Red eyes met a vast, blue-black ocean illuminated by a pearly white moon with no pleasure. Otsutsuki Indra, a man built of ambition and a thirst for power, had seen beautiful sight such as this far too many times to find any joy in it. In fact, there was nothing that brought him joy those days. He continued walking on the sand towards high peaked dunes that certainly meant civilization was close. He had left his followers behind to scout ahead for a new town they could stay for a small while in order to resupply rations and gain sympathetic followers.

He passed by a small collection of rocks before stopping dead in his tracks. He felt the chakra of another being. He turned very carefully around expecting a thief or some sailor, but even he couldn't keep the shock off his face at the sight of a young woman in front of him who looked like a goddess of the sea.

Her waist-length hair was the softest shade of pink, appearing almost white in the moonlight. She had large eyes the color of bright emeralds that stared at him with fascination. Her plump red lips curved into a small smile. She had a kind of ethereal beauty that Indra had never seen the likes of, and made the scene on the beach dissolve into nothing. She was so soft looking and appeared as though she had never lifted a finger that she didn't want to. Her slender body was draped in a soft blue cotton dress with a golden cord tied around her tiny waist.

"You're not from here," her delicate voice whispered. It was so quiet that anyone else would have missed it completely.

"Hn," was all Indra coldly replied. Once the shock of finding another person out this late on an empty beach wore off, his carefully placed walls reinforced themselves and he looked away from her and took a few steps past her. He only made it about 5 feet away before she spoke again.

"What is your name, stranger?" The woman asked him.

"Otsutsuki Indra," He told her without hesitation. He would never hide who he was, the great master of ninshu.

The woman's eyes grew wide with realization. "I have heard of you, indeed." She was quiet again for a few moments. "There is a town just past the dunes that way. The Lord there is kind and welcoming to visitors. I'm sure he would accept you as an honored guest."

Without turning his back or acknowledging her words, Indra walked forward towards the town. He would indeed visit the Lord there and take advantage of the hospitality his frightening reputation earned him.

When Indra awoke the next morning, it was in an unfamiliar but comfortable bed. All around him were beautiful silks in the grand wooden mansion, and the smell of an apricot tree invaded his senses through the opened window. He stood and stretched before finding there was a neatly folded fresh pair of clothing that had been placed on the vanity. It was perhaps the softest cotton he'd ever felt. This lord had to be one of indulgence. He heard a knock on the door. Opening it with the slight glare he always wore, Indra was slightly surprised to see the old man who had let him in to the palace last night not even flinch at the sight of him.

"My Lord wishes to see you." Indra followed the man down a long hallway before entering through two large double doors. He was greeted with a large, open throne room decorated lavishly with woven tapestries and beautiful silks. Sitting in a large chair was a middle aged tall, muscular man with raven hair tied back in a bun. Next to him was a beautiful woman with golden locks of around the same age whose middle was very round from pregnancy. Indra stealthily looked down the line of their children, all kneeling on the floor surrounding a large carpet. Their apparent ages ranged from around 20 to 4, and there were 4 in total. Indra kneeled in front of the Lord, as was customary.

"Ah," The Lord's cheerful voice rang as he stood and bowed. "Lord Indra. I have heard of your greatness before. I am Shimizu Eito, lord of this prosperous and fertile land. You are welcome to our hospitality during your stay."

"Thank you, Lord Eito," Indra bowed. "I come to this land in search of those to share my powers and beliefs with in hopes that I will have their loyalty and support in my plans for peace."

"The need for peace is something I can agree upon." Eito looked thoughtful for a moment and shared a looked with his wife. "We will stand behind you, Lord Indra. You have my blessing to stay in this land. This is my wife, Kohaku. And these are our four of our children. My oldest daughter just departed for a few weeks sojourn. During your stay, should you need anything, do not hesitate to ask anyone. If you seek companionship, my children will be here to show you the land."

Indra nodded again and bowed respectfully.

Indra learned the names of Eito and Kohaku's children begrudgingly as he toured the palace and its grounds. They were all well behaved, though given more freedom and more prone to mischief then Indra would have ever been allowed to be.

The oldest of all the children was a boy, Masato, who's quiet demeanor and steadfast nature was welcome. He was attentive but not overwhelming, almost like the second-in-command for an army. He was around 22 years old and the spitting image of his father, though he did not give off the same princely aura.

Next came another boy of about 13 named Suzu who followed Indra's every move with wonder and amazement. He had a keen intellect and made judgements about his surroundings that only Indra picked up on. He had a commanding presence for a preteen.

Next came a small girl of 9 named Chiharu who had spirit unlike even Ashura had. Passionate about every word she said and openly brilliant, Indra easily saw in her the strongest ability to learn ninjutsu. She commanded her brothers in a way that would have amused Indra if he ever laughed.

