Authors Note - This is definitely going to be Canon Divergence once Teach gets involved and the plot thickens. But we gotta introduce the plot first. Enjoy!
Story Description: Traveling dimensions wasn't unheard of for Sakura. But Kaguya had been defeated and sealed four years ago, during the forth great ninja war. So why the fuck, was she tied to a mast - on a god forsaken ship, surrounded by PIRATES?!
Ships: (Past) Sasuke/Sakura, (Future) Ace/Sakura
Warnings: language, mentions of slavery, branding of a human, malnutrition and dehydration, injury
Recap..
"Correct. While we would have means to retrieve you if you did indeed stumble across a Celestial Dragon and were.. captured. It would start a full blown war. It is best you just.. leave and try not to be seen."
Sakura nods slowly, despite Haruta not being able to see her. Before sighing and placing the den den on the sand.
"Alright. I get it. Goodnight Haruta. I'll inform you tomorrow if I find anything." She says.
"Goodnight Sakura. We wish you the best of luck."
"I wish I knew how to hunt, should've paid more attention." Sakura muttered under her breath, shuffling through her pack. Thatch had packed her a few rations, good rations that is. It would last her the journey to the town. But not back. So she'd need to stock back up eventually.
Biting through what looks to be Jerky, she withholds a grimace as her taste buds are assaulted. Fish jerky, very fish-like and by no means her favorite. But it would have to make due. Uncapping her flask filled with water, she takes a gulp to wash down the taste lingering on her tongue.
"Okay, that's enough of that." She says, and places the rations back into her bag followed by her flask of water.
The quicker she starts with her journey to the town, the quicker she can find Teach and take a moment to appreciate being back on land after all these months.
Sakura trecks through the forest, hoping that Haruta's instructions were correct. She didn't want to be heading in the wrong direction, or in circles. How embarrassing would that be?
The forest is eerily quiet, save for the few chirps of birds. But Sakura keeps her guard up, her chakra fanning out a safe distance to alert her of any one trying to approach. Thankfully, it didn't take much of her reserves. Tsuande had taught her well, she would have been proud.
As Sakura reaches the four hour mark on her journey, her chakra picks up a flickering flame to her left. Coming to a pause, Sakura reaches to her hip and slips out a kunai from its clutches. Gripping the handle as she stalks forward one step at a time. Being careful not to step on anything to give away her position.
Ducking behind a tree, Sakura peers around.
The sight that greets her tugs at her heart. A young boy, his clothes look closer to rags- torn at parts and dirtied with dirt and sweat. His hair is no better, matted at the roots. She can't tell the color, perhaps it is indeed brown. But- if could be dirt, and the specs of red indicate he might also have a head injury.
The boy hasn't noticed her. He's too occupied scratching at something on the top of his hand. But she would need to get closer to see what exactly it is.
Slipping the kunai away, Sakura carefully makes her way around the tree and into the clearing where the boy sat. Step by step she grows closer, yet the kid doesn't seem to recognize her.
"Hey there." Sakura whispers.
The boy jolts, head snapping up with wide and fearful eyes. Scrambling back like a mouse trying to escape its prey.
"Whoa, whoa! I'm not going to hurt you!" She tries to soothe the scared boy, but her words fall to death ears as the kid turns to flee.
Thankfully, years worth of training makes it easy for her to dart forward and snatch the kid by the collar of his shirt. The boy screams bloody murder, kicking the screaming. Twisting in her hold, and trying to get her to drop him. Using her free hand, Sakura places two fingers on the back of his head, sending her chakra into his brain system. Ultimately knocking him unconscious.
His small body sags, and Sakura maneuvers him around into her arms. He weighed nothing, clearly malnourished and dehydrated.
'Had he been starved?' She wonders, anger coursing through her.
Sakura sighs, deciding to put her mission on hold for a bit. Making her way over to another tree, and setting the boy down. Making sure his head is propped up, and any weapons kept away from his reach. While she was sure the kid was harmless, she wouldn't risk a stab wound. Those were bitches to heal.
Her eyes trail over the boys body. Hands hovering, diagnostic chakra running its course.
"Minor head wound, two broken ribs on the right side, and one broken rib on the left. Femur is bruised heavily, as well as his collarbone. But not broken." Sakura repeats aloud. Pulling her hands away.
