Chapter 1: How it all began…

Haruno Sakura crashed her piece of paper with a frown and no small amount of annoyance on her face. The dragon she had been trying to draw for the past forty-five minutes looked more like a dog with wings!

"I'll be right back" she whispered to her friend, Rukia Kuchiki and silently made her way to the back of the class.

But karma was being a bitch and the moment she moved towards the cupboard with the drawing utensils a firm voice stopped her.

"Is something wrong Miss Haruno?"

Sakura froze. 'No, no, no! God, why do you hate me?'

One of the-many-disadvantages of having Mr. Asuma as your art teacher is that you never know when you are safe enough to get another piece of paper. As it seemed Mr. Asuma had woken on the wrong side of the bed.

The tall teacher cornered her and came to stand in front of her with an arrogant look on his face.

"Haven't you heard what the school council has decided? We will not order more paper this year due to financial problems. So, tell me. You want another piece of paper because you painting is that bad or because you think that your talent is that important?"

Sakura stood there frozen and silent. She didn't dare speak in fear that she would land herself in detention. She had learnt her lesson the previous time.

A snicker was heard and was followed by laughter.

There was only one person in her class, and probably the entire school, that would laugh when a classmate was on the verge of a mental breakdown or getting scolded by the stricter teacher there was.

Oh, not him again.

It was never easy, was it? All she ever wanted was to be a normal student and keep a low profile to stay out of trouble. And she would have managed just that, had it not been for him; the devil himself.

The one and only, Toshiro Hitsugaya.

With his snow-white hair and sea-green eyes, he maintained a love-hate relationship with most of the school's female population. Girls were either in love him or hated him because he turned them down. The fact that he was the star player of the school's team only served to boost his popularity and his already overgrown ego. His father, Hyourinmaru Hitsugaya ( A/N: Please don't kill me!) was the headmaster of the school. Really, Headmaster Hitsugaya wasn't that bad. Sakura actually liked him. He was good with the students and always did what was best for the school; students and teachers alike. What she couldn't understand was how Toshiro was such a jerk when he had a father like that.

But she couldn't focus any more on that for Mr. Asuma was still standing in front of her and she guessed that he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon unless she stepped down.

Sakura hesitated. The only thing she wanted was to snap at Toshiro's face to shut the hell up and tell her teacher that her talent was indeed so important. But she knew that if she did something like that, her place in detention would be granted. So, she just stayed silent and took her seat beside Rukia.

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"It is so unfair!" she said to Rukia.

"I agree" answered the black haired girl and her voice held understanding.

Sakura sighed.

"The only thing I've ever want wanted is to become an artist. And the only teacher I do NOT like is my ART teacher!"

Rukia shrugged and sighed.

"Forget it. Just be happy that he probably won't be a judge at the art competition."

Sakura nodded.

With Rukia, they have trying to win the spring art competition for many years. The prize was the opportunity to draw the vitrine of the most famous art gallery of the town. Sakura knew that she was the best. The only one that could beat her was Rukia. But, they had decided that, no matter who won, they would draw the vitrine together. They were best friends and nothing would ever change that.

They walked down the school's stone path towards the exit of the school yard. Most students had already left so the school was pretty much empty. Good.

"Hey Haruno!"

Sakura fought the urge to just bang her head on the wall and die of internal bleeding. Or undergo brain damage. Either one would serve well! She cursed her luck and Karma for being a bitch and Mr. Asuma and- Well, she cursed a lot of things but most of all the white head that was moving towards her and Rukia.

"Ignore him Sakura" Rukia whispered.

"That's what I am going to do" answered the pink haired girl. 'Or else I might just kill him and be done with it.'

She continued walking. You know those people who say 'ignore it and it will disappear'? Well, they were either terrible liars or she was just the unluckiest person on the face of the Earth. For suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder and laughter was heard.

"What happened today with Mr. Asuma?" A smirking Toshiro was looking at her with a smug and...degrading look.

Sakura saw red. If there was one thing she hated out there was to be underestimated. Who did this prick think he was to have the nerve to come mock her in her face? Her day had turned from bad to worse to 'jump-over-a-cliff-and-be-done-with-it.' She had put up with him all these years but she had just reached her breaking point. Someone can only so much before snapping.

