Journey Back In Time

Rewind III: You, Who Gave It All (Pt.2)

She had woken up way earlier than the pink-haired girl lying beside her in the small bed they slept in. The sun was just making its way out of its hiding, slowly creeping up from behind the cement houses and bumpy plains of the sand village. Strangely enough, there were people already roaming outside despite how early it was.

The Uchiha heiress withdrew her gaze from the circle-shaped window beside their bed. She sat herself upright on the mattress, leaning her back against the wooden headboard of the bed. She couldn't get much sleep last night, and it was evident in her newly formed eyebags.

Her gaze wandered over to the thin metal bracelet on her wrist, which looked like it hadn't even gotten a scratch.

It hasn't prompted me to go back yet. She thought, despite the fact that she spent a night at this time-point. It was good, though. Now that her mind was a bit more clear, she wouldn't go back even if it forced her to. Not until she figured everything out.

"What's that?"

Sarada jumped in her spot, slightly startled at the sudden voice breaking the silence in the room. She shifted her attention to the pink-haired girl beside her, who was still lying down on her side, but looking up at her with a nonchalant expression from her wake.

"Just a bracelet." Sarada smiled.

"Did someone give it to you?"

"Sort of.." She trailed off, unsure of what to say. "It's kind of the reason why I'm here, with you guys."

Sakura looked puzzled. "Do you have someone you want to find?"

Lost for an answer, the Uchiha heiress tried to imagine the face of her uncle, but there was absolutely nothing that even her wildest imagination could make up. She knew nothing about him. Instead, a picture of her father popped up in her head.

"More or less." She replied, unsure if that was a good thing to say.

"Well, I hope you find whoever it is soon." Sakura said as she slowly sat herself up from her lethargic position and ran her fingers over her tousled hair. Her expression turned sullen. "People must be worried about you back in Konoha. You showed up so randomly. Do you need us to send a message over to your family so they know you're with us?"

Frankly, she definitely would like to send a message to her parents back at home. She wondered how long it has been since they discovered her not being at home. Mom must be pretty mad. And who knew what Dad had to say about it.

"Er, no." Sarada shook her head. "They're alright."

Sakura chuckled lightly. "Okay. If it were my mom, she'd beat me to a pulp if I went missing for too long."

Sarada couldn't fight the smile on her face. It was definitely something her grandma would do.

"I hope you find him soon too." The Uchiha heiress whispered, answering her mother's earlier statement. She was responded with a benevolent smile, but she could still sense the sadness in the pink-haired girl's viridian eyes.

"Let's get up. We should get ready." Sakura jolted up from her resting position and swung her feet onto the cold floor. She gave herself a hard push on the mattress and helped herself up, shuffling her feet into her indoor sandals.

Sarada responded with a silent nod, but continued to sit in the bed and returned her gaze out the window.

--

The six of them, including Chiyo and Pakkun expertly navigated their way through the tall, lanky trees of the northern forest. They were still far from the Akatsuki hideout, but at the pace they were going at, they should be arriving in no time soon.