The smallest child, Junpei, was about 4 years old and looked just like his mother. His voice was soft and sweet, and he followed his eldest brother around everywhere, trying to emulate him. He was timid around Indra, and rightfully so.

All of this Indra learned in the next few weeks. His followers arrived, and in exchange for letting them stay in the town, Indra had his followers helping in the village and rewarded the Lord by beginning to teach his children ninshu. He had just finished a rather grueling chakra lesson with them when Chiharu's bright voice pierced the air "Oneechan!"

Indra looked up to see the same woman from the beach his first night in the land walking into the large garden that sat outside the palace. She was no longer in the cotton robe, but now wore a green silk dress that was befitting of a princess. She gave him a quick glance and a bow before turning and wrapping Chiharu and Junpei in her arms and telling them "Tadaima, you silly things!"

Masato smiled at her and Suzu gave her a hearty "Okaeri!"

"This is our guest, oneechan," Chiharu told her excitedly. "He is Lord Indra, the great master of ninshu and he has been teaching me!"

"I am honored to have you as a guest in my father's home, my Lord," She smiles at him and bows.

He nods carefully.

"Come, Junpei, let's go visit mama and papa and tell them I'm home while they finish." She took hold of her younger brother's hand before turning to Indra.

"I am Hanae, by the way."

Indra exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding in as she turned to leave.

It was odd, really, that Hanae was the only child to have the pale pink hair she did. There was no questioning her parenthood: she was the perfect combination of her two parents despite her abnormal hair color.

Indra found himself focusing on it more than he ever should have. The only things he needed to focus on were obtaining power and support in order to teach the next generations the true meaning of peace. However, whenever she was around, he could not help but study her hair.

He learned through casual observation that she was a healer. She healed souls and minds, often keeping peace between her siblings. She was also useful at creating a wide array of natural salves and potions to help heal the sick or give an antidote when Suzu accidently ate poisonous berries. Indra could not help but wonder if she could potentially become a chakra healer, one who could fix wounds without a needle and thread.

He decided to put it to the test one day when Masato got hurt during training with a villager. His right cheek had a deep, bloody cut that would leave a sever scare on his face if not healed properly. He was brought in on Indra's orders to Hanae, who quickly set to work creating a salve. She stopped, however, when Indra himself entered. He touched Masato's cheek and Hanae gasped as soft green light from chakra emitted from Indra's fingers. When Indra finally removed his hand, Hanae dropped the wooden bowl with her salve onto the floor. She quickly stepped closer and gingerly touched her elder brother's cheek. The cut was completely gone and somehow, Masato's cheek looked healthier than it had before.

"Does it look okay?" Masato asked with bated breath.

"It looks…amazing!" Hanae cried. She turned to Indra and gave him a smile so dazzling it actually blindsided him for a moment. "Can you teach me how to do that, my lord?"

Indra turned away however, wanting to maintain his dignity and callous attitude. "Hn," was all he gave her, but that was enough for her to know he would.

The next day he showed her the basics of chakra control and training, astounded by how quickly she grasped the concept. It was as though she had been doing it her entire life. Indra studied her as she worked. She was far stronger and stranger than any woman he had ever encountered. She almost distracted him from his plans for vengeance and a new order to the world.

Almost.

After a few months training, Masato quickly proved to be a fast-learning and dedicated disciple. He followed every lesson and rule Indra set to perfection, and never once put a toe out of line. While he lacked the natural talent Chiharu had, his soldier-like focus was unparalleled. It led to Indra approaching Lord Eito in confidence.

"I would like your son to become my right-hand man," Indra told him. "I will be departing this land to continue my travels, and I would like to have him join me."

Eito's eyes widened in surprise before turning thoughtful, and at last, proud. "I am proud Masato has pleased you. While he is technically heir to my title, he has never really desired it or felt an inclination for it the way Suzu has. I would be honored to have my son be useful to you, and I give him leave to work as your aid."

Indra bowed and turned to leave, but was surprisingly stopped by Kohaku with a "One moment, Lord Indra."

He turned and looked at her. Kohaku was growing rounder with pregnancy every moment, but her eyes were as bright and clever as Hanae's. "Have you considered marriage, young man?"

For a moment, he was dumbstruck. It was true, Indra had often thought of the importance of having children in order to continue his bloodline. He had not considered, however, that marriage would be the first step in doing so. His mind instantly thought of pale pink hair before he answered. "I have not, my lady".

She looked at him hard, as if she were reading into his bare soul. "Well, I would think a little more on the matter. Especially if you intend to leave us all behind shortly. I think one of my children would be a little more upset than the others."

