She brought a fist to her eyes to rub away the tears that rimmed her emerald green orbs as I smoothed out her petal pink hair away from her eyes and wiped the tears with my calloused fingers. As her sobs subsided, she wrapped her arms around me face pressed into my leg and I heard a muffled 'Thank you'.

"What was that Sakura-chan?" I asked her pretending I didn't hear her the first time.

"Thank you Itachi-kun for saving me from the bullies." Sakura practically shouted as she released my legs, looked up at me. "Nobody else would. They stood there laughing and taunting me. Occasionally when they felt mean and bitter they would hit and kick me, some even spat on me." She cast her gaze towards the floor, her shoulders heaved over. I could feel the shame and low self-esteem turning her aura darker.

"What about your friends? Why don't they stop the bullying?" I asked her.

"I only have three friends, Hyuuga Neji, Nara Shikamaru, and Inuzuka Kiba. Neji-kun is a grade ahead of us so he has a different schedule. Kiba-kun and Shika-kun are heirs to their clan so they have to take extra classes during lunch and afterschool. Therefore they cannot help me. They try to help me whenever they can, like we stay together during recess so the other kids won't bully me and during free time in class Shika-kun and I help Kiba-kun with homework, and when they don't have extra classes we all go to my house and Okaa-san bakes us treats! All the other girls hate me because they think I like Sasuke-san. Why would I like someone who is mean to me and takes my tomatoes without asking? Sensei made me sit next to him, it wasn't my fault! I don't even talk to him! But he asked to borrow my crayons because he ran out of black and red and Okaa-san said that if someone asked politely, then I should share, so I did."

I couldn't believe that Sasuke was a bully.

"Then they made ALL the accusations about me especially Yamanaka-san and Ami-san, I forgot her last name. The girls and all the guys pick on me cause I have pink hair and a big forehead, but Okaa-san said that my pink hair is natural and that I was named after the Sakura blossoms because the spirits blessed my parents with me and as a reminder I was born with pink hair to match the blossoms and green eyes to match the leaves." She explained to me as we walked towards the Hokage's office that was a few building down from the academy.

As we came to the office doors, a voice came through the wall," Come in Uchiha-san."

I stepped into the room with Sakura in tow. "Hokage-sama, may I use the first aid kit?"

"Why, are you injur-"he was about to asked but was suddenly cut-off.

"Konichiwa Hokage-sama, Gomen for cutting you off…." Sakura trailed off.

"Sakura-chan! I didn't feel your chakra. Why are you all bruised up?" The Hokage looked up from his papers examining her.

"Hehe, you see I was being bullied at school and I tried to hide my chakra so that my classmates wouldn't find me, but they found me because of my hair." She replied hesitantly.

The Hokage looked surprised and proud that she could conceal her chakra so well.

"Am I going to get in trouble Hokage-sama?" She asked shyly and hid herself behind me.

"No, you're not going to get into trouble, but those kids are. Can you tell me their names?" the Hokage asked.

"Hokage-sama, let's get Sakura cleaned up first and contact her parents so they do not worry about her." I suggested.

"Alrightly then, Kotetsu get the first aid kit" Hokage-sama agreed as I sat Sakura down to see the extent of Sakura's injures.

"Does it hurt a lot anywhere?" I asked Sakura. She shook her head no as Kotetsu came in with the kit and I began to bandage her wounds. Hokage-sama was talking to Sakura's parent and informing them about what had occurred at the academy and that Sakura would be stay for a while.

"Itachi-kun?" I heard Sakura say in a small voice as I was putting away the first aid kit.

"Yes Blossom?" I turned to her as I replied.

"Can I take a nap?" She asked rubbing her eyes.

I moved her hands away from her eyes and patted her head. "Sure Blossom go ahead."

She nodded her head and unexpectedly laid her head in my lap. Soon enough her breaths evened out and she fell asleep. I sat stroking her silky hair until the Hokage returned.

"Itachi, I brought Yamanaka-san to look into Sakura-chan's mind. I thought it would be easier for her. She wouldn't have to recall everything."

"Hai Hokage-sama." I turned to Inoichi and asked, "Do you need me to wake her Yamanaka-sama?"

"Please just Inoichi is fine Uchiha-sama, but yes it would easier to perform the jutsu with her awake." He answered.

"Then please just call me Itachi." I gave a small bow.

I turned my attention to Sakura and lightly shook her shoulder, "Blossom it's time to wake up."

