"Sakura! Sakura hurry up or we'll be late!"

In a town divided by a river, there was a small flower shop, maintained by a family of four. This family was blessed with a beautiful daughter named Ino, and as they were filled with love, they also cared for another young woman, Sakura. Young Sakura loved the Yamanaka household as much as they loved her, and she did her best to help out with anything and everything.

This town the small shop was in belonged to the great fire nation, famed for its powerful military, skilled wizards and large expanses of forests. The country was led by the King, Minato Namikaze and although he preached peace and prosperity, the nation was embroiled in a war with the neighboring land.

This war had been going on for a year now, and for the first time ever, it reached the peaceful village Sakura was born in. A regimen was going to be passing through the town, which had everyone excited.

Sakura removed her apron and adjusted the ribbon on her hair before following Ino outside, to see the officers parade down Main Street. She smiled at her friend and sister, allowing the excitable blonde to pull her through the familiar pathways of the village, leading them to where they could gaze upon the military.

They passed several families and many young women, all of which were excited to gaze and be gazed, all of them wearing their best dresses and their most elaborate hats, making young Sakura feel out of place. She had many qualities but beauty was not one of them, as she was born with pale pink hair that clashed with every fashionable color, a slim figure and a large forehead. Sakura believed her only redeeming quality to be her bright green eyes, a rarity among the sea of blues and browns of the village.

Ino somehow managed to find them a front row spot, where she'd be in the perfect position to be admired. Contrary to Sakura, Ino was blessed with unparalleled beauty, which was famed throughout the village. She had long golden locks that framed a round face, baby blue eyes and a voluptuous figure that had many women steaming with jealousy. Next to her, Sakura felt that she could only look homely, and completely lost her interest in the parade.

"I'll be right back!" Sakura told her friend, squirming her way away from the mass of girls. The officer's parade had begun, and her friend didn't even hear her due to the loud girly squeals of excitement. Realizing she wasn't going to be missed, Sakura made a hasty retreat, hoping to save herself the embarrassment and disappointment. She wandered around the now empty streets, not having a particular place or purpose, lamenting her own lack of looks. Deciding to return home to help with dinner, Sakura began to make her way there through alleys, hoping to avoid the crowds.

She was almost at the river when she saw a woman she didn't recognize, wearing pants and a green jacket. Sakura had never seen a woman wearing pants before, and almost doubted the person's gender, when she spotted the huge bosom she possessed. She looked lost, staring around at the sky in a puzzled manner, and the helpful Sakura decided to approach the stranger.

"Hello, are you lost? Perhaps I can help?" Sakura addressed the woman with a smile, gently tapping her shoulder. The woman turned around startled, with an angry look that frightened Sakura, until it smoothed into a smile.

"I'm not lost. More like I'm looking for someone." She answered.

"Then you should probably head that way. Everyone is watching the parade." Sakura pointed towards the direction she came from.

"Why aren't you at the parade? Why wander these empty streets instead?"

"There's nothing there for me." Sakura faked a smile, thinking back to how inadequate she felt. The other woman smiled back, but suddenly the angry look was back, as she turned around to face another person.

The newcomer had long dark hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes, which made Sakura think he looked like a snake. She didn't know why but upon seeing him she was struck with a desire to run away and never return. He emanated an aura of extreme unpleasantness. The woman stepped in front of Sakura, blocking her view.

"Ah Tsunade, fancy meeting you here." Even his voice was just as slimy as his appearance, sending shivers down Sakura's spine. She looked at the back of the woman in front of her in shock.

Lady Tsunade Senju was considered Fire Nation's most powerful magician, a witch of unparalleled skill and power. Everyone had heard of her and her amazing powers. To meet her in such a situation was a boon Sakura could only dream of.

I wonder if she'll be able to make me half as beautiful as Ino, Sakura thought, casting an admiring glance at the lady in front of her.

"I wish I could say the same to you."

