Riptide

(Originally Titled: "Renkinjutsu")

Original Chapter Release: March 29th, 2008

Edited at: August 22, 2015

Finished: July 8, 2017

Setting: Naruto - events after the War in Naruto Shippuden / Fullmetal Alchemist - Manga/Brotherhood based events, before Father

This chapter is the only one set before the events of Shippuden and Sakura is a genin.

Being the most intelligent medic ninja of her time, Sakura Haruno was confident she could handle any situation under pressure. However, this didn't include being swept away to an unknown world where alchemy reigns supreme. As a result, there was only one thing to do: survive.

Chapter 0: Lifelines

It was a hoax.

It had to be.

Then again, she never really believed in these things anyway so why did she carelessly let her best friend drag her into this situation? It wasn't like she was incapable of declining her. Ino Yamanaka may have been one for persuasion but even her best mind tricks weren't enough to sway her.

At least, that was what twelve-year-old Sakura Haruno thought as she watched the strange fortune teller read her palm.

"I'm getting bored already." Sakura muttered under her breath. Though almost an unheard whisper, it was enough for the blonde female behind her to catch it.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Don't be a killjoy now, Sakura. You've always complained about whether or not you would have a future with Sasuke and as your best friend, this is a perfect solution to find out."

"Since when were you so nice about these things? If I remember correctly, you like him too."

Ino shrugged. "I do like him but at least I get a head start on finding out if you would ever have something with him along the line."

She twirled a long piece of her blonde hair. "Plus, if I do find out you don't have a future with him, it eliminates all my possible worries when I get older!"

"What happens if I do have a future with him?"

"Then you're dead after this fortune reading is over."

The fortune teller hummed, immediately turning both Ino and Sakura's attentions back to her. Sakura almost felt a cold tingling down her spine when the woman in front of her began the session. With a simple gesture of her own worn hands, she moved Sakura's fingers to open, revealing her palm. Both Sakura and Ino observed with close attention as the fortune teller's eyes shut and her hands grazed across Sakura's own skin.

At first, Sakura refused to be convinced by everything that was unfolding in front her but as soon as the older woman's eyes opened, revealing those crystal hues, it was a signal for Sakura to really pay attention. The shiver in her spine continued as the fortune teller's fingers traced the imprints and veins that were dominant upon her palm. Her toes curled within her blue sandals while waiting for what was to happen next or what the lady had to say about her future.

Living in a world where everyday could be your last, Sakura had fully come to accept her duty as a ninja from the Hidden Leaf. Perilous life and death missions had shaped the roseate to have bleaker perspective on what lies beyond the present. Her experiences from her missions had left a lasting impression of how short and fleeting one's life could be.

"Stitchings,"

Her voice interrupted Sakura's trail of thoughts as the elder female inspected the edges of her fingertips.

"I'm sorry." Sakura apologized meekly, "I didn't quite catch what you had said."

"Cross-stitchings… grilles." She repeated again, smoothening the mount of her palm, "Insecurity is quite evident in your life, isn't it? The larger ones seem to be much more prominent in your palm; there could be an upcoming hindrance later on. An unexpected event to occur that you must keep a watch for."

Sakura's jade green eyes glanced down to where her fingers were touching. She saw the cross-marks that were evident on her skin, almost as if they were cut deep by tiny blades. Sakura knew she had them ever since she was younger but now, it seemed to have greater meaning when the fortune teller was able to explain to her what the story was behind it.

Ino smirked, "Hindrance?! You mean there's something bad that will happen to her? Meaning -"

Sakura shot Ino a glare. "Hindrance means an interruption. It could be good or bad interruption."

The blonde rolled her eyes as a response and muttered. "Well, I certainly hope it's the latter."

The fortune teller had once again cleared her throat, hoping to put an end on the duo's conversation so she could continue. Sakura jolted up slightly and stayed still as her fingers carried on with examining her palm. It sent a shiver down Sakura's spine. Normally, she didn't really believe that someone could have the power to foresee the future but something about the fortune teller's eyes and her words seemed to convince the pink-haired ninja otherwise.

Sakura and Ino waited for another response from the woman but there was a long silence. Sakura watched as her chest rose and fell; something in the back of her mind warned her that it may not be good follow-up.

"Well?" An impatient Ino heckled loudly, "What is going on? Is she going to end up with Sasuke-kun?!"

This earned her a glare from Sakura, "Ino - have a bit of decency will you? Let her do her thing and you stay quiet-,"

"That's strange." The fortune teller's worn-out hands followed the heavy lines that were set on the middle of Sakura's palm. "Such a curious little thing…"

Sakura gazed down to the lines she was referring to and raised an eyebrow. What was wrong with it? Even Ino, who was behind her, couldn't make sense of what she said.

Seeing as how the two girl weren't grasping it, the fortune teller held up Sakura's hand for closer inspection and indicated the heavy lines that run down the middle.

"Look at this," She emphasized, "This line represents you life as a whole. The tiny marks that connect upon it represent moments that I can read about you: your personality, relationships, and overall health. Even your love life."

Ino grinned, "Now we are getting to the good part."

"Shush."

Sakura groaned as the fortuner teller continued. "From the beginning, your line begins upon the third stitch. This tells me you were born on the third month. Afterwards, the line stretches to the middle. The middle point upon your palm has eighteen stitchings."

Stitchings meant the hindrance. Sakura gulped and wondered why it happened to be eighteen.

