Chapter One

Sakura slept soundly in her room, her window was slightly open allowing a crisp spring breeze to sweep across her. A wind chime softly rang in the wind dangling from the top of her window only to be stopped by a hand. Three figures climbed through the window and stood over Sakura. One of the figures stoops down beside her and pulls a cloth kit from their back pocket. The figure unrolls the kit to reveal a syringe and different bottles of liquids. One figure crosses the room over to the bedroom door and stands guard while the other waits by the window keeping an eye out for anyone who may cause a disturbance. The figure with the syringe fills it with a blue liquid and administers it into Sakura's arm. Sakura's eyes flutter open due to the pain of having a needle stuck into her but she quickly fades away from the mystery elixir given to her.

"It's done, let's get going." The mystery figure says and stands up rolling the kit and putting it way back into their pocket.

The larger of the figures gently rolls sakura in her blankets and carries her over his shoulder. The figures appear to be shinobi as they jump out of the window and into the night. The shinobi move quietly through the desolate street and into an alley a couple blocks from Sakura's home. The larger of them hands Sakura to the other teammates and opens a manhole. They slip down the manhole and their feet land in shallow water. They hand Sakura back to the larger of them and take off down the manhole. As they run a dim light comes into view and another team of shinobi wearing similar headbands are waiting for them. Sakura is able to open her eyes for a moment but can not feel her limbs. She looks up and sees a man holding her with a headband on.

"A shinobi?..With cherry blossom insignia?" she ponders in her head before fading out again.

"Let's get back before daylight you guys, we don't have a lot of time before the medication wears off" The shinobi who administered the medication said.

"Shizune how much time specifically?" the larger shinobi carrying Sakura asks.

"I would give us about three hours at most," Shizune replied with a tone that suggested she was getting antsy to depart.

The group of blossom shinobi departed their meeting location and headed farther down the tunnel. More tunnels opened up to the main one and water from other parts of the city flowed stronger. The group eventually made it to the opening of the tunnel which stuck out of the wall surrounding the Hidden Leaf Village. One of the shinobi using earth style jutsu created a stone staircase leading down the wall. At the bottom they put Sakura in a small carriage and pulled her along through the forest undetected.

Sakura woke up feeling strange, her throat was dry and her body stiff. Slowly opening her eyes she became aware the ceiling was not the one from her home. She rolled over and noticed that she was sleeping on the floor. Sakura sat up.

"Where am I?!" She got up and looked around the expansive traditional style room she was in. She ran towards a wall and edged around the room cautiously.

"Something weird is going on" she thought as she slowly opened the door to the room.

"Your awake my lady" A tall man with a gentle demeanor stood guard over the room Sakura had been sleeping in.

"Who are you?! Sakura stood ready to fight and about to cry in panic.

"We brought you back to your rightful home," he smiled, "My name is Yamato."

"This isn't my home! Where the hell am I?!" Sakura's gaze dashed up and down the hallway they stood looking for a point of escape, "I need some answers now CHAAA!"

"Well of course this is your home but that will be explained later. For now you must dress and be presentable for my Lord," Yamato bowed and stood in her way to dash out of the room. Sakura, feeling intimidated, stepped back into the room. She noticed that Yamato was a shinobi and looked to be at least jonin level, not someone she could hope to win against.

"I shall call for your attendance, they will be here shortly," Yamato slid the door closed.

Sakura turned around and observed the room she was in again. The room was expensive looking, half of the room was tatami mats where her futon bed was displayed, the other half of the room was dark wood floor planks that were well taken care of. On the wall opposite of the bed was a vanity that was hand carved and painted with cranes and trees. She walked over to the vanity and carefully inspected what was on it. There seemed to be all the things a person would need to get ready in the morning, a hair brush, mirror, wash cloths, nail file, lotions and oils.

"May I come in lady Sakura?" A young woman's voice spoke through the door.

"Um-uh yes!" Sakura watches as the woman enters the room. She is tall and has crimson hair, her clothing is traditional yukata decorated in poppy flowers and a blue obi sash around her wiast.

"It is an honor to meet you lady Sakura, I am Karin and I will be your attendant," Karin bows and begins to undress Sakura.

"What are you doing?!" Sakura covers herself confused why Karin is undressing her.

