Lavender Rain [TIME TRAVEL]

Arc One: A Different Type of Halcyon: A White Flag Tinged In Pink

"And she gracefully danced

on the fine line

between a hard mind

and a soft heart."

The fresh scent of soil tickles Sakura's senses awake, and when her eyes open, she realizes she is bound and chained in a cavern-like cave. She bites back the groan that wants to escape her lips, as she realizes her arms are tightly bound by the barb-wire digging into her tender flesh. She barely flutters her eyes open, as she doesn't want to alert the other shinobi around her that she is awake, because she knows it's only skilled shinobi capable of ambushing her Kaa-san and Shisui like that out of no where.

Underneath the damp lanterns, she sees an alter ahead of her, with a screaming child forcefully held down as complex fuinjutsu seals are being written. Turning her head slightly to the side, she found a slightly elder boy who looked familiar with his gentle androgynous appearance, long black hair, pale skin and large, dark-brown eyes, and a slender frame. It was Haku, the one who unknowingly helped Team Seven forge themselves into the bittersweet shinobi Sakura never knew they would end up being. She would not know him anywhere despite being younger than when they had first met in the original time line.

The physically elder child had taken her hand in his and allowed her to rest on his shoulder. Even now, without evening knowing each other, Haku still showed the same gentle, kind, and caring nature with an undertone of steel he always had. Sakura's mind raced as she took in her surroundings, the memories of her past life merging with her current reality. Despite the fear and uncertainty, she felt a surge of determination. She had to act, and fast. The sight of the screaming child at the altar only intensified her resolve. She couldn't let the Kiri ninjas complete their ritual with the Three-Tails. The consequences would be disastrous, altering the course of the future even further.

Her training with Kisame had honed her skills, and now, more than ever, she needed to use them. Silently, she focused her chakra, feeling the familiar sensation of the Mokuton awakening within her now that she knew what that strange tingling sensation was. The barbed wire around her arms tightened, but she gritted her teeth against the pain, channeling her energy into the wooden elements of her restraints.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the soil beneath their feet began to respond to her will. The sprouted vines with sharp steel-like spikes cut easily through her ropes. She was never more grateful now than ever that the Kiri shinobi had easily dismissed her. Her heads foggy, still full of imagines of the explosion, and she hopes her kaa-san and Shisui are okay. The butterfly ripples she had made seemed even clearer than before.

She glanced at Haku, whose eyes met hers with a mixture of confusion and realization. He seemed to understand that she was not just any captured child. That much like him, she could use chakra in a special type of way. Sakura whispered, careful not to attract attention, "Hello, Thank you for allowing me to rest. My name is Sakura, I need you to trust me. I'm going to get us out of here, but I need your help." She stated with soft confidence, despite the fact that Haku was at least two years older than her physically.

"I'm Haku." He introduced himself softly, his eyes reflecting a quiet strength. Sakura's heart swelled with admiration and sadness, knowing the tragic path ahead for this gentle soul in her previous timeline. She resolved to alter his fate, just as she sought to change her own. With a final push of her chakra, the restraints snapped, freeing her arms. She quickly worked to untie Haku, her fingers deft and swift. The other children in the cave watched in awe and hope, their eyes wide in the dim light Once free, Sakura scanned the cave for an escape route. The Kiri ninjas were too engrossed in their ritual to notice the commotion in the back. She gestured for Haku and the other children to follow her as she crept towards a narrow passage she spotted on the side of the cave.