Archive of Our Own

Crossing the gates of the sacred Kageyama temple with the heiress of the Hyuga clan attracted immediate stares. The carriage had barely ground to a halt in the courtyard of packed earth when the sliding door of the central pavilion flew open with violence. Neji descended the wooden steps in a frantic rush. His pale eyes, usually cold and calculating, widened in pure shock as he recognized his cousin's weary silhouette.

"Hinata?!" Neji exclaimed, approaching with long strides and grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. "What were you thinking? What are you doing in the Kageyama forest, knowing that mercenaries patrol the roads?"

"N-Neji-niisan..." she whispered, shrinking subtly but relieved to see him alive. "I... I came looking for you. I ran away from home."

Neji let out a heavy sigh, his brow furrowed in deep worry. He scanned their surroundings, staring at the courtyard filled with rugged volunteers and warrior monks.

"This place is a rebel base, Hinata. It is not safe for civilians," he said, dropping his voice, his eyes flashing with a genuine dread. "And by the gods... you are the only woman on this entire mountain. Staying here, surrounded by so many men in times of war, is madness."

Beside them, tucking her tantō beneath her coat, Sakura felt a pang of irony in her chest. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and forced a sympathetic nod, maintaining Sakuto's posture. She knew exactly what it was like to be the only woman there, living under the constant terror of having her secret unveiled with every rising sun.

Later, after Hinata was settled into a secure, provisional room, the atmosphere in the temple's central wing shifted. In the dining area, while preparing supplies for the night patrol and chopping smaller firewood, Sakura found herself surrounded by the boys. Kiba, Choji, and Lee had pushed the low tables aside, and the presence of a legitimate lady of nobility in the temple had ignited a lively chatter.

"Did you see her manners? She is a true lady of the capital," Kiba commented, cleaning his dagger's blade while Akamaru rested his head on his lap. "Those eyes and the refinement of her kimono... I've never seen anyone like her in this province."

"She is... the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life, believe it!" Naruto shot out, his cheeks bearing a flush that contrasted with his blonde hair. He displayed a foolish grin, still under the spell of the grateful gaze he had received on the road. "A girl who is gentle, sweet, cooks well, and looks at you like you're her hero... that is my ideal type!"

"Oh, please, Naruto, you know nothing about women," Kiba mocked, tossing a twig at the blonde. "The ideal type has to have spirit! A strong woman who knows how to ride, who isn't afraid to get dirty in the forest, and who has a striking personality. A true hunting companion!"

"To me, the most important thing is that she knows how to appreciate a good meal and cooks with her heart," Choji intervened, chewing a piece of potato with a dreamy gaze. "There is nothing better than sharing a feast with someone who smiles with every bite."

"You are all focusing on the wrong attributes!" Lee exclaimed, rising in a dramatic leap and punching the air. "The ideal woman is one who overflows with the flame of youth! One who trains until dawn, possesses unyielding dedication, and wields a sword with the same grace she walks!"

The boys laughed and continued debating, until Kiba swung around abruptly toward the corner where Sakura was silently crushing her herbs.

"Hey, Sakuto! You're being too quiet over there," Kiba teased, arching an eyebrow. "What about you, shorty? What is your ideal type of woman? What do you look for in a girl?"

Sakura stopped her pestle mid-air. Her stomach tied itself into a knot, and she felt her face ignite beneath her disguise. Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto her, awaiting the new "boy’s" answer. She swallowed hard, tried to steady her racing pulse, and forced her voice into the deepest, most casual register she could produce:

"I... well..." she cleared her throat, searching for words. "I like someone who is focused. Someone who has determination and doesn't change their personality just to please others. Someone with deep... expressive eyes... that seem to pierce through your soul even when he... I mean, she, is in silence. Someone who, despite appearing cold on the outside, carries an entire world of feelings within."

The boys blinked, falling silent for a second as they processed the recruit’s poetic and almost melancholy answer.

"Man, Sakuto... that was way too deep," Naruto broke the ice, scratching the back of his neck with a confused smile. "You're a bit weird, but you've got style, believe it!"

Sakura rushed back to grinding her herbs, her heart hammering violently against her ribs. She hadn't described a woman. Without realizing it, she had just listed every detail that fascinated her about Sasuke. While the men viewed Hinata as a delicate flower, she had needed to hack off her own hair and transform herself into a warrior of dirt and sweat just to be near that dark gaze.

The chatter ceased abruptly as Sasuke’s firm footsteps echoed across the tatami. The leader of the resistance entered the room, his expression as icy and impenetrable as ever. He ignored the relaxed mood and fixed his eyes onto Naruto and Neji, who had just joined the space.

"Save your enthusiasm for the battlefield," Sasuke ordered, his cutting voice silencing the room. "The presence of the Hyuga heiress here is a political risk. If the mercenaries discover she is under our roof, they will bring an army to besiege this mountain before dawn. Tomorrow, at the earliest hours of the day, Naruto and Neji will escort her back to her clan’s manor. Use my horse, Naruto. He is the fastest and strongest in the temple; he will ensure you cross the main roads before the enemy scouts wake. Deliver her directly into the hands of Leader Hiashi."

"Yes, sir!" Naruto replied, seriousness finally claiming the blonde's features.

With the strategy laid out for the following day, the temple plunged into the silence of the night. Sakura, however, could not sleep. She locked herself in the isolated back courtyard, illuminated only by the silver light of the full moon. The short blade—the tantō given to her by Sasuke—gleamed in her right hand.

She knew she needed to develop a unique skill if she wanted to be useful in the shadows. She lacked Kiba's raw strength or Naruto's speed, but she possessed something neither of them had: the millimetric control of her own body inherited from the theater.

Sakura began to practice Suriashi, the technique of sliding one's feet pinned to the floor. On the stage, the step served to create the illusion that the dancer was floating; in the forest, it transformed into a lethal weapon of concealment. She practiced walking over the old floorboards of the veranda and across the dry leaves falling from the trees. At first, the wood creaked and the leaves snapped beneath her weight. But she persisted, taking deep breaths, controlling the distribution of her weight with every millimeter of movement, and combining her steps with rapid, short spins of her dagger.

Hours later, the silence was absolute. Sakura glided along the veranda like a draft of air. Her straw boots touched the ground without emitting the faintest noise. Neither the loose boards complained, nor the dry leaves broke. She was learning to move without leaving a acoustic trace. Sheathing the tantō with a soft click, she smiled beneath her red scarf.

In the afternoon of the following day, the sound of multiple horse hooves announced an expected return at the main gate. To everyone's surprise, Naruto and Neji were not returning alone. They had crossed paths with Master Jiraiya on the roads at the base of the mountain, and the old wanderer was returning with them from his long espionage journey.

Jiraiya wore his usual sideways smile, but his eyes conveyed a rare satisfaction. Sasuke, Kakashi, and the Abbot Monk Hiruzen immediately gathered in the strategy room. Sakura, bringing medicinal tea for the leaders, remained near the sliding door.