Inoichi's POV

When I entered the room, I didn't expect to see Sakura-chan in Uchiha's lap asleep I didn't expect his gentle voice either.

When the Hokage called me in, I couldn't believe that Sakura-chan was bullied. She is a sweet girl, always helpful. Whenever she and her mother stopped by my wife's flower shop she was always willing to help and learn about the different flowers and herbs as well was what they're used for.

All the clan heads have nothing but nice things to say about Sakura.

Sakura slowly woke up and rubbed her eyes. "Ita-kun? What's going on?" She sat up and raised her hands towards the Uchiha. He leaned over and lifted her into his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder oblivious to me and the Hokage.

"The Hokage brought someone to come see you Blossom." The Uchiha whispered into her hair. Sakura nodded her head and turned to the Hokage and I.

"Kon'nichiwa Hokage-sama, Yamanaka-sama. Did you already contact my parents Hokage-sama?" Sakura asked sleepily.

"Yes I did and they understand. I notified them that you will be staying at the Uchiha compound, because this meeting might run late." Uchiha and Sakura both nodded and Sakura snuggled deeper into Itachi.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Sakura thanked him.

"Sakura I'm going to start the Mind Intrusion Jutsu, I'm going to look through your memories for the students who bullied you okay?" I explained crouched next to her.

"Okay Yamanaka-sama. Just tell inner the password: The Will of Fire." Sakura said sitting up.

Will of Fire? She sure is something else.

"Okay I'm going to start now." I performed the necessary hand signs and activated the jutsu, "Mind Intrusion Jutsu!"

Sakura gripped Itachi's hand as she braced herself.

~In Sakura's mind~

As soon as I entered her mind, a voiced shrieked at me, "WHO'S THERE?!"

"It's me Inoichi Yamanaka."

"Hmmm. Password?"

"The Will of Fire?"

"You have my permission to look through her memories. The ones you are looking for are classified here."

The inner that Sakura mentioned seems to be a person that Sakura made to protect herself. I've never seen this potential in a child. It's never been heard of to create an inner persona.

Inner led me to a room labeled Pain/Sadness.

"Sakura had me categorize her memories by emotions then further my people. For some of her memories she has it classified people then emotion for example her mother, father, Kiba-kun, Neji-kun, etc." Inner explained and walked in to another room.

I made my way into the room and memories were playing and flying past me. I grabbed one to look at and I was shocked and hurt at what I saw.

~Sakura's memory~

I can't wait to go home! Kiba-kun and Shika-kun are come over after their clan lesson. Okaa-san and I are going to surprise them with dango! They're having a test today so to congratulate them we're making sweets. I started to walk out of class when suddenly I dragged out behind the school by my hair.

The rough pull on my hair caused a reaction for tears to come out I cried out for them to stop and let go, but the girl pulling me just laughed.

"I got her Ino-chan!" The girl said.

"Good tie her to the tree!" Yamanaka-san commanded.

Two other girls came to help the girl who appeared to be Ami-san, tied me to the tree. Sasuke-san came around the corner with a group of more boys and girls holding baskets of old food and markers.

"HOW DARE YOU REFUSE TO GIVE ME TOMATOES AND YOUR CRAYONS?!" Sasuke shouted at me. His face was all red with anger.

"APOLOGIZE TO SASUKE-KUN NOW FOREHEAD!" Ino screamed at me. A chorus of 'yeah' and insults at me were heard.

"NO! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!" I SHOUTED AT THEM.

"Che. Wrong answer." Sasuke smirked.

"Get her!" Ino yelled.

I shut my eyes as the old food was flung at me. I tried to dodge as much as possible. Fourtunately they ran out of food to throw. Then Yamanaka-san pulled out a marker and wrote on my face.

A teacher called out for the students and they started to leave. Yamanaka-san was last to leave, but before she left she sneered at me, "We'll be back!"

I hurried to undo the ropes and I ran as fast as I could to the restroom to clean myself off. I went to the wall behind the door and opened a trap door, inside was extra clothes soap and a towel. I turned to the mirror and almost cried at my reflection. On my forehead was written 'FREAK' in bold letters, on my left cheek was 'UGLY' and the other 'BRAT'. I grabbed the soap and towel and tried to wash the marker off my face. I scrubbed until my cheeks burned and stung. My forehead was all red and blotchy. Then I tried to wash the food out of my hair. I washed and rewashed until my hair turned soft pink again from the dark brown. Afterwards I changed my clothes and returned the soap back into the trap door, pulled out a small scroll to put my dirty clothes and the wet towel in. I made the proper hand sign to conceal my chakra and slowly snuck out of the restroom. I entered the school hallway and grabbed my backpack and tried to sneak off school grounds. Running near the wall of the border around the school where usually none of the students go. When I saw some of the girls running around looking for me, I ran faster. I turned to look back if anyone saw me and ran into a body.

