What Will Be

Chapter 18

Sakura groaned, her hand coming up to hold her head. "Ah, shit!" She slowly sat up, blinking her eyes open to look around. "Jeez, what happened?" Mitsuki blinked at her. "Ah, you're awake."

The woman sighed, bringing a glowing green hand back to her head. She grit her teeth. "Dammit, what did that bastard use on me?" Mitsuki bit his lip, concern apparent on his face. "Are.. you ok?"

Sakura glanced at Mitsuki's downcast look. Her face scrunched up as her guard rose. Warily, she eyed Mitsuki's eyes, the same shade of yellow as his parent's. She spoke cautiously. "Nothing, just my chakra channel's are going to take a while to heal."

Mitsuki nodded. "I'm sorry." The woman scoffed. "Don't be. It wasn't you who did this to me." Mitsuki frowned. "Who did?"

Sakura shook her head. "Nothing you should be concerned with." She frowned at the passed out redhead on the ground. "Is she ok?" Mitsuki nodded, face softening into a smile.

"Yea, she's just asleep. Akio has had a rough day. We all have." Sakura hesitated at the pure affection in his voice. "She- um, she healed me, to an extent. How?"

MItsuki shrugged. "Not sure. It's just something she was born with. No one knows who her parents are, though I'm guessing it's hereditary."

Sakura nodded. "I think I have an idea of who it could be." The boy's head shot up. "Really?" His voice betrayed his eagerness.

Sakura laughed softly. "Maybe. She'll probably at least have an idea of who- Akio, you say?" Mitsuki nodded. "Of who Akio's parents are." The woman finished.

Mitsuki's eyes shone with hope. "Can we see her?" Sakura laughed. "Hold your horses, kid. Let's stay here for a while longer. I want to be sure I can take on any unforeseen circumstances when we leave."

Mitsuki nodded. "Ok, but after?" The pink haired woman grinned. This child was precious. "Of course."

The trio stayed in the little camp they had set up for about a week. "It'll be safer if we stay close to Orochimaru's hideout. Stray nin wouldn't dream of attacking us in Orochimaru's territory." Sakura had said, scooping water into a canteen for them all to drink.

Mitsuki nodded, trusting her judgement. Sakura glanced at him. She hummed. "So, Mitsuki. Your father, was he a good one?"

Mitsuki's eyes flew open. "How did you-?" Sakura laughed. "You've got his eyes." She smiled, turning around to look at him. "It's interesting, because though you look so much like him, you're entirely your own person."

She hummed. "You really care for Akio. Good." She silently handed him the canteen. "Keep that love in your heart. Cherish it. Never let it go." Mitsuki tilted his head in confusion, but heeded her words nonetheless.

A week came and passed, Sakura's face growing color, her muscles growing strong enough to train again.

BOOOM!!

Mitsuki and Akio watched in awe as Sakura punched the tree, sending it flying and uprooting the ten trees behind it before landing on the ground with a thump. She scowled, "Damn that bastard. I've gotten weak."

Mitsuki didn't know how this woman could ever call herself weak, she was likely the strongest person he knew! Aside from his parent, of course.

"That was so cool!" Akio squealed. "Can you teach me? I want to get stronger as well!" Sakura laughed. "Sure kid. But maybe some other time. Right now, we need to get on the road. Soon enough, words gonna be out that the bastard is gone."

Mitsuki tilted his head. "Bastard?" Sakura pursed her lips. "Um, not- your parent, I mean the uh, other bastard- but your parent is gone as well, so-"

Mitsuki nodded slowly. "I see. So it's not safe here."

"Uh yea." Sakura quietly drank from her canteen. "Right."

An awkward moment of silence brewed.

"Right, well I'm going to take a shower. It's honestly been way too long." Mitsuki tilted his head. "In the river?" The woman nodded. "You take Akio and get her something to eat. Preferably not from the river, since I'm going to be there."

Mitsuki nodded, grabbing the girl's hand. "Come on, let's hunt some squirrels." Akio enthusiastically skipped alongside him

Sakura sighed, bringing a glowing green hand to her throbbing head. Twenty minutes later the woman was clean and dressed. She reveled in the feeling of no dirt and grime on her. "Thank the gods I decided to wash my clothes beforehand." She muttered.

Now clean, the woman walked back over to the campsite, stopping in her tracks when she saw Mitsuki and Akio laughing as they bit into a juicy squirrel they had caught. Sakura's mouth watered, the sight of meat reminding her of the restaurants back home.

"Mm, squirrel again?" Mitsuki nodded. "It's easy to catch and cook, so we might as well." Sakura grinned. "I'm not complaining. You have surprisingly decent cooking skills." The boy smiled at the compliment.

Sakura looked around at the two kids. They seemed peaceful, content with life as it was, as if the boy's parent hadn't disappeared less than two weeks ago. Sakura sighed. She had prodded, but never managed to get a straight answer out of the boy on what happened to his parent.

Eventually she had given up, respecting the boy's decision to keep quiet. She hummed, wondering for a brief second whether or not she should just bring these kids back to Konoha.

Yea right. A little voice spoke inside her head. As if Mitsuki would be happy there. Akio might fit in, but the citizens of Konoha have a bad track record of blaming kids for things that aren't their fault.

She grit her teeth. Mitsuki would be terrorized just as Naruto had, all because Orochimaru is his parent. Cowards.

"Sakura-san?" The woman blinked back into focus, seeing Mitsuki's worried eyes trained on her. "Are you ok?"

She nodded. "Yea. Come on you guys. If you're finished eating, we should go find Karin now." Akio grinned, jumping up in excitement. "Is she my mother?" Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. But I do think she can at least point us in the right direction."

Akio grabbed Sakura's hand. "Lets go lets go!" Mitsuki giggled, standing up as well.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yes yes, no need to be impatient. Come on you two." And with that they were off, their journey only just beginning.

Yay! Sakura is ok! Mmm, but this whole situation could cause some major misunderstandings in the future.... Hmmm, uh oh. ;p.