"Head injury first." She whispers, leaning over and reach where the blood is more prominent. The wound stitches itself up slowly, and Sakura is careful not to put too much as once. After all, the boy was smaller and weaker than most of her patients at the ship. Or even the hospital back in Konoha. Shizune usually dealt with the younger patients.
The boy stirs, but stays unconscious. Sakura doubted he'd wake up anytime soon. His body was exhausted. And if his reaction was anything to go by, he hadn't slept a wink in awhile. Too high on adrenaline and fear. But what could have caused such a reaction? Sakura feared the worst.
The boys ribs were next. Lucky for him, they hadn't pierced any organs. Sakura noticed they were alreayd slightly healed. Meaning they had been broken long, long before she met him. Probably long before he was in this forest.
Clenching her teeth, the bruises on his collarbone and femur heal easily enough, and with barely to no effort. Sakura tears her gaze away, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart.
'What I'd do to rip the heads off those who caused this boy so much pain.' She cursed in her mind.
The boy whimpered, unconsciously curling into himself. Reaching down the scratch at the top of his left hand. Raising a brow, Sakura gently prys his bloodied fingers from his scratched hand. Flipping it over to see what was on it that was causing the boy so much discomfort.
What she sees, freezes her to the bone.
a mark, a large circle with three triangles on the top, and one at the bottom. It seemed to have been burned into the kids skin. The area around irritated, with the burn not healed properly, or perhaps the long scratch marks from his nails.
Unable to keep herself in check, her killing intent raging around her. It felt even suffocating to her, as she gazed upon the mark. A brand. A fucking brand.
Her hands shook with anger, her chakra forming on her finger tips as they hovered over the mark. Gritting her teeth as the skin slowly mended itself, ridding the mark of its irritation and inflammation. But the brand did not go away. And Sakura could feel tears forming in her eyes.
She could cut the skin, the part holding the mark- using her 100 healings to fully heal it back. Give the boy a new, un-marked hand.
But it would be painful. She had not medicine to keep the boy from feeling the effects of her peeling his skin off of him. Would the trauma be worth it? Worth adding to what seems to be years worth of it? Wiping her eyes, Sakura sits back on her heels. Unable to decide where to go from there.
All she could do it wait until he woke up. Perhaps he had a family to go back to. Perhaps he'd even give her the location from where he came from. So she could pay his.. captors a visit..
Sakura waited there for seven hours, before the boy began to stir. Moaning out in discomfort, as he blinked awake. She watched as the boy finally became to notice his surroundings, remembering the events before she had to push him into unconsciousness.
"Finally. It seems you really did need some sleep." She says, and the boys eyes fly towards her.
The fear was still there, ridged frozen on the ground where he laid. As long as he didn't try to bolt, all would be good. Perhaps he would even give her some answers.
"My name is Sakura Haruno, I'm a doctor." She introduces herself. Deciding it would be best to not include her position as a pirate. Unsure if the boys captors were pirates or not.
She receives no answer, just utter silence.
"I've healed your wounds, and.. fixed." She pauses, and points to the boys hand.
His eyes grow wide, glancing down to the slaver mark then back up to her.
"I.. was unable to rid it from your skin. But that's.. not important right now. Do you have a family I can take you to? Someone.. someone you trust?" She pushes softly.
The boy sucks in a breath. "My.. my mom." He says. His voice is hoarse, deeper than it should be for someone so young.
Sakura grabs her bag, and grabs her flask of water. Unscrewing the lid, and heading it over. The boy grabs it, knocking his head back and gulping it down. Sakura watches with sad eyes, until the kid has finished the whole thing, dropping it into the ground beside him.
"Is she here, at this island?" She presses.
"Y-Yeah.. I.. I miss my mommy." The boy whines, his eyes filling with tears.
Sakura sighs, keeping herself from reaching forward and crushing the boy into a hug and never letting him leave.
"Alright. Why don't you come with me? I'm headed to the town, and I can bring you to your mother. Free of charge, I won't need anything in return." She offers.
The boy seems suspicious, as he looks over over. Minutes pass before he gives her a little nod. Still wary but the idea of seeing his parent probably makes it easier for him to trust her.
It takes a bit, but eventually Sakura gets the boy into her arms, allowing him to rest his chin on her shoulder as she walks. Just a bit longer, then she'd get the boy to his family, call Haruta to fill him in, and find Teach.
And maybe, kill some people. More importantly, kill some slavers.