Before Sakura's eyes the two wizards set off into a battle hurtling spells at each other in a way that made Sakura believe she was dreaming. A wave became flower petals, which in turn transformed into lethal birds, which exploded into beautiful fireworks. Sakura could only move away from them, knowing that she had stepped into a world she had nothing to do with.

Eventually Tsunade was caught by a group of snakes and struggled to move. She was completely immobilized, from head to toe, unable to cast any spells. The snake man sauntered towards her in a predatory manner, and Sakura watched in horror. He smiled before his caught prey and a magic circle formed beneath his feet. Before she could understand why or what she was doing, Sakura leaped into action. Throwing herself between the two of them.

Complete and total darkness enveloped Sakura's entire existence. She couldn't see, hear or even say anything, trapped in her own body. She tried moving and her hand found something slimy. Sakura pulled with all her strength, falling backwards. She tried to get up again, tried to feel for anything around her, and after a second, she felt a warm hand grasp her own.

The warmth of the hand spread to the rest of her body, and suddenly Sakura could see and hear again. She was sitting on the ground, with Tsunade kneeling next to her, clutching Sakura's outstretched hand with her own.

"Can you hear me?" Sakura tried to say yes, but found that no sound exited her mouth. "You brave, foolish girl. You've been hit by a powerful, ancient curse, and I can do nothing to dispel it, I can only reduce its power." Sakura began to panic, wondering if she had lost her voice forever. She would never be able to work at the flower shop again if she couldn't speak.

Her desire to speak was such that her eyesight failed, and Sakura was plunged into darkness again. However she managed to cry out in protest.

"My voice! Oh it's back! But my eyes! What happened to my eyes!" Sakura cried out, bringing her fingers to try and feel them.

"Girl, listen to me. You were hit with a sensory deprivation curse. I cannot return all your senses, my power was limited to only two at a time. If you wish to see and hear, you will not be able to speak. If you wish to speak and smell, you will not be able to see or hear. Do you understand me?" Tsunade explained in a sorrowful tone. Sakura began to cry, nodding as the full gravity of the situation befell her. She was now a cripple in addition to being ugly. She would never be able to find a husband, and she'd always end up relying upon the kindness of the Yamanaka clan.

The woman in front of her sighed, and Sakura wished she could see her again. Colors bled into view as her sobs became mute. The country's most powerful witch was scribbling something on a piece of paper.

"There's a man, he's very wise and powerful, he might have a way to reverse the curse. Here, this is where he lives. You may seek him out if you wish, but I warn you that it may be dangerous." Tsunade handed Sakura the small paper, and the young girl eagerly grasped it, desperate for anything that might help her. "I will never forget you and the debt I owe you. If I had been the one hit, this country would have lost the war. This is poor consolation for your condition, but you have saved many lives today." Tsunade patted Sakura's head, yet the girl remained weeping.

What of my life, she asked herself, who will save me?

Magician: Also known as wizard, sorcerer or sage, these individuals have spent their lives studying the magic arts, utilizing the natural power of elements around them to cast powerful spells. The talent of tapping into magical sources can be inherited through blood, prompting the birth of elite magical families, which have cultivated the talent and knowledge required through generations. To be able to freely use magic, one must have a license issued by the Royal Magician. A licensed magician is forced to obey the Royal family,or risk having their license revoked. Unlicensed magicians are considered to be dangerous and should not be engaged except for trained army soldiers and other magicians. The current Royal Magician is Tsunade Senju, from the prestigious Senju family. She is the third in her family to receive the title of Royal Magician, after saving the lives of thousands of Fire Soldiers during the War against the Kingdom of Stone.

Hello everyone! Welcome to my latest ItaSaku AU. I hope everyone's staying safe in these weary times, and I'm pushing out this story a bit earlier in hopes to spread some joy out there. This will be a bit of a longer tale, one of my more ambitious projects. Update schedule may vary, as I have not yet finished it at the time of publishing, so I ask for your patience and understanding.