Indra did indeed think of marriage more in the next few weeks. Everytime he sat with Hanae in the garden amongst the apricot trees, or he oversaw her training with her siblings, the thought of marriage snuck into his head. He was, for the first time in years, truly terrified. He had never felt an attraction to someone the way he did Hanae. He'd never been attracted to anyone, for that matter. Indra could not have anything distracting him from his purpose in life and from the power he sought to gain. He could not subject someone as pure as Hanae to that kind of life. And yet, something inside Indra told him he would only be more successful with her by his side.

His mind was made up when he saw Hanae on the beach again during a long walk one night. She was standing barefoot, her toes being gently graced by the water's touch. She wore a beautiful crimson dress that billowed behind her in the wind. She turned as he approached, murmuring a sweet "Indra-kun" as her face lit up. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just walking," He replied, taking in her lovely face. She smiled wide at him before turning to look at the ocean.

"I was too," she told him. "I love coming out here to watch the sea. It comes alive at night."

Indra continued to watch her. "Hanae," he said apruptly, finally sure of himself and his decision. She looked up at him expectantly, her large emerald eyes shining. "I would like for you to marry me."

Hanae smiled softly at him. With Indra, there were no pretenses or fanciful language, and this proposal was exactly what she would have expected. She nodded slowly, and he grabbed her chin softly but assuredly before bringing his lips to hers.

Hanae and Indra married three days later in her family's grand hall. It was a large ceremony, full of splendor and décor that fit a man as important as Indra. For the first time since his childhood, Indra felt like a touch of light and hope was back in his life. Hanae looked beautiful clad in her wedding kimono, her long pink hair cascading down her back with flowers adorning the crown of her head. She was blooming with happiness that day.

The couple's night was filled with exploring each other, their souls and love laid bare for each other. Indra had never known that physical love could bring so much pleasure, or that he would love giving Hanae pleasure as much as he did.

Indra stayed for one more week before departing, a new young wife and a new right-hand man by either side. The night Indra and his followers departed was the night Kohaku gave birth to a small boy with bright pink hair the color of a cherry blossom. Kohaku named him Haruno for the happy spring he was born into.

Indra was by all means happy. Over the years, Hanae and he grew closer and happier than he ever expected. She had two children by him, a boy named Akio and a girl named Nara. Both were strong and bright, the spitting image of their father. During the ninth year of their marriage, Hanae became pregnant again. She had a healthy pregnancy, and her beauty was only amplified by her happiness.

It wasn't until the last month of her pregnancy that Hanae began feeling strange. Indra was incredibly worried, despite his outwardly confident exterior. Hanae was growing tired and fatigued more often, and she often complained of stomach aches.

"It's just that the baby is so big," Hanae told Indra. "He doesn't have enough room in there!"

One cold Autumn day came, and so did Indra's heartbreak. Hanae was playing with Akio and Nara when she suddenly clenched her stomach tight. She sent her children away to their rooms, and had a maid go tell her husband and brother she was going into labor. She started seeing spots as the pain in her stomach worsened before letting out a shriek.

The next few hours were a blur to Hanae. She felt dazed and in terrible pain that did not find relief. She was bleeding, badly, and Indra never moved from her side. Finally the baby came, a healthy boy with his father's tufts of dark hair on his head, but all the delicate features of his mother. Indra held the child tight in one arm, holding Hanae's hand in the other.

"Ruka" Hanae whispered, her beautiful face as white as a sheet. "His name is Ruka."

"It's beautiful," Indra whispered. "Just like you."

"I love you, Indra." Hanae smiled at him with the little energy she had left. "Love our children with all your heart."

With her last ounce of energy she smiled at him before closing her eyes for a long sleep that she did not wake up from. Indra felt his entire world crash around him, and his white-hot anger and despair made him numb.

The pink-haired Haruno grew up fast and strong. He was a ninshu prodigy, having been taught by his sister Chiharu who had taken over Indra's job of teaching the young people in the village. He grews to be handsome and charming, with a kind heart and a hot temper. Following in the footsteps of his sister who he had never met, Haruno specialized in healing and began performing intense surgeries by the age of 17. Suzu took over their father's throne after his death, and Junpai sailed away to foreign lands on mysterious adventures.

Haruno was twenty years old when his life was upturned. He was studying some anatomical diagrams when he was summoned to the throne room by Suzu. He arrived to see every face of his family's alight with joy, looking at a dark haired stranger who looked strikingly like his deceased father. The stranger, whose face was aged from many years of hardships, turned and smiled. "Hello, little brother."

Haruno blinked several times before going to sit in his place "Masato?" His brother nodded, smiling at him.

"You're the spitting image on Hanae." Masato stared at him hard.

"Ah, is she here too?" Masato's face turned into one of deep sadness.

"No, she's not," The room was very quiet for a moment. "Hanae died in childbirth ten years ago."

Despite having never met his sister, Haruno felt his heart ache. His mother and sister let out loud sobs, and Suzu's face turned bleak.