"Look here you jerk! I have my own problems to deal with. I am not in the mood to put up with a spoiled brat who thinks that he can have everything! So pull that stick out of your ass and leave me the hell alone!"

She turned to Rukia "See you later Rukia" and with that she stomped off leaving more than surprised faces behind.

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Toshiro's POV

To say that he was surprised would be the understatement of the century. He was downright stunned. Who would have thought that Sakura Haruno, the school's nerd would snap at him, the Toshiro Hitsugaya.

He knew how she was. They had many classes together after all one being Art class. She was a straight A student and never put up much of a fight. She never talked back to teachers and most of the times endured the teasing silently. She was always so silent and at some point he had even wondered if she was mute. Her circle of friends was almost non-existent apart from Kuchiki and a soft hello with Hyuuga Hinata and that Nara boy.

But he had to admit; it was interesting to see the school's geek insult him and actually talk back at him.

The only thing that didn't seem right was the pang of guilt he felt at the pit of his stomach.

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'The nerve of him! Stupid, cocky bastard!'

It felt…nice to actually give him a piece of her mind. But that also meant that he was going to give her hell. She was sure that a guy like him, popular and arrogant, wouldn't let an incident like this simply pass by. Sakura groaned. What had she gotten herself into? She cursed herself for not realizing sooner. She had just signed her death. There was no way she was getting out of this unscratched. His fan-girls would probably lynch her when they heard that she had insulted their 'Toshiro-kun'.

She stomped down a dark road and was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice where she was going. When she did though, she found herself in a place completely foreign.

'I have never been here before' she thought and it was stange.. In a big city this was common. But Konoha wasn't anywhere near big.

"I've been living here my whole life. How come I am lost?"

Somewhat nervous, Sakura, followed the path. She took a right turn and found herself in a labyrinth of foreign streets.

Suddenly the evening seemed darker that before.

She turned around, trying to find the way that would lead her back home.

Suddenly, at the end of the road, she saw an old shop.

The vitrine was big and she could see many strange things that she couldn't recognize..

On the glass , with big black letters, were written the words:

"Kaien's magical shop.

Property of Shiba Kaien "

Sakura being the curious cat she was couldn't resist and forgot her panic. Maybe the owner would be kind enough to show her the way back home. She walked towards the strange shop.

' Maybe I can find something in here that will make Toshiro and Mr. Asuma disappear.' She laughed at her own thoughts.

When she opened the door she heard a bell ring. The inside of the shop was dark and mysterious. It was dimly lit with the light coming from candles of different color shape and form and there was a thin layer of dust on everything around her.

On the shelves and even on the floor she could see anything a magician would need. The wall on her left was full of cages with rabbits, pigeons and owls.

She walked towards the back of the shop. She could see many thick books that were probably really old judging by the worn covers and the yellow pages and pointed hats and even a few magic wands. Whoever the owner was, they either had a hell lot of imagination or a lot of free time. Probably both.

And that's when she saw it; a big, white sphere resting alone on a self far into the back. She couldn't take her eyes off of it and she felt as if there was something pulling her towards the unique object. With careful steps she approached the self which, as she noticed, was cleaned to perfection, unlike the rest of the shop.

She extended her hand to touch it.

"Who are you? What are you doing over there?"

Sakura quickly turned around.

Before her stood a tall man. He was fairly young with short, black hair and blue eyes.

"I am sorry. I just came to explore, nothing more."

"No one comes to this shop just to explore" said the man. "But you can start like that. Call me when find what you need."

Before Sakura could answer the man was already gone.

"Weirdo" she murmured.

She went towards another row of shelves. There was a human skull. A small piece of paper under it said "THE SKULL OF TRUTH". Next to the skull there was a collection of Chinese rings.

Once more she turned around. Her eyes fell on the white sphere.

She couldn't help it. It was like the object was calling her. Urging her to feel the sensation of it's surface under her fingers.

She took a few careful steps towards it. Maybe the man was still around. She looked around but she couldn't see him anywhere.

She focused her attention to the sphere once more. It was no bigger than a middle sized ball and so white it was as if it was glowing.

