Darkest Before Dawn

Chiyo and Tenzou

     Saburo was in stable condition- most of the poison had been cleared from his system, but there were some traces left. Sakura had taken all of the extracted poison in vials and was lead to Suna's greenhouse along with Chiyo, Sasori, and Deidara.

   "Is that scroll ready for me, Tinkerbell?" Sakura asked as they descended down some flights of stairs. Deidara twitched but pulled a small scroll out from his back pouch and handed it over.

   "Because of you, I was called Rapunzel for six whole months, hm! That hair better be worth it!" he growled. Sakura chuckled and tucked the scroll away.

   "Don't worry. It's worth it."

   Sasori and Deidara walked towards the gates to begin their mission, leaving Chiyo and Sakura to continue to the greenhouse alone. They entered the glass house and proceeded to gather the herbs they needed to make the antidote.

   "I never thought Sunagakure would have such a variety of herbs." Sakura commented as she crushed some of the plants on the metal work table.

   "It's rather difficult to grow them in a greenhouse, but we manage. We want as many herbs as possible even if the quantity is scarce." replied Chiyo. She glanced at the young girl beside her. She was so engrossed in her work even if it was just a stranger she was trying to save. Chiyo turned her head back to the herbs in front of her.

   "I'm curious."

   "What is it, Chiyo-san?"

   "From what I heard from that young man, you told him to grow out his hair, then cut it all off."

   Sakura gave a soft smile as she continued with her work.

   "I need his hair as a medium. I want to regenerate the arm he's missing, and I needed an agglomeration of cells. Don't tell him my plans, though." she said. Chiyo turned her head to the girl with wide-eyes. Regeneration... the Chikatsu Saisei no Jutsu?! That jutsu was easily placed in the advanced section of medical techniques.

   "He didn't ask you to heal him?"

   "No. But the day I met him, I made him a promise. I don't think he remembers it, but I told him I would heal his arm and his eye. I'll fulfill it."

   A couple of hours later, the antidote was made. Chiyo and Sakura made their way back up to the hospital, mixed the antidote with tea, and gave it to Saburo. Airi, Saburo's wife walked up to Sakura with teary eyes and a grateful smile.

   "Thank you so much for saving my husband!" she exclaimed, "Whatever you want, I'll pay! Anything! We're in your debt, Sakura-san!"

   Sakura waved her hands in front of her.

   "It's alright, Akasuna-san." she assured, "I'm not asking for anything."

   "B-But!"

   "It's really alright, Akasuna-san."

   Within the next hour, at her insistence, Sakura was out of the village despite it being early morning. Saburo was on his way to recovery, Airi at his side. Chiyo stared out the window of her son's hospital room, wondering. Sakura Haruno certainly was a strange girl, coming to help and leaving as soon as she came. She didn't know much about that girl, but she knew one thing for certain.

   Sakura definitely was Tsunade's student.

~

   Tenzou-san!" seventeen year old Sakura called, "What are you doing here?"

  Tenzou turned around, confused, but brightened up when he saw that head of pink hair. He brought her in for a tight hug before smiling down at her.

  "It's great to see you, Sakura-chan! How long has it been since I've seen you? Three, four years? You've become quite the young lady!"

  Sakura grinned and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. They took a seat on a bench at the local park.

   "So what are you up to in Kirigakure, Sakura-chan?" Tenzou asked. Sakura stretched out her arms and looked at the park ahead of them.

   "Babysitting."

   "Eh? Really?"

   "Well, it's been a while since I've been here. My friend's kids, Haku and Kana, wanted to hang out with me today. I told them to play in the park for a bit while I bought some stuff, then I ran into you. What about you Tenzou-san? What are you doing here?" she questioned. Tenzou pulled out his mission scroll and peered at the contents.

   "I'm supposed to meet someone named... Suiren Hoshigaki... in about half an hour. I thought it would be a good idea to walk around the village, and look who I find!" he grinned. They talked for a bit until Haku and Kana came up to Sakura.

   "Nee-chan, nee-chan, look what Haku-kun caught!" Kana gushed. Haku held up a white rabbit with large, floppy ears. Sakura smiled and tousled Haku's deep black hair.

   "He's very cute. Don't play with him too long, maybe he has so go somewhere. After you're done playing with him, we'll go get some ice cream, okay?"

   "Okay nee-chan!" they chorused. They trotted back to the park and Sakura stood up, Tenzou following suit. A small clang rang in their ears.

    "Ah, Sakura-chan, is this yours?" Tenzou questioned. He picked up a small jar filled with dried bits of... a flower?

   "That must've fallen out of my back pouch. It's crushed Angel's Trumpet, a flower that serves as a powerful hallucinogen that I'm going to put in my next poison. My friend Zetsu went on an expedition up in the mountain ranges in Lightning Country and was able to get these for me." she informed. A few more words were exchanged before Haku and Kana grabbed each of Sakura's hands.

   "I'll see you in a year, Sakura-chan?"

   She nodded and smiled.

   "Until then, Tenzou-san."

~

   "Welcome back, Tenzou-san. You stated in your mission report that you happened to run into Sakura-chan while you were in Kiri?"

   "Yes. She's doing well."

   Minato nodded and shuffled through a few papers on his desk.

   "So what can you gather about her so far?" questioned the Hokage.

   "I assume she's a medic due to her interest in herbs and poisons. She also knows a few people in Kiri, presumably very closely. Despite being very friendly with the locals, I can tell that being in the rogue environment has changed her. I don't know if it was for better or for worse... but it suits her well." Tenzou said.

   Minato sighed.

   "I bet it does."