"She had two successful childbirths before this one, but for some reason the third was extremely difficult for her. Indra has not been the same since then. However, the children are all bright, and all look exactly like Indra. They had two sons and a daughter. They are all far away, training. I am on a mission for Indra, and I was able to come here on the way." Masato's eyes were bleak, with dark bags sitting underneath them as though he was wary from all he had seen and done in the last twenty years.

Haruno spent most of the next week asking Masato questions about his missions and travels, his master and Hanae, and what it was like being away from home for so long. Masato complied, giving Haruno all the information he asked and more.

The pink-haired lad felt a desire growing in him that he'd never felt before, a desire to see the world outside of his home and to spend his life aiding a master of ninshu. One day, after hearing a story of Indra's power with a strange black fire, Haruno worked up the courage to ask Masato a burning question. "Masato, could I come with you back to Indra? I want to learn ninshu from him and become an even greater healer!"

Masato looked at him with kind eyes before slowly shaking his head. "Indra is not who he used to be. He only teaches ninshu to his children, and leaves it to the rest of us to teach the others. He would not accept you as a personal student, especially due to your uncanny resemblance to Hanae. I believe it would only make him furious to look at you. You don't know the kind of agony Indra has gone through since he lost her. It's like the only light in his life was taken away too soon."

Haruno's heart sank. Masato stared at his crestfallen expression for a moment. "There is, however, another like Indra. But you can tell no one I spoke of him or I would lose my life if word reached Indra."

The young man's eyes grew wide as he looked at his elder brother. "Indra has a younger brother, Ashura. He is the actual rightful successor to ninshu. He lives in a neighboring land, teaching and spreading a different kind of peace. Indra finds his peace through force and discipline. Ashura, however, believes in spreading love and healing. For someone like you, I believe you would fit in well there."

Haruno nodded, his mind open to all the possibilities. He thought through the night, catching no sleep. When he did get up the next morning, it was with the determination to find Ashura. He would travel until he found a place where he could learn and help the world around him. He wanted to be a great man who helped accomplish great things. He left a letter for his family on his bed, and departed while the moon was still out. He stopped for a moment and looked into the sea. For a moment, he thought he saw his reflection shift into that of a pink haired woman who smiled at him the same way his mother did. He shook his head, and then made his way away from the water and on to foreign lands.

Uchiha Sakura awoke from her nap feeling like she'd just been pulled from another world. Her husband Sasuke was reading a scroll next to her, and looked at her pale face with concern.

"Shannaroo..."She whispered to herself. "I just had the wildest dream that my ancestor, the original Haruno, was Indra Otsutsuki's brother-in-law."

Sasuke stared at her for a moment before the corners of his mouth turned up into a smirk. "I think you've had too many late nights at the hospital."

"Hey! That's not funny!

"Tch. Whatever."

"Don't whatever me, Uchiha Sasuke! Shannaroo!"

"You're kind of cute when you're angry."

"Then kiss me"

Sasuke kissed Sakura passionately, and while she forgot the dream for the moment, the next day Sakura went to her parent's house to ask about the original Haruno.

"Oh yes, our lineage can actually be traced back thousands of years." He father told her in his boisterous voice. "Our ancestor was something of a prince or lord from a small region by the sea, but since he was the youngest, he had no real assets other than in name. So he left to go study under some famous ninjas and learned incredible chakra control, and eventually he married and settled down with common folk. He was apparently very gifted at medical ninjutsu, so I suppose that's part of why you're so inclined to it. His name was actually just Haruno, and it became passed down to us as a surname."

Sakura was bouncing with joy her entire way home, and almost knocked Sasuke down when he came back that night. "My dream was real Sasuke!"

"Hn?" He asked, looking down at her as she squeezed him tight.

"Indra married Hanae, and Haruno was her brother!"

"What are you talking about, Sakura?"

"Haruno is my ancestor. He was the youngest child of a lord, so he was like a prince. His older sister Hanae married Indra before Haruno was born, and she looked just like me! Haruno never met Hanae because she died during childbirth, and apparently it drove Indra to agony."

Sasuke blinked at her for a few moments. "Okay, and even if this is all true, why did you dream about it Sakura?"

Sakura paused for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe because you're the reincarnation of Indra, and he lost Hanae. But now that the cycle of hate is broken…maybe you'll get the lasting happiness he didn't."

Sasuke looked at Sakura tenderly before smirking. "So you're proposing that you're the reincarnation of a princess? Most princesses don't break mountains."

Sakura smiled back at him "Yeah, but I think Hanae would be proud of her great niece."

Sasuke raised two fingers up and poked Sakura on the forehead, murmuring a very quiet "Me too."

The happy couple smiled at each other, embracing the lost happiness their souls had been seeking for centuries.