Back To Where It All Began

CHAPTER 1

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"Sakura.. Sakura... HARUNO SAKURA!" The rosette woke up at the loud noise and slipped with her elbow. As she sat upright, she hit the back of her head on the desk behind her.

She grumbled under her breath as the other children laughed at her. She could hear the voice of Ino mocking her: "Clumsy forhead girl!" However, Sakura was too focused on the sight of her childhood homeroom tea, who was staring at her with a concerned look.

Iruka cleared his throat, "Nice of you to join us. Now, focus on the lesson, please." He scolded lightly and moved on.

Sakura nodded instinctively, even though she'd graduated four years ago. 'Where am I? What is happening? Are my memories being shown like film rolls like in those corny books?' She thought.

She stared down at her soft, uncalloused hands that looked like they'd never killed even a fly. Her neatly written notes showed they were reviewing the last of the units before the graduation all those years ago.

Suddenly, a whiskered blond barged into the room along with a shadow clone of their teacher. Naruto was harshly tossed on the ground, bound by ropes, and scolded in front of the class by Iruka for painting on the Hokage monument. Sakura vividly remembered this day as the day before their final exams, which would lead to her graduation and placement on team 7.

"- That's it! Everyone to the front of the classroom. We're reviewing the transformation technique!" Iruka shouted. Students got up, complaining about the troublemaker, causing them to redo the quiz.

Sakura stood in line and immediately realised something was off. If this were her memories, wouldn't everything be exactly as she remembered? Although the human brain wasn't capable of remembering everything accurately, she should still be able to recognise certain events.

"Next, Sakura Haruno." Iruka said, checking the former person of the list.

'If this really is my memory, I shouldn't be able to act on my own.' She tested her theory and waved the familiar handsign and transformed into a perfect copy of the teacher in front of her.

"Excellent, Sakura. Next, Nara Shikamaru-" She walked to her seat and pondered over it. This wasn't a memory. Iruka never said such things to her when it came to anything ninjutsu related. She was below average in everything but academics.

'There's one way I can test to see if this is really my reality, but it'll have to wait until after class.'

***

"Is everything alright, Sakura? I've never seen you doze off like that in class. Is there something going on in your family?" Iruka asked worriedly as soon as class had ended. Sakura nodded and scratched her cheek sheepishly.

"Oh, it's nothing like that! I was just up too late cramming for the exams tomorrow. I'm worried I won't graduate." She lied through her teeth with a smile.

"Oh, you did really well on the exam this time around. You've clearly been practising. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colours!" He reassured cheerfully and patted her shoulder.

Sakura looked bashful, "Ah, thank you..." she said.

"Now then, maybe it's time you go home and review for the big day tomorrow!" Iruka smiled.

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Iruka-sensei."

***

Sakura crossed her arms in front of her and leaned back as Iruka announced the beginning of the written exam. She vaguely recognised the problems on the exam and got to solving them quickly.

"Konoha has grown weak." She heard a deep, gruff voice say from next to her.

Sakura was startled and dropped her pen. Some turned their heads briefly but went back to their exams as she picked it up off the floor.

'Am I going insane?' She thought, scribbling down her answers quickly.

"Wait.. you can hear me?' It grumbled again, but this time, it sounded surprised.

Sakura scribbled her answers quickly and left the exam room in a hurry. The voice had gone silent, but she remembered that voice from somewhere.. but where?

As she arrived in the quiet court yard, she yelled out: "Speak!"

It was silent. Embarrassingly so. Sakura was turning redder than her own hair in embarrassment until she heard the familiar voice again.

"Are you... talking to me?"

Sakura jumped and looked around. "Who are you? And where are you?" She couldn't sense anyone around. The voice sounded like it was right next to her.

"Interesting.. so you can hear me but lack the ability to see me. Tell me, civillian girl, do you have some sort of bloodlimit technique allowing you to hear ghosts?" It asked.

Sakura grimaced.  "No, my parents are civilians, and so am I. The only clan I can think of that has any connection to souls and spirits is the Uzumaki clan. So why can't Naruto hear you?"

"Fascinating. What is your name, civillian girl?" He asked pensively.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. Who are you?" She asked apprehensively.

"Tobirama Senju, I trust you remember my name as a child of the leaf?"

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Sorry for the wait!

The reason it took me so long to publish this chapter was because it was deleted by mistake, so I had to rewrite it. :')

But I suppose it was good that it did disappear because now I have a clearer view of where I want this story to go.

The next chapter will be longer.

Thank you for reading!