Zaman

Chapter 11

Sakura couldn't fall asleep. She knew that team seven would have to fight Zabuza the next day and her nerves were keeping her awake. For what felt like hours, she tossed and turned, clenching and unclenching her muscles. Finally, she drifted off into a light, fitful sleep.

Her dreams were riddled with memories of the final war. Quickly, her mind drifted to the moment in which she learned the jutsu that had landed her in this precarious position.

Tsunade grit her teeth, preparing to explain the complicated jutsu to her pupil.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry to place this burden on you." She preceded her lesson with a statement of sincere regret, "You are the only one I can trust with this."

Sakura nodded in solemn agreement. "Let's skip the formalities, please. I need to learn the jutsu and paint the seals. Who knows when the need for this will arise?"

"Anytime," Tsunade whispered, her words stopping in her throat. "I should have killed him."

"That snake will die soon," Sakura spat, adjusting her loose clothing to better cover her lean figure. In all reality, she was becoming rather thin due to the rationing of goods. Trade and import was not an option in the current political climate, giving the Konoha farmers the sole responsibility of feeding the entire village. No, they were not prepared nor was there enough food.

"You know basic fuinjutsu, correct?" Tsunade began to mix the ink for the seals, stirring the small pot with a thin, gilded paintbrush.

Sakura nodded. "Basic seals and summoning methods."

"Good enough," Tsunade sighed through clenched teeth, "If this goes wrong, please forgive me."

"Do not worry about my life," Sakura kept her gaze on the floor, refusing to display any form of weakness or sadness. She had cried enough already for a lifetime.

Forming several hand-signs, Tsunade began to paint seals onto Sakura's body with needle-point accuracy. Her hands possessed all of the steadiness characteristic of a surgeon and her body remained still, yet not rigid. Quickly, Sakura was covered from head to toe in curving, spiraling calligraphy.

"Now it's your turn." Tsunade placed the brush back in the ink, letting out a long awaited sigh, "Perform the hand-signs I taught you."

Closing her eyes for concentration, Sakura formed a ram sign, focusing her chakra. Once she was emanating a blue light, her hands flew the rest of the signs with well-practiced perfection. The seals on her body lit up in a dull light and faded into her skin. Overcome with a wave of exhaustion, she collapsed to her knees, panting.

"Breathe." Sakura heard Tsunade somewhere far away-or very close; she was unsure. "Breathe Sakura!"

Finally steadying her breath, the world came back into focus. Drained of every ounce of energy, Sakura lay supine on the floor gazing blankly at the ceiling.

"When do I use it?" She gasped out.

"When all hope is lost."

It was the early morning when Sakura jolted awake. Her muscles ached from the workout yesterday and her chakra reserves were not quite full as of yet. Regardless, she had no time for recovery. She was going to fight today. Her dream had reminded her that she was in this timeline to fix the world, not to have as little impact as possible. It was time for her to start changing things.

Sakura walked confidently into the dining room, fully dressed, her kunai pouch filled to the rim with as many sharp projectiles as she could possibly fit.