"You can run Sakura but you can never hide." Sasuke said as he gripped my arm.

"LET GO! YOU'RE HURTING ME!" I screamed at him and tried to push him off.

Suddenly a hand slapped me across the face forcing my face to turn, "How dare you talk back and touch Sasuke-kun!" Yamanaka-san screeched.

"Let's get her!" One of the girls shouted from the crowd that was forming.

I threw my backpack into the tree before the students at attacked me. I couldn't do anything to protect myself. I was pinned down onto the ground while girls punched me and boys cut me with their kunais.

"Ino-chan, let's leave the freak." Sasuke said then spat at me and sauntered off.

"Hai Sasuke-kun! Let's leaving the ugly forehead girl!" Yamanaka-san spat on me too and ran after Sasuke.

The crowd stopped momentarily to say good-bye to the pair and I gathered what was left of my strength and ran. I ran past Sasuke and Yamanaka-san and into Itachi-kun.

Before I had the chase to apologize and ask for help, someone shouted "FREAK! YOU RAN INTO UCHIHA-SAMA!" The crowd was behind me again they dragged me to the floor and began kicking me.

Before they could cause more injuries to me, Itachi-kun covered me, shielding from their assaults. Eventually they realize that they were attack Itachi-kun too and stilled their movements.

"Itachi-sama why are you defending her? She's a freak!" Ami-san shrieked.

Itachi-kun glared at them all and scolded them.

"You will all fail as ninjas for you are worst than scum. She only helps you and is kind, but you all treat her as trash because you are all jealous of her intelligence, beauty, and righteousness."

~End of Sakura's memory~

I pulled out of her memory and decided that was all the information I needed. I made my way out of the room in a slight daze. Inner approached me and and gave some more details about that memory as she led me out of Sakura's mind.

"That happened today actually. Itachi-sama was there just in time to save her. Lucky she was able to heal the bruise forming on her face before Itachi-kun went ballistic. You see he is very protective of Sakura. They would have beaten her much worse for trying to get away."

I was appalled at what was being said to me.

"This isn't just the first time it happened. It began almost three years ago when Sakura was at the market with her mother, but had gotten lost. She accidently bumped into Mikoto-sama looking for her mother. Mikoto-sama was buying Sasuke something at the time, but was forgotten when Mikoto-sama went to help Sakura instead. Sasuke got upset and told Yamanaka-san and she hated Sakura since then as well. Mikoto-sama had to return home to prepare dinner so she asked Itachi-kun to help Sakura home, which shortened Sasuke's time with Itachi-kun. Itachi-kun was hardly home because he was the Second Command of ANBU. This drove Sasuke's hate for Sakura even further."

"Itachi-kun took Sakura home on the civilian side of Konoha. During the walk the pair talked and realized they had a lot in common and shared the same interests. About half way to Sakura's house her steps slowed and she was very tired. Itachi-kun carried her home as she slept. When he finally got Sakura home, her parents insisted he stay for dinner as a 'thank you' for bring their daughter home. After contacting his mother he sat with Sakura as she was talking about trivial things. After that night, whenever Itachi-kun could, he would spend some time with Sakura doing whatever she wanted, walking, reading, or just being in each other's company. Then Sakura decided she wanted to be a ninja and protect her loved ones and those precious to her."

"Her Will of Fire?" I asked Inner.

"Hai. Itachi-kun than began telling about different types on ninjas and the clans and their Kekkei Genkai. Sakura decided wanted to be a Medic-nin and was introduced to all the clans by Itachi-kun."

Inner stopped walking and talking for a moment so that I could take in what had been said.

"Yamanaka-sama, we are here at the entrance I hope you found what you were looking for."

"Yes I did. Thank you" I nodded to her.

"Well then, farewell." She bowed to me and I was forced back into my body.

Thank you for reading my first chapter. I've never written anything before, so please let know if I should continue. Criticism and reviews are most welcomed!

Thank you!

I don't own Naruto... (I think I'm suppose to have a disclaimer)