She carefully took the object in her pale hands, the same way that some would embrace a newborn.

Only then did she notice that the sphere wasn't entirely white. She could see all kinds of colors dancing on it's surface.

Blue, red, green, yellow….

"Interesting."

She quickly turned around, careful not to drop the unique object.

Mr. Kaien was back "Did you find what you needed?"

She looked at the colorful sphere in her hands.

"How much for this?" she asked.

"You don't want to buy this"

Excuse me? How could this man know what she wanted?

"How do you know that I don't want it?"

"My job"

Sakura couldn't understand if the man meant that it was his job to know or that she shouldn't butt in someone's else business.

But whatever the meaning of his words, Sakura wanted this sphere. She had never wanted something more in her life and she didn't know why. An irrational thought passed through her mind: it was as if the sphere itself wanted her to buy it. But she quickly shook her head. That was just plain crazy.

"How much?" she asked again.

Mr. Kaien sighed and with heavy steps went towards Sakura and the sphere.

"Do you know what this is?"

Sakura shrugged.

"Some kind of a ball?"

"Don't be a fool. Look at it again."

Sakura looked at the sphere thoughtfully.

"Ok. Its big for a ball and way too beautiful. What is it?"

"Hn. You'll have to find that on your own. But I have to ask you yet again: do you really want to buy this?"

Why wouldn't she?

The girl nodded.

"500 yen."

"How come you changed your mind about me wanting to buy this?"

"It doesn't matter if you want it." he said "She wants you."

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Sakura couldn't help but wonder if the man was indeed out of his mind.

"500 yen." he repeated and extended his hand.

The girl dug her hand in her pocket and when she found what she needed, she dropped it into the open hand of the owner of the shop.

"Don't move" he said "I'll be back."

Sakura didn't move a muscle. Or better, she didn't DARE move a muscle. That man gave her an uneasy feeling. Like he knew something about her that she didn't. It was strange and unnerving to say the least.

She didn't really understand how much time had passed before the man showed up with a blue, velvet box and a yellow-ish piece of paper in his hands.

He put the piece of paper in the box and gave it to Sakura.

Then something unexpected happened. He grabbed her shoulder in a strong grip and looked at her in the eyes.

"You must follow the instructions without making a mistake, no matter what kid." The man whispered "and for the sake of Odin, be careful! If you fail to take care of it properly I can assure you that you will find me in your path."

The last sentence was said in an almost threatening tone.

And the next moment…

He seemed to have forgotten what happened just seconds ago.

"If you exit from the back door and take the left turn you'll be home in no time."

With her hands tight around the box, Sakura ran out of the door.

After a while she stopped and looked around only to find that she was in Moon street.

"How the hell did I get here?" she asked herself.

She couldn't even remember.

One moment she was in that strange shop and the next…..there she was!; only a minute's walk from her house. The meeting with that strange man had left a weird feeling at the pit of her stomach and Sakura couldn't quite put her finger on it. Whatever it was, it had her on edge. Well, at least she was safe.

Because she lived in that region she had to walk a long distance in order to reach her home. Although, living away from the hustle and bustle of the town, even if the town was a small one, had its own advantage's. Her house's yard, which was as big as a football court, was more than enough repayment.

It was a big farmhouse that her father had bought when they first moved in Konoha. When they got it, the signs of its old age were visible. It had taken a lot of time and personal work but they had managed to make it a cozy and beautiful family house. The old barn was also very useful. Her mother was a vet so she used the big, old barn as a 'hotel' for her patients.

She passed the wooden door of the dark brown fence and walked towards the front door of the house. Once she was inside she headed to the kitchen. She looked through the door and noticed that neither her mother, Tsunade, nor her sister, Shizune, were there. She closed the door and ran up the white stairs to her room.

Her chamber was spacious enough with light purple colored walls and pink flower patters that she had drawn herself. She had a double bed with light pink covers and two fluffy pillows. Her wooden desk sat at the right corner of her room and across from it stood her closet. The left corner of her room was empty of furniture and full of her paintings and drawing utensils. She didn't really care that her desk and closet were a little closer to each other than needed.

