230A/N: I've had this plot stuck in my head for awhile. Now that road to ninja is out, I'm using Tobi's genjutsu/time traveling move to make my story. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!
"Ayaaaaa!" A woman screamed, followed by a splash.
The slender female figure broke through the surface, sharp green eyes scanning for land.
Where had she landed? Where was Naruto?
All she could remember was facing off with the masked man, Naruto at her side. A blinding flash of light with a kaleidoscope of colors filtered through her wide eyes before she found herself free falling in the sky. Touching down in the small pond was her saving grace from a broken neck or a nasty concussion.
Swimming swiftly, she found a dry surface a few meters away and pushed herself out of the water. Soaking wet, she wrung her shirt and skirt out in a vain attempt to get herself dry quicker. Small wooden houses dotted the landscape farther up followed by what looked like a village.
To stay put or to seek refuge? Warring with herself, she made her way up the hill and to the first small house. Knocking a few times she waited. An middle aged man opened the door, eyeing her up and down. She frowned inwardly, what was his problem? She forced her lips into a smile.
"Please sir, I have lost my way. Could you help me?"
"Ehh? Not around these parts?" He scratched his head briefly and let her in. The house was quaint with only the basic necessities.
"Mika will give you some of her dry clothes." He stated.
Tilting her head in confusion, she waited.
A girl around her age stepped out from a room and they locked eyes. The stranger bowed politely to her and escorted her to a room where she could change. The hospitality was strange, but not unwelcome. The girl Mika left clothes on the bed and left the room. Moving over to the clothes, she took them. It was a plain white kimono with small pink flowers. Furrowing her brow, she wondered briefly why these were so old fashioned. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she quickly changed and presented herself to her gracious hosts.
"Ah! You look beautiful," Mika gushed and motioned to help brush her hair back into a bun, pinning it in place.
"Umm-Mika is it? Could you tell me where I am?"
The brown haired Mika smiled.
"You are in the land of fire of course!"
"I see. Could you point me in the direction of Konoha?"
"Konoha?" Mika looked confused.
"Land of fire's capital?" Did the girl honestly not know?
"Miss there is no such place called that."
Shocked, she sputtered. "W-what?"
"What about the village I saw coming up this road?"
"Oh! Hashirama-sama and other clans just built it."
Wait, did she just say Hashirama?!
"I-I gotta go." She spoke quickly and gave words of thanks to both Mika and the man.
She walked quickly, more like shuffling do to the kimono, up the road and finally made it to the village gates. The shinobi there guarding asked her to halt. At least they wore forehead protectors showing off the leaf symbol, she sighed with relief.
"Show us your papers."
"My papers?" Ah, of course! Any outsider journeying to the village was required to carry papers, even to modern day konoha's laws. She dug around in her kimono for the identification paper she always carried with her along with the worn photo of team seven.
"Sakura…Haruno?"
"Yes?" She questioned softly, gazing at the men.
They blushed slightly at her beauty.
"You may go in miss." The gates opened and she all but dashed in.
She could see the construction of the would-be hokage tower being built. Turning slightly, she questioned the men that allowed her to pass.
"Where would Hashirama be?"
"Down the road, take a right. The district is covered in small trees and the roofs are tinted with green, that is the Senju district."
She nodded. "Thank you!"
As she disappeared around the corner, the men turned toward each other.
"I haven't heard of the Haruno clan."
Breathless, she found the district. The hustle and bustle of the streets reminded her slightly of konoha. Navigating through the crowd, she noticed a larger house than all the others. That must be where he lived.
Walking up to the house, guards once again stopped her.
Squaring her shoulders back and lifting her chin, she oozed confidence.
"I ask to see Hashirama."
"What business do you have with him?"
"It is my own business." She answered back.
The guard didn't like her cheek.
"Listen Miss-"
"Sakura," she supplied.
"Sakura, Hashirama is a very busy man, he doesn't have time to converse on trivial matters." They thought she was someone unimportant, come to bother the future first hokage with silly matters.
"These are not trivial matters I can assure you. This is about the future of this village and who will be the hokage." Her voice rose.
That got their interest.
"What is this disturbance I hear?" A gentle voice broke through the white noise of the crowd and her annoyance with the guards.
She stilled. It was the first hokage!
Out of respect, she bowed deeply.
He gestured for her to stop bowing and come inside.
"So, my lady, what has the guards all riled?"
He smiled and offered her tea.
"They wouldn't let me in to see you."
"Ah, so what has you upset?" He could tell from her posture and facial expressions, she looked stressed.
"Would you believe me if I told you I came from another time?"
"The world is full of mysterious things," He answered cryptically back.
Deciding to go for broke, she pulled out the photo of team seven. He took the thin object from her and opened it. Sasuke and Naruto were glaring at each other while Kakashi patted both of the boys heads. The pink haired girl in the middle was giggling happily. He noticed the leaf headbands.
"I am assuming the young lady in the photo is you."
She nodded.
"And the young men?"
"The blonde haired boy is Naruto Uzumaki." She noticed the realization in his face, he knew the last name.
"The Uzumaki clan?" His finger drifted over to the dark haired boy.
"That is Sasuke-kun…Umm-Sasuke Uchiha." She kicked herself from using the affectionate name. It was a habit.
"The Uchihas and Uzumakis?" He murmured, knowing the ongoing strain between the Senju and Uchiha.
"They don't get along very well," She smiled fondly, "but they are blood brothers, even if they don't want to admit it."
She left out that Sasuke went rogue and is now an international criminal and the whole Uchiha clan was wiped out when she was seven years old.
"You seem very fond of them."
"They are my boys, my teammates." She took the photo back, carefully tucking it back into her clothing.
"So, let's say I believe that you are from another time…what can you tell me about the future?"
Sakura bit her lip and gazed down at her tea.
Would telling him the future change the course of history?
What if she told him and he decided to wipe the Uchihas out?
There would be no more Sasuke, her beloved. Naruto's future could be changed as well.
"I don't know if I should tell you. I don't want my precious people to disappear." She whispered, silently noting a stem was floating upright in her tea. It was a good sign.
"I understand." He didn't press for more information thankfully.
"So why are you here?"
"I don't know," She answered again, finding herself confused and dizzy with all the information and being in another time altogether.
"For your safety, I ask that you do not tell anyone else that you are from the future. Others may force it out of you."
She nodded.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Sakura Haruno!"
"Well Sakura Haruno, welcome to the village."
She stood, gliding gracefully to the window. They were on the second floor, so she had a partial view of the village, her home.
"This is my home," Her fingers touched the glass, her whimsical gaze drifted over the rooftops.
He smiled, pride welling within himself. This girl, for whatever reason she may be here, showed him the village he built with his partner, Madara Uchiha, would stand for a long time.
"I don't have a place to stay." She frowned, sighing.
"Stay here with me. I have more than enough rooms, surely one will suit you." It wasn't a romantic gesture, but a noble one. This way he could also keep a watchful eye on her during her time here.
She smiled and bowed slightly. "I am grateful for your generosity."
"Pick whatever room suits you most."
As she left the room, he couldn't help but ask one question.
"What do we name the village?"
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled, "Konoha."
End chapter.
