Journey of Discovery

Chapter 1 - Forbidden Scroll

Sarada had always dreamt of what it would be like to train with her father. He was such a strong and powerful shinobi, or at least that's what Sakura always told her growing up. She hadn't seen her father since she was a small child so she didn't know that for herself but of course her mother had no reason to lie to her.

He had unintentionally caused her to activate her Sharingan at a very young age due to his absence. It caused her much grief and pain. It was only when she was 11 that she reawakened it when he returned to the village after being gone for many years.

Since he had returned they struggled to connect but found common ground while training. He taught her the Chidori, a jutsu passed on to him by his former sensei, and he now was helping her practice using her Sharingan. It was something she was very proud and passionate about. It was her only connection to her clan.

They had spent the last few days training together. He would throw kunai at her and she would practice using her Sharingan to evade them. She could see them all and the path she needed to take to avoid them but she could not sustain the Sharigan long enough to make it all the way through unscathed. After multiple attempts, and cuts, Sasuke suggested they take a break.

"Papa, can I ask you something?" She asked breathing heavily. They were sitting together on a large rock at the edge of the training field.

"Hn?"

"I was doing some research and I found out that you  have what's called the Mangekyo Sharingan. I want to train hard to get it too. How did you-?"

He cut her off abruptly, "Let's talk about the Mangekyo some other time Sarada." She was about the press the issue when Sakura arrived at the training grounds.

Sarada ran up to her excitedly, "Mama! My training is going well! Papa even praised me and-"

"Sarada, do you have any idea the strain you're putting on your body and how much chakra you've used up?" She asked sternly. Sakura had always preached the importance of a healthy body and chakra control.

'Great. Now I'm going to get a lecture from Mama.'

"I have to keep training Mama. I'm going to keep training until my Sharingan is like Papa's." She turned to her father then, "Don't you agree? That my Sharingan can be like yours?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, "That subject is-"

"Do you have any idea what those words even mean Sarada?" Sakura scolded her, cutting off Sasuke.

'All I wanted was his praise and for him to be proud of me...'

"Sakura," he addressed his wife, "There's nothing you should worry about. I have her under control."

Now they were speaking as if she wasn't there. Just when she was beginning to see results from her training it now was coming to a screeching halt. All because of the Sharingan. She was proud to be an Uchiha and to wield the Sharingan. It was the one thing that brought her closer to her father.

"Ughh!" She let out an annoyed groan and ran from the training grounds.

"Sarada!" Sakura called after her daughter but it didn't matter. Sarada kept running and didn't stop.

'Why does everyone shut me out about the Sharingan? They act like it's a horrible thing!'

She didn't know where she was running to, all she knew was that she didn't want to be home or around her parents. She didn't have anywhere else to go. Her maternal grandparents just didn't understand anything when it came to stuff like this and it wasn't like she had her paternal grandparents to talk to. They would be the only other ones who could tell her about her Clan and the Sharingan.

'Wait. There is someone I can talk to.'

• • • • •

Sarada sat quietly and fidgeted with her fingers in her lap. She was clearly uncomfortable but didn't know who else she could go to.

"So child, you wish to see what your father was like in his youth? Hmm?" Orochimaru asked slowly. Taking his time saying each word. His tone indicated that he knew quite a lot about her father, more than she did.

'Everyone seems to know him more than me.'

She nodded her head, "I want to see what he did to further progress his Sharingan. He won't talk to me about it."

Orochimaru leaned back against the counter top in his lab, "That is for good reason child. Knowing things, no matter how badly you want to, does not always bring answers. Sometimes it brings more questions." He raised an eye brow at her, a silent challenge to see if she truly wanted to do this.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Great. So you won't help me either then." She stood up and was about to leave when he caught her attention.

"Ah, ah, ah. I didn't quite say that. Now did I?" He turned and walked out of the lab and she scrambled to follow. He led her down a long corridor to another room. This room contained floor to ceiling shelves, filled with books and scrolls. It had a large table in the middle with scrolls laid open across it. He motioned for her to stand at one end of the table while he searched through the bookshelves.

"Ahh, here it is." He chimed after only a moment of looking.

He stood beside Sarada and placed the scroll on the table. She looked at it and then to Orochimaru, silently asking what the scroll did.

"This scroll contains a forbidden Jutsu. Said jutsu can transport one through time, past or future, however far they wish. No one will see or hear you. You'll only observe. This prevents one from changing the timeline."

'This is probably my only chance to know.'

"Can I use it?" She asked carefully. She couldn't take her eyes off the scroll. This one thing could give her all the answers she's ever wanted and it's at her finger tips. And she could find out about more than just the Sharingan. She could see how her parents got together, why her father was always gone from the village. She always questioned their bond and this could give her that closure. Everything she has ever wanted to know is right in front of her.

"Oh I don't think your parents would be very happy with me if I just allowed you to use this forbidden scroll. However, I am not responsible for what children do while unattended." He gave her a smirk and slowly walked from the room and shut the door behind him.

She turned back and faced the scroll.

'I have to do this. This is my only chance. I know Mama and Papa will be furious with me but I have to take that chance.'

Before she could talk herself out of it she opened the scroll and read the contents. To use it she needed to weave a series of hand signs then she will be transported to the moment in time she wishes to see.

'Easy enough.'

She wove the signs and thought of Sasuke. 'I want to see Papa unlock his Sharingan.'

And everything went black.