"We must get you ready to meet Lord First" Karin smiles and continues disrobing Sakura. Sakura allows this to happen, still confused about what is happening and where she is. Karin dresses Sakura in a Yukata that displays a plethora of pink blossoms on a white background, the obi is a deep cherry red with gold stitching of leaves. Sakura is taken aback at such a fancy dress.

"Are you sure I can wear this? It seems pretty fancy…" Sakura looked at Karin with a worried look across her face.

"Of course you can wear this, it is yours." Karin then finished tying Sakura's obi and began brushing her long blush hair. When Karin Finished putting Sakura's hair up, Sakura looked herself over in the mirror of the vanity. She sees that Karin had done her hair in a bun held by a gold hair clip and had two small braids dangling down each side.

"Uh thanks.." Sakura said, patting the hair to see how sturdy it was.

"My lady shall I take you to have breakfast?" Karin inquired.

"Now that you mention it I am starving?" Sakura held her stomach emphasizing her statement. Karin led Sakura out of the room and down the hall with Yamato following behind them. The hallway opens up to a larger dining room that holds a table already filled with a breakfast spread of fresh fruits, rice, and rolled omelets. Sitting at the table a man with long white hair sat enjoying the spread, his features were strong and chiseled. The man also wore traditional style yukata but in a navy blue. His gaze met hers and she noticed his striking green seafoam eyes that drew you in immediately.

"Ahh lady Sakura you are finally awake. I've been waiting to meet you. I am the first Hanakage, my name is Ren." He then poured tea for them both and motioned Sakura to sit with him.

Sakura hesitantly sat across from Ren and took her chopsticks in hand. She was too hungry to resist the food in front of her so she quickly thanked them for the food and began eating.

"You must be awfully confused about how you got her or why you're even here, so I will fill you in," Ren sat his cup of tea down on the table and looked intently at Sakura.

"This is the village hidden in the trees, unlike the other hidden villages ours is actually hidden. We are descendants of the Senju clan and wish to restore our clan." Ren takes a sip of his tea and looks Sakura in the eyes.

"This includes you Sakura," He pauses to see her reaction.

"What do you mean includes me?" Sakura stops eating and looks puzzled at Ren.

"You are a descendant of the Senju clan, we need you to restore the clan and save the village," Ren's tone was stern and serious as he waited for Sakura to reply.

"Well I think you got the wrong person. My family name is Haruno not Senju haha," Sakura uneasily sat straighter.

"It's no mistake Sakura. You come from a bastard line in the clan that was ultimately pushed out. But you hold specific gene traits needed to save our village. Your green eyes are a major tell for those descendents of the line," Ren smiled.

"Gene traits? What could I possibly do to help this village?" Sakura frowned.

"We believe you will be able to become the sage of Shikkotsu Forest," explained Ren.

"A sage?! Haha I dont even know how to summon yet!" Sakura was baffled.

"Don't worry about that we would train you of course-" Ren started to say.

"What am I supposed to even save you guys from anyway?" Sakura stood up looking for a way to leave and feeling like she had no place being there. She thought to herself how Naruto and Sasuke would be a lot better at helping these people than her.

"Sakura," Ren stood and put his hands on her shoulders, "Do not doubt yourself I know you have what it takes."

"How do you know? I'm just a kunoichi with no particular skill or talent, I'm average you know," Sakura could feel everyone in the room looking at her.

"We've been watching you for a long time Sakura, we know how hard you work and we know your genetic background. You are the only one who could possibly be capable of saving us from him," Ren gazed deeply into Sakura's eyes searching for a glimmer of hope within her heart. Sakura could feel the room around her. Everyone was counting on her to save them from whoever was threatening them.

"If-if I say yes….Just who is targeting you guys?"

"His name is Arai, he is slowly eating away at our forest. The jutsu he uses is like an invasive fungus eating off of the trees and plants nature chakra pathways. Eventually Katsuyuu will also be eaten away by his jutsu," Ren lowered his arms from Sakura's shoulders and looked down at the floor.

"If we allow this forest and its Sage to die who knows what other sacred sage regions Arai will target next." Yamoto started looking hopefully at Sakura. Sakura thought about how Naruto and Sasuke, her two teammates always out shined her and how all she wanted was to be an equal to them.

"I'll do it." Sakura stood tall and bowed her head to Ren accepting the mission.