The Turning Point

Team 7 vs Zabuza: Part 1

Kunai knives flew through the air at remarkable speed. Lengthy kicks and sturdy punches were thrown with huge force and dexterity as though a life depended on their contact. The straw dummy which had (at one stage) been intact was now losing life as vast amounts of straw littered the ground.

Sakura stood in the grassy area breathing heavily, her pink hair which normally would have been tied up cascaded down her back in waves. Her large forehead was covered in sweat as strands of pink stuck to her face, scratches and marks of dirt evident on her arms and face.

The training had done her good; she had used Inari's story and taken her leave before anyone could notice her absence.

"They probably think I've gone to cry somewhere or something. That's fine I don't want them here anyway" Sakura murmured to herself.

Eyes fixed on the ground Sakura began walking forward, occasionally bending over to pick her embedded kunai in the grass. Satisfied with her training, the pink haired girl seated herself under a cherry blossom tree.

The pink petals were getting harder to see as it got darker and Sakura knew she'd better be heading back soon. Interestingly enough her father proposed to her mother under a tree exactly liked this one and consequently due to her candy floss coloured hair, she had been named after it.

This was the first time she and her father had both been away leaving her mother behind. During the academy days, she had overnight training sessions and all day 'missions' but they were always conducted in the safety of the village.

But lately her father had been called to higher ranked missions, so Sakura and her mother would stay up together and talk.

I always spoke about Sasuke…. I was so blind and selfish Sakura thought as she remembered back to their late night conversations.

She would blab on and on about Sasuke and how great he was and how Ino didn't stand a chance against her. Her mother would try and talk to her about her day as she would to her husband, but it wasn't long before Sakura overruled that and the topic was once again turned back to Uchiha Sasuke.

Closing her eyes the young girl attempted to relax her thoughts and focus on her breathing.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale…

"Ohayou I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" A female voice penetrated her ear drum and Sakura opened her eyes to see Tsunami looking at her carefully.

Smiling the ninja shook her head and the older raven haired woman took a seat next to her under the tree.

"I'm very sorry to hear about what happened to your husband" Sakura said quietly.

Nodding her head Tsunami knew it would only be a matter of time before Tazuna discussed it with their guests.

"It's alright; in a way I think it was inevitable. Kazia was such an outspoken figure I always knew if new powers were to come into control of our land that he would not stay quiet. It hurt at first… to know they tally of important people I'd lost was now totaled at two. But as you've probably heard Inari suffered the most. Sadly as a mother there are things I cannot provide for him that a father could"

Sakura absorbed the elder woman's words as she gazed out onto the moonlit training ground.

"Family… is very important" she remarked and Tsunami agreed silently.

"You know Sakura; you're the first of your kind to come into this village"

This comment piqued the pinkette's interest and she fixed Tsunami with a confused looked.