The more the woman tells her of these things, the more Sakura's stomach churned of anxiety. Even her most logical part of her brain couldn't shake away the fortune teller's words carried a lot of truth in them. Usually, the pink-haired medical ninja-to-be can catch when a person's lying but this time, she could not. It bothered her.

"It separates into two. Right about here." The woman's index finger poked on it gently.

"Two?"

"Yes two." Her voice was unwavering with seriousness as her crystal eyes looked straight at Sakura.

Sakura let out a nervous chuckle. "I don't see anything wrong with it. I always had that sort of mark upon my palm unless its a scar from a crazy fight I got into or me being careless with handling a kunai."

She tried to lighten the mood a bit with an almost sarcastic sounding reason. Unfortunately, the fortune teller replied with no smile, keeping her mouth in a thin line.

"It is not supposed to be this way."

Now that - that line caused Sakura to cringe. To her surprise, Ino gasped as well.

"Your lifeline is only supposed to go in one direction. It is only supposed to be made into a single line and yet, it is two." The fortune teller's eyes lowered once more to take a good look.

Agitated and trying to battle with her brain and heart, Sakura spoke up, "Well, I was born with it, I guess. If I have two lines - I have two lines. Maybe it just means that I have twice as many things to fulfill in my life or-,"

"It says you will live out your life twice. Be born twice. And marry twice. All in one moment. All at the same time. Not only that, it was caused by the large hindrance and it will happen at an unexpected time and place. Whether or not you will accept this, I cannot read. It is only up to your own heart and mind to decide."

What in the hell was that supposed to mean?

Immediately, with her temper rising at this - this nonsense - Sakura pulled her hand away and stood up. She has had enough of this "foreseeing the future". Obviously, this was a bad idea from the start.

"Sakura! What are you-,"

"I can't believe you dragged me into something like this, Ino! Of all your ridiculous plans to try and rid me of being with Sasuke - in the future!"

Ino huffed, "Come on, you don't have to be so pissed off about it."

"Well I am! I almost turned into an idiot believing all the bunch of things that creepy lady said!"

"Hey, you still have to pay her you know! You can't just stand up and leave without giving her the cash, billboard-,"

"She needn't pay me anything." The fortune teller piped up. Both girls turned around and Sakura was once again looking at her dead in those almost translucent eyes.

Feeling a little bad for insulting her outloud, Sakura's eyes softened with guilt and reached for her wallet. "Look, I know you meant well m'am but I was really…"

"Frustrated? Shocked? Irritated? I get all sorts of reactions from the non-believers and trust me, I am used to it, dear." She said as she shook her hand away at Sakura, "Despite your friend taking you, I could tell from those green-eyes that you were searching for something. Something in your future that could give you reassurance - mainly on life, goals, and love."

Sakura pressed her lips together and put her wallet back. The fortune teller was right.

"But let me say this - life is what you make of it. You are the one that writes the things you say, the things you do, and the things you think about. I only could see the possibilities of what could be."

"If you say that, why do you still do this type of work?"

"Because," The old woman replied, still staring at the pink-haired ninja, "People want to be guided somewhere, even if it's as simple as finding the answers upon the palm of your hand."

Sakura took a deep breath, trying to sink the words that she had just said. Slowly, she lifted up the palm that she took and saw the thick line that broke into two.

"So, what do you mean by - that I live two lives?"

An almost unnerving smile formed upon the wrinkled lips of the mystic. Soon, her eyes had this haunted glow, almost sending Sakura in a state of frozen panic. One look at her caused Sakura to lose her awareness in her surroundings that she could not even here Ino's demands for her to leave the woman now and forget about what had happened.

"Child, as of this moment, you are young. You won't understand even if I tell you more than twice."

She then raised her hand up and the smile had dropped.

"But mark my words - you will have to face two things, whether it is based by decisions, a physical path, or based on two people that you care about the most."

Sakura's breath hitched, not liking what she was about to hear. To her, this was far too big for her prepubescent mind to comprehend but she was brave. She had to be. This woman will not make her fear her own future.

However, the words that were about to follow will make it harder for to not be afraid of what's to come.

"And whichever choice you make - my last advice for you is - survive."

After-Notes:

And we are done! For an inexplicably short prologue chapter, it took me two years to write, which I deeply apologize for. My abscence included a lot of things: college graduation, a test, moving to another country, culture shock, writer's block, and a lot of adult-related factors. Along with that is me, losing my interest on both the series - again.

For new readers, welcome to the revised version of a very old story! I hope you will enjoy it. For old readers, welcome back. As you can see, there are some major changes for this one. The reason why is because the old beginning chapters did not make sense and I would rather have it done properly. Unlike the old story, which takes place when Sakura and the others are a genin - I decided to have Sakura at a suitable age where she is a bit older and more mature. It helps with development later on. There are so many other things I want to talk about but all and all, the content of the chapters are different but the plot goal is the same. I have it planned out from beginning to end in my mind and this is how I will go about it. I hope you all understand. I wrote this story when I was a freshman in high school and now, I had graduated college and I want to put my new, fresh perspective on it. This was the first popular story I wrote and I want to do it right.

I am still looking for a BETA-reader and checker and if you are good at checking grammar, I would love for you to check it. As of now, apologies for the absence. Hopefully, I will get the next chapter on the roll. Thanks for this who have been following this story. Reviews and criticisms and welcome!