J A D E

Chapter Three : When you play with time

It has been a whole month ever since, I have met Shisui-san. My parents finally accepted my decision of becoming a Shinobi. They even help me with everything they can. Mom decided that if I am to go and risk my life, I might as be overly prepared. But she does not know. No one can really be prepared of the horrors life as ninja brings.

I once believed that I could be ready for whatever there was coming at my way, but I was not. And I know now, that I will never be. The second, I decide to change a minor or even major event my whole future will alter and only thing, I will know it to keep everyone dear to me safe and alive.

I smile as I hop down from the tree branch, landing perfectly on the ground. My training hasn't been as fruitless as I have deemed them at the beginning. Currently, I am able to use little chakra without fainting.

I collect all my Shurikens and start walking towards my house with skip in my steps. I have become closer to my parents during this one month of being here. I never was this close them during my past life. I never saw the need of spending as much time with them as possible, as I always believed that they would always be next to me.

"Sakura-chan." Shisui appears in front of me out of nowhere. I can badly covered sadness on his face. I look at him and blink, trying to think of any reason of why Shisui would feel sorrow at this early stage.

"Shisui-san." I grit back, giving him true-hearted smile in return, trying to cheer him up. He offers one, gently smile back and pats my head gently. "What happened?" I ask with small pout on my face.

"Uh, could you follow me, Sakura-chan?" He asks me in urgent tone, which leads me into nodding. He smiles and lifts me up, shunshing away immediately. We appear in front of the Konoha Hospital, something that never happened in my life before. I look at Shisui-san with worried look and he shakes his head, leading me inside.

"Hokage-Sama." Shisui whispers and bows at the Third Hokage. I bow next to him as well and look at Hokage confused. I have not demonstrated my powers to anyone in order to make Hokage to meet me, especially in the hospital.

"You must be, Sakura-chan, right?" Third kneels in front of me, sad smile plastered on his face. I nod, fear gripping my whole body. "I am so sorry, Sakura-chan." He whispers. I shake my head, taking a step back.

It should not have happened.

"Your parents were attacked during their return." Hokage continues talking, his hand, strongly, yet gently gripping my shoulder to prevent me from running away. "We think that it was a missing-nin, who attacked, we are going to find the culprit." He adds and looks at me, waiting for me to cry.

They should not have died. Not yet. Not now.

I nod. Feeling weak all over my body. I have failed once again.

I have failed.

I could not save people, I hold dear. People, that should have lived another twelve years according my past timeline. And now, I brought early death upon them.

"Sakura-chan?" Shisui kneels next to me, his warm hand on my shoulder. I look at him with tears blurring my vision, yet I don't let them spill. I nod and hug him, feeling uncomfortable, yet in dire need of emotional support.

I have failed you.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan." Shisui whispers while patting my head gently. I somehow stop sobbing, I gently push myself away from Shisui and offer him a weak smile. He looks at me surprised, but says nothing. I let my grief sink into the back of my mind, instead focusing on different, more important tasks at hand. I turn towards the Third and bow at him once again.

"Hokage-sama." I whisper in a low voice, barely able to hold the sobbing inside of me. "I want to request to live alone in my house. I don't wish to be put in orphanage or in foster care." I whisper and look down at my feet. "I... I wish to become shinobi and when I turn six, I wish to somehow have a agreement paper from guardian in order to get into the academy." Hokage says nothing. He just stares at me with wide eyes.

Now, I don't mean to be rude, but ever since, I have grown up and looked the harsh reality in the eyes, I have considered Third Hokage to be weak in strength and weak willed. He has been manipulated too many times, too easily. He wouldn't, couldn't do anything when it came to Danzo, despite knowing what the man was doing. He knew about the ROOT, how people usually were chosen for it, he knew what Danzo did to children, knew about Sai and his elder brother. At some point, I even suspected he knew about Uchiha eyes.

"Sakura-chan." It's Shisui who speaks up. I look at him, my eyes dull, as dull as it used to be back then. "You..." He does not say anything else, meeting my gaze.

"Alright." Hokage nods. We both look at him. "I can grant you that." He adds in heavy tone and starts walking away from me, towards the exit. "We can talk about the arrangements later." I nod as he leaves the hospital.

I expected Shisui-san to leave as well, with Hokage, but he stayed with me till the end. He even came in the burial ceremony.  Being next to him is easier. He is mixture of Sasuke and Naruto and it creates the sense of safety.

"Thank you, Shisui-san." I bow to him, when we finally get at my house. I am standing in front of the door, reluctant to go inside and greet and loneliness and coldness. Shisui-san does not say anything, but nods at me. He pats my head once again and offers me a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan." He whispers. "You don't have to thank me." He adds and kneels at my level. "I will try to visit you as much as possible, okay?" I nod at him, small smile creeping on my face. "Until then, you have to train, okay? You want to become strong Shinobi, ne?" I nod again, this time full smile presented on my face. Smile, that does not reach my eyes.