She called it 'The Art Corner'. It was her favorite part in her room if not in the whole house. Well, it shared first place on her list with the barn where she could go and play with the animals.

In her Art Corner she could express herself freely and no one could tell her what to do. Most of the paintings that decorated that house walls were hers. She knew what she was doing and she was damn good at it.

Her mind drifted to the velvet box and the white sphere. She was really curious about it. What could it really be? How could it change colors? Why was the man so serious about it? A million questions ran through her head and no answers.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when a sudden flash of grey passed in front of her eyes and buried itself in her arms.

"Hey Nyata" said the girl "How are you today?"

A soft 'mew' was heard and a grey head with two small black ears and a pair of sparkling yellow eyes came out of her arms. She had found the little, grey devil one day while she was walking home from school. She was in a bad moon for some reason that she didn't really care to remember and the almost dead kitten under the tree that she saw took her mind off her problems.

"Hey there little kitten. Are you hungry?"

"Mew!" Sakura laughed.

"Yeah, I thought so too!"

After she poured the small cat a bowl of milk, she sat on her bed and brought the strange blue box out of her bag and on her knees. She took the sphere out.

It looked like a kaleidoscope, she thought as she watched the colors dance on its surface.

She couldn't believe that such a beautiful object could only cost 500 yen! She touched the shiny surface of the white sphere. To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. She let out a stunned yelp and she almost dropped the object. The sphere! It was warmer than before!

Looking at the object nervously, Sakura unfolded the paper that Mr. Kaien had put in the box.

'Must be instructions on how to clean it' thought the girl and put the paper on her wooden desk.

She looked at it and blinked surprised. A dragon was painted on the left corner of the yellow-ish, old looking piece of paper. There were flames coming out of its mouth and she could make out letters of fire. It said: "How to take care of a dragon's egg"

Sakura blinked and then frowned. Did that man think that she was stupid?

It was ridiculous! A dragon's egg!

But at the same time it kind of excited her. It was something new and had managed to grab her attention. This wasn't a dragon's egg for sure but she would always humor it and see how it would turn out. She decided to read the text.

"How to take care of a dragon's egg"

The egg that you just bought has already been through a long period of existence. Two more things are needed for the young dragon to hatch; the light of the Full Moon and the words of a true friend. Take the egg outside at midnight of the next full moon. Turn it towards the light of the moon and say:

"Full moon light

Full moon bright

The awakening is tonight

Bring the dragon in our world

And the egg will be no more"

Leave the egg under the light of the moon for at least three hours and wait. I trusted you a really unique and rare creature, Haruno Sakura. Take good care of it. Its life and safety depends on you. You must not tell anyone about it! Do you understand? No one!

Good luck!"

Sakura was on high alert.

She was sure that she hadn't mentioned her name to the man.

Suddenly, she heard someone knock on her door. Quickly she hid the supposed to be dragon egg and the blue box under her desk.

"Come in"

Her sister, Shizune, entered the room.

"Hey Sakura! How was your day?" she asked with a bright smile on her face.

"It was good Shizune-chan. Thank you" answered the pink haired teen.

"Good!" continued the other female. "Mom is waiting for us in the kitchen. I just came to tell you to come down for dinner."

"Ok, Shizune-chan. I'll be right there"

"Sure Sakura! We'll be waiting. Just don't be late!" said the older girl before exiting the room.

Sakura let a sigh of relief escape her lips. She couldn't let anyone know about this! Ugghh! What a drag…

A/N:

Ok! Hello guys, what's up? I know I haven't uploaded a chapter for very long and I am SO SORRY for that! That's why I am re-uploading the "Dragon's egg"!

Just to make a couple of things clear to avoid any possible misunderstandings. I got the idea for this story from two books; 1) The whole 'dragon rider' concept I got from Christopher Paolini's "Eragon", a favorite book of mine. 2) A couple of points that went very well with what I wanted to write I borrowed from Bruce Coville's "Jeremy Thacher: Dragon Hatcher", which I haven't read in years. But that's about it. The rest of the story is all mine as you can see, especially the ones who have read both books. Anyway, thank you for your time! :)

I hope you are not THAT mad at me! I promise I won't do it again! READ AND REVIEW!