Unwanted attention: Prologue

Sakura Haruno.

Many knew the name, and many more knew her face or appearance. Her bright pink hair was iconic in the medical world after all, and her skill in battle left any who saw even the faintest flash of red clothing shivering in anticipation.

But the war…the war was the thing that made her name for her, even if it wasn't over yet.

Sakura Haruno- The world renowned medic.

Sakura Haruno- Apprentice of the fifth Hokage.

Sakura Haruno- Successor of the yin seal.

Or simply put and know by all- The next slug sannin.

It wasn't often that someone crossed paths with her now and didn't know of at least one of her feats, and it was even rarer that an enemy would attempt to engage her in battle. The shinobi war was harsh though, it was horrifying and seemed to never have an end in sight, but most of all?

It had made legends.

Naruto- The container of the nine tails.

Sasuke- The last Uchiha.

And Sakura…

She was still working on her legend, she was still working on the finer points of her tale. Even now, so far away from where she was destined to be, she still managed to make a name for herself.

Looking back at everything that had happened, at everything that had shaped her into the woman she was today…she found she didn't regret a thing.

All the love she'd given, it was worth it.

All the pain she'd felt, she could cope.

All the pettiness, the grudges and wasted time…she'd discarded that- reshaped herself and bloomed anew.

Feeling the enormous chakra ahead of her swell again, the woman slowly sighed, bracing herself for what was to come. It was dark, and she felt so alone out here, so isolated as she looked over the seemingly bottomless drop before her. But this was it…this was what she'd dreamed of, hoped and prayed for…

So why did it feel so wrong?

Why did it hurt so much?

"Sakura?!"

Slowly but surely, she made her way forward, her feet resolutely moving her towards the unknown.

"Sakura…?!"

This was…

"Please…I'm-"

This was what she'd wanted.

"Please don't-"

So why…

"Sakura…please don't leave me…don't leave us!"

Why was she crying?

'It's time to wake up child.'

Another giant swell of chakra echoed across the cliff side before her, lapping at her skin as yells - or were they pleads? - sounded in the distance. She couldn't pay any mind to them though, because before her, seemingly splitting the air not feet away from the ledge, a giant crack seemed to appear.

A hole, a splinter…just hovering there…just like the one that had taken her here in the first place.

Her watery and pained eyes looked it over, catching glimpses of the orange- the yellow- the familiarity on the other side…and she could hear them…oh, could she hear them.

They were in battle, and her ears could only just catch her old teammates voice as it called out to her, seemingly echoing the way it had when she'd left.

Or was this when she'd left?

Had time continued on there, or was it frozen?

Was this ever…was it even…

Was it a genjutsu or was it a multi-dimensional jutsu…Who knew at this point.

'It's time to come home.'

"SAKURA!"

Was any of this even real? Had it ever been?

"NO! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! I NEED YOU!"