading his usual trousers for a dark gray hakama.
"Wow! You look lovely, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said enthusiastically, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "You too, Ino! Look, the four of us kind of match!"
"Yeah! Didn't I say we'd look great in these colors?" Ino beamed.
Naruto chuckled. "About that. Sorry, I nearly forgot to grab these. Good thing Neji saw your note."
"Heh. What would you do without me?" Ino boasted.
"You got them these outfits too? When did that happen?" Sakura asked, surprised.
"When you were lost in your own world the whole time we were out, of course. Now, let's go. I can't wait to see what this Moon Festival is all about!" Ino declared.
"Yes, to the food stalls!" Naruto added eagerly.
"Idiot, haven't you eaten enough already? I thought you'd be full by now," Ino teased.
"Hey! Don't blame me. The food here is amazing! I've never tasted so many new ramen flavors!" Naruto defended.
As the two blondes continued their spirited banter about which sights to see first, Sakura and Neji quietly observed each other. Neji couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the vision in red, making Sakura blush even more.
"You look beautiful, Sakura," Neji complimented her quietly.
"You don't look so bad yourself," Sakura replied shyly, noting his unusual choice of color. "But I have to say, maroon?"
"Ino's doing," Neji explained with a slight smile.
"Of course," Sakura chuckled softly. Duh, Sakura, Ino just said that this was her brilliant idea. Anything to add?
"Hey, are you two done gawking at each other? Let's go!" Ino interrupted, standing by the door with Naruto. She was clearly taking charge of the evening, ensuring they wouldn't get stuck in just one place or let Naruto steer the activities.
"I heard the play about the Moon Princess starts at seven," Sakura offered as they walked.
"Then let's head there now to secure some seats," Ino suggested.
The park where the play would be held was starting to fill up by the time they arrived. As the locals had said, people from neighboring villages and shinobi from different clans were also in attendance, recognizable by their distinct colors and kekkei genkai.
They managed to secure a good spot for the viewing, with Ino seated next to Naruto, Naruto next to Sakura, and Sakura next to Neji—a strategic arrangement to ensure Naruto didn't wander off, Ino said. After the spectacular show, they decided to explore the food stalls for snacks before heading to the lantern event.
Despite the crowd and the lively music making it challenging to hear each other, they stuck together. However, in the midst of the bustling festival atmosphere, Sakura suddenly found herself alone. One moment, they were all walking together, and the next, she was scanning the crowd for her companions.
Just as she was about to call out to Naruto and Ino, she felt her hand being gently tugged. It was Neji.
"Hey," Neji said softly, a reassuring smile on his face.
"Hey," Sakura replied, smiling in relief.
"I saw Naruto and Ino heading to one of the stalls. Shall we join them?" Neji suggested.
"Yeah, which way did they go?" Sakura asked, looking around but unable to spot them.
"That way," Neji pointed behind them. Sakura craned her neck, but the festival crowd made it hard to see far.
"I wanted to find them, but the lantern event is starting soon," Sakura explained.
"Why don't we secure some spots for the lantern viewing? I'm sure they'll catch up," Neji suggested, offering his arm.
Sakura smiled gratefully, linking her arm with his as they made their way towards the river where the lanterns would soon be lit and released.
Meanwhile, Ino and Naruto were crouched behind a yakitori stall, Ino going to great lengths to hide despite her elegant attire.
Ino had managed to grab Naruto and cover his mouth just as he was about to call out to Neji and Sakura.
"You are not going to ruin this for me, Naruto, or I swear I'll fry your brain so bad, you won't taste ramen ever again," Ino threatened with a fierce whisper.
"You'll let them have this moment or so help me. I've worked too hard for this for months. Besides, Tsunade-sama will have my head if I don't get results," she added, her eyes glinting with determination.
Confused and slightly terrified, Naruto could do nothing but nod vigorously in agreement. The last thing he wanted was to incur Ino's wrath.
With a final nod from Ino, they watched as Sakura and Neji disappeared into the festival crowd, content that they had orchestrated the perfect opportunity for their friends to share a moment together amidst the magic of the Moon Festival.
"Sakura better make her wish count," Ino thought.
Six weeks ago
The inspection went smoothly. Kurotsuchi provided the lab with top-of-the-line equipment, the finest and newest available. However, there was one small issue: none of the technicians were skilled in using these advanced tools yet. To address this, Sakura volunteered to train them, which meant she had to postpone her return home. She'll need to include this detail in her report to Kakashi.
Her other mission was also showing promise. After reviewing data from local doctors, she noticed a common thread among the patients—they all had foreign ancestry. This wasn't surprising given Iwa's acceptance of refugees and other clans after the war. This move not only provided a safe haven for those who had lost everything but also aimed to bolster the village's population to rebuild Iwa to its former glory.
What Sakura was keen on understanding was why only those who had immigrated to Iwa seemed to be affected by the ongoing illness. She suspected it might have to do with toxins present in the place or genetic factors. Perhaps those native to Iwa were somehow immune to the diseases afflicting the patients. Could it be something in the food, water, or climate? However, this didn't quite add up. It had been years since the influx of new residents, so why were they falling ill only now?
Lost in her thoughts, Sakura nearly missed the crisp knock on the lab's door. Giving permission to enter, she found the ANBU member with the distinctive badger mask standing before her.
"A letter from home, Sakura-sama," the ANBU said, handing her an envelope.
"Thank you," Sakura replied, wasting no time in opening it. Inside was a letter from Neji, the first of several she would receive during her stay in the Earth Village. A smile crept onto her face as she read. Neji had included a drawing of the moon, a creative piece by her cheerful son. "There was a full moon last night," the letter read, "and this is what the moon looked like." Her son had drawn a smiling face on the moon and added a few clouds, each adorned with its own smiling expression. Shiro was indeed a happy child.
"I also brought dinner, Sakura-sama," the ANBU continued, setting a bag on the table. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but please don't miss any meals. It can't be good for your health."
"Sorry about that. I guess I lost track of time," Sakura admitted. "Are the others back yet?"
"Yes, they are waiting for you," the ANBU confirmed.
"Good. I can't wait to hear what they've discovered."
"Your food, Sakura-sama," the ANBU repeated.
"Yes, yes. Honestly, I'm beginning to think you're Neji's clone," Sakura teased, peering through the eye hole of the badger mask with a playful squint. She knew the ANBU's identity; they had worked together before. She also knew that whether it was Neji's or Kakashi's orders, Badger would never admit to being sent as a caretaker for her.
A/N: I don't own Naruto.
Any guess as to what's happening in Iwa?
A lot of flashback's going on here. Honestly, I don't know how to tell the story about how Sakura and Neji got together without some flashbacks because, obviously, I started the story in the middle, lol my bad. I know this is kinda slow burn, despite already confirming that Sakura and Neji are married in this AU. As a backgrounder maybe, yes, the war happened, and Neji survived because, duh, his death made zero sense to me. Another thing is that Ino and Tsunade are playing matchmakers, yes, conniving to get the two idiotic genius together. Why? Because they are fun to write. I'm beginning to lose track of the years when I said they started getting close, so I'll just put this out here. haha
17/18, they started getting paired up for missions.
18/19, the clash of spitfires happened and the moon festival a few months after that.
19/20, they start seeing each other romantically and the rest is history (something I will still have to figure out how to show).
If you're still reading this, please write a review to let me know what you think. Do you have any questions? Is the timeline confusing? (because ngl I am a bit confused too sometimes lol) Wondering what this story is really about? Are the flashbacks annoying? Please tell me. This story is getting some traffic, not that insane, but still, only one review so far? :(