The Perils of Dimension Hopping | A Naruto/LOTR Crossover

Chapter One: Down the Rabbit Hole

Sakura had always loved nature. It spoke to her – as in literally spoke to her. She'd always been able to hear the voices of trees, and she loved the slow songs they sang when waking to the sunlight. They were ancient, right down to their roots, and they whispered to her of happenings long past. It was part of the reason she loved history, and not just the history of shinobi that was taught at the academy. The wood on her desk whispered to her too, distracting her whenever she was in class, telling her of students long gone, whispers of a boy with bright yellow hair and how he'd adored a redhead. It also mentioned that their progeny was in her class and told her what he held deep inside him. Nobody ever seemed to notice it, but the wood was always watching, even if it had no eyes with which to see things. Wood kept secrets. Secrets it told Sakura. It warned her of bad men, of blank white masks who would come and snatch her away if they knew what she was capable of... if they knew the true depth of her knowledge and secrets shared between them.

She kept her head down, careful not to reveal anything, even if it meant she had to break off her budding friendship with the Yamanaka Heir. Ino could easily go into her mind, and most likely pick up on her body language if she stuck too close by for too long. Rivalry was easier with her, so rivalry it was. Over a boy of all things. She could safely admit he was cute, but the wood had whispered to her about how harsh a shinobi's life could be. There was no time to worry about romance. Not when she was just starting off on the path. Perhaps later, she told herself, keeping her physical scores low, and her test scores high. Let them write you off as a paper ninja, the trees whispered, making her chuckle. Paper came from trees, and she had an affinity for those.

In hindsight, she really shouldn't have been so surprised when Kakashi tested their elemental affinities shortly after their graduation. Not when she'd had an affinity for nature since her birth. She held the paper in one hand, blinking as it crumbled to dirt.

"An earth affinity," Kakashi said, nodding quietly at her, Sasuke's lightning and Naruto's wind affinities taking up more of his attention. She wouldn't deny the small strum of jealously which flickered through her.

Try again, the trees whispered, your other hand and then both.

"Kakashi-sensei, could I have two more slips?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him silently until he relented, turning his back on her as he focused on his two other students.

She held the paper in her other hand, sending chakra shooting through it, blinking as it collapsed in a soggy heap.

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan has two affinities?" Naruto peered over at her, eyes shining.

Kakashi turned to her, curiosity written across his face. Even Sasuke looked intrigued – if slightly jealous with his sole lightning affinity. Sakura resisted the urge to sneer like he always did to her. "Earth and water?" He tilted his head. "Congratulations, Sakura-chan... not many shinobi have two affinities right off the bat..."

You're not done yet, the trees murmured, and Sakura clenched the final sheet between both hands, her chakra surging forwards. Paper swirled, brown bark replacing white paper, reaching up and branching out as the miniature tree formed in her hands.

She grinned, teeth bared. "How's that, Kakashi-sensei?"

He swallowed, looking at her wide eyed along with Sasuke. Naruto merely blinked blankly. "Ne, sensei... why are you looking at the tree like that?"

"Dobe, that's mokuton!" Sasuke hissed, elbowing him sharply.

"Mokuton?"

"How thick can you get?" the Uchiha grumbled, sighing deeply. "The First Hokage is the only other person who's had that bloodline ability!"