Fiat justitia, ruatcaelum

*+*A/N* This chapter is dedicated to my most faithful reveiwer; kaa-san. Thanks for the support. *+*


Waiting for dawn

Sakura followed Hinata silently, the mask up and the henge released. The ‘safe house’ she was being shown to was getting closer and closer the academy.
*Why are the Uchiha so much of a threat…?* Sakura slid to a stop behind Hinata, slipping against the wall as a pair of young people passed. Hinata flexed into the shadow, fading out of sight.
The couple walked not two feet from her, unknowing.
“…And he says, ‘I don’t even own a giraffe!’”
The girl bursts out laughing.
They continue on.
Sakura waits, pressed into the darkness.
A pair of white eyes peers out of the shadow. They incline, a tip of the head.
Sakura breaks from the shadow, into the street. Hinata falls in beside her. “This way.” And enters what should have been a teashop. *One of my favorites…*
Sakura follows.
They leap the counter, wincing as Hinata crunches a paper bag.
The Hyuuga glares down at the bag, throwing it into the corner, “Damn people can’t throw their garbage in a can…” She opens a cabinet door. Old, dusty teacups line the shelf.
She presses the door back, into the space.
As she pushed in gently, a series of planks lifted from the floor. A trap door.
“In.”
Sakura dropped into the darkness and pressed herself against a wall. Hinata followed, eyes blazing.
The planks close overhead, plunging the girls into perfect darkness. Except for the Byukaguran.
Sakura watches the white eyes when she can as Hinata moves around the room.
Glass rattles and Hinata’s eyes focus on an object. The butterfly patter of hands and a thin jet of fire issued from Hinata’s lips. The fire lit upon the wick of a lamp.
“You should be safe here until dawn.” She reached down and picked up a small, wooden box. “I was going to save this for my own exodus, but I wasn’t quite as knowledgeable then as I am now…” She tossed it to Sakura.
She pried the lid open. A mist headband.
“I’d love nothing more than to throw you out of Konoha tonight, but in the interest of safety, we need to wait until the Anbu are a little more relaxed.” Hinata pushed past Sakura to the exit, “There are some spare clothes in the chest and food…”
Hinata spasmed, falling to her knees, clutching the wrappings on her forehead.
She didn’t cry out, but groaned through gritted teeth. The way her breath hissed between her teeth seemed somehow worse.
“Are you alright?”
Hinata pushed Sakura away, panting as the fit subsided. “Back off.” Hinata stood, trying to appear strong, though the effects of the episode lingered, “That was the Main Branch. It appears that I’m out past my curfew.”
“Go.” Sakura nodded, “I can find a way out of Konoha. I won’t have you suffer trying to help someone you don’t know.”
Hinata glared at sakura, her fist pulling a lever on the wall. “Whatever. Pity pisses me off, too.”
Hinata leapt up as the door opened, leaving Sakura behind in the weak lamp light.
She sighed. And her stomach voiced its concern about when she planned on eating next.
The ‘food’ Hinata had alluded to was little more than cold rations. Sakura chewed the meat jerky slowly as she inspected the selection of clothes.
She set aside a long, orange vest and a belt to hold it shut, as well as a gray jumpsuit. She also found a stock pile of undergarments. *Thank you, Hinata…*
Sakura dug deeper, looking for a matching mask or scarf. She found a scroll instead.
*Hair color?* She peeled the scroll open. A recipe for hair coloring potions. One for lighter, a second for darker. Sakura pulled a stand of her locks forward. *I guess I’ll need darker…*
She read over the list quickly and looked around. She had all of the major ingredients.
Pulling down a mortar and pestle, she added the base herbs and a splash of water.
*One of these… some of this…* Sakura lost herself in the task, remembering the school lesson that had featured potion brewing.
*It was for a hair color potion then as well. Iruka-sensei had said, ‘A simple disguise is often the most practical.’* Sakura laughed as she remembered how the lesson had gone.
The whole class was supposed to pick a flower… *The last ingredient…* Sakura stopped, looking around. *The last ingredient determined color…* And it was time for hers, the potion fading into a clear semi-liquid. Sakura picked up an inkstick. *Any other offers?* She looked around. Nothing else seemed to fit. She broke a small chip off and dropped it into the potion. She watched as the color of the inkstick swam around the slowly swirling potion…
Her memory resumed; Ino had chosen a lavender. It was supposed to be Sasuke’s favorite color. Or, at least, it was the color he had chosen In retrospect, Sasuke had probably chosen a lavendar because it was in his way at the time.
Sakura didn’t remember what she chose… Kiba had slipped one of Akamaru’s hairs into her own potion, her hair going white for a week.
But she did remember the way the whole class had mocked Naruto. His hair had been pink. *Cherry blossom…pink…* That exercise was one of the few that Naruto had passed. And the only one he had excelled in.
Sakura sniffed, moving the mortar away from herself. She didn’t know what would happen in she cried in the potion, but it might not be good.
She sighed, wiping away her tears. *Always going to pieces, Sakura… Getting mushy and weak at all the wrong times…* She pushed her sorrows under and picked up the mortar.
The potion smelled terrible. Smelled like ink. *Maybe that’s why we were supposed to use flowers…*
And she drank. Three, quick gulps. She set down the mortar and wiped her mouth. “Blech.” *Tastes like ink too.* Her scalp began to itch. As did her eyebrows. After a moment, it stopped.
Sakura plucked out a few hairs and held them up to the light. A jet black even Sasuke would have liked.
Sakura looked around to small room, suddenly yearning to see something golden yellow.
She didn’t look long. Her eyes grew bleary with tears and she threw herself into the hammock that hung on the walls.
She slept before she her eyes had dried.

Sakura… She opened her eyes. She saw herself open her eyes. From outside her body.
Sakura… She saw herself look around. She had long hair again. It swished this way and that. Almost floating. Like she was underwater.
The voice was deep and smooth. A man’s voice. Where are you, Sakura? Can you hear me?
*I can hear you!* Sakura shouted.
The landscape was white. Misty.
*I’m here! Over here!*
I’m waiting , Sakura. I’ll wait as long as I have to.
Sakura held her breath as her other self clasped her hands to her chest. The long, pink hair grew shorter, burning away. Turning a thick, black color. And both of her pleaded silently.
I’m waiting for you, Sakura.
Her hair faded a few shades. *Waiting…!?*
If you can hear me…I…I love you, I think.
The shadows in the mists began to take form. A man. Tall. Sinewy. “I know that man…But who…” Sakura’s voice echoed hollow as she spoke to herself.
Just come back, Sakura. If you come back to me from wherever you are, I swear I’ll love you forever!
*I’m coming back!* Sakura shouted. Her hair had grown very pale. And her other self had found the shadow man. Flinging herself onto him. *I’ll come back. I swear!*
She could only make out one feature of the man that held her as the world darkened.
His hair was the color of the rising dawn.