So, new year update...Here's the new story we've been dropping hints on left and right in all our stories...enjoy...

PROLOGUE

There is a tense atmosphere in the air.

A young man stands by the window, eyes, dulled by the years and all the blood and death they had witnessed, overlooking Konoha-gakure no sato.

"The last of Orochimaru's known bases have been cleared." He says, then turns to gauge the reaction of the two others in the room.

A man looks up from the scroll he had been writing in. "Minato-kun, was the girl the only survivor?" He asks.

"She was." The Hokage, Namikaze Minato, replies.

A low mournful growl made its way out of the older's lips.

"I know." Minato's voice is heavy. "She was carried in in critical condition and is currently recovering in the hospital." He turns to the blonde beside him, who nods.

"We managed to stabilize her with a lot of trouble; her vitals were a mess, probably due to the machine she was attached to being suddenly cut off." She says.

"Can't that stupid ROOT thing do anything right?" He blinks at the pointed glare he receives. "You know it's true, Tsunade-chan."

Senju Tsunade sighs and turns back to the Hokage. "Have we gotten anything out of her?" She asks.

"She's awake?" The older man turns to her.

"This morning." Tsunade replies.

Minato shakes his head in answer to Tsunade's question. "She hasn't spoken since her arrival."

Tsunade frowns. "There is nothing wrong with her vocal chords." She says. "She sleeps just fine but we haven't gotten her to eat anything yet."

"I thinks it is a mental thing." Minato sighs. "If she remains unresponsive, I will ask Yamanaka-san to look at her."

Tsunade's gaze darkens. "Also, Danzo wants her handed over. He stormed into the hospital earlier today."

Minato closes his eyes in worry. "This was raised in meetings too."

"But what's going to happen to her?" She presses. "It'll be very dangerous for her here. The clutches of Danzo is the last place she should be. Who knows what she's been through."

The Hokage nods. "That is true" He says. "While she is currently too young and too injured, the moment she is considered better, Danzo will push harder to stuff her into the ranks of ROOT." His eyes darken a little. "Her abilities, while artificial, are something we have never encountered."

The older man puts down his brush to give the young blond his full attention. He runs a hand through his white hair and sighs. "I'll take her."

Both Tsunade and Minato turn to look at him and he plasters on an expression of hurt. "What? That's why you called us, right?"

Minato sighs and Tsunade chuckles. "Seems like you aren't a complete idiot." She says.

Minato speaks up before he can protest. "This is a huge responsibility. Are you sure?"

"Well, one of us has to take her and Tsunade-chan just got her first apprentice, right? You'll be busy with Shizune-chan." He grins. "Besides, if she's as cute as you say-" He sees the threatening fist being raised and quickly waves his hands. "No no no! I didn't mean it that way!" He says and clears his throat. "Anyways, she might turn out to be...useful in my line of work too."

The Hokage's eyes him for a while longer before he nods and hands him a file with a few photos attached to it. He takes it and narrows his eyes at the picture.

"I've heard rumors but Orochimaru really went overboard with this one." He comments.

Tsunade sighs and her fingers grasp at the air, as though she is picturing a bottle of sake. "Couldn't have said that better."

"While it is not something she can control at will, we cannot have her running around freely." The blond male says. "Perhaps traveling with you will give her a little freedom."

The older man eyes the girl in the photo.

She couldn't have been more than five, the same age as his nephew. The one in his hand is most likely the one Orochimaru used when recording experiment results. He turns to the other one, this time taken in Konoha hospital. The girl is lying on the bed and while sheets cover the bottom half of her body, he can easily pick up a few things.

First, her eyes are a eerie, piercing green. And yet, they appear soulless.

Second, her hair is a vibrant pink. It brings out the empty look in her eyes.

Third, she is wrapped in bandages. Apart from her eyes and strands of her hair, not a single part of her body is visible.

"Direct contact with her is deadly." Minato says. "We don't know what Orochimaru did to her but her skin releases and is constantly coated with a dangerous poison that withers flowers in seconds and would probably kill people after a few minutes of agonizing pain."

"Hence the bandages." He says.

"Normal bandages were instantly burned through. Those bandages were created by me as temporary measures." Minato runs a defeated hand through his hair. "Perhaps you could adjust them with stronger seals."

He tries to put on a convincing grin and nods.

"I tried to analyse the poison." Tsunade says. "But it's very potent and all traces vanish a few seconds after it loses contact with her skin. I've never come across it and if I had to say, I'd say it's properties were altered from what it was originally by the girl's body."

There is an empty feeling in his stomach. "A girl that will never be able to enjoy direct human contact." He frowns and his heart clenches. "That is just so...sad."

"I will see if there is an antidote or anything that can help." Tsunade offers. "But without the ingredients, I can't promise anything." She sighs.

"You think I can see her?" He asks.

Tsunade nods slowly. "She doesn't seem to have an internal clock." She says. "She wakes up when she does and sleeps when she does." Her eyebrows furrow. "Her body has been messed with to the point it doesn't have most of the instincts humans are born with." She raises a finger, eyes dark. "She has one, though, want to guess?"

"Uh...hunger?" He asks.

Tsunade shakes her head. "She eats anything given to her at anytime." She says. "Or if we don't give her anything, nothing at all." She watches his frown deepen and sighs softly. "She flinches at the smallest actions. That among a few others. Do you know what that means?"

He narrows his eyes. "Can I come by tomorrow?" He repeats.

Tsunade throws her hands up but nods. "During visiting hours."

He turns back to the Hokage and grins. "Anyways, like I said, I'll take her."

Minato's eyes soften and he nods firmly.

"Very well. I shall leave her to you, Jiraiya-sensei."

You know the drill people...right?

Review if you like :)

Darque: So, we decided on a traumatized Sakura who is a shell of her innocent past self who was raised to be an emotionless soldier.

Raven: And hope it was obvious we will be going about this in present tense.

Darque: Anyways, like we said earlier, please review if you liked it.

Raven: It will certainly give us the motivation to kick start this story.

Happy New Year~

(If it's a little early, re-read later :) If it's late, here's a belated New year greeting.)

We hope you all have had a good 2016 and will have a bright year ahead.

We thanks you for your continuous support and we hope you continue to read and review